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SIR,
I Cannot but communicate unto you the great blessing, which it hath pleased our good God to bestow upon the Companie in the taking of the City of Loando de S. Paulo the 26 of August last past; for after that wee had sent out from hence the 20.30th. of M••y, under the command of the Admirall Iol
Lievtenant Colonell Hinderson, and as Politick Councel∣lors, Morthamer, and Newlant with 21. Ships and Pinnasses, with about 3000. men, both Souldiers and Mariners; which came the 25. of August, upon the road before the said Citie, and presently landed their Forces, where they found the enimie in order to defend the Citie; yet after a small skirmish, wherein we lost three or foure men, and as many more were wounded, the enimes retired. At the rising of the Moone, our men marched towards the Citie, which they found wholy forsaken, finding in it no more but some few men, that were drunk, without any opposition; inso∣much, that this is a great Victorie, because the King of Castile can get no Negros or Black-Moors to labour in the Mines in the West-Indies, whether-wards they have yeerly sent from that place about 15000. which they buy there for a small price, and are sold here in Brazeil, for 400 or 500. gilders one Negro; and in the West-Indies they are sold yet for a higher price: out of which trade the King of Castile hath yeerly had a great treasure, which he must misse now, because he had for every Negro, ten Crusa custome, besides other great Revenews. This Victory is both here and in Angola counted higher than any other, that the Company obtained here before, in regard of the great traffick, that falls there, and the great profits it will afford, and I doe not doubt, but the Company shall bee furnished from thence with all sorts of Commodities.
Upon a good hope of this design, we had sent after the Fleet already in August, two Ships more with two hundred foot with fire-locks, which came thither in very good and due time. Wee are now busie to send thither-wards two lusty Ships with Victuals and Merchandise to begin the trade; it comes us well to passe, that we have taken two
prizes, which were bound for that place with goods, that are much desired there, which gives a double advantage unto us. The Admirall Iol is departed from thence, or was upon his departure, with a good number of Souldiers and Ships, and going out upon another exploit; unto which I pray God to give his blessing. The Vice-Admirall Lichtart towards with Colonell Coin, if God pleaseth, are to goe to Sea within these eight or tenne dayes, with sixteen Saile of Ships and Pinnasses, well manned, upon another exploit, I hope that by Gods assistance, they will have good suc∣cesse; yet the place which they aime at, for divers reasons I must conceale: here underneath I have set to it that same, what wee have obtained, so sarre as is yet known.
The Citie of Loando de S. Paulo is of a very great cir∣cumference, situated upon a faire Hill, having obtained thereby six Forts, seven Ravelins, two Batteries, fifty nine brasse Peeces of Ordnance, sixtie nine Iron Peeces, thirteen thousand weight of gunne powder, three hundred weight of matches, two thousand two hundred Bullets:
In the City have been under the command of the Go∣vernour Pedro Sect de Meneses eight hundred white, both souldiers and Townes-men, with about thirty thousand Ne∣gros without wifes and children, but they were all fled, but must needs come to a composition, because they will not be able to get sufficient provision in the field. The profit of the Trade from thence is esteemed to amount yeerly to sixty Tunnes of gold, which is a great matter for the Company, &c.