420 O F E M I N E N T M E N, 



" for fome time, I obferved fhe made no refinance ; I took all 1 

 " the boats armed, and went aboard her ; I found abundance of : 

 " men on board, and feveral wounded ; but no officers ; and' 

 " having caufed all the people, as well thofe who were wound- 

 ' ed, as others, to be taken out, I fet her on fire ; and, had I 

 " not had timely notice by my fcouts, that thirty mips were 

 " Handing with us, had fent all the French on more, who are 

 " now very troublefome to me. The mips we faw, proved to be 

 " Sir John AJhby, and the Dutch- coming from the weflward : we 

 "are proceeding together to the eaflward to La Hague, where I" 

 " am informed, three or four of the enemy's mips are ; and; 

 " if fo, I hope God will give us good fuccefs : I expect to find 

 " the admiral to-morrow, where, I hope to hear he has deftroyed 

 *' fome of the enemy's mips, having left him in chafe of them 

 *' laft night, {landing to the eaftward, and pretty near them, as 

 (< I judged. My Lord, I hope you will excufe me, if I prefume 

 " to pray you will ufe your interefl with the queen, that a re- 

 " ward may be given to the three captains of the fire-fhips, and 

 " feveral of the others, for greater zeal, and greater bravery, I 

 " never faw : I pray your excufe for being thus tedious and par- 

 " ticular. Pray God preferve their Majefties, and that their arms 

 " may be ever crowned with fuccefs by fea and land, mall be the 

 " prayers and endeavours of, &c. 



P. S. " Captain Heath burnt Tourville's fhip, The Royal Sun, which 

 " was the moft difficult ; Captain Greenway burnt the other, called 

 " The Conquer ant ; The Admirable was burnt by our boats ; Captain 

 ' Foivlis attempted The Royal Sun, but was fet on fire by the 

 " enemy's Ihot t, he deferves as well as the others", (i) 



(!) Cc..\l,:.. ;-v;als, &c. vol. 4. p. 287. 



The 



