 He entered the Royal Navy and was appointed, on 14 May 1687 commander of .On 24 May 1688, he was made captain of , from which in 1689 he was transferred to HMS "Lark", in which he cruised against the French in the North Sea.Having distinguished himself on that station, he was advanced on 11 January 1690 to the command of , a fourth rate, with which on 18 July he captured off Rame Head a French frigate of 36 guns, after a fight of four hours, in which the enemy lost forty men killed and wounded, the casualties on board "St Albans" being only four; and the French ship was so shattered that she had to be towed into Plymouth.