6th。　　By　and　by　walking　a　little　further；　Sir　Philip　Frowde　＇Secretary　to　the　Duchess　of　York。＇　　did　meet　the　Duke　with　an　express　to　Sir　W。　Coventry　（who　was　by）　from　Captain　Taylor；　the　Storekeeper　at　Harwich；　being　the　narration　of　Captain　Hayward　of　the　Dunkirke；　who　gives　a　very　serious　account；　how　upon　Monday　the　two　fleets　fought　all　day　till　seven　at　night；　and　then　the　whole　fleet　of　Dutch　did　betake　themselves　to　a　very　plain　flight；　and　never　looked　back　again。　　That　Sir　Christopher　Mings　is　wounded　in　the　leg；　that　the　Generall　is　well。　　That　it　is　conceived　reasonably；　that　of　all　the　Dutch　fleet；　which；　with　what　recruits　they　had；　come　to　one　hundred　sail；　there　is　not　above　fifty　got　home；　and　of　them；　few　if　any　of　their　flags。　And　that　little　Captain　Bell；　in　one　of　the　fire…ships；　did　at　the　end　of　the　day　fire　a　ship　of　70　guns。　　We　were　also　so　overtaken　with　this　good　news；　that　the　Duke　ran　with　it　to　the　King；　who　was　gone　to　chapel；　and　there　all　the　Court　was　in　a　hubbub；　being　rejoiced　over　head　and　ears　in　this　good　news。　Away　go　I　by　coach　to　the　new　Exchange；　and　there　did　spread　this　good　news　a　little；　though　I　find　it　had　broke　out　before。　　And　so　home　to　our　own　church；　it　being　the　common　Fast…day；　and　it　was　just　before　sermon；　but；　Lord！　　how　all　the　people　in　the　church　stared　upon　me　to　see　me　whisper　to　Sir　John　Minnes　and　my　Lady　Pen。　　Anon　I　saw　people　stirring　and　whispering　below；　and　by　and　by　comes　up　the　sexton　from　my　Lady　Ford　to　tell　me　the　news；　（which　I　had　brought）　being　now　sent　into　the　church　by　Sir　W。　Batten　in　writing；　and　passed　from　pew　to　pew。　　But　that　which　pleased　me　as　much　as　the　news；　was；　to　have　the　fair　Mrs。　Middleton　at　our　church；　who　indeed　is　a　very　beautiful　lady。　Idled　away　the　whole　night　till　twelve　at　night　at　the　bonfire　in　the　streets。　　Some　of　the　people　thereabouts　going　about　with　musquets；　and　did　give　me　two　or　three　vollies　of　their　musquets；　I　giving　them　a　crown　to　drink；　and　so　home。　　Mightily　pleased　with　this　happy　day's　news；　and　the　more；　because　confirmed　by　Sir　Daniel　Harvy；　＇Ranger　of　Richmond　Park。＇　　who　was　in　the　whole　fight　with　the　Generall；　and　tells　me　that　there　appear　but　thirty…six　in　all　of　the　Dutch　fleet　left　at　the　end　of　the　voyage　when　they　run　home。　　The　joy　of　the　City　was　this　night　exceeding　great。
  7th。　　Up　betimes；　and　to　my　office　about　business；　（Sir　W。　Coventry　having　sent　me　word　that　he　is　gone　down　to　the　fleet　to　see　how　matters　stand；　and　to　be　back　again　speedily）；　and　with　the　same　expectation　of　congratulating　ourselves　with　the　victory　that　I　had　yesterday。　　But　my　Lord　Brouncker　and　Sir　T。　H。　＇Probably　Sir　Thomas　Harvey。＇　　that　come　from　court；　tell　me　the　contrary　news；　which　astonishes　me：　　that　is　to　say；　that　we　are　beaten；　lost　many　ships　and　good　commanders；　have　not　taken　one　ship　of　the　enemy's；　and　so　can　only　report　ourselves　a　victory：　nor　is　it　certain　that　we　were　left　masters　of　the　field。　　But；　above　all；　that　the　Prince　run　on　shore　upon　the　Galloper；　and　there　stuck；　was　endeavoured　to　be　fetched　off　by　the　Dutch；　but　could　not；　and　so　they　burned　her；　and　Sir　G。　Ascue　is　taken　prisoner；　and　carried　into　Holland。　　This　news　do　much　trouble　me；　and　the　thoughts　of　the　ill　consequences　of　it；　and　the　pride　and　presumption　that　brought　us　to　it。　　At　noon　to　the　'Change；　and　there　find　the　discourse　of　town；　and　their　countenances　much　changed；　but　yet　not　very　plain。　　By　and　by　comes　Mr。　Wayth　to　me；　and　discoursing　of　our　ill　success；　he　tells　me　plainly　from　Captain　Page's　own　mouth；　（who　hath　lost　his　arm　in　the　fight；）　that　the　Dutch　did　pursue　us　two　hours　before　they　left　us；　and　then　they　suffered　us　to　go　on　homewards；　and　they　retreated　towards　their　coast：　　which　is　very　sad　news。　　The　Duke　much　damped。　　In　his　discourse；　touching　the　late　fight；　and　all　the　Court　talk　sadly　of　it。　　The　Duke　did　give　me　several　letters　he　had　received　from　the　fleet；　and　Sir　W。　Coventry　and　Sir　W。　Pen；　who　are　gone　down　thither；　for　me　to　pick　out　some　works　to　be　done　for　the　setting　out　the　fleet　again；　and　so　I　took　them　home　with　me；　and　was　drawing　out　an　abstract　of　them　till　midnight。　And　as　to　news；　I　do　find　great　reason　to　think　that　we　are　beaten　in　every　respect；　and　that　we　are　the　losers。　　The　Prince　upon　the　Galloper；　where　both　the　Royall　Charles　and　Royall　Katharine　had　come　twice　aground；　but　got　off。　　The　Essex　carried　into　Holland；　the　Swiftsure　missing　（Sir　W。　Barkeley）　ever　since　the　beginning　of　the　fight。　　Captains　Bacon；　Tearne；　Wood；　Mootham；　Whitty；　and　Coppin；　slayne。　　The　Duke　of　Albemarle　writes；　that　he　never　fought　with　worse　officers　in　his　life；　not　above　twenty　of　them　behaving　themselves　like　men。　　Sir　William　Clerke　lost　his　leg；　and　in　two　days　died。　　The　Loyall　George；　Seven　Oakes；　and　Swiftsure；　are　still　missing；　having　never；　as　the　Generall　writes　himself；　engaged　with　them。　　It　was　as　great　an　alteration　to　find　myself　required　to　write　a　sad　letter　instead　of　a　triumphant　one；　to　my　Lady　Sandwich　this　night；　as　ever　on　any　occasion　I　had　in　my　life。
  8th。　　To　my　very　great　joy　I　find　Balty　come　home　without　any　hurt；　after　the　utmost　imaginable　danger　he　hath　gone　through　in　the　Henery；　being　upon　the　quarter…deck　with　Harman　all　the　time；　and　for　which　service；　Harman　I　heard　this　day　commended　most　seriously　and　most　eminently　by　the　Duke　of　York。　　As　also　the　Duke　did　do　most　utmost　right　to　Sir　Thomas　Teddiman；　of　whom　a　scandal　was　raised；　but　without　cause；　he　having　behaved　himself　most　eminently　brave　all　the　whole　fight；　and　to　extraordinary　great　service　and　purpose；　having　given　Trump　himself　such　a　broadside　as　was　hardly　ever　given　to　any　ship。　　Mings　is　shot　through　the　face；　and　into　the　shoulder；　where　the　bullet　is　lodged。　　Young　Holmes　is　also　ill…wounded；　and　Atber　in　the　Rupert。　　Balty　tells　me　the　case　of　the　Henery；　and　it　was；　indeed；　most　extraordinary　sad　and　desperate。　　After　dinner　Balty　and　I　to　my　office；　and　there　talked　a　great　deal　of　this　fight；　and　I　am　mightily　pleased　in　him；　and　have　great　content　in；　and　hopes　of　his　doing　well。　　Thence　out　to　White　Hall　to　a　Committee　for　Tangier；　but　it　met　not。　　But；　Lord！　　to　see　how　melancholy　the　Court　is；　under　the　thoughts　of　this　last　overthrow；　（for　so　it　is；）　instead　of　a　victory；　so　much　and　so　unreasonably　expected。　　We　hear　the　Swiftsure；　Sir　W。　Barkeley；　is　come　in　safe　to　the　Nowre；　after　her　being　absent　ever　since　the　beginning　of　the　fight；　wherein　she　did　not　appear　at　all　from　beginning　to　end。
  9th。　　The　Court　is　divided　about　the　Swiftsure　and　the　Essex's　being　safe。　　And　wagers　and　odds　laid　on　both　sides。　　Sir　W。　Coventry　is　come　to　town；　so　I　to　his　chamber。　　But　I　do　not　hear　that　he　is　at　all　pleased　or　satisfied　with　the　late　fight；　but　he　tells　me　more　news　of　our　suffering；　by　the　death　of　one　or　two　captains　more　than　I　knew　before。　　But　he　do　give　over　the　thoughts　of　the　safety　of　the　Swiftsure　or　Essex。
  10th。　　I　met　with　Pierce　the　surgeon；　who　is　lately　come　from　the　fleet；　and　tells　me　that　all　the　commanders；　officers；　and　even　the　common　seamen　do　condemn　every　part　of　the　late　conduct　of　the　Duke　of　Albemarle；　both　in　his　fighting　at　all；　running　among　them　in　his　retreat；　and　running　the　ships　on　ground；　so　as　nothing　can　be　worse　spoken　of。　　That　Holmes；　Spragg；　and　Smith　do　all　the　business；　and　the　old　and　wiser　commanders　nothing。　So　as　Sir　Thomas　Teddiman　（whom　the　King　and　all　the　world　speak　well　of）　is　mightily　discontented；　as　being　wholly　slighted。　　He　says　we　lost　more　after　the　Prince　came；　than　before　too。　　The　Prince　was　so　maimed；　as　to　be　forced　to　be　towed　home。　　He　says　all　the　fleet　confess　their　being　chased　home　by　the　Dutch；　and　yet　the　body　of　the　Dutch　that　did　it；　was　not　above　forty　sail　at　most。　　And　yet　this　put　us　into　the　fright；　as　to　bring　all　our　ships　on　ground。　　He　says；　however；　that　the　Duke　of　Albemarle　is　as　high　almost　as　ever；　and　pleases　himself　to　think　that　he　hath　given　the　Dutch　their　bellies　full；　without　sense　of　what　he　hath　lost　us；　and　talks　how　he　knows　now　the　way　to　beat　them。　　But　he　says；　that　even　Smith　himself；　one　of　his　creatures；　did　himself　condemn　the　late　conduct　from　the　beginning　to　the　end。　　He　tells　me　further；　how　the　Duke　of　York　is　wholly　given　up　to　his　new　mistress；　my　Lady　Denham；　＇Miss　Brookes；　a　relative　of　the　Earl　of　Bristol；　married　to　Sir　J。　Denham；　frequently　mentioned　in　the　〃Memoires　de　Grammont。〃＇　going　at　noonday　with　all　his　gentlemen　with　him；　to　visit　her　in　Scotland　Yard；　she　declaring　she　will　not　be　his　mistress；　as　Mrs。　Price；　to　go　up　and　down　the　Privy…stairs；　but　will　be　owned　publicly；　and　so　she　is。　　Mr。　Brouncker；　＇Henry　Brouncker；　younger　brother　to　Lord　Brouncker；　whom　he　succeeded　in　his　title。　　He　was　Groom　of　the　Bed…chamber　to　the　Duke　of　York；　and　a　famous　chess…player。＇　　it　seems；　was　the　pimp　to　bring　it　about；　and　my　Lady　Castlemaine；　who　designs　thereby　to　fortify　herself　by　the　Duke；　there　being　a　falling…out　the　other　day　between　the　King　and　her：　　on　this　occasion；　the　Queene；　in　ordinary　talk　before　the　ladies　in　her　drawing…room；　did　say　to　my　Lady　Castlemaine　that　she　feared　the　King　did　take　cold；　by　staying　so　late　abroa