England, and shooting off a great warning peece. Of this select or privie Counsell, were no moe then these: The two Lords Generall, the Lord Thomas Howard, the Lord Warden Sir Walter Raleigh, the Lord Marshall Sir Francis Vere, Sir George Cary Master of the Ordnance, Sir Coniers Clifford, and Sir Anthony Ashley, Clarke of the said Counsell. And when it pleased the Lords Generall to call a common Counsell (as oftentimes they did upon weighty matters best knowne to their honours) then they would cause another kinde of Flag to be hanged out, which was the red Crosse of S. George, and was very easie to be discerned from the other that appertained onely to the select Counsell, and so often as this Flag of S. George was hanged out, then came all the Masters and Captaines of all the ships, whose opinions were to be demanded, in such matters as appertained unto the said select Counsell: It was presently concluded, that our course in sailing should forthwith be altered, and that we should beare more into the West, for some purposes to them best knowne. your At that instant many Letters of instructions were addressed and sent to every particular Master and Captaine of the Ships: What the contents of those Letters of instructions were, it was not as yet knowne unto any, neither was it held meete to be enquired or knowne of any of us. But under the titles and superscriptions of every mans particuler Letter these words were endorsed. Open not these Letters on paine of lives, unlesse wee chance to be scattered by tempest, and in that case open them, and execute the contents thereof: but if by mishap you fall into your enemies hand, then in any case cast them into the Sea, sealed as they are. It should seeme that these Letters did containe in them the principal place and meaning of this entended action, which was hitherto by their deepe foresights kept so secret, as no man to my knowledge either did or could so much. as suspect it, more then themselves, who had the onely managing thereof. 1596. 1596. French and Flemming taken and dismissed. [IV. x. All this while, our ships, God be thanked, kept in a most excellent good order, being devided into five squadrons: that is to say, The Earle of Essex, the Lord Admirall, the Lord Thomas Howard, the Lord Warden Sir Walter Raleigh, and the Admirall of the Hollanders. All which squadrons, albeit they did every day separate themselves of purpose, by the distance of certaine leagues, as well to looke out for such ships as were happily under saile, as also for the better procuring of Sea-roome : yet alwayes commonly either that day, or the next day, toward evening, they came all together, with friendly salutations and gratulations one to another; which they tearme by the name of Hayling: a ceremonie done solemnly, and in very good order, with sound of Trumpets and noise of cheerefull voyces and in such sort performed as was no small encouragement one to the other, beside a true report of all such accidents as had happened in their squadrons. Hitherto, as I said, our journey was most prosperous, and all our ships in very good plight, more then that the Mary Rose, by some mischance, either sprang or spent her foreyard, and two dayes after Sir Robert Crosse had in a manner the like mischance. Now being thus betweene the North Cape, and Cape S. Vincent, and yet keeping such a course a loofe, that by no meanes, those from the shoare might be able to descrie us: The tenth of June, a French Barke, and a Flemming comming from the coast of Barbarie were brought in by some of our company: but they were both 1929.] of them very honorably and well used by the Lords Generall, and so after a few dayes tarrying, were peaceably sent away, after that they had conferred with them about such matters, as was thought good in their honorable wisedomes. The twelfth of the same moneth, Sir Richard Levison Knight, assisted with Hamburgers Sir Christopher Blunt, fought with three Hamburgers, and in that fight slew two of them, and hurt eleven, and in the end brought them all three in. taken. The next day after, Sir Richard Weston meeting with a Flemming, who refused to vaile his foretop, with the like good courage and resolution, attempted to bring him in. The fight continued very hot betweene them, for a good space in the end, the Swan, wherein the said Sir Richard was, had her forebeake strooken off: and having spent before in fight the the one side of her tire of Ordnance, while she prepared to cast about, and to bestow on him the other side, in the meane time the Flemming taking his opportunitie, did get almost halfe a league from him: and so for that time made his escape. And yet the next day after, the said Flemming being in a manner got to the very mouth of the River up to Lisbone, was taken, and brought in by Master Dorrell, being Captaine of the John and Francis of London. The 13. 14. and 15. dayes, certaine little stragling Caravels were taken by certaine of the Fleete, and in one of them a yong beggerly Fryer utterly unlearned, with a great packet of Letters for Lisbon. 1596. Letters taken. Some which professe The 18. day early in the morning we tooke an Irishmans Irishman, and he came directly from Cadiz, having intelligence. beene there but the day before at twelve of the clocke at high noone. This man being examined, told truely that there was now great store of shipping at Cadiz, They arrive at and with them eighteene or nineteene Gallies in Cadiz. readinesse, and that among those ships there were divers of the Kings best and namely, that the Philip martiall of Spaine was amongst them, but what their intent knowledge was, hee could not tell. This man was commanded blame the not also to give his attendance. The 20. of June, being landing the first day, and Sunday, wee came before Cadiz, very early in the morning, and in all this time as yet, the whole Navie weather had not lost either by sicknesse or by any other served; but manner of waies six men to my knowledge. say the the scruple of sunday and Thus then I say, being all in good plight and other pretences strong, the 20. of June we came to Cadiz, and there lost a million of very early in the morning presented our selves before wealth. 1596. the Towne, riding about a league or something lesse, from it. The Sea at that instant went marvelous high, and the winde was exceeding large. Notwithstanding, a Counsell being called, our Lords Generall forthwith attempted with all expedition to land some certaine Companies of their men at the West side of the Towne, by certaine long Boats, light horsemen, Pinnaces, & Barges made for the purpose, but could not compasse it, and in the attempting thereof, they chanced to sinke one of their Barges, with some fourescore good souldiers well appointed in her, and yet by good hap and great care, the men were all saved excepting eight. And therefore they were constrained to put off their landing till another more convenient time. Doves That morning very timely, there lighted a very faire lighting. Dove upon the maine yard of the Lord Admirals ship, and there she sat very quietly for the space of three We no sooner presented our selves, but presently a goodly sort of tall Spanish Ships came out of the mouth of the Bay of Cadiz, the Gallies accompanying them in such good order, and so placed as all of them might well succour each other, and therewithall kept themselves very close to their Towne, the Castle, and the Forts, for their better guard and defence, abiding there still, and expecting our further determination. All that day passed, being very rough and boisterous, and little or nothing could be done, more then that about the evening there passed some friendly and kinde salutations sent one from the other in warlike manner, by discharging certaine great Peeces. 1596. Fleete. On monday morning being the 21. day, the winde and weather being become moderate and favourable, betweene five and six of the clocke in the morning, our ships in the name of the Almighty God, and in defence of the honour of England, without any further delay, with all speed, courage and alacritie, did set upon the Spanish ships, being then under saile, and The Spanish making out of the mouth of the Bay of Cadiz, up toward Puente de Suaço on Granada side, being in number 59. tall ships, with 19. or 20. Gallies attending upon them, sorted in such good order, and reasonable distance as they might still annoy us, and alwaies relieve themselves interchangeably having likewise the Castle, Forts, and Towne, continually to assist them and theirs, and alwayes ready to play upon us and ours. In most mens opinions it seemed that the enemy had a wonderfull advantage of us, all circumstances being well weighed, but especially the straightnesse of the place, and the naturall forme and situation of the Bay it selfe, being rightly considered. For albeit the very Bay it selfe is very large and exceeding beautifull, so that from Cadiz to Port S. Mary, is some six or seven English miles over or there abouts, yet be there [IV. x. many rockes, shelves, sands, and shallowes in it, so that the very channell and place for sea roome, is not above two or three miles, yea, and in some places not so much, for the ships of any great burthen to make way in, but that they must either be set on ground, or else constrained to run foule one on another. All this notwithstanding, with great and invincible courage, the Lords generall presently set upon them, and sorting out some such convenient ships, as to their honorable wisedomes seemed fittest for that times service, they were driven to take some other course then before had beene by them entended. Wherefore upon a grave consultation had by a select counsell, they concluded that the Vice-admirall, the Lord Thomas Howard, in 1930.] |