Background - continued
20/5 ... the whole [return-] fleet set sail [no names given: see item 62]
9/6 ... in the evening comes to the roads the King of France's flute* la Loire, having sailed on March 1 from Brest with 300 men in company with the ships la Gailard, L' Auseau, la Maligne, la Drommedaire and la Normande ...
10/6 ... The Lieutenant of the French ship called to salute the Hon Administrator [A. de Man], requesting leave to buy refreshing and to bring their sick ashore, which in the absence of the Hon. Commandeur was refused in part. In the evening the Hon. Commandeur returned to the Castle...
11/6 ... after some French officers had called to compliment the Hon. Commandeur at his residence, and requested permission to bring 25 to 30 sick ashore, and to purchase further refreshing, this was granted them. His Honour however refused to permit the posting of some of their officers with the sick [to maintain discipline]... none of their crew except the sick being allowed to remain on shore at night ... Between 4 and 5 in the afternoon there came in good order to anchor the ship Le Gaillard, with the commander of the squadron in her, Monsieur de Vaudricourt, and the General of the Infantry Monsr. de Farges with three of his sons; the ship L'Auseau commanded by the young Monsr. Duquesne, with in her Monsr. de la Loubert and Sebret [blank], Envoys from the King of France to him of Siam; the ships le Drommedaire; la Normande; and la Maligne, all smart and well-manned ships ...
11/6 Resolutions ... [request by French] granted to bring sixty of the sickest ashore [with doctors and attendants] ... no one else armed or unarmed to land before dawn or remain on shore after sunset ... nor approach this fort ... all possible men to be called in from the outposts, also all woodcutters and waggon-drivers ... and sailors to be posted in the fort and armed... from Stellenbosch forty fully-armed men to come here as soon as possible ... all burghers living near the Castle to be in it, armed ... the imprisoned Lt. Berg to be brought from Robben Island and only a Corporal [and two others] to be left there...
12/6 [Complimentary visits exchanged] In the evening three French shallops* which wished to come to the shore after watch-setting were sent back to their ships ... all posts manned ... patrols along the shore and around the Castle ...
14/6 ... 50 well-armed and smart men from Stellenbosch are come into the Castle ...
16/6 ... the Hon. Commandeur ... taking a walk in the Company's Garden met there the General de Farges and the Envoy Sebret, accompanied by various officers and ecclesiastics ...
19/6 ... variable winds and fine weather, and the French are seen going about on sticks and crutches ... to enjoy the fresh air ... in the evening the Hon. Commandeur receives the visit of 13 Jesuits ... whom His Honour entertained with vocal and instrumental music performed by some gentlemen and cadets ... the sickness and deaths among the French increase rapidly ... so that they are not in a state to take fresh water aboard, and fully 279 are on shore and another 359 lying deadly sick ...
24/6 ... one of the Jesuits being sick ... his companions requested permission to leave him here with another Jesuit and a servant until he should recover ... granted; but on reconsideration they took him aboard ... This evening only 51 French were on shore, fit or sick ... this night a fire broke out in one of the freemen's houses, by carelessness ...
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