THE FIRST DUTCH WAR 401 



played, and without saluting. Three times a gun was fired from 

 Dover Castle, according to the usual practice, warning the Dutch 

 admiral to strike his flag ; but Tromp strictly within his right 

 if beyond gunshot took no heed. He had probably purposely 

 selected an anchorage beyond the range of cannon in order 

 to avoid striking to the English flag. Not only did he not 

 strike, but he exercised his raw musketeers in discharging 

 volleys of small - shot for many hours together, in a way 

 that must have been provoking to the English. On the 

 afternoon of the 19th, Blake, who had been lying at 

 anchor in Rye Bay a little to the westward, and who had 

 received intimation from Bourne of the presence of the 

 Dutch fleet, came upon the scene with fifteen ships. As he 

 approached Tromp weighed anchor and stood off to sea 

 towards Calais, a movement which Blake thought to be due 

 to a desire to avoid " the dispute of the flag." 1 So far Tromp 

 had carried out his instructions. He had indeed, through 

 stress of weather, gone upon the English coast, which he 

 had been requested to avoid as far as possible. But he had 

 preserved the States from suffering any "indignity" about 

 the flag. Obviously there was great tension between the 

 fleets as to the question of striking. Not unnaturally, Tromp's 

 proceedings were regarded by the English as an attempt to 

 brave them upon their own coast; and the English admirals, 

 who were vigilantly watching, would not be slow to challenge 

 any infraction of the custom of the narrow seas. They too 

 had to take care that their country suffered no dishonour, 

 as they understood it. 



When Tromp was on his way to Calais, and about half 

 seas over, a small Dutch vessel fired a gun and came up 

 to him, and communicated the intelligence that a week earlier 

 a Dutch convoy had been attacked by the English for not 

 striking their flags ; and, above all, that the seven homeward- 

 bound merchant vessels which had been under their charge, 

 with valuable cargoes on board, were at that moment lying 

 at anchor off the English coast, and, it was believed, in 

 danger from the English fleet. 2 The occurrence referred to 

 took place on 12th May. Captain Young, in the President, 



1 Blake's letter, The Answer of the Parliament, p. 8. 



2 Tideman, 128, 129. Geddes, 210, 211. 



2c 



