De With tried to transfer from Princess Louise to Brederode, Tromp's more powerful former flagship, shortly before battle. Brederode's personally recruited and deeply loyal crew refused him, mocked him as green cheese, and threatened to fire on his boat if he kept presenting his commission. The dispute continued until Blake was only about half a mile away, forcing De With onto Prince William. There he reportedly found an untrained, largely landsman crew and widespread drunkenness, turning political rejection into an immediate command and readiness failure.
Notable Point · 2:31:27-2:34:17
De With is refused by Tromp's former flagship
On the eve of battle, De With's attempt to take Tromp's former flagship exposed how badly his authority had failed inside his own fleet.