sword blows in the first entering, unto whom was committed the charge of
the pikes of the vant-guard by his lot and turn; as also of the taking
of Alonzo Bravo, the chief commander of that place, by Captain Goring,
after the said captain had first hurt him with his sword; unto which
captain was committed the charge of the shot of the said vant-guard.
Captain Winter was likewise by his turn of the vant-guard in this
attempt, where also the Lieutenant-General marched himself; the said
Captain Winter, through a great desire to serve by land, having now
exchanged his charge at sea with Captain Cecil for his band of footmen.
Captain Powell, the Sergeant-Major, had by his turn the charge of the
four companies which made the battle. Captain Morgan, who at St. Domingo
was of the vant-guard, had now by turn his charge upon the companies
of the rearward. Every man, as well of one part as of another, came so
willingly on to the service, as the enemy was not able to endure the
fury of such hot assault.
We stayed here six weeks, and the sickness with mortality before spoken
of still continued among us, though not with the same fury as at the
first; and such as were touched with the said sickness, escaping death,
very few or almost none could recover their strength. Yea, many of
them were much decayed in their memory, insomuch that it was grown an
ordinary judgment, when one was heard to speak foolishly, to say he had
been sick of the _calentura_, which is the Spanish name of their burning
ague; for, as I told you before, it is a very burning and pestilent
ague. The original cause thereof is imputed to the evening or first
night air, which they term _la serena_; wherein they say and hold very
firm opinion that whoso is then abroad in the open air shall certainly
be infected to the death, not being of the Indian or natural race of
those country people. By holding their watch our men were thus subjected
to the infectious air, which at Santiago was most dangerous and deadly
of all other places.
With the inconvenience of continual mortality we were forced to give
over our intended enterprise to go with Nombre de Dios, and so overland
to Panama, where we should have strucken the stroke for the treasure,
and full recompense of our tedious travails. And thus at Carthagena
we took our first resolution to return homewards, the form of which
resolution I thought good here to put down under the principal captains'
hands as followeth:--
A Resolution of the Land-Captains, what course they think most expedient
to be taken. Given at Carthagena, the 27th of February, 1585.
WHEREAS it hath pleased the General to demand the opinions of his
captains what course they think most expedient to be now undertaken, the
land-captains being assembled by themselves together, and having advised
hereupon, do in three points deliver the same.
THE FIRST, touching the keeping of the town against the force of the
enemy, either that which is present, or that which may come out of
Spain, is answered thus:--
'We hold opinion, that with this troop of men which we have presently
with us in land service, being victualled and munitioned, we may well
keep the town, albeit that of men able to answer present service we have
not above 700. The residue, being some 150 men, by reason of their hurts
and sickness, are altogether unable to stand us in any stead: wherefore
hereupon the sea-captains are likewise to give their resolution, how
they will undertake the safety and service of the ships upon the arrival
of any Spanish fleet.'
THE SECOND point we make to be this, whether it be meet to go
presently homeward, or else to continue further trial of our fortune in
undertaking such like enterprises as we have done already, and thereby
to seek after that bountiful mass of treasure for recompense of our
travails, which was generally expected at our coming forth of England:
wherein we answer:--
'That it is well known how both we and the soldiers are entered into
this action as voluntary men, without any impress or gage from her
Majesty or anybody else. And forasmuch as we have hitherto discharged
the parts of honest men, so that now by the great blessing and favour of
our good God there have been taken three such notable towns, wherein
by the estimation of all men would have been found some very great
treasures, knowing that Santiago was the chief city of all the islands
and traffics thereabouts, St. Domingo the chief city of Hispaniola, and
the head government not only of that island, but also of Cuba, and of
all the islands about it, as also of such inhabitations of the firm
land, as were next unto it, and a place that is both magnificently built
and entertaineth great trades of merchandise; and now lastly the city of
Carthagena, which cannot be denied to be one of the chief places of most
especial importance to the Spaniard of all the cities which be on this
side of the West India: we do therefore consider, that since all these
cities, with their goods and prisoners taken in them, and the ransoms of
the said cities, being all put together, are found far short to satisfy
that expectation which by the generality of the enterprisers was first
conceived; and being further advised of the slenderness of our strength,
whereunto we be now reduced, as well in respect of the small number of
able bodies, as also not a little in regard of the slack disposition of
the greater part of those which remain, very many of the better minds
and men being either consumed by death or weakened by sickness and
hurts; and lastly, since that as yet there is not laid down to our
knowledge any such enterprise as may seem convenient to be undertaken
with such few as we are presently able to make, and withal of such
certain likelihood, as with God's good success which it may please
him to bestow upon us, the same may promise to yield us any sufficient
contentment: we do therefore conclude hereupon, that it is better to
hold sure as we may the honour already gotten, and with the same to
return towards our gracious sovereign and country, from whence, if it
shall please her Majesty to set us forth again with her orderly means
and entertainment, we are most ready and willing to go through with
anything that the uttermost of our strength and endeavour shall be able
to reach unto. But therewithal we do advise and protest that it is far
from our thoughts, either to refuse, or so much as to seem to be weary
of anything which for the present shall be further required or directed
to be done by us from our General.'
THE THIRD and last point is concerning the ransom of this city of
Carthagena, for the which, before it was touched with any fire, there
was made an offer of some 27,000 or 28,000 pounds sterling:--
'Thus much we utter herein as our opinions, agreeing, so it be done in
good sort, to accept this offer aforesaid, rather than to break off by
standing still upon our demands of 100,000 pounds; which seems a matter
impossible to be performed for the present by them. And to say truth,
we may now with much honour and reputation better be satisfied with that
sum offered by them at the first, if they will now be contented to give
it, than we might at that time with a great deal more; inasmuch as we
have taken our full pleasure, both in the uttermost sacking and spoiling
of all their household goods and merchandise, as also in that we have
consumed and ruined a great part of their town with fire. And thus much
further is considered herein by us; that as there be in the voyage
a great many poor men, who have willingly adventured their lives and
travails, and divers amongst them having spent their apparel and such
other little provisions as their small means might have given them leave
to prepare, which being done upon such good and allowable intention as
this action hath always carried with it (meaning, against the Spaniard,
our greatest and most dangerous enemy), so surely we cannot but have an
inward regard, so far as may lie in us, to help them in all good sort
towards the satisfaction of this their expectation; and by procuring
them some little benefit to encourage them, and to nourish this ready
and willing disposition of theirs, both in them and in others by their
example, against any other time of like occasion. But because it may be
supposed that herein we forget not the private benefit of ourselves, and
are thereby the rather moved to incline ourselves to this composition,
we do therefore think good for the clearing ourselves of all such
suspicion, to declare hereby, that what part or portion soever it be of
this ransom or composition for Carthagena which should come unto us,
we do freely give and bestow the same wholly upon the poor men who
have remained with us in the voyage (meaning as well the sailor as the
soldier), wishing with all our hearts it were such or so much as might
see a sufficient reward for their painful endeavour. And for the firm
confirmation thereof, we have thought meet to subsign these presents
with our own hands in the place and time aforesaid.
'Captain Christopher Charlie, Lieutenant-General; Captain Goring,
Captain Sampson, Captain Powell, etc.'
But while we were yet there, it happened one day that our watch called
the sentinel, upon the church-steeple, had discovered in the sea
a couple of small barks or boats, making in with the harbour of
Carthagena. Whereupon Captain Moon and Captain Varney, with John Grant,
the master of the Tiger, and some other seamen, embarked themselves in a
couple of small pinnaces, to take them before they should come nigh the
shore, at the mouth of the harbour, lest by some straggling Spaniards
from the land, they might be warned by signs from coming in. Which fell
out accordingly, notwithstanding all the diligence that our men could
use: for the Spanish boats, upon the sight of our pinnaces coming
towards them, ran themselves ashore, and so their men presently hid
themselves in bushes hard by the sea-side, amongst some others that had
called them by signs thither. Our men presently without any due regard
had to the quality of the place, and seeing no man of the Spaniards to
shew themselves, boarded the Spanish barks or boats, and so standing all
open in them, were suddenly shot at by a troop of Spaniards out of the
bushes; by which volley of shot there were slain Captain Varney, which
died presently, and Captain Moon, who died some few days after, besides
some four or five others that were hurt: and so our folks returned
without their purpose, not having any sufficient number of soldiers with
them to fight on shore. For those men they carried were all mariners to
row, few of them armed, because they made account with their ordnance
to have taken the barks well enough at sea; which they might full easily
have done, without any loss at all, if they had come in time to the
harbour mouth, before the Spaniards' boats had gotten so near the shore.
During our abode in this place, as also at St. Domingo, there passed
divers courtesies between us and the Spaniards, as feasting, and using
them with all kindness and favour; so as amongst others there came to
see the General the governor of Carthagena, with the bishop of the same,
and divers other gentlemen of the better sort. This town of Carthagena
we touched in the out parts, and consumed much with fire, as we had done
St. Domingo, upon discontentments, and for want of agreeing with us
in their first treaties touching their ransom; which at the last was
concluded between us should be 110,000 ducats for that which was yet
standing, the ducat valued at five shillings sixpence sterling.
This town, though not half so big as St. Domingo, gives, as you see, a
far greater ransom, being in very deed of far more importance, by reason
of the excellency of the harbour, and the situation thereof to serve the
trade of Nombre de Dios and other places, and is inhabited with far more
richer merchants. The other is chiefly inhabited with lawyers and brave
gentlemen, being the chief or highest appeal of their suits in law of
all the islands about it and of the mainland coast next unto it. And
it is of no such account as Carthagena, for these and some like reasons
which I could give you, over long to be now written.
The warning which this town received of our coming towards them from St.
Domingo, by the space of 20 days before our arrival here, was cause that
they had both fortified and every way prepared for their best defence.
As also that they had carried and conveyed away all their treasure and
principal substance.
The ransom of 110,000 ducats thus concluded on, as is aforesaid, the
same being written, and expressing for nothing more than the town of
Carthagena, upon the payment of the said ransom we left the said town
and drew some part of our soldiers into the priory or abbey, standing a
quarter of an English mile below the town upon the harbour water-side,
the same being walled with a wall of stone; which we told the Spaniards
was yet ours, and not redeemed by their composition. Whereupon they,
finding the defect of their contract, were contented to enter into
another ransom for all places, but specially for the said house, as also
the blockhouse or castle, which is upon the mouth of the inner harbour.
And when we asked as much for the one as for the other, they yielded to
give a thousand crowns for the abbey, leaving us to take our pleasure
upon the blockhouse, which they said they were not able to ransom,
having stretched themselves to the uttermost of their powers; and
therefore the said blockhouse was by us undermined, and so with
gunpowder blown up in pieces. While this latter contract was in making,
our whole fleet of ships fell down towards the harbour-mouth, where
they anchored the third time and employed their men in fetching of fresh
water aboard the ships for our voyage homewards, which water was had in
a great well that is in the island by the harbour-mouth. Which island
is a very pleasant place as hath been seen, having in it many sorts of
goodly and very pleasant fruits, as the orange-trees and others, being
set orderly in walks of great length together. Insomuch as the whole
island, being some two or three miles about, is cast into grounds of
gardening and orchards.
After six weeks' abode in this place, we put to sea the last of March;
where, after two or three days, a great Ship which we had taken at St.
Domingo, and thereupon was called The New Year's Gift, fell into a great
leak, being laden with ordnance, hides, and other spoils, and in the
night she lost the company of our fleet. Which being missed the next
morning by the General, he cast about with the whole fleet, fearing some
great mischance to be happened unto her, as in very deed it so fell out;
for her leak was so great that her men were all tired with pumping. But
at the last, having found her, and the bark Talbot in her company, which
stayed by great hap with her, they were ready to take their men out of
her for the saving of them. And so the General, being fully advertised
of their great extremity, made sail directly back again to Carthagena
with the whole fleet; where, having staid eight or ten days more about
the unlading of this ship and the bestowing thereof and her men into
other ships, we departed once again to sea, directing our course toward
the Cape St. Anthony, being the westermost part of Cuba, where we
arrived the 27th of April. But because fresh water could not presently
be found, we weighed anchor and departed, thinking in few days to
recover the Matanzas, a place to the eastward of Havana.
After we had sailed some fourteen days we were brought to Cape St.
Anthony again through lack of favourable wind; but then our scarcity
was grown such as need make us look a little better for water, which we
found in sufficient quantity, being indeed, as I judge, none other than
rain-water newly fallen and gathered up by making pits in a plot of
marish ground some three hundred paces from the seaside.
I do wrong if I should forget the good example of the General at this
place, who, to encourage others, and to hasten the getting of fresh
water aboard the ships, took no less pain himself than the meanest; as
also at St. Domingo, Carthagena, and all other places, having always
so vigilant a care and foresight in the good ordering of his fleet,
accompanying them, as it is said, with such wonderful travail of body,
as doubtless had he been the meanest person, as he was the chiefest,
he had yet deserved the first place of honour; and no less happy do
we account him for being associated with Master Carlile, his
Lieutenant-General, by whose experience, prudent counsel, and gallant
performance he achieved so many and happy enterprises of the war, by
whom also he was very greatly assisted in setting down the needful
orders, laws, and course of justice, and the due administration of the
same upon all occasions.
After three days spent in watering our ships, we departed now the second
time from this Cape of St. Anthony the 13th of May. And proceeding about
the Cape of Florida, we never touched anywhere; but coasting alongst
Florida, and keeping the shore still in sight, the 28th of May, early in
the morning, we descried on the shore a place built like a beacon, which
was indeed a scaffold upon four long masts raised on end for men to
discover to the seaward, being in the latitude of thirty degrees, or
very near thereunto. Our pinnaces manned and coming to the shore, we
marched up alongst the river-side to see what place the enemy held
there; for none amongst us had any knowledge thereof at all.
Here the General took occasion to march with the companies himself in
person, the Lieutenant-General having the vant-guard; and, going a mile
up, or somewhat more, by the river-side, we might discern on the other
side of the river over against us a fort which newly had been built by
the Spaniards; and some mile, or thereabout, above the fort was a little
town or village without walls, built of wooden houses, as the plot doth
plainly shew. We forthwith prepared to have ordnance for the battery;
and one piece was a little before the evening planted, and the first
shot being made by the Lieutenant-General himself at their ensign,
strake through the ensign, as we afterwards understood by a Frenchman
which came unto us from them. One shot more was then made, which struck
the foot of the fort wall, which was all massive timber of great trees
like masts. The Lieutenant-General was determined to pass the river this
night with four companies, and there to lodge himself entrenched as near
the fort as that he might play with his muskets and smallest shot upon
any that should appear, and so afterwards to bring and plant the battery
with him; but the help of mariners for that sudden to make trenches
could not be had, which was the cause that this determination was
remitted until the next night.
In the night the Lieutenant-General took a little rowing skiff and half
a dozen well armed, as Captain Morgan and Captain Sampson, with some
others, beside the rowers, and went to view what guard the enemy kept,
as also to take knowledge of the ground. And albeit he went as covertly
as might be, yet the enemy, taking the alarm, grew fearful that the
whole force was approaching to the assault, and therefore with all speed
abandoned the place after the shooting of some of their pieces. They
thus gone, and he being returned unto us again, but nothing knowing
of their flight from their fort, forthwith came a Frenchman, [Nicolas
Borgoignon] being a fifer (who had been prisoner with them) in a little
boat, playing on his fife the tune of the Prince of Orange his song. And
being called unto by the guard, he told them before he put foot out of
the boat what he was himself, and how the Spaniards were gone from the
fort; offering either to remain in hands there, or else to return to
the place with them that would go. [The 'Prince of Orange's Song' was a
popular ditty in praise of William Prince of Orange (assassinated 1584),
the leader of the Dutch Protestant insurgents.]
Upon this intelligence the General, the Lieutenant-General, with some of
the captains in one skiff and the Vice-Admiral with some others in his
skiff, and two or three pinnaces furnished of soldiers with them,
put presently over towards the fort, giving order for the rest of the
pinnaces to follow. And in our approach some of the enemy, bolder than
the rest, having stayed behind their company, shot off two pieces of
ordnance at us; but on shore we went, and entered the place without
finding any man there.
When the day appeared, we found it built all of timber, the walls being
none other than whole masts or bodies of trees set upright and close
together in manner of a pale, without any ditch as yet made, but wholly
intended with some more time. For they had not as yet finished all their
work, having begun the same some three or four months before; so as, to
say the truth, they had no reason to keep it, being subject both to fire
and easy assault.
The platform whereon the ordnance lay was whole bodies of long
pine-trees, whereof there is great plenty, laid across one on another
and some little earth amongst. There were in it thirteen or fourteen
great pieces of brass ordnance and a chest unbroken up, having in it the
value of some two thousand pounds sterling, by estimation, of the king's
treasure, to pay the soldiers of that place, who were a hundred and
fifty men.
The fort thus won, which they called St. John's Fort, and the day
opened, we assayed to go to the town, but could not by reason of some
rivers and broken ground which was between the two places. And therefore
being enforced to embark again into our pinnaces, we went thither upon
the great main river, which is called, as also the town, by the name of
St. Augustine. At our approaching to land, there were some that began
to shew themselves, and to bestow some few shot upon us, but presently
withdrew themselves. And in their running thus away, the Sergeant-Major
finding one of their horses ready saddled and bridled, took the same
to follow the chase; and so overgoing all his company, was by one laid
behind a bush shot through the head; and falling down therewith, was by
the same and two or three more, stabbed in three or four places of his
body with swords and daggers, before any could come near to his
rescue. His death was much lamented, being in very deed an honest wise
gentleman, and soldier of good experience, and of as great courage as
any man might be.
In this place called St. Augustine we understood the king did keep, as
is before said, 150 soldiers, and at another place some dozen leagues
beyond to the northwards, called St. Helena, he did there likewise keep
150 more, serving there for no other purpose than to keep all other
nations from inhabiting any part of all that coast; the government
whereof was committed to one Pedro Melendez, marquis, nephew to that
Melendez the Admiral, who had overthrown Master John Hawkins in the
Bay of Mexico some 17 or 18 years ago. This governor had charge of both
places, but was at this time in this place, and one of the first that
left the same.