The Romaines exalted all men of woorth for their vertues not regarding their parentage , makeing the ig-noble and base horne tribunes Senatours and Vice-rois in their territories , h●●●ring them with all titles of nobilitie and honour , and after their victoryes , caused them in tryumphs , to ride throughout their Citties erecting Trophies , in memorie of their actions . Thorough which , they encouraged the noble minded , and moued the most basest groome to aduenture .

Yf such were the manners and conditions , of our minded cuntrymen how florishing an estate might we boast of : But we , forgetting vertue , estéeme wealth , not vallor , ( not men ) before money , but money farre before men :

Yet are there some of worshippe , Patrones of this famous and most renowned Cittie , who estéeming their Cuntries benifit , haue by their great charge , enriched the Common-welth : And ofther carfull loue to their cuntry , enlarge● the Nauy of our Land , by their most bountifull exspences , so that thorough a number of worshipfull Cittizens , our eneimies are weakned , our streingth increased , our eneimies empouerished , and our Land enriched , all for our cuntryes honor , where at they ayme as is dayly s●●e by the great aduentures they make .

And I could recite , but time causeth me to admit them , and their worshipes names in this place , not doubling but in time , some of good learning for honor of our Land ▪ will register their names to eternall honor , vnto such I commend them , to recount vnto you , this latest and most rare exploit of a most resolute and braue Gentleman a Cittizen of this most famous Cittie vppon our enimies the spaniards ▪ wherin as he got fame by this most resolute & braue attempt , purchasing ther by his cuntries honor & benifit of our commonweale , and that his vertues béeing a Cittizen of this famous Cittie of London though by birth of gentillity might not be ob●cured , I haue set downe his procéedings in this action , that our braue minded youthes in tyme to come seeing what hath hath bendone , by men of our time , may 〈…〉 to the vertues & end●●oring to deserue like him , honor in his ●●ntry , & remaine a terror to all enymies .

In September now last past 1594 these worshipfull , graue Cityzens , and fathers of ●●London●● , and most faithfull subiectes to our Prince , and Country , the woorshipfull , Iohn Wats , Alderman , master Paul Baning Alderman , master Sute Salter , master Boreman and others of woorship in this most famous Cittie , desirous for their Cuntries honor and benefit to employ their substance , victuled and equiped for all néedfull things is so hard and daungerous a voyage appertaining thrée good Ships , videl , the Consent of the burthen of 240. tunnes or there about the Salomon of 170. tunnes or there about , and the Virgine 60 , tunnes or there abouts , appointing for Commaunders in this voyage Iames Lancaster of London Gentleman , Generall of the Fléete , Mun Barker of London Viz-Admirall , and Iohn Awdley of Popler néer London their Reare-Admirall , hauing in their company Iohn Wats the Sonne of Alderman Wats a proper and forward Gentleman full of resolution . And Symon Boreman sonne of M. Boreman Owner of the Salomon , a toward and likely youth .

These forenamed shippes fully equipped and furnished with all néedfull prouision moste royally , departed from Blackwallrood néer London , in October last past , kéeping our owne Coast close abourd , where they met with fowle weather , such gusts and stormes that the Salomon spending her Mast not far from Darkmouth ; they put into harbour and by the care and earnest industrie of the Generall and other hauing charge were shortly againe prouided , which doone , the carefull Generall loth to make longer stay then was néedfull hauing a pleasing gale for their purpose : put from Darckmouth the last of Nouember following , applying as winde serued for their desired place .

But contrary to our expect , ( as God by many fauours tryeth his heople ) not fiftie leauges from our owne Coast wée lost the Salomon and the Virgine , yet being alone , in hope to méet them about graund Canaries or capeblanck we kept our course for the place , and as God sent vs fauorable windes plyed vntill we came to the Canaries , but could heare no tydinges of our Consorts , which greatly cumbred vs : Thence went wee bearing for Timreef , where in the moruing earely wée had sight of a sayle who being becalm●d vnder the shoare , was towing with their boate a heade , hauing one other at her stearne , for this sayle we mande our boate apointing our men well for fight if neede should serue them , but the cowardly Portugales séeing our boate come , entred theirs , and leauing the ship sought to saue themselues by flight , but our men being full of courage , hartned on with the braue imb●ld●ing speach of our Generall , and in hope of some better good by getting the men , pursued them so fast and with such e●ar desire , that they bourded them and brought them with their shippe to our Generall .

This was laden with Canarie wine , which came not vnto vs before it was well , ( and better welcome . )

This shippe wee maned and kept , plying that day and the next night there abouts , the very next morning wee had sight ● one other , but not so much woorth as the first was , which had eightie tunnes of wine the other but fortie .

To her in like manner wee sent our Boat , but their Gunner beeing ● drunken Flemming standding on his tearmes , made a shotte at her , and shot a propper yo●ngmans arme , it wee enforced them to strike , and to take that part their Counreymen did .

A lamentable tale it were to discouer the pittiefull lookes of the poore Portugales , who trusting to our Lady ha● no hope of her sonne for comfort Well , wéeing possest with this good liquor , a substance which must vnite the life , ( praysed God for it ) and that other good releif wée found amongst them beeing therewith well refresh●d .

The Portugales h●uing their frée passage , and an acquittance for deliue●●e of their wines ▪ were all set a shoare , on Tenereefe making a quick returne o● their long voyage , who were bound for Margareta , in the Indies .

The men hauing their disharge , and all thinges out that might ●o● vs a●y good , we left the place plying for Cape-blanck : but before we come thether , wee met againe with the Virgine there are Admyrall , who haling vs tolde vs for very trueth the Salomon was gonne for England , enforced so to doe by spending her m●●t , which wee found contrarie , for comming to Capeblanck wée met the Salomon who had fished with the Can●●ookes the best ●ish and other commodities hée found in ryfling twentie foure shippes and Caruels .

Of this good companie wée were all ioyfull , and had great hope of the blessing of God in performance of our intended voyage , and so after some parle and making frolick for ioye of our méeting ▪ one with the other praysing God f●r all , wee plyed for Mayeo , where comming to ancor , our Generall and the r●st of the Cap●anes went a shoare to vein the place where we might in best safetie set our gallie together , which frame we brought from England ▪ of purpose to land men in the Cuntrey .

Héere we discharged our great pryze of wine and set her on fire , but before our comming thether , you shall vnderstand wee had sight of foure sayles which was Captaine Venard in his shi●pe the P●●v●●i●e ▪ and a proper ●iskane which he tooke at Capeblanck , the Welcome of Plimmought and her Pynnes , all which stood with vs . But they seing our flagges expecting such good fellowes as we , did beare from vs all the might , which our people tooke very vnkindely that beeing all freinds they would neither enquire , nor tell vs any newes of our freinds but without making any show of kindnes so to depart .

From Capeblanck wee tooke likewise with vs thrée shippes viz. one daintie Caruell and one Canter , with one other Bark for to serue vs in the Cuntrey drawing little water for diuers purposes .

As before I haue sayd , the choice béeing made for the place to build the Gallie , a shore it was brought , where the carpenters did their true intents , and faithfully applyed their worke ▪ still chéered vnto it by the generalls good giftes bestowed amongst them , and kind vsage of all the rest commaunders , not with out great care of the Captaine for the saftie of them all by kéeping good watch , yet one negligent fellow which had no knowledge of the Cuntry straing from his companie , was by the Mooers taken , and very kindely vsed , and brought a gaine vnto vs , for which good , the generall rewarded them well with giftes very acceptabell ▪ which they tooke as kindly .

While we were thus busily imployed about the fores●yd gallie we descry●d at sea 4 sayles , which we had good hope woulde haue proued Indies men or some to haue brought vs what we looked for ▪ but they proued , Captaine Venard with his fleet as a foresayde , who seei●g vs at ancor came in vnto vs , a●cored also , where spending some time , and beeing acquainted with ●ur Generalls determination , for landing consorted with vs , and their b●lis according , to the manner of the sea were made , and signed , of other parte , whereby our strength was encreased to all our comforts , thrée wéekes or there abouts we stayed in this place , before the Gally was finished which done putting men into her , and fitting her with ores , hauing 14 bankes on a side , a maste and sayle , the commaundment of her was committed vnto master Wats an honest skilfull maryner .

From thence we put againe to sea and hope of like successe , and went for the Ile Dett Brauo where we watered , which done we made no long stay after , but bent our course as derectly as we could for the place , but before we came thither we lost our Caruell and one of the other pryses , our owne shipps beeing all well and in good saftie , which thankes to god , the comforte of all that builde faythfully vpon him , by whose sufferance we recouered the place , making our first fall with the land to the southward of Cape Augustine from whence we applyed still to our de●●red Port of Farnand Bucke , and did so much , that about midnight , we came before the harbor where some plyed vp & downe , holding that the best pollicy , to forbear the entring till day might giue them light , the harbought being hard and therfore the more perillous .

Our Shippes being in saftie well ariued , God was praysed , and the Generall in his boat went from shippe to ship , willing them to make ready such men as they could spare , with muskets , pykes bylles , bowes , arrowes and what weapons they had to follow him : Him self , with fourescore men from his owne shippe , embarqued him selfe in the Gallie which carryed in her prowe a good Sacare .

The Inhabitaunts which saw so much shipping , dreading what did follow , were gathered togither by estimatien to the number of 1000 men and from their platforme beeing oppisite with the harboughts mouth well planted with Cannon periall and Sacars of brasse plyed vpon vs with them , our shippes ryding within Sacar-shot in the very face of them , yet did they not hurt any shippe but our Gunners borrowed little of them , but payd them well whatsoeuer they sent amongst vs ▪ and with such sound payment , that two shot from the Admyrall by Gods help and the Gunners good industrie , beat their wateh-house about their ●ares .

This beginning made the faint harted swades to quaile that their harts were in counsayle with ther héeles , which should be t●e best member , in the end by generall consent , they agréed ▪ to sée a littell more , intreating their héeles to be redy to make shifte for them .

But our Generall otherwise imployed his men béeing shipped rowed to the shore , all the nyght appoynted with his companies , and encouraging his m●n in the very face of the Platforme and mouth of their Ordinaunce landed , leaping to the waste in water , in the breach of the shoare , his men following him leauing their Gallye which beate so on the shoare as shee did little other seruice , a notable pollicie of the Generall , if hée had béene matcht with cowards ▪ , which the Generall little regarded making that a tryall , and encouraging his men , cryed stil Saint George braue gallants this is our owne .

The white liuored Crauius as they be proude cowardes not respecting the aduantage they had of our people béeing so wette , which easely they might haue foyled , like harmelesse honestmen trusting to their olde freindly heeles their cheifest comfort , leauing the Generall in possesion of all , saued themselues some in boates , which lay ready at the back side the house , others for the best prize , made our men Iudges who was the best footemen , flying so fast as a hare from the egar greygound hauing not so much kindenes to bid them welcome , nor honestie to bid them farwell , the day of our arriuall was their Good-Fryday , when by custome they vsuall whippe them selues , but God sent vs now for a generall scourge for them all , wherby that labour amongst them might be well spared , for small leasure they had to doe that ●opperie .

The Generall waued the shippes willing them to waye and to come in , which they did with all speed , himself taking order with his Associates of what they had in possession , and turning the Ordinance bent them that way they expected any anoyance from the towneward , made choyce of a place conuenient for to builde a baracad● , which strongly they fortified , brought the Ordinance from the Fort and placed them in theirs , what they could best vse , the rest they sent a bourd , their shippes kéeping good and carefull watch : Now it is to be remembred , that in this 〈…〉 they ●ound three great Hulcks which came thether ●● in Syaine to being those goodes home which was there left , now two reares since , by a Ca●●ck which was cast away .

Our Generall hauing in possession the Towne with all the goodes in the Storehouses , sent for the Flemings and demaunded what they did there : they answered for these goods they came sent from Spaine by the honors for them , & so after some wordes betweene them agréed for their fraught home to England vnto which they yéelded .

When these thinges were thus to our comfort accomplisht , the Generall thought it small pollicie to make longer stay , then was néedfull , and therfore tooke order from euerie shippe one to woork , the other to watch for their securitie . The first seruice was done , we vnladed our wine prize giuing to euery ship equall portions , then making ready euery shippes holde , they brake the prize making it to serue for a Lighter to lade and with her the Welcomes Pynnace for the more expedition in their lading , so earnestly applying them selues as no oportuniti was lost in porfourmance thereof , our wlling mindes holding it no trouble : watching by night , nor hard labour by day : but so vigilaunt they were in all there actions as was requisite they should in so perillous a place , otherwise , they had enioyed their good fortunes but a small time , such was the pollicie of those base roges , who in the night at one time fyred i● . Caruills apollic●e to their cost learned in England , but perfourmed like them selues , for the Caruills with the fire taking like harmelesse boates a quite contrary way ran a shore consuming them selues without any anioyance to our ships as they intended they should haue done .

This deuice sorting to no better effect , they made rafts with olde masts and grapling them together and planting them full of light wood heath and such , fired them and sent them amongst our shippes , for this deuise our Generall ordained from euerie shippe two boates to be ready a head each shippe hauing in each one of them a graplet to throw on the rafts which sunck them all and neuer had an a●uantage to doe vs harme , these deuises qualing by sea , euery night they gaue vs bra●ad●●● , one the shore bringing some few naked men with vowes and arrowes before our scence , which shot often without dooing ha●●●e , all which was to draw vs within compasse of their ambushment , which they had laid in hope we should haue pursued them flying but our Generalls and Captaines had more foresight then to venture them selues and vs against naked wretches

When they law that all their deuise was by pollicie frustrate thinking wée would be carelesse of their dooing they began in the night to builde a new Forte in such a place as would have greatly annoyed vs if they had gone forward with it : But our Generall hauing intelligence of the same by some of the cuntry people , would not séeme vnto them any way discontent but secretly in the euening quietly gathering his companies issued vpon them , put them from their woorke , tooke foure péeces of brasse Ordinaunce and s●aying thréescore of their men put the the rest vnto flight and retourned with losse of one man , bringing with him to our forte their Ordinaunce which they intended should haue doone vs the mischeif , this their deuises sorting to such ill successe , euer pretending , but neuer accomplishing any thing that euer did hurt vs , our men with such care imployed them selues as was ioyfull to see them .

In this painfull trauell of fours we had sight o●a small man of warre of Deep in Fraunce who had pl●ed vp and downe two monethes yet durst not put in vntill they had sight of Saint George which continually we bare in our toppes , this little Frenchman comming in saluted our Admyrall as he could after the sea manner , and hoysing his boat came abourd to our Generall acquainting him with his extremitie wanting victualls , who like him self , py●tying his distresse and waying the want him self had indured in his last long voyage , with that noble Gentleman Captaine Raymond gaue him wine , bread , pease and such victualls as he had to their great reléef .

This Frenchman reported that he not long before met with Captaine Abraham Cock who beeing distressed for water hee re●eiued with one hogshed hauing but two in all , and brought him to a p●ace where they both watered . Not long after his arryuall , wée had sight of thrée sayles more which we hoped had beene India men , but prooued Frenchmen . The Generell of this Fléet was that same which brought our ▪ Generall from Mona , after the losse of his shippe , to our Generall was hartily welcome as was moste manifest by the entertainment he gaue both him and his whole complanie wherein showing him self a most braue and gratefull Gentleman farre vnlike such shauing people which neuer think of freindship longer then they reape commoditie , catch by all meanes they can , from such as carry gentle and willing mindes to deserue well to doe good vnto them that séeke their fauour . Such vnt●●●kfull wretches I haue oftentimes séene to begge for releif w●ere their piteous moanes haue béene scorned .

But to out matter the Generall in this time being possest with s●ch welthie commodities ●s he could not tell where to bestowe after he had fraughted his owne thrée men of war , thrée flemish hulcks of great burthen , thrée western ships viz. the Perygrine the Welcome and their prize with two spanyards which hee found in the roade gaue franckly vnto his good freind the Captaine what he would take of all such commodities as they had , which was clones , mace ▪ pepper , Sinemon and Calocowcloth Sugar and braffellwood wherof they had such store that euerie night during the kéeping their forte a shoare they burnt by estimation aboue two tunnes . With these commodities the french man lading his thrée shippes and the Deep man one , and yet the Generall to showe his further thankfulnes vnto him , gaue him fréely one other shippe which came into the harbought full laden with Negers and other c●mmodities , of which he tooke his pleasure , this fauour the frenchman tooke in very thankfull manner , and with diligence had purueyed to be gone with the Fléet , who being near ready to leane the harbought , intelligence was giuen them by some of the cuntrey people that the Gouernor had prouided for making a new sorte , opposit of the mouth of the harbourt , where perrilles were most incident , and where men should he most busied in dooing their labour to kéepe them from the danger of the bar , which tydings nothing plesed him nor any of his companie , wherfore sommoning the cheif of each shippe , vppon conference had of the daungers so bad a guest might there bréed being there planted it was concluded to make such power as they could & to driue them from their labour , so to raze their fortification , this being with aduise platted and a generall likeing of the deuise , care was likewise taken for perfourming the same , and euerie thing for the purpose accordingly fitt●ed : which done , the Generall that had béene often by flags of truce sommoned to parle with their Gouernour , which continually he refused , scorning to haue familiaritie with any his Princes enemies , aswell to auoyde suspect of euill tounges as for his owne reputation , was for this cause enuyed of the Generall the more , which doubtlesse would gladly haue beene better acquainted with him if possibly he might , and for the better bringing his deuilish practises to effect , he first began this new fortification , which he imagined our Generall would not indure , nor suffer him to perfourme , but woorking by pollicie , he ambusht his people séeking therby his ouerthrow , whome God defended in dispight of what he could or might doe , as the sequell shall manifest , for hée whose hope was neither in pope , saint or help of men , determining as you haue heard to effect this new resolued woorke , ranged his companies and in most warlick and braue manner like a conqueror marched on to their forte , where with such courage he assayled the defendants as made them beléeue there shoulde few escape , which made them play their olde parts , and trusting to their best freinds , their nymble héeles tournned their backes and departed : Whose dastardly minds our men disdaining with eger pursute followed spoyling many , but they that thought on no manhood but pollicie , con●aide them selues into a wood , closly followed of our people , into which , they were no sooner entered , but in fight of our people was placed xvij . Ensignes that made on towards them , and looking behinde them they were backed with so many besides those runawaies in the wood . This sight caused our people to stand and better to consider for their safties what to doe , who knowing that delay bread daungers desirous to show their resolution in maintaining that honor which most valiantly they had alreadie obtained , rather were desirous to aduenture their good fortunes with the swoorde , then to loose what they had so honorably gained : subiecting them selues vnto so mercelesse enemies .

And héeron resoluing like Englishmen , who was as yet neuer knowen to forsake the seildes where tenne hath beene to one the enimie approching one both sides , there was no remedie but to looke to them selues : which our Generall and his valiant associates seeing , placing their companies as they could best one such a suddaine , both for defending them selues and annoying the enemie like men no whit discomforted , beholding their huge numbers which were of horsse and foote , spaniardes and the Cuntrey people 5000 brauely and with great courage began the assault applying their small shot so long as their poulder lasted , which fiinshed throwing from them their shot betooke him to their hand weapons with which they did such wundrous spoyle as the spaniards perswaded them that they fought not against men , but some of a more horish condicion .

A sore and cruell battell was there beer begonne , and continued with so few to such a multitude as seldome hath béene séene in the enemies cuntrey , whose valiant harts were neuer dared , nor for no extremitie , although thorow their hot and earnest labor in such a broyle and in a cuntrey so contagious , many were distrest for want of drink , yet minded they what they had in hand more then their bellies , playing the partes of men , and braue Englishmen defending and annoying the enemie with such corage that the enemies wundred therat , euermore chéering them selues , and the Generall chearing all , crying out to the terreur of the enemie Saint George , God for S. George Englands defence .

But in this glorie when their hopes were such to escape all daungers , thorough the mightie hand of our God which caused so many to fall before Sampson with the iaw bone : beholde a meruelous terrour vnto our men . The French Captain our Generalls great ▪ Amico , leading thréescore of his Cuntreymen was staine , at whose fall his ●ollowers being discomforted beganne to flye , shewing theirin right partes of them selues : which our men perceiuing , and knowing no cause , made shift for them selues , as these cowards did , and recouered their botes and their shippes in good safetie , backed from the raging pursute of the enemie by our shippes .

In this conflict also was slaine Captaine Barker , Captaine Cotton two moste braue and reso●ute Gentlemen and much lamented . 〈…〉 finished , 〈…〉 that could 〈◊〉 , our Generall thought that he had done moste honorably , and generally the whole companye , bewayling the losse of his good freind the french gentleman slaine , cryed out of cowardice of th●se baser groomes his followers , perswading him self that if they had stood with them the honor of this comrie had beene theirs , so great was all their hopes in his mercie , that in so many perrils since they came from their owne cuntry had so mightily preserued them . Then laboured our men to cloy that Ordinaunce we left in our Forte , which we cam● full of spykes , stones & other trumperle making them vnseruisable .

The Generall seeing what was done , and that there was no meanes to withstand so great a multitude least armed with foolish hardines he should end ●●●ger the honor hée had gained , ( then which ) hee rather would choose to dye , seeing it would bee hot abyding there , the enemie planting so néere him commaunded the whole Fléet to make ready , bring their ancours abourd and vpon the first of the ebbe to goe out , which with such expedition was done , that their was no show of any idle hands .

At this push , beholde one other most meruelous fauour of God toward vs , the windes which long before blew great & vehemently into the harbought mouth , had altered her place and fitted our turnes so that being ready to set sayle we had a fayre top sale gale which caryed vs cleare off the harbought and the barre , without receiuing any domage from the enemie , which shot franckly at vs a long time neuer hitting any one hull , but one , of our Flemings a great hulck which was as fair a marck as a Church which winde lasted not long , nor found wee the like , in seuen wéekes after : thus being deliuered from the hands of our enemies hauing in our companies of english , french and dutch the number of fiftéene sayles laden all deep with their commodities : The Generall commaunded the whole Fléet to beat for Peren-Iew where hee determined to water and to take such other prouision as we could there gette , sending the little Frenchman of Deepe which sayled well to purchase what hee could for vs , with this place we fel about the midst of night , our Generall comming to ancour in the offine , put out his lightes that they might be therby aduertised what to doe not notwithstanding some put into ●●● ha● bought others ouershotte it , and wée in the Admyrall ryding a soute and most better rough , were faine to shift for our selues , and put into the sea , where wee lost our Fléet & neuer met them after until our aryu●ll in the downes , where it was sayde vnto one Generall , to his and all our comforts , that the Salomon with one ●…sh hulck was come vnto London , The Peryg●ine the Welcome with their pynace and one other hulck laden were at Plimmouth , and one of the spanish shippes which we laded for our owne vse arriued at Breast in Brittaine , the other by mischance comming foule of another shippe was broken down to the water which our men left in the sea , the frenchmen with th●u fiue shippes are as wee heare all arryued in safetie ▪ our shippe with the Virgine and one other hulck being the last that came home , whose long stay made our freindes greatly to doubt of our well dooings . But prayse to his ho●●e name that bath so preserued vs all , and sent vs with such happie fortune amongst our friends with no great losse , though some we had , amongst which , that ost their liues and most lamented was Captaine Venard whome we buryed royally in the cuntry , the other our Master Chiurgion Randall Starkey a man of singul●●●●ll and as good gouernment as may be required , who of the disease called the ●●u● dyed & was there buryed , and almost all our Chiurgions ▪ one only excepted , of wh●se help God be glorified , we had little noode , vntill our arriuall in the downes , where a most sore and greeuous misc●●nce befell vs , thorow the ne●ligence of our master Gunner , whose carelesse dooings made vs all full hea●●e , a●ter a most trouble●ome and hard aduentures to be at our owne doores when euery man made ●●co●ing to sollace him with his freindes , then by such a casuall hap to be spoyled as we were , for the Gunnor him self was slaine with two others , and twentie others gre●●sl●●y h●●t .

A woorthy ●●rour for all men of gouernment taking charge , how so carelessely they demaine them selues , looking with more care vnto the charge vnto them committed , especially such as haue the commaund of poulder and such like substance which is not to be ●ested withall , the proofe thereof hath beene to often soone , to the great damage of the woorshipfull Owners . God g●…●his may be the la●● ▪