Sea Fights in the East Indies in the Years 1602-1939

Boies Penrose has devoted much of his leisure to the acquisition and study of books and maps relating to early geographical exploration. A few of these he has reprinted in private editions. The phase of the subject which has attracted him most recently concerns the struggle between Portugal, Holland, and England for the wealth of the Indies. The historical importance, the adventurous fascination, and the unusual approach through the contemporary news tracts, of the volume which has resulted from his researches, combine to justify issuing it for a wider public. FOREWORD CONTENTS INTRODUCTION I. A True and perfect Relation Concerning the fight of five Dutch ships against the Portugall Fleet, on New Year’s Day, 1602 II. An Historical and true 'Discourse of a Voyage by Admiral Matelife who departed out of Holland in May, with the besieging of Malacca in 1607 III. The Fights off Swally Road, on November 29 and December 224, 1612; written by Thomas Best, Commander of that Voyage IV. The Repulse of the Portugals by the English Fleet in January, 1615 from the Journal of Captain Nicholas Downton V. The Fights betwixt the Dutch and Sir Thomas Dale, in 1618; from the Report of Captain Martin Pring VI. The True Relation of that worthy Sea Fight which two East India Ships had with four Portingals in December, 1620 VII. The Taking of Ormus in 1624 VIII. A Famous Fight at Sea Where foure English Ships under Captaine Weddell and foure Dutch Ships fought three days neere Ormus against eight Portugall Gallions and three Friggots As also the losse of the good Ship Lion in 1624 IX. A Relation of some Conflicts betweene the Portugals and the English at Surat in 1630 X. A Terrible Sea Fight betweene nine Ships of the Hollanders and three English Gallions before Goa in September 1639 LIST OF WORKS CONSULTED vii may well have been read out of existence or otherwise destroyed. So great is the scarcity of most existing news-letters, that such a condition is extremely possible.Of the news-letters, I am greatly indebted to the British Museum for permission to reprint the first two, and for Shilling's action; and to the Harvard College Library for John Taylor's account of Weddell's fight and the loss of the Lion. The remaining news-letters are from copies in my own library.