The Boy who sailed with Blake, by W.H.G. Kingston.
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Another vintage Kingston book, this time with a background of the 1650s,
when Cromwell and the Roundheads were in power.
With acknowledgement to Chamber's Biographical Dictionary we read:
Blake, Robert (1599-1657) English naval commander, the son of a
merchant. Educated at Wadham College, Oxford, he continued his father's
business and led the life of a quiet country gentleman until he was 40.
Returned for Bridgwater in 1640 to the short Parliament, he cast in his
lot with the Parliamentarians. In the Civil War he took part in the
defence of Bristol (1643) and Lyme Regis (1644), and his defence of
Taunton (1644-45) against overwhelming odds proved a turning point in
the war. Appointed Admiral in 1649, he destroyed Prince Rupert's fleet
and captured the Scilly Isles and Jersey. In the first Dutch War
(1652-54) he defeated Tromp at the battle of Portland and shattered
Dutch supremacy at sea. He destroyed the Barbary Coast pirate fleet off
Tunis (1655) and in 1657 destroyed a Spanish treasure fleet at Santa
Cruz off Teneriffe. He died as his ship entered Plymouth, and was
buried in Westminster Abbey, but his body was removed at the
Restoration. He is considered one of the greatest of English admirals,
second only to Nelson.
That was the background to this story. The only thing that upset your
transcriber is that he is by nature on the side of the Cavaliers and the
Monarchy, rather than that of the Roundheads.
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