Papers of the Winthrop Family, Volume 1

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Joshua Downing to John Winthrop

4 May 1627

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Instructions for Captain Skipwith1

Watts, John Skipwith, Richard

1627

Instructions for Captaine Skipworth2 by vertue of order receyved from Sir John Wattes3 who is authorised therevnto from the Right Honorable the Duke of Buckingham Lord High Admirall of England.

1 That you attend his Maiesties Ship the Due Repulse4 to goe to the westward and there to spend such tyme as is and shalbe assigned to vs by future Commands betweene the Isle of wight and the Coast of France and at Convenient tymes to put into Stoaks Stokes bay both to give intelligence of all occurrences and to receive further direction

2 And for better performance of our duties I doe recommend you these few provisions

3 That all the day you birth your selves as neere as you may south south east and North North west Crosse the Chanell some five or six miles one from the other and so from the Repulse each ship to take his birth as it shall fall out keeping the distance, And if any man shall discover a saile or sailes presently to give Chase first setteling once his maine top saile and shoote of one peece and so the next to her and then the rest if there shalbe Cause that so all may take knowledge, and in Case of divers Chases at 352once then each man to aply him selfe for the best as his advantage doth give leave and vpon the end and finishing of the businesse to make present repaire vnto the Repulse to give an accompte of all past That so my Lord Admirall from me may be informed according to my Instructions. And if any man take any ship and have lost the Repulse that then he direct himselfe and prise to Portsmouth or for the Downes to eyther as wind will best permitte, and presently vpon his arrivall to eyther to advise my Lord Admirall

4 If it shall happen that any man loose Companie of the Repulse that then vpon sight eyther of me or any of our fleet then to hoise and strike twice, and all other shipes to her to doe the like

5 The nightes short and you vnderstanding; small Instructions will suffice. At night to gather your selfes about the Repulse that so you may attend vpon the light, and when the dawning apeares about two of the Clocke to disperse your selves according to these my directions.

And these for this our short imployment I take to be sufficient.

If it shall happen that in giving of chase I cast of our long boate or any other of our boates that then if you be neerest to her you take her vp and when you may to bring her to vs. Vale

W. 1. 33; L. and L. , I. 239–240.

Richard Skipwith, in command of the Esperance, of Ipswich, who was, with his vessel, cast away in 1628. Calendar of State Papers, Domestic, 1628–1629, 376.

Son of Sir John Watts (d. 1616), Lord Mayor of London in 1606, and an active member of the Virginia company. The son served in the Cadiz expedition and was knighted for his good service in 1625. He married Mary, daughter of Thomas Bayning of Suffolk. D. N. B. , LX. 70; Visitations of Hertfordshire (H. S., Pub. , XXII), 102. He was in command of the Triumph. W. L. Clowes, The Royal Navy, II. 65.

Also known as the Repulse. Cf. Calendar of State Papers, Domestic, 1627–1628.