ife and Mercer ＇Mrs。 Pepys's maid。＇ in the garden； and coming in I find my wife plainly dissatisfied with me； that I can spend so much time with Mercer； teaching her to sing； and could never take the pains with her。 Which I acknowledge； but it is because that the girl do take musick mighty readily； and she do not； and musick is the thing of the world that I love most； and all the pleasure almost that I can now take。 So to bed in some little discontent； but no words from me。
31st。 The court empty； the King being gone to Tunbridge； and the Duke of York a…hunting。 I had some discourse with Povy； who is mightily discontented； I find； about his disappointments at Court； and says； of all places； if there be hell； it is here。 No faith； no truth； no love； nor any agreement between man and wife； nor friends。 He would have spoke broader； but I put it off to another time； and so parted； Povy discoursed with me about my Lord Peterborough's 50l。 which his man did give me from him； the last year's salary I paid him； which he would have Povy pay him again； but I have not taken it to myself yet； and therefore will most heartily return him； and mark him put for a coxcomb。 Povy went down to Mr。 Williamson's； and brought me up this extract out of the Flanders' letters to day come：That Admiral Everson； and the Admiral and Vice…Admiral of Freezeland with many captains and men； are slain； that De Ruyter is safe； but lost 250 men out of his own ship； but that he is in great disgrace； and Trump in better favour； that Bankert's ship is burned； himself hardly escaping with a few men on board De Haes； that fifteen captains are to be tried the seventh of August； and that the hangman was sent from Flushing to assist the Council of Warr。 How much of this is true； time will show。
August 1； 1666。 Walked over the Park with Sir W。 Coventry； who I clearly see is not thoroughly pleased with the late management of the fight； nor with any thing that the Generalls do； only is glad to hear that De Ruyter is out of favour； and that this fight hath cost them 5000 men； as they themselves do report。 And it is a strange thing； as he observes； how now and then the slaughter runs on one hand； there being 5000 killed on theirs； and not above 400 or 500 killed and wounded on ours； and as many flag… officers on theirs as ordinary captains in ours。
3rd。 The death of Everson； and the report of our success； beyond expectation； in the killing of so great a number of men； hath raised the estimation of the late victory considerably； but it is only among fools： for all that was but accidental。 But this morning； getting Sir W。 Pen to read over the Narrative with me； he did sparingly； yet plainly； say that we might have intercepted their Zealand squadron coming home； if we had done our parts； and more； that we might have run before the wind as well as they； and have overtaken their ships in the pursuite； in all the while。
4th。 This evening； Sir W。 Pen come into the garden； and walked with me； and told me that he had certain notice that at Flushing they are in great distraction。 De Ruyter dares not come on shore for fear of the people： nor any body open their houses or shops for fear of the tumult： which is a very good hearing。
6th。 In Fenchurch…street met with Mr。 Battersby； says he； 〃Do you see Dan Rawlinson's door shut up？〃 （which I did； and wondered。） 〃Why；〃 says he； 〃after all this sickness； and himself spending all the last year in the country； one of his men is now dead of the plague； and his wife and one of his maids sick； and himself shut up；〃 which troubles me mightily。 So home； and there do hear also from Mrs。 Sarah Daniel； that Greenwich is at this time much worse than ever it was； and Deptford too： and she told us that they believed all the town would leave the town； and come to London； which is now the receptacle of all the people from all infected places。 God preserve us！
7th。 I receive fresh intelligence that Deptford and Greenwich are now afresh exceedingly afflicted with the sickness more than ever。
8th。 Discoursed with Mr。 Hooke about the nature of sounds； and he did make me understand the nature of musicall sounds made by strings； mighty prettily； and told me that having come to a certain number of vibrations proper to make any tone； he is able to tell how many strokes a fly makes with her wings； （those flies that hum in their flying by the note that it answers to in musique； during their flying。 That； I suppose； is a little too much refined； but his discourse in general of sound was mighty fine。 To St。 James's； where we attended with the rest of my fellows on the Duke； whom I found with two or three Patches upon his nose and about his right eye； which came from his being struck with the bough of a tree the other day in his hunting； and it is a wonder it did not strike out his eye。 To Bow； to my Lady Pooly's； ＇Wife of Sir Edmund Pooly； mentioned before。＇ where my wife was with Mr。 Batelier and his sisters； and there I found a noble supper。 About ten o'clock we rose from table； and sang a song； and so home in two coaches； （Mr。 Batelier and his sister Mary and my wife and I in one； and Mercer alone in the other）； and after being examined at Allgate whether we were husbands and wives； home。 So to bed mighty sleepy； but with much pleasure。 Reeves lying at my house； and mighty proud I am （and ought to be thankful to God Almighty） that I am able to have a spare bed for my friends。
9th。 In the evening to Lumbard…street； about money； to enable me to pay Sir G。 Carteret's 3000l。 which he hath lodged in my hands； in behalf of his son and my Lady Jemimah； towards their portion。 Mrs。 Rawlinson is dead of the sickness； and her maid continues mighty ill。 He himself is got out of the house。 I met with Mr。 Evelyn in the street； who tells me the sad condition at this very day at Deptford； for the plague； and more at Deale； （within his precinct as one of the Commissioners for sick and wounded seamen；） that the towne is almost quite depopulated。
10th。 Homeward； and hear in Fenchurch…street； that now the maid also is dead at Mr。 Rawlinson's； so that there are three dead in all； the wife； a man…servant； and maid…servant。
14th。 Povy tells me how mad my letter makes my Lord Peterborough； and what a furious letter he writ to me in answer； though it is not come yet。 This did trouble me； for though there be no reason； yet to have a nobleman's mouth open against a man； may do a man hurt； so I endeavoured to have found him out and spoke with him； but could not。 After dinner with my wife and Mercer to the Beare…garden； where I have not been； I think； of many years； and saw some good sport of the bull's tossing of the dogs： one into the very boxes。 But it is a very rude and nasty pleasure。 We had a great many hectors in the same box with us； （and one very fine went into the pit； and played his dog for a wager； which was a strange sport for a gentleman；） where they drank wine； and drank Mercer's health first； which I pledged with my hat off。 We supped at home； and very merry。 And then about nine o'clock to Mrs。 Mercer's gate； where the fire and boys expected us； and her son had provided abundance of serpents and rockets； and there mighty merry （my Lady Pen and Pegg going thither with us； and Nan Wright；） till about twelve at night； flinging our fireworks； and burning one another and the people over the way。 And at last our businesses being most spent； we into Mrs。 Mercer's； and there mighty merry； smutting one another with candle grease and soot； till most of us were like devils。 And that being done； then we broke up； and to my house； and there I made them drink； and upstairs we went； and then fell into dancing； （W。 Batelier dancing well；） and dressing him and I and one Mr。 Banister （who with my wife come over also with us） like women； and Mercer put on a suit of Tom's； like a boy； and mighty mirth we had； and Mercer danced a jigg； and Nan Wright and my wife and Pegg Pen put on perriwigs。 Thus we spent till three or four in the morning； mighty merry； and then parted； and to bed。
15th。 Mighty sleepy； slept till past eight of the clock； and was called up by a letter from Sir W。 Coventry； which among other things； tells me how we have burned one hundred and sixty ships of the enemy within the Fly。 I up； and with all possible haste； and in pain for fear of coming late； it being our day of attending the Duke of York； to St。 James's； where they are full of the particulars； how they are generally good merchant…ships； some of them laden and supposed rich ships。 We spent five fire… ships upon them。 We landed on the Schelling； （Sir Philip Howard with some men； and Holmes； I think； with others； about 1000 in all；） and burned a town； and so come away。 By and by the Duke of York with his books showed us the very place and manner； and that it was not our design and expectation to have done this； but only to have landed on the Fly and burned some of their stores； but being come in； we spied those ships； and with our long boats； one by one； fired them； our ships running all a…ground； it being so shoal water。 We were led to this by it seems； a renegado captain of the Hollanders； who found himself ill used by De Ruyter for his good service； an