belonged to a family which has since given several distinguished officers to the British Navy, and which may fairly claim to be one of the oldest naval families in existence.
It is remarkable that rumours of the victory prevailed in London as early as the 25th;[1] but King Edward did not send off his official dispatch until the 28th, and this could not have reached his son, Prince Edward, who was at Waltham Abbey, before June 30th, or July 1st. Some days after the action, the king, accompanied by a brilliant suite, landed in state to return thanks at the shrine of Our Lady of Ardenberg.[2] Thence he rode to Ghent, where he met the queen.
Edward's letter to his son is the earliest English naval dispatch in existence, and for this, as well as for other reasons, derves quotation. A copy of the original is preserved in the archives of the City of London, and is in French. The following is a translation of it:—
"Very dear Son—We are persuaded that you are desirous to know good news of us, and how we have fared since our departure from England. Therefore we would have you learn that on the Thursday after the day when we quitted the port of Orwell, we sailed all day and the night following; and on Friday, about the hour of noon, we arrived upon the coast of Flanders, before Blankenberghe, where we had a sight of the fleet of our enemies, who were all crowded together in the port of the Swyn; and seeing that the tide did not serve us to close with them, we lay to all that night. On Saturday, St. John's Day, soon after the hour of noom, at high tide, in the name of God, and confident in our just quarrel, we entered the said port upon our said enemies. who had assembled their ships in very strong array, and who made a most noble defence all that day and the night afterwards; but God, by His power and miracle, granted us the victory over them our enemies, for which we thank Him as devoutly as we are able. And we would have you know that the number of the ships, galleys, and large barges of our enemies, amounted to one hundred and ninety, and that they were all taken, save twenty-four altogether, which fled, and some of which are since taken at sea. And the number of men-at-arms and other armed people amounted thirty-five thousand, of which number, by estimation, five thousand have escaped; and the rest, as we are given to understand by some people who have been taken alive, lie dead in many places m the coast of Flanders. On the other hand, all our ships, that is to say, the Christopher, and the others which were lost at Middelburg, are now re-taken; and the are taken in this fleet three or four as large as the Christopher. The Flamands were inclined to come over to us in the battle from first to last ('estoient de bone volente davoir venuz a no' ala bataille du comencement tunqe ala fin.') Thus God, our Lord, has shown abundant favour for which we and all our friends are ever bound to render him grace and thanks. Our purpose is to remain in peace in the river, until we have taken in hand certain questions with our allies and our other friends in Flanders, concerning what is to be done. Very dear Son, may God be your keeper.
"Given under our secret seal in our ship the cog Thomas. Wednesday, the eve of St. Peter and St. Paul."[3]
