HMS Suffolk (1680)

Suffolk was ordered on 20 February 1678 to be built under contract by Sir Henry Johnson of Blackwall on the River Thames. She was launched in May 1680. Her dimensions were a gun deck of with a keel of for tonnage calculation with a breadth of and a depth of hold of . Her builder's measure tonnage was calculated as 1,041 tons. Her draught was . Her initial gun armament was in accordance with the 1677 Establishment with 72/60 guns consisting of twenty-six demi-cannons (54 cwt, 9.5 ft) on the lower deck, twenty-six 12-pounder guns (32 cwt, 9 ft) on the upper deck, ten sakers (16 cwt, 7 ft) on the quarterdeck and four sakers (16 cwt, 7 ft) on the forecastle with four 3-pounder guns (5 cwt, 5 ft) on the poop deck or roundhouse. By 1688 she would carry 70 guns as per the 1685 Establishment. Her initial manning establishment would be for a crew of 460/380/300 personnel. ==Commissioned service==

Service 1680 to 1699 Suffolk was commissioned on 11 August 1680 under the command of Captain John Perryman for delivery to Chatham Dockyard. Perryman died on 4 September. In 1689 she was under the command of Captain Matthew Aylmer for fleet service. She was under Captain Woolfran Cornwall in 1690. Suffolk fought in the Battle of Beachy Head in the centre (red) squadron on 30 June. On 2 January 1691 she came under the command of Captain Peregrine Osbourne, Earl of Danby, followed by Captain Christopher Billop. She fought in the Battle of Barfleur in the rear (blue) squadron of the rear division between 19 and 22 May 1692. In 1693 Suffolk was under Captain James Wishart, followed by Captain Robert Robinson sailing with Lord Berkeley's Squadron. In March 1696 she was under the command of Captain John Johnson as the flagship of Admiral John Benbow on special service. In 1699 she was under the command of Captain Stafford Fairborne. She would be rebuilt at Blackwall in the same year. She probably retained her armament as stated in the 1685 Establishment, though it is unclear if her armament was changed to the 1703 Establishment later. It is known that when completed her gun armament total at least 70 guns. She followed this in the Battle Velez-Malaga in the centre division on 13 August. Suffolk suffered 13 killed and 38 wounded in the battle. Her armament was in accordance with the 1716 Establishment of 70 guns consisting of twenty-six 24-pounder guns on the lower deck, twenty-six 12-pounder guns on the upper deck, fourteen 6-pounder guns on the quarterdeck, and four 6-pounder guns on the foc's'le. Her crew size was established as 440 personnel. Her armament was in accordance with the 1716 Establishment of 70 guns consisting of twenty-six 24-pounder guns on the lower deck, twenty-six 12-pounder guns on the upper deck, fourteen 6-pounder guns on the quarterdeck, and four 6-pounder guns on the forecastle. Her crew size was established as 440 personnel. Service 1739 to 1765 Suffolk was commissioned in 1739. She was assigned to Norris's fleet in 1740. She sailed for the West Indies in October 1740. She participated in the Battle of Cartagena de Indias in March/April 1741. She was recommissioned in August 1742 under Captain Charles Knowles for the Caracas expedition. In 1743 her new commander was Captain Edward Pratten sailing under the broad pennant of Knowles. During the Battle of La Guaira she suffered 30 killed with 80 wounded. She was at the Battle of Puerto Cabello on 16 then 24 April. Upon returning to home waters, she was assigned to Norris's fleet for service in the English Channel. In August/September 1744 she was assigned to Admiral Sir John Balchen's fleet. In 1745 she was under the broad pennant of Commodore FitzRoy Henry Lee in the Leeward Islands. She captured the privateer Diligent on 22 June. ==Disposition==

Suffolk returned to home waters and was put in in ordinary. She remained inactive for almost 20 years and was finally broken on 12 June 1765. ==Citations==