guns; and when we come, did find that the trial had been made; and they
going away with extraordinary report of the proof of his gun, which, from
the shortness and bigness, they do call Punchinello. But I desired
Colonel Legg to stay and give us a sight of her performance, which he did,
and there, in short, against a gun more than as long and as heavy again,
and charged with as much powder again, she carried the same bullet as
strong to the mark, and nearer and above the mark at a point blank than
theirs, and is more easily managed, and recoyles no more than that, which
is a thing so extraordinary as to be admired for the happiness of his
invention, and to the great regret of the old Gunners and Officers of the
Ordnance that were there, only Colonel Legg did do her much right in his
report of her. And so, having seen this great and first experiment, we
all parted, I seeing my guests into a hackney coach, and myself, with
Captain Deane, taking a hackney coach, did go out towards Bow, and went as
far as Stratford, and all the way talking of this invention, and he
offering me a third of the profit of the invention; which, for aught I
know, or do at present think, may prove matter considerable to us: for
either the King will give him a reward for it, if he keeps it to himself,
or he will give us a patent to make our profit of it: and no doubt but it
will be of profit to merchantmen and others, to have guns of the same
force at half the charge. This was our talk: and then to talk of other
things, of the Navy in general: and, among other things, he did tell me
that he do hear how the Duke of Buckingham hath a spite at me, which I
knew before, but value it not: and he tells me that Sir T. Allen is not my
friend; but for all this I am not much troubled, for I know myself so
usefull that, as I believe, they will not part with me; so I thank God my
condition is such that I can; retire, and be able to live with comfort,
though not with abundance. Thus we spent the evening with extraordinary
good discourse, to my great content, and so home to the Office, and there
did some business, and then home, where my wife do come home, and I vexed