The Voyage of the Dog to the Gulf of Mexico, 1589.
[Voyages]
A brief remembrance for want of further advertisements as yet, of a voyage made this present year 1589, by WILLIAM MICHELSON Captain, and WILLIAM MACE (of Ratcliff) Master of a ship called the Dog, to the Bay of Mexico, in the West Indies.
The foresaid ship called the Dog, of 70 tons burden, was armed forth with the number of forty men. I departed from the coast of England in the month of May [1589], directly for the West Indies. It fell in with the Bay of Mexico, and there met with divers Spanish ships at sundry times; whereof three fell into her lap, and were forced to yield to the mercy of the English.
The last that they met with in the Bay was a Spanish Man of War, whom the English chased; and after three several fights upon three several days, pressed him so far that he entreated a parley, by putting out a flag of trace.
The parley was granted, and certain of the Spaniards came aboard the English ship; where after conference about those matters that had passed in fight betwixt them, they received reasonable entertainment and a quiet farewell.
The Spaniards, as if they had meant to requite the English courtesy, invited our men to their ship; who persuading themselves of good meaning in them, went aboard. But honest and friendly dealing was not their purpose. For suddenly they assaulted our men, and with a dagger stabbing the English pilot to the heart, slew him. Others were served with the like sauce; only WILLIAM MACE the Master (and two others) notwithstanding all the prepared traps of the
