Sicily they separated, each proceeding to her port of destination, and all agreeing to a rendezvous off Zante for the return voyage. When they met again, having learnt that the Spaniards were in search of them, they appointed Edward Williamson, master of the Merchant Royal, as their "admiral" or leader, and undertook to obey him. Off Pantelaria, they sighted eleven galleys and two "frigates" (fast sailing vessels), flying the colours of Sicily and Malta, places then in the pay and service of Spain. The "frigates" were sent forward to order the English captains and pursers to repair on board the Spanish admiral, Don Pedro de Leyva. The captains and pursers, as a body, refused; but sent a supercargo, Mr. Rowet, who was very haughtily received, and informed that the English ships must surrender at discretion. Rowet, in the name of all, declined, and had no sooner returned to his ship than the Spanish admiral fired a shot; whereupon a general engagement began. After five hours' hot fight, the enemy's vessels, some of which appeared to have suffered badly, made off; nor were they pursued; for the English, who had lost only two men, had no wish to hazard their ships.[1]
Reprisals were, long ere this, of course allowed by the English government. Sir William Monson says:
"I was then (1585-86
[2]) a youth of sixteen years of age, and so inclined to see the world abroad that, without the knowledge of father or mother, I put myself into an action by sea, where there was in company of us two small ships fitted for men-of-war, that authorised us, by commission, to seize upon the subjects of the King of Spain. We departed from the Isle of Wight, to which place we returned with our dear-bought prize. She was a Biscayner, of three hundred tons, well manned, sufficiently furnished, and bravely defended.
[3] She came from Grand Bay, in Newfoundland, which, at our first arrival upon the coast of Spain we met with, and (she) refusing to yield to us, we suddenly boarded, and by consent of all our men entered her. But, the waves of the sea growing high, we were forced to ungrapple, and to leave our men fighting on board her from eight of the clock in the evening till eight in the morning. The Spaniards betook themselves to their close-fight, and gave two attempts, by trains of powder, to blow up her decks on which we were. But we happily prevented it by fire-pikes. Thus continued the fight till seven in the morning, when the Spaniards found they had so many men killed and disabled that they were forced to yield. When we came to take a view of our people, we found few left alive but could show a wound or shot through their clothes in that fight. We were a woeful spectacle, as well as the Spaniards; and I dare say that in the whole time of the war there was not so rare a manner of fight, or so great a slaughter of men on both sides."
It was in 1586 that George Clifford, Earl of Cumberland, one of
- ↑ Hakluyt, ii. P. ii. 285.
- ↑ The year of John Davis's departure to search for a N.W. passage. See Chap. XVI.
- ↑ This vessel, which afterwards belonged to Sir Geo. Carew, was re-named Commander.
