HMS Seaford was purchased from Richard Herring of Bursledon, who had built the vessel on speculation to a similar specification as the Maidstone Group.

After she was commissioned, she sailed as part of the expedition to recapture Fort York on Hudson Bay.

A saker or sacar was a muzzle-loading smoothbore gun of 1,400 pounds in weight with a 3+1⁄2-inch bore firing a 5+1⁄2-pound shot with a 5+1⁄2-pound powder charge.

She was part of the 1696 Hudson Bay expedition to recapture Fort York at the mouth of the Nelson River.

On 19 January 1697 Captain George Walton, RN took command and sailed with Symond's squadron to the West Indies in April 1697.