BEFORE I come to give you a true and exact Dimension of her bulke, burden, &c. it is ne­cessary that I make some satisfaction to the world concerning those Decorements which beautifie and adorne her, and to render a faire account of mine owne invention concerning the carving worke, the Figures, and Mottoes upon them, which some perhaps have too liberally taxed: Thus therefore to any who have formerly either doubted of their propriety, or are at this present desirous to understand their imagined obscurity, I thus freely deliver my selfe.

Upon the Beak-head sitteth royall King Edgar on horse­backe, trampling upon seven Kings.

Concerning those Kings whom you may perceive to lye prostrate under his Horses hoofes, they were Kynadus, King of the Scots, Malcolme, King of Cumberland; and of the pet­ty Kings of Wales, Dufnall, Grifith, Huvall, Jacob, Judithil. He moreover surprized by Sea a Prince of the Romans, whose name was Maxentius, who had done many out-rages upon the Ocean, and was the greatest Arch-pirate that those times afforded. He also compelled Ludwallus, prime Prince and King of Cambria, which is Wales, (because he would have all the ravenous & dammageous Beasts to be destroyed through the Land) to pay unto him yearly by way of Tribute, three [Page 4] hundred Wolves skins: by reason whereof, within the space of forty yeares after, in England, or Wales, both which (but especially Wales) who before were miserably infested with that kind of beast, there was scarcely to be fouud one Wolfe alive: and so much for the Princes over which he had sole dominion.

His Navy Royall consisted of three thousand and sixe hundred Ships, (such as they used in those dayes) yet not any of them but serviceable either for Fight, or bearing Victuall, and munition, to furnish the Navy, which he divided into three parts, appointing to every of them a severall squadron: and this hee did to secure Navi­gators from Enemies, and Sea-Rovers, as also from all other neighbour Princes, who might challenge any interest in these our foure Seas. And therefore every Spring and Summer, he in per­son sayled with those in the East parts, to them that lay hovering in the West. And sending them backe againe with their Charge, would with the West squadrant, saile into the North, and after with the Northern Fleet compasse into the East, by which the Maine Ocean rounding those Islands, of which he was sole Prince and Monarch, being at his onely charge, both quieted and secured, he did (as justly he might) write himselfe Lord of the foure Seas.

I began at the Beak-head, where I desire you to take no­tice, that upon the stemme-head there is Cupid, or a Child resembling him, bestriding and bridling a Lyon, which im­porteth, That sufferance may curbe Insolence, and Innocence re­straine violence.

On the Bulk-head right forward, stand six severall Statues in sundry postures, their Figures representing Consilium, that is, Counsell: Cura, that is, Care: Conamen, that is, Industry, and unanimous indeavour in one compartment: Counsell holding in her hand a closed or folded Scrole; Care, a Sea-com­passe; Conamen, or Industry, a Lint stock fixed. Upon the o­ther, to correspond with the former, Vis, which implyeth force, or strength; handing a Sword. Virtus, or Vertue, a sphearicall Globe: and Victoria, or Victory, a wreath of Law­rell. The Morall is, that in all high Enterprizes there ought to be first Counsell, to undertake; then Care, to manage; and [Page 5] Industry, to performe; and in the next place, where there is ability and strength to oppose, and Vertue to direct, Victory consequently is alwayes at hand, ready to crowne the un­dertaking.

Upon the Hances of the waste are foure Figures, with their severall properties: Jupiter riding upon his Eagle, with his Trisulke (from which he darteth Thunder) in his hand: Mars with his Sword and Target, a Foxe being his Embleme: Nep­tune with his Sea-horse, Dolphin, and Trident: and lastly, Aeo­lus upon a Camelion (a Beast that liveth only by the Ayre) with the foure Windes, his Ministers or Agents, the East, cal'd Eurus, Subsolanus, and Apeliotes: the North-winde, Septentrio, Aquilo, or Boreas: the West, Zephyrus, Favonius, Lybs, and Africus: the South, Auster, or Notus.

I come now to the Stearn, where you may perceive upon the upright of the upper Counter, standeth Victory in the middle of a Frontispiece, with this generall motto, Validis incumbite remus: It is so plain, that I shall not need to give it an English interpretation: Her wings are equally displayed; on one Arme she weareth a Crowne, on the other a Lawrel, which imply Riches and Honour: in her two hands she holdeth two Mottoes; her right hand, which pointeth to Jason, bears this Inscription, Nava. Jason being figured with his Oare in his hand, as being the prime Argonant, and say Nava, or more plainly, Operam nava; for in those Emblematicall Mottoes, quod subintelligitur, non deest. She pointeth to Hercules on the finister side, with his Club in his hand, with this motto, O Hercules, be thou as valiant with thy Club upon the Land, as Jason is industrious with his Oare upon the Water. Hercules again poin­ting to Aeolus, the god of Windes, saith Flato: who answereth him againe, Flo: Jason pointing to Neptune, the god of the Seas (riding upon a Sea horse) saith Favelo; to whom Nep­tune answereth, No; These words Flo, and No, were also much excepted at, as if there had been no such Latine words, till some better examining their Gramar Rules, found out Flo, flas, flavi, proper to Aeolus, and No, nas, navi, to Neptune, &c.

In the lower Counter of the Sterne, on either side of the Helme is this Inscription,

There are other things in this Vessell worthy remarkable, at least, if not admiration; namely, that one Tree, or Oake, made foure of the principall beames of this great Ship, which was 44. foote of strong and serviceable Timber in length, three foote Diametre at the top, and ten foote Diametre at the stubb or bottome.

Another (as worthy of especiall observation is) that one piece of Timber which made the Kel-son, was so great and weighty, that 28. Oxen, and foure Horses, with much difficulty drew it from the place where it grew, and from whence it was cut downe, unto the water-side.

There is one thing above all these for the world to take e­speciall notice of, that shee is, besides her Tunnage, just so many Tuns in burden, as there have been years since our Bles­sed Saviours Incarnation, namely, 1637. and not one under, or over: A most happy Omen, which though it was not at the first projected or intended, is now by true computation found so to happen.

It would be too tedious to insist upon every Ornament belonging to this incomparable Vessell, yet thus much con­cerning Her outward appearance; She hath two Galleries of a side, and all of most curious carved Worke, and all the sides of the shipp are carved also with Trophies of Artyllerie and Types of honour, as well belonging to Land as Sea, with Symboles, Emblemes, and Impresses appertaining to the Art of Navigation: and thus much in a succinct way. I have deli­vered unto you concerning her inward and outward De­corements; I come now to describe her in her exect Dimen­sion.

Her length by the Keele is 128. foote, or thereabout, with­in some few inches. Her mayne breadth or widenesse from side to side 48. foote. Her utmost length from the fore-end of the Beake-head, unto the after end of the Sterne, a prora ad pup­pim, [Page 7] 232. foote; Shee is in height from the bottome of her Keele to the top of her Lanthorne, seventy sixe foot, she bea­reth five Lanthorns, the biggest of which will hold ten per­sons to stand upright, and without shouldring or pressing one the other.

Shee hath three flush Deckes, and a Fore-Castle, an halfe Decke, a quarter Deck, and a round-house. Her lower Tyre hath thirty ports, which are to be furnished with Demy-Conon and whole Canon throughout, being able to beare them. Her middle Tyre hath also thirty ports for Demi-Culverin, and whole Culverin. Her third Tyre hath 26. ports for other Ordnance; her Fore-Castle hath twelve ports, and her halfe Decke hath fourteen ports; Shee hath thirteene or fourteene ports more within board for murder­ing peeces, besides a great many Loop holes out of the Ca­bins for Musket-shot. She carrieth moreover tenne peeces of chase Ordnance in her, right forward, and ten right off, that is according to Land-service in the front and the reare. She carrieth eleven Anchors, one of them weighing foure thou­sand foure hundred, &c. and according to these are her Ca­bles, Masts, Sayles, and Cordage.

I come now to give you a particular Denomination of the prime Work-men employed in this inimitable Fabrick; as first Captaine Phines Pett, Over-seer of the Work, and one of the Principall Officers; of whose knowledge, experience, and judgment, I cannot render a merited Character.

The Master Builder is young Mr. Peter Pett, the most inge­nuous sonne of so much improved a Father, who before he was full 25. yeares of age, made the Modell, and since hath perfected the worke, which hath won not only the approbati­on, but admiration of all men, of whom I may truly say, as Horace did of Argus, that famous Ship-master, (Who built the great Argo in which the Grecian Princels Rowed through the Helle spont to fetch the goleen Fleece from Colchos.

Pallas her self flew into his bosome, and not only enjoyn'd him to the undertaking, but inspired him in the managing of so exquisite anabsolute an Architecture.

VPON Tuesday the 18. of May, 1652. in the morn­ing, General Blake being gone to the West-ward, as far as Rye Bay eight dayes before, with twelve or thirteen Ships, leaving Major Bourn in the Downs with eight Ships only, there appeared upon the back side of the Goodwin, a Holland Fleet of Men of War, consisting of two and forty Ships, one whereof had a Flagg on the main-top-Mast head, the rest Jacks and Ancients; and being come unto the South-sands head, two of them bore up towards the En­glish Ships in the Downs, whereupon Major Bourn sent out the [Page 12] Greyhound to examine them, and to know the reason of their so near approach; who answering, That they had a Message to the Commander in Chief in the Downes, were permitted to come in; and having saluted the Flag, the two Captains, named Tyson and Aldred came aboard the sayd Major Bourn, and acquanted him that they were sent by Van Trump, to let him know that he had been Riding about Dunkirke with His Fleet, where by reason of foule Weather they had lost many of their Cables and Anchors, and the wind being Northerly, were driven more to the Southward then they intended, which Van Trump thought fit to signifie, to prevent any mis-appre­hensions or Jealousies. And having said this, and received for answer, That the Reality of what they said would best appear by their speedy drawing off from this Coast, they de­parted to their Fleet; and immediately upon their arrivall with them, the whole Fleet stood up to Dover, and came to an Anchor within little more then shot of the Castle the same day in the afternoon. Upon their coming before Dover Ca­stle, and Riding there with Flag in the Main-top, without saluting the Castle, the Castle made three shot at them; not­withstanding which, the Dutch Admirall kept up his Flagg, and rode there at Anchor until the next day noon, and exer­cised his Musquetiers, by discharging volleys of small shot many houres together. Upon Wednesday about twelve a clock the Dutch Fleet weighed Anchor, and stood off towards Calice some four Leagues into the South-east; about the same time the English Fleet under General Blake coming from the West towards the Downes, discovered them, and supposed by their course they had been going back; Major Bourn likewise was in sight, coming from the Downs to joyn with Generall Blake. About an hour or two after, the Holland Fleet altered their course, came back again, made all the Saile they could, and bore directly with Generall Blake, Van Trump the head­most with his Flag in the Main-top; and being come within shot, the Generall shot a Gun at his Main-top, and then two single shot more: whereupon Trump shot a single shot through the Generals Flag, and then immediately gave the first Broad side, and took in his Pendants, and hung out his Red Flagg [Page 13] under the Holland Colours, which was the Signal on their part for their whole Fleet to engage, and so the Fight began, which happened between four and five a clock in the after­noon, and continued until nine of the clock. In the Fight the English took two of the Holland Fleet, one whereof having six foot water in the Hold they left, taking the Captain and Officers aboard, the other being a Ship of thirty Guns. Ge­nerall Blake lay all night where the Fight began, or neere thereabouts, and the Holland Fleet was espyed about foure Leagues distant towards the Coast of France next morning.

The truth of this Relation appears in the Letters of Gene­rall Blake, Major Bourn, and others in the Action, by the Examinations of the Dutch Captains, and other Officers ta­ken in the Fight:

And whereas Van Trump in the accompt he gives of this A­ction, makes the occasion of his coming back upon the Engl­ish Fleet, the guarding of some Merchant men richly laden from the Streights, which had been in fight with some of our Frigots: That action is set down in a letter written by Cap­tain Young, whereby the occasion, beginning and ending thereof is declared: And besides, these very ships which hee pretends to come to protect or rescue, upon Saturday be­fore had passed by General Blake, and were gone to the East­ward.

I ƲNE 30. 1652. Sir George Aseue had advice 1 Victory after the Hollanders breach of Peace. of thirty or forty Dutchmen, home-wards bound, with foure men of Warre for their Convoy, hearing they were very neere the narrow, he presently weighed Anchor with nine Sayle, and stood over the Coast of France; some of his headmost ships came up with the Dutch Fleet, twenty six of them ranne directly ashore upon Callis sands, five we took, two more we got off from the sands, and burnt three. This Fleet of the Dutch came from Tardadoes in Portugall, most of them laden with Salt and Oyle.

The Names of the Dutch men of Warre, taken by Generall Blake 2 Victory. in the North, being the Guard of the Fishing Busses.

Ball of Rotterdam, 24. Guns. Waterhound, Vice-admiral, 29. Guns. 3 Victory. Sampson of Anchiusens, 28. Guns. Armes of Holland, 30. Guns. Noah's arke, 24. Guns. Swan of Amsterdam, 28. Guns. Adam & Eve, 24. Guns. John Baptist, 22. Guns. Land of Promise, 24. Guns. Sampson, 24. Guns. Two of which were sunk.

Sept. 25. 1652. The Holland Fleet appeared on the back­side of the Goodwin, but were that night driven backe by a storm; the twenty sixt day they appeared, and were forc't a­way by another storm, twenty seven were forc't away the third time that General Blake got under Sail, and discovered the Dutch, they had two Admirals, De Wit, and Ruiter, with [Page 16] about 54. sail of men of War, and some small Vessels; our number was pretty equall with them. The event of the fight. Reer Admirall of the Dutch, 36. Guns sanke, a great Vessell of thirty Guns taken, their Reer-Admirall himselfe taken Prisoner, and one Captain more, 300. Prisoners taken, one great Frigot of the Hollanders seen to sink; two Dutch vessels sunk in the night after the fight. One hundred and odde of the Dutch slain and drowned in the Reer-Admirall; all the Dutch Fleet generally much torne and shattered, one of their Masts, and three of their ships being shot off by the great Ship called the Common-wealth.

THE Colonies of New-England consisting of severall Governments, have the Dutch setled to the South­west of them, at the Manatha's or New-Netherlands, and the French to the North-East, alongst the Grand River of Canada; between which Nations there hath ever been (till now of late) a friendly correspon­dence, and a mutuall assistance against the common Enemie, the barbarous Indians.

About six years since, the Dutch being reduced to a great exigence and strait by the Indians, implored the English ayde and assistance, which immediately was sent them, under the command of Captain Ʋnderhill, a Gentleman of spirit, expe­rience, and conduct, who prizing Christian blood beyond [Page 25] Indian Wealth and Treasure (being proffered a hogshead of their Wampampege to with-draw the English Forces) fell on these Heathens in vindication of the Dutch, and in one night cut off fourteen hundred of them, and so gallantly, with the hazard and some losse of English Blood (through the assistance of the Omnipotent) resetled the Hollandar in peace and safety,

But Ingratitude over-clouding those Heroick Actions, and Amboyna's treacherous cruelty extending it self from the East to the West Indies, running in its proper channell of Dutch blood, quickly sought their Neighbors, their Friends their Noble Defenders, the English, Destruction; and by their unworthy inequality of retribution, have chronicled themselves Ungratefull, Perfidious, Bloody, and Cruell.

For about March last, 1653. with gifts and large promi­ses they instigated and hired foure of the Grand Princes of those Territories, some of them most fierce, barbarous, and bloody people, fit Instruments for so horrid a designe, on a Sabbath day, when all Families were at Meeting, unexpe­ctedly to fall on the English, and to burne and slay what possibly they could: and for the better perfecting of this Di­abolicall plot, they supplyed the Indians with Armes and Ammunition, which were dispersed in all their Habitati­ons, they having a Ship sent them on purpose from Holland, the Fountain of Treacheries, with all necessary tools for the acting of a second Amboyna Tragedy.

But the Omnipotent God (who hath ever beene a most mercifull protector of the English in those parts, as in the Pe­quet War, &c.) did through his infinite goodnesse, most timely before the bloody day of acting, cause an Indian, that should have been an Executioner, to be a revealing Deliverer of our Nation, who informed the Magistrates of Boston of the Dutch and Indians bloody intentions; whereupon they requested severall Merchants of that Town with all expedi­tion to march forth towards the Indian Habitations, to see what they could discover. At whose desire, Mr. Gardner, Mr. Hutchinson, Mr. Hooper, and Mr. Seavern rid forth, and the first Wigwambs, or Indian houses they came to searching, [Page 26] they found them full of Armes and Ammunition, (which have been ever prohibited the Indians by the English) all their Musquets were charged with powder and ball, which they brought with them to Boston: the Countrey was immediate­ly put in a posture of Defence, and two Gentlemen sent from Boston, viz. Captain John Leveret, and Mr. Davis, to the New Netherlands with some Indians that confessed, that they were hired by the Dutch for to be instruments in this unheard of and unparalleld Inhumanity.

Some Letters affirme, that the French are confederate with the Dutch and Indians, so that the English are invironed with their Enemies But that out of the hands of all their Enemies the Lord may deliver them, Let all good Christians im­plore a blssing from the Almighty, that is most powerful to save, that he may crown their Enterprizes with successefull Victories. Amen.

If any desire to be better informed of what here is inserted, let them repair to any Merchant that holds correspondence with New-England, whose Letters can evidence the certainty hereof.

VVEe have many judicious men who have observed the signes of Heaven against us, and the Prodigies on earth, and signs in the Aire, and are afraid of them. They re­member a prophesie, that when the State-house of Amsterdam shall be built, the glory of that Citie shal be pulled downe; they say the beleagering of that Citie by the Prince of Orange, shewed the ruine of their liberty by that Family; that the i­nundation of waters upon that Citie, a little after Oranges death presaged a deluge of miseries breaking in upon them. The dreadfull apparition at the mouth of the Mase, of Ships and Navall fights, in which were English colours, and the Dutch, with the belgick Lyon, and this seene by the Fisher­men of Mazeland at noon-day, and affirmed by oath was that draught in the ayre, of the tragedy which is now acting up­on the water; the burning of the old Statehouse at Amsterdam, in which was great losse of papers and money. The narrow escape of our fire ships by burning of the Lubeck ship, and the burning up of our Magazens at Dorte, and the mutinous ca­riage of our Schuterdy. The pest. in our ships, & Trumps co­ming to the Downs with above 100. saile, and not able to touch Sir George Ascue, who then had but 15. Ships with him, though came up close, and endeavouring it, because the wind in our Fleets teeth, as was in 88. The Spanish begin to im­prove and fortifie his Frontiers upon us, & are jealous of the Spanish nation at this time, knowing he spares no oyle to cast into this flame.

COunt de Rieux, and Madam de Ornana, and others, rose upon the Protestants at Vals, when they were at Church, turned out the Minister, abused divers, and burnt the Pulpit, and Bench­es: Ʋpon which the Protestant Nobility and Gentry all about Lan guedock are risen in armes for their defence, and in a short time got together above ten thousand men in a body, which so frighted the Papists in Niesms, and other places thereabouts, that they are with­drawn as fast as they can for feare of them. Newes hereof comming to the Court, the Kings Councell have passed a Declaration for the Protestants to enjoy the benefit formerly granted at Nants, and of o­ther Edicts in their behalfe, and that Count de Rieux and his Con­federates shall repaire all the damages the said Protestants have su­stained, and that the Protestants do lay downe their Armes; & Count De Rieux is sent for to Paris, to answer a Charge exhibited against him. Monsieur De Ville France of the Protestant family of Man­thurst, is come out of the Daulphin to Niesms with 3000. men to send with the Protestants.

THis day there was a Tumultuous rising of a company of Sea-men, who demanding at the Prize-Office their shares in some Prizes that had been taken, were so rude in their de­mands, that the Commissioners were forced to send for som Souldiers to appease the Tumult, which was not don with­out the losse of some blood, one being slain on the place, and divers hurt and wounded on both sides. Afterward, the Seamen repaired to VVhitehall, and being more civil in their Demands there, were promised to have what in reason was just: And some of the chief of them being made sensible of the sad effects that would follow such unadvised and despe­rate proceedings, they were content for that time to depart in peace

October 27. The Seamen in a Tumultuous manner, in greater numbers than before, rose again, many of them be­ing armed with Swords and Pistols, and other weapons: And coming down towards VVhitehall, they were met with­all by the Lord Generals Life-guard at Charing-crosse, and soon dispersed, some cut and wounded.

DEwitte being come home with his Merchant men from Denmarke, they began to grow high with a design upon England, the Merchant-men being got in, Orders were sent that they should by all means keep at Sea, fearing if the Fleet of war had come in, they should not gather them together again, and determined to supply them with Victuals, and o­ther necessaries at a distance, that so they might convey their last Vintage from France, through the Channel, and then brave it upon the English Coasts, and endeavour to block up [Page 32] the Thames. In the interim, it pleased God, that by a violent storm of a weeks continuance, no lesse then sixteen men of war of De witts Fleet, were swept away, 2000 men drownd, and 500 piece of Ordnance, whereof a good number Brasse, and great store of provision in a particular Vessel. The new Frigots lost their masts, but sav'd themselves with much ado. As a further addition to their miseries, the Sea brake into the Cellars and Ware-houses, to the exceeding losse of their Merchants, by making severall breaches in their Banks in a­bove a dozen places; and generally over all the Low Coun­treys, the Sea having been beaten on the Coasts, through the extream violence of winds and weather. And the Duke of Lorraine is come once again on their Borders, to add to their troubles.