Essex was a 48-gun third rate frigate built for the navy of the Commonwealth of England by Phineas Pett II at Deptford Dockyard under the Early 1652 Shipbuilding Programme, and launched on 18 April 1653.

During the First Anglo-Dutch War, she took part in the Battle of the Gabbard on 3 June 1653 as the flagship of General-at-Sea Sir Robert Blake.

[1] Following the restoration of the English monarchy in 1660, she was commissioned into the Royal Navy as HMS Essex.

By the time of the battle, Essex's armament had been increased to 56 guns, comprising 12 demi-cannon and 12 culverins on the lower deck, 28 demi-culverins and 4 sakers.

[2] She was taken into the Texel, repaired and added to the Amsterdam Admiralty's navy as a ship of 50 guns, but was wrecked off Vlieland in October 1667 with great loss of life.