Thefight.

How we found the Dutch fleete at anchor on Friday half seas over, between Dunkirke and Ostend, and made them let slip their anchors.  They about ninety, and we less than sixty.  We fought them, and put them to the run, till they met with about sixteen sail of fresh ships, and so bore up again.  The fight continued till night, and then again the next morning from five till seven at night.  And so, too, yesterday morning they begun again, and continued till about four o’clock, they chasing us for the most part of Saturday and yesterday, we flying from them.  The Duke himself, then those people were put into the catch, and by and by spied the Prince’s fleete coming, upon which De Ruyter called a little council (being in chase at this time of us), and thereupon their fleete divided into two squadrons; forty in one, and about thirty in the other (the fleete being at first about ninety, but by one accident or other, supposed to be lessened to about seventy); the bigger to follow the Duke, the less to meet the Prince.  But the Prince come up with the Generall’s fleete, and the Dutch come together again and bore towards their own coast, and we with them; and now what the consequence of this day will be, at that time fighting, we know not.  The Duke was forced to come to anchor on Friday, having lost his sails and rigging.  No particular person spoken of to be hurt but Sir W. Clerke, who hath lost his leg, and bore it bravely.  The Duke himself had a little hurt in his thigh, but signified little.  The King did pull out of his pocket about twenty pieces in gold, and did give it Daniel for himself and his companion; and so parted, mightily pleased with the account he did give him of the fight, and the successe it ended with, of the Prince’s coming, though it seems the Duke did give way again and again.  The King did give order for care to be had of Mr. Daniel and his companion; and so we parted from him, and then met the Duke [of York], and gave him the same account:  and so broke up, and I left them going to the surgeon’s and I myself by water to the ’Change, and to several people did give account of the business.  So home about four o’clock to dinner, and was followed by several people to be told the newes, and good newes it is.  God send we may hear a good issue of this day’s business!  After I had eat something I walked to Gresham College, where I heard my Lord Bruncker was, and there got a promise of the receipt of the fine varnish, which I shall be glad to have.  Thence back with Mr. Hooke to my house and there lent some of my tables of naval matters, the names of rigging and the timbers about a ship, in order to Dr. Wilkins’ book coming out about the Universal Language.  Thence, he being gone, to the Crown, behind the ’Change, and there supped at the club with my Lord Bruncker, Sir G. Ent, and others of Gresham College; and all our discourse is of this fight at sea, and all are doubtful of the successe, and conclude all had been