English Captain: John King

John King served in both the Commonwealth and Restoration navies. From 1651 to 1652, he commanded the Nonsuch ketch. In 1653, he commanded the 5th Rate Mermaid (26 guns). He fought at the Battle of the Gabbard, where he was assigned to the Generals' division. He also probably fought at the Battle of Scheveningen. After the Restoration, he commanded the Giles ketch in 1661. Later in 1661, he was assigned to command the Hawk ketch. In 1663, he commanded the Hind ketch. In 1664, he was assigned to command the Mermaid again. Finally, he was assigned to command the 4th Rate Diamond (46 guns). He fought at the Battle of Lowestoft, where he was assigned to Sir John Lawson's division. He fought at the Four Days' Battle in June 1666, where he was assigned to Prince Rupert's division. He also fought in the St. James's Day Battle where he was in Sir Joseph Jordan's division. Sources:

1. R. C. Anderson, "English Fleet-Lists in the First Dutch War," The Mariner's Mirror, Vol.XXIV No.4, October 1938.

2. R. C. Anderson, List of English Naval Captains 1642-1660, 1964.

3. Frank Fox, A Distant Storm: the Four Days' Battle of 1666, 1996.

4. J.R. Tanner, A Descriptive Catalogue of the Naval Manuscripts in the Pepysian Library at Magdalene College, Cambridge, Vol.I, 1903.