He tells me of the vote
for none of the House to be of the Commission for the Bill of
Accounts; which he thinks is so great a disappointment to Birch
and others that expected to be of it, that he thinks, could it
have been seen, there would not have been any Bill at all. We
hope it will be the better for all that are to account; it being
likely that the men, being few and not of the House will hear
reason. The main business I went about was about Gilsthrop, Sir
W. Batten's clerk; who being upon his death-bed, and now dead,
hath offered to make discoveries of the disorders of the Navy and
of 65,000l. damage to the King: which made mighty note in the
Commons House; and members appointed to go to him, which they
did; but nothing to the purpose got from him, but complaints of
false musters, and ships being refitted with victuals and stores
at Plymouth after they were fitted from other ports. But all
this to no purpose, nor more than we know and will owne. But the
best is, that this logger-head should say this, that understands
nothing of the Navy, nor ever would; and hath particularly
blemished his master by name among us.
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