White Hall; where staid a
very little: and thence to St. James's to [Sir] W. Coventry, whom I have
not seen since before the coming of the Dutch into the river, nor did
indeed know how well to go see him, for shame either to him or me, or both
of us, to find ourselves in so much misery. I find that he and his
fellow-Treasurers are in the utmost want of money, and do find fault with
Sir G. Carteret, that, having kept the mystery of borrowing money to
himself so long, to the ruin of the nation, as [Sir] W. Coventry said in
words to [Sir] W. Pen and me, he should now lay it aside and come to them
for money for every penny he hath, declaring that he can raise no more:
which, I confess, do appear to me the most like ill-will of any thing that
I have observed of [Sir] W. Coventry, when he himself did tell us, on
another occasion at the same time, that the bankers who used to furnish
them money are not able to lend a farthing, and he knows well enough that
that was all the mystery [Sir] G. Carteret did use, that is, only his
credit with them. He told us the masters and owners of the two ships that
I had complained of, for not readily setting forth their ships, which we
had taken up to make men-of-war, had been yesterday with the King and
Council, and had made their case so well understood, that the King did owe
them for what they had earned the last year, that they could not set them
out again without some money or stores out of the King's Yards; the latter
of which [Sir] W. Coventry said must be done, for that they were not able
to raise money for them, though it was but L200 a ship: which do skew us
our condition to be so bad, that I am in a total despair of ever having
the nation do well. After talking awhile, and all out of heart with
stories of want of seamen, and seamen's running away, and their demanding
a month's advance, and our being forced to give seamen 3s. a-day to go
hence to work at Chatham, and other things that show nothing but
destruction upon us; for it is certain that, as it now is, the seamen of
England, in my conscience, would, if they could, go over and serve the
King of France or Holland rather than us. Up to the Duke of York to his
chamber, where he seems to be pretty easy, and now and then merry; but yet
one may perceive in all their minds there is something of trouble and
care, and with good reason. Thence to White Hall, and with Sir W. Pen, by
chariot; and there in the Court met with my Lord Angl