o lodge the
business of Chatham upon the Commissioners of the Navy, and they are
resolved to lay the fault heavy somewhere, and to punish it: and
prays me to prepare to save myself, and gives me hints what to prepare
against; which I am obliged to him for, and do begin to mistrust lest
some unhappy slip or other after all my diligence and pains may not be
found (which I can [not] foresee) that may prove as fatal to a man as
the constant course of negligence and unfaithfulness of other men. Here
we parted, and I to White Hall to Mr. Wren's chamber, thereto advise
with him about the list of ships and commanders which he is to present
to the Parliament, and took coach (little Michell being with me, whom
I took with me from Westminster Hall), and setting him down in Gracious
street home myself, where I find my wife and the two Mercers and Willett
and W. Batelier have been dancing, but without a fidler. I had a little
pleasure in talking with these, but my head and heart full of thoughts
between hope and fear and doubts what will become of us and me
particularly against a furious Parliament. Then broke up and to bed,
and there slept pretty well till about four o'clock, and from that time
could not, but my thoughts running on speeches to the Parliament to
excuse myself from the blame which by other men's negligence will
'light, it may be, upon the office. This day I did get a list of the
fourteen particular miscarriages which are already before the Committee
to be examined; wherein, besides two or three that will concern this
Office much, there are those of the prizes, and that of Bergen, and not
following the Dutch ships, against my Lord Sandwich; that, I fear,
will ruine him, unless he hath very good luck, or they may be in better
temper before he can come to be charged: but my heart is full of fear
for him and his family. I hear that they do prosecute the business
against my Lord Chief Justice Keeling with great severity.

22nd. Slept but ill all the last part of the night, for fear of this
day's success in Parliament: therefore up, and all of us all the morning
close, till almost two o'clock, collecting all we had to say and had
done from the beginning, touching the safety of the River Medway and
Chatham. And, having done this, and put it into order, we away, I not
having time to eat my dinner; and so all in my Lord Bruncker's coach,
that is to say, Bruncker, W. Pen, T. Harvy, and myself, talking of the
other great matter