The trophies preserved here of this memorable victory, with some other curiosities are,
1. A Spanish battle-ax, so contrived as to strike four holes in a man’s skull, at once; it has besides a pistol in its handle with a match-lock.
2. The Spanish General’s halbert, covered with velvet. All the nails are double gilt, and on the top is the pope’s head, curiously engraven.
3. The Spanish morning star; a destructive engine in the form of a star; of which there were many thousands on board, and all of them with poisoned points; designed to strike at the English, in case they boarded them.
4. Thumb screws, of which there were several chests full on board the Spanish fleet. The use they were intended for is said to have been to extort confession from the English where their money was hid, had they prevailed.——Certain it is, that; after the defeat, the whole conversation of the court and country turned upon the discoveries made by the Spanish prisoners of the racks, the wheels, and the whips of wire, with which they were to scourge the English of every rank, age, and sex. The most noted hereticks were to be put to death; those who survived were to be branded on the forehead with a hot iron; and the whole form of government, both in church and state, was to be overturned.
5. A Spanish poll-ax, used in boarding of ships.
6. Spanish halberts, or spears, some of them curiously engraved and inlaid with gold.
7. Spanish spadas, or long swords, poison’d at the points, so that if a man received but ever so slight a wound, it would prove certain death.
8. Spanish cravats, as they are called; these are engines of torture, made of iron, and put on board to lock the feet, arms, and heads of English Hereticks together.
9. Spanish bilboes, also made of iron, to yoke the English prisoners two and two.