The second poy••t we make to be this, whether it bee meete to goe presently homeward, or els to continue further tryall of our fortune in vndertaking such like enterprise as we haue done already, and thereby to seeke after that bountifull masse of treasure for recompence of our trauailes, which was generally expected at our comming forth of England: wherein we answere.
THat it is well knowen how both we and the souldiers are entred into this action as volunta∣rie men, without any imprest or gage from her Maiestie or any body els: a••d forasmuch as we haue hither to discharged the parts of honest men, so that now by the great blessing and fauour of our good God there haue bin taken three such notable townes, wherein by the est••mation of all men would haue bene found some very great treasures, knowing that S. Iago was the chiefe citie of all the Ilands and traffiques there abouts, S. Domingo the chiefe citie of Hispaniola, and the h••ad gouernment not only of that Iland. but also of Cuba, and of all the Ilands about it, as also of such inhabitations of the firme land, as were next vnto it, & a place that is both magnificently buil∣ded, and interteineth great trades of marchandise; and now lastly the citie of Cartagena, which cannot be denied to be one of the chiefe places of most especiall importance to the Spaniard of all the cities which be on this side of the West India: we doe therefore consider, that since all these ci∣ti••••, with their goods & prisoner taken in them, and the ransoms of the said cities being all put to∣gether are found f••••re short to satisfie that expectation which by the generality of the enterprisers was first conceiued: And being further aduised of the slendernesse of our strength, whereunto we be n••w reduced, aswell in respect of the small number of able bodies, as also not a litle in regard of the slacke disposition of the greater part of those which remaine, very many of the better mindes and men being either consumed by death, or weakened by sicknes and hurts: And lastly, since that as yet there is not laid downe to our knowledge any such enterprise as may seeme conuenie••t t•• be vndertaken with such few as we are presently able to make, and withall of such certaine likeli∣hoode, as with Gods good successe which it may please him to bestow vpon vs, the same may pro∣mise to yeeld vs any sufficient contentment: We doe therefore conclude hereupon, th••t it is bet∣ter to hold sure as we may the honour already gotten, and with the same to returne towards our