Correspondence of the Family of Haddock, 1657-1719 The Camden Miscellany: Volume the Eighth

Part 4

Chapter 42,841 wordsPublic domain

18. This Wedensday morning wind at south and S.Eᵗ. I went into yᵉ Swale, to setle our muster booke of the R. Charles.

19. This Thursday wind at north and N.Wᵗ.; some tyme badd weather.

20. This Fryday we tooke on bord 16 ts. of watter. The wind hath bine at north and back to W.S.Wᵗ.; sometymes badd weather.

21. This Satuarday the wind at S.W. In the afternoone the Prince returned on bord againe.

22. This Sonday wind southerly. The Prince went into Sheerenes.

23. This Monday wind at S.S.W. to W.N.Wᵗ.; sometymes bad weather. This day yᵉ Prince went on shore on Essex side; came on bord againe at noone. This day severall of our fleet came out Sheerenes.

29. To this Sonday we have had the winds southerly to the west; some 3 days badd weather. Have bine dispatching our ships out Sheerenes, and takeing in our provissions. The Dutch fleet rideing in the Slade Way and at the Gonflitt since Wedensday. This night his Highnes yᵉ Prince lay on bord the Monmouth yacht.

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[a] Richard White and Richard Sadlington.

[b] Lowestoft Ness.

[c] The Shipwash sand-bank off the mouth of the Deben.

[d] The King’s Channel or East Swin, running down east of the Gunfleet sands, off the Essex shore.

[e] The Middle Ground shoal lies at the mouth of the Thames, some miles below the Nore, on the Kentish side of the river.

[f] The Oaze Edge shoal near the Middle Ground, but on the Essex side.

[g] The Red Sand lies between the Ooze Edge and the Middle Ground.

[h] Heligoland.

NAVAL OPERATIONS, 1652-1673; WITH OBSERVATIONS BY CAPTAIN RICHARD HADDOCK.

[a] A mistake for May.

[b] On the 29th November. It was after this action that Van Tromp hoisted the broom at his mast-head.

[c] On the 2nd and 3rd June, off the North Foreland.

[d] Off the Dutch coast.

[e] Before declaration of war, in retaliation for attacks by the Dutch on the colonies.

[f] Sir Thomas Tiddiman, or Teddiman.

[g] The Governor of Bergen not having yet received the instructions from his Government and refusing to admit the English fleet.

[h] Sir Christopher Mings; died of wounds received in the action of 1st June.

[i] Bandaris in the island of Schelling.

[j] Sir Robert Robinson.

[k] The day that the Dutch were in the Medway.

[l] The Middle, a shoal off Foulness, between the West Swin and the East Swin or King’s Channel.

[m] Near the mouth of the Thames, off the village of Lee on the Essex side.

[n] Thomas Harman.

[o] Adrian Brackell, the captain of the Dutch man-of-war.

WILLIAM BRANDON TO SIR RICHARD HADDOCK.

Portsmᵒ Victuallᵍ Office, July 24ᵗʰ, 1688.

HONᵇˡᵉ Sʳ,

The last post brought a news letter to this place, wherein are these words: It is reported that Sʳ Richᵈ Haddock, Capt. Pennyman, and severall other seamen, are gone for Holland; wᶜʰ are lookt upon heere as a verry greate reflection upon your Honʳ, that cannott without ingratitude and breach of duty omit acquainting you with itt and the author’s name, wᶜʰ is Edmond Sawkell, att the Generall Post Office. I have and shall vindicate your Honʳ to my outmost power; and begg leave to subscribe myself

Yoʳ Honʳˢ

Most humble and obedient servᵗ,

Wᵐ BRANDON.

To the Honᵇˡᵉ Sʳ Richᵈ Haddock, Knᵗ, one of the Commʳˢ for Victualling his Majᵗʸˢ Navy, att the office on Tower Hill, London, These.

SIR RICHARD HADDOCK TO PHILIP FROWD.[a]

Tower Hill, London, this 29th July, 1688.

Sʳ,

The last weeke, in a news lettr wrote by a servᵗ of yours, one Mr. Edmᵈ Sawkell, there is a scandallous reflection on my honʳ and reputation, by his writeing that Sʳ Rᵈ Haddock wᵗʰ seuerall other seamen were gone into Holland, wᶜʰ I have recᵈ aᶜᶜᵗ of sᵈ letter from 3 or 4 countys, and must beleive it hath flowne all the kingdome over.

Sʳ, I was this day to waite on you at yʳ post ofice; but, haveing accᵗ given me that you were in the country, thought fitt, before I spake wᵗʰ Mr. Sawkill, to give you notice hereof, and yᵗ you will readylie conclude I shall expect satisfaction from him for this scandall, at least yᵗ he finds out his author or else must conclud him to be the inventor himselfe. I do presume you know me so well as to beleive, however the King may please to deale wᵗʰ me (wᶜʰ hetherto hath bine extra kind), I shall never forsake my loyalty and duty to him, even to my last breath. Praying a lyne or two in answer, with great respect, I remaine

Your very afectᵉ servant,

Rᵈ H.

TO JN. (_sic_) FROWD, ESQ.

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[a] Postmaster-General.

CAPTAIN JOSEPH HADDOCK TO HIS BROTHER, SIR RICHARD HADDOCK.

Abord the Ship Princess of Denmark, 17th Xber, 1688. Balasore Roade.

Sʳ RICHᵈ HADDOCK.

MY EVER HONᵈ BROTHER,

My last, of the 7ᵗʰ Augᵗ from Visagapatam, gave yoʳ Honʳ accᵗ of our arrivall Madras and of our affaires to that tyme. The 10ᵗʰ Augᵗ we saild thence for Balasore, wher we arriv’d the 15ᵗʰ; in wᶜʰ bay we have contᵈ and rid out the monsoone, wᶜʰ has prov’d favourabler then expected (beinge leape yeare).

The 15ᵗʰ 7ber Capᵗ Heath arriv’d this place, who, by virtue of the President and Counsell of Madras order requir’d my goeinge up wᵗʰ hime to Chuttynutte[a] in the river of Hugly (the place where our Agent and factorie resided), myselfe wᵗʰ the rest of the comandʳˢ of the Europe Shipps then in the river to assist hime in the Rᵗ Honᵇˡᵉ Compˢ affairs.[b] In fews days after our getting up to Chuttynutte, a letter was writ to the Nabob of Dacca (the cheife govenʳ of that citty), who had formerly requested our Agent that if we would assist hime wᵗʰ ships to transport soulders and horss from Chottagam to Arraccan (they beinge in warrs wᵗʰ that Kinge), he would give us his Pharwanna[c] of a settlemᵗ of trade, wᵗʰ prevaledges as formerly accordinge to the 12 articles formerly sent hime from our agent &c. Capt. Heath, in the letter sent, condesended to the Nabob’s request, in suplyinge hime wᵗʰ 10 ships and vessells for the Mogull’s occations, to transport ther soulders and horss, provided they would allow of the buildinge of a fortyfiction wᵗʰin the river of Hugly, for the better security of the Rᵗ Honᵇˡᵉ Compˢ estate and serᵗˢ; wᵗʰout wᶜʰ grant of a fortyfied place the Compˢ ordʳˢ possitive are, to wᵗʰdraw off all our factory from this place.

We continued heere 5 weeks for the Nabob’s answer to the proposall: but not comeing, we, haveinge taken off all the Honᵇˡᵉ Compˢ concernes from the shoare, saild from Chuttynᵗʸ the 8ᵗʰ 9ber, and passed by ther fortts peaceably. At our arrival Balasore found that the govenʳ of the towne had (some tyme before our comeinge) detaind the Rᵗ Honᵇˡᵉ Compˢ goods, beinge this yeares investmᵗˢ, alsoe partic. mens goods; and would not permit none of the factors, nor our people that were ashoure buying provit[ions], to come off. Capᵗ Heath sent 2 of our factors wᵗʰ a letter to the govenʳ (who was come downe to the bancksall, or point of sand goeinge into the river, wher he was makeinge a fortyfication), to demand the Rᵗ Honbᵉ Compˢ goods wᵗʰ all our men. His answer was, what he did was by order from the Nabob; and, if he did dilliver our goods and men, should loose his head. 3 days after, 2 of the factors were againe sent to aquaint the govenʳ that our intention was to depart out these parts peaceable, we haveinge come away out Hugly river wᵗʰout doeinge any act of hostillity to any of the Mogull’s subjects; therfore requird hime to send off our goods and people by faire meanes; if not, we would have them by force of armes. Wᶜʰ hee not permitting them too goe off, the next day all our soulders, about 320, and upwards 240 seamen were put into the small vessels and all our boates; and early next morninge they landed a mile to the W.ward of the fort (wᶜʰ the govnʳ had rais’d); against wᶜʰ landinge place they had planted 5 small guns on a sandhill, wᶜʰ they discharg’d at our men, and killd 2 and wounded 2 more; soe fled from the guns. And soone after, the cheife capᵗ of our soulders had drawne all the soulders and seamen in order of battalia, marcht up to the fort, wᶜʰ, at ther aproach, fired all ther guns they had planted to the land; but, soone after, the govenʳ and all his men fleed out the fort wᵗʰout doeing much harme to our men; the wᶜʰ we possest wᵗʰout any farther opposition. In and about this fort they had upwards 40 guns mounted and a good wall made wᵗʰ timber and clay; might have bine sufficient (if manag’d by Europeans) to [have] wᵗʰstood a great armie of men, or at least done much more mischief then they did.

The govenʳ, after deserted his fort, made all hast possable up to Balasore towne, and orderd the factory house (in wᶜʰ were confind all our people, thirteene in number) to be sett on fire. Our people in the house defended themselves bravely, killinge sevˡ of the Moors; but by the firsness of the fire were forct to surrender themselves on tearmes to have ther lives and good useage. The next day Capt. Heath (who went ashoare wᵗʰ the soulders--Capᵗ Sharpe comanded the small vessells and boates that were to goe over the barr, leaveinge mee in comand of the ships in the roade) went up with all the soulders and seamen to Balasore towne by watter and landed short of old Balasore fort, the wᶜʰ they soone tooke; soe marcht into the towne, few or noe people beinge left to oppose them; the govenʳ disertinge it at ther comeinge, caryinge wᵗʰ hime all our English, amongst wᶜʰ are 3 of our ships compᵃ, vizᵗ. Mr. Davenant (beinge ashoare buyinge provit[ions]), Charles Scarlet, midshipman, and Sam Harbin, gunʳ, serᵗ of Capⁿ Heath’s, his pursur, and 3 more, Mr. Stanly, cheife of the factory, the rest free men that trades in the country. As yet we cannot gett the govenʳ to give ther releasemᵗ. We have sent sevˡ messingers to hime, that we have not burnt ther towne nor ships, expectinge he would dilliver up our men; but, if not, we will returne and doe both. Our soulders (but seamen more espetially) have comitted many inhuemane actions in the towne, plundringe not only Moors but sevˡ Portugeese houses, and killed sevˡ innocent people. We have had the greatest loss in this axtion, vizᵗ. 4 men killd and 3 wounded. Ther names are: Mr. Starland, 3d mate, Henry Grove, cheife trumpetter, Christopher Hogg, and Jnᵒ Hinton, who very indiscreetly went out wᵗʰ sevˡ more seamen to a garden house, expectinge great plunder, were cut off, sevˡ of them, by a party of horss. The 3 wounded are Henʳʸ Roxby, Franˢ Johnson, and Jnᵒ Smart.