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Subject Area: Political Theory
Subject Area: History
Topic: The English Revolution

Vice-Admiral Goodson to General Monck (?) - Sir William Clarke, The Clarke Papers. Selections from the Papers of William Clarke, vol. 4 [1901]

Edition used:

The Clarke Papers. Selections from the Papers of William Clarke, Secretary to the Council of the Army, 1647-1649, and to General Monck and the Commanders of the Army in Scotland, 1651-1660, ed. C.H. Firth (London: Longmans, Green, and Co., 1901). 4 vols.

Part of: The Clarke Papers. Selections from the Papers of William Clarke, 4 vols.

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Vice-Admiral Goodson to General Monck (?)

Swiftsure, in the Sound neere Scarlett Island, 31 July 1659.

xxxi. f. 195b.The change of governement in England hath putt a longe stoppe to affaires heere, the Dutch not well knowing how to deale with their old antagonist our present Parliament. Their fleete and wee have bin long facing one another one this and the Belt. They consist of about 85 men of warr; ours seldom above 38. I have, I must confessed, admired that they have not taken advantages on us, our fleet though little, yett smart, but theirs most of all the best shipps of Holland, and have had with them souldiers to put on board as many as they thought good; but when I looke back to see the wheele within the wheeles, the finger of Heaven that steeres the affaires of all, I am sylent.

Wee have had men sick, and it may bee worse represented then it is; therefore [this is] to lett your Honour know wee have at present sick about 400, few more or lesse, and have had not more at any time.

Our Plenipotentiaryes arived the 20 instant, ever since when they have waighted for the King of Sweeden, who hath bin at Nascoe in Loland, which hee hath lately taken in, but is now come over, and gives them audience this day att Fredrickberg, formerly the King of Denmark’s great pallace. I wish they may cut their worke short, for our victualls and the summer growes short. I am fearefull the ministers of the King of Sweden could represent the state of their fleete to bee very considerable and ready to joyne with ours, as was presented before wee came out of England, when ever since our coming into these parts they have had their shipps scattered in squadrillers, not doeing any service worth the naming. Onely Vice Admirall Cox with a squaderon of shipps the other day upon the coast of Uteland surprised five sayle of Danish men of warr, and burned twenty or thirty yoafes (?), being in an harbour without fortificacion, and nott capable of making any resistance, being not halfe mann’d. But this will hardly ballance their losse sustained in the former part of the yeare; they have onely this squardron that did this service, which consists of 7 sayle, that are able to performe present service, the rest of his shipps being 15 in Lanscrone not halfe maned, and 13 more chased up into the Baltick Sea by the Dutch, whence they will hardly returne this Summer.

W. G.