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798 KERGUELEN’S POYAGE TO THE NORTH.
as feveral veflels were laden with booty, which were detained by contrary winds in the
port. After thefe excefles he departed to join the main army, but Count Egment,
the general of the Spaniards, came up with fifteen thoufand troops, and a large number
of peafants, who cut to pieces the army of Marfhal Termes, making him with the chief
of his ftaff prifoners.
In 1583 the town of Dunkirk was taken by the confederates, and retaken the fame
year by the Duke of Parma, who greatly repaired the port, and built there fever idl
veffels of war, among others, fourteen commanded by vice-admiral Wacken, wh ch
made many Dutch prizes; the following year, the proprietors of thefe veflels made a
number of prizes, which they conducted into port, notwithftanding it was blockaded
by a Dutch fquadron. Charles Dauwere and his fon John were the chiefs of thefe fleets
of privateers; they were both of them intrepid, and very fkilful in manceuvres. This
caufed the fquadron of the Dutch, which had coft a great deal for little advantage, te
draw off. About this time the Spanifh fleet arrived in the channel, named the Invincible,
which was difperfed by a ftorm; miany fhips perifhed at fea, others were loft on the
shores of France and England, and the fad remains of this fleet were fortunately cons
du&ed back to Spain through the fkill of Michael Jacobs, a Dunkirker, an excellent
feaman ; neverthelefs the Dunkirkers did not ceafe fitting out privateers, and making
confiderable prizes of Dutchmen and Zealanders. ‘Thefe riches drew a number of fo-
reign failors to Dunkirk. The ardour of the Dutch for blockading Dunkirk was re-
doubled, fending even a hundred veffels before it; which however did not hinder the
privateers from ftealing out under favour of night, and, owing to the lightnefs of their
veflels, proceeding in making prizes in the North Sea. ‘They were attacked by a large
fhip of war, commanded by the Vice-admiral Anthonifen, but who was not then on board.
In his abfence, the commander feeing himfelf difabled, half his crew wounded, and the
enemy already boarding his fhip, fet fire to the powder-room, and blew himfelf up; at
the fame time doing confiderable damage to the Dunkirkers. ‘The town was fortified
with new works, and privateering continued. In 1595, one captain of a privateer
brought into the port of Dunkirk as many as thirty matters of bufles and other veflels,
which he was fatisfied with ranfoming for more than two hundred thoufand livres; an
enormous fum for that age. Another, named Kofter, returning to Dunkirk after ran-
foming feveral veffels, was furrounded by a Dutch fleet; he fought defperately, and
difabled feveral veffels; at length, preffed upon at all fides, he fet fire to the magazine,
and blew himfelf up, together with the fhips which were boarding him.
The Cardinal Archduke Albert of Auftria, who replaced the Duke of Parma, being
defirous of fignalizing his acceffion to the government of the Low Countries, laid fiege
to Calais in 1596, which he carried in a little time ; this acquifition was of great ad-
vantage to cruizing againft the enemy. The Dutch, interefted in hindering, fent four.
teen large veflels to anchor before Dunkirk, while nine others kept the fea to intercept
the veflels defirous of entering. Calais was given up to the French by the treaty cons
cluded in 1598, between V’rance and Spain; in fpite of the Dutch {quadron prizes ar-
rived in fafety, and the engagements which took place, were fought with fo much the
more obftinacy from each party hanging their prifoners.
In 1609 a truce was concluded for twelve years between the Dutch and Spaniards,
At the end of it the privateers, aflifted by nine Spanifh veffels, ruined the Dutch com-
merce.
In 1622 the citadel of Mardyck was conftruéted to fhelter Dunkirk from the infults
of its enemies. In this year John Jacobfon ot Dunkirk, a captain in the navy, com-
manding the St. Vincent of a hundred and fifty mon, on going out of port with two
Spanifh
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