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| March 4. |
The Earl of Sandwich to Samuel Pepys. Praying him to
move Mr. Wren that Busken, one of his lieutenants, may have
a vessel to go and press men in the river's mouth and bring
them to Portsmouth to his ship, and praying Pepys himself
to give all the furtherance he can in getting men. [S.P. Supplementary 137, No. 318.] |
March 13.
The Francis at Spithead. |
Capt. Thomas Willshaw to the Navy Commissioners. The
Francis has safely arrived here, which came out with Sir Edward
Spragg from Cadiz 15th ult. and on the 27th in latitude 46°, they
sailing somewhat better and their victuals growing short, as I
suppose, they all made the best of their way. I hope you have an
account of their safe arrival before now. I have but little news.
Tuesday morning off Poole I fell in with seven ships, Swedes
and Hamburgers. Presently after I met with Capt. Clarke in
the Nightingale and we brought them by the lee and presently
he sent four of them into the Isle of Wight. I saw off the Lizard
a Dutch dogger, which lay looking for their fleet, and those
Hamburgers informed me that it, consisting of twenty or thirty
sail, was not above twenty leagues behind them. Our ship being
very foul I desire your order for cleaning her and for some other
necessaries we want. [Ibid. No. 319.] |
March 14.
The Revenge a the Downs. |
Capt. John Hart to Matthew Wren. According to my orders
from Sir Edward Spragg, I yesterday was setting sail, the weather
being pretty fair for Portsmouth. In the interim came advice
by the Drake that Sir Robert Holmes was engaged with the Dutch
off Beachy, on which myself and the rest of the frigates here
made all the way we could towards him, the wind W. Night
coming on, we could not get sight of them, but in the morning
at 6 we met with Sir Robert in the Gloucester, the St. Michael
being very much disabled. He ordered me forthwith to make
way to her and take care of her and accompany her to the
Downs, where we arrived about 2 this afternoon. The wind
is now W. and blows hard, but I shall neglect no opportunity
to follow my first order without a contradiction from you. Sir
Robert told me all the Dutch were passed home, having the
opportunity of the night for their escape, or else I doubt not
we might have given a very good account of them. I presume
Sir Robert and the rest in the action will give you a particular
account. We left him with some other frigates off Fairlight this
morning, he intending to go into the Fairfax. [Ibid. No. 320.] |
March 15.
The Adventure in the Downs. |
Capt. John Tyrwhitt to Matthew Wren. I intended yesterday
to send you the enclosed, but my boats were both busy pressing
men and, Capt. Turner failing to send me a Deal yawl as he
promised, I could have no opportunity till now, so that Capt.
Turner being present when Sir R. Holmes' order came and
having written the same to you. I hope the fault is not so great.
According to the order I weighed and sailed all night but could
meet with none till this morning when we met with our own
ships and were ordered back with the St. Michael and Resolution.
To-night we expect Sir Robert here with the rest of his squadron.
The Dutch are gone to their own ports. [Ibid. No. 321.] |
March 15.
The Success in the Downs. |
Capt. George Watson to Matthew Wren. Being arrived in the
Downs and Sir Robert Holmes being bound in, we having never
a boat could not go on board him, our boat being shot away
and our mizen yard also and our foreyard shot. Our ship being
extremely foul will neither bear up nor stay and we have not
half our complement on board and those sickly by reason of
the long voyage and want of clothes, above forty being left sick
at Portsmouth with twenty on board the Earl of Sandwich. You
may judge in what condition we are to keep at sea. I desire
to know whether we shall return to Portsmouth or go elsewhere.
[Ibid. No. 322.] |
March 15.
The York in the Downs. |
Capt. Thomas Eliot to Matthew Wren. The 8th we weighed
from St. Helens and stood to sea under the command of Sir
R. Holmes in company with Lord Ossory in the Resolution and
some other ships. We plied between the island and Cap de
Hogue but found nothing worth your knowledge till last Wednesday, when we met with a fleet of Hollanders of about seventy sail,
whereof seven were men-of-war. In the evening Sir Robert
engaged them, where we had a warm dispute but at night left off
and kept by them till morning. Then we began again and for
above three hours there was a hot dispute, in which the York was
made unserviceable for present service, but I conceive all things
can be repaired, the ship being kept afloat. Our mainmast is shot,
so that there will be a necessity of having a new one as likewise
a main topmast. We have neither mainyard nor foreyard, both
being shot to pieces. Our fore and mizen topmasts are likewise
shot and new ones will be necessary. Our bowsprit is shot
through but may be made fit again. We are so slenderly manned
that it is more than we can well do to work the ship, especially
in service or foul weather. I hope a supply of masts, yards
and other things will be speedily ready for us. I have not
had the help of one man but what came out of the Reserve and
the watermen, most of whom are more fit to be nursed than to
serve at sea, and my whole complement did not amount at the
beginning of our engaging to above 200 men and boys and our
whole loss has fallen on our best seamen. Capt. Holmes laid
one of their men-of-war on board and carried her. She was of
44 guns but so torn that about two hours afterwards she sank.
I have betwixt forty and fifty prisoners who belonged to her
on board. Just now the carpenter tells me the foremast is shot
through in two places and we must have a new one. [1½ pages.
Ibid. No. 323.] |
March 15.
Dover. |
Capt. John Wyborne to Matthew Wren. About 8 yesterday
morning Capt. Hamilton and myself met with Sir Robert Holmes
sorely engaged with the Hollanders, the St. Michael very much
torn and disabled. They have likewise disabled our main topmast under the cap. Our sails and rigging are very much
tottered and not in a very good condition to keep the sea and
I have nothing to repair them with. Sir Robert ordered me to
keep by the St. Michael and the Hollands man-of-war the Gloucester had taken. Half an hour after we came up with the
Hollands man-of-war, she immediately sank but most of her
men were saved. The number lost I know not. I am come
to Dover but finding no orders will repair to my station off
Dungeness, if my mast does not fail me. [Ibid. No. 324.] |
March 16.
The Drake in the Downs. |
Capt. John Temple to Matthew Wren. Last Wednesday
evening being disabled in our engagement Sir Robert commanded me with several of my men aboard him and thence
removed me to be under Lord Ossory in the Resolution, where I
continued till we came for the Downs. I request (in regard his
lordship) has ordered me for Deptford) an order for a new mizenmast, rigging, cleaning and tallowing, my mizenmast being lost
and she never being cleaned nor tallowed. I imagine it needless
to give you an account of the engagement. [Ibid. No. 325.] |
|
Summary of the damage sustained by the six ships mentioned
in the last six letters. [Ibid. No. 326.] |
March 16.
Whitehall. |
Matthew Wren to the Navy Commissioners. By his Royal
Highness' commands I desire your opinion which of the yards
is most fit for the Golden Hand to come to, she having on board
most of the stores designed for Tripoli, Sir E. Spragg having
offered his opinion for her coming into Dover. He has also
commanded me to signify his pleasure that you send down to
Sheerness topmasts, fishes and what else you think necessary
for the supply of the ships lately engaged with the Dutch. [Ibid.
No. 327.] |
March 16.
Ordnance Office. |
The Officers of the Ordnance to Sir Thomas Chicheley, Master
General of the Ordnance. Having received two letters from the
Navy Office of the 14th and 16th pressing us to dispatch the
fireworks for the fireships, on calling five gunners of the nine fireships as yet ordered before us yesterday they gave it under their
hands that the ships named in the margin will not be ready
for their fireworks till the 22nd, which answer was returned to
the Navy Office desiring them to make haste with their fireships,
all our fireworks being ready for them. The gunners of the
three last ships have not yet so much as appeared at the office,
of which we also sent them word. We also give you the enclosed
account of how the ships are supplied and how they are going
on at Chatham, that, if you think fit, you may give his Royal
Highness an account thereof and that there is no stay in this
office. Many of the fireships have not bulkheads yet put up,
others have not their ballast in nor any of them troughs fixed
on their lower decks for the compositions for fireworks to be
laid in. [Ibid. No. 328.] Enclosed, |
|
Mr. Duxberry's account of the ships fitted and fitting at
Chatham. [Ibid. No. 328 i.] |
March 16.
Ordnance Office. |
The Officers of the Ordnance to the Navy Commissioners.
(The purport sufficiently appears from the last letter.) [Ibid.
No. 329.] |
| March 20. |
Affidavit by St. John Clerke, an attorney in the King's Remembrancer's office, that the prefixed account is a true one of all
moneys received by him by virtue of the Act for laying impositions on proceedings at law from the first day of Michaelmas
term, 1671, to the first day of Hilary term following. [S.P.
Supplementary 135, No. 57.] |
| March 23. |
Certificate by the rector and churchwardens of the parish of
Anmer that the respective houses of the six persons therein named
are not of greater value than 20s. per annum and that each of
them is not worth 10l. and that the said houses have not above
two chimneys. [Ibid. No. 58.] |
March 23.
Whitehall. |
The Earl of Sandwich to Samuel Pepyes. I desire you to
acquaint the rest of the Navy Commissioners that, the Duke
having appointed the Monmouth to attend the ship under my
command, it will be very necessary for the encouragement of
her men to have their arrears paid them before they go to sea.
As it is to be suddenly, I desire they may be paid and dispatched
with what they want for the service. [S.P. Supplementary 137,
No. 330.] |
| March 30. |
Sir John Harman to the Navy Commissioners. The last
sitting day I gave you an account of the decease of the master
of the Charles and understand you referred it to me to choose
one out of any of the 4th, 3rd or 2nd rates. My knowledge of
the sufficiency of the master of the Dover, whose name I do not
remember, makes me desire, if you think fit, that he be removed
into the Charles. [Ibid. No. 331.] Probably annexed, |
|
Trinity House certificate of the competency of Edward Gamping
of Wapping. With note that he was appointed master of the
Dover and afterwards of the Charles. [Ibid. No. 331 i.] |
| [March ?] |
François Durant de Bréval to Sir Joseph Williamson. When
the Prince of Orange visited Cambridge (Nov., 1670) you sent my
name that I might be received doctor on such a favourable occasion
without its costing me any thing. I was accepted and admitted
with the four or five others recommended, but have not yet been
able to have my letters, because some formalities are remaining
for the installation for which my presence on the spot is necessary and which I am not allowed to perform by a proctor, which
would spare me the trouble and expense. This is what you have
several times endeavoured to procure for me through Dr. Turner,
but, as I see no effect thereof and my letters do not come, I
thought I ought to inform you, that you may take the steps
you think proper. I pursue this matter only because it pleases
you and because it is unbecoming that a work you have undertaken should remain imperfect through my neglect. It is only
a title and is of little use without the means to sustain it honourably. I have reason to believe that your friendship is too real
to be contented with having procured me only a name, when I
have such need of something more solid. It will be necessary
I think in the letters of doctor to have all my names inserted.
(See Dr. Turner's letter of 7 March, 1671–2, in Cal. S.P. Dom.,
1671–72, p. 184.) [French. S.P. Dom., Car. II. 441, No. 99.] |
