Drakes Great Armada | Page 5

CAPTAIN WALTER BIGGS

A Summary and True Discourse of Sir Francis Drake's West Indian
Voyage, begun in the year 1585. Wherein were taken the cities of
Santiago, Santo Domingo, Carthagena, and the town of St. Augustine,
in Florida. Published by Master Thomas Cates.

This worthy knight, for the service of his prince and country, having
prepared his whole fleet, and gotten them down to Plymouth, in
Devonshire, to the number of five and twenty sail of ships and pinnaces,
and having assembled of soldiers and mariners to the number of 2,300
in the whole, embarked them and himself at Plymouth aforesaid, the
12th day of September, 1585, being accompanied with these men of
name and charge which hereafter follow: Master Christopher Carlile,
Lieutenant-General, a man of long experience in the wars as well by
sea as land, who had formerly carried high offices in both kinds in
many fights, which he discharged always very happily, and with great
good reputation; Anthony Powell, Sergeant-Major; Captain Matthew
Morgan, and Captain John Sampson, Corporals of the Field. These
officers had commandment over the rest of the land- captains, whose
names hereafter follow: Captain Anthony Platt, Captain Edward Winter,
Captain John Goring, Captain Robert Pew, Captain George Barton,
Captain John Merchant, Captain William Cecil, Captain Walter Biggs
[The writer of the first part of the narrative.], Captain John Hannam,
Captain Richard Stanton. Captain Martin Frobisher, Vice- Admiral, a

man of great experience in seafaring actions, who had carried the chief
charge of many ships himself, in sundry voyages before, being now
shipped in the Primrose; Captain Francis Knolles, Rear-Admiral in the
galleon Leicester; Master Thomas Venner, captain in the Elizabeth
Bonadventure, under the General; Master Edward Winter, captain in
the Aid; Master Christopher Carlile, the Lieutenant-General, captain of
the Tiger; Henry White, captain of the Sea-Dragon; Thomas Drake
[Francis Drake's brother.], captain of the Thomas; Thomas Seeley,
captain of the Minion; Baily, captain of the Talbot; Robert Cross,
captain of the bark Bond; George Fortescue, captain of the bark Bonner;
Edward Careless, captain of the Hope; James Erizo, captain of the
White Lion; Thomas Moon, captain of the Francis; John Rivers, captain
of the Vantage; John Vaughan, captain of the Drake; John Varney,
captain of the George; John Martin, captain of the Benjamin; Edward
Gilman, captain of the Scout; Richard Hawkins, captain of the galliot
called the Duck; Bitfield, captain of the Swallow.
After our going hence, which was the 14th of September, in the year of
our Lord 1585, and taking our course towards Spain, we had the wind
for a few days somewhat scant, and sometimes calm. And being arrived
near that part of Spain which is called the Moors [Muros, S. of Cape
Finisterre.], we happened to espy divers sails, which kept their course
close by the shore, the weather being fair and calm. The General caused
the Vice-Admiral to go with the pinnaces well manned to see what they
were; who upon sight of the said pinnaces approaching near unto them,
abandoned for the most part all their ships, being Frenchmen, laden all
with salt, and bound homewards into France. Amongst which ships,
being all of small burthen, there was one so well liked, which also had
no man in her, as being brought unto the General, he thought good to
make stay of her for the service, meaning to pay for her, as also
accordingly he performed at our return; which bark was called the
Drake. The rest of these ships, being eight or nine, were dismissed
without anything at all taken from them. Who being afterwards put
somewhat farther off from the shore, by the contrariety of the wind, we
happened to meet with some other French ships, full laden with
Newland fish, being upon their return homeward from the said
Newfoundland; whom the General after some speech had with them,
and seeing plainly that they were Frenchmen, dismissed, without once

suffering any man to go aboard of them.
The day following, standing in with the shore again, we decried another
tall ship of twelve score tons or thereabouts, upon whom Master Carlile,
the Lieutenant-General, being in the Tiger, undertook the chase; whom
also anon after the Admiral followed. And the Tiger having caused the
said strange ship to strike her sails, kept her there without suffering
anybody to go aboard until the Admiral was come up; who forthwith
sending for the master, and divers others of their principal men, and
causing them to be severally examined, found the ship and goods to be
belonging to the inhabitants of St. Sebastian, in Spain, but the mariners
to be for the most part belonging to St. John de Luz, and the Passage. In
this ship was great store of dry Newland fish, commonly called with us
Poor John; whereof