THere came an account of the successe of our first En­gaging with the Dutch Fleet to this effect.

Upon Friday 18. instant as soon as day began to dawn, ours discovered the Holland fleet, betweene Portland and the Isle of Wight, about seven leagues off Portland North and by West, the wind North-west, which consisted of about 80 saile men of war besides the Merchant men, which were judged about 150 some say many more, they all having the wind of us.

But about eight a clocke the same morning Gen. Blake and Gen. Dean being both of them aboard the Triumph, ingaged the Enemy, the Dutch men of war bearing upon them, but the rest of our Fleet indeavouring to follow, not above three or four of them could get up, because they were to Lee-ward, so that the Generall with those few were constrained to bear the first brunt holding play with no lesse then 30 of the Dutch men of war, whereof seven at a time kept upon the Tryumph, and yet they con­tinued till two a clock in the afternoon, being much shattered in her Sales, but so tite in her Hulls, that she never so much as pumpt for it.

It was ten a clock before any more of our fleet ingaged, and then not above halfe our number came up, the whole amoun­ting to about 60 faile: after this the dispute grew very hot, and so continued for the space of 4 or 5 houres, but afterwards the [Page 2]fight grew more moderate, holding play till night parted both parties.

In this action the Lord was pleased so to prosper us, that wee lost but one ship called the Sampson, which was rendred unser­viceable in the Fight, and then her men being taken [...], she [...] was sunk by her own Captaine, having first sunk the Enemy which maimed her, she was a Ship of 26 guns, her Captaine is wounded, his name is Captaine Button: We had like to have lost the Prosperous commanded by Cap. Barker, but she was re­taken by Cap. V [...]sey commander of the Merly [...] Frigot.

The Advice F [...]got was in hot service having 4 saile of Dutch which lay [...]board of her, yet she acquitted her self so wel, that she sunk one of their Rear Admiralls of 38 guns down by her side, and one ship more of 36 guns in the same manner, but her Cap. is dangerously wounded, his name is Capt. John Day, there are wounded also his Master and divers other Officers; his Lieut, Boatswaine and Corporall with about 35 more are slain and a­bout 40 or 50 more wounded: The Dutch boarded her once, and had got possession of her fore castle, but they were beaten out again, her Hull, Masts and Rigging are so shattered, and her Company so much disabled by so sharp and disadvantagious a confl [...]ct, having coped with so many at once, that she was occa­sioned that night to make for Portsmouth, there to repaire.

The losse on our side is of divers worthy, and precious men, in the Generals own ship the Triumph which was so sharply in­gaged, there are between 80 and 100 killed and wounded wher­of 4 of note, viz. Cap. Bal, the Gen. Secretary Mr. Sparrow with the Master whose name is Broadrtdge and his Mate. The two Generals was by an over-ruling providence preserved, other­wise greatly indangered, by a bar of Iron which wounded Ge­neral Blake on the left thigh, a litle above the knee, but not dan­gerously, and tore two peeces of the coate and Brechees of Gen. Deane; all with the same shot.

In the Van-guard there was slaine Cap. Mildmay with about 30 more killed and wounded In the Fortune Cap. Tatnel. In the Pros­perous Cap. Barker, Cap. Kirby, and Cap. Deacons are wounded.

As to the Dutch losse, the exact & ful particular is not yet known but thus much is certaine, we have taken one of their Vice Ad­miralls a ship of 1200 Tuns and 44 peece of Ordnance 6 or 8 brasse, it being one of their prime ships, This vessell was found to have 100 men staine in her being delivered up to Cap. Stokes, be­ing much battered by the Lyon who would have bit hard before if she had had this Cap. in her, who is said to have been the bain of 3. of the Dutch men of War, the Dragon also plaid her part ve­ry lustily. There was sunk and burnt of the Dutch fleet in this incounter, one of their Vice Admirals, one of the Rear Admirals, and nine more of their men of War. Seven or eight more so maimed, that some of them were seen towed, what more may be is not yet known, but our men were plying towards the Enemy, five leagues off the Isle of Wight.

And on Saturday 19. instant our fleet began with 2. Frigots to re-ingage them about 10. a clock in the morning, but left againe for a while, till the main fleet came up, and then about one a clock the whole fleets were ingaged, ours having that day the wind, the Dutch being before, and setting their Merchant men East-ward of Dunnose 6. leagues all along the Channell.

The 18. at night there came to the fleet the Diamond from Portsmouth 2. Merchant men from the Downes, with the Saphyre Cap. Hill who informed that in all there were 19 more coming from the Downs, the Assistance, the Advice and the Oake are come into Portsmouth and some private men of War gone our thence.

From the Isle of Wight 19. instant, Also it is written that the same day being Saturday the two Fleets were ingaged againe, within foure leagues of the Island plainly in veiw, that they begun about 12 of the clocke, and spent some time upon firing at each other at a distance, but afterwards the Fight growing hot, the Sea being calme, and Sea roome [Page]enough, it was conceived somewhat in all probability would be done to purpose, that ours pressed much after the enemy before they could engage; that they have placed their Merchant men in the Van, who are obser­ved to hasten Eastward, that our ships were seen to come gallantly ex­cept 10 or 12 which could not sail so fast, but were likely to get in quickly, and that ours had the weather-gage of the enemy.

By another of the same date from the same Island, it is written far­ther thus, That on Frydays engagement about 8 or 9 of the Dutch Ves­sels were observed to be burnt: That on Saturday both Fleets in view of that Island were engaged again: that there were about 4 leagues off in the trade-way: That some of our headmost ships began the engage­ment about 12 of the clock that day, which the Dutch endeavoured to avoid: That the Dutch Fleet were of Men of War and of Merchant­men (as was guessed) near 300: That ours seemed about 70. of which some were not fully come up: That the Dutch placed their Merchant­men in the Van, who appeared, endeavouring to sail on Eastward as far as they could, yet but slowly, the wind being very still: That their Men of War engaged retreating, and ours pressed on hard, being as fast as they could get up: That ours had gotten the weathergage, and the fight waxed very hot, even while this Letter was a penning, and the season and peace of the fight being considered, the event is like to be very con­siderable.