concerning our English Frigots; he was very Inquisitive to know of Sir George whether he esteemed them the best of any sort of Ships for fight; Sr. George answered freely, that he did not esteem them the best Ships for fight, but held the old fashi∣oned English Ships of the biggest rate best for fight, and being asked his reason, said because they were stronger than the Frigots, would endure the shaking of their own Guns, and the blows of the Enemies Guns better than the Frigots could, and were firm and like a Castle in the Sea, and not so easy to be boar∣ded, as the Frigots, being higher built.
The Ambassador replyed that they themselves could not so easily board another Ship being so high built; Sir George answered, that when they came to boarding, they that assailed had not so great a trouble of going down their own Ship, as going up to the Enemies, and the high building was no hindrance to their boarding of another but was the better defence for themselves.
The Ambassador also objected, that they could not so easily come about and fetch up another Ship as the Frigots could: Sr. George answered, that they could easily enough tack about upon any occasion in fight, but confessed, that they could not so soon fetch up another Ship, nor take or leave as the Frigots could, which, he said, was rather an Inducement to cowardise than courage, and some Captains when they knew they could leave an Ene∣my as they pleased, would ingage in the fewer blows, whereas the old built Ships must stand to it, and the men knowing that there was no running away, would have the better mettal to fight it out.
The Ambassador asked, which would last longest, the Ships built after the old fashion, or the Frigots, Sr George answered, that the old buil∣ding was more strong, and substantial, than the building of the Frigots, which were made long and light for sailing, and therefore could not last so long as the other; and they carrying many Guns, and being thus made, their own Guns did much shake and wear them more than the Guns of the others did.
They had much discourse of this nature, which added pleasure to the entertainment. in his return home, the Ambassador went into Hampton Court to take his leave of the Lady Elizabeth Cleypoole, and her Sisters, where he was received with much state.
[16.] Letters came to the Swedish Ambas∣sador of his Masters great Victory, obtained against the King of Poland.
[20.] The Swedish Ambassador designed to have gone away this day, but his Jewel & o∣ther present of twelve hundred pounds worth of white Cloth which the Protector gave him, not being ready, he was well contented to stay for them; and they were now resolved to be bestowed on him, since the news of his Masters great Victory against the King of Poland.
[23.] The Ambassador having been ye∣sterday to take his last leave of the Protector, who gave him his present, and complements sufficient besides, and an ample pass under his Highness own Hand and Seal, than which nothing more could be demanded or expected, the Ambassador was this day to go to Graves-End, and the Lord Strickland, and Sr. Gilbert Pickering were appointed by the Council to accompany the Ambassador to the Water-side; the Protectors Coaches and many other Coach∣es were appointed to conduct him in State to the Tower wharf, where the Protectors Bar∣ges were attending upon him. the Ambassa∣dor wore the rich Jewel which the Protector gave him, tyed with a blew ribbon to his but∣ton-holes; The Jewel was his Highness Picture in a case of Gold, about the bigness of a five shillings piece of Silver, set round the case with sixteen fair Diamonds, each Diamond valued at 60 l. in all worth about 1000 l.