I. To all you ladies now on land We men at sea indite, But first would have you understand How hard it is to write; The muses now, and Neptune too, We must implore to write to you. With a fa, la, la, la, la. II. For tho' the muses should prove kind, And fill our empty brain; Yet if rough Neptune rouse the wind To wave the azure main, Our paper, pen and ink, and we Roll up and down our ships at sea. With a fa, la, etcetera. III. Then if we write not by each post, Think not we are unkind, Nor yet conclude our ships are lost By Dutchmen or by wind, Ours tears we'll send a speedier way-- The tide shall bring them twice a-day. With a fa, la, etcetera. IV. The king, with wonder and surprise, Will swear the seas grow bold, Because the tides will higher rise Than e'er they used of old, But let him know it is our tears Bring floods of grief to Whitehall stairs With a fa, la, etcetera. V. Let wind and weather do its worst, Be you to us but kind, Let Dutchmen vapour, Spaniards curse, No sorrow shall we find; 'Tis then no matter how things go, Or who's our friend, or who's our foe. With a fa, la, etcetera. VI. And now we've told you all our loves, And likewise all our fears, In hopes this declaration moves Some pity from your tears; Let's hear of no inconstancy, We have too much of that at sea. With a fa, la, etcetera. Notwithstanding this defeat, the Dutch in a short time were again ready for battle. The fight lasted without interruption from three in the morning till seven in the evening. The remains of the Dutch fleet made sail for the Texel, but were not pursued by the duke. "After the fight," says Burnet, "a council of war was called to concert the method of action when they should come up with the enemy. In that council, Penn, who commanded under the duke, happened to say that they must prepare for better work the next engagement. He knew well the courage of the Dutch was never so high as when they were desperate. The Earl of Montague, who was then a volunteer, and one of the duke's corps, told him it was very visible that remark made an impression upon him; and all the duke's domestics said, `He had got near enough--why should he venture a second time.' The duchess had also given a strict charge to all the duke's servants to do all they could to hinder him to engage too far. When matters were settled they went to sleep, and the duke ordered a call to be given him when they should get up with the Dutch fleet. It is not known what passed between the duke and Brouncker, who was of his bed-chamber, and then in waiting, but he came to Penn as from the duke and said, `The duke orders the sail to be slackened.' Penn was struck with the order, but did not go about to argue the matter with the duke himself as he ought to have done, but obeyed it. When the duke had slept, he upon his waking went out upon the quarter-deck, and seemed