meeting the Dutch; as also have certain newes, that by storms Sir Jer.
Smith's fleet is scattered, and three of them come without masts back to
Plymouth, which is another very exceeding great disappointment, and if the
victualling ships are miscarried will tend to the losse of the garrison of
Tangier. Thence home, in my way had the opportunity I longed for, of
seeing and saluting Mrs. Stokes, my little goldsmith's wife in Paternoster
Row, and there bespoke some thing, a silver chafing-dish for warming
plates, and so home to dinner, found my wife busy about making her
hangings for her chamber with the upholster. So I to the office and anon
to the Duke of Albemarle, by coach at night, taking, for saving time, Sir
W. Warren with me, talking of our businesses all the way going and coming,
and there got his reference of my pursers' paper to the Board to consider
of it before he reads it, for he will never understand it I am sure. Here
I saw Sir W. Coventry's kind letter to him concerning my paper, and among
others of his letters, which I saw all, and that is a strange thing, that
whatever is writ to this Duke of Albemarle, all the world may see; for
this very night he did give me Mr. Coventry's letter to read, soon as it
come to his hand, before he had read it himself, and bid me take out of it
what concerned the Navy, and many things there was in it, which I should
not have thought fit for him to have let any body so suddenly see; but,
among other things, find him profess himself to the Duke a friend into the
inquiring further into the business of Prizes, and advises that it may be
publique, for the righting the King, and satisfying the people and getting
the blame to be rightly laid where it should be, which strikes very hard
upon my Lord Sandwich, and troubles me to read it. Besides, which vexes
me more, I heard the damned Duchesse again say to twenty gentlemen
publiquely in the room, that she would have Montagu sent once more to sea,
before he goes his Embassy, that we may see whether he will make amends
for his cowardice, and repeated the answer she did give the other day in
my hearing to Sir G. Downing, wishing her Lord had been a coward, for then