(A fatal ball took away my life in the midst of the battle ;
who would not expose a mortal body to acquire such glory ?)
Stops, stars.
Rev. Naval engagement ; in the foreground, ship on fire.
E x . pvgnando. (By fighting.) Leg. incuse.—
DVS MOET MEN JUYCHEN EN GEEN OORLOGSHELT BEKLAGEN
BIB T LIEVE VADERLAND VOOR DWINGLANDY BEVRYT.
(So must one rejoice, and not lament a hero who frees his
beloved country from tyranny.) Stop, star.
3. Van Loon, III. 115.
MB. At. Very rare.
Cast, and a little chased. The reverse is taken from the
die of the obverse of No. 164. I t is probable that this medal
and the next were executed at the cost of the friends of the
persons lamented, as other officers of superior rank who fell in
the same engagement are not so honoured. Captain David
Zweerts served under Admiral Yan Ghent as Captain in 1671,
was present at the battle of Solebay, and was killed in the
above engagement, a cannon ball carrying off both his legs.
This action was fought 21 August [N. S.], 1673, off Kijkduin,
near the Helder, by the Dutch fleet under De Ruyter and Tromp,
and the English under Prince Rupert and Admiral Sprague,
who was killed in the action. It had no decisive result ; for
England was compelled to fight alone against the superior force
of the Dutch, as the French, acting as at Solebay, refused to
join in the conflict.
224. N aval A c t io n n ea r t h e H e l d e r . 1673. Ca pta in
V an G e l d e r .
Armorial shield, helmet, and crest of Captain Yan Gelder,
highly decorated with scroll work. In a compartment below,
the incuse inscription, Gedagtenis Van Ionkhr. I an P a u l z Van
G e l d e r Capt. o p ’t bed van eer geftorve den 21 Aug. A° 1673,
out 26 Jare. (In memory of the Jonkheer John, son of Paul
Yan Gelder, Captain, dead in the bed of honour, 21 Aug. 1673,
aged twenty-six years.) Leg. incuse.—
VAN GELDER S ZEEVOOGDS SOON EN HULP EN EER BLEEE
DOODT
DOEN VIERMAAL T FRANS EN T BRITS GEWELT VOOR HOLLANT
VLOOT.
(Yan Gelder, the son, support, and honour of the Admiral,
perished in the battle in which the French and English forces
four times fled before the Dutch.)
Rev. Naval engagement, same as the preceding. Leg. incuse.—
DE VADER WON DE SLAG DE ZOON VERLOOR ZYN BLOED.
DE WINST IS DIER GEKOGT T VERLIES IS WEL GEBOET.
(The father won the fight, the son lost his life; the gain is
dearly bought, the loss is well repaid.)
3*05. Yan Loon, III. 115.
MB. At. Hague, At. Very rare.
Cast and slightly chased. The reverse is, like the preceding,
taken from the die of the obverse of No. 164. This medal is
a memorial, by private friends, of Captain Yan Gelder, who
was son-in-law to Admiral De Ruyter, Commander-in-Chief in
this engagement, and the father, mentioned on the medal, who
won the fight.
John Van Gelder, at the advice of De Ruyter, entered the
navy, and was appointed Captain in 1667. He was present at
the attack on the ships at Chatham, and was killed in the
action off Kijkduin, 21 Aug. 1673.
225. P e a c e o f L ondon. 1674.
William III. of Orange, on horseback, I. ; in the distance,
troops assaulting a town on the sea-shore. Above is a branch
of orange entwined by a band, inscribed, v ir e s u l t r a so r -
t em q u e iuvENTyE. (Beyond the power and condition of youth.
—comp. Virg. Aen. vi. 114.)
Rev. Dove, with palm and olive branches, flying over a
o o