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GARRISON OF DUNKIRK, 1659 The deposition of a soldier, Robert Bromfield, in the matter of embezzlement by [Thomas] King, master of the Thomas & Mary. 1 page folio, signed ('Robt. Bromfeild') at the foot, with endorsed second leaf (brittle and split in the folds), 4 August 1659. 'Robert Bromfeild lately a Soldier in Dunkirke aged 37 yeares, or thereabouts, saith That Thomas King; Ma[ste]r of a hoy called the Thomas and Mary now at Tower wharfe w[hi]ch was lately employed by the State to carry Amunition and other Comodities for the Guarrison of Dunkirke, and at Dunkirke lately received out of the Stores there about 2 or 3000 musketts to bring over for England And that there was about five hundred Musquett stocks Cutt in pieces, and burnt in the said vessell, for dressing of Meat and other things. The said Robert Bromfeild demanded of one Ashley the said Kings man, what use they would putt the Lockes to, now the stocks were burnt, who answered he would putt some of them into a penny purse to mend his wages, and for the rest his Ma[ste]r might doe what he would with them; for if he should have nothing but his bare wages that he received from the state, he should not be able to keepe Sea, being forced to stay for his freight p[er]haps 10.12 13.14.15 moneths. That there was about 30 or 40 barrells of musketts putt under the said Ashleys and his two boys beds in the forecastle; w[hi]ch barrells I beleive did belong to the State and many Locks of Musketts and other things app[er]teyning to them. [Signed] Robt. Bromfeild At the Battle of Dunkirk Dunes, which took place on 14 June 1658, the French-English forces under Turenne had defeated the Spanish army. Dunkirk itself surrendered ten days later, and the French, honouring the terms of a treaty with Cromwell, handed the port over the the Commonwealth. Four years later Charles II sold it back to France for £320,000. [No: 25787] The image links to a larger or more detailed version.
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