Daily entries from the 17th century London diary
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From a number of sources online, a Swiftsure was built in Deptford in 1621 and rebuilt in 1654. Three years later, Swiftsure was involved in the attack on Tenerife in 1657, and may have been the same ship lost to the Dutch in the 4-days battle of the third Dutch War in 1666.
There have been ships named Swiftsure in the British navy since 1573.
This from cavendish-auctions.com:
DUTCH WARS - REFITTING THE ‘SWIFTSURE’: 1653 (9 Sept.) Letter from Thomas Scott, master attendant at Deptford dockyard, to the Commissioners for the Navy concerning the refitting of war-damaged frigates & prizes. No address panel; light foxing & staining etc. A scarce Commonwealth period naval letter.
The loss of the Swiftsure: The Swiftsure was captured by the Dutch in June 1666 in the course of four days heavy fighting during the second Anglo-
Dutch War. It was the flagship of Vice-Admiral Berkeley who was killed in the action along with 5,000 men while 3,000 were taken prisoner. The English squadrons were commanded by Prince Rupert of the Rhine and Albemarle. The Dutch were lead by de Ruyter, Tromp and de Vries. In spite of their heavy losses the English were considered bolder and more disciplined than the Dutch. Later de Ruyter wrote “Nothing equals the beautiful order of the English at sea. Never was a line drawn straighter than that formed by their ships;thus they bring all their fire to bear upon those who draw near them”
Sources: Prince Rupert Admiral and General-at-Sea. Frank kitson,Constable 1998
Some further details of the Swiftsure (dimensions, complement, etc.) can be found at: http://pc-78-120.udac.se:8001/WWW/Nautica/Naval_History/GB/Derrick(1806)_p59.html
which was actually transcribed from “Pepys’ Miscellanies.” Swiftsure is the ninth on the list.
And the use of the the name Swiftsure by the Royal Navy has continued. The most recent examples are a cruiser (WW II) and the most current Swiftsure, a nuclear submarine, which was laid up at Rosyth in 1992.