A.D. 



1585. 



A wise course 

 to be imitated 

 in all great 

 actions. 



THE ENGLISH VOYAGES 



companie aboord the ships. Also the Generall willed 

 forthwith the gallie with two pinnesses to take into them 

 the company of Captaine Barton, and the company of 

 Captaine Bigs, under the leading of captaine Sampson, 

 to seeke out such munition as was hidden in the ground, 

 at the towne of Praya or Playa, having bene promised 

 to be shewed it by a prisoner, which was taken the 

 day before. 



The Captaines aforesayd comming to the Playa, landed 

 their men, and having placed the troupe in their best 

 strength, Captaine Sampson tooke the prisoner, and willed 

 him to shewe that hee had promised, the which he could 

 not, or at least would not : but they searching all sus- 

 pected places, found two pieces of ordinance, one of 

 yron, an other of brasse. In the after noone the 

 Generall ankered with the rest of the Fleet before the 

 Playa, comming himselfe ashore, willing us to burne 

 the towne and make all haste aboord, the which was 

 done by sixe of the clocke the same day, and our selves 

 imbarked againe the same night, and so we put off to 

 Sea Southwest. 



But before our departure from the towne of S. lago, 

 wee established orders for the better government of the 

 Army, every man mustered to his captaine, and othes 

 were ministred to acknowledge her Majestie supreme 

 Governour, as also every man to doe his uttermost 

 endevour to advance the service of the action, and to 

 yeeld due obedience unto the directions of the Generall 

 and his officers. By this provident counsell, and laying 

 downe this good foundation before hand, all things went 

 forward in a due course, to the atchieving of our happy 

 enterprise. 



In all the time of our being here, neither the 

 Governour for the king of Spaine, (which is a Portugall) 

 neither the Bishop, whose authoritie is great, neither the 

 inhabitants of the towne, or Island ever came at us 

 (which we expected they should have done) to intreate 

 us to leave them some part of their needfull provisions, 



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