discourse
to me, did tell me, that he is told that when they took "The Royall
Charles," they said that they had their tickets signed, and showed
some, and that now they come to have them paid, and would have them paid
before they parted. And several seamen come this morning to me, to tell
me that, if I would get their tickets paid, they would go and do all
they could against the Dutch; but otherwise they would not venture being
killed, and lose all they have already fought for: so that I was forced
to try what I could do to get them paid. This man tells me that the
ships burnt last night did lie above Upnor Castle, over against the
Docke; and the boats come from the ships of war and burnt them all which
is very sad. And masters of ships, that we are now taking up, do keep
from their ships all their stores, or as much as they can, so that we
can despatch them, having not time to appraise them nor secure their
payment; only some little money we have, which we are fain to pay the
men we have with, every night, or they will not work. And indeed the
hearts as well as affections of the seamen are turned away; and in
the open streets in Wapping, and up and down, the wives have cried
publickly, "This comes of your not paying our husbands; and now your
work is undone, or done by hands that understand it not." And Sir W.
Batten told me that he was himself affronted with a woman, in language
of this kind, on Tower Hill publickly yesterday; and we are fain to bear
it, and to keep one at the office door to let no idle people in, for
fear of firing of the office and doing us mischief. The City is troubled
at their being put upon duty: summoned one hour, and discharged two
hours after; and then again summoned two hours after that; to their
great charge as well as trouble. And Pelling, the Potticary, tells me
the world says all over, that less charge than what the kingdom is put
to, of one kind or other, by this business, would have set out all
our great ships. It is said they did in open streets yesterday, at
Westminster, cry, "A Parliament! a Parliament!" and I do believe it will
cost blood to answer for these miscarriages. We do not hear that the
Dutch are come to Gravesend; which is a wonder. But a wonderful thing
it is that to this day we have not one word yet from Bruncker, or Peter
Pett, or J. Minnes, of any thing at Chatham. The people that come hither
to hear how things go, make me ashamed to be found unable to answer
them: for