THe Eighth of May last, the Spa­niards made good my Intelli­gence to your Honour, by land­ing thirty Captains, thirty Al­feres, and thirty Companies of foot, at a place called Rio Nova in the North of this [Page 2] Island, who were there about twelve dayes before they were discovered; at which time our Ships plying up and down saw three sail of Spanish in that Bay, and made an attempt to have boarded them, but being becalmed could not effect it. That night the Spaniards stole away, and our Ships came to acquaint me therewith. I immediatly called a Coun­cill of War, as the affair did importune, and we debated, Whether it were most advan­tagious to assault them presently, or let them partake of the distempers and want of the Country, and when sicknesse had weakned them, to attempt them then; though much might have been and was urged, how In­vaders were to be used with delayes, &c. yet the exceeding desire of the Officers and Souldiers to be doing with them, cut off all debates, and determined a sudden Resoluti­on to fall upon them before they were For­tified, So I commanded-out 750. Officers [Page 3] and Souldiers, and on the 11 ^th of June last, we set sail from this Harbour towards them, and on the 22 ^th in the morning we landing on a Bay, which was defended by two Com­panies and two Captains, within half shot of their Cannon, playing from their Fort; Our Forlorn went on with such gallantry, and leapt into the water with so much chear­fulnesse, that perswaded the Enemy they would not be denied entrance, and so they ran, leaving one of their Captains, and about 23. slain, the other we took wounded, who died since; then we made all the hast, and in the space of an hour landed our men, their Cannon playing all the while on us with little successe: that day we spent in playing upon their Fort from our Ships, though the place being of so vast a height, they could bear to do them little harm. The next day, understanding their numbers to be more than ours, we were at a stand how to attempt [Page 4] them, having fortified themselves, and ha­ving six peeces of Ordnance, and a River to to passe, the depth whereof we knew not; VVherefore, after our Ladders were made, and other things fitted aswell as we could, in the evening I sent a Drummer, partly to discover the depth of the River he was to passe, with this Summons following;

The Drummer was very civilly treated, the General gave him 25. pieces of Eight, sent me a Jar of Sweet­meats, and this Answer.

VVe made no more demurs, but resolved to march the morrow morning. So I or­dered two of our Vessels to set sail Leeward, to perswade them we intend to stand on that side of them, the other ships to warp as near as they could, and play on them, while we fell on the other side: We marched assoon as it was light, having two miles to go, being through a VVood on the backside of them; about a quarter of a mile from their Fort we met a party on a Work, on a high Hill, pre­pared to obstruct our going over the River, who only gave us a fruitlesse Volley, ran to their Fort and told them, All the world was coming; we climbed that Hill with much ado, refreshed our weariness and advanced; when we came in sight of their Fort, which we found, to our exceeding joy, was not fi­nished to that height as that to the Seaward: We ordered our businesse with our forlorn Ladders and Hand-Granadoes, and with­out [Page 7] any further dispute, received their shot and ran up to their Flankers, which, in a quarter of an hour, we gained; many of them made shift to run out of their Works, and ours followed their chase about three or four miles, doing execution; the Sea­men likewise, seeing of them run along the Rocks, came out with their Boats and killed many of them.

In this Fort we took about Ten double Barrels of Pouder; Shot, great store; Six Peeces of Ordnance; great store of Provi­sions, Wine, Brandie, Salt, Oile, and other Provisions for eight months, as they termed it. There was slain about Three hundred persons, divers Captains, two Priests, and their Serjeant Major: About an hundred ordinary Prisoners taken, and six Captains which we have sent home; the King [...] Spain's Standard, and ten Colour [...] [...] rest, especially the straglers that are [Page 8] VVoods, must of necessity perish.

Though this Mercy was very great, yet our joy had some abatement, by the losse of Captain Wiseman, Capt. Meers, Capt. Lieut. Walker, Capt. Lieut. Robinson, and Ensign Farrar, men, for their gallantry, ra­ther to be admired than commended; about twenty three private Souldiers killed, and thirty four wounded, whereof some are since dead; some other of our Officers slightly wounded with stones. Thus hath the Lord made known His Salvation: His Righteous­ness hath He openly shewed in the sight of the heathen. I have sent this short Narration, because it comes by Colonel Barrey, who was an eye-witnesse, and principall Actor herein, and rest,