furnish'd his Ships with a select Company of Soldiers, and yet was doubtful of the Event; because the Voyage was long, and they were to engage with a formidable Enemy. For you may please to be inform'd, that the Turks, for a long time, have had a great Opinion of the Valour of the Spaniards, as knowing that they have waged great Wars, and came off with good Success. They had heard of the Emperor Charles, and of his Son Philip, the Heir of his Valour, as well as of his Kingdoms. The Report of his Power made the Turks very solicitous; so that those that went the Voyage, made their last Wills, as if they were never to return to Constantinople again. Thus the whole City, both those that went, and those that staid at Home, was filled with Anxiety. But, alas! their Fleet sailed with a prosperous Gale, and came upon the Christians unawares; which struck such a Terror into them, that they knew not how to fight or fly: Some nimble Vessels made their Escape; the rest were either taken by the Enemy, or split and dash'd in pieces on the Sands. The Duke of Medina the General, and John Andrea Doria the Admiral, fled to the Castle, from whence they escap'd in a dark Night, undiscovered, through the Enemy's Fleet to Sicily.
Pihal sent hither a Galley to give an account of this Victory, and, as a further Testimony thereof, he caused a Banner, wherein was the Image of our Saviour Christ upon the Cross, to be pulled along the Sea, at the stern of the Vessel. As soon as it arrived in the Haven, the Loss of the Christians was presently noised abroad, and the Turks congratulated one another upon their Victory. They came thick and three-fold to my Door, and asked my Servants in a Jeer, whether they had any Brother, or other Friend, in the
