condescension in them, and for some great reason I am sure, or else it
pleases God by my late care of business to make me more considerable even
with them than I am sure they would willingly owne me to be. God make me
thankfull and carefull to preserve myself so, for I am sure they hate me
and it is hope or fear that makes them flatter me. It being a bright
night, which it has not been a great while, I purpose to endeavour to be
called in the morning to see the Comet, though I fear we shall not see it,
because it rises in the east but 16 degrees, and then the houses will
hinder us.

24th. Having sat up all night to past two o'clock this morning, our
porter, being appointed, comes and tells us that the bellman tells him
that the star is seen upon Tower Hill; so I, that had been all night
setting in order all my old papers in my chamber, did leave off all, and
my boy and I to Tower Hill, it being a most fine, bright moonshine night,
and a great frost; but no Comet to be seen. So after running once round
the Hill, I and Tom, we home and then to bed. Rose about 9 o'clock and
then to the office, where sitting all the morning. At noon to the
'Change, to the Coffee-house; and there heard Sir Richard Ford tell the
whole story of our defeat at Guinny. Wherein our men are guilty of the
most horrid cowardice and perfidiousness, as he says and tells it, that
ever Englishmen were. Captain Raynolds, that was the only commander of
any of the King's ships there, was shot at by De Ruyter, with a bloody
flag flying. He, instead of opposing (which, indeed, had been to no
purpose, but only to maintain honour), did poorly go on board himself, to
ask what De Ruyter would have; and so yielded to whatever Ruyter would
desire. The King and Duke are highly vexed at it, it seems, and the
business deserves it. Thence home to dinner, and then abroad to buy some
things, and among others to my bookseller's, and there saw several books I
spoke for, which are finely bound and good books to my great content. So