so bad an
instrument. Walked over the Park with Mr. Gawden, end with him by coach
home, and to the Exchange, where I hear the ill news of our loss lately of
four rich ships, two from Guinea, one from Gallipoly, all with rich oyles;
and the other from Barbadoes, worth, as is guessed, L80,000. But here is
strong talk, as if Harman had taken some of the Dutch East India ships,
but I dare not yet believe it, and brought them into Lisbon.

["Sept. 6, 1667. John Clarke to James Hickes. A vessel arrived
from Harwich brings news that the English lost 600 to 700 men in the
attempt on St. Christopher; that Sir John Harman was not then there,
but going with 11 ships, and left a ketch at Barbadoes to bring more
soldiers after him; that the ketch met a French sloop with a packet
from St. Christopher to their fleet at Martinico, and took her,
whereupon Sir John Harman sailed there and fell upon their fleet of
27 sail, 25 of which he sank, and burnt the others, save two which
escaped; also that he left three of his fleet there, and went with
the rest to Nevis, to make another attempt on St. Christopher.
"Calendar of State Payers, 1667, p. 447]

Home, and dined with my wife at Sir W. Pen's, where a very good pasty of
venison, better than we expected, the last stinking basely, and after
dinner he and my wife and I to the Duke of York's house, and there saw
"Love Trickes, or the School of Compliments;" a silly play, only Miss
[Davis's] dancing in a shepherd's clothes did please us mightily. Thence
without much pleasure home and to my Office, so home, to supper, and to
bed. My wife mighty angry with Nell, who is turned a very gossip, and
gads abroad as soon as our backs are turned, and will put her away
tomorrow, which I am not sorry for.

6th. Up, and to the office, where all the morning very full of business.
A full Board. Here, talking of news, my Lord Anglesey did tell us that
the Dutch do make a further bogle with us about two or three things, which
they will be satisfied in, he says, by us easily; but only in one, it
seems, they do demand that we shall not interrupt their East Indiamen
coming home, and of which they are in some fear; and we are full of hopes
that we have 'light upon some of them, and carried them into Lisbon, by
Harman; which God send! But they, which do shew the low esteem they have
of us, have the confidence to demand that we shall have a cessation o