abroad with
eighty sail of ships of war, and twenty fire-ships; and the French come
into the Channell with twenty sail of men-of-war, and five fireships,
while we have not a ship at sea to do them any hurt with; but are
calling in all we can, while our Embassadors are treating at Bredah; and
the Dutch look upon them as come to beg peace, and use them accordingly;
and all this through the negligence of our Prince, who hath power, if he
would, to master all these with the money and men that he hath had the
command of, and may now have, if he would mind his business. But,
for aught we see, the Kingdom is likely to be lost, as well as the
reputation of it is, for ever; notwithstanding so much reputation got
and preserved by a rebel that went before him. This discourse of ours
ended with sorrowful reflections upon our condition, and so broke up,
and Creed and I got out of the room, and away by water to White Hall,
and there he and I waited in the Treasury-chamber an hour or two, where
we saw the Country Receivers and Accountants for money come to attend;
and one of them, a brisk young fellow, with his hat cocked like a fool
behind, as the present fashion among the blades is, committed to the
Serjeant. By and by, I, upon desire, was called in, and delivered in my
report of my Accounts. Present, Lord Ashly, Clifford, and Duncomb, who,
being busy, did not read it; but committed it to Sir George Downing, and
so I was dismissed; but, Lord! to see how Duncomb do take upon him is
an eyesore, though I think he deserves great honour, but only the
suddenness of his rise, and his pride. But I do like the way of these
lords, that they admit nobody to use many words, nor do they spend many
words themselves, but in great state do hear what they see necessary,
and say little themselves, but bid withdraw. Thence Creed and I by
water up to Fox Hall, and over against it stopped, thinking to see some
Cock-fighting; but it was just being done, and, therefore, back again to
the other side, and to Spring Garden, and there eat and drank a little,
and then to walk up and down the garden, reflecting upon the bad
management of things now, compared with what it was in the late
rebellious times, when men, some for fear, and some for religion, minded
their business, which none now do, by being void of both. Much talk of
this and, other kinds, very pleasant, and so when it was almost night
we home, setting him in at White Hall, and I to the Old Swan, and t