The Wind then shifted to the South-East, and afterwards to the South-South-West; |[Plate 6].|whereupon a Body of English Ships, and several Merchant-Men attacked the Spanish Fleet so sharply to the Westward, that it was all forced to give way. The Lord-Admiral perceiving this, and observing at the same Time the Distress which the Triumph and the five Ships above mentioned in her Company, were in, he ordered some Ships that were then near at hand, to follow him, and to set upon the Spaniards a-fresh; and he strictly charged them, to go within Musket-Shot of the Enemy, before they discharged any one Piece of Ordnance, that they might have a better Mark, and more effectually succour the Triumph. This was immediately performed by the Ark, the Elizabeth-Jonas, the Galleon of Leicester, the Golden Lion, the Victory, the Mary Rose, the Dreadnought, and the Swallow; for in that order they proceeded. The Duke of Medina perceiving their Design, came out with sixteen of his best Galleons, to intercept the Lord Admiral, and stop him from assisting the Triumph. But, after a very sharp Conflict, the Spaniards were forced to give way, and for their greater Safety to gather themselves close into a Roundel, their best and largest Ships standing outermost, and fencing the lesser and the most battered. In this Conflict, William Coxe, Captain of a small Pinnace of Sir William Winter’s, nam’d the Delight, was slain by a great Shot, while he was bravely fighting against the Enemy.
Towards the Evening, four or five of the Spanish Vessels edged out of the South-Westward, where they were met by some of our Ships; amongst which, the May-Flower of London valiantly discharged some Pieces of Cannon at them; and, on this and other Occasions, that Ship’s Company behaved with great Resolution and Courage.
Thus the Fight continued from Morning till Night, being managed with great Bravery; but the Spaniards Shot flew, for the most part, over the Heads of the English, without doing Execution[[67]]; the reason of which was, that the English Ships being far less than the Enemy’s, made the Attack with more Quickness and Agility; and when they had given a Broad-Side, sheer’d off to a convenient Distance; and levell’d their Shot so directly at the larger and more unwieldy Ships of the Spaniards, as seldom to miss their Aim. Some advis’d the Lord-Admiral, with more Heat than Discretion, to grapple with and board them; but he thought it neither safe nor convenient; because the Enemy’s Fleet had a considerable Army on board, whereas ours had no such Advantage; besides their Ships far exceeded the English in Number and Bulk, and were much stronger and higher built; insomuch that their Men having the Opportunity to ply the others from such lofty Decks, must inevitably have destroyed those that were obliged, as it were, to fight beneath them. And he foresaw likewise, that the Damage and Disgrace of a total Defeat would much outweigh the Advantage of a Victory, should he happen to obtain it; since, if he was vanquished, it would have much endangered the Safety of the whole Kingdom; but if he got the better, he could obtain no more than the naked Credit of putting a Fleet in Disorder, and baffling an Enemy.——In this Day’s Engagement, a great Venetian Ship, with several other smaller ones were taken by the English[[68]].
On the 24th of July, there was but little done[[69]]; the Fight being only between four great Galleasses and some English Vessels[[70]]. The Spaniards, upon this Occasion had great Advantage, since their Ships had Oars, and ours, by reason of a Calm, had no use of their Sails. However, the English galled the Enemy very much with their Cannon and Chain-Shot; but at last, wanting Powder and other Necessaries to continue the Fight, the Lord Admiral sent some Vessels into the next Port for a Supply. In the mean time, a Council of War was held, wherein it was agreed, That the Fleet should be divided into four Squadrons, to be commanded, the first by the Lord Admiral himself in the Ark-Royal; the second by Sir Francis Drake in the Revenge; the third by Captain Hawkins; and the fourth by Captain Forbisher. [[71]]This Afternoon, his Lordship gave order, that in the Night, six Merchant-Ships out of every Squadron (as being the lightest) should set upon the Spanish Fleet in several Places at once; but it being calm all that Night, nothing could be done.
The next Morning, July 25, both |[Plate 7].|Fleets being come over against the Isle of Wight, (which the Spaniards had resolved to make themselves Masters of,) and not above a hundred Yards asunder, a terrible Fight began[[72]]. The St. Ann, a large Portuguese Galleon, being short of the rest to the Southward, because not able to keep up with them, was attack’d by some of Captain Hawkins’s Squadron, which stood next to it; who causing themselves to be towed along, attempted to board her, and went so close, that their Boats were beaten off with Musket-Shot: Leva and Don Diego Telles Enriques perceiving the Galleon’s Danger, issued out of the Spanish Fleet with three Galleasses, and endeavoured to rescue her; but they were so warmly received by the Lord Admiral himself, and the Lord Thomas Howard in the Golden Lion, who, by reason of the Calm, had their Ships tow’d along with Boats, that the Galleon was got off with much Difficulty, and not without Loss; for one of the Galleasses was forc’d to be carried away upon the Careen; another, by a Shot from the Ark, lost her Lanthorn; and the third her Peak-head. Thus many Shots were interchanged between the Ark and Lion and the Galleasses, in Sight of both Fleets, which looked on, and could not come near by reason of the Calm. At length it began to blow a small Gale, whereupon the Spanish Fleet edged up to succour their Galleasses, and so rescued them; but so roughly were the Galleasses handled, that after this none of them would venture upon any new Engagement.
[[73]]Then the Fleets drawing near one another the Fight was renewed; but it did not continue long; except that the Nonpareil and the Mary Rose were for some time engaged with the Enemy, and striking their Topsails, lay a while by, and braved the whole Fleet of Spain. In the mean while, the Triumph, to the Northward of the Spanish Fleet, was so far to Leward, that being apprehensive some of the Enemy might weather her, she towed off with the Help of several Boats, and so recovered the Wind. The Bear and the Elizabeth Jonas perceiving her in Distress, bore down to rescue her, and by their Boldness put themselves into the like Danger; but they, however, made their party good, ’till they had recovered the Wind. And thus ended this Day’s Fight, which was very sharp for the time.
[[74]]The Spaniards gave a different Account of this Day’s Engagement; for they said that the English did miserably batter, with their great Guns, the Spanish Admiral, who lay in the rear; came so near him as to kill many of his Men; brought his Mainmast by the board; and he was in great Danger of being lost, had not Mexia and Recalde come timely to his Assistance; but that, after this, the Spanish Admiral and his Men, seconded by Recalde, and others, set upon the English Admiral, who by the turning of the Wind happily escaped; that the Spaniards from that time gave over the Chace, and keeping on their Course, dispatch’d a Messenger to the Duke of Parma, to desire him to come and join the Armada with his own Squadron as soon as possible; and to send them withal some great Shot for the use of the main Fleet.
[[75]]However it be, the English had so battered the Enemy in the last Conflict, that the latter had Recourse to the Form of a Roundel for their better Security.
[[76]]On Friday, July 26, the Lord High-Admiral sent for the Lord Thomas Howard the Lord Sheffield, Roger Townshend, Captain Martin Forbisher, Captain John Hawkins, on board his own Ship the Ark; and there confer’d on them the Honour of Knighthood, as well for a Reward of their good Services in the late Engagement, as for an Encouragement to the rest of the Officers.
[[77]]Next, a Council of War being held, it was determined, as our Ships began to want Powder and Shot, that they should not attack the Spaniards again ’till they came to the Streights of Calais; because they would there be joined and reinforced by the Squadron under the Command of the Lord Henry Seymour and Sir William Winter, stationed in those Parts to block up the Duke of Parma; and might, at the same time, receive a plentiful Store of Ammunition from our Coasts.