Selected quad for the lemma: lord_n
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A38958
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[An exact] relation of the several engagements and actions of His Majesties fleet, under the command of His Highness Prince Rupert and of all circumstances concerning this summers expedition, anno 1673 / written by a person in command in the fleet.
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Person in command of the fleet.
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1673
(1673)
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Wing E3696; ESTC R7122
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14,855
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23
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close by a Wind with all 〈◊〉 Sayl they could to gain it and so they Tack't again upon the Blew at which time we came near them being about 4. a Clock Then de Ruyter fired a Gun upon which Tromp Tackt with design to make themselves Masters of our Lame Ships viz. The Royal Prince and others the Royal Prince being bravely defended by Sir John Kempthorn and the Earl of Ossory and Assisted by some of the same Squadron This made us lay by for Sir John Kempthorn to get our Fleet in order to Attack the Enemy again and then his Highness put out the Blew Flagg upon the Mizon-Peek which is the usual Signal to bring all the Ships into the Generalls Wake or Grains and sent Ketches Sloops and Boats to Ships that were to windward to Command them in whereupon we bore up and steered in between de Ruyter and our Lame Ships and fired a Gun to some of our own Ships to Windward to bear down but none came near to Assist his Highness but Sir John Kemphorn and my Lord of Ossory so we have reason to believe that except his Highness had comein so happily to the relief the Blew Squadron had been totally lost since they were so Disabled that no more of them but those two Flaggs only were in a condition to give him any Assistance in a further encountring with the Enemy About 5. a Clock de Ruyter with all his Flaggs and Fleet came side by side close up with the Prince so there began a very sharp Engagement his Highness had none besides the Vice-Admiral and Reer-Admiral of the Blew to second him but Sir John Harman Capt Davis in the Triumph Capt Stout in the Warspight and his Highnesses own Division Sir John Holmes in the Rupert Capt. Legg in the Royal Katherine Sir John Berry in the Resolution Sir John Earnley in the Henry Sir Roger Stricklâ—nd in the Mary and Capt. Carter in the Crown a 4th Rate Ship in all not above 13 or 14. Ships The Fight was very sharp and close about 7. a Clock his Highness forced the Enemy into a very great disorder and then sent two Fire-ships amongst them which increased it and if the French who now again lay at a convenient distance to Windward would have obeyed the Prince his Signal and bore down upon the Enemy according to their Duty we must needs have Routed them and Torn them to Pieces It was the plainest and greatest opportunity that ever was lost at Sea The Fight continued till the day was nigh spent and the Sun just setting at which time his Highness seeing my Lord of Ossory and Sir John Kempthorn both in some measure Disabled and none else likely to be Assisting to make a through end of the Business it was high time to carry off our disabled Ships to which purpose he edged off towards them with an easie Sayl and the Dutch laid their heads to the Eastward so the Battel ended When the Night had parted us and the Enemy and no more was to be done came a Messenger from Count d' Estrees the French Admiral to demand Orders and to know what was meant by the Blew Flagg upon the Mizon-Peek though all the English knew and so did his own Vice-Admiral acknowledge and the Instructions for Fighting which the Prince had sent him and others of the French Captains can tell and all the World that he had as much Reason to know it and more Eminently than any of themselves however it was cunningly done of Count d' Estrees by a special Message to compleat the whole affair thus with a perfect Mockery after the Hollanders had stood off to their own Coast As to the Damage on either side great Execution was done upon the Tackle and Rigging by both Parties and divers Ships disabled Tromp shifted his Ship on that Account once and Sir Edward Spragg twice so that when the Royal Prince was disabled he went and set up his Flag in the St. George which becoming disabled also he was fain to take Boat to go on Board the Royal Charles and had not Rowed 〈◊〉 ten Boats length but a Bullet came and broke his Boat They made back again as fast as they could but before they could get within throw of the Ropes the Boat sunk and Sir Edward Spragg was drowned though when he was taken up his Head and Shoulders were found above Water his Arms having taken so dead a hold of some part of the Boat that they could not dis-engage him from it Neither we nor the French lost one Ship of War only the Henrietta Yatch was sunk by the side of my Lord of Ossory Of the slain we are to reckon Captain Leneve Captain Merryweather of the Duke of Buckinghams Regiment being Foot-Officers and Mr. May a Volunteer Of Sea-Commanders Sir William Reeves a person of great bravery one that from his youth had been Educated by his Highness and who had constantly attended him with high Courage and Fidelity in all Fortunes by Sea and Land so that he arrived to the skill and made good the Character of a Gallant Commander and Captain Heywar a Gallant old Sea man both dyed of their wounds which were all of note that we hear of In his Highness's own Ship were sixty men slain and dangerously wounded What the Enemy lost was hard to determine but two of their great Ships of 70. and 60. Guns were lost in our sight the one sunk by Sir John Kempthorne Two of the Dutch Flag-Officers with several Captains were slain and of Common Sea-men a very considerable number Now having run over all the particulars of this Summers Action let us pause a little and consider the Heroick behaviour of this Excellent Prince how Gloriously he acquitted himself in all the parts of a great General and whether it were possible for any Man under such Circumstances to do more then he hath done In the midst of so many Intrigues of Opposition here at home so many delays of his Commission so few Powers contained in it such scantly number of Sea-men so little assurance of divers Chief Commanders such failure of Provisions such want of Ammunition and all other Necessaries such deceit of Navy-Officers such non-observance of Orders at Sea amongst his own English and so manifest defections of the French not to be Staggered in his Resolutions nor to be put out of all Patience and Prudence in Action nor to abate of his Affection and Zeal for the Honour and Service of His Majesty the safeguard and Interest of Religion and the Kingdom in a season when so many Popish Projectors plaid a Game under board and above too will be an everlasting Argument of his Highnesses Valour and Renown and must needs be a strong Obligation upon the King the Parliament and People of England who are now left to judge whether it was not a wonderful good Providence of God and one of the most memorable pieces of Service ever done at Sea to surmount all those difficulties and even Envy it self and after all to bring home the Fleet Royal of England without the loss of one Man of War to her own Shore in Safety in despight of all Enemies that designed otherwise by Sea and Land Tantum potuit unius viri virtus fortuna FINIS