File:Despatch from Sir Francis Drake.jpg

This despatch, datedd 27th April 1587, give Drake's account of the burning of the Spanish ships in Cadiz Harbour. It is reproduced by permision from the original preserved in the Public Records Office. The postscripts are in Drake's own handwriting. The despatch, which is addressed 'To the right honorable Sir Francis Walsingham, Knights principall Secretary to Her Majestie with all haste haste poste haste.
Identifier: principalnaviga06hakl (find matches)
Title: The principal navigations, voyages, traffiques & discoveries of the English nation, made by sea or over-land to the remote and farthest distant quarters of the earth at any time within the compass of these 1600 yeeres
Year: 1903 (1900s)
Authors: Hakluyt, Richard, 1552?-1616
Subjects: Voyages and travels
Publisher: Glasgow J. MacLehose
Contributing Library: Robarts - University of Toronto
Digitizing Sponsor: University of Toronto

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h : besides the inconvenience which wee sufferedfrom their ships, which, when they could defend nolonger, they set on fire to come among us. Where-upon when the flood came wee were not a little troubledto defend us from their terrible fire, which neverthelessewas a pleasant sight for us to beholde, because we werejthereby eased of a great labour, which lay upon us dayand night, in discharging the victuals, and other pro-1visions of the enemie. Thus by the assistance of theAlmightie, and the invincible courage and industrie ofour Generall, this strange and happy enterprize wasatchieved in one day and two nights, to the greatastonishment of the King of Spaine, which bread sucha corrasive in the heart of the Marques of Santa Cruzhigh Admiral of Spaine, that he never enjoyed goodday after, but within fewe moneths (as may justly besupposed) died of extreame griefe and sorrow. Thus having performed this notable service, we cameout of the Road of Cadiz on the Friday morning the 440 JT.i ^--v
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_ V: SIR FRANCIS DRAKE a.d. 1587. 21. of the said moneth of April, with very small lossenot worth the mentioning. After our departure ten of the Gallies that were inthe Road came out, as it were in disdaine of us, to makesome pastime with their ordinance, at which time thewind skanted upon us, whereupon we cast about againe,and stood in with the shoare, & came to anker withina league of the towne; where the said Gallies, for alltheir former bragging, at length surTred us to ridequietly We now have had experience of Gally-fight: whereinI can assure you, that onely these 4. of her Majestiesships will make no accompt of 20. Gallies, if they maybe alone, and not busied to guard others. There werenever Gallies that had better place and fitter opportunitiefor their advantage to fight with ships: but they werestill forced to retire, wee riding in a narrow gut, the placeyeelding no better, and driven to maintaine the same,untill wee had discharged and fired the shippes, whichcould not con

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