A TRUE RELATION Of the late Action between the French and Dutch AT TOBAGO IN The West-Indies.  
Giving an Account of what happened there upon the Assault made by the Count D'Estrees, BOTH BY Sea and Land, For the Gaining of the said Place.  
With an Account of the Losses on both Sides, by a diligent Hand.  
Licenced according to Order.  
LONDON, Printed for W.D. in the Year 1677.   

A RELATION Of the late Action between the French and Dutch At Tobago in the West-Indies, etc.  
THe desires and Curiosity of some People, and especially those who were my Friends, hath made me a little more than commonly Industrious to procure the best Intelligence I could Possibly to give them satisfaction concerning the dispute between the French and Dutch at Tobago, which is as follows.  
Some time since we had an Account how Count D'Estrees had assaulted Tobago with great Resolution both by Sea and Land, in which there was great Loss suffered on both sides, which by the first advice, was, That Eleven of the Dutch Ships were lost, and only four of the French, but the French were totally worsted by Land; The second seemed to speak much to the same purpose, only somewhat more favourable of the Dutch, which is the less to be regarded, because all these Intelligences came by the way of France, the  not having received the least intimation from the Sieur Binches, nor from any other hand of certainty that can believe, but what they received from England, by a Ship lately Arrived there from some of the English Colonies adjacent to the said Tobago.  
The Count D'Estrees by the King his Master's particular command and appointment, was to provide himself with such a Force and Power, as might not only be able to annoy the Dutch in those Parts, but to reduce Tobago, which the Dutch had taken from the French sometime since, To which purpose he put on Board Two Thousand Soldiers, some Hundreds of Gentlemen Volunteers and Planters, besides a large proportion of Mariners above his Compliment; with this Fleet which consisted of near Twenty Sail, or thereabouts, great and small, being Ships for the most part of very considerable force, and much Superior to the Dutch, they arrived in the same place the latter end of February 1676, where the Count D'Estrees called a Council of War, to consider which was the best way to Attaque the Dutch, and by a general consent and allowance it was determined both by Sea and Land at one time, to which purpose 1500 men was put on Shore, under the Command of the Sieurs Grand Fountain and Horovard; and the Conduct and care of the Fleet to the Count D'Estrees himself.  
The Dutch in the mean time, as it highly concerned them to resist such a Power, was not wanting to make the most considerable Defence they could, and therefore had very strongly fortified themselves at Land, and for their better security next the Sea, had built a Platform, on which was mounted 30. Piece of Ordnance, under whose Protection their Ships lay, and was the chief occasion of the French loss, for the Dutch being weak in Shipping, were forced only to be defensive, being moved as near as conveniently they could along the Shore by the Platform, which was very vigorously assaulted by the said Count, and a most obstinate Fight continued for some hours, wherein the Dutch lost near their whole Fleet, being eleven in Number, amongst which was the Defender in which the S●●ur Binches was, and the Zealand both run a Shore, the one of 50 Guns, and the other 44 Guns, and the Croningen another of their Capital Ships of 56 Guns burnt, with seven others.  
Notwithstanding the said loss on the Dutch side, 'twas impossible to dissodge them from the Platform, which they maintained with so much Resolution and Courage, that after the Count had attempted it with as much gallantry as was possible for any Man, was forced to decline it, and leave five or six of his Ships buried in the Ocean, besides two that fell into the Enemy's hands, as an everlasting Monument of his undoubted Gallantry. His own Ship the Glorieux being Fired casually, being a Vessel of 72 Brass Guns, and near 500 Men, was resolved not to survive so great a disappointment, but that at length, by the persuasion of some, himself with some few others, escaped a shore in a shallop, where he met with that unwelcome news of the Defeat of his Forces at Land, where the Dutch had (for they certainly expected a visit from the French) so strengthened themselves, that had the French been double the number they were, they could not in Reason have prevailed. For the Dutch had raised a new Fort, wherein were several Pieces of Ordnance in a most advantageous Place, and though it was bravely attempted by the French several times, they were still beaten off with very great Slaughter, wherein the Sieurs Herovard and Baincourt, with several Officers of Note were slain, besides by water 

The Sieurs 

Gabaret,  
De la Borde,  
De Lizine.   Captain of Ships Killed.  
Four Captains more wounded,  
Four Lieutenants of Ships Killed,  
Four Lieutenants wounded.    
Five hundred Seamen and soldiers wounded and Prisoners, besides what were killed; The Defendant a Ship of 62 Guns, and 380 men had her Mainmast shot off; The Pearl and Entrepide, the first a ship of 58 Guns and 350 Men, the other of 50 Guns and 320 Men, both taken by the Dutch. The Dutch loss is very great, for all the Captains of their ships save one are killed or wounded, besides what was lost a shore. I shall not undertake a further Relation, being beyond my Intelligence, but leave the confirmation of what hath been said to the Account expected from the Sieur Binches.  
FINIS.