Captain Henry Savile

“ But the Generall like a prouident man, to make his fame and credite the greater with his Prince and country, doth take vpon him (amongst other his miracles perfourmed before the English fleet) [35] by way of amplification to make small matters seeme great, as a little shoe to serue a great foote, and finding that it can hardly be brought to passe, he doth stretch the Leather with his teeth that it is ready to breake, and notwithstanding, all The Printing of the letter doth shame the Generall. ”

“ But it was a pointe of great simplicitie, & scarcely beseeming a Generall, to tie the credite of his reporte locally to any place vppon the report of a silly Indian slaue. For it had beene sufficient to haue said, that Fraunces Drake was certainly dead, without publishing the lye in Print, by naming Nombre de Dios: for it is most certaine Sir Fraunces Drake dyed twixt the Island of Scouda, and Porte-bella: But the Generall being rauished with the The Generall seemeth to wante friendes in Courte, sending such great newes to a priuate Doctor. ”

“ Neither can I imagine that there is any one in the Spanish fleete (Don Bernaldino excepted) that will saye they were lesse then twentie sayle of Shipps when they met the English fleet: And the Spanish Nauy can witnesse that they receiued such store of Bullets from the English fleete, that they were glad to depart, and in despight of them the English Nauie did holde their determined The number of the Spanish Shippes after the fight. ”

“ Barnard seeth not all thinges, (when he doth dissent from their opinions) the which fauour wee coulde bee content to yeelde to Bernaldino for the name sake, if he were not taken with so [33] many manifest and impudent lies, neither doe I thinke that Signior Bernaldino will say that he saw all that he hath written, be it spoken in councell for shaming the General, for is there any man so voide of reason as to thinke? ”

“ Neuerthelesse they left vs one good ship behind for our share, wel manned, which tolde me that the Drake dyed in Nombre de Dios, and that they haue made for Generall of the English fleete, the Colonell Quebraran, and also by meanes of the small time being streightly followed by vs they [14] had no opportunitie to take either water, woode or flesh, and they are also in such bad case, that I know not how they will bee able to arriue in England, the number of men we haue taken are about 140. ”

“ The Coppye of a letter, which Don Bernaldino Delgadillo de Auellaneda, General of the king of Spaine his Armie, sent vnto Doctor Peter Flores, President of the contraction house for the Indies, wherein hee maketh mention of the successe of the English Armie, after they departed from Pannama, wherof was General Frances Drake, and of his death. ”

“ After the enemie finding no good to be done, (being well beaten) fell The Spanish Viceadmiral can witnesse, what success they had in this fight. from vs, the Aduenture, playing vppon them with her great Ordinaunce, made three of the last shot at them: Their Viceadmiral with diuers others of their Ships, were so beaten, that they left off the fight, and were forced to lye in the winde, for that they durst not lye of either board by reason of their many and great Leakes, which they had receiued by our greate shot. ”

“ All that night they kept themselues vppon our broade side, notwithstanding our Admirall carryed his Cresset light all night: hauing greate [41] care of our smallest Shippes: This fight continued about fower howers til it was neere night, in the which fight, thanks be to God, there was slaine so fewe persons of our English fleete as I thinke the like conflict hath not beene performed with The English receiued little losse in this conflict. so little losse of men: What harme befell the Spaniards in their fleete I leaue to your iudgements. ”

“ The Generall with the rest of their The English Admirall carried his Creset light, notwithstanding the enemie was vppon his brode side. fleete, tacking about fell in our wake, thinking to get the winde, which in the beginning we sought to hinder. But our General seeing that in holding the winde we should shoote our selues into the Bay, gaue them the winde. ”

“ For admit the mistaking of the place might bee tollerable; notwithstanding, this precise affirming the cause of his [20] death, doth manifestly prooue that the Don Bernaldino doth lye impudently. Generall doth make no conscience to lye. And as concerning the losse of any Barkes or men in our Nauie, by the valour of the Spaniard before Sir Fraunces Drake his death, wee had none (one small Pinnesse excepted) which we assuredly know was The successe of the kings fiue Frigots. ”