Selected quad for the lemma: enemy_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
enemy_n	advantage_n	great_a	part_n	1,014	5	3.9894	3	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A58984	A Second narrative of the signal victory which it pleased Almighty God to bestow upon His Majesties navy under the command of His Royal Highness the Duke of York, against the states-fleet of the United Neatherlands, on the third of June, 1665.		1665 (1665)	Wing S2293; ESTC R37359	5,745	16

A SECOND NARRATIVE OF THE Signal Victory Which it pleased Almighty GOD to bestow UPON HIS MAJESTIES NAVY UNDER THE COMMAND OF HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS THE DUKE of YORK AGAINST The States-Fleet of the Vnited Netherlands On the Third of June 1665. Licensed June 10. by ROGER LESTRANGE London Printed by W. G. and T. M. M.DC.LXV A SECOND NARRATIVE of the SIGNAL VICTORY c. HIS Royal Highness after his Return from the Coast of Holland where he had lain before the Texell taken their Merchant Ships and used all possible means to provoke the Dutch to a Battle having certain Intelligence not only that the Dutch Fleet had taken the Sea but that they publiquely declared their intentions of seeking out the English Fleet and farther that the Good Hope with her Convoyes from Hamburgh had unfortunately fallen into their hands Judging that all these Circumstances might tend to the disreputation of His Majesties Affairs became very impatient of all delayes and though many of the Provisions necessary for the Fleet were not yet on board His Royal Highness resolved to carry the Fleet from the Gunfleet neer Harwich to Sowld Bay and there to take in the remainder of victuals and other stores that being a more open place and therefore more proper for going out to the Dutch in case they should attempt to make any Bravado upon the English Coast In prosecution therefore of that Resolution the Fleet weighed anchor at high water on the 30 of May carrying with them the victualling Ships and other stores the wind being at South East but it did not long continue so but veered to the East South-east East and East North-east so that we were forced to stop Tydes and using all our endevours we could not arrive at Sowld Bay till June the first about six in the morning where we anchored about five miles from the shore Between Twelve and One of the clock this day his Royal Highness being at dinner news was brought that a great Fleet was discovered to the East South-east of us about some six leagues off which concluding to be the Dutch his Royal Highness ordered the Victuallers to Harwich and the Fleet to weigh and to get farther off the shore which was done accordingly till the Flood when we came again to an Anchor the Dutch kept under Sail and endevoured to keep to the South-east and East South-east of us At Ten of the clock that night we weighed Anchor again the wind being at East We did our best to get up to the Dutch Fleet but they being to windward of us it did not depend upon our choice so that the Dutch keeping upon a wind in the morning June 2. we saw them about five leagues South-east from us the wind varying from the South-east to South South-east South and South South-west At eight in the evening Lestoffe bore North-west about eight Leagues off and the Dutch Fleet was then about 3 leagues off standing off with their Starboard Tacks on board and we stood after them but they staid not for us There was a great desire in the Fleet to have engaged the Dutch this day which had twelve years since been so fortunate to the English against the same enemy what other reason besides the ill fortune of that day the Dutch could have to decline the fighting us then when they might have had the wind of us we can neither conjecture nor learn from any of the Prisoners since taken This evening one of the Enemies Sternmost ships was fired some of our men perswaded themselves it was one of their Admirals but we since understand by Prisoners it was one of their Fireships which took fire before her time by the drunkenness of her Commander What ever it was our men believed the best and as it was no small joy to see an Enemies ship so easily destroyed so they took it for a good omen of a future victory This night we kept sight of the Enemy all night and the wind veering to the South-west between two and three of the clock in the morning June 3. we lay to weather of the Dutch Fleet which they perceiving tacked and stood with us but could not weather us Being as we suppose about fourteen leagues from Lestoffe South-east southerly At half an hour past three in the morning the Battle began Prince Rupert's Squadron having the Van and of that Squadron Vice-Admiral Mings His Royal Highnesse's Squadron was in the body and that of the Earl of Sandwich in the Rear The first salutes the Dutch received from Prince Rupert's Squadron animated by the example aswell as orders of that valiant Prince made them doubt whether the victory over the English were either so certain or so easie as the Heere de Witt and their other Country-men who were to stay at home had perswaded them Both Fleets having passed thus by one the other in a Line there was for a considerable time a perfect quiet without shooting one Gun About six of the clock we tacked and stood to the West North-west and they to the South South-east and passed by one the other there being again an intermission from shooting Upon this Tack the Dutch endevoured to get the wind of us which they hoped to have done which his Royal Highness foreseeing they would endevour kept so close to the wind that when the Dutch tacked hoping to weather Prince Rupert they found his Royal Highness to weather them and therefore rather then pass between two Lines of our Fleet they chose to bear to Leeward of Prince Rupert We stood not long that way but his Royal Highness ordered the Rear of His Majesties Fleet to tack first that so we might the better and sooner get up with the headmost of their Fleet. This was not done without some intermixture of the Ships of the several Squadrons but yet without any considerable prejudice This being executed his Royal Highness making Sail with his Squadron he came to be the Headmost Squadron of the Line and had Sir John Lauson with some other Ships of his Squadron a head of him with which keeping up to the Headmost of the Enemies Ships we kept them to Leeward of us and never suffered them to tack but kept the wind of them the whole day The Fight continued long and the Dutch made very considerable resistance but it was observed That as we bore in upon them they altered their course so that whereas they might have layn up South South East they bore off to the East South East His Royal Highness who had observ'd in the beginning of the Battel the endeavour of the Dutch to get the Wind and by what means it was prevented and also the great benefit we had by it by securing us against the Enemies Fire-Ships in which they had placed a great part of their hopes had always a regard to the keeping that advantage which God had so favourably given us which with the concurrence of another accident did somewhat prolong the Battel The

continual Smoak would not give us leave to see very far before us what the Enemy did and therefore the Actions of Others were in some measure to be the guide even of the Admiral his Royal Highness therefore having seen Sir John Lauson with his accustomed Valour bear in towards the Enemies Line but soon after to edge off again to Windward concluded that Sir John Lauson had seen some of the Enemies Ships endeavouring to get the Wind of us and therefore to prevent That his Royal Highness kept near the Wind which was a guide to the vvhole Fleet. But this mistake vvas understood a little while after by a Message from Sir John Lauson who privately sent to give his Royal Highness an accompt that he was hurt and for that time uncapable of service though thanks be to God without danger of life so that we perceived the Working his Ship which lead us into that Errour was through the want of their Commander the Master being also hurt His Royal Highness therefore ordered Captain Jordan to go on board the Royal Oak after which She did excellent good service This Errour being now perceived and about the same time Opdams Ship vvhich vvas known by a Pendant under his Flagg coming up to lie almost opposite in their Line to his Royal Highness Ship in Ours His Royal Highness vvas pleased to give command to bear up to Him saying He would himself have a Bout with Opdam for so he termed it In which being obey'd and the whole Fleet taking example by the working of His Royal Highness Ship we began to ply our Guns at so near a distance that the Enemy began to shrink apace though not absolutely to run Whilst things were in this condition it pleased God who had through the whole Conduct of this great Business wonderfully favoured us by an extraordinary operation of his Almighty Hand to facilitate our Work and to shorten the danger to which his Royal Highness had resolved to expose his own Person by the blowing up of Opdams Ship which as it was a great joy to the English so it could not but infinitely discourage the Enemy who did not stand long after but we bearing in upon them presently fled we following them and taking and burning their Ships until night when not being able to do any more service upon them we onely endeavoured to keep so much sight of them as to be up with them in the morning when we again followed the pursuit taking divers of their Ships unto the very mouth of the Texel where their Ships getting into Shoal water and being perfectly acquainted with the place we durst not adventure so near the shore with our Ships which were not in condition to bear much Sail if there should have been need for bringing them off again We staid in sight of the Texel till we saw their Ships go in which they did not neglect to do the first Tyde In the beginning of the Battel two of our Ships not being able to weather the Enemy fell into their Fleet the One which was the Charity a Ship taken from the Dutch in the last war tacked hoping thereby to help her self but was taken the Other a Merchant Ship in the Kings service called the John and Abigail Captain Joseph Saunders Commander finding himself amongst them resolved to stand the same way with our own Fleet and to receive the Enemies Broadsides which he had so near as with them to receive their Threats also and was honoured with a Broadside from Opdams own Ship and a Vice-Admiral betwixt which he lay but the Enemy was too much in haste to attend one single Ship so that with a considerable loss of Men and the battering of his Ship Masts Rigging and Sails he came safe to his Majesties Fleet. During the Battel there came in to us three of his Majesties Ships returned from the Sound as also the Leopard from Harwich To the Dutch came young Everson with three Ships To give an account of the particular Actions of his Majesties Commanders would be not onely tedious but prove injurious to many whose merits would seem less if not named nor would it be less injurious to all those who have done well if any Actions were to be particularized not to name with reproach those who have been wanting to their Duty Let it therefore suffice for an evidence of the bravery of his Majesties Commanders in general that the Invincible Dutch Fleet is by them overcome Though I will not conceal from you that I hear it said his Royal Highness doth not think it sufficient that they do better then the Dutch but will expect that they shall do as becometh Englishmen and therefore it is thought this occasion having made some discovery of the tempers of some men who could not be known before some alterations will be even amongst the Victorious For the generality of the English Seamen it is certain that greater or more valiant hearts are not to be found in any Race of Men nor more indefatigable of which a greater instance could not be then this Battel which was of such continuance that if separated from the labour the danger alone would have been insupportable to any other sort of men and perhaps would have been so to them also had not the danger awakened their courages and redoubled their spirits Having told you of a Ship of his Majesties lost if I should give over here you might think We had lost by the Victory and therefore it is necessary to give you some account of the Enemies Loss and Our Gain which nevertheles in the present uncertainty you must give me leave to do as Accomptants use with a reserve of errors excepted endeavouring notwithstanding so far as may be to tell you nothing for certain which is not so First Then you must know that besides Opdam's Ship which we saw blown up and besides have since spoken with some of the Men which were saved There was taken and afterwards fired that so she might not clog us in the pursuit the Orange Tree a Ship of 76. Guns There were afterwards four of their Ships in the pursuit fell foul the one of the other and were by one of his Majesties Fire Ships set on fire One of them was the Ship Couverden in which was Trumps Vice Admiral Gillis Tysse Campen carrying 60. Guns The Prince Maurice Cap. de Clerk carrying 50. Guns The Stadt Vtrecht Cap. Oudart 44. Guns And a fourth which was I think called the Stedan carrying about 40. Guns After these were all on fire and our Ships passed by one of them burning to her Pouder blew up and with the blast blew away all the Rigging Masts c. of one of them of about 40. Guns which was on fire and so enabled some of the Dutch who remained there to quench the fire and save the Ship at lest to preserve their own lives till some of their Ships passed that way but whether they towed Her into Harbour or not we know not An accident very extraordinary and which it was not reasonable to expect or provide against This was observed by some of the Boats and Ketches which were sent to save the lives of the poor men who were left to the two unmerciful Elements A little after this were likewise burned by another Fire-Ship three Ships which were faln foul one of another the one called the Masseeven Jacob Rouse Commander of 78 Guns the Tergoes of 34 Guns and Cap. Cuypers Ship of 30 Guns Of Ships taken I am not able to give you a perfect account in regard some are as we hear gone directly for England and others not yet come to the Fleet Some of the Ships taken Are The Mars 46 Guns The Zeeland 44 Guns The Carolus Quintus 53 Guns The Delft 32 Guns The Nagelboome 52 Guns We hear of others taken by other Ships of which we have not the Names but do conclude we have destroyed them 23 or 24 Men of War at the least by the next you shall have a more perfect account According to what we learn from the Prisoners there were slain of the Dutch Commanders of note besides Opdam Cortenaer Stellingwerf Schram most say Trump but for the certainty of this the Curious must expect Letters from Holland On Our Part were slain the Earl of Marlebrough Rear Admiral Sansum Captain Ableson Captain Kirbye Commanders Of Voluntiers or Note fell the Earl of Portland Earl of Falmouth Lord Muskerry and Mr. Boyle second Son to the Earl of Burlington The three last by one fatal shot I cannot find that the Dutch Commanders taken can give any exact account of the number of ships in their Fleet that which they seem most perswaded of is That they had about 108 Sail besides Fire-Ships I believe the Kings Fleet was within very few of an 100 Sail a force worthy on either side to contend for so great a Stake The number of Men killed and taken from the Dutch I conjecture may be about 8000. What the number on the side of the English are I have not yet heard computed but by the conjectures vvhich may be raised from the accompt of some of the Ships which were in the hottest of the Action it may be concluded that never was so great a Victory obtained against the Dutch with so small loss on the side of the English Finis