the Duchess took
leave of their majestys, and embarked this morning, intending to pass
into Holland.' But three years afterwards, he must have stood better
with the city, for in 1681 we find the lord mayor and court of
aldermen offering a reward of L.500 for the discovery of the person
who offered an indignity to the picture of his Royal Highness in the
Guildhall, to shew their deep resentment at that 'insolent and
villainous act.'

The many allusions to Algerines and pirates of all kinds, and the
audacity which seems to mark their acts, are good evidence of the
inefficient state of our navy in King Charles's reign. Witness the
following extract. 'LYME, _April 21, 1679_.--Yesterday, a small vessel
called the _William and Sarah_, bound for Holland from Morlaix, put in
here to avoid two Turks men-of-war, as he very much suspects them to
be, because he saw them chase a small vessell, who likewise escaped
them. It is reported that some of these pyrats have been as high as
the Isle of Wight, and that Sir Robert Robinson met with five of them,
whom he chased into Brest.' There are many accounts of the pirates of
Sally (Salee), and an account of an engagement with one of them by an
old collier, called the _Lisborne Merchant_, on her voyage from London
to Lisbon. The description is almost as formidable as Falstaff's with
his men of buckram, and we should have liked a little confirmatory
evidence beyond the narrator's. All our naval feelings of British
supremacy on the water would be gratified by the gallant conduct of
our trading captain.

'He had the fortune,' the account declares, 'to be set upon by the
admiral of the _Argur_, of 60 guns, and his consort of 40 guns, the
former with 700 men, and the latter with 500 men. The admiral
immediately boarded the poor merchant, who had only 25 men and 16
guns, clapping on as many men as they thought sufficient to have
mastered her. But the English entertained them with so much courage,
that they in little time cleared the ship, forcing all the Turks
overboard, with little loss besides that of the master of the ship,
one seaman, a young man who was knockt on the head.' The Turk repeated
his attack, and boarded the merchant; the 'dispute' continues for
about three glasses--the admiral assaults them the third time, but his
men are so terrified, that only 'seaven' durst adventure on board,
whereof six were killed, and the other taken prisoner. 'This done, the
Turks left her to pursue