we perceiued 3 ships that made towards vs, which came from vnder the land,
which put vs in great feare: for they came close by our Admirall, and shot
diuers times at him, and at another ship of our companie, whereby we
perceiued them to be Englishmen, for they bare an English flagge vpon their
maine tops, but none of them shewed to be aboue 60 tunnes in greatnes.
About Euening they followed after vs, and all night bore lanternes with
candles burning in them at their sternes, although the Moone shined. The
same night passing hard by the Island of Fayal, the next day being betweene
the Island of S. George that lay on our right hand, and the small Island
called Graciosa on our left hand, we espied the 3 English ships still
following vs that tooke counsell together, whereof one sailed backwards,
thinking that some other ship had come after vs without company, and for a
time was out of sight, but it was not long before it came again to the
other two, wherwith they tooke counsel and came all, 3 together against our
ship, because we lay in the lee of al our ships, and had the Island of S.
George on the one side in stead of a sconce, thinking to deale so with vs,
that in the end we should be constrained to run vpon the shore, whereof we
wanted not much, and in that manner with their flagges openly displayed,
came lustily towardes vs, sounding their Trumpets, and sayled at the least
three times about vs, beating vs with Musket and Caliuer, and some great
pieces, and did vs no hurt in the body of our shippe, but spoyled all our
sayles and ropes, and to conclude, wee were so plagued by them, that no man
durst put foorth his head, and when wee shot off a peece, wee had at the
least an houres worke to lade it againe, whereby we had so great a noise
and crie in the shippe, as if we had all bene cast away, whereat the
English men themselues beganne to mocke vs, and with a thousand iesting
words called vnto vs. In the meane time the other shippes hoised all their
sayles, and did the best they could to saile to the Island of Tercera, not
looking once behinde them to helpe vs, doubting they should come too late
thither, not caring for vs, but thinking themselues to haue done
sufficiently so they saued their owne stakes, whereby it may easily be
seene what company they keepe one with the other, and what order is among
them. In the ende the English men perceiuing small aduantage against vs,
(little knowing in what case and feare we were, as also because wee were
not farre from Tercera) left vs, which made vs not a litle to reioyce, as
thinking our selues to bee risen from death to life, although wee were not
well assured, neyther yet voyde of feare till we lay in the road before
Tercera, and vnder the safetie of the Portingales fort, and that we might
get thither in good time wee made all the sailes we could: on the other
side we were in great doubt, because we knew not what they did in the
Island, nor whether they were our friends or enemies, and we doubted so
much the more, because we found no men of warre nor any Caruels of aduise
from Portingal, as wee made our accounts to doe, that might conuoy vs from
thence, or giue vs aduise, as in that countrey ordinarily they vse to do:
and because the English men had bene so victorious in those parts, it made
vs suspect that it went not well with Spaine: they of the Island of Tercera
were in no lesse fear then we, for seeing our fleete, they thought vs to
bee Englishmen, and that wee came to ouerrun the Island, because the 3.
Englishmen had bound vp their flags, and came in company with vs: for the
which cause the Iland sent out two Caruels that lay there with aduise from
the king, for the Indians ships that should come thither. Those Caruels
came to view vs, and perceiuing what we were, made after vs, whereupon the
English ships left vs, and made towardes them, because the Caruels thought
them to be friends, and shunned them not, as supposing them to bee of our
company, but we shot foure or fiue times and made signes vnto them that
they should make towards the Island, which they presently did. The
Englishmen perceiuing that, did put forwards into the sea, and so the
Caruels borded vs telling vs that the men of the Island were all in armes,
as hauing receiued aduise from Portugall, that Sir Frances Drake was in
readinesse, and would come vnto those Islands. They likewise brought vs
newes of the ouerthrow of the Spanish fleet before England, and that the
English men had bene before the gates of Lisbon; wereupon the king gaue vs
commandement that we should put into the Island of Tercera, and there lie
vnder the safety of the Castle vntill we receiued further aduise what we
should do, or whether we should saile: for that they thought it too
dangerous for vs to go to Lisbon. Those newes put our fleet in great feare,
and made vs looke vpon eche other not knowing what to say, as being
dangerous for them to put into the road, because it lieth open to the sea:
so that the Indian ships, although they had expresse commandement from the
king, yet they durst not anker there, but onely vsed to come thither, and
to lie to and fro, sending their boates on land to fetch such necessaries
as they wanted, without ankering: but being by necessitie compelled
thereunto, as also by the kings commandement, and for that we vnderstood
the Erle of Cumberland not to bee farre from those Islands with certaine
ships of warre, we made necessitie a vertue, and entring the road, ankered
close vnder the Castle, staying for aduise and order from the king, to
performe our voyage, it being then the 24. of Iuly, and S. Iames day.
The day before the Erle of Cumberland with 6. or 7. ships of war, sailed by
the Island of Tercera, and to their great good fortune passed out of sight,
so that they dispatched themselues in all haste, and for the more
securitie, tooke with them 4. hundred Spaniards of those that lay in
Garrison in the Island, and with them they sayled towards Lisbon, hauing a
good wind: so that within 11 daies after they arriued in the riuer of
Lisbon with great gladnes and triumph: for if they had stayed but one day
longer before they had entred the riuer, they had all beene taken by
Captaine Drake, who with 40 ships came before Cascais at the same time that
the Indian ships cast anker in the riuer of Lisbon, being garded thither by
diuers Gallies.
While I remained in Tercera, the Erle of Cumberland came to S. Marie, to
take in fresh water, and some other victuals: but the inhabitants would not
suffer him to haue it, but wounded both himselfe and diuers of his men,
whereby they were forced to depart without hauing any thing there.
The Erle of Cumberland while I lay in Tercera, came vnto the Isle of
Graciosa, where himselfe in person, with seuen or eight in his company went
on land, asking certaine beasts, hens, and other victuals, with wine and
fresh water, which they willingly gaue him, and therewith he departed from
thence, without doing them any hurt: for the which the inhabitants thanked
him, and commended him for his courtesie, and keeping of his promise.
The same time that the Erle of Cumberland was in the Island of Graciosa, he
came likewise to Fayall, where at the first time that he came, they beganne
to resist him, but by reason of some controuersie among them, they let him
land, where he razed the Castle to the ground, and sunke all their
Ordinance in the sea, taking with him certaine Carauels and ships that lay
in the road, with prouision of all things that he wanted: and therewith
departed againe to sea. Whereupon the king caused the principall actors
therein to be punished, and sent a company of souldiers thither againe,
which went out of Tercera, with all kinde of warlike munition, and great
shot, making the fortresse vp againe, the better to defend the Island,
trusting no more in the Portugales.
The 99 Chapter.
The ninth of October 1589. there arriued in Tercera fourteene ships that
came from the Spanish Indies, laden with Cochinile, Hides, Golde, Siluer,
Pearles, and other rich wares. They were fiftie in companie, when they
departed out of the Hauen of Hauana, whereof, in their comming out of the
Channell, eleuen sunke in the same Channell by foule weather, the rest by a
storme were scattered and separated one from the other. The next day there
came another ship of the same companie, that sailed close vnder the Island,
so to get into the Roade: where she met with an English ship that had not
aboue three cast peeces, and the Spaniards 12. They fought a long time
together, which we being in the Island might stand and behold: wherevpon
the Gouernour of Tercera sent two boates of Musketiers to helpe the shippe:
but before they could come at her, the English ship had shot her vnder
water, and we saw her sinke into the Sea with all her sayles vp, and not
any thing seene of her aboue the water. The Englishmen with their boate
saued the Captaine and about thirtie others with him, but not one
penie-worth of the goods, and yet in the shippe there was at the least to
the value of two hundred thousand Duckats in Golde, Siluer and Pearles, the
rest of the men were drowned which might be about fiftie persons, among the
which were some Fryers and women, which the Englishmen would not saue.
Those that they had saued they set on land: and then they sayled away. The
seuen and twentieth of the same moneth, the sayd foureteene ships hauing
refreshed themselues in the Island departed from Tercera toward Siuill, and
comming vpon the coast of Spaine they were taken by the English ships that
lay there to watch for them, two onely excepted which escaped away, and the
rest were wholly caried into England.
About the same time the Erle of Cumberland with one of the Queenes ships,
and fiue or sixe more, kept about those Islands and came oftentimes so
close vnder the Island, and to the Road of Angra, that the people on land
might easily tell all his men that he had aboord, and knewe such as walked
on the Hatches: they of the Island not once shooting at them, although they
might easily haue done it, for they were within Musket shot both of the
towne and fort. In these places he continued for the space of two moneths,
and sayled round about the Islands, and landed in Graciosa and Fayal, as in
the description of those Islands I haue alreadie declared. Here he tooke
diuers ships and Carauels, which he sent into England: so that those of the
Island durst not once put foorth their heads. At the same time about three
or foure dayes after the Erle of Cumberland had beene in the Island of
Fayal, and was departed from thence, there arriued in the said Island of
Fayal sixe Indian shippes, whose General was one Iuan Doriues: and there
they discharged in the Iland 4 millions of golde and siluer. And hauing
with all speede refreshed their ships, fearing the comming of the
Englishmen they set sayle, and arriued safely in S. Lucar, not meeting with
the enemie, to the great good lucke of the Spaniards and hard fortune of
the Englishmen: for that within lesse then two dayes after the golde and
siluer was laden againe into the Spanish ships, the Erle of Cumberland
sayled againe by that Island: so that it appeared that God would not let
them haue it, for if they had once had sight thereof, without doubt it had
bene theirs, as the Spaniards themselues confessed.
In the moneth of Nouember there arriued in Tercera two great shippes, which
were the Admirall and Viceadmirall of the Fleete laden with siluer, who
with stormie weather were separated from the Fleete, and had beene in great
torment and distresse, and readie to sinke: for they were forced to vse all
their Pumps: so that they wished a thousand times to haue met with the
Englishmen to whom they would willingly haue giuen their siluer and all
that euer they brought with them onely to saue their liues. And although
the Erle of Cumberland lay still about those Islands, yet they met not with
him, so that after much paine and labour they got into the Road before
Angra, where with all speede they vnladed and discharged aboue fiue
millions of siluer, all in pieces of 8 or 10 pound great: so that the whole
Kay lay couered with plates and chests of siluer, full of Ryales of eight,
most wonderfull to behold, (each million being ten hundred thousand
duckats,) besides pearles, gold and other stones, which were not registred.
The Admirall and chiefe commander of those ships and Fleete called Aluaro
Flores de Quiniones was sicke of the Neapolitan disease, and was brought to
land, whereof not long after he died in Siuillia. He brought with him the
Kings broad seale and full authoritie to be Generall and chiefe commander
vpon the Seas, and of all Fleetes or ships, and of all places and Islands,
or lands wheresoeuer he came: wherevpon the Gouernour of Tercera did him
great honour, and betweene them it was concluded, perceiuing the weaknesse
of their ships, and the danger of the Englishmen, that they would send the
shippes, emptie with souldiers to conuey them, either to Siuill or Lisbon,
where they could first arriue, with aduise vnto his Maiestie of all that
had passed, and that he would giue order to fetch the siluer with good and
safe conuoy. Wherevpon the said Aluero Flores stayed there, vnder colour of
keeping the siluer, but specially because of his disease, and for that they
were affraide of the Englishmen. This Aluaro Flores had alone for his owne
part aboue 50000 Duckats in pearles which he shewed vnto vs, and sought to
sell them or barter them with vs for spices or bils of exchange. The said
two ships set saile with 3 or 4 hundred men, as well souldiers as others
that came with them out of India, and being at sea had a storme, wherewith
the Admirall burst and sunke in the sea, and not one man saued. The
Vice-Admirall cut downe her mast, and ranne the ship on ground hard by
Setuuel, where it burst in pieces, some of the men sauing them selues by
swimming, that brought the newes, but the rest were drowned.
In the same moneth there came two great ships out of the Spanish Indies,
and being within halfe a mile of the Road of Tercera, they met with an
English ship, which, after they had fought long together, tooke them both.
About 7 or 8 moneths before, there had beene an English shippe in Tercera,
that vnder the name of a Frenchman came to traffike in the Island, there to
lade woad, and being discouered was both ship and goods confiscated to the
kings vse, and all the men kept prisoners: yet went they vp and downe the
streetes to get their liuings, by labouring like slaues, being in deede as
safe in that Island, as if they had beene in prison. But in the ende vpon a
Sunday, all the Saylers went downe behinde the hils called Bresil: where
they found a Fisher-boat, whereinto they got and rowed into the sea to the
Erle of Cumberlands shippes, which to their great fortune chanced at that
time to come by the Island, and ankered with his ships about halfe a mile
from the Road of Angra, hard by two small Islands, which lie about a bases
shot from the Island and are full of Goats, Deere and Sheepe, belonging to
the inhabitants of the Island of Tercera. Those Saylers knew it well, and
thereupon they rowed vnto them with their boates, and lying at anker that
day, they fetched as many Goates and sheepe as they had neede of: which
those of the towne and of the Island well saw and beheld, yet durst not
once goe foorth: so there remained no more on land but the Master and the
Marchant of the said English ship. This Master had a brother in lawe
dwelling in England, who hauing newes of his brothers imprisonment in
Tercera, got licence of the Queene of England to set forth a ship,
therewith to see if he could recouer his losses of the Spaniards by taking
some of them, and so to redeeme his brother that lay prisoner in Tercera,
and he it was that tooke the two Spanish ships before the Towne, the Master
of the ship aforesaid standing on the shore by me, and looking vpon them,
for he was my great acquaintance. The ships being taken that were worth 300
thousand duckats, he sent al the men on land sauing onely two of the
principall Gentlemen, which he kept aboord thereby to ransome his brother:
and sent the Pilot of one of the Indian ships that were taken, with a
letter to the Gouernor of Tercera; wherein he wrote that he should deliuer
him his brother, and he would send the 2 Gentlemen on land: if not, he
would saile with them into England, as indeed he did, because the Gouernour
would not doe it, saying that the Gentlemen might make that suite to the
king of Spaine himselfe. This Spanish Pilot we bid to supper with vs, and
the Englishmen likewise, where he shewed vs all the manner of their fight,
much commending the order and maner of the Englishmens fighting, as also
their courteous vsing of him: but in the end the English Pilot likewise
stole away in a French ship, without paying any ransome as yet.
In the moneth of Ianuarie 1590 there arriued one ship alone in Tercera,
that came from the Spanish Indies, and brought newes that there was a
Fleete of a hundred shippes which put out from the Firme land of the
Spanish Indies, and by a storme were driuen vpon the coast called Florida,
where they were all cast away, she hauing onely escaped, wherein there were
great riches, and many men lost, as it may well be thought: so that they
made their account, that of 220 ships that for certaine were knowen to haue
put out of Noua Spagna, S. Domingo, Hauana, Capo verde, Brasilia, Guinea,
&c. in the yeere 1589. to saile for Spaine and Portugall, there were not
aboue 14 or 15 of them arriued there in safetie, all the rest being either
drowned, burst or taken.
In the same moneth of Ianuarie there arriued in Tercera 15 or 16 ships that
came from Siuil, which were most Flieboats of the Low countries, and some
Britons that were arrested in Spaine: these came full of souldiers, and
well appointed with munition, to lade the siluer that lay in Tercera, and
to fetch Aluares de Flores by the kings commandement into Spaine. And
because that time of the yeere there are alwayes stormes about those
Ilands, therefore they durst not enter into the road of Tercera, for that
as then it blew so great a storme that some of their ships that had ankred
were forced to cut downe their mastes, and were in danger to be lost: and
among the rest a ship of Biscaie ran against the land and was striken in
pieces, but all the men saued themselues. The other ships were forced to
keepe the sea and seperate themselues one from the other, where wind and
weather would driue them vntill the 15 of March for that in all that time
they could not haue one day of faire weather to anker in, whereby they
endured much miserie, cursing both the siluer and the Iland. This storme
being past, they chanced to meet with a small English ship of about 40
tunnes in bignesse, which by reason of the great wind could not beare all
her sailes: so they set vpon her and tooke her, and with the English flag
in their Admirals sterne, they came as proudly into the hauen as if they
had conquered all the realme of England: but as the Admirall that bare the
English flag vpon her sterne was entring into the road, there came by
chance two English ships by the Iland that paied her so well for her
paines, that they were forced to cry Misericordia, and without all doubt
had taken her, if she had bene but a mile further in sea: but because she
got vnder the Fortresse, which also began to shoot at the Englishmen, they
were forced to leaue her, and to put further into the sea, hauing slaine
fiue or sixe of the Spaniards. The Englishmen that were taken in the small
shippe were put vnder hatches, and coupled in bolts, and after they had
bene prisoners 3 or 4 dayes, there was a Spanish Ensigne bearer in the ship
that had a brother slaine in the Fleet that came for England, who as then
minding to reuenge his death, and withall to shew his manhood on the
English captiues that were in the English ship, which they had taken, as is
aforesayd, tooke a poiniard in his hand and went downe vnder the hatches,
where finding the poore Englishmen sitting in boltes, with the same
poiniard he stabbed sixe of them to the heart: which two others of them
perceiuing, clasped each other about the middle, because they would not be
murthered by him, and threw themselues into the sea and there were drowned.
This acte was of all the Spaniards much disliked and very ill taken, so
that they caried the Spaniard prisoner vnto Lisbon, where being arriued,
the king of Spaine willed he should be sent into England, that the Queene
of England might vse him as she thought good: which sentence his friends by
intreatie got to be reuersed, notwithstanding he commanded he should
without all fauour be beheaded: but vpon a good Friday the Cardinall going
to masse, all the captaines and Commanders made so great intreaty for him,
that in the end they got his pardon. This I thought good to note, that men
might vnderstand the bloody and dishonest minds of the Spaniards when they
haue men vnder their subiection.
The same two English ships which folowed the Spanish Admirall till he had
got the Fort of Tercera, as I sayd before, put into the sea, where they met
with another Spanish ship being of the same Fleet, that had likewise bene
scattred by the storme and was onely missing, for the rest lay in the road.
This small ship the Englishmen tooke, and sent all the men on shore, not
hurting any of them: but if they had knowen what had bene done vnto the
foresayd English captiues I belieue they would soone haue reuenged
themselues, as afterward many an innocent soule paied for it. This ship
thus taken by the Englishmen, was the same that was taken and confiscated
in the Iland of Tercera by the Englishmen that got out of the Iland in a
fisher boat (as I said before) and was sold vnto the Spaniards that as then
came from the Indies, wherewith they sayled to S. Lucar, where it was also
arrested by the duke, and appointed to go in company to fetch the siluer in
Tercera, because it was a ship that sailed well, but among the Spaniards
Fleet it was the meanest of the company. By this means it was taken from
the Spaniards and caried into England, and the owners had it againe when
they least thought of it.
The 19 of March the aforesayd ships being 19 in number, set saile, hauing
laden the kings siluer, and receiued in Aluaro Flores de Quiniones, with
his company and good prouision of necessaries, munition and souldiers that
were fully resolued (as they made shew) to fight valiantly to the last man
before they would yeeld or lose their riches: and although they set their
course for S. Lucar, the wind draue them vnto Lisbon, which (as it seemed)
was willing by his force to helpe them, and to bring them thither in
safetie, although Aluaro de Flores, both against the wind and weather would
perforce haue sailed to Saint Lucar, but being constrained by the wind and
importunitie of the sailers that protested they would require their losses
and damages of him, he was content to saile to Lisbon: from whence the
siluer was by land caried vnto Siuil. At Cape S. Vincent there lay a Fleet
of 20 English ships to watch for the Armada, so that if they had put into
S. Lucar, they had fallen right into their hands, which if the wind had
serued they had done. And therefore they may say that the wind hath lent
them a happy voiage: for if the Englishmen had met with them, they had
surely bene in great danger, and possibly but few of them had escaped, by
reason of the feare wherewith they were possessed, because fortune of
rather God was wholy against them: which is a sufficient cause to make the
Spaniards out of heart, and to the contrary to giue the Englishmen more
courage, and to make them bolder for that they are victorious, stout and
valiant: and seeing all their enterprises do take so good effect, that
thereby they are become lords and masters of the sea, and need care for no
man, as it wel appeareth by this briefe discourse.
The 7 of August 1590. a nauie of English ships was seene before Tercera,
being 20 in number, and 5 of them the Queenes ships: their Generall was one
Martin Frobisher, as we after had intelligence. They came purposely to
watch for the Fleet of the Spanish Indies, and for the Indian ships, and
the ships of the countreys in the West: which put the Ilanders in great
feare, specially those of Fayal, for that the Englishmen sent a trumpet to
the Gouernour to aske certaine wine, flesh, and other victuals for their
money and good friendship. They of Fayal did not onely refuse to giue eare
vnto them, but with a shot killed their messenger or trumpeter: which the
Englishmen tooke in euil part, sending them word that they were best to
looke to themselues and stand vpon their guard, for they ment to come and
visite them whether they would or no. The Gouernour made them answere that
he was there in the behalfe of his maiestie of Spaine, and that he would
doe his best to keepe them out, as he was bound: but nothing was done,
although they of Fayal were in no little feare, sending to Tercera for
aide, from whence they had certaine barkes with ponder and munition for
warre, with some bisket and other necessary prouision.
The 30 of August we receiued very certaine newes out of Portugal, that
there were 80 ships put out of the Groine laden with victuals, munition,
money and souldiers, to goe for Britaine to aide the Catholiques and
Leaguers of France against the king of Nauarre. At the same time two
Netherland hulkes comming out of Portugall to Tercera being halfe the Seas
ouer, met with 4 of the Queenes ships, their Generall being sir Iohn
Hawkins, that staied them, but let them go againe without doing them any
harme. The Netherlanders reported, that each of the Queenes ships had 80
pieces of Ordinance, and that captaine Drake lay with 40 ships in the
English chanell watching for the armie of the Groine: and likewise that
there lay at the Cape S. Vincent ten other English ships, that if any ships
escaped from the Ilands, they might take them. These tidings put the
Ilanders in great feare, least if they failed of the Spanish fleete and got
nothing by them, that then they would fall vpon the Ilands, because they
would not returne emptie home, whereupon they held streit watch, sending
aduise vnto the king what newes they heard.