All say the Duke
showed courage and kept a firm countenance at Lowestoft, but there
was certainly great slackness in the pursuit, though this, 'tis said,
was not so much his fault as that of those who were over-careful of
his safety. Still, as he is the heir to the throne, it is but right
that he should be kept out of the fighting."
"It is like to be stern work next time, Cyril, if what I hear be
true. Owing partly to all men's minds being occupied by the Plague,
and partly to the great sums wasted by the King in his pleasures,
nothing whatever has been done for the Fleet. Of course, the squadron
at sea has taken great numbers of prizes; but the rest of the Fleet
is laid up, and no new ships are being built, while they say that the
Dutch are busy in all their ship-yards, and will send out a much
stronger fleet this spring than that which fought us at Lowestoft. I
suppose you have not heard of any of your grand friends?"
"No. I should have written to Sydney Oliphant, but I knew not whether
he was at sea or at home, and, moreover, I read that most folks in
the country are afraid of letters from London, thinking that they
might carry contagion. Many noblemen have now returned to the West
End, and when I hear that the Earl has also come back with his family
it will, of course, be my duty to wait upon him, and on Prince Rupert
also. But I hope the Prince will not be back yet, for he will be
wanting me to go to Court again, and for this, in truth, I have no
inclination, and, moreover, it cannot be done without much expense
for clothes, and I have no intention to go into expenses on follies
or gew-gaws, or to trench upon the store of money that I had from
you, Captain Dave.
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