A true report of a worthy fight, performed in the voyage from Turkie, by five Ships of London, against 11. Gallies, and two Frigats of the King of Spaines, at Pantalarea within the Streights, Anno, 1586. Written by Philip Jones.
THE Marchants of London, being of the incorporation of
the Turky trade, having received intelligences, and
advertisements, from time to time, that the King of
Spaine grudging at the prosperitie of this kingdome,
had not onely of late arrested al English ships, bodies,
and goods, in Spaine, but also maligning the quiet trafique
which they used to and in the dominions, and provinces,
under the obedience of the Great Turke, had given order
to the Captaines of his gallies in the Levant
, to hinder
the passage of all English ships, and to endevour by
their best meanes, to intercept, take, and spoile them,
their persons, and goods: they hereupon thought it their
best course to set out their fleete for Turkie, in such
strength and abilitie for their defence, that the purpose
of their Spanish enemie might the better be prevented,
and the voyage accomplished with greater securitie to the
men and shippes. For which cause, five tall, and stoute
shippes, appertaining to London, and intending onely a
Marchants voyage, were provided and furnished with all
things belonging to the Seas; the names whereof were
these:
- 1. The Marchant Royall, a very brave and good
shippe, and of great report.
- 2. The Tobie.
- 3. The Edward Bonaventure.
- 4. The William, and John.
- 5. The Susan.
These five departing from the coast of England, in
the moneth of November 1585. kept together as one
fleete, til they came as high as the
Isle of Sicile, within
the Levant
. And there, according to the order and direction of the voyage, each shippe began to take leave of
the rest, and to separate himselfe, setting his course for
the particular port, whereunto hee was bounde: one for
Tripolie in Syria
, another for Constantinople, the chiefe
Citie of the Turkes Empire, situated upon the coast of
Romania
, called of olde, Thracia
, and the rest to those
places, whereunto they were privatly appointed. But
before they devided themselves, they altogether consulted,
of and about a certaine and speciall place for their meeting againe after the lading of their goods at their severall
portes. And in conclusion, the generall agreement was
to meete at Zante
, an Island neere to the maine continent
of the West part of Morea
, well knowen of all the Pilots,
& thought to be the fittest place of their Rendevous.
Concerning which meeting, it was also covenanted on
eche side, and promised, that whatsoever ship of these
5. should first arrive at Zante
, should there stay and
expect the comming of the rest of the fleete, for the
space of twentie dayes. This being done, ech man made
his best hast according as winde and wether woulde serve
him to fulfill his course, and to dispatch his businesse;
and no neede was there to admonish or incourage any
man, seeing no time was ill spent, nor opportunitie
omitted on any side, in the performance of ech mans
duetie, according to his place.
It fell out that the Tobie which was bound for Constantinople had made such good speede, and gotten such
good weather, that she first of al the rest came back to
the appointed place of Zante
, and not forgetting the
former conclusion, did there cast ancre, attending the
arrivall of the rest of the fleete, which accordingly (their
busines first performed) failed not to keepe promise. The
first next after the Tobie was the Royal Marchant, which
together with the William and John came from Tripolie
in Syria
, and arrived at Zante
within the compasse of
the foresaide time limitted. These ships in token of the
joy on all parts conceived for their happy meeting, spared
not the discharging of their Ordinance, the sounding of
drums & trumpets, the spreading of Ensignes with other
warlike and joyfull behaviours, expressing by these outward signes, the inward gladnesse of their mindes, being
all as ready to joyne together in mutuall consent to resist
the cruel enemie, as now in sporting maner they made
myrth and pastime among themselves. These three had
not bene long in the haven, but the Edward Bonaventure
also, together with the Susan her consort, were come
from Venice
with their lading, the sight of whom increased
the joy of the rest, and they no lesse glad of the presence
of the others, saluted them in most friendly and kinde
sort, according to the maner of the Seas: and whereas
some of these ships stoode at that instant in some want
of victuals, they were all content to stay in the port, till
the necessities of ech shippe were supplied, and nothing
wanted to set out for their returne.
In this port of Zante
, the newes was fresh and currant,
of two severall armies and fleetes provided by the king
of Spaine, and lying in waite to intercept them: the one
consisting of 30. strong Gallies, so well appointed in all
respects for the warre, that no necessary thing wanted:
and this fleete hovered about the Streights of Gibraltar.
The other armie had in it 20. Gallies, whereof some were
of Sicilie, and some of the
Island of Malta, under the
charge and government of John Andrea Dorea, a Captaine of name serving the king of Spaine. These two
divers and strong fleetes waited and attended in the Seas
for none, but the English shippes, and no doubt made
their accompt and sure reckoning that not a shippe should
escape their furie. And the opinion also of the inhabitants of the
Isle of Zante was, that in respect of the
number of Gallies in both these armies, having received
such streight commandement from the king, our ships
and men being but few, and little in comparison of them,
it was a thing in humane reason impossible, that wee
should passe either without spoiling, if we resisted, or
without composition at the least, and acknowledgement
of duetie to the Spanish king.
But it was neither the report of the attendance of
these armies, nor the opinions of the people, nor any
thing else, that could daunt or dismay the courages of
our men, who grounding themselves upon the goodnesse
of their cause, and the promise of God, to bee delivered
from such as without reason sought their destruction,
caried resolute mindes, notwithstanding all impediments
to adventure through the Seas, and to finish their Navigation, maugre the beards of the Spanish souldiers. But
least they should seeme too carelesse, and too secure of
their estate, and by laying the whole and entire burden
of their safetie upon Gods providence, should foolishly
presume altogether of his helpe, and neglect the meanes
which was put into their handes, they failed not to enter
into counsell among themselves, and to deliberate advisedly for their best defence. And in the end with
generall consent, the Marchant Royall was appointed
Admirall of the fleete, and the Tobie Viceadmiral, by
whose orders the rest promised to be directed, and ech
shippe vowed not to breake from another, whatsoever
extremitie should fall out, but to stand to it to the death,
for the honour of their Countrey, and the frustrating of
the hope of the ambitious and proud enemie.
Thus in good order they left Zante
and the Castle of
Graecia, and committed themselves againe to the Seas,
and proceeded in their course and voyage in quietnes,
without sight of any enemie, till they came neere to
Pantalarea, an Island so called, betwixt Sicilie, and the
coast of Africke: into sight whereof they came the 13.
day of July 1586. And the same day in the morning
about 7. of the clocke they descried 13. sailes in number,
which were of the Gallies, lying in waite of purpose for
them, in and about that place. As soone as the English
ships had spied them, they by and by according to a
common order, made themselves ready for a fight, layed
out their Ordinance, scoured, charged, and primed them,
displayed their ensignes, and left nothing undone to arme
themselves throughly. In the meane time, the Gallies
more and more approched the ships, and in their banners
there appeared the armes of the
Isles of Sicilia, and Malta
,
being all as then in the service and pay of the Spaniard.
Immediatly, both the Admirals of the Gallies sent from
ech of them a frigate, to the Admiral of our English
ships, which being come neere them, the Sicilian frigat
first hailed them, and demanded of them whence they
were? They answered that they were of England, the
armes whereof appeared in their colours. Whereupon
the saide frigat expostulated with them, and asked why
they delayed to sende or come with their Captaines and
pursers to Don Pedro de Leiva their Generall, to acknowledge their duty and obedience to him in the name of
the Spanish king, Lord of those seas? Our men replied,
and said, that they owed no such duetie nor obedience
to him, and therefore would acknowledge none, but commanded the frigat to depart with that answere, and not
to stay longer a brabling, upon her perill. With that
away she went, and up comes toward them the other
frigat of Malta
, and shee in like sort hailed the Admiral,
and would needs know whence they were, and where they
had bene. Our Englishmen in the Admirall, not disdaining an answere, tolde them that they were of
England, Marchants of London, had bene at
Turkie, and
were now returning home: and to be requited in this
case, they also demaunded of the frigat whence she and
the rest of the gallies were : the messenger answered, we
are of Malta
, and for mine owne part my name is Cavallero. These Gallies are in service and pay to the king
of Spaine, under the conduct of Don Pedro de Leiva a
noble man of Spaine, who hath bene commanded hither
by the King with this present force and armie, of purpose
to intercept you. You shall therefore (quoth he) do well
to repaire to him to know his pleasure, he is a noble man
of good behaviour and courtesie, and meanes you no ill.
The Captaine of the English Admiral, whose name was
M. Edward Wilkinson, replied and said. We purpose
not at this time to make triall of Don Pedro his courtesie,
whereof we are suspitious and doubtful, and not without
good cause: using withall good words to the messenger,
and willing him to come aboord him, promising securitie
and good usage, that thereby he might the better knowe
the Spaniards minde : whereupon he in deed left his frigat,
and came aboord him, whom hee intertained in friendly
sort, and caused a cuppe of wine to be drawne for him,
which he tooke and beganne, with his cap in his hand,
and with reverend termes to drinke to the health of the
Queene of England, speaking very honourably of her
Majestie, and giving good speeches of the courteous
usage and interteinement that he himselfe had received
in London, at the time that the duke of Alenson, brother
to the late French king was last in England: and after
he had well drunke, hee tooke his leave, speaking well
of the sufficiencie and goodnesse of our shippes, and
especially of the Marchant Royal, which he confessed to
have scene before, riding in the Thames
neere London.
He was no sooner come to Don Pedro de Leiva the
Spanish general, but he was sent off againe, and returned
to the English Admirall, saying that the pleasure of the
Generall was this, that either their Captaines, Masters
and Pursers should come to him with speed, or else hee
would set upon them, and either take them or sinke
them. The reply was made by M. Wilkinson aforesaid,
that not a man should come to him: and for the bragge
and threat of Don Pedro, it was not that Spanish bravado
that should make them yeeld a jot to their hinderance,
but they were as ready to make resistance, as he to
offer an injurie. Whereupon Cavallero the messenger
left bragging, and began to perswade them in quiet sort,
and with many wordes, but all his labour was to no
purpose, and as his threat did nothing terrifie them, so
his perswasion did nothing moove them to doe that which
hee required. At the last he intreated to have the Marchant of the Admirall caried by him as a messenger to
the Generall, that so he might be satisfied, and assured
of their mindes by one of their owne company. But
M. Wilkinson would agree to no such thing, although
Richard Rowit the marchant himselfe seemed willing to
bee imployed in that message, and laboured by reasonable
perswasions to induce M. Wilkinson to graunt it, as
hoping to be an occasion by his presence and discreet
answeres to satisfie the Generall, and thereby to save
the effusion of Christian blood, if it should grow to a
battel. And he seemed so much the more willing to be
sent, by how much deeper the othes and protestations
of this Cavallero were, that he would (as hee was a true
knight and a souldier) deliver him backe againe in safetie
to his company. Albeit, M. Wilkinson, which by his
long experience had received sufficient triall of Spanish
inconstancie and perjurie, wished him in no case to put
his life and libertie in hazard upon a Spaniards othe.
But at last, upon much intreatie, hee yeelded to let him
go to the General, thinking in deed, that good speeches
and answeres of reason would have contented him,
whereas otherwise refusall to do so, might peradventure
have provoked the more discontentment.
M. Rowit therefore passing to the Spanish Generall,
the rest of the Gallies having espied him, thought in
deed that the English were rather determined to yeelde,
then to fight, and therefore came flocking about the frigat,
every man crying out, Que nuevas, que nuevas, Have
these English men yeelded? the frigat answered, Not so,
they neither have, nor purpose to yeeld, onely they have
sent a man of their company to speake with our Generall:
and being come to the Gallie wherein he was, he shewed
himselfe to M. Rowit in his armour, his guard of souldiers
attending upon him in armour also, and began to speake
very proudly in this sort: Thou Englishman, from whence
is your fleete, why stand ye aloofe off, knowe ye not
your duetie to the Catholique King, whose person I here
represent? Where are your billes of lading, your letters,
pasports, and the chiefe of your men? Thinke ye my
attendance in these seas to be in vaine, or my person to
no purpose? Let al these things be done out of hand
as I command, upon paine of my further displeasure and
the spoyle of you all: These wordes of the Spanish
Generall were not so outragiously pronounced as they
were mildly answered by M. Rowit, who tolde him that
they were al Marchantmen, using trafique in honest sort,
and seeking to passe quietly, if they were not urged
further then reason. As for the king of Spaine, he
thought (for his part) that there was amitie betwixt him
and his soveraigne the Queene of England, so that neither
he nor his officers should goe about to offer any such
injurie to English Marchants, who as they were farre
from giving offence to any man, so they would be loath
to take an abuse at the handes of any, or sit downe to
their losse, where their abilitie was able to make defence.
And as touching his commandement aforesaide, for the
acknowledging of duetie, in such particular sort, he told
him, that where there was no dutie owing, there none
should be performed, assuring him that their whole company and shippes in generall, stood resolutely upon the
negative, and would not yeeld to any such unreasonable
demaund, joyned with such imperious and absolute maner
of commanding. Why then, said he, if they wil neither
come to yeeld, nor shew obedience to me in the name
of my king, I wil either sinke them or bring them to
harbor, and so tell them from me. With that the frigat
came away with M. Rowit, and brought him aboord the
English Admiral againe according to promise: who was
no sooner entred in, but by and by defiance was sounded
on both sides: the Spaniards hewed off the noses of the
Gallies, that nothing might hinder the levell of the shot,
and the English on the other side couragiously prepared
themselves to the combat, every man according to his
roome, bent to performe his office with alacritie and
diligence. In the meane time a Cannon was discharged
from the Admirall of the gallies, which being the onset
of the fight, was presently answered by the English
Admiral with a Culvering: so the skirmish began, and
grew hot and terrible, there was no powder nor shot
spared: ech English ship matched it selfe in good order
against two Spanish Gallies, besides the inequalitie of
the frigats on the Spaniards side: and although our men
performed their parts with singular valure, according to
their strength, insomuch that the enemie as amased therewith would oftentimes pause and stay, and consult what
was best to be done, yet they ceased not in the midst
of their businesse to make prayer to Almighty God the
revenger of al evils, and the giver of victories, that it
would please him to assist them in that good quarell
of theirs, in defending themselves against to proud a
tyrant, to teach their handes to warre, and their fingers
to fight, that the glory of the victory might redound
to his Name, and to the honor of true Religion which
the insolent enemie sought so much to overthrowe. Contrarily, the foolish Spaniardes cried out according to
their maner, not to God, but to our Lady (as they terme
the virgin Mary) saying, 0 Lady helpe, 0 blessed Lady
give us the victory, and the honor thereof shalbe thine.
Thus with blowes & prayers on both sides the fight continued furious and sharpe, and doubtful a long time to
which part the victory would incline: til at the last the
Admiral of the Gallies of Sicilie began to warpe from
the fight, and to holde up her side for feare of sinking,
and after her went also two others in like case, whom
al the sort of them inclosed, labouring by all their meanes
to keepe them above water, being ready by the force of
English shot which they had received to perish in the
seas: & what slaughter was done among the Spaniards
themselves, the English were uncertaine, but by a probable conjecture apparant afar off, they supposed their
losse was so great, that they wanted men to continue
the charging of their pieces: whereupon with shame and
dishonor, after 5. houres spent in the battel, they withdrew themselves: and the English contented in respect
of their deepe lading, rather to continue their voyage
then to follow the chase, ceased from further blowes, with
the losse onely of two men slaine amongst them all, and
another hurt in his arme, whom M. Wilkinson with his
good words and friendly promises did so comfort, that
he nothing esteemed the smart of his wound in respect
of the honour of the victory, and the shamefull repulse of
the enemy.
Thus with duetiful thankes to the mercy of God for
his gracious assistance in that danger, the English ships
proceeded in their Navigation, and comming as high as
Alger
, a port towne upon the coast of Barbary, they fell
with it, of purpose to refresh themselves after their wearinesse, and to take in such supply of fresh water &
victuals, as they needed: they were no sooner entred
into the port, but immediatly the king thereof sent a
messenger to the ships to knowe what they were, with
which messenger the chiefe master of ech shippe repaired
to the king, and acquainted him not onely with the state
of their ships, in respect of marchandize, but with the
late fight which they had passed with the Spanish Gallies,
reporting every particular circumstance in word as it fell
out in action: whereof the said king shewed himselfe
marvellous glad, interteining them in the best sort, and
promising abundant reliefe of all their wants, making
generall proclamation in the city upon paine of death,
that no man of what degree or state soever he were,
should presume either to hinder them in their affaires,
or to offer them any maner of injury in body or goods.
By vertue whereof they dispatched al things in excellent
good sort, with al favor & peaceablenesse: only such
prisoners and captives of the Spaniards as were in the
Citie, seeing the good usage which they received, and
hearing also what service they had performed against the
foresaide Gallies, grudged exceedingly against them, and
sought as much as they could to practise some mischiefe
against them: and one amongst the rest seeing an
Englishman alone in a certaine lane of the Citie, came
upon him suddenly, and with his knife thrust him in
the side, yet made no such great wound, but that it was
easily recovered. The English company hearing of it,
acquainted the king with the fact, who immediatly sent
both for the party that had received the wound, and the
offender also, and caused an executioner in the presence
of himselfe and the English, to chastise the slave even
to death, which was performed to the ende that no man
should presume to commit the like part, or to doe any
thing in contempt of his royal commandement.
The English having received this good justice at the
kings hands, and al other things that they wanted, or
could crave for the furnishing of their shippes, tooke
their leave of him, and of the rest of their friendes, that
were resident in Alger
, and put out to Sea, looking to
meete with the second army of the Spanish king, which
waited for them about the mouth of the Straights of
Gibraltar, which they were of necessitie to passe. But
comming neere to the said Streight, it pleased God to
raise at that instant a very darke and mistie fogge, so
that one ship coulde not discerne another, if it were 40.
paces off: by meanes whereof, together with the notable
faire Easterne winds that then blewe most fit for their
course, they passed with great speed through the Streight,
and might have passed with that good gale, had there
bene 500. Gallies to withstand them, and the aire never
so cleare for every ship to be seene. But yet the Spanish
Gallies had a sight of them when they were come within
3. English miles of the towne, and made after them in
all possible haste, and although they saw that they were
farre out of their reach, yet in a vaine fury and foolish
pride, they shot off their Ordinance, and made a stirre
in the Sea as if they had bene in the midst of them,
which vanitie of theirs ministred to our men notable
matter of pleasure and mirth, seeing men to fight with
shadowes, and to take so great paines to so small purpose.
But thus it pleased God to deride, and delude all the
forces of that proud Spanish king, which he had provided
of purpose to distresse the English, who notwithstanding
passed through both his Armies, in the one, little hurt,
and in the other nothing touched, to the glory of his
immortall Name, the honour of our Prince and Countrey,
and the just commendation of ech mans service performed
in that voyage.
