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the Ambassador of his Catholic Majesty had the confidence to propose to Queen Elizabeth, in Latin verse, the terms upon which she might hope for peace; which, in an English translation by Dr. Fuller, we shall here insert, because that Drake’s expedition to the West Indies makes a part of this message, and are as follows.
These to you are our commands,
Send no help to the Netherlands.
Of the treasure took by Drake,
Restitution you must make;
And those Abbies build anew,
Which your father overthrew:
If for any peace you hope,
In all points restore the Pope.
The Queen’s Extempore Answer.
Worthy King, know, this your will,
At Latter-Lammas we’ll fulfil.
In this remarkable period of the Naval History of England, Drake’s good fortune attended him as remarkably as ever; for he made prize of a large Galleon, commanded by Don Pedro de Valdez, who yielded on the bare mention of his name. In this vessel he found 50,000 ducats; which he generously distributed among the seamen and soldiers. It must not, however be concealed, that, through an oversight of his the Lord-Admiral ran the utmost hazard of being taken by the enemy; for Drake being appointed the first night of the engagement, to carry lights for the direction of the English fleet, he being in full pursuit of some hulks belonging to the
