36 FISHERIES AND FISHERMEN 



matter and spiced with his usual simplicity and directness, 

 that it is impossible to refrain from quotation. 



" loth March, 1664. At the Privy Seal I enquired, and 

 found the Bill come for the Corporation of the Royall 

 Fishery ; whereof the Duke of York is made present 

 Governor, and several other very great persons, to the 

 number of thirty-two, made his assistants for their lives : 

 whereof, by my Lord Sandwich's favour, I am one ; and 

 take it not only a matter of honour, but that it may 

 come to be of profit to me. 7th July, 1664. To White 

 Hall, and there found the Duke and twenty more reading 

 their commission (of which I am one, and was also sent to, 

 to come) for the Royall Fishery, which is very large, and 

 a very serious Charter it is ; but the Company generally 

 so ill-fitted for so serious a work, that I do much fear it 

 will come to little. 13th September, 1664. To Fish- 

 mongers' Hall, where we met the first time upon the Fishery 

 •Committee, and many good things discoursed of, concerning 

 making of farthings, which was proposed as a way of 

 raising money for this business, and then that of lotterys, 

 but with great confusion ; but I hope we shall fall into 

 greater order. loth October, 1664. Sat up till past twelve 

 at night, to look over the account of the collections for the 

 Fishery, and the loose and base manner that monies so 

 collected are disposed of in, would make a man never part 

 with a penny in that manner. 22nd December, 1664, To 

 the 'Change : and there, among the merchants, I hear fully 

 the news of our being beaten to dirt at Guinny, by De 

 Ruyter, with his fleet. The particulars, as much as by Sir 

 G. Carteret afterwards I heard, I have said in a letter to my 

 Lord Sandwich this day at Portsmouth ; it being almost 

 wholly to the utter ruine of our Royall Company, and 

 reproach and shame to the whole nation." 



