The same Day[[53]], the Lord Admiral was informed by Captain Thomas Flemming, Commander of the Golden Hind Pinnace, who had been left in the Channel for Discovery, that |[Plate 1].| the Spanish Fleet was seen near the Lizard, the Wind being then Southerly, or South-West. Tho’ the Wind blew hard into Plymouth-Sound, and the Intelligence was not received ’till about four o’ Clock in the Afternoon, yet his Lordship, with much Diligence and Industry, got out the same Evening with six of his Ships, and anchored with them alone the whole Night, without the Harbour.
[[54]]The next Day, July 20, the Lord High-Admiral, accompanied with fifty four Ships of his Fleet, that had plied out of the Sound, notwithstanding the South-West Wind, advanced towards the Enemy. They were scarce got as far as the Eddystone, when they discovered, about Noon, the Spanish Fleet to the |[Plate 2].|Westward, opposite to Fowey, in form of a half Moon (the Points whereof were about seven Miles asunder) coming slowly up the Channel, tho’ with full Sails. The English suffered them to pass by unmolested, that they might chace them in the rear, with all the Advantage of the Wind.
The next Morning, July 21, all the English Ships being then come out of Plymouth, and in number near a hundred, had recovered the Wind of the Spaniards[[55]], two Leagues to the Westward of Eddystone. About Nine o’ Clock, the Lord-Admiral sent his Pinnace, named the Defiance[[56]], to denounce War against the Enemy, by the Discharge of all her Guns. He himself immediately seconded her from his own Ship, the Ark-Royal, by thundering furiously on one of the Enemy’s, commanded by Alphonso de Leva, which he mistook for the St. Martin, the Admiral’s Ship; but she was, after a smart Engagement, |[Plate 3].|rescued by the Spaniards. In the mean time, Sir Francis Drake, Captain John Hawkins, and Captain Martin Forbisher, vigorously engaged the Enemy’s sternmost Ships, under the Conduit of their Vice-Admiral Recalde; in one of which Recalde himself was supposed to be. He did all that a gallant Officer could do to keep his Ships together; but the Fight was so briskly maintained, that, notwithstanding all his Endeavours, they were forced to retreat to the main Body of the Fleet; and at length, his own Ship being very much damaged with Shot, and grown unserviceable, he retired thither himself, tho’ with much ado.
In this first Engagement Recalde’s Ship lost fifteen Men[[57]].
At the same time, the Duke of Medina gathered together his Fleet[[58]], which was dispersed about; and hoisting more Sail, held on his Course with all the Speed he could make. Nor was it in his Power to do otherwise, seeing the Wind favoured the English, and their Ships were so light and nimble, that they would charge, wind, and tack about with incredible Swiftness; whereas the Spanish great and heavy Slugs, stood like so many Butts for the English Shot. Although the Spaniards were so briskly charged by the English, they made a running Fight of it; and, after a smart Engagement of two Hours, the Lord High-Admiral thought fit to desist, because forty of his Ships were not yet come up, being scarce got out of Plymouth Haven[[59]]. So not proceeding any farther, he gave the Signal for a Council of War;——Wherein his Lordship’s prudent and considerate Advice being very much approved, Orders were delivered to each Captain, in what manner they should pursue the Enemy.
The Night following, one of the Spanish Ships, called the St. Katherine, having received much Damage in the Fight, was brought into the midst of their Fleet, to be repaired[[60]]. And a large Biscayan Ship of eight hundred Tuns, belonging to Michael de Oquendo, Admiral of the Guypuscoan Squadron, on board of which was the Treasurer of the Fleet, was designedly set on Fire by a Dutch Gunner, who had been ill used[[61]]; but the Spaniards took out the best Part of the Money, when they saw the Ship in Danger; and after her upper Part was burnt and blown up, the Flame was extinguished by some Ships that came seasonably to her Assistance. But one of them, a great Galleon, commanded by Don Pedro de Valdez, sprung her Foremast and Boltsprit, by falling foul of another Vessel in the Hurry and Confusion; and so, not being able to keep Company with the rest of the Fleet, was left behind. The Night being extremely dark, and the Sea running so high, that no Succour could come to her, she fell the next Day, July 22, into the Hands of |[Plate 4].|Sir Francis Drake; who had her conducted to Dartmouth, and sent the Captain, and some other Gentlemen who were on board, Prisoners to Plymouth, where they remained eighteen Months, ’till their Ransoms were paid. In this Galleon was found fifty five thousand Ducats of Gold, which Drake’s Men shared amongst themselves.
[[62]]This Night the Spanish Fleet bore along by the Start, and the next Morning was as far to the Leward as the Berry[[63]]. Sir Francis Drake had been ordered to carry Lights; but being in full Chace of some German Hulks, or Merchant-Men, which he discovered late in the Evening, and took for Enemies, he happened to neglect it; which occasioned most of the Fleet to lye by all Night, because not seeing the Lights, they knew not whom to follow. For that Reason, Sir Francis, and the rest of the Fleet, did not come up ’till the next Evening with the Lord Admiral; who, accompanied only with the Bear and the Mary Rose, had pursued the Enemy, within Culverin Shot, all the foregoing Night. [[64]]Thro’ this Mistake, the rest of the English Fleet staid so far behind, that the next Morning the nearest could scarce be seen half Mast high, and very many were quite out of Sight.
July 22. This whole Day the Spanish Admiral spent in disposing his Fleet in the best Order he could think of. [[65]]He commanded Alphonso de Leva to bring the first and the last Squadron together; and assigning every particular Ship its proper Station in Battle, according to the Plan agreed on in Spain, enjoined their respective Commanders to keep the same on Pain of Death. He also dispatch’d Glich, an Ensign, to the Prince of Parma, to advise him of his near Approach, and inform him of the State of the Navy. In the mean time, the forementioned Ship of Oquendo having been much damaged by the Fire, the Spanish Admiral ordered, after the Officers, Men, and Money were removed into another Vessel, |[Plate 5].|that she should be abandoned, and set adrift[[66]]. Whereupon, the Lord High-Admiral sent the Lord Thomas Howard, and Captain Hawkins in a small Skiff on board her, who found her in a very pitiful Condition. Her Decks were fallen in, the Steerage broken, the Stern blown out, and about fifty poor Creatures burnt with Powder in a most miserable manner. The Stench, as well as the horrible Spectacle, soon made them return to the Lord-Admiral; who ordered the Bark Fleming to conduct her into some Port, and accordingly she was brought the next Day into Weymouth.
The Night following prov’d very calm; during which, the four Galleasses of Naples singling themselves from the rest of the Enemy’s Fleet, gave Reason to suspect that they had a Design to distress some of the small English Vessels, which were short of the Fleet; but their Courage failing them, they attempted nothing.
On the 23d the Wind turning to the North-East, the Spaniards took the Advantage of it; and when they came over against Portland, tacked about upon the English, who presently tacked likewise, and stood in to the North-West, towards the Shore, as did the Spaniards also. But that Course not being good for the English to recover the Wind of the Spaniards, the former cast about to the Eastward. And, after several Attempts on both Sides to get the Weather-gage, the Spaniards offering to board the English, a smart Engagement began, which was managed with Confusion enough, and with Variety of Success. The Enemy seeing several of the English Ships waited their coming, particularly the Ark, the Nonpareil, the Elizabeth-Jonas, the Victory, &c. they fell a stern the Nonpareil, which was the hindmost Ship; and in the mean time, the Triumph, with the Merchant-Royal, the Centurion, the Margaret and John, the Mary-Rose, and the Golden-Lion, were so far to the Leeward, and at such a Distance from the rest of the Fleet, that the Galleasses took Courage, and bearing down upon them, attacked them very vigorously; but they gave them a warm Reception for an Hour and a half, ’till some of her Majesty’s Ships came to their Relief.