THE Valiant and renowned Generall H.C. LONCK, sailed out of Goeree with 8. Ships the 27 Iune 1629 and came vnder Tenerifa in the Canaries, where hee was in fight with the Armade of Don FREDE­RICO the 23. and 24. August. and the 4. September hee ariued in S. Vincent, where hee refreshed, and the 29. Novem. came by him the Coronel D. van WARDENBURGE, as also did the Commander DIRRICK SYMONSZ come thither the 29. of the same moneth, who sayled out of Texel with the said Coronel the 20. October: The Fleet beeing then strong 50. Ships & Pinasses, 2. Pryses and 13. great Shalloups, where was muste­red 7280. Men iong and olde, towit 3780 Mariners and 3500 Souldiers. With which Forces according to his order hee sett his course towards the Coast of Pernambuco, and got land in sight the 2. February vpon 7. degrees 4. Minutes, and the 13. of February aboute C.S. Augustijn: Where was resolued that the Coronell with 16. Ships and Pinasses, and 2400. Souldiers and 600. Mariners should land 2. mile northwards of Pernam­buco in Rio Doce: and the Generall with the rest of the Fleete and 2. strong Companies of Souldiers should saile to the Recif. Which resolution beeing taken, the 13. and 14. they prepared themselves and all things readie, and the 15. by breake of the daye, with milde weather and a still sea, they began there Enterprise, towit the Generall setting towards the Recif vnto the Barra of Pernambuco, and the Coronell Wardenborge with his 16. saile, wherein was 2400. Souldiers and 600. Mariners, whoe beeing landed presentlie set for­wards to the appointed place.

The Generall came to the Barra aforesaid aboute noone, and sailed with som ships close vnder the Fort, which lies vp­on the Recif, vpon which hee plaied with his Ordinance vn­till the euening, and likewise vpon the land Forts. The Forts also plaied lustilie vpon the Ships and with advantage, for the Ships coulde not shoote leuel by reason of the wauering of the sea, and when they lighted vpon the Walls, it made one­lie whit spots without doeing anie damage to the Forts one­lie a little at the verie top of the Walles.

6. Ships and 11. Pinasses remained readie with smale saile to run in, when warning should bee giuē at high water, which was expected aboute 3. of the clock. But the Governour of Pernambuco it seemes was long afore advertised of the co­ming of this Fleete, and therevpon had stopped the mouth of the River of the Recif (namelie the Poco and Barette) with soncked Ships, and fenced the whole Vilage Povo vpon the land Recif with a little wall or breastworck, so that the Ships and Pinasses at that time could effect nothing, and the other Ships which laye-close vnder the Wall were constrai­ned to drawe back toward the euening.

In the meane while the Coronel Wardenborgh was busie with landing his Forces with Shalloups and Boates at the place appointed, and marched formost himselfe with the vantguarde, in sight of his Enimies, who shewed themselues strong both a foote and horseback along the strand, where­vpon the rest of the Forces followed out of the Ships, with 2 pieces of Ordinance which shott 3. pound iron, but the eue­ning drawing on, they were constrained to lodge one the strand vnder the skie that night.

In the night time haueing made all preparation, the mor­ning drawing one hee martched forwards corragiouslie with all his Forces, parted in 3. Regiments and a partie of Fire­locks, the vantguard vnder which the Coronell was himselfe, was commaunded by Lieutennant Eltsz: the Battaillion by [Page 5]Lieutennant Steyncalenfels, and the rierguard by the Major Houx, haueing on there one side a thik groue, out of which they feared much to bee annoyed.

By Rio Doce which is a running River (where they were constrained to march through to the middel) they were en­countred of the Portingals, who laie there entrenched some 1800. strong, the skirmidge was hot and ours put back twice, and manie slaine and hurt one both sides, but most one the Enimies side, and so at last they were put to flight.

From thence the Coronell marched to the Towne with­out resting, takeing by the waye some blaks, but learning noe intelligence from them, coming to the Towne they assaulted the Iesuites Closter, the gates whereof were bolwerkt toe within side, which beeing beaten open and all slaine that resi­sted, the Enimies were forced to forsake the Closter, leauing behinde manie dead and maimed.

The Enimies forces in the Trenches and Forts one the Strand along the Sea, heareing such newes, and perceiueing Major Houx coming against them with the reareguard, tooke the flight also after a little skirmidging, and playing of the Ordinance, leaueing behinde them some few dead and hurt.

In the meane time that the Coronell approached the Towne one the North side, the Generall had landed 2. Com­panies with good convenience one the South side, and sent them to assist the Coronell, and so the Towne was assaulted one both sides, in such manner that aboute 4. of the clock in the afternoone it was ouercome with losse of aboute 50. or 60. Souldiours.

After the winning of the Towne there was found within but aboute 100. Chists with Sugar, some Wines, little Meal and other small matters of little vallew, because the Cittizens and Inhabitants were fled with most part of there goods, not­withstanding the Governour MATTHIAS d'ALBUQUERQUE had forbidden it vpon paine of death, that noe bodie should [Page 6]flie, or carrie ought out of the Towne, because the Inhabi­tants might help to keepe the Towne the better.

In the night the Generall caused the hauen mouthes to be founded, and the Forts to bee viewed, which the Enimie did holde stronglie beset, so that there was smale hope to doe anie good against them by water.

The 17. February the Governour caused all the Packhouses to bee set on fire, wherein was aboue 15000. Chists of Sugar, because the Inhabitants were fled as a prisoner reported, which fire coulde not bee hindered by ours.

The 20. after the Towne was well beset and good order set in all things, there was resolued by the Counsell to make an Enterprinse vpon the Fort, which layes vpon the land Recif; where to the Coronel commaunded the Lieutennant Steyn­calenfelts with 400. or 500. Men, whoe quited himselfe well in that Action, and stormed twoo houres in the night vpon the Fort, but beeing the skaling Ladders, which were raised were found a faddem to short, and that the gates coulde not bee opened, because those of the smale Fort that lies vpon the Sea Recif, did much annoye ours with there Cannons, wee resolued to retraite to spare our Men, leaueing behinde vs aboute 20. dead and 40. or 50. hurt.

The 21. the Barrette beeing visited with Shalloups, whoe set fire on the Ship that the Enimies had sunck in the mouth with stones to stop the passage, which Ship beeing fired, they found good convenience to come within the Recif with Shalloups, but seeing the Village vpon the Recif, where the Packhouses were fired, was so fenced with Walles, Brest­woorks and Palisades, it was thought verie dangerous to land there to attempt anie thing against the Village.

And the 22. beeing busie to strengthen the Towne with more Workes, and also the Iesuites Closter, and likewise in makeing a Bridge at the Foote of the Towne, which shoulde come out ouer the Bar like a head a little Seawards to land; [Page 7]and carrie aboord anie thing drie in time of neede.

The 23. was resolued with approbation of all the Officers to drawe neare the Fort (that lies vpon the land Recif) with Approaches, whereto all preparation of Fossiues and Sconce­baskets were made, most of the Mariners beeing imployed aboute cutting Rijswork and makeing Sconce-baskets, and others finisheing of the said Bridge.

And the 25. haueing finished diuers Brestworks in manie streets of the Towne, against anie suddaine Enterprise of the Enimie, the Approaches towards the greate Fort were began the 29. Februarie by the Lieutennant Eltsz, with 500. Men, who cast vp a Trench the same night against the Fort, be­twixt the Village (that lies vpon the Recif) and the Towne: and the next daye had Almost finished a Batterie, when the Major Houx came to relieue him, whereto the Coronell also repaired and remained there vntill the next daye, vntill the Batterie was finished, and 3. halfe Cartouwes planted, which played the whole daye.

And afterwards beeing the 2. March, haueing played all the morning with the Ordinance, those of the Fort rolled vp there Auncient, and put out a white sheete and so sought to parle, sending out a Captaine, who agreed with the Coronell to deliuer ouer the Fort vpon Conditions as hereafter follow in the Articles.

This beeing don the Coronell resolued to demand vp the Fort which lies vpon the Sea Recif, and therevpon hee ad­vertised his intent to the Generall and the rest of the Coun­sell, who all ratified the same, and so it was put in practise, sen­ding out a Tambour and an Interpreter, who they of the Fort presentlie gaue audience, and sent out there Lieuten­ [...]ant (taking another in hostage in his place) who agreed with the Coronell in like manner as those of the other Fort [...]id, and therevpon marched out.

The next daye beeing the 3. of March the Generall gaue commaundement vnto the Lieutennant Steyncalenfelts, to make en Enterprise vpon the Iland, called Antonie Vaz, ci­tuated ouer against the Village vpon the Recif, where beeing set ouer hee found noe resistance, the Inhabitants beeing fled haueing heard the winning of the Castles, so hee lodged a Troup of Souldiers in the Closter, which stands vpon the Iland, where with the Towne and Fortresses of Pernambuco are all in hands of the Officers of licensed West-India Com­panie, vnder protection of the States Generall and the Prince of Orenge, which God long continu to his glorie.

The same daye that the mouth of the Recif was sounded, som Ships, Pinnasses and all the Shalloups run into the Recif, which is a verie convenient place, not onelie to laye ships in, but also te make them cleane and keele them, and the Pinnas that should depart with the good newes was made cleane there in the Recif, and loaden with som Sugars. The Lord Generall being lodged in the Povo vpon the Recif: The Coronell in the Iesuits Closter; and the Lieutennant Coronel vpon the Iland of Antonie Vaz.