nd one Englishman by a bullet. Which is very observable, the French
were at least four to one in number, and had near 100 case of pistols
among them, and the Spaniards had not one gun among them; which is for
their honour for ever, and the others' disgrace. So, having been very
much daubed with dirt, I got a coach, and home where I vexed my wife in
telling of her this story, and pleading for the Spaniards against the
French. So ends this month; myself and family in good condition
of health, but my head full of my Lord's and my own and the office
business; where we are now very busy about the business of sending
forces to Tangier,

[This place so often mentioned, was first given up to the English
fleet under Lord Sandwich, by the Portuguese, January 30th, 1662;
and Lord Peterborough left governor, with a garrison. The greatest
pains were afterwards taken to preserve the fortress, and a fine
mole was constructed at a vast expense, to improve the harbour. At
length, after immense sums of money had been wasted there, the House
of Commons expressed a dislike to the management of the garrison,
which they suspected to be a nursery for a popish army, and seemed
disinclined to maintain it any longer. The king consequently, in
1683, sent Lord Dartmouth to bring home the troops, and destroy the
works; which he performed so effectually, that it would puzzle all
our engineers to restore the harbour. It were idle to speculate on
the benefits which might have accrued to England, by its
preservation and retention; Tangier fell into the hands of the
Moors, its importance having ceased, with the demolition of the
mole. Many curious views of Tangier were taken by Hollar, during
its occupation by the English; and his drawings are preserved in the
British Museum. Some have been engraved by himself; but the
impressions are of considerable rarity.--B.]

and the fleet to my Lord of Sandwich, who is now at Lisbon to bring over
the Queen, who do now keep a Court as Queen of England. The business of
Argier hath of late troubled me, because my Lord hath not done what he
went for, though he did as much as any man in the world could have done.
The want of money puts all things, and above all things the Nary, out
of order; and yet I do not see that the King takes care to bring in any
money, but thinks of new designs to lay out money.

OCTOB