The principal nauigations, voyages, traffiques and discoueries of the English nation. [vols. 1-3] made by sea or ouer-land, to the remote and farthest distant quarters of the earth, at any time within the compasse of these 1600. yeres: deuided into three seuerall volumes, according to the positions of the regions, whereunto they were directed. The first volume containeth the worthy discoueries, &c. of the English ... The second volume comprehendeth the principall nauigations ... to the south and south-east parts of the world ... By Richard Hakluyt preacher, and sometime student of Christ-Church in Oxford.

A summarie and true discourse of sir Francis Drakes West Indian voyage, begun in the yeere 1585. Wherein were taken the cities of Saint Iago, Santo Domingo, Cartagena, and the towne of Saint Augustine in Florida; Publi∣shed by M. Thomas Ca••es.

THis worthy knight for the seruice of his Prince and countrey hauing prepared his whole fleete, and gotten them downe to Plimmouth in Deuon••hire, to the number of fiue and twenty saile of ships and pinnesses, and hauing assem••led of souldiers and mariners, to the number of 2300. in the whole, embarked them and himselfe at Plimmouth aforesaid, the 12. day of September 1585. being ac∣companied with these men of name and charge, which hereafter follow:

Master Christopher Carleil Lieutenant general, a man of long experience in the warres as well by sea as land, who had formerly caried high offices in both kindes in many fights, which he dis∣charged alwaies very happily, and with great good reputation.

Anthonie Powel Sergeant Maior.

Captaine Matthew Morgan, and Captaine Iohn Sampson, Corporals of the field.

These officers had commandement ouer the rest of the land-Captaines, whose names hereaf∣••er follow.

• Captaine Anthony Plat.
• Captaine Edward Winter.
• Captaine Iohn Goring.
• Captaine Robert Pew.
• Captaine George Barton.
• Captaine Iohn Merchant.
• Captaine William Cecill.
• Captaine Walter Bigs.
• Captaine Iohn Hannam.
• Captaine Richard Stanton.

Captaine Martine Frobisher Uiceadmirall, a man of great experience in sea-faring actions, who had caried the chiefe charge of many ships himselfe, in sundry voyages before, being now ship∣ped in the Primrose.

Captaine Francis Knolles, Reere admirall in the Galeon Leicester.

Master Thomas Vennor Captaine in the Elizabeth Bonaduenture vnder the Generall.

Master Edward Winter Captaine in the Aide.

Master Christopher Carleil the Lieutenant generall, Captaine of the Tygar.

• Henry White C••ptaine of the sea Dragon.
• Thomas Drake Captaine of the Thomas.
• Thomas Scelie Captaine of the Minion••
• Baily Captaine of the Barke Talbot.
• Robert Crosse Captaine of the Bark Bond.
• George Fortescue Captaine of the Barke Bonner.
• Edward Carelesse Captaine of the Hope.
• Iames Erizo Captaine of the White Lyon.
• Thomas Moone Captaine of the Francis,
• Iohn Riuers Captaine of the Vantage.
• Iohn Vaugham Captaine of the Drake.
• Iohn Varney Captaine of the George.
• Iohn Martin Cap••aine of the Beniamin.
• Edward Gilman Captaine of the Skout.
• Richard Hawkins Captaine of the Galiot called the Duck••.
• Bitfield Captaine of the Swallow.

After our going hence, which was the foureteenth of September, in the yeere of our Lord 1585. and taking our course towards Spaine, wee had the winde for a fewe dayes somewha•• skant, and sometimes calme. And being arriued neere that part of Spaine, which is called th•• Moores, wee happened to espie diuers sailes, which kept their course close by the shore, the weather being farre and calme. The Generall caused the Uiceadmirall to goe with the pin∣nesses well manned to see what they were, who vpon sight of the said pinnesses, approching neere vnto 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 wel liked, which also had no man in her, as being brought vnto y^e general, he thought good to mak•• stay of her for the seruice, meaning to pay for her, as also accordingly he performed at our returne•• which ••arke was called the Drake. The rest of these ships (being eight or nine) were dismisse•• without any any thing at all taken from them. Who being afterwardes 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 vpon their returne homeward from the said Newfoundland•• whom the Generall after some speech had with them (and seeing plainly that they were French∣men) dismi••sed, without once suffering any man to go aboord of them.

The day following standing in with the shore againe, we discried another tall ship of twelu•• score tunnes or thereaboutes, vpon whom Master Carliel the Lieutenant generall being in th•• Tygar, vndertooke the chase, whom also anon after the Admirall followed, and the Tygar hauing caused the said strange ship to strike her sailes, kept her there without suffering any body to go a∣boord vntill the Admirall was come vp: who forthwith sending for the Master, and diuers other•• of their principall men, and causing them them to be seuerally examined, found the ship and goods to be belonging to the inhabitants of S. Sebastian in Spaine, but the mariners to bee for the most part belonging to S. Iohn de Luz, and the Passage. In this ship was great store of dry Newlan•• fish, commonly called with vs Poore Iohn, wherof afterwards (being thus found a lawfull 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 vs 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, for lacke of fauourable wind:* 1.1 where wee had no sooner ankered some part of the fleete, but the Generall commanded all the pinnesses with the shipboats to be manned, and euery man to be furnished with such armes as were needful for that present ser∣uice; which being done, the Generall put himselfe into his gallie, which was also well furnished, and rowing towards the city of Bayon, with intent, and the fauour of the Almighty to surpris•• it, before we had aduanced one halfe league of our way, there came a messenger being an En∣glish merchant from the Gouernour, to see what strange fleet we were, who came to our General, conferred a while with him, and after a small time spent, our Generall called for Captaine Samp∣son, and willed him to go to the Gouernour of the citie, to resolue him of two points. The first, to know if there were any warres betweene Spaine and England. The second, why our marchants with their goods were embarged or arrested. Thus departed captain Sampson with the said mes∣senger to the citie, where he found the gouernor & people much amazed of such a sudden accident.

The Generall with the aduise and counsell of M. Carleil his Lieutenant generall, 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 citie, where they might bee ready vpon the returne of Captanie Sampson, to make a sudden attempt if cause did require before it were darke.

Captaine Sampson re••urned with his message in this sort. First, touching peace or warres the Gouernour said he knew of no warres, and that it lay not in him to make any, hee being so meane a subiect as he was. And as for the stay of the merchants with their goods, it was the kings plea∣sure, but not with intent to endontage any man. And that the kings counter-commandement was (which had bene receiued in that place some seuen night before) that English merchants with their goods should be discharged: for the more verifying wherof, he sent such merchāts as were in the towne of our nation, who traffiqued those parts: which being at large declared to our General by them, counsell was taken what might best be done. And for that the night approched, it was thought needful to land our forces, which was done in the shutting vp of the day, & hauing quarte∣red our selues to our most aduātage, with sufficient gard vpon ••uery strait, we thought to rest our selues for that night there. The Gouernour sent vs some refreshing, as bread, wine, oyle, apples, grepes, marmalad and such like. Aboue midnight the weather beganne to ouercast, insomuch that it was thought meeter to repaire aboord, then to make any longer abode on land, and befor•• wee could recouer the Fleete, a great tempest arose, which caused many of our shippes to driu•• from their anker-h••ld, and some were forced to se•• in great perill•• as the barke Talbo••, the bark••

Hawkins, and the Speedewell, which Speedewel was onely driuen into England, the others re∣couered vs againe: the extremitie of the storme lasted three dayes, which no sooner began to as∣swage, but M. Carleil our Lieutenant generall was sent with his owne shippe and three others: as also with the gallie and with diuers pinnesses, to see what he might doe aboue Vigo, where hee tooke many boates and some carauels, diuersly 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 ••he principal church-stuffe of the high Church of Vigo, where also was their great crosse of siluer, o•• very faire embossed worke, and double gilt all ouer, hauing cost them a great masse of mon••y, They complained to haue lost in all kind of goods aboue thirty thousand duckets in this place.

The next day the Generall with his whole fleete went from vp the Isles of Bayon, to a very good harbour aboue Vigo, where M. Carleil stayed his comming, aswell for the more quiet ri∣ding of his ships, as also for the good commoditie of fresh watering, which the place there did a∣fourd full well. In the meane time the Gouernour of Galicia had reared such forces as hee might, his numbers by estimate were some two thousand foot, and three hundred horse, and mar∣ched 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 vpon the water: and for safetie of their persons, there were pledges deliuered on both sides: which done, the Goue••nor of Galicia put himselfe with two oth••rs into our Uiceadmirals skiffe, the same hauing bene sent to the shore for him, and in like sort our Generall went in his owne skiffe; where by them it was agreed, we should furnish our selues with fresh water, to be taken by our owne people quietly on the land, and haue 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 Cana∣ria, which are esteemed some three hundred leagues from this part of Spaine, and falling purpose∣ly with Palma, with intention to haue taken our pleasure of that place, for the full digesting of many things into order, and the better furnishing our store with such seuerall 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 vnder the f••uour of many platformes well furnished with great ordinance, to depart with the receit of many 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 thr••at∣ned the ouerthrow of as many pinnesses and boates, as for that time should haue 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 f••rtune: and comming to the Island, we landed a thousand men in a valley vnder a high mountaine, where we stayed some two or three houres, in which time the inhabitants, accompanied with a yong fellow borne in Eng∣land, who dwelt there with them, came vnto vs, shewing their state to be so poore, that they were all ready to starue, which was not vntrue: and therefore without any thing gotten, we were all commanded presently to imbarke, so as that night wee put off to sea Southsoutheast along to∣wards the coast of Barbary.

Upon Saturday in the morning, being the 13. of Nouember, we fell with Cape Blanke, which is a low land and shallow water, where we catched store of fish, and doubling the Cape, ••e put in∣to 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 scat∣tered 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 eue∣ning we ankered the fleet between the towne called the Playa or Praya, and S. Iago, where we put on shore 1000. men or more, vnder the leading of M. Christopher Carleil Lieutenant general, who directed the seruice most like a wise commander. The place where we had first to march did af∣fourd no good order, for the ground was mountainous & full of dales, being a very stony and trou∣blesome passage; but such was his industrious disposition, as he would neuer leaue, vntill wee had gottē vp to a faire plain, where we made stand for the assembling of the army. And when we were al gathered together vpon the plaine, some 2 miles from the town, the li••utenant general thought good not to make attēpt til daylight: because there was not one that could serue for guid or giuing knowledge at al of y^e place. And therfore after hauing wel rested, euen halfe an houre before day, he commanded the army to be diuided into 3 speciall parts, such as he appointed, wheras before we had marched by seueral cōpanies, being therunto forced by the badnesse of the way as is aforesaid••

Now by the time wee were thus ranged into a very braue order, daylight began to appear•• and being aduanced hard to the wall, we saw no enemie to resist, whereupon the Lieutenant ge∣nerall appointed Captaine Sampson with thirtie shot, and Captaine Barton with other thirtie, to goe downe into the towne which stood in the valley vnder vs, and might very plainely bee viewed all ouer from that place where the whole Army was now arriued: and presently after these Cap∣••aines was sent the great ensigne, which had nothing in it but the plaine English crosse, to be pla∣ced towardes the Sea, that our Fleet might see Saint Georges crosse storish in the enemies for∣tresse. Order was giuen that all the ordinance throughout the towne and vpon all the platformes, which were aboue fiftie pieces all ready charged, should be shot off in honour of the Queenes Ma∣iesties coronation day, being the seuenteenth of Nouember, after the yeerely custome of Eng∣land, 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 euery captaine tooke his owne quarter, and in the eu••ning was placed such a sufficient gard vpon euery part of the towne that we had no cause to feare any present enemie.

Thus we continued in the citie the space of 14. dayes,* 1.2 taking such spoiles as the place yeelded, which were for the most part, wine, oyle, meale, and some such like things for victuall, as vineger, oliues, 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, hauing on the East and West sides two mountaines of rocke and cliffe, as it were hanging ouer it, vpon the top of which two mountaines were builded certaine fortifications to preserue 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, where∣in 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 aboue 10. or 12. score ouer.

In the middest of the valley commeth downe a riueret, 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 aboue the towne on the North side betweene the two mountains, the valley wareth somewhat larger then at the townes end, which valley is wholly conuerted in∣to gardens and orchards well replenished with diuers sorts of fruites, herbes and trees, as lym∣mons, orenges, sugar-canes, cochars or cochos nuts, plantans, potato-rootes, cucumbers, small and round onions, garlicke, and some other things not now remembred, amongst which the co∣chos nuts, and plantans are very pleasant fruites, the saide cochos hath a hard shell and a greene huske ouer it, as hath our walnut, but it farre exceedeth in greatnesse, for this cochos in his greene huske is bigger then any mans two sistes: of the hard shell many drinking cups are made here in England, and set in siluer as I haue often seene.

Next within this hard shell is a white rine resembling in shewe very much euen 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 wa∣ter, 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 haue heard some hold opinion, that it is very restoratiue.

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 wareth 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 re∣quired 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 resolue him of such particulars, and for his assurance of passage and repassage, these Captaines made offer to ingage their credits, which he resus••d for that he was not sent from his Gouernor. Then they told him, if his Gouer∣nor did desire to take a course for the common benefit of the people and countrey, his best way were to come and present himselfe vnto our noble and mercifull Gouernour sir Francis Drake, where∣by hee might bee assured to find fauour, both for himselfe and the inhabitantes. Otherwise with∣in three dayes wee should march ouer the land, and consume with fire all inhabited places, and put to the sword all such liuing soules as wee shoulde chance vpon: so thus much hee tooke for

the conclusion of his answere, and departing, hee promised to returne the next day, but we neuer heard more of him.

Upon the foure and twentieth of Nouember, the Generall acc••mpani••d with the lieutenant generall and sixe hundred men marched foorth to a village twelue miles within the land, called Saint Domingo, where the Gouernour and the Bishoppe with all the bet••er sort were lodged, and by eight of the clocke wee came ••o it, finding the place abandoned, and the people fled into the mountaines: so we made stand a while to ease our selues, and partly to see if any would come to speake to vs.

After we had well rested our selues, the Generall commaunded the troupes to march away homewards, in which retreat the enemie shewed themselues, both horse and foote, though not such force as ••urst encounter vs: and so in passing sometime at the gase with them, it waxed late and towards night before we could recouer home to S. Iago.

On Munday the sixe and twentieth of Nouember, the Generall commaunded all the pin∣nesses with the boates, to vse all diligence to imbarke the Armie into such shippes as euery man belonged. The Lieutenant generall in like sort commanded Captaine Goring and Lieutenant Tucker, with one hundred shot to make a stand in the market place, vntill our forces were wholly imbarked, the viceadmiral making stay with his pinnesse & certaine boats in the harbour, to bring the sayd last companie aboord the ships. Also the Generall willed forthwith the gallie ••ith, two pinnesses to take into them the company of Captaine Barton, and the company of Captaine Bigs, vnder the leading of captaine Sampson, to seeke out such munition as was hidden in the ground, at the towne of Praya or Playa, hauing bene promised to be shewed it by a prisoner, which was ta∣ken the day before.

The Captaines aforesayd comming to the Playa, landed their men, and hauing placed the troupe in their best strength, Captaine Sampson tooke the prisoner, and willed him to shewe that hee had promised, the which he could not, or at least would not: but they searching all suspected places, found two pieces of ordinance, one of yron, an other of brasse. In the after noone the Ge∣nerall ankered with the rest of the Fleet before the Playa, comming himselfe ashore, willing vs to burne the towne and make all haste aboord, the which was done by sixe of the clocke the same day, and our selues imbarked againe the same night, and so we put off to Sea Southwest.

But before our departure from the towne of S. Iago, wee established orders for the better go∣uernment of the Army,* 1.3 euery man mustered to his captaine, and othes were ministred to acknow∣ledge her Maiestie supreme Gouernour, as also euery man to doe his vttermost endeuour to ad∣uance the seruice of the action, and to yeeld due obedience vnto the directions of the Generall and his officers. By this prouident counsell, and laying downe this good foundation before hand, all things went forward in a due course, to the archieuing of our happy enterprise.

In all the time of our being here, neither the Gouernour for the king of Spaine, (which is a Portugall) neither the Bishop, whose authoritie is great neither the inhabitants of the towne, or Island euer came at vs (which we expected they should haue done) to intreate vs to leaue them some part of their needfull prouisions, or at the least, to spare the ruining of their towne at our go∣ing away. The cause of this their varcasonable distrust (as I doe take it) was the fresh remem∣brance of the great wrongs they had done to old M. William Hawkins of Plimmouth, in the voy∣age he made 4. or 5. yeeres before, when as they did both breake their promise,* 1.4 and murthered ma∣ny of his man, whereof I iudge you haue vnderstood, & therefore it is needlesse to be repeated. But since they came not at vs, we left written in sundry places, as also in the spittle house, (which buil∣ding was only appointed to be spared) the great discontentment & scorne we tooke at this their re∣fraining to come vnto vs, as also at the rude maner of killing, & sauage kind of handling the dead body of one of our boyes found by them stragling al alone, from whom they had taken his head and heart, and had stragled the other vowels about the place, in a most brutish and beastly maner.

In reuenge whereof at our departing we consumed with fire all the houses, aswell in the coun∣trey which we saw, as in the towne of S. Iago.

From hence putting off to the West Indies, wee were not many dayes at Sea, but there be∣ganne among our people such mortalitie, as in fewe dayes there were dead aboue two or three hundred men. And vntill some seuen or eight dayes after our comming from S. Iago, there had not died any one man of sicknesse in all the fleete: the sicknesse shewed not his infection where∣with so many were stroken, vntill we were departed thence, and then seazed our people with ex∣treme hot burning and continuall agues, whereof very fewe escaped with life, and yet those for the most part not without great alteration and decay of their wittes and strength for a long time after. In some that died were plainely shewed the small spots, which are often found

vpon those that be infected with the plague: wee were not aboue eighteene dayes in passage be∣tweene the sight of Saint Iago aforesaid, and the Island of Dominica, being the first Island of the West Indies that we fell withall, the same being inhabited with sauage people, which goe all na∣ked, their skinne coloured with some painting of a reddish tawney, very personable and handsome strong men, who doe admit litle conuersation with the Spanyards: for as some of our people might vnderstand them, they had a Spaniard or twaine prisoners with them, neither doe I thinke that there is any safetie for any of our nation, or any other to be within the limits of their comman∣dement, albeit they vsed vs very kindly for those few houres of time which wee spent with them•• helping our folkes to fill and cary on their bare shoulders fresh water from the riuer to our ships boates, and fetching from their houses great store of Tabacco, as also a kind of bread which they fed on, called Cassaui, very white and sauourie, made of the rootes of Cassaui. In recompence whereof, we bestowed liberall rewards of glasse, coloured beades, and other things, which we had found at Saint Iago, wherewith (as it seemed) they rested very greatly satisfied, and shewed some sorowfull countenance when they perceiued that we would depart.

From hence wee went to another Island Westward of it, called Saint Christophers Island, wherein we spent some dayes of Christmas, to refresh our sicke people, and to cleanse and ayre our ships. In which Island were not any people at all that we could heare of.

In which time by the General it was aduised and resolued, with the consent of the Lieutenan•• generall, the Uice-admirall, and all the rest of the Captaines to proceede to the great Islande o•• Hispaniola, aswell for that we knewe our selues then to bee in our best strength, as also the rathe•• allured thereunto, by the glorious fame of the citie of S. Domingo, being the ancientest and chief•• inhabited place in all the tract of Countrey thereabouts. And so proceeding in this determinati∣on, by the way we mette a small Frigat, bound for the same place, the which the Uice-admiral••u tooke: and hauing duely examined the men that were in her, there was one found, by whom wee were aduertised, the Hauen to be a barred Hauen, and the shore or land thereof to bee well fortifi∣ed, hauing a Castle thereupon furnished with great store of Artillerie, without the danger where∣of was no conuenient landing place within ten English miles of the Citie, to which the sayd Pi∣••at tooke vpon him to conduct vs.

All things being thus considered on, the whole forces were commaunded in the Euening to embarke themselues in Pinnesses, boats, and other small barkes appoynted for this seruice. Our souldiers being thus imbarked, the Generall put himselfe into the barke Francis as Admirall, and all this night we lay on the sea, bearing small saile vntill our arriuall to the landing place, which was about the breaking of the day, and so we landed, beeing Newyeeres day, nine or ten miles to the Westwards of that braue Citie of S. Domingo: for at that time nor ye•• is knowen to vs any landing place, where the sea-surge doth not threaten to ouerset a Pinnesse or boate. Our Gene∣rall hauing seene vs all landed in safetie, returned to his Fleete, bequeathing vs to God, and the good conduct of Master Carliell our Lieutenant Generall: at which time, being about eight of the clocke, we began to march, and about noone time, or towards one of the clocke, we approched the towne, where the Gentlemen and those of the better sort, being some hundred and fiftie braue horses or rather more, began to present themselues; but our small shot played vpon them, which were so susteined with good proportion of pikes in all parts, as they finding no part of our troope vnprepared to receiue them (for you must vnderstand they viewed all round about) they were thus driuen to giue vs leaue to proceed towards the two gates of the towne, which were the next to the seaward. They had manned them both, and planted their ordinance for that present, and sudden alarme without the gate, and also some troopes of small shot in Ambuscado vpon the hie way side. We diuided our whole force, being some thousand or twelue hundred men into two partes, ••o en∣terprise both the gates at one instant, the Lieutenant Generall hauing openly vowed to Captaine Powel (who led the troope that entred the other gate) that with Gods good fauour he would not rest vntill our meeting in the market place.

Their ordinance had no sooner discharged vpon our neere approch, and made some execution amongst vs, though not much, but the Lieutenant generall began forthwith to aduance both his voyce of encouragement, and pace of marching; the first man that was slaine with the ordinance being very neere vnto himselfe: and thereupon hasted all that hee might, to keepe them from the recharging of the ordinance. And notwithstanding their Ambuscados, we marched or rather ran so roundly in to them, as pell mell wee entred the gates,* 1.5 and gaue them more care euery man to saue himselfe by flight, then reason to stand any longe•• to their broken fight. Wee forthwith re∣payred to the market place: but to be more truely vnderstood, a place of very faire spacious square ground, whither also came as had bene agreed Captaine Powel with the other troope: which

place w••th some part next vnto it, we strengthened with Barricados, and there as the most conue∣nient place assured our selues, the Citie being farre too spacious for so small and weary a troope to vndertake to guarde. Somewhat after midnight, they who had the guard of the Castle, hearing vs busie about the gates of the said Castle, abandoned the same: some being taken prisoners, and some fleeing away by the helpe of boates to the other side of the Hauen, and so into the countrey.

The next day we quartered a litle more at large, but not into the halfe part of the towne, and so making substantiall trenches, and planting all the ordinance, that ech part was correspondent to other, we held this towne the space of one moneth.

In the which time happened some accidents, more then are well remembred for the present, but amongst other things, it chanced that the Generall sent on his message to the Spanyards a Negro boy with a flagge of white, signifying truce, as is the Spanyards ordinarie maner to doe there, when they approch to speake to vs: which boy vnhappily was first meete withall by some of those, who had bene belonging as officers for the King in the Spanish Galley, which with the Towne was lately fallen into our hands, who without all order or reason, & contrary to that good vsage wherewith wee had intertained their messengers, furiously strooke the poore boy thorow the body with one of their horsemens slaues: with which wound the boy returned to the General, and after hee had declared the maner of this wrongfull crueltie, died foorthwith in his presence, wherewith the Generall being greatly passioned, commaunded the Pro••ost Martiall, to cause a couple of Friers then prisoners, to be caried to the same place where the boy was stroken, accom∣panied with sufficient guard of our souldiers, and there presently to be hanged, dispatching at the same instant another poore prisoner, with this reason wherefore this execution was done, & with this message further, that vntill the party who had thus murdered the Generals messenger were deliuered into our hands, to receiue condigne punishment, there should no day passe, wherein there should not two prisoners be hanged, vntil they were all consumed which were in our hands.

Whereupon the day following, hee that had bene Captaine of the kings Galley, brought the of∣fendor to the townes ende, offring to deliuer him into our hands; but it was thought to be a more honourable reuenge to make them there in our sight, to performe the execution themselues: which was done accordingly.

During our being in this towne, as formerly also at S. Iago there had passed iustice vpon the life of one of our owne company for an odious matter, so heere likewise was there an Irishman hanged, for the murthering of his Corporall.

In this time also passed many treaties betweene their Commissioners and vs, for ransome of their Citie; but vpon disagreements we still spent the early mornings in fiering the outmost hou∣ses: but they being built very magnificently of stone, with high lofees, gaue vs no small trauell to ruine them. And albeit for diuers dayes together we ordeined ech morning by day breake, vntil the heat began at nine of the clocke, that two hundred Mariners did nought els but labour to fire and burne the said houses without our trenches, whilst the souldiers in a like proportion stood forth for their guard: yet did wee not, or could not in this time consume so much as one third part of the towne: which towne is plainely described and set forth in a certaine Map. And so in the end, what wearied with firing, and what hastened by some other respects, wee were contented to accept of fiue and twentie thousand Ducats of fiue shillings sixe pence the peece, for the ransome of the rest of the towne.

Amongst other things which happened and were found at S. Domingo, I may not omit to let the world know one very notable marke & token of the vnsatiable ambition of the Spanish king and his nation,* 1.6 which was found in the kings house, wherein the chiefe gouernour of that Citie and Countrey is appoynted alwayes to lodge, which was this: In the comming to the Hall or other roomes of this house, you must first ascend vp by a faire large paire of staires; at the head of which staires is a handsome spacious place to walke in, somewhat like vnto a gallery: wherein vpon one of the wals, right ouer against you as you enter the said place, so as your eye cannot escape the sight of it, there is described & painted in a very large Scutchion the armes of the king of Spaine, and in the lower part of the said Scutchion, there is likewise described a Globe, conteining in it the whole circuit of the sea and the earth, whereupon is a horse standing on his hinder part within the globe, and the other fore-part without the globe, lifted vp as it were to leape, with a scroll painted in his mouth wherein was written these words in Latin, Non sufficit orbis: which is as much to say, as the world sufficeth not. Whereof the meaning was required to be knowen of some of those of the better sort, that came in commission to treate vpon the ransome of the towne, who would shake their heads, and turne aside their countenance in some-smyling sort, without answering any thing, as greatly ashamed thereof. For by some of our company it was tolde them, that if

the Queene of England would resolutely prosecute the warres against the king of Spaine, hee should be forced to lay aside that proude and vnreasonable reaching vaine of his: for hee shoul•• finde more then inough to doe to keepe that which hee had alreadie, as by the present example of their lost towne they might for a beginning perceiue well inough.

Now to the satisfying of some men, who maruell greatly that such a famous and goodly bui••••ded Citie so well inhabited of gallant people, very braue in their apparell (whereof our souldiers found good store for their reliefe) should afoord no greater riches then was found there: herein it is to be vnderstood that the Indian people, which were the naturals of this whole Island of His∣paniola (the same being neere hand as great as England) were many yeeres since cleane consu∣med by the tyrannie of the Spanyards, which was y^• cause, that for lacke of people to worke in the Mines, the golde and siluer Mines of this Island are wholy giuen euer, and thereby they are ••aine in this Island to use Copper money, whereof was found very great quantitie. The chiefe trade of this place consisteth of Sugar and Ginger, which groweth in the Island, and of Hides of oxen and ••i••e, which in this waste countrey of the Island are bredde in infinite numbers, the soyle be∣ing very fertile: and the sayd beasts are fedde vp to a very large grouth, and so killed for nothing so much, as for their Hides aforesayd. Wee found heere great store of strong wine, sweete oyle, vinegar, oliues, and other such like prouisions, as excellent Wheate-meale packed vp in wine-pipes and other caske, and other commodities likewise, as Woollen and Linnen cloth, and some Silkes: all which prouisions are brought out of Spaine, and serued vs for great reliefe. There was but a little Plate or vesell of Siluer, in comparison of the great pride in other things of this towne, because in these hotte Countreys they vse much of those earthen dishes finely painted or varnished, which they call Porcellana, which is had out of the East India: & for their drinking, they vse glasses altogether, whereof they make excellent good and faire in the same place. But yet some plate we found, and many other good things, as their houshold garniture very gallant and rich, which had cost them deare, although vnto vs they were of small importance.

From Saint Domingo we put ouer to the maine or firme land, and going all alongst the coast, we came at the last in sight of Cartagena,* 1.7 standing vpō the sea side, so ne••re, as some of our backs in passing alongst, approched within the reach of their Culu••rin shot, which they had planted vpon certaine platformes. The Harbour mouth lay some three miles toward the Westward of the towne, whereinto wee entred about three or foure of the clocke in the afternoone without any re∣sistance of ordinance, or other impeachment planted vpon the same. In the Euening wee put our selues on land towards the harbour mouth, vnder the leading of Master Carliell our Lieutenant•• Generall, who after hee had digested vs to march forwarde about midnight, as easily as foote might fall, expresly commanded vs to keepe close by the sea-wash of the shore for our best & surest way, whereby we were like to goe through, and not to misse any more of the way, which once wee had lost within an houre after our first beginning to march, through the slender knowledge of him that tooke vpon him to be our guide, where by the night spent on, which otherwise must haue bene done by resting. But as we came within some two miles of the towne, their horsemen which were some hundred, met vs, and taking the alarme, retired to their town ward againe vpon the first vol∣ley of our shot that was giuen them: for the place where wee encountred being wooddy and bushy euen to the water side was vnmeete for their seruice.

At this instant we might heare some pieces of Artillerie discharged, with diuers small shot to∣wards the harbour, which gaue vs to vnderstand, according to the order set downe in the Euening before by our Generall, that the Uice-admirall accompanied with Captaine Venner, Captaine White, and Captaine Crosse, with other sea Captaines, and with diuers Pinnesses and boates should giue some attempt vnto the litle Fort standing on the entrie of the inner Hauen, neere adioyning to the towne, though to small purpose, for that the place was strong, and the entry very narrow was chainedouer: so as there could be nothing gotten by the attempt, more then the gi∣uing of them an alarme on that other side of the Hauen being a mile and a halfe from the place we now were at. In which attempt the Uice-admirall had the rudder of his skiffe stroken through with a Saker shot, and a litle or no harme receiued elsewhere.

The troopes being now in their march, halfe amyle behither the Towne or lesse, the ground we were on grewe to bee streight, and not aboue fiftie paces ouer, hauing 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 ouer with a stone wall and a ditch without it: the sayd wall being as orderly built with flanking in euery part, as can be set downe. There was onely so much of this streight vnwalled, as might serue for the issuing of the horsemen, or the passing of caryage in time of neede: but this vnwalled part was not without a very good

Barricado of wine-buts or pipes, filled with earth, full and thicke as they might stand on ende one by another, some part of them standing euen within the maine sea.

This place of strength was furnished with sixe great peeces, Demi-culuerius, and Sakers, which shette directly in front vpon vs as wee approched. Now without this wall vpon the inner side of the streight, they had brought likewise two great Gallies with their prowes to the shore, hauing planted in them eleuen peeces o•• ordinance, which did beate all crosse the streight, and flan∣ked our comming on. In these two Galleis were planted three or foure hundred small shot, and on the land in the guard onely of this place, three hundred shot and pikes.

They in this their full readinesse to receiue vs, spared not their shot both great and small. But our Leiutenant generall, taking the aduantage of the darke (the day light as yer not broken out) approched by the lowest ground, according to the expresse direction which himselfe ha•• formerly giuen, 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 shoo••ing vntill we were come to the wall side, ••nd so with pikes roundly together we approched the place, where we soone 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 attemp∣ted by vs: downe went the buts of earth, and yell mell came our swordes and pikes together, af∣ter our shot had first giuen their volley, euen at the enemies nose. Our pikes were somewhat lon∣ger then theirs, and our bodies better armed; for very few of them were armed: with which ad∣uantage our swordes and pikes grew too hard for them, and they driuen to giue place. In this su∣rious entry, the Lieutenant generall siew with his owne hands the chiefe Ensigne bearer of the Spaniards, who fought very manfully to his li••es end.

We followed into the towne with them, and giuing 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 that, they were content to suffer vs to lodge within their towne, and them∣selues to goe to their wiues, whom they had caryed into other places of the countrey before our comming thither.

At euery streetes end they had rassed v••••y fine Baricados of earth-workes, wich trenches with∣out them, as well made as euer we saw any worke done: at the entring whereof was some litle resistance, but soone ouercome it was, with few slaine or hurt. They had ioyned with them ma∣ny Indians, whom they had placed in corners of aduantage, all bowmen, with their arrowes most villariously empoysoned, so as if they did but breake the skinne, the partie so touched died without great maruell: some they flew of our people with their arrowes: some they likewise mischieued 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 vp, 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 ordinaire way: but our keeping the sea-wash shore missed the greatest part of them very happily.

I ouerpasse many particular matters, as the hurting of Captaine Sampson at sword blowes in the first entring, vnto whom was committed the charge of the pikes of the Uantguard by his lot and turne;* 1.8 as also of the taking of Alonso Brauo the chiefe commander of the place by Captaine Goring, after the said captaine had first hurt him with his sword: vnto which Captaine was com∣mitted the charge of the shot of the sayd Uantguard.

Captaine Winter was likewise by his turne of the ••antguard in this attempt, where also the Lieutenant generall marched himselfe; the said Captaine Winter through a great desire to serue by land, hauing now exchanged his charge by sea with Captaine Cecil for his band of foote∣men.

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 Uantguard, had now by turne his charge vpon the companies of the Rereward.

Euery man as well of one part as of another, came so willingly on to the seruice, 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 vs, 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 recouer their strenght: yea, many of them were much decayed in their memorie, insomuch that it was growen an ordinarie iudgement, when one was heard to speake foolishly, to say he had bene sicke of the Cal••ntura, which is the

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 Euening 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 chose countrey people: by holding their watch, our men were thus subiected to the infectious ayre, which at S. Iago was most dangerous deadly of all other places.

With the inconuenience of continuall mortalitie, we were forced to giue ouer our intended en∣terprise, to goe with Nombre de Dios, and so ouerland to Panama, where we should haue stroo∣ken the stroke for the treasure, and full recompence of our redious trauailes. And thus at Car∣tagena wee tooke our first resolution to returne homewardes: the forme of whi••h resolution I thought good here to put downe vnder the principall Captaines hands, as followeth.

Notes

• * 1.1

  〈1 paragraph〉〈1 paragraph〉.
• * 1.2

  The citie of S. Iago taken a•••• possess••d for 14. dayes.
• * 1.3

  A wise cou••se ••o be ••••••tated in all great actions.
• * 1.4

  The 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Po••••ugal a∣gain•••• M. Wil••••∣am Hawkins.
• * 1.5

  The citie of S. Domingo ta∣ken.
• * 1.6

  Most vnsatia∣ble Spanish ambition.
• * 1.7

  Cartagena
• * 1.8

  Alonso Br••••o the gouernour of Cartagena taken.