When the admiral of the fleet makes a weft with his flag, the rest of the flag officers are to do the like, and then all the best sailing ships are to make what way they can to engage the enemy, that so the rear of our fleet may the better come up; and so soon as the enemy makes a stand then they are to endeavour to fall into the best order they can.[2] 3rdly.

If any flagship shall be so disabled as not to be fit for service, the flag officer or commander of such ship shall remove himself into any other ship of his division at his discretion, and shall there command and wear the flag as he did in his own.
RUPERT.
For Sir Edward Spragge, Knt., vice-admiral of the blue squadron.
FOOTNOTES: [1] Meaning, of course, Article 1 of the 'Additional Instructions' of April 18, 1665, which would be No.

17 when the orders were collected and reissued as a complete set.

No copy of the complete set to which Rupert refers is known to be extant.
[2] It should be noted that this instruction anticipates by a century the favourite English signals of the Nelson period for bringing an unwilling enemy to action, _i.e._ for general chase, and for ships to take suitable station for neutral support and engage as they get up..