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A Yearly Account of the English and Spanish Fleets, which were set forth from the Year 1585, when the Wars with Spain first began, untill the Year 1602, when King James made his happy Entrance into this Kingdom; shewing the Designs, Escapes, and Errors on both Eng∣lish and Spanish sides, with the Names of the Queens Ships and Commanders in every Expedition.
A Voyage of Sir Francis Drake. to the West Indies, Anno Dom. 1585.
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UPon the knowledge of the Imbargo made by the King of Spain in Anno 1585, of the English Ships, Men, and Goods found in his Coun∣try; Her Majesty having no means to help or relieve her Subjects by friend∣ly Treaty, authorized such as sustained loss by the said Arrest, to repair themselves upon the Subjects of the King of Spain; and to that end gave them Letters of Reprisal, to take and arrest all Ships and Merchandizes that they should find at Sea, or elsewhere, belonging to the Vassals of the said King.
Her Majesty at the same time to revenge the wrongs offered her, and to resist the King of Spains Preparations made against her equipped a Fleet of 25 Sail of Ships, and imployed them under the command of Sir Francis Drake, as the fittest man by reason of his Experience and Success in sundry Actions.
It is not my intent to set down all the particulars of the Voyages treated of, but the Services done, and the Escapes and Oversights past, as a warning to those that shall read them, and to prevent the like Errors hereafter.
This Voyage of Sir Francis Drake being the first undertaking on either side, (for it ensued immediately after the Arrest of our Ships and Goods in Spain) I will deliver my Opinion of it, before I proceed any further.
One impediment to the Voyage was, that to which the ill success of divers others that after followed, is to be imputed, viz, the want of Victuals and other necessaries fit for so great an Expedition; for had not the Fleet by chance met with a Ship laden with Fish, that came from New found Land, which relieved their necessities, they would have found themselves reduced to great extremity.
The Service that was performed in this Action, was the taking and sacking Sancta Domingo in Hispaniola, Cartagena in Terra firma, and the Fonta aqua in Florida; three Towns of great importance in the West Indies. This Fleet