English Captain: William Davies

William Davies served in the Restoration navy. Pepys lists him as the first William Davies, but Frank Fox calls the other captain William Davis. This William Davies was appointed lieutenant of the 4th Rate Diamond in 1664. By 18 April 1665, he was appointed captain of the Little Unicorn. At the time of the Battle of Lowestoft, the ship was fitting out. He took command of a hired merchantman, the Maryland, on 10 July 1665. He continued in command of her until 11 December 1665. In 1666, he commanded the Dutch prize Zealand. Later, he was appointed to command the hired merchantman Coronation (52 guns). He fought at the St. James's Day Battle on 25 July 1666. Later still, in 1666, he commanded the Guinea frigate. Perhaps the note under William Davis, in Pepys, is mistaken. In 1668, he commanded the 5th Rate Guernsey. In 1669, he commanded the 5th Rate Forester. By 1671, he was appointed to command the Mary Rose. By August 1672, he commanded the 2nd Rate St. George (64 guns) in Richard Beach's division. In 1673, he was appointed to command the 2nd Rate Triumph. In June 1673, he fought in the Schooneveld battles. On 3 December 1674, the King appointed William Davies to command the 4th Rate Foresight. On 11 July 1676, he was appointed to command the Cleveland yacht. Bhy 7 January 1680, he was in command of the Catherine yacht. He was reappointed to command her on 22 October 1681, 1 April 1685, and 12 June 1687. By 13 May 1688, he was appointed to command the 3rd Rate Mary. By 29 May, he was switched to the Antelope. Almost immediately, on 1 June 1688, he was switched, again, to the Deptford. Finally, on 15 September 1688, he was appointed to command the Resolution. On 13 December 1688, he was appointed as a Rear-Admiral. On 1 May 1689, he was appointed Vice-Admiral. On 12 June 1689, he was Vice-Admiral of the Red. Sources:

1. R. C. Anderson, Journals and Narratives of the Third Dutch War, 1946.

2. Frank Fox, "Hired Men-of-War, 1664-7", Part II, The Mariner's Mirror Vol.84 No.2 (May 1998).

3. David Syrett, R. L. DiNardo, The Commissioned Sea Officers of the Royal Navy 1660-1815, 1994.

4. J.R. Tanner, A Descriptive Catalogue of the Naval Manuscripts in the Pepysian Library at Magdalene College, Cambridge, Vol.I, 1903.