to my closet, and
there sat talking an hour or two of the sad state of the times, whereof
we did talk very freely, and he thinks nothing but a union of religious
interests will ever settle us; and I do think that, and the Parliament's
taking the whole management of things into their hands, and severe
inquisitions into our miscarriages; will help us. After we had bewailed
ourselves and the kingdom very freely one to another (wherein I do blame
myself for my freedom of speech to anybody), he gone, and Coleman gone
also before, I to the office, whither Creed come by my desire, and
he and I to my wife, to whom I now propose the going to Chatham, who,
mightily pleased with it, sent for Mercer to go with her, but she could
not go, having friends at home, which vexed my wife and me; and the poor
wretch would have had anybody else to have gone, but I would like nobody
else, so was contented to stay at home, on condition to go to Ispsum
next Sunday, which I will do, and so I to the office to dispatch my
business, and then home to supper with Creed, and then Creed and I
together to bed, very pleasant in discourse. This day talking with Sir
W. Batten, he did give me an account how ill the King and Duke of York
was advised to send orders for our frigates and fire-ships to come from
Gravesend, soon as ever news come of the Dutch being returned into the
river, wherein no seamen, he believes, was advised with; for, says he,
we might have done just as Warwicke did, when he, W. Batten; come with
the King and the like fleete, in the late wars, into the river: for
Warwicke did not run away from them, but sailed before them when they
sailed, and come to anchor when they come to anchor, and always kept in
a small distance from them: so as to be able to take any opportunity
of any of their ships running aground, or change of wind, or any thing
else, to his advantage. So might we have done with our fire-ships, and
we have lost an opportunity of taking or burning a good ship of their's,
which was run aground about Holehaven, I think he said, with the wind
so as their ships could not get her away; but we might have done what we
would with her, and, it may be, done them mischief, too, with the wind.
This seems very probable, and I believe was not considered.

30th (Lord's day). Up about three o'clock, and Creed and I got ourselves
ready, and took coach at our gate, it being very fine weather, and the
cool of the morning, and with much pleasure, w