[19] Inserted from 1654 copy.

PART V

THE SECOND DUTCH WAR

I. THE EARL OF SANDWICH, 1665

II.  THE DUKE OF YORK AND PRINCE RUPERT, 1665-6

I

ORDERS OF THE RESTORATION

INTRODUCTORY

Though several fleets were fitted out in the first years of the Restoration, the earliest orders of Charles II’s reign that have come down to us are those which the Earl of Sandwich issued on the eve of the Second Dutch War.  Early in the year 1665, when hostilities were known to be inevitable, he had sailed from Portsmouth with a squadron of fifteen sail for the North Sea.  On January 27th he arrived in the Downs, and on February 9th sailed for the coast of Holland.[1] War was declared on March 4th following.  The orders in question are only known by a copy given to one of his frigate captains, which has survived amongst the manuscripts of the Duke of Somerset.  So far as is known no fresh complete set of Fighting Instructions was issued before the outbreak of the war, and as Monck and Sandwich were still among the leading figures at the admiralty it is probable that those used in the last Dutch and Spanish Wars were continued.  The four orders here given are supplementary to them, providing for the formation of line abreast, and for forming from that order a line ahead to port or starboard.  It is possible however that no other orders had yet been officially issued, and that these simple directions were regarded by Sandwich as all that were necessary for so small a squadron.

FOOTNOTE: 

[1] Domestic Calendar, 1664-5, pp. 181, 183.

THE EARL OF SANDWICH, Feb. 1, 1665.

[+Duke of Somerset’s MSS., printed by the Historical MSS.  Commission.  Rep.  XV. part vii. p. 100+.]

Orders given by direction of the Earl of Sandwich to Captain Hugh Seymour,[1] of the Pearl frigate.

1665, February 1.  On board the London in the Downs.

If we shall bear up, putting abroad the standard on the ancient[2] staff, every ship of this squadron is to draw up abreast with the flag, on either side, in such berth as opportunity shall present most convenient, but if there be time they are to sail in the foresaid posture.[3]

If the admiral put up a jack[4]-flag on the flagstaff on the mizen topmast-head and fire a gun, then the outwardmost ship on the starboard side is to clap upon a wind with his starboard tacks aboard, and all the squadron as they lie above or as they have ranked themselves are presently to clap upon a wind and stand after him in a line.

And if the admiral make a weft with his jack-flag upon the flagstaff on the mizen topmast-head and fire a gun, then the outwardmost ship on the larboard side is to clap upon a wind with his larboard tacks aboard, and all the squadrons as they have ranked themselves are presently to clap upon a wind and stand after him in a line.