A LETTER FROM THE Heer Lieutenant-Admiral DE RUYTER, TO THE States-General of the united-provinces; Giving an Account of the Late Engagement Between him, and the FRENCH FLEET, On the Coast of SICILY.  
Translated out of Dutch, as it was Printed at the Hague.  
In the Savoy, Printed by Tho. Newcomb, 1676.   

A Letter from the Heer, Lieutenant-Admiral de Ruyter, written to the States-General of the United Provinces, giving an Account of the late Engagement, between him and the French Fleet, on the Coast of Sicily.  
High and Mighty Lords,  
MY Lords, Since my last to your Hi. and Mi. of the 10 of December past, from the Bay of Callary, we safely arrived the 20. following in the morning, with the greatest part of your Fleet, in the Bay of Melazzo, and by my Secretary, made known to the Marquis of Villa Franca, Viceroy of the Kingdom of Sicily, our arrival, with the offer of our service. His Excellency did me the Honour that very afternoon, to come and visit me on board my Ship, and to bid me welcome; as I the next day, gave myself the Honour to return his Excellencies Visit. In both which Visits, nothing of importance happened. I received his Excellency with all Civility, and at his going away, gave him the respect due to a Person of his high Quality; and on the other side, his Excellency received me with the civilities required, in respect to your Hi. and Mi. amidst the Salutes of the Canon of the Town, and of the Castle, and in the same manner dismissed me with great courtesy.  
And that we might not here spend our time in vain, I thought fit, provisionally, to appoint Capt. Nicholas Verschoor, Rear-Admiral, for this Expedition, and to depute Jacob Benkhout, and the Count of Stirum, assisted by my Secretary, to the Marquis de Villa Franca, to concert with his Excellency, what ought to be most speedily undertaken against the common Enemy, with your Hi. and Mi. Fleet, and withal, earnestly to press, that as many Spanish Men of War and Galleys, as was possible, might be joined with us, that so we might be the stronger, in case; a considerable force of the Enemies, should happen to meet us at Sea; whereupon, with the most forcible Reasons, and by the importance, and necessity of the thing, his Excellency was finally persuaded, upon the 31 of the last month, to conclude; That we should, with your Hi. and Mi. Fleet, pass the Fare of Messina, to cut off from the Enemy, who cruised to and fro, between the Cape De la Molina, and the Cape d● Arm, all succours designed to Messina, while his Excellency, in the mean time, gave Order, that the Spanish Men of War lying at Palermo, under the Command of the Prince of Montesarchio, should, with all speed, be got ready; adding in the interim, under your Hi. and Mi. Flag, the Spanish man of war, named Nostra Signora del Rosario, mounted with 50 Guns, and 300 Men, Commanded by Capt. de Say, with 9 Galleys, Commanded by Don Beltran de Gavarra, Lieutenant, and Governor-general of the Neapolitan Galleys. The night, between the 31 past, and the 1 instant, the Vice-Admiral de Haen, with the nine Ships under his Command, who on the 8th of Nou. last, was separated from us in a Storm, happily joined us in the Bay of Melazzo; and thereupon, the night of the said I instant, we set sail together, taking our course along the Coast, towards the Straight of Messina, with intention to pass the said Straight, and afterwards the said appointed Rendezvouz, between the Cape de la Molina, and Cape deal Arm; but in the latter part of the night it was very calm, and the next day, the wind proved contrary.  
The Second instant in the Morning, very early, the Spaniards in our sight, Attacked a small place called Ibiso, which was Manned with French and Rebels, and after three hours' dispute, took it, with the loss of ten Men, and some Wounded, and on the side of the Enemy, about sixty Killed, besides Wounded, and feventy taken Prisoners, among which was a Colonel, a Milanese by Birth, who had quitted the Spanish Service: In the mean time, the Marquis de Villa Franca, Viceroy of the Island of Sicily aforesaid, sent several Feluccas to the Fare, (where we continued Cruising till the fifth instant) with advice, that a considerable Fleet of the Enemy's Ships, were Sailed from Thoulon, for the Succouring of Messina; and that they had been first seen by those of Leghorne, and afterwards from the Islands lying before the said Kingdom of Sicily, and lately from the Isle of Lipari, whereupon, (finding, that by reason of the said contrary Winds, we could not come to pass the said Straight,) I resolved to Tack the sixth instant in the Morning, and to stand to the Westward, to find out the Enemy; we advanced that day, close under the said Island of Lipari, but could not from our Shrowds, as yet discover the Enemy, notwithstanding we had advice, by Barks and Felucca's from all sides, that the said Enemy's Fleet was still observed from the shore. I endeavoured to inform myself, how the Enemy bore from us, and which way they steered, that so we might be the sooner with them; the first they could well enough tell me, but in the latter, they did so vary, that I was forced to send off one of my Lieutenants in a Felucca, with some of the most knowing Felucca Men, towards the Island Salinas, if possible, to discover from the Hills, (which are very high) the Enemy's course; upon whose return, we steered the night following Northwards towards them; the next morning, with the opening of the day, the Wind S. S. W. a small Gale, we got sight of them, being Thirty Sail, counting a Polacke and a Satie, about three miles from us; and to oblige them to an Engagement yet that day, we, and all the Ships of your Hi. and Mi. Fleet, put up all the Sail they could possibly bear, the sooner to reach the Enemy, which we so far did, that some of the forwardest of them, were forced to furl some of their Sails, and to stay for those who were not so good Sailors, keeping in the mean time, as near the Wind as was possible, to gain an advantage upon us; about three in the afternoon, I gave the sign, to the end the head Officers, Captains, and Commanders, might, pursuant to their general, and particular Instructions, put themselves into their several stations, as was accordingly done, but in the mean time the night came on; so that I resolved to defer the Attack for that day, and to call the head Officers on board my Ship, to bid them hold themselves ready against the next day, being the eighth instant, to Attack the Enemy, recommending to them, at the same time, that for the Love of their Country, and the sooner to obtain an Honourable and Lasting Peace, they would take care of their Honour and Oath, which they all taking me by the hand, unanimously promised.  
I sent a half Galley (so called) half way, between us and the Enemy, to observe them in the night, directing the Capt. that so long as they held the same course with us, he should every Glass fire a Gun; and in case the Enemy happened to Tack, to retreat, shooting all the way to us; towards the latter part of the night, the Wind increased, and blew so hard from the W. S. W. that not only he was obliged to quit his Post, but likewise the other nine Spanish Galleys, who stood towards Lipari, to cover themselves under the shore: In the last of the Night watch, the Enemy gave the sign to Tack, whereupon, I likewise gave the sign to Tack; at break of day, we again got sight of them, they bearing along with us, but the Wind had sharpened upon us, six Points, and was so bare, that the Enemy got the Luffe.  
About 9 a clock, they being in good Order, and well ranked, came upon us like Soldiers, as we courageously, and likewise in good Order expected them, so that within an hour after the foremost Ships on both sides, began to fire upon each other, which lasted about three hours so furiously, (that I never in my life was in sharper firing) when one of the Enemy's Fireships, under the favour of the Smoke, and the Cannon of their Vice-Admiral, came down upon us, but we shot down his Masts, and disabled him, so that the Captain was forced himself to set fire to her, for fear of her falling into our hands; about half an hour after, a second of the Enemy's Fireships had her Masts shot down, and was burnt; the Fight lasted with the Rear-admiral Verschoor, who had the Van, and with us, till between four and five in the afternoon, and with the Vice-Admiral de Haen, who had the Rear, and consequently, came last into the Fight, till dark night, which likewise parted them; with the setting of the Sun, a considerable Ship of War of the Enemies sunk in our sight, others will have it, that there is a second sunk, which neither I, nor any of my Ship saw; after the Fight, the said Nine Galleys came to us again, and continued with us all the night. The head Officers and Captains, of your Hi. and Mi. Fleet, fought bravely, and without ceasing, as the Enemy likewise did on their side; during the Fight it was extreme calm; we and all your Hi. and Mi. Fleet, hath suffered great damage in our Masts, Tackle, and Sails. The night past, we have been employed to put up new Stays, to stop Leaks, bring new Sails to the Yards, and to mend our Tackle, so that we, and most all of the other Ships, are in a condition to make head against the Enemy, who, (as much as we can discern from our shrowds,) lie on our Lee, but the weather is very calm, so that we shall not be able to get up with one another this day.  
Captain Gillis Schey, commanding the Ship Essen came the last night on board me, and acquainted me that he had received one or more shots under water and that he could not find the Leak, by which, much water was come into his Ship, and had wet all h●● Powder, and therefore desired that we would send 〈◊〉 Carpenter on board him, to help to find it; we sen● the Captain's Berkout, and Van Abcoude, with ou● chief Carpenter on board him, who heard the Leak● but could not find it, wherefore I desired Don Beltra●● de Guavarra, Lieutenant General of the said Galleys to send two of his Galleys to tow the said Ship th● Essen to Palermo, or some other Port, as the win● should most favour, which he immediately granted; 〈◊〉 likewise put into the hands of Captain Schey, an Act of Permission, to get the said Ship, into the first and most convenient Port, and there to repair the same with all possible diligence; and for the better executi●● on of this Order, the Commanders Wybrandtz B●●rentz Commanding a Snaw, and Jacob Statlander, i● the Fluyt, the Swart tas, are directed to keep with the said Captain Schey, to assist him in all things.  
This Morning I called the Head Officers, Captains and Commanders on board me, to know what damage they had sustained, and what they most wanted.  
The Rear-admiral Verschoor in the Fight yesterday, slept in the Lord in the bed of Honor. W● can fairly see the Prince of Montesarchio, with Nin●● Sail from our Ship, so that by the help of God, w● hope to join his Excellency yet this day.  
Wherewith, etc. in the Ship the Erendracht Sailing Westward of the Island Alicur, the Ninth of January, 1676.  
Michiel Ad. Ruyter  
FINIS.