Dutch Captain: Jacob Pieterszoon Houck

Jacob Pieterszoon Houck served the Hoorn Directors. In 1645, he commanded the Zwarte Beer (24 guns and a crew of 81 men) and was in Witte de With's fleet that forced a convoy of Dutch merchant ships into the Sound without paying the toll. In 1652, he commanded the Hoorn Director's ship Sampson (30 guns and a crew of 110 men). He was with the fleet in June 1652 and took part in Tromp's voyage to the Shetlands in July and August. He seems to have been absent from the Battle of the Kentish Knock, but probably fought in the Battle of Dungeness. He disappears from the published literature after that date. We only know the name of ship ship from a manuscript from the Nationaal Archief dated 20 September 1652. I had not expected to ever learn what the ship's name was until the name appeared in this manuscript. Sources:

1. Dr. S.R. Gardiner, Ed., The First Dutch War, Vol.I, 1898.
2. Dr. S. R. Gardiner, and C. T. Atkinson, Ed., The First Dutch War, Vol.III, 1906.
3. G. W. Kernkamp, De Sleutels van de Sont, 1890.
4. Hendrik de Raedt, Lyste van de schepen van Oorloge onder het beleyt Admirael Marten Harpersz. Tromp, 1652.