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Second Reading

About Heneage Finch (2nd Earl of Winchilsea)

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FINCH, HENEAGE, second Earl of Winchilsea (d. 1689), was the son of Thomas, the first earl, whose mother Elizabeth had been created Countess of Winchilsea in her widowhood by Charles I (1628). Heneage, educated at Emmanuel College, Cambridge, succeeded to the title of Viscount Maidstone in 1633, and of Earl of Winchilsea in 1639. He distinguished himself on the royalist side during the great rebellion, providing auxiliary troops (horse and foot) at his own expense, and supplying 'with great hazard' Charles II's 'necessities in foreign parts.' He was a friend of Monck and was made governor of Dover Castle in 1660. Upon the Restoration he was created a baron, by the title of Lord Fitzherbert of Eastwell (from which family the Finches claimed descent), 26 June 1660, and on 10 July was appointed lord-lieutenant of Kent. Early in 1661 he went on an important embassy to Sultan Mahomet Chan IV, and published an account of it the same year. He remained as English ambassador at Constantinople eight years, and on his return journey wrote from Naples to the king a description, which was afterwards printed, of the eruption of Mount Etna. He was reinstated on his arrival in England lord-lieutenant of Kent and governor of Dover Castle, but was, with a long list of other lieutenants, dismissed from the former post in 1687. When James II was stopped at Feversham by the Kentish fishermen, he wrote to Winchilsea, who was at Canterbury, asking him to come to him. The earl arrived before night (12 Dec), and interposed on behalf of the king besides moving him to a more suitable lodging in a private house. When James fled for the second time, Winchilsea was one of those who voted for offering the vacant throne to William and Mary, and in March 1689 was again made lord-lieutenant of Kent. He died in August the same year. He married four times: (1) Diana, daughter of Francis, fifth lord Willoughby of Parham; (2) Mary, daughter of William Seymour, marquis of Hertford; (3) Catherine, daughter of Sir Thomas Norcliff; (4) Elizabeth, daughter of John Ayres, esq. Out of twenty-seven children sixteen lived to 'some maturity.'
---Dictionary of National Biography. V.19, 1889.

About William Cavendish (4th Earl and 1st Duke of Devonshire)

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Cavendish (William), the first duke of Devonshire, and one of the most distinguished patriots in the British annals, was born in 1640. In 1677, being then member for Derby, he vigorously opposed the venal measures of the court; and, the following year, was one of the committee appointed to draw up articles of impeachment against the lord treasurer Danby. In 1679, being re-elected to serve for Derby in a new parliament, Charles II. thought fit to make him a privy counsellor; but he soon withdrew from the board, with his friend lord Russel, when he found that popish interest prevailed. He carried up the articles of impeachment to the house of lords, against lord chief, justice Scroggs, for his arbitrary and illegal proceedings in the court of king's bench; and when the king declared his resolution not to sign the bill for excluding the Duke of York (afterwards James II.), he moved the house of commons, that a bill might be brought in for the association of all his majesty's protestant subjects. He also openly named the king's evil counsellors, and voted for an address to remove them from his presence and councils for ever. He nobly appeared at lord Russel's trial, in defence of that great man, at a time when it was scarce more criminal to be an accomplice than a witness for him. The fame fortitude, activity, and love of his country, animated this illustrious patriot to oppose tlve arbitrary proceedings of James II.; and when he saw there was no other method of saving the nation from impending slavery, he was the foremost in the association for inviting over the prince of Orange, and the first nobleman who appeared in arms to receive him at his landing. He was created Duke of Devonshire in 1694, by William and Mary. His last public service was in the union with Scotland, for concluding of which he was appointed a commissioner by queen Anne. He died in 1707, and ordered the following inscription to be put on his monument.

Willielmus Dux Devon,
Bonorum Principum Fidelis Subditus,
Inimicas et Invisus Tyrammis.

William Duke of Devonshire,
Of good Princes the faithful Subject,
The Enemy and Aversion of Tyrants,

Besides being thus, estimable for public virtues, his grace was distinguished by his literary accomplishments. He had a poetical genius, which showed itself particularly in two pieces, written with equal spirit, dignity, and delicacy: these are, an ode on the death of queen Mary; and an allusion to the archbishop of Cambray's supplement to Homer. He had great knowledge in the languages, was a true judge in history, and a critic in poetry; he had a fine hand in music, an elegant taste in painting, and in architecture had a skill equal to any person of the age in which he lived. His predecessor, Sir John Cavendish, was the person who killed the famous Watt Tyler in 1381.
---Encyclopedia Britannica. 3rd ed., 1797.

About William Cavendish (4th Earl and 1st Duke of Devonshire)

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CAVENDISH, WILLIAM, first Duke Of Devonshire (1640-1707), eldest son of William Cavendish, third earl; styled Lord Cavendish (of Hardwicke) till 1684; educated abroad; M.P. for Derby, 1661; in Ireland, 1662; hon. M.A. Oxford, 1663; served in the fleet, 1666; envoy to France, 1669; provoked a fracas at the opera in Paris; imprisoned in the Tower for instigating a duel, 1675; a leader of the anti-court and anti-Romanist party in the Commons, 1666-78; active in the 'popish plot' proceedings, 1678-9; advocated exclusion of the Duke of York from the succession, 1680-1: made his peace with Charles II, October, 1681; succeeded to earldom, 1684; fined 30,0001. for brawling at court, 1685; built Chatsworth, 1687-1706; joined in inviting William of Orange to England, 1687 and 1688; arranged with the Earl of Danby to raise the north in favour of William of Orange; seized Derby and Nottingham, 1688; raised regiment of horse; escorted Princess Anne to Oxford; moved an address of welcome to the Prince of Orange, December, 1688 ; argued for James II's deposition, 1689; lord-lieutenant of Derbyshire, 1689; lord high steward at coronation, 1689; with William III in Flanders, 1690-2; created Duke of Devonshire, 1694; lord high steward at Anne's coronation, 1702; advocated toleration of nonconformists and the union with Scotland; of profligate private life; a patron of horse-racing.
---Dictionary of National Biography: Index and Epitome, 1903

About Ald. Sir Theophilus Biddulph

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In St. Chad's Ch. vulgarly called Stowe Church in Lichfield, on a white Marble, fixt to the North Wall of the Chancel.

Here lyeth the Body of Theophilus Biddulph, Son of Theophilus Biddulph of the City of London Draper. His Mother was Susanna daughter of Zachary Highlord Alderman of London. He departed this Life the 20th of May 1650.

---Monumenta Anglicana. John Le Neve, 1718.

About Sir Robert Bernard

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In the North Ile of Abington Church near Northampton.

To the Memory of Sir Robt. Bernard Knt. & Bart. Serjeant at Law, Son of Francis Bernard Esq; who was 2d Son of Francis Bernard Esq; Lord of this Mannor. He was twice very happy; first, in the marriage of Elisabeth Tallakerne, daughter of Sr. John Tallakerne, by whom he had many Sons & daughters. & after her decease, he was very happy a Second time in the marriage of Elisabeth Digby, Relict of Robert Ld Digby, who was a good Mother though she had no Children. But he was most happy in that not weary at all of this Life he was willing to depart to a better in the 66th. year of his Age. A. D. 1666. His Body lies interred near this Monument, which was due to so good a Father from his Eldest Son & Heir Sr. John Bernard Kt.
---Monumenta Anglicana. John Le Neve, 1718.

About Sir Thomas Allin

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In 1668, on information being received that the French fleet, under the duke of Beaufort, was at sea, sir Thomas was sent, with a discretionary power, to observe their motions; but nothing material took place during a long cruise at the entrance of the Channel. In the middle of August he sailed for the Streights; and having arrived off Algiers on the 8th of October, by his peremptory behaviour he quickly disposed the government to propose equitable terms of accommodation, which were immediately drawn up, and executed. Sir Thomas sailed from thence for Naples, where such honours were shewn him as proved so highly disagreeable to a Dutch squadron then lying there, that they left the place in the greatest disgust. The same respect was also shewn him at Leghorn. From thence he returned to Algiers, where, having received every assurance that the treaty of peace he had lately concluded with them would be faithfully observed, he returned to England in the month of April. No sooner, however, was he clear of the Streights, than the Algerines, highly elated at his absence, and conceiving it would be at least a day somewhat distant, ere vengeance could be taken of their perfidy, began to renew their depredations; so that having hoisted his flag on board the Resolution, he was a second time dispatched to Algiers to compel an observance of that peace we had vainly flattered ourselves with the hopes of enjoying from their justice. He sailed from Plymouth on the 22d of July, having under his command eighteen men of war, besides fireships and other vessels, making in all twenty-nine sail, and arrived on the 30th of the same month at Cadiz. On the 6th of August he appeared off Algiers, and a negotiation not taking place, he immediately prepared to inflict a proper chastisement, which he did by taking, or destroying a considerable number of their corsairs. This petty and inconsiderable warfare was continued for some time: and in the following year he was, at his own earnest request, recalled. He was succeeded in his command by sir Edward Spragge. Having arrived at St. Helen's on the 3d of November, 1670, he retired from command for some time; and was, on his arrival in England, probably as a reward for his former services, appointed comptroller of the navy. However, in March 1678, he was again appointed commander in chief of his majesty's fleet in the narrow seas, having hoisted his flag for that purpose on board the Royal James. This was occasioned by the probability of war with France; but that soon passing away, sir Thomas again returned to his former peaceable, and honourable retirement, a retirement highly necessary to the latter days of an officer who had served so honestly, and behaved so gallantly. The time and place of his death is not positively known.
---Biographia Navalis. J. Charnock, 1794.

About Sir Thomas Allin

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In 1666 he was appointed admiral of the white, and still continuing on board the Royal James, was detached, (in consequence of express orders from the king, to prince Rupert, who was himself on board the Royal James with sir Thomas,) with his squadron, to oppose the French, against whom war had just been declared, and whose fleet was reported to be then coming up the channel for the purpose of joining the Dutch. This intelligence proving false, prince Rupert, and sir Thomas Allen's division, returned just in time to turn the scale in favour of the English, and rescue the duke of Albemarle, who had been hard pressed by the superior numbers of the Dutch, during a fight of three days continuance. The English were not long ere they had complete satisfaction for this temporary apparent advantage. On the 25th of July the two fleets met a second time, and an action commenced about noon the same day, sir Thomas Allen who continued to command the van, or white squadron, making a most furious attack on the Dutch admiral, Evertzen. The Friezland and Zealand squadrons, which he had the chief command of, were totally defeated; he himself, together with his vice and rear admiral, killed; and the Tolen, commanded by Bankart, vice-admiral of Zealand, taken, and soon afterwards burnt, together with another large man of war. In fine, as no man was ever more deserving of success, so did no one ever obtain it more completely. Fortune still continuing to favour gallantry, sir Thomas captured, on the 18th of September, the Ruby, a French a French man of war mounting 54 brass guns, commanded by monsieur De la Roche. This ship, which was quite new, was esteemed one of the finest in the French navy. She had mistaken sir Thomas's squadron, which then lay off Dungeness, for her own, and, consequently, surrendered almost without resistance. In the year 1667, owing to the penury of Charles the second, and the duplicity of the Dutch, who had the art to deceive the British court into a belief that peace should take place early in the spring, we had no grand fleet at sea; but sir Thomas, who shifted his flag, on this occasion, into the Monmouth, had the command in chief of a small squadron sent to cruise to the westward; and of a second, in the same year, destined for a foreign expedition, but which, it is believed, never went to sea. Be that as it may, nothing worth recording took place in either service.
---Biographia Navalis. J. Charnock, 1794.

About Sir Thomas Allin

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ALLEN, Sir Thomas,—of Lowestoffe, in the county of Suffolk, having been always warmly attached to the cause of royalty, and served as commander of a ship in the part of the fleet which revolted to the prince of Wales, was appointed to command the Dover on the 24th of June, 1660, this being among the first ships commissioned by the duke of York. In 1661 he commanded, first, the Plymouth, and, secondly, the Foresight; the Lyon, in 1662, and the Rainbow in 1663. In the same year he was appointed commander in chief (as commodore only) of the ships and vessels in the Downs, and had, on this occasion, the singular privilege allowed him of wearing the union flag at his main top. He hoisted it on board the St. Andrew. In the following year (1664) he had the same command, with the same privilege attached to it, renewed. On the 11th of Aug. 1664, he was appointed commander in chief in the Mediterranean, to succeed sir John Lawson, who was ordered to return home. He sailed on this service in the Plymouth, in company with the Crown, which was put under his orders. Having arrived at Tangier, and communicated his instructions to sir John, he entered upon his command, hoisting his flag at the main-top-masthead, as his commission specially authorised him to do on the departure of his predecessor. Early in the ensuing spring, being then on a cruise with his squadron, consisting of eight or nine ships, off the Streights mouth, he had the good fortune to fall in with the Dutch Smyrna fleet, consisting of forty sail, under convoy of four men of war. Having just before received intelligence that war was declared, by England, against the States General, he hesitated not a moment to attack them. The Dutch having, according to their usual custom, drawn the stoutest of their merchant ships into the line to support, and assist their men of war, the contest was obstinate. But in the end Brackel, the Dutch commodore, being killed, their line broken, and several of their ships sunk, four of the richest were captured; one of which had received so much damage in the action, that she unfortunately foundered on her passage to England: the rest of the fleet took refuge in Cadiz, where they remained blocked up for a time, till the return of the admiral to England liberated them from their confinement. In the beginning of this year he had shifted his flag from the Plymouth to the Old James: and on his return to England, in the month of June following, just after the engagement with the Dutch, was promoted to the rank of admiral of the blue. He commanded that squadron during the remainder of the year, having his flag on board the (afterwards unfortunate) Royal James; but no farther general action took place.
---Biographia Navalis. J. Charnock, 1794.

About Rear-Adm. Robert Sansum

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SANSOME, or SAMPSON, Robert,—was appointed to the Mary Rose, and Dunkirk, successively, in the year 1664. He hoisted his flag, on board the latter ship, as rear-admiral of the fleet sent out under the command of prince Rupert, when the rupture with the Dutch was first expected. In the following year he was made rear-admiral of the white; and having hoisted his flag on board the Resolution, was one of the gallant and unfortunate commanders, who, in all ages, have held their own personal safety as of no value when put in competition with the happiness, and glory of their native country. He was killed in the engagement between the duke of York and Opdam. The case of admiral Sansome, as an officer, most justly entitled to posthumous fame, is singularly unfortunate. He is commemorated by historians, only in the fatal moment which put a period to his existence, and extolled in such general terms as are, as his just due, bestowed on every man who fairly offers his life a tribute to his country's welfare. We remain totally ignorant of those more minute, though scarcely less interesting particulars of his life, which historians, nearly his cotemporaries, might have furnished with less trouble to themselves, and more truth to posterity, than the most accurate and laborious investigation of the present day can attain, or hope for.
---Biographia Navalis. J. Charnock, 1794.

About Capt. Walter Wood

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WOOD, Walter,—was appointed captain of the Princess in 1660. In 1664 he was commander of the Convertine, and soon afterwards removed into the Henrietta: in this ship he gloriously fell, in the hour of victory, being killed in that ever memorable action, between, the English and Dutch fleets, in June, 1666.
---Biographia Navalis. J. Charnock, 1794.

About Capt. Robert Williamson

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WILLIAMSON, Robert,—was appointed to command the Harp soon after the restoration.
---Biographia Navalis. J. Charnock, 1794.

About Capt. Robert Wilkinson

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WILKINSON, Robert,—was appointed commander of the Charity in 1665, soon after the commencement of the first Dutch war. He had the misfortune to be the only commander captured by the Dutch, under Opdam, at the time they received their very signal defeat from the duke of York. As the account of this accident has been given in the Life of captain Joseph Sanders, who commanded the John and Abigail, which ship, though at one time almost in the same danger with the Charity, fortunately escaped; it is needless to say more of it, than that although captain Wilkinson does not appear to have been in any degree culpable, it was, in all probability, the cause why he was not called again into service till the commencement of the second Dutch war in 1672, when he was made lieutenant of the Dragon, and soon afterwards was removed into the Newcastle. He does not appear to have been successful in his endeavours to reinstate himself in the favour of those who were in high command, for we find nothing farther relative to him, except that he was appointed by king Charles, on the 30th of April 1687, first lieutenant of the Royal Catherine.
---Biographia Navalis. J. Charnock, 1794.

About Capt. Wilgress

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WILGRESS, John,—commanded the Bear at the time of the restoration. In 1664 he was appointed, by the duke of York, to command the Hector; and was removed, the same year, into the East India Merchant, a fourth rate of fifty-four guns. In 1665, he again commanded the Bear, but quitted her, soon afterwards, for the Marmaduke. In 1666 prince Rupert, and the duke of Albemarle, promoted him to the House de Switen, a man of war, taken from the Dutch, of seventy-six guns. In 1670 he was appointed to the Welcome; and, in the following year, to the Assistance. The time of his death is, like that of many of his gallant predecessors, totally unknown.
---Biographia Navalis. J. Charnock, 1794.

About Capt. John Whitty

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WHITY, John, — commanded the Vanguard in 1665; but nothing farther is known of him: and we have some reason to doubt whether such a person ever existed, for in the same year we find

WHITTY, Thomas, — who is said to have commanded the Vanguard in the same year, and to have fallen in the long and unhappy action between the duke of Albemarle and the Dutch in the month of June 1666. The singularity of two persons with names so nearly similar (And of one of which persons no other particulars are known than merely that he did command a ship of that name.), commanding the same ship in the same year, induce us to believe the first of them to have been erroneously inserted.

---Biographia Navalis. J. Charnock, 1794.

About Capt. Charles Wager

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WAGER, Charles,—was appointed to command the Yarmouth, in 1660, by the duke of York; and, in 1664, was promoted to the Crown. He died, at Deal, on the 24th of February, 1665.
---Biographia Navalis. J. Charnock, 1794.

About Capt. Utber

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UTBER, Richard,—descended from a very respectable family long settled at Lowestoffe, in Suffolk, commanded the Montague in 1661, the Phenix in 1663, and the Essex in 1664. At the commencement of the Dutch war in 1665, he was appointed to the Rupert. He behaved with the most conspicuous gallantry in the action with the Dutch, in the same year when Opdam was blown up, and the enemy totally defeated; as also in the first action in the following year, when the duke of Albemarle, with two divisions only of the fleet, withstood, for three days, the whole naval force of the United Provinces; and when joined by the white squadron, under prince Rupert, drove them backward, with ignominy, to their own coasts. In testimony of the high sense entertained of his bravery on these occasions he was, on the 12th of June, 1666, appointed to act as rear-admiral of the white squadron under sir Thomas Allen.
---Biographia Navalis. J. Charnock, 1794.

About Capt. Richard Trevanion

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TREVANION, Richard,—was appointed, by prince Rupert and the duke of Albemarle, on the 3d of July 1666, to command the Marmaduke, and was soon afterwards removed into the Dartmouth. In 1670 he was appointed to the Richmond; and in 1672, first to the Bonadventure, and afterwards to the Dreadnought. On the 9th of March 1674 he returned into his old ship the Dartmouth. On the 22d of April 1675 he was made captain of the Jersey; and six days afterwards, that is to say, on the 28th of the same month, was removed into the Yarmouth. On the 21st of July 1677 he was appointed commander of the Saudadoes. He quitted this ship, on the 12th of May following, for the Montague, but returned back to the Saudadoes on the 26th of October in the same year. He was re-commissioned twice afterwards to the same ship, first on the 22d of October 1681, and secondly on the 2d of April 1685. At the time of the duke of Monmouth's invasion he was made commodore of a small squadron sent to intercept the ships which had conveyed the duke to England. In this expedition he was very successful. Arriving off Lime on the 20th of June 1685, he there captured two small ships of war, the naval force that assisted in the expedition, and two transports, on board which he found forty barrels of powder, and other stores, the loss of which most grievously distressed the unfortunate duke. On the 22d of April 1687, he was made captain of the Hampshire; and lastly, when the terrors of the approaching invasion induced James to fit out a formidable fleet, he was, on the 17th of September 1688, appointed to the Henrietta. Strongly attached to the cause and person of king James, he was one of those who were entrusted with the secret of his escape, and to whom the particular mode of conducting it was afterwards confided. He accompanied his exiled sovereign to France, and attended him to Ireland. Inattentive to his country's welfare, the patron and friend of his posterity he deserted not in his distress. The time of his death is not known.
---Biographia Navalis. J. Charnock, 1794.

About Capt. John Tinker

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TINKER, John,—commanded the Convertine in 1661. From this time to the year 1670 his name does not again occur. He was then appointed to the London, and very soon afterwards to the St. Andrew; after which he had no command.
---Biographia Navalis. J. Charnock, 1794.

About Capt. Henry Terne

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TERNE, Henry,—was appointed commander of the Hampshire in 1661, and the Milford and Portsmouth successively in 1663. He commanded the Dreadnought of fifty-eight guns in the great action with the Dutch in 1665; and, on account of the gallantry he there displayed, was promoted in the following year, 1666, to the Triumph, a second rate of seventy-two guns. In this ship he was unfortunately killed in the first action which took place with the Dutch in the month of June following.
---Biographia Navalis. J. Charnock, 1794.

About Capt. Jean-Baptiste du Teil

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DU TIEL, Sir John,—is said to have been of French extraction, and a knight of Malta. He was appointed commander of the Fountain, and Jersey, successively in 1665; and, in the year 1671, of a galley in the Streights: this corroborates, in a great measure, the idea of his Maltese honour.
---Biographia Navalis. J. Charnock, 1794.