THE LAST FIGHT OF THE REVENGE' a.d. 



1591. 

 the difference betweene true valure, and ostentation : and 

 betweene honorable 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 Hands 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 Fore- 

 sight 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 



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