I told him that this was not so much the
towne talk as the reason of dividing the fleete. To this he told
me he ought not to say much; but did assure me in general that
the proposition did first come from the fleet, and the resolution
not being prosecuted with orders so soon as the Generall thought
fit, the Generall did send Sir Edward Spragge up on purpose for
them; and that there was nothing in the whole business which was
not done with the full consent and advice of the Duke of
Albemarle. But he did adde, (as the Catholiques call LE SECRET
DE LA MASSE) that Sir Edward Spragge--who had even in Sir
Christopher Mings's time, put in to be the great favourite of the
Prince, but much more now had a mind to be the great man with
him, and to that end had a mind to have the Prince at a distance
from the Duke of Albemarle, that they might be doing something
alone--did, as he believed, put on this business of dividing the
fleet, and that thence it came. He tells me as to the business
of intelligence, the want whereof the world did complain much of,
that for that it was not his business, and as he was therefore to
have no share in the blame, so he would not meddle to lay it any
where else.
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