and another in the East Indies. This fight was
open off the Sound between Faial and Pico 6 leagues
to the Southward. The people which we saued told
vs that the cause why they would not yeeld, was, because
this Carack was for the king, and that she had all
the goods belonging to the king in the countrey for
that yeere in her, and that the captaine of her was
in fauor with the king, and at his returne into the
Indies should haue bene Viceroy there. And withall
this ship was nothing at all pestered neither within
boord nor without, and was more like a ship of warre
then otherwise: moreouer she had the ordinance
of a Carak that was cast away at Mocambique, and the
company of her, together with the company of another
Carack that was cast away a little to the Eastwards
of the Cape of Buona Speranza. Yet through sicknesse
which they caught at Angola, where they watered, they
say, they had not now aboue 150 white men, but Negros
a great many. They likewise affirmed that they
had three noblemen and three ladies in her, but we
found them to differ in most of their talke.
All this day and all the night she burned, but the
next morning her poulder which was lowest being 60
barrels blew her abroad, so that most of the ship
did swim in parts aboue the water. Some of them
say, that she was bigger then the Madre de Dios, and
some, that she was lesse: but she was much vndermastered,
and vndersailed, yet she went well for a ship that
was so foule. The shot which wee made at her
in great Ordinance before we layde her aboord might
be at seuen bouts which we had, and sixe or 7 shot
at a bout, one with another, some 49 shot: the
time we lay aboord might be two houres. The shot
which we discharged aboord the Carack might be some
twentie Sacars. And thus much may suffice concerning
our daungerous conflict with that vnfortunate Carack.
The last of Iune after long traversing of the seas
we had sight of another mightie Carack which diuerse
of our company at the first tooke to be the great
S. Philip the Admiral of Spaine, but the next day being
the first of Iuly fetching her vp we perceiued her
indeede to be a Carack, which after some few shot
bestowed vpon her we summoned to yeeld; but they standing
stoutly to their defence vtterly refused the same.
Wherefore seeing no good could be done without boording
her I consulted what course we should take in the
boording. But by reason that wee which were the
chiefe captaines were partly slaine and partly wounded
in the former conflict, and because of the murmuring
of some disordered and cowardly companions, our valiant
and resolute determinations were crossed: and
to conclude a long discourse in few words, the Carack
escaped our hands. After this attending about
Coruo and Flores for some West Indian purchase, and
being disappointed of our expectation, and victuals
growing short, we returned for England, where I arriued
at Portesmouth the 28 of August.
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