never suspected that any thing could make them forsake vs So we much lamented them The storme ceasing and being out of all hope we set sayle and went on our course During this storme certaine great fowles as big as Swannes soared aboue vs and the winde calming setled themselues in the Sea and fed vpon the sweepings of our Ship which I perceiving and desirous to see of them because they seemed farre greater then in truth they were I caused a hooke and lyne to be brought me and with a peece of a Pilchard I bayted the hook a foot from it tyed a peece of corke that it might not sinke deepe and threw it into the Sea which our ship driving with the Sea in a little time was a good space from vs and one of the Fowles being hungry presently seized vpon it and the hooke in his vpper beake It is like to a Faulcons bill but that the poynt is more crooked in that maner as by no meanes he could cleare himselfe except that the lyne brake or the hooke righted Plucking him towards the ship with the waving of his wings he eased the waight of his body and being brought to the sterne of our ship two of our Company went downe by the Ladder of the poope and seized on his necke and wings but such were the blowes he gaue them with his Pinnions as both left their hand-fast being beaten blacke and blew we cast a snare about his necke and so tryced him into the Ship By the same manner of Fishing we caught so many of them as refreshed and recreated all my people for that day Their bodies were great but of little flesh and tender in taste answerable to the food whereon they feed They were of two colours some white some gray they had three ioynts in each wing and from the poynt of one wing to the poynt of the other both stretched out was aboue two fathomes The wind continued good with vs till we came to 49. degrees and 30. minuts where it tooke vs Westerly being as we made our accompt some fiftie leagues from the shore Betwixt 49. and 48. degrees is Port Saint Iulian a good Harbour and in which a man may graue his Ship though shee draw fifteene or sixteene foote water But care is to be had of the people called Pentagones They are treacherous and of great stature so the most giue them the name of Gyants The second of February about nine of the Clocke in the morning we discryed land which bare South-west of vs which wee looked not for so timely and comming neerer and neerer vnto it by the lying wee could not coniecture what land it should be for we were next of any thing in 48. degrees and no Platt nor Sea-card which we had made mention of any land which lay in that manner neere about that height In fine wee brought our Lar-bord tacke aboord and stood to the North-east-wardes all that day and night and the Winde continuing Westerly and a fayre gale wee continued our course alongst the coast the day and night following In which time wee made accompt we discovered well neere three-score leagues off the coast It is bold and made small shew of dangers The land is a goodly Champion Country and peopled we saw many fires but could not come to speake with the people for the time of the yeare was farre spent to shoot the Straites and the want of our Pynace disabled vs for finding a Port or Roade not being discretion with a ship of charge and in an vnknowne coast to come neere the shore before it was sounded which were causes together with the change of the winde good for vs to passe the Straite that hindered the further discovery of this Land with its secrets This I haue sorrowed for many times since for that it had likelihood to be an excellent Countrie It hath great Rivers of fresh waters for the out-shoot of them colours the Sea in many places as we ran alongst it It is not mountaynous but much of the disposition of England and as temperate The things we noted principally on the coast are these following the westermost poynt of the land with which we first fell is the end of the land to the West-wardes as we found afterwards If a man bring this poynt South-west it riseth in three mounts or round hillockes bringing it more Westerly they shoot themselues all into one and bringing it Easterly it riseth in two hillocks This we called poynâ— Tremountaine Some twelue or foureteene leagues from this poynt to the East-wardes fayre by the shore lyeth a low flat Iland of some two leagues long we named it Fayre Iland â—or it was all over as greene and smooth as any Meddow in the spring of the yeare Some three or foure leagues Easterly from this Iland is a goodly opening as of a great River or an arme of the Sea with a goodly low Countrie adiacent And eight or tenne leagues from this opening some three leagues from the shore lyeth a bigge Rocke which at the first wee had thought to be a Shippe vnder all her Sayles but after as we came neere it discovered it selfe to be a Rocke which we called Condite-head for that howsoever a man commeth with it it is like to the Condite heads about the Cittie of London All this coast so farre as wee discovered lyeth next of any thing East and by North and West and by South The land for that it was discovered in the raigne of Queene Elizabeth my soveraigne Lady and Mistris and a maiden Queene and at my cost and adventure in a perpetuall memory of her chastitie and remembrance of my endevours I gaue it the name of HAVVKINS maiden-land Before a man fall with this land some twentie or thirtie leagues he shall meete with bedds of Oreweed driving to and fro in that Sea with white flowers growing vpon them and sometimes farther off which is a good show and signe the land is neere whereof the Westermost part lyeth some threescore leagues from the neerest land of America With our fayre and large Winde we shaped our course for the Straites and the tenth of February we had sight of land and it was the head land of the Straites to the North-wards which agreed with our height wherein we found our selues to be which was in thirtie two degrees and fortie minutes Within a few houres we had the mouth of the Straites open which lyeth in 52. degrees and 50. minuts It riseth like the North foreland in Kent and is much like the land of Margates It is not good to borrow neere the shore but to giue it a fayre birth within a few houres we entred the mouth of the Straites which is some six leagues broad and lyeth in 52. degrees and 50. minutes doubling the poynt on the Star-board which is also flat of a good birth we opened a fayre Bay in which
When comming about to bee decked entring the river of Thames her old Leake breaking vpon her had like to haue drowned all those which were in her In Anno 1591. with a storme of wind and weather riding at her Moorings in the river of Rochester nothing but her bare Maâ—ts over head shee was turned topse-turvie her Kele vppermost And the cost and losse shee wrought I haue too good cause to remember in her last Voyage in which shee was lost when shee gaue England and Spaine iust cause to remember her For the Spaniards themselues confesse that three of their Ships sunke by her side and was the death of aboue 1500. of their men with the losse of a great part of their fleete by a storme which suddainly tooke them the next day What English died in her many liuing are witnesses Amongst which was Sir Richard Greenfeild a noble and valiant Gentleman Vice-admirall in her of her Maiesties Fleete So that well considered shee was even a Ship loaden and full fraught with ill successe The like wee might behold in the Thunderbolt of London who in one Voyage as I remember had her Mast cleft with a Thunderbolt vpon the Coast of â—arbary After in Dartmouth going for Admirall of the Whaftage and guard of the Fleete for the River of Bourdieux had also all her Poope blowne vp with fire sodainly and vntill this day never could be knowne the cause or manner how And lastly shee was burned with her whole Companie in the River of Bourdieux and Master Edward Wilson Generall in her slaine by his enemies having escaped the fire The successe of the Iesus of Lubecke in Saint Iohn de Vlua in the Nona Spania infamous to the Spaniardes with my Repentance in the South Sea taken by force hath vtterly impoverished and overthrowne our house The Iourney of Spaine pretended for England Anno 1587. called the Iourney of Revenge left the principall of their men and Ships on the Rockes of Cape Finister and the rest made a lamentable end for the most part in the Groyne No more for this poynt but to our purpose SECT II. THe REPENTANCE being put in perfection and riding at Detford the Queenes Maiestie passing by her to her Pallace of Greenwych commanded her Bargemen to Row round about her and viewing her from Post to Stemme disliked nothing but her Name and said that shee would Christen her a new and that thenceforth shee should be called the Daintie which name shee brooked as well for her proportion and grace as for the many happie Voyages shee made in her Maiesties services Having taken for her Maiestie a great Bysten of fiue hundred Tunnes loaden with Iron and other Commodities vnder the conduct of Sir Martin Furbusher A Caracke bound for the East Inâ—ies vnder my Fathers charge and the principall cause of taking the great Caracke brought to Dartmouth by Sir Iohn Borrow and the Earle of Cumberlands Shippes Anno 1592. with others of moment in her other Voyages To vs shee never brought but cost trouble and care Therefore my Father resolved to sell her though with some losse which he imparted with me and for that I had ever a particular loue vnto her and a desire shee should continue ours I offered to case him of the charge and care of her and to take her with all her Furniture at the price he had before taken her of me with resolution to put in execution the Voyage for which shee was first builded Although it lay six moneths and more in suspence partly vpon the pretended Voyage for Nombrededios and Panama which then was fresh a foote and partly vpon the Caracke at Dartmouth in which I was imployed as a Commiâ—sioner but this Businesse being ended and the other pretence waxing colde the fift of March I resolved and beganne to goe forward with the iourney so often talked of and so much desired And having made an estimate of the charge of Victualls Munition Imprests Sea-store and necessaries for the sayd Ship consorting another of an hundred Tunnes which I waited for daily from the Straites of Giberalter with a Pynace of sixtie Tunnes all mine owne And for a competent number of Men for them as also of all sorts of Marchandises for trade and traffique in all places where wee should come I began to wage men to buy all manner of victualls and provisions and to lade her with them and with all sorts of Commodities which I could call to minde fitting and dispatched order to my servant in Plimouth to put in a readinesse my Pynace as also to take vp certaine Provisions which are better cheape in those parts then in London as Beefe Porke Bisket and Sider And with the diligence I vsed and my Fathers furtherance at the end of one Moneth I was readie to set Sayle for Plimouth to ioyne with the rest of my Shippes and Provisions But the expecting of the comming of the Lord high Admirall Sir Robert Cecill principall Secretary to her Maiestie and Sir Walter Rawley with others to honour my Shippe and me with their presence and farewell detayned me some dayes and the rayne and vntemperate weather deprived me of the favour which I was in hope to haue received at their hands Wherevpon being loath to loose more time and the Winde serving according to my wish the eight of Aprill 1593. I caused the Pilot to set Sayle from Blackwall and to vayle downe to Graues-end whether that night I purposed to come Having taken my vnhappy last leaue of my Father Sir Iohn Hawkins I tooke my Barge and rowed downe the River and comming to Barking wee might see my Ship at an Anchor in the midst of the Channell where Ships are not wont to more themselues this bred in me some alteration And comming aboord her one and other began to recant the perill they had past of losse of Ship and goods which was not little for the winde being at East North-east when they set sayle and vered out Southerly it forced them for the doubling of a point to bring their tacke aboard and looffing vp the winde freshing sodenly the Shipp began to make a little hele and for that shee was very deepe loaden and her ports open the water began to enter in at them which no bodie having regard vnto thinking themselues safe in the River it augmented in such maner as the waight of the water began to presse downe the side more then the winde At length when it was seene and the shete flowne shee could hardly be brought vpright But God was pleased that with the diligence and travell of the Company shee was freed of that danger which may be a gentle warning to all such as take charge of Shipping even before they set sayle eyther in River or Harbour or other part to haue an eye to their ports and to see those shut and callked which may cause danger for avoyding the many mishaps which dayly chance for the
head This worme creepeth in at the hinder parts where is the evacuation of our superstuities and there as it were gleweth himselfe to the gutt there feedeth of the bloud and humors and becommeth so great that stopping the naturall passage he forceth the principall wheele of the clocke of our bodie to stand still and with it the accompt of the houres of life to take end with most cruell torment and paine which is such that he who hath beene throughly punished with the Collique can quickly decipher or demonstrate The Antidote for this pernicious Worme is Garlique and this was discovered by a Physitian to a religious person SECT XXX BEtwixt 26. and 27. degrees neere the coast lieth an Iland the Portingalls call it Santa Catalina which is a reasonable Harbour and hath good refreshing of wood water and fruit It is desolate and serveth for those who trade from Brasill to the River of Plate or from the River to Brasill as an Inne or bayting place In our Navigation towards the Straites by our observation wee found that our Compasse varyed a poynt and better to the Eastwards And for that divers haue written curiously and largely of the variation thereof I referre them that desire the vnderstanding of it to the Discourse of master William Aborrawh and others for it is a secret whose causes well vnderstood are of greatest moment in all Navigations In the height of the River of Plate we being some fiftie leagues off the coast a storme tooke vs Southerly which endured fortie eight houres In the first day about the going downe of the Sunne Robert Tharlton master of the Fancie bare vp before the wind without giuing vs any token or signe that shee was in distresse We seeing her to continue her course bare vp after her and the night comming on we carryed our light but shee never answered vs for they kept their course directly for England which was the overthrow of the Voyage as well for that we had no Pynace to goe before vs to discover any danger to seeke out roades and anchoring to helpe our watering and refreshing as also for the victuals necessaries and men which they carryed away with them which though they were not many yet with their helpe in our fight we had taken the Vice-admirall the first time shee bourded with vs as shall be hereafter manifested For once we cleered her Decke and had we beene able to haue spared but a dozen men doubtlesse we had done with her what we would for shee had no close fights Moreover if shee had beene with me I had not beene discovered vpon the coast of Perew But I was worthy to be deceived that trusted my Ship in the hands of an hypocrite and a man which had left his Generall before in the like occasion and in the selfe same place for being with master Thomas Candish master of a small Ship in the voyage wherein he dyed this Captaine being aboord the Admirall in the night time forsooke his Fleet his Generall and Captaine and returned home This bad custome is too too much vsed amongst Sea-men and worthy to be severely punished for doubtlesse the not punishing of those offenders hath beene the prime cause of many lamentable events losses and overthrowes to the dishonour of our Nation and frustrating of many good and honoâ—rable Enterprises In this poynt of Discipline the Spaniards doe farre surpasse vs for whosoever forsaketh his Fleete or Commander is not onely severely punished but deprived also of all charge or government for ever after This in our Countrie is many times neglected for that there is none to follow the cause the principalls being either dead with griefe or drowned in the gulfe of povertie and so not able to wade through with the burthen of that suite which in Spaine is prosecuted by the Kings Atturney or Fiscall or at least a Iudge appoynted for determining that cause purposely Yea I cannot attribute the good successe the Spaniard hath had in his Voyages and peoplings to any extraordinary vertue more in him then in any other man were not Discipline Patience and justice far superior For in valour experience and travell he surpasseth vs not In shipping preparation and plentie of victualls hee commeth not neerâ— vs In paying and rewarding our people no Nation did goe beyond vs But God who is a iust and bountifull rewarder regarding obedience farre aboue sacrifice doubtlesse in recompence of their indurance resolution and subiection to commandement bestoweth vpon them the blessing due vnto it And this not for that the Spaniard is of a more tractable disposition or more docible nature then wee but that justice halteth with vs and so the old Proverbe is verified Pittie marreth the whole Cittie Thus come we to be deprived of the sweet fruit which the Rod of Discipline bringeth with it represented vnto vs in auncient Verses which as a Relique of experience I haue heard in my youth Recorded by a wise Man and a great Captaine Thus The rod by power divine and earthly Regall law Makes good men liue in peace and bad to stand in awe For with a severe stroke the bad corrected be Which makes the good to ioy such iustice for to see The rod of Discipline breeds feare in every part Reward by due desert doth ioy and glad the heart These absentings and escapes are made most times onely to pilfer and steale as well by taking of some prise when they are alone and without commaund to hinder or order their bad proceedings as to appropriate that which is in their intrusted ship casting the fault if they be called to account vpon some poore and vnknowne Mariners whom they suffer with a little pillage to absent themselues the cunninglier to colour their greatest disorders and robberies For doubtlesse if he would hee might haue come vnto vs with great facilitie because within sixteene houres the storme ceased and the winde came fayre which brought vs to the Straites and dured many dayes after with vs at North-east This was good for them though naught for vs If he had perished any Mast or Yard sprung any leake wanted victuals or instruments for finding vs or had had any other impediment of importance hee might haue had some colour to cloake his lewdnes but his Mastes and Yards being sound his Shippe staunch and loaden with victuales for two yeares at the least and having order from place to place where to finde vs his intention is easily seene to bee bad and his fault such as worthily deserved to bee made exemplary vnto others Which he manifested at his returne by his manner of proceeding making a spoyle of the prise hee tooke in the way homewards as also of that which was in the ship putting it into a Port fit for his purpose where he might haue time and commodity to doe what hee would Wee made account that they had beene swallowed vp of the sea for we
a-far off with other poynts and circumstances as the occasions shall minister matter different at the discretion of the wise Commander But some one may say vnto me that in all occasions it is not convenient to giue Directions for that if the enemy happen vpon any of the Fleete or that there be any treacherous person in the company their Designements may be discovered and so prevented To this I answere that the prudent Governour by good consideration may avoyde this by publication of that which is good and necessarie for the guide of his Fleete and people by all secret instructions to giue them sealed and not to be opened but comming to a place appoynted after the manner of the Turkish direction to the Bashawes who are their Generalls and in any eminent perill to cast them by the boord or otherwise to make away with them For he that setteth Sayle not giving directions in writing to his Fleete knoweth not if the night or day following he may be separated from his Company which happeneth sometimes and then if a place of meeting be not knowne he runneth in danger not to ioyne them together againe And for places of meeting when seperation happeneth I am of opinion to appoynt the place of meeting in such a height twentie or thirtie or fortie Leagues off the Land or Iland East or West is not so fitting if the place affoord it as some sound betwixt Ilands or some Iland or Harbour It may be alledged in contradiction and with probable reason that it is not fit for a Fleete to stay in a Harbour for one Ship nor at an Anchor at an Iland for being discovered or for hinderance of their Voyage Yet it is the best for when the want is but for one or two ships a Pynace or Ship may wayte the time appoynted and remaine with direction for them But commonly one Ship though but a bad Sayler maketh more hast then a whole Fleete and is at the meeting place first if the accident be not very important The place of meeting if it might be would be able to giue at the least refreshing of water and wood SECT IX LAnching out into the Channell the wind being at East and by South and East South East which blowing hard and a flood in hand caused a chapping Sea and my Vice-admirall bearing a good Sayle made some water and shooting off a peece of Ordinance I edged towardes her to know the cause who answered me that they had sprung a great Leake and that of force they must returne into the sound which seeing to be necessary I cast about where Anchoring and going aboord presently found that betwixt Wind and Water the Calkers had left a seame vncalked which being filled vp with Pitch onely the Sea labouring that out had beene sufficient to haue sunke her in short space if it had not beene discovered in time And truely there is little care vsed now adaies amongst our countrimen in this Profession in respect of that which was vsed in times past and is accustomed in France in Spaine and in other parts Which necessitie will cause to be reformed in time by assigning the portion that every workeman is to Calke that if there bee dammage through his default he may be forced to contribute towards the losse occasioned through his negligence And for more securitie I hold it for a good custome vsed in some parts in making an end of calking and pitching the ship the next tide to fill her with water which will vndoubtedly discover the defect for no pitcht place without calking can suffer the force and peaze of the water In neglect whereof I haue seene great damage and danger to ensue The Arke Royall of his Maiesties may serue for an example which put all in daunger at her first going to the Sea by a trivuell-hole left-open in the post and covered onely with pitch In this point no man can be too circumspect for it is the security of ship men and goods SECT X. THis being remedied I set sayle in the morning and ran South-west till we were cleere of Vsshent and then South south-west till we were some hundred Leagues off where wee met with a great Hulke of some fiue or sixe hundred tunnes well appointed the which my company as is naturall to all Mariners presently would make a prize and loaden with Spaniards goods and without speaking to her wished that the Gunner might shoote at her to cause her to amaine Which is a bad custome received and vsed of many ignorant persons presently to gun at all whatsoever they discover before they speake with them being contrary to all discipline and many times is cause of dissention betwixt friends and the breach of Amitie betwixt Princes the death of many and sometimes losse of Shippes and all making many obstinate if not desperate whereas in vsing common courtesie they would better bethinke themselues and so with ordinarie proceeding iustified by reason and the custome of all well disciplined people might perhaps many times breede an increase of Amitie a succour to necessity and excuse divers inconveniencies and sutes which haue impoverished many for it hath chanced by this errour that two English ships neither carrying flag for their perticular respects to change each with other a dozen payre of shott with hurt to both being after too late to repent their follie Yea a person of credit hath told mee that two English men of Warre in the Night haue layd each other aboord willingly with losse of many men and dammage to both onely for the fault of not speaking one to the other which might seeme to carrie with it some excuse if they had beene neere the shore or that the one had beene a Hull and the other vnder sayle in feare shee should haue escaped not knowing what shee was though in the night it is no wisedome to bourd with any ship but in the maine Sea and both desiring to ioyne was a sufficient declaration that both were seekers and therefore by day or night he that can speake with the Ship hee seeth is bound vpon payne to bee reputed voyd of good Governement to hayle her before hee shoote at her Some man may say that in the meane time shee might gaine the winde in such causes and many others necessity giveth exception to all Lawes and experience teacheth what is fit to bee done Master Thomas Hampton once Generall of a Fleete of Wasters sent to Rochell Anno 1585. with secret instructions considering and as a man of experience wisely vnderstanding his place and affaires in like case shut his Eare to the instigations and provocations of the common sort preferring the publique good of both Kingdomes before his owne reputation with the vulgar people And as another Fabius Maximus cunctando restituit rem non ponendo rumores ante salutem The French Kings Fleete comming where he was and to winde-ward of him all his
proverbe to bee falsely founded for that it was not to bee vnderstood that for erring it is better but because it is supposed that by hitting a man shall get emulation of the contradictors I encounâ—ered it with another that sayth better to be envied then pittied and well considering that being out of the Harbour if the winde tooke vs contrary to goe to Elizabeth Bay was better then to bee in the Port for a man must of force warpe in and out of it and in the time that the Shippe could be brought foorth into the Channell the winde being good a man might come from Elizabeth Bay to the Port and that there we should haue the wind first being more to the East-wardes and in an open Bay and moreover might set sayle in the night if the wind should rise in the Evening or in the Night whereas in the Port of force we must waite the light of the Day I made my selfe deafe to all murmurings and caused my commaund to be put in execution and doubtlesse it was Gods gracious inspiration as by the event was seene for being gotten into the Channell within an houre the winde came good and we sayled merrily on our Voyage and by the breake of the day wee had the mouth oâ— the Straites open and about foure of the Clocke in the afternoone wee were thwart of Cape Desire which is the westermost part of the Land on the Souther side of the Straites SECT XXXVIII HEre such as haue command may behold the many miseries that befall them not onely by vnexpected Accidents and mischances but also by contradictions and murmurs of their owne people of all calamities the greatest which can befall a man of discretion and valour and as difficult to be overcome for to require reason of the common sort is as the Philosopher sayth To seeke Counsell of a madd man Herein as I sayd before they resemble a stiffe necked Horse who taking the bridle in his teeth carrieth the rider whether he pleaseth so once possessed with any imagination no reason is able to convince them The best remedie I can propound is to wish our Nation in this poynt to be well advised and in especiall all those that follow the Sea ever having before their eyes the auncient Discipline of our Predecessors who in conformitiâ— and obedience to their Chiefes and Commanders haue beene a mirror to all other Nations with patience silence and suffering putting in execution what they haue beene Commanded and thereby gained the blessings due to such vertues and leaving to posteritie perpetuall memories of their glorious Victories A iust recompence for all such as Conquer themselues and subiect their most specious willes to the will of their Superiors SECT XXXIX IN apprehension whereof at land I cannot forbeare the Discipline thereof as at this day and in the dayes of late memory it hath beene practised in the States of Flaunders Fraunce and Brittayne wherâ— as the Spaniards Wallons Switzers and other Nations are daily full of murmurings and mutenies vpon every sleight occasion The like I also wish should be imitated by those who follow the Sea that is that those who are subiect to Command presume no further then to that which belongeth vnto them Qui nescit parere nescit imperare I speake this for that I haue sometimes seene vnexpert and ignorant persons yea vnable to iudge of any poynt appertaining to government or the guide of a Shippe or company of men presuming vpon their fine witts and enamored of their owne concâ—its contradict and dispute against graâ—e wise and experimented Governours many forward fellowes thinking themselues better worthie to command then to be commanded Such persons I advise not to goe but where they may command or els looking before they leapt to consider well vnder whom they place themselues seeing for the most part it is in their choyce to choose a Governour from whom they may expect satisfaction but choyce being once made to resolue with the patient wife in History That that day wherein shee married her selfe to an husband that very day shee had no longer any will more then the will of her husband And so he that by Sea or Land placeth himselfe to serue in any action must make reckoning that the time the iourney endureth he hath no other will nor dispose of himselfe then that of his Commander for in the Governors hand is all power to recompence and reward to punish or forgiue Likewise those who haue charge and Command must sometimes with patience or sufferance overcome their fury and misconceits according to occasions for it is a great poynt of wisedome especially in a generall murmuring where the cause is iust or that as often times it happeneth any probable accident may divert the minds of the discontented and giue hope of remedie or future event may produce Repentance to turne as they say the deafe eare and to winke at that a man seeth As it is saâ—d of Charles the fifth Emperour of Germany and King of Spaine who rounding his Campe one night disguised heard some Souldiers rayle and speake evill of him those which accompanied him were of opinion that he should vse some exemplary punishment vpon them not so sayth he for these now vexed with the miseries they suffer ease their hearts with their tongues but if occasion present it selfe they will not sticke to sacrifice their liues for my safetie A resolution worthy so prudent a Commander and so magnanimous a Prince The like is written of Fabius Maximus the famous Romayne who endured the attribute of Coward with many other infamies rather then he would hazard the safetie of his Countrie by rash and incertaine provocations No lesse worthy of perpetuall memory was the prudent pollicie and government of our English Navie in Anno 1588. by the worthy Earle of Nottingham Lord high Admirall of England who in like case with mature and experimented knowledge patiently withstood the instigations of many Couragious and Noble Captaines who would haue perswaded him to haue laid them aboord but well he foresaw that the enemy had an Armie aboord he none that they exceeded him in number of Shipping and those greater in Bulke stronger built and higher molded so that they who with such advantage fought from aboue might easily distresse all opposition below the slaughter peradventure prooving more fatall then the victory profitable by being overthrowne he might haue hazzarded the Kingdome whereas by the Conquest at most he could haue boasted of nothing but Glorie and an enemie defeated But by sufferance he alwayes advantaged himselfe of winde and tide which was the freedome of our Countrey and securitie of our Navie with the destruction of theirs which in the eye of the ignorant who iudge all things by the externall appearance seemed invincible but truely considered was much inferior to ours in all things of substance as the event prooved for we sunke spoyled and tooke of them many and they diminished
resistance but the bones the blade the Cristall being of substance more solide maketh greater resistance and so the fire with the more fury worketh the more his execution in its obiects As was seene in the Spanish Admirall or Captaine after my imprisonment crossing from Panama to Cape San Francisco a Rayo for so the Spaniards call a thundâ—rclappe brake ouer our shippe killed one in the fore-toppe astoniâ—hed either two or three in the shroudes and split the Mast in strange manner where it entred it could hardly be descerned but where it came forth it draue out a great splinter before it and the man slaine was cleane in a manner without signe or token of hurt although all his bones turned to powder and those who liued and recouered had all their bodies blacke as burnt with fire which plainly declareth and confirmeth that aboue said and may serue to iudge in such occasions of persons hurt with thunder for if they complaine of their bones and haue little signe of the fire their hazard of death is the greater then when the fire hath left greater impressions outward The fire out of a cloude worketh like effect only where it leveleth directly as experience daily teacheth killing those who are opposite hurting those who are neere And only terrifying those who are further distant In like manner the peece of Ordinance hurteth not those which stand aside nor those which stand a slope from his mouth but those alone which stand directly against the true point of his levell though sometimes the winde of the shott ouerthroweth one and the splinâ—ers being accidents mayne and hurt others But principally where the peece doth resemble the thunderclappe as when the shippes are bourded For then although the Artillery be discharged without shott the fury of the fire and his piercing nature is such as it entreth by the seames and all parts of the ships sides and meeting with so fit matter as Pitch Tarre Ocombe and sometimes with powder presently conuerteth all into flames For auoyding whereof as also the danger and damage which may come by pikes and other inventions of fire and if any shippe be oppressed with many shippes at once and subiect by them to be bourded I hold it a good course to strike his fire and mayne yards close to his decke and to fight with sprit-saile and myson and top-sayles loose so shall he be able to hinder them from oppressing him Some haue thought it a good pollicy to launce out some ends of Mastes or yards by the ports or other parts but this is to be vsed in the greater shippes for in the lesser though they be neuer so strong the waight of the bigger will beate out the opposite sides and doe hurt and make great spoyle in the lesser And in bourding ordinarily the lesser shippe hath all the harme which the one shippe can doe vnto the other Here is offered to speake of a point much canvassed amongst Carpenters and Sea Captaines diversly maintained but yet vndetermined that is whether the race or loftie built shippe bee best for the Merchant and those which imploy themselues in trading I am of opinion that the race shippe is most conuenient yet so as that every perfect shippe ought to haue two deckes for the better strengthening of her the better succouring of her people the better preseruing of her Merchandize and victuall and for her greater safetie from sea and stormes But for the Princes shippes and such as are imployed continually in the warres to be built loftie I hold very necessary for many reasons First for Maiestie and terrour of the enemy secondly for harbouring of many men thirdly for accommodating more men to fight fourthly for placing and vsing more Artillery fiftly for better strengthening and securing of the shippe sixtly for ouertopping and subiecting the enemy seuenthly for greater safegard and defence of the ship and company For it is plaine that the ship with three deckes or with two and a halfe shewes more pomp then another of her burthen with a decke and halfe or two deckes and breedeth greater terror to the enemy discouering her selfe to be a more powerfull ship as she is then the other which being indeed a ship of force seemeth to be but a Barke and with her low building hideth her burthen And who doubteth that a decke and a halfe cannot harbour that proportion of men that two deckes and two deckes and a halfe can accommodate to fight Nor carry the Artillery so plentifully nor so commodiously Neither can the ship be so strong with a decke and a halfe as with two deckes nor with two as with three nor carry her Mastes so taunt nor spread so great a clue nor contriue so many fightes to answer one another for defence and offence And the aduantage the one hath of the other experience daily teacheth In the great expedition of eightie eight did not the Elizabeth Ionas the Triumph and the Beare shew greater maiestie then the Arke Royall and the Victorie being of equall burthens did they not cause greater regard in the enemy did they not harbour and accommodate more then men and much better did they not beare more Artillery And if they had come to boord with the Spanish high-charged ships it is not to be doubted but they would haue mustred themselues better then those which could not with their prowesse nor props haue reached to their wastes The strength of the one cannot be compared with the strength of the other but in bourding it goeth not so much in the strength as in weight and greatnesse For the greater ship that bourdeth with the lesser with her Mastes her Yards her Tacklings her Anchors her Ordinance and with her sides bruseth and beateth the lesser to peeces although the lesser be farre stronger according to proportion The Fore-sight of his Maiesties and the Daintie were shippes in their proportions farre more stronger then the Carake which was taken by them and their consorts Anno 92. For she had in a manner no strong building nor binding and the others were strengthened and bound as art was able to affoord and yet both bourding with her were so brused broken and badly handâ—ed as they had like to haue sunke by her side though bourding with aduantage to weather-wards of her But what would haue become of them if she should haue had the wind of them and haue come aboord to windward of them In small time no doubt she would haue beaten them vnder water An. 90. in the fleet vnder the charge of Sr Iohn Hawkins my father coÌ„ming from the South-wards the Hope of his Maiesties gaue chase to a French ship thinking her to be a Spaniard She thought to haue freed her selfe by her sailing and so would not auaile but endured the shooting of many peeces and forced the Hope to lay her abourd of which issued that mischiefe which before I spake off For in a moment the French ship had all her Mastes Yards
and Sailes in the Sea and with great difficultie the Hope could free her selfe from sinking her In the selfe same voyage neere the Ilands of Flores and Corvo the Raine-bow and the Fore-sight came foule one of another the Rain-bow being the greater shippe left the Fore-sight much torne and if God had not beene pleased to seperate them the lesser doubtlesse had sunke in the Sea buâ— in these incounters they received little or no hurt The boordâ—ng of the Raine-bow and Fore-sight as I was enformed proceeded of the obstinacie and selfe will of the Captaine or Master of the Fore-sight who would not set Sayle in time to giue Sea-roome to the other comming driuing vpon her for that shee was more flotie This pride I haue seene many times to be the cause of great hurt and is worthy of seuere punishment for being all of one Company and bound euery one to helpe and further the good of the other as members of one bodie their ought to be no strayning of courtesie but all are bound to suppresse emulation and particular respect in seeking the generall good of all yea of euery particular more ingeniously then that of his owne But in equitie and reason the le-ward shippe ought euer to giue way to the weather most in hulling or trying without any exception First for that shee aduantageth the other in hulling or trying which is manifest for that shee to wind-wards driues vpon her to le-wards Secondly for that the windermost shippe by opening her sayle may be vpon the other before shee be looked for either for want of steeridge not being vnder way or by the rowling of the Sea some one Sea casting the shippe more to le-wards then ten others And thirdly for that the windermost shippe being neere and setting sayle is in possibilitie to take away the winde from her to le-wards comming within danger And this by way of Argument for a hull and vnder-sayle in stormes and fayre weather in Harbour or at Sea Humanitie and courtesie are euer commendable and beneficiall to all whereas arrogancie and ambition are euer accompanied with shame losse and repentance And though in many examples touching this point I haue beene an eye witnesse yet I will record but one which I saw in the Riuer of Civill at my comming out of the Indies amongst the Galleons loaden with siluer For their wafting the King sent to the Tercera eight new Galleons vnder the charge of Villa viciosa who entring the Barre of Saint Luar ioyntly the shippes loaden with siluer Anchored in the middest of the Riuer in the deeper water and the wafters on either side neere the shoare The Admirall of the wafters rode close by the Galleon in which I was and had mored her selfe in that manner as her streame Cable and Anchor overlayed our land-most And winding vp with the first of the flood shee her selfe in one of her Cables which together with the great currant of the ebbe and force of the winde which blew fresh caused her to driue and to dragge home her Anchors and with that which over-lay ours to cause vs to doe the like Whereupon on both sides was crying out to veere cable we for our part had lost all our Cables in the Terceras sauing those which were a ground and those very short and vered to the better end The Admirall strained courteâ—ie thinking the other though loaden with siluer bound to let slippe one so to giue him way and the Generall standing in his Gallery saw the danger which both shippes ranne into being in a manner bourd and bourd and driuing vpon the point of the shoare yet he commanded to hold fast and not to vere Cable till he was required and commanded in the Kings name by the Captaine of our shippe protesting the damage which should ensue thereof to the King and Merchants to runne vpon the Admirals accompt and that in his shippe he had no other Cable but those which were aground And that they had vered as-much as they could which the Generall knowing and at last better considering willed to vere his Cable end for end and so with some difficultie and dispute the punto was remedied which if he had done at first he had preuented all other danger inconuenience and dispute by only weighing of his Cable and Anchor after the gust was past and letting it â—all in a place more commodious whereas his vaine-glory stoutnesse and selfe-will had put in great perill two of the Kings shippes and in them aboue two Millions of treasure And it may be if he had beene one of the ignorant Generals such as are sometimes imployed whereas he was one of best experience I doubt not but they would haue stood so much vpon their puntos as rather then they would haue consented to vere theyr Cables for that it seemed a diminution of authoritie they would rather haue suffered all to goe to wracke without discerning the danger and damage But to returne to my former point of aduantage which the greater shippe hath of the lesser I would haue it to be vnderâ—tood according to occasion and to be vnderstood of ships of warre with shippes of warre It being no part of my meaning to maintaine that a small man of warre should not bourd with a great shippe which goeth in trade For I know that the war-like shippe that seeketh is not only bound to bourd with a greater but were shee sure to hazzard her selfe shee ought to bourd where any possibility of surprising may be hoped for Witnesse the Biscaine shippes of fiue hundreth tunnes taken by shippes of lesse then a hundreth Such were those which were taken by Captaine George Reymond and Captaine Greenfield Halse both wonne by bourding and force of Armes And did not Markes Berry with a shippe of fourescore tunnes by bourding and â—ent of sword take a shippe which came from the Noua Hispania of neere â—oure hundreth tunnes to recount all such as haue beene in this sort taken by our Countreymen as also those of great worth which they haue lost for not hazarding the bourding were neuer to make an end Yet discretion is euer to be vsed for a man that in a small barke goeth to warre-fare is not bound to bourd with a Carake nor with a shippe which he seeth prouided with Artillery and other preuentions farre aboue his possibilitie The Spaniards confesse vs to aduantage them in our shipping and attribute all our victories â—o that which is but a masse of dead wood were it not managed and ordered by Art and experience affirming that if we came to handle strokes and bourding they should goe farre beyond vs which to any person of reasonable vnderstanding cannot but seeme most vaine-glorious for we leaue not to bourd with them vpon occasion when otherwise we cannot force them to surrender but I conclude it to be great errour and want of discretion in any man to put himselfe his shippe and company in perill being able
otherwise to vanquish his enemy This imagination so vaine and voyde of ground hath growne from the ignorance of some of our common sort of Marriners and vulgar people which haue beene prisoners in Spaine Who being examined and asked why her Maiesties shippes in occasions bourd not haue answered and enformed That it is the expresse order of her Maiestie and Counsell in no case to hazard her shippes by bourding yea I haue knowne some Captaines of our owne to colour their faint proceedings haue auerred as much which is nothing so For in the houre that her Maiestie or Counsell committeth the charge of any her shippes to any person it is left to his discretion to bourd or not to bourd as the reason of seruice requireth And therefore let no man hereafter pretend ignorance nor for this vanitie leaue to doe his duty or that which is most probable to redound to the honour and seruice of his Prince and Countrey and to the damage of his enemy For in case he excuse himselfe with this allegation it cannot but redound to his condemnation and disreputation And I assure all men that in any reasonable equalitie of shipping we cannot desire greater aduantage then we haue of the Spaniards by bourding The reasons why I hold it not conuenient to discourse in perticular but experience and tract of time with that which I haue seene amongst them hath taught me this knowledge and those who haue seene their discipline and ours cannot but testifie the same SECT LX. AGaine all that which hath beene spoken of the danger of the Artillery in bourding is not to be wrested nor interpreted to cut of vtterly the vse of all Artillery after bourdinâ— but rather I hold nothing more conuenient in shippes of warre then fowlers and great bases in the cage workes and Murderers in the Cobridge heads for that their execution and speedie charging and discharging is of great moment Many I know haue left the vse of them and of sundry other preuentions as of sherehookes stones in their toppes and arming them Pikebolts in their wales and diuers other engines of Antiquitie But vpon what inducement I cannot relate vnlesse it be because they neuer knew their effects and benefit and may no doubt be vsed without the inconueniences before mentioned in great Ordinance As also such may be the occasion that without danger some of the great Artillery may be vsed and that with great effect which is in the discretion of the Commanders and their Gunners as hath beene formerly seene and daily is experimented in the Reuenge of her Maiesties good experâ—ence was made who sunke two of the Spanish Armado lying abourd her SECT LXI IN these bourdings and Skirmishes diuers of our men were slaine and many hurt and my selfe amongst them receiued sixe wounds one of them in the necke very perillous another through the arme perishing the bone and cutting the sinewes close by the Arme-pit the rest not so dangerous The Master of our shippe had one of his eyes his nose and halfe his face shott away Master Henry Courton was slaine on these two I principally relyed for the prosecution of our voyage if God by sickenesse or otherwise should take me away The Spaniards with their great Ordinance lay continually playing vpon vs and now and then parled and inuited vs to surrender our selues a Buena Querra The Captaine of our shippe in whose direction and guide our liues our honour and welfare now remained seeing many of our people wounded and slaine and that few were left to sustaine and maintaine the fight or to resist the entry of the enemy if he should againe board with vs and that our contraries offered vs good pertido came vnto me accompanied with some others and began to relate the state of our shippe and how that many were hurt and slaine and scarce any men appeared to trauerse the Artillery or to oppose themselues for defence if the enemy should bourd with vs againe And how that the Admirall offered vs life and liberty and to receiue vs a Buena querra and to send vs into our owne countrey Saying that if I thought it so meete he and the rest were of opinion that we should put out a flagge of truce and make some good composition The great losse of blood had weakned me much The torment of my wounds newly receiued made me faint and I laboured for life within short space expecting I should giue vp the ghost But this parly pearced through my heart and wounded my soule words failed me wherewith to expresse it and none can conceiue it but he which findeth himselfe in the like agonie yet griefe and rage ministred force and caused me to breake forth into this reprehension and execution following Great is the Crosse which Almightie God hath suffered to come vpon me That assaulted by our professed enemies and by them wounded as you see in body lying gasping for breath those whom I reputed for my friends to fight with me those which I relyed on as my brethren to defend me in all occasions Those whom I haue nourished cherished fostered and loued as my children to succour me helpe me and to sustaine my reputation in all extremities are they who first draw their swords against me are they which wound my heart in giuing me vp into mine enemies hands whence proceedeth this ingratitude whence this faintnesse of heart whence this madnesse is the cause you fight for vniust is the honour and loue of your Prince and Countrey buried in the dust your sweete liues are they become loathsome vnto you will you exchange your liberty for thraldome will you consent to see that which you haue sweat for and procured with so great labour and aduenture at the dispose of your enemies can you content your selues to suffer my blood spilt before your eyes and my life bereft me in your presence with the blood and liues of your deere brethren to be vnreuenged is not an honourable death to be preferred before a miserable and slauish life The one susteining the honour of our nation of our predecessours and of our societie the other ignominious to our selues and reproachfull to our nation Can you be perswaded that the enemy will performe his promise with you that neuer leaueth to breake it with others when he thinketh it advantagious and know you not that with him all is conuenient that is profitable Hold they not this for a maxime that nulla fides est seruanda cum hereticis In which number they accompt vs to be Haue you forgotten their faith violated with my father in St. Iohn de Vlua the conditions and capitulations being firmed by the Viceroy and twelue Hostages all principall personages giuen for the more securitie of either party to other Haue you forgotten their promise broken with Iohn Vibao and his company in Florida hauing conditioned to giue them shipping and victuals to carry them into their Countrey immediately after they had deliuered their
courage a man Armed giueth a greater and a waightier blow then a man vnarmed he standeth faster and with greater difficultie is to be overthrowne And I neuer read but that the glistering of the Armour hath beene by Authors obserued for that as I imagine his show breedeth terror in his contraries and despayre to himselfe if he be vnarmed And therefore in time of warre such as devote themselues to follow the profession of Armes by Sea or by Land ought to covet nothing more then to be well Armed for as much as it is the second meanes next Gods protection for preseruing and prolonging many mens liues Wherein the Spanish nation deserveth commendation aboue others euery one from the highest to the lowest putting their greatest care in providing faire and good Armes He which cannot come to the price of a Corslet will haue a coate of Mayle a Iackett at least a Buffe-jerkin or a privie Coate And hardly will they be found without it albeit they liue and serue for the most part in extreame hott Countries Whereas I haue knowne many bred in cold Countries in a moment complaine of the waight of their Armes that they smoother them and then cast them off chusing rather to be shott through with a Bullet or lanched through with a Pike or thrust through with a Sword then to endure a little travaile and suffering But let me giue these lazie ones this lesson that he that will goe a warrefare must resolue himselfe to fight and he that putteth on this resolution must be contented to endure both heate and waight first for the safegard of his life and next for subduing of his enemie both which are hazarded and put into great danger if he fight vnarmed with an enemy armed Now for mine owne opinion I am resolved that Armour is more necessary by Sea then by Land yea rather to be excused on the shore then in the Shippe My reason is for that on the shore the Bullet onely hurteth but in the Shippe I haue seene the â—plinters kill and hurt many at once and yet the shorâ— to haue passed without touching any person As in the Galeon in which I came out of the Indies in Anno 1597. in the rode of Tercera when the Queenes Maiesties Shippes vnder the charge of the Earle of Essex chased vs into the rode with the splinters of one shott were slaine maymed and sore hurt at the least a dozen persons the most part whereof had beene excused if they had beene Armed And doubtlesse if these errours had beene foreseene and remedied by vs many of those who were slaine and hurt had beene on foote and we inabled to haue sustained and maintained the fight much better and longer and perhaps at last had freed our selues For if our enemy had come to bourd with vs our close fights were such as we were secure and they open vnto vs. And what with our Cubridge heads one answering the other our hatches vpon bolts our brackes in our Deckes and Gunner roome it was impossible to take vs as long as any competent number of men had remained twentie persons would haue sufficed for defence and for this such Shippes are called Impregnable and are not to be taken but by surrender not to be overcome but with bourding or sinking as in vs by experience was verified and not in vs alone but in the Revenge of the Queenes Maiestie which being compassed round about with all the Armado of Spaine and bourded sundry times by many at once is said to haue sunke three of the Armado by her side And in this conflict having lost all her Mastes and being no other then a logge in the Sea could not bee taken with all their force and pollicie till shee surrendred her selfe by an honourable composition By these presidents let Governours by Sea take speciall care aboue all to preserue their people in imitation of the French who carrie many Souldiers in their shippes of Warre and secure them in their holdes till they come to entring and to proue their forces by the dint of Sword But here the discreete Commaunders are to put difference betwixt those which defend and those which are to offend and betwixt those which assault and those which are assaulted For as I haue sayd no governement whatsoever better requireth a perfect and experimented Commaunder then that of the Sea And so no greater errour can bee committed then to commend such charges to men vnexperimented in this profession A third and last cause of the losse of sundry of our men most worthy of note for all Captaines owners and Carpenters was the race building of our shippe the onely fault shee had and now a dayes held for a principall grace in any shippe but by the experience which I haue had it seemeth for sundry reasons verie preiudiciall for shippes of Warre For in such those which tackle the sayles of force must bee vpon the deckes and are open without shelter or any defence yet here it will be obiected That for this inconvenience wast clothes are provided and for want of them it is vsuall to lace a bonnet or some such shadow for the men worthily may it bee called a shadow and one of the most pernitious customes that can be vsed for this shadow or defence being but of linnen or wollen cloth emboldeneth many who without it would retire to better securitie whereas now thinking themselues vnseene they become more bould then otherwise they would and thereby shot through when they least thinke of it Some Captaines observing this errour haue sought to remedie it in some of his Maiesties shippes not by altering the building but by devising a certaine defence made of foure or fiue inch planckes of fiue foote high and sixe foote broad running vpon wheeles and placed in such partes of the shippe as are most open These they name blenders and made of Elme for the most part for that it shivers not with a shot as Oake and other Timber will doe which are now in vse and service but best it is when the whole side hath one blender and one armour of proofe for defence of those which of force must labour and be a lost This race building first came in by overmuch homing in of our shippes and received for good vnder colour of making our ships thereby the better sea-shippes and of better advantage to hull and trye but in my iudgement it breedeth many inconveniences and is farre from working the effect they pretend by disinabling them for bearing their cage worke correspondent to the proportion and mould of the shippe making them tender sided and vnable to carry sayle in any fresh gaile of winde and diminishing the play of their Artillery and the place for accommodating their people to fight labor or rest And I am none of those who hold opinion that the over-much homing in the more the better is commodious and easier for the shippe and this out of