to be dark, and then they away and I to Sir W. Batten, where the Lieutenant of the Tower was, and Sir John Minnes, and the newes I find is no more or less than what I had heard before; only that our Blue squadron, it seems, was pursued the most of the time, having more ships, a great many, than its number allotted to her share.  Young Seamour is killed, the only captain slain.  The Resolution burned; but, as they say, most of her [crew] and commander saved.  This is all, only we keep the sea, which denotes a victory, or at least that we are not beaten; but no great matters to brag of, God knows.  So home to supper and to bed.

30th.  Up, and did some business in my chamber, then by and by comes my boy’s Lute-Master, and I did direct him hereafter to begin to teach him to play his part on the Theorbo, which he will do, and that in a little time I believe.  So to the office, and there with Sir W. Warren, with whom I have spent no time a good while.  We set right our business of the Lighters, wherein I thinke I shall get L100.  At noon home to dinner and there did practise with Mercer one of my new tunes that I have got Dr. Childe to set me a base to and it goes prettily.  Thence abroad to pay several debts at the end of the month, and so to Sir W. Coventry, at St. James’s, where I find him in his new closett, which is very fine, and well supplied with handsome books.  I find him speak very slightly of the late victory:  dislikes their staying with the fleete up their coast, believing that the Dutch will come out in fourteen days, and then we with our unready fleete, by reason of some of the ships being maymed, shall be in bad condition to fight them upon their owne coast:  is much dissatisfied with the great number of men, and their fresh demands of twenty-four victualling ships, they going out but the other day as full as they could stow.  I asked him whether he did never desire an account of the number of supernumeraries, as I have done several ways, without which we shall be in great errour about the victuals; he says he has done it again and again, and if any mistake should happen they must thanke themselves.  He spoke slightly of the Duke of Albemarle, saying, when De Ruyter come to give him a broadside—­“Now,” says he, chewing of tobacco the while, “will this fellow 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