a man to fit
their ships for the new voyages, when we have not paid them half
of what we owe them for their old services! I did write so to
Sir W. Coventry this night.
21st. This day comes news from Harwich that the Dutch fleet are
all in sight, near 100 sail great and small, they think, coming
towards them; where, they think, they shall be able to oppose
them; but do cry out of the falling back of the seamen, few
standing by them, and those with much faintness. The like they
write from Portsmouth, and their letters this post are worth
reading. Sir H. Cholmly come to me this day, and tells me the
Court is as mad as ever; and that the night the Dutch burned our
ships the King did sup with my Lady Castlemaine, at the Duchesse
of Monmouth's, and there were all mad in hunting of a poor moth.
All the Court afraid of a Parliament; but he thinks nothing can
save us but the King's giving up all to a Parliament.
22nd. In the evening come Captain Hart and Hayward to me about
the six merchant-ships now taken up for men-of-war; and in
talking they told me about the taking of "The Royal Charles;"
that nothing but carelessness lost the ship, for they might have
saved her the very tide that the Dutch came up, if they would
have but used means and had had but boats; and that the want of
boats plainly lost all the other ships.
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