resolved to be gone into the country, is forced to stay in town a day or two, or three about it, to see the event of it. Thence to see my Lady Pen, where my wife and I were shown a fine rarity: of fishes kept in a glass of water, that will live so for ever, and finely marked they are, being foreign.

29th. We have every where taken some prizes. Our merchants had good luck to come home safe; Colliers from the North, and some Streights men, just now. And our Hambrough ships, of whom we were so much afraid, are safe in Hambrough. Our fleete resolve to sail out again from Harwich in a day or two.

31st. To the ’Change, where great the noise and trouble of having our Hambrough ships lost; and that very much placed upon Mr Coventry’s forgetting to give notice to them of the going away of our fleet from the coast of Holland. But all without reason, for he did; but the merchants not being ready, staid longer than the time ordered for the convoy to stay, which was ten days.

June 1st. After dinner I put on my new camelott suit; the best that ever I wore in my life, the suit costing me above £24. In this I went with Creed to Goldsmiths’ Hall, to the burial of Sir Thomas Viner,³¹ which Hall, and Haberdashers’ also, was so full of people, that we were fain for ease and coolness to go forth to Pater Noster Row, to choose a silk to make me a plain ordinary suit. That done, we walked to Cornehill, and there at Mr Cade’s stood in the balcon and saw all the funeral, which was with the blue-coat boys and old men, all the Aldermen, and Lord Mayor, &c. and the number of the company very great: the greatest I ever did see for a taverne.

3rd. All this day by all people upon the River, and almost every where else hereabout were heard the guns, our two fleets for certain being engaged; which was confirmed by letters from Harwich, but nothing particular: and all our hearts full of concernment for the Duke, and I particularly for my Lord Sandwich and Mr Coventry after his Royall Highness.

6th. To my Lady Sandwich’s; who, poor lady, expects every hour to hear of my Lord; but in the best temper, neither confident nor troubled with fear, that I ever did see in my life. She tells me my Lord Rochester is now declaredly out of hopes of Mrs Mallett, and now she is to receive notice in a day or two how the King stands inclined to the giving leave for my Lord Hinchingbroke to look after her, and that being done, to bring it to an end shortly.

7th. The hottest day that ever I felt in my life. This day, much against my will, I did in Drury Lane see two or three houses marked with a red cross upon the doors, and ‘Lord have mercy upon us’, writ there; which was a sad sight to me, being the first of the kind that to my remembrance I ever saw.

8th. I to my Lord Treasurer’s by appointment of Sir Thomas Ingram’s, to meet the Goldsmiths; where I met with the great news at last newly come, brought by Bab. May³² from the Duke of York, that we have totally routed the Dutch; that the Duke himself, the Prince, my Lord Sandwich, and Mr Coventry are all well: which did put me into such joy, that I forgot almost all other thoughts. With great joy to the Cocke-pitt: where the Duke of Albemarle, like a man out of himself, with content new-told me all: and by and by comes a letter from Mr Coventry’s own hand to him, which he never opened, (which was a strange thing,) but did give it me to open and read, and consider what was fit for our office to do in it, and leave the letter with Sir W. Clerke; which upon such a time and occasion was a strange piece of indifference, hardly possible, I copied out the letter, and did also take minutes out of Sir W. Clerke’s other letters; and the sum of the news is:

Victory over the Dutch, June 3, 1665.

This day they engaged: the Dutch neglecting greatly the opportunity of the wind they had of us; by which they lost the benefit of their fire-ships. The Earl of Falmouth, Muskerry, and Mr Richard Boyle³³ killed on board the Duke’s ship, the Royall Charles, with one shot: their blood and brains flying the Duke’s face; and the head of Mr Boyle striking down the Duke, as some say. Earle of Marlborough, Portland, Rear-Admirall Sansum (to Prince Rupert) killed, and Captain Kerby and Ableson, Sir John Lawson wounded on the knee: hath had some bones taken out, and is likely to be well again. Upon receiving the hurt,