28
WINTER OPERATIONS
Zeeland privateers took rather more prizes than the winter fleet, but not greatly so,
over the two months of the latter's operations, late December 1665-late February
1666.112
In Zeeland, after the return of the main fleet in early November 1665, there was
very little naval activity at sea until late December: the despatch yachts Zoutelande
(Claas Reinierssen) and Dishoek (Gillis Geleijnssen) ran two convoys to and from
Ostend and cruised in the intervals. The frigate Westcappel (Dirk Jobssen Kiella),
previously left behind at the Texel, was recalled. Back home, the crews got shore-
leave and were paid. Straight after the main fleet dispersed, however, the
Zeelanders started readying their winter ships, ordering their six lightest frigates to
prepare victuals for two months. At the end of November two more were allocated
to the force.1" On 21 December, Jan Matthijssen, commanding this squadron, was
given secret orders and told to sortie from Flushing on 26 December. The prepa
rations were hampered by accident and delays: Schakerloo (Jan Crijnssen) ran
aground in port at Zierikzee on 16 December; she could not be refloated before
the next spring tide (after 4 January 1666). Zeeridder (Willem Marinissen) and
Goes (Adriaan van Cruyningen) were delayed by supply problems and did not sail
with the squadron, which numbered five Zeelanders.114
The Amsterdam admiralty was severely hampered by ice, which caused great diffi
culties at the Texel. Only the Nieuwe Diep was clear of ice, and only for merchant
men warships were unable to cross the bank and had to go back to sea or shelter
at the Balgh - suggesting perhaps that the main Mars Diep channel was blocked
by ice.115 By 26 December, four Amsterdam ships had already sailed for the
Wielings; three more at the Texel had been ordered on 25 December to follow;
another was expected shortly at the Texel from Norway. Two more, however, had
been severely damaged by a storm; whilst trying to return to Amsterdam for repairs
they were iced in. The remaining two ships were also damaged: one was under
repair at Amsterdam and the other at Medemblik.116 As in the previous winter,
Amsterdam warships were now cut off again from the open sea by ice either at the
Pampus or off Medemblik, or both (see Appendix 4).117 Of the first four
Amsterdam ships, two - under Cornelis Speck {Edam) and Matthijs Corneliszoon
Damiaten- arrived at the Wielings by 21 December. These two required im
mediate cleaning; it is not clear exactly when they went back to sea.118
Two more Amsterdam frigates Zeelandia (38, Balthazar van de Voorde)119 and
Zutphen (36, Jacob Paeuw) - arrived at Veere shortly after the Zeelanders sailed
and soon joined them at sea. The Zeelanders insisted that Matthijssen (a senior
captain and not yet a flag officer) flew the flag as commander of the joint squadron;
none of the Amsterdam officers above held flag rank either. Despite the usual
exclusion of Zeelanders from overall command, it was again agreed (as in the
previous winter) that a Zeelander command joint forces during winter. The
Zeelanders had to transfer 64 men aboard Van de Voordes short-handed Zeelandia
as in 1664-1665, perhaps this indicates that all trekvaart routes from Amsterdam
southwards were closed by ice. Westcappel lost her mainmast in chasing a ship early
in the cruise on 31 December and had to return; she was, however, quickly
repaired (see Table 4). Within a few days the frigate Goes joined Matthijssen's
squadron, which headed north.120
