An essay, or, A narrative of the two great fights at sea between the English and the Dutch, on the 1, 2, 3 and 4 of June, and on the 25 and 26 of July in the year of our Lord 1666 Marvell, Andrew, 1621-1678. 1666 Approx. 11 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 5 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. Text Creation Partnership, Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) : 2003-01 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1). A38630 Wing E3290 ESTC R17599 11862847 ocm 11862847 50046 This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal . The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. Early English books online. (EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A38630) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 50046) Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1641-1700 ; 28:14) An essay, or, A narrative of the two great fights at sea between the English and the Dutch, on the 1, 2, 3 and 4 of June, and on the 25 and 26 of July in the year of our Lord 1666 Marvell, Andrew, 1621-1678. [2], 8 [i.e. 6] p. Printed by E.C. for Henry Brome ..., London : 1666. In verse. "Licensed, Aug. 29, 1666. Roger L'Estrange" Written by A. Marvell. Cf. NUC pre-1956. Pages 3-4 misnumbered 5-6. Reproduction of original in Harvard University Libraries. Created by converting TCP files to TEI P5 using tcp2tei.xsl, TEI @ Oxford. Re-processed by University of Nebraska-Lincoln and Northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. Gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. 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Copies of the texts have been issued variously as SGML (TCP schema; ASCII text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable XML (TCP schema; characters represented either as UTF-8 Unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless XML (TEI P5, characters represented either as UTF-8 Unicode or TEI g elements). Keying and markup guidelines are available at the Text Creation Partnership web site . eng Great Britain -- History, Naval -- Stuarts, 1603-1714 -- Poetry. 2002-09 TCP Assigned for keying and markup 2002-10 Apex CoVantage Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2002-11 Emma (Leeson) Huber Sampled and proofread 2002-11 Emma (Leeson) Huber Text and markup reviewed and edited 2002-12 pfs Batch review (QC) and XML conversion ESSAY : OR , A NARRATIVE OF THE Two Great Fights at Sea BETWEEN The ENGLISH and the DUTCH , on the 1. 2 , 3 , and 4. of June , and on the 25. and 26. of July , in the Year of our LORD 1666. Licensed Aug. 29. 1666. Roger L'Estrange . LONDON , Printed by E. C. for Henry Brome over against the Dyal in Little-Brittain , 1666. An ESSAY : OR , A NARRATIVE OF THE Two Great FIGHTS at SEA BETWEEN The ENGLISH and the DUTCH , on the 1 , 2 , 3 , and 4. of June , and on the 25. and 26. of July , in the Year of our LORD 1666. BE Calm ye Seas , Let a deep Silence creep O're all your Waves , and Lull the Winds asleep : Stand and admire the Greatness of each Fleet ; Wonders expect , when such Great Navies meet ; Where Conduct , and where Courage on each Side Command , and Act , and both in Triumph Ride . Where the sole Rule of the vast Ocean lies , At stake , and must become the Victors Prize . English and Dutch strugling at once to be Lords of the World , if Conquerours at Sea. The Dutch Inrag'd with the last Summer's Blow , Resolv'd now to Revenge that Overthrow ; And what they ' ld then have shun'd by secret Flight , They now Seek out , and Eager are to Fight . Flesht with the Princes Absence , who they hear'd , Off from our Fleet , 'bove Twenty Sail had steer'd , Found an Occasion better then they Sought , And were e'en Proud with Conquest e're they Fought . So Cowards , when Advantage gives them Way , Dream nothing but to Conquer , Kill , and Slay . The English ( whom great Numbers never Daunt ) Made up with Valour , what in Ships they want . Valour , Which in each English Brest dares more , Then Crowds of Dutch at Sea , or French on Shore . They scarce Discover'd where the Dutch Fleet lay , But were more Eager of the Fight , then They , More Full with Courage , then their Sails with Wind , Flew as they ' ld leave the Winds themselves behind , And as they Sail'd , loud Shouts of Conquest sent , To tell their Foes , that They their Ruine meant . Thinking their Ships yet still to Conquest Slowe , Breath'd as they went Destruction to their Foe . The Sun now past his Height , the Fleets Ingage , Both Sides Resolv'd to Act th' Extreams of Rage . From the Ships sides the Dreadful Canons Rore , And on each hand Amaze the trembling Shore ; And Rocks , and Shelves , with such Convulsions shook , As if they ' d been with some strange Earth-quake strook . Some ready are to Kill , and some to Dye , And Arms and Legs as well as Bullets Fly. Dark Clouds of Smoak arise , and Interpose 'Twixt Heav'n and Them , as if asham'd t' Expose To Heav'n a Sight so dreadful , or the Sun Should be Spectactor , whilst such Muscheif's done . The Seas and Winds both angry grow , and Swell , To see the Rage of Men should theirs Excell ; Or to appear more Merciful then They , Strive by their Fury to appease this Fray : But all in vain . Too Res'lute are the Foes , The Battle hotter , and still hotter Grows . And now Ships all on Fire from each side are Sent , to Destroy what Bullets seem to spare . Mean while the Duke ( Brave Soul ! ) as Good as Great For others Safety did his own Forget ; And midst a Crowd of Dangers did Out-do Souldier , and Seaman , and a General too . His Tongue Directions gave , and his Own Hand Was still the First to Act his own Command . His Men ( who knew farr better how to Dye , Then Coward-like , either to Yield or Fly. ) Fought as they meant their Death ( too slow ) to Meet . Such was the Valour of our English Fleet. The Enemy ( whose Daring Humours Spring , Not from their Cause , but Numbers which they bring ) Like the Great Turk , with Multitudes Oppress , These , and their Brandy , make them hope Success . Success , which on each Party Doubtful stood , Favour'd not Us , although Our Cause was Good ; Nor Them , though fresh Recruits from Shore are sent At once their Strength and Courage to Augment . But both the Fleets still Fight , and still Persue Amazed Vict'ry , whilst from Each she Flew . Two Days and Half the Fight still Greater Grows , Wounds are Return'd for Wounds , and Blows for Blows . At last the News ( almost too slow ) o'retook The Active Prince , who with Amazement shook . The Duke Ingag'd , and He not there ? O Shame ! What should He Do ? Where should He lay the Blame ? Through the Rough Seas He Cuts his Speedy Way , And Fears no Dangers now , but in Delay : Quarrels with Winds and Seas , as if too slow To make him fall Reveng'd upon the Foe . Spreads all his Sayls , uses all Art , that might Hast Him , if not to Conquer , yet to Fight . So Great his Valour is , so strangely High , It Dangers Courts , as well as Victorie ; Dangers as Thick and Great , as Fire , and Sword , And Guns , and Rage of En'mies can afford : Nor Values he his Life , or Limbs , or Blood , Servants to 's Honour , and his Countries Good. Impatient , till he had at last Espy'd Where both the Fleets ( almost quite Tir'd ) Ride . Love and Revenge tells him He 's now too Slow , Love to the Duke , Revenge upon the Foe . Up then He bears , and swift as Thought he Flies To help the Duke , and Fight his Enemies . He Came , He Saw , and had He Conquest wonne , He had done more then Caesar e're had done ; Whose mighty Triumphs were o're Trembling Spears , Men void of Courage , and possest with Fears ; Not over Guns , which Ships in pieces rent , Plow'd up the Seas , and shook the Firmament ; Not over bold Batavians us'd to Toyl To Deaths , and Dangers , and to Rape , and Spoyl . The Night draws on , Darkness both sides Releives , And Strength , and Courage , to each Navy Gives . To Act next Day the dreadful'st Scaene the Sun , And Seas e're saw since first the World begun . The English Valour Watchful as the Morn Broke out next Day , as soon as Light was Born. Like sleepy Lyons rows'd , they rage , and rave , Nought but a Fighting Enemy they crave ; Whom at a distance they at last Descry More ready to Engage again , then Fly. Proud with the sight their Squadrons up they drew , And hotter then before the Fight renew ; So wondrous hot , you ' ld think the Day of Doome Was not to be Hereafter , but now Come . Such Lightnings were , such Thunders , and such Clouds , Death so Triumphant ' midst the wounded Crowds . The Sea with floating Carkasses so spread , As if it were Now to Give up its Dead . Destructive Balls from Fleet to Fleet are shot , Danger and Safety are by both forgot . Revenge and Honour make them both out-dare Those who snatch up a Courage from Despair . Thus they continue , till the Dutch at last All Fighting , as all Hopes of Conquest past , To their own Coasts in great Confusion flee , Leaving us Masters of the Conquer'd Sea. Got Home , ( as they are wont ) they proudly Boast , And Brag , that We , not They , the Day had lost : Through the wide World they strait disperse their Lyes : If they can't Get , they can Make Victories . Mean while all Art , and speed , are by each side To Cure the Wounded Men and Ships apply'd . Fresh Men and Ships are sent from off each shore , To make up what the Fight destroy'd before . The Dutch more hasty , then successful prove , And from their Coasts the New-Rigg'd Squadrons move , Men fill their Ships , Brandy and Pride their Men , Both fitted out to be Destroy'd agen . The Seas now clear of Foes , they venture o're , And leave their Own for a more fatal shore . Towards the English Coast with speed they made , Threatning , but yet not Daring to Invade ; Where for a while they Rant and Domineer , Because they saw no Enemy Appear . Our Fleet ( which Care , not want of Courage stay'd ) At last Hoyst up their Sails , and Anchors weigh'd . Towards their vap'ring Foes they make their way , And nothing fear'd , but that they would not stay . But stay they did , and when they saw our Fleet Resolv'd their Fate not to avoid , but meet . Both much alike in strength : The Difference was Ours had more Valour , and the better Cause . Both now make out to Sea once more to try Which should or win , or loose the Victory . The Squadrons Ranged in Battalio stand , Ready to Act each Admiral 's Command . And now the Sign is given , and Fight begun , Death and Destruction through both Navies run ; All Instruments , all Arts of Ruine now Are us'd to work each others Overthrow ; The fatal Bullets Ships and Men do wound , And scatter'd Limbs of both on Seas are found . Both Fire , and Sword , Noyse and Confusion Rage , Whilst Men with Men , and Ships with Ships Engage . The Tyde now turns : The Courage of our Foe Begins to Ebb , ours more and more to Flow. Two of their Squadrons Tack , and bid adieu To Vict'ry , Ours both It and Them Pursue . The Third ( though Strength and Courage both abate , ) Struggle yet still with their prevailing Fate . Safety at last alone in Flight they find , Leaving both Foes and Victory behind ; Their Sails now full with Wind , themselves with fear , To their own Coast their flying Ships they steer . Where the Remainders of their Squadrons lay Shatter'd , and in as great Distress as they , Beholding to their Sands and Shelves to save , What else we'd then have had , and yet may have : Whilst Ours on their own Coast in Triumph Raign Victors o're them , and o're the Conquer'd Main . Heav'n saw our Cause was Just , and was our Guide , Taught us to Fight , and to O'recome beside : And will in time teach the proud Dutch to know That Those who rais'd them High , can lay them Low. FINIS .