According to Captain John Pasco, Flag Lieutenant on Victory, the famous signal was given as follows (Dispatches and Letters of Nelson, ed. N. Nicolas, 1845, vol. VII, p. 150): 'His Lordship came to me on the poop, and after ordering certain signal to be made, about a quarter to noon, he said, 'Mr Pasco, I wish to say to the Fleet, 'England confides that every man will do his duty';' and he added, 'you must be quick, for I have one more to make, which is for Close Action.' I replied, 'If your Lordship will permit me to substitute the expects for confides, the signal will soon be completed, because the word expects is in the vocabulary, and confides must be spelt.' His Lordship replied, in haste, and with seeming satisfaction, 'That will do, Pasco, make it directly.' When it had been answered by a few ships in the Van, he ordered me to make the signal for Close Action, and to keep it up: accordingly, I hoisted No. 16 at the top-gallant mast-head, and there it remained until it was shot away.'