An EXACT and TRUE ACCOUNT Of the taking Five FRENCH SHIPS Laden with AMMUNITION, By the Dutch, designed for Ireland: Together with the particulars of the Blowing up of DUNKIRK by the Magazine taking Fire.  
THE French Letters say, and the Dutch Letters confirm, that Five French Ships laden in the Port of Dunkirk with all sorts of Munitions of War, and going under the Convoy of two of their small Frigates designed for Ireland, were intercepted and taken by three Dutch Men of Wat; the French Convoys, after receiving the first Broadside, sheeting off, escaped; and they are now actually brought into Rotterdam, where being examined into, are found to be Freighted with these following Particulars, viz.  
In one of them are 16 Demi-Culverins upon Carriages, with Sponges. Ladies and all other Materials thereto, as Traces, and Harness for the Draught of Horses 236 Barrels of Gunpowder. 6000 Iron Bullets. 120 Quintals of Match. 500 Barrels of Musket. Carbine, and Pistol-shot. 1500 Chevaux de Freeze. 400 Tunespiks. 8 Gabions, and other Baskets. 7000 Mattocks, as many Shovels. 300 Wheel Barrows. 2 Mortars 600 Bombs, from 60 to 100 l. weight each. 6000 Horse-shoes. 2000 Saddles, as many Bridles, with Holsters for Pistols, and Cruppers. 4000 New Tents. 3000 Firelock Muskets. 2000 Matchlocks. 1000 Fusees 6000 Swords, Bandeliers, Belts, etc. with much other Materials, too long to insert, all which are condemned as Prize, and are to be brought to Amsterdam, and the greatest part ordered to Maestricht and Breda for the use of the State's Army. And this direful Misfortune (as the English Proverb denotes, seldom Comes Alone) is ushered in with another worse than that before mentioned; whereof take the Particulars.  
At Dunkirk there happened a Terrible and Surprising Disaster in the French Garrison there: For the same being looked upon the Metropolitan over all the French Garrisons in the New Conquests in Flanders, whereby mighty Stores of all sorts of Munitions of War were Reposited, for the carrying on the Designs of Levis the XIV, was by one Fatal Blow and Disaster, through the Negligence of a Drunken Workman, or Soldier, with a lighted Pipe of Tobacco, entirely Blown up and Destroyed.  
The certainty of the Occasion cannot be authentically known, because the Powder gave no minutes for Enquiry, but precipitately carried all before it into the Region of the Air, which as it was more Inclusive, had greater Extensive Essicacy on the Garrison, it having destroyed and wholly mined one Third of the Interior Fortifications, and made a large Breach in the Wall of the Side towards the Sea, there being computed 2000 Barrels of Powder to be lost, which is an extreme Injury to France, the same being valued at eight Pounds ten Shillings Sterling each Barrel, besides the Store of Arms and Ammunition adjoining, are either broke to pieces, or burned in the Ruins, there not being one part of the said Garrison, but what received its dreadful Effects, either by the destruction of the House, 〈…〉 some People therein, the tops of all the Buildings, being either carried away, or broke down afterwards with the Stoves, or other ponderous weight which fell thereon. And the Damage is almost Irreparable, one hundred thousand Pounds Sterling being not sufficient to put it into its pristine Condition, for the terrible Shock which it made, has created a great many Cracks and dismal Casma's in the very Wall of the Fortifications, which must be wholly taken down to the ground to be repaired, otherwise Untenable; and upon a strict Examination, about 530 people, as well Soldiers as Inhabitants, have perished in this Catastrophe, among them 43 Officers, and above 300 others are miserably shattered or wounded with the Stones: And there are some which conclude that it was occasioned by the Treachery of sevetie new Convert Soldiers, but considering that the person which perpetrated it, was a Companion in the misery which ensued; we believe that it was more Misfortune than Design; and the rather, for that it was known, that a considerable Quantity of Powder brought from Foreign parts, had, by the Saline and Vaporous Quality of the Sea received some Detriment, whereby it was drying, and making again serviceable. However it was (as all Advantages with Enemies are best) it betokens a lucky progress of Affairs to all the Confederates in the ensuing Campagnes especially in the Kingdom of Ireland, to which place the said Powder was principally designed, and where we do not doubt the French Rhodomantadoes as soon as appear, will vanish in Smoke.   

Printed in London, and reprinted at Edinburgh 1690.