especially his mistresse, Mrs. Williams, and so will fall into another way
about it, wherein he will advise only with myself, which do not displease
me, and will be better for him and the King too. Much common talke of
publique business, the want of money, the uneasinesse that Parliament will
find in raising any, and the ill condition we shall be in if they do not,
and his confidence that the Swede is true to us, but poor, but would be
glad to do us all manner of service in the world. He gone, I away by water
from the Old Swan to White Hall. The waterman tells me that newes is come
that our ship Resolution is burnt, and that we had sunke four or five of
the enemy's ships. When I come to White Hall I met with Creed, and he
tells me the same news, and walking with him to the Park I to Sir W.
Coventry's lodging, and there he showed me Captain Talbot's letter,
wherein he says that the fight begun on the 25th; that our White squadron
begun with one of the Dutch squadrons, and then the Red with another so
hot that we put them both to giving way, and so they continued in pursuit
all the day, and as long as he stayed with them: that the Blue fell to the
Zealand squadron; and after a long dispute, he against two or three great
ships, he received eight or nine dangerous shots, and so come away; and
says, he saw the Resolution burned by one of their fire-ships, and four or
five of the enemy's. But says that two or three of our great ships were
in danger of being fired by our owne fire-ships, which Sir W. Coventry,
nor I, cannot understand. But upon the whole, he and I walked two or
three turns in the Parke under the great trees, and do doubt that this
gallant is come away a little too soon, having lost never a mast nor
sayle. And then we did begin to discourse of the young gentlemen
captains, which he was very free with me in speaking his mind of the
unruliness of them; and what a losse the King hath of his old men, and now
of this Hannam, of the Resolution, if he be dead, and that there is but
few old sober men in the fleete, and if these few of the Flags that are so
should die, he fears some other gentlemen captains will get in, and then