The maner of the taking of two Spanish ships laden
with quicksilver & the Popes bulles, bound for the
West Indies, by M. Thomas White in the Amity of
London. 1592.
THE 26 of July 1592, in my returning out of Barbary
in the ship called the Amity of London, being in the
height of 36 degrees or thereabout, at foure of the clocke
in the morning we had sight of two shippes, being distant
from us about three or foure leagues: by seven of the
clocke we fetched them up, and were within gunshot:
whose boldnesse, having the king of Spaines armes displayed, did make us judge them rather ships of warre,
then laden with marchandise. And as it appeared by
their owne speeches, they made full account to have
taken us: it being a question among them, whether it
were best to cary us to S. Lucar, or to Lisbon
. We
waved ech other a maine. They having placed themselves in warlike order one a cables length before another,
we began the fight. In the which we continued, so fast
as we were able to charge and discharge, the space of
five houres, being never a cables length distant either of
us from other. In which time we received divers shot
both in the hull of our ship, masts, and sailes, to the
number of 32 great, besides 500 musket shot and harquebuzes a crocke at the least, which we tolde after the
fight. And because we perceived them to be stout, we
thought good to boord the Biscaine, which was on head
the other: where lying aboord about an houre, and plying
our ordinance and small shot; in the end we stowed all
his men. Now the other in the flieboat, thinking we
had entred our men in their fellow, bare roome with us,
meaning to have layed us aboord, and so to have
intrapped us betwixt them both: which we perceiving,
fitted our ordinance so for him, as we quitted our selves
of him, and he boorded his fellow: by which meanes
they both fell from us. Then presently we kept our
loofe, hoised our top-sailes, and weathered them, and
came hard aboard the flieboat with our ordinance prepared, and gave her our whole broad side, with the
which we slew divers of their men; so as we might see
the blood run out at the scupper holes. After that we
cast about, and new charged all our ordinance, and came
upon them againe, willing them to yeeld, or els we would
sinke them: wherupon the one would have yeelded, which
was shot betweene winde and water; but the other called
him traitor. Unto whom we made answere, that if he
would not yeeld presently also, we would sinke him first.
And thereupon he understanding our determination,
presently put out a white flag, and yeelded, and yet
refused to strike their own sailes, for that they were
sworne never to strike to any Englishman. We then
commanded their captaines and masters to come aboord
us; which they did. And after examination & stowing
them, we sent certaine of our owne men aboord them,
and strook their sailes, and manned their ships: finding
in them both 126 persons living, & 8 dead, besides those
which they themselves had cast overboord. So it pleased
God to give us the victory being but 42 men and a boy,
whereof 2 were killed and 3 wounded: for the which
good successe we give God the only praise. These two
rich prizes laden with 1400 chests of quicksilver with
the armes of Castile
and Leon
fastened upon them, and
with a great quantity of bulles or indulgences, and guilded
Missals or Service books, with an hundred tunnes of
excellent wines, we brought shortly after into the river
of Thames
up to Blacke-wall.
By the taking of this quicksilver, about 1400 chests,
the king of Spaine loseth for every quintall of the same
a quintall of silver, that should have beene delivered him
by the masters of the mines there, which amounteth to
600000 pounds.
More by taking of his bulles, to wit, two millions and
72 thousand for living and dead persons for the provinces
of Nova Hispania, Iucatan, Guatimala, the Honduras
,
and the Phillipinas, taxed at two reals the piece. And
more for eighteene thousand bulles taxed at foure reals,
amounteth all to 107700 pounds. Summa totalis 707700 li.
More there were taken ten fardels of gilt missals and
breviaries sent for the kings account.
So the hinderance that the king receiveth by the losse
of his bulles and quicksilver amounteth as is abovesaid:
besides the lacking of his wines, about 100 tunnes,
whereby his fleet is disappointed of a great part of their
provision.