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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/3334-h.zip b/3334-h.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..6b09226 --- /dev/null +++ b/3334-h.zip diff --git a/3334-h/3334-h.htm b/3334-h/3334-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..173020f --- /dev/null +++ b/3334-h/3334-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,1743 @@ +<?xml version="1.0" encoding="us-ascii"?> + +<!DOCTYPE html + PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" + "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd" > + +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" lang="en"> + <head> + <title> + Drake's Great Armada, by Captain Walter Biggs + </title> + <style type="text/css" xml:space="preserve"> + + body { margin:5%; background:#faebd0; text-align:justify} + P { text-indent: 1em; margin-top: .25em; margin-bottom: .25em; } + H1,H2,H3,H4,H5,H6 { text-align: center; margin-left: 15%; margin-right: 15%; } + hr { width: 50%; text-align: center;} + .foot { margin-left: 20%; margin-right: 20%; text-align: justify; text-indent: -3em; font-size: 90%; } + blockquote {font-size: 97%; font-style: italic; margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%;} + .mynote {background-color: #DDE; color: #000; padding: .5em; margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 95%;} + .toc { margin-left: 10%; margin-bottom: .75em;} + .toc2 { margin-left: 20%;} + div.fig { display:block; margin:0 auto; text-align:center; } + div.middle { margin-left: 20%; margin-right: 20%; text-align: justify; } + .figleft {float: left; margin-left: 0%; margin-right: 1%;} + .figright {float: right; margin-right: 0%; margin-left: 1%;} + .pagenum {display:inline; font-size: 70%; font-style:normal; + margin: 0; padding: 0; position: absolute; right: 1%; + text-align: right;} + pre { font-style: italic; font-size: 90%; margin-left: 10%;} + +</style> + </head> + <body> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Drake's Great Armada, by Walter Biggs + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Drake's Great Armada + +Author: Walter Biggs + +Release Date: April 5, 2006 [EBook #3334] +Last Updated: February 1, 2013 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK DRAKE'S GREAT ARMADA *** + + + + +Produced by Dagny; John Bickers; David Widger + + + + + +</pre> + <p> + <br /> <br /> + </p> + <h1> + DRAKE'S GREAT ARMADA + </h1> + <p> + <br /> + </p> + <h2> + by Captain Walter Biggs + </h2> + <p> + <br /> <br /> + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + PREPARER'S NOTE + + This text was prepared from a 1910 edition, + published by P. F. Collier &Son Company, New York. +</pre> + <p> + <br /> <br /> + </p> + <hr /> + <p> + <br /> <br /> + </p> + <h2> + Contents + </h2> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2H_INTR"> INTRODUCTION </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2H_4_0002"> <big><b>DRAKE'S GREAT ARMADA</b></big> </a> + </p> + <p> + <br /> <br /> + </p> + <hr /> + <p> + <a name="link2H_INTR" id="link2H_INTR"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> <br /> <br /> + </p> + <h2> + INTRODUCTION + </h2> + <p> + Nearly five years elapsed between Drake's return from his Famous Voyage + and the despatch of the formidable armament commemorated in the following + pages. During the last of these years the march of events had been + remarkably rapid. Gilbert, who had been empowered by Elizabeth, in the + year of Frobisher's last expedition, to found colonies in America, had + sailed for that purpose to Newfoundland (1583), and had perished at sea on + his way homeward. Raleigh, who had succeeded to his half-brother's + enterprises, had despatched his exploring expedition to 'Virginia,' under + Amadas and Barlow, in 1584, and had followed it up in the next year (1585) + by an actual colony. In April Sir Richard Greenville sailed from Plymouth, + and at Raleigh's expense established above a hundred colonists on the + island of Roanoak. Drake's Great Armada left Plymouth in September of the + same year. It marked a turning-point in the relations between the English + and Spanish monarchs. Elizabeth, knowing that the suppression of the + insurrection in the Netherlands would be followed by an attack upon + England, was treating with the insurgents. Philip deemed it prudent to lay + an embargo on all her subjects, together with their ships and goods, that + might be found in his dominions. Elizabeth at once authorized general + reprisals on the ships and goods of Spaniards. A company of adventurers + was quickly formed for taking advantage of this permission on a scale + commensurate with the national resources. They equipped an armada of + twenty-five vessels, manned by 2,300 men, and despatched it under the + command of Drake to plunder Spanish America. Frobisher was second in + command. Two-thirds of the booty were to belong to the adventurers; the + remaining third was to be divided among the men employed in the + expedition. + </p> + <p> + Drake's armament of 1585 was the greatest that had ever crossed the + Atlantic. After plundering some vessels at the Vigo river, he sailed for + the West Indies by way of the Canaries and Cape Verde Islands, hoisted the + English flag over Santiago and burnt the town, crossed the Atlantic in + eighteen days, and arrived at Dominica. At daybreak, on New Year's Day, + 1586, Drake's soldiers landed in Espanola, a few miles to the west of the + capital, and before evening Carlile and Powell had entered the city, which + the colonists only saved from destruction by the payment of a heavy + ransom. Drake's plan was to do exactly the same at Carthagena and Nombre + de Dios, and thence to strike across the isthmus and secure the treasure + that lay waiting for transport at Panama. Drake held St. Domingo for a + month, and Carthagena for six weeks. He was compelled to forego the + further prosecution of his enterprise. A deadly fever, which had attacked + the men during the sojourn at Santiago, still continued its ravages. In + existing circumstances, even had Nombre de Dios been successfully + attacked, the march to Panama was out of the question; and after + consultation with the military commanders, Drake resolved on sailing home + at once by way of Florida. He brought back with him all the colonists who + had been left by Sir Richard Greenville in 'Virginia.' Drake had offered + either to furnish them with stores, and to leave them a ship, or to take + them home. The former was accepted: but a furious storm which ensued + caused them to change their minds. They recognized in it the hand of God, + whose will it evidently was that they should no longer be sojourners in + the American wilderness; and the first English settlement of 'Virginia' + was abandoned accordingly. + </p> + <p> + Ten years afterwards (1595) Drake was again at the head of a similar + expedition. The second command was given to his old associate Hawkins, + Frobisher, his Vice-Admiral in 1585, having recently died of the wound + received at Crozon. This time Nombre de Dios was taken and burnt, and 750 + soldiers set out under Sir Thomas Baskerville to march to Panama: but at + the first of the three forts which the Spaniards had by this time + constructed, the march had to be abandoned. Drake did not long survive + this second failure of his favourite scheme. He was attacked by dysentery + a fortnight afterwards, and in a month he died. When he felt the hand of + death upon him, he rose, dressed himself, and endeavoured to make a + farewell speech to those around him. Exhausted by the effort, he was + lifted to his berth, and within an hour breathed his last. Hawkins had + died off Puerto Rico six weeks previously. + </p> + <p> + The following narrative is in the main the composition of Walter Biggs, + who commanded a company of musketeers under Carlile. Biggs was one of the + five hundred and odd men who succumbed to the fever. He died shortly after + the fleet sailed from Carthagena; and the narrative was completed by some + comrade. The story of this expedition, which had inflicted such damaging + blows on the Spaniards in America, was eminently calculated to inspire + courage among those who were resisting them in Europe. Cates, one of + Carlile's lieutenants, obtained the manuscript and prepared it for the + press, accompanied by illustrative maps and plans. The publication was + delayed by the Spanish Armada; but a copy found its way to Holland, where + it was translated into Latin, and appeared at Leyden, in a slightly + abridged form, in 1588. The original English narrative duly appeared in + London in the next year. The document called the 'Resolution of the + Land-Captains' was inserted by Hakluyt when he reprinted the narrative in + 1600. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2H_4_0002" id="link2H_4_0002"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + DRAKE'S GREAT ARMADA + </h2> + <h3> + NARRATIVE MAINLY BY CAPTAIN WALTER BIGGS + </h3> + <p> + <i>A Summary and True Discourse of Sir Francis Drake's West Indian Voyage, + begun in the year 1585. Wherein were taken the cities of Santiago, Santo + Domingo, Carthagena, and the town of St. Augustine, in Florida. Published + by Master Thomas Cates.</i> + </p> + <p> + This worthy knight, for the service of his prince and country, having + prepared his whole fleet, and gotten them down to Plymouth, in Devonshire, + to the number of five and twenty sail of ships and pinnaces, and having + assembled of soldiers and mariners to the number of 2,300 in the whole, + embarked them and himself at Plymouth aforesaid, the 12th day of + September, 1585, being accompanied with these men of name and charge which + hereafter follow: Master Christopher Carlile, Lieutenant-General, a man of + long experience in the wars as well by sea as land, who had formerly + carried high offices in both kinds in many fights, which he discharged + always very happily, and with great good reputation; Anthony Powell, + Sergeant-Major; Captain Matthew Morgan, and Captain John Sampson, + Corporals of the Field. These officers had commandment over the rest of + the land-captains, whose names hereafter follow: Captain Anthony Platt, + Captain Edward Winter, Captain John Goring, Captain Robert Pew, Captain + George Barton, Captain John Merchant, Captain William Cecil, Captain + Walter Biggs [The writer of the first part of the narrative.], Captain + John Hannam, Captain Richard Stanton. Captain Martin Frobisher, + Vice-Admiral, a man of great experience in seafaring actions, who had + carried the chief charge of many ships himself, in sundry voyages before, + being now shipped in the Primrose; Captain Francis Knolles, Rear-Admiral + in the galleon Leicester; Master Thomas Venner, captain in the Elizabeth + Bonadventure, under the General; Master Edward Winter, captain in the Aid; + Master Christopher Carlile, the Lieutenant-General, captain of the Tiger; + Henry White, captain of the Sea-Dragon; Thomas Drake [Francis Drake's + brother.], captain of the Thomas; Thomas Seeley, captain of the Minion; + Baily, captain of the Talbot; Robert Cross, captain of the bark Bond; + George Fortescue, captain of the bark Bonner; Edward Careless, captain of + the Hope; James Erizo, captain of the White Lion; Thomas Moon, captain of + the Francis; John Rivers, captain of the Vantage; John Vaughan, captain of + the Drake; John Varney, captain of the George; John Martin, captain of the + Benjamin; Edward Gilman, captain of the Scout; Richard Hawkins, captain of + the galliot called the Duck; Bitfield, captain of the Swallow. + </p> + <p> + After our going hence, which was the 14th of September, in the year of our + Lord 1585, and taking our course towards Spain, we had the wind for a few + days somewhat scant, and sometimes calm. And being arrived near that part + of Spain which is called the Moors [Muros, S. of Cape Finisterre.], we + happened to espy divers sails, which kept their course close by the shore, + the weather being fair and calm. The General caused the Vice-Admiral to go + with the pinnaces well manned to see what they were; who upon sight of the + said pinnaces approaching near unto them, abandoned for the most part all + their ships, being Frenchmen, laden all with salt, and bound homewards + into France. Amongst which ships, being all of small burthen, there was + one so well liked, which also had no man in her, as being brought unto the + General, he thought good to make stay of her for the service, meaning to + pay for her, as also accordingly he performed at our return; which bark + was called the Drake. The rest of these ships, being eight or nine, were + dismissed without anything at all taken from them. Who being afterwards + put somewhat farther off from the shore, by the contrariety of the wind, + we happened to meet with some other French ships, full laden with Newland + fish, being upon their return homeward from the said Newfoundland; whom + the General after some speech had with them, and seeing plainly that they + were Frenchmen, dismissed, without once suffering any man to go aboard of + them. + </p> + <p> + The day following, standing in with the shore again, we decried another + tall ship of twelve score tons or thereabouts, upon whom Master Carlile, + the Lieutenant-General, being in the Tiger, undertook the chase; whom also + anon after the Admiral followed. And the Tiger having caused the said + strange ship to strike her sails, kept her there without suffering anybody + to go aboard until the Admiral was come up; who forthwith sending for the + master, and divers others of their principal men, and causing them to be + severally examined, found the ship and goods to be belonging to the + inhabitants of St. Sebastian, in Spain, but the mariners to be for the + most part belonging to St. John de Luz, and the Passage. In this ship was + great store of dry Newland fish, commonly called with us Poor John; + whereof afterwards, being thus found a lawful prize, there was + distribution made into all the ships of the fleet, the same being so new + and good, as it did very greatly bestead us in the whole course of our + voyage. A day or two after the taking of this ship we put in within the + Isles of Bayon [The Cies Islets, at the mouth of the Vigo River.], for + lack of favourable wind. Where we had no sooner anchored some part of the + fleet, but the General commanded all the pinnaces with the shipboats to be + manned, and every man to be furnished with such arms as were needful for + that present service; which being done, the General put himself into his + galley, which was also well furnished, and rowing towards the city of + Bayon, with intent, and the favour of the Almighty, to surprise it. Before + we had advanced one half-league of our way there came a messenger, being + an English merchant, from the governor, to see what strange fleet we were; + who came to our General, conferred a while with him, and after a small + time spent, our General called for Captain Sampson, and willed him to go + to the governor of the city, to resolve him of two points. The first to + know if there were any wars between Spain and England; the second, why our + merchants with their goods were embarged or arrested? Thus departed + Captain Sampson with the said messenger to the city, where he found the + governor and people much amazed of such a sudden accident. The General, + with the advice and counsel of Master Carlile, his Lieutenant-General, who + was in the galley with him, thought not good to make any stand, till such + time as they were within the shot of the city, where they might be ready + upon the return of Captain Sampson, to make a sudden attempt, if cause did + require, before it were dark. + </p> + <p> + Captain Sampson returned with his message in this sort:—First, + touching peace or wars, the governor said he knew of no wars and that it + lay not in him to make any, he being so mean a subject as he was. And as + for the stay of the merchants with their goods, it was the king's + pleasure, but not with intent to endamage any man. And that the king's + counter-commandment was (which had been received in that place some + seven-night before) that English merchants with their goods should be + discharged. For the more verifying whereof, he sent such merchants as were + in the town of our nation, who trafficked those parts; which being at + large declared to our General by them, counsel was taken what might best + be done. And for that the night approached, it was thought needful to land + our forces, which was done in the shutting up of the day; and having + quartered ourselves to our most advantage, with sufficient guard upon + every strait, we thought to rest ourselves for that night there. The + Governor sent us some refreshing, as bread, wine, oil, apples, grapes, + marmalade and such like. About midnight the weather began to overcast, + insomuch that it was thought meeter to repair aboard, than to make any + longer abode on land. And before we could recover the fleet a great + tempest arose, which caused many of our ships to drive from their + anchorhold, and some were forced to sea in great peril, as the bark + Talbot, the bark Hawkins, and the Speedwell; which Speedwell only was + driven into England, the others recovered us again. The extremity of the + storm lasted three days; which no sooner began to assuage, but Master + Carlile, our Lieutenant-General, was sent with his own ship and three + others, as also with the galley and with divers pinnaces, to see what he + might do above Vigo, where he took many boats and some carvels, diversely + laden with things of small value, but chiefly with household stuff, + running into the high country. And amongst the rest he found one boat + laden with the principal church stuff of the high church of Vigo, where + also was their great cross of silver, of very fair embossed work and + double-gilt all over, having cost them a great mass of money. They + complained to have lost in all kinds of goods above thirty thousand ducats + in this place. + </p> + <p> + The next day the General with his whole fleet went from up the Isles of + Bayon to a very good harbour above Vigo, where Master Carlile stayed his + coming, as well for the more quiet riding of his ships, as also for the + good commodity of fresh watering which the place there did afford full + well. In the meantime the governor of Galicia had reared such forces as he + might (his numbers by estimate were some 2000 foot and 300 horse), and + marched from Bayona to this part of the country, which lay in sight of our + fleet; where, making a stand, he sent to parley with our General. Which + was granted by our General, so it might be in boats upon the water; and + for safety of their persons there were pledges delivered on both sides. + Which done, the governor of Galicia put himself with two others into our + Vice-Admiral's skiff, the same having been sent to the shore for him, and + in like sort our General went in his own skiff. Where by them it was + agreed we should furnish ourselves with fresh water, to be taken by our + own people quietly on the land, and have all other such necessaries, + paying for the same, as the place would afford. + </p> + <p> + When all our business was ended we departed, and took our way by the + Islands of Canaria, which are esteemed some 300 leagues from this part of + Spain; and falling purposely with Palma, with intention to have taken our + pleasure of that place, for the full digesting of many things into order, + and the better furnishing our store with such several good things as it + affordeth very abundantly, we were forced by the vile sea-gate, which at + that present fell out, and by the naughtiness of the landing-place, being + but one, and that under the favour of many platforms well furnished with + great ordnance, to depart with the receipt of many of their cannon-shot, + some into our ships and some besides, some of them being in very deed full + cannon high. But the only or chief mischief was the dangerous sea-surge, + which at shore all alongst plainly threatened the overthrow of as many + pinnaces and boats as for that time should have attempted any landing at + all. + </p> + <p> + Now seeing the expectation of this attempt frustrated by the causes + aforesaid, we thought it meeter to fall with the Isle Ferro, to see if we + could find any better fortune; and coming to the island we landed a + thousand men in a valley under a high mountain, where we stayed some two + or three hours. In which time the inhabitants, accompanied with a young + fellow born in England, who dwelt there with them, came unto us, shewing + their state to be so poor that they were all ready to starve, which was + not untrue; and therefore without anything gotten, we were all commanded + presently to embark, so as that night we put off to sea south-south-east + along towards the coast of Barbary. + </p> + <p> + Upon Saturday in the morning, being the 13th of November, we fell with + Cape Blank, which is a low land and shallow water, where we catched store + of fish; and doubling the cape, we put into the bay, where we found + certain French ships of war, whom we entertained with great courtesy, and + there left them. This afternoon the whole fleet assembled, which was a + little scattered about their fishing, and put from thence to the Isles of + Cape Verde, sailing till the 16th of the same month in the morning; on + which day we descried the Island of Santiago. And in the evening we + anchored the fleet between the town called the Playa or Praya and + Santiago; where we put on shore 1000 men or more, under the leading of + Master Christopher Carlile, Lieutenant-General, who directed the service + most like a wise commander. The place where we had first to march did + afford no good order, for the ground was mountainous and full of dales, + being a very stony and troublesome passage; but such was his industrious + disposition, as he would never leave, until we had gotten up to a fair + plain, where we made stand for the assembling of the army. And when we + were all gathered together upon the plain, some two miles from the town, + the Lieutenant-General thought good not to make attempt till daylight, + because there was not one that could serve for guide or giving knowledge + at all of the place. And therefore after having well rested, even half an + hour before day, he commanded the army to be divided into three special + parts, such as he appointed, whereas before we had marched by several + companies, being thereunto forced by the badness of the way as is + aforesaid. Now by the time we were thus ranged into a very brave order, + daylight began to appear. And being advanced hard to the wall, we saw no + enemy to resist. Whereupon the Lieutenant-General appointed Captain + Sampson with thirty shot, and Captain Barton with other thirty, to go down + into the town, which stood in the valley under us, and might very plainly + be viewed all over from that place where the whole army was now arrived; + and presently after these captains was sent the great ensign, which had + nothing in it but the plain English cross, to be placed towards the sea, + that our fleet might see St. George's cross flourish in the enemy's + fortress. Order was given that all the ordnance throughout the town and + upon all the platforms, which were about fifty pieces all ready charged, + should be shot off in honour of the Queen's Majesty's coronation day, + being the 17th of November, after the yearly custom of England, which was + so answered again by the ordnance out of all the ships in the fleet, which + now come near, as it was strange to hear such a thundering noise last so + long together. In this mean while the Lieutenant-General held still the + most part of his force on the hilltop, till such time as the town was + quartered out for the lodging of the whole army. Which being done, every + captain took his own quarter; and in the evening was placed such a + sufficient guard upon every part of the town that we had no cause to fear + any present enemy. Thus we continued in the city the space of fourteen + days, taking such spoils as the place yielded, which were, for the most + part, wine, oil, meal, and some other such like things for victual as + vinegar, olives, and some other trash, as merchandise for their Indian + trades. But there was not found any treasure at all, or anything else of + worth besides. + </p> + <p> + The situation of Santiago is somewhat strange; in form like a triangle, + having on the east and west sides two mountains of rock and cliff, as it + were hanging over it; upon the top of which two mountains were builded + certain fortifications to preserve the town from any harm that might be + offered, as in a plot is plainly shewed. From thence on the south side of + the town is the main sea; and on the north side, the valley lying between + the aforesaid mountains, wherein the town standeth. The said valley and + town both do grow very narrow; insomuch that the space between the two + cliffs of this end of the town is estimated not to be above ten or twelve + score [yards] over. In the midst of the valley cometh down a riveret, + rill, or brook of fresh water, which hard by the seaside maketh a pond or + pool, whereout our ships were watered with very great ease and pleasure. + Somewhat above the town on the north side, between the two mountains, the + valley waxeth somewhat larger than at the town's end; which valley is + wholly converted into gardens and orchards, well replenished with divers + sorts of fruits, herbs, and trees, as lemons, oranges, sugar-canes, <i>cocars</i> + or cocos nuts, plantains, potato-roots, cucumbers, small and round onions, + garlic, and some other things not now remembered. Amongst which the cocos + nuts and plantains are very pleasant fruits; the said cocos hath a hard + shell and a green husk over it as hath our walnut, but it far exceedeth in + greatness, for this cocos in his green husk is bigger than any man's two + fists. Of the hard shell many drinking cups are made here in England, and + set in silver as I have often seen. Next within this hard shell is a white + rind resembling in show very much, even as any thing may do, to the white + of an egg when it is hard boiled. And within this white of the nut lieth a + water, which is whitish and very clear, to the quantity of half a pint or + thereabouts; which water and white rind before spoken of are both of a + very cool fresh taste, and as pleasing as anything may be. I have heard + some hold opinion that it is very restorative. The plantain groweth in + cods, somewhat like to beans, but is bigger and longer, and much more + thick together on the stalk; and when it waxeth ripe, the meat which + filleth the rind of the cod becometh yellow, and is exceeding sweet and + pleasant. + </p> + <p> + In this time of our being there happened to come a Portugal to the western + fort, with a flag of truce. To whom Captain Sampson was sent with Captain + Goring; who coming to the said messenger, he first asked them, What nation + they were? they answered Englishmen. He then required to know if wars were + between England and Spain; to which they answered, that they knew not, but + if he would go to their General he could best resolve him of such + particulars. And for his assurance of passage and repassage these captains + made offer to engage their credits, which he refused for that he was not + sent from his governor. Then they told him if his governor did desire to + take a course for the common benefit of the people and country his best + way were to come and present himself unto our noble and merciful governor, + Sir Francis Drake, whereby he might be assured to find favour, both for + himself and the inhabitants. Otherwise within three days we should march + over the land, and consume with fire all inhabited places, and put to the + sword all such living souls as we should chance upon. So thus much he took + for the conclusion of his answer. And departing, he promised to return the + next day; but we never heard more of him. + </p> + <p> + Upon the 24th of November, the General, accompanied with the + Lieutenant-General and 600 men, marched forth to a village twelve miles + within the land, called Saint Domingo, where the governor and the bishop, + with all the better sort, were lodged; and by eight of the clock we came + to it, finding the place abandoned, and the people fled into the + mountains. So we made stand a while to ease ourselves, and partly to see + if any would come to speak to us. After we had well rested ourselves, the + General commanded the troops to march away homewards. In which retreat the + enemy shewed themselves, both horse and foot, though not such force as + durst encounter us; and so in passing some time at the gaze with them, it + waxed late and towards night before we could recover home to Santiago. + </p> + <p> + On Monday, the 26th of November, the General commanded all the pinnaces + with the boats to use all diligence to embark the army into such ships as + every man belonged. The Lieutenant-General in like sort commanded Captain + Goring and Lieutenant Tucker, with one hundred shot, to make a stand in + the marketplace until our forces were wholly embarked; the Vice-Admiral + making stay with his pinnace and certain boats in the harbour, to bring + the said last company abroad the ships. Also the General willed forthwith + the galley with two pinnaces to take into them the company of Captain + Barton, and the company of Captain Biggs, under the leading of Captain + Sampson, to seek out such munition as was hidden in the ground, at the + town of Praya, or Playa, having been promised to be shewed it by a + prisoner which was taken the day before. + </p> + <p> + The captains aforesaid coming to the Playa, landed their men; and having + placed the troop in their best strength, Captain Sampson took the + prisoner, and willed him to show that he had promised. The which he could + not, or at least would not; but they searching all suspected places, found + two pieces of ordnance, one of iron, another of brass. In the afternoon + the General anchored with the rest of the fleet before the Playa, coming + himself ashore, willing us to burn the town and make all haste aboard; the + which was done by six of the clock the same day, and ourselves embarked + again the same night. And so we put off to sea south-west. + </p> + <p> + But before our departure from the town of Santiago, we established orders + for the better government of the army. Every man mustered to his captain, + and oaths were ministered, to acknowledge her Majesty supreme Governor, as + also every man to do his utter-most endeavour to advance the service of + the action, and to yield due obedience unto the directions of the General + and his officers. By this provident counsel, and laying down this good + foundation beforehand, all things went forward in a due course, to the + achieving of our happy enterprise. + </p> + <p> + In all the time of our being here, neither the governor for the said King + of Spain, which is a Portugal, neither the bishop, whose authority is + great, neither the inhabitants of the town, or island, ever came at us; + which we expected they should have done, to entreat us to leave them some + part of their needful provisions, or at the least to spare the ruining of + their town at our going away. The cause of this their unreasonable + distrust, as I do take it, was the fresh remembrance of the great wrongs + that they had done to old Master William Hawkins, of Plymouth, in the + voyage he made four or five years before, whenas they did both break their + promise, and murdered many of his men; whereof I judge you have + understood, and therefore it is needless to be repeated. But since they + came not at us, we left written in sundry places, as also in the Spital + House (which building was only appointed to be spared), the great + discontentment and scorn we took at this their refraining to come unto us, + as also at the rude manner of killing, and savage kind of handling the + dead body of one of our boys found by them straggling all alone, from whom + they had taken his head and heart, and had straggled the other bowels + about the place, in a most brutish and beastly manner. In revenge whereof + at our departing we consumed with fire all the houses, as well in the + country which we saw, as in the town of Santiago. + </p> + <p> + From hence putting off to the West Indies, we were not many days at sea + but there began among our people such mortality as in a few days there + were dead above two or three hundred men. And until some seven or eight + days after our coming from Santiago, there had not died any one man of + sickness in all the fleet. The sickness showed not his infection, + wherewith so many were strucken, until we were departed thence; and then + seized our people with extreme hot burning and continual agues, whereof + very few escaped with life, and yet those for the most part not without + great alteration and decay of their wits and strength for a long time + after. In some that died were plainly shown the small spots which are + often found upon those that be infected with the plague. We were not above + eighteen days in passage between the sight of Santiago aforesaid, and the + island of Dominica, being the first island of the West Indies that we fell + withal; the same being inhabited with savage people, which go all naked, + their skin coloured with some painting of a reddish tawny, very personable + and handsome strong men, who do admit little conversation with the + Spaniards; for, as some of our people might understand them, they had a + Spaniard or twain prisoners with them. Neither do I think that there is + any safety for any of our nation, or any other, to be within the limits of + their commandment; albeit they used us very kindly for those few hours of + time which we spent with them, helping our folks to fill and carry on + their bare shoulders fresh water from the river to our ships' boats, and + fetching from their houses great store of tobacco, as also a kind of bread + which they fed on, called cassavi, very white and savoury, made of the + roots of cassavi. In recompense whereof we bestowed liberal rewards of + glass, coloured beads, and other things, which we had found at Santiago; + wherewith, as it seemed, they rested very greatly satisfied, and shewed + some sorrowful countenance when they perceived that we would depart. + </p> + <p> + From hence we went to another island westward of it, called Saint + Christopher's Island; wherein we spent some days of Christmas, to refresh + our sick people, and to cleanse and air our ships. In which island were + not any people at all that we could hear of. + </p> + <p> + In which time by the General it was advised and resolved, with the consent + of the Lieutenant-General, the Vice-Admiral, and all the rest of the + captains, to proceed to the great island of Hispaniola, as well for that + we knew ourselves then to be in our best strength, as also the rather + allured thereunto by the glorious fame of the city of St. Domingo, being + the ancientest and chief inhabited place in all the tract of country + thereabouts. And so proceeding in this determination, by the way we met a + small frigate, bound for the same place, the which the Vice-Admiral took; + and having duly examined the men that were in her, there was one found by + whom we were advertised the haven to be a barred haven, and the shore or + land thereof to be well fortified, having a castle thereupon furnished + with great store of artillery, without the danger whereof was no + convenient landing-place within ten English miles of the city, to which + the said pilot took upon him to conduct us. + </p> + <p> + All things being thus considered on, the whole forces were commanded in + the evening to embark themselves in pinnaces, boats, and other small barks + appointed for this service. Our soldiers being thus embarked, the General + put himself into the bark Francis as Admiral; and all this night we lay on + the sea, bearing small sail until our arrival to the landing-place, which + was about the breaking of the day. And so we landed, being New Year's Day, + nine or ten miles to the westwards of that brave city of St. Domingo; for + at that time nor yet is known to us any landing-place, where the sea-surge + doth not threaten to overset a pinnace or boat. Our General having seen us + all landed in safety, returned to his fleet, bequeathing us to God, and + the good conduct of Master Carlile, our Lieutenant-General; at which time, + being about eight of the clock, we began to march. And about noon-time, or + towards one of the clock, we approached the town; where the gentleman and + those of the better sort, being some hundred and fifty brave horses, or + rather more, began to present themselves. But our small shot played upon + them, which were so sustained with good proportion of pikes in all parts, + as they finding no part of our troop unprepared to receive them (for you + must understand they viewed all round about) they were thus driven to give + us leave to proceed towards the two gates of the town which were the next + to the seaward. They had manned them both, and planted their ordnance for + that present and sudden alarm without the gate, and also some troops of + small shot in <i>ambuscado</i> upon the highway side. We divided our whole + force, being some thousand or twelve hundred men, into two parts, to + enterprise both the gates at one instant; the Lieutenant-General having + openly vowed to Captain Powell, who led the troop that entered the other + gate, that with God's good favour he would not rest until our meeting in + the market-place. + </p> + <p> + Their ordnance had no sooner discharged upon our near approach, and made + some execution amongst us, though not much, but the Lieutenant-General + began forthwith to advance both his voice of encouragement and pace of + marching; the first man that was slain with the ordnance being very near + unto himself; and thereupon hasted all that he might, to keep them from + the recharging of the ordnance. And notwithstanding their <i>ambuscados</i>, + we marched or rather ran so roundly into them, as pell-mell we entered the + gates, and gave them more care every man to save himself by flight, than + reason to stand any longer to their broken fight. We forthwith repaired to + the market-place, but to be more truly understood, a place of very + spacious square ground; whither also came, as had been agreed, Captain + Powell with the other troop. Which place with some part next unto it, we + strengthened with <i>barricados</i>, and there as the most convenient + place assured ourselves, the city being far too spacious for so small and + weary a troop to undertake to guard. Somewhat after midnight, they who had + the guard of the castle, hearing us busy about the gates of the said + castle, abandoned the same; some being taken prisoners, and some fleeing + away by the help of boats to the other side of the haven, and so into the + country. + </p> + <p> + The next day we quartered a little more at large, but not into the half + part of the town; and so making substantial trenches, and planting all the + ordnance, that each part was correspondent to other, we held this town the + space of one month. + </p> + <p> + In the which time happened some accidents, more than are well remembered + for the present. But amongst other things, it chanced that the General + sent on his message to the Spaniards a negro boy with a flag of white, + signifying truce, as is the Spanish ordinary manner to do there, when they + approach to speak to us; which boy unhappily was first met withal by some + of those who had been belonging as officers for the king in the Spanish + galley, which with the town was lately fallen into our hands. Who, without + all order or reason, and contrary to that good usage wherewith we had + entertained their messengers, furiously struck the poor boy through the + body with one of their horsemen's staves; with which wound the boy + returned to the General, and after he had declared the manner of this + wrongful cruelty, died forthwith in his presence. Wherewith the General + being greatly passioned, commanded the provost-marshal to cause a couple + of friars, then prisoners, to be carried to the same place where the boy + was strucken, accompanied with sufficient guard of our soldiers, and there + presently to be hanged, despatching at the same instant another poor + prisoner, with this reason wherefore this execution was done, and with + this message further, that until the party who had thus murdered the + General's messenger were delivered into our hands to receive condign + punishment, there should no day pass wherein there should not two + prisoners be hanged, until they were all consumed which were in our hands. + Whereupon the day following, he that had been captain of the king's galley + brought the offender to the town's end, offering to deliver him into our + hands. But it was thought to be a more honourable revenge to make them + there, in our sight, to perform the execution themselves; which was done + accordingly. + </p> + <p> + During our being in this town, as formerly also at Santiago there had + passed justice upon the life of one of our own company for an odious + matter, so here likewise was there an Irishman hanged for the murdering of + his corporal. + </p> + <p> + In this time also passed many treaties between their commissioners and us, + for ransom of their city; but upon disagreements we still spent the early + mornings in firing the outmost houses; but they being built very + magnificently of stone, with high lofts, gave us no small travail to ruin + them. And albeit for divers days together we ordained each morning by + daybreak, until the heat began at nine of the clock, that two hundred + mariners did naught else but labour to fire and burn the said houses + without our trenches, whilst the soldiers in a like proportion stood forth + for their guard; yet did we not, or could not in this time consume so much + as one-third part of the town, which town is plainly described and set + forth in a certain map. And so in the end, what wearied with firing, and + what hastened by some other respects, we were contended to accept of + 25,000 ducats of five shillings six-pence the piece, for the ransom of the + rest of the town. + </p> + <p> + Amongst other things which happened and were found at St. Domingo, I may + not omit to let the world know one very notable mark and token of the + unsatiable ambition of the Spanish king and his nation, which was found in + the king's house, wherein the chief governor of that city and country is + appointed always to lodge, which was this. In the coming to the hall or + other rooms of this house, you must first ascend up by a fair large pair + of stairs, at the head of which stairs is a handsome spacious place to + walk in, somewhat like unto a gallery. Wherein, upon one of the walls, + right over against you as you enter the said place, so as your eye cannot + escape the sight of it, there is described and painted in a very large + scutcheon the arms of the King of Spain; and in the lower part of the said + scutcheon there is likewise described a globe, containing in it the whole + circuit of the sea and the earth, whereupon is a horse standing on his + hinder part within the globe, and the other forepart without the globe, + lifted up as it were to leap, with a scroll painted in his mouth, wherein + was written these words in Latin, <i>NON SUFFICIT ORBIS</i>, which is as + much to say as, <i>The world sufficeth not</i>. Whereof the meaning was + required to be known of some of those of the better sort that came in + commission to treat upon the ransom of the town; who would shake their + heads and turn aside their countenance, in some smiling sort, without + answering anything, as greatly ashamed thereof. For by some of our company + it was told them, that if the Queen of England would resolutely prosecute + the wars against the King of Spain, he should be forced to lay aside that + proud and unreasonable reaching vein of his; for he should find more than + enough to do to keep that which he had already, as by the present example + of their lost town they might for a beginning perceive well enough. + </p> + <p> + Now to the satisfying of some men, who marvel greatly that such a famous + and goodly-builded city, so well inhabited of gallant people, very brave + in their apparel (whereof our soldiers found good store for their relief), + should afford no greater riches than was found there. Herein it is to be + understood that the Indian people, which were the natives of this whole + island of Hispaniola (the same being near hand as great as England), were + many years since clean consumed by the tyranny of the Spaniards; which was + the cause that, for lack of people to work in the mines, the gold and + silver mines of this island are wholly given over. And thereby they are + fain in this island to use copper money, whereof was found very great + quantity. The chief trade of this place consisteth of sugar and ginger, + which groweth in the island, and of hides of oxen and kine, which in this + waste country of the island are bred in infinite numbers, the soil being + very fertile. And the said beasts are fed up to a very large growth, and + so killed for nothing so much as for their hides aforesaid. We found here + great store of strong wine, sweet oil, vinegar, olives, and other + such-like provisions, as excellent wheat-meal packed up in wine-pipes and + other cask, and other commodities likewise, as woollen and linen cloth and + some silks; all which provisions are brought out of Spain, and served us + for great relief. There was but a little plate or vessel of silver, in + comparison of the great pride in other things of this town, because in + these hot countries they use much of those earthen dishes finely painted + or varnished, which they call <i>porcellana</i>, which is had out of the + East India; and for their drinking they use glasses altogether, whereof + they make excellent good and fair in the same place. But yet some plate we + found, and many other good things, as their household garniture, very + gallant and rich, which had cost them dear, although unto us they were of + small importance. + </p> + <p> + From St. Domingo we put over to the main or firm land, and, going all + along the coast, we came at last in sight of Carthagena, standing upon the + seaside, so near as some of our barks in passing alongst approached within + the reach of their culverin shot, which they had planted upon certain + platforms. The harbour-mouth lay some three miles toward the westward of + the town, whereinto we entered at about three or four of the clock in the + afternoon without any resistance of ordnance or other impeachment planted + upon the same. In the evening we put ourselves on land towards the + harbour-mouth, under the leading of Master Carlile, our + Lieutenant-General. Who, after he had digested us to march forward about + midnight, as easily as foot might fall, expressly commanded us to keep + close by the sea-wash of the shore for our best and surest way; whereby we + were like to go through, and not to miss any more of the way, which once + we had lost within an hour after our first beginning to march, through the + slender knowledge of him that took upon him to be our guide, whereby the + night spent on, which otherwise must have been done by resting. But as we + came within some two miles of the town, their horsemen, which were some + hundred, met us, and, taking the alarm, retired to their townward again + upon the first volley of our shot that was given them; for the place where + we encountered being woody and bushy, even to the waterside, was unmeet + for their service. + </p> + <p> + At this instant we might hear some pieces of artillery discharged, with + divers small shot, towards the harbour; which gave us to understand, + according to the order set down in the evening before by our General, that + the Vice-Admiral, accompanied with Captain Venner, Captain White, and + Captain Cross, with other sea captains, and with divers pinnaces and + boats, should give some attempt unto the little fort standing on the entry + of the inner haven, near adjoining to the town, though to small purpose, + for that the place was strong, and the entry, very narrow, was chained + over; so as there could be nothing gotten by the attempt more than the + giving of them an alarm on that other side of the haven, being a mile and + a-half from the place we now were at. In which attempt the Vice-Admiral + had the rudder of his skiff strucken through with a saker shot, and a + little or no harm received elsewhere. + </p> + <p> + The troops being now in their march, half-a-mile behither the town or + less, the ground we were on grew to be strait, and not above fifty paces + over, having the main sea on the one side of it and the harbour-water or + inner sea (as you may term it) on the other side, which in the plot is + plainly shewed. This strait was fortified clean over with a stone wall and + a ditch without it, the said wall being as orderly built, with flanking in + every part, as can be set down. There was only so much of this strait + unwalled as might serve for the issuing of the horsemen or the passing of + carriage in time of need. But this unwalled part was not without a very + good <i>barricado</i> of wine-butts or pipes, filled with earth, full and + thick as they might stand on end one by another, some part of them + standing even within the main sea. This place of strength was furnished + with six great pieces, demiculverins and sakers, which shot directly in + front upon us as we approached. Now without this wall, upon the inner side + of the strait, they had brought likewise two great galleys with their + prows to the shore, having planted in them eleven pieces of ordnance, + which did beat all cross the strait, and flanked our coming on. In these + two galleys were planted three or four hundred small shot, and on the + land, in the guard only of this place, three hundred shot and pikes. + </p> + <p> + They, in this their full readiness to receive us, spared not their shot + both great and small. But our Lieutenant-General, taking the advantage of + the dark (the daylight as yet not broken out) approached by the lowest + ground, according to the express direction which himself had formerly + given, the same being the sea-wash shore, where the water was somewhat + fallen, so as most of all their shot was in vain. Our Lieutenant-General + commanded our shot to forbear shooting until we were come to the + wall-side. And so with pikes roundly together we approached the place, + where we soon found out the <i>barricados</i> of pipes or butts to be the + meetest place for our assault; which, notwithstanding it was well + furnished with pikes and shots, was without staying attempted by us. Down + went the butts of earth, and pell-mell came our swords and pikes together, + after our shot had first given their volley, even at the enemy's nose. Our + pikes were somewhat longer than theirs, and our bodies better armed; for + very few of them were armed. With which advantage our swords and pikes + grew too hard for them, and they driven to give place. In this furious + entry the Lieutenant-General slew with his own hands the chief + ensign-bearer of the Spaniards, who fought very manfully to his life's + end. + </p> + <p> + We followed into the town with them, and, giving them no leisure to + breathe, we won the market-place, albeit they made head and fought awhile + before we got it. And so we being once seized and assured of that, they + were content to suffer us to lodge within their town, and themselves to go + to their wives, whom they had carried into other places of the country + before our coming thither. At every street's end they had raised very fine + <i>barricados</i> of earthworks, with trenches without them, as well made + as ever we saw any work done; at the entering whereof was some little + resistance, but soon overcome it was, with few slain or hurt. They had + joined with them many Indians, whom they had placed in corners of + advantage, all bowmen, with their arrows most villainously empoisoned, so + as if they did but break the skin, the party so touched died without great + marvel. Some they slew of our people with their arrows; some they likewise + mischiefed to death with certain pricks of small sticks sharply pointed, + of a foot and a-half long, the one end put into the ground, the other + empoisoned, sticking fast up, right against our coming in the way as we + should approach from our landing towards the town, whereof they had + planted a wonderful number in the ordinary way; but our keeping the + sea-wash shore missed the greatest part of them very happily. + </p> + <p> + I overpass many particular matters, as the hurting of Captain Sampson at + sword blows in the first entering, unto whom was committed the charge of + the pikes of the vant-guard by his lot and turn; as also of the taking of + Alonzo Bravo, the chief commander of that place, by Captain Goring, after + the said captain had first hurt him with his sword; unto which captain was + committed the charge of the shot of the said vant-guard. Captain Winter + was likewise by his turn of the vant-guard in this attempt, where also the + Lieutenant-General marched himself; the said Captain Winter, through a + great desire to serve by land, having now exchanged his charge at sea with + Captain Cecil for his band of footmen. Captain Powell, the Sergeant-Major, + had by his turn the charge of the four companies which made the battle. + Captain Morgan, who at St. Domingo was of the vant-guard, had now by turn + his charge upon the companies of the rearward. Every man, as well of one + part as of another, came so willingly on to the service, as the enemy was + not able to endure the fury of such hot assault. + </p> + <p> + We stayed here six weeks, and the sickness with mortality before spoken of + still continued among us, though not with the same fury as at the first; + and such as were touched with the said sickness, escaping death, very few + or almost none could recover their strength. Yea, many of them were much + decayed in their memory, insomuch that it was grown an ordinary judgment, + when one was heard to speak foolishly, to say he had been sick of the <i>calentura</i>, + which is the Spanish name of their burning ague; for, as I told you + before, it is a very burning and pestilent ague. The original cause + thereof is imputed to the evening or first night air, which they term <i>la + serena</i>; wherein they say and hold very firm opinion that whoso is then + abroad in the open air shall certainly be infected to the death, not being + of the Indian or natural race of those country people. By holding their + watch our men were thus subjected to the infectious air, which at Santiago + was most dangerous and deadly of all other places. + </p> + <p> + With the inconvenience of continual mortality we were forced to give over + our intended enterprise to go with Nombre de Dios, and so overland to + Panama, where we should have strucken the stroke for the treasure, and + full recompense of our tedious travails. And thus at Carthagena we took + our first resolution to return homewards, the form of which resolution I + thought good here to put down under the principal captains' hands as + followeth:— + </p> + <p> + A Resolution of the Land-Captains, what course they think most expedient + to be taken. Given at Carthagena, the 27th of February, 1585. + </p> + <p> + WHEREAS it hath pleased the General to demand the opinions of his captains + what course they think most expedient to be now undertaken, the + land-captains being assembled by themselves together, and having advised + hereupon, do in three points deliver the same. + </p> + <p> + THE FIRST, touching the keeping of the town against the force of the + enemy, either that which is present, or that which may come out of Spain, + is answered thus:— + </p> + <p> + 'We hold opinion, that with this troop of men which we have presently with + us in land service, being victualled and munitioned, we may well keep the + town, albeit that of men able to answer present service we have not above + 700. The residue, being some 150 men, by reason of their hurts and + sickness, are altogether unable to stand us in any stead: wherefore + hereupon the sea-captains are likewise to give their resolution, how they + will undertake the safety and service of the ships upon the arrival of any + Spanish fleet.' + </p> + <p> + THE SECOND point we make to be this, whether it be meet to go presently + homeward, or else to continue further trial of our fortune in undertaking + such like enterprises as we have done already, and thereby to seek after + that bountiful mass of treasure for recompense of our travails, which was + generally expected at our coming forth of England: wherein we answer:— + </p> + <p> + 'That it is well known how both we and the soldiers are entered into this + action as voluntary men, without any impress or gage from her Majesty or + anybody else. And forasmuch as we have hitherto discharged the parts of + honest men, so that now by the great blessing and favour of our good God + there have been taken three such notable towns, wherein by the estimation + of all men would have been found some very great treasures, knowing that + Santiago was the chief city of all the islands and traffics thereabouts, + St. Domingo the chief city of Hispaniola, and the head government not only + of that island, but also of Cuba, and of all the islands about it, as also + of such inhabitations of the firm land, as were next unto it, and a place + that is both magnificently built and entertaineth great trades of + merchandise; and now lastly the city of Carthagena, which cannot be denied + to be one of the chief places of most especial importance to the Spaniard + of all the cities which be on this side of the West India: we do therefore + consider, that since all these cities, with their goods and prisoners + taken in them, and the ransoms of the said cities, being all put together, + are found far short to satisfy that expectation which by the generality of + the enterprisers was first conceived; and being further advised of the + slenderness of our strength, whereunto we be now reduced, as well in + respect of the small number of able bodies, as also not a little in regard + of the slack disposition of the greater part of those which remain, very + many of the better minds and men being either consumed by death or + weakened by sickness and hurts; and lastly, since that as yet there is not + laid down to our knowledge any such enterprise as may seem convenient to + be undertaken with such few as we are presently able to make, and withal + of such certain likelihood, as with God's good success which it may please + him to bestow upon us, the same may promise to yield us any sufficient + contentment: we do therefore conclude hereupon, that it is better to hold + sure as we may the honour already gotten, and with the same to return + towards our gracious sovereign and country, from whence, if it shall + please her Majesty to set us forth again with her orderly means and + entertainment, we are most ready and willing to go through with anything + that the uttermost of our strength and endeavour shall be able to reach + unto. But therewithal we do advise and protest that it is far from our + thoughts, either to refuse, or so much as to seem to be weary of anything + which for the present shall be further required or directed to be done by + us from our General.' + </p> + <p> + THE THIRD and last point is concerning the ransom of this city of + Carthagena, for the which, before it was touched with any fire, there was + made an offer of some 27,000 or 28,000 pounds sterling:— + </p> + <p> + 'Thus much we utter herein as our opinions, agreeing, so it be done in + good sort, to accept this offer aforesaid, rather than to break off by + standing still upon our demands of 100,000 pounds; which seems a matter + impossible to be performed for the present by them. And to say truth, we + may now with much honour and reputation better be satisfied with that sum + offered by them at the first, if they will now be contented to give it, + than we might at that time with a great deal more; inasmuch as we have + taken our full pleasure, both in the uttermost sacking and spoiling of all + their household goods and merchandise, as also in that we have consumed + and ruined a great part of their town with fire. And thus much further is + considered herein by us; that as there be in the voyage a great many poor + men, who have willingly adventured their lives and travails, and divers + amongst them having spent their apparel and such other little provisions + as their small means might have given them leave to prepare, which being + done upon such good and allowable intention as this action hath always + carried with it (meaning, against the Spaniard, our greatest and most + dangerous enemy), so surely we cannot but have an inward regard, so far as + may lie in us, to help them in all good sort towards the satisfaction of + this their expectation; and by procuring them some little benefit to + encourage them, and to nourish this ready and willing disposition of + theirs, both in them and in others by their example, against any other + time of like occasion. But because it may be supposed that herein we + forget not the private benefit of ourselves, and are thereby the rather + moved to incline ourselves to this composition, we do therefore think good + for the clearing ourselves of all such suspicion, to declare hereby, that + what part or portion soever it be of this ransom or composition for + Carthagena which should come unto us, we do freely give and bestow the + same wholly upon the poor men who have remained with us in the voyage + (meaning as well the sailor as the soldier), wishing with all our hearts + it were such or so much as might see a sufficient reward for their painful + endeavour. And for the firm confirmation thereof, we have thought meet to + subsign these presents with our own hands in the place and time aforesaid. + </p> + <p> + 'Captain Christopher Charlie, Lieutenant-General; Captain Goring, Captain + Sampson, Captain Powell, etc.' + </p> + <p> + But while we were yet there, it happened one day that our watch called the + sentinel, upon the church-steeple, had discovered in the sea a couple of + small barks or boats, making in with the harbour of Carthagena. Whereupon + Captain Moon and Captain Varney, with John Grant, the master of the Tiger, + and some other seamen, embarked themselves in a couple of small pinnaces, + to take them before they should come nigh the shore, at the mouth of the + harbour, lest by some straggling Spaniards from the land, they might be + warned by signs from coming in. Which fell out accordingly, + notwithstanding all the diligence that our men could use: for the Spanish + boats, upon the sight of our pinnaces coming towards them, ran themselves + ashore, and so their men presently hid themselves in bushes hard by the + sea-side, amongst some others that had called them by signs thither. Our + men presently without any due regard had to the quality of the place, and + seeing no man of the Spaniards to shew themselves, boarded the Spanish + barks or boats, and so standing all open in them, were suddenly shot at by + a troop of Spaniards out of the bushes; by which volley of shot there were + slain Captain Varney, which died presently, and Captain Moon, who died + some few days after, besides some four or five others that were hurt: and + so our folks returned without their purpose, not having any sufficient + number of soldiers with them to fight on shore. For those men they carried + were all mariners to row, few of them armed, because they made account + with their ordnance to have taken the barks well enough at sea; which they + might full easily have done, without any loss at all, if they had come in + time to the harbour mouth, before the Spaniards' boats had gotten so near + the shore. + </p> + <p> + During our abode in this place, as also at St. Domingo, there passed + divers courtesies between us and the Spaniards, as feasting, and using + them with all kindness and favour; so as amongst others there came to see + the General the governor of Carthagena, with the bishop of the same, and + divers other gentlemen of the better sort. This town of Carthagena we + touched in the out parts, and consumed much with fire, as we had done St. + Domingo, upon discontentments, and for want of agreeing with us in their + first treaties touching their ransom; which at the last was concluded + between us should be 110,000 ducats for that which was yet standing, the + ducat valued at five shillings sixpence sterling. + </p> + <p> + This town, though not half so big as St. Domingo, gives, as you see, a far + greater ransom, being in very deed of far more importance, by reason of + the excellency of the harbour, and the situation thereof to serve the + trade of Nombre de Dios and other places, and is inhabited with far more + richer merchants. The other is chiefly inhabited with lawyers and brave + gentlemen, being the chief or highest appeal of their suits in law of all + the islands about it and of the mainland coast next unto it. And it is of + no such account as Carthagena, for these and some like reasons which I + could give you, over long to be now written. + </p> + <p> + The warning which this town received of our coming towards them from St. + Domingo, by the space of 20 days before our arrival here, was cause that + they had both fortified and every way prepared for their best defence. As + also that they had carried and conveyed away all their treasure and + principal substance. + </p> + <p> + The ransom of 110,000 ducats thus concluded on, as is aforesaid, the same + being written, and expressing for nothing more than the town of + Carthagena, upon the payment of the said ransom we left the said town and + drew some part of our soldiers into the priory or abbey, standing a + quarter of an English mile below the town upon the harbour water-side, the + same being walled with a wall of stone; which we told the Spaniards was + yet ours, and not redeemed by their composition. Whereupon they, finding + the defect of their contract, were contented to enter into another ransom + for all places, but specially for the said house, as also the blockhouse + or castle, which is upon the mouth of the inner harbour. And when we asked + as much for the one as for the other, they yielded to give a thousand + crowns for the abbey, leaving us to take our pleasure upon the blockhouse, + which they said they were not able to ransom, having stretched themselves + to the uttermost of their powers; and therefore the said blockhouse was by + us undermined, and so with gunpowder blown up in pieces. While this latter + contract was in making, our whole fleet of ships fell down towards the + harbour-mouth, where they anchored the third time and employed their men + in fetching of fresh water aboard the ships for our voyage homewards, + which water was had in a great well that is in the island by the + harbour-mouth. Which island is a very pleasant place as hath been seen, + having in it many sorts of goodly and very pleasant fruits, as the + orange-trees and others, being set orderly in walks of great length + together. Insomuch as the whole island, being some two or three miles + about, is cast into grounds of gardening and orchards. + </p> + <p> + After six weeks' abode in this place, we put to sea the last of March; + where, after two or three days, a great Ship which we had taken at St. + Domingo, and thereupon was called The New Year's Gift, fell into a great + leak, being laden with ordnance, hides, and other spoils, and in the night + she lost the company of our fleet. Which being missed the next morning by + the General, he cast about with the whole fleet, fearing some great + mischance to be happened unto her, as in very deed it so fell out; for her + leak was so great that her men were all tired with pumping. But at the + last, having found her, and the bark Talbot in her company, which stayed + by great hap with her, they were ready to take their men out of her for + the saving of them. And so the General, being fully advertised of their + great extremity, made sail directly back again to Carthagena with the + whole fleet; where, having staid eight or ten days more about the unlading + of this ship and the bestowing thereof and her men into other ships, we + departed once again to sea, directing our course toward the Cape St. + Anthony, being the westermost part of Cuba, where we arrived the 27th of + April. But because fresh water could not presently be found, we weighed + anchor and departed, thinking in few days to recover the Matanzas, a place + to the eastward of Havana. + </p> + <p> + After we had sailed some fourteen days we were brought to Cape St. Anthony + again through lack of favourable wind; but then our scarcity was grown + such as need make us look a little better for water, which we found in + sufficient quantity, being indeed, as I judge, none other than rain-water + newly fallen and gathered up by making pits in a plot of marish ground + some three hundred paces from the seaside. + </p> + <p> + I do wrong if I should forget the good example of the General at this + place, who, to encourage others, and to hasten the getting of fresh water + aboard the ships, took no less pain himself than the meanest; as also at + St. Domingo, Carthagena, and all other places, having always so vigilant a + care and foresight in the good ordering of his fleet, accompanying them, + as it is said, with such wonderful travail of body, as doubtless had he + been the meanest person, as he was the chiefest, he had yet deserved the + first place of honour; and no less happy do we account him for being + associated with Master Carlile, his Lieutenant-General, by whose + experience, prudent counsel, and gallant performance he achieved so many + and happy enterprises of the war, by whom also he was very greatly + assisted in setting down the needful orders, laws, and course of justice, + and the due administration of the same upon all occasions. + </p> + <p> + After three days spent in watering our ships, we departed now the second + time from this Cape of St. Anthony the 13th of May. And proceeding about + the Cape of Florida, we never touched anywhere; but coasting alongst + Florida, and keeping the shore still in sight, the 28th of May, early in + the morning, we descried on the shore a place built like a beacon, which + was indeed a scaffold upon four long masts raised on end for men to + discover to the seaward, being in the latitude of thirty degrees, or very + near thereunto. Our pinnaces manned and coming to the shore, we marched up + alongst the river-side to see what place the enemy held there; for none + amongst us had any knowledge thereof at all. + </p> + <p> + Here the General took occasion to march with the companies himself in + person, the Lieutenant-General having the vant-guard; and, going a mile + up, or somewhat more, by the river-side, we might discern on the other + side of the river over against us a fort which newly had been built by the + Spaniards; and some mile, or thereabout, above the fort was a little town + or village without walls, built of wooden houses, as the plot doth plainly + shew. We forthwith prepared to have ordnance for the battery; and one + piece was a little before the evening planted, and the first shot being + made by the Lieutenant-General himself at their ensign, strake through the + ensign, as we afterwards understood by a Frenchman which came unto us from + them. One shot more was then made, which struck the foot of the fort wall, + which was all massive timber of great trees like masts. The + Lieutenant-General was determined to pass the river this night with four + companies, and there to lodge himself entrenched as near the fort as that + he might play with his muskets and smallest shot upon any that should + appear, and so afterwards to bring and plant the battery with him; but the + help of mariners for that sudden to make trenches could not be had, which + was the cause that this determination was remitted until the next night. + </p> + <p> + In the night the Lieutenant-General took a little rowing skiff and half a + dozen well armed, as Captain Morgan and Captain Sampson, with some others, + beside the rowers, and went to view what guard the enemy kept, as also to + take knowledge of the ground. And albeit he went as covertly as might be, + yet the enemy, taking the alarm, grew fearful that the whole force was + approaching to the assault, and therefore with all speed abandoned the + place after the shooting of some of their pieces. They thus gone, and he + being returned unto us again, but nothing knowing of their flight from + their fort, forthwith came a Frenchman, [Nicolas Borgoignon] being a fifer + (who had been prisoner with them) in a little boat, playing on his fife + the tune of the Prince of Orange his song. And being called unto by the + guard, he told them before he put foot out of the boat what he was + himself, and how the Spaniards were gone from the fort; offering either to + remain in hands there, or else to return to the place with them that would + go. [The 'Prince of Orange's Song' was a popular ditty in praise of + William Prince of Orange (assassinated 1584), the leader of the Dutch + Protestant insurgents.] + </p> + <p> + Upon this intelligence the General, the Lieutenant-General, with some of + the captains in one skiff and the Vice-Admiral with some others in his + skiff, and two or three pinnaces furnished of soldiers with them, put + presently over towards the fort, giving order for the rest of the pinnaces + to follow. And in our approach some of the enemy, bolder than the rest, + having stayed behind their company, shot off two pieces of ordnance at us; + but on shore we went, and entered the place without finding any man there. + </p> + <p> + When the day appeared, we found it built all of timber, the walls being + none other than whole masts or bodies of trees set upright and close + together in manner of a pale, without any ditch as yet made, but wholly + intended with some more time. For they had not as yet finished all their + work, having begun the same some three or four months before; so as, to + say the truth, they had no reason to keep it, being subject both to fire + and easy assault. + </p> + <p> + The platform whereon the ordnance lay was whole bodies of long pine-trees, + whereof there is great plenty, laid across one on another and some little + earth amongst. There were in it thirteen or fourteen great pieces of brass + ordnance and a chest unbroken up, having in it the value of some two + thousand pounds sterling, by estimation, of the king's treasure, to pay + the soldiers of that place, who were a hundred and fifty men. + </p> + <p> + The fort thus won, which they called St. John's Fort, and the day opened, + we assayed to go to the town, but could not by reason of some rivers and + broken ground which was between the two places. And therefore being + enforced to embark again into our pinnaces, we went thither upon the great + main river, which is called, as also the town, by the name of St. + Augustine. At our approaching to land, there were some that began to shew + themselves, and to bestow some few shot upon us, but presently withdrew + themselves. And in their running thus away, the Sergeant-Major finding one + of their horses ready saddled and bridled, took the same to follow the + chase; and so overgoing all his company, was by one laid behind a bush + shot through the head; and falling down therewith, was by the same and two + or three more, stabbed in three or four places of his body with swords and + daggers, before any could come near to his rescue. His death was much + lamented, being in very deed an honest wise gentleman, and soldier of good + experience, and of as great courage as any man might be. + </p> + <p> + In this place called St. Augustine we understood the king did keep, as is + before said, 150 soldiers, and at another place some dozen leagues beyond + to the northwards, called St. Helena, he did there likewise keep 150 more, + serving there for no other purpose than to keep all other nations from + inhabiting any part of all that coast; the government whereof was + committed to one Pedro Melendez, marquis, nephew to that Melendez the + Admiral, who had overthrown Master John Hawkins in the Bay of Mexico some + 17 or 18 years ago. This governor had charge of both places, but was at + this time in this place, and one of the first that left the same. + </p> + <p> + Here it was resolved in full assembly of captains, to undertake the + enterprise of St. Helena, and from thence to seek out the inhabitation of + our English countrymen in Virginia, distant from thence some six degrees + northward. When we came thwart of St. Helena, the shoals appearing + dangerous, and we having no pilot to undertake the entry, it was thought + meetest to go hence alongst. For the Admiral had been the same night in + four fathom and a half, three leagues from the shore; and yet we + understood, by the help of a known pilot, there may and do go in ships of + greater burden and draught than any we had in our fleet. We passed thus + along the coast hard aboard the shore, which is shallow for a league or + two from the shore, and the same is low and broken land for the most part. + The ninth of June upon sight of one special great fire (which are very + ordinary all alongst this coast, even from the Cape of Florida hither) the + General sent his skiff to the shore, where they found some of our English + countrymen that had been sent thither the year before by Sir Walter + Raleigh, and brought them aboard; by whose direction we proceeded along to + the place which they make their port. But some of our ships being of great + draught, unable to enter, anchored without the harbour in a wild road at + sea, about two miles from shore. From whence the General wrote letters to + Master Ralph Lane, being governor of those English in Virginia, and then + at his fort about six leagues from the road in an island which they called + Roanoac; wherein especially he shewed how ready he was to supply his + necessities and wants, which he understood of by those he had first talked + withal. + </p> + <p> + The morrow after, Master Lane himself and some of his company coming unto + him, with the consent of his captains he gave them the choice of two + offers, that is to say: either he would leave a ship, a pinnace, and + certain boats with sufficient masters and mariners, together furnished + with a month's victual, to stay and make further discovery of the country + and coasts, and so much victual likewise as might be sufficient for the + bringing of them all (being an hundred and three persons) into England, if + they thought good after such time, with any other thing they would desire, + and that he might be able to spare: or else, if they thought they had made + sufficient discovery already, and did desire to return into England, he + would give them passage. But they, as it seemed, being desirous to stay, + accepted very thankfully and with great gladness that which was offered + first. Whereupon the ship being appointed and received into charge by some + of their own company sent into her by Master Lane, before they had + received from the rest of the fleet the provision appointed them, there + arose a great storm (which they said was extraordinary and very strange) + that lasted three days together, and put all our fleet in great danger to + be driven from their anchoring upon the coast; for we brake many cables, + and lost many anchors; and some of our fleet which had lost all, of which + number was the ship appointed for Master Lane and his company, were driven + to put to sea in great danger, in avoiding the coast, and could never see + us again until we met in England. Many also of our small pinnaces and + boats were lost in this storm. + </p> + <p> + Notwithstanding, after all this, the General offered them, with consent of + his captains, another ship with some provisions, although not such a one + for their turns as might have been spared them before, this being unable + to be brought into their harbour: or else, if they would, to give them + passage into England, although he knew he should perform it with greater + difficulty than he might have done before. But Master Lane, with those of + the chiefest of his company which he had then with him, considering what + should be best for them to do, made request unto the General under their + hands, that they might have passage for England: the which being granted, + and the rest sent for out of the country and shipped, we departed from + that coast the 18th of June. And so, God be thanked, both they and we in + good safety arrived at Portsmouth the 28th of July, 1586, to the great + glory of God, and to no small honour to our Prince, our country, and + ourselves. The total value of that which was got in this voyage is + esteemed at three score thousand pounds, whereof the companies which have + travailed in the voyage were to have twenty thousand pounds, the + adventurers the other forty. Of which twenty thousand pounds (as I can + judge) will redound some six pounds to the single share. We lost some 750 + men in the voyage; above three parts of them only by sickness. The men of + name that died and were slain in this voyage, which I can presently call + to remembrance, are these:—Captain Powell, Captain Varney, Captain + Moon, Captain Fortescue, Captain Biggs, Captain Cecil, Captain Hannam, + Captain Greenfield; Thomas Tucker, a lieutenant; Alexander Starkey, a + lieutenant; Master Escot, a lieutenant; Master Waterhouse, a lieutenant; + Master George Candish, Master Nicholas Winter, Master Alexander Carlile, + Master Robert Alexander, Master Scroope, Master James Dyer, Master Peter + Duke. With some other, whom for haste I cannot suddenly think on. + </p> + <p> + The ordnance gotten of all sorts, brass and iron, were about two hundred + and forty pieces, whereof the two hundred and some more were brass, and + were thus found and gotten:—At Santiago some two or three and fifty + pieces. In St. Domingo about four score, whereof was very much great + ordnance, as whole cannon, demi-cannon, culverins, and such like. In + Carthagena some sixty and three pieces, and good store likewise of the + greater sort. In the Fort of St. Augustine were fourteen pieces. The rest + was iron ordnance, of which the most part was gotten at St. Domingo, the + rest at Carthagena. + </p> + <p> + <br /> <br /> + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Drake's Great Armada, by Walter Biggs + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK DRAKE'S GREAT ARMADA *** + +***** This file should be named 3334-h.htm or 3334-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/3/3/3/3334/ + +Produced by Dagny; John Bickers; David Widger + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Drake's Great Armada + +Author: Walter Biggs + +Release Date: April 5, 2006 [EBook #3334] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK DRAKE'S GREAT ARMADA *** + + + + +Produced by Dagny; John Bickers + + + + + +DRAKE'S GREAT ARMADA + +by Captain Walter Biggs + + +PREPARER'S NOTE + +This text was prepared from a 1910 edition, published by P. F. Collier & +Son Company, New York. + + + + +INTRODUCTION + +Nearly five years elapsed between Drake's return from his Famous +Voyage and the despatch of the formidable armament commemorated in the +following pages. During the last of these years the march of events had +been remarkably rapid. Gilbert, who had been empowered by Elizabeth, in +the year of Frobisher's last expedition, to found colonies in America, +had sailed for that purpose to Newfoundland (1583), and had perished +at sea on his way homeward. Raleigh, who had succeeded to his +half-brother's enterprises, had despatched his exploring expedition to +'Virginia,' under Amadas and Barlow, in 1584, and had followed it up +in the next year (1585) by an actual colony. In April Sir Richard +Greenville sailed from Plymouth, and at Raleigh's expense established +above a hundred colonists on the island of Roanoak. Drake's Great Armada +left Plymouth in September of the same year. It marked a turning-point +in the relations between the English and Spanish monarchs. Elizabeth, +knowing that the suppression of the insurrection in the Netherlands +would be followed by an attack upon England, was treating with the +insurgents. Philip deemed it prudent to lay an embargo on all her +subjects, together with their ships and goods, that might be found in +his dominions. Elizabeth at once authorized general reprisals on the +ships and goods of Spaniards. A company of adventurers was quickly +formed for taking advantage of this permission on a scale commensurate +with the national resources. They equipped an armada of twenty-five +vessels, manned by 2,300 men, and despatched it under the command of +Drake to plunder Spanish America. Frobisher was second in command. +Two-thirds of the booty were to belong to the adventurers; the remaining +third was to be divided among the men employed in the expedition. + +Drake's armament of 1585 was the greatest that had ever crossed the +Atlantic. After plundering some vessels at the Vigo river, he sailed for +the West Indies by way of the Canaries and Cape Verde Islands, hoisted +the English flag over Santiago and burnt the town, crossed the Atlantic +in eighteen days, and arrived at Dominica. At daybreak, on New Year's +Day, 1586, Drake's soldiers landed in Espanola, a few miles to the west +of the capital, and before evening Carlile and Powell had entered the +city, which the colonists only saved from destruction by the payment of +a heavy ransom. Drake's plan was to do exactly the same at Carthagena +and Nombre de Dios, and thence to strike across the isthmus and secure +the treasure that lay waiting for transport at Panama. Drake held St. +Domingo for a month, and Carthagena for six weeks. He was compelled to +forego the further prosecution of his enterprise. A deadly fever, which +had attacked the men during the sojourn at Santiago, still continued +its ravages. In existing circumstances, even had Nombre de Dios been +successfully attacked, the march to Panama was out of the question; +and after consultation with the military commanders, Drake resolved on +sailing home at once by way of Florida. He brought back with him all +the colonists who had been left by Sir Richard Greenville in 'Virginia.' +Drake had offered either to furnish them with stores, and to leave them +a ship, or to take them home. The former was accepted: but a furious +storm which ensued caused them to change their minds. They recognized +in it the hand of God, whose will it evidently was that they should no +longer be sojourners in the American wilderness; and the first English +settlement of 'Virginia' was abandoned accordingly. + +Ten years afterwards (1595) Drake was again at the head of a similar +expedition. The second command was given to his old associate Hawkins, +Frobisher, his Vice-Admiral in 1585, having recently died of the wound +received at Crozon. This time Nombre de Dios was taken and burnt, and +750 soldiers set out under Sir Thomas Baskerville to march to Panama: +but at the first of the three forts which the Spaniards had by this time +constructed, the march had to be abandoned. Drake did not long survive +this second failure of his favourite scheme. He was attacked by +dysentery a fortnight afterwards, and in a month he died. When he felt +the hand of death upon him, he rose, dressed himself, and endeavoured to +make a farewell speech to those around him. Exhausted by the effort, he +was lifted to his berth, and within an hour breathed his last. Hawkins +had died off Puerto Rico six weeks previously. + +The following narrative is in the main the composition of Walter Biggs, +who commanded a company of musketeers under Carlile. Biggs was one of +the five hundred and odd men who succumbed to the fever. He died shortly +after the fleet sailed from Carthagena; and the narrative was completed +by some comrade. The story of this expedition, which had inflicted such +damaging blows on the Spaniards in America, was eminently calculated to +inspire courage among those who were resisting them in Europe. Cates, +one of Carlile's lieutenants, obtained the manuscript and prepared +it for the press, accompanied by illustrative maps and plans. The +publication was delayed by the Spanish Armada; but a copy found its way +to Holland, where it was translated into Latin, and appeared at Leyden, +in a slightly abridged form, in 1588. The original English narrative +duly appeared in London in the next year. The document called the +'Resolution of the Land-Captains' was inserted by Hakluyt when he +reprinted the narrative in 1600. + + + + + +DRAKE'S GREAT ARMADA + +NARRATIVE MAINLY BY CAPTAIN WALTER BIGGS + + + +_A Summary and True Discourse of Sir Francis Drake's West Indian Voyage, +begun in the year 1585. Wherein were taken the cities of Santiago, +Santo Domingo, Carthagena, and the town of St. Augustine, in Florida. +Published by Master Thomas Cates._ + + + +This worthy knight, for the service of his prince and country, +having prepared his whole fleet, and gotten them down to Plymouth, in +Devonshire, to the number of five and twenty sail of ships and pinnaces, +and having assembled of soldiers and mariners to the number of 2,300 in +the whole, embarked them and himself at Plymouth aforesaid, the 12th day +of September, 1585, being accompanied with these men of name and charge +which hereafter follow: Master Christopher Carlile, Lieutenant-General, +a man of long experience in the wars as well by sea as land, who had +formerly carried high offices in both kinds in many fights, which he +discharged always very happily, and with great good reputation; Anthony +Powell, Sergeant-Major; Captain Matthew Morgan, and Captain John +Sampson, Corporals of the Field. These officers had commandment over the +rest of the land-captains, whose names hereafter follow: Captain Anthony +Platt, Captain Edward Winter, Captain John Goring, Captain Robert Pew, +Captain George Barton, Captain John Merchant, Captain William Cecil, +Captain Walter Biggs [The writer of the first part of the narrative.], +Captain John Hannam, Captain Richard Stanton. Captain Martin Frobisher, +Vice-Admiral, a man of great experience in seafaring actions, who +had carried the chief charge of many ships himself, in sundry voyages +before, being now shipped in the Primrose; Captain Francis Knolles, +Rear-Admiral in the galleon Leicester; Master Thomas Venner, captain +in the Elizabeth Bonadventure, under the General; Master Edward Winter, +captain in the Aid; Master Christopher Carlile, the Lieutenant-General, +captain of the Tiger; Henry White, captain of the Sea-Dragon; Thomas +Drake [Francis Drake's brother.], captain of the Thomas; Thomas Seeley, +captain of the Minion; Baily, captain of the Talbot; Robert Cross, +captain of the bark Bond; George Fortescue, captain of the bark Bonner; +Edward Careless, captain of the Hope; James Erizo, captain of the White +Lion; Thomas Moon, captain of the Francis; John Rivers, captain of the +Vantage; John Vaughan, captain of the Drake; John Varney, captain of the +George; John Martin, captain of the Benjamin; Edward Gilman, captain +of the Scout; Richard Hawkins, captain of the galliot called the Duck; +Bitfield, captain of the Swallow. + +After our going hence, which was the 14th of September, in the year of +our Lord 1585, and taking our course towards Spain, we had the wind for +a few days somewhat scant, and sometimes calm. And being arrived +near that part of Spain which is called the Moors [Muros, S. of Cape +Finisterre.], we happened to espy divers sails, which kept their course +close by the shore, the weather being fair and calm. The General caused +the Vice-Admiral to go with the pinnaces well manned to see what they +were; who upon sight of the said pinnaces approaching near unto them, +abandoned for the most part all their ships, being Frenchmen, laden all +with salt, and bound homewards into France. Amongst which ships, being +all of small burthen, there was one so well liked, which also had no man +in her, as being brought unto the General, he thought good to make stay +of her for the service, meaning to pay for her, as also accordingly he +performed at our return; which bark was called the Drake. The rest of +these ships, being eight or nine, were dismissed without anything at all +taken from them. Who being afterwards put somewhat farther off from the +shore, by the contrariety of the wind, we happened to meet with some +other French ships, full laden with Newland fish, being upon their +return homeward from the said Newfoundland; whom the General after +some speech had with them, and seeing plainly that they were Frenchmen, +dismissed, without once suffering any man to go aboard of them. + +The day following, standing in with the shore again, we decried another +tall ship of twelve score tons or thereabouts, upon whom Master Carlile, +the Lieutenant-General, being in the Tiger, undertook the chase; whom +also anon after the Admiral followed. And the Tiger having caused the +said strange ship to strike her sails, kept her there without suffering +anybody to go aboard until the Admiral was come up; who forthwith +sending for the master, and divers others of their principal men, and +causing them to be severally examined, found the ship and goods to +be belonging to the inhabitants of St. Sebastian, in Spain, but the +mariners to be for the most part belonging to St. John de Luz, and the +Passage. In this ship was great store of dry Newland fish, commonly +called with us Poor John; whereof afterwards, being thus found a lawful +prize, there was distribution made into all the ships of the fleet, the +same being so new and good, as it did very greatly bestead us in the +whole course of our voyage. A day or two after the taking of this ship +we put in within the Isles of Bayon [The Cies Islets, at the mouth of +the Vigo River.], for lack of favourable wind. Where we had no sooner +anchored some part of the fleet, but the General commanded all the +pinnaces with the shipboats to be manned, and every man to be furnished +with such arms as were needful for that present service; which being +done, the General put himself into his galley, which was also well +furnished, and rowing towards the city of Bayon, with intent, and the +favour of the Almighty, to surprise it. Before we had advanced one +half-league of our way there came a messenger, being an English +merchant, from the governor, to see what strange fleet we were; who +came to our General, conferred a while with him, and after a small time +spent, our General called for Captain Sampson, and willed him to go to +the governor of the city, to resolve him of two points. The first to +know if there were any wars between Spain and England; the second, why +our merchants with their goods were embarged or arrested? Thus departed +Captain Sampson with the said messenger to the city, where he found the +governor and people much amazed of such a sudden accident. The General, +with the advice and counsel of Master Carlile, his Lieutenant-General, +who was in the galley with him, thought not good to make any stand, till +such time as they were within the shot of the city, where they might be +ready upon the return of Captain Sampson, to make a sudden attempt, if +cause did require, before it were dark. + +Captain Sampson returned with his message in this sort:--First, touching +peace or wars, the governor said he knew of no wars and that it lay not +in him to make any, he being so mean a subject as he was. And as for the +stay of the merchants with their goods, it was the king's pleasure, +but not with intent to endamage any man. And that the king's +counter-commandment was (which had been received in that place some +seven-night before) that English merchants with their goods should be +discharged. For the more verifying whereof, he sent such merchants as +were in the town of our nation, who trafficked those parts; which being +at large declared to our General by them, counsel was taken what might +best be done. And for that the night approached, it was thought needful +to land our forces, which was done in the shutting up of the day; and +having quartered ourselves to our most advantage, with sufficient guard +upon every strait, we thought to rest ourselves for that night there. +The Governor sent us some refreshing, as bread, wine, oil, apples, +grapes, marmalade and such like. About midnight the weather began to +overcast, insomuch that it was thought meeter to repair aboard, than to +make any longer abode on land. And before we could recover the fleet a +great tempest arose, which caused many of our ships to drive from their +anchorhold, and some were forced to sea in great peril, as the bark +Talbot, the bark Hawkins, and the Speedwell; which Speedwell only was +driven into England, the others recovered us again. The extremity of the +storm lasted three days; which no sooner began to assuage, but Master +Carlile, our Lieutenant-General, was sent with his own ship and three +others, as also with the galley and with divers pinnaces, to see what +he might do above Vigo, where he took many boats and some carvels, +diversely laden with things of small value, but chiefly with household +stuff, running into the high country. And amongst the rest he found one +boat laden with the principal church stuff of the high church of Vigo, +where also was their great cross of silver, of very fair embossed work +and double-gilt all over, having cost them a great mass of money. They +complained to have lost in all kinds of goods above thirty thousand +ducats in this place. + +The next day the General with his whole fleet went from up the Isles of +Bayon to a very good harbour above Vigo, where Master Carlile stayed his +coming, as well for the more quiet riding of his ships, as also for the +good commodity of fresh watering which the place there did afford full +well. In the meantime the governor of Galicia had reared such forces as +he might (his numbers by estimate were some 2000 foot and 300 horse), +and marched from Bayona to this part of the country, which lay in sight +of our fleet; where, making a stand, he sent to parley with our General. +Which was granted by our General, so it might be in boats upon the +water; and for safety of their persons there were pledges delivered on +both sides. Which done, the governor of Galicia put himself with two +others into our Vice-Admiral's skiff, the same having been sent to the +shore for him, and in like sort our General went in his own skiff. Where +by them it was agreed we should furnish ourselves with fresh water, to +be taken by our own people quietly on the land, and have all other such +necessaries, paying for the same, as the place would afford. + +When all our business was ended we departed, and took our way by the +Islands of Canaria, which are esteemed some 300 leagues from this part +of Spain; and falling purposely with Palma, with intention to have taken +our pleasure of that place, for the full digesting of many things into +order, and the better furnishing our store with such several good things +as it affordeth very abundantly, we were forced by the vile sea-gate, +which at that present fell out, and by the naughtiness of the +landing-place, being but one, and that under the favour of many +platforms well furnished with great ordnance, to depart with the receipt +of many of their cannon-shot, some into our ships and some besides, +some of them being in very deed full cannon high. But the only or chief +mischief was the dangerous sea-surge, which at shore all alongst plainly +threatened the overthrow of as many pinnaces and boats as for that time +should have attempted any landing at all. + +Now seeing the expectation of this attempt frustrated by the causes +aforesaid, we thought it meeter to fall with the Isle Ferro, to see if +we could find any better fortune; and coming to the island we landed a +thousand men in a valley under a high mountain, where we stayed some two +or three hours. In which time the inhabitants, accompanied with a young +fellow born in England, who dwelt there with them, came unto us, shewing +their state to be so poor that they were all ready to starve, which was +not untrue; and therefore without anything gotten, we were all commanded +presently to embark, so as that night we put off to sea south-south-east +along towards the coast of Barbary. + +Upon Saturday in the morning, being the 13th of November, we fell with +Cape Blank, which is a low land and shallow water, where we catched +store of fish; and doubling the cape, we put into the bay, where we +found certain French ships of war, whom we entertained with great +courtesy, and there left them. This afternoon the whole fleet assembled, +which was a little scattered about their fishing, and put from thence to +the Isles of Cape Verde, sailing till the 16th of the same month in the +morning; on which day we descried the Island of Santiago. And in the +evening we anchored the fleet between the town called the Playa or Praya +and Santiago; where we put on shore 1000 men or more, under the leading +of Master Christopher Carlile, Lieutenant-General, who directed the +service most like a wise commander. The place where we had first to +march did afford no good order, for the ground was mountainous and full +of dales, being a very stony and troublesome passage; but such was his +industrious disposition, as he would never leave, until we had gotten up +to a fair plain, where we made stand for the assembling of the army. And +when we were all gathered together upon the plain, some two miles from +the town, the Lieutenant-General thought good not to make attempt till +daylight, because there was not one that could serve for guide or giving +knowledge at all of the place. And therefore after having well rested, +even half an hour before day, he commanded the army to be divided into +three special parts, such as he appointed, whereas before we had marched +by several companies, being thereunto forced by the badness of the way +as is aforesaid. Now by the time we were thus ranged into a very brave +order, daylight began to appear. And being advanced hard to the wall, +we saw no enemy to resist. Whereupon the Lieutenant-General appointed +Captain Sampson with thirty shot, and Captain Barton with other thirty, +to go down into the town, which stood in the valley under us, and might +very plainly be viewed all over from that place where the whole army +was now arrived; and presently after these captains was sent the great +ensign, which had nothing in it but the plain English cross, to be +placed towards the sea, that our fleet might see St. George's cross +flourish in the enemy's fortress. Order was given that all the ordnance +throughout the town and upon all the platforms, which were about fifty +pieces all ready charged, should be shot off in honour of the Queen's +Majesty's coronation day, being the 17th of November, after the yearly +custom of England, which was so answered again by the ordnance out of +all the ships in the fleet, which now come near, as it was strange to +hear such a thundering noise last so long together. In this mean while +the Lieutenant-General held still the most part of his force on the +hilltop, till such time as the town was quartered out for the lodging +of the whole army. Which being done, every captain took his own quarter; +and in the evening was placed such a sufficient guard upon every part +of the town that we had no cause to fear any present enemy. Thus we +continued in the city the space of fourteen days, taking such spoils as +the place yielded, which were, for the most part, wine, oil, meal, and +some other such like things for victual as vinegar, olives, and some +other trash, as merchandise for their Indian trades. But there was not +found any treasure at all, or anything else of worth besides. + +The situation of Santiago is somewhat strange; in form like a triangle, +having on the east and west sides two mountains of rock and cliff, as it +were hanging over it; upon the top of which two mountains were builded +certain fortifications to preserve the town from any harm that might be +offered, as in a plot is plainly shewed. From thence on the south side +of the town is the main sea; and on the north side, the valley lying +between the aforesaid mountains, wherein the town standeth. The said +valley and town both do grow very narrow; insomuch that the space +between the two cliffs of this end of the town is estimated not to +be above ten or twelve score [yards] over. In the midst of the valley +cometh down a riveret, rill, or brook of fresh water, which hard by the +seaside maketh a pond or pool, whereout our ships were watered with +very great ease and pleasure. Somewhat above the town on the north side, +between the two mountains, the valley waxeth somewhat larger than at the +town's end; which valley is wholly converted into gardens and orchards, +well replenished with divers sorts of fruits, herbs, and trees, as +lemons, oranges, sugar-canes, _cocars_ or cocos nuts, plantains, +potato-roots, cucumbers, small and round onions, garlic, and some other +things not now remembered. Amongst which the cocos nuts and plantains +are very pleasant fruits; the said cocos hath a hard shell and a green +husk over it as hath our walnut, but it far exceedeth in greatness, for +this cocos in his green husk is bigger than any man's two fists. Of +the hard shell many drinking cups are made here in England, and set in +silver as I have often seen. Next within this hard shell is a white rind +resembling in show very much, even as any thing may do, to the white of +an egg when it is hard boiled. And within this white of the nut lieth a +water, which is whitish and very clear, to the quantity of half a pint +or thereabouts; which water and white rind before spoken of are both +of a very cool fresh taste, and as pleasing as anything may be. I +have heard some hold opinion that it is very restorative. The plantain +groweth in cods, somewhat like to beans, but is bigger and longer, and +much more thick together on the stalk; and when it waxeth ripe, the +meat which filleth the rind of the cod becometh yellow, and is exceeding +sweet and pleasant. + +In this time of our being there happened to come a Portugal to the +western fort, with a flag of truce. To whom Captain Sampson was sent +with Captain Goring; who coming to the said messenger, he first asked +them, What nation they were? they answered Englishmen. He then required +to know if wars were between England and Spain; to which they answered, +that they knew not, but if he would go to their General he could best +resolve him of such particulars. And for his assurance of passage and +repassage these captains made offer to engage their credits, which he +refused for that he was not sent from his governor. Then they told him +if his governor did desire to take a course for the common benefit of +the people and country his best way were to come and present himself +unto our noble and merciful governor, Sir Francis Drake, whereby he +might be assured to find favour, both for himself and the inhabitants. +Otherwise within three days we should march over the land, and consume +with fire all inhabited places, and put to the sword all such living +souls as we should chance upon. So thus much he took for the conclusion +of his answer. And departing, he promised to return the next day; but we +never heard more of him. + +Upon the 24th of November, the General, accompanied with the +Lieutenant-General and 600 men, marched forth to a village twelve +miles within the land, called Saint Domingo, where the governor and the +bishop, with all the better sort, were lodged; and by eight of the clock +we came to it, finding the place abandoned, and the people fled into the +mountains. So we made stand a while to ease ourselves, and partly to see +if any would come to speak to us. After we had well rested ourselves, +the General commanded the troops to march away homewards. In which +retreat the enemy shewed themselves, both horse and foot, though not +such force as durst encounter us; and so in passing some time at the +gaze with them, it waxed late and towards night before we could recover +home to Santiago. + +On Monday, the 26th of November, the General commanded all the pinnaces +with the boats to use all diligence to embark the army into such ships +as every man belonged. The Lieutenant-General in like sort commanded +Captain Goring and Lieutenant Tucker, with one hundred shot, to make +a stand in the marketplace until our forces were wholly embarked; the +Vice-Admiral making stay with his pinnace and certain boats in the +harbour, to bring the said last company abroad the ships. Also the +General willed forthwith the galley with two pinnaces to take into them +the company of Captain Barton, and the company of Captain Biggs, under +the leading of Captain Sampson, to seek out such munition as was hidden +in the ground, at the town of Praya, or Playa, having been promised to +be shewed it by a prisoner which was taken the day before. + +The captains aforesaid coming to the Playa, landed their men; and +having placed the troop in their best strength, Captain Sampson took +the prisoner, and willed him to show that he had promised. The which +he could not, or at least would not; but they searching all suspected +places, found two pieces of ordnance, one of iron, another of brass. In +the afternoon the General anchored with the rest of the fleet before the +Playa, coming himself ashore, willing us to burn the town and make all +haste aboard; the which was done by six of the clock the same day, +and ourselves embarked again the same night. And so we put off to sea +south-west. + +But before our departure from the town of Santiago, we established +orders for the better government of the army. Every man mustered to his +captain, and oaths were ministered, to acknowledge her Majesty supreme +Governor, as also every man to do his utter-most endeavour to advance +the service of the action, and to yield due obedience unto the +directions of the General and his officers. By this provident counsel, +and laying down this good foundation beforehand, all things went forward +in a due course, to the achieving of our happy enterprise. + +In all the time of our being here, neither the governor for the said +King of Spain, which is a Portugal, neither the bishop, whose authority +is great, neither the inhabitants of the town, or island, ever came at +us; which we expected they should have done, to entreat us to leave +them some part of their needful provisions, or at the least to spare +the ruining of their town at our going away. The cause of this their +unreasonable distrust, as I do take it, was the fresh remembrance of +the great wrongs that they had done to old Master William Hawkins, of +Plymouth, in the voyage he made four or five years before, whenas they +did both break their promise, and murdered many of his men; whereof I +judge you have understood, and therefore it is needless to be repeated. +But since they came not at us, we left written in sundry places, as also +in the Spital House (which building was only appointed to be spared), +the great discontentment and scorn we took at this their refraining to +come unto us, as also at the rude manner of killing, and savage kind of +handling the dead body of one of our boys found by them straggling all +alone, from whom they had taken his head and heart, and had straggled +the other bowels about the place, in a most brutish and beastly manner. +In revenge whereof at our departing we consumed with fire all the +houses, as well in the country which we saw, as in the town of Santiago. + +From hence putting off to the West Indies, we were not many days at sea +but there began among our people such mortality as in a few days there +were dead above two or three hundred men. And until some seven or eight +days after our coming from Santiago, there had not died any one man +of sickness in all the fleet. The sickness showed not his infection, +wherewith so many were strucken, until we were departed thence; and then +seized our people with extreme hot burning and continual agues, whereof +very few escaped with life, and yet those for the most part not without +great alteration and decay of their wits and strength for a long time +after. In some that died were plainly shown the small spots which are +often found upon those that be infected with the plague. We were not +above eighteen days in passage between the sight of Santiago aforesaid, +and the island of Dominica, being the first island of the West Indies +that we fell withal; the same being inhabited with savage people, which +go all naked, their skin coloured with some painting of a reddish +tawny, very personable and handsome strong men, who do admit little +conversation with the Spaniards; for, as some of our people might +understand them, they had a Spaniard or twain prisoners with them. +Neither do I think that there is any safety for any of our nation, or +any other, to be within the limits of their commandment; albeit they +used us very kindly for those few hours of time which we spent with +them, helping our folks to fill and carry on their bare shoulders fresh +water from the river to our ships' boats, and fetching from their houses +great store of tobacco, as also a kind of bread which they fed on, +called cassavi, very white and savoury, made of the roots of cassavi. In +recompense whereof we bestowed liberal rewards of glass, coloured beads, +and other things, which we had found at Santiago; wherewith, as it +seemed, they rested very greatly satisfied, and shewed some sorrowful +countenance when they perceived that we would depart. + +From hence we went to another island westward of it, called Saint +Christopher's Island; wherein we spent some days of Christmas, to +refresh our sick people, and to cleanse and air our ships. In which +island were not any people at all that we could hear of. + +In which time by the General it was advised and resolved, with the +consent of the Lieutenant-General, the Vice-Admiral, and all the rest of +the captains, to proceed to the great island of Hispaniola, as well +for that we knew ourselves then to be in our best strength, as also +the rather allured thereunto by the glorious fame of the city of St. +Domingo, being the ancientest and chief inhabited place in all the tract +of country thereabouts. And so proceeding in this determination, by +the way we met a small frigate, bound for the same place, the which the +Vice-Admiral took; and having duly examined the men that were in her, +there was one found by whom we were advertised the haven to be a barred +haven, and the shore or land thereof to be well fortified, having a +castle thereupon furnished with great store of artillery, without the +danger whereof was no convenient landing-place within ten English miles +of the city, to which the said pilot took upon him to conduct us. + +All things being thus considered on, the whole forces were commanded +in the evening to embark themselves in pinnaces, boats, and other small +barks appointed for this service. Our soldiers being thus embarked, the +General put himself into the bark Francis as Admiral; and all this +night we lay on the sea, bearing small sail until our arrival to the +landing-place, which was about the breaking of the day. And so we +landed, being New Year's Day, nine or ten miles to the westwards of that +brave city of St. Domingo; for at that time nor yet is known to us +any landing-place, where the sea-surge doth not threaten to overset +a pinnace or boat. Our General having seen us all landed in safety, +returned to his fleet, bequeathing us to God, and the good conduct of +Master Carlile, our Lieutenant-General; at which time, being about eight +of the clock, we began to march. And about noon-time, or towards one of +the clock, we approached the town; where the gentleman and those of the +better sort, being some hundred and fifty brave horses, or rather more, +began to present themselves. But our small shot played upon them, which +were so sustained with good proportion of pikes in all parts, as they +finding no part of our troop unprepared to receive them (for you must +understand they viewed all round about) they were thus driven to give us +leave to proceed towards the two gates of the town which were the next +to the seaward. They had manned them both, and planted their ordnance +for that present and sudden alarm without the gate, and also some troops +of small shot in _ambuscado_ upon the highway side. We divided our whole +force, being some thousand or twelve hundred men, into two parts, to +enterprise both the gates at one instant; the Lieutenant-General having +openly vowed to Captain Powell, who led the troop that entered the other +gate, that with God's good favour he would not rest until our meeting in +the market-place. + +Their ordnance had no sooner discharged upon our near approach, and made +some execution amongst us, though not much, but the Lieutenant-General +began forthwith to advance both his voice of encouragement and pace of +marching; the first man that was slain with the ordnance being very near +unto himself; and thereupon hasted all that he might, to keep them from +the recharging of the ordnance. And notwithstanding their _ambuscados_, +we marched or rather ran so roundly into them, as pell-mell we entered +the gates, and gave them more care every man to save himself by flight, +than reason to stand any longer to their broken fight. We forthwith +repaired to the market-place, but to be more truly understood, a place +of very spacious square ground; whither also came, as had been agreed, +Captain Powell with the other troop. Which place with some part next +unto it, we strengthened with _barricados_, and there as the most +convenient place assured ourselves, the city being far too spacious +for so small and weary a troop to undertake to guard. Somewhat after +midnight, they who had the guard of the castle, hearing us busy about +the gates of the said castle, abandoned the same; some being taken +prisoners, and some fleeing away by the help of boats to the other side +of the haven, and so into the country. + +The next day we quartered a little more at large, but not into the half +part of the town; and so making substantial trenches, and planting all +the ordnance, that each part was correspondent to other, we held this +town the space of one month. + +In the which time happened some accidents, more than are well remembered +for the present. But amongst other things, it chanced that the General +sent on his message to the Spaniards a negro boy with a flag of white, +signifying truce, as is the Spanish ordinary manner to do there, when +they approach to speak to us; which boy unhappily was first met withal +by some of those who had been belonging as officers for the king in the +Spanish galley, which with the town was lately fallen into our hands. +Who, without all order or reason, and contrary to that good usage +wherewith we had entertained their messengers, furiously struck the poor +boy through the body with one of their horsemen's staves; with which +wound the boy returned to the General, and after he had declared +the manner of this wrongful cruelty, died forthwith in his presence. +Wherewith the General being greatly passioned, commanded the +provost-marshal to cause a couple of friars, then prisoners, to be +carried to the same place where the boy was strucken, accompanied with +sufficient guard of our soldiers, and there presently to be hanged, +despatching at the same instant another poor prisoner, with this reason +wherefore this execution was done, and with this message further, that +until the party who had thus murdered the General's messenger were +delivered into our hands to receive condign punishment, there should no +day pass wherein there should not two prisoners be hanged, until they +were all consumed which were in our hands. Whereupon the day following, +he that had been captain of the king's galley brought the offender +to the town's end, offering to deliver him into our hands. But it was +thought to be a more honourable revenge to make them there, in our +sight, to perform the execution themselves; which was done accordingly. + +During our being in this town, as formerly also at Santiago there had +passed justice upon the life of one of our own company for an odious +matter, so here likewise was there an Irishman hanged for the murdering +of his corporal. + +In this time also passed many treaties between their commissioners and +us, for ransom of their city; but upon disagreements we still spent the +early mornings in firing the outmost houses; but they being built very +magnificently of stone, with high lofts, gave us no small travail to +ruin them. And albeit for divers days together we ordained each morning +by daybreak, until the heat began at nine of the clock, that two hundred +mariners did naught else but labour to fire and burn the said houses +without our trenches, whilst the soldiers in a like proportion stood +forth for their guard; yet did we not, or could not in this time consume +so much as one-third part of the town, which town is plainly described +and set forth in a certain map. And so in the end, what wearied with +firing, and what hastened by some other respects, we were contended to +accept of 25,000 ducats of five shillings six-pence the piece, for the +ransom of the rest of the town. + +Amongst other things which happened and were found at St. Domingo, I may +not omit to let the world know one very notable mark and token of the +unsatiable ambition of the Spanish king and his nation, which was found +in the king's house, wherein the chief governor of that city and country +is appointed always to lodge, which was this. In the coming to the hall +or other rooms of this house, you must first ascend up by a fair large +pair of stairs, at the head of which stairs is a handsome spacious +place to walk in, somewhat like unto a gallery. Wherein, upon one of the +walls, right over against you as you enter the said place, so as your +eye cannot escape the sight of it, there is described and painted in +a very large scutcheon the arms of the King of Spain; and in the +lower part of the said scutcheon there is likewise described a globe, +containing in it the whole circuit of the sea and the earth, whereupon +is a horse standing on his hinder part within the globe, and the other +forepart without the globe, lifted up as it were to leap, with a scroll +painted in his mouth, wherein was written these words in Latin, _NON +SUFFICIT ORBIS_, which is as much to say as, _The world sufficeth not_. +Whereof the meaning was required to be known of some of those of the +better sort that came in commission to treat upon the ransom of the +town; who would shake their heads and turn aside their countenance, +in some smiling sort, without answering anything, as greatly ashamed +thereof. For by some of our company it was told them, that if the Queen +of England would resolutely prosecute the wars against the King of +Spain, he should be forced to lay aside that proud and unreasonable +reaching vein of his; for he should find more than enough to do to keep +that which he had already, as by the present example of their lost town +they might for a beginning perceive well enough. + +Now to the satisfying of some men, who marvel greatly that such a famous +and goodly-builded city, so well inhabited of gallant people, very +brave in their apparel (whereof our soldiers found good store for their +relief), should afford no greater riches than was found there. Herein +it is to be understood that the Indian people, which were the natives +of this whole island of Hispaniola (the same being near hand as great +as England), were many years since clean consumed by the tyranny of the +Spaniards; which was the cause that, for lack of people to work in the +mines, the gold and silver mines of this island are wholly given over. +And thereby they are fain in this island to use copper money, whereof +was found very great quantity. The chief trade of this place consisteth +of sugar and ginger, which groweth in the island, and of hides of oxen +and kine, which in this waste country of the island are bred in infinite +numbers, the soil being very fertile. And the said beasts are fed up +to a very large growth, and so killed for nothing so much as for their +hides aforesaid. We found here great store of strong wine, sweet oil, +vinegar, olives, and other such-like provisions, as excellent wheat-meal +packed up in wine-pipes and other cask, and other commodities likewise, +as woollen and linen cloth and some silks; all which provisions are +brought out of Spain, and served us for great relief. There was but a +little plate or vessel of silver, in comparison of the great pride in +other things of this town, because in these hot countries they use much +of those earthen dishes finely painted or varnished, which they call +_porcellana_, which is had out of the East India; and for their drinking +they use glasses altogether, whereof they make excellent good and fair +in the same place. But yet some plate we found, and many other good +things, as their household garniture, very gallant and rich, which had +cost them dear, although unto us they were of small importance. + + + +From St. Domingo we put over to the main or firm land, and, going all +along the coast, we came at last in sight of Carthagena, standing upon +the seaside, so near as some of our barks in passing alongst approached +within the reach of their culverin shot, which they had planted upon +certain platforms. The harbour-mouth lay some three miles toward the +westward of the town, whereinto we entered at about three or four of +the clock in the afternoon without any resistance of ordnance or other +impeachment planted upon the same. In the evening we put ourselves on +land towards the harbour-mouth, under the leading of Master Carlile, our +Lieutenant-General. Who, after he had digested us to march forward about +midnight, as easily as foot might fall, expressly commanded us to keep +close by the sea-wash of the shore for our best and surest way; whereby +we were like to go through, and not to miss any more of the way, which +once we had lost within an hour after our first beginning to march, +through the slender knowledge of him that took upon him to be our guide, +whereby the night spent on, which otherwise must have been done by +resting. But as we came within some two miles of the town, their +horsemen, which were some hundred, met us, and, taking the alarm, +retired to their townward again upon the first volley of our shot that +was given them; for the place where we encountered being woody and +bushy, even to the waterside, was unmeet for their service. + +At this instant we might hear some pieces of artillery discharged, with +divers small shot, towards the harbour; which gave us to understand, +according to the order set down in the evening before by our General, +that the Vice-Admiral, accompanied with Captain Venner, Captain White, +and Captain Cross, with other sea captains, and with divers pinnaces +and boats, should give some attempt unto the little fort standing on the +entry of the inner haven, near adjoining to the town, though to small +purpose, for that the place was strong, and the entry, very narrow, was +chained over; so as there could be nothing gotten by the attempt more +than the giving of them an alarm on that other side of the haven, being +a mile and a-half from the place we now were at. In which attempt the +Vice-Admiral had the rudder of his skiff strucken through with a saker +shot, and a little or no harm received elsewhere. + +The troops being now in their march, half-a-mile behither the town or +less, the ground we were on grew to be strait, and not above fifty paces +over, having the main sea on the one side of it and the harbour-water or +inner sea (as you may term it) on the other side, which in the plot is +plainly shewed. This strait was fortified clean over with a stone wall +and a ditch without it, the said wall being as orderly built, with +flanking in every part, as can be set down. There was only so much of +this strait unwalled as might serve for the issuing of the horsemen or +the passing of carriage in time of need. But this unwalled part was +not without a very good _barricado_ of wine-butts or pipes, filled with +earth, full and thick as they might stand on end one by another, some +part of them standing even within the main sea. This place of strength +was furnished with six great pieces, demiculverins and sakers, which +shot directly in front upon us as we approached. Now without this wall, +upon the inner side of the strait, they had brought likewise two great +galleys with their prows to the shore, having planted in them eleven +pieces of ordnance, which did beat all cross the strait, and flanked our +coming on. In these two galleys were planted three or four hundred small +shot, and on the land, in the guard only of this place, three hundred +shot and pikes. + +They, in this their full readiness to receive us, spared not their shot +both great and small. But our Lieutenant-General, taking the advantage +of the dark (the daylight as yet not broken out) approached by the +lowest ground, according to the express direction which himself had +formerly given, the same being the sea-wash shore, where the water +was somewhat fallen, so as most of all their shot was in vain. Our +Lieutenant-General commanded our shot to forbear shooting until we were +come to the wall-side. And so with pikes roundly together we approached +the place, where we soon found out the _barricados_ of pipes or butts to +be the meetest place for our assault; which, notwithstanding it was well +furnished with pikes and shots, was without staying attempted by us. +Down went the butts of earth, and pell-mell came our swords and pikes +together, after our shot had first given their volley, even at the +enemy's nose. Our pikes were somewhat longer than theirs, and our bodies +better armed; for very few of them were armed. With which advantage our +swords and pikes grew too hard for them, and they driven to give place. +In this furious entry the Lieutenant-General slew with his own hands the +chief ensign-bearer of the Spaniards, who fought very manfully to his +life's end. + +We followed into the town with them, and, giving them no leisure to +breathe, we won the market-place, albeit they made head and fought +awhile before we got it. And so we being once seized and assured of +that, they were content to suffer us to lodge within their town, and +themselves to go to their wives, whom they had carried into other places +of the country before our coming thither. At every street's end they had +raised very fine _barricados_ of earthworks, with trenches without them, +as well made as ever we saw any work done; at the entering whereof was +some little resistance, but soon overcome it was, with few slain or +hurt. They had joined with them many Indians, whom they had placed in +corners of advantage, all bowmen, with their arrows most villainously +empoisoned, so as if they did but break the skin, the party so touched +died without great marvel. Some they slew of our people with their +arrows; some they likewise mischiefed to death with certain pricks of +small sticks sharply pointed, of a foot and a-half long, the one end put +into the ground, the other empoisoned, sticking fast up, right against +our coming in the way as we should approach from our landing towards the +town, whereof they had planted a wonderful number in the ordinary way; +but our keeping the sea-wash shore missed the greatest part of them very +happily. + +I overpass many particular matters, as the hurting of Captain Sampson at +sword blows in the first entering, unto whom was committed the charge of +the pikes of the vant-guard by his lot and turn; as also of the taking +of Alonzo Bravo, the chief commander of that place, by Captain Goring, +after the said captain had first hurt him with his sword; unto which +captain was committed the charge of the shot of the said vant-guard. +Captain Winter was likewise by his turn of the vant-guard in this +attempt, where also the Lieutenant-General marched himself; the said +Captain Winter, through a great desire to serve by land, having now +exchanged his charge at sea with Captain Cecil for his band of footmen. +Captain Powell, the Sergeant-Major, had by his turn the charge of the +four companies which made the battle. Captain Morgan, who at St. Domingo +was of the vant-guard, had now by turn his charge upon the companies +of the rearward. Every man, as well of one part as of another, came so +willingly on to the service, as the enemy was not able to endure the +fury of such hot assault. + +We stayed here six weeks, and the sickness with mortality before spoken +of still continued among us, though not with the same fury as at the +first; and such as were touched with the said sickness, escaping death, +very few or almost none could recover their strength. Yea, many of +them were much decayed in their memory, insomuch that it was grown an +ordinary judgment, when one was heard to speak foolishly, to say he had +been sick of the _calentura_, which is the Spanish name of their burning +ague; for, as I told you before, it is a very burning and pestilent +ague. The original cause thereof is imputed to the evening or first +night air, which they term _la serena_; wherein they say and hold very +firm opinion that whoso is then abroad in the open air shall certainly +be infected to the death, not being of the Indian or natural race of +those country people. By holding their watch our men were thus subjected +to the infectious air, which at Santiago was most dangerous and deadly +of all other places. + +With the inconvenience of continual mortality we were forced to give +over our intended enterprise to go with Nombre de Dios, and so overland +to Panama, where we should have strucken the stroke for the treasure, +and full recompense of our tedious travails. And thus at Carthagena +we took our first resolution to return homewards, the form of which +resolution I thought good here to put down under the principal captains' +hands as followeth:-- + +A Resolution of the Land-Captains, what course they think most expedient +to be taken. Given at Carthagena, the 27th of February, 1585. + +WHEREAS it hath pleased the General to demand the opinions of his +captains what course they think most expedient to be now undertaken, the +land-captains being assembled by themselves together, and having advised +hereupon, do in three points deliver the same. + +THE FIRST, touching the keeping of the town against the force of the +enemy, either that which is present, or that which may come out of +Spain, is answered thus:-- + +'We hold opinion, that with this troop of men which we have presently +with us in land service, being victualled and munitioned, we may well +keep the town, albeit that of men able to answer present service we have +not above 700. The residue, being some 150 men, by reason of their hurts +and sickness, are altogether unable to stand us in any stead: wherefore +hereupon the sea-captains are likewise to give their resolution, how +they will undertake the safety and service of the ships upon the arrival +of any Spanish fleet.' + +THE SECOND point we make to be this, whether it be meet to go +presently homeward, or else to continue further trial of our fortune in +undertaking such like enterprises as we have done already, and thereby +to seek after that bountiful mass of treasure for recompense of our +travails, which was generally expected at our coming forth of England: +wherein we answer:-- + +'That it is well known how both we and the soldiers are entered into +this action as voluntary men, without any impress or gage from her +Majesty or anybody else. And forasmuch as we have hitherto discharged +the parts of honest men, so that now by the great blessing and favour of +our good God there have been taken three such notable towns, wherein +by the estimation of all men would have been found some very great +treasures, knowing that Santiago was the chief city of all the islands +and traffics thereabouts, St. Domingo the chief city of Hispaniola, and +the head government not only of that island, but also of Cuba, and of +all the islands about it, as also of such inhabitations of the firm +land, as were next unto it, and a place that is both magnificently built +and entertaineth great trades of merchandise; and now lastly the city of +Carthagena, which cannot be denied to be one of the chief places of most +especial importance to the Spaniard of all the cities which be on this +side of the West India: we do therefore consider, that since all these +cities, with their goods and prisoners taken in them, and the ransoms of +the said cities, being all put together, are found far short to satisfy +that expectation which by the generality of the enterprisers was first +conceived; and being further advised of the slenderness of our strength, +whereunto we be now reduced, as well in respect of the small number of +able bodies, as also not a little in regard of the slack disposition of +the greater part of those which remain, very many of the better minds +and men being either consumed by death or weakened by sickness and +hurts; and lastly, since that as yet there is not laid down to our +knowledge any such enterprise as may seem convenient to be undertaken +with such few as we are presently able to make, and withal of such +certain likelihood, as with God's good success which it may please +him to bestow upon us, the same may promise to yield us any sufficient +contentment: we do therefore conclude hereupon, that it is better to +hold sure as we may the honour already gotten, and with the same to +return towards our gracious sovereign and country, from whence, if it +shall please her Majesty to set us forth again with her orderly means +and entertainment, we are most ready and willing to go through with +anything that the uttermost of our strength and endeavour shall be able +to reach unto. But therewithal we do advise and protest that it is far +from our thoughts, either to refuse, or so much as to seem to be weary +of anything which for the present shall be further required or directed +to be done by us from our General.' + +THE THIRD and last point is concerning the ransom of this city of +Carthagena, for the which, before it was touched with any fire, there +was made an offer of some 27,000 or 28,000 pounds sterling:-- + +'Thus much we utter herein as our opinions, agreeing, so it be done in +good sort, to accept this offer aforesaid, rather than to break off by +standing still upon our demands of 100,000 pounds; which seems a matter +impossible to be performed for the present by them. And to say truth, +we may now with much honour and reputation better be satisfied with that +sum offered by them at the first, if they will now be contented to give +it, than we might at that time with a great deal more; inasmuch as we +have taken our full pleasure, both in the uttermost sacking and spoiling +of all their household goods and merchandise, as also in that we have +consumed and ruined a great part of their town with fire. And thus much +further is considered herein by us; that as there be in the voyage +a great many poor men, who have willingly adventured their lives and +travails, and divers amongst them having spent their apparel and such +other little provisions as their small means might have given them leave +to prepare, which being done upon such good and allowable intention as +this action hath always carried with it (meaning, against the Spaniard, +our greatest and most dangerous enemy), so surely we cannot but have an +inward regard, so far as may lie in us, to help them in all good sort +towards the satisfaction of this their expectation; and by procuring +them some little benefit to encourage them, and to nourish this ready +and willing disposition of theirs, both in them and in others by their +example, against any other time of like occasion. But because it may be +supposed that herein we forget not the private benefit of ourselves, and +are thereby the rather moved to incline ourselves to this composition, +we do therefore think good for the clearing ourselves of all such +suspicion, to declare hereby, that what part or portion soever it be of +this ransom or composition for Carthagena which should come unto us, +we do freely give and bestow the same wholly upon the poor men who +have remained with us in the voyage (meaning as well the sailor as the +soldier), wishing with all our hearts it were such or so much as might +see a sufficient reward for their painful endeavour. And for the firm +confirmation thereof, we have thought meet to subsign these presents +with our own hands in the place and time aforesaid. + +'Captain Christopher Charlie, Lieutenant-General; Captain Goring, +Captain Sampson, Captain Powell, etc.' + +But while we were yet there, it happened one day that our watch called +the sentinel, upon the church-steeple, had discovered in the sea +a couple of small barks or boats, making in with the harbour of +Carthagena. Whereupon Captain Moon and Captain Varney, with John Grant, +the master of the Tiger, and some other seamen, embarked themselves in a +couple of small pinnaces, to take them before they should come nigh the +shore, at the mouth of the harbour, lest by some straggling Spaniards +from the land, they might be warned by signs from coming in. Which fell +out accordingly, notwithstanding all the diligence that our men could +use: for the Spanish boats, upon the sight of our pinnaces coming +towards them, ran themselves ashore, and so their men presently hid +themselves in bushes hard by the sea-side, amongst some others that had +called them by signs thither. Our men presently without any due regard +had to the quality of the place, and seeing no man of the Spaniards to +shew themselves, boarded the Spanish barks or boats, and so standing all +open in them, were suddenly shot at by a troop of Spaniards out of the +bushes; by which volley of shot there were slain Captain Varney, which +died presently, and Captain Moon, who died some few days after, besides +some four or five others that were hurt: and so our folks returned +without their purpose, not having any sufficient number of soldiers with +them to fight on shore. For those men they carried were all mariners to +row, few of them armed, because they made account with their ordnance +to have taken the barks well enough at sea; which they might full easily +have done, without any loss at all, if they had come in time to the +harbour mouth, before the Spaniards' boats had gotten so near the shore. + +During our abode in this place, as also at St. Domingo, there passed +divers courtesies between us and the Spaniards, as feasting, and using +them with all kindness and favour; so as amongst others there came to +see the General the governor of Carthagena, with the bishop of the same, +and divers other gentlemen of the better sort. This town of Carthagena +we touched in the out parts, and consumed much with fire, as we had done +St. Domingo, upon discontentments, and for want of agreeing with us +in their first treaties touching their ransom; which at the last was +concluded between us should be 110,000 ducats for that which was yet +standing, the ducat valued at five shillings sixpence sterling. + +This town, though not half so big as St. Domingo, gives, as you see, a +far greater ransom, being in very deed of far more importance, by reason +of the excellency of the harbour, and the situation thereof to serve the +trade of Nombre de Dios and other places, and is inhabited with far more +richer merchants. The other is chiefly inhabited with lawyers and brave +gentlemen, being the chief or highest appeal of their suits in law of +all the islands about it and of the mainland coast next unto it. And +it is of no such account as Carthagena, for these and some like reasons +which I could give you, over long to be now written. + +The warning which this town received of our coming towards them from St. +Domingo, by the space of 20 days before our arrival here, was cause that +they had both fortified and every way prepared for their best defence. +As also that they had carried and conveyed away all their treasure and +principal substance. + +The ransom of 110,000 ducats thus concluded on, as is aforesaid, the +same being written, and expressing for nothing more than the town of +Carthagena, upon the payment of the said ransom we left the said town +and drew some part of our soldiers into the priory or abbey, standing a +quarter of an English mile below the town upon the harbour water-side, +the same being walled with a wall of stone; which we told the Spaniards +was yet ours, and not redeemed by their composition. Whereupon they, +finding the defect of their contract, were contented to enter into +another ransom for all places, but specially for the said house, as also +the blockhouse or castle, which is upon the mouth of the inner harbour. +And when we asked as much for the one as for the other, they yielded to +give a thousand crowns for the abbey, leaving us to take our pleasure +upon the blockhouse, which they said they were not able to ransom, +having stretched themselves to the uttermost of their powers; and +therefore the said blockhouse was by us undermined, and so with +gunpowder blown up in pieces. While this latter contract was in making, +our whole fleet of ships fell down towards the harbour-mouth, where +they anchored the third time and employed their men in fetching of fresh +water aboard the ships for our voyage homewards, which water was had in +a great well that is in the island by the harbour-mouth. Which island +is a very pleasant place as hath been seen, having in it many sorts of +goodly and very pleasant fruits, as the orange-trees and others, being +set orderly in walks of great length together. Insomuch as the whole +island, being some two or three miles about, is cast into grounds of +gardening and orchards. + +After six weeks' abode in this place, we put to sea the last of March; +where, after two or three days, a great Ship which we had taken at St. +Domingo, and thereupon was called The New Year's Gift, fell into a great +leak, being laden with ordnance, hides, and other spoils, and in the +night she lost the company of our fleet. Which being missed the next +morning by the General, he cast about with the whole fleet, fearing some +great mischance to be happened unto her, as in very deed it so fell out; +for her leak was so great that her men were all tired with pumping. But +at the last, having found her, and the bark Talbot in her company, which +stayed by great hap with her, they were ready to take their men out of +her for the saving of them. And so the General, being fully advertised +of their great extremity, made sail directly back again to Carthagena +with the whole fleet; where, having staid eight or ten days more about +the unlading of this ship and the bestowing thereof and her men into +other ships, we departed once again to sea, directing our course toward +the Cape St. Anthony, being the westermost part of Cuba, where we +arrived the 27th of April. But because fresh water could not presently +be found, we weighed anchor and departed, thinking in few days to +recover the Matanzas, a place to the eastward of Havana. + +After we had sailed some fourteen days we were brought to Cape St. +Anthony again through lack of favourable wind; but then our scarcity +was grown such as need make us look a little better for water, which we +found in sufficient quantity, being indeed, as I judge, none other than +rain-water newly fallen and gathered up by making pits in a plot of +marish ground some three hundred paces from the seaside. + +I do wrong if I should forget the good example of the General at this +place, who, to encourage others, and to hasten the getting of fresh +water aboard the ships, took no less pain himself than the meanest; as +also at St. Domingo, Carthagena, and all other places, having always +so vigilant a care and foresight in the good ordering of his fleet, +accompanying them, as it is said, with such wonderful travail of body, +as doubtless had he been the meanest person, as he was the chiefest, +he had yet deserved the first place of honour; and no less happy do +we account him for being associated with Master Carlile, his +Lieutenant-General, by whose experience, prudent counsel, and gallant +performance he achieved so many and happy enterprises of the war, by +whom also he was very greatly assisted in setting down the needful +orders, laws, and course of justice, and the due administration of the +same upon all occasions. + +After three days spent in watering our ships, we departed now the second +time from this Cape of St. Anthony the 13th of May. And proceeding about +the Cape of Florida, we never touched anywhere; but coasting alongst +Florida, and keeping the shore still in sight, the 28th of May, early in +the morning, we descried on the shore a place built like a beacon, which +was indeed a scaffold upon four long masts raised on end for men to +discover to the seaward, being in the latitude of thirty degrees, or +very near thereunto. Our pinnaces manned and coming to the shore, we +marched up alongst the river-side to see what place the enemy held +there; for none amongst us had any knowledge thereof at all. + +Here the General took occasion to march with the companies himself in +person, the Lieutenant-General having the vant-guard; and, going a mile +up, or somewhat more, by the river-side, we might discern on the other +side of the river over against us a fort which newly had been built by +the Spaniards; and some mile, or thereabout, above the fort was a little +town or village without walls, built of wooden houses, as the plot doth +plainly shew. We forthwith prepared to have ordnance for the battery; +and one piece was a little before the evening planted, and the first +shot being made by the Lieutenant-General himself at their ensign, +strake through the ensign, as we afterwards understood by a Frenchman +which came unto us from them. One shot more was then made, which struck +the foot of the fort wall, which was all massive timber of great trees +like masts. The Lieutenant-General was determined to pass the river this +night with four companies, and there to lodge himself entrenched as near +the fort as that he might play with his muskets and smallest shot upon +any that should appear, and so afterwards to bring and plant the battery +with him; but the help of mariners for that sudden to make trenches +could not be had, which was the cause that this determination was +remitted until the next night. + +In the night the Lieutenant-General took a little rowing skiff and half +a dozen well armed, as Captain Morgan and Captain Sampson, with some +others, beside the rowers, and went to view what guard the enemy kept, +as also to take knowledge of the ground. And albeit he went as covertly +as might be, yet the enemy, taking the alarm, grew fearful that the +whole force was approaching to the assault, and therefore with all speed +abandoned the place after the shooting of some of their pieces. They +thus gone, and he being returned unto us again, but nothing knowing +of their flight from their fort, forthwith came a Frenchman, [Nicolas +Borgoignon] being a fifer (who had been prisoner with them) in a little +boat, playing on his fife the tune of the Prince of Orange his song. And +being called unto by the guard, he told them before he put foot out of +the boat what he was himself, and how the Spaniards were gone from the +fort; offering either to remain in hands there, or else to return to +the place with them that would go. [The 'Prince of Orange's Song' was a +popular ditty in praise of William Prince of Orange (assassinated 1584), +the leader of the Dutch Protestant insurgents.] + +Upon this intelligence the General, the Lieutenant-General, with some of +the captains in one skiff and the Vice-Admiral with some others in his +skiff, and two or three pinnaces furnished of soldiers with them, +put presently over towards the fort, giving order for the rest of the +pinnaces to follow. And in our approach some of the enemy, bolder than +the rest, having stayed behind their company, shot off two pieces of +ordnance at us; but on shore we went, and entered the place without +finding any man there. + +When the day appeared, we found it built all of timber, the walls being +none other than whole masts or bodies of trees set upright and close +together in manner of a pale, without any ditch as yet made, but wholly +intended with some more time. For they had not as yet finished all their +work, having begun the same some three or four months before; so as, to +say the truth, they had no reason to keep it, being subject both to fire +and easy assault. + +The platform whereon the ordnance lay was whole bodies of long +pine-trees, whereof there is great plenty, laid across one on another +and some little earth amongst. There were in it thirteen or fourteen +great pieces of brass ordnance and a chest unbroken up, having in it the +value of some two thousand pounds sterling, by estimation, of the king's +treasure, to pay the soldiers of that place, who were a hundred and +fifty men. + +The fort thus won, which they called St. John's Fort, and the day +opened, we assayed to go to the town, but could not by reason of some +rivers and broken ground which was between the two places. And therefore +being enforced to embark again into our pinnaces, we went thither upon +the great main river, which is called, as also the town, by the name of +St. Augustine. At our approaching to land, there were some that began +to shew themselves, and to bestow some few shot upon us, but presently +withdrew themselves. And in their running thus away, the Sergeant-Major +finding one of their horses ready saddled and bridled, took the same +to follow the chase; and so overgoing all his company, was by one laid +behind a bush shot through the head; and falling down therewith, was by +the same and two or three more, stabbed in three or four places of his +body with swords and daggers, before any could come near to his +rescue. His death was much lamented, being in very deed an honest wise +gentleman, and soldier of good experience, and of as great courage as +any man might be. + +In this place called St. Augustine we understood the king did keep, as +is before said, 150 soldiers, and at another place some dozen leagues +beyond to the northwards, called St. Helena, he did there likewise keep +150 more, serving there for no other purpose than to keep all other +nations from inhabiting any part of all that coast; the government +whereof was committed to one Pedro Melendez, marquis, nephew to that +Melendez the Admiral, who had overthrown Master John Hawkins in the +Bay of Mexico some 17 or 18 years ago. This governor had charge of both +places, but was at this time in this place, and one of the first that +left the same. + +Here it was resolved in full assembly of captains, to undertake the +enterprise of St. Helena, and from thence to seek out the inhabitation +of our English countrymen in Virginia, distant from thence some six +degrees northward. When we came thwart of St. Helena, the shoals +appearing dangerous, and we having no pilot to undertake the entry, it +was thought meetest to go hence alongst. For the Admiral had been the +same night in four fathom and a half, three leagues from the shore; and +yet we understood, by the help of a known pilot, there may and do go +in ships of greater burden and draught than any we had in our fleet. We +passed thus along the coast hard aboard the shore, which is shallow for +a league or two from the shore, and the same is low and broken land for +the most part. The ninth of June upon sight of one special great fire +(which are very ordinary all alongst this coast, even from the Cape +of Florida hither) the General sent his skiff to the shore, where they +found some of our English countrymen that had been sent thither the +year before by Sir Walter Raleigh, and brought them aboard; by whose +direction we proceeded along to the place which they make their port. +But some of our ships being of great draught, unable to enter, anchored +without the harbour in a wild road at sea, about two miles from shore. +From whence the General wrote letters to Master Ralph Lane, being +governor of those English in Virginia, and then at his fort about six +leagues from the road in an island which they called Roanoac; wherein +especially he shewed how ready he was to supply his necessities and +wants, which he understood of by those he had first talked withal. + +The morrow after, Master Lane himself and some of his company coming +unto him, with the consent of his captains he gave them the choice of +two offers, that is to say: either he would leave a ship, a pinnace, and +certain boats with sufficient masters and mariners, together furnished +with a month's victual, to stay and make further discovery of the +country and coasts, and so much victual likewise as might be sufficient +for the bringing of them all (being an hundred and three persons) into +England, if they thought good after such time, with any other thing +they would desire, and that he might be able to spare: or else, if they +thought they had made sufficient discovery already, and did desire to +return into England, he would give them passage. But they, as it seemed, +being desirous to stay, accepted very thankfully and with great gladness +that which was offered first. Whereupon the ship being appointed and +received into charge by some of their own company sent into her by +Master Lane, before they had received from the rest of the fleet the +provision appointed them, there arose a great storm (which they said was +extraordinary and very strange) that lasted three days together, and put +all our fleet in great danger to be driven from their anchoring upon the +coast; for we brake many cables, and lost many anchors; and some of our +fleet which had lost all, of which number was the ship appointed for +Master Lane and his company, were driven to put to sea in great danger, +in avoiding the coast, and could never see us again until we met in +England. Many also of our small pinnaces and boats were lost in this +storm. + +Notwithstanding, after all this, the General offered them, with consent +of his captains, another ship with some provisions, although not such +a one for their turns as might have been spared them before, this being +unable to be brought into their harbour: or else, if they would, to give +them passage into England, although he knew he should perform it with +greater difficulty than he might have done before. But Master Lane, +with those of the chiefest of his company which he had then with him, +considering what should be best for them to do, made request unto the +General under their hands, that they might have passage for England: +the which being granted, and the rest sent for out of the country and +shipped, we departed from that coast the 18th of June. And so, God be +thanked, both they and we in good safety arrived at Portsmouth the 28th +of July, 1586, to the great glory of God, and to no small honour to our +Prince, our country, and ourselves. The total value of that which was +got in this voyage is esteemed at three score thousand pounds, whereof +the companies which have travailed in the voyage were to have twenty +thousand pounds, the adventurers the other forty. Of which twenty +thousand pounds (as I can judge) will redound some six pounds to the +single share. We lost some 750 men in the voyage; above three parts of +them only by sickness. The men of name that died and were slain in this +voyage, which I can presently call to remembrance, are these:--Captain +Powell, Captain Varney, Captain Moon, Captain Fortescue, Captain Biggs, +Captain Cecil, Captain Hannam, Captain Greenfield; Thomas Tucker, a +lieutenant; Alexander Starkey, a lieutenant; Master Escot, a lieutenant; +Master Waterhouse, a lieutenant; Master George Candish, Master Nicholas +Winter, Master Alexander Carlile, Master Robert Alexander, Master +Scroope, Master James Dyer, Master Peter Duke. With some other, whom for +haste I cannot suddenly think on. + +The ordnance gotten of all sorts, brass and iron, were about two hundred +and forty pieces, whereof the two hundred and some more were brass, and +were thus found and gotten:--At Santiago some two or three and fifty +pieces. In St. Domingo about four score, whereof was very much great +ordnance, as whole cannon, demi-cannon, culverins, and such like. In +Carthagena some sixty and three pieces, and good store likewise of the +greater sort. In the Fort of St. Augustine were fourteen pieces. +The rest was iron ordnance, of which the most part was gotten at St. +Domingo, the rest at Carthagena. + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Drake's Great Armada, by Walter Biggs + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK DRAKE'S GREAT ARMADA *** + +***** This file should be named 3334.txt or 3334.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/3/3/3/3334/ + +Produced by Dagny; John Bickers; David Widger + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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FOR PUBLIC DOMAIN ETEXTS*Ver.12.12.00*END* + + + + + +Etext prepared by Dagny, dagnyj@hotmail.com +and John Bickers, jbickers@ihug.co.nz + + +PREPARER'S NOTE + + This text was prepared from a 1910 edition, published by P F + Collier & Son Company, New York. + + + + +Drake's Great Armada + +by Captain Walter Biggs + +INTRODUCTION + +Nearly five years elapsed between Drake's return from his Famous +Voyage and the despatch of the formidable armament commemorated in the +following pages. During the last of these years the march of events +had been remarkably rapid. Gilbert, who had been empowered by +Elizabeth, in the year of Frobisher's last expedition, to found +colonies in America, had sailed for that purpose to Newfoundland +(1583), and had perished at sea on his way homeward. Raleigh, who had +succeeded to his half-brother's enterprises, had despatched his +exploring expedition to 'Virginia,' under Amadas and Barlow, in 1584, +and had followed it up in the next year (1585) by an actual colony. In +April Sir Richard Greenville sailed from Plymouth, and at Raleigh's +expense established above a hundred colonists on the island of +Roanoak. Drake's Great Armada left Plymouth in September of the same +year. It marked a turning-point in the relations between the English +and Spanish monarchs. Elizabeth, knowing that the suppression of the +insurrection in the Netherlands would be followed by an attack upon +England, was treating with the insurgents. Philip deemed it prudent to +lay an embargo on all her subjects, together with their ships and +goods, that might be found in his dominions. Elizabeth at once +authorized general reprisals on the ships and goods of Spaniards. A +company of adventurers was quickly formed for taking advantage of this +permission on a scale commensurate with the national resources. They +equipped an armada of twenty-five vessels, manned by 2,300 men, and +despatched it under the command of Drake to plunder Spanish America. +Frobisher was second in command. Two-thirds of the booty were to +belong to the adventurers; the remaining third was to be divided among +the men employed in the expedition. + +Drake's armament of 1585 was the greatest that had ever crossed the +Atlantic. After plundering some vessels at the Vigo river, he sailed +for the West Indies by way of the Canaries and Cape Verde Islands, +hoisted the English flag over Santiago and burnt the town, crossed the +Atlantic in eighteen days, and arrived at Dominica. At daybreak, on +New Year's Day, 1586, Drake's soldiers landed in Espanola, a few miles +to the west of the capital, and before evening Carlile and Powell had +entered the city, which the colonists only saved from destruction by +the payment of a heavy ransom. Drake's plan was to do exactly the same +at Carthagena and Nombre de Dios, and thence to strike across the +isthmus and secure the treasure that lay waiting for transport at +Panama. Drake held St. Domingo for a month, and Carthagena for six +weeks. He was compelled to forego the further prosecution of his +enterprise. A deadly fever, which had attacked the men during the +sojourn at Santiago, still continued its ravages. In existing +circumstances, even had Nombre de Dios been successfully attacked, the +march to Panama was out of the question; and after consultation with +the military commanders, Drake resolved on sailing home at once by way +of Florida. He brought back with him all the colonists who had been +left by Sir Richard Greenville in 'Virginia.' Drake had offered either +to furnish them with stores, and to leave them a ship, or to take them +home. The former was accepted: but a furious storm which ensued caused +them to change their minds. They recognized in it the hand of God, +whose will it evidently was that they should no longer be sojourners +in the American wilderness; and the first English settlement of +'Virginia' was abandoned accordingly. + +Ten years afterwards (1595) Drake was again at the head of a similar +expedition. The second command was given to his old associate Hawkins, +Frobisher, his Vice-Admiral in 1585, having recently died of the wound +received at Crozon. This time Nombre de Dios was taken and burnt, and +750 soldiers set out under Sir Thomas Baskerville to march to Panama: +but at the first of the three forts which the Spaniards had by this +time constructed, the march had to be abandoned. Drake did not long +survive this second failure of his favourite scheme. He was attacked +by dysentery a fortnight afterwards, and in a month he died. When he +felt the hand of death upon him, he rose, dressed himself, and +endeavoured to make a farewell speech to those around him. Exhausted +by the effort, he was lifted to his berth, and within an hour breathed +his last. Hawkins had died off Puerto Rico six weeks previously. + +The following narrative is in the main the composition of Walter Biggs, +who commanded a company of musketeers under Carlile. Biggs was one of +the five hundred and odd men who succumbed to the fever. He died +shortly after the fleet sailed from Carthagena; and the narrative was +completed by some comrade. The story of this expedition, which had +inflicted such damaging blows on the Spaniards in America, was +eminently calculated to inspire courage among those who were resisting +them in Europe. Cates, one of Carlile's lieutenants, obtained the +manuscript and prepared it for the press, accompanied by illustrative +maps and plans. The publication was delayed by the Spanish Armada; but +a copy found its way to Holland, where it was translated into Latin, +and appeared at Leyden, in a slightly abridged form, in 1588. The +original English narrative duly appeared in London in the next year. +The document called the 'Resolution of the Land-Captains' was inserted +by Hakluyt when he reprinted the narrative in 1600. + + + + + +DRAKE'S GREAT ARMADA + +NARRATIVE MAINLY BY CAPTAIN WALTER BIGGS + + + +A Summary and True Discourse of Sir Francis Drake's West Indian +Voyage, begun in the year 1585. Wherein were taken the cities of +Santiago, Santo Domingo, Carthagena, and the town of St. Augustine, in +Florida. Published by Master Thomas Cates. + + + +This worthy knight, for the service of his prince and country, having +prepared his whole fleet, and gotten them down to Plymouth, in +Devonshire, to the number of five and twenty sail of ships and +pinnaces, and having assembled of soldiers and mariners to the number +of 2,300 in the whole, embarked them and himself at Plymouth +aforesaid, the 12th day of September, 1585, being accompanied with +these men of name and charge which hereafter follow: Master +Christopher Carlile, Lieutenant-General, a man of long experience in +the wars as well by sea as land, who had formerly carried high offices +in both kinds in many fights, which he discharged always very happily, +and with great good reputation; Anthony Powell, Sergeant-Major; +Captain Matthew Morgan, and Captain John Sampson, Corporals of the +Field. These officers had commandment over the rest of the land- +captains, whose names hereafter follow: Captain Anthony Platt, Captain +Edward Winter, Captain John Goring, Captain Robert Pew, Captain George +Barton, Captain John Merchant, Captain William Cecil, Captain Walter +Biggs [The writer of the first part of the narrative.], Captain John +Hannam, Captain Richard Stanton. Captain Martin Frobisher, Vice- +Admiral, a man of great experience in seafaring actions, who had +carried the chief charge of many ships himself, in sundry voyages +before, being now shipped in the Primrose; Captain Francis Knolles, +Rear-Admiral in the galleon Leicester; Master Thomas Venner, captain +in the Elizabeth Bonadventure, under the General; Master Edward +Winter, captain in the Aid; Master Christopher Carlile, the +Lieutenant-General, captain of the Tiger; Henry White, captain of the +Sea-Dragon; Thomas Drake [Francis Drake's brother.], captain of the +Thomas; Thomas Seeley, captain of the Minion; Baily, captain of the +Talbot; Robert Cross, captain of the bark Bond; George Fortescue, +captain of the bark Bonner; Edward Careless, captain of the Hope; +James Erizo, captain of the White Lion; Thomas Moon, captain of the +Francis; John Rivers, captain of the Vantage; John Vaughan, captain of +the Drake; John Varney, captain of the George; John Martin, captain of +the Benjamin; Edward Gilman, captain of the Scout; Richard Hawkins, +captain of the galliot called the Duck; Bitfield, captain of the +Swallow. + +After our going hence, which was the 14th of September, in the year of +our Lord 1585, and taking our course towards Spain, we had the wind +for a few days somewhat scant, and sometimes calm. And being arrived +near that part of Spain which is called the Moors [Muros, S. of Cape +Finisterre.], we happened to espy divers sails, which kept their +course close by the shore, the weather being fair and calm. The +General caused the Vice-Admiral to go with the pinnaces well manned to +see what they were; who upon sight of the said pinnaces approaching +near unto them, abandoned for the most part all their ships, being +Frenchmen, laden all with salt, and bound homewards into France. +Amongst which ships, being all of small burthen, there was one so well +liked, which also had no man in her, as being brought unto the +General, he thought good to make stay of her for the service, meaning +to pay for her, as also accordingly he performed at our return; which +bark was called the Drake. The rest of these ships, being eight or +nine, were dismissed without anything at all taken from them. Who +being afterwards put somewhat farther off from the shore, by the +contrariety of the wind, we happened to meet with some other French +ships, full laden with Newland fish, being upon their return homeward +from the said Newfoundland; whom the General after some speech had +with them, and seeing plainly that they were Frenchmen, dismissed, +without once suffering any man to go aboard of them. + +The day following, standing in with the shore again, we decried +another tall ship of twelve score tons or thereabouts, upon whom +Master Carlile, the Lieutenant-General, being in the Tiger, undertook +the chase; whom also anon after the Admiral followed. And the Tiger +having caused the said strange ship to strike her sails, kept her +there without suffering anybody to go aboard until the Admiral was +come up; who forthwith sending for the master, and divers others of +their principal men, and causing them to be severally examined, found +the ship and goods to be belonging to the inhabitants of St. +Sebastian, in Spain, but the mariners to be for the most part +belonging to St. John de Luz, and the Passage. In this ship was great +store of dry Newland fish, commonly called with us Poor John; whereof +afterwards, being thus found a lawful prize, there was distribution +made into all the ships of the fleet, the same being so new and good, +as it did very greatly bestead us in the whole course of our voyage. A +day or two after the taking of this ship we put in within the Isles of +Bayon [The Cies Islets, at the mouth of the Vigo River.], for lack of +favourable wind. Where we had no sooner anchored some part of the +fleet, but the General commanded all the pinnaces with the shipboats +to be manned, and every man to be furnished with such arms as were +needful for that present service; which being done, the General put +himself into his galley, which was also well furnished, and rowing +towards the city of Bayon, with intent, and the favour of the +Almighty, to surprise it. Before we had advanced one half-league of +our way there came a messenger, being an English merchant, from the +governor, to see what strange fleet we were; who came to our General, +conferred a while with him, and after a small time spent, our General +called for Captain Sampson, and willed him to go to the governor of +the city, to resolve him of two points. The first to know if there +were any wars between Spain and England; the second, why our merchants +with their goods were embarged or arrested? Thus departed Captain +Sampson with the said messenger to the city, where he found the +governor and people much amazed of such a sudden accident. The +General, with the advice and counsel of Master Carlile, his +Lieutenant-General, who was in the galley with him, thought not good +to make any stand, till such time as they were within the shot of the +city, where they might be ready upon the return of Captain Sampson, to +make a sudden attempt, if cause did require, before it were dark. + +Captain Sampson returned with his message in this sort:--First, +touching peace or wars, the governor said he knew of no wars and that +it lay not in him to make any, he being so mean a subject as he was. +And as for the stay of the merchants with their goods, it was the +king's pleasure, but not with intent to endamage any man. And that the +king's counter-commandment was (which had been received in that place +some seven-night before) that English merchants with their goods +should be discharged. For the more verifying whereof, he sent such +merchants as were in the town of our nation, who trafficked those +parts; which being at large declared to our General by them, counsel +was taken what might best be done. And for that the night approached, +it was thought needful to land our forces, which was done in the +shutting up of the day; and having quartered ourselves to our most +advantage, with sufficient guard upon every strait, we thought to rest +ourselves for that night there. The Governor sent us some refreshing, +as bread, wine, oil, apples, grapes, marmalade and such like. About +midnight the weather began to overcast, insomuch that it was thought +meeter to repair aboard, than to make any longer abode on land. And +before we could recover the fleet a great tempest arose, which caused +many of our ships to drive from their anchorhold, and some were forced +to sea in great peril, as the bark Talbot, the bark Hawkins, and the +Speedwell; which Speedwell only was driven into England, the others +recovered us again. The extremity of the storm lasted three days; +which no sooner began to assuage, but Master Carlile, our Lieutenant- +General, was sent with his own ship and three others, as also with the +galley and with divers pinnaces, to see what he might do above Vigo, +where he took many boats and some carvels, diversely laden with things +of small value, but chiefly with household stuff, running into the +high country. And amongst the rest he found one boat laden with the +principal church stuff of the high church of Vigo, where also was +their great cross of silver, of very fair embossed work and double- +gilt all over, having cost them a great mass of money. They complained +to have lost in all kinds of goods above thirty thousand ducats in +this place. + +The next day the General with his whole fleet went from up the Isles +of Bayon to a very good harbour above Vigo, where Master Carlile +stayed his coming, as well for the more quiet riding of his ships, as +also for the good commodity of fresh watering which the place there +did afford full well. In the meantime the governor of Galicia had +reared such forces as he might (his numbers by estimate were some 2000 +foot and 300 horse), and marched from Bayona to this part of the +country, which lay in sight of our fleet; where, making a stand, he +sent to parley with our General. Which was granted by our General, so +it might be in boats upon the water; and for safety of their persons +there were pledges delivered on both sides. Which done, the governor +of Galicia put himself with two others into our Vice-Admiral's skiff, +the same having been sent to the shore for him, and in like sort our +General went in his own skiff. Where by them it was agreed we should +furnish ourselves with fresh water, to be taken by our own people +quietly on the land, and have all other such necessaries, paying for +the same, as the place would afford. + +When all our business was ended we departed, and took our way by the +Islands of Canaria, which are esteemed some 300 leagues from this part +of Spain; and falling purposely with Palma, with intention to have +taken our pleasure of that place, for the full digesting of many +things into order, and the better furnishing our store with such +several good things as it affordeth very abundantly, we were forced by +the vile sea-gate, which at that present fell out, and by the +naughtiness of the landing-place, being but one, and that under the +favour of many platforms well furnished with great ordnance, to depart +with the receipt of many of their cannon-shot, some into our ships and +some besides, some of them being in very deed full cannon high. But +the only or chief mischief was the dangerous sea-surge, which at shore +all alongst plainly threatened the overthrow of as many pinnaces and +boats as for that time should have attempted any landing at all. + +Now seeing the expectation of this attempt frustrated by the causes +aforesaid, we thought it meeter to fall with the Isle Ferro, to see if +we could find any better fortune; and coming to the island we landed a +thousand men in a valley under a high mountain, where we stayed some +two or three hours. In which time the inhabitants, accompanied with a +young fellow born in England, who dwelt there with them, came unto us, +shewing their state to be so poor that they were all ready to starve, +which was not untrue; and therefore without anything gotten, we were +all commanded presently to embark, so as that night we put off to sea +south-south-east along towards the coast of Barbary. + +Upon Saturday in the morning, being the 13th of November, we fell with +Cape Blank, which is a low land and shallow water, where we catched +store of fish; and doubling the cape, we put into the bay, where we +found certain French ships of war, whom we entertained with great +courtesy, and there left them. This afternoon the whole fleet +assembled, which was a little scattered about their fishing, and put +from thence to the Isles of Cape Verde, sailing till the 16th of the +same month in the morning; on which day we descried the Island of +Santiago. And in the evening we anchored the fleet between the town +called the Playa or Praya and Santiago; where we put on shore 1000 men +or more, under the leading of Master Christopher Carlile, Lieutenant- +General, who directed the service most like a wise commander. The +place where we had first to march did afford no good order, for the +ground was mountainous and full of dales, being a very stony and +troublesome passage; but such was his industrious disposition, as he +would never leave, until we had gotten up to a fair plain, where we +made stand for the assembling of the army. And when we were all +gathered together upon the plain, some two miles from the town, the +Lieutenant-General thought good not to make attempt till daylight, +because there was not one that could serve for guide or giving +knowledge at all of the place. And therefore after having well rested, +even half an hour before day, he commanded the army to be divided into +three special parts, such as he appointed, whereas before we had +marched by several companies, being thereunto forced by the badness of +the way as is aforesaid. Now by the time we were thus ranged into a +very brave order, daylight began to appear. And being advanced hard to +the wall, we saw no enemy to resist. Whereupon the Lieutenant-General +appointed Captain Sampson with thirty shot, and Captain Barton with +other thirty, to go down into the town, which stood in the valley +under us, and might very plainly be viewed all over from that place +where the whole army was now arrived; and presently after these +captains was sent the great ensign, which had nothing in it but the +plain English cross, to be placed towards the sea, that our fleet +might see St. George's cross flourish in the enemy's fortress. Order +was given that all the ordnance throughout the town and upon all the +platforms, which were about fifty pieces all ready charged, should be +shot off in honour of the Queen's Majesty's coronation day, being the +17th of November, after the yearly custom of England, which was so +answered again by the ordnance out of all the ships in the fleet, +which now come near, as it was strange to hear such a thundering noise +last so long together. In this mean while the Lieutenant-General held +still the most part of his force on the hilltop, till such time as the +town was quartered out for the lodging of the whole army. Which being +done, every captain took his own quarter; and in the evening was +placed such a sufficient guard upon every part of the town that we had +no cause to fear any present enemy. Thus we continued in the city the +space of fourteen days, taking such spoils as the place yielded, which +were, for the most part, wine, oil, meal, and some other such like +things for victual as vinegar, olives, and some other trash, as +merchandise for their Indian trades. But there was not found any +treasure at all, or anything else of worth besides. + +The situation of Santiago is somewhat strange; in form like a +triangle, having on the east and west sides two mountains of rock and +cliff, as it were hanging over it; upon the top of which two mountains +were builded certain fortifications to preserve the town from any harm +that might be offered, as in a plot is plainly shewed. From thence on +the south side of the town is the main sea; and on the north side, the +valley lying between the aforesaid mountains, wherein the town +standeth. The said valley and town both do grow very narrow; insomuch +that the space between the two cliffs of this end of the town is +estimated not to be above ten or twelve score [yards] over. In the +midst of the valley cometh down a riveret, rill, or brook of fresh +water, which hard by the seaside maketh a pond or pool, whereout our +ships were watered with very great ease and pleasure. Somewhat above +the town on the north side, between the two mountains, the valley +waxeth somewhat larger than at the town's end; which valley is wholly +converted into gardens and orchards, well replenished with divers +sorts of fruits, herbs, and trees, as lemons, oranges, sugar-canes, +/cocars/ or cocos nuts, plantains, potato-roots, cucumbers, small and +round onions, garlic, and some other things not now remembered. +Amongst which the cocos nuts and plantains are very pleasant fruits; +the said cocos hath a hard shell and a green husk over it as hath our +walnut, but it far exceedeth in greatness, for this cocos in his green +husk is bigger than any man's two fists. Of the hard shell many +drinking cups are made here in England, and set in silver as I have +often seen. Next within this hard shell is a white rind resembling in +show very much, even as any thing may do, to the white of an egg when +it is hard boiled. And within this white of the nut lieth a water, +which is whitish and very clear, to the quantity of half a pint or +thereabouts; which water and white rind before spoken of are both of a +very cool fresh taste, and as pleasing as anything may be. I have +heard some hold opinion that it is very restorative. The plantain +groweth in cods, somewhat like to beans, but is bigger and longer, and +much more thick together on the stalk; and when it waxeth ripe, the +meat which filleth the rind of the cod becometh yellow, and is +exceeding sweet and pleasant. + +In this time of our being there happened to come a Portugal to the +western fort, with a flag of truce. To whom Captain Sampson was sent +with Captain Goring; who coming to the said messenger, he first asked +them, What nation they were? they answered Englishmen. He then +required to know if wars were between England and Spain; to which they +answered, that they knew not, but if he would go to their General he +could best resolve him of such particulars. And for his assurance of +passage and repassage these captains made offer to engage their +credits, which he refused for that he was not sent from his governor. +Then they told him if his governor did desire to take a course for the +common benefit of the people and country his best way were to come and +present himself unto our noble and merciful governor, Sir Francis +Drake, whereby he might be assured to find favour, both for himself +and the inhabitants. Otherwise within three days we should march over +the land, and consume with fire all inhabited places, and put to the +sword all such living souls as we should chance upon. So thus much he +took for the conclusion of his answer. And departing, he promised to +return the next day; but we never heard more of him. + +Upon the 24th of November, the General, accompanied with the +Lieutenant-General and 600 men, marched forth to a village twelve +miles within the land, called Saint Domingo, where the governor and +the bishop, with all the better sort, were lodged; and by eight of the +clock we came to it, finding the place abandoned, and the people fled +into the mountains. So we made stand a while to ease ourselves, and +partly to see if any would come to speak to us. After we had well +rested ourselves, the General commanded the troops to march away +homewards. In which retreat the enemy shewed themselves, both horse +and foot, though not such force as durst encounter us; and so in +passing some time at the gaze with them, it waxed late and towards +night before we could recover home to Santiago. + +On Monday, the 26th of November, the General commanded all the +pinnaces with the boats to use all diligence to embark the army into +such ships as every man belonged. The Lieutenant-General in like sort +commanded Captain Goring and Lieutenant Tucker, with one hundred shot, +to make a stand in the marketplace until our forces were wholly +embarked; the Vice-Admiral making stay with his pinnace and certain +boats in the harbour, to bring the said last company abroad the ships. +Also the General willed forthwith the galley with two pinnaces to take +into them the company of Captain Barton, and the company of Captain +Biggs, under the leading of Captain Sampson, to seek out such munition +as was hidden in the ground, at the town of Praya, or Playa, having +been promised to be shewed it by a prisoner which was taken the day +before. + +The captains aforesaid coming to the Playa, landed their men; and +having placed the troop in their best strength, Captain Sampson took +the prisoner, and willed him to show that he had promised. The which +he could not, or at least would not; but they searching all suspected +places, found two pieces of ordnance, one of iron, another of brass. +In the afternoon the General anchored with the rest of the fleet +before the Playa, coming himself ashore, willing us to burn the town +and make all haste aboard; the which was done by six of the clock the +same day, and ourselves embarked again the same night. And so we put +off to sea south-west. + +But before our departure from the town of Santiago, we established +orders for the better government of the army. Every man mustered to +his captain, and oaths were ministered, to acknowledge her Majesty +supreme Governor, as also every man to do his utter-most endeavour to +advance the service of the action, and to yield due obedience unto the +directions of the General and his officers. By this provident counsel, +and laying down this good foundation beforehand, all things went +forward in a due course, to the achieving of our happy enterprise. + +In all the time of our being here, neither the governor for the said +King of Spain, which is a Portugal, neither the bishop, whose +authority is great, neither the inhabitants of the town, or island, +ever came at us; which we expected they should have done, to entreat +us to leave them some part of their needful provisions, or at the +least to spare the ruining of their town at our going away. The cause +of this their unreasonable distrust, as I do take it, was the fresh +remembrance of the great wrongs that they had done to old Master +William Hawkins, of Plymouth, in the voyage he made four or five years +before, whenas they did both break their promise, and murdered many of +his men; whereof I judge you have understood, and therefore it is +needless to be repeated. But since they came not at us, we left +written in sundry places, as also in the Spital House (which building +was only appointed to be spared), the great discontentment and scorn +we took at this their refraining to come unto us, as also at the rude +manner of killing, and savage kind of handling the dead body of one of +our boys found by them straggling all alone, from whom they had taken +his head and heart, and had straggled the other bowels about the +place, in a most brutish and beastly manner. In revenge whereof at our +departing we consumed with fire all the houses, as well in the country +which we saw, as in the town of Santiago. + +From hence putting off to the West Indies, we were not many days at +sea but there began among our people such mortality as in a few days +there were dead above two or three hundred men. And until some seven +or eight days after our coming from Santiago, there had not died any +one man of sickness in all the fleet. The sickness showed not his +infection, wherewith so many were strucken, until we were departed +thence; and then seized our people with extreme hot burning and +continual agues, whereof very few escaped with life, and yet those for +the most part not without great alteration and decay of their wits and +strength for a long time after. In some that died were plainly shown +the small spots which are often found upon those that be infected with +the plague. We were not above eighteen days in passage between the +sight of Santiago aforesaid, and the island of Dominica, being the +first island of the West Indies that we fell withal; the same being +inhabited with savage people, which go all naked, their skin coloured +with some painting of a reddish tawny, very personable and handsome +strong men, who do admit little conversation with the Spaniards; for, +as some of our people might understand them, they had a Spaniard or +twain prisoners with them. Neither do I think that there is any safety +for any of our nation, or any other, to be within the limits of their +commandment; albeit they used us very kindly for those few hours of +time which we spent with them, helping our folks to fill and carry on +their bare shoulders fresh water from the river to our ships' boats, +and fetching from their houses great store of tobacco, as also a kind +of bread which they fed on, called cassavi, very white and savoury, +made of the roots of cassavi. In recompense whereof we bestowed +liberal rewards of glass, coloured beads, and other things, which we +had found at Santiago; wherewith, as it seemed, they rested very +greatly satisfied, and shewed some sorrowful countenance when they +perceived that we would depart. + +From hence we went to another island westward of it, called Saint +Christopher's Island; wherein we spent some days of Christmas, to +refresh our sick people, and to cleanse and air our ships. In which +island were not any people at all that we could hear of. + +In which time by the General it was advised and resolved, with the +consent of the Lieutenant-General, the Vice-Admiral, and all the rest +of the captains, to proceed to the great island of Hispaniola, as well +for that we knew ourselves then to be in our best strength, as also +the rather allured thereunto by the glorious fame of the city of St. +Domingo, being the ancientest and chief inhabited place in all the +tract of country thereabouts. And so proceeding in this determination, +by the way we met a small frigate, bound for the same place, the which +the Vice-Admiral took; and having duly examined the men that were in +her, there was one found by whom we were advertised the haven to be a +barred haven, and the shore or land thereof to be well fortified, +having a castle thereupon furnished with great store of artillery, +without the danger whereof was no convenient landing-place within ten +English miles of the city, to which the said pilot took upon him to +conduct us. + +All things being thus considered on, the whole forces were commanded +in the evening to embark themselves in pinnaces, boats, and other +small barks appointed for this service. Our soldiers being thus +embarked, the General put himself into the bark Francis as Admiral; +and all this night we lay on the sea, bearing small sail until our +arrival to the landing-place, which was about the breaking of the day. +And so we landed, being New Year's Day, nine or ten miles to the +westwards of that brave city of St. Domingo; for at that time nor yet +is known to us any landing-place, where the sea-surge doth not +threaten to overset a pinnace or boat. Our General having seen us all +landed in safety, returned to his fleet, bequeathing us to God, and +the good conduct of Master Carlile, our Lieutenant-General; at which +time, being about eight of the clock, we began to march. And about +noon-time, or towards one of the clock, we approached the town; where +the gentleman and those of the better sort, being some hundred and +fifty brave horses, or rather more, began to present themselves. But +our small shot played upon them, which were so sustained with good +proportion of pikes in all parts, as they finding no part of our troop +unprepared to receive them (for you must understand they viewed all +round about) they were thus driven to give us leave to proceed towards +the two gates of the town which were the next to the seaward. They had +manned them both, and planted their ordnance for that present and +sudden alarm without the gate, and also some troops of small shot in +/ambuscado/ upon the highway side. We divided our whole force, being +some thousand or twelve hundred men, into two parts, to enterprise +both the gates at one instant; the Lieutenant-General having openly +vowed to Captain Powell, who led the troop that entered the other +gate, that with God's good favour he would not rest until our meeting +in the market-place. + +Their ordnance had no sooner discharged upon our near approach, and +made some execution amongst us, though not much, but the Lieutenant- +General began forthwith to advance both his voice of encouragement and +pace of marching; the first man that was slain with the ordnance being +very near unto himself; and thereupon hasted all that he might, to +keep them from the recharging of the ordnance. And notwithstanding +their /ambuscados/, we marched or rather ran so roundly into them, as +pell-mell we entered the gates, and gave them more care every man to +save himself by flight, than reason to stand any longer to their +broken fight. We forthwith repaired to the market-place, but to be +more truly understood, a place of very spacious square ground; whither +also came, as had been agreed, Captain Powell with the other troop. +Which place with some part next unto it, we strengthened with +/barricados/, and there as the most convenient place assured +ourselves, the city being far too spacious for so small and weary a +troop to undertake to guard. Somewhat after midnight, they who had the +guard of the castle, hearing us busy about the gates of the said +castle, abandoned the same; some being taken prisoners, and some +fleeing away by the help of boats to the other side of the haven, and +so into the country. + +The next day we quartered a little more at large, but not into the +half part of the town; and so making substantial trenches, and +planting all the ordnance, that each part was correspondent to other, +we held this town the space of one month. + +In the which time happened some accidents, more than are well +remembered for the present. But amongst other things, it chanced that +the General sent on his message to the Spaniards a negro boy with a +flag of white, signifying truce, as is the Spanish ordinary manner to +do there, when they approach to speak to us; which boy unhappily was +first met withal by some of those who had been belonging as officers +for the king in the Spanish galley, which with the town was lately +fallen into our hands. Who, without all order or reason, and contrary +to that good usage wherewith we had entertained their messengers, +furiously struck the poor boy through the body with one of their +horsemen's staves; with which wound the boy returned to the General, +and after he had declared the manner of this wrongful cruelty, died +forthwith in his presence. Wherewith the General being greatly +passioned, commanded the provost-marshal to cause a couple of friars, +then prisoners, to be carried to the same place where the boy was +strucken, accompanied with sufficient guard of our soldiers, and there +presently to be hanged, despatching at the same instant another poor +prisoner, with this reason wherefore this execution was done, and with +this message further, that until the party who had thus murdered the +General's messenger were delivered into our hands to receive condign +punishment, there should no day pass wherein there should not two +prisoners be hanged, until they were all consumed which were in our +hands. Whereupon the day following, he that had been captain of the +king's galley brought the offender to the town's end, offering to +deliver him into our hands. But it was thought to be a more honourable +revenge to make them there, in our sight, to perform the execution +themselves; which was done accordingly. + +During our being in this town, as formerly also at Santiago there had +passed justice upon the life of one of our own company for an odious +matter, so here likewise was there an Irishman hanged for the +murdering of his corporal. + +In this time also passed many treaties between their commissioners and +us, for ransom of their city; but upon disagreements we still spent +the early mornings in firing the outmost houses; but they being built +very magnificently of stone, with high lofts, gave us no small travail +to ruin them. And albeit for divers days together we ordained each +morning by daybreak, until the heat began at nine of the clock, that +two hundred mariners did naught else but labour to fire and burn the +said houses without our trenches, whilst the soldiers in a like +proportion stood forth for their guard; yet did we not, or could not +in this time consume so much as one-third part of the town, which town +is plainly described and set forth in a certain map. And so in the +end, what wearied with firing, and what hastened by some other +respects, we were contended to accept of 25,000 ducats of five +shillings six-pence the piece, for the ransom of the rest of the town. + +Amongst other things which happened and were found at St. Domingo, I +may not omit to let the world know one very notable mark and token of +the unsatiable ambition of the Spanish king and his nation, which was +found in the king's house, wherein the chief governor of that city and +country is appointed always to lodge, which was this. In the coming to +the hall or other rooms of this house, you must first ascend up by a +fair large pair of stairs, at the head of which stairs is a handsome +spacious place to walk in, somewhat like unto a gallery. Wherein, upon +one of the walls, right over against you as you enter the said place, +so as your eye cannot escape the sight of it, there is described and +painted in a very large scutcheon the arms of the King of Spain; and +in the lower part of the said scutcheon there is likewise described a +globe, containing in it the whole circuit of the sea and the earth, +whereupon is a horse standing on his hinder part within the globe, and +the other forepart without the globe, lifted up as it were to leap, +with a scroll painted in his mouth, wherein was written these words in +Latin, /NON SUFFICIT ORBIS/, which is as much to say as, /The world +sufficeth not/. Whereof the meaning was required to be known of some +of those of the better sort that came in commission to treat upon the +ransom of the town; who would shake their heads and turn aside their +countenance, in some smiling sort, without answering anything, as +greatly ashamed thereof. For by some of our company it was told them, +that if the Queen of England would resolutely prosecute the wars +against the King of Spain, he should be forced to lay aside that proud +and unreasonable reaching vein of his; for he should find more than +enough to do to keep that which he had already, as by the present +example of their lost town they might for a beginning perceive well +enough. + +Now to the satisfying of some men, who marvel greatly that such a +famous and goodly-builded city, so well inhabited of gallant people, +very brave in their apparel (whereof our soldiers found good store for +their relief), should afford no greater riches than was found there. +Herein it is to be understood that the Indian people, which were the +natives of this whole island of Hispaniola (the same being near hand +as great as England), were many years since clean consumed by the +tyranny of the Spaniards; which was the cause that, for lack of people +to work in the mines, the gold and silver mines of this island are +wholly given over. And thereby they are fain in this island to use +copper money, whereof was found very great quantity. The chief trade +of this place consisteth of sugar and ginger, which groweth in the +island, and of hides of oxen and kine, which in this waste country of +the island are bred in infinite numbers, the soil being very fertile. +And the said beasts are fed up to a very large growth, and so killed +for nothing so much as for their hides aforesaid. We found here great +store of strong wine, sweet oil, vinegar, olives, and other such-like +provisions, as excellent wheat-meal packed up in wine-pipes and other +cask, and other commodities likewise, as woollen and linen cloth and +some silks; all which provisions are brought out of Spain, and served +us for great relief. There was but a little plate or vessel of silver, +in comparison of the great pride in other things of this town, because +in these hot countries they use much of those earthen dishes finely +painted or varnished, which they call /porcellana/, which is had out +of the East India; and for their drinking they use glasses altogether, +whereof they make excellent good and fair in the same place. But yet +some plate we found, and many other good things, as their household +garniture, very gallant and rich, which had cost them dear, although +unto us they were of small importance. + + + +From St. Domingo we put over to the main or firm land, and, going all +along the coast, we came at last in sight of Carthagena, standing upon +the seaside, so near as some of our barks in passing alongst +approached within the reach of their culverin shot, which they had +planted upon certain platforms. The harbour-mouth lay some three miles +toward the westward of the town, whereinto we entered at about three +or four of the clock in the afternoon without any resistance of +ordnance or other impeachment planted upon the same. In the evening we +put ourselves on land towards the harbour-mouth, under the leading of +Master Carlile, our Lieutenant-General. Who, after he had digested us +to march forward about midnight, as easily as foot might fall, +expressly commanded us to keep close by the sea-wash of the shore for +our best and surest way; whereby we were like to go through, and not +to miss any more of the way, which once we had lost within an hour +after our first beginning to march, through the slender knowledge of +him that took upon him to be our guide, whereby the night spent on, +which otherwise must have been done by resting. But as we came within +some two miles of the town, their horsemen, which were some hundred, +met us, and, taking the alarm, retired to their townward again upon +the first volley of our shot that was given them; for the place where +we encountered being woody and bushy, even to the waterside, was +unmeet for their service. + +At this instant we might hear some pieces of artillery discharged, +with divers small shot, towards the harbour; which gave us to +understand, according to the order set down in the evening before by +our General, that the Vice-Admiral, accompanied with Captain Venner, +Captain White, and Captain Cross, with other sea captains, and with +divers pinnaces and boats, should give some attempt unto the little +fort standing on the entry of the inner haven, near adjoining to the +town, though to small purpose, for that the place was strong, and the +entry, very narrow, was chained over; so as there could be nothing +gotten by the attempt more than the giving of them an alarm on that +other side of the haven, being a mile and a-half from the place we now +were at. In which attempt the Vice-Admiral had the rudder of his skiff +strucken through with a saker shot, and a little or no harm received +elsewhere. + +The troops being now in their march, half-a-mile behither the town or +less, the ground we were on grew to be strait, and not above fifty +paces over, having the main sea on the one side of it and the harbour- +water or inner sea (as you may term it) on the other side, which in +the plot is plainly shewed. This strait was fortified clean over with +a stone wall and a ditch without it, the said wall being as orderly +built, with flanking in every part, as can be set down. There was only +so much of this strait unwalled as might serve for the issuing of the +horsemen or the passing of carriage in time of need. But this unwalled +part was not without a very good /barricado/ of wine-butts or pipes, +filled with earth, full and thick as they might stand on end one by +another, some part of them standing even within the main sea. This +place of strength was furnished with six great pieces, demiculverins +and sakers, which shot directly in front upon us as we approached. Now +without this wall, upon the inner side of the strait, they had brought +likewise two great galleys with their prows to the shore, having +planted in them eleven pieces of ordnance, which did beat all cross +the strait, and flanked our coming on. In these two galleys were +planted three or four hundred small shot, and on the land, in the +guard only of this place, three hundred shot and pikes. + +They, in this their full readiness to receive us, spared not their +shot both great and small. But our Lieutenant-General, taking the +advantage of the dark (the daylight as yet not broken out) approached +by the lowest ground, according to the express direction which himself +had formerly given, the same being the sea-wash shore, where the water +was somewhat fallen, so as most of all their shot was in vain. Our +Lieutenant-General commanded our shot to forbear shooting until we +were come to the wall-side. And so with pikes roundly together we +approached the place, where we soon found out the /barricados/ of +pipes or butts to be the meetest place for our assault; which, +notwithstanding it was well furnished with pikes and shots, was +without staying attempted by us. Down went the butts of earth, and +pell-mell came our swords and pikes together, after our shot had first +given their volley, even at the enemy's nose. Our pikes were somewhat +longer than theirs, and our bodies better armed; for very few of them +were armed. With which advantage our swords and pikes grew too hard +for them, and they driven to give place. In this furious entry the +Lieutenant-General slew with his own hands the chief ensign-bearer of +the Spaniards, who fought very manfully to his life's end. + +We followed into the town with them, and, giving them no leisure to +breathe, we won the market-place, albeit they made head and fought +awhile before we got it. And so we being once seized and assured of +that, they were content to suffer us to lodge within their town, and +themselves to go to their wives, whom they had carried into other +places of the country before our coming thither. At every street's end +they had raised very fine /barricados/ of earthworks, with trenches +without them, as well made as ever we saw any work done; at the +entering whereof was some little resistance, but soon overcome it was, +with few slain or hurt. They had joined with them many Indians, whom +they had placed in corners of advantage, all bowmen, with their arrows +most villainously empoisoned, so as if they did but break the skin, +the party so touched died without great marvel. Some they slew of our +people with their arrows; some they likewise mischiefed to death with +certain pricks of small sticks sharply pointed, of a foot and a-half +long, the one end put into the ground, the other empoisoned, sticking +fast up, right against our coming in the way as we should approach +from our landing towards the town, whereof they had planted a +wonderful number in the ordinary way; but our keeping the sea-wash +shore missed the greatest part of them very happily. + +I overpass many particular matters, as the hurting of Captain Sampson +at sword blows in the first entering, unto whom was committed the +charge of the pikes of the vant-guard by his lot and turn; as also of +the taking of Alonzo Bravo, the chief commander of that place, by +Captain Goring, after the said captain had first hurt him with his +sword; unto which captain was committed the charge of the shot of the +said vant-guard. Captain Winter was likewise by his turn of the vant- +guard in this attempt, where also the Lieutenant-General marched +himself; the said Captain Winter, through a great desire to serve by +land, having now exchanged his charge at sea with Captain Cecil for +his band of footmen. Captain Powell, the Sergeant-Major, had by his +turn the charge of the four companies which made the battle. Captain +Morgan, who at St. Domingo was of the vant-guard, had now by turn his +charge upon the companies of the rearward. Every man, as well of one +part as of another, came so willingly on to the service, as the enemy +was not able to endure the fury of such hot assault. + +We stayed here six weeks, and the sickness with mortality before +spoken of still continued among us, though not with the same fury as +at the first; and such as were touched with the said sickness, +escaping death, very few or almost none could recover their strength. +Yea, many of them were much decayed in their memory, insomuch that it +was grown an ordinary judgment, when one was heard to speak foolishly, +to say he had been sick of the /calentura/, which is the Spanish name +of their burning ague; for, as I told you before, it is a very burning +and pestilent ague. The original cause thereof is imputed to the +evening or first night air, which they term /la serena/; wherein they +say and hold very firm opinion that whoso is then abroad in the open +air shall certainly be infected to the death, not being of the Indian +or natural race of those country people. By holding their watch our +men were thus subjected to the infectious air, which at Santiago was +most dangerous and deadly of all other places. + +With the inconvenience of continual mortality we were forced to give +over our intended enterprise to go with Nombre de Dios, and so +overland to Panama, where we should have strucken the stroke for the +treasure, and full recompense of our tedious travails. And thus at +Carthagena we took our first resolution to return homewards, the form +of which resolution I thought good here to put down under the +principal captains' hands as followeth:-- + + A Resolution of the Land-Captains, what course they think most + expedient to be taken. Given at Carthagena, the 27th of February, + 1585. + + WHEREAS it hath pleased the General to demand the opinions of his + captains what course they think most expedient to be now + undertaken, the land-captains being assembled by themselves + together, and having advised hereupon, do in three points deliver + the same. + + THE FIRST, touching the keeping of the town against the force of + the enemy, either that which is present, or that which may come + out of Spain, is answered thus:-- + + 'We hold opinion, that with this troop of men which we have + presently with us in land service, being victualled and + munitioned, we may well keep the town, albeit that of men able to + answer present service we have not above 700. The residue, being + some 150 men, by reason of their hurts and sickness, are + altogether unable to stand us in any stead: wherefore hereupon the + sea-captains are likewise to give their resolution, how they will + undertake the safety and service of the ships upon the arrival of + any Spanish fleet.' + + THE SECOND point we make to be this, whether it be meet to go + presently homeward, or else to continue further trial of our + fortune in undertaking such like enterprises as we have done + already, and thereby to seek after that bountiful mass of treasure + for recompense of our travails, which was generally expected at + our coming forth of England: wherein we answer:-- + + 'That it is well known how both we and the soldiers are entered + into this action as voluntary men, without any impress or gage + from her Majesty or anybody else. And forasmuch as we have + hitherto discharged the parts of honest men, so that now by the + great blessing and favour of our good God there have been taken + three such notable towns, wherein by the estimation of all men + would have been found some very great treasures, knowing that + Santiago was the chief city of all the islands and traffics + thereabouts, St. Domingo the chief city of Hispaniola, and the + head government not only of that island, but also of Cuba, and of + all the islands about it, as also of such inhabitations of the + firm land, as were next unto it, and a place that is both + magnificently built and entertaineth great trades of merchandise; + and now lastly the city of Carthagena, which cannot be denied to + be one of the chief places of most especial importance to the + Spaniard of all the cities which be on this side of the West + India: we do therefore consider, that since all these cities, with + their goods and prisoners taken in them, and the ransoms of the + said cities, being all put together, are found far short to + satisfy that expectation which by the generality of the + enterprisers was first conceived; and being further advised of + the slenderness of our strength, whereunto we be now reduced, as + well in respect of the small number of able bodies, as also not a + little in regard of the slack disposition of the greater part of + those which remain, very many of the better minds and men being + either consumed by death or weakened by sickness and hurts; and + lastly, since that as yet there is not laid down to our knowledge + any such enterprise as may seem convenient to be undertaken with + such few as we are presently able to make, and withal of such + certain likelihood, as with God's good success which it may please + him to bestow upon us, the same may promise to yield us any + sufficient contentment: we do therefore conclude hereupon, that it + is better to hold sure as we may the honour already gotten, and + with the same to return towards our gracious sovereign and + country, from whence, if it shall please her Majesty to set us + forth again with her orderly means and entertainment, we are most + ready and willing to go through with anything that the uttermost + of our strength and endeavour shall be able to reach unto. But + therewithal we do advise and protest that it is far from our + thoughts, either to refuse, or so much as to seem to be weary of + anything which for the present shall be further required or + directed to be done by us from our General.' + + THE THIRD and last point is concerning the ransom of this city of + Carthagena, for the which, before it was touched with any fire, + there was made an offer of some 27,000 or 28,000 pounds + sterling:-- + + 'Thus much we utter herein as our opinions, agreeing, so it be done + in good sort, to accept this offer aforesaid, rather than to break + off by standing still upon our demands of 100,000 pounds; which + seems a matter impossible to be performed for the present by them. + And to say truth, we may now with much honour and reputation + better be satisfied with that sum offered by them at the first, if + they will now be contented to give it, than we might at that time + with a great deal more; inasmuch as we have taken our full + pleasure, both in the uttermost sacking and spoiling of all their + household goods and merchandise, as also in that we have consumed + and ruined a great part of their town with fire. And thus much + further is considered herein by us; that as there be in the voyage + a great many poor men, who have willingly adventured their lives + and travails, and divers amongst them having spent their apparel + and such other little provisions as their small means might have + given them leave to prepare, which being done upon such good and + allowable intention as this action hath always carried with it + (meaning, against the Spaniard, our greatest and most dangerous + enemy), so surely we cannot but have an inward regard, so far as + may lie in us, to help them in all good sort towards the + satisfaction of this their expectation; and by procuring them some + little benefit to encourage them, and to nourish this ready and + willing disposition of theirs, both in them and in others by their + example, against any other time of like occasion. But because it + may be supposed that herein we forget not the private benefit of + ourselves, and are thereby the rather moved to incline ourselves + to this composition, we do therefore think good for the clearing + ourselves of all such suspicion, to declare hereby, that what part + or portion soever it be of this ransom or composition for + Carthagena which should come unto us, we do freely give and bestow + the same wholly upon the poor men who have remained with us in the + voyage (meaning as well the sailor as the soldier), wishing with + all our hearts it were such or so much as might see a sufficient + reward for their painful endeavour. And for the firm confirmation + thereof, we have thought meet to subsign these presents with our + own hands in the place and time aforesaid. + + 'Captain Christopher Charlie, Lieutenant-General; Captain Goring, + Captain Sampson, Captain Powell, etc.' + +But while we were yet there, it happened one day that our watch called +the sentinel, upon the church-steeple, had discovered in the sea a +couple of small barks or boats, making in with the harbour of +Carthagena. Whereupon Captain Moon and Captain Varney, with John +Grant, the master of the Tiger, and some other seamen, embarked +themselves in a couple of small pinnaces, to take them before they +should come nigh the shore, at the mouth of the harbour, lest by some +straggling Spaniards from the land, they might be warned by signs from +coming in. Which fell out accordingly, notwithstanding all the +diligence that our men could use: for the Spanish boats, upon the +sight of our pinnaces coming towards them, ran themselves ashore, and +so their men presently hid themselves in bushes hard by the sea-side, +amongst some others that had called them by signs thither. Our men +presently without any due regard had to the quality of the place, and +seeing no man of the Spaniards to shew themselves, boarded the Spanish +barks or boats, and so standing all open in them, were suddenly shot +at by a troop of Spaniards out of the bushes; by which volley of shot +there were slain Captain Varney, which died presently, and Captain +Moon, who died some few days after, besides some four or five others +that were hurt: and so our folks returned without their purpose, not +having any sufficient number of soldiers with them to fight on shore. +For those men they carried were all mariners to row, few of them +armed, because they made account with their ordnance to have taken the +barks well enough at sea; which they might full easily have done, +without any loss at all, if they had come in time to the harbour +mouth, before the Spaniards' boats had gotten so near the shore. + +During our abode in this place, as also at St. Domingo, there passed +divers courtesies between us and the Spaniards, as feasting, and using +them with all kindness and favour; so as amongst others there came to +see the General the governor of Carthagena, with the bishop of the +same, and divers other gentlemen of the better sort. This town of +Carthagena we touched in the out parts, and consumed much with fire, +as we had done St. Domingo, upon discontentments, and for want of +agreeing with us in their first treaties touching their ransom; which +at the last was concluded between us should be 110,000 ducats for that +which was yet standing, the ducat valued at five shillings sixpence +sterling. + +This town, though not half so big as St. Domingo, gives, as you see, a +far greater ransom, being in very deed of far more importance, by +reason of the excellency of the harbour, and the situation thereof to +serve the trade of Nombre de Dios and other places, and is inhabited +with far more richer merchants. The other is chiefly inhabited with +lawyers and brave gentlemen, being the chief or highest appeal of +their suits in law of all the islands about it and of the mainland +coast next unto it. And it is of no such account as Carthagena, for +these and some like reasons which I could give you, over long to be +now written. + +The warning which this town received of our coming towards them from +St. Domingo, by the space of 20 days before our arrival here, was +cause that they had both fortified and every way prepared for their +best defence. As also that they had carried and conveyed away all +their treasure and principal substance. + +The ransom of 110,000 ducats thus concluded on, as is aforesaid, the +same being written, and expressing for nothing more than the town of +Carthagena, upon the payment of the said ransom we left the said town +and drew some part of our soldiers into the priory or abbey, standing +a quarter of an English mile below the town upon the harbour water- +side, the same being walled with a wall of stone; which we told the +Spaniards was yet ours, and not redeemed by their composition. +Whereupon they, finding the defect of their contract, were contented +to enter into another ransom for all places, but specially for the +said house, as also the blockhouse or castle, which is upon the mouth +of the inner harbour. And when we asked as much for the one as for the +other, they yielded to give a thousand crowns for the abbey, leaving +us to take our pleasure upon the blockhouse, which they said they were +not able to ransom, having stretched themselves to the uttermost of +their powers; and therefore the said blockhouse was by us undermined, +and so with gunpowder blown up in pieces. While this latter contract +was in making, our whole fleet of ships fell down towards the harbour- +mouth, where they anchored the third time and employed their men in +fetching of fresh water aboard the ships for our voyage homewards, +which water was had in a great well that is in the island by the +harbour-mouth. Which island is a very pleasant place as hath been +seen, having in it many sorts of goodly and very pleasant fruits, as +the orange-trees and others, being set orderly in walks of great +length together. Insomuch as the whole island, being some two or three +miles about, is cast into grounds of gardening and orchards. + +After six weeks' abode in this place, we put to sea the last of March; +where, after two or three days, a great Ship which we had taken at St. +Domingo, and thereupon was called The New Year's Gift, fell into a +great leak, being laden with ordnance, hides, and other spoils, and in +the night she lost the company of our fleet. Which being missed the +next morning by the General, he cast about with the whole fleet, +fearing some great mischance to be happened unto her, as in very deed +it so fell out; for her leak was so great that her men were all tired +with pumping. But at the last, having found her, and the bark Talbot +in her company, which stayed by great hap with her, they were ready to +take their men out of her for the saving of them. And so the General, +being fully advertised of their great extremity, made sail directly +back again to Carthagena with the whole fleet; where, having staid +eight or ten days more about the unlading of this ship and the +bestowing thereof and her men into other ships, we departed once again +to sea, directing our course toward the Cape St. Anthony, being the +westermost part of Cuba, where we arrived the 27th of April. But +because fresh water could not presently be found, we weighed anchor +and departed, thinking in few days to recover the Matanzas, a place to +the eastward of Havana. + +After we had sailed some fourteen days we were brought to Cape St. +Anthony again through lack of favourable wind; but then our scarcity +was grown such as need make us look a little better for water, which +we found in sufficient quantity, being indeed, as I judge, none other +than rain-water newly fallen and gathered up by making pits in a plot +of marish ground some three hundred paces from the seaside. + +I do wrong if I should forget the good example of the General at this +place, who, to encourage others, and to hasten the getting of fresh +water aboard the ships, took no less pain himself than the meanest; as +also at St. Domingo, Carthagena, and all other places, having always +so vigilant a care and foresight in the good ordering of his fleet, +accompanying them, as it is said, with such wonderful travail of body, +as doubtless had he been the meanest person, as he was the chiefest, +he had yet deserved the first place of honour; and no less happy do we +account him for being associated with Master Carlile, his Lieutenant- +General, by whose experience, prudent counsel, and gallant performance +he achieved so many and happy enterprises of the war, by whom also he +was very greatly assisted in setting down the needful orders, laws, +and course of justice, and the due administration of the same upon all +occasions. + +After three days spent in watering our ships, we departed now the +second time from this Cape of St. Anthony the 13th of May. And +proceeding about the Cape of Florida, we never touched anywhere; but +coasting alongst Florida, and keeping the shore still in sight, the +28th of May, early in the morning, we descried on the shore a place +built like a beacon, which was indeed a scaffold upon four long masts +raised on end for men to discover to the seaward, being in the +latitude of thirty degrees, or very near thereunto. Our pinnaces +manned and coming to the shore, we marched up alongst the river-side +to see what place the enemy held there; for none amongst us had any +knowledge thereof at all. + +Here the General took occasion to march with the companies himself in +person, the Lieutenant-General having the vant-guard; and, going a +mile up, or somewhat more, by the river-side, we might discern on the +other side of the river over against us a fort which newly had been +built by the Spaniards; and some mile, or thereabout, above the fort +was a little town or village without walls, built of wooden houses, as +the plot doth plainly shew. We forthwith prepared to have ordnance for +the battery; and one piece was a little before the evening planted, +and the first shot being made by the Lieutenant-General himself at +their ensign, strake through the ensign, as we afterwards understood +by a Frenchman which came unto us from them. One shot more was then +made, which struck the foot of the fort wall, which was all massive +timber of great trees like masts. The Lieutenant-General was +determined to pass the river this night with four companies, and there +to lodge himself entrenched as near the fort as that he might play +with his muskets and smallest shot upon any that should appear, and so +afterwards to bring and plant the battery with him; but the help of +mariners for that sudden to make trenches could not be had, which was +the cause that this determination was remitted until the next night. + +In the night the Lieutenant-General took a little rowing skiff and +half a dozen well armed, as Captain Morgan and Captain Sampson, with +some others, beside the rowers, and went to view what guard the enemy +kept, as also to take knowledge of the ground. And albeit he went as +covertly as might be, yet the enemy, taking the alarm, grew fearful +that the whole force was approaching to the assault, and therefore +with all speed abandoned the place after the shooting of some of their +pieces. They thus gone, and he being returned unto us again, but +nothing knowing of their flight from their fort, forthwith came a +Frenchman, [Nicolas Borgoignon] being a fifer (who had been prisoner +with them) in a little boat, playing on his fife the tune of the +Prince of Orange his song. And being called unto by the guard, he told +them before he put foot out of the boat what he was himself, and how +the Spaniards were gone from the fort; offering either to remain in +hands there, or else to return to the place with them that would go. +[The 'Prince of Orange's Song' was a popular ditty in praise of +William Prince of Orange (assassinated 1584), the leader of the Dutch +Protestant insurgents.] + +Upon this intelligence the General, the Lieutenant-General, with some +of the captains in one skiff and the Vice-Admiral with some others in +his skiff, and two or three pinnaces furnished of soldiers with them, +put presently over towards the fort, giving order for the rest of the +pinnaces to follow. And in our approach some of the enemy, bolder than +the rest, having stayed behind their company, shot off two pieces of +ordnance at us; but on shore we went, and entered the place without +finding any man there. + +When the day appeared, we found it built all of timber, the walls +being none other than whole masts or bodies of trees set upright and +close together in manner of a pale, without any ditch as yet made, but +wholly intended with some more time. For they had not as yet finished +all their work, having begun the same some three or four months +before; so as, to say the truth, they had no reason to keep it, being +subject both to fire and easy assault. + +The platform whereon the ordnance lay was whole bodies of long pine- +trees, whereof there is great plenty, laid across one on another and +some little earth amongst. There were in it thirteen or fourteen great +pieces of brass ordnance and a chest unbroken up, having in it the +value of some two thousand pounds sterling, by estimation, of the +king's treasure, to pay the soldiers of that place, who were a hundred +and fifty men. + +The fort thus won, which they called St. John's Fort, and the day +opened, we assayed to go to the town, but could not by reason of some +rivers and broken ground which was between the two places. And +therefore being enforced to embark again into our pinnaces, we went +thither upon the great main river, which is called, as also the town, +by the name of St. Augustine. At our approaching to land, there were +some that began to shew themselves, and to bestow some few shot upon +us, but presently withdrew themselves. And in their running thus away, +the Sergeant-Major finding one of their horses ready saddled and +bridled, took the same to follow the chase; and so overgoing all his +company, was by one laid behind a bush shot through the head; and +falling down therewith, was by the same and two or three more, stabbed +in three or four places of his body with swords and daggers, before +any could come near to his rescue. His death was much lamented, being +in very deed an honest wise gentleman, and soldier of good experience, +and of as great courage as any man might be. + +In this place called St. Augustine we understood the king did keep, as +is before said, 150 soldiers, and at another place some dozen leagues +beyond to the northwards, called St. Helena, he did there likewise +keep 150 more, serving there for no other purpose than to keep all +other nations from inhabiting any part of all that coast; the +government whereof was committed to one Pedro Melendez, marquis, +nephew to that Melendez the Admiral, who had overthrown Master John +Hawkins in the Bay of Mexico some 17 or 18 years ago. This governor +had charge of both places, but was at this time in this place, and one +of the first that left the same. + +Here it was resolved in full assembly of captains, to undertake the +enterprise of St. Helena, and from thence to seek out the inhabitation +of our English countrymen in Virginia, distant from thence some six +degrees northward. When we came thwart of St. Helena, the shoals +appearing dangerous, and we having no pilot to undertake the entry, it +was thought meetest to go hence alongst. For the Admiral had been the +same night in four fathom and a half, three leagues from the shore; +and yet we understood, by the help of a known pilot, there may and do +go in ships of greater burden and draught than any we had in our +fleet. We passed thus along the coast hard aboard the shore, which is +shallow for a league or two from the shore, and the same is low and +broken land for the most part. The ninth of June upon sight of one +special great fire (which are very ordinary all alongst this coast, +even from the Cape of Florida hither) the General sent his skiff to +the shore, where they found some of our English countrymen that had +been sent thither the year before by Sir Walter Raleigh, and brought +them aboard; by whose direction we proceeded along to the place which +they make their port. But some of our ships being of great draught, +unable to enter, anchored without the harbour in a wild road at sea, +about two miles from shore. From whence the General wrote letters to +Master Ralph Lane, being governor of those English in Virginia, and +then at his fort about six leagues from the road in an island which +they called Roanoac; wherein especially he shewed how ready he was to +supply his necessities and wants, which he understood of by those he +had first talked withal. + +The morrow after, Master Lane himself and some of his company coming +unto him, with the consent of his captains he gave them the choice of +two offers, that is to say: either he would leave a ship, a pinnace, +and certain boats with sufficient masters and mariners, together +furnished with a month's victual, to stay and make further discovery +of the country and coasts, and so much victual likewise as might be +sufficient for the bringing of them all (being an hundred and three +persons) into England, if they thought good after such time, with any +other thing they would desire, and that he might be able to spare: or +else, if they thought they had made sufficient discovery already, and +did desire to return into England, he would give them passage. But +they, as it seemed, being desirous to stay, accepted very thankfully +and with great gladness that which was offered first. Whereupon the +ship being appointed and received into charge by some of their own +company sent into her by Master Lane, before they had received from +the rest of the fleet the provision appointed them, there arose a +great storm (which they said was extraordinary and very strange) that +lasted three days together, and put all our fleet in great danger to +be driven from their anchoring upon the coast; for we brake many +cables, and lost many anchors; and some of our fleet which had lost +all, of which number was the ship appointed for Master Lane and his +company, were driven to put to sea in great danger, in avoiding the +coast, and could never see us again until we met in England. Many also +of our small pinnaces and boats were lost in this storm. + +Notwithstanding, after all this, the General offered them, with +consent of his captains, another ship with some provisions, although +not such a one for their turns as might have been spared them before, +this being unable to be brought into their harbour: or else, if they +would, to give them passage into England, although he knew he should +perform it with greater difficulty than he might have done before. But +Master Lane, with those of the chiefest of his company which he had +then with him, considering what should be best for them to do, made +request unto the General under their hands, that they might have +passage for England: the which being granted, and the rest sent for +out of the country and shipped, we departed from that coast the 18th +of June. And so, God be thanked, both they and we in good safety +arrived at Portsmouth the 28th of July, 1586, to the great glory of +God, and to no small honour to our Prince, our country, and ourselves. +The total value of that which was got in this voyage is esteemed at +three score thousand pounds, whereof the companies which have +travailed in the voyage were to have twenty thousand pounds, the +adventurers the other forty. Of which twenty thousand pounds (as I can +judge) will redound some six pounds to the single share. We lost some +750 men in the voyage; above three parts of them only by sickness. The +men of name that died and were slain in this voyage, which I can +presently call to remembrance, are these:--Captain Powell, Captain +Varney, Captain Moon, Captain Fortescue, Captain Biggs, Captain Cecil, +Captain Hannam, Captain Greenfield; Thomas Tucker, a lieutenant; +Alexander Starkey, a lieutenant; Master Escot, a lieutenant; Master +Waterhouse, a lieutenant; Master George Candish, Master Nicholas +Winter, Master Alexander Carlile, Master Robert Alexander, Master +Scroope, Master James Dyer, Master Peter Duke. With some other, whom +for haste I cannot suddenly think on. + +The ordnance gotten of all sorts, brass and iron, were about two +hundred and forty pieces, whereof the two hundred and some more were +brass, and were thus found and gotten:--At Santiago some two or three +and fifty pieces. In St. Domingo about four score, whereof was very +much great ordnance, as whole cannon, demi-cannon, culverins, and such +like. In Carthagena some sixty and three pieces, and good store +likewise of the greater sort. In the Fort of St. Augustine were +fourteen pieces. The rest was iron ordnance, of which the most part +was gotten at St. Domingo, the rest at Carthagena. + + + + + +End of The Project Gutenberg Etext Drake's Great Armada, by Walter Biggs + diff --git a/old/drkga10.zip b/old/drkga10.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..25e21d3 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/drkga10.zip |