hoping
to be merry thereby. Being ready we to church, where a company of fine
people to church, and a fine Church, and very good sermon, Mr. Plume'
being a very excellent scholler and preacher. Coming out of the church I
met Mrs. Pierce, whom I was ashamed to see, having not been with her since
my coming to town, but promised to visit her. Thence with Captain Cocke,
in his coach, home to dinner, whither comes by invitation my Lord Bruncker
and his mistresse and very good company we were, but in dinner time comes
Sir J. Minnes from the fleete, like a simple weak man, having nothing to
say of what he hath done there, but tells of what value he imagines the
prizes to be, and that my Lord Sandwich is well, and mightily concerned to
hear that I was well. But this did put me upon a desire of going thither;
and, moving of it to my Lord, we presently agreed upon it to go this very
tide, we two and Captain Cocke. So every body prepared to fit himself for
his journey, and I walked to Woolwich to trim and shift myself, and by the
time I was ready they come down in the Bezan yacht, and so I aboard and my
boy Tom, and there very merrily we sailed to below Gravesend, and there
come to anchor for all night, and supped and talked, and with much
pleasure at last settled ourselves to sleep having very good lodging upon
cushions in the cabbin.

18th. By break of day we come to within sight of the fleete, which was a
very fine thing to behold, being above 100 ships, great and small; with
the flag-ships of each squadron, distinguished by their several flags on
their main, fore, or mizen masts. Among others, the Soveraigne, Charles,
and Prince; in the last of which my Lord Sandwich was. When we called by
her side his Lordshipp was not stirring, so we come to anchor a little
below his ship, thinking to have rowed on board him, but the wind and tide
was so strong against us that we could not get up to him, no, though rowed
by a boat of the Prince's that come to us to tow us up; at last however he
brought us within a little way, and then they flung out a rope to us from
the Prince and so come on board, but with great trouble and tune and
patience, it being very cold; we find my Lord newly up in his night-gown
very well. He received us kindly; telling us the state of the fleet,
lacking provisions, having no beer at all, nor have had most of them these
three weeks or month, and but few days' dry provisions. And indeed he
tells us that h