English naval officer: Sir John Munden

Sir John Munden served in the English navy in from the 1670's until the early 1700's. He was appointed 2nd Lieutenant of the St. David on 30 November 1677. He was appointed Lieutenant of the Constant Warwick on 16 July 1681. The King appointed him Lieutenant of the Mary Rose on 17 June 1685. On 11 July 1686, the King appointed him as First Lieutenant of the Charles galley. He was appointed to command the Half Moon fireship on 23 July 1688. He was promoted to Captain on 14 December 1688 and the Earl of Dartmouth appointed him to command the Edgar. He fought in the Battle of Beachy Head in 1690, where he commanded the Coronation (90 guns). In 1692, he fought in the Battle of Barfleur, where he commanded the Lennox (70 guns). In 1697, he cruised in the Mediterranean Sea to help suppress piracy. He commanded the Winchester (60 guns). On 14 April 1701, he was appointed Rear-Admiral of the Blue. On 1 July 1701, he was knighted. On 2 September 1701, he commanded an Anglo-Dutch squadron which escorted Admiral Benbow's squadron as they sailed for the Caribbean. On 28 January 1702, he was appointed Rear-Admiral of the White. He had been appointed Rear-Admiral of the Red on 30 June 1701. He was dismissed from the service sometime in 1702. He had commanded a squadron sent to Spain, and tried to intercept 13 French warships, but he could not catch them, and they got into Corunna. He was put before a court martial and was acquitted of all charges. The Queen was unhappy, nonetheless, and had the Lord High Admiral dismiss him from the service. Sir John Munden died in 1718. William Laird Clowes considers that he was mistreated. Sources:

1. William Laird Clowes, The Royal Navy: A History from the Earliest Times to the Present, Vol.II, 1898
2. David Syrett, R. L. DiNardo, The Commissioned Sea Officers of the Royal Navy 1660-1815, 1994
3. J.R. Tanner, A Descriptive Catalogue of the Naval Manuscripts in the Pepysian Library at Magdalene College, Cambridge, Vol.I, 1903

The ship Hoop (24 guns) hired in 1652

Another ship from the list of ships hired in 1652 is the ship Hoop (24 guns) commanded by Wolphert van Brederode. The Hoop took part in a convoy to Muscovy sometime from August 1652 and was paid off, probably late in the year. These are the details:

The ship the Hoop, Capt. Brederode

Length from stem to sternpost:  120ft
Beam:                            26ft
Hold:                            11-1/2ft
Height between decks:             6ft

24 guns:
 8 gotelingen     8 lbs
12 gotelingen     6 lbs
 6 gotelingen     3 lbs
 2 gotelingen     2 lbs

Crew:  70 men

The Frisian ship Breda

Jan Glete had sent me a copy of a document written by Ron van Maanen sometime in the past (presumably the man on the linked page is the same one). That document gives some new dimensions for the Frisian ship Breda. I also know the armament for the Breda from the Staet van Oorlog te Water for the year 1654 (at least the armament at that date):

Length:  120ft
Beam:     28ft or 29ft
Hold:     1x-1/2ft (probably 11-1/2ft).
Height between decks:  7ft

32 guns (all iron):
6-12pdr
10- 8pdr
12- 6pdr
4- 4pdr

Crew: 80 to 112 men

Sources:

1. Ron van Maanen, "De Dutch in Danish Waters: Part 1. The Dutch fleet in 1658 and 1659", unknown date
2. Staet van Oorlog te Water for the year 1654

I have a document that definitively shows that Jacob Cornelisz Swart commanded the Faam in 1653

I have a document that shows definitively that Jacob Cornelisz Swart was captain of the Amsterdam Director's ship Faam, at least in early 1653. This is the only handwritten document that I recall seeing that has his full name: Jacob Cornelisz Swart with the information about his ship, the Faam. In case that you are not familiar with this ship, which served from early 1652 until at least late 1653, here are the specifications:

The ship, the Faam, kapitein Jacob Cornelisz Swart

Length from stem to sternpost:  116ft
Beam:                            28ft
Hold:                            11ft
Height between decks:             7ft

28 guns:
4-brass 12pdr
8-iron  12pdr
8-iron   8pdr
6-iron   6pdr
2-iron   3pdr

Crew:  105 men

Vreugdenhil was apparently wrong about the two Catarinas possibly being the same ship

In his list, published in 1938, Vreugdenhil speculated that numbers 100 and 230 in his list might be the same ship. Since we now have specifications for both ships, we can see that they were extremely likely to be different ships. Number 100 was the 24-gun ship assigned to the Fishery Protection Squadron, and was captured by the English on 22 July 1652. We have information about the Catarina (28 guns) (as the ship is called) from 30 January 1653 from the Nationaal Archief. The information about the Catharina (24 guns) is from the pages from the Wrangell Collection. The two ships, if you believe the sources, were quite different. The Amsterdam Directors' ship had the following characteristics:

Catarina

hired by the Amsterdam Directors in January 1653

Captain:  Jacob Jansz Coppe

Length from stem to sternpost:  125ft
Beam:                            29-1/4ft (or 28-1/2ft)
Hold:                            12-1/2ft
Height between decks:             7ft

28 guns:
12-12pdr
 6-8pdr
 8-6pdr
 2-3pdr

Crew:  110 men


Catharina

Hired by the Admiralty of Amsterdam on 4 June 1652

Captain:  Dirck Bogaart

Length from stem to sternpost:  116ft
Beam:                            25ft
Hold:                            11-1/2ft
Height between decks:             6-1/2ft

24 guns:

6-8pdr
8-6pdr
4-4pdr
4-3pdr
2-brass bases, 3pdr

Crew: 70 to 80 men

It turns out that I know the height between decks for more ships than I knew

I had only recently become interested in recording the height between decks for Dutch ships. It turns out that a document provided me by Jan Glete in September 2004 written by Ron van Maanen, has that information for ships involved in operations in 1658. Here are some examples. Note that the actual measurement for the Eendracht's length was 152ft, despite being intended to be 150ft long:

Adm Ship                Date Guns Sailors Soldiers Length    Beam     Hold     Ht bet decks
R   Eendracht           1653 72   240     75       152ft     38ft     15ft-3in  7ft-9in
R   Rotterdam           1639 34    91     20       115ft-5in 27ft-3in 10ft-10in 6ft
R   Wapen van Dordrecht 1655 42   130     30       127ft-7in 32ft-5in 13ft-3in  7ft-4in
A   Landman             1653 40   136              130ft     32ft     13-1/2ft  7ft
A   Zon                 1640 40   115     24       130ft     31-1/2ft 12ft      7ft
A   Westfriesland       1648 28   100              118ft     28ft     10-1/2ft  6-1/2ft
N   Jozua               1653 50   150              136ft     34ft     14ft      7-1/2ft

Mystery ships and the Admiralty of Amsterdam in 1652 and 1653

Especially with respect to ships built as warships by the Admiralty of Amsterdam, I don't believe in "Mystery Ships". Abraham van der Hulst seemed like a compelling case for the existence of a "Mystery Ship" (one that we did not know about from published sources). The problem with the concept of "Mystery Ships" is that the ships in service with the Admiralty of Amsterdam in 1652 and early 1653 were very well-defined. The relevant documents are the following:

The Board of Admiralty in Amsterdam to the States General, dated 5 August 1652
  This is a summary of the ships in service and their employment, 
  although only captains are mentioned (published in The First Dutch War, Vol.I)

List of ships under the control of the Admiralty Board of Amsterdam
  This is undated by from the contents, appears to be from about mid-March 1653
     (published in The First Dutch War, Vol.IV)

Staat der Nederlandsche Zeemagt, in Maart des jaars 1653
   This is an outline of the strength of the Dutch navy, organized by 
     admiralty, and not listing ship names or captains, but is a 
     summary list. Many ships can be identified from the outline and
     the sailors and soldiers in the crew are specified for the 
     Admiralty of the Maze and the Admiralty of Amsterdam
      (published as Appendix XXII to Vol.I of Geschiedenis van het
        het Nederlandsche Zeewezen)

The Hoop, ship of Joris Collerij (Colerij, or Caullerij)

Another ship in the list from the Wrangel Collection is the 28-gun ship Hoop, commanded by Joris Collerij (Colerij or Caullerij). The Hoop was with Tromp's fleet on 30 June 1652 in Pieter Florissen's squadron. He was also with the fleet on the voyage to the Shetlands, and is listed in Hendrick de Raedt's pamphlet. His ship was paid off either in late 1652 or early 1653. This is the information about the Hoop from the Wrangel Collection document:

the ship, the Hoop, Capt. Collerij
Length from stem to sternpost:  120-1/2ft
Beam:                            25-1/2ft
Height between decks:             6ft-1in
28 guns:
 4 guns            10 lbs
 4 iron gotelingen  8 lbs
12 iron gotelingen  6 lbs
 6 iron gotelingen  3 lbs
 2 iron gotelingen  2 lbs

Crew: 90 men

The hired ship Patientia from the document from the Wrangel Collection

The Patientia as a 24-gun hired ship commanded by Adriaan van Loenen in 1652. The ship was eventually paid off. The Patientia seems to have been employed as a convoyer. In August, the ship was said to have been allocated to a convoy to the Sound. This is the information from the Wrangel Document. Striking features are the length and narrow beam and the extremely light armament:

The ship Patientia, Capt. van Loenen (it says "von Loenen")
Length from stem to sternpost:  130ft
Beam:                            25ft
Hold:                            11ft
Height between decks:             6-1/2ft
24 guns:
 4 gotelingen        8 lbs
10 gotelingen        6 lbs
 4 gotelingen        4 lbs
 4 gotelingen        3 lbs
 2 gotelingen        2 lbs

Crew:  70 men

Built as a warship or hired?

The entire question about which ships were built as warships and which were armed merchant ships that were hired seems to be pretty complicated. There is the document from the Wrangel Collection that lists ships as being hired that other sources say had been built as warships. There are other sources, such as the list of ships in Hendrick de Raedt's pamphlet. That list indicates that Dirck Juynbol's ship, the Gelderland (30 guns) was built as a warship. There are ships specifically listed as being part of the 100 ships of the Extraordinary Equipage:

R=Rotterdam
A=Amsterdam
Z=Zeeland
Adm Ship           Guns Crew Commander
R   Roskam           26 105  Corstiaen Eldertszoon
R   Maria            26 110  Crijn van der Kerckhoff
R   Prins te Paard   38 120  Corstiaen Corstiaenszoon
A   Hoop             28  90  Joris Collerij
A   Keyser           24  80  Jan ter Stegen
Z   a ship           28 100  Lambert Bartelszoon
Z  a fast storeship  20 100  Johannes Michielszoon
Z   Meermin          34*120* Jacob Wolfertszoon
Z   a ship           26* 90* Daniel Cornelisz Brackman
Z   Gecroonde Liefde 24  90* Dingeman Cats

We have thought that the Roskam was built as a warship, circa 1639, but cannot be sure. The Meermin and Gecroonde Liefde were also almost certainly built as warships, as well. We need to see if there is any explanation about why this would be the case, as well as with the Campen and other ships from the Wrangel Collection list that are said to be hired. There are other ships in the Hendrick de Raedt list that were almost certainly hired, but the list is silent on the subject (such as the Roode Leeuw, 24 guns, the ship of Reynst Cornelisz Sevenhuysen).

The Campen and the other warships in the 1652 list

The fact that the Campen appears in the list of ships "hired" in 1652 is a concern, in that the ship was almost certainly built as a warship, and was completed in early 1652 (prior to 29 May by some time). There were others that we are certain were built as warships, as well, such as the Edam, Star, Westfriesland, and Gouda. I have had concerns about the Campen (Kampen) before I ever saw the list from the Wrangel Collection. I have been trying to see the funding mechanisms behind the various ships in service from 1648 until 1654. At the Peace of Munster in 1648 at the end of both the Thirty Years War and the Dutch war of indepence, the Staten Generaal authorized funds for forty convoyers. As special operations were planned, additional funding was provided, such as that for Witte de With's expedition to Brazil from late 1647 until early 1650. Another ten ships were sent to Brazil, and these returned in May to June 1652. Starting in 1651, 36 warships that had been inactive were fitted out and manned for service a cruisers. The cruisers were activated because of worsening relations with England. By March 1652, war tensions had been increased, and the Staten Generaal ordered the hiring of 150 ships, fifty by the Directors of the port cities and 100 by the admiralties. There is circumstantial evidence that some of the 100 ships were purpose built warships that had been inactive or that were just completed, such as the Campen. The VOC had agreed to provide 6 ships in 1652, as well. By late 1652, the disadvantage that the Dutch faced against the English was so great that an initial building program of 30 new ships was initiated. Later in 1653, another 30 ships were authorized to be built. When it was clear that the war was coming to an end in late 1653, the Directors' ships were released from service, as were the VOC ships. In fact, some of the VOC ships were released in later 1652, as the large retourschepen were considered largely unsuitable as warships. There were several purchases of ships, as well, starting with the Groningen by the Admiralty of Friesland in later 1652. This whole topic is one that I intend to explore further.

Two 12 gun ships hired by Amsterdam in 1652

An interesting (to me) feature of the document that Jan Glete sent me is that there are two 12 gun vessels mentioned as being hired in 1652. One is named the Adelaar (Adeler) and the other is the Prinses Amelia. The Adelaar was commanded by Arent Warnaertszoon, who the document describes as "Captain". The Adelaar is armed with 8 iron 3pdrs and 4 chambered brass 3pdrs. The ship Prinses (Princesse) Amelia is armed with 6 iron gotelingen of 3 lbs and 2 brass guns of 3 lbs, and 4 drakes of 3 lbs. No commander is mentioned for the Prinses Amelia. I am guessing about this, but I would think that the Adelaar is the ship mentioned in Vreugdenhil's list as number 326 and the Prinses Amelia is probably the "Prinses" mentioned as number 339 in the list.

Perhaps the 3 pdrs for Claes Sael's ship should be 8 pdrs

The three pounders listed for Claes Sael's ship, the Maria, are in the position where eight pounders would be shown. Perhaps the 3pdr is a copier's error. (This is in the document that I received from Jan Glete, from the Wrangel Collection in the Swedish archives).

Joris van der Zaan's ship, the Campen, in 1652

Joris van der Zaan apparently commanded the Campen from earlier in 1652 up until he was killed in the Three Days Battle (the Battle of Portland). He was present in the confrontation with Anthony Young, at the Start, in May 1652, immediately prior to the outbreak of the war. His brother, Willem van der Zaan appointed captain of the Campen after the Three Days Battle. The Campen, contrary to what I had believed, was hired in 1652 for f3,500. We did know that the ship appeared on the scene in 1652. The Campen was, in fact, one of the Hundred Ships of the Extraordinary Equipage, according to this document. This is the information from the document that Jan Glete sent me:

The ship Campen
Length from stem to sternpost:  128ft
Beam:                            32ft
Hold:                            13ft
Height between decks:             7ft
40 guns:
 4 brass guns       18 lbs
 2 brass guns       12 lbs
 2 brass guns        8 lbs
 2 brass guns        6 lbs
14 iron gotelingen  12 lbs
16 iron gotelingen   6 lbs
Crew: 120 men

The list of ships hired by the Admiralty of Amsterdam, apparently in early 1652

The list of ships in the document sent me by Jan Glete is very striking. Included are ships that are usually thought of as purpose-built warships. The document is convincing, as it gives the amounts paid to hire the ships. The ships were all part of the "Extraordinary Equipage", the 100 ships to be hired by the five Admiralties in 1652. These are the large ships included in the document, in this order:

Name             Guns Crew Captain
Star               28   90 Jacob Paulusz Cort
Edam               30   90 Barent Cramer
Hollandia          32   90 Albert de Graeff
Hoop               28   90 Joris Collerij (one of many spellings)
Goude Leeuw        24   75 Gillis Thyssen Campen
Marcus Curtius     24   70 Hendrick Kroeger
Hollandsce Tuin    24   70 Hillebrandt Jeroenssen (Jeroenszoon)
Patientia          24   70 Adriaan van Loenen
Catharina          24   70 Dirck Bogaert
Keijser            24   70 Jan ter Stegen
Hoop               24   70 Wolphert van Brederode
Aartsengel Michiel 40  120 Emmanuel Zalingen
Campen             40  120 Joris van der Zaan
Engel Gabriel      36  120 Isaac Sweers
Drie Coningen      36  120 Lucas Albertszoon (Albertssen)
Amsterdam          30  100 Simon van der Aeck
Gouda              28   90 Jan Egbertsz Ooms
Maria              30  100 Claes Sael
Westfriesland      28   90 Hendrick Huyskens
Amelia             28   90 Willem van der Zaan
Sampson            26   90 Hendrick Adriaanszoon
Achillis           28   90 Dirck Schey

The Aartsengel Michiel from the papers from Jan Glete

The Aartsengel Michiel (the papers from Jan Glete just call the ship the Engel Michiel) was hired in 1652, fought in the Battle of Plymouth, under De Ruyter's command, and probably fought in the Battle of the Kentish Knock. Later in 1652, the ship was sent to the Mediterranean Sea, where it operated as a storeship for the fleet there. I have seen the Aartsengel Michiel described as a fluit. The Aartsengel Michiel is number 90 in Vreugdenhil's list. Vreugdenhil had a note that the Aartsengel Michiel's guns were "small", but that was not true in 1652, at least according to the document that Jan Glete sent me from the Wrangel Collection in the Swedish archives. This is what that document has:

The ship, the Engel Michiel

Length from stem to sternpost:   142ft
Beam:                             32-1/2ft
Hold:                             14-1/2ft
Height between decks:              7ft

40 guns:
 4 iron gotelingen of 18lbs
16 iron gotelingen of 12lbs
16 iron gotelingen of  8lbs
 4 iron gotelingen of  4lbs

De huyr van 't schip        3100
de gagie van 't 120 coppen  1490
de matroosen van 120 coppen 1271
Extraordinaris                60
huyr van 20 stucken          400

I do not understand the reference to 120 men twice, as I have understood the presence of the first sort of reference to mean that this was the cost of hiring the crew. The second is a reference to 120 sailors.

A small, 24 gun hired ship for the Admiralty of Amsterdam

In 1652, Gillis Thijssen Campen (as it is written on the page) commanded the small, 24 gun ship Gouden Leeuw. The striking thing is the light armament carried. This is the data from the information that I received from Jan Glete:

The ship Gouden Leeuw, Capt. Gijllis Thijssen Campen

Length from stem to sternpost:    113ft
Beam:                              26ft
Hold:                              12ft
Height between decks:               6-1/2ft

24 guns:
6 iron gotelingen   8 lbs
8 iron gotelingen   6 lbs
4 iron gotelingen   4 lbs
4 iron gotelingen   3 lbs
2 iron gotelingen   2 lbs

Crew of 75 men

Given that the Gouden Leeuw was essentially used as a small ship of the line, with the fleet, I can see why the ship was paid off in October. It may also have been in poor condition. During the summer of 1652, Gillis Thyssen Campen was assigned to Witte de With's squadron of ten ships.

Claes Sael's ship Maria had an odd armament

For a 30-gun ship, Claes Sael's ship Maria had a very light weight of broadside. This is the information:

The ship of Capt. Sael named Maria

Length between stem and sternpost:  134-3/4ft
Beam:                                29ft
Hold:                                13ft-9in
Height between decks:                 6ft-3in

36 guns:
 4 iron gotelingen   12 lbs
16 iron gotelingen    3 lbs
 6 iron gotelingen    6 lbs
 4 iron gotelingen    4 lbs

Lucas Albertssen's ship, the Drie Coningen

From the pages that Jan Glete sent me, from the Wrangel Collection at the Swedish National Archives, the ship Drie Coningen is listed. This was the ship commanded in the summer and fall of 1652 by Lucas Albertssen (or Albertszoon). The ship was very long and narrow:

The ship Drie Coningen, kapitein Lucas Albertszoon

Length from stem to sternpost:  145ft
Beam:                            30ft
Hold:                            14-1/2ft

36 guns:
16 gotelingen of 12 lbs
10 gotelingen of  8 lbs
 6 gotelingen of  6 lbs
 4 gotelingen of  4 lbs

The Drie Coningen fought in the Battle of Plymouth in August, in De Ruyter's fleet and then at the Battle of the Kentish Knock on 8 October 1652. The ship very likely continued in service for the rest of the war, although confirming that is more difficult. Lucas Albertssen was likely dismissed in late 1652.

A tidbit: the ship Star commanded by Jacob Paulusz Cort

I receive mail from Prof. Jan Glete, today. It contains data for ships of the Admiralty of Amsterdam, dating from 1652. This is from the listing for the ship Star, commanded by Jacob Paulusz Cort. The dimensions match those that are known, but it includes the height between decks and the list of guns carried:

The ship Star, Captain Cort

Length from stem to sternpost: 120ft
Beam                            28ft
Height between decks             6-1/2ft

28 guns: 
 
 6 brass guns of  12 lbs
 2 brass drakes of 3 lbs
12 gotelingen of  8 lbs
 8 gotelingen of  6 lbs

The crew was 90 men

Climatology research in the Caribbean

For a study of 17th Century hurricanes and tropical storms, a researcher is interested in information about merchant and warships that were in the Caribbean and for which log books or journals might exist. Send me any information that you might have and I will pass it on to the researcher. I have also cross post this on the other 17th Century naval history-related blog (Anglo-Dutch Wars).

Peter Padfield on tactics at the Battle of the Kentish Knock

In The Tide of Empires, Peter Padfield writes about the tactics used at the Battle of the Kentish Knock. He says that both sides fought in informal lines of battle. Unlike what Michael Baumber writes about Blake, Peter Padfield says that the English sailed north in a "column some six miles along". He shows that the Dutch sailed to the west-northwest in an informal line, with ships divided as to their squadron commander. As the English tried to turn onto the same tack as the Dutch, the James and the Resolution grounded on the Kentish Knock. They pretty easily got off and went on the other tack. The Dutch had also had to go to the southeast to keep off the Kentish Knock sandbar. The Dutch were divided into four squadrons with De Ruyter's squadron in the van, Witte de With in the center, and Gideon de Wildt in the rear. Cornelis Evertsen's reserve squadron was behind the line. As the Dutch ships took damage, John Mildmay, in the Nonsuch (40 guns) took the Gorcum (30 guns) and apparently, the Maria (30 guns). On 9 October 1652, the next day, the English abandoned the Gorcum, as they thought the ship was "in a sinking condition". The Dutch crew, led by Willem Adriaansz Warmont took the Gorcum back and it was taken back to the Netherlands. One other ship, the Burgh van Alkmaar (24 guns) apparently blew up. Many other ships took considerable damage, as you would expect when a fleet of inferior ships tried to fight in line of battle with an English fleet with at least 7 First and Second rates. Sources:

1. R. C. Anderson, "English Fleet-Lists in the First Dutch War," The Mariner's Mirror, Vol.XXIV No.4, October 1938
2. Michael Baumber, General-at-Sea, 1989
3. Peter Padfield, The Tide of Empires: Decisive Naval Campaigns in the Rise of the West, Vol.I, 1979
4. A. Vreugdenhil, Ships of the United Netherlands 1648-1702, 1938

Witte de With on 8 and 9 October 1652

Witte de With wrote that the wind on 8 October 1652 was from the west-southwest. A galjoot joined inthe morning. The commandeur, Frans Denich, had been sent with dispatches. When he saw that he would be boarded by the English, he threw them overboard. He pretended to be a Hamburger and was let go. The weather had been rough, so the fleet was scattered, as some of the ships had dragged their anchors. They saw the English fleet, commanded by Robert Blake, at noon. The English had 73 ships. The Dutch tried to concentrate their ships. A feature of Witte de With's journals is that he recorded the direction of the sun. The sun was to the southwest by south, and the fleet was concentrated, except for the Prins Willem and the Louise Hendrika, both East Indiamen from the Middelburg Chamber of the VOC. We believe that Witte de With saw that the two great ships were present, and he wanted to be on board a larger ship than the 120ft Prinses Louise (36 guns). He wanted to be on his favorite ship, the Brederode (54 guns), but Tromp's people would not let him aboard. He settled for the 170ft Prins Willem (40 guns), which turned out to be a horrendous sailer. Witte de With and the Prins Willem were in the center of the Dutch fleet. The fleets closed and because the Prins Willem was the closest Dutch ship (they were not in a line), the ship quickly accumulated sail, rigging, and spar damage. Michiel De Ruyter was in the Louise Hendrika, and his ship was also quickly disabled. To Witte de With's chagrin, the ships behind him fired through the Prins Willem ("which, in my opinion, is a great brutality and outrage"). The fleets separated in the night. The Dutch let their ships drift with sails furled all night, as they were to the leeward of the English. In the morning, with the English two miles to the windward, the Dutch held a council of war. Witte de With complained about captains not doing their duty in the battle. With the advice of De Ruyter and Cornelis Evertsen de Oude, they decided that it would be a mistake to close the English in a situation where the wind was very light to calm. The Dutch were now to the windward of the English, beyond range of their guns. Late on the 9th, as the Dutch sailed towards home, several fast English ships fired a few rounds at the rear Dutch ships. This is based on the account in Witte de With's journal, as translated and quoted in The First Dutch War, Vol.II.

Mr. Van Dongen's paper about Witte de With

I have enjoyed reading Mr. Antoine van Dongen's paper about the life of Witte de With. Witte de With had been Piet Hein's flag captain for the capture of the Spanish silverfleet, but when Piet Hein was appointed as luitenant-admiraal, he chose Maarten Tromp as his flag captain. It was on the Groene Draeck (26 guns) that Piet Hein was killed in action by a 6pdr shot in an action with Spanish Dunkirkers during 1629. After Piet Hein was killed, both Witte de With and Maarten Tromp left the navy for a period. Witte de With was successful with a fish business, while Tromp was "director of a ship's wharf". When Witte de With returned to the navy in 1637, he found that Tromp had been appointed as luitenant-admiraal. Very soon, after Witte de With had been blockading Dunkirk, Tromp had him brought before a courtmartial, in a proceeding where the witnesses committed perjury. Witte de With was acquitted, and it could not have helped the relationship in the future. Sources:

1. James C. Bender, unpublished manuscript "Dutch Ships 1600-1700", 2005
2. Antoine Francois van Dongen, "Making Waves": the life and times of Admiral Witte de With (1599-1658), 2005

English Naval Officer: John Baker

John Baker served in the navy in the late 17th and early 18th Centuries. He was appointed as a Lieutenant on 14 November 1688. He was promoted to Captain on 12 October 1691. He commanded the Newcastle (46 guns) in the Convoy for the Smyrna Fleet in June 1693, and fought in the defence of the convoy. In 1694, he commanded the Monmouth (66 guns) in a squadron dispatched to the Mediterranean Sea to attack "a large French convoy". In the event, the English staged a boat attack and caused great damage. On 12 October 1702, he fought in the action in Vigo Bay, where he commanded the Monmouth. He again commanded the Monmouth (70 guns) in the captured of Gibraltar in 1704. He also fought in the Battle of Velez Malaga on 13 August 1704, where he was again in the Monmouth (70 guns). On 17 January 1708, he was appointed as Rear-Admiral of the White. He was sent to Ostende to bring back troops to reinforce northern Britain. On 21 December 1708, he was appointed as Rear-Admiral of the Red. He was dispatched to Cadiz with a convoy of transports, but did not arrive in time, causing the attack to be abandoned. In 1710, he commanded a small squadron which chased an took some French ships in the Mediterranean. In 1712, he commanded a squadron cruising off Portugal. From 3 June 1713 until 1714, he was a member of parliament for Weymouth and Melcombe Regis. From 1715 until 10 November 1716, he was member of parliament for the same constituancy. On 15 June 1716, he was appointed as Vice-Admiral of the White. He died on 10 November 1716. Sources:

1. William Laird Clowes, The Royal Navy: A History from the Earliest Times to the Present, Vol.II, 1898
2. David Syrett, R. L. DiNardo, The Commissioned Sea Officers of the Royal Navy 1660-1815, 1994

More about Isaac Sweers' ship than you wanted to know

I can't leave the topic of Isaac Sweers' ship alone. The issue is that the only Amsterdam ship named Engel Gabriel known to have been hired at a time when he could commanded it was the 28-gun ship on 19 June 1652. Isaac Sweers seems to have taken command in July, if I understand correctly. The problem is that a document, published in The First Dutch War, Vol.II gives the ship as having a crew of 130 men. This is the same as the entry in the list published on pages 308 to 310 in The First Dutch War, Vol.IV, where the Engel Gabriel was said to have carried 36 guns and had a crew of 130 men. Not only that, but I realized that in De Jonge's list of ships in service in March 1653, that the loss of the Engel Gabriel is mentioned in the form of the 36-gun ship sunk in the Three Days Battle. I think it unlikely that the 28-gun ship was upgunned to 36 guns, although it is not totally impossible. More like, there was another ship hired, named Engel Gabriel, which is either not recorded in information that has been seen, or has not been discovered, yet. There is only one example of a ship that has been radically upgunned to this extent, and that was Michiel De Ruyter's flagship, Jan Thyssen's ship, the Witte Lam. The Witte Lam was a Vlissingen Directors' ship that started the war with 32 guns and was eventually upgunned to 40 guns. The Witte Lam must have been a substantial ship, as the Witte Lam repeatedly took heavy damage, survived, and was repaired.

English Naval Officer: Sir David Mitchell

Sir David Mithcell served in the English Navy from the late 17th to the early 18th Centuries. He was appointed as a Lieutenant on 16 January 1678. He was promoted to Captain on 1 October 1683. He was flag captain to Admiral Herbert at the Battle of Bantry Bay on 1 May 1689. He commanded the Elizabeth (70 guns). He also commanded the Elizabeth in the Battle of Beach Head in 1690. At the Battle of Barfleur in 1692, he was flag captain to Admiral Russell on the Britannia. On 7 February 1693, he was appointed as Rear-Admiral of the Blue. ON 4 July 1693, he was appointed as Vice-Admiral of the Blue. He was knighted in 1694. He commanded a squadron left by Admiral Russell at Cadiz, until Russell returned. There are some other dates, which I am think mean that on 26 October 1691, he was appointed as a Major of Foot in the Marine Regiment and on 14 October 1695, he was appointed as Lieutenant-Colonel of Foot in the Marine Regiment. From 31 May 1699, he was appointed as a Commissioner on the Admiralty Council. On 28 January 1702, he was appointed as Vice-Admiral of the White. He died on 1 June 1710. Sources:

1. William Laird Clowes, The Royal Navy: A History from the Earliest Times to the Present, Vol.II, 1898
2. David Syrett, R. L. DiNardo, The Commissioned Sea Officers of the Royal Navy 1660-1815, 1994

I suspect that the real date for the list of Dutch warships in The First Dutch War and Hollandsche Mercurius is later than June 1652

I suspect that the real date for the list in Vol.I of The First Dutch War, which is derived from a list in the Hollandsche Mercurius, is later than June. There are a number of reasons to think that, several being the Rotterdam Directors' ship situation and partly because of the ship that probably is that of Pieter Adriaansz van Blocker. If I am correct, his ship was hired by the Hoorn Directors on 19 July 1652. I just have circumstantial evidence to back me up: the other Hoorn Directors' ship is one we know, the Sampson (30 guns and a crew of 110 men), the ship of Jan Pietersz Houck.

Another comment about the "Wapen van der Vere"

The handwriting on the document from the Zeeuws Archief clearly is "Wapen van der Vere". The city is usually writen as Veere, and "van der Vere" is not the current usage. However, in the US, at least, there are many people with "van der" in their name. There is a web page by Steve Vandiver (probably derived from Van der Veere) that says, among other things:

Origins of the Van Der Veer Name

The name itself means of the ferry or of the village of Veere. Dutch dictionaries also list veer as meaning feather, but I have seen no surname references using it in that context. Veere, Zeeland, The Netherlands, which was once the location of a Roman fort and is now named for a ferry that was established at it's present location. This village is commonly associated with the Van Der Veer name. De Kampveersche Toren or The Campveere Tower is pictured at right [go to Steve's link to see it] and named after Campveere, as Veere was known as in 1281 for a ferry that sailed to Campum on the other side of the lake. I visited Veere in Sept 2001, a definite must see for anyone traveling to The Netherlands.

Which Engel Gabriel did Isaac Sweers command in 1652 and 1653?

One question is which ship named Engel Gabriel did Isaac Sweers command in 1652 and 1653? The First Dutch War, Vol.IV, on page 310 gives the ship as carrying 36 guns and having a crew of 130 men. Ship number 108 in Vreugdenhil's list matches that description (at least the guns and being lost in 1653). There is another list, this time of ships that served in De Ruyter's fleet in July to September 1652, and Isaac Sweers is included. His ship's name is omitted as is the number of guns. His crew is given as 130 men. Vreugdenhil apparently thought that ship number 16 in his list was the Engel Gabriel commanded by Adriaan van den Bosch in 1653. The number of guns is not specified but only that the ship was built in 1636 and was a States' ship. We happen to know, thanks to Carl Stapel, that a ship named Engel Gabriel, with 28 guns, was hired on 19 June 1652 in Amsterdam. We apparently have to accept this ship as the one commanded by Isaac Sweers and which was sunk by gunfire in the first day of the Three Days' Battle, on 28 February 1653. The 28 gun Engel Gabriel is about the same size as Pieter Florissen's ship, the Monnikendam, which was eventually armed with 36 guns and had a crew of 138 men. The Engel Gabriel is somewhat smaller, but not by a lot. If the ship had its armament increased to 36 guns, they could have been rather light. I am not particularly comfortable with this assessment, but there is no real other option.

I am converting documents to 7.5pt font and adding the day of the month

In my current work, where I have entries that are like notes with a date, I had only been using month and year (although in the largest list, I do occasionally use the day of the month, a well). I decided that I needed to add the day of the month, as I want to add the date that ships were hired.

I have long wanted to use a smaller font size than 8pt in Word, but the selection list only goes down to 8pt. I learned that you can type in sizes like 7pt or 7.5pt. 7.5pt is still readable, while 7pt is probably too small (at least to read the Word document, not printed). I am in the process of converting the documents that I am currently updating to use the 7.5pt font size. This allows more room for things like more precise dates.

Cornelis Tromp only arrived back in the Netherlands in late 1653

While Cornelis Tromp had left Cadiz for home on 27 August 1653, he did not actually reach home until later. He arrived at the Isle of Ré on 18 September. The situation was such that he was asked to stay with the ships he had in company and wait until his chances of returning safely were better. He waited amonth, and he sailed, arriving back in the Netherlands in November 1653.

The Dutch had left 10 hired merchantment in the Mediterranean Sea to protectt shipping. They were commanded by Adriaan Rodenhaes. He stayed in the Mediterranean Sea until early 1654. He was ordered to pay off the hired ships, and no Dutch warships or hired merchantmen remained in the Mediterranean Sea. Adriaan Rodenhaes had received the order to pay off the ships on 9 February 1654.

Sources:

1. R. C. Anderson, "The First Dutch War in the Mediterranean," The Mariner's Mirror, Vol.49, No.4, November 1963
2. C. T. Atkinson, Ed., The First Dutch War, Vol. VI, 1930

A research project about captured Dutch ships

There is a research project being pursued to look at correpondence taken from Dutch ships captured by the English. This is the link to the page. A longtime reader sent me an email about this project. I would be particularly interested in seeing information about Dutch ships taken in the First Anglo-Dutch War, which served in the English navy.

What if the English report was correct, and Sipke Fockes' ship on 29 May 1652 carried 37 guns?

I know that Sipke Fockes' ship in 1652 and early 1653 was the Sint Maria, which carried 28 guns. This is quite at odds with the English report that they took a ship of 37 guns on 29 May 1652, but abandoned it, as it appeared to be about to sink. The Dutch recovered the ship and towed it in, in a dismasted condition. Thanks to Carl Stapel, we have wind of a Sint Maria of larger dimensions that could have carried 37 guns. I hope to have access to the document to assess the information.

Leading up to Dungness in December 1652

Jan Evertsen's journal, as transcribed and translated in The First Dutch War, Vol.III, is interesting to me. I have copies of the original, in handwritten Dutch, to compare with points that seem to possibly be wrong, such as the list of captains at C.T. Atkinson had misread (he read "Hermes Mumincx", instead of the correct "Herman Munnick"). Jan Evertsen's journal is a convenient way to know the days of the week that corresponded to dates. Jan Evertsen also gives the wind direction:

30 November 1652  Saturday   Wind slight, E and E by SE, overcast
 1 December       Sunday     Wind SE and SSE, overcast and sprinkles of rain
 2 December       Monday     Wind SE and SE by E, thick, drizzling rain
 3 December       Tuesday    Wind slight, SSE, overcast
 4 December       Wednesday  Fair weather at daybreak, wind NW, and NNW, 
                                 backing to SW, the fleet sailing NW by W, and WNW
 5 December       Thursday   Half gale and rain, wind SSW, fleet sailing to SE
 6 December       Friday     Strong wind from SW and SSW, sailing to the SE
 7 December       Saturday   Fair weather, the wind from SW, SSW, and S
 8 December       Sunday     Thick weather, the wind from WSW and W
 9 December       Monday     Overcast and very cold, the wind from WNW and W
10 December       Tuesday    The Battle of Dungeness, wind NNW and NW by W

Dutch hired ship armaments

The one Dutch hired ship for which I have so far seen an armament for 1652 had a mix of 12pdrs and 6pdrs on the lower tier, 4pdrs on the quarterdeck (I am guessing), and 2-3pdr, either on the forecastle or the poop. I have seen hired ships, but they were all Directors' ships. They often carried a standard armament, probably with a mix of 12pdrs and 8pdrs on the lower tier, 6pdrs on the quarterdeck, and the same 2-pdrs.

Zeeland Directors' ships in March 1653

This is my attempt at listing the Zeeland Directors' ships in service in mid-March 1653:

Directors’ ships of Middelburg

Rank      Name                          Adm/Dir  guns crew Ship            Sources
kapitein  Jan Penssen                   Mi-Dir   30   110  Goude Leeuw     1DW1, 1DW2,1DW6
kapitein  formerly Johannes Regermorter Mi-Dir   30   105  ?               1DW1, raedt                                      
kapitein  Claes Janszoon Gaeuw          Mi-Dir   30   105  Leeuwin                    

Directors’ ships of Vlissingen

Rank      Name                          Adm/Dir  guns crew Ship            Sources
kapitein  Jan Thijssen                  Vli-Dir  40   145  Witte Lam       1DW1, ball, salt
kapitein  Cornelis Evertsen de Jonge    Vli-Dir  26   110  Vlissingen      raedt, 1DW1, 1DW2
kapitein  luitenant Teunis Poort        Vli-Dir  26   110  Dubbele Arend   raedt, 1DW1, schet3
kapitein  Bastiaan Centen               Vli-Dir  30   108  Haes in ’t Veld     

Directors’ ship of Zierikzee

Rank      Name                          Adm/Dir  guns crew Ship            Sources
kapitein  schipper Crijn Mangelaer      Zi-Dir   34   110  Liefde          raedt, 1DW1, ball

Directors’ ship of Veere

Rank      Name                          Adm/Dir  guns crew Ship            Sources
kapitein  Jan Olivierszoon              Ve-Dir   38   125  Wapen ter Veere raedt, zdir            

Ships named Amsterdam in 1653

We had thought that the ship Amsterdam commanded by Paulus Egbertsz Sonck at the Battle of Scheveningen was the new ship completed in 1653 that carried 50 guns. The reason to doubt this is that after the Battle of Scheveningen, the ship Amsterdam was listed as having carried 5,000 lbs. of gunpowder (50 barrels) and as having 1,900 lbs. remaining. This is quite out of line with a 50 gun ship. The Campen, a 40-gun ship, had started the battle with 94 barrels of gunpowder (9,400 lbs.) and ended the battle with 66 barrels (6,600 lbs). More likely, the Amsterdam was the ship previously commanded by Sijmon van der Aeck, carrying 30 guns and having a crew of 100 men. We now believe that Jan Gidionsz Verburch (or Verburgh) commanded the new Amsterdam (50 guns and a crew of 170 men) on Witte de With's voyage to Norway to convoy back merchants ships stranded there by the English blockade. Certainly, Jan Gidionsz Verburch commanded the Amsterdam built in 1653 in July 1654 and in 1658, where he fought in the Battle of the Sound. Sources:

1. C. T. Atkinson, Ed., The First Dutch War, Vol.V, 1912
2. C. T. Atkinson, Ed., The First Dutch War, Vol. VI, 1930
3. James C. Bender, unpublished manuscript "Dutch Ships 1600-1700", 2005
4. Johan E. Elias, Schetsen uit de geschiedenis van ons zeewezen, Vol.VI, 1930
5. G. L. Grove, Journalen van de Admiralen Van Wassenaer-Obdam (1658/59) en De Ruyter (1659/60), 1907

English Captain: James Coppin

James Coppin served in the Commonwealth navy. In 1649, he commanded the Seaflower ketch. From 1650 until 1651, he commanded the Margaret ketch. Both of the ketches were hired merchantmen. From 1651 until 1652, he commanded the Hart, a 6th Rate (14 guns and a crew of 60 men). He was killed in action with the Dutch, along with 8 of his men. His ship was captured, probably in August 1652, although the exact date is uncertain. Sources:

1. R. C. Anderson, List of English Naval Captains 1642-1660, 1964
2. Dr. S.R. Gardiner, Ed., The First Dutch War, Vol.I, 1898

English Captain: William Wheatley

William Wheatly served in the Commonwealth navy. In 1649, he commanded a small vessel, the Warspite (not the old ship, now hulked). This Warspite was in service from about 1646 until 1650. He was appointed to command the Warspite in April 1649 by Robert Blake and Richard Deane. In 1650, William Wheatly commanded the Cygnet fireship. He seems to have not served after 1650. Sources:

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

My current estimate of Zeeland ships in service in mid-March 1653

I keep refining and doing more analysis in support of my list that attempts to fill in details to De Jonge's outline for March 1653. The date appears to be into March, after the The Three Days Battle (Portland) and before they had received word in the Netherlands about the results of the Battle of Livorno. This represents my current thinking about ships in service for the Admiralty of Zeeland. The biggest news is my estimate of Jan Duijm's ship. This is the list:

Admiralty of Zeeland

States’ ships

Rank               Name                             Adm/Dir  guns Sailors Soldiers Ship                  Sources
vice-admiraal      Jan Evertsen                     Z        36   116     ?        Hollandia             1DW1, 1DW2, jonge1
                   flag captain Adriaan Bankert

kapitein           Jacob Wolfertszoon               Z        34   100     ?        Meermin               jonge1
kapitein           Adriaan Nicolaesz Kempen         Z        32   100     ?        Wapen van Zeeland     jonge1, schet5, paintings

kapitein           Joost Willemsz Block             Z        32    85     ?        Wapen van Zeeland     jonge1

kapitein           Frans Krijnsz Mangelaer          Z        28   111     ?        Liefde                vreug, 1DW2, 1DW6, jonge1
commandeur         Cornelis Evertsen de Oude        Z        28   111     ?        Wapen van Zeeland     
kapitein           Adriaan Jansz den Oven           Z        28   111     ?        Neptunus              
kapitein           Gillis Janszoon                  Z        28    85     ?        Zeeridder             jonge1
kapitein           Joost Bankert’s luitenant        Z        26    85     ?        Liefde                jonge1, 1DW2
kapitein           Claes Jansz Sanger               Z        26    85     ?        West Capelle          
kapitein           formerly Cornelis Kuijper        Z        26    85     ?        Ter Goes              
kapitein           Jan Duijm                        Z        26?   85     ?        Sint Jan?              
kapitein           Claes Jansz Sanger               Z        26    85     ?        West Cappelle         
kapitein           Dingeman Cats                    Z        24    85     ?        Gekroonde Liefde      jonge1, vreug, 1DW4

kapitein           Pieter Gorcum                    Z        17    50?    ?        Dordrecht             jonge1, staet54, 1DW2           

kapitein           Cornelis Kuiper                  Z        14    40     ?        Jager(Gloeyenden Oven)jonge1, schet3

More about "Charters"

The Dutch referred to a warship specification as a "Charter". These are some examples that seem charter-like, using Amsterdam feet as the measure:

250 lasts   128 feet long   
200 lasts   125 feet long
200 lasts   120 feet long
170 lasts   116 feet long

More formerly, were the ships built in the First Anglo-Dutch War building program. There were three official charters, but there was wide variation from them:

Large  150ft x 38ft x 15ft
Medium 136ft x 36ft x 14ft
Small  130ft x 32ft x 13.5ft

The reality was that many of of the 130ft ships, such as the Noorderkwartier ship Jupiter, were built to a variation of those dimensions: 130ft x 32ft x 12ft. Armament seem to have not been specified by Charters. Armament were more driven by the availibility of guns, at least in the 1650's and 1660's. Frank Fox says that the Dutch had solved their gun supply problem by the 1670's, so that the Zeven Provinciën could have a complete lower tier of 36pdrs. A good source on Charters is Dr. Elias's book De Vlootbouw in Nederland.

Classic dimensions

Both the English and Dutch navies in the 17th Centuries built ships to "classic dimensions". Admittedly, over time, they altered somewhat. For the Dutch, as the century progressed, the beam of Dutch warships increased. In the 1620's and 1630's, Dutch warships tended to have narrow beams. In the case of the Maecht van Dordrecht, built for the Admiralty of Rotterdam (or, the Maze), I have expected that he dimensions, when converted to Amsterdam feet, would be something like 143ft x 35ft x 14.5ft. The ship was built to Maas feet of 308mm (12 inches per foot), so we can only guess what the actual measurements, as built, were in Amsterdam feet of 283mm (11 inches per foot). The Maecht van Dordrecht fought in the campaign leading up to the Battle of the Downs, in 1639, and was Witte de With's flagship. The Maecht van Dordrecht was the second largest Dutch warship, after Tromp's flagship, the Aemilia, and also carried the second heaviest armament: 10-24pdr, 14-18pdr, 16-12pdr, and 6-6pdr. Sources:

1. Johan E. Elias, De Vlootbouw in Nederland 1596-1655, 1933
2. J. C. De Jonge, Geschiedenis van het Nederlandsche Zeewezen, Vol.I, 1858

The Amsterdam Directors' ship Elias

I imagine that the Amsterdam Directors' ship Elias was hired sometime in March 1652, as were the bulk of the Directors' ships. The Elias was quite a large ship, having dimensions of 132.5ft x 30ft x 13ft, with 6.5ft between the main deck and the upper deck. Her armament on 8 November 1652 consisted of 4-brass 24pdr, 14-12pdr, 10-8pdr, 4-6pdr, and 2-3pdr guns. Her crew varied from 112 men up to at least 120 men. This is a summary of the Elias's service:

Key
Adm=Admiralty
h=hired
St=status
Note=Note Date
A-Dir=Amsterdam Directors

Adm   Name Guns Crew Date St Note   Commander                 Ship Fate  Captain  Note
A-Dir Elias 34  112  1652 h  5/1652 Jacob Sievertsz Spanheijm                     Battle of Dover
                             8/1652 Jacob Sievertsz Spanheijm                     Voyage to the Shetlands
                            12/1652 Jacob Sievertsz Spanheijm                     in Pieter Florissen's squadron
                            12/1652 Jacob Sievertsz Spanheijm                     Battle of Dungeness
                             2/1653 Jacob Sievertsz Spahheijm                     With the fleet, ship leaky
                             3/1653 Jacob Sievertsz Spanheijm            killed   The Three Days Battle
                             6/1653 Frans Fransz Sluyter       captured  prisoner Battle of the Gabbard

War losses of the Admiralty of the Maze (Rotterdam) as of March 1653

I have made a good deal of progress on my version of De Jonge's list of ships in service in March 1653. For Rotterdam and Amsterdam, he lists war losses, as well. This is my attempt at a list of the Rotterdam war losses up to mid-March 1653:

Rank               Name                             Adm   guns Sailors Soldiers Ship                  Date  Type Sources
kapitein           Willem Joosten van Colster       R      36                   Prinses Roijael Marie 1643  b    vreug, jonge1, 1DW1
kapitein           Jan Evertsz de Liefde            R      26                   Dordrecht                        schet2, 26feb52
kapitein           Jacob van Boshuijsen             R      26                   Wapen van Rotterdam              26feb52, schet2

Sunk

Rank               Name                             Adm   guns Sailors Soldiers Ship                  Date  Type Sources
Kapitein           Dirk Juynbol                     R      30                   Gelderland            1652*  ?   1DW2, schet3
Kapitein           Hendrick Jansz de Munnick        R      26                   Wapen van Rotterdam   1652*  b   1DW3, 26feb52
Kapitein           Paulus van den Kerckhoff         R      26                   Nijmegen              1645   p   schet2, 26feb52

The key for all sources, including many not referenced here:

Key:

Sources:

1DW1 = The First Dutch War, Vol.I
1DW2 = The First Dutch War, Vol.II
1DW3 = The First Dutch War, Vol.III
1DW4 = The First Dutch War, Vol.IV
1DW5 = The First Dutch War, Vol.V
1DW6 = The First Dutch War, Vol.VI
ball    = Dr. Ballhausen’s book
rdhb  = Rotterdamsche Historiebladen
schet2 = Schetsen uit de Geschiedens van ons Zeewezen, Vol.II
schet3 = Schetsen uit de Geschiedens van ons Zeewezen, Vol.III
schet4 = Schetsen uit de Geschiedens van ons Zeewezen, Vol.IV
schet5 = Schetsen uit de Geschiedens van ons Zeewezen, Vol.V
schet6 = Schetsen uit de Geschiedens van ons Zeewezen, Vol.VI
vloot = De Vlootbouw in Nederland
vreug = A. Vreugdenhil, Ships of the United Netherlands 1648-1702
glete = Jan Glete’s notes on Directors’ ships 
dir    = Director’s ship documents from the Nationaal Archief from 1652 and 1653
     1-undated but from March 1652 or later with a table
     2-12 March 1652
     3-27 March 1652
     4-30 March 1652
     5-8 November 1652
     6-10 January 1653
     7-27 January 1653
     8-28 January 1653
     9-30 January 1653
     10-8 February 1653
     11-18 March 1653
     12-undated but from early 1653
     13-4 April 1653

ont = Onstelde-Zee
raedt = Pamphlet of Hendrik de Raedt (about the voyage to the Shetlands)
26Feb52 = Admiralty of Rotterdam, 26 February 1652
zdir = Zeeland Directors ships pages from the Zeeuws Archief
fleet1 = list of the fleet 15/24 July 1652 from the Nationaal Archief
fleet2 = list of the fleet 19/20 September 1652 from the Nationaal Archief
staet54 = Staet van Oorlog te Water for 1654
paintings = Michael Robinson, Van de Velde Paintings
cs = communication from Carl Stapel
salt = Francis Vere, Salt in their Blood: The Lives of the Famous Dutch Admirals, 1955.
jonge1 = J. C. De Jonge, Geschiedenis van het Nederlandsche Zeewezen, Vol.I

I am having trouble accounting for Jan Duijm in early 1653

Jan Duijm appears twice in early 1653. On 15 January 1653, his ship was one of four Zeeland warships convoying some merchantmen and West Indiamen from "the islands". The four ships included the ships of Joannes Michielszoon, Claes Janszoon, Cornelis Mangelaer, and Jan Duijm. At the Three Days Battle (or Battle of Portland), his ship towed Michiel De Ruyter's flagship for the last two days or more of the battle. Jan Duijm reappeared in 1658, at the Battle of the Sound. One possible candidate ship is the Sint Jan (26 guns), commanded by Laurens Pensier in the summer of 1652. Another might be the Wapen van Zwieten, commanded by Jan Sichelszoon in August 1652, as well. Without more information, we are just guessing. Sources:

1. C. T. Atkinson, Ed., The First Dutch War, Vol.IV, 1910
2. C. T. Atkinson, Ed., The First Dutch War, Vol. VI, 1930
3. Dr. S.R. Gardiner, Ed., The First Dutch War, Vol.II, 1900

46 guns on the Prinses Louise in late 1652

I have been studying the Van de Velde drawing of the Prinses Louise to see how she might have been upgunned to 46 guns. The ship seems to have had 20 guns on the lower tier (4-24pdr and 16-12pdr), 4-12pdr under the forecastle, and 10-12pdr under the quarterdeck. There were also 4-5pdr on the quarterdeck. I am not sure what size guns were used, but there was room to arm the waist with 6 guns and add 4 guns forward on the quarterdeck. Unless temporary sides were added, they probably were unprotected except for "arming cloths". Sources:

1. Johan E. Elias, Schetsen uit de geschiedenis van ons zeewezen, Vol.V, 1928
2. Johan E. Elias, De Vlootbouw in Nederland 1596-1655, 1933
3. Staet van Oorlog te Water for the year 1654, 1654

From analysis of De Jonge's list for March 1653

Based on my analysis of De Jonge's list for March 1653, I would make the following estimates for the Zeeland hired ships in service after the Three Days' Battle (Portland):

rank     commander                 guns crew Ship
kapitein Lambert Bartelszoon       28    85  some ship
kapitein Daniel Cornelisz Brackman 26    85  some ship
kapitein Andries Fortuijn          24    85  Eendracht

The real news is the guns and crew for Daniel Cornelisz Brackman's ship. The question, though, is if the Eendracht was the hired 24-gun ship, of it was Daniel Cornelisz Brackman's ship. If it was, then we would wonder what ship was the hired 26-gun ship. Sources:

1. C. T. Atkinson, Ed., The First Dutch War, Vol.IV, 1910
2. Dr. S.R. Gardiner, Ed., The First Dutch War, Vol.II, 1900
3. J. C. De Jonge, Geschiedenis van het Nederlandsche Zeewezen, Vol.I, 1858
4. Hendrik de Raedt, Lyste van de schepen van Oorloge onder het beleyt Admirael Marten Harpersz. Tromp, 1652

6 December 1652

In The First Dutch War, Vol.III, page 227, there is an entry in Jan Evertsen's journal saying that Witte took his sick men to Lijbe. I looked at the handwritten copy of Jan Evertsen's journal and found the entry. The copy of the journal is hard to read, as in the actual journal, the ink from the other side has bled through the page. The place name does actually seem to be Lijbe (the published text says Lybe). I had hoped to find which ship Witte de With used as his flagship on Friday, 6 December 1652. A usually unreliable source, Dr. Ballhausen says it was Jan Evertsz de Liefde's ship, the Jonas (36 guns). We know that cannot be true, as on 7 December 1652, Jan Evertsz de Liefde was Jan Evertsen's Schout-bij-Nacht. Michiel De Ruyter was appointed to command Witte de With's squadron in his absence.

Michiel De Ruyter

I had not realized that in early December 1652, Michiel De Ruyter was Jan Evertsen's vice-admiraal. De Ruyter flew his flag on Jan Thyssen Matheeus's ship, the Vlissingen Directors' ship Witte Lam. I understand that when Witte de With left the fleet, prior to the Battle of Dungness on 10 December, De Ruyter was appointed to command Witte de With's squadron. The fleet was organized into four squadrons at this time. One was commanded by Lt-Admiraal Tromp, another by Jan Evertsen, another by Witte de With, and the fourth squadron by Pieter Florissen Blom. Of the lesser flag officers, De Ruyter was the most trusted of them to lead a squadron in battle.

The First Dutch War, Vol.V: "Jan Eckersen"

On page 135 of The First Dutch War, Vol.V, in the excerpt from Michiel De Ruyter's Journal for 6 June 1653, he mentions sending an advice-yacht to Cape Gris-Nez, "directing" "Jan Eckersen", Lambert Bartelszoon, and Cornelis Evertsen de Jonge "to join the fleet". At first, I could not tell who was meant by "Jan Eckersen", so I searched my comprehensive list. I suspect that "Jan Eckersen" is a reference to Jan Egbertszoon (Egbertssen) Ooms, who commanded the Amsterdam ship Gouda (28 guns). He had previously operated under De Ruyter's command, and was probably was then, as well. Lambert Bartelszoon, from Zeeland, had served with the fleet in since early in the war, and commanded a ship whose name has remained a mystery.

Are Jan Matthijssen and Jan Thyssen the same man?

In De Ruyter's journal, as reproduced in The First Dutch War, Vol.V, De Ruyter writes that captains Jan "Matyssen" (Matthijssen), Dingeman Cats, and Jacob Penssen joined the fleet. I looked at my comprehensive list and see a Jan Matthijszoon who served during the Second Anglo-Dutch War, for the Admiralty of Zeeland. Thyssen or Tijssen could well be a shortened form of Matthijssen or Matthijszoon. If they were not the same, then there would be a "mystery captain" in command of an unknown ship. Jan Thyssen commanded the Vlissingen Directors' ship Witte Lam (40 guns and a crew of 145 men) for most, if not all, the war. He was often De Ruyter's flag captain after late 1652.

An example of the notes I am taking: Cornelis van Velsen and the Gelderland

I am working on a comprehensive document for the First Anglo-Dutch War, that involves taking notes from the various published sources, documents, and input from Carl Stapel. The entry for Cornelis van Velsen, whose ship was the Gelderland, is an example:

Key:

Adm=Admiralty
A=Admiralty of Amsterdam
h=hired
Acq=Acquisition date
Type=hired, purchased, built, captured
Note=Note date

Adm  Ship       Guns Crew Acq Type Note   Commander           Ship    Capt    Note
A    Gelderland   28 100  1652 h   8/1652 Cornelis van Velsen                 at the Wielingen rendezvous
                                   8/1652 Cornelis van Velsen                 De Ruyter's fleet
                                   8/1652 Cornelis van Velsen                 Battle of Plymouth
                                   3/1653 Cornelis van Velsen                 The Three Days Battle
                                   3/1653 Cornelis van Velsen                 Sailed from Amsterdam
                                   4/1653 Cornelis van Velsen                 Lying in the Texel roads
                                   6/1653 Cornelis van Velsen blown up killed Battle of the Gabbard

Jan Duijm in the Three Days Battle (Portland)

I had originally assumed that the Jan Duijm, whose ship towed Michiel De Ruyter's ship for most of the Three Days Battle was actually Jacob Duijm, captain of the Enkhuizen Directors' ship Vergulde Zon. However, I became persuaded that this was really the Zeeland naval officer Jan Duijm, and that he must have commanded some "mystery" Zeeland ship in the battle. After studying the list of 17 Zeeland ships that survived the battle and which sailed to Vlissingen together I think that either my original assumption was, in fact, correct, or that Jan Duijm was lieutenant of a Zeeland ship whose captain was either absent or who had been killed in the battle.

A confusing piece of information

In Schetsen uit de Geschiedenis van ons Zeewezen, there is a notation that Joost Bankert's ship was captured after he was killed. In a letter dated 3 March 1653, there is a notation that Joost Bankert was dead, but his ship was with the 17 Zeeland ships, which I believe were heading for Vlissingen after the Three Days Battle (the Battle of Portland).

Among the mysteries that remain

Several of the mysteries that remain to be resolved are the name of Abraham van der Hulst's ship in the summer of 1652. Given that I have two lists of Amsterdam ships that claim to be comprehensive for 1652 and early 1653, the existence of an unknown mystery ship seems unlikely. Another mystery is why two ships involved in fishery protection, and which were taken by the English on 22 July 1652 are listed, but the Zwaan, listed in the Hollandsche Mercurius and other places is not shown. These other sources call the ship the Zwaan van Amsterdam, and the implication is that the ship was hired by the Admiralty of Amsterdam.

A piece of trivia: Cornelis Jansz Brouwer's ship was called Vergulde Valck in a September 1652 manuscript

A handwritten document from September 1652 gives Cornelis Jansz Brouwer's ship's name as the Vergulde Valck. He commanded an Amsterdam Directors' ship that was long and slender: 132.5ft x 26ft-2in x 12.75ft. The ship carried 28 guns and in 1652 had a crew of 105 men. The armament consisted of 12-12pdr, 8-8pdr, 6-6pdr, and 2-3pdr guns.

My current, best estimate of the 40 ships funded at the Peace in 1648

I am working on a complete listing of Dutch ships in the First Anglo-Dutch War, with the ships divided into categories with respect to how they were funded. I desire to use this in my all-encompassing book project: Dutch Ships in Various Operations in the First Anglo-Dutch War. This is my tentative list, including the 41st convoyer that Dr. Elias says was in service in 1652. It relies heavily upon my previous work and input from Carl Stapel, as well as Vreugdenhil's list:

Forty Ships of 1648 (Convoyers)

Rotterdam (8 ships)

Adm Ship                Guns Crew Date Commander
R   Dordrecht           26    90  ?    Jan de Liefde
R   Rotterdam           26    90  1639 Jan Aertsz Verhaeff
R   Schiedam            26    90  1643 Marinus Juynbol
R   Wapen van Rotterdam 26    90  ?    kapitein Boshuysen
R   Gelderland          20    90  ?    Jan van Nes de Jonge Boer Jaep
R   Utrecht             22    90  1638 Leendert Adriaansz Haexwant
R   Overijssel          22    94  1638 Cornelis Engelen Silvergieter
R   Haai, jacht         10    ?   1648 ?

Amsterdam (16 ships)

Adm Ship                Guns Crew Date Commander
A   Achilles            28   100  1644
A   Bommel              30   100  1645
A   Dolphijn            32   120  1633
A   Edam                28   100  1644 
A   Gouda               28   100  1636 
A   Leiden              28   100  1647 
A   Star                28   100  1644 
A   Utrecht             30   100  1633 
A   Westfriesland       28   100  1648 
A   Zutphen             26   100  1636 
A   Brak                18    70  1649 
A   Windhond            18    70  1649 
A   Overijssel          28   100  1650 
A   Zeelandia           32   120  1643 Jacob Huyrluyt 
A   Fazant              32   120  1646 Jan Jansz de Lapper
A   Engel Gabriel       ?    ?    1636





Zeeland (8 ships)

Adm Ship                  Guns Crew Date Commander
Z   Gecroonde Liefde      24    85  ?    Dingeman Cats
Z   West Cappelle         28   100  1638 Claes Jansz Sanger
Z   some ship             26   100  ?    Adriaan Banckert
Z   Jager                 14    56  ?    Adriaan Jansz den Oven
Z   Neptunus              28   131  ?    Jan Pouweszoon
Z   Hollandia             ?    ?    ?    Filip Joosten
Z   Dordrecht             17    60  ?    Pieter Gorcum
Z   Liefde                26    86  ?    Joost Banckert de Jonge

Noorderkwartier (8 ships)

Adm Ship                  Guns Crew Date Commander
N   Burcht van Alkmaar    24    95  1645 Gerrit Nobel
N   Eenhoorn              28    90  1625 ?
N   Enkhuizen             28    ?   1645 ?
N   Kasteel van Medemblik 26   100  1640 Gabriel Antheunissen
N   Monnikendam           26    95  1640 Arent Dirckszoon
N   Hoorn                 32   100  1636 ?   
N   Hollandsche Tuin      36   130  1636 ?
N   Burcht                24   100  ?    Pieter Aldertszoon


The 41st Convoyer

Adm Ship                  Guns Crew Date Commander
F   Graaf Willem, jacht   12    ?   1644 ?  

Hendrick de Munnick and the 26 February 1652 list

While researching the list of ships returning from Brazil in June 1652, I consulted the list of ships in service for the Admiralty of Rotterdam (the Maze). I was reminded that Hendrick de Munnick's ship Holland (or Wapen van Holland) was a States' ship, not a hired ship, and that we know its dimensions. The Wapen van Holland was apparently built to the 116ft charter, the same as the Gorinchem (or Gorcum) and other ships. Her dimensions in Amsterdam feet were something like 116ft x 27ft x 11ft. The document makes the point that the dimensions were all in Maas feet, divided into 12 inches. The "Holland" is listed as having dimensions of 106ft x 25ft x 10ft. The Staet van Oorlog te Water for the year 1654, compiled in July 1654, gives the dimensions as 106ft x 25ft x 9.5ft for the ships built to this charter. There is no particular reason to think that they are more accurate than the dimensions listed in the 26 February 1652 document. The converted dimensions in my spreadsheet match Dr. Weber's dimensions for the Gorinchem, so they could be better than those in the Staet.

One immediate problem with my list

I realized that I had not considered the Noorderkwartier ships that are known to have been included in the 36 cruisers funded in 1651. They need to be deducted from those that I included for 1648. We are reasonably sure that all forty ships were in service in early 1652, and probably one extra ship, as Dr. Elias mentions 41 ships. There were also the 36 cruisers funded in 1651 and the ten ships sent to Brazil, which returned by June 1652, when some were lost.

What ships might have been among the "Forty Ships" of 1648

The least documented group of ships in the Dutch navy for the First Anglo-Dutch War are the forty ships funded at the peace treaty with Spain in 1648. This is an estimate of which those ships might have been. The only sure ship is probably the Brederode. The ships in service for the Admiralty of Zeeland are the biggest unknown.

Forty ships of 1648

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

Total           40 ships

Adm  Ship             Guns  Crew  Date
R    Brederode        54    270   1645
R    Dolphijn         32     ?    1634
R    Gelderland       26     ?    1632
R    Gorinchem        30    131   1639
R    Nijmegen         26     ?    1645
R    Overijssel       22     94   1638
R    Schiedam         26     ?    1642
R    Utrecht          22     90   1638

A    Achilles         28     ?    1644*
A    Bommel           30     ?    1645*
A    Dolfijn          32     ?    1632
A    Edam             28     ?    1644
A    Fazant           32     ?    1646
A    Gouda            28     ?    1636*
A    Leeuwarden       36     ?    1645
A    Leiden           26     ?    1647
A    Nassau           36     ?    1636* Sold in 1652
A    Overijssel       28     ?    ?     Sold in 1652
A    Star             28     ?    1644
A    Utrecht          30     ?    1633
A    Westfriesland    28     ?    1648*
A    Zeelandia        30     ?    1643
A    Zutphen          34     ?    1636*
A    Zutphen          26     ?    1636

N  Burcht van Alkmaar 24     95   1645*
N    Eenhoorn         30     90   1635
N    Enkhuizen        28     ?    1645
N    Jonge Prins      28     90   1634
N Kasteel van Medemblik 28   90   1640
N    Medemblik        28     ?    1640
N    Monnikendam      28     ?    1640
N    Hoorn            30     ?    1636

Z    West Cappelle    28     ?    1638
Z    Zeelandia        32     ?    1642
Z   Wapen van Zeeland             1642
Z   Wapen van Zeeland             1643
Z    Meermin          34          1641
?

This is based in part from Vreugdenhil's list and from information from Carl Stapel.

As I have previously written, many ships were hired by the Directors of the various port cities, starting in January 1653

Some interesting handwritten documents still exist that give information about ships hired by the Directors of the various Dutch port cities. Most of what exists is for the Amsterdam Directors. I only know about these documents because of Jan Glete's book, Navies and Nations. I contacted him and he provided me more information, and Rick van Velden, at the Nationaal Archief was able to find many of the documents, along with a few Jan Glete had not seen. Ron van Maanen had told Jan Glete about them, when Jan was doing research for Navies and Nations (as I understand).

These are ships that are mentioned in the manuscripts that I have, that were mentioned starting in January 1653. Some were not hired then, but just appear in lists:

10 January 1653

Ship          Length Beam    Hold   Height  Guns
                                    Between
                                    Decks
Engel Michiel 120ft  27.75ft 13ft   6.75ft  28 guns: 10-12pdr, 8-8pdr, 8-6pdr, 2-3pdr
Sint Pieter   123ft  28ft    12.5ft 6.5ft   28 guns: 10-12pdr, 8-8pdr, 8-6pdr, 2-3pdr

27 January 1653

Ship          Length Beam    Hold Height       Guns
                                  Between
                                  Decks
Samson        119ft  28ft    13ft 6.25 or 6.5ft 28 guns: 10-12pdr, 8-8pdr, 8-6pdr, 2-3pdr

28 January 1653

Ship                 Length Beam    Hold    Height  Guns
                                            Between
                                            Decks
Hollandsche Tuin     130ft  29ft    13.5ft  6.75ft  32 guns: 4-18pdr, 10-12pdr, 8-8pdr, 8-6pdr, 2-3pdr
Moor                 137ft  31ft    13.5ft  7ft     34 guns: 20-12pdr, 12-6pdr, 2-3pddr
Moorin               125ft  29ft    12.75ft 7ft     28 guns: 10-12pdr, 8-8pdr, 8-6pdr, 2-3pdr

30 January 1653

Ship          Length Beam    Hold Height  Guns
                                  Between
                                  Decks
Catharina     125ft  28.5ft  13ft 7ft     28 guns: 10-12pdr, 8-8pdr, 8-6pdr, 2-3pdr

18 March 1653


Ship            Length Beam    Hold   Height  Guns
                                      Between
                                      Decks
Gulden Pelicaen 126ft  26.75ft 12.5ft 6.25ft  28 guns: 10-12pdr, 8-8pdr, 8-6pdr, 2-3pdr

4 April 1653

Ship                 Length Beam    Hold    Height  Guns
                                            Between
                                            Decks
Keurvorst van Keulen 131ft  30ft    13.25ft 7ft     34 guns: 18-12pdr, 10-8pdr, 4-6pdr, 2-2-3pdr
Koning David         124ft  29ft    13ft    7ft     28 guns: 12-12pdr, 8-8pdr, 8-6pdr, 2-3pdr
Schacht den Harculus 120ft  28.5ft  13ft    7ft     28 guns: 10-12pdr, 10-8pdr, 6-6pdr, 2-3pdr

There are a few other ships that we know about that do not appear in the documents that I have:

Adm    Ship                 Guns Crew
Mi-Dir Bonaventura          ?    ?    ex-English Anthony Bonaventure
Mi-Dir Gekroonde Liefde     34   145
Me-Dir Koning Radboud       28   100
Ho-Dir Purmerland           34
A-Dir  Walvisch             30   110

De Jonge's list for March 1653

I looked again at De Jonge's list (appendix XXII to Vol.I of Geschiedenis van het Nederlandsche Zeewezen) for March 1653. Despite there being no ship names, there is a wealth of useful information. I have written some about this previously, but I wanted to emphasize a few things, for my current reference. One is that this is the only place that I have seen the crew listed for Witte de With's former flagship, the Rotterdam ship Prinses Louise. Her crew in March 1653 was 124 sailors and 46 soldiers. By this date, her captain was Abel Roelantsz Verboom (usually just called Abel Roelants or "Vader Abel"). The crew sizes in this list are probably nominal numbers, but that is what is typically listed, anyway, except you usually do not see figures for soldiers carried. Another ship, Jan Evertsen's former flagship, the Hollandia (usually given as 38 guns, but 36 guns in this list) is listed as having a crew of 116 men (not the usual figure of 160 men). The Hollandia's captain was Adriaan Banckert.

Pieter Florissen's squadron in 1652

Pieter Florissen (Floriszoon) was a Schout-bij-Nacht (Rear-Admiral) in May 1652. He was apparently with Tromp's fleet of 42 ships off Dover on 29 May 1652, when an impromptu battle was fought with the English, commanded by Robert Blake. We have Dr. Ballhausen's list in his book. What we really need is the list of signatories to the letter that Tromp wrote after the battle, as that would give us the definitive list. We do have lists for 30 June 1652 and the Battle of Dungeness on 10 December 1652. We do not have fleet organizations for the other lists that exist. This is the list of commanders and ships:

Commander                    Adm Ship                  Guns Crew 29 May 30 Jun 10 Dec
Pieter Aldertszoon        N      Burcht                24   100  X
Gabriel Antheunissen      N      Kasteel van Medemblik 26   100                X
Pieter Adriaansz van Blocker Ho-Dir some ship          28   105                X
Frederick Bogaart         A-Dir  Engel Michiel         28   115         X
Jacob Claesz Boot         Mo-Dir Zwarte Beer           32   115         X      X
commandeur Bourgoigne     N      Enkhuizen             34   120*               X
Hendrick Jansz Camp       F      Groningen             36   110*               X
Jan Warnaertsz Capelman   N      Alkmaar               28    95  X      X
Ariaen Heeres Cleyntien   Ha-Dir Vergulde Pelicaen     28   100         X
Joris de Colerij          A      Hoop                  28   100         X
Jacob Paulusz Cort        A      Star                  28    95         X
Jan Pietersz Deucht       Me-Dir Sint Jeronimus        30   110         X
Arent Dirckszoon          N      Monnikendam           24    95  X      X      X
Gerrit Femssen            N      Wapen van Enkhuizen   30   110  X      X
Pieter Florissen          N      Monnikendam           32   120  X      X      X
Willem Ham                N      Sampson van Hoorn     24    80  X      X
Jan Heck                  N      Eenhoorn              28    90                X
Jacob Pietersz Hoeck      Ho-Dir Sampson               30   110         X      X
Jan Frederiksz Houcboot   Ed-Dir Vergulde Meerman      30   110         X      X
Abraham van der Hulst     A      some ship             26   100         X
Ewout Jeroenszoon         A      Zutphen               28   100                X
Stoffel Juriaenszoon      A-Dir  Sint Francisco        28   105         X
Gijsbert Malcontent       En-Dir some ship             28   110                X
Herman Munnekes           N      some ship             ?    ?                  X
Gerrit Munt               N      Huis van Nassau       24*   80* X
Gerrit Nobel              N      Burcht van Alkmaar    24    95  X
Rombout van der Parre     F      Prinses Albertina     24    70                X
Andries Douwesz Pascaert  Ha-Dir Sint Vincent          28   105                X
Tijs Tijmensz Peereboom   N      Peereboom             24    80  X             X
Lambert Pieterszoon       A-Dir  Nassouw               34   130         X
Cornelis Jansz Poort      A-Dir  Kroon Imperiaal       34   125         X
Pieter Schellinger        N      Stad Medemblick       26   100  X      X
Reynst Cornelisz Sevenhuysen N   Roode Leeuw           24    85  X
Jacob Sijvertsz Spanheijm A-Dir  Elias                 34   120         X      X
Cornelis Pietersz Taenman N      Prins Maurits         28   105  X             X
Teunis Vechterszoon       N      Scheletje             24    70                X

Sources:

1. Dr. Carl Ballhausen, Der Erste Englisch-Hoellandische Seekrieg 1652-1654, 1923
2. James C. Bender, expansion of a list from Carl Stapel, unpublished manuscript "The Dutch Fleet on 30 June 1652", 2006
3. James C. Bender, unpublished manuscript "Dutch Ships 1600-1700", 2005
4. Dr. S. R. Gardiner, and C. T. Atkinson, Ed., The First Dutch War, Vol.III, 1906

Ships that joined Witte de With's fleet on 29 September 1652

Outside the Bruges shallows, on 29 September 1652, several ships joined Witte de With's fleet:

Adm    Rank      Commander            Ship           Guns Crew
R      kapitein  Abel Roelants        Brederode      54   250
R-Dir  kapitein  Ruth Jacobsz Buys    a ship         26   105
A-Dir  kapitein  Lambert Pieterszoon  Nassouw        34   130
A-Dir  kapitein  Sipke Fockes         Sint Maria     28   100
A-Dir  luitenant Ulrich de Jaeger     Nieuw Gideon   34   115
N      kapitein  Teunis Vechterszoon  Scheletje      24    70
Me-Dir kapitein  Jan Pietersz Deucht  Sint Jeronimus 30   110

Sources:

1. James C. Bender, unpublished manuscript "Dutch Ships 1600-1700", 2005
2. Dr. S.R. Gardiner, Ed., The First Dutch War, Vol.II, 1900

English Captain: Elias Drew

Elias Drew served in both the Parliamentarian and Commonwealth navies. From 1645 until 1646, he commanded the Lucy, a hired merchantman. In 1645 he served in the Summer Guard and the Winter Guard. In 1646, he also served in the Summer Guard, and was stationed at Portsmouth or West. In 1650, he commanded the Lucy again, in the naval service. Perhaps he was her master or owner. From 1653 until 1654, he commanded the Lucy, again. The Lucy was apparently a 20-gun vessel of 164 tons. From 1654 until 1655, he commanded the Dutch prize Plover (ex-Dutch Morgenstar). Sources:

1. R. C. Anderson, List of English Naval Captains 1642-1660, 1964
2. R. C. Anderson, Lists of Men-of-War 1650-1700: Part I English Ships 1649-1702, 1966
3. J. R. Powell, The Navy in the English Civil War, 1962

English Captain: Elias Drew

Elias Drew served in both the Parliamentarian and Commonwealth navies. From 1645 until 1646, he commanded the Lucy, a hired merchantman. In 1645 he served in the Summer Guard and the Winter Guard. In 1646, he also served in the Summer Guard, and was stationed at Portsmouth or West. In 1650, he commanded the Lucy again, in the naval service. Perhaps he was her master or owner. From 1653 until 1654, he commanded the Lucy, again. The Lucy was apparently a 20-gun vessel of 164 tons. From 1654 until 1655, he commanded the Dutch prize Plover (ex-Dutch Morgenstar). Sources:

1. R. C. Anderson, List of English Naval Captains 1642-1660, 1964
2. R. C. Anderson, Lists of Men-of-War 1650-1700: Part I English Ships 1649-1702, 1966
3. J. R. Powell, The Navy in the English Civil War, 1962

The Dutch warships in reserve prior to 1652

We believe that the 36 ships funded by an act of the States General in 1651 were all purpose-built warships. At least a few were new construction, such as the Admiralty of Amsterdam ships Vrede, Vrijheid, Jaasveld, and Overijssel (presumably). The others that we know of, in service with the Admiralty of the Noorderkwartier, were warship that were apparently "in reserve", and could be reactivated. The 36 ships may well have consumed the entire inventory of ships in reserve, as there seem to have been none available to add in 1652. Those were all merchant ships hired by the Directors and the admiralties. The ships in service in early 1652, prior to the hiring of the 50 Directors' ships and the 100 ships to be hired by the admiralties consisted of the following:

41 ships (not 40) ships in service since the peace treaty in 1648
36 "cruisers" funded in 1651
10 ships for a relief squadron sent to Brazil, 
     which had returned by June 1652.

We also know that while all, or almost all of the 50 Directors' ships were immediately hired, only about 38 ships were hired by the admiralties, out of the 100 ships funded. The reason is at least in part that there was a shortage of suitable ships in home waters.

Unlike the Dutch navy in early 1652, we have a good list of the English navy

The First Dutch War, Vol.I, starting on page 64, has the complete list of the ships in service with the English navy in early 1652. You can see the list in the Google Book search. Dr. Elias compares the two fleets in De Vlootbouw in Nederland. This list actually contains 90 ships, although the last ketch in the list had yet to enter service. Dr. Elias credited them with 86 ships. The English, like the Dutch, still had ships in reserve, such as the Resolution (ex-Prince Royal) and the Sovereign, that are not included. The Dutch, at this date, had only one ship that would have counted as a 3rd Rate (the Brederode), while the English had the two 1st Rates in reserve, and the 6 2nd Rates that were in service. They also had 9 3rd Rates, although by the Restoration, many would be downgraded to 4th Rates (such as the Entrance).

The English expedition to the Baltic in late 1652

Andrew Ball commanded a squadron sent to the Baltic in the fall of 1652. They sailed in September with 18 ships. We seem to only have an incomplete list. Andrew Ball used the large, new 3rd Rate Antelope as his flagship. They encountered a storm on the homeward voyage and the Antelope was wrecked on the coast of Jutland, in Denmark. This is the list of ships of which we are reasonably sure, based on R. C. Anderson's article in the 1938 Mariner's Mirror:

Rate Ship                  Date   Guns Crew  Commander
3rd  Antelope              1652   50   350   Andrew Ball
4th  Tiger                 1623   40   350   James Peacock
5th  Recovery                     24    80   Francis Allen
5th  Star                  1643   24    80   Peter Motham
4th  Gillyflower           1651   32   120   John Hayward
5th  Paul (P)              1652   30   120   Thomas Adams
4th  Prosperous (M)               44   180   John Barker
5th  Elizabeth and Ann (M)        30   120*  Richard Langford
5th  Oak (P)               1652   32   120   John Edwin
5th  Greyhound             1636   20    80   Henry Southwood
4th  Hannibal (M)                 44   180   Francis Barham
4th  Thomas and William (M)       36   140   John Jefferson
4th  John (M)                     34   150   John Cole

There were five others whose identity is unknown. 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

The English fleet in the Downs on 17 June 1652 (new style)

We do have a list of the English fleet lying in the Downs on 17 June 1652 (new style). The list is sparse, but I can fill in many of the details. The old ships such as Garland and Entrance were classed as small 3rd Rates in the First Anglo-Dutch War, but after the Restoration were classed as 4th Rates.

Navy Ships

Rate Ship                 Date   Guns Crew  Commander
2nd  James                1634   60   350   William Penn
2nd  Triumph              1623   62   350   Benjamin Blake
2nd  Andrew               1622        350   Nehemiah Bourne
2nd  Victory              1620   52   300   Lionel Lane
3rd  Speaker              1650   52   280   John Gilson
3rd  Fairfax              1650        280   John Lawson
3rd  Garland              1620   44   200   John Gibbs
3rd  Entrance             1619        200   
3rd  Convertine           1650        200   
3rd  Worcester            1651   44   200   
4th  Laurel               1651   48   200   
4th  Centurion            1650   40   180   
4th  Adventure            1646   40   160   
4th  Nonsuch              1646   38   160   
4th  Dragon               1647   38   160   
4th  Assurance            1646   32   160   
4th  Diamond              1651   40   180  
4th  Ruby                 1651   42   180   
4th  President            1650   42   180   
4th  Foresight            1650   40   180   
4th  Sapphire             1651   38   160   
4th  Portsmouth           1650   36   170   
4th  Advice               1650        170   
4th  Tiger                1647   40   160   James Peacock
5th  Greyhound            1636         80   
5th  Mermaid              1651   24    90   
5th  Nightingale          1651         90   
5th  Swan                 1645         80   
5th  Old Warwick          1643         80   
5th  Cygnet               1643   22    80   
5th  Star                 1643   24    80   Peter Motham
4th  Gillyflower          1651   32   120   John Hayward
     Fortune                           70   
6th  Paradox                     14    60   
6th  Drake                       12    50   
6th  Martin                      12    50   
5th  Recovery                    24    80   Francis Allen
6th  Weymouth pink               18    60   
     Lady pinnace                      24   
FS   George                      
FS   Mousenest                   
     Horsely Down shallop 1652         50
     Deptford shallop     1652         50

Hired Merchant Ships

Rate Ship                 Date   Guns Crew  Commander
4th  Prosperous                  44   180   John Barker
     Hannibal                    44   180   Francis Barham
5th  Seven Brothers              26         Robert Land
     Richard and Benjamin        26         
     Hercules                    34         
     John                        34   150   
     Reformation                 40   160   
     Sandwich pink
     Mary ketch
     Richard and Martha          46   170   
     Loyalty                     34   150   
     Thomas and William          36   140   
     Love
     Giles                       30   100   
     Katherine                        
     Robert and Richard          46   170   
     Mary                        18    70
     Magdalen                          75

Hired Dutch ships in 1652 (UPDATED)

This is an attempt to collect the Dutch ships hired in 1652. Some of them paid off by late in the year. I am assuming that most of the fishery protection squadron were part of the 100 ships. This list is probably still incomplete, sadly:

Rank      Name                  Admiralty guns Sailors Soldiers Ship
kapitein  Jeroen Adelaar          A       30   100              Middelburg
kapitein  Hendrik Adriaanszoon    A       26    90     20       Sampson              
kapitein  Sijmon van der Aeck     A       30   100     20       Amsterdam            
kapitein  Lucas Albertssen        A       36   130     20       Drie Coningen
kapitein  Claes Aldertszoon       N       ?    ?                Nieuw Kasteel
kapitein  Pieter Aldertszoon      N       24    80              Burcht
kapitein  Evert Anthonissen       A       32   130     20       Hollandia
kapitein  Lambert Bartelszoon     Z       28   100              a ship
kapitein  Hans Carelsz Becke      F       24    85              Sarah
kapitein  Ernest de Bertrij       R       26*   80     20       Hollandia
kapitein  Jan Boermans            A       28   100     20       Prins Willem         
kapitein  Captain Bouckhorst      F       23    80              Sint Nikolaas
kapitein  Daniel Cornelisz Brackman Z     ?    ?                a ship
kapitein  Wolphert van Brederode  A       24    80     20       Hoop                 
kapitein  Gillis Thyssen Campen   A       24    80     20       Goude Leeuw          
kapitein  Isaak Codde             F       24    90              Postpaert
kapitein  Joris de Colerij        A       28   100     20       Hoop                 
kapitein  Barent Dorrevelt        A       30   100              Amsterdam
kapitein  Corstiaen Eldertszoon   R       26    85     20       Roskam
kapitein  Albert Claesz de Graeff A       32   100     20       Hollandia            
kapitein  Jan de Haes             R       24    80              Gulden Beer
kapitein  Willem Claesz Ham       N       26    90              Tobias (his 2nd ship)
kapitein  Abraham van der Hulst   A       26   100              some ship
kapitein  Hillebrant Jeroenszoon  A       24    80     20       Hollandsche Tuin     
kapitein  Filip Joosten           Z       26   100              Hollandia
kapitein  Quirijn van den Kerckhoff R     26    90     20       Maria       
kapitein  Adriaan van Loenen      A       24    80     20       Patientia            
kapitein  Johannes Michieslzoon   Z       20   100     a fast storeship (Sint Augustijn?)
kapitein  Gerrit Munth            N       ?     ?               Huis van Nassau
kapitein  Willem van Nieuhoff     A       40   130     20       Aertsengel Michiel
kapitein  Cornelis Oosteroon      F       12    ?               Waterhond, jacht
kapitein  Tijs Tijmensz Peereboom N       24    80              Peereboom
kapitein  Aldert Pietersz Quaboer F       28    80              Schaapherder
kapitein  Claes Sael              A       30   100              Maria
kapitein  Maarten Schaeff         A       28   100     20       Engel                
kapitein  Reinier Sekema          F       24    70              Hector van Troijen
kapitein  Reynst Sevenhuysen      N       24    80              Roode Leeuw
kapitein  Jan Sichelszoon         Z       28    95              Wapen van Zweden
kapitein  Jan ter Stegen          A       24    80     20       Keyser               
kapitein  Isaak Sweers            A       36   130     20       Engel Gabriel
kapitein  Cornelis Taenman        N       32   110              Prins Maurits
kapitein  Jacob Troncquois        A       30   100     20       Omlandia     
kapitein  Teunis Vechterszoon     N       24    70              Scheletje
kapitein  Cornelis van Velsen     A       28   100     20       Gelderland           
kapitein  Willem van der Zaan     A       28   100     20       Prinses Aemilia      

In the Mediterranean Sea late 1652 to 1653

kapitein  Pieter Tuenisz Bontebotter A    28   100     20       Zwarten Arend        
kapitein  Pieter van Breen        A       28   100     20       Sint Pieter          
kapitein  Hendrick Govertszoon    A       28   100     20       Star                 
kapitein  Cornelis Janszoon       A       28   100     20       Jupiter              
kapitein  Sijbrant Jansz Mol      A       28   100     20       Witte Olifant        
kapitein  Meijndert Theunisz OosterwoutA  28   100     20       Salomons Ordeel      
kapitein  Adriaan Rodenhaes       A       28   100     20       Rodenhaes            
kapitein  Jacob Janssen Roocher   A       28   100     20       Julius Caesar        
kapitein  Jacob Schellinger       A       28   100     20       Venetia              
kapitein  Harman Sonne            A       28   100     20       Madonna della Vigna 
kapitein  Pieter Jansz de Vries   A       28   100     20       Suzanna              

The Fishery Protection Squadron

kapitein  Dirk Bogaart            A       24    80              Juffrouw Catharina
kapitein  Dirk Claesz van Dongen  R       24    80              Paulus
kapitein  Willem Claesz Ham       N       24    80              Sampson van Hoorn
kapitein  Jan Heck                N       24    80              Adam en Eva
kapitein  Hendrik Kroeger         A       24    80              Marcus Curtius
kapitein  Herman Munnekes         N       30   100              Wapen van Holland
kapitein  Jan Noblet              N       24    80              Land van Beloften
kapitein  Reynout Sevenhuysen     R       24    80              Waterhond
kapitein  Dirk Vijch              R       22    80              Kalmar Sleutel
?         ?                       A       28   100              Zwaan
?         ?                       A       24    80              Arke Noachs
?         ?                       N       28   100              Sampson van Enkhuizen
?         ?                       ?       22    80              Sint Jan Baptista

(Carl Stapel kindly pointed out some ships that I missed)

Some of the Hundred Ships (to be hired in 1652)

This is a partial list of the ships hired to fulfill the need to for the Dutch Admiralties to hire 100 ships in 1652. In fact, only about 38 ships were actually hired in 1652. In all probability, there were never 100 ships hired. This is the list:

Adm Captain                   Ship              Guns Crew
R   Corstiaen Eldertszoon     Roskam            26   105
R   Quirijn van den Kerckhoff Maria             26   110
A   Joris de Caulerij         Hoop              28   100
A   Jan ter Stege (Verstege)  Keyser            26   100
N   Rens Sevenhuysen          Roode Leeuw       24    80
N   Gerrit Nobel              Burgh van Alkmaar 24    80
N   Gerrit Munth              Huis van Nassau   ?    ?
N   Allert Tamessen           Wapen van Hoorn   30   115
N   Willem Ham                Tobias            26    90
N   Cornelis Taenman          Prins Maurits     32   110
N   Claes Aldertszoon         Nieuwcasteel      ?    ?
N   Jan Noblet                Land van Beloften ?    ?
N   Herman Munnekes           Wapen van Holland 30   110
N   Jan Heck                  Adam en Eva       24    80
Z   Lambert Bartelszoon       a ship            28   100
Z   Johannes Michielszoon     a fast storeship  20   100
Z   Daniel Cornelisz Brackman a ship            ?    ?

The First Dutch War, Vol.IV, among other places, lists some ship which are stated to be among the Hundred, but we know that they were, in fact, States' ships, built for naval service. There are other ships that are likely to be among the Hundred, but the re is no hard evidence of that.

Shortly before the Battle of Plymouth

On 13 August 1652, Michiel De Ruyter's fleet was lying "under" Cape Gris Nez, apparently sheltering there. This was 13 days before the Battle of Plymouth. There is a good set of maps (an overview, a diagrammatic map, and a map that shows the terrain. This is at Surf-forecast.com. I would imagine that they were lying in the shallow bay on the north side of Cape Gris Nez. His small fleet, engaged in protecting convoys, was organized into three squadrons, each of which was organized into three divisions. The squadrons had fireships attached:

• De Ruyter's squadron: fireship Sint Maria, commanded by Jan Claesz Corff
• Joris Pietersz van der Broeck's (acting Vice-Admiral) squadron: fireship Hoop, commanded by Thomas Jansz Dyck and the fireship Amsterdam, commanded by Jan Overbeecke
• Jan Arentsz Verhaeff's (acting SbN) squadron: fireship Gecroonde Liefde, commanded by Jacob Herman Visser and the fireship Orangieboom, commanded by Leendert Arentsz de Jager

Joris Pietersz van der Broeck died late in the day on 27 August 1652, apparently not from injuries. He was replaced by the acting Schout-bij-Nacht (Rear-Admiral), Jan Arentsz Verhaeff and Jan Gideonsz Verburgh was appointed as acting Schout-bij-Nacht in his place. Sources:

1. Dr. S.R. Gardiner, Ed., The First Dutch War, Vol.II, 1900

I had intended the drawings that I posted last for Iain Stanford's General-at-Sea rules

The small drawings that I posted last were intended for use with Iain Stanford's General-at-Sea rules, published by the Pike and Shot Society. Iain's rules are simplified so that they can be used with large fleets. I am tempted to get back into the 17th Century ship wargame piece "business" (in the sense of spending some time making them, again). My wargaming has been confined to a bit of Privateers Bounty with my Anglo-Dutch Wars scenarios (see them at AngloDutchWarsBlog.com). I have a few sheets of ship pieces and my Privateers Bounty scenarios available for download. For the sheets, you probably have to save the page image. You can also do "Save Link As" over the page link, and you will be able to select where to save the page.