storm; five of his frigates fell into the
hands of the English; and on his return he was received with murmurs and
reproaches by the populace. Indignant at a treatment which he had not
deserved, he justified his conduct before the States, and then laid down
his commission.[1]

De Ruyter, a name almost equally illustrious on the ocean, was appointed
his successor. That officer sailed to the mouth of the Channel, took under
his charge a fleet of merchantmen, and on his return was opposed by Ayscue
with nearly an equal force. The English. commander burst through the enemy,
and was followed by nine sail; the rest of the fleet took no share in the
action, and the convoy escaped. The blame rested not with Ayscue, but with
his inferior officers; but the council took the opportunity to lay him
aside, not that they doubted his courage or abilities, but because he was
suspected of a secret leaning to the royal cause. To console him for his
disgrace, he received a present of three hundred pounds, with a grant of
land of the same annual rent in Ireland.[2]

De Witte now joined De Ruyter,[a] and took the command. Blake accepted the
challenge of battle, and night alone separated the combatants. The next
morning the Dutch fled, and were pursued as far as the Goree. Their ships
were in general of smaller dimensions, and drew less water than those of
their adversaries, who dared not follow among the numerous sand-banks with
which the coast is studded.[3]

Blake, supposing that naval operations would be suspended during the
winter, had detached several

[Footnote 1: Whitelock, 538, 539, 540, 541. Heath, 322. Le Clerc, i. 321.]

[Footnote 2: Heath, 323. Le Clerc, i. 322.]

[Footnote 3: Ibid. 326. Ludlow, i. 367. Whitelock, 545. Le Clerc, i. 324.]

[Sidenote a: A.D. 1652. Sept. 28.]

squadrons to different ports, and was riding in the Downs with thirty-seven
sail, when he was surprised by the appearance[a] of a hostile fleet of
double that number, under the command of Van Tromp, whose wounded pride had
been appeased with a new commission. A mistaken sense of honour induced the
English admiral to engage in the unequal contest. The battle[b] raged from
eleven in the morning till night. The English, though they burnt a large
ship and disabled two others, lost five sail either sunk or taken; and
Blake, under cover of the darkness, ran up the river as far as Leigh. Van
Tromp sought his enemy at Harwich and Yarmouth; returning, he insult