[721] The Answer of the Parliament. Gibson, Collections of Naval Affairs, Add. MSS., 11,684, fol. 5b. Geddes, op. cit., 212. Gardiner, op. cit., ii. 118; Letters and Papers, i. 172. Tideman, op. cit., 135. The Dutch accounts, which vary in certain particulars from the English and from one another, are unanimous in saying that the first broadside came from Blake’s ship, the James, which would have been according to custom, since Tromp did not lower his flag after the third shot.
[722] See his memorandum, p. 398. Tromp wrote to Blake from Calais four days afterwards ((23 May)/(2 June)), saying he had intended to salute him, and asking for the restoration of a ship taken. In reply Blake accused him of having sought out the English fleet, and “instead of performing those usual respects which of right belong unto them, and which yourself have often done,” had attacked him. In The Answer of the Parliament, p. 11, it is said that one of the Dutch captains who had been taken prisoner stated that when he struck to some English men-of-war at Calais a few weeks before, Tromp asked him “why he did strike sail to them,” saying, “Were you not as strong as they? And being so, why were you afraid?” As the above-mentioned letter from Tromp to Blake is given by Gardiner (Letters and Papers, i. 216) only as “translated from a Dutch translation of the French original,” an authenticated copy of the French original is given in [Appendix M], from Tideman (De Zee Betwist, App. C, p. 202). It is from the archives at The Hague (Lias Engeland, 1652 (Copie), and is endorsed by Job. Corñ. Rhees, and again by N. Ruysch, as identical with the authentic copy. The original of Blake’s reply is also given. It is printed by Gardiner as “retranslated from the Dutch translation” (ibid., i. 257), and differs in some points from the original.
[723] The Answer of the Parliament, p. 4.
[724] Resol. St.-Gen., (25 May)/(4 June), 3/13 June 1652. Tideman, De Zee Betwist, 164. Articulen van Vreede ende Confederatie, &c. Brit. Mus., 8122, ee. 12—“Dat hij aengaeñ het voeren ofte strijcken van vlagge in de Rencontre mette Engelsche Vlooten of Schepen hem bij provisie respectivelijck sal hebben te gedragen en te reguleren in sulcker voegen als bij tijden van voorgaende Coningen van Groot-Britaignen is gedaan ende gepractiseert geweest.”
[725] Tideman, 171.
[726] State Papers, Dom., xxiv. 15.
[727] Cats, Schaep, and van de Perre to the States-General, 27th June 1652. Add. MSS., 17,677, U, fol. 162. Pauw was officially informed by the Council of State that the fleet had put to sea “to execute its designs.” Geddes, op. cit., 223. Gardiner, Letters and Papers, i. 301. The number of Blake’s fleet was variously stated as 60, 64, 66, 68, 72 vessels: 60 were counted passing Dunbar.
[728] Letter from Leyden, 4/14 August 1652. Mercurius Politicus, Brit. Mus., E, 673, 1. The accounts vary somewhat. Severall Proceedings in Parliament, Brit. Mus., E, 796, 11. A Perfect Diurnall, E, 796, 14. French Occurrences, E, 669, 6. Onstelde-Zee, p. 34, (8122, ee. 6)/(11). Hollantsche Mercurius, 1652, p. 70. Gibson in his narrative (supra) says he was on board one of the ships (the Assurance) that attacked the busses, and that they found them “northwards of the Dogger Bank”; but there is no doubt that the locality was far north of the Dogger, off Buchan Ness, Brit. Mus. Add. MSS. 11,684.
[729] Memoirs of Edward Ludlow, 420.
[730] Proc. Council of State, 20th July 1652.