things are ordered. So by coach home, and at my office late, and so to
supper and to bed, my body by plenty of breaking of wind being just now
pretty well again, having had a constant akeing in my back these 5 or 6
days. Mr. Coventry discoursing this noon about Sir W. Batten (what a sad
fellow he is!) told me how the King told him the other day how Sir W.
Batten, being in the ship with him and Prince Rupert when they expected to
fight with Warwick, did walk up and down sweating with a napkin under his
throat to dry up his sweat; and that Prince Rupert being a most jealous
man, and particularly of Batten, do walk up and down swearing bloodily to
the King, that Batten had a mind to betray them to-day, and that the
napkin was a signal; "but, by God," says he, "if things go ill, the first
thing I will do is to shoot him." He discoursed largely and bravely to me
concerning the different sort of valours, the active and passive valour.
For the latter, he brought as an instance General Blake; who, in the
defending of Taunton and Lime for the Parliament, did through his stubborn
sort of valour defend it the most 'opiniastrement' that ever any man did
any thing; and yet never was the man that ever made any attaque by land or
sea, but rather avoyded it on all, even fair occasions. On the other
side, Prince Rupert, the boldest attaquer in the world for personal
courage; and yet, in the defending of Bristol, no man ever did anything
worse, he wanting the patience and seasoned head to consult and advise for
defence, and to bear with the evils of a siege. The like he says is said
of my Lord Tiviott, who was the boldest adventurer of his person in the
world, and from a mean man in few years was come to this greatness of
command and repute only by the death of all his officers, he many times
having the luck of being the only survivor of them all, by venturing upon
services for the King of France that nobody else would; and yet no man
upon a defence, he being all fury and no judgment in a fight. He tells me
above all of the Duke of Yorke, that he is more himself and more of
judgement is at hand in him in the middle of a desperate service, than at