LINSCHOTEN'S LARGE TESTIMONY a.d. 



1589-91. 



that sailed close under the Island, so to get into the 

 Roade : where she met with an English ship that had 

 not above three cast peeces, and the Spaniards 12. They 

 fought a long time together, which we being in the 

 Island might stand and behold : whereupon the 

 Governour of Tercera sent two boates of Musketiers to 

 helpe the shippe : but before they could come at her, 

 the English ship had shot her under water, and we saw 

 her sinke into the Sea with all her sayles up, and not 

 any thing seene of her above the water. The Englishmen 

 with their boate saved the Captaine and about thirtie 

 others with him, but not one penie-worth of the goods, 

 and yet in the shippe there was at the least to the value 

 of two hundred thousand Duckats in Golde, Silver, and 

 Pearles, the rest of the men were drowned which might 

 be about fiftie persons, among the which were some 

 Fryers and women, which the Englishmen would not 

 save. Those that they had saved they set on land : and 

 then they sayled away. The seven and twentieth of 

 the same moneth, the sayd fourteene ships having re- 

 freshed themselves in the Island departed from Tercera 

 toward Sivill, and comming upon the coast of Spaine 

 they were taken by the English ships that lay there to 

 watch for them, two onely excepted which escaped away, 

 and the rest were wholly caried into England. 



About the same time the Erie of Cumberland with one 

 of the Queenes ships, and five or sixe more, kept about 

 those Islands and came oftentimes so close under the 

 Island, and to the Road of Angra, that the people on 

 land might easily tell all his men that he had aboord, and 

 knewe such as walked on the Hatches : they of the Island 

 not once shooting at them, although they might easily 

 have done it, for they were within Musket shot both 

 of the towne and fort. In these places he continued 

 for the space of two moneths, and sayled round about 

 the Islands, and landed in Graciosa and Fayal, as in the 

 description of those Islands I have alreadie declared. Here 

 he tooke divers ships and Caravels, which he sent into 



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