The 5th Rate Forester

Pepys said that the Forester was built at the Forest of Dean by Daniel Furzer. She was completed in 1657. Her dimensions were 87ft x 25ft-6in x 10ft-6in. Her navigational draft was 12ft. Her burden was 300 tons, as built. Her peacetime complement was 75 men. In wartime, for service abroad, her complement was 100 men. For wartime in home waters, her complement swelled to 140 men. Her peacetime armament was just 24 guns, but in wartime, in home waters, she would be armed with as many as 38 guns. She was lost in November 1672, when she blew up at Livorno. It apparently was an accident. She fought in the Battle of Lowestoft, and had been assigned to Thomas Teddiman's division, when her commander was Edward Cotterell. She only carried 28 guns in the battle, and had a crew of 145 men. At the time of the Four Days Battle in June 1666, she was stationed in Ireland. During the St. James's Day Battle, she was commanded by Richard Country, and was stationed in Ireland.