a.d. THE ENGLISH VOYAGES 



1589. 



The next day we lodged at Alvelana within three miles 

 of Lisbon, where many of our souldiers drinking in two 

 places of standing waters by the way were poisoned, and 

 thereon presently died. Some do thinke it came rather 

 by eating of hony, which they found in the houses 

 plentifully. But whether it were by water or by hony, 

 the poore men were poisoned. 



That night the Earle of Essex, and Sir Roger Williams 

 went out about eleven of the clocke with 1000 men to 

 lie in ambuscade neere the towne, and having layed the 

 same very neere, sent some to give the alarme unto 

 the enemy : which was well performed by them that had 

 the charge thereof, but the enemy refused to issue after 

 them, so as the Earle returned assoone as it was light 

 without doing any thing, though he had in purpose, and 

 was ready to have given an honourable charge on them. 



The 25 of May in the evening we came to the suburbs 

 of Lisbon : at the very entrance whereof Sir Roger 

 Williams calling Captaine Anthony Wingfield with him, 

 tooke thirty shot or thereabouts, and first scowred all the 

 streets till they came very neere the towne ; where they 

 found none but olde folks and beggers, crying, Viva el 

 Rey Don Antonio, and the houses shut up : for they 

 had caried much of their wealth into the towne, and had 

 fired some houses by the water side, full of corne and 

 other provisions of victuals, least we should be benefited 

 thereby, but yet left behinde them great riches in many 

 houses. 



The foure regiments that had the vantgard that day, 

 which were Colonell Devereux, Sir Edward Norris, 

 Colonell Sidneys, and Generall Drakes (whom I name 

 as they marched) the Colonell generall caused to holde 

 guard in the neerest streets of the Suburbs : the battell 

 and the arreward stood in armes all the night in the field 

 neere to Alcantara. Before morning Captaine Wingfield, 

 by direction from the Colonell generall Sir Roger 

 Williams, held guard with Sir Edward Norris his 

 regiment in three places very neere the towne wall, and 



500 



