A relation of the engagement of His Majesty's fleet with the enemies, on the 11th of August, 1673 as it has been represented by letters from the several squadrons.

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Title
A relation of the engagement of His Majesty's fleet with the enemies, on the 11th of August, 1673 as it has been represented by letters from the several squadrons.
Publication
[London] In the Savoy :: Printed by Thomas Newcomb,
1673.
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Subject terms
Texel, Battle of the, 1673.
Cite this Item
"A relation of the engagement of His Majesty's fleet with the enemies, on the 11th of August, 1673 as it has been represented by letters from the several squadrons." In the digital collection Early English Books Online 2. https://name.umdl.umich.edu/A58442.0001.001. University of Michigan Library Digital Collections. Accessed May 21, 2024.

Pages

The RELATION from the RED SQƲADRON.

ON the Tenth of August, in the Morning, his Highness Prince Rupert, lying with His Majesties Fleet seven Leagues from the Texel, bearing E. and by S. of them, dispatch∣ed away the Papenburgh, a Dutch East-India Prize, under the care of Sir Charles Littleton, which had fallen that Morn∣ing casually into their Hands; about which time the Fleet Weighed, having the Wind at N. E. a gentle Gale, his

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Highness being Advertised by his Scouts, That the Enemies Fleet, which had lain at Ankor four Leagues from Camper down, and seven Leagues S. S. E. from ours, were getting under Sayl; which obli∣ged him to stand S. F. to get the Wnd of them; About Two in the Af∣ternoon, the Enemies Fleet was seen by Ours, standing Northwards: of whom his Highness having got the Wind, about Four in the Afternoon stretched near the Headmost of them: then the Enemy Tacked, when their Van was a Breast on us, and made all the Sayl they possibly could. The Prince kept such a Sayl, as our whole bleet might ac∣company them; but the Day being near spent, his Highness thought it not fit to Engage them then, but kept under Sayl all night. On the Eleventh in the Morning at break of day, the Ene∣mies Fleet was seen (being Ninety odd Sayl of Men of War) within two Leagues of Ours, bearing from the E. and by S. to the S. S. E. of us, the Wind at E. and by S. the Texel bore F. N. E. near five Leagues distance; Between Four and Five the Fleet Tack∣ed,

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and stood to the Northwards till Eight, then they Tacked again and stood to the Southward, the Enemy still observing our Motion, and edg∣ing towards us, untill half an hour after Eight, when they bore right down up∣on us, Van Trump upon the Blew Squa∣dron in the Rear, de Ruyter with the Main Body upon the Red, and Ban∣kaert with the rest upon the White; Between Nine and Ten of the Clock, there fell a great Shower of Rain, and very thick Weather, with which the Wind shrunk from the E. and by S. to the S.W. At eleven of the Clock the Weather cleared up, when we percei∣ved the White Squadron had Tacked, and Weathered both Fleets; The Ene∣my had a great Squadron to Weather of the Prince's and Sir John Harmans Divisions, de Ruyter was right in the Princes Wake, and pressed him very hard, two of their Vice-Admirals, and one of their Rear-Admirals, were within little more then Cannon shot to Leeward of him; Sir John Chichley's Division was to Leeward of him, and the Blew Squadron warmly Engaged

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with Van Trump to Leeward of all: the Prince kept close upon a Wind till twelve at noon, and then his High∣ness bore towards Sir John Chichley first, and afterwards to the Blew Squa∣dron, where he found Sir Edward Spragge's Ship, the Royal Prince, towing off without any of his Masts standing, but defended from the Ene∣my, by the Earl of Ossory in the St. Michael, and some other Ships of the same Squadron. At six in the eve∣ning his Highness Engaged smartly again, till eight at night, when he got his Larboard Tacks on bard, and stood N. N. W. with the Wind at S. W. at which time the Enemy Tack∣ed, and stood to their own Coast. We have several of our Men of War Disabled, but not one lost; the Hen∣rietta Yacht which attended the Earl of Ossory, was sunk by his side, but he sa∣ved the Captain and all the Men. Sir Edward Spragg Admiral of the Blew Squadron, changing his Ship, was un∣fortunately Drowned, his Boat being sunk under him by a Shot from the Enemy, Captain le Neve was also

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Slain; Sir John Kempthorn, Vice-Admiral of the Blew, Captain Courtney, Captain Haward, Sir William Reeves, and Sir William Jennings were Woun∣ded; Captain Stockman, and Captain Merryweather of the Duke of Buck∣ingham's Regiment, and Mr May, a Vo∣lunteer, were also Slain, which were all the Hurt and Wounded of Note we yet hear of. We cannot certainly tell what the Enemies Loss was, but two of their Great Ships of 70 and 60 Guns were both lost in our sight, the one sunk by Sir John Kempthorne, the latter burnt by Captain Washbourn: It is likewise confidently said, that four or five more were destroyed, and several others were seen to go off much disabled. On the 12 our Fleet was refitting, and on the 13 in the morning, when this Account came away from them, they were under Sail to look after the Enemy, who were gotten out of fight the night before, standing, as is sup∣posed, towards their own Coast.

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