A LIBEL OF SPANISH LIES a.d. 



1596. 



Admirall who bore up towards the winde, with other 

 two ships beganne to draw neere them, and although 

 we set thus upon them, three times with all their 

 ships, yet would they not set againe upon us, and 

 those of our men which were farthest off cryed to 

 them amaine, being both within shot of artillerie, muskets, 

 and calivers, whereby they received evident hurt by us : 

 They plyed their great ordinance according to their 

 manner, and especially their Viceadmirall, and seeing 

 our resolution how sharpe we were bent towards them, 

 they with all expedition and speede possible prepared to 

 flie away, hoysing sailes and leaving their boates for 

 haste in the sea : but I followed them, with nine ships 

 all the night following, and with foure more the next 

 day, till I made them double the Cape of S. Antonie, 

 and to take the course towards the Chanell of Bahama, 

 according to the instructions from his Majestie. It 

 little availed us to be scene, with lesse number of ships, 

 neither yet all the diligence we could use, could cause 

 them to stay or come neere us, nor to shoot off one 

 harquebuze or peece of artillerie, for they fled away as 

 fast as they could, and their shippes were halfe dimin- 

 ished, and that the best part of them : the rest they 

 repaired in Puerto Bello, whereas they were about 

 fortie dayes, and so by that meanes they were all well 

 repayred ; and our shippes were very foule, because 

 the time would not permit us to trim them : I have 

 sayled 2 moneths and a halfe in the Admirall, since 

 we departed from Cartagena, we have not repaired their 

 pumpes nor clensed them : and the same day I departed 

 thence, there came unto me a small Pinnesse in the 

 like distresse : our Viceadmirall and the rest of our ships 

 have the like impediment, but no great hinderance unto 

 us, for ought I could perceive by our enemies: It is 

 manifest what advantage they had of us, and by no 

 meanes was it possible for us to take them, unlesse we 

 could have come to have found them at an anker. 

 Neverthelesse they left us one good shippe behinde for 



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