Britainy had heard of the Arrival of the Hollanders he hastily drew together 4000 Peasants which the next Day were reinforced with 4000 more and 400 Gentlemen on Horseback who came from Landernau Guanove and S. Renans and besides that he dispatched a Courier to the Marquess of Coetlogon with orders to throw himself into Belle-Isle which he accordingly did with 600 Foot and 80 Gentlemen On the 24th the Dutch Fleet anchored on the East-side of the Castle in 13 Fathom Water There came likewise to the Fleet a small English Ship which reported There were 8000 Men in Arms in the Island which was also confirmed by the French Sounder that was taken But it being found afterwards that their Number in reality was but 3000 the Dutch resolved upon a Descent But first the Count de Horn sent a Trumpeter with a Summons to the Governour of the Isle who returned in the Afternoon with this Answer That both he the said Governour and all the Inhabitants were resolved to defend themselves to the last Extremity in case the Island were attacked The Dutch attack Belle-Isle On the 26th Lieutenant Admiral Tromp and the Count de Horn took a Boat and went and viewed in what Places it would be most proper to make a Descent and when they came back to the Fleet they ordered the Land-Troops to be in Readiness for the next Day with a Design to make then an Attempt in case the Wind proved favourable And accordingly on the 27th at Break of Day the Signal was given for it upon which all the Galliots being filled with Soldiers approached the Shore in order to make a Descent by Favour of the Fire made by the Guns of their Men of War The Dutch being landed found much less Resistance than they expected tho' the French had made double Retrenchments and posted in them numerous Guards and that besides there was a Hill in the way very steep and difficult of Ascent As soon as the Troops were landed they drew up in order of Battle and advanced towards the Castle and when they came within Musket-shot of it because it was now Evening they made a Halt In the mean while a Detachment that had been sent ascouting out of the Castle no sooner heard of the Approach of the Dutch but they turned back in all haste and retired again into the Fortress On the other side a part of the Fleet approaching as near as could be to the Castle fired furiously at it which the French did their best to answer in the like kind On the 28th the Dutch went and encampt at Soison where they seized on all the Cattle of the Country and sent them to the Fleet The same Day the Admirals Bankert and Van Nes were commanded to move to the Westward of the Castle where it was lowest On the 29th a Bark belonging to the Castle came out to the Fleet with a White Flag and brought a Letter from de Lorgerie to the Dutch Generals to let them know that he wanted Refreshments and that if they would give him leave for two or three Fishing Vessels they should catch Fish for him and them too but Admiral Tromp would by no means grant his Request On the 30th Tromp sent another Trumpeter to the Castle To desire the Release of some Dutch Prisoners in consideration that the Count de Horn had already released a great Number of theirs both Men Women and Children Upon which Demand the Governour sent back 17 Soldiers and Seamen and one Drummer who venturing to straggle too far from the Army were taken by the French and because in so doing they had transgressed their Orders two of them at their Return were hanged for an Example The Dutch after having staid two Days upon the Island resolved at length to reimbark again without attempting any thing more upon the Castle because they thought it would cost too much Time formally to besiege it They carried off with them only three Pieces of Cannon from the Island to the Fleet. On the 2d of July they unmoored and on the 3d came to an Anchor in the Bay of Bourgneuf right against Narmourtiers and employed the rest of the Day in making the necessary Preparations in order to a Descent the next Morning In the mean while Admiral Tromp took Boat and went and viewed where it might be most proper to attempt it The Enemies had made several Retrenchments upon the Shore and had placed there their Musqueteers On the 4th the Signal was given for Landing and thereupon all the Troops getting into Boats for that purpose approached the Shore to which they were forced to climb up over Rocks or wade through the Water as high as their middles The French at the first Approach of the Dutch fired something briskly upon them but as soon as they saw them advance and march towards them with an undaunted Resolution they deserted their Retrenchments and retired a great way up into the Country They likewise quitted the Castle of the Island so that the Hollanders were all landed about 7 in the Evening and put up the Prince's Colours upon the Castle and upon the Mills They found 17 Pieces of Cannon planted along the Shore which were sent to the Fleet and 12 Ships that had been forced to run aground The Dutch in landing had but 135 Mâ—n killed and wounded Officers and all The Prisoners reported there were 5000 Men ready to pass into the Island from the firm Land and that 500 of them were already arrived Upon those Advices the Count de Horn hastned the March of his Troops with a Resolution to oppose their Passage leaving Captain Brakel with 3 Companies of Seamen and 60 Musqueteers in the Castle and Captain Hardenbrock with Admiral Tromp's Company of Seamen in the Abbey to guard those Posts The Army being arrived towards Evening to the Place by which the French were to pass found they were all retired back into the firm Land where there appeared a Body of the Enemies Horse and Foot But the Army wanting Water they were obliged to remove and encamp an Hours March back from thence leaving Mr. Zomersdyk with 400 men to secure that Post On the 5th of July 2 Brigantines built Galley-wise and well armed that were sent from Rochelle arrived at the Island and not knowing the Dutch had made a Descent there without any Fear approached the Shore Mr. de Zomersdyk at the Sight of them posting himself with 60 Musketeers behind a Rising Ground made a Shew with his Men as if they had been French the better to amuse and decoy them whilst on the other side the Dutch fell upon them so suddenly that they were forced to yield That Island contains about 1000 Houses and is not above 250 Paces distant from the main Land so that the French on the one side and the Hollanders on the other could mutually cannonade one another For when the Tide is low the space between Bouin and Beauvoir which is in the main Land
de Ruiter had with him and Tromp's Squadron was able to make no more Resistance against them whereas in spite of their Cannonadings the intended Junction was effected The matter passed almost in the same manner as it did the year before for by the motion we made two English ships were separated from the rest whereof one was sunk to which I my self without bragging contributed the most and the other was so shattered by de Ruiter that the Enemies finding her no longer able to keep the Sea set fire to her In the mean while the two Fleets being got together again the fight was renewed and we engaged together three times more firing perpetually at one another till the dusk of the evening And then the English losing Courage did not think fit to charge us any more but tackt away to the East-ward in the mean while we chaced them as far as the Calm Weather and the approach of the night would permit us On Sunday Morning the Wind was fair and the Wind turned to the East and we pursued the English again till 4 a Clock in the afternoon the most part of which retreated towards the West-South-West in pretty good order And then they were reinforced by Prince Robert s Squadron consisting of 20 Men of War coming from the South-ward In the mean time whilst we were chacing them Sir George Ayschew's Ship Admiral of the White Squadron call'd the Royal Prince carrying 92 Guns was stranded at the mouth of the Thames and yielded to Lieutenant Admiral Tromp without firing so much as a Gun which after we had taken out of her the Admiral and his men we burnt On Monday the 14th in the morning the English having received a Reinforcement of a fresh Squadron took new Courage and came and attackt us again De Ruiter thereupon having summoned all his Captains on board the Admiral Ship Recommended to them their duty and the honour of their Country after which we renewed the fight again and having the Weather-gage we resolved to break through the Enemies Fleet and by that means quickly to put them to the Rout. But the English Received us with much Resolution and Bravery and it may be said that there and then it was that the Valour of all in General and of every one in particular was seen to appear in its full Lustre After the Fight had been vigorously maintained till 4 a Clock our Fleet was divided into two Parts For de Ruiter at the Head of one of them made a Motion above the Enemies Fleet whilst the other had order to keep below them with Design to enclose them We had scarce past by the half of the English Fleet but we fell upon them and broke through them from the one end to the other with so much Fury that they were presently put to the Rout. And then it was there was a sad Spectacle to be seen of dead and wounded men and a terrible harvest of Masts mown down and of Sails and all sorts of tackle tumbled into the Sea as well on the one side as the other About 6 in the Evening the Enemies betook themselves wholly to flight and we gave them chace Being advanced near Prince Robert we boarded one of the Enemies Ships called the Havertuin carrying 56 Guns which yielded in sight of Prince Robert he not daring to come to her Assistance but contented himself with killing me one Seaman and shooting of the Arm of another And besides the ship I took the same evening there were 4 more taken in my sight In the mean while the whole English Fleet was entirely dispersed and every one of them sought to save themselves by a nimble retreat the Sea was covered with wandering Vessels the most of them steering Westward Admiral Monk and an English Rear Admiral lost their main Masts so that I doubt not but they will fall to day into our hands and so much the rather that every one of them minding only their own preservation before that of any one else they were seen to scamper about with precipitation without taking any care what destiny befell the rest In fine we have all the reason in the World to thank God for the signal Victory we have newly obtained and for having so powerfully protected our Arms to the destruction of our Enemies c. These Letters how Authentick soever they were met with no credit in England And on the contrary it was noised throughout all the Kingdom that they had defeated the Enemies Fleet and chaced the Hollanders as far as into the very Havens of Zealand Nay that they had mist but little of taking Admiral de Ruiter's Ship as indeed they had had they minded their business and Tromp too that the Dutch had lost in that fight 40 Ships and at least 6000 men whereas the loss of the English was reduced to but 4 men of War 3 Captains some few Seamen or Soldiers killed and about 300 wounded that their Fleet was but very little endamaged and would be fit to put to Sea again in 15 days at furthest c. The people of Brabant Cologne and Hamborough were credulous enough to believe all those false reports But in a little time after they found by experience the vanity of those English Boasts by the great number of the dead and wounded of which all the Harbours of Great Britain were full Their Great Ships were so miserably shattered that the people were by publick prohibition Restrained from going into the Ports tho' out of meer curiosity The Soveraign the Royal Charles the Catharine and several others were mown close to their very Hulls The Rainbow who saved her self by flying towards the Coasts of Flanders after she had put her dead and wounded men on shore at Ostend retired by stealth tho' with much ado into Dover Admiral Ayschew was made Prisoner Barklay Mings and Herman killed Prince Robert Monk Allen and Smith having had their ships most grievously shattered sought shelter in the Ports of the Gunfleet Norbay c. Thus because each party claimed the Glory of that Action and the Honour of the Victory and that the English proceeded so far as to publish a Relation Printed by Authority of which the whole design was to prepossess peoples minds with an opinion that they had had the advantage The States on their side thought fit to undeceive the Publick by an Authentick Relation Authorized by the pretended faithfull Report of all the General and Inferiour Officers in their Fleet. Which Pensioner de Wit and Vrybergen Vander Houlk Kann and Gerlacius the Deputies and Plenipotentiaries of the States and who were no less fruitfull in invention than any of the English Courtiers were appointed to draw it up And as soon as it was publisht they sent copies into all the Courts of Europe to let all Princes see that the Bonfires and other dissembling Rejoycings of the English tended only to the unjust usurping to themselves a Triumph all the Glory of which if they
to be nearer hand to observe the Dutch Fleet that was expected on the English Coasts The Wind being easterly the English kept during the Night before Alborough at about 5 Miles distance from the Shore about Midnight the Duke of York received Advice That the Dutch Fleet steering towards the South-east was making directly up to him and was not above 6 Miles from him upon which News the English made all their loaden Ships retire towards the Shore and the Dutch on their side endeavoured to get the Weather-gage The 12th of the same Month the Wind being at East the Dutch were at about 5 Miles Distance from the English to the South-eastward and then the Wind turning to the South-west continued so all Night and the two Fleets met before Laystoff at about 8 Miles distance from the English Shore That Night a Dutch Fire-ship took Fire by the Imprudence of him that commanded it who was got drunk which Accident the English took for a happy Presage of Victory to them However the Dutch Fleet in spite of the Disadvantage of the Wind of which the English were Masters during the whole Fight fell upon Prince Robert's Squadron that was backt by Vice-Admiral Mings The Duke of York's Squadron formed the main Battle and that of the Earl of Sandwich made up the Rear The Battle begun at 3 in the Morning Admiral Opdam vigorously broke through Prince Robert's Squadron being followed by Lieutenant Admiral Kortenaar Lieutenant Admiral John Evertsz Vice-Admiral Cornelius Tromp Stellingwerf Bastian Senten c. The two Fleets engaged in streight Lines without throwing themselves into Crescents and so reciprocally broke through one another remaining still in Presence one of the other without rallying presently to make a fresh Charge The Wind was West and the English were towards the North-west and the Dutch to the South-westward the two Fleets broke through one another the second time at 6 in the Morning And because the Duke of York's Squadron kept still the Weather-gage without engaging in Fight it was impossible for the Dutch to win that Advantage from them but it fared not in the like manner with that of Prince Robert which was broken through by the Hollanders But the two Fleets having till then done nothing but canonaded one another afar off at length the Earl of Sandwich advancing about one in the Afternoon separated the Dutch Fleet in two and then the two Fleets coming to a closer Fight and firing at one another very fiercely Admiral Opdam boarded the Royal Charles in which was the Duke of York in Person and those two Admirals thundred at one another so furiously with continual Broad-sides that the Earl of Falmouth and the Lord Muskerry and Mr. Boyle and some of that Princes Footmen were killed by the Duke of York's Side and he himself was slightly wounded in the Hand which was dyed with the Blood of Mr. Boyle and just then as they were distributing the Cartridges in Admiral Opdam's Powder-room an unlucky Shot coming as is said from a small English Ship Admiral Opdum blown up commanded by one Smith afterwards Sir Jeremy Smith who in that nick of Time seeing the Duke's Danger had unperceivedly stole under the Dutch Admiral 's Side set Fire to his Powder and blew him up in a moment with all his Men excepting only 5 about 3 in the Afternoon Mr. Opdam had not as yet been wounded when this fatal Disaster happened to him but he perished on that unhappy occasion However the Hull of his Ship after having floated some time was towed off into the Vlie This sudden and unexpected Loss of Admiral Opdam put the Hollanders in a great Consternation and extremely raised the Courage and Hopes of the English and that so much the more because till then the Victory seemed to waver and to be uncertain for which Side to declare And that dismal Accident was soon followed by a second for 3 Dutch Men of War viz. the Marsseveen commanded by Captain Reus the Tergoes by Captain the Kruining and Swanenburg by Captain Kuiper happened to be intangled together so strongly and the two latter imprudently falling foul upon the Prow of the Marsseveen engaged themselves so fast to her Fore-mast that it was impossible to part them tho' 200 of their Seamen did all they could with their Axes to do it which Disorder being perceived by the English they resolving not to lose the Opportunity of making their Advantage of it immediately detacht away a Fireship to burn them which accordingly fastning upon the Tergoes and Swanenburg both new-built Ships presently set them on Fire and the Flames swiftly passing to the Marsseveen reduced them all three to Ashes At which Disaster the Seamen leapt all into the Sea and the Fire soon after gaining to their Powder the 3 Ships were blown up into the Air. Captain Reus leapt into a Boat but yet could not save himself In the mean while at that Spectacle the English cry'd out You Rogues you Fellows you must be killed The Master George Thomas with some others that could swim saved themselves in a deserted Boat and got to Scheveling At the beginning of the Fight Tromp being seconded by the Captains Tierk Hâ—ddes and Swart so miserably battered the English Ship called the Charity Captain Wilkinson Commander that soon after she became an easie Prey to Captain Haan and 90 of her Seamen leaping into a Long-boat were afterwards conducted to Harwich In the mean time the Duke of York observing that some Dutch Ships made shew as if they had no great Stomach to come on to charge again sent Lawson with some English Men of War to attack them but he found so much Resistance from them that having one of his Knees all shattered to pieces he was carried to Shore and died Bastian Senten that commanded the Ship called the Orange finding himself alone among the Enemies fought with all the Bravery imaginable For he had the Courage to board the Mountague and took her and pulling down her blue Flag he put up the Princes Flag in stead of it which he kept up above an Hour according to the faithful Report of all that were Spectators of so bold an Action But the Mountague was afterwards regained by the Royal James of the White Squadron where the Earls of Marlborough and Portland lost their Lives And at last the Orange after she had signalized herself against Captain Smith that commanded the Mary was burnt and blown up and her Captain Bastian Senten died of his Wounds Admiral John Evertsz stoutly attacked the Ships Speaker and Charles that seconded the Duke of York and did them very much damage and the Admiralship it self commanded by the Duke of York was very near being burnt by a Fireship had she not by a dextrous and nimble turn avoided it Captain Koenders likewise fought with much undauntedness as did also Stellingwerf This latter had his Body cut off in the middle with a Cannon Bullet Lieutenant-Admiral Kortenaar said at the
at Schooneveld from whence Lieutenant Admiral Tromp writ the following Letter to the States High and Mighty Lords YEsterday at 11 a Clock Tromp's Letter to the States having weighed Anchor with an East-Wind the Holland Fleet made a Motion in order to approach the Enemies who unmoored at the same time and made away with full sail from us to avoid a Fight Scarcely had we joyn'd them but our Squadron which had the Van engaged with the Enemies Blue Squadron which begun about 4 a Clock in the Afternoon The Shock was fierce and obstinate and was not discontinued but by the approach of the Night A little while after I had begun the Attack Lieutenant Admiral General de Ruiter and Lieutenant Admiral Bankert engaged likewise and fought vigorously We chaced the Enemy as far as within 5 Miles of Solbay Night being come on we tackt about and steered towards Schooneveld which is the Place of our General Rendezvous It is not to be expressed how much Courage and Affection the whole Fleet testifies We saw one great English Ship burnt and several more are extremely endamaged As to what passed in other Squadrons your High and Mightinesses will doubtless be soon informed of it to which we referr our selves I do not see we have lost any one Ship We pray God Almighty to be pleased more and more to bless the Glorious Government of your High and Mightinesses c. This second Battle cost the Enemies according to their own Report about 3000 Men that were killed or wounded Two Days after that great Action the Deputies of the States coming on Board a Council of War was called in order to take new Resolutions about what it were best to undertake that might be useful and advantageous to the State Where the Conduct of Vice-Admiral Sweers in the last Battle was brought in Question which caused great Disputes between Tromp and Sweers and they were pusht on with so great a Transport of Heat and Animosity by Tromp that it was to be feared they would have been attended with very ill Consequences Tromp accuses Vice-Admiral Sweers of not doing his Duty Lieutenant Admiral Tromp upbraided Sweers to his Face That he had not done his Duty through a shameful Cowardice which had made him turn his Back before the Enemies And he alledged That the said Vice-Admiral going foremost with a part of his Squadron had not attackt the Enemy as he ought and further that he had not maintained the Attack neither when he was engaged any better than he had begun because he kept still so to the Windward that the Captains that were under him were forced to quit him and to veer back and joyn him the said Tromp as all those Captains could faithfully testifie To that Vice-Admiral Sweers answered in his Justification That the Damages his Ship had suffered as well as the great number of Men he had killed and wounded on Board him sufficed to clear him from the Injustice and cruel Outrage done to his Reputation since by that it might easily be seen he was hotly engaged with the Enemies at the Beginning of the Fight but that at last his Main-topmost being shot down he was forced much against his Will to retire in order to repair his Damages That in such an occasion it was impossible for him to change his Ship because that of Captain Jong was as much disabled as his own and that besides the Frigats that seconded him were too small to put his Flag up in And that he made Oath before God that he was not guilty of the Crime imputed to him but that he had performed as well as any Man in the Fleet. And the Quarrel between these two Generals grew so hot that they would have proceeded from Words to Blows had it not been for the Respect they were obliged to have for the Deputies of the States who were there present and who to prevent the mischievous Consequences that might follow from those Differences ordered Cornelius Evertsz Van Nes and John Dik accompanied with Van Wouw the Fiscal of the Fleet to go on Board Vice-Admiral Sweers Ship to examine the Damages he had suffered and to report them to the Council of War Lieutenant Admiral Tromp fortified his Accusation with 14 Depositions which were receiv'd and which all amounted only to this viz. That they had seen Vice-Admiral Sweers to the Windward a great way off from the rest and knew not the Reason of it Vice-Admiral Sweers replied to all that in the first Place by a List of the Losses and Damages his Ship had suffered authorized by the Attestation of the Commissioners appointed to examine them who loudly declared That if the Ship had been their own they must have been constrained to act in the same manner as Sweers had done In the second place he produced a list of his killed and wounded men which were to the Number of 32 of the latter and 11 of the former which was attested by the Chirurgeons of his ship The Prince of Orange taking that affair to heart sent word to the Council of War that he desired them to put it off till some further time that he might himself be fully informed of the whole truth of it Tromp and Sweers professed themselves well satisfied with it and promised to conform to his Highnesses orders and that was the end of the dispute between those two Generals On the 19th of the month upon advice that the Royal fleets were retired into the Thames Rear Admiral de Haan was detacht away with a Squadron of 12 men of War 2 fire-ships and 4 Advice Yachts with order to observe them And he reported at his return that he had heard from a pilot of Lubeck that came from London on the 16th that the two Hostile fleets were riding near Sheerness to the Number of about 70 men of War and that they were to go up the River as far as Tilbury Hope to take on board 30000 men of Regular Troops in order to attempt a descent upon the Coasts of Zealand and that there were already 20 ships ready On the 27th the two fleets of England and France put to Sea again being 150 sail strong viz. 80 English and 28 French men of War The Dutch fleet on the other side were but 100 sail in all including the Reinforcements they had lately received but however in that dangerous Juncture they resolved notwithstanding the inequality of their Forces to go and meet the Enemies and give them Battle And on thâ— 1st of August they met them but the Enemiâ—s who intended nothing less than an Engagement endeavoured to avoid a fight Lieutenant Admiral Tromp whose Squadron had the Van fired several Guns at them to invite them to an Engagement and presented them Battle but that was not their design The Hollanders observing the Enemies behaviour presumed it to be a Stratagem they played to make shew as if they fled only to draw the Dutch away from the Coasts of