The Holland Society of New York - Yearbook (New York, NY)

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97 matter of fact, the English outraged every claim of neutrality in their determination to protect the Spaniards, and it was only the attack threatened by Tromp in spite of this protection, braving both the English and Spanish Heets, which-forced the Span- iards from their refuge. The imprisonment of Pennington was because he did not continue his protection of the Spaniards to the last, even at the peril of a clash with Tromp, as Charles I,, of England, not only sympathized with the Spaniards, but was annoyed to find that Tromp's boldness frustrated his scheme to drive a sharp bargain with Spain in her extremity. A more ancient and more accurate account, also from an English authority, is given herewith : Having advice that a Spanish squadron, composed of ten large men of war, four frigates, and several smaller vessels, had quitted the port of Randyke on the 18th of February, Tromp immediately went in pursuit, came up with the Spanish admi- ral off Graveline, joined battle, and defeated him, after a bloody conflict which lasted six hours. The Spanish admiral, and three more great ships, were driven on the sands, and taken, and the vice-admiral's ship was burnt, to prevent it falling into the hands of the Hollanders. Four frigates were besides taken, and the Spaniards were reported to have lost near two thousand men, of whom seven hundred were made prisoners. I l The most important consequence of T romp's victory was, that ftwenty ?iI four thousand men on board the Spanish squad- ron were destined for a grand armament equipping at Cadiz and Corunna, the most formidable that had been seen since the Armada prepared to invade England fin 15881. All the Mari- time Powers were attentive to the object of this vast Heet. England and France imagined the Court of Spain intended, in conjunction with the king of Denmark, to attack Swedeng while the States General trembled for the fate of the prov- inces. In fact, the Catholic king had his own immediate in- terest too strongly in view, to hearken to the suggestion of the 7

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