DƲnkirk, or Duynskirk, is a very considerable Place now in the possession of the French, seased on the Sea, and adjudged to be about the bigness of Cambridge: Beyond the Old Town there hath been since it came into the Hands of the French, great Works drawn, which augment the Town above one half. There is a new Trench cut for a Mile together through the Splinter Sands, which will, upon the Head of the Tide, receive 150 Vessels of 70 Guns each; and on the West side of the Harbour is raised a vast pil'd and plank'd Work, to intercept and lodge the Sands. It's a Place of very great Strength, but much added by the late Fortifications, which are very large, and the Ba­stion towards the North is most stately. It is well Built, and very Rich and Populous, and particularly recom­mended for the neatness and regularity of the Streets. There is an English Nunnery, and the Franciscans have a Cloyster for Persons of both Sexes. At the Mouth of the Haven stands a strong Castle, on which are planted 200 pieces of Cannon. Dunkirk is Scituate 54 Miles West of Ghent, 23 Miles from Ipres, 10 from Graveling, 16 from Newport, and 24 from Ostend; its Longitude is 21. 30. and Latitude 51. 7. In May 57. Six hundoed English In­fantry, all Chosen Men, under the command of Sir John Reynolds as General, and Collonel Morgan as Major Ge­neral, arrived in Pricardy from England, where they were joyned by the Forces commanded by the Marshal Turin, the Protector was the more induced to this Enterprize, because the King of Spain had invited King Charles into his Dominnion. Before their Embarquement, they Ren­dezvouzed at Black-Heath, where Mr. Hugh Peters gave them a Sermon for encouragement, and were Shipped with a Months Pay in Hand, and all new Red Coats, About the middle of September, the English Forces and those of Turin, advanced into the Spanish Territories, and according to agreement, sate down before Mardike, a strong Fortress, and put themselves between it and Dunkirk. General Mountague, the English Admiral, Riding before the Splinter with a Fleet of War, it was not long before a continued Battery made the Besieged quit the Fort, which so incommoded them, when taken by the English, that they were obliged to yeild the Town to Mercy, Turin not allowing them better Terms, because they and refused his first Offers. Mardike was presently put into the Hands of the English according to agreement, soon after this, the two Armies face down before[?] [...] [...] resolving to take it before they stirred, which shortly Alarm'd the Spaniards in all their Quarters, whereupon Don John of Austria, considering the importance of this P [...]e, as being the Key of Flanders, and a Frontier of France, so th [...]t if the English Possessed it, they might have an opp [...]rtunity to Conquer all Flanders, by the Forces that m [...]ght be continually Landed from England, with the sup [...]lies of Money, which this Town, by their Booties, bro [...]ght into the Treasury. Upon these and like Motives, he [...]esolved to attempt its Relief, though with the hazard [...]f his whole Army, but whilst he is getting them together, the English had in a short time run their Trenches to the Spanish, Counterscarpe, and still ap­proached nigher the Wall, which the Spaniards having notice off, and fearing their Relief might come too late, he made all possible haste to its Assistance; The better to effect which, Don John their General dreins most of their Garrisons, and compleats a Body of 15000 Men, with which he Marches with all Speed through Fuernes, and Incamps within a Mile and an half of Tureins Quarters, of which, the Confederates having Advice, immediately dislodg'd with a Body of about 16000 Men, leaving still enough to guard the Trenches, and make good the ap­proaches, if the Towns-Men should attempt a Salley. With this Detachment of Men, and ten pieces of Cannon, Turein faces the Spainiards: The English Foot were drawn up in Four Battalions, and were Ordered to give the First Assault upon four other Battalions of Spanish Foot, who had the Abvantage of the Ground, being placed up­on three rising Hillocks, and was seconded by Don John himself.

The English were commanded by the Lord Lockhart, who having first ordered the Forelorn Hope of 300 Mus­queteers to mount the Sand-Hills, together with his own Regiment of Foot, under the Collonel Fenwicke, they stoutly maintained their Ground, though the Spaniards plaeyd down continual Volleys of Shot among them: He then sent another Brigade to their Relief, who imme­diately fell in with the But end of their Musquets among the Enemies Foot, and they not being used to such Club-Law, left the Field and Fled; whreupon Turrein's Horse seeing the good fortune of the English Foot, fell in with the Spanish Horse, few of whom stood the Charge.

In this Battle a great part of the Lord Lockheart's Regiment were either Slain or Wounded, and Lieute­nant Col. Fenwick was killed by a Musquet Bullet. The Slaughter was great, the Horse being very severe in the pursuit, so that near 3000 of the Enemy were Slain, and many Noblemen Killed, Wounded, and taken Prisoners. This total Rout of the Relievers Army, put despair into the Dunkirkers, who could now expect no relief either by Land or Sea, and Don John not being able to recruit his Army by Land: Yet the Marquess of Leda their Go­vernour, to demonstrate some courage, made frequent strong Sallies upon the French Quarters, which seem'd to proceed rather from despair than Valour, for he who was the Life of the Business[?] received a Wound in one of them, of which he shortly Died, and with him, the Ene­my lost Possession of the Town of Dunkirk, for after the Confederates had played 14 Days successively with their Mortar-Pieces upon the Place, the Befieged grew wea­ry of the Sport, and beat a Parley, and the next Day the Town was deliver'd up to them.

The English being in the Possession of Dunkirke, the For­tifications were repair'd, and several Additional ones made by Order of the Protector.