the Town the English were engaged to encamp themselves on the East-side of the Town in an open Field very fit to give Battel in without that either Party would give or take advantage of the Ground where the English having attended the Enemies a sufficient space of time and perceiving that they would not fight but upon an advantage they took their March towards Dunbar whither the Scots followed them immediatly and at a certain passage endeavoured to charge their Rearguard But the English immediatly facing about the Scots changed their resolution and gained the Hills where they thought they might with advantage cut off the English their passage to Coperspeth at which time the English Army was but in a very ill Condition the Winter wch begins betimes in those parts had so nipt them with Colds and great Rains and the ill Victuals which they had besides caused a great deal of sickness in the Army Fluxes Loosness and other Diseases whereby many died and were rendred uncapable of Service being sent and carried away to Barwick and the adjoyning parts The Scots who very well knew the sad estate of the English Army which they had really blocked up at the passage of Copperspeth which is betwixt Dunbar and Barwick thereby impeding the English's Communication with that place and by hindring them from those Conveniencies which they thence received intending either to overcome them there or to cause them to perish there for want of Necessaries so that they promised themselves an unquestionable Victory without much loss on their sides wherby they presumed to brag that they had gotten the English in the Earl of Essex's Pensold alluding to that extremity whereunto the Royallists had reduced that Earle in the County of Cornwall where his Army surrendred at discretion the Horse only excepted who made their way through the Enemy in the Night-time Nor were the Scots their hopes ill grounded considering the ill plight wherein the English Army was at that time and the inequality of their Forces the Scots being at the least 20000 Men and the English not above 12000 divers of which were likewise sick But the extremity whereunto the English were reduced made them pitch upon so firm a resolution either to overcome or to die in the Battel as that the Scots were totally routed and defeated by those very reasons and that very confidence which had made them as it were sure of the Victory Wherefore the General and the chief Officers of the English Army deeming that the longer they should delay to put it to a noble adventure whereby to get out of this great straight wherein they were the lesse they should be able to compass it resolved either to make their passage through their Enemies by the points of their Swords or to perish in the undertaking So that they imployed the whole Night in seeking of the Lord and imploring his Assistance from Heaven as also in giving out and distributing the Orders requisite for the Fight and just at break of the day the Army was ready drawn up into Battel-aray and to give the on-set the English word was The Lord of Hoastes and the Scots word was The Covenant which did very well represent the state of their Affairs and the subject of their Quarrell and in an instant both the English Horse and Foot with a gallant resolution fiercely charged the right Wing of the Scots where the Enemy had placed all their Cavalry on purpose to hinder the English in their passage that way The Scots received their Charge with a great deal of constancy and resolution and it may justly be said That Alexander did not meet with more resistance nor glory at the passage of Granicia then our late Protector met with at this Encounter especially if so be we consider how that the said Conquerour of Asia had to do with an effeminate kind of People bred in a delicious Country accustomed to their ease and pleasures but here on the contrary That the English brought up in a fertile abundant Soil and under a middle Climate should come to confront a War-like Nation in a harsh barren and cold Climat The General 's own Regiment of Foot had the Vanguard that day and performed the parts of men answering most gloriously to that honour which belonged to them Their Colonel and General together animating aâ—d encouraging them by his own example witnessed by his Actions that there was not a straws breadth that day betwixt them and death or the Victory Major General Whaley charged the Enemies whole Army through and through with his Regiment bearing down all those who durst withstand him and without the loss of many men having wheeled about again and cleared all before him regained his former station himself having only received a slight Wound in the Arm and had a Horse killed under him And not to detain the Reader in any further suspence all the Regiments of the Army performing their parts like resolute gallant men For should a man go about to praise one Squadron or Battallion of them in particular he must of necessity derogate from the rest you might have observed as many Soldiers as Officers as many Officers as Soldiers who being all of them animated or rather inspired by a supernaturall instinct of Valour a man would have thought they had been invulnerable or shot-free and that a Hand from on high did defend them from the showers of Lead and Launces which were ready to overwhelme them so that the violence and force wherewith they fought did only permit the Scots to put by their Blows as also it is worthy to be noted that in all this Fight the English lost but forty men whereas of the Scots there were foure thousand killed upon the place and that Army which was stronger then the English by two thirds thinking to have overwhelmed them did only by closing in upon them force them to fight with the greater vigour and you would have imagined that the little Army of the English consisted only of one Body which had but one only motion and charged the Enemy on all sides with so much Impetuosity and Animosity as that you would have said it had been and insensible Mass or Lump which only pressed forwards where the weight of Arms or the force of Powder did transport it Finally after one whole hours dispute very hot Fight and violent furious Contests the Scots gave way and their Horse being put to flight endeavoured to save themselves by the goodness of their heels the English Cavalry pursuing them to Haddington all the Scotch Foot remained on the place and that which rendred the slaughter of them the greater was that the English Soldiers remembred an Action which hapned the day before in which thirty Soldiers of Colonel Prides Regiment being commanded to possess a House scituate betwixt both Camps and not being seconded were over-powred by a greater number of the Scots and so forced to deliver up the place again notwithstanding which
during these English Civill Wars I must of necessity compile a whole Volume thereof since nothing worth the taking notice of ever hapned in which he was not a Sharer and wherein he was not alwaies one of the foremost wherfore I shall only insist upon two chief Actions which were of so great Importance that the decision of the whole War depended thereon and wherin the Valour of his late Highness may justly claim the greatest if not the sole share Two of the Parliaments Armies the one commanded by the Lord Fairfax and the other by the Lord Manchester being united to the Scotch Army their Confederates Commanded by the Earl of Livin had joyntly besieged the City of York the Metropolis of that County and whereof the Earl of Newcastle was Governour for the King who over and above his Garison which was very strong had also a brave and gallant Army Prince Rupert was sent by the King to raise that Siege with such considerable Forces as being joyned to those of the Earl of Newcastle did well nigh equallize the Parliaments in number The three Parliament Generals did immediatly raise the Siege to encounter Prince Rupert and the Earl of Newcastle drew forth also his Forces out of the Town and both Armies being drawn up in Battell-Array upon Marston Moore they both fought with a great deal of Fury Animosity and hopes of Victory which at first seemed to incline to the Kings Part the right Wing of the Parliaments Forces Commanded by the Lord Fairfax having the disadvantage of the Ground was over-whelmed by the left Wing of the Kings Party who routed and defeated it But his late Highness who as then was stiled but a Colonel whose after Appellations I shall observe by degrees which Fortune advanced him to who commanded the left Wing and had not the least advantage of the Ground did so violently set upon the right Wing of the Kings Party as that he brake in peeces Prince Ruperts best Regiments and forced them not only to give way but to turn their Backs and suffering only some part of his Men to pursue the Enemy he with the rest made half a turn about and charged the Enemies main Battell in the Rear so vigorously as that putting Life again into the Lord Fairfax's Souldiers he constrained them to face about and thereby so well restored the Success of the Battell as that he obtained and Entire and compleat Victory Two Generals of the Enemies and some of the best mounted of their Officers only making their escapes by their Horses good heels and this Battell was accounted the greatest that ever was fought during these last Wars The same thing likewise hapned in the famous Battell of Naseby neer unto Northampton when as his late Highness ariving in the Camp but on the Evening before the Fight gave such encouragement and joy to the whole Army by reason of his so suddain and unexpected Arivall from so great a distance of place as that it presaged an undoubted Victory The left Wing of the Parliaments Army was quite over borne General Ireton his late Highness Son-in-Law and who afterward governed Ireland in the Quality of Lord Deputy with as much Prudence and Conduct as he shewd Valour and Deserts to merit so considerable an Imployment being the second Person of the Common-wealth was carried off from the Field by two Wounds he received and was taken Prisoner but was relieved again and Prince Rupert pursued his Victory with as much vigour and hopes to gain the Battell as if the day had been his own But his late Highness on his side defeating that Wing which was oposite to him charged them with such force and Courage as that he made the Victory dubious and so it continued for a good while neither inclining to the one side not the other till at last the Kings Horse falling a running left their Foot to shift for themselves which were all cut in pieces and taken Prisoners all the Canon Baggage was likewise taken of a considerable value there was also found a Cabinet of the Kings with his Papers of great Importance The royall Standard and one hundred Colours beside were brought off and his late Highness having pursed the Kings Horse as long as he listed at length returned to the Camp with a great number of Prisoners Should I go about to number up the severall places of consequence which this Conquerour hath taken either by force or by Capitulations I should fill up a whole Volume with the Names of Towns and Fortresses alone besides intending hereby only to give you a Perspective of his glorious Life I will only instance in those worthy Actions of his whereby the Fortunes of the Wars did decide the possession of three Kingdomes Nor may we omit to reckon amongst the rest of his Heroick Atchievements the Victory which he obtained by Preston in Lancashire over Duke Hamilton and Sir Marmaduke Langdale whose united Forces amounted unto 25000 his late Higness having not above 10000 at most notwithstanding which inequallity of Forces he gave them Battell and entirely routed that puissant Army killing 3000 Scotch upon the place and taking 9000 Prisoners chasing the remaining Forces to Warrington about 20 Miles from the place where the Battell was fought and taking Duke Hamilton Prisoner at a place called Vttoxeter whither he was retired with 3000 Horse as also Sir Marmaduke Langdale the one by my Lord Grey and Colonel White and the other by Captain Widmonpoole so that but few Scotch returned to their own Country to cary back the News of so prodigious a Defeat NO sooner were the Civill Wars of England terminated by the discomsiture of all the Kings Armies the taking of his own Person and by his death but the Parliament by a solemn Vote and Ordinance changed the Monarchiall Government into a Common-wealth The Kingdome of Ireland was the first that witnessed a discontent of this Change and all the severall Parties there uniting themselves on the News of this Change they owned the late Kings Son and joyned all their Forces against the Interest of the Common-wealth and on a suddain became so powerfull and formidable as that the chief Places in those Parts submitted to their obedience Dublin only and London Derry excepted the first whereof was immediatly besieged by an Army of 22000 Men Commanded by the Marquis of Ormond and the other by a considerable Party the Natives of the Country The Royallists were as yet in possession of the Isles of Jersey and Man which places although they were adjacent unto England yet they only stood them in stead for a retreat to some Ships which robbed up and down the Seas in those Parts Nor were the Irish Businesses there arrived at the height of perfection whereas they began to decline for 3000 Horse and Foot which the Parliament sent into Ireland as the forerunner only of a more considerable Body being safely landed at Dublin joyned themselves unto the
strong but whilst he was weaker being alone fell upon Colonel Lilborne and each side for the space of four hours fight did behave themselves very well till at length the Earls Forces being worsted he was constrained to save himself and to gain Worcester almost all alone amongst Prisoners of note which were taken in this Encounter were Colonel Legg Robinson Baines Gerrard four Livetenant Colonels one Major four Captains two Livetenants twenty Gentlemen and five hundred Soldiers There were killed the Lord Withrinton Sir Thomas Fieldsley Colonel Boynton Sir William Throgmorton Sir Gamuell and sixty Soldiers On the Parliaments side there were but ten men slain but abundance were hurt which defeat although it was but a small one yet it was very ominous and served not a little to discourage those who were on the Brink of declining themselves and ready to rise in Armes so that it may be said without vanity that the defeating of those 1500 men hindred above 10000 to joyn with the Scots at Worcester and indeed Colonel Lilborne received those Honours and that recompense from the Parliament which was due to his Valour And the Lord General Cromwell whose prudence did at all times equallize his Valour nay far surpass it being conscious that diligence and expedition was more then requisite in this Conjuncture which was like unto a Gangren continually gaining ground and therefore immediatly to be cut off least it should endanger the whole arived with his Army at Worcester sooner then he was expected with a resolution to make his Enemies either perish within the place or constrain them to give Battel Here War-like stratagems or wiles were not necessary for there was no delaying of the business neither was there any retreat to be made or flight to be taken It matters not for one Town more or less This is the upshot Blow where the best Swords were to decide the Interest of three Crowns The Royallists were backed by dispaire and the others were animated with the continuall and accustomed defeating of their Enemies Now both must either fight or die and resolve to be a Cast or nothing and the Town of Worcester this very day must be the bloody Theater of the fairest chance of Fortune which ever happened in the Isles of great Britain The first thing therefore which the Parliaments Forces endeavoured was to gain a pass over the River of Severne which was immediatly performed by Major General Lambert at a place called Vpton and which passage was made good by Liveten at General Fleetwcods Brigade which advancing towards Tame River a Bridge of Boats was laid over the same and likewise another Birdge was made over Severn on the Generals side which being perceived by the Royallists they caused a Body both of Horse and Foot to advance to oppose the Livetenant Generals passage who was backed by two Regiments of Foot of Colonel Inglesbies and Colonel Fairfax's by the Generals Troops of Guard and Clonel Hackers Regiment of Horse all which were animated and encouraged by the Generals prerence who marched at the Head of them after which Colonel Goff's and Major General Deans Regiments were passed over the River who began to scoure the Hedges which were lined by the Enemy and whence they drave them away beating them from Hedge to Hedge being supplyed with fresh men but after this kind of Skirmish had lasted well nigh a good hour very smartly the Royallists were constrained to give ground and to retire to Powick Bridge which they made good for an hour longer but quitting it at length they retired toward the Town except those which were made Prisoners and within a little while afterwards having assembled all their Forces and all their Courage to boot they issued forth of the Town in a Body towards the Generals side believing that the best part of his Army had been on the other side as in effect it was seperated in two by the afore specified River and the Royallists at their first charge were so furious and resolute as that the Generals Troops were constrained to give way but that only served to augment their courage and make them more covetous of Glory Insomuch that renewing their Fight with a fresh vigour they charged the Enemy so impetuously as that the Scotch Army both Horse and Foot were on a suddain over borne and quite brought into disorder all their Works and Lynes together with their Royall Fort and their Cannon were immediatly taken and turned upon and against themselves the Town was given in Pillage and all their Foot were either slain or taken Prisoners a Body of 3000 Horse brake through and made their escape and one thousand of them were taken by Colonel Barton who lay about Bewdly only with a few Horse and Dragoons and Colonel Lilborne with the Generals Regiments of Foot accidentally met with the Earl of Darby who a little before had escaped him whom he seized together with the Earl of Landerdale and above a hundred persons of quality severall others were likewise taken by the other parties which were abroad as Duke Hamilton General of the Scotch Army who afterwards died of his Wounds the Earl of Rothe the Earl of Cornwarth the Earle of Shrewsbury Packington Cunningham and Clare Knights the Lords Spine and Sinclere the Earle of Cleaveland of Kelley and Colonel Greaves six Colonels of Horse thirteen of Foot nine Livetenant Colonels of Horse eight of Foot six Majors of Horse thirteen of Foot thrity seven Captains of Horse seventy three of Foot fifty five Quarter-masters eighty nine Livetenants of Foot Major Generall Biscotty Major General Montgomery the Livetenant General of the Ordnance the adjutant General of the Foot the Martiall General the Quarter-master General the Conductor General of the Baggage seventy six Standards ninety nine Ensigns nine Ministers nine Chirurgions one hundred fifty eight Colours and all the Cannon and Baggage generally the Royall Standard the Kings Coach and Horses the Royall Robe the Collar of the Order of the Garter thirty of his domestick Servants and his Secretary Faâ—shams as for the King his own person he made and escape strangely and in a disguise he saved himself at length into France not without many difficulties and dangers Notwithstanding the Parliament had promised five hundred pounds to any one that could discover his Person Several other persons were also afterwards taken in the remotest Countries as Major General Massey who afterwards made an escape Major General Middleton Livetenant General David Lesly and severall others insomuch as that it may be said the Gleanings of this Victory were as considerable as the whole Harvest it self But let us return to our CONQUEROR and observe with what a moderation he enjoyed this his victory he desires no triumphall preparations He would not that thanks should be returned to him for the same but only to God alone who helped him with his mighty Arme to advance his own Glory and to establish the peace and repose of England upon
him that the Holland Fleet was not far off whereupon calling a Councel of Warre it was conceived they might be met with about the Coast of France a Resolution was taken to make Saile thitherwards and the same day which was the sixteenth of August betwixt one and two of the Clock in the Afternoon they discovered the Holland Fleet and immediatly made up towards them as fast as they could and found them to be sixty Men of Warre and thirty Merchant men the English were but eight and thirty Men of Warre foure Fire Ships and foure small Frigats who notwithstanding the inequalitie of of their Number about foure of the Clock of the said Afternoon encountred the Enemy with as much Gallantry and Resolution as possible could be expected And Sir George Askue seconded by six other Ships immediatly Charged into the very Body of the Enemy and however they were sufficiently damaged by this first Charge in their Sailes Masts and Yards yet they got to the Wind-ward of their Enemies and once againe Charged the whole Body of them continuing their said Combat very fiercely in this wise and alwayes being intermingled pell-mell with the Enemy untill the obscurnesse of the Night had seperated them and had the rest of the Fleet imployed their parts as well as Sir George Askue's Squadron did it is believed the whole Hollands Fleet had been destroyed amongst the English there were severall hurt and killed however but one Person of Note Captaine Pack a Person of Honour and a very Valiant stout and experienced Sea-man whose Legg being shot off by a Cannon Bullet he died immediatly there were also two other Captaines hurt Viz. Little and Whiteridge Two of the Holland Men of Warre and one of their Fire Ships were sunck as might be guest by the Wrecks afterwards for the Night which terminated this Fight did also debarre the sight of the Fleets what it had produced So that the Hollanders continued their Course towards the Coast of France and the English towards Plimouth to repaire their Vesseels but especially their Masts Yards and Tackling which were so much endamaged that they were forced to give over the pursuite of the Enemy And much about the same time that this Fight happened Generall Blake steeting North-wards took six Holland Ships of a great value about the Downes and sent one Frigat toward the East to re-inforce Sir George Askue presently afterwards Captaine Penne plying also upon the Coast of France took six Holland Ships which had formerly been in the Venetian Service and were all of them bound homewards richly Laden being all Men of Warre of considerable Burthen On the fifth of September General Blakes Fleet riding at Anchor in the Downes having notice that a French Fleet was to touch in Callis Road there to take both Men and Ammunition on Boord for the Reliefe of Dunkirk he weighed Anchor and made towards them and about five in the Evening they were tiding it out of Callis Road with a Designe in the Night to have set Saile towards Dunkirk But General Blake as soon as they were got to Sea gave them Chace and pursued them to the very Flats before Dunkirk as farre as he durst by reason of the Flats and the Burthen of his Ships he took seven of their Men of Warre the least carrying two and twenty Guns and one Frigat with eight Guns and also one of their Fire Ships whereupon the Garrison of Dunkirk having been disappointed of their expected Reliefe of Ammunitions and Provisions Not long after was forced together with the rest of the Garrisons which depended on the same to yield to the Spaniards On the twenty seventh of September General Blake discovered about sixty Saile of Holland Men of Warre Commanded by Admiral Dewit on the back-side of the Goodwin Sands so that next day he set Saile and made towards the Enemy but falling upon a Flat called the Kentish Knock under which the Hollander had purposely sheltred themselves to endanger the English should they attempt to gain the Windward of them they found they had but three Fathome Water so that severall of the Fleet struck upon the Sands but had no other harme which caused them to stand off againe and to make directly towards the Enemy endeavouring to engage them to a Fight But the Hollander being unwilling to engage all that day past in slight Skirmishes onely towards Evening the Hollanders changed their Station but kept themselves off from the English towards the Flats making a shew of being desisirous to fight But the next Morning by break of day the English Fleet perceiving that the Hollanders were gone about two Leagues Northward from them they resolved although they had but very little Wind and that various to make up towards them which they endeavoured all the Morning but could not reach them the Wind being come North inclined to the West However the best Sailing Frigats were commanded to make after them and to keep them in play till the rest of the Fleet could get up to them and about three in the Afternoon the said Frigats with much ado got within shot of them but the Hollander fearing least by degrees they might be drawn to a generall Combat as it indeed was the English's Designe hoyst up their maine Top-sailes and fairely run away Notwithstanding which ten good Frigats gave the Chace till ten at Night and the next Morning by the favour of a fresh Gale from the Southwest the whole Fleet pursued them till they came to West Cappell in Zeland when as they put into Gore the English would faine have falne on and fought them in their own Ports but a Councel of Warre being called it was judged unfitting to pursue them any further upon their owne Coasts by reason of the Flats and also by reason that the English Provisions began to fall short The Hollanāers loss in this Encounter is not well known that which was visible was that three of their Ships were disembled from fighting the one having her Main-mast shot downe and the Mizen-mast Bowsprits Staies and Tackling of the other two the Admiral of their Reare Squadron was reduced to so ill a plight as being not able to make any way of her self they were constrained to tow her a long by a Hoy of two and thirty great Guns which advanced but slowly forward so that the Nonesuch Frigat boarded her and having put thirty men over into each Vessell they mastered them but finding that they were extream leakie and began to sinck they took eighty men out of them and their Officers the Reare Admiral and the Captaine and left the Hulks to serve the dead men for a Coffin The English had but forty men killed and as many hurt Now the fame of this notable Warre between these two Queenly and Mistress Common-wealths of the Navigation having spread it self throughout the Universe in all places where Trade and Commerce is used The effects thereof appeared shortly
of the Protestants and who were brought up through all the parts of the Countrey were tryed condemned and excuted in great numbers they drave the rest of the Irish into Cannaught within the heart or center of the Countrey where they are cooped in by the English who have possessed their Lands and have given them others in that Province to the value of them however the English were continually molested by the Out-laws of that Nation the Tories much like the Moss-Troopers or Italian Bandittoes but of late they are pretty well calmed and almost quite exterminated Mean while the continual Wars in Ireland as well as the said Banishment and Executions having left above one half of Ireland almost as it were desart and left all the rest of the Couutrey as a prey to the Conquerour hereupon his late Highness made use of this occasion to give an evidence both of his Justice and Prudence together For whether the Exchequer at that time was bare of Moneys or no or whether this great Politician had wilfully deferred the paying of the English Forces in Ireland till this very time the better to settle the English in those parts he gave unto them those Lands which themselves had conquered in part of their payment whereby he did according to the usual saying kill two birds with one stone if not three which is that at the same also he did recompense them with that which was far more worth then that which was owing unto them and a far more worth then that which was owing unto them and a far more solid thing which was not to be easily taken from them so that part of the Irish Lands were alotted to pay the Souldiery and at the same time to establish and settle the Conquests of Ireland by giving them a subsistence to maintain and preserve them in those parts As for the other part of the said Lands we must look back how in the beginning of these Wars the State being not in a capacity to furnish sufficient monies to defray the charges thereof was Constrained to borrow monyes of private persons on the promises of paying them both Principal and Interest as soon as the Conquests of Ireland should be perfected and however since that time the scene of Affairs was mightily changed that those who were engaged in this promise and who at that time governed the State had no more power or might and that his late Highness was not in reason bound to subscribe or make good those Conditions or Articles on which they received the said monies nor to heed the same at all yet however by a transcendent act of Justice he consented unto the disposal of the remaining Lands towards the reinbursing of the Irish Adventurers and by this means made his Laurels become as fruitful as if they had been watred by the sweat and labours of those people and brought up at their costs and charges so that he both satisfied the Souldiers Arrears and the Adventurers Advances to their own content and hearts desires and to his own praise and glory as long as the memory of man lasteth Mean while the Hollanders being quite tired by their continual losses and seeing that Fortune remained obstinate to their prejudice and seldome or never frowned on the English resolved at length once more to come to a Treaty and to this purpose sent four Commissioners into England viz. the Lords Beveringe Newport Yongstal and Vanderperre which last no sooner arived here but took leave of the world so that the other three pursued their Negotiation with hopes of a good success yet however these fair appearances did not produce either a cessation or a suspension of Armes but both parties treated and fought together insomuch that all kinde of hostilies were exercised on both sides against each other and as they seemed both desirous to shew the most of their powers and that there was no necessity at all of a peace so they came at length to a notable fight even during the Treaty and the which did not a little conduce to hasten the Conclusion of the peace The manner of which fight was as followeth On the twenty ninth of Iuly two English Scouts where abroad at Sea on intelligence discovered the Holland Fleet coming forth of the Wielings of about ninety five sail all men of War and as soon as the English Fleet received notice thereof they made all the fail they possibly could toward them but the Enemies discrying our Fleet witnessed a desire not as yet to fight and so stood away But by five of the clock that evening some of the English Frigots getting up to them engaged them into a Fight and soon after thirty of our Ships seconding of them began the Fight for good and all and were constrained to bear the brunt of the whole Holland Fleet by reason the rest of the English Fleet being asterne could not get up to engage However they were onely separated by the night which forced both Fleets to retreat and the Fight although it was but short yet it proved smart and the Hollanders had several of their Ships put out of a condition to serve being so soarly maimed that they were forced to send them away in the night by the favour whereof they got by the English and strove to joyn with a relief of five and twenty good Ships which which were coming to the mouth of the Texel On the morrow the Hollanders being encouraged by their new recruits which they had joyned with the night before by reason of the thick and fowl weather which hindred the English from debarring them thereof fell first of all upon the English Fleet with a great deal of gallantry and resolution and from five in the morning till one in the afternoon fought as couragiously as possibly men could either in respect of the Valour they shewed or in their conduct and dexterity in mannaging of the said Fight and the English on their sides being well pleased to have to do with so gallant and resolute an enemy and who promised them a great deal of glory in their manful and vigorous resistance received them as gallantly on their parts and the fight being by this time well exasperated on both sides they passed through and upon each other with so much violence impetuosity and dexterity as that it might be easily conjectured each particular person knew that the whole decision of the War depended on the event of this combat The Sea was never so much pressed by its contrary Elements and the combatants which covered the Decks and Galleries appeared like unto so many Salamanders that live in the fire and indeed the zeal and earnestness which transported them were of the very same nature each Vessel chose another to try the day withal and whensoever one was charged by two or three more or less that onely served to waken her dexterrity and to excite her resolution and those who could not burn destroy or
sink their Enemies by a close boarding and grasping hand to hand endeavoured to dispute that which their Cannons could not effect The Fight at length became so obstinate and violent as that the Air was red by fire and the Sea with blood and these two floating Forests whose high and thick Masts sunk as fast as the Corn under the Mowers hand gave to believe by their redoubled and obstinately continued blows that the Sea would at length serve both the Fleets for a Triumph and a Tomb. And in the very midst of this contest the Holland Admiral Van-Trump being wounded presaged his death wherefore like a Lion who having received his mortal wound by the hand of the Huntsman redoubleth his force ever at the Article of his expiring so this famous and renowned Admiral did sell his life at a dear rate and had received that happiness to be sprinkled with the blood of his Enemies in that barbarous Element in which he had so often sown his Palms and Laurels In like manner the Generals Blake and Monk did most admirably well sustain the last Assaults of this desperate dying Admiral who desired not so much to live as to revenge his own Death Both these gallant Generals I say were present every where and in all occasions and where their persons could not shew themselves Vice-Admiral Pen and Rere-Admiral Lawson so well supplied their places as that the Hollanders encountred none but Admirals wheresoever they charged Finally all the English as well Officers as Sea-men behaved themselves wonderously well and had the Honour to obtain joyntly with the Laurels of War the Roses and Olive-branches of a glorious Peace And amongst the rest of the Holland Ships of note the Garland a stout man of War which the Hollanders had formerly taken from the English was laid aboard by the Worcester Frigot and was fired and burnt by her The Triumph and the Andrew of the English side were also boarded by two or three Dutch Fire Ships and received some dammage in their sails and rigging but were quickly again cleared by the Valour and industry of the nearest Ships and some of particular persons As to the Hollands Fleet it seemed to have been all on fire so well did the English Fire Ships second by their dexterity the men of War and the Cries of those who saw their ships rouling and sinking alike were more formidable and loud then the roarings of the Sea so that as they endeavoured to avoid the flames they were sure to finde their deaths in the merciless Waves There were at least twenty Holland men of War burnt and sunk in this fight and almost all their Companies lost although the English took more glory to save them then their valour as it seems had to destroy them the generosity of the English causing them to precipitate themselves midst all dangers whatsoever to save the lives of above a thousand of their enemies amongst which there were six Captains which the Hollanders themselves had abandoned by reason they were not in a capacity to save them Finally the Hollanders seeing so great a number of their ships sunk and lost began to despair of the Victory and the spirits of their men being drowned and fallen they thought it not fitting to expose themselves with the rest of the Fleet to the hazard of a general defeat and rout they faced about and began to bear away with all the possible sail they could make towards the Texel And the English not judging it expedient to engage too far upon the Dutch Coast by reason of the Flats the Winde being also very uncertain and inconstant at that time and moreover their sails and tackling being sufficiently torn and rent they resolved at a Councel of War to set sail with the whole Fleet to Soles-Bay to dispose of such ships as were disabled and to put their wounded Men and Prisoners on shore and sending two small Frigots to observe the Course they steered who kept in sight of them till next morning by break of day when as they steered into Texel Harbor by the favour of certain Boats with Lights which were sent them out to conduct them in The loss which the English sustained in this Fight was of about three hundred men who were slain out-right amongst which there were eight Captains to wit Graves Chapman Tailor Newman Crispe Owen Cox and Peacock the wounded were about seven hundred in number whereof five were Captains viz. Stokes Sea-man Rous Holland and Cabitt who all of them behaved themselves like persons of Courage and Conduct As for the number of the killed and hurt on the Hollanders part we can make no other guess thereat save onely according to the number of the ships which they lost however several Letters from Holland certified that in the Fight they lost about six thousand men This Naval Conflict being the most bloody and most famous Fight which happened between the English and the Hollander since the Wars began did evidently manifest what a kinde of Martial genious it was that had gotten such a transcendency upon the deciding of a Victory and how wise and vigorous a Pilot there was both at the Helm of the State and of the Fleet So likewise the advantages which were obtained by this Victory were very considerable during the conjuncture of Affairs at the present just on the point of an accomodation which also ensued both unto the profit honour and glory of England And in reference thereunto the Parliament did acknowledge this so important and considerable a peace of service by all the marks of honour which could be worthily conferred on persons who had so valiantly acquitted themselves To the Generals Blake Monk Pen and Lawson and to the other Flag Captains Gold Chains were presented as precious tokens of their favour and acknowledgements and to the other Officers of the Fleet silver Meddals were distributed which although they were not of so much value yet they bear as great a weight in the Scales and Ballances of honour and glory And this very Parliament which truly had procured very beneficial Orders in matters of the lesser consequence extreamly advantagious to the people in respect of the small time during which they had been assembled however in the greater concernments they had not so good Fortune there was so much of confusion in their Councels such a contrariety in their opinions such a dissonancy in their actings and disparity in their aims and projections as that this Senate was more like unto a Monster with many heads then a well ordered grand assembly or supreme Councel insomuch that there was little or no appearance it should continue out the prefixed time of their sitting Moreover the chiefest designes by their long and tedious discussions and debates did even perish and vanish through the loss of those urgent actions which are the soul of execution or became publick by a too publick devulging of such secrets as are not usually discovered by