In 1639 a Dutch fleet commanded by Tromp destroyed the Spanish fleet at Downs. According to the pamphlet no. 4624, published in 1639 at Leiden, there were 7 galleons and 9 large so-called royal ships (presumably Dunkirkers) captured. Of those prize 5 galleons and 5 royal ships were sent to Zealand and the others to the river the Maas at Rotterdam. Strange enough this pamphlet doesn't mentioned two ships brought into Amsterdam.
A minute from the Admiralty of Zealand dated 7 November 1639 stated that the prizes were just good enough to be sold to be broken up. (Archive Admiralty Colleges no. 2462). Another minute from the Admiralty of Zealand dated 19 November 1639 makes it clear that the prizes in Zealand and at Rotterdam have to be sold. 30 November two Spanish ships at Amsterdam and one at Hellevoet (=Hellevoetsluis) were mentioned.
Prizes mentioned in Zealand were the St. Steven [San Esteban], the galleon St. Carel de Napoli [the San Carlos from Masibradi or a Dunkirker?], the Novã Senõra de Coris, St. Karel, St. Nicola [the San Nicolás?], St. Jago de Spaenge [the Santiago of Spain] and the St. Jago Galisse [the Santiago, capitana de Galicia].
A letter dated 22 November 1639 sent by the Admiralty of Amsterdam mentioned two prices taken by the captains from the Board of the extra ordinary convoy towards the Oosten ('East') and Norway (Archive States General 1550-1796 no. 5523). The admiralty heard some rumours that the States General intended to transfer those ships to the Dutch West Indies Company. Although they didn't object to that idea, the ides was just like at the other admiralties to sell the ships on a public auction after being valued. If the ships were indeed transferred to the WIC, the ships were not handed over until they were paid tot the admiralty.
The pamphlet no. 4623 mentioned an El Angel, part of the squadron of Italy armed with 30 guns and 400 last measurement.
There is a minute dated 1 December 1639 from this admiralty (Archive Admiralty Colleges no. 1385) intended to sell the wine found in the prizes Engel en the Grooten Alexander to sell next Monday. A second letter dated 10/13 December 1739 sent by the Admiralty of Zealand to the States General is quite interesting (Archive States General 1550-1796 no. 5523). This Admiralty answered an earlier letter dated 6 December from the States General. Apparently Signor Alphonse Lopes wrote a letter to the same States General complaining not to be able to examine the prizes at Middelburg and at Amsterdam. I found several letters dealing with buying in the Netherlands by Lopes of stores necessary for fitting out ships. According to Lopes he intended to buy on behalf of the French crown some of the captured Spanish ships. However he wasn't able to visit the ships and examine their inventories on the auction on 9 December and he asked the States General if it was possible to change that date towards 31 December. The answer of the Admiralty was clear and interesting. Most of the captured ships were so large and with such a large draught that they couldn't enter the Dutch harbours! They were lying outside and because of a shortage of cables, anchors etc. The admiralty feared with the coming winter the ships would be destroyed by storm, bad weathers and ice. The costs to preserve the ships were also quite high. The largest of the prizes was already stranded at the Land van Borsselen (Zealand) and broken into pieces. So the ships had to be sold within the shortest time as possible. That was the reason to choose for 9 December; however the States General chose to sell the ships at Amsterdam, called the Engel and the Grote Alexander on 7 December. As it was impossible for merchants, coming from Amsterdam to reach Middelburg at time, the auction day was transferred to 16th December. And so Mr. Lopes had time enough to visit and Amsterdam and Middelburg.
According to pamphlet no. 4623 there was one ship called El Grand Alexandro was armed with 36 guns, and with a measurement of 600 last in the fleet at Downs.
R.C. Anderson. "The Thirty Years War in the Mediterranean", Mariners Mirror, 1970, mentioned that the Grand Alexandre was part of the French fleet at the battle off Giglio 14 July 1646 against the Spanish. She was bought or hired in the Netherlands together with the Saint Etienne, Aigle noir, Petit Anglais, Dantzic and Baleine.
C. Fernández Duro, mentioned in his Armada Española a Gran Alejandro as part of the Spanish fleet commanded by Oquendo off Coruña 31 August 1639. Earlier was an El Gran Alejandro, with 81 men, part of the squadron commanded by gobernador Martín Ladrón de Guevara at Cadiz 29 July 1639.
Alan James mentioned in his book Navy and Government in early modern France 1572-1661, p. 171, a le Grand Alexandre, 600 tons as part of the royal French fleet in the Atlantic. She was brought from the Netherlands to La Rochelle in 1640! He mentioned a second French ship called le Prince Henry, 400 tons, sent by Loppes from the Netherlands to Le Havre in 1640.
The question is, is the Spanish Gran Alejandro present at Downs in 1639 the same ship as the Grote Alexander in December that year to be sold on an action at Amsterdam and the French le Grand Alexandre, which came in 1640 in French service coming from the Netherlands to Le Havre?
