THE French thinking to do great Matters at Sea this Summer, got their Fleet out somewhat sooner than than they were wont, appearing more numerous and dar­ing than they did the last Summer; so that on the 9th. of May, their whole Fleet, consisting of about 100 Sail, was, about Noon, seen off of Dartmouth, at a great Distance, viz. three Leagues from the Start, and continued turning to the Eastward, the Wind at East and by North; and the next Day, [Page 3]they were again seen from the same Place, when, by their sail­ing, they seemed as if they intended to stand to their own Coast: And our Fleet being now well mann'd, and in a very good Readi­ness, on the 14th. of May, in the Afternoon, Admiral Russel weighed Anchor out of Rye Bay, and about eleven the next Morning joyned Sir Ralph Delaval, and Rear-Admiral Carter at St. Helens, and soon after divers Dutch Men of War came to joyn him, so that the whole Fleet consisted of about Ninety Sail of Ships for the Line of Battel, the Officers and Seamen being very hearty and full of Courage, and every thing gave a happy Presage of the Glorious Success that soon after ensued, as ap­pears by the Loyal Address, humbly presented to Her Majesty by the Chief Commanders of her Fleet; which for the Satisfacti­on of the Reader, it may not be amiss to Incert, as an Intro­duction to so glorious an Enterprize, viz.

The Queen being informed of a scandalous and malitious Re­port that was spread abroad, as if some of the Officers of their Majesties Fleet were disaffected, or not hearty in their Ser­vice, and that her Majesty had thereupon ordered the Discharge of many of them from their Employments; Her Majesty was pleased to command the Earl of Nottingham to write to Ad­miral Russel, and let him know, that her Her Majesty was satis­fied that this Report was raised by the Enemies of the Go­vernment, and that she reposed so entire a Confidence in their Fidelity, that she had resolved not to displace any one of them; which being by the Admiral communicated to them, they made and sent up the following Address.

This was signed by Sir John Ashby, Admiral of the Blew, Sir Ralph Delaval, Vice Admiral of the Red, Mr. Rook, Vice Admiral of the Blew, Sir Clously Shouel, Rear Admiral of the Red, Mr. Carter, Rear Admiral of the Blew; upon receiving which, her Majesty was pleased to say, That she had always this Opinion of the Commanders, but was glad this was come to satisfie others.

The English and Dutch Fleets having now taken the Seas, on the 18th. of May, the Admirals Scouts, whilst he bore South West and by South, seven Leagues from Cape Barfleur, made the Signal for seeing the Enemy, the Wind Westwardly: The French bore down upon our Fleet, and about eleven engaged it, but at some distance; we continued fighting till half an hour past five in the Evening, at which time, the Enemy tow­ed away with all their Boats, and we after them. It was calm all day, about six there was a fresh Engagement to the West­ward [Page 5]of the Admiral, supposed to be the Blew, and it conti­nued calm all Night, but the Particulars at present, are only, that the French were beaten, and the Admiral was steering a­way for Conquet Road, having a fresh Gale Easterly (but very foggy) that being the place he supposed they designed for; and that if it pleased God to send Fair Weather, he doubted not but to destroy the whole French Fleet. In the Night, three or four Ships were seen to blow up, but not known what they were.

As to some other Particulars, it appears by another Advice, That about the grey or opening of the Morning, our Fleet made the French Fleet in a Line of Battel, about two Leagues to the Windward; and they then having the Weather-gage, bore down very boldly and closely upon our Fleet; at Eleven the Engagement began, and continued very hot and furious till almost four in the Afternoon, at what time the French Fleet bore away. The Wind at West by South, and West South West, veering about to North by East, and North North East, Sir Clously Shouel, and Sir John Ashby, having the Weather­gage, fell bravely on, maintaining the Engagement till almost ten at Night; the French all that while bearing away, and the English pursuing them, some Ships were seen in the Night­time in flames, about nine of the Clock; but not knowing what they were, nor likewise the damage sustained on either side, when this Advice came away.

But since this, the Mary Galley came from Admiral Russel, to Spithead; who left him at Eight in the morning, about fifteen Leagues South and by West from the Isle of Wight, declaring he saw both the French Admirals Seconds sunk, and many Ships on fire, and that for the space of two Leagues together the Sea was full of Wrecks of Ships, but knew not of the loss of any of their Majesties Ships or Commanders; and that when this Galley came away, the French were running, and the English in pursuit of them; and about Ten of the Clock he heard them Engag'd again, and the Guns firing till One, at what time the Wind sprung up at South and by West.

Upon this News, and ever to be wish'd-for Success, as well by Land as Sea, of which Heaven has given us already so great an Earnest of future Improvement against the Common Enemy, not only the Joy of all good Subjects abounded, but the Bells, in all places where it came, were rung out; the Tower-Guns, and those in other places, were discharged, and the Streets, at Night, filled with Bonfires and Illuminations, to the great con­tentment and rejoycing of the Nation.

Since the former Advices, a Letter came from Portsmouth, bearing date the 21st. of May, giving an Account that Their Majesties Ship the Montague, Captain Foulk Commander, came in thither from the Fleet, his Ship being disabled in the Fight, he leaving the Fleet the day before, about Nine of the Clock in the morning, pursuing the Enemy; and says, that Mr. Carter, Reer-Admiral of the Blue, was kill'd in the Action. And the same Letter further relates, That Captain Killingsworth, Commander of the Fox Fire-ship, had made his way to Portsmouth in his Boat; and gave an Account, That he had burnt his Fire­ship on board the French Reer-Admiral, but was put off with a great deal of difficulty; and that he saw a French Man-of-War, of about Seventy Guns, blow up, and another Three-deck'd Ship on fire.

On the Twenty first, about Nine of the Clock in the morn­ing, our Fleet set sail again; as likewise did the French: Admiral Russel took his course towards Barfleur, having got sight of divers Ships under the shore: Admiral Allemond, of the Dutch, and the Admiral of the Blue, sailed to the West­ward. The first of these endeavoured to get up with sixteen of the Enemies Ships which he discovered, supposing them to be coming from France to joyn the French Fleet. Sir John Ashby pursued the rest of the French Fleet, who in much Confusion laboured to get into the Rafe of Ornay. Admiral Allemond lost sight of the afore-mentioned sixteen Ships in the night, they having, as he supposed, got in among the Rocks; and because he found it not safe nor convenient to follow them there, he sailed Eastward again, to rejoyn Admiral Russel.

On the Twenty second, in the Morning, Vice-Admiral De­laval burnt, near to the shore, under Cape de Wike, a great Ship, called the Royal Sun, of France, being the Ship of Count de Tour­ville, the French Admiral, carrying a Hundred and Four Guns; as likewise the Admiral commanded by his Second, Monsieur Beaujeu, a Ship carrying a Hundred and two Guns; and the Fort of Eighty Guns; with two Frigats, and Three of lesser rank: And Admiral Russel was in close pursuit of Nine more. The Prisoners who were taken from the burnt Ships, declared, That during the time of the Battel, 4 or 5 of their biggest Ships were destroyed. Reer-Admiral Carter, and Collonel Hastings, after much Bravery and Resolution, were both killed in the Fight: And at this time an Account came from Portsmouth, that four French Ships, of three Decks, lay on the back of the Isle of Wight, extremely disabled; and that two English Men of War, who were refitted, with two Dutch Frigates, and a Fire-ship, were going against them, to take or destroy them.