nd here Sir Thomas Clifford did speak
to me, as desirous that I would some time come and confer with him about
the Navy, which I am glad of, but will take the direction of the Duke
of York before I do it, though I would be glad to do something to secure
myself, if I could, in my employment. Thence to the plaisterer's, and
took my face, and my Lord Duke of Albemarle's, home with me by coach,
they being done to my mind; and mighty glad I am of understanding this
way of having the pictures of any friends. At home to dinner, where Mr.
Sheres dined with us, but after dinner I left him and my wife, and with
Commissioner Middleton and Kempthorne to a Court-martiall, to which,
by virtue of my late Captainship, I am called, the first I was ever
at; where many Commanders, and Kempthorne president. Here was tried a
difference between Sir L. Van Hemskirke, the Dutch Captain who commands
"The Nonsuch," built by his direction, and his Lieutenant; a drunken
kind of silly business. We ordered the Lieutenant to ask him pardon, and
have resolved to lay before the Duke of York what concerns the Captain,
which was striking of his Lieutenant and challenging him to fight, which
comes not within any article of the laws martiall. But upon discourse
the other day with Sir W. Coventry, I did advise Middleton, and he and
I did forbear to give judgment, but after the debate did withdraw into
another cabin, the Court being held in one of the yachts, which was on
purpose brought up over against St. Katharine's, it being to be feared
that this precedent of our being made Captains, in order to the trying
of the loss of "The Defyance," wherein we are the proper persons to
enquire into the want of instructions while ships do lie in harbour,
evil use might be hereafter made of the precedent by putting the Duke of
Buckingham, or any of these rude fellows that now are uppermost, to make
packed Courts, by Captains made on purpose to serve their turns. The
other cause was of the loss of "The Providence" at Tangier, where the
Captain's being by chance on shore may prove very inconvenient to him,
for example's sake, though the man be a good man, and one whom, for
Norwood's sake, I would be kind to; but I will not offer any thing to
the excusing such a miscarriage. He is at present confined, till he can
bring better proofs on his behalf of the reasons of his being on shore.
So Middleton and I away to the Office; and there I late busy, making my
people, as I have