St. Salvador taken by the Dutch.
The grand Promoters of this Design were the Company of Merchants, who hitherto had Traded to Guinee; and the rather, because Guinee brought them but little Profit. But to set upon the Spanish Power, was a Business of no small Consequence; nevertheless they undertaking it, obtain’d Letters Patents from the States of the United Netherlands, Anno 1621. for erecting of a West-India Company, in which it was declar’d, That none without the said Companies leave should drive any Trade to Africa from the Northern Tropick, to the Cape Bonne Esperance; nor to America from Terre-Neuf to the Straights of Magellan, or Le Maire; nor in the South Sea to Anian; which if any attempted, they should forfeit Ship and Goods; besides several other Priviledges and Immunities granted towards the promoting and establishing of the said Company. After a long Consultation which way to steer their Course, it was concluded upon in the Council for the Affairs of the Company, to Invade St. Salvador in the Inlet Todos los Sanctos, whether they sent twenty Men of War and three Ketches, Commanded by Jacob Willekens, and Peter Peterszoon Hein; the Land Forces being under the Command of Colonel John van Dorth. In the beginning of the Year 1624. the Fleet set Sail out of the Texel and the Maes, and in five Moneths arriv’d at St. Salvador. As soon as the Portugueses discover’d the Dutch Fleet, they shot without ceasing from the Fort Philippo with three Brass Guns, as also from the Castle Tapagipe, with four Demi-Canons, but chiefly from the Battlement rais’d threesquare out of the Water before St. Salvador, from whence they play’d at them with twelve great Guns, whilest the Vice-Admiral ran within Musquet-shot of the said Battlement with three Ships, and found fifteen Portuguese Vessels lying near the Shore not far from the Castle Philippo, where there began a sharp Conflict, to the no small advantage of Peter Hein; who thereupon ventur’d with three Boats to Board the fifteen Ships: which resolute Attempt of the Dutch Seamen so amaz’d the Portuguese, that they set their biggest Ships on Fire, and fled ashore: Those Ships that escap’d, being in all ten, the Hollanders took and brought them to the Fleet. This flight of the Portuguese encouraging Peter Hein, he went with fourteen Boats, each Mann’d with two hundred Arm’d Men upon the very Mouths of the Cannons to the fore-mention’d Battlement and took the same, notwithstanding the Stone Wall rose eight Foot out of the Water, and above a hundred Portuguese defended it, whilest the Admiral Willekens sent twelve hundred Soldiers, and two hundred and forty Seamen ashore with Field-Pieces. The Forlorn-Hope consisted of sixty Musquetteers, led by Captain Helmond, who was seconded by Lieutenant La Main, all the Seamen following with Spades and Pick-axes; the Reserve was brought up by Captain Kyf, Ysenach, and William Schouten; thus drawn out, they were led towards the City by the Guides Dirk Colver and Dirk de Ruiter, along a narrow Way, which the Portuguese might have guarded with a few Men, had they not been all struck with a pannick fear, and making use of the dark Night, fled into the Woods. The Dutch found in the City an incredible Booty, because the Governor Diego Mendoza de Furtado had forbid the carrying away of any Goods, that so the Citizens might be the easier perswaded to defend the City; which they might well have done, had they not been surpris’d with the suddenness of the Action; for when Willekens Anchor’d here, there were above sixteen hundred Soldiers, besides a considerable number of Arm’d Citizens in St. Salvador; besides, in the Forts about the City on the Walls lay twenty three Brass, and twenty six Iron Guns.
This Victory was scarce obtain’d, when Colonel Dorth, who had lost the Fleet at Point Vincent, arriv’d here after all was done, and caus’d Edicts to be publish’d, in which the fled Citizens were promis’d greater Priviledges under the Netherlanders Protection, than ever they had under the King of Spain. Whereupon a few Portuguese return’d to the City; but the greatest part of them, and those the most considerable, were partly kept back by Command of the Bishop Teixera, who laid the fault concerning the loss of the City on the Governor Furtado, and partly because they judg’d the Netherlanders unable to defend them against the Spanish Power.
About the same time several rich laden Vessels arriv’d there from Lisbon, Janeiro, Spirito Santo, Angola and other Places, all ignorant of the Conquest of St. Salvador.
Col. Dorth kill’d by an Ambuscade.
Whilest Dorth and Willekens were ordering all things within the City, the outstaying Portuguese at last taking courage, Storm’d the City from Midnight till the next day in the Afternoon, but fearing they should be set upon behind unawares, Retreated; after which Dorth thinking he had been free from all fear of Enemies, and with a small Guard riding out of the City to take a view of the adjacent Countrey, was scarce got a Bowe-shot from the Walls, when a great Body of Brasilians rush’d forth unexpectedly from an Ambuscade, and wounded him so mortally, that he fell dead from his Horse, and had his Head suddenly chopt off, and his Body mangled very terribly.
Allart Schouten being chosen Governor in Dorth’s stead, took no care to fortifie the City; and after his Decease his Brother William Schouten succeeding him, regarded it less, so that all things went to ruine, every one striving onely to enrich themselves. Amongst other Booties, they took the rich laden Vessel which Francisco de Sarmiento, Governor of Chili, brought to St. Salvador, with fifty eight thousand Guilders, and a much greater sum of Gold and Pearls, all which was imbezled away.
Description of St. Salvador.
This City St. Salvador, built by Thomas de Sosa along the Sea-side, runs up broad at the Suburb Carmo, hath four Market-places, into the biggest whereof, being of a long square, run nine Streets, the chief of which being very broad, hath many stately Houses. The second Market-place is of like form, onely it winds a little towards the Right, and at the Entrance stands a strong Prison. The Cloyster St. Francis, inhabited by Jesuits, stands in a Park near the Wall by which the Moat runs. Towards the Sea-side they have a second Structure, much statelier than the Franciscan Cloyster. Near the Prison stands the Armory, and somewhat farther the great Church, which Anno 1624. was not quite finish’d. The Church dedicated to the Virgin Mary appears with a high Spire near the Gate Bento, without which the great Cloyster Bento is built; but the chief Church is St. Salvador. On the utmost Point towards the South-West of the City lies the Fort Antonio, between which and the City stands a very neat Pleasure-house, belonging to the Bishop. Besides Antonio there are four other considerable Forts, viz. Diego, St. Maria, De Gracia, and Vittoria. About half way between Vittoria and the Cloyster Bento, stands the Castle with four Bulwarks; but on the North-side the City is guarded by the Forts St. Peter, Philippo, and Tapecipe.