AN Historicall and true discourse of a voyage made by the Admirall Cornelis Matelife the yonger into the East Indies who departed out of Holland in May 1605. With the besieging of Malacca and the battaile by him fought at Sea against the Portugales in the Indies with other discourses Translated out of the Dutch according to the coppie printed at Rotterdam Imprinted at London for William Barret and are to be sold at his shop in Paules Church-yard at the signe of the greene Dragon 1608. An historicall and true discourse of a voyage made by the Admirall Cornelis Matelief the younger into the East Indies who departed out of Holland in May Anno. 1605. IN regard that wee began our voyage some-what too late in the yeare it fell out to be so much the longer as I wrote vnto your worships in Ianuary last from the Iland Mauritio by the Admirall Steuen vander Haghen from whence we departed the 27. of Ianuary and fearing the passage of those shallow places wee caused our Pinnasses or small boates to sayle before and in the night time to hang out Lanthornes by which meanes wee got ouer the flats of Nazare ouer the North point called Haya de Malsa and Perodes Banhos and made toward Chagros but could not get thether by the North and therefore tooke our course Southerly and found no ground from thence wee past betweene Pulo Malueo and the Maldiues but saw no land vntill the two and twenty of March yet wee espied the Iland of Sumatra which is the point of Achin but could not reach it The 28. of Ianuary wee drew neere to the Nicobares where wee tooke in fresh water and got some Coques Nuttes and a few Hennes in which place the inhabitants goe altogether naked there I thought to haue gotten some Amber which if I had stayed there I might haue got for fiue blankes There our men went on shoare and hauing mustered prepared some instruments of wood which I as then wanted At which time our souldiers and Sailers desiring to know to what parts they were bound for that as then they began to murmure amongst them-selues saying that they were not hyred to fight on land and some of the chiefest Sailers stoutly maintained it I shewed them that the states commissaries Commission giuen vnto me was to besiege and win the towne of Malacca setting before their eyes what honor and great profit they were to expect from thence together with the small perill which they had to incurre saying that I would send them to no other place but where I would hazard mine owne life with them promising them that if they chanced to winne the towne by force of assault they should haue the ransacking thereof and if that they got it by treatie and composition they should likewise haue that they found therein reseruing some part thereof to fortifie the towne withall wherewith they were much incouraged and resolutely with one voyce cryed out and sayd that they were fully resolued to win the towne and with that resolution wee sayled through the Straights and vpon the last of Aprill arriued within halfe a mile of Malacca with the losse of two men onely that dyed by the way And being come before Malacca I commanded that foure ships that lay in the road whereof one was laden for China should bee set on fire but my commission being not obserued my men giuing themselues to drinking they let them make away where they had three men slaine and fifteene wounded but I willed them onely to burne them and not to ransake them The next day after we consulted about our landing for that order had beene taken long before how wee should land and what euery man should doe some were of opinion to land presently others said that it was not expedient for vs to land so hastily in a strange countrey not knowing the enemies forces and that it was best for vs to stay the comming of the King of Ihor that was looked for within eight or ten dayes for wee perceiued a wood neere vnto the shore much to the enemies aduantage to play vpon vs from thence we not being able to pursue them and therefore alledged that they thought it not good to put the whole Fleete in danger before the comming of the King of Ihor who being arriued with two or three thousand men they sayd wee might land boldly and put our enemy in great feare this was the iudgment of the greater part of vs which did preuaile though I my selfe liked better of our present landing The eight of May we landed with the King of Ihor who had about three thousand men with him and in our landing lost not one man for the Portugales being two or three hundred that stood ready on the shore to resist vs suddenly retired into the suburbes of the towne where they defended themselues till mid night and then setting them on fire and breaking the bridge ranne into the towne In my aduise sent vnto the Commissaries I haue declared what I haue done before Malacca vntill the eight of August and what small ayde and assistance we haue receiued from the Ihorites with the disorder and mutiny of our people the strength of the towne their sallies out against vs and how they haue with credit beene driuen back againe by vs c. At such time as we intended to remooue our siege in regarde that the Portingales Armado as then laye hard by Capo Rachado which is about twelue miles from Malacca they of Malacca thought verily eyther to spoile vs or to hinder our pretence they of Malleyc being all gone aboorde except a hundred and twenty or a hunderd and thirty men and issuing out of the towne with all the men they could make set vpon vs but we couragiously draue them back againe with the losse of fifty of their men and but one man of ours hurt This done for the space of two nights I was much troubled about shipping of our Ordnance in regarde that the streame was not swift whereby the water could not get to the shore the ground very muddy so that I could hardly get our Canon aboord but God prouided so well for vs that vpon the 16. day we all got aboord and left not any thing on the shoare hauing about three hundred hurt and sicke men amongst vs. Notwithstanding the 17. of August we set forward to encounter our enimy whose Fleete was 14. Galions 4. Galleys and 15. or 16. Fustes or Frigates and two or three Galions came two or three dayes after vnto their Fleete that euening we shotte against them and chased them but in the night they put on more sailes and wee following after them all the next day holding our course Northerly The next night following I layd mee downe to sleepe for I had taken no rest in three dayes and three nights before beeing much busied about our Ordinance In the meane time Dyrick Mol maister of my ship came vnto me shewing me that the
hee could fetch water when hee would and in our sight carryed his hurt men to Malacca wherevpon wee called a counsell together and resolued to goe to Ihor chiefly to release our ships for it seemed that our enemy could sayle better then wee as also to refresh out sicke men to make Bullets and to incourage the King this wee performed at Ihor which hath one of the best riuers of the world there wee made Bullets but could get but little refreshing for money I also incouraged the King of Ihor counselling him to fortifie his towne and shewed him how hee should doe it which at last was begunne and had soone beene finished if the Hollanders would haue wrought Wee departed thence the thirteene of October and the twentith came before Malacca and for the space of sixe dayes laye in sight of the Towne but could not approach neere vnto it by reason of the winde so that the enemy placed all his shipps being seauen Galeons and three Galleys for the fourth was shotte to peeces by Capo Rachado in a rowe and all his Canon on the one side Wee there-vpon taking counsell resolued to set vpon the enemy but because wee had little prouision of pouder and a long iourney to make home-ward and perceiuing that wee could not seperate their shippes with shooting wee agreed that three of our ships should boord them which I thought to haue done in the night time taking with mee the Sunne and the Froninee of Delse but could not by reason of the streame the morning beeing coole and cleere and fitte to take some-thing in hand the winde comming from the land and wee lying Northerly from the roade wee made saile meaning to fall vpon their shippe that lay most Southerly and most beneath the streame for the water began to turne but the winde was so sharpe that I could scant passe by the roade so that wee approached neere to Illa das noas and woond about it but could not set vpon any of them but vpon that which laye Northerliest which was the greatest Gallion next vnto the Vice-royes and had in her nineteene Brasse peeces and three Yron peeces a hundred and three score Portingales and as many Moores I willed my maister called Symon Lambrechtsz Man whom I had taken into my ship in the steed of Dirick Mol that was slaine to set vpon her Wee were forced to passe by all the shippes of the enemy not without some hurt vnto vs but I shotte not at all rescuing euery thing ready vntill our aboording but when wee were halfe way forward amongst the enemies ships my Maister and the Pylote counselled mee to turne our course to whō I made answer that I wanted no aduise nor counsaile to delay them of till wee were aboord the Gallion and so held on vntill we boorded her and so let a Dragge fall appointing ten Musquetters to keepe it and to hinder that the enemy should not loose it which the enemy sought to doe I willed them also to shoote continually towards their Mersch and from our Mersch and garnates I caused stones and fire-balles to bee cast whereby the enimie was driuen vnder his net And as soone as I had fastned vppon him the Sunne fell on his other side and the Prouince came behinde vs and brake his Spritt against the enemies shippes the Galion had an anchor before the flood and a cable fastned at the Vice-royes ship but the cable was presently cutte in peeces as also the cable that fastened the Viceroy vnto him and so wee draue together towards the Lee the other Portugales perceiuing that hoysed their sailes which was that which I aymed at to drawe them from the wall and made to sea-ward Wee fell vpon the Saint Nicholas and killed all the men except eight Portingalles that hidde them-selues vnder the Ballast and so wee tooke her My Maister and the Pilote sayd that it was not expedient that two of our shippes should be bound to one shippe and that wee should leaue the Sunne alone with it and fall vpon the Viceroy that drew neere vnto vs which counsell I liked not fearing to haue the like chance that I had with Henrico A little while after Roobol Maister of the great Sunne called vnto mee to pray mee to let him alone in the shippe and that hee would carry it to the Sea which I would not consent vnto but perceiuing that I could not doe any thing to my minde I leaft it and presently the weather was very calme the Portingales shippes laye loofe-ward from vs whereof one made towards the great Sunne but hee could not fearing to be clapt on boord by vs we perceiuing that the calme either hindred vs to come togither I sent a boate to Roobol willing him to set fire in the shippe where vnto hee answered that I should hold my peace and sayd hee would not do it in the meane time hee got him-selfe loose by what meanes I know not and hoysing vp his great sayle ranne more then a myle from the Fleete not once looking backe In the meane while two Portingale shippes boorded the Vize-admirall against whome came Mauritius and the Blacke Lion and behaued themselues so well that the one of th' enemies shippes was burnt and the other spoyled The Erasmus set vppon a portingale but they were presently separated againe and I sayling by him willed him to bord him againe which he did but they were presently seperated againe The great calme hindred mee that I could not come neere them after that a whirlewinde rysing scattered the shippes and with that Mauritius made towards the Portingale againe Erasmus and I also turning towards him which the Portingale perceiuing yeelded vnto vs where wee killed foure and forty Portingales and tooke out of her eight peeces of brasse and so set fire on hir In the shippe which the Vize-admirall burnt there was not so much as a catte or a dogge saued The shippe that Roobol did let go was driuen by the Gallies to the shoare and so the euening came vppon vs. The next morning the Vizeroys shippe lying formost I made towards him but my Maister and Pilot tolde mee that I could not reach him for which cause I made to the Galion Saint Symon that yeelded it selfe vnto mee for the men were most of them runne from him the Captaine with twenty men onely remaining in her out of her I tooke foureteene peeces some flesh wine and pouder and so set it on fire This thankes bee vnto GOD was the successe of our battaile without any great losse of men wee burnt three Gallions wherein many Gentlemen were slaine and aboue foure hundred Portingale souldiers as I was after informed by certaine intercepted letters wee our selues made our victory bloudy for our men were so diuilishly giuen so seeke after prey and bootie that rowing round about the Gallion that burnt they fell to ransacking the men that swum in the water whereby the fire got into the powder and burnt three of our boates
enemy out-sailed vs asking me whether wee should put on any more sailes I answered yea and willed him at any hand to keepe them still in fight Not long after that he came againe and tolde mee that the enemy had cast Anchor whervpon I charged him to Anchor also and to keepe aboue the winde The rest of our ships anchred loofeward a Canon shot wide from the enemy In the morning before the breake of day I caused a peece to bee shotte off to warne to set saile for as then the enemy had gotten some-what more and had the loofe of vs and at the same time also shotte off a warning peece vnto his shippe Our shippe called the Nassau was long winding vp of her Anchor and before I could make signes vnto her to cut the cable a Portugall ship aborded her which I perceiuing wound my shippe about to ayde her but the Sea was so calme that I could not reache her but by force borded Simon Man and could by no meanes get from him The Admirall Alioza de Caruailla seeing vs fast together boorded Symon Mau and Henrico de Loroinge boorded mee these two were the greatest Gallions the enemy had after that came Duarte de Guerra and fell also vpon mee where-with wee gaue fire on all sides at which encounter most part of Duarte de Guerras men were kild and hee himselfe also Alioza de Caruailla forsooke his ship and was likewise slaine Don Henrico receiued more then a hundred shottes thorough his ship Afterwards Claes Gherritsz Maister of the Mauritius fell vpon Duarte de Guerra and set her on fire whereby our blind also was set on fire the other Portugall ships would haue set vpon vs but durst not for the fire meane time I cast out an Anchor which was cut off by my men but they sayd that it was done by the fire The Mauritius loosed himselfe Simon Man of Middleborough draue from vs with Duarte de Guerra and Alioza de Caruailla but the people for the most part were all slaine I hauing cast out another Anchor called vnto them to cast one of their Cables vnto vs to stay them but the noyse was so great that they heard vs not so that they burnt all together Simon Mau saued the most part of his men except eighteene that were hurt and some that were taken prisoners that were afterwards released by my meanes I was still fast grapled to Henrico to whom I promisd his life if hee would yeeld for hee could not defend himselfe which hee promised to doe many of his men being very desirous to come ouer into our ship but I refused them yet twelue of them came aboord fearing that my men would fall to the spoile for they had twise more men then wee and our anchor would not hold and still the enemyes fleete approached wee beeing very weary my Maister and my Captaine beeing slaine and the chiefe Marchant hurt whereof not long after hee dyed and I was forced to bee present at euery conflict Whervpon I commanded Don Henrico to cast out anchor but hee excused himselfe saying that hee was not able to doe it for which cause I sent a man to looke whether it were so or not which gaue himselfe to the spoyle then I sent an other that tooke the maisters Whistle from his necke but comming back againe sayd that the shippe was full of dead men and that the anchors were lost and the cables shotte in peeces by the Canon shotte Where-vpon I caused a Rope to bee brought out at the Sterne to fasten it vnto vs. In the meane time our anchor tooke holde and his ship brake from vs and so I lost my prize which shewes that they which make many delayes are often disappointed so that it seemes that marshall affaires must bee vndertaken with quick and speedy resolution This grieued vs much but there was no remedie This happened about euening One of the enemies ships also boorded the Nassau at which time also their Vice-roy fell vpon him on the other side but could not winne him and therefore set the Gallery and the Sterne of her on fire and so shee was burnt the Vice-roy likewise had been burnt with her if the Galleyes had not pluckt him away by force The most part of the Nassaus men were saued Mauritius and the Black Lion thought to haue falne vpon the Viceroy but the winde was too calme the rest of our ships did their endeuours but there were some faint-hearted amongst them notwithstanding wee held out and fought all that day although vnfortunately with losse of two ships on either side The next day being the nineteene of August all our ships being repayred wee resolued to recouer our losses for the which wee were much grieued but if the Nassau had cut her Anchors in time wee had not boorded one the other and it had fallen out better for vs. The twentieth of August wee fell to it againe although I found not my men so ready and resolute as before for those that had escaped out of the shippes that were burnt especially they of Middleborough asked mee where they should haue their moneths pay wherevnto I answered that it was then no time to speake of such matters and that I knew not how the Commissaries would vnderstand these things and yet I sayd I was informed that they had behaued themselues valiantly and that therefore it was no reason but that they should haue their due and that to my power I would defend and maintaine them in all iust causes Within an houre after the men of my ship also came vnto mee and demanded security for their moneths pay or else they said they would not fight they had some setters on which as yet I dare not name This made mee halfe abasht yet I vsed all the meanes that I could possible to appease them and at the last they seemed to bee contented About the euening wee approched the enemy againe and then I first obserued what danger the words of respectiue ships set downe in our Articles brought vs into for by meanes of the losse of the two shippes aforesaid euery one drew back from ioyning with the enemy beeing lothe to vse his hypoteke or assurance whereby wee were not halfe so forward to set vpon our enemy as wee were at the first for not so much as a Swabber in the shippe but hee would dispute vpon the wordes of Respectiue ships for whereas it is sayd that for the assurance of their pay they shall haue the ship wherein they serued and the goods that were in it and no more euery one was carefull for his owne That day and the next wee shotte diuers times at the Viceroy but I perceiuing that wee had not powder enough to ouer-come such an army nor bullets to serue our turnes though I had caused some to bee made before Malacca but not sufficient wee left off The shipps that stayde behinde came neere vnto the enemy that had his rowing Pinnasses wherewith