AD. THE ENGLISH VOYAGES 



1596. 



of wainscot or the like. It hath very fewe Chimnies in 

 it, or almost none at all : it may be some one chimney in 

 some one or other of the lower out roomes of lest 

 account, serving for some necessary uses, either to wash 

 in, or the like, or els nowe and then perchance for the 

 dressing of a dish of meate, having, as it should seeme 

 unto me, alwayes a greater care and respect how to keepe 

 themselves from all kind of great heat, then how to 

 provide for any store of great roste. It had in it by 

 report of them that should best know it, some foure 

 thousand and moe, of very good able fighting men, 

 and sixe hundred horsemen at the least. No question 

 but that they were well furnished of all things appertain- 

 ing thereunto, especially so many good ships lying there, 

 and being so well stored with all manner of munition, 

 shot, and powder, as they were. 



Whether they had knowledge of our comming or no, I 

 can say nothing to it: Themselves give it out that they 

 understood not of it, but onely by a Caravel the Friday 

 at evening before we came. But whether they knew it 

 or no, thus much I dare boldly affirme, that if the English 

 had bene possessed of that or the like Towne, and had 

 bene but halfe so well provided as they were, they would 

 have defended it for one two moneths at the least, 

 against any power whatsoever in al Christendome. But 

 surely GOD is a mighty GOD, and hath a wonderfull 

 secret stroke in all matters, especially of weight and 

 moment. Whether their hearts were killed at the 

 mighty overthrow by sea, or whether they were amased 

 at the invincible courage of the English, which was more 

 then ordinary, caring no more for either small shot or 

 great, then in a maner for so many hailestones, or 

 whether the remorse of a guilty conscience toward the 



[I. 615.] English nation, for their dishonorable and divelish 

 practises, against her Sacred Majestic, and the Realme, 

 (a matter that easily begetteth a faint heart in a guilty 

 minde) or what other thing there was in it I know not, 

 but be it spoken to their perpetuall shame and infamie, 



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