roughly, but the quality of the persons
do make it difficult for him, and so I do see is in great pain, poor
man, though he deserves better than twenty such as either of them, for
his abilities and true service to the King and kingdom. He says there is
incoherences, he believes, to be found between their two reports,
which will be pretty work to consider. The Duke of Albemarle charges W.
Coventry that he should tell him, when he come down to the fleete with
Sir G. Carteret, to consult about dividing the fleete, that the Dutch
would not be out in six weeks, which W. Coventry says is as false as is
possible, and he can prove the contrary by the Duke of Albemarle's own
letters. The Duke of Albemarle says that he did upon sight of the Dutch
call a council of officers, and they did conclude they could not avoid
fighting the Dutch; and yet we did go to the enemy, and found them at
anchor, which is a pretty contradiction. And he tells me that Spragg did
the other day say in the House, that the Prince, at his going from the
Duke of Albemarle with his fleete, did tell him that if the Dutch should
come on, the Duke was to follow him, the Prince, with his fleete, and
not fight the Dutch. Out of all this a great deal of good might well be
picked. But it is a sad consideration that all this picking of holes in
one another's coats--nay, and the thanks of the House to the Prince
and the Duke of Albemarle, and all this envy and design to ruin Sir W.
Coventry--did arise from Sir W. Coventry's unfortunate mistake the other
day, in producing of a letter from the Duke of Albemarle, touching the
good condition of all things at Chatham just before the Dutch come up,
and did us that fatal mischiefe; for upon this they are resolved to undo
him, and I pray God they do not. He tells me upon my demanding it that
he thinks the King do not like this their bringing these narratives, and
that they give out that they would have said more but that the King hath
hindered them, that I suppose is about my Lord Sandwich. He is getting
a copy of the Narratives, which I shall then have, and so I parted
from him and away to White Hall, where I met Mr. Creed and Yeabsly, and
discoursed a little about Mr. Yeabsly's business and accounts, and so
I to chapel and there staid, it being All-Hallows day, and heard a fine
anthem, made by Pelham (who is come over) in France, of which there was
great expectation, and indeed is a very good piece of musique, but still
I can