RIght-woorshipfull, for that at my beeing at London diuers and sundry reports passed, touchinge the ta­king of the greate Carricke called the Mother of God lately arriuinge at Dartmouth in the VVest, where I now remaine, about your affaires, I haue thought it good: vnder your worships fauour, to aduertise your worship of the truth thereof, as I haue credibly gathered by such as bare office and are principall officers in the same: Beseechinge you to acquainte master E. H. with others my good friendes, & your worships fauourites with the same, for that I know the gentleman to be well disposed, and so well giuen, as hee will not bee the reporter of any nouelties, but suche as shall beare cre­dite, my selfe vnwoorthy to bee ioynde with one of so high esteeme, am loth to geeue my selfe that credite, to be a reporter of any other as your woorship knoweth, to whome in all [Page] humblenesse I referre my selfe: yet such is the desire I haue, to haue the well deseruinge, reape their rewarde, and bee had in exteeme accordinge to their woorthinesse. As I haue herein done my best to signifie the same vnto you and others, and could well wishe it were published, to the view of the worlde, to the ende, their names who haue hardly aduen­tured for it: may reape the honour they haue deserued, to the encouragemente of others. To the like, hauty and full of courage hath beene those resolute Gentlemen and theyr followers, and thereby deserued more repu­tation then I can with my base reporte yeelde them: yet imitating those whiche haue ly­ued in elder yeares, that wished their coun­tries honor, vnwoorthy though I be to write their deserued prayses, I haue aduentured the same, and hope it shall be as acceptable as I desire, wherein if your worship be satisfied, I haue my wish in some sorte: and that I may not be tedious vnto you, nor such as by you shall haue view of this my vnwoorthy wri­tinges, I will with friuoulous matter no lon­ger detaine you, but proceede to the matter which was this.

[Page]Her Maiesties Shippes and others, hauinge spente the most parte of this last Sommer about the Ilandes, as well for the safetie of our countreymen that way aduenturinge, as also to annoy our profes­sed ennemies the Spanyardes, whome re­portes gaue out, were in great Fleetes at Sea, this Fleete aforesaide spending their time with little profite to any of them, with consent of their Admirals dispersed them­selues diuers wayes: some takinge theyr course for one Ilande, and some for ano­ther, to discry if they might: what shipping our ennemies had at Sea, amongest the which dispersed Fleet, Sir Iohn Burrowes knight, a most resolute and polliticke gen­tleman, thirstinge to showe hys valour at Sea: there, in hys countreies seruice to gaine fame, to the ennemies disgrace, as a­gainste them on lande, both in the Low-countries and Fraunce, he had most nobly aduentured, to the greate commendations not onely of himselfe, but his whole poste­rity, and countries great good, This wor­thy knight being Commander of the good Ship called the Row-Bucke, and hauing in hys companye, an other fortunate and braue Shippe named the Dainety, whose [Page] owner is that woorthy knighte Sir Iohn Hawkins, the Captayne a braue Marri­ner, and a most forward man, called master Thomson of Harwiche, and one other Shippe of London called the Dragon, whose Captayne is maister Newporte of Limehouse a most hardy and forward man and resolute in perfourminge any thinge to his charge committed, the owner of which Ship, is maister Becket of Limehouse, late maister of the Trinytie house, these shippes aboue named, commanded by that braue kinght, being best of accounpt at that time the Queenes Shippes beinge absent and one that the rest being desirous to bee go­uerned by, called to Captaine Thomson, being in the Dayntie, and him desired as God would permite them that hee would keepe him companie, offeringe him manye large profferes, Captaine Tomson accep­ted and promised what helpe he could do if occation serued he would be reddy with his best power and all his companie to accom­plish, this concluded, they keept companie all that night, and the nexte day. These other Shippes being farre to windward of them, (viz) the Foresight, the Teager of my Lord of Cumberlandes, the Samson, [Page] his Lordships also, and a blacke Shippe of M. Newtons of London marchāt called the Prudence, whose Captayne and Maister was Hugh Merricke of London, a man wel reputed for hys valour and skill in marine causes, and oftentimes as a man of choyce for hys vertues, hath taken charge in her Maiesties Nauy, with one smale Barke of Porchmouth, called the Phenix, which serued for a Pinnace: her Maister and ow­ner was Edward Grant, a manne fortunate and happy. These Shippes, last named, being as I saide, and it is credibly reported to Windewarde of Sir Iohn Borowes and the Daintie, They firste discried the one Carrycke, of the burthen of nine hundred tuns or there abouts with whom, the Roe­buck and the Daintie bare all the night & gaue them chace long before the rest (descri­ed her) as they supposed, who, immediatly vpon the view therof, seeing Sir Iohn and Captaine Thomson had her in chace, bare with her all the night, in hope to haue that they wished, the Daintie beeing headmost, for that shee is good of saile followed shar­pest, whiche the Carricke perceyued, and fearinge to bee taken bare with the Isle Flowers, beeing not farre from the shoare, [Page] and betweene the shoare and Sir Iohn Burrowes, which do they what they might, that aduauntage could not bee gotten from them, albeit many occasions was mini­stred: the woorse was the good knightes fortune and the rest. Well sir, this Carricke being thus closly pursued, recouered the I­land, and letting fall foure Anchors, runne all a shoare, Sir Iohn Burrowes and the rest anchored by them, and night being vp­on them, determined the next morninge to haue boorded her: But God that disposeth of all thinges, how forward soeuer man is in aduenturinge, and geueth victories, at his good pleasure. That nighte when all the Fleete had greatest hope to haue had their desire, and to haue enioyed that Car­ricke whome they had garded with greate pollicy. It pleased God to sende a maruei­lous great storme, the winde comming off the Sea, which troubled them very much, so that they were enforced by the extremity of the weather, the place well knowne to be very daungerous, to weigh Anchor, and put againe to Sea, committinge them­selues to the harshenesse of the waues, and the mercy of God, yet tooke such order, that they should al keepe as close as they might [Page] and if God sente faire weather, they might not so loose her. This nighte past, and the storme by his grace, that geueth all grace, seised. The whole Fleet bare againe with Floweres and comming neere the Illand might perceiue the Spaniards, how they laboured, to saue the best they had aborde, hauing not ceased all that night from hard trauaill and carryinge a shore what they might. These enuious villaines, seeing no remidye but to fall into their handes, that would haue taken great care of her, Fyred the Caricke before any of our Fleete could lay her abord, and almost all forsooke her. In such sort increased the fire, that doe what men might, albeit great paines was therein taken, they coulde not quench the marcilesse flame vntill all her vpper worke was consumed, when with much adoe, they quenched the same, where they found of Pyliage such as contented poore men. This ouer past, they chanced to take one of the companie, who being a Spaniard, on certaine Articles, hee confessed muche matter touching that Caricke, and gaue also notice of the comminge of the other, the which was afterwarde mette withall and taken, and it is called the Mother of [Page] God. The Fleete stoared with resolute mindes, when as they heard this newes, were all frolicke: their ioyfull hartes pre­saged good successe to follow: and hauinge taken what they could of the first Carrick, they determined to disperse their Shippes againe, to the ende some of their fortunes, by Gods good fauour might bee to lighte vppon her, and with this resolution, they put to Sea agayne, the Row-Bucke and the Dainty, keeping still together, as neere as they might. Night comminge on, they hulled almost the whole nighte, or carried very little saile: continuing in this maner twoo nightes and two dayes, the seconde day in the morninge, the Dainetie beeinge headmost againe, as for her sayle she excee­deth many, discried the great Carricke all a hie: seeminge to them in their toppe, to be some huge thinge, as indeede she is, this sighte pleased them so well: as he that had the beste stommacke to his victualls, was so ioyfull, that they forgotte their Breake­fast: hopinge before dinner, to haue an host that should make them righte merry, and hoysinge their sayles, bare with her all the day. The Row-bucke, seeinge her make suche saile, caused one to looke out, whoe [Page] likewise presently discried her, to their no little ioyes and reioysinge, and fitting their sailes likewise, liued in great hope of Gods good fauour therein, and so hoaped to bee better sharers, then with the first. The Foresight and the rest of the Fleete, beeing farre off, hadd likewise discried her, and bare with the reste. By noone or one of the clocke of that day, beeing the thirde of Au­gust, the Daintie came neere her, so that the Gunner, whose name was Thomas Bedome, beinge a proper tall man, and had very good aime at any thinge, and good lucke withall: desired the Captaine, hee might giue them a shoote, to lett them vn­derstande, that they were Englishmenne, and vnder her Highnesse, Commaunder of the Seas. The Captaine hauinge greate care, and not willinge to haue any shoote shot in vaine: commaunded him to forbear till they shoulde come neerer her, whiche was not longe, when the Captaine him­selfe commaunded him to doe his best, and carowsinge a kanne of Wine to his com­pany, encouraged them to begin the fighte, and comminge vpp, haled them after the manner of the Sea, and commaunded them to strike for the Queene of England, [Page] which they no sooner refused, but the Gon­ner beeinge ready, gaue fire to two whole Culueringes in her chase, and racked and toare her pittifullye: Bearinge vpp wyth them, gaue them the whole side, and boor­ded them presently, whoe resisted most cou­ragiously, and putt vs off againe: Thus continued the Dainetie in fighte, a pretty while, before any other could come to helpe her, in whiche tyme shee laide her aboorde three seueral times, toare her Ancient from her poope, and slewe her Captaine, and more harme had doone them, but that by chaunce a shott, bare their foremaste by the Boorde, which they were compelled to splice againe, to theyr great trouble. The nexte that came to her rescue was the va­liant Sir Iohn Burrowe, who attempting with great valour to boorde her, was putt off againe, and receiued a shott which had like to haue endaungered himselfe. The third was the golden Dragon of London, whereof was Captaine Maister Newport, whoe most brauely gaue the attempte, but was likewise put off, the Carricke beeinge so huge, that those Shippes did but little good. In boording they slew many of their men, and spoyled them marueilously. The [Page] next was her Maiesties good Shippe the Foresighte, whose commaunder for that seruice was Captaine Crasse, a man well approued in marine causes, and farre hath aduentured, whoe with his Shippe layde her a boorde, and very valiauntly assayled them, and was most stoutely by the Spa­nyardes also repulsed: in so much, that the braue Captaine, of whose men, many were weake, and yet beeinge loth her Maiesties Shippe should bee shaken off without vi­ctory, fyred the Carricke, rather wishinge her to be burnte, then the ennemies to en­ioy her. But the proud and lofty-minded Spanyardes, standinge on their reso [...]ute pointes, retourned the fire againe, or some other, which three times was kindled: to the great comber of Captayne Crosse and his Companye, that woulde not so leaue them. This daungerous conflict betwene these Shippes endured longe time, which the Phenix of Portchmouth perceiuinge, and beeinge able to yeelde her little other comforte, by reason of the hugenesse of the Carricke, shee beinge but of threescore tuns or there abouts: albeit the Maister would gladly haue doone his beste, and was wil­ling to boord her also: yet lefte hee her for a [Page] time standinge with their Admirall and Uice-Admirall, whiche was the Teager and Sampson, who comminge vpp wyth them, declared vnto them the hardy fighte of the Foresighte, who presently bare vpp with them all the nighte: the Sampson beeing the first, comming vp with the Car­ricke, gaue her the whole broadside, and shuttinge vpp into the Foresightes quar­ter, entered hys menne into her, Captaine Norton, that braue and woorthy gentle­manne, laide her also a boorde hauing the Teager with him, and so entered together beeing a hundred men at the least, all reso­lutely minded: at whose enteraunce, they yeelded so greate a crye, as the dismayed Portingalls and Spanyardes, coulde not beethincke themselues what course to take to helpe themselues, in suche a mase were they stricken, although they were Eighte hundred stronge, all well appoynted and a­ble men, and of ours but one hundred. But standinge thus as men amased, at length yeelded themselues vanquished: and so perforce gaue possession, to them that chal­lenged it for their owne, as wonne with their swoordes and hazarde of their liues: as the pittifull slaughter of the deade car­casses, [Page] which they found a boord witnessed, the sight whereof was able to mollifie the hardest hart in the world. To see the slaine men, here and there lie welteringe in their owne bloude, and the grieuous lamenta­tion of the wounded, amongst which some lackinge their legges, some their armes, and other members of their bodies, whose misery, our countreymenne (thoughe they were our hatefull ennemies) greately be­wayled: yet acknowledged it to be but the chaunce of Warres, which was and is, as it pleaseth God. They gaue God harty thankes for their owne safety: and did their best indeuour in procuringe remedye for as many as was possible, whereby they haue acquisted vnto themselues and their coun­try, exceeding great commendations: such is the good conditions of Englishmen, in fauouringe their conquered ennemies: bee their fury neuer so greate. The conflict en­ded, it were a worlde of wonder to recount vnto you, the true reportes, how our men be stirred themselues, in searchinge and prying into euery corner of her, as farre as they might, as they might well doe hauing with so great danger ouercomen her. The sight of the ricches within the same contai­ned, [Page] did so a maze the companies that were within boorde of her, and that still came from euery Shippe, beeing desirous to see what God had sent them, after so long and hoat a fight: that many of them coulde not tell what to take, suche was the stoare and the goodnesse thereof: yea, hee that hadd knowen, what thinges had bene worth, in a little roome mighte haue contriued great wealth, for it is credibly reported, that some yonkers happened to finde many Iarres of Ceuitt, which is of great woorth, and bee­ing of some longe time closely kepte, when they opened the same, was cause it yeelded no sauour: and they ignorant and not kno­winge what it should bee, thinkinge it but trashe as it came to their handes, heaued it ouer-boord: much other thinges was so spoyled for want of knowledge, when eue­ry man had sufficient, and that not one had cause to complayne: Sir Iohn Burrowes and other the Principals of the Fleete, cal­linge a Counsell, in the same determined to take some course for the goodes, valued ac­cording to the Spanyardes owne reports, to be aboue seauenteene hundreth tunnes, and in value as they thought, many thou­sand poundes, besides the other great trea­sure [Page] that was in her. Thus a view beeing taken, they gan to consulte, what were best to doe with the Prisoners, whiche were many, and findinge their greate scarcitie of victuals, and not knowing what weather they might haue, nor how it mighte please God with good winde to prosper them, it was concluded, to Shippe as manye of them as they mighte, and to sende them for Lisbona, this they fully determined, and prouision was made of a Barke of Douer, which they mett, the Fleete takinge in, her men, and such prouision as they had in her, and the rest embarked the Spanyardes and Portingalles wyth their Negroes, whereof were many, and gaue them wyth them stoare of victualles, and so gaue them leaue to departe, detayninge none but the principallest of them. It was supposed that the Uice-Roy for the Indies was amongst them: but it is not so good, for hee vppon some speciall cause, (as it was reported) re­steth behinde vntill the next yeare: whose fortune, if it bee by the prouidence of him that disposeth of all mennes ioyes, to sende them for Englande, no doubt hee shoulde bee welcome to a great many.

[Page] Thus Sir with fauour, haue I boldly trou­bled you, with suche good tydinges as heere is, as duety willeth I shoulde, knowinge your ioy to bee greate for our braue countrymens good successe, who after a long and perilous fighte, which endured almost twelue howres about eleuen or twelue a clocke in the nighte, they became maisters of this huge Carricke, to their great ioy, and comforte of all faithfull and true harted Englishmen. A matter worth the hearinge and straunge, of whose wealth your woorship shall better vnderstande here­after, when it may with leisure and discretion bee valued and esteemed: besides which she had in her good stoare of Ordinance, fitte for to serue for the Realmes defence, both of Brasse and Iron, whole Cannons, Cannon Periall, Culueringes, Demi Culueringes and Sakars, to the nomber of three-score, amon­gest which, this is not the woorst, and I wish hartely, that all the rest in the kinges domi­nions, that hath beene conuayed out of our own countrey by such greedy cormorantes, as rather seeke the filling of their owne bags, then their countreyes benefite and safetye, were here with these: And they whose minds haue beene suche as to conuay them awaye, were knowne to her Maiesty and her honou­rable [Page] Counsell, to the ende they mighte re­ceiue, what they haue woorthely deserued. But God in time will lay them open, and make them taste the sower, as well as they haue doone the sweete. VVherefore we had not neede to be slacke in praying to the God of all power, wisedome, and strength, that it will please him to encrease the nomber of faithfull and obedient subiects, continue the raigne of our most Soueraigne Lady, and consounde all her foes.

Other newes there is none, but generall good tidinges of all our men of warre, that spent the Sommer abroade, who haue pros­pered well: whose actions deseruinge com­mendations, when I shall certainely know, I will further aduertise you: Till when I hum­bly recommend my selfe vnto your worships seruice. Dartmouth this last of September 1592.