Drakes Great Armada | Page 6

afterwards, being thus found a lawful prize, there
was distribution made into all the ships of the fleet, the same being so
new and good, as it did very greatly bestead us in the whole course of
our voyage. A day or two after the taking of this ship we put in within
the Isles of Bayon [The Cies Islets, at the mouth of the Vigo River.],
for lack of favourable wind. Where we had no sooner anchored some
part of the fleet, but the General commanded all the pinnaces with the
shipboats to be manned, and every man to be furnished with such arms
as were needful for that present service; which being done, the General
put himself into his galley, which was also well furnished, and rowing
towards the city of Bayon, with intent, and the favour of the Almighty,
to surprise it. Before we had advanced one half-league of our way there
came a messenger, being an English merchant, from the governor, to
see what strange fleet we were; who came to our General, conferred a
while with him, and after a small time spent, our General called for
Captain Sampson, and willed him to go to the governor of the city, to
resolve him of two points. The first to know if there were any wars
between Spain and England; the second, why our merchants with their
goods were embarged or arrested? Thus departed Captain Sampson
with the said messenger to the city, where he found the governor and
people much amazed of such a sudden accident. The General, with the
advice and counsel of Master Carlile, his Lieutenant-General, who was
in the galley with him, thought not good to make any stand, till such
time as they were within the shot of the city, where they might be ready
upon the return of Captain Sampson, to make a sudden attempt, if cause

did require, before it were dark.
Captain Sampson returned with his message in this sort:--First,
touching peace or wars, the governor said he knew of no wars and that
it lay not in him to make any, he being so mean a subject as he was.
And as for the stay of the merchants with their goods, it was the king's
pleasure, but not with intent to endamage any man. And that the king's
counter-commandment was (which had been received in that place
some seven-night before) that English merchants with their goods
should be discharged. For the more verifying whereof, he sent such
merchants as were in the town of our nation, who trafficked those parts;
which being at large declared to our General by them, counsel was
taken what might best be done. And for that the night approached, it
was thought needful to land our forces, which was done in the shutting
up of the day; and having quartered ourselves to our most advantage,
with sufficient guard upon every strait, we thought to rest ourselves for
that night there. The Governor sent us some refreshing, as bread, wine,
oil, apples, grapes, marmalade and such like. About midnight the
weather began to overcast, insomuch that it was thought meeter to
repair aboard, than to make any longer abode on land. And before we
could recover the fleet a great tempest arose, which caused many of our
ships to drive from their anchorhold, and some were forced to sea in
great peril, as the bark Talbot, the bark Hawkins, and the Speedwell;
which Speedwell only was driven into England, the others recovered us
again. The extremity of the storm lasted three days; which no sooner
began to assuage, but Master Carlile, our Lieutenant- General, was sent
with his own ship and three others, as also with the galley and with
divers pinnaces, to see what he might do above Vigo, where he took
many boats and some carvels, diversely laden with things of small
value, but chiefly with household stuff, running into the high country.
And amongst the rest he found one boat laden with the principal church
stuff of the high church of Vigo, where also was their great cross of
silver, of very fair embossed work and double- gilt all over, having cost
them a great mass of money. They complained to have lost in all kinds
of goods above thirty thousand ducats in this place.
The next day the General with his whole fleet went from up the Isles of
Bayon to a very good harbour above Vigo, where Master Carlile stayed
his coming, as well for the more quiet riding of his ships, as also for the

good commodity of fresh watering which the place there did afford full
well. In the meantime the governor of Galicia had reared such forces as
he might (his numbers by estimate were some 2000