THE LIBRARY 
 
 OF 
 
 THE UNIVERSITY 
 OF CALIFORNIA 
 
 LOS ANGELES
 
 ^ ) 
 
 THE 
 
 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 RITAIN has had dominion over the feas from the 
 earlieft times, as appears from the trade they drove 
 with the Carthaginians and the northern nations, 
 long before the coming of CaeGr; and after Ceefar's landing, 
 he finding it an admirable place, to aggrandize the 
 ifland, taught the Britons how to maintain a fuperiority of 
 dominion over the BritiOi feas. The firft fleet fitted out by 
 the Roman governors in England, was by Julius Agricola, 
 under the emperor Titus, about the year of our Lord 72, in 
 order to fubdue Ireland and the Orcades, and to annoy the 
 Caledonians. Thofe fubdued the Orkneys, alarmed Ireland, 
 and at laft returned to Richborough, near Sandwich. From 
 this time, it is probable, the Romans kept up a fleet in Bri- 
 tain ; 'for in 142 \ve find the admiral's name was Ssjus Sa- 
 turnius. About this time the coafts were greatly infefted 
 by piratesj and in 22-8 Cains Ciraufuis was fent with a Ro- 
 man fleet, to fcour the coafts : he executed his truft with 
 courage, conduct and fidelity; but being informed of an or- 
 der from the emperor to cut him oft" privately, it wrought 
 fo powerfully on the failors and the Roman foldiers who 
 were in Britain, with whom he was a great favourite, that 
 they proclaimed him emperor, and fupported him in that 
 high office aguinft all the power his enemies could bring a- 
 gainft him. He leized on Bulloigne, and feveral places on 
 the French qoaft, and harraffed the neighbouring futes ia 
 
 787172
 
 4 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 fuch a manner, as to force Maximian to acknowledge him 
 emperor of Biitain. In this dignity he diftinguifhed himfelf 
 for juftice and equity, and maintained his dominion of the 
 feas againft all competitors : he made firm alliances with 
 fuch ftates as were grown famous on the Thracian Bofpho- 
 rus for their power by fea, that they might join him, in cafe 
 of his being attacked by the Romans. This alliance raifed 
 the jealoufy of the Romans to fuch a pitch, that they fitted 
 out aftrong fleet of one thoufand fail againft him; and when 
 he was preparing to defend Britain, he was flain by his bo- 
 fom friend. 
 
 After this time they were careful to maintain their mari- 
 time force, till overcome with floth and luxury, the bulwarks 
 of the cation were fuffered to rot in the harbours, and their 
 ports became an eafy prey to their ambitious neighbours. In 
 463 Vortimer reftored the fleet, and defeated the Saxons ia 
 a. fea-fight, near the ifle of Thanet; but after this the fleet 
 fufFered greatly, till prince Arthur came, and kept up at leaft 
 a Chew of naval ftrength; and after this OfFa repulfed the 
 Danes in 787, who had made a defcent on the weft of Nor- 
 thumberland, where they did incredible damage, till Egbert, 
 king of the Weft Saxons, having improved his fleet, defeated 
 thirty-five fail of Danifii mips, off Charmouth, in Dorfet- 
 fliire. After Egbert's death, the Britons neglected their na- 
 vy, when the Saxons in one of their expeditions, failed up 
 the Thames, with three hundred and fifty fhips, and burnt 
 all the towns on both fides of it. 
 
 After this, when Alfred began his reign over them, this 
 wife prince fet about a reftoration of their naval affairs, and[ 
 built (hips of a new con ft ruction, invented by the king him- 
 fclf, capable of holding fixty rowers, and double the fize of a- 
 ny fhips then in ufe. When his fleet was com pleated, Al- 
 fred took care to have it manned by experienced failors, and 
 commanded by officers of undaunted courage and fidelity ; 
 and fet them to fea, with exprefs orders neither to take nor
 
 'INTRODUCTION. 5 
 
 give quarter. The king, being informed, that fix pirates, 
 (Vf large fize, infefted the coaft, fent nine of his neweft (hips, 
 who fet fail in queft of them, commanding them neither 
 to give nor take quarter; and his orders were fo ftrictly o- 
 beyed, that they were all either funk or taken, and the men, 
 who lived, were hanged as pirates. Alfred after this fixed 
 his attention on encouraging the trade of his fubjefts, wifely 
 judging, that this would always make a frefli fupply of able 
 mariners, as being the beft nurfery for failors. For this pur- 
 pofe, he gave great encouragement and commiflions to cer- 
 tain perfons, to difcover the Artie regions, and to attempt a 
 paflage to the north-eaft on that fide; he had correfpondence 
 with the Eaft-lndies, and fent others upon a voyage for the 
 difcovery of the north-eaft pafiage: he fent alfo one NeufF- 
 fton, an Englifiiman, to difcover the coaft of Norway and 
 Lapland, and the whale fiihing. After this he fent one Sin- 
 giemus, a prieft, to India, who returned with an immenfe 
 treaiure of Indian goods, perfumes, and precious ftones, of 
 which Alfred made prefents to foreign princes. In 901, Ed- 
 ward fucceeded his father Alfred, and fitted out one hundred 
 fail of ftips, to oppofe an invafion of Northern rovers. He 
 forced the enemy to run their fliips on fliore, where he land- 
 ed his own mn, intirely routed the enemy, and killed mod 
 of their commanders. This Ethelftan fucceeded to the throne 
 on his brother Edward's death, in 925, and he kept up a 
 powerful fleet, with which he invaded Scotland, to revenge 
 hiinleU on Conftantine, the king of that country, for a breach 
 of faith, to which he was obliged to fubmit, tho* afterwards 
 joined by others : he revoked, and was intirely vanquilhed 
 both by fea and land. 
 
 The naval power was greatly advanced in the three fol- 
 lowing reigns of Edmond, Edred and Edwy. Edwy, in 
 957, had a fleet of three thoufind fix hundred (hips, with 
 which he vindicated his right derived from the fovereigns of 
 this ifland, in all ages, to the dominion of the fsas, and by 
 
 A 3
 
 6 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 which he juftly obtained the title of the Protector of com- 
 merce. He divided his navy into three fleets, each of 1200 
 fail, which he kept in conftant readinefs ; one on the eaftern 
 coaft, one on the weftern coaft, and the third on the northern 
 coaft of -the kingdom, to defend them from the Danes and 
 Normans, and every year at Eafter, went on board the fleet 
 on the eaftern coaft, and failing weft ward, fcoured the chan- 
 nel ; and having looked into all the ports to the Lands-end, 
 where he met the weftern fleet, he fent the other back, and 
 going on board the weftern fleet, did the like on all the coafts 
 of England, Scotland and Ireland, and among the Hebrides, 
 or Weftern lhnds, where being met by the northern fleet, 
 he went on board the fame, and came to the Thames* mouth. 
 Thefe incompaffing all his dominions, he made an invafion im- 
 praclicable, and kept his failcrs in conftant exercife. This 
 te did every year for 16 years, being his whole reign. 
 
 In 978, when Edward came to the throne, after the ex- 
 ample of his father, he prepared a powerful navy, having a law 
 inade, that every three hundred and ten hides of land in 
 the kingdom (hould furnifh a {hip for the king's fervice ; but 
 thefe, with all the fleet left him by his father, were render- 
 ed fo unfei viceable in fix years, that the Danes, with feven 
 ihips, infulted the coaft, and plundered Southampton. For fe- 
 deral years after this, the kingdom was harraficd and ex- 
 haufted by pirates of different nations, and large contributi- 
 ons raifed, till Canute, who, with fifty Ihips, manned with 
 brave EnglHh tars, failed to Norway, and drove out Oluf, 
 \vho had ufurped the throne of that country. Canute exceed- 
 ed ail his predcceflors in naval affairs, and in the reign of Ha- 
 rold- Harefoot, his fon, the navy was increafed, but in the reign: 
 of Edward the confeflbr, the navy was fuffered to decay, and 
 Was infulted by different nations. 
 
 In 1575, the whole marine of England jeonfifted of no 
 Ittore than twenty-four (hips, the largclt of which, called the 
 Triumph, confiited only of one thouiand tuns, and the faxall-
 
 INTRODUCTION. 7 
 
 feft, the George, under fixty tuns; and, according to a 
 furvey made in England at that time, the whole number em- 
 ployed oh the merchant Fervice, meamring from forty to one 
 hundred tuns, amounted only to fix hundred and fixty-fix 
 veffels, and thofe of one hundred tuns and upwards, to only 
 one hundred and thirty-five ; the whole of the naval forces, 
 reckoning the queen*s mips, thofe me hired, and fuch as were 
 fitted out at the expence of the free ports, to defend the coaft 
 againft the Spanifti invafion, amounted only to one hundred 
 and forty-three fhips, including tenders, ftoremips, and vef- 
 fels of all fizes. At the death of Queen Elizabeth, the royal 
 navy was computed at fixteen thouiand tuns. During king 
 James Ps reign, naval architecture was greatly improved by 
 the fludy of the famous Phinacas Pett; and the royal navy, 
 at his demife, was increafed to the burthen of twenty-three 
 thoufand tuns. And from this sera, as our trade and navi- 
 gation confiderably increafed, our (hipping was augmented in 
 proportion, notwithftanding the great difcouragement which 
 the mercantile part of the nation fuffered during the civil 
 wars. For the ufurper, rightly judging the advantage a 
 fuperiority at fea would give his politics over his neighbours, 
 almoft doubled the national fleet, as the king found it at the 
 reftoration : and the Dutch war,, which foon followed, occa- 
 fioned fo large an augmentation, that lord keeper Bridgeman 
 in 1-670 reported, that for ten years paft, the annual charge 
 of the navy amounted to half a million. In 1678 the royal 
 navy confided of eighty-three mips, of which fifty-eight were 
 of the line of battle: at which time, according to Sir Willi- 
 am Petty, the exports of this nation were computed at ten 
 million fterling per annum. And according to Dr.-Davenant, 
 the balance of our trade was fixed at two millions at leaft. 
 King William, at his coming to the crown, found the royal 
 navy to confiftrof one hundred and feventy-three fail, great 
 and fmall, carrying, in the whole, fix thoufand nine hundred 
 and thirty guns, and forty-three thoufand and three men. 
 
 A 4
 
 3 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 Since that time, it has been continually increafing. In 174$ 
 the Britifli fleet amounted to three hundred and twenty-two 
 fail, carrying twelve thoufand two hundred and feventy pie- 
 ces of cannon; \vhieh, if all in commiliion, and completely 
 manned, would employ eighty- three thoufand four hundred 
 feamen. At prefent there are one hundred and forty-eight 
 fhips of the line, one hundred and three frigates, fifty-feven 
 jQoops, eighteen bombs, ten fire-fhips, befides yatchs, ten- 
 ders, ftore-fhips, &c. 
 
 Edward the conqueror granted feveral privileges to many 
 towns conveniently fituated near the mouth of the river Thames 
 for harbouring, a navy; thefe are called the Cinque Ports. 
 Thefe were to furnifh him with a fleet of feventy-eight fail 
 of fliips upon any emergent occafion, each of which to be man- 
 ned with twenty men,befidesthe mafter of the mariners. Thefe 
 they were to maintain five days at their own coft, after being 
 fummoned, paying to the mafter fixpence a day, fixpence a day 
 to the conftable, and three pence a day to each mariner ; af- 
 ter five days, they were to be maintained at the expence of 
 the crown. The mips were fo capacious in thefe times, as 
 to carry two hundred perfons. 
 
 In king Stephen's time, the marine was neglected, and went 
 to decay. King Henry II. reftored the royal navy, fecured 
 trade, and maintained his right to the Britifli feas. Luxury 
 \vas at a prodigious height in his reign. England abounded 
 \vich foreign commodities; our national ftaple was exported 
 for gold and filver. He advanced the navy to luch a degree, 
 that one of his expeditions coft the nation one hundred and 
 fifty thoufand pounds, which in thofe times was a very large 
 affcfiment. "We read no more of the royal navy till the year 
 1171, when Htnry affembled a fleet of four hundred large 
 Ihips at Milford-haven. In his reign a prince of North- Wales, 
 of the name of Madock, fettled a colony in the Weft-Indies. 
 In his reign alfo William Mandevillc earl of EfTex obtained 
 the king's licence, with feveral other lords, to aflitt the diftreft
 
 INTRODUCTION. 7 
 
 Chriftians in the Holy Land. He failed there in 1177, with 
 thirty-feven fail of large {hips, well manned. In the reign of 
 king John (hipping was encouraged, and in a fliort time had 
 fo large a fleet as to employ fourteen thoufand failors. He 
 invaded Ireland with a fleet of five hundred fail, and made a 
 union of the two nations. In 1214 he aflifted the earl of Flan- 
 ders agaifift the French with a fleet of five hundred fail, total- 
 ly defeated the French king, took three hundred fail of 
 his {hips, with arms and ammunition, and ftranded above 
 a hundred more, blocking up the remainder in the port of 
 Daun. In his reign trade flouriflied greatly. He was at laft 
 poifoned by a monk. 
 
 In the reign of Henry III. the navy and trade was much 
 neglected. Edward I. fuccceded him. He fent a fleet againft 
 the WeUh, totally overcame them, and added Wales to his other 
 dominions, eftablifhed Englifh laws and officers for their go- 
 vernment, and kept all the maritime towns and ftrong-holds in 
 pofleffion. He greatly encouraged trade and induftry. The 
 riches of the times may be computed from king Edward's boun- 
 ty, in giving thirty thoufand pounds towards the ranfom of 
 Charles Achaia, taken in a fea-fight, on the coaft of Arragon; 
 and the fine he levied on his corrupt judges of fixty-five thou- 
 fand marks, befides other incredible riches ; a fure token of a 
 flourifliing trade. He was ftiamefully attacked by the French, 
 whom he defeated, and remained in poffeflion of the feas, which 
 they had claimed by ancient right, taking two hundred and 
 forty fail of their {hips, which he brought home with him to 
 England. He afterwards made a defcent on the Ifland of Rhe, 
 with three hundred and fixty fail of {hips, and put all the e- 
 nemy to the fword. He equipped three fquadrons to guard 
 the coaft, one of which he called the Yarmouth fquadron, to 
 cruize on the eaftern coaft, the Portfmouth fquadron, to cruize 
 on the fouthern coaft, and another was ftationed for the fecn- 
 rity of Ireland and the weftern coaft. His fleet aflifted him 
 in the eonqueft of Scotland. His heart wis fo bent upon this
 
 16 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 conqueft, that he ordered if he died in his expedition, his dead 
 body was to be carried round the army till his fon had con- 
 quered the whole ifland. Death overtook him near Carlifle. 
 He improved the coin, and for the encouragement of trade, 
 gave the merchants a charter, called the merchants great char- 
 ter. 
 
 Trade and maritime affairs were at a low ebb in Edward 
 IPs reign, (he kingdom being torn in pieces with iuteiiine 
 broils and divilions. 
 
 In the reign of Edward III. the French king and he were 
 embroiled about the right of fucceflion. The French king 
 pleaded a right as heir male of the collateral or more remote 
 line. The Englifli king as heir of the female, but direct line, 
 and one degree nearer. Edward fet fail from Onwell in Suf- 
 folk, the fifteenth of July, with a fleet of five hundred ihips. 
 In 1 340, king Edward firft affumed the title of king of France, 
 quartered the French flower-de-luces with his own arms, and 
 added the motto Dieu & mon drolt (God and my right.) On 
 the twenty-fecond of June he fet out again from England, 
 with a fleet of two hundred and fifty fail. By this time the 
 French had got together a fleet of four hundred fail, in order 
 to oppofe his landing. Here happened the bloociieft fight 
 that had ever been in thefe feas. The king in perfon com- 
 manded, and got a compleat victory over the French. This 
 made the French defirea truce ; fothat Edward and his queen 
 returned to London, and landed on the thirtieth of Novem- 
 ber. As foon as the French thought they had recovered 
 flrength enough, they broke the truce; upon which Edward 
 fitted out a fleet of a thoufand tall {hips, with an army of for- 
 ty-five thoufand men, horfe and foot; notwithftajiding the 
 French had an army of one hundred and twenty thoufand, 
 yet Edward laid wafte all the country, and marched to the 
 gates of Paris ; and afterwards fought the famous battle of 
 Creffey, where he obtained a compleat victory. The prince 
 of Wales, v/ho was only fixteen, did wonders in this battle.
 
 INTRODUCTION. if 
 
 After this he took Calais with feven hundred {hips. Things 
 remained quiet forfome time, but at laft they broke the truce, 
 which obliged Edward to fend the earl of Lancafter to cha- 
 ftife them. He afterwards invefted his fon with the dutchy 
 of Guienne. King John alfo invefted the Dauphin with the 
 fame dutchy, which brought on the famous battle of Poic- 
 tiers, where prince Edward defeated, with two thoufand men, 
 an army of twenty thoufand, and took the French king pri- 
 foner. Notwithftanding Edward's wars, yet trade flourifh- 
 ed, for the exports were 294,184!. 175. 2 d. The imports 
 38,970!. 135. 8d. He was the firft king that coined any 
 gold coin in England. 
 
 Richard II. fon of the black prince, fucceeded Edward III. 
 He was a minor. Trade had declined, and the navy been 
 neglected ; the French infulted the coafts, but applic.. tion 
 being made to parliament, the navy was reftored. 
 
 In 1383 the bifhop of Norwich invaded Flanders with fif- 
 ty thoufand foot and two thoufand horfe, under the colour of 
 a holy war. In 1389 the Irifh rebelled; Richard embarked 
 3 confiderable army on board two hundred {hips. In his ab* 
 fence, Henry duke of Hereford landed in the north of Eng- 
 land. The difcontented nobles raifed an army of fixty thou- 
 fand, and marched towards Briftol, which furrendered; and 
 the king himfelf, who rcfigned his crown, on condition that 
 he and eight more mould Jive a quiet and retired life. He 
 was. afterwards confined in Pomfret caftle, where he ended his 
 days. It is thought his death was occafioned by ill treatrnent 
 and unheard-of cruelties, with which his enemies removed 
 him out of the way, for fear of giving uneafmefs to the 
 king's agents. The trade and navigation of this reign appear 
 by the feveral voyages made by the earl of Derby, by the fe- 
 veral public inftruments which are recorded between king 
 Richard and Pruffia, and by feveral public acts pafTed in this 
 troublefome reign, with regard to our trade and naval affairs. 
 
 Henry duke of Lancafter having afcended the throne, and
 
 "Ji INTRODUCTION. 
 
 being invaded by the Scots, the French concluded this to ok 
 a proper time to take advantage, forgot their former trea- 
 ties, and invaded the ifland. He fitted out a fleet againft them, 
 burnt feveral of their towns and (hipping, and in his return 
 home laden with rich booty, took the hereditary prince of 
 Scotland and his companion the bilhop of Orkney, and fafc- 
 ly lodged them in the tower. Henry ordered a fleet of ten 
 men of war, commanded by Sir Robert Umfrevile, into the 
 Firth of Forth, where he ravaged the mores on both fides, 
 and burnt the largeft {hip they had, called the Great Galliot, 
 and returned to England with a great many prizes. In 141! 
 Henry entered into a treaty with the confederate princes of 
 France againft Charles VI. by which he engaged to fend troops 
 to their affiftance, but they having behaved difhonourably, 
 the general ravaged the country, till they were obliged to com- 
 pound with him for thirty-two thoufand gold crowns, to de- 
 fray the charge of the voyage. Trade flourimed greatly in 
 his reign. He departed this life on the twenty firft of April, 
 1420. Henry V. a moft glorious monarch, was proclaimed 
 on the death of the king, with great acclamations of joy. He 
 was compared with David the prophet for piety, and there- 
 fore called the Prince of Priefts ; with Caefar the invincible 
 for affectation of glory, and with Alexander the great for mag- 
 nanimity ; but he far exceeded every one of them. The on- 
 ly men that were jealous of him were the clergy; they fuf- 
 pecled that he had a mind to affume all fpiritual power into 
 his own hands, and become as Henry VIII. They confult- 
 ed how to take him off from them, by {hewing him the in- 
 difputable right he had to the crown of France. They per- 
 fuaded him to fend meffengers to demand the peaceable fur- 
 render of the crown of France, at the fame time fignifying, 
 that he would accept the king's daughter with the kingdom ; 
 and that he would accept no other pawn for his poffcflion, till 
 after his death. This mcfiage, as it was perhaps the higheft 
 ever fent to a free prince, fo it was with the chief of his no-
 
 INTRODUCTION. 13 
 
 bies, accompanied with a guard of five hundred horfe. The 
 court of France pretended ignorance of the occafion of their 
 coming, diffembling their difdain, and treated them with great 
 magnificence, and faid they would lend ambaffadors to Eng- 
 land. They defired peace, and offered to buy it with the ten- 
 der of fome towns. The Dauphin, who ruled during the 
 ficknefs, or rather weaknefs and infanity of the king, was fo 
 imprudent as to give the king fuch an affront as they had bet- 
 ter given him ten kingdoms ; willing to give the firll blow in 
 a war, which he faw was not to be prevented, fcornfuily fent 
 the king by his ambaffadors a prefent of tennis-balls, intima- 
 ting thereby, that he knew better how to ufe them than bul- 
 lets. The king's wit being as keen as the other's fword, re- 
 turned him for anfwer, that he would fend him a prefent of 
 fuch balls as he would not dare to hold up his racket againft 
 them. The diftracted ftate of the French nation gave king 
 Henry hopes that he mould have only the one half of the na- 
 tion to deal with, that the diftracled and diffatisfied part of the 
 people would make-a diverfion in his favour. He therefore be- 
 gan with furprifing Rochelle, pillaged Trepori, and made an 
 attempt upon Diep, having collected a numerous army, with 
 one thoufand fix hundred fail of fhips, which he hired from 
 the Dutch, &c. and fccured the other different ftates by trea- 
 ties. The parliament having raifed fufficient fupplies, the 
 nineteenth of Auguft he embarked his whole army, and land- 
 ed at Havre de Grace, without oppofition. Henry immedi- 
 ately marched forward, and invefted a fea-port of great con- 
 fequence, which made a gallant defence, but was obliged to 
 furrecder in five weeks. The king made this a place of arms, 
 after he had turned out all the French inhabitants. His ar- 
 my fuffered fo much by ficknefs, and the fatigues of the fiege, 
 that he had only nine thoufand men left. The French had 
 one hundred and fifcy thoufand, the third part horfe, and ten 
 thoufand noblemen and gentlemen. The king offered a truce, 
 and to make good all damages, but the French refuted this
 
 x 4 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 with difdain ; and at the fame time, in an infulting manner 
 informed him, that he muft fight on the twenty-fifth of Oc- 
 tober. The herald that brought him this affront, he prefent- 
 ed with a rich robe, and two hundred crowns, Henry in 
 the mean time neglected no means to infpire his men with 
 courage and refolution, to conquer or die with him in the 
 field. This wrought fo powerfully on this little army, that 
 they ardently wifhed for the day of battle, defpifing the num- 
 ber of the enemy. David Gam, a Welch captain, who was 
 fent to reconnoitre the enemy, reported, that there were e- 
 enough to be killed, enough to be made prifoners, and enough 
 to run away ; he obferving the French, thinking themfelves 
 fecure by having fuch a numerous army, employed their time 
 only in indolence, fports and rejoicings. The battle was 
 fought near the caftle of Agincourt, in a narrow way, be- 
 tween a rivulet and a wood, and remains a lafting honour to: 
 the Britifh nation, who, with fo fmall a number, deftroyed 
 iuch a prodigious army. King Henry was fo fenfible of the 
 interpofition of the hand of providence, that immediately af- 
 ter the battle, he caufed the hundred and fifteenth Pfalm to 
 be fung, ordering his whole army to proftrate themfelves 
 before the majefty of heaven. When the herald came to de- 
 fire leave to bury the dead, he declared before them, and all 1 
 his nobles and officers, that he looked upon himfelf only as 
 a fcourge fent by a righteous God, to punifti France for their 
 fins. On the French fide were killed one hundred princes, 
 eight thoufand nobles, one archbifhop, three dukes, fix earls, 
 ninety-two barons, one thoufand five hundred knights, feven. 
 J:houfand fquires and gentlemen, and ten thoufand foldiers ; 
 fourteen thoufand were made prifoners, of whom one thou- 
 fand fix hundred were men of quality. The Englifh loft on- 
 ly twenty-eight common ioldiers, one fquire, four knights, 1 
 the earl of Suffolk, and the duke of York. The next day, 
 the victorious monarch purfued his march to Calais, and emr 
 barked on the fixteenth of November, with his principal
 
 INTRODUCTION. 15 
 
 prisoners, and all his forces. All thofe misfortunes had no 
 effect upon the French, but they got a fleet ready to infeft 
 the Englilh coaft, and the Conftable refolved to befiege Har- 
 fleur, and alfo meditated a formidable invafion. 
 
 The Conftable accordingly befieged Harfleur on the land 
 Tide, and admiral Narbonne, with the whole French navy, 
 blocked it clofely up by fea. The Englifti garrifon were 
 put to great ftraits. The Englifh fleet of four hundred fail, 
 with twenty thoufand men, at laft arrived to their fuccour. 
 As no relief could be given to the town, without firft forcing 
 a paflage through the French fleet, an engagement became 
 jnavoidable. The Englifli began the attack with great cou- 
 rage; and totally defeated the French fleet and Genoefe car- 
 racks. Five hundred veffels -were taken, or funk, with five 
 Genoefe carracks, and twenty thoufand men loft. The Eng- 
 lifh fleet failed into the town in triumph j when the army 
 pbferved this, they raifed the fiege and decamped. Henry, 
 willing to make the moft of the diftracted ftate of France, 
 tted out a fleet with defign to go himfelf to Normandy, but 
 difpatched the earl of Huntington firft, to difcover the coaft. 
 He met with nine Genoefe fhips, which were in the French 
 fervice, funk three of them, and took three others, in which 
 was money to pay the French fleet fix months. Bythefcwife 
 and prudent methods, Henry fecured the navigation in the 
 Channel, and removed every obftacle towards tranfporting his 
 forces, and landing his army for the total reduction of France, 
 and to maintain the rights he had to that country. For this 
 caufe he embarked on the twenty-eight of July, in a ihip 
 whofe fails were made of purple filk, richly embroidered with 
 gold. His fleet confifted of one thoufand five hundred fail, 
 with twenty-five thoufand five hundred land forces, horfe 
 and foot. His firft enterprize was befieging the town of 
 Tonque, which foon furrendered j feveral places he alfo took 
 by ftorm ; and by the thirteenth of January, all Normandy 
 ivas either taken or furrendered.
 
 16 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 This was juft 214 years, after the Englifh had loft it, in the 
 jreign of King John. Before the month of Auguft, he had 
 opened to himfelf a way to the gates of Paris. Thofe victo- 
 ries and fuccefTcs compelled the French to fue for peace, 
 y/hich was concluded between the two crowns at Trove. 
 By this treaty he agreed to marry the princefs Catherine, 
 daughter of Charles VI. after whofe death the crown of 
 fraiice was to defcend to the king of England and his heirs 
 for ever. The parliament confirmed this treaty, which gave 
 fo much luftre to the Jb.nglifh crown, and granted a great 
 fubfidy, to finrfh the conqueft of France, a great part of it 
 being ftil.l ft rongly attached to the Dauphin ; to make up 
 the deficiency of the gift he received from the parliament, 
 he borrowed money from the monied men in England, and 
 on the tenth of June embarked, with an army of twenty-four 
 thoufand men. On the Ijxth of December, he received the 
 agreeable news of his queen being delivered of a fon, to 
 whom he left his kingdoms, being cut off on the thirty-firft 
 of Augutl 1442, aged thirty-three. He reflected, when on his 
 death-bed, upon the blood he had fpUt, but comforted him* 
 jfelf with the glory and advantages he had procured for Old 
 England. In this reign trade was very IQW, the chief con- 
 cern being to raiic money for conquefts, which muft have 
 been fatal to England ; but Henry VI, not a year old, was 
 proclaimed king; and Charles VI. dying on the thirty-firft 
 pf October, in the fame year, he was proclaimed King of . 
 France at Paris : eight years after, he was crowned both at 
 London and Paris. His intereft greatly declined in 143;, 
 but there was no naval armament, till 1436, when the French 
 regained the pofleffion of Paris. They befieged CaUjs by 
 fea and land ; the protector fitted out a fleet ot five hundred 
 fail, and a great army, and relieved the place. I he next na- 
 val armament wis lent under the command of the earl of 
 Son>erfet, to block up Harfleur, while it was attacked b.v 
 land ^ it furrcndered, after foqr months' blockade.
 
 INTRODUCTION. 17 
 
 The king's marriage produced ruinous effects $ for from 
 this time the dukes of York and Gloucefter were become the 
 objects of the new queen's refentment : the former was re- 
 moved from his pofts, to make way for the duke of Somer- 
 fet; the latter was committed for high treafon, and next day- 
 found murdered in his bed. This brought on the war be- 
 tween the houfes of York and Lancafter. The queen appro 
 hending (he would never be fafe, while York and his ad- 
 herents were living, fent letters in the king's name to the 
 duke of York, and the earls of Salifbury and Warwick, to 
 meet the king at Coventry, to difcourfe about the affairs of 
 the kingdom* They accordingly came, but foon difcovering 
 the fnare that was laid for thern^ they fled for their lives ; 
 the duke of York into Wales, the earl of Salifbury to the 
 north, and Warwick to Calais. Notwithftanding this, ail 
 parties were afterwards feemingly reconciled, and an acl of 
 reconciliation pafled the great feal. The queen had deter- 
 mined the duke of York's difgrace ; and that to fecurc the 
 fucceflion of the crown to her fon, flie muft cut him off. This 
 being known to the duke, he and his friends withdrew from 
 court. Having engaged the earl of Warwick, lord admiral, 
 in his intereft, who, under pretence of going to his govern- 
 ment at Calais collected all the (hips he could mufter in tha 
 ftreights of Dover, met with a fleet of Spanifh merchant 
 (hips, of which he took fix, put to flight twenty-fix, flew 
 one thoufand men, took many prifoners, and took a vaft 
 booty. 
 
 Warwick, being called to Eondon, to give an account of 
 this, lord Somerfet was appointed in his room, but the garri- 
 fon and town refufed to receive him. The king was difpleaf- 
 ed at the garrifon and inhabitants, and ordered lord Rivers 
 to collect a fleet at Sandwich ; but while he was preparing 
 for the voyage, Sir John Dcnham, one of the oppofue party, 
 furprized him at Sandwich, and made himfeif mafter of.ths 
 whole fleet, and carried him prifoner to Calais, with his fo f u 
 
 3
 
 ifr INTRODUCTION. 
 
 and a number of other officers. The (hip that had carried 
 over the duke of Somerfet revolted, and went over to the 
 earl of Warwick. The earl of Warwick employed thofe 
 fhips to carry him to Ireland, where he had a converfation 
 with the duke of York, and concerted meafures for their 
 common defence. In his return he met with the royal fleet, 
 under the command of the duke of Exeter j but the whole 
 mariners were difiatisfied, fo that he did not think proper 
 to attack him. 
 
 About this time, the inhabitants of Kent fent an invitation 
 to Warwick to invade them. Henry, having fitted out an- 
 other fquadron, gave the command to Sir Simon Montford, 
 giving him a command to watch Warwick 5 but Warwick 
 failed, and furprized Montfort at Sandwich ; and after hav- 
 ing plundered the town, carried off his booty and prifoners. 
 Warwick, having made himfelf mailer of three of the king's 
 fquadrons, retired in a few days to Sandwich. Here lord 
 Cobham and feveral of his friends joined him ; fo that in a 
 few months after, Henry was dethroned, after an inglorious 
 and unfortunate reign of eight and thirty years, fix month* 
 and four days. 
 
 The earl of March, now duke of York, was proclaimed king, 
 tinder the name of Edward IV. He began his reign by aug- 
 menting his fleet. He was helped greatly by the merchants, 
 by which means he bid defiance to all invaders, and landed 
 on the French coaft, from which his fleet returned with great 
 fpirits. He foon concluded a marriage with lady Grey. 
 
 This marriage gave great offence to the earl of Warwick j 
 he fearing that fome of the queen's family might fupplant 
 him: hereupon, with feveral others, he entered into a pri- 
 vate league with the king of France. The fleet, being in- 
 tirely at his direction, he and the duke of Clarence returned, 
 U'hen feveral joined him, with a fufficient force. He attack- 
 ed and defeated Edward's army at Danefmore, near Bam- 
 bury. King Edward had the misfortune to be furprized, and
 
 I 1ST T R O D IT C T I O tf. 19 
 
 taken prifoner in his camp^ but afterwards made his efcape, 
 and was obliged in his turn to fly to France. Warwick cal- 
 led a parliament j Henry again was recognifed. King Ed- 
 ward was attainted, and all his acts repealed, and the diikes 
 of Clarence and Warwick made governors of the kingdom 
 of England. Edward having obtained a fleet of four men 
 of war;, fourteen tranfperts, and two thoufand men, return- 
 ed to England. He marched to London, where he was re- 
 ceived, the eleventh of April* and Henry was again impri- 
 ibned in the tower. 
 
 The earl of Warwick purfued Edward to London, and 
 was ilain, three days after> at the battle of Barnett^ fighting 
 for his new matter* 
 
 Warwick's death did not put an end to the War. Mar- 
 garetj Henry's queen, arrived in April from France, with 
 her fon. A battle afterwards infued, wherein flie was total- 
 ly routed, herfelf, prince Edwafd and his adherents, all to- 
 tally routed, or taken prifoners j and Edward afterwards 
 killed in cold blood. 
 
 In 1475) Edward refolved upon a war with France; and, 
 having his forces ready, the king embarked with his army 
 in five hundred flat-bottomed boats, and paiTed over to Calais* 
 Upon his arrival, he fent a herald to the king of France, de- 
 manding the whole kingdom; and in cafe of refufal, to de- 
 clare war. But this war came to nothing; he was difap- 
 pointed by the conftable* whopromifed him afTillance; how- 
 ever, the very name ot the Englifti ftruck fuch a terror into 
 the French king* that he gave large fums to be diftributecl 
 among the Engliih foldiers^ and agreed to pay an annual tri- 
 bute of fifty thoufand crowns to the king of England, and 
 gave large prefents to the king's courtiers. Edward's fleet 
 was fo reputable at this time, that he ftruck a terror even in- 
 to the Scots nation* Commotions and difcontents at home, 
 made the French king imagine he might difpenfe with the 
 performance of the lalt treaty with impunity ; Edward there- 
 
 B 2
 
 20 INTRODUCTION* 
 
 fore refolved to puniib him with his own forces only, 
 out the help of any foreign auxiliaries, which was fo agree- 
 able to the people, that he was enabled prefently to aiTemble 
 a very numerous fleet j but a fudden death foon put a pe* 
 nod to his life. 
 
 This was a prince, that raifed the character of the Britifh 
 Hag j and made trade flourifti in his time by many wife acts, 
 fome of which are ftill in force, and the value of gold and 
 filver was eonfiderably raifed both in England and Ireland. 
 
 Edward V. fon of Edward, by Elizabeth, fucceeded his 
 father as king, being only thirteen years old, and reigned 
 only two months. The crafty duke of Gloucefter, who in- 
 fmuated it was not proper that the young king (hould remain 
 with his mother's relations, efpecially with his guards about 
 him, procured a letter from the king's mother, to difmifs 
 thofe guards. This was no fooner done, than the duke 
 of Gloucefter got thofe nobles, whom he moft dreaded, and 
 fent prifoners to Pontefract caftle, and brought the young 
 king to London. The queen finding herfelf betrayed, fled 
 with her other fon into the fanctuary at Weftminfter. Glou- 
 cefter knowing that he fhould never accomplifli his deiigns, 
 "without getting the other prince in his power, ufed all means 
 by fair promifes ; but finding thefe ineffectual, at laft threa- 
 tened the queen, that if flie would not give him up, he would 
 take him by force. He knew lord Haftings had a regard 
 for the king's children ; him he charged with high treafon, 
 and got him beheaded. He afterwards proclaimed his mo- 
 ther a whore ; that his brother Edward and the duke of 
 Clarence were fpurious, and he the only fon of Richard 
 duke of York. Being petitioned by the lord mayor and 
 court of alderman, with. a feeming reluctance, he accepted 
 of the crown, and was proclaimed the eighteenth of June, 
 1482. He began his reign with feveral popular acts, but 
 kept a ftrong body of troops about him. He propofed re' 
 ceiving the league with France, which was refufsd him, up-
 
 INTRODUCTION. 4 r 
 
 on account of his inhumanity. He however, by ads of par- 
 liament, limited the fucceflion of the crown to his$wn friends, 
 and made ieveral acts for the encouragement of trade and 
 commerce. The queen dowager and the duke of Bucks, 
 confpired his ruin, by marrying Henry, earl of Richmond, 
 who was efteemed heir of the houfe of Lancafter, and Eliza- 
 beth eldeft daughter of Edward IV. the heirefs of the houfe 
 of York. This was extreamly acceptable to the whole natU 
 on, as thereby it put an end to the inteftine broils between 
 the houfe of York and Lancafter. 
 
 King Richard, being informed of the confpiracy, endea- 
 voured both by fair means and threats, to get the duke of 
 Bucks into his pofleffion, without any aflault. The duke, 
 knowing the nation was ripe, had recourfe to arms ; a nume- 
 rous body of Welch joined him, but by the bad weather fwel- 
 ling the rivers, all his friends could not join him, fo that he 
 by treachery was given up, and afterwards beheaded. 
 
 The duke of Bretagne aflifted the earl of Richmond, with 
 forty mips and five hundred men, to make a defcent on the 
 coaft of England; but this fleet was loft, and difperfed in a 
 fiorm, and the earl very narrowly efcaping in company with 
 one bark, got back to Dieppe. 
 
 Richard at laft grew fupine, difmifled his army, and laid 
 up his fleet, which encouraged the competitor of his crown 
 to invade him again, which he accomplilhed with four thou 
 fand men, and landed at Milford haven. The news of the 
 Lancafterian army approaching London, roufed him from 
 his lethargy ; he collected what force he could together, be- 
 ing refolved not to furvive the lofs of his crown. He was 
 flain in the battle of Bof worth, in the county of Leicefter, 
 fighting with his fword in his hand, and the crown on his 
 head. This king paid great attention to trade, feveral acls 
 being made to prohibit foreign importations, and to encou- 
 rage his own fubjecls. 
 
 Henry the VII. being recognized by the whole nation, h$ 
 9 3
 
 '** INTRODUCTION. 
 
 wifely made fuch acts as to render him popular. He put his 
 marine into- the beft order, fo as to prevent all foreign inva- 
 iions, and regulated his militia in fuch a manner, as to pre- 
 vent domeftic infurreclions, and intimidate the Scots. By 
 thefe wife maxims he defeated the dutchefs of Burgundy's 
 4efign in making the baker's fon perfonate Richard, who 
 was {Jain in the tower, and Perkin \Varbeck, who was fent 
 under the character of the young duke of York. He made 
 feveral treaties, and had connections with moft of the pow- 
 ers on the continent \ he kept up his fleet in time of peace, 
 thopgh he had no inclination to involve his kingdom in a 
 war with France ; yet to oblige the people, who are fond of 
 a war with that nation, he promifed to aflift the dutchefs of 
 Bretagne againft all the powers of France, threatened to in- 
 vade it, and laid fiege to Boulogne ; by which France was 
 frightened into an advantageous peace. 
 
 This year the queen, was brought to bed of a prince. He 
 alfo affifted Maximilian with twelve {hips of war againft baron 
 Ravenftein. Henry judged rightly, that trade was the only- 
 thing that would aggrandize the nation, and give them fupe- 
 rioriiy over other nations j he gave therefore great encou- 
 ragement to all merchant adventurers, cleared the coaft of pi- 
 rates, and did all in his power to divert the thoughts of his 
 people from war, by giving great premiums for making dif- 
 coveries of unknown lands, not inhabited by Europeans. 
 However, to the great grief of the nation, this good and wife 
 king departed this life on the twenty-fecond of April 1509. 
 Several of the laws he made, with regard to trade, arc ftiil in 
 force. He accepted of the freedom of the city of .London, 
 and of the merchant-taylors' company, turned merchant him- 
 fflf, and was always ready to affift adventurers at fea with 
 money and goods. His taxes were neither large nor burthen- 
 fome j he left a large fum in his coffers when he died, which 
 was chiefly what he had got by merchandife. He made fe- 
 yetal regulations with regard to the gold and fiiyer coin } it
 
 INTRODUCTION. 23 
 
 is however laid to his charge, that he rejected the propofal 
 of Chriftopher Columbus, who afterwards made fuch great 
 difcoveries for the Spaniards, by which they have fuch im- 
 menfe riches: but this appears to be falfe, by what Colum- 
 bus's fon has related of his affairs, in writing his life, for his 
 father, by his brother Bartholomew Columbus, had actually 
 entered into an agreement with king Henry, tho* he after- 
 wards went over to the Spaniards. King Henry being thus 
 ill ufed and difappointed, accepted of a propofal made by 
 one John Obot, a Venetian by birth, but living in Briftol, 
 for the difcovering of North America. He granted him and 
 his three fons a charter, ordered a (hip to be fitted out from 
 Briftol, and gave John Cabot the command of her. 
 
 He failed in the year 1497, from Brill ol, with his fon 
 Sebiitian, and difcovercd that land, which no man before 
 had attempted. This difcovery was made on the twenty 
 fourth of June, about five of the clock in the morning. 
 This ifland he called Prima Vifta, which is firft fcen, and 
 the iftand, which lies out before the land, he called the ifland 
 of St. John. The inhabitants wore beafts (kins, ufed bows, 
 arrows, pikes, darts, clubs of wood and flings. It was full 
 of white bears and flags, of a very large fize, all forts of fifli 
 and Baccalaos, with partridges, hawks and eagles. This is 
 the firft account we have of the difcovery of Newfoundland ; 
 it is as big as Ireland, nine hundred and thirty miles in cir- 
 cumference, the length is two hundred and eighty miles. 
 The chief commodity of this ifland is cod fiftij five hun- 
 dred fail of (hips being loaded to different nations every year. 
 The fifaing feafon is from fpring to September. The oil 
 that comes from Newfoundland, is drawn from the livers of 
 the fifh, that are catched there. The nation is benefited four 
 hundred thoufand pounds yearly by this fifliery. 
 
 Cabot alfo took poffdTion of Cape Breton, and all the con* 
 tinent to the heighth of Cape Florida, including Nova Scotia. 
 
 King Henry VIII. was the firft that began to build a roya
 
 24 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 navy, appointed commiffioners, and eftabliftied a navy of- 
 fice. His fleet was fo refpectable, that his alliance was court-, 
 cd by moft of the neighbouring kings. He made feveral ex- 
 peditions to the coaft of France, with various fuccefs. One 
 captain Thome was fent by King Henry, with his mips, for 
 the difcovery of the north weft pafiage to the Eaft-Indies, 
 and Mr. William Hawkins, in a mip of two hundred and 
 fifty tuns, failed to the coaft of Brazil. He landed at the 
 river of Ciflos, upon the coaft of Guinea, where he traffick- 
 ed with the Negroes for elephant's teeth, &c. Upon his arri^ 
 val on the coaft of Brazil, he was fo well received by the 
 Datives, that in the next voyage he made, one of the kings 
 of the country agreed with him to come to London. He 
 was prefented to the king at Whitehall, in fuch a garb and 
 drefs as aftoniilied all the beholders ; in his cheeks there were 
 holes made, in which fmall bones were planted, ftanding out 
 an inch from the holes ; he had a hole in his under lip, in 
 which a diamond as big as a pea was planted. The other 
 parts of his apparel feemed as ftrange to his majefty and all 
 his courtiers. He remained here a whole year, but on his 
 voyage home, he died at fea ; however, his nation continu* 
 cd trading with England. In the year 1536, Mr. Thorne 
 of London, with feveral others, fitted out two ftout fhips, 
 with one hundred and twenty men, in fearch of unknown 
 iflar.ds. The firft place they landed at was Cape Breton, 
 from thence to the ifland of Penguin. They purfued their 
 voyage fo far northward, that they faw mighty iflands of 
 ice in the fummer feafon. Their provifions were exhauft- 
 ed fo much, that famine prevailed fo, as to make them eat 
 one another. At laft the remainder of the crew arrived at 
 St. Ives in Cornwall. King Henry by an office of admiral- 
 ty and a navy office, encouraged people of the beft fortunes 
 to bring up their children to the fea, as they would always 
 have pofts in this fervice at the difpofal of the government |
 
 INTRODUCTION. 25 
 
 and from this time we have a feries of good and eminent of- 
 ficers in the royal navy. 
 
 The only fon of Henry VIII. was Edward VI. He was a 
 moil amiable prince, both in his perfon and mind ; he had a 
 ftreight and well proportioned body, a fweet and beautiful a- 
 fpect ; his eyes fliined with a remarkable luftre, and the per- 
 fections of his mind (hone out with ftill a greater luftre. He 
 was not only well verfed in the ftate of the kingdom, but was 
 likewife matter of the languages, had ftudied fortification, 
 underftood the flrength of the different fortrefTes of the king- 
 dom, and underftood the nature and value of money. He 
 was truly religious, from which fprung a merciful difpofition. 
 He was particularly attentive to the petitions of the poor and 
 opprefied. His fame was juftly fpread in all the different coun- 
 tries from whence he had ambaffadors, and his fubjects of all 
 ranks juftly admired and adored him. He was but nine years 
 of age when he fucceeded to the crown, and was crowned the 
 twentieth of February, 1547. His father by his will ap- 
 pointed him governors till he arrived at the age of eighteen. 
 The earl of Hartford was appointed governor of the king's 
 perfon, and protector of the kingdom. The intrigues of the 
 Scots and French obliged the governor to raife a formidable 
 army ; but before he entered Scotland, he offered that if the 
 Hates would give their queen in marriage to king Edward, 
 all hoftilities mould ceafe. This being refufed, he entered 
 Scotland with a large army, accompanied with a fleet of fix- 
 ty-five fail of mips, which in the day of battle did fo much ex- 
 ecution in the Scots army, that they were totally routed, with, 
 the lofs of fourteen thoufand killed, and fifteen hundred ta- 
 ken prifoners. The admiral burnt all the fea-port towns on 
 both fides of the Firth, deftroying all their fhipping, and re- 
 covering feveral that had been taken from the Englifh. In 
 this expedition it is faid he loft only fixty men. Notwith- 
 klanding this victory, the Scots fent their queen to France, 
 Alter this the French joined the Scots, and made feveral at*
 
 s6 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 tempts upon the iflands of Jerfey and Guernfey, with an ar- 
 my of two thoufand land forces, and a firong fleet of mips; 
 however, commodore Winter was feat again ft them, after 
 they had full poffeffion ; he attacked their fleet with fuch 
 courage and refolution, that, with the help of the iflandcrs, 
 the French retired with great precipitation in their fmall vcf- 
 fels, leaving their large fhips to the mercy of the Eugiifli, 
 who afterwards fet them on fire. A peace being foon con- 
 cluded with France, lord Clinton was made lord high admi- 
 ral, and made ambafiador to demand the princefs Elizabeth, 
 a madame of France, in marriage for king Edward. The 
 French amufed the Englifh with falfe pretences, till they pi- 
 ratically feized Englifh fhips to the value of fifty thoufand 
 pounds. But, to the great grief of the nation, king Ed- 
 ward died of a confumption on the fixth of July, 1543. ^* s 
 early death was an inexpreflible lofs to the trade and naviga- 
 tion of the kingdom. He had only one coinage during his 
 reign, which was fo bafe, that it was frequently counterfeit- 
 ed, even by perfons above the vulgar rank. 
 
 However, this good Jofias did feveral acts for trade, as ma- 
 king the charter of the German-fteel-yard factors, who had 
 ingrafted all the trade of the kingdom into their hands. He 
 alfo gave large encouragement to the adventurers for the dif- 
 covering of foreign lands. He gave Sebaftian Cabot a yearly 
 penfion of one hundred and fixty-fix pounds, thirteen [hil- 
 lings and four pence, and created him pilot-major of Eng- 
 land, and took off all the taxes that were on the Newfound- 
 land and Iceland trade. He made his ambafiadors declare 
 to foreign princes when the trade of his fubjects were in the 
 leaft injured, that he valued the trade of his fubjects more 
 than the friendfhip of all the monarchs of the earth. At the 
 time of his death he was preparing certain fchemes for pre- 
 venting trade being carried on in foreign bottoms, and for 
 the increafe and encouragement of feamen. Thefc wife 
 fchemes made his fubjecls confider trade as the only founda*
 
 INTRODUCTION. *7 
 
 tion of wealth, each driving who mould outdo each other 
 by venturing their fortunes, which fince that time has been 
 fo beneficial to the nation. 
 
 The moft eminent navigators in this reign were Sebaftiant 
 and John Cabot, Roger Bodenham, Thomas Windham, and 
 Richard Chancellor. 
 
 Queen Mary fucceeded king Edward, as daughter of Hen- 
 ry VIII, upon promife to preferve the proteftants in full pof- 
 feflion of their religious liberties, which fhe afterwards fhame- 
 f ully broke ; and, contrary to and againft the inclinations of 
 the whole nation, who juftly abhorred her having any con- 
 nections with a Spanifli hufband. But, notwithftanding their 
 not liking the match, and contrary to the inclination of her 
 fubjecls, {he fent a refpe&able embaffy, efcorted by commo- 
 dore Winter, and a ftrong fquadron of mips, to conclude a 
 marriage at the emperor's court. This ftirred up a rebelli- 
 on, headed by Sir Thomas Wyat j but this had no effect up* 
 on her former refolution, and flie fent lord Howard her high 
 admiral with a fleet of twenty-eight fail of men of war, to 
 join prince Philip, with a fleet of one hundred and fixty fail, 
 with the Spanifh flag at his main-top ; but the Englifh ad- 
 miral by a fhot obliged him to take it down, before he would 
 give the falute expecled by king Philip, as the confort o 
 Jpngland. Philip landed on the nineteenth of July, and was 
 married at Winchefter on the twenty-fifth, on St. James's 
 day, who is called the patron of Spain. 
 
 Notwithftanding the aft of fettlement at this marriage, by 
 which it was agreed the nation mould never be concerned in 
 avenging the quarrels of France. and Scotland, yet this was 
 fpon forgot, and the Englifli blood and treafure wafted in de? 
 fence of Spain.- The Scots entered the borders by land, and 
 by their privateers greatly diflreffed the trade of England and 
 Ireland. The French feized this opportunity of recovering 
 all the fortified towns taken by the Edwards and the Henrys, 
 and took Calais in eight days, after being in the poffeflioa q
 
 *8 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 the Englifli two hundred and ten years. It was taken by one 
 Edward, and loft by another; and this was all the dowry Eng- 
 land got by the marriage. They alfo took every thing that 
 belonged to England in France, except the iflands of Jerfey 
 and Guernfey. To be revenged of the French king, fhe fit- 
 ted out a fleet of one hundred and forty fail of fhips, to which 
 king Philip added thirty fail of Fiemifh fhips, commanded by 
 lord Clinton. They ranfacked part of the French coafts, 
 and brought off a coniiderable booty. She alfo had the plea- 
 fure of part of her fleet joining Count Egmont in a battle a 
 gainft the French, wherein, by the afliftance of twelve Eng- 
 HQi (hips, the whole French army was routed. The French 
 loft five thoufand men, moft of their principal officers taken, 
 amongft whom was the marfhal de Tormes himfelf, and fe- 
 veral other perfons of quality ; two hundred were taken and 
 brought prifoners to England. However, the difcontents and 
 murmurings of the people were great at having any connexi- 
 ons with the Spanifli interefts. Several members inlifted that 
 England was three hundred thoufand pounds poorer fince the 
 death of King Edward. The crown during this reign gave 
 great encouragement to trade and new difcovcries, and it feems 
 to have been the tafte at court to read of new difcoveries, 
 whatever language they were wrote in ; and as the nation by 
 this union was made acquainted with all the Spanifli difco- 
 veries in the Weft-Indies, it made it eafy for Englishmen to 
 go to the fettlements belonging to the crown of Spain ; they 
 obtained fuch lights into trade and commerce, as were after- 
 wards very beneficial to the nation, though the city of Lon- 
 don complained that by the wars with France, which this 
 junction occafioned, the nation was greatly impoverHhed. 
 
 In this reign the Ruffian merchants were incorporated, 
 and Sebaftian Cabot appointed their governor for life, and 
 extraordinary privileges were obtained for the fubjecls of 
 England who traded to that great empire. The trade to 
 Guinea was countenanced at court, which made a confide*>
 
 INTRODUCTION. fi ? 
 
 able increafe of (hipping. The nation was ftill diffatisfied at 
 the connexions we had with Spain againft France* 
 
 Captain Chanceller's voyage to Archangel made her cliear* 
 fully grant a charter to the adventurers for making new dif 
 coveries. This charter is ftill in force, and perhaps is the 
 wifeft and the beft adapted for trade of any that ever was pub- 
 lifhed. This charter was confirmed in the next reig.n, with 
 this improvement, that they ftiould now be called the Com- 
 pany of Englifti merchants, and that no other {hould be allow- 
 ed but what were free of the faid company, to trade in any of 
 the commodities they traded in. This treaty continued in 
 full force till the end of the reign of king Charles I. Our 
 trade with Ruilia was very great and profitable in this reign^ 
 particularly the benefits arifing from the filk manufactories, 
 both to the manufacturer and the nation in general, the nati- 
 on gaining by this trade no lefs than fixteen millings in every 
 pound of filk manufactured here and exported abroad. 
 
 Upon the death of queen Mary, queen Elizabeth being at 
 Hatfield, was conducted with great folemnity to London, the 
 bifhops meeting her at Highgate. Upon her afcending the 
 throne, (he continued all her fitter's counfellors, only adding, 
 the fame number of proteftant counfellors. She immediately 
 divefted herfelf and her people of all connexions with Spain? 
 but fuch as were beneficial for the good of her fubjects. She 
 made orders to aflert her independency, and refolution to main- 
 tain the antient right of the kingdom to the dominion of the 
 feas, and give immediate orders for a fleet to put to fea, un- 
 der the command of vice-admiral Malyn, to protect and de- 
 fend her different fortrefles of Dover, Portfmouth, the Ifle 
 of Wight, c. In fine, all her orders were fo well executed, 
 that me baffled all the projects of her enemies to diflurb her 
 peace ; procured an advantageous peace with France, and they 
 agreed either to give up Calais in eight years, or pay her fif- 
 ty thoufand crowns. By this treaty the Scots were alfo in- 
 cluded, and to whom afterwards Hie became an ally, when
 
 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 the French attempted to make them a province to FranCe\ 
 She got feveral victories over the French, which obliged the 
 king to make advances towards a peace, which was concluded 
 in a few days. When the fleet and army returned to Eng* 
 land, her attachment to the proteftant religion, and her zeal 
 for the caufe of gofpel liberty, made the popifh powers con- 
 trive new fchemes to feel their refentment. She made great 
 preparations againft impending florins, by filling her feveral 
 magazines with brafs and iron cannon. She made her {ob- 
 jects learn the trade of making gun-powder, the firft that had 
 ever been made in England. She increafed her navy, and 
 built a fortrefs, called Upnor Caftle, upon Jhe river Medway* 
 for the fecurity of it. She augmented the pay of her naval 
 officers and feamen ; fo that fhe was juftly fliled by foreigners 
 the reftorer of naval glory, and the queen of the northern 
 feas. Her example of giving fuch great encouragement to 
 her naval fervants, and to private adventurers, was fo preva- 
 lent, as to create fuch an emulation in her rich fubjects, who 
 inhabited the fea-port towns, that fhip-building went on at fo 
 great a rate, that in a few years, what with the navy and the 
 {hips belonging to private perfons, on occafion of a war fhe 
 could employ twenty thoufand men. In 1562, captain John 
 Hawkins made a voyage to Guinea and the Weft-Indies, with 
 good fuccefs, and failed to the fame place next year. In De- 
 cember, 1566, Mr. George Fenner, with three fhips and a 
 pinnace, failed to Guinea and the Cape Verd iflands. In this 
 year the Ruffian company had their charter confirmed, In 
 1571 the trade to Guinea was fettled by treaty between Eng- 
 land and the Portuguefe. The French alfo figned a treaty 
 of peace, but immediately made preparations for war. The 
 maflacre of the proteftants at Paris in cool blood made Eliza* 
 beth fee, that they only wanted an opportunity to put fome 
 ruinous fcheme in execution* This made her determine on 
 fending fuccour to the prince of Orange in the Netherlands, 
 augmenting her navy, and fortifying her fea-ports.
 
 INTRODUCTION, Ji 
 
 On the nineteenth of May, 1587, the Spanifli armada, 
 vainly called by the pope invincible, failed for England. It 
 confifted of one hundred and thirty-four fail of firft-ratc 
 fhips, befides galliafles, galleons, &c. with twenty- two .thou- 
 fand pounds of great (hot, forty thoufand two hundredweight 
 of powder, one thoufand quintals of lead for bullets, ten 
 thoufand two hundred quintals of match, fcven thoufand 
 mulkets and calivers, one thoufand partizans and halberts, 
 befides double cannon, morts, and field pieces for a camp, 
 upon difembarking, and a great many mules, horfes and af- 
 les, with provifions of all kinds for fix months. Thefe (hips 
 carried nineteen thoufand two hundred and ninety-five foldi- 
 ers, eight thoufand four hundred and fifty marines, two thou- 
 fand and eighty-eight flaves, and two thoufand fix hundred 
 and thirty great brafs guns of all forts, and twenty carvels, 
 for the fervice of the army. This fleet confifted of ten fqua- 
 dron, viz. the fquadron of Portuguefe galleons, the Bifcayan 
 fquadron, the Andalufian fquadron, the Guypufcoan fquad- 
 ron, the fquadron of Italian mips, Don Antonio de Mendoza'a 
 fquadron, Don Juan de Medina's fquadron, the fquadron o 
 Don Diego de Valdez, the fquadron of pataches, the galliaf- 
 fes of Naples, and the galleys of Portugal, with one hundred 
 and twenty-four volunteers of the principal families and no- 
 bility cf Spain, attended by four hundred and fifty-fix fer- 
 vants bearing arms, two hundred and thirty-eight gentlemen 
 maintained by the king, with one hundred and fixty-three 
 fervants, and engineers, artillery, fervants, &c. eighty-fix phy- 
 iicians and furgeons, one hundred and eighty churchmen, 
 confifting of Jefuits and other religious orders, officers belong- 
 ing to the courts of juftice, and their fervants, &c. All thefe 
 were defigned for our ruin, both of church and ftate. 
 
 The queen and the whole nation were not afraid of this in- 
 vincible armada, that had been fo many years in fitting out. 
 In about feven weeks, viz. from the firft of November, 1587, 
 to the twentieth of December, an Englifh licet was fitted out,
 
 \* t N T R O D U C T I O Ni 
 
 which, by God's providence, deftroyed this mighty arrnamfinb 
 The city of London chearfully gave double the men and (hips 
 the queen required, befides furniftiing her chearfully \Vith 
 large fums of money ; all the reft of the kingdom followed 
 the example ; they all joined chearfully in defence of their 
 queen, their country, and liberties. Twenty thoufand men 
 were fet to guard the coaft. There were two armies of well 
 difciplined troops, twenty-two thoufandfoot and onethoufand 
 horfe encamped at Tilbury* where the queen went to review 
 them j thefe were under the command of the earl of Leicef- 
 ter. Thirty-four thoufand foot and two thoufand horfe, un- 
 der lord Hanfdonj were for a guard to the queen's perfom 
 The queen raifed the militia in every county ; the fea-ports 
 were fortified. Orders were given, if the enemy landed, to 
 lay all the country wafte, fo that they might find no provi- 
 fion but what they brought with them. 
 
 The queen in the mean time did not defpife a peace, but 
 treated of it fword in hand, and would by no means defert 
 her confederate provinces. She fent feveral perfons of di- 
 ftin&ion to truce, but the Spaniards, according to their ufu- 
 al treacherous way, wanted only to prolong the time till 
 their fleet was ready. 
 
 The queen's fleet confifted of one hundred and ninety-fe- 
 ven fliips of different forts, with fifteen thoufand feven hun- 
 dred and eighty-five men, and one thoufand eight hundred 
 and feventy-five foldiers. The command of the fliips was gi- 
 ven to Charles lord Howard, lord high admiral of England^ 
 and Sir Francis Drake, vice-admiral. Several nobility and 
 gentry were in the fleet. This fquadron of feventy fail hav- 
 ing advice of the Spanifh fleet's failing, went round to Ply- 
 mouth to meet them. The victuallers, &c. which arrived af- 
 terwards, made the fleet confift of ninety fail. About the 
 thirtieth of May, he put to fea, and failed between Uflunt 
 and Scillyj fometimes on the eoaft of France and fometimeson 
 the coaft of England, but at iaft forced by contrary winds in-
 
 INTRODUCTION. 33 
 
 to the port of Plymouth. In the mean time, the Rorm fepa- 
 rated fourteen {hips of the Spanifli fleet from the main body ; 
 the wind coming about, they joined their whole fleet, and 
 put into the Groinc, for frcfh water and other provifions. 
 This occafioried a report over Europe, that the armada was 
 all loft ; which news coming to court, occafioncd an order 
 for the admiral's fending back four of the largeft mips; had 
 this been obeyed, it might have proved fatal to the whole fleet. 
 He wrote to court, informing them, that he believed they 
 were too credulous, and that he would rather keep the (hips 
 out at his own charge, than expofe the nation to fo great a 
 hazard. The admiral knowing that the coafts of England 
 and France were all clear, after a council of war being held, 
 determined the n'rft fair wind to feek the enemy's {hips in the 
 Groine, and on the coafts of Gaiicia. He put this in execu- 
 tion, the wind being north ; but within forty leagues of the 
 coaft of Spain, the wind came about to the fouth, which be- 
 ing a fair wind for England, he determined to fail back, for 
 fear the enemy might pafs him in the night, or a thick fog ; 
 he returned back on the twelfth to Plymouth, with his whole 
 fleet, and provided himfelf with all neceflaries. The nine- 
 teenth he had intelligence by captain Robert Fleming, one of 
 his fcouts, that the enemy was feen off the Lizard, the wind 
 fouth and by weft, which was the wind wherein it was very dif- 
 ficult to bring fo large a fleet into the line of battle ; howe- 
 ver, all with one heart and great courage warped out their 
 {hips, fo that on the twentieth of June, the admiral had fifty- 
 four Ihips out, the wind fouth-weft. The Spanifh fleet was 
 difcovered in order of battle about one hundred and forty 
 miles from Edeftone, and twenty -five miles from Foy, the Eng- 
 lifli fleet being alfo twenty-five miles from Foy. The twen- 
 ty-firft, all the {hips had got out of Plymouth, and had got 
 the wind of the Spaniards. The Spaniards had formed their 
 fleet in form of a moon crefcent, the two horns being extend 
 ed eight miles, in order to take any, or all of the Englifti flee : 
 
 C
 
 34 INTRODUCTION 
 
 as the duke of Medina Sidonia, general of the Spanifh fleet? 
 had been informed by fome fifhermen, that the Englifli were 
 yet in Plymouth harbour. About nine o'clock in the morn- 
 ing the battle began. The lord admiral in the queen's fhip 
 the Ark, engaged the Spanifh admiral. This (hip continued 
 engaged fb long, that moft of the Spanifh fquadron came to 
 her afilftanee. In the mean time Sir Francis Drake, with 
 Hawkins and Forbifher, engaged another large fhip, in which 
 they fuppofed the vice-admiral to be ; the fight was fo brifk- 
 ly maintained, that the enemy began to run, but fell foul of a 
 galleon, commanded by Don Pedro de Valdez, which took a- 
 way her foremaft, and otherways difabled her. A great fhip 
 of Bifcay, of eight hundred tons, was blown up. This fkir- 
 mifh continued two hours. The admiral waiting for forty 
 more mips of his fleet, who had not yet joined him, he hung 
 . out a lignal for a council of war. All the captains having come 
 on board, he gave them orders how to engage the Spaniards, 
 and then fent them again on board their fhips. Next day Sir 
 Francis Drake took Don Pedro de Valdez, and fent the fhip, 
 together with the prifoners, into Dartmouth. The fame day 
 the fhip that was almoft burnt the day before was taken, and 
 fent into Weymouth. That night it fell a calm, and four gal- 
 liafies were feparated from the Spanifh fleet. Tuefday the 
 twenty-third, the wind being north-eaft, the Spaniards bore 
 down upon the Englifh with fome of their firft-rate fhips j 
 upon which an engagement began, and continued with va- 
 lious fuccefs. On the twenty-fifth they took a large Spanifli 
 Ihip* The Spanilh general lent an advice-boat to haften the 
 duke of Parma. On the twenty fixth they refolved nut to 
 attack the Spaniards any more till they entered the itreights 
 of Dover, knowing that lord Henry Seymour and Sir Willi- 
 am Winter were there to receive them. The wind being 
 favourable, the Spanifh fleet continued their courfe up the* 
 Channel, and were as clofely followed by the Englifh fhips. 
 Great numbers of the Englilh nobility, among whom were 

 
 1 N T fc t> U C T I tt. 35 
 
 rb'veral papifts, joined in the common caufe, and in defence of 
 their country; fo that on the twenty-feventh of July, the En- 
 gHfti admiral had one hundred and forty fail of {hips. The 
 Spaniih adini'ral managed fo well, that it was impoffible to 
 attack them with any hopes of fucccfs. 
 
 The Englifli admiral refolved upon a ftratagem to feparate 
 their fleet, by fending eight of his word mips filled with com- 
 buftibles, in the night, which fell among the Spanifti (hips 
 in fuch a manner as difperfed them. 
 
 The next day a large fhip went on ihore on the French 
 coaft near Calais, where me was plundered by the Englrfh. 
 The duke of Parma not joining the Spaniards, and being 
 hard prefled by the Englilh, who kept a continual fire upon 
 them, endeavoured to retreat through the ftreights of Dover ; 
 but the wind happening to (biff, drove them upon the coaft 
 of Zealand. The Englifli admiral took all the precaution to 
 hinder them from being joined by the duke of Parma, and to 
 prevent them from receiving any fuppiy when they arrived on 
 the coaft of Scotland. They were by this obliged to throw 
 their horfes and mules over board. After which, the duke 
 of Medina, with twenty-four fail, flood for the coaft of Bif- 
 cay, and the reft for tire coaft of Ireland. On the fecond of 
 September they were attacked by a terrible ftorm, which drove 
 moft of them on more. Thirty fhips and thirty thoufand 
 men were loft on the coaft of Ireland ; feveral drove back to 
 tiie Englifh channel, and taken by the Englim; feveral taken 
 on the coaft of France ; feveral large mips drove among the 
 weftern iflands, and were loft ; fo that this mighty armada, 
 which was three years in fitting out, in about a month wcrs 
 reduced aimoft to nothing, fo that only fifty-four (hips- re- 
 turned to Spain. Upwards of fifty thoufand men perilled. 
 
 Upon their return to Spain, an edict was publifhed by the 
 king, forbidding any mourning, in order to the hindering 
 their lofs being known, and obliterating the remembrance oc 
 la terrible a eatailrophe from their minds. King Philip- wai 
 
 C2
 
 s6 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 highly extolled for his courage and magnanimity on this oc- 
 cafion. However, he is faid to have threatened revenge on 
 the Englifh, though it mould have coft him the price of his 
 whole dominions. The mifcarriage was faid to be owing 
 chiefly to the breach of the king's orders ; had they been 
 punctually obferved, and the affiftancc, he expected been gi- 
 ven, it is highly probable he would have done a great deal of 
 mifchief in England. 
 
 The duke of Medina Sidonia efcaped punifhment, by his 
 wife's intereft ; but Don Diego Florez de Valdez, by whofe 
 perfuafion the general acted different from his orders, was ar- 
 refted when landing, and conveyed to the caftle of St. Andiro, 
 and was never feen again. 
 
 A univerfal joy overfpread the nation on the defeat of this 
 prodigious armada ; after returning God thanks, a medal was 
 caft, to perpetuate the memory of this great event, with this 
 infcription, Venit, Videt, Fugit : and another medal, bearing 
 fhips on fire, and a navy routed, with this infcription, Dux 
 Famina Fafii ; afcribing the firft invention of fire-ftiips to the 
 queen herfelf. This was efteemcd a remarkable deliverance 
 from popery. A day of thankfgiving was appointed to be ob- 
 fcrved over the whole nation, and all her dominions. Her 
 inajefty had ftill a watchful eye over them, being informed 
 they meditated a fecond attempt; therefore, to keep them at 
 home, me engaged to furnifh Don Antonio to recover his king- 
 dom of Portugal. Her majefty furniihed fix men of war, and 
 lixty thoufand pounds; Sir Francis Drake, Sir John Norris, 
 and their friends, fifty thoufand pounds ; the city of London 
 and the Cinque Ports furnifhed the reft. They landed firft 
 at Corrunna, which they attacked, and took, with all the ma- 
 gazines, defeating a large body of Spaniards. They next at- 
 tacked Lifbon, and took it for Don Antonio, who afterwards 
 was too favourable to fixty fail of mips belonging to the Hans 
 towns, which had arrived there with corn and military ftores 
 contrary to the queen's prohibition. The men being fickly,
 
 INTRODUCTION. 37 
 
 he returned home, and in their paflage took Vigo and plun- 
 dered it, returning fuccefsful in fettling Don Antonio on the 
 throne. Spain, being now greatly humbled, the queen gave 
 her whole attention to the increafe of her navy. She gave 
 nine thoufand pounds per annum, out of her own purfe, to- 
 wards the fupply of the navy, and gave great encouragement 
 to fuch young lords and gentlemen, as loved the fea-fervice, 
 The earl of Cumberland was one, who particularly diftin- 
 guifhed himfelf, and by his example encouraged many o- 
 thers. 
 
 The life of George Cliford earl of Cumberland. 
 
 GEORGE Clifford, third earl of Cumberland, fprung 
 from Pontz j faid to have come into England with Wil- 
 liam the Conqueror. He was born in 1558, had his educati- 
 on at Peter-houfe in Cambridge. The celebrated John Whit- 
 gift, who was afterwards bifhop of Cambridge, was his tutor, 
 He ftudied different parts of the mathematics, particularly 
 navigation. 
 
 The firft preferment he had, was being made one of the 
 peers, who were queen Mary's judges; but his natural ge- 
 nius inclined him in the purfuit of making foreign difcove* 
 ries, and the prevailing fafhion being the humbling the am- 
 bitious views of Spain, he fitted out at his own expence, 
 three fhips and a pinnace, which he defigned for the South 
 Sea. 
 
 They failed from Gravefend the twenty-fixth of June, 
 and from Plymouth the feventeenth of Auguft, but by 
 contrary winds were forced back into Dartmouth ; from 
 whence putting out again on the twenty-ninth, they fell in 
 with the coaft of Barbary the feventeenth of September, and 
 next day haled in with.the road of Santa Cruz. On the thir-
 
 3 3 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 teenth they came to the Rio del Oro, juft under the nortTj 
 tropick, where they anchored. The next day Searching up 
 that river, they found it to be as broad fourteen or fifteen 
 leagues upward, as at the mouth, which was two leagues overj 
 but all the way met with neither town nor houfe. The thir- 
 tieth of September they departed from Sierra Leona for the 
 Streights of Magellan. The fecond of January they had 
 fight of land, and on the fourth fell in with the American 
 fhore in 30 40' fouth lat. Continuing their courfe fouth- 
 ward, on the tenth of January, they took not far from Rio 
 de la Plata a fmall Portuguefe (hip, and next day another, out 
 of both which they furnifhed themfelves with what necelFa- 
 lies they wanted. The twelfth of January they came to 
 Seal-ifland, and two days after to the Grcen-ifland, near which 
 they watered. Returning to Seal-ifland in purfuance of a 
 confutation held there, they continued their courfe for the 
 South Sea, as far as 44? fouth latitude. But meeting with 
 ftorms and contrary winds, they refolved on the twenty-firft 
 of February to return to the coaft of Brafilj accordingly they 
 fell in with it the fifth of April following, and after taking 
 in water and provifions in the bay of Camana, came on the 
 eleventh into the port of Baya. Eight Portuguefe (hips being 
 there, they carried off four of them, the leaft of which was 
 one hundred and thirty tuns j they alfo fetched a fupply of 
 provifions from the fhore. On the fixteenth and feventeenth 
 of May they got a quantity of fugar out of the Portuguefe 
 ingenios or refining 'hoyfes. On the twenty-fixth they made 
 themfelves matters of a new Ihip of one hundred and twenty 
 tuns, laden with meal and fugar. The third of June, fome, 
 particularly captain Lifter, were for purfuing their voyage, 
 to the South Sea, but finding themfelves in want of men and 
 provisions, they refolved on the tenth to return to England^ 
 where they arrived the tenth of September, after an unfuc- 
 cefsful voyage. This year he went with many others to the
 
 INTRODUCTION. 39 
 
 relief of Sluys, then befieged by the duke of Parma, but at his 
 arrival found the place had furrendcred. 
 
 He was one of thofe, who put themfelves on board the 
 Englim fleet, to oppofe the Spanifh that were advancing to 
 invade England. On that occafion he had the command of 
 the Elizabeth Bonaventure, and fignalized himfelf in a remark- 
 able manner, particularly in the laft engagement with the 
 Spaniards near Calais. 
 
 The queen was fo pleafed with his fignal fervices, that 
 flie granted him a commiflion in October the fame year to 
 purfue his intended voyage to the South Sea, and fent him 
 one of her own (hips called the Golden Lion to be the ad- 
 miral. This he victualled and fitted out at his own charge, 
 and about the end of October failed, being attended by fe- 
 veral gentlemen of known bravery. In the channel he took 
 the Hare of Dunkirk, laden with merchandize for Spain, 
 which he fent home. But firft contrary winds, and then a 
 violent ftorm, in which he was obliged to cut his main mail 
 by the board, rendered him incapable of profecuting his de- 
 figns on the Spanifh coafts, fo that he returned to England. 
 However notwithftanding this, he undertook a third voyage 
 to the Weft Indies, and for that purpofe obtained the queen's 
 leave, and a fhip of the royal navy, called the Victory, to 
 which he adding three other fmali {hips, furnifhed at his own 
 coft, with about four hundred men and all necelTaries, he 
 failed from Plymouth the eighteenth of June. Three days 
 after they took three French {hips belonging to the Leaguers ; 
 and on the thirteenth of July, meeting with eleven mips 
 bound for Hamburgh and other neighbouring ports, they 
 took out of them a quantity of pepper and cinnamon belong- 
 ing to a Jew of Lifbon, valued at four thoufand five hundred 
 pounds. The firft of Auguft they came in fight of Sc. Mi- 
 chael, one of the Azores, and hoitted Spanim colours, the more 
 eafily to execute a project they had foi'med of carrying ofl 
 in the night fome fhips that lay in the harbour. According*
 
 4 o INTRODUCTION. 
 
 ly they cut the cables of three of them, and towed them a- 
 way, being loaded with wine and oil from Seville. On the 
 feventh they took another little vcffel, whofe lading was Ma- 
 deira -wine, woollen cloth, filks, and other goods. 
 
 Having got intelligence that the Spanifli carracks were at 
 Tercera, they haftened thither, and, by the way, looked in- 
 to Fyal road on the twenty-feventh of Auguft, from which 
 laft place they brought away a fhip of two hundred and fifty 
 tuns and fourteen guns, moored to the caftle, and loaded 
 with fugar, ginger, and hides. They alfo took five other 
 fmall mips newly come from Guinea, in fpite of the enemy's 
 brilk fire ; and the thirtieth of Auguft fent four of them to 
 England. Upon coming near Tercera, and being told that 
 the carracks had failed eight days before, on the tenth of 
 September they returned back to Fyal, and having with lit- 
 tle difficulty made themfelves mafters of the town, obliged 
 the inhabitants to ranfom it for two thoufand ducats. There 
 alfo they took fifty-eight pieces of iron cannon : the twenty 
 feventh they went to St. Michael's ; and the firft of October 
 to Gratiofa, where they took in a frefh fupply of provifions. 
 On the fourteenth they took a French fhip laden with fifii 
 from Newfoundland. The fame day and the five fucceeding, 
 the carl of Cumberland endeavoured to make himfelf mafter 
 of fifteen fail of the Spanifh Weft-India fleet at the port of 
 Angra in Tercera, but finding it too dangerous an attempt, 
 he defifted. He next failed to St. Michael's, where being 
 hindered from taking in water, he went to St. Mary's ifland : 
 and finding two Brafil mips there, captain Lifter carried one 
 of them off, notwithftanding the enemy's fire ; but the earl 
 in attempting the other, had two thirds of his men killed or 
 wounded, and himfelf received three fliot on his fhield, and 
 a fourth in his fide, tho* not deep ; his head was broke with 
 itones, and both that and his legs were burnt with grana- 
 does. 
 
 Not being able to get water there, the twenty-ninth of
 
 INTRODUCTION. ~jfi 
 
 O&ober he took fome in at St. George's ifland, and then rc- 
 folved to fail for England, taking the coaft of Spain in his 
 way. The fourth of November they made themfelves mailers 
 of a Portuguefc {hip of one hundred and ten tuns, laden with 
 fugar and Brafil wood, and two days after, of another between 
 three and four hundred tuns, with hides, cochineal, fugar, 
 china difhds, and filver. Both prizes valued at one hundred 
 and forty thoufand pounds, were fent immediately to England, 
 but the latter was fliipwrecked on the coaft of Cornwall, 
 and all the men perifiied except five or fix ; however fome of 
 the cargo was faved. The earl himfelf being detained at fea 
 by reafon of ftorms and contrary winds, was, for want of 
 provifions, reduced to the utmoft extremity. The tragical 
 account of which, as left by one of the fufferers, take in his 
 own words. " Soon after, fays he, the wind came about to 
 " the eaftwards, fo that we could not fetch any part of Eng- 
 *' land. And thereupon alfo our allowance of drink, which 
 " was fcarce enough before, was yet more and more fo. So 
 " that now a man was allowed but half a pint at a meal, and 
 " that many times fcarce fweet. Notwithftanding this was 
 ^ an happy eftate in comparifon of that which followed ; for 
 " from half a pint we came to a quarter, and that lafted noc 
 ^ long neither ; fo that by reafon of this great fcarcitie of 
 *' drinkc and contraritic of winde, thought to put into Ire- 
 " land, there to relieve our wants. But when we came necr 
 " thither we were driven fo far to leeward, that we could 
 *' fetch no part of it. In the mean time we were allowed e- 
 *' very man three or foure fpoonfuls of vinegar to drinke at 
 ** a meule ; for other drinke we had none, faving onely at 
 " two or three meales, when we had inftead hereof as much 
 u wine, which was wringed out of wine lees, that remained, 
 *' With this hard fare (for by reafon of our greyt want of 
 ** drinke, we durft cate but very little) we continued for a 
 " fortnight ; faviag that now and then we feafted when there 
 < e fell haile or raia : the ha,ile ftones we gathered up and did
 
 4* INTRODUCTION. 
 
 " eate tliem more pleafantly than if they had bene the fweet- 
 a eft comfits in the world. The rain drops were fo care- 
 w fully faved, that fo nere as we could, not one was loft in 
 " our fliip. Some hanged up fheetes tied with cords by the 
 u foure corners, and a weight in the midft, that the water 
 " might runne downe thither, and fo be received into fome 
 " veffel fct or hanged underneath j fome that wanted fheetes, 
 " hanged up napkins and cloutes, and watched them till they 
 
 . " were thorow wet, then wringing and fucking out the wa- 
 " ter. And that water which fell down and warned away 
 " the filth and foiling of the fhippe, trod under foot, as bad 
 <e as running down the kennel many times when it raineth, 
 " was not loft, but watched and attended carefully, yea fome- 
 " times with ftrife and contention at every fcupper hole, and 
 u other places where it ran down, with difhes, pots, Cannes 
 " and jarres, whereof fome drunk hearty draughts even as it 
 " was, mud and all, without tarrying to clenfe or fettle it: o- 
 " thers clenfed it firft, but not often, for it was fo thick, and 
 
 . " went fo flowly throw, that they might ill endure to tarry 
 " fo long, and were loth to lofe too much of fuch precious 
 " fluff: fome licked with their tongues like doges the boards 
 " under feete, the fides, railes and mafts of the fhippe : others 
 *' that were more ingenious fattened girdles or ropes about 
 " the mafts, daubing tallow betwixt them and themafte, that 
 " the raine might not run down between, in fuch fort that 
 " thefe ropes or girdles hanging lower on one fide than on 
 " the other, a fpout of leather was fattened to the loweft part 
 " of them, that all the raine drops that come running downe 
 " the matte, might meet together at that place, and there 
 " be received. Some alfo put bullets of lead into their 
 *' mouthes to flake their thirft. Now in every corner of 
 " the fhippe, were heard the lamentable cries of fick and 
 *' wounded men founding wofully in our eares, pitifully com- 
 " plaining for want of drinke, being ready to die, yea many 
 J* dying for lacke thereof, fo as by reafon of this great 0*1
 
 INTRODUCTION. 4 j 
 
 " tremltie, we loft many more men then wee had done all 
 " the voyage before." 
 
 At length the earl on the fecond of December reached 
 Banty-bay in the weft of Ireland, and after refreshing him- 
 felf and his men there, on the twenty- ninth he arrived fafe at 
 Falmouth. 
 
 He undertook a fourth voyage to the coaft of Spain with 
 five (hips (one of which, namely the Admiral, was anew fhip 
 of the navy) which he fitted out at his own expence. He 
 iailed from England in May, and in his way to the Spanifh 
 coafts, he found feveral Dutch fhips coming from Lifbon la- 
 den with fpice, which he took out of them, intending to fend 
 thefe fpices to England in a fhip guarded by the Golden No- 
 ble his rear admiral, but they were taken in a calm by fome 
 Portuguefe gallics from Penicha, one of the captains and 
 feveral men flain, and the reft carried prifoners to Lifbon, 
 His lordfhip alfo took a veflel laden with wine, and two (hips 
 more with fugar ; but one of them having a leak which 
 could not be found, he left, and the other he fent for Eng- 
 land, which, being forced by contrary winds, and want of 
 provifions, into the Groyne, fell into the enemy's hands. All 
 thefe misfortunes obliged the earl to return to England, af- 
 ter fending advice to lord Thomas Howard, admiral of the 
 Englifli fleet, who was then at the Azores, that a large Spanifh 
 fquadron was ready to put to fea. 
 
 The next year the earl undertook a fifth expedition, in 
 which he did not ufe any of her majefty's fhips, on account 
 of the inconvenience of the queen's command, viz. not to lay 
 any Spanifh veflel aboard with her fhips, left both might to- 
 gether be deftroycd by fire. His fleet confifted of five fhips, 
 and he intended to have commanded it in perfon, but fpenfc 
 three months provifions before they could get to the weft- 
 ward -of Plymouth. Whereupon, being difappointed in his 
 defign of taking the out ward bound Spanifh carracks, he gave 
 the chief command to captain Norton, with inftructions to fail
 
 44 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 for the Azores, and he bimfelf returned to London. His 
 fleet purfued their voyage, and one of them, viz. the Golden 
 Noble, took near Cafcais, and within fhotofthat caftle, a Por- 
 tuguefe vefiel, which fhe conveyed to England. 
 
 The reft went to the Azores, and with the affiftance of 
 fome other Englifh {hips, fent into thofe feas by Sir Walter 
 Raleigh to watch the return of the Spanifli Eaft and Weft 
 India fleets, attacked the Santa Cruz, a large Carraca fhip in 
 the road of Lagowna, which the Spaniards fet on fire after 
 landing the beft of its cargo; but the Englifh made them- 
 felves matters both of that and the town. On the third of 
 Auguft, they took another rich (hip, viz. Muere deDios, va- 
 lued at one hundred and fifty thoufand pounds, which was 
 carried into Dartmouth. The earl's fhare muft have amounted 
 to a very confiderable fum, but as his commiffion had not pro- 
 vided for the cafe of his return, and the fubilituting another 
 in his room, it was adjudged that he mould depend on the 
 queen's bounty ; fo that by reafon of feveral embezzlements, 
 not above the fifth part of the {hip's value being accounted 
 for, the carl was forced to be contented with thirty-fix thou- 
 fand pounds, and that too as a mere matter of favour. 
 
 The earl however undertook a fixth voyage. For this 
 expedition the queen lent his lordihip two fliips of her royal 
 navy, to which he added four other mips. He had not been 
 long at fea, before he took two French {hips of confiderable 
 value, guarded by fourteen large hulks, one of which he car- 
 ried with him, and the other he fent home to England, Up* 
 on his coming near the Azores, he heard that the Spaniards 
 had a fleet there to intercept him ; and finding from an ad- 
 vice boat which he took, that they were much fuperior to 
 him in ftrength, after keeping company with them for one 
 day, he withdrew at ten or twelve leagues diftance, and there 
 continued for three weeks, in which time being {eized with a 
 fit of illncfs, he transferred the command of his little fleet to
 
 INTRODUCTION; 33 
 
 captain Monfon (who took one prize) and returned to Eng- 
 land, this being the moft profitable voyage he ever made. 
 
 While he was near the coaft of Spain, he fent three of his 
 mips to the Weft-Indies. Thefc, after firft touching at St. 
 Lucia and Martinico to refrefh, proceeded to Margarita, an 
 ifland famous for the pearl fifhery ; where they feized a large 
 quantity of pearl, valued at two thoufand pounds, befides o- 
 ther booty, and obliged the inhabitants to pay them two thou* 
 fand ducats as a ranforn for faving their town from being 
 plundered. t 
 
 They next failed to Cumana, to the iflands of Aruba, and 
 Curafibw, and to Rio de la Hache, the inhabitants of which 
 they found ready to receive them, and had carried their goods 
 up into the mountains. Whereupon they failed for fiifpani* 
 ola, and after viliting feveral ports round it, and alfo the iilands 
 of Mona and Savona, went up the river Socko in Jiifpaniola ; 
 where they extracted large contributions to fave the Spanifh 
 farm-houfes from being pillaged. At Domingo they took a 
 fine frigate, which they carried to England. From thence 
 they failed to Jamaica, Cuba, cape Corientea, and cape St. An* 
 tonio, where they waited long, but to no purpofe, for Ihips 
 coming from the Havannah : and after eight months fpent in 
 thofc feas, the Pilgrim, one of their fhips, fct fail for Eng- 
 land, and arrived at Plymouth the fourteenth of May. But 
 the Antonio and the frigate went to the bay of Hounduras, 
 where near Porto Cavallo they found feven SpanHh fhips, 
 from fix of which the Spaniards had taken off the rudders to 
 difable them from failing, and upon the Spaniards refufing to 
 ranfom them, the Englifh fet them on fire, after firft taking 
 out the beft effects, and putting them on board the Spanifli ad- 
 miral, a {hip of two hundred and fifty tons, which they brought 
 to England, and arrived at Plymouth the next day after the 
 Pilgrim. 
 
 Before the return of thefe mips, the ear! had at his own 
 coft, with the aflUUnce of other adventurers, fitted out a fmall
 
 fleet confifting of three fliips, each having the like quantity of 
 provifions, and the fame number of men, that is, four hundred 
 and twenty of all forts, beiides a pinnace4 This fleet was in- 
 tended for the Azores, particularly the ifland of Tercera. On 
 the fixth of April they failed from Plymouth, and on the 
 twenty-fifth took a fmall bark off Viana in Portugal, laden with 
 Galicia wine and other commodities) which they ihared among; 
 themfelves. On the fecond of July they came in fight of St. 
 Michael's ifland, one of the Azores, and on the thirteenth 
 met off the Sound, between Fyal and Fico, a large Portuguefe 
 Carraca fhip of two thoufand tons, called Las Cinque Llagas, 
 returning from the Eafl-Indies. They attacked her very 
 brilkly, and probably had taken her, had {he not been acciden- 
 tally fet on fire during the engagement, and blown up by means 
 of a large quantity of powder {he had on board. After this 
 they failed for the ifland of Flores, where they refreftied them- 
 felves, and then putting to fea, came up the firft of July 
 with another large Carraca {hip, of fifteen hundred tons, which, 
 after exchanging a few {hot, they fummoned to furrender. 
 But ihe refuting to ftrike, and the vice-admiral and feveral 
 men having been killed in the engagement with the former, 
 and the admiral with many more wounded, the reft began to 
 be difcouraged: and accordingly left her, failing for the o- 
 ther iflands, and waited about Carvo and Flores for fome pri- 
 zes from the Weft-Indies j when, meeting with none, and 
 their provifions becoming {hbrt, they returned for England, 
 and arrived at Portfmouth about the end of Auguft, having 
 done great damage to the enemy, though Httle good to them- 
 felves. 
 
 The earl however determined on an eighth expedition : and 
 thinking himfelf ill ufed by the queen in the inconfiderable 
 lhare he received of the treafure found in the Mudre de Dios, 
 and not liking to be tied up to fuch ftricl orders as when he 
 went out with any of the royal navy, and being much difplea- 
 fed at the lofs of the two Carraca fliips for want of a fufficp-
 
 1 N T R O D IT C T I tf; *$ 
 
 ent ftrength, he built at Deptford a fhip of nine hundred tons, 
 which at the launching was called the Scourge of malice. This 
 \vas the beft and largeft fhip that hitherto had been built by 
 an Englifh fubjecl. In this his lordfhip intended to have gone 
 himfelf, and had purchafed three more fhips ready to accom- 
 pany him : but when he was come as far as Plymouth, the 
 queen fent orders for him to return, with which he com- 
 plied. The fhips however purfued their voyage except the 
 Alcedo, the commander of which, viz. captain Monfon, was 
 fo highly difpleafed at captain Dangton being appointed admi- 
 ral, that he quitted the fleet. ' Three of the (hips failed for 
 the Azores, where they took a carvel from St. Thomas of one 
 hundred tons, laden with fugar. They afterwards attacked 
 near Flores a large Ihip, whch they took for a merchantman, 
 but found to be a Spanrfh vice-admiral waiting there to con- 
 voy the Eaft and Weft India fleets to Europe. This fhip be- 
 ing like to be overpowered by the Englilh, went and joined 
 the other Spanifh mips there;, all which together were too 
 powerful for the earl's fquadron j for which reafon the lat- 
 ter failed for the coaft of Spain : and near it they took three 
 Dutch mips laden with wheat, copper, &c. which belonging 
 to the king of Spain, were thought to be a lawful prize. By 
 this time their provifions being nearly fpent, they returned to 
 England. His lordfhip fitted out the Scourge & malice a fe- 
 cond time, in which he went himfelf, accompanied by the 
 Dreadnought, one of her Majefty's royal navy, and fome o- 
 ther (mall mips. Between thirty and forty leagues off Eng- 
 land, the Scourge in a dorm fprung her main-rnaft, which ac- 
 cident rendered her unferviceable for that voyage, fo that he 
 was forced to return to England in the Dreadnought. 
 
 At that time the queen having fitted out a large fleet to go 
 to the coaft of Spain, under the command of the earl of Effex 
 and the lord high admiral Howard, the earl of Cumberland 
 fent thither alfo the Afcenfion, a fhip of three hundred tons, 
 with thirty-four guns and one hundred and twenty men, com-
 
 ql INTRODUCTION. 
 
 manded by captain Francis Slingfby, in order to wait for fuch 
 fhips as were expected from Lifbon. Near the Goodwin-fands, 
 he was in great danger of being loft in a ftorm, but happily 
 arrived at Plymouth, where his fhip was refitted, and after- 
 wards proceeded on her voyage. Meeting with a carvel, they 
 made an unfuccefsful attempt to take it, and the captain was 
 defperately wounded. Afterwards being vigoroufly attacked 
 by feven Spanifh fhips, one of which was the admiral, they 
 as gallantly defended themfelves. They continued on the 
 Spanifh coaft till they had only fourteen days provilion left, 
 and then returned to England, without a fingle prize to com- 
 penfate the lofs and damage they and their fhip fuftained. 
 
 The laft and moft confiderable expedition undertaken by 
 the earl, was the following: after fitting out and victualling, 
 chiefly at his own charge, about nineteen fhips, with two bar- 
 ges for landing men, he undertook a voyage in perfon to 
 the Weft-Indies. The earl being authorized by her majefty's 
 letters patent to raife forces ferviceable by fea and land, levi- 
 ed twelve companies of eighty men each, for the aforefaid 
 purpofe, fetting fail from Plymouth on the fixth of March ; 
 on the coaft of Spain he took a Hamburgh fhip laden with 
 corn, copper, powder, and prohibited goods, and a French 
 Clip laden with fait going into Lifbon j but had, in taking the 
 firft, three men killed, and five or fix wounded, and his fhip 
 pierced in feveral places. Soon after he received intelligence, 
 that at Lifbon were five very rich carracks, ready to fail for 
 the Eaft-Indies, and twenty-five fhips for Brafil. But they hear- 
 ing of the earl's fleet, and he being tired of waiting for them, 
 failed the fifth of April for the South Cape. The eighth day 
 they went from thence to the Canaries, and on the thirteenth 
 made themfelves mailers of Lancerota, where they found lit- 
 tle or nothing. On the twenty-firft they directed their courfe 
 for Dominica, where they arrived the twenty-third of May, 
 and ftayed there till the firft of June. Next they went to the 
 Virgin Iflands, then uninhabited, where the earl muftered his
 
 INTRODUCTION. 49 
 
 men, and acquainted them with his dcfign on the ifland of St. 
 Juan de Porto Rico. Accordingly they failed for that place, 
 where they arrived the fixth of June, and immediately land? 
 ed the foldiers, who were about one thoufand. The town 
 {landing in a little ifland, there was no other paflige to it but 
 over a beach or narrow caufeway, guarded by two forts, and 
 not to be eroded but at low water: at the further end was a 
 bridge, which had been pulled up, and a flrong barricade, 
 Befides, the caufeway had been purpofely made fo rugged, 
 that the Englifli could not keep on their feet, and Uierefore 
 chofe to wade thro* the water by the fide of it: and the earl, 
 by the Humbling of his target-bearer, hid fuch a violent fall, 
 that he was in danger of drowning : for his armour fo over- 
 burthened him* that the ferjeant- major had much ado after 
 the firft and fecond attempt to raife him. However, after a 
 difficult pafTage over this caufeway, and two violent aflaults, 
 the enemy quitted the place, of which his lordfhip took pof- 
 feffion on the eighth of June. In a few days after, the ilrong 
 fort of Mora, with a garrifon of four hundred foldiers, fur- 
 rendered alfo to the Englifh, and it was afterwards razed. 
 
 This town being looked upon as the key to the Weft-In- 
 dies, and a paflage to all the gold and filver mines in the con- 
 tinent of America, his lordfhip refolved to keep it, and make 
 it a place of arms. For that purpofe, on the feventh of July 
 he fent away the inhabitants to Carthagena, tho* they made 
 confiderable offers to him for leave to flay. The earl in a 
 letter of his affirms, that if he would have quitted the place, 
 he might have had five hundred thoufand pounds. " This key 
 " whoever poffefieth (fays this great man) may at his pleafure 
 " go into any chamber in the houfe and fee how they fleep 
 " before he be either flopped or defcried ; fo as they muft, 
 " at every door, keep fo great a force to guard them, as will 
 * c confume a great part of their yearly revenue, and fend it 
 " from place to place with fo great wattage, as \viil caufe 
 " them to curfe their new porter. For when they have done 
 
 JP
 
 50 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 " what they can, they (hall bear his charge to their own de- 
 " ftruclions, and {'till be lofmg places of ftrength and wealth." 
 
 But a bloody flux, that carried oft" between four and five 
 hundred of his men, made him alter his refolution. In the 
 mean time a carvel coming on the nineteenth of July into the 
 harbour of Margarita, with about one thoufand ducats worth 
 of pearls, was feized by the Englifh, from which receiving 
 intelligence, that the king of Spain's pearl church a,t Marga- 
 rita was very rich, and but poorly guarded, the earl failed 
 with three hips in order to take that conliderable booty, but 
 was hindered by contrary winds from putting his defign in ex- 
 ecution. Before he quitted the ifland of St. Juan de Porto 
 Rico, he endeavoured to prevail on the principal inhabitants 
 to give him a fum of money for the runfom of it and their ci- 
 ty : but finding that they trifled with him, and fufpecting fome 
 treachery, he left feven fhips and two ftrong fly-boats, which 
 was the main ftrength of his fleet, with Sir John Berkley, to 
 whom he gave full power to tranfacl: all affairs in his abfence ; 
 and taking with himfelf nine fhips, among which were two lit- 
 tle veflels found in the harbour of Porto Rico, the one a 
 French ihip, and the other a Spanifh frigate, which were rig- 
 ged during their ftay in that place; he put on board all thcfe 
 {hips what hides, ginger, fugar, and ammunition he could gef, 
 as alfo the church bells, and all the brafs cannon in the ifland, 
 which amounted to eighty. 
 
 With thcfe nine fhips he fet fail the fourteenth of Auguft 
 for the Azores, where he hoped to intercept the Spanifh Me- 
 xico fleet, or fome from the Carracas. Alter many long calms, 
 and a violent ftorm, he arrived at Flores the fifteenth of Sep- 
 tember, where he came too late, but it was much for his lafe- 
 ty ; for, but a few days before at that place were twenty-nine 
 large Spanifh men of war, which would have proved too ftrong 
 for him. Here Sir John Berkley joined him with the reft 
 of the fleet: from whence, after taking in fome provifions, 
 they all failed for England the fixteenth of September, where
 
 INTRODUCTION. 51 
 
 they arrived about the beginning of October. In this expe- 
 dition the earl loft a barge, funk by his order in the harbour, 
 to the detriment of the enemy ; another barge caft away in 
 a florm at Bermudas ; the Pegafus wrecked on the Goodwin 
 Sands, and the old frigate upon the Uihajit, in which two laft 
 fhips forty perfons were drowned. He loft otherways about 
 feven hundred men, of whom fix hundred died of the bloody 
 flux and calenture at Porto Rico, and fixty fell in fight. 
 
 He got nothing for being at this great expence in fitting 
 out this fquadron, but the value of one thoufand ducats of 
 pearl, fome fmall quantities ofhid.es, ginger, pepper, &c. eigh- 
 ty pieces of cannon and ammunition, the bells of fome church- 
 es, c. He hindered the carracks from making their voy- 
 ages to the Eaft-Indies this year, and obftrucr.ed the return 
 .of the Spanifii plate-fleet, which was of coniiderable fervice 
 to the Englifli, and greatly difappointed the Spaniards. How- 
 ever, in thefe expeditions, and his exceiilve love for horfe-ra- 
 cing, tilting, &c. he wafted all his efrate. He was one of the 
 lords who was employed in reducing the earl of Eflex to o- 
 bedience, and was made knight of the garter. He died in 
 {he Savoy at London, October the thirtieth, 1605, and was 
 buried at Skipton in Craven, Yorkfhire. 
 
 D 2
 
 -W 
 
 
 BRITANNIA Triumphant: 
 
 O R> 
 
 NAVALEXPEDITIONS, SEA-FIGHTS, 
 and VICTORIES 
 
 O F T H E 
 
 ENGLISH NATION. 
 
 LIFE 
 
 O F 
 SIR FRANCIS DRAKE. 
 
 FRANCIS DRAKEwasthefonofEdmund 
 Drake, an honeft failor, born near Taviftoke in the 
 year 1545, and was the eldeft fon of twelve bre- 
 thren, and brought up by the chanty, and under the directi- 
 on f his kinfman Sir John Hawkins. At the age of eigh- 
 teen he was purfer of a fhip trading to Bifcay ; at twenty 
 he made a voyage to Guinea ; at the age of twenty two he 
 was made captain of the Judith, and behaved gallantly un- 
 der Sir John Hawkins in the harbour of St. John de Ulloa, in 
 the gulf of Mexico, where he loft all the fmall fortune he had 
 acquired . This fo wered his temper ; but after having confuited 
 with the minifler of the fhip, he fatisfied his conference, that as 
 
 3
 
 $4 BRITANNIA 
 
 he had been robbed by the king of Spain's fubjects, it wa3 
 lawful for him to make reprifals. This Drake preached with 
 great fuccefs ; and his doctrine was fo taking in England, 
 that he foon had great numbers of volunteers to accompany 
 him in his projected expedition againft the Spaniards. In 
 1570 he made his firft expedition, with only two fliips, the 
 Dragon and Swan : and next year with the Swan alone, 
 with fafety, and obtained great riches. As he had great (kill 
 in conducting the moft hazardous enterprizes, and now hav- 
 ing got riches, which are the chief finews of war, he form- 
 ed the plan of a more important enterprize, in the Pafcha, a 
 fhip of forty tons, accompanied by his brother John Drake, 
 in the Swan of twenty-five tons; the ftrength of both {hips 
 being only feventy-three men and boys. With this inconii- 
 clerable force, the twenty-fecond of July, he attacked Norn- 
 tore de Dios, which he took in a few hours by ftorm ; where 
 he received a dangerous wound in the action. They were 
 obliged to retire to their fhips with a very fmaJI booty. His 
 next attempt was upon the mules which pafs from Vera Cruz 
 to the town, and got fo great a booty, that they were obli- 
 ged to bury part of it in the ground. He was much aflifted 
 in all his exploits by a nation of Indians, who were enemies 
 to the Spaniards. He complimented their chief with a tine 
 i'vv'ord he had, for which he received in return four large 
 wedges of gold. He then failed from Florida to England, 
 which he performed in twenty-three days, and made an e- 
 qual dividend of all the riches he had acquired, well judging, 
 that thofe who had rifked their fubftance in fo uncertain and 
 hazardous an expedition, (hould have their full mare of the 
 profits. This got him great reputation ; and his publick fpi- 
 rited behaviour in fitting out three flout frigates, to aflift the 
 earl of Efltx in his expedition to Ireland, at his own expencc, 
 and under whom he ferved as a volunteer, gained him the 
 friendfliip of Sir Chrniopher Hutton, vice-chamberlain and 
 privy- counfellor to queen Elizabeth, who aflifted him ia his
 
 TRIUMPHANT. 55 
 
 grand expedition to the South Seas, which has tendered his 
 name immortal. This he had long wifhed and earneftly pray- 
 ed for. His projecl was well received at court ; the queen 
 having given her permiffion, his own fame foon drew to him 
 a fuflicient force. The fleet he failed with on this important 
 expedition confided of five (hips* viz. the Pelican of one hun- 
 dred tons, commanded by himtelf, the Elizabeth, of eighty 
 tons, the Marygold of thirty tons, the Swan fly-boat of fif- 
 ty tons, and the Chriftopher pinnace, of fifteen tons; the 
 whole fleet confiftedof one hundred and fixty-four able men, 
 and all neceffary provifions. The deftination of this fleet was 
 given out to be for Alexandria, though it was intended for 
 America. He failed on the fifteenth of November, 1577, 
 from Plymouth j but a great ftorm foon overtaking him, he 
 was forced into Falmouth, to refit. He put to fea again on 
 the thirteenth day of December. On the twenty-fifth, he 
 fell in with the coaft of Barbary, and on the twenty-ninth 
 with Cape Verd. The thirteenth of March he paffed the 
 equinoctial. The fifth of April he made the coaft of Brazil, 
 in thirty degrees N. and entered the river dela Plata. He had 
 loft company with two of his mips, which met him again; and 
 after having taken out all their provifions* he turned them a* 
 drift. On the twenty-ninth he entered the port of St Juli- 
 an's. On the twentieth of Auguft he entered the ftreights 
 of Magellan. On the twenty-fifth of September he paffed 
 them, having then only his own fliip, which he named the 
 Hind. On the twenty-fifth of November he came toMaehao, 
 where he had appointed a rendezvous in cafe of feparation ; 
 but captain Winter having repaffed the Sireights, was return- 
 ed to England. He continued his voyage along the coafts o 
 Chili and Peru, feizing many Spaniih fhips, and frequently 
 making defcents on their coafts, till they acquired fo much 
 riches, that they defired no more. Then coafting North A- 
 merica, to the height of forty-eight degrees, he endeavoured 
 to find a paifage to our fcas on that fide, wherein hs was dif- 
 
 D
 
 $6 BRITANNIA 
 
 appointed ; however he made a landing, and called the coiin-* 
 try New Albion, and took pofieffion of it for the ufe of 
 queen Elizabeth. After having careened his fhip, he fet fail 
 on the twenty-ninth of September 1579, for the Moluccas. 
 On the thirteenth of October he fell in with certain iftands, 
 inhabited by the moft barbarous people. On the fourth of 
 November he had fight of the Moluccas, and coming to Ter- 
 nate, was well received by the king of the country, a wife 
 and polite prince. On the tenth of December he made Ce- 
 lebes, where his fliip unfortunately run on a rock, when 
 kind providence brought them off, after they had deffjired 
 of relief. On the ninth of January they continued their 
 courfe, and on the fixteenth, arrived at Java Major. He 
 intended to have proceeded to Malacca, but found himfelf 
 obliged to alter his purpofe, and return to England. On the 
 fifteeenth of June he doubled the cape of Good Hope, having 
 then fifty-feven men, and only three cafks of water. On 
 the twelfth of July he pafled the line; on the fixteenth he 
 reached the coaft of Guineaj and there watered. On the 
 eleventh of September he made the coaft of Tercera, and on 
 the third of November entered the harbour of Plymouth* 
 In this voyage he compleatly furrounded the globe, which no 
 commander in chief had ever done before. His fuccefs in 
 the voyage, and the great riches he brought, agitated the 
 minds of men in a different manner: fome looking upon him 
 only as a common thief and pirate, who ought to be punifh- 
 ed, others extolling his maritime fkill, and that there was no- 
 thing more juft than to make reprifak on the Spaniards, who 
 had been fo often fakhlefs, and behaved treacheroufly to our 
 merchants. However the queen foon put an end to this dif- 
 pute, by her going to Deptford, and coming on board captain 
 Drake's fhip, where me approved of all he had done, and ho- 
 noured him with knighthood, and gave directions for the pre- 
 fervation of the fhip, for the honour of him, and his country's 
 glory. The vtflcl is now decayed and broke up, but a chair
 
 T R I tt M P H A N f . Jf 
 
 made of the wood is ftill preferved in the univerfity of Ox- 
 ford. In 1585 he failed again to the Weft-Indies, accompa- 
 nied by many officers of diftiiiction and reputation. Here he 
 took St. Jago, St. Domingo, Carthagenaj and St. Anguftin ; 
 but the profits from thefe being but moderate, he proceeded 
 to Lifbon, with a fleet of thirty fail, and having intelligence 
 of a great fleet which was to have made part of the Spanifh 
 Armada, which was to have invaded England, being in the bay 
 of Cadiz, he entered the port, and burnt ten thoufand ton of 
 fhipping ; and having advice that a large carrack was expected 
 at Tercera from the Eaft-Indies, he failed thither, and took 
 and carried her home in triumph. Upon his arrival at Ply- 
 mouth, he brought water by pipes into the town, which was 
 of infinite fervice: the courfe he brought it was upwards of 
 twenty miles. In 1588, Sir Francis Drake was appointed 
 vice-admiral. After which he made a prize of a large gal- 
 leon, commanded by Don Pedro de Yaldez, who was ftruck 
 with terror at the very mention of his name. Here he ge- 
 neroufly diftributed fifty thoufand ducats among the feamen 
 and foldiers. The next year he commanded the fleet fent 
 to reftore Don Antonio king of Portugal, the command of 
 the land-forces being given to Sir John Norris. The admi- 
 ral and general differed in their opinions, by which the expe- 
 dition came to nothing; but Drake vindicated his conduct 
 to the queen and council, which was approved of by them, 
 The War with Spain ftill continuing, Sir John Hawkins and 
 Sir Francis Drake propofed galling the enemy by a more for- 
 midable expedition than had ever been made to the Indies. 
 They propofed to be at the moft part of the expence them- 
 felves, and that their friends fhould bear a confiderable {hare 
 in the reft. The queen was pleafed with the motion, and 
 furni&ed them with a flout fleet of twenty-leven mips and 
 barks, and two thoufand five hundred men. This expedi* 
 tion fucceeded worfe than any of the former ; the fleet be* 
 Mig detained on the Englifh coafts by the arts of the Spani-
 
 * BRITANNIA 
 
 ards, in pretending they were going to invade England with 
 a great fleet; and to make this more readily believed, they 
 made a defcent on the coaft of Cornwall with four gallies. 
 This made the queen and nation judge it prudent to keep 
 thofe large mips at home for the defence of the nation. By this 
 ilratagena they gained their point j for by this time they h-id 
 got home all their plate-fleet, excepting one galleon, which 
 had loft a maft, and was put into Porto Rico. The queen 
 recommended their taking of her, but the two commanders 
 differing, their attempts were unfuccefsful, the Spaniards ha- 
 ving fent five ftout frigates to bring off the galleon. On the 
 thirtieth of October, Sir John Hawkins weighed from Domi- 
 nica, and that evening one of the fternmoft of Sir John's (hips 
 fell in with the five fail of SpaniQi frigates before mentioned, 
 and was taken : the thoughts of which threw Sir John into 
 a fit of ficknefs, of which, and a broken heart, he died, the 
 twelfth of November, 1595. At this time they were before 
 Porto Rico, where they made a defperate attack, and deft roy- 
 cd many of their Clipping. From thence he proceeded and 
 took the town of Rio de la Hacha, which he burnt all to the 
 ground, except the church and one houfe. He burnt feve- 
 ral other villages along the coaft, with the famous town of 
 Nombre de Dios, the Spaniards refufing to ranfom any of 
 thofe places. The twenty-ninth of December Sir Thomas 
 Bafkerville marched with feven hundred and fifty men to- 
 wards Panama, but returned the fecond of January, without 
 effecting any thing. This difappointment threw the admiral 
 into a lingering fever, attended with a flux, of which he di- 
 ed, on the twenty-eighth : though fome doubts were enter- 
 tained, whether bare ficknefs was the principal eaufe of his 
 death. 
 
 Thus died this great man at the age of fifty-one. His 
 death was lamented by the whole nation. He was twice e- 
 lefled member of parliament, viz. for the borough of Tin- 
 tagal, in Cornwall, and Plymouth. He was married to Eli*
 
 TRIUMPHANT. 5$ 
 
 zabeth, the daughter, and fole heirefs of George Sydenham, 
 of Combe- Sydenham, in the county of Devon, but died with- 
 out any iffue. He was low of ftature, but well fet, had a 
 broad open chin, a round head, his hair of a fine brown, his 
 beard full and comely, his eyes large and clear, of a fair com- 
 plexion, with a frefti, chearful and engaging countenance. 
 He was the firft author of navigation in the Weft-Indies. He 
 was the firft that fhewed his nation that it was practicable 
 to acl againft the Spaniards, both by fea and land, with a 
 finall force. He was the firft who brought tobacco into Eng- 
 land, and was the author of our trade to the Eaft Indies; 
 and firft advifed the eftablifhing of a cheft at Chatham for 
 the relief of feamen wounded in their country's fervice. 
 Though he was ftrict in maintaining difcipline, yet he was 
 well obeyed from a principle of affection, fo that we find he 
 was feldom conftrained to any. acts of feverity.
 
 THE 
 
 L IF E 
 
 O F 
 
 SIR WALTER RALEIGH. 
 
 SIR WALtEft RALEIGH was born at Budley in 
 Devonfhire, in the year 1552, was thefon of Walter Ra- 
 leigh Efq; of Fardellj near Plymouth. He had his educati- 
 on at Oriel college in Oxford, here he made furprifing pro- 
 grefs in all ufeful literature. He quitted the college at the 
 age of feventeen, and entered a volunteer, with feveral other 
 young gentlemen of good families, under his kinfman Henry 
 Champernon, to go to the affiftance of the oppreffed protef- 
 tants in France; this was in the year 1569. In this expedi- 
 tion he acquired great knowledge and character ; fo that he 
 had the command of a troop of horfe in Languedoc, and was 
 at the battle of Moncontour in Poiclou, where the proteftant 
 army that was near totally broken was faved by the prudence 
 and refolution of Lewis of NaiTau. He was engaged here 
 upwards of five years, and did not return to England till 1575, 
 and the fame year entered into the fervice of the prince of 
 Orange, where he fought bravely againft the Spaniards in 
 the Netherlands; and on his return home had improved him- 
 felf fo much as to be thought one of the moft accompliihed 
 men of the age. Next year his half-brother Sir Humphrey 
 Gilbert, having obtained a patent for making difcoveries in
 
 JB R I r A N N I A, &c. *f 
 
 America, Sir Walter engaged to go with him on this expe- 
 dition. Though he proved unfuccefsful in this expedition, 
 having met with a flronger enemy than he expected, and 
 loft one of their mips, yet his character was fo well eftablifh- 
 ed, that he obtained a captain's commiffion under Arthur 
 Lord Grey, deputy of Ireland, where he went to aflift in 
 quelling the dangerous rebellion of the earl of Deftnond, 
 who was joined by a body of Spanifh and Italian troops, fup* 
 ported by his holinefs the pope. On his arrival in Ireland, 
 in 1581 , he furprized the Irifh kearns at Rakele, all of whom 
 he took alive except thofe who refufed quarter. He bore 
 a great fliare in the reduction of the cattle of Del Ore, where 
 he was the firft who entered the cattle fword in hand. When 
 the army entered into winter quarters, Raleigh was ordered 
 to Cork, where he was of eminent fervice in fuppreffing the 
 feditious practices of lord Barry ; for which he was rewarded 
 next fpring, by being joined in commiffion with Sir William 
 Morgan, in the government of Munfter ; and far his iignal 
 fervices in that capacity, was rewarded with a large eftate 
 in that country. In Auguft this year he was made gover- 
 nor of Cork ; but having many enemies, he was recalled to 
 England, and was foon introduced to his royal miftrefs, 
 where he met with a favourable reception, and was nomi- 
 nated by her, among other perfons of diftincUon, to accom- 
 pany the duke of Anjou on his return to the Netherlands ; 
 and at his return the lame year, was charged with the prince 
 of Orange's letters to the queen, and met with great counte- 
 nance from the great men at court, particularly from the 
 earl of Leicefter, the queen's favourite, which laid a foun- 
 dation for his future fortune at court. Raleigh foon enter- 
 ed again into an engagement with his brother Sir Hum- 
 phrey Gilbert, in an expedition to Newfoundland j for which 
 he fitted out a fhip of two hundred tons, called the bark 
 Raleigh, which was obliged to return to Plymouth, upon 
 account of a contagious diftemper that raged amongft the
 
 ti BRITANNIA 
 
 fliip's company. After Sir Humphrey had taken pofTcflion 
 of Newfoundland, in right of the crown of England, being 
 fully perfuaded that making difcoveries in North America 
 would be of great fervice to his country, he obtained a pa- 
 tent from the queen and council, for difcovering fuch re- 
 mote and barbarous lands, as were not in the pofleflion of 
 any chriflian power. Upon this he fitted out two flout mips, 
 and on the twenty-fcventh of April, fet fail from England for 
 the coaft of North America, where they arrived on the fe- 
 cond of July ; and after having run one hundred and twenty 
 miles along the fhore, they debarked on a very low ifland cal- 
 led Wokoken, and took poffeilion of the country in the name 
 of the queen of England. Here they carried on a valuable 
 trade with the natives, who, in exchange for their trinkets, 
 gave them fifh, venifon, furs and deer fkins; and after having 
 learned the number and ftrength of the Indian nation in 
 thofe parts, returned fafe to England in September, and gave 
 fuch a favourable report of the fertility of the ifland, that 
 made her majefty refolve upon fettling a colony there, and 
 beftowing on it the name of Virginia, in memory of her be- 
 ing a maiden queen. Raleigh was now become very popu-? 
 lar, and returned knight of the (hire for the county of De- 
 von, where he made a confiderable figure. While he was 
 member of the houfe, an occafion offered of his coming be- 
 fore the queen as a fenator, upon which he received the ho- 
 nour of knighthood. He alfo obtained a confirmation of his 
 patent for difcovering of foreign countries; and to enable 
 him to profecute his dcfign with fuccefs, Ihe granted him an 
 exclufive licence for felling wines thro* the kingdom. This 
 year he fitted out a fleet of feven fail to profecute his grand 
 defign, and appointed Sir Henry Greenville general of the 
 expedition, and Mr. Ralph Lane governor of the colony. 
 They failed from Plymouth on the ninth of April, and came 
 to an anchor at Wokoken on the twenty-fixth of June. Here 
 left a colony, and in their return home took a Spanifh
 
 TRIUMPHANT. 63 
 
 prize worth fifty thoufand pounds. This year, he had a roy* 
 al grant of twelve thoufand acres of ground out of the for- 
 feited eflates in Ireland, for his fervices in fupprefling the re- 
 bellion in Munftcr. This encouraged him to fit out a third 
 fleet for fupporting and increafing his little colony. In his 
 return home, he took more prizes from the Spaniards than 
 they could bring home, in one of which was the governor 
 of St. Michael's ifland and the governor of the ftreights of 
 Magellan. This year Sir Walter fitted out a fine pinnace to 
 the fouth fea, and gave the command of her to the earl of 
 Cumberland. All his fuccefs was in taking a few fmall prizes. 
 This year, 1586, he was made fenefchal of the dutchies of 
 Cornwall and Exeter, and lord Warden of the ftanneries of 
 Devonfhire and Cornwall. In 1587 he was made captain 
 of her majefty's guard, but he had the difagreeable news 
 to hear that his little colony in Virginia had been cut off by 
 the natives, and his fliips had been robbed by two large men, 
 of war from Rochelle. This year he was appointed one of 
 the council of war, where he was of eminent fervice by his 
 advice and fchemes for ruining the armada. He raifed and 
 difciplined the militia in Cornwall; and in 1588 he joined 
 the fquadron, compofed of many nobles and gentlemen, and 
 bore his fhare in the feveral engagements, and at laft in the 
 total deftruction of the invincible Spanilh armada. In 1589 
 he difpofed of his right and title to Virginia to certain gen- 
 tlemen merchants in London, making the referve of only 
 one fifth part of the gold and filver ore that might be found 
 there, and generoufly contributed one hundred pounds to 
 their expence in improving the colony. In 1589 he was or- 
 dered with Sir Francis Drake and Sir John Norris to affift 
 Don Antonio king of Portugal, in order to recover his do- 
 minions from Philip II. king of Spain. In this expedition 
 he took a great number of mips belonging to the king of 
 Spain's fubjecls: for which he and the other commanders 
 -A ere honoured with a gold chain by the queen. In
 
 ^4 BRITANNIA 
 
 he fitted out a, ftrong fleet of thirteen fail, and the queen ad- 
 ded two (lout men of war to them ; but being detained twelve 
 weeks by contrary winds, he failed on the lixth of May, but 
 next day was recalled by the queen's order : however he di- 
 vided his fleet into two fquadrons, one of which he gave the 
 command of to Sir John Burgh, who proceeded to the A- 
 zores, and cruized there for the carracks from the Eaft In- 
 dies, and the other to Sir Martin ForbiQier, to cruize on the 
 Spanifh coafts. Sir John Burgh, fell in with the Madre de 
 Dios, one of the largeft mips belonging to the crown of Por- 
 tugal, her cargo valued at one hundred and fifty thoufancj 
 pounds : fhe carried one thoufand fix hundred tons, thirty- 
 two brafs cannon, feven hundred pafTengers. Her cargo 
 freighted ten large (hips. It is reported the failors embez- 
 zled the one half of her cargo. 
 
 In 1591 he exerted all his eloquence in the parliament, de- 
 claring for an open war with Spain. This gained him many 
 enemies, particularly among the clergy, who reprefented him 
 as an atheift. This charge was owing to his obtaining a grant 
 of fome church lands in 1494; however he was fo impru- 
 dent in the midfl of all his favours from the queen, as to fall 
 in loye with Mrs. Elizabeth Throgmorton,one of the queen's 
 ladies of honour, the fruits of which could not be concealed, 
 though he afterwards married the lady. By this means he 
 acquired her majefty's high difpleafure, and for which fhe 
 put him under arrell for feveral months, and could never be 
 perfuaded to admit him to her prefence till his return from 
 Guiana, from which he brought home a considerable quanti- 
 ty of gold. In 1596 he was reflored to favour at court, and 
 appointed of council to the earl of EfTex and the lord high 
 admiral Howard in the expedition undertaken that year againft 
 Cadiz. The fuccefs of which was entirely owing to his ad-* 
 vice and gallant behaviour. Here he had feveral wounds, 
 which deformed his body, which he fays, was all the reward 
 Jie got for his gallant behaviour. However, on his arrival
 
 TRIUMPHANT. 65 
 
 at London he was highly approved of by the queen and the 
 whole nation, and foon after reftored to his poll of captun of 
 the guards, and admitted as formerly to private confer- 
 ences, and into the privy chamber. Sir Walter after his re- 
 turn continued his defign of fettling Guiana, and accordingly 
 difpatched another (lout pinnace, and gave the command to 
 captain Leonard Berrie, where Ihe arrived fafe, and brought 
 further accounts of the ftate and riches of the higher coun- 
 try. In 1597 Sir Walter was engaged as rear-admiral under 
 the earl of EfTex in an expedition to the iflandb. lie was like 
 to have had his life taken from him for ftorming and taking 
 the town of Fayal, in the earl's abfence. After this lie took 
 feveral prizes, that paid his men, fo that he got great credit j 
 and in their return home they took Faro, in the kingdom of 
 Alquera. In the beginning of Augutl, 1599, the queen fit- 
 ted out a formidable fleet, of which Sir Walter was made vice- 
 admiral, the queen then fearing an invafion from Spain; but 
 this foon fubfiding, Sir Walter repaired to court to folicit the 
 Me, title, and dignity of a baron. May, 1600, Sir Walter 
 was fent with fome private inftructions to the camp of prince 
 Maurice of NaiTau, in Flanders; and upon his return in Au- 
 guft, he was preferred to be the governor of Jerfey. Next 
 fummer he attended the queen in her tour through the king- 
 dom, and was appointed to confer with the French ambaflV 
 dor, by her majetty's command. After the queen's demife, 
 Raleigh expected to have been as much in favour with James I. 
 her fucceflbr; but this prince being no martial man, Ra- 
 leigh faw himielf neglected and ill-treated, the captainftiip of 
 the guards taken from him, thrown into prifon, and convict- 
 ed of high-treafon, without the lead fhadovv of a proof. The 
 king figned the warrant for all the others but Raleigh, but 
 could not be prevailed upon to fign his; fo that in December 
 he was removed to the tower. However, upon petition, his 
 wife was allowed to ftay with him, and by degrees he ob- 
 tained a grant of all his goods that were forfeited to tl\f 
 
 E
 
 66 BRITANNIA 
 
 crown. All his eftates were alfo reftored to him. Raleigh 
 now expelled to be reftored to his former condition ; but in 
 this he was iniflaken. His enemies fell upon another project 
 of ruining his affairs, by putting Robert Carr, afterwards earl 
 of Somerfet, who had no fortune of his own, to petition the 
 king for Sherborn manor. They pretended to have difco- 
 vered a flaw in the conveyance of Raleigh's eft ate to his fon, 
 which was only a fingle word left out by the clerk ; his eftate 
 was deemed to be forfeited to the crown for the benefit of 
 the favourite. Sir Walter wrote a very fubmiffive letter to 
 the favourite, which had no effect: tho* afterwards prince 
 Henry begged Sherborn for himfelf, and reftored it to Ra- 
 leigh ; but on the prince's death it was again taken from Ra- 
 leigh, and given to the favourite, who was at laft convicted 
 of poifoning Sir Thomas Overbury, and was executed. Upon 
 \vhich Sir Walter was releafed, in 1616, but could not 'obtain 
 his eftate again. Sir Walter having been confined upwards 
 of twelve years, was fet at liberty, through the intexceffion of 
 fome of the royal family, and the influence of Sir George Vil- 
 liers, a rifing favourite, to whom he had promifed a fliare in 
 his future fortunes. As foon as he was releafed, his thoughts 
 \vere employed on another voyage to Guiana j for which pur- 
 pofe he railed on his own and his wife's eftate ten thoufand 
 pounds. As foon as his defign was made public, feveral mo- 
 nied and public fpirited men joined him, who were to be en- 
 titled to a fhare in the profits of the voyage, acccording to the 
 fums they advanced. The king alfo granted him a fpecial 
 commiflion for the voyage, which conftituted him general and 
 commander in chief, giving him full power over the lives 
 of all his followers. His commiflion was figned Auguft 
 the twenty-fixth, 1616; and Sir Francis Bacon affirms, that 
 the power veiled in him was fufficient to any formal pardon 
 the king otherwife might have granted him. He had ten 
 fhips of good force, befides fmall craft. He defign ed to have 
 failed the end of March, but feveral accidents prevented hint
 
 TRIUMPHANT. 67 
 
 till the beginning of July. Soon after he left Plymouth, he 
 was driven into Cork in Ireland by a violent ftorm, where he 
 was detained feven weeks by contrary winds. He put to fea 
 from hence on the nineteenth of Auguft. September the 
 
 s fixth he arrived off the ifland of Lancerotta, and defired leave 
 of the governor to trade for provifions, which was refufed 
 him, and they fell upon his men in their retreat, and Hew one 
 
 , of them, and would have flain more, had it not been for the 
 gallant behaviour of young Raleigh. From thence they fleer- 
 ed to Gojuera, a good port, and well defended. Here they 
 endeavoured to oppofe his landing ; but after alluring the go- 
 vernor that they wanted nothing but what they would pay 
 for, and that if any of his men fhould breed the leaft riot they 
 mould be hanged, he was allowed to land. The governor, 
 in a letter to the Spanifli ambaffador at the court of London, 
 allowed his good behaviour, giving him the character he juft- 
 ly deferved. From thence he proceeded to Guiana, and ar- 
 rived the feveriteenth of November off the river Cahana. Here 
 he continued till the fourth of December. He was received 
 here with the utmoft joy by the Indians, who offered to 
 make him their king, which he refufed. Sir Walter was 
 feized here with fuch a violent fit of ficknefs, that he was not able 
 to profecute the difcovery of the mine, and therefore commit- 
 ted the execution of the project to captain Keymies's manage* 
 ment, fending his fon along with him, with five mips, and fif- 
 ty men in each. They failed up the river Oronoque, and to 
 
 , their great difappointment found a town of one hundred and 
 
 , forty-eight houfes, a chapel and convent, built in the midfl of 
 the channel, which was called St. Thome, defended by a gar- 
 rifon. Near this town was the gold mine. The Spanifli 
 troops having intelligence of their coming, fell upon them be- 
 fore day break, and they were put into confufion, and would 
 
 -' have been all killed, had not the officers rallied them, and 
 purfued the enemy into the town, where the governor renewed 
 the fight, in which Sir Walter's fon was flain. Victory a$ 
 E 2
 
 68 BRITANNIA 
 
 laft declared for the Englifli ; and after the governor and ali 
 his men were flam, the common men fled into the woods, after 
 fetting fire to the town. They defigned going to the mine, 
 but there were fo many ambufhes laid in the woods, that it 
 was impoffible to get there, feveral men being killed in the 
 attempt. Captain Keymies however brought away two in- 
 gots of gold, with feveral maps, memorials, and letters, by 
 which it appeared that Raleigh had been betrayed into the 
 hands of the Spaniards. Raleigh by this means faw he 
 would be. undone with the king. Captain Keymies fho him- 
 felf in his cabbin. The news of the burning St. Thome, and 
 their difappointment in not getting the mine, reached Eng- 
 land before Sir Walter. The king iilued a proclamation 
 the eleventh of June, difapproving his conduct. An order 
 was fent to the high flieriff of Devon to arrefthim at his land- 
 ing. Sir Walter perceived by this time that he muft either fall 
 a facrifice to his enemies or make his efcape to France ; but 
 it was faid that Stuckley his relation difcovered this when he 
 was below Woolwich, and he was taken out and carried a fe- 
 cond time to the tower, from whence he was carried by ha- 
 beas corpus to the court of king's bench, Weftminfter, where 
 the record of his fentencc was read, and the' chief juftice de- 
 manded what he had to offer. He made a reply, and plead- 
 ed his majefty's commiflion, which the court refufed to hear; 
 fo that the very nest day, being Thurfday the twenty-nintli- 
 day of October, Sir Walter was brought by the meriff to fuf- 
 fer in Old Palace Yard, tie behaved at his execution in the 
 moft heroic manner; after giving his hat, cap, arid money 
 to his attendants, he ftripped off his doublet, and defired to 
 fee the ax; and obferving the irurpnefs, faid, This is a phy- 
 iician for all difeafes. His head was ftruck from his body at 
 two ilrokes. The meriff delivered it with his body, to his 
 relations ; but his widow kept his head in a cafe by her for 
 twenty-nine years, and it was at laft put into the coffin with 
 his fon, who died in the fixty-firil year of his age. Such was-
 
 TRIUMPHANT. fy 
 
 the end of this great man : he diftinguifhed himfelf as a fol- 
 dier, a wife ftatefman, a profound fcholar, and fcarce any ever 
 equalled him in the duties of a private and focial life. He 
 fpent a great part of his confinement in writing the hiftory 
 of the world, and feveral other tracts, fome of which are print- 
 ed. The patron of his ftudies was prince Henry. Some 
 part of his time he fpent in the ftudy of chymiftry, and em- 
 ployed his thoughts upon whatever he thought; might prove 
 beneficial to mankind. 
 
 A four days engagement between the Englijh under the command 
 of Prince Rupert and the earl of Albemarle* and the Dutch 
 fact 'under Dt Ruyter, Cornelius Van 1'romp and Evsrtzcn. 
 
 IN the beginning of the year 1666 the French king at the 
 repeated inftances of the States General, and at the fame 
 time, purfuing his intereft, to keep up the divisions between 
 the two maritime potentates, in order to weaken both, and 
 that the Dutch might be induced to continue the war they 
 found themfelves unequal to, became a party with them in it. 
 He recalled his arnbafladors, and having on the nineteenth of 
 January declared war againft England, fitted out a fleet of 
 fix and thirty men of war, befides galleys and fire-fliips, un- 
 der the command of the duke de Beaufort. 
 
 Rapin lays, the king of France entered into this war, for 
 no other reafon but to buoy up the peniioner, (De Wit) who 
 was entirely in his intereft, and could no longer fupport hirn- 
 felf without this declaration. Bat there was another motive, 
 which perhaps weighed as much or more with him than this, 
 and that was, to have a fair opportunity of encreafmg his na- 
 val forces, and to become more confiderable at fea, in order to 
 
 E 3
 
 t 
 
 70 B R I 1 AN N 1 A 
 
 perpetrate other views in the fequel. He got permlflion of 
 the States, by means of the (and perhaps his) penfioner De 
 Wit, to build twelve men of war in Holland, (befides others 
 he was allowed to build in Denmark) and to purchafe as ma- 
 ny more ftout merchant men, together with vaft quantities 
 of ammunition ; fome of which mips were afterwards employ- 
 ed againft themfelves : And how little of thefe naval prepa- 
 rations he made ufe of, for the fervice of the Dutch, we (hall 
 fee below. 
 
 The fleet under the duke de Beaufort, which the king of 
 France had promifed mould join with that of the ftates, was 
 tn the Mediterranean, and by feveral accidents, either real or 
 feigned, did not come to Belleille, where he was to be at 
 hand, to join the Dutch fleet in the Channel, till the latter 
 end of September. 
 
 The Dutch, in hopes of this afliftance, ufed their utmoft 
 diligence to get early to fea this fpring, and, on our fide, all 
 preparations were made for doing the like. 
 
 The king proclaimed war againft France the beginning of 
 February; and the fleet being now ready, confiding of feven- 
 ty-eight ihips of the line, befides frigates and fire-mips, was 
 put under the command of prince Rupert, and the duke of 
 Albemarle. They arriving in the Downs the nine and twen- 
 tieth of May, received advice that the French fleet was come 
 out to fea, in order to join the Dutch. Upon this news, tho* 
 it proved a falfe alarm, for prince Rupert received exprefs or- 
 ders from the King to make the beft of his way, with the 
 whole White Squadron, excepting the admirals, to the Ifle 
 of Wight, in order to intercept them as they came up the 
 Channel. With .the fame wind which carried the prince to 
 St. Helen's, the Dutch put to fea, and finding the Englifh 
 fleet divided, would not lofe fo favourable an opportunity. 
 They therefore refolved to engage the duke of Albemarle, 
 with a vaft fuperiority. The duke, far from declining the 
 battle, tho' the Blue and Red Squadron, which remained un-
 
 I 
 
 T R I ti M H A N T. ?i 
 
 der his command, did not amount to more than between fifty 
 and fixty fail, encountered them with lingular bravery, tho* 
 fo much inferior in ftrength ; and notwithftanding the wind, 
 blowing hard at fouth-weft, made his {hips ftoop fo, that they 
 could not ufe their lower tire of guns. This difadvantage 
 the Dutch themfelves allow, and Bafnage, to the honour o 
 general Monk, fays, he chofe rather, as he had the wind, to 
 fight at this difadvantage, than to defer the battle. 
 
 The Dutch fleet, which was commanded by De Ruyter, 
 confided of feventy-one (hips of the line, twenty frigates, 
 thirteen fire-fhips, arid eight yachts; carrying four thoufand, 
 feven hundred and fixtecn guns, and above two and twenty 
 thoufand men. De Ruyter commanded, in particular, the 
 fquadron of the Maefe ; that of North Holland and Frief- 
 land was commanded by Evertzen, and that of Zealand by 
 Van Tromp. Notwithftanding this great fuperiority of the 
 enemy, De Ruyter confefTes, in a letter to the States, that 
 the Englilh were continually the aggreffors in this remarka- 
 ble fight, which lafted fo many days. It was they, likewife, 
 who begun the battle, by attacking the Dutch, as they lay 
 at anchor between Dunkirk and the North Foreland; and with 
 fuch impetuofity, that (as De Ruyter confeffes, in the fame 
 letter) they were obliged to cut their cables to put themfelves 
 in a pofture to receive them. 
 
 With this vaft difadvantage the engagement begun, and 
 the battle was fought four days fucceflively. The battle be- 
 ginning the firft of June, and not ending quite till the fourth 
 at night. 
 
 In the beginning of the very firft day's engagement (which 
 was very fierce on both fides) Van Tromp's fhip was fo much 
 difabled that he was obliged to go on board another. De 
 Ruyter, upon this, coming to his afliftance, met with the 
 fame fare, and the powder of another Dutch fhip, taking fire, 
 blew her up into the air. 
 
 If we will believe Rapin, the advantage of the firft day's 
 E 4
 
 ? 2 S R 1 r A N N 1 A 
 
 engagement was on the fide of the Dutch, and that they funk 
 Srft an Englifh fhip of fifty guns, then another of feventy 
 gunsj and afterwards three other firft rates. The greateft 
 fofs continues he, the Dutch fufhined was that of vice ad- 
 miral Evertzen, who fell by a cannon ball. 
 
 Towards the latter end end of the day, Sir John Harman, 
 rear admiral of the White, being furrounded by a throng of 
 Dutch, fignalized himfelf, by the death of the Zealand ad- 
 miral Evertzen, and the deftruclion of three of the enemy's 
 firefhips, after which, being left by the enemy, he retired 
 with his difabled fhip to Harwich. Sir William Berkeley, 
 vice admiral of the White, and almoft all his men, being kil- 
 led, his (hip with two more, which were cut off from the 
 line, and difabled, were taken. 
 
 The night, having put an end to the firft days fight, about 
 ten o'clock, was fpent in repairing damages. The engage- 
 ment was renewed the next morning by break of day, and 
 \vas continued for fome hours, trll a ealm obliged both fleets 
 fo lie by till noon. A breeze coming up in the afternoon 
 the battle began again, and was fought with equal bravery. 
 Van Tromp having once more been obliged to leave his fhip, 
 or, as others fay, having voluntarily Ihifted from ihip to 
 Ihip, and fought in variety of fhapes, at length was fo hard 
 befet by the Englilh fhips, together with the vice admiral 
 Vander Hulft, who was killed with a mulket (hot, that had 
 not De Ruyter, with an unparalleled bravery brought him 
 off, he had infallibly been taken or funk. One of the Dutch 
 commanders Ruth Maximilian, fpeaking of this incident, fays, 
 the affairs of the Dutch feemed at that time to be in a de 
 perate condition. The Dutsh had this day, according to- 
 Burchett, three fhips fired. The greateft lofs of the Engliffr 
 being three difabled fhips, which they burnt tliemfelves. 
 
 The doke of Albemarle, feeing, towards evening, that the 
 Dutch were reinforced, took the opportunity of the night 
 to retreat, but was obliged to make a running fight of it all
 
 T ft 1 tJ M P H A'H T. #3 
 
 the next day, in hourly expectation of joining the White 
 fquadron. This retreat (the Dutch themfelves own) was 
 made in excellent order, and without any lofs, the Dutch fol- 
 lowing them at a diftance, till the Royal Prince, with Sir 
 George Afycough, admiral of the White fquadron, unfortu- 
 nately ftriking upon the fand, called the Gailoper, was burnt, 
 by the enemy, and himfelf and his m^n made prifoners. In 
 the evening, of the third day, the duke difcovered prince 
 Rupert's fquadron haftening to his affiftance. Being joined, 
 the two admirals refolved to attack the enemy again imme- 
 diately, and fetting their courfe towards them, with drums 
 beating, and trumpets founding, charged thro* and thro* the 
 Dutch fquadrons j but night foon parted them. The next 
 morning by break of day the fight was renewed with equal 
 fury and refolution ; but the accounts we have of this third 
 engagement are fo contradictory, that it is impoffible to re- 
 concile them. I mail therefore only give Mr. Secretary Bur- 
 chett's account, who, one would think, may have had good 
 information, and, I hope, in this account, deferves not to be 
 accufed of partiality. 
 
 Prince Rupert, fays this gentleman, Coming in with his 
 fquadron, the Englilh charged through the Dutch fleet five 
 feveral times with good advantage, and fo broke them, that 
 they had not above five and twenty {hips remaining in a bo- 
 dy, which only maintained a running fight, and retreated to 
 their own coafts, having loft above fifteen mips, with one 
 and twenty captains and above five thoufand common men.
 
 BRITANNIA 
 
 i^.4*reM&*^^ 
 
 An Engagement between the Dutch and Englijk fleets^ and a com* 
 pleat viftcry obtained by the latter. 
 
 T^TOTWITHSTANDING the great lofs fuftained in 
 JL^j thefe laft actions, on both fides> it was not many weeks 
 before both fleets were at fea again, prepared for farther 
 action. The Dutch, being the earlieft, appeared before the 
 Thames mouth, thinking to infult the EngHfh, whom they 
 did not believe to have been in fuch forwardnefs. But they 
 had not been lohg there, before they faw the Englim fleet 
 bearing down upon them, to engage them upon more equal 
 terms than in the laft fight, upon which they immediately 
 retired towards the coaft of Holland. 
 
 The Englifh fleet confided of about eighty men of war and 
 frigates, and eighteen or nineteen firefhips, divided, as ufual, 
 into the red, white and blue fquadrons, the firft of which 
 was commanded in chief, by prince Rupert, and the duke 
 of Albcmarle, who were both in one fliip, the fecond by Sir 
 Thomas Allen, and the third by Sir Jeremy Smith ; under 
 whom Sir Jofeph Jordan, Sir Robert Holms, Sir Thomas 
 Tiddeman, Sir Edward Spragge, Captain Urbert, and Cap- 
 tain Kempthorn, commanded as flag-officers. 
 
 The Dutch were, according to their own accounts, eigh- 
 ty-eight men of war, and about twenty fire-fhips, divided 
 likewife into three main fquadrons, which were commanded 
 by De Ruyter, Evertzen and Van Tromp. The Englifli be- 
 ing come up on the five and twentieth of July, with the Dutch 
 fleet, they came to another engagement, which happened 
 north eaft and by eaft of the north Foreland. 
 
 Sir Thomas Allen, with the white fquadron, began the 
 fight about noon, by attacking the Dutch admiral Evertzen. 
 About one o'clock prince Rupert and the duke made a fu-
 
 T R I U M P H A N T; 7J 
 
 rious attack upon De Ruyter, and after a fight of about 
 three hours, in which they were very roughly handled, they 
 were obliged to leave their {hip and go aboard another. In 
 the mean time, the Friefland and Zealand fquadrons, under 
 Evertzen, were put to flight by Allen ; and this admiral, 
 with his vice admiral De Vries, and his rear admiral Koen- 
 ders were killed ; in this action the Zealand vice admiral 
 Blankert, being left, was taken and burnt by the Englifh, as 
 was likewife the Sneck (or fnail) a {hip of fifty guns. 
 
 Prince Rupert and the Duke, feeing the fuccefs of the 
 white fquadron, redoubled their fury with the red againft 
 De Ruyter, whom they engaged {hip to (hip. In this fight 
 a Dutch fire-fhip was fankj and the {hip Guelderland of fixty- 
 fix guns, one of De Ruyter's feconds, rendered uncapable of 
 action ; but the captain of an Englifli fire-fhip attempting to 
 grapple her, mifcarried, and was forced to fet fire to his (hip 
 too foon. Another Dutch fire-fhip was burnt by the Englifh, 
 and moft of the men drowned. Captain Ruth Maximilian, 
 another of De Ruyter's feconds, was killed, and the two o- 
 thers, Nyhof and Hogenhoeck, mortally wounded. After 
 thefe lofles feveral of De Ruyter's fquadron began to take to 
 their flight ; his vice admiral Van Nes only flood bravely by 
 him, and was very much difabled ; but being at length de- 
 ferted by all but eight or nine {hips, and bore down with 
 numbers, this brave admiral found himfelf obliged to yield 
 to necefiity and follow the reft. 
 
 Van Tromp was all this while hotly engaged with the blue? 
 fquadron under Sir Jeremy Smith, where having gained fome 
 fmall advantage he indifcreetly fuffered himfelf by degrees, to 
 be drawn away to fo great a diftance from the fleet, that it was 
 not in his power to afiift his friends when they were in dif- 
 trefs. As this was an inexcufable error on his fide, fo it ap* 
 pears to have been a mafter-piece of policy, and fo fome 
 Dutch writers take it, on the fide of the Englifh ; Smith's 
 fquadron being the weakeft on our fide, and Van Tromp's
 
 ?S BRITANNIA 
 
 the ftrongeft on the other. In this part of the fight Van 
 Tromp's rear admiral Hoen was killed, and Van Meppd's, 
 the vice-admiral's {hip terribly fhattered, having alone a hun- 
 dred men killed and wounded. On the Englifli fide the Re- 
 folution, a man of war, commanded by Captain Haiman, was 
 burnt by a Dutch fire-fhip. 
 
 There being but very little wind all that night and the next 
 day, De Ruyter's retreat was very flow, and continually ex- 
 pofed to the enemy's fliot, Prince Rupert and the Duke, 
 with part of the red fquadron, being always at his heels ; but 
 not being able to board, by reafon of the calm, they endea- 
 voured to ruin him by a firefhip ; but that mifcarrying, they 
 plied him with fo continual and furious a firing of their or- 
 dinance, that tho' he was remarkable for his intrepid courage, 
 the author of his life in French fays, he was heard to fay, O 
 Dieu ! faut il qui jefois fi malheureux ! Entret ant de mil tiers de 
 boulets, n'y en aura-t-il point un qui m'emporte? Or words to 
 that effect in Dutch, God! muft I then be unfortunate ! A- 
 mongfo many thoufand of balls , will not one be fo favourable as to 
 take me off? 
 
 By this time, it was evident, and the Dutch themfelves are 
 obliged to own, that the Englifh had obtained a compleat vic- 
 tory, having funk or burnt above twenty of their fhips, kil - 
 led, befides Evertzen, admiral of Zealand, Tirrick Hiddes de 
 Vries, admiral of Frielland, and rear admiral Van Saen, with 
 above four thoufand common feamen, and wounded near 
 three thoufand. The remainder of the enemy's fleet got, at 
 length, in the utmoft confuflon, into the Weilings, over the 
 flats and banks, whither our great fhips could not follow them ; 
 and out fleet failed triumphantly along the coaft of Holland, 
 taking their fhips at the mouths of their harbours, till being 
 come off the Vly, they got intelligence by one Heemlkirk, 
 a cafhier'd Dutch captain, that upon thatifland and the Schel- 
 ling were confiderable magazines belonging partly to the 
 States and partly to the Eaft India company, and at anchor
 
 TRIUMPHANT. 77 
 
 >yithin the iflands, a great number of merchant /hips, late- 
 ly arrived from Mufcovy, Guinea, and other parts j with 
 fome outward-bound Chips all richly laden. Upon this infor- 
 mation, the admiral fent in a fquadron, confiding of nine 
 fourth or fifth rate men of war, five fircfliips, and feven 
 ketches, to deftroy them, under the command of Sir Robert 
 Holmes, affifted by Sir Philip Howard, Sir William Jennings, 
 and other officers. 
 
 The next 4ay being the eighth of Auguft, Sir Robert 
 came to an anchor, at eight in the morning, before the Vly, 
 where the wind not favouring their defign, they with fome 
 difficulty turned into Schelling road. The ninth, they had 
 the good fortune to deftroy about a hundred and fixty rich 
 Dutch merchant ftiips, the leaft of which was of two hun- 
 dred tons, with two men of war, their convoy. 
 
 This was effected in the following manner. The Pem- 
 broke, which drew the leaft water, was ordered with the five 
 re-mips, to fall in amongft the fleet with what fpeed they 
 could. Captain Brown, with his nre-ihip, chofe very brave- 
 ly to lay the biggeft men of war on board, which he did, and 
 burnt her down-right. Another fire-fhip running up, at the 
 fame time, to the other men of war, fhe backing her fails, 
 efcaped the prefeut execution of the fireftiipj but me thereby 
 run herfelf on ground, wherefhe was prefently taken by fome 
 of the long boats and fired. The other three firefhips clap- 
 ped the three largeft merchantmen on board, which carri- 
 ed flags in their main tops, and burnt them. This put all 
 their fleet in a great confufion, which Sir Robert Holmes 
 perceiving, made fign for all the officers to come on board a- 
 gain, and prefently gave order that Sir William Jennings, 
 with all the boats that could be fpared, fhould take the ad- 
 vantage to fall in and deftroy all they could, but with drier, 
 command that they fliould not plunder. This order was fc 
 well executed, each captain effecting his {hare, fome twelve, 
 fame fifteen each, that of the whole fleet of one hundred
 
 7 3 BRITANNIA 
 
 and feventy (hips, not above eight or nine efcaped, and 
 they were much damaged ; the reft were all burnt. 
 
 The tenth, they landed with a body of men, confifting of 
 eleven companies on the ifland of Schelling, where they fired 
 the flown of Brandaris confifting of fix or feven hundred, 
 fome accounts fay, a thoufand houfes, upon that ifland, and 
 brought off a confiderable booty, which was all performed 
 without any other lofson our fide, than of fix men killed, and 
 as many wounded, with four or five firefhips confumed, and 
 a few pinnaces funk. As a mark of their triumph, befides 
 the booty the foldiers and failors made, they brought off a 
 fine pleafure boat, belonging to the ftates, of twelve guns. 
 The lofs the Dutch fuftained in {hips, goods, houfes, and o- 
 ther effects, was computed to amount to twelve hundred 
 thouland pounds fterling. 
 
 About this time, the French fleet under the command of 
 the duke de Beaufort arrived at Rochel, where he ftayed to 
 take in a fupply of frefh water, of which he was in great 
 want. 
 
 The Englifli after this fuccefs, being returned to their 
 own coafts, the Dutch notwithftanding all thefe misfortunes, 
 put their fleet to fea again, confifting of feventy-nine men of 
 war, and frigates, and feven and twenty firefhips, under the 
 command of De Ruyter, before a month was at an end, 
 which in hopes of being joined by the French fleet, under 
 the duke de Beaufort, who they were informed lay at Ra- 
 chel, with forty fail, paffed by Dover the firft of September. 
 Prince Rupert, with the Englifli fleet, which had been rein- 
 forced fince the laft battle, and was fuperior to the Dutch, 
 flood after them to the road of Bologne, being very eager 
 to engage them ; but the Dutch, to avoid fighting, hauled 
 clofe in with the fhore, and had been there burnt or run a- 
 ground by the Prince, if a violent ftorm fuddenly coming on 
 tad net forced him to retire to St. Helen's. 
 
 In the meaa while the French fleet failed from the weft-
 
 T H I TJ M P H A N T. 79 
 
 ward, but three or four of their fhips, which feparated from 
 the reft, falling in with Sir Thomas Allen's fquadron, in the 
 Soundings, he took one of them called the Ruby, of a thou- 
 fand tons, feventy guns, and five hundred men, with which 
 lofs the Duke of Beaufort was, or pretended to be, fo dif- 
 couraged, that he immediately returned into port, as the 
 Dutch did, but to their own coafts. 
 
 In the month of December, Captain Robinfon meeting 
 with three Dutch men of war, near the Texel, deftroyed 
 them all, and Captain Urbert, returned from the Streights 
 brought feven rich Dutch prizes with him. 
 
 treachery of the Dutch, in attacking our /hips in the Alediuay, 
 Hope, &c, 
 
 IN the beginning of this year, a treaty of peace between 
 England and Holland was openly fet on foot, by the me- 
 diation of Sweden. Breda was the place appointed for the 
 congrefs, and the plenipotentiaries on all fides being arrived 
 there, a conference was held, about the end of May. In con- 
 fidence of the fuccefs of his treaty, the king forbore to fet 
 out a fleet. But whilft his minifters were negociating at 
 Breda, the Dutch refolved to make an advantage of this his 
 remhTnefs, which they did in the following manner, as agreed 
 upon between the penfioner De Wit, and the French ambaf- 
 fador at the Hague. 
 
 To prepare the way for the execution of this project, a 
 letter was written, through the inftigation of the French mi- 
 nifters, by the queen-mother of England, who was then in 
 France, to inform the king her fon, that both French and 
 Dutch had their eyes wholly turned upon peace, and that they 
 had no defign of fending any fleets to fea that year. A great 
 weaknefs it was in the king, and his council, to give, credit
 
 So JB R I ? A N N I A 
 
 to this with fo implicit a faith, as to confentto a treaty, with* 
 out requiring a ceflation of arras, if he was refolved not to 
 fit out a fleet, and to believe the commencing of a treaty 
 would of itfelf fupply that ceflation. 
 
 The Scots had during the war fent out many privateers ; 
 and they had brought in a good number of rich prizes. The 
 Dutch being, or pretending to be provoked at this, lent Van 
 Ghendt, with a good fleet into the Firth, to burn the coaft, 
 and to recover fuch ihip as were in that part. 
 
 He came into the Firth, on the firft of May. If he had 
 at firft hung out English colours, and attacked Leith har- 
 bour immediately, which was then full of fliips, he might 
 have done what mifchief he pleafed ; for all were fecurc, and 
 were in expectation of Sir Jeremy Smith, with fome frigates, 
 for the defence of the coaft. Van Ghendt did nothing in 
 the Firth for fomc hours : he (hot againft Burnt Ifland, with- 
 out doing any mifchief; for this was all a feint to amufe the 
 King, that he might not dive into the real defign of the 
 Dutch. All being ready, Van Ghendt, with his fquadron, 
 returned, and joined De Ruyter, who with feventy fail of 
 dips, appeared in the Thames' mouth, the feventh of June, 
 and, on the tenth, fending in a fquadron, poflefled themfelvesof 
 the fort at Sheernefs, and burnt or plundered the magazine 
 of ftores, tho' as bravely defended by Sir Edward Spragge, 
 as a place, then unfinifhed, and of no defence, could poilibly 
 be. The Duke of Albemarle, who was lord general, with 
 all expedition hafted down thither, with fome land forces, 
 and, to oppofe the enemy's progrefs, funk fome vefiels in the 
 entrance of the Medway, and laid a ftrong chain acrofs it : 
 but the Dutch, with a high tide, and a ftrong eafterly wind, 
 on the twelfth, broke their way thro' and brunt three mips, 
 the Matthias, the Unity, and the Charles V. (all taken from 
 them this war) which lay to defend the chain. Dutch wri- 
 ters allow, that they would not have had the courage to have 
 attempted breaking the chain, had not one captain
 
 TRIUMPHANT. Si 
 
 \**ho was in difgrace, and under confinement for Come mifde- 
 meanor, follicited for, and obtained his liberty, on condition 
 of making this attempt ; and his fucccfs fully anfwered the 
 boldnefs of his enterprize. The advantage of wind and tide 
 continuing, they advanced, the thirteenth, with fix men of 
 Avar, and five firefliips, as far as Upnore-caftle ; but were fo 
 warmly received by Major Scot, from the caftle, and Sir Ed- 
 ward Spragge, from the oppofice fhore, that they received 
 no fmall damage in their (hips, but more in the lofsof a great 
 number of their men. However, in their return, they jburnt 
 the Royal Oak, and having much damaged the Loyal London, 
 and the Great James, fell down the river again, on the four- 
 teenth, carrying off with them the hull of the Royal Charles, 
 which the Englifh twice fired to prevent that difhonour, but 
 the enemy as often quenched again. In this action, one Cap* 
 tain Douglas (who was ordered to defend the Royal Oak, 
 which was burnt) when the enemy had fet fire to it, receiv- 
 ing no command to retire, faid, ' It fhould never be told that 
 8 a Douglas quitted his poft without orders,' and refolutely 
 continued on board, and was burnt with the (hip, falling a 
 glorious facrifice to difcipline and obedience to command, and 
 an example of fo uncommon a bravery, as, had it happened 
 among the ancient Greeks or Romans, had been tranfmittcd 
 down to immortality with the illuftrious names of Codrus, 
 Cynsegyrus, Curtius, and the Decii. 
 
 The Dutch got out to fea again with the lofs of two (hips, 
 which ran aground in the Medway, and were burnt by them- 
 felves, and eight firefliips fpent in the action, with no more 
 than a hundred and fifty men, according to their accounts, 
 but probably with a far greater number. 
 
 Part of the fleet being left to block up the mouth of the 
 Thames^ under the command of lieutenant admiral Van Nes, 
 De Ruyter, with the reft, proceeded to Portfmouth, with 
 a defign on the fhipping in that harbour; but the earl of 
 Macclesfield and captain Elliot had fo well provided for their 
 F
 
 2 R I ? A N N 1A 
 
 reception, that they thought fit to defifl from any attempt, 
 and failing to the weftward, entered Torbay, with intent ta 
 land there; but being repulfed, returned to the Thames* 
 month $ and tho* they knew the peace was now actually con- 
 cluded, with their accuftomed integrity, came up with five 
 and twenty fail, as far as the Hope, where lay all the {hips of 
 force we had then fitted out, which were about eighteen, un- 
 der the Command of Sir Edward Spragge. Sir Edward hap- 
 pening not to be on board, the enemy did confiderable da- 
 mage with their firefhrps ; but he immediately repairing to- 
 his command, and being prefently joined with fome fmall 
 veffels, under Sir Jofeph Jordan, the Dutch were forced to 
 retire with lofs. They then appeared off Harwich, where 
 they made an attempt on Landguafd fort, but were repulfed 
 with great lofs. 
 
 The Dutch, having re-imbarked their troops at Harwich, 
 failed away again from the Thames, and venturing up as far 
 as the Hope, where Sir Edward Spragge Jay at anchor 
 with a fquadron of Englifh fhips, a fliarp engagement enfu- 
 ed. One of the Englifh firemips grappling with a Dutch 
 firefhip, they both burnt down together, but fo clofe to an- 
 other of the Dutch mips, that me likewife took fire, and blew 
 Up. Soon after, another of their fhips took fire, and burnt 
 down \ and, after that, another of our firefhips and one of 
 theirs, being grappled together, were both burnt. AH the 
 time of this fight, the Englifh made good their place, info- 
 much that another of their men of war run aground, and 
 fired herfelf, and another of their firefhips was burnt, with 
 the lofs of one of ours. When they were about to draw off, 
 they fent one man of war and four firemips towards the 
 Englifh j but with bad fuccefs ; for the foremoft of their 
 firefhips, feeing the English ready with their ketches to cut 
 off their long boats, forfook the veffel, which was prefently 
 feized. And the other three firefhips, fearing to incur the 
 fame fate, burnt themfclves^ which when the Dutch man of I
 
 TRIUMPHANT. 83 
 
 Wat faw, fiie retired and joined the fleet. The Englifli ad- 
 miral then bore up with his own ftiip to the whole fleet of 
 the enemy, and fent off a firefliip, which got up very near one 
 of the enemy's largeft men of war, being ftoutly feconded 
 by our men of war j but being galled by the (hot of the 
 whole fleet, they thought it convenient to come off. Dutch 
 writers differ pretty much from ours in their account of this 
 day's action. They will not allow that they loll any but 
 firemips, of which they own they fpent eleven, and the 
 Englifh, as they fay, eight ; and of courfe they allow us the 
 advantage. 
 
 The Englifh now thought it mod proper to withdraw to 
 Gravefend, and leave the enemy at anchor in the Hope; but 
 the next day they, with the help of their firemips, attacked 
 the Dutch in their turn, and after a fliarp difpute, in which 
 they themfelves fet fire to the only firefhip they had left, to 
 prevent her being taken, obliged them to retreat. They 
 then failed down the Channel to the weftern coafts (after hav- 
 ing been attacked again at the mouth of the river, and fuf- 
 fered fome damage) and having alarmed the country, with fe- 
 veral offers of landing, as firft at Wenbury, in Devonmire, 
 and then near Cowland in Cornwall; at length, when they 
 could diffemble the knowledge of the peace no longer, De 
 Ruyter invited fome of the Cornifli gentlemen on board him, 
 gave them a liberal entertainment, and excufing fome of his 
 latter acts of hoftility,he difmiffed them civilly, and then with 
 his fleety made fail to their own coafts. Rapin, to avoid men- 
 tioning this perfidioufnefs of the Dutch, as prolix as he is 
 fometimes, in other things of lefs moment, fums up thefe 
 tranfactions in a few lines. After this action, De Ruyter 
 (fays he) fet fail for Portfmouth, where he attempted to burn 
 the {hips in the harbour ; but finding that impracticable, he 
 failed to the weft, and took fome fhips in Torbay. They 
 then fleered eaftward, beat the Englifh before Harwich, and 
 gave chafe to a fquadron commanded by Sir Edward Spragge, 
 
 F 2
 
 &4 BRITANNIA 
 
 who was obliged to retire up the Thames. In a word, he 
 kept the coafts of England in continual alarms the whole 
 month of July, till he received the news of the conclufion of 
 a peace. (But to be fure no longer.) 
 
 While the Dutch loitered before the river, and at Tor- 
 bay, without effecting any thing remarkable, the Englifh 
 found means by their privateers, and a fquadron of frigates 
 commanded by Sir Jeremy Smith, in the North Sea, abun- 
 dantly to repair the damage fuftained at Chatham, by taking 
 great numbers of their merchant mips, bound from the Bal- 
 tic and Norway, as alfo from and to France, Spain, Portu- 
 gal, and the Streights: and fome Englifh frigates took a man 
 of war called Het Raedt-huis van Haerlem, which was going 
 with fome others to rejoin their fleet. 
 
 Among others, a gallant action of captain Dawes muft not 
 be omitted. This brave officer, who commanded the Eliza- 
 beth frigate meeting with fifteen fail of Rotterdam men of 
 war, fought with their rear admiral, of fixty-four guns, and 
 five others, of eight and forty and fifcy guns, and prefently 
 after, with the admiral of feventy guns, and two of his fe- 
 conds ; yet got clear of them all, forcing the enemy to lie by 
 the lee. 
 
 Not long after, the fame frigate engaged with two Da- 
 nifh men of war, of forty guns each ; in which action, after 
 four hours fight, the brave captain Dawes was flain with a 
 cannon ball ; but was heard with his laft breath to cry, For 
 God's fake do not yield the frigate to thefe fellows. Soon af- 
 ter, the lieutenant being defperately wounded, and the maf- 
 ter who fucceeded him flain, the gunner took place, who fo 
 plied the two Danes, that they were glad to fleer to their 
 own coaft. The Englifh anchored within a mile of them a!4 
 night to repair damages. The next morning, they expect- 
 ed the Danes again ; but tho* they were to the windward, 
 ami had the advantage of the current, yet they would not
 
 TRIUMPHANT. 8$ 
 
 venture; upon which, the Englifli, after having faluted them 
 with a (hot of defiance, bore away for England. 
 
 Naval expeditions and tranfaftions of the Englift>> with other re- 
 markable occurrences, during the fecond Dutch war, 
 
 TH E naval force of France being now to act in conjuno 
 tion with ours, the count d' Eitrees, the French vice- 
 admiral, came the third of May to Portfmouth with a fquad- 
 ron of (hips of that nation ; and our fleet coming thither foon 
 after from the Downs, they both put to fea. The duke of 
 York, being commander in chief, was with the Red fquadron, 
 in the centre, Monfleur d' Eftrees acting as admiral of the 
 White, with the French fquadron, on the right; and the 
 earl of Sandwich, being admiral of the Blue, on the left. 
 The Englifli fleet conlifted of above a hundred (hips of al). 
 forts, and the French of forty. 
 
 Dutch writers differ very much in their accounts of the 
 force of our fleet ; fome, and particularly the author of De 
 Ruyter's life, pretended, they were a hundred and fixteen 
 fliips, moft of them large, befides four and twenty ketches, 
 and the French eight and forty ftout (hips, but fome of their 
 more moderate writers agree pretty well with our account a.- 
 bove. 
 
 c^o&o<!<^cc&o;fco&<^ f ^o& 
 
 An engagement between the Englijb fleet , under tie command of 
 the duke ef Tork, and the Dutch fleet, under De Ruyter, Van 
 Ghendt and Banckert. 
 
 I 
 
 T was on the nineteenth of May that they difcovercd the 
 Dutch, about eight leagues E. S. E. of the Gunfleet; and 
 F 3
 
 8 BRITANNIA 
 
 the next day they prepared to engage j had not the thick 
 weather which came up, made them lofe fight of each other. 
 Upon this, the Englifli and French fleets put into Solebay, 
 where they continued 'till the eight and twentieth, when the 
 Dutch appeared unexpectedly, at break of day, in the offing, 
 bearing up to them, and had very near furprized them in the 
 bay, many fliips being obliged to cut their cables, to get out 
 and range themfelves in order of battle. 
 
 It is credibly reported, that the day before, the wind be- 
 ing at north-eaft, aftiffgale, the earl of Sandwich, with the 
 other flag officers, being invited to an entertainment on 
 board the duke of York's fhip, took the liberty, in the midft 
 of the jollity, to fay, that the fleet was in danger of being 
 furprized, as the wind then flood, and therefore, it was his 
 opinion, they ought to weigh anchor and put out to fea: 
 whereupon the duke, by a fudden reply, feeming to reflect 
 on this caution of the earl's, as the effect of fear, it is faid, 
 caufed in him a refentment, that was fuppofed to have been 
 fatal in the fequel, (as we mall fee below,) tho' the event 
 fhews, this caution was the effecl: of h;s prudence, and not of 
 his fear. 
 
 Bafnage pretends, that had not De Ruyter been tied down 
 to the formality of calling a council, and advifmg with Cor- 
 nelius de Wit, the deputy of the States, on board the fleet, 
 he might have attacked them in fuch manner, during the 
 furprize, as muft have brought them into the utmoft difor- 
 der. 
 
 The Dutch fleet, which according to moft of their authors, 
 confuted of feventy-five large ftu'ps, and forty frigates and 
 firefliips, was commanded by Banckert, in the van, who at- 
 tacked the White fquadrpn, under Monfieur d* Eftrees j by 
 De Ruyter, who was commander in chief, in the center, ancj 
 fought with the Red fquadron, under the duke ; and by Van 
 Ghendt, in the rear, who engaged with the Blue fquadron, 
 under the lord Sandwich.
 
 TRIUMPHANT. By 
 
 The engagement was begun, between feven and eight in 
 the mornings by the Dutch, with the White fquadron, and 
 the French received them in the beginning, with fome fhew 
 of courage and bravery; but they foon after fheered off from 
 the battle. 
 
 The duke and De Ruyter were, in the mean time, fo 
 warmly engaged for feveral hours, that his royal highnefs 
 was obliged to leave his fliip, the St. Michael, (her main-top- 
 maft, with the ftandard being, according to the Dutch ac- 
 counts, (hot down) and go on board the Loyal London. The 
 earl of Sandwich, in the Royal James, a ftiip of a hundred 
 guns, gave very fignal proofs of his intrepid valour. He 
 was firft attacked by the Great Holland, commanded by cap- 
 tain Brackel (the fame who began the attack at Chatham) 
 followed by a firefhip, and was foon feconded by Vaa 
 Ghcndt's whole fquadron. Brackel, tho' of much lefs force, 
 depending on the afliftance of his friends, who had the ad* 
 vantage of the wind, grappled the Royal James ; and while 
 the earl was engaged with him, he was attacked by Vaa 
 Ghendt ; with feveral other men of war and firefliips, againfl 
 all which he maintained a bloody fight. The Dutch rear 
 admiral, Van Ghendt, was foon taken off with a cannon mot; 
 three of their firefliips and a man of war, which would have 
 laid the earl on board, on the other fide, were funkj and at 
 length, he was difengaged from Brackel's (hip, with which 
 he had been grappled an hour and a half, and had reduced 
 her to the ftate of a wreck, wounded her commander, killed 
 and wounded almoft all his officers, and above two thirds of 
 his men. 
 
 It is faid, that juft before he was difengaged from Brac- 
 kel, three failors, belonging to the Royal James, run up to 
 his main-top maft-head, and cook down his pendant ; but that 
 Brackel, having got the grappling irons loofe, they remained 
 prifoners on board. 
 
 He had now defended himfelf and repulfed the enemy,
 
 68 B R I 1 A N N I A 
 
 in fo brave a manner, for five hours together, and it was 
 believed might have made an honourable retreat too ; but he 
 would not be perfuaded to defift from the unequal combat 
 tho* not feconded, as he ought to have been, by his fquadron. 
 At length, another Dutch fire-fhip, covered by the imoke of 
 the enemy, grappled the Royal James, and fet her in flames j 
 and the brave but unfortunate earl perifhed in her, with fe- 
 veral other gallant officers. But her commarder, Sir Rich- 
 ard Haddock, who was wounded in the thigh, vyas taken out 
 of the fea. 
 
 Of the thoufand men on board, fix hundred were Jdlletf 
 on the deck. When the Ihip was on fire the carl retired to 
 his caJ3bin, where he was followed by his captain, Sir Rich- 
 ard Haddock, who finding him with a handkerchief before 
 his eyes, told him of the danger. But he anfwered, he faw 
 how things went, (reflecting on the words the duke had let 
 fail the day before) and was therefore refolved to perifh with 
 thci Ihip. 
 
 The author of the Columna Roftrata fays, that the earl, 
 being unwilling to leave his fhip, Whilft the leaft hope re- 
 mained of faving her, was left alone to encounter the fire ancj 
 the enemy j Which having done for fame time in vain, he 
 leaped thror* the flames into the fea, and ended his life, to his 
 immortal honour. Dutch writers fay, two of his fons perifh- 
 ed with him, and that endeavouring to efcape, his barge 
 funk, by being overcharged. The author of De Ruyter's 
 life gives the deceafed earl, the epithet of valiant, wife, cir- 
 cunifpect, courteous and candid, as well in words as deeds. 
 This author and Bafnage fay, one only of his fons was drown- 
 ed with him.' 
 
 The death of Van Ghendt, with the furious attack of parfc 
 of the earl's fquadron, which at laft, came in to his refcue 
 tho' too late, caufed foon after, fuch a confufion in Van 
 Ghendt's fquadron, that it flood off, and left the fight for 
 fbme time. This gave opportunity to the Blue fquadron to
 
 TRIUMPHANT 'ft 
 
 Join the Red, and to aflift the Duke of York, who being a- 
 bandoned by the French, was in danger of being bore down 
 by two of the enemy's fquadrons, under De Ruyter, and Bane- 
 ]$:ert. In this fight Cornelius Evertzen, admiral of Zealand, 
 was killed, and De Ruyter himielf, with Allemond, another 
 of their flag officers, narrowly efcaped being burnt by the 
 Englifh fire-fhips. De Ruyter was wounded, a hundred and 
 fty of his men killed, and his fliip fo difabled, that ihe was 
 towed out of the fleet, and with great difficulty got to Zea- 
 jand. Van Ghendt's fquadrpn, which had abfented, for fome 
 time, from the battle, coming in again to the affiftance of De 
 Jluyter, the fight went on with greater fury. The French 
 fquadron ftill kept aloof, and left the Englifh to encounter 
 the whole force of the enemy, with the difadvantage of two 
 to three. JSotwithftanding this inequality, the fight (as the 
 Dutch themfelves own) lafied with great fury, 'till nine at 
 pight, both fides having difplayed all the art and ikill, which 
 could be expected from the moft experienced commanders, 
 iand all the bravery that thirft of honour could infpire. 
 
 Towards the end of the fight, great havock was made a- 
 mong the Dutch firefhips, of which five or fix (as they them- 
 felves allow,) were deftroyed by one Englifh man of war. At 
 laft the whole Dutch fleet being difperfed, and in great di 
 order, and Sir Jofeph Jordan, with the Blue fquadron, get- 
 ting the wind of them, De Ruyter's fhip wa in great dan- 
 ger, of being burn : but being got Joofe from the firefhip 
 which grappled her, tfiat admiral took the oppotunity to ga- 
 ther his fcattered fleet together, and firft quitted the place of 
 JsattJe, thereby allowing the Duke the honour of purfuing 
 him. However, tho* the Dutch hiftorians themfelves allow 
 this, yet fome of them have been fo vain as to boaft of the ad- 
 vantage, and tolay claim to the victory, equally with the Englifh. 
 
 The only pretence upon which they found this claim is, 
 becaufe the Englifh, who were to the windward, did not 
 renew the fight the next day, which is fufficiently anfwered
 
 t* BRITANNIA 
 
 by the behaviour of the French the day before. The Eng- 
 lifli, on the contrary, may with great reafon, claim the ho- 
 nour of the day, not only as they remained matters of the 
 place of battle, but becaufe, (as the Dutch writers themfelves 
 own) they took and carried off a man of war, called the Sta- 
 veren, whereas on their fide, they had not the leaft token of, 
 a victory to produce. 
 
 The author of De Ruyter*s life fays, that in the night 
 after the battle, a little before break of day, one of their men 
 of war, called the Weftergo, blew up by her own powder, 
 cither through neglect or accident. Bafnage is modeller 
 than the reft of the Dutch hiftorians, and only fays, neither 
 fide had any great pretence to a victory. 
 
 The lofs of men was pretty near an equality ; but of fhips, 
 the Dutch will needs have it the moft were miffing oa our 
 fide, there being (fay they) two burnt, and three funk, where- 
 as they loft but three, one burnt, one funk, and the third 
 taken by the Englifh j befides Brackets {hip difabled. Tne 
 French, notwithftanding their great caution, loft two men of 
 war, one burnt and another funk. Among the flain, on our 
 fide, were many brave men of quality, as the earl of Sand- 
 wich, captain Digby, in the Henry, Sir Fretcheville Holies, 
 in the Cambridge ; Sir John Cox, in the Prince ; Monfieur 
 de la Rabeniere, the French rear admiral, the lord Maidftone, 
 Mr. Montague, Mr. Nicholas, and Mr. Vaughan, the two 
 laft of which were of the duke's bed-chamber, befides feveral 
 other perfons of note. The body of the earl of Sandwich 
 was taken up, fadly burnt and mangled, floating at fea, and 
 was afterwards interred, with great folemnity at the king's 
 charge, in Weftminfter abbey. 
 
 The Englifh complained, that the French were wanting 
 in their duty, and only fought at a diftance, after they had 
 feparated from the fleet. This conduct was afcribcd to ie- 
 cret orders given to the count d 1 ftrecs, not to expofe his
 
 TRIUMPHANT. 91 
 
 majefty's (hips too much, but to leave the Englifh and Dutch 
 fleets to effect their own deftru&ion. 
 
 Nothing can give a jufter idea of this fight, than the tefti- 
 mony of the Dutch admiral, De Ruyter, who declared, that 
 he had been in many fea fights, but never was in any fo con- 
 tinual, obftinate and cruel, as this was on the fide of the 
 Englifli. 
 
 , x*X*4HHHK^^ 
 
 Three fever at engagements ', between the Englijb, under the chief 
 command of prince Rupert, and the Dutch, under the chief 
 command of De Ruyter. 
 
 IN the beginning of May, the fleet put to fea, under the 
 command of prince Rupert, the duke of York having 
 refigned his office of lard admiral, upon the paffing of the 
 teft act. The French fleet, under the count d' Eftrees, join* 
 ing the prince's fleet, off" of Rye, they failed in queft of the 
 enemy, to the coafts of Holland. De Ruyter, who had been 
 firft at fea, with a fleet of two and forty men of war, and 
 fixteen other veflels, upon fecret intelligence, that the Eng- 
 lifh fleet would not be ready fp fpon, had a defigu of finking 
 them in the Thames. 
 
 His defign was likewife to fink pertain great hulks, filled 
 with a very heavy ballaft, in the channel of the river 
 Thames, at the mouth of it, to render it unnavigable j which 
 project, having been communicated to, and approved of by 
 the prince of Orange, De Uuyter had inftruclions fent him 
 to that end. 
 
 He came into the mouth of the river, on the fecond of 
 May, where he found he had been mifinformed, and that 
 five and forty large fhips were in readinefs to attack him, 
 He likewife failed in a defign of intercepting our Canary,, 
 , and Newcaftle fleet, in their paffage into the
 
 9* B R T T A N N I A 
 
 river and therefore was returned to Shonevelt, on the coaft 
 of Zealand, where the confederate fleet fell in with him, on 
 the twenty fccond of May. They found them fo advantage- 
 oufly pofted between the banks and fhelves, that they could 
 not with any fafety, be attacked. However, the Englifh, 
 having taken the advantage of a mift, to found the depth 
 round about, refolved in a council of war, to attack them, a- 
 midft all thefe difadvantages. Yet being hindered, firft by a 
 calm, and afterwards by a ftorm, they could not engage 
 'till the eight and twentieth. 
 
 The French admiral carried the white flag, as he had 
 done before, as vice admiral ; (but now to prevent his leaving 
 us, as he had done in the former fight, his flaps were inter- 
 mixed with the Englifh ; and Sir Edward Spragge command- 
 ed the Blue fquadron, as rear admiral. Their united force 
 confifted of about a hundred and ten fhips ; of which theFrench 
 were about a third, and on the other fide, the enemy were 
 near a hundred, commanded by e Ruytcr, Cornelius Van 
 Tromp, and Banckert. 
 
 The count d' Eflrees, with the White fquadron, having 
 the advantage of the wind, began the fight, with Van 
 Tromp. And it fjbon became general, being carried on with 
 great obftinacy and fury. Schram, who was vice admiral of 
 Van Tromp's fquadron, was killed; as was likewife rear 
 admiral Vlag of Banckert's fquadron, with feveral of the cap- 
 tains who commanded under them. The Golden Lion, in 
 which Van Tromp himfelf was, had above a hundred men 
 killed and wounded, and was very much fliattered j and in 
 this condition, (he was very near being burnt by a firefhip, 
 fet upon her by Sir William Reeves. Van Tromp was then 
 obliged to hoift his flag on board the Prince on Horfeback, 
 and her main-maft being fliot by the board, he removedjtp 
 the Amfterdam, and afterwards to the Comet. Of prince 
 Rupert's fquadron, captain Leg boarded and took a Dutch 
 ihip called the Jupiter \ but flic was furprized and retakeu,
 
 TRIUMPHANT. , jj 
 
 while the Englifh were bulled in rummaging her. At length, 
 the furious attack made by Sir Edward Spragge, feconded 
 by the other fquadrons, obliged the Dutch to retreat fo far 
 within their fands, that the Englifh and French could not 
 purfue them, efpecially as it was dark, without the greateft 
 danger, and they were therefore obliged to ftand off. 
 
 De Ruyter and Van Tromp, in their letters to the States, 
 the former however, with more modefty than the latter, pre- 
 tend upon fuppofition and hear-fay, that the Englifh loft four- 
 teen or more {hip's and firefliips ; but our accounts allow no 
 more than one frigate funk, and the firefhips which were 
 fpent in the aftion. The French who behaved tolerably well, 
 in this day's action, had two men of war funk. The Dutch 
 own the lofs of five or fix firefhips deftroyed by our men of 
 war. The Deventer, one of their men of war, which 
 with feveral others, was much difabled and towed out of the 
 fleet, funk before the Wielings, and moft of her men were 
 drowned. 
 
 The confederate fleet remained on the coaft, without re- 
 ceiving any reinforcement, or being able, on account of a ftrong 
 wefterly wind, to get rid of the incumbrance of their wound- 
 ed men ; the Dutch on the contrary, being on their own coafts, 
 were plentifully fupplied with all necefiarics, and re-inforced 
 by feveral men of war, in the room of thofe which were dif- 
 abled in the laft battle. Thefe circumftances (which the 
 Dutch writers themfelves allow) encouraged them, on the 
 fourth of June, the wind having veered about to the North-eaft, 
 a fliff gale, to take that advantage, to leave their lurking- 
 holes, and come off to the confederates. 
 
 They began to approach them about noon, but the confe- 
 derates, to gain fea-room, made a fhew of retiring towards 
 the EngliQi coaft j but having gained this point, they tacked 
 about, and about five in the evening, began the battle, in the 
 fame order as in the former. De Ruyter feemed at firft to 
 defign a clofe fight with prince Rupert j but being come al-
 
 4 "B R 1 r A N N I A 
 
 moft within mufket fhot, bore away again, which made it be 
 fuppofed, he had received fome confiderable damage* In 
 the mean time, Sir Edward Spragge, being engaged with 
 Van Tromp, made fo terrible a fire, that he obliged him to 
 bear off: and encountering afterwards with Sweers, vice ad- 
 miral of Van Tromp's fquadron, he put both him, and his 
 whole divifion to the flight. Spragge likewife encountered 
 Van Tromp, fhip to (hip, but at fome diftance, for want of a 
 wind ; notwithftanding which he fhot down his admiral's flag, 
 and made a terrible flaughter among his men. This brave 
 commander behaved himfelf upon other occafions, likewife 
 during the engagement, with fo much gallantry, and plied 
 his board-fides with fo much fury, as well as good manage- 
 ment, on the enemy's fhips, that whole fquadrons fled before 
 him. The fight lafted till ten or eleven at night; at which 
 time the Dutch, tho' they had the weathergage, and could 
 have obliged the confederates to fight the next day, thought 
 fit to retreat, and ufed their utmoft endeavour to reach their 
 own coafts. This retreat their own writers allow, and prince 
 Rupert, in his account of the action, takes notice of the great 
 confufion the whole Dutch fleet wasin at that time. And indeed, 
 it plainly appears, throughout the whole engagement, that 
 tho* the Dutch came out with a defign to fight, they had no 
 great inclination to it ; for tho* they had the advantage of the 
 wind, they would never make ufe of it, to come to a clofe 
 fight. Rapin for this reafon, calls this battle, rather a can- 
 nonading of about four hours ; but he forgets to obferve, 
 that the confederates, not having the wind, could come no 
 nearer to the Dutch, than they would let them. 
 
 The night being clofed in before the Dutch began to re- 
 treat, with the body of their fleet, the confederates were not 
 fenfible of it for fome hours ; however about two in the morn- 
 ing, they flood after them, and continued the chafe, as well 
 as the wind would let them, 'till fix, when perceiving they 
 were gotten within the fhoals they gave it over, and
 
 TRIUMPHANT. j 
 
 fteered for the Englifh coafts, where they arrived about 
 eleven. 
 
 Becaufe the Dutch did not fee the Englifh and French 
 the next morning, they raifed an argument from thence, that 
 the Englifh retreated the night before; and Van Tromp, 
 who is never fo candid in his relations as De Ruyter, goes 
 fo far in his letter to the States, to fay they chafed the Eng- 
 lifh to within five miles of Solebay ; than which nothing can 
 be more evidently falfe. Bafnage gives the Dutch no other 
 advantage, than that of having prevented the defign of the 
 Englifh, in making a defcent on their coafts. 
 
 The battle having been fought, as I obferved above, at a 
 diftance, there were no fliips either taken or deftroyed, on 
 either fide; but many were very much damaged, efpecially 
 on the fide of the Dutch, which obliged them to decline the 
 battle the next day, tho' they had the advantage of the 
 wind. 
 
 The confederate fleet, having landed their wounded men, 
 and taken in a frefii itore of provifions and ammunition, put 
 again to fea, on the feventeenth of the fame month, (in the 
 prefence of the king, who came down the river to fee the 
 fleet,) with a body of fevcn thoufand frefh troops, whereof 
 fotir thoufand were diftributed on board the men of war. 
 The defign was to attempt a defcent on the coaft of Zealand. 
 They appeared before the Maefe, the twenty-third, the next 
 day, were off of Scheveling and Zandvort, and quickly after, 
 before the Texel ; from whence they cruifed along the whole 
 coaft of Holland and Friezland, to the Vly, Ameland, and the 
 "Weftern Ems; and in the beginning of Auguft, returned 
 again before the Texcl. Thefe various motions of the con- 
 federate fleet were a great inconvenience to the Dutch, as 
 well by harafling their troops, which were obliged to follow 
 them, as by endangering their homeward-bound trade, and 
 particularly a rich Eaft-India fleet, which they were in
 
 9 6 BRITANNIA 
 
 expectation of, and of which they took one fliip very richly 
 laden. 
 
 The Dutch bore with this patiently, near a fortnight, and 
 had the mortification to have not only their harbours block- 
 ed up, 'but their fhips taken in their very fight. At length 
 defpair roufed their courage, and they refolved, in a council 
 of war, held on board De Ruyter's fhip, in the prefence of 
 the prince of Orange, to leave their ftation, and hazard a* 
 third engagement, rather than fuffer thefe infults any longer : 
 but tho', purfuant to this refolution, they put to fea on the 
 third of Auguft, it was the tenth before the fleets met ; De 
 Ruyter having, by a mafter-piece of good conduct, pafled 
 by the confederates, clofe under the {hoar, in the night, and 
 fo got the weathergage of them. 
 
 The confederate fleet confifted of ninety men of war, of 
 which the French made one third : the Dutch pretend they 
 were no more than feventy men of war, tho* they own they 
 were a hundred and eighteen fail. The French on account 
 of their good behaviour, in the laft engagement, were now 
 allowed to make a feparate fquadron again, as at the battle of 
 Solebay ; but they ill requited the confidence the Englifh put 
 in them ; for being attacked by Banckert, after a very (hort 
 difpute, they flood away to the eaft-ward, and remained idle 
 fpe&ators during the whole fight. 
 
 While the French were retreating, the fight between prince 
 Rupert and De Ruyter was very hot, upon which Banckerc, 
 finding the French would engage no longer, and feeing De 
 Ruyter forely preffed, bore down with his fquadron to his 
 affiftance. Upon which the prince, finding himfelf over- 
 powered with numbers, made a retreating fight of it towards 
 the weft- ward. 
 
 Van Tromp and Spragge, had in the mean time, been very 
 hotly engaged from nine in the morning ; the former in the 
 Golden Lion> and the latter in the Royal Prince, fought fhip 
 to fhip. Van Tromp, tho' he had the weathergage, did not
 
 t R I U M I* H A N T. 97 
 
 Venture to come to a clofc fight, or avoided it out of policy j 
 becaufe Spragge, being overcrowded with men, and as he had 
 the fmock in his face, not being able to level his cannon fo 
 truly as hisadverfary could, had the difadvantage,by fighting 
 at a diftance. After three hours fharp engagement, the Roy- 
 al Prince was fo difabled, that Spragge was obliged to leave 
 her, and go On board the St. George ; and Van Tromp, a- 
 bout the fame time, quitted the Golden Lion and hoitled his 
 flag on board the Comet. The battle was now renewed be- 
 tween thefe two great rivals for glory, with equal fury; and 
 their feconds were not behind-hand with them in bravery ; 
 among whom the lord Oflbry, and Sir John Kempthorn, par- 
 ticularly diftinguimcd themfelves. The St. George, after a 
 fharp difpute, being likewife difabled, by the fall of her main- 
 maft, Sir Edward Spragge went into his barge, with a defign 
 to continue the fight, in a third mip; but before he was got- 
 ten fix boats length, a cannon ball, after it had palled through 
 the fides of the St. George, funk the barge and he was unfortu- 
 ilately drowned, lamented not only by his own nation, but by 
 his enemies, who give him the character of one of the braveft 
 fea officers, who ever fought under the Englifli flag. 
 
 Some of the Butch writers fay, that when he took his leave 
 of the king, he promifed his majefty to bring Van Tromp, 
 alive or dead, or to perifh in the attempt. 
 
 We left prince Rupert making a retreating fight before 
 De Ruyter's and Banckert's united Iquadrons j but the two 
 Dutch admirals perceiving Van Tromp to be in danger, al- 
 tered their courfe, and failed diredly to his -afiiftance, as did 
 prince Rupert, immediately afterwards, to fecona Spragge. 
 They all came up to their refpeclive fquadrons, about the 
 time Spragge loft his life ; and now the engagement, being 
 again general, was renewed with greater fury than before ; 
 the prince fending in two fireihips, guarded by captain Leg, 
 upon the enemy, put them into fuch confufion, that had the 
 French then come in, being as they then were, matters of the 
 
 G '
 
 $2 BRITANNIA 
 
 wind, they might eafily have ruined the whole Dutch fie'et. 
 The fight, however, continued till after fun-fet, when dark- 
 nefs and fmoke obliged them on all fides to defift ; the Englifh 
 having, during all this time, maintained the fight alone (while 
 the French continued to look on at a diftance) againft the 
 whole Dutch fleet, with fuch firmnefs and refolution, that 
 the Dutch own, in all their accounts, they fliewed the utmoft 
 proofs of valour, and fought like heroes. And though fome 
 of them, with their ufual vanity, pretend they chafed the 
 Englifh, yet neither DC Ruyter nor Van Tromp aflame to 
 themfelves any fuch honour, in their letters to the States, af- 
 ter the fight, which, if true, they might very well have done, 
 without wounding their modefty. 
 
 Considering the heat of the action, and the time the engage- 
 ment lafted, the lofs of {hips, was inconfiderable ; on the Eng- 
 lifh fide, no mere than the Henrietta yacht, which was funk. 
 The Dutch own the lofs of but three or four firefhips ; but 
 the Engliih are pofitive, and the lord OiTory confirms it, in 
 a letter, that the Dutch had two of their largeft men of war 
 iunky To compensate the lofs of our brave admiral Spragge, 
 the Dutch loft two of their vice admirals, Sweers and De 
 JLiefde, and in return of two of our captains, Sir William 
 Reeves and captain Harman, two (fome fay three) of their 
 captains, one of whom was De Ruyter's fon-in-law, were kill- 
 ed. Of feamen and foldiers, the Englifo, being over-manned, 
 in order for a defcent, were the greateft lofers: but as, in 
 this battle, neither fide can, with jutUce, pretend to a victory, 
 ib were the lofies on both pretty equal j though rather great- 
 er an the Dutch fide than on ours.
 
 TRIUMPHANT. 
 
 An account of taptain Davis's voyage to the Eafl In- 
 dies, in the year me tboufand Jive hundred and ninety 
 eight. 
 
 THIS John Davis was a fkilful pilot, and as fuch, went 
 a voyage in 1598 with the Dutch, to the Eaft In- 
 dies. 
 
 He fet fail on the fifth of December, from Cowes, in the 
 We of Wight j in the Tyger, of two hundred and forty tons, 
 and a pinnace, called the Tyger's Whelp, was with, and in 
 fervice of Sir Edward Michaelbourne. I mall pafs by the 
 former part of this voyage as containing nothing worthy of 
 notice. 
 
 The eight and twentieth of November, 1605, they came 
 within three leagues of Bantam, where they anchored all 
 night 5 and thought to have feen the Engliiii fleet there j but 
 it was gone for England three weeks before. 
 
 The company's factor came however on board, and told 
 them, that the company of the Dutch {hips, that were in the 
 road, had reprefented them to the king of Bantam, as thieves 
 and vagabonds, and fuch as came for nothing but to deceive 
 them, or ufe fuch violence, as time would give them an op- 
 portunity of executing 5 and that the Englifh durft not come 
 into the road among them, but kept two or three leagues off, 
 for /ear of them. 
 
 Sir Edward Michaelbourne, having heard this report, was 
 fo moved, that he weighed anchor, and fent the Hollanders 
 word he would come and ride clofe by their fides, and defied 
 the proudeft of them all to put out a piece of ordnance again il 
 them ; and with all, fent 'em word, 1 that if they did go about 
 either to brave or difgrace him, or his countrymen, he woul t 
 fink them, or fink himfelf by their fides. 
 
 G 2
 
 J66 tiRfl AN Nil 
 
 Of thefe Hollanders, there were five {hips, one of feveti 
 or eight hundred tons, but the reft were of a much fmaller 
 burden. To this meffage, the Dutch did not think fit to 
 make any anfwer; but as much as they bluftered and bullied 
 before, they were now as qufet as lambs, and hardly ap- 
 peared out of their {hips, as long as the Englifh remained 
 there. 
 
 On the feven and twentieth of December, being off of Pan- 
 hange, a country lying between Patane and Jor, they met a 
 junck full of Japonefe, who had been pyrating along the 
 coaft of China and Cambaia, but, having loft their {hip, 
 were making the beft of their way home to Japan in this 
 vcffeL 
 
 They were about ninety in number, and had all the ap- 
 pearance of perfons of fome diftinclion, their pilot only ex- 
 cepted. There paft at firft fome civilities between them, and 
 they vifited and made prefents one to the other : but fix and 
 twenty of the Tyger's men being on board the junck, fearch- 
 ing among their rice for hidden commodities of a greater va- 
 lue, the Japonefe, who had before concerted their defign, fefc 
 tipon them, flew the greater part of them, and drove the reft 
 over board. 
 
 At the fame time they fet upon the {hip like fo many fu- 
 ries, and fought with an incredible fiercenefs. After fome 
 time, the Englim forced them to retire from the half deck, 
 down into the cabin, where they defended themfelves with 
 great obftinacy* fof four or five hours, fetting at laft the 
 cabin -on fire, and fighting with the flames about their 
 cars. 
 
 The Englifli feeing their defperatc defign of burning 
 themfelves with the {hip, planted a couple of great guns, 
 Charged with crofs bars, bullets and cafe-mot, again ft the 
 cabin, and fired in upon them. Thefe guns did fuch execu- 
 tion, that of two and twenty only one efcaped, the reft being- 
 torn a.nd ihattered to pieces,
 
 TRIUMPHANT. rci 
 
 Thus they freed themfelves from this imminent danger^ 
 but with the lofs of a great number of their men, and of their 
 commander, captain Davis himfelf. 
 
 The fate of the Japonefe I have juft mentioned was fo ex- 
 traordinary, that I cannot but think a ffrort account of it 
 rnay be acceptable to the reader. 
 
 To avoid the fury of the Englifli cannon, which had fo 
 miferably mattered his companions, and the frames of the ca- 
 bin, which would foon have confumed him, he jumped over 
 board : but, being near drowned, was taken into the ihip a- 
 gain, where he entreated the Englifh to cut hiiii in pieces. 
 They did not think fit to grant him his requeft. However, 
 inftead of it, they ordered him to be hanged, at the yard's 
 end I fuppofe, but the rope breaking, he fell into the fea ? 
 fwam away, and as it was believed, reached the fliore. 
 
 Thus, in the fpace of a very few hours, he efcapsd death 
 (alone among two and twenty,) by the enemy's mot, he efcap- 
 ed fire and water, he efcaped being cut to pieces at his own 
 defire, he efcaped hanging, and probably drowning, a fecon4 
 time. 
 
 The thirtieth of the fame month, being at anchor near a 
 little ifland, they got intelligence of a Chinefe fleet being ex- 
 peeled there j and this wasjuft what they wanted. 
 
 The fecond of January 1696, they faw two fail making to- 
 wards them, which, as they afterwards found, were part of 
 this fleet. Thefe they boarded, after a ftort difpute, and 
 brought them to an anchor. They found filks, raw filk, and 
 about fifty ton of China ware on board ; but, as they hoped 
 to load their fhip to better advantage, out of the (hips which 
 were flill behind, they difcharged them, taking little or no- 
 thing out of them. Soon after they received intelligence 
 by fome Dutch Ihips, that the Englifli merchants at Bantam 
 were in great danger, on account of their taking the Chinefe 
 Qiips, which put them from their defign on the fleet, pofl- 
 poning their private intereft, not to bring any difafter 
 Q 3
 
 102 BRITANNIA 
 
 their countrymen. They therefore directed their courfe 
 homewards, and arrived at Portfmouth road, the nineteenth 
 day of July. 
 
 A fea fight between the Dolphin of London, and Jive 
 
 men of war, and a S.attie, manned i^'ith upwards of fifteen 
 hundred men. 
 
 TW O accounts of this memorable and gallant action have 
 come to my hands; ope, a pamphlet, published by 
 Appointment of the mafter of the fliip Dolphin himfelf, in 
 {he year 1617, and by him dedicated to prince Henry j and 
 the other in Taylor, the water poet. They feem to have 
 been printed both from the fame copy, tho' there be here 
 and there a fmall difference in them, which when it is in any 
 thing material, I ihall obferye. I have kept almoft every 
 where to the relater's own ftile and words, altering only the 
 orthography, and a few expreffions, which are now quite out. 
 qf ufe. 
 
 Having (fays my author) finimed our bufinefs at Zant, we. 
 departed thence towards the latter end of the year 1616, be- 
 ing bound wi(;h our loading for England. Our (hip was nam- 
 ed the Dolphin of London, of the burthen of two hundred 
 and twenty tuns, or thereabouts ; having in her about nine- 
 teen caft pieces of ordnance, and five murtherers, manned with 
 fix and thirty men, and two boys. The mafter of her was 
 tylr. Edward Nichols, a man of great flviil, courage, induttry 
 and proved experience, who making for England, we got clear 
 of the ifland, the firft of January, \6i 7, the wind being north 
 and by eaft, with a profperous gale, by the eighth, in the 
 smorning, we had fight of the ifland o{ Sardinia. 
 
 The wind being then come wefterly, the ninth in the 
 Doming, we flood in for Gallery j anc], at neon, the wine!
 
 TRIUMPHANT. 103 
 
 being foutherly, we came clofe by two little watch towers, 
 who fhot two (hot at us, to give warning, that they would 
 fpeak to us ; but the approaching night would not permit. 
 If we could have fent afhore to them their intention was, 
 as we heard afterwards, to have informed us of the Turkifli 
 men of war, which we afterwards met withal, to our coft and 
 peril, as well as theirs, for thefe towers were not above two 
 leagues from the place where we made our fight. This 
 night, the wind growing calm, we failed towards Cape Pola. 
 The tenth, we had very little wind, or none at all, till it was 
 two o'clock in the afternoon, which drove us above three 
 leagues eaftward from the Cape ; here we efpied a fleet of 
 (hips upon the main of Sardinia near unto the road called 
 Gallery, belonging to the king of Spain. 
 
 The twelfth of January, in the morning watch, about four 
 o'clock, we had fight of a fail making from the more towards 
 us, which put into our minds fome doubt and fear, and com- 
 ing near unto us, we difcovered her to be a Sattie, which is 
 a fhip much like unto an Argofey, of a Very great burthen 
 and bignefs. She flood in to get between the fhore and us, 
 which perceiving we imagined fome more mips not to be far 
 off, whereupon our mailer fent one of our company up into 
 the main-cop, who difcovered five fail of mips one after ano- 
 ther coming up before the wind, which was then at weft 
 fouth weft. 
 
 With his perfpeclive glafs, he perceived them to be Turk- 
 ifli men of war, the firft of them booming by hi;nfelf, before 
 the wind, with his flag in the main top, and all his fails 
 gallantly dilplayed ; after him came the admiral and the vice 
 admiral, of greater burden than the firft, and after him two 
 more, the rear admiral, larger than all the reft, and his com- 
 panion. 
 
 They feemed all prepared for any defperate afTiult, where- 
 upon we immediately made ready our ordnance and fm ill (hot, 
 and with no little refolution prepared ourfelves to \viti;ftaod 
 G 4
 
 io4 BRITANNIA 
 
 them. This being done, we went to prayers, and then to 
 dinner, where our matter gave us fuch noble encouragement, 
 that our hearts even thirfted to prove the fuccefs, and being 
 in readinefs for the fight, our mafter went upon the poop, 
 and fpake to us in the following manner. 
 
 Countrymen and fellows, you fee into what an exigency it 
 has pleafed God to fuffer us to fall : let us remember that we 
 are but men, and muft of neceflity die ; when, where, and 
 how, is alone in God's knowledge and appointment j but if 
 it be his pleafure that this muft be the laft of our days, his 
 \vill be done, and let us for his glory, our foul's welfare, our 
 country's honour, and the credit of ourfclves, fight it valiantly 
 to the laft gafp. Let us prefer a noble death before a flavifh 
 life ; and if we die, let us die to gain a better life. For my 
 part, I will fee if we efcape this danger, that, if any be hurt 
 and maimed in the fight they fhail be certainly provided for 
 for their health and maintenance, as long as they live. Be 
 therefore refolute, ftand to it, here is no drinking. We muft 
 be either men or ilaves. Die with me, or if you will not, by 
 God's grace, I will die with you. 
 
 This done, he waved hisfword three times, making it with 
 fuch dauntlefs courage, as if he had already won the victory. 
 Hereupon we fecondcd him with like forwardnefs, and he 
 caufing his trumpets to found gave unto us much more en- 
 couragement than before, and being within fliot of them, our 
 mafter commanded his gunner to make his level, and to (hoot j 
 fohe did, but miffed them all* At this, theforemoft of them' 
 bore up apace, for he had the wind of us, and returned us 
 \vorfe than we fent, for their firft {hot killed one of our rnen^ 
 Then enfued, for a great fpace, a mo ft fierce encounter 
 betwixt us, and they having the advantage of us, by reafori of 
 the wind, by about eleven or twelve o'clock they had torn 
 our Ihip in fuch a manner, that we ufed our guns clear of 
 the ports, they having left us no ports on the quarters, but 
 all open. We were however, not in their debt, for we had
 
 TRIUMPHANT. 
 
 not left them one man alive from their main-maft forward : 
 befides, we difmounted their ordnance, and tore them fo near 
 the water, that their chief commanders were forced, with 
 their cutlaces to beat their own men, and to drive them to their 
 duty. By this time they laid us aboard, with one of theic 
 fhips, which was of 200 tons or thereabouts, and had in her 
 25 pieces of ordnance, and about 250 men. 
 
 The capcain thereof was one Walfingham, who feemed by 
 his name to be, as he was afterwards found, an Englifhman, and 
 admiral of the fleet ; for fo it fignified by the flag in his main 
 top. Having, as I faid, boarded our fhip, he entered on the 
 larboard quarter, his men armed, fome with fabres, that we 
 called fauchions, fome with hatchets, and fome with half-pikes, 
 where they flay'd half an hour or thereabouts, tearing up 
 our nail boards upon the poop, and the trap hatch ; but we 
 having a murtherer in the round houfe, kept the larboard 
 fide clear, whilft our men, with the other ordnance and muf- 
 quets, and a murtherer in our trap hatch played upon their 
 fhip ; yet, for all this they plied our gallery with fmall fhot a 
 in fuch fort, that we flood in great danger to yield. 
 
 At the lad, we fhot them quite thro* and thro', and they 
 us likewife ; but they being afraid they mould have been funk 
 by us, bore ahead of our fhip, and as they paused along, we 
 gave them a broad fide, that they were forced to lay by the 
 lee, and to flop their leaks. This fight continued two hours 
 by our glafs, and better, and fo near the fhore, that the dwel- 
 lers thereupon fiw all the beginning and ending, and whaC 
 danger we flood in : for upon the fhore flood a little houfe 3 
 wherein was likewife turned a glafs all the time, during the 
 fight, which meaiured the hours as they pafled; and this was 
 Walfmgham's part of the fight. 
 
 The next fight was with one captain Keliey's fhip, which 
 came likewife up with his flag in the main-top, and another 
 Ihip with his flag in the fore-top, which fliips were at leaft 
 three hundred ton apiece, and had in each of them eight and
 
 io6 BRITANNIA 
 
 twenty or thirty pieces of ordnance, and about two hundred 
 and fifty men. They laid us aboard, one on the ftarboard 
 quarter, and the other on the larboard, where entering our 
 Clip thick and threefold, with their fcimiters, hatchets, half- 
 pikes, and other weapons, put us in great danger, both of the 
 lofs of our fhip and our lives; for they performed much 
 manhood and many dangerous hazards. Amongft thefe there 
 was one of their company that defperately went up into our 
 main-top, to fetch down our flag, which being fpied by the 
 fteward of our fhip, he prefendy mot him with his mufquet, 
 that he fell upon our deck, and was prefently caft into the 
 fea, leaving the flag behind him. 
 
 Thus thefe two {hips fought with us with great refolution, 
 playing upon us with their ordnance, and fmall mot, for the 
 fpace of an hour and a half, of whom we received fome hurt, 
 and likewife they of us; but when they faw they could not 
 prevail, or any way make us yield, they bore up and pafled 
 from us, to lay the {hips by the lee to ftop their leaks, for we 
 had grievoufly torn and battered them with our great 
 ordnance ; and this was the fecond attempt they made upon 
 us. 
 
 Now for the third, there came two more of captain Kel- 
 ley's {hips, of two hundred and fifty tons apiece, each of them 
 had two and twenty pieces of ordnance, and at the leaft two 
 hundred men, all well provided as might be, which was, as 
 we thought, too great a number for us, being fo few in our 
 ftiip; but God, that was our friend, gave us fuch ftrength 
 and fuccefs, that they little prevailed againil us; for at their 
 firil coming up, notwithftanding all their multitude of men, 
 we {hot one of them quite thro* and thro', and laid him like- 
 wife by the lee, as we had done the others before. But the 
 other fhip remaining, laid us aboard on the ftarboard fide, and 
 in that quarter they entered our {hip, with their fcimiters, 
 fauchions, half-pikes, and other weapons, running to and fro 
 upon the deck, crying {fill in the Turkifh tongue, yield your-
 
 TRIUMPHANT. 
 
 felves, yield yourfelves, promifing we fhould be well ufed, 
 and have one third part of our goods delivered back again, 
 with fuch like fair promifes. 
 
 At this one of our company told the matter of the large 
 offer the Turks made, perfuading him to yield ; but the ma- 
 iler replied ; Away, villain, I will never give them part of 
 quarter, ivbilft I have any quarters to my body. Whereupon 
 he, giving no ear to them, flood flifly in our defence, chu- 
 fing rather to die, than to yield, as it is ftill the nature and 
 condition of all Englifhmen, and being thus refolved, fome 
 of our men played the ordnance againft them, fome played 
 with the fmall (hot, fome fought with other weapons, as 
 (words, half-pikes, and fuch like. 
 
 In the midft of this fkirmifh it fo happened, by ill chance, 
 that our fhip was fired, and in great danger to be loft and 
 caft away, had not the Lord in his mercy preferved us, and 
 fent us means happily to quench it : but now mark the acci- 
 dent ; the fire being perceived by our enemies to burn outra- 
 gioufly, and thinking that our fhip would have been fuddenly 
 confumed to the water, they left us to our fortunes, falling 
 aflern from us, and fo we put to the fhore, under the little 
 houfe, for fome fuccour. Here we let an anchor fall, intend- 
 ing to lie there all night; which we had no fooner done, but 
 we faw another fhip bear upon us, whereupon we were fore 
 frighted, and fo forced to let our anchor flip, and fet fail to 
 get better fuccour, t^e enemy, at the fame time, being weary- 
 of our company, hoifting out their boats to flop their leaks. 
 We for our parts put into the road between the two little 
 forts, where we lay five days, mending the bruifes and leaks 
 of our fhip. The loffes we received in the forefaid fights 
 were fix men and one boy, which were killed outright, and 
 there were hurt eight men and one boy more ; but the Lord 
 knows what damage we put them to, and what number we 
 ilew in their fhips. 
 
 mailer of our fliip. being at the helm, was fhot twice
 
 loS B R I f A N N'l A 
 
 betwixt the legs: and the furgeon drefling the wounds of 
 one of our men, a ball of wild-fire fell into his bafon, which 
 he fuddenly caft into the fea, otherwife it had greatly endan- 
 gered us. The Turks were aboard and founded their 
 trumpets, notwithftanding which, our men aflaulted them fo 
 fiercely, that they forced them off, and the boatfvvain, (feeing 
 them fly) moft undauntedly, with a whittle, dared them to 
 the fkirmifh, if fo they durft. The captains of three of their 
 Clips were Englifhmen, who took part with the Turks, thus 
 to rob and Ipoil upon the ocean ; their names were Waiting- 
 fcam, Kelley, and Sampfon. Upon the thirteenth of Janua- 
 ry there came aboard certain Spaniards, in the morning be- 
 times, to witnefs what hurts we had received, who feeing 
 fome of our men dead, went afhore with us, and mewed us 
 Inhere we might bury them : but as we were bufy in making 
 their graves, and covering the bodies with earth, there came 
 failing by a Flemjfli Ihip of twelve fcore tons, which had in 
 her about five or fix thoufand pounds. She had been chafed 
 by thofe men of war that had fought with u.s before, and 
 therefore, they brought in a long boat all the money to the 
 fliore, and left in the mip only a few men and boys : who 
 afterwards, within two days, brought the faid fhip into 
 the rpad, not any thing at all endangered. God be praif- 
 cd. 
 
 Upon the fifteenth of the fame month, when we came from 
 he burying of our men, and had refted ourfelves in our fhip 
 about two or three hours, as God would have it, the wind 
 began to blow a ftrong gale, and by little and little grew to 
 a terrible tempeft, thro* which, from Sunday night till Fri- 
 day in the evening, we lay in fuch extremity of weather, as 
 wjnd, rain, lightning and thunder, that we thought we mould 
 never have got clear from the road where we lay. During 
 his florm and tempeft, there died one of our men, that had 
 been hurt in the fight, whofe body we caft over -board into 
 the fea, without any other burial, and fo when the wind
 
 TRIUMPHANT; 
 
 and fea was a little calmed, we fet up fail and came for- 
 ward. 
 
 Within thfee days we buried three men more in the fea, 
 and the fame afternoon we arrived in the road of Gallery, and 
 lay at anchor, where again fearching our fhip, we found it 
 rent and torn in four feveral places ; one in the gun-room,' 
 another between the decks, the third in the fketeridge, and 
 the fourth in the matter's round houfe; fo in Gallery we 
 mended our fhip, and hired certain men there to help us to 
 ftop her leaks. Having all things moft fitting for our voy- 
 age homewards, upon the thirtieth of January we committed 
 Our fortune again into the fea j and fo leaving Gallery, we came: 
 forward with a Frenchman, who was bound to a place call- 
 ed Orafone, about thirty leagues from Gallery, where after 
 two days we left his company, being the firft of February* 
 and after that putting forwards, ftill towards England, we 
 arrived fafe in the Thames. 
 
 ifcfcjiitt^ 
 
 An engagement, between the Englijh admirals Monk and Deane* 
 ajjifled by vice admiral Penne, and rear admiral Latvfon, with 
 the Dutch admirals Van Tromp, De Ruyter, De Witte and E- 
 vertzen. 
 
 II E Dutch, finding their hopes of a peace fruftrated, 
 JL omitted nothing to put themfelves in a condition to car- 
 ry on a war. And that nothing might be wanting in their 
 fleet, they ftri&ly examined the conduct of their fea officers, 
 rewarding fomeand punifliing others, and then making choice 
 of fuch as they thought they could befl depend on. The 
 Englifh, on the other fide, were not idle; but a fleet of near 
 a hundred fail of flout mips, under the command of the ad- 
 mirals Monk and Deane, in joint commiffion, afiifted by vice 
 admiral Penne and Mr. Lawfon, now made a rear admiral,
 
 ti* BRITANNIA 
 
 having been fitted out, they were fent over to look out for 
 the enemy, on their own coafts. The Dutch were not yet 
 ready j but lay difperfed in their feveral harbours, upon 
 which the Englifh ravaged their coafts, took a great number 
 of prizes, and returned. 
 
 Van Tromp, in the mean time, getting out of the Texel, 
 convoyed a great fleet of merchant fliips north about ; whi- 
 ther he was purfued by the Englifh fleet as far as the height 
 of Aberdeen; but efcaping, returned and joined the other 
 fquadrons, which now made together a fleet of an hundred 
 and four ( Whitlock fays a hundred and twenty) fail, command- 
 ed by Van Tromp, De Ruyter, De Witte, and Evertzen. 
 
 The firft of June, while the Englifh fleet was lying at an- 
 chor in Yarmouth road, there was advice brought, that the 
 Dutch fleet had been feen upon the coaft, upon which orders 
 were immediately given for weighing, and going in fearch of 
 the enemy. On the third, they met, and being on both fides 
 eager for an engagement, the fight began about eleven of the 
 clock, off the fouth point of the Gober. The Englifli Blue 
 fquadron charging thro* the enemy, De Ruyter's divifion fuf- 
 fered much, and himfelf was in the greateft danger of being 
 taken or funk by Lawfon, till relieved by Tromp : but Law- 
 fon foon after funk one of their men of war, of two and for- 
 ty guns, commanded by captain Butler. 
 
 In the beginning of the action, the Englifh admiral Deane 
 was unfortunately killed by a cannon ball, which took him 
 off in the middle ; but Monk, who was in the fame (hip, co- 
 vering his body with his cloak, and encouraging his men, the 
 battle continued with equal fury, on both fides, till about 
 three in the afternoon, when the enemy began to meer off, 
 and maintain a fort of a running fight, which lafted till nine 
 in the evening 5 about which time, one of the Dutch men of 
 war, commanded by Cornelius Ven Veifen, blew up. 
 
 The Dutch retreating towards the coaft of Flanders, the 
 fight was renewed, the next day, about noon, off of Newport,
 
 TRIUMPHANT. ** 
 
 with greater fury than the day before, and lafted fotir hours, 
 (Mr. Secretary Burchett fays, till ten at night.) Admiral Blake, 
 who had joined the fleet the night before, with eighteen fire- 
 fliips, had his {hare in the honour of this fecond victory. 
 During the engagement, Van Tromp having boarded vice 
 admiral Penne was beaten off; and being boarded in his turn, 
 was forced to blow up his deck, of which the Englifh had 
 made themfelves mafters : but being again entered by Penne, 
 and another at once, he would have been in extreme danger 
 of being taken or burnt, if he had not been relieved, in the 
 very crifis, by de Witte and De Ruyter. The enemy was, 
 at length, fo hotly prefled on every fide, that they fell into 
 the utmoft diforder, and being entirely routed, were glad to 
 fave themfelves by flight among the flats, near Newport, 
 from whence they afterwards got into Zealand. 
 
 Six of the enemy's beft ftiipswere funk, two blown up, and 
 eleven fhips and two hoys taken, with thirteen (fome fay fif- 
 teen) hundred and fifty prifoners taken, fix of them captains 
 of note. 
 
 Notwithstanding all the pains the Dutch were at, to con- 
 ceal or extenuate their lofles (as among other inftances, the 
 allowing of the lofs of but feven or eight (hips, in thefe two 
 actions in one), yet they appeared evidently enough to the 
 eye of the whole world, even by the complaints and remon- 
 ftrances of their own admirals. Van Tromp made no fcrti- 
 ple of declaring, before the States of Pluming, That without 
 a conftderable reinforcement of large men of -war they could do 
 no farther fervice. And De Witte is reported to have gone 
 yet farther, and with his accuttomed heat to have faid, in 
 the prefence of the States : Why Jhould 1 hold my tongue ? I 
 am in the prefence of my lords and mafters, I may, fare, nay* / 
 wuft fay it ; the Englijh are our mafters ; and of courfe are ma- 
 Hers ofthefea. 
 
 The lofs of the Englifh was greateft in their general Dearie, 
 there was befides him but one captain, and about two hundred,
 
 lr* 'BRITANNIA 
 
 "Whitlock fays, but one hundred fix and twenty feamen killed. 
 The number of the wounded was not much greater, nor did they 
 lofe one fhip, nor were fo difabled,but that they followed the 
 Dutch to the coaft of Holland, blocked them up in their own 
 harbours, and took all fuch fhips as came bound for thefe parts. 
 
 Whitlock fays, that the feventh of June, intelligence came 
 that about twenty of the Dutch fleet were taken, burnt and 
 funk, three firefhips taken, one vice admiral and two rear 
 admirals, one rear admiral towed by the Entrance, tho* far- 
 bigger than herfelf, having fourteen guns on a tier, and be- 
 ing of twelve hundred tons. 
 
 The fame author, in his Memorandum of the eleventh of 
 June, fays, that captain "Williams commander of a privateer, 
 had brought three prizes into Pendennis, whereof" one had 
 flore of money ; but, continues he, the mariners took care it 
 fhould not be known how much ; and of the thirteenth, 
 that eight men of war, of the Englifti fleet, had brought in- 
 to Leith road twenty fmall Dutch veflels, buffes, and other 
 prizes. 
 
 After this defeat, the States continued their private over- 
 tures of peace to Cromwell, who had now, as we have feen, 
 got rid of his parliament, and managed all affairs himfelf. 
 They were received very loftily by Cromwell, and with fome 
 reprehenfion for their want of warinefs, in entering into fo 
 unequal a contention, yet he declared a gracious inclination 
 to a treaty. The Dutch, at the fame time, ufed however 
 their utmoft diligence in fitting out i ftrong fleet, and the 
 States promifed great and ample rewards to thofe who {hould 
 contribute towards it, by repairing to their fervicc, in or- 
 der to recover, if poflible, their loft reputation, by another 
 battle. 
 
 Thefe rewards were : for boarding and taking a chief ad- 
 miral of the Englifli ; the fhip and all her equipage, and ten 
 thoufand guilders; for other admirals, the fhip, &c. and fix 
 thoufand guilders: and for private fhips, the fhip, c. and
 
 Fotir thoiifand guilders. For a flag taken down from a chief 
 admiral's main mail, a thoufand guilders } for thofe of other 
 admirals five hundred each ; a flag of a foremaft or poop, 
 one hundred and fifty ; and for one of lefs confideration, fif- 
 ty guilders. 
 
 By the latter end of July, Van Tromp put to fea, with 
 ninety-five Clips from Zealand, being foon after joined by De 
 "Witte, with five and twenty more from the Texel. 
 
 Between the latter end of June, and the latter end of July, 
 a great many prizes were taken by the Englifh. 
 
 "X&44->:(:-H^^ 
 
 AJeafybt between Ibe Englifh, under the admirals Monk, Penne 
 and Lawfon, and the Dutch, tindtr the command of Van Tromp 
 and Df Witte, with the dtatb of Van Tromp. 
 
 THEY had hot been long at fea, before one of the mod 
 fierce and bldody actions cnfued, that had been fought 
 during this war. 
 
 Mr. Secretary feurchett fays, that Mbnk having obferved 
 the War was very tedious and burdenfome to the nation, and 
 that the taking of fhips in a fight always weakened the fleet, 
 by fending other (hips with them, he, to make fhort work of 
 it, gave orders, that his captains mould neither give nor take 
 quarter. So that, in a few hours, the air was filled with the 
 fragments of mips blown up, and human bodies, and the fea 
 dyed with the blood of the flain and wounded. 
 
 I fiiall give the readers an account of it, from Whitlock, 
 which is the moft particular t find, adding fuch notes from 
 other authors as 1 fhall think proper. 
 
 The nine and twentieth of July* about nine in the morn- 
 ing, having weighed anchor the night before, the Dutch fleet 
 was diicovered by our fcoiits a-head, coming from Weilings, 
 
 H
 
 BRITANNIA 
 
 ccnfiRing of ninety-feven fhips, or thereabouts, whereof nin<?* 
 ty were men of war; whereupon the Englifh made fail after 
 them, fitting their (hips, in the mean time, for an engagement. 
 The enemy tacked about, and flood off from the Englifli, as 
 foon as they perceived what they were ; fo that it was five 
 o'clock in the evening before any of our frigates could come 
 up with them to engage them, which they then did. 
 
 This forced the Dutch to make a halt, upon which, about 
 feve'n o'clock in the evening, the Refolution, (on board of 
 which was admiral Monk) with as many fhips and frigates as 
 made up thirty fail, engaged them, the reft being a-ftern could 
 not get up; however, they fell to work, and continued fight- 
 ing till night parted them, which was about nine o'clock. In 
 this fight the mizzen-fhrouds of the Refolution were fired, 
 but were quickly put out again by the courage and activity 
 of captain Jofeph Taylor. 
 
 After which, it being dark, all hands were at work, to bring . 
 fome new fails to the yards, and mend the rigging, in which 
 the Englifli had fuffered very much in fo fhort a time. Six* 
 teen were killed out-right, and five and twenty wounded, of 
 whom fourteen dangeroufly. 
 
 The next day, little was done, as to any engagement, both 
 fleets finding work enough to get off from a lee more, the 
 wind blowing hard, with thick and dirty weather. 
 
 The next morning, being fair, and little wind, both fleets 
 prepared for a new engagement. The Dutch bore in upon 
 the Englifli, having the wind of them. About feven in the 
 morning their great mips from the Texel, being five and twen- 
 ty in number, joined them, and then the fight began to be 
 very hot, and continued fo till one in the afternoon ; the ene- 
 my having the wind all the while, whereby they had the op* 
 portunity of taking all advantages. 
 
 Yet, by this time, they began to bear away, making all 
 the fail they could, with the remainder of the fleet, being 
 not above fixty left of all their fleet.
 
 tRlUMPHAtfT. 115 
 
 As far as can be difcerned, there cannot be lefs than thirty 
 or forty funk, taken and deftfoyed : The purfuit is conti- 
 nued, fome of the beft failing Eriglifli frigates being almoft 
 up with theni. 
 
 The enemy had nine flag-mips when the fight began, of 
 which but one is left ; fome are known to be funk. 
 
 In this engagement the Englifh had but two Ihips fired by 
 f he Dutch j the Oak, one of them, had moil of her men faved; 
 but of the other none efcaped. The Worcefter took the Gar- 
 land, a (hip taken by the Dutch in a former engagement, but 
 they were obliged to fet fire to her. Tromp's flag was mot 
 down in the morning, and could not be made to ftand all the 
 day after. 
 
 During the fight, the Victory, commanded by captain Lane, 
 was hard befet by one of the Dutch admirals, and two other 
 men of war, but made her party good : Another Dutch vice 
 admiral, miftaking the condition of the Englifh fliip, as well 
 as the refolution of her captain, ofliciouily came up, and of- 
 fered him quarter, if he would yield; but he not taking the 
 compliment as the Dutchman meant it, returned it with a 
 broad-fide, which immediately funk him. 
 
 The above circumftances were confirmed in a few days, 
 with the particular advice that the Dutch had thirty (fome 
 accounts fay three and thirty, and my lord Chrendon foys. 
 between twenty and thirty) men of war funk, and a thoufand 
 prifoners taken, among whom was vice admiral Evertzen, one 
 of their moft valiant and beft feamen. Van Tromp, with 
 many others of note were killed. 
 
 Notwithftanding the orders given by Monk, the prifoners 
 (fays Mr. Secretary Burehett) were compaflionately taken up 
 as they were fwimming in the fea. 
 
 The Englifli had two hundred and fifty men flain, (Mr* Se- 
 cretary Burehett fays four hundred) and feven hundred wound- 
 ed j (Mr. Burehett, by millake fays feven thoufand). Captains on 
 the EngliuY fide ihin, were Grave, Cox, Chapman and Pja- 
 H 2
 
 H6 BRITANNIA 
 
 cock ; (Mr. Burchett, without naming them, fays eight cap- 
 tains killed). And captains wounded were Stokes, Seaman, 
 Roufe, Holland and Cubit ; The enemy's, whofe lofs was fup- 
 pofed (and they afterwards owned it) to be about fix thoufand 
 n en ; and they confeiied that they had loft feven and twenty 
 fliips. 
 
 The Dutch, after this lofs, ordered that three of their States 
 ihould go on board their fleet, to aflift their officers with ad- 
 vice. 
 
 Vice-admiral Lawfon, who continued on the coaft with a- 
 bout fifty fliips, took about twenty Dutch veffels, and fomc 
 time afcer about eighteen more fell into his hands ; fome fi'fli- 
 ermen and fome bufies, which he fent into Yarmouth. 
 
 Soon after five and thirty Dutch prizes more were fent in- 
 to Yarmouth, and thereabouts, laden with French wine, fi& 
 and other commodities. 
 
 I muft not conclude the Naval Tranfaclions of this year, 
 without mentioning a brave action or two, tho' of lefs impor- 
 tance. 
 
 In October, captain Hayton, rn the Sapphire, came tip to 
 eight French men of war y and (hot twice at their admiral's 
 Sag, who in return gave him a broad-fide. He endeavoured 
 to board the admiral, but {he got away ; and then Hay ton, be- 
 ing between their admiral and vice-admiral, he fired both fides 
 at them : The vice admiral called for quarter^ and the admi- 
 ral run for it. He took the vice-admiral, and afterwards 2- 
 tiothcr of them in chace ; rn the conclufion he took the rear- 
 admiral Hkewife, and killed many of their men, with the lofs 
 only of four of his men killed, and a few wounded. This ac- 
 tion was followed by the taking of feveral more Dutch and 
 French prizes. 
 
 Captain Welch, commander of a privateer, took a Dutch 
 packet-boat, and next day a Dutch fhip of three hundred 
 tuns, laden, with iron, {hot, guns and copper, and two more
 
 TRIUMPHANT. 117 
 
 Ihips of three hundred tuns each, laden with clap board, and 
 a Dutch buls laden with herrings. 
 
 Captain Darcy, in a fmall veflel with twelve men only, at- 
 tempted a Dutch frigate, called the Hart, of fifty men ; but 
 fomeof his men forfakinghi:n,his brave defign mifcarried,and 
 he being overpowered, after he had with five or fix of his men, 
 killed and wounded fixteen of the enemy, and driven the cap- 
 tain over-board, was taken; and tho* he had quarter forie- 
 veral hours, thecaptain, who wasgotinto his {hip again, bafely 
 mot him in cool blood, run his f\vord through him three or 
 four times, then cut him in pieces, and pulled out his heart, 
 
 Two prizes were brought into Portfmouth by captain. 
 Plumbley, and another by captain Hawks. 
 
 Captain Sparling, and anoUier of the parliament's frigates, 
 took a fhip with twelve hundred thousand pieces of eight in 
 her, me pretended to be an Oilender. 
 
 In November, thirteen Dutch and French prizes were 
 brought into Plymouth, moft of which pretended to be Ham* 
 burghers. 
 
 In December fevcral more French and Dutch prizes were 
 brought into Plymouth, and other ports. 
 
 The Dutch had now fuffered fo extremely, that they glad- 
 ly fued again for peace, and, after having fpent the beft part 
 of the winter in the negociation, were willing to accept of it 
 on Cromwell's o%vn terms j accordingly it was figned in April 
 following. 
 
 Thus (fays the author of the Columna Roftrafa) ended the 
 moil vigorous war that ever was maintained at fea. It was 
 begun and finiflied in the fliort fpace of one year and eleven 
 months; yet, in that time, the Englifh took no leis than feven- 
 teen hundred prizes, valued by the Dutch thcmfelves at fixty- 
 two millions of guilders, or near fix millions fterling. On 
 the contrary, thofc taken by the Dutch did not amount to the 
 fourth part, either in number or value. Within that time the 
 were victorious in no lefs than five general %htS|
 
 ii8 SRI TA N N I A 
 
 fome of which lafted feveral days ; whereas the Dutch cannot 
 juftly boaft of having gained one: For the aclion between DC 
 Ruyter and Afcough, in which they pretended to fome advan- 
 tage, was no general fight; and the advantage gained by Van 
 Tromp in the Downs is owned to have been gained but over 
 a part of the Engliih fleet. This fhort war reduced the Dutch 
 to greater extremities than the long war of eighty years had 
 done, againft the crown of Spain. And one of their own 
 authors allows, that in this fhort war, and in the time of the 
 northern troubles which followed, between the crowns of 
 Sweden and Denmark, his countrymen had loft more than 
 they had gained in twenty years before. 
 
 Sir Hovenden Walker's expedition to the Weft-Indies. 
 
 SI R Hovenden Walker, being again appointed, notwith- 
 ftanding the ill fuccefs of his expedition to Canada, to corn? 
 jnand a fquadron defigned for the Weft-Indies. This fqua- 
 dron confifted of one third-rate, two fourth-rates, three fifth- 
 rates, and a fixth-rate. He arrived off Plymouth, the next' 
 day, having about a hundred merchant mips in his convoy ; 
 and, the day following, the South-Sea-Caftle, captain Tem- 
 ple, chafed and took a privateer of fourteen guns, and a", 
 hundred men. Sir Hovenden fet fail the eight and twentieth 
 of April from St. Helen's, and arrived at the Maderas the 
 twentieth of May. lie had then with him the Monmouth, 
 Auguft, Centurion, Scarborough, Roebuck and Joley, toge- 
 ther with the Woolwich, Swallow and Lymc, being convoy to 
 the Barbadoes trade, having parted with the Litchfield and 
 South-Sea-Caflle, and the trade bound to Portugal, fourteen 
 leagues from cape Finillerre, which then bore S. E. and by. 
 S. The four and twentieth of June, he arrived at Antegoi, 
 yt'h^re he found the Diamond and Experiment, two
 
 TRIUMPHANT. ng 
 
 which had taken a considerable prize. The fixth of July, he 
 arrived at Jamaica, where commodore Littleton (who fome 
 time after departed with the Defiance and the trade for Eng- 
 land) gave him an account how the mips, which had been un- 
 der his command, were difpofed of in feveraicruifingftations : 
 And here Sir Hovenden was iikewife informed, that captain 
 Mabbot of the Mary-galley, and captain Ryddcl, of the Fal- 
 mouth, had met with two French (hips, on the coaft of Gui- 
 nea, which, after a (harp engagement, efcapsd out of their 
 hands, captain Mabbot, with his lieutenant and matter, being 
 killed in the action. Here he likewifehad afterwards notice, 
 that the ftar bomb-veflel was loft upon the ifland of Henea- 
 go. The fifteenth, the Salifbury and the Defiance came in 
 with a prize, and the Salifbury- Prize with another. The firft 
 they took out of the harbour of Santa Martha, where the 
 French had funk her, by boring a hole in her bottom : She 
 was loaden with bale-goods. 
 
 The fourth of Auguft, the Weymouth, and the Trial-fl oop, 
 came in from the bay of Campeche, and brought with them 
 a French fhip, which the latter had taken in their paffige, in 
 the latitude of eight and twenty degrees. The prifoners ta- 
 ken in this fhip gave an account, that foon after Sir Hoven- 
 den Walker failed from Antegoa, Monf. CafTird, with eight 
 men of war, and feventeen or eighteen floops,with about five 
 thoufand men, had taken that ifland and Montferat, that they 
 had been at, and plundered St. Jago, one of the Cipe Vefd 
 iflands, and had attempted the Dutch fettlements at Surinam, 
 but were repulfed. This, indeed, was only the report of French 
 prifoners, but' ic afterwards appeared, in part, true; for tho* 
 they had attempted Antegoa in vain, they had plundered Mont- 
 ferat, and then quitted it, upon the approach of the Engliih 
 men of war, with fome precipitation, had taken St. Jago, and 
 attacked Surinam, without fuceefs. Some accounts fay, like- 
 wife, they did great damage on the iflands of Mevis and St. 
 Chriftophcr's. According to all appearances, they de 
 
 '
 
 120 BRITANNIA 
 
 a fecond attempt on Antegoa,and the fhips that were ftation^ 
 cd in thofe parts omitted nothing that could contribute to avU 
 gorous defence of it: After which, they went even in fearch 
 of the enemy ; but all farther action, on either fide, was pre- 
 vented, by the arrival of the queen's proclamation for a ceflfa- 
 tion of arms. It has been obferved, that Monf. CafTard's in- 
 vafion of Moatferat, happened near two months after the 
 duke of Ormond's having refufed to join in action with prince 
 Eugene, againft the French; and was therefore thought im- 
 politic, if not ungrateful, to a nation to which they were at 
 that time fo much obliged j but the court of France thought 
 fit, it feems, to difown it, upon complaint made ; tho* I do not 
 nd that any fatisfaclion was ever made, or that Monf. Caflard 
 was ever queftioned or blamed on that account. The day 
 before, captain Thomfon, of the Auguft, had fent in a prize, 
 vhich he had taken. The nine and twentieth, there happen-? 
 cd a very terrible hurricane at Jamaica, which did confidera- 
 ble damage both to the Clipping and houfes. Moft of the 
 men of war, if not all, were either driven on fhore, loft their 
 jnaftsj or were otherwife difabled j but I do not find that any 
 were loft. 
 
 Nothing of moment happened after this, at Jamaica, till 
 the proclamation for a ceffation of arms, was likewife brought 
 into thofe parts; upon which, Sir Hovendcn Walker, having 
 received orders from the lords of the admiralty to repair 
 homewards, departed accordingly, and arrived cF of Dover, 
 the fix and twentieth of May, 1713. 
 
 expedition of the /hips called the Duke and Dutckefs to 
 the South-Sea, and round, the globe. 
 
 HE adventurers for this expedition fitted out twoveffcls 
 called the Duke and the Dutghefs, the former of thirty
 
 TRIUMPHANT. | 2 i 
 
 guns, and a hundred and feventy men, under the command of 
 captain Woodcs Rogers, and captain Stephen Courtney. They 
 failed from Brittol the firft of Auguft, 1708, with commiffi- 
 ons from prince George of Denmark. They took with them 
 the noted captain Dampier, whofe celebrated voyages, in the 
 South Sea, and round the globe, had qualified him to aflift as 
 a pilot. And, the twentieth of April, 1709, after having ta- 
 ken feveral confiderable prizes, they landed on the ifland of 
 Puna, in the South-Sea, near the main-land of Peru, made 
 thcmfelves tmfters of the town, and feized the governor of 
 the ifland The eighteenth of September, they took a fmall 
 Spanilh vefTel, bound from Tenerif to Fuerteventura, withfe- 
 vcral paJTengers, and fundry forts of goods : but, the twenty > 
 fecond, difmifTed the prifoners at Oratavia, and fold the fliip 
 to an Englifh merchant, for four hundred and fifty dollars. 
 The fourth of March, 1709, they took a fmall prize, off of 
 the ifland of Lobos, which had nothing on board but about fif- 
 ty pounds in money. The fix and twentieth they took ano- 
 ther fmall prize, which had nothing on board but timber,, 
 and a few cocoa nuts. The fecond of April, they took a large 
 prize of four hundred tuns, from Panama. She had fixty ne- 
 groes on board, befides feveral paffengers, and a loading of dry 
 goods. The next day, they took another fmall veffel, laden 
 with timber, from Guayaquil, having, befides, about the value 
 of ninety or a hundred pounds in plate and money. The fif- 
 teenth, they took another French built prize, called, when the 
 French had her, La Lune d'Or, (the Golden Moon.) She 
 had feventy negroes, and a great number of paflengcrs on 
 board, was of about two hundred and feventy tuns, and la- 
 den with bale goods, befides a confiderable quantity of pearls. 
 The next day, they took a fmall bark laden with hides and 
 Hour. They then attempted the town of Guayaquil, on the 
 coaft of Peru, which they took and plundered. It confifts of 
 five hundred houfes, with three churches, and was defended 
 ^y 3 confiderable body of Spaniards, The town, after it was
 
 129 BRITANNIA 
 
 plundered, was ranfomed (together with two new fiiips, of 
 four hundred tuns each, and fix barks, which were feized in 
 the river) for thirty thoufand dollars. 
 
 Going farther up the river, they feized fome plate, and o- 
 thcr things of value, which they found, partly in fome canoes, 
 which were retiring up into the country, and partly in the 
 houfes along the river fide. Sailing from thence, they took 
 two more prizes, and landing afterwards on the continent, 
 they plundered a Spanifli village. One they took the fifth of 
 June: She was of about eighty tuns, bound from Panama for 
 Guayaquil, with iron, cloth, &c. The governor of Baldivia, 
 with fome other paflengers of note, were in this Ihip, with 
 their negroes, in all to the number of eighty. The other 
 was taken the eighth of the fame month, being a bark of a 
 bout fifty tuns ; they found in her, in gold chains and mo- 
 ney, to the value of about five or fix hundred pounds. At this 
 time, the money and prize goods, belonging to the owners of 
 the privateers, were computed to amount to eighty thoufind 
 pounds. They carried on board, from this village, feven bul- 
 locks, fourteen hogs, fome goats, fowls, wheat, and other 
 provifions ; as likewife, fome money, and they fold fome of 
 their negroes. 
 
 Off of Puerto Seguro, they met, the twenty-fecond of De- 
 cember, a Chip belonging to Acapulco, which after an engage- 
 ment of half an hour they took. She was of four hundred 
 and fifty (captain Cooke fays about four hundred) tuns, car- 
 rying twenty guns, and as many brafs pattereroes, with one 
 hundred and ninety three men, twenty of whom were killed 
 in the aftion. She came from Manila, bound home with Eail- 
 India goods. Her cargo, according to the report of the pri- 
 foners, amounted to, in India, two millions of dollars. They 
 afterwards met and attacked the greater Acapulco ihip ; but 
 were obliged to leave her, after having engaged her two days 
 fucceffively, and both done and fuffered confiderable damage. 
 She was a very ftrong new (hip, of above nine nundred tur s s
 
 TRIUMPHANT 123 
 
 burden, mounted with forty guns, (and would mount fixty) 
 and the fame number of brafs pattereroes, and manned witfy 
 fix hundred feamen, near a fourth part of which, were Eng- 
 lifh, Iriih, and other Europeans. The prifoners taken in 
 the other (hip aflured them, if they boarded them with five 
 hundred men, they would lofe them all : for they were pro- 
 vided with falfe decks, and, having notice of their lying in 
 wait for them, they had fo provided for their fecurity, 
 that they would find it impoffible to take her, with their 
 force. 
 
 They, hereupon, refolved to return home, by the way of 
 the Eaft-lndies, with the lefler Manila Ihip, of which captain, 
 Dover, fecond captain of the Duke, was made commander. 
 They happily arrived in the Downs, with all the three fhips, 
 the fecond of October, 1711, after having failed round the 
 globe, in three years and two months. In this voyage, they 
 took two Spanifh towns and twenty prizes, (hips, and barks ; 
 of which, however, they only brought home the Acapulco 
 fhip, having either fold, ranfomed, or thrown off the reft. 
 Captain Cooke gives us a very particular account of the prize, 
 goods, too long to be inferted here. 
 
 Sir John Norris's proceedings in the Mediterranean. 
 
 SIR John Norns failed from Plymouth, the twelfth of 
 January, and arrived at Port Mahon the thirteenth of 
 March, where he joined Sir Edward Whitaker, and the 
 Dutch rear admiral Sqmerfdyke ; and from thence he fent 
 three Englifh and two Dutch mips to Barcelona, with the 
 public money, recruits, c. And four third rates, which 
 were in the word condition to remain abroad, he fent home. 
 While he was at Port Mahon, he received advice, that the 
 Pembroke, of fixty four guns, and the Falcon of thirty two,,
 
 I2 4 BRITANNIA 
 
 had been taken by three French men of war of fcventy, fix- 
 ty, and fifty four guns. 
 
 They defended themfelves bravely, and did not furrender, 
 *till captain Rumfey., of the Pembroke, was killed, a hundred 
 and forty of her men killed and wounded, her mizzen-maft 
 bot by the board, and all her rigging torn to pieces, and 
 captain Conftable of the Falcon wounded in the right mould- 
 er, (yet did not leave his poft) a great number of her men 
 killed and maimed, and the ihip very much difabled. 
 
 And that two of our men of war, the Warfpight, captain 
 Crow, and the Breda, captain Long, had taken a French man 
 of war, called the Moor. 
 
 The Breda firft came up, and had a fhort, but warm dif- 
 pute with her, in which her commander was killed ; but as 
 ibon as the Warfpight came up clofe under her quarter, and 
 was ready to board her, (he ftruck. 
 
 The feventh of April, Sir John failed from Port Mahon, 
 and the eleventh, arrived at Barcelona, Little was done, 
 except carrying the viceroy to Sardinia, and appointing (hips 
 to feveral flations, to protect the trade, and cruife upon the 
 tnemy, till the firft of June, when Sir John fet fail, with four 
 Englifti and fix Dutch {hips, and two imperial regiments, to 
 hinder the defcent intended by the enemy on the ifland of 
 Sardinia. The fecond, they came before Baftia in Coriica, 
 where a little French fliip coming from the Archipelago, up- 
 on the approach of our fieet, retired under the cannon of that 
 place. The admiral fent in fome boats, which brought her 
 off, but the men efcaped. The fifth, they came into the bay 
 of Terra Nova, in Sardinia, where they took four of the e- 
 nemy's Tartans; thefe Tartans had landed four hundred 
 men and fixty officers, under the command of the count de 
 Caftillo, who had taken the town of Terra Nova ; but upon 
 landing fome troops, under genera! Brown, they all furren- 
 dered at difcretion, together with feveral perfons of quality, 
 natives of the place.
 
 t R I U M H A N f . f 25 
 
 And having fucceeded here, to their wifh, and finding no 
 farther danger of a rebellion on that fide, the troops they had 
 landed were re-embarked, the feventh. 
 
 The admiral now refolved to go in queft of the duke of 
 Turfis, who he was informed, was gone into another gulph, 
 on the other fide the ifland, to land the reft of his forces* 
 The eighth, they got into the canal of Bonifaceio; but the 
 duke was failed, the night before, from thence, and was re* 
 tired into the gulph of Ajazzo, in Corfica, whither they fol- 
 lowed him. They got into that gulph, the next day ; but 
 found he had again given them the flip, and was retired, with 
 his gallies. He left, however eight large barks* with five or 
 fix hundred foldiers on board, and the greateft part of his 
 ammunition j artillery and provifions; the men got on more 
 and efcaped ; but all the reft fell into the hands of our fquad- 
 ron. 
 
 The duke imagined, as Corfica was fubjcci to the Ge- 
 noefe, a neutral ftatc, our {hips would not, as they termed it, 
 have violated the laws of nations ; but he did not confider, that 
 the Genoefe were the aggreffors, in fuffering this armament 
 to be made in their dominions, and him their fubjeft, to com- 
 mand it. 
 
 The defign of the enemy being thus defeated, the fleet feC 
 fail again for Barcelona, where they arrived the eighteenth. 
 The next enterprise was by particular order from England* 
 on the town of Cette, on the coaft of Languedoc. The fleet 
 departed from Barcelona, on this undertaking, the ninth of 
 July, and arrived on that coaH: the thirteenth. They foon 
 made themfelves matters of the town and fort of Cette, and 
 thofe of Agde ; but were obliged to abandon them again, in 
 a few days. 
 
 The troops, being about feven hundred men, befides fome 
 marines, were put on Ihore, the day of their arrival, and the 
 next morning, by break of day, marched towards the town, 
 while fome Clips were appointed to batter the fort at the
 
 126 BRITANNIA 
 
 molehead, upon which the town, after a very fmall firing 9 ' 
 furrendered, as did the fort, in which were eighteen piece 9 
 of cannon mounted. A detachment of three hundred men, 
 being left to fecure this place, major general Seiflan, with 
 the remainder of the troops, marched the fame day to Agde, 
 where having taken a poft, which makes the ifle of Cette.; 
 the town capitulated that night, and furrendered without re- 
 fiftance. 
 
 The duke of Roquelaure, with four hundred dragoons, 
 and two thoufand of the militia, had formed a defign to re- 
 cover thefe places, the fifteenth, by crofiing the lake unex- 
 pectedly into the ifland of Cette; but Sir John Norris, being 
 informed of it, manned and armed all the boats of the fleet, 
 and going with them on the lake, prevented this attempt. 
 However being informed, the feventeenth, that the duke De 
 Noailles, was arrived at Meze, and that two thoufand horfe, 
 each with a foot foldier behind him, were come within four 
 iniles of Agde ; and befides, the detachment which was left 
 to fecure the bridge of Agde, having upon a falfe alarm, a- 
 bandoned it, which poft they now wanted time to regain, it 
 was thought advifeable to re-embark the troops, and abandon 
 their conqueft, which they did, with the lofs only of an ad- 
 vanced guard of fifty men, who did not retire as they were 
 ordered. In this all our hiftorians agree ; but father Daniel 
 pretends we loft between three and four hundred men in this 
 expedition. A body of fix hundred of the enemy (fays he) 
 was defeated on the mountain of St. Clare. A hundred were 
 taken prifoners, and a great number was drowned in the re- 
 embarkation : on our fide (continues he) we loft but one gre- 
 nadier and fome horfes. De Larry adds to this, that the 
 confederates were obliged to leave behind them the arms and 
 ammunition which they had landed. He allows however, 
 that tho' this expedition had not all the fuccefs expected from 
 it, it had this good effect for the allies, that it favoured count 
 Staremberg's defigns,
 
 TRIUMPHANT. 12; 
 
 This expedition being thus ended, Sir John Nofris failed 
 again the nineteeth, and having fhewn himfelf off of Toulon 
 and Marfeilles, flood into the road of Hye, where they found 
 a French fhip, of fifty guns, arrived, richly laden, from Scan- 
 deroon, lying under the cover of three forts: fome BrithTi 
 and Dutch frigates, under the command of captain Stepney, 
 were ordered in to attack her, who beat the men out of her, 
 and one of the forts; but while the boats were boarding her, 
 file unhappily took fire, by means of a hidden train the enemy 
 had left, and blowing up, killed or wounded five and thirty 
 of our men. 
 
 The fourteenth of Auguft, Sir John Norris came off of 
 Port Mahon, and the feventeenth, arrived in the road of 
 Barcelona. A defign on the coaft of Valencia was next pro- 
 jected ; but, on account of feveral hindrances, not being put 
 in execution, the Britifh fleet returned to Port Mahon, and 
 the Dutch vice admiral failed homewards. The thirtieth of 
 October, the fhip being cleaned, Sir John proceeded down 
 the Streights, and on the fixth of November, took three 
 French mips, from Newfoundland. The ninth he arrived 
 at Gibraltar, from whence he returned with the Turky con- 
 voy, and arriving again at Port Mahon the fifth of Decem- 
 ber, ftrengthened the Turky convoy with five men of war, 
 as high as the Channel of Malta. 
 
 The beginning of January, 1711, at the defire of his 
 Catholick majefty, the fleet, which arrived at Barcelona, the 
 fourth, proceeded for the coaft of Rofes, to annoy the ene- 
 my ; but being feparated, by a violent florm, which continued 
 feveral days, and forced the (hips back to Port Mahon, moft 
 of them were difabled in their mafts and fails, and the Refo- 
 lution was loft on the coaft of Barcelona. 
 
 The admiral being, the twenty fecond of March, in the 
 bay of Vado, the Severn, Lion, and Lyme, being fcouts, made 
 fignal of feeing four mips whereupon the Naflau and Exeter 
 were ordered to flip and give them chafe. The 27th, the
 
 i23 BRITANNIA 
 
 Severn and Lyme came into the road, and captain Pudiier 
 who commanded the former, gave Sir John an account of 
 the action they with the Lion, had been in, with four French 
 fliips, from fixty to forty guns* 
 
 They were engaged about two hours, when the enemy fee- 
 ing others of our fliips advancing, made what fail they could 
 to get away, as all ours did after them, except the Severn, 
 which was too much difabled in the fight to follow j but they 
 loft fight of them in the night. The Severn had three and 
 twenty men killed, and wounded, the Lion (whofe command- 
 er, captain Walpole loft his right arm) forty, and the Lymd 
 fix. The Exeter, commanded by captain Raymond, came up 
 with one of the mips* and engaged her two hours, which be- 
 ing much difabled, he brought to. This fhip was the Pem- 
 broke, which had been taken from us. 
 
 The fifteenth of April, Sir John Norris received an ae- 
 Count, that Sir John Jennings was arrived at Port Mahon^ 
 in order to command in the Mediterranean. The eighth of 
 May, Sir John Norris, arrived with the tranfports from Ita- 
 ly, in the road of Barcelona; and the duke of Argyle arriv- 
 ing there, the eighteenth, he fent two frigates to Genoa* 
 for the publick money, and with them, as fat as Port Ma- 
 hon, one third rate, one fourth rate, and one fifth rate. 
 Sir John coming himfelf to this port, accompanied cap- 
 tain Cornwall, with the Turky trade to Gibraltar and 
 Lifbon, from whence failing, the fifteenth of September, he 
 arrived off of the Ifle of Wight, the 8th of October, 1711, 
 from whence he held on his courfe to the Downs.
 
 TRIUMPHANT. r ;:jl 
 
 Naval expeditions and tranfafiions of the Brilijb nation, in Ame- 
 rka, &c. daring the years 1710, 1711. 
 
 WHEN rear admiral Wager received orders to return 
 to Great Britain, captain Jonathan Span was appoint- 
 td to command a fmall fquadron in the Weft-Indies ; but as 
 during his command in thofe parts, nothing remarkable hap- 
 pened, I {hall go on to what paffed under his fucceflbr. 
 
 &t&?*&&^*^^ mwto 
 
 Continodore Littleton 9 s proceedings in the Weft -Indies. 
 
 CAPTAIN Span was fucceeded in the command of her 
 majefty's mips in the Weft-Indies, by James Littleton, 
 Efq; who, with the Jerfey, Wey mouth, and Med way-Prize, 
 failed from St. Helen's, the four and twentieth of Auguft, 
 and arrived at Jamaica^ the fecond of November. 
 
 In his way, from St. Helen's to Plymouth, the Medway- 
 Prize took a fmall privateer of four guns, and three and thir- 
 ty men ; he called at Plymouth for the trade, arrived at Ma- 
 deras the twelfth of September, at Barbadoes, the eighteen of 
 October, and at Jamaica, leaving the Jerfey and Medway- 
 Prize to cruize off of Hifpaniola. Thefe two {hips joined him 
 afterwards at Port-Royal, having forced afhip of St. Malo on 
 fhore, a little to the eaftward of Port Louis, which they fet 
 on fire, having firft taken out of her what they could, fhe be- 
 ing chiefly laden with bale goods. 
 
 The fiift thing the commodore did, was to fend the Non- 
 fuch, and the Roebuck, off of Carthagena, to get intelligence 
 of fix men of war. which he was informed lay there, buc it 
 
 1
 
 %fr B R 1 r A N N 1 A 
 
 proved a falfe report. The eighth of December, he fefit 
 home the Falkland, with the trade j and here I Hull leave 
 captain Littleton for a while, to relate what happened in the 
 mean time elfewhere. 
 
 Captain George Martin's expedition again/} Port Royal. 
 
 THERE having been the beginning of this year, four 
 Indian chiefs, or princes, to wait on her majefty, af- 
 ter they had feen all the curiofities in and about London, 
 and been entertained by feveral perfons of diftinclion, they 
 were fent down to Portfmoulh, where they embarked oni 
 board the Dragon, one of her majefly's {hips, captain Mar- 
 tin commodore, together with colonel Francis Nicholfon,. 
 commander in chief of the forces defigned for an expedition 
 projected againft Port Royal, on the coaft of Nova Scotia-. 
 
 For this expedition, were appointed the Dragon, captain 
 Georg.e Martin, and the Falmcmth, captain Walter Ryddel, 
 of fifty guns each; the Loweftoff, captain George Gordon, 
 of two and thirty guns, the Feverfham, captain Robert Pat- 
 ton, of fix and thirty guns, and the Star bomb-veflel, captaint 
 Thomas Rochfort: but as the Loweftoff and the Feverfliann 
 were bound to New England, captain Martin had inftructi- 
 ons to proceed thither, and join them, as likewise the Che 
 ter of fifty guns, captain Thomas Matthews. 
 
 On the eighth of May, the Dragon and Falmouth failed 
 from Spithead, and, on the fifteenth of July, they arrived a-1: 
 Bofton, in New England* Colonel Nicholfon having fignifi< 
 ed, to the refpective governors of the queen's province? 
 and colonies of MafTachufett's bay, New Hampihire, Con> 
 rtecticnt, and Rhode-Iihnd, her majefty's commands, for their 
 to be afliftant in the intended enterprize, they ufed all mam 
 Her of application and diligence, in raiiing and furnifhing thei>
 
 T R I U M P H AX T. 131 
 
 rdpe&ive Quota's of men, tranfports, provifions and other 
 Eecefiaries. 
 
 The commodore being joined, the ninth of September, by 
 her majefty's fhips, the Loweftoff and Feverfham, from New 
 York, the general fet fail, with the fleet, and all the forces, 
 from Nantafkett, on the eighteenth of September. The 
 four and twentieth, they came to the mouth of Port Royal 
 river in Nova Scotia, and having, the next morning, land- 
 ed, on the S. and N. fides of it, general Nicholfon marched 
 the fix and twentieth, with the army, on the S. fide, where 
 the fort is feated, and advanced within cannon mot of it. 
 That night, and the following, the bomb-veficls fired into 
 the fort ; and the neceflary preparations for attacking it in 
 form being made, Monfieur Stibercafe, the French governor, 
 demanded to capitulate, the thirtieth, on honourable terms. 
 Hoftages being thereupon exchanged, the capitulation was 
 ligned the fecond of October. 
 
 Articles of capiculation, agreed upon, for the furrender 
 of the fort of Port Royal, &c. betwixt Francis Nicholfon, 
 Efqj general and commander in chief of all the forces of her 
 iacred majefty, Anne, by the grace of God, of Great Bri- 
 tain, France, and Ireland, queen, defender of the faith, &c. 
 and Monfieur de Subercafe, knight of the military order 
 of St. Lewis, and governor and commander in chief of the 
 fort of Port Royal, province of L'Accadi; and the territo- 
 ries thereunto belonging, for his moft facred Chriftian ma- 
 jefty. 
 
 1 . That the garrifon mall march out with their arms and 
 baggage, drums beating, and colours flying. 
 
 2. That there mall be a fufficient number of hips and pro- 
 vifions to tranfport the faid garrifon to Rochel or Rochford, 
 by the fhorteft paffage, where they fliall be furniflied with 
 paffports for their return. 
 
 3. That I may take out fix guns and two mortars, fuch as 
 I fliall think fie. 
 
 l^
 
 i 3 2 R IT ANN I A 
 
 4. That the officers fhall carry out all their effects, of wnsf 
 fort loever, except they do agree to the felling of them, the 
 payment of which to be bona fide. 
 
 5. That the inhabitants within cannon (hot of the fort of' 
 Port Royal (hall remain upon their eftates, with their corn, 
 cattle and furniture, during two years, in cafe they arc not" 
 defirous to go before; they taking the oaths of allegiance 
 and fidelity to her facred majefty of Great Britain. 
 
 6. That a veffel be provided for the privateers belonging to 
 the iflands in America, for their tranfportation thither. 
 
 7. That thofe that are defirous to go for Placentia, in 
 Newfoundland, fhall have leave, by the neareft paffage. 
 
 8. That the Canadians, or thofe that are delkous to go 1 
 thither, may, during the fpace of one year. 
 
 9. That the effects, ornaments, utenfih of the chappel and 
 hofpital, fliall be delivered to the almoner. 
 
 10. I promife to deliver the port of Fort Royal, into the' 
 hands of Francis Nicholfon, Efq; for the queen of Great 
 Britain, &c. within three days after the ratification of this 
 prefent treaty, with all the effects belonging to the king r , 
 as guns, mortars, bombs, balls, powder, and all other fmail 
 arms* 
 
 1 1. I wilf difcover, upon my faith, all the mines, fougaflca 
 and caiTemats. 
 
 All the articles of this prefent treaty, fliall be executed up-- 
 on good faith, without difficulty, and figned by each other 
 at her majefty of Great Britain's camp, before Port Royall 
 fort, this fecond day of October, in the c^th year of her ma-' 
 jefty's reign, Annoque Domini, 1710. 
 
 FRANCIS NICHOLSON, 
 SUBERCASE. 
 
 Memorandum. The general declared, that within cannoffi 
 {hot of Port Royal, in the fifth article abovefaid, is to be an-
 
 TRIUMPHANT. 133 
 
 .derflood three Englifh miles round the fort, to be Annapolis 
 Royal, and the inhabitants within the faid three miles to have 
 the benefit of that article. Which perfons male and female, 
 comprehended in the faid article, according to a lift of their 
 names given in to the general, by Mr. Allen, amount to four 
 hundred and eighty one perfons. 
 
 Purfuant to this capitulation, on the fifth of October, colo- 
 nel Nicholfon took pofleflion of Port Royal, to which he gave 
 the name of Annapolis Royal, and haying, on the tenth for 
 lemnized a day of thankfgiving, for the fuccefs of her rrnjef- 
 ty's arms, appointed colonel Vetch, his adjutant general, in 
 this expedition, governor of the place ; and having likewife 
 made other regulations for the fecurity of this conqueft, failed 
 the nineteenth, for Bofton, and arrived there the fix an4 
 twentieth of the fame month. 
 
 The copy underneath, of a letter from St. John's in New- 
 foundland, may ferve to give the reader fome ideal of the fuc* 
 cefs of her majefty's fhips in thofe parts this fummer. 
 ' 
 
 St. John's (in Newfoundland) September 19. 
 
 Moft of the French fhips in thefe parts are taken off of 
 the banks, and feveral burnt and deftroyed, with their har- 
 bours and fifh. It is believed they have loft near fifty fail of 
 ihips this feafon, and moft of them of confiderable force. Her 
 majefty's mips the Portland and Valeur, had the good for- 
 tune, in their paffage to Newfoundland, to take two very 
 rich prizes, valued at thirty thoufand pounds. Some of the 
 gallies have taken abundance of prizes; but for our part, we 
 came in at the latter end, which I hope will turn to good ac- 
 count ; I have here fent you fome particulars, which cannot 
 but be acceptable. 
 
 P. S. Her majefty's fliip the Valeur was unfortunately fur* 
 prifed and taken in the harbour by the French ; but fince re- 
 taken. On board the Rochefter, in Curbonnier, 
 
 '3
 
 I 3 4 BRITANNIA 
 
 Continuation of commodore Littleton' s proceedings in the Weft-Indies, 
 
 IN January 1711, the Falmouth arrived at Jamaica, with- 
 the tender to the Star bomb ; but the bomb-veffel her- 
 felf was miffing, having been feen by a trader from New Eng- 
 land without her mafts. The trade from Great Britain arri- 
 ving at Jamaica the eleventh of July, and the commodore ha- 
 ving, in this interval, received feveral intelligences, by diffe- 
 rent ways, of Monfiur Du Gaffe's fquadron, he fet fail, four ' 
 days afterwards, towards Carthagena. His firft information 
 was by fome mailers of veflels from the Maderas ; next by a 
 Carthagena floop, taken by one of Jamaica, in which was j 
 found a letter from the governor of that place, to the vice- 
 roy of Mexico ; after this, by the Jerfey, which brought ia 
 with her a French merchant ihip, belonging to Breft, of thirty j 
 guns, and a hundred and twenty men, which fhip failed from j 
 Port Louis, in company of Monfieur Du Gaffe. She came ] 
 from trading on the coaft of Spain; but had put all her mo- 
 jiey on more at Port Louis. He had afterwards an account by 
 captain Hardy, who came in from the coaft of New Spain, j 
 the feven and twentieth ; and the Jerfey being fent again over j 
 to that coaft returned with the lafl advice, the fourth of July, j 
 which was, that having looked into the port of Carthagena, | 
 the eight and twentieth of June, he faw twelve ftiips thert;, ! 
 iix rigged, and the other fix unrigged, among the former of] 
 which he belieyed wag the vice-admiral of the galleons; and 
 befides thefe, five Hoops. 
 
 The fix and twentieth, he arrived on that coaft, and the. 
 fame day chafed five fliips; but they got into Bocca Ghica, the 
 entrance into Carthagena harbour. He ftood off to fea aga*n 
 $h at night, and ftretching in the next morning, chafed four a-
 
 TRIUMPHANT. 135 
 
 ther (hips. Between five and fix, the Salifbury Prize, cap- 
 tain Robert Harland, came up with, and engaged, one (hip, 
 which proved to be the vice-admiral of the galleons; this was 
 the fame galleon which hid efcaped from admiral Wagsr, as I 
 have related above; but Monfieur Da Gaffe had taken moll of 
 the money out of her, having Come fufpicion of the command- 
 ing officer. The vice-admiral himfelf being wounded by a 
 fmall fhot, died foon after. The Salisbury, captain Francis 
 Hofier, came foon after, and did the fame; and the commo- 
 dore, who was within piftol (hot, being juft going to fire into 
 her, they itruck her colours ; fhe had fixty brafs guns, and 
 three hundred and five and twenty men. The Jerfey took 
 another, a merchant (hip, of about four hundred tuns, and 
 fix and twenty guns, laden chiefly with cocoa and wool* 
 But one which was chafed by the Nonfuch efcaped. 
 
 Mr. Secretary Burchett, in the marginal references to his 
 account of this action, mentions the vice-admiral taken by the 
 commodore, another great (hip taken by captain H.irland and 
 captain Hofier, and a merchant (hip by the Jerfey ; but I muft 
 confefs, I am not able to find this comprized in the words of 
 the relation itfelf ; if, therefore, I have done wrong to thefe 
 worthy commanders, in my account, it is for want of a furer 
 guide. 
 
 As the fervice performed by the fquadron under the com- 
 mand of commodore Littleton, after this, confided only in the 
 taking of feme prizes, by fingle (hips, and providing for the 
 fecurity of the trade, I fhall only mention what occurred, 
 under thofe two heads, in proper order, without following 
 him in all his cruifings. 
 
 In the month of Auguft, then" being fome trade ready to 
 proceed to Great Britain. thc commodore fentthe Nonfuch as' 
 their convoy. Th' Jerfey, returning to Jamaica, the feven- 
 .wcnua O f o^ooer, brought in a Ihip (he had taken on the N. 
 fide of Cuba, of about a hundred tuns, loaded with indigo and 
 fugar. The five and twentieth of November, a French
 
 13$ BRITANNIA 
 
 of war, of four and forty guns, called the Thetis, taken by 
 the Windfor and the Weymouth, was brought into Jamaica. 
 The fixth of December, the Weymouth, captain Leftock, 
 brought in a fmall privateer of fix guns and forty men, be- 
 longing to Puerto Ricco. The commodore fent with the home- 
 ward bound trade the Anglefea, Fowey, and Scarborough, the 
 latter of which was taken by the two former, on the coaft of 
 Guinea, from the enemy, who had taken her from us fomc 
 time before. In January following, the Medway Prize brought 
 in a French Hoop, bound to the Havana, laden with Madera 
 wine, flower and cocoa. The twentieth of February, the Sa- 
 lifbury brought in a French merchant mip, of a hundred and 
 fifty tuns, laden with fugar, from cape Francois, on the N. 
 fide of llifpaniola ; and the Jerfey run a French fhip, of about 
 twenty guns a&oar, where flie beat in pieces. 1 mall now 
 leave commodore Littleton, till he was relieved, in July fol- 
 lowing, by Sir Hovenden Walker. 
 
 Naval tranfaftions and expeditions of the Englljb ; particularly^ 
 an account of the famous fea-fight between the Englijh and 
 French^ offef Velez Malaga, the thirteenth of Auguft. 
 
 THE important city and fortrefs of Gibraltar being in the 
 hands of the confederates, and particularly the Englifli, 
 (whofe brave failors had the chief hand in the taking of it, 
 and) who have it yet in po#ef!ion,(andmay they ever keep it!) 
 the confederate fleet flood over to the coaft of Barbary to 
 water. Returning from thenc c> the ninth of Auguft, and 
 landing out of Tetuan Bay, within iigw O f t h e high lands of 
 Gibraltar, the Centurion fcout made a fignai ^ (Veins * - 
 nemy's fleet, to the windward, as it appeared their fcouts 
 <}id of feeing ours,
 
 T ft I TJ M FH A N T. 137 
 
 A council of war was hereupon called, and it was refolved 
 to lay to the eaftward of Gibraltar, to receive them 5 but it 
 feems they did not think fit then to engage. 
 
 The reafon was becaufe they had then but few of their gal- 
 lies with them, and the rendezvous of the reft of thofe veffels 
 being at Velez Malaga, they plied up to that place, where 
 they joined them. This likewife gave the confederate fleet 
 the leifure to fend for half of the eighteen hundred marines 
 they had left at Gibraltar. 
 
 The tenth and eleventh were fpent in plying to the wind- 
 ward, in purfuit of the enemy, of whom they could have no 
 other account, than what they could gather by the report of 
 their fignal guns. The eleventh, they drove a French ten- 
 der on fhore, near Fingerolc, but her crew quitted her, and 
 fet her on fire. 
 
 The twelfth, about noon, they difcovered the enemy's fleet 
 and gallies to the weftward, near cape Malaga, going away 
 large, and bore after them, in a line of b,attle, all that night. 
 
 The thirecnth, in the morning, they were within three 
 leagues of the French, who then brought to, with their heads 
 to the fouthward, the wind being eafterly, and, forming theic 
 line, lay in a pofture to receive them. 
 
 In the Englifh line, Sir George Rooke, with the rear-acf- 
 mirals Byng and Dilkes were in the center ; Sir Cloudefly 
 Shovel and Sir John Leake led the van, and vice-admiral Cal- 
 cmberg, with rear-admiral VanderdufTen, commanded the 
 t)utch (hips in the rear. 
 
 w 
 
 between the Englijh and the French fleet off of 
 Velez Malaga. 
 
 E have feveral accounts of this action, which, tho* they 
 
 differ in fome circumftances, agree pretty well in thq 
 
 T cv - 11 u *eo to that publilhed by authority, as
 
 B It I TA ft N r A 
 
 by captain Trevor, commander of her majefty's mip the Tri- 
 ton, from Sir George Rooke, to his royal highnefs : making 
 fuch remarks and additions, as I fhall judge proper : And this 
 being the only general engagement which happened this whole 
 war, I (hall be the more particular. 
 
 On Sunday, the thirteenth of Auguft, in the morning (fays 
 this relation) we bore down upon the enemy, in order of bat- 
 tle, 'till a little after ten o'clock, when, being about half gun- 
 fhot from them, they fet all their fails, at once, and feemed to 
 intend to ftretch a-head, and weather us. 
 
 The marquis de Vilette obferving that the admiral, as he 
 bore down, was at fome diftance from the center, and think- 
 ing that he might get a-head of that fquadron, with his fore- 
 mott {hips, made a fignal to the headrnoft fhips of the French 
 line, to croud all the fail they could. Admiral Shovel Hill bear- 
 ing down upon the enemy with the van, infenfibly found him- 
 felf in their line a-head of them, which the French judging to 
 be a favourable opportunity, refolved to make their advantage 
 of it, by keeping their wind, and crouding all the fail they 
 were able, in order to cut off the van of the confederates from 
 the reft of their fleet ; hoping, with reafon, that if it grew 
 calm, which ufualJy happens in a fea-fight, their gallies might 
 row them off, fo as that they might make a double, and, wea- 
 thering SirCloudefly Shovel, fire upon him on both fides. But 
 admiral Shovel having difcovered the enemy's intention, im- 
 mediately clapped upon a wind, and Sir George Rooke, fore- 
 feeing what would be the confequence, if his van was inter- 
 cepted, bore down upon the enemy, with the reft of the con- 
 federate fleet, and put out the fignal for the fight, which was 
 immediately begun by admiral Shovel. The French accounts 
 own, that, in this part of the engagment, between the mar- 
 quis dc Vilette, and Sir Cloudefly Shovel, the former was o- 
 bliged to bear out of the line to repair, his poop being blown 
 up by a bomb, and his fhip fet on fire and in danger of blo,w- 
 ing up likewife 5 and that the fame happened to mon r "
 
 T ft I U M P H A tf T. 
 
 Belleifle's fhip, he himfelf being before killed. But, about 
 two in the afternoon, the enemy's van gave way to ours, which 
 was commanded by Sir Cloudefly Shovel, and led by Sir John 
 Leake; as their rear did to the Dutch, towards night. 
 
 The Dutch, in the rear, engaged the enemy, with the great- 
 eft courage and alacrity, and, being better provided with am- 
 munition, continued firing, fomething later than the reft; but 
 night coming on, put an end to the difpute on that fide alfo : 
 But monfieur de Rouvre one of the French rear-admiral's fe- 
 conds, was obliged to go out of their line to flop his leak, be- 
 fore the fight ended : but their body being very ftrong, and 
 feveral of the mips of the admiral's, rear-admiral Byng's, and 
 rear-admiral Dilke's divifion, being forced to go out of the 
 line, for want of fhot, the battle fell very heavy on the admi- 
 ral's own mip, the St. George, and the Shrewfbury. 
 
 This being obferved by Sir Cloudefly Shovel, he, like 2 
 good and valiant officer, immediately backedaftern,and endea- 
 voured to reinforce the admiral. This act, both of valour and 
 good feamanfhip, had two ufeful effects ; firit, it drew feveral 
 of the enemy's mips from our center, which was fo hard pref- 
 fed, by a great fuperiority, both of ftrength and number, and 
 drove them at length out of the line j for after they had felt 
 the force of this fupply, from fome of the fhips of Sir Clou- 
 defly Shovel's divifion, which was aftern of him, they found it 
 not fafe to advance along his broadfide ; but being clean and 
 better iailors, they fet their fprit-fails, and with their boats a- 
 head towed from him, without giving him the opportunity of 
 exchanging a fingle broadfide with them. Thefe were the 
 vice-admiral of the white, and the rear-admiral of their white 
 and blue, with part of their divifions: And tho' the count de 
 Thouloufe was fuftained by the bell fhips and commanders in 
 the center, and affifted by the greateft officers for quality, ex- 
 perience and courage, who were placed as councilors near 
 him, yet he fhared, at length, the like fate as his van, and, a- 
 bout feyen o -clock, was obliged to tow out of danger.
 
 BRITANNIA 
 
 This Wint of mot wasoccafioned by our great expence of 
 it at Gibraltar ; and though every (hip was fupplied to have 
 five and twenty roundsj two days before the battle, which was 
 judged fufficient, and would have been fo, if we could have 
 got fo near the enemy as the admiral intended ; (tho* the 
 French pretend it was they who endeavoured to fight clofe, 
 but the Englifh avoided it ;) yet every fliip, that was on that 
 fervice, wanted ammunition before night. 
 
 There happened an aclion in the center, which deferves a 
 particular mention : The Serieux, a fhip in the French admi- 
 ral's divifion, commanded by monf. Champmelin, thrice board* 
 ed the Monk, an Englifli fhip commanded by captain Mills, 
 who, with great activity and courage, every time cleared the 
 deck of the enemy, and made them at laft bear away : The 
 fame French commander (as they themfelves own) had hi 
 ihip afterwards fo difabled, that he was obliged to quit the line, 
 as was likewife the chevalier de Grancy, whofe {hip was whol- 
 ly difabled j Monfieur de Roche Alard was likewife totally 
 difabled j an.d the chevalier d'Ofmont, and monfieur de Pou- 
 lett, alfo quitted their line, for the fame reafon. Captain 
 Jumper did, likewife eminently fignalize his valour, in this 
 fight, with his fingle fhip engaging three of the enemy's, A- 
 bout feven in the evening, one of the French admiral's fe- 
 conds advanced out of the line, and began a clofer engagement 
 \vith the St. George, commanded by captain Jennings ; but, 
 notwithstanding that the St. George had already fuffered much, 
 Ihe met with fuch rough treatment, that fhe had difficulty e- 
 pough to rejoin the line, after the lofs of both her captains, 
 and abundance of her men. But, among the actions of other 
 jbrave commanders, we muft not forget thofe of the gallant 
 earl of Durfley, commander oftheBoyne, an eighty-gun fhip, 
 who, tho' then but about three and twenty years of age, gave 
 juany memorable inftances of his undaunted courage, fteady 
 jrefolution , and prudent conduct. In general, all the officers 
 and feamen of the confederate fleet fought with unparalleled
 
 t ft I tl ,M V H A f . fjff 
 
 intrepidity anc( refolution, and had not the center been fa 
 weakened, by the lofs of the fefvice of thofe {hips which* 
 thro* want of ammunition, were forced to leave their ftations, 
 'tis highly probable the confederates would have obtained a 
 more compleat and uncontefted victory than they did. 
 
 The battle ended with the day, when the enemy went a* 
 way, by the help of their gallies, to the leeward. In th 
 night, the wind fhifted to the northward, and, in the morn- 
 ing to the weftward, which gave the enemy the wind of us. 
 We lay by, all day, within three leagues of one another, re- 
 pairing our defedts, and, at night, they filed and flood to the 
 northward. 
 
 On the fifteenth, in the morning, the enemy was got 
 four or five leagues to the windward of us ; but, a little be- 
 fore Boon, we had a breeze of wind eafterly, with which we 
 bore down on them 'till four o'clock in the afternoon. It 
 being too late to engage, we brought to, and lay by, with 
 our heads to the northward all night. 
 
 The confederates braved the enemy, to conceal their own 
 weaknefs; for neither fide had any great inclination, or, in* 
 deed, were in a condition to come to a fecond engage- 
 ment, wherefore they were both glad to lofe fight of one an- 
 other. 
 
 On the fixteenth, in the motning, the wind being ftill eaf* 
 tcrly, hazy weather, and having no fight of the enemy-, or 
 their fronts, we filed, and bore away to the weftward, fup- 
 pofing they would have gone away for Cadiz ; but being ad- 
 trifed from Gibraltar, and the coaft of Barbary, that they did 
 not pafs the Streights, we concluded they had been fo fevere- 
 Jy treated, as to oblige them to return to Toulon, which 
 may prevent any attempt upon Gibraltar this winter, the 
 fending any fuccour into Cadiz, or the infulting the coaft of 
 Portugal, and conftrain them to a winter-pafTage to Weft- 
 France, if they intend any of their Cbips thither this 
 year* '
 
 BRITANNIA 
 
 We have not yet the particulars of the enemy's lofs; The 
 marquis de Villadarias, marching with his army to befiege 
 Gibraltar, fent a letter to the prince of HerTe, governor of 
 that place, advifing him, that the French had burnt eight of 
 our fhips, taken fixteen, funk feven, and he allows the French 
 had loft four men of war, and one galley, and that the count 
 De Thouloufe was wounded. During the a&ion, we faw 
 two of the enemy 'sgallies funk, and many of their fhips fo dif- 
 abled, that they were towed off by their gallies, and we have 
 reafon to believe feveral of them perifhed ; whereas there 
 was not one of her majefty's fhips loft, and the Dutch loft 
 only one, their admiral, called the Albemarle, of lixty four 
 guns, which blew up by accident, the fixteenth, in the after- 
 nooni, after we had loft fight of the enemy, and had only nine 
 men faved. We loft, befides, fix hundred and ninety five 
 men killed, among whom were two captains, Sir Andrew 
 Leake, of the Grafton, and captain Cow, of the Ranelagh ; 
 and fixteen hundred and fixty three wounded, among whom 
 were three captains, captain Myngo, of the Namur* captain 
 jBaker, of the Monmouth, and captain Jumper, of the Le- 
 nox. Of the Dutch, captain Liinflager was killed, and they 
 had four hundred men killed arid wounded. 
 
 Sir Cloudefly Shovel, in his account of this engagement-, 
 fays, the action was very fharp and in his opinion, the like, 
 between two fleets, had never been in his time. Of the whole 
 fleet, he faid, there was hardly a fhip but was obliged to iliift 
 one maft, and many all; infomuch that there were not three 
 fpare top-mafts left in the fleet. 
 
 Sir George Rooke, in his letter, with an account of this 
 fight, fays he muft do the officers the juftice to fay, that 
 every man in the line, did his duty, without the leaft umbrage 
 for cenfurc or reflection j and that he never obferved the 
 true Englifti fpirit fo apparent and prevalent in our feamen, 
 as on this occafion. 
 
 Admiral Callemberge, in his letter to the States General,
 
 TRIUMPHANT. * 4 y 
 
 fays they fpent fuch a vaft quantity of powder, in this fight, 
 that they were obliged to have cartridges filled during tho 
 action. 
 
 Our fleet having entirely loft fight of the enemy, as I ob- 
 ferved above, Sir George called a council of war, in which 
 it was determined to repair, with the fleet, to Gibraltar; and 
 having (laid eight days there to refit, and fupplied that place 
 with men and provifions, he failed from thence, the fourth and 
 twentieth of Auguft. The fix and twentieth, being out of 
 the Streights* mouth, he gave the necefiary orders to Sir 
 John Leake, and then continued his voyage, with thofe (hips, 
 which were in a condition to come home ; he arrived at Spit* 
 head, the five and twentieth of September, and, the nine and 
 twentieth waited on the queen and prince^ at Windfor, whd 
 received him very gracioufly, and expreffed themfelves very 
 well fatisfied with his conduct. 
 
 I fhould now return to Sir John Leake, and give an ac- 
 count of his proceedings after Sir George's departure; but 
 as that would carry me too far into the following year, I fhalt 
 referve them for the enfuing chapter, and in the mean time, 
 give an account of fome other tran factions, which came with- 
 in the compafs of the year. 
 
 And firft, I fhould be guilty of an unpardonable neglect, 
 ihould I not, at leaft, mention the moft important and glori- 
 ous tranfaction not only of this year, but of the whole war, 
 I mean the unparallel'd fuccefs of her majefty's armies at 
 Schellenburg and Hochftedt, under the great duke of Mar*- 
 borough. However, as I fhould do injuftice to the actions 
 themfelves, as well as to all the brave officers and men cotf- 
 eerned in them, fhould I attempt a defcription of them, in the 
 narrow limits I am here tied down to ; and befides, as we have 
 already fo many ample accounts thereof, I fhall content my- 
 felf with having taken notice of them, and refer to our hif- 
 torians for the circumftances of thofe ever memorable ex- 
 ploits.
 
 144 R 1 1 A N K I A 
 
 The ninth of October, Sir Cloudefly Shovel, and feverat 
 bf his captains, went to Windfor, to wait on her majefty, and 
 his royal highnefs, by whom they were gracioufly received ; 
 and her majefty was pleafed to confer the honour of knight- 
 hood, on captain John Jennings, commander of the St. George, 
 for his lignal fervicej in the late fea fight, in the Mediterra- 
 nean. Not long after, the queen conferred the fame honour, 
 on George Byng, Efq; rear admiral of the Red fquadron, and 
 on Thomas Dikes, Efq; rear admiral of the White fquadron * 
 of her Majefty's fleet. 
 
 #S0808QiO!G3Q^^ 
 
 Naval expeditions and tranfaftions of the EngHJh ; particularly^ 
 the relief of Gibraltar, and taking of Barcelona, with other 
 remarkable occurrences, during the year, 1705. 
 
 TH E lofs of Gibraltar was fo fenfible a blow to Spain, and 
 the confederate garrifon in that fortrefs fuch a danger- 
 ous thorn in the fide of the Spaniards, that the courts of Ver- 
 failles and Madrid refolved to ufe all poffible means to wrefl 
 that place out of their hands. As I am obliged to go back 
 fome months into the foregoing year, to give an account of 
 the fiege and relief of that place, thefe tranfaclions properly 
 require the firft place here* 
 
 Sir John Leah's proceedings, with a fquadron tinder his coin- 
 mand together with an account of his relieving Gibraltar, and 
 efhis de ft r oying feveral French men of war. 
 
 WE left Sir John Leake, the fix and twentieth of Au- 
 guft, of the foregoing year, without the Streights* 
 inouth, with the fhips Sir George Rooke left under his com-'
 
 TRIUMPHANT. 145 
 
 mand, bound for Lifbon, ia order to their being refitted 
 there. 
 
 At this place, he received a letter from the prince of HefTe, 
 and another from captain Fotherby, commander of the Lark, 
 by which he was informed, that, on the fourth of October, 
 in the evening, a fquadron of the enemy's Ihips, about nine- 
 teen in number, great and fmall, came into Gibraltar-Bay, and 
 that there was a defign of befieging the place, both by fea 
 and land ; for which reafon he was earneftly prefTed to re- 
 pair to their relief. 
 
 While Sir John was making preparations to this end, fome 
 other {hips joined him, from England and Holland, and he 
 foon after received another letter from the prince of HefTe, 
 with advice, that the French, having landed fix battalions, 
 were failed weftward, and had only left fix frigates, from for- 
 ty to twenty guns ; and that they had opened their trenches 
 againft the town, the i ith of October. It was hereupon re* 
 folved, in a council of war, as the prefervation of that place 
 was of the higheft importance to the common caufe, to re- 
 pair forthwith to the relief of it. 
 
 Being arrived there, fome troops were landed ; but upon 
 idvice, that a French fquadron, of fuperior force to his, was 
 preparing to attack him, they Were all re-embarked except 
 :he gunners, carpenters and marines. The EngKlh fhips, in 
 :he mean time, having loft fome of their cables and anchors, 
 uid the Dutch almoft all theirs, and feveral provifions being 
 vanting, the fquadron was under a neceflity of returning to 
 Lifbon. 
 
 The five and twentieth of October, the fquadron failed a- 
 ;ain from the river of Lifbon, and arrived at the bay of 
 Gibraltar, the nine and twentieth^ where they furprized two 
 }f the enemy's mips of four and thirty guns each, one o 
 :welve, a fireihip, a Tartane, and two Englifh prizes, all which 
 .hey run afhorc, and fet on fife ; and another fhip of thirty guns, 
 
 K
 
 tf t 6 BRITANNIA 
 
 which had juft got out of the bay, was likewife taken by ontf 
 of the Englifh mips. 
 
 The arrival of the EngliQi and Dutch fquadron was very 
 feafonable ; for the enemy had deligned,that very night, to at- 
 tack the town in feveral places, and had got a great number 
 of boats from Cadiz, to make the afiault, with three thoufand 
 men, on the fide of the new Mole, by which the confederates 
 had attacked it, the foregoing fummer. 
 
 The fecond of November, it was refolvedj to land as ma- 
 ny men as could be fpared, for defending the outpofts, on the 
 fea fide, as likewife to fend fome men into the town, which 
 was done the third ; and fome days after, a farther reinforce- 
 ment, of two hundred Englifh, and one hundred Dutch, were 
 landed. The nineteenth, and twentieth, Sir John, being 
 moving his ftation, made a feint of landing fome troops, which 
 drew the Spanilh cavalry down to the more, and gave him an 
 opportunity of killing a great number of them, with the 
 cannon of his frigates, and the fmall arms from his boats. 
 
 The twenty fecond, the Centurion came in from cruifing* 
 and brought with her a French prize, of eight and twen- 
 ty guns, richly laden with fugar and indigo,, from Marti- 
 nico. 
 
 - Upon advice, focn after, that Monfieur Ponti was coming 
 out of Cadiz, Sir John Leake thought fit to order his (qua- 
 dron out of the bay, and to fland to the eaftward, in fight of 
 Gibraltar, that he might be the better enabled to take fuch 
 Eneafures as fhould be thought neceffiry. 
 
 The feventh of December, the Antelope, with nine tranf* 
 fport Ihips, came into the bay of Gibraltar, from Lifbon, and. 
 were followed the ninth, by the Newcaftle, with feven more ; 
 having in all nineteen hundred and feventy men on board 
 The twenty firft, purfuant to a refolution of a council of war 
 the garrifon being now re-inforced, and having obtained fo 
 many advantages over the befiegers, (who by the accounts 
 they had received were reduced to the greateft mifery) that
 
 TRIUMPHANT. i 4 ; 
 
 they thought themfelves in no great danger, the fleet failed, 
 and arrived at Lifbon, in order to refit. 
 
 The nine and twentieth of January, the Tartar-Pink, and 
 the Newport, came into the bay of Gibraltar, with frefli fup- 
 plles; and, the fifth of February, were followed by the Roe- 
 buck and Leopard, with fix companies of Dutch, and about 
 two hundred of the Englifh guards, with other Englifh troops, 
 and feveral neceiTaries, from Lifbon. The feventh, the Ty- 
 ger, with a tranfport, arrived, with a farther fupply of men 
 and ammunition. 
 
 The fourteenth;, Monfieur Ponti came into the bay of Gi- 
 braltar, with fourteen men of war, and two firefhips ; notice 
 whereof having been given to Sir John Leake, at Lifbon, who, 
 in the mean time, had been joined by Sir Thomas Dilkes, 
 with five third-rates, with which he had convoyed a great 
 number of merchant fhips from England, he fet fail from, 
 thence the fixth of March. The tenth, at half an hour paft 
 five in the morning, being within two milts of Gape Cabret- 
 ta, he difcovered five fail making out of the bay; to which 
 he gave chafe, and they afterwards proved to be five French 
 men of war. At nine, Sir Thomas Dilkes, in the Revenge, 
 with theNewcaftle, Antelope, Expedition, and a Dutch. man 
 of war, got within half gun-mot of the Arrogant, which they 
 took, after fome refiftance; and the Newcafile's boat firil 
 boarded her, after (he ftruck. Before one, two of the Dutch 
 Ihips took the Ardent and the Marquis. The other two, 
 .the Magnanimous, and the Flower de Luce, in the firft of 
 which Monfieur Ponti himfelf was, made a flout refinance, 
 and, in fpight of the Englifh, running afhore, to the weft- 
 ward of Marbella, were burnt by the French themfelves. Sir 
 John, fuppofing the remainder of Monfieur Ponti's fquadron, 
 which had been driven from their anchor, out of Gibraltar 
 bay, to be in Malaga-road, looked in there ; but they, having 
 heard the firing, thought that no fecure harbour, and had, 
 as it was believed, cut their cables, and were retired to Tou- 
 
 K 2
 
 B R 1 T A N ti 1 A 
 
 Ion. Off of Malaga, three of her majefty's (hips, the Kentj 
 the Orford, and the Eagle joined the admiral ; and three of 
 our frigates having driven afhore two merchant fhips, one of 
 three hundred tons, richly loaden from the Weft-Indies, near 
 Malaga, and the other of two hundred and fifty, outward 
 bound to the Weft-Indies, near Almeria, they were burnt by 
 the French ; and the AiTarance and Bedford took two Sat- 
 fees. Sir John Leake, having thus relieved Gibraltar, a fecond 
 time, by his appearance only, tho* he could not afterwards 
 reach the bay till the t<?th, he returned to Lifbon, where 
 he arrived, the firft of April, and where we lhall leave him, 
 and return to England* 
 
 *itijto&&^^ 
 
 The earl of Peterborough's and Sir Ckudejly Shavers expedition 
 to the Mediterranean, with the king of Spain 1 s landing at 
 Barcelona, and taking of that city. 
 
 SIR Cloudefly Shovel, repairing on board the Britannia, 
 at the Nore, gave orders, on the feventh of April, to 
 Sir John Jennings, to proceed to Spithead, with three firft- 
 rates, two fecond-rates, and as many third-rates. The thir- 
 teenth of May, he arrived at Spithead, where he was joined 
 by the men of war from the Downs, and the fliips with the 
 Ordnance ftores ; and, the twenty-fecond, the earl of Peter- 
 borough arrived at Portfmouth. The fame day, the troops 
 dcfigned for the expedition being, likewife, on board, the 
 Jteet failed to St. Helen's; and, the next, the earl went on 
 board: the four and twentieth, the fleet fet fail again, and the 
 five and twentieth: came off of Plymouth, where they lay by 
 lor fome men of war and tranfports, which were to join them 
 there, and, two days after, they arrived at their firft ren- 
 dezvous, which was feven leagues fouth from the Lizard. 
 The ninth of June, the fleet arrived in the river of Lifbon,
 
 TRIUMPHANT. 
 
 where the Dutch admiral Allemond, with his fqtndron, 
 arrived a week before. Here the admirals, likewife, found 
 Sir John Leake, with his fquadron ; but in great want of pro- 
 vifions ; the (hips were therefore all fupplied, out of thofc 
 brought from England, for near four months, at whole allow- 
 ance. 
 
 The line of battle being now formed, Sir Cloudefly got 
 out of the river of Liibon, with part of the fleet the twen- 
 ty-fecond, and, the fame day, met with the (hips from Ire- 
 land. The delign was to cruife off of Cape Spartel, 'till the 
 carl of Peterborough, who (laid at Lifbon, with the remain- 
 der of the fleet, to take iu the forces, mould join him. The 
 earl having prevailed upon the earl of Galloway to fpare him. 
 two regiments of dragoons, in which, as well as in fupplying 
 them with forage and other neceffaries, he met with greac 
 oppofition and delay, from the Portuguefe ; and the men of 
 war detached from the fquadron under admiral Byng being 
 arrived the fifteenth, with the tranfports and other mips un- 
 der their convoy, having on board feveral things neceffary 
 for the expedition, he prepared to depart. King Charles, 
 who was refolved to try his fortune with the earl and Sir 
 Cloudefly, being therefore embarked with the former, on, 
 board the Ranelagh, they put to fea the feventeenth of July, 
 the troops on board, deiigned for a defcent, being by fomc 
 computed to be twelve thoufand men. They arrived, in a 
 few days, at Qibraltar, where his Catholick nujefty, under 
 protection of the confederate fleet, firft took poffefiion of 
 his kingdom of Spain, and was received there as lawful fove- 
 reign. 
 
 The battalion of Englifli guards, and the three old regi- 
 ments, which had fo valiantly defended Gibraltar, being em- 
 barked, and two new-raifed battalions left in garriibn there, 
 the fleet failed, the fifth of Auguft, and came to anchor, the 
 eleventh, in Altea bay, in order to water there. 
 
 AS foon as the fleet was come into the bay, all the peaplf 
 
 & 3
 
 150 BRITANNIA 
 
 came to offer their fervice to his Catholick majefty, and to 
 implore his protection 5 bringing with them all forts of pro- 
 vifions and refrefhments ; for which, meeting with a liberal 
 payment, all the inhabitants of the neighbouring villages came, 
 in like manner, to do him homage, and offer what the coun- 
 try afforded. 
 
 His Catholick majefty ordered a body of foot to be land- 
 ed, as well to fecure the fleet's watering as to hinder the 
 failors from committing any diforders ; and the earl of Pe- 
 terborough caufed a manifefto to be difperfed in the Spanifl* 
 tongue. 
 
 The fubftance of this manifefto was, to afiure the Spani- 
 ards, that the confederate fleet was not come to take poflef- 
 iion of any place, in an hoftile manner, for the ufe of her 
 majefty of Great Britain, or the States General, nor to bring 
 into that country the ufual calamities of warj but to defend 
 and protect thofe who would fubmit, in due obedience, to their 
 lawful fovereign : but that, if, by oppofing thefe good inten- 
 tions, they brought hoftilities upon themfelves, they only 
 would be anfwerable for them. 
 
 While the fleet was in the bay, certain advice was brought, 
 that eight hundred or a thoufand of the inhabitants of the 
 towns and places, in the neighbourhood, who were affembled 
 in the mountains, had declared for king Charles, and feized 
 the town of Denia ; upon which general Ramos was appoint- 
 ed governor of that place, and a garrifon of four hundred 
 men put into it. 
 
 The eleventh of Auguft, the fleet arrived in the bay off 
 Barcelona ; where, as foon as the fleet anchored, the Spani- 
 ards began to fire from the mole, and a battery they had near 
 the fea, upon fome of the tranfport fhips, which flood in fon 
 the ftiore. The next day, the prince of Darmftadt havinj 
 joined the fleet, the forces began to land in very good order, 
 and without any oppofition, between the town and a place 
 called Badelona, at about three quarters of a league diilancf
 
 TRIUMPHANT. 151 
 
 from the former, the inhabitants lending them all poflible a 
 fiftancc. The thirteenth, all the troops being landed, the ci- 
 ty was invefted, and, as it was fo large that the forces from 
 the fleet could not guard all the pofts, the inhabitants aflifted 
 them in fecuring all the avenues. 
 
 It was much wondered at, that the enemy made no oppo* 
 fition, fince they had all the convenience for it imaginable, on 
 their fide; for they might have come under cover, very near 
 the landing place, fo that the fire from on board the mips 
 could not have difturbed them ; but it was believed, that the 
 viceroy had no confidence in his own troops, and was jealous, 
 that mould he have fuftered them to march out of the city, 
 the people, who had a ftrong inclination for king Charles, 
 might, in the mean time, rife in his favour. 
 
 The fcventeeth, his Cathoiick majefty went on more, the 
 whole fleet having faluted him, at his departure ; and, at 
 his landing, he was not only welcomed by the loud acclamati<- 
 ons of the people of the country, who came in throngs to 
 receive him, but by a treble difcharge of fmall arms, from 
 the camp on Ihore. The generals, however, found the 
 place fo well provided, that they almoft defpaired of fuc- 
 cefs. The fea officers on their fide, were, indeed, bombard- 
 ing and cannonading the place, from the fleet, while the ap^ 
 proaches were made by land ; but as the king of Spain, 
 would by no means confent to this, the undertaking was 
 thereupon very near being laid afide, and the refolution al- 
 moft taken to leave the place, and try their fortune at Ter- 
 ragona. 
 
 When a council of war was held, on this occafion at 
 which the king of Spain himfelf was prefent, both Englifh 
 and Dutch officers were of opinion, the fiege could not be 
 undertaken with fo fmall a force, the garrifon being near as 
 ilrong as they were. The debate lafted fome hours. la 
 conclufion, the king himfelf fpake near half an hour: he an 
 iwered all the objections which were made againft the 
 
 K
 
 152 BRITANNIA 
 
 and treated every one of thofe who made them, as he anfwep- 
 cd them, with particular civilities; he fupported the truth of 
 what the prince of Ileffe had aflerted, (concerning the good 
 afFedion of many in the town) as being known to himfelf. 
 He faid, that in the ftate in which his affairs then flood, no- 
 thing could be propofed, but what would be attended with 
 great difficulties ; all was doubtful, and much muft be put to 
 the hazard; but this feemed lefs dangerous, than any thing 
 elfe that was propofed. Many of his fubjecls had qome and 
 declared for him, to the hazard of their lives ; it became him 
 therefore, to let them fee, that he would run the fame ha- 
 zard for them. He defired that they would ftay fo long with 
 him, 'till fuch attempts mould t>e made, that all the world 
 might be convinced, that nothing could be done: he added, 
 that if their orders did oblige them to leave him, yet he could 
 not leave his own fubjects; upon wfyich they refolved to fit 
 down before Barcelona ; and happy it was (fays the bifhop) that 
 they took this refolution ; fork came afterwards to be known, 
 that the Catalans and Miquelets, who had joined them, hear- 
 ing that they were refolved to abandon them, and go back 
 to their (hips, had refolved, either out of refentment, or that 
 they might merit their pardon, to murder as many of them 
 as they could. When this ihiall army fat down before Bar- 
 celona, they found they were too weak to befiege it, they 
 could fcarce mount their cannon. When they came to ex* 
 amine their (lores, they found them very defective, and far 
 ihort of the quantities, which by their lifts they expected to 
 find; whether this flowed from treachery or carelcflhefs, I 
 will not (continues the bifhop) determine; there is much o 
 Loth in all our oilices. 
 
 The prince of 'Heffc, whofe reputation was moft at flake, 
 as he advifcd the expedition, propofed at length, the furpriz- 
 ing of the citadel and caftle of Mont-Juy, which the earl of 
 Peterborough, upon examination of the circumftances, find- 
 Ing feafible, approved of. The attack (of which I omit the
 
 TRIUMPHANT. I 5 g 
 
 circumftances, as the fleet was not concerned in it) was made 
 on the fecond of September, with undaunted bravery and 
 wiflied-for fuccefsj but with the lofs of the gallant prince of 
 Heffe. 
 
 He received a fhot with a mufket-ball, which, pafling thro 1 
 his thigh, tore an artery, and occafioned a great effufion of 
 blood; but, not to difcourage his men, he marched on, as if 
 he had not been wounded, till the vital fpirits of that great 
 heart being no longer able to fupport him, he fell. He was 
 immediately carried to a little houfe which was near; but be- 
 fore his wound could be looked into he expired. 
 
 After whofe death the aflailants began to lofe ground, till 
 the earl of Peterborough, being informed that the forces had 
 orders from the commanding officer to retreat, went in per- 
 fon, and rallied them. 
 
 His lordfliip being juftly tranfported with indignation at the 
 orders which had been given for the troops to draw off, im- 
 mediately countermanded thofe orders, and drawing his 
 fword, threw away the fcabbard, faying: He was fure all 
 brave men would follow him. With that he put himfelf at 
 the head of the detachments which were retreating, and fo 
 animated them by his example, that they foon regained al| 
 the ground they had quitted, his lordlhip expofing himfelf 
 all the while to the greateft danger. 
 
 The fixth, the citadel, with all the works belonging to it, 
 furrendered, and colonel Southwell, who commanded the firft 
 attack with great bravery, and had contributed very much 
 to the taking of it, was made governor of that fortrefs. 
 
 After their fuccefs, the fiege was puflied with great vi- 
 gour; the trenches were opened the ninth, and batteries 
 raifed for fifty guns, and twenty mortars. His Catholic ma- 
 jefty having at length confented to it, our bomb veffels threw 
 four hundred and twelve {hells into the town ; and eight Eng- 
 lim and Dutch fhips, under the command of Sir Stafford 
 tail-born, being appointed to cannonade it from the fca,
 
 I 5 4 BRITANNIA 
 
 while the cannon from the batteries and fort continued to 
 do the like on more, the viceroy defired to capitulate, the 
 twenty-third, and the capitulation (which is of too great a 
 length to find place here) being figned the eight and twenti* 
 eth, the gate and baftion of St. Angelo was delivered up the 
 fame day, and the whole city in a few days after. The fur- 
 render of this capital of Catalonia fo ftrengthened king 
 Charles's party, that the whole kingdom, Rofes only ex* 
 cepted, fubmitted foon after. 
 
 The king of Spain having made his entry into Barcelona, 
 and received the oath of fidelity of his new fubjecls; and his 
 majefty having declared that he would venture his perfon 
 with them ; a council of the general and flag officers was 
 held, on the firft of October, where it was refolved, that the 
 earl of Peterborough mould continue with that prince, with 
 the land-forces, and all the marines that could be fpared from 
 the fervice of the mips ; and that a winter fquadron being 
 appointed, under the command of Sir John Leake, and rear 
 admiral Wafienaer, the reft of the fleet fhould make the belt 
 pf their way home. 
 
 It was refolved, at this council, to appoint fifteen English 
 fliips of the line, and ten Dutch, with frigates, firettrips, 
 bomb-veflels, &c. for a winter fquaclron j and iince the States 
 General were fending from Holland to Lifbon, five fhips of 
 war, it was prqpofed, that ten might be difpatched from 
 England, which would make forty of the line, that being 
 judged fuflkient, till they could be ftrengthened towards the 
 end of April. 
 
 A farther quantity of powder was put on more, from the 
 Englifh and Dutch mips; with eight brafs guns carrying a 
 fix pound ball j and it was refolved, that when the mips de- 
 figned to continue abroad, with Sir John Leake, were redu- 
 ced to feven weeks provifions, at fhort allowance, he mould 
 proceed to Lifbon, to refit and victual them, and that, two 
 fourth-rates, three fifth-rates, and one fixth-rate ftould be left
 
 TRIUMPHANT. 155 
 
 to follow the orders of the earl of Peterborough : fo that the 
 whole fleet was divided as follows : 
 
 To proceed to England, with Sir Cloudefly : one firft-rate, 
 three fecond-rates, thirteen third-rates, two fourth- rates, four 
 fifth-rates, one fixth-rate, three bomb veflels, four firefhips, 
 and one yacht. 
 
 To remain with Sir John Leake : two fecond-rates, eighfe 
 third-rates, four fourth- rates, three fifth-rates, two bomb 
 veffels, two firefhips, one hofpital-fhip, and one yacht. 
 
 With the earl of Peterborough; two fourth rates, three 
 fifth-rates and one fixth rate. 
 
 Left at Gibraltar; two fixth-rates. 
 
 To cruife for the Brafil fleet j one third and one fourth- 
 rate. 
 
 Purfuant to this refolution, Sir Cloudefly fet fail, and ha* 
 ving put the governor of Barcelona, with about a thoufand 
 men of the garrifon of that place (the reft having lifted in 
 the fervice of king Charles) afliore at Malaga and Alicant, 
 and ftaid three days at Gibraltar, appointed fome fhips to 
 convoy the trade home from Lifbon. He himfelf arrived, 
 the fix and twentieth of November, at Spithead, and a few 
 days after came to London, where he was received, by the 
 queen and prince, with thofe marks of eileem, which his fig? 
 nal fervices deferved. 
 
 The relief of Barcelona, with the furrender of Carthagena, AH* 
 cant, Ivica, and Majorca, ta king Charles. 
 
 THE eighteenth, they arrived off of Altea; and the 
 next day had intelligence, that Sir George Byng was 
 coming up with them, with a fquadron from England; 
 which he did the day following. Three days after they 
 were joined by commodore Walker, with his fquadron j and
 
 i 5 <5 BRITANNIA 
 
 divers tranfports came up with them likewife. They now 
 refolved, in order to give the city as timely relief as pofli- 
 ble, to proceed northward of Majorca"; and that every dip 
 fhould make the beft of her way, without ftaying for one an- 
 other. 
 
 The fix and twentieth, the earl of Peterborough came off 
 from Tarragona, with divers barks, on board of which were 
 fourteen hundred land forces. His excellency went on board 
 the Prince George, and hoifted the union flag, taking upon 
 him the command of the fleet as admiral. The fame day, 
 letters came from king Charles, of the three and twentieth, 
 with very prefling inftances for relief; and, within two hours 
 after, a frefli and fair gale happily fprung up, which brought 
 the fleet, with all the forces and recruits from England and 
 Ireland, to an anchor before Bracelona, the feven and twen- 
 tieth, in the afternoon, to the iaexprefiible joy of the inha- 
 bitants, who expected a ftorm that very night. 
 
 Sir George Byng and Sir John Jennings, with fome others 
 of the beft failors, who got thither a few hours before the 
 reft, difcovercd the rear of the French fleet making off in 
 great diforder. 
 
 De Larrey fays, the French pretended they retired with 
 their flset becaufe a contagious diftemper began to fliew itfelf 
 among the men : cowardice and fear are fometimes contagi- 
 ous, and fo the obfervation may perhaps have been juft. 
 
 The land forces and marines were immediately put on 
 {hore, and the admirals waited on the king, who received 
 them in a manner fuitable to the imminent danger they had 
 juft refcued him from. The French continued the fiege the 
 eight and twentieth, and nine and twentieth j but the thirti- 
 eth, in the afternoon, they raifed it with great noife and pre- 
 cipitation, fetting fire to, and dcftroying whatever they could 
 of their camp and ftores. They were terribly harraffed in 
 their retreat, as well by feveral volunteers from the city, as 
 the miquelets and peafants from the mountains, who Ikir-
 
 TRIUMPHANT. 157 
 
 mimed with them till eleven at night, and the bcft part of 
 the next day, when they took from them two field pieces, 
 and fome waggons; while thofe from the town pillaged the 
 enemy's abandoned camp. The accounts published of this 
 retreat at Paris pretend, it was in very good order, and 
 that they always beat thofe who purfued them. But how 
 came they then to part with their field pieces and wag- 
 gons? 
 
 Barcelona being thus relieved, the fleet failed from thence, 
 the feventh of May, with what forces could be fpared from 
 the fervice of Catalonia, and arrived on the coaft of Valencia 
 the thirteenth, where the earl of Peterborough being put on 
 (hore, they were landed the next day. The nineteenth, it 
 was refolved, in a council of war, to proceed to Alicant ; but 
 being got the length of Altea, two gentlemen came off, and 
 acquainted the admiral, that the inhabitants of Carthagcna 
 were difpofed, upon the appearance of the fleet, to declare 
 for king Charles HI. It was thereupon refolved to proceed 
 thither j and the fleet arriving the firft of June, the place 
 was furrendered the next day. 
 
 A garrifon of fix hundred marines was put into the place, 
 tinder the command of major Hedges, who was appointed 
 governor, and Sir John Jennings was left there to fettle the 
 affairs of the city. 
 
 The feventh, the fleet failed for Altea again to water ; and 
 while they were there, Sir John Leake having information 
 that two gallies were to go over to Oran, on the coaft of 
 Barbary, with money to pay that garrifon, he ordered the 
 Hampton-Court and Tyger to cruize off that place, and to 
 endeavour to intercept them ; but upon the firft fight of our 
 fhips off of Cape Palamos, they came off to them, and decla- 
 red for king Charles. 
 
 The fix and twentieth of June, Sir John Leake arrived 
 with the fleet before Alicant, which they found had a nu- 
 merous garrifon, commanded by brigadier Mahoni, an Irifli
 
 BRITANNIA 
 
 man, who declared he would defend it to the lafl extremity? 
 They ftaid fome time, till the marines on board the fleet 
 were re-inforced by a detachment of a hundred and fifty Spa- 
 nifli horfe, and thirteen hundred foot, commanded by briga- 
 dier Gorges, and then their forces were efteemed far fhort 
 of what was neceffary for the intended fervice. However^ 
 they were landed, the twenty-firft and twenty-fecond of Ju- 
 ly, and with them eight hundred feamen,and the fame night 
 the town was bombarded. The next day, Sir George Byng, 
 having hoifted his flag on board the Shrewbury, a third-rate^ 
 anchored with her, and four third-rates more, in a line, fo 
 near the town, that they foon difmounted fome of the hun- 
 dred and ftxty guns they had facing the fea, and drove the 
 enemy from them* 
 
 Sir John Jennings arriving, the four and twentieth, with 
 the fliips and marines from Carthagena (the garrifon of 
 which place the earl of Peterborough had replaced with o- 
 ther troops) the eight and twentieth* it was refolved to ftorrn 
 the place, fword in hand 5 and a draught of forty feamen, 
 out of every fhip, being ordered to aflift the marines and 
 land forces, their innate valour, added to the hopes of plun- 
 der, carried them on to the attack, with fo much chear- 
 fulnefs and vigour, that the defign was executed with fuc- 
 cefs. 
 
 The troops having, early in the morning, made themfelves 
 matters of the fuburbs, all the boats being manned and arm- 
 ed, they repaired along the fide of the Shrewftmry, to receive 
 orders for fuftaining them, or to make an attack on the 
 town. At nine in the morning, the fliips made a breach in 
 the round tower, at the weft end of the town, and another at 
 the middle of the curtain, between the mole and the eaftern- 
 moft baftion ; when the land forces marching up towards the 
 wall of the city, major Rapin, of the lord Mohun's regiment, 
 who commanded the grenadeers, advanced, with fifteen of his 
 men and a ferjeant, towards the breach in the round tower,
 
 TRIUMPHANT. i j$ 
 
 hoping to be the firft man in the town ; whereupon all the 
 boats, under the command of Sir John Jennings, went directly 
 up to fuftain them j but before the men landed, the grena- 
 diers were beaten back. However, the boats proceeded, and 
 all the men getting on fhore, captain Evans, of the Royal Oak, 
 mounting the breach firft, got into the town, with two or 
 three of the boats crews \ captain PafTenger, of the Royal Ann, 
 followed, and next to him captain Watkins, of the St. George, 
 with fome feamen. Sir John Jennings, with the reft of the 
 feamen and forces, who were in pofleflion of the fuburbs, mo- 
 ved on to fupport them, who coming into the town, fecured 
 the pofts, and made proper difpofitions, 'till the reft got in j 
 when Mahoni, retiring into the caftle, left them in pofleffionj 
 with the lofs of very few men, (fome accounts fay but feven- 
 teen ;) amongft whom was lieutenant-colonel Petit, of Mohun's 
 regiment, killed by a fmall (hot, from a window, as he was 
 ftanding arm in arm with Sir John Jennings ; fome accounts 
 fay, on the market-place, after the action was over j but, ac- 
 cording to others, in the fuburbs, as they were viewing the 
 ground for raifing a battery againft the town-wall : which 
 then muft have been before the action. 
 
 The next day, brigadier Gorges fent a fummons to the caf- 
 tle ; but Mahoni, tho* wounded, and notwithftanding our fhips 
 had then difmounted all their cannon towards the fea, and 
 beat down part of the wall, and they were befides, very much 
 annoyed by our bombs, defended it for a time, and then fur- 
 rendered on honourable terms. 
 
 While our fleet was thus victorious on the coaft of Spain, 
 the affairs of king Charles, in the inward parts of Spain, had 
 been fuccefsful, beyond expectation, and an entire fubmiffion 
 of thofe exteniive dominions feemed to be out of all doubt, 
 when his Catholick majefty, by the advice of his German mi- 
 nifters, and contrary to that of his friends and allies, took the 
 fatal refolution of going through Arragon to Madrid, and flop- 
 ping at Saragofla, in his way thither, which overthrew all the
 
 BRITANNIA 
 
 meafures concerted in his favour, and was alone the caufe of 
 all the misfortunes which infued,and, in the end, loft him the 
 monarchy. 
 
 Sir John Leake having, according to his orders, detached 
 Sir John Jennings, with twelve men of war, and a fire-fhip, 
 forLifbon, and watering in Altea Bay, failed from thence, the 
 fix and twentieth of Auguft, towards Ivica. 
 
 When the fleet came to Altea-Bay, the twenty-fecond of 
 Auguft, it confifted of one firft-rate, two fecond-rates, twelve 
 third-rates, one fourth rate, and three fire-fhips, of the Eng- 
 lifli j and, of the Dutch, ten of the line. The fame day, Sir 
 John Jennings failed to Lisbon, with fix third rates, four fourth 
 rates, two fifth-rates, and a fire-fhip, there to refit and victual 
 them, for their intended voyage to the Weft- Indies : And the 
 earl of Peterborough gave orders to Sir John Leake, to re- 
 pair to England, leaving Sir George Byng to command the 
 winter fquadron, but firft to proceed to Ivica and Majorca, 
 and oblige thofe two iflands to fubmit. 
 
 He arrived there the nine and twentieth, and found the go- 
 vernor and inhabitants of that place fo well difpofed for king 
 Charles III. that upon the firft appearance of the fleet, they 
 fent deputies on board, to make their fubmiflion. 
 
 The fecond of September, the fleet failed from Ivica, and 
 was the next day before Majorca, where the Conde de Alcu- 
 dia, the vice-roy, with fome few who favoured the duke of 
 Anjou's intereft, offered to refift ; but two bomb vtflels being 
 fent into Palama, the capital of the ifland, upon their throw- 
 ing in three or four {hells, the inhabitants obliged the viceroy 
 to retire to the palace, and delire a capitulation, which was 
 concluded the feventh. 
 
 Sir John having left a ganifon of a hundred marines, with 
 a captain and lieutenant in the caftle of Porto Pin, and two 
 men of war to tranfport the viceroy and his adherents, who 
 were defirous to remove, failed the twelfth, from Majorca, and 
 paffcd through the Streights the twenty-firft. The twenty-
 
 third, being off of the Southward Cape, he detached Sir 
 George Byng, purfuant to orders he had received from the 
 lord high admiral, with a fquadron, towards Lifbon, and with 
 the reft of the fleet, proceeded on his voyage homei He ar* 
 rived, the fixth of October* at St. Helen's, came fome days 
 after to London, and, having waited on the queen* received 
 from her that gracious and generous reception, which his long* 
 (eminent and fuccefsful fervices had fo well merited. 
 
 I mall here leave Sir George Byng, to give an account of 
 Tome other naval expeditions* which were begun before this 
 time. 
 
 Sir Stafford Fairborrfs expedition to the river Ckarente, and his 
 proceedings with a fquadron off of OJlendk 
 
 SI R Stafford Fairbdrni vice-admiral of the Red, being ap- 
 pointed to command a fquadron in the Soundings, repair- 
 ed to Spithead in the month of April, where having made all 
 poflible difpatch to get his fquadron ready, he was under fail 
 the four and twentieth of the fame month. 
 
 He had with him two third-rates, three fourth-rates* and 
 one fifth-rate, being tojoin two other third-rates at Plymouth, 
 as alfo the Centurion of fifty guns* if there, and another of 
 forty, he having ordered the Milford to follow him. 
 
 His inftrnciions from the lord high admiral, were to pro- 
 ceed, with all pofiible fecrecy, to the mouth of the liver Cha- 
 rente, and to life his utmoft endeavours to take or deftroy 
 fuch fhips or velTels, as the enemy might be fitting out from 
 Rochefort* which commonly lie before the mouth of the faid 
 river, to take in their guns, ftores, and provilions. 
 
 When he had done his utmoft, in this attempt* he was to 
 confider, at a council of war, what farther fervice might be 
 performed againit the enemy, in the bay, or on the French 
 
 L
 
 ffe BRITANNIA 
 
 coaft, elfewhere, and endeavour to put in execution what 
 fliould be agreed on; fo as to return, by the middle of May, 
 to Plymouth ; in regard there might, by that time, be occa- 
 fion for the mips, under his command, for other fervices. 
 
 According to his intlructions, he was to have proceeded 
 forthwith off of the river Charente ; but was long obftrufted 
 by Contrary winds. At length, he got off of that river, and, 
 if the wind had favoured him, he was in a fairway of having 
 burnt the enemy's fliips before Rochel, a difpofition being 
 made for that purpofe ; but being fruftrated in his hopes, he 
 returned to Plymouth, the fcventeenth of May, with fome 
 fmall prizes taken between the ifles of Rhe and Oleron, where, 
 tfkewife, they took and deftroyed ten trading veffels with 
 their boats. 
 
 At Plymouth, he received orders to come to the Downs, 
 where, on the thirteenth of May, he received inftruclions to 
 repair off of Oftend. He was ordered to take with him four 
 {hips of the third-rate, three of the fourth, four of the fifth, 
 one firefhipj two bomb-veffels, two brigantines, and as many 
 {loops. And iince part of the army in Flanders was to be de- 
 tached to Oftend, in order to oblige that garrifon to declare 
 for king Charles III. of Spain, he was to employ the fliips ia 
 foeh manner as might beft conduce to the reduction of the 
 faid plnCe, holding correfpondence with the commander in 
 chief before it. And if the duke of Marlborough mould be 
 prefent, he was to follow his orders, in cafe his grace mould 
 think it proper to employ the fquadron, on any other fervice, 
 befides that of Oftend. 
 
 Sir Stafford having, in compliance with his inftruclions, an- 
 chored near Oftend, and getting information that Newport 
 \vas firft to be attempted, he fent three fmall frigates to pre- 
 vent their being lupplied with provifions by fea, and kept his 
 leffer {hips, in the mean time, in conftant motion, on the wind- 
 trard tides, to prevent any thing going into, or coming out
 
 TRIUMPHANT. 163 
 
 ef thfe harbour of Oftend : But, foon after, it was refolved to 
 block up Newport, and carry on the fiege of Oflend. 
 
 There feemcd to be but little hopes of attempting any thing 
 on the fhips by fea; becaufe they lay in a clufter on the back 
 of the town, and the entrance being long, narrow, and crook- 
 ed, and befides defended by platforms: but Monfieur d'Auver- 
 querquc being of opinion, that two or three frigates might be 
 of fcrvice at Fumes, to hinder the enemy's foot or horfe from 
 pafling the gut at Newport, Sir Stafford difpatched fome accord- 
 ingly, tho* he believed the fands would hinder them from ap- 
 proaching near enough, for their cannon to reach the ihore. 
 
 The feventeenth of June, the trenches were opened; and 
 the nineteenth, before break of day, three fhallops (as it was 
 thought from Dunkirk) got into the town, notwithstanding 
 the vigilance of our frigates and guard-boats, for want of a 
 battery to the eaftward of Oftend, which Sir Stafford propof- 
 ed, when the army firft came thither. The twentieth, the 
 batteries for the cannon and mortars being ready on fhore, 
 and the befiegers being employed in planting them, Sir Staf- 
 ford Fairborn went on fhore, the twenty fecond^ to confer 
 with Monfieur d'Auverquerque. It being refolved to bom- 
 bard the place, the next day, the bomb-veflels (which had be- 
 fore done fome execution) began, by break of day, to play a- 
 gain,in conjunction with them. Within a quarter of an hour, 
 they obferved the town to be on fire, in feveral places, and, 
 by eight o'clock, in feveral more ; infomuch that being bat- 
 tered, with fuch uninterrupted fury, both by fea and land, 
 great part of their cannon were difmounted before night, and 
 the place almoit entirely ruined. 
 
 When the army begun firft to fire from their batteries, Sir 
 Stafford Fairborn ordered all the fmall frigates to get under 
 fail, and ftand as clofe in with the more aspoflibly they could, 
 and fire their broadfides into the town, which they effectually 
 did, receiving themfelves little damage; and this he intended 
 
 L2
 
 1*4 B R 1 t A N ft 1 A 
 
 \ 
 
 they mould daily have done, but they were prevented fcf 
 the badnefs of the weather. 
 
 The five and twentieth, the befieged, not being able to 
 hold any longer, againft fo continual and great a fire, beat a 
 parly, at nine in the morning, and the capitulation being 
 concluded the fame night, the next morning the allies took 
 jpoiTeffion of it, in the name of king Charles. But found if 
 a heap of rubbim. 
 
 They found in the harbour two men of war, one of eigh- 
 ty, and the other of fifty guns, and about five and forty fmall 
 veffels more, which were not comprized in the capitulation. 
 
 Father Daniel fays the place was well defended by the 
 count de la Mothe; but above ten thoufand bombs having 
 been thrown inta the place, which had made it a heap of ruins* 
 the menaces of the inhabitants, that they would revolt, a mif- 
 intelligence between the French and SpanHh garrifons, and a 
 want of arms for the foldiers, obliged the count de la Mothe, 
 at length, to capitulate, twelve (he mould have faid nine) days 
 after the trenches were opened. Though but four days afr 
 ter the batteries began to play. 
 
 This affair being over. Sir Stafford Fairborn proceeded to 
 Spithead, with the Englifh and Dutch tranfport fhips, and 
 troops clefigned for a defcent in France, with the earl of Ri- 
 vers, of whofe expedition with Sir Cloudefly Shovel, I mall 
 now give an account. 
 
 Sir Thomas Hardy, who was with Sir Stafford Fatrborn, 
 as well in his expedition to Rochefort, as in that againft O 
 ftend, was afterwards appointed to command a fquadron, in 
 the Soundings, of whofe fuecefs I mall fay more afterward.
 
 TRIUMPHANT, 
 
 ^ 
 
 Proceedings of Sir Clmdefty Shovel, ivitb the feet under his com? 
 mand. 
 
 E S I D E S the other ways, which were, this year, made 
 ufe of, to diftrefs the common enemy, it was thought 
 expedient to attempt a defcent upon France, where the per- 
 fecution of the proteftants, and the heavy oppreflion of all the 
 fubjecls, had prepared them to a general infurre&ion. The 
 States General readily concurred in this defign. About ten 
 thoufand men, land forces, were to be employed in this expe- 
 dition, and commanded by the earl of Rivers, as general, and 
 under him, by the lieutenant-generals, Erie, and the marquis 
 de Guifcard, and two major-generals, the earl of EfTex, and 
 the lord Mordaunt. 
 
 Of this intended defcent in France, Mr. Secretary Burchett 
 makes not the lead mention ; but fuppofes thefe land forces 
 to have been originally defigned for the afljftance of the king 
 of Spain, 
 
 The command of the fleet was given to Sir Cloudcfly Sho- 
 vel, who hoifted his flag on board the Britannia at Portf- 
 mouth, the eighteenth of July. All the Englifh forces being 
 embarked, the fleet failed to St. Helen's, the feven and twen- 
 tieth, where the generals embarked the thirtieth, and lay in 
 expectation of the Dutch fquadron and tranfports, which, 
 were detained by contrary winds in the Downs. 
 
 The tenth of Auguft, the wind being eafterly, and a brifk 
 gale, Sir Cloudefly,with the whole Englifli fleet, fet fail in the 
 morning, belkving the Dutch could not be far off, the wind 
 having been fair the night before: But, whatever was the 
 caufe, they did not come to St. Helen's, till the twelfth, in the 
 morning, which fatal delay proved the overthrow of the whole 
 (kfign j and was the occafion of the project of a defcent being
 
 \66 BRITANNIA 
 
 laid afide; upon \vhich the marquis de Guifcard, and the, 
 lord Mordaunt left the fleet j which was> now ordered, with 
 tne land forces, for Lifbon. 
 
 When Sir Cloudeily Shovel arrived at Lifbon, he was to 
 take under his command the fquadron left there by Sir John 
 Leake, when he came from the Mediterranean, under the con- 
 duct of Sir George Byng, who, in the interim, had detached 
 a convoy home, with the empty tranfports and trade, and fent v 
 fome flnps of war, off Carthagena, at the requeft of the go- 
 vernor of that place, the better to fupport him, mould he be 
 attacked by the militia of Murcis, who iince the retreat of 
 the troops from thence, had advanced, and obliged Oriquela, 
 a neighbouring town, to declare again for the duke of Anjou. 
 And lie afterwards received orders, to take under his com- 
 mand all others of her majefty's Chips, that he mould meet 
 with, which were not employed on any immediate and pref- 
 ling fen? ice. 
 
 The fleet met with very bad weather in their paflage, and 
 was difperfed j the Barfleur, a fecond-rate, fprung a dange; 
 rous leak, and was fent back again, and feveral others were 
 much damaged. Sir Cloudefly himfelf arrived in the river of 
 Lifbon, with no more than four men of war, and about fifty 
 tranfports ; but he found moft of the reft arrived before him, 
 and they all got in a few days after, excepting three or four 
 tranfports, which were forced into Ireland. Finding here 
 feveral empty tranfports, he removed the troops into them, 
 from fuch others as were rendered unfer vice able; and he 
 fent two of the fhips of Sir George Byng's fquadron to Ali- 
 cant, with money and neceflaries for the army under the 
 command of the earl of Galloway. 
 
 Soon after, the king of Portugal died, which put things in i 
 no fmall confufion at court: and the court of Spain at Valen- 
 cia was in no lefs diforder, . and not out of danger, from the 
 iuperiority of the French and Gallo-Spaniarcls. It was there-- 
 fore refolved,to proceed with the forces to Alicant, according 
 
 - - '
 
 TRIUMPHANT. 167 
 
 to the defirc of the king of Spain, as foon as the damages they 
 received in their paffage from England could be repaired, and 
 the fleet fupplied with water and other neceffaries. They 
 were to have departed the latter end of December ; but the 
 evening before they intended to fail, the general received or- 
 ders from England to the contrary. 
 
 In the month of December, the admiral having appointed 
 fome cruizing {hips to proceed to fea, as they were going out 
 of the mouth of the river, the Portuguefe forts fired at leatt 
 threefcore mot at them to bring them to an anchor, which he 
 perceiving, fent orders te our captains to pufti their way thro% 
 and accordingly they did fo, without fo much as returning one 
 dot at the forts. The court of Portugal, upon his reprefen- 
 ting to them this barbarous ufage, pretended that the officers 
 of the forts had done it without orders, for that they were on- 
 ly directed to fire at, and detain a Genoefe (hip, whofe maf- 
 ter was indebted to the king. But the admiral being certain^- 
 ly informed, that this very fliip was at the fame time, lying 
 before the walls of the city of Lifbon, and that the mafter of 
 her was on fhore tranfacting her bufinefs, he let them know, 
 in a manner which became a perfon in his poft thus affront? 
 ed ; that if they offered to attempt any fuch thing again, (fqr 
 they had done it before to Sir John Leake, as has been rela- 
 ted,) he would not ftay for orders from his miftrefs, but take 
 fatisfaction from the mouth of his cannon. 
 
 And here it may not be improper to take notice of fome 
 very handfome actions performed by fome of the mips, which 
 Sir Cloudefly Shovel thus fent out to cruife; the Romney, of 
 fifty guns, commanded by captain "William Cony, being with 
 the Milford and Fowey, two mips of the fifth-rate in Gibral- 
 tar bay, on the twelfth of December, they had intelligence 
 that a French fhip of fifteen guns, which had about thirty 
 pieces of brafs cannon on board, part of thofe that belonged 
 to the mips of Mr. Ponti, which Sir John Leake had force^ 
 on {hare, lay at an anchor, under the guns of Malaga ; wher 
 
 L4
 
 168 BRITANNIA 
 
 upon captain Cony, with the fhip he commanded only, pro* 
 ceeded thither, (one of the fifth-rates being difabled, and the 
 other having accidentally feparated from him) and, notwith- 
 ftanding the continual fire of the town, took her, and brought 
 her off. 
 
 The fix and twentieth following he gave chafe to, and came 
 up with another French fhip, which proved to be the Content, 
 of fixty four guns, which, to fecurc herfelf, got clofe under a 
 caftle, about eight leagues to the weft ward of Almeria ; but 
 captain Cony anchoring, and ordering the Milford and Fa- 
 wey to do the fame, one ahead, and the other aftern of him, 
 they plied their guns on her, upwards of two hours, when 
 fhe took fire, and after burning about three hours, blew up, 
 lofing thereby great part of her men. This fhip Monfieur 
 ViHars, who cruifed with a French fquadron, between Cape 
 Palas, and Cape de Gates, had detached, to bring out to 
 fcim the aforefaid fhip, with ordnance from Malaga. 
 
 On the eighth of July, (fo I find it in Mr. Burchett, but 
 $t fhould probably be January) between twelve and one at 
 night, captain Cony difcovered, and gave chafe to another 
 ihip, which was called the Mercury, carrying two and forty 
 guns, and two hundred and fifteen men, but was lent by the 
 French king to the merchants, which (hip fubmitted to him, 
 after the commander was flain, and feyeral o/ her men were 
 killed and wpunded. 
 
 I fhall therefore leave Sir Cloudefly and the earl of Rivers, 
 and, after having mentioned two or three occurrences at home^ 
 give an account what our naval force in the Weft-Indies had 
 been doing, fince our laft account from thofe parts. 
 
 The Duke of Marlborough having fmifhed his campaign^ 
 and fettled feveral important affairs with the States, failed from 
 the Maefe, the fifteenth of November, being attended by fe- 
 veral of her majefty's yachts and men of war, landed the ne^t 
 day at Margate, and two days after came to London. The 
 yarliam.ent meeting, the third pf December, the hou,fe of com-
 
 TRIUMPHANT. ttfp 
 
 mons voted, the fame day, That the thanks of that houfc be 
 given to his grace the duke of Marlborough, for his eminent 
 fervices to her majefty, and this kingdom, in the great and 
 glorious victories and fuccefles obtained over the common e 
 nemy, in the laft campaign ; which was performed accor- 
 dingly by a committee, the next day : and his grace coming 
 to the houfe of lords, the fifth, the lord keeper, by directions 
 from their lordfhips, gave him the thanks of that houfe, like- 
 wife, in a very handfome fpeech, 
 
 The fixth, the commons ordered feveral eftimates and ac- 
 counts relating to the navy, to be laid oefore them, by the pro- 
 per officers ; and the next day, they being laid before them, 
 accordingly, they refolved that forty thoufand men, including 
 the eight thoufand marines, at four pound a man per menfem^ 
 including the ordnance for fea-fervice, be employed and al- 
 lowed for the year 1707. And that a fum not exceeding a 
 hundred and twenty thoufand pounds t^e allowed for the or-. 
 dinary of the navy, for that year. 
 
 The nineteenth, was a particular day of triumph for the 
 city of London, the ftandards and colours taken at the fa- 
 mous battle of Ramelies being, at the defire of the city, in 
 an addrefs to her majefty, that day ordered to be hung up in 
 Guildhall, and they were brought thither, accordingly, from 
 Whitehall, with great folemnity ; and, the fame day, the duke 
 of Marlborough, with feveral other perfons of diftin&ion, 
 dined with the lord mayor, at Vintner's-Hall. 
 
 The laft day of this year, having been appointed by the 
 queen to be obferved as a thankfgiving, for the fucceiTes of 
 the campaign ; her majefty went, in great ftate, to St. Paul's, 
 attended by the great officers of the crown, and both houk 
 es of parliament, where a {errnon was preached b>y the 
 pf Salifbury,
 
 170 
 
 Naval expeditions and tranfaflions of the EngHJb, in America, to 
 the conclufion of the year 1707. 
 
 Sir William Whetft one's proceedings with afquadron in the Weft" 
 Indies. 
 
 TO give an account of this expedition, I muft go back 
 to the beginning of the year 1705. 
 
 ' The fecond of April, of that year, Sir William arrived at the 
 Maderas, where having taken in wiae, as ufual, he proceeded, 
 and faw the trade fafe to Barbadoes, the Leeward-illands, and 
 laftly, after having taken a brigantine and a {loop, in his paf- 
 fage to Jamaica, where he arrived thefeventeenth(the author 
 of the Britifh empire in America, fays the feventh) of May. 
 The fixth of June, he failed again, having left thofe Jhips 
 there which were to convoy the trade home, and the thir- 
 teenth made the high-land of Carthagena. 
 
 The feventeenth, he gave chace to a fhip, which was taken, 
 after a difpute of two hours with thofe ihips whiqh were near- 
 eft her, and proved to be a fhip of fix and forty guns moun- 
 ted, and a hundred and fifteen men, with fome negroes. Ply- 
 ing then to the eaftward, he difcovei T.d, off the river Gran- 
 de, two fails, clofe in with the land, one of which, (a priva- 
 teer of Martinica) being forced on fhore, was burnt by her 
 own men. The coaft being thus alarmed, and no profpect 
 of any immediate fervice, he returned to Jamaica. 
 
 The beginning of Auguft, he detached the Mountaguc 
 and Hecltor to cruife, before Puerto Bello and Carthagena, 
 who took a French fhip, of four and twenty guns, bound to 
 cape Fran$ois, with fugar, indigo, and between four and five 
 thoufand hides. The fixteenth of the fame month, the admi- 
 fal himfelf {ailed again from Jamaica a and, the nineteenth, got
 
 TRIUMPHANT. 171 
 
 fair up with Hifpaniola, where hs met with fuch bad wea- 
 ther, that he, with great difficulty, got back to Jamaica, with 
 his fhips in a fhattered and difabled condition. 
 
 Some time after, the Mountague, a (hip of lixty guns, met, 
 on the coaft of Hifpaniola, two fhips, one of eight and forty, 
 and the other of fix and thirty guns, both loaden, and bound 
 for France, with which he engaged about an hour, till night 
 feparated them. They had a fair fight of them* the next 
 day ; but, by the cowardice of the officers, and backward- 
 nefs of tiie failors, they werefuffcred toefcape. 
 
 This matter having been enquired into, at a court martial, 
 the captain was honourably acquitted, but his officers dif? 
 miffed. 
 
 Two fourth-rates, being afterwards fent in queft of them, 
 met them, with fome merchant-mips, in their company $' but 
 they were fo intent on feizing the latter, of which they brought 
 in five, that they gave the former an opportunity of efcaping. 
 
 The fenior captain was broke, for his ill conduct, by a 
 court martial. 
 
 The author of the Britifh empire in America, fpeaking of 
 this matter fays : The behaviour of feveral captains of men 
 of war, in thefe parts, has been very infamous, and the nati- 
 on has fuffered much by it. The Briftol and Folkfton met 
 with ten fail of merchant-men, bound from Petit Guavas 
 to France, under convoy of two French men of war, one of 
 four and twenty, and another of thirty guns, out of which cap,- 
 tain Anderfon, commander of the Englifh, took fix merchant- 
 men, laden with fugar, cocoa, cochineal and indigo, and 
 brought them to Jamaica ; where, when he arrived, admiral 
 Whetflone held a court of admiralty, and captain Anderfon, 
 with the other officers, were condemned to lofe their com- 
 miffions for not engaging the two French men of war. 
 
 About this time, (here was a great want of ftorcs and pro- 
 \ T ifions in the fquadron, nor could Jamaica furnifh what was 
 neceflary ; and, as an addition to this misfortune, the Suffolk,
 
 ry B R I 1 A N N 1 A 
 
 where the rear-admiral's flag was flying, blew up, by an accident 
 in the gun-room, where mofl of the men were killed, and fe- 
 venty more, between decks, fo burnt, that moft of them died. 
 
 In the month of March 1706, the rear- admiral ftretched 
 over again to the coaft of Hifpaniola, but returned, without 
 having done any fcrvice there. The beginning of June, ha* 
 ving advice, that feme French {hips were at Petit Guavas, he 
 put to fea, with one third-rate, two fourth-rates, two fifth* 
 rates, and a fire-ftiip j but a ftrong lee current fruftrated his 
 defign. 
 
 He foon after got advice, that Monfieur Du Gaffe was gone 
 to Carthagena, with eight flout men of war, and that he was 
 defigned from thence to Puerto Bello, and afterwards (as it 
 was faid) for i,a Vera Cruz ; befides, it was reported, that 
 the {hips to the windward would go to Havana, and ftay there 
 till Monfieur Du Gaffe joined them, from La Vera Cru, fo 
 that they would then be in all fixteen. 
 
 The feventh of July, purfuant to orders from the lord high 
 admiral, theMountagueand Folkfton werefent to Newfound- 
 land, to join the {hips that might come thither from Eng-? 
 land ; and the five and twentieth, commodore Kerr arrived 
 a>t Jamaica, with a fquadron from England. 
 
 A council of war being hereupon called; and Sir Wil- 
 liam Whetftone having advice, that fome of the enemy's {hips 
 and galleons were at Carthagcna, it was rcfolved to proceed 
 in compiny thither. 
 
 Purfuant to this resolution, the rear-admiral and captain 
 err failed from Jamaica, the eighth of Auguft, and coming 
 before the harbour of Carthagena, the eighteenth, a letter 
 was fent to the governor, with fome declarations, inviting him 
 to fubmit to his lawful ibvereign, king Charles, in anfwer to 
 ^hich he faid, he knew no other king but Philip. 
 
 in the port were fourteen galleons, all lying clofe in with 
 the town and unrigged, and as the Spaniards would not fuf- 
 fer any fhips to enter there, or at Puerto Jkllo, fo did n,ct
 
 T ft I tJ M P HAN f. 
 
 ttie pilots, in the fquadron, think it proper to force a paf- 
 fage j becaufe of the narrownefs of the port, and the fhoals* 
 unlefs we were tirft in poffeffion of Bocca-Chica caftle, and 
 the other forts, fince there was no turning for fhips in fuch 
 draught of water. 
 
 Nothing being therefore to be done there, Sir William 
 Whetftone returned to Jamaica, and, as foon as the trade was 
 ready, made the beft of his way for England. Before Sir 
 William failed from England the cruizers of Jamaica brought 
 in there eight prizes. One of them was a French merchant, 
 Very richly laden, commanded by one Cordier, and taken by 
 the Experiment man of war, a privateer of Jamaica being in 
 company ; he arrived, the twenty-third of December, hav-* 
 ing left the company of the fhips defigned for farther fer- 
 vice, in thofe parts, under the command of commodore Kerr^ 
 of whofe proceedings I (hall now give an account. 
 
 In his voyage from England, before he joined Sir William 
 Whetftone, he faw the trade bound for Virginia and New- 
 foundland, about a hundred leagues into fea, and calling at 
 Barbadoes, and the Leeward-Iflands 9 (at the latter of which 
 he left colonel Park, whom he had carried over to be gover- 
 nor of thofe illands) it was refolved, that his fquadron fliould 
 be re-inforced by the two fourth rates attending on Barba- 
 does, and the fifth rate at the Leeward-iflands, believing Ja- 
 maica to be at that time in danger of the French. 
 
 About the time that colonel Park arrived at Antegoa, an 
 Irifli velfcl from Belfaft, having on board nine men and fix 
 boys, was attacked in fight of that ifland, by an open Hoop, 
 with fifty Frenchmen in her, and made fo good a defence* 
 that forty of the enemy were wounded, and the floop was 
 taken, and brought into Antegoa.
 
 BRITANNIA 
 
 Commodore Kerr's proceedings in the Weft- Indies. 
 
 SI R William Whetftone being departed^ commodore Kerr 
 ftretched, with his fquadron, from Jamaica, over to the 
 coaft of Hifpaniola, appointing the iile of A(he for his rendez- 
 vous. His delign was upon a French fettlement called Port 
 St. Louis, but finding it not practicable, (the pilots not being 
 acquainted with the entrance into the port) it was determin- 
 ed to proceed to Petit Guavas, and the better to cover their 
 defign, to go to the northward of the ifland Guanava. 
 
 The thirteenth of September, the commodore ordered cap- 
 tain Boyce, with the Dunkirk's prize, and all the boats man- 
 ned and armed, to endeavour the deftroying of the enemy's 
 ftips, which might lie in the bays of Logane and Petit Gua- 
 vas, but this attempt likewife mifcarrying, they returned to 
 Jamaica, where a mortality among the men obliged them to 
 lie, the remainder of the year, without doing any further 
 fervice. 
 
 The merchants of Jamaica (fays the author of the Britifh 
 JEmpire in America) having been extreamly abufed by captain 
 Kerr, and, thro* his negligence, or avarice, loft feveral iloops, 
 bound thither, from the Spanifh Weft-Indies, with plate, they 
 refolved to apply to the parliament for redrefs; accordingly 
 they employed Mr. Thomas Wood to be their agent in Eng- 
 land, on this occafion, and he, with great indutlry and pru- 
 dence, profecuted the matter; fo that juftice was done the 
 merchants on the offenders, and the chief of them had his 
 commiffion taken from him, without hopes of ever being em- 
 ployed in her majefty's fervice more. 
 
 In the month of Auguft of the year 1707, the French 
 made an attempt on Carolina, and came with fuch an aflurance 
 of fuccefs, that they would allow the governor but an hour
 
 TRIUMPHANT. 
 
 to refolve, whether he would furrender the country, for the 
 ufe of the king of France j but his anfwer was, he wanted 
 not half a minute, he knew his duty, &c. and would not fuf- 
 fer the officers to fay a word more. The French endeavour- 
 ed to obtain by force what they could not by threats. But 
 met with fo brave and gallant a refiftance, that of eight hun- 
 dred men which they had on board their {hips, three hundred 
 were killed, drowned or taken, and among the latter ten of- 
 ficers, viz. their chief commander at land, his lieutenant, 
 three captains of fhips, four lieutenants, and a mafter, who 
 together offered ten thoufand pieces of eight for their ran- 
 foms. 
 
 Sir John Jennings' proceedings in the Weft-Indies* 
 
 SIR John Jennings being directed, as I have faid above, to 
 repair to Lifbon, to refit and victual his fquadron, fail- 
 ed from thence, the fifteenth of October, but contrary winds 
 preventing his reaching the Maderas, he bore away for Te- 
 nerifF, and flood clofe into the bay of Santa Cruz. 
 
 He there difcovered five fhips near to the fortifications; 
 upon which he fent fome of the fmaller frigates in to en- 
 deavour, by their boats, to cut their cables, and run them 
 on fhore ; but the French and Spaniards fired fo hotly, from 
 the platforms they had raifed, that it was not practicable to 
 make any attempt with the boats, without laying fomc fhips, 
 in fuch manner, with their broadfides, that they might bat- 
 ter the forts, they therefore defifted from the attempt. 
 
 The fourth of November, he arrived at St. Jago, the 
 chief of the Cape Verde iflands, where he watered, and fup- 
 plied his mips with fome frcfh provifions. He failed again, 
 the twelfth, arrived in Carlifle bay, at Barbadoes, the nine 
 and twentieth, and failed from thence, the fifth of December^
 
 A / ? A N it t A 
 
 for the Leeward Iflands. On his arrival at Monferat, he ofr 
 dered the Mary, Roebuck, and Faulcon, to run down the 
 Spanifli coaft, as low as Carthagena, and to join him at Ja- 
 maica, with what intelligence they could get of the galleons* 
 Having touched at other of the Leeward Iflands, and detach- 
 ed fome of his {hips to the reft, with the necefiary fupplies$ 
 he arrived at Jamaica, the fecond of January, 1707, where 
 he found commodore Kerr's fmall fquadron refitting, but 
 very deftitute of men, and got information that the galleons 
 Were ftill at Carthagena unrigged. 
 
 From Jamaica, Sir John fent the Mary, with a letter* arid an 
 account of the fuccefs of her majefty's arms, and of thofe of 
 her allieSj in Spain, to induce him to a fubmiflion to king 
 Charles, offering, in that cafe, her majefty*s protection, and 
 to conVoy the galleons to Spain ; but he received the fame 
 anfwer as had been given commodore Keir, with the additi- 
 on, that he had ffefh advices from Spain, which affured him 
 the fcale was turned in favour of king Philip* who was re- 
 turned to Madrid, and had regained all the towns which were 
 in poiTeffion of his enemies. 
 
 Upon this refufal, it was determined, in a council of 
 the feventeenth, that the whole fquadron, excepting the 
 Northumberland, a third-rate, which was difabied by the 
 ficknefs of her men, fhoirid proceed to the bay of Carthage- 
 na, which they did accordingly j but the governor and ge- 
 heral of the galleons perfifting in their resolutions, Sir John 
 departed thence, and having watered and fitted, in Blewfield's 
 bay, at Jamaica, fet fail, the five and twentieth of February, 
 and paffing the gulph of Florida, with a favourable wind* 
 arrived at Spithead, the twenty- fecond of April j being, like- 
 wife, followed by commodore Kerr, who was fucceeded by 
 commodore Wager. 
 
 Before commodore Kerr left Jamaica, he had advice by 
 letters found in a prize, that a ftrong fquadron was expected
 
 TRIUMPHANT. 177 
 
 in thofg parts from France, under command of Meflieurs 
 Coetlogon and Du Cafle, to convoy home the galleons, which 
 were, however, in no readinefs to accompany them. 
 
 Sir John Munden's attempt to intercept a fquadron of French 
 Jhips , going to the Qroyne, and from thence to the IVefl- 
 Indies, 
 
 IN the month of April, information was given to the earl 
 of Nottingham, one of her majefty's principal fecretaries 
 of ftate, that about two thoufand men were raifed in Spain, 
 and defigned for the Weft-Indies, with the duke of Aber- 
 querque, who was going viceroy to Mexico, and that it was 
 determined he mould be at the Groyne, on or about the 8tli 
 of May, N. S. where the foldiers were to embark, when the 
 French mips, defigned for that purpofe, arrived. 
 
 The intercepting of thefe {hips and troops being deemed 
 an important piece of fervice, the earl of Pembroke (purfu- 
 ant to a refolution of the cabinet council) fent orders to Sir 
 John Munden, rear admiral of the Red, on the fifth of May, 
 to take eight third-rate {hips, at Spithead, together with 
 two firefhips, and to man them immediately out of other 
 {hips, there and at Portfmouth, that they might be fit for 
 fervice. 
 
 This done, he was ordered with the firft fair wind, to re- 
 pair to fuch a ftation off the Groyne, where he might receive 
 beft intelligence of the enemy. 
 
 The twelfth of May, Sir John got clear of the land, with 
 eight third-rates, a fourth-rate, called the Salifbury, and 
 two fmall frigates, and then he fiift communicated to the 
 feveral captains, the fervice they were going upon. He no 
 iboner made the land of Galicia, than he fent the Salifbury 
 and Dolphin into the more, for intelligence, and the nexC 
 
 M
 
 I 7 8 B R I 1 A N N I A 
 
 day he came to the appointed rendezvous, about fifteen 
 leagues N. W. from Cape Prior, from whence, according to 
 a refolution taken with the captains, they flood fo near in, 
 that they might plainly fee the Groyne, which was about 
 four in the afternoon, and then ftood off again for the ren- 
 dezvous. 
 
 The Dolphin and Salifbury not coming back fo foon as 
 
 s expected, a council of war was held, the eighteenth. 
 
 e five and twentieth, at night, the vice admiral fent in 
 a fmack, with the Salifbury and the Dolphin, who the next 
 3r.orr.ing brought off a Spanifh boat, together with a French 
 bark, and feveral prifoners, from whom they got intelli- 
 gence, that there were thirteen French men of war bound 
 from Rachel to the Groyne. 
 
 Upon this advice, Sir John carried a preffed fail, to get to 
 the windward, in order to intercept them, before they could 
 harbour themfelves ; and, on the feyen and twentieth, he 
 communicated his defign to the captains, that they might pre- 
 pare for battle. The next morning early, he difcovered 
 fqurteen fail, between Cape Prior and Cape Ortegal, but they 
 were too nimble for him, and got into the Groyne before he 
 cquld poffibly attack them : upon which having confuked the 
 captains, and finding it impracticable to attack the French 
 ihips, in the harbour of the Groyne; and, befides, their 
 \vater being near fpent and the (hips having received damage 
 by bad weather, it was refciyed the twentieth of June, to 
 repair into port to refit. 
 
 The return of this fquadron, without hiving effected any 
 thing, occafioned a great chmour; for though the rear ad- 
 miral himfelf, and all the captains in his fquadron, did unini- 
 moufly conclude, that at leaft twelve of the fourteen (hips, 
 v/hich they chafed into the Groyne, were men of war : yet 
 it was afterwards known there were no more than eight fhipg 
 of force, and the reft tranfports for the foldicrs.
 
 T R I U M P H A N T. 179 
 
 It was therefore thought neceffary to have this matter tho- 
 roughly examined into, by a court-martial. 
 
 Accordingly, his royal highnefs (who was now entered on 
 the office of lord high admiral) iflTued his orders for that pur- 
 pofe, to Sir Cloudefly Shovel, admiral of the white, who fuai- 
 moning a court at Spithead, the thirteenth of July, they 
 came to the proper refolutions, after having taken the fe- 
 veral articles exhibited againft Sir John Munden under exa- 
 mination, in the prefence of nineteen captains; by which re- 
 folutions Sir John Munden was fully acquitted. 
 
 IKdlfX^tf^ 
 
 Sir George Rooke's expedition with the fleet to Cadiz, and the 
 tranfaftlsns of a body of land forces, under the command of the 
 duke of Ormond^ lulth a particular account of the ruining the 
 French fleet, and Sfani/b galleons, at Vigo. 
 
 TH E war againft France and Spain being declared, as I 
 have obferved, the greateft diligence was ufed in fit- 
 ting out the main fleet, as well as fundry fquadrons, for par- 
 ticular fervices. 
 
 It was well known, that the French were making prepa- 
 rations for acts of hoftility, and therefore more than ordina- 
 ry pains were taken in equipping a very considerable fquadroa 
 of mips, for an expedition to Cadiz, in conjunction with the 
 Dutch. The deljgn of this expedition was kept fo fecret, 
 that it was uncertain whether it threatened France, Spain or 
 Portugal, and fo kept them all three in contlant alarm. 
 
 This expedition was to have been commanded by the earl 
 of Pembroke, (as high admiral) in perfon, had not his royal 
 highnefs, prince George of Denmark, been appointed to that 
 office. 
 
 The conduct of this expedition was now committed to Sir 
 George Rooke, who, belides the command of the fleet, 
 
 M 2
 
 I So BRITANNIA 
 
 appointed vice admiral, lieutenant of the admiralty of 
 England, and lieutenant of the fleets and feas of this king- 
 dom \ and the duke of Ormond, as I have faid before, ge- 
 neral of the land forces, which confifled, according to fome, 
 of feven thoufand Englifh and five thoufand Dutch, all very 
 well appointed. (Though fome accounts make them but ten 
 thouftnd in all.) 
 
 But, by a particular lift, which the reader will find in the 
 Appendix to the firft volume of the annals of queen Ann, it 
 appears, that the Englim were, including officers, nine thou- 
 fand fix hundred,*and fixty three ; and the Dutch three thou- 
 fand nine hundred and twenty four, exclu.five of officers;, 
 and therefore together, thirteen thoufand five hundred and 
 eighty-feven, without the Dutch officers. 
 
 The thirteenth of May, the admiral, on board the Royal 
 Sovereign, haying the union flag, on the main-topmaft head, 
 came to Spithead, together with Sir Cloudefly Shovel, on 
 board the Queen, and the great mips that lay at the Nore. 
 At the fame time, rear admiral Fairborn arrived there from 
 Ireland, with a fquadron of men of war, having on board 
 four regiments of foot, beiqg part of the land forces above- 
 mentioned. 
 
 The firft of Jane the duke of Ormond* with admiral Chur- 
 chil, and Sir Henry Bellafis, arrived at Portfmouth ; where 
 liis royal highnefs the prince came the ne^t day, and the day 
 following reviewed the forces which lay encamped in the Ifle 
 of Wight. The fourth, he took a view of the whole fleet, 
 and honoured Sir George Rooke with his pretence at dinner, 
 on board the Royal Sovereign. The nineteenth, the flee,t 
 weighed from Spithead, and came to an anchor at St. Helen's. 
 The twenty-fecond rear admiral Fairborn, and rear admiral 
 Graydon, were detached with thirty Engliih and Dutch mips,, 
 firft to look into the Groyne, and if they faw any fquadro;i 
 of French {hips there, to block them up ; but if they found 
 none, tq crujfe off Cape Finiftcrre, at ten or twelve leagues.
 
 TRIUMPHANT. 181 
 
 ce, north-weft ; but the body of the fleet did not reach 
 the Start till the twenty-firft of July. 
 
 The next day they got off the Deadman, from whence con- 
 tinuing their courfe crofs the bay of Bifcay, with little wind, 
 northerly, they reached the ftation for joining rear admiral 
 Fair-born, on the thirtieth. The hft of July, the Lime fri- 
 gate was fent to the Groyne, in queft of admiral Fairborn, 
 and returned the third of Auguft, with advice, that neither 
 he, nor any of the French fleet, were in the Groyne. Sir 
 George hereupon made a (igrial for all the flag and land ge- 
 neral officers to come on board him to a council. 
 
 About this confultation, the Dutch being apprehenfive that, 
 by this time the French Toulon fquadron might be come in- 
 to the ocean, Were for continuing in this ftation, till admiral 
 Fairborn had joined them ; but in the end they agreed to 
 the pinion of the Englifli, which was to bear away towards 
 Liibon, in order to meet him. 
 
 About one in the afternoon, they bore away, and about two 
 the Plymouth came into the fleet, with advice, that admiral 
 Fairborn, with his fquadron, was about nine leagues fouth-weft 
 from thence, and that captain Norris, in the Orford, had ta- 
 ken three French prizes, and the Dutch two. The feventh 
 the admiral made the fignalfor all the cruifers to come in, and 
 fent off the Lime frigate for intelligence. The next morn- 
 ing the Orford came into the fleet, from admiral Fairborn, as 
 the admiral himfelf did with his fquadron about noon, after 
 having been reduced to great ftreights for want of provilions. 
 Soon after, the whole fleet made the rock of Lifbon, towards 
 which place Sir George lent the Kent and Pembroke frigates. 
 On the ninth they returned, and the admiral and general ha- 
 ving received all the advice they could from Mr. Methuen, 
 her majefty's envoy at Lifbon, and the prince of Heffe, (the 
 latter of whom, together with the fon of the former, arrived 
 the tenth, with the Adventure, L'Ayftoff and Lime) concern- 
 ing the ftate of Cadiz, a council of war, of land and fea olli- 
 
 M 3
 
 B R I T A N N I A 
 
 j was called, the eleventh. The next morning, the 
 fers brought three Tartans into the fleet, and the Ifabella 
 yacht brought advice from Lifbon, that four French men of 
 war and four galleys were in the harbour. 
 
 They had alked leave of the governor to fink two of her 
 majefty's (hips, the Adventure and the L'Ayftoff, which were 
 jthen lying there, but were anfwered; That as the Englifh 
 were not their enemies, chey were obliged to protect them^ 
 being under thdr cannon. 
 
 The fame morning, Kir George made his fignal to draw 
 up in a line of battle, and fleered away for Cadiz, which by 
 noon, he had about fix leagues diftance. About five, the 
 fame afternoon, the fleet anchored in the Bay of Bulls, about 
 two leagues from Cadiz, Kota bearing N. by E. and Cadiz 
 E. N. E. The French men of war, and the galleys, which 
 lay in the bay, retired within the Puntals. 
 
 The thirteenth, an hour before day, the duke of Ormond 
 fent Sir Thomas Smith, quarter matter general, with feveral 
 engineers and officers, to view the backfide of the iiland of Le- 
 on, to found the fhore, and to find out the moft convenient 
 place to make a defcent, between the ifland of St. Pedro, and 
 the town of Cadiz. Sir Thomas wjs in a barge with tv;elve 
 oars, attended by the Habella yacht, and two frigates. He 
 found at his arrival near the iflands, two hundred Spaniih 
 horfe, who marched along the more, as he rowed by ; and 
 multitudes of men, women and children, leaving the city of 
 Cadiz in great confternation. Both the town and battery fir- 
 ed feveral {hot at them, but without doing them any harm. 
 At their return, about three in the afternoon, Sir Thomas 
 brought his Grace the report ; That there was one hrge and 
 two {mailer bays, very proper to make a defcent. 
 
 White this was doing, fays biihop Burnet, the officers by 
 the taking of fome boats came to know, that thofe of Cadi/ 
 had fent over the befl of their goods, arid other effects, to the 
 port of St. Mary's, an open town over agaxnft it on the con-
 
 TRIUMPHANT. 183 
 
 tlnent of Spain ; fo that here was good plunder to be got ea- 
 fily, whereas the landing on theifle of Cadiz was like to prove 
 dangerous, and, as fome made them believe, impracticable. 
 
 Upon a re^confideration of Sir George Rooke's inftructi- 
 ons, the advices and intelligences they had from Mr. Methu- 
 en, and the prince of Hefle-Darrhftandt, and the concurring 
 Information they had received from feveral fiftiermen taken 
 on the coaft, from whence it might be reafonable to conclude, 
 the enemy had about four thoufand diiciplined troops in the 
 town of Cadiz, befides burghers, and a thoufand horfe, of 
 old troops, befides the militu, for the guard of the coaft; 
 and in regard the fleet could give no other afiiftance to the dif- 
 embarkment, than covering their forces in their landing, and 
 bombarding the town ; and the impoffibility of fupplying the 
 forces from the fleet in blowing weather; it was judged im- 
 practicable to attempt the ifland of Cadiz immediately, in thefe 
 circumftances. But in confideration the taking of Fort St. 
 Catherine's, and Fort St. Mary's, might facilitate the accefs 
 of the fleet into the harbour, and annoying the town with 
 our bombs, getting of better intelligence of their condition, 
 and for fupplying the fleet with water, which they began to 
 be in Want of, and trying the affections and inclinations of the 
 people of the country to the houfe of Auftria, it was refolved 
 to land the forces in the Bay of Bulls, in order to reduce the 
 aforefaid fort and town, and upon the fuccefs of this attempt, 
 it might be confidered what was farther to be done, in profe- 
 cution of her majefty's farther inftructions, and that his grace 
 the duke of Ormond fhould fend a fummons to the town, 
 to fubmit to their lawful king, of the houfe of Auftria. 
 
 Purfuant to this refolution, a boat was fent, at three in 
 the afternoon, from the admiral, to Cadiz, with a fl.ig of truce, 
 and fome declarations ; and his grace the duke of Ormond 
 fent a letter to the governor of that place, with whom he 
 had been acquainted in the 'late war in Flanders, to invite 
 iiim to furreiickr, intimating, that having ferved in Flanders 
 
 M 4
 
 i* 4 BRITANNIA 
 
 againft the French, he hoped he would now declare in fit- ; 
 vour of the houfe of Auftria, which he had formerly fo faith- 
 fully ferved. The governor returned a civil anfwer, figni- 
 fying, That he was much obliged to his grace for his good 
 opinion of him, and his fervices in Flanders, and hoped he ' 
 fhould do nothing to forfeit the fame, nor againft the trull 
 the king his mafter had repofed in him. 
 
 A council of war, of the flag and general officers, was here- 
 upon held, in which his grace the duke of Ormond was of o- 
 pinidn to land immediately in the ifland of Leon, the better 
 to take advantage of the fright and diforder into which the 
 fudden arrival of the confederate fleet had caft the city of Ca- 
 diz. In this council of war, fays Bifhop Burnet, in which 
 their inftructions were read, it was propofed to confider how 
 they mould put them in execution. O Haro, one of the ge- 
 neral officers, made a long fpeech againft landing ; he (hew- 
 ed how defperate an attempt it would prove, and how diffe- 
 rent they found the ftate of the place, from the reprefentati- 
 on made of it in England. The greater number agreed with 
 him, and all that the duke of Ormond could fay to the con- 
 trary, was of no effect. Rooke, continues the bifliop, feemed 
 to be of the fame mind with the duke, but all his dependents 
 were of another opinion, fo this was thought to be a piece of 
 craft in him. In conclusion, the council of war came to a re- 
 folution, not to make a defcent on the ifland of Cadiz; and 
 \vithout any regard had to the report made by Sir Thomas 
 Smith, they adhered to this refolution, nor were there any 
 orders given for bombarding the town. The fea was for the 
 mod part very high, while they lay there, but it was fo calm 
 for one day, that the engineers believed they could have done 
 much mifehief ; but they had no orders for it : and indeed^ 
 fays Burnet, it appeared very evidently, that they intended to 
 do nothing but rob St. Mary's. A landing on the continent 
 was, as I have faid, refolved on j and the fame afternoon, a 
 boat was fent to Cadiz, from the admiral, with a fl.ig of truce,
 
 t R 1 U M H A N f. iSj 
 
 and fome declarations. At five, the fleet weighed and came 
 to an anchor, in ten fathom water, Rota bearing N. by E. and 
 St. Sebaftians, S. E. by S. about three miles off fhore. That 
 evening Sir George Rooke made a fignal for a general coun- 
 cil of war ; and on the fifteenth, the forces began to land. 
 
 The general himfelf was in his barge, with the Englifh 
 flag, and baron Spar in another, with that of the emperor, 
 putting the men in order ; and in the mean while, the feve- 
 ral frrlall frigates were fo pofted, as they might beft cover 
 the forces, and annoy the enemy, who were placed on the 
 fhore to oppofe them. 
 
 There happened to be a very great fwell of the fea, info- 
 much that when the boats came near the fhore, many of them 
 were almoft filled with water, and near thirty overfet, which 
 conftrained the foldiers, fome to fwim on fhore, and others 
 to wade thro' up to their necks ; and as by this unlucky ac- 
 cident fome were drowned, fo were great part of their arms 
 rendered unfit for fervice. 
 
 The order and manner of their landing, together with the 
 prudent inftructions given by the duke for that end, being 
 foreign to my purpofe, I omit them, and fhall only obferve, 
 that every thing was conducted in the moft exact order, and 
 with great regularity. 
 
 The Spaniards oppofed the landing of our troops, with a 
 body of horfe; but the lieutenant-general, who commanded 
 them, being killed in the action, fome of them were taken pri- 
 foners, and the reft put to flight. The Dutch likewife 
 received fome damage from their fort, St. Catherine's; but 
 the Lenox, one of our third-rate men of war, commanded 
 by captain Jumper, bringing her broad-fide to bear, foon o- 
 bliged them to retire. Our fmall frigates in the mean time 
 driving them from their batteries, on the left, the Dutch 
 pofFefled themfclves of the cannon mounted upon them. 
 
 The fixteenth, the forces marched towards Rota, which 
 furrendered without ftriking a blow, and the general taking
 
 BRITANNIA 
 
 his quarters In the caftle, the army encamped before the place. 
 
 "While thefe things were doing on fliore, a council of war, 
 of flag-officers, was held on board the Liberty, to confult how 
 the bombardment of Cadiz might be mod effectually put in 
 execution. The J&eld pieces, with four mortars, and proper 
 ammunition* as alfo the dragoons and train-horfes being put 
 on more, between the feventeenth and the nineteenth, the next 
 day, the army marched to port St. Mary's, which they found 
 deferted by the inhabitants, but full of riches ; with which 
 the foldiers made very free, and had their ftving of plunder 
 for feveral days ; the plenty of wine found there, having, as 
 it was laid, in juftification of the officers, rendered them ungo- 
 vernable. Two hundred Spaniih foldiers, who made a feint 
 of defending a ftrong houfe, furrendered at difcretion. 
 
 Both officers and foidiers (fays bifhop Burnet) fet them- 
 itlves with great courage againft this tempting, but harm- 
 Jefs ^enemy ; fome of the general officers fet a very ill exam- 
 ple to all the reft ; chiefly O Haro and Bellafis. The duke of 
 Ormond tried to hinder it j but did not exert his authority, 
 for if he had made fomc examples at firft, he might have 
 .prevented the mifchief that was done : but the whole army 
 running fo violently on the fpoil, he either was not able, or, 
 through a gentlenefs of temper, was not willing to proceed 
 to extremities. He had publifhed a manifefto, according to 
 his jnftructions, by which the Spaniards were invited to fub- 
 mit to the emperor j and he offered his protection to all who 
 came in to him : but the fpoil pf St. Mary's was thought an 
 ill commentary on that text. 
 
 The firft night, the half famiflied and thinly foldiers fpent 
 in the cellars of rich wines they had found out. The next 
 day, their licentioufnefs being heightened by the fumes of 
 their liquor, they proceeded to rifle and pillage the houfes, 
 in a moft outrageous manner, not contenting themfelves to 
 take moveables, but breaking and fpoiling what they could 
 not carry away. And as this booty would have been of no
 
 TRIUMPHANT. i8> 
 
 tile to them, unlefs they could fecure it on board the fleet* 
 they called the feamen to their afMance, who from feconds 
 foon became principals, and pilfered whatever they could 
 lay hands on, with more eagernefs than the others. Nor did 
 the plundering flop here: for the officers of the army them- 
 fclves thought it prudence to lhare the fweetnefs and profit 
 of a mifdemeanor, which they could not hinder : nay, fome 
 went fo far as to think themfelves entitled by their eminent 
 flations, to engrofs the greater part of the booty. For which 
 purpofe, they fet guards cm the avenues, and flopped all the 
 meaner fort, that were carrying goods to the fleet, with 
 which they ftored their own magazines, and afterwards re- 
 tailed them for ready money. Some churches fared no better 
 than private houfes, being defpoiied of their moft precious 
 ornaments. Infomuch that the damage done the enemy was 
 computed at three millions fterling. The duke of Ormond 
 (who had fo flrictly forbid plundering) fo highly refented the 
 .breach of his commands, that Sir Henry Bellafis, and Sir 
 Charles O Haro were afterwards put under arreft for it. 
 
 The difappointment of the nation's hopes from this expe- 
 dition, was certainly in a great meafure owing to this mif- 
 management, and want of difcipline, at Port St. Mary's. To 
 fall upon a people (fays the author of the life of queen Ann) 
 in that manner, wihoni they Ihould have treated as friends, 
 to ravifh the nuns, plunder private houfes, and even churches, 
 was fuch an effectual method of provoking that bigotted peo- 
 ple, that no fuccefs was to be expected afterwards but what 
 was to be obtained by downright force. 
 
 The twenty-fecond, a. party was lent back, under the com- 
 mand of colonel Pierce, from Port St. Mary's, to St. Cathe- 
 rine's fort, which furrendered after fome oppofition. From 
 this time, to the feventeenth of September, was fpent in coun- 
 cils of war, held, fometimes of the Hag, and fometimes of the 
 general oilicers alone, and, at other times, of both together, 
 in reprefentations and propofals made from one to the other ;
 
 and in exchanging of letters between the duke of Orriiondj 
 the admiral, and the prince of Hefle, (a tedious repetition of 
 which, as they all ended in nothing, could not but be difagree- 
 able to the reader.) During all which time nothing was done 
 but a fruitlefs attempt of baton Spar's on the Mattagorda, an 
 inconfiderable fort over againft the Puntals. I mall therefore 
 haften to a conclufion of this unfuccefsful expedition, to make 
 way for a more particular relation of an aclion, which fuc- 
 ceeded, and which ended more to the advantage of the con- 
 federates, as well as to the honour of all concerned in it. 
 
 After all thefe councils, mefiages, propofals and letters* 
 which produced norefolution conducive to the defign and ex- 
 pectations of thevoyagCj and all the forces being re-embarked, 
 a general council of fea and land general officers was held on 
 board the Ranelagh, where the point under confideration 
 was, Whether it was advifeable to make a fecond attempt in 
 Spain ? And after fomc debate, the queftion being put, it paf- 
 fed in the negative ; upon which it was refolved,that the fleet 
 fliould take the firft opportunity of proceeding for England. 
 
 The next day, the admiral made a fignal to weigh, hav- 
 ing a fine land-breeze j and bifliop Burnet fays, that fome of 
 the mips crews were fo employed in bringing and beftowing 
 the plunder, that they took not the neceffary cafe to furnifh 
 themfelves with frefn water, but the wind flackening they 
 came to an anchor again. The nineteenth the fleet weighed 
 anchor again, and plied fome days with an eafy and variable 
 wind. During this time two letters were fent from Mr. Me- 
 thuen, her majefty's envoy at Lifbon, one to the duke of Or- 
 mond, the other to Sir George Rooke, by which he aflured 
 them, that the king of Portugal would willingly aflift in a- 
 ny thing that fhould be defired, not only in that port, but in 
 any other ports of his dominions. A general council was 
 thereupon called the twenty-fecond, but it was refolved to 
 adhere to their former refolution. The twenty-third, the 
 difpofition was made for the fquadron to be fent to the Wefl*
 
 TRIUMPHANT. 189, 
 
 Indies, which being compleated on the four and twentieth, 
 the admiral made his fignal for them to depart. 
 
 The fame day, being off Cape St. Vincent, the Englifh flag 
 officers took into confideration feveral claufes in her maje- 
 fly's inftruclions, relating to the wintering of feveral of the 
 great {hips abroad ; but it was concluded not to he advife- 
 able, for feveral reafons. 
 
 *o&ojofcc&c& Tfcojfco^^ojfro&o^ 
 
 A particular account of the ruining the French Jleet, and Spanijb 
 galleons qt VigQ. 
 
 SIR George Rooke, being on his way to England with 
 the fleet, as I haye faid before, fent, the twenty-firft of 
 September, the Eagle, the Stirling-Caftle, and Pembroke, 
 with fome tranfports, to water in Lagos bay. They arrived 
 there the next day, and the land officers who were on board 
 the Pembroke, going immediately on fliore, they got intelli- 
 gence, that the Spanilh plate fleet, with a good convoy of 
 French men of war, had put in at Vigo, a port in Galicia. 
 This difcoyery was made in the following manner: in 
 company with thefe officers, went on more Mr. Beauvoir, a 
 gentleman of Jerfey,and chaplain of the Pembroke. When they 
 came to the town, they could find no body that could under- 
 fland them, fo that roving, for fome time, from place to 
 place, the chaplain, at length, efpying a gentleman, who by 
 his countenance and garb, feemed to be no Portuguefe, and 
 addrefling himfelf to him in the French language, he proyr 
 ed to be the French conful, into whofe favour Mr. Beauvoir 
 had fo far infinuated himfelf, that the other offered the ufe 
 of his houfe, both for himfelf and fome of his friends. They 
 lay there two nights, in which time the chaplain having an 
 opportuninty of feveral conventions with the conful ; the lat- 
 ter boaftingly magnified the power of France, adding, that
 
 BRITANNIA 
 
 his moft Chriflian majefty would have fuch a potent fleet afc 
 fea next fummer, that neither the Englifti nor Dutch mould 
 dare to ftir out of their harbours ; for the proving of which, 
 he gave the chaplain broad hints of Mr. Chateau-Renaud's 
 being fafe, not far off, with the galleons. On the twenty- 
 fourth, in die evening, the chaplain being informed, that 
 there was a gentleman come from Lifbon, bound for the 
 fleet, and that he defigned next morning to go on board one 
 of the Englilh men of war, his curiofity led him, to fend to 
 the gentleman, to acquaint him, that if he did not go on 
 board that night, he would lofe his pafiage, fmce the fqua- 
 dron was to iail very early next morning ; and that if he 
 pleafed to go off, he had a boat at his fervice, and that he 
 fhould be welcome on board the Pembroke. The gentleman 
 having accepted of the invitation, and both of them now 
 waiting on more for the boat, Mr. Beauvoir afked the gen- 
 tleman, what news? Great news, anfvvered the other, for 
 Chateau-Renaud is at Vigo, with thirty men of war and two 
 and twenty galleons, being much the fame number the French 
 envoy had mentioned to the chaplain, whofe curiofity encrea- 
 fing, he enquired farther] who he was, and from whence he 
 came ? To which the gentleman replied, he was both a Spar 
 piard and a German, that he came from, Lifbon, was fent by 
 the imperial ambafodor, at that cqqrt, to Faros, in order to 
 go on board the fleet, which they fuppofed to be ftill before 
 Cadiz, but that coming thither, he found the fleet had paf- 
 fed by. And that being informed that an Englifh fquadron 
 was in Lagos bay, he came to that town, to get him a paf- 
 fage, and that he had two letters, one for the prince of Heffe, 
 and the other for Mr. Methuen, jun. which contained the 
 particulars of that important news, for the confirming of 
 which he pulled them out of his pocket, and {hewed them 
 Mr. Beauvoir. The latter being fatisfied with the truth of 
 what the gentleman faid, and at the fame time, knowing that 
 tfie prince of Hec and Mr. Methuen were gone from on,
 
 TRIUMPHANT. / 191 
 
 board the fleet for Lifbon, he had fo much prefcnce of mind 
 as to conceal it from the mefienger, left he Ihould refufe to 
 go along with him, and fo carried him on board the Pem- 
 broke, where they found the captain already a- bed j and the 
 mefienger being tired with his long journey, went alfo imme- 
 diately to repofe himfelf. However, the chaplain, impatient 
 of difcovering what intelligence he had got, bolted into the 
 great cabin, awaked captain Hardy, and having acquainted 
 him with the news of the French fquadron and Spanifti gal- 
 leons being at Vigo, the meflenger next morning confirmed 
 the fame, and produced his letters, but when he heard that 
 the prince and Mr. Methuen were gone by fea to Lisbon, 
 he was much furprized, and earneftly defired to be put on 
 fhore, which the captain agreed to. 
 
 This intelligence captain Hardy (afterwards Sir Thomas, 
 and a fhg officer) commander of the Pembroke, communica- 
 ted to captain Wifhart, commander of the Eagle, and to the 
 whole fquadron. There was immediately a confultation of 
 captains held, wherein it was refolved, that this news was of 
 fuch vaft importance that a fliip Ihould be fent to acquaint 
 the admiral with it, and as captain Hardy had the beft fail- 
 or, and was matter of the intelligence, he was pitched upon 
 to fail a-head to find out the fleet. 
 
 He was put upon fo very difficult a piece of work, that 
 had he not been a very experienced feaman, and eminently 
 zealous for the fcrvice, he had fcarce ever been able to have 
 effected it; for to fay nothing of the fleet's having taken va- 
 rious courfes, by reafon of the variableness of the weather, 
 the head of his fhip was loofe, which endangered his mafts, 
 his (hip very leaky, and himfelf and his men were reduced 
 to two bilkets a day. However, bravely furmounting all 
 thofe difficulties, and the preffing inftances of his men to bear 
 away to England, he traverfcd the feas, and cruifed in qucft 
 gf the fleet, till he found it. 
 
 The fixth (Mr. Burchett fays the feventh) he joined it 3
 
 jp* BRITANNIA 
 
 and acquainted the admiral with the news. He imparted the 
 fame immediately to the Dutch admiral, and having declar- 
 ed it his opinion, that they mould directly fet fail for Vigo, 
 the Dutch admiral readily concurred, and Sir George hav- 
 ing the next day called a council of flag officers, it was re* 
 folved to attempt them. 
 
 It was refolved that in regard the attempting and deftroy^ 
 jng the French and Spanifh mips at Vigo, would be of great 
 advantage to her majefly, apd no lefs honourable to her al- 
 lies, and in a great meafure, to reduce the exorbitant power 
 of France, the fleet mould make the beft of their way to that 
 port, and fall on immediately with the whole line, if there 
 were room fufficient fpr it, otherwife to attack the enemy 
 with fuch detachments, as might render the enterprise molt 
 effectual and fuccefsful. 
 
 The fleet, purfuant to the refolution of the council of 
 war, began to fteer their courfe for Vigo, and the admiral 
 having difpatched two frigates for intelligence, they return- 
 ed on the ninth of October, at night, with a confirmation 
 of captain Hardy's account, adding, that the enemy's (hips 
 lay up the river in Redopdello harbour ; and one of Sir 
 Cloudefl/ Shovel's fquadron coming into the fleet the next 
 morning, with advice, that the admiral was off Cape Fini-r 
 fterre, there was orders fent him to join the grand fleet ; on the 
 eleventh in the afternoon, the fleet came to anchor at Vi- 
 go, the weather having proved fo hazy, that the town never 
 (discovered them till they were juft upon it, and though they 
 fired very thick from that place, yet the confederates took 
 Jittle notice of it. The French admiral, Monf. Chateau-Re- 
 riaud, to give him his due commendation, had taken all hu- 
 man precautions to fecure his fleet. 
 
 He had not only drawn them up beyond a very narrow 
 freight, defended by a caftle on the one fide, and platforms 
 pn both fides of the ilreight, whereon he had planted his, 
 beft guns j but he had likewife laid athwart it a very ftrong
 
 TRIUMPHANT. 193 
 
 boom made up of mafts, yards, cables, top-chains and cafks 
 faftencd together with ropes, feveral yards in circumference, 
 under-run with hawfers and cables, and kept fteady by an- 
 chors caft on both fides of it: the top-chain at each end was 
 moored to a fliip of feventy guns. Within the boom, five 
 men of war, of fixty and feventy guns each, were fo moor- 
 ed, with their broad fides fronting the entrance of the ftreight, 
 that they might fire at any {hips that came near the boom 
 and platforms. 
 
 Bifhop Burnet fays, he had not time to finifh what he de- 
 figned, other wife the place had been inacceffible ; but as it 
 was, the difficulty in forcing this port was believed to be 
 greater than any they would have met with, if they had 
 landed on the ifle of Cadiz. He adds, that as the Spanifh 
 Flota had put in at Vigo, Methuen, the queen's minuter at 
 Lifbon, fent advertifements to all the places, where he thought 
 our advice boats might be ordered to call : Rooke had given 
 no order for any to call, fo held on his courfe towards Caps 
 inifterre; but when he received the intelligence (in the 
 manner I have above related) he turned his courfe towards 
 Vigo very unwillingly, as was faid, and finding the advice 
 was true, refolved to force his way in. 
 
 The harbour's mouth (fays Mr. Burchett) is about the 
 breadth of a mot from a muiket, and on the entrance was a 
 fmall fort, with a trench running about a quarter of a mile, 
 whereupon was a battery of fixteen guns ; and the harbour 
 itfelf is furrounded in fuch a manner with hills, that it is ca- 
 pable of being made very ftrong. On the left hand was a 
 battery of about twenty guns, and between that and the 
 fort, on the right, a boom was placed athwart the harbour. 
 Another account fays, the breadth was about the third of a 
 mile, with a battery of' eight brafs and twelve iron guns, on 
 the north fide, and on the fouth fide a platform, with twen- 
 ty (lately brafs guns, and twenty good iron guns; beficies a 
 (tone fort with a trench about it, mounted with ten guns, 
 
 N
 
 194 E K I 1 A N H 1 A 
 
 defended by five hundred men. The French met of war 
 (continues Mr. Burchett) lay almoft in the form of a half 
 moon, a confiderabfc diftance within this boom, whereas had 
 they anchored clofc to k, and laid their broad fides, to bear 
 Qpon our fhrps, as they approached, we fhould, in all proba- 
 bility, have found the talk much more difficult, but they 
 had &> great a dependance on the ftrength of the boom, as 
 feo think themfelves fufficiently fecured by that, and the bat- 
 teries on both fides the harbour. 
 
 As foon as the confederate fleet came to an anchor, the 
 admiral called a general council of land and feat officers, where 
 k was refolved to attempt the forcing of the harbour the nexfe 
 morning. 
 
 For the better execution of the refolution taken in this 
 council of war, the admiral fpent a great part of the night in 
 going from fliip to fhip, in his own boat, to give the necefia- 
 ry orders, and to encourage both officers and feamen to do 
 their duty the next day. 
 
 The ;duke of Ormond was landed, in a fandy bay, about 
 two leagues diftant from Vigo, on the fouth fide of the river, 
 with between two and three thoufand men ; and meeting 
 \vith no oppofition in landing, his grace ordered the grena- 
 diers, under the lord 1 Shannon, and colonel Pierce, to march 
 directly to the fort, which guarded the entrance into the har- 
 bour where the boom lay, which they executed with much 
 alacrity and courage j and the duke himfelf, at the head of 
 the reft of the forces, marched on foot over craggy moun- 
 tains, to fuftain the firft detachment j at the fame time, there 
 appeared about eight thoufand men between the fort and the 
 hills, yet they made only a feint fhew of fkirmifhing at a dif- 
 tance, and as the grenadiers advanced, they retired-; and the 
 former in like manner, driving before them another party 
 of the enemy, followed them to the very fort, and bravely 
 made themfelves maftcrs of the lower platform, whereor* 
 were eight and thirty pieces of cannon. Hereupon lieute-
 
 TRIUMPHANT. 15*5 
 
 ttant general Churchill's regiment advanced on the left, and 
 took their pofts as they faw inoft convenient : the batteries 
 being taken, tho' (as Mr. Burchett obferves) the French and 
 Spaniards, according to report, had near twenty thoufand 
 men, at or near the place ; (and indeed, continues he, had not 
 the forts and the battery, at the end of the trench, been firft 
 taken, there would have been much more difficulty found in 
 forcing the boom, and burning the French fhips.) The ene- 
 my retired into an old tower or ftone caftle, and from thence, 
 for fome fhort time, fired brifkly upon the Engli/h ; but the 
 grenadiers plying them warmly with their grenadocs, and 
 pelting them with their fuzees, as foon as they appeared on the 
 wall, M. De Sorel, a valiant captain of a French man of war, 
 who commanded in the fort, having encouraged his men to 
 make a daring pufh for their lives, opened the gates, intend- 
 ing to force his way through the Englifli with fword in 
 hand ; but the grenadiers ruftied immediately into the caftle, 
 made themfelves mafters of it, and cook near three hundred 
 French feamen, and fifty Spaniards^ with their officers prifon- 
 ers at difcretion. A fmall party of the enemy endeavoured 
 to make their efcape through the water j but were flopped 
 by a detachment of the Dutch. 
 
 As foon as the land forces were got on more, the twelfth 
 in the morning, the admiral gave the fignal to weigh, the 
 line was formed, and the iquadron was brilkly bearing up to 
 the boom, when the van was got within gun {hot of the 
 batteries, it fell calm, fo that they were necefiitated to come 
 to an anchor again. However, a frefti gale coming up, not 
 long after, vice admiral Hopfon, in the Torbay, being next 
 to the enemy, immediately cut his cables, clapt on his fails, 
 and bearing up directly upon the boom, amidft all the ene- 
 mies fire, broke through at once, caft anchor between the 
 Bourbon and I/Efperance, (or the Hope) two French men 
 of war, which count Chateau-Renaud had placed near the 
 boom, and, with unparalleled refolution, received federal 
 
 N 2
 
 i?6 B R 1 4 A N N I A 
 
 broad-fides from them. The reft of vice admiral HopfonV 
 divifion, and vice admiral Vandergoes, with his detachment, 
 having weighed at the fame time, failed abreaft towards the 
 boom, to add the greater weight and force to the hock, but 
 being becalmed, they all ftruck, and were obliged to hack and 
 cut their way through , but a frefh gale blowing again, the 
 Dutch vice admiral made fuch good ufe of it, that having hit 
 the paffage, which the valiant Hopfon had made, he boldly 
 went in, and made himfelf mafter of the Bourbon. All this 
 \vhile admiral Hopfon was in extreme danger; for being 
 clapt on board by a French fireihip, whereby his rigging was 
 prefently fet on fire, he expected every moment to be burnt ; 
 but it very fortunately fell out, that the French (hip, which 
 indeed was a merchantman laden with fnuff, and fitted up 
 in hafte for a firefhip, being blown up, the fnuff, in fome 
 meafure, extinguifoed the fire, and preferved the Englifh man 
 of war from being confumed. However, the vice admiral 
 received confiderable damage in this action. For befides his 
 having the fore-top-maft {hot by the board, one hundred and 
 fifteen men killed and drowned, and nine wounded, moil of 
 his fails were burnt and fcorched, his fore-yard burnt to a 
 coal, and his larboard fhrouds, fore and aft,- burnt to the 
 dead eyes ; infomuch, though he preferved the fhip, he was 
 afterwards obliged to leave her himfelf, and hoift his flag a- 
 board the Monmouth. 
 
 For this good fe?vice, as well the officers as the men, when 
 they came home, were defervedly rewarded, fome with me- 
 dals and chains of gold, and the reft according to their re- 
 fpective qualities. 
 
 At the fame time, captain Bokenham, in the Affociation 
 of ninety guns, laid his broad fide againft a battery of feven- 
 teen guns, on the left fide of the harbour, while captain Wy- 
 vell in the Barfleur, a (hip of the like force, was fent to bat- 
 ter the fort on the other fide. Thus for a long while, there 
 was a confiderable firing of great and frmll fhot on both fides*
 
 TRIUMPHANT. 197 
 
 tift the French admiral, feeing the platform and fort in the 
 hands of the victorious Engiifh, his firefhip fpent in vain, 
 the Bourbon taken, the boom cut, and the confederate fleet 
 pouring in upon him, he fct fire to his own ihip, and order- 
 ed the reft of the captains, under his command, to follow his 
 example, which was done in great confufion, yet couJ^l he 
 not be fo punctually obeyed, but that feveral men of war and 
 galleons were taken by the Engiifh and Dutch, 
 
 To make this victory flill more glorious and memorable, 
 it was obtained with a very inconllderable lofs on the confe- 
 derates fide ; for befides the damage received by vice admi- 
 ral Hopfon, as before mentioned, the Ktnt had only her 
 fore-maftfhot,and herboatfwain wounded, the AfTochtion her 
 main-maft {hot, and two men killed, the Barfleur had her 
 main-rmft fliot, two men killed, and as many wounded ; and 
 the Mary her boltfprit mot : of the land forces two lieute- 
 nants and about forty foldiers were killed, colonel Pierce 
 was wounded by a cannon ball from our own men of war, 
 in the thigh, and colonel Seymour, colonel Newton and 
 Mr. Talmarfh, with about thirty private men were alfo 
 wounded. 
 
 The number of men killed on the French fide was much 
 the fame as that of the allies ; but they had near four hun- 
 dred officers and men taken prifoners, among whom were 
 Mouiieur d'Aliegre, commodore of the fquadron, the mar- 
 quis De la Galliflbniere, Monfieur De Sorel, and feveral p- 
 ther officers of note. Count de Chateau-Renaud, and the 
 Spanifh general, with fome others made their efcape ; but 
 Don Jofepho Checon, the Spanifli admiral, was made pri- 
 foner. 
 
 The confequence of this victory was a vaft booty both of 
 plate and other things, the value of which cannot well be 
 computed. But though the duke of Ormond poffefTed him- 
 felf of Redondella (where was found a great deal of phte 
 belonging to the French officers which his grace caufed to 
 
 N 3
 
 1 9 8 BRITANNIA 
 
 be divided among the officers of his own fleet) and would 
 have attacked Vigo, and wintered there, yet the circumftan- 
 ces of things would not allow it. 
 
 It came under confultation (fays bifhop Burnet) whether 
 it was not adyifeable to leave a good fquadron of mips, with 
 the land forces, to winter at Vigo. The neighbourhood of 
 Portugal would have made it eafy for them to be furnifhed 
 with provifions and other neceflaries. This might alfo en- 
 tourage the king to declare himfelf, when there was fuch a 
 force and fleet lying fo near him : it might likewife encou- 
 ^age fuch of the Spaniards, as favoured the emperor, to de- 
 clare themfelves, when they faw a place of fafe retreat, and 
 a force to protect them. The duke of Qrmond, upon thefe 
 confiderations offered to ftay, if Rooke would have confent- 
 ed ; but he excufed it j he had fent home the victuallers, with 
 the ftores ; and fo he could not fpare what was necefiary, far 
 fuch as would ftay there ; and indeed, he had fo ordered 
 matters, that he could not ftay long enough to try, whether 
 they could raife and fearch the men of war, and galleons 
 that were funk: he was obliged to make all poffible hafte 
 home; and if the wind had turned to the eaft, which is or- 
 dinary in that feafon, a great part of our fhips crews muft 
 have died of hunger. 
 
 The admiral fent his anfwer to, and opinion on the duke's 
 propofals, by a letter in the following words. 
 
 My Lord Duke, 
 
 1HAVE juft now received the (avour of your grace's 
 letter,, and am ready and willing to do any thing I can, 
 that may contribute to the publick fervice j and if your grace 
 thinks it fafe to remain in this part of Spain, with the army, 
 I will venture to leave five or fix frigates with you ; though' 
 I can hardly think thofe fhips fafe any longer than they are 
 ^t fen } confidering that the French, who had fuch advantages,
 
 TRIUMPHANT. 
 
 were not *, and, I believe, I can alfo leave your grace fix. 
 weeks or two months provifion for the army, which is the 
 moft I can do, great part of what was intended for that pur- 
 pofe, having been fent to the Weft-Indies. If your grace 
 has any intentions to continue here, I believe it will be bell 
 to let the guns remain at the fort, I (hall order our boats to 
 Redondella to-morrow in the evening, to bring off the fick 
 men, and then your grace will have time to determine, whe<- 
 ther to march to Vigo, or to the place you propofe for em- 
 barking the day following ; and if you march to Vigo, I be* 
 lieve the prifoners mould be fent to the other fide, that they 
 may not re-inforce that garrifon. As foon as the frigates 
 come in from Sir Cloudeily Shovel's ftation, I (hall fend an 
 exprefs to Lifbon, to give Mr. Methuen an account of our 
 fuccefs here, as I mall the Pembroke to England, on Friday 
 morning. 
 
 I am, &c. 
 
 George Rooke. 
 
 By this letter one would not imagine the fleet to have been 
 fo very deftitute of provilions, as the bifliop makes it ; and I 
 am apt to believe it genuine, becaufe what Mr. Burchett fays 
 of this matter feems to be an extract of it, or rather a copy of 
 the annals of queen Anne, which is fo. 
 
 The fixteenth of October, Sir Cloudefly Shovel, with about 
 twenty of her majefty's (hips, joined the grand fleet from 
 England ; the next day, the duke of Ormond, with the land 
 forces left Redondella ; and on the nineteenth in the morning, 
 the forces being embarked, the admiral failed from Vigo har- 
 bour with one firft-rate, four fecond-rates, three third-rates, 
 one fifth-rate, four firefhips, three bombs, and two yachts, 
 together with feyeral Dutch Ihips of w.ir, and one of the 
 galleons, which was rigged ; and having a fine land breeze 
 arrived in the Downs the feventh of November, from whenqe 
 the great mips were brought to Chatham. 
 
 N 4
 
 200 BRITANNIA 
 
 The wind continued favourable (fays bifliop Burnet) fq 
 they got home fate, but half ftarved. Thus (continues he) 
 ended this expedition, which was ill projected and worfe ex- 
 ecuted. The duke of Ormond told me (adds the bifhop) he 
 had not half the ammunition that was necefiary for the ta- 
 king of Cadiz, if they had defended themfelves well : though 
 he believed they would not have made any great refiftance, 
 if he had landed on his firft arrival, and not given them time 
 to recover from the diforder, into which the firft furprife 
 had put them. A great deal of the treafures taken at Vigo 
 was embezzled, and fell into private hands : one of the gal- 
 leons foundered at fea. The publick was not much enriched 
 by his extraordinary capture j yet the lofs our enemies fuffered 
 by it was a vaft one, and to compleat the ruin of the Spanifli 
 merchants, the king feized on the plate that was taken out 
 of their fhips at their firft arrival at Vigo. 
 
 I fliall conclude this relation as I did that of the expediti- 
 on to Cadiz, with an account that the French fay of it : the 
 confederate fleet (fays F. Daniel) were more fuccefsful at Vi- 
 go than at Cadiz. The count De Chateau-Renaud was re- 
 turning as convoy to the Spar.ifh galleons, which were bound, 
 very richly laden, from Mexico to Cadiz j but when he ar- 
 rived within fight of that port, he found the fleets of Eng- 
 land and Holland in pofleffion of the harbour. He offered 
 to convey them into fonie port of France j but to that they 
 would not on any account give their confent ; fo he was for- 
 ced to go into the port of Vigo. He took all the meafures he 
 poffibly could to put this poor harbour into a pofture of de- 
 fence, and convey a great part of the gold and filver put 
 of the galleons to Lago, within land. Not many days after> 
 admiral Rooke appeared, and landing two thoufand men, at- 
 tacked the fort and the batteries which defended the port. 
 The fort they took, after fome refiftance, and feized upon 
 a battery, whilft the vefiels broke down the boom which was 
 laid before the haven. The count De Chateau-Renaud a
 
 TRIUMPHANT. 201 
 
 when he found he had no hopes left, gave orders to the 
 commanders of the fhips and galleons, to fet fire to them as 
 foon as they had drawn out their men,, while he threw a 
 body of troops into the town and caftle to defend them. 
 They had time only to burn feven veflels, and to run four 
 aground. Fifteen galleons were likewife burnt, and four 
 run aground, and as many frigates. Five men of war and 
 as many galleons were taken by the enemy. This action coft 
 them nine hundred men killed or wounded. They took the 
 Spanifti admiral, Monfieur d'Aliegre, chief of a fquadron, 
 the marquis de GallilToniere, Meflieurs de Monbault, and 1$ 
 Maifon-fort, captains of fhips. The French loft Monfieur de 
 la Rade and de 1'Efcalette, lieutenants, de Pont de Vefe, an 
 enfign, Tricambaut, captain of a (hip and Monfieur Du Plef. 
 fis Liencourt. Among the wounded were De Camilli, Pie. 
 mont, La Tour, Landry, la Valette, Marigni, Lambourg, 
 Chatelet, the Chevalier Begon, the Sieurs de St. Victor and 
 Hardi. The enemy attempted to make themfelves matters 
 of Vigo, but were repulfed by the prince De Barbanfon, go- 
 vernor of the province of Galicia, and by Mr. Renaud. 
 
 With this account, that of Monfieur De Larrey, and the 
 relation written by a Spanifh anonymous author of this ex- 
 pedition, perfectly agree: and all endeavour, by a genera! 
 s*nd fummary account only to conceal the lofs of treafure 
 the Spaniards fuftained.
 
 eoi BRITANNIA 
 
 Naval expeditions to the coaft of France. 
 
 IN the year 1758, the French navy confifted of feventy- 
 feven line of battle mips, and thirty-nine frigates from 
 thirty-fix to twelve guns each. The Spanifh fleet coniifted of 
 fifty-two (hips of the line, twenty-fix frigates, from thirty to 
 fixteen guns, thirteen zebeques, of twenty-four guns, four 
 bombs, and four firefhips. Mr. Pitt, having fixed his eye up* 
 on the fea ports of France, ftationed two fquadrons to block 
 up the ports of Toulon and Rochfort, having had certain in- 
 telligence that the French were equipping two grand fleets in 
 thofe ports, which were defigned for the relief of Louiibourg. 
 Admiral Ofborn had orders to cruize with a fquadron be- 
 tween Cape de Gat and the Spanifh port of Carthagena. M. 
 de la Clue failed with a fquadron, but finding the Streights fo 
 well guarded, put into Carthagena. Five (hips more failed 
 from Toulon, two of which got into Carthagena, and waited 
 for the other three in the offing, in expectation of them. Ad- 
 miral Osborn had ftationed the Gibraltar frigate to watch 
 their motions : fhe fell in with the three laft, commanded by 
 M. de la Quefne, who was going to North America, to have 
 the command both at fea and land. She had led them fuch 
 awild-goofe chace, that at three in the morning they found 
 themfelves in he midfl of the Englifh fhips. Mr. Osborn 
 perceiving fome ftrangers, made them the fignal, which they 
 jdid not anfwer, but edged off j he fired a few guns at theFou- 
 droyant, withoijt any effect. Mr. Osborn made the fignal for 
 the Mon mouth, Shrewsberry, and Hampton-court to chace the 
 Foudroyant; the Revenge and the Berwick to chace POr- 
 pheus and Monarque, and the Montague to chace the other j 
 thefe laft drove her on more below a fmall caftle, which fi- 
 fed at them. The Monmouthgave chace to the Foudroyant^
 
 TRIUMPHANT. 205 
 
 and the Revenge tol'Orpheus ; the Monmouth came up with 
 her about feyen, and the fire grew warm on both fides; and 
 a little after one the Foudroyant flruck to the Monmouth. 
 Captain Gardener loft his life in the action. The Monmouth, 
 had only twenty-four and twelve pounders, the Foudroyant 
 from twenty-two to forty-two pounders, fo that the one was 
 no more than a frigate, in comparifon of the other ; the one 
 had one thoufand men, and eighty-four guns, the other on- 
 ly four hundred and feventy men, and fixty-four guns. This 
 Foudroyant was one of the beft fhips the French had, and the 
 fhip Galiilbnier was in, when he met Byng off Minorca. The 
 Revenge took 1'Orpheus, and they were both carried into 
 Gibraltar. This was one of the braveft actions the Englifh 
 had during the time of the late war ; and fo fine a Ihip as 
 the Foudroyant will be for ever the pride of England, and 
 the fhame of France. Thus was their fcheme for relieving 
 Louisbourg defeated j M. de la Clue failed back for Toulon, 
 where his fhips were laid up. 
 
 The enemy's embarkation at Rochfort had no Better fuc- 
 cefs. Admiral Hawke arriving at Bafque Road the third of 
 April, with fevcn ftiips of the line, and three frigates, drove 
 fix (hips of the line, two frigates, and forty tranfports, with 
 three thoufand men, into St. Martin's, in the ifle of Rhe, the 
 wind not fuffering him to come up with them. About four 
 in the afternoon, the enemy's grand convoy of forty tranf- 
 ports, with three thoufand men, from Rochfort, efcorted by 
 five men of war, and feven frigates, were difcovered off the 
 iile of Aix, waiting for the other convoy, who had fled into 
 St. Martin's; but obferving the Englifh fquadron hear down 
 upon them, they flipt their cables, and ran in great confufi- 
 on ; at fix, their commodore made off, night coming on. 
 Next morning, they made a moft pitiful fight, both king's 
 {hips and tranfports lying on their broad fides ; however for 
 all the efforts of our admiral to take or deflroy them, moil 
 oif them got into Rochfort. The Effex of fixty-four guns,
 
 o 4 BRITANNIA 
 
 with the Pluto and Proferpine firefhips, fell in \vith twelve 
 fail of tranfports, efcorted by a frigate of twenty-two guns, 
 and a letter of marque, of twenty guns ; thefe they took, 
 with one of the tranfports This gave the finiflung ftroke 
 to their efforts for the relief of Loisbourg, and the reinforce? 
 rnent of their army in North America. 
 
 Two fquadrons, by the latter end of May, were in readi- 
 nefs for failing. The greater under Lord Anfon, the fmal- 
 ler under Commodore Howe, which was fo defigned to con- 
 voy the tranfports and to favour the landing and reimbark- 
 ment. The land forces confifted of fixteen battalions, and 
 cine troops of light horfe ; they were commanded by the late 
 duke of Marlborough. They failed from Portfmouth on the 
 firft of June ; but as foon as the fleet fet fail, the fquadron of 
 rny Lord Anfon feparated from the reft, and bore off to the 
 Bay of Bifcay, in order to fpread the alarm more widely, and 
 to obferve the French fquadron in Breft. The other part of 
 the fleet, which was commanded by Commodore Howe, with 
 the tranfports, arrived without any accident in Cancalle bay, 
 at a fmall diftance from the city of St. Malo. Here the troops 
 landed on the fifth, without oppofition, and having fortified 
 a poft near Cancalle, (a poll by nature well fitted for defence) 
 for the fecurity of their retreat, they marched in two columns 
 to St. Maloes. When the army arrived there it was foon 
 vifible, that the town, firongly iituated on a peninfula, com- 
 municated with the main land only by a long and narrow 
 caufeway, was by no means a proper object of a coup de main ; 
 and tho' for want of outworks, it was ill qualified to fuftain 
 a regular fiege; yet our forces were, for want of ftrength and 
 artillery fufficient, altogether as ill qualified for fuch an ope- 
 ration. They were therefore contented with fetting fire to 
 about an hundred fail of fliipping, many of them privateers, 
 which lay under the cannon of the town, and to feveral ma- 
 gazines filled with naval ftores. The damage was very con- 
 fiderablej yet, what is to be remarked, the enemy did not firs
 
 -TRIUMPHANT. 2*5 
 
 a (ingle fliot on the detachment employed in this fervice. 
 Having nothing more to do on this lide, they retired to Can- 
 calle ; and reimbarked on the twelfth, with as little oppofi- 
 tion as they met with at landing ; the land and fea comman- 
 ders having made all the difpofitions with great judgment. 
 
 Before the fleet returned, they reconnoitred the town of 
 Granville on the coaft of Normandy j but finding that a large 
 body of troops were encamped in the neighbourhood, they 
 made no attempt there. From thence they moved towards 
 Cherbourg, and made the proper difpofitions for landing near 
 that place j but a hard gale blowing into the fhore, and the 
 tranfports beginning to fall foul on each other, it became 
 extreamly hazardous to attempt landing. Belides, the pro- 
 vifion was near exhaufted, and the foldiers by being fo long 
 cooped up in the tranfports were grown field y. It became 
 highly necefhry to return home j and they arrived at St. He-* 
 len's on the twenty-ninth of June. 
 
 The fuccefs of this expedition, by which the French fuf- 
 fcred largely, with fcarce any lofs on our lide, though it fuf* 
 ficiently anfwered the intention of this armament, fell fome- 
 what fhort of the expectations of the public, who had formed 
 much greater hopes than it was poffible for the nature of fuch 
 enterprizes to fulfil. However, their hopes were again revi- 
 ved ; by feeing that every thing was prepared for another 
 expedition, and that our armies and fleets were to be kept in 
 conilant action during the fummer. The time was now come 
 when we were to turn the tables upon France, and to retaliate 
 by real attacks, the terrors which had been raifed by her me- 
 naces of an invafion. The Duke of Maryborough had now 
 taken the command of the Englifli iprces in Germany ; and 
 General Bligh fucceeded him in this command. Prince Ed- 
 ward refolved to go upon the expedition, and to form himfelf 
 for the fervice of his country under fo brave and able a com- 
 mander as Howe. It is eafy to imagine, how much the fpi- 
 ?it, the prefence and example of the gallant young prince, who
 
 BRITANNIA 
 
 Went with the utmoft chearfulnefs through all the detail off 4 
 midfhipman's duty, infpired both into the feamen and the 
 troops. 
 
 On the firft of Auguft, the fleet fet fail from St. Helenas. 
 In a few days they came to anchor before Cherbourg. The 
 French had drawn a line ftrengthened by forts, along the moft 
 probable places for landing. They had drawn down three 
 regiments of regular troops, and a confiderable body of mili- 
 tia to the fhore, and had in all appearance threatened a very 
 refolute oppofition to the defcent of the Englifh forces. But 
 the commodore difpofed the men of war and bomb ketches fo 
 judicioufly, and made fo (harp a fire upon the enemy, that they 
 never ventured out of their intrechments ; fo that on the 
 fixth the landing was effe&ed in excellent order, and with ve- 
 ry little lofs. The French who made fo poor an oppofition 
 to the landing, had flill many advantages from the nature of 
 the ground which they occupied; but they neglected them 
 all; and abandoning by a moft fhameful defpair their forts 
 and lines on the coaft, they fuffered theEnglifh to enter Cher- 
 bourg the day after the landing, without throwing the leaft 
 obftacle in their way. It muft be remembered too that the 
 whole number of the Englifh forces on this expedition, was 
 rather fhort of fix thoufand men. 
 
 Cherbourg is on the land fide an open town; neither is it ve- 
 ry ftrongly defended towards the fea. The harbour is natu- 
 rally bad. But the place is well fituated, in the midft of the 
 channel, for protecting the French, and annoying the Engliih 
 commerce in the time of war, and perhaps for facilitating an 
 invafion on England itfelf. Monfieur Belidor the famous en- 
 gineer, had demonftrated its importance, and propoled a plan 
 for the improvement and defence of the harbour, as well as 
 for the fortifications of the town. The plan was approved 
 and partly put in execution, by the building of a mole, digging 
 a bafon, and making fluicesand flood-gates with excellent ma- 
 terials, and at avaft expence. The work had been for a con- 
 fiderable time difcontinuedj but in this expedition, that work
 
 TRIUMPHANT. 
 
 cf fo much ingenuity, charge, and labour, was totally deftroy- 
 cd. Whilft our humanity regrets the unhappy neceflity of 
 war, we cannot help thinking that the Englifh nation was 
 freed by the facccfs of this expedition, from what might one 
 day be the caufe of no trivial alarms. 
 
 When this work of deftmction was over, all the veffels in 
 the harbour burned, and hoftages taken for the contributions 
 levied on the town, the forces reimbarked on the frxteenth 
 with great fpeed and fafety, without any interruption from 
 the enemy, and with the fame expedition, care and conduct, 
 as they had been firft landed j the army having continued 
 ten days unmolefted in France. 
 
 The nation exulted greatly in this advantage, efpecially as 
 it almoft accompanied the news of our glorious fucceffes in 
 America. Nothing was omitted to give the action its utmoft 
 eclat ; the brafs cannon and mortars taken at Cherbourg 
 were drawn from Renfington to the Tower, quite through 
 the city, in great pomp and order, adorned with ftreamers, 
 attended by guards, drums, mufic, and whatever elfe might 
 draw the attention of the vulgar. 
 
 In the year 1 759 the French threatened England with three 
 invafions ; M. Thurot was to command a fquadron from Dun- 
 kirk ; the fecond was to be from Navre, and fome other ports 
 in Normandy, in flat bottom boats j the third was fuppofed 
 to be againft Ireland, and to be made for Vannis, in lower 
 Britanny, to be commanded by the Duke de Aquillon. This 
 embarkation was to be covered with a fleet, under M. de Con- 
 flans. But to difappoint and fruftrate them, commodore Boys 
 was ftationed off Dunkirk, admiral Rodney to bombard Na 
 tre, where he did great execution, admiral Hawke blocked 
 up the harbour of Breft, admiral Bofcawen was ftationed in 
 the Mediterranean, and blocked up the harbour of Toulon, 
 till ftormy weather obliged them to return to Gibralter. On 
 the fourteenth of Auguft the French flipped out, and pro- 
 ceeded to the Streights. The admiral, having intelligence in
 
 io8 BRITANNIA 
 
 two hours, followed them, with fourteen flups of the line 
 and frigates. The enemy had twelve of the line, but their 
 Ihips were larger and better manned, and had they fought 
 in the line of battle, might have had fuccefs ; but they fepara- 
 ted their fleet and fled. Bofcawen's {hips being in good order, 
 purfued them, and engaged every one of them as they over- 
 took them. The Ocean and the Redoubtable were run on 
 Ihore, and burnt; the Ocean was commanded by the 
 French admiral M. de la Clue, who efcaped on ihore after 
 both his legs were fhot off, and died foon after. The Cen- 
 taur and Moderle, two capital fhips, were taken ; the {hat- 
 tered remains of their fleet got into the harbour of Cadiz. 
 This happened on the firft of Auguft. 
 
 An account of admifal Haivkis engagement with the French 
 
 NOVEMBER the fourteenth, a violent ftorm forced 
 Sir Edward Hawkc to quit his ftation off Breft. He 
 came with his whole fleet to anchor in Torbay. 
 
 The French fleet availed itfelf of his abfence to put to fea. 
 The whole Englifti nation was alarmed ; but it was an alarm 
 which produced no hurry or difturbance, but vigorous, cool, 
 and fettled methods for defence. 
 
 And now the event of the whole war was put to the if- 
 fue ; for upon the good or ill fuccefs of this ftroke every thing 
 depended. Admiral Hawke loft not a moment's time to put 
 again to fea, and to feek the French fleer. Both fquadrons 
 put to fea, on the fame day ; Sir Edward Hawke from Tor- 
 bay, M. de Conflans from Breft. There was a difference of 
 but one fhip of the line in their forces. 
 
 Jt is impoflible here to pafs over the gallant behaviour of 
 one of our admirals, as it helps to mark the genius and fpi-
 
 : 
 
 
 .. 
 
 's/ /,>/'//> //////r ' v
 
 TRIUMPHANT. 209 
 
 i it of this happy time, and as this is one of the fined inftan- 
 ces of it. Admiral Saunders came into port from his Que- 
 bec expedition immediately after Hawke had failed. After 
 fuch a long voyage and fo fevere a campaign, unbroken by 
 fatigue, and ftill infatiated with glory, he determined im- 
 mediately to fet fail again, and partake the honour and dan- 
 ger of the coming engagement. For this purpofe no time 
 was to be loft, and he had no orders. But he thought the 
 exigence of his country fufficient orders; and he knew that 
 at this time the letter of military difcipline would never be 
 fee againft its fpirk. He therefore fet fail without waiting 
 for orders with ten fliips ; but fortune did not favour the 
 generoiity of his intention, and he did not join the Britifh 
 fleet time enough for the engagement. 
 
 As Sir Edward Hawke concluded that the firft rendezvous 
 of the enemies fleet would be at Quiberon, he directed hi* 
 courfe with all diligence for that bay. But here again, for- 
 tune for a while feemed to declare for the French ; for a 
 ftrong wind blown in an eafterly point, drove the Englifli fleet 
 a great way to the weft ward ; but at length it became more 
 favourable, and bore them in directly to the fhore. About 
 eight o'clock the headmoft fliips difcovered the enemy bear- 
 ing to the northward, between the ifland of Belleifle and the 
 main land of France. 
 
 Hawke faw at laft what he had fo long, and fo ardently 
 wiflbed for, (though hitherto in vain) the enemy in his reach. 
 But there were fuch difficulties in his way, as would have 
 checked a very cautious commander, or perhaps any comman- 
 der in circumftances lefs critical to the public fafety. On the 
 flighteft infpe&ion of the chart it will appear, that this fea 
 is fown thick with lands and flioals, and mallows and rocks ; 
 our pilots were by no means well acquainted with it; and the 
 wind blew little lefs than a violent ftorm, and the waves ran 
 mountain high. In thefc circumftances they were to attack 
 a very ftrong fquadron of the enemy on their own coaft, 
 
 O -
 
 2io BRITANNIA 
 
 with which they were perfectly acquainted. All thefe diffi* 
 culties only animated the Englifh admiral. In one of the fi- 
 neft fhips in the world, commanding the flower of the Bri- 
 tifh navy, and feconded by fome of the moft tried and braveft 
 officers in the fervice; and above all not dubious of himfelf. 
 He ordered the fhips neareft the enemy immediately to chafe, 
 and, by engaging them, to give time for the reft of the fleet 
 to come up. 
 
 M. Conflans had two choices, either to fly, or to ftand and 
 fight it out. But he followed neither perfectly ; for fome 
 time he appeared as if he meant to fight ; but after giving the 
 Britifh (hips time to come near him, when it was too late, 
 he crouded all the fail he could carry; at the fame time he 
 Ihewed an intention to keep all his fquadron together. 
 
 At half an hour after two, the action began with great fu- 
 ry. In two hours the enemy loft three fhips of the line, one 
 ftruck, two wire funk outright. Hawke ordered his fhip 
 to referve her fire, to pifs by all the others, and to be hid 
 along fide of the Soleil Royal, the beft fhip in the French na- 
 vy, and commanded by M. de Conflans; the matter remon- 
 ftrated on the almoft inevitable danger of the coaft. Hawke 
 anfwered, " You have done your duty in this remonftrance: 
 " now obey my orders, and lay me along fide the French 
 " admiral." A French Qiip of 70 guns, generoufly put him- 
 felf between them; Hawke was obliged to beftow here the 
 fire he had referved for a greater occafion, and at one broad- 
 fide funk her to the bottom. The headmoft of the Englifh 
 "ftiips fired on the enemy as they came up to them, and thea 
 paft on to others, leaving thofe behind to improve their fuc- 
 cefs, and deftroy or take them ; and by this method they hsd 
 got up quite to' the van of the enemy, and would have total- 
 ly deftroyed their fleet, had not night interpofed to fave 
 them. Before night came on, the enemy's fleet was much 
 difperfed, but in the eagernefs of the purfuit, two of the 
 Englifh fhips unfortunately run upon a fand, called the Four,
 
 TRIUMPHANT, 211 
 
 and \vere loft. The enemy fled into their own coaft. Se- 
 ven fliips of the line threw over board all their guns, and e- 
 fcaped into the river Villaine ; about as many more got out 
 to lea, and made for other ports, 
 
 Nothing could be conceived more dreadful than the night 
 which fucceeded this aclion. A violent ftorrn blew all nighc 
 long. It was pitchy darknefs ; a dangerous coaft furroun- 
 ded them on almoft all fides- A continual firing of diftrefs 
 guns was heard, without knowing whether they carne from 
 friend or enemy ; and on account of the badnefs of the 
 night, our people were equally unable to venture to their 
 affiitance. 
 
 When morning came on, they found the French admiral 
 had run his fhip, and another called the Heroe, on more; 
 the firft was fet on fire by the enemy, the other by our fea- 
 men. Thus concluded this remarkable aclion, in which the 
 French had four capital mips deftroyed, one taken, and the 
 whole of their formidable navy, in which confifted the laft 
 hope of their marine, fluttered, difarmed, and difperfed. 
 The long threatened invafion which was to repair their lof- 
 fes in every part of the world, was diflipated, and the credit 
 of their arms broken along with their forces. The behavi- 
 our of the Engliih captains and fearaen, on the contrary, ad- 
 ded as much to the glory of the Britifh arms, as to the fafety 
 of their country. Perhaps there never was a naval engage- 
 ment of fuch extent, in which no captain was accufed, or e- 
 ven in any degree fufpeclcd of mifbehaviour or cowardice ; 
 in which thofe who engaged, and thofe who did not, gave 
 proofs that they were equally ardent in the fervice of their 
 country. 
 
 O
 
 212 B R 1 r A N N I A 
 
 An account of the taking of Belleijlc. 
 
 TH E ifland originally belonged to the earl of Cornoua- 
 ille, but has been fince yielded to the king: it contains 
 only one little city, called Le Palais, three country towns, 
 one hundred and three villages, and about five thoufand in- 
 habitants. 
 
 The town of Palais takes its name from a caftle, belonging 
 to the duke de Belleifle, in its neighbourhood, which is now 
 converted into a citadel, which is a regular and ftrong fortifi- 
 cation, fronting the fea, compofed principally of horn-work, 
 and is provided with two dry ditches, the one next to the 
 counterfcarp, and the other fo contrived as to fecure the in- 
 terior fortifications. The citadel is divided from the hrgeft 
 part of the town by an inlet of the fea, over which there is 
 a bridge of communication; from the other part of the town, 
 and which is moft inhabited, it is only divided by its own 
 fortifications, and a glacis. There are three nominal har- 
 bours in this ifland, Palais, Sauzon and Goulfard. Every 
 one of which labours under fome capital defect, either in be 
 ing expofed, {hallow, or dangerous at the entrance. The 
 only branch of trade carried on here is the curing pilchards. 
 
 From this ftate of the ifland, poor in itfelf, capable of lit- 
 tle improvement, and fo ill circumftanced in point of harbours, 
 a fort of a diflike to the expedition began to arife. Several 
 did not fee of what confiderable fervice (uch a conqueft would 
 be to England in time of peace, or of what prejudice to 
 the enemy in time of war. They forefaw that it could not 
 be taken without confiderable expence j and on the whole 
 they apprehended that when exchanges came to be made, 
 France would lay no great ftrefs upon it. On the other hand
 
 TRIUMPHANT. 113 
 
 it was urged, that though the harbour were bad, yet fmali 
 privateers might iflue from thence greatly to the moleftation 
 of the French coafting trade ; and that the fleet of England 
 might ride between it and the continent in a well protected 
 road. They imagined the poffefiion of this iiland, if not of 
 great detriment to the intereft of France, would be a griev- 
 ous wound to her pride; and that thofe circumftances which 
 had formerly induced her to expend money on the fortifica- 
 tions here, and on the apprehenfion of an invafion to fill 
 them with a powerful garrifon, would likewife perfuade her 
 to fet a value on the place when it came to be eflimated in 
 the treaty. 
 
 While they reafoned in this manner in England, the fleet 
 under the command of commodore Keppel, and the land forces 
 under general Hodgfon, arrived before Belleifle on the fe- 
 venth of April, and on the eighth agreed to attempt a land- 
 ing on the fouth eaft of the ifland in a fandy bay near Loch- 
 maria point. Here the enemy were in poffeflion of a little 
 fort ; they had moreover entrenched themfelves on an hill 
 exceilively fteep, and the foot of which was fcraped away. 
 The attempt was made in three places with great refolution; 
 a few grenadiers got on more, and formed themfelves ; but 
 as they were not fupported they were for the greater part 
 made prifoners. The reft of the army, after feveral very 
 brave and repeated efforts, being wholly unable to force the 
 enemy's lines or make good their landing, were obliged to 
 retire with lofs ; what added to the difafter was that feveral 
 of the flat bottomed veflels were deftroyed or damaged in an 
 hard gale which followed on our retiring from the more. 
 This made the profpecl: of any future attempt more unplea- 
 ling even than the firft. In this attack we loft in killed, 
 wounded and prifoners, near five hundred men. 
 
 Neither commander nor foldiers were however difpirited 
 by this mortifying repulfe. They refolved if poflible not to 
 return without effeft,and then determined diligently tp fearch 
 
 O 3
 
 2i 4 BRITANNIA 
 
 the whole coaft in order to find a place more favourable foe 
 another attack. The view indeed was not encouraging. 
 The illand is naturally a fortification; and what nature had 
 left undone to make it fuch, had been amply fupplied by 
 art. 
 
 It was a long time after this firft failure before the wea- 
 ther would give our commanders an opportunity of a fccond 
 trial: however they pei fitted with the utmoft fteadinefs, and 
 found at iengch a convenient fituation. Not that it was a pare 
 of the coaft 1'cfs ftrong than the reft ; on the contrary they 
 built their principal hopes on the exceflive fteepnefs and dif- 
 ficulty of the rocks, which had rendered the enemy rather 
 lefs attentive on this quarter. This arduous attempt was 
 made at a bold rocky thore near the abovementioned point 
 of Lochmaria. Befides the principal attack, two feints were 
 made at the fame time to diftracl the enemy, whilft the men 
 of war directed their fire with great judgment and effect on 
 the hills. Thefe manoeuvres gave brigadier Lambert with an 
 handful of men an opportunity of climbing up a very fteep 
 rock without moleftation. This little body having thus prof- 
 perouily gained the top of the hill, formed themfelvcs in good 
 order and without delay. April the twenty-fifth, they 
 were immediately attacked by three hundred of the French, 
 but they maintained their advantage with refolution until the 
 whole corps of brigadier Lambert, which now had afcended 
 in the fame manner, arrived to their afliftance, and repulfed 
 the enemy. 
 
 The landing of all the forces was made good in a fhort 
 time after. The lofs in this daring and fuccefsful attempt 
 was inconfiderable. In one or two places the enemy feemed 
 difpofed to make fome ftand ; but the body of light horfe, 
 which was embarked jn this expedition, foon drove them to 
 the town, and laid all quite open to the intrenchments before 
 it. The great difficulty now confifted in bringing forward 
 the cannon, which were firft to be dragged up the rocks.
 
 TRIUMPHANT. 215 
 
 and afterwards, for two leagues, along a very rugged and 
 broken road. This neceffarily took up fome time. How- 
 ever the liege was commenced with vigour ; and the garri- 
 fon, commanded by the chevalier de St. Croix, a brave 
 and experienced officer, threatned on their fide 'a long and 
 obftinate defence. The enemy made fome Tallies; one of 
 them with confiderable effect. Major general Crawford 
 was made prifoner on this occafion. But our troops were 
 only animated by thefe checks. A furious attack was made 
 upon the enemy's lines which covered the town; and 'they 
 were carried without much lofs; principally by the uncom- 
 mon intrepidity of a corps of marines which had been but 
 newly raifed. No action of greater fpirit and gallantry had 
 been performed during the whole war. 
 
 The town was now entirely abandoned, and the defence 
 confined to the citadel. It was obvious, that as our fleet pre- 
 vented all communication with the continent, and thereby 
 cut off all hope of relief, the place muft necefiarily be redu- 
 ced ; but the chevalier de St. Croix was refolved to provide 
 for his own honour, when he could not for the prefervation 
 of the place entrufted to him, and, fince he could not main- 
 tain it, to fell it as dear as poffible. Accordingly there was 
 no mention of yielding, until the feventh of June, when there 
 was no longer the ilighteft profpect of fuccour, and the place 
 was by no means fafely tenable. Then he capitulated, and 
 the garrifon marched out with the honours of war. 
 
 Thus was the iiland of Belleifle reduced under the Eng- 
 lifh government, after a defence of two months. In this ex- 
 pedition we had about eight hundred men killed and wound- 
 ed. The lofs moft regretted was that of Sir W. Peere Wil- 
 liams, a young gentleman of great talents and expectations, 
 and who had made a diftinguiihed figure in parliament. He 
 had but newly entered into the fervice. He was mot in the 
 night by having carelefly approached too near a centinel of 
 the enemy. He was the third gentleman of fa&ion whore, 
 
 O 4
 
 fi6 BRITANNIA 
 
 in thi* war, the love of enterprize had brought to an ho- 
 nourable death in thefe expeditions to the coaft of France. 
 
 ?fylfl&^^ 
 
 An account of the taking of Guadahupe. 
 
 THIS ifland, which by Columbus (who difcovered it) 
 was called Guadaloupe, from the refemblance of its 
 mountains to thofe of that name in Spain, was by the Carib- 
 bees called Karukera, or Carriceura. When he landed there, 
 he and his Spaniards were attacked by a fhower of arrows 
 from women, who being foon difpcrfed, however, by his fire 
 arms, they plundered and burnt their houfes, where they 
 found great quantities of honey, wax, iron, bows and arrows, 
 and cotton fpun and vmfpun, cotton hammocks, and looms 
 for weaving, together with pompions, or a fort of pine-ap- 
 ples, maftich, aloes, fandal, ginger, frankincenfe, a fort of 
 cinnampn-trees, and other fruits and herbs, different from 
 ours. The birds he faw here were, large parrots, par- 
 tridges, turtles, and nightingales ; befides daws, herons, fal- 
 cons, and kites. He found the houfes here better, and fuller 
 of proyifions, than any he had feen in thefe iflands. Mr. 
 Gage, in his furvey of the Weft-Indies, gives this account; 
 of it, frpm a voyage made higher by the Spaniards in one 
 thoufand fix hundred and twenty-five. The naked Barbari- 
 ans of this, as well as the other iflands, ufed to be very im- 
 patient for the arrival of the SpaniCi fleets once a year, rec- 
 koned up the months by the moons, and when they thought 
 the time drawing near, prepared fugar-cancs, plantanes, 
 tortoifcs, and other provifions, to barter with them for iron, 
 knivts, and haberdafliery wares. The Indians had round 
 canoes like troughs, painted with the Englifli, Dutch, and 
 French arms ; this being then a common port to all nations 
 that failed to America. The natiyes hair hung down to the
 
 TRIUMPHANT. 117 
 
 middle of their backs, and their faces were flaflied and pin- 
 ked. They had thin plates dangling at their nofes, like hog- 
 rings, and fawned upon the Spaniards like children. 
 
 This ifland is, according to Moll, fifteen miles N. W. of 
 Marigalante: and 'tis reckoned thirty leagues N. W. from 
 Martinico. Tis the largeft, and one of the fineft iflands be- 
 longing to the French in thofe parts; being, according to 
 father Tertre, near a hundred leagues in compafs. He has 
 exhibited a map of it, which reprefents it as divided into two 
 parts by a channel about a league and an half over, called the 
 Salt river, navigable only by canoes, that runs north and 
 fouth, and communicates with the fea, on both fides, by a great 
 bay on each end, of which, that on the north is called Grand 
 Cul de Sac, and that on the fouth, Petit Cul de Sac. The 
 eaftcrn part of the ifland is called Grand-Terre, and is about 
 nineteen French leagues from Antego point on the N. W. to 
 the point of Guadaloupe on the S. E. and about nine leagues 
 and an half in the middle, where broadeft. M, Robbe, the 
 French geographer, makes this part about fifty leagues in 
 compafs. The W. part, which is properly Guadaloupe, ac- 
 cording to Laet, is fubdivided by a ridge of mountains into 
 Capes-Terre, on the W. and Bafle-Terre, on the E. This 
 is thirteen leagues and a half from north to fouth, and fe- 
 ven and an half, where broadeft ; and, according to M. 
 Robbe, forty five leagues in compafs. Both parts would be 
 joined by an ifthmus a league and an half in breadth, were 
 it not cut through by the faid canal. Labat fays the French 
 were obliged to abandon the part called Grand-Terre in 
 one thoufand fix hundred and ninety-fix by reafon of the 
 frequent incurfions and depredations committed there by the 
 Englifli from Antigua and Monferrat. Bcfides, this part is 
 deftitme of frefh water, which is fo plentiful in the other 
 (properly called Guadaloupe, bccaufe it was firft inhabited 
 and difcovered) that it has enough to fupply the neighbour- 
 ing iflands. He makes the latter thirty five leagues in compafs,
 
 218 BRITANNIA 
 
 and the two iflands together about ninety. The Salt River, 
 he fays, is about fifty toifes, or three hundred foot over, at 
 its mouth, towards the Great Cul de Sac, from whence it 
 grows more narrow ; fo that, in fome places, 'tis not above 
 ninety foot over. Its depth is alfo as unequal as its breadth ; 
 for, in fome places, it will carry a fhip of five hundred tun, 
 and, in others, it will hardly bear a veffel of fifty tun. 'Tis 
 a fmooth clear ftream, above two leagues from the one Cul 
 de Sac to the other, and finely fliaded, for moft part, with 
 mangroves. 
 
 On the twenty-third of January the fleet came before 
 the town of Bafie-Terre, the capital of the ifland ; a place 
 of confiderable extent, large trade, and defended by a ftrong 
 fortrefs. This fortrefs, in the opinion of the chief engineer, 
 was not to be reduced by the {hipping. But commodore 
 Moor, notwithftanding this opinion, brought four men of 
 war to bear upon the citadel j the reft were difpofed againft 
 the town, and the batteries which obilructed the landing. 
 About nine in the morning a fire from all fides began, which 
 continued with the utmoft fury until night, when the citadel, 
 and all the batteries, were effectually filenced. -During this 
 cannonade the bombs, that were continually fliowered upon 
 the town, fet it on fire in feveral places. It burnt without 
 interruption the whole of this and the following day ; when 
 it was almoft totally reduced to allies. The lofs was prodi- 
 gious from the number of warehoufes in the town, full of 
 rich, but combuftible materials. Nothing could be more 
 ftriking, than the horror of the fpectacle, from the mutual 
 and unremitted fire of fo many great fliips and batteries, 
 heightened with a long line of flames, which extended a- 
 long the Ihore, and formed the back-ground of this terrible 
 picture. 
 
 January the twenty-fourth, in this lively engagement, our 
 lofs was very confiderable. The next day the forces land- 
 ed without oppofition, and took pofieffion of the town and
 
 TRIUMPHANT. 219 
 
 Notwithftanding this fuccefs, the ifland was far 
 from being reduced. The country is rugged and mountain- 
 ous, and abounded with paries and defiles, of a difficult and 
 dangerous nature. The inhabitants had retired with their - 
 armed negroes into the mountains j and all feemed prepared 
 to defend their pofleilions bravely, and to the laft extremi- 
 ties. 
 
 General Hopfon died on the twenty-feventh of February, 
 and general Barrington fucceeded him. He embarked part 
 of his forces for the Grand-Terre, where colonel Crump 
 attacked and reduced the towns of St. Anne, and St Fran- 
 ?ois; whilft this attack diverted the enemy's attention, the " 
 general fell upon the ftrong poft of Gofier, and poiTeffcd him- 
 felf of it ; and thus the Grand-Terre was in a manner re- 
 duced, and difabled from fending any relief to the other/ 
 part. 
 
 There is a confiderable mountain, not far from the town 
 of Baffe Terre, called Dos d'Afne, or the Afs's back : thi- 
 ther a great part of the enemy had retired. It is a poft "of 
 great ftrength, and great importance, as it keeps a watch 
 upon the town, and at the fame time forms the only commu- 
 nication there is between that town, and the Capes Terre, 
 the plaineft, pleafanteft, and rrtoft fruitful part of the whole 
 ifhnd. 
 
 It was not judged practicable to break into it by this way ; 
 and all the reft of Guadaloupe was in the enemy's pofleffion. 
 Therefore a plan was formed for another operation, by 
 which it was propofed to furprize Petit Bourg, Goyave, and 
 St. Mary's, and by that way to march into Capes Terre, 
 which might be eafily reduced. But this delign Bailing, it 
 was neceffary to attempt thofe places by plain force. Colo- 
 nel Crump landed near Arnonville, and attacked the enemy, 
 ftrongly intrenched at a poft ftrong by nature, called Le 
 Corne. This was forced; another intrenchment at Petit 
 Bourg had the fame fate j a third near St. Mary's yielded
 
 220 BRITANNIA 
 
 in the fame manner. An opening being at laft made into 
 the Capes Terre, the inhabitants faw that the beft part of the 
 country was on the point of being given up to fire and 
 fword ; they came in and capitulated ; their poflcflions, and 
 their civil and religious liberties, were granted to them May 
 the firft. 
 
 Three fmall iflands, near Guadaloupe, Defeada, Santos 
 and Petit Terre, furrendered a few days after, and on the 
 fame terms. 
 
 This capitulation was hardly figned when the French 
 fquadron under M. Bompart appeared btfore the ifland, 
 and landed at St. Anne's, in the Grand-Terre, the general 
 of the French Caribbees, with fix hundred regular troops, 
 two thoufand buccaneers, and a large quantity of arms and 
 ammunition. The capitulation was made at the moft critical 
 time ; for had this re-inforcement arrived but a day fooner, 
 the whole expedition had probably been loft. 
 
 Thus came into the pofTeflion of Great Britain this valua- 
 ble ifland, after a campaign of near three months, in which 
 the Englifli troops behaved with a firmnefs, courage, and 
 perfeverance, that ought never to be forgot. Intolerable 
 heat, continual fatigue, the air of an unaccuftomed climate, 
 a country full of lofty mountains and fteep precipices, pofts 
 ilrong by nature and by art, defended by men who fought 
 for every thing that was dear to them ; all thefe difficulties 
 only increafed the ardour of our forces, who thought no- 
 thing impoffible under commanders, who were not more dif- 
 tinguiihed for their intrepidity and fkill, than their zeal for 
 the fervice of their country, and perfect harmony and good 
 underftanding that fubfifted between them. There is no- 
 thing, perhaps, fo neceffary to infpire confidence in the fol- 
 diers, as to obferve that the officers have a perfect confidence 
 in one another. 
 
 It muft not be omitted, that many of the inhabitants ex- 
 erted themfelves very gallantly in the defence of their coun-
 
 TRIUMPHANT. 221 
 
 try. A woman, a confiderable planter in the ifland, particu- 
 larly diftinguifiied herfelf ; ibe was called Madame Duchar- 
 mey. this amazon put herfelf at the head of her fervants and 
 flaves, and acquitted herfelf in a manner not inferior to the 
 braved men. 
 
 Soon after the reduction of Guadaloupe, the ifland of Ma- 
 rigalante furrendered itfelf upon terms fimilar to thofe which 
 were granted to the former ifland. This is a fmall ifland, 
 but the conqueft is of confequence, as the French by this 
 are lefc no footing in the Leeward iflands. 
 
 An account of the taking of Martinico. 
 
 THIS ifland, which the ancient Indians called Madanina, is 
 not only the chief of the French, but the biggeftof the 
 Carribee Iflands. It lies betwixt fourteen and fifteen degrees 
 of north latitude, and between fixty degrees, thirty-three mi- 
 nutes, and fixty-one degrees, ten minutes weft longitude, a- 
 bout twenty leagues north-w*ft of Barbadoes. 'Tis near twen- 
 ty leagues in length from north-weft to fouth-eaft, but of an 
 unequal breadth ; and forty- five, fomc fay fifty leagues, or 
 one hundred and thirty miles in compafs. 
 
 Its air is hotter than at Guadaloupe, but the hurricanes here 
 have not been fo frequent and violent as in that or fomeof the 
 other Carribee Iflands. 'Tis hilly within the land, appears, 
 at a diftance, like three diftincl mountains ; and there are three 
 rocks fo fituate, on the north fide of it, that they make it look 
 at a diftance as if it confided of three feparate iflands. It has 
 not lefs than forty rivers, fome of which arc navigable a great 
 way up the country. Befides the ftreams which, in the rainy 
 feafon, water the dales and favanas, there are ten rivers that 
 are never dry, which run from the mountains into the fea, and 
 fometimes overflow their banks, to carry away trees and houfes.
 
 *** BRITANNIA 
 
 The coaft abounds with tortoifes, and hasfcveral commodioar; 
 bays and harbours. Some of the hills are cultivated, and o- 
 thers overgrown with trees that afford fhelter to wild beafts, 
 and abundance of ferpents and fnakes. Tobacco grows on its 
 ileep afcents, which is better than that in the valleys ; and as 
 for the other produce of the ifland, 'tis the fame with that of 
 Barbadoes, viz. fugar, cotton, ginger, indigo, aloes, piemento, 
 caffia, mandioca, potatoes, Indian figs, bananas, ananas, melons, 
 &c. the firft of which it produces in greater quantities than 
 Barbadoes ; it being computed, that here are made, one year 
 with another, ten thoufand hogfheads, each of about fix hun- 
 dred weight. The chief provifions here, befides the tortoife 
 and hogs, are, Guinea-pigs, turkeys, wood pigeons, ortolans, 
 frogs, and lizards. 
 
 The Englifh fleet, after having rendezvouzed at Barbadoes, 
 came before this ifland on the feventh of January, 1762. The 
 troops landed at a creek called Cas Navire, without the lofs 
 of a man ; the fleet having been difpofed fo properly, arid hav- 
 ing directed their fire with fuch effect, that the enemy was 
 obliged in a fhoft time to abandon the batteries they had e- 
 refted to defend this inlet. 
 
 When the landing was effected, the difficulties were far from 
 being at an end. It is true, that neither the number nor the 
 quality of the enemy's regular troops in the ifland was very 
 formidable. But the militia was numerous, well armed, and 
 not unqualified for fervice in the only kind of War, which could 
 be carried on in their country. Beiides, the whole country 
 was a natural fortification, from the number of ravines with 
 rivulets between them, which lay from diflance to diftance. 
 "Wherever thefe grounds were practicable, the French had 
 potted guards and erected batteries. It is eafy from hence to 
 difcern what obftriiclions the progrefs of an army was liable 
 to, particularly with regard to its artillery. Thefe dbftru&i- 
 ons were no where greater than in the neighbourhood of the 
 place, againft which the firft regular attack was propofed.
 
 TRIUMPHANT. 113 
 
 This town and citadel is overlooked and commanded by two 
 very coniiderable eminences, called Morns Tortcnfon and Morne 
 Gamier. Whilft the enemy kept poffcflion of thcfe eminen- 
 ces, it was impofiible to attack the town ; if they loft them, 
 it would prove impoflible to defend it. Suitable to the impor- 
 tance of thofc fituations were the meafures taken to render 
 them impregnable. They were protected, like the other high 
 grounds in this ifhnd, with very deep ravines ; and this great 
 natural ftrength was improved by every contrivance of art. 
 The Morne Tor ten/on was firft to be attacked. To favour 
 this operation, a body of regular troops and marines were or- 
 dered to advance on the right along the fea-fide, towards the 
 town, in order to take the redoubts which lay in the lower 
 grounds. A thoufand failors, in flat-bottomed boats, rowed 
 clofe to the ihore to affift them. On the left, towards the coun- 
 try, a corps of light infantry, properly fupported, was to get 
 round the enemy's left ; whilft the attack in the center was 
 made by the Britifli grenadiers and the body of the army, un- 
 der the fire of batteries which had been erected on the op* 
 pofite fide with great labour and perfeverance ; the cannon 
 having been dragged upwards of three miles by the feamen. 
 
 The difpofitions for the attack of this difficult poft having 
 been made with fo much judgment on the part of the comman- 
 der, it was executed with equal fpirit and refolution by the 
 foldiery. The attack fucceeded in every quarter. With ir- 
 refiftible impetuofity the enemy's works were fucceflively car- 
 ried. They were driven from poft to poft ; until our troops, 
 after a fllarp ftruggle, remained matters of the whole Morne : 
 fome of the enemy fled precipitately into the town, to the ve- 
 ry entrance of which they were purfued. Others laved them- , 
 felves on the Morne Gamier, which being as ftrong, and much 
 higher, than Morne 1'ortenfon^ overlooked and commanded it. 
 Thus far had they proceeded with fuccefs ; but nothing deci- 
 five could be done, without the poffeflion of the other emi-
 
 S24 BRITANNIA 
 
 nencc, our troops being much molcfted by the enemy from 
 that fuperior fituation. 
 
 It was three days before proper difpofitions could be made 
 for drivihg them from this ground. Whilft thefe difpofitions 
 were making, the enemy's whole force defcended from the 
 hill, Tallied out of the town, and attacked the Englifh in their 
 advanced pofls \ but they were immediately repulfed : and the 
 ardour of the Britifh troops hurrying them forward, they im- 
 proved a defenfive advantage into an attack, pafied the ravines, 
 mingled with the enemy, fcaled the hill, feized the batteries, 
 and pofted themfelves on the fummit of Morne Garnier. The 
 French regular troops efcaped into the town. The militia 
 difperfed themfelves in the country. 
 
 All the fituations which commanded the town and citadel 
 were now fecured ; and the enemy waited no longer then un- 
 til the batteries againft them were compleated to capitulate, 
 and to furrender this important place, the fecond in the ifland. 
 The capital of the ifland, St. Pierre, flill remained to be 
 reduced : this is alfo a place of no contemptible flrength ; and 
 it was apprehended that the refiftance here might be confide- 
 rable, if the ftrengthof thegarrifon in any degree correfpond- 
 ed with that of the fortifications, and with the natural advan- 
 tages of the country. Our troops therefore were ftill under 
 fome anxiety for the final fuccefs of their work, and feared, 
 if not difappointment, at leaft delay. But the reduction of 
 Fort Royal had fo greatly abated the enemy's confidence, that 
 the militia defpaired of making any effectual defence. The 
 planters alfo, felicitous for their fortunes, were apprehenfive 
 of having their eftates ruined by a war too long continued, or 
 perhaps of lofing all by pafling the opportunity of a favoura- 
 ble capitulation. Influenced by thefe motives, and difhearten- 
 ed by the train of misfortunes which had attended the French 
 arms here and in all other parts of the world, they rcfolved 
 to hold out no longer ; and general Monkton, juft as he was 
 ready to embark for the reduction of St. Pierre, was fortu-
 
 t R I li M P H AN T. 225 
 
 prevented by the arrival of deputies, who tame to ca- 
 pitulate for the furrender of that place, and of the whole ifland. 
 The furrender of Martinico, which was the feat of the fu- 
 perior government, the principal mart of trade, and the cen- 
 ter of all the French force in the Carribecs, naturally drew 
 on the furrender of all the dependent iflands. Grenada, a fer* 
 tile ifland, and poflefled of fome good harbours, was given up 
 without oppofition. St. Lucia, and St. Vincent, the right to 
 Which had fo long been objects of contention between the two 
 nations, followed its example. The Englifh were now the 
 fole and undifturbed pofleflbrs of all the Carribees, and held 
 that chain of innumerable iflands which forms an immenfe 
 bow, extending from the eaftern point of Hifpaniola almoft 
 to the continent of South America. And though fome of 
 thefe iflands are barren, none of them very large, and not 
 many of them well inhabited, they boaft more trade than falls 
 to the lot of many refpectable kingdoms. 
 
 Expedition againft Goree. 
 
 GOREE is an ifland which lies at a fmall diftance from 
 the fliore, and is a good road for fhipping. It is all fur* 
 founded with rocks, and inacceflible every where, except at a 
 little creek, fituated E. N. E. about one hundred and twenty 
 fathoms broad, and fixty fathoms long, inclofed between two 
 points of land, one of which is pretty high, and called the 
 Point of the Burying Ground; the other is much lower, and 
 before it lies a fand bank, over which the fea beats with fo 
 much violence, that it may be perceived from a great diftance. 
 There is very good anchoring all around this ifland, and par- 
 ticularly in the above-mentioned creek ; between it and the 
 main land, the fiiips may ride fecure from the greateft furges. 
 It is a natural and moil fafe harbour* This ifland was yield- 
 
 P
 
 22* SRI T A NNIA 
 
 ed to the Dutch in the year 161 7, by the king of Cape Vefd, 
 and they built a fort upon the north-weft fide of it, on a pret- 
 ty high mountain, very ftcepon all fides. But that fort not be- 
 ing fufikJent to prevent any enemy's landing in the creek, they 
 built another to fecure their vvarehoufes. It was taken by 
 the Englifh in 1663, and retaken by the Dutch fome time af- 
 ter ; but they did not keep it long,- for the French made them- 
 ielves matters of rt in 1663, and demolifhed the forts, which 
 they have lince rebuilt. It is but fmall and barren, without 
 any wood or water, but what the inhabitants preferve in cif- 
 tems. But its fituation, harbour, and good anchoring at* round, 
 render it very confiderable for thofe nations who have any 
 lettlements on that part of the African coaft, that lies near it. 
 The fquadron appointed for this expedition was comman- 
 ded by Commodoie Keppel, and confined of feven mips of the 
 line, and fix hundred foldiers. On the twenty-fourth of De- 
 cember, the commodore, with all the mips, came to anchor in 
 the road of Goree, about three o'clock, the iftand bearing S. 
 W. by 8. about four miles, and in eighteen fathom water. That 
 day a bomb was ordered to proceed, covered from the fire by 
 the Prince Edvvard, and to anchor on breaft a fmall lunette 
 battery, a little below the citadel on the north, the Naflau on, 
 brcaft of St. Peter's battery, the Dunkirk on breaft of a bat- 
 tery to the northward, the commodore in the Torbay follow- 
 ed him, taking for his part the weft point battery, and the 
 weft corner of St. Francis' fort j captain Knight in the Fougeux 
 had to bring up the rear, and had to liis fhare the mortar bat- 
 tery allotted him. After Mr. Keppel had given them ail pro- 
 per inftructions, he wifhed them good fuccefs, dtfiring them 
 to be as expeditious as poilible y and perform their duty as be- 
 came Britons. The Prince Edward and Fire Drake bomb 
 bore down about nine, but were roughly handled by the fort, 
 lieutenant Weft being much wounded. The admiral obfer- 
 ving their mortars were too much charged, and went over the 
 fort, g we orders for to remedy that fault, defiling them to
 
 R l iv p A N T. 22? , 
 
 ,*-> - 
 
 afllft the Prince Edward and Fire Drake, whom the enemy 
 feemed refolved to fink. The commodore alfo ordered the 
 NaiT.m to riffift the Prince Edward, btit a calm enfuing, retar- 
 ded the Torbay and the Fougeux. The commoddre next: 
 brought up a-breaft the angles of both the weft and point bat- 5 
 teries, and St. Francis* fort in fuch a manner, thit when he 
 vas moored, the enemy could not bring a gun from thence to 
 bear upon him, and there could nothing reach him with ad- 
 vantage, but two guns off St. Peter's, and three from a fmall 
 lunette in the \Vay to St. Michael's, and their firing was al- 
 moit filenced from the other {hips, fo that the Torbay had a 
 battery to attack almoft deferted. She made fuch i continu* 
 ed infernal fire, that it was impofiible for the French foldiers 
 to ftand to their quarters, fo that in a little time the go- 
 vernor furrendered at difcretion. The commodore fenc a 
 party of marines on fhore, who took pofTefllon of the ifland, 
 and hoifted Britifh colours on fort St. Michael. 
 
 During the whole time of the attack lieutenant-colonel 
 Worge, who had the command of the foldiefy, had his troops 
 embarked in flit bottomed boats, difpofed and ready at a 
 proper diftance with the transports, to attempt a defcent when 
 it mould have appeared proper. They took three hundred 
 prifoners, befides a great number of blacks, with all their 1 
 cannon, military ftores, &c* 
 
 Expedition againft Senegal* 
 
 THE iflind of Senegal is fituated about three leagues with- 
 in the mouth of the river of that name. Although it is 
 fomething lefs than three EngHfli miles in length, but little 
 more than four hundred yards broad, and the whole of it hard- 
 ly any thing elfe but a kind of white fand bank, yet the dt* 
 rector general for the French Eaft-India company refided there, 
 
 P 2
 
 22 8 BRITANNIA 
 
 though the principal ware-houfe of that company was a pret- 
 ty deal higher up the river at Podar. 
 
 The moft important production of Senegal is the gum fo cal- 
 led, of which great confumption is made in the procefs of fe- 
 veral manufactures here in England, particularly that in prin- 
 ted linens, which has fo increafed of late years, as to raife that 
 drug to a very high price. It much refembles gum arabic in 
 many refpects, but generally comes in much larger drops, u- 
 iiially of an oval form, fome of the bignefs of a fmall egg, and 
 others yet larger: Their furface is rough and wrinkled: It 
 is a very hard, but not a tough gum, confiderably heavy, and 
 of a very fine and even inward texture. When broken it is 
 found to be a p;ile brown colour. It has no fmell and but 
 little tafte. If held in the mouth it will melt, though flow- 
 ly, and is entirely diilolvable in water, but not at all in oils 
 or fpirits. The French had it from the country people, who 
 collect it on both iidts of the river, partly for merchandize, 
 and partly for their own ufe. They difTolve it in milk, and 
 in that ftate make it a principal ingredient in many of their 
 dimes, and often feed on it thus alone. It is yet uncertain 
 from what tree this gum is produced. 
 
 The natives of Senegal are of a deep copper complexion, 
 of an extreme lazy difpofition, and, on that account mifera- 
 bly poor, yet endowed with a wonderful docility when ftran- 
 gers take pains to initruct them. 
 
 The hotteft fummers in Europe would be winters in Se- 
 negal; all is a burning (and, abounding in many places with 
 tygers, crocodiles, and huge venemous tcrpents, fome of them 
 ffom forty to fifty feet long. 
 
 The nights are amazingly ferene, and the liars mine with a vi- 
 vacity to which the Europeans are altogether itrangers* The 
 inhabitants, as furprifing as it may feem, are well acquainted 
 with thole cluflers of {tars which form the principal conitcl- 
 lations, called the Lion, the Scorpion, the Eagle, Pegafus, O- 
 rion, &c. to which they have given names that have no man-
 
 TRIUMPHANT. 21; 
 
 ner of rclition to thofe of the antient Greeks and Arabians, 
 {till retained by our modern aftronomers. 
 
 The fquadron for this expedition confifted only of fix mips, 
 commanded by captain Marfh, having on board a detachment 
 of matrofles. This little fquadron failed from England with- 
 out noife or fufpicion on the ninth of March, and arrived without 
 any accident in the river Senegal on the twenty-fourth of A- 
 pril. On the twenty-ninth they got over the bar, but the fhal- 
 lownefs of the water made them lofe two of their fmall vefiUs. 
 The enemy, with feven vtflels, three of which were armed 
 with twenty guns, made a ihew of attacking our fmall craft, 
 but were foon repulfed, and obliged to retire. We landed 
 this day feven hundred marines and feamen, and got the ar- 
 tillery on more. The men lay on their arms all night, and 
 were preparing next morning to attack Fort Lewis, the ftrong- 
 eft fort on the river ; but a flag of truce was thrown out, 
 and they fent deputies to our camp, from the fupcrior coun- 
 cil of Senegal, with the articles upon which they would ca- 
 pitulate. They were accepted by captain Marfli. Upon which 
 the French foldiers inarched out on the firft of May, and our 
 forces took pofleflion of the fort, and all the veflels in the 
 river, with the keys of the flores, papers, &c. and all the fet- 
 tlements up the river fubmitted to him, viz. Galem, Goru, 
 Joal, Gambia, and Biffeux. 
 
 The Senegal factory fupplied the company in Old France 
 with five hundred flaves, four thoufand hides, one thoufand 
 two hundred quintals of gum, twenty quintals of elephant's 
 teeth. The other factories fupplied them with two thoufand 
 four hundred flaves, eight hundred and fifty quintals of e- 
 lephant's teeth, four hundred and fifty quintals of wax, and 
 fifty marks of gold, befides oxen, Ihecp, ambergreafe, oftrich 
 feathers, &c. 
 
 3 

 
 30 B R I 7 4 N N I A 
 
 fl^^ 
 
 An account of the expedition to Loulfbourg and Cape Breton. 
 
 TH E ifle of Cape Breton (by tie French called Ifle Roy- 
 alt) is fituated beween the forty fifth and forty feventh 
 degrees of N. lat. and with Newfoundland (from which it is 
 but fifteen or fixteen leagues ditlant) forms the S. entry of 
 the bay or gulph of St. Laurence. The ftrait which fepa- 
 rates it from Acadia (or New Scotland) is in length about 
 five French leagues, and one in breadth, and is called the? 
 palTage of Canfo. The length of this ifland from N. E. to S. 
 W. is fcarcely fifty leagues, and itsgreateft breadth from E. to 
 W. does npt exceed thirty-three. Its fhape is very irregular, 
 being fo deeply indented with rivers and lakes, that the north, 
 and fouth parts are only joined by an iflhmus of about eigh- 
 teen hundred feet broad, which feparates the bottom of the 
 t>ay of Touloufe from feyeral lakes called Labrador. Theie 
 lakes difcharge themfelves into the eaftern fea, by two chan- 
 nels of unequal breadth, formed by the ifle of Verderonne, 
 or cle la Bouiarderje, whjch is feven or eight leagues long. 
 
 The climate of this ifland is not veiy different from that of 
 Quebec, and, though the fogs are more frequent here, the 
 air is not reckoned unhealthy. The foil is not alike good, 
 though it produces trees of all kinds. Here are oaks of a pro- 
 digious fize, pine-trees fit for mafts, and, in general, all forts 
 of timber. The moft common kinds, next the oak, are the 
 cedar, the afli, the maple, the pjane, and the afp. Fruit 
 trees, efpecially the apple ; pulfe and roots, wheat, and the 
 other grains nectflary to life, are lefs abundant here, as well 
 ns hemp and flax, though as to quality, they thrive as well as 
 ;n Canada. It has been obfcrved that the mountains here
 
 T R I U M P H A N T. 231 
 
 may be cultivated even to the top; that the bcft lands are 
 fuch as incline to the fouth, being defended from the N. and 
 N. VV. winds by the mountains which lie on the fide of the 
 river St Laurence. 
 
 Domeftic animal?, fuch as horfes, black cattle, meep, fwine, 
 and poultry thrive well. Hunting and fiihing yield the inha- 
 bitants a plentiful fubfiflence, for a great part of the year. 
 Here are feveral good mines of excellent coal, which, as they 
 lie on the mountainous parts of the ifle, have no need of dig- 
 ging for them, or of making drains to carry off the water ; 
 there is alfo lime-ftone. No place in the world is efteemed 
 to yield fuch plenty of cod, or to have greater conveniences 
 for drying it. Formerly the ifle was well ftocked with game, 
 which is now fcarce, efpecially the elk: their partridges are 
 of the fize of a pheafant, and refemble them in their plu- 
 mage. The fifliery for feals, porpoifes, and fea cows is eafy, 
 and very profitable from its plenty. 
 
 All the ports of this ifle lie from the E. inclining to the S. 
 for fifty-five leagues, beginning from Port Dauphin to Port 
 Touloufe, which laft lies near the mouth of the paiTige, or 
 ftreight of Canfo. All the reft of the coaft fcarce affords 
 anchorage, but for fmall barks in the little bays, or between 
 the iiles. The northern coaft is very deep and inacceflible, 
 as is alfo the weftern fide, till you meet the ftraits of Canfo, 
 which, when you have pafied, you meet Port Touloufe, for- 
 merly called Port St. Peter. This harbour lies between a 
 kind of gulph, called Little St. Peter, and the ifles of St. 
 Peter, oppofite to the Ifles de Madame, or de Maurepas. 
 From thence proceeding N. E. you meet the bay de Ga- 
 baron, whofe entrance, which is twenty leagues from the 
 ifles of St. Peter, is a league full of iflands, and rocks. Ships 
 may fail clofe to all thefe iflands, fome of which lie ofF a 
 league and an half from the continent. This bay is two 
 leagues deep, and has good anchorage throughout. 
 
 The port of Louiibourg, or Englifh harbour, is but a
 
 \ 
 
 232 BRITANNIA 
 
 league diftant, and one of the beft in all America. It is abo;it 
 four leagues in circumference, and has, in every part of it, 
 fix or feven fathom water. The anchorage is good, the {hips 
 may run afhore on the fands without danger. The entrance 
 is not above two hundred toifes broad between two fmall ifles, 
 and is known twelve leagues off at fea by the cape of Lorem- 
 bec, which lies a little to the N. E. Two leagues further is 
 the Port de Baleine, or Port Nove, of difficult accefs, on ac- 
 count of Ibme rocks, which are covered when the fea runs 
 high. It will not admit of fhips above three hundred tuns, 
 but thofe under that burden may lie fafe here. From hence 
 it is but two leagues to the bay of Panadoi}, or Menadou, the 
 mouth of which is about a league broad, and the length of 
 it two. Almoil oppofite lies the iile of Scatari, formerly Little 
 Cape Breton, which is near two leagues long, and is only fe- 
 parated from the bay of Mira by a very narrow peninfula. 
 The entry of this bay is about two leagues broad, and it is 
 eight deep. It grows narrower as you fail up, and feveral ri- 
 vulets, or rather fmall rivers, difcharge themfelves into it. 
 It is navigable fix leagues for large veffels, which may find 
 good anchorage, and lie fafe from all winds. Befides the ifle 
 of Scatari, there are feveral fmaller ifles and rocks, always 
 dry, and which may be feen at a good diftance : the largcft 
 of thefe rocks is called Ferillon. The bay of Morienne, 
 which lies a little higher, is feparated from the bay of 
 Mira by Cape Brule, and a little higher, is the ifle Platte, or 
 the ille'de Pierre a Fufil (Flint Ifland.) Between thefe iflands 
 and rocks there is good flicker, and fufficient depth of wa- 
 ter. 
 
 Three leagues farther to the N. E. lies Indiana, a good 
 harbour, but only capable of fmall veflcls. From hence it is 
 two leagues to Spanifli Bay, which is a fine port ; its entry is 
 not above one hundred feet over, but it widens as you go in, 
 and at a league's end divides itfelf into two branches, each 
 of which is navigable for three leagues. Both thofc ports are
 
 TRIUMPHANT. 233 
 
 good, and might be improved at a fmall expence. From Spa* 
 nifti Bay to the leffer entry of Labrador is two leagues, and 
 the ifLind which forms the greater and lefier entry is as long. 
 The Labrador is a gulph about twenty leagues in length, and 
 three or four over in the broadeft part : from the grand entry 
 of the Labrador to Port Dauphin, or St. Ann, is a league 
 and an half: there is fafe anchorage among the ifles of Si- 
 bon. A narrow Hip of land clofes this port, fo as only to 
 admit of one veflel at a time. The harbour is two leagues 
 in circumference, and fo land-locked by the high- lands and 
 mountains which furround it, that you fcarce feel the wind j 
 bcfides, (hips may lie clofe to the more. As all thefe ports 
 and bays lie fo clofe to each other, it would be eafy to 
 make roads of communication by land, from one to the o- 
 ther, which would be, in winter, of great benefit to the in- 
 habitants, as it would fave them the trouble of going round 
 by fea. 
 
 This ifle is able of its own growth to fupply France with 
 fifn, train-oil, pit-coal, lime, and timber for building, and fur- 
 nim New France with the commodities of Old France at a cheap 
 rate: and the navigation from (Quebec to Cape Breton will 
 make very good failors of fuch as are now ufelcfs, and even 
 a burthen to the country. 
 
 That another confiderablc benefit to Canada, from a good 
 fcttlement in this ifland, would be, that boats and fmall craft 
 might be fent from thence to fifh for cod-fifli, and others af- 
 fording oil at the mouth of the river St. Laurence. Thefe 
 veflels might be furc of difpofing of their cargoes in Cape 
 Breton, and there (lock themfelves with French goods. Or 
 veflels might be fent to France from Quebec loaded with Che 
 commodities of the country ; there they might load with fait 
 for fifhing in the gulph, and afterwards return to Cape Bre- 
 ton with cargoes of fifti, and there difpofe of it, and with the 
 produce of thefe two voyages purchafe the merchandifes of 
 France to traffic with in Canada. It is proper here to ob-
 
 234 BRITANNIA 
 
 ferve, continues the memorial, that what hindered the Cana- 
 dians from fifhing in the gulph, at the mouth of the river St. 
 Laurence, was their being obliged to carry their iifh to Que- 
 bec, where they would not yield enough to pay the freight 
 and feamen's wages, on account of the length of the voy- 
 age; and if they were fo lucky as to make any profit, which 
 was very feldom, it was not confiderable enough to engage 
 the colony to continue the trade. 
 
 But the two colonies (at Cape Breton and Quebec) affift- 
 ing each other, and their merchants growing rich by traffic, 
 they might enter into afibciations and companies for under- 
 takings beneficial to thcmfelves, and confequently to the 
 French nation, were it only to open the iron mines, which 
 are in fuch plenty in the countries about the three rivers ; 
 for then the mines in France, and its woods might have reft, 
 or at leafl we fhould not be obliged to Sweden and Bifcay for 
 jron. 
 
 Befides, {hips which go from France to Canada always 
 run great hazards at their return, unlefs they make this voy- 
 age in the fpring. But the fmall veflels of Quebec run no 
 riik in going tp Cape Breton, becaufe they chufe their own 
 timg, and have experienced pilots. They have two voyages 
 in a year, and fo fave the mips of Fr.ance the labour of going 
 up the river St. Laurence, and fhorten their voyage by 
 one half. 
 
 It is not only by promoting the confumption of commodities 
 in France, that fuch a fettlement would be beneficial to the 
 kingdom, but as it lies convenient for difpofing of its wines, 
 brandy, linens, ribbands, taffetas, &c. to the Englifli color 
 nies; which commerce will be a very material article, be- 
 caufc the Englifli would furniCh themfelves at Cape Breton, 
 and at Canada, with all thefe merchandifes, not only for 
 the continent, where their colonies are very populous, 
 ]?ut; alfo for their iflands, and thofe of the Dqtch, even tho*
 
 TRIUMPHANT. 735 
 
 che importation of French commodities were not openly per- 
 mitted. 
 
 In fliort, nothing is more likely than fuch a fettlement to 
 engage the merchants of France in the cod fifhery, becaufe 
 Ihe ifle of Cape Breton, furniming Canada with merchan- 
 ,dife, the veffels en) ployed in this fiftjcry w ill take in their 
 lading half in fait, and half in wares, by which means they 
 will make double profit; whereas at prefent they are only 
 laden with f.tlt. To this we may add that the increafe of 
 pur fimery will enable France to furnim Spain and the Le- 
 vant with fifli, and fo bring a great deal of money into the 
 kingdom. 
 
 The whale-fifhery, which is alfo very plentiful in the 
 gulph, towards the coafts of Labrador, and in the river 
 St. Laurence as far as Tadouffac, might alfo be reckoned 
 one of the mqft folid advantages of fijch an eftablifhment. 
 The mips which go on this expedition might load in France 
 with merchan.dife, which they might fell at Cape Breton, or 
 leave in the hands of their American factors. They might 
 provide themfelyes with calks on the fpot, and then fet out 
 for the fifliery, which is the more commodious in thofe parts, 
 in that it is made in the fummer, and not in the winter, as 
 in the northern parts of Europe, where the fifliing boats 
 are furrounded with ice, fo that the whales are often loft 
 after they are ftruck with the harpoon. The mips thus em- 
 ployed would gain not only by the merchandife, which they 
 carried to Cape Breton, but alfo by the filh, and thus double 
 profit would be made in lefs time, and with lefs hazard, than 
 what is made in the North with only whale-oil, and the mp- 
 ney expended in Holland for that commodity would be faye4 
 to the nation. 
 
 It has been already obferved that the ifle of Cape Bretpn 
 has plenty of trees for mails, and timber for building of it? 
 own growth, and betides lies convenient for importing them 
 from Canada j this mufl augment the mutual commerce of
 
 236 BRITANNIA 
 
 thefe two colonies, and furnim an eafy way for building of 
 {hips here. All things necefiary may eafily be imported from 
 Canada ; and would coft much lefs than in France, and might 
 enable us to fell fhips to foreigners, of whom we now pur- 
 chafe them. 
 
 Laftly, there is no fafer or more convenient retreat for {hips 
 bound from all parts of America, whether chafed by enemies, 
 furprized by bad weather, or in want of water, wood, or 
 provifions. And in time of war, this port might fend out 
 cruifers to ruin the trade of New England, and leize the whole 
 cod-fimery 
 
 On the ceflion made of Placentia and Acadia to the crown 
 of England by the peace of Utrecht in one thoufand feven 
 hundred and twelve, the French having no place where they 
 could either fafely cure their cod, or purfue the fifhery, but 
 Cape Breton ifle, they found themfelves under a necefli- 
 ty of making ajfettlement, and fortifying themfelves in this 
 place. 
 
 The firft thing they did was to change the name, calling 
 it Ifle Royal. The next flep was to chufe the place for fet^ 
 tling the colony, and it was long in fufpenfe whether they 
 fhould fix on Englifh Harbour (now Louifbourg) or port St. 
 Ann (now Port Dauphin.) 
 
 The former (Louifbourg, or Englifh Harbour) has been 
 already defcribed,as one of the fineft ports in America. The 
 cod-fifhery is excellent, and continues from April to the end 
 of December; but the foil is barren all round, and it would 
 coft immenfe fums to fortify it, as there were no materials to 
 be had for that purpofe in the neighbourhood. Befides, 
 there was not anchorage room enough in the harbour for a- 
 bove forty fifliing veffels at a time. 
 
 On the contrary, the port Dauphin or St. Ann, (as be* 
 fore defcribed) had both the advantages of a furer road, a 
 more difficult entry, and a fafer port within: add to this, that 
 all the materials for fortifying the place, and building a town,
 
 t R I U M P H A N T. i 3 7 
 
 were to be had on the fpot. The adjacent country was fer- 
 tile, and full of wood, and the finery equally good as at Lou* 
 ifbourg, only with this difference, that the wefterly winds 
 made it impracticable to fifh in boats here, though it was as 
 eafy to do it in iloops, as at Bofton in New England. 
 
 The fole inconvenience which turned the fcale between 
 thefe two ports was the difficulty of entering the latter. Eng- 
 lifli Harbour was therefore fettled by the name of Louifbourg, 
 and nothing was left undone to make this new eftablifhment 
 at once commodious and impregnable. 
 
 The expedition fleet failed fo early as the nineteenth djy 
 of February, under the command of Admiral Bofcawen ; his 
 fleet confided of twenty-two men of war, and eighteen frigates, 
 with an army of eleven thoufand nine hundred and thirty-fix- 
 men, officers included, with three hundred and twenty-four 
 men of the train, under the command of major general Jeffrey 
 Amherft. They all arrived fafe at Halifax, the capital ofc 
 Nova Scotia, on the ninth of May, and after having refrefli- 
 ed his men, recovered the fick, watered, and provided {lores 
 of all kinds, he repaired to the feat of action at Gabarus bay, 
 feven miles weft of Louifbourg, the place defigned for landing 
 the army. On the fecond of June they came to an anchor 
 here. The brigadier generals Lawrence and Wolfe went the 
 fame evening to reconnoitre the more, and made a difpofition 
 for landing the next morning ; but the military officers obfer- 
 vcd, that every place where it was poflible to land was defend- 
 ed by flrong works and batteries ; and feveral hints were thrown 
 out to the admiral, the danger his majefty's fhips were in, as 
 the pilots had no knowledge of the anchorage, and the utter 
 impoiiibility of landing the men. Thefe fpeeches alarmed the 
 admiral ; however, he, without calling a council of war, de- 
 termined to obey his orders, and to land his men on Cape Bre- 
 ton, and in cafe they were obliged to retreat, 10 cover the re- 
 treat with his Ihips. He give flricl: orders to the lieutenants 
 to be diligent in landing the troops, and afiifting the military
 
 238 BRITANNIA 
 
 in every thing in their power. June the third, the Kenfing- 
 ton was brought to an anchor on breaft of a cave, at the north 
 eaft of Gabarus bay, which feemed a convenient place for 
 landing, but was ftrongly defended by feveral encampments,- 
 and a battery. The Kenfington had orders tofilence this bat- 
 tery, and to clear the coaft of the enemy. The weather grow- 
 ing hazy, they were hindred from landing this evening; 
 and the frefh gales blowing in to the fhore, prevented their 
 landing till the eighth. The Halifax fnow was likewife or- 
 dered to filence another battery. Both the Kenfington and 
 fhe did great execution. Thefe two were ftationed on the 
 left of the bay, the Sutherland and Squirrel on the right, near 
 White Point, and the Grammont and Diana frigates in the cen- 
 ter. Thefe were defigned to terrify the enemy's camps, and 
 cover the boats employed to land the foldiers. On the eighth, 
 the wind being favourable, the troops were re-imbarked in 
 the men of war'sboatsand tranfports j and as foon as the boats 
 were prepared tofet off from the (hips, a furious cannonading 
 was continued from fix in the morning till eight, with only 
 fome necefiary intefmiflions, in favour of the attempt. The 
 difpofition for landing was made in three diviiions ; one divi- 
 fion under the command of general Wolfe, who Was to attempt 
 a landing on Kenfington cave ; a feint was made by the fecond 
 divilion, commanded by general Whitmore, of landing towards 
 White Point; and a third, commanded by brigadier Lawrence, 
 made a fliew of landing at frefh \vater cave. As the enemy 
 had expected a viiit for feveral years, they had for tified them- 
 felves in a moft extraordinary manner. Three thouland re- 
 gulars were potted in a breatt work, and at all probable pla- 
 ces of landing, interfperfed with heavy cannon and fwivels^ 
 and the artful difpofal of trees laid very thick together, with 
 their branches laid towards the fca, and interwoven with one 
 another, rendered the approaching the line very difficult, fub- 
 pofing there had been no fire ; and the foreft trees were fo 
 contrived, that their guns were not to be diftinguifhed at a dif-
 
 t R I U M P fit A N T. ifr 
 
 tance. Our boats rowed up in line of battle, not imagining 
 fo much ftrength and contrivance. The enemy, imagining 
 themfelves fure of fticcefs, unmafked their batteries a little too 
 foon, before our boats came near the water's edge. The e- 
 nemy began to play red hot baits, grape and round fhot with 
 great vigour, with a continual difcharge of fmall arms. This 
 obliged the left wing to withdraw. If the enemy had fuffer- 
 ed our men quietly to land upon the beach, it would have been 
 fatal to them. Our troops were enraged at this unforefeen 
 mafked way of firing. However, Providence pointed out a 
 way over hills and rocks, that had been deemed inacceffible. 
 The lieutenants Hopkins and Brown, with a hundred light 
 infantry, opened an entrance on the right of the cave. Bri- 
 gadier Wolfe feized the opportunity, gave orders for the reft 
 to follow their example, and fupport their fellow fofdiers j fo 
 that the grenadiers, light infantry, rangers, highlanders, all 
 ftrove who fhould be firfl on ihore. The brave Wolfe was 
 the firft who jumped out of the boat into the furf ; his exam- 
 ple was followed by all the troops, though oppofed by a bat- 
 tery of three guns, which fometimes raked and fometimes 
 flanked them ; and a difcharge of fmall arms, at twenty yards 
 diftance. They all at laft gained the ihore, notwithftanding 
 the continued fire of the enemy ; nothing was able to {top the 
 ardour and fury of the men, the brave general Amherft bring- 
 ing up the rear. Several of the boats were ftove and broke 
 to pieces by the boifterous furf that was upon the Ihore at that 
 time. The men were obliged to walk up to their middle in 
 water, their arms being much wet. They fcrambled up rocks 
 and precipices, that had been deemed inacceffible, and there- 
 fore in no need of fortifications. This fo terrified and afta- 
 niihed the enemy, that the firft battery our men attacked, the 
 enemy fled with great precipitation, fothatina little time they 
 furrounded all the enemy's extenfive lines, and were mailers 
 of the whole fliore, in which the enemy had placed their 
 greateft confidence, never dreaming of having any occafion K>
 
 * 4 b JB R I 1 A N N I A 
 
 defend their pofts fword in hand; they all run away in the 
 utmoft confirmation and confufion into the woods, having fome 
 killed, and feventy taken prifoners. Our men purfued the 
 runaways over hills and boggy mofTes with generals Wolfe and 
 Lawrence, till they got under the protection of the guns of 
 Louifbourg ; our purfuing party were faluted with feveral 
 pieces of cannon about ten this morning, which was of fer- 
 vice, as it gave them the exact diftance of marking out a 
 camp, which the general officers marked out that afternoon. 
 One of the other parties fecured the poffeflion of the ihorc 
 for feveral miles as far as Louifbourg, found thirty-two pieces 
 of cannon, two brafs mortars, a furnace for red hot balls, 
 a large quantity of fmall arms, provifions, ammunition, tools 
 and ftores ; the furf continued extream bad till the eleventh, 
 when the remainder of the troops with the artillery and ftores 
 were landed. Admiral Bofcawen ordered two hundred ma- 
 rines to guard the coaft at Kenfington Cave. 
 
 On the twenty-fifth fix hundred failors were detached from 
 the (hips in boats to deftroy the Prudent and Bienfaifant in 
 the harbour ; they burnt the Prudent, and towed off the 
 Bienfaifant to the north eaft harbour. About noon, the ad- 
 miral invented another project to take two fine mips of the e- 
 nemy's, one of feventy-four, and one of fixty-four guns; two 
 boats, a barge and a cutter from every fhip in the fleet were 
 manned with their proper crews, and armed with mulkets 
 and bayonets, cutlafles, piftols and pole-axes, each boat un- 
 der the direction of a lieutenant, mate, or midfhipman, to ren- 
 dezvous at the admiral's (hip, and to be detached by two and 
 three at a time to join Sir Charles Hardy's fquadron at the 
 mouth of the harbour. They were put in the evening into 
 two divifions, under the command of the captains Lafary and 
 Balfour; in this order they put off about twelve o'clock, and 
 by advantage of the foggy darknefs and a moft profound 
 filence, paddled into the harbour unperceived by either the 
 ifland battery or the two mips of war, that rode at anchor at
 
 , '/{<>>'. ''( SHYSW . *Maiwen //,//////>// <>/'// /-////- /// 
 
 '//f<t/. t ^i_S/e<'ta>Mt<me(>/t/it'-<<m/<* fcw^otftf C 7 /////s /'(///

 
 TRIUMPHANT. *- 4 t 
 
 no great diftance. After they were near the grand battery, 
 one divifion of the boats with captain Lafary, and the other 
 with captain Balfour, each feized their particular Ihip, and 
 boarded them immediately with all the good order they 
 could obferve, notwithftanding the firing of the fentinels on 
 board. They met with very little refittance from the terri- 
 fied crews, and found themfelves in poffeflion of two fine mips 
 with very little lofs on their parts. Here they gave three 
 loud cheers: this convinced the befieged, that the Englifh 
 feamen had taken pofleffion of thofe mips. 
 
 Upon which, as the brave fellows were fecuring their pri- 
 foners in the hold, they received a furious fire of cannon, 
 morters and muikets, from the ifland battery, the battery on 
 point Munripus, and from all the guns in the garrifon that 
 could be brought to bear upon them. They endeavoured in 
 vain to bear off the Le Prudent ', they found me was on 
 ground, with feveral feet of water in her hold; fo that no- 
 thing remained but to fet her on fire to hinder her from be- 
 ing of any ufe to the enemy. The boats from her then 
 joined the others, and towed her off triumphantly, in the 
 middle of a formidable fire from the enemy. 
 
 Admiral Bofcawen intended fending fix fhips into the har- 
 bour next day to facilitate the land forces in the reduction of 
 the place; but by this time the governor offered to capi- 
 tulate. Thus Cape Breton, Louifbourg, and the ifland of 
 St. John, were all conquered, and, as a plain demonftration 
 to the whole world, that nothing is too hard for Britifh 
 feamen, when led on by fuch as are worthy to commaad 
 them,
 
 2V- B R I r A N N I A 
 
 An account cf the expedition to Quebec. 
 
 * 
 
 AL L the accounts I have feen of Quebec are fo faulty 
 and deficient, that, I believe, I (hall not difpleafe you by 
 a true reprefentation of this capital of New France. It in- 
 deed merits your knowledge, were it only on account of the 
 fmgularity of its fuuation, for perhaps it is the only city in 
 the world, that can boaft a frefh water harbour, capable of 
 containing one hundred men of war of the line, at one hun- 
 dred and twenty leagues diftance from the fea. It lies on 
 the moil navigable river in the univerfe. 
 
 The river St. Laurence up to the hie of Orleans, that is, 
 for about one hundred and twelve leagues from its mouth, 
 is no where lefs than from four or five leagues broad, but above 
 that ifle it narrows fo, that before Quebec it is not above a 
 mile over. Hence this place got the name of Quebeis, or 
 Quebec, which in the Algonguin tongue fignifies a ftraitning, 
 or ftrait. The Abenaquis, whofe language is a dialect of the 
 Algonguin, call it Quelibec, which fignifies a place (hut up 
 or concealed, becauie, as you enter from the little river of 
 Chandiere, by which thefe favages come to Quebec from A- 
 cadia, the point of Levy, which jets out beyond the ifle of 
 Orleans, entirely hides the fouth channel of the river St. 
 Laurence, as the ifle of Orleans that on the north ; fo that 
 from thence, the port of Quebec appears like a large bafon, 
 or bay, hnd-locked on all fides. 
 
 The firft object, which prefents itfelf on entering the road, 
 is a beautiful cafcade, or meet of water, about thirty foot 
 broad, and forty high, which appears juil at the entry of the 
 little channel of the ifle of Orleans, and is fecn from that 
 long point on the fouth of the river, which, as I obferved, 
 hides the ifle of Orleans. This cafcade is called the fall of
 
 TRIUMPHANT. 243 
 
 Montmorency, and the point, the point of Levy, in honour 
 of two fuccefiive viceroys of new France; viz, the admiral 
 Montmorency, and his nephew the duke of Ventadour. One 
 would naturally conclude that fb plentiful a fall of water, 
 which never decreafes, fliould proceed from a large river, 
 It is however only fupplied by an inconfiderable brook, which 
 in fome places is not ankle deep, but it never dries up, and 
 iffues from a fine lake, about twelve leagues diftant from the 
 fall. 
 
 The city lies a league higher on the fame fide, and in the 
 place where the river is narroweft. But between it and the 
 ifle of Orleans is a bafon, a full league in diameter every way, 
 into which the river St. Charles empties itfelf from the north- 
 weft. Quebec ftands exactly between the river and Caps 
 Diamond, which advances out behind it. The anchorage, 
 or road, is oppofite in twenty-five fathom, good ground: how- 
 ever when the wind blows hard at north eaft, (hips often 
 drive, but without danger. 
 
 When Samuel Champlain founded, this city in one thoufand 
 fix hundred and eight, the tide fometimes flow'd to the foot 
 of the rock ; fince that time the river has by degrees re- 
 treated, and left dry a large fpace of ground, on which the 
 lower town is built, and which at prefent is fufficiently ele- 
 Vated above the water mirk, to fecure it from any fears of 
 inundation. The firft thing you meet at landing is an open, 
 place of a middling compafs, and irregular form, with a 
 row of houfes in front tolerably built, having the rock be- 
 hind them, fo that they have no great depth. Thefe form 
 a pretty long ftreet, which take up all the breadth of the 
 ground, and extend from right to left to two paflages which 
 lead to the high town. This opening is bounded on the left 
 by a fmall church, and on the right by two rows of houfes 
 running parallel to each other. There is alfo another range 
 of buildings between the church and the port, and along the 
 ihore, as you go to Cape Diamond; there is a pretty long
 
 244 BRI7AN N I A 
 
 row of houfes on the edge of a bay, called the Bay of Mo* 
 thers; this port may be regarded as a kind of fuburb to the 
 lower town. 
 
 Between this fuburb and the latter you afcend to the high 
 town, by a pafiage fo ileep, that they have been obliged to cut 
 ileps in the rock, fo that it is not only practicable on foot, but 
 as you turn from the lower town to the right hand, there is 
 a way more eafy, with houfes on each fide. In the place where 
 thefe two pailages meet, begins the high town towards the ri- 
 ver, for there is another part of the lower town towards the 
 river t. Charles. The firft building you meet, as you afcend 
 from the right hand, is the epifcopal palace ; the left is fur- 
 rounded with houfes. As you advance about twenty paces 
 further, you find yourfelf between two fquares. That on the 
 left is the place of arms, adjoining to the foit, which is there- 
 fidence of the governor general ; oppofitetoit is the convent 
 of Recollects, and part of the remainder of the fquare is fur- 
 rounded with well-built houfes. 
 
 In the fquare on the right (lands the cathedral church, 
 \vhich is the only parih church in the city. The feminary 
 lies on one fide in a corner, formed by the great river and the 
 liver St. Charles; oppofite the cathedral is the Jefuits college, 
 and in the fpace between handfome buildings. From the place 
 of arms run two ftreets, crofTed by a third, and which form 
 a large fquare or ifle, entirely . taken up by the church and 
 convent of Recollects. The fecond fquare has two defeents 
 to the river of St. Charles, one very fteep, joining to the fe- 
 minary, with but a few houfes; the other near the Jefuits inclo- 
 liire, which winds very much, has the hofpital on one fide a- 
 bout midway, and is bordered with fmall houfes. This goes 
 to the palace, the refidence of the intendant of the province. 
 On the other fide the Jefuits College near their church is a 
 pretty longftreet, with a convent of Urfuline nuns. As to 
 the reft, the high town is built on a foundation of rock, part-
 
 TRIUMPHANT. 245 
 
 ly marble and partly flate ; is has greatly increafed within 
 twenty years paft. 
 
 Such is the topography of Quebec, which takes up a con- 
 fiderable extent. The houfes are large, and all of tfone, yet 
 there are reckoned but about (even thoufand fouls. To give 
 a fuller idea of this city, I (hall now fpeak of its principal e- 
 difices, and conclude with its fortifications*. 
 
 The church in the lower town was built in eonfequence 
 of a vow made during the fiege of Quebec, in one thoufind 
 fix hundred and ninety. It is confecrated by the name of 
 our lady of victory, and (erves as a chapel of eafe to the in- 
 habitants of the lower town. The building is plain, its chief 
 ornament being its neatnefs and f* nplicity. Some fitters 
 of the congregation are fettled between this church and 
 the port; their number is four or five, and they keep a 
 fchool. 
 
 The biCbop's palace is a long quadrangle, and a fine ftruc- 
 turc. 
 
 The cathedral would make but a mean figure in one of our 
 frmlleft French towns; judge then if it merits to be the only 
 epifcopal fee of the French empire in America, an empire of 
 greater extent than that of the ancient Romans. Its architec- 
 ture, the choir, the grand altar, and chapels have all the air 
 of a country church. The moil tolerable part is a very high 
 tower, folidly built, and which at a diftance makes no ill ap- 
 pearance. The feminary, which joins this church, is a large 
 fquare, and has all the conveniences proper to this climate. 
 From the garden you fee the road, and the river St. Charles, 
 as far as the fight can reach. 
 
 The fort is a handfome building with two wings. You en- 
 ter by a fpacious and regular court, but there is no garden, 
 becaufe it is built on the edge of a rock. This defect: is fup- 
 plied in fome meafure by a fine gallery, with a balcony, or 
 balluftrade, which furrounds the building. It commands the 
 road, from the middle of which a fpeaking trumpet may be
 
 ?4<* BRITANNIA 
 
 heard, and you fee all the lower town under your feet. Leav* 
 ing the fort to the left, you crofs a pretty large efplanade, 
 and by an eafy defeent you reach the fummit of Cape Dia- 
 mond, which forms a natural platform. Befides the beauty 
 of the profpecl hence, you breathe the purcft air, and may 
 fee numbers of porpoifes, white as fnow ? playing on the fur? 
 face of the vvateis. On this Cape alfo are found a kind of 
 diamonds, more beautiful than thofe of Alencan ; I have feen 
 iome as well cut by nature, as if they had been done by the 
 ableft artift. Formerly they were abundant here, and thence 
 this Cape took its name j but at prefent they are rarely found. 
 The defeent on the fide of the country is yet more eafy than 
 that from the efplanad;',. 
 
 The fathers Recollect have a large and fine church, fuch 
 as might even do them honour at Verfailles. It is neatly 
 wainfcottcd, and adorned with a large gallery, a little clum- 
 fy, but the work around well wrought. This part is 
 the woik of a lay brother; nothing is wanting, but it would 
 be proper to remove fomc pictures coarfely daubed, the 
 rather as F. Luke has painted others, which need not fuch 
 foils. The convent is anfwerable to the church, large, ftrong- 
 ly built, and commodious, with a fpacious garden, kept in 
 good order. 
 
 The convent of the Ui fulines has fuffered twice by fire, as 
 well as the ferninary. Their revenue is befides fo imall, and 
 the portions they receive with the young Canadian ladies fp 
 inconiiderable, that the firft time their monaftery was burnt, 
 the government were going to fend them back to France. 
 '1 hey have however found means to recover themfelves each 
 time. They are cleanly and commodioufly lodged ; this is the 
 effect of the good reputation they have in the colony, as well 
 as owing to their frugality, temperance, and induftry. They 
 gild, they embroider, and in general are all employed j what 
 they do is generally in a good tafte. 
 
 The Jciuits' college is a noble J>uiJding. It is certain, when
 
 TRIUMPHANT. 247 
 
 Quebec was only a confufed heap of French barracks, and 
 hutts of favages, this edifice, the only one of itone, except 
 the fort, made fome figure. Its Ikuation is no way advan- 
 tageous, being deprived of the view of the road, which it 
 formerly enjoyed, by the cathedral and feminary, fo that it 
 only commands the adjoining fquare. The court is final I and 
 dirty, and looks like that of a farnvhoufe. The garden is 
 large, and well kept, and is terminated by a fmall wood, the 
 remains of that antient foreft, which once covered the whole 
 mountain. The church has nothing beautiful without, but a 
 handfome chapel. It is covered with flate, in which it has 
 the advantage of all the churches of Canada, which are'only 
 rookd with planks ; the infide of it is highly ornamented. 
 The gallery is light, bold, and has a balluftrade of iron, 
 painted, gilt, and delicately wrought. The pulpit is all gilt, 
 and the wood and iron work exquifite. The three altars are 
 well placed, and there are fome good pictures. It has no 
 roof, but a flat cieling, well wrought. The floor is of wood 
 and not flone, which makes this church warm, while others 
 are iniupportably cold. I fhall not mention the four pillars 
 of a cylindrical form, of porphyry, jett black, without fpeck, 
 or veins, which La Hontan has placed over the great altur. 
 No doubt they would make a better figure than the prefent 
 ones, which are hollow, and coarfely marbled. This writer 
 had been pardonable, if he had difguifed the truth only to 
 beautify the church *. 
 
 The Hotel Dieu, or hofpital of Quebec, has two great 
 halls, appropriated to the different fexes. The beds are 
 clean, the fick carefully attended, and every thing commodi- 
 ous and neat. The church lies behind the women's apart- 
 ment, and has nothing remarkable but the great altar, whofe 
 painting is fine. This houfe is ferved by the nuns hofpitalkrs 
 
 * A good obfervation in the Jcfiiit, as if a lie in honour of the church '.vsjs more cxcufablc 
 than en any other occafion.
 
 ?4 3 R I 1 A N N I A 
 
 of St. Augufte of the congregation of the mercy of JE 
 who firft came here from Dieppe. Their apartments are 
 convenient, but according to appearances their funds are 
 too fmall to make any progrefs. And their houfe is 
 fituated on tire dope of the hil! ? on an eminence which 
 commands the jiver St. Charles, they have a tolerably good 
 profpect. 
 
 The houfe qf the intendant is called the palace, bccaufe 
 the fupreme council affembles here. It is a large building, 
 \vhofe two extremities fmk fome feet, and to which you al- 
 csnd by a double flight of fteps. The front of the garden, 
 which has a profpecfc of the river St. Charles, is much more 
 agreeable than that you enter at. The king's magazines form 
 the right lide of the court, and the prifon lies behind them. 
 The gate you enter at is hid by the mountain, en which 
 itands the high town, and which on this iide only prefents 
 the eye with a fteep and difagreeable rock. 
 
 About a quarter of a league in the country ftands the ge- 
 neral hofpital j this is the moft beautiful building in Canada, 
 and would be no difgrace to the fineft town in France. The 
 Recollects formerly poffefled this fpot of ground. M. de St. 
 Valjer, bimop of Quebec, removed them into the city, bought 
 their right and laid out one hundred thoufand crowns in the 
 building, furniture, and endowment. The only fault of this 
 edifice is its marfhy fituation j but the river St. Charles in 
 this place, making a turn, its waters do not flow eafily, and 
 the evil is without remedy. 
 
 The prelate founder has his apartment in the houfe, where 
 he ufualiy refides; his palace in the city, which he alfo built, 
 he lets out for the benefit of the poor. He condefcends c- 
 yen to officiate as chaplain to the hofpital and the nuns, and 
 performs the duties of that place, with a zeal and afliduity 
 that would be admirable even in an ordinary prieft. Tradef- 
 jnen, or others, whofe great age deprives them of the means 
 of getting their fubfiftence, are received on this foundation
 
 TRIUMPHANT. 249 
 
 .1.3 far as the number of beds will allow, and are ferved by thir- 
 ty nuns. It is a colony of the Hotel Dieu at Quebec, but to 
 diilinguifh them, the bimop has made fome peculiar regulati- 
 ons, and thofe admitted here wear a filvercrofs on their breaft. 
 The nuns for the molt part are of good families, and as they 
 are often poor, the bifliap has given portions to feveral. 
 
 I have already faid the number of people does not exceed 
 feven thoufand : But amongft thefe you find a felect Beau 
 Monde, whofe convcrfation is defirable ; a governor general 
 with his houihold, nobility, officers ; an intendant with a fu- 
 preme council, and inferior magiftrates, a commiflary of ma- 
 rines, a grand provoft, a grand hunter, a grand matter of wa- 
 ters and forefts, whofe jurifdiction is the longeft in the world, 
 rich merchants, and fuch as appear to live at eaie, a bifliop 
 and numerous feminary ; two colleges of Recollects and Jefuits, 
 three nunneries, polite affemblies, both at the lady governefs's 
 and lady intendant's j fo that it is fcirce poilible but a man 
 muft pafs his time agreeably in this city. 
 
 Indeed every body here contributes to this end, by parties 
 at cards, or of pleafure, the winter in fleds, or on fkaits, the 
 fu miner in chaifes, or canoes. Hunting is much ufed, feveral 
 gentlemen hiving no other refource. As to news indeed there 
 is little, becaufe the country affords none, and the packets from 
 Europe come all at a time, but then they furniih matter of 
 difcourfe for fome months : the fciences and arts have their 
 turn, and embellifh converfation. 
 
 The fleet and army arrived at the IQc of Orleans a few 
 leagues from Quebec, without any accident, on the twenty- 
 fixth of June, 1759. The army was commanded by General 
 Wolfe, and the fleet by Admiral 3aunders. The French army 
 was polled in a moft advantageous fituation, upon what was 
 deemed the only accefiible fide of Quebec. The army land- 
 ed on the Hie of Orleans on the twenty- fcventh. Soon after 
 the troops landed, a ftorm arofe, in which rmny of the fmaU 
 boats were loft, and fome damage done the tranfports. Oi)
 
 z$o E R 1 r A N N I A 
 
 the twenty-eighth in the night, the enemy fent down fome fire 
 fhips ; the boats of the fleet were ordered to fix their grap- 
 pling chains, and tow them clear of every fhip. On the 
 twenty-ninth, General Monkton diflodged the enemy from 
 Point Levy, and Col. Carleton was detached to fecure the 
 weftermoft point of the Ifleof Orleans. General Wolfe took 
 his poft here. Batteries were immediately creeled upon Point 
 Levy, to bombard the town and magazines and deftroy their 
 other works. The enemy obferving this, fent one thoufand 
 fix hundred men acrofs the river to deftroy them, but they fell 
 into confufion, and went back again. The works being fi- 
 uifhed, General Wolfe fent a flag of truce to the commander 
 of Quebec, at the fame time informing him, that his majeity 
 had given exprefs orders to avoid that inhuman method of 
 fcalping, and to declare if the French ufed it, they might ex- 
 pect to be punifhed. The marquis de Vaudruiel replied with, 
 contempt, fneering at fuch a handful of men, who pretended 
 to make aconqueft of fo extenfive and populous a country as 
 Canada. Upon this hoflilities commenced, the artillery played 
 fo effectually, as foon deftroyedthe lower town. The ninth 
 of July, the army encamped near the enemy's left. The river 
 Montmorency being between them, General Wolfe faw with 
 concern the fecure fituation of M. Montcalm's camp, and ac- 
 cordingly ufed all raethods to attack him with advantage. The 
 oppofite banks of the river were fo fteep and woody, fo well 
 intrenched and guarded with Indians, that it was in vain to at- 
 tack them. On the eighteenth he fent two men of war, two 
 floops, and two tranfports, with troops on boad, to fail up 
 the upper river. Thefe paffed the city without any lofs from 
 the enemy ; but here he found the fame difficulties as before j 
 the general being informed that a number of the inhabitants of 
 Quebec had retired to Point Trempe, a poft up the river, fent 
 a detachment under colonel Carleton, to bring off fome prifo- 
 ncrs, and what papers he could get. This he attempted, and 
 Succeeded with little lofs, but found no magazine there. The
 
 TRIUMPHANT. 251 
 
 /enemy lent feventeen rafts, one hundred and three feet long, 
 well provided with gun and piftol barrels loaded, and allforta 
 of combuftibles; but thefe were grappled as before, with the 
 iofs only of one boat. The general, finding his manifefto had 
 no effect, ordered all the habitations of the Indians, with their 
 b.irns, {tables, and corn on the land, to be totally burnt and 
 deftroyed. General Wolfe, after reconnoitering, refolved up- 
 on attacking the enemy the firft opportunity. To forward 
 this attempt he ordered two tranfports, which drew little wa- 
 ter, to be carried clofe to the ftiore, to attack a redoubt near 
 the water's edge, whofe fituation appeared to be without muf- 
 ket fhot of the intrenchment on the top of the hill. Prepara- 
 tions were made on the thirty-firft of July for a general en- 
 gagement. After many attempts, the general, accompanied 
 by feveral naval officers, went in flat bottomed boats, and gave 
 immediate orders for the troops to difembark. The grena- 
 diers, by miftake, inftead of forming themfelves, ran on im- 
 petuoufly to the enemy's intrenchments, in theutmoft difor- 
 der and confufion, not waiting for the corps ordered to fuftain 
 them. This was the occafion of lofing fome gallant officers ; 
 the general therefore called them off to form behind brigadier 
 Monkton's corps. The tide being now beginning to flow, it 
 was judged hazardous to continue the attack : however, it was 
 obftrved that our artillery did great execution on the enemy's 
 left. Orders were given fpr a retreat, which the French did 
 not think fit to interrupt. The general however faw the at- 
 tempt fo hazardous, that hedefifted doing any more till gene- 
 ral Amherft (hould arrive ; but at the fame time gave orders 
 for penetrating as far up the river as poflible, in order to o- 
 pen a communication for that general, who was marching from 
 Crown Point. Brigadier Murray embarked on board afqiur 
 dron with twelve hundred men, commanded by rear-admiral 
 Jlolms, in order to deftroy the French men of war above the 
 town. They failed up the river twelve leagues, and landed 
 at theChambaud, burnt a magazine of pro vifions, ammunition
 
 252 BRITANNIA 
 
 and fparc (tores, cloathing, arms, &c. of the French army, and 
 was informed of the fuccefs of the Britifh arms againft Nia- 
 gara and Crown Point. The general called in this detach- 
 ment, as thefeafon was fo far advanced, that it was in vain to 
 expect general Amherft. At their return, they found the ge- 
 neral ill of a fever, brought on him by care, watching, and 
 fatigue, and was in adefpondingft ate, being afraid he Hiould 
 return without fuccefs. A council of warwas called, v , re- 
 in it w.is agreed that four or five thoufand men convey d a- 
 bove the town, might perhaps be able to draw the enemy from 
 their prefentfituation, and bring them to a general engagement. 
 For this end, he made the (hips under Admiral Saunders make 
 a feint as if they propofed attacking the French in their in- 
 trenchments on the Beauport more below the town. This dif- 
 polition being made, the general embarked his forces about one 
 in the morning, and with admiral Holms' divifion, went three 
 leagues up the river, in order to amufe the enemy, and con- 
 ceal his real defign. Then he put them into boats, and fell 
 fiiently down with the tide ; the mips followed them, and ar- 
 rived in proper time to cover their landing. The darknefs 
 of the night, and the rapidity of the ftream, made this a ha- 
 zardous undertaking, as the troops could not land at the fpot 
 they propofed. When they were put on more, a fteep nill, 
 with a little path, wherein two could only march a-breaft, pre- 
 fcnted itfelf ; however, thefe difficulties only raifed the ardour 
 of the troops. The light infantry under colonel Howe laid 
 hold on flumps and boughs of trees, pulled themfelves up, dif- 
 lodged the guards that defen,. ' it. and cleared the pals fo, 
 that at day-break the whole an. was in order of battle. On 
 the thirteenth of September, v Montcalrn heard of the 
 Englifh afcending the hill, and were >ed on the hign ground 
 behind the town, he could fcarcely ve it. He faw now 
 that by the pofition of the Englifh fle :. ,<nd army, nothing but 
 an engagement could fave the city ; accordingly he deterrni- 
 fied to give them battle, and he advanced and formed his troops
 
 TRIUMPHANT. 253 
 
 oppofite to ours. The difpofitions for the attack were made 
 in the moft judicious manner by both armies, and they both 
 began with fpirit. The Englifti troops had orders to refervc 
 their fire till the enemy was within forty yards, when their 
 fire took place in its full extent, and made a terrible havock 
 among the French. This was fupported with as much vigour 
 as it had begun ; the French gave way on every fide, but juft 
 at the time when victory declared itfelf, general Wolfe wai 
 flain. General Monkton fell foon after, General Townfend 
 now commanded, who exerted himfelf fo well, and his men 
 behaved with fo much intrepidity, that the French began ta 
 give way every where. 
 
 The battle feemed now to be quite won, when an unfofe- 
 feen accident happened; M. de Rouganville, whom the feign- 
 ed movement of the Englifh troops had drawn up the river, 
 turned back when he difcovered their real defign, and appear- 
 ed in their rear with a body of two thoufand men ; but the 
 main body of the French being nowrouted, the Englifh wheel- 
 ed about, and the enemy retreated after a very feeble attempt. 
 In this action we loft five hundred men, the French fifteen 
 hundred ; yet this battle was a great lofs to the Englifh, as 
 they loll the brave Wolfe, a man formed by nature for mili- 
 tary greatncfs. The trench loft alfo a great officer in gene- 
 ral Montcalm, who fell foon after general Wolfe. The ene- 
 my being now defeated in the field, general Townfend, in or- 
 der to defend his camp from infults, raifed a battery of can- 
 non, and prepared for a general aflault. The admiral alfo 
 brought his large (hips into a pofition to attack the town ; but 
 before all things could be compleated for a general attack, on 
 the feventecnth of September, the governor difpatched a flag 
 of truce, with propofals for a capitulation upon honourable 
 terms for the garrifon, and advantageous to the inhabitants, who 
 were preferved in the free exercife of their religion. The for- 
 tifications were in tolerable order, though the houfes were al- 
 moil totally demolifhed. A garrifon of five thoufand men,
 
 54 8 R I 1 A N N I A 
 
 under the command of general Murray, were put into th< 
 place. Thus the capital of French America was furrendered 
 to the Englifh, after a moll fevere campaign of near three 
 months ; a city ftrong in fituation and fortification, with ant 
 army greatly fuperior in number to the befiegers, fortified 
 under her walls. 
 
 An account of Mr. Thurofs life and expeditions. 
 
 MR.Thurot was the fon of Thurot, who was a lawyer ; 
 his mother was a vintner's daughter at Boulogne, in 
 France, though his grandfather was an Irifliman. His mo- 
 ther died in child-bed ; at the fame time his father held him 
 at the font, his mother was burying in the church-yard, 
 which brought a flood of tears from him. One madam Tut- 
 lord was now {landing for little Thurot, and being informed 
 of the caufe, made the father a prefent, defiring if the boy 
 lived till (he returned again, he might be fent to her. When 
 he was about fifteen years of age, one Farrel came to Bou- 
 logne, who getting acquainted with old Thurot, claimed a 
 relationfhip to the family. This man, being a fmuggler, in- 
 formed Thurot, that the O Farrels was ftill a flourifhing 
 houfe at Connought ; offering, if he would but let him go 
 with him, he would make his fortune. This IriQi coufm 
 equipped him for the voyage, and fet out with him ; but 
 happening to ftop on the Ifle of Man, Thurot was difobli- 
 ged,and would go with his coufm no further. Thurot be- 
 ing never deftitute, hired himfelf with a gentleman of Anglcfey, 
 xvho employed him on board his mips, and* as an agent or 
 faclor, trading between the Ifle of Man and Dublin ; by this 
 time he had acquired a fufficient knowledge of the Englifh 
 ;tongue ; he left this gentleman's fervice, and fet out in queft 
 of hearing fomething of his rich relations, and was fo redu-
 
 TRIUMPHANT. *tf 
 
 ced as to be obliged to enter a valet to lord B . Here he 
 continued fome time, till he was fufpected to be confident to 
 his miftrefs, for which he was difcharged. Having faid fomc 
 
 difrefpectful things of lord B , he was obliged to leave 
 
 Dublin ; and being informed, that his lady's waiting maid 
 was now with the lord of A , who had a large eftate in the 
 north of Ireland, he followed her there. Here his fkill in 
 fporting made him be taken notice of by feveral gentlemen; 
 but being tired with this life, he had again rccourfe to his 
 old trade of fmuggling : he continued in this trade, and fettled 
 at Boulogne, Where he became king of the fmugglers, dealing 
 in goods to the value of two thoufand pounds a year. Thu- 
 rot was afterwards arrefted, and put in jail at Dunkirk ; but, 
 having Mr. Tollard for his fecond, he procured him his life. 
 After this he was fent for to Paris to give his advice how 
 to prevent the bad practices of the fmugglers, but an invafioa 
 of England being talked of, he was made commander of 
 one of the king's {hips, and in one thoufand feven hundred and 
 fifty-nine was commodore of the fleet which took Carrick- 
 f erg us. 
 
 Thurot's fquadron, confuting of five frigates, on board of 
 which were one thoufand two hundred and feventy land 
 foldiers, failed from the port of Dunkirk on the fifth of Oc- 
 tober one thoufand feven hundred and fifty-nine. They 
 had been blocked up until that time by an Englifh fleet ; but 
 under favour of an hazy night they put out to fea, and ar- 
 rived at Gottenburg in Sweden ten days after. From hence 
 they made to Bergen in Norway. In thefe voyages, the 
 men were reduced by ficknefs, and the veiTcls themfelves had 
 fo fuffered by florins, that they were obliged to fend one of 
 the moft confiderable of them back to France. It was not 
 until the fifth of December, that they were able to fail di- 
 rectly for their place of destination. But their old ill fortune 
 purfued them with frefh difappointments. For near three 
 months they beat backward and forward amongft the wef-
 
 R 1 ? A N N 1 A 
 
 tern ifles of Scotland, having in vain attempted a convenient 
 Janding near Derry. In this tedious interval they fuflered 
 every poflible hardfhip. Their men were thinned and dif- 
 heartened. Another of their {hips was feparated from them, 
 cf which they never heard more. The now remaining three 
 were extreamly (nattered, and their crews fuflered extreain- 
 ly by famine. This obliged them to put into the ifle of Hay on 
 February the fixteenth ; where they refitted and to. k in fome 
 cattle and provifions, which were liberally paid for by the 
 generous adventurer who commanded, and who behaved in 
 all refpects with his ufual courtefy and humanity. 
 
 Here they heard for the firft time of the defeat of Con- 
 flans' fquadron. This was a circumftance of great difcou- 
 ragement. But as Thurot could not be lure that this intelli- 
 gence was not given to deceive him ; he perfifted in his relolu- 
 tion to fail for Ireland. Indeed he had fcarcely any other choice, 
 for he was fo poorly victualled, that he could not hope, with- 
 out fome refrefliment, to get back to France. And he was 
 further urged on by his love of glory, no fmall (hare of which 
 he was certain to add to his character, if he could ftrike a 
 blow of never fo little importance on the coaft of Ireland ; 
 for by this he might make fome appearance of having reven- 
 ged the many irifults which had been offered to the coa't of 
 France. 
 
 Full of thefe ideas, he'arrived before the to\vn of Carrick- 
 fergus on the twenty-eighth of February ; and landed his 
 troops, now reduced to about fix hundred men, the day fol- 
 lowing. They were augmented by draughts from his'fea- 
 men to near a thoufand. Thefe he formed on the beach, 
 and moved to the attack of the town. Carrickfergus is fur- 
 rounded by an old wall, ruinous in many places. Colonel 
 Jennings commanded about four companies in the town, moft- 
 ly of new raifed men, extremely ill provided with ammuni- 
 tion, and no way prepared for this attack, which they had 
 not the firulleft reafon to expect. However, they {hut the
 
 RIUMPttAtt. 257 
 
 gates, fent off the French prifoners to Belfaft, and took all 
 the mcafures their circumftances Wbuld admit. The enemy 
 advanced and attacked the gates. There Was no cannon ; 
 but the gates were defended with effect by mufquet fhot, un- 
 til fche ammunition was fpent. Then the garrifon retired in- 
 to the caftle, which having a breach in the wall near fifty 
 feet in extent, was no ways tenable. They therefore 
 furrendered prifoners of war, with terms of fafety for the 
 town. 
 
 Thurot, as foon as he was mafter of Carrickfergus, ifiued 
 orders to Belfaft to fend him a quantity of wine and provi- 
 fion ; he made the fame demand to the magiftrates of Car- 
 Jrickfergus, which they having imprudently refufed to com- 
 ply with, the town was plundered.,, Thurot having victualled, 
 and gained as much reputation by this action as could be ex- 
 peeled from a fleet which was no more than a fort of wreck 
 of the grand enterprife, fet fail for France. But he had 
 not left the bay of Carrickfergus many hours, when near 
 the coaft of the Ifle of Man, he perceived three fail that 
 bore down upon him. Thefe were three Engliui frigates 
 which happened to be in the harbour of Kinfale, when Thu- 
 rot made his defcent j the Duke of Bedford, lord lieutenant, 
 difpatched orders to the commander of the frigates to go in 
 queft of the French armament. The Englifh frigates were 
 one of thirty-fix guns commanded fay captain Elliot; and 
 two of thirty-two. 
 
 Such was their diligence and fuccefs, that they overtook 
 Thurot's fquadron before they could get out of the Irifh 
 fea. They were exactly three frigates to three. The 
 French mips were much the larger, and their men much 
 more numerous ; but both mips and men were in a bad con- 
 dition. A fharp and clofe engagement began. None of the 
 French could poffibly efcape, and they muft take or be taken, 
 Thurot did all that could be expected from the intrepidity 
 of his character ; he fought his fhip until fhe had her hold 
 
 R
 
 B R 11 A N N 1 -A 
 
 almoft filled with water, and her decks covered with dead 
 bodies. At.length he was killed. The crew of his fliip, and by 
 her example thofe of the other two, difpirited by this blow, 
 and prefled with uncommon alacrity by the fignal bravery of 
 Captain Elliot, and thofe who commanded under him, {truck, 
 and were carried into Ramfay Bay in the ifle of Man. Even 
 this inconiiderable action added to the glory of the Englilh 
 arms. None had been better conducted, or fought with great- 
 er refolution. This fole infult on our coafts was feverely pu- 
 niflied ; and not a vefiel concerned in ic efcaped. The pub- 
 lic indeed lamented the death of the brave Thurot, who even 
 whilft he commanded a privateer, fought lefs for plunder than 
 honour ; whofe behaviour on all occafions was full of huma- 
 nity and generofity ; and whofe undaunted courage raifed him 
 to rank, and merited diftinction. His death fecured the glo- 
 ry he always fought: he did not live to be brought a prifoner 
 into England ; or to hear in France thofe malignant criticifms 
 which fo often attend unfortunate bravery. This was the 
 fate of the laft remaining branch of that grand armament, 
 which had fo long been the hope of France, the alarm of Eng- 
 land, and the object of general attention to all Europe. 
 
 An account of taking the Havannah. 
 
 LORD Albemarle commanded the land forces, and Ad- 
 miral Pococke commanded the navy. He took a 
 courfe of fevcn hundred miles through the Streights of Ba- 
 hama. They arrived before the Havannah on the fifth of 
 June, 1762. 
 
 The Havannah is a city and port on the north-weft coaft 
 of the ifland of Cuba, about fifty leagues from Cape St. An- 
 tonio, its weflermoft point, four hundred and ninety miles
 
 from St. Jago, forty-one leagues fouth of the cape of 
 Florida, the gulph of whkh it commands, by being fituated 
 at its mouth, entering into the gulph of Mexico, and two 
 days fail from the Streights of Bahama. For the fike of 
 fo important a fituation it was removed from its original 
 fcitc, which was about twelve leagues diftant on the fouth 
 coaft near Mataban ; but the eftabliwment of this port is 
 faid to be one of the chief caufes of the declenfion of the 
 LQand of Hifpaniola. Tire latitude affigned to this place is 
 taken from an accurate obfervation made of it in 1717, by 
 Don Marco Antonio de Gamboa, only he makes it eight 
 leconds lefs; and the longitude is according to other obfer- 
 vations he made in 1715, 1724, and 1725, by eclipfes of the 
 moonj and in 1740, by that of Jupiter/s firft Satellite; an 
 authority which we the rather choofe to mention, becaufe 
 Mr. Popple'sjnap of the Britifli empire in America, pub- 
 liflied in 1732, places it in longitude eighty-three, fifteen, 
 and latitude twenty-three, twenty-one, which is a variati- 
 on of nine minutes in the latter, and of above a whole de* 
 gree in the former. Others copying Herrera, have alfo er- 
 red grofly by placing it in latitude twenty-two and one 
 half. 
 
 It was originally called the Port of Carenas, i. e. a port 
 for careening of ihipSj but its proper name in San Chriito* 
 val de la Havannah. 
 
 It was built by Diego dc Velafques, who in the begin- 
 ning of the fixteenth century landed here with three hun- 
 dred Spaniards, and conquered Cuba, with the afliftance of 
 the famous Bartholomew de las Cafas, who afterwards turn- 
 ing a Dominican friar, was made bifhop of Ghiapa in New- 
 Spain^ and wrote the Hiftory of the Spanifh cruelties there, 
 and in other parts of the Weft-Indies. The firft attempt 
 that we find made upon it after the Spaniards fettled here, 
 was in 1536, by a French pirate, who took the place, which 
 then confided only of wooden houfes thatched, and made 
 
 tl 2
 
 ate BRITANNIA 
 
 the Spaniards redeem it from fire by feven hundred 
 It happened that three fhips arriving from New-Spain the 
 next day after he was failed with the ranfom, they unloaded 
 heit goods with all expedition, and purfued the pirate ; 
 but the commanders behaved fo cowardly, that he took all 
 the three, one whereof was an admiral's fhip, which fo em- 
 boldened the pirate, that he returned to the Havannah, and 
 made the inhabitants pay him feven hundred ducats more. 
 After this the Spaniards built their houfes of ftone, and a 
 fort at the mouth of the harbour, but the city being ftill o- 
 pen on the land-fide* fome Englifh cruifers in thofe feas 
 landed not far from the town, and entered it before day* 
 break, whereupon the Spaniards fled into the woods, leaving 
 the place to be plundered. During the war betwixt Henry 
 II. of France and the emperor Charles V. a French fhip 
 from Dieppe with ninety men, after having plundered St. 
 Jago, came hither in the night, but to their great difappoint- 
 ment found all the houfes empty, they having been fo of- 
 ten plundered, that the Spaniards had removed all their 
 goods to houfes in the country. While they were fearch- 
 ing them, two perfons came to them, pretending to agree 
 for ranfom, but really to fpy out their number. The French 
 demanded fix thoufand ducats, the fpies pretended all their 
 effects would not raife that fum. tJpon their return to 
 their countrymen, a confultation was held, wherein fome 
 were for paying the fum if they could get no abatement, 
 but the majority defpifing the enemy's number, were for 
 difputing it with the i'word; and marching fecretly with 
 one hundred and fifty men, furprifed the French at mid- 
 night, and at the very firft onfet killed fourj but the 
 French, upon the firing of an alarm gun, recovered their 
 arms in a tricej and put them to flight j and being enraged 
 at the Spaniards' treachery, fet fire to the town, after hav- 
 ing dawbed the doors, windows, &c. with pitch and tar, 
 f which there were then great quantities in the city, fo-
 
 TRIUMPHANT. <5t 
 
 that it was foon all over in a flame ; and they even pulled 
 down the walls, and quite demolished the fort. A Spaniard 
 defiring that they would fpare the churches that were e- 
 rtcted for the worfhip of God, the French anfwered, that 
 people who had no faith had no occafion for churches to 
 profefs it in. The Englifli Buccaniers, under captain Mor- 
 gan, took this place in 1669, and would have kept it, cou!4 
 they have had the king of England's protection. 
 
 Its port is faid to be the moft frequented, as well as the 
 beft, in all the Weft-Indies, and one of the fined in the 
 world. It is fo large that a thoufand fail of fhips may ride 
 in it commodioufly and fafely, without either anchor or ca-? 
 ble, no wind being able to hurt them. It is fo deep with- 
 al, that the largeft vellels anchor at a fmall diftance from 
 the fhore, and there is commonly fix fathom water. The en- 
 trance, which has no bar or fhoals to obftrucl it, is by a 
 channel about three quarters of a mile in length, but fo 
 narrow, that only one fhip can go in at a time. The har- 
 bour into which it leads at the north-well corner is a long 
 fquare, lying north and fouth. At the other three corners 
 it forms three creeks or bays. At the bottom of that in 
 the fouth eaft corner lies the town of Wan Abacoa, as the 
 Spaniards pronounce it, or Guan Abacoa as they write it, 
 two leagues from the Havannah by land, but little more 
 than a league by fea. 
 
 The city, which is faid to be the richeft in America, as 
 it is no doubt when the galleons, c. are here, (for at other 
 times it is poor enough) ftands in the moft fruitful part of 
 the ifland, and the only part where there are any farms 
 and ftieep, all the reft of it being mountainous and barren. 
 It is built on the weft fide of the harbour, in a delightful 
 plain along the ihore, which rounds fo much, that above 
 half of it is wafhed by the fea, and the reft by two branch- 
 es of the river Lagida. It is of an oval figure, and begins 
 about a quarter of a mile from the mouth of the harbour, 
 
 3
 
 itf2 B R I T A N N I A 
 
 The buildings, which are of ftonc, are fair, but not high ; 
 the ftreets are narrow, but clean, and as flraight as a line, 
 and even the houfes very handfome, but ill furniihed. Here 
 are eleven churches andmonafteries,and two handfome hof- 
 pitals. There is a fine fquare, with all uniform buildings 
 about it, in the middle of the town. The churches are 
 magnificent and rich; the lamps, candlefticks, and orna- 
 ments for the altars, being gold and filver. There are 
 foine lamps of moft curious workmanfhip, which weigh 
 two hundred marks of filver, each mark being half a pound. 
 The Recollects* church, which ftands on the beft ground 
 in the city, has twelve beautiful chapels in it; j and there 
 are cells in the monaftery for fifty fathers. St. Clare's 
 church has feven altars, all adorned with plate, and the nun- 
 nery contains an hundred women and fervants, all cloath- 
 ,ed in blue. The Auguftines* church has thirteen altars, 
 St. John de Dieu's nine altars, with an hofpital for foldiers, 
 of twelve thoufand pieces of eight revenue. 
 
 The jurifdiction of this city extends over one half of the 
 ifland, and the chief places under it are St. Cruz on the 
 north fide, and La Trinidad on the fouth. It is the feat of 
 the governor and captain-general of Cuba, and of the roy- 
 al ofticeis, as well as of an afleffor for the afliftance of the 
 governor, appointed by the council of the Indies. It is al- 
 fo the refidence of the bifhop of St. jago. 
 
 It is in fact a city of the greateft importance to the Spa- 
 niards of all their cities in America, as being the place of 
 rendezvous for all their fleets in their return from that 
 quarter of the world to Spain, and lying at the mouth of 
 the gulph of Florida, through which they are all obliged to 
 pal* ; wherefore the Spaniards, not without reafon, call it 
 the Key of all the Weft-Indies, to lock up, or open the door 
 of entrance to all America : and in effecl: no {hips can pafs 
 that way without leave from this port. Here rides the na- 
 vy of the king of Spain, and here meet ia September tho.
 
 TRIUMPHANT. 263 
 
 galleons, flota, and other merchant mips, from feveral ports 
 both of the continent and iflands, to the number of fifty, 
 or perhaps fixty fail, to take in provifions and water, with 
 great part of their lading: and for the convenience of re- 
 turning to Spain in a body. Here is a continual fair till 
 their departure, which is generally before the end of the 
 month, when proclamation is made, forbidding any that 
 belong to the fleet to ftay in town on pain of death ; 
 and upon firing a warning-gun, they all go aboard. The 
 cargo they go with is feldom lefs than feven millions fter- 
 ling. The reader will naturally imagine, that a place of 
 this importance has been put in a condition both to defend 
 itfelf, and to protecl the mips that frequent itj therefore 
 we mall treat, in the next place, of its ftrength. 
 
 The city has a wall on the land fide, fortified with bafti- 
 ons, and a ciftle on the fide towards the harbour ; at the 
 mouth of which are two other ftrong caftles, capable of de- 
 fending its entrance againft many hundred fail of mips. 
 Thefe caftles are mentioned by M. Gage, who was here ia 
 one thoufand fix hundred and ninety-feven. The chief, and 
 ftrongeft of them, and that to which lines extend from the 
 caftle firft mentioned, is called Ei Morro, i. e. Head-land, 
 from the point on which it ftands on the left, or eaft fide of 
 the entrance; but the Engliih failors commonly call it MoOr 
 Caftle, and fome call it El Muro, or the Wall. It is built 
 at the foot of two hills on a rock, with a ditch cut in it, 
 filled with fea-water. The walls are of a triangular figure, 
 with three large baftions, and planted with forty cannon, 
 each twenty-four pounders. From this caftle there runs a 
 wall or line mounted with twelve prodigious long pieces of 
 cannon, that lie level with the water, are all, or moft of 
 them, brafs, carry each thirty-fix pounds, and are called, by 
 way of eminence, the Twelve Apoftles. At the point be- 
 tween this caftle and the fea there is a tower with a round 
 lanthorn at the top, where a man continually watches, to 
 R 4
 
 2 <$4 BRITANNIA 
 
 fee what fliips are approaching, of which he gives notice, by 
 putting out as many flags as they are in number. The fe- 
 cond of the caftles at the harbour's mouth is called the 
 Puntal or Mefa de Maria, (i. e. the Virgin Mary's Table) 
 by fome authors. It ftands on a plain ground, on the fide 
 of the entrance which is oppofite to the former, is a regular 
 fortification with four baftbns, and well planted with can- 
 non. The third fort, which we mentioned firft, is called 
 El Fuere, or the Fort, by way of eminence, to diftinguilh 
 it from the other two. It is a fmali, but ftrong work, on 
 the weft fide towards the end of the narrow channel, with 
 four regular baftions, and another platform mounted with 
 near iixty large heavy brafs cannon. Befides thefe three 
 forts, there are too others, each of twelve guns, which ftand 
 on the fhore ifour or five miles from the port. That tq 
 the eaft is called Cojemar, and that to the weft Chorrera. 
 Thefe caftles have ip the whole one hundred and twenty 
 guns, (one author fays double the nurnber) and are ftrong- 
 jy garrifoned. And if they have but powder enough, they 
 can never want bullets here, fince we are told by Ovledo, 
 that there are dug in a certain valley abundance of round 
 fmooth ftones of feveral fizes, fome as large as muiket balls, 
 and fome even as the biggeft cannon balls, and are ufed as 
 fuch. 
 
 When all things were in readinefs, the admiral with a 
 great part of the fleet bore away to the weftward, in order 
 to draw the enemy's attention away from the true object, 
 and made a feint, as if he intended to land on that fide, 
 while commodore Keppel, and captain Harvey, command- 
 ing a detachment of the fquadron, approached the fhore, to 
 the eaftward, and affected a landing there in the utmoft 
 order, on the feventh of June, without any oppofition, ha- 
 ving filenced a fmall fort, which might have given fome di 
 turbance. The army was divided into two corps; one of 
 which, commanded by general Elliot, was to advance up 
 the country to the fouth eaft, in order to cover the fiege,
 
 TRIUMPHANT. 2*5 
 
 and fccure our people employed in procuring provifions and 
 water. The other part was to be employed in the attack 
 upon fort Moro j this firft commanded the town, and the 
 entrance into the harbour. This attack was conducted by 
 general Keppel ; and colonel Howe, to favour this grand o- 
 peration, was ordered to make a diverfion to the weftward 
 of the town. This body cut off all communication between 
 the town and the country, and kept the enemy's attention, 
 divided. It is not to be imagined what hardfhips the army 
 fuftained in carrying on the fiege of the Moro, the earth 
 being fo thin, that they could fcarce cover themfelves in 
 their approaches, and there was fo great a fcarcity of wa- 
 ter, that they were obliged to bring it from the fliips j the 
 difficulty of the roads, and the heat of the climate, and ha- 
 ving fo much fatigue in bringing their artillery, that feve- 
 ral dropt down dead ; but fuch was the intrepidity of our 
 people, among whom fubfifted a perfect harmony, that no 
 difficulties were capable of difcouraging them. They erect- 
 ed batteries againft the Moro, and feveral others, in order 
 to drive the enemy's mips farther up the harbour, to pre- 
 vent them from molefting us in pur approaches. On June 
 the twenty-fourth the garrifon made a fally with little fuc- 
 cefs, and the lofs of three hundred men ; by this time the 
 navy, having done all in their power to affift the land for- 
 ces, on July the firft, three of the largeft (hips laid their 
 broad fides againft the fort, and began to fire upon it. The 
 fame day we opened our batteries : they continued firing 
 fcven hours, but the Moro being fo much above them, and 
 fort Puntal on the oppofite fide, galled them fo much, that 
 to prevent their utter deftru&ion, they were obliged to 
 bring them off with the lofs of fome men and officers. 
 Notwithftanding our lofs, yet it took off fome of the ene- 
 my's attention on that fide, and our fire was poured in with 
 redoubled fury. On July the third, our capital battery 
 was fet on fire by the enemy, fo that the labour of fix hun- 
 dred men for feven clays was deftroyed in a m.oment.
 
 266 BRITANNIA 
 
 This was a heavy ftroke, as ficknefs now greatly prevail- 
 ed amongft the troops ; there were no lefs than five thoufand 
 foldiers and three thoufand Tailors all fick at once. There 
 was a total want of frefh provifions and frefti water; what 
 they had being to be brought from a great diftance; and 
 the advanced feafon made them alfo defpair of fuccefs. The 
 hearts of the moft fanguine failed within them, when they 
 confidered this gallant army wafting away continually by 
 ficknefs: however, the brave officers fpirited up the men in 
 fuch a manner, that new batteries foon arofe in place of the 
 old ones; fo that their fire foon became fuperior to the ene- 
 my's. They by degrees filenced the enemy's cannon, bsat 
 down their upper works, and on the twentieth of July made 
 a lodgment in the covert-way. This and the rich prize that 
 was in view, made their hopes more lively. On July the 
 twelfth the Jamaica fleet arrived with feveral conveniences 
 for the fiege. July the twenty-eighth the New York rein- 
 forcement arrived ; fome of the tranfports were loft in the 
 paflage, but the men were faved. 
 
 All thefe favourable events gave them new life ; but juft 
 as they thought all their work near finimed, a new difficul- 
 ty arofe, a monftrous ditch of eight feet deep and forty 
 wide yawned before them, which it feemed impoffibh to 
 fill up; providence had fo ordered it, that a thin ridge of 
 rock had been left to cover the ditch near the fea. On this 
 narrow ridge the miners pafled the ditch with very little 
 lofs, and July the twentieth, foon buried thcmfelves under 
 the wall. 
 
 The governor now fiw plainly, that the fort would fpeed- 
 ily be reduced, if fome bold pufh was not made ; therefore, 
 on the twenty fecond of July, by break of day, a body of 
 twelve hundred men were tranfported acrofs the harbour, 
 who climbed up the hiils, and made their attack upon our 
 pofts, but they were foon driven down the hill with great 
 Slaughter, and the lofs of four hundred men killed.
 
 TRIUMPHANT! 2^7 
 
 July the thirtieth, the miners had done fo much execu- 
 tion, that a part of the wall was blown up, and fell into the 
 ditch ; leaving a narrow breach, which the general and en- 
 gineer judged practicable. The troops that were to advance 
 upon this moft dangerous of all fervices did it chearfully, 
 thinking it would be the end of their labours. They ac- 
 cordingly entered the fort, which they did with fuch intre- 
 pidity, coolnefs and refolution, that the enemy fled on all 
 fides. About four hundred were flain on the fpot, or ran 
 into the water, where they periflied. Four hundred more 
 threw down their arms, and obtained quarter. The mar- 
 quis de Gonfales, the fecond in command, fell, while he was 
 bravely rallying his troops. Don Lewis de Velafco, the go- 
 vernor, who had fo bravely defended the fort, feemed refol- 
 ved to bury himfelf in its ruins ; he had entrenched him- 
 felf and his colours, with one hundred men to defend them ; 
 thofe being all flain, or run away, he, difdaining to retire, 
 or call for quarter, received a mortal wound and fell, offer- 
 ing his fword to his conquerors. This drew tears of pity 
 over that unfortunate valour, which had coft them fo dear. 
 
 Thus the Moro fell into our hands after a vigbrous ftrug- 
 gle of forty-four days ; notwithftanding the ficknefs raged 
 with great violence, they immediately raifed many new bat- 
 teries, and the whole fire was turned againft the town. Pre- 
 parations for an attack were alfo made, and batteries erect- 
 ed to the weftward of the town. Auguft the fecond, a part 
 of the fecond divilion of troops from North America arri- 
 ved ; part of them having been taken by a fquadron of 
 French men of war. Auguft the tenth, lord Albemarle fent 
 a flag to the governor, informing him of the preparations 
 he had made to attack the town ; bur, that there might be 
 no more blood fhed, advifed him to capitulate. The go- 
 vernor returned an anfwer in the moft polite manner, that 
 he would defend the town to the laft extremity, and i 
 began to fire.
 
 2^8 BRITANNIA 
 
 Lord Albemarle, to convince the governor, that he was 
 in earneft, next morning ordered a general fire from the 
 batteries, which were poured upon the town on all fides, 
 and continued with irrefiftable fury for fix hours ; fo that 
 all the enemy's guns were almoft filenced. Upon which, to 
 the great joy of the fleet and army, flags of truce were hung 
 out from all quarters of the town. The town capitulated, 
 upon having their religion, laws, and private property of 
 the fubjects fecured. The garrifon, which were reduced to 
 feven hundred men, had the honours of war given them, 
 and were to be conveyed to Spain. Thus a diftrict of one 
 hundred and eighty miles were yielded along with the town 
 to the Englifti. The Spaniards wanted to have faved the 
 men of war, and the town to be declared a free port during 
 the war ; both thefe Were refufed them. On the fourteenth 
 of Auguft the town was given up, after a fiege of two 
 months and eight days. 
 
 Nine fail of the enemy's fliips of the line, fome of the fi- 
 ned (hips in the world, were taken, with four frigates. They 
 had funk three of their capital fhips at the beginning of the 
 fiege j two more were in great forwardnefs on the {locks ; 
 thefe the Englifli deftroyed. The enemy loft a whole fleet, 
 and the money and effects of the king of Spain did not a- 
 mount to lefs than three millions fterling. 
 
 So rich a capture as this had never been taken, which 
 the government reaped no benefit from ; yet individuals 
 were enriched by it. The fuccefs of our arms in the Eaft- 
 Indies has brought into England, during the war, near fix 
 millions in treafure and jewels. Let it be alfo remembered, 
 that by the Hermione, which was taken after the family 
 compact, in which was near a million of money ; this, with 
 the others, confiderably funk the refources of money, which 
 was one of the principal objects when the family compact 
 was formed. Thefe fuccefles made a way for the general 
 peace, which fpon fpllowcd.
 
 TRIUMPHANT. 
 
 $SS#sOs^ 
 
 An account of the taking of Manila, by general Draper and 
 admiral Cormjb. 
 
 MA N I L A is the feat of the Spanifh vice-roy, and lies 
 on a point of land made by a river, which iffues from 
 :e of Bahia, and falls into the fea a little lower, at the 
 town of Cavite, where is a fpacious harbour, but of difficult 
 en trance, becaufc of rocks and ffioals at the mouth of the bay. 
 The city is about two miles in compafs, furrounded with a good 
 wall and ditch, and fortified with baftions and outworks; be- 
 fides which, there is a fort that ftands on the point of land be- 
 twixt the fea and the river, and commands the entrance of it. 
 There are two alcaids or governors under the vice-roy, one 
 of whom has the command of the Spaniards, and the other 
 of the Chinefe and Sangles, and other foreign nations. 
 
 The chief ftruflurcs are a large cathedral, feveral church- 
 es and religious houfes, chapels and hofpitals endowed, and the 
 Jefuits' college, founded in 1581 , on the arrival of the firft bi- 
 fhop of this lee. In the church of Mifericordh, which is de- 
 dicated to St. Elizabath, the orphan daughters of Spaniards 
 and Miftices, i. e. half Spaniards and half Indians, are admitted, 
 and have three or four hundred pieces of eight portion paid 
 down for them: and if they chufeto be nuns, they haveafuit- 
 able allowance by the year. The iniides of their churches and 
 chapels are exceeding rich. That of St. Auftin, m particu- 
 lar, has fifteen well-gilt altars, fome of them with antipendi- 
 urns of beaten lilver; but their ftructnres are moft of them 
 wood, becaufe of the earthquakes. Adjoining to the Jefuits' 
 college is that of St Jofeph, where are forty collegians, ftu- 
 dying humanity, philofophy, and divinity, in which all degrees 
 are given. It has particular revenues, befides the krng's irt- 
 Jowance. The collegians wear a purple habit under red cloth
 
 $ R 1 1 A N N 1 A 
 
 gowns; and the graduates,by way of diftinc~tion,wear a firing 
 like a collar, of the fame cloth. The ftreets are wide and 
 handfome, having galleries running all along the front of their 
 lioufes, and there is a noble market-place in the middle of it : 
 but the regularity of the city has been fpoiled by the frequent 
 earthquakes, which have overturned feveral fine houfes and 
 palaces, and for this reafon, all above the fail floor is a flight 
 fuperftru&ure of wood. We read, that in 1627, one oi the 
 mountains, called Carvallos, was levelled by an earthquake j 
 and that in 1645, a third part of it was overthrown, and no 
 lefs then three thoufand fouls perifhed in the ruins, and ano- 
 thar, not much lefs dreadful, happened alfo the year follow- 
 ing. The inhabitants of this city are a mixture of Indians, 
 Chinefe, Spaniards, &c. to the number of about fix thoufand ; 
 and their complexions are as difFerent,confiiling of white,black 
 and tawny. It is computed there are about three thoufand 
 fouls within the walls of this city, and as many more in the Chi- 
 nefe fuburb. There are other large fuburbs, confining of fe* 
 veral Indian nations, who live in houfes, built on pofts in the 
 river, and beyond their fuburbs, on both fides of the river, 
 are gardens, farms, and country houfes, a great way up in 
 the country. In the fuburb of the Chinefe, who are the 
 only mechanics among them, are found all forts of work- 
 men and trades, while the Spaniards and Indians feldom 
 apply to any bufinefs, but when compelled to it by neceflityi 
 The employment of the Spanifh vice-roy, or captain-gene- 
 ral, who keeps his court in this city, and has it for a term of 
 years, is one of the moft profitable belonging to the Spanifli 
 monarchy, and would be defired by moft of the grandees, if it 
 was not fo far from Europe, and if there was not a certain 
 iling in the tail of it. He has under him twenty-two alcaids, 
 or governors of towns and provinces, two whereof refide in 
 the city of Manila, the government of the Europeans being 
 committed to one, and that of the Afiatics to the other. There 
 is alfo a tribunal of three or four judges, in which the captain-
 
 T-.R-IU-M-P H A1TT. 271 
 
 general prcfides, but has no voice; and where the opinions 
 are equal, he appoints feme doctor to give the cafting vote. 
 Thefe judges, as well as thefolicitor for the crown, have their 
 places for life, and cannot be turned out by the vice-roy ; but 
 he difpofes of all military employments, and appoints the feve- 
 ral alcaids or governors under him. He has the nomination 
 alfo of the captains of the galleons, which fail every year to 
 New-Spain ; which poft alone is worth fifty thoufand crowns 
 a year. He keeps a garrifon of about eight hundred foldiers 
 in the city, and has three or four thoufand more under his com- 
 mand in other parts of the country, whofe pay is two pieces of 
 eight and fifty-eight pounds of rice a month each man. Inmort,, 
 he lives in very great flate; but now comes the Ring ; when 
 a captain-general is recalled, proclamation is made for all per- 
 fons to come in and exhibit their complaints againft him for 
 fixty days, and he undergoes a fevere trial, the fucceflbr being 
 often his judge ; and the preceding governor, when his trial 
 is over, is fent back to Spain with an account of his conduct, 
 and the proceeding againft him; and the judges are common- 
 ly fo fevere in their verdict, that if he be not able to fpend 
 one hundred thoufand pieces of eight in bribes, he is feldom 
 found virtuous enough to efcape imprifonment, or other 
 punifhment. 
 
 As for the archbifhop of Manila, he has fix thoufand pieces 
 of eight a year from the crown and the bifhops of Sebu, Ca- 
 merines, and Caquayan, five thoufand. Befides thefe,a titu- 
 lar bifhop or coadjutor refides at Manila, who affifts in thefirft 
 vacancy, that there be no intermiflion in the cure of fouls. 
 And as for the court of inquifition,a commiffary is appoint- 
 ed here by that of Mexico. 
 
 This ifland has the liberty of fending two {hips every year 
 to New-Spain ; but being limited to that number, they there- 
 fore build them very large. Thefe carry the fpices and rich 
 commodities of India to Acapulco, a port in the South-Sea, in
 
 the kingdom of Mexico or New-Spain, and bring back thti 
 valuable commodities of America and Europe. 
 
 On the twenty-fourth of September, 1763, difpofitions 
 were made for landing on the fouth of the town, the men of 
 war fcouring the coaft of the enemy with their guns, who 
 came down in large numbers, both horfe and foot, to oppofe 
 their landing. They landed, and formed upon the beach with 
 only the lofs of a few boats. They found the town regular- 
 ly fortified, and defended by an army of eight hundred regu* 
 lar troops. They found that it was impoffible for our little 
 army to inveft it, as they might conftantly be reinforced by 
 the natives of the country, a fierce and daring people, who 
 foon came to the affiftance of the place, with ten thoufand men. 
 The ditch of the town had never been quite compleated, and 
 feveral other parts of the fortifications were defective, and the 
 fuburbs of the town had not been deftroyed, which afforded 
 our men a fort of fhelter from the enemy. On the twenty- 
 fixth, before our batteries could be ereded, they attempted t 
 fally with four hundred men, but were repulfed, with great 
 lofs. By the indefatigable induftry and fpirit of our foldiers 
 and failors, three batteries of cannon and mortars were foon 
 raifed, and played upon the town with good effecl:. The In- 
 dians frequently molcfted our troops, and killed fome in their 
 barbarous manner, fo that our troops gave them no quarter 
 The bombardment continued day and night againft the town, 
 and the navy feconded the attempts of the land forces, and o- 
 pened up an inceflant fire on a new quarter, which very much 
 fatigued the garrifon. On the firft of Odober, a deluge of 
 rain poured down, accompanied by a mighty ftorm of wind, 
 which put the fquadron into great danger ; a ftorefhip which 
 had lately arrived, and contained the greateft part of the tools 
 and neeeflaries, of which they were now in the greateft want 
 for compleating their works, was driven on ihore. The go- 
 vernor of the place added to the advantage of thefe appearan- 
 ces in his favour, by calling in the aid of his ecdefiuilical cha-
 
 TRIUMPHANT. ayj 
 
 fader, telling them, that an angel from the Lord had gone 
 out to deftroy the Englifh like the hoft of Sennacherib, and 
 that thefe were the firft appearances of their definition. 
 However, by the intervention of providence, notwithftand- 
 ing the elements feemed to fight againft them, they compleat- 
 ed a large battery for heavy cannon, and another for mortars, 
 tnade good their parallels and communications, and made alt 
 preparations. As foon as the ftorm ended, they lilenced 
 twelve pieces of cannon belonging to the enemy, and in lefs 
 than two days all their defences were deftroyed. 
 
 As the enemy now faw they had nothing to truft to from 
 their fortification, they refolved to makefallies; one was to 
 be on the body of the feamen, and the other on the land for- 
 ces. On the fourth of October, three hours before day, in 
 the middle of an inceffant fall of rain, one thoufand Indians 
 \vere employed to attack the failors with their bows and ar- 
 rows; having pafied the patrols in filence, they fell unexpect- 
 edly with great fury upon the quarters of the feamen: they 
 however fuftained the attack with bravery, and drove off the 
 Indians, and at laft totally routed them, with the lofs of three 
 hundred men belonging to the enemy, though thefe Indians 
 behaved with the utmoft courage and boldnefs imaginable; 
 and had they been as well fkilled in fire arms as we, the fuc- 
 cefs would have been doubtful. The fecond fally was made 
 by the difciplined troops of the enemy on a church, in which 
 we had a body of Seapoys, that defended our camp. Thefe 
 were eafily diflodged, not having the fame courage and fpi- 
 rit as our feamen ; however, our Europeans maintained their 
 poft with courage and refolution, till a detachment with ten 
 field pieces arrived to their afliftance. They then drove the 
 Spaniards before them, with the lofs of feventy men : we loft 
 alfo a brave officer in this attack, with forty men killed and 
 wounded. * 
 
 This was the enemy's laft effort ; they were now confined 
 within their walls. The Indians now forfook them, fo the 
 
 S
 
 874 BRITANNIA 
 
 next day their cannon were all filenced, and the breach ap- 
 peared practicable. 
 
 On the fixth of October all preparations were made for 
 a general ftonn under a difcharge of all the cannon and 
 mortars, which raifed fuch a cloud of fmoke, that the enemy 
 could not perceive our advance; a parcel of fliells having 
 been thrown upon the battery, where the enemy expected 
 we would attack them. Our troops ruihed directly to the 
 affault, conducted by officers they could depend on; and, 
 having the pleafant profpect of a fpeedy conclufion to all 
 their labours, they mounted the breach with the utrnofl intre- 
 pidity. The Spaniards run, and our troops entered with 
 very little refinance. One hundred Spaniards and Indians 
 potted in a guard-houfe refufed quarter, and were cut to 
 pieces : three hundred more were drowned in the river, endea* 
 youring to efc.ipe. The governor retired into the citadel, which 
 foon furrendered at difcretion. To mow the generofity of 
 the general and admiral, after they had every thing at their 
 command, they admitted the inhabitants to a capitulation, by 
 which they iecured their lives, liberties and properties, with 
 the adminiflration of domeftic government, for fo fmall a ran- 
 fom as a million fterling. Thus this noble city was prevent- 
 ed from that deftruction, which their fullen obftinacy, uninr 
 Jpired by a true military courage (whereby they might have 
 made a capitulation) had laid them open. Our troops found 
 Jiere all for^s of neceflaries to recruit their fpirits, with a- 
 bundance of ftores to refit the fquadron ; by this acquisition 
 all the valuable ifjands, and the whole country depending on 
 this city, fell into the hands of the Englilh. 
 
 The admiral, haying intelligence of the Aqapulco galleon 
 being arrived in the entrance into, the Archipelago of the 
 Philippines, on the fourth of October difpatched the Panther 
 man of \var and the Argo frigate in purfuit of her. In tweq- 
 ty-fix days, the Argo difcovered her prize ; but juft as flic 
 approached her, by a counter current, fhe wa 4 s drove amoiig
 
 TRIUMPHANT. $75 
 
 the (hallows: the frigate hcrfelf was alfo in great danger of 
 being loft : however, by good management, me got under 
 fail, and overtook the galleon; an obftinatc engagement 
 enfued, which Lifted two hours. The Spaniard handled the 
 Argo fo roughly, that fhe was obliged to give over the en* 
 gagement, and repair the damage fhe had fuftained. The 
 current having flackencd, the Panther came up with her next 
 morning, when fhe was furprized to find fuch an obftinate 
 refiftance, he having battered her within half mufket fhot 
 for two hours before me would furrender. She lay like a 
 mountain in the water; her fides were fo exceflive thick, 
 that the Panther's guns made no impreffion on her, but on 
 her upper works. She had fixty guns ; fhe in her firfl en- 
 gagement with the Argo made ufe of only fix, and in her en- 
 gagement with the Panther only of thirteen. However, af% 
 ter fhe was taken, they were difappointed in their prize; for 
 this was not the American galleon, but that from Manila bound 
 to Acapulco. She however proved to be a good prize, her 
 cargo being worth half a million fterling. An exprefs was 
 fent off with an account of their fuccefs the twelfth of Noi 
 yember, and arrived at Loqdon on the fourth of April. Ge- 
 neral Draper arrived at the fame time, and was received with, 
 acclamations of great joy, and his country beftowed on him 
 the greateft marks of their approbation. 
 
 1 his was the Lift conqueft in this glorious war; a war which 
 the perficlioufnefs of Britain's enemies made her undertake, 
 wherein fhe acquired at leaft ten millions of plunder, had 
 deftroyed or taken above one hundred fhips of war, had redu-> 
 ced a confiderable number of cities, towns, forts and caftles j 
 conquered twenty-five if}inds, aqd a track of continent of 
 immeafe extent. The news of her victories have founded in, 
 moll parts of the globe, and her conquefts have added great- 
 ly to her territories in America, Afia, &c. and may one 
 day become as famec} and more powerful than, any
 
 276 B R I $A N N I A, &c. 
 
 under the canopy of heaven ; and wherever her ftreamefs 
 fly, and her cannons roar, may Britannia always be trium- 
 phant ! 
 
 I N I Sv
 
 
 THE 
 UNR CAU] 
 
 ' l^~ ,;;v; LE '