Edward Spragge

Sir Edward Spragge ( – 21 August 1673) was a Royal Navy officer. He was a fiery, brilliantly accomplished seaman who fought in many great actions after the Stuart Restoration of King Charles II of England in 1660.

Life Spragge was son of Lichfield Spragge of Roscommon, Ireland, by his wife Mary Legge (sister of William Legge), and grandson of John Spragge, who came to Ireland in the Elizabethan period. His father was killed in about 1645 during the Civil War when Royalist Governor of Roscommon.

Edward Spragge is said to have been a slave in Algiers before serving in the English Civil War from 1648 in Prince Rupert's royalist naval squadron. On 16 January 1674, it was resolved by Parliament that Spragge had failed to be elected because he had illegally influenced the election; he had in fact ordered an old and infirm pilot, who he knew intended to vote for his rival, aboard one of his ships, to prevent him from voting.

Spragge was buried in the North Choir Aisle of Westminster Abbey, but without any memorial visible today. His grave had this inscription: Sir Edward Spragge, Kt., a brave and valiant Sea Captain, who lost his life in a sea fight against the Hollanders, 1673 He had no issue by his wife, but was the father of two illegitimate sons and one daughter by a mistress, Dorothy Dennis.

Edward Spragge was the cousin of the later admiral George Legge.

Namesakes The Royal Navy has named four ships after Spragge. The first two, of 1673 (renamed HMS Young Spragge in 1677) and of 1677 were fireships. The third was a destroyer leader cancelled in 1919. The fourth, , was a frigate in commission from 1944 to 1946 which saw service during World War II.