HMS Nightingale was a development of the standardize 20-gun sixth rates and were built at the beginning of the 18th Century.

[3] Fox was the sixth named vessel since it was used for a 22-gun French ship captured in 1650 and expended as a fireship in 1656 at Malaga.

[4] She was ordered on 4 August 1702 from Chatham Dockyard to be built under the guidance of their Master Shipwright, Robert Shortiss.

In 1712 Commander Edward Nurse, RN (promoted Captain in January 1713) for a voyage to Newfoundland then to Ireland in 1712.

She underwent a large repair at Chatham at a cost of 1,339.34d[Note 1] between September and December 1713.

[7] She was ordered to be rebuilt as a 374 ton (builder's measure) 20 gun sixth rate under the guidance of the Deptford Master Shipwright, Robert Shortiss on 3 March 1727.

[11] She was commissioned in September 1727 under the command of Captain Thomas Arnold, RN for service at South Carolina in the Americas.