English Naval Officer: Barron Wilde (or Wild)

Barron Wilde (or Wild) served in the English navy. He was appointed as a lieutenant on the Oxford on 2 June 1683 by the Commissioners. He was promoted to Captain on 23 February 1684 (they called it 1683, in the old style). The Lord Dartmouth appointed him to command the Drake. On 25 September 1688, the King appointed him to command the Merlin yacht. Syrett and DiNardo have rather different dates. They say that he was appointed as a lieutenant on 2 January 1683 and to Captain on 25 February 1694. He fought in the Battle of Velez Malaga on August 13, 1704. He commanded the Ferme (70 guns). The Ferme had 25 killed and 48 wounded in the battle. In 1707, in command of the Royal Oak (76 guns), he fought in an action against Forbin. The Royal Oak was heavily damaged, but was saved. The Hampton Court and Grafton were taken by the French. Still in the Royal Oak, he fought an action with other convoyers with De Quay Trouin and Forbin. Captain Wild (or Wyld) again survived the battle, but was accused of misbehavior. Ultimately, he was restored to the service, but this is the last incident that I know about him. Andrew says that he died in 1733, when he was a Rear-Admiral. Sources:

1. William Laird Clowes, The Royal Navy: A History from the Earliest Times to the Present, Vol.II, 1898
2. J.R. Tanner, A Descriptive Catalogue of the Naval Manuscripts in the Pepysian Library at Magdalene College, Cambridge, Vol.I, 1903

A list of Zeeland ships from 17 August 1653

Witte de With's journal, dated about 17 August 1653, has a list of ships for the Admiralty of Zeeland. At least one or two of these identifications could be controversial. These ship names are based on what is in Witte de With's journal, later, dating from September-October 1653. I have omitted names which had no guns or crew mentioned:

Adm    Ship                 Guns Crew Commander
Z      Amsterdam            32   116  kapitein Adriaen Kempen
Z      Vlissingen           34   134  kapitein Jan Pouwelszoon
Z      Lieffde              23    93  kapitein Dingeman Cats
Z      Goes                 26   110  kapitein Cornelis Kuijper
Z      Zeeridder            30   124  kapitein Gilles Janszoon
Z      Wapen van Ceulen     30   120  kapitein Frans Mangelaer
Z      Salamander           34   130  kapitein Pieter Marcuszoon
Z      Milde Maerten        26   110  kapitein Jan Matthijszoon

Sources:

1. James C. Bender, unpublished manuscript "Dutch Ships 1600-1700", 2006
2. Witte de With, journals from 1652 to 1658, Archive E8812 from the Riksarkivet, Stockholm

Ship dimensions from David de Wildt's list

David de Wildt prepared a list of ships that might be suitable for hiring as warships. Two ships are prominently featured: the Engel Michiel (or Aarstengel Michiel) and the Grote Sint Matheeus:

Engel Michiel

143ft x 32-3/4ft x 15ft x 7ft

Sint Matheeus

144ft x 36ft x 15ft x 7ft.

There are others, as well:

Faem

116ft x 28ft x 11ft x 7ft

Blauwen Arent

127ft x 28-1/2ft x 14-1/2ft x 6-3/4ft

Sint Vincent

113ft x 26ft x 12ft x 6ft

Groote Vergulde Fortuijn

141ft x 31-1/2ft x 14-1/2ft x 7ft

Kroon Imperiael 

125ft x 29ft x 12ft x 7ft

Gulden Beer

120ft x 25-1/2ft x 11-1/2ft x 6ft

Calmer Sleutel

103ft x 25ft x 11ft x 6ft

A list that includes ships lost already from 28 November 1652: Rotterdam ships

In a package that I received yesterday, there is a list dated 28 November 1652. The list has many names for ships, the guns, and the commanders. The list includes some ships that had already been lost, but is still useful. This is the list of Rotterdam ships (the list names the Admiralty of Rotterdam):

Convoyers (ships of 1648):

Adm Ship                Guns Commander
R   Gorcum              30   Willem Adriaensz Warmont
R   Rotterdam           30   Jan Aertsz Vehaeff
R   Gelderlandt         30   Dirck Juijnbol
        or Schiedam
R   Gelderlandt         24   Aert Jansz van Nes
R   Dordrecht           26   Sier de Lieffde
R   (Nijmegen)          26   Paulus van den Kerckhoff

Of the 36 (of 1651):

R   Brederode           54   lt-admiraal Tromp
R   Gelderlandt         40   Michiel Fransz van de Berg
R   Princesse Louijse   36   Vice-Admiraal Witte de With
R   Hollandt            30   Hendrick de Munnick
R   Princesse Roijalle  36   Joost van Colster
R   Wapen van Rotterdam 26   Jacob van Boshuijsen

Of the 100 (of 1652):

R   Overijssel          22   Dirck Vijgh (formerly Cornelis Engelen Silvergieter)
R   Utrecht             22   Leendert Haexwandt
R   Roscam              26   Corstiaen Eldertszoon
R   Hollandia           24   Hendrick Ernestus de Bartrij
R   Beer                24   Jan de Haes
R   Maria               24   Krijn van den Kerckhoff
R   Sphaera Mundi       26   (Marinus de Clercq)
R   Calmer Sleutel      24   Dirck Vijgh

As I said at Anglo-Dutch Wars: give me a good subject line, in your email

This is what I said at Anglo-Dutch Wars, but it needs to be said here, as well: Gmail's spam filter is pretty aggressive, so if you send me mail, and you do not give a good subject line, your mail may be caught in the spam filter and be deleted. It is very easy to not spot a good mail, because I did not recognize that it was a mail that I would want to read.

So what was Joris Collerij's ship in May 1653?

I noticed, in Witte de With's letters from May 1653, that Joris Collerij commanded a 26 gun ship with a crew of 110 men (page 116 of E8811). I could not remember, for sure, what that ship was. I had to "cheat" and look at Carl Stapel's list for 20 June 1653. He shows that the ship was the Jonas, a ship hired by the Admiralty of Amsterdam. Carl gives the Jonas's crew on 20 June 1653 as 90 men. I noticed, in his list, the phenomenon that I had seen before, that ships were called by slightly different names than is shown in published sources. For example, Jan Boermans' ship is called the "Oude Prins", instead of the Prins Willem (at least that is what the handwritten list from July 1653 calls the ship). Another example is the "Princes", which is the "Prinses Aemilia" or "Princesse Amelia", which in the list from the Wrangell Collection is called the Amelia. Sources:

1. list of Amsterdam hired ships from the Wrangell Collection, Riksarkivet, Stockholm
2. Staten Generaal 1.01.04 Inv. Nr. 5556, "List of ships at Vlissingen on 2 July 1653", 1653
3. Witte de With, letters from 1653 to 1658, Archive E8811 from the Riksarkivet, Stockholm

Directors' ships in September 1652

I continue to be interested in this one document from September 1652 that lists captains and ship names of ship hired by Directors of seaports. This list has a particular spelling of names that confirms some of those in published sources, such as Hendrick de Raedt's pamphlet, and which I have reproduced for both ship names and captains:

Adm    Ship                 Captain
A-Dir  Blauwen Arent        Dirck Pater
A-Dir  Fortuijn             Frederick de Coninck
En-Dir Vergulde Sonne       Jacob Claesz Duijm
Ho-Dir Sampson              Jacob Pietersz Houck
Ed-Dir Vergulde Maen        Jan Fredericksz Houckboot
Ha-Dir St. Vincent          Andries Douwesz (Pascaert)
Ha-Dir Vergulde Pelicaen    Aries Heeres Cleijntje

I do not have the Nationaal Archief reference, but that is where the document is from.

So Pieter Allertszoon commanded the Burcht van Alkmaar at Dover?

Carl Stapel says that he found a reference that shows that Pieter Allertszoon commanded the ship Burcht van Alkmaar at Dover on 29 May 1652. This is another case where captains were moved around between different ships, so just because in one action or operation, a captain commanded one ship, that does not mean that he commanded the same ship in other actions or operations in the First Anglo-Dutch War. He may well have, but you cannot assume that fact. Presumably, the Burcht van Alkmaar is that ship that was lost in the Battle of the Kentish Knock on 8 October 1652.

So what do we know about the old ship Overijssel?

Ron van Maanen breaks what I believe are all references to the same ship named Overijssel into three entries. He says that the length of the ship was 120ft. There are some other references to the Overijssel in the published literature:

Dr. M. G. De Boer, Tromp en de Armada van 1639 (1941)
   page 68    The ship Overijssel: 24 guns and a crew of 100 men
              in Witte de With's squadron in September 1639. 
              The captain was Jacques Forant.

Dr. Johan E. Elias, De Vlootbouw in Nederland 1596-1655 (1933)
   Page 84 and Note 6  At least two ships were sold, namely the
              Overijssel and Nassau, both of the Admiralty of Amsterdam.
              Resolutions of the States General on 11 April and 23 May 1652.
   Page 79 Note 5 says that the Nassau was sold on its return from Brazil
              The Nassau (36 guns) was from 1636 and had dimensions 132ft x 32ft.

W. J. Hoboken, Witte de With in Brazilie 1648-1649 (1955)
   page 309   The ship Overijssel, 28 guns, commanded by 
              Dirk Crijnen Verveen, and Steven Cuyper on the
              return voyage. This says that the Overijssel was
              sold on return for f 2000.

A. Vreugdenhil, Lists of Men of War 1650-1700, Part IV Ships
              of the United Netherlands 1648-1702 (1938)
   Page 5, ship number 50 Overijssel, sold in 1652.

All this seems to indicate to me that Abraham van der Hulst's ship was not the Overissel, as the ship was sold too early in 1652.

Abraham van der Hulst's ship in the spring and summer of 1652

After looking at the options, I suspect that Abraham van der Hulst's ship from June to August 1652 was the old Amsterdam ship Overijssel. My current thinking is that there was no Achilles built in 1644, as listed in Vreugdenhil's last as ship number 2. The only Achilles was ship number 1, which was still in existence up to 1655. Ron van Maanen lists both ships, but the dimensions for the ship supposedly built in 1644 are the same as the other ship, except for the length. Since we have not seen any evidence of two ships named Achilles, I suspect that the ship supposedly built in 1644 did not exist. The old ship Overijssel, sold sometime in 1652, seems like the most obvious candidate to me. Abraham van der Hulst commanded a Landsschip, which the Overijssel was. A likely scenario was that the ship was damaged in the storm off the Shetlands and was sold afterwards, as not being worth repairing. Many ships either foundered, were wrecked, or were heavily damaged and discarded after the storm. Perhaps this would have been the reason that the ship was sold. The Overijssel (28 guns) had been in service since at least the 1630's and had spent time operating off Brazil, from the latter 1640's. The Overijssel had fought in the Battle of the Downs in 1639, and had continued in service. I find the listing of Abraham van der Hulst's ship as having 26 guns and a crew of 100 men consistent with what we know about the Overijssel. Ron van Maanen says that the ship was 120ft long, so the ship was substantial. The only problem is that we have not been able to find any references that give the name of Abraham van der Hulst's ship during this period. By September, he was captain of the 40 gun ship Groningen and was with Witte de With. Carl Stapel had suggested the Overijssel, and that seems very plausible, as I was thinking along similar lines.

Dutch ships operating in the Baltic in December 1652

Carl Stapel says that there were 15 Dutch ships operating in the Baltic in December 1652. He provided with the names of six Amsterdam Directors' ships that were there. There is also a list in The First Dutch War, Vol.III, that names some captains. Putting the two lists together, I have 11 of the 15 ships:

Adm   Ship                     Guns Crew Captain
A-Dir Roosenboom               28   105  Gerrit Schuyt
A-Dir Vergulde Valck           28   105  Cornelis Jansz Brouwer
A-Dir Groote Vergulde Fortuijn 35   135  Frederick de Coninck
A-Dir Engel Gabriel            28   110  Bastiaen Bardoel
A-Dir Swarte Leeuw             30   130  Hendrick de Raedt
A-Dir Blauwe Arend             28   105  Dirck Pater
A     Edam                     28   100  Barent Cramer
A     Brak                     18    70  Pieter van Zalingen
A     Dolphijn                 26    95  Gerbrand Schatter
A     Westfriesland            28   100  Hendrick Huyskens
A     Phesant                  32   120  Jan Jansz Lapper

Sources:

1. James C. Bender, unpublished manuscript "Admiralty of Amsterdam ships on 5 August 1652", 2006
2. Dr. S. R. Gardiner, and C. T. Atkinson, Ed., The First Dutch War, Vol.III, 1906
3. Hendrik de Raedt, Lyste van de schepen van Oorloge onder het beleyt Admirael Marten Harpersz. Tromp, 1652
4. Carl Stapel, personal communication "a-dir in de Sont", 2006

Allert Janszoon and the council of war on August 6, 1652

I had thought that the Noorderkwartier captain Allert Jansz. Tamessen had been at the council-of-war on Tromp's flagship Brederode on 6 August 1652, but I now believe that it was the Zeeland captain Allert Janszoon, captain of the Vlissingen Directors' ship Dubbele Arend. Given the similarity of names and the propensity of the Dutch to omit the last name in many cases, I had jumped to the conclusion that this was the Noorderkwartier captain, not the Zeeland captain. Page 393 of The First Dutch War, Vol.I, has the list of captains who attended the council-of-war:

Adm    Ship               Guns Crew Commander
R      Brederode          54   270  luitenant-admiraal Maarten Harpertsz Tromp
                                   vlag-kapitein Abel Roelanstz Verboom
R      Prinses Louise     36   162  vice-admiraal Witte de With
A      Hollandia          32   130  kapitein Albert Claesz de Graeff
A      Zeelandia          36   120  luitenant-commandeur Nicolaes Marrevelt
A      ?                  26   100  kapitein Abraham van der Hulst
A-Dir  Gideon             34   120  kapitein Hector Bardesius
R      Prins              38   120  kapitein Corstiaen Corstiaensz de Munnick
Z      West Cappelle      26   100  kapitein Adriaan Banckert
A      Campen             38   130  kapitein Joris van der Zaan
A      Leiden             28   100  kapitein Cornelis Hoola
Mi-Dir Leeuwinne          30   105  kapitein Johannes van Regermorter
A-Dir  Vliegende Faem     28   105  kapitein Jacob Andriesz Swart
A-Dir  Sint Francisco     28   100  kapitein Stoffel Juriaenszoon
Vl-Dir Dubbele Arend      28   100  kapitein Allert Janszoon
                                   schipper Teunis Post
A-Dir  Arke Troijane      28   100  kapitein Abraham van Campen
Ho-Dir Liefde             28   105  kapitein Pieter Adriaansz van Blocker
N      Vergulde Schel     24    70  kapitein Teunis Vechterszoon
Mi-Dir Gouden Leeuw       30   110  kapitein Jacob Adriaansz Penssen
N      Eenhoorn           24   100  kapitein Pieter Aldertszoon
Z      Eendracht          18   100  kapitein Lambert Bartelszoon
Z      Hollandia          38   160  vice-admiraal Johan Evertsen
                                   vlag-kapitein Philips Joosten
N      Stad Monnikendam   32   120  Schout-bij-Nacht Pieter Florissen
A      Vrede              42   160  commandeur Gideon de Wildt
Z      Zeeuwsche Leeuw    30   120  commandeur Cornelis Evertsen de Oude
N      Stad Medemblick    26   100  kapitein Pieter Schellinger
N      Monnikendam        24    95  kapitein Arent Dirckszoon
Z      Amsterdam          30   120  kapitein Adriaen Nicolaesz Kempen
R      Gorcum             30   130  kapitein Jan van Nes
Z      Sandenburgh        24    85  kapitein Pieter Gorcum
A      Star               28    95  kapitein Jacob Paulusz Cort
N      Wapen van Enkhuizen 30  110  kapitein Gerrit Femssen
N      Wapen van Alkmaar  24    95  kapitein Gerrit Nobel
Mo-Dir Zwarte Beer        32   115  kapitein Jacob Claesz Boot
En-Dir Maagd van Enkhuizen 28  110  kapitein Gijsbert Malcontent
A-Dir  Witte Lam          30   110  kapitein Cornelis van Houtten
A      Gouden Leeuw       24    80  kapitein Gillis Matthijsen Campen
R-Dir  Hollandia          26   105  kapitein Ruth Jacobsz Buys
Z      Zeeridder          28   100  kapitein Gillis Janszoon
Z      Offerande Abrahams 24   100  kapitein Daniel Cornelisz Brackman

Sources:

1. James C. Bender, "The Dutch Fleet on 4 August 1652 as listed in Hendrik de Raedt’s pamphlet", 2006
2. Dr. S.R. Gardiner, Ed., The First Dutch War, Vol.I, 1898
3. Hendrik de Raedt, Lyste van de schepen van Oorloge onder het beleyt Admirael Marten Harpersz. Tromp, 1652

The Zeeland ship Agatha

The Agatha was a ship originally belonging to the Hoorn Chamber of the VOC which served the Admiralty of Zeeland in 1665 and into 1666. The Agatha served as a three-masted jacht. In 1665, the Agatha was armed with 4-12pdr, 10-8pdr, 10-4pdr, 4-3pdr, 2-2pdr, and 2-1pdr guns. The Agatha was eventually sold to Denmark, probably in 1666. This is based on information from Ron van Maanen's unpublished manuscript "ZEELAND" (undated).

The Amsterdam ship Gouda (1656)

Ron van Mannen has some of the details of the Amsterdam ship Gouda, built in 1656. Ron says that the ship had a long service life, as the ship was finally sold at auction in 1685. The Gouda was a veteran of all the wars along the way. The Gouda (or Stad Gouda) had dimensions: 130ft x 32ft x 12ft. A subset of the 130ft Amsterdam ships were built to these dimensions. Many others had a 13-1/2ft depth, but there were some built with a 12ft hold, much as some of the Noorderkwartier ships, such as the Jupiter. Ron says that on 31 March 1665, the Gouda carried an armament consisting of 4-18pdr, 18-12pdr, 20-8pdr, and 6-3pdr guns. At varying points in the Gouda's service, the guns carried varied between 42 and 52 guns. The crew varied between 125 and 209 men. Sources:

1. Ron van Maanen, unpublished manuscript "ZEELAND", undated

One of Johan Evertsen's greatest personal incidents

At the Battle of Dungeness, on 10 December 1652, two English ships, the Garland and teh Anthony Bonaventure had come alongside Lt-Admiral Maarten Tromp's flagship, the Brederode, and might have taken the Brederode. At the critical moment, Johan Evertsen had his flag captain, Adriaan Bankert, take their ship, the 120ft long Hollandia (36 or 38 guns) alongside and together, Tromp and Evertsen took the Anthony Bonaventure (36 guns), and then took the Garland. Tromp had originally engaged the Garland, thinking that his 54 gun ship outmatched the 44 gun ship. When the Anthony Bonaventure came alongside, unexpectedly, that upset his calculations, and was being pressed hard. On page 230 of The First Dutch War, Vol.III, Johan Evertsen, in his journal, describes the action. The Dutch had lost Dirk Juynbol's ship, the Schiedam, which was destroyed when its gunpowder had caught fire.

A ship named Amsterdam mentioned by Ron van Maanen

Ron van Maanen lists two ships named Amsterdam that were built for the Admiralty of Amsterdam. One was built in 1652 and had dimensions 120ft x 29ft x 11ft and a height between decks of 6-3/4ft. The armament in 1651 was 18-12pdr, 10-6pdr, and 2-4pdr. Ron says that he armament on 16 November 1652 was reduced to 10-12pdr, 8-8pdr, 8-6pdr, and a 4-3pdr. The crew varied between 100 and 120 men. In November 1653, the ship carried 18-12pdr, 10-6pdr, and 2-4pdr. I suspect that Ron confuses multiple ships, as he did not pay attention very closely to captains. Ron mentions as second ship of the same name and characteristics that he says was wrecked. I have a hard time telling what ship either one was supposed to be, since there is no indication about who commanded either ship, if there were in fact two ships. Sources:

1. Ron van Maanen, unpublished manuscript "Dutch Warships 1600-1800", undated, but circa 1992

The jacht Brak (1653)

Ron van Maanen lists an Amsterdam jacht Brak built in 1653. It seems very similar to the Brak of 1649, but here is what Ron has:

The jacht Brak, kapitein Dirck Pieterse Berthiens

Length from stem to sternpost: 115ft
Beam:                           25ft
Hold:                            9ft
Height between decks:            6ft

18 guns (5 April 1653):
4-8pdr, 12-4pdr, and 2-3pdr

Crew: 70 to 90 man

Sources:

1. Ron van Maanen, unpublished manuscript "Dutch Warships 1600-1800", undated, but circa 1992

The Eendracht and the Groot Hollandia are not quite the same dimensions

I guess that I had known that the Groot Hollandia (built somewhere in the 1654 to 1655 period) and the Eendracht (built during 1653 or 1654 and beyond) were not quite the same dimensions, despite them being nominally the same (150ft x 38ft x 15ft in Amsterdam feet). The Eendracht was 137-1/2ft x 34-1/4ft x 13-1/2ft (in Maas feet of 12 inches), while the Groot Hollandia was 135ft x 34ft x 13-1/2ft (in Maas feet). A quick way to convert Maas feet to Amsterdam feet is to multiply the dimensions in Maas feet by 12/11, and the answer will be pretty close. Sources:

1. Ron van Maanen, unpublished manuscript "Oorlogsschepen" van de admiraliteit van de Maze in de zeventiende en achttiende eeuw, undated

My theory about Abraham van der Hulst's ship in early 1652

I have written about this before, but I wanted to say that one issue that remains is to verify what ship Abraham van der Hulst commanded at least in June to August 1652. As I have written before, the list in the Hollandsche Mercurius for June 1652 and Hendrick de Raedt's pamphlet, for 4 August 1652, list Abraham van der Hulst as commanding a "landsschip" with 26 guns and a crew of 100 men. The unnamed ship is one which belonged to the Admiralty of Amsterdam. I assume that this ship was damaged in the storm in the Shetlands in early August and was paid off or discarded, rather than being repaired.

We know that by September 1652, Abraham van der Hulst commanded the 40-gun ship Groningen, did until about April 1653, when he was appointed to command the large Amsterdam ship Vrijheid. One suggestion has been that he, in fact, commanded the Groningen in June to August 1652, and that the lists are mistaken. I am less inclined to believe that, simply because the lists have proven to be almost completely correct, although the Hollandsche Mercurius list is riddled with typgraphical errors and misspellings. Until this issue is resolved, we still don't have a complete picture for this period, although we are closer than we have ever been, before.

Fireships from Vlissingen on 11 July 1652

There were five fireships ("branders") listed as being "of Vlissingen" with the fleet on 11 July 1652:

Adm    Ship               Captain
Z      Samaritaen         kapitein Lisagie
Z      Oostende           kapitein Cornelis Tiebie
Z      ter Tholen         kapitein Jacob Willeboortsz alias Boese
Z      Eenhoorn           kapitein Laurens Josiasz
Z      Wassende Maen      kapitein Gerrit Bosse

Zeeland Landsschepen with the fleet on 11 July 1652

The document that I received yesterday has a fleet list dated 11 July 1652. The Zeeland Landsschepen (purpose-built warships) only have the captains and admirals' names, but we know what the ships were:

Adm    Ship                Guns Crew Commander
Z      Hollandia           38   160  vice-admiraal Jan Evertsz
                                    kapitein Philip Joosten
Z      Zeeuwsche Leeuw     30   120  kapitein Cornelis Evertsz (de Oude)
Z      Amsterdam           30   120  kapitein Adriaan Kempen
Z      Zeeuwsche Jager     14    56  kapitein Adriaan Jansz den Oven
Z      Middelburg          26   110  kapitein Claes Jansz Sanger
Z      Zeeridder           28   100  kapitein Gillis Janssen
Z      West Capelle        26   100  kapitein Adriaen Banckert

Sources:

1. Hendrik de Raedt, Lyste van de schepen van Oorloge onder het beleyt Admirael Marten Harpersz. Tromp, 1652
2. Carl Stapel, unpublished manuscript "Lijst van Nederlandse schepen in maart 1653", 2006
3. list of ships with the fleet on 11 July 1652 from the Nationaal Archief Inv. Nr. 5549

List of ships in Witte de With's journal in April 1653

On page 80 of Witte de With's journal for April 1653, he has listed some ships, with their guns, crew, victuals and water. We are in a good position to supply the ship names:

                                                                Weeks of Weeks of
Adm   Ship              Guns Crew Commander                     Victuals Water
A-Dir Vergulde Valck    28   111  Cornelis Jansz Brouwer          6      13
A-Dir David en Goliat   34   125  Claes Bastiaensz Jaersvelt      5.5    13
A-Dir Sampson           28   110  Cornelis Cornelisz de Groot     6      13
A-Dir Engel Michiel     28   110  Frederick Bogaart               5.5    13
A-Dir Sint Pieter       28   109  Gerrit Schuyt                   6      13
A-Dir Blauwe Arend      28   110  Lt-Cdr Hendrick Hendricksz Heij 5.5    13
R     Utrecht           22    98  Leendert Haexwant               3.5     6
R     Overijssel        24    98  Dirck Vijgh                     3       6
R     Gulden Beer       23    94  Lt-Cdr Pieter Jacobsz Regenboog 2.5     7
A-VOC Huis van Nassau   34   112  Jan Pietersz van Strijp         6      13
N     Prins Maurits     32    97  Cornelis Taenman                3      13

Sources:

1. Carl Stapel, personal communication "M Pieter Jacobsz", 2006
2. Carl Stapel, unpublished manuscript "Schepen die op 10 april 1653 uit Texel zijn gezeild (onder bevel van V.A. Witte de With)", 2006
3. Witte de With, journals from 1652 to 1658, Archive E8812 from the Riksarkivet, Stockholm

The two Friesland Directors' ships with Tromp's fleet on 4 August 1652

This is not particularly news to anyone, but as I am publishing the entire list of ships with Tromp's fleet on 4 August 1652, from Hendrick de Raedt's pamphlet, I am including the two Friesland (actually, Harlingen) Directors' ships:

Directors’ ships of Friesland

Rank       Name                         Adm/Dir  guns crew Ship              
kapitein   Andries Douweszoon Pascaert  Ha-Dir   28   105  Sint Vincent      
kapitein   Ariaen Heeres Kleijntje      Ha-Dir   28   100  Vergulde Pelicaen

Sources:

1. list of the fleet 19/20 September 1652 from the Nationaal Archief
2. Hendrik de Raedt, Lyste van de schepen van Oorloge onder het beleyt Admirael Marten Harpersz. Tromp, 1652
3. Witte de With, journals from 1652 to 1658, Archive E8812 from the Riksarkivet, Stockholm

The 30 April 1653 list of Witte de With's squadron

I have thought that Witte de With's squadron, as listed on 30 April 1653, in his letters (E8811 page 70) was a pretty potent striking force. Witte de With was the senior officer who was trusted to handle these special assigments. That had been true since the 1640's. We don't have the gun lists for all the ships, but for quite a few:

Adm    Ship          Guns Crew Commmander                   Gun list
A      Leeuwarden    34   158  vice-admiraal Witte de With  4-18pdr,14-12pdr,16-6pdr
Vl-Dir Witte Lam     38   168  vice-commandeur de Ruyter   
R      Utrecht       22    98  commandeur Leender Haexwant  6-12pdr,10-8pdr,2-6pdr,
                                                             4-4pdr
A      Vogel Phesant 32   110  vice-commendeur de Lapper    18-12pdr,14-6pdr
A      Bommel        30   120  kapitein Pieter van Braeckel 20-12pdr,2-6pdr,8-4pdr
Z      Neptunus      30    85  kapitein Adriaan den Oven    2-18pdr,4-12pdr,2-10pdr,
                                                             6-9pdr,5-8pdr,11-6pdr
A      Omlandia      32   109  kapitein Maarten Schaeff     12-12pdr,6-8pdr,
                                                             10-6pdr,2-3pdr
A      Graaf Willem  40   155  kapitein Verburgh            4-18pdr,16-12pdr,
                                                             16-8pdr,4-6pdr
R      Overijssel    22   100  kapitein Dirck Vijgh         4-24pdr,2-12pdr,
                                                             4-8pdr,12-6pdr
N      Prins Maurits 32    97  kapitein Taenman
Z      Amsterdam     32   116  kapitein Kempen              2-20pdr,8-12pdr,
                                                             2-10pdr,14-?pdr,6-?pdr
F      Postpaert     30   106  kapitein Isaac Kodde         10-12pdr,8-8pdr,
                                                             10-6pdr,2-3pdr
Z      Hollandia     36   127  kapitein Adriaan Banckert    4-24pdr,4-18pdr,2-15pdr,
                                                             16-12pdr,10-6pdr
Mi-Dir Gouden Leeuw  30   110  kapitein Jacob Penssen       4-24pdr,4-12pdr,14-8pdr,
                                                             6-6pdr,2-4pdr
Ha-Dir Sint Vincent  28   110  kapitein Kleijntje
A-VOC  Gerechtigheid 34   105  kapitein Evert Swart
En-Dir Vergulde Zon  28   115  kapitein Jan Duijm           4-18pdr,8-12pdr,6-8pdr,
                                                             6-6pdr,2-4pdr,2-2pdr

Sources:

1. James C. Bender, unpublished manuscript "Witte de With's fleet in April 1653", 2006
2. Ron van Maanen, unpublished manuscript "Dutch Warships 1600-1800", undated, but circa 1992
3. Ron van Maanen, unpublished manuscript "Zeeland", undated
4. Carl Stapel, unpublished manuscript "Lijst van Nederlandse schepen in maart 1653", 2006
5. Witte de With, letters from 1653 to 1658, Archive E8811 from the Riksarkivet, Stockholm

Zeeland Directors' ships with Tromp on 4 August 1652

These are the Zeeland Directors' ships in Hendrick de Raedt's list that mainly reflects the ships with Tromp's fleet on the voyage to the Shetlands. The list is from 4 August 1652:

Directors’ ships of Middelburg

Rank        Name                     Adm/Dir  guns crew Ship
kapitein    Jan le Sage              Mi-Dir   30   105  Vergulde Haan
kapitein    Jan Penssen              Mi-Dir   30   110  Goude Leeuw
kapitein    Johannes Regermorter     Mi-Dir   30   105  Leeuwinne                   

Bastiaan Tuyneman’s ship had been captured.

kapitein    Bastiaan Tuyneman        Mi-Dir   30   105  Sint Laurens
kapitein    Jan Thijssen             Vli-Dir  32   110  Witte Lam


Directors’ ships of Vlissingen

Rank        Name                       Adm/Dir  guns crew Ship
kapitein    Cornelis Evertsen de Jonge Vli-Dir  26   110  Vlissingen
kapitein    Allert Janszoon            Vli-Dir  26   110  Dubbele Arend


Directors’ ship of Zierikzee

Rank        Name                     Adm/Dir  guns crew Ship
kapitein    Cornelis Rocusz Fincen   Zi-Dir   34   110  Wapen van Zierikzee


Directors’ ship of Veere

Rank        Name                     Adm/Dir  guns crew Ship
kapitein    Jan Olivierszoon         Ve-Dir   38   125  Wapen van der Vere

Amsterdam Ships with Tromp's fleet on 4 August 1652

I have updated my annotated list of ships with Tromp's fleet on the voyage to the Shetlands (Hitland) in July-August 1652. The list is based on Hendrick de Raedt's pamphlet. These are the list of Amsterdam ships not in Witte de With's squadron:

Admiralty’s ships of Amsterdam

Rank               Name                             Adm/Dir  guns crew Ship                
commandeur         Gideon de Wildt                  A        42   160  Vrede               
kapitein           Abraham van der Hulst            A        26   100  Achilles            
kapitein           Gerbrandt Schatter               A        26    95  Dolphijn            
kapitein           Jacob Paulusz Cort               A        28    95  Star                
kapitein           Govert Reael                     A        36   140  Leeuwarden          

Joris de Colerij’s ship is to be deducted from the hundred.
kapitein           Joris de Colerij                 A        28   100  Hoop                

kapitein           Joris van der Zaan               A        38   130  Campen              
commandeur         Nicolaes Marrevelt               A        36   120  Zeelandia           
kapitein           Barent Pieterszoon Dorrevelt     A        34   125  Amsterdam           
kapitein           Cornelis Hoola                   A        28   105  Leiden              

Jan ter Stege’s ship is to be deducted from the hundred
kapitein           Jan ter Stege                    A        26   100  Keijser             

 
Directors’ ships of Amsterdam

Rank               Name                             Adm/Dir  guns crew Ship                
kapitein           Jan Maijckers                    A-Dir    29   100  Alexander           
kapitein           Dirck Pater                      A-Dir    28   105  Blauwe Arend        
kapitein           Matthijs (Matheeus) Corneliszoon A-Dir    34   120  Sint Salvador       
kapitein           Jacob Cornelisz Swart            A-Dir    28   110  Vliegende Faam      
kapitein           Abraham van Kampen               A-Dir    28   100  Arke Troijane       
kapitein           Cornelis Janszoon Poort          A-Dir    34   125  Kroon Imperiael
kapitein           Cornelis Jansz Brouwer           A-Dir    28   105  Valck               
kapitein           Maerten de Graef                 A-Dir    28   110  Prinses Roijael
kapitein           Gerrit van Lummen                A-Dir    34   125  Neptunis            
kapitein           Cornelis Naeuoogh                A-Dir    34   125  Sint Mattheus       
kapitein           Nicolaes de With                 A-Dir    34   115  Prins Maurits       
kapitein           Gerrit Schuyt                    A-Dir    28   105  Rozeboom            
kapitein           Bastiaen Bardoel                 A-Dir    28   110  Engel Gabriel       
kapitein           Cornelis van Houten              A-Dir    28   110  Witte Lam           raedt, dir-1, dir-5
kapitein           Hector Bardesius                 A-Dir    34   120  Gideon van Sardam
kapitein           Stoffel Juriaenszoon             A-Dir    28   105  Sint Francisco      
kapitein           Claes Bastiaensz van Jaersveldt  A-Dir    34   120  David en Goliad
kapitein           Jacob Syvertsen Spanheym         A-Dir    34   120  Elias               
kapitein           Hendrick de Raedt                A-Dir    28   130  Zwarte Leeuw        

Sipke Fockes’ ship is lying mastless in the Texel.
kapitein           Sipke Fockes                     A-Dir    28    96  Sint Maria          

kapitein           Bruijn van Seelst                A-Dir    38   135  Groote Liefde       

Due to a leak, he was forced to leave.
kapitein           Lambert Pieterszoon              A-Dir    34   130  Nassouw van den Burgh

kapitein           Frederick de Coninck             A-Dir    35   135  Groote Vergulde Fortuijn
kapitein           Frederick Bogaert                A-Dir    28   115  Engel Michiel       

I am more convinced than ever that Dr. Ballhausen is wrong about Cornelis Jol and Cornelis Hoola being the same man

In his book, Dr. Ballhausen seems to assume that Cornelis Hoola, commander of the Leiden in 1652, and Cornelis Cornelisz Jol were the same man. The reason why that cannot be true is that in early 1652, Cornelis Cornelisz Jol was lieutenant of Bastiaan Bardoel's ship, the Engel Gabriel. The Engel Gabriel was one of the 27 original ships hired by the Amsterdam Directors in about March 1652. I believe that Cornelis Hoola commanded the Leiden from at least February 1652. There is no way that they could be the same man, given that we know all this.

I just updated the Wikipedia page for the battle on 29 May 1652 off Dover

I just updated the Wikipedia page that calls itself "the Battle of the Goodwin Sands" on 29 May 1652. I used the latest information that Carl Stapel found, as well as a bit that I found in Witte de With's journal. I may update some of the other pages for the First Anglo-Dutch War, as well. The bad news is that Carl says that the list from Dr. Ballhausen is mistaken about 12 ships and captains for the Dutch (and I do not have access to the correct list).

The Groot Hollandia (1654) measurements

Ron van Maanen has the actual measurements, built, for the Rotterdam ship Groot Hollandia (1654). He also has the nominal dimensions in Maas feet:

The ship Groot Hollandia, built at Rotterdam in 1654

Nominal dimensions in Amsterdam feet: 150ft x 38ft x 15ft
Actual measured dimensions as built: 147ft-3in x 37-1/2ft x 14ft-8in
                                      height between decks: 7ft-7in
Nominal dimensions in Maas feet: 135ft x 34ft x 13-1/2ft

Amsterdam feet are 283mm and are divided into 11 inches
Maas feet are about 308mm and are divided into 12 inches

Sources:

1. Ron van Maanen, unpublished manuscript "Dutch Warships 1600-1800", undated but circa 1992

Maas feet and Amsterdam feet: some dimensions in both

Ron van Maanen has both the dimensions in Maas feet and in Amsterdam feet for a few ships:

The Prinses Louise (1646), 36 guns

Dimensions in Maas feet:      110ft x 26-1/2ft x 11-1/2ft height between decks=6ft-6in
Dimensions in Amsterdam feet: 120ft x 28ft-4in x 12ft-6in

The Gorinchem (or Gorcum) (1639), 30 guns

Dimensions in Maas feet:      106ft x 25ft x 9-1/2ft height between decks=6ft-6in
Dimensions in Amsterdam feet: 115ft-7in x 27ft-3in x 10ft-10in

The Eendracht (1653), 72 guns

Dimensions in Maas feet: 137-1/2ft x 34-1/4ft x 14ft-8in
Dimensions in Amsterdam feet: 152ft x 37ft-4in x 15ft-3in  height between decks=7ft-9in

Sources:

1. Ron van Maanen, "De Dutch in Danish Waters", undated
2. Ron van Maanen, unpublished manuscript "Dutch Warships 1600-1800", undated, but circa 1992

Ron van Maanen says the the Rotterdam ship Maria was hired in Amsterdam in 1652

Ron van Maanen says that Quirijn (or Crijn) van den Kerckhoff's ship Maria was hired in Amsterdam in 1652. The ship seems to have been pretty badly damaged in the Three Days Battle, and may have been discarded after that battle. There had been speculation in correspondence by officers such as Johan Evertsen that Captain van den Kerckhoff had been killed, but we know that was not the case. Given that an inventory was made of suitable merchant ships at Amsterdam prior to the start of the war, perhaps the dimensions might be found. Sources:

1. Ron van Maanen, unpublished manuscript "Oorlogsschepen" van de admiraliteit van de Maze in de zeventiende en achttiende eeuw, undated

My updated list of Zeeland ships from 1652

Had I updated this list?

Adm   Ship               Guns Crew  Commander
Z     Hollandia          38   127   vice-admiraal Johan Evertsen
Z     Zeeuwsche Leeuw    30   120   commandeur Cornelis Evertsen de Oude
Z     Meerminne          28   100   kapitein Gillis Janszoon
Z     Middelburg         26   110   kapitein Claes Jansz Sanger
Z     Amsterdam          30   110   kapitein Adriaan Kempen
Z     West Cappelle      26   100   kapitein Adriaan Bankert
Z     Zeeuwsche Jager    14    56   kapitein Adriaan Jansz den Oven
Z     Eendracht          18   100   kapitein Lambert Bartelszoon
Z     Haze               20   100   kapitein Johannes Michielszoon
Z     Sint Joris         28    85   kapitein Jacob Wolphertszoon
Z     Abrahams Offerande 24   100   kapitein Daniel Cornelisz Brackman
   (or Offerhande Abrahams)
Z     Dolfijn            24    85   kapitein Dingeman Cats
Z     Sandenburgh        24    85   kapitein Pieter Gorcum

Sources:

1. James C. Bender, unpublished manuscript "Dutch Ships 1600-1700", 2006
2. Ron van Maanen, unpublished manuscript "Dutch Warships 1600-1800", undated, but circa 1992
3. Hendrik de Raedt, Lyste van de schepen van Oorloge onder het beleyt Admirael Marten Harpersz. Tromp, 1652
4. Carl Stapel, unpublished manuscript "Lijst van Nederlandse schepen in maart 1653", 2006
5. Witte de With, journals from 1652 to 1658, Archive E8812 from the Riksarkivet, Stockholm

A glaring hole: Abraham van der Hulst's ship up to August 1652

Given how much we have learned, the one really glaring hole in our knowledge is not knowing which ship Abraham van der Hulst commanded in 1652, up to August. The available lists, which may all be based on the same source, show that he commanded a 26 gun ship with a crew of 100 men. The ship appears to have been a regular warship owned by the Admiralty of Amsterdam. We know that by September, Abraham van der Hulst commanded the 40 gun ship Groningen and commanded it until March or April 1653, when he took command of the big 44 gun ship Vrijheid. Given that the rest of Hendrick de Raedt's list seems accurate, I have difficulty in believing that the 26 guns and crew of 100 men is an error. Sources:

1. C. T. Atkinson, Ed., The First Dutch War, Vol.IV, 1910
2. Pieter Casteleyn, Hollandsche Mercurius, 1652
3. Dr. S.R. Gardiner, Ed., The First Dutch War, Vol.I, 1898
4. Hendrik de Raedt, Lyste van de schepen van Oorloge onder het beleyt Admirael Marten Harpersz. Tromp, 1652
5. Witte de With, journals from 1652 to 1658, Archive E8812 from the Riksarkivet, Stockholm

Another writing project for someone

A writing and research project for someone would be to produce a book, somewhat along the lines of Frank Fox's book, Great Ships: the Battlefleet of King Charles II. The differences would be that the new book would be about Dutch warships in the 17th Century and perhaps beyond, and would be a combination of Frank Fox's book and David Lyon's book, The Sailing Navy List: All the Ships of the Royal Navy: Built, Purchased and Captured, 1688-1860. Alternatively, the Dutch warship history could be divided into periods and separate volumes, published over time. That is what Rif Winfield is doing for the English and British navies. Rif's first book in the series is titled: BRITISH WARSHIPS IN THE AGE OF SAIL 1793-1817 Design, Construction, Careers and Fates.

The seven Rotterdam Directors' ships

We know a good bit about six of the seven ships hired in 1652 by the Rotterdam Directors. The one exception is the Erasmus, which Vreugdenhil did not even know about, when he made his list of Dutch ships and we only know the name and captain. Sijmon Cornelisz van der Meer commanded the Erasmus up until the ship was sunk in action in June 1652. One other ship, the Sint Pieter, was apparently damaged in fight in June. Adriaen de Zeeuw commanded the Sint Pieter from the time it was hired until the fight in June. He left the service and Sijmon Cornelisz van der Meer took command of the Sint Pieter. His service was spotty in the war. In the summer of 1652, he was too ill to be at sea and his lieutenant, Jan Jansz van der Valck commanded the Sint Pieter, including in the Battle of Plymouth, with De Ruyter's fleet. Several of the ships served through the war, and perhaps, beyond. One was Ruth Jacobsz Buys' ship the Hollandia and the other was the Prins. This is a summary list of ships and captains:

Adm    Ship          Guns Crew Captain                       Fate
R-Dir  Erasmus                 Sijmon Cornelisz van der Meer sunk in action June 1652
R-Dir  Sint Pieter   28   122  Adriaen de Zeeuw            
                               Sijmon Cornelisz van der Meer
                               Lt. Jan Jansz van der Valck
R-Dir  Jonas         36   125  Jan Evertsz de Liefde         Eventually paid off
R-Dir  Prins         38   120  Corstiaen Corstiaensz       
                               Jacob Cleijdijck
R-Dir  Hollandia     26   105  Ruth Jacobsz Buys
R-Dir  Meerman       30   120  Jacob Cleijdijck              sunk on 28 Feb 1652
R-Dir  Sint Pieter   29   110  Isaac de Jongh                foundered in Aug 1652

Sources:

1. Hendrik de Raedt, Lyste van de schepen van Oorloge onder het beleyt Admirael Marten Harpersz. Tromp, 1652
2. Carl Stapel, unpublished manuscript "Directieschepen van de Maze d.d. 6 maart 1653", 2006

The Dutch jacht Ruiter, taken by the English at Lowestoft

Ron van Maanen has the dimensions for the jacht Ruiter that was captured by the English at the Battle of Lowestoft. I do not have the captain's name along, but perhaps I can add that later. The Ruiter later served in the English navy as the flyboat Horseman. The Dutch dimensions were 95ft x 24-1/2ft x 10-1/2ft with a height between decks of 5-3/4ft. The Ruiter carried 18 guns and had a crew of between 60 and 65 men. This was a former East India company ship. Sources:

1. Ron van Maanen, unpublished manuscript "ZEELAND", undated

The English prize Bonaventura in 1653

The English hired ship Anthony Bonaventure, along with the Garland had both attacked Tromp's flagship in the Battle of Dungeness on 10 December 1652. Johan Evertsen came to Tromp's rescue and together, they captured the Anthony Bonaventure and Garland. In 1653, the Anthony Bonaventure was fitted out by the Middelburg Directors. Ron van Maanen says that the Bonaventura carried between 30 and 36 guns and had a crew of 110 men. Ron says that the English recaptured the ship in the Battle of Scheveningen, and later sold it. Sources:

1. Dr. S. R. Gardiner, and C. T. Atkinson, Ed., The First Dutch War, Vol.III, 1906
2. Ron van Maanen, unpublished manuscript, the "Zeeland" document, undated

Ron van Maanen has the dimensions for the Zwanenburg, burnt at Lowestoft in 1665

One of the ships for which Ron van Maanen has dimensions but not a gun list, is the Zeeland ship Zwanenburg, burnt at the Battle of Lowestoft in 1665. Cornelis Kuijper commanded the Zwanenburg in the battle. The Zwanenburg was quite small: 110ft x 26ft x 10ft with a height between decks of 6ft. At the Battle of Lowestoft, the Zwanenburg carried 30 guns and had a crew of 120 men. Sources:

1. Frank Fox, A Distant Storm: the Four Days' Battle of 1666, 1996
2. Ron van Maanen, unpublished manuscript "Dutch Warships 1600-1800", undated, but circa 1992

One gap in our knowledge is the dimensions and lists of guns for ships hired (or perhaps some are Landsschepen) by the Admiralty of the Noorderkwartier during the First Anglo-Dutch War. These are some of the ships involved:

Adm   Ship              Guns Crew   Captain
N     Lastdrager        32   110    kapitein Gerrit Munt (1653)
N     Profeet Samuel    30   110    kapitein Reijnst Cornelisz Sevenhuijsen (1653)
N     Peereboom         24    87    kapitein Tijs Tijmensz Peereboom
N     Harder            31   146    kapitein Jan Backer (1653)
N     Prins Maurits     32    97    kapitein Cornelis Pietersz Taenman
N     Vergulde Schel    24   110    up to March 1653: kapitein Teunis Veghterszoon
                                    after March 1653: kapitein Claes Valehen
N     Tobias            30   119    kapitein Jan Claesz Ham (1653)
N     Mars              38   125    kapitein Reijnst Cornelisz Sevenhuijsen (1653)
N     Wapen van Alkmaar 28   107    kapitein Gerrit Nobel (1652)
N     Land van Beloften 29    70    kapitein Jan Noblet (1652)
N     Huis van Nassau   28   109    kapitein Gerrit Munt (1652)
N     Alkmaar           28    95    kapitein Jan Warnaertsz Capelman (1652)
N     Rode Leeuw        29    75    kapitein Reijnst Cornelisz Sevenhuijsen (1652)
N     Engel             29    75    kapitein Cornelis Wogters (1652)
N     Nieuw Kasteel     19    65    kapitein Claes Allertszoon (1652)
N     Adam en Eva       29    70    kapitein Jan Heck (1652)
N     Wapen van Holland 28    90    kapitein Herman Munnekes (1652)

I have started the process to update my list of Dutch war losses at AngloDutchWarBlog.com

Since we have learned so much in the last year about the Dutch in the First Anglo-Dutch War, I need to update my list of Dutch losses in the war on AngloDutchWarBlog.com. I hope to have that online later today.

Jacob Claesz Duijm's ship Vergulde Sonne

Jacob Claesz Duijm commanded the ship Vergulde Sonne (or Zon in the modern spelling) from the spring of 1652 up until the Battle of the Gabbard, when the ship was lost. The Vergulde Sonne was an Enkuizen Directors' ship. The ship was also called the Schellinghout. Ron van Maanen had found the dimensions of the Schellinghout, but did not know that this was the same ship as the Vergulde Sonne. Carl Stapel found the connection between the names, the dimensions, and the list of guns:

The ship Vergulde Sonne, kapitein Jacob Claesz Duijm
 a ship hired by the Enkhuizen Directors

Length from stem to sternpost: 127ft
Beam:                           26ft
Hold:                           12-1/2ft
Height between decks:            6ft

28 guns:
4-brass 18pdr, 8-12pdr, 6-8pdr, 6-6pdr, 2-4pdr, and 2-2pdr

Crew:
24 April 1653: 115 men

Sources:

1. Ron van Maanen, unpublished manuscript "Dutch Warships 1600-1800", undated, but circa 1992
2. Carl Stapel, unpublished manuscript "Lijst van Nederlandse schepen in maart 1653", 2006
3. Witte de With, journals from 1652 to 1658, Archive E8812 from the Riksarkivet, Stockholm

The Friesland ship Westergo in 1652 and 1653

The Friesland ship Westergo served with De Ruyter's fleet in July to September 1652. He fought in the Battle of Plymouth in August and was apparently in the Battle of the Kentish Knock. Witte de With had concerns about luitenant-commandeur Tijmen Claeszoon's conduct in the battle, and he was sent in with a letter to luitenant-admiraal Tromp, but nothing happened. In late December 1652, he was a convoyer for merchant ships from the Goeree and joined the fleet after that. He fought in the Three Days Battle and then in the Battle of the Gabbard in June 1653. The Westergo was lost in that battle, perhaps due to bad judgment by Tijmen Claeszoon. The ship later served in the English navy as the Westergate, surviving to serve in the Restoration navy until lost at sea in 1664. I have the details about the ship from Carl Stapel and Ron van Maanen:

The ship Westergo, kapitein Joris Pietersz van den Broecke
                  luitenant Tijmen Claeszoon
Length from stem to sternpost: 114ft
Beam:                           26-1/4ft
Hold:                           12ft
Height between decks:            6-1/4ft

28 guns
Crew 110 men

Sources:

1. Ron van Maanen, unpublished manuscript "Dutch Warships 1600-1800", undated, but circa 1992
2. Carl Stapel, unpublished manuscript "Lijst van Nederlandse schepen in maart 1653", 2006
3. Witte de With, journals from 1652 to 1658, Archive E8812 from the Riksarkivet, Stockholm

More complete information about Joost Bulter's ship Stad en Ommelanden

Carl Stapel had found more complete information about Joost Bulter's ship Stad en Ommelanden (also called Stad Groningen). This is the ship which was sunk at the Battle of the Gabbard on 12 June 1653:

The ship Stad en Ommelanden, kapitein Joost Bulter
Length from stem to sternpost: 120ft
Beam inside the planking:       28ft
Hold:                           11-1/2ft
Height between decks:            7ft

28 guns: 4-brass 12pdr, 2-iron 10pdr, 12-iron 8pdr, and 10-iron 5pdr
Crew: 110 men

Sources:

1. Carl Stapel, unpublished manuscript "Lijst van Nederlandse schepen in maart 1653", 2006

A question about the Harder and Harderinne in 1653

Two ships, the Harder and the Harderinne (Harderin) were in service in July of 1653. The Harder was apparently hired by the Admiralty of the Noorderkwartier and the Harderinne was hired by the Enkhuizen Directors. Ron van Maanen has the details of the Harder and Harderin that served with the Admiralty of Amsterdam. They are both said to have been acquired in 1653. The question is if these are the same ships that were later employed by the Admiralty of Amsterdam. Ron van Maanen has the data for the two ships:

The ship Harder

Dimensions: 114ft x 28ft x 11-1/4ft

The ship Harderin

Dimensions: 118ft x 29ft x 12ft

Witte de With's journal lists the two ships in July and September 1653:

Adm    Ship               Guns Crew  Commander
N      Harder             30   108   Jan Backer
En-Dir Harderinne         30   120   Dirk Gerritsz Pomp

Sources:

1. Ron van Maanen, unpublished manuscript "Dutch Warships 1600-1800", undated but circa 1992
2. Carl Stapel, unpublished manuscript "Schepen die liggen voor Texel op 22 juli 1653", 2006
3. Witte de With, journals from 1652 to 1658, Archive E8812 from the Riksarkivet, Stockholm

My current Dutch ship list format

I am experimenting with a format modeled after Carl Stapel's format that he uses in Dutch. One difference, other than that mine is in English rather than Dutch, is that I have a single document, not one document per ship. I spoke to Frank Fox, and asked him about how he adds information about references used. He uses end notes, and generally does not put the superscript numbers in the text. I am using a rather bad system that works for me. I don't want to deal with the Microsoft Word end note system. Instead, I am using a system that derives from the Artificial Intelligence community and has been used in their publications, at least in the past. This is an incomplete example of the format:

A Duivenvoorde  1655

Dimensions: 140ft x 32ft x 13-1/2ft

Guns:
11/06/1666   lower tier: 8-18pdr, 12-12pdr  upper tier: 18-8pdr  quarterdeck: 8-3pdr

1655    Built, perhaps at Amsterdam
11/06/1666 46 guns  kapitein Jonkheer Otto van Treslong in the Four Days' Battle
                    crew: 179 sailors and 28 soldiers
                    On 11 June, the Duivenvoorde was set afire by English incendiary
                    shot, burned and exploded. 36 men survived. kapitein Treslong
                    and about 170 other men died.

References:
[Weber], [van Maanen], [Distant Storm]



Published Sources:

[Weber]  H.A. van Foreest and R.E.J. Weber, De Vierdaagse Zeeslag 11-14 Juni 1666, 1984

[Distant Storm] Frank Fox, A Distant Storm: the Four Days' Battle of 1666,  1996



Unpublished Sources:

[van Maanen] Ron van Maanen, unpublished manuscript "Dutch Warships 1600-1800", undated, but circa 1992

[7 Oct 1674] Carl Stapel, unpublished manuscript "Eskader onder C. Tromp op 7 oktober 1674 in de baai van Roses te Cadiz", 2006

Frank Fox says that there are English intelligence reports about Dutch ships

Frank Fox says that there are English intelligence reports about Dutch ships. There are probably just guns and crew, while we are looking for dimensions and lists of guns. When you start finding that sort of information, it is addictive and you want more.

The VOC ship Batavia

The ship Batavia, purchased at Zaandam by the Rotterdam Chamber of the VOC, fought in the Battle of Lowestoft in 1665. Ron van Maanen has the details about the Batavia:

The ship Batavia, kapitein Nicolaes Naalhout

Length from stem to sternpost:  136ft
Beam:                            29-1/2ft
Hold:                            14ft
Height between decks:             7ft

44 guns:
Lower deck: 20-12pdr
Upper deck: 16-8pdr, 8-3pdr

Crew:
148 sailors and 46 soldiers

Sources:

1. James C. Bender, unpublished manuscript "Dutch Ships 1600-1700", 2006
2. Ron van Maanen, unpublished manuscript "Dutch Warships 1600-1800", undated, but circa 1992

A mystery possibly solved

In The First Dutch War, Vol.V, there is a list of ships and captains from the Admiralty of Amsterdam after the Battle of Scheveningen and listing damage and remaining gunpowder in many instances. A "Captain Quaeff" is mentioned. He commanded a ship named "Morgenstar". There is now reason to believe that the captain was Albert Claesz de Graeff, who had commanded the hired ship Hollandia. The ship might possibly be the same ship, the Star or Ster, previously commanded by Jacob Paulusz Cort. The other possibility is a "mystery ship". I am now leaning towards the Star, as I have not had time to really research the issue.

So, was Jan Duijm's ship the Salamander?

At least up to November 1652, the Zeeland captain Jan Duijm commanded the ship Salamander, according to what Carl Stapel found. Carl wondered if this was the same ship that Pieter Marcuszoon commanded. In a list dated 17 August 1653, from Witte de With's journal, Pieter Marcuszoon is shown to command a ship of the Admiralty of Zeeland with 34 guns and a crew of 130 men. In October, a list with ship names gives the name of his ship as Salamander. This was probably the same ship as August, as a list from September 1653 gives his ship the same armament and crew. Sources:

1. Carl Stapel, personal communication "Z Salamander", 2006
2. Witte de With, journals from 1652 to 1658, Archive E8812 from the Riksarkivet, Stockholm

Another page dated 12 March 1652

The second page in the list from 12 March 1652 has more Amsterdam Directors' ships:

The ship Arche Troijane, 12 April
(the ship commanded by Abraham van Campen)
Dimensions: 116ft x 26-3/4ft x 12ft x 6-1/4ft

The ship Blauwen Arent, 17 April
(the ship commanded by Dirck Pater)
Dimensions: 127ft x 28-1/2ft x 12-1/4ft x 6ft-10in

The ship Mauritius, 16 April
(the ship commanded by Nicolaes de With)
Dimensions: 130ft x 30ft x 13ft x7ft
Guns: 18-12pdr, 6-6pdr, 6-4pdr, 6-3pdr

The ship Roosenboom, 10 April
(the ship commanded by Gerrit Schuyt)
Dimensions: 118ft x 27ft x 12-1/2ft x 6ft

The ship, the Lam, 12 April
(the ship commanded by Cornelis van Houten)
Dimensions: 127ft x 27-1/4ft x 12-1/2ft x 6-1/2ft

The ship, the Elias, 24 April
(the ship commanded by Jacob Sieuwertsz Spahnheijm
 with lieutenant Frans Fransz Sluyter)
Dimensions: 132-1/2ft x 30ft x 13ft x 6-1/2ft

Page from 13 March 1652 listing Amsterdam Directors' ships

There is a page dated 13 March 1652 (but with entries from later) that has some interesting things, most of which is common knowledge, but there is a bit that seems unique:

The ship Sint Francisco, 7 April
 (the ship commanded by Stoffel Juriaenszoon)
  133ft x 28-1/4ft x 13-1/4ft x 6-1/2ft
  Guns: 8-12pdr, 6-8pdr, 8-6pdr, and 2-4pdr

The ship nieuw Gidion
 (the ship commanded by Hector Bardesius, whose 
   lieutenant was Ulrich Claesz de Jaeger)
  132ft x 29-1/2ft x 13-1/2ft x 6-1/2ft

The ship, the Swarte Leeuw, 29 April
 (the ship commanded by Hendrick de Raedt)
  130ft x 28ft x 13-1/2ft x 6-1/4ft

The ship, the Valck, 15 April
 (the ship commanded by Cornelis Jansz Brouwer)
  132-1/2ft x 26-1/6ft x 12-3/4ft x 6-1/2ft

The ship, the Faem, 6 April
 (the ship commanded by Jacob Swart)
  116ft x 28ft x 11ft x 7ft

The ship, the Groote Alexander, 7 April
 (the ship commanded by Jan Maijkers)
  131-1/2ft x 27-3/4ft x 13ft x 6-3/4ft

The ship Sint Maria, 16 April
 (the ship commanded by Sipke Fockes)
  122ft x 27ft x 11-1/4ft x 6ft

I am pretty much convinced that what Ron van Maanen has for the ship Frisia is, in fact, Schelte Wiglema's ship

Schelte Wiglema commanded the Friesland ship Frisia from sometime in the summer of 1652 until the ship exploded in the Three Days Battle (AKA, the Battle of Portland) in early 1653. Ron van Maanen has the details of the Frisia, which despite the dates, must be post-lost documentation of the ship:

The ship Frisia, commanded by kapitein Wiglema

Length from stem to sternpost: 120ft
Beam:                           28ft
Hold:                           11ft (or 11-1/4ft)
Height between decks:            7ft

28 guns: 2-12pdr, 4-10pdr, 8-8pdr, 10-6pdr, and 4-5pdr

Crew: 110 men

On 17 September 1652, Witte de With's journal says:

Capn. Wiggelma crew: 108 guns: 29 supplies: 13 weeks

Sources:

1. Ron van Maanen, unpublished manuscript "Zeeland", undated
2. Witte de With, journals from 1652 to 1658, Archive E8812 from the Riksarkivet, Stockholm

The Dordrecht of 1653

Ron van Maanen has the details about the Zeeland ship Dordrecht, completed in 1653 and in service until 1673:

The ship Dordrecht, built in Middelburg in 1653

Dimensions: 130ft x 34ft x 13-1/2ft  7ft between decks
Measurement: 300 lasts

Guns: 
30 March 1665: 4-24pdr, 2-18pdr, 14-12pdr, 12-8pdr,
                  8-6pdr, 2-4pdr, 2-3pdr, and 2-2pdr

1667: 4-24pdr, 4-18pdr, 26-12 and 8pdr,
         18-6, 4, and 3pdrs

Ron van Maanen has information about the Arend

Ron van Maanen has information, in his "Zeeland" document, about the Vlissingen Directors' ship Arend, which I believe is the same as the Dubbele Arend. He has all the important details:

The ship, the Arend, a ship hired by the Vlissingen Directors
and in service from 1652 to 1653 (Ron says only 1652)

Length from stem to sternpost: 112ft
Beam inside the planking:       26ft
Hold:                           12ft
Height between decks:            6ft

26 guns: 2-12pdr, 10-8pdr, 10-6pdr, and 4-4pdr

Crew: between 98 and 118 men

Sources:

1. Ron van Maanen, unpublished manuscript "Zeeland", undated

A court martial on 29 September 1653

On pages 75 to 76 of The First Dutch War, Vol.VI, the court martial of luitenant Hendrick Hey is described. He was convicted and was sentenced to be "keelhauled three times with a halter round his neck". He was sentenced to be imprisoned for 20 years and to pay the costs of bringing him to trial. There are some familiar names on the court martial board and some unknown to me:

A. Halewijn
Gillis Janszoon
Jan Pouwelszoon
B. Russell
Dirck Vijgh
Hendrick de Raedt
E. Gomes
Aert Jansz van Nes
Willem van der Zaan
E. Meijer

Zeeland ships with Witte de With's fleet in September 1653

On page 175 of Witte de With's journal for 11 September 1653, he gives a list of ships belonging to the Admiralty of Zeeland:

Adm   Ship             Guns Crew Commander
Z     Amsterdam        32   120  kapitein Kempen
Z     Wapen van Ceulen 30   120  kapitein Mangelaer
Z     Salamander       34   125  kapitein Pieter Marcuszoon
Z     Goes             25   110  kapitein Kuijper
Z     Lieffde          23    94  kapitein Dingeman Cats
Z     Walvis, ammunition ship    kapitein Willem de Mataele

Sources:

1. Witte de With, journals from 1652 to 1658, Archive E8812 from the Riksarkivet, Stockholm

A remaining mystery: Abraham van der Hulst's ship in Hendrick de Raedt's list

There is a good deal of reason to think that Abraham van der Hulst commanded the Amsterdam ship Groningen from the beginning of the First Anglo-Dutch War. The only reason to question that is that Hendrick de Raedt's list (and the Hollandsche Mercurius list) indicate that Abraham van der Hulst's ship carried 26 guns and had a crew of 100 men. The indication is that this was a purpose-built warship, rather than a hired ship. The Groningen was a 40-gun ship, so this could not be the Groningen. We might think that this is an error in the list, except that other ships in the list that might have seemed to be in error were found to be relatively accurate, to my surprise. The two ships where that was true were the two Zeeland frigates, those commanded by Lambert Bartelszoon (18 guns and a crew of 100 men) and Johannes Michielszoon (20 guns and a crew of 100 men). Sources:

1. Hendrik de Raedt, Lyste van de schepen van Oorloge onder het beleyt Admirael Marten Harpersz. Tromp, 1652
2. Carl Stapel, unpublished manuscript "Lijst van schepen van 20 juni 1653", 2006

The VOC ship Huis van Nassau (or Nassouw)

Witte de With's journal for May 1653 mentions a ship belonging to the Amsterdam Chamber of the VOC (the united East India company). The ship was commanded by kapitein van Strijp, carried 34 guns and had a crew of 112 men. Witte de With's journal for October 1653 confirms that this ship was the Huis van Nassau. The journal spells the name "Huijs van Nassouw". At that late date, the captain was still Jan Pietersz van Strijp. Ron van Maanen has the dimensions for the Huis van Nassau. They were: 133-1/2ft x 27ft-4in x 13ft-10in, with a height between decks of 6ft-10in. Sources:

1. Ron van Maanen, unpublished manuscript "Dutch Warships 1600-1800", undated, but circa 1992
2. Witte de With, journals from 1652 to 1658, Archive E8812 from the Riksarkivet, Stockholm

The Amsterdam ships Omlandia and Hoop

Up until June 1652, Boetius Schaeff had commanded the Gewapende Ruyter (36 guns), a Portuguese prize. The Gewapended Ruyter was sunk by the English in June 1652, while returning home from Brazil. Carl Stapel has found that in September 1652, that Boetius Schaeff was in command of the Amsterdam ship Omlandia, which in September 1652 carried 28 guns and had a crew of 85 men. After the Three Days Battle, Boetius Schaeff was appointed to command the ship Hoop (28 guns). In the Battle of the Gabbard (or, the Two Days Battle, or Battle of Nieuwpoort), Boetius Schaeff and his lieutenant were killed and his crew mutinied. In his place, Dirck Pater was appointed to command the Hoop. When Boetius Schaeff was appointed to command the Hoop, his father Maarten Schaeff had been appointed to command the Omlandia. At this stage, the Omlandia carried up to 32 guns. The Omlandia was sunk at the Battle of Scheveningen, although Maarten Schaeff seems to have survived the battle. Sources:

1. Johan E. Elias, Schetsen uit de geschiedenis van ons zeewezen, Vol.V, 1928
2. Carl Stapel, personal communication "maerten en boetius schaeff", 2006
3. Carl Stapel, personal communication "some new information which might interest you", 2006
4. Witte de With, journals from 1652 to 1658, Archive E8812 from the Riksarkivet, Stockholm

Reynst Cornelisz Sevenhuysen's ships in 1652 to 1654

Reynst Cornelisz Sevenhuysen served the Admiralty of the Noorderkwartier and commanded a series of ships during 1652 to 1654:

Adm   Ship              Guns  Crew   Dates
N     Rode Leeuw        24-29 75-85  1652
N     Profeet Samuel    30           1653 until after the Gabbard
N     Mars              38    125    1653, from July
N     Alkmaar           32     90    1654, newly completed

Sources:

1. Hendrik de Raedt, Lyste van de schepen van Oorloge onder het beleyt Admirael Marten Harpersz. Tromp, 1652
2. Staet van Oorlog te Water for the year 1654, 1654
3. Carl Stapel, unpublished manuscript "Schepen die op 10 en 11 september 1653 zijn uitgelopen", 2006
4. Witte de With, journals from 1652 to 1658, Archive E8812 from the Riksarkivet, Stockholm

Herman Walman and Joris Block on 17August 1653

I wondered if Witte de With's journal would mention both HermanWalman and Joris Block at the same time. On 17 August 1653 (pages 159 and 160), there is a listing of the fleet that includes both of them:

Adm   Ship             Guns  Crew  Commander
A     Hollandsche Tuin 24     97   Joris Block
A-Dir Hollandsche Tuin 36    140   Herman Walman

Sources:

1. C. T. Atkinson, Ed., The First Dutch War, Vol.V, 1912
2. Johan E. Elias, Schetsen uit de geschiedenis van ons zeewezen, Vol.V, 1928
3. Witte de With, journals from 1652 to 1658, Archive E8812 from the Riksarkivet, Stockholm

Herman Walman (or Wallemans)

Apparently, in November 1652, Herman Walman was luitenant under kapitein Swart on the Amsterdam Directors' ship Vliegende Faam (Schetsen, Vol.III, note on page 87). On 11 August 1653, the Amsterdam Directors' ship Hollandsche Tuin, under the command of Herman Walman, was mastless after the Battle of Scheveningen, and had to "drive along the coast" towards the Texel. The other Hollandsche Tuin was a the ship hired by the Admiralty of Amsterdam, and at this date was commanded by Joris Block. The First Dutch War, Vol.V, on page 364 lists the damage to the smaller Hollandsche Tuin, commanded by Joris Block, and gives the gunpowder before the battle (7,000 lbs) and that remaining after the battle (5,400 lbs). This was the ship previously commanded by Hillebrandt Jeroenszoon, who was killed while fighting in the Battle of Scheveningen. He had taken command of the Zutphen, after his brother Ewout was severely wounded in the Three Days Battle. Sources:

1. C. T. Atkinson, Ed., The First Dutch War, Vol.V, 1912
2. Johan E. Elias, Schetsen uit de Geschiedenis van ons Zeewezen, Vol.III, 1925
3. Johan E. Elias, Schetsen uit de geschiedenis van ons zeewezen, Vol.V, 1928
4. Carl Stapel, personal communication about Hillebrandt Jeroenszoon, 2006

I was interested to find this about Vice-Admiral van Foreest

When the Germans attacked the Netherlands in 1940, Lt-Cdr van Foreest was executive officer of the incomplete cruiser Jacob van Heemskerck. the ship had its propulsion plant installed, so Lt-Cdr van Foreest commissioned the ship and got underway from Amsterdam. He took the ship to Great Britain, where the ship was completed and fought in the war. Presumably, this is the co-author of Dr. Weber's book about the Four Days' Battle.

The advijsjacht Loopende Hert

The advijsjacht Loopende Hert was apparently built in 1662. I believe that the Loopende Hert took part in the Four Days' Battle in early June 1666. Ron van Maanen has the details, which Dr. Weber apparently had not seen. I conveniently do not have my copy of Dr. Weber's book along with me, so I cannot check it (but I wrote about this in the past). I just have Ron's document "'Oorlogsschepen' van de admiraliteit van de Maze in de zeventiende en achttiende eeuw":

The advijsjacht Loopende Hert

Length from stem to sternpost: 76ft
Beam:                          19ft-7in
Hold:                           9ft-3in

8 guns (16 March 1665): 4-6pdr and 4-4pdr

Crew: 20 to 40 men

Sources:

1. Ron van Maanen, unpublished manuscript "'Oorlogsschepen' van de admiraliteit van de Maze in de zeventiende en achttiende eeuw, unpublished manuscript", undated
2. H.A. van Foreest and R.E.J. Weber, De Vierdaagse Zeeslag 11-14 Juni 1666, 1984

Witte de With's letters have the answer

(Blogger seems to be getting bad again) Page 117 of Witte de With's letters gives an expanded list of Rotterdam ships that explains the earlier list:

Adm   Ship            Guns  Crew  Commander
R     Utrecht         22     98   commandeur Haexwant
R     Overijssel      24     98   kapitein Vijgh
R     Rotterdam       32    120   luitenant-commandeur Pieter Verhaven
R     Gorcum          30    116   kapitein Willem Arensz Warmont
R     Dolfijn         32    116   kapitein Kerckhoff
R     Gelderland                  kapitein Aert Jansz Jongen Boer (van Nes)
R     Brederode       56    268   Lt-admiraal Tromp's flag captain

Sources:

1. James C. Bender, unpublished manuscript "Dutch Ships 1600-1700", 2006
2. Witte de With, letters from 1653 to 1658, Archive E8811 from the Riksarkivet, Stockholm

Admiralty of the Maze ships in April 1653

Witte de With's journal for April 1653 lists ships operating under his command. The list of ships belonging to he Admiralty of the Maze (or Rotterdam) is interesting. I am confused by the last entry, and am not certain of the ship name:

Adm   Ship            Guns  Crew  Commander
R     Utrecht         22     98   kapitein Leendert Haexwant
R     Overijssel      24     98   kapitein Dirck Vijgh
R     a ship          23     94   luitenant-commandeur Pieter Jacobsz

I was thinking that the last was Pieter Verhaven, but Carl Stapel says that his name was Pieter Jansz Verhaven. He was Jan Aertsz Verhaeff's son. Jan Aertsz Verhaeff commanded the 30-gun ship Rotterdam. A 23-gun ship would be more likely to be the Gelderland, commanded by kapitein Aert Jansz van Nes. Sources:

1. James C. Bender, unpublished manuscript "Dutch Ships 1600-1700", 2006
2. Witte de With, journals from 1652 to 1658, Archive E8812 from the Riksarkivet, Stockholm

Nominal dimensions and converting between Maas feet and Amsterdam feet

In Vreugdenhil's list for 1648 to 1652, he uses Maas feet for Rotterdam ships, but does not say that. A Maas foot has 12 inches and was about 308mm or more in length. An Amsterdam foot is divided into 11 inches and was about 283mm long. He gave the dimensions for a group of ships as 106ft x 25ft x 9.5ft, which are the dimensions in the Staet van Oorlog te Water for the year 1654. One of these ships was named Gorinchem, also called the Gorcum. Dr. Weber, in his book about the Four Days' Battle, gave the dimensions in Amsterdam feet as 116ft x 27ft x 11ft. Ron van Maanen gives more precise, measured dimensions: 115'7" x 27'3" x 10'10". These are very close to what I would expect if the dimensions in Maas feet were: 106ft x 25ft x 10ft, which is what is given in a list of Rotterdam ships from 26 February 1652. A rough and ready conversion is to multiply a length in Maas feet by 12 and divide by 11. For fractions, multiply times 11 and you get the number of inches. Sources:

1. Admiralty of Rotterdam, List of ships from 26 February 1652
2. Ron van Maanen, unpublished manuscript "Dutch Warships 1600-1800", undated but circa 1992
3. H.A. van Foreest and R.E.J. Weber, De Vierdaagse Zeeslag 11-14 Juni 1666, 1984
4. Staet van Oorlog te Water for the year 1654, 1654

Ships lying in the Texel, ready for sea in March 1653

I date the list from the archives published on pages 308 to 210 of The First Dutch War, Vol.IV, as being from mid-March 1653. The list has details of ships of the Admiralty of Amsterdam lost in the Three Days Battle (Portland), but lacks information about the results of the Battle of Livorno, which happened just after that. Given the notes about captain changes, perhaps the list could be more precisely dated, but I suspect that the original was updated over time, not just on a specific date. For example, the list of ships lying ready in the Texel mentions Willem van der Zaan as captain of the Aemilia, but says that Jan ter Stegen is now captain. For the Omlandia, the list has the rather ambiguous "Jacob Troucquois alias Schaeff". Carl Stapel says that Boetius Schaeff commanded the Omlandia in September 1652, so I have a bit of trouble deciphering this. I had assumed that Jacob Troucquois had commanded the ship through 1652 and then Maarten Schaeff had taken over in March, as Maarten Schaeff was captain in August 1653, when the Omlandia was lost in the Battle of Scheveningen. Witte de With's journals are now help, as he mostly does not mention ship names, and usually omits the captains' first names. Sources:

1. C. T. Atkinson, Ed., The First Dutch War, Vol.IV, 1910
2. Johan E. Elias, Schetsen uit de geschiedenis van ons zeewezen, Vol.V, 1928
3. Carl Stapel, personal communication "some new information which might interest you", 2006
4. Witte de With, journals from 1652 to 1658, Archive E8812 from the Riksarkivet, Stockholm

Carl Stapel had a surprise for me today

I was surprised, but I should not have been, that the commander of the Omlandia in September 1652 was Boëtius Schaeff, not Maarten Schaeff or Jacob Troucquois (or Troncquoij). I had known that Maarten Schaeff had commanded the Omlandia at the Battle of Scheveningen, when the ship was lost, so I assumed that he was the Schaeff mentioned on page 309 of The First Dutch War, Vol.IV. Apparently, Boëtius Schaeff was succeeded in command of the Omlandia by Maarten Schaeff, probably before April 1653. By May, Boëtius Schaeff commanded the ship Hoop. He was killed at the Battle of the Gabbard in June 1653. Dirck Pater took over command of the Hoop after the Gabbard. Sources:

1. C. T. Atkinson, Ed., The First Dutch War, Vol.IV, 1910
2. C. T. Atkinson, Ed., The First Dutch War, Vol.V, 1912
3. Johan E. Elias, Schetsen uit de geschiedenis van ons zeewezen, Vol.V, 1928
4. Carl Stapel, personal communication "some new information which might interest you", 2006

Carl Stapel suggests that the Nassouw van den Burgh and the Burgh are the same ship

I had not recognized this, but the Nassouw van den Burgh and the Burgh have the same dimensions. Another point is that a document dated 8 November 1652 gives the armament of the Nassouw as 4-brass 24pdr, 14-12pdr, 10-8pdr, 4-6pdr, and 2-3pdr. Ron van Maanen gives the armament of the Burgh as 4-24pdr, 14-12pdr, 10-8pdr, 4-6pdr, and 2-2pdr guns, in April 1653. They are virtually identical, except for the two smallest guns. I had thought that the Nassouw was in Witte de With's fleet in September 1653, but I was mistaken about that. Another point is that Lambert Pieterszoon commanded the Nassouw van den Burgh in 1652, and we do not hear anything about him after December 1652. Hendrick Adriaansz Glas apparently commanded the Burgh (presumably, the Nassouw van den Burgh) in all the major battles of 1653. Sources:

1. James C. Bender, unpublished manuscript "Directors Ship Information", 2004
2. Ron van Maanen, unpublished manuscript "Dutch Warships 1600-1800", undated, but circa 1992
3. Carl Stapel, personal communication "Burgh en Nassouw", 2006

The ships named Gelderland

Carl Stapel points out that the Gelderland wrecked in 1629 was the ship built in 1616, contrary to what Ron van Maanen says in his list. Carl says that this ship was 160 lasts. The ship built in 1634 is a 250 last ship, which is 128ft long. The Gelderland built in 1639 may well be a ship of 100 lasts (109ft x 25ft x 8-3/4ft), rather than 150 lasts (116ft x 27ft x 11ft). There are conflicting reports on this subject. I place a great deal of weight on the Admiralty of the Maze list from 26 February 1652, that gives the ships dimensions, in Maas feet, as 100ft x 23ft x 8ft, which I estimate to be 109ft x 25ft x 8-3/4ft in Amsterdam feet. Dr. Graefe's book, De Kapiteinsjaren van Maerten Harpertszoon Tromp, has a list from 1636, that mentions the 250 last Gelderland. In 1636, that Gelderland carried 34 guns and had a crew of 110 sailors and 20 soldiers. The captain was Willem van Coulster. Sources:

1. Dr. F. Graefe, De Kapiteinsjaren van Maerten Harpertszoon Tromp, 1938
2. Ron van Maanen, unpublished manuscript "Dutch Warships 1600-1800", undated, but circa 1992
3. Carl Stapel, personal communication "Gelderland built in 1616", 2006

Cornelis van Kruiningen

Carl Stapel found that in 1652, Cornelis van Kruiningen had been Adriaan Jansz den Gloeyenden Oven's schipper on the jacht Zeeuwsche Jager (14 guns and a crew of 56 men). He was given command of his own ship, the Japonder or Dordrecht (17 guns, 70 sailors and 20 soldiers), about July 1652. The ship served as a convoyer in the west. On 18 August, he left Vlissingen (Flushing) for the coast of "New Netherlands". Sources:

1. Hendrik de Raedt, Lyste van de schepen van Oorloge onder het beleyt Admirael Marten Harpersz. Tromp, 1652
2. Carl Stapel, unpublished manuscript "Cornelis van Kruningen", 2006

Why have we not seen mention of Sipke Fockes' ship at the Three Days' Battle

I had always assumed that the Groote Sint Lucas mentioned in the Hollandsche Mercurius was a mistake, and that he had commanded the Sint Maria, instead. Sipke Fockes was definitely killed in the Three Days Battle and almost certainly, his ship was captured by the English. His ship carried 28 guns. From documents from March 1653, we know that the Sint Maria was at the Three Days Battle and was damaged, as the documents talk about what needed to be repaired. So was there really a Groote Sint Lucas, and if so, why have we not seen the ship mentioned?

Some of the Hundred ships employed by the Admiralty of Zeeland in August 1652

From Hendrick de Raedt's pamphlet, we have the list of the captains that were in Tromp's fleet during the voyage to the Shetlands in July to August 1652. The list contains the listing of the ships hired by the Admiralty of Zeeland that were part of the 100 ships to be hired by the admiralties in 1652. Thanks to Carl Stapel's latest finds, we can better fill in the list:

Adm   Ship                Guns  Crew  Captain
Z     Eendracht           18    100   Lambert Bartelsoon
Z     Haze                20    100   Joannes Michielszoon
Z     Sint Joris          28     85   Jacob Wolphertszoon
Z     Offerande Abrahams  24    100   Daniels Cornelisz Brackman
Z     Dolfijn             26     96   Dingeman Cats

Sources:

1. Carl Stapel, unpublished manuscript "Dolfijn 1652", 2006
2. Carl Stapel, unpublished manuscript "Haze 1652", 2006
3. Carl Stapel, unpublished manuscript "Lijst van Nederlandse schepen in maart 1653", 2006
4. Carl Stapel, unpublished manuscript "Offerande Abrahams 1652", 2006

Adriaan de Zeeuw and the Rotterdam Directors' ships in 1652

Carl Stapel found the definitive answer about Adriaan de Zeeuw, who commanded a Rotterdam Directors' ship at the beginning of the First Anglo-Dutch War. At the outbreak, Adriaan de Zeeuw commanded the Sint Pieter (28 guns and a crew of 122 men). This is the information about all seven Rotterdam Directors' ships:

Adm    Ship        Guns Crew Captain
R-Dir  Hollandia   26   105  Ruth Jacobsz Buijs
R-Dir  Jonas       36   125  Jan Evertsz de Liefde
R-Dir  Meerman     30   120  Jacob Cleydijck
R-Dir  Sint Pieter 29   110  Isaac de Jonge
R-Dir  Sint Pieter 28   122  Adriaan de Zeeuw 
R-Dir  Erasmus     ?    ?    Sijmon Cornelisz van der Meer
R-Dir  Prins       38   120  Corstiaen Corstiaensz de Munnicq (Munnick)

We now know that the Erasmus was sunk in June 1652, and Adriaan de Zeeuw's ship was damaged and lying in the Meuse after the fight in the Channel. Adriaan de Zeeuw left the service and Sijmon Cornelisz van der Meer took command of the Sint Pieter. Sources:

1. C. T. Atkinson, Ed., The First Dutch War, Vol. VI, 1930
2. Hendrik de Raedt, Lyste van de schepen van Oorloge onder het beleyt Admirael Marten Harpersz. Tromp, 1652
3. Carl Stapel, personal communication "Adriaen de Seeuw and his ship", 2006
4. Witte de With, journals from 1652 to 1658, Archive E8812 from the Riksarkivet, Stockholm

The Dutch navy at the outbreak of the First Anglo-Dutch War

Dr. Elias said that there were 87 Dutch ships in service in early 1652. These included 41 convoyers, 10 ships in Brazil, and 36 cruisers funded in 1651. The convoyers nominally included the 40 ships funded in 1648 for service at the end of the War of Independence against Spain. About March, another 150 ships to be hired were also funded. These included 50 ships to be hired by the Directors of the various port cities and 100 ships to be hired by the five admiralties. 38 of these were to come from North Holland.

The ships were divided as follows:

10 ships in Brazil

40 ships of 1648

Rotterdam        8 ships
Amsterdam       16 ships
Zeeland          8 ships
Noorderkwartier  8 ships

36 ships of 1651

Rotterdam        7 ships
Amsterdam       14 ships
Zeeland          7 ships
Noorderkwartier  7 ships
Friesland        1 ship

100 ships of 1652

Rotterdam       16-1/2 ships
Amsterdam       33 ships
Zeeland         16-1/2 ships
Noorderkwartier 16-1/2 ships
Friesland       16-1/2 ships

50 Directors ships of 1652

Rotterdam                      7 ships
Amsterdam                     24 ships
Zeeland                        9 ships
Cities of the Noorderkwartier  7 ships
Friesland                      2 ships
Groningen                      1 ship

In addition, the VOC (the East India Company) would provide 6 ships

The 50 Directors' ships were all hired fairly quickly. Of the 100 ships, initially, there were only 38 hired. Very quickly, at the outbreak of the war, four ships in English harbors were taken. Of the ships returning from Brazil, two were sunk. Right before the outbreak of the war, on 23 May 1652, the old Overijssel (28 guns) and the Nassau (36 guns) were sold. The Nassau was a substantial ship built in 1636 (132ft x 32ft). The Overijssel was probably 120ft long, from my reading of Ron van Maanen's list. The Prinses Roijaal Marie was the best of the ships taken in English harbors, and was quite large (124ft x 29-1/2ft x 13ft). The Prinses Roijaal Marie apparently served the English navy during the war as the Princess Maria (38 guns). This was such a good ship that she served until 1658, when she was wrecked. Sources:

1. H. T. Colenbrander, Bescheiden uit vreemde archieven omtrent de groote Nederlandsche zeeoorlogen 1652-1676, 1919
2. Johan E. Elias, De Vlootbouw in Nederland 1596-1655, 1933
3. Ron van Maanen, unpublished manuscript "Dutch Warships 1600-1800", undated, but circa 1992

The Schellinghout

Ron van Maanen had listed a ship named Schellinghout (or Schellinkhout) hired by the Enkhuizen Directors. He even had the dimensions: 127ft x 26ft x 12-1/2ft, with a height between decks of 6ft. Carl Stapel has found that this is the ship commanded by Jacob Claesz Duijm, which is more commonly known as the Vergulde Zon (or Vergulde Sonne, old style). Sources:

1. Ron van Maanen, unpublished manuscript "Dutch Warships 1600-1800", undated, but circa 1992
2. Carl Stapel, unpublished manuscript "directieschepen 16 mei 1652", 2006

The Halve Maan lost at the Battle of the Gabbard

Carl Stapel found out that the ship Halve Maan was the same ship commanded by Jan Fredericksz Houcboot in 1652. I had seen the handwritten name in a document from September 1652, and thought it said Vergulde Meerman (actually, it was "M" and a squiggle, followed by an "n"). The handwritten name apparently was "Vergulde Maen". From Ron van Maanen's list, we know the dimensions in Amsterdam feet: 120ft x 27ft x 12ft. The height between decks was 6ft. In August 1652, the Vergulde Maen carried 30 guns and had a crew of 110 men. The Vergulde Maen was hired by the Edam Directors.

The Vlissingen Directors' ship Haes

I believe that the Vlissingen Directors' ship Haes is the same ship as the Haes in het Velt, mentioned as part of Michiel De Ruyter's convoying fleet in the summer of 1652. Carl Stapel found the details in the Nationaal Archief. The ship was just 113ft long and only had 6 guns larger than 8pdrs. The armament was 26 guns and had a crew of 120 men. In the summer, if this they are the same ship, the Haes was commanded by Leendert den Haen, and then from some time in September, was commanded by Bastiaan Centsen. To the great discredit of the English captain and crew, the Haes took the English 34-gun ship Hercules, right after the Battle of Dungeness. The commander and crew of the Hercules panicked and ran the ship ashore, abandoning the Hercules. Bastiaan Centsen refloated the Hercules and took it back to the Netherlands as a prize.

Ron van Maanen has really heroic dimensions for the Oranje, lost at Lowestoft

I was amazed at Ron van Maanen's dimensions for the ship Oranje, built by the Middelburg Chamber of the VOC and lost at Lowestoft. They are considerably larger than what Herbert Tomessen, from Artitec, has attributed to the ship (170ft x 38ft x 14ft-"hol en koebrug, overloop, en verdek"). Ron lists the dimensions as 180ft x 52ft x 17ft, with a height between decks of 7ft. Ron's length for the Prins Willem, which fought at the Battle of the Kentish Knock is 181ft, which is at least consistent. Sources:

1. Ron van Maanen, unpublished manuscript "Dutch Warships 1600-1800", undated but circa 1992

The Noorderkwartier ship Engel (UPDATE)

Carl Stapel found a list of Noorderkwartier ships in 1652 that will "make news". By that, I mean that there is information in there that is not found, otherwise. One of the ships mentioned is a hired ship named Engel (29 guns and a crew of 75 sailors). The captain's name was Woogters. This would appear to be the ship listed as number 107 in Vreugdenhil's list. Vreudenhil says that the Engel was lost in 1652. Carl Stapel says that this ship is NOT the ship in Vreugdenhil's list. Sources:

1. personal communication from Carl Stapel, "lijst alle capiteins 1652 in het Noorderkwartier", 2006
2. A. Vreugdenhil, Ships of the United Netherlands 1648-1702, 1938

The VOC ship Prins Willem

I think that Herbert Tomessen, of Artitec, thinks that the VOC ship Prins Willem had dimensions of about 170ft x 38ft x 18ft. Ron van Maanen gives just the length, which he says is 181ft. That almost seems like the length from Herman Ketting's book about the Prins Willem ship model. Herbert Tomessen (I hope that I have the spelling correct) wrote me saying that while he liked Herman Ketting's book, that he had the dimensions wrong.

The measured dimensions of the Gorinchem (Gorcum) in Amsterdam feet

Ron van Maanen, in his "Zeeland" document (I still don't understand the rationale of the filename) gives the actual measured dimensions for the Gorinchem of 1639 in Amsterdam feet. Other sources, except for Dr. Weber's book, always give the dimensions in Maas feet. The "classic" dimensions quoted by Vreugdenhill, in his list, apparently from the Staet van Oorlog te Water for the year 1654 are 106ft x 25ft x 9-1/2ft. Dr. Weber gives the dimensions as 116ft x 27ft x 11ft, but Ron has what appear to be the measured figures: 115ft-7in x 27ft-3in x 10ft-10in. These appear to be in Amsterdam feet of 11 inches per foot (283mm). Maas feet have 12 inches of about the same size, so a Maas foot is about 308mm, or so.

Ron van Maanen on the Zeeland ship Sandenburgh

I had thought that Ron van Maanen did not mention the Zeeland ship Sandenburgh, but in creating an extract from Ron's "Zeeland" document, I found an entry for the "Zandburg", "called Sandenburch". Ron calls the ship a fishery patrol vessel "captured by the British" (as he calls the English). He gives the dates for the ship as 1653 to 1654, but we know from Witte de With's journal for September 1652, that the ship was in service at that date, commanded by Pieter Gorcum. Admittedly, the listing does not say "Sandenburgh", but the March 1653 list transcribed by Carl Stapel names the ship and captain, with 24 guns and a crew of 85 men. For September 1652, Witte de With's journal gives the armament as 24 guns and the crew as 90 men. Sources:

1. Ron van Maanen, unpublished manuscript "Zeeland", undated
2. Carl Stapel, unpublished manuscript "Lijst van Nederlandse schepen in maart 1653", 2006
3. Witte de With, journals from 1652 to 1658, Archive E8812 from the Riksarkivet, Stockholm

Witte de With's fleet forthe attack on Scarborough in April 1653

This seems to be the fleet commanded by Witte de With for the planned raid on Scarborough, in April 1653. This list is dated 11 April, and shows the fleet divided into three small squadrons. As the list only gives the captains' names, I have annotated the list from other lists and information:

Van Squadron

Adm    Ship                 Guns Crew Commander
A      Fazant               32   110  vice-commandeur Lapper
A      Dolfijn              30   110  kapitein Gerbrandt Schatter
R                           23    94  luitenant-commandeur Pieter Jacobsz
A-Dir  Valck                28   111  kapitein Cornelis Jansz Brouwer
A-Dir  Sampson              28   110  kapitein Cornelis Cornelisz de Groot
N      Prins Maurits        32    97  kapitein Cornelis Pietersz Taenman
Z      Amsterdam            32   116  kapitein Adriaan Niclaesz Kempen
A      Westfriesland        28   110  kapitein Hendrick Huyskens
F      Postpaert            30   106  kapitein Isaak Kodde

Center Squadron

Adm    Ship                 Guns Crew Commander
A      Leeuwarden           34   158  vice-admiraal Witte Cornelisz de With
                                     on the ship of kapitein Govert Reael
A      Graaf Willem         40   155  kapitein Jan Gideonsz Verburgh
R      Overissel            24    98  kapitein Dirck Vijgh
A      Omlandia             32   109  kapitein Maarten Schaeff
A      Prins Willem         30   106  kapitein Jan Jansz Boermans
A-Dir  David en Goliat      34   125  kapitein Claes Bastiaensz Jaersvelt
A      Leiden               30   107  kapitein Hendrick Kroeger
A      Bommel               34   110  kapitein Pieter van Braeckel
R-VOC  Wapen van Nassau     32   124  kapitein Jan Adriaensz van der Werff
A      Zutphen              26   120  kapitein Hillebrandt Jeroesnz
A-VOC  Gerechtigheid        34   105  kapitein Evert Pietersz Swart
Z      Goes                 26    97  kapitein Cornelis Kuijper

Rear Squadron

Adm    Ship                 Guns Crew Commander
R      Utrecht              22    98  commandeur Leendert Haexwant
A-Dir  Sint Pieter          28   109  kapitein Schuyt
A-Dir  Engel Michiel        28   110  kapitein Bogart
A-Dir                       28   110  luitenant-commandeur Hendrik Heij
                           30   120  luitenant-commandeur Boutecoe
En-Dir Vergulde Zon         28   115  kapitein Jacob Duijm
A-VOC  Mercurius            36   110  kapitein Pieter de Bitter
A-Dir  Catarina             28   110  kapitein Jacob Jansz Kop

Sources:

1. James C. Bender, unpublished manuscript "Dutch Ships 1600-1700", 2006
2. Carl Stapel, unpublished manuscript "Lijst van schepen van 31 mei 1653", 2006
3. Witte de With, letters from 1653 to 1658, Archive E8811 from the Riksarkivet, Stockholm
4. Witte de With, journals from 1652 to 1658, Archive E8812 from the Riksarkivet, Stockholm

Some lingering questions about Zeeland ships in 1652

My knowledge of Dutch ships, including Zeeland ships, in 1653, is now much better than it was a few weeks ago, particularly thanks to Carl Stapel's latest finds from the archives. There are still many questions, as there seems to be less information about dimensions for Zeeland ships than other admiralties. All we have to do is to examine the list of States' ships for Zeeland in the list from Hendrick de Raedt's pamphlet to see the holes in our knowledge. This is still just tentative, because until I see some 1652 lists with captains and ship names, I would not consider to be definitive (if then):

Adm   Ship            Guns Crew  Commander
Z     Hollandia       38   160   vice-admiraal Johan Evertsen
Z     Zeeuwsche Leeuw 30   120   commandeur Cornelis Evertsen de Oude
Z     Meerminne       28   100   kapitein Gillis Janszoon
Z     Middelburg      26   110   kapitein Claes Jansz Sanger
Z     Amsterdam       30   110   kapitein Adriaan Kempen
Z     ?               26   100   kapitein Adriaan Bankert
Z     Zeeuwsche Jager 14    56   kapitein Adriaan Jansz den Oven
Z     Eendracht       18   100   kapitein Lambert Bartelszoon
Z     Haes?           20   100   kapitein Johannes Michielszoon
Z     Sint Joris      28    85   kapitein Jacob Wolphertszoon
Z     ?               ?    ?     kapitein Daniel Cornelisz Brackman
Z     Dolfijn         24    85   kapitein Dingeman Cats
Z     Sandenburgh     24    85   kapitein Pieter Gorcum

Sources:

1. James C. Bender, unpublished manuscript "Dutch Ships 1600-1700", 2006
2. Hendrik de Raedt, Lyste van de schepen van Oorloge onder het beleyt Admirael Marten Harpersz. Tromp, 1652
3. Carl Stapel, unpublished manuscript "Lijst van Nederlandse schepen in maart 1653", 2006

Ships mentioned in Carl Stapel's list for March 1653

At the end of Carl Stapel's list compiled from archival sources for March 1653, he has appendices B and C. Appendix B lists the ships Maeght van Enkhuizen (28 guns) and the Schellinghout (28 guns). I have thought that what Ron van Maanen calls the Maagd van Enkhuizen is the ship commanded by Gijsbert Malcontent. He was killed and his ship was captured in the Three Days Battle (Portland). They were hired by the Enkhuizen Directors. I have not been able to match the Schellinghout with a captain. Ron van Maanen had also mentioned the ship in his comprehensive list.

Appendix C includes the ships Samson and another ("L" or "Si---den"). From Ron van Maanen's list, the ship "L" is the Liefde, as the dimensions are identical. the Samson seems to be the ship commanded by Jacob Pietersz Houck. The Liefde seems to be that commanded by Pieter Adriaansz van Blocker.

Sources:

1. James C. Bender, unpublished manuscript "Dutch Ships 1600-1700", 2006
2. Carl Stapel, unpublished manuscript "Lijst van Nederlandse schepen in maart 1653", 2006
3. Witte de With, journals from 1652 to 1658, Archive E8812 from the Riksarkivet, Stockholm

Updated list of Friesland ships with the Dutch fleet in May 1653

With the latest information from Carl Stapel, I am better able to fill in the names of the Friesland ships with the Dutch fleet in May 1653, from the entry in Witte de With's journal:

Adm Ship               Guns Crew Captain
F   Postpaert          30   106  Isaac Codde
F   Graaf Willem       24    85  Jan Coenders
F   Westergo           28   110  Tijmen Claeszoon
F   Stad en Ommelanden 28   110  Joost Bulter

Sources:

1. Carl Stapel, unpublished manuscript "Lijst van Nederlandse schepen in maart 1653", 2006
2. Witte de With, journals from 1652 to 1658, Archive E8812 from the Riksarkivet, Stockholm

The Brederode's armament

I have recently seen a number of gun lists, at different dates, for the Brederode. The Brederode was completed in 1645 and sunk at the Battle of the Sound in 1658.

25 March 1653  4-36pdr, 12-24pdr, 8-18pdr, 20-12pdr, and 10-6pdr
         1655  4-36pdr, 20-24pdr, 21-12pdr, and 10-6pdr
         1658  4-36pdr, 11-24pdr, 12-18pdr, 21-8pdr, and 9-6pdr

Sources:

1. Dick Luiting, "Brederode" De hollandske admiralskib, som sank under slaget i Oresond 1658, (date to be supplied)
2. Ron van Maanen, unpublished manuscript "Oorlogsschepen" van de admiraliteit van de Maze in de zeventiende en achttiende eeuw, undated
3. Ron van Maanen, unpublished manuscript "Dutch Warships 1600-1800", undated but circa 1992

First Anglo-Dutch War Bibliography for English-speakers

For someone interested in knowing about the First Anglo-Dutch War, the best published source in English is the Navy Record Society publication The First Dutch War. This book seems to be pretty widely available in university libraries in the US. Another useful source is Vol.II of The Royal Navy: a history from the earliest times to the present. This was written almost contemporaneously with the early volumes of The First Dutch War.

The First Dutch War is the only source, really, for Dutch fleet lists, giving some ship names, the names of captains, the guns and crew numbers for many of the ships. Vreugdenhil’s Ships of the United Netherlands 1648-1702 is also helpful, although it has mistakes and many omissions. Vreugdenhil relied too much on Dr. Ballhausen’s book (in German) Der Erste Englisch-Höllandische Seekrieg 1652-1654. While the lists in Ballhausen’s book don’t require knowledge of German, they have many errors. Still, much of what is there is useful and correct. R. C. Anderson called Dr. Ballhausen’s account of the First Anglo-Dutch War in the Mediterranean Sea the best available source.

For general information about the First Anglo-Dutch War, there are a number of useful sources, although you need to check the information, generally. The sections in Peter Padfield’s book The Tide of Empires has maps and decent descriptions. His newer book might be worth checking. Michael Baumber’s book General-at-Sea, about Robert Blake, also has maps and includes narratives about the war. Granville Penn’s book is now online at Google Book Search, as are the first three volumes of The First Dutch War. This is at least an obvious list of sources from which to start. I would recommend looking at these publications and their sources, and branch out from there.

References:

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, "The First Dutch War in the Mediterranean," The Mariner's Mirror, Vol.49, No.4, November 1963
3. C. T. Atkinson, Ed., The First Dutch War, Vol.IV, 1910
4. C. T. Atkinson, Ed., The First Dutch War, Vol.V, 1912
5. C. T. Atkinson, Ed., The First Dutch War, Vol. VI, 1930
6. Dr. Carl Ballhausen, Der Erste Englisch-Höllandische Seekrieg 1652-1654, 1923
7. Michael Baumber, General-at-Sea, 1989
8. William Laird Clowes, The Royal Navy: A History from the Earliest Times to the Present, Vol.II, 1898
9. Dr. S.R. Gardiner, Ed., The First Dutch War, Vol.I, 1898
10. Dr. S.R. Gardiner, Ed., The First Dutch War, Vol.II, 1900
11. Dr. S. R. Gardiner, and C. T. Atkinson, Ed., The First Dutch War, Vol.III, 1906
12. Roger Hainsworth and Christine Churches, The Anglo-Dutch Wars 1652-1674, 1998
13. Granville Penn, Memorials of the Professional Life and Times of Sir William Penn, 1833
14. J. R. Powell, Ed., The Letters of Robert Blake, 1937