William Berkeley ( Royal Navy officer ) The Hon . Sir William Berkeley ( 1639 – 1 June 1666 ) was an officer of the Royal Navy who saw service during the Second Anglo - Dutch War , rising to the rank of vice - admiral . Berkeley was born into a noble family , one of the younger sons of a courtier of King Charles II , and a younger brother of one of the King ' s favourites . William joined the Royal Navy and enjoyed a meteoric rise owing to these important sources of patronage , something he himself acknowledged . After service in the Mediterranean , and time spent commanding his own ships , he was advanced to flag rank and joined the Royal fleets assembling for battle during the Second Anglo - Dutch War . He was a junior flag officer at the Battle of Lowestoft in 1665 , during which his brother was killed . Caustic comments were made about his conduct , including by the poet and satirist Andrew Marvell . Determined to answer his critics , Berkeley , by now promoted to vice - admiral and leading the van at the Four Days ' Battle , took his ship into the thick of the fighting , and was surrounded by Dutch ships . Cut off from support he fought fiercely , but his ship was overwhelmed and captured , with Berkeley being killed in the action . His body was taken to the Netherlands and embalmed , before being returned to England and interred in Westminster Abbey . Accusations of cowardice pursued him even after his death , but later biographies have been more sympathetic . Family and early life . Berkeley was born in 1639 , the third son of Charles Berkeley , and his wife Penelope Godolphin . Charles Berkeley was the treasurer of the household to King Charles II , and had powerful political connections which would ensure the rapid rise of his sons to positions of prominence . William ' s elder brother , Charles , was also a prominent courtier , who used his influence to promote William ' s rise . William entered the navy , becoming lieutenant of on 4 April 1661 and serving aboard her until April 1662 . He benefited from his relationship to his brother , one of the closest friends of King Charles II and the Lord High Admiral , James , Duke of York . Rapid promotion followed , with Berkeley being appointed captain of that April . He served in command of her until August 1662 , when he moved to , and later had the commands of and . Berkeley attracted the support of another powerful patron in the form of Admiral Sir John Lawson , the commander of the Mediterranean Fleet during Berkeley ' s service there from 1661 to 1664 . Berkeley had commanded " Bristol " in Sir John ' s squadron in an attempt to persuade the Dey of Algiers , Ismail Pasha , to stop attacking English ships . Berkeley ' s connections culminated in a knighthood on 12 October 1664 and his appointment as rear - admiral of the red squadron , during the Second Anglo - Dutch War . Second Anglo - Dutch War . Berkeley raised his flag aboard his old ship , HMS " Swiftsure " , and joined the fleet assembling for the 1665 campaign . He saw action at the Battle of Lowestoft on 3 June 1665 as one of the junior flag officers . Reports of his actions during the battle were confused and contradictory , some accounts suggesting that he had taken a squadron of six ships and pursued nine Dutch vessels , others stating that he had abandoned the fight after the death of his brother , Charles . Poet Andrew Marvell added a critical verse suggesting the latter view was correct in his 1666 poem ' The Second Advice to a Painter ' : Berkeley had heard it soon , and thought not good < br > To venture more of royal Harding ' s blood … < br > With his whole squadron straight away he bore , < br > And , like good boy , promised to fight no more . Berkeley was supported by the Duke of York , who appointed him vice - admiral of the white , and William succeeded his dead brother as lieutenant - governor of Portsmouth later in 1665 . Public scepticism over his actions persisted however , with Samuel Pepys commenting that ' it is strange to see how people do already slight Sir Wm . Berkeley … who three months since was the delight of the Court ' . Berkeley ' s reputation was further tarnished when he was implicated in the irregular plunder ing of prize goods from captured Dutch merchantmen , and accused of having abandoned an action with the Dutch ship " Luipaard " in discreditable circumstances on 21 August 1665 . Death . With his conduct called into question , Berkeley resolved to answer his critics by distinguishing himself in the 1666 campaign . He had by now been appointed vice - admiral of the blue and been given command of the van of the English fleet which sailed to engage the Dutch at the Four Days ' Battle . Flying his flag in " Swiftsure " again , he led the van of the fleet on the first day of the battle , 1 June 1666 . He outran his squadron , sailed into the midst of the Dutch fleet and was surrounded by enemy ships . After a fierce battle he was killed and " Swiftsure " captured . He was reported as having fought to the end , until when almost alone on the quarter - deck , he was hit by a musket - ball in the throat . He staggered into the captain ' s cabin and was found by the Dutch lying dead on the table . His body was carried to Zeeland and embalmed by Frederik Ruysch , before being placed on public display in the Grote Kerk in The Hague for a time . It was returned to England in August and interred in Westminster Abbey , where a monument to his memory was raised . Legacy . Berkeley died unmarried , a proposal he had made to Sir John Lawson ' s daughter in 1665 having been rejected . Public opinion was that he had died gallantly , but Marvell presented an alternative viewpoint in ' The Third Advice to a Painter ' : And if the thing were true , yet paint it not , How Berkeley ( as he long deserved ) was shot , Though others that survey ' d the corpse so clearSay he was only petrified with fear . Berkeley ' s biographer , J . D . Davies , wrote after examining his letters that Berkeley appears as a ' lively , friendly young man , fully aware of his dependence on the patronage of others , supportive of and loving towards his family , and genuinely enthusiastic to make a success of his chosen career ' , quoting a letter from William to Charles Berkeley in June 1663 : I must assure you I think there is no so beggarly a trade as this if people serve truly and honestly , as I am resolved I will do , although I am never worth six pence . All my hope is on my dearest brother ' s kindness . Notes . a . Charles Berkeley was a courtier , not a naval officer , but had volunteered for service with the Royal fleet . He was killed by a cannon shot during the battle .