It Was Extracted
By Hakluyt From The 96th, 97th, And 99th Chapters Of The First Book Of
Linschotens Voyages In English, Beginning At P. 171.
This section is
intended as a supplement to the English cruizing voyages already
inserted, which fall within the period
Mentioned in the title; and is
the more material, as the memoirs it contains not only confirm the most
material facts related in these preceding voyages, but give a
satisfactory account of many things which are there but imperfectly
related, often continuing the history which in these breaks off
abruptly, and bringing to light some remarkable achievements of our
countrymen, of which otherwise no mention could be found in our
voluminous naval transactions.
"We are persuaded the reader will feel a secret joy in contemplating the
great figure this nation made in these heroic times; owing to that
universal zeal to promote the commerce and glory of England, which then
prevailed among the ministers of the crown, as well as the people at
large. We presume likewise, that this pleasure will be not a little
enhanced by the consideration that these particulars were written by a
foreigner, who is held in great reputation for his judgment and
fidelity, and who has sounded the praise of our countrymen even beyond
what has been done by our own historians. On the other hand, the reader
will be no less concerned to find what immense treasures some of our
adventurers lost, by unaccountably missing the fleets of which they went
in search, when at the same time they were so near them, that it seemed
almost impossible they should escape. This shews, after all, how
uncertain is the meeting of ships at sea, and that two great fleets may
sail almost close to one another, without having the least
suspicion." - _Astley._
* * * * *
The 22d of July 1589, about evening, being near the islands of Flores
and Corvo, we perceived three ships making towards us, which came from
under the land and put us in great fear, for they came close to our
admiral and shot diverse times at him and at another ship of our
company, whereby we perceived them to be English, for they bore the
English flag at their main-tops, but none of them seemed above 60 tons
burden. About evening they followed after us, and all night bore
lanterns with candles burning at their sterns, although the moon shined.
That night we passed hard by the island of Fayal; and next morning,
being between the isle of St George on our right and the small isle of
Graciosa on our left, we espied the three English ships still following
us. They consulted together, upon which one of them sailed backwards, as
if one ship had followed after us without company, and for a time that
ship was out of sight; but in no long time afterwards, it returned to
the other two, when they consulted again, and came all three together
against our ship, because we were to leeward of all our ships, having
the island of St George on one side instead of a sconce, [fort] thinking
so to deal with us as to force us to run on shore, to which we were very
near. In that manner they came bravely towards us, with their flags
displayed, sounding their trumpets, and sailed at least three times
about us, discharging at us their muskets and calivers and some pieces
of great ordnance, doing us no harm in the hull of our ship, but spoiled
all our sails and ropes, and so plagued us that no man durst put forth
his head. When we shot off a piece of ordnance, we had at the least an
hours work to load it again, there being a great noise and cry in our
ship, as if we had been all cast away, whereupon the English began to
mock us, calling out to us with many taunting words.
In the mean time, the other ships that were in company with us hoisted
all their sails, doing their best to bear away for Tercera, and not
looking once behind them to help us, as not caring for us, but doubting
they would be too late thither, and thinking they did enough if they
could save themselves, whereby it may be easily seen what kind of
company they keep with each other, and what kind of order is among them.
In the end, finding small advantage against us, and little knowing in
what fear we were, and also because we were not far from Tercera, the
English left us; on which we were not a little rejoiced, as thinking
ourselves risen from death to life, though we were not yet well assured
nor void of fear, till we got to anchor in the road of Tercera, under
the protection of the Portuguese fort, towards which we made all
possible sail. On the other hand, we were still in great doubt, not
knowing the situation of the island, or whether they were our friends or
enemies; and we were so much the more doubtful, because we found no man
of war there, nor any caravels of advice from Portugal as we expected,
to have convoyed us home, or given us intelligence, as they usually do
in that country. And, because the English had been so victorious in
those parts, we suspected that it went not well with Spain. The
inhabitants of Tercera were no less fearful than we, for on seeing our
fleet they thought us to have been English, and that we came to over-run
the island, because the three English ships came in along with us and
had wound up their flags; upon which the islanders sent out two caravels
to us that lay there, with advice from the king for such India ships as
should come there.
Those caravels came to view us, and perceiving what we were made after
us; upon which the English ships left us and made towards the caravels,
because the caravels thought them friends and shunned them not, as
supposing them of our company:
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