CORRESPONDENCE OF THE FAMILY OF HADDOCK.
Captain Richard Haddock[a] to his Father.
Dragon frigᵗ in the Downes, this 30ᵗʰ May, aᵒ 1657.
Honᵈ Father,
Sir, these I hope will congratulate yoʳ safe arrivall at Leghorne, wᶜʰ God graunt may be with yoʳ health and well fare, for the continuation whereof I shall ever pray.
I cannot yet forgett my unhapynes yᵗ soe short a tyme and small distance hindred me the inioymᵗ of seeing yoᵘ before you gote out yᵉ Channell, seeing I made it my aime and bussines to performe it, but pleased God to frustrate me of my intended hapynes. I hope yᵗ our next interview may be with the greater ioy and comfort. Indeed, when I returned to Dover, which was the Sonday following yoʳ departure, I was not a little greived when Major Genˡˡ Kelsey[] tould me yᵉ unwellcome news of yoʳ being past by; and himselfe was very sory when I gave him an accᵗ yᵗ I mett yoᵘ not, and tould me, if I had in yᵉ least desired not to have gone for Zeinhead, he would have ordered an other ship in oʳ roome. I was very thankfull for his respect he exprest towards yoᵘ, but I knew not before yᵗ I might be soe bould wᵗʰ him as to desire such a favor. Yoᵘ saild hence yᵉ Fryday evening; and Satuarday, by 10 in yᵉ forenoone, we were soe neare yᵉ head of Beachy yᵗ noe shipp could or did passe by us, but we spake wᵗʰ in hopes of meeting yoᵘ. Surely the wind blew the harder to deny me yᵗ hapynes. God in mercy goe alongst with yoᵘ and preserve yoᵘ from the rage of unreasonable men. I shall not be wanting, as I am bound in duty, to make it my earnest request to God for yoʳ preservation. My wife, in good health, presents her humble duty to yoᵘ, and hath ever since bine very sorrowfull she stayed not behind to present her duty and respects to yoᵘ at yoʳ departure.
Sir, litle of novelty ofers at present, only of great preparations for yᵉ fitting out seavrall great shipps, as yᵉ Resolution, Naiesby, and Andrew, from Portsmᵒ; yᵉ Tryomph, Victory, Vantguard, and Entrance, from Chatham. I cannot give you an accᵗ, yᵉ occasion or upon wᵗ designe yᵉ shipps are prepared; only suppose it may be to be in a readynes to defend our selves if any treachorus act should be ofered by the Hollander, who will have 70 saile men of warr out very sodainely, as is certainely reported. I hope noe act of hostillity against us is intended. We have iust cause to feare yᵉ worst; and I think, as farr as I am able to aprehend, yoᵘ will have little occasion to trust or put any confidence in them abroad. God send us peace at home and abroad; but, if these faile us, peace wᵗʰ God will beare up our spirits in the greatest dificulties yᵗ doe atend our earthly pilgrimage.
Sir, my wife desires yoᵘ please, at yoʳ arrivall at Venᵃ, to buy for her a foiled stone of the measure I conseave was given by her sisters to Brother Andrew at Leigh; as alsoe a pott ketle and 2 stue panns, one lesser than the other; as alsoe a jarr from Leghorne, with wᵗ other things nessesary for a howse, to yᵉ value of £3 in fower pound in all, which shall be thankfully repayed. I intend to wright yoᵘ to Venᵃ, when [I] conseave you may ataine thither, and what ofers shall not be wanting of advizeing yoᵘ.
My Lord Protector hath denyed yᵉ governmᵗ of the Comonwealth under yᵉ title of King,[c] and since, its established to him in the title he now beares.[d]
I have not heard from home since yoʳ departure. My intire love with my wives remembred to our 3 brothers wᵗʰ all oʳ freinds on bord yoᵘ. Brother Wm., in health, presᵗˢ his humble duty to yoᵘ, wᵗʰ his love to his Broʳ. My saluts to Mr. Holder; and, with my most humble duty presented to yoʳ self, I remayne,
Sir, yoʳ ever lo. and obedient sonne till death,
Richard Haddock.
My wife being present desires, wᵗʰ yᵉ presenting her humble duty to yoᵘ, to subscribe herselfe yoʳ lo. daughter till death,
Lydia Haddocke.[e]
Since yᵉ wrighting yᵉ above lynes I have recᵈ order to goe over and ryde before Dunkerk, and to take yᵉ comand of yᵗ squadron now riding there. This day is arrived hapy news, Genˡˡ Blake’s burneing and sinking 16 saile of the K. of Spaine’s gallions and shipps at Sᵗᵃ Cruse, most welcome and true.[f]
R. H.
To his honᵈ. father, Capt. Wm. Haddock, Comander of the shipp Hanniball, these present, Livorno.
[a] Afterwards Admiral Sir R. Haddock.
[] Major-General Thomas Kelsey, commanding in Kent and Surrey.
[c] On the 8th May.
[d] On the 25th May.
[e] Richard Haddock’s first wife. Perhaps her maiden name was Stevens. (See letter of 1 May 1658, in which Haddock sends his duty to “Father and Mother Steevens.”)
[f] Blake’s last victory at Santa Cruz, in the Canaries, 20th April. He died on his voyage home, in sight of land, on the 17th August.