The Copie of a letter which Don Bernaldino Delgadillo
de Avellaneda, Generall of the king of Spaine his armie,
sent unto Doctor Peter Florez, President of the contractation house for the Indies, wherein he maketh
mention of the successe of the English armie, after
they departed from Panama, whereof was Generall
Francis Drake, and of his death.
FROM Cartagena
I gave relation unto your Worship how
I departed from the citie of Lisbone, in the pursuite of
the English armie: although for the great haste the
Galeons could not be so well repaired as was needfull,
and with foule weather one was lost, and a Fly-boat was
burnt. And having sayled many dayes in pursuite of the
enemie, untill I arrived at Cartagena
, and there taking
the advise of Don Pedro de Acunna, Governour of the
citie, and Captaine generall (for wee had great neede of
water, and to repaire our shippes) we stayed in that port:
whereas I had intelligence by an Indian that Francis
Drake died in Nombre de Dios, for very griefe that he
had lost so many Barkes and men, as was afterwards
more manifestly knowen. Thus having given you a rela
tion of all that happened hitherto, now I let you understand, that I left this Port the second of March, and
tooke our course towardes Havana, where I thought to
have found the English fleete. And having used all the
diligence possible, upon Munday the eleventh of the said
moneth, about two of the clocke in the afternoone, at the
end of the
Ile of Pinos, in the entrance of Guaniguanico,
I met with the English fleete, being fourteene very good
ships: I drew towardes them although they had the winde
of us, and our Admirall who bore up towards the winde,
with other two ships beganne to draw neere them, and
although we set thus upon them, three times with all
their ships, yet would they not set againe upon us, and
those of our men which were farthest off cryed to them
amaine, being both within shot of artillerie, muskets, and
calivers, whereby they received evident hurt by us: They
plyed their great ordinance according to their manner,
and especially their Viceadmirall, and seeing our resolution how sharpe we were bent towards them, they with
all expedition and speede possible prepared to flie away,
hoysing sailes and leaving their boates for haste in the
sea: but I followed them, with nine ships all the night
following, and with foure more the next day, till I made
them double the
Cape of S. Antonie, and to take the
course towards the Chanell of Bahama, according to the
instructions from his Majestie. It little availed us to be
seene, with lesse number of ships, neither yet all the
diligence we could use, could cause them to stay or come
neere us, nor to shoot off one harquebuze or peece of
artillerie, for they fled away as fast as they could, and
their shippes were halfe diminished, and that the best part
of them: the rest they repaired in Puerto Bello, whereas
they were about forte dayes, and so by that meanes they
were all well repayred; and our shippes were very foule,
because the time would not permit us to trim them: I
have sayled 2 moneths and a halfe in the Admirall, since
we departed from Cartagena
, we have not repaired their
pumpes nor clensed them: and the same day I departed
thence, there came unto me a small Pinnesse in the like
distresse : our Viceadmirall and the rest of our ships have
the like impediment, but no great hinderance unto us,
for ought I could perceive by our enemies: It is manifest
what advantage they had of us, and by no meanes was
it possible for us to take them, unlesse we could have
come to have found them at an anker. Neverthelesse
they left us one good shippe behinde for our share, well
manned, which tolde me that Drake died in Nombre de
Dios, and that they have made for Generall of the English
fleete the Colonel Quebraran: and also by meanes of the
small time, being straightly followed by us, they had no
opportunitie to take either water, wood or flesh, and they
are also in such bad case, that I know not how they will
be able to arrive in England
. The number of men we
have taken are about an hundred and fortie, and fifteene
noble captaines of their best sort, and some of them rich,
as well may appeare by their behaviour: I have no other
thing to write at this time. Our Lord keepe you who
best can, and as I desire.
From Havana the 30 of March,
1596.
DON BERNALDINO DELGADILLO DE AVELLANEDA.