This Countrey was first discover’d by Americus Vesputius, who being sent thither by Emanuel, King of Portugal, to discover the Coast between the Promontory before Olinda and the Island Itamaraca, and finding a split Rock and some Brasilian Huts, Landed, and ask’d the Denomination of the Coast, which he was inform’d was call’d Pernambuco, which he found full of steep Mountains, inaccessible Woods, and in some places Plains and pleasant Valleys; but the chiefest thing he could find to lade his Ship with, was Brasile Wood; but being inform’d that the Soil would bear Sugar-Canes, he caus’d Canary Sugar-Plants to be Set there.
Chief Towns and Places of note.
Olinda, formerly the chief City of Pernambuco, had (according to Lopez) above three thousand Houses and seventy Sugar-Mills: It is built on several Hills, which on the North-side are steep and overgrown with Brambles; betwixt which in many places grow Orange-Trees. John Newhof, who arriv’d at Olinda Anno 1642. found a few Netherlanders and Spaniards there, who dwelt in the ruin’d Houses. The Land-side of the City is strengthned by Hills overgrown with Brambles and Thorns, and towards the Sea-side with Earthen Walls, fortifi’d by fourteen Bulwarks and a Stone Castle, able to withstand a considerable force: The Out-works towards the South were maintain’d by Jews, who from the fore-mention’d Hills could see not onely a great way into the Ocean, but also the River Biberibi, which hath a Stone Bridge leading to the City, and Northerly and Westward the Way lies through great Woods and Forrests. Olinda it self is divided into twenty seven large Streets, besides lesser Lanes and several Avenues, and five chief Churches, viz. Misericordia, Nostra Sennora del Emparo, and Nostra Sennora de Guadalupe, San Salvador, and San Pedro, besides two others of lesser note. On the highest Hill stands the Jesuits Cloyster, built square and high, and surrounded with Walls, on which Sebastian King of Portugal, by the perswasion of his Uncle Cardinal Henry, spent a great sum of Money, and endow’d it with annual Revenues, Anno 1571. The Capuchins also built a stately Cloyster towards the East. The Franciscans moreover inhabited a magnificent Building, near which stood the Governors Palace. The Carmelites had also a stately Edifice, whose former lustre still appears by the Ruines, where now Cattel graze; from the Hills about which may be exactly discern’d Reciffa, the Promontory of St. Augustine, and the Castle before the Road of Reciffa: Along the Shore stood the Dominican Cloyster, and in the upper part of the City the Minster, Consecrated to St. Bento, exceeding strong both by Nature and Art; near which stood Conceptio de nostra Sennora. The Fort Juan de Albuquerque stood on the South-side, from whence a Way leads you along the Shore to Reciffa, where hard by the Potter’s House stood a Beacon. But since Olinda fell into the hands of the Netherland East-India Company, they built a strong Fortress on the North near the Sea-side, where formerly a great Trade was driven with Sugar, insomuch that forty Ships have been fraighted in a day therewith from Olinda, and still as much more remain’d in the Store-houses. The Sugar cannot be made without the help of African Slaves, and that in great numbers; for Angola alone provided fifteen thousand four hundred and thirty Moors for the Sugar-Mills about Olinda.
The Expedition of Loncque.
Olinda taken by the Hollanders.
The Fort St. George taken.
In the Years 1601, 1602, and 1623. there was sent to surprize this City Henrick Loncque, who a little before with Peter Peterszoon Hein took the Spanish Plate-Fleet, and brought it away from Matanca. In the middle of June, Anno 1629. Loncque weighed Anchor from the Goerean Road, and between great Canary and Teneriff he was Engag’d (having but eight Sail) with forty Spanish Ships, Commanded by Frederick de Toledo, fought his way through the midst of them, and near St. Vincent (the rest of his Fleet being come up to him, which in all made up twenty seven) he stay’d for a farther promis’d Supply of Ships to assist him, and the longer, because the Men rais’d by the Netherland West-India Company were taken into the States Service, to oppose the Spanish and Imperial Forces, who at that time had gain’d some advantage upon them: But not long after Hartogen-bosch being taken by the Hollanders, the rest of the expected Fleet, with the promis’d Aid, arriv’d at St. Vincent; from whence Loncque, after four Moneths stay, set Sail with these additional Forces, his Fleet then consisting of fifty Sail of Ships, which carry’d above seven thousand Soldiers, besides Seamen; but he was forc’d to lie a considerable time under the Line, being either becalm’d or beaten back by contrary Winds, insomuch that many of his Men perish’d, or were disabled with the Scurvey: At last his Fleet being come to an Anchor upon the Coast of Pernambuco, the first that Landed about two Leagues Northward of Olinda, was Colonel Diederik van Waerdenberg, who by Day-break divided his Men into three Divisions, the Forlorn-Hope consisting of nine hundred and thirty four Men, march’d towards Olinda along the Shore, led by Adolf van der Eltz; the second being a thousand and forty nine, by Stein Callenfels; the third, consisting of nine hundred and sixty five, was led by Fouke Honx: thus drawn out, and marching on, they met with no resistance till they came to the River Dolce, where eight hundred Portuguese Charg’d on them from behind a new Sconce; but Waerdenberg wading up to the Middle through the River with two Field-Pieces, the Enemy left his Works and ran into the Wood; the Forlorn-Hope approaching the City, march’d up towards the right side, up a Way through the Woods, Scal’d the Walls, near which the Jesuits Cloyster stood, over which he got after some resistance. The second Party march’d in a narrow Path along the Shore, and broke into the City between the Franciscans and Jesuits Cloyster, towards the Cathedral Salvador, from whence they discharg’d several Guns, as also from the Castle, which they had taken, whilest Fouke Honx Storm’d the Battlements towards the South; but Stein Callenfels and Eltz being already Masters of Olinda, the Defendants surrendred all. Mean while the Colonel’s Skiff brought five hundred Men more ashore, with which he march’d without any hinderance into the City, where the Conquerors, faint with excessive Heat and want of Water, found but little Booty, because the Inhabitants having notice of the Hollanders coming, had convey’d all their Goods and Wealth to Reciffa, which the Governor Matthias Albuquerque (Brother to the Lord Duarte Albuquerque, to whom Pernambuco properly belong’d) burnt with all the Store-houses, partly out of revenge to the Inhabitants, who fled contrary to his Commands, and partly because he would not enrich the Hollanders. The Portuguese Captain, Correa de Castel Blanco, in his Letter to the King of Spain, values the loss at twenty hundred thousand Ducats. But still the Portuguese had possession of several Forts about the Countrey, whereof the most considerable was St. George, whither Stein Callenfels march’d in the Night with six hundred Men, but his Ladders being too short, and the Hand-Granado’s not easily taking fire, he was forc’d to Retreat; whereupon judging it most convenient to besiege the Castle, he digg’d Trenches about the same; nor was it long ere the Besieged desir’d Quarter, which being granted, they march’d from thence with ninety Men. The Water Castle surrendring in like manner, they found fifteen Brass Guns therein; and in that of St. George four thousand pound of Gun-powder, and twenty four Iron Guns.
When the Netherland Forces Landed on Pernambuco, the Portuguese inhabited eleven Towns, the chiefest whereof being Olinda, was generally Garrison’d by four Companies of Armed Citizens, each containing a hundred Men and three Companies of Soldiers: Amongst the Citizens were two hundred Merchants, some of whom were judg’d to be worth fifty thousand Crusados.
Southward from Olinda, between the River Biberibe and the Ocean, was a narrow Cawsey, at the end of which lay the populous Village Reciffa, where the Ships lade and unlade. About the middle of the Cliff, being a League long, is the Anchoring place for great Ships, call’d Pozo. At the end of the fore-mention’d Cawsey against Pozo, appear’d a round Tower of Fre-stone.
The memorable Exploits of the English under Captain James Lancaster.