6.  In case his majesty’s fleet have the wind of the enemy, and that the enemy stands towards them and they towards the enemy, then the van of his majesty’s fleet shall keep the wind, and when they are come at a convenient distance from the enemy’s rear they shall stay until their own whole line is come up within the same distance from the enemy’s van; and then the whole line is to tack, every ship in his own place, and to bear down upon them so nigh as they can without endangering the loss of the wind—­[Note that they are not to bear down all at once, but to observe the working of the admiral and to bring to as often as he thinks fit, the better to bring his fleet to fight in good order; and at last only to lask away[2] when they come near within shot towards the enemy as much as may be, and not bringing their heads to bear against the enemy’s broadsides]—­and to stand along with them the same tacks on board, still keeping the enemy to leeward, and not suffering them to tack in their van.  And in case the enemy tack in the rear first, he who is in the rear of his majesty’s fleet is to tack first with as many ships or divisions as are those of the enemy’s, and if all the enemy’s ships tack, their whole line is to follow, standing along with the same tacks aboard as the enemy doth.

7 to 9. [Same as 8 to 10 of 1673.]

10. [Same as 11 of 1673, but with yellow flag instead of red.]

11.  When the admiral would have the other divisions to make more sail, though himself shorten sail, a white ensign shall be put on the ensign staff for the vice-admiral, a blue for the rear, and for both a striped.

12.  As soon as the fleet shall see the admiral engage or make a signal by putting out a red flag on the fore topmast-head, each division shall take the best advantage they can to engage the enemy, according to such order of battle as shall be given them, and no ship or division whatsoever is upon any pretence to lie by to fight or engage the enemy whereby to endanger parting the main body of the fleet till such time as the whole line be brought to fight by this signal.

13 to 18. [Same as 14 to 19 of 1673.]

18.  The several commanders in the fleet are to take special care, upon pain of severe punishment, that they fire not over any of their own ships.

19. [Same as 20 of 1673.]

20.  The fireships in their several divisions are to endeavour to keep the wind, and they with the small frigates to be as near the great ships as they can, attending the signal and acting accordingly.

21. [Same as 22 of 1673.][3]

FOOTNOTES: 

[1] Article 4 of 1673 is omitted, being included in Article 3 above.

[2] To sail with a quartering wind.  Morogues urged this precaution a century later (Tactique Navale, p. 209).

[3] The MS. ends abruptly in the middle of this article.