UPon Monday, the 11th. of August, at Day-break, we say the Dutch Fleet about a League and a Half to Windward, being then at E. S. E. fair Weather, and not far from the Shoar, at which time both their Fleet and ours were standing to the Northward. About Six of the Clock, I put Aboard the Signal for our Fleet to Tack to the South; which they did. Then the French had the Van, and my Self was in the Middle, and Sir Edward Sprage in the Rear. About the same time the Dutch Fleet Bore down upon us; and De Ruyter sent the Vice-Admiral of Zealand, with Seven Men of War to Engage the whole French Squadron: Admiral Trump with his Squadron (being about Twenty Six Men of War, and Seven Fire-ships) En­gaged Sir Edward Sprage: And the Blew Squadron (who laid their Top-sail to the Mast to stay for them) contrary to my [Page 4]Express Order, and his own Duty. De Ruyter, and Ban­kuret, with all the rest of the Fleet, Fire-ships, and Men of War, came on upon Me, and my Squadron. About Eight of the Clock the Fight began, and about Nine there fell a Fog, with small Rain, which Continued till Twelve of the Clock: Then it Cleared up, and the Wind came to the South, which put the French Squadron (being a Head) to VVindward of the Dutch: At which time all the French (having the Wind) in stead of Tacking and Engaging the Enemy (as I expected from them) stood away to the S. E. the VVind then at S. S. VV. and stood full Two Leagues away before they Tacked again, and the Vice-Admiral of Zealand had lest them, and came down upon us. At this time I saw Sir John Chichley, Reer-Admiral of the Red, to Leeward a great way: The whole Force of De Ruyters, and Bankurets Squadrons, lay upon my Division, and Sir John Harmons; the Enemy having left off Sir John Chichley, and his Division, so that about Twelve a Clock I had upon me De Ruyter, and his Squadron on my Lee-quarter, and the Zealand Squadron upon my Broad-side, to the VVind­ward. Having Fought thus some time with both my Broad­sides, to VVindward and to Leeward, I edg'd down towards the Reer-Admiral of the Red, forcing the Enemy to give me way, and so Joyned with them.

After this, about Two a Clock, I discovered the Blew Squadron at a distance near three Leagues to Leeward, bearing N. N. E. and I not knowing what condition the Suadron was in, and finding the Guns not well plied, I made all the Sail I could to them, both to Joyn the Fleet, and to Help them, if Occasion required; the VVind then being S. S. VV. De Ruyter no sooner perceived my Resolutions, but he Bore away with all the Fleet to the Relief of Trump, so that we came Down side by side within Range of Cannon Shot, without Firing on either side. And as we were Sail­ing down, we saw a great many of the Blew Squadron; which [Page 5]we judged had received so no Damaage, to VVindward of the Body, and likewise some of the Red, to which I Fired a Gun for them to Bear down to us: Notwithstanding which, they did not. About Four a Clock, we came near the Blew Squadron, where we found the Royal Prince wholly disabled, her Main-mast, Mizen-mast, and the Fore-top-mast Shot away, and discovered more Ships disabled. The Vice-Ad­miral of the Blew mending her Rigging, the Reer-Admiral (the Earl of Ossery) lying a Stern of the Royal Prince, be­tween her and the Enemy, and two Friggots by him; upon which I sent immediately two Frigots to take the Royal Prince in a Toow, Trumps Squadron lying to the Eastward of them, some of them disabled in their Top-masts, and Yards, part of his Squadron with the Vice-Admiral, and Reer-Admiral standing to the Eastward, close to the wind with all the Sail they could to gain them, so I Tacked again upon the Blew: when we came near them (being about Four a Clock) De Ruyter fired a Gun, upon which Trump Taced, and De Ruyter bore down with all the Sail he could with all his whole Fleet, to make himself Master of our lame Ships. Upon which we lay by before to the windward of Sir John Kemp­thorn, to get our Fleet in Order to Ataque the Enemy again; I putting out the usual Signal, viz. the Blew Flag upon the Mizen Peke, to bring all our Ships into the general VVake, or Grains.

I sent also Ketches, Slopes, and Boats, to Ships that were to windward, to Command them in: whereupon we Bore up, and Sheered in between De Ruyter and our Lame Ships, and fired Guns to some of our own Ships to windward to Bear down, but none of them came near to Assist me except the Earl of Ossery, and Sir John Kempthorn, so that I had great Reason to believe that the Blew Squadron had been totally Lost, except I had so happily come to their Relief; since they were so Disabled, as no more of them but their two Flag Ships only gave me Assistance, after I came down.

[Page 6] About Five a Clock, De Ruyter with all his Flags and Fleet, came Side by Side close up with me, so there began again a very sharp Encounter. This Evenings Engagement I had none to Second me, besides the Vice-Admiral, and Reer-Admiral of the Blew, but Sir John Harmon, Captain Davis, in the Triumph, and Captain Stout, in the Warspike: And of my own Division, Sir John Holmes, in the Raven, Captain Legg, in the Royal Katherine, Sir John Berry, in the Reso­lution, Sir John Emsly, in the Henry, Sir Roger Strickland, in the Mary, Captain Carter, in the Crow, a Fourth-rate, and Captain Bath, in the Pearl, a Fifth rate, in all not above Thirteen or Fourteen Ships.

The Fight was very Sharp, and Close, I forced the Enemy into a great Disorder, and then sent two Fire-Ships amongst them, which encreast it: And if the French then Lying within Distance, had obeyed my Signal, and Born down upon the Enemy according to their duty, I must have Routed them, and Torn them all to Pieces. It was the plainest, and greatest Opportunity was ever lost at Sea.

The Fight continued till the day was near spent, and the Sun was just Setting, when I Edg'd off with an easie Sail, so as to Carry off the disabled Ships, and the Dutch also laid their Heads to the Eastward, and so the Battel ended,

Then came a Messenger from Count de Estrees, to receive Orders, and to know what was the Meaning of the Blew Flags being put upon the Mizen Peek: Which I could not but wonder at, since there was no Instruction plainer to be understood, or more necessary amongst the general Instructi­ons for Fighting, which he had before hand. Besides, it wanted neither Signal, nor Instructions to tell him what he should have done at a time when the Case was so plain to eve­ry mans Eye in the whole Fleet.

The Enemy, when dark Night came, stood off to their own Coast, which I had reason to be glad of, resolving if I could avoid it, not to Venture an Engagement the next day, [Page 7]unless I could have had a better Assurance, what Count de Estrees ment to do, who so shamefully failed me in the Battel.

Neither English, nor French, lost one Ship of War, nor do I think the Dutch had much cause to Rejoyce. And con­sidering the Horrible and Apparent Treachery, or Cowar­dise of the French, I reckon it the greatest Providence, that ever befel me in my Life, that I brought off his Majesties Fleet so.