In the stead of the Viceroy deceased, the now reigning succeeded.
From thence they sailed to Surat, where the Great Mogul endowed
them with Immunities of Traffick.
In the mean while a second War betwixt England and Holland was
fomented, in the which the French threw off the protecting the
Dutch, and sided with his Majesty of England. When neglecting
his newly hatch'd Factory at Surat (whether out of its not an∣swering
his expectations, or his earnestness in prosecuting the Hol∣landers
by Sea as well as by Land, may be known by those that are
more intelligent in his Affairs at Home), sense of Honour, obliged
his Fleet in the East-Indies to New Adventures; and want of Money,
the Merchants at Surat to Trade upon the Credit of the French King.
With fourteen Sail of Ships they roved on the Coasts of Malabar,
and at last came to the Island Ceilon, setting upon the Dutch at Trin∣comalai,
and forced it; but being destitute of Provisions forsook it,
after the loss of abundance of their Men, and four of their Ships.
From whence they passed along the Coast of Coromandel, and with
Ten Sail came before St. Thomas, demanding Victuals of the Moors;
but they denying, they brought their Ships to bear upon the Fort,
and landing some ••mall Pieces they stormed it, driving the Moors to
the search of new Dwellings.
After they had taken it, they broke up their weather-beaten Vessels,
and brought ashore their Ordnance, keeping their Trenches within,
and mounting it with the Sea without; they still maintain it maugre
all the great Armies the King of Gulconda has sent against it.
Till now the 18th Month of its Siege, and the fourth year of their
leaving France, the Dutch of Batavia, in revenge of the Inroads the
French have made on their Countrey at home, undertaking to wa••∣lay
them, that no Sustenance might be brought to them by Sea,
came against it with 20 Sail, 15 Men of War, great Ships, some
of 72 Brass Guns apiece, well mann'd.
For all that, the Viceroy, who had then been gone out with four
Sail, but returning alone, got betwixt them and the Fort with his
single Ship in the Night: The Device this; He left his Light upon
a Catamaran, so that they thought him at an Anchor without them,
when the next Morn he play'd upon them from under the Fort:
This Exploit, and the bruit of our Approach, made them withdraw
to the Southward for ••••esh Recruits of Men and Ammunition.
Which gave the French encouragement to sally out upon the Moors
(they before being beaten from their Works near the City, had de∣camped
Seven Miles off St. Thomas), and with an handfull of Men
pilla••ed and set fire to their Tents, foraging the Countrey round
about, returning loaden with Spoils.
Three days after our Ships departed, the Batavians came again,
and cast Anchor over-against St. Thomas with their Flags flying; in
the Afternoon they received some Shot from the French Fort and the
Ships that lay in the Road: The next day all but five weighed, who
tarried not many days before they followed the rest to Policat, a
Strong hold of theirs, but 50 Miles North of us: Where we leave
them to the landing 700 Men, to join with the Moors by Land, and
their Ships to wait upon ours, upon their repair for Fort St. George:
And at a distance (because too near an Intrusion would but exaspe∣rate