cannot now give any good account of the Navy business; and that all his
work now was to be able to provide such orders as would justify his Royal
Highness in the business, when it shall be called to account; and that he
do do, not concerning himself whether they are or can be performed, or no;
and that when it comes to be examined, and falls on my Lord Treasurer, he
cannot help it, whatever the issue of it shall be. Hereupon Sir W. Batten
did pray him to keep also by him all our letters that come from the office
that may justify us, which he says he do do, and, God knows, it is an ill
sign when we are once to come to study how to excuse ourselves. It is a
sad consideration, and therewith we broke up, all in a sad posture, the
most that ever I saw in my life. One thing more Sir W. Coventry did say to
the Duke of York, when I moved again, that of about L9000 debt to Lanyon,
at Plymouth, he might pay L3700 worth of prize-goods, that he bought
lately at the candle, out of this debt due to him from the King; and the
Duke of York, and Sir G: Carteret, and Lord Barkeley, saying, all of them,
that my Lord Ashly would not be got to yield to it, who is Treasurer of
the Prizes, Sir W. Coventry did plainly desire that it might be declared
whether the proceeds of the prizes were to go to the helping on of the
war, or no; and, if it were, how then could this be denied? which put them
all into another stound; and it is true, God forgive us! Thence to the
chappell, and there, by chance, hear that Dr. Crew is to preach; and so
into the organ-loft, where I met Mr. Carteret, and my Lady Jemimah, and
Sir Thomas Crew's two daughters, and Dr. Childe played; and Dr. Crew did
make a very pretty, neat, sober, honest sermon; and delivered it very
readily, decently, and gravely, beyond his years: so as I was exceedingly
taken with it, and I believe the whole chappell, he being but young; but
his manner of his delivery I do like exceedingly. His text was, "But
seeke ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness, and all these
things shall be added unto you." Thence with my Lady to Sir G. Carteret's
lodgings, and so up into the house, and there do hear that the Dutch