A report of the trueth of the fight about the Isles of
Acores, the last of August 1591. betwixt the Revenge.
one of her Majesties shippes, and an Armada of the
king of Spaine; Penned by the honourable Sir Walter
Ralegh knight.
BECAUSE the rumours are diversly spred, as well in
England as in the Lowe countreis and elsewhere, of this
late encounter betweene her Majesties ships and the
Armada of Spaine; and that the Spaniards according
to their usuall maner, fill the world with their vaineglorious vaunts, making great apparance of victories,
when on the contrary, themselves are most commonly
and shamefully beaten and dishonoured; thereby hoping
to possesse the ignorant multitude by anticipating & forerunning false reports: It is agreeable with all good
reason, for manifestation of the truth, to overcome
falshood and untrueth; that the beginning, continuance
and successe of this late honourable encounter of Sir
Richard Greenvil, and other her Majesties Captaines,
with the Armada of Spaine; should be truely set downe
and published without partialitie or false imaginations.
And it is no marveile that the Spaniard should seeke by
false and slanderous pamphlets, advisoes and Letters, to
cover their owne losse, and to derogate from others their
due honors, especially in this fight being performed far
off: seeing they were not ashamed in the yeere 1588.
when they purposed the invasion of this land, to publish
in sundry languages in print, great victories in wordes,
which they pleaded to have obteined against this Realme;
and spred the same in a most false sort over all parts
of France, Italy
, and elsewhere. When shortly after it
was happily manifested in very deed to al Nations, how
their Navy which they termed invincible, consisting of
140. saile of shippes, not onely of their owne kingdome,
but strengthened with the greatest Argosies, Portugal
Caracks, Florentines, and huge hulks of other Countreis,
were by 30. of her Majesties owne ships of war, and a
few of our owne Marchants, by the wise, valiant, and
advantagious conduct of the L. Charles Howard high
Admirall of England, beaten and shuffled together; even
from the Lizard in Cornwall
first to Portland
, where
they shamefully left Don Pedro de Valdes, with his mighty
ship; from Portland
to Cales
, where they lost Hugo de
Moncado, with the Gallias of which he was Captaine, and
from Cales
, driven with squibs from their anchors, were
chased out of the sight of England, round about Scotland
and Ireland
. Were for the sympathie of their barbarous
religion, hoping to finde succour and assistance, a great
part of them were crusht against the rocks, and those
other that landed, being very many in number, were
notwithstanding broken, slaine, and taken, and so sent
from village to village coupled in halters, to be shipped
into England. Where her Majestie of her Princely and
invincible disposition, disdaining to put them to death,
and scorning either to retaine or entertaine them: they
were all sent backe againe to their countreys, to witnes
and recount the worthy achievements of their invincible
and dreadfull Navy: Of which the number of Souldiers,
the fearefull burthen of their shippes, the commanders
names of every squadron, with all other their magasines
of provisions, were put in print, as an Army and Navy
unresistable, and disdaining prevention. With all which
so great and terrible an ostentation, they did not in all
their sailing round about England, so much as sinke or
take one shippe, Barke, Pinnesse, or Cockbote of ours:
or ever burnt so much as one sheepecote of this land.
Whenas on the contrarie, Sir Francis Drake, with onely
800. souldiers not long before, landed in their Indies,
and forced Sant-Iago, Santo Domingo, Cartagena, and
the forts of Florida
.
And after that, Sir John Norris marched from Peniche
in
Portugall, with a handfull of souldiers, to the gates
of Lisbone, being above 40 English miles. Where the
Earle of Essex himselfe and other valiant Gentlemen
braved the Citie of Lisbone, encamped at the very gates;
from whence, after many dayes abode, finding neither
promised partie, nor provision to batter; they made retrait
by land, in despight of all their Garrisons, both of horse
& foote. In this sort I have a little digressed from my
first purpose, onely by the necessarie comparison of theirs
and our actions: the one covetous of honour without
vaunt of ostentation; the other so greedy to purchase
the opinion of their owne affaires, and by false rumors
to resist the blasts of their owne dishonours, as they
will not onely not blush to spread all manner of untruthes:
but even for the least advantage, be it but for the taking
of one poore adventurer of the English, will celebrate
the victory with bonefires in every towne, alwayes spending more in faggots, then the purchase was worth they
obtained. When as we never thought it worth the consumption of two billets, when we have taken eight or
ten of their Indian shippes at one time, and twentie of
the Brasill fleete. Such is the difference betweene true
valure, and ostentation: and betweene honourable actions,
and frivolous vaineglorious vaunts. But now to returne
to my purpose.
The L. Thomas Howard with sixe of her Majesties
shippes, sixe victualers of London, the Barke Ralegh,
& two or three other Pinnases riding at anker neere unto
Flores, one of the
Westerly Ilands of the Azores, the
last of August in the afternoone, had intelligence by one
Captaine Middleton of the approch of the Spanish
Armada. Which Middleton
being in a very good sailer
had kept them company three dayes before, of good
purpose, both to discover their forces the more, as also
to give advise to my L. Thomas of their approch. Hee
had no sooner delivered the newes but the fleete was
in sight: many of our shippes companies were on shore
in the Ilande; some providing balast for their ships;
others filling of water and refreshing themselves from
the land with such things as they could either for money,
or by force recover. By reason whereof our ships being
all pestered and romaging every thing out of order, very
light for want of balast, and that which was most to
our disadvantage, the one halfe part of the men of every
shippe sicke, and utterly unserviceable: for in the
Revenge there were ninety diseased: in the Bonaventure
,
not so many in health as could handle her maine saile.
For had not twenty men beene taken out of a Barke
of sir George Careys, his being commaunded to be sunke,
and those appointed to her, she had hardly ever recovered
England. The rest, for the most parte, were in little
better state. The names of her Majesties shippes were
these as followeth, the Defiance, which was Admiral, the
Revenge Viceadmirall, the Bonaventure
commaunded by
Captaine Crosse, the Lion by George Fenner, the Foresight by M. Thomas Vavasour, and the Crane by Duffild.
The Foresight & the Crane being but smal ships; only
the other were of the middle size; the rest, besides the
Barke Ralegh, commanded by Captaine Thin, were
victuallers, and of small force or none. The Spanish
fleet having shrouded their approch by reason of the
Island; were now so soone at hand, as our shippes had
scarce time to way their anchors, but some of them were
driven to let slippe their Cables and set saile. Sir Richard
Grinvile was the last that wayed, to recover the men
that were upon the Island, which otherwise had bene lost.
The L. Thomas with the rest very hardly recovered the
winde, which Sir Richard Grinvile not being able to doe,
was perswaded by the Master and others to cut his maine
sayle, and cast about, and to trust to the sayling of the
ship; for the squadron of Sivil were on his weather bow.
But Sir Richard utterly refused to turne from the enemie,
alleaging that hee would rather choose to die, then to
dishonour himselfe, his countrey, and her Majesties
shippe, perswading his companie that hee would passe
through the two squadrons, in despight of them, and
enforce those of Sivil to give him way. Which hee
performed upon divers of the formost, who, as the
Mariners terme it, sprang their luffe, and fell under the
lee of the Revenge. But the other course had beene
the better, and might right well have bene answered in
so great an impossibility of prevaling. Notwithstanding
out of the greatnesse of his minde, he could not be
perswaded. In the meane while as hee attended those
which were nearest him, the great San Philip being in
the winde of him, and comming towards him, becalmed
his sailes in such sort, as the shippe could neither make
way, nor feele the helme: so huge and high carged was
the Spanish ship, being of a thousand and five hundreth
tuns. Who after layd the Revenge aboord. When he
was thus bereft of his sailes, the ships that were under
his lee luffing up, also layd him aboord: of which the
next was the Admiral of the Biscaines, a very mighty
and puissant shippe commanded by Brittandona. The
sayd Philip carried three tire of ordinance on a side, and
eleven pieces in every tire. She shot eight forth right
out of her chase, besides those of her sterne ports.
After the Revenge was entangled with this Philip,
foure other boorded her; two on her larboord, and two
on her starboord. The fight thus beginning at three of
the clock in the afternoone, continued very terrible all
that evening. But the great San Philip having received
the lower tire of the Revenge, discharged with crossebarshot, shifted her selfe with all diligence from her sides,
utterly misliking her first entertainement. Some say that
the shippe foundred, but we cannot report it for truth,
unlesse we were assured. The Spanish ships were filled
with companies of souldiers, in some two hundred besides
the mariners; in some five, in others eight hundreth.
In ours there were none at all beside the mariners, but
the servants of the commanders and some few voluntary
gentlemen onely. After many enterchanged volies of
great ordinance and small shot, the Spaniards deliberated
to enter the Revenge, and made divers attempts, hoping
to force her by the multitudes of their armed soulders
and Musketters, but were still repulsed againe and againe,
and at all times beaten backe into their owne ships, or
into the seas. In the beginning of the fight, the George
Noble of London having received some shot thorow her
by the Armadas, fell under the lee of the Revenge, and
asked Sir Richard what he would command him, being
but one of the victuallers and of small force: Sir Richard
bid him save himself, and leave him to his fortune.
After the fight had thus, without intermission, continued
while the day lasted and some houres of the night, many
of our men were slaine and hurte, and one of the great
Gallions of the Armada, and the Admirall of the Hulkes
both sunke, and in many other of the Spanish shippes
great slaughter was made. Some write that sir Richard
was very dangerously hurt almost in the beginning of
the fight, and lay speechlesse for a time ere hee recovered.
But two of the Revenges owne company, brought home
in a ship of Lime from the Ilandes, examined by some
of the Lordes, and others, affirmed that hee was never
so wounded as that hee forsooke the upper decke, till
an houre before midnight; and then being shot into the
bodie with a Musket as hee was a dressing, was againe
shot into the head, and withall his Chirurgion wounded
to death. This agreeth also with an examination taken
by sir Francis Godolphin, of foure other mariners of the
same shippe being returned, which examination, the said
sir Francis sent unto master William Killegrue, of her
Majesties privy Chamber.
But to returne to the fight, the Spanish ships which
attempted to bord the Revenge, as they were wounded
and beaten off, so alwayes others came in their places,
she having never lesse then two mighty Gallions by her
sides, and aboard her: So that ere the morning, from
three of the clocke the day before, there had fifteene
severall Armadas assayled her; and all so ill approved
their entertainement, as they were by the breake of day,
far more willing to harken to a composition, then hastily
to make any more assaults or entries. But as the day
encreased, so our men decreased: and as the light grew
more and more, by so much more grewe our discomforts.
For none appeared in sight but enemies, saving one
small ship called the Pilgrim, commaunded by Jacob
Whiddon, who hovered all night to see the successe:
but in the morning bearing with the Revenge, was hunted
like a hare amongst many ravenous houndes, but escaped.
All the powder of the Revenge to the last barrell was
now spent, all her pikes broken, fortie of her best men
slaine, and the most part of the rest hurt. In the beginning of the fight shee had but one hundreth free from
sicknes, and fourescore & ten sicke, laid in hold upon
the Ballast. A small troup to man such a ship, & a
weake garrison to resist so mighty an army. By those
hundred al was susteined, the voleis, boordings, .and
entrings of fifteen ships of warre, besides those which
beat her at large. On the contrary, the Spanish were
always supplied with souldiers brought from every
squadron: all maner of Armes and powder at will. Unto
ours there remained no comfort at all, no hope, no supply
either of ships, men, or weapons; the Mastes all beaten
over boord, all her tackle cut asunder, her upper worke
altogether rased, and in effect evened shee was with the
water, but the very foundation or bottome of a ship,
nothing being left over head either for flight or defence.
Sir Richard finding himselfe in this distresse, and unable
any longer to make resistance, having endured in this
fifteene houres fight, the assault of fifteene severall
Armadas, all by turnes aboord him, and by estimation
eight hundred shotte of great Artillerie, besides many
assaults and entries; and that himselfe and the shippe
must needes be possessed by the enemy, who were now
all cast in a ring round about him. (The Revenge not
able to moove one way or other, but as she was moved
with the waves and billow of the sea) commaunded the
Master gunner, whom hee knew to be a most resolute
man, to split and sinke the shippe; that thereby nothing
might remaine of glory or victory to the Spaniards:
seeing in so many houres fight, and with so great a
Navie they were not able to take her, having had fifteene
houres time, above ten thousand men, & fiftie and three
saile of men of warre to performe it withall: and perswaded the company, or as many as hee could induce,
to yeelde themselves unto God, and to the mercie of none
else; but as they had, like valiant resolute men, repulsed
so many enemies, they should not nowe shorten the
honour of their Nation, by prolonging their owne lives
for a few houres, or a fewe dayes. The Master gunner
readily condescended and divers others; but the Captaine
and the Master were of another opinion, and besought
Sir Richard to have care of them: alleaging that the
Spaniard would be as ready to entertaine a composition,
as they were willing to offer the same: and that there
being divers sufficient and valiant men yet living, and
whose wounds were not mortal, they might do their
Countrey and prince acceptable service hereafter. And
whereas Sir Richard had alleaged that the Spaniards
should never glory to have taken one shippe of her
Majestie, seeing they had so long and so notably defended
themselves; they answered, that the shippe had sixe
foote water in holde, three shot under water, which were
so weakely stopped, as with the first working of the
sea, she must needs sinke, and was besides so crusht
and brused, as shee could never be removed out of the
place.
And as the matter was thus in dispute, and Sir Richard
refusing to hearken to any of those reasons: the Master
of the Revenge (while the Captaine wanne unto him the
greater party) was convoyd aboord the Generall Don
Alfonso Bacan. Who (finding none over hastie to enter
the Revenge againe, doubting least Sir Richard would
have blowne them up and himselfe, and perceiving by
the report of the Master of the Revenge his dangerous
disposition) yeelded that all their lives should be saved,
the company sent for England, & the better sort to pay
such reasonable ransome as their estate would beare,
and in the meane season to be free from Gally or imprisonment. To this he so much the rather condescended as
wel, as I have said, for feare of further losse and
mischiefe to themselves, as also for the desire he had
to recover Sir Richard Greenvil; whom for his notable
valure he seemed greatly to honour and admire.
When this answere was returned, and that safetie of
life was promised, the common sort being now at the
ende of their perill, the most drew backe from Sir Richard
and the Master gunner, being no hard matter to disswade men from death to life. The Master gunner
finding himselfe and Sir Richard thus prevented and
mastered by the greater number, would have slaine himselfe with a sword, had he not bene by force with-held
and locked into his Cabben. Then the Generall sent
many boates aboord the Revenge, and divers of our men
fearing Sir Richards disposition, stole away aboord the
Generall and other shippes. Sir Richard thus overmatched, was sent unto by Alfonso Bacan to remoove
out of the Revenge, the shippe being marveilous unsavorie, filled with blood and bodies of dead, and wounded
men like a slaughter house. Sir Richard answered that
hee might doe with his body what he list, for hee esteemed
it not, and as he was carried out of the shippe hee
swounded, and reviving againe desired the company to
pray for him. The Generall used Sir Richard with all
humanitie, and left nothing unattempted that tended to
his recoverie, highly commending his valour and worthinesse, and greatly bewailing the danger wherein he was,
being unto them a rare spectacle, and a resolution sildome
approoved, to see one shippe turne toward so many
enemies, to endure the charge and boording of so many
huge Armadas, and to resist and repell the assaults and
entries of so many souldiers. All which and more is
confirmed by a Spanish Captaine of the same Armada,
and a present actor in the fight, who being severed from
the rest in a storme, was by the Lion of London a small
ship taken, and is now prisoner in London.
The generall commander of the Armada, was Don
Alphonso Bacan, brother to the Marques of Santa Cruz.
The admiral of the Biscaine squadron, was Britandona.
Of the squadron of Sivil, the Marques of Arumburch.
The Hulkes and Flybotes were commanded by Luis
Coutinho. There were slaine and drowned in this fight,
well neere one thousand of the enemies, and two speciall
commanders Don Luis de sant John, and Don George
de Prunaria de Mallaga, as the Spanish captaine confesseth, besides divers others of speciall account, whereof
as yet report is not made.
The Admirall of the Hulkes and the Ascension of Sivil
were both sunke by the side of the Revenge; one other
recovered the rode of Saint Michael, and sunke also there;
a fourth ranne her selfe with the shore to save her men.
Sir Richard died as it is sayd, the second or third day
aboord the Generall, and was by them greatly bewailed.
What became of his body, whether it were buried in
the sea or on the land we know not: the comfort that
remayneth to his friends is, that hee hath ended his life
honourably in respect of the reputation wonne to his
nation and countrey, and of the same to his posteritie,
and that being dead, he hath not outlived his owne
honour.
For the rest of her Majesties ships that entred not
so farre into the fight as the Revenge, the reasons and
causes were these. There were of them but sixe in all,
whereof two but small ships; the Revenge ingaged past
recovery: The
Iland of Flores was on the one side, 53
saile of the Spanish, divided into squadrons on the other,
all as full filled with souldiers as they could containe:
Almost the one halfe of our men sicke and not able to
serve: the ships growne foule, unroomaged, and scarcely
able to beare any saile for want of balast, having bene
sixe moneths at the sea before. If all the rest had entred,
all had bene lost: for the very hugenes of the Spanish
fleete, if no other violence had beene offered, would have
crusht them betweene them into shivers. Of which the
dishonour and losse to the Queene had bene farre greater
then the spoyle or harme that the enemie could any way
have received. Notwithstanding it is very true, that the
Lord Thomas would have entred betweene the squadrons,
but the rest would not condescend; and the master of
his owne ship offred to leape into the sea, rather then
to conduct that her Majesties ship and the rest to bee
a pray to the enemie, where there was no hope nor
possibilitie either of defence or victory. Which also in
my opinion had ill sorted or answered the discretion and
trust of a Generall, to commit himselfe and his charge
to an assured destruction, without hope or any likelyhood
of prevailing: thereby to diminish the strength of her
Majesties Navy, and to enrich the pride and glory of the
enemie. The Foresight of the Queenes commaunded by
M. Thomas Vavisor performed a very great fight, and
stayed two houres as neere the Revenge as the weather
would permit him, not forsaking the fight, till he was
like to be encompassed by the squadrons, & with great
difficultie cleared himselfe. The rest gave divers voleis
of shot, and entred as farre as the place permitted, and
their owne necessities, to keepe the weather gage of
the enemie, untill they were parted by night. A fewe
dayes after the fight was ended, and the English prisoners
dispersed into the Spanish and Indie ships, there arose
so great a storme from the West and Northwest, that
all the fleete was dispersed, as well the Indian fleete
which were then come unto them, as the rest of the
Armada that attended their arrivall, of which 14. saile
together with the Revenge, and in her 200 Spaniards,
were cast away upon the
Isle of S. Michael. So it
pleased them to honor the buriall of that renowmed ship
the Revenge, not suffering her to perish alone, for the
great honour she atchieved in her life time. On the rest
of the Ilandes there were cast away in this storme, 15 or
16 more of the ships of warre: and of an hundred and
odde saile of the Indie fleete, expected this yeere in
Spaine, what in this tempest, and what before in the
bay of Mexico, and about the Bermudas
, there were 70
and odde consumed and lost, with those taken by our
shippes of London, besides one very rich Indian ship,
which set her selfe on fire, beeing boorded by the Pilgrim,
and five other taken by master Wats his ships of London,
between the Havana and
Cape S. Antonio. The fourth
of this moneth of November we received letters from the
Tercera, affirming that there are 3000 bodies of men
remaining in that Iland, saved out of the perished ships:
& that by the Spaniards owne confession, there are
10000 cast away in this storme, besides those that are
perished betweene the Ilands and the maine. Thus it
hath pleased God to fight for us, and to defend the
justice of our cause, against the ambicious and bloody
pretenses of the Spaniard, who seeking to devoure all
nations, are themselves devoured. A manifest testimony
how injust and displeasing, their attempts are in the
sight of God, who hath pleased to witnes by the successe
of their affaires, his mislike of their bloody and injurious
designes, purposed and practised against all Christian
princes, over whom they seeke unlawfull and ungodly
rule and Empery.
One day or two before this wracke happened to the
Spanish fleete, when as some of our prisoners desired to
be set on shore upon the Ilandes, hoping to be from thence
transported into England, which libertie was formerly
by the Generall promised: One Morice Fitz John, sonne
of olde John of Desmond, a notable traytour, cousin
german to the late Earle of Desmond, was sent to the
English from shippe to shippe, to perswade them to
serve the King of Spaine. The arguments hee used to
induce them were these. The increase of pay which he
promised to be trebled: advancement to the better sort:
and the exercise of the true Catholique Religion, and
safetie of their soules to all. For the first, even the
beggerly and unnaturall behaviour of those English and
Irish rebels, that served the King in that present action,
was sufficient to answere that first argument of rich pay.
For so poore and beggerly they were, as for want of
apparell they stripped their poore Countrey men prisoners
out of their ragged garments, worne to nothing by sixe
months service, and spared not to despoyle them even
of their bloody shirtes, from their wounded bodies, and
the very shooes from their feete; A notable testimonie
of their rich entertainment and great wages. The second
reason was hope of advancement if they served well, and
would continue faithfull to the King. But what man
can bee so blockishly ignorant ever to expect place or
honour from a forraine King, having no other argument
or perswasion then his owne disloyaltie; to be unnaturall
to his owne Countrey that bred him; to his parents that
begat him, and rebellious to his true Prince, to whose
obedience he is bound by oath, by nature, and by
Religion? No, they are onely assured to be imployed
in all desperate enterprises, to bee helde in scorne and
disdaine ever among those whom they serve. And that
ever traitour was either trusted or advanced I could
never yet reade, nether can I at this time remember any
example. And no man coulde have lesse becommed the
place of an Orator for such a purpose, then this Morice
of Desmond. For the Erle
his cosen being one of the
greatest subjects in that kingdom of Ireland
, having
almost whole Countreis in his possession; so many goodly
Mannors, castles, and lordships; the Count Palatine of
Kerry, five hundred gentlemen of his owne name and
family to follow him, besides others (all which he possessed in peace for three or foure hundred yeeres) was
in lesse then three yeeres after his adhering to the
Spaniards and rebellion, beaten from all his holdes, not
so many as ten gentlemen of his name left living, himselfe taken and beheaded by a souldier of his owne nation,
and his land given by a Parliament to her Majestie, and
possessed by the English: His other cosen Sir John of
Desmond taken by Master John Zouch, and his body
hanged over the gates of his native Citie to be devoured
by ravens: the thirde brother Sir James hanged, drawne,
and quartered in the same place. If hee had withall
vaunted of his successe of his owne house, no doubt the
argument would have mooved much, and wrought great
effect: which because, hee for that present forgot, I
thought it good to remember in his behalfe. For matter
of Religion it would require a particuler volume, if I
should set downe how irreligiously they cover their greedy
and ambicious pretences, with that veile of pietie. But
sure I am, that there is no kingdome or common-wealth
in all Europe, but if they be reformed, they then invade it
for religion sake: if it bee, as they terme Catholique,
they pretend title; as if the Kings of Castile
were the
naturall heires of all the world: and so betweene both, no
kingdome is unsought. Where they dare not with their
owne forces to invade, they basely entertaine the traitours
and vacabonds of all Nations: seeking by those and by
their runnagate Jesuits to winne parts, and have by that
meane ruined many Noble houses and others in this lande,
and have extinguished both their lives and families. What
good, honour, or fortune ever man yet by them atchieved,
is yet unheard of, or unwritten. And if our English
Papists doe but looke into Portugall, against which they
have no pretence of Religion, how the Nobilitie are put
to death, imprisoned, their rich men made a praye, and
all sorts of people captived; they shall finde that the
obedience even of the Turke is easie and a libertie, in
respect of the slaverie and tyrannie of Spaine. What
have they done in
Sicill, in Naples
, Millaine, and in the
Low countreis; who hath there bene spared for Religion
at all? And it commeth to my remembrance of a certaine
Burger of Antwerpe, whose house being entred by a
company of Spanish souldiers, when they first sacked the
Citie, hee besought them to spare him and his goods,
being a good Catholique, and one of their owne partie
and faction. The Spaniards answered, that they knew
him to be of a good conscience for himselfe, but his
money, plate, jewels, and goods, were all hereticall, and
therefore good prize. So they abused and tormented the
foolish Fleming, who hoped that an Agnus Dei had bene
a sufficient target against all force of that holy and
charitable nation. Neither have they at any time as they
protest invaded the kingdomes of the Indies and Peru,
and elsewhere, but onely led thereunto, rather to reduce
the people to Christianitie, then for either gold or
Emperie. When as in one onely Island called Hispaniola,
they have wasted thirtie hundred thousand of the naturall
people, besides many millions else in other places of the
Indies : a poore and harmelesse people created of God, and
might have bene wonne to his knowledge, as many of
them were, and almost as many as ever were perswaded
thereunto. The storie whereof is at large written by a
Bishop of their owne nation called Bartholomew de las
Casas, and translated into English and many other
languages, intituled The Spanish cruelties. Who would
therefore repose trust in such a nation of ravenous
strangers, and especially in those Spaniards which more
greedily thirst after English blood, then after the lives of
any other people of Europe, for the many overthrowes
and dishonours they have received at our hands, whose
weakenesse wee have discovered to the world, and whose
forces at home, abroad, in Europe, in India, by sea and
land, wee have even with handfulles of men and shippes,
overthrowen and dishonoured. Let not therefore any
English man, of what religion soever, have other opinion
of the Spaniards, but that those whom hee seeketh to
winne of our Nation, he esteemeth base and trayterous,
unworthy persons, or unconstant fooles: and that he
useth his pretence of religion, for no other purpose but to
bewitch us from the obedience of our naturall Prince,
thereby hoping in time to bring us to slavery and subjection, and then none shall be unto them so odious, and
disdayned as the traitours themselves, who have solde
their Countrey to a stranger, and forsaken their faith and
obedience contrarie to nature & religion; and contrarie
to that humane and generall honour, not onely of
Christians, but of heathen and irreligious nations, who
have alwayes sustayned what labour soever, and embraced
even death it selfe, for their countrey, Prince, or commonwealth. To conclude, it hath ever to this day pleased
God to prosper and defend her Majestie, to breake the
purposes of malicious enemies, of forsworne traytors,
and of injust practises and invasions. She hath ever
beene honoured of the worthiest kings, served by faithfull
subjects, and shall by the favour of God, resist, repell,
and confound all whatsoever attempts against her sacred
person or kingdome. In the meane time let the Spaniard
and traytour vaunt of their successe, and wee her true
and obedient vassals, guided by the shining light of her
vertues, shall alwayes love her, serve her, and obey her
to the end of our lives.
