5 July.
Next morning, being the 5th of July, both ships set sail with a fair wind, which continued so till the 7th, when it blew a brisk gale; but the next day was a dead calm. On the 9th, being in the latitude of 47 degrees 57 minutes north, and west from the meridian of the Lizard 39 leagues, they descryed a sail to windward, which proved to be a British man of war of 58 guns called the Lyon, Captain Brett, commander, which immediately bore down upon them. About three o'clock in the afternoon they found what she was, and prepared to engage her, having both of them hoisted French colours and shortened sail. By 4 o'clock they were within two miles of each other, and at 5 the engagement began.
9 July.
Upon the Frenchmen's first discovering a sail, a council of war was held by the commander, etc., of the Elizabeth on board the Doutelle, along with the passengers and her officers, wherein it was agreed, if no more sail appeared, that the [fol. 499.] Elizabeth should engage her, but should reserve her fire till she was so near the Lion as to stand the chance of all her guns having effect, and then to give her a whole broadside; and if the Lion did not sink, to close in with her and board her directly, while the Doutelle should attack and assist her in that, not being able to engage so heavy mettle as the Lion would carry, but with her small arms would be of great use at close fighting. Accordingly, both ships were prepared to engage as agreed upon.
The Lion, being to windward, bore down upon the Elizabeth, and began the engagement at some distance. The Elizabeth followed the directions of the council of war, and received the Lion's shot several times in hopes of putting the plan laid down into execution. But finding the Lion not only had the advantage of the wind, but that the British sailors worked her better than the Frenchmen did the Elizabeth, Captain D'oe [fol. 500.] then found he could not accomplish his designs, and therefore engaged at a distance; but still tried to get as close to the Lion as possible.
The Elizabeth, being thus disappointed of attempting to board the Lion, rendred all the assistance intended her by the Doutelle of no effect, she being too small a vessel to contend with the Lion's greatest guns; and therefore, when her commander, Captain Durbe, found he could not assist the Elizabeth, he drew off to a greater distance to avoid being sunk till a more convenient opportunity might offer. This gave those on board the Doutelle both time and leisure to observe the management and behaviour of both ships.
They fought with equal bravery for several hours, but the British sailors showed their superior skill and dexterity, which were highly praised by all on board the Doutelle, as well French as Scotch men; for, though the Elizabeth had more men, yet they could not work her so well, nor fire so often as the Lion did.
The engagement continued thus till after 9 o'clock, when [fol. 501.] the Lion began to abate of her fire, and, as far as she could, to make a running fight, discharging only now and then a gun. Then the advantage turned to the Elizabeth's side, her rigging not being so much damaged as the Lion's, though she had more men killed; and she now approached nearer and nearer the Lion, who, finding she could not escape, fired a gun and immediately struck. The Elizabeth, not going instantly up to board her, but rather slacking her pace, encouraged the Lion to set up her colours again. The reason of this behaviour of the Elizabeth was owing to the death of both Captain D'oe and his brother, who were killed by the last shot from the Lion. This accident, when least expected, and there being but one lieutenant left to command the Elizabeth, obliged him to drop sail and to wait for the Doutelle, who, finding what had happened to the Lion, was making all the sail she could to [fol. 502.] come up to the Elizabeth, which was soon accomplished, and a council of war was held immediately upon what should be done. It was herein agreed that, as it was ten o'clock, and would be some time before they could get up to the Lion, who was making all the haste she could to reach England, they might be in danger of falling in with some other English man of war, and be obliged to engage in the bad condition the ship was in, and then must inevitably be either taken or sunk; and, moreover, would be so much farther from the French coast that, were they to spy a sail, they would not have time to get into any harbour to avoid being taken. Therefore, it was thought proper to desist from pursuing the Lion, she being by this time out of sight. It was then asked if the Elizabeth was in a condition to proceed in her intended voyage, when her new commander answered in the negative; for, as he could not refit her at sea for another engagement, it would not therefore be safe to hazard their being sunk or taken, more especially as so many British men of war and [fol. 503.] privateers were cruizing at sea, and as he had near 200 men killed and wounded. They then determined to return to Brest. Some of the passengers of the Doutelle endeavoured to prevail upon the Prince to return also till another convoy could be prepared, or the same could be refitted. To this he would not consent, but resolved to proceed on his voyage.
The Elizabeth, though a French man of war, was sent out as convoy to the Doutelle by one Mr. Walter Rutlets, an Irishman, and a merchant at Dunkirk.
As it may seem odd that a subject could send out a man of war as a convoy without the king's knowledge where she was going, it is incumbent upon me to explain the nature of such an undertaking. I must therefore remark that when any of the French king's men of war are in harbour and fit for use, but not going upon any immediate business of the king's own, any of his subjects may upon proper application have her, and send her out on a cruize for the time granted, he (the [fol. 504.] subject) paying the men's wages during that time. By this means the King of France annoys his enemies without being at the expence of the men, and his ships thereby are kept pretty constantly employed, instead of lying in harbours, and their officers having no other employment than entertaining the ladies on shore.