The Fight of the Mary Rose

by Charles Napier Robinson

In the volume of "Old Naval Prints" issued by the Studio in 1924, there was reproduced a print after Hollar of the Fight of the Mary Rose, Captain John Kempthorne, with seven Algerine pirates. The publication led to the discovery, or perhaps it should be said to the identification, of a picture by Van de Velde in the possession of Mr D. Bolderhey at Amsterdam, which represents the same fight, and was apparently painted after that of Hollar. By the courtesy of Mr J.F.L. de Balbian Verster, the brother-in-law of Mr. Bolderhey, the picture, and the sketch, also believed to be by Van de Velde, are reproduced in this issue of the MM. These gentlemen, with Mr CG 't Hooft, made a thorough investigation of both the picture and sketch, and are agreed that they may be ascribed to Willem Van de Velde the younger (1633-1707). It is remarkable how in close detail this painting follows that which was reproduced in "Old Naval Prints." As Hollar was an eye-witness of the fight, and Van de Velde was not, the suggestion is that the latter must have sketched and painted his picture after Hollar's engraving. It is also suggested that Van de Velde may have made his picture by order of Sir John Kempthorne or his family, and that the picture came to Amsterdam some years ago. It bears all the characteristics of Van de Velde's last period, that to which those at Hampton Court also belong. Like these, it has a very high horizon, and is a very good example of Van de Velde's best work. The painting is in good condition, and in brilliant colour.

It may be called to mind that among the Kirkall mezzotints is one entitled "Fight Against Seven Algerines, by Captain Kempthorne--E. Collectione Thomas Brodrick Armigeri. W. Van de Velde pinx, E. Kirkall fecit." The original of this engraving is supposed to be the painting in the gallery at Greenwich ascribed to W. Van de Velde and presented by Admiral of the Fleet the Hon. John Forbes in 1791. It has been questioned, however, whether this particular painting represented the action by Sir John Kempthorne in the Mary Rose, 1669, or that of Morgan Kempthorne, in the Kingfisher, 1681. This particular point might be cleared up by comparing the paintings with Hollar's original, under which there is the following inscription:

A TRUE RELATION OF CAPT. KEMPTHORN'S ENGAGEMENT IN THE MARY ROSE WITH SEVEN ALGIER MEN OF WAR.

Anno 1669, in the beginning of December, His Excellency the Lord Ambassador Henry Howard, having obtained from the Emperor of Barbary, Taffaleta, a Letter of Security, to his content had resolved to prosecute his Journey to the Court; to which end, he ordered his baggage, and most of his Retinue, to be embarked in the Mary Rose, which had Transported him from England; and purposd himself, with some few of his gentlemen and servants, to the number of fifteen or sixteen, to go by Land, and the Ship by Sea to to Salee; resolving as soon as we were under Sail, to begin his Journey also. Thus accordingly we set Sail on Wednesday the eighth of the said Month at two a clock in the morning, with the Wind at North-East, along the Shore of Barbary; and having past Arzila that evening, after Midnight, we overtook a great Flyboat of 300 Tuns; and finding her to be an English Vessel, fraighted with Deal, Malts, Salt, and Tobacco, coming from New England, or those parts, and taken by the Algier Men of War off the Cape St Vincent, being bound for Cadiz, we took and made prize of her, and having found 22 Turks aboard her; and three Christians, one a Russian, and two Englishmen, we transported them aboard us, and sent other men aboard her; and having examined the Principal of them, found them to belong to a squadron of Algier Men of War, who were cruising in those Seas: But the Prize being heavy loaden, and a bad Sailer (insomuch that we were forced to tow her) did much prolong our voyage, as that we could not arrive till Saturday at Noon before Salee; Yet that slowness did us a Courtesie for that time, though a Discourtesie afterwards; for having for the most part of the Forenoon taken notice of a Barque keeping betwixt us and the shore, and thinking her to be otherwise than she proved afterwards, Captain Kempthorn sent his Ketch to speak her: In the meantime we arriv'd before Salee; and having handsomly trimm'd our Ship with Pendants and other Ornaments, and cast Anchor, we Saluted the Town with 11 Guns, and received for Answer, Silence. However, we made ready for Landing; and first the Steward onely, in a Pinace with another Gentleman, rowed towards the Shore; and while that was doing, we saw at a distance, that our Ketch had overtaken the Barque, and after a little time of Conference let her go with discharging of a gun; which Barque made with full Sails towards us, to our great admiration; till coming nearer we perceiv'd that she bore the King of Englands Colours, and discharg'd two Guns; Then we concluded that some extraordinary Message from his Excellency; therefore the Captain commanded to discharge a Gun, and to make a Waft for those who were rowing towards the Shore, who seeing that, turned back again, and came aboard; and the Vessel, being a Brigantine belonging to Tangier, having aboard her a Gentleman of Quality, and a Captain, with 40 Soldiers and 6 Brass Guns, did also approach, and deliver'd his Message, which was, That we should not Land, but rather get aboard, if we could, all those who were ashore before, with the Goods also, matters at Tangiers since our departure being much alter'd; and had we not been retarded by the fore-mentioned Prize, this message would have come too late.

However we stayed there till Monday, and seeing there could nothing be effected, in getting those People aboard (because they were detained) and a Storm being at hand and forcing us from the Shore, we took the Sea; and having fastened the said Brigantine astern, we Cruised that night and the day following, in a Storm, far in the Sea, all the men of the Brigantine being aboard her suffered much. This evening we saw two Turks Men of War afar off; and at night was a very great Storm, so that we forced to take the men of the Brigantine aboard us, and suffer her to be cast away. Next day the 15 the Weather continued; Toward evening we saw again the Turks Men of War chasing a Spanish vessel; but having perceived us making towards him, he fled; By and by we saw Land, it being La Rotta on the Spanish coast; which we could not reach, the Storm blowing out of the Levant, but were forced to keep at Sea further off, and there to be tossed all that night and the day after. The 17 came to us a French Canary Man, bound for Cadiz; by and by a Scotchman from the same place; we saw also two Turks Men of War; therefore those two ships came to us for protection. Next morning at break of day we discov'd seven Turks Men of War; and because their Course was towards us, therefore all possible Preparation was made aboard us for the fight, and all that might be hurtful, or hinder us, remov'd and thrown overboard, and our aforesaid Prize forsaken, the Men taken aboard into the Mary Rose and the Ship let drive before the wind. The same day before Noon the Turks passed us; but neither Party attempting anything; yet our Preparation went on to the utmost of our power. In the meantime one of the Turks ships being a slow Sailer and being full of Men (Being the Half Moon) lagg'd about an English Mile behind the rest; so that they were forced to stay for her, and to send out two Boats Mann'd to tow her. Our Captain seeing that, who was near betwixt them both sent also a Boat with Men to intercept theirs, which caus'd a small skirmish among them; but when we saw that the Turks put out another Boat strongly provided, our Captain commanded to make a Waft for our men to come back again; After that we saw them stand close together, no doubt to consult what was to be done; and we still preparing, till about three a clock they began to charge, whereupon ensued a hot Service, and much harm done on both sides; but the night being at hand, they retired a little way, and there stay'd till day, observing our Motion; and because they should not think that we would run away in the dark; Captain Kempthorn commanded Lights to be set out, that they might see where we were; and so, having taken some rest the same night, early in the morning we were alarmed again, and having performed Solemn Prayers immediately everyone repaired to his station for they were coming; and all things being well ordered, especially that every other Gun should be fired at every Ship to preserve the rest for the second; by which means every one of the Turks Men of War received a sufficient opposition. We had also besides our ordinary Ships Crew about 70 Land Soldiers of Tangier and about 40 of His Excellencies Retinue; in all about 250 Men. Thus began the fight with a great courage; and they coming in a Line from the South-East Quarter, the Half Moon was the foremost, and having come within Pistol-Shot gave us his small shot, and his Broadside, and receiv'd as much from us, and then having passed, bore off a little to the Starboard, North-East; the same order kept all the rest, the Golden Lion or Admiral being in the Rere, with the intention to board us. After we had received these five Broadsides, even as he was coming up, with more Sails spread than the rest, he received a shot between wind and water, another tore his Main-Sail from end to end, and being thus disabled stood off; His companions seeing that, tack'd about, and compassing him around, went away fore the Wind with all speed which put an end to the Fight, God be thanked. The seventh ship all that while was pursuing our Prize, by which means we had one enemy the less. Thus we followed our Course, having lost all that day in the time of our Fight our French Ship Companion and the following night the Scotchman and the Pink, which Pink having aboard a number of Jews, Armenians, and the like Companions, having during the Fight revolted against the Master of the vessel, endeavoured to comply with the Turks, and, having given some signal, bore towards them: they mistrusting it to be a Fire-ship, began to avoid; but our Captains providence hinder'd their design. There were killed aboard us 11 Persons, 17 wounded and the Ship much dammag'd. The next day in the evening we arriv'd in the Bay of Cadiz, being December 30 S.V. 1669.

Adverting to the picture at Amsterdam, the Algerine ships bear the Dutch flag, red, white and blue; another vessel flies the Scots' flag, with St Andrew's cross in the upper canton; another vessel has a white flag, presumably French; and yet another the flag of Hamburg, red with a castle. The dimensions of the painting are 70 by 42 inches, and the sketch, in black and white, 44 by 14 inches.