MEMOIRS AVING observed that Memoirs and Accounts of persons tho' not very confi derable, when written by themselves, have been greedily read, and often found useful; not only for the knowledge of things paft, but as cautions for the fu B 2 ture: ture: I have chosen to imploy fome part of that leifure (which I have had by intervals, and which by reafon of decaying health and vigour I know not how to spend better) in fetting down exactly and impartially all I could remember of my felf, fit to be made publick; a kind of picture left behind me to my friends and family, very like, tho' neither well painted, nor handsome. I fhall begin it at the age of seventeen; when hearing every where the Earl of OsSORY Commended, for being a Voluntier that fummer in a hot engagement at sea; I went thither directly, on board that fhip, in which Prince RUPERT and the Duke of ALBEMARLE jointly commanded the Flect against the Dutch. THEIR ufage of me was fo civil, and the company on board them so good: that (tho' by a fudden storm that parted the two Fleets juft ready to engage, I loft fix weeks time there, at an age when it may be a great deal more pleasantly spent) yet I ftay'd 'till the Fleet was laid up, not only without impatience, but any fort of uneafiness. YET 'tis obfervable, that the first night we came to London, the Lord BLANY, Sir THOMAS CLIFFORD afterwards Lord Treasurer, 25 Mr. Mr. HENRY SAVILL, and my self (tho' such familiar friends, as to be very often together for many years after) were then fo fatiated and cloy'd with each other by our being shut up together fo long in one fhip, that I remember we avoided one another's company at least for a whole month after; tho' except my self, there could hardly be any more pleasant. WHILE I was in that fhip with Prince RUPERT and the Duke of ALBEMARLE, I observed the latter to leave all things to the conduct and skill of the other; declaring modeftly upon all occafions himself to be no Scaman. And yet there happened once a hot difpute between them, which will fhew fome part of that Duke's character. When we first efpied the Dutch fleet failing towards us, our whole blue fquadron was aftern much farther from us; fo that Prince RUPERT thought it abfolutely necessary to flacken fail, that they might have time to join us. But the Duke of ALBEMARLE oppofed it cagerly; undertaking that the fhip in which they were, with about twenty fhips more, would prove fufficient to beat all the enemies fleet; at least, hold them in play 'till the rest of ours came up. The Prince, aftonished at fuch an unaccountable intrepidity, B 3 |