Batten did speak, knowing himself
guilty, and did confess, that being pressed by the Council he did
say what he did, that he was accounted a fanatique; but did not
know that at that time he had been appointed by his Royal
Highness. To which the Duke: that it was impossible but he must
know that he had appointed him; and so it did appear that the
Duke did mean all this while Sir W. Batten.
21st. My Lord Sandwich this day writes me word that he hath seen
(at Portsmouth) the Comet, and says it is the most extraordinary
thing he ever saw.
22nd. Met with a copy of verses, mightily commended by some
gentlemen there, of my Lord Mordaunt's, [Vide Note, Nov. 26,
1666.] in excuse of his going to sea this late expedition, with
the Duke of York. But Lord! they are sorry things; only a Lord
made them. Thence to the 'Change; and there, among the
merchants, I hear fully the news of our being beaten to dirt at
Guinny, by De Ruyter with his fleet. The particulars, as much as
by Sir G. Carteret afterwards I heard, I have said in a letter to
my Lord Sandwich this day at Portsmouth; it being meet wholly to
the utter ruine of our Royall Company, and reproach and shame to
the whole nation, as well as justification to them in their doing
wrong to no man as to his private property, only taking whatever
is found to belong to the Company, and nothing else.
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