which I wish there was not so much reason. For I do see he is but a man
of words, though indeed he is the ablest man that we have to do service if
he would or durst. Sir J. Minnes being gone to bed, I took Mr. Whitfield,
one of the clerks, and walked to the Dock about eleven at night, and there
got a boat and a crew, and rowed down to the guard-ships, it being a most
pleasant moonshine evening that ever I saw almost. The guard-ships were
very ready to hail us, being no doubt commanded thereto by their Captain,
who remembers how I surprised them the last time I was here. However, I
found him ashore, but the ship in pretty good order, and the arms well
fixed, charged, and primed. Thence to the Soveraign, where I found no
officers aboard, no arms fixed, nor any powder to prime their few guns,
which were charged, without bullet though. So to the London, where
neither officers nor any body awake; I boarded her, and might have done
what I would, and at last could find but three little boys; and so spent
the whole night in visiting all the ships, in which I found, for the most
part, neither an officer aboard, nor any men so much as awake, which I was
grieved to find, specially so soon after a great Larum, as Commissioner
Pett brought us word that he [had] provided against, and put all in a
posture of defence but a week ago, all which I am resolved to represent to
the Duke.

13th. So, it being high day, I put in to shore and to bed for two hours
just, and so up again, and with the Storekeeper and Clerk of the Rope-yard
up and down the Dock and Rope-house, and by and by mustered the Yard, and
instructed the Clerks of the Cheque in my new way of Callbook, and that
and other things done, to the Hill-house, and there we eat something, and
so by barge to Rochester, and there took coach hired for our passage to
London, and Mrs. Allen, the clerk of the Rope-yard's wife with us,
desiring her passage, and it being a most pleasant and warm day, we got by
four o'clock home. In our way she telling us in what condition Becky