Thirdly, The generall doth say of his owne credite, and not by intelligence from any Indian or other, that on the eleauenth of March last hee met the English fleete at the Isle of Pinas, being fourteene good Shippes, who although they had the winde of him, yet hee set vppon them three times with all their Shippes, but the English fleete flled, and refused to fight shooting now and then a shot, but especially the Admirall.
THis third lye of the Generall Don Bernaldino Delgadillo de Avellaneda, (whose name for the prolixitie thereof maye be drawne somwhat neere the length of a Cable) hath no colour of protection, but it hath a iust proportion A payre of of Spanish Lyers. in measure to the lyes of olde Barnardino de Mendozza his Countrieman, concerning the ouerthrow of her Maiesties Nauie in the yeare 1588. for except Don Barnaldino the Generall, did purpose to winne the whetstone from Don Barnardino de Mendozza the olde Spanish lyer: I cannot coniecture why hee should write to his Countrie for a truth, that hee chased the English Nauye with nine Shippes, and did three seuerall times giue the onset to the English fleete, who being fourteene good Shippes (as he saith) did flye and refuse to fight, being that The Spanish Viceadmirall a man of vallour. the Spanish Viceadmiral (if he be liuing) and manye other, can witnesse the contrarie, who fighting like a true valiant man, departed from the fight with a torne and battered Shippe to saue her from sinking. 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. course: And taking a view of the Spanish fleete the next day, their number was not aboue thirteene Shippes, which did argue that they were either sunke, or fled to harbour to saue themselues.
Fourthly, The generall saith, that the English fleete fled awaye, and left their Oares for haste behind them in the Sea.
IT was strange that they shoulde leaue behinde them Oares in the Sea, being there was not in the English fleete either This lie was made in the Generals owne forge. Gally or gallyasse, which required the vse of Oares, as for the Oares of their ship-boates and other such small vessels, they had stoed them aboarde their Shippes, and were no impediment vnto them, but most necessarie for them to vse, and therfore not likely they would cast them ouerboard: But it is most likely, that the Generall fell into some pleasant dreame at Sea, wherein hee did see a false apparition of victorie against the English, & for lacke of matter did set this downe in his letter for newes to his countrie: A commendation of the Generall It is sinne to belye the Deuill, and therefore the Generall shal haue his right, the letter is so well contriued, (and yet with no great eloquence) but with such art, that ther are not many more lines, then there are lyes, which sheweth that there are wonderfull and extraordinarie gifts in the Generall: But I am perswaded if Don Bernaldino had thought that his letter should haue beene Printed, hee woulde haue omitted many thinges contained in The Generall doth practise to lye, for recreation. the letter, for the Doctor did vse him somwhat hardly in shewing the letter openly, and more in suffering it to be Printed: for friends may like good fellowes send lyes one to the other for recreation, and feed their friends with some small taste thereof, so it be kept close, without danger to incurre the tytle of a lying Generall: But as the matter is now handled throgh the simplycitie of the Doctor, I cannot see but the General Don Bernaldino, is like to carrie the tytle equally twixt both his shoulders.
Fiftly, The generall doth say in his Printed letter, that notwithstanding all the diligence he could vse, hee coulde not cause the English fleete to staie nor come neere them, nor discharge one Hargebush or peece of Artillerie, but fled away as fast as they could.