of, God knows. So home to supper and to bed.

30th. Up, and did some business in my chamber, then by and by comes my
boy's Lute-Master, and I did direct him hereafter to begin to teach him to
play his part on the Theorbo, which he will do, and that in a little time
I believe. So to the office, and there with Sir W. Warren, with whom I
have spent no time a good while. We set right our business of the
Lighters, wherein I thinke I shall get L100. At noon home to dinner and
there did practise with Mercer one of my new tunes that I have got Dr.
Childe to set me a base to and it goes prettily. Thence abroad to pay
several debts at the end of the month, and so to Sir W. Coventry, at St.
James's, where I find him in his new closett, which is very fine, and well
supplied with handsome books. I find him speak very slightly of the late
victory: dislikes their staying with the fleete up their coast, believing
that the Dutch will come out in fourteen days, and then we with our
unready fleete, by reason of some of the ships being maymed, shall be in
bad condition to fight them upon their owne coast: is much dissatisfied
with the great number of men, and their fresh demands of twenty-four
victualling ships, they going out but the other day as full as they could
stow. I asked him whether he did never desire an account of the number of
supernumeraries, as I have done several ways, without which we shall be in
great errour about the victuals; he says he has done it again and again,
and if any mistake should happen they must thanke themselves. He spoke
slightly of the Duke of Albemarle, saying, when De Ruyter come to give him
a broadside--"Now," says he, chewing of tobacco the while, "will this
fellow come and give, me two broadsides, and then he will run;" but it
seems he held him to it two hours, till the Duke himself was forced to
retreat to refit, and was towed off, and De Ruyter staid for him till he
come back again to fight. One in the ship saying to the Duke, "Sir,
methinks De Ruyter hath given us more: than two broadsides;"--"Well," says