To face p. 1 (Vol. 1)

FRONTISPIECE TO THE FIRST BOOK, FROM THE ORIGINAL MS.

"The Frontispiece to the First Book represents the figure of Britannia (denoted by her shield) sitting under a cliff upon the seashore, having in her left hand a branch of laurel signifying victory, and her shield resting upon a book with the title VERBVM DEI upon the leaves signifying the true religion; her right hand supporting a lance with a hat thereon, the emblem of Liberty. At a distance is represented part of the coast of Ireland, with the city of Londonderry (distinguished by the name London-derry above it), and the Dartmouth (Captain Leake's ship) engaging Kilmore Castle and conducting two victuallers, the boom across the river with the batteries appearing as they are described in the account of that action. scroll above, the motto ATAVUM PRO LIBERTATE FIDEQVE (That it was for the liberty and faith of their forefathers)." [Note from Author's MS.

In a

His birth and transactions before he was made a Captain, with a brief account of the life and actions of his father, Captain Richard Leake.

SIR JOHN LEAKE was son of Captain Richard Leake, Master-Gunner of England, and grandson of Mr. Richard Leake, descended from the Leakes of Derbyshire.

Mr. Leake the grandfather, being bred to the sea, took up his residence at Harwich, in the county of Essex, where his son Richard, the father of Sir John, was born in the year 1629. He is said to have been first in the King's service. However that be, he went into the service of the Parliament upon the breaking out of the Civil War, and had a commission in their fleet under the command of the Earl of Warwick, by which means his son was necessarily engaged in the same cause. But as he heartily detested it, he took the first opportunity to

desert it. He engaged some of the seamen in the same design, and, in the night, they went away with the boat. As his father suspected his design, he watched him so closely that he was discovered almost as soon as he put off from the ship, and several shots were fired at the boat to stop or sink it; but they got safely on shore, and Mr. Leake had the good fortune to escape his father's resentment, who would not have spared him, had he taken him, being very zealous in the cause he had espoused, and in which he died soon after.

After this escape, Mr. Leake went a volunteer in the King's service; but His Majesty's affairs proving very unfortunate, more especially by sea, he retired to Holland, and entered into the service of the Dutch artillery, where he improved himself in the art of Gunnery and Engineering, to which he had a particular genius.

As soon as it might be done with safety, he returned to England, and, entering into the Merchant Service, had the command of a ship several voyages up the Mediterranean; and during this time, his two elder sons Henry and John were born.

Upon the Restoration, he quitted the Merchant Service, and was made Gunner of a man-of-war, a post, though now esteemed but mean, at that time of good account. The sailing and the fighting were then two distinct affairs. The Master and his mates were to navigate the ship, and the Commission Officers and Gunner to fight the ship; and as the management of the great guns is the principal part of a sea engagement, the success was thought to depend very much upon the skill and conduct of the Gunner. For this reason, in case of the death of the

STATUS OF THE GUNNER

3

Commission Officers and Master, the Gunner had the command of the ship; and by these necessary qualifications, and the nature of his office, a Gunner was esteemed a genteel employment; and the Master-Gunners (for so they were always styled in their Warrant), especially those of great ships, wore their swords on shore, kept company with the Commission Officers, and were much respected by all.1 A writer,' speaking of the economy of the Navy, observes that Gunners were better obeyed in those days than Lieutenants were in his, and had as much command over the seamen. And indeed, says he, they deserved it; for they were fit to command, and very often did it with great reputation; and instances some particular actions of Mr. Leake (which follow) as a proof of the qualifications of Gunners at that time.

The first ship of which Mr. Leake was appointed Master-Gunner, was the Princess, of

1 'No officer, but his Captain, is accommodated like him. He challengeth the Gun Room as his hereditary estate where he struts about like any crow in a gutter. . . . He ruleth by the Sword like any usurper; nay and so horrid a tyrant is he as to keep it ever unsheathed and never lets it rust or lie dormant in a scabbard. This is his "Sword of State" which never goes forth from his dominions. But he wears another on shore more by the instigations of his wife than his own heart. . . . When he has this swagging by his Quarter and his bob-wig tied up behind like a horse-tail, he's then a Gentleman all over in his own conceit, though Heaven knows the vain fool's no more like one than a Barber's Pole is like a Whipping Post.'-THE GUNNER by Ned Ward in The Wooden World Dissected (1706).

It is worthy of notice that in Monson's day the Gunner was drawing smaller pay than the Boatswain.--Naval Tracts, Book III.

• A pamphlet, entituled The Old and True Way of Manning the Fleet; or, How to retrieve the Glory of the English Arms by Sea. Quarto, London, 1707.-Author's Note.

50 guns, in which he continued till May 3, 1669.1 During this time, which included the first Dutch War, he was in many engagements and always distinguished himself by his skill and bravery. It was in this war that the Princess, meeting with fifteen sail of Rotterdam menof-war, fought with the Rear-Admiral of 64 guns and five others of 48 and 50 guns each, and presently after with the Admiral of 70 guns, and two of her seconds, forcing the enemy to lie by the lee; and the Captain, Lieutenants, and Master, being all killed during the battle, the extraordinary defence of the ship was entirely owing to the bravery and conduct of the Gunner.4

Likewise in another engagement, in the same ship, in the year 1667, in the Baltic Sea, he gained no less honour to himself; for engaging two Danish men-of-war, after four hours' fight, his Captain being killed, the Lieutenant

Built by Daniel Furzer in 1660. She was a Fourth Rate of 660 tons and mounted 46 guns.-Pepys's Register of the Royal Navy, Pepysian MSS. 2940.

Meaning the 'first' of the Restoration wars against the Dutch; what is now called the 'Second Dutch War,' 16651668.

That is to say, furnished by the Admiralty of 'South Holland.'

The Old and True Way of Manning the Fleet, &c., f. 15, where this and the following action are related of Mr. Leake. These two actions are likewise mentioned in Columna Rostrata but said to be done by the Elizabeth, Captain Dawes, which is a mistake; because at the time of both these engagements Captain Dawes commanded the Princess, and Mr. Leake was Gunner, as appears by the Pay-Books of that ship in the Navy Office. Besides, in the latter engagement she is called a Frigate,' whereas the Elizabeth was a ship of 70 guns. The Princess indeed might be called a frigate, her complement of men at that time being but 220, though she mounted 46 or 50 guns.-Author's Note.