to yield and this too was made use of by the Portugalls as a main Reason why they joyned not with us And there is as much to be said on the Portugalls behalf as an Evidence of their good Will and Favor to us that though they shewed themselves forward upon this Occasion to aid us yet they opposed not themselves as Enemies against us Whereas if they had pursued us in our Retreat from Lisbon to Cask Cadiz our Men being weak sickly and wanting Powder and Shot and other Arms they had in all probability put us to a great Loss and Disgrace And if ever England have the like Occasion to aid a Competitor in Portugal we shall questionless find that our fair Demeanor and Carriage in this Expedition towards the People of that Countrey have gained us great Reconciliation among them and would be of singular Advantage to us For the General strictly forbad the Rifling of their Houses in the Country and the Suburbs of Lisbon which he possess'd and commanded just Payment to be made by the Souldiers for every thing they took without Compulsion or rigorous Usage And this hath made those that stood but indifferently affected before now ready upon the like Occasion to assist us A Voyage undertaken by the Earl of Cumberland with one Ship Royal of her Majesties and six of his own and of other Adventures Anno Dom. 1589. Ships Commanders The Victory The Earl of Cumberland The Margaret Capt. Christopher Lister And Five other Capt. Monson now Sir William Monson Vice-Amiral AS the Fleets of Sir John Norris and Sir Francis Drake returned from the Voyage of Portugal my Lord of Cumberland proceeded upon his towards that Coast and meeting with divers of that Fleet relieved them with Victuals who otherwise had perished This Voyage was undertaken at his and his Friends Charge excepting the Victory a Ship Royal of the Queen's which she adventured The Service performed at Sea was the taking of three French Ships of the League in our Channel and his encountring upon the Coast of Spain with Thirteen Hulks who made some Resistance Out of these he took to the Value of 7000 l. in Spices belonging to Portugal From thence he crossed over to the Island of Terceras and coming to St. Michaels with Boats he fetched out two Spanish Ships from under the Castle which the same Night arrived out of Spain In this Course from thence to Flores he took a Spanish Ship laden with Sugars and Sweet-meats that came from the Maderas Being at Flores he received Intelligencence of divers Spanish Ships which were in the Road of Fayal whereupon he suddainly made from that Island where Captain Lister and Captain Monson gave a desperate Attempt in their Boats upon the said Ships and after along Fight possessed themselves of one of them of 300 Tuns Burden carrying Eighteen Pieces of Ordidinance and Fifty Men. This Ship with one other came from the Indies two of the rest out of Guiney and another was Laden with Woad which that Island affords in great Plenty who putting from thence to Sea and coming to the Island of Graciosa after two days Fight yielded us by Composition some Victuals Off that Island we likewise took a French Ship of the League of 200 Tuns that came from New-found-land Afterwards Sailing to the Eastward of the Road of Terceras in the Even-we beheld 18 Tall Ships of the Indies entring into the said Road one whereof we after took in her Course to the Coast of Spain She was laden with Hides Silver and Cochineal but coming for England she was cast away upon the Mounts Bay in Cornwall being valued at 100000 l. Two other Prizes of Sugar we took in our said Course to the Coast of Spain esteemed each Ship at 7000 l. and one from under the Castle of St. Maries to the same Value There was no Road about those Islands that could defend their Ships from our Attempts yet in the last Assault we gave which was upon a Ship of Sugars we found ill Success being sharply resisted and two parts of our Men slain and hurt Which Loss was occasioned by Captain Lister who would not be persuaded from Landing in the View of their Forts The Service performed by Land was the taking of the Island of Fayall some months after the surprizing of those Ships formerly mentioned The Castle yielded us 45 Pieces of Ordinance great and small We sacked and spoiled the Town and after ransomed it and so departed These Summer Services and Ships of Sugar proved not so sweet and pleasant as the Winter was afterwards sharp and painful For in our Return for England we found the Calamity of Famine the Hazard of Shipwrack and the Death of our Men so great that the like befell not any other Fleet during the time of the War All which Disasters must be imputed to Captain Lister's Rashness upon whom my Lord of Cumberland chiefly relyed wanting Experience himself He was the man that advised the sending the Ships of Wine for England otherwise we had not known the Want of Drink he was as earnest in persuading our Landing in the Face of the Fortifications of St. Maries against all Reason and Sence As he was rash so was he valiant but paid dearly for his unadvised Counsel For he was one of the first hurt and that cruelly in the Attempt of St. Maries and afterward drowned in the Rich Ship cast away at Mounts Bay Sir John Hawkins and Sir Martin Forbisher their Voyage undertaken Anno 1590. Ships Commanders The Revenge Sir Martin Forbisher The Mary-Rose Sir John Hawkins The Lyon Sir Edward Yorke The Bonaventure Capt. Fenner The Rainbow Capt. George Beeston The Hope  The Crane Capt. Bostock The Quittance  The Foresight Capt. Burnell The Swiftseur  FRom the Yeear 1585. untill this present Year 1590. there was the greatest possibility imaginable of enriching our Nation by Actions at Sea had they been well followed the King of Spain was grown so weak in Shipping by the Overthrow he had in 1588 that he could no longer secure the Trade of his Subjects Her Majesty now finding how necessary it was for her to maintain a Fleet upon the Spanish Coast as well to hinder the Preparations he might make against Her to repair the Disgrace he received in 1588. as also to intercept his Fleets from the Indies by which he grew Great and Mighty She sent this Year 1590. Ten Ships of her own in two Squadrons the one to be Commanded by Sir John Hawkins the other by Sir Martin Forbisher two Gentlemen of tried Experience The King of Spain understanding of this Preparation of hers sent forth 20 Sail of Ships under the Command of Don. Alonso de Bassan Brother to the late Famous Marquess of St. Cruz. His Charge was to secure home the Indian Fleet and Carrecks But after Don Alonso had put off to Sea the King of Spain becoming better advised than to adventure 20 of his Ships to 10 of outs sent
yet they were forc'd to quit them and to retire into the Castle My Lord at last in despite of the Enemy gained the Market place where he found greatest Resistance from the Houses thereabouts and where it was that that Worthy Gentleman Sir John Wingfield was unluckily slain The Lord General Essex caused it to be proclaimed by Beat of Drum through the Town that all that would yield should repair to the Town-House where they should have promise of Mercy and those that would not to expect no Favor The Castle desired Respite to consider untill the morning following and then by one general Consent they surrend'red themselves to the two Lord Generals Mercies The Chief Prisoners Men and Women were brought into the Castle where they remained a little space and were sent away with Honorable Usage The noble treating of the Prisoners hath gained an everlasting Honor to our Nation and the General 's in particular It cannot be supposed the Lord Generals had leisure to be idle the day following having so great business to consider of as the securing the Town and enjoying the Merchants Ships Wherefore for the speedier dispatch they had Speech with the best men of the City about the Ransom to be given for their Town and Liberties 120000 Duckets was the Summ concluded on and for Security thereof many of them became Hostages There was likewise an Overture for the Ransom of their Ships and Goods which the Duke of Medina hearing of rather than we should reap any profit by them he caused them to be fired We found by Experience that the destroying of this Fleet which did amount to the value of six or seven Millions was the general impoverishing of the whole Country For when the Pledges sent to Sevil to take up money for their Redemption they were answered that all the Town was not able to raise such a Summ their Loss was so great by the loss of their Fleet. And to speak truth Spain never received so great an Overthrow so great a Spoil so great an Indignity at our Hands as this For our Attempt was at his own Home in his Port that he thought as safe as his Chamber where we took and destroy'd his Ships of War burnt and consumed the Wealth of his Merchants sack'd his City ransomed his Subjects and entred his Country without Impeachment To write all Accidents of this Voyage wete too tedious and would weary the Reader but he that would desire to know the Behavior of the Spaniards as well as of us many confer with divers English men that were redeemed out the Gallies in exchange for others and brought into England After we had enjoyed the Town of Cadiz a Fortnight and our men were grown rich by the Spoil of it the Generals imbarqued their Army with an intent to perform greater Services before their Return but such was the Covetousness of the better Sort who were inriched there and the fear of Hunger in others who complained for want of Victuals as they could not willingly be drawn to any farther Action to gain more Reputation The only thing that was afterwards attempted was Pharoah a Town of Algarula in Portugal a place of no Resistance or Wealth only famous by the Library of Osorius who was Bishop of that place which Library was brought into England by us and many of the Books bestowed upon the new erected Library of Oxford Some Prisoners were taken but of small account who told us that the greatest Strength of the Country was in Lawgust the chief Town of Argarula twelve miles distant from thence because most part of the Gentlemen thereabouts were gone thither to make it good expecting our coming This News was acceptable to my Lord of Essex who preferred Honor before Wealth And having had his Will and the Spoil of the Town of Pharoah and Country thereabouts He Shipped his Army and took Council of the Lord Admiral how to proceed My Lord Admiral diverted his course for Lawgust alleadging the place was strong of no Wealth always held in the nature of a Fisher-Town belonging to the Portugals who in their Hearts were our Friends that the winning of it after so eminent a place as Cadiz could add no Honor though it should be carried yet it would be the Loss of his best Troops and Gentlemen who would rather to die than receive Indignity of a Repulse My Lord of Essex much against his Will was forc'd to yield unto these Reasons and desist from that Enterprise About this time there was a general Complaint for want of Victuals which proceeded rather out of a desire that some had to be at home than out of any necessity For Sir William Monson and Mr. Darrel were appointed to examine the Condition of every Ship and found seven weeks Victuals Drink excepted which might have been supplied from the Shore in Water and this put the Generals in great hope to perform something more than they had done The only Service that was now to be thought on was to lie in wait for the Carrecks which in all probability could not escape us though there were many Doubts to the contrary but easily answered by men of Experience But in truth some mens desire homeward were so great that no Reason could prevail with or persuade them Coming into the height of the Rock the Generals took Council once again and then the Earl of Essex and the Lord Thomas Howard offered with great earnestness to stay out the time our Victuals lasted and desired to have but 12 Ships furnished out of the rest to stay with them but this would not be granted though the Squadron of the Hollanders offered voluntarily to stay Sir Walter Rawleigh alleadged the scarcity of Victuals and the Infection of his Men. My Lord General Essex offered in the Greatness of his Mind and the Desire he had to stay to supply his want of Men and Victuals and to exchange Ships but all Proposals were in vain For the Riches kept them that got much from attempting more as if it had been otherwise pure want though not Honour would have enforced them to greater Enterprises This being the last Hopes of the Voyage and being generally withstood it was concluded to steer away for the North Cape and afterwards to view and search the Harbors of the Groyn and Ferrol and if any of the King of Spain's Ships chanced to be there to give an Attempt upon them The Lord Admiral sent a Carvel of our Fleet into these two Harbors and aparrelled the men in Spanish Cloaths to avoid Suspicion This Carvel returned the next day with a true Relation that there were no Ships in the Harbors And now passing all places where there was any hope of doing good our Return for England was resolved upon and the 8th of August the Lord Admiral arrived in Plymouth with the greatest part of the Army And the Lord General Essex who staid to accompany the St. Andrew which was under his Charge and reputed of his
Squadron two days after us the 10th of August where he found the Army in that perfect Health as the like hath not been seen for so many to go out of England to such great Enterprises and so well to return home again He himself rid up to the Court to advise with her Majesty about the winning of Callis which the Spaniards took the Easter before Here was a good opportunity to have re-gained the Ancient Patrimony of England but the French King thought he might with more ease re-gain it from the Spaniard who was his Enemy than recover it again from us who were his Friends My Lord Admiral with the Fleet went to the Downs where he landed and left the Charge of the Navy to Sir Robert Dudley and Sir William Monson In going from thence to Chatham they endured more foul Weather and contrary Winds than in the whole Voyage besides A Voyage to the Islands the Earl of Essex General Anno 1597. Ships Commanders The Mere-honor The Earl of Essex Capt. under him After in the Repulse Sir Robert Mansell The Lyon The Lord Thomas Howard The Warspite Sir Walter Rawleigh The Garland The Earl of Southampton The Defiance The Lord Mountioy The Mary Rose Sir Francis Vere The Hope Sir Richard Lewson The Matthew Sir George Carew The Rainbow Sir Will. Monson The Bonaventure Sir Will. Harvey The Dreadnought Sir Will. Brooke The Swiftsuer Sir Gilly Merick The Antelope Sir John Gilbert he went not The Nonperil Sir Tho. Vavasor The St. Andrew Capt. Throgmorton HER Majesty having Knowledge of the King of Spain's drawing down his Fleet and Army to the Groyn and Ferrol with an intent to enter into some Action against Her and that notwithstanding the loss of thirty six Sail of his Ships that were cast away upon the North Cape in their coming thither He prepared with all possible means to revenge the Disgraces we did him the year last past at Cadiz Her Majesty likewise prepared to defend her self and fitted out the most part of her Ships for the Sea but at length perceiving his Drift was more to afright than offend her though he gave it it out otherwise because she should provide to resist him at home rather than to annoy him abroad She was unwilling the great Charges she had been at should be bestowed in vain and therefore turned her Preparations another way than that for which she first intended them The Project of this Voyage was to assault the King of Spain's Shipping in the Harbor of Ferrol which the Queen chiefly desired to do for her own Security at home and afterwards to go and take the Islands of Tercera and there to expect the coming home of the Indian Fleet. But neither of these two Designs took that effect which was expected For in our setting forth the same day we put to Sea we were taken with a most violent Storm and contrary Winds and the General was seperated from the Fleet and one Ship from another so that the one half of the Fleet were compelled to return home and the rest that kept the Sea having reached the Coast of Spain were commanded home by order of the Lord General Thus after their return they were to advise upon a new Voyage finding by their Ships and Victuals they were unable to perform the former Whereupon it was thought convenient all the Army should be discharged for the prolonging of the Victuals except a thousand of the prime Souldiers of the Low Countries which were put into her Majesties Ships that they might be the better prepared if they should chance to encounter the Spanish Fleet. Thus the second time they departed England though not without some danger of the Ships by reason of the Winter 's near approach The first Land in Spain we fell withal was the North Cape the place whither our Directions led us if we happened to lose Company being there descried from the Shore and not above 12 Leagues from the Groyn where the Spanish Armado lay We were in good hopes to have enticed them out of the Harbor to fight us but spending some time thereabouts and finding no such Disposition in them it was thought fit no longer to linger about that Coast lest we should lose our opportunity upon the Indian Fleet therefore every Captain received his Directions to stand his Course into 36 Degrees there to spread our selves North and South it being a heighth that commonly the Spaniards sail in from the Indies At this time the Lord General complained of a Leak in his Ship and two days after towards midnight he brought himself upon the Lee to stop it Sir Walter Rawleigh and some other Ships being a head the Fleet and it growing dark they could not discern the Lord General 's Working but stood their Course as before directed and through this unadvised working of my Lord they lost him and his Fleet. The day following Sir Walter Rawleigh was informed by a Pinnace he met that the great Armado which we supposed to be in the Groyn and Ferrol was gone to the Islands for the Guard of the Indian Fleet. This Pinnace with this Intelligence it gave us Sir Walter Rawleigh immediately sent to look out the General My Lord had no sooner received this Advice but at the very instant he directed his Course to the Islands and dispatched some small Vessels to Sir Walter Rawleigh to inform him of the suddain Alteration of his Course upon the News received from him commanding him with all Expedition to repair to Flores where he would not fail to be at our Arrival At the Islands we found this Intelligence utterly false For neither the Spanish Ships were there nor were expected there We met likewise with divers English men that came out of the Indies but they could give us no assurance of the coming home of the Fleet neither could we recive any Advertisement from the Shore which made us half in despair of them By that time we had watered our Ships and refreshed our selves at Flores Sir Walter Rawleigh arrived there who was willed by the Lord General after he was furnished of such Wants as that poor Island afforded to make his repair to the Island of Fayal which my Lord intended to take Here grew great Questions and Heart-burnings against Sir Walter Rawleigh For he coming to Fayal and missing the Lord General and yet knowing my Lord's Resolution to take the Island he held it more advisable to land with those Forces he had than to expect the coming of my Lord For in that space the Island might be better provided whereupon he landed and took it before my Lord's approach This Act was held such an Indignity to my Lord and urged with that Vehemence by those that hated Sir Walter that if my Lord though naturally kind and flexible had not feared how it would have been taken in England I think Sir Walter had smarted for it From this Island we went to Graciosa which did willingly relieve our Wants as
Munition which they carried for the King of Spain's Service My Lord of Cumberland having spent some time thereabouts and understanding that Fervanteles de Menega a Portugal and the King's General of a Fleet of 24 Sail was gone to the Islands he pursued them thinking to meet the Carrecks before they should joyn together At his coming to Flores he met and took one of the Fleet with the Death of the Captain who yet lived so long as to inform him both where the Fleet was and of their Strength The day after he met the Fleet it self but being far too weak for them he was forced to leave them and spent his time thereabouts till he understood the Carrecks were passed by without seeing either Fleet or Island Sir Martin Forbisher with a Fleet to Brest in Brittany Anno 1594. Ships Commanders The Vauntguard Sir Martin Forbisher The Rainbow Capt. Fenner The Dreadnought Capt. Clifford The Quittance Capt. Savil ABout three years past Anno 1591. the Queen sent Sir John Norris with 3000 Souldiers to joyn with the French King's Party in those Parts The King of Spain who upheld the Faction of the League sent Don John de Aquila with the like Forces to joyn with the Duke de Merceur who was of the contrary side The Spaniards had fortified themselves very strongly near the Town of Brest expecting new Succors from Spain by Sea which the French King fearing craved Assistance from the Queen which her Majesty was the more willing to grant because the Spaniards had gotten the Haven of Brest to entertain their Shipping in and were like to prove there very dangerous Neighbors Wherefore she sent Sir Martin Forbisher thither in this year 1594 with four of her Ships And upon his Arrival there Sir John Norris with his Forces and Sir Martin with his Seaman assailed the Fort and though it was as bravely defended as men could do yet in the end it was taken with the loss of divers Captains Sir Martin Forbisher being himself sore wounded of which Hurt he died at Plymouth after his return A Fleet to the Indies Sir Francis Drake and Sir John Hawkins Generals wherein they adventured deeply and died in the Voyage Anno 1594. Ships Commanders by Sea Commander by Land The Defiance Sir Francis Drake Sir Tho. Baskervile The Garland Sir John Hawkins  The Hope Capt. Gilbert Yorke  The Bonaventure Capt. Troughton  The Foresight Capt. Winter  The Adventure Capt. Tho. Drake  THese two Generals presuming much upon their own Experience and Knowledge used many Persuasions to the Queen to undertake a Voyage to the West Indies giving much assurance to perform great Services and promising to engage themselves very deeply therein with the Adventure of both Substance and Life And as all Actions of this Nature promise fair till they come to be performed so did this the more in the Opinion of all Men in respect of the two Generals Experience There were many Impediments and Let ts to this Voyage before they could clear themselves of the Coast which put them to greater Charge than they expected the chiefest cause of their Lingring was a mistrust our State had of an Invasion and the Danger to spare so many good Ships and men out of England as they carried with them The Spaniards with their usual subtilty let slip no opportunity to put us in amazement thereby to dissolve the Action and sent four Gallies to Bleuret in Brittany from thence to seize some part of our Coast that so we might apprehend a greater Force was to follow These Gallies landed at Pensants in Cornwall where finding the Town abandoned they sack'd and burnt it but this Design of theirs took little effect for the Voyage proceeded notwithstanding The Intent of the Voyage was to land at Nombre de dois and from thence to march to Panuma to possess the Treasure that comes from Peru and if they saw reason for it to inhabite and keep it A few days before their going from Plymouth they received Letters from her Majesty of an Advertisement she had out of Spain that the Indian Fleet was arrived and that one of them with loss of her Mast was put room to the Island of Porto Ricom She commanded them seeing there was so good an opportunity offered as the readiness of this her Fleet and the weakness of Porto Ricom to possess themselves of that Treasure and the rather for that it was not much out of their way to Nombre de dois It is neither Years nor Experience that can foresee and prevent all mishaps which is a manifest Proof that God is the Guider and Disposer of Mens Actions For nothing could seem more probable to be effected than this later Design especially considering the Ability and Wisdom of the two Generals and yet was unhappily prevented and failed in the Execution For there being five Frigats sent out of Spain to fetch this Treasure from Porto Ricom in their way it was their hap to take a Pinnace of the English Fleet by whom they understood the Secrets of the Voyage and to prevent the Attempt of Porto Ricom they hastened thither with all speed whilst our Generals lingred at Quadrupa to set up their Boats and at their Arrival so strengthened the Town with the Souldiers brought in the Prigats that when our Fleet came thither not expecting Resistance they found themselves frustrate of their Hopes which indeed they themselves were the occasion of in managing their Design with no more Secresie This Repulse bred so great a Disconceit in Sir John Hawkins as it is thought to have hastened his days and being great and unexpected did not a little discourage Sir Francis Drake's great Mind who yet proceeded upon his first resolved Design for Nombre de dios though with no better Success For the Enemy having knowledge of their coming fortified the Passage to Panuma and forced them to return with loss Sir Francis Drake who was wont to rule Fortune now finding his Error and the difference between the present strength of the Indies and what it was when he first knew it grew melancholly upon this Disappointment and suddenly and I hope naturally died at Nombre de dios where he got his first Reputation The two Generals dying and all other Hopes being taken away by their Deaths Sir Thomas Baskervile succeeded them in their Command and began now to think upon his return for England but coming near Cuba he met and fought with a Fleet of Spain though not long by reason of the Sickness and Weakness of his Men. This Fleet was sent to take the Advantage of ours in its Return thinking as indeed it happened that they should find them both weak and in want but the swiftness of our Ships in which we had the Advantage of the Spaniards preserved us You may observe that from the year the Revenge was taken untill this present year 1595. there was no Summer but the King of Spain furnished a Fleet for
carry them alleadging that if the Indian Fleet came home that Year by computation of the last light Moon from which time their disimboguing in the Indies must be reckoned they could not be above 200 Leagues short of that Island and whensoever the Wind should chop up Westernly he bearing a slack Sail they would in a few days overtake him This Advice my Lord seemed to take but was diverted by divers Gentlemen who coming principally for Land Service found themselves tired by the tediousness of the Sea Certain it is if my Lord had followed his Advice within less than 40 hours he had made the Queen owner of that Fleet For by the Pilot's Card which was taken in the Frigat the Spanish Fleet was but 50 Leagues in traverse with that Eastern Wind when my Lord was at Flores which made my Lord wish the first time Sir William Monson repaired to him after the Escape of the Fleet that he had lost his Hand so he had been ruled by him Being met Aboard Sir Francis Vere we consulted what to do and resolved to acquaint my Lord with what had happened desiring his Presence with us to see if there were any possibility to attempt the Shipping or surprize the Island and so to possess the Treasure My Lord received this Advertisement just as he was ready with his Troops to have landed in St. Michaels but this Message diverted his Landing and made him presently cast about for the Islands of the Tercera's where we lay all this while expecting his coming In his Course from St. Michaels it was his hap to to take three Ships that departed the Havana the day after the Fleet Which three Ships did more than countervail the whole Voyage At my Lord's meeting with us at Tercera there was a Consultation how the Enemies Ships might be fetched off or destroyed as they lay but all men with one consent agreed the impossibility of it The attempting the Island was propounded but withstood for these reasons the difficulty in Landing the strength of the Island which was increased by fourteen or fifteen Hundred Souldiers in the Ships and our want of Victuals to abide by the Siege Seeing then we were frustrate of our Hopes at the Tercera we resolved upon landing in St. Michaels and arrived the day following at Punta Delgada the Chief City Here my Lord imbarqued his small Army in Boats with offer to Land and having thereby drawn the Enemies greatest Force thither to resist him suddainly he rowed to Villa Franca three or four Leagues distant from thence which not being defended by the Enemy he took The Ships had order to abide in the Road of Delgada for that my Lord made account to march thither by Land but being on Shore at Villa Franca he was informed that the March was impossible by reason of the high and craggy Mountains which diverted his purpose Victuals now grew short with us and my Lord General began discreetly to foresee the danger in abiding towards Winter upon these Coasts which could not afford him an Harbor only open Roads that were subject to Southern Winds and upon every Wind he must put to Sea for his safety He considered that if this should happen when his Troops were on Shore and he not able to reach the Land in a Fortnight or more which is a thing ordinary what a desperate case he should put himself into especially in so great a want of Victuals And so concluding that he had seen the end of all his Hopes by the Escape of the Fleet he imbarqued himself and Army though with some difficulty the Seas were now grown so high By this the one half of the Fleet that rid in Punta Delgada put room for Villa Franca and those that remained behind being thought by a Ship of Brazile to be the Spanish Fleet she came in amongst them and so was betrayed After her there followed a Carreck who had been served in the like manner but for the hasty and indiscreet weighing of a Hollander which made her run a Shore under the Castle when the Wind lessened Sir William Monson weighted with the Rainbow thinking to give an Attempt upon her notwithstanding the Castle which she perceiving as he drew near unto her she set her self on fire and burned down to the very Keel She was a Ship of 1400 Tuns Burden that the year before was not able to double the Cape of bona Esperansa in her Voyage to the East Indies but put into Brazile where she was laden with Sugars and afterwards thus destroyed The Spaniards who presumed more upon their Advantages than Valors thought themselves in too weak a Condition to follow us to the Islands and put their Fortunes upon a days Service but subtilly devised how to intercept us as we came Home when we had least Thought or Suspicion of them and their Fleet that was all this while in the Groyn and Ferrol not daring to put forwards while they knew ours to be upon the Coast their General the Adelantada came for England with a Resolution to land at Falmouth and fortifie it and afterwards with their Ships to keep the Sea and expect our coming home scattered Having thus cut off our Sea Forces and possessing the Harbor of Falmouth they thought with a second supply of 37 Levantisco's Ships which the Marquess Arumbullo commanded to have returned and gained a good footing in England These Designs of theirs were not foreseen by us For we came Home scattered as they made reckoning not 20 in number together We may say and that truly that God sought for us For the Adalantada being within a few Leagues of the Island of Silly he commanded all his Captains on Board him to receive his Directions but whilst they were in Consultation a violent Storm took them at East insomuch that the Captains could hardly recover their Ships but in no case were able to save their Boats the Storm continued so furious and happy was he that could recover home seeing their Design thus overthrown by loss of their Boats whereby their means of Landing was taken away Some who were willing to stay and receive the farther Commands of the General kept the Seas so long upon our Coast that in the end they were taken others put themselves into our Harbors for Refuge and Succor and it is certainly known that in this Voyage the Spaniards lost eighteen Ships the St. Luke and the St. Bartholomew being two and in the rank of his best Gallions We must ascribe this Success to God only For certainly the Enemies Designs were dangerous and not to be diverted by our Force but by his Will who would not suffer the Spaniards in any of their Attempts to set footing in England as we have done in all the Quarters of Spain Portugal the Islands and both the Indies The Lord Thomas Howard Admiral to the Downs from whence he returned in one Month Anno 1599. Ships Commanders The Elizabeth Jonas The Lord Thomas Howard The Ark
I would do it if it were to kill the greatest subject in England whom I named and in truth then hated No no said he let him live to his greater fall and ruine of his house 2 It is the Queen I mean I had him as I wished and told him it were soon done if it might be lawfully done and warranted in the opinion of some learned Divines And so the doubt once resolved though as you have heard I was before reasonably well satisfied I vowed to undertake the enterprise for the restitution of England to the ancient obedience of the Sea Apostolick Divers Divines were named Doctor Allein I desired Parsons I refused And by chance came Master Wattes a learned Priest with whom I conferred and was over-ruled 3 For he plainly pronounced the case onely altered in name that it was utterly unlawful with whom many English Priests did agree as I have heard if it be not altered since the book made in answer of The execution of the English Justice was published which I must confess hath taken hard hold in me and I fear me will do in others if it be not prevented by more gracious handling of the quiet and obedient Catholick subjects whereof there is good and greater store in England than this age will extinguish Well notwithstanding all these doubts I was gone so far by letters and conference in Italy that I could not go back but promised faithfully to perform the enterprise if his Holiness upon my offer and letters would allow it and grant me full remission of my sins 4 I wrote my letters the first of January 1584. by their computation took advice upon them in confession of Father Anibal a Codreto a learned Jesuite in Paris was lovingly embraced commended confessed and communicated at the Jesuites at one altar with the Cardinals of Vandosmi and Narbone whereof I prayed certificate and enclosed the same in my Letter to his Holiness to lead him the rather to absolve me which I required by my Letters in consideration of so great an enterprise undertaken without promise or reward 5 I went with Morgan to the Nuntio Ragazzoni to whom I read the Letter and certificate enclosed sealed it and left it with him to send to Rome he promised great care of it and to procure answer And so lovingly imbraced me wished me good speed and promised that I should be remembred at the altar 6 After this I desired Morgan that some special man might be made privy to this matter lest he dying and I miscarrying in the execution and my intent never truly discovered it might stick for an everlasting spot in my Race Divers were named but none agreed upon for fear of beraying 7 This being done Morgan assured me that shortly after my departure the L. Fernehurst then in Paris should go into Scotland and be ready upon the first news of the Queens fall to enter into England with 20 or 30000 Men to defend the Queen of Scotland whom and the King her Son I do in my conscience acquit of any privity liking or consent to this or any other bad action for any thing that ever I did know I shortly departed for England and arrived at Rie in January 1583. from whence I wrote to the Court advertised some that I had a special service to discover to the Queens Majesty 8 which I did more to prepare access and credit than for any care I had of her Person though I were fully resolved never to touch her notwithstanding any Warrant if by any device perswasion or policy she might be wrought to deal more graciously with the Catholicks than she doth or by our manner of proceeding in Parliament meaneth to do or any thing yet seen I came to the Court then at Whitehall prayed audience had it at large and very privately discovered to her Majesty this Conspiracy much to this effect though covered with all the skill I had she took it doubtfully I departed with fear And amongst other things I cannot forget her Majesties gratious speech then uttered touching the Catholicks which of late after a sort I avowed in Parliament she said to me that never a Catholick should be troubled for Religion or Supremacy so long as they lived like good Subjects Whereby I mistrusted that her Majesty is born in hand that none is troubled for the one or the other It may be truly said that it is better than it hath been though it be not yet as it should be In March last while I was at Greenwich as I remember suing for St. Katherines came Letters to me from Cardinal Como dated at Rome the last of January before whereby I found the enterprise commended and allowed and my self absolved in his Holiness name of all my sins and willed to go forward in the name of God That Letter I shewed to some in Court who imparted it to the Queen what it wrought or may work in her Majesty God knoweth onely this I know 9 that it confirmed my resolution to kill her and made it clear in my conscience that it was lawful and meritorious And yet was I determined never to do it if either policy practice perswasion or motion in Parliament could prevail I feared to be tempted and therefore always when I came near her I left my Dagger at home 10 When I looked upon her Majesty and remembred her many excellencies I was greatly troubled And yet I saw no remedy for my Vows were in Heaven my Letters and Promises in Earth and the case of the Catholick Recusants and others little bettered Sometimes I said to my self Why should I care for her what hath she done for me have I not spent 10000 Marks since I knew her service and never had peny by her It may be said she gave me my life But I say as my case stood it had been Tyranny to take it And I fear me it is little less yet If it please her gratiously to look into my discontentments I would to Jesus Christ she had it for I am weary of it And now to come to an end of this tragical discourse In July I left the Court utterly rejected discontented and as her Majesty might perceive by my passionate Letters careless of my self I came to London Doctor Alleins Book was sent me out of France 11 it redoubled my former conceits Every word in it was a warrant to a prepared mind It taught that Kings may be excommunicated deprived and violently handled It proveth that all Wars Civil or Forraign undertaken for Religion is Honorable Her Majesty may do well to read it and to be out of doubt if things be not amended that it is a warning and a Doctrine full dangerous This is the Book I shewed in some places read and lent it to my Cousin Nevil the accuser who came often to mine house put his finger in my Dish his hand in my Purse and the night wherein he accused me was wrapped in my Gown six moneths at least
after we had entred into this Conspiracy In which space her Majesty and ten Princes in several Provinces might have been killed God bless her Majesty from him for before Almighty God I joy and am glad in my soul that it was his hap to discover me in time though there were no danger near And now to the manner of our meetings He came to me in the beginning of August and spake to me in this or like sort Cousin let us do somewhat sithens we can have nothing I offered to joyn with him and gladly heard him hoping because I knew him to be a Catholick that he would hit upon that I had in my head but it fell not out so He thought the delivery of the Queen of Scotland easie presuming upon his Credit and Kindred in the North I thought it dangerous to her and impossible to men of our fortunes He fell from that to the taking of Barwick I spake of Quinborough and the Navy rather to entertain him with discourse than that I cared for those motions my head being full of a greater matter 12 I told him that I had another manner of Enterprise more honourable and profitable to us and the Catholicks Common-wealth than all these if he would joyn in it with me as he presently vowed to do He pressed to know it I willed him to sleep upon the motion He did so and belike overtaken came to me the next morning to my Lodging in London offered to joyn with me and took his Oath upon a Bible to conceal and constantly to pursue the enterprise for the advancement of Religion which I also did and meant to perform the killing of the Queen was the matter The manner and place to be on Horsback with eight or ten horses when she should ride abroad about St. James or some other like place It was once thought fit in a Garden and that the escape would be easiest by water into Shepey or some other part but we resolved upon the first This continued as agreed upon many moneths until he heard of the death of Westmoreland whose Land and Dignity whereof he assured himself bred belike this Conscience in him to discover a Treason in February contrived and agreed upon in August If it cost him not an ambitious Head at last let him never trust me He brought a tall Gentleman whom he commended for an excellent Pistolier to me to Chanon-Row to make one in the match but I refused to deal with him being loth to lay my head upon so many hands Master Nevil hath I think forgotten that he did swear to to me at divers times that all the advancement she could give should serve but for her scourge if ever time and occasion should serve and that though he would not lay hand upon her in a corner his heart served him to strike off her Head in the field Now leaving him to himself this much to make an end I must confess of my self I did mean to try what might be done in Parliament to do my best to hinder all hard courses to have prayed hearing of the Queens Majesty to move her if I could to take compassion upon her Catholick Subjects and when all had failed to do as I intended If her Majesty by this course would have eased them though she had never preferred me I had with all comfort and patience born it 13 but if she had preferred me without ease or care of them the Enterprise had held Parry God preserve the Queen and encline her merciful heart to forgive me this desperate purpose and to take my Head with all my heart for her better satisfaction After which for the better manifesting of his Treasons on the 14th of February last there was a Letter written by him to her Majesty very voluntarily all of his own Hand without any motion made to him The tenor whereof for that which concerneth these his Traiterous dealings is as followeth A Letter written by Parry to Her Majesty YOur Majesty may see by my voluntary Confession the dangerous fruits of a discontented minde and how constantly I pursued my first conceived purpose in Venice for the relief of the afflicted Catholicks continued it in Lions and resolved in Paris to put it in adventure for the Restitution of England to the antient Obedience of the See Apostolick You may see withal how it is Commended Allowed and Warranted in Conscience Divinity and Policy by the Pope and some great Divines Though it be true or likely that most of our English Divines less practised in matters of this weight do utterly mislike and condemn it The Enterprise is prevented and Conspiracy discovered by an honourable Gentleman my Kinsman and late familiar Friend Master Edmund Nevil privy and by solemn Oath taken upon the Bible party to the matter whereof I am hardly glad but now sorry in my very Soul that ever I conceived or intended it how commendable or meritoritous soever I thought it God thank him and forgive me who would not now before God attempt it if I had liberty and opportunity to do it to gain your Kingdome I beseech Christ that my Death and Example may as well satisfie you Majesty and the world as it shall glad and content me The Queen of Scotland is your Prisoner let her be honourably entreated but yet surely guarded The French King is French you know it well enough you will finde him occupied when he should do you good he will not loose a Pilgrimage to save you a Crown I have no more to say at this time but that with my Heart and Soul I do now honour and love you am inwardly sorry for mine Offence and ready to make you amends by my Death and Patience Discharge me à culpâ but not à poenâ good Lady And so farewel most gracious and the best-natured and qualified Queen that ever lived in England From the Tower the 14th of February 1584. W. Parry After which to wit the 18th of February last past Parry in further acknowledging his wicked and intended Treasons wrote a Letter all of his own hand in like voluntary manner to the Lord Treasurer of England and the Earl of Leicester Lord Steward of her Majesties house the Tenour whereof is as followeth William Parry's Letter to the Lord Treasurer and the Earl of Leicester MY Lords now that the Conspiracy is discovered the Fault confessed my Conscience cleared and Minde prepared patiently to suffer the Pains due for so heinous a Crime I hope it shall not offend you if crying Miserere with the poor Publican I leave to despair with cursed Cain My Case is rare and strange and for any thing I can remember singular A natural Subject solemnly to vow the Death of his natural Queen so born so known and so taken by all men for the Relief of the afflicted Catholicks and Restitution of Religion The Matter first conceived in Venice the Service in general words presented to the Pope continued and undertaken in
for Don Alonso back and so frustrated the Expectation of our Fleet. He likewise made a Dispatch to the Indies commanding the Fleets to Winter there rather than to run the hazard of coming Home that Summer But this proved so great a Hind'rance and Loss to the Merchants of Spain to be so long without Return of their Goods that it caused many to become Bankrupts in Sevil and other places besides which was so great a weakening to their Ships to Winter in the Indies that many years hardly sufficed to repair the Damage they received Our Fleet being thus prevented spent seven months in vain upon the Coasts of Spain and the Islands but in that space could not possess themselves of one Ship of the Spaniards and the Carrecks upon which part of their Hopes depended came Home without Sight of the Islands and arrived safe at Lisbon This Voyage was a bare Action at Sea though they attempted Landing at Fayal which the Earl of Cumberland the year before had taken and quitted but the Castle being re-fortified they prevailed not in thier Enterprize And thence forwards the King of Spain endeavored to strengthen his Coasts and to encrease in Shipping as may appear by the next ensuing Year Two Fleets the one by Vs under the Lord Thomas Howard the other by the Spaniards Commanded by Don Alonso de Bassan Anno 1591. Ships Commanders The Defiance The Lord Thomas Howard The Revenge Sir Richard Greenvile Vice-admiral The Nonperil Sir Edward Denny The Bonaventure Capt. Crosse The Lyon Capt. Fenner The Foresight Capt. Vavasor The Crane Capt. Duffeild HER Majesty understanding of the Indian Fleets Wintering in the Havana and that Necessity would compell them home this Year 1591. she sent a Fleet to the Islands under the Command of the Lord Thomas Howard The King of Spain perceiving her Drift and being sensible how much the safety of that Fleet concerned him caused them to set out thence so late in the Year that it endangered the Shipwrack of them all chosing rather to hazard the perishing of Ships Men and Goods than their falling into our Hands He had two Designs in bringing home this Fleet so late One was he thought the Lord Thomas would have consumed his Victuals and have been forced Home The other that he might in the mean time furnish out the great Fleet he was preparing little inferior to that of 1588. In the first he found himself deceived For my Lord was supplied both with Ships and Victuals out of England and in the second he was as much prevented For my Lord of Cumberland who then lay upon the Coast of Spain had Intelligence of the Spaniards putting out to Sea and advertised the Lord Thomas thereof the very Night before they arrived at Flores where my Lord lay The day after this Intelligence the Spanish Fleet was discovered by my Lord Thomas whom he knew by their Number and Greatness to be the Ships of which he had warning and by that means escaped the Danger that Sir Richard Greenvile his Vice-admiral rashly ran into Upon View of the Spaniards which were 55 Sail the Lord Thomas warily and like a discreet General weighed Anchor and made Signs to the rest of his Fleet to do the like with a purpose to get the Wind of them but Sir Richard Greenvile being a stubborn man and imagining this Fleet to come from the Indies and not to be the Armado of which they were informed would by no means be persuaded by his Master or Company to cut his main Sail to follow his Admiral nay so head-strong and rash he was that he offered violence to those that councelled him thereto But the Old Saying that a wilful man is the Cause of his own Woe could not be more truly verified than in him For when the Armado approached him and he beheld the Greatness of the Ships he began to see and repent of his Folly and when it was too late would have freed himself of them but in vain For he was left a Prey to the Enemy every Ship striving to be the first should board him This wilful Rashness of Sir Richard made the Spaniards triumph as much as if they had obtained a Signal Victory it being the first Ship that ever they took of Her Majesties and commended to them by some English Fugitives to be the very best she had but their Joy continued not long For they enjoyed her but five days before she was cast away with many Spaniards in her upon the Islands of Tercera Commonly one Misfortune is accompanied with another For the Indian Fleet which my Lord had waited for the whole Summer the day after this mishap fell into the Company of this Spanish Armado who if they had staid but one day longer or the Indian Fleet had come home but one day sooner we had possest both them and many millions of Treasure which the Sea afterward devoured For from the time they met with the Armado and before they could recover home nigh an hundred of them suffered Shipwrack besides the Ascention of Sevil and the double Fly-boat that were sunk by the side of the Revenge All which was occasioned by their Wintering in the Indies and the late Disambogueing from thence For the Worm which that Country is subject to weakens and consumes their Ships Notwithstanding this cross and perverse Fortune which happened by means of Sir Richard Greenvile the Lord Thomas would not be dismayed or discouraged but kept the Sea so long as he had Victuals and by such Ships as himself and the rest of the Fleet took defrayed the better part of the Charge of the whole Action The Earl of Cumberland to the Coast of Spain 1591. Ships Commanders The Garland of her Majesties The Earl of Cumberland Capt. under him Seven other Ships of his and his Friends Capt. Monson now Sir William Monson THE Earl of Cumberland keeping the Coast of Spain as you have heard while the Lord Thomas remained at the Islands and both to one end viz. to annoy and damnifie the Spaniards though in two several Fleets the Earl found Fortune in a sort as much to frown upon him as it had done upon the Lord Thomas Howard In his Course from England to the Spanish Coast he encountred with divers Ships of Holland which came from Lisbon wherein he found a great quantity of Spices belonging to the Portugalls So greatly were we abused by that Nation of Holland who though they were the first that engaged us in the War with Spain yet still maintained their own Trade into those parts and supplied the Spaniards with Munition Victuals Shipping and Intelligence against us Upon my Lord's Arrival on the Coast of Spain it was his hap to take three Ships at several times one with Wine which he unladed into his own and two with Sugars which he enjoyed not long no more did he the Spices which he took out of the Hollanders For one of the Ships of Sugar by means of a Leak that
sprung upon her was forced to be cast off and the men with much difficulty recovered the Shore and saved their Lives The other being sent for England and tossed with contrary Winds was for want of Victuals forced into the Groyn where they rend'red themselves to the Enemies mercy The Spices were determined to be sent for England and a Ship appointed for that purpose with other Ships to guard her and Captain Monson was sent on Board her to the Islands of the Burlings with a Charge to see her dispatched for England But the other Ships not observing the Directions which were given them and the Night falling calm early in the Morning this scattered Ship was set upon by six Gallies and after a long and bloody Fight the Captain and the Principallest men being slain both Ship and Spices were taken but whether it was the respect they had to the Queen's Ship which was Admiral of that Fleet or Honor to my Lord that commanded it or Hope by good Usage of our men to receive the like again I know not but true it is that the ordinary men were treated with more Courtesie than they had been from the beginning of the Wars My Lord of Cumberland considering the Disasters that thus befell him and knowing the Spanish Fleet 's readiness to put out of Harbor but especially finding his Ship but ill of Sail it being the first Voyage she ever went to Sea he durst not abide the Coast of Spain but thought it more Discretion to return for England having as you have heard sent a Pinnace to my Lord Thomas with the Intelligence aforesaid A Voyage undertook by Sir Walter Rawleigh but himself returning left the Charge thereof to Sir Martin Forbisher Anno 1592. Ships Commanders by Sea Commander by Land The Garland Sir Walter Rawleigh Sir John Boroughs The Foresight with divers Merchants Ships Capt. Cross and others Sir Walter went not but Sir Martin Fobisher  SIR Walter Rawleigh who had tasted abundantly of the Queen's Love and found it now began to decline put himself upon a Voyage at Sea and drew unto him divers friends of great Quality and others thinking to have attempted some place in the West Indies and with this resolution he put out of Harbour but spending two or three days in fowl Weather Her Majesty was pleased to command his Return and to commit the Charge of the Ships to Sir Martin Forbisher who was sent down for that purpose but with an express Command not to follow the Design of the West Indies This suddain Alteration being known unto the rest of the Captains for the present made some Confusion as commonly it happens in all voluntary Actions Their General leaving them they thought themselves free in point of Reputation and at liberty to take what course they pleased Few of them therefore did submit themselves to the Command of Sir Martin Forbisher but chose rather each one to take his particular Fortune and Adventure at Sea Sir Martin with two or three other Ships repaired to the Coast of Spain where he took a Spaniard laden with Iron and a Portugal with Sugar He remained there not without some danger his Ship being ill of Sail and the Enemy having a Fleet at Sea Sir John Boroughs Captain Cross and another stood to the Islands where they met with as many Ships of my Lord of Cumberland's with whom they consorted After some time spent thereabouts they had sight of a Carreck which they chased but she recoverd the Island of Flores before they could approach her but the Carreck seeing the Islands could not defend her from the Strength and Force of the English chose rather after the men were got on Shore to fire her self than we the Enemy should reap Benefit by her The Purser of her was taken and by Threats compell'd to tell of another of their Company behind that had Order to fall with that Island and gave us such particular Advertisement that indeed she fell to be ours In the mean time Don Alonso de Bassan was furnishing at Lisbon 23 of those Gallions which the Year before he had when he took the Revenge he was directed with those Ships to go immediately to Flores to expect the coming of the Carrecks who had order to fall with that Island there to put on Shore divers Ordnance for strength'ning the Town and Castle Don Alonso breaking his Directions unadvisedly made his repair first to St. Michaels and there delivered his Ordnance before he arrived at Flores and in the mean time one of the Carrecks was burnt and the other taken as you have heard This he held to be such a Disreputation to him and especially for that it happened through his own Error and Default that he became much perplex'd and pursued the English 100 Leagues but in vain they being so far a Head The King of Spain being advertised of his two Carrecks mishap and the Error of Don Alonso though he had much favoured him before in respect of divers Actions he had been in with his Brother the Marquess of St. Cruz and for what he had lately performed by taking the Revenge Yet the King held it for such a Blemish to his Honor not to have his Instructions obeyed and observed that he did not only take from Don Alonso his Command but he lived and died too in Disgrace which in my Opinion he worthily deserved The Queens Adventure in this Voyage was only two Ships one of which and the least of them too was at the taking of the Carreck which title joyned with her Regal Authority she made such use of that the rest of the Adventures were fain to submit themselves to her Pleasure with whom she dealt but indifferently The Earl of Cumberland to the Coast of Spain Anno Dom. 1593. Ships Commanders The Lyon The Earl of Cumberland The Bonaventure and seven other Ships Capt. under him Capt. Monson Sir Edward Yorke THE Earl of Cumberland finding that many of his Voyages had miscarried through the Negligence or Unfaithfulness of those who were entrusted to lay in necessary Provisions and yet being incouraged by the good Success he had the last year obtained two of her Majesty's Ships and Victualled them himself together with seven others that did accompany them and arriving upon the Coast of Spain He took two French Ships of the League which did more than treble the Expence of his Voyage My Lord being one day severed from his Fleet it was his hap to meet with 12 Hulks at the same place where Captain Monson was taken the same day two years before He required that Respect from them that was due unto Her Majesties Ship which they peremptorily refused presuming upon the Strength of their 12 Ships against one only but they found themselves deceived For after two hours Fight he brought them to his Mercy and made them acknowledge their Error and not only so but they willingly discovered and delivered up to him a great quantity of Powder and
the guarding of his Coasts and securing of his Trade and though there was little fear of any Fleet from England to impeach him besides this in the Indies yet because he would shew his greatness and satisfie the Portugal of the care he had in preserving their Carrecks he sent the Count of Feria a young Nobleman of Portugal who desired to gain Experience with 20 Ships to the Islands but the Carrecks did as they used to do in many other years miss both Islands and Fleets and arrived at Lisbon safely The other Fleets of the King of Spain in the Indies consisted of 24 Ships their General Don Bernardino de Villa nova an approved Coward as it appeared when he came to encounter the English Fleet but his Defects were supplied by the Valor of his Vice-admiral who behaved himself much to his Honor His Name was John Garanay The Earl of Essex and the Lord Admiral of England Generals equally both by Sea and Land Anno 1596. Ships Commanders The Repulse The Earl of Essex Capt. under him The Ark-royal Sir Will. Monson The Mere-honor The Lord Admiral Capt. under him The Warspite Ames Preston The Lyon The Lord Thomas Howard The Rainbow Sir Walter Rawleigh The Nonperil Sir Robert Southwell The Vauntguard Sir Francis Vere The Mary Rose Sir Robert Dudley The Dreadnought Sir John Wingfield The Swiftsuer Sir George Carew The Quittance Sir Alexander Clifford The Tremontary with several others Sir Robert Crosse  Sir George Clifford  Sir Robert Mansfield  Capt. King THE first of June 1596. we departed from Plymouth and our Departure was the more speedy by reason of the great pains care and industry of the 16 Captains who in their own Persons labored the Night before to get out some of their Ships riding at Catwater which otherwise had not been easily effected The Third we set Sail from Cansom Bay the Wind which when we weighed was at West and by South instantly cast up to the North East and so continued untill it brought us up as high as the North Cape of Spain and this fortunate beginning put us in great hopes of a lucky Success to ensue We being now come upon our Enemies Coast it behoved the Generals to be vigilant in keeping them from Intelligence of us who therefore appointed the Litness the True Love and the Lion's Whelp the three chief Sailors of our Fleet to run a Head suspecting the Spaniards had some Carvels of Advice out which they did usually send to discover at Sea upon any Rumor of a less Fleet than this was made ready in England No Ship or Carvel escaped from us which I hold a second Happiness to our Voyage For you shall understand hereafter the Inconvenience that might have happened upon our Discovery The 10th of June the said three Ships took three Fly-Boats that came from Cadiz 14 days before by them we understood the State of the Town and that they had no suspition of us which we looked on as a third Omen of our good Fortune to come The 12th of June the Swan a Ship of London being commanded as the other three to keep a good way off the Fleet to prevent discovery she met with a Fly-boat which made Resistance and escaped from her This Fly-boat came from the Streights bound Home who discovering our Fleet and thinking to gain Reputation and Reward from the Spaniards shhaped her Course for Lisbon but she was luckily prevented by the John and Francis another Ship of London commanded by Sir Marmaduke Darrel who took her within a League of the Shore and this we may account a fourth Happiness to our Voyage The first as hath been said was for the Wind to take us so suddainly and to continue so long For our Souldiers being Shipped and in Harbor would have consumed their Victuals and have been so pester'd that it would have endangered a Sickness amongst them The Second was the taking all Ships that were seen which kept the Enemy from Intelligence The Third was the intercepting of the Fly-Boats from Cadiz whither we were bound who assured us our coming was not suspected which made us more careful to hail from the Coast than otherwise we should have been They told us likewise of the daily expectation of the Gallions to come from St. Jacar to Cadiz and of the Merchant-men that lay there and were ready bound for the Indies These Intelligences were of great moment and made the Generals presently to contrive their business both by Sea and Land which otherwise would have taken up a longer time after their coming thither and whether all men would have consented to attempt their Ships in Harbor if they had not known the most part of them to consist of Merchants I hold very doubtful The Fourth and fortunatest of all was the taking of the Fly-boat by the John and Francis which the Swan let go For if she had reached Lisbon she had been able to make report of the number and greatness of our Ships and might have endangered the loss of the whole Design she seeing the course we bore and that we had passed Lisbon which was the place the Enemy most suspected and made there his greatest preparation for Defence But had the Enemy been freed of that doubt he had then no place to fear but Andulozia and Cadiz above the rest which upon the lest warning might have been strengthened and we put to great Hazard he might also have secured his Ships by towing them out with Gallies and howsoever the Wind had been might have sent them into the Streights where it had been in vain to have pursued them or over the Bar of St. Lucar where it had been in vain to have attempted them And indeed of the good and ill of Intelligence we had had sufficient experience formerly Of the good in 1588. For how suddainly had we been taken and surprized when it we lest suspected had it not been for Captain Flemming Of the ill in the year before this by the Spaniards taking a Barque of Sir Francis Drake's Fleet which was the Occasion of the Overthrow of himself and the whole Action The 20th of June we came to Cadiz earlier in the morning than the Masters made reckoning of Before our coming thither it was determined in Council that we should land at St. Sebastians the Westermost part of the Land and thither came all the Ships to an Anchor every man preparing to land as he was formerly directed but the Wind being so great and the Sea so grown and four Gallies lying too to intercept our Boats there was no attempting to land there without the hazard of all This day was spent in vain in returning Messengers from one General to another and in the end they were forced to resolve upon a Course which Sir William Monson Captain under my Lord of Essex advised him to the same morning he discovered the Town which was to surprize the Ships and to be possessors of the Harbor before
they attempted landing This being now resolved on there arose a great Question who should have the Honor of the first going in My Lord of Essex stood for himself but my Lord Admiral opposed it knowing if he miscarried it would hazard the Overthrow of the Action besides he was streightly charged by Her Majesty that the Earl should not expose himself to Danger but upon great necessity When my Lord of Essex could not prevail the whole Council withstanding him he sent Sir William Monson that night on Board my Lord Admiral to resolve what Ships should be appointed the next day to undertake the Service Sir Walter Rawleigh had the Vaward given him which my Lord Thomas Howard hearing challenged in right of his place of Vice-admiral and it was granted him but Sir Walter having Order over night to ply in came first to an Anchor but in that distance from the Spaniards as he could not annoy them And he himself returned on Board the Lord General Essex to excuse his coming to Anchor so far off for want of Water to go higher which was thought strange that the Spaniards which drew much more Water and had no more Advantage than he of Tide could pass where his could not But Sir Francis Vere in the Rainbow who was appointed to second him passing by Sir Walter Rawleigh his Ship Sir Walter the second time weighed and went higher The Lord General Essex who promised to keep in the midst of the Fleet was told by Sir William Monson that the greatest Service would depend upon three or four Ships and Sir William put him in mind of his Honor for that many Eyes beheld him This made him forgetful of his Promise and to use all means he could to be formost in the Fight My Lord Howard who could not go up in his own Ship the Mere-honor betook himself to the Nonperil and in respect the Rainbow the Repulse and Warspight had taken up the best of the Channel by their first coming to an Anchor to his grief he could not get higher Here did every Ship strive to be the headmost but such was the narrowness of the Channel as neither the Lord Admiral nor any other Ship of the Queens could pass on There was Commandment given that no Ship should shoot but the Queens making account that the Honor would be the greater if the Victory were obtained with so few This Fight confinued from Ten till Four in the Afternoon The Spaniards then set Sail thinking either to run higher up the River or else to bring their other Broad Sides to us because of the heat of their Ordnance but howsoever it was in their floating they came a ground and the men began to forsake the Ships Whereupon there was Commandment given that all the Hoys and Vessels that drew least Water should go unto them Sir William Monson was sent in the Repulse Boat with like directions We posses'd our selves of the great Gallions the Matthew and the Andrew but the Philip and Thomas fired themselves and were burnt down before they could be quenched I must not omit to describe the manner of the Spanish Ships and Gallies riding in Harbor at our first coming to Cadiz The four Gallions singled themselves from out the Fleet as Guards of their Merchants The Gallies were placed to flank us with their Prows before Entry but when they saw our Approach the next morning the Merchants ran up the River and the Men of War of Port Royal to the Point of the River brought themselves into a good Order of Fight moving their Ships a Head and a Stern to have their Broad Sides upon us The Gallies then betook themselves to the Guard of the Town which we put them from before we attempted the Ships The Victory being obtained at Sea the L. General Essex landed his men in a Sandy Bay which the Castle of Poyntull commanded but they seeing the Success of their Ships and mistrusting their own strength neither offered to offend his Landing nor to defend the Castle but quitted it and so we became Possessors of it After my Lord 's peeceable Landing he considered what was to be done and there being no place from whence the Enemy could annoy us but the Bridge of Swasoe which leadeth over from the main Land to the Island by our making good of which Bridge there would be no way left for the Gallies to escape us He sent three Regiments under the Command of Sir Conniers Clifford Sir Christopher Blunt and Sir Thomas Garret to the Bridge who at their first coming were encountred by the Enemy but yet possess'd themselves of it with the loss of some men but whether it was for want of Victuals or for what other reasons our men quitted it I know not and the Gallies breaking down divers Arches pass'd it and by that means escaped My Lord dispatched a Messenger to my Lord Admiral intreating him to give Order to attempt the Merchants that rode in Port Royal for that it was dangerous to give them a Night's respite lest they should convey away their Wealth or take example by the Philip and Thomas to burn themselves This Message was delivered by Sir Anthony Ashley and Sir William Monson as my Lord Admiral was in his Boat ready with his Toops of Seamen to land fearing the Lord General Essex should be put to Distress with his small Companies which were but three Regiments hastened by all means to second him and gave order to certain Ships the next day to pursue him Seeing I have undertaken to shew the Escapes committed in any of our English Voyages such as were committed here shall without Fear or Flattery appear to the Judicious Reader Though the Earl of Essex his Carriage and Forwardness merited much yet if it had been with more Advisement and less Haste it would have succeeded better And if he were now living he would confess Sir William Monson advised him rather to seek to be Master of the Ships than of the Town for it was that would afford both Wealth and Honor For the Riches in Ships could not be concealed or conveyed away as in Towns they might And the Ships themselves being brought for England would be always before mens Eyes there and put them in remembrance of the greatness of the Exploit as for the Town perhaps it might be soon won but probably not long enjoyed and so quickly forgotten And to speak indifferentiy by the Earl's suddain Landing without the Lord Admirals Privity and his giving Advice by a Message to attempt the Ships which should have been resolved of upon mature Deliberation no doubt the Lord Admiral found his Honor a little Eclipsed which perhaps hastened his Landing for his Reputation sake whenas he thought it more advisable to have possess'd himself of their Fleet. Before the Lord Admiral could draw near the Town the Earl of Essex had entred it and although the Houses were built in that manner as that every House served for a Platform
put on shoar with their Arms. To the Second That he was contented that they should be set on shoar that Night except Eight or Ten of the Principal Gentlemen whom he would detain Three Days To the Third He held it idle and frivolous to imagine he would consent to separate Ship and Goods and esteemed it Por Cosa de burla To the Fourth He would not consent being resolved never to permit a Spanish Flag to be worn in the presence of the Queens Ships unless it were disgracefully over the Poop There was long expostulations upon these points and Sir William Monson seeing the obstinacy of the Captain offered in a great rage to leap into his Boat resolving to break the Treaty which the rest of the Gentlemen perceiving and that he had propounded nothing but what might very well stand with their Reputation they intreated him once more to ascend into the Carreck and they would enter into new Capitulations The effect whereof as it was agreed upon were these that follow That a Messenger should be sent to the Admiral to have his Confirmation of the points concluded on and that in the mean time the Flag and Ancient should be taken down and if the Admiral should not consent to the Agreement they to have leisure to put out their Flag and Ancient tofore the Fight should begin That the Company should be presently set on Shore but the Captain with eight other of the principal Gentlemen three days after That the Ship with her Goods should be surrendered without any Practice or Treason That they should use their endeavors that the Castle should forbear shooting whilst we rid in the Road and this was the effect of the Conditions agreed upon This Carreck Wintered in Mosambicke in her return from the Indies a place of great Infection as appeared by the Mortality among them For of 600 and odd men twenty of them lived not to return Home After a great deal of Calamity and Mortality she arrived at this Port of Cisembre as you have heard the Viceroy of Portugal having sent 11 Gallies to her Rescue and 400 mocas de Camera which is a Title of Gentlemen that serve the King upon any Honourable Occasion when they are commanded That she was brought to this pass and forc'd to yield on these Conditions Sir Robert Cecil was wont to impute to the Gentlemens Acquaintance with Sir William Monson Although three days were limited for setting the Captain on Shore yet it was held Discretion not to detain them longer than untill the Carreck was brought off safely to our Ships and therefore Sir William Monson having carried the Captain and the rest of the Gentlemen on board him where they Supped had variety of Musick and spent the Night in great Jollity the Morning following accompanied them on Shore himself whither the Conde de Vitagera had drawn down all the Force of the whole Country amounting to the number of 10000 men I must not omit to describe the Behavior of the Gallies in the Fight that every Man may have that Honor that is due to him Those of Portugal being of the Squadron of the Marquess of St. Cruz betook themselves with their General to Flight in the middle of the Fight but Frederico Spinola who was to convey his Gallies out of Spain into the Low Countreys followed not the Example of the Marquess but made good the Road which the other seeing with Shame returned but to both their Costs for before they departed they found the Climate so hot as they were forc'd to fly their Gallies being so miserably beaten and their Slaves so pitifully slain as there wanted nothing but Boats to possess them all as well as the two we took and burnt which is a thing hath been seldom seen or heard of for Ships to take and destroy Gallies The number of Men slain in the Town the Castle the Carreck and Gallies are unknown though they could not chuse but be many the Wealth of the Carreck could then as ill be estimated though after found to be great the Value of the two Gallies burnt with their Loading of Powder is hard to judge though it 's known to have been a Service of great Importance For our Loss it was not much only one man killed in the Fly-Boat five slain and as many hurt in the Garland and one hurt in the Adventure Sir William Monson had the left Wing of his Doublet shot off but received no other Hurt The day following with a favourable Wind we stood our Course for England which brought us into 47 Degrees and there we met a Pinnace sent with a Pacquet from the Lords signifying the readiness of a second Fleet to supply us and the setting out of the Hollanders which were so long looked for which Fleet of Holland was in View of the Pinnace the same Night but pass'd by us unseen This unlooked for Accident made the Admiral and Vice-Admiral consider what to do and concluded they could not both appear at Home and have a Fleet of so great Importance upon the Enemies Coast without a Guide or Head and therefore they held it fit the Vice-Admiral should put himself into the Nonperil as the ablest Ship of the Fleet and make his Return once more to the Coast of Spain but he having taken his Leave and standing his Course for the Coast a most violent Storm with a contrary Wind took him which continued ten days and discovered the weakness of his Ship who had like to have foundered in the Deep The Carpenters and Company seeing the apparent Danger if he bore not up before the Wind presented him with a Petition beseeching him to have a regard to their Lives for by keeping the Seas they should all perish Thus was he forc'd by mere Extremity to bear room for England and coming for Plymouth he found the Carreck safely arrived and the Fleet he went back to take Charge of not to have quitted the Coast of England Though it be somewhat impertinent to this Voyage to treat of more than the Success thereof yet I will a little digress and relate the Mishap of that worthy Young Gentleman Don Diego de Lobo Captain of the Carreck and because his Worth will more appear by his Answer to Sir William Monson's Offer to him when he was his Prisoner thus it was Sir William Monson told him he doubted that by the loss of the Carreck he had lost his best Means for that he supposed what he had gained in the Indies was laden in her and therefore offered that what he would challenge upon his Reputation to be his own he should have Freedom to carry along with him The Gentleman acknowledged the Favor to be extraordinary but replied that what he had he had gained by his Sword and that his Sword he doubted not would repair his Fortunes again utterly refusing to accept any Courtesie in that kind But poor Gentleman ill Fortune thus left him not For the Viceroy Don Cristoball
Isle of Wight Sir Richard Lewson and Sir William Monson into the Narrow Seas Anno 1603. Ships Commanders The Repulse Sir Richard Lewson The Mere-honor Sir William Monson The Defiance Capt. Goer The Warspight Capt. Seymers The Rainbow Capt. Trevor The Dreadnought Capt. Reynolds The Quittance Capt. Howard The Lyons Whelp Capt. Polwheele SIR William Monson returning with his Fleet in November there was a Resolution to furnish another against February which should be recruited with fresh Ships Men and Victuals in June Sir Richard Lewson was to command the former Fleet and Sir William Monson the later For the Queen found it a Course both secure and profitable to keep a continual Force upon the Spanish Coast from February to November that being the time of greatest Peril to her Majesty and she was the rather encouraged thereto by the safty she found the last Summer and the Wealth and Riches she had from time to time taken from the Enemy The Complaint of the ill furnishing out of her Ships in other Voyages made it more carefully to be look'd unto now and there was better Choice of Victuals and Men than usually had been but in the mean time it pleased God to visit her Majesty with Sickness which caused a ling'ring though no absolute dissolving of the Fleet but when her Danger was perceived to increase the Ships were hastened out to Sea it being a point of good Policy to keep our Seas guarded from any Forreign Attempt untill his Majesty should be peaceably settled in England This Fleet departed from Quinborough the 22th of March and arrived in the Downs the 25th of the same being the day after her Majesties Death The News whereof and Commandment to proclaim King James the Sixth of Scotland our Lawful King and the rightful Inheritor to the Crown arrived both together which put us into two contrary Passions the one of Grief the other of Joy Grief for the Loss of the Queen Joy for accepting of the King in that peaceable manner which was a Happiness beyond all Expectation either at home or abroad As the Design of this Fleet was to guard and defend our own Coasts from any Incurison that might be made out of France or the Low Countreys so the Commanders were vigilant to appear on those Coasts once in two days to dishearten them in case they had any such Thought but the truth is it was beyond their Abilities whatever was in their Hearts to impugn his Majesty And because the Arch-Duke would make the Candidness of his Intention apparent to the World he called in his Letters of Reprizal against the English and published an Edict for a free and unmolested Traffick into Flanders So that now our Merchants might again trade peaceably into those Parts from which they had been debarred the space of Eighteen Years The King finding that France neither impeached his Right nor gave any Jealousie by the raising of an Army and that the Arch-Duke made a Demonstration of his desire of Peace his Majesty did the like acknowledging the League he had with those Princes with whom the late Queen had Wars For Wars betwixt Countreys are not hereditary but commonly end with the Death of their Kings Wherefore he commanded his Ships to give over their Southern Employment and to repair to Chatham giving manifest Testimonies how desirous he was that his Subjects should recover that Wealth and Freedom by Peace which they had formerly lost by War FINIS A true and plain DECLARATION OF THE Horrible Treasons Practised by WILLIAM PARRY Against the Queens Majesty AND OF His Conviction and Execution for the same The 2d of March 1584. according to the account of England THis William Parry being a man of very mean and base Parentage but of a most proud and insolent Spirit bearing himself always far above the measure of his Fortune after he had long led a wasteful and dissolute life and had committed a great Outrage against one Hugh Hare a Gentleman of the Inner-Temple with an intent to have murthered him in his own Chamber for the which he was most justly convicted seeing himself generally condemned with all good men for the same and other his Misdemeanours he left his natural Country and gave himself to travel into forreign parts beyond the Seas In the course of this his Travel he forsook his Allegiance and dutiful Obedience to her Majesty and was reconciled and subjected himself to the Pope After which upon conference with certain Jesuites and others of like quality he first conceived his most detestable Treason to kill the Queen whose life God long preserve which he bound himself by Promise Letters and Vows to perform and execute and so with this intent he returned into England in January 1583 and since that did practise at sundry times to have executed his most devilish purpose and determination yet covering the same so much as in him lay with a vail and pretence of great Loyalty to her Majesty Immediately upon his return into England he sought to have secret Access to her Majesty pretending to have some matter of great importance to reveal unto her which obtained and the same so privately in her Highness's Palace at Whitehal as her Majesty had but one onely Counsellor with her at the time of his Access in a remote place who was so far distant as he could not hear his Speech And there then he discovered unto her Majesty but shadowed with all crafty and traiterous skill he had some part of the Conference and Proceeding as well with the said Jesuites and other Ministers of the Popes as especially with one Thomas Morgan a Fugitive residing at Paris who above all others did perswade him to proceed in that most devilish Attempt as is set down in his voluntary Confession following bearing her Majesty notwithstanding in hand That his onely intent of proceeding so far with the said Jesuites and the Popes Ministers tended to no other end but to discover the dangerous Practices devised and attempted against her Majesty by her disloyal Subjects and other malicious persons in forraign parts Albeit it hath since appeared most manifestly as well by his said Confession as by his dealing with one Edmond Nevil Esq That his onely intent of discovering the same in sort as he craftily and traiterously did tended to no other end but to make the way the easier to accomplish his most devilish and wicked purpose And although any other Prince but her Majesty who is loath to put on a hard Censure of those that protest to be loyal as Parry did would rather have proceeded to the punishment of a Subject that had waded so far as by Oath and Vow to promise the taking away of her life as he to her Majesties self did confess yet such was her goodness as instead of punishing she did deal so graciously with him as she suffered him not onely to have Access unto her presence but also many times to have private Conference with her and
it Whereupon I made semblance as if I had been more willing to hear him than before hoping by that means to cause him to deliver his minde to some other that might be witness thereof with me wherein nevertheless I failed After all this on Saturday last being the sixth of February between the hours of five and six in the afternoon Parry came to my Chamber and desired to talk with me apart whereupon we drew our selves to a window And where I had told Parry before that a learned man whom I met by chance in the fields unto whom I proponed the question touching her Majesty had answered me that it was an enterprise most villanous and damnable willing me to discharge my self of it Parry then desired to know that learned mans name and what was become of him saying after a scornful manner No doubt he was a very wise man and you wiser in believing him and said further I hope you told him not that I had any thing from Rome Yes in truth said I. Whereunto Parry said I would you had not named me nor spoken of any thing I had from Rome And thereupon he earnestly perswaded me estsoons to depart beyond the Seas promising to procure me safe passage into Wales and from thence into Britain whereat we ended But I then resolved not to do so but to discharge my conscience and lay open this his most traiterous and abominable intention against her Majesty which I revealed in sort as is before set down Edmund Nevil After this confession of Edmund Nevil William Parry the 11th day of February last being examined in the Tower of London by the Lord Hunsdon Lord Governour of Barwick Sir Christopher Hatton knight Vicechamberlain to her Majesty and Sir Francis Walsingham Knight principal Secretary to her Majesty did voluntary and without any constraint by word of mouth make confession of his said Treason and after set it down in writing all with his own hand in his Lodging in the Tower and sent it to the Court the 13th of the same by the Lieutenant of the Tower The parts whereof concerning his manner of doing the same and the Treasons wherewith he was justly charged are here set down word for word as they are written and signed with his own hand and name the 11th of February 1584. The voluntary Confession of William Parry in writing all with his own hand The voluntary Confession of William Parry Doctor of the Laws now Prisoner in the Tower and accused of Treason by Edmund Nevil Esquire promised by him with all faith and humility to the Queens Majesty in discharge of his Conscience and Duty towards God and her Before the Lord Hunsdon Lord Governour of Barwick Sir Christopher Hatton Knight Vicechamberlain Sir Francis Walsingham Knight principal Secretary the 13th of February 1584. Parry IN the year 1570. I was sworn her Majesties servant from which time until the year 1580. I served honoured and loved her with as great readiness devotion and assurance as any poor subject in England In the end of that year and until Midsummer 1582. I had some trouble for the hurting of a Gentleman of the Temple In which action I was so disgraced and oppressed by two great men to whom I have of late been beholden that I never had contented thought since There began my misfortune and here followeth my woful fall In July after I laboured for licence to travail for three years which upon some consideration was easily obtained And so in August I went over with doubtful minde of return for that being suspected in Religion and not having received the Communion in twenty two years I began to mistrust my advancement in England In September I came to Paris where I was reconciled to the Church and advised to live without scandal the rather for that it was mistrusted by the English Catholiques that I had Intelligence with the greatest Councellour of England I staied not long there but removed to Lions a place of great Traffick where because it was the ordinary passage of our Nation to and fro between Paris and Rome I was also suspected To put all men out of doubt of me and for some other cause I went to Millain from whence as a place of some danger though I found favour there after I had cleared my conscience and justified my self in Religion before the Inquisitor I went to Venice There I came acquainted with father Benedicto Palmio a grave and a learned Jesuite By conference with him of the hard state of the Catholicks in England and by reading of the Book De persecutione Anglicana and other discourses of like argument 1 I conceived a possible mean to relieve the afflicted state of our Catholicks if the same might be well warranted in religion and conscience by the Pope or some learned Divines I asked his opinion he made it clear commended my devotion comforted me in it and after a while made me known to the Nuntio Campeggio there resident for his Holiness By his means I wrote to the Pope presented the service and sued for a Pasport to go to Rome and to return safely into France Answer came from Cardinal Como that I might come and should be welcome I misliked the warrant sued for a better which I was promised but it came not before my departure to Lions where I promised to stay some time for it And being indeed desirous to go to Rome and loth to go without countenance I desired Christofero de Salazar Secretary to the Catholick King in Venice who had some understanding by conference of my devotion to the afflicted Catholicks at home and abroad to commend me to the Duke di Nova Terra Governour of Millain and to the County of Olivaris Embi then Resident for the King his Master in Rome which he promised to do effectually for the one and did for the other And so I took my journey towards Lyons whither came for me an ample Passeport but somewhat too late that I might come and go in verbo Pontificis per omnes jurisdictones Ecclesiasticas absque impedimento I acquainted some good Fathers there of my necessity to depart towards Paris by promise and prayed their advises upon divers points wherein I was well satisfied And so assuring them that his Holiness should hear from me shortly it was undertaken that I should be excused for that time In October I came to Paris where upon better opinion conceived of me amongst my Catholick Country-men I found my credit well setled and such as mistrusted me before ready to trust and imbrace me And being one day at the Chamber of Thomas Morgan a Catholick Gentleman greatly beloved and trusted on that side amongst other Gentlemen talking but in very good sort of England I was desired by Morgan to go up with him to another Chamber where he brake with me and told me that it was hoped and looked for that I should do some service for God and his Church I answered him