d to do, that the
fleete was come in--the greatest fleete that ever his Majesty had yet
together, and that in as bad condition as the enemy or weather could put
it; and to use Sir W. Pen's words, who is upon the place taking a survey,
he dreads the reports he is to receive from the Surveyors of its defects.
I therefore did only answer, that I was sorry for his Highness's offence,
but that what I said was but the report we received from those entrusted
in the fleete to inform us. He muttered and repeated what he had said;
and so, after a long silence on all hands, nobody, not so much as the Duke
of Albemarle, seconding the Prince, nor taking notice of what he said, we
withdrew. I was not a little troubled at this passage, and the more when
speaking with Jacke Fenn about it, he told me that the Prince will be
asking now who this Pepys is, and find him to be a creature of my Lord
Sandwich's, and therefore this was done only to disparage him. Anon they
broke, up, and Sir W. Coventry come out; so I asked his advice. He told
me he had said something to salve it, which was, that his Highnesse had,
he believed, rightly informed the King that the fleete is come in good
condition to have staid out yet longer, and have fought the enemy, but yet
that Mr. Pepys his meaning might be, that, though in so good condition, if
they should come in and lie all the winter, we shall be very loth to send
them to sea for another year's service with[out] great repairs. He said
it would be no hurt if I went to him, and showed him the report himself
brought up from the fleete, where every ship, by the Commander's report,
do need more or less, and not to mention more of Sir W. Pen for doing him
a mischief. So I said I would, but do not think that all this will redound
to my hurt, because the truth of what I said will soon appear. Thence,
having been informed that, after all this pains, the King hath found out
how to supply us with 5 or L6000, when L100,000 were at this time but
absolutely necessary, and we mentioned L50,000. This is every day a
greater and greater omen of ruine. God fit us for it! Sir J. Minnes and
I home (it raining) by coach, calling only on Sir G. Cartefet at his
lodging (who is I find troubled at my Lord Treasurer and Sir Ph. Warwicke
bungling in his accounts), and come home to supper with my father, and
then all to bed. I made my brother in his cassocke to say grace this day,
but I like his voice so ill that I begin to b