The Spaniard was arrogant enough. He drove his galley aboard the brigantine, little recking what damage he did with the rude contact, and demanded with sundry oaths how any Englishman dared to invade those seas, which were given by God and the Pope to his master the King of Spain.
"I am an envoy," quoth the Prince, "to your other master, the Governor of Caraccas, sent by my master, Prince Rupert Palatine."
"I tell you, Señor," said the Spaniard angrily, "that we can have no dealings with any except my countrymen in these seas. Officially we do not admit the existence of intruders."
"Señor," said the Prince, "it seems to me that I see in you a very discourteous fellow. I must make my existence apparent to you," said he, and smote the captain of the port lightly across the face with the back of his hand.
The Spaniard whipped out his sword, but the Prince waved off his attack.
"Not now, Señor," he said. "I will afford you personal satisfaction after I have carried out my other errand. But since you seem to have had the fact of my existence impressed upon you, perhaps now you will guide me to his Excellency the Governor, so that I may deliver his Highness's message."
The Spaniard glowered in a black fury.
"If you do not," the Prince went on, "I shall sail away; and when I come back with Rupert's fleet, the captain of the port of La Guayra shall be whipped and hanged, if it costs a hundred men to take him."
"You seem sure of being given leave to depart," the fellow sneered.
Prince Rupert shrugged his shoulders, and glanced towards the mast which stood up from the bolt-sprit's end.