the Dartmouth; the Lord Maidstone, son to the Earl of Winchelsea, a volunteer on board the Charles, commanded by Sir John Harman, Vice-Admiral of the Red.

Sir Philip Carteret, Mr Herbert, Mr Cotterel, Mr Poyton, Mr Gose, with several other gentlemen unknown to me, lost their lives with the Earl of Sandwich, on board the Royal James; Mr Vaughan, on board the Katherine, commanded by Sir John Chicheley.

In this engagement, Sir George Rook was youngest lieutenant to Sir Edward Sprage; Mr Russel, afterwards Earl of Orford, was captain of a small fifth rate, called the Phoenix; Mr Herbert, afterwards Earl of Torrington, was captain of a small fourth rate, called the Monck; Sir Harry Dutton Colt, who was on board the Victory, commanded by the Earl of Ossory, is the only man now living that I can remember was in this engagement.

But to proceed; the Dutch had one man of war sunk, though so near the shore, that

I saw some part of her main-mast remain above water; with their Admiral Van Ghent, who was slain in the close engagement with the Earl of Sandwich. This engagement lasted fourteen hours, and was looked upon the greatest that ever was fought between the English and the Hollander.

I cannot here omit one thing, which to some may seem trifling, though I am apt to think our naturalists may have a different opinion of it, and find it afford their fancies no undiverting employment in more curious and less perilous reflections. We had on board the London, where, as I have said, I was a volunteer, a great number of pigeons, of which our commander was very fond. These, on the first firing of our cannon, dispersed, and flew away, and were seen no where near us during the fight. The next day it blew a brisk gale, and drove our fleet some leagues to the southward of the place where they forsook our ship, yet the day after they all returned

safe aboard; not in one flock, but in small parties of four or five at a time. Some persons at that time aboard the ship, admiring at the manner of their return, and speaking of it with some surprize, Sir Edward Sprage told them, that he brought those pigeons with him from the Streights; and that when, pursuant to his order, he left the Revenge man of war, to go aboard the London, all those pigeons, of their own accord, and without the trouble or care of carrying, left the Revenge likewise, and removed with the sailors on board the London, where I saw them; all which many of the sailors afterwards confirmed to me. What sort of instinct this could proceed from, I leave to the curious.

Soon after this sea engagement I left the fleet. And the parliament, the winter following, manifesting their resentments against two of the plenipotentiaries, viz. Buckingham and Arlington, who had been sent over into Holland, and expressing, withal, their great umbrage taken at the

prodigious progress of the French arms in the United Provinces; and warmly remonstrating the inevitable danger attending England in their ruin; King Charles from all this, and for want of the expected supplies, found himself under a necessity of clapping up a speedy peace with Holland.

This peace leaving those youthful spirits, that had by the late naval war been raised into a generous ferment, under a perfect inactivity at home; they found themselves, to avoid a sort of life that was their aversion, obliged to look out for one more active, and more suitable to their vigorous tempers abroad.

I must acknowledge myself one of that number; and therefore, in the year 1674, I resolved to go into Flanders, in order to serve as volunteer in the army commanded by his highness the Prince of Orange. I took my passage accordingly at Dover for Calais, and so went by way of Dunkirk for Brussels.

Peace with
Holland.

Arriving at which place, I was informed that the army of the confederates lay encamped not far from Nivelle, and under the daily expectation of an engagement with the enemy. This news made me press forward to the service; for which purpose I carried along with me proper letters of recommendation to Sir Walter Vane, who was at that time a major-general.. Upon further enquiry I understood, that a party of horse, which was to guard some waggons that were going to Count Montery's army, were to set out next morning; so I got an Irish priest to introduce me to the commanding officer, which he readily obliged me in; and they, as I wished them, arrived in the camp next day.

I had scarce been there an hour, when happened one of the most extraordinary accidents in life. I observed in the east a strange dusty coloured cloud, of a pretty large extent, riding, not before the wind, (for it was a perfect calm) with such a precipitate motion, that it was got over our