Cammisado vve must needs have run a very desperate Fortune This tedious night of dread and danger being at length vvethered out vve vvere novv to retreat againe little dreaming of any reckoning to be paid for our drunken deluge till we found a body of Spanishhorse attending upon our Reare and exacting it with utmost cruelty by the slaughter of such as were left behind either still and stupidly surfet-seized or else started aside and improvidently raking up and down for plunder neither did this outragious Cavalrie thus give over but still pursued us though cautiouslie and at such a distance as they might either take or leave at pleasure till being jealous of such a neare malevolent observer and at length haulting upon a neck of land one way narrowed in by some comberous salt-pans and broken marsh grounds on the other side by the sea and a massie steeple-like-building of severall stories we here laid a party of Musqueteeres in Ambuscado seeking thus againe to repay these bloudy Butchers in their owne coine the trap was now I say fitly laid we still retreating as before and our enemies likewise insisted securely jogging on through the narrow neck till very neere a costly sulphurous entertainement when upon a Souldiers carelesse blowing his match aloft within the Tower they sprung with much affright back againe precipitately spurring away for safety and by a sudden husbanding this nicke of time evaded to report how greatly little scruples when irregular and going false may disappoint mighty projects howsoever though we thus failed in the maine yet befell it hence upon the by that we could now returne free from any captious supervisors and quarter againe with our reserve before the Towne The next day our former Brigade being left at the point to answer all Alarmes an arrant we had up the Passe againe the purport of it to seize a discovery of Long boats for our better accommodation when homeward bound for now the Souldiers began generally to hitch and hummer after their return looking so often and affectionately towards the Fleet that in our march back we could evidently see 7. Gallies of S. Mary-Port now engaging with that good Ship of the Kings the S. Andrew the weather was faire and calme the Royall Vessell all alone and these creeping out like snakes in sunshine thus propounded to her in a storme of ball and powder to which our honourable Countryman Sr John Watts Commander there in chiefe made likewise a seasonable replication for though his opposites fell up to and again with noise enough vapouring out their Ammunition even when aloofe off and to little purpose this old and valiant Seaman nothing moved with the chaffe of their vaine-glory continued still in silence his quu was not yet come but having in the meane time travers'd all his peeces of furthest randome conveniently and by this remissenesse whetted their Spanish arrogance into danger he then powred in so sowre a broad side upon their bravery that enough enough or perhaps too much for market was done already and they suddenly pack'd up and home again with as cold a welcome doubtlesse as our owne was likewise empty at our returne before the Towne for the belly began here to bark so loud for sustenance and so with more noise because the neare storehouse of our shipping might relieve us now at pleasure that hither did vve refer our selves here did vve mediate vvith the sighs of our Souldiers for reliefe but this meeting vvith a deafe eare and succeeding not our last refuge vvas either patience or to value preposterous and unnaturall for very vvelcome and savory meat my ovvn Company being likevvise so cleare in the point that a supper of Asinegoes flesh vvrought their extraordinary contentation vvith a nights rest so free from either invvard distempers or any outvvard sallies as better enabled us for our retreat the next morning That I may decipher vvhich knotty piece it vvas conferr'd necessarilie upon my Lord of Essex Sir Henry Poore Viscount Valentia and Sir Edward Harwood the first of these vvas in his verie name here so formidable that Hercules pillars fell at his arrivall into a shaking ague and but for Sir Thomas Loves unhappie interpose he had no doubt out of the shipping alone return'd a considerable victorie the second hamor'd out his honour in the sad combustions of Ireland having his former valour there written still and signally upon his forehead in the midst whereof the full impression of a rigorous bullet was so deepely infix'd as if Mars had purposely done it to set him fairer off and never has any war I except none whatsoever afforded a more remakeable a more glorious badge of honour Concerning Sir Edward Harwood I dare report him even upon many yeares observation though sweetly temper'd and without noise in the house yet so high and active in the field so far beyond our outside practice and studied even in the very learned points and mysteries of his profession that if perhaps he might have some equals yet none of his contemporaries out-did him and to speak much in little this was the man whom that paragon of parts John late Lord Harrington selected from a world of others to be his bosome friend and he likewise that having now the reere of all reeres and disposing his shot in loose and little parties among the broken hils and blinds did in this posture detaine the enemy till our main Grosse was mostly ship'd againe but after a long dispute being now dangerously engaged and much over-powred some fresh commanded men from the bodies of our reserve not only fought the prevailing Enemie into ballance again but soon after from his late gotten ground and though the command was to retreat yet our new supplies still dapperlie followed and fired upon them till their Bandeliers coming at length to be recruited here the day began to change upon us and our raw engagers with their light matches so suddenly and in severall places blew up our powder that at the Huffe our Opposites apprehending it were newly whetted into edge and fell on againe as bitterlie as ever now was the generall cry throughout the field powder powder in the Fort where likewise my Lord Marshall and some other Commanders were observing us retreat retreat with Orders accordingly and that the bringers up of our Reare should immediately follow our main Body already shipped which considering the present feare was with spurs and wings so very passionately fulfilled that being to passe my Pikes and Collours first aboard as fraight enough for our little Ship-boat yet did my Musquetteers so precipitatelie huddle in surcharging and keeping it aground that I was compell'd wading the sea to trim it againe with my Musketrest Neither was it otherwise as before is hinted with our Souldiers at the point and now engaged for what with the scarcity of powder and then the Calizians brisk and second charge had not our Officers with their rough browes and swords conjur'd this pang of feare into
with Bottomes purposely sunck in it that what he could bring back was but a generall Imputation of either palpable Negligence or Ignorance Not to dwell upon these meerly Water-Works but now proceed to what was mixt and partly at Land five of our Hollanders were this night imployed in the batterie of Pointall a strong Obvious Fort vvith eight Brasse Pieces halfe Cannon and Culverin beating tightly and point blank upon the Channell and these vvere likevvise seconded the next morning by as many Colliars to as little purpose vvell might they Bark and Bellovv furiously but it vvas vvithout biting nay vvhen our ovvn Squadron next and the rest of the Fleet successively Vomited their utmost Thunder yet stood Pointall immoveable and whether it vvere the toughnesse of the Pile or that our Ship Batteries have a more fluid a more yielding Center vvhich vvith an indisposition a spissitude of the mediate Aire might dull and vveaken Execution or some other Originall to be discussed among the curious Criticks Poyntall vvas directly shot-free vve vvere but philliping a Rocke of Marble yet having at length vvth our much prejudice Dismounted their Ordinance even at the heavy losse of Sr. John Bruse Mr. George Raymond Captaine of the Great Saphire some Souldiers in our ovvn Ship as also diverse others and the deare Rate of above four Thousand great shot vve novv this 23 being the Lords Day vvent still more metteldly to vvorke For my Lord Marshall had been formerly taught by his old * Martiall Master that to fight such passionate Ambitious Papalins doth rather Damaske then Dishonour vvee vvere novv I say more Actingly fired Sr. John Burroughs and his Regiment being Imploy'd on shore to take it by Scalado The Weather vvas novv Faire and Calme and our Navie Rode about Pointall in a neer semicircle circumstances admitting such intelligence and infixing vvith so much impression that methinks I still see hovv such of our Long Boates as had Evaded the Tempestuous Bay of Biscay vvere novv plying amaine tovvards the Fatall Fort and vvhat Pity vvas it that Men of such height and daringnes should so precipitately run upon their Ruine vvhen not the Celebrated old Roman Braverie but vvould here have been interposing either with their Panosaids or other like Defensatives Methinks I still see how Mr. Bromingham the Dukes Captaine who had the point and was to steele it how and with what Gallantrie he stood in the prow of his Boate couragiously Wavâ—â—ing his Sword about his Head nor this only when Faire and further off while all was whist and still neither Man nor Musquetade stirring but in the same threatning posture Engaged home amongst their thickest Volleys even when the Fort like a many headed Hydra plied him with such a storme of hissing Lead as what Massie Pillar but must needs suffer under it and though he fell at length like a Glorious Starr and was seemingly extinguished yet will his height and Gallantrie never be forgotten Concerning those Engaged with him in the same Bottome one alone of them to prevent the Harquebuse of his Active distance could nimbly spring under the Castle Wall where it had lesse play yet there likewise instead of shelter met with his slaughter the rest were in their mettle so melted down with Death and many Wounds that we could still see the Boat like an empty shell beating upon the fatall strand but not a man stirring which being well observed by Sr John Burroughes and how unhappilie spault the point had been through an over-heate he cautiously declining to the left hand Landed there the rest without disturbance and with such approbation that we of my Lords Regiment presently hudled after so piecing with him and consequently streightning the besieged that though they were securely Walled even Eleven paces thick and with the toughest Stone yet a Treaty instantly succeded and then againe as sodaine a surrender whereby we tooke up our Lodging this Night at the Signe of the Starr fuller both of quiet and confidence The next day being all Landed our Designe was farr higher neither would we now goe lesse then very Cales it selfe to which we must advance upon a surface of uneven and broken ground even of many little hils and holes and so presupposing danger that a Forlorne of some small dissever'd parties was imployed first to discover it our maine Grosse still following by degrees by which circuit of Action as some of our Enemies must needs be further recollected other-some were still evading by us and as it were from between our teeth into the Continent till at length a Reformado of my own Company affectionately byting at such a bait so tendered it likewise to some commanded men next the Passage that they quit their post charging home in hope of booty the cautious manage whereof had doubtlesse found responsible satisfaction but as they fell up entire in a wedge part of the Calizians fled back to the City others made as unrecoverably along the Passe so that their purchase was only some few trifling pieces casually fallen from the run-awaies however thus was the City more expeditely surrounded in order to the further threats of War but alas we were now at the full of our prosecution so waining alwaies after and far from any nearer approaches that leaving the two Collonels Burroughs and Bruce to make head before the Towne we were immediately faces about and marching up the Pass formerly specified perhaps to seize the Bridge of Swaco which joynes it upwardly with the Continent perhaps to refresh our Troopes accommodated so very poorely that for Eighty men my land allowance was but Eight little Cheeses and some few Biskets To proceed great was the perill the prejudice that followed it for having marched like Knights arrant till towards Evening upon the deep sandy stony Causey we came at length to the house of Bacchus there taking up our quarters and who shall consider the plenty of excellent wines then and there stowed in Magazin or the swinish or disordinate abuse of them will own this expression to be proper enough for mine own particular as not knowing vvhat danger might be lurking under such a precious baite I referred my thirst to the satisfaction of such Oranges and Lemons as the neighbour trees imparted but for many of the common sort so palpable vvas their excesse so vvildly hooted out in obstreperous clamours firings and like vvhimsicall distempers as beat up all the Rules of Discipline before it seizing our Commanders vvith extraordinary amazement neither vvas there other addresse novv left us but immediately to heaven vvhich my Lord Marshall like a true Christian Souldier as presently put in practice by giving out God blesse us for the Word And what shall I further say but that this tyght and little prayer did by an often repetition and going continually the round so strangely stickle for us as puzzel'd both the counsell and courage of our enemies vvhereas had they found to time it and but given us novv a
a sense of honour their heeles had possibly been much more nimble than their hands a disaster so stiflie aimed by the pursuers that through the broken ground they still beat all along upon our Reare and about this time was it that for intelligence at the first hand I now left my Musketteers haling themselves aboard that I might help wheele up one of our Drake areare to some already at the point where I found our enemies so risen high in crest that they were now advancing out of covert after us into an open Levell neare the sea-side but then againe began our little Guns to play with so much terrour and incussion so fatally spattering in upon their violence that they as suddenlie relented and shrunke back locking themselves up againe in covert and thus after a passionate dispute of neare foure houres we wrought out the convenience though with some losse to quit Pointall and ship our selves againe in safety for now was all our hope among the briny Billowes all our confidence in Neptunes Kingdome a wild and open champion I confesse yet where the severall roades were full of pretious ware and sumptuous plunder by these did Cortez heretofore transport his golden handmill of 3400 * castelanes his famous golden Colverin infinite other treasure by these came the vast east Indie caract of 1000000 ducates taken by our Leveson and Monson I here the wealth here the rarieties of the World are continually transient a motive so considerable that though some would rather urge for the taking of Dunshaul a rich city in the Madera Iland yet our admirall and the Major voice declining it our orders were rather to stand off to Sea amongst these considerable passes and in the height of thirty six and thirty seven the halfe to bid on still for an honourable welcome home fortune would perhaps be brought about with importunitie either ministring to us of the plate Fleet or some such after-game from the spiceries as with remarkable stakes might draw likewise an extraordinary reputation or if the winds should againe spit their winter venome tyrannously chasing us as before Budgrave in the Streights was appointed us Southerlie to rally in Northerly the Isles of Bayon Nay we had other stormes here also to weather out a dangerous gust a personall clash rising at this time between Viscount Valentia and my Lord de la Ware Vice-Admirall to the Head-Squadron whose command being transferr'd upon the former and my Lord not digesting it there ensued a peremptorie competition of two red fore-tops borne out and pretending to the same place of honour for severall daies together till at length a temper being found and the Viscount made Admirall to the said Squadron with my Lord in his remitter and continuing as before we bore up unanimously to the heights premised there beating to and againe for purchase and to snap some of the Spanish golden Ingots Neither was the Scene unfitly laid since October the 31. we had three of their Ships in chase and with such a neere capacitie as some will report that had one of our Captaines kept his Luffe when he bore roome and gave over they happilie might have defraied all our charges but to chew this a little and distinguish whether it may be safely swallowed let me here vouch the Ship in which my own Companie was mounted one so yare of saile above others that my Lord Admirall had formerly own'd and imploy'd it as his Page yet was our condition now so sad and sober that though the being in chase often started me from my Cabine 't was all in vaine we never could engage many a faire course we had where there was neither bush nor brier for the game to Tapish in but still lost ground till we were at last run out of sight an instance so roundly pointing out our indisposition that doubtlesse he that runs may likewise read it and which must needs also scatter the cloud of prejudice injuriouslie gathering over Captaine Osborne Nay so now began our Navy to groane under severall disabilities that the Rainbow and some other of our Shipping were the eighth of this November dismissed againe for England we which were still behind though likewise in our declination persevering as before neither could the jolting watry wildernesse yet awake us from our soft and silver dreames the plate fleet was now indeed our ultimate errand our immediate masterpiece but without any piece of Plate finger'd save one of inferiour value and this at the drunken quarter beyond Cales In conclusion having for ten daies after been vainely tacking to and fro and with much paine and patience hitherto weathered out the wrathfull Winter our wants and weaknesses now at length became importunate and at a Councell aboord the Admirall both moved for an immediate returne and joyfully carried it yet as the sowre sauce to this sweet refection so were we hurried back in the stresse of a mighty working sea and even with such a witnesse that part of our Fleet was beaten in at Bastable part at Bristoll some into Sylly our English Scylla and Charybdis in respect of the Bishop and his Chaplaines into Falmouth Plymouth and Dartmouth some the waves like wild horses had thus torne asunder and scattered the limbes of our Armado that mighty bulke of our predominant Anne-royall was yet tost and tumbled into Ireland Then concerning our Vice-Admirall the Swiftsure she spent her fore-saile in the Tempest split her Tillar and vvas so full of sicknesse that an imprest of fresh men was imployed in bringing her from Falmouth about to Plymouth The Constant Reformation in which my Lord of Valentia commanded spent her maine mast by the Cradle yet far more unhappie was her name-sake the Mary-Constance and even beyond comparison as being wholly over-wrought in this boyling Tempest and swallowed dovvne into the Sea Captaine Hone Captaine Shudborough and some fevv others being hardly recovered from the Shrovvds To come nearer home and speake the bottome allotted that valiant Gentleman Captaine Richard Bowles the younger my selfe and our tvvo Companies though exteriorly it made as good vveather as many other of the Fleet yet our dangers since intestine and neare the heart vvere therefore more fatall that fire vvhich a Kettle of pitch accidentallie kindled in our Cook-roome may witnesse it and though by Gods speciall providence this was againe opportunely smothered yet the Combustion betweene our souldiers and the seamen became unextinguishable nay sometimes so flaming hot as would needs have prompted in our pistols The sea Captaine though sufficiently seene in marine affaires as having often sayled between Temple staires and Westminster yet referred all to his Mr. for this he was indeed and such a rough-hewn Palinure as meerely sway'd by passion made little or no bones of equity a caveat against Captaine Syllie-soule hereafter and demanding those of more experience better government the want whereof had like a continuall dropping so dayly fretted out our patience that being arived at