of great affection to the person of Don John, and his
Majesty's service: and seeing their resolution to be comfortable to his
desires, he promised them his assistance, with one frigate, one galleon,
one boat, and one hundred and twenty-six men; one half out of his own
garrison, and the other half mulattoes. Thus being well provided with
necessaries, they left the port of Carthagena, August 2, and the 10th
they arrived in sight of St. Catherine's towards the western point
thereof; and though the wind was contrary, yet they reached the port,
and anchored within it, having lost one of their boats by foul weather,
at the rock called Quita Signos.

The pirates, seeing our ships come to an anchor, gave them presently
three guns with bullets, which were soon answered in the same coin.
Hereupon, Major Joseph Sanchez Ximenez sent ashore to the pirates one of
his officers to require them, in the name of the Catholic King his
master, to surrender the island, seeing they had taken it in the midst
of peace between the two crowns of Spain and England; and that if they
would be obstinate, he would certainly put them all to the sword. The
pirates made answer, that the island had once before belonged unto the
government and dominions of the king of England, and that instead of
surrendering it, they preferred to lose their lives.

On Friday the 13th, three negroes, from the enemy, came swimming aboard
our admiral; these brought intelligence that all the pirates upon the
island were only seventy-two in number, and that they were under a great
consternation, seeing such considerable forces come against them. With
this intelligence, the Spaniards resolved to land, and advance towards
the fortresses, which ceased not to fire as many great guns against them
as they possibly could; which were answered in the same manner on our
side, till dark night. On Sunday, the 15th, the day of the Assumption of
our Lady, the weather being very calm and clear, the Spaniards began to
advance thus: The ship _St. Vincent_, riding admiral, discharged two
whole broadsides on the battery called the Conception; the ship _St.
Peter_, that was vice-admiral, discharged likewise her guns against the
other battery named St. James: meanwhile, our people landed in small
boats, directing their course towards the point of the battery last
mentioned, and thence they marched towards the gate called Cortadura.
Lieutenant Francis de Cazeres, being desirous to view the strengt