1585. pinnesses, to see what he might doe above Vigo, where hee tooke many boates and some caravels, diversly laden with things of small value, but chiefly with houshold stuffe, running into the high countrey, and amongst the rest, he found one boat laden with the principal churchstuffe of the high Church of Vigo, where also was their great crosse of silver, of very faire embossed worke, and double gilt all over, having cost them a great masse of money. They complained to have lost in all kind of goods above thirty thousand duckets in this place. The next day the Generall with his whole fleete went from up the Isles of Bayon, to a very good harbour above Vigo, where M. Carleil stayed his comming, aswell for the more quiet riding of his ships, as also for the good commoditie of fresh watering, which the place there did afourd full well. In the meane time the Governour of Galicia had reared such forces as hee might, his numbers by estimate were some two thousand foot, and three hundred horse, and marched from Bayon to this part of the countrey, which lay in sight of our fleete, where making a stand, he sent to parley with our Generall, which was granted by our Generall, so it might bee in boats upon the water: and for safetie of their persons, there were pledges delivered on both sides which done, the Governor of Galicia put himselfe with two others into our Viceadmirals skiffe, the same having bene sent to the shore for him, and in like sort our Generall went in his owne skiffe; where it was by them agreed, we should furnish our selves with fresh water, to be taken by our owne people quietly on the land, and have all other such necessaries, paying for the same, as the place would affourd. When all our businesse was ended, wee departed, and tooke our way by the Islands of Canaria, which are esteemed some three hundred leagues from this part of Spaine, and falling purposely with Palma, with intention to have taken our pleasure of that place, for the full digesting of many things into order, and the better > furnishing our store with such severall good things as it affourdeth very abundantly, we were forced by the vile Sea-gate, which at that present fell out, and by the naughtinesse of the landing place, being but one, and that under the favour of many platformes well furnished with great ordinance, to depart with the receit of many of their Canon-shot, some into our ships, and some besides, some of them being in very deede full Canon high. But the only or chiefe mischiefe was the dangerous sea-surge, which at shore all alongst plainly threatned the overthrow of as many pinnesses and boates, as for that time should have attempted any landing at all. Now seeing the expectation of this attempt frustrated by the causes aforesaid, we thought it meeter to fall with the Isle Hierro, to see if we could find any better fortune and comming to the Island, we landed a thousand men in a valley under a high mountaine, where we stayed some two or three houres, in which time the inhabitants, accompanied with a yong fellow borne in England, who dwelt there with them, came unto us, shewing their state to be so poore, that they were all ready to starve, which was not untrue: and therefore without any thing gotten, we were all commanded presently to imbarke, so as that night wee put off to sea Southsoutheast along towards the coast of Barbary. Upon Saturday in the morning, being the 13. of November, we fell with Cape Blanke, which is a low land and shallow water, where we catched store of fish, and doubling the Cape, we put into the Bay, where we found certaine French ships of warre, whom wee entertained with great courtesie, and there left them. This afternoone the whole fleet assembled, which was a little scattered about their fishing, and put from thence to the Isles of Cape Verde, sailing till the 16. of the same moneth in the morning, on which day we discried the Island of S. Iago, and in the evening we ankered the fleet between the towne called the Playa or Praya, and 1585. 1585. [III. 537.] S. Iago, where we put on shore 1000. men or more, Now by the time wee were thus ranged into a very brave order, daylight began to appeare, and being advanced hard to the wall, we saw no enemie to resist, whereupon the Lieutenant generall appointed Captaine Sampson with thirtie shot, and Captaine Barton with other thirtie, to goe downe into the towne which stood in the valley under us, and might very plainely bee viewed all over from that place where the whole Army was now arrived: and presently after these Captaines was sent the great ensigne, which had nothing in it but the plaine English crosse, to be placed towardes the Sea, that our Fleet might see Saint Georges cross florish in the enemies fortresse. Order was given that all the ordinance throughout the towne and upon all the platformes, which were above fiftie pieces all ready charged, should be shot off in honour of the Queenes Majesties coronation day, being the seventeenth of November, after the yeerely custome of England, which was so answered againe by the ordinance out of all the ships in the fleete which now was come neere, as it was strange to heare such a thundering noyse last so long together. In this meane while the Lieutenant generall held still the most part of his force on the hill top, till such time as the towne was quartered out for the lodging of the whole Armie: which being done every captaine tooke his own quarter, and in the evening was placed such a sufficient gard upon every part of the towne that we had no cause to feare any present enemie. .1585. Thus we continued in the citie the space of 14. The citie of dayes, taking such spoiles as the place yeelded, which Lago taken and possessed were for the most part, wine, oyle, meale, and some for 14 dayes. such like things for victuall, as vineger, olives, and some such other trash, as merchandise for their Indians trades. But there was not found any treasure at all, or any thing else of worth besides. The situation of S. Iago is somewhat strange, in forme like a triangle, having on the East and West sides two mountaines of rocke and cliffe, as it were hanging over it, upon the top of which two mountaines were builded certaine fortifications to preserve the towne from any harme that might bee offered, as in a plot is plainely shewed. From thence, on the South side of the towne is the maine sea, and on the North side, the valley lying betweene the foresayd mountaines, wherein the towne standeth: the said valley & towne both do grow very narrow, insomuch that the space betweene the two cliffes of this end of the towne is estimated not to be above 10. or 12. score over. In the middest of the valley commeth downe a riveret, rill, or brooke of fresh water, which hard by the sea side maketh a pond or poole, whereout our ships were watered with very great ease and pleasure. Somewhat above the towne on the North side betweene the two mountains, the valley waxeth somewhat larger then at the townes end, which valley is wholly converted into 1585. gardens and orchards well replenished with divers sorts of fruites, herbes and trees, as lymmons, orenges, sugarcanes, cochars or cochos nuts, plantans, potato-rootes, cucumbers, small and round onions, garlicke, and some other things not now remembered, amongst which the cochos nuts, and plantans are very pleasant fruites, the saide cochos hath a hard shell and a greene huske over it, as hath our walnut, but it farre exceedeth in greatnesse, for this cochos in his greene huske is bigger than any mans two fistes: of the hard shell many drinking cups are made here in England, and set in silver as I have often seene. Next within this hard shell is a white rine resembling in shewe very much even as any thing may do, to the white of an egge when it is hard boyled. And within this white of the nut lyeth a water, which is whitish and very cleere, to the quantitie of halfe a pynt or thereaboutes, which water and white rine before spoken of, are both of a very coole fresh tast, and as pleasing as any thing may be. I have heard some hold opinion, that it is very restorative. The plantan groweth in cods, somewhat like to beanes, but is bigger and longer, and much more thicke together on the stalke, and when it waxeth ripe, the meate which filleth the rine of the cod becommeth yellow, and is exceeding sweet and pleasant. In this time of our being there hapned to come a Portugall to the Westerne fort, with a flag of truce, to whom Captaine Sampson was sent with Captaine Goring, who comming to the said messenger, he first asked them what nation they were, they answered Englishmen, hee then required to knowe if warres were betweene England and Spaine, to which they answered that they knew not, but if he would goe to their Generall he could best resolve him of such particulars, and for his assurance of passage and repassage, these Captaines made offer to ingage their credits, which he refused for that he was not sent from his Governor. Then they told him, if |