weeks, which W.
Coventry says is as false as is possible, and he can prove the contrary by
the Duke of Albemarle's own letters. The Duke of Albemarle says that he
did upon sight of the Dutch call a council of officers, and they did
conclude they could not avoid fighting the Dutch; and yet we did go to the
enemy, and found them at anchor, which is a pretty contradiction. And he
tells 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 that
if the Dutch should come on, the Duke was to follow him, the Prince, with
his fleete, and not fight the Dutch. Out of all this a great deal of good
might well be picked. But it is a sad consideration that all this picking
of holes in one another's coats--nay, and the thanks of the House to the
Prince and the Duke of Albemarle, and all this envy and design to ruin Sir
W. Coventry--did arise from Sir W. Coventry's unfortunate mistake the
other day, in producing of a letter from the Duke of Albemarle, touching
the 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 undo
him, and I pray God they do not. He tells me upon my demanding it that he
thinks the King do not like this their bringing these narratives, and that
they give out that they would have said more but that the King hath
hindered them, that I suppose is about my Lord Sandwich. He is getting a
copy of the Narratives, which I shall then have, and so I parted from him
and away to White Hall, where I met Mr. Creed and Yeabsly, and discoursed
a little about Mr. Yeabsly's business and accounts, and so I to chapel and
there staid, it being All-Hallows day, and heard a fine anthem, made by
Pelham (who is come over) in France, of which there was great expectation,
and indeed is a very good piece of musique, but still I cannot call the
Anthem anything but instrumentall musique with the voice, for nothing is
made of the words at all. I this morning before chapel visited Sir G.
Carteret, who is vexed to see how things are likely to go, but cannot help
it, and yet seems to think himself mighty safe. I also visited my Lord
Hinchingbroke, at his chamber at White Hall, where I found Mr. Turner,
Moore, and Creed, talking of my Lord Sandwich, whose case I doubt is but
bad, and, I fear, will not escape being worse, though some of the company
did say otherwise. But I am mi