days out from Cadiz. From them they learnt that the garrison had no suspicions of the intentions of the English. On June 12th, the Swan, a London ship, commanded by Sir Richard Weston, was added to the advanced squadron. She presently came up with and fought a Flamand fly-boat, homeward bound from the Straits; but the stranger got away, and was next day making for Lisbon with the intention of alarming the Spaniards, when, within a league of the shore, she was fortunately taken by the John and Francis, another London ship, commanded by Sir Marmaduke Darell. Thus everything contributed to keep the Spaniards in ignorance of the English design; and on June 18th, when an Irish craft returning from Cadiz was spoken, the generals had the satisfaction of learning from her that the people of the town were tranquil in their fancied security, that the garrison was small, and that the port was full of vessels richly laden for the Indies.
Owing to some miscalculation on the part of the masters, the fleet arrived off Cadiz a few hours sooner than had been anticipated, early in the morning of June 20th. At a council held previously, it had been determined to land on the peninsula of San Sebastian, the westernmost point of the Isle of Leon, on which Cadiz stands; and the fleet therefore dropped anchor off the peninsula; but, the wind being brisk and the sea high, and four galleys lying in such a position under the land as to be able to intercept in-coming boats, nothing was that day attempted.
After some hours had been spent in communications between the generals, a scheme, which Monson says that he had himself recommended, was resolved upon. The project of first landing was given up, and it was decided to begin operations by boldly entering the harbour and seizing the shipping.
Essex demanded to have the honour of leading the way in; but the Lord High Admiral had been strictly charged by the queen not to suffer the earl to expose himself unnecessarily, and Essex had to appear to submit. That night the order of attack was arranged, the posts of honour being assigned to Lord Thomas Howard,[1] Sir Walter Ralegh, Sir Robert Southwell, Sir Francis Vere, Sir George Carew, Captain Crosse, and others of less note.
At dawn on June 21st, these officers, having rounded the north end of the island, passed Fort San Felipe and the galleys moored near it, and, in the face of a heavy fire, made for the mass of
- ↑ Who, as the Mere Honour drew too much water, went on board the Nonpareil.
