Richard Badiley

He served as master of the Advance and Peregrine on trading voyages to the eastern Mediterranean in the period 1637–45 and fought actions with Turkish corsairs in 1637, 1640, and 1644.

He did not take a direct part in the Civil War but had strong Puritan leanings and associations, was known to have supported parliament, and pressed for freedom and religious reforms.

[citation needed] On 1 March 1650, he sailed for Portugal, as vice-admiral of Robert Blake's expedition against Prince Rupert.

In the summer of 1651, he served as vice-admiral to Blake in the Downs, guarding against a possible attack to support the Scots' invasion.

He then passed on to Zante, to Smyrna, and so back towards Leghorn, where, having had news of the war with the Dutch Republic, he hoped to effect a junction with Commodore Henry Appleton.

[citation needed] Appleton could not or would not stir to meet him, and the Dutch, leaving two ships, which proved sufficient to hold Appleton in check, turned to attack Badiley, who had only four ships with which to oppose the ten or eleven now brought against him; leading to the Battle of Elba.

He, however, refused it and allowed Badiley to strengthen his position by throwing up some batteries and landing some of his ship's guns.

'We are paying off the Straits fleet,' wrote Commissioner Pett from Chatham on 1 June; 'they are the rudest people I ever saw.

[citation needed] The campaign in the Mediterranean had ended so disastrously, and Appleton was so vehement in his accusations, that Badiley's conduct was formally inquired into.

In April 1657, he was living at Milk Yard, Wapping, in poor health, and he died there 'of an ulcer' on 7 or 11 August.