A Just Vindication OF THE PRINCIPAL OFFICERS OF HIS MAJESTY'S Ordnance From the false and scandalous Aspersions laid upon them in a Printed Libel, ENTITLED An Exact Relation of the several Engagements and Actions of His Majesty's Fleet, under the Command of his Highness' Prince Rupert, in the Summer's Expedition, 1673.  
LONDON, Printed for Nathanael Brooke (Stationer to His Majesty's Office of the Ordnance) at the Angel in Cornhill, near the Royal Exchange, 1674.   

A VINDICATION OF THE Principal Officers OF HIS MAJESTY'S Ordnance, etc.  
THe Principal Officers of His Majesty's Ordnance, having to the utmost of their Power, in both the Dutch Wars carried themselves with all Care and Industry in the Execution of their several Places, in furnishing His Majesty's Fleets, and Men of War with good, sufficient and serviceable Gunner's Stores, and fitted them with early Supplies, at all Times when required; for which they have had the thanks of his Royal Highness, of his Highness' Prince Rupert, and his Grace the Duke of Albemarle, in the first War; and of his Royal Highness, and his Highness' Prince Rupert in this last War: and although they have met with several Mistakes of some Persons who have reported the Dutch Guns and Powder to have been better and stronger than those of His Majesties, (who yet have acknowledged their Errors, when by Experience some of them have seen by Proof that His Majesty's Powder is stronger, and by ¼ better than the Dutch) they looked upon such Reports as the Effects rather of misinformation, than of malicious scandal slander. But now finding Themselves and their Actions blasted and brought upon the Stage in a scandalous lying Pamphlet in Print, entitled, an exact Relation of the several Engagements, etc. under the Command of Prince Rupert; and perceiving how that Libel had already influenced several Persons to their Prejudice; they have thought fit to manifest to All Persons, Lovers of Honour and of Truth, in Defence of themselves, and of the Right Honourable Sir Thomas Chicheley Knight, Master General of His Majesty's Ordnance (by whose Endeavours, Interest, and unspotted Fidelity, His Majesty's Service in this Office hath so well proceeded) That at no time in any of these late Wars against the Dutch, His Majesty's Fleets were better provided with Canon, Powder, Shot, and all Ammunition, and Stores of War, than that set out this last Spring under his Highness' Prince Rupert. To which may be added the other great Stores of War, viz. of Granades for Morterpieces and Hand, Fire Arms, Pikes, Powder, Shot, Scaling Ladders, Turnpikes, and many other chargeable Stores for Land Service, which by his Highness Particular Order, were provided and laden upon six great Ships under the Charge of Ionas Moor Esquire, who attended upon the Prince, and was on Board with him in the two first Engagements. And at the last going out in July they provided (besides the Supply of Gunner's Stores for the whole Navy, with all its Tenders) all fitting Stores and Equipage for the Land Forces, and Train of Artillery then designed; that is to say, All manner of Arms, Offensive and Defensive, Ammunition of all sorts, Horses, Tents for 10000 Men, Habiliments of War of all kinds, and other Utensils and Instruments, as well for Intrenchments as Surprises, in case a Descent had been made either upon the Coast of Holland, or elsewhere. All which to the value of 40000 l. and upward, have been by them sent out extraordinarily, and upon the Credit of the Office the last Summer, without one Penny advanced for the same.  
This being in general premised; they come now to answer more particularly to such unjust Accusations, as this false and scandalous Libeler hath been pleased to lay upon them; which are these that follow.  

The first, is in Page the Seventh; wherein he declares (to the Scandal and Infamy of the Stout Brave Seamen and Soldiers of this Nation) How faint the Hearts of the whole Fleet were (he measured certainly by his own) for want of Workmen and Tools, Seamen, & Supplies, and this before the Fleet engaged.  
The Second is in Page the Twelfth, where, after the Second Engagement in June, he saith, The Commanders exclaimed that they had not sufficient Supplies, but were in Want of Powder, Shot, etc.  
The Third is in the last Page of this Libel, where he enumerates the Difficulties and the Wants the Fleet was in. Of which, The fayler of Provisions, and Want of Ammunition, and all other Necessaries are reckoned as Part.   
These black and false Aspersions can no way better (in few Lines) be cleared, than first by declaring, 

1. What Ammunition and Stores were provided and sent on Board the Fleet, from this Office before it went out.  
2. What Supplies were made after the Engagements.  
3. And lastly, what Ammunition, Powder, Shot, etc. were remaining on Board the beginning of September last, when the Fleet returned, and a General Remain was taken by Order of the Office, as may appear by the Books and Gunner's Accounts remaining in the said Office.    
And here they cannot but take Notice and declare that in the first Dutch War, forty Rounds (that is Powder and Shot to each Gun to be forty Times discharged) was as great a Proportion as the Ships could stow and take in. Some Ships indeed might take in more by reason of their Built, but those were but few.  
This Rule will best be judged of by the Powder, not naming (for Brevity's sake) the rest of the Stores.  
Twelve thousand Barrels of Powder completed the Proportion of 40 Rounds to those 60 Sail of Ships which were commanded by his Highness' Prince Rupert this last Summer (many other of His Majesty's Ships at the same time being elsewhere employed:) which Proportion of 12000 Barrels with Shot and all other Stores answerable, the said Ships carried out with them in May last, and they had beside six Vessels attending them with much Powder and Shot, sent after as is before mentioned according to the Prince's Order, than which a greater Proportion, or better, was never before sent. So that as to the first Accusation, there was no Reason that the Hearts of the whole Fleet should faint (as doubtless this Cowardly Libelers did.) And if Success had been answerable to their Supplies, this Apology had not needed.  
At the Return of the Fleet to the Buoy of the North, which was the Eighth of June, the Officers by directions of the Master of the Ordnance had provided five thousand Barrels of Powder, with Shot and Ammunition proportionable, and the Tenth of June sixteen great Vessels loaden with the said Powder and Stores, were at Anchor near the Fleet under the Charge of Sir Ionas Moor, Master Surveyor of his Majesty's Ordnance, and Samuel Fortrey Esquire, Clerk of the Deliveries; where they found those Ships sent along with Stores for Supply of the Fleet returned into the Small, without having Delivered any Part or Parcel of their Provisions.  
The Fleet might have been supplied with Gunner's Stores in a few Days, but many Ships were to be repaired, which the Officers and Commissioners of His Majesty's Navy (whom this Libeler hath likewise most unjustly aspersed) with all possible Industry and Expedition refitted within less than three Weeks time: So that by the first Week in July, the Fleet was supplied with 4100 Barrels of Powder, Shot, and other Stores answerable, making up with what they had remaining on Board the entire Compliment of forty Rounds: Upon which the Fleet sailed, and fourteen Store-Ships belonging to this Office attending thereon.  
By this it appears how false his second Scandal is, for that the Fleet had not spent little above One third of their Stores of War, viz. 4100, of 12000 Barrels. And none of the Commanders, except this Malicious Libeler, could exclaim for want of Powder and Shot.  
At the Return of the Fleet in August; after the third and last Engagement, the Officers of the Ordnance sent again another Supply of 5000 Barrels of Powder, and Stores proportionable; but that might have been spared, together with the great Charge of Freight and Demurrage; for the Fleet had spent little more than a sixth Part of their Powder and Stores, viz. 2000, of 12000 Barrels, as by the Remains in the Office appears, there being above 9000 Barrels of Powder brought back in the Fleet, besides the Stores sent along, which likewise returned without any Diminution, clearly showing his last Accusation to be as false as any of the rest; and it is as plain that in all the three Engagements, not much above half the Stores of War of the first Supply were expended.  
To give one further satisfactory Instance touching the Expense of Powder, One Ship which was confessed by all to have been most engaged, will afford a clear Demonstration, viz. the Royal Prince. Her first Compliment was 430 Barrels, the Supply she took in 176 Barrels, in all 606 Barrels. The Gunner brought back and delivered in September last 395 Barrels, with Stores answerable, to this Office, which makes the Expense something above One third. Nay, the Rupert, which made most complaint, brought back with her two thirds of her Powder and Stores.  Ab Vno, disce Omnes— 
To conclude; by what hath been said, no Person can have reason to believe this false Libeler, but on the contrary to acquit the Officers of the Ordnance, as having done their Duties, by timely furnishing out, and fully resupplying His Majesty's Fleet this last Summer. And they cannot but with humble Thanks acknowledge the Honour which his Highness Prince Rupert hath done them, by often declaring as much, both publicly and otherwise.   
FINIS.