* * * * * [a] His second wife, Elizabeth; maiden name unknown. THE SAME TO THE SAME. On bord the Royall James, this 14ᵗʰ May, 1672; Tuesday evening, at anchor neere Dungenesse. MY DEAREST LOVE, These are to give the an accᵗ of my wellfare and good health, wᶜʰ I blesse God I doe injoy. We are now at anchor neere Dungenesse wᵗʰ our whole fleet, consisting of 80 men of warr, English and French, about 20 or 22 fireships, and many small vessells besides. We have bine tydeing it up from the Isle of Wind (_sic_). Ever since Wedensday last the winds have hung easterly. The Dutch fleet, we heard yesterday, were at yᵉ North Forland. We doe our utmost endeavor to get to them, if they have a mind to fight us. To yᵉ westwards of yᵉ Downes they may easely be wᵗʰ us; but we judge there designe is to ingage us amongst the sands, wᶜʰ posibly they may be deceaved in there expectation. God Almighty goe along wᵗʰ us and give us victory over our enemyes. I know I shall not want thy prayers and the well wishes of all my deare relations for my preservation. We have a brave fleet and, in the maine, well mand. For our parts we doe not complayn, haveing neere 900 men on bord us; yᵉ Duke 1000, I beleive, and upwards. It is probable, before we ingage, we may have yᵉ ships in the river ioyne wᵗʰ us, wᶜʰ are 10 or 11 men of warr and 4 fire ships. I desire we may put our strength in God Almighty; but soe noble a brave fleet have not bine seene together in our dayes.