194 Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy. 



cut to pieces and killed. It was therefore on this account, and 

 because the Duke kept to his cabin, that his Councillors were inflicting 

 t)utrages right and left, by way of compensating themselves for his 

 crossness, at the expense of the lives and honours of those who were 

 no way to blame, all this being so public as to be well known by 

 everyone. The Galley ' San Pedro,' on board which I was, had suffered 

 badly from the many very large shots with which the enemy had 

 pierced her in various places, and although repairs were immediately 

 made as well as could be done temporarily, there remained nevertheless, 

 here and there shot holes undiscovered, so that at these points much 

 water was being made. Thus it was that after the stiff engagement 

 we had off Calais, which lasted from early morning to late in the 

 evening, and which was the last of all those fought on the 8 th of 

 August, our Armada commenced to retire, or whatever else you may 

 call it, the enemy's fleet following close on us, so as to drive us fi'om 

 their territories. When they had done so completely, which was on 

 the 10th of the same month, and the enemy having drawn off, some 

 of our vessels set to righting themselves and repairing their damages. 

 On this day, for my great sins, and while I was taking some rest (not 

 having during the previous ten days slept or ceased to expose myself 

 wherever there was pressing want), a pilot, an ill-conditioned fellow, 

 whom I had on board, without saying a word to me, spread sail and 

 forged ahead of the flagship, something about two miles, as other 

 vessels had done, so as to be able to make repairs. At the very 

 moment he was about to furl the sails in order to see where the 

 Galley was making water, there came alongside us a despatch boat, 

 with orders from the Duke that I should go on board the flagship. 

 I went accordingly, but even before reaching it, orders had already 

 been sent on board another vessel, to the effect that I, as well as 

 another officer named D. Christobal de Avila, who was acting as 

 Captain of a supply ship, which had got much further ahead than my 

 Galley, should be put to death in a most outrageous manner. "When 

 I heard this rigorous sentence I thought I would burst with rage, 

 calling on those about me to bear witness to the wrong that was being 

 inflicted on me, who had served so well, as could be proved in writing. 

 Uf all this the Duke had not heard a word, because as I said, he had 

 withdi'awn into his cabin, and the senor, D. Francisco de Bovadilla, 

 was the single person who made and unmade in the Armada, so that 

 by him, and a few others whose doings are well known, everything 

 was being managed. He ordered that I should be taken to the 

 Auditor-General's ship in order that his judgment on me be there 



