The fruits and inconveniences of the latter we daily partake of, to our
losse and dishonor. As in the fleete that [The losse of the
Burdieux fleete anno 1592.] went for Burdieux, anno 1592, which had six
gallant ships for wafters. At their going out of Plimouth, the
vice-admirall, that should have beene starnmost of all, was the
headmost, and the admirall the last, and he that did execute the office
of the vice-admirall, lanching off into the sea, drew after him the
greater part of the fleete, and night comming on, and both bearing
lights, caused a separation: so that the head had a quarter of the
bodie, and the fleete three quarters, and he that should goe before,
came behinde. Whereof ensued, that the three parts meeting with a few
Spanish men of warre, wanting their head, were a prey unto them. For the
vice-admirall, and other wafters, that should be the shepheards to guard
and keepe their flocke, and to carry them in safetie before them, were
headmost, and they the men who made most [The cause.] hast to
flie from the wolfe. Whereas if they had done as they ought, in place of
losse and infamie, they had gained honor and reward.
This I have beene enformed of by the Spanish and English, which were
present in the occasion. And a ship of mine, being one of the starnmost,
freed her selfe, for that shee was in warlike manner, with her false
netting, many pendents and streamers, and at least sixteen or eight-teen
peeces of artillery; the enemie thinking her to be a wafter, or ship of
warre, not one of them durst lay her aboord: and this the master and
company vaunted of at their returne.
In the same voyage, in the river of Burdieux (as is credibly reported),
if the six wafters had kept together, they had not onely not received
domage, but gotten much [The weakness of the enemy.] honour
and reputation. For the admirall of the Spanish armado, was a Flemish
shippe of not above 130 tunnes, and the rest flie-boates[18] and small
shipping, for the most part.
And although there were twenty-two sayle in all, what manner of ships
they were, and how furnished and appoynted, is well knowne, with the
difference.
[The voyage of Sir John Hawkins anno 1590.]
In the fleete of her majestie, under the charge of my father Sir John
Hawkins, anno 1590, upon the coast of Spaine, the vice-admirall being a
head one morning, where his place was to be a sterne, lost us the taking
of eight men of warre loaden with munition, victuals, and provisions,
for the supplie of the souldiers in Brittaine: and although they were
seven or eight leagues from the shore, when our vice-admirall began to
fight with them, yet for that the rest of our fleete were some four,
some five leagues, and some more distant from them, when we beganne to
give chase, the Spaniards recovered into the harbour of Monge, before
our admirall could come up to give direction; yet well beaten, with
losse of above two hundreth men, as they themselves confessed to me
after.
And doubtlesse, if the wind had not over-blowne, and that to follow them
I was forced to shut all my lower ports, the ship I undertooke doubtles
had never endured to come to the port; but being doubble fli-boates, and
all of good sayle, they bare for their lives, and we what we could to
follow and fetch them up.
[Sir Richard Greenfield at Flores.]
In this poynt, at the Ile of Flores, Sir Richard Greenfield got eternall
honour and reputation of great valour, and of an experimented souldier,
chusing rather to sacrifice his life, and to passe all danger
whatsoever, then to fayle in his obligation, by gathering together those
which had remained a shore in that place, though with the hazard of his
ship and companie; and rather we ought to imbrace an honourable death,
then to live with infamie and dishonour, by fayling in dutie; and I
account, that he and his country got much honor in that occasion; for
one ship, and of the second sort of her majesties, sustained the force
of all the fleete of Spain, and gave them to understand, that they be
impregnible, for having bought deerely the boording of her, divers and
sundry times, and with many joyntly, and with a continuall fight of
fourteen or sixteen houres, at length leaving her without any mast
standing, and like a logge in the seas, shee made, notwithstanding, a
most honourable composition of life and libertie for above two hundreth
and sixtie men, as by the pay-booke appeareth: which her majestie of her
free grace, commanded, in recompence of their service, to be given to
every one his six moneths wages. All which may worthily be written in
our chronicles in letters of gold, in memory for all posterities, some
to beware, and others, by their example in the like occasions, to
imitate the true valour of our nation in these ages.
[Captaine Vavisor.]
In poynt of Providence, which captaine Vavisor, in the _Foresight_,[19]
gave also good proofe of his valour, in casting about upon the whole
fleete, notwithstanding the greatnesse and multitude of the Spanish
armado, to yeeld that succour which he was able; although some doe say,
and I consent with them, that the best valour is to obey, and to follow
the head, seeme that good or bad which is commanded. For God himselfe
telleth us, that obedience is better than sacrifice. Yet in some
occasions, where there is difficultie or impossibilitie to know what is
commanded, many times it is great discretion and obligation,
judiciously to take hold of the occasion to yeeld succour to his
associats, without putting himselfe in manifest danger. But to our
voyage.