Produced by David Widger
(Unabridged)
DIARY OF SAMUEL PEPYS.
NOVEMBER
1667
November 1st. Up betimes, and down to the waterside (calling and drinkinga dram of the bottle at Michell's, but saw not Betty), and thence to WhiteHall and to Sir W. Coventry's lodging, where he and I alone a good while,where he gives me the full of the Duke of Albemarle's and Prince'snarratives, given yesterday by the House, wherein they fall foul of himand Sir G. Carteret in something about the dividing of the fleete, and thePrince particularly charging the Commissioners of the Navy withnegligence, he says the Commissioners of the Navy whereof Sir W. Coventryis one. He tells me that he is prepared to answer any particular mostthoroughly, but the quality of the persons do make it difficult for him,and so I do see is in great pain, poor man, though he deserves better thantwenty such as either of them, for his abilities and true service to theKing and kingdom. He says there is incoherences, he believes, to be foundbetween their two reports, which will be pretty work to consider. TheDuke of Albemarle charges W. Coventry that he should tell him, when hecome down to the fleete with Sir G. Carteret, to consult about dividingthe fleete, that the Dutch would not be out in six weeks, which W.Coventry says is as false as is possible, and he can prove the contrary bythe Duke of Albemarle's own letters. The Duke of Albemarle says that hedid upon sight of the Dutch call a council of officers, and they didconclude they could not avoid fighting the Dutch; and yet we did go to theenemy, and found them at anchor, which is a pretty contradiction. And hetells me that Spragg did the other day say in the House, that the Prince,at his going from the Duke of Albemarle with his fleete, did tell him thatif the Dutch should come on, the Duke was to follow him, the Prince, withhis fleete, and not fight the Dutch. Out of all this a great deal of goodmight well be picked. But it is a sad consideration that all this pickingof holes in one another's coats—nay, and the thanks of the House to thePrince and the Duke of Albemarle, and all this envy and design to ruin SirW. Coventry—did arise from Sir W. Coventry's unfortunate mistake theother day, in producing of a letter from the Duke of Albemarle, touchingthe good condition of all things at Chatham just before the Dutch come up,and did us that fatal mischiefe; for upon this they are resolved to undohim, and I pray God they do not. He tells me upon my demanding it that hethinks the King do not like this their bringing these narratives, and thatthey give out that they would have said more but that the King hathhindered them, that I suppose is about my Lord Sandwich. He is getting acopy of the Narratives, which I shall then have, and so I parted from himand away to White Hall, where I met Mr. Creed and Yeabsly, and discourseda little about Mr. Yeabsly's business and accounts, and so I to chapel andthere staid, it being All-Hallows day, and heard a fine anthem, made byPelham (who is come over) in France, of w