Page:The history of yachting.djvu/217

 Rh executor, and brought only a breaking-up price—£46.

In Prince Rupert's memoirs the biographer speaks of "yachting having been the fashion," and states that King Charles, "with his characteristic frivolity, had a yacht moored opposite Whitehall in which he might fancy himself at sea. This childish hobby was appropriately called the Folly, and aboard this yacht was one of the many lounging-places of the Court." The author seems to be rather severe on Charles: it was only natural that the King should desire, and provide himself with, some retreat where he could escape from the greedy and importunate hangers-on that infested the palace.

August 17, 1665, Pepys writes: "By boat to Greenwich to the Bezan yacht, where Sir W. Batten, Sir J. Minnes, and my Lord Brouncker and myself embarked in the yacht, and down we went most pleasantly. Short of Gravesend it grew calme, and we came to anchor and to supper, mighty merry, and then as we grew sleepy, and upon velvet cushions of the King's that belong to the yacht, fell asleep." And on September 17, 1665: "So I walked to Woolwich, to trim and shift myself, and by the time I was ready they came down in the Bezan yacht, and so I aboard and my boy Tom, and there very merrily we sailed below Gravesend, and then anchored for all night, and supped and talked, and with much pleasure at last settled ourselves to sleep, having very good lodging upon cushions in the cabbin."