E N G I 
only dropped his project of indulgence, but iffued a pro¬ 
clamation againll priefts and jefuits ; and, in return for 
this compliance, he preffed the commons for a fupply, 
who voted him four fubfidies—the laft time that taxes 
were levied in that manner. 
Though the nation had gone from the extreme of fa- 
naticifm into a culpable degree of negledt to religion, it 
could not regard with indifference the king’s irregular 
pleafures, and the little refpefl he paid to decency in his 
public mi ft re lies. But what was mod: injurious to the 
king’s reputation, was his differing his own adherents, 
and thofe of his father and family, to remain in poverty 
and didrefs, aggravated by the cruel difappointment of 
their fanguine hopes; and by feeing favour and prefer¬ 
ment bedovved on their mod inveterate foes. The aft of 
indemnity and oblivion was condrued, and, in many cafes, 
too judly, as an aft of indemnity to the king’s enemies, 
and of oblivion to his friends. 
The loyalty of the parliament now induced them to 
repeal the triennial aft, and to content themfelves with a 
claufe, that parliaments fhould not be difeontinued above 
three years at mod. The commons likewife paffed a 
vote, that the indignities offered to the Englifh, by the 
iubjefts of the United States of Holland, were the 
greated obdruftions to our foreign trade. This, in 1664, 
paved the way to a Dutch war. Sir Robert Holmes 
was fecretly difpatched with a fquadron of twenty-two 
diips to the coad of Africa, where he expelled the Dutch 
from cape Corfe, and feized their fettlements at cape 
Verde and Goree. Then failing to America, he poffeffed 
himfelf of Nova Belgia, fince called New York, which 
had been granted by patent to the earl of Stirling, in the 
reign of James I. but had never been planted, except by 
the Hollanders. When the Dutch complained of thefe 
liodile meafures, the king pretended to deny that Holmes 
had any authority for his proceedings; but this evafion 
not fatisfying the dates, they difpatched DeRuyterwith 
a deet, to retaliate on the Englilh. This admiral, in 
1665, not only recovered what had been lod, but took 
fome of the old fettlements belonging to the Englifh. 
After this, the Dutch in vain attempted to avert the 
horrors of war by negociation. John de Witt, who then 
direfted their meafures by his conduft and capacity, 
caufed a fleet to be equipped, furpaffing any that had 
ever failed from the ports of Holland. The Englifh fleet 
confided of one hundred and fourteen fail, and was com¬ 
manded by the duke of York, and under him by prince 
Rupert, and the earl of Sandwich. Obdam, the Dutch 
admiral,-had nearly an equal force ; and, on meeting, he 
declined not the combat. In the heat of aftion, when 
engaged in clofe fight with the duke of York, Obdam’s 
fhip blew up. This accident difconcerted the Dutch, 
and they fled towards their own coad, the fon of the fa¬ 
mous admiral Tromp gallantly protecting the rear of the 
flying fquadron. The vanquidied had nineteen fhips 
funk or taken ; the victors lod only one. In this aCtion, 
the duke of York behaved with great bravery ; the earl 
of Falmouth, lord Mufkerry, and Mr. Boyle, were killed 
at his fide. The declining courage of the Dutch was 
again revived by DeWitt, who foon remedied all the dif- 
orders occafioned by the late misfortune ; but his chief 
reliance was on the king of France, who, in conformity 
to treaty, was refolved to fupport the dates in this un¬ 
equal conted. The Englidi, however, had now a more 
dreadful calamity than war to contend with. The plague 
had carried off ninety thoufand perfons in London ; and 
the king, to efcape this awful vifitation, was obliged to 
call a parliament at Oxford, A.D. 1666. 
The king of France having ordered his admiral, the 
duke of Beaufort, to proceed with forty fail to the fup¬ 
port of his allies, that fquadron was now fuppofed to be 
entering the channel. The Dutch fleet, under the com¬ 
mand of De Ruyter, to the number of feventy-fix fail, 
was at fea, in order to join the French. The duke of 
Albemarle and prince Rupert commanded the Englidi 
Vol. VI. No. 383. 
, A N D. 685 
fleet, which did not exceed feventy-four fail. Albe¬ 
marle, confulting only his courage, difpatched prince 
Rupert with twenty fliips, to oppofe the duke of Beau¬ 
fort ; and with the remainder he fet fail to give battle to 
the Dutch. Never did a more memorable engagement 
take place ; whether we confider its long duration, or 
the defperate courage with which it was fought. On the 
firft day the lofs was nearly equal, and night parted the 
combatants; vice admiral fir William Berkeley fell on 
the fide of the Englilh, and admiral Evertz on that of 
the Dutch. On the fecond day, during the action, the 
Dutch were joined by flxteen frefli fliips, while the Eng- 
lifli had not more than twenty-eight in a fituation for 
fighting. This induced Albemarle to draw towards the 
Englilh coaff, which he did with an undaunted counte¬ 
nance, protefting to the earl of Offory, fon of the duke 
of Ormond, that he would fooner blow up his fliip than 
ftrike. Juft as the Dutch had come up with the Eng- 
lifli, and were about to renew the engagement, the fqua¬ 
dron of prince Rupert hove in fight, fleering to theaflift- 
ance of Albemarle. The battle now began afrefli, and 
continued with great violence till fufpended by a mill; 
when the Englilh retired firft, into their own harbours. 
De Ruyter now polled himfelf at the mouth of the 
Thames ; but it was not long before Rupert and Albe¬ 
marle approached to attack him. The engagement was 
again fierce and obftinate, and three Dutch admirals fell; 
but De Ruyter, though preffed on all (ides, retained his 
ftation, till night ended the engagement. 
After this lignal defeat, De Ruyter, finding the Dutch 
fleet fcattered, was obliged to retreat, which yet he con¬ 
ducted with fo much (kill, as to render it truly honour¬ 
able. “ My God ! (exclaimed he) what a wretch I am ! 
among fo many thoufand bullets, is there not one to put 
an end to my miferable life l” The Dutch, by the 
greated exertions, were faved in their harbours ; and the 
Englidi triumphantly fcoured the feas, without controul. 
But the joy arifing from this great viftory was of fliort 
duration. The plague had no fooner fubfided, than a 
moll dreadful fire broke out in London, which fpreading, 
in fpite of every endeavour to check its deftrutlive pro¬ 
gress, confumed four hundred ftreets, and thirteen thou¬ 
fand houfes. The popular prejudice aferibed this cala¬ 
mity to the catholics ; but no proof appeared to fupport 
fuch a calumny, though it is fanCtioned by the inferiptiort 
ilill remaining on the monument that records the confla¬ 
gration. 
The Dutch, dill continuing to make the mod vigorous 
refinance, Charles began to be fenfible that all the ends 
for which the war had been undertaken, were likely to 
prove abortive. This induced him to make overtures of 
accommodation, which were readily liftened to ; and fo 
nearly was the treaty concluded, that he imprudently 
difeontinued his preparations. The penetrating mind of 
De Witt now favv the opportunity for retrieving the ho¬ 
nour of his country, and he embraced it. The Dutch 
fleet under De Ruyter appeared in the Thames, and 
burfting the chain which had been drawn acrofs the Med¬ 
way, advanced as far as Upnore caftle. Sheernefs was 
taken, and feveral fliips burnt. They next attempted 
Portfmouth, infulted Harw'ich ; and, had they been fup- 
ported by the French, as they ought, the molt ferious 
confequences might have enfued. The figning of the 
treaty of Breda, however, faved England from this dan¬ 
ger ; and the acquifition of New York wasUie principal 
advantage which this country reaped from the war. 
Some facrifice feemed necelfary to appeafe the people 
for their difappointinents ; and the chancellor became 
the vidlim. His fale of Dunkirk rofe up in judgment 
againll him ; and, as he had engaged in building beyond 
what his oftenfible finances would allow, he was expofed 
to public reproach, as if he had acquired riches by cor¬ 
ruption, though nothing of the kind was ever proved 
againll him. The king, indeed, who had always revered 
rather than loved him, was glad to be freed from a mi- 
8 M nifter 
