[The fact is, the Germans were beaten by the Turks, and the French
won the battle for them.--B.]

10th. Up, and, being ready, abroad to do several small businesses, among
others to find out one to engrave my tables upon my new sliding rule with
silver plates, it being so small that Browne that made it cannot get one
to do it. So I find out Cocker, the famous writing-master, and get him to
do it, and I set an hour by him to see him design it all; and strange it
is to see him with his natural eyes to cut so small at his first designing
it, and read it all over, without any missing, when for my life I could
not, with my best skill, read one word or letter of it; but it is use.
But he says that the best light for his life to do a very small thing by
(contrary to Chaucer's words to the Sun, "that he should lend his light to
them that small seals grave"), it should be by an artificial light of a
candle, set to advantage, as he could do it. I find the fellow, by his
discourse, very ingenuous; and among other things, a great admirer and
well read in all our English poets, and undertakes to judge of them all,
and that not impertinently. Well pleased with his company and better with
his judgement upon my Rule, I left him and home, whither Mr. Deane by
agreement came to me and dined with me, and by chance Gunner Batters's
wife. After dinner Deane and I [had] great discourse again about my Lord
Chancellor's timber, out of which I wish I may get well. Thence I to
Cocker's again, and sat by him with good discourse again for an hour or
two, and then left him, and by agreement with Captain Silas Taylor (my old
acquaintance at the Exchequer) to the Post Officer to hear some instrument
musique of Mr. Berchenshaw's before my Lord Brunkard and Sir Robert
Murray. I must confess, whether it be that I hear it but seldom, or that
really voice is better, but so it is that I found no pleasure at all in
it, and methought two voyces were worth twenty of it. So home to my office