22. This Thursday morneing we wayed by 5 aclock; steered away E. by Nᵒ. and E.N.Eᵗ. to goe cleare of the showld of the Falls;[c] the wind at S.W., a fine gale. After we had gote without ye Falls, we hauled up E. b. S. and E.S.E.; a fresh gale at S.W. About 4 in the afternoone we made the coast of Flaunders. At 6, evening, we anchored in 15 fadoms watter, Oostend spire steeples beareing S.E. by Sᵒ, 5 leagues distant. This evening we saw the Dutch fleet, part of them; they rode in Schonvelt. Our scout gave us accᵗ they were but 86 saile, the outside, small and great. They wayed and turned up amongst yᵉ bancks towards the Weelings. 23. This Fryday morneing, by 6 aclock, yᵉ flood being done, we wayed; wind at S.S.W., litle wind. We stood in; drew our ships into a lyne of batayle. Our squadron ledd the van, the French in the midle, and yᵉ blew squadron in the reare. We sayled and drove soe farr to the N.E. wards that we brought Oostend steeples south easterly, about 5 leagues or six leagues of. Anchored in 11 fadom watter, within the oyster bancks. Yᵉ Dutch fleet, yᵉ nᵒmost, bore E.N.E.; and yᵉ southmost Eᵗ, southerly from us, about 3 leagues. This night have had but litle wind at S.S.W. and S.Wᵗ. 24. This Satuarday morneing we intended, if the should watter hindred not, to goe in wᵗʰ our fleet and set upon the Dutch; sending a party of 35 men of warr, 13 fire ships, and 24 tendors ahead of us, to make the onsett, and we wᵗʰ the whole fleet to have seconded them. But this our intention was this day prevented by God Almighty’s providence, the wind bloweing very hard at S.W. and Wᵗ.S.Wᵗ. This morneing came in to the fleet the Soveraigne, Victory, and Dyamond, out of the river of Thames. Yesterday our scouts gave us accᵗ that yᵉ Dutch fleet, of all sorts that could be told, did not exceed 84. All this day the wind hath blowne very hard at S.W. and W.S.W.; forct us strick our yard, and some ships both topmast and yard. 25. This Sonday the wind hath blowne very hard at W.S.Wᵗ.; forct us in yᵉ afternoone to strick our topmasts and get our sprit-saile yard under the boltsprit. This day severall of the French ships broke from ther ground tackle, but brought up againe wᵗʰ other anchors and rode fast. 26. This Monday, in the forenoon, the wind continued bloweing hard at W.S.W., as did also the night past, but not so violently as the day formerly. In the afternoone the wind dullered. We sett our topmasts and got up oʳ yards; our neighbours the Dutch did the like also. Toward evening indiferent faire weather.