after he had named a man, none of us shall then oppose or find fault with the man; but if we had any thing to say, we ought to say it before he had chose him. Sir G. Carteret thought himself concerned, and endeavoured to clear himself: and by and by Sir W. Batten did speak, knowing himself guilty, and did confess, that being pressed by the Council he did say what he did, that he was accounted a fanatique; but did not know that at that time he had been appointed by his Royal Highness. To which the Duke: that it was impossible but he must know that he had appointed him; and so it did appear that the Duke did mean all this while Sir W. Batten.

21st. My Lord Sandwich this day writes me word that he hath seen (at Portsmouth) the Comet, and says it is the most extraordinary thing he ever saw.

22nd. Met with a copy of verses, mightily commended by some gentlemen there, of my Lord Mordaunt’s,⁵⁸ in excuse of his going to sea this late expedition, with the Duke of York. But Lord! they are sorry things; only a Lord made them. Thence to the ’Change; and there, among the merchants, I hear fully the news of our being beaten to dirt at Guinny, by De Ruyter with his fleet. The particulars, as much as by Sir G. Carteret afterwards I heard, I have said in a letter to my Lord Sandwich this day at Portsmouth; it being most wholly to the utter ruine of our Royall Company, and reproach and shame to the whole nation, as well as justification to them in their doing wrong to no man as to his private property, only taking whatever is found to belong to the Company, and nothing else. To Redriffe; and just in time within two minutes, and saw the new vessel of Sir William Petty’s launched, the King and Duke being there. It swims and looks finely, and I believe will do well.

24th. At noon to the ’Change, to the Coffee-house; and there heard Sir Richard Ford tell the whole story of our defeat at Guinny. Wherein our men are guilty of the most horrid cowardice and perfidiousness, as he says and tells it, that ever Englishmen were. Captain Raynolds, that was the only commander of any of the King’s ships there, was shot at by De Ruyter, with a bloody flag flying. He, instead of opposing (which, indeed, had been to no purpose, but only to maintain honour) did poorly go on board himself, to ask what De Ruyter would have; and so yield to whatever Ruyter would desire. The King and Duke are highly vexed at it, it seems, and the business deserves it. I saw the Comet, which is now, whether worn away or no I know not, but appears not with a tail, but only is larger and duller than any other star, and is come to rise betimes, and to make a great arch, and is gone quite to a new place in the heavens than it was before: but I hope in a clearer night something more will be seen.

28th. To Sir W. Pen’s to his Lady,⁵⁹ who is a well-looked, fat, short, old Dutch woman; but one that hath been heretofore pretty handsome, and is I believe very discreet, and hath more wit than her husband.

31st. Public matters are all in a hurry about a Dutch warr. Our preparations great; our provocations against them great; and after all our presumption, we are now afraid as much of them, as we lately contemned them. Every thing else in the State quiet, blessed be God! My Lord Sandwich at sea with the fleet at Portsmouth; sending some about to cruise for taking of ships, which we have done to a great number. This Christmas I judged it fit to look over all my papers and books; and to tear all that I found either boyish or not to be worth keeping, or fit to be seen, if it should please God to take me away suddenly. Among others, I found these two or three notes, which I thought fit to keep.

AGE OF MY GRANDFATHER’S CHILDREN.
Thomas, 1595
Mary, March 16, 1597
Edith, October 11, 1599
John, (my Father,) January 14, 1601
My father and mother marryed at Newington, in Surry, Oct. 15, 1626

THEYR CHILDREN’S AGES.

Mary, July 24, 1627	mort.
Paulina, September 18, 1628	mort.
Esther, March 27, 1630	mort.
John, January 10, 1631	mort.
Samuel,60 February 23, 1632
Thomas, June 18, 1634	mort.
Sarah, August 25, 1635	mort.
Jacob, May 1, 1637	mort.
Robert, November 18, 1638	mort.
Paulina, October 18, 1640
John, November 26, 1641	mort.

December 31, 1664

Charmes

I. FOR STENCHING BLOOD.