IVne the 24. 1627. being Sunday after Di­uine Seruice and Sermon, the Lord Gene­rall tooke his Barge, and enioyned all the Officers and Commanders to attend him to the Fleet, lying then at Anchor in Stokes Bay, which hee weighed the same day, and fell downe towards Saint Hellnes poynt, where hee cast Anchor againe, and stayed there for want of winde till the 27. of Iune. The same night hearing there were some Commaunders behinde in the Towne, who kept disorder; he went a shore himselfe, and searcht all the houses in the Towne, where he found some Captaines that had been disorderly: Amongst the rest there was one that gaue an vnmannerly answere, who was casheered for his labour.

That night the Lord Generall lay a shore: the next mor­ning betimes he went a board. On Wednesday the 27. wee weighed Anchor with 100. sayle of Ships, and tackt to and againe vntill wee recouered the Poynt East of the Ile of Wight.

Thursday the 28. wee stoode on our course towards the West, vntill we were come to the height of Plymouth, about eight of the clock at night: wee stoode West, and East, and by South. And on Friday the 29. wee sayled with a slacke winde; but before night wee got sight of land on our Lar­board, seeming to be 12. leagues off, a part of France, called the Vshant, in 47. degrees or there-abouts. Wee stoode on to Sea that night, with a fresh gayle of winde, which serued [Page 2] vs vntill the next morning at two of the clocke, and then wee were becalmde till Monday the first of Iuly, at foure of the clocke. At which time we sent a Boy to the top of the mayne Mast, to see what he could discouer, he spied on the head of vs 14. sayle of Shipps some foure leagues off, and very fortu­nately within a quarter of an houre after there arose a good gayle of winde fully with vs, so that the Admirall and all the rest made hast to hoyst vp sayle and chase these Ships. Before nine of the clocke at night a Catch of his Maiesties ouertook them, which was commanded by Captaine Dunning, he cal­led to them and asked what they were, they tolde him a con­trary tale: he desired then to winde about, and come aboard and speake with our Admirall. They bid him goe before to their Admirall, and what he did they would follow: he came to their Admirall and desired him to winde about and speake with our Admirall. Their Admirall asked Dunning what Fleete it was, he tolde him it was the King of Englands Fleet, hee asked what they were doing there: hee tolde them they were Tacking to and againe to scoure the Seas. No (saith he) I know you are going to Burdeanx, but there you will finde them prepared for you, and they will giue you hot seruice. Hee asked who was our Admirall, hee tolde them my Lord Duke of Buckingham. Whereupon hee fell in rayling, and called vs all Ro [...]gues and Rascalls, and commanded the Gun­ner to shoote; he shot halfe a dozen shot at him, and shor him twice though the sayle, hard by the middle of the mayne Mast: so that Dunning fell a sterne of him, and tackt about to vs, and tolde vs what had past, and that he conceiued them to be Dunkerks men of Warre, very well appointed, which did much comfort our Generall, and all the rest. We chased them all night: and on Tuesday the 20. of Iuly at light day, wee had got neere vnto them with some of our Shipps. The Lyon had got the Winde-ward of them. Three of the Colly­ers, and the Maria, with the Catch, was got almost within sho [...] of them; but in this time they were throwing out their Ballest, and making themselues light: and when they had [Page 3] done that, they hoysed vp studding Sailes, and after outsailed vs quite; We followed them so farre, as there was no hopes, and then wound about to our intended course: At foure of the clocke the same day, my Lord caused to send vppe the maine Mast, to tell how manie Shippes we were in company, and we found we were then no more then three score; for we had lost in that Chase my Lord Haruey, with fortie saile of Shippes, who met not with vs till wednesday the 11. of Iuly.

We were kept from the place where we intended (with contrarie windes and calmes) till tewesday the 10. of Iuly; About two of the clocke, then fell a violent storme, with a thicke mist, so that we were put into great danger.

The Nonesuch in this storme had spent her Fore-mast, and many of the other Shippes lost their Long-boates, being ty­ed at the Sterne. About eight of the clock the storme broke vp, and it grew to bee cleare; Then we discerned the Isle of Ree to be within three leagues of vs, whither we steered our course; And about ten of the clocke cast anchor ouer a­gainst Saint Martines, the prime Towne in that Island. The Next morning being wednesday, we weyed anchor, and say­led downe lower to a point of the Island next to the maine-Land and ouer against Rochell. There we cast anchor, and placed our Shippes round about the Island, that the Enemie might neither export nor import any thing for their aduan­tage.

That done, being the 11. of Iuly, we had very good sport in chasing those Barques and Hoyes which were offering to goe from the Island to the maine-Land, and from the maine-Land to the Island: We tooke many of them, and there were none that got eyther in or out. About sixe of the clocke that day, my Lord Haruey appeares with his fortie saile of Ships, which was vnto vs a great comfort: About eight of the clocke the same day, the Lord Generall called a Cou [...]cell, and resolued to land our Men the next morning, vpon that point which lay iust to vs, as being the most safe place; At which time he gaue order to some Shippes to batter a Fort, which [Page 4] lay a league off on the right hand, & continued the battering till ten of the clocke the next day; then we found there was no resistance in the Fort, whereupon, the Lord Generall com­manded to giue ouer.

On tewesday the 12. the L. Generall was vp and readie by three of te clocke in the morning, and receiued the Com­munion that morning at fiue of the clocke, and after tooke his Barge and went aboard the Nonsuch to Monsiure Subeesa, and returned from thence at sixe: At seuen of the clocke, Monsiure Sabuesa, Monsiure Blancarte and Sir William Becher went to Rochell: At eight of the clocke, the L. Generall sent Master Grymes (the Gentleman of his Horse) with a Foote­boy of his that could both runne and swimme well, and sixe Muskatieres (to the point of the Island, where they were to land their Men) to see if they could discouer any Men or Ordnance, that they had planted there to encounter vs: When he came to the shoare, he caused the Foote-boy to strippe himselfe, and to run along, and he run three quarters of a mile into the Countrey, and found all that Coast cleere, sauing three Horse-men, that the Enemies had set out to be Scoutes, which chased him back to the Sea side; The Boy was releiued by the Ship Ordnance and the Muskets in the Boate: At ten of the clocke, he turned back to the Triumph, and gaue the L. Generall an accompt what he had discoue­red; Whereupon, the L. Generall gaue present order for all Officers to be in a readinesse, and to meete him aboard the Kings good Shippe (called the Lyon) lying next the Pointe, where they were to land their Men, for there he would keepe his Randeuous for that time: At twelue of the clocke, he tooke his Barge, accompanied with Sir George Blundell Ser­geant Maior, attended by M. Grymes and M. Ashburneham, and went to all those Ships that had Land Soldiers, and com­manded them that they should presently draw themselues as neere that point of the Island as they could; After that, he went to all the Ships, and appointed the Captaines of them, how and where to attend with their Shippes, and commanded [Page 5] them presently to prouide their Barges and long Boates, to land their Land Souldiers, and to send them to the Lyon. Hee then made choyse of tenne Ships of lesser burthen, and directed them to draw their Shipps as close as they could to either side of the point of the Island, where the Souldiers were to be Landed, and commanded them that if the Enemie did appeare within shotte, they should presently play vpon them.

He being aboard at the same time of one of these Shippes, went vp to the top of the mayne Mast, and discouered of the Enemies three Troupes of Horse, and 16. or 18. hundred Foote, all ready in Battalia some English mile or more off the place, where wee were to land our men: hee came pre­sently downe and tolde vs what hee had discouered, and shot at them himselfe two or three Peeces of Ordnance, and com­manded the rest of the Peeces to play vpon them still: with that tooke Barge and went to the Lyon, where hee found all the Officers ready with their long Boates to land their men.

In this time came backe from Rochell Monsieur Sabuesa, and Sir William Beecher, who stayed there till Saturday fol­lowing. Monsieur Saint Blancart disswaded the Lord Ge­nerall to forbeare the Landing of his men vntill the next morning: but the Lord Generall fearing it would giue time to the Enemie to strengthen himselfe. Hee would by no meanes heare of any delay. Whereupon Monsieur Saint Blancart like a braue man, choosed himselfe a Pike, and put himselfe into Sir Iohn Burrowes Regiment.

By this time it was three of the clocke when the Lord Ge­nerall commanded to land two Regiments, that were of the olde Companies, where of Sir Iohn Burrowes and Sir Alex­ander Brett were Commanders, he went with them himselfe on shore, and appointed the two Colonels in what place they should land their men. And being landed, commanded them to put their men in Battalia with all speed, fearing the Ene­mie vvould giue them a suddaine assault.

[Page 6] The men being vveary in lying on Shipboard, lingred vvashing their hands in the Sea; but the Lord Generall vvith a Cudgell runne to and fro amongst them, beating some, and threatning other-some, and got them thrust vp three Pykes length to the skirt of the banke, vvhere they vvere to be.

There vvas a third Regiment that vvas ready to land: in the meane time came Sir William Courtney to the Lord Ge­nerall and tolde him, that vnlesse hee should doe the same curtesie for him vvhich he did for the other two Collonells, hee should not get his men landed, and that his vvere olde Souldiers, and vvould doe good seruice if the Enemie made assault.

Whereupon my Lord called Sir William Courtney, & vvent into his Barge, vvith an intention to hasten a shore his Re­giment, and as soone as he had gone about fourescore from the shore, hee presently heard the fight begun, and turning backe, he saw three Troupes of French Horse, charging our Foote vvith all the fiercenesse that migh [...] be: And the third Regiment, those that vvere vnlanded, pressing themselues amongst the Shippes to succour themselues: the rest of that Regiment that vvere landed hee sawe prest into the vvater by the French Horse; and Sir William Haydon being caried violently to the Sea by the Reuolters, was there drowned.

Whereupon he set S. William Courtney into another Boate, with commande to make all expedition to get his Men lan­ded; And very brauely himselfe drew his Sword and turned his Barge (attended by Master Grymes and M. Ashburneham) and thrust himselfe vpon the Reuolters; and rebuking some, and encouraging others, told them, he hoped they came not with any intent but to aduenture themselues so farre as he would leade them: Wherevpon, he thrust himselfe on to the shoare, (and they followed slowly) and animating of the o­ther Foote which were run into the water, they most of them leapt out of the water, and vpon the Lord Generalls words threw themselues forwards as if they would haue fought brauely, but before we could get where the blowes were, the [Page 7] Battaile was ended.

My Lord Generall had ordered certaine Shippes to scoure the Landing place with their Ordnance, but the assault was so sodaine as they did little hurt to the Enemie; and in verie heate of the combate, it fell out, that one of our owne Shipps had entangled himselfe betweene our Battering shippes and the Land, by which meanes they were hindred in performing of their charge.

If the French Foote had come on to haue charged present­ly vppon the discharge of the Horse, it had been impossible that we could haue withstood them; But as God would haue it, the Horse-men made more hast then in iudgement they should haue don: Before the Foote came we had killed most of their Horses; But when the Foote did come, they came very orderly and brauely, being 1500. comming within a Pike and a halfe of our Men before they discharged; and the Leader of the Foote (being a braue and goodlie Gentleman) tooke off his hatte, wherevpon all their Foote discharged their Muskets, and after they fell to it with Swords and push of Pike, vntill they were breathlesse on both sides: The French finding our Pikes to be longer then theirs, threw away their Pikes, and went to it with Stones, and so did our Men, but ours beate them out, and made them flye away very dis­orderly, that happie was he that got first off his Armor to betake him to his heeles.

This Battaile did not continue in all much aboue halfe an hower, but our Horse were not yet landed; But if we had had twentie Horse to haue followed them, we had killed them vp euery Man. That night we intrenched our selues in that place, fearing the Enemie would giue vs an assault in the night. My Lord Generall spent that euening in viewing of the dead Bodies, and visiting those that were hurt on our side, and giuing great charge to the Chirurgions to take spe­ciall care of them.

We tooke fower of the French Gentlemen, but they were all hurt before; two of them dyed the next day, one of them [Page 8] is aliue yet in the Tryumph, his thigh being shotte to peeces, the other, being a Page, the Lord Generall sent him to his Master.

The next morning very earlie, the Lord Generall came on shore againe, and spent all the whole daie there, calling the Commanders to him, and ordering them to bring him notes of euery seuerall Companie, how many they were, and how manie were perished in the conflict; By which vve found, there was nineteene Captaines, Antients and Lieuetenants killed, and twelue other Officers hurt, but in no danger of death, and some thirty fiue common Soldiers drowned, but none killed; for the French men discharged all on our Gen­try, and neuer looked at the Common sort. Our Gentry (when the common Soldiers began to route) clapt themselues together, and shewed themselues the brauest Men in the world, espetially Sir Iohn Burrowes, Sir Alexander Brett, Sir George Blundell, and a Brother of Sir Alexander Bretts: There was not one Gentleman of our Nation in the field that did not act his part brauely.

This being Friday, the day after the Battaile, the 13. of Iuly, Monsieur de Thorax, Gouernour of the Island, sent the Barron Ambleuile with a Trumpet to speake with the Lord Geuerall: His Message was, to desire my Lords fa­uour to giue them leaue to fetch away their dead bodies: they being so suddenly demaunded by them, my Lord made scruple in granting it. Whereupon the Gentry made meanes by some of our Officers to buy the bodies, and offered for one 1000. pounds. When my Lord Generall had conside­red, he gaue leaue that they should take them away.

Within foure houres the Gouernours sent another Trum­pet, with one of his Pages, to giue him thankes for his fa­uour, and to report to him that he would neuer after harbour an ill thought of the English, for hee iudged the Gentry of them to be the brauest men in the world. Although before the Battaile he made no more account of vs then if wee had beene all Beeues: and enquiring what number we were, wee [Page 9] tolde him 6000. He said he would kill vs and salt vs, as wee did Oxen in England.

At the same time he sent my Lord Generall word, that he would wayte on him himselfe, so that we made full account that hee would giue vs Battell. The same day wee put our selues in Battalia, and expected them all that day, yet hee came not. The next day being the 14. of Iuly, we made our selues ready to Martch, and at 6. of the clocke we marched an English mile further into the Countrey, leauing Sir Pere­grine Bartue in the place with some Companies.

The 15. by 6. of the clocke in the morning, vve marched on to a village vvithin an English mile, and tooke in that vvithout any disturbance. Then vve marched on two Eng­lish miles further, to a Towne called St. Maries, vvhen vvee came neere to the Towne, the Protestants came out and yeelded the Towne to the Lord Generall, so hee went with some Gentlemen with him, and tooke possession, and made the Souldiers martch by, and not suffer them to come to the Towne, fearing they vvould pillage and disturbe the peo­ple; so vve marched on the same day, to a Towne called La Flote. In the mid vvay the Enemie appeared vvith 120. horse and 1500. Foote, the which were left vnkilled. Wee did verily thinke they would haue giuen vs Battell, but it did not proue so: for as soone as they viewed vs, they returned backe againe.

We vvere ready for them, for our men vvere very forward to fight, so vve marched on vvithin halfe a mile of La Flote vvhere the Protestants of that Towne met vs, and surren­dred the Towne and themselues vvith a suite they had to the Lord Generall, vvhich vvas that hee vvould for their sakes shew fauour to the Romish Catholiques: for that they had liued long together in that Towne, and euer receiued good Quarter and vsage from them: And that now seeing he vvas become Master of both, he vvould requite it on their behalfe to the Catholiques, vvhich hee very Nobly consented vnto, and vvent vvith them to the Towne, and tooke possession, [Page 10] and presently turned backe to the Souldiers, and Encamped them round about the same, and vvould not suffer any of them to goe into it, fearing they vvould make Pillage, and that night lay amongst them in the open Field, vvith no o­ther bedding, saue one Cloake vnder his head, and another vpon him.

The next day being the 16 he went into the Towne, ac­companied with Monsieur Subesa, and some other Lords, to bury Sir William Heydon, and returned into the Field at night, and lay as he did before. But that night about two of the clocke, there fell very miserable vveather, vvith Thun­dering and Rayning, and continued so till twelue of the clock the next day.

The next day, being the 17. vve martched on towards St. Martyns, though it Rayned very fearefully: and about 12. of the clocke it grew faire; at which time vve vvere vvithin three English miles of the Towne.

By that time we had marched a mile further, we could see the Enemie sally out of the Fort vvith Horse and Foote: so they Martched towards vs, and vvere vvithin the distance of an English mile: and wee thought they vvould take the aduantage of our weary Martching, and giue vs Battell.

Therefore it was holden fit by the Lord Generall, that we should take all aduantage we could in that place, which was onely to gaine the Sunne and the Winde of them. We mar­ched on toward the end of the Towne, that lay next vnto the Sea side, and furthest from the Fort. And by that wee had aduantage both of Sunne and Winde. Within lesse then an Euglish mile of the end of the Towne, we could see the Horse approach very fiercely, as though they would come suddenly vpon vs.

Whereupon the Lord Generall gaue order to the Master of the Ordnance, to shoote some of our Drakes at them; which he did, and killed a Gentleman and two Horses, and put all the rest in feare and disorder.

Here Captaine Coningham (Lieuteuant of the Horse) ad­uanced [Page 11] himselfe on horsebacke, and proffered a single com­bate, but no Man answered him. Whereupon they presently put out a Flagge of Truce, and sent some of the Protestantes to vs to render the Towne, without any condition; So that we presently marched into it in Battalia, and quartered all our Soldiers therein. The Lord Generall rode to euery Com­pany, and desired them to be carefull of themselues and not to wrong the Towne, and that they should take nothing but what was giuen them and what they payde for, and that he would goe aboard the victualing Shippes, and told them they should want nothing, which contented them verie well, and thanked God with a loude voyce that they had such a worthy Lord Generall.

He tooke his Barge, and accordingly went, and as he was going, there was a poore Englishman in distresse in a Sand­bed, where the Tyde had locked him about, and had no meanes to saue himselfe, but must runne towards the Fort, where the Enemie was retired with all his Forces: My Lord hearing him so cry out, caused to stay his Barge (although the Barge-men told him he would endanger the casting away of himselfe; and the Gentlemen perswaded him also, that he should not hazard himselfe in the danger, yet would he not stirre before he had releeued this Man and got him into his Barge; So after went aboard of the Victualing Shippes, and saw all the proportions of the Victuals sent to the Soldiers; and after went aboard the Tryumph. And on wednesday the 16. made a dispatch for England, to acquaint the King with his fortunate proceedings.

The Enemy was retired into the Fort a Musket shot, with 1500. Men, of which number, there was 120. Horse left; they had neyther Water nor Wood in their Fort, and had but some eight or nine Peeces of Ordnance, and the Fort too little for so great a Company, so that it was not likely that they could hold it long, and we hope to be Masters of it, as well as of the Island, within a very short time.

Thurseday and Fryday, we were raysing a Mount to plant [Page 12] our Ordnance against it.

Saterday the 21. we planted twentie one peeces of Ord­nance, and eleuen Drakes, and the Master Gunner was very confident to batter them from the Fort in a very short time: We were working with our Pyoniers, and our Soldiers tren­ching against the Fort.

This is all I was an Eye witnesse to. So God send them good successe, and I for England, in his Maiesties Good Ship, called the Charles.

There was slayne that day in (the Battaile) of the French 125. Horsemen, dead on the ground, besides a great many that were deadly hurt, of vvhich number, there vvere 23. Marquesses and Barons; all the rest Knightes and Gentle­men, of the best quallitie in all France: Some Commanders of their Foote vvere killed, with 100, or 120. Common Soldiers.