Kn. 10119
SPEC, RARE
03
4
097
v. 100 no. 14


A TRUE
ten. 1011y
RELATION
OF THE
Engagement
OF HIS
MAJESTIES FLEET
UNDER
The Command of His Royal Highneſs,
WITH THE
Dutch Fleet,
May 28. 1672.
In a LETTER from Hen: Savile Efq;
on Board His Royal Highnefs, to the Earl
of Arlington, Principal Secretary of State.
Published by Authority.
In the SAVOT:
Printed by Tho. Newcomb. 1672.
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(1)
A True
RELATION
OF THE
Engagement
Of His Majefties Fleet, under the
Command of His Royal Highness,
with the Dutch Fleet,
T
My Lord,
May 28. 1672.
מה.
He frequent commands I have recei-
ved from your Lordship for an
Account of our late Engagement,
exact enough to be made publick,
do at laft end in this following Nar
ration, which had been fent you
fooner, if the Weather, and many
other Accidents that Seamen are liable to, had not
hindred us from having fuch Accounts from every Flag,
as were neceffary to make up one fit for your Lordship,
and thoſe you intend to impart it to; whom I will
fuppofe to be Landmen, for my own excufe: For, if I
were to give fuch a Relation as would fully fatisfie Sea-
men, the terms themselves concerning Tacking and
Wind, &c.without any thing material relating to the
Matter, would be too voluminous, to expect it should
find a Reader out of Wapping or Rotborith. All that
I pretend to, is Brevity and Truth; for the first, I muft
make it good as I can; for the other, I have fuch Wit-
neffes as are unquestionable.
A
Que

(2)
Our whole Fleet being at Anchor in Southwold-Bay,
taking in Water, on Tuefday the 28th of May, be-
twixt Two and three a Clock in the Morning, the Wind
E. by N. a fmall Gale, one of our Scouts came in, giving
the ufual Signals of feeing the Enemy; upon which,
His Royal Highness immediately gave thole of weighing
Anchor, and getting under Sail, which was performed
with all the fpeed poffible, confidering the fhort warn-
ing; for before Seven the whole Blew Squadron were
a Head of the Red, and the White à Stern, in which
order, and at which time, the Battle began, the Enemy
having the Wind of us. The Squadron under Ban-
kaert being the Van of their Fleet, attacked the French,
which made the Rear of ours they both feparated
themſelves from both their Fleets, and fo continued en-
gaged out of our fight almoft the whole day, Sailing
to the Southward: At firft Bankaert came briskly down
upon Monfieur d'Eftrees, but afterwards finding it too
hot, kept at a greater diftance.
,
055 A
a
The Earl of Sandwich with the Blew Squadron in
the Van of our Fleet, was attacked by Van Ghent, in
the Rear of theirs, and endeavoring to get the Wind of
the Enemy, found fo great oppofition, that after having
funk a Man of War which laid him on Board, having
above half his men kuled, his Ship wholly difabled,
and having put off two Firefhips, was no longer in a
condition to put off the third, which burnt her; the
onely Ship we loft the whole day: His Lordship, and
all the Officers, except Capt. Haddock, being loft with
her; of which fome few ordinary Men that were faved
by Swimming to our Ships and Boats, give us no farther
Account.Box 01 anonimulov cored blow
The Henry, that was one of her Seconds, commanded
by Capt. Digby, Son to the Earl of Bristol, having put
off feveral Firefhips; moft of her Men, her Captain,
and almoſt all her Inferior Offisers flain, fell into the
hands

(3)
hands of the Dutch; but was in a little time retaken,
and fent fafe into Harbor by Capt. Strickland in the Pli
mouth.
200 Sir Fofeph Jordan, Vice Admiral of the Blew, pur-
fued the defign his Admiral did not live to finish, and
fucceeded in it, getting the Wind of the Enemy, which
he and his Divifion kept the reft of the day.
The Body of their Fleet commanded by Monfieur
de Ruyter, attacked the Body of ours, commanded by
His Royal Highness; De Ruyter was accompanied by
Van Effe, another Admirall, and their Seconds, which
all at a convenient diftance fired upon the Prince, who
being to Windward of her own Divifion, could receive
little or no affiftance from them; the Capt. Sir John
Cox killed, the Main-Top-Maft, Flagstaff, and Stand-
ard, being ſhot down, and the Ship intirely difabled in
three hours time, His Royal Highness thought it conve-
nient to change his Ship; fo that about Ten a Clock
being attended by Monfieur Blanckfort, my felf, Mr.
Afbton, Monfieur du Puys, and John Thompſon his beft
Pilot, he went on Board the St. Michael, Sir Robert
Holmes Commander, and there put up a new Standard,
which becauſe of the great fmoak, could not be feen
well enough to be attended by his Divifion. About this
time, the Royal Katherine newly come from the River
with freſh Men, and wanting many of the Conveniencies
neceffary for her defence, was boarded and taken by
the Enemy, her Capt. Sir John Chichely being carried
prifoner on Board their Ships; but the Enemy leaving
no great number of Men in her, they were afterwards
overpowred by ours, who carried the Dutch that had
taken her, priſoners, and the Ship fafe into Harbor. His
Royal Highness continued on his way, attended by the
Phenix, Capt. Le Neue Commander, on Head of him,
and the Fairfax Capt. Leg Commander, and the Victory
the Earl of Offory Commander clofe a Stern, till after-
wards
B

(4)
wards Capt. Berry in the Refolution, and Sir Fretchevile
Holles in the Cambridge, came alfo on Head of
us, but
were both very foon difabled, the latter having alfo loft
her Commander; the Earl of Offory in the Victory took
their places; the Engagement being very hot all this
time. Towards Five in the Evening His Royal High-
nefs obferving his Ship to Sail heavily, the London,
and many of the Vice-Admirals Divifion having over-
taken the St. Michael, found upon enquiry that ſhe had
fix foot Water in the Hold; fo that with the fame
Company he brought thither, except his Pilot, who
was killed there, he carried his Standard on Board the
London, Sir Edward Spragg Commander; where after
fighting an hour or two with the Ships to Windward,
they were forced to bear down, and gave opportunity
to the Duke and Sir Jofeph Jordan to joyn; at which
time de Ruyter put out a Signal, upon which all his Fleet
bore down to joyn the Zealanders, who with others had
engaged the French all day; who being to Leeward,
did as well as it was poffible for them to do with the
diftance, the Dutch being to Windward, kept from
them. Thus ended the Battle, and the Day; The
Duke with about Thirty Sail kept to Windward of the
Dutch all night, ftanding to the S. E. and found him-
felf ftill fo the next morning, and fo continued till
about Six a Clock; when feeing fome Ships a Stern, up-
on fuppofition, they were the Remainders of our Fleet,
His Royal Highnefs tacked and ftood with them, and
found them to be as he gueft, and the whole French
Squadron with them; about Seven he returned to
his own Ship, as well refitted as was poffible by
the care of Captain Narbrough. rooling and goals
About Ten the whole Fleet were together, and a-
bout Twelve we faw the Dutch ftanding after us, upon
which we Tacked, having the Weather Gage, and
ftood to them, in hopes of Engaging them prefently d
brow
But,

((5)
But, when the Van of our Fleet was come up to the
Body of theirs, they Tacked, and ftood back towards
their own Coafts; Notwithſtanding which we had
certainly engaged them, had we not been prevented
about Threena Clock by a fudden Fogg, which laft-
ed till Six; and though it then cleared up, it blew fo
freſh, and was fo late, and fo near their Bancks, that we
did not think it fafe to Attacke them, but continued
Sailing by them almoft within Canon ſhot till Nine at
Night, when, being within a League of the Oyfter-
Banck, off the Coaft of Zealand, we Tacked, and
ftood till Three in the Morning to the North-weft, at
which time we ftood back till Six, to fee if we could
perceive the Enemy, which not difcovering, we An-
chored till the Afternoon, that we got under Saile, and
ftood back to our own Coaft, being very ftormy wea-
ther.odiw flan sib to tom base of mod boot av
01 As for our Loffes, Befides the Royal Iames, there is
not one Ship loft, though feveral Commanders flain;
The Earl of Sandwich, Mr. Digby Captain of the Hen-
ry, Sir Fretcheville Holles Captain of the Cambridge,
Sir Io. Cox Captain of the Prince, Captain Pearce of the
St. George, Captain Waterworth of the Anne, Captain
Hannam of the Triumph, Captain Tennes of the Alice
and Francis Firefhip, and Monfieur de la Rabiniere
Rear-Admiral of the French, Captain Elliot of the
York, Captain Ludman of the Monck; and two of the
French Captains, Monfieur des Ardans, and Monfieur du
Mefnon are wounded; feveral Lieutenants and inferior
Officers are killed, whofe Names it were too tedious a
bufinefs to fet down. Of the Volonteers of Note,
My Lord Maidstone, Mr. Montague, Mr. Richard Ni-
cholls, and Mr. Roger Vaughan, both of his Royal High
neffes Bedchamber, Mr. Trevanian His Gentleman-
Ufher, Sir Philip Cartwright, Sir Chriftopher Herbert,
Captain Bromley, Captain Bennett, Mr. Cotterel, Cap-
1011
tain

(6)
tain Burgh, Captain Barry, Mr. Napier, Brother to a
Scotch Lord of that Name, Mr. Bowles, le Chevalier
de Serand, and le Chevalier de Bezy are killed; and, if
there are any others, their Names are not yet come to
our Knowledge: Mr. Tufton, Monfieur le Comte de
Canaples, le Chevalier de Chafteanmourant, Monfieur
Efcorbiac, Mr. Wren, Mr. Hamilton, Mr. Howard, Mr.
Skelton, and Mr. Hall are all Wounded, Mr. May hath
loft his Arme.
diy Rails mad gailic?
The Advantage we have over the Enemy confifts in
a Man of Warr taken of 48 Guns, called the Steveren,
Commanded by one Elzevir; Another taken, but af-
terwards funck (being Leaky) of 52 Guns, called the
Iofua, Commanded by John Dyche; A Third Sunck by
the Earl of Sandwich; A Fourth by Sir Edward Spragg,
both betwixt 60 and 70 Guns; a Firefhip taken, and
we forced them to Spend most of the reft, without do-
ing us any dammage: We have very good grounds to
believe we have funck more, and amongst the reft a
Flagship; but, thinking it better to erre on the modeft
fide, Ionely write Matter of Fact; and, leaft I ſhould
break my Word in the other Article, (I mean of Brevi-
ty) I Humbly kifs your Hands, and am,
My Lord,
From on Board the Prince,
near the Middle Ground,
June 6. 1672.
Your Lordſhips moft Faithful,
and moft Obedient Servant
Mody boll! H. Savile.
M
The

(7)
T
He Writer of this Letter could not think fit to mingle
in his Relation, any Expreffions of His Royal High-
nefs's Perfonal Behavior, because it was prepared for his
own fight: But it is moft certain, That never any Prince,
or it may be as truly faid, any Private perfon,was in an Acti-
on of War, expofed to more danger from the beginning to
the end of it; His Conduct and Prefence of Mind, equal-
ling his Fearless Courage, and carrying him to change his
Ship three times, fetting up the Royal Standard in each of
them, to animate his own Men, and to brave the Ene-
my.
Ince the writing of this Letter, is brought in an Account
of the Killed and Wounded.
Stof
The number Killed, amounting at the moſt to, between
Seven and eight hundred;
And the Wounded to about as many: Befides thofe that
were loft in the Royal James.
The Loffes on the part of the Enemy, are in this parti-
cular, as in all others, kept very fecret; onely they do own
from all hands, That they have had as many Men Killed and
Wounded in this Engagement, as in any two Battles before.
FINIS.

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