SEven Ships in the service of the King of Spain (being four of the Kings own Fleet, and three Merchants) coming from the West-Indies, most of them rich­ly laden with Gold, Silver, Pearl, and other Commodities: viz. The Admiral Don Marquis Del Porto, General; Vice-Admiral a Gallion, Don Francisco De Esquevel, Commander; the Rear-Admiral a Gallion, Don Francisco Del Hayo, Commander; a Ship commanded by Captain John Rodri­gues Caldron; a Ship commanded by Captain John De la Torre; another small man of War, and a Vessel of Advice from the Vice-Roy of Mexico to Spain: They did in Fifty eight days proceed so far as within a few Leagues of Cadiz, without making Land, or touching at any place during the Voyage, having in their way betwixt the Western Islands and Masagam in Africk, seized upon a small Portugal as Prize; by whom, receiving a false Infor­mation, That the Spaniards had beaten the [Page 2] English Fleet from off their Coast a Moneth before, they sailed with much confidence to­wards Cadiz, as not expecting opposition.

The greatest part of the English Fleet were at this time gone to the Bay of Wyers in Portugal (where they arrived the Eleventh of September last) to recruit their wants, and to be in a way of further Orders; the Ge­nerals leaving behinde them a Squadron of six or seven Ships (to have an eye upon Cadiz) under the command of Captain Stainer, Ca­ptain of the Speaker Frigot: which Squa­dron, on the Eighth of September last, plying to Sea, being forced thither by a strong Westerly wind, did at the evening of the day discover the said Spanish Fleet five or six Leagues to the Westward of Cadiz; and the approach of the night denying opportunity of present action, they endeavored to fall in with them the next day, which according­ly they did about Nine of the clock in the morning, (they seeming to the Spaniards to be Fisher-Boats) but there being a fresh Galt that night, all but Three of the Squadron were to the Leeward, and could not presently come in; and finding it to be the Spanish Fleet come from the Indies, the Speaker, the Bridgwater and the Plymouth Fri­gots (not thinking it adviseable to stay for the rest of the Squadron, they being within Four Leagues of Cadiz) ingaged with the Fleet, and a sharp Dispute there was be­twixt them: The Admiral being a small Ship, and it being conceived that the placing of the Flag upon her, might be in policy to divert them from attending the Ships of [Page 3]better value, they slighted her, and suffered her (with the Portugal Prize) to go into Ca­diz Bay, where (it's said) she was run on shore, and sunk, being reported to have in her Six hundred thousand Pieces of Eight: The Vice-Admiral being reported to have in her Six hundred thousand Pieces of Eight; be­sides, in Iewels and Plate, upon the ac­compt of the Marquis of Badex, to the value of Five hundred thousand Pieces of Eight; having fought Six hours, was taken by our Ships, and after set on fire by the Spa­niards themselves, and so burnt down and sunk; and in her were destroyed One hundred and ten men, the principal of whom was the Marquis of Badex, who, with his Wife and eldest Daughter, were burnt: The Rere-Admiral was taken, and remains in our pos­session: The Ship under command of Ca­ptain John Rodrigues Caldron, which was said to have in her, Sugar, Tobacco and Plate, to the value of Six hundred thousand Pieces of Eight, was taken, and in the bringing off, was by an accidental Fire burnt and sunk: The Ship under command of De la Tour, Twelve thousand West-India Hides, and some quantities of Sugar, is taken and in our possession: The small man of War having in her the like Lading with the last mention­ed, and the Adviso-vessel being of no force or Lading, are said to escape into Gibralter. The value of what is taken and possessed, is not justly known, but by the calculation of the Spaniards, there are taken and lost, about Nine Millions of Pieces of Eight, besides the said Ships and their Lading: There are [Page 4]many Prisoners taken, Three hundred and fifty being found in the Rere-Admiral, and about Ninety saved out of the Vice-Admi­ral, among whom there are, the eldest Son, a yonger Son, and Two Daughters of the said Marquis (besides a Childe): as also Don Diego De Villa Alva, the Governor of the Ha­vanna, and several others of quality, and Spanish Merchants. And as all this was done without the loss of one Vessel of the English, so it pleased the Wisdom of God to chuse to effect so great a work by a little Force, as also by suffering the Enemy to be foolishly ensnared into a presumptuous Con­fidence, by an Enemies Information, on which they so relyed, that they neglected the haling of a Vessel which came from St. Lucar, and might have informed them of the truth.

By this Narrative, We see that the Lord whose Right hand hath been heretofore so Glorious in power for the help of his poor People in these Nations, in the time of their saddest Dangers, when their Enemies at home expected to have satisfied their lusts in their ruine, hath again appeared on their behalf, in this day of their need, by blowing with his Wind, and causing the Sea to co­ver their Enemies abroad, so that they have sunk as Lead into the mighty Waters; which gives abundant cause to say, Who is like unto the Lord, for he hath triumphed glori­ously! And as the eminency of this mercy in weakning the common enemy of Religion, (the King of Spain, with whom this Com­monwealth is ingaged in a just and necessary [Page 5]War) and in encouraging and strengthning the hands of his Servants, in a vigorous prosecution of that Engagement, is much heightned by the freeness of it (being extend­ed to Vs, a Froward, Vnbelieving and Vn­thankful People, who had just cause, rather to expect from the Lord a renewing of his Strokes, and to be still kept under his Re­bukes, then that he should return to Vs in loving-kindeness and tender-mercy, as he hath done in this late Dispensation) So also is this Mercy the more magnified, by the suteableness and seasonableness of it, when his people were laid low in their own thoughts and expectations, and lower in the eyes and hearts of some that were lookers on; so that We have cause in some measure to say with the Psalmist, Lord; thou hast been fa­vorable to thy Land, thou hast brought back the ca­ptivity of Jacob, thou hast taken away thy wrath, thou hast turned thy self from the fierceness of thine anger.

And as We have cause to remember his Goodness, so occasion is hereby also given to his People, to acknowledge his Soveraign­ty, and the unsearchableness of his Iudge­ments. He doth whatsoever he pleaseth both in Heaven, and in Earth, the Sea, and in all deep places; and for this end, that men may learn to fear before him, He will render Vengeance to his Enemies, and his Salvation is nigh to them that trust in him: both which deserve to be had in everlasting remembrance, and to render him fearful in Praises.

Therefore, His Highness and the Parlia­ment looking upon themselves and all the [Page 6]People of God in these Nations, as obliged to all humble returns of praise and acknow­ledgement to the Lord, who hath been thus with them in their necessity, have thought fit to appoint Wednesday, being the Fifth of November next, to be observed and kept as a Day of Publike Thanksgiving for the Mer­cies vouchsafed as aforesaid, in all places within England, Scotland and Ireland: And do order that the Ministers of the several Con­gregations, do on the Lords-day next before the said Fifth day of November, give notice hereof in their several Churches and Chap­pels; And upon the said Fifth day of Novem­ber, read this Narrative and Order before the Sermon, for the better stirring up of the Hearts of the People to praise God in respect thereof.