A PARTICULAR DESCRIPTION

OF THE

FAMOUS TOWN AND CITTADEL OF DUNKIRK,

With all its Fortifications, viz. Rice-bank, Forts, Harbour, Peere, the Bason, the Number of the Ships in the Harbour, and Cannon in each port, as it is now in the possession of the Queen of Great Britain. With a particular Account of the Churches, Cloisters, and Nunneries, their Worship and Ceremonies, and all Things worthy of Observation.

Printed 1712. Quarto, containing Twenty-one Pages.

THE PREFACE.

It was not the author's first intention to have published this to the world, being designed for his own private observation; but the repeated importunities of several of his acquaintance, who had the perusal thereof, have at last prevailed with him to commit it to the press, hoping it will meet with a favourable reception from all who are desirous to know the particulars of that famous place, which hath made so much noise in Europe.

The author is not insensible but it will meet with censure from the captious, and perhaps from the imperfection they may find in not expressing this description in that regularity as the curious may expect. However, what is here related is genuine in every particular, wherein he has studied more of truth, than art or eloquence, and adapted to the comprehension of the weakest capacity; and doubts not but the candid reader will accept of his good intentions, and excuse the omissions that may have escaped in this scrutiny.

AT

T the entrance into the peere on the right hand next the sea, is a wooden fort, supported with mighty beams and piles drove into the sea. It lies opposite to the other fort, of which I shall make mention hereafter. Here are twenty-four pieces of cannon mounted, whereof six are brass. There are also two very large mortars. There are places for ten pieces of cannon more. It has a communication with the walk on the peere by a gallery. It has a beacon, and in the middle of the fort are the barracks for the soldiers; it is all boarded with prodigious beams of timber, and right against each cannon are placed about forty cannon-balls, besides great numbers upon piles, with great quantities of powder, and a great many carriages for cannon under the piazzas of the barracks. The fort is all raised round above breast-high, where the cannon is, with great pieces of timber; there

are two great gates, and one draw-bridge coming into the fort, which lies a full mile on the peere from the town.

Next to the fort last mentioned, lies the famous Rice Bank, of which I shall be very particular in describing what is worthy of observation. It lies about half-way the peere, and has a communication with the walk on the peere, by a very long gallery, which is railed all along above breast-high: It is supported with great piles drove into the sea. The form of the Rice-bank is round, and is built with stone half-way up, the other half brick: The walls of it are wide enough for a coach, and, where the cannon is planted, are wide enough for six coaches to go a-breast, and the grass as even as a bowling-green. There are mounted twenty-two pieces of cannon, which are prodigious large, and between each two iron cannon is one brass; there are also six large mortars mounted, which are reckoned the largest in the world; there are places for twenty-six pieces of cannon more, and against each cannon are placed about forty cannon balls, besides great numbers upon piles. At the first coming into the Rice-bank is a draw-bridge; then there are four gates at small distances one from the other, all plated over with iron. The entrance into it is but narrow. There is an ascent of fifteen steps into the court-yard, which is very large and spacious, and round it is pitched with stone. In the middle is a very large well of good water, and all round are the barracks for the soldiers, which are built with brick two stories high; there is likewise a noble house for the governor and other officers, and a fine church at one end of the yard is railed in with iron rails; a very prodigious quantity of cannon-ball, and bomb-shells of all sizes, besides the magazines of powder, which are very large. It is incredible to relate the vast magazines of all sorts of warlike stores that are therein. In going up the walls, where the cannon is planted, is an ascent of forty steps, and there are four ways of going up the walls at equal distances. The barracks for the soldiers will contain at least two thousand men. It is all surrounded with the sea, and lies about half a mile from the town; it is impossible to express the strength of it.

Next to the Rice-bank coming into the peere, lies Fort Devett, which lies about a quarter of a mile from the Rice-bank; it has a communication with the walk on the peere, by a long gallery which is railed all along, above breast high, to keep one from falling into the water, supported with great piles drove into the sea. The form of it is triangular, and built with stone half-way up, the other half brick; the walls are wide enough for a coach. At first coming in is a drawbridge, with two gates at a small distance one from the other. The ascent to the walls where the cannon are planted is twenty steps, and there are mounted ten pieces of iron cannon, and places for twelve more; there are against each cannon above twenty cannon balls, besides great numbers upon piles. There are barracks for the soldiers; it lies between the cittadel and the Rice-bank, on the right hand, and is all surrounded with the sea, except at low water. At the entrance into the peere, on the left hand next the sea, is a wooden fort, supported with mighty beams and piles drove into the sea; it lies opposite to the other fort. Here are mounted twenty-one pieces of cannon,

whereof six are brass; there are also two very large mortars, and places for twenty pieces of cannon more. It has a communication with the walk on the peere, by a gallery. There is a standard, and in the middle of the fort are the barracks for the soldiers. It is all boarded with prodigious beams of timber, and right against each cannon are placed about thirty or forty cannon-balls ready, as occasion may offer, besides great numbers upon piles, with great quantities of powder, and a great many carriages for cannon under the piazzas of the barracks. The fort is all railed round above breast-high, where the cannon is, with great pieces of timber. There are two gates, and one draw-bridge coming into the fort.

Next to the wooden fort last mentioned, coming into the peere, lies Chateau Gallicere; it lies about half-way the peere, having a communication with the walk on the peere, by a short gallery. It is supported with mighty beams, and piles drove into the sea; it lies near opposite to the Rice-bank. Here are mounted seven pieces of cannon, and there are places for four more. It is all boarded with prodigious beams of timber, and right against each cannon are placed about twenty or thirty cannon-balls. The fort is all railed round above breast high, where the cannon are, with great pieces of timber. There is one gate coming into the fort, and at low water this fort is dry on the sands.

Fort La Bleau lies about half a mile from the wooden fort coming into the peere, on the left hand, in the sea, and is likewise near half a mile from the town. At low water one may go to it on the sands. Going into the fort are twenty-three steps to the first gate, where is a draw-bridge; then there are three gates, then an ascent of twenty-five steps where the cannon is planted, and there are mounted twelve prodigious large iron cannon, and places for seven more. There is a standard and barracks for the soldiers; there are placed about twenty cannonballs to each cannon, besides great numbers upon piles, with great quantities of powder. The walls are wide enough for a coach; it is built with stone half-way up, the other half brick, the form of it is like a half-moon; at high water it lies near a mile into the sea; in tempestuous weather, notwithstanding the prodigious height of it, the waves beat into it. It is paved all with free-stone.

From the town to the end of the peere's mouth, is a full mile long, which runs into the sea. There are two very fine walks all boarded, the whole length of the peere on each side, and there are prodigious planks of timber and piles drove into the sea, with great iron pins and other ion work, fastened unto the wood, to keep out the sea. The walk is broad enough for two or three to go a-breast, and above half-way it is railed about breast-high, the other half about a quarter of a yard. It must be noted, the outermost walk next the peere, where the ships come in, is railed about breast-high, and is most part of the way so much decayed, that there is no walking; but the other walk is in good repair. The mouth of the peere is wide enough for four or five ships to come in a-breast, and the whole length of the peere the same, and as straight as a line. The peere wants very much repairing, especially the timber work in many places is very much decayed, many great

beams are wanting. There is a vast number of piles drove into the sea, to hinder ships from damaging the peere; and there lie on both sides a great many large ships, and on the ground next the town by the walk lie one hundred and fifty-four iron cannon, which are not mounted, besides a prodigious number of anchors and great quantities of timber.

The cittadel lies on the right hand coming into the town from the peere. At the entrance is a draw-bridge and one gate with a portcullis, or that gate pointed at the end with iron spikes, to drop down with iron chains to keep out the enemy; then there are three gates at a small distance one from the other. At first coming in are four prodigious large barracks for the soldiers, two stories high, two of them a great length, and at the hither end of the two shortest barracks is the cloister, a very noble building. The place about the barracks is very large and spacious, and there is a very large well of extraordinary good water. In going up to the walls is a great ascent, where is planted next the town an English train of artillery of twenty-one pieces of cannon, besides a prodigious number of other cannon; amongst them is one of brass about twelve yards long, reckoned the longest and the largest in the world; all, where the cannon is planted, is undermined, where lie a great many barrels of powder. The cittadel is all surrounded with a prodigious strong high brick wall, and is near two miles in circumference. There are on the walls several places for the centinels, and fine rows of trees where the cannon are planted, and one windmill. There are several magazines of powder, cannon-ball, and bomb-shells, so conveniently situated, that no bombs can any ways affect them; and it is incredible to relate the prodigious quantities of all sorts of warlike stores that are therein; there are likewise a great many tin boats upon carriages. The governor's house is a noble building, and has a fine garden; and the walls are broad enough for four coaches to go a-breast where the cannon are planted.

The bason lies on one side of the park near the cittadel, where are the Protee and the Augustus, two French men of war, and two English men of war, the Blackwall and the Grafton (taken this war) and eleven other ships, and three Turkish gallies. The bason is big enough to contain at least twenty-four men of war, the most commodious pláce that possibly can be in the world. There are on each side the storehouses, which are lately finished, all built with brick, two stories high, very fine buildings. It is incredible to relate the prodigious quantities of warlike stores that are therein relating to shipping, besides a great many anchors of all sizes, which lie on the walk on each side. The bomb-shells and bullets which lie on the walks are incredible. There are next the harbour two great sluices which let in the water as much as they please; this is intirely in the hands of the King of France, where he has soldiers that keep guard, and very few are permitted to go into it.

The park is a place near the bason, where is the magazine of all sorts of provisions for the soldiers of the French King; where the commissary lives, and several other officers belonging to the King of France.

There are lying on the walk next the harbour, near the walls, one hundred and five pieces of cannon belonging to the ships in the har

bour, which are not mounted, but lie as occasion may serve, besides a great many anchors.

In the harbour and peere of Dunkirk are two hundred and four ships and seven French gallies, most or all of them taken from the English and Dutch, generally large ships. The harbour is the most commodious in the world, being like a half-moon, placed between the town-wall and the cittadel; the walls thereof are so prodigious high, that no winds or weather can any ways affect the ships; and the breac th of the harbour is large enough for four ships to enter a-breast, ad depth proportionable at high water. At the end of the harbour lies the bason, being parted by a wooden bridge or gallery, that goes to the cittadel, which I have mentioned.

At coming from the peere into the town is a gate with palisadoes. Then at a small distance is another gate with palisadoes; and at a small distance is a gate with a draw-bridge; and lastly a gate with palisadoes; and near the first gate is Fort-harbour, where may be planted several pieces of cannon. There is a standard prodigious high, and very strong, all built with brick; near it by the walls is the clock-tower, very high, opposite to the cittadel, like the spire of a church, where is a clock and a dial. There are four gates next the harbour, with a drawbridge to each, with a portcullis, or green gate, pointed at the end with iron spikes to drop down with iron chains; and there are in the walls of the town, next the harbour, several chimnies for making fires to tar the vessels and other occasions for shipping; and there is likewise the image of the Virgin Mary with Jesus in her arms. It has two folding-doors with small iron grates, and a piece of wood to keep off the rain; and there is a lanthorn, where there is a candle burning all night, that is lighted as soon as it is dark every evening.

By the walls of the town next the harbour, in two rows, are one hundred and seven little shops or huts, for the galley-slaves, where they exercise their trades, most handicrafts whatsoever; likewise several shops that sell linnen, woollen, second-hand clothes, stockings, gloves, and most millinary things. They have an iron clog about their leg, where is fastened an iron chain about five or six yards long, which is made fast to their shop or post; so they remain chained all day. When evening comes, their chains are knocked off, but there remains an iron clog about their leg, and they are all put into seven French gallies, which lie in the harbour right-over against their shops, where they remain all night, and a good guard placed over them. In the morning their chains are put on, and there they remain fastened to their shop all day. When any of them are permitted to go into the town, they are chained two by two; the rattling of their chains along the streets, and their dismal condition, is very deplorable, to see men chained together like hounds. There goes always with them an officer to look after them. There are a great many of them that work in the French King's bason on board the ships, and on board the ships in the harbour, and in carrying and cutting of timber, and many other servile labours; and, when they are at their work, they are generally chained together two by two, and when they come from thence, sometimes, twenty or thirty of them together is very dismal to behold. Out of their