THE ENGLISH VOYAGES 



the English and the Spaniards treated. It was agreed 

 that the two fleets should be amicably moored side by 

 side ; the island to remain in possession of the English. 

 Th treachery Xo the Spanish commanders Hawkins and his company 

 Spaniard. were no better than corsairs, and a treacherous plot 

 against them was put in action. While the crews were 

 entertaining each other, the signal was given, the English 

 ashore were murdered, the guns on the island seized, 

 and the English vessels boarded. The Jesus of Lubeck 

 was taken. Only by extraordinary promptitude and heroic 

 valour were the Minion^ which was also a Queen's ship, 

 and the Judith drawn clear of the entanglement, leaving the 

 three other ships to their fate. A terrific action followed,, 

 at close quarters, and the damage inflicted by the English 

 gunners on the great ships of Spain was so severe, 

 that when at last the two English vessels got out of 

 the haven, they were not further molested, though for 

 two days they took shelter close to the port. On the 

 Sufferings of first day of their voyage home they were separated ; 

 Hawkins, with two hundred men on board the Miniotty 

 was unable to provide for so large a company, and 

 agreed to the proposal of a hundred of them, who 

 volunteered to be set on shore in the Bay of Mexico, 

 to shift for themselves. The miseries and persecution 

 that these men suff^ered at the hands of the Indians 

 and the Inquisition were narrated, years later, by the 

 few survivors, and fanned the flame of English hatred 

 for Spain. When Drake and Hawkins reached home, 

 with their tale of Spanish treachery, * military and sea- 

 faring men,' says Camden, 'all over England fretted, 

 and desired war with Spain. . . . But the Queen shut 

 her ears against them.' 



50 



men. 



