] that Upner, the old good castle built by Queen Elizabeth,
should be lately slighted; that the ships at Chatham should not
be carried up higher. They look upon us as lost, and remove
their families and rich goods in the City; and do think verily
that the French being come down with an army to Dunkirke, it is
to invade us, and that we shall be invaded. Mr. Clerke, the
solicitor, comes to me about business, and tells me that he hears
that the King hath chosen Mr. Pierpoint and Vaughan of the West,
Privy-councillors; that my Lord Chancellor was affronted in the
Hall this day, by people telling him of his Dunkirke House; and
that there are regiments ordered to be got together, whereof to
be commanders my Lord Fairfax, Ingolsby, Bethell, Norton, and
Birch, and other Presbyterians; and that Dr. Bates will have
liberty to preach. Now, whether this be true or not, I know not;
but do think that nothing but this will unite us together. Late
at night comes Mr. Hudson the cooper, my neighbour, and tells me
that he come from Chatham this evening at five o'clock, and saw
this afternoon "The Royal James," "Oake," and "London," burnt by
the enemy with their fire-ships: that two or three men-of-war
come up with them, and made no more of Upner Castle's shooting
than of a fly; that those ships lay below Upner-Castle, (but
therein, I conceive, he is in an error;) that the Dutch are
fitting out "The Royall Charles;" that we shot; so far as from
the Yard thither, so that the shot did no good, for the bullets
grazed on the water; that Upner played hard with their guns at
first, but slowly afterwards, either from the men's being beat
off; or their powder spent.
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