CHARLES I. I THE NAVY 



299 



back to port by reason of "divers desertes," which made 

 them unfit to keep the sea longer. 1 



Passing to the southward of the Firth of Forth on 10th 



Fig. II. Dutch Herring-busses hauling their nets, with convoying ship-of-war. 

 After Van der Meulen. 



August, the English squadron, before the day broke on the 

 llth, had the good luck to sail into a great fleet of about 

 two hundred busses, which were guarded by five States' men- 

 of-war. To thirty -five of these fishing- boats Rear- Admiral 



1 These were the Victory, Repulte, and Swallow. From a report of the Officers 

 of the Navy to the Admiralty, on 20th August, we learn that the Repulse had a 

 great many sick on board "some three or four having died within these two 

 days ; some thirty sick were landed at Margate and eight are ill on board. The 

 surgeon is dead, as is said of the spotted fever, full of spots, and it is much doubted 

 that the pestilence is amongst them." The plague in this and the following year 

 made great ravages in London and at the naval ports, partly from the want of 

 simple precautions e.g., in this case the sick men were to be discharged "for fear 

 of infection (of the ship) and to cease a needlesse charge." Stale Papcrt, Dom., 

 cccxxx. 61. 



