For Sʳ Rich. Haddocke, These.
[a] Probably related to Admiral Sir John Chicheley.
Sir Richard Haddock to his son Richard.
Navy Office, this 27th Novʳ, 1702.
Deare Son,
I have yoʳˢ of yesterday’s date, from the Downes, wᶜʰ brings us the joyfull tydeings of yoʳ safe arrivall there. Yoʳ long passage from Newfoundland put us in great feare of your wellfare, and perticularly your moʳ hath bine for a month or 5 weekes crying for you and yoʳ brother Nicˢ safety; but blessed be God you are both come well home. Your broʳ now with us came up from the Downes by leave from his Captⁿ, and hath behaved himself with so much bravery and couradge that he hath gained the good report of the Duke of Ormond, his Captⁿ, &c., both in the action at Rotta and St. Mary Port,[a] and Vigo, and was the first man that borded one of the gallions at Vigo,[] wᶜʰ is come home. I do not find by yoʳ letter that you were wᵗʰ your Comodore at the takeing and destroying the French shipps to the southwards of Trepassa,[c] and consequently you will not come in for your share of that capture. The news papers tells us yoʳ prize is got into Plymᵒ, and for your boate wᵗʰ 5 men you say you left behind at Plymᵒ we never heard anything of it, wᶜʰ gives you trouble; and because you write not of my Coz Wᵐ’ˢ[d] wellfare, I am conscernd for feare he might be in that boate. To morrow morning I intend to go to yᵉ Admᵗʸ and endeavor you may come into the River, if his R. Highness orders your cleaneing.
God Allmighty hath blest yᵉ forces of her Majᵗʸ and her Allies, both by land and sea, in a wonderfull manner; for wᶜʰ we lately had a publick day of thanksgiveing in this citty. The Queene, House of Lords and Comons, wᵗʰ the Bishops, Judges, &c. came to Sᵗ Paul’s Church, where, after sermon, Te Deum was sung.
Since your leaveing England, two of our bord are dead, vizᵗ. Mr. Sotherne and my good freind Comʳ Willshaw,[e] who dyed yᵉ 23ᵈ Sepʳ last. My Coz Anna Babb, that was in one of our almes houses at Stepny, is likewise dead, and my poore Cozⁿ Lockwood’s son in law, Cozⁿ Hodges, dyed lately at Gosport, since his arrivall from Cadix and Vigo, who waited a tender on yᵉ Duke of Ormond’s shipp. We are all in good health, praised be God, and do kindly salut you. I am your most afectionᵗ father,