Letters and Papers Relating to the First Dutch War; 1652-1654 Volume 30, No. 3

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1906 edition. Excerpt: ... most of them ahead of us. Then made sail with the rearmost ships; saw none of the convoy; thought they must have left the fleet to reach St. Martin's as quickly as possible. We were now off of Olonne, which was on our beam a mile and a half off. Anchored a little after sundown inside the N.W. point of St. Martin's in ten fathoms of water. Dec. %--In the morning, the wind N.N.E., with fine weather. Weighed anchor. Course E.S.E. At noon we anchored inside St. Martin's; there we found our fellow convoyers with some merchantmen. We then hoisted the white flag and fired a shot, upon which Captain van Seeks came on board my ship. It appeared the other captains were on shore, so that they did not come; and I ordered them to make ready as quickly as possible, so as to omit nothing that was wanting. I was also 1 Heys in MS. very greatly astonished that the said captains were lying here at anchor, while the greater part of the merchantmen were still behind in my company, which we brought under St. Martin's yesterday evening; we also saw several ships lying at anchor under the monastery, among whom were an admiral and vice-admiral, flying the French flag. This afternoon a sloop came alongside from the said admiral, asking what manner of ships we were. We answered them that we had come here for the protection of the commerce and merchant ships Oi our State, from Holland, Zeeland, and West Friesland. They also said they were much astonished that such a number of merchant ships were going to Bordeaux. They seem to be not at all pleased at this, and their displeasure was sufficiently noticeable. We also found lying here in the roads Captain Johan Bellebruijn and Claes Jansen Sanger from Zeeland. Dec..--In the morning the wind N.E., with a good breeze....