The same to the same.
R. James, neare Sowle Bay, this 21 May, 1672; Tuesday evening.
My deare Betty,
The 18th instant, wᶜʰ was Satuarday last, I wrote the by one of the yachts, and as thou advised. Yᵉ next day we saw the Dutch fleet. We drew ours into a lyne of bataile, the French leading, we in the reare, all prepared to fight, haveing stav’d and heft over bord all ours, and I think all the cabins of the whole fleet. The Hollanders stood over for yᵉ Flaunders Banks and yᵉ Weelings. About 7 at night we were up wᵗʰ them in a lyne, as they lay in the same posture very orderly to recᵉ us; but, finding it would have bine darke before we could have well began with them, being about 4 or 5 miles to leewards of us, yᵉ wind at W.S.W., we thought it not convenient to ingage them. Yᵉ night following, upon there tacking of, we tackt in yᵉ reare, yᵉ whole fleet following to keep them to leewards of us, as we did yᵗ night by our twice tacking againe. Yesterday morning it proved a very thick fogge. We wᵗʰ our division anchored, standing in wᵗʰ the Banks of Flaunders of Oostend. About 10 in yᵉ morning, upon cleareing up, we wayed anchor, yᵉ Dutch fleet 3 miles to leewards of us. We stood of and mett our fleet standing in. Yᵉ Dutch stood of wᵗʰ us. This day it proved much wind, that we could not fight them; whereupon we stood in to our shore N.W., and about ½ seas over we anchored all night. This morneing we saw yᵉ fleet again. We stood of towards them, expecting they would have stood wᵗʰ us; but they stood of intending to draw us over amongst those shoulds, to fight them there. We keeping our wind, and they bearing away, as we suposed, from yᵉ wind, we lost sight of them. It blowing hard we tackt, and now come neare to Sowle Bay, where I supose we may stay a day or two to watter our fleet.
This day came into us the Katherine, Princes, and Advice, wᵗʰ 2 fire ships more; soe yᵗ I supose we are neerer 90 then fowerscore men of warr, upwards 25 fireships, amongst wᶜʰ my unckle R. H. is come. The Dutch fleet not soe many men of warr as we, I beleive, by 8 or 10 saile, many small vessells and fire ships. Had it pleased God yesterday to have given us faire weather, God assisting, we had given a good accᵗ of oʳ actions; our men briske and brave and very ready and willing to fight. The Earle of Bristow[a] on bord wᵗʰ us. I thinke a fourth part the nobles of England in the fleett. This I send on shore to Sowle, to take its fortune towards thee. Being in hast, have not tyme to wright any body else. If my broʳ Bradenham be in towne, shew him this letter. I two dayes since recᵈ a letter from Mr. Clarke, yᵉ apothecary, wᵗʰ a case of spiritts, come very opertunely (as he wrights me) to raise my courage, but I have not yet tasted them. Pray returne him my kind thanks. I hope shall survive this warr to make him amends. My deare, I should be glad to heare from the, but I know not how. I shall not be wanting to give the a constant advice, as opertunity presents, of my wellfare and our actions. Youl excuse me to my loveing relations yᵗ I wright none of them. At present it is fowle weather. Am glad we gote hither, for stormy weather may shatter us and disable us more then a bataile. God Almighty be our guard and defence, and give us victory over our enemyes. His providence hath hitherto prevented our ingageing twice. My deare and loveing saluts to all my loveing relations at Rederif,[] and to my lo: Coz. Goodlad at Wapping and London, &c. Wᵗʰ intire love and saluts to thyselfe wᵗʰ my daughter, I remaine
Thy loveing husband till death us part,
Richard Haddock.
His Royal Highness the Duke of Yorke is very zeolus to ingage yᵉ Dutch, God sending a good opertunity and watter enough under our keels.
I had almost forgot to desire the to returne my thanks to Capt. Grantham for yᵉ barill of Muscadine he brought me from Mr. Wilkinson, of Messina, and for a chest of Florence he sent me from himselfe, wᵗʰ seavrall other things, all wᶜʰ I recᵉᵈ, wᵗʰ a chest of Florence for my Lord Sandwᶜʰ. Pray pay him three pound for itt. I shall recᵉ it heere of Mr. Lowe, my Lord’s servᵗ. Thyne,
R. Haddock.
[a] George Digby, 2nd Earl of Bristol.
[] Rotherhithe.