The Historians Guide, Part 1 · Year 1666
date 27 LAunched at Deptford, a stout Ship of Sixty four Guns, named the Defiance, in the presence of His Majesty, who conferred the honour of Knighthood on Captain Robert Holmes, designed to command her.
date Apr. 6. His Majesty issued out His Proclamation for further Proroguing the Parliament, from the three and twentieth instant, till September the eighteenth next following.
date 17 Sir Gilbert Talbot, His Majesty's Envoy Extraordinary late to Denmark, arrived at Whitehall from thence.
date 20 Peace concluded by the States, with the Bishop of Munster.
date 21 His Majesty set forth His Proclamation commanding Colonel John Desborough, Colonel Thomas Kelsey, and several others, Officers in the late disbanded Army, to return into England by the two and twentieth of July next, or else to stand guilty and be attainted of High Treason.
Sir Jeremy Smith, with his Squadron, arrived at Plimouth from the Streights.
date 23 Prince Pupert and the Duke of Albemarle, His Majesty's Generals at Sea for this Summers expedition, went this day towards the Fleet, to enter upon their Command.
The Parliament met, and were actually Prorogued according to His Majesty's Proclamation, till September the eighteenth next.
The Foundation Stone laid of a Grammar-School at Mere, in by Thomas Andrews Esquire the Builder and Endower thereof.
date 26 This day were Indicted and Convicted at the Old-Baily, London, Iohn Rathbone, and some others, Officers in the late Disbanded Army, for conspiring against the Royal Person of His Majesty. In order to which, they had laid their Plot for the surprise of the Tower, the killing of the Lord General; And the better to effect their design, the City of London was to have been fired. The third of September next was pitched upon for the attempt, as being found by Lilies Almanack (as they construed it) to a lucky day. Evidence against them, being very clear, they were found guilty of High Treason, and hang'd, drawn and quarter'd at Tyburn.
date 29 The French Protestants of Dublin, having the favour to have a Church granted them in that City; this day met in their first Assembly, where my Lord Lieutenant honour'd them with his presence.
The Lord Morley arraign'd at Westminster by his Peers, and found guilty of man-slaughter (for the death of Mr. Hastings) his Lordship had the benefit of his Clergy; the Lord Chancellor Hide was Lord Steward for the Trial.
date May. 3. His Majesty and Royal Highness went to see the Fleet in the Buoy in the Nore.
date 6 Returned to White-hall.
date 19 The Lord Bellasis arrived at White-hall, from Tangier.
date 23 Prince Rupert, and the Duke of Albemarle, with His Majesty's Fleet, under their Command, set sail from the Buoy in the Nore, and arrived at the Gun-fleet.
date 24 The Lord Hollis arrived at White-hall, from his Ambassy in France.
date 26, 27. The Duke of Albemarle, with that part under his command at the back of the Goodwins, arrived in the Downs.
date 28 The Earl of Sandwich, His Majesty's Ambassador Extraordinary to the Crown of Spain, arrived at Madrid.
date 31 The Duke of Albemarle set sail from the Downs.
date Jun. 1. This day he discovered the whole Dutch Fleet, about ninety capital Ships, near the Coast of Flanders, made up to them, and ingaged them.
date 2 Prince Rupert passed by Dover towards the Gun-fleet with his Squadron to joyn with the Duke of Albemarle.
date 3 Prince Rupert joyned with the Duke.
The Royal Prince unhappily stranded on the Galloper, and burnt by the Dutch. The Commander Sir George Aschough taken prisoner, and carried to Holland.
date 4 The Ingagement continued, in which Sir Fretchevile Hollis lost his Arm.
date 6 This day his Majesty had the confirmation of a happy Victory, obtained the fourth instant against the United Naval Force of the States General, by his Majesty's Fleet, under the Command of his Highness Prince Rupert, and the Duke of Albemarle, after a sharp Ingagement of three days, in two of which the Duke of Albemarle maintained the fight with fifty Ships, against eighty odd Ships of the Enemy.
date 10 The Generals with the whole Fleet, at the Buoy in the Nore: and this day died that valiant Sea-man Sir Christopher Mings.
date 11 Lord Douglass and his Regiment arrived at Rye, from France.
There was launched at Deptfort, the Loyal London, carrying an hundred Guns; built at the charge of the City of London, for the service of His Majesty.
Launched at Blackwall, a Ship named the Warspight.
date 12 The Earl of Ossery sworn of His Majesty's most honourable Privy Council.
date 16 His Majesty and Royal Highness went to the Buoy in the Nore, to view his Fleet.
date 21 Henry Coventry Esquire, arrived at White-hall, from his Ambassy to Sweden.
date 26 Died at Madrid Sir Rich. Fanshaw, Ambassador in that Court from the King of England.
date 27 The Lord George Flemming, the Lord Peter Julius Coyet, Ambassadors Extraordinary from the Crown of Sweden, made their publick Entry through the City of London.
date 28 The Dutch Fleet hovering about the North Foreland.
date Jul. 3. About the Longsands.
date 4 Her Royal Highness brought to bed of a Son.
date 7 Gayland utterly routed and defeated by Taffaletta, near Tangier.
date 19 The English Fleet under the Command of Prince Rupert, and Duke of Albemarle sailed from the Buoy in the Nore.
date 25, 29. There was obtained by His Majesty's Fleet, under the command of Prince Rupert, and the Duke of Albemarle, a manifest and undoubted victory, against the whole Dutch Fleet, who were most shamefully chased into their Harbours.
The Lord Willoughby, Governor of the Caribbee Islands for His Majesty, was unfortunately lost in a Hurricane near Martineco.
date Aug. 4. The English Fleet before the Maes in Scheveling.
date 6 Before the Texel.
date 7 The memorable action of Sir Robert Holmes in burning and destroying above 150. sail of Dutch Ships in the Fly, most of them richly laden. As also the Town of Bandaris upon the Island of Schelling, containing at least one thousand Houses.
date 14 A solemn thanksgiving kept in London and Westminster, for the late victory and successes against the Dutch; to be kept by the rest of the Kingdom the 23. instant.
date 5 The whole English Fleet arrived at Southwould-Bay, from the Coast of Holland.
date Sep. 1. The Dutch Fleet passed by Dover, the English Fleet making all the sail after them in sight.
date 2 About one of the Clock this Morning, a sudden and lamentable Fire broke out in the City of London, beginning in a place called Pudding-Lane, near New-Fishstreet, which burnt down and consumed, in the space of four days, the greatest part of that City.
date 7 The Duke of Albemarle arrived at Whitehall, from the Fleet, leaving his Highness Prince Rupert the sole command of the Fleet, in his absence.
date 8 The Dutch Fleet weighed from Bulloign-Road, and stood for their own Coast.
date 12 Prince Pupert, in St. Hellens Road.
His Majesty set forth his Declaration, shewing his Princely care, and Royal intention for the speedy Restauration of the City of London.
date 18 The Parliament met according to their Prorogation.
His Majesty's Fleet under Prince Rupert sailed by Dover-Road.
Three or four French Men of War separated from the rest of their Fleet, fell amongst some of our Fleet; of which we took one Ship of fifty four brass Guns, and Captain De Roche Prisoner.
The Earl of Ossery being called by His Majesty's Writ to the House of Peers, this day took his place.
date Oct. 5. His Highness Prince Rupert arrived at Whitehall, having left his Majesty's Fleet at the Buoy in the Nore.
date 10 This day was kept very solemnly a day of Fasting and Humiliation in consideration of the late dreadful Fire in the City of London.
date 12 The Parliament voted another Supply to His Majesty of Eighteen hundred thousand pounds sterling.
date 19 War declared against the King of Denmark.
date Nov. 8. The Vice-Admiral of Denmark, a Ship of Fifty two Guns, was taken by some of His Majesty's Frigats on the Coast of Scotland.
date 9 A violent fire hapned in His Majesty's Horse Guard-House, in the Tiltyard; but soon happily quenched.
date 20 This day was observed in the Cities of London and Westminster, a day of Thanksgiving to God for asswaging the late Contagion and Plague in the said Cities.
date 27 Several Rebellious People in Scotland being got together, to the number of fifteen hundred, having committed several hostilities and rebellious pranks against His Majesty's good Subjects, were this day discomfitted and totally routed by His Majesty's Forces in that Kingdom.
date 28 Sir Thomas Clifford made Comptroller of His Majesty's Houshold, and admitted of His Majesty's most Honourable Privy-Council, Decemb. 5.
date Dec. 3. James Duke of Cambridge, eldest Son of his Royal Highness, installed into the Order of the Garter.
date 7 Ten of the late Rebels in Scotland, executed at Edenbourgh.
date 12 Robert Earl of Lindsey, Lord High-Chamberlain of England, sworn of His Majesty's most Honourable Privy-Council.
Captain Robinson with the Squadron under his command, took and destroyed three Dutch men of War near the Texel.
date Feb. 5. The St. Patrick taken by the Dutch off of Portsmouth, deserted by her own Fireship.
date 8 This day His Majesty went to the House of Peers, and was Graciously pleased to pass among others, 1. An Act for the Rebuilding of London. 2. An Act for erecting a Court of Judicature for determining of differences arising touching Houses burnt and demolished by reason of the late Fire in London. After which the Parliament was Prorogued to October the tenth next.
date 13 The Earl of Bridgewater, sworn of His Majesty's Most Honourable Privy-Council.
date Mar. 7. Captain Seely, Captain of the Fireship that deserted the Patrick, was this day shot to death aboard his own Vessel.
date 8 A Proclamation issued for the apprehension of the Duke of Buckingham.
date 16 Captain Utbert arrived from the Streights with the Squadron under his command, and seven Prizes, at Plimouth.