David Quidnunc on 7 Apr 2003  •  Link

Capt. Robert CLARKE

That's the Latham & Matthews spelling, although Pepys spells it "Clerke" (at least on 5 April 1660).

He was a friend of Pepys who became a captain in the Commonwealth navy and continued on with 10 different commands in the diary period.

He died by 1688.

-- L&M Vol. 10 (Companion)

Emilio on 1 May 2003  •  Link

We find out in the entry for 25 April 1660 that he commands the Speaker ("a very brave ship").

vicenzo on 3 Apr 2005  •  Link

Sams meetings : Clerke: 28 mar 60: interesting anecdote
Brings noted Caudle. 5 april. ' 60
Capt: the Speaker 25 Apr '60 [renamed Mary ]
2nd oct: '60 dined with Sam:
13th Apr '61 morn Draft with Capt. Cuttance.
8th nov '61. partied with Minnes, Batten and Stoakes;
above gleened from the diary;

"...Finally, in 1660, he commanded the Speaker and took part in the Restoration voyage. He continued in command of the Mary (the renamed Speaker) in 1660......
from 1644 possible flag Capt. to Adm Robert Blake. Ship be the George.[1657]...
In 1661, Robert Clarke commanded the St. George [2nd.Rate George 110' long 594 tons 280 men 52 guns ]and [then]the Royal Charles...."
http://anglo-dutch-wars.blogspot.…
There appear to be 2 Clarkes [Clark Clerk Clerke]

Bill on 11 May 2013  •  Link

CLARK, Robert,—after having severally commanded the Mary of fifty eight guns, to which he was appointed in the year 1660, as well as the St. George of sixty six, and the Royal Charles of eighty-two guns, in the following year, in 1663, was removed into the Antelope of fifty. [...] In the year 1665 he again commanded the St. George, which he quitted soon afterwards for a smaller ship, the Gloucester, a third rate of fifty-eight guns. In the following year he was dispatched, as commodore of a small squadron, to lay off the mouth of the Texel in order to watch the motions of the Dutch fleet. He arrived on this station the 14th of May, and the following day captured seven (out of twelve sail which were in company) ships of 400 tons each from the Baltic, bound to Amsterdam; the loss of which must have distressed the enemy in the most eminent degree. The approach of the enemy's fleet obliged him to quit his station a few days afterwards. Having effected a junction with the duke of Albemarle at the Gunfleet on the 24th of May, he bore as distinguished a part in the action, which commenced on the 1st of June, as the size of the ship he commanded, she being only a fourth rate, would allow. The Gloucester being totally disabled in the action, captain Clark, in testimony no doubt of the high sense they entertained of his services, was promoted by the joint commanders in chief, to the command of the Triumph, a second rate. Holding this station, he again eminently signalized himself in the ever-memorable action with the Dutch, on the twenty-fifth of July. In the year 1667 he was removed by the duke of York, first into the Monmouth, and afterwards into the Mary; which last ship he was re-appointed to in the year 1669. The time and place of his death is not known.
---Biographia Navalis. J. Charnock, 1794.

San Diego Sarah on 3 Oct 2023  •  Link

L&M Companion: Capt. Robert Clarke, died by 1688. A friend of Pepys who had risen to captain's rank in the Commonwealth navy, He held 10 commands during the Diary period, and was rated 'very good' by Coventry. In May 1666, leading a squadron in The Gloucester, he captured 7 Dutch ships off Texel. He was criticized in 1667 for his conduct during the raid on the Medway for allowing The Monmouth to be towed away from the scene of the action.