A True relation of the engagement of His Majesties fleet under the command of His Royal Highness with the Dutch fleet, May 28, 1672 in a letter from H.S. Esquire, on board His Royal Highness, to the Earl of Arlington, principal secretary of state. Savile, Henry, 1642-1687. 1672 Approx. 13 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 5 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. Text Creation Partnership, Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) : 2005-10 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1). A62260 Wing S775 Wing T2945_CANCELLED ESTC R234801 13551560 ocm 13551560 60831 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. A62260) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 60831) Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1641-1700 ; 227:11 or 1558:41) A True relation of the engagement of His Majesties fleet under the command of His Royal Highness with the Dutch fleet, May 28, 1672 in a letter from H.S. Esquire, on board His Royal Highness, to the Earl of Arlington, principal secretary of state. Savile, Henry, 1642-1687. Arlington, Henry Bennet, Earl of, 1618-1685. [2], 7 p. Printed by Tho. Newcomb, [London] In the Savoy : 1672. Attributed to Savile by NUC pre-1956 imprints. Imperfect: print show-through with slight loss of print. This item is identified at reel 1558:41 as Wing T2945 (number cancelled in Wing 2nd ed), and as Wing (CD-ROM, 1996) S775 at reel 227:12. Reproduction of originals in the Harvard University Library and British Library. Created by converting TCP files to TEI P5 using tcp2tei.xsl, TEI @ Oxford. 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Great Britain -- History, Naval -- Stuarts, 1603-1714. 2004-09 TCP Assigned for keying and markup 2004-11 SPi Global Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2005-01 Jonathan Blaney Sampled and proofread 2005-01 Jonathan Blaney Text and markup reviewed and edited 2005-04 pfs Batch review (QC) and XML conversion A TRUE RELATION OF THE Engagement OF HIS MAJESTIES FLEET UNDER The Command of His Royal Highness , WITH THE Dutch Fleet , May 28. 1672. In a LETTER from Hen : Savile Esq on Board His Royal Highness , to the Earl of Arlington , Principal Secretary of State. Published by Authority . In the SAVOY : Printed by Tho. Newcomb . 1672. A True RELATION OF THE Engagement Of His Majesties Fleet , under the Command of His Royal Highness , with the Dutch Fleet , May 28. 1672. My Lord , THe frequent commands I have received from your Lordship for an Account of our late Engagement , exact enough to be made publick , do at last end in this following Narration , which had been sent you sooner , if the Weather , and many other Accidents that Seamen are liable to , had not hindred us from having such Accounts from every Flag , as were necessary to make up one fit for your Lordship , and those you intend to impart it to ; whom I will suppose to be Landmen , for my own excuse : For , if I were to give such a Relation as would fully satisfie Seamen , the terms themselves concerning Tacking and Wind , &c. without any thing material relating to the Matter , would be too voluminous , to expect it should find a Reader out of Wapping or Rothorith . All that I pretend to , is Brevity and Truth ; for the first , I must make it good as I can ; for the other , I have such Witnesses as are unquestionable . Our whole Fleet being at Anchor in Southwold-Bay , taking in Water , on Tuesday the 28 th of May , betwixt Two and three a Clock in the Morning , the Wind E. by N. a small Gale , one of our Scouts came in , giving the usual Signals of seeing the Enemy ; upon which , His Royal Highness immediately gave those of weighing Anchor , and getting under Sail , which was performed with all the speed possible , considering the short warning ; for before Seven the whole Blew Squadron were a Head of the Red , and the White a Stern ; in which order , and at which time , the Battle began , the Enemy having the Wind of us . The Squadron under Bankaert being the Van of their Fleet , attacked the French , which made the Rear of ours , they both separated themselves from both their Fleets , and so continued engaged out of our sight almost the whole day , Sailing to the Southward : At first Bankaert came briskly down upon Monsieur d' Estrees , but afterwards finding it too hot , kept at a greater distance . The Earl of Sandwich with the Blew Squadron in the Van of our Fleet , was attacked by Van Ghent , in the Rear of theirs , and endeavoring to get the Wind of the Enemy , found so great opposition , that after having sunk a Man of War which laid him on Board , having above half his men killed , his Ship wholly disabled , and having put off two Fireships , was no longer in a condition to put off the third , which burnt her ; the onely Ship we lost the whole day : His Lordship , and all the Officers , except Capt. Haddock , being lost with her ; of which some few ordinary Men that were saved by Swimming to our Ships and Boats , give us no farther Account . The Henry , that was one of her Seconds , commanded by Capt. Digby , Son to the Earl of Bristol , having put off several Fireships ; most of her Men , her Captain , and almost all her Inferior Officers slain , fell into the hands of the 〈…〉 little time retaken , and sent safe into 〈…〉 Capt. Strickland in the Plimouth . Sir Joseph Jordan , Vice Admiral of the Blew , pursued the design his Admiral did not live to finish , and succeeded in it , getting the Wind of the Enemy , which he and his Division kept the rest of the day . The Body of their Fleet commanded by Monsieur de Ruyter , attacked the Body of ours , commanded by His Royal Highness ; De Ruyter was accompanied by Van Esse , another Admirall , and their Seconds , which all at a convenient distance fired upon the Prince , who being to Windward of her own Division , could receive little or no assistance from them ; the Capt. Sir John Cox killed , the Main-Top-Mast , Flagstaff , and Standard , being shot down , and the Ship intirely disabled in three hours time , His Royal Highness thought it convenient to change his Ship ; so that about Ten a Clock being attended by Monsieur Blanckfort , my self , Mr. Ashton , Monsieur du Puys , and John Thompson his best Pilot , he went on Board the St. Michael , Sir Robert Holmes Commander , and there put up a new Standard , which because of the great smoak , could not be seen well enough to be attended by his Division . About this time , the Royal Katherine newly come from the River with fresh Men , and wanting many of the Conveniencies necessary for her defence , was boarded and taken by the Enemy , her Capt. Sir John Chichely being carried prisoner on Board their Ships ; but the Enemy leaving no great number of Men in her , they were afterwards overpowred by ours , who carried the Dutch that had taken her , prisoners , and the Ship safe into Harbor . His Royal Highness continued on his way , attended by the Phenix , Capt. Le Ne●● Commander , on Head of him , and the Fairfax Capt. Leg Commander , and the Victory the Earl of Ossory Commander close a Stern , till afterwards Capt. Berry in the Resolution , and Sir Fretchevile Holles in the Cambridge , came also on Head of us , but were both very soon disabled , the latter having also lost her Commander ; the Earl of Ossory in the Victory took their places ; the Engagement being very hot all this time . Towards Five in the Evening His Royal Highness observing his Ship to Sail heavily , the London , and many of the Vice-Admirals Division having overtaken the St. Michael , found upon enquiry that she had six foot Water in the Hold ; so that with the same Company he brought thither , except his Pilot , who was killed there , he carried his Standard on Board the London , Sir Edward Spragg Commander ; where after fighting an hour or two with the Ships to Windward , they were forced to bear down , and gave opportunity to the Duke and Sir Joseph Jordan to joyn ; at which time de Ruyter put out a Signal , upon which all his Fleet bore down to joyn the Zealanders , who with others had engaged the French all day ; who being to Leeward , did as well as it was possible for them to do with the distance , the Dutch being to Windward , kept from them . Thus ended the Battle , and the Day ; The Duke with about Thirty Sail kept to Windward of the Dutch all night , standing to the S. E. and found himself still so the next morning , and so continued till about Six a Clock ; when seeing some Ships a Stern , upon supposition , they were the Remainders of our Fleet , His Royal Highness tacked and stood with them , and found them to be as he guest , and the whole French Squadron with them ; about Seven he returned to his own Ship , as well refitted as was possible by the care of Captain Narbrough . About Ten the whole Fleet were together , and about Twelve we saw the Dutch standing after us , upon which we Tacked , having the Weather-Gage , and stood to them , in hopes of Engaging them presently : But , when the Van of our Fleet was come up to the Body of theirs , they Tacked , and stood back towards their own Coasts ; Notwithstanding which we had certainly engaged them , had we not been prevented about Three a Clock by a sudden Fogg , which lasted till Six ; and though it then cleared up , it blew so fresh , and was so late , and so near their Bancks , that we did not think it safe to Attacke them , but continued Sailing by them almost within Canon shot till Nine at Night ; when , being within a League of the Oyster-Banck , off the Coast of Zealand , we Tacked , and stood till Three in the Morning to the North-west , at which time we stood back till Six , to see if we could perceive the Enemy , which not discovering , we Anchored till the Afternoon , that we got under Saile , and stood back to our own Coast , being very stormy weather . As for our Losses , Besides the Royal Iames , there is not one Ship lost , though several Commanders slain ; The Earl of Sandwich , Mr. Digby Captain of the Henry , Sir Fretcheville Holles Captain of the Cambridge , Sir Io. Cox Captain of the Prince , Captain Pearce of the St. George , Captain Waterworth of the Anne , Captain Hannam of the Triumph , Captain Yennes of the Alice and Francis Fireship , and Monsieur de la Rabiniere Rear-Admiral of the French , Captain Elliot of the York , Captain Ludman of the Monck ; and two of the French Captains , Monsieur des Ardans , and Monsieur du Mesnou are wounded ; several Lieutenants and inferior Officers are killed , whose Names it were too tedious a business to set down . Of the Volonteers of Note , My Lord Maidstone , Mr. Montague , Mr. Richard Nicholls , and Mr. Roger Vaughan , both of his Royal Highnesses Bedchamber , Mr. Trevanian His Gentleman-Usher , Sir Philip Cartwright , Sir Charles Harbord , Captain Bromley , Captain Bennett , Mr. Cotterel , Captain Burgh , Captain Barry , Mr. Napier , Brother to a Scotch Lord of that Name , Mr. Bowles , le Chevalier de Serand , and le Chevalier de Bezy are killed ; and , if there are any others , their Names are not yet come to our Knowledge : Mr. Tufton , Monsieur le Comte de Canaples , le Chevalier de Chasteaumourant , Monsieur Escorbiac , Mr. Wren , Mr. Hamilton , Mr. Howard , Mr. Skelton , and Mr. Hall are all Wounded , Mr. May hath lost his Arme. The Advantage we have over the Enemy consists in a Man of Warr taken of 48 Guns , called the Steveren , Commanded by one Elzevir ; Another taken , but afterwards sunck ( being Leaky ) of 52 Guns , called the Iosua , Commanded by Iohn Dyche ; A Third Sunck by the Earl of Sandwich ; A Fourth by Sir Edward Spragg , both betwixt 60 and 70 Guns ; a Fireship taken , and we forced them to Spend most of the rest , without doing us any dammage : We have very good grounds to believe we have sunck more , and amongst the rest a Flagship ; but , thinking it better to erre on the modest side , I onely write Matter of Fact ; and , least I should break my Word in the other Article , ( I mean of Brevity ) I Humbly kiss your Hands , and am , My Lord , Your Lordships most Faithful , and most Obedient Servant H. Savile . From on Board the Prince , near the Middle Ground , June 6. 1672. THe Writer of this Letter could not think fit to mingle in his Relation , any Expressions of His Royal Highness's Personal Behavior , because it was prepared for his own sight : But it is most certain , That never any Prince , or it may be as truly said , any Private person , was in an Action of War , exposed to more danger from the beginning to the end of it ; His Conduct and Presence of Mind , equalling his Fearless Courage , and carrying him to change his Ship three times , setting up the Royal Standard in each of them , to animate his own Men , and to brave the Enemy . SInce the writing of this Letter , is brought in an Account of the Killed and Wounded . The number Killed , amounting at the most to , between Seven and eight hundred ; And the Wounded to about as many : Besides those that were lost in the Royal James . The Losses on the part of the Enemy , are in this particular , as in all others , kept very secret ; onely they do own from all hands , That they have had as many Men Killed and Wounded in this Engagement , as in any two Battles before . FINIS .