A Relation of some late conflicts betweene the Portugals and the English, at, or neare Surrat in the East Indies, by letters dated in Surrat the 29. of September and [...]7. of October 1630.
VPon the 22. of S [...]ptember 1630. arrived 5. English Ships in the roade of Swalley (which is th [...] Port of Surat) namely the great Iames, the William, the Blessing, the Discovery, and the Reformation, in the way of peaceable trade and marchandizing, who there found thirty Portugall Frigots of warre which had waited for them, 20. dayes before the said Ships arrivall to oppose their trade there and in all o [...]her parts of the said East Indies, (as continually before, the Portugals have done from the very beginning of the trade of the English there) [...]hi [...]h Frigots had a little before seazed agreat Ship o [...] [...] [Page 4] Portugals no lesse cautelously had opened and spread them selves in good order, the full length of all their Frigots, as they purposely had contrived themselves closer along the shoare, as well for the safety of their owne people, as to terrifie the English from drawing any further for dread of the great Ordnance, which with their harquebusses acrock (usually mounted on their Prigots sides) was the refuge (it seemeth) they mainly depended on. But such was the undantednesse of the English, being stirred up to a high measure of fury by the hourely vexation and braving of the Enemy, as being now come within shot, with a generall resolution, reioyeing at the occasion, after a shot or two received first from the Portugals, put on in the very face or mouth of all their Frigots: And perceiving that but three of them could use the advantage of their Prowes against them, and that some of the rest were brought a ground, and so could not vse their great Ordnance, but had onely their harquebusses acrock to gall them, advanced forward still plying their small shot with very good Discipline, and the Portugals no lesse valiantly replying with their double forces, as well from their Frigots on Sea as their squadron on shoare, but not able (it seemeth) to endure the violent rage of the English, they beganne to give ground, and the English most fier [...]ely following, entred pell mell amongst [Page 5] them even in the water, within lesse then pistoll shot of their Frigots; In which interim the Vice-Kings sonne was convayed aboord, but so narrowly escaped, that the party who provided for his safety was himselfe taken prisoner in the action, many of the English (not fearing to runne up to the chinne in the water, even to the very sides of their Frigots) pursuing the victory with great flaughter, both on shoare and at sea, and at length returned with 27. Portugals prisoners taken alive, without the losse of any more then one ancient man (a Corporall) not wounded, but suffocated with heate, and wounding 7. more of the English. This they happily performed in the sight of Myrza Backhar and divers of the Countrey people to their great admiration and the English Nations great honour. The next day to the Portugals great shame, they were constrained to leave the Port: but the next day after (being Sunday the 24. of October) about eight of the clocke the Portugals put in execution their maine Stratagem (so much depended on by them) and not without cause much feared by the English in firing of their foure prepared Vessels, chayned together for the intended destruction of the English fleete, but the vigilancy of the English, prevented that great mischiefe intended by their Ships boates, well manned on the head of their head. [...] [Page 8] amble thereunto. First, it is well knowne to vs, that since the enemy was repulsed, and forsooke the siege of Bergen, in the dai [...]s of Marquesse Sp [...]nola, they haue beene practising and plotting some dangerous designes to make them [...]elues masters of some of the Isles of Zealand, that by sloops, punts, and fl [...]t bottom'd boat [...], (which they haue beene a long time a preparing and making) they might separate, and cut off our passage betweene Holland and Zealand.
To this end, about two or three yeares agoe, they began to fortifie a village in Brabant, called Sandf;le [...]te, which hath a Creeke that comes out of the Riuer called the Scheld, which runs vp to Antwerpe; and made some Forts vpon some p [...]tches of dry ground in the drownd Land, called the Cr [...]ys-sconces, and Hoogerweif, that they might bring their boats and sloopes on the back side of Lillo, and so auoyd the danger of shot in passing to Sanduliet vpon the Scheld, betweene two strong Forts of ours, Lill [...] and Liefkeys booke, which lies opposite the one to the other. Now his Excellency perceiuing the enemies designe, and that he began to fortifie himselfe at Sandfleete, and in the other places afore mentioned; to preuent him from getting any more ground vpon vs, built likewise Forts at a place called Blawe-garne, as Fredericke Henries Fort, calling it after his owne name, Hawtames and Carreys Forts, so that the Enemies Forts may shoote at randome at our shipping, which runnes vp to Lillo, and Liefkeys booke, and ours towards their sloopes, which comes thorow the drownd land from Antwerpe to Sandsleete and their Forts. Now over against Sandsleete and their Forts, [Page 9] there is an Iland called the Doel, from which an old Dyke doth runne from the Doel to the Scheld; which his Excellency hearing the Enemies preparations, feared much that if the Enemy had possessed before vs, and built a Fort vpon it, they might haue cut off all reliefe and passage to Lillo, Fredericke Henries Fort, and Lifkeys hooke: And thus much to giue you to vnderstand the situation of the place: which you may see more plainly in the Card Brabant, which I send vnto you.
The Enemy for the effecting of this great designe by water, hath beene this three or foure yeares a making of Sloops, Punts, and great flat-bottom'd Boats, especially since our last Flaunders voyage this yeare, to seek a reuenge in casting of new Ordnance for them, making a brest of Oaken plancks for their Muskettiers to play ouer Musket-proofe; and furnished them with Sailes, Oares, and all other necessary equipage, and in the fore part of their greatest Punts and Sloopes planted three quarter and halfe Canon, with other Peeces to s [...]oote leuell with the water. They drew not passing three or foure foot water, and for the hasting hereof, against the last full Moone and Spring tyde, spared not to worke vpon the Sabbath dayes. But before I goe on, I will digr [...]sse a little, and tell you of the franticke braine of a Pape or popish Priest, that would doe wonders. A Drum of ours being sent from our Army at Druynen to Antwerpe for prisoners, some of the Enemy told him that there was a Pape, that would bring their men into Bergin vp Zoom, (which indeed hee hath done) and would carry fiue thousand men vnder [...] [Page 12] for the morning tyde; our men of warre comming vp againe, yet with their often shooting from their battery, and out of their Punts with their great Ordnance, got cleare off them againe, and so with that ebbe fell downe towards Bergen and beyond Rommerswall, in the view of our Army, and passing by, three or foure shot was made from the South sconce of Bergens head to them, so that one of them shot off the Rudder of one of their Sloopes, which was taken and brought in. But before I proceed any further, I will shew you the list of their preparations, and how strong they set forward from Antwerpe, viz.
Fifty great Sloopes.
Tenne great Punts, wherein their Canon was planted.
Eighteene Pleyts or great Lighters, which make in all seuenty eight sayle.
Foure hundred small Peeces of Ordnance, as small Brasse and Leather Peeces, Chambers and Murderers.
Foure thousand hand Granadoes, and other fire workes.
Tenne halfe Canon.
Twenty French Canon, or three quarter Canon, carrying Bullets of 36. pound.
betweene sixe and seuen thousand Souldiers and Saylers.
Eleuen Barrells of money.
Great store of Ammunition, us Powder, Bullets, and Match.
Whose chiefe Commanders were the Prince of [Page 13] Barbanzon and Count Iohn of Nassaw; And victuals, wine and beere for fourteene dayes.
Being thus prouided, as is aforesaid, and falling downe before Bergen, at the first fight his Excellencie and we hearing such a shooting the night before, and in this morning, being Friday the 12. of this moneth, knew no better but that they had beene our owne men, which had beene put to a retreat; not thinking the Enemy had beene so madde to vndertake so high an attempt, as to come vnder our noses, and to dare and braue our Army at noone day, our Souldiers being on fire, and their fingers itching at them, and that onely the water parted vs; his Excellency, from the hill which is by his quarter, calls for his perspectiue glasse, discouers the Burgunn [...]an Crosle, and their Sloopes and Punts full of Souldiers, and being falne downe a little beneath Rommerswall, drawing a grosse together, and pointing as though they would land vpon the Dyke of Tertole; sends my Lord Generall Morgan away in all expedition with the gards his owne Regiment, and other Forces to secure that Towne of Tertole and the Iland thereof. Proffering to land, they cry'd to the Peasants, which stood vpon the Dyke to desend it with their Armes, that they would wash their hands in the Geufes blood; but seeing Generall Morgan and his Colours making such haste to meete them, they bethought themselues, and fell backe againe into the streame. But ere I conclude, there happened two wonderfull markes of the prouidence of God. Sailing one after another like a company of wild geele, twelue or fourteen of their greatest Lighters wherein
[Page 16] But the second mark of the admirable prouidence of God, was this; In the morning towards foure of the clocke, the Lord sent a thicke mist, which did so blind fold them, as heretofore the enemies of Gods children were in the old Testament, so that they could not see one another, and Count Iohn in this mist ranne a ground, put forth a light, and the rest following, thinking he had been in the streame, were all like wise stranded with him. When the mist dissolued, they saw likewise our men of Warre which came from Holland and Zealand in the head of them, which hindered them from recouering the Point▪ Count Iohn, the Prince of Barbanzon, the Duke of Borneuille, & two or three more Commanders, being strucken with an amazement at this sudden worke of God, got into a little boate, and stole away from them, Count Iohn calling to them, and saying, Nessieurs à Dieu, Cest mon d [...]rniers, Euery man shift for himselfe; which did much discourage and astonish their men, as they themselues confessed: So when that beganne to cleare vp, our men saw the grosse of their punts and sloopes lying vpon the sands and mud, and they by hundreds forsaking their sloopes, and casting away their armes, some swamme, others waded vp to the neck to get to the Land to saue their liues, crying for quarter to the Pesants, which at the first did repulse them: In the meane time Count Iohn gaue them the slip, and got into Prince-land with those which hee had in his little sloope, leauing his Sword, his Leading-staffe, his Horses, and his Trumpetor and Laquyes behind him. This morning being Saturday, the 13. of September New stile, all the [Page 17] Enemies sloops, punts, and lighters, all their Ordnance, and Ammunition, Materials, Mony and Victuals, thirty Commanders, as Gouernours, Lieuten [...]nts, Coronels, Captaines, and Abf [...]r [...]sses, Dullicum the Gouernour of Groll, which heretofore had brought them into the Velowe (sauing the Prince of Barbanzon, the Duke of B [...]rn [...]v [...]lle, C [...]unt Iohn of Nass [...]w, Barnesels sonne, and some others that escap [...]d in the sloope with Count Iohn) were taken; and the numb [...]r of aboue 4000. souldiers and saylers droue like flocks of Cattle thorow our quarters, and hath filled all our vacant places at Bergen vp Zoom, Steen Bergen, and Tertole with prisoners, hauing lost, as the Pesants in the Vosmare report, who haue buried them drown'd and slaine, aboue 800. of them, our souldiers and sailers hauing made braue booties of arms, money, clothes, and victuals, and fifty fiue thousand pound st [...]rling brought in by the Admirall of Zealand; which the States, they say, will giue as a reward to the Souldiers & Saylers for their seruice. And this night, being the 15. of September, after thanks giuing to God, for this wonderful & powerful worke of his Almighty and out-stretched arme, wee haue resounded the glory of God, from all our Townes and Forts, with the report and thundering of a thousand Canon shot, towards the faces of our Enemies; to make them vnderstand in their Army, which lies but fiue English miles from vs, at Antwerpe, and along the coast of Flaunders, what God hath done for vs: hoping shortly, as victors, after we haue bin nineteen or twenty weeks in the field, to returne to Garrison. And thus, Sir, to conclude, I [Page 18] haue truly and briefly related vnto you this victory, which God hath giuen vs without the losse of bloud, and not one man of our Nation, but a Seriant shot, that you, and the reft of Gods people may reioyce with vs, because his deliuerances and his mercies to his people, endure for euer and euer. Amen. Resting
This precedent Relation comming from a Noble and worthy gentleman to his friend here in England, was obtained to the Presse, with much importunity; being the most exact and impartiall discourse that hath come to ourknowledge, concerning this action. And which, if wee durst manifest the Author, would giue sufficient credit to the matter. Such as it is, wee promise shall bee the last wee intend to publish of this matter.
Farwell.