A true report and Description of the taking of the Iland and Towne of S. Maries, by a ship of Amsterdam and foure English Pinnasses.
AFter that the great and mightie fleet, set forth and furnished by the vnited Prouinces (in the yeare of our Lord 1599.) against the king of Spaine and his countries, vnder the conduct and command of the noble Lord Peter van Does, Admirall and Generall of the same, had set saile, and put themselues forwards on their no lesse valiant then succesfull voyage (which God with his omnipotent hand alwaies vouchsafeth to guide and protect in all their lawfull attemptes:) it so chanced, that vpon the 10. of Iune, there strayed from the fleete, a ship of Amsterdam, wherein was Captaine Garret Iohnson Cater, who in crossing to and fro, to recouer a sight of the fleet, for about the space of three weekes, happened vpon the first of Iuly to discrie neere vnto the Iland of Saint Mary foure small sailes, which afterwards he perceiued to be foure small English Pinnasses, whereof the biggest was of the burthen of thirtie lastes, the lesser about seauen lastes, and the other two accordingly. Being all these four Pinnasses together furnished with nine cast pieces, and could make out amongst them one hundred men, (when that they [Page] knew them to be all friends, and that the Captains had beene aboard one of the other) after their mutuall greetings and welcomes vsed at sea, the English Captaines gaue Ca [...]taine Cater intelligence, how that they lay in waite for a barke lying vnder S. Maries Iland, which they said was rich [...]y laden, contayning a great treasure, and that with his aid and help they might easily take her. Whereupon the said Cater promised them his good helpe, and furtherance to fetch the barke from the shoare, if so it were, that by his assistance they might take her: but it was told him by the Captaine of the greater Pinnasse that it would be impossible to take the barke, without that first they tooke the Iland it selfe. Whereupon after deliberation taken with them (being able to furnish out in al, nine score men, which the said Captaine said would suffice to take the Iland) they resolued to assault the same with their men. And hauing made the saide Captaine Cater their Admirall, they altogether bended their course towardes the Iland, and the same day entred vnder the towne, preparing themselues to giue the assault the next day.
The second of Iuly, being the visitation of the blessed virg [...]n Marie, they shot very strongly with foure gr [...]at peeces out of Captaine Caters ship vpon the towne of S. Marie: meane while the men began to be [...]owed a shore, being all well appointed and prepared to skirmish, taking their course Eastwards to the Iland, to fal vpon the same in the low ground, but they could not doe it, by reason of the [Page] great number of the inhabitantes vpon the shoare, which easily might haue hindered their landing. Wherefore Captaine Cater after due consideration thought it requisite to sende two of the English pinnasses, with eight or ten men towards the west side of the said Iland, the which with plying vp and downe, should seeme to assault the Iland on that side, himselfe going also in his boate, with some of his men, rowing towards the West side of the Iland: whereupon they were shot at by some Spanish soldiers with Muskets, which lay there vpon the flat land, and afterwardes the same day they shot mightily with a great peece vpon the pinnasses, all which was done to that ende, that the soldiers which were occupied on the West side of the Iland, should not withdraw themselues to the East side thereof to resist their assault there: which otherwise without doubt th [...]y would haue done.
Our men now being landed in the East part of the Iland, after a small skirmish and little trouble, (by Gods help) wonne the Iland: for the Spaniardes on the East side being assaulted suddenly and vnlooked for, fled immediately: so that our men tooke not onely the aboue named barke, but also had the whole Iland and the Towne to their will and disposition.
Which done, the said Captaine Cater by aduise of the English Captaines, set a ransome on the Iland, commanding the chiefe inhabitants thereof to bring them a certaine summe of Duckets.
Vpon the 4. of Iuly they forsooke the Iland againe, [Page] because there was no good roade to ride in, as also because that the Westerly winde began to rise strongly from the shore, so that they should haue beene in some perill if they had stayed.
Thus was the Ilande and Towne of S. Maries wonne and taken, after they had lyen there three daies.
They might wel haue kept the same, if they had thought it to haue beene any thing aduantagious, or profitable for them.
The chiefe of the Iland being by them demanded what the reason was that so lightly they yeelded the Iland: aunswered, that they knew God was displeased with them, that hee would punish them for their sins, and that therfore they thought it in vaine to resist.
To the Almightie God be infinit praises for this and many other victories graunted vnto vs, and be it his blessed will to continue the same, and to blesse all our lawful enterprises, to the praise, honor, and glorie of his holy name, and the saluation of our soules.