A brief RELATION OF The occaſion and manner of the late fight in the Downs, betwixt the Fleet of the Common-wealth of England under the command of Gener all Blague, and that of the States of the united Provinces under the command of Admiral Trump, May, 19 1652. according to an accompt gi­ven by divers who were eye-wit­neſſes of the action.

BEfore we proced to the main, it will be ne­ceſſary to give you (as a preparative there­unto) a ſhort view of the behaviour of certain Dutch ſhips towards Capt. Young, Capt. of the Preſident Frigot.

As Captain Young was comming to the Weſtward, to take the command of the Weſt-guard,4 the 12 inſtant, he diſcried a Fleet of about 12 ſail com­ming from the Southward; and making ſail off to them, he found them to be a Fleet of Hollanders come from Genoa and Legorn. Three with Flags were ſtates men of war for convoy, the reſt Merchants ſhips. Hereupon Captain Young ſent his Maſter to the Admirall to let them know that amity was as yet continued between the two States, and therefore that he ſummoned him to ſtrike.

Upon this, the Admirall took in his Flagg, and put a­broad a P•ndant, ſaying he belonged to Amſterdam. But then the Vice-Admirall came up with his Flagg abroad, being a ſhip of 42 guns who would by no means be per­ſwaded to ſtrike, though called on over and over. Then Captain Young fitting himſelf gave him abroad ſide, and received another from him, which made the reſt to in­gage, but after the exchange of four or five broad ſides, Captain Reynolds and Captain Chapman comming in, the Rear and Vice-Admirall alſo were at length forced to ſtrike; which being done, they were civilly uſed in regard of t•e treaty on foot betwixt both nations.

The Vice Admirall was much ſhattered, and it ſeems nothing but pure neceſſity made him ſtrike, for, he ſent Capt. Young word that his ſhip was ready to ſink having four foot water in the hold; and that he had order from the States, that if he ſtruck he ſhould looſe his head for it.

Now that which in the next place is moſt remarkable is the behaviour or the Dutch the day before this laſt fight; which ſeemed very fair.

For, Upon the 18 inſtant, Van Trump with a Fleet of 42 ſail on the back ſide of Goodwins ſands, was diſ­covered by Major Bourn who command the Andrew,5 and by the reſt of our ſhips riding in the Downs. They bearing towards the Road, Major Bourn commmanded the Greyhound to make ſail and to ſtand out and ſpeak with them, who when ſhe came near ſtruck their Top ſails, demeaning themſelves civilly, and ſaying, they came from Admiral Trump with a meſſage to the commander in chief in the Downs. Hereupon they ſtood out in the Road with our Squadron, and comming aboard, they in the name of their General very plauſibly ſaluted our ſhips with this account, in order they ſaid) unto the ſa­tisfaction of this nation; how that the Northerly winds having blown hard for divers days, they were put fur­ther to the Sout•ward then they intended, they having rode for ſome days off Dunkirk, where they had loſt ſe­verall of their Anchors and cables; adding that they had no intention of injury to the Engliſh nation.

Yet even at that time, our ſhips were jealous they had ſome deſign in their ſo near approach, becauſe an expreſ­ſion dropped from one of their Captains in diſcourſe, which did import that they were unwilling to ſtrike their flagg. And however diſguiſed, their comming thus could be no leſſe then a Bravado, ſince it was then in their choice whether they would have came ſo near our Fl•et or no; Gen. Blague was at that time alſo Weſtward with the greateſt part of the Fleet, to whom Major Bourn im­mediately ſent an expreſſe of all that paſſed, and ordered the Aſſurance and the Grey hound to he near their Fleet that night, to obſerve their motion.

Generall Blague being in Rye Bay, did there r•ceive the expreſſe with an account of all from Major Bourn; whereupon he made all poſſible ſpeed to ply up towards them, and on VVedneſday the nineteenth inſtant in the6 morning, he ſaw them at Anchor in and near Dover road.

Being come within three Leagues of them, they weigh­ed, and ſtood away by a wind to the Eaſt-ward, our Fleet ſuppoſing their intention was to leave us to avoid the diſpute of the Flag. About two hours after they altered their courſe; For, a Captain of their own, now our priſoner, confeſſeth, that as they rode off towards the French coaſt, a ſhip of the States of Holland came to­wards them, and made a waft with his Flag to Vantrump, who bore up to that ſhip, and a boat went from that a­board Vantrump. Whereupon he immediately made all the ſail he could, haſtening with his Fleet towards ours, and bore up directly with our Fleet, himſelf being head­moſt of his own.

Being come near, within Muſquet-ſhot, Gen. Blague ſhot a Gun. but without a Ball, at his Flag; which he did alſo twice more, Vantrump anſwering him with a Gun on the averſe ſide of his ſhip, which ſignified a high diſdain or ſcorn (according to the Sea-cuſtome) and then immediately, inſtead of ſtriking (according to the ancient Uſage) hee hung out a red Flag, which his Of­ficers that wee have taken, confeſſe was the Signall, and gave our General a Broad-ſide, and ſo the fight began about four of the Clock in the Evening, farre otherwiſe then what hath beene reported by Trump himſelfe, and others.

Then Major Bourn coming in to the engagement with eight ſhips more, the fight was continued for above foure hours till night parted them.

The next morning the Dutch Fleet was eſpied about four leagues diſtance from ours towards the Coaſt of France. What harme wee have done them is not fully7 knowne, but one of them was ſuppoſed to bee ſunke, and another of thirty Guns we have taken, with the Captains of both, the Maine-maſt of the firſt beeing ſhot by the Board, and much water in the Hold, which made one of our Captaines to give her over as in a ſinking condi­tion. We have ſix men of our Admirals ſlain, and nine or ten deſperately wounded, and five and twenty more not without danger, among them the Maſter and one of his Mates.

The Admiral received above ſeventy great ſhot in the Hull and Maſts; but in the Sails and Rigging without number, having ingaged ſome time alone with the whole body of the Dutch Fleet; and though he were the princi­pal man that they aimed at, yet he came off wi•h honour.

One thing may not be omitted, that upon news of this fight, divers ſea men of Dover, Deal, and Sandwich, to the number of three hundred voluntarily boated them­ſelves to our Fleet; and though ingaged in the Generalls ſhip, in the heat of the fight, came off without the loſſe of one man.

Since this, we underſtand that Generall Blague plies to and again with his Fleet, being well reinforced, and that Trump with his Fleet is returned home. We have pri­ſoners of the Dutch two Captains, two Lievtenant, and about a hundred and fifty others.

One thing more is to be added to our fore-going rela­tion, which is very obſervable; how that as Trump came on towards our Admirall, he commanded up two of his men, who kept ſtill at the top of his Main Maſt, as if they ment to take down the flagg; a pretty myſterious paſ­ſage to amuſe us touching their intention. We ſhall make no inference upon the whole matter, but leave the world to judge.

Since this great blow given by the Engliſh, the States of Holland have called a General Councel, whoſe reſults tended to peace and unity with the Comm•n-wealth of England, and declared their Reſolutions for a Union. Yet notwithſtanding, many of them ſeemed to own what Van Trump had done in the precedent action, and to that end, Declared, That an Act, or Edict, ſhould be forthwith publiſhed in reference thereunto. But the States General are clear of a contrary opinion, and ſeem to be exceeding­ly exaſperated againſt all thoſe that ſhall be inſtrumen­tal, aiding, contriving, or aſſiſting, in making a breach with England.

There is an additional Fleet of 100 ſail ſetting forth, their Deſign pretended, for the ſafety and preſervation of the United Provinces: Nevertheleſs, many of the Dutchmen rage exceedingly, and ſwear to be revenged of the Engliſh. Their great Threats are little to be feared; and as they liked their laſt Supper, ſo let them prepare for a Break-faſt.