Master
Christopher Carlile, Lieutenant-General, A Man Of Long Experience In
The Wars As Well By Sea As Land, Who
Had formerly carried high offices
in both kinds in many fights, which he discharged always very happily,
and with great
Good reputation; Anthony Powell, Sergeant-Major;
Captain Matthew Morgan, and Captain John Sampson, Corporals of the
Field. These officers had commandment over the rest of the land-
captains, whose names hereafter follow: Captain Anthony Platt, Captain
Edward Winter, Captain John Goring, Captain Robert Pew, Captain George
Barton, Captain John Merchant, Captain William Cecil, Captain Walter
Biggs [The writer of the first part of the narrative.], Captain John
Hannam, Captain Richard Stanton. Captain Martin Frobisher, Vice-
Admiral, a man of great experience in seafaring actions, who had
carried the chief charge of many ships himself, in sundry voyages
before, being now shipped in the Primrose; Captain Francis Knolles,
Rear-Admiral in the galleon Leicester; Master Thomas Venner, captain
in the Elizabeth Bonadventure, under the General; Master Edward
Winter, captain in the Aid; Master Christopher Carlile, the
Lieutenant-General, captain of the Tiger; Henry White, captain of the
Sea-Dragon; Thomas Drake [Francis Drake's brother.], captain of the
Thomas; Thomas Seeley, captain of the Minion; Baily, captain of the
Talbot; Robert Cross, captain of the bark Bond; George Fortescue,
captain of the bark Bonner; Edward Careless, captain of the Hope;
James Erizo, captain of the White Lion; Thomas Moon, captain of the
Francis; John Rivers, captain of the Vantage; John Vaughan, captain of
the Drake; John Varney, captain of the George; John Martin, captain of
the Benjamin; Edward Gilman, captain of the Scout; Richard Hawkins,
captain of the galliot called the Duck; Bitfield, captain of the
Swallow.
After our going hence, which was the 14th of September, in the year of
our Lord 1585, and taking our course towards Spain, we had the wind
for a few days somewhat scant, and sometimes calm. And being arrived
near that part of Spain which is called the Moors [Muros, S. of Cape
Finisterre.], we happened to espy divers sails, which kept their
course close by the shore, the weather being fair and calm. The
General caused the Vice-Admiral to go with the pinnaces well manned to
see what they were; who upon sight of the said pinnaces approaching
near unto them, abandoned for the most part all their ships, being
Frenchmen, laden all with salt, and bound homewards into France.
Amongst which ships, being all of small burthen, there was one so well
liked, which also had no man in her, as being brought unto the
General, he thought good to make stay of her for the service, meaning
to pay for her, as also accordingly he performed at our return; which
bark was called the Drake. The rest of these ships, being eight or
nine, were dismissed without anything at all taken from them. Who
being afterwards put somewhat farther off from the shore, by the
contrariety of the wind, we happened to meet with some other French
ships, full laden with Newland fish, being upon their return homeward
from the said Newfoundland; whom the General after some speech had
with them, and seeing plainly that they were Frenchmen, dismissed,
without once suffering any man to go aboard of them.
The day following, standing in with the shore again, we decried
another tall ship of twelve score tons or thereabouts, upon whom
Master Carlile, the Lieutenant-General, being in the Tiger, undertook
the chase; whom also anon after the Admiral followed. And the Tiger
having caused the said strange ship to strike her sails, kept her
there without suffering anybody to go aboard until the Admiral was
come up; who forthwith sending for the master, and divers others of
their principal men, and causing them to be severally examined, found
the ship and goods to be belonging to the inhabitants of St.
Sebastian, in Spain, but the mariners to be for the most part
belonging to St. John de Luz, and the Passage. In this ship was great
store of dry Newland fish, commonly called with us Poor John; whereof
afterwards, being thus found a lawful prize, there was distribution
made into all the ships of the fleet, the same being so new and good,
as it did very greatly bestead us in the whole course of our voyage. A
day or two after the taking of this ship we put in within the Isles of
Bayon [The Cies Islets, at the mouth of the Vigo River.], for lack of
favourable wind. Where we had no sooner anchored some part of the
fleet, but the General commanded all the pinnaces with the shipboats
to be manned, and every man to be furnished with such arms as were
needful for that present service; which being done, the General put
himself into his galley, which was also well furnished, and rowing
towards the city of Bayon, with intent, and the favour of the
Almighty, to surprise it. Before we had advanced one half-league of
our way there came a messenger, being an English merchant, from the
governor, to see what strange fleet we were; who came to our General,
conferred a while with him, and after a small time spent, our General
called for Captain Sampson, and willed him to go to the governor of
the city, to resolve him of two points. The first to know if there
were any wars between Spain and England; the second, why our merchants
with their goods were embarged or arrested? Thus departed Captain
Sampson with the said messenger to the city, where he found the
governor and people much amazed of such a sudden accident. The
General, with the advice and counsel of Master Carlile, his
Lieutenant-General, who was in the galley with him, thought not good
to make any stand, till such time as they were within the shot of the
city, where they might be ready upon the return of Captain Sampson, to
make a sudden attempt, if cause did require, before it were dark.
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