A True and Perfect RELATION Of the Great VICTORY Obtained over the DUCHESS With an Account of the Ships that was taken and sunk in the said Engagement.  
ALSO The Names of their Men of War, their Commanders and Number of their Guns, that were appointed for a Convoy to their SMYRNA Fleet.  
LONDON, Printed for G. I. 1672.   

A True and Perfect Relation of the Great Victory obtained over the Dutch, with an Acconnt of the Ships taken and sunk in the said Engagement; also the Names of their Men of War, their Commanders and number of their Guns that were appointed as a Convoy to their Smyrna Fleet.  
SIR,  
I Have received yours from London bearing no date, which I impute to the too hasty expectation of News from our Port, concerning the late Engagement betwixt the Dutch Smyrna Fleet, and our Squadron of Men of War, which on the thirteenth of this Instant was Crucing off the Isle of Wight; to satisfy your curiosity take it as followeth; Upon Wednesday March the Thirteenth Sir Robert Holmes with a Squadron of five Ships, crucing about the Isle of Wight met with the Dutch Smyrna Fleet consisting of above fifty Sail, convoyed by six 〈…〉 War▪ the names of the Ships in Sir Robert Holmes Squadron were first the Saint Michael commande● 〈…〉 Sir Robert Holmes as Admiral; the second the Resoi 〈…〉 on, commanded by the 〈…〉 the third, the Cambridge commanded by Sir Fretcheutie Holles as Rear-admiral: the fourth, the Gloucester commanded by Captain John Holmes Brother to Sir Robert Holmes; the Fairfax commanded by Captain ●egge. Then about two a clock in the afternoon meeting with the aforesaid Smyrna Fleet, shot to make them strike and lower their Topsails, which they refused to do, with which refu●●l, our Ships shot Ball through and through 〈◊〉▪ upon which they lowered their Topsails, but yet refused to strike, upon which the Fight began, the Dutch throwing overboard a great many of their heaviest Goods to lighten them, twenty of their Merchantmen carrying from twenty to forty Guns apiece they made serviceable by sending men aboard them in the night, so that there was as good as twenty eight Men of War, notwithstanding this our five Ships maintained a fight with them till night, and run through and through them, at which time there came to our assistance three Ships more, viz. the York commanded by Captain eliot, the Diamond commanded by Captain Towlis, the Success commanded by Captain Watson, on Thursday Morning early the Fight began again and continued all that day, about noon Captain John Holmes boarded their rear-admiral, its name was S. Patrick formerly an English Ship, but our Seamen being too eager of the prize neglected to stop the leak she being much shattered and torn, in a short time she sunk down; about the Evening we took five of their richest Merchantmen and had undoubtedly taken the rest had not the night parted us, and a very fresh gale of wind rising in the night, gave then an opportunity of getting away: The whole Fight was managed with a great deal of Courage and gallantry on our part, considering the number of our Ships and the great number of the Dutch full man'd, for they had at least fifteen hundred Spanish Soldiers aboard that was going to the service of the Neitherland, it may be accounted as remarkable a Victory as ere was obtained in the British Seas.  
The loss of the Dutch was very considerable, not only as to the loss of Men, but of Goods thrown over board, there was at least fifty bail of Silk taken up by our Vessels, who went off from this Port the next Day, besides what Goods sunk to the bottom. The five Ships taken are loaden chiefly with several sorts of rich Silks, and other Turkish Commodities: in their Rear-admiral was sunk abundance of Spanish Silver, that was sent from Spain to pay of their Soldiers in the Netherlands. They had killed in their Rear-admiral before she sunk (by acknowledgement of some of the Ships Company) above one hundred and fifty persons, and very many wounded: And it is thought that they could not lose less than a thousand men in this Engagemen. Since this His Majesty hath been pleased to set forth His Declaration showing the Reasons that doth induce him to wage War with that Ingrateful and Insolent people the Dutch, who not above eighty years since was the Poor Distressed States, and were ready to lie down at our Feet for relief; these we succoured, which now, like a viperous Brood, would fly in the faces of those that gave them a Being: But their Ingratitude we do not doubt will be sufficiently scourged, and they be brought again to acknowledge their Keepers and Preservers of their Lives and Liberties, when His Majesty's Royal Fleet united shall meet them, which will consist of above Eighty Sail, commanded by his Royal Highness in person; and may well claim the Title of the Invincible NAVY, for never such a Fleet for goodness of Ships, brave Commanders, and Valiant Seamen ever ploughed the Seas; in the mean time we may leave them to provide for the safety of themselves and Country which never was in greater danger, they being besieged on all sides with Enemies, viz. with the French, the Prince Elector of Coloigne, the Bishop of Munster, and the King of Danemarks' Forces. So great a Crime is in Ingratitude, that Heaven will not let it go long unpunished. What further News comes to my hand you shall be sure to have an Account,  
From your Friend, John Robinson.   

From the Hague, March 29. S. N. Worthy Imployer,  
IN obedience to your last commands I have sent you what News this place affords; to satisfy your curiosity you may read this following abstract.  
Divers of our Smyrna Fleet are arrived in Zealand and in the Maes, together with the Men of War, under whose Convoy they were, though extremely torn and very much disabled; five of our Merchant men were taken by the English, two of which were the richest in the Fleet, laden with Silks and other rich Commodities, and were called the Landtman of Amsterdam, and the Vrede of Rotterdam, besides our rear-admiral (being formerly an English Ship) was sunk also one of our Men of War, mounted with 44 Guns and 50 men called the Little Holland: Captain de Haes Admiral of this Fleet was killed in this Engagement, with many of our Men, and many more wounded, who have been since brought a shore at Rotterdam and other places. The men of War which served for Convoys to the said Fleet were the Vlushing, Captain Adrian de Haes, carrying fifty Guns, and two hundred and fifty Men. The Dort, Captain Thomas de Bois, carrying forty six Guns and one hundred and seventy Men. The Eutrecht▪ Captain Cornelius Everson, carrying forty eight Guns and two hundred and twenty Men. The Hollandia, Captain Thomas Nes, carrying forty four Guns and one hundred and fifty Men. The Delf, Captain Pourt, carrying thirty eight Guns and one hundred and forty five Men. The Lion, Captain Lenny, carryin thirty four Guns and one hundred and forty Men. The Centaur, Captain Thomas Alderson, carrying forty one Guns and one hundred and twenty Men. The Friezland, Captain Jacob Anderson, carrying thirty Guns and one hundred and ten Men.  
The Mannick, a considerable Merchant man, mounted with thirty Guns, was so torn and disabled, that with much difficulty they have brought her into Port; Captain du Bois▪ Vice-Admiral of this Fleet, hath lost his right Arm, and many of his men.  
FINIS.