so did seriously discourse the whole thing, and then away to
supper and to bed. I pray God give a blessing to our resolution, for I do
much fear we shall meet with speedy distractions for want of money.

28th (Lord's day). Up, and to church with my wife, and then home, and
there is come little Michell and his wife, I sent for them, and also tomes
Captain Guy to dine with me, and he and I much talk together. He cries
out of the discipline of the fleete, and confesses really that the true
English valour we talk of is almost spent and worn out; few of the
commanders doing what they should do, and he much fears we shall therefore
be beaten the next year. He assures me we were beaten home the last June
fight, and that the whole fleete was ashamed to hear of our bonefires. He
commends Smith, and cries out of Holmes for an idle, proud, conceited,
though stout fellow. He tells me we are to owe the losse of so many ships
on the sands, not to any fault of the pilots, but to the weather; but in
this I have good authority to fear there was something more. He says the
Dutch do fight in very good order, and we in none at all. He says that in
the July fight, both the Prince and Holmes had their belly-fulls, and were
fain to go aside; though, if the wind had continued, we had utterly beaten
them. He do confess the whole to be governed by a company of fools, and
fears our ruine. After dinner he gone, I with my brother to White Hall
and he to Westminster Abbey. I presently to Mrs. Martin's, and there met
widow Burroughes and Doll, and did tumble them all the afternoon as I
pleased, and having given them a bottle of wine I parted and home by boat
(my brother going by land), and thence with my wife to sit and sup with my
uncle and aunt Wight, and see Woolly's wife, who is a pretty woman, and
after supper, being very merry, in abusing my aunt with Dr. Venner, we
home, and I to do something in my accounts, and so to bed. The Revenge
having her forecastle blown up with powder to the killing of some men in
the River, and the Dyamond's being overset in the careening at Sheernesse,
are further marks of the method all the King's work is now done in. The
Foresight also and another come to disasters in the same place this week
in the cleaning; which is strange.

29th. Up, and to the office to do business, and thither comes to me Sir
Thomas Teddiman, and he and I walked a good while in the garden together,
discoursing of the disorder a