20th. Sir W. Coventry fell to discourse of retrenchments: and
therein he tells how he would have but only one Clerk of the
Acts. He do tell me he hath propounded how the charge of the
Navy in peace shall come within 200,000l., by keeping out twenty-
four ships in summer, and ten in the winter. And several other
particulars we went over of retrenchment: and I find I must
provide some things to offer, that I may be found studious to
lessen the King's charge. Sir W. Coventry did single Sir W. Pen
and me, and desired us to lend the King some money, out of the
prizes we have taken by Hogg. He did not much press it, and we
made but a merry answer thereto: but I perceive he did ask it
seriously, and did tell us that there never was so much need of
it in the world as now, we being brought to the lowest straits
that can be in the world.
22nd. Up, and to the office: whence Lord Brouncker, J. Minnes,
and W. Pen, and I went to examine some men that are put in there
for rescuing of men that were pressed into the service: and we
do plainly see that the desperate condition that we put men into
for want of their pay makes them mad, they being as good men as
over were in the world, and would as readily serve the King
again, were they but paid.
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