MILES PHILIPS A.D. 



1568. 



might in this behalfe some special order be taken. This 

 message was sent away the 16. of September 1568. it 

 being the very day of our arrivall there. 



The next morning being the sevententh of the same 

 moneth, wee descried 13. saile of great shippes : and 

 after that our Generall understood, that it was the king 

 of Spaines Fleete then looked for, he presently sent to 

 advertise the Generall hereof, of our being in the said 

 port, and giving him further to understand, that before 

 he should enter there into that harbour, it was requisite 

 that there should passe betweene the two Generals some 

 orders and conditions to bee observed on either part, for 

 the better contriving of peace betweene them and theirs, 

 according to our Generals request made unto the Viceroy. 

 And at this instant our Generall was in a great perplexitie 

 of minde, considering with himselfe that if hee should 

 keepe out that Fleete from entring into the port, a thing 

 which hee was very well able to doe with the helpe of 

 God, then should that Fleete be in danger of present 

 shipwracke and losse of all their substance, which 

 amounted unto the value of one million and eight Itisputdowne 

 hundreth thousand pounds. Againe he saw that if ^: ^f ''^ '^"^ 

 he suffered them to enter, hee was assured that they ^^-^^ ^^-^ 

 would practise by all maner of meanes to betray him relation. 

 and his, and on the other side the haven was so little, 

 that the other Fleete entring, the shippes were to ride 

 one hard aboord of another. Also hee saw that if their 

 Fleete should perish by his keeping of them out, as 

 of necessitie they must if he should have done so, then 

 stood hee in great feare of the Queene our Soveraignes 

 displeasure in so waightie a cause : therefore did he 

 choose the least evill, which was to suffer them to enter 

 under assurance, and so to stand upon his guard, and to 

 defend himselfe and his from their treasons which we 

 were well assured they would practise, and so the 

 messenger being returned from Don Martin de Hen- 

 riques, the newe Viceroy, who came in the same Fleete, 

 and had sufficient authoritie to command in all cases both 



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