Peace negotiations had begun in 1607 between the Habsburg monarchy and the Dutch Republic, hence the directors of the VOC dispatched a number of ships east tasked with capturing as many Portuguese territories as possible before the Twelve Years Truce was signed.

[2] Verhoeff landed his soldiers on the island and after occupying the evacuated town, trenches were dug, artillery batteries set and the fort subjected to a bombardment, however the Portuguese resisted eagerly and repaired the walls at night.

[6]Verhoeff wrote on August 4 to the Portuguese commander Dom Estêvão de Ataíde demanding his surrender, but he replied that he hoped to force him to withdraw as he had done to Van Caerden, and that the fortress was not "the kind of cat to be taken without gloves".

[4] On August 17 or 21, four fluyts engaged and captured the Portuguese galleon Bom Jesus, with a crew of 180 men and captained by Francisco Sodré de Pereira, en route from Lisbon to Goa.

When Verhoeff blockaded Goa he failed to capture any rich prizes and was unable to besiege Portuguese Malacca, in Malaysia, the defenses of which had been strengthened, while the Sultan of Johore refused him any military assistance.