Dutch Captain: Nicolaes de With

Nicolaes de With had served the West-Indies Company, the Admiralty of Amsterdam, and the Amsterdam Directors. In 1648 to 1649, he took part in the ill-fated relief force sent to Brazil under the command of Witte de With. He was a cousin of the admiral. He commanded a ship hired by the West Indies Company, the jacht Wakende Boey. Witte de With eventually appointed him to command the Admiralty of Amsterdam ship Zutphen in place of Barent Cramer. In early 1652, he was appointed to command a ship hired by the Amsterdam Directors. We first see he mentioned as captain of the Prins Maurits on March 12, 1652. The dimensions of the Prins Maurits were 130ft x 30ft x 13ft. The height between decks was 7ft. On March 12th, the armament was 34 guns, consisting of 18-12pdr, 6-6pdr, 6-4pdr, and 4-3pdr. By November 8th, the armament was 4-brass 12pdr, 14-12pdr, 10-8pdr, 4-6pdr, and 2-3pdr. His lieutenant in March was Marten Juriaenszoon. On November 19th, 1652, the ship was wrecked due to errors by a pilot. Dr. Ballhausen says that Nicolaes de With fought at the Battle off Dover on May 29th, 1652. He was also with Tromp's fleet on the voyage to the Shetlands in July-August 1652. He may have fought at the Battle of the Kentish Knock, but he is not mentioned in the Resolutions of the States General. Sources:

1. Dr. Carl Ballhausen, Der Erste Englisch-Höllandische Seekrieg 1652-1654, 1923.

2. James C. Bender, unpublished manuscript “Dutch Directors' Ship Information 1652-1653”, 2004.

3. Johan E. Elias, Schetsen uit de Geschiedenis van ons Zeewezen, Vol.III, 1925.

4. Dr. S.R. Gardiner, Ed., The First Dutch War, Vol.I, 1898.

5. Dr. S. R. Gardiner, and C. T. Atkinson, Ed., The First Dutch War, Vol.III, 1906.

6. W. J. van Hoboken, Witte de With in Brazilië, 1955.