May 18. ABOUT nine a Clock this Morn­ing, the Admiral, with the whole Fleet weighed, being all at An­chor off Dunnose with the Wind at W. S. W. and S. W. by W. stood over to the French Coast all night, &c.

May 19. This Morning at day-light, the Wind W. S. W. and W. by S. we dis­covered the French Fleet a great way to Windward, signal was made for our draw­ing into the Line of Battel, and about nine a Clock the French began to bear down, Tourville himself, with a great deal of Bravery singled out our Admiral; and was received with more than equal Cou­rage: At Eleven, the French being got pretty near, Tourville himself being brought to within less that Musquet Shot of Ad­miral Russel, which was admired in general both by the English and Dutch, that the French Admiral, being so small a Fleet, should so Resolutely attack outs, being so much Superior to his in number, for the French Line spreading but little farther a Head or a Stern than the Red Squadron, we could not well construe the meaning of their vigorously falling upon that Squa­dron, the Dutch and the Blue having little or no share in the Fight, but in less than a quarter of an Hours time there was no­thing to be seen but a Terrible Smoak and Fire that darkened all the Air, so that none could perceive a Cables length from their Ships, which was accompanied with a continual Thunder of Guns for four Hours, the Firing being smart on both sides, from Eleven till Three; but the French Admiral finding the English too hot for him, and his Main Top Sail Yard being Shot, about Five a clock he got his Main Tack on Board, and it proving little Wind he towed off, and endeavoured to get out of the way and reach of our Mischievous English Guns: His Example was followed by the rest of the French Fleet, but about Six or Seven of the Clock the Wind shifted to the Eastward, they fell in amongst the Blue, some of which Squadron, together with Sir Cloudsley Shovell, had a very hot dispute with them till near Eleven a Clock, the French fighting their way through, and it being but little Wind, we stood till night after them, and at Ten a Clock at night we saw some Ships Blown up.

May 20. All last night we continued the Chase, and the Wind this Morning having shifted to the Westward, the French were again got to the Windward, they Plying and we after them; at Five in the Afternoon they Anchored, and we did the same, Cape de Hogue bearing W. S. W. about seven Leagues distant, and a prodi­gious strong Tide running at Eleven this Night, we weighed and plied to Wind­ward all night.

May 21. This Morning part of the French Fleet run in at the Race of Alderney, the rest plying to Windward, and Anchored to the Westward of it. Sir John Ashby and some of the English Windward, most Ships Anchored after the French; Admiral Russell and the Fleet with him Cut, and followed some Ships of the French, that drove out of the Race again, their Anchors not being able to bring them up against so strong a Tide; the Admiral left Sir Ralph Delavall with some Ships, to destroy part of the French Fleet that were run into Cherburg, whilst he himself followed others into La Hogue.

May 22. Sir John Ashby, and the Ships with him, not being able to get up with the Ships he chased, only one Fire Ship which was taken yesterday in the Evening, the French having this Morning borne away among the Islands of Alderney, Jersey [Page]and Guernsey, and the Rocks, Sir John and the rest bore away to the Admiral and Sir Ralph, with the Fire-Ships and Boats with him (having first sent ashore a Flag of Truce to give the French warning, to take their Men both Well and Wounded out of their Ships) burnt three of their Ca­pital Ships, one of them the Soleil Royal, the French refusing to take their Men ashore, great part of them were Burnt and Blown up.

May 23. This Morning Sir John Ashby, Sir Ralph Delaval and the Dutch, Joyned the General and the Ships with him, who Anchored off La Hogue; and there all the rest of the French Men of War that were drove out of the Race, were close into the Shoar, which the Admiral design'd to Burn and Destroy, having ordered Vice Admiral Rooke with a Detachment of some of the Third and Fourth Rates to go in with six Fire ships, and all the Pinnaces and Long boats of the Fleet. About Six a Clock they were got into the Shore, and our Ships Fired at their Ships and Forts that were there, but could not get in; so the Boats attempted to tow in the Fire-ships, but finding the busi­ness might be done without burning the fire ships, the Boats only went in, and about Nine a Clock set on Fire the first Ship, which was by it self, and set on Fire [...] Five more that Night, which made the most extraordinary Bonfire that ever was seen, five of them being three Deck'd Ships, and it being in the Night, was seen to all the Advantage imaginable, the Smoak and Fire, together with the Guns Firing and Ships Blowing up, being Pro­digious: The Earl of Danby signaliz'd him­self by going in the Headmost Boat, and going on Board three of their biggest Ships and Burning them.

May 24. All this day the Boats continu­ed to Burn the French Ships in the Shore, and Burn'd Eight Men of War more, of which there were not above four small Ships of Forty or Fifty Guns, all the rest of a Hundred or Eighty Guns, besides a great many Merchant Ships and small Craft, and their Magazine of Powder Blowing up a Shore. There never was so many fine Ships destroyed at one time, nor so terrible a Light for People to be­hold on their own Coast: And about Twelve a Clock at Noon, the Vice-Ad­miral with all the Ships and Boats came off again into the Fleet, having left all the Enemies Ships on a Flame, and a great Army to be Spectators, there being drawn down about Thirty thousand Men, Commanded by Belfont, King James be­ing there to see all the Transactions.

In all we lost not one Man of War; some Fire ships were burn'd without do­ing Execution, some by Accident; and we cannot find that any Officers are Kill'd besides Rear-Admiral Carter and Colonel Hastings, Captain Graydon is said to be Dead, but of that no Certainty.

The French have lost Gabaret their Ad­miral of the Blew, Ship and all in the Fight Burn'd, and one Captain Decombe, who was Captain of the Illustrious, a Ship of Seventy Guns Burnt: Tourville's Nephew is thought to be Killed also; what Damage they im­mediately received in the Fight, is not as yet known: But upon the whole matter, there never was so great a Victory obtained at Sea in so short a time, and I hope it is a presage for a future Success.

May 25. This Morning the Wind at East and by South, and E. S. E. the Ad­miral and the Fleet Sailed and Steered a­way N. E. by N. and N. by E. for Eng­land.