staid and let them go. But Sir W. Pen did
tell us he should say nothing in it but what would do my Lord honour, and
he is a knave I am able to prove if he do otherwise. He gone, I to my
Office, to perfect my Narrative about prize-goods; and did carry it to the
Commissioners of Accounts, who did receive it with great kindness, and
express great value of, and respect to me: and my heart is at rest that it
is lodged there, in so full truth and plainness, though it may hereafter
prove some loss to me. But here I do see they are entered into many
enquiries about prizes, by the great attendance of commanders and others
before them, which is a work I am not sorry for. Thence I away, with my
head busy, but my heart at pretty good ease, to the Old Exchange, and
there met Mr. Houblon. I prayed him to discourse with some of the
merchants that are of the Committee for Accounts, to see how they do
resent my paper, and in general my particular in the relation to the
business of the Navy, which he hath promised to do carefully for me and
tell me. Here it was a mighty pretty sight to see old Mr. Houblon, whom I
never saw before, and all his sons about him, all good merchants. Thence
home to dinner, and had much discourse with W. Hewer about my going to
visit Colonel Thomson, one of the Committee of Accounts, who, among the
rest, is mighty kind to me, and is likely to mind our business more than
any; and I would be glad to have a good understanding with him. Thence
after dinner to White Hall, to attend the Duke of York, where I did let
him know, too, the troublesome life we lead, and particularly myself, by
being obliged to such attendances every day as I am, on one Committee or
another. And I do find the Duke of York himself troubled, and willing not
to be troubled with occasions of having his name used among the
Parliament, though he himself do declare that he did give directions to
Lord Brouncker to discharge the men at Chatham by ticket, and will own it,
if the House call for it, but not else. Thence I attended the King and
Council, and some of the rest of us, in a business to be heard about the
value of a ship of one Dorrington's:--and it was pretty to observe how Sir
W. Pen making use of this argument against the validity of an oath,
against the King, being made by the master's mate of the ship, who was but
a fellow of about 23 years of age--the master of the ship, against whom we
pleaded, did say that he did think himself at