On this occasion the sight of the great numbers and size of the Spanish galleons caused a great part of the Dutch captains to lose heart and hang back.

Pater and Thijssen, followed by only two ships, bore down however on the Spaniards.

_The Prins Willem_ with the _Walcheren_ in attendance laid herself alongside the _St Jago_, flying the flag of Admiral Oquendo; the _Vereenigte Provintien_ with the _Provintie van Utrecht_ in its wake drew up to the _St Antonio de Padua_, the ship of Vice-Admiral Francisco de Vallecilla.

For six hours the duel between the _Prins Willem_ and the _St Jago_ went on with fierce desperation, the captain of the _Walcheren_ gallantly holding at bay the galleons who attempted to come to the rescue of Oquendo.
At 4 p.m.the _St Jago_ was a floating wreck with only a remnant of her crew surviving, when suddenly a fire broke out in the _Prins Willem_, which nothing could check.

With difficulty the _St Jago_ drew off and, finding that his vessel was lost, Pater, refusing to surrender, wrapped the flag round his body and threw himself into the sea.