A RELATION OF THE Engagement of the Fleet of the Commonwealth of ENGLAND under the Command of Gen. Blake, Gen. Deane, and Gen. Monk. With the Dutch Fleet, under the Command of Van Trump. Abstracted out of several Letters and Relations made to the Council of State. And a List of the particulars of the Loss on both sides. WITH The Copy of a Letter from the Commissioners of Prize Goods from Dover, touching the said Fight between the English and the Dutch. And the particulars of all the three Fights, on Friday, Saturday and Sunday last. And the Glorious Victory in taking, sinking, and total dispersing the Hollanders Fleet, which was between four and 500 Sail. Imprimatur, Hen. Scobel Cleric. Parliamenti. LONDON. Printed for ROBERT IBBITSON dwelling in Smithfield, near Hosier Lane. 1653. A Relation of the late Engagement between the Fleets of the English and Dutch. Whitehal 20. Febr. 1652. THere came an account of the success of our first Engaging with the Dutch Fleet to this effect. Upon Friday 18. instant as soon as day began to dawn, ours discovered the Holland fleet, between Portland and the Isle of Wight, about seven leagues off Portland North and by West, the wind Northwest, which consisted of about 80 sail men of war besides the Merchant men, which were judged about 150 some say many more, they all having the wind of us. But about eight a clock the same morning Gen. Blake and Gen. Dean being both of them aboard the Triumph, engaged the Enemy, the Dutch men of war bearing upon them, but the rest of our Fleet endeavouring to follow, not above three or four of them could get up, because they were to Lee-ward, so that the General with those few were constrained to bear the first brunt holding play with no less than 30 of the Dutch men of war, whereof seven at a time kept upon the Triumph, and yet they continued till two a clock in the afternoon, being much shattered in her Sales, but so tight in her Hulls, that she never so much as pumped for it. It was ten a clock before any more of our fleet engaged, and then not above half our number came up, the whole amounting to about 60 fail: after this the dispute grew very hot, and so continued for the space of 4 or 5 hours, but afterwards the fight grew more moderate, holding play till night parted both parties. In this action the Lord was pleased so to prosper us, that we lost but one ship called the Samson, which was rendered unserviceable in the Fight, and then her men being taken 〈◊〉, she● was sunk by her own Captain, having first sunk the Enemy which maimed her, she was a Ship of 26 guns, her Captain is wounded, his name is Captain Button: We had like to have lost the Prosperous commanded by Cap. Barker, but she was retaken by Cap. V●●sey commander of the Merly● Frigate. The Advice F●●got was in hot service having 4 sail of Dutch which lay aboard of her, yet she acquitted herself so well, that she sunk one of their Rear Admirals of 38 guns down by her side, and one ship more of 36 guns in the same manner, but her Cap. is dangerously wounded, his name is Capt. John Day, there are wounded also his Master and divers other Officers; his Lieut, Boatswain and Corporal with about 35 more are slain and about 40 or 50 more wounded: The Dutch boarded her once, and had got possession of her fore castle, but they were beaten out again, her Hull, Masts and Rigging are so shattered, and her Company so much disabled by so sharp and disadvantageous a conflict, having coped with so many at once, that she was occasioned that night to make for Portsmouth, there to repair. The loss on our side is of divers worthy, and precious men, in the Generals own ship the Triumph which was so sharply engaged, there are between 80 and 100 killed and wounded whereof 4 of note, viz. Cap. Bal, the Gen. Secretary Mr. Sparrow with the Master whose name is Broadrtdge and his Mate. The two Generals was by an overruling providence preserved, otherwise greatly endangered, by a bar of Iron which wounded General Blake on the left thigh, a little above the knee, but not dangerously, and tore two pieces of the coat and Brechees of Gen. Deane; all with the same shot. In the Vanguard there was slain Cap. Mildmay with about 30 more killed and wounded In the Fortune Cap. Tatnel. In the Prosperous Cap. Barker, Cap. Kirby, and Cap. Deacons are wounded. As to the Dutch loss, the exact & full particular is not yet known but thus much is certain, we have taken one of their Vice Admirals a ship of 1200 Tuns and 44 piece of Ordnance 6 or 8 brass, it being one of their prime ships, This vessel was found to have 100 men stain in her being delivered up to Cap. Stokes, being much battered by the Lion who would have bit hard before if she had had this Cap. in her, who is said to have been the bain of 3. of the Dutch men of War, the Dragon also played her part very lustily. There was sunk and burnt of the Dutch fleet in this encounter, one of their Vice Admirals, one of the Rear Admirals, and nine more of their men of War. Seven or eight more so maimed, that some of them were seen towed, what more may be is not yet known, but our men were plying towards the Enemy, five leagues off the Isle of Wight. And on Saturday 19 instant our fleet began with 2. Frigates to re-ingage them about 10. a clock in the morning, but left again for a while, till the main fleet came up, and then about one a clock the whole fleets were engaged, ours having that day the wind, the Dutch being before, and setting their Merchant men Eastward of Dunnose 6. leagues all along the Channel. The 18. at night there came to the fleet the Diamond from Portsmouth 2. Merchant men from the Downs, with the Sapphire Cap. Hill who informed that in all there were 19 more coming from the Downs, the Assistance, the Advice and the Oak are come into Portsmouth and some private men of War gone our thence. From the Isle of Wight 19 instant, Also it is written that the same day being Saturday the two Fleets were engaged again, within four leagues of the Island plainly in view, that they begun about 12 of the clock, and spent some time upon firing at each other at a distance, but afterwards the Fight growing hot, the Sea being calm, and Sea room enough, it was conceived somewhat in all probability would be done to purpose, that ours pressed much after the enemy before they could engage; that they have placed their Merchant men in the Van, who are observed to hasten Eastward, that our ships were seen to come gallantly except 10 or 12 which could not sail so fast, but were likely to get in quickly, and that ours had the weather-gage of the enemy. By another of the same date from the same Island, it is written farther thus, That on friday engagement about 8 or 9 of the Dutch Vessels were observed to be burnt: That on Saturday both Fleets in view of that Island were engaged again: that there were about 4 leagues off in the trade-way: That some of our headmost ships began the engagement about 12 of the clock that day, which the Dutch endeavoured to avoid: That the Dutch Fleet were of Men of War and of Merchantmen (as was guessed) near 300: That ours seemed about 70. of which some were not fully come up: That the Dutch placed their Merchantmen in the Van, who appeared, endeavouring to sail on Eastward as far as they could, yet but slowly, the wind being very still: That their Men of War engaged retreating, and ours pressed on hard, being as fast as they could get up: That ours had gotten the weathergage, and the fight waxed very hot, even while this Letter was a penning, and the season and peace of the fight being considered, the event is like to be very considerable. A List of the particulars of the loss on both sides. Loss of the Dutch party on Friday. 1 Vice Admiral ship sunk. 1 Rear Admiral ship sunk 9 more of their ships sunk 1 Vice Admiral ship taken 100 men slain in the Vice Admiral, Many hundreds of the Dutch slain and wounded in several ships. 7 ships maimed so, that they were feign to tow them. On Saturday and Sunday. The rest of the Holland fleet were taken, sunk, and totally dispersed, who in all were between four and 500 fail. Loss of the English. The Samson Frigate sunk The Prosperous taken, but was after retaken. Cap. John Day wounded The Mr. of the Advice wounded 35 slain in the Advice Frigate 40 and odd wounded in the Advice The Advice Frigate boarded, but the Dutch beaten off again. The Advice Frigate come to Portsmouth to be mended. 80 and odd killed and wounded in the Triumph Capt. Ball slain. Mr. Sparrow Secretary to the Generals slain. Mr. Broadridge, Mr. of the Triumph flain Gen. Blake wounded on the left thigh Gen. Deans coat and breeches torn. Capt. Mildmay slain 30 killed and wounded in the Vanguard Cap. Tatnell; Cap. Barker, Cap. Kirby, & Cap. Deakons wounded. Cap. Lawson dead of his wounds. The Copy of a Letter from the Commissioners for prize-good from Dover, touching the fight between the English and Dutch Fleets. Gentlemen, THese serve only to advise you of what we have heard concerning the action between our Fleet and the Hollanders, who first engaged on Friday last about half Seas over of the Isle of Wight, which continued all day, and was a very hot dispute: but what the event of it was there is not any certainty yet come; only the general report of some that are arrived from thence, who can give no particulars, but say we have had the best of it, and conceive 5 of their Men of War that day to be taken. This day came on shore one Thomas Prynne sent in with a prize; who was one of the company of the Nightingale Frigate, who were last Saturday in the fight of the Isle of Wight, who saith they engaged with the whole Fleet of the Hollanders about noon, and fought them the whole day, where one of the Hollanders greatest Ships were taken, night coming on they parted. On Sunday morning our Fleet had sight again of the Hollanders, and about nine of the clock engaged again with their whole Fleet, which for an hours time was very desperate; but at length the enemy bore up before the wind, with all the sail they could make, our Fleet chase them so that they made a running fight; who making such great sail, left their Merchant men a stern off them, who began to straggle in a confused manner, some falling in amongst the thickest of our Fleet, which in regard of the pursuit of the Hollanders, were forced to sink some, and fire the rest. By all that we can gather, our Fleet is yet in chase of them both to the Eastward and the Southward: the wind at present blows hard at North, and North-east, so that those ships of the Hollanders that have escaped are not able to get home. There is in our road afar off the Fairfax, whereof Captain Lawson was Commander, who is slain, who hath taken the Vice-Admiral of Holland prize; with him many other ships are seen in the Offing conceived to be prize: by all that we have sound together, it is generally concluded a total dispersing of the Hollanders Fleet, who were between four and five hundred sail of Men of War and Merchantmen. We hear not of the loss of any of our ships, only the ship Prosperous was boarded and taken by the Hollanders, but was immediately again retaken by one of our Frigates. There is already brought into the Road three prizes, but we have no great account of them. One is loaden with Wine from Nantz, and the others with Salt and Brandwine. We have not else, Yours ready to serve you J. C. N.F. Dutch Prize-Office Dover, Feb. 21. 1652. at three of the clock in the afternoon. FINIS.