ellow come and give, me two broadsides,
and then he will run;" but it seems he held him to it two hours, till
the Duke himself was forced to retreat to refit, and was towed off, and
De Ruyter staid for him till he come back again to fight. One in the
ship saying to the Duke, "Sir, methinks De Ruyter hath given us more:
than two broadsides;"--"Well," says the Duke, "but you shall find him
run by and by," and so he did, says Sir W. Coventry; but after the Duke
himself had been first made to fall off. The Resolution had all brass
guns, being the same that Sir J. Lawson had in her in the Straights. It
is observed that the two fleetes were even in number to one ship. Thence
home; and to sing with my wife and Mercer in the garden; and coming in I
find my wife plainly dissatisfied with me, that I can spend so much time
with Mercer, teaching her to sing and could never take the pains with
her. Which I acknowledge; but it is because that the girl do take
musique mighty readily, and she do not, and musique is the thing of the
world that I love most, and all the pleasure almost that I can now take.
So to bed in some little discontent, but no words from me.

31st. Good friends in the morning and up to the office, where sitting
all the morning, and while at table we were mightily joyed with newes
brought by Sir J. Minnes and Sir W. Batten of the death of De Ruyter,
but when Sir W. Coventry come, he told us there was no such thing, which
quite dashed me again, though, God forgive me! I was a little sorry in
my heart before lest it might give occasion of too much glory to the
Duke of Albemarle. Great bandying this day between Sir W. Coventry and
my Lord Bruncker about Captain Cocke, which I am well pleased with,
while I keepe from any open relyance on either side, but rather on Sir
W. Coventry's. At noon had a haunch of venison boiled and a very good
dinner besides, there dining with me on a sudden invitation the two
mayden sisters, Bateliers, and their elder brother, a pretty man,
understanding and well discoursed, much pleased with his company.
Having dined myself I rose to go to a Committee of Tangier, and did
come thither time enough to meet Povy and Creed and none else. The Court
being empty, the King being gone to Tunbridge, and the Duke of Yorke
a-hunting. I had some discourse with Povy, who is mightily discontented,
I find, about his disappointments at Court; and says, of all places,
if there be hell, it is here. No faith, no t