THE BURIAL OF SIR CHRISTOPHER

MYNGS

1665

INVITED to Sir Christopher Myngs' funeral, but find them gone to church. However, I into the church, which is a fair large church, and a great chapel, and there heard the service, and stayed till they buried him, and then out; and there met with Sir W. Coventry, who was there out of great generosity, and no person of quality there but he, and went with him into his coach; and, being in it with him, there happened this extraordinary case one of the most romantic that ever I heard of in my life, and could not have believed, but that I did see it; which was this:-About a dozen able, lusty, proper men come to the coach-side with tears in their eyes, and one of them that spoke for the rest began, and said to Sir W. Coventry, "We are here a dozen of us, that have long known and loved and served our dead commander, Sir Christopher Myngs, and have now done the last office of laying him in the ground. We would be glad we had any other to offer after him, and in revenge of him. All we have is our lives; if you will please to get his Royal Highness to give us a fire-ship among us all, here are a dozen of us, out of all which choose you one to be commander; and the rest of us, whoever he is, will serve him; and, if possible, do that which shall show our memory of our dead commander, and our revenge." Sir W.

Coventry was herewith much moved, as well as I, who could hardly abstain from weeping, and took their names, and so parted, telling me that he would move his Royal Highness as a thing very extraordinary, which was done. The truth is, Sir Christopher Myngs was a very stout man, and a man of great parts and most excellent tongue among ordinary men; and, as Sir W. Coventry says, could have been the most useful man at such a pinch of time as this. He was come into great renown here at home, and more abroad, in the West Indies. He had brought his family into a way of being great; but, dying at this time, his memory and name, his father being always, and at this day, a shoemaker, and his mother a hoyman's daughter, of which he was used frequently to boast, will be quite forgot in a few months as if he had never been, nor any of his name be the better by it; he having not had time to will any estate, but is dead poor rather than rich. So we left the church and crowd.

SAMUEL PEPYS

FROM ANNUS MIRABILIS

1666

Now on their coasts our conquering navy rides, Waylays their merchants, and their land besets; Each day new wealth without their care provides ; They lie asleep with prizes in their nets.

So close behind some promontory lie

The huge leviathans to attend their prey; And give no chase, but swallow in the fry, Which through their gaping jaws mistake the way.

Nor was this all in ports and roads remote,
Destructive fires among whole fleets we send ;
Triumphant flames upon the water float,

And outbound ships at home their voyage end.

Those various squadrons variously designed,
Each vessel freighted with a several load,
Each squadron waiting for a several wind,
All find but one, to burn them in the road.

Some bound for Guinea, golden sand to find,
Bore all the gauds the simple natives wear:
Some for the pride of Turkish courts designed,
For folded turbans finest Holland bear,

Some English wool vexed in a Belgian loom,
And into cloth of spongy softness made,
Did into France or colder Denmark doom,
To ruin with worse ware our staple trade.

Our greedy seamen rummage every hold,

Smile on the booty of each wealthier chest ; And as the priests who with their gods make bold, Take what they like, and sacrifice the rest.

JOHN DRYDEN

A TALK WITH MR. PEPYS

7th March 1689-90. I dined with Mr. Pepys, late Secretary to the Admiralty, where was that excellent shipwright and seaman, Sir Anthony Deane. Amongst other discourse, and deploring the sad condition of our Navy, as now governed by unexperienced men since this Revolution, he mentioned what exceeding advantage we of this nation had by being the first who built frigates, the first of which ever built was that vessel which was afterwards called The Constant Warwick, and was the work of Pett of Chatham, for a trial of making a vessel that would sail swiftly; it was built with low decks, the guns lying near the water, and was so light and swift of sailing, that in a short time he told us she had, ere the Dutch war was ended, taken as much money from privateers as would have laden her; and that more such being built did in a year or two scour the Channel from those of Dunkirk and others which had exceedingly infested it. He added that it would be the best and only infallible expedient to be masters of the sea, and able to destroy the greatest navy of any enemy, if, instead of building. huge ships and second and third rates, they would leave off building such high decks, which were for nothing but to gratify gentlemen commanders, who must have all their effeminate accommodations, and for pomp; that it would be the ruin of our fleets if such persons were continued in command, they neither having experience nor being capable of learning, because they would not submit