The Principal Navigations, Voyages, Traffiques, and Discoveries of the English Nation, vol 7 | Page 5

away his barks and Carauels,
was content to suffer vs there quietly to tary, and likewise to depart,
and neuer charged vs with one canon-shot. And when our Generall sent
him worde that hee was there ready to exchange certaine bullets with
him, the marques refused his chalenge, sending him word, that he was
not then ready for him, nor had any such Commission from his King.
[Sidenote: The Carack called the Sanct Philip taken.] Our Generall thus
refused by the Marques, and seeing no more good to be done in this
place, thought it conuenient to spend no longer time vpon this coast:
and therefore with consent of the chiefe of his Company he shaped his
course toward the Isles of the Açores, and passing towards the Isle of
Saint Michael, within 20. or 30. leagues thereof, it was his good fortune
to meete with a Portugale Carak called Sant Philip, being the same
shippe which in the voyage outward had carried the 3. Princes of Iapan,

that were in Europe, into the Indies. This Carak without any great
resistance he tooke, bestowing the people thereof in certaine vessels
well furnished with victuals, and sending them courteously home into
their Countrey: and this was the first Carak that euer was then comming
foorth of the East Indies; which the Portugals tooke for an euil signe,
because the ship bare the Kings owne name.
The riches of this prize seemed so great vnto the whole Company (as in
trueth it was) that they assured themselues euery man to haue a
sufficient reward for his trauel: and thereupon they all resolued to
returne home for England: which they happily did, and arriued in
Plimouth the same Sommer with their whole Fleete and this rich booty,
to their owne profite and due commendation, and to the great
admiration of the whole kingdome.
And here by the way it is to be noted, that the taking of this Carak
wrought two extraordinary effects in England: first, that it taught others,
that Caracks were no such bugs but that they might be taken (as since
indeed it hath fallen out in the taking of the Madre de Dios, and fyreing
and sinking of others) and secondly in acquainting the English Nation
more generally with the particularities of the exceeding riches and
wealth of the East Indies: whereby themselues and their neighbours of
Holland haue bene incouraged, being men as skilfull in Nauigation and
of no lesse courage then the Portugals to share with them in the East
Indies: where their strength is nothing so great as heretofore hath bene
supposed.
* * * * *
A true discourse written (as is thought) by Colonel Antonie Winkfield
emploied in the voiage to Spaine and Portugall, 1589. sent to his
particular friend, and by him published for the better satisfaction of all
such as hauing bene seduced by particular report, haue entred into
conceits tending to the discredite of the enterprise and Actors of the
same.
Although the desire of aduancing my reputation caused me to withstand
the many perswasions you vsed to hold me at home, and the pursuite of
honorable actions drew me (contrary to your expectation) to neglect
that aduise, which in loue I know you gaue me: yet in respect of the
many assurances you haue yeelded mee of your kindest friendship, I
cannot suspect that you will either loue or esteeme me the lesse, at this

my returne: and therefore I wil not omit any occasion which may make
me appeare thankfull, or discharge any part of that duetie I owe you;
which now is none other then to offer you a true discourse how these
warres of Spaine and Portugall haue passed since our going out of
England the 18 of Aprill, till our returne which was the first of Iuly.
Wherein I wil (vnder your fauourable pardon) for your further
satisfaction, as well make relation of those reasons which confirmed me
in my purpose of going abroad, as of these accidents which haue
happened during our aboad there; thereby hoping to perswade you that
no light fansie did drawe me from the fruition of your dearest
friendship, but an earnest desire by following the warres to make my
selfe more woorthy of the same.
Hauing therefore determinately purposed to put on this habite of a
souldier, I grew doubtfull whether to employ my time in the wars of the
low Countries, which are in auxiliarie maner maintained by her
maiestie, or to folow the fortune of this voiage, which was an aduenture
of her and many honorable personages, in reuenge of vnsupportable
wrongs offered vnto the estate of our countrey by the Castilian king: in
arguing whereof, I find that by how much the chalenger is reputed
before the defendant, by