THE SPANISH ARMADA a.d. 



1588. 

 of them, gave them the chase and the encounter, and 

 so both Fleets frankly exchanged their bullets. 



The day following which was the 21. of July, the The 21. of 

 English ships approched within musquet shot of the •^^^^* 

 Spanish : at what time the lorde Charles Howard most 

 hotly and valiantly discharged his Ordinance upon the 

 Spanish Vice-admirall. The Spaniards then well perceiv- 

 ing the nimblenesse of the English ships in discharging 

 upon the enimie on all sides, gathered themselves close 

 into the forme of an halfe moone, and slackened their 

 sailes, least they should outgoe any of their companie. 

 And while they were proceeding on in this maner, one 

 of their great Galliasses was so furiously battered with 

 shot, that the whole navy was faine to come up rounder 

 together for the safegard thereof: whereby it came to 

 passe that the principall Galleon of Sivill (wherein Don 

 Pedro de Valdez, Vasques de Silva, Alonzo de Sayas, 

 and other noble men were embarqued) falling foule of 

 another shippe, had her fore-mast broken, and by that 

 meanes was not able to keepe way with the Spanish 

 Fleete, neither would the sayde Fleete stay to succour 

 it, but left the distressed Galeon behind. The lord 

 Admirall of England when he saw this ship of Valdez, 

 & thought she had bene voyd of Mariners and Souldiers, 

 taking with him as many shippes as he could, passed 

 by it, that he might not loose sight of the Spanish 

 Fleet that night. For sir Francis Drake (who was 

 notwithstanding appointed to beare out his lanterne that 

 night) was giving of chase unto five great Hulkes which 

 had separated themselves from the Spanish Fleete : but 

 finding them to be Easterlings, he dismissed them. 

 The lord Admirall all that night following the Spanish 

 lanterne in stead of the English, found himselfe in the 

 morning to be in the midst of his enimies Fleete, but 

 when he perceived it, hee cleanly conveyed himselfe out 

 of that great danger. 



The day folowing, which was the two and twentie of y^ ^-- '^J 

 July, Sir Francis Drake espied Valdez his shippe, where- ^^' 



213 



