The Mermaid was a Fifth rate warship of the Commonwealth of England's naval forces, one of four such ships built under the 1651 Programme (the other three were the Pearl, Primrose and Nightingale).

[4] She was built under contract at Mathew Graves' shipyard at Limehouse, and was launched in July 1651.

After commissioning she spent her early career with Robert Blake's Fleet in action off Dover, at the Gabbard and at Scheveningen, and later in the Mediterranean.

After her first rebuild she served in Home Waters, North America, Mediterranean and the West Indies.

She then sailed to the Mediterranean with Robert Blake's Fleet in 1654 and was off Tunis at the Battle of Porto Farina on 4 April 1655.

In 1656 under Captain Peter Foote she remained with Blake's Fleet until July when she went to the English Channel.

Captain Daniel Jones, RN, took command on1 June 1678 for service in the English Channel.

In 1684 She was under command of Captain William Clifford back in Home Waters then went with the squadron to Sale, Morocco.

[1] On 24 June 1689 she was ordered to be repaired at Woolwich under the guidance of Master Shipwright Joseph Lawrence.

[2] She was commissioned on 18 June 1690 under the command of Captain Arthur Ashby, RN, for service at Sheerness.

On 21 January 1703 Captain Henry (or Humphrey) Lawrence, RN, was in command with Duke's squadron.

[2] On 20 June 1706 she was ordered to be rebuilt at Chatham under the guidance of Master Shipwright Benjamine Rosewell.

[3] She was commissioned in July 1707 under the command of Captain John Chilley, RN, for service with Admiral Byng's Fleet at the Downs plus she patrolled the North Sea in 1708.

May 1710 brought a change in command when Captain William Collier, RN, took over still on the Scottish coast but moved to the English Channel in 1712 then on to the Mediterranean in 1714/15.