congratulating ourselves with the victory that I had yesterday. But my
Lord Bruncker and Sir T. H. that come from Court, tell me quite contrary
newes, which astonishes me: that is to say, that we are beaten, lost many
ships and good commanders; have not taken one ship of the enemy's; and so
can only report ourselves a victory; nor is it certain that we were left
masters of the field. But, above all, that The Prince run on shore upon
the Galloper, and there stuck; was endeavoured to be fetched off by the
Dutch, but could not; and so they burned her; and Sir G. Ascue is taken
prisoner, and carried into Holland. This newes do much trouble me, and
the thoughts of the ill consequences of it, and the pride and presumption
that brought us to it. At noon to the 'Change, and there find the
discourse of towne, and their countenances much changed; but yet not very
plain. So home to dinner all alone, my father and people being gone all
to Woolwich to see the launching of the new ship The Greenwich, built by
Chr. Pett. I left alone with little Mrs. Tooker, whom I kept with me in
my chamber all the afternoon, and did what I would with her. By and by
comes Mr. Wayth to me; and discoursing of our ill successe, he tells me
plainly from Captain Page's own mouth (who hath lost his arm in the
fight), that the Dutch did pursue us two hours before they left us, and
then they suffered us to go on homewards, and they retreated towards their
coast: which is very sad newes. Then to my office and anon to White Hall,
late, to the Duke of York to see what commands he hath and to pray a
meeting to-morrow for Tangier in behalf of Mr. Yeabsly, which I did do and
do find the Duke much damped in his discourse, touching the late fight,
and all the Court talk sadly of it. The Duke did give me several letters
he had received from the fleete, and Sir W. Coventry and Sir W. Pen, who
are gone down thither, for me to pick out some works to be done for the
setting out the fleete again; and so I took them home with me, and was
drawing out an abstract of them till midnight. And as to newes, I do find
great reason to think that we are beaten in every respect, and that we are