The Amsterdam ship Banier from 1691

The Amsterdam ship Banier was built in 1691 during the War of the English Succession. The Banier was built by Hendrik Cardinaal at Amsterdam. There was another report that the Banier had been built by Jan van Rheenen. Ron van Maanen has the details about the Banier. The dimensions were 145ft x 39ft x 15ft. The Banier carried 64 guns and had a crew of 325 men. The armament consisted of 24-18pdr, 24-12pdr, and 16-6pdr guns. The Banier was broken up in 1719 (or, perhaps, in 1718). Sources:

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 Ron van Maanen, unpublished manuscript "Dutch Warships 1600-1800", undated, but circa 1992

The Burcht van Leiden of 1653

Ron van Maanen has the details about the Amsterdam ship Burcht van Leiden, which was built at Edam in 1653 by Pieter Pietersz "Ouwtdaas". The contract called for a ship that was 130ft long with a 13ft hold. The ship was built larger than that. The ship survived at Amsterdam until 18 April 1685, when the ship was to be sold at auction, since it had become "unservicable". The dimensions usually given were 132-1/2ft x 32ft x 13-1/2ft, with a height between decks of 7ft. In April 1655, the guns were listed as 4-18pdr, 22-12pdr, 14-8pdr, and 4 drakes (probably 6pdr). The ship was often called the Burgh van Leiden. Sources:

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 Ron van Maanen, unpublished manuscript "Dutch Warships 1600-1800", undated, but circa 1992

Game programming books

I am still a rookie game programmer. I have done a small amount of 2D Blitz Basic programming, using the Visual Blitz IDE, but that is all I have done. I am an experienced Java programmer, so in my continuing program to get to the point that I can do some game programming, I purchased Jonathan Harbour's book Beginning Java 5 Game Programming. Last week, my wife bought me a book called The Game Maker's Apprentice: Game Development for Beginners, by Jacob Habgood and Mark Overmars (a Dutch professor). I am interested in developing simulation-style naval wargames for 17th Century naval gaming. I at least have the continuing delusion that I might have something to contribute on the subject. I suspect that my first effort will be 2D, not 3D, due to the difficulty of generating 3D models.

We should be able to estimate the rake and thickness of the side for Dutch ships captured by the English

Where we have both Dutch dimensions and English dimensions when a Dutch ship was captured and the dimensions were recorded, we should be able to estimate the rake and the thickness of the planking on the side. We might use the Amsterdam ship Edam. The only possible issue is that the length is somewhat in dispute. The usual length given is 120ft, but we have instances where the length was given as 124ft. If we use the "classic" dimensions, we find:

The ship Edam or Wapen van Edam, called the Black Bull by the English

Dutch Measurements

      Amsterdam ft English ft
Length  120ft      111ft-4in
Beam     28ft       26ft
Hold     11ft       10ft-2.5in

English Measurements 

      Amsterdam ft English ft
Keel    92ft-7.5in  86ft
Beam    30ft-6in    28ft-4in
Depth   12ft-1in    12ft

If this has any validity, we might think that the rake was 120ft - 92ft-7.5in, or 27ft-3.5in. The thickness of one side is (30ft-6in - 28ft)/2 = 1ft-3in. If we feel daring, we would see if we can tell the camber of the deck. The Dutch measured the hold at the side, where the deck connected with the side. The English measured at the high point, under the deck at the center. They may not have measured from the same place, but let us imagine that they did. That would make the deck camber 1ft-1in, seems rather high. I took these figures from an old post from 2004.

Carl Stapel says that I am mistaken about the Groninger Nicolaes and Gelderland

Carl Stapel says that the Groninger Nicolaes (or Groninger Sint Nicolaes) and the Gelderland were two separate ships. He says that they both took part in the Battle of the Kentish Knock. Despite the fact that I had seen the page with Laurens Hermansz Degelcamp in command of the Gelderland, I cannot find the photograph, today.

The ships Gelderland and Groeningen Nicolaes were the same ship

I have photographs of pages from the Nationaal Archief that show that the ships Gelderland and Groeningen Nicolaes were the same ship. This was a small ship with dimensions of 106ft x 25-1/2ft x 11ft, with a height between decks of 5-3/4ft. The guns were 4-8pdr, 8-6pdr, 10-4pdr, and 2-2pdr, according to Ron van Maanen. He says that this was a pinnace hired in Groningen in 1652, so that seems to rule out that this was a ship in service prior to the war.

I will be switching to a new look soon

To ease the difficulties in Blogger template maintenance, I will soon be switching 17th Century Naval Wargaming to the new style template, which is much easier to maintain.

I went to photograph some of the pictures from the Hollandsche Mercurius...

I had forgotten that the edition of the 1652 and 1653 Hollandsche Mercurius that I have lacks the nice Reinier Nooms drawings. I went to photograph them over the weekend and realized that I don't have them. I remember now, that when I received my copy a year ago, I saw that there were no drawings. I had also tried to get the James Ford Bell Library to make copies for me, in 2001, but I was only able to get a few. I may have to hire someone to photograph them for me. I do have this one image, showing Tromp fighting the Garland. It is rather large, although the file is just 62K:

The ship Faem, hired in 1642 for service in the Sound

In 1642, the Admiralty of Amsterdam hired ships for service in the Sound. Carl Stapel had sent me copies of the documents some time ago. I could not read several names that were obscured by dark patches, but by adjusting contrast and brightness, I could read the name of this ship. I had photographed the paper copy, which as usual, contains more information than is visible. These are the ship details:

The ship Faem, hired in 1642

Length from stem to sternpost: 118ft
Beam:                           28-1/2ft
Hold:                           14-1/4ft
Height between decks:            6-1/2ft

26 guns: 2-bronze 12pdr, 2-iron 12pdr, 14-iron 8pdr,
         2-copper 8pdr, 4-iron 5pdr, 2-iron 4pdr

A matter of vision

One thing that I found out from my work with digital photographs of documents is that much of my difficulties with reading pages in gothic typeface stem from the small size. I also find that adjusting the brightness and contrast, in conjunction with zooming in to larger size, that I do much better reading the text than if I am left with reading paper with the gothic type face. If I am trying to read from images of copies, the resolution really makes a difference. I have found that pages that I scanned from copies are much lower resolution than photographs, and the images with gothic typeface are much more difficult to read. I probably need to photograph my copies of the Onstelde-Zee, from the James Ford Bell Library at the University of Minnesota, to see if that helps readability. High-resolution digital cameras are good; scanners are not.

Quite a few Dutch ships had been lost or discarded by January 1653

I have a document dating from January 1653 that shows what it says are original numbers funded at the start of the war and those remaining in service:

Ships

Ordinary Convoyers

Originally
in
service  Admiralty     Remaining
 6       Rotterdam         3
16       Amsterdam        14
 8       Zeeland           7
 6       Noorderkwartier   4
 2       Friesland         0

36       Total            28


of the 36 against the French

Originally
in
service  Admiralty     Remaining
 6       Rotterdam         4
14       Amsterdam        13
 7       Zeeland           7
 7       Noorderkwartier   6
 2       Friesland         0

36       Total            30

of the 50 Directors' ships

Originally
in
service  Admiralty     Remaining
 7       Rotterdam         4
24       Amsterdam        16
 9       Zeeland           8
 7       Noorderkwartier   6
 3       Friesland         3

50       Total            30


of the planned hundred

Originally
in
service  Admiralty     Remaining
 9       Rotterdam         6
33       Amsterdam        24
16       Zeeland           9
10       Noorderkwartier   5
15       Friesland         9

83       Total            53

there was also the ship
Vogelstruijs of the East Indies Company

I had forgotten that Nico Brinck said that Dutch guns were bronze, not brass

I believe that Frank Fox always says that 17th Century guns were brass, but Nico Brinck, sea captain, who is into marine archaeology and Dutch guns, says that they were bronze. I had forgotten that is what he had told me. I looked up the old mail from late December 2004, and read that again. I had a question about what a "copere" gun meant, as opposed to "metaele", which is bronze.

Rombout van der Parre's ship in 1652

I have a page that gives the name of Rombout van der Parre's ship. The ship belonged to the Admiralty of Friesland and was named, in this document, "Princesse Albartina van Orangie". The crew was quite small, there being 68 sailors and 12 soldiers. The "main battery" consisted of iron 6pdr guns, supplemented by 6-8pdr and some 3 and 4pdr guns.

The second Friesland 36-gun ship

I have a page from a list of the Dutch navy, dated 28 November 1652, that indicates that there was a second Friesland ship that carried 36 guns, besides Hendrick Jansz Camp's ship, the Wapen van Nassau. That second ship did not have a name listed. Yesterday, I found out what that ship was. I received a photograph of a page that has dimensions, gun list, and crew for a 36-gun ship that does not have a name on the page. The page is from a list of Friesland ships dated 3 December 1652, just five days after the list was prepared. There is just an indication that this was a new ship. I immediately recognized that this was the ship that eventually went into service as the Zevenwolden and which was sunk at the Battle of Scheveningen.

Abraham van der Hulst, in 1652, up to August

I now have photographs of a list from 30 June 1652 that shows that yes, Abraham van der Hulst commanded a 26-gun ship at that date, as indicated by Hendrick de Raedt's list. The question remains: "which ship was that?" I do have the list, dating from 28 November 1652, that shows how the ships were divided into "convoyers funded at the peace in 1648", "the 36 cruisers funded in 1651", and the "hundred ships of the extraordinary equipage, funded in 1652". I would hazard a guess that the ship was one of the convoyers from 1648. My experience has been that when (if we ever do) we know the identity of his ship, we would say "Oh, yeah, of course!" The only thing that I can think to do is to take the list from 30 June 1652, and compare that against the list from 28 November, and look for ships from the latter list that we can't find in the first list. That would be the ship, if there is such a ship.

Some new information about Noorderkwartier hired ships

I just received a photograph (this one somewhat out of focus) of a page that gives the gun lists for the Noorderkwartier hired ships Peereboom and Vergulde Schel. Considering that they both fought through the First Anglo-Dutch War, the surprising thing is how light their armament is. The Peereboom has a main battery of 6pdr guns, with four 8pdrs and some smaller. The Vergulde Schel had 10 3 or 4pdr guns, with some 6 and 8pdrs, as well.

Rotterdam Directors' ships from 16 May 1652

I have a list of Dutch warships dating from 16 May 1652. This is not a fleet list, but a list of ships in service at that date. For the Rotterdam Directors, the list convirms the captains' names that are in Hendrick de Raedt's list, published after the storm in the Shetlands in early August 1652. This list gives the following captains, to which I have added ship information:

Adm    Ship        Guns Crew Captain
R-Dir  Meerman     32   110  Jacob Cleijdijck
R-Dir  Erasmus     ?    ?    Sijmon Corneliszoon (van der Meer)
R-Dir  Jonas       36   125  Jan de Lieffde
R-Dir  Sint Pieter 28   110  Adriaen de Zeeuw
R-Dir  Sint Pieter 29   110  Isaack de Jongh     short of 10 men
R-Dir  Hollandia   28   110  Ruth Jacobsz Buijs  short of  8 men

This list does not include Corstiaen Corstaiensz de Munnick's ship, the Prins. Sources:

1. Hendrik de Raedt, Lyste van de schepen van Oorloge onder het beleyt Admirael Marten Harpersz. Tromp, 1652
2. list of Dutch warships dating from 16 May 1652, attached to letter from Lt-Admiraal Tromp

Jan Olivierszoon's ship

From 1652 to 1653, Jan Olivierszoon commanded the Veere Directors' ship that I have seen called the "Wapen van der Vere" (you would expect something like "Wapen van Veere"). From the page that had the handwritten name "Wapen van der Vere", there were the dimensions: 123-1/2ft x 28ft x 12ft. I only noticed this morning that I have a photograph of a page that has a gun list for Jan Olivierszoon's ship. The sum claims to have 38 guns, but I could only see 34 guns: 4-brass 18pdr, 4-iron 12pdr, 18-iron 8pdr, 4-iron 6pdr, and 4-iron 3pdr. The page gives his crew as 125 men, consisting of sailors and soldiers. The date seems to be 27 November 1652, if I am reading the three letters correctly, as "nov".

Could the small ship Roode Hart be the captured English Hart?

The last ship in a list of Zeeland ships is named the Hart. The Hart was commanded by Jan Franssen Wasel. The Roode Hart was a 70ft-long "boot", with a crew of 40 men and an armament of 8 iron 4pdr guns. I had forgotten that this was the "Roode Hart", not just the "Hart", so perhaps it is not the English prize.

The frigates Overijssel and Utrecht were of the 100 ships of 1652

I was surprised to learn that the old Rotterdam frigates Overijssel and Utrecht were among the 100 ships funded in early 1652 for the First Anglo-Dutch War. These were both built as warships, and were of the same design as the frigate Gelderland, which was one of the 40 convoyers funded in 1648, at the peace. A list dated 28 July 1652 and another dated 28 November 1652 both confirm this fact.

In a list from late 1652, there is a note that Jan Bourgoigne commanded Willem Ham's ship

In a recently received document photograph, there is confirmation that Jan Bourgoigne commanded Willem Ham's ship. Willem Ham had commanded the Noorderkwartier ship Sampson, a landsschip, in the Battle of Dover on 29 May 1652, where he was wounded. His luitenant apparently commanded the Sampson on 22 July 1652 when the Sampson was taken by the English. Willem Ham was eventually appointed captain of the Noorderkwartier hired ship Tobias. The Tobias would be the ship that Jan Bourgoigne commanded at the Battle of Dungeness on 10 December 1652.

This list from late 1652 calls Claes Jansz Sanger "Claes Janssen Zanger"

I just received photographs of this wonderful list of Zeeland ships that dates from late 1652. In that list, the man that I usually call Claes Janszoon Sanger is called Claes Janssen Zanger. That does not surprise me particularly, as there is the constant interchange in use between the "sen" and "zoon", the former seeming more Scandanavian. So Janszoon (Jan's son) becomes Janssen. There is also the interchange between Z and S a great deal in 17th Century writing. There are also several occasions, such as Witte de With's journal in May 1653 when Claes Jansz Sanger is called "kapitien Claes". In May 1653, he commanded the ship Milde Maarten (26 guns).

Carl Stapel has the correct dimensions for the Essen

Carl Stapel sent me his information about the Essen, or Wapen van Essen. The dimensions should be 142ft x 36-3/4ft x 14ft. The armament from 1665 seems extremely odd, with the largest guns being 12pdr and there being 38-8pdr guns!

The Amsterdam ship Essen

Ron van Maanen has the dimensions for the Amsterdam ship Essen that was sunk after the Battle of Stromboli on 8 January 1676: 148ft x 42ft. At KentishKnock.com, I have a page with the Dutch order of battle. If you move up one level, you can get to my OOBs for the other battles in 1676.

Several ships named "Amsterdam" from 1652-1653

Ron van Maanen has two entries for ships named Amsterdam from the Admiralty of Amsterdam. One is for a ship with dimensions 120ft x 29ft x 11ft, with a height between decks of 6-3/4ft. This could be the ship commanded by Barent Pietersz Dorrevelt that was lost in the storm in the Shetlands in 1652. The second entry uses the same dimensions with question marks after them. He shows dimensions for another ship that has a length of 130ft and a hold of 13ft. This seems to be the ship Amsterdam that was originally commanded by Sijmon van der Aeck and later by Paulus Egbertsz Sonck. That ship carried 10-12pdr, 8-8pdr, 8-6pdr, and 4-3pdr guns. The other armament for a ship named Amsterdam that is listed by Ron has 18-12pdr, 10-6pdr, and 2-4pdr guns. One occurance of that gun list is in 1651. Another in in November 1653. The 130ft ship's armament is listed with a date of 16 November 1652. Sources:

1. Ron van Maanen, unpublished manuscript "Dutch Warships 1600-1800", undated, but circa 1992
2. list of Admiralty of Amsterdam hired ships from 1652 from the Wrangell Collection, 1652

Hendrick Ernestus de Bertrij's ship, the Hollandia

I received photographs of documents from the Nationaal Archief today. One shows some information about kapitein Hendrick Ernestus de Bertrij's ship, a pinnace named Hollandia. The Hollandia had a crew of 80 sailors and 20 soldiers. The armament consisted of 24 guns: 4-8pdr, 10-6pdr, 8-4pdr, and 2-2pdr guns. The Hollandia served with Witte de With's squadron during the spring and summer of 1652. The ship was discarded later in October 1652, after being inspected by Lt-Admiraal Tromp.

"Claes Hen"

I had forgotten that "Claes Hen" refers to Claes Cornelisz Valehen, who distinguished himself in the Second and Third Anglo-Dutch Wars. He had started the First Anglo-Dutch War as commander of a fireship. In the entry in Witte de With's journal for 8 July 1653, he mentions Capt. Claes Hen, on a ship with 24 guns and a crew divided between 38 "coppen" and 52 "alsont"(?). The ship carried victuals for 13 weeks and water for 9 weeks. The ship was the Schel or Vergulde Schel, which had been commanded for the first part of the war by Teunis Vechterszoon.

The Rotterdam ship Delft built in 1655

Ron van Maanen has the dimensions of the frigate Delft built in 1655. This must be the ship that Vreugdenhil says sank in harbour in 1658. The dimensions that Ron gives are 117ft x 29-3/4ft x 12-1/6ft. He says that they are in Maas feet. If that is so, then the dimensions in Amsterdam feet would be 127-7in x 32ft-5in x 13ft-3in. That would be a much larger ship. I just consulted Carl Stapel's list "Staet van de monture van de schepen anno april 1655", and that agrees on the dimensions. If the 32 guns given by Vreugdenhil is correct, then that must be the light peacetime armament designed for extended operations that was typical in 1654, in the Staet van Oorlog te Water. The Delft of 1655 seems to have been one of a group of ships built to these dimensions. The others were the Prins Willem, Prins Maurits, Prins Hendrick, and Utrecht from 1654 and the Dordrecht, Delft, Rotterdam, and Briel from 1655. Sources:

1. Ron van Maanen, unpublished manuscript "Dutch Warships 1600-1800", undated, but circa 1992
2. Carl Stapel, unpublished manuscript "Staet van de monture van de schepen anno april 1655", 2006
3. A. Vreugdenhil, Ships of the United Netherlands 1648-1702, 1938

Analyzing documents

Over at Anglo-Dutch Wars, I have tried transcribing and annotating a list from a document that I received in 2003 from the Nationaal Archief in The Hague. I have found that you cannot analyze information in a vacuum. If you have only seen one document or item in a published source, you probably do not have enough background to interpret what is there. The problem with all published sources is that there are errors. On the later volumes of The First Dutch War, C. T. Atkinson lacked the exposure to the subject matter than Dr. Gardiner had, so he made more errors, especially in the early volumes, but in all, even Vol.VI. In several cases, we have benefitted from the mistakes, as he put material in the work that we would not have seen if he understood the material better. For example, there is an English list from 1649 that was put into Vol.III, because Mr. Atkinson could not date the material. If he had known more, he would have recognized that this was prior to the 1650's.

Ron van Maanen calls the Harder "Grote Herder"

I believe that the ship that Ron van Maanen calls the "Grote Herder" is the larger of the two ships named Harder that appears in lists dating from May 1665. J. C. De Jonge had reproduced a document published in 1665 that includes ships not actually with the fleet. The Harder was one of those, as I recall. Ron has the length and beam: 118ft x 29ft. He also lists the guns as 18-12pdr, 16-6pdr, and 4-3pdr. He says that the armament was listed at 38 guns and the crew as 140 men. My list, derived partly from Brandt's biography of De Ruyter, gives the captain as Floris Florisz Bloem, and the crew as 134 sailors, 17 marines, and 5 soldiers in 1665. I see that Floris Florisz Bloem commanded the Groote Harder through the period of 1665 to 1667. 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

In a May 1653 list the Roskam is listed as a Rotterdam Directors' ship

In Witte de With's journal, on page 121 from May 1653, he listed what he said were four Rotterdam Directors' ships. He actually only has the captains' names, the guns, and the crew size. We can supply the ship names:

Adm   Ship            Guns Crew Commander
R-Dir Hollandia       26    95  kapitein Ruth Jacobsz Buys
R-Dir Roskam          24    95  kapitein Corstiaen Eldertsz
R-Dir Sint Pieter               Sijmon Cornelisz van der Meer
R-Dir Prins           38   168  Jacob Cleijdijck

The Roskam is usually considered to be a ship hired by the Admiralty of the Maze (or Rotterdam), rather than the Directors. From May to August 1653, the lists seem to have the ships assigned to different organizations than we have thought, based on other sources. We believe that the Sint Pieter carried 28 guns and had a crew of about 93 men.

A Friesland ship named Hollandia from 1665

Ron van Maanen lists a Friesland ship named Hollandia that was in service in 1665. This seems to be the ship commanded by Joost Michielsz Kuik in June and August 1665. This was a ship armed with 40 guns and with a crew of 186 men in June and 136 sailors, 33 marines, and 30 soldiers in August. Ron has the dimensions (in part): 129ft x 29ft x ?, with a height between decks of 6-1/2ft. That is the extent of what I know. Sources:

1. Gerard Brandt, Het Leven en Bedrijif van den Heere Michiel de Ruiter, 1687
2. Ron van Maanen, unpublished manuscript "Dutch Warships 1600-1800", undated but circa 1992

Carl Stapel says that Adriaen Kempen had commanded the ship Meermin

Carl Stapel had sent me his document about the Zeeland ship Meermin (Meerminne). Adriaen Kempen, who served during the First Anglo-Dutch War, had commanded the Meermin from 1641 until the peace in 1648. In 1648, many ships were inactivated, as the peacetime fleet was limited to 10 ships sent to Brazil and 40 convoyers. Only by 1651 were more ships activated, when there seemed to be an increasing threat of war with England. In 1651, funding was provided to fit out, provide crews, and provisions for 36 cruisers. Many of these were sent to the Mediterranean Sea, while others operated in the North Sea. More funds were voted in early 1652 to provide for another 150 ships. 100 were to be provided by the five admiralties and 50 by the Directors of the various seaports. We now find that many of the ships provided by the admiralties were warships, either recently completed or activated from the reserve. Everyone had assumed that all 100 ships were hired merchantmen.

A Zeeland ship named Meermin

Ron van Maanen continues the story about the Zeeland ship named Meermin that was 130ft long and which was mentioned between 1641 and 1655. Carl Stapel says that the Meerminne (the old spelling) was another name for Gillis Janszoon's ship, the Zeeridder. Carl says that the Meerminne is the feminine spelling, while Zeeridder is the masculine. Vreugdenhil, in his list, though, mentions the Meermin with the characteristics given my Ron van Maanen. I suspect, although I do not remember for sure, that Dr. Elias's book De Vlootbouw in Nederland, in a table in an appendix, lists the Meermin in 1655 with this length. Ron gives the armament as 34 guns and the size as 300 lasts. That is a bit small for a 300 last ship, but possible. 300 last ships were usually at least 132ft long, if not larger than that. On the other hand, in Dr. Simon Hart's papers, he shows a 200 last ship of 128ft x 25-1/2ft x 11ft. The formula is "lasts = length x beam x hold / K, where I can vary above or below 200. In this case, K=179.52. A 300 last ship with dimensions of 130ft x 32ft x 13.5ft would have K=187.2. Still, we have not seen any sign of the ship mentioned by Vreugdenhil and Ron van Maanen.

Andries Douwesz Pascaert

Given that Andries Douwesz Pascaert commanded the Harlingen Directors' ship Sint Vincent from the start of the war up through the Three Days Battle (the Battle of Portland), he may well have commanded the ship in the Battle of the Gabbard on 12 June to 13 June 1653. That is something of a stretch, as they lists in Witte de With's journal show Jacob Kleijdijck as captain in May 1653. The fact that Andries Douwesz Pascaert was convicted in a courtmartial shows that despite the lists, he was in the battle.

A mystery from June 1653

On 18 June 1653, a courtmartial was held for three officers: luitenant-commandeur Ulrich de Jager, Andries Douwesz Pascaert, and Cornelis Naeuoogh (or however his name was spelled). They were all convicted of disobediance or other misbehavior in the last battle. On 19 June, Jan Fredericksz Hoeckboot was tried and acquitted. One mystery is that the lists that I have from May and June 1653 do not list either Cornelis Naeuoogh, unless his middle name was Laurenszoon, or Andries Douweszoon Pascaert. The list of Amsterdam Directors' ships lists Cornelis Laurenszoon, commanding a ship with 42 guns and a crew of 155 men. This seems to have been the ship Sint Matheeus that was captured by the English at the Battle of the Gabbard. The ship that was captured had dimensions of 144ft x 36ft x 15ft x 7ft. The ship that Cornelis Naeoogh commanded up to the Three Days Battle had dimensions of 140ft x 34ft x 15ft x 7-1/3ft and carried 34 guns up to November 1652. I am open to the possibility that they were the same ship, with different dimensions reported. David de Wildt's list of ships that might be suitable for service as warships includes the larger Sint Matheeus as the second entry. There is no other Sint Matheeus listed. If that is the case, why was Cornelis Naeuoogh not an English prisoner after the battle? Usually, captains of captured Dutch ships were prisoners of the English.

Jeroen Adelaer's ship Middelburg (30 guns)

Jeroen Adelaer's ship Middelburg was taken by the English while returning from Nantes. The Middelburg, a ship of the Admiralty of Amserdam, was apparently one of the 40 convoyers, probably built as a warship. The 28 November 1652 list gives the armament as 26 guns. Ron van Maanen has the dimensions: 120ft x 28ft x 10-1/2ft, with a height between decks of 6-3/4ft. Ron gives the armament as 30 guns and the crew as 120 men. Sources:

1. Ron van Maanen, unpublished manuscript "Dutch Warships 1600-1800", undated, but circa 1992
2. lijst van schepen in dienst van de Staedt der Veenichde Vaderlanden, 28 November 1652

A good resource: a list of Dutch naval officers and seaman who died in the service of their country

I found an interesting resource for Dutch naval officers and seamen. I was looking in Google Book Search with "1652 zeewezen" as the search string. I found an article, in a volume from 1859, called "Beknopte Alphabetische Naamlijst van eenige Nederlandsche Zeehelden en Zeelieden die in 's lands dienst voor het vaderland zijn gesneuveld of gestorven", by J.P.C. van der Mark. This article is part of a book Berigten betrekkelijk Zeewezen, de Zeevaartkunde en de daarmede in varband staande wetenschappen, apparently edited by Jacob Swart, and published in Amsterdam in 1659. The entire book is downloadable as a PDF file.

How to find The First Dutch War and Granville Penn's book on Google Book Search

Google makes it harder than it should be to get to where you can view and download books. I suspect that is by design, given the law suit against them. Still, students of 17th Century naval history would like to have the PDF files, so I can give some guidance. You would need to first get to Google Book Search: http://books.google.com/. The rest just involves selecting a workable search string, but you do need to have the "Full view books" radio button selected. To find Vol.I of The First Dutch War, use the search string "Robert Blake 1652". The top result, at least today, is the right book. Click on that, and you then can both view the book and download the PDF file. To find Vol.II, I used the search string "Witte de With 1652". Vol.II showed up as the second to last item on the page. To find Vol.III, I used "Tromp November 1652". Vol.III appeared as the first item in the search results. I found Granville Penn's book with the search stgrin of "sir william penn 1652". The book, Memorials of the Professional Life and Times of Sir William Penn ...: From 1644 to 1670, was the first item in the search results.

Charnock's Biographia Navalis

You can now download the PDF file from Google Book Search for John Charnock's book Biographia Navalis. This is the full reference: Charnock, John Biographia Navalis; or Impartial Memoirs of the Lives and Characters of Officers of the Navy of Great Britain from the Year 1660 to the Present Time (6 Vols.). Google is constantly adding material to what can be downloaded, so you need to keep checking. I thought it too bad that they have not added John Thurloe's State Papers, yet. The copy they have seen is under copyright, but the original is from the early 1700's. The James Ford Bell Library, at the University of Minnesota has a very nice copy. I must admit that lower cost electronic version can be purchased from TannerRitchie Publishing. The original copy that is currently available for sale is priced out of reach of most people, above $5,000.

The Amsterdam frigate Beschutter

Ron van Maanen has the details of the Amsterdam frigate Beschutter, built at the naval shipyard in Amsterdam in 1692 by Hendrik Cardinaal. The Beschutter was broken up for parts in 1717. These is the information from Ron:

The frigate Beschutter

Dimensions:
best figures seem to be: 125ft x 32-1/2ft x 13ft
alternate figures: 115ft x 32ft x 13ft

34-38 Guns:
16-8pdr, 16-6pdr, and 6-3pdr guns

Crew: 150 to 195 men

Sources:

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

An early 1700's Dutch ship Huis te Warmelo

I am not very familiar with Dutch warships in the period 1700 to 1740. In looking for the Huis te Neck, I saw the Noorderkwartier ship Huis te Warmel. Ron van Maanen has some of the details about the ship, which was built at Medemblick in 1708. The Huis te Warmel was wrecked in 1715. This is the information that I have:

The frigate Huis te Warmel
  built by Cornelis Willemsz Blaauwvlag
    at Medemblick in 1708, on contract

Dimensions: 125ft x 35-1/4ft x 15-1/4ft

40 to 44 guns

Sources:

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

The Dutch fleet at the Battle of Nieuwpoort (the Gabbard)

I can quite easily give the outline of the numbers of Dutch ships that fought in the Battle of the Nieuwpoort (the Gabbard), although I would guess that there are a few mistakes in the list:

Ships of the Admiralty of Amsterdam:  25 ships
Ships of the Amsterdam Directors:  18 ships
Ships of the Amsterdam Chamber of the VOC: 3 ships
Ships of the Admiralty of Rotterdam: 9 ships
Ships of the Rotterdam Directors: 4 ships
Ships of the Rotterdam Chamber of the VOC: 1 warship 
                  one advijsjacht, and two fireships
Ships of the Edam Directors: 1 ship
Ships of the Admiralty fo the Noorderkwartier: 10 ships
Ships of the Monnikendam Directors: 2 ships
Ships of the Hoorn Chamber of the VOC: 1 ship
Ships of the Admiralty of Zeeland: 12 ships
Ships of the Admiralty of Friesland: 4 ships
Ships of the Harlingen Directors: 1 ship

A valiant attempt, but with errors

The Dutch Wikipedia page for the Two Days' Battle of Nieuwpoort, called the Battle of the Gabbard by the English, is a valiant attempt at a Dutch order of battle. Sadly, there are some significant errors. Some of the list is obviously derived from some of my previous writings, some of which were in error. For example, the Vergulde Meerman is actually derived from my misreading of the Vergulde Maen, also called the Vergulde Halve Maen. I have since corrected that, but the Wikipedia page still has the error. In fact, they have essentially listed the ship twice, with two different captains. The Vergulde Halve Maen was, in fact, a ship of the Edam Directors, despite some references that say Monnikendam Directors. Another error, that I don't know the source, is to say that Andries Douwesz Pascaert was in the battle, which he was not, and that he commanded the ship Groningen. That is incorrect. He had commanded the ship Sint Vincent, but at the Battle of Nieuwpoort, the Sint Vincent was commanded by Adriaen Heeres Kleijntje. Spellings of captains' names are difficult, as different sources give different spellings. I am not in a position to correct the list, as I lack the diffinitive references. I probably can come close to a correct list, mostly due to Witte de With's journal and his letters. Carl Stapel has a list, but I do not have the sources he used, yet. I would start with the outline list of ships at Vlissingen in early July 1653, and start filling in captains and ships into the outline.

Witte de With apparently was keeping useful journals for a long time

I realized that Witte de With was keeping a journal with ship names, guns, crew, and captains for longer than just 1652 to 1653. The basis for the list in the book, De Sleutels van de Sont was Witte de With's journal from 1645. This same list appeared, in a less useful form, in R. C. Anderson's book Naval Wars in the Baltic. He had commanded the fleet convoying a large number of merchant ships into the Sound, past the Danes, who normally collected tolls. If the Danish fleet had contested operation, they would have been defeated, in all likelihood, but the strong Dutch fleet. One of the ships of the New Directors of Amsterdam, the Abrahams Offerande, commanded by kapitein Reyndert Claesz., had listing of guns or crew. There was a footnote indicating that these were "not filled in, in the journal of De With". Sources:

1. R. C. Anderson, Naval Wars in the Baltic, 1910
2. G. W. Kernkamp, De Sleutels van de Sont, 1890

Dutch frigates built in 1653 and 1654

They were not included as part of the two 30-ship building programs, but the Dutch completed a number of frigates in 1653 and 1654, presumably to replace warlosses. The ships included:

Adm   Ship         Guns Crew Dimensions
A     Harder       28   140  114ft x 28ft x 11-1/4ft
A     Harderin     34   148  118ft x 29ft x 12ft
F     Klein Frisia 34   135  120ft x ?    x 11-1/4ft
R     Vrede        30   125  111ft x 27ft-3in x 12ft x 6ft-6in
Z     Zeeridder    28        116ft x 28ft x 11-1/2ft x 6-1/2ft

Sources:

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

Jan Jansz Lapper's ship Phesant

Jan Jansz Lapper, sometimes called Jan de Lapper, commanded the ship Phesant (or Fazant or Vogel Phesant). The Phesant had rather modest dimensions: 120ft x 29ft x 12ft, with a height between decks of 6-3/4ft. The Phesant was built in 1646 and was charted to Denmark from 1666 to 1667. We know the guns carried by the Phesant at various dates:

16 Nov   1652:  18-12pdr and 10-6pdr
1 April 1653:  18-12pdr and 14-6pdr
  April 1655:  18-12pdr, 12-6pdr, and 2-drakes
1  April 1665:  18-12pdr, 16-6pdr, and 4-3pdr

Sources:

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

Dutch warships on 29 April 1653

Witte de With's journal has the following information, dated 29 April 1653. I have annotated it with ship names:

Adm    Ship             Guns Crew Commander
Vl-Dir Haes             30   120  kapitein Bastiaen Centsen
Z      Westcappel       28    95  kapitein Cornelis Evertsen de Jonge
Z      Eendracht        18    90  kapitein Lambert Bartelszoon
Z      Haze             20    90  kapitein Jan van Hoesen
Mi-Dir Gecroonde Liefde 36   142  commandeur Michiel de Ruijter
                                  vlag-kapitein Marcus Hartman

Sources:

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

Admiralty of Friesland ships in the 28 November 1652 list

The 28 November 1652 list says that there were two Friesland convoyers and two cruisers in the 1651 group. They are not listed explicitly, however. The rest of the ships are part of the 100 ships of 1652, hired by the admiralties. There is one mystery 36-gun ship that is unnamed, without the captain listed, either. There is just a dotted line and 36, for the number of guns. I suppose that might be one of the 36 ships. Perhaps the Westergoo (28 guns) and the Frisia (28 guns) are the two convoyers. Then the Breda (28 guns) and the unnamed 36 gun ship would be of the 36 ships. The rest would be funded as part of the 100 ships. Hendrick Jansz Camp's ship, the Wapen van Nassauw (36 ships), is apparently one of the 100 ships, and is different from the other 36 gun ship. Sources:

1. lijst van schepen in dienst van de Staet der Vereenigde Nederlanden, 28 November 1652

The 28 November 1652 list on the Zeeland contingent of the 36 ships

The 28 November 1652 list from the Collection Johan de Witt is really useful. Most of the questions about the 40 convoyers of 1648, the 36 ships of 1651, and the 100 ships of 1652 are answered there. They have the list of Zeeland ships that are part of the 36 ships:

Adm  Ship               Guns  Commander
Z    Hollandia          36    vice-admiraal Johan Evertsen
                              vlag-kapitein Adriaan Bankert
Z    Zeelandia          32    kapitein Andries Pietersz den Boer
Z    Zeelandia          32    kapitein Johan Naelhout
Z    Zeeridder          28    kapitein Gillis Jansz
Z    Neptunis           25    kapitein Jan Pauwelsz
Z    Vlissingen         32    kapitein Cornelis Mangelaer

The other ship previously listed was one of the 40 convoyers of 1648

Z    Wapen van Zeeland  34    kapitein Joost Willemsz Block
                        

Sources:

1. lijst van schepen in dienst van de Staet der Vereenigde Nederlanden, 28 November 1652

Some of the Zeeland ships in the First Anglo-Dutch Wars

After seeing a lot of the other sources for Zeeland ships in 1652 to 1654, the Staet van Oorlog te Water makes much more sense. The Staet helps to match ships against captains mentioned in other lists:

Adm  Ship              Guns Captain              Length
Z    Wapen van Zeeland 32   Joost Willemsz Block 118ft
Z    Zeelandia         32   Jan Naelhout         118ft
Z    Zeelandia         32   Adriaan den Boer     122ft

This was still difficult to match to ships, as there are three
complete sets of dimenisions, two of which are 116ft long, not 118ft:

Adm  Ship              Guns Dimensions
Z    Wapen van Zeeland 27   116ft x 29ft x 10-1/2ft
Z    Zeelandia         32   118ft x 28ft x 11-1/2ft
Z    Zeelandia         32   116ft x 28-1/2ft x 11-1/2ft

Sources:

1. Ron van Maanen, unpublished manuscript "Dutch Warships 1600-1800", undated, but circa 1992
2. Staet van Oorlog te Water for the year 1654, 1654
3. Carl Stapel, unpublished manuscript "Staet van de monture van de schepen anno april 1655", from Nationaal Archief, Staten Generaal, Lias Admiraliteiten 1.01.04 inventaris 5563 (April 1655)

The Hazewind is probably the jacht also called Windhond

I wasn't thinking clearly. Carl Stapel reminded me, after I had also realized that the Hazewind jacht was probably the jacht also called Windhond. I have seen several sets of dimensions for the Windhond. They all differ on the hold depth:

The jacht Windhond (or Hasewindt)

Dimensions (Amsterdam feet):
115ft x 23ft x 10-1/2ft
              10-1/3ft
           or 10-3/4ft
or even larger at 116ft x 24ft

18 guns:
March 1653: 4-8pdr, 12-4pdr, and 2-3pdr
April 1655: 4-8pdr, 12-4pdr, and two drakes (probably 3pdr)

Sources:

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

Isaac Sweers in the Mediterranean Sea in June 1651

Isaac Sweers, later an admiral, was on board the ship Gelderlandt in June 1651. He was Cornelis van Velsen's lieutenant. The Gelderlandt was in Gidion deWildt's squadron. I received a copy of his journal from this period from Rick van Velden, back in early 2003. There were four ships and a jacht in the squadron:

Adm   Ship        Brass Guns  Iron Guns  Crew
A     Vrede       14          26         130
A     Morgenstar  12          16         100
A     Gelderlandt 10          16          90
A     Leeuwarden  14          20         115
A     Hasewindt    8          10          80

Sources:

1. Isaac Sweers, journal kept by Isaac Sweers, initially on the warship Gelderland, starting in June 1651 and continuing until 1653, Nationaal Archief, Admiralty Collection Sweers 1.01.47.16, Inv. No. 2

I am curious as to how all these fluits were employed

This document that I have, from the Admiralty of Rotterdam, dated 7 March 1652, has the list of warships in service, with dimension, guns, and captain listed, the fishery protection ships, not listed by name or captain, but with dimensions and number of guns, and then a long list of fluits, with captain, dimensions, and numbers of guns. One of the ships listed was the Blompot, the ammunition fluit commanded by schipper Coolbrandt. There are many others in the list, such as the Wassende Maen. All dimensions are in Maas feet, rather than Amsterdam feet. Many have the ship name listed, but they often do not. The Wassende Maen was large enough, and well-armed enough to be suitable as a warship, although the deck height was rather low:

The fluit ship Wassende Maen, of Claes Fuddinckburgh
Dimensions:
Maas feet:  112-1/2ft x 22-1/2ft x 9-1/2ft x 4-1/2ft
Amsterdam feet: 122ft-8in x 24ft-6in x 10ft-4in x 4ft-10in

26 guns

Sources:

1. lijst van oorlogh schepen der Admiraliteit te Rotterdam, 7 March 1652

Jan le Sage's ship, the Gulden Haan

Jan le Sage commanded a Middelburg Directors' ship from about March 1652 up to the Three Days Battle, when his ship was captured. His ship was named Gulden Haan (or Vergulde Haan). The Gulden Haan served in the English navy as the Golden Cock. Ron van Maanen has the detailed information about the ship:

The ship Gulden Haan, kapitein Jan le Sage

Length from stem to sternpost: 124ft
Beam:                           29ft
Hold:                            ?
Height between decks:            6-3/4ft

36 guns:
8-18pdr, 4-12pdr, 18-8pdr, 6-6pdr

Crew: 121 men

Sources:

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

Zeeland ships part of the "100 Ships" of 1652

The list of 28 November 1652 has a great deal of new information. One of the things in the list are the Zeeland ships hired, as part of the 100 ships of the Extraordinary Equipage in 1652:

Adm Ship               Guns Captain
Z   Dordrecht          17   kapitein Cornelis Cruiningen
Z   Liefde             26   kapitein Joost Banckert
Z   Vlissingen         26   discarded by November 1652
Z   Eendracht          18   kapitein Lambert Bartelszoon
Z   Haze               22   kapitein Johannes Michielszoon
Z   Lieffde            30   discarded
Z   Sint Jan           26   discarded
Z   Offerande Abrahams 24   wrecked
Z   Wapen van Sweden   24   discarded
Z   Dolphijn           24   discarded
Z   Lieffde            23   kapitein Dingeman Cats
Z   Haes in 't Velt    30   discarded
Z   Faam (Fama)        30   kapitein Cornelis Loncke
Z   Sint Joris         24   kapitein Jacob Wolfertszoon
Z   Goes               26   kapitein Cornelis Cuijper
Z   Eendracht          24   kapitein Andries Fortuijn

English captain: Simon Bailey

Simon Bailey served in the Commonwealth navy. He commanded the hired ship Lisbon Merchant from 1652 until 1653. He fought in the Battle of the Kentish Knock in October 1652. The Lisbon Merchant carried 34 guns in 1652 and 38 guns in 1653. He may have fought in the Battle of Dungeness, although there is some uncertainty about that. The Lisbon Merchant definitely took part in the battle. Simon Bailey also fought in the Battle of Portland (the Three Days Battle). He sailed from Portsmouth on 30 March 1653 (old style) with William Penn's squadron. The Lisbon Merchant seems to have carried 4o guns and had a crew of 160 men at that date. At the Battle of the Gabbard, he was assigned to Lionel Lane's division in the White Squadron. He probably took part in the Battle of Scheveningen, in August 1653. Sadly, we have very few substantive information about Simon Bailey. We only know about what amounts to his resume. Sources:

1. R. C. Anderson, "English Fleet-Lists in the First Dutch War," The Mariner's Mirror, Vol.XXIV No.4, October 1938
2. R. C. Anderson, List of English Naval Captains 1642-1660, 1964
3. C. T. Atkinson, Ed., The First Dutch War, Vol.IV, 1910

A summary of the Dutch navy on 9 June 1652

There is a summary of the Dutch navy dated 9 June 1652:

Of 186 ships

Rotterdam (21 ships)

5 convoyers
2 ships in the Mediterranean Sea
4 ships in the North Sea
2 ships in Brazil
8 ships of the 16-1/2 ships of the 100 ships

Amsterdam (47 ships)

18 convoyers
 7 ships in the Mediterranean Sea
 5 ships on the Spanish coast, near Cape St. Vincent
 2 ships in the North Sea
 4 ships in Brazil
11 of 33 ships of the 100 ships

Zeeland (24 ships)

9 convoyers
3 ships in the Mediterranean Sea
4 ships in the North Sea
1 ship in Brazil
7 of the 16-1/2 ships of the 100 ships

Noorderkwartier (22 ships)

7 convoyers
3 ships in the Mediterranean Sea
4 ships in the North Sea
1 ship in Brazil
7 of the 16-1/2 ships of the 100 ships

Friesland (11 ships)

2 convoyers
2 ships in the North Sea
2 ships in Brazil
5 ships of the 17-1/2 ships of the 100 ships

 41 convoyers funded at the peace in 1648

 36 cruisers funded in 1651:

  5 cruisers on the Spanish coast
 16 cruisers in the North Sea
 15 ships in the Mediterranean Sea

 10 ships in Brazil
 38 ships of the 100 ships in the Extraordinary Equipage
 50 ships of the Directors
  6 ships of the VOC (East India Company)

Noorderkwartier ships with Tromp's fleet in December 1652

We have multiple lists of captains in Tromp's fleet, dating from late November to early December 1652. Some of the latest I have seen are quite interesting. I wondered if we might be able to figure out some mysteries by comparing lists:

Noorderkwartier captains

                          Johan Evertsen's  List dated       Ship
                                 journal    6 December 1652

Schout-bij-nacht Pieter Florissen     X        X             Monnikendam
kapitein Cornelis Pietersz Taenman    X        X             Prins Maurits
kapitein Arent Dirckszoon             X        X             Wapen van Monnikendam
kapitein Thijs Tijmensz Peereboom     X        X             Peereboom
commandeur Johannes Bourgoigne        X        X             Tobias
kapitein Jan Heck                     X        X             Eenhoorn
kapitein Volckert Schram                       X
kapitein Teunis Vechterszoon          X        X             Vergulde Schel
kaptein Gabriel Theuniszoon           X        X             Kasteel van Medemblick
kapitein Herman Munnekes              X        X

The most obvious missing ship names are the Stad Medemblick (kapitein Pieter Schellinger), the Hoorn (kapitein Pieter Aldertszoon), and the Wapen van Enkhuizen (kapitein Gerrit Femssen). I don't think that we have any way, for now, to figure out which ships were those commanded by Volckert Schram and Herman Munnekes.

Rotterdam ships from about March 1652

One document that I have, possibly dated 8 March 1652 (I am having trouble reading the inscription completely), is from about the same time as the 7 March 1652 list. The document has the following information, which I have augmented:

a fishery ship
Dimensions:
Maas feet:  106ft x 25ft x 9ft-9in, deck height=6ft
Amsterdam feet:  115ft-7in x 27ft-3in x 10ft-7in, deck height=6ft-6in
with 30 or 34 guns

a fishery ship
Dimensions:
Maas feet:  100ft x 24ft x 9ft, deck height=6ft
Amsterdam feet:  109ft-1in x 26ft-2in x 9ft-9in, deck height=6ft-6in
with 28 guns

the ship of Jan Hels
Dimensions:
Maas feet: 103ft-8in x 22-1/2ft x 10ft-10in, deck height=5ft-5in
Amsterdam feet: 113ft-1in x 24ft-6in x 11ft-9in, deck height=5ft-10in
with 28 guns

the pinnace of Jan Aerensz
Dimensions:
Maas feet: 92ft x 22ft x 10ft-7in, deck height=5ft-2in
Amsterdam feet: 100ft-4in x 24ft x 11ft-6in, deck height=5ft-7in
with 24 guns

the frigate Overijssel
Dimensions:
Maas feet: 100ft x 23ft x 8ft, deck height=5-1/2ft
Amsterdam feet: 109ft-1in x 25ft-1in x 8ft-8in, deck height=6ft
with 20 or 22 guns

the frigate Utrecht
Dimensions:
Maas feet: 100ft x 23ft x 8ft, deck height=5-1/2ft
Amsterdam feet: 109ft-1in x 25ft-1in x 8ft-8in, deck height=6ft
with 22 guns

The Gulden Beer

I wonder if the Vergulden Beer, in David de Wildt's list, is the same ship commanded by Jan de Haes (the Gulden Beer) from 1652 until about April 1653. The dimensions given are 120ft x 25-1/2ft x 11-1/2ft, with a height between decks of 6ft. The Gulden Beer, in service with the Admiralty of Rotterdam (or the Maze) had an armament of 6-8pdr, 8-6pdr, 4-4pdr, and 6-3pdr guns. Her crew varied between 80 and 100 men. Sources:

1. Ron van Maanen, unpublished manuscript "Oorlogsschepen" van de admiraliteit van de Maze in de zeventiende en achttiende eeuw, undated
2. David de Wildt, Notitie van de schepen die tegen wordich in lant sijn, 22 February 1652

Jacob Verhelle and the Hasewint (Hazewind)

The Zeeland ship Hasewint or Hazewindt (28 guns) was apparently built about 1642. The Hasewint (the modern spelling is Hazewind) was a convoyer, and was one of the 40 convoyers funded when the navy was reduced in 1648, after the peace treaty with Spain. According to what I have from Carl Stapel, Jacob Verhelle commanded the Hasewint right up until 1652. The Hasewint was one of the ten ships sent to Brazil, after Witte de With had returned from there. The ships all returned in June 1652, but many of them were sunk or taken by the English. The Hasewint was taken to Dover on 28 June 1652. The Hasewint carried 28 guns and had a crew of 85 sailors and 20 soldiers. Sources:

1. Johan E. Elias, Schetsen uit de geschiedenis van ons zeewezen, Vol.II, 1923
2. Nationaal Archief Collectie Johan de Witt 3.01.17 collectie 2775h ( oktober 1652 )
3. Lijst van schepen in dienst van de Staedt der Veenichde Nederlanden, 28 November 1652

English Naval Officer: Andrew Cotton

Andrew Cotton served in the English navy, starting with the latter 17th Century. On 20 July 1677, the King appointed him to command the Experiment sloop. A few months later, on 16 January 1678 (they called it 1677, in the old style), the King appointed him to command the Hound sloop. A year later, on 15 February 1678, the Commissioners appointed him to command the double-hulled Chatham. A year and a half later, the Commissioners appointed him to command the 6th Rate Fanfann. On 20 October 1681, the Commissioners appointed him to command the Monmouth yacht. On 20 February 1683 (they called it 1682, in the old style), the Commissioners appointed him to command the Navy yacht. Finally, on 24 March 1685 (again, in the old style, they called the year 1684), the King reappointed him to command the Navy yacht. He fought in the Battle of Barfleur, in 1692, where he commanded the 3rd Rate Northumberland (70 guns) in the Blue Squadron. 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

The Wapen van Ceulen (Arms of Cologne)

We apparently now know the dimensions of the ship the Wapen van Ceulen. David de Wildt's list has a ship of that name, with dimensions: 126ft x 26ft x 12ft with a height between decks of 6ft. I first saw this ship mentioned in Witte de With's journal (E8812) on page 203. The Wapen van Ceulen was hired by the Admiralty of Zeeland. Her captain was Frans Mangelaer. The Wapen van Ceulen apparently carried 30 guns and had a crew of 120 men in September 1653. The Wapen van Ceulen was part of Witte de With's fleet on the voyage to Norway from September to November 1653. Sources:

1. David de Wildt, list of ships that might be suitable to be hired, dated 22 February 1652
2. Witte de With, journals from 1652 to 1658, Archive E8812 from the Riksarkivet, Stockholm

I used to think that there were few Dutch lists with ship names from 1652

I had long studied published sources about the First Anglo-Dutch War. I have been particularly interested and focused on the Dutch in that war. The published sources for 1652 just have lists of captains, with no ship names, except for Michiel De Ruyter's fleet in July-August 1652. One of the documents that I received last week is dated 11 May 1652. That list has captains' names and ship names. This list has just Zeeland captains and ships. The list is divided between "old" and "new" captains. The "old" captains commanded ships built as regular warships. The "new" captains commanded ships hired in 1652:

"Old" captains:

Ship                  Guns Captain
Zeeuwschen Leeuw      27   Cornelis Evertsen de Oude
Amsterdam             32   Adriaen Kempen
Wapen van Zeeland     34   Joost Willemsz Block
Hasewint              28   Jacob Verhelle
Westcappel            28   Adriaen Banckert
Zeeuwschen Jager      14   Adriaen Jansz den Gloeyenden Oven
Middelburg            26   Claes Jansz Sanger
Sandenburg            24   Pieter Gorcum
Orangie, binnenjacht       Frans Mangelaer
Maecht, binnenjacht        Jan Jansz van de Putte
Zeeuwschen Post,           Oovrert (?) de Moor
  binnenjacht

The ship Jupiter

The ship Jupiter was hired by the Admiralty of Amsterdam for service in the Mediterranean Sea. Carl Stapel found that the Jupiter was hired at Venice in 1652. Cornelis Janszoon served as the Jupiter's captain. From the document found in the notary archives by Dr. Hart, we have all the critical details about the ship:

The ship Jupiter, kapitein Cornelis Janszoon (or Janssen)

Length from stem to sternpost:  130ft
Beam:                            30ft
Hold:                            14ft
Height between decks:             7ft

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

Crew:
100 men

Sources:

1. James C. Bender, unpublished manuscript "Dutch Ships 1600-1700", 2006
2. Dr. Simon Hart, papers from the Amsterdam notarial archives, Gemeentearchief Amsterdam: Arch. nr. 883, Inv. nr. 471
3. Carl Stapel, unpublished manuscript "12 gehuurde schepen voor Mid Zee 24 Juli 1652", 2006

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.