1734, "Observata de argento vivo, ad Reg. Soc. et Acad. Scient."

These are the writings of the great Boerhaave, which have made all encomiums useless and vain, since no man can attentively peruse them without

admiring the abilities, and reverencing the virtue of the author.*

* Gent. Mag. 1739, vol. ix. p. 176.-N.

BLAKE.

the parliament; and thinking a bare declaration for right not all the duty of a good man, raised a troop of dragoons for his party, and appeared in the field with so much bravery, that he was in a short time advanced, without meeting any of those obstructions which he had encountered in the university.

At a time when a nation is engaged in a war | compliance with those new ceremonies which he with an enemy whose insults, ravages, and bar-was then endeavouring to introduce. barities have long called for vengeance, an ac- When the civil war broke out, Blake, in concount of such English commanders as have me-formity with his avowed principles, declared for rited the acknowledgments of posterity, by extending the powers and raising the honour of their country, seems to be no improper entertainment for our readers.* We shall therefore attempt a succinct narration of the life and actions of Admiral Blake, in which we have nothing farther in view than to do justice to his bravery and conduct, without intending any parallel between his achievements and those of our present admirals. ROBERT BLAKE was born at Bridgewater, in Somersetshire, in August, 1598, his father being a merchant of that place, who had acquired a considerable fortune by the Spanish trade. Of his earliest years we have no account, and therefore can amuse the reader with none of those prognostics of his future actions, so often met with in

memoirs.

raised by the parliament's army.

In 1645, he was governor of Taunton, when the Lord Goring came before it with an army of 10,000 men. The town was ill fortified and unsupplied with almost every thing necessary for supporting a siege. The state of this garrison encouraged Colonel Windham, who was ac quainted with Blake, to propose a capitulation; which was rejected by Blake with indignation and contempt: nor were either menaces or per suasion of any effect, for he maintained the In 1615, he entered into the university of Ox-place under all its disadvantages, till the siege was ford, where he continued till 1623, though without being much countenanced or caressed by his superiors, for he was more than once disappointed in his endeavours after academical preferments. It is observable that Mr. Wood (in his Athene Oxonienses) ascribes the repulse he met with at Wadham College, where he was competitor for a fellowship, either to want of learning, or of stature. With regard to the first objection, the same writer had before informed us, that he was an early riser and studious, though he sometimes relieved his attention by the amusements of fowling and fishing. As it is highly probable that he did not want capacity, we may therefore conclude, upon this confession of his diligence, that he could not fail of being learned, at least in the degree requisite to the enjoyment of a fellowship; and may safely ascribe his disappointment to his want of stature, it being the custom of Sir Henry Savil, then warden of that college, to pay much regard to the outward appearance of those who solicited preferment in that society. So much do the great est events owe sometimes to accident or folly!

He continued, on many other occasions, to give proofs of an insuperable courage, and a steadiness of resolution not to be shaken: and, as a proof of his firm adherence to the parlia ment, joined with the borough of Taunton in re turning thanks for their resolution to make no more addresses to the King. Yet was he so far from approving the death of Charles I. that he made no scruple of declaring, that he would venture his life to save him, as willingly as he had done to serve the parliament.

In February, 1648-9, he was made a commis. sioner of the navy, and appointed to serve on that element, for which he seems by nature to have been designed. He was soon afterwards sent in pursuit of Prince Rupert, whom he shut up in the harbour of Kingsale, in Ireland, for seve ral months, till want of provisions and despair of relief excited the prince to make a daring effort for his escape, by forcing through the parliament's fleet: this design he executed with his usual ins trepidity, and succeeded in it, though with the loss of three ships. He was pursued by Blake to the coast of Portugal, where he was received into the Tagus, and treated with great distinction by the Portuguese.

He afterwards retired to his native place, where "he lived," says Clarendon, "without any ap pearance of ambition to be a greater man than he was, but inveighed with great freedom against the license of the times, and power of the court." Blake coming to the mouth of that river, sent In 1640, he was chosen burgess for Bridge to the King a messenger, to inform him, that the water by the Puritan party, to whom he had re-fleet in his port belonging to the public enemies of commended himself by the disapprobation of the commonwealth of England, he demanded Dishop Laud's violence and severity, and his non

This life was first printed in the Gentleman's Maga.

zine for the year 1740.-N

leave to fall upon it. This being refused, though the refusal was in very soft terms, and accompa nied with declarations of esteem, and a present of provisions, so exasperated the admiral, that,

without any hesitation, he fell upon the Portu during the commotions of England, had arrived guese fleet, then returning from Brasil, of which to that height of naval power, and that affluence he took seventeen ships, and burnt three. It was of wealth, that, with the arrogance which a long to no purpose that the King of Portugal, alarmed continued prosperity naturally produces, they at so unexpected a destruction, ordered Prince began to invent new claims, and to treat other Rupert to attack him, and retake the Brasil ships. nations with insolence, which nothing can defend Blake carried home his prizes without molesta- but superiority of force. They had for some tion, the Prince not having force enough to pur-time made uncommon preparations at a vast exsue him, and well pleased with the opportunity of pense, and had equipped a large fleet, without quitting a port where he could no longer be pro- any apparent danger threatening them, or any lected. avowed design of attacking their neighbours. This Blake soon supplied his fleet with provisions, unusual armament was not beheld by the English and received orders to make reprisals upon the without some jealousy, and care was taken to French who had suffered their privateers to mo- fit out such a fleet as might secure the trade from lest the English trade; an injury which, in those interruption, and the coast from insults; of this days, was always immediately resented, and if Blake was constituted admiral for nine months. not repaired certainly punished. Sailing with In this situation the two nations remained, keep this commission, he took in his way a French ing a watchful eye upon each other, without actman of war valued at a million. How this ship ing hostilities on either side, till the 18th of May, happened to be so rich, we are not informed; but 1652, when Van Trump appeared in the Downs as it was a cruiser, it is probable the rich lading with a fleet of forty-five men of war. Blake, was the accumulated plunder of many prizes. who had then but twenty ships, upon the ap Then following the unfortunate Rupert, whose proach of the Dutch admiral saluted him with fleet by storms and battles was now reduced to three single shots, to require that he should, by five shrps, into Carthagena, he demanded leave striking his flag, show that respect to the English of the Spanish governor to attack him in the which is due to every nation in their own domiharbour, but received the same answer which had nions; to which the Dutchman answered with been returned before by the Portuguese: "That broadside; and Blake, perceiving that he intend they had a right to protect all ships that came ed to dispute the point of honour, advanced with into their dominions; that if the admiral were his own ship before the rest of his fleet, that, if it forced in thither, he should find the same security; were possible, a general battle might be preventand that he required him not to violate the peace ed. But the Dutch, instead of admitting him to of a neutral port." Blake withdrew upon this treat, fired upon him from their whole fleet, withanswer into the Mediterranean; and Rupert out any regard to the customs of war, or the law then leaving Carthagena entered the port of of nations. Blake for some time stood along Malaga, where he burnt and sunk several English against their whole force, till the rest of his squadmerchant ships. Blake judging this to be an in- ron coming up, the fight was continued from be fringement of the neutrality professed by the tween four and five in the afternoon till nine at Spaniards, now made no scruple to fall upon Ru-night, when the Dutch retired with the loss of pert's fleet in the harbour of Malaga, and having two ships, having not destroyed a single vessel, destroyed three of his ships, obliged him to quit nor more than fifteen men, most of which were the sea, and take sanctuary at the Spanish court. on board the Admiral, who, as he wrote to the In February, 1650-1, Blake still continuing to parliament, was himself engaged for four hours cruise in the Mediterranean, met a French ship with the main body of the Dutch fleet, beof considerable force, and commanded the cap-ing the mark at which they aimed; and as Whittain to come on board, there being no war declared between the two nations. The captain, when he came, was asked by hina, whether "he was willing to lay down his sword, and yield ?" which he gallantly refused, though in his enemy's power. Blake, scorning to take advantage of an artifice, and detesting the appearance of treachery, told him, "that he was at liberty to go back to his ship, and defend it as long as he could." The captain willingly accepted his offer, and after a fight of two hours, confessed himself conquered, kissed his sword, and surrendered it.

In 1652, broke out the memorable war between the two commonwealths of England and Holland; a war in which the greatest admirals that perhaps any age has produced, were engaged on each side, in which nothing less was contested than the dominion of the sea, and which was carried on with vigour, animosity, and resolution, proportioned to the importance of the dispute. The chief commanders of the Dutch fleets were Van Trump, De Ruyter, and De Witt, the most celebrated names of their own nation, and who had been perhaps more renowned, had they been opposed by any other enemies. The States of Holland, having carried on their trade without opposition, and almost without competition, not cely during the inactive reign of James I. but

lock relates, received above a thousand shot. Blake, in his letter, acknowledges the particular blessing and preservation of God, and ascribes his success to the justice of the cause, the Dutch having first attacked him upon the English coast. It is indeed little less than miraculous, that a thousand great shot should not do more execu tion; and those who will not admit the interposition of providence, may draw at least this inference from it, that the bravest man is not always in the greatest danger.

In July, he met the Dutch fishery fleet with a convoy of twelve men of war, all which re took, with 100 of their herring-busses. And in September, being stationed in the Downs, with about sixty sail, he discovered the Dutch admirals De Witt and De Ruyter with near the same number and advanced towards them; but the Dutch being obliged, by the nature of their coast, and shallowness of their rivers, to build their ships in such a manner that they require less depth of water than the English vessels, took advantage of the form of their shipping, and sheltered themselves behind a flat, called Kentish Knock; so that the English, finding some of their ships aground, were obliged to alter their course; but perceiving early the next morning that the Hollanders had forsaken their station, they

sued them with all the speed that the wind, which | periority of his enemies, put out to encounter was weak and uncertain, allowed, but found them, though his flect was so weakly manned, themselves unable to reach them with the bulk of their fleet, and therefore detached some of the lightest frigates to chase them. These came so near as to fire upon them about three in the afternoon; but the Dutch, instead of tacking about, hoisted their sails, and steered toward their own coast, and finding themselves the next day followed by the whole English fleet, retired into Gorec. The sailors were eager to attack them in their own harbours; but a council of war being convened it was judged imprudent to hazard the fleet upon the shoals, or to engage in any important enterprise without a fresh supply of pro

visions.

That in this engagement the victory belonged to the English is beyond dispute, since, without the loss of one ship, and with no more than forty men killed, they drove the enemy into their own ports, took the rear-admira! and another vessel, and so discouraged the Dutch admirals, who had not agreed in their measures, that De Ruyter, who had declared against hazarding a battle, desired to resign his commission, and De Witt, who had insisted upon fighting, fell sick, as it was supposed, with vexation. But how great the loss of the Dutch was is not certainly known that two ships were taken they are too wise to deny, but affirm that those two were all that were destroyed. The English, on the other side, affirm that three of their vessels were disabled at the first encounter, that their numbers on the second day were visibly diminished, and that on the last day they saw three or four ships sink in their flight.

that half of his ships were obliged to lie idle without engaging, for want of sailors. The force of the whole Dutch fleet was therefore sustained by about twenty-two ships. Two of the English fiigates, named the Vanguard and the Victory, after having for a long time stood engaged amidst the whole Dutch fleet, broke through without much injury, nor did the English lose any ships till the evening, when the Garland, carrying forty guns, was boarded at once by two great ships, which were opposed by the English till they had scarcely any men left to defend the decks; then retiring into the lower part of the vessel, they blew up their decks, which were now possessed by the enemy, and at length were overpowered and taken. The Bonaventure, a stout well-built merchant ship, going to relieve the Garland, was attacked by a man of war, and after a stout resistance, in which the captain, who defended her with the utmost bravery, was killed, was likewise carried off by the Dutch. Blake, in the Triumph, seeing the Garland in distress, pressed forward to relieve her, but in his way had his foremast shattered, and was himself boarded; but beating off the enemies, he disengaged himself, and retired into the Thames with the loss only of two ships of force, and four small frigates, but with his whole fleet much shattered. Nor was the victory gained at a cheap rate, notwithstanding the unusual disproportion of strength; for of the Dutch flag-ships one was blown up, and the other two disabled; a proof of the English bravery, which should have induced Van Trump to have De Witt being now discharged by the Holland- spared the insolence of carrying a broom at his ers as unfortunate, and the chief command restor-top-mast in his triumphant passage through the ed to Van Trump, great preparations were made Channel, which he intended as a declaration that for retrieving their reputation, and repairing their he would sweep the scas of the English shipping; losses. Their endeavours were assisted by the this, which he had little reason to think of accomEnglish themselves, now made factious by suc-plishing, he soon after perished in attempting. cess; the men who were entrusted with the civil administration being jealous of those whose military commands had procured so much honour, lest they who raised them should be eclipsed by them. Such is the general revolution of affairs in every state; danger and distress produce unanimity and bravery, virtues which are seldom unattended with success; but success is the parent of pride, and pride of jealousy and faction; faction makes way for calamity, and happy is that nation whose calamities renew their unanimity. Such is the rotation of interests, that equally tend to hinder the total destruction of a people, and to obstruct an exorbitant increase of

power.

Blake had weakened his fleet by many detachments, and lay with no more than forty sail in the Downs, very ill provided both with men and ammunition, and expecting new supplies from those whose animosity hindered them from providing them, and who chose rather to see the trade of their country distressed, than the sea-officers exalted by a new acquisition of honour and influence.

Van Trump, desirous of distinguishing himself at the resumption of his command by some remarkable action, had assembled eighty ships of war, and ten fire-ships, and steered towards the Downs, where Blake, with whose condition and strength he was probably acquainted, was then stationed. Blake, not able to restrain his natural ardour, or perhaps not fully informed of the su

There are sometimes observations and inquiries, which all historians seem to decline by agreement, of which this action may afford us an example: nothing appears at the first view more to demand our curiosity, or afford matter for examination, than this wild encounter of twenty-two ships with a force, according to their accounts who favour the Dutch, three times superior. Nothing can justify a commander in fighting under such disadvantages, but the impossibility of retreating. But what hindered Blake from retiring as well before the fight as after it? To say he was ignorant of the strength of the Dutch fleet, is to impute to him a very criminal degree of negligence; and, at least, it must be confessed that, from the time he saw them, he could not but know that they were too powerful to be opposed by him, and even then there was time for retreat. To urge the ardour of his sailors, is to divest him of the authority of a commander, and to charge him with the most reproachful weakness that can enter into the character of a general. To mention the impetuosity of his own courage, is to make the blame of his temerity equal to the praise of his valour; which seems indeed to be the most gentle censure that the truth of history will allow. We must then admit, amidst our eulogies and applauses, that the great, the wise, and the valiant Blake was once betrayed to an inconsiderate and desperate enterprize, by the resistless ardour of his own spirit, and a noble jealousy of the honour of his country.

lying in the road, himself continuing to fire upon the castle. This was so bravely executed, that with the loss of only twenty-five men killed, and forty-eight wounded, all the ships were fired in the sight of Tunis. Thence sailing to Tripoli, he concluded a peace with that nation; then re turning to Tunis, he found nothing but submission. And such indeed was his reputation, that be met with no farther opposition, but collected a kind of tribute from the princes of those countries, his business being to demand reparation for all the injuries offered to the English during the civil wars. He exacted from the Duke of Tuscany 60,000!., and, as it is said, sent home sixteen ships laden with the effects which he had received from several states.

the galleons, which, after a gallant resistance, were at length abandoned by the Spaniards, though the least of them was bigger than the biggest of Blake's ships. The forts and smaller vessels being now shattered and forsaken, the whole fleet was set on fire, the galleons by Blake, and the smaller vessels by Stayner, the English vessels being too much shattered in the fight to bring them away. Thus was the whole plate-fleet destroyed, "and the Spaniards," according to Rapin's remark, "sustained a great loss of ships, money, men, and merchandise, while the English gained nothing but glory." As if he that increases the military reputation of a people did not increase their power, and he that weakens his enemy in effect strength ens himself.

"The whole action," says Clarendon, “was so incredible, that all men, who knew the place, wondered that any sober man, with what courage so ever endowed, would ever have undertaken it, and they could hardly persuade themselves to be lieve what they had done: while the Spaniards comforted themselves with the belief, that they were devils and not men who had destroyed them in such a manner. So much a strong resolution of bold and courageous men can bring to pass, that no resistance or advantage of ground can disappoint them; and it can hardly be imagined how small a loss the English sustained in this unparalleled action, not one ship being left behind, and the killed and wounded not exceeding 200 men; when the slaughter on board the Spanish ships and on shore was incredible." The general cruized for some time afterwards with his victorious fleet at the mouth of Cales, to intercept the Spanish shipping; but finding his constitution broken by the fatigue of the last three years, determined to return home, and died before he came to land.

The respect with which he obliged all foreigners to treat his countrymen, appears from a story related by Bishop Burnet. When he lay before Malaga, in a time of peace with Spain, some of his sailors went ashore, and meeting a procession of the host, not only refused to pay any respect to it, but laughed at those that did. The people, being put by one of the priests upon resenting this indignity, fell upon them and beat them severely. When they returned to their ship, they complained of their ill-treatment; upon which Blake sent to demand the priest who had procured it. The viceroy answered that, having no authority over the priests, he could not send him to which Blake replied, "that he did not inquire into the extent of the viceroy's authority, but that if the priest were not sent within three hours, he would burn the town." The viceroy then sent the priest to him, who pleaded the provocation given by the seamen. Blake bravely and rationally answered, that if he had complained to him, he would have punished them severely, for he would not have his men affront the established religion of any place; but that he was angry that the Spaniards should assume that power, for he would have all the world know "that an Englishman was only to be punished by an Englishman." So having used the priest civilly, he sent him back, being satisfied that he was in his power. This conduct so much pleased Cromwell, that he read the letter in council with great satisfaction, and said, "he hoped to make the name of an Englishman as great as ever that of a Roman had been." In 1656, the Protector, having declared war against Spain, despatched Blake with twenty-five men of war to infest their coasts, and intercept their shipping. In pursuance of these orders he But that regard which was denied his body has cruised all winter about the Straits, and then lay been paid to his better remains, his name and his at the mouth of the harbour of Cales, where he memory. Nor has any writer dared to deny him received intelligence that the Spanish plate-fleet the praise of intrepidity, honesty, contempt of lay at anchor in the bay of Santa-Cruz, in the isle wealth, and love of his country. "He was the of Teneriffe. On the 13th of April, 1657, he de- first man," says Clarendon, "that declined the old parted from Cales, and on the 20th arrived at track, and made it apparent that the sciences Santa-Cruz, where he found sixteen Spanish ves- might be attained in less time than was imagined. sels. The bay was defended on the north side by He was the first man that brought ships to cona castle well mounted with cannon, and in other temn castles on shore, which had ever been parts by seven forts with cannon proportioned thought very formidable, but were discovered by to the bigness, all united by a line of communica-him to make a noise only, and to fright those who tion manned with musqueteers. The Spanish could rarely be hurt by them. He was the first admiral drew up his small ships under the cannon of the castle, and stationed six great galleons with their broadsides to the sea; an advantageous and prudent disposition, but of little effect against the English commander; who determining to attack them, ordered Stayner to enter the bay with his squadron; then posting some of his larger ships to play upon the fortifications, himself attacked

His body was embalmed, and having lain some time in state at Greenwich-house, was buried in Henry VII.'s chapel, with all the funeral solemnity due to the remains of a man so famed for his bra very, and so spotless in his integrity; nor is it without regret that I am obliged to relate the treatment his body met a year after the Restoration, when it was taken up by express command, and buried in a pit in St. Margaret's churchyard. Had he been guilty of the murder of Charles I. to insult his body had been a mean revenge; but as he was innocent, it was, at least, inhumanity, and, perhaps, ingratitude. "Let no man," says the oriental proverb, "pull a dead lion by the beard."

that infused that proportion of courage into seamen, by making them see, by experience, what mighty things they could do if they were resolved, and taught them to fight in fire, as well as upon the water; and though he has been very well imitated and followed, was the first that gave the example of that kind of naval courage, and bold and resolute achievements."