Ob. 1683-4.]
29th. I late at the office, and all the news I hear I put into a
letter this night to my Lord Brouncker at Chatham, thus: "I
doubt not of your Lordship's hearing of Sir Thomas Clifford's
succeeding Sir H. Pollard [M.P. for Devonshire. Ob. Nov. 27,
1666.] in the Controllership of the King's house; but perhaps
our ill (but confirmed) tidings from the Barbadoes may not have
reached you yet, it coming but yesterday; viz. that about eleven
ships (whereof two of the King's, the Hope and Coventry) going
thence with men to attack St. Christopher were seized by a
violent hurricana, and all sunk. Two only of thirteen escaping,
and those with loss of masts, &c. My Lord Willoughby himself is
involved in the disaster, [Francis fifth Lord Willoughby of
Parnham, drowned at Barbadoes, 1666.] and I think two ships
thrown upon an island of the French, and so all the men (to 500)
become their prisoners. 'Tis said too, that eighteen Dutch men-
of-war are passed the Channell, in order to meet with our Smyrna
ships; and some I hear do fright us with the King of Sweden's
seizing our mast-ships at Gottenburgh.
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