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1665.

The Englishobtain acompleatVi£tory.

Loss of theDutch.

Loss on theEnglish Side.

Charles II. Naval Expeditions, Sea oj the Engliih, Book

The whole Dutch Fleet seemed nowto be but one Blaze, and the Cries ofib many miserable Wretches, who wereperishing, either by Fire or Water, wasmore frightful than the Noise of theCannon. The English gave their van-quished Enemy all the Assistance theycould, while with continued Fury theyassailed the Rest. The Dutch Vice-Admiral Stellingwerf was shot by aCannon-ball thro' the Middle; Andtheir Vice-Admiral Cortenaer, receiveda Shot in his Thigh, of which he im-mediately died, almost in the Begin ningof the Fight, being engaged with theRoyal Katherine.

In short, the Victory, on the Sideof the EngUJh, was compleat; MostAccounts agreing that they took eigh-teen of the largest Dutch Ships, funkor burnt about fourteen more, blew uptheir Admiral Opdam, in his own Ship,took above two Thousand Prisoners,which were brought into Colchejler ,among which sixteen were Captains;and kill’d above four Thousand Men,in the Action.

The EngUJh lost but one Ship, theCharity , of six and forty Guns, takenin the Beginning of the Fight, by aDutch Ship of sixty, after having lostmost of her Men, in a hot Fight, withVan T romp, Hi deles, and Swart. Theyhad about two Hundred and fifty Menkilled, and about three Hundred andforty wounded : But their greatest Losswas in the Death of the Earls of Rut-land and Marlborough, Rear-AdmiralSampson , Vice-Admiral Lawfon, whodied, after the Fight, of a Wound in

his Knee, and the three Noble Gentle- 1666.men, who were killed by the Duke’sSide: But what renders this Victory themost extraordinary was, that the wholeBurden of the Fight lay chiefly upontwelve of the King’s own Ships. (/>)

This Fight lasted, without Interruption,from three in the Morning, ’till sevenin the Evening, sixteen Hours; And tothe Honour of Cornelius Van Yromp, heheld it to the last, when all the Fleethad left him but twelve Ships. TheReirA$

The Remains of the Dutch Fleet re- of thetired towards the Maese, the Texel and Fl s et P 0 'the Vly, and were pursued all the nextDay, being Sunday, tho’ some Histori-ans will have it, that the Duke of Yorkdid not shew so much Ardour, in thisPur-fuit as he had done the Day before, inthe Engagement: Dutch Writers cannotforbear expressing their Astonishment,that the EngUJh did not pursue theirgood Fortune ; And do as good as allow,that if they had, the whole Dutch Fleetmust have been a Prey to their victoriousArms. As this Matter has been prettymuch talked of, and Mr. SecretaryBurchett seems designedly to have wav-ed it, the Reader will fee below whatBp. Burnet, who seems to have hadpretty good Intelligence fays, of it. (q)

The Duke finding that it would beto no Purpose to continue the Pursuit ofthe Enemy’s Fleet, retired to the Coastsof England, and rid Post to Whitehall,to receive the Acclamations of theCourt and the City. Glorious as thisfirst Action upon the Sea had been tothe Duke of York, the King and Coun-cil did not think it proper to expose him

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(p) Three Medals were struck, about thisTime, in England. They had all the King's Bu-sto, with his Titles, on the Face : But on the Re-verse, were represented, (1.) The I/tand of GreatBritain, with the Inscription: Quatuor Ma-ria vindico- (2.) A Man of War under Sail,with the Inscription ; Nos Penes Imperium.(3.) The King, in a Triumphal Chair, drawn byfour Sea-horses, with the Inscription ; Et Pon-TUS SERVIET.

(y) " After the Fight (fays he) a Council“ of War was called, to concert the Method of“ Action, when they should come up with them." In that Council Penne, who commanded under" the Duke, happened to fay, that they must" prepare for better Work the next Engagement.“ He knew well the Courage of the Dutch was" never so high as when they were desperate.« The Earl of Montague, who was then a Vo-" lunteer, and one of the Duke’s Court, told" me, it was very visible that made an Impreffi-" on upon him : And all the Duke’s Domesticks« said, He had got Honour enough: Why should

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“ he venture a second Time ? The Dutchefs had" also given a strict Charge to all the Duke’s“ Servants, to do all they could to hinder him“ to engage too far. When Matters were fet-“ tied, they went to sleep ; and the Duke order-“ ed a Call to be given him when they should“ get up with the Dutch Fleet. It is not known" what passed between the Duke and Brounker ,“ who was of his Bed-chamber, and then inWait-“ ’ siut he came to Penne, as from the Duke,

" and said, the Duke ordered the Sail to be slac-“ ^ e | lec *- Penne was struck with the Orders, but“ old not g 0 about to argue the Matter with the" Duke himself, as he ought to have done, but" obeyed it. When the Duke had slept, he, up-“ on his Waking, went out upon the Ouarter-" Deck, and seemed amazed to see the Sails“ slackened, and that thereby all Hopes of over-" faking the Dutch was lost. He questioned“ Penne upon it ; Penne put it upon Brounker," who said nothing. The Duke denied he had“ given any such Order : But he neither punilh-" ed Brounker for carrying it; nor Penne for

. . " obeying