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he have never so much authority in publick employment, never so
much zeal to learning, that will be able to repair it. Believe, if you
please, that the ruin of this library will be more carefully marked in all
histories and calendars, than the taking and sacking of Constantinople.
And, if my ten years toil in helping to gather such a work; if all the
which I have made for materials to it; if all the heavy cares
voyages
that I have taken to set it in order; if the ardent zeal that I have had
to preserve it to this hour, are not means sufficient to make me hope
for some favour at your singular goodness; especially at this time, when
you have the same excellent occasion to shew it towards this library,
which you had three years since, when, by a solemn arrest or ordi-
nance, you resolved it should be preserved, and that I should have the
keeping of it: Yet give me leave, gentlemen, to have recourse to the
muses, seeing they are so far concerned in the preservation of this new
Parnassus, and joining the interest they have in you, with my most
humble prayers, speak to you in the same language which the Emperor
Augustus used, when the question was, Whether Virgil's Æneids should
be destroyed or saved? Which doubtless, was not so inimitable a piece
then, as this library will be to all posterity.

-solvetur litera dives?
Et poterunt spectare oculi, nec parcere honori
Flamma suo; dignumque operis servare decorem?
Noster Apollo veta! Musæ prohibete Latina!
Sed legum est servanda fides, suprema voluntas
Quod mandat fierique jubet, parere necesse est.
Frangatur potiùs legum veneranda potestas,
Quam tot congestos noctésque diésque labores,
Hauserit una dies, supremaque jussa senatûs.

Must such a rich and learned work be dissolv,'
Can
eyes with patience see't in flames involv'd?
Methinks the flames should spare it, sure the fire
(More merciful than men) will sav't intire.
Ah sweet Apollo hinder! Muses stay

Their violence, and what though fond men say,
'It is decreed; the ordinance is made;
'The will of supreme power must be obey'd.'
Rather let laws be broke, let reverend power,
Lie prostrate, ere't be said, that in one hour,
A work so toil'd for many years, was late,
Quite ruin'd by commandment from the state.

GABRIEL NAUDEUS, a Parisian.

A GREAT VICTORY

Obtained by the

ENGLISH AGAINST THE DUTCH,

And the pursuing of the Dutch fleets, by General Blake and Sir George Ayscue, with one hundred and eighty men of war, towards the Downs, and their resolution to engage them, between Dover and Calais. The manner how Sir George Ayscue, with great policy, obtained the wind; the number sunk and taken; and two gallant ships, surprised by Captain Stoaks, laden with gold and elephants teeth. Also, the number of ships coming up the river of Thames for London, richly laden from the East Indies, the Streights, Virginia, and Barbadoes.

Die Septembris 27, 1652.

Extracted out of the original papers, sent, from Captain Stoaks, to the honourable council of state, on Sunday last, September the twentysixth.

Imprinted at London, for George Horton, 1652. Quarto, containing eight pages.

SIR,

UPON

PON the advance of General Blake and Sir George Ayscue, with a fleet consisting of one-hundred and eight gallant sail, towards the Downs, they cleared the whole western channel before them, by sailing, as by order, within shot of each other; by which means, we cleared all from the coast of France to the coast of England, almost as if a bridge had been made over the channel; and thought to have fought the Dutch fleet at the same time, but they gave us the go-by, much like that of the Scots King, when he made an inroad into England, and are now sailed towards the Downs; whereupon, information being given thereof by the Assurance scout, who had forced her passage, even through the thickest of the action, from five Dutch men of war, the General hoised sail after them, but the wind, blowing stiff upon the north-point, could not reach so much as the enemy's rear-guard; but, on the twenty-fifth instant, we had intelligence of their standing over to the coast of France; whereupon, the General and Sir George Ayscue bore up towards the Downs, with a most potent and invincible armada, consisting of one hundred stout men of war, whereof twelve were merchants ships; that is, the five from the East Indies, two from the Streights, two from Lisbon, in Spain, two from Virginia, and one from Barbadoes; all which are sent up the river for London.

But not long had his excellency anchored upon those Neptune streams, but he received advertisements from the Diamond, and other frigates, that had been scouting forth, that had been scouting forth, that a great fleet of Hollanders, consisting of at least two-hundred sail, was riding between Dover and Calais; whereupon, Major Bourn was commanded forth, with the great Andrew, the nimble Saphir, the famous Garland, and twenty-seven other stout men of war, as a forlorn to the navy, to engage the enemy, if possible.

After him sailed Sir George Ayscue, with thirty-five sail, as a reserve; and, within-shot of the said squadron, the general bore up with the great ship, called the Commonwealth, and the rest of the fleet, flanking Sir George. The Dutch, perceiving their resolute motion, endeavoured to get Calais-point, but Sir George, to prevent them, bore up to the leeward, by which means he got the wind of the Dutch fleet, and hath now engaged them. The Zealand ships lie at the head of their fleet, and seem to be very resolute for action. Vice-admiral Evarson hath attempted to fire some of our ships, but was prevented; for Major Bourn, commanding the guard that night, received advertisements, from one of his scouts, of the near approach of some of the enemy's ships, and prepared te receive them; which he so effectually performed, that two of his fire-ships were soon waylaid, and the rest dissipated; insomuch that De Witte and Ruttyer endeavour to decline engagement; but it is a thing impossible, for we now have them pretty fast upon the hug, and question not, by divine assistance, but to give them a sudden turn, by reason they are divided, having diversity of opinions, and manned with English, Flemings, Scots, Walloons, Switzers, and Germans. This great blow is suddenly expected; yet something further I should have insisted on, but I am forced to draw to a period, by reason the pacquet-boat is falling of, and our ships ready to engage.

Aboard the Ruby, Septemb. 25, 1652.

As touching our further victorious success against the Hollanders, it is confirmed by letters from Captain Stoaks, commander of the Dragon, to the council of state; who, having discovered two sail upon the coast of France, made up to them, and found them to have Swedish colours; but, coming aboard them, he discovered them to be Guiney ships, laden with gold ore and elephants teeth, and several letters, directed to Amsterdam, and other places in Holland, which, with other circumstances, gave cause to believe, that the lading of the said vessels belonged to the Dutch; whereupon, the captain brought the said ships into Plymouth, where they now remain. The officers of these prize ships say, that the gold ore and elephants teeth, and other lading therein, are worth about fourscore-thousand pounds; the said captain likewise took a pickroon of twenty-four guns, and twenty-four men, which he likewise brought into harbour.

By an express from Dover, thus: The Dutch fleet, under De Witte, came in sight of this town, at the back of the Goodwin, on the tenth instant; and, on the eleventh, twelfth, and thirteenth, plied to the westward; the fourteenth, they lay between Calais and Boulogne; the fifteenth, they came on this side with six frigates, and gave chace to a

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Sandwich pink, but she got safe into the Downs; the sixteenth, De Witte, with about thirty sail, came to this side again, having gotten sight of eight sail, coming to the westward; bore up to them, and, between Foulkstone and this town, put the Swan frigate on shore, and three Morlaix men, laden with linnen-cloth, and two or three small men of this town, most of them ashore; the Mary fly-boat, and Brier frigate, got past them to this town, but exchanged several shot with them. Thus it pleased God to preserve them all. De Witte himself came very near the shore, and let several broad-sides fly at our ships, that were stranded, and Sandgate castle returned him several guns. Towards night he stood over to the French coast, to the rest of the fleet; and, that tide, all our ships got off, but not without some damage, only the Swan frigate got a bulge, which made her unserviceable at present; the seventeenth, he lay at half sea over, betwixt Boulogne and this town; the eighteenth, he came to the back of the Goodwin with sixty sail, being resolved to play some feats against the English, or else never to return to his own country.

De Witte is joined with Ruttyer, having seventy of the greatest ships that ever yet were set forth. Stout Evarson, of Zealand, is vice-admiral, whose mariners are famous, and were once accounted the stoutest enemy that ever sailed upon the seas. But, truly Mr. Launsman, though you now usurp a privilege upon small game, the butter-box of your trifling honour may. perchance, melt away, in a hot day, with the English. For know, that injuries, in this kind, evermore prove like stones thrown up into the air; they may touse lustily for a while, like the aspiring sound of a trumpet, but, at last, they must of necessity fall down upon your ambition, to dissolve the injustice of your imperious spirits. They are grown so high and imperious, that they begin to truss up poor Englishmen in several places, as a faulcon does wild ducks, especially about the coast of Norfolk, where, on Sunday, the twelfth instant, they adventured into the very harbour at Wells, and took away some vessels. This sudden exploit caused divers gentlemen, and others, with their families, to return higher into the country.

By an express from Yarmouth, it is certified, that there is a fleet of seventy sail of colliers lying ready to be convoyed for London; and that there is another great fleet also in readiness at Newcastle, with thirteen sail of island vessels of Captain Worm's fleet; but from him, and the rest, we yet hear no news. We hear that Colonel Airs and Doctor Chamberlain being bound for Ireland, through distress of weather, the vessel was in great danger by a storm, and, it is much feared, the pas sengers are cast away.

The Hollanders have agreed to send a navy to the East-Indies, with commission to destroy and depopulate those places of the English; they are old excellent at the routing of you in high language, but are not a little moved, that you have gotten so many considerable prizes from their merchants.

From France they write, that the prodigious force, and matchless valour of the Duke of York, causeth great admiration in the enemy's camp, who have felt wonderful and strange exploits, and yet the vanquished continually find his grace and favour; for, upon beating up of some of the Spanish quarters, a French colonel persuaded him to use

the benefit of the advantage, which the darkness of the night afforded him. No, no, said he, it fits me not to hunt after night-stolen victories. Malo me fortunæ pæniteut, quam victoria pudeat. I had rather repent me of my fortune than be ashamed of my victory.

From the navy, further thus: We have received advertisements from Genoa, that eight of our ships, whereof four are men of war, and four merchantmen, have had a great dispute with nine Dutch men of war, and, after a short conflict, with great gallantry and resolution performed on both sides, it pleased God to crown the English with victory, and to deliver into their hands five of the enemy's best ships; but three got off, though, notwithstanding, they were much rent and torn; the other was sunk. These five, with those two, taken by Captain Stoaks, make up the whole number forty-seven; wherein were found great store of rich merchandises, ammunition, and, at least, seven-hundred pieces of ordnance; which is a great weakening to the States of Holland, and no little discouragement to their mariners, to see their own ships manned forth against them.

These particulars from Captain Stoaks were confirmed by a letter to the council of state, on Sunday last, being the twenty-sixth of this instant, September, 1652.

CRY AGAINST A CRYING SIN,*

OR

A just complaint to the Magistrates,

Against them who have broken the statute-laws of God, by killing of men merely for theft. Manifested in a petition long since presented to the common-council of the city of London on the behalf of transgressors. Together with certain proposals, presented by Colonel Pride, to the right honourable the general council for the army, and the committee, -appointed by the Parliament of England, to consider of the inconve niencies, mischiefs, chargeableness, and irregularities in their law.

JER. v. 4, 5, 6.

Therefore I said, surely these are poor, they are foolish; for they know not the way of Jehovah, nor the judgment of their God.

I will get me unto the great men, and I will speak unto them; for they have known the way of Jehovah, the judgment of their God; but these have altogether broken the yoke, and burst the bonds.

* Vide the 295th article in the catalogue of pamphlets.

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