THE LIFE OF Cornelius Van Tromp Lieutenant-Admiral of Holland and Westfriesland CONTAINING Many Remarkable Passages relating to the WAR between ENGLAND and HOLLAND As also the SEA-FIGHTS AND Other Memorable Actions of this Great Man from the Year 1650. to the Time of his Death LONDON Printed by J. Orme for R. Clavel J. Sturton and A. Bosvile in Fleetstreet and J. Cater in Holbourn MDCXCVII THE Author's Preface THE World is so earnest after the Evenâ—s of the Present War that it has hardly Leisure enough to read the several Accounts which are continually printed on that Subject And this takes up all our Thoughts so much that we have scarce Time to reflect on past Transactions I must confess we have Reason enough for this for what is past cannot effect us much because it can neither add to our Misery nor better our Condition But the War wherein Europe is now engag'd is of so great a Consequence that according to the Turn of Affairs every one must have their Hopes or Fears either to expect a Happy Change in their Fortunes or to dread the contrary Yet tho' we now seem wholly taken up with the present there are however some Histories of former Times capable to excite the Curiosity of the Publick because what is past may enable us to argue on what 's to come and to draw Consequences accordingly The following History of Van Tromp is of this kind and what the States have perform'd under the Conduct of that Great Man and sometimes by themselves and against Two formidable Powers we may reasonably conclude that now since the said States and England are united nothing can be able to oppose them at Sea provided they will be but unanimous and act in Consort The manner of the Deliverance of the United Provinces in 1672. from the Slavery wherewith they were threatned next to the Favour and Assistance of Heaven through the wise Conduct and Valour of the Prince of Orange now King of England and by the Victories which the Admirals of this State have obtain'd over both the Fleets of France and England then joyn'd together gives us very good Reason likewise to conclude that there is nothing we may not at this Day expect from these two Potent States since they have both put themselves under the Conduct of that Prince who commands their Armies conjunctly and since their Naval Forces are united against the Common Enemy We are therefore persuaded that this Work will not now be unseasonable but will have the good Fortune to be well received by the variety of Events of which we have hitherto had but a very imperfect Account because that few Historians have made it their Business to treat at large of Matters relating to the Sea Herein you will find exact Relations of many bloody Engagements perform'd in most Seas and which have been often follow'd by Descents on the Territories of those that have had the worsâ— of it Herein you will see how Victory has been disputed between the most powerful as well as most numerous Fleets and the greatest Admirals that ever fought on the Ocean In a Word you will have a full Account of what England and the Provinces have hitherto been capable of executing at Sea and when they have been the single Combatants But we will leave the Reader his full Liberty to make what Reflections he shall think fit and content our selves with the Performance of a Faithful Historian by giving you a plain Relation of Matters of most Importance in the Times we shall mention and particularly of what concerns the Great Cornelius Van Tromp whose Life we here present you We have also been oblig'd by the bye to touch a little upon the most remarkable Actions of the Famous Martin Van Tromp and several other Admirals whose Memories will always be dear to Holland on the Account of the great Reputation they acquir'd as well as for their Zeal shewn for the Service of their Country It will also be necessary to acquaint you That we have not been able to preserve both the History contain'd and the Succession of Years entire to avoid relating several Events which seem to have but an indirect Tendency to Cornelius Van Tromp's Life because we would fill up the Chasms wherein he was not employ'd nor commanded the Naval Forces of this State in chief or else was in the Service of the King of Denmark And to make the History the more acceptable by Variety we have inserted the Epitaphs of most of the Hero's of this Republic whose Names we had occasion to Mention as so many Monuments which contain the most important Actions of their Lives and which are not to be found elsewhere whereby the Care which the United Provinces have taken to reward their Merit and make their Glorious Memory Immortal will be sufficiently evident We have also added the most considerable Letters which the several Admirals have written as so many eminent Proofs to authenticate the Actions we relate and which will shew that we have made this our inviolable Rule and Standard Not to write any thing with Flattery or Falshood but to give a Body of Truth to this Work THE LIFE OF Cornelius Tromp Lieutenant Admiral of Holland and of West-Friseland The First BOOK THERE is no Flourishing State in the World but must acknowledge it self to be supported chiefly by two main firm and solid Pillars I mean 1650. Wise Ministers of State and Great and Experienc'd Commanders who Constitute the Primary Cause of it's Grandure and Exaltation The former of these by their admirable Skill form out into Regular designs in the Councel Chamber those Secret Maxims that Policy Dictates to every Nation as the most adapted to their peculiar Genius and condition whereby they may best Govern themselves grow powerfull and become formidable to their Neighbours and the others are those Hero's that in order to put in Execution what was Resolved in the Cabal of State couragiously lead on the Armies fight the Enemies and gloriously obtain Victories all which duly considered what honours ought not to be rendred to the Memory of those great men after their Deaths Certainly it is not only just to give them in some sort a new life by the Recital of their noble Exploits but it is likewise of great use to others to render them Recommendable to Prosterity by a History of their worthy Actions since 't is the surest and most Expeditious means to move those who read it to a like Course of Vertue and to excite them to follow the Steps of those Illustrious Hero's that have generously Sacrificed their own private repose and spilt their best Blood for the Glory of their Country 'T was upon this consideration that the Greeks and Romans not to speak of the Nations that preceeded them took such great care to commit to writing the lives of their Brave men and were so accurate to Paint them out to us in such lively and natural Colours that even to this
of Heusden whose Father likewise formerly exercised the same Employment Besides Mr. Opdam they proposed likewise Lewis of Nassau natural Son to Prince Maurice but both their inclinations having been preconsulted in the case they both declined it with an obliging excuse However Pensionary de Wit and some other Members of the State to whom their High and Mightinesses had left the care of that affair managed it so well that on the 22d of September Mr. Opdam was elected Lieutenant Admiral under certain conditions The States of Holland being likewise convinced that the providing of a sufficient Number of able General Sea Commanders was a thing that contributed very much to the gaining of a Naval Victory Mr. Opdam Chosen Lieutenant Admiral The States resolve upon a new promotion of General Sea-Officers De Ruiter made Vice-Admiral of Holland and that the United Provinces might reap very great advantages thereby decreed about the Month of November that in every College of Admiralty of their province there should be establisht a Vice Admiral and a Rear-Admiral according to the Laudable Custom practised in the College of the Meuse De Ruiter was not forgot in this Rencounter for the very same day when that great man expected to have perish't by the terrible Tempest he suffered near the Texel he was constituted Vice-Admiral of Holland in the College of the Admiralty of Amsterdam Rear Admiral Florisz was advanced to the Dignity of Lieutenant Admiral of the North Captain Verbaaf was elected Rear Admiral of the Admiralty of Rotterdam Cornelius Tromp made Rear Admiral of Holland Cornelius Tromp Eldest Son of the late Lieutenant Admiral of that name was also created Rear Admiral of the Admiralty of Amsterdam and Cornelius de Boet was made Rear Admiral of the Admiralty of the North. The States were willing by this promotion not only to shew young Tromp some token of their acknowledgement for the great services done by his renowned Father to his Country but likewise in part to recompence his own Personal deserts he having upon several occasions given them very signal marks of his Extraordinary Courage and especially in the fight at Legorn under the Command of Admiral de Galen As for Vice-Admiral de Wit he was placed in the Admiralty of Rotterdam that he might hold the principal Rank between the two other Vice-Admirals About the end of this year there happened a Great Revolution in England For Cromwel by his subtile contrivances Cromwel makes himself protector in England c. and secret practices made himself the sovereign Arbiter of all the Affairs of the Government under the title of Protector of the three Kingdoms so that seeing himself thereby possess'd of more force and power than any one of the Kings that had Reigned before him his next thoughts were wholly taken up with seeking out and employing the most proper means to secure his new dignity and to maintain himself in that supreme and boundless Authority he so boldly had assumed to which Judging the Friendship and Good Correspondence of the United Provinces to be absolutely necessary he began underhand to Court them to a Peace To which the States of Holland were so much the more inclined because they were in some consternation at their late losses and knew well enough that England at that time was in a condition to come again upon them with greater force than ever and perhaps totally to crush their Sea power and give a mortal stroke to their already agonizing Commerce before they could furnish themselves with a sufficient recruit of strong and defensive Ships which must be a work of time and of peace to oppose such a rough Enemy with whom nothing was to be got but a fruitless and heavy loss both of Blood and Treasure the Prodigious expences of that War together with the daily and vast losses sustained by their Rich Merchants being a burden too insupportable for them to bear much longer And besides the Domestick troubles in their Provinces increased day by day so much upon them upon that occasion that they thought nothing but a good Peace with England would be able to appease them by restoring Tranquility and their usual Freedom of trade to their people Besides that another powerfull reason prevailed much with them at that time to influence them to a Peace which was to prevent those growing Factions that aimed at the Election of a Captain General or a stadtholder which they were afraid would have forced them against their wills to be Honest Just and Gratefull to the Illustrious and August House of Orange which they had no Mind to be at that time nor perhaps never would if the Terror of the French Arms afterwards and the imminent destruction of the State had not unanimously inspirited the people to put more Generous and publick minded patriots at the Helm who restored this almost overturned State to its pristine stability and prosperity by restoring to them the necessary assistances and services of that most Noble and Ancient house which were always the very vitals of this Republick and by rendering to the princely Heir of it those Honours Dignities and Emoluments which merits never to be cancelled or superannuated had made as inseparably necessary for the Common good as indispnesibly due to him Having then as we have already said renewed the Negotiation for that purpose the year before upon these weighty considerations they now pressed it on with so much earnestness that after many obstracles A Peace concluded with England the Treaty was concluded and signed at Westminster â—â—th of April The Articles of which we shall not here repeat because they are to be fâ—and in several other Books THE LIFE OF Cornelius Tromp Lieutenant Admiral of Holland and of West-Friesland The Second BOOK WHILST the two formidable powers of England and Holland were thus in vain consuming all their Forces by such a cruel War as that of which we have above related the principal Events the Corsairs of Barbary being secured by these troubles from any power able to Curb their Excursions ranged about without controul and made all Europe feel the smart of their outragious Pyracies so that the Commerce of the Christians to the Levant was so miserably interrupted that there was nothing to be heard of in those parts but the continual losses of the Merchants trafficking that way Nay and the Insolence of those Barbarians was advanced to that height that not contenting themselves to Pyrate upon the Mediterranean they impudently ventured to appear upon the Ocean and make Excursions as far as the Coasts of Portugal And shew'd themselves near the Cape St. Vincent with Fleets some times of above 20 sail of Men of War well mounted and appointed for service and keeping the Mouth of the Streights shut up they snapt up all the Merchant Ships that came thither from the four corners of the World who by that means fell as 't were into those Rovers Mouths For the redressing of all these
yet too late to obtain a Ratification of the last Treaty of Peace But the States being but too well acquainted with the Perfidiousness and Inconstancy of those Barbarians were so far from hearkning to them that they sollicited the Kings of France Spain and England to joyn their Forces with those of the United Provinces to Destroy them since they exercised their Piracies no less upon the Subjects of those Crowns than upon those of the United Provinces And the States would fain have perswaded those Powers to have set out three several Fleets under the Flagg of each Nation to go and Besiege their Harbours Chace them from the Sea and utterly ruine their abominable and insupportable Domination without having any regard to any former Treaty of Peace or Alliance Which Project seemed very important and well contrived But yet not one of those three Princes could be perswaded to hearken to it The French King indeed highly praised it and gave leave to the Dutch to erect Magazines for that effect both of Provisions and Ammunition at Thoulon or Marseilles The King of Spain gave Order that the Dutch Men of War might have free Ingress and Egress in and out of his Ports And the King of Great Britain resolved to send a Fleet into the Mediterranean but it was more to give new Umbrages than to correspond with the design of the States and many already could see in the shuffling conduct of that Prince certain presages of an approaching Rupture of the Peace between him and the United Provinces For at the same time that he proposed to send a Fleet into the Mediterranean to act in concert with that of the States he had on the other side given private order to Captain Holms to sail to the Court of Africa to ruin there the Commerce of the Dutch West-Indian Company and to seze their ships and Forts The States therefore seeing there was little Reliance to be made upon the assistance of any of all those Foregin Powers in order to free the Sea from the intolerable Robberies of the Algerines Resolved to concern themselves no further than for the preservation of their own Subjects by sending another Fleet into the Mediterranean under the Conduct of de Ruiter because Rear-Admiral Tromp had not sufficient Forces to accomplish so great an Enterprise That Fleet was composed of 12 Ships of War and one Flute laden with Provisions They put to Sea about the beginning of May and on the 19th of June arrived in the Road of Algiers De Ruiter presently sent notice of his arrival to the Divan to remind them to pay him the usual Honours and to Congratulate his arrival But they were so far from acquitting themselves of the Duty he pretended from them that they refused to let the Dutch Consul come on board to speak with the Vice-Admiral and to send Hostages for the security of the Credential Letters which were to be presented to the Divan from the States for all they would do was only to Grant a Passport by vertue of which the Commissioners Mortaigne and Reynâ—ld de Koeverden went into the Town who in the first Audience they had demand the exchange of Prisoners and the release of the Christian Slaves at the rate they were first sold for according to the Conditions of the last Treaty of Peace adding that as for other differences they should be adjusted by the Commissioners to be appointed for that purpose on each side All which was refused by the Divan who pretended before they entered into any Conference about the Release of Prisoners to know upon what grounds they might be assured of a Peace De Ruiter upon that sent them a Memorial that made a great noise amongst those Barbarians because they would by no means consent to any indemnification nor to the Condition insisted upon by the Dutch that no free Ship should be liable to be visited which was the Grievance of the Hollanders So that that point was hotly disputed on both sides in the Divan But after all the Algerines were obstinate and would absolutely reserve themselves a power to visit all Dutch Ships and to declare for Lawful Prize all the effects they found in them to belong to other Nations In fine the Conclusion of the Negotiation was this That those Barbarians declared to de Ruiter that if he would not accept their propositions he would not permit the Dutch Consul to retire on board him till he had before hand sent on shore 37 Turks or Moors that were Prisoners in his Fleet. Which demand of theirs he thought fit to grant to prevent the mischiefs that might otherwise happen to the Dutch Consul and his Retinue of which he had a fresh Example in the Person of the English Consul whom those Pyrates had cruelly handled after they had broken the Peace with England De Ruiter therefore plainly finding that it was to no purpose to use any gentle methods with them Juâ—gâ—d there was no other way to be taken but to reduce the Algerines to reason by force of Arms and accordingly he declared War against them the 4th of June The next day the Fleet unmoored and went and Anchored on the 7th of the same Month at Alicant where de Ruiter Received a Letter with advice of the new Troubles that Threatned the United Provinces from the English and with orders to him to uâ—e great Prudence and such Complaisant measures with the Ships of War that Crown had in the Mediterranean as to give them no new causes of Umbrage or dissatisfaction And accordingly there were no Acts of Hostility Committed between them at that time but when the Captains of both Nations met they Reciprocally saluted one another with some Guns in a very amicable manner whilst the main Body of the English Fleet consisting of 13 sail of Men of War under the Command of Admiral Lawson kept at the Mouth of the Straits Scarcely had England and Holland begun to tast of the fruits of Peace which had cost so much Blood to the two Nations but it was disturbed again by new Hostilities as the Dutch pretend begun by the English out of Jealousie at the flourishing Commerce and great prosperity of the United Provinces which prepared for de Ruiter who was then busie in scouring the Mediterranean of the Corsairs new work in the Ocean whither Rear-Admiral Tromp was already returned In the Months of May and June news came to Holland that the English under the Command of Robert Holms Committed strange depredations towards the Isles of Cape Verd and that in January before they had taken a Ship called the Spectacles and a Yacht called the Neptune which belonged to the Dutch West-India Company The English Ship that took the Neptune the better to deceive those she had a mind to attack put up Dutch Colours The same advices likewise reported that Holms had on the 31st of the same Month summoned the Fort of Cape Verd situated in the Isle of Goe-rede and that upon
appearance towards the Coasts of Guiney tho' he had given out that he was going to Sally And indeed the suspicions of the English in that point were not without some foundation for de Ruiter had received Express Orders from the States to sail towards Cape Verd and the Coast of Guiney to reduce the English to reason and make them restore by force what they had unjustly usurpt Upon that news all the Dutch Ships were stopt in England and Letters of reprisal were granted but all those Commissions granted in haste were recalled as well to shew all Europe that they would not be Aggressors as to gain time to Compleat the manning of their Navy It was thought more proper to let loose the men of War and Capers upon the Hollanders as well to encourage their press'd Seamen and to get men enough to furnish their Grand Fleet as the more effectually to interrupt the Commerce of the United Provinces by taking their Merchant Ships that went to and fro in the Channel And because they knew they in Holland expected about that time the return of their Ships from France and the Streights they thought it their best way to go and meet them and to endeavour to take them before they let the Privateers go out who in all likelihood would but have awakened the Hollanders and made them think the more of securing themselves And this project succeeded well with them For the Merchant Fleet consisting of 113 sail having quitted the Coast of France to pursue their way home along the Channel was taken and carried into the Ports of England But amongst so great a Number of Merchant Ships there being some Ships belonging to other Nations they were redemanded yet all the rest remained in their hands At the same time the King of England in Justification of that proceeding publish'd the following Declaration The King of Egland's Declaration about the taking of the Dutch Ships HIs Majesty having considered the Injuries Affronts and Damages suffered in the Persons of his Subjects by the loss of their Goods and Ships by the West-India Company and other Subjects of the United Provinces and those losses amounting to very considerable Sums for which no Reparation could yet be obtained notwithstanding the Complaints so often reiterated by his Majesty to the States General for that purpose which have had no effect His Majesty has thought fit by the Advice of his Privy Council to grant Letters of Reprisal against the Ships or Merchandizes belonging to the States of the United Provinces or their Subjects so that not only his Majesties Fleet and Ships of War but all sorts of Privateers shall have right by Letters of Reprisal or permission to be given him from his Royal Highness the Duke of York Lord High Admiral of England to arrest and seize all Ships and Effects belonging to the States of the United Provinces in Order to put them under the Jurisdiction of the Court of Admiralty which shall be Authorized to Act thereupon according to the Customs and Laws of Nations And whereas several Ships and Effects belonging to the United Provinces or their Subjects have been already taken according to his Majesties Orders and are kept in his Harbours His Majesty with the Advice of his Privy Council declares that the abovesaid Ships and Effects are Comprized in the aforesaid Letters of Reprisal and that they shall be proceeded against before the Admiralty according to the Customs and Laws of Nations till a final Judgment And the Present Declaration shall serve for warrant for all that the said Court of Admiralty shall do in that matter Dated at Whitehall December the 16th 1664. The United Provinces seeing themselves thus engaged in a War with England and the Proper season for putting out their Fleet to Sea being past they thought however that at least they ought to put a stop as much as 't was possible to all those Hostilities and to provide for the security of their Subjects Accordingly the States prohibited all their Merchant Ships to go out of their Ports and their Seamen to take service under any Foreign Prince They likewise rigorously prohibited the going out of any vessels and exportation of any Ammunitions and generally of all materials serving to the building of Men of War or furnishing their Equipages Then Mr. Van Beuningen was sent to the Court of France Mr. de Amerongen into Denmark and Mr. Ysbrands into Swedeland in Quality of Ambassadors Extraordinary to inform the Princes that were Allies of the State of all that had lately passed because the English by a fetch of their dissembling Policy endeavoured in all those Courts to make the Dutch pass for the Aggressors and to attribute all the wrong to them They resolved likewise to raise a fund of 14 Millions of Livers as well for the building of 48 men of War as for Levying of some Troops to Re-inforce their Companies and their Garrisons for the raising of a Marine Regiment and a new Regiment in reserve and lastly for defraying the expences of the fortifications of the Brill of Helvoet of Maesland of the Texel and of the other necessities of the State The East-India Company engaged to Equip 20 Men of War for the service of the United Provinces The Zealand Privateers received Letters of Reprisal so that the Capers in little time after took 30 prizes from the English They also appointed a day of Prayer which was celebrated the 21st of January 1665 to implore the Protection of Heaven against the Contagion then Reigning and to beg a Continuaâ—ion of Peace and of the Prosperity of the Prov ncâ— In the mean while the Sâ—â—ur de Goch used all imaginable instances with 〈◊〉 â—â—ng of England to endeavour to obtain the râ—â—ng of the Ships which had been taken But all in vain For the King made him Answer That he had caused to be arrested in his Ports or to be taken at Sea the Dutch Ships upon the certain Advice he had that de Ruiter was sent to Guiney to interrupt the Commerce of his Subjects and to seize on their Ships and Merchandizes so that he intended to indemnifie him for all those losses by the Confiscation of the goods that had been taken that for the same end he would stop all Dutch Ships that should come in his way till he heard further news of de Ruiter c. The Duke of York also declared in Quality of Lord High Admiral of the Kingdom that he would go next spring to Sea to maintain the Honour and Glory of the Crown And the Court of England was just ready to put out a Declaration of War against the Hollanders But that Turner and Walker two Famous Advocates of the Court of Admiralty Represented to the King that if he declared War at that time the Ships taken before the Declaration could not according to the Law of Nations be confiscated upon which 't was thought fit to defer it for some time However the Dutch Ships were declared Good
were expected back from Norway in order to convoy them safe home and at the same time to have an Eye upon the English Merchant-Ships coming out of the Sound or from Hamborough towards the Thames or that should come out of the Thames to go towards the North commanding him to give them Chace and to do all he could to burn them sink them c. The same Day viz. the 1st of November afternoon the Fleet set sail and tackt about and stood to the Eastward Lieutenant Admiral Cornelius Evertsz led the Right Wing Lieutenant Admiral de Vries the left and the Squadrons of de Ruiter and Tromp composed the Main Battle The next Day de Ruiter put up a White Flag upon his Mizzen Mast and fired 3 Guns for a Signal to the Squadrons to separate The Lieutenant Admirals Tromp Evertsz and de Vries answered the Admiral according to the Order settled for that effect each of them with 7 Guns Each Vice-Admiral with 5 and each Rear-Admiral with 3. And then Admiral de Ruiter replied to all those Admirals again at once with 9 Guns and so the several Squadrons of the Fleet quitted one another about Mid-way towards home Tromp made towards Goree and the Meuse the Zealand Squadron towards Wâ—elingen and de Ruiter sailed towards the Texel and the Vlie whither also went Lieutenant Admiral Hiddes de Vries with the Friesland Ships The Lords Deputies of the States having quitted de Ruiter landed on the 4th of November in a Galliot at the Helder and thence went to the Hague where they made their Report to the States General of what had passed in that Expedition for which they received the Thanks of their High and Mightinesses as appears by the following Writing Mr. Huigens Mr. Pensionary de Wit and Mr. John Boreel Deputies Plenipotentiaries of their High and Mightinesses in the States Fleet have made a Summary Report of the things that passed in the last Expedition upon which the States having deliberated and taken into Consideration the Care and Pains the said Plenipotentiaries have therein taken as well as the Vigilance and good Conduct they have shewn by the tender Affection they have exprest for their Country by acting Night an Day as far as God and the State of Affairs would permit them with an indefatigable Zeal for the Good of the State their High and Mightinesses have consequently thankt them for it and hereby declare themselves perfectly well satisfied with their Adminâ—stratâ—on The Dutch Fleet then did nothing that Expedition but cause some Alarms upon the Coast of England and all the Honour they gained by it was only that of having offered Battle to the English Fleet whilst they kept themselves within their Harbours as being debarred by a raging and pestilent Distemper from accepting it and having interrupted the Commerce of the English Merchants by keeping the Mouth of the Thames blockt up for about 16 Days together In the mean while the Negotiation for a Peace was broke off for the French King who had offered his Mediation finding that the English had more Inclination to continue the War than to treat with the Dutch and having some By-ends of his own upon the Hollanders taking a Pretence of Dissatisfaction against the English because their Ships daily appeared near S. Malo's and the Coasts of Normandy firing upon his Subjects and committing several Attempts against them contrary to the Treaties of Alliance and Confederacy he had with the King of England recalled the Duke of Vernueil the Count de Conings and Mr. Courtin his Ambassadors from that Court after having commanded them publickly to declare to the King of England which they accordingly did on the 15th of October at Oxford That the King of France their Master seeing all the Propositions that had been made to procure an Accommodation between the 2 contending Nations of England and Holland were rejected by the English his Majesty was resolved to assist the Hollanders according to the Treaty of Alliance he was engaged in with them To which the King of England answered coldly enough That the French King knew his own Interest and so did the King of England know his too So that the French Ambassadours having demanded their Audience of Leave on the 10th of December embarkt on the 23d of the same Month at Dover and arrived the next Day at S. Valery Hollis likewise the English Ambassadour in France was also recalled and having had his Audience of Leave he made shew as if he would depart but yet took the Liberty to stay 6 Months after in the Kingdom out of Paris under Pretence of his Lady's being sick The French King having notified to the States the recalling of his Ambassadours out of England they sent Order to the Sieur de Goch their Ambassadour at the Court of England to retire likewise immediately For tho' Sir George Downing Ambassadour to them from the King of England were gone from Holland ever since the Month of August yet the States of the Vnited Provinces in hopes to be able to pacifie in an amicable manner the Troubles that had newly kindled a War between the 2 Nations had thitherto deferred the Departure of the Sieur de Goch but at last he took his Audience of Leave at Oxford and delivered at the same time to the King the following Declaration of the States by which they represented to his Majesty the ardent Passion they had for Peace and the means that had been proposed to procure it The Sieur de Goch then departed on the 26th of December towards Dover where he embark'd upon one of the King's Ships and on the 29th of the same Month he arrived at Flushing from whence he speeded away to the Hague to make his Report to their High and Mightinesses of all that had past in his Negotiation The Letter or Declaration from the States left by him with the King of England was in these Terms SIR The States Remonstrance to the King of England concerning the rupture of the Peace THat we might give evident Proofs of our Desire and Inclination for Peace we were willing after the Rupture to defer even till this Day to recal our Ambassadour from the Court of England And tho' we had already by just and reasonable Offers satisfied all the Complaints put up to us by Sir George Downing in a Time when we could hardly believe that Matters would ever have come to an Extremity yet we have done still more by leaving our Ambassadour in England after the taking from us not only several Places but some whole Provinces belonging to the States in both Worlds and the stopping the Ships of their Subjects in the Face of all Christendom and that without any previous Declaration of War By an effect also of an over-great Confidence neither did we recal our Ambassadour presently after your Majesty had recalled yours in hopes you would at last be pleased to make some Reflection upon the Mischiefs a War would bring upon the two
the more effectual putting in execution all manner of Acts of Hostility against the said French King his Ships or Subjects we hereby most expresly forbid all our Subjects to hold any Correspondence with them upon pain of death excepting those who shall be forced so to do to get their Goods safe out of the Enemies Country And whereas there are in our Kingdom a great Number of the Subjects of France and of the United Provinces we hereby Declare and give our Royal Word that all Persons of the said Nations which shall submit to our Obedience without holding any intelligence with our Enemies whatsoever they be shall be defended and protected in their Goods and Persons And moreover we declare that all French or Dutch Subjects who out of love to our Government or by reason of the Calamities they may be made to suffer in their own Country shall retire into our Kingdom for refuge shall be favoured with our protection as well in their Goods as Persons and especially those of the Reformed Religion whose Interests we shall ever dearly tender c. In the mean while the French being as they are always diligent in making their preparations put out their Fleet to Sea at the very beginning of April consisting of 30 Men of War 12 Galliots and 10 Fire-ships who were joined with 6 of the States ships under the Command of Gedeon Verburg and Captain Ooms The Duke of Beauford Admiral of France had orders from the King his Master to enter the Channel and join the Holland Fleet. And accordingly appearing upon the Coasts of England he put them in alarm and made a descent in several places and carried off a few sheep and some other small Booty which was all the service he did the Hollanders whom he never joined or the harm he did the English whom he nevea fought save only that by sculking about and keeping the Enemy in fears however that he would join the Dutch he caused the English to divide their Force and send a part after him where he was not to be found and so gave opportunity to the Hollanders to batter and distress the other part with their whole Force and to obtain such an advantage over the English as they could never do when their Forces were United And the Hollanders paid dear for that advantage too for under pretence of their small services in that War the French cunningly wheedled them to build them a great Number of men of War with which they afterwards scourged them at Palermo The English and Hollanders both in so pressing an occasion had great need of Seamen to perfect the Compliments of their ships which obliged the English to consent to the Exchange of Prisoners man for man which they would never be perswaded to do before by all the Instances and Sollicitations the Dutch could make for that effect But because the Number of the Dutch Prisoners in England was much greater than that of the English in the United Provinces tho many of the former perisht by the Plague Famine and other Hardships they were made to suffer they drew them out by Lot which they that got were delivered and those that met with Blanks remained in Captivity and Misery A little time after viz. On the 1st of May War was likewise declared against the English by sound of Trumpet at Bergen in Norway by order of the King of Denmark In the mean while the English having used all the diligence imaginable to get their Navy Equipt put it to Sea about the end of May which consisted of 81 men of War 21085 men and 4460 Guns and was divided into 3 Great Squadrons the first of which being the Red one was Commanded by Prince Robert and General Monk The White Squadron was Conducted by Sir George Ayschew and the Blew one by Sir Thomas Allen. As soon as the Holland Fleet had advice that the English Navy was at Sea they weigh'd Anchor on the 1st of June being then 96 sail strong of men of War and carrying 4716 Guns and 20642 men and was Commanded in chief by Lieutenant Admiral de Ruiter And on the 11th of June the two Fleets met and fought that celebrated Battle of 4 days the memory of which ought to be preserved to all posterity as well for the unexampled Bravery of the English tho' overpowered by Numbers because divided in Force as for the dear bought advantage of the Hollanders in it which yet was far from meriting the name of a Victory tho' State policy required it should be bragged of and proclaimed Abroad as one no less than of the most Absolute sort How the Dutch Reported of that Famous Action may be seen by the following Letters and Relations whereof the first is A Letter written to the College of the Admiralty of Amsterdam by Hondius Captain on board Lieutenant Admiral Tromp and dated the 12th of June New stile from Goree whither the Ship Hollandia in which he was was brought in after the fight ON the 11th of June at the break of day being come to an Anchor to the North-West-ward and at 9 or 10 miles distance from Ostend our Advanced guards that were detach'd to go out to discover the Enemy came back to the Fleet and brought us word that the English Navy was to the Windward of us and a little after we saw 10 of their scout-Ships who as soon as they had viewed us tacked about and steered back to the North-west-ward to rejoyn their Grand Fleets The wind being turn'd to the South-West and South-West and a Quarter to the West begun to grow high and the Sea to swell In the mean time all was ready for giving the English battle and our Ships faced those of the Enemy that were to the Wind-ward After noon we perceived the Enemies Fleet consisting of about 70 men of War making directly towards us At that time we were as I have said still at Anchor and because the Wind was high and the Sea was somewhat rough we thought the English had the Weather-gage and would likewise come and cast Anchor but they instead of that after they had faced our Fleet a while fell to rights upon us which hapning whilst we were busy in unmooring and had our Anchors yet but half up we were forced to cut our Cables in all haste because the Enemy was already come within Cannon shot of us without losing time then we hoisted our Main-Sails and saluted the Vice Admiral of the White who was on our right hand with some Guns and then the Enemy begun to fire likewise they which were nearest us answering us each of them with a broad side Our Fleet but especially the Squadrons of the Lieutenant Admirals Evertsz and de Vries which according to the Order given were to have been to the Wind-ward were fallen to Leeward and were the hindermost of all the Fleet But a little while after upon a Signal we made to them to follow us in their due rank they advanced
English quitted us The next day we advanced so fast that by the good Conduct of Lieutenant Admiral Van Nes we were out of danger of running a ground However the English left not off following us in Hopes to burn the first of our Ships that should have run aground But we gave them chace again about the dusk of the Evening On the 5th of August in the morning we descried 21 Sail making towards us with a fresh East-North-East Gale which we easily discovered to be the English come out of Harwich They had 5 Frigats 14 Fire-Ships and 2 Galliots Whereupon Lieutenant Admiral Van Nes held a Council and it was resolved we should cast Anchor and manfully to stand the Enemies shock in spite of the danger we exposed our selves to of losing some Ships As soon as they got near enough to us the first motion they made was to come and fall upon Captain Naalhout to endeavour to burn him but he hastily weighing up his Anchor vigorously Repulsed two Fire-Ships that were coming to grapple him and escaped as 't were by Miralce The Rear-Admiral of Zealand was very near being burnt but he escaped the danger by Repulsing the Fire-Ship with his Guns The Number of Fire-Ships that were destroyed as well on the English as the Dutch side was very near equal After that Rencounter Lieutenant Admiral Van Nes returned to his post to keep the River blockt up as he had done before A Peace was at last Concluded the last day of July And Admiral de Ruiter having received advice that the Ratifications were exchanged on both sides the 25th of the same month and thereupon the Peace was accordingly Proclaimed ordered all Acts of Hostility to cease Such was the end of the Second War the United Provinces had with England which was terminated indeed by a Peace but such a one alas that was but of small duration since scarce had those two Powers laid down their Arms but they were forced to take them up again as will appear in the sequel of our History THE LIFE OF Cornelius Tromp Lieutenant Admiral of Holland and of West-Friesland The Fourth BOOK HOlland and its Allies began now to tast the Fruits of Peace and in Order to make it the more firm and durable England Swedeland The Tripple League and the United Provinces entred into a strict Alliance together at the beginning of the Year 1668. The States foreseeing that France would not fail to conceive an Umbrage at it and that Ambitious Crown being Jealous at all the precautions taken by those Powers for their own security might afterwards perhaps endeavour to seek its Revenge upon some of them thought it necessary to secure themselves from that danger by Uniting themselves more strictly with England which they did by a Defensive Alliance with Sir William Temple Ambassador from his Britannick Majesty at the Hague The first good effect that Tripple-Alliance produced was to put a stop to the rapid Course of the usurpations of France in the Low-Countries by setting bounds to its Ambition For the French King knew so well how to make his advantage of the late War between England and Holland which he had fomented for his own ends that he took that opportunity to surprize the weak Spaniards then under an infant King and to wrest several important places from them in the Low-Countries contrary to the Faith of the Treaties on foot between the two Crowns But the Triple-Alliance forced him to lay down his Arms so that on the 2d of May a Peace was Concluded between France and Spain at Aix la Chappelle After that the French King being much disgusted at the Conduct of the States never left off to seek out occasion to shew his fierce Resentment The first step he thought fit to make towards it was to endeavour to break the Famous and by him so much dreaded Tripple-Alliance by dividing the Princes that were engag'd in it The disgracefull Ravages and Spoils the Hollanders had so unfairly committed on the English Coasts but chiefly at Chattam at a time of a Treaty of Peace as likewise some new difficulties about Navigation and Commerce furnisht him with a hopefull pretence enough to work withal upon the King of England there wanted only a dextrous Person to be chosen that might be fit to perswade his Britannick Majesty And as the French have always been successfull in employing the Ministery of Females in their most important Negotiations because they are more insinuating and flatter generally with a more powerfull and irresistible influence than men so accordingly the Dutchess of Orleans Sister to that Prince was pitcht upon to pass to the Court of England to manage that nice affair She set out then in the month of June 1670 1670. accompanied with a great many French Lords under pretence of making a visit to the King her Brother The States were not long before they perceived what blow the French were designing at them For they well enough foresaw that the Voyage of the Dutchess was intended only to break the Tripple-League And they had certain Advice that the French King was preparing to march with a powerfull Army towards Dunkirk early in the Spring besides all that they made no Difficulty to say publickly at Stockholm that if the French King should attack the United Provinces upon any other pretence than that of the Triple League that Swedeland would not be obliged to assist them The French Court without declaring themselves openly had already begun to Commit a sort of Hostility by laying excessive imposts upon all Dutch Merchandizes imported into that Kingdom The States having Complained of it several times with no effect resolved at last to retaliate that usage by forbidding the importing any Brandy or French Manufactures into their Dominions hoping by that means to oblige the most Christian King to alter his proceedings And because the march of the French Army towards Dunkirk put them in some apprehension for the Low-Countries the States resolved also to have a powerfull Fleet at Sea under the Command of Admiral de Ruiter both to secure their Commerce and to observe the motions of the French And besides they Sollicited England likewise to put a Fleet to Sea to joyn with theirs according to the obligations of the Tripple-League But King Charles gave them already to understand that he had quite different aims On the 8th of June 1671. de Ruiter sailed out of the Mense with some men of War towards Ostend near which place his Fleet was to Rendesvouz It consisted of 46 men of War 10 Advice-Yachts and 6 Fire-Ships It carried 2379 Guns 8090 Seamen and 2768 Soldiers and was divided into 3 Squadrons the first under the immediate Command of de Ruiter the second under that of Lieutenant Admiral Bankert and the third under the Conduct of Lieutenant-Admiral de Gent. Whilst the Fleet was cruizing upon the Coasts of the Netherlands it was on the 20th of August overtaken with a violent
Tempest by which several Ships were endamaged and that of Admiral de Ruiter was one of the worst treated Two days after he went and Anchored near Westkappel to Repair and Refit his shattered Ships from whence he discovered a Yacht called the Merlin which carried the King of England's Flag on her Main-Mast-Top She was come out of the Meuse and going back for England and as she passed throw the Dutch Fleet she saluted de Ruiter with some Guns but he being busy in Refiting his Ship could not make use of his Guns to answer his salute Lieutenant-Admiral de Gent perceiving it rendred the King 's Yacht the Honours due to her with a salute of 7 Guns And in the mean while Admiral de Ruiter having made hast to get his ready saluted likewise with 9 Guns but the English made him no return At the same time setting Sailâ— he summoned on board him all the General Officers and Captains of the fleet to inform him what damage they had suffered by the late ill Weather And then it was that Lieutenant Admiral de Gent told him that after he had returned his salute to the Kings Yacht the English Captain fired twice at him with Bullets because he refused to strike his Flag that thereupon he sent his Captain on Board the Yacht to know of the Commander the reasons that oliged him to act in that manner and that hearing that Madam Temple was on board her because he had had the honour to visit her at her lodging at the Hague where she had treated him with great civilities he was minded to go on board the Yacht himself to pay her his Respects and that as he went in he told the Captain very civilly That as for an affair of so great an importance as that was to strike his Flag to one of the King's Yachts upon their own Coasts truely without an Express Order he durst not do it but that if his Britannick Majesty had reason to pretend any such thing the difference ought to be decided between his Majesty and the States and that after that discourse they parted good friends Notwithstanding which that Rencounter by the French was made the Subject of so much noise and blustring in England that the States found they had reason to apprehend very mischievous Consesequences from it The Campaign the most Christian King was to make near Dunkirk having ended in a bare review of his Army The States thought the Spanish low-Countries had nothing to fear that year and therefore they resolved to call home their Fleet to prevent the Tempests that begun already to reign And accordingly Admiral de Ruiter had orders to retire on the 21st of September and the 23d of the same month the Fleet went into Port to be Disarmed and laid up In the mean while the designs France had formed against the Netherlands begun to break out as likewise the intelligence the King of England had with that Crown And the States were informed from good hands what Springs the French King had set on work to break the Triple League and that to induce King Charles to break out or it he promised to put into the field an Army of 100000 men and to set out to Sea a Fleet of 40 Sail of men of War But however the English on their side to lull asleep the States gave them good words At the beginning of the Year 1672 the business about the Merlin Yacht was revived again And Sir George Downing was sent to the Hague from his British Majesty to make Complaint of it and to demand Reparation adding that Lieutenant Admiral de Gent ought to be punisht And tho' the 19th Article of the Treaty at Breda That men of War or Merchants Ships belonging to the Vnited Provinces when they shall meet any of the King of England's Ships of War in the British Seas shall be obliged to strike their Flag and lower their main Topsails as was formerly practised Yer Sir George Downing would needs maintain against the Commissioners appointed to treat with him that the business of the Flag was not to be taken from the Treaty of Breda but from an Ancient right and that the civilities they rendred one another were all times to be Reciprocal c. Some days after he delivered in a writing wherein it was asserted That the Empire of the Sea belonged to the English That not only every single Ship was obliged to strike their Flag but even whole Fleets That Lieutenant Admiral de Gent had failed in his Duty and ought to be punished c. All the Reasons the States could alledge would not satisfie Sir George Downing nor stop his hasty departure The States likewise employed all imaginable means to satisfy the French King but that Prince had taken so strong a Resolution to make War that nothing was able to divert him from it Whereupon the States seeing plainly that all those Preparations were making against the United Provinces and that the Netherlands were going to be made the Theater of a terrible War they begun to provide for themselves by raising a Fund to defray the vast expences they were like to be engaged in And after deliberations the Prince of Orange was Created Captain General of the Armies of the State the 24th of February upon certain conditions not necessary to be inserted here The States having enjoyed Peace by Land near 24 years their Land-Forces were so accustomed to Idleness that they were not like the same men and too long a rest had effeminated the Spirits of the Soldiers that there was no Reliance to be made upon their Service Therefore Orders were given for new Levies and endeavours were used to make Alliances with the Neighbouring Princes for Auxiliary Troops They used all diligence to fit out a Fleet of 48 Capital men of War and 24 Fire-Ships besides Galliots and other small Tenders which Number was afterwards considerably Augmented In the mean while the English put out a Fleet of 38 men of War divided into three Squadrons and the States Agent named de Clarges having discovered that their design was to go and meet and attack the Dutch Smirna Fleet one of the richest they ever had yet used his best Policy to disappoint the English and for that effect dispatch'd away several Galliots from Callis to go and give the Smirna men notice of it in the Spanish Seas so that upon that Advice they took their Precautions for their own defence They were to the Number of 72 sail including among them 6 men of War that were their Convoy When they were come as far as the middle of the Channel a Squadron of 9 English Frigats The Dutch Smirna Fleet attackt by the English and 3 Yachts under the Command of Sir Robert Holms came attackt them On the 24th of March At the sight of the English the Merchant Fleet threw themselves into the form of a Crescent and maintained the fight so vigorously for some hours that Sir Robert Holms
and Havens of the Vnited Provinces being freed from the Oppression of two powerful Fleets that kept them as it were besieged the Dutch had thereby time to take Breath and to draw from thence the Troops that were posted there and to employ them elsewhere For the Prince of Orange seeing Fortune begun to declare her self for his Arms marched the States Army that was reinforced by some Spanish Troops towards Naerden in order to besiege it and after the Reduction of that Place he joyned the Emperors Army under the Command of Count Montecuculi and formed the Siege of Bonne that was taken on the 14th of November Which happy Successes and the Arrival of the Imperialist absolutely broke the Measures of France and its Allies and forced them all at a spurt to quit the Conquests they had made with so much Rapidity by disabling them to preserve them without leaving themselves without Troops sufficient to oppose to the Prince of Orange and Imperialists in the Field which it was much more dangerous for them to let their Enemies be Masters of than it was prejudicial to quit their late Conquests and the Pride they took in having gotten them Therefore on the 7th of October they quitted Woorden on the 14th of November Bommel and on the 23d of the same Month Vtrecht and in general all the Conquests they had made in the Provinces of Vtrecht Guelders and Over-Yssel But before their Retreat they extorted immense Sums from the Inhabitants and committed all the Depredations Cruelty and Despair could incite them to So many fortunate Successes happening in so short a time not only freed the Vnited Provinces from the Disasters they were like to sink under but put them into a condition to take some Revenge for them For that effect the States redoubling their Care and Diligence begun to think of Manning and Arming out a powerful Fleet Preparations of War for the Year 1674. and resolved it should consist of 90 Men of War 24 Fireships and 24 Galliots c. amounting in all to 162 Sail. Whilst they were making those vigorous Naval Preparations the Spaniards who had declared War against France by vertue of their Treaty of Alliance with the States General of the Vnited Provinces employed the Marquess de Fresno their Embassadour in the Court of England to endeavour a separate Peace between the King of Great Britain and the States A Peace concluded between Englâ—nd and Hâ—lland by the Spanish Ambassadour The Negotiation that had been set on foot for a General Peace at Cologn was just then like to be broken off by the exorbitant Demands made by France and its Allies so that the States finding there was no trusting to any Hopes on that side of a General Peace used all their Artifices to separate England from the other Allies and for that purpose sent full Power to the Marquess de Fresno to treat on that Subject with that Crown who managed it so dextrously that on the 19th of February 1674. a Peace was effectually concluded at Westminster between the States and the King of England to the Exclusion of France and its Allies That Peace caused an unexpressible Joy to the Vnited Provinces and raised hopeful Expectations in all their People and as the Union of England with France formed together had they acted unanimously so formidable a Sea-power that it seemed at first to the Hollanders to have been invincible tho' the Event and ill cemented Correspondence of those two Nations shewed the contrary so now the Vnited Provinces had reason to flatter themselves with the Hopes that they should be able with much more ease to reduce France to Reason being alone after they had dividâ—d England from it which was the more powerful of the two at Sea than they could expect before Which Atchievement was as terrible a Stroke to France as it was a Glorious and Advantageous Omen to the Vnited Provinces That troublesome Thorn being pluck'd out of their Foot the States reflecting upon the immense Charges they had been forced to be at for equipping out a Fleet numerous enough to encounter two such formidable Sea-powers as they had had before upon them thought they might now well enough retrench some of them now they had none but Franâ—â— to deal with And therefore they ordered that thâ— Fleet for the Year 1674 should be composed only of 66 Men of War 18 Fireships 12 Great Galliots and as many smaller ones and 24 Flutes c. making in all 150 Sail and that 9000 Regular Troops should be embarked thereon and that they should carry with them 6 Months Provision that a part of that Fleet under the Command of de Ruiter should sail towards the Caribbe Islands belonging to the French to destroy them whilst the other part under the Conduct of Lieutenant Admiral Tromp should advance towards the French Coasts in order to make some Descent and Diversion there And the General Rendezvous of that Fleet was appointed to be at Wielingen A Relation of the Principal Adventures that happened at Sea in the Year 1674. taken out of the Original Memoirs of Lieutenant Admiral Tromp THE Fleet of the Vnited Provinces weighed Anchor on the 24th of May and on the 26th arrived before Dunkirk from whence they departed on the 27th towards Dover where the Marquess de Fresno the King of Spain's Embassadour at the Court of England came on Board the Admiral to see it They afterwards kept cruising along the Channel and about Torbay till the 7th of June and during all that time kept the Coasts of France in a continual Alarm Lieutenant Admiral de Ruiter in pursuance of the States Orders separated from Lieutenant Admiral Tromp on the 8th with a Squadron of Men of War and some Troops and sailed away for the West-Indies And then the rest of the Fleet under Tromp unmoored from Torbay and arrived the same Evening near the Goutstart On the 19th and 20th they discovered the Isle of Vshant At the approach of the Fleet the French fired their Beacons all-a-long the Coast and the Arrierbann of Britainy were most of them posted in and about Brest which they had taken great Care to fortifie And they had placed a great many Ships at the Mouth of the Harbour upon which they had placed Cannon and erected Batteries The French being so strong upon their Guard on that side the Generals of the Dutch Fleet found it impossible to execute their Projects there and unanimously resolved to move towards Belle-Isle and there to wait for such of their Ships as were straggled from the Body of their Fleet and then to sail all together towards the Mouth of the Loire According to that Project the Fleet unmoor'd and on the 22d a small English Vessel that was sent out a scouting returned to the Fleet and brought with her a French Sounder of S. Lazar. On the 23d the Fleet went and anchored on the East of Belle-Isle As soon as the Duke de Chaulnes Governour of
near the Isle In the mean while the Swedes kept firing at the Fleet from a Battery of 10 great Guns and yet in all that time killed but 2 Persons which is very remarkable On the 23d at break of day Admiral Juel having left his own Fleet came on board the Elector to inform him that the Danes had taken post the day before near Wittaw Upon that advice the Elector gave order to his people to weigh Anchor that he might not give time to Count Koningsmark to attack the Danes before their Junctions with his Troops About noon the Calm begun again so that to make the more haste they were forced to tow the men of War forward with boats when they drew near the shore the Troops made use of Pikes and Shovels instead of Oars to get to Land with the more haste Nay some of them jumpt into the Sea up to the neck in water and waded to shore because they would be there the foremost and the first to give proofs of their Bravery At the approach of the Danes the Swedish Horse shewed themselves on the high grounds and Count Koningsmark caused some pieces of Cannon to be advanced resolved to fire briskly from them upon the Brandenburgers before they should recover the disorder their Landing would necessarily put them in But seeing them so nimbly get into Battle array and that they had already got Cannon with them ashore he ordered his men to quit the Post where they were placed so that the Electors whole Army consisting of 4000 men made a descent without any opposition from the Swedes and without having above two men killed and one wounded Marshal Dorfling as soon as he was Landed took with him all the Horse that were yet disembarkt and fell to pursuing the Swedes and 200 Horse of them having charged 8 Batalions of the Enemies their consternation was so extream that they turned tail soon after There were taken that day about 200 Prisoners Count Koningsmark seeing his affairs going down the Wind was minded to use Circumspection and thought it high time to rally together the Relicks of his dispersed and dispirited Forces and accordingly he assembled them together in one body and advanced with them towards the old Fort with design to pass from thence to Straelsund in case of necessity But in the mean while General Dorfling who followed him close at the heels marcht with that diligence that the next day he â—epresented himself before that place The Swedes were extreamly surprized to see him there and because he observed they were busy in embarking themselves to get away to Straelsund Dorfling ordered a Body of 500 men under the Command of Major General Schoning to advance along the shore side and put himself at the head of them with his drawn sword in his hand to charge them And whilst they attackt the Swedes on one side a part of their Cavalry lighted from their Horses and attackt them on another so that the place was taken by assault A great Number of Swedes were put to the Sword in the first heat of the attack and 900 Foot and 500 Horse were made Prisoners Count Koningsmark after he had signalized himself and done as much as man could do leapt into a Boat and got away from the Victors presently after some Regiments were Commanded to go and attack the New Fort but when the Cannon begun to batter the Ramparts the Garrison that were Germans mutinied and forced their Officers to set open the Gates to the Brandenburgers Such was the destiny of a Fortress which the Danes had not been able to take and which yet surrendred at last without any resistance to the Arms of the Elector of Brandenburg The Isle of Danholm being afterwards attackt by 2000 men submitted likewise to the obedience of the Trumphant Arms of the same Elector All those happy successes were followed by the supplemental addition of the Town of Straelsund where Count Koningsmark was retreated with the shattered relicks of his Army which consisted of 1600 Horse and 600 Musketeers which yet after noble and stout resistance made by the valour and Conduct of the said Count worthy to have served a more fortunate cause was taken This last Conquest was so much glorious for the Arms of his Electoral Highness because that place was counted one of the important ones of all Germany Admiral Tromp after he had assisted at all the Conquests in the North where he acquired a very great Reputation Returned at length into his own Country Honoured with the Glorious Titles of Baron Knight and Count conferred upon him by two Great Kings in admiration of his incomparable Merit The Place ensued soon after and some Family considerations besides some particular and private Discontents obliged him at length to quit the Sea and the publick Service till the Year 1691. And then a Mighty War arising between France and England the United Provinces and most of the Princes of Europe he was lookt upon as the most capable person to Command the States Fleet to maintain and support the Glory the Hollanders have acquired by Sea since the appearance of their Renowned Republick in the World And indeed the present King of England William III. had named him to Command the States Fleet as Admiral General for the Year 1691 and the people began already to flatter themselves with a thousand happy successes from the Joy and Good-Will the Seamen unanimously testified on that occasion but the French who are Ingenious in foreseeing thought it was necessary to use all sorts of means to prevent so great an Evil as seemed to threaten them on that side they lookt upon Tromp to be the only man that could Traverse their designs and make head against their growing Power at Sea the Empire of which they pretend now to dispute against both England and Holland so that if we may credit what has been reported the Treacherous Intrigues of that Nation contributed to cure themselves of the Umbrage and Apprehension they had conceived of that Great man by procuring him an unnatural Distemper to cut him off on a sudden We will enter into no particulars about it but 't is too well known that Court omits nothing to get the ablest Generals amongst their Enemies dispatcht out of the World by one means or other when they prove deaf to their Charms and incorruptible and faithful to their Country However it were the Incomparable Tromp fell sick whilst the preparations for the Equipment of the Fleet were carrying on with all diligence All Europe had then their Eyes turned that way and begun already to Count upon a famous Sea-Battle in which the Hollanders were to carry away the Victory and Tromp whose good Fortune had all along accompanied Bravery and Wise Conduct during his life in all the Battles he ever fought was lookt upon as the happy man that was shortly to revenge his Country for the loss of the Battle under the less fortunate Conduct of Admiral Evertsz by reason the English Admiral failed in his duty But alas Death at length with his malevolent Scyth cut down in an instant all those blooming hopes and deprived Holland and the Allies of an Admiral that was to have establisht Navigation in its ancient Liberty and to have Triumph'd over the formidable French Fleets if God had not been pleased to take him away in the Prime of his years He died at Amsterdam after a long lingring sickness on the 29th of May Admiral Tromp's Death about 8 a clock in the morning generally regretted by all the World He was the Son of the valiant Admiral Martin Harpertsz Tromp and of Dinah de Haas born at Rotterdam He married Margaret de Rhaaphorst Widow to the late Mr. Helmont by whom he had no Children His Body was carried on the 6th of June between 9 and 10 at night along the Lord's new Channel to a place called Amstel where it was put into a Yatcht in order to be Transported to Delft and there interr'd in the stately Tomb of his Illustrious Father His Burial The Solemnity of his interrment was performed in the following manner First the Company of Major Witsen marcht at the head of the Convoy followed by favour of the light of abundance of Torches I. By the bearer of the two Anchors placed Saltire wise II. After him followed the Admiral-Flagg III. The Generals Staff IIII. The 4 Quarters of his Arms and Representing the Alliance of his House V. The 3 Casks VI. The entire Coat of his Arms VII The Habit of Armour VIII The order of Knight of the Elephant reposing upon a Pillow of Black Velvet IX The Sword X. The Spurs XI The Gantlets XII The 3 Standards After which follow'd the Admiral 's Corps cover'd with his Arms The 4 Corners of the Pall being held up by 4 Marine Captains viz. Mr. Hans Hartwich Mr. Abraham Taalman James Willemsz Broeder and Roemer Vlak After them marcht the Deceased's near Kindred and afterwards the Burgermasters the Sheriffs and Councellors of the Town Such was the end of the incomparable Cornelius Tromp whose memory will be dear in all Ages to come to all the Lovers of Virtue and Valour of both which he has left an August Example to his Nation after his Death FINIS
the present Treaty it might make it impracticable to come to a conclusion of a Renovation of the Ancient Amity that has always been between the two Nations the States my Mrs. judg'd it necessary I should come hither because having been always present at all their deliberations by reason of my Employment I was best able to Represent to the Commonwealth of England the naked truth and all the Circumstances of that Action as they have been related to them in order to the rasing out all suspicions that might be capable to distemper or destroy the good intelligence and true Amity that is between the two Nations and remove all obstacles that might hinder the conclusion of the Treaty already began Moreover I protest and declare in the presence of the Parliament of the Republick of England by vertue of my Credential Letters and in the Name of the States General my Mrs. that they never had any thoughts to attempt any thing or give order that any thing should be attempted that might give any just cause of Umbrage to the Sovereign power of this Commonwealth to break or weaken the Union and good Correspondence that has been so long cultivated between the two Republicks or under what pretence soever to sow any discord between them But rather on the contrary I can say that the States have been moved by their own inclinations and by the sentiments of a real Friendship carefully to study out all that might conduce to the hastning the conclusion of a strict and inviolable Alliance between the two Nations It 's true a very considerable Fleet was Equip'd in Holland but at the same time there 's no body but knows the States were forced so to do by the continual complaints of their Subjects and that they gave notice of it to the Parliament And they published beforehand that this arming was for no other end than for the liberty and security of Commerce which was much endamag'd and interrupted by many very sensible Losses the Subjects of the United Provinces daily suffered of their Ships and Goods and certainly it is but natural to make use of the means that force and necessity put into our hands to protect oppresed innocence But they thoughr of nothing less than a fight to create new troubles between the two Nations and Revive the disputes that were already terminated But things being so and there hapning by accident a fierce Battle between the Fleets of the two Nations the States General have thought fit to Communicate to the Parliament of England an exact and faithfull Relation of all that passed such as they have received from their Admiral authorized by the Testimony of all the Captains and other persons worthy of Credit namely that Admiral Tromp came towards the Fleet of this Republick more by necessity than out of any premeditated design and that after he had paid his Civilities to Major Bourn as he was pursuing his voyage he fell into the presence of Admiral Blake before he was aware that presently he ordered an advice Boat to be made ready to send some Officers of the Fleet to Compliment him but that Blake answering him with Civilities of a quite contrary nature let flie all his Guns at him and that then Tromp discharg'd his more to defend himself than to offend the Aggressor This was the cause of an Engagement in which the Capricious humour of Fortune had more share than any design of Council premeditated and swell'd up with Ambition so that it being begun about a mistaken point of Honour and not continued by our men out of any principle of animosity the States General pray the Commonwealth of England to be perswaded they had no hand in that Action but to take it for an Event of pure chance and of the inconstancy of Worldly affairs and that accordingly they would be pleased to recall their Orders and Commissions and to let all Acts of Hostility cease that now disturb Commerce and the States on their part are ready to consent to the same and always to employ all possible means to facilitate an Accommodation They are very sensible that all Christendom is deeply concerned in so great an affair as this and especially the reformed Churches of all Europe who all equally wish and desire that our troubles may be stifled in their Birth as being perswaded that discord arising between Neighbouring States of the same Religion may not only draw after it the Ruin of that Commerce that makes them Flourish but likewise awaken the drooping hopes of both their secret and open Enemies who would not fail to take occasion thereupon to foment some new Plots in some Province or other of this Commonwealth which would afterwards break out and so passing from one to another we should see our States become the bloody Theater of a War To prevent therefore and put a stop to the Course of so great mischiefs I have Orders without further delay to Represent to you and employ all my industry that some assur'd means may be agreed upon on both sides to accommodate the differences about what has past and for the taking such just Measures for the future that there may never happen the like accidents again between the two Fleets and that so thereby the Greatness and Glory of the Parliament of England may be secured from the danger of all sorts of attempts against it Since then the States General openly declare to the Parliament the ardent passion they have to see the two Nations perfectly United together and their differences entirely composed and that the propositions on both sides may at last terminate in a strict Alliance all the favour I desire of the Parliament is that they would please to give order to their Commissioners and to the Council of State to give me speeddy Audience and to labour joyntly with me for the Conclusion of the Treaty in order to terminate the principal business that is the foundation of my Negotiation as well as of that of the other Ambassadors In extraordinary of the States In the mean while I acknowledge my self infinitely obliged to the Parliament that they have been pleased to grant a Ship to Mr. Nieuport to repass the Sea and go into Holland I will add here that being a Member of the State he has had order to remain with me to assist me with his Council till my return which I dare be confident the Parliament will not take ill and that they will be pleased favourably to accept my most humble services which I present them Mr. de Heemsted going the next day to the Council of State Mr. de Heemsted's Speech to the Council of State made them the following Speech which he pronounced in French Since it has pleased my Lorâ—s the States General of the United Provinces besides the Ambassadors they have already here to send me extraordinarily in the same Quality to the Parliament of the Republick of England to whom I had the Honour yesterday in a
full Assembly to declare the Subject of my Ambassage and the sincerity of the intentions of the High and Mighty Lords my Mrs. I thought my self indispensably obliged to appear before this August Council as well to present them my Credential Letters as to assure them for my own particular how much I tender the prosperity they enjoy in the management of those great and important affairs intrusted to them by the Commonwealth and which they discharge with so much Wisdom and Prudence And as I have already declared to the Parliament so I Reiterate again here that the States General desire nothing so much as the Continuation of a good and intimate Correspondence and the Renewing of a durable and solid Friendship with England of which they had in several Rencounters given very signal marks It is Certain the States my Mrs. wish nothing more heartily than to see the Treaty of Peace brought to a Conclusion and the Union between the two Republicks thereby Re-establisht and Corroborated and all Subjects of hatred and mis-understanding that might be able to disturb it thereby entirely dispell'd Gentleman it is the Aim of the Enemies of the Reformation by Divisions not only to weaken but totally to ruin the two Republicks but the two Nations having received so many great marks of the blessing of God as well by their partaking in the true Religion of which they are the trusty Guardians as by the prodigies that have appear'd in their foundation and establishment in several parts of the World whither they have so happily advanced Commerce in spite of all the dangers of the Seas the States my Mrs. Judge it absolutely necessary to maintain Religion and strengthen our Republicks which cannot be effected otherwise than by a happy Complication and an agreeable confusion of their Riches and common Interests that will be the true means with the assistance of Heaven to prevent all that may be capable to trouble their happiness and felicity Upon which considerations the States General were so extremely surprized at the news of what past lately between the two Naval Armies and at the mutual jealousie the two Nations have conceived thereupon That they thought it most highly important to depute me extraordinarily towards the Parliament of the Commonwealth of England and towards this Venerable Council to represent to them the true State of things so much the rather because having the honour to assist in two Assemblies namely that of the States General and of the States of Holland and West-Friesland I have a full knowledge of their most secret and most weighty Affairs and that by consequence I am able to assure them that there never was any Project form'd any Resolution taken nor any Commission given directly or indirectly to offend the Republick of England and to give them any just Cause of Jealousie and much less to go and attack their Fleets But rather on the contrary it was ordered That wheresoever our Men should meet with those of that Nation they should treat them as true Friends tho in the fatal rencounter we have newly mentioned things hapned quite otherwise of which I gave yesterday a Relation ample and particular enough to suffice at present because it is not convenient to be so often Renewing the Memory of past things that ought to be buried in eternal oblivion in the mean while finding by the last answer given to our Ambassadors that you pretend satisfaction for what is past and assurances for the future and besides the States my Mrs. Judging it Requisite first to remove all preventions and mistaken prejudices concerning what is past and that the two Republicks should endeavour to find out means to secure them against the like accidents for the time to come that the Treaty of Alliance already in good forwardness be without interruption carried on that besides the surest means imaginable be provided to prevent all suspicion and distrust and that a standing order be establisht according to which the Naval Armies on both sides shall be obliged to Regulate themselves concerning which points I have received the necessary instructions from my Mrs. I intreat you Gentlemen to be pleased to name some of your Illustrious Body to treat with me out of hand concerning the affairs in Question I must add to all I have just now asserted that the States never had any thoughts to dispute with the Republick of England that Grandure and Sovereign power that distinguishes it with so much Glory from all the other Republicks of Europe Heartily wishing besides that by the Union of two such potent States as England Holland the two Republicks may contribute to the mutual preservation of one another be secured against the Conspiracies of their Enemies and assure to themselves a firm and lasting Peace In the mean while I pray you to give order by your Wise Conduct as soon as possible that the mischief caused by that unfortunate Rencounter may not be increased by new Hostilities committed against the Ships of the States but rather that you would straitly forbid the same without staying till the sore be grown incurable and till by that we awake the drooping hopes of our Enemies being perswaded that we shall find out effectual means to reconcile us to the shame and confusion of those that are jealous of our prosperity and common feâ—icity I shall be most sensibly obliged to this August assembly if they will please to give me a speedy answer that so without losing time I may fall to work upon a business of so great advantagâ— and importance recommending my self in the mean time with all possible respect to your Benevolence June 24. Two days aftâ—r the Mr. of the Ceremonies gave notice to 〈…〉 â—â—eemsted that the Parliament had apâ—â—â—◠〈◊〉 â—â—mmissioners to Treat with him And 〈…〉 â—â—â—â—ence being thereupon entred into Mr. â—â—â—â—sâ—ed begun with declaring to the Commissioners That the States had never given any cause of Complaint to the Republick of England but rather all the demonstrations of a true and sincere Amity that their intention could not be doubted of since it was Notorious that it had been always such in time past and should be so for the time to come that if there had hapned any thing that seemed contrary to that intention it ought not to be imputed to the States as an offence proceeding from them nor any occasion taken upon that account to attempt any thing against their Subjects but that generously forgetting on both sides what was past Provision ought to be made for their mutual security by giving the necessary Orders to prevent the like accidents for the future unless the Parliament should think it fitter to name Commissioners on both sides to make a through scrutiny into the Business in dispute and above all to enquire who was the Aggressor That their High and Mightinesses in case Tromp should be found to have begun first would not only disown his Conduct as contrary to their Orders but would cause him
to the Governours and Lieutenant Generals of his Majesty as well those of his Provinces as of his Armies to Camp Marshals Brigadeers Colonels Captains and other Commanders of his Troops as well Infantry as Cavalry French or Strangers and to all other Officers to whom it appertains to lend a hand to the Execution of these presents every one in his place and his Jurisdiction For such is the pleasure of his Majesty Who likewise wills that these presents be published and fixed up in all his Towns upon Sea and elsewhere in all the Ports and other places of his Kingdom where it is necessary that none may plead cause of Ignorance and that to the Copy of them duly compared the same credit be given as to the Original In the month of February following the United Provinces concluded another strict Alliance with Denmark in Consequence of which orders were sent to Funen into Holstein Jutland and Norway to lay an Embargo upon all Danish Ships and to forbid them to stir out of their Ports that so by that means the Danish Fleet might be the more expeditiously equipt and Armed out The Articles of that Treaty were I. THat each party should absolutely desist from all pretensions they might have one upon the other The Articles of the Dutch League with Denmark II. That all manner of mis-understanding in Norway should be laid asleep and forgot III. That the States General should engage to pay to his Danish Majesty 1500000 Livers per annum as long as the War against England should continue of which the French should be obliged to pay 300000 Livers yearly for their part For which sum the King of Denmark should engage on his side to maintain a Fleet at Sea of 30 Ships of War of which some should be furnished with a sufficient number of Regular Troops to be employed in the Service of the States when they should need them That Treaty was a stroke of Thunder to the English who were the more sensibly concerned at it because they had not heard the least inkling of it till they heard of its conclusion For Dreyer the Secretary of the King of Denmark's Embassy in Holland was sent incognito by the Ministers of that Prince that were at the Hague Mr. Catisius and Mr. Klingenberg immediately after the Conclusion of the Treaty to the King their Master to present it to him and get his Ratification after which the Secretary came back again with all expedition to the Hague This politick silence was the cause that the English Resident at the Court of Denmark had not time to advertise the Merchants of his Nation of it so that all their effects were seized and confiscated throughout the whole extent of the Kingdom It 's true the Danes proceedings on that occasion had some appearance of Justice and Equity because the English from the very time they made that Hostile attempt of which we have spoken upon the Port of Bergen in Norway had not only seized on the Danes Ships and Merchandizes but had likewise taken their men Prisoners so that the Crown of Denmark in that Rencounter seemed to do no more than to use Reprisals had it not afterwards appeared that they had dealt perfidiously in that matter with the King of England and secretly invited him to that Enterprize for which they afterwards declared War against him In the mean time the United Provinces in order to facilitate the Arming and manning out the Fleet publish'd on the 1st of February an Ordinance forbidding all Merchant Ships and Fishing vessels to stir out of their Harbours upon pain of Confiscation of their said Ships and Goods They likewise forbad the great and small Fishery under the same penalties and the Ordinance for forbidding the Greenland Fishery was also renewed But the States however declared that their intention in all those prohibitions was to find them subsistance all the year without any alteration even after the Fleet should be gone out c. About that time Tromp signified to the States that he should be glad if they would please to change his Quality of Lieutenant Admiral of Holland and West-Friesland or of the College of the Admiralty of the Meuse into that of Lieutenant Admiral of the College of the Admiralty of Amsterdam which request the States granted upon Condition he got the consent of both those Admiralties thereunto so that having obtained it on the 6th of February he was created Lieutenant Admiral of the College of the Admiralty of Amsterdam and on the 24th of the same month Vice Admiral Aart Van Nes succeeded him in quality of Lieutenant Admiral of the Meuse and Captain John Van Nes was made Rear Admiral In the mean while the English being sensible of the great Force of so powerfull a League made very great preparations for War on their side and exerted as we may say the utmost of their efforts to make a vigorous resistance But because money was wanting they were forced to borrow 1250000 l. Sterling more at great Interest and besides to help towards the defraying of the extraordinary charges of the War the two East India Ships viz. the Phoenix and the Fort of Huningen taken from the Hollanders were sold which yielded the sum of 1600000 l. And because the French King had first declared War against England the King of Great Britain who was no less Jealous of his honour than the Monsieur published likewise a Declaration against that Crown in the following Terms The King of England's Declaration of War against France WHereas the French under pretence of a defensive League concluded with the States General of the United Provinces accuses us of having violated the Peace though all Europe be well enough informed of the contrary And upon that Ground has declared War against us on the 26th of January last making himself thereby the Aggressor and Infractour of the Peace which we have always desired to preserve with the said States on whose behalf the Ambassadors of the most Christian King never offered any indemnification for the losses suffered by our Subjects nor given any Guarrantees for the security of their Commerce for the future We therefore trusting in the Almighty power of God and in the justice of our cause and being likewise assured of the Bravery and Fidelity of our Subjects have thought fit for their Common security to declare that we are resolved to carry on the War vigorously by employing all our Forces as well by Sea as by Land against France which has newly begun it with us against all the Laws of Justice And to that end we Command our Royal Brother Lord High Admiral of England and our Trusty and well beloved Cousin and Councellor George Duke of Albemarle General of our Armies by Land our Lords Lieutenants of Counties Governours of Provinces and all other inferiour Officers and Soldiers under their Commands as well by Sea as by Land to oppose all the Enterprizes of the French King and his Subjects And for