wooddy and bushy even to the water side was unmeete for their service. At this instant we might heare some pieces of Artillerie discharged, with divers small shot towards the harbour, which gave us to understand, according to the order set downe in the Evening before by our Generall, that the Vice-admirall accompanied with Captaine Venner, Captaine White, and Captaine Crosse, with other sea Captaines, and with divers Pinnesses and boates should give some attempt unto the litle Fort standing on the entrie of the inner Haven, neere adjoyning to the towne, though to small purpose, for that the place was strong, and the entry very narrow was chained over : so as there could be nothing gotten by the attempt, more than the giving of them an alarme on that other side of the Haven being a mile and a halfe from the place we now were at. In which attempt the Vice-admirall had the rudder of his skiffe stroken through with a Saker shot, and a litle or no harme received elsewhere. 1586. The troopes being now in their march, halfe a myle behither the Towne or lesse, the ground we were on grewe to bee streight, and not above fiftie paces over, having the maine Sea on the one side of it, and the harbour-water or inner sea (as you may tearme it) on the other side, which in the plot is plainely shewed. This streight was fortified cleane over with a stone wall and a ditch without it: the sayd wall being as orderly built with flanking in every part, as can be set downe. There was onely so much of this streight unwalled, as might serve for the issuing of the horsemen, or the passing of caryage in time of neede: but this unwalled part was not without a very good Barricado of wine- [III. 542.] buts or pipes, filled with earth, full and thicke as they might stand on ende one by another, some part of them standing even within the maine sea. This place of strength was furnished with sixe great peeces, Demi-culverins, and Sakers, which shotte 1586. directly in front upon us as wee approched. soone They in this their full readinesse to receive us, spared not their shot both great and small. But our Lieutenant generall, taking the advantage of the darke (the day light as yet not broken out) approched by the lowest ground, according to the expresse direction which himselfe had formerly given, the same being the sea-wash shore, where the water was somewhat fallen, so as most of all their shot was in vaine. Our Lieutenant generall commanded our shot to forbeare shooting untill we were come to the wall side, and so with pikes roundly together we approched the place, where we found out the Barricados of pipes or buts, to be the meetest place for our assault, which, notwithstanding it was well furnished with pikes and shot, was without staying attempted by us: downe went the buts of earth, and pell mell came our swordes and pikes together, after our shot had first given their volley, even at the enemies nose. Our pikes were somewhat longer then theirs, and our bodies better armed; for very few of them were armed with which advantage our swordes and pikes grew too hard for them, and they driven to give place. In this furious entry, the Lieutenant generall slew with his owne hands the chiefe Ensigne bearer of the Spaniards, who fought very manfully to his lives end. We followed into the towne with them, and giving them no leasure to breath, we wanne the Market-place, albeit they made head, and fought a while before we got it, and so wee being once seazed and assured of t that, they were content to suffer us to lodge within their towne, and themselves to goe to their wives, whom they had caryed into other places of the countrey before our comming thither. At every streetes end they had raised very fine Barricados of earth-workes, with trenches without them, as well made as ever we saw any worke done: at the entring whereof was some litle resistance, but soone overcome it was, with few slaine or hurt. They had joyned with them many Indians, whom they had placed in corners of advantage, all bowmen, with their arrowes most villanously empoysoned, so as if they did but breake the skinne, the partie so touched died without great marvell: some they slew of our people with their arrowes: some they likewise mischieved to death with certaine pricks of small sticks sharply pointed, of a foote and a halfe long, the one ende put into the ground, the other empoysoned, sticking fast up, right against our comming in the way, as we should approch from our landing towardes the towne, whereof they had planted a wonderfull number in the ordinarie way: but our keeping the sea-wash shore missed the greatest part of them very happily. I overpasse many particular matters, as the hurting of Captaine Sampson at sword blowes in the first entring, unto whom was committed the charge of the pikes of the Vantguard by his lot and turne; as also 1586. of the taking of Alonso Bravo the chiefe commander of Alonso Bravo Captaine Winter was likewise by his turne of the Vantguard in this attempt, where also the Lieutenant generall marched himselfe the said Captaine Winter through a great desire to serve by land, having now exchanged his charge by sea with Captaine Cecil for his band of footemen. 1586. Captaine Powel the Sergeant maior had by his turne the charge of the foure companies which made the battaile. Captaine Morgan, who at S. Domingo was of the Vantguard, had now by turne his charge upon the companies of the Rereward. Every man as well of one part as of another, came so willingly on to the service, as the enemie was not able to endure the furie of such hot assault. We stayed here sixe weekes, and the sicknesse with. mortalitie before spoken of still continued among us, though not with the same furie as at the first and such as were touched with the sayde sicknesse, escaping death, very few or almost none could recover their strength yea, many of them were much decayed in their memorie, insomuch that it was growen an ordinarie judgement, when one was heard to speake foolishly, to say he had bene sicke of the Calentura, which is the [III. 543.] Spanish name of their burning Ague: for as I tolde you before, it is a very burning and pestilent ague. The originall cause thereof, is imputed to the Evening or first night ayre, which they tearme La serena, wherein they say and hold very firme opinion, that who so is then abroad in the open ayre, shall certainly be infected to the death, not being of the Indian or naturall race of those countrey people: by holding their watch, our men were thus subjected to the infectious ayre, which at S. Iago was most dangerous and deadly of all other places. With the inconvenience of continuall mortalitie, we Cartagena wee tooke our first resolution to returne home- ད 1 A resolution of the Land-captaines, what course they Hereas it hath pleased the Generall to The first, touching the keeping of the towne against the WE E holde opinion, that with this troope of men which we have presently with us in land-service, being victualled and munitioned, wee may well keepe the Towne, albeit that of men able to answere present service, we have not above 700. The residue being some 150. men by reason of their hurts and sicknesse are altogether unable to stand us in any stead: wherefore hereupon the Sea-captaines are likewise to give their resolution, how they will undertake the safetie and service of the Shippes upon the arrivall of any Spanish Fleete. The second poynt we make to be this, whether it bee Hat it is well knowen how both we and the souldiers TH any imprest or gage from her Majestie or any body els: 1586. |