 He received his first command in 1665, and the following year he commanded the 48-gun "Santa Maria" in the Four Days' Battle (1–4 June 1666).In 1672 he commanded the 58-gun "Plymouth" at the Battle of Solebay, during which he recovered the "Henry", which had been captured by the Dutch.He also served in the battles of Schooneveld and Texel in 1673, as a result of which he was knighted.