Page:The principal navigations, voyages, traffiques and discoveries of the English nation 16.djvu/198

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Lastly, that with force we were not like to atteine so much commodity, as we were in possibility to haue with courtesie.

Heereupon all was concluded, and they suffered to passe away: to whom the generall gaue the three cloake-clothes, to Ioseph Dory, to Paul Baudeuese, and to Steuen Repose, to ech of them one, which were before cut out for them: and so friendly we and they departed about two a clocke after noone.

Three Spanish ships discouered. About foure of the clocke this afternoone we saw three saile of ships come bearing in about the point, which assoone as they saw vs, ankered vpon the barre, and put themselues in readinesse, sending from one ship to another with their boats, and blowing off their ordinance, meaning to take vs: and we before night, getting our men and other necessaries from the shore, which were busie on land, armed our ships to defend our selues. Then went I aboord the admirall to know what he meant to do: who determined to set his watch in warlike sort; and so he did: for after the trumpets and drum had sounded, he shot off a great piece, as they before had done; and presently the viceadmirall shot at me, whom I answered with another, and so ceased. We then set vp our main-top, and top-mast, rigged before eleuen of the clocke the same night. In the meane while they let slip their ankers and cables, and came driuing and towing with their boats in vpon vs, meaning to haue boorded vs: and being neere our admirall, he halled them; who refused to tell of whence they were, thinking by spending of time to get aboord of him: to whom I called still to beware, and to shoot at them in time.

The fight betwixt the English and Spanish ships at S. Vincent. At length he did flie at them, yet was glad to let an anker and cable slip to auoid them: then came they all driuing downe thwart my haulse, so that I was faine to let slip an anker and cable to shun the gallion. All this while the ordinance and small shot plied of all parts, and I was faine to send the gallion my skiffe with a haulser to ride by, for shee was loose and with the flood draue vp within me. Then was the viceadmirall on my broad side, who was well payed before, yet I left not galling of him, til I thought our powder spent in vaine to shoot at him, he was so torne, and broken downe by vs. About foure of the clocke it rained so fast, that we could scant discerne one the other, the Moone being gone downe, yet rid the admirall,