Sir Cloudesly, a distinguished British admiral, was born about the year 1650, of parents in the lower rank of life. He was first put apprentice to a shoemaker; but disliking this profession, he a few years afterwards abandoned it, and went to sea. He was at first a cabin-boy with Sir Christopher Myyns, but having applied to the study of navigation with indefatigable industry, his skill as a seaman soon raised him above that station.

The corsairs of Tripoli having committed great outrages on the English in the Mediterranean, Sir John Narborough was sent in 1764 to reduce them to reason. As he had received orders to try the effects of negotiation before he proceeded to hostilities, he sent Mr. Shovel, who was at that time a lieutenant in his fleet, to demand satisfaction. The dey treated him with a great deal of disrespect, and sent him back without an answer. Sir John dispatched him a second time, with orders to remark particularly the situation of things on shore. The behaviour of the dey was worse than ever, and upon Mr. Shovel's return, he informed Sir John that it would perhaps be possible, notwithstanding their fortifications, to burn all the ships in the harbour. The boats were accordingly manned, and the command of them given to Lieutenant Shovel, who seized the guard-ship, and burned four others, without losing a man. This action so terrified the Tripolins, that they sued for peace. Sir John Narborough gave so favourable an account of this exploit, that Mr. Shovel was soon afterwards made captain of the Sapphire, a fifth-rate ship.

In the battle of Bantry-Bay, after the Revolution, he commanded the Edgar, and, for his gallant behaviour in that action, was soon afterwards knighted by King William. Next year he was employed in transporting an army into Ireland; a service which he performed with so much diligence and dexterity, that the king raised him to the rank of rear-admiral of the blue, and delivered his commission with his own hands. Soon afterwards he was made rear-admiral of the red, and shared the glory of the victory at La Hogue. In 1694 he bombarded Dunkirk. In 1703 he commanded the grand fleet in the Mediterranean, and did everything in his power to assist the Protestants who were in arms in the Cevennes.

Soon after the battle of Malaga, he was presented by Prince George to Queen Anne, who received him graciously, and next year employed him as commander-in-chief. In 1705 he commanded the fleet, together with the Earl of Peterborough and Monmouth, which was sent into the Mediterranean; and it was owing to him chiefly that Barcelona was taken. After an unsuccessful attempt upon Toulon, he sailed for Gibraltar, and from thence homewards with a part of the fleet. On the 22d of October, at night, his ship, with three others, was cast away on the rocks of Scilly; and all on board perished. His body was found on the island of Scilly, by some fishermen, who stripped it of a valuable ring, and afterwards buried it. Mr. Paxton, the purser of the Arundel, hearing of this, found out the fellows, and obliged them to discover where they had buried the body. He carried it on board his own ship to Portsmouth, whence it was conveyed to London, and interred with great solemnity in Westminster Abbey. A monument was afterwards erected to his memory by the direction of the queen. He married the widow of his patron, Sir John Narborough, by whom he left two daughters.