The Admiral Bankert had better success; for Cruising up and down before the Inlet Todos los Sanctos, after the taking and sinking of several Ships as they came in his way, he at last set upon the Portuguese Fleet, consisting of seven great Ships, of which one got to St. Salvador, another was sunk, and the other five were taken, being valu’d at twenty Tuns of Gold, or 200000 l. Sterl. In this Engagement were kill’d above four hundred Portugueses, besides two hundred and fifty who were taken Prisoners, and sent Shackled to Reciffa. Amongst them was the new Vice-Roy of Brasile, the Admiral, Vice-Admiral, three Monks, and several other Persons of note.
Marshal Hous arrives at Reciffa with a fresh Supply.
This Victory began to give some Breath to Reciffa, when at the same time Marshal Hous arriv’d there with seven Ships, Mann’d with five hundred Soldiers. This Hous on the seventeenth of August, Anno 1645. had been taken Prisoner at the Engenho having fought so long till all his Powder was spent, so that he was forc’d to surrender himself upon promise of Quarter to Vidal, who after he had taken an Oath upon the Bible, to spare the Lives of all the Hollanders and Brasilians fell upon the Brasilians and slew them, being a hundred in all, in Cold-blood, who yet sold their Lives at no easie rate. Being carry’d Prisoner, together with Captain Bristow, Listry, Wildschut, Blar, and two hundred more, by Viera to Casa de Prugar, he was thence sent to Portugal, where being releas’d, he brought News to the States of the mean Condition of the West-India Company, and that all things must needs be lost, if they did not speedily take the Business into Consideration: Whereupon he was furnish’d with a Supply of Ships and Men, with which he set Sail for Brasile; where being arriv’d, most part of the Soldiers he brought with him were Transported to Taperica, to assist Schuppe; who as soon as they came to him, march’d into the Countrey; where being set upon by a thousand Portugueses, he lost sixty Men.
Soon after Hoogenstraet receiving Orders from the Governor of St. Salvador, who was inform’d by some Prisoners, that Schuppe had not above twelve hundred fighting Men, to fall upon him with three thousand, made a furious Assault upon the Sconce in two places, and Storming the same for two hours together, lost four hundred Men, which made him draw off a little before Day-break.
In the interim nine Privateers, fitted out by several Merchants of Holland and Zealand, came to Cruise up and down before the Coast of Brasile; which the States the rather allow’d of, because the West-India Company was not able to send any more Supplies thither: Nor was it long ere they took five Portuguese Prizes, and afterwards (joyning with Bankert) four more laden full of Sugar, in the Haven Todos los Sanctos, where they threw a hundred and twenty Portuguese, and fifty revolted Hollanders overboard.
The Council of Reciffa send over Messengers to represent the sad condition of the Place.
Bankert’s Death and Character.
Reciffa being at that time reduc’d to very great straits, earnestly implor’d Aid from the States, but to little purpose, by reason of the Differences amongst themselves, which hapned upon this occasion: The Spanish King by his Agent in the Hague made Overtures of Peace, and proffer’d to fall upon the Portuguese in Brasile: to which Proposition, whenas the rest of the States seem’d inclinable, those of Zealand would no ways hearken, being resolv’d to have nothing to do with Spain. The news of this Dissention exceedingly perplex’d the Council at Reciffa, especially when to that news was added, that Bankert, the onely terror to the Enemy at Sea, was Commanded home by the States of Zealand, which yet the General States strictly forbad. Whereupon they thought fit to send one of their Assembly to the Hague, to make the States acquainted with the miserable Condition of Brasile, and to Expostulate with them for their insensibility of their Condition, and to let them understand, that ten thousand Men would not restore Brasile to its former Condition: Every one strove to be the Messenger of these sad tydings, but especially their President Schonenbergh wish’d it might be his lot to leave the unhappy Countrey of Brasile; but because his departure would not have been without great murmuring of the People, Haeks was sent in his stead. Together with him went Hinderson (who was in no esteem since the Destruction on Rio Grande;) they both Embarqu’d on Bankert’s Ship and five others, which in stead of being laden with rich Commodities, and ballasted with Sugar, as heretofore, were fraught with discontented Seamen, decrepid and sick Soldiers, unserviceable Jews, poor Travellers, Portuguese Prisoners, and onely ten Weeks Provisions; whereas all other Vessels at their Return from Brasile us’d to have Provision for three Moneths, which at this time could not be spar’d. The Council also made Orders what Persons should go with the fore-mention’d Ships, viz. None but those whose Names were written in the Lists which had stuck six Weeks at every Church Door, that by that means no Creditor might suffer by his Debtors going away, nor any Criminal escape his deserved punishment. Bankert had scarce been a Week at Sea, when he dy’d of the Palsie: he was a Man, who for his valiant Exploits was from a Fore-mast Man preferred to be Captain; which Office he perform’d with great Prudence and Valor; but that which first made him most eminently taken notice of, was his Engaging with thirteen Dunkirkers, of which he sunk three, and being boarded by three more, and fir’d at by the rest, he refus’d to surrender his Ship on promise of Quarter, but plac’d his eldest Son with a lighted Match in the Powder-room, commanding him on pain of Death to blow up the Ship with the three Dunkirkers as soon as he gave the Word; which valorous Resolution so amaz’d the Enemy, that they let him go. He also behav’d himself bravely in the Downs against the Spanish Admiral Oquendo. His two Sons that were present when he gave up the Ghost, would not have his Body thrown overboard, notwithstanding it stunk so intolerably, that all the Provisions in the Ship were tainted by it; therefore taking out his Entrails, they Salted the Body, wrapt it up in four Sail-cloths, and nailing the same up in a pitchy Chest, bury’d it under the Ballast. Mean while the Fleet approaching the Flemmish Isles, was surpris’d by a terrible Storm, in which the Vice-Admiral’s old Ship split asunder, but most of the People were sav’d. Between Calice and Dover they met with eight Ostenders, against whom they made themselves ready to Fight; but they, according to the King of Spain’s Order, instead of Hostility shew’d them Friendship. All their Provisions were spent, when they happily Anchor’d before Flushing, where Bankert’s Body was Interr’d with great Solemnity.
Overtures of Peace from the Portuguese refus’d by the Netherlands.
In the interim the United Netherlands had fitted out another Fleet to assist Reciffa, the West-India Company having first demanded of the King of Portugal two hundred and eighty Tuns of Gold, to the value of which they affirm’d themselves to have been damag’d by the Insurrection of the Portuguese. On the other side, the King of Portugal was in a quandary about the Business of Brasile; for first, he had no other thoughts but that Brasile would have fall’n into his hands within the space of three Moneths, because the Plot there was so subtilly laid; neither did he think the States would have concern’d themselves with the West-India Companies Business, which now it was manifest they did. Besides this, there was a third Inconvenience, viz. that the Spanish Crown endeavor’d to conclude a Peace with the United Netherlands; wherefore that he might put a stop to the sending of the Fleet to Brasile, he dealt with the French Ambassador to make very advantageous Proffers in his behalf, viz. That he would surrender all the conquer’d Places, and make good all the Damages that had been sustain’d thereby. The Fleet appointed to go to Brasile was hereupon stopt, till the States had Consulted about an Answer on the fore-mention’d Propositions; but when Haeks brought news of the falshood of the Portuguese, the Scale was immediately turn’d, insomuch that the Portuguese Ambassador went in danger of his Life, till the Mutineers were put into Custody. Moreover the Fleet was order’d to Sail with all speed possible to Reciffa, with promise that another Fleet should soon follow with six thousand Men; but the many disconsolate tydings that had been brought of late, of the hardships and sufferings of those that went before, through the unwholsomness of the Climate, the want of Provisions, the Strength and Cruelty of the Enemy, made the Seamen and Soldiers very unwilling to go so fatal a Voyage, insomuch that as many as could, made their escape: yet at last, on the last day of December, Anno 1647. the Fleet set Sail under the Command of Corneliszoon de Wit; some Weeks before which Schuppe was forc’d to desert the Island Taperica, to go and aid Reciffa, which the Portuguese from a rais’d Battery on the other side of the River Biberibi shot at so incessantly, that none were safe either in their Houses or in the Streets.