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Second Reading

About Capt. Thomas Elliott

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ELLIOT, Thomas,—was, in 1664, appointed commander of the Catherine, a ship of war hired from the merchants; and, in 1665, being removed into the Saphire frigate, he fell in, during the month of November, with the Dutch fleet of busses, off the Dogger, under the protection of four men of war; nevertheless, such was his activity and address, that he captured three and dispersed the rest. He was soon after (in all likelihood on account of this very piece of service) promoted to the Revenge, a third rate; and sent in the ensuing spring, commodore of a squadron of six sail sent to the northward, to check the depredations that might be attempted on our commerce, by any flying squadrons, or single cruisers, of the enemy. He returned in time to contribute his share towards the victory gained by the duke of York; and still continuing in the Revenge, was present at both the actions, which took place the following year, when the fleet was under the command of prince Rupert and the duke of Albemarle. After the return of the fleet into port, he was removed into the Anne, a ship of the same rate as the Revenge. He continued to command the Anne till the end of the year 1667, when he was appointed to the Reserve. Peace being concluded soon after this, we meet with nothing further relative to captain Elliot, till the year 1672, at which time we find him captain of the Yorke, one of the squadron under sir Robert Holmes, at the time he attacked the Smyrna fleet. In this action, as he had the credit of deserving, in common, it must be confessed, with the rest of the commanders, so had he the honour of obtaining the highest reputation, for gallantry and good conduct. He continued to command the same ship, and had a further opportunity of distinguishing himself in the action with the Dutch, which took place in the month of June following. Being severely wounded in that engagement, he was, on his recovery, promoted to the London, a very fine second rate.
---Biographia Navalis. J. Charnock, 1794.

About Capt. Francis Digby

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DIGBY, Francis,—was the second son of George, second earl of Bristol. He was appointed lieutenant of the Royal Charles in 1666, and promoted to the command of the Jersey in the same year. On the 15th of September he drove on shore, upon their own coast, and burnt, four large French vessels, one of them a frigate of thirty guns. In the following year he was removed into the Greenwich (in which ship he had the good fortune to take several very valuable prizes from the enemy), and in 1668 into the Montague. The high estimation in which he was held, as well in respect to bravery as prudence, procured him, on the first rumour of a second war with Holland, the command of the Henry, a second rate of seventy-two guns. His conduct was every way consonant to the nobleness of his birth, for being one of the seconds to the brave and unfortunate earl of Sandwich, he, like his worthy commander, perished, after having given proofs of intrepidity almost innumerable, any one of which would singly have been sufficient to have established the character of an hero. His body was deposited in the vault of his mother's family, at Cheneys in Buckinghamshire, in an open coffin, and is yet entire, except the loss of some teeth and toenails, which have been stolen.
---Biographia Navalis. J. Charnock, 1754

About Capt. Thomas Diamond

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DIAMOND, Thomas,—was captain of the Martin at the time of the restoration. No further mention is made of him.
---Biographia Navalis. J. Charnock, 1794

About Saturday 12 May 1660

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Without book. by memory; by repetition; without reading.
---A Dictionary of the English Language, Samuel Johnson, 1755

About Capt. John Cuttle

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CUTTLE, John,—is known only as having been appointed to command the Hector in 1664, and that he unfortunately lost his life in the following year, his ship being sunk in action with the Dutch.
---Biographia navalis. J. Charnock, 1793.

About Capt. Henry Cuttance

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CUTTANCE, Henry,—was appointed commander of the Speedwell in 1660, of the Forrester in 1661, and the Happy Return in 1665, all by commission from the duke of York.
---Biographia navalis. J. Charnock, 1793.

About Capt. Edmund Curtis

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CURTIS, Edmund,—commanding the Newcastle in 1660, is unknown in any other respect, except that in the duke of York's Memoirs, there is an order from him to the principal officers of the navy board, "To permit captain Curtis to take away the brass bases and pieces of cable to his own use, which were by him taken out of a galley sunk on the coast of Spain, for his service in destroying the said galley; as also that they should give direction for the payment of the wages due to captain Curtis, notwithstanding any stop put on the same."
---Biographia navalis. J. Charnock, 1793.

About Capt. John Cox

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COX, Sir John,—was appointed commander of the Mary, of fifty-eight guns, in 1665, after having served with very distinguished reputation as master of the Royal Charles, in the action between the duke of York and Opdam. In the following year he was made captain of the Sovereign, a first rate of one hundred guns. His Conduct having highly contributed to the victory obtained over the Dutch, by prince Rupert and the duke of Albemarle, he received the honour of knighthood. In 1668, on the prospect of a rupture with France, he was made Commander of the Charles; and, at the commencement of the second Dutch war, was chosen, by the duke of York, to command the Prince, as his first captain; he himself having hoisted the standard on board this ship; an high compliment to sir John's gallantry, and, as will appear by the sequel, most worthily paid. At the battle of Solebay the main body of the fleet, where the duke of York commanded, was opposed to De Ruyter, who attacked the prince, not singly and ship to ship, but supported by Van Este, another admiral, whose name is not known, and all their seconds; an odds, not only formidable but irresistible. This ship was most gallantly defended for three hours, by the joint efforts of himself and captain Gurner; at the end of that time she was totally disabled from rendering any further service, as well by the damage she received in the fight, as by the death of her brave commander, which certainly was the heavier misfortune of the two.
---Biographia navalis. J. Charnock, 1793.

About Capt. Richard Cowes

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COWES, Richard,—commanded the Paradox in the year 1660; but nothing more is known of him.
---Biographia navalis. J. Charnock, 1793.

About John Clements

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CLEMENTS, John,—was, on the 1st of May 1667, appointed commander of the Merlin yacht; and, in the year 1671, of the Monmouth yacht. In 1672 he was promoted to the Greyhound ; which ship he was a second time re-commissioned to on the 5th of May 1679. Continuing to command the same ship, he was employed, in the month of June 1680, to transport from Kinfale, a reinforcement of troops to the garrison of Tangier. On his return from thence he was appointed commander of the Cleveland yacht; to which vessel he was re-commissioned on the 22d of October following. On the 31st of August 1682, he was made captain of the Charlotte yacht; and was re-appointed to her on the 1st of April 1685. On the 4th of May 1688, he was made captain of the Henrietta yacht; from which he was, on the 18th of the same month removed into the Catherine yacht. On the 14th of December following, near six weeks after the landing of king William, he was appointed, by lord Dartmouth, to command the Cambridge: she being laid, up for the winter, he was made captain of the Expedition, which ship he commanded at the battle of Beachy Head, second a-stern to vice-admiral Ashby. In the year 1693 he was captain of the St. Andrew. He probably retired from service soon after this time, as his name does not again occur. The time of his death is unknown: he was alive, but unemployed, on the 2d of February 1698-9.
---Biographia navalis. J. Charnock, 1793.

About Sir John Chicheley

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CHICHELY, Sir John.—We cannot be at a loss for the rank and quality of this gentleman's family, his name sufficiently declares him a descendant of the bishop Chichely, founder of All Souls College, Oxford. Having entered into the navy, he was appointed lieutenant of the Swiftsure; and, in the following year, was promoted to be commander of the Milford. In 1664 he was captain of the Bristol; and of the Antelope, a fourth rate, in 1665. His behaviour in the action between the duke of York and Opdam procured him to be promoted, in 1666, to the command of the Fairfax, a third rate, as successor to sir Christopher Myngs. We have not been able to learn how long he continued captain of this ship, but we find him appointed to the Rupert of sixty-four guns in 1668, and soon afterwards sent to the Mediterranean, his, being one of the ships put under the command of sir Thomas Allen for that service. On the return of sir Thomas to England, in 1670, and sir Edward Spragge becoming commander-in-chief on that station, sir John was appointed vice-admiral of his majesty's fleet in the Streights, nothing being a more common practice, at this time, in the navy, than that of giving officers local rank. In 1671 he removed into the Dreadnought, and being taken very ill at Majorca, was prevented from returning to England in company with sir Edward Spragge, who arrived in March; but following him as soon, as he was a little recovered, he was, on his arrival, appointed to command the Royal Catherine, of seventy-six guns. The fate of this ship, in the Solebay fight, is too singular to pass unnoticed. She had joined the fleet on the very eve of the action with a raw, undisciplined crew; and, from the confusion that must unavoidably reign on board, under such circumstances, in a condition totally unfit for immediate service; thus situated, she was, about ten o'clock, boarded, and taken possession of by the enemy. Her commander, sir John, and the principal officers, were shifted, and the crew put down, as is customary, below. But the Dutch having incautiously, or, perhaps, through necessity, left but a small number of men to take charge of her, the English discovering this to be the case, rose upon their enemy, and not only redeemed both themselves and the ship from captivity, but, in return, made prisoners of the Dutch, whose captives they had, themselves, the moment before, been. This being accomplished, they brought their ship safe into harbour. This accident was so far from being thought disgraceful to sir John, that, soon after his return, he was promoted to be rear-admiral of the red, and hoisted his flag on board the Royal Charles of eighty-two guns.
---Biographia navalis. J. Charnock, 1793.

About Lieut. Anthony Burrows

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BURROUGHS, Anthony, was lieutenant of the Henrietta at the time of the Restoration. In 1664 he was appointed to command the Newcastle; and, in the following year, we find him serving again as a lieutenant on board the Centurion.

---Biographia navalis. J. Charnock, 1794.

About Capt. John Browne (c)

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BROWNE, John,—commanded the Rosebush in the year 1660, by commission from the duke of York, as lord high admiral; but we have not been able to obtain any farther account of him.

---Biographia navalis. J. Charnock, 1794.

About Capt. John Bowry

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BOWRY, John,—was appointed by the duke of York, in the year 1660, to the command of the Drake; but it does not appear he ever served afterwards.

---Biographia navalis. J. Charnock, 1794.

About Capt. John Aylett

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AYLETT, John,—was, early in 1664, appointed to the John and Katherine; and, a short time after, during the same year, promoted to the Portland. He continued to command this ship a considerable time, which is a very unusual circumstance at this period, the succession, of different commanders to the same ship being almost incredibly rapid. In the month of June, 1666, we find him obliged to quit the fleet under the duke of Albemarle, his ship, the Portland, being disabled very soon after the first action in that year commenced with the Dutch, in consequence of another English ship having unfortunately run aboard of him. A grievous mortification this to a gallant man, and equally unfortunate to his country, to be deprived of his services just at the moment when they were so much wanted. He quitted the command of the Portland in the year 1667; and, in 1668, was appointed to the Forrester. He did not long continue captain of this ship, for, in the following year, we find another officer commanding her. As we do not find he ever had an appointment afterwards, we may naturally conclude he either died in a short time, or retired from service.

---Biographia navalis. J. Charnock, 1794.

About Capt. James Ableson

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ABLESON, James,—was appointed, in 1664, first, to command the Bear, and, 2ndly, the Expedition. In 1665 he was promoted to the Guinea, a small fourth rate of thirty-eight guns. Small as this ship was, he distinguished himself very eminently in the first action with the Dutch, and deserves ever to be remembered as one of those heroes who contributed to purchase that victory at the expence of their lives. He was killed on the 3d of June, 1665.

---Biographia navalis. J. Charnock, 1794.

About Friday 11 May 1660

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"Sir R. Stayner" received his knighthood from Cromwell. It had to be "legally" re-conferred by Charles II.

About Sir Richard Stayner

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STAYNER, Sir Richard,—was commander of a ship of war, during the protectorate, in 1655. In conjunction with a captain Smith he took a Dutch East India ship of eight hundred tons burthen, having on board four chests of silver. In 1656, with three frigates under his command (the Speaker, his own ship, the Bridgewater, and the Plymouth) he fell in with the Spanish flota, consisting of eight sail. Disproportionate as their numbers were, he hesitated not a moment to attack them: he did it with such gallantry and success, that, in a few hours, one of them was sunk, a second burnt, two were captured, and two driven on shore; so that of their whole fleet, two ships, or, as it is asserted by some, one only made its escape into Cadiz. The treasure alone captured on this occasion, amounted to six hundred thousand pounds sterling; so that captain Stayner returned to England not only crowned with glory, but loaded with wealth. In the following year he again sailed with the fleet, under the chief command of Blake, for the purpose of intercepting the Spanish West India fleet a second time. When they had cruised off Cadiz for some days, Blake received intelligence that the flota had taken shelter in the bay of Santa Cruz.
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Strayner was immediately detached to begin the attack; and being soon after supported by Blake with the remainder of the fleet, the Spaniards were, in a few hours, driven out of their ships and breastworks.
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Cromwell thought so highly of the conduct of captain Stayner, that he conferred on him the honour of knighthood. The destruction of the ships at Santa Cruz concludes the naval transactions of the protectorate; the death of Cromwell took place soon afterwards, and sir Richard Stayner had no further opportunity of exhibiting that gallantry for which he was, as has been already shewn, so remarkably distinguished. On the eve of the restoration, tired with the anarchy and confusion that had so long prevailed, and become a thorough convert to the principles of regal government, he again entered into service, being one of the commanders under Montague, (afterwards earl of Sandwich) who went with the fleet to receive Charles the Second. This service being effected, he received, from the hands of that sovereign, a legal knighthood, and was constituted rear-admiral of the fleet. He hoisted his flag, by appointment of the duke of York, lord high admiral, on board the Swiftsure. The following year he served in the same station, having removed his flag into the Mary.

---Biographia navalis. J. Charnock, 1794.

About John Maitland (2nd Earl of Lauderdale)

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In 1649 he opposed with great vehemence the propositions made by the marquise of Montross to king Charles II ; and in 1651 attended his majesty in his expedition into England, but was taken prisoner after the battle of Worcester in Sept. the same year, and confined in the Tower of London, Portland-castle, and other prisons, till March 3, 1659-60, when he was released from his imprisonment in Windsor-castle. Upon the restoration he was made secretary of state for Scotland, and persuaded the k. to demolish the forts and citadels built by Cromwell in Scotland; by which means he became very popular. He was likewise very importunate with his majesty for his supporting presbytery in that kingdom; though his zeal in this respect, did not continue long. In 1669 he was appointed lord commissioner for the k. in Scotland.
---Bibliotheca biographica. Thomas Flloyd, 1760.

About Tuesday 8 May 1660

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I'm suspicious. Ships in 1660 certainly rang bells but did they have the multiple bells every watch that seems to be common now? I think Sam would have commented on it...