had broken the Dutch line, that the Venerable, frustrated in her attempt to pass astern of the Vryheid, by the promptitude of the States-General in closing the interval, put her helm a-port, and ran under the stern of the latter, pouring into the Dutch ship a broadside which soon compelled her to bear up ; and the Triumph, the Venerable's second astern, found immediate employment for the Wassenaer, the second astern of the States-General. Meanwhile the Venerable had ranged up close on the lee side of her first intended antagonist, the Vryheid ; with whom, on the opposite side, the Ardent was also warmly engaged, and, in front, the Bedford, as the latter cut through the line astern of the Vryheid's second ahead.

The Brutus, Leyden, and Mars, not being pressed upon by opponents, advanced to the succour of their admiral, and did considerable damage to the Venerable, as well as to the Ardent and others of the British van-ships. About this time the Hercules, having caught fire on the poop, bore up out of the line, and soon afterwards drifted close past the Venerable to leeward. The Dutch crew contrived, in a surprisingly quick manner, to extinguish the flames ; but, having thrown overboard all their powder, they had no further means of defence, and therefore surrendered their ship, whose mizenmast had already been shot away, to the nearest opponent.

The serious damage which the Venerable had sustained obliged her to haul off, and wear round on the starboard tack. Seeing this, the Triumph, who had compelled the Wassenaer to strike, approached to give the coup de grâce to the Vryheid. That gallant ship, however, still persisted in defending herself. At length, from the united fire of the Venerable, Triumph, Ardent, and Director, her three masts fell over the side and disabled her starboard guns : the Vryheid then dropped out of the line, an ungovernable hulk, and struck her colours.

With the surrender of Admiral De Winter's ship the action ceased ; and the British found themselves in possession of the Vryheid and Jupiter 74s, Devries, Gelykheid, Haerlem, Hercules, and Wassenaer 64s, Alkmaar and Delft 50s, and the frigates Monnikendam and Ambuscade. The Wassenaer although she had struck to the Triumph, was fired at by a Dutch brig, that followed her out of the line ; and which brig actually compelled the 64 to rehoist her colours. The Russel soon after wards coming up, the Wassenaer again struck them, and surrendered to her antagonist. The Monnikendam had been engaged by the Monmouth, and was finally taken possession of by the Beaulieu.

The Dutch van-ship the Beschermer, anticipating, naturally enough, too strong an opponent in the Lancaster, had very early wore out of the line. Her example was followed, with much less reason, by several of the other Dutch ships; who, although seen making off, could not be pursued, the land being only five

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