▁again ". ▁They ▁hoped ▁to ▁l ure ▁the ▁Dutch ▁fleet ▁to ▁open ▁sea ; ▁when ▁at ▁first ▁nothing ▁happened ▁they ▁grew ▁so ▁des pond ent , ▁they ▁were ▁surprised ▁when ▁the ▁Dutch ▁did ▁in ▁fact ▁come ▁out . ▁On ▁ 1 4 ▁June ▁ 1 6 7 3 , ▁De ▁R uy ter , ▁rein for ced ▁by ▁four ▁ships ▁( including ▁the ▁heavy ▁O li ph ant ▁and ▁Voor z icht ig heid ) ▁and ▁fresh ▁cre ws ▁and ▁fully ▁res upp lied , ▁took ▁advantage ▁of ▁a ▁fav ou rable ▁north west ▁wind ▁to ▁attack ▁the ▁al lied ▁line . ▁In ▁this ▁battle ▁the ▁al lies ▁were ▁in ▁total ▁dis array ▁— ▁partly ▁the ▁result ▁of ▁having ▁been ▁two ▁weeks ▁at ▁sea , ▁including ▁one ▁battle ▁— ▁but ▁mainly ▁because ▁of ▁a ▁curious ▁coinc idence : ▁it ▁so ▁happened ▁Sp rag ge , ▁now ▁command ing ▁the ▁van , ▁was ▁visit ing ▁Ru pert ▁the ▁moment ▁the ▁Dutch ▁attacked . ▁He ▁immediately ▁left ▁for ▁his ▁squad ron , ▁but ▁Ru pert , ▁suddenly ▁fear ing ▁Sp rag ge ▁could ▁never ▁reach ▁his ▁force ▁in ▁time , ▁decided ▁to ▁form ▁the ▁van ▁with ▁his ▁own ▁rear ▁squad ron . ▁He ▁tried ▁to ▁over take ▁the ▁French ▁in ▁the ▁centre , ▁but ▁never ▁having ▁made ▁his ▁intent ions ▁clear ▁to ▁them , ▁they ▁did ▁their ▁ut most ▁to ▁remain ▁in ▁formation , ▁i . e . ▁in ▁front ▁of ▁Ru pert . ▁Need less ▁to ▁say , ▁the ▁cha os ▁was ▁complete .