Our prizes were laden with sugars, elephants teeth, wax, hides, Brazil-wood, and cuser? as may be made manifest by the testimony of me, John Evesham, the writer hereof, as likewise of captains Whiddon, Thomas Rainford, Benjamin Wood, William Cooper master, William Cornish master, Thomas Drak corporal, John Ladd gunner, William Warefield gunner, Richard Moon, John Drew, Richard Cooper of Harwich, William Beares of Ratcliff, John Row of Saltash, and many others.

SECTION IV.

Brief relation of notable service performed by Sir Francis Drake in 1587[338].

INTRODUCTION.

The title of this article at large in Hakluyt is, A brief relation of the notable service performed by Sir Francis Drake, upon the Spanish fleet prepared in the road of Cadiz; and of his destroying 100 sail of barks; passing from thence all along the coast of Spain to Cape Sacre, where also he took certain forts; and so to the mouth of the river of Lisbon; thence crossing over sea to the isle of St Michael, where he surprised a mighty carak called the St Philip, coming from the East Indies, being the first of that kind ever seen in England.

[Footnote 338:  Hakl.  II. 607.  Astl.  I. 197.]

The editor of Astleys Collection says, that this relation seems to have been taken from a letter, written by one who was in the expedition to a friend; and thinks that it is not unlike the manner of Sir Walter Raleigh.—­E.

* * * * *

Being informed of mighty naval preparations in Spain for the invasion of England, her Majesty queen Elizabeth, by the good advice of her grave and prudent council, thought it expedient to use measures to prevent the same; for which purpose she caused a fleet of some thirty sail to be equipped, over which she appointed as general Sir Francis Drake, of whose many former good services she had sufficient proof.  She accordingly caused four ships of her royal navy to be delivered to him, the Bonaventure, in which he went general; the Lion, under the command of Mr William Borough, comptroller of the navy; the Dreadnought, commanded by Mr Thomas Venner; and the Rainbow, of which Mr Henry Bellingham was captain[339].  Besides these four ships, two of her majestys pinnaces were appointed to serve as tenders or advice boats.  To this fleet, there were added certain tall ships belonging to the city of London, of whose special good service the general made particular mention, in his letters to the queen.

[Footnote 339:  Sir William Monson in his Naval Tracts, in Churchills Collection, III. 156, gives a short account of this expedition.  By him the admiral ship is called the Elizabeth Bonaventure, and Sir William Burroughs is called vice admiral.  From a list given by Sir William Monson of the royal navy of England left by queen Elizabeth at her death, (Church.  Coll.  III. 196.) the Bonaventure appears to have been of the burden of 600 tons, carrying 50 pieces of cannon and 250 men, 70 of whom were mariners, and the rest landsmen.  The Lion and Rainbow of 500 tons each, with the same number of guns and men as the Bonaventure.  The Dreadnought of 400 tons, 20 guns, 200 men, 50 of them seamen.—­E.]