attended the King and the Duke of York in the Duke of York's lodgings,
with the rest of the Officers and many of the Commanders of the fleete,
and some of our master shipwrights, to discourse the business of having
the topmasts of ships made to lower abaft of the mainmast; a business I
understand not, and so can give no good account; but I do see that by how
much greater the Council, and the number of Counsellors is, the more
confused the issue is of their councils; so that little was said to the
purpose regularly, and but little use was made of it, they coming to a
very broken conclusion upon it, to make trial in a ship or two. From this
they fell to other talk about the fleete's fighting this late war, and how
the King's ships have been shattered; though the King said that the world
would not have it that about ten or twenty ships in any fight did do any
service, and that this hath been told so to him himself, by ignorant
people. The Prince, who was there, was mightily surprised at it, and
seemed troubled: but the King told him that it was only discourse of the
world. But Mr. Wren whispered me in the eare, and said that the Duke of
Albemarle had put it into his Narrative for the House, that not above
twenty-five ships fought in the engagement wherein he was, but that he was
advised to leave it out; but this he did write from sea, I am sure, or
words to that effect: and did displease many commanders, among others,
Captain Batts, who the Duke of York said was a very stout man, all the
world knew; and that another was brought into his ship that had been
turned out of his place when he was a boatswain, not long before, for
being a drunkard. This the Prince took notice of, and would have been
angry, I think, but they let their discourse fall: but the Duke of York
was earnest in it. And the Prince said to me, standing by me, "God damn
me, if they will turn out every man that will be drunk, they must turn out
all the commanders in the fleete. What is the matter if he be drunk, so
when he comes to fight he do his work? At least, let him be punished for
his drunkenness, and not put out of his command presently." This he spoke,