provided abundance of serpents and rockets; and there mighty merry (my
Lady Pen and Pegg going thither with us, and Nan Wright), till about
twelve at night, flinging our fireworks, and burning one another and the
people over the way. And at last our businesses being most spent, we into
Mrs. Mercer's, and there mighty merry, smutting one another with candle
grease and soot, till most of us were like devils. And that being done,
then we broke up, and to my house; and there I made them drink, and
upstairs we went, and then fell into dancing (W. Batelier dancing well),
and dressing, him and I and one Mr. Banister (who with his wife come over
also with us) like women; and Mercer put on a suit of Tom's, like a boy,
and mighty mirth we had, and Mercer danced a jigg; and Nan Wright and my
wife and Pegg Pen put on perriwigs. Thus we spent till three or four in
the morning, mighty merry; and then parted, and to bed.

15th. Mighty sleepy; slept till past eight of the clock, and was called
up by a letter from Sir W. Coventry, which, among other things, tells me
how we have burned one hundred and sixty ships of the enemy within the
Fly.

[On the 8th August the Duke of Albemarle reported to Lord Arlington
that he had "sent 1000 good men under Sir R. Holmes and Sir William
Jennings to destroy the islands of Vlie and Schelling." On the 10th
James Hayes wrote to Williamson: "On the 9th at noon smoke was seen
rising from several places in the island of Vlie, and the 10th
brought news that Sir Robert had burned in the enemy's harbour 160
outward bound valuable merchant men and three men-of-war, and taken
a little pleasure boat and eight guns in four hours. The loss is
computed at a million sterling, and will make great confusion when
the people see themselves in the power of the English at their very
doors. Sir Robert then landed his forces, and is burning the houses