1597. the Gallion-Constance; Captaine Flemming in the Affection; Captaine Christopher Colthurst in the Guiana, homeward Gerard Middleton; Captaine Henrie Jolliffe in the Scout; Captaine Robert Careles, and after his death Andrew Andrews in the Antonie; Captaine Edward Goodwin in the Pagasus; Captaine Henrie Bromley in the Royall Defence; Captaine John Dixon in the Margaret and John; Master John Lea Captaine of the Barkley Bay; William Harper Captaine of the old Frigot. To make up the score we may reckon two Barges used for landing of men, as occasion required. For the land Souldiers, Sir John Barkley was Coronell Generall: Captaine William Mesey Lieutenant Colonell: Captaine Hercules Folyambe Sergeant Major: Captaine Arthur Powell Lieutenant Colonell of the Earles Regiment: Captaines, Lewis Orrell, Thomas Roberts, Henrie Gyll, Thomas Coche, Hugh Starkie, Ralph Rookesby, Roger Tirwhit; Captaine Andrew Andrewes Leader of the Earles Companie: Captaine James Tothill Leader of Sir John Barkleys Companie: Captaines, James Evans and George Orrell Corporals of the field: Captaine John Man Provost Marshall: Captaine Arthur Milles Master of the Artillerie and Provant Master. The noble Earle thus attended and furnished (chiefly at his owne charges) set saile with this Fleet from Portsmouth the sixt of March. But you shall have a better Relator. His Lordship having had the spoile of all things at his pleasure, prepared for the sending aboard the Ordnance, Munitions, Bels, Ginger, Sugar, &c. of brasse Ordnance hee tooke above sixtie peeces: setting saile for England July 16. In which returne his Lordship lost a Barge, by his commandement sunke in the Haven to the prejudice of the Enemie. Another Barge cast away in a storme at the Bermudas. The Pegasus wracked upon Goodwin Sands, and the old Frigot upon Ushent, with the losse of about seven hundred men, whereof six hundred dyed of the bloudie flix and Calenture at Porto Rico: sixtie slaine in fight, and fortie drowned in the wracks of the old Frigot and Pegasus. Chap. II. The Voyage to Saint John de Porto Rico, by the Right Honorable, George, Earle of Cumberland, written by himselfe, 1596. [IV. vi. 1150.] Orthiest of your Sexe, my chiefe Com- 1596. mandresse, to give content to your wish in bare plainnesse. I have set downe the courses and fortunes of my late performed journey. The sixth day of March, with my whole Fleet I set saile out of the Sound of Plimouth, the winde being prosperous though much. Wee kept altogether till the when the faire passage put mee in hope that God had prepared this an unlooked for fortune, if it were well handled, in getting upon the Coast of Spaine sure intelligence whether the Carricks were gone, and how neere they were readie if not gone. The doing of which His purpose undiscovered, though I knew was hard; yet not impossible frustrated. for him that could well worke: And considering the mightie importance, I tooke the course to doe it my selfe, taking with me Guiana and the Skout; which two I meant should onely be seene upon the Coast, and left the rest of the fleet, appointing them where to lye till I came unto them. But God whose will is beyond mans resolutions, forced mee to alter this; for my Masts not made so sufficiently as I expected, both now began to shew their weaknesse, especially my mayne Mast, which Defect in the I continually looked would have gone over board. My mayne Mast. Mariners were at their wits end; and I protest I would have given five thousand pounds for a new one; the greatest part of my strength both by Sea and Land having beene lost, if that ship had returned in this extremitie. Hearing all that would, I heard many opinions to little purpose, and at length resolved (though many thought 1596. Penechia. it dangerous) lest the winde should with a storme come The Burlings. up at West North-west, to goe to the Burlings and there ride, till my Masts were fished, my selfe knowing the Roade, though not any else in my ship: the windes they spake of, I feared not; my onely doubt was that I should be discovered, being within three leagues of Penechia; Carvels comming off every day to fish; but this extremitie forced device how to hide what I was. For goe thither I must, hopelesse otherwise to repaire those desperate ruines. My ship was black which well furthered my device, and though shee were great, yet shewed not so afarre off. Wherefore I came in about eight of the clocke at night upon Thursday, when I was sure all the Fisher-men were gone to sell their fish at Lisbone, and from the mayne they could not make moe: this was the sixteenth of March. Before the morning I had downe my top-masts, my mayne yard unrigged, and all things readie for my Carpenters to worke. The small ships with mee I made stand off to Sea all day, that not having any in my companie I should be the lesse suspected. And thus with a strange Flagge and Ancient upon my poope, I rid without giving chase to any, as though I had beene some Merchant, every day divers ships comming by me that were both good prize, and had beene worth the taking. Upon Sunday night the Fisher-men returne to the Burlings; wherefore to goe away undiscovered of them, and also soone to meet with my fleet, which I had appointed to tarry for mee in that heigth betwixt twentie and thirtie leagues off, and that they should keepe with them what ships soever they met, that were outward bowne: I ceased not working day nor night, and by Saturday at night was readie to set saile, when within night I heard the Ordnance goe off betwixt me and the shoare, and well knew it was a small ship of Hampton and my little Pinnace the Skout, that were in fight with a ship which they chased to windward of mee before night, and fearing their match too hard, as in truth it proved. I, for losing time let slip mine 1596. anchor, and soone came to helpe the poore little ones much over-matched. At my first comming up shee shot at me; yet forbare I, and went so neere that I spake to them, and demanding of whence they were? answere was made, of Lisbone. Then assuring my self shee was a Biscaine, and would fight well, I came close to her, Biscainers and gave her my broad side, which shee so answered as good fighters. that I had three men killed, five or sixe shot, and my ship in sixe or seven places, some of them very dangerous. So I laid her aboard and tooke her, shee proving a ship Ship of Hamof Hamburgh, laden with Corne, Copper, Powder, and burg taken. prohibited commodities. I made the more haste to end this fight, for that I would be out of the sight of the Land before day, which as I desired I was, and there met with a French man laden with Salt going into Lisbone which small Barke was very fit to serve my purpose. For putting some of my men into her, I sent her into Cales Road, commanding them to fall with it by day in the morning, and keeping themselves close to shew none but the French, and make a waft to call some Portugall to them for Pilotage up the River. This device succeeded well; for betimes in the morning they were fast by a Carvell that was going to fish, which (not suspecting them) came close to them, so as the men I put in shot at them with Muskets so fast, as not any of them durst stirre to handle their sailes till their Boat went aboard, and so brought them off to me. These men came that night from Lisbone, and assured me Intelligence that the next faire winde there would come forth five from Lisbone. Caracks, with more treasure then ever went in one yeere and twentie Five Carraks for the Indies, and five and twenty ships for Brasil. five ships. This welcome newes was accompanied with the meeting againe of my whole fleet, which at that very instant I descryed. So none being joyned, I wished for nothing but an happy houre to see those long-looked-after [IV. vi. Monsters, whose wealth exceedes their greatnesse, yet bee they the greatest ships in the world. My fleet being thus joyned, I called all the Captaines and 1151.] 1596. New intelligence. Masters aboard, and gave directions where and in what order we should lye, and how we would fight, not doubting to meete them being undiscovered, and well knowing the way they would come. Being drawne from our rests with our joy in our hope, wee so long continued gasing for that which came not, as I began to feare some unluckie accident, and leaving my fleet alone, with a Carvell I went in with the shoare, and with her and my Boat got another Carvell, by whom I understood that the very same day that I tooke the first Carvell at the Rock, there came into Lisbone a ship that brought Spaniards out of England, and was in Plimouth when I came by, which assured them that I was comne forth, and they verily beleeved was looking for them, so as they sent Carvels of advice to search everywhere for me, one of which when I returned to my fleet, I understood had comne by them to windward and discovered them all. So I feared it was vaine to tarry there any longer; for either they would shift their course or not come at all. So knowing that their seeing of me could not hurt, I went to see if they were comne so low downe the River, as that it were possible to lay them aboard in the night where they rode. Now againe I left my fleet at Sea, and (the winde something favouring me) got in betwixt the Cat-ships, from whence I saw them riding in the Bay of Wiers. Here had I too much of my desire, seeing what I desired to see, but hopelesse of the good I expected by seeing them: for they were where no good could bee done upon them, riding within the No hope that Castle of Saint Julian, which hath in it above an hundred peeces of great Ordnance; so as though I could have got in (which I verily beleeve I could) it had not beene possible to have returned, the winde being ever very scant to come forth withall, and hanging for the most part so farre Northerly, as that for feare of the Cat-ships, I must of force have comne close by their platformes. With this unpleasing sight Another attempt. way. |