to their fleet; where after a reasonable hot fight, the ship was entred and
mastered, which they found freighted with all sorts of small yron-worke, as
horse shoes, nailes, plough-shares, yron barres, spikes, boults, locks,
gimbols, and such like, valued by vs at 6000 or 7000 li. but woorth to them
treble the value. This Biscain was sailing towards S. Lucar, there to take
in some further prouision for the West India. This ship being first
roomaged, and after sent for England, our fleet coasted along towards the
Southcape of S. Vincent, and by the way about the Rocke neere Lisbon, sir
Iohn Burrough in the Robucke spying a saile a farre off, gaue her present
chase; which being a flieboat and of good saile, drew him farre Southwards
before he could fetch her; but at last she came vnder his lee and strooke
saile. The master of which flieboat comming aboord him, confessed that the
king indeed had prepared a great fleet in S. Lucar and Cadiz, and (as the
report in Spaine was currant) for the West Indies. But indeed the Spanish
king had prouided this fleet vpon this counsell. He receiued intelligence,
that sir Walter Ralegh was to put out strong for the West India: to impeach
him, and to ranconter his force he appointed this fleet; although looking
for the arriuall of his East Indian caraks, he first ordained those ships
to waft them from the Açores. But perswading himselfe, that if the fleet of
sir Walter Ralegh did go for the West India, then the Ilands should haue
none to infest them but some small men of warre, which the caraks of
themselues would be well able to match; his order was to Don Alonso de
Baçan brother to the Marques of Santa Cruz, and Generall of his armada, to
pursue sir Walters fleet, and to confront him, what course soeuer he held.
[Sidenote: Sir Iohn Burrough in great danger of the Spanish fleet.] And
that this was true, our men in short time by proofe vnderstood: for sir
Iohn Burrough, not long after the taking of his last prize the flieboat, as
he sailed backe againe towards the rest of his company, discouered the
Spanish fleet to sea-ward of him: which hauing likewise espied him betwixt
them and the shore, made full account to bring him safe into Spanish
harbour; and therefore spred themselues in such sort before him, that
indeed his danger was very great: for both the liberty of the sea was
brought into a narrow straight, and the shore being enemy could giue him no
comfort of reliefe: so that trusting to Gods helpe onely and his good
saile, he thrust out from among them in spight of all their force, and to
the notable illusion of all their cunning, which they shewed to the
vttermost, in laying the way for his apprehension. [Sidenote: The Ile of S.
Michael.] But now sir Iohn Burrough hauing happily escaped their clouches,
finding the coast guarded by this fleet, and knowing it was but folly to
expect a meeting there with sir Martin Frobisher (who vnderstanding of this
armada aswell as himselfe, would be sure not to come that way) beganne to
shape his course to the Açores according to sir W. Raleghs direction, and
came in sight of S. Michael, running so neere by Villa Franca, that he
might easily discerne the shippes lying there at anker. [Sidenote: Diuers
small ships taken.] Diuers small carauels both here and betweene S. Georges
and the Pike in his course towards Flores he intercepted; of which no great
intelligence for his affaires could be vnderstood. [Sidenote: Santa Cruz a
village in the Ile of Flores.] Arriuing before Flores vpon Thursday the 21
of Iune, towards euening, accompanied onely with captaine Caufield and the
Master of his shippe, the rest not being yet arriued, he made towards the
shore with his boat, finding all the people of Santa Cruz, a village of
that Iland, in armes, fearing their landing, and ready marshalled to defend
their towne from spoile. Sir Iohn contrariwise made signes of amity vnto
them by aduancing a white flagge, a common token of peace, which was
answered againe of them with the like: whereupon ensued entercourses of
good friendship; and pledges were taken on both sides, the captaine of the
towne for them, and captaine Caufield for our: so that whatsoeuer our men
wanted, which that place could supply either in fresh water, victuals, or
the like, was very willingly granted by the inhabitants; and good leaue had
they to refresh themselues on shore as much and as oft as they would
without restraint. [Sidenote: Newes of the East Indian caraks.] At this
Santa Cruz sir Iohn Burrough was informed, that indeed there was among them
no expectation of any fleet to come from the west, but from the East, that
no longer since then three dayes before his arriuall a carak was passed by
for Lisbon, and that there were foure carafes more behinde, of one consort.
Sir Iohn being very glad of this newes, stayed no longer on shore, but
presently imbarqued himselfe, hauing onely in company a small barke of
threescore tunnes belonging to one M. Hopkins of Bristoll. In the meane
while that these things thus passed at Flores, part of the rest of the
English fleet, which sir Iohn Burrough had left vpon the coast of Spaine,
drew also towards the Açores: and whereas he quickly at sea had discouered
one of the caraks, the same euening he might descry two or three of the
Earle of Cumberlands ships (whereof one M. Norton was captaine) which
hauing in like sort kenned the carak, pursued her by that course which they
saw her to runne towards the Ilands. But on no side was there any way made
by reason of a great calme which yeelded no breath to spread a saile.
Insomuch that fitly to discouer her what she was, of what burthen, force,
and countenance sir Iohn Burrough tooke his boat, and rowed the space of
three miles, to make her exactly: and being returned, he consulted with the
better sort of the company then present, vpon the boording her in the
morning. [Sidenote: A carak called The Santa Cruz set on fire.] But a very
mighty storme arising in the night, the extremity thereof forced them all
to wey ankers, yet their care was such in wrestling with the weather not to
lose the carak, that in the morning the tempest being qualified, and our
men bearing againe with the shore, they might perceiue the carak very neere
the land, and the Portugals confusedly carrying on shore such things as
they could any maner of way conuey out of her; and seeing the haste our men
made to come vpon them, forsook her; but first, that nothing might be left
commodious to our men, set fire to that which they could not cary with
them, intending by that meanes wholly to consume her; that neither glory of
victory nor benefit of shippe might remaine to ours. And least the approch
and industry of the English should bring meanes to extinguish the flame,
thereby to preserue the residue of that which the fire had not destroyed;
being foure hundred of them in number and well armed, they entrenched
themselues on land so neere to the carak, that she being by their forces
protected, and our men kept aloofe off, the fire might continue to the
consumption of the whole. This being noted by sir Iohn Burrough he soone
prouided a present remedy for this mischiefe. [Sidenote: An hundred of our
men land.] For landing one hundred of his men, whereof many did swim and
wade more then brest high to shore, and easily scattering those that
presented themselues to guard the coast, he no sooner drew toward their new
trenches, but they fled immediatly, leauing as much as the fire had spared
to be the reward of our mens paines. Here was taken among others one
Vincent Fonseca a Portugall, Purser of the carak, with two others, one an
Almaine and the second a Low-dutchman, canoniers: who refusing to make any
voluntary report of those things, which were demanded of them, had the
torture threatened, the feare whereof at the last wrested from them this
intelligence, that within fifteene dayes three other greater caraks then
that lately fired would arriue at the same Iland: and that being fiue
caraks in the fleet at their departure from Goa, to wit, the Buen Iesus
admirall, the Madre de Dios, the S. Bernardo, the S. Christophoro, and the
S. Cruz, (whose fortune you haue already heard) they had receiued speciall
commandement from the king not to touch in any case at the Iland of S.
Helena, where the Portugall caraks in their returne from the East India
were alwayes till now woont to arriue to refresh themselues with water and
victuals. And the kings reason was; because of the English men of warre,
who (as he was informed) lay there in wait to intercept them. [Sidenote:
Angola a new watering place for caraks.] If therefore their necessity of
water should driue them to seeke supply any where, he appointed them Angola
in the maine of Africa, with order there to stay onely the taking in of
water to auoid the inconuenience of infections where unto that hot latitude
is dangerously subiect. The last rendeuous for them all was the Iland of
Flores, where the king assured them not to misse of his armada thither sent
of purpose for their wafting to Lisbon. Vpon this information sir Iohn drew
to counsel, meeting there Captaine Norton, captain Dountain, captain
Abraham Cocke, captaines of three ships of the Earle of Cumberland, M.
Tomson of Harwich cap. of the Dainty of sir Iohn Haukins, one of sir W.
Raleghs fleet, and M. Christopher Newport cap. of the Golden dragon newly
returned from the West India, and others. These being assembled, he
communicated with them what he had vnderstood of the foresaid examinates,
and what great presumptions of trueth their relation did cary: wishing that
forasmuch as God and good fortune had brought them together in so good a
season, they would shew the vttermost of their indeuors to bring these
Easterlings vnder the lee of the English obedience. Hereupon a present
accord on all sides followed not to part company or leaue of those seas
till time should present cause to put their consultations in execution. The
next day her Maiesties good ship the Foresight commanded by sir Rob. Crosse
came in to the rest: and he likewise informed of the matter was soone
drawen into this seruice. Thus sir Iohn with al these ships departing
thence 6 or 7 leagues to the West of Flores, they spread themselues abroad
from the North to the South, ech ship two leagues at the least distant from
another. By which order of extension they were able to discouer the space
of two whole degrees at sea. In this sort they lay from the 29 of Iune to
the third of August, what time cap. Thomson in the Dainty had first sight
of the huge carak called the Madre de Dios, one of the greatest receit,
belonging to the crowne of Portugall. The Dainty being of excellent saile
got the start of the rest of our fleet, and begun the conflict somewhat to
her cost, with the slaughter and hurt of diuers of her men. Within a while
after, sir Iohn Burrough in the Robucke of sir W. Raleghs, was at hand to
second her, who saluted her with shot of great ordinance, and continued the
fight within musket shot assisted by cap. Tomson and cap. Newport till sir
R. Crosse viceadmirall of the fleet came vp being to leeward, at whose
arriuall sir I. Burgh demanded of him what was best to be done, who
answered, that if the carak were not boorded she would recouer the shore
and fire herselfe as the other had done. Whereupon sir I. Burgh concluded
to entangle her; and sir R. Crosse promised also to fasten himselfe to her
together at the instant; which was performed: but after a while sir Iohn
Burgh receiuing a shot with a canon perier vnder water and ready to sinke,
desired sir R. C. to fall off, that he might also cleere himselfe, and saue
his ship from sinking, which with difficulty he did: for both the Roebucke
and the Foresight were so intangled, as with much adoe could they cleere
themselues.
[Sidenote: The Madre de Dios taken.] The same euening sir R. Crosse finding
the carak then sure and drawing neere the Iland perswaded his company to
boord her againe, or els there was no hope to recouer her: who after many
excuses and feares, were by him incouraged, and so fell athwart her
foreships all alone; and so hindered her sailing that the rest had time to
come vp to his succour, and to recouer the carak yer she recouered the
land: and so toward the euening after he had fought with her alone three
houres single, my lord of Cumberlands two ships came vp, and with very
little losse entred with sir R. Crosse, who had in that time broken their
courages, and made the assault easie for the rest.
The generall hauing disarmed the Portugals, and stowed them for better
security on all sides, first had presented to his eyes the true proportion
of the vast body of this carak, which did then and may still iustly prouoke
the admiration of all men not formerly acquainted with such a sight. But
albeit this first apparance of the hugenesse thereof yeelded sights enough
to entertaine our mens eyes: yet the pitifull obiect of so many bodies
slaine and dismembred could not but draw ech mans eye to see, and heart to
lament, and hands to helpe those miserable people, whose limnes were so
torne with the violence of shot, and paine made grieuous with the multitude
of woundes. No man could almost steppe but vpon a dead carkase or a bloody
floore, but specially about the helme, where very many of them fell
suddenly from stirring to dying. For the greatnesse of the stirrage
requiring the labour of twelue or fourteene men at once, and some of our
shippes beating her in at the sterne with their ordinance often times with
one shot slew foure or fiue labouring on either side of the helme; whose
roomes being still furnished with fresh supplies, and our artillery still
playing vpon them with continuall volleys, it could not be but that much
bloud should be shed in that place. [Sidenote: Exceeding humanity shewed to
the enemy.] Whereupon our Generall moued with singular commiseration of
their misery, sent them his owne chyrurgions, denying them no possible
helpe or reliefe that he or any of his company could affoord them. Among
the rest of those, whose state this chance had made very deplorable, was
Don Fernando de Mendoça Grand captaine and Commander of this Carake: who
indeed was descended of the house of Mendoça in Spaine; but being married
into Portugall, liued there as one of that nation; a gentleman well
stricken in yeeres, well spoken, of comely personage, of good stature, but
of hard fortune. In his seuerall seruices against the Moores he was twise
taken prisoner, and both times ransomed by the king. In a former voyage of
returne from the East India he was driuen vpon the Baxos or sands of Iuda
nere the coast of Cephala, being then also captaine of a caracke which was
there lost, and himselfe, though escaping the sea-danger, yet fell into the
hands of infidels on land; who kept him vnder long and grieuous seruitude.
Once more the king carying a louing respect to the man, and desirous to
better his condition, was content to let him try his fortune in this
Easterly nauigation, and committed vnto him the conduct of this caracke,
wherein he went from Lisbon Generall of the whole fleet, and in that degree
had returned, if the Vice-rey of Goa embarked for Portugall in the Bon
Iesus had not, by reason of his late office, bene preferred. Sir Iohn
intending not to adde too much affliction to the afflicted, moued with pity
and compassion of humane misery, in the end resolued freely to dismisse
this captaine and the most part of his followers, to their owne countrey,
and for the same purpose bestowed them in certaine vessels furnished with
all kindes of necessary prouision. This businesse thus dispatched, good
leasure had he to take such view of the goods as conueniency might affoord.
And hauing very prudently (to cut off the vnprofitable spoile and pillage
whereunto he saw the minds of many inclined) seised vpon the whole to her
Maiesties vse, after a short and slender romaging and searching of such
things as first came to hand, he perceiued that the wealth would arise
nothing disanswerable to expectation; but that the variety and grandure of
all rich commodities would be more then sufficient to content both the
aduenturers desire and the souldiers trauell. And here I cannot but enter
into the consideration and acknowledgement of Gods great fauor towards our
nation, who by putting this purchase into our hands hath manifestly
discouered those secret trades and Indian riches, which hitherto lay
strangely hidden, and cunningly concealed from vs; whereof there was among
some few of vs some small and vnperfect glimse onely, which now is turned
into the broad light of full and perfect knowledge. Whereby it should seeme
that the will of God for our good is (if our weaknesse could apprehend it)
to haue vs communicate with them in those East Indian treasures, and by the
erection of a lawfull traffike to better our meanes to aduance true
religion and his holy seruice. The caracke being in burden by the
estimation of the wise and experienced no lesse then 1600 tunnes had full
900 of those stowed with the grosse bulke of marchandise, the rest of the
tunnage being allowed, partly to the ordinance which were 32 pieces of
brasse of all sorts, partly to the passengers and the victuals, which could
not be any small quantity, considering the number of the persons betwixt
600 and 700, and the length of the nauigation. To giue you a taste (as it
were) of the commodities, it shall suffice to deliuer you a generall
particularity of them, according to the catalogue taken at Leadenhall the
15 of September 1592. [Sidenote: A briefe catalogue of the sundry rich
commodities of the Madre de Dios.] Where vpon good view it was found, that
the principall wares after the iewels (which were no doubt of great value,
though they neuer came to light) consisted of spices, drugges, silks,
calicos, quilts, carpets and colours, &c. The spices were pepper, cloues,
maces, nutmegs, cinamom, greene ginger: the drugs were beniamin,
frankincense, galingale, mirabolans, aloes zocotrina, camphire: the silks,
damasks, taffatas, sarcenets, altobassos, that is, counterfeit cloth of
gold, vnwrought China silke, sleaued silke, white twisted silke, curled
cypresse. The calicos were book-calicos, calico-launes, broad white
calicos, fine starched calicos, course white calicos, browne broad calicos,
browne course calicos. There were also canopies, and course diaper-towels,
quilts of course sarcenet and of calico, carpets like those of Turky;
whereunto are to be added the pearle, muske, ciuet, and amber-griece. The
rest of the wares were many in number, but lesse in value; as elephants
teeth, porcellan vessels of China, coco-nuts, hides, eben-wood as blacke as
iet, bedsteads of the same, cloth of the rindes of trees very strange for
the matter, and artificiall in workemanship. All which piles of commodities
being by men of approued iudgement rated but in reasonable sort amounted to
no lesse then 150000 li. sterling, which being diuided among the
aduenturers (whereof her Maiesty was the chiefe) was sufficient to yeeld
contentment to all parties. [Sidenote: The capacity and dimensions of the
Madre de Dios.] The cargazon being taken out, and the goods fraighted in
tenne of our ships sent for London, to the end that the bignesse, heigth,
length, bredth, and other dimensions of so huge a vessell might by the
exact rules of Geometricall obseruations be truly taken, both for present
knowledge, and deriuation also of the same vnto posterity, one M. Robert
Adams, a man in his faculty of excellent skill, omitted nothing in the
description, which either his arte could demonstrate, or any mans iudgement
thinke woorthy the memory. After an exquisite suruey of the whole frame he
found the length from the beak-head to the sterne (whereupon was erected a
lanterne) to containe 165 foote. The breadth in the second close decke
whereof she had three, this being the place where there was most extension
of bredth, was 46 feet and ten inches. She drew in water 31 foot at her
departure from Cochin in India, but not aboue 26 at her arriual in
Dartmouth, being lightened in her voyage by diuers meanes some 5 foote. She
caried in height 7 seuerall stories, one maine Orlop, three close decks,
one fore-castle, and a spar-decke of two floores a piece. The length of the
keele was 100 foote, of the maine-mast 121 foot, and the circuite about at
the partners 10 foote 7 inches, the maine-yard was 106 foote long. By which
perfect commensuration of the parts appeareth the hugenesse of the whole,
farre beyond the mould of the biggest shipping vsed among vs either for
warre or receit.
Don Alonso de Baçan hauing a great Fleet and suffering these two caraks,
the Santa Cruz to be burnt, and the Madre de Dios to be taken, was
disgraced by his prince for this negligence.
* * * * *
The firing and sinking of the stout and warrelike Carack called Las Cinque
Llaguas, or, The fiue Wounds, by three tall Ships set foorth at the
charges of the right honorable the Erle of Cumberland and his friends:
Written by the discreet and valiant captaine M. Nicholas Downton.
In the latter ende of the yeere 1593. the right honourable Erle of
Cumberland, at his owne charges and his friends, prepared 3 ships, all at
equall rate, and either of them had like quantitie of victuals, and like
numbers of men, there being embarked in all 3 ships 420 men of al sorts.
[Marginal note: Besides these three ships there was a pinnas called the
Violet, or the Why not I.] The Roial Exchange went as Admirall, wherein M.
George Caue was captaine. The May-flower Viceadmirall vnder the conduct of
William Anthonie: and the Sampson, the charge whereof it pleased his honour
to commit vnto me Nicholas Dounton. Our directions were sent vs to
Plimmouth, and we were to open them at sea.
The sixt of Aprill 1594 we set sayle in the sound of Plimmouth, directing
our course toward the coast of Spaine.
The 24 of the sayd moneth at the Admirals direction wee diuided our selues
East and West from ech other, being then in the heigth of 43 degrees, with
commaundement at night to come together againe.
The 27 day in the morning we descried the May-flower and the litle Pinnasse
with a Prise that they had taken, being of Viana in Portugall, and bound
for Angola in Africa. This Barke was of 28 tunnes, hauing some 17 persons
in the same. [Sidenote: Commodities fit for Angola.] There were in her some
12 Buts of Galicia wine, whereof we tooke into euery shippe a like part,
with some Ruske in chests and barrels, with 5 buts of blew course cloth,
and certaine course linnen-cloth for Negros shirts, which goods were
diuided among our fleet.
The 4 of May we had sight of our Pinnasse, and the Admirals Shallop which
had taken three Portugall Carauels, whereof they had sent two away and kept
the third.
The second of Iune we had sight of S. Michael. The third day in the morning
we sent our small pinnasse, which was of some 24 tunnes, with the small
Carauell which we had taken at the Burlings to range the road of all the
Ilands, to see if they could get any thing in the same: appointing them to
meet vs W. S. W. 12 leagues from Faiall. Their going from vs was to no
purpose. They missed comming to vs when we appointed, as also we missed
them, when we had great cause to haue vsed them.