AD. THE ENGLISH V^OYAGES 



1588. 



Duke of Medina general! of the Fleet commanded all 

 his followers to shape their course for Biscay : and he 

 himselfe with twenty or five and twenty of his ships 

 which were best provided of fresh water and other 

 necessaries, holding on his course over the maine Ocean, 

 returned safely home. The residue of his ships being 

 about forty in number, and committed unto his Vice- 

 admirall, fell neerer with the coast of Ireland, intending 

 their course for Cape Clare, because they hoped there 

 to get fresh water, and to refresh themselves on land. 

 But after they were driven with many contrary windes. 

 The skippe- at length, upon the second of September, they were 

 wracke of tne ^^^^ j^^ ^ tempest arising from the Southwest upon divers 

 Upon ike Irish P^^^^ ^^ Ireland, where many of their ships perished. 

 coast. And amongst others, the shippe of Michael de Oquendo, 



which was one of the great Galliasses : and two great 

 ships of Venice also, namely, la Ratta and Belanzara, 

 with other 1^6 or 1^'^ ships more, which perished in 

 sundry tempests, together with most of the persons 

 contained in them. 



Likewise some of the Spanish ships were the second 

 time carried with a strong West winde into the chanell 

 of England, whereof some were taken by the English 

 upon their coast, and others by the men of Rochel 

 upon the coast of France. 



Moreover, there arrived at Newhaven in Normandy, 



being by tempest inforced so to doe, one of the foure 



great Galliasses, where they found the ships with the 



Spanish women which followed the Fleet at their setting 



forth. Two ships also were cast away upon the coast 



of Norway, one of them being of a great burthen ; 



howbeit all the persons in the sayd great ship were 



Of iT,\ ships saved: insomuch that of 134 ships, which set saile out 



of the Spanish q£ Portugall, there returned home ^1^ onely small and 



turne/home' g^eat : namely of the foure galliasses but one, and but 



^a/ 53. one of the foure gallies. Of the 91 great galleons and 



hulks there were missing 58, and 33 returned: of the 



pataches and zabraes 17 were missing, and 18 returned 



230 



