utch, after this,
knowing that Admiral Blake was waiting for them, did not for some time
put again to sea. While he was cruising in the Channel, expecting their
appearance, news was brought him that the Spaniards were besieging
Dunkirk, but that the French king had sent a fleet for its relief.
Believing it was to the interests of England that it should fall, lest
the Dutch admiral should make it the basis of operations against the
towns on the opposite coast of England, he resolved to go and attack the
French fleet.

"The admiral led the way in the _Resolution_, followed by the
_Sovereign_, the largest of our ships, carrying eleven hundred men and
eighty-eight guns. He first attacked the _Donadieu_, commanded by a
Knight of Malta, and boarding her, pike in hand, took her in a few
minutes, while the _Sovereign_ with her terrible broadside sank one of
the royal frigates and dismantled five others.

"So desperate was the onslaught, that in a few hours every French ship
had been sunk or captured, the prizes being carried into the Downs.
Scarcely was this victory gained when the Dutch fleet, under Admirals De
Witt and De Ruiter, were sighted off the North Foreland. Admiral Blake,
without waiting for the rest of his fleet, which were astern,
immediately ordered each ship to engage as she came up, and leading the
way attacked De Witt's line. Tremendous were the broadsides exchanged.
As night came on the Dutch retreated, having suffered severely, the
masts of many of the ships being shot away and vast numbers of men being
slain. The next morning the Dutch seemed disposed to renew the bloody
work of the previous day, but their courage failed as the English
admiral bore down, and putting up their helms, they ran for their native
coast, followed by Blake until the shallowness of the water compelled
him to desist from pursuit. The Dutch, though thus signally defeated,
would, it was thought, again attempt to regain their lost power on the
return of spring, and information was received that their most
celebrated admiral, Van Tromp, would take command of their fleet. It
was not supposed, however, that it would be ready until the spring.

"No sooner had our ships been dispersed to their winter stations, than
Tromp appeared with a fleet of more than a hundred sail off the Goodwin
Sands.

"Admiral Blake, who was still on board the _Triumph_, on hearing of
this, collected all the ships he could get, and stood out of Dover to
a