again in this age, and so I do really believe it. Thence home to my
office and there did much business, and at night home to my father to
supper and to bed.

2nd. Up, and to the office, where certain newes is brought us of a
letter come to the King this morning from the Duke of Albemarle, dated
yesterday at eleven o'clock, as they were sailing to the Gunfleete, that
they were in sight of the Dutch fleete, and were fitting themselves
to fight them; so that they are, ere this, certainly engaged; besides,
several do averr they heard the guns all yesterday in the afternoon.
This put us at the Board into a tosse. Presently come orders for our
sending away to the fleete a recruite of 200 soldiers. So I rose from
the table, and to the Victualling office, and thence upon the River
among several vessels, to consider of the sending them away; and lastly,
down to Greenwich, and there appointed two yachts to be ready for them;
and did order the soldiers to march to Blackewall. Having set all things
in order against the next flood, I went on shore with Captain Erwin at
Greenwich, and into the Parke, and there we could hear the guns from
the fleete most plainly. Thence he and I to the King's Head and there
bespoke a dish of steaks for our dinner about four o'clock. While that
was doing, we walked to the water-side, and there seeing the King and
Duke come down in their barge to Greenwich-house, I to them, and did
give them an account [of] what I was doing. They went up to the Parke
to hear the guns of the fleete go off. All our hopes now are that Prince
Rupert with his fleete is coming back and will be with the fleete this
even: a message being sent to him to that purpose on Wednesday last; and
a return is come from him this morning, that he did intend to sail from
St. Ellen's point about four in the afternoon on Wednesday [Friday],
which was yesterday; which gives us great hopes, the wind being very
fair, that he is with them this even, and the fresh going off of the
guns makes us believe the same. After dinner, having nothing else to do
till flood, I went and saw Mrs. Daniel, to whom I did not tell that the
fleets were engaged, because of her husband, who is in the R. Charles.
Very pleasant with her half an hour, and so away and down to Blackewall,
and there saw the soldiers (who were by this time gotten most of them
drunk) shipped off. But, Lord! to see how the poor fellows kissed their
wives and sweethearts in that simple manner at