Rare pamphlet written by an anonymous author, discussing the fascinating Battle of Vågen, the main port area of neutral Bergen in Norway, in August 1665 during the Second Anglo-Dutch War (1665-1667), including its background and aftermath. The Second Anglo-Dutch war was a war at sea, caused by conflicts in colonial territories of the Dutch Republic and England. This naval war consisted mainly of protecting their own merchant ships, capturing enemy ships and trying to sink mutual warships. The Battle of Vågen was an important naval battle between a rich treasure fleet of the Dutch East India Company (VOC) and an English flotilla of warships.
Twice a year, the Dutch VOC sent a treasure fleet from the East Indies to the Dutch Republic with money and goods. On 24 December 1664, one of the richest-laden fleets in Dutch history departed from Batavia for the homeland, with a cargo estimated to be worth millions. This fleet was intended to support the Dutch Republic financially and therefore should not fall into enemy hands. Since the tensions with England were already high in 1664, an experienced officer, the rear admiral Pieter de Bitter (ca. 1620-1666), was appointed to command this fleet.
The present pamphlet gives an account of the events before and after the Battle of Vågen, and also in broad lines of the battle itself, including all kinds of correspondence and notes from high-ranking figures. The dating in the title is incorrect, as the story took place from August 1 to August 20, which is why the title has been corrected by hand in the present copy. The present edition is one of two, both printed in 1665, but with a different imprint (the present one with the publisher and place of publication, and the other with only the year), and the alignment of the text. However, they were both likely printed by the same printer. The present edition is very rare. We've not been able to find other copies in sales records, and only a few in institutions. A highly interesting pamphlet on one of the most important and fascinating 17th-century sea battles in Dutch naval history and in the history of the Dutch VOC.
The date "13. Juny" has been crossed out on the title page and replaced by "1. Augusti" in manuscript. The work is slightly browned throughout, a small hole in the lower margin of the title-page, and an ink drop in the lower margin of page 65. Otherwise in very good condition. Knuttel 9102; STCN 842169458 (8 copies, incl. 1 incomplete); Tiele 5265; USTC 1802668 (9 copies, incl. 1 incomplete); WorldCat 85201870, 747664026 (4 copies); cf. for Venckel: H.F. Wijnman, "De Amsterdamsche boekverkooper Jacob Vinckel (1627-1680)" in: Vondel-kroniek 5 (1934), p. 192.