Chap. XXXII. from the I. of James I. to the Revolution. 547

*653. had for the most Part, separated hisFleet. Twenty of his Ships were de-tached to convoy a Fleet of Colliersfrom Newcastle ; Twelve were failed toPlymouth, and fifteen more were failedV atl up the ‘Thames.

Pitts to Van Tromp put to Sea, with the

Design of convoying a large Fleet ofthree Hundred Merchant-men, thro’the Channel, as far as Cape St. Lazard ;But having Advice of the Weakness ofBlake's Fleet, repaired off of the Good-win Sands, not far from the Place wherethe last Battle was fought.

Blake lying in the Downs, withforty (some fay but seven and thirty)Men of War, and a few Tenders, (u)of which hardly twenty had their fullCompliment of Men on Board, it wasresolved, in a Council of War, notwith-standing this great Superiority of theEnemy, to give him Battle. To thisEnd j Blake got immediately under Sail,pe and sent seven of his Ships a-head one & u s. Discovery. These Ships meeting, onthe nine and twentieth of November,with nine Dutch Ships, who were sentout by their Admiral, on the same Ser-vice, began the Fight, about Noori,and were soon seconded by moreShips on both Sides, which drew on ageneral Engagement, about three. ThisBattle was fought with great Fury onboth Sides, from one («) in the After-tf rt ‘c u i ar noon, ’till it was dark Night.

Blake, in the Triumph, with his Se-conds, the Vistory and the Vanguard,was long engaged with near twenty ofthe Enemy, and was very near borndown with so superiour a Force. Butbeing, at Length, relieved, by some o-ther Ships, the Fight continued as furi-ous, and, notwithstanding the great Su-periority of the Enemy, as doubtfultoo, as if they had been equal, for someTime ; But their Number, in the End,in some Measure, prevailing, they tookthe Garland (y) and the Bonaventure,and sunk three other Ships. I must notomit the gallant Attempt of the Com-manders of the two Ships which weretaken,which, tho’ it proved unsuccessful,deserves to be mentioned to their Ho-

6

nour. And that I may not be suspected 1652,

of Partiality, I shall do it, from theDutch Relations of this Battle.

Arson and Battin, which were theNames of these two bold Commanders, A ^ ravehad formed the Design of boarding Uon 'and taking Van Tromp. The formerPart of their Project they performed,with an unparellel’d Intrepidity; ButSuccess did not attend their Expectationsin the latter. They found Van Trompso well seconded, by EvertzenfheYice-Admiral of Zealand, and others, thatafter having grapled him, killed his Se-cretary and his Purser by his Side, lostalmost all their Men, and made greatHavock among the Dutch, they foundthemselves too weak to compleat theirnoble and well laidDesign ; The former Successless .being taken by Tromp , and the latter byEvert zen.

Blake leing the Danger the Garlandand the Bonadventure were exposed to,forced his Way into a Throng of theEnemy’s Ships, to relieve them; Butbeing himself attack’d and boarded, byseveral of the Enemy’s stoutest Shipscould not come at them. He, however,beat the Ships which boarded him, se-veral Times offi and, in the End, foundan Opportunity of rejoyning his Fleet.

. A ;, last - ha ™S P a f d Blak

two Fleets, Blake supposing he had suf- to the River s

ficiently secured the Nation’s Honour,

as well as his own, by engaging with

so superiour an Enemy, and coming off

with so little Loss: And besides, leing

no Prospect of Advantage, by renewing

the Fight, retired to the River. This

inconsiderable Success was Matter of

great Triumph to the Dutch, and it is

said, that Van Tromp was led away by p ■, nf ,

so silly a Pride and Vanity, to pass thro’ Dutch' Ad-

the Channel, with a Broom at hisMain- miral.

top-mast-head, as it were to sweep the

Seas of the English ; Tho’ he paid for it

with his Life afterwards.

In the mean Time, the Dutch pur-chased this small Advantage (if any) ata dear Rate, one of their Flag-ships be-being blown up, and the other two verymuch shattered, besides the Loss of agreat Number of Men.

5 CHAP.

(a) The Dutch pretend Blake’s Fleet consisted°f two and fifty Sail, small and great.

(x) Mr. Secretary Burchett , and some othersof our English Historian, by, I know not whatMistake, fay the Fight began at two in the Morn*

(y) Van Tromp, in his Letter to the States,caKs this Ship the Rosen-Crantz (or Garland ofRoses') which the English Tranuater calls theRose and Crown.