[This Mr. Windham had entered into a formal engagement with the Earl
of Rochester, "not without ceremonies of religion, that if either of
them died, he should appear, and give the other notice of the future
state, if there was any." He was probably one of the brothers of
Sir William Wyndham, Bart. See Wordsworth's "Ecclesiastical
Biography," fourth. edition, vol. iv., p. 615.--B.]

Our fleete is come home to our great grief with not above five weeks' dry,
and six days' wet provisions: however, must out again; and the Duke hath
ordered the Soveraigne, and all other ships ready, to go out to the fleete
to strengthen them. This news troubles us all, but cannot be helped.
Having read all this news, and received commands of the Duke with great
content, he giving me the words which to my great joy he hath several
times said to me, that his greatest reliance is upon me. And my Lord
Craven also did come out to talk with me, and told me that I am in mighty
esteem with the Duke, for which I bless God. Home, and having given my
fellow-officers an account hereof, to Chatham, and wrote other letters, I
by water to Charing-Cross, to the post-house, and there the people tell me
they are shut up; and so I went to the new post-house, and there got a
guide and horses to Hounslow, where I was mightily taken with a little
girle, the daughter of the master of the house (Betty Gysby), which, if
she lives, will make a great beauty. Here I met with a fine fellow who,
while I staid for my horses, did enquire newes, but I could not make him
remember Bergen in Norway, in 6 or 7 times telling, so ignorant he was.
So to Stanes, and there by this time it was dark night, and got a guide
who lost his way in the forest, till by help of the moone (which
recompenses me for all the pains I ever took about studying of her
motions,) I led my guide into the way back again; and so we made a man
rise that kept a gate, and so he carried us to Cranborne. Where in the