After this Grave Maurice took great care of the Civil Affairs, building a Guild-Hall at his own Cost and Charge; sent all manner of Minerals, digg’d out of the Brasilian Mines, to the Netherlands; laid great Penalties on those that stole the Custom of Goods, and punish’d with Death Murders, Robberies, and such like Capital Offences, besides several wholsom Laws relating both to the Civil and Ecclesiastical Government; and as soon as he was recover’d from his tedious Sickness, he march’d up into the Countrey to the Rivers Grande and Parayba, to take care to furnish the Forts with Provision and Ammunition. Near the Castle Ceulen he was receiv’d by the Tapuyan Agents, and Presented by them with Bowes, Arrows, and brave Ostrich Feathers, us’d by them when they go to the Wars: in return for which they receiv’d Linnen Shirts, Knives, Shells, Bugles, Fishhooks, and Nails. Maurice caus’d a deeper and wider Moat to be digg’d about the decay’d Castle Cabo Dello, rais’d the Works, and call’d it by the Name of his Sister Margareta; he also pull’d down the Fort Antonio, keeping onely a Tower to defend the High-way. Restringa was likewise strengthned with Pallisado’s, and the Cloyster near the Town Parayba fortifi’d against an Assault, and Elias Harkmans made Governor of the same.
Whilest these things were transacted on the Land, Captain Schuppe at Sea Engaging alone between Todos los Sanctos and Terre Garcie d’ Avila with three Spanish Ships, drove one of them aground, and brought another away with him to Reciffa. The Letters found in the taken Vessel made mention, that in the River of Lisbon lay ten Galleys, and twenty more before Cales, to which were to joyn thirty Pinks; which Fleet some suppos’d was coming for Brasile; others, that it was onely a Plot of the King of Spain to get Money from his Subjects, according to the Custom of several other Princes.
Hereupon Maurice wrote to the West-India Company, that they would Rig out a Fleet with all possible speed, which might fall upon the fore-mention’d Spanish Fleet, and fetch those Sugars which lay ready in Brasile to be Laden.
About the same time a Party of the Portugueses crossing the River Francisco, came to the Stream Miguel, whither Picard marching, put them all to flight.
Grave Maurice sets forth with a Fleet for the re-taking of St. Salvador.
Grave Maurice is forc’d to leave the Siege of St. Salvador.
Grave Maurice having a Design on St. Salvador, the Portuguese Metropolis in Brasile, formerly taken by Peter Hein and Jacob Willekens, and not long after lost by the faint-heartedness of William Schouten and Hans Kyf, though in all likelihood not strong enough to undertake so weighty a Design, yet considering if he should stay longer, the Season would not permit him, therefore he went aboard, hoping that he should receive some Aid from the Netherlands; his Army consisted of three thousand four hundred Netherlanders, and a thousand Brasilians. He had the greater hopes of Victory, because he receiv’d information from St. Salvador, that the Soldiers in Garrison there mutiny’d for want of Pay, and that the Governor and Duke of Bagnola were at difference concerning the management of the War. But before he set Sail he had secur’d all Places against any Invasion, and got ready twenty two Sail, furnish’d with Ammunition and Provision, with which on the eighteenth of August Anno 1638. he weigh’d Anchor, and met with six Ships at Sea, which he took, and arriv’d on the sixth day following before the Mouth of the Inlet Todos los Sanctos, which he could not enter by reason of contrary Winds, but Cruis’d up and down before the River Vermelho and the Isle Tapoam; whereupon the Governor of St. Salvador and Bagnola drew the Portuguese Forces down thither to prevent his Landing: About Noon the Wind coming about fair for the Hollanders, brought Maurice within Shot of the Ships, Forts, Walls and Batteries of the City St. Salvador, so that he thundred with his Cannon against them, and Landed on a Promontory near the Sconce Bartholomew, without the least resistance, in a convenient place about a League and a half from the City; where Encamping himself, he was inform’d by the Prisoners which he had taken, that about half a League farther was a narrow Bank, border’d with Morasses, so that none could pass along the same but at Low-water, and then onely at a certain time. Tourlon being sent before with three hundred Musquetteers to discover the Place, found the Way not onely as the Prisoners had inform’d, but also fortifi’d by the Enemy; against whom Maurice drew out his Men, ordering Captain John vander Mast in the mean time to run with ten Sail directly upon the City, and to drop his Anchors just without shot of it. Having beaten the Enemy from his Works, he broke through all the Paths, Hedges and Banks, till at last he came and Intrench’d himself near the Out-works of the City, by which his Army was secur’d from any Assaults from the Sea-side. Colonel Brand also with little trouble took the Fort Philippo, built on the Shore, and fortifi’d with five Guns. The next day Maurice Storming the Castle Philippo, soon became Master of it, notwithstanding it was well Garrison’d, and had thirteen Brass Demi-Culverins. The taking of this Castle afforded the Besiegers a free Passage to their Fleet. They also rais’d two Batteries, from one of which they shot night and day with seven great Guns, and from the other with the like number of Field-pieces, on the Castle Rosario, which the Portuguese forsook; but going about to take a Horn-work on the top of the Carmelites Cloyster, he lost many Men in the Attempt, and amongst the rest the Captains Howin, Echbrecht, Boward, Hollinger, and the Engineer Berchem; and in the end, after many bold and resolute Attaques, what with the strength of the Place, both for number of Defendants, and well fortifi’dness thereof, and what with the want of his expected Supplies, and lastly the sickliness of his Army, by reason of the extraordinary Rains that fell, to the loss of many Officers of note as well as common Soldiers, besides what were slain by the Enemy, he made as honorable a Retreat as he could, so that this Expedition prov’d altogether unsuccessful.
Mean while the Provincial States of Holland and Zealand differ’d about allowing of a free Trade to Brasile, and sending of Colonies thither: Whereupon Grave Maurice writing to them his Opinion, demonstrated with good Reasons, that a free Trade, and fresh Colonies, would be much to the Companies advantage; which was approv’d of by the States of the United Netherlands and West-India Company, who onely engross’d the Trade of Negro’s and Brasile Wood; and on the Imported and Exported Goods they put a certain Custom.
Houte-been Engages the Spanish Fleet.
The West-India Company considering what Treasure Peter Hein had brought from Matanca to Holland, they resolv’d to venture another Expedition thither; and to that purpose set out fourteen Sail under the Command of Cornelis Houte-been, who weigh’d Anchor out of the Texel on the fourteenth of August Anno 1638. and arriv’d safe at Reciffa; where Houte-been having spent some days in Consulting with Grave Maurice, went aboard again, and at his entring into the Ship, bruis’d his Leg between the Boat and the sides thereof, which some superstitious Persons look’d upon as very ominous; but this Wound was not so great as to keep him back from whatsoever Service came in his way: for discovering the Spanish Fleet from Terra Firma near Cuba, before the Rocky Isle Organes, which consisted of eight great Gallions, and six lesser Ships, whose Lading was valu’d at two hundred Tun of Gold, and Commanded by Carel Dievaro, he clapt the Admiral aboard, threw in his Grapling-Irons, and made him self fast, with a Resolution either to take him or die, whilest the Dutch Vice-Admiral Abraham Michaelzoon Roosendael boarded the Spanish Vice-Admiral, and the Rere-Admiral John vander Mast the Enemy’s Rere-Admiral; and doubtless, had not the Vice-Admiral and Rere-Admiral been slain, together with Verdoost, Captain of the Orange-Tree, and other eminent Officers, and those that surviv’d fail’d in their Duty to him for want of Courage, he had given them a signal Overthrow; but whilest with much ado he had prevail’d with his Captains to renew the Combat (having been forc’d by the coming on of the Spanish Vice and Rere-Admirals to quit his hold) and was preparing for a second Onset, the Sea began to be rough, and the Enemy was gotten to the Windward. Some few days after being inform’d, that the Spanish Fleet lay before the Flats of Cuba and the Rocky Organes, Steer’d thither, resolving to venture once more; but when he came there, the Spaniards were gone; whereupon he sent some of his Ships to Brasile, others to Cruise before Cuba, whilest he himself went for the Netherlands.