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800 KERGUELEN’S VOYAGE TO THE NORTH.
the Portuguefe, who had revolted. This governor, a general officer on fhore, knew
nothing of the difficulty of pafling through the enemy’s fleet, fuperior in number, which
laid between Gravelines and the town. He would not liften to the reprefentations of
Rombout, who, forced to obey, was defeated as he had predicted, and killed in the
engagement after having fought with the greateft refolution. A part of his fquadron
was taken, the other was obliged to fly. His death gave as much concern to the Spa-
niards, as pleafure to the Dutch, who feared him greatly. A defcendant in a direc
line of this Admiral Rombout went two voyages with me as a pilot.
In 1642 Jofeph Pieters, vice admiral, being with five veffels and a long-boat in the
roads of Vivaros in Spain was attacked at eleven o’clock in the morning by twenty-four
French veflels and eight galleys; the French admiral’s fhip, carrying fixty-fix guns,
was fo illtréated that he was obliged to withdraw. The battle lafted till night, during
which the Dunkirk man made fhift to efcape with his fix veffels.
In 1645 the French attacked the fort of Mardyck, which capitulated after fix weeks
fiege. But the governor of Dunkirk having affembled all the feamen and fome troops,
took it again during a winter’s night. It was taken again by the French in 1646, after
a fiege of twenty-one days. That of Dunkirk immediately fucceeded; the Prince of
Condé made himfelf matter of it in lefs than a month, notwithftanding it was vigoroufly
defended by the Marquis de Lede, who was obliged to capitulate, all fuccour being cut
off both by fea andland. He furrendered with military honours.
In 1652, during the civil wars of France, the Archduke Leopold retook it, and gave
the government of it to the Marquis de Lede, who had before fo well defended it.
In 1656 the Englifh, united with French and Dutch, made war with Spain. The
Dunkirkers, joined to thofe of Oftend, took a whole fleet of Englifh fhips, confifting
of forty-four fail, and a few days after thirty-three others. i
In 1657 Marfhal Turenne, with fome Englith troops, took the fort of Mardyck. He
gave it up to the Englifh, who fent there a fleet laden with a quantity of materials to
fortify and render it in fome meafure impregnable. They put fifteen hundred men in
garrifon in it.
In 1658 Marfhal Turenne invefted Dunkirk, the king joined him with a powerful
army. ‘The Spaniards, under the conduct of Don John of Auftria and the Prince
of Condé, endeavoured to throw fuccours into the place, but they loft the battle of the
Downs; and the Marquis de Lede dying of the wounds which he received, the garrifon
capitulated on the twenty-fifth of June, after fix weeks fiege. The next day the Spanifh
garrifon went. ‘he king entered it the fame day in the morning, and in the after-
noon gave up the place to the Englifh, on condition of fuffering the town to enjoy all
its privileges ; thusin lefs than a day it faw itfelf fucceflively under the domination of
three crowns. ‘The privateers of Dunkirk and Oftend had taken during the war more
than two thoufand five hundred veflels. The Englifh caufed a {trong citadel to be con-
{tructed, inftead of Fort Leon, and greatly ftrengthened the town ; which was fold to
the French in 1662 for the fum of five millions of livres, through the negoti-
ation of the Comte D’Eftrades. ‘The king made his entry into it the fecond of De-
cember, maintained its privileges, and made it a free port. In 1665 new fortifications
were conitructed, and the citadel improved. In 1680 the foundations of the Fort Rif-
bau, Fort Verd, and Vort de Bonne Efperance were laid, which were perfected, and
projected far out to fea. The king often came to fee the works, which lafted from
ten to eleven years. ‘Lhe bafon was conflructed in 1686.
fn 1688 Vrance was at war with the Dutch, the Englifh, and the Spaniards, during
which the Dunkirkers fitted out a number of privateers. In 1689 /M. Bart, ordered to
4 efcort.
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