Walter Bigges

“ Some they slew of our people with their arrows; some they likewise mischiefed to death with certain pricks of small sticks sharply pointed, of a foot and a-half long, the one end put into the ground, the other empoisoned, sticking fast up, right against our coming in the way as we should approach from our landing towards the town, whereof they had planted a wonderful number in the ordinary way; but our keeping the sea-wash shore missed the greatest part of them very happily. ”

“ Which fell out accordingly, notwithstanding all the diligence that our men could use: for the Spanish boats, upon the sight of our pinnaces coming towards them, ran themselves ashore, and so their men presently hid themselves in bushes hard by the sea-side, amongst some others that had called them by signs thither. Our men presently without any due regard had to the quality of the place, and seeing no man of the Spaniards to shew themselves, boarded the Spanish barks or boats, and so standing all open in them, were suddenly shot at by a troop of Spaniards out of the bushes ”

“ And although it be now a yeare and a halfe sithence the voyage ended, whereby some man will say, that it is now no new matter: yet the present time considered, how doubtfull some of our meaner sort of people are of the Spanish preparations, I thinke this Discourse a verie fit thing to be published, that they may see what great victories a fewe English men haue made vpon great numbers of the Spaniardes, euen at home in their owne Countries. The beholding whereof will much encourage those, who by fame and bare wordes are made to doubt much more then there is cause why they should. ”

“ I do wrong if I should forget the good example of the General at this place, who, to encourage others, and to hasten the getting of fresh water aboard the ships, took no less pain himself than the meanest; as also at St. Domingo, Carthagena, and all other places, having always so vigilant a care and foresight in the good ordering of his fleet, accompanying them, as it is said, with such wonderful travail of body, as doubtless had he been the meanest person, as he was the chiefest, he had yet deserved the first place of honour ”

“ The troopes being novve in their march, half a myle behither the tovvne or lesse, the ground we were on grew to be straight, and not aboue fiftie paces ouer, hauing the maine sea on the side of it, and the harbour water or inner sea (as you may tearme it) on the other side, vvhich in this plot is plainely shewed. This straight was fortified cleane ouer with a stone vvall and a ditch without it, the saide wall being as orderly built vvith flanking in euery part, as can be set dovvne. ”

“ And to say truth, we may now with much honour and reputation better be satisfied with that sum offered by them at the first, if they will now be contented to give it, than we might at that time with a great deal more; inasmuch as we have taken our full pleasure, both in the uttermost sacking and spoiling of all their household goods and merchandise, as also in that we have consumed and ruined a great part of their town with fire. ”

“ In vvhich island vvere not any people at all that vve could heare off.
In vvhich time by the Generall it vvas aduised and resolued, vvith the consent of the Lieftenant generall, the Vice-Admirall, and all the rest of the Captaines to proceed to the great Island of Hispaniola, as vvel for that we knevve our selues then to bee in our best strength, as also the rather allured thereunto, by the glorious fame of the Citie of S. Domingo, being the ancientest and chiefe inhabited place in al the tract of countrey ther aboutes. ”

“ Domingo we put over to the main or firm land, and, going all along the coast, we came at last in sight of Carthagena, standing upon the seaside, so near as some of our barks in passing alongst approached within the reach of their culverin shot, which they had planted upon certain platforms. The harbour-mouth lay some three miles toward the westward of the town, whereinto we entered at about three or four of the clock in the afternoon without any resistance of ordnance or other impeachment planted upon the same. ”

“ E3 29 After sixe vveeks abode in this place, vve put to sea the last of March, where after tvvo or three dayes a great ship vvhich vve had taken at S. Domingo, and thereupon vvas called the New yeares gift, fell into a great leake, being laden with ordinance, hides, and other spoiles, and in the night shee lost the companie of our Fleete, vvhich being missed the next morning by the Generall, he cast about vvith the whole Fleete, fearing some great mischance to be happened vnto her, as in verie deede it so fell out, for her leake vvas so great, and her men were all tyred vvith pomping. ”

“ But the only or chief mischief was the dangerous sea-surge, which at shore all alongst plainly threatened the overthrow of as many pinnaces and boats as for that time should have attempted any landing at all.
Now seeing the expectation of this attempt frustrated by the causes aforesaid, we thought it meeter to fall with the Isle Ferro, to see if we could find any better fortune; and coming to the island we landed a thousand men in a valley under a high mountain, where we stayed some two or three hours. ”

“ 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 ”

“ In the night the Lieutenant generall tooke a litle rowing Skiffe, and halfe a dozen vvell armed, as Captaine Morgan, and Captaine Sampson, vvith some others besides the rowers, and went to view vvhat gard the enemie kept, as also to take knowledge of the ground. And albeit he went as couertly as might be, yet the enemie taking the Alarum, grevv fearefull that the whole Force was approching to the assault, and therefore vvith all speede abandoned the place after the shooting of some of their peeces. ”

“ Our Lieutenant-General commanded our shot to forbear shooting until we were come to the wall-side. And so with pikes roundly together we approached the place, where we soon found out the barricados of pipes or butts to be the meetest place for our assault; which, notwithstanding it was well furnished with pikes and shots, was without staying attempted by us. Down went the butts of earth, and pell-mell came our swords and pikes together, after our shot had first given their volley, even at the enemy's nose. Our pikes were somewhat longer than theirs, and our bodies better armed ”

“ The Generall caused the Vizeadmirall to goe vvith the Pinnaces vvell manned to see vvhat they vvere, vvho vpon sight of the said Pinnaces approching neere vnto them, abandoned for the most part all their shippes (being Frenchmen) laden all vvith salt, and bound homewardes into France, amongst vvhich shippes (being all of small burthen) there was one so vvell liked, vvhich also had no man in her, as being brought vnto the Generall, he thought good to make stay of her for the seruice, meaning to pay for her, as also accordingly performed at our returne: vvhich Barke vvas called the Drake. ”

“ At this instant we might hear some pieces of artillery discharged, with divers small shot, towards the harbour; which gave us to understand, according to the order set down in the evening before by our General, that the Vice-Admiral, accompanied with Captain Venner, Captain White, and Captain Cross, with other sea captains, and with divers pinnaces and boats, should give some attempt unto the little fort standing on the entry of the inner haven, near adjoining to the town, though to small purpose, for that the place was strong, and the entry, very narrow, was chained over ”