A HISTORY OF SUFFOLK 



a seamark in the sixteenth century, and no doubt for centuries previously ; in consequence of its 

 utility in that respect the government, in 1809, prevented its demolition by the marquis of 

 Hertford. 1 An Order in Council of 5 January, 1606, directed to the customs officers along the east 

 coast, authorized a levy of one shilling on every hundred tons of shipping arriving at ports between 

 Newcastle and Yarmouth to be paid to the Trinity House for buoys and beacons between Lowestoft 

 and Winterton. 2 This was probably the first essay at buoying the sands forming Lowestoft Roads. 

 In 1 62 1 two Trinity House officials visited the district for inspection and reported that they had 

 sounded the Stamport or Stanford Channel, and laid a buoy on the middle ground. 3 



The outbreak of the second Dutch war again brought Suffolk into the area of naval 

 activity. From a report of January, 1664-5, we learn that there were thirty-two Ipswich ships 

 suitable for use as armed merchantmen, twenty-seven of them being of from 200 to 300 tons. 4 It was 

 added that there were many more good ships although not adapted for war purposes. In consequence of 

 the want of space at Harwich there was a victualling office for the Navy at Ipswich, and the ' king's 

 cooperage' is marked on a map of 1674. 5 In May, 1665, the duke of York was lying in Southwold 

 Bay with the English fleet, and on 3 June he fought the Dutch and won a victory some thirty miles 

 off Lowestoft. Upwards of 2,000 prisoners were landed at Southwold ; 6 in August 1,600 of 

 them were at Ipswich, besides 300 sick and wounded from the fleet. 7 Although the treatment of 

 the sick and wounded was miserable everywhere, large payments were made during the course of the 

 war for the hospitality afforded them at the different ports: Southwold received ,£5,900, and Ipswich 

 ,£8,500 ; Southwold, Woodbridge, Ipswich, and Sudbury were also paid for the support of Dutch 

 prisoners. 8 The English were generally successful during 1665, but the local trade appears, as usual, 

 to have suffered by privateers. In February, 1666, Lowestoft petitioned for guns, but the townsmen 

 added that they had suffered so greatly that even if sent they were unable to find the money necessary 

 to build a battery and mount them. 9 At Southwold there were nine guns, but only four of them 

 were mounted, and there were only a few rounds of ammunition ; 10 at Aldeburgh there were twenty 

 guns, but no men to work them. 11 Two more great battles were fought in June and July, 1666 ; 

 in August between 600 and 700 sick men were landed at Southwold, and the number had risen to 

 1,000 by 1 September. 12 



Hostilities on a large scale then ceased for 1666, and the negotiations which ended in the 

 Peace of Breda were commenced. In the interval nearly all the fleet was put out of commission, 

 and in the event of the war continuing Charles intended to rely on commerce warfare. The 

 Dutch were eager for peace, but thought that the best way to obtain it was to stimulate the 

 plenipotentiaries at Breda by acts of war. When news came to London that the Dutch fleet was 

 going to sea a circular letter of warning was sent round the counties on 29 May, 1667, but this had 

 been preceded by an order of 6 April to the deputy-lieutenant of Suffolk to have the militia ready at 

 an hour's notice. 13 In 1663 Albemarle had ordered Landguard to be dismantled, 11 perhaps as a short 

 answer to a petition from eighty-three of the garrison that they were starving, and, if not relieved, 

 must quit the fort. 15 The Master-General of the Ordnance protested against the abandonment, 

 and a year later steps were taken to strengthen the batteries. 16 An Order in Council of 20 May, 

 1664, directed that twenty guns were to be sent down, and further defences were planned in 1666, 

 but probably these intentions were rendered sterile by want of money. 17 The duke of York visited 

 Landguard in March, 1667, and an undated order that the fortifications were to be finished with 

 brick and stone, and outworks made, may have been the consequence of his inspection ; 18 if so it 

 may be considered certain that these additions were not executed before the Dutch raid. On 

 7 June the Dutch were at anchor inside the Gunfleet, and the eastern counties feared an 

 immediate attack, but the enemy's operations in the Thames and Medway gave a respite, which 

 was utilized to make preparations locally. There was no time to bargain with owners, and an 

 Order in Council of 16 June directed the Navy Board to press all vessels suited for use as fireships 

 that could be found in Harwich, Ipswich, and the adjacent ports ; this, so far as the present writer 

 knows, is the last time that the sovereign's prerogative of impressing ships was resorted to. Twenty- 

 six vessels were taken up, of which thirteen belonged to Ipswich and one to Woodbridge. The 

 coast towns — Lowestoft, Southwold, Dunwich, and Aldeburgh — complained that they were left 

 defenceless because the county levies were being drawn towards Landguard, and at Aldeburgh the 



1 North Sea Pilot (ed. 1869), 182. * Hist. MSS. Com. Rep. viii, App. i, 242. 



* Ibid. 240. ' S. P. Dom. Chas. II. ex, 57, i. 



5 King's Prints and Drawings, (B.M.), II Tab. End, 39 (20). 



6 Add. MSS. 22920, fol. 136. ' S. P. Dom. Chas. II, exxviii, 50. 

 8 Aud. Off. Decl. Accts. 1820-483. ' S. P. Dom. Chas. II, cxlix, 78. 



10 Ibid, clxii, 51. "Ibid. 76. " Ibid, clxvii, 164; clxx, 17. 



13 Hist. MSS. Com. Rep. Wodehouse MSS. 467. " S. P. Dom. Chas. II, lxxxviii, 91. 



15 Hist. MSS. Com. Rep. xv, App. ii, 301. 16 Ord. War. Bks. iii, 64. 



17 W.O. Ordnance, Warrants, 15 Aug. 1666. ' 8 Ord. War. Bks, iii, 137. 



232 



