A Voyage of Sir Francis Drake. to the West Indies, Anno Dom. 1585.

UPon the knowledge of the Imbargo made by the King of Spain in Anno 1585, of the English Ships, Men, and Goods found in his Coun­try; Her Majesty having no means to help or relieve her Subjects by friend­ly Treaty, authorized such as sustained loss by the said Arrest, to repair themselves upon the Subjects of the King of Spain; and to that end gave them Letters of Reprisal, to take and arrest all Ships and Merchandizes that they should find at Sea, or elsewhere, belonging to the Vassals of the said King.

Her Majesty at the same time to revenge the wrongs offered her, and to resist the King of Spains Preparations made against her equipped a Fleet of 25 Sail of Ships, and imployed them under the command of Sir Francis Drake, as the fittest man by reason of his Experience and Success in sundry Actions.

It is not my intent to set down all the particulars of the Voyages treated of, but the Services done, and the Escapes and Oversights past, as a warning to those that shall read them, and to prevent the like Errors hereafter.

This Voyage of Sir Francis Drake being the first undertaking on either side, (for it ensued immediately after the Arrest of our Ships and Goods in Spain) I will deliver my Opinion of it, before I proceed any further.

One impediment to the Voyage was, that to which the ill success of divers others that after followed, is to be imputed, viz, the want of Victuals and other necessaries fit for so great an Expedition; for had not the Fleet by chance met with a Ship laden with Fish, that came from New found Land, which relieved their necessities, they would have found themselves reduced to great extremity.

The Service that was performed in this Action, was the taking and sacking Sancta Domingo in Hispaniola, Cartagena in Terra firma, and the Fonta aqua in Florida; three Towns of great importance in the West Indies. This Fleet [Page 10] was the greatest of any Nation but the Spaniards, that had been ever seen in those Seas since the first discovery of them; and if it had been as well considered of before their going from home, as it was happily performed by the Valour of the Undertakers, it had more annoyed the King of Spain, than all other Actions that ensued during the time of the War.

But it seems our long Peace made us uncapable of advice in War; for had we kept and defended those places being in our possession, and provided to have been relieved and succoured out of England, we had diverted the war from this part of Europe: for at that time there was no comparison betwixt the strength of Spain and England by Sea by means whereof we might have better defended them, and with more ease incroached upon the rest of the Indies, than the King of Spain could have aided or succoured them.

But now we see and find by experience, that those places which were then weak and unfortified, are since so strengthened, as it is bootless to un­dertake any Action to annoy the King of Spain in his West Indies.

And though this Voyage proved both fortunate and victorious, yet consi­dering it was rather an awakening than a weakning of him, it had been far better to have wholly declined it, than to have undertaken it upon such slen­der grounds, and with so inconsiderable Forces.

The second Voyage of Sir Francis Drake to the Road of Cadiz, and towards the Islands of Tercera, Anno 1587.

HER Majesty having received several Advertisements, that while the King of Spain was silent, not seeking revenge for the injuries the Ships of Reprisal did him daily upon his Coasts, he was preparing an invincible Army to invade her at home. She thereupon sought to frustrate his designs, by intercepting his Provisions before they should come to Lisbon, which was their place of Rendezvouz, and sent away Sir Francis Drake with a Fleet of 30 Sail great and small, 4 whereof were her own Ships.

The chief Adventure in this Voyage (besides those 4 Ships of Her Maje­sties) was made by the Merchants of London, who sought their private gain more than the advancement of the Service; neither were they deceived of their expectation.

Sir Francis Drake understanding by two Ships of Middleborough, that came from Cadiz, of a Fleet with Victuals, Munition, and other habiliments for War, riding there, ready to take the first opportunity of a wind, to go to Lisbon and joyn with other Forces of the King of Spain, he directed his course for Cadiz Road, where he found the Advertisement he received from the Ships of Middleborough in every point true; and upon his arrival at­tempted the Ships with great courage, and performed the Service he went [Page 11] for, by destroying all such Ships as he found in Harbour, as well of the Spa­niards as other Nations that were hired by them; and by these means he utterly defeated their mighty Preparations which were intended against Eng­land that year 1587.

The second Service performed by him was, the assaulting the Castle of Cape Sacre, upon the utmost Promontory of Portugal, and three other strong Holds; all which he took some by force, and some by composition. From thence he went to the mouth of the River of Lisbon, where he anchored near Caske Cadiz; which the Marquess of St. Cruze beholding durst not with his Gallies approach so near as once to charge him.

Sir Francis Drake perceiving, that though he had done important Service for the State by this fortunate Attempt of his, yet the same was not very ac­ceptable to the Merchants, who adventured onely in hope of Profit, and preferred their private gain before the security of the Kingdom, or any other respect. Therefore from Caske Cadiz he stood to the Islands of Tercera, to expect the coming home of a Carreck, which he had intelligence wintered at Mosambique, and consequently she was to be home in that moneth. And though his Victuals grew scarce, and his Company importuned his return home, yet with gentle Speeches he persuaded, and so much prevailed with them, that they were willing to expect the issue some few days at the Islands▪ and by this time drawing near the Island of S. Michael, it was his good for­tune to meet and take the Carrick he looked for; which added more Honour to his former Service, and gave great content to the Merchants, to have a pro­fitable Return of their Adventure, which was the thing they principally desired. This Voyage proceeded prosperously and without exception, for there was both Honour and Wealth gained, and the Enemy greatly enda­maged.

The first Action undertaken by the Spaniards was in 1588, the Duke of Medina General, who were encountered by our Fleet, the Lord Admiral being at Sea himself in person.

NOtwithstanding the great spoil and hurt Sir Francis Drake did the year past in Cadiz Road, by intercepting some part of the Provisions in­tended for this great Navy, the King of Spain used his utmost endeavours to revenge himself this year, lest in taking longer time his Designs might be prevented as before, and arrested all Ships, Men, and necessaries wanting for his Fleet, and compell'd them per force to seave in this Action.

He appointed for General the Duke of Medina Sidonia, a man imploy­ed rather for his Birth than Experience; for so many Dukes, Marquesses, and Earls, voluntarily going, would have repined to have been commanded by a man of less quality than themselves. They departed from Lisbon the 19th. day of May 1588, with the greatest pride and glory, and least doubt of Victory, that ever any Nation did; but God being angry with their insolence, disposed of them contrary to their expectation.

The directions from the King of Spvin to his General were, to repair as wind and weather would give leave, to the Road of Callice in Piccardy, there to abide the coming of the Prince of Parma and his Army, and upon their meeting to have opened a Letter directed to them both with further Instru­ctions.

He was especially commanded to sail along the Coasts of Brittany and Nor­mandy, to avoid being discovered by us here; and if he met with the Eng­lish Fleet, not to offer to fight, but onely seek to defend themselves. But when he came athwart the North Cape, he was taken with a contrary wind and foul weather and forced into the Harbour of the Groyne, where part of his Fleet lay attending his coming. As he was ready to depart from thence, they had intelligence by an English Fisherman, whom they took Prisoner, of our Fleets late being at Sea, and putting back again, not expect­ing their coming that year; insomuch that most part of the Men belonging to our Ships were discharged.

This Intelligence made the Duke alter his Resolution, and to break the Directions given him by the King; yet this was not done without some diffi­culty, for the Council was divided in their Opinions, some held it best to observe the Kings Command, others not to lose the opportunity offered to surprize our Fleet unawares, and burn and destroy them.

Diego Flores de Valdos, who had the command of the Andalusian Squa­dron, and on whom the Duke most relied, because of his experience and judgment, was the main man that persuaded the Attempt of our Ships in Harbour, and with that resolution they directed their course for England.

The first Land they fell with was the Lizard, the Southermost part of Corn­wall, which they took to be the Rams Head athwart Plymouth, and the night being at hand they tacked off to Sea, making account in the morning to make an Attempt upon our Ships in Plymouth.

[Page 13] But whilest they were thus deceived in the Land, they were in the mean time discovered by Capt. Flemminge a Pyrat, who had been at Sea pilfer­ing, and upon view of them, knowing them to be the Spanish Fleet, re­paired with all speed to Plymouth, and gave warning and notice to our Fleet, who were then riding at Anchor; whereupon my Lord Admiral hast­ned with all possible expedition to get forth the Ships, and before the Spani­ards could draw near Plymouth, they were welcomed at Sea by my Lord and his Navy, who continued fight with them untill he brought them to an Anchor at Callice. The particulars of the Fight, and the Successes thereof, being things so well known, I purposely omit.

While this Armado was preparing, Her Majesty had from time to time perfect intelligence of the Spaniards Designs; and because she knew his in­tent was to invade her at Sea with a mighty Fleet from his own Coast, she fur­nished out her Royal Navy under the Conduct of the Lord High Admiral of England, and sent him to Plymouth, as the likeliest place to attend their co­ming, as you have heard.

Then knowing that it was not the Fleet alone that could endanger her safety, for that they were too weak for any Enterprize on Land, without the assistance of the Prince of Parma, and his Army in Flanders; therefore she appointed 30 Sail of Holland Ships to lie at an Anchor before the Town of Dunkirk, where the Prince was to imbarque in Flat-bottom'd Boats, made purposely for the Expedition of England.

Thus had the Prince by the Queens Providence been prevented, if he had attempted to put out of Harbour with his Boats; but in truth neither his Vessels nor his Army were in readiness, which caused the King ever after to be jealous of him, and as 'tis supposed to hasten his end.

Her Majesty, notwithstanding this her vigilant care to foresee and prevent all danger that might happen at Sea, would not hold her self too secure of her Enemy, and therefore prepared a Royal Army to welcom him upon his Landing; but it was not the will of God that he should set foot on English ground, the Queen becoming Victorious over him at Sea, with little hazard or bloudshed of her Subjects.

Having shewed the Design of the Spaniards, and the course taken by Her Majesty to prevent them; I will now collect the Errors committed as well by the one as by the other, as I have promised in the beginning of my Dis­course.

As nothing could appear more rational and likely to take effect, after the Duke had gotten intelligence of the state of our Navy, than his design to surprize them unawares in Harbour, he well knowing that if he had taken away our strength by Sea, he might have landed both when and where he listed, which is a great advantage to an Invader; yet admitting it had took that effect he designed, I see not how he was to be commended in breaking the Instructions given him by the King, what blame then did he deserve, when so ill an event followed by his rashness and disobedience?

It was not the want of Experience in the Duke, or his laying the fault up­on Valdes, that excused him at his return; but he had smarted bitterly for it, had it not been for his Wife, who obtained the Kings favour for him.

Before th' Arrival of the Ships that escaped in this Voyage, it was known in Spain, that Diego Flores de Valdes was he who persuaded the Duke to break the Kings Instructions; whereupon the King gave commandment in all his Ports, where the said Diego Flores de Valdes might arrive, to appreheud him; which was accordingly executed, and he carried to the Castle of Sancta An­drea, and was never seen or heard of after.

[Page 14] If the Kings Directions had been punctually followed, then had his Fleet kept the Coast of France, and arrived in the Road of Callice before they had been discovered by us, which might have endangered Her Majesty and the Realm, our Ships being so far off as Plymouth, where then they lay; and though the Prince of Parma had not been presently ready, yet he had gain­ed time sufficient by the absence of our Fleet to make himself ready.

And whereas the Prince was kept in by the 30 Sail of Hollanders, so ma­ny of the Dukes Fleet might have been able to have put the Hollanders from the Road of Dunkirk, and possest it themselves, and so have secured the Ar­my and Fleets meeting together; and then how easie it had been after their joyning to have transported themselves for England? And what would have ensued upon their Landing here may be well imagined.

But it was the will of him that directs all men and their actions, that the Fleets should meet, and the Enemy be beaten as they were, put from their Anchorage in Callice Road, the Prince of Parma beleaguered at Sea, and their Navy driven about Scotland and Ireland with great hazard and loss; which sheweth how God did marvellously defend us against their dangerous Designs.

And here was opportunity offered us to have followed the Victory upon them; for after they were beaten from the Road at Callice, and all their hopes and designs frustrated; if we had once more offered them fight, the General by persuasion of his Confessor was determined to yield, whose ex­ample 'tis very likely would have made the rest to have done the like. But this opportunity was lost, not through the negligence or backwardness of the Lord Admiral, but merely through the want of Providence in those that had the charge of furnishing and providing for the Fleet; for at that time of so great advantage, when they came to examine their Provisions, they found a general scarcity of Powder and Shot, for want whereof they were forced to return home. Another opportunity was lost not much inferiour to the other, by not sending part of our Fleet to the West of Ireland, where the Spaniards of necessity were to pass after so many dangers and disasters as they had endured.

If we had been so happy as to have followed this course, as it was both thought and discoursed of; we had been absolutely victorious over this great and formidable Navy, for they were brought to that necessity, that they would willingly have yielded, as divers of them confess'd that were shipwreck'd in Ireland.

By this we may see how weak and feeble the designs of Men are, in re­spect of the Creator of Man, and how indifferently he dealt betwixt the two Nations, sometimes giving one, sometimes the other, the advantage; and yet so that he onely ordered the Battel.

The Action of Portugal, 1589.

THE last overthrow of 1588 given to the Invincible Fleet, as they termed themselves, did so encourage every man to the War, as happy was he that could put himself into Action against the Spaniards, as it ap­peared by the Voluntiers that went in this Voyage; which the Queen (considering the great loss the King of Spain received in the year past, where­by it was to be imagined how weakly he was provided at home) was wil­ling to countenance, though she undertook it not wholly her self, which was the main cause of its ill success and overthrow.

For whosoever he be of a Subject, that thinks to undertake so great an Enterprise without a Prince's Purse, shall be deceived; and therefore these two Generals in my opinion never overshot themselves more, than in under­taking so great a charge with so little means; for where there are Victuals and Arms wanting, what hope is there of prevailing?

The project of this Voyage was to restore a distressed King to his King­dom, usurped as he pretended; and though the means for the setting forth of this Voyage was not so great as was expedient; yet in the opinion of all men, if they had directed their course whither they intended it, without landing at the Groyne, they had performed the Service they went for, resto­red Don Antonio to the Crown of Portugal, dissevered it from Spain, and uni­ted it in League with England, which would have answered the present charge, and have settled a continual Trade for us to the West Indies, and the rest of the Portugals Dominions, for so we might easily have conditioned.

But the Landing at the Groyne was an unnecessary lingering and hinder­ance of the other great and main design, a consuming of Victuals, a weak­ning of the Army by the immoderate drinking of the Souldiers, which brought a lamentable Sickness amongst them, a warning to the Spaniards to strengthen Portugal, and (as great as all this) a discouragement to proceed further being repulsed in the first Attempt.

But notwithstanding the ill success at the Groyne, they departed from thence towards Portugal, and arrived at Penech, a Maritine Town twelve Leagus from Lisbon, where with a small resistance they took the Castle, after the Captain understood Don Antonio to be in the Army.

From thence General Norris marched with his Land Forces to Lisbon, and Sir Francis Drake with his Fleet sailed to Caske Cadiz, promising from thence to pass with his Ships up the River to Lisbon, to meet with Sir John Norris, which yet he did not perform, and therefore was much blamed by the gene­ral consent of all men, the overthrow of the Action being imputed to him.

[Page 16] It will not excuse Sir Francis Drake, for making such a Promise to Sir John Norris, though, on the other hand, I would have accused him of great want of Discretion, if he had put the Fleet to so great an Adven­ture to so little purpose: For his being in the Harbor of Lisbon, signified nothing to the Taking of the Castle, which was two Miles from thence; and had the Castle been taken, the Town would have been taken of course.

Besides, the Ships could not furnish the Army with more Men or Victu­als: wherefore I understand not in what Respect his going up was necessa­ry; and yet the Fleet must have endured many Hazards to this little pur­pose.

For betwixt Cask Cadiz and Lisbon, there are three Castles, St. John, St. Francis, and Bellin. The first of the three, I hold one of the most im­pregnable Forts to Sea-ward in Europe; and the Fleet was to pass within Calliver Shot of this Fort; though I confess, the passing it, was not the great­est Dander: For with a reasonable Gale of Wind, any Fort is to be passed with small Hazard.

But at this time there was a General Want of Victuals; and being once entred the Harbour, their coming out again was uncertain, the place be­ing subject to contrary Winds: In the mean while, the better part of the Victuals would have been consumed, and they would have remained there in so desperate a Condition, as they would have been forced to have fired one half of the Fleet, for the bringing home of the rest: for being as they were, yet after the Army was imbarqued for England, many died of Fa­mine Homeward, and more would have done, if the Wind had took them short; or, if by the Death of some of them, the rest who survived had not been the bettr relieved.

And besides all these Casualties and Dangers, the Adilantado was then in Lisbon with the Gallies of Spain; and how easily he might have annoyed our Fleet, by towing Fire-ships amongst us: We may suppose the Hurt we did the Spaniards the Year before in Cadiz Road; and greater we had done them, had we had the Help of Gallies.

It was a wonder to observe every man's Opinion of this Voyage, as well those that were Actors in it, as others that staid at Home; some imputing the Overthrow of it, to the Landing at the Groyn; others to the Portugalls failing us of those Helps and Assistances which were promised by Don An­tonio; and others, to Sir Francis Drake's not coming up the River with his Fleet.

Though any of these three Reasons may seem probable enough, and the Landing at the Groyn, the chiefest of the three; yet if we weigh truly the Defect, and where it was, it will appear, that the Action was overthrown before their setting out from Home, they being too weakly provided of all things needful for so great an Expedition.

For when this Voyage was first treated of, the Number of Ships was nothing equal to the Proportion of Men: Wherefore they were forced to make Stay of divers Easterlings which they met with in our Channel, and compelled to serve in this Action, for the Transportation of our Souldiers; and though these Ships were an Ease to our Men, who would have been otherwise much pestered for want of Room; yet their Victuals were no­thing augmented; but they were put aboard the Ships, like banished men, to seek their Fortunes at Sea, it being confessed, that divers of the Ships had not four days Victuals when they departed from Plymouth.

[Page 17] Another Impediment to the good Success of this Voyage, was, the want of Field-Pieces; and this was the main Cause why we failed of taking Lis­bon: For the Enemies Strength consisting chiefly in the Castle, and we ha­ving only an Army to countenance us, but no means for Battery, we were the Loss of the Victory our selves: For it was apparent by Intelligence we received, that if we had presented them with Battery, they were resolved to parly, and by Consequence to yield; and this too was made use of by the Portugalls, as a main Reason why they joyned not with us.

And there is as much to be said on the Portugalls behalf, as an Evidence of their good Will and Favor to us, that though they shewed themselves forward upon this Occasion, to aid us, yet they opposed not themselves as Enemies against us: Whereas if they had pursued us in our Retreat from Lisbon to Cask Cadiz, our Men being weak, sickly, and wanting Powder, and Shot, and other Arms, they had in all probability put us to a great Loss and Disgrace. And if ever England have the like Occasion to aid a Competitor in Portugal, we shall questionless, find, that our fair Demean­or and Carriage in this Expedition towards the People of that Countrey, have gained us great Reconciliation among them, and would be of singu­lar Advantage to us: For the General strictly forbad the Rifling of their Houses in the Country, and the Suburbs of Lisbon, which he possess'd, and commanded, just Payment to be made by the Souldiers for every thing they took, without Compulsion, or rigorous Usage: And this hath made those that stood but indifferently affected before, now ready upon the like Occa­sion to assist us.

A Voyage undertaken by the Earl of Cumberland, with one Ship Royal of her Majesties, and six of his own, and of other Adventures, Anno Dom. 1589.

AS the Fleets of Sir John Norris and Sir Francis Drake, returned from the Voyage of Portugal, my Lord of Cumberland proceeded upon his, to­wards that Coast,; and meeting with divers of that Fleet, relieved them with Victuals, who otherwise had perished.

This Voyage was undertaken at his and his Friends Charge, excepting the Victory, a Ship Royal of the Queen's, which she adventured.

The Service performed at Sea, was the taking of three French Ships of the League in our Channel, and his encountring upon the Coast of Spain, with Thirteen Hulks, who made some Resistance. Out of these he took to the Value of 7000 l. in Spices belonging to Portugal.

From thence he crossed over to the Island of Terceras, and coming to St. Michaels, with Boats he fetched out two Spanish Ships from under the Castle, which the same Night arrived out of Spain.

[Page 18] In this Course, from thence to Flores, he took a Spanish Ship, laden with Sugars and Sweet-meats that came from the Maderas.

Being at Flores, he received Intelligencence of divers Spanish Ships, which were in the Road of Fayal, whereupon he suddainly made from that Island, where Captain Lister and Captain Monson gave a desperate Attempt in their Boats upon the said Ships; and after along Fight possessed themselves of one of them of 300 Tuns Burden, carrying Eighteen Pieces of Ordi­dinance, and Fifty Men. This Ship, with one other, came from the Indies, two of the rest out of Guiney, and another was Laden with Woad which that Island affords in great Plenty; who putting from thence to Sea, and coming to the Island of Graciosa after two days Fight, yielded us by Com­position some Victuals: Off that Island we likewise took a French Ship of the League, of 200 Tuns, that came from New-found-land.

Afterwards, Sailing to the Eastward of the Road of Terceras, in the Even­we beheld 18 Tall Ships of the Indies, entring into the said Road, one where­of we after took in her Course to the Coast of Spain: She was laden with Hides, Silver and Cochineal; but coming for England, she was cast away upon the Monnts Bay in Cornwall, being valued at 100000 l.

Two other Prizes of Sugar we took in our said Course to the Coast of Spain, esteemed each Ship at 7000 l. and one from under the Castle of St. Maries to the same Value.

There was no Road about those Islands, that could defend their Ships from our Attempts; yet in the last Assault we gave, which was upon a Ship of Sugars, we found ill Success, being sharply resisted, and two parts of our Men slain and hurt: Which Loss was occasioned by Captain Lister, who would not be persuaded from Landing in the View of their Forts.

The Service performed by Land, was the taking of the Island of Fayall, some months after the surprizing of those Ships formerly mentioned. The Castle yielded us 45 Pieces of Ordinance, great and small: We sacked and spoiled the Town, and after ransomed it, and so departed.

These Summer Services, and Ships of Sugar, proved not so sweet and pleasant as the Winter was afterwards sharp and painful: For in our Return for England, we found the Calamity of Famine, the Hazard of Shipwrack, and the Death of our Men so great, that the like befell not any other Fleet during the time of the War. All which Disasters must be imputed to Cap­tain Lister's Rashness, upon whom my Lord of Cumberland chiefly relyed, wanting Experience himself.

He was the man that advised the sending the Ships of Wine for England, otherwise we had not known the Want of Drink; he was as earnest in per­suading our Landing in the Face of the Fortifications of St. Maries, against all Reason and Sence. As he was rash, so was he valiant; but paid dear­ly for his unadvised Counsel: For he was one of the first hurt, and that cruelly, in the Attempt of St. Maries, and afterward drowned in the Rich Ship, cast away at Mounts Bay.

Sir John Hawkins, and Sir Martin Forbisher, their Voyage undertaken, Anno 1590.

FRom the Yeear 1585. untill this present Year 1590. there was the greatest possibility imaginable of enriching our Nation, by Actions at Sea, had they been well followed; the King of Spain was grown so weak in Shipping, by the Overthrow he had in 1588, that he could no longer secure the Trade of his Subjects.

Her Majesty now finding how necessary it was for her to maintain a Fleet upon the Spanish Coast, as well to hinder the Preparations he might make against Her, to repair the Disgrace he received in 1588. as also to in­tercept his Fleets from the Indies, by which he grew Great and Migh­ty.

She sent this Year 1590. Ten Ships of her own, in two Squadrons; the one to be Commanded by Sir John Hawkins, the other by Sir Martin For­bisher, two Gentlemen of tried Experience.

The King of Spain understanding of this Preparation of hers, sent forth 20 Sail of Ships, under the Command of Don Alonso de Bassan, Brother to the late Famous Marquess of St. Cruz. His Charge was to secure home the Indian Fleet and Carrecks.

But after Don Alonso had put off to Sea, the King of Spain becoming better advised, than to adventure 20 of his Ships to 10 of ours, sent for Don Alonso back, and so frustrated the Expectation of our Fleet.

He likewise made a Dispatch to the Indies, commanding the Fleets to Winter there, rather than to run the hazard of coming Home that Sum­mer: But this proved so great a Hind'rance and Loss to the Merchants of Spain, to be so long without Return of their Goods, that it caused many to become Bankrupts, in Sevil and other places; besides, which was so great a weakening to their Ships, to Winter in the Indies, that many years hardly sufficed to repair the Damage they received.

Our Fleet being thus prevented, spent seven months in vain upon the Coasts of Spain, and the Islands; but in that space, could not possess them­selves of one Ship of the Spaniards; and the Carrecks, upon which part of their Hopes depended, came Home without Sight of the Islands, and ar­rived safe at Lisbon.

[Page 20] This Voyage was a bare Action at Sea, though they attempted Landing at Fayal, which the Earl of Cumberland, the year before had taken and quitted; but the Castle being re-fortified, they prevailed not in their En­terprize: And thence forwards the King of Spain endeavored to strength­en his Coasts, and to encrease in Shipping, as may appear by the next en­suing Year.

Two Fleets, the one by Vs, under the Lord Thomas Howard, the other by the Spaniards, Commanded by Don Alonso de Bassan, Anno 1591.

HER Majesty understanding of the Indian Fleets Wintering in the Havana, and that Necessity would compell them home this Year 1591. she sent a Fleet to the Islands under the Command of the Lord Tho­mas Howard.

The King of Spain perceiving her Drift, and being sensible how much the safety of that Fleet concerned him, caused them to set out thence so late in the Year, that it endangered the Shipwrack of them all; chosing ra­ther to hazard the perishing of Ships, Men and Goods, than their falling into our Hands.

He had two Designs in bringing home this Fleet so late: One was, he thought the Lord Thomas would have consumed his Victuals, and have been forced Home. The other, that he might in the mean time furnish out the great Fleet he was preparing, little inferior to that of 1588. In the first he found himself deceived: For my Lord was supplied both with Ships and Victuals out of England; and in the second, he was as much pre­vented: For my Lord of Cumberland, who then lay upon the Coast of Spain, had Intelligence of the Spaniards putting out to Sea, and adverti­sed the Lord Thomas thereof, the very Night before they arrived at Flores, where my Lord lay.

The day after this Intelligence, the Spanish Fleet was discovered by my Lord Thomas, whom he knew by their Number and Greatness, to be the Ships of which he had warning; and by that means escaped the Danger that Sir Richard Greenvile, his Vice-admiral rashly ran into. Upon View of the Spaniards, which were 55 Sail, the Lord Thomas warily, and like a discreet General, weighed Anchor, and made Signs to the rest of his Fleet to do the like, with a purpose to get the Wind of them; but Sir Richard Greenvile, being a stubborn man, and imagining this Fleet to come from the Indies, and not to be the Armado of which they were informed, would [Page 25] by no means be persuaded by his Master, or Company to cut his main Sail, to follow his Admiral; nay, so head-strong and rash he was, that he offer­ed violence to those that councelled him thereto.

But the Old Saying, that a wilful man is the Cause of his own Woe, could not be more truly verified than in him: For when the Armado approached him, and he beheld the Greatness of the Ships, he began to see and repent of his Folly; and when it was too late, would have freed himself of them, but in vain: For he was left a Prey to the Enemy, every Ship striving to be the first should board him.

This wilful Rashness of Sir Richard, made the Spaniards triumph as much as if they had obtained a Signal Victory; it being the first Ship that ever they took of Her Majesties, and commended to them by some English Fugitives to be the very best she had; but their Joy continued not long. For they enjoyed her but five days before she was cast away with many Spaniards in her, upon the Islands of Tercera.

Commonly one Misfortune is accompanied with another: For the Indi­an Fleet, which my Lord had waited for the whole Summer, the day af­ter this mishap, fell into the Company of this Spanish Armado: who, if they had staid but one day longer, or the Indian Fleet had come home but one day sooner, we had possest both them and many millions of Treasure, which the Sea afterward devoured: For from the time they met with the Arma­do, and before they could recover home, nigh an hundred of them suffer­ed Shipwrack, besides the Ascention of Sevil, and the double Fly-boat, that were sunk by the side of the Revenge.

All which was occasioned by their Wintering in the Indies, and the late Disambogueing from thence: For the Worm which that Country, is subject to, weakens and consumes their Ships.

Notwithstanding this cross and perverse Fortune, which happened by means of Sir Richard Greenvile, the Lord Thomas would not be dismayed or dis­couraged; but kept the Sea so long as he had Victuals; and by such Ships as himself and the rest of the Fleet took, defrayed the better part of the Charge of the whole Action.

The Earl of Cumberland to the Coast of Spain, 1591.

THE Earl of Cumberland keeping the Coast of Spain, as you have heard, while the Lord Thomas remained at the Islands, and both to one end, viz. to annoy and damnifie the Spaniards, though in two several Fleets, the Earl found Fortune in a sort, as much to frown upon him, as it had done upon the Lord Thomas Howard.

[Page 26] In his Course from England to the Spanish Coast, he encountred with di­vers Ships of Holland, which came from Lisbon, wherein he found a great quantity of Spices belonging to the Portugalls: So greatly were we abused by that Nation of Holland, who, though they were the first that engaged us in the War with Spain, yet still maintained their own Trade into those parts, and supplied the Spaniards with Munition, Victuals Shipping and Intelli­gence against us.

Upon my Lord's Arrival on the Coast of Spain, it was his hap to take three Ships at several times, one with Wine, which he unladed into his own; and two with Sugars, which he enjoyed not long: no more did he the Spices, which he took out of the Hollanders.

For one of the Ships of Sugar, by means of a Leak that sprung upon her, was forced to be cast off, and the men, with much difficulty, recovered the Shore, and saved their Lives.

The other being sent for England, and tossed with contrary Winds, was for want of Victuals forced into the Groyn, where they rend'red themselves to the Enemies mercy.

The Spices were determined to be sent for England, and a Ship appoint­ed for that purpose, with other Ships to guard her; and Captain Monson was sent on Board her to the Islands of the Burlings, with a Charge to see her dispatched for England.

But the other Ships, not observing the Directions which were given them, and the Night falling calm; early in the Morning, this scattered Ship was set upon by six Gallies; and after a long and bloody Fight, the Cap­tain, and the Principallest men being slain, both Ship and Spices were ta­ken; but whether it was the respect they had to the Queen's Ship which was Admiral of that Fleet, or Honor to my Lord that commanded it; or Hope, by good Usage of our men, to receive the like again, I know not; but true it is, that the ordinary men were treated with more Courtesie than they had been from the beginning of the Wars.

My Lord of Cumberland considering the Disasters that thus befell him, and knowing the Spanish Fleet's readiness to put out of Harbor; but espe­cially finding his Ship but ill of Sail, it being the first Voyage she ever went to Sea, he durst not abide the Coast of Spain, but thought it more Discre­tion to return for England, having (as you have heard) sent a Pinnace to my Lord Thomas with the Intelligence aforesaid.

A Voyage undertook by Sir Walter Rawleigh; but him­self returning, left the Charge thereof to Sir Martin Forbisher, Anno 1592.

[Page 27] SIR Walter Rawleigh, who had tasted abundantly of the Queen's Love, and found it now began to decline, put himself upon a Voyage at Sea, and drew unto him divers friends of great Quality, and others, thinking to have attempted some place in the West Indies; and with this resolution he put out of Harbour; but spending two or three days in fowl Weather, Her Majesty was pleased to command his Return, and to commit the Charge of the Ships to Sir Martin Forbisher, who was sent down for that purpose; but with an express Command, not to follow the Design of the West In­dies.

This suddain Alteration being known unto the rest of the Captains, for the present made some Confusion, as commonly it happens in all vo­luntary Actions. Their General leaving them, they thought themselves free in point of Reputation, and at liberty to take what course they pleased: Few of them therefore did submit themselves to the Command of Sir Mar­tin Forbisher, but chose rather each one to take his particular Fortune and Adventure at Sea.

Sir Martin, with two or three other Ships, repaired to the Coast of Spain, where he took a Spaniard laden with Iron, and a Portugal with Su­gar: He remained there not without some danger, his Ship being ill of Sail, and the Enemy having a Fleet at Sea.

Sir John Boroughs, Captain Cross, and another, stood to the Islands where they met with as many Ships of my Lord of Cumberland's, with whom they consorted. After some time spent thereabouts, they had sight of a Carreck, which they chased; but she recovered the Island of Flores before they could approach her; but the Carreck, seeing the Islands could not de­send her from the Strength and Force of the English, chose rather, after the men were got on Shore to fire her self, than we the Enemy should reap Benefit by her.

The Purser of her was taken, and by Threats compell'd to tell of ano­ther of their Company behind, that had Order to fall with that Island; and gave us such particular Advertisement, that indeed she fell to be ours.

In the mean time Don Alonso de Bassan was furnishing at Lisbon 23 of those Gallions, which the Year before he had when he took the Revenge; he was directed with those Ships to go immediately to Flores, to expect the com­ing of the Carrecks, who had order to fall with that Island, there to put on Shore divers Ordnance for strength'ning the Town and Castle.

Don Alonso breaking his Directions, unadvisedly made his repair first to St. Michaels, and there delivered his Ordnance before he arrived at Flores; and in the mean time one of the Carrecks was burnt, and the other taken, as you have heard.

This he held to be such a Disreputation to him, and especially for that it happened through his own Error and Default, that he became much per­plex'd, and pursued the English 100 Leagues; but in vain, they being so far a Head.

The King of Spain being advertised of his two Carrecks mishap, and the Error of Don Alonso, though he had much favored him before, in respect of divers Actions he had been in with his Brother, the Marquess of St. Cruz, and for what he had lately performed, by taking the Revenge: Yet—the King held it for such a Blemish to his Honor, not to have his Instructi­ons obeyed; and observed, that he did not only take from Don Alonso his Command; but he lived and died too in Disgrace; which, in my Opinion, he worthily deserved.

[Page 28] The Queens Adventure in this Voyage, was only two Ships; one of which, and the least of them too, was at the taking of the Carreck; which title, joyned with her Regal Authority, she made such use of, that the rest of the Adventurers were fain to submit themselves to her Pleasure, with whom she dealt but indiffereutly.

The Earl of Cumberland to the Coast of Spain, Anno Dom. 1593.

THE Earl of Cumberland finding, that many of his Voyages had mis­carried through the Negligence, or Unfaithfulness of those who were entrusted to lay in necessary Provisions; and yet, being incouraged by the good Success he had the last year, obtained two of her Majesty's Ships, and Victualled them himself, together with seven others that did accompa­ny them; and arriving upon the Coast of Spain, He took two French Ships of the League, which did more than treble the Expence of his Voyage. My Lord, being one day severed from his Fleet, it was his hap to meet with 12 Hulks, at the same place where Captain Monson was taken the same day two years before: He required that Respect from them that was due unto Her Majesties Ship, which they peremptorily refused, presu­ming upon the Strength of their 12 Ships against one only; but they found themselves deceived: For after two hours Fight he brought them to his Mercy, and made them acknowledge their Error; and not only so, but they willingly discovered, and delivered up to him a great quantity of Pow­der and Munition, which they carried for the King of Spain's Service.

My Lord of Cumberland having spent some time thereabouts, and under­standing that Fervanteles de Menega, a Portugal, and the King's General of a Fleet of 24 Sail, was gone to the Islands; he pursued them, thinking to meet the Carrecks before they should joyn together. At his coming to Flores, he met, and took one of the Fleet, with the Death of the Captain, who yet lived so long as to inform him both where the Fleet was, and of their Strength: The day after, he met the Fleet it self; but being far too weak for them, he was forced to leave them, and spent his time therea­bouts, till he understood the Carrecks were passed by, without seeing ei­ther Fleet or Island.

Sir Martin Forbisher, with a Fleet to Brest in Brittany, Anno 1594.

ABout three years past, Anno 1591. the Queen sent Sir John Norris with 3000 Souldiers, to joyn with the French King's Party in those Parts. The King of Spain, who upheld the Faction of the League, sent Don Iohn de Aquila with the like Forces, to joyn with the Duke de Mer­ceur, who was of the contrary side. The Spaniards had fortified themselves very strongly near the Town of Brest, expecting new Succors from Spain by Sea; which the French King fearing, craved Assistance from the Queen, which her Majesty was the more willing to grant, because the Spaniards had gotten the Haven of Brest to entertain their Shipping in, and were like to prove there very dangerous Neighbors: Wherefore she sent Sir Martin Forbisher thither in this year, 1594, with four of her Ships: And upon his Arrival there, Sir John Norris, with his Forces, and Sir Martin with his Seamen, assailed the Fort; and though it was as bravely defended as men could do; yet in the end it was taken with the loss of divers Captains, Sir Martin Forbisher being himself fore wounded, of which Hurt he died at Plymouth after his return.

A Fleet to the Indies, Sir Francis Drake, and Sir John Hawkins Generals, wherein they adventured deeply, and died in the Voyage. Anno 1594.

THese two Generals, presuming much upon their own Experience and Knowledge, used many Persuasions to the Queen, to undertake a Voyage to the West Indies, giving much assurance to perform great Servi­ces, and promising to engage themselves very deeply therein, with the Ad­venture of both Substance and Life. And as all Actions of this Nature pro­mise [Page 26] fair, till they come to be performed, so did this the more, in the Opi­nion of all Men, in respect of the two Generals Experience.

There were many Impediments and Letts to this Voyage, before they could clear themselves of the Coast, which put them to greater Charge than they expected; the chiefest cause of their Lingring, was a mistrust our State had of an Invasion, and the Danger to spare so many good Ships and men out of England as they carried with them.

The Spaniards with their usual subtilty, let slip no opportunity to put us in amazement, thereby to dissolve the Action; and sent four Gallies to Bleuret in Brittany, from thence to seize some part of our Coast, that so we might apprehend a greater Force was to follow. These Gallies landed at Pensants in Cornwall, where, finding the Town abandoned, they sack'd and burnt it; but this Design of theirs took little effect; for the Voyage proceeded notwithstanding.

The Intent of the Voyage, was to land at Nombre de dois, and from thence to march to Panuma, to possess the Treasure that comes from Peru; and if they saw reason for it, to inhabite and keep it. A few days before their going from Plymouth, they received Letters from her Majesty, of an Ad­vertisement she had out of Spain, that the Indian Fleet was arrived; and that one of them, with loss of her Mast, was put room to the Island of Porto Ricom. She commanded them, seeing there was so good an oppor­tunity offered, as the readiness of this her Fleet, and the weakness of Por­to Ricom, to possess themselves of that Treasure; and the rather, for that it was not much out of their way to Nombre de dois. It is neither Years, nor Experience, that can foresee and prevent all mishaps; which is a mani­fest Proof, that God is the Guider and Disposer of Mens Actions: For no­thing could seem more probable to be effected, than this later Design, especially considering the Ability and Wisdom of the two Generals; and yet was un­happily prevented, and failed in the Execution: For there being five Fri­gats sent out of Spain, to fetch this Treasure from Porto Ricom, in their way it was their hap to take a Pinnace of the English Fleet, by whom they un­derstood the Secrets of the Voyage; and to prevent the Attempt of Por­to Ricom, they hastened thither with all speed (whilst our Generals lingred at Quadrupa, to set up their Boats) and at their Arrival, so strengthened the Town with the Souldiers, brought in the Frigats, that when our Fleet came thither, not expecting Resistance, they found themselves frustrate of their Hopes, which indeed they themselves were the occasion of, in mana­ging their Design with no more Secresie. This Repulse bred so great a Disconceit in Sir John Hawkins, as it is thought to have hastened his days; and being great and unexpected, did not a little discourage Sir Francis Drake's great Mind, who yet proceeded upon his first resolved Design, for Nombre de dios, though with no better Success: For the Enemy having knowledge of their coming, fortified the Passage to Panuma, and forced them to return with loss. Sir Francis Drake, who was wont to rule For­tune, now finding his Error, and the difference between the present strength of the Indies, and what it was when he first knew it, grew melancholly upon this Disappointment, and suddenly, and I hope naturally, died at Nombre de dios, where he got his first Reputation. The two Generals dy­ing, and all other Hopes being taken away by their Deaths, Sir Thomas Baskervile succeeded them in their Command, and began now to think up­on his return for England; but coming near Cuba, he met and fought with a Fleet of Spain, though not long, by reason of the Sickness and Weakness of his Men. This Fleet was sent to take the Advantage of ours in its Re­turn [Page 27] thinking, as indeed it happened, that they should find them both weak, and in want; but the swiftness of our Ships, in which we had the Advan­tage of the Spaniards, preserved us. You may observe, that from the year the Revenge was taken, untill this present year 1595. there was no Sum­mer, but the King of Spain furnished a Fleet for the guarding of his Coasts, and securing of his Trade; and though there was little fear of any Fleet from England to impeach him, besides this in the Indies; yet because he would shew his greatness, and satisfie the Portugal of the care he had in preserving their Carrecks; he sent the Count of Feria, a young Nobleman of Portugal, who desired to gain Experience, with 20 Ships to the Islands; but the Carrecks did, as they used to do in many other years, miss both Islands and Fleets, and arrived at Lisbon safely. The other Fleets of the King of Spain in the Indies, consisted of 24 Ships, their General Don Ber­nardino de Villa nova, an approved Coward, as it appeared when he came to encounter the English Fleet; but his Defects were supplied by the Valor of his Vice-admiral, who behaved himself much to his Honor: His Name was John Garanay.

The Earl of Essex, and the Lord Admiral of Eng­land, Generals, equally, both by Sea and Land, Anno 1596.

THE first of June 1596. we departed from Plymouth; and our Depar­ture was the more speedy, by reason of the great pains, care and in­dustry of the 16 Captains, who in their own Persons, labored the Night before, to get out some of their Ships, riding at Catwater, which otherwise had not been easily effected. The Third, we set Sail from Cansom Bay, the Wind, which when we weighed, was at West and by South, instantly cast up to the North East, and so continued untill it brought us up as high as [Page 28] the North Cape of Spain; and this fortunate beginning put us in great hopes of a lucky Success to ensue.

We being now come upon our Enemies Coast, it behoved the Generals to be vigilant in keeping them from Intelligence of us, who therefore ap­pointed the Litness, the True Love, and the Lion's Whelp (the three chief Sailors of our Fleet) to run a Head, suspecting the Spaniards had some Car­vels of Advice out, which they did usually send to discover at Sea, upon a­ny Rumor of a less Fleet than this, was made ready in England.

No Ship or Carvel escaped from us, which I hold a second Happiness to our Voyage: For you shall understand hereafter, the Inconvenience that might have happened upon our Discovery.

The 10th. of June, the said three Ships, took three Fly-Boats that came from Cadiz 14 days before; by them we understood the State of the Town, and that they had no suspition of us, which we looked on as a third Omen of our good Fortune to come.

The 12th. of June, the Swan, a Ship of London, being commanded, as the other three, to keep a good way off the Fleet, to prevent discovery, she met with a Fly-boat, which made Resistance, and escaped from her. This Fly-boat came from the Streights, bound Home, who discovering our Fleet, and thinking to gain Reputation and Reward from the Spaniards, shhaped her Course for Lisbon; but she was luckily prevented by the John and Francis, another Ship of London, commanded by Sir Marmaduke Darrel, who took her within a League of the Shore; and this we may account a fourth Happiness to our Voyage. The first (as hath been said) was for the Wind to take us so suddainly, and to continue so long: For our Souldiers being Shipped, and in Harbor, would have consumed their Victuals, and have been so pester'd, that it would have endangered a Sickness amongst them. The Second, was the taking all Ships that were seen, which kept the Enemy from Intelligence. The Third, was the intercepting of the Fly-Boats from Cadiz, whither we were bound, who assured us, our coming was not suspected, which made us more careful to hail from the Coast than otherwise we should have been: They told us likewise of the daily expe­ctation of the Gallions to come from St. Jacar to Cadiz, and of the Merchant­men that lay there, and were ready bound for the Indies. These Intelligences were of great moment, and made the Generals presently to contrive their business both by Sea and Land, which otherwise would have taken up a longer time, after their coming thither, and whether all men would have consented to attempt their Ships in Harbor, if they had not known the most part of them to consist of Merchants, I hold very doubtful. The Fourth, and fortunatest of all, was the taking of the Fly-boat by the John and Fran­cis, which the Swan let go: For if she had reached Lisbon, she had been a­ble to make report of the number and greatness of our Ships, and might have endangered the loss of the whole Design, she seeing the course we bore, and that we had passed Lisbon, which was the place the Enemy most suspected, and made there his greatest preparation for Defence: But had the E­nemy been freed of that doubt, he had then no place to fear but Andulozia and Cadiz above the rest, which upon the lest warning might have been strengthned, and we put to great Hazard; he might also have secured his Ships, by towing them out with Gallies; and howsoever the Wind had been, might have sent them into the Streights, where it had been in vain to have pursued them, or over the Bar of St. Lucar, where it had been in vain to have attempted them.

[Page 29] And indeed, of the good and ill of Intelligence, we had had sufficient experience formerly, Of the good in 1588. For how suddainly had we been taken and surprized when it we lest suspected, had it not been for Captain Flemming? Of the ill in the year before this, by the Spaniards ta­king a Barque of Sir Francis Drake's Fleet, which was the Occasion of the Overthrow of himself and the whole Action?

The 20th. of June we came to Cadiz, earlier in the morning than the Masters made reckoning of. Before our coming thither, it was determined in Council, that we should land at St. Sebastians, the Westermost part of the Land; and thither came all the Ships to an Anchor, every man pre­paring to land as he was formerly directed; but the Wind being so great, and the Sea so grown, and four Gallies lying too, to intercept our Boats, there was no attempting to land there, without the hazard of all.

This day was spent in vain, in returning Messengers from one General to another; and in the end, they were forced to resolve upon a Course which Sir William Monson, Captain under my Lord of Essex, advised him to, the same morning he discovered the Town; which was to surprize the Ships, and to be possessors of the Harbor before they attempted landing.

This being now resolved on, there arose a great Question, who should have the Honor of the first going in? My Lord of Essex stood for himself; but my Lord Admiral opposed it, knowing if he miscarried, it would ha­zard the Overthrow of the Action; besides, he was streightly charged by Her Majesty, that the Earl should not expose himself to Danger, but upon great necessity.

When my Lord of Essex could not prevail, the whole Council withstand­ing him he sent Sir William Monson that night, on Board my Lord Admiral, to resolve what Ships should be appointed the next day to undertake the Service. Sir Walter Rawleigh had the Vaward given him, which my Lord Thomas Howard hearing, challenged in right of his place of Vice-admiral, and it was granted him; but Sir Walter having Order over night to ply in, came first to an Anchor; but in that distance from the Spaniards as he could not annoy them: And he himself returned on Board the Lord General Es­sex, to excuse his coming to Anchor so far off, for want of Water to go higher; which was thought strange, that the Spaniards which drew much more Water, and had no more Advantage than he of Tide, could pass where his could not: But Sir Francis Vere, in the Rainbow, who was ap­pointed to second him, passing by Sir Walter Rawleigh his Ship, Sir Walter the second time, weighed and went higher. The Lord General Essex, who promised to keep in the midst of the Fleet, was told by Sir William Mon­son, that the greatest Service would depend upon three or four Ships; and Sir William put him in mind of his Honor; for that many Eyes beheld him.

This made him forgetful of his Promise, and to use all means he could to be formost in the Fight. My Lord Howard, who could not go up in his own Ship, the Mere honor, betook himself to the Nonperil; and in respect the Rainbow, the Repulse and Warspight, had taken up the best of the Chan­nel, by their first coming to an Anchor, to his grief he could not get high­er: Here did every Ship strive to be the headmost; but such was the nar­rowness of the Channel, as neither the Lord Admiral, nor any other Ship of the Queens could pass on. There was Commandment given, that no Ship should shoot but the Queens, making account, that the Honor would be the greater, if the Victory were obtained with so few. This Fight con­tinued from Ten, till Four in the Afternoon: The Spaniards then set Sail, [Page 30] thinking either to run higher up the River, or else to bring their other Broad Sides to us, because of the heat of their Ordnance; but howsoever it was, in their floating, they came a ground, and the men began to for­sake the Ships: Whereupon there was Commandment given, that all the Hoys, and Vessels that drew least Water should go unto them. Sir William Mon­son was sent in the Repulse Boat, with like directions. We possess'd our selves of the great Gallions, the Matthew, and the Andrew; but the Philip and Thomas fired themselves, and were burnt down before they could be quenched.

I must not omit to describe the manner of the Spanish Ships and Gallies, riding in Harbor at our first coming to Cadiz. The four Gallions singled themselves from out the Fleet, as Guards of their Merchants. The Gallies were placed to flank us with their Prows before Entry; but when they saw our Approach, the next morning the Merchants ran up the River, and the Men of War of Port Royal to the Point of the River, brought them­selves into a good Order of Fight, moving their Ships a Head and a Stern, to have their Broad Sides upon us. The Gallies then betook themselves to the Guard of the Town, which we put them from before we attempted the Ships.

The Victory being obtained at Sea, the L. General Essex landed his men in a Sandy Bay, which the Castle of Poyntull commanded; but they seeing the Success of their Ships, and mistrusting their own strength, neither offered to offend his Landing, nor to defend the Castle; but quitted it, and so we became Possessors of it.

After my Lord's peeceable Landing, he considered what was to be done; and there being no place from whence the Enemy could annoy us, but the Bridge of Swasoe, which leadeth over from the main Land to the Island; by our making good of which Bridge, there would be no way left for the Gallies to escape us. He sent three Regiments under the Command of Sir Con­niers Clifford, Sir Christopher Blunt, and Sir Thomas Garret to the Bridge; who at their first coming were encountred by the Enemy, but yet possess'd themselves of it, with the loss of some men; but whether it was for want of Victuals, or for what other reasons, our men quitted it, I know not, and the Gallies breaking down divers Arches pass'd it, and by that means escaped.

My Lord dispatched a Messenger to my Lord Admiral, intreating him to give Order to attempt the Merchants that rode in Port Royal, for that it was dangerous to give them a Night's respite, lest they should convey a­way their Wealth, or take example by the Philip and Thomas, to burn themselves. This Message was delivered by Sir Anthony Ashley, and Sir William Monson, as my Lord Admiral was in his Boat, ready with his Toops of Seamen to land, fearing the Lord General Essex should be put to Di­stress with his small Companies, which were but three Regiments, hasten­ed by all means to second him, and gave order to certain Ships the next day to pursue him.

Seeing I have undertaken to shew the Escapes committed in any of our English Voyages, such as were committed here, shall without Fear or Flat­tery appear to the Judicious Reader.

Though the Earl of Essex his Carriage and Forwardness merited much, yet if it had been with more Advisement, and less Haste, it would have succeeded better: And if he were now living, he would confess, Sir Wil­liam Monson advised him, rather to seek to be Master to the Ships, than of the Town; for it was that would afford both Wealth and Honor: For the [Page 31] Riches in Ships could not be concealed, or conveyed away as in Towns they might. And the Ships themselves being brought for England, would be always before mens Eyes there, and put them in remembrance of the greatness of the Exploit; as for the Town, perhaps it might be soon won, but probably not long enjoyed, and so quickly forgotten: And to speak indifferentiy, by the Earl's suddain Landing, without the Lord Admirals Privity; and his giving Advice by a Message to attempt the Ships, which should have been resolved of upon mature Deliberation, no doubt, the Lord Admiral found his Honor a little Eclipsed, which perhaps hastened his Landing for his Reputation sake, whenas he thought it more advisable to have possess'd himself of their Fleet.

Before the Lord Admiral could draw near the Town, the Earl of Essex had entred it; and although the Houses were built in that manner, as that every House served for a Platform; yet they were forc'd to quit them, and to retire into the Castle.

My Lord at last, in despite of the Enemy, gained the Market place, where he found greatest Resistance from the Houses thereabouts; and where it was that that Worthy Gentleman Sir John Wingfield was unluckily slain. The Lord General Essex caused it to be proclaimed by Beat of Drum through the Town, that all that would yield, should repair to the Town-House, where they should have promise of Mercy, and those that would not, to expect no Favor. The Castle desired Respite to consider untill the morn­ing following; and then by one general Consent, they surrend'red them­selves to the two Lord Generals Mercies. The Chief Prisoners, Men and Women, were brought into the Castle, where they remained a little space, and were sent away with Honorable Usage. The noble treating of the Prisoners, hath gained an everlasting Honor to our Nation, and the Gene­ral's in particular.

It cannot be supposed the Lord Generals had leisure to be idle the day following, having so great business to consider of, as the securing the Town, and enjoying the Merchants Ships: Wherefore, for the speedier dispatch, they had Speech with the best men of the City, about the Ransom to be given for their Town and Liberties, 120000 Duckets was the Summ con­cluded on; and for Security thereof, many of them became Hostages. There was likewise an Overture for the Ransom of their Ships and Goods, which the Duke of Medina hearing of, rather than we should reap any profit by them, he caused them to be fired.

We found by Experience, that the destroying of this Fleet (which did amount to the value of six or seven Millions) was the general impoverishing of the whole Country: For when the Pledges sent to Sevil, to take up mo­ney for their Redemption; they were answered, that all the Town was not able to raise such a Summ, their Loss was so great by the loss of their Fleet. And to speak truth, Spain never received so great an Overthrow, so great a Spoil, so great an Indignity at our Hands as this: For our Attempt was at his own Home, in his Port, that he thought as safe as his Chamber, where we took and destroy'd his Ships of War, burnt and consumed the Wealth of his Merchants, sack'd his City, ransomed his Subjects, and entred his Country without Impeachment.

To write all Accidents of this Voyage, were too tedious, and would weary the Reader; but he that would desire to know the Behavior of the Spaniards, as well as of us, many confer with divers English men that were redeemed out the Gallies in exchange for others, and brought into Eng­land.

[Page 32] After we had enjoyed the Town of Cadiz a Fortnight, and our men were grown rich by the Spoil of it, the Generals imbarqued their Army, with an intent to perform greater Services before their Return; but such was the Covetousness of the better Sort, who were inriched there, and the fear of Hunger in others, who complained for want of Victuals, as they could not willingly be drawn to any farther Action, to gain more Repu­tation. The only thing that was afterwards attempted, was Pharoah, a Town of Algarula in Portugal, a place of no Resistance or Wealth, only fa­mous by the Library of Osorius, who was Bishop of that place; which Li­brary was brought into England by us, and many of the Books bestowed upon the new erected Library of Oxford.

Some Prisoners were taken; but of small account, who told us, that the greatest Strength of the Country was in Lawgust, the chief Town of Arga­rula, twelve miles distant from thence; because most part of the Gentlemen thereabouts were gone thither, to make it good expecting our coming. This News was acceptable to my Lord of Essex, who preferred Honor before Wealth: And having had his Will, and the Spoil of the Town of Pharoah and Country thereabouts: He Shipped his Army, and took Council of the Lord Admiral how to proceed. My Lord Admiral diverted his course for Lawgust, alleadging the place was strong, of no Wealth, always held in the nature of a Fisher-Town, belonging to the Portugals, who in their Hearts were our Friends; that the winning of it, after so eminent a place as Cadiz, could add no Honor; though it should be carried, yet it would be the Loss of his best Troops and Gentlemen, who would rather to die, than receive Indignity of a Repulse. My Lord of Essex, much against his Will, was forc'd to yield unto these Reasons, and desist from that Enter­prise.

About this time there was a general Complaint for want of Victuals; which proceeded rather out of a desire that some had to be at home, than out of any necessity: For Sir William Monson and Mr. Darrel, were appointed to examine the Condition of every Ship, and found seven weeks Victuals (Drink excepted) which might have been supplied from the Shore in Wa­ter; and this put the Generals in great hope to perform something more than they had done. The only Service that was now to be thought on, was to lie in wait for the Carrecks, which in all probability could not e­scape us, though there were many Doubts to the contrary; but easily an­swered by men of Experience: But in truth, some mens desires home­ward, were so great, that no Reason could prevail with, or persuade them.

Coming into the height of the Rock, the Generals took Council once again, and then the Earl of Essex, and the Lord Thomas Howard, offered with great earnestness, to stay out the time our Victuals lasted; and desi­red to have but 12 Ships furnished out of the rest to stay with them; but this would not be granted, though the Squadron of the Hollanders offer­ed voluntarily to stay. Sir Walter Rawleigh alleadged the scarcity of Vi­ctuals, and the Infection of his Men. My Lord General Essex, offered, in the Greatness of his Mind, and the Desire he had to stay, to supply his want of Men and Victuals, and to exchange Ships; but all Propo­sals were in vain: For the Riches kept them that got much, from attempt­ing more; as if it had been otherwise pure want, though not Honor would have enforced them to greater Enterprises.

This being the last Hopes of the Voyage, and being generally withstood, it was concluded to steer away for the North Cape, and afterwards, to view [Page 35] and search the Harbors of the Groyn and Ferrol; and if any of the King of Spain's Ships chanced to be there, to give an Attempt upon them.

The Lord Admiral sent a Carvel of our Fleet into these two Harbors, and aparrelled the men in Spanish Cloaths, to avoid Suspicion. This Car­vel returned the next day, with a true Relation, that there were no Ships in the Harbors: And now passing all places where there was any hope of doing good, our Return for England was resolved upon; and the 8th. of August, the Lord Admiral arrived in Plymouth, with the greatest part of the Army: And the Lord General Essex, who staid to accompany the St. Andrew, which was under his Charge, and reputed of his Squadron, two days after us, the 10th. of August, where he found the Army in that per­fect Health, as the like hath not been seen, for so many to go out of Eng­land, to such great Enterprises, and so well to return home again.

He himself rid up to the Court, to advise with her Majesty, about the winning of Callis, which the Spaniards took the Easter before: Here was a good opportunity, to have re-gained the Ancient Patrimony of England; but the French King, thought he might with more ease re-gain it from the Spaniard, who was his Enemy, than recover it again from us, who were his Friends.

My Lord Admiral, with the Fleet, went to the Downs, where he land­ed, and left the Charge of the Navy, to Sir Robert Dudley, and Sir Willi­am Monson. In going from thence to Chatham, they endured more foul Weather, and contrary Winds, than in the whole Voyage besides.

A Voyage to the Islands, the Earl of Essex Ge­neral, Anno 1597.

HER Majesty having Knowledge of the King of Spain's drawing down his Fleet and Army to the Groyn and Ferrol, with an intent to en­ter into some Action against Her; and that, notwithstanding the loss of [Page 34] thirty six Sail of his Ships that were cast away upon the North Cape, in their coming thither: He prepared with all possible means, to revenge the Dis­graces we did him the year last past at Cadiz. Her Majesty likewise prepa­red to defend her self, and fitted out the most part of her Ships for the Sea; but at length, perceiving his Drift was more to afright than offend her, though he gave it it out otherwise, because she should provide to resist him at home, rather than to annoy him abroad. She was unwilling the great Charges she had been at, should be bestowed in vain; and therefore turned her Preparations another way, than that for which she first intended them.

The Project of this Voyage, was to assault the King of Spain's Shipping in the Harbor of Ferrol, which the Queen chiefly desired to do for her own Security at home; and afterwards to go and take the Islands of Terce­ra; and there to expect the coming home of the Indian Fleet. But neither of these two Designs took that effect which was expected: For in our set­ting forth, the same day we put to Sea, we were taken with a most violent Storm, and contrary Winds; and the General was seperated from the Fleet, and one Ship from another, so that the one half of the Fleet were compel­led to return home, and the rest that kept the Sea, having reached the Coast of Spain, were commanded home, by order of the Lord General.

Thus after their return, they were to advise upon a new Voyage, find­ing by their Ships and Victuals, they were unable to perform the former: Whereupon it was thought convenient all the Army should be discharged, for the prolonging of the Victuals, except a thousand of the prime Souldiers of the Low Countries, which were put into her Majesties Ships, that they might be the better prepared, if they should chance to encounter the Spa­nish Elect. Thus the second time they departed England, though not without some danger of the Ships, by reason of the Winter's near ap­proach.

The first Land in Spain we fell withal, was the North Cape, the place whither our Directions led us, if we happened to lose Company; being there descried from the Shore, and not above 12 Leagues from the Groyn, where the Spanish Armado lay. We were in good hopes to have enticed them out of the Harbor to fight us; but spending some time thereabouts, and finding no such Disposition in them, it was thought fit no longer to linger about that Coast, lest we should lose our opportunity upon the In­dian Fleet; therefore every Captain received his Directions to stand his Course into 36 Degrees, there to spread our selves North and South, it be­ing a heighth that commonly the Spaniards sail in from the Indies.

At this time the Lord General complained of a Leak in his Ship; and two days after, towards midnight, he brought himself upon the Lee to stop it. Sir Walter Rawleigh, and some other Ships, being a head the Fleet, and it growing dark, they could not discern the Lord General's Working; but stood their Course as before directed; and through this unadvised working of my Lord, they lost him and his Fleet.

The day following, Sir Walter Rawleigh was informed by a Pinnace he met, that the great Armado, which we supposed to be in the Groyn and Ferrol, was gone to the Islands, for the Guard of the Indian Fleet. This Pinnace, with this Intelligence it gave us, Sir Walter Rawleigh immediate­ly sent to look out the General. My Lord had no sooner received this Ad­vice, but at the very instant he directed his Course to the Islands, and dis­patched some small Vessels to Sir Walter Rawleigh, to inform him of the sud­dain Alteration of his Course, upon the News received from him, comman­ding [Page 35] him with all Expedition, to repair to Flores, where he would not fail to be at our Arrival. At the Islands we found this Intelligence utterly False: For neither the Spanish Ships were there, nor were expected there: We met likewise with divers English men, that came out of the Indies; but they could give us no assurance of the coming home of the Fleet; neither could we recive any Advertisement from the Shore, which made us half in despair of them.

By that time we had watered our Ships, and refreshed our selves at Flo­res, Sir Walter Rawleigh arrived there, who was willed by the Lord Gene­ral, after he was furnished of such Wants as that poor Island afforded, to make his repair to the Island of Fayal, which my Lord intended to take. Here grew great Questions and Heart-burnings against Sir Walter Rawleigh: For he coming to Fayal, and missing the Lord General, and yet knowing my Lord's Resolution to take the Island, he held it more advisable to land with those Forces he had, than to expect the coming of my Lord: For in that space the Island might be better provided: whereupon he landed, and took it before my Lord's approach. This Act was held such an Indignity to my Lord, and urged with that Vehemence, by those that hated Sir Wal­ter, that if my Lord, though naturally kind, and flexible, had not feared how it would have been taken in England, I think Sir Walter had smarted for it.

From this Island we went to Graciosa, which did willingly relieve our Wants, as far as it could; yet with humble intreaty to forbear landing with our Army, especially, because they understood there was a Squadron of Hollanders amongst us, who did not use to forbear Cruelty wherever they came; and here it was that we met the Indian Fleet, which in manner following, unluckily escaped us.

The Lord General having sent some men of good Account into the Island, to see there should be no Injury offered to the Portugals, he having passed his word to the contrary; those men advertised him of four Sail of Ships descried from the Shore, and one of them greater than the rest, seemed to be a Carreck: My Lord received this News with great Joy, and divided his Fleet into three Squadrons, to be commanded by himself, the Lord Thomas Howard, and Sir Walter Rawleigh. The next Ship to my Lord, of the Queen's, was the Rainbow, wherein Sir William Monson went, who re­ceived direction from my Lord to steer away South that Night; and if he should meet with any Fleet, to follow them, carrying Lights, or shooting off his Ordnances or making any other Sign that he could; and if he met with no Ships, to direct his Course the next day, to the Island of St. Mi­chael; but promising that Night to send 12 Ships after him. Sir William be­sought my Lord, by the Pinnace that brought him this Direction, that a­bove all things he should have a care to dispatch a Squadron to the Road of Angra in the Tercera's: For it was certain, if they were Spaniards, thither they would resort.

Whilst my Lord was thus contriving his Business, and ordering his Squa­drons, a small Barque of his Fleet happened to come, to him, who assured him, that those Ships discovered from the Land, were of his own Fleet; and that they came in immediately from them. This made my Lord coun­termand his former Direction; only Sir William Monson, who was the next Ship to him, and received the first Command, could not be recalled back. Within three hours of his Departure from my Lord, which might be about 12 of the Clock, he fell in company of a Fleet of 25 Sail, which at the first he could not assure himself to be Spaniards; because the day before, that [Page 38] number of Ships was missing from our Fleet. Here he was in a Dilemma and great perplexity with himself; for in making Signs, as he was directed, if the Ships proved English, it were ridiculous, and he would be exposed to scorn; and to respite it untill morning, were as dangerous, if they were the Indian Fleet: For then my Lord might be out of View, or of the hearing of his Ordnance: Therefore he resolved rather to put his Per­son, than his Ship in Peril. He commanded his Master to keep the Wea­ther-Gage of the Fleet, whatsoever should become of him; and it blowing little Wind, he betook himself to his Boat, and rowed up with the Fleet, demanding of whence they were: They answered, of Sevil in Spain; and asked of whence he was? He told them of England; and that the Ship in fight was a Gallion of the Queen's of England, single and alone, alleadging the Honor they would get by winning her; his Drift being to draw and entice them into the Wake of our Fleet, where they would be so entangled, as they could not escape; they returned him some Shot, and ill Language; but would not alter their Course to the Tercera's, whither they were bound, and where they arrived to our misfortune. Sir William Monson returned aboard his Ship, making Signs with Lights, and Report with his Ordnance; but all in vain: For my Lord altering his Course, as you have heard, stood that Night to St. Michaels, and passed by the North side of Tercera, a far­ther way, than if he had gone by the way of Augra, where he had met the Indian Fleet.

When day appeared, and Sir William Monson was in hope to find the 12 Ships promised to be sent to him, he might discern the Spanish Fleet two miles and a little more a Head him, and a Stern him a Gallion, and a Pinnace betwixt them; which putting forth her Flaggs, he knew to be the Earl of Southampton in the Garland: The Pinnace was a Frigat of the Spanish Fleet, who took the Garland and the Rainbow to be Gallions of theirs; but see­ing the Flag of the Garland, she found her Error, and sprang a loof, think­ink to escape; but the Earl pursued her with the loss of some Time, when he should have followed the Fleet; and therefore was desired to desist from that Chase by Sir William Monson, who sent his Boat to him. By a Shot from my Lord, this Frigat was surk; and while his Men were rifling her, Sir Francis Vere and Sir William Brook came up in their two Ships, who the Spaniards would have made us believe were two Gallions of theirs; and so much did my Lord signifie to Sir William Monson, wishing him to stay their coming up: for that there would be greater hope of those two Ships, which there was no doubt but we were able to Master, than of the Fleet, for which we were too weak.

But after Sir William had made the two Ships to be the Queen's, which he ever suspected them to be, he began to pursue the Spanish Fleet afresh; but by reason they were so far a Head of him, and had so little way to sail, they recovered the Road of Tercera; but he and the rest of the Ships pur­sued them, and himself led the way into the Harbor, where he found sharp Resistance from the Castle; but yet so battered the Ships, that he might see the Masts of some shot by the Board, and the men quit the Ships; so that there wanted nothing but a Gale of Wind to enable him to cut the Cables of the Hawsers, and to bring them off: Wherefore he sent to the other 3 great Ships of ours, to desire them to attempt the cutting their Cables; but Sir Fra. Vere rather wished his coming off, that they might take a Resolution what to do. This must be rather imputed to want of Experience than Backwardness in him: For Sir William sent him word, that if he quitted the Harbor, the Ships would tow near the Castle; and as the Night drew on, the Wind [Page 37] would freshen, and come more off the Land, which indeed proved so, and we above a League from the Road in the morning.

We may say, and that truly, there was never that possibility to have un­done the State of Spain as now: For every Royal of Plate we had taken in this Fleet, had been two to them, by our converting it by War upon them.

None of the Captains could be blamed in this Business: All is to be at­tributed to the want of Experience in my Lord, and his flexible Nature to be over-ruled: For the first hour he anchored at Flores, and called a Coun­cil, Sir William Monson advised him upon the reason following, after his Watering, to run West, spreading his Fleet North and South, so far as the Eastern Wind that then blew would carry them; alleadging, that if the In­dian Fleet came home that Year, by computation of the last light Moon, from which time their disimboguing in the Indies, must be reckoned, they could not be above 200 Leagues short of that Island; and whensoever the Wind should chop up Westernly, he bearing a slack Sail, they would, in a few days overtake him.

This Advice my Lord seemed to take, but was diverted by divers Gen­tlemen, who coming principally for Land Service, found themselves tired by the tediousness of the Sea. Certain it is, if my Lord had followed his Advice, within less than 40 hours, he had made the Queen owner of that Fleet: For by the Pilot's Card, which was taken in the Frigat, the Spanish Fleet was but 50 Leagues in traverse with that Eastern Wind, when my Lord was at Flores, which made my Lord wish, the first time Sir William Monson repaired to him, after the Escape of the Fleet, that he had lost his Hand so he had been ruled by him.

Being met Aboard Sir Francis Vere, we consulted what to do, and resol­ved to acquaint my Lord with what had happened, desiring his Presence with us, to see if there were any possibility to attempt the Shipping, or surprize the Island, and so to possess the Treasure.

My Lord received this Advertisement, just as he was ready with his Troops to have landed in St. Michaels; but this Message diverted his Lan­ding, and made him presently cast about for the Islands of the Tercera's, where we lay all this while expecting his coming. In his Course from St. Michaels, it was his hap to to take three Ships that departed the Havana the day after the Fleet: Which three Ships did more than countervail the whole Voyage.

At my Lord's meeting with us at Tercera, there was a Consultation how the Enemies Ships might be fetched off, or destroyed as they lay; but all men with one consent, agreed the impossibility of it. The attempting the Island was propounded; but withstood for these reasons, the difficulty in Landing, the strength of the Island, which was increased by fourteen or fifteen Hundred Souldiers in the Ships, and our want of Victuals to abide by the Siege. Seeing then we were frustrate of our Hopes at the Tercera, we resolved upon landing in St. Michaels, and arrived the day following at Punta Delgada, the Chief City. Here my Lord imbarqued his small Ar­my in Boats, with offer to Land; and having thereby drawn the Enemies greatest Force thither to resist him, suddainly he rowed to Villa Franca, three or four Leagues distant from thence; which, not being defended by the Enemy, he took. The Ships had order to abide in the Road of Del­gada; for that my Lord made account to march thither by Land; but be­ing on Shore at Villa Franca, he was informed that the March was impossi­ble, by reason of the high and craggy Mountains, which diverted his pur­pose.

[Page 38] Victuals now grew short with us, and my Lord General began discreet­ly to foresee the danger in abiding towards Winter upon these Coasts, which could not afford him an Harbor, only open Roads that were subject to Southern Winds; and upon every such Wind, he must put to Sea for his safety. He considered, that if this should happen, when his Troops were on Shore, and he not able to reach the Land in a Fortnight or more, which is a thing ordinary, what a desperate case he should put himself into, especially in so great a want of Victuals: And so concluding, that he had seen the end of all his Hopes, by the Escape of the Fleet, he imbarqued himself and Army, though with some difficulty, the Seas were now grown so high.

By this time the one half of the Fleet that rid in Punta Delgada, put room for Villa Franca, and those that remained behind, being thought by a Ship of Brazile to be the Spanish Fleet, she came in amongst them, and so was betrayed: After her there followed a Carreck, who had been serv­ed in the like manner; but for the hasty and indiscreet weighing of a Hol­lander, which made her run a Shore under the Castle; when the Wind lessened Sir William Monson weighed with the Rainbow, thinking to give an Attempt upon her, notwithstanding the Castle; which she perceiving, as he drew near unto her, she set her self on fire, and burned down to the very Keel. She was a Ship of 1400 Tuns Burden, that the year before was not able to double the Cape of bona Esperansa, in her Voyage to the East Indies; but put into Brazile, where she was laden with Sugars, and afterwards thus destroyed. The Spaniards, who presumed more upon their Advantages than Valors, though themselves in too weak a Conditi­on to follow us to the Islands, and put their Fortunes upon a days Service, but subtilly devised how to intercept ns as we came Home, when we had least Thought or Suspicion of them; and their Fleet, that was all this while in the Groyn and Ferrol, not daring to put forwards while they knew ours to be upon the Coast, their General the Adelantada came for England, with a Resolution to land at Falmouth, and fortifie it, and afterwards, with their Ships, to keep the Sea, and expect our coming home scattered.

Having thus cut off our Sea Forces, and possessing the Harbor of Fal­mouth, they thought with a second supply of 37 Levantisco's Ships, which the Marquess Arumbullo commanded, to have returned and gained a good footing in England.

These Designs of theirs were not foreseen by us: For we came Home scattered, as they made reckoning, not 20 in number together.

We may say, and that truly, that God fought for us: For the Adalan­tada being within a few Leagues of the Island of Silly, he commanded all his Captains on Board him to receive his Directions; but whilst they were in Consultation, a violent Storm took them at East, insomuch that the Cap­tains could hardly recover their Ships, but in no case were able to save their Boats, the Storm continued so furious, and happy was he that could recover home, seeing their Design thus overthrown by loss of their Boats, whereby their means of Landing was taken away. Some who were wil­ling to stay, and receive the farther Commands of the General, kept the Seas so long upon our Coast, that in the end they were taken; others put themselves into our Harbors for Refuge and Succor; and it is certainly known, that in this Voyage the Spaniards lost eighteen Ships, the St. Luke, and the St. Bartholomew, being two and in the rank of his best Gal­lions.

[Page 39] We must ascribe this Success to God only: For certainly the Enemies Designs were dangerous, and not to be diverted by our Force; but by his Will, who would not suffer the Spaniards in any of their Attempts, to set footing in England, as we have done in all the Quarters of Spain, Portugal, the Islands, and both the Indies.

The Lord Thomas Howard Admiral to the Downs, from whence be returned in one Month, Anno 1599.

I Cannot write of any thing done in this Year of 1599. For there was ne­ver greater Expectation of War, with less Performance. Whether it was a Mistrust the one Nation had of the other, or a Policy held on both sides, to make Peace with Sword in Hand, a Treaty being entertained by consent of each Prince, I am not to examine; but sure I am, the Preparation was on both sides very great, as if the one expected an Invasion from the other; and yet it was generally conceived, not to be intended by either; but that ours had only relation to my Lord of Essex, who was then in Ireland, and had a Design to try his Friends in England, and to be revenged of his Enemies, as he pretended, and as it proved afterwards by his Fall: How­soever it was, the Charge was not so great as necessary: For it was com­monly known, that the Adalantada had drawn both his Ships and Gallies to the Groyne; which was not usually done, but for some Action intended upon England or Ireland, though he converted them after to another use, as you shall hear.

The Gallies were sent into the Low Countreys, and pass'd the Narrow Seas, while our Ships lay there, and with the Fleet the Atalantada pursued the Hollanders to the Islands, whither he suspected they were gone. This [Page 40] Fleet of Hollanders, which consisted of 73 Sail, were the first Ships that ever displayed their Colors in War-like sort against the Spaniards, in any Action of their own: For how cruel soever the War seemed to be in Hol­land, they maintained a peaceable Trade in Spain, and abused us. This first Action of the Hollanders at Sea proved not very successful: For after the Spoil of a Town in the Canary's, and some Hurt done at the Island of St. Ome, they kept the Sea for some seven or eight months, in which time their General and most of their Men, sickned and died, and the rest return­ed with Loss and Shame. Another Benefit which we received by this Preparation, was, that our Men were now taught suddainly to Arme, eve­ry man knowing his Command, and how to be commanded, which before they were ignorant of: and who knows not, that sudden and false Alarms in an Army, are sometimes necessary? To say truth, the Expedition which was then used in drawing together so great an Army by Land, and rig­ging so great and Royal a Navy to Sea in so little a space of Time, was so admirable in other Countreys, that they received a Terror by it; and many that came from beyond Sea, said, the Queen was never more dread­ed abroad for any thing she ever did.

French-men that came Aboard our Ships, did wonder (as at a thing in­credible) that her Majesty had rigged, victualled and furnished her Roy­al Ships to Sea in 12 days time: And Spain, as an Enemy, had reason to fear, and grieve to see this suddain Preparation; but more, when they un­derstood how the Hearts of Her Majesty's Subjects joyned with their Hands, being all ready to spend their dearest Blood for her and her Service. Hol­land might likewise see, that if they became insolent, we could be assoon provided as they; nor did they expect to find such celerity in any Nation but themselves.

It is probable too, that the King of Spain, and the Arch-Duke, were hereby drawn to entertain Thoughts of Peace: For as soon as our Fleet was at Sea, a Gentleman was sent from Brussells, with some Overtures, al­though for that time they succeeded not. However, whether it was, that the intended Invasion from Spain was diverted, or that her Majesty was ful­ly satisfied of my Lord of Essex, I know not; but so it was, that she commanded the suddain Return of her Ships from Sea, after they had layn three weeks or a month in the Downs.

Sir Richard Lewson to the Islands, Anno Dom. 1600.

THE last Year, as you have heard, put all men in expectation of War, which yet came to nothing. This Summer gave us great hope of Peace; but with the like effect: For by consent of the Queen, the King of Spain, and the Arch-Duke, their Commissioners met at Bulloign in Pic­cardie, to treat of Peace; a place chosen indifferently, the French King be­ing [Page 41] in League and Friendship with them all. Whether this Treaty were in­tended but in shew only, or, that they were out of hopes, to come to any conclusion; or, what else was the true and real cause of its breaking off so suddenly, I know not; but the pretence was but slender, for there grew a difference about Precedency, betwixt the two Crowns, though it was ever due to England; and so the hopes of Peace were frustrated, though had it been really intended, matters might easily have been accommodated.

The Queen suspecting the Event hereof, before their meeting, and the rather, because the Spaniards entertained her with the like Treaty, in 1588 when at the same instant, his Navy appeared upon her Coast to Invade her; therefore, least she should be guilty of too great security, in relying upon the success of this doubtful Treaty, she furnished the Three Ships before named, under pretence to guard the Western Coast, which at that time was infested by the Dunkirkers.

And because there should be the less notice taken, part of the Victuals was provided at Plymouth; and Sir Richard Lewson, who was then Admiral of the Narrow Seas, was appointed General, for the more secret carriage of the business; so as it could not be conjectured, either by their Victualling, or by their Captain, being Admiral of the Narrow Seas, that it was a Service from home. As they were in a readiness at Plymouth, expecting Orders, the Queen being fully satisfied, that the Treaty of Bulloign would break off without effect, she commanded Sir Richard Lewson to hasten to the Islands, there to expect the Carrecks, and Mexico Fleet. The Spaniards on the other side, being as circumspect to prevent a mischief, as we were subtil to contrive it; and believing (as we did) that the Treaty of Peace would prove a vain, hopeless shew of what was never meant, they furnished Eighteen tall Ships to the Islands, as they had usually done, since the Year 1591. The General of this Fleet was Don Diego de Borachero.

Our Ships coming to the Islands, they and the Spaniards had intelligence of one another, but not the sight, for that Sir Richard Lewson hailed Sixty Leagues Westward, not only to avoid them, but in hopes to meet with the Carrecks, and Mexico Fleet, before they could join them: But the Car­recks being formerly warned by the taking of one of them, and burning of another, in 1591. had ever since that year, endeavored to shun the sight of that Island; so that our Fleet being now prevented, as they had often before been, (nothing being more uncertain, than Actions at Sea, where Ships are to meet one another casually) they returned home, having con­sumed time and Victuals, to no purpose, and seen not so much as one Sail, from the time they quitted the Coast of England, till their return, two Ships of Holland excepted, that came from the East Indies (for then began their Trade thither) which Ships Sir Richard Lewson relieved, finding them in great distress and want.

Sir Richard Lewson into Ireland, Anno 1601.

IN the Year 1600. and part of the Year 1601. there was a kind of cessa­tion from Arms, though not by agreement, for this Year gave a hope of Peace; which failing, the former course of annoying each other was revi­ved; we in relieving the Low Countries, the Spaniards in assisting the Re­bels in Ireland. This was the Summer, that the Arch-Duke besieged Ostend, which was bravely defended, but principally, by the Supplies out of Eng­land. And towards Winter, when the Spaniards thought we least looked for War, Don Diego de Borachero, with 48 Sail of Ships, and 4000 Soldi­ers was sent to Invade Ireland.

In his way thither he lost the company of his Vice-Admiral, Siriago, who returned to the Groyn, which when the King heard, he was much dista­sted with Siriago, and commanded him upon his Allegiance, to hasten with all speed for Ireland, as he was formerly directed; Don Diego, his Landing being known in England, when it was too late to prevent it; yet, least he should be supplied with further Forces, Sir Richard Lewson valiantly entred the Harbor, drew near their Fortifications, and fought the Enemy for the space of one whole day, his Ship being an Hundred times shot through, and yet but Eight men slain. God so blest him, that he prevailed in his Enter­prize, destroyed their whole Shipping, and made Siriago fly by Land into another Harbor, where he obscurely Imbarqued himself in a French Vessel, for Spain. All this while was the main Army, which Landed with their General, Don Iuan de Aquila, seated in Kinsale, expecting the aid of Tyro­en, who promised every day to be with him. Our Army commanded by the Lord Montjoy, Lord Deputy of Ireland, besieged the Town, so that he prevented their meeting, and many skirmishes past betwixt them.

The Siege continued, with great miseries to both the Armies, and not without cause, considering the Season of the Year, and the condition of the Country, that afforded little relief to either: some few days before Christmas, Tyroen appeared with his Forces, which was some little heart­ning to the Enemy, in hopes to be freed of their Imprisonment, for so may I call it, they were so strictly beleagured. The day of agreement, betwixt the Spaniards and Tyroen, was Christmas Eve, on which day, there happen­ed an Earthquake in England; and, as many times such Signs prove aut bo­num, aut malum Omen; this proved Fortunate to us, the Victory being obtained, with so little loss, as it is almost incredible.

This was the day of Tryal, whether Ireland should continue a parcel of our Crown, or no; for if the Enemy had prevailed in the Battel, and a Treaty had not afterwards obtained more then Force, it was to be feared, Ireland would hardly have been ever recovered. The Spaniards in Ireland, [Page 43] seeing the success of Tyroen, and the impossibility for him to re-inforce his Army, being hopeless of supplies out of Spain, and their Poverty daily in­creasing, they made offers of a Parly, which was granted, and after ensu­ed a Peace there: The Conditions whereof are extant in Print. They were furnished with Ships, and secured of their Passage into Spain, where arriving in English Vessels, the Ships returned back for England.

Sir Richard Lewson, and Sir William Monson, to the Coast of Spain, Anno 1602.

THE last Attempt of the Spaniards in Ireland awakened the Queen, who, it seemeth for two or three Years together, entertained the Hopes of Peace, and therefore was sparing in setting forth her Fleets. But now perceiving the Enemy had found the way into Ireland; and that it behoved her to be more vigilant than ever; she resolved, as the safest course to infest the Spanish Coasts with a continual Fleet; and in this year furnish­ed the Ships aforesaid, having Promise from the States of Holland, to joyn to them twelve Sail of theirs; and because this important Service required great speed, she had not time enough to man them, or supply them with Provisions altogether so well as they were usually wont to be; but was content with what could be gotten in so short a warning, so desirous was she to see her Ships at Sea.

Sir Richard Lewson set sail with five of them the 19th. of March, and left Sir William Monson behind with the other four, to attend the coming of the Hollanders: though within two or three days after, Sir William received Command from the Queen, to hasten with all speed to Sir Richard Lewson; for that she was advertised, that the Silver Ships were arrived at the Ter­cera's. Sir William Monson hereupon neglected no time, nor stayed either to see himself better Manned, or his Ships better furnished; but put to Sea the 26th. of March.

This Intelligence of the Queen's was true: For the Plate Fleet had been at the Tercera's, and departing from thence, in their Course for Spain, Sir Richard Lewson, with his few Ships, met them; but to little purpose, want­ing the rest of his Fleet, and the help of the 12 Hollanders. We may very well account this not the least Error or Negligence that hath been commit­ted in our Voyages: For if the Hollanders had kept touch according to Promise, and the Queen's Ships had been fitted out with Care, we had made her Majesty Mistress of more Treasure than any of her Progenitors e­ver enjoyed.

[Page 44] Sir Richard Lewson's Design against the Indian Fleet, notwithstanding his Renowned Valor, being thus frustrated, and by the Hollanders slack­ness crossed, he plied towards the Rock, to meet Sir William Monson, as the place resolved on between them; but Sir William having spent 14 days thereabouts, and hearing no Tidings of him, went round to the Southward Cape, where he was likewise frustrated of a most promising Hope: For meet­ing with certain French-men and Scots, at the same instant, he descried three Ships of ours, sent by Sir Richard to look him. These French and Scottish Ships came from St. Lucas, and made report of five Gallions, ready the next Tide to set sail for the Indies: They likewise told him of two o­thers that departed three days before, wherein went Don Petro de Valdes, to be Governor of the Havana, who had sometimes been Prisoner in Eng­land.

These two later Ships were met one Night by the Warspight, whereof Capt. Sommers was Commander; but whether it was by the Darkness of the Night, or by what other Casualty (for the Sea is subject to many) I know not, but they escaped.

This News of the five Gallions, and the three Ships of the Queen's so happily meeting together, made Sir William direct his Course into the heighth wherein the Spaniards were most likely to sail in; and coming in­to that heighth, he had sight of five Ships, which in respect of their Num­ber and Course, he made reckoning to be the five Gallions; and thought that day should fully determine and try the difference between the Strength and Puissance of the English and Spanish Ships, their number and greatness being equal: But his Joy was soon quailed: For coming up with them, he found them to be English Ships coming out of the Streights, and bound home; but yet this did not discourage the Hope he had conceived that the Spani­ards might be met withall; and the next day he gave Chase to one Ship a­lone that came out of the Indies, which he took, though he had been bet­ter without her: For she brought him so far to Leeward, that that Night the Gallions passed to Wind-ward, not above eight or ten Leagues off us, by report of an English Pinnace that met them, who came into our Com­pany the day following. These Misfortunes lighting first upon Sir Richard, and after upon Sir William, might have been sufficient Reasons to discourage them; but they knowing the Accidents of the Sea, and that Fortune could as well laugh as weep, having good Ships under foot, their Men sound and in health, and plenty of Victuals, they did not doubt but that some of the Wealth which the Indies sent forth into Spain would fall to their Shares.

Upon Tuesday, the first of Iune, to begin our new Fortune with a new Month, Sir Richard Lewson and Sir William Monson, who some few Nights before had met accidentally in the Sea, were close on board the Rock, where they took two Ships of the East Country, bound for Lisbon; and while they were romaging these Ships, they descried a Carvel from Cape Picher bearing with them; which by Signs she made, they perceived had a desire to speak with them. Sir Richard immediately chased her, and left Sir William with the two Easterlings to abide about the Rock till his return. The Carvel being fetcht up, made a relation of a Carreck and 11 Gallies to be in Cisembre Road; and that she was sent by two Ships of ours, the Nonperil and the Dreadnought which lay thereabouts to look out the Admi­ral. With what Joy this News was apprehended may be easily imagined: Sir Richard made Signs to Sir William to stand with him; and lest he should not be discerned, he caused the Carvel to ply up with him, wishing him [Page 45] to repair to him; but before they could approach the Cape, it was midnight, and nothing chanced all that time, but the exchanging of some Shot, that passed betwixt the Admiral and the Gallies.

Upon Wednesday, the second of June, every man looked early in the mor­ning what Ships of her Majesties were in sight, which were five in number, the Warspight, wherein Sir Richard was: For the Repulse he had sent for England some few days before, by reason of a Leak; the Garland, the Nonpe­ril, the Dreadnought, and the Adventure, besides the two Easterlings taken the day before. All the Captains resorted on Board the Admiral, to coun­cel, which took up most part of the day. At first there was an Opposition by some, who alleadged the Danger and Impossibility of taking the Car­reck, being defended by the Castle and 11 Gallies: But Sir William Mon­son prevailed so far, as that all consented to go upon her the next day, and concluded upon this Course following, that he and Sir Richard should an­chor as near the Carreck as they could, the rest to ply up and down, and not anchor. Sir William was glad of this occasion, to be revenged of the Gallies, hoping to requite the Slavery they put him to when he was Pri­soner in them; and singled himself from the Fleet a League, that the Gal­lies might see it was in defiance of them; and so the Marquess of St. Cruz, and Frederick Spaniola, the one General of the Portugal, the other of the Spanish Gallies, apprehended it, and came forth with an intent to fight him; but being within Shot, were diverted by one John Bedford an English-man, who undertook to know the Force of the Ship, and Sir William that com­manded her. Before I go farther, I will a little digress, and acquaint you with the Scituation of the Town, and the manner of placing the Gallies against us. The Town of Cisembre lieth in the bottom of a Road, which is a good Succor for Ships with a Northerly Wind. It is built with Free­stone, and near the Sea is erected a strong and spacious Fort, well reple­nished with Ordnance: Above the Town, upon the top of a Hill, is seated an ancient, strong Fryery, whose Scituation maketh if impregnable, and able to command the Town, Castle and Road; close to the Shore lay the Carreck, like a Bullwork to the West side of the Castle; so as it defended both that, and the East part of the Town: The 11 Gallies had flancked and fortified themselves with the small Neck of a Rock on the West side of the Road, with their Prows right forward, to play upon us, every one car­rying a Cannon in their Cruzia, besides other Pieces in their Prows; and they were no way to be damaged by us, till our Ships came so nigh the Town, that all these Forces might play upon us in one instant.

The Gallies being placed to this great Advantage, they made account (as a Captain of one of them we took confess'd) to have sunk our Ships of themselves, without any farther Help. We saw the Tents pitched, and great Troops of Souldiers drawn together; which was no less than the whole Country in Arms against us: The Boats pass'd betwixt the Shore and the Carreck all the day long, which we supposed was to unlade her; but we found afterwards it was rather to strengthen her with Men and Munition: Here appeared many Difficulties and Dangers, and little hope of taking her; but rather of sinking or burning her, as most men conjectured. The Dan­ger from the Gallies was great, they being flancked with the point of a Rock at our Entrance, as you have heard, it being likewise calm, and they shooting low: Another Danger was, that of the Wind: For if it had come from the Sea, the Road being open, and the Bay deep, our Attempt must have been in vain. And notwithstanding these, and many more apparent­ly seen; and that there was no man but imagined, that most of the Car­recks [Page 46] Lading was on shoar, and that they would hale her on ground, under the Castle, where no Ship of ours should be able to fleet to her; all which objections, with many more, were alleadged, yet they little prevailed, pro­crastination was perilous, and therefore with all expedition, they thought convenient to charge the Town, the Fort, the Gallies, and Carreck, all at one instant. And they had determined, if the Carreck had been on ground, or so nigh the shoar, that the Queens Ships could not fleet to her, that the Two Easterlings, the day before taken, should Board her, and Burn her.

Thursday the Third day, early in the morning, every man commending himself to God's Tuition and Protection, expected when to begin, accord­ing to the agreement the day before. A gale of Wind happening about Ten of the Clock, the Admiral weighed; shot off a Warning-piece, and put forth his Flag in the Maintop: the Vice-Admiral did the like in his Foretop, according to the Custome of the Sea; every Captain encouraged his men, which so imboldened them, as though they were grown weak and feeble be­fore, they were now revived, and bestirred themselves, as if a new Spirit had been infused into them; the Admiral was the first that gave the charge, after him followed the rest of the Ships, shewing great Valor, and gaining great Honor; the last of all, was the Vice-Admiral, at whose entrance in­to the Fight, he still strived to get up as near the shoar as he could, where he came to an Anchor, continually fighting with the Town, the Fort, the Gallies, and Carreck, all together, for he brought them betwixt him, that he might play both his Broad Sides upon them; there might be seen the Prowess of the Gallies, swim by the sides of them, the Slaves forsake them, and every thing in confusion amongst them, and thus they Fought, till Five of the Clock in the Afternoon.

The Vice-Admiral was Anchored to such an advantage, as the Gallies rowed from one side to another, seeking to shun him, which Sir Richard Lewson observing, came on Board him, and openly, in the view and hearing of his whole Company, imbraced him, and told him, He had won his heart for ever.

The rest of the Ships, as they were directed, plied up, except the Admi­ral, who by the negligence of his Master, or some other impediment, when he should have Anchored, fell so far to Leeward, as the Wind and Tide car­ried him out of the Road, so that it was the next day, before his Ship could be fetcht in again; whereat the Admiral was much inraged, and put himself into the Dreadnought, and brought her to an Anchor close to the Vice-Admiral, about Two of the Clock in the Afternoon: There was no opportunity let pass, for where the Admiral saw defect in any other Ship, he presently caused it to be supplied, and the Easterlings, who were appoint­ed to Board the Carrek, beginning to faint, and fail of observing the di­rections given them, the Vice-Admiral perceiving it, went on Board them himself, vowing, that if they seemed backward in putting in Execution the design of firing the Carreck, they should look for as little Life from the English, as they could expect from the Enemy. Whilst the Vice-Admiral was thus ordering things, Sir Richard Lewson came to him, and would in no case suffer him to Board the Carreck himself, but carried him into the Dreadnought, where they consulted how to preserve the Carreck, and en­joy her.

The result of this Reference was, to offer her parley, which they present­ly put in practice, and commanded all the Ships to leave shooting, until the return of the Messenger: The man imployed, was one Captain Sewell, who [Page 47] had escaped▪ and swam to us, having been Four Years Prisoner in the Gal­lies, and so did many Turks and Christians; the effect of this Parley, was to persuade them to yield, promising honorable Conditions, and he was to in­timate, as from himself, that the Gallies, whose strength they presumed up­on, were beaten, some burnt, the rest fled; that we had the possession of the Road, the Castle not being able to abide our Ordinance, much less the Carreck, and if they refused this offer of Mercy, they were to expect all the Cruelty and Rigor, that a Conpueror could impose upon his Enemy: After some Conference to this effect, the Captain of the Carreck told him, He would send some Gentlemen of Quality, with Commission to Treat, and de­sired, that some of the like Quality from us, might repair to him, to the same purpose.

These Gentlemen came aboard the Dreadnought, where the Admiral and Vice-Admiral were, attending the return and success of Captain Sewell; af­ter the delivery of their Message, they would needs hasten on Board the Carreck again, for that, as it seemed, there was an uproar and a division in her, some being of opinion to entertain a Parley, others to save themselves, and set her on fire: which Sir William Monson hearing, without further de­lay, or conference, with Sir Richard, what was to be done, he leaped sud­denly into his Boat, and rowed unto the Carreck; when he drew near to her, he was known by diverse Gentlemen on Board her, he having once been a Prisoner among them: they seemed to be very glad of this meeting, and their passed diverse Imbracements between them, in remembrance of their old acquaintance: The Captain was called Don Diego de Lobo, a Gallant young Gentleman, of a Noble House. He descended down upon the bend of the Ship, and commanded his men to stand aside; Sir William did the like to his company, in the Boat; the Captain demanded of him, if he had the Portugal Language; he told him, he had sufficient to Treat of that bu­siness; acquainted him of the Place he commanded in the Fleet, intimated the affection and respect he bore the Portugal Nation, and that the Treaty which was offered, proceeded out of his motion, and wished him to make his proposals, which were as followeth, The first demand he made, was, That they should be safely put on shoar with their Arms. The Second, That it should be done the same Night. The Third, That they should enjoy their Ship and Ordinance, as appertaining to the King, but we the Wealth. The Fourth, That the Flag and Ancient should not be taken down, but worn while the Carreck was unlading. His Speech being ended, Sir William told him, That his De­mands gave suspition, that under pretence of Parley, they meant Treachery, or that their hopes were greater, than there was cause; and, but that he knew it was the use of some men, to demand great things, when less will serve them, he would not lose his advantage, to entertain a Parley; he desired, that what they in­tended, might be quickly concluded, for Night growing on, might advan­tage them; and for his Resolution, he should understand it in few words, viz. To his first Demand, He was willing to yeild, That they should be put on shoar with their Arms. To the Second, That he was contented, that they should be set on shoar that Night, except Eight or Ten of the Principal Gentlemen, whom he would detain Three Days. To the Third, He held it idle and frivolous, to imagine, he would consent to separate Ship and Goods, and esteemed it Por Cosa de burla. To the Fourth, He would not consent, being resolved, never to per­mit a Spanish Flag to be worn in the presence of the Queens Ships, unless it were disgracefully, over the Poop. There was long expostulations upon these points, and Sir William Monson seeing the obstinacy of the Captain, offered, in a great rage, to leap into his Boat, resolving to break the Treaty, which [Page 48] the rest of the Gentlemen perceiving, and that he had propounded nothing but what might very well stand with their Reputation, they intreated him once more to ascend into the Carreck, and they would enter into new Ca­pitulations: The effect whereof, as it was agreed upon, were these that follow;

That a Messenger should be sent to the Admiral, to have his Confirma­tion of the points concluded on; and that in the mean time the Flag and Ancient should be taken down; and if the Admiral should not consent to the Agreement, they to have leisure to put out their Flag and Ancient to­fore the Fight should begin. That the Company should be presently set on Shore; but the Captain, with eight other of the principal Gentlemen three days after. That the Ship with her Goods, should be surrendered with­out any Practice or Treason. That they should use their endeavors, that the Castle should forbear shooting whilst we rid in the Road; and this was the effect of the Conditions agreed upon. This Carreck Wintered in Mo­sambicke, in her return from the Indies, a place of great Infection, as ap­peared by the Mortality among them: For of 600 and odd men, twenty of them lived not to return Home. After a great deal of Calamity and Mortality, she arrived at this Port of Cisembre, as you have heard▪ the Viceroy of Portugal, having sent 11 Gallies to her Rescue, and 400 mocas de Camera, which is a Title of Gentlemen that serve the King upon any Honourable Occasion, when they are commanded. That she was brought to this pass, and forc'd to yield on these Conditions, Sir Robert Cecil was wont to impute to the Gentlemens Acquaintance with Sir William Monson. Although three days were limited for setting the Captain on Shore, yet it was held Discretion not to detain them longer than untill the Carreck was brought off safely to our Ships; and therefore Sir William Monson having carried the Captain, and the rest of the Gentlemen on board him, where they Supped, had variety of Musick, and spent the Night in great Jollity; the Morning following, accompanied them on Shore himself, whither the Conde de Vitagera had drawn down all the Force of the whole Country, amounting to the number of 10000 men.

I must not omit to describe the Behavior of the Gallies in the Fight, that every Man may have that Honor that is due to him: Those of Portugal, be­ing of the Squadron of the Marquess of St. Cruz, betook themselves, with their General, to Flight in the middle of the Fight; but Frederico Spinola, who was to convey his Gallies out of Spain into the Low Countreys, fol­lowed not the Example of the Marquess, but made good the Road; which the other seeing, with Shame returned; but to both their Costs: for be­fore they departed, they found the Climate so hot, as they were forc'd to fly, their Gallies being so miserably beaten, and their Slaves so pitifully slain, as there wanted nothing but Boats to possess them all, as well as the two we took and burnt; which is a thing hath been seldom seen or heard of, for Ships to take and destroy Gallies. The number of Men slain in the Town, the Castle, the Carreck and Gallies, are unknown, though they could not chuse but be many; the Wealth of the Carreck could then as ill be estimated, though after found to be great; the Value of the two Gallies burnt with their Loading of Powder, is hard to judge, though it's known to have been a Service of great Importance. For our Loss, it was not much, only one man killed in the Fly-Boat, five slain, and as many hurt in the Garland, and one hurt in the Adventure: Sir William Monson had the left Wing of his Doublet shot off, but received no other Hurt.

[Page 49] The day following, with a favourable Wind, we stood our Course for England, which brought us into 47 Degrees; and there we met a Pinnace, sent with a Pacquet from the Lords, signifying the readiness of a se­cond Fleet to supply us, and the setting out of the Hollanders, which were so long looked for; which Fleet of Holland was in View of the Pinnace the same Night; but pass'd by us unseen. This unlooked for Accident made the Admiral and Vice-Admiral consider what to do, and concluded, they could not both appear at Home, and have a Fleet of so great Importance upon the Enemies Coast without a Guide or Head; and therefore they held it fit the Vice-Admiral should put himself into the Nonperil, as the ablest Ship of the Fleet, and make his Return once more to the Coast of Spain; but he having taken his Leave, and standing his Course for the Coast, a most violent Storm, with a contrary Wind took him, which continued ten days, and discovered the weakness of his Ship, who had like to have foundered in the Deep. The Carpenters and Company seeing the apparent Danger, if he bore not up before the Wind, presented him with a Petiti­on, beseeching him to have a regard to their Lives; for by keeping the Seas they should all perish. Thus was he forc'd by mere Extremity to bear room for England; and coming for Plymouth, he found the Carreck safely arrived, and the Fleet he went back to take Charge of, not to have quit­ted the Coast of England.

Though it be somewhat impertinent to this Voyage, to treat of more than the Success thereof; yet I will a little digress, and relate the Mishap of that worthy Young Gentleman Don Diego de Lobo, Captain of the Car­reck; and because his Worth will more appear by his Answer to Sir Wil­liam Monson's Offer to him when he was his Prisoner; thus it was: Sir William Monson told him, he doubted, that by the loss of the Carreck, he had lost his best Means; for that he supposed, what he had gained in the Indies, was laden in her; and therefore offered, that what he would chal­lenge upon his Reputation to be his own, he should have Freedom to car­ry along with him. The Gentleman acknowledged the Favor to be extra­ordinary; but replied, that what he had, he had gained by his Sword; and that his Sword, he doubted not, would repair his Fortunes again, ut­terly refusing to accept any Courtesie in that kind: But, poor Gentleman, ill fortune thus left him not: For the Viceroy, Don Cristoball de Moro, holding it for a great indignity to have the Carreck taken out of the Port, that was defended by a Castle, and guarded with 11 Gallies, and especial­ly in his hearing of the Ordnance to Lisbon, and in the view of thousands of People who beheld it; some of them feeling it too, by the loss of their Goods that were in her, others grieving for the Death of their Friends that were slain; but every man finding himself touched in Reputation.

• The St. Valentine, a Carreck of one Thousand seven Hundred Tuns.
• The Christopher, the Admiral of Por­tugal, wherein the Marquess de San­cta Cruz went.
• The St. Lewis, wherein Frederick Spi­nola went General of the Gallies of Spain.
• The Forteleza, Vice-Admiral to the Marquess.
• The Trividad, Vice-Admiral to Fre­derick Spinola, burnt.
• The Snis, in which Sir William Mon­son was Prisoner, 1591.
• The Occasion burnt, and the Captain taken Prisoner.
• The St. John Baptist.
• The Lazear.
• The Padillar.
• The Philip.
• The St. John.

And the Viceroy not knowing how to clear himself so well, as the laying it upon the Gentlemen he put on Board her, the same Night they returned to their Lodging, he caused the most part of them, with their Captain, to be apprehended, imputing the loss of the Carreck to their Cowardise and Fear, if not Treason and Connivance with the Enemy. After some time of Imprisonment, by mediation of Friends, all the Gentlemen were released but the Captain, who received secret Advice, that the Viceroy intended his Death, and that he should seek by Escape to prevent it. Don Diego being thus perplexed, practised with his Sister, who finding means for his Escape out of a Window, he fled into Italy, where he lived in Exile, from 1602. when this happened, untill 1615. His Government in the Indies, for which he had a Patent in Reversion, was confiscate, and he lest hopeless e­ver to return into his Native Country, much less to be restored to his Com­mand; an ill Welcome after so long and painful a Navigation. Having thus spent thirteen years in Exile, at the last he advised with Friends, whose Councel he followed, to repair into England, there to enquire after some Commanders, that had been at the taking of the Carreck, by whose Cer­tificate he might be cleared of Cowardise or Treason in the loss of her, which would be a good Motive to restore him to his Government again. In the Year 1515. he arrived in London, and after some Enquiry found out Sir William Monson, to whom he complained of his hard▪ Mishap, craving the Assistance of him and some others, whom Sir William knew to be at the taking of the Carreck, and desired him to testifie the manner of surprizing her, which he alleadged, was no more than one Gentleman was bound to afford another in such a case.

Sir William wondered to see him, and especially upon such an Occasion: For the present, he entertained him with all Courtesie; and the longer his stay was in England, the Courtesies were the greater, which Sir William did him. Sir William procured him a true and effectual Certificate from himself, Sir Francis Howard, Captain Barlow, and some others who were Witnesses of that Service; and to give it the more Reputation, he caused it to be in­rolled in the Office of the Admiralty. The Gentleman being well satisfied with his Entertainment, and having what he desired, returned to Flanders, [Page 51] where he presented his Certificate to the Arch-Duke and the Infanta, by whose means he got Assurance, not only of the King's Favor, but of Restitution likewise to his Government. The poor Gentleman having been thus tossed by the Waves of Calamity, from one Country to another, and never find­ing rest; Death that masters all men, now cut him off short, in the midst of his hopes, as he was preparing his Journy for Spain; and this was an end of an unfortunate gallant young Gentleman, whose Deserts might justly have challenged a better reward, if God had pleased to afford it him.

Sir William Monson to the Coast of Spain, Anno 1602.

THe Fleet of Sir Richard Lewson being happily returned, with the for­tune of a Carreck, as you have heard, and the Queen having now no Ships upon the Spanish Coast, to impeach the Enemies preparations, she feared, the Fleet which was ready at the Groyne, would give a Second As­sault upon Ireland; whereupon Sir William Monson, who by this time was arrived at Plymouth, was sent for in great haste, by her Majesty, to advise about, and take on him the charge of the Fleet, then at Plymouth. After a long Conference with Sir William Monson, in the presence of her Majesty, her Lord Admiral, Treasurer, and Secretary, it was Resolved, That Sir William should repair to Plymouth, and with all speed get forth those Ships, and others that were there making ready. His directions were, to present himself before the Harbor of the Groyne, being the place where the Spani­ards made their Randevouz, and if he found any likelihood of a design up­on Ireland, not to quit that Coast untill he saw the Issue, but if he found Ireland secure, and the Enemies preparations to be intended only for defence of their own Coasts, then his instructions led him thence, to the place where the Holland Fleet had order to attend, and expect him; and afterwards, the whole carriage of the Action was referred to his discretion, but with this caution, that above all respects of other profit or advantage, he attended the affair of Ireland. The Wind this part of the Summer hung contrary, and it was Six Weeks before he could clear the Coast, during which time, he lost his greatest hopes, by the return of the Carrecks of the Indian Fleet, which happened a full Month before his arrival: He set Sail from Plymouth the last of August, with a scant Wind, which continued with foul Weather, [Page 52] untill he recovered the Groyne, choosing rather to keep the Sea, then hazard the overthrow of the Voyage by his return.

He stayed at the Groyne, until he understood that the Fleet which was suspected to be prepared for Ireland, was gone to Lisbone, to join with Don Diego de Borachero, who all that Summer durst not budge forth, for fear of our Fleet, that made good the Coast thereabouts: Sir William in his way to the Rock, commanded his Carvel to repair to the Islands of Bayon, as the likeliest place to procure Intelligence of the State of those parts; as the Carvel drew near the Islands, he discerned the Spanish Fleet, consisting of Twenty Four Sail, whose design was, as she understood by a Boat she took, to look out the English Fleet, whose comming they daily expected up­on the Coast; and meeting Sir William with this news, he held it a good Ser­vice to be thus warned of them. Here he took two goodly Ships of France, bound for Lisbone, which Harbor he put them from, and took Pledges, that they should directly return into France, without touching in any Harbor of Spain, for that he understood, the Spanish Fleet was ill provided of men, and many other things which these Ships could supply. Sir William and the Dreadnought, were carried with a chase into the Road of Cisimbre, where the Carreck was taken not long before, and after some Fight with the Ca­stle, who defended the Vessel chased, they came to a friendly Treaty, and Presents past between them.

That Night, while the Admiral rid in the Road, a Carvel comming in, not mistrusting him, was taken, but dismissed in a friendly manner; by whom he understood the affairs of Lisbone, but could get no notice of the Holland Fleet, which was appointed to attend at the Rock, whither once more he repaired.

Coming thither the 26th of September, a light was espied in the Night, which the Admiral chased, thinking it had been the Fleet of St. Omer, or Brazil, bound for Lisbone, where they were expected; but drawing so near them, that he might hail them, he found them, by the hugeness of their Vessels, and the number which answered the relation the Carvel made, to be the Armado of Spain: whereupon he sought means how to clear himself, being ingaged amongst them, and made a Spaniard which served him call to them, but they could not hear him; the Adventure only, and the Whelp, were left with him, the rest losing company, Four nights before in a Storm; the Enemy perceiving our lights, and thinking it to be some Fleet of Flem­mings, stood in amongst us, but the Adventure being discovered to be an Enemy, the Alarum was soon taken, and they shot at her, and slew and hurt some of her men; as soon as the day appeared, the Spaniards beheld the Three Enlish Ships a head them, which they chased, and Three of them, which were better of Sail than the rest, fetcht upon us, and drew near the Whelp, who was of small Force to resist them.

But the Admiral resolving, though it was to his own evident Peril, not to see a Pinnace of her Majesties so lost, if so be he could rescue her with the loss of his Life, though it was much against the persuasions of his Master, and company, he stroak his two Sails for the Whelp, and commanded her to stand her course, while he staid for the Three Spanish Ships, with hope to make them have little list to pursue us: The Admiral of the Spaniards per­ceiving how little he cared for his Three Ships, in that he lingered for their coming up, took in with the shoar, and shot off a peice for his Three Ships to follow him. It may appear by this, as by several other expeditions of ours, how much the swift Sailing of Ships doth avail, being the principal advantage in Sea Service, and indeed the main thing we could presume up­on, [Page 53] in our War against the Spaniards. Sir William having thus escaped the Enemy, in his traverse at Sea, there happened, as there doth upon all Coasts, where there is plenty of Trade, divers occasions of chases; and one day Sir William following one Ship, and the Adventure another, they lost company for the whole Voyage.

Sir William was advertised by a Ship he took, being a Frenchman, who came from St. Lucas, that the St. Domingo Fleet was looked for daily, which Intelligence made him bear up for the South Cape, as well in hopes to meet with them, as to have news of his Fleet.

He was no sooner come to the Cape, but he was informed by some English men of War, that the Domingo Fleet was past by two days before; here he met with Ships of several Nations, some he rescued from Pirats, and to others that were in League with her Majesty, he gave his safe conduct, for their free passage on the Sea; he kept that Coast until the 21th of October, on which morning he gave chase to a Gallion of the King of Spain, who re­covered the Castle of Cape Sacre, before he could fetch her up; although he knew the strength of the Castle, yet he attempted, and had carried her, had it not been for the fear and cowardize of him at the Helm, who bore up, when he was ready to Board her: The Fight was not long, but sharp and dangerous, for there never past shot between them, till they were within a Ships length one of another: The Castle plaid her part, and tore his Ship, so that a man might have crept through her: Between the Castle and Galli­on, they slew in the Admiral Ten men, and hurt many more, in the view of Sireago and his Quadron, to the Westward, and of divers English men of War, to the Eastward, who durst not put themselves upon the rescue of Sir William, for fear of the Castle: Sir William being now left alone, and see­ing what head Land soever he came unto, he was to encounter a Spanish Squadron, stood his course that night to Sea, thinking to try, if the Islands of Terceras would afford him any better Fortune, but coming within Forty or Fifty Leagues of the Islands, he was taken short with the Wind, yet still bearing up what he could for the Rock; but at length finding his Victuals grew short, his Mast perished, and the dangers he was exposed to, by keeping that Coast, he directed his course for England, and came to Plymouth, the 24th of November, where he found the Mary-rose and Dreadnought, most part of their men being dead or sick.

The Adventure arrived within an hour after him, who in her way home­wards fell, fell amongst the Braizl Fleet, and encountring with them, lost divers men, but took none: The Paragon was at home long before, with a Prize of Sugar, and Spices, which countervailed the charge of the Voyage. The Quittance in her return, met Two Ships of Dunkirk, and in fight with them, her Captain was slain, but she acquitted her self very well, with­out further harm. This Fleet, as you have heard, was to keep the Enemy busied at home, that he might be diverted from the thoughts of Ireland; what hazard it endured by the Enemy, the fury of the Sea, and soul Weather, doth appear; and no marvel; for it was the latest Fleet in Winter, that ever kept upon the Spanish Coast, as it was likewise the last Fleet her Maje­sty imployed; for in March after she died, and by her Death all War cea­sed. As Sir William Monson was General of this last Fleet, so was he a Sol­dier, and a Youth, at the beginning of the Wars, and was at the taking of the first Spanish Prize, that ever saw the English Coast, which yet was pur­chased with the loss of Twenty Five of our men, besides Fifty hurt. This Prize was afterwards a Man of War, and served against the Spaniards, and was in those days reckoned the best Ship of War we had; she was called [Page 54] the Commander, and belonged to Sir George Carew, then Governor of the Isle of Wight.

Sir Richard Lewson and Sir William Monson into the Narrow Seas, Anno 1603.

SIR William Monson returning with his Fleet, in November, there was a Resolution to furnish another against February, which should be re­cruited with fresh Ships, Men and Victuals in June. Sir Richard Lewson was to command the former Fleet, and Sir William Monson the later: For the Queen found it a Course both secure and profitable, to keep a continual Force upon the Spanish Coast, from February to November, that being the time of greatest Peril to her Majesty; and she was the rather en­couraged thereto, by the safty she found the last Summer, and the Wealth and Riches she had from time to time taken from the Enemy. The Complaint of the ill furnishing out of her Ships in other Voyages, made it more carefully to be look'd unto now, and there was better Choice of Victuals and Men than usually had been; but in the mean time, it pleased God to visit her Majesty with Sickness, which caused a ling'ring, though no absolute dissolving of the Fleet; but when her Danger was perceived to increase. the Ships were hastened out to Sea, it being a point of good Policy, to keep our Seas guarded from any Forreign Attempt, untill his Majesty should be peaceably settled in England.

This Fleet departed from Quinborough the 22th. of March, and arrived in the Downs the 25th. of the same, being the day after her Majesties Death: The News whereof, and Commandment to proclaim King James the Sixth of Scotland, our Lawful King, and the rightful Inheritor to the Crown, arrived both together; which put us into two contrary Passions, the one of Grief, the other of Joy: Grief for the Loss of the Queen, Joy for▪ accepting of the King in that peaceable manner, which was a Hap­piness beyond all Expectation, either at home or abroad.

As the Design of this Fleet was to guard and defend our own Coasts from any Incursion that might be made out of France or the Low Countreys; so the Commanders were vigilant to appear on those Coasts once in two days, to dishearten them, in case they had any such Thought; but the truth is, it was beyond their Abilities, whatever was in their Hearts to impugn his Majesty. And because the Arch-Duke would make the Candidness of his Intention apparent to the World, he cal­led in his Letters of Reprizal against the English; and published an [Page 55] Edict for a free and unmolested Traffick into Flanders: So that now our Merchants might again trade peaceably into those Parts from which they had been debarred the space of Eighteen Years. The King find­ing, that France neither impeached his Right, nor gave any Jealousie by the raising of an Army; and that the Arch-Duke made a Demon­stration of his desire of Peace, his Majesty did the like, acknowledg­ing the League he had with those Princes, with whom the late Queen had Wars: For Wars betwixt Countreys are not hereditary; but com­monly end with the Death of their Kings: Wherefore he commanded his Ships to give over their Southern Employment, and to repair to Chatham, giving manifest Testimonies, how desirous he was that his Subjects should recover that Wealth and Freedom by Peace, which they had formerly lost by War.