is; and there
had opportunity to talk of the business of victuals, which the Duke of
Albemarle and Prince did complain that they were in want of the last
year: but we do conclude we shall be able to show quite the contrary of
that; only it troubles me that we must come to contend with these great
persons, which will overrun us. So with some disquiet in my mind on this
account I home, and there comes Mr. Yeabsly, and he and I to even some
accounts, wherein I shall be a gainer about L200, which is a seasonable
profit, for I have got nothing a great while; and he being gone, I to
bed.

NOVEMBER 1667

November 1st. Up betimes, and down to the waterside (calling and
drinking a dram of the bottle at Michell's, but saw not Betty), and
thence to White Hall and to Sir W. Coventry's lodging, where he and
I alone a good while, where he gives me the full of the Duke of
Albemarle's and Prince's narratives, given yesterday by the House,
wherein they fall foul of him and Sir G. Carteret in something about
the dividing of the fleete, and the Prince particularly charging the
Commissioners of the Navy with negligence, he says the Commissioners of
the Navy whereof Sir W. Coventry is one. He tells me that he is prepared
to answer any particular most thoroughly, 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