rons ▁of ▁the ▁adm ir alt ies ▁of ▁Amsterdam ▁and ▁the ▁Northern ▁Qu arter ▁to ▁that ▁of ▁the ▁Admir alty ▁of ▁de ▁Maz e ▁and ▁the ▁Zealand ic ▁fleet . ▁De ▁R uy ter ▁read ▁a ▁message ▁from ▁the ▁stad th older ▁to ▁his ▁capt ains , ▁inform ing ▁them ▁they ▁were ▁not ▁only ▁the ▁champions ▁of ▁their ▁nation ▁but ▁of ▁the ▁whole ▁of ▁Christ end om ▁and ▁that ▁for ▁any ▁cow ards , ▁" the ▁least ▁safe ▁place ▁will ▁be ▁the ▁ports ▁of ▁the ▁State ▁for ▁there ▁they ▁shall ▁escape ▁neither ▁the ▁severe ▁hand ▁of ▁Justice ▁nor ▁the ▁cur se ▁and ▁hat red ▁of ▁their ▁compat ri ots ", ▁many ▁later ▁being ▁over he ard ▁repeating ▁these ▁words ▁to ▁themselves . ▁ ▁First ▁battle ▁On ▁ 2 ▁June ▁ 1 6 7 3 ▁( New ▁Style ; ▁ 2 3 ▁May ▁in ▁the ▁Julian ▁calendar ▁then ▁in ▁use ▁in ▁England ), ▁the ▁al lies , ▁dec iding ▁they ▁had ▁waited ▁long ▁enough , ▁approached ▁the ▁Dutch ▁fleet . ▁Prince ▁Ru pert ▁had ▁a ▁considerable ▁superior ity ▁in ▁ships ▁( e ight y - six ▁against ▁si xty - four ), ▁men ▁( 2 4 , 2 9 5 ▁to ▁ 1 4 , 7 6 2 ) ▁and ▁can non ▁( 4 , 8 2 6 ▁to ▁ 3 , 1 5 7 ) ▁— ▁indeed ▁the ▁Dutch ▁adm ir als ▁nick named ▁their ▁fleet ▁the ▁" L ittle ▁Hope ". ▁The ▁Dutch ▁fleet ▁was ▁smaller ▁than ▁usual ▁because ▁the ▁Admir alty