XIV. The city to Grocer's BOOK officers, throughout England, Scotland, and Ireland. And in some time after, the city of London invited 1654. their new protector to a very splendid entertainment invites him at Grocers' hall, upon an Ash-Wednesday; the streets being railed, and the solemnity of his reception such as had been at any time performed to the king and he, as like a king, graciously conferred the honour of knighthood upon the lord mayor at his departure. hall. In this manner, and with so little pains, this extraordinary man, without any other reason than because he had a mind to it, and without the assistance, and against the desire of all noble persons or men of quality, or of any number of men, who, in the beginning of the troubles, were possessed of three hundred pounds lands by the year, mounted himself into the throne of three kingdoms, without the name of king, but with a greater power and authority than had ever been exercised or claimed by any king; and received greater evidence and manifestation of respect and esteem from all the kings and princes in Christendom, than had ever been shewed to any monarch of those nations: which was so much the more notorious, in that they all abhorred him, when they trembled at his power, and courted his friendship. Though, during this last year's unsettlement in England, Cromwell had, ex plenitudine potestatis, taken care that there was a good winter guard of ships in the Downs, yet the Dutch had enjoyed a very fruitful harvest of trade during that confusion, and suspension of power; and had sent out their XIV. 1654. year, 1653, fleets of merchantmen under a convoy, by the north BOOK of Scotland; and, by the return of that convoy, received their fleet from the Baltic with security; so that, upon the hope those domestic contentions in England would not be so soon composed, they begun to recover their spirits again. But Cromwell had a fleet this no sooner broke the long parliament, but, with set forth great diligence, he caused a strong fleet to be made under three ready against the spring; and committed the command thereof to three admirals jointly; Blake, a man well known, but not thought entirely enough devoted to Cromwell; Monk, whom he called out of Scotland as his own creature; and Dean, a mere seaman, grown, from a common mariner, to the reputation of a bold and excellent officer. admirala. This fleet, in the beginning of June in the year 1653, met with the Dutch about the middle seas over between Dover and Zealand; and made what haste they could to engage them. But the wind not being favourable, it was noon before the fight begun; which continued very sharp till the night parted them, without any visible advantage to either side, save that Dean, one of the English admirals, was killed by a cannon shot from the rear-admiral of the Dutch. The next morning, the Dutch having the advantage of the small wind that was, the English charged so furiously upon the thickest part of them, without discharging any of their guns till they were at a very small distance, that they broke their The Dutch squadrons; and in the end forced them to fly, and make all the sail they could for their own coasts, b had no sooner broke the invested in his new dignity long parliament] was no sooner beaten at sea in June. XIV. BOOK leaving behind them eleven of their ships; which were all taken; besides six which were sunk. The 1654. execution on the Dutch was very great, as was likewise the number of the prisoners, as well officers as soldiers. The loss of the English was greatest in their general Dean: there was, besides him, but one captain, and about two hundred common seamen, killed: the number of the wounded was greater; nor did they lose one ship, nor were so disabled but that they followed with the whole fleet to the coast of Holland, whither the other fled; and being got into the Flie, and the Texel, the English for some time blocked them up in their own harbours, taking all such ships as came bound for those parts. The Dutch send four commissioners to treat of peace. This great defeat so humbled the States, that they made all possible haste to send four commissioners into England to mediate for a treaty, and a cessation of arms; who were received very loftily by Cromwell, and with some reprehension for their want of wariness in entering into so unequal a contention : yet he declared a gracious inclination to a treaty, till the conclusion whereof he could admit no cessation; which being known in Holland, they would not stay so long under the reproach and disadvantage of being besieged, and shut up in their ports; but made all possible haste to prepare another fleet, strong enough to remove the English from their coasts; which they believed was the best expedient to advance their treaty and there cannot be a greater instance of the opulency of that people, than that they should be able, after so many losses, and so late a great defeat, in so short a time to set out a fleet strong d enough to visit those who had so lately overcome BOOK them, and who shut them within their ports. XIV. 1654. comes to another Their admiral Trump had, with some of the fleet, retired into the Wierings, at too great a distance from the other ports for the English fleet to divide itself. He had, with a marvellous industry, caused his hurt ships to be repaired; and more severe punishment to be inflicted on those who had behaved themselves cowardly, than had ever been used in that State. And the States published so great and ample rewards to all officers and seamen who would, in that conjuncture, repair to their service, that by the end of July, within less than two months after Trump their defeat, he came out of the Wierings with a fleet sea with of ninety and five men of war; which as soon as the fleet before English had notice of, they made towards him. But the end of the wind rising, they were forced to stand more to sea, for fear of the sands and shelves upon that coast. Whereupon Van Trump, all that night, stood into the Texel; where he joined five and twenty more of their best ships; and with this addition, which made an hundred and twenty sail, he faced the English; who, being at this time under the command of Monk alone, kept still to the sea; and having got a little more room, and the weather being a little clearer, tacked about, and were received by the Dutch with great courage and gallantry. July. sea-fight: The battle continued very hot, and bloody on both Another sides, from six of the clock in the morning till one Trump in the afternoon; when the admiral of Holland, the English famous Van Trump, whilst he very signally per d to set out a fleet strong enough] to gather a strong fleet enough together e being at this time under the command of Monk alone,] Not in MS. slain the get the victory. BOOK formed the office of a brave and bold commander, XIV. was shot with a musket bullet into the heart, of 1654. which he fell dead without speaking word. This blow broke the courage of the rest; who seeing many of their companions burnt and sunk, after having endured very hot service, before the evening, fled, and made all the sail they could towards the Texel: the English were not in a condition to pursue them; but found themselves obliged to retire to their own coast, both to preserve and mend their maimed and torn ships, and refresh their wounded men. This battle was the most bloody that had been yet fought, both sides rather endeavouring the destruction of their enemy's fleet than the taking their ships. On the Hollanders' part, between twenty and thirty of their ships of war were fired, or sunk, and above one thousand prisoners taken. The victory cost the English dear too; for four hundred common men and eight captains were slain outright, and above seven hundred common men and five captains wounded. But they lost only one ship, which was burned: and two or three more, though carried home, were disabled for farther service. The most sensible part of the loss to the Dutch was the death of their admiral Van Trump, who, in respect of his maritime experience, and the frequent actions he had been engaged in, might very well be reckoned amongst the most eminent commanders at sea of that age, and to whose memory his country is farther indebted than they have yet acknowledged. This was the last engagement at sea between the two commonwealths: for as the Dutch were, by this last defeat, and loss of their brave admiral, totally |