The Diary Of John Evelyn Vol-2

DIARY OF ROCHESTER

Clifford at Bergen, nor was he so furious and confident
as was the Duke of Albemarle, who believed he could van-
quish the Hollanders with one squadron. My Lord Sand-
wich was prudent as well as valiant, and always governed his
affairs with success and little loss; he was for delibera-
tion and reason, they for action and slaughter without
either; and for this, whispered as if my Lord Sandwich
was not so gallant, because he was not so rash, and knew
how fatal it was to lose a fleet, such as was that tinder
his conduct, and for which these very persons would
have censured him on the other side. This it was, I am
confident, grieved him, and made him enter like a lion,
and fight like one too, in the midst of the hottest service,
where the stoutest of the rest seeing him engaged, and so
many ships upon him, dared not, or would not, come to
his succor, as some of them, whom I know, might have
done. Thus, this gallant person perished, to gratify the
pride and envy of some I named.

Deplorable was the loss of one of the best accomplished
persons, not only of this nation, but of any other. He
was learned in sea affairs, in politics, in mathematics, and
in music: he had been on divers embassies, was of a
sweet and obliging temper, sober, chaste, very ingenious,
a true nobleman, an ornament to the Court and his Prince;
nor has he left any behind him who approach his many
virtues.

He had, I confess, served the tyrant Cromwell, when a
young man, but it was without malice, as a soldier of for-
tune; and he readily submitted, and that with joy, bring-
ing an entire fleet with him from the Sound, at the first
tidings of his Majesty's restoration. I verily believe him
as faithful a subject as any that were not his friends. I
am yet heartily grieved at this mighty loss, nor do I call
it to my thoughts without emotion.

2d June, 1672. Trinity Sunday, I passed at Rochester;
and, on the 5th, there was buried in the Cathedral Mon-
sieur Rabini6re, Rear Admiral of the French squadron, a
gallant person, who died of the wounds he received in
the fight. This ceremony lay on me, which I performed
with all the decency I could, inviting the Mayor and
Aldermen to come in their formalities. Sir Jonas AtHns
was there with his guards; and the Dean and Preben-
daries: one of his countrymen pronouncing a funeral ora-ially medals, books, plants, andd for the bill, of which