The ansvver of the Parliament of the Commonwealth of England, to three papers delivered in to the Councel of State by the lords ambassadors extraordinary of the States General of the United Provinces. As also a narrative of the late engagement between the English fleet under the command of General Blake; and the Holland fleet under the command of Lieutenant Admiral Trump. And likewise severall letters, examinations and testimonies touching the same. Together with the three papers, aforesiad of the said lords ambassadors extraordinary; and the letter of Lieutenant Admiral Trump therein mentioned, translated into English.

Major Bourn's Relation.

UPon the Eighteenth of May, the Wind being at North-East, the weather something haisie, about

Ten in the morning we saw a great Fleet on the back side of the Goodwyn sand, which lay with their sayls hayl'd up, and drove to the fouthward the later Tyde of Ebb in land; about twelve they were so nigh, that we plainly descried them to be all Men of War, consist∣ing of One and forty in number, one whereof had a Flag at the main Top-mast head, the rest Jacks and An∣cients, Hollands Colours, at which time they were near the South sands Head: There was in the Downs the Andrew, Triumph, Fairfax, Entrance, Centurion, Adventure, Assurance, Greyhound, and the Seven Bre∣thers, all the rest of the Fleet being with the General to the Westward, by whose special Command I wore a Flag at the main Top-mast head; the appearance of which I humbly conceive was one cause amongst others which moved their General to send two Frigots to∣wards me, which as soon as I perceived plying into the Road, I sent out the Greyhound to examine them, and know the ground of their Approach; who returned this Answer to the Captain, That they had a Message from their Admiral to the Commander in the Downs, at which he made sayl towards me, permitted them to come in, the two Frigots came near and saluted the Flag, and then the Captains came on Board, whose names were, one Tyson, and the other Aldred, who brought this Message from their Admiral Van Trump, That by reason of much Northerly Winds, he with his Fleet was put the southward farther then he intended, and having Anchored the day before off Dunkirk, ma∣ny of his ships had lost Anchors and Cables, and so were forced to leewards; but withal declared, that they had special Command from their Admiral to signifie thus much, That it was the onely cause of their coming

to prevent any thoughts or misaprehensions, for that he had not the least purpose to offer injury to any of the English Nation, but for fear least any noise or Alarum should be given either at Land or Sea, he thought good to send this message. And further, the one of them in dis∣course said, that their Admiral Trump would have come himself into the Road, but that he was not willing to breed any difference about his Flag, forasmuch as he had not order to take it down: To whom I replied, That I presumed there would be no new thing required of them, and neither more nor lesse would be expected from them, but what they knew to be the ancient Right of this Nation; and withal I desired them to return this Answer from me to their General, That their Message was civil, that our General was to the West-ward, whom I looked for hourly, and that received; and if what they delivered was so intended, I desired the Re∣ality there of might be manifested by their speedy draw∣ing off from this place with their Fleet, for else this their appearance would be otherwise expounded; and so I dismissed them, who made sail to their Admiral who lay off the South-Sands head. I expected them to come into the Road every moment, and therefore was in readiness with the small strength I had under my charge; so soon as the two Friggots before mentioned came back to their General, they all made Sail and stood toward Dover, and there they came to an Anchor that Tyde. At the first appearance of them, after I had made them certainly to be the Holland Fleet, I did according to my duty give such an Accompt thereof to the Right Honorable the Councel of State, as the time and other business would admit, & withal I immediate∣ly

dispatched a Ketch to our General, who met with the advise thereof that night about Nesse. All the next night we lay in readiness, our Anchors apeck, and kept two Friggots one at a distance from the other be∣twixt us and them, giving them Instructions to make a Signal to me either night or day, that I might under∣stand their motion whether towards, the General or else∣where, to the end I might the better be able to order my self and the party with me to the best advantage for security of the Generals Fleet and our selves. In the morning about ten a clock I received advice from the General being a little to the West-ward of Foulstone, and according to Order received from him, calculated the time and Tyde, so that we might most opportunely make conjunction of our Forces. About twelve a clock I set sail out of the Downs, the wind being Easterly, im∣mediately after I perceived the Hollanders to be under sail some of them, and the rest making ready: we steer∣ed alongst, and when we came as high as the South∣foreland, the Hollanders Fleet was got off the Shore and were 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Channel over plying to wind-ward towards Ca∣lice, at which time I saw our General and those with him, and within an hour after or thereabouts, the Hol∣land Fleet bore up and made Sail toward him; we hast∣ned towards him, and hope I may say, seasonably came in, for by that time the Guns were fired betwixt the Admirals, we were with the body of their Fleet and in∣gaged with them from half an hour past four in the afternoon till it was dark; what execution we did upon them they best know, I shall not determine it, but surely they were sensible of us, for they did their utmost to decline us and avoid our coming near, which we en∣deavored

by all means; but their Admiral leading the Van, they all made sail after him, and so shot them∣selves to Leeward of us, and so left the Rear of the Fleet to us, which we endeavored to sever from the rest, and accordingly did in part break the Body, and some of us who were the nearest and had the Advan∣tage of the Wind, fell upon the Stern most, who I suppose found it hot work; the one of them of thirty Guns we took which fought stoutly, another of the same force so lamed, her main Mast shot down, and having much water in Hold yielded, and the Captain thereof came in to our Boat to save himself; the night coming on and no hope left him, I presume she sunk in the night. We not knowing what might be the issue of this beginning, endeavored to finde out our Gene∣ral, to the end we might receive Instructions how to order our selves in the morning, expecting certainly to prosecute the business then, for which end we presently came to an Anchor, because we would be near them in the morning, but they did not stop, so that in the morn∣ing we could scarce discern them at Top-mast head; by which we concluded that they were bound over to the coast of France, and were not willing to try it farther at this time, and therefore that evening plyed it up to∣ward Foulstone, and between that and Dover anchored again, and the next day came into the Downs.

29 May. 1652.

Your very assured Friend and Servant in the Work of God, N. BOURN.