GOOD NEWS FROM General Blakes Fleet  
Twenty Holland ships taken: With a LIST of the Particulars.  
AND The Whole Hollanders Fleet pursued by Gen. Blake and Sir George Ayscue.  
ALSO How the Hollanders fell upon 10 English Merchants ships, and three Men of War. And the Success thereof.  
LONDON, Printed for Robert Ibbitson dwelling in Smithfield near Hosier Lane. 1652.   

A Letter from PLYMOUTH Touching The good Success of General Blake, and Sir George Ascues taking of several Merchant's ships and others, from the HOLLANDERS.  
SIR,  
ON Wednesday the 8th. of this present September 1652. General Blake with the Parliaments great fleet passed by within sight of this place.  
A Message was sent in from him to Sir George Ayscue, who with his fleet was then at anchor in this Road, To desire him to weigh Anchor, and come out speedily to him with his fleet.  
Sir George Ayscue then presently sent out Orders to all the ships, and they all sailed out, according to the Orders sent in by Gen. Blake.  
After salutation of the Fleets, Sir Geo. Ayseve went aboard the Admiral to the General, where a Council of Officers presently met, and resolved to sail Westward towards the Holland Fleet, or where they should discover them to be.  
That night in the evening they set all sail Westward, the season being very good, fair weather that day and the next, and the wind good.  
But since that, we have had some boisterous winds, which have been very high, but I do not hear of any great loss, or harm (blessed be God) that we have sustained by it.  
The Lord hath been pleased to give some good successes to our Fleet since they went out from hence.  
For General Blake hath sent out squadrons of ships which have taken from the Hollanders twenty sail of Ships, whereof one Man of War, one Pickeroon, and the rest Merchants ships.  
The Merchant's Ships are laden with wine, Strong-waters, vinegar, salt, and other merchandizes to some value.  
Seven of these ships are already come into Plymouth, and orders sent for disposal of them, with directions and instructions, the rest being thirteen, when these came away from the Fleet, they were ordering to be disposed of, they are speedily to be sent into some Port.  
The Dutchmen in the Man of war seem to be but sorry Seamen, and it was not extraordinary well manned; they speak of great distractions in Holland, and Zealand, but chief in Holland, the Zealand Seamen are very famous.  
On Thursday last General Blake had a discovery of the Holland Fleet, which are thought to be about a hundred sail, and General Blake, now with Sir George Ayscue, both joined, are near an hundred sail, I think of thebest Ships, and the gallantest Fleet in the world.  
The Holland Fleet were then discovered to be about some twelve Leagues off from Scilly.  
Hereupo, this discovery being made, a Council of War was called, to consult what to do.  
And it was resolved with a great union and magnanimity, that they should presently sail towards them, and endeavour if possibly to engage them.  
And accordingly our whole Fleet sailed towards the Hollanders great Fleet, and are in pursuit of them.  
We do observe, that the Hollanders do much vapour, and make shows, and boastings where they come, at a distance from us, and they find themselves able to deal with some smaller party than themselves, but when any considerable Party, any ways able to deal with them come near them, than they sail away.  
And they are most often seen, and appear in view towards the evening, that so in the night they may slink away out of sight, we cannot tell where.  
Were not the Hollanders puffed up in pride and hardness of heart like Pharaoh and the Egyptians, they would not go on in their obstinacy as they do.  But though hand join in hand the wicked shall not go unpunished. 
Plymouth 14 Septemb. 1652.  
By other Letters from other Ports it is certified, That there came lately ten ships from Britain in France, 3 men of War, the Swan and 2 more were a guard to the rest, which were Merchants, the lading very rich, of a considerable value.  
One of the Dutch fleets had a dise●very of them, and engaged them, but the English stood out courageously, and opposed them, and by the blessing of God broke through them, charging the Dutch with a great deal of gallantry, and are all safely arrived in the Downs.  
Dover 15 Septemb. 1652.   

A List of the ships taken by General Blake and Sir George Ayscue, from the Dutch, since they set sail from Plymouth. From Wednesday 8. September, to Tuesday 14 September 1652.  

1 Man of War, a very considerable Vessel  
1 Pickeroon, a notorious plunderer.  
10 Merchants ships, all laden with Wines Salt, Strong-water, Vinegar, and other Merchandizes.  
The whole Dutch Fleet pursued about 12 Leagues from Scilley.    
FINIS.