distance from them: so as to be able to take any opportunity of any of
their ships running aground, or change of wind, or any thing else, to his
advantage. So might we have done with our fire-ships, and we have lost an
opportunity of taking or burning a good ship of their's, which was run
aground about Holehaven, I think he said, with the wind so as their ships
could not get her away; but we might have done what we would with her,
and, it may be, done them mischief, too, with the wind. This seems very
probable, and I believe was not considered.

30th (Lord's day). Up about three o'clock, and Creed and I got ourselves
ready, and took coach at our gate, it being very fine weather, and the
cool of the morning, and with much pleasure, without any stop, got to
Rochester about ten of the clock, all the way having mighty pleasant talk
of the fate that is over all we do, that it seems as if we were designed
in every thing, by land by sea, to undo ourselves. At the foot of
Rochester bridge, at the landing-place, I met my Lord Bruncker and my Lord
Douglas, and all the officers of the soldiers in the town, waiting there
for the Duke of York, whom they heard was coming thither this day; by and
by comes my Lord Middleton, the first time I remember to have seen him,
well mounted, who had been to meet him, but come back without him; he
seems a fine soldier, and so every body says he is; and a man, like my
Lord Teviott, and indeed most of the Scotch gentry, as I observe, of few
words. After staying here by the water-side and seeing the boats come up
from Chatham, with them that rowed with bandeleeres about their shoulders,
and muskets in their boats, they being the workmen of the Yard, who have
promised to redeem their credit, lost by their deserting the service when
the Dutch were there, my Lord Bruncker went with Lord Middleton to his
inne, the Crowne, to dinner, which I took unkindly, but he was slightly
invited. So I and Creed down by boat to Chatham-yard (our watermen having
their bandeleeres about them all the way), and to Commissioner Pett's