4th. Up, and with Sir J. Minnes and Sir W. Pen to White Hall in the
latter's coach, where, when we come, we find the Duke at St. James's,
whither he is lately gone to lodge. So walking through the Parke we saw
hundreds of people listening at the Gravel-pits,--[Kensington]--and to and
again in the Parke to hear the guns, and I saw a letter, dated last night,
from Strowd, Governor of Dover Castle, which says that the Prince come
thither the night before with his fleete, but that for the guns which we
writ that we heard, it is only a mistake for thunder;

[Evelyn was in his garden when he heard the guns, and be at once set
off to Rochester and the coast, but he found that nothing had been
heard at Deal (see his "Diary," June 1st, 1666).]

and so far as to yesterday it is a miraculous thing that we all Friday,
and Saturday and yesterday, did hear every where most plainly the guns go
off, and yet at Deale and Dover to last night they did not hear one word
of a fight, nor think they heard one gun. This, added to what I have set
down before the other day about the Katharine, makes room for a great
dispute in philosophy, how we should hear it and they not, the same wind
that brought it to us being the same that should bring it to them: but so
it is. Major Halsey, however (he was sent down on purpose to hear newes),
did bring newes this morning that he did see the Prince and his fleete at
nine of the clock yesterday morning, four or five leagues to sea behind
the Goodwin, so that by the hearing of the guns this morning we conclude
he is come to the fleete. After wayting upon the Duke, Sir W. Pen (who
was commanded to go to-night by water down to Harwich, to dispatch away
all the ships he can) and I home, drinking two bottles of Cocke ale in the
streete in his new fine coach, where no sooner come, but newes is brought
me of a couple of men come to speak with me from the fleete; so I down,
and who should it be but Mr. Daniel, all muffled up, and his face as black