BATTEN, SIR WILLIAM (fl. 1626-1667), British sailor, son of Andrew Batten, master in the royal navy, first appears as taking out letters of marque in 1626, and in 1638 he obtained the post of surveyor to the navy. In March 1642 he was ap pointed second in command under the earl of Warwick, the par liamentary admiral who took the fleet out of the king's hands. It was Vice-Admiral Batten's squadron which bombarded Scar borough when Henrietta Maria landed there and he was accused by the Royalists of directing his fire particularly on the house occupied by the queen. To the end of the first Civil War, Batten continued to patrol the English seas, and his action in 1647 in bringing into Portsmouth a number of Swedish ships of war and merchantmen, which had refused the customary salute to the flag, was approved by parliament. When the second Civil War began he was distrusted by the Independents and removed from his command. When part of the fleet revolted against the parlia ment, and joined the prince of Wales in Holland, May 1648, Bat ten went with them. He was knighted by the prince, but refused to take command of the fleet, and was allowed to return to Eng land. At the Restoration Sir William Batten became once more surveyor of the navy. In this office he was in constant intercourse with Pepys, whose diary frequently mentions him. He died in 1667.
See Penn's Life of Sir W. Penn, and Pepys's Diary.