d but L35,000 for the setting out of the
fleete, out of the Poll Bill, to buy all provisions, when five times
as much had been little enough to have done any thing to purpose. They
have, indeed, ordered more for paying off of seamen and the Yards
to some time, but not enough for that neither. Another thing is, the
acquainting the Duke of York with the case of Mr. Lanyon, our agent
at Plymouth, who has trusted us to L8000 out of purse; we are not in
condition, after so many promises, to obtain him a farthing, nor though
a message was carried by Sir G. Carteret and Sir W. Coventry to the
Commissioners for Prizes, that he might have L3000 out of L20,000 worth
of prizes to be shortly sold there, that he might buy at the candle and
pay for the goods out of bills, and all would [not] do any thing, but
that money must go all another way, while the King's service is undone,
and those that trust him perish. These things grieve me to the heart.
The Prince, I hear, is every day better and better. So away by water
home, stopping at Michell's, where Mrs. Martin was, and I there drank
with them and whispered with Betty, who tells me all is well, but was
prevented in something she would have said, her 'marido venant' just
then, a news which did trouble me, and so drank and parted and home, and
there took up my wife by coach, and to Mrs. Pierce's, there to take her
up, and with them to Dr. Clerke's, by invitation, where we have not
been a great while, nor had any mind to go now, but that the Dr., whom
I love, would have us choose a day. Here was his wife, painted, and her
sister Worshipp, a widow now and mighty pretty in her mourning. Here was
also Mr. Pierce and Mr. Floyd, Secretary to the Lords Commissioners of
Prizes, and Captain Cooke, to dinner, an ill and little mean one, with
foul cloth and dishes, and everything poor. Discoursed most about
plays and the Opera, where, among other vanities, Captain Cooke had
the arrogance to say that he was fain to direct Sir W. Davenant in the
breaking of his verses into such and such lengths, according as would
be fit for musick, and how he used to swear at Davenant, and command him
that way, when W. Davenant would be angry, and find fault with this
or that note--but a vain coxcomb I perceive he is, though he sings and
composes so well. But what I wondered at, Dr. Clerke did say that Sir
W. Davenant is no good judge of a dramatick poem, finding fault with his
choice of Henry the 5th, and others,