tter urged, that there must be some faults, and that the Admiral
must be found to have done his part. I did say an unhappy word, which
I was sorry for, when he complained of want of oares for the boats:
and there was, it seems, enough, and good enough, to carry away all the
boats with from the King's occasions. He said he used never a boat till
they were all gone but one; and that was to carry away things of great
value, and these were his models of ships; which, when the Council, some
of them, had said they wished that the Dutch had had them instead of the
King's ships, he answered, he did believe the Dutch would have made more
advantage of the models than of the ships, and that the King had had
greater loss thereby; this they all laughed at. After having heard him
for an hour or more, they bid him withdraw. I all this while showing him
no respect, but rather against him, for which God forgive me! for I
mean no hurt to him, but only find that these Lords are upon their own
purgation, and it is necessary I should be so in behalf of the office.
He being gone, they caused Sir Richard Browne to read over his minutes;
and then my Lord Arlington moved that they might be put into my hands to
put into form, I being more acquainted with such business; and they were
so. So I away back with my books and papers; and when I got into the
Court it was pretty to see how people gazed upon me, that I thought
myself obliged to salute people and to smile, lest they should think I
was a prisoner too; but afterwards I found that most did take me to
be there to bear evidence against P. Pett; but my fear was such, at my
going in, of the success of the day, that at my going in I did think fit
to give T. Hater, whom I took with me, to wait the event, my closet-key
and directions where to find L500 and more in silver and gold, and my
tallys, to remove, in case of any misfortune to me. Thence to Sir
G. Carteret's to take my leave of my Lady Jem, who is going into the
country tomorrow; but she being now at prayers with my Lady and family,
and hearing here by Yorke, the carrier, that my wife is coming to towne,
I did make haste home to see her, that she might not find me abroad,
it being the first minute I have been abroad since yesterday was
se'ennight. It is pretty to see how strange it is to be abroad to see
people, as it used to be after a month or two's absence, and I have
brought myself so to it, that I have no great mind to be abroad, which
I