[1] The Sapphire's captain, Thomas Harman, was killed in battle with an Algerine corsair on 9 September 1677 and replaced by Cloudesley Shovell, who became Nevell's lifelong friend.

On 23 February 1681 the admiral gave him command of the Ann yacht "in justice to Mr Nevills merit whose behaviour on many occasions has struck envy itself dumb."

Nevell was left behind as consul, though Herbert wrote he was "much fitter to serve the king as a sea captain than in the post he now is, for I am afraid his head is not very well turned that way."

He was also left with a blank captain's commission to command the Bristol, and when his wife petitioned Charles II for his return to England the following year, he was able to sail home in that vessel.

[3] Despite his close connection to Herbert, who had carried the Invitation to William to the Prince of Orange that summer and was now preparing a Dutch invasion, Nevell was given command of the Elizabeth on 25 September 1688.

In September of that year he took command of the Kent,[1] and was present at Marlborough's Siege of Cork in October, marching with the grenadiers under Lord Colchester in the final assault.

[1] In January 1693 he was given command of the Britannia, which carried the flags of the joint commanders-in-chief: Admirals Henry Killegrew, Ralph Delaval and Cloudesley Shovell.

[5] On arrival at Cadiz, Nevell was ordered to sail for Madeira where he would rendezvous with a squadron under second-in-command George Mees before heading for the West Indies to intercept de Pointis.

Here, a council of war determined that their next destination should be Puerto Rico, but soon after news arrived that de Pointis had left Hispaniola with a fleet of 26 ships.

[2] The pursuit continued for five days, but failed to bring the French to battle, the only real success being when a Spanish prize was cut off and captured by Princess Ann and Hollandia.

[6] Unfortunately, the captured vessel was serving as a hospital ship, carrying yellow fever which was already ravaging the French fleet and began to spread through the Anglo-Dutch.

[6] John Charnock describes Nevell as "a man of approved courage, ability, and integrity, against whom the only charge the bitterest of his enemies could with propriety make, was, that he was unfortunate".