a part of the enemy’s fleet.  Coventry in his official despatch to Monck, who was ashore in charge of the admiralty, says nothing of it, nor does Hoste, while the duke himself tells us the object of his movement was merely to have ‘a bout with Opdam.’  Granville Penn was naturally inclined to credit the statement in the Newsletter because he believed the action was fought under Fighting Instructions which contained an article about dividing the enemy’s fleet.  But even if this article had been in force at the time—­and we now know that it was not—­it would still have been inapplicable, for it was only designed in view of an attack from leeward, a most important point which modern writers appear unaccountably to have overlooked.[5]

But although we can no longer receive this questionable movement of the Duke of York as an instance of ‘breaking the line’ in the modern sense, it is certain that the English manoeuvres in this action were more scientific and elaborate than ever before—­so much so indeed that a reaction set in, and it is this reaction which gave rise to the idea in later times that the order in line ahead had not been used in Commonwealth or Restoration times.  We gather that in spite of the victory there was a widespread conviction that it ought to have been more decisive.  It was felt that there had been perhaps too much manoeuvring and not enough hard fighting.  In the end the Duke of York and Sandwich were both tenderly relieved of their command, and superseded by Monck.  He and Rupert then became joint admirals for the ensuing campaign.  They had the reputation of being two of the hardest fighters alive, and both were convinced of their power of sweeping the Dutch from the sea by sheer hard hitting, a belief which so far at least as Monck was concerned the country enthusiastically shared.  The spirit in which the two soldier-admirals put to sea in May 1666 we see reflected in the hitherto unknown ’Additional Instructions for Fighting’ given below.  For the knowledge of these remarkable orders, which go far to solve the mystery that has clouded the subject, we are again indebted to Lord Dartmouth.  They are entered like the others in Sir Edward Spragge’s ‘Sea Book.’  They bear no date, but as they are signed ‘Rupert’ and addressed to ’Sir Edward Spragge, Knt., Vice-Admiral of the Blue,’ we can with certainty fix them to this time.  For we know that Spragge sailed in Rupert’s squadron, and on the fourth day of the famous June battle was raised to the rank here given him in place of Sir William Berkley, who had been killed in the first day’s action.[6] What share Monck had in the orders we cannot tell, but Rupert, being only joint admiral with him, could hardly have taken the step without his concurrence, and the probability is that Rupert, who had been detached on special service, was issuing a general fleet order to his own squadron which may have been communicated to the rest of the fleet before he rejoined.  It must at any rate have been after he rejoined, for