My service to you, wishing all happiness. On the 18th of May inst.
the Hollanders' fleet, consisting of 42 sail of stout ships, all
men of war, came by the Eastward, and lay by the lee of the South
Foreland, and from thence sent two of their fleet into the Downs
to Major Bourn, who was then Admiral (General Blake being absent).
The Captains of those ships, coming aboard, desired leave of him to
anchor their ships in the Downs. The Admiral asked them why they came
into our seas with their flags up, so near our Navy. They answered
they had orders not to strike their flags to any they should meet
with; whereupon the Major answered them, that within two days' time
they should know whether there was room enough for them to anchor in
or not. Yet notwithstanding this the Hollanders anchored in Dover
road, and rode there till the 19th. About two of the clock in the
afternoon, Major Bourne came out of the Downs into Dover road with
10 sail, and Col. Blake from the rest with 13 sail more: the Dutch
Fleet, seeing this, weighed anchor, and stood up to the coast of
France with their flags up, near upon two hours, and then bore up to
Gen. Blake, each ship having a man at the topmast head, as if they
intended to have struck their flags.
When they came within shot of our Admiral, he made one shot at them
for to strike, but they refused, still coming towards him, whereupon
he made two shot more at them, and then the Hollanders gave him one
shot, still making nearer to him; and coming up to him, saluted our
Admiral with a whole volley of small shot and a broadside of gunshot,
and Col. Blake returned him the like, and bearing up after him, they
two charged three or four broadsides at each other. Thirteen of the
Hollanders gave our Admiral each of them a broadside, before any of
our ships came up to second him; then the _General of Folkestone_
came up between the Hollanders and our Admiral, and gave them a
breathing time, and in an hour's time the ship called the _Triumph_
came up to them and fell up into the whole fleet.
About six of the clock at night the Dutch Admiral bore away, and
Gen. Blake after him; but Van Tromp went better than our Admiral,
insomuch that he could not come up with them, but followed them
within shot till nine of the clock, in which time the Hollanders had
so shattered our General's sails and rigging, that they had neither
sheets, tacks, nor brace, and his foresail was all torn in pieces; by
means whereof Van Tromp sailed away and all his fleet after him; only
one of our Frigates boarded one of them who had 150 in her; whereof
50 were slain and the rest wounded and taken: we also shot another
Dutch ship's mainmast overboard and took her, she having 37 guns in
her, but finding six foot of water in her hold, we only took out the
Captain and two more, and left her not able to swim, but sank shortly
afterwards....
Our ships are all now (God be praised) safe in the Downs, and have
brought in two Hollanders, one of them thought to be an Adviser. I
was aboard our fleet in the Downs, and there came six Hollanders that
were merchantmen within a league of our fleet, whereupon a Frigate of
ours came up to the Admiral, and asked leave to fetch them in; but
the Admiral answered that they were men about honest occasions, and
he had no order from the Council of State to meddle with them, and so
let them pass about their occasions.
While I was aboard the Admiral, there came a Dutch man-of-war,
supposing it to be Van Tromp, but the _Speaker_ Frigate quickly
fetched him up, and brought him into our fleet.
There were 36 of the Hollanders ships that engaged with our fleet in
the aforesaid fight, that ride about deep, every one of them being
about 1,000 or 1,500 tons, most of them pitifully torn and battered,
and many of them without either mast, sails, or flags, having lost
the company of their Admiral.
Sir, your assured friend,
THOMAS WHITE.
DOVER,
_May 22, 1652_.