A great & terrible Fight AT SEA Neer the Coaſt of HOLLAND, between the Engliſh Fleet commanded by General DEAN, General MONK, And Vice-Admiral PEN, And the Dutch Fleet commanded by
With the number of ſhips burnt, ſunk, and taken, the loſs on both ſides, and the manner of this great and lamentable Engagement. Together with a humble Repreſentation to his Excellency the Lord Gen. Cromwel, and the Officers of the Army.
Publiſhed according to Order. ⟨May 9⟩
London, Printed for Robert Eeles, 1653.
YOur juſt dealing with your Adverſaries, is matter of real Honour to your Perſon, your Enemies themſelves being Judges; your inſtructing the ignorant, your rebuking the obſtinate; your remitting the Penitent; your remitting the Innocent; your keeping Covenant and condition of Articles with all men, have manifeſted your proceedings both of War and Peace, to be truly Honourable to them, but eſpecially to Us, who have heard how Judah-like you have ruled with God, and have bin faithfull with the Saints, Hoſ. 11. laſt. Your ſilence before4 the Lord, when a Cloud was upon the Camp) had great confidence, when the Lord went before you like a Pillar of Fire by night, ſhining upon your wayes, and telling you, that you ſhould be to your Enemies, as threſhing Inſtruments with teeth; And this your confidence in God, what boldneſs wrought it before the Battle? and what humbleneſs of mind after the Victory? refuſing honour of men, when God had put glory upon you, in ſight of all the world. It may be ſaid, Before honour goeth humility. Prov. 15.22. That may be an humbleneſs, as of neceſſity; but that humbleneſs which followeth honour, is ever matter of laſting praiſe; for, Honour upholdeth the humble in ſpirit, and victory over a mans ſelf is the greateſt conqueſt: Fortior eſt qui ſe, quam qui fortiſſima vincit Maena. Yea, this your confidence uttered did put life into your Counſels, courage into your Reſolutions, and made your Forces more forcible and active, ſo as they did the work of the Lord effective, both at Dunbar, and Worceſter, For there fell down many ſlain, becauſe the War was of God, 1 Chro. 5.22. God is the Iudge himſelf to whom both Parties at Dunbar made their appeales, God has pleaded the Cauſe of his People, and ſince theſe appeales hath given ſentence for you now twice. The iſſue muſt no longer paſs under the vain titles of meer events and chances of War. It hath been the wonder of all Lands to hear of England, how the meek of the earth here, have formerly born all manner of yoaks and oppreſſions under Royal and Epiſcopal Rulers, and how they have lately riſen like Gyants and men of might, for recovering their Liberties, to defend their juſt Rights and to bring wrong-doers to condigne puniſhment. As if the judgment (againſt Moab) written, had been ſealed upon their hearts,Curſed is he that doth the Work5 of the Lord negligently, and curſed is he that withholdeth his ſword from bloud,Ier, 48.10. Neither regarding Nature nor Nations, that they might execute God had ſaid, Diſtreſs not Moab, Deut. 2.9. till Moab had thus ſinned. But after Moab had committed Idolatry (a ſin againſt the Nation of Iſrael) he ſhall bear his curſe, that ſpares Moab: any former command of God to the contrary notwithſtanding. Sinfull mens changes juſtifie God and good men, in theſe changes of Times. Now England is delivered from her Enemies, and the people dwell ſafely through the mercy of God under your hand, We humbly deſire this, that after all publike expeditions againſt open enemies, you may (now) keep your ſelves from foes of your own Houſhold, from friends of your own Councel; for Chriſt himſelf was betrayed with a kiſs, wounded in the houſe of his friend: Gallant Iudas was treacherouſly flain by Demetrius: And good Ionathan captivated by Triphon pretending kindneſs to him. Cura teipſum, cautus eſto, ne fidas.Set the Lord God alwayes before you, wait for his counſel; let impartial juſtice be your greateſt deſign and be not perverted by envy or flattery of men; So run that you may obtain, in due time you ſhall reap, if you faint not. Couragiouſly follow the Captain of your Salvation, patiently carry the croſs after him, and let us pray for the peace of the Commonwealth of England,
AMEN.
IT was an old queſtion of one Hetruſcus, Whether a Chriſtian may in any caſe go to war? Its anſwered, he may; for to do juſtice and judgment, is more acceptable then ſacrifice, Prov. 24.3. And its anſwered byOſorius de Nobilit. Chriſtian. lib. 3.Reſpublica non poſſ it ſtabiliri, niſi armorum preſidio, qui millitem tollit, Rempublicam funditus evertit: Chriſtus politeias non eripuit, ſed in melius inſtruit.The Commonwealth cannot be ſtabliſhed, unleſs it be guarded with arms. Take away the Souldier, and ye overturn the Commonwealth. Chriſt would not aboliſh Civil Governments, but form them for the better: he neither took the Axe from the Judges; nor did Paul deny the Sword to the Magiſtrates; nor did John Baptiſt diſarm the Souldiers, but preſcribed them Lawes of Innocency and moderation, Do violence to no man, and be content with your wages, Luk. 3.13. yea, Paul calls the Magiſtrate a Miniſter of God to thee for good, thou doing well; and ſaith, he bears the Sword to execute wrath upon them that do evil. Indeed, it were to be wiſhed by every Chriſtian, that all men may contain themſelves from doing evil, that there were not this occaſion given for puniſhment, and for war; The boldneſs of Vice muſt be reproved by the couragiouſneſs of Vertue. Our Fathers of old were led by the Spirit for the rebuking Malefactors; and we know that vengeance in a private matter becomes valour in the caſe of a Commonwealth. Patience in perſonal injuries, does in National wrongs aſſume a magnanimity invincible, as Joſhua did; and it was a fruit of their peace with God, when our Fathers undertook Sanctiſsima7 Bella contra ſceleratos, moſt holy wars againſt notorious offenders; for what peace? ſo long as Jezabels whoredomes, and her witchcrafts are ſo many? The end of War upon the wicked, ſhould be the quietneſs and peace of thoſe that are godly and honeſt. Humbly acquaint your ſelves with God, and be at peace among your ſelves. Couragiouſly follow the Captain of your Salvation, patiently carry his Croſs after him, faithfully commit the ſafe keeping of your ſouls in well-doing to him, and let us pray alſo for the peace of Englands Common-wealth, Amen.
THe beſt way to ſettle the Common-wealth in a firm and laſting peace, is to look back to Rules of Equity and Iuſtice, to principles of Nature, and Right-Reaſon, to Gods Law, and good Conſcience; and every one of you muſt contribute your utmoſt hereunto: That power lyeth in you; and there is now recovered your right to uſe i•. Your Liberties have been redeemed to you at a dear rate, and with great expence of bloud and Treaſure; maintain it then as free-men, and uſe your Liberty, not againſt your ſelves, but for your ſelves; Ceaſe mourning for Saul, the King and his Traines, the Body is not deſtroyed by removing bad humours: Let your hearts be towards the preſent Governours of England, who have willingly offered themſelves among the people, and to their ſervants, who have jeoparded their lives for your ſakes; I mean, to the8 Officers and their Army, who have not deſigned you for their own worldly advantage, but have ſcoped at your welfare, who by no ſenſible feares have ſuffered themſelves to be perverted from impartial juſtice, but have bound up your ſafety and theirs in one.
On Saturday laſt came Intelligence, of a great fight between the Engliſh and Dutch upon the Coaſt of Holland; and that after a ſharp Diſpute, the Engliſh became Victors, and purſued the Enemy to their Ports and Harbours. In which Conflict they took ſeven ſtately ſhips, five hundred priſoners, burnt two, and ſunk five; but not without ſome loſs: Into the truth whereof, I ſhall make ſome further enquiry; & refer you to the Moderate Occurrences for juſt and ample ſatisfaction therein.
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