English Captain: Shadrach Blake

Shadrach Blake served in the Parliamentarian and Commonwealth navies. He was Benjamin Blake's father-in-law. In 1646, he commanded the hired ship William and John, which had been readied, but was in reserve, in case more ships were needed in the active fleet. In 1653, he commanded the hired merchantship Samaritan. He fought in the Battle of the Gabbard, where he was assigned to John Lawson's division in the Blue Squadron. Presumably, he also fought in the Battle of Scheveningen. From 1653 until 1654, he commanded the hired ship Industry (32 guns). In December 1653, his ship was lying in the "Ellence Road". In September 1656, the Spaniards took him prisoner at Vigo, when war was declared. Richard Beach, the Royalist privateer (Blake called him a pirate) had gone to Spain, and was at St. Sebastian, where Shadrach Blake was imprisoned. Blake's papers indicated that Richard Beach was Shadrach Blake's jailer. He was only released in August 1657. Sources:

1. R. C. Anderson, List of English Naval Captains 1642-1660, 1964
2. J. R. Powell, Ed., The Letters of Robert Blake, 1937