A IOVRNALL OF ALL THE PROCEEDINGS of the Duke of BVCKINGHAM his Grace in the Isle of Ree a part of France Whereunto is added the names of the French Nobilitie that were slaine Set forth by a Gentleman of speciall note who was a Spectator of all that hapned Published by Authoritie LONDON Printed for Thomas Walkley and are to be sold at his Shop at the Eagle and Childe in Britaines-Bursse 1627. A IOVRNALL OF ALL the proceedings of the Duke of BVCKINGHAM his Grace in the I le of Ree a part of France 1627. IVne the 24. 1627. being Sunday the Duke being in the good Ship of the Kings called the Triumph weyed Ankor in Stodes Bay and sayled so farre as St. Hellens Point and on the Wednesday following set saile from that place and was followed by 100. sayle of Ships little more or lesse That day we tackt to and againe vntill wee had recouered the point East of the I le of Wight And on the Thursday wee stood on our way towards the West vntill wee were come almost to the height of Plimouth and then about 8. of the clocke at night we stood off to the Sea East and by South and vpon the Fryday wee did see a point of Land on our Larboard bowe in our iudgements 12. leagues off called the Vshing in 47. degrees or thereabout a part of France Then we stood off to the Sea that day and Saturday and Sunday and Monday on Monday towards night we did see 14. sayle of Ships a head of vs which stood in toward vs about one houre but by that time they had deserued what we were not liking to speake with vs they stood away to the West before a winde The Lord Admirall with 60 sayle of ships stood after them some 24. houres but could not come vp to them but did perceiue them to bee Dunkerks and then againe stood on his way for his intended Port. Hauing lost the Lord Haruey in the Repulse with some 40. Saile of ships with him which did not follow the Admiral at the first pursuit of Dunkerks but stood still to the East and there they plyed to and againe for 8. dayes So that the Admirall was come to Anchor neere the East end of the I le of Ree on the Monday and the Lord Haruey came thither on the Wednesday being the 10. of Iuly but both had one part of one storme For the Nonsuch of the Kings had spent her Fore mast and some of the ships that were with the Repulse lost their long Boates being towed at their sterne but our happy meeting againe made our losse to seeme the lesse So we spent two nights and one day in Counsell and determining what was to be done to our best aduantage and so at last it was determined that the Souldiers should be landed on thursday at the East end of the I le of Ree which was done about 3. of the clocke in the after-noone the Duke in person with the foremost and causing them to recouer as much ground as they could on the side of the hill Did take his Barge againe accompanied with master Grimes Gentleman of the Horse and goes from one Shipp to another to pray them to make all the hast they could possible but returning to the Land againe he found them in such a desperate manner running into the Sea to catch hold of any Boat to be gone that they drowned themselues and others but tht Duke to appease these Reuolters stands in the head of the Barge with his Sword drawne in his hand praying some and taxing othersome with feare and cowardise to returne to their Commanders on the shore which were in great danger for had not Coronell Borowes and Coronell Brett bestird themselues like valient men and keeping their Regiments from Routing the Enemy had had the honour of the day to all likelyhood for neuer was seene so braue a Charge as this They did suffer vs to land some 2000. men and then did the French Horse in 3. troopes some 200 or more and some 1200 foot so valiently charge into the middest of our Army vp to the saddle into the Sea and so valiently behaued themselues that very few of the Horse that came one did euer get of If their Foot had bin as desperate as their Horse without question we had lost the honour of the first encounter but God the disposer of all things strooke the Enemy with such feare that they made as much hast as they could to be gone and left vs to land all our men and order them in battell array the which was done that day and the next all our Forces both men and horse were landed and making good that Fort we did not stirre from thence before Saturday night and then aduancing forward not more then halfe a mile wee rested that night On the Sunday Morning we marched vp into the Iland at least 3. miles to a towne called Allaflote where the Minister and some of the chiefe Protestants of the towne came to our generall the Duke and did deliuer themselues and Towne into his hands praying him that he would bee fauorable vnto the Papists and not put them to the mercy of the Souldiers for feare least heareafter the day that was lost might be recouered and so the Protestants should be put all to the sword the which the Duke taking into consideration did charge all the Soulders vpon paine of death not to stirre from theire collors so they rested all that night in the field and the Duke did take part with them lying in the head of Coronell Borowes Regiment on a canuas Horse couered with two cloakes his followers lying on the ground about him The next day a councell was called and it was agreed on that we should martch towards St. Martins on the Tuseday morning which was done the Duke and Mounsier Sebuesa accompanied with some Lords and Knights did accompany the corps of Sir William Hayden to the Earth with much griefe for the vnfortunat death of so worthy a man hee was buried at Allaflota the Duke returnes to lodge in the field but that night it did so Lighten Thunder and Raigne that I haue seldome seene the like On the Tewsday morning we marched on our apoyinted way although the morning was but little fairer then the night but it pleased God that before twelue of the clock the sunne did shew it selfe fauourable in drying our wet cloathing the enemy did send out many scouts to looke vpon vs but I thinke the longer they lookt on vs the worse they liked vs for I thinke our Armie from Front to Reare did take vp at least one Mile and halfe Yet then did march out of their fort some troopes of Horse and some companies of foote and did make a shew as if they would giue vs a battaile but beeter aduising with themselues they suffered vs to Martch vntill we had gained both Sun and Winde of them The Duke did at that instant time
put himselfe into Sir John Burrowes Regiment By this time it was three of the clocke when the Lord Generall commanded to land two Regiments that were of the olde Companies whereof Sir Iohn Burrowes and Sir Alexander Brett were Commanders he went with them himselfe on shore and appointed the two Colonels in what place they should land their men And being landed commanded them to put their men in Battalia with all speed fearing the Enemie vvould giue them a suddaine assault The men being vveary in lying on Shipboard lingred vvashing their hands in the Sea but the Lord Generall vvith a Cudgell runne to and fro amongst them beating some and threatning other-some and got them thrust vp three Pykes length to the skirt of the banke vvhere they vvere to be There vvas a third Regiment that vvas ready to land in the meane time came Sir William Courtney to the Lord Generall and tolde him that vnlesse hee should doe the same curtesie for him vvhich he did for the other two Collonells hee should not get his men landed and that his vvere olde Souldiers and vvould doe good seruice if the Enemie made assault Whereupon my Lord called Sir William Courtney vvent into his Barge vvith an intention to hasten a shore his Regiment and as soone as he had gone about fourescore from the shore hee presently heard the fight begun and turning backe he saw three Troupes of French Horse charging our Foote vvith all the fiercenesse that might be And the third Regiment those that vvere vnlanded pressing themselues amongst the Shippes to succour themselues the rest of that Regiment that vvere landed hee sawe prest into the vvater by the French Horse and Sir William Haydon being caried violently to the Sea by the Reuolters was there drowned Whereupon he set S. William Courtney into another Boate with commande to make all expedition to get his Men landed And very brauely himselfe drew his Sword and turned his Barge attended by Master Grymes and M. Ashburneham and thrust himselfe vpon the Reuolters and rebuking some and encouraging others told them he hoped they came not with any intent but to aduenture themselues so farre as he would leade them Wherevpon he thrust himselfe on to the shoare and they followed slowly and animating of the other Foote which were run into the water they most of them leapt out of the water and vpon the Lord Generalls words threw themselues forwards as if they would haue fought brauely but before we could get where the blowes were the Battaile was ended My Lord Generall had ordered certaine Shippes to scoure the Landing place with their Ordnance but the assault was so sodaine as they did little hurt to the Enemie and in verie heate of the combate it fell out that one of our owne Shipps had entangled himselfe betweene our Battering shippes and the Land by which meanes they were hindred in performing of their charge If the French Foote had come on to haue charged presently vppon the discharge of the Horse it had been impossible that we could haue withstood them But as God would haue it the Horse-men made more hast then in iudgement they should haue don Before the Foote came we had killed most of their Horses But when the Foote did come they came very orderly and brauely being 1500. comming within a Pike and a halfe of our Men before they discharged and the Leader of the Foote being a braue and goodlie Gentleman tooke off his hatte wherevpon all their Foote discharged their Muskets and after they fell to it with Swords and pâ—â—h of Pike vntill they were breathlesse on both sides The French finding our Pikes to be longer than theirs threw away their Pikes and went to it with Stones and so did our Men but ours beate them out and made them flye away very disorderly that happie was he that got first off his Armor to betake him to his heeles This Battaile did not continue in all much aboue halfe an hower but our Horse were not yet landed But if we had had twentie Horse to haue followed them we had killed them vp euery Man That night we intrenched our selues in that place fearing the Enemie would giue vs an assault in the night My Lord Generall spent that euening in viewing of the dead Bodies and visiting those that were hurt on our side and giuing great charge to the Chirurgions to take speciall care of them We tooke fower of the French Gentlemen but they were all hurt before two of them dyed the next day one of them is aliue yet in the Tryumph his thigh being shotte to peeces the other being a Page the Lord Generall sent him to his Master The next morning very earlie the Lord Generall came on shore againe and spent all the whole daie there calling the Commanders to him and ordering them to bring him notes of euery seuerall Companie how many they were and how manie were perished in the conflict By which vve found there was nineteene Captaines Antients and Lieuetenants killed and twelue other Officers hurt but in no danger of death and some thirty fiue common Soldiers drowned but none killed for the French men discharged all on our Gentry and neuer looked at the Common sort Our Gentry when the common Soldiers began to route clapt themselues together and shewed themselues the brauest Men in the world espetially Sir Iohn Burrowes Sir Alexander Brett Sir George Blundell and a Brother of Sir Alexander Bretts There was not one Gentleman of our Nation in the field that did not act his part brauely This being Friday the day after the Battaile the 13. of Iuly Monsieur de Thorax Gouernour of the Island sent the Barron Ambleuile with a Trumpet to speake wth the Lord Generall His Message was to desire my Lords fauour to giue them leaue to fetch away their dead bodies they being so suddenly demaunded by them my Lord made scruple in granting it Whereupon the Gentry made meanes by some of our Officers to buy the bodies and offered for one 1000. pounds When my Lord Generall had considered he gaue leaue that they should take them away Within foure houres the Gouernours sent another Trumpet with one of his Pages to giue him thankes for his fauour and to report to him that he would neuer after harbour an ill thought of the English for hee iudged the Gentry of them to be the brauest men in the world Although before the Battaile he made no more account of vs then if wee had beene all Beeues and enquiring what number we were wee tolde him 6000. He said he would kill vs and salt vs as wee did Oxen in England At the same time he sent my Lord Generall word that he would wayte on him himselfe so that we made full account that hee would giue vs Battell The same day wee put our selues in Battalia and expected them all that day yet hee came not The next day being the 14. of Iuly we made our selues ready to Martch and at
the King of Englands Fleet hee asked what they were doing there hee tolde them they were Tacking to and againe to scoure the Seas No saith he I know you are going to Burdeaux but there you will finde them prepared for you and they will giue you hot seruice Hee asked who was our Admirall hee tolde them my Lord Duke of Buckingham Whereupon hee fell in rayling and called vs all Roagues and Rascalls and commanded the Gunner to shoote he shot halfe a dozen shot at him and shor him twice through the sayle hard by the middle of the mayne Mast so that Dunning fell a sterne of him and tackt about to vs and tolde vs what had past and that he conceiued them to be Dunkerks men of Warre very well appointed which did much comfort our Generall and all the rest We chased them all night and on Tuesday the 20. of Iuly at light day wee had got neere vnto them with some of our Shipps The Lyon had â—ot the Winde-ward of them Three of the Collyers and the Maria with the Catch was got almost within shot of thâ—â— â—ut in this time they were throwing out their Ballest and making themselues light and when they had done that they hoysed vp studding Sailes and after outsailed vs quite We followed them so farre as there was no hopes and then wound about to our intended course At foure of the clocke the same day my Lord caused to send vppe to the maine Mast to tell how manie Shippes we were in company and we found we were then no more then three score for we had lost in that Chase my Lord Haruey with fortie saile of Shippes who met not with vs till wednesday the 11. of Iuly We were kept from the place where we intended with contrarie windes and calmes till tewesday the 10. of Iuly About two of the clocke then fell a violent storme with a thicke mist so that we were put into great danger The Nonesuch in this storme had spent her Fore-mast and many of the other Shippes lost their Long-boates being tyed at the Sterne About eight of the clock the storme broke vp and it grew to bee cleare Then we discerned the Isle of Ree to be within three leagues of vs whither we steered our course And about ten of the clocke cast anchor ouer against Saint Martines the prime Towne in that Island The Next morning being wednesday we weyed anchor and sayled downe lower to a point of the Island next to the maine-Land and ouer against Rochell There we cast anchor and placed our Shippes round about the Island that the Enemie might neither export nor import any thing for their aduantage That done being the 11. of Iuly we had very good sport in chasing those Barques and Hoyes which were offering to goe from the Island to the maine-Land and from the maine-Land to the Island We tooke many of them and there were none that got eyther in or out About sixe of the clocke that day my Lord Haruey appeares with his fortie saile of Ships which was vnto vs a great comfort About eight of the clocke the same day the Lord Generall called a Councell and resolued to land our Men the next morning vpon that point which lay iust to vs as being the most safe place At which time he gaue order to some Shippes to batter a Fort which lay a league off on the right hand continued the battering till ten of the clocke the next day then we found there was no resistance in the Fort whereupon the Lord Generall commanded to giue ouer On tewesday the 12. the L. Generall was vp and readie by three of the clock in the morning and receiued the Communion that morning at fiue of the clocke and after tooke his Barge and went aboard the Nonsuch to Monsiure Subcesa and returned from thence at sixe At seuen of the clocke Monsiure Sabuesa Monsiure Blancarte and Sir William Becher went to Rochell At eight of the clocke the L. Generall sent Master Grymes the Gentleman of his Horse with a Foote-boy of his that could both runne and swimme well and sixe Muskatieres to the point of the Island where they were to land their Men to see if they could discouer any Men or Ordnance that they had planted there to encounter vs When he came to the shoare he caused the Foote-boy to strippe himselfe and to run along and he run three quarters of a mile into the Countrey and found all that Coast cleere sauing three Horse-men that the Enemies had set out to be Scoutes which chased him back to the Sea side The Boy was releiued by the Ship Ordnance and the Muskets in the Boate At ten of the clocke he turned back to the Triumph and gaue the L. Generall an accompt what he had discouered Whereupon the L. Generall gaue present order for all Officers to be in a readinesse and to meete him aboard the Kings good Shippe called the Lyon lying next the Pointe where they were to land their Men for there he would keepe his Randeuous for that time At twelue of the clocke he tooke his Barge accompanied with Sir George Blundell Sergeant Maior attended by M. Grymes and M. Ashburneham and went to all those Ships that had Land Soldiers and commanded them that they should presently draw themselues as neere that point of the Island as they could After that he went to all the Ships and appointed the Captaines of them how and where to attend with their Shippes and commanded them presently to prouide their Barges and long Boates to land their Land Souldiers and to send them to the Lyon Hee then made choyse of tenne Ships of lesser burthen and directed them to draw their Shipps as close as they could to either side of the point of the Island where the Souldiers were to be Landed and commanded them that if the Enemie did appeare within shotte they should presently play vpon them He being aboard at the same time of one of these Shippes went vp to the top of the mayne Mast and discouered of the Enemies three Troupes of Horse and 16. or 18. hundred Foote all ready in Battalia some English mile or more off the place where wee were to land our men hee came presently downe and tolde vs what hee had discouered and shot at them himselfe two or three Peeces of Ordnance and commanded the rest of the Peeces to play vpon them still with that tooke Barge and went to the Lyon where hee found all the Officers ready with their long Boates to land their men In this time came backe from Rochell Monsieur Sabuesa and Sir William Beecher who stayed there till Saturday following Monsieur Saint Blancart disswaded the Lord Generall to forbeare the Landing of his men vntill the next morning but the Lord Generall fearing it would giue time to the Enemie to strengthen himselfe Hee would by no meanes heare of any delay Whereupon Monsieur Saint Blancart like a braue man choosed himselfe a Pike and