The 14th day, being Sunday, the Prince feasted all the Spaniards that accompanied him to the waterside, the Cardinal Zapata and his brother, who was a grandee, being the chief, with Gondomar[490] and divers others of the King of Spain's servants; whom he feasted with no other provisions than such as we brought out of England with us: stalled oxen, fatted sheep, venison and all kind of fowls and other varieties in abundance, wanting no ordnance to welcome them withal, loudly speaking every health; but it was a very foul rainy day. Notwithstanding, at their going from the ship all the ordnance was discharged in our ship, all the rest of the Fleet following in order as they passed by to the town of Santander.
The Rainbow, wherein Sir Henry Palmer commanded as captain, and John King, one of the four Masters, being master, by neglect of following the Admiral, could not get within the river's mouth, but was forced to leeward, where she rode three days and nights in such extremity as every hour it was expected when she should drive upon the shore, which she hardly escaped by God's great mercy, and upon the Tuesday after, came safely off and anchored under the Prince's stern.
On Thursday, being the 18th day of September, we set sail out of Santander River, the wind somewhat southerly, from whence we beat it to and fro with contrary winds till the 26th day after, being Friday, at which time a little before noon we had sight of Scilly, which bore north-east of us, about some 8 leagues off.
This day we met 4 Dunkirk men-of-war, very well fitted, chased by Holland men-of-war, whom the Prince caused to come to leeward, and their commanders to come on board; whom his Highness laboured to have accepted a peaceable course, which the Hollanders durst not accept, whereupon they were dismissed, the Dunkirkers having liberty to have the start of the Hollanders, which many disliked.
Saturday all day we plied to and fro, and got within some four leagues of the Islands, the wind at north-east but fair weather.
On Sunday a Council of War was summoned, wherein was principally propounded his Highness landing upon the Island of Scilly[491] in the ketch, some pilots of the island being come off unto us, but it was generally protested against under all the Council's hands, and so were dismissed to their charges; but after supper, beyond expectation, order was given to make ready the long boat and to call the ketch, and the Prince made choice of all the company should accompany him on shore, and so about one of the clock after midnight, with great danger to his Highness' person and to the Lord Duke of Buckingham, they were put into our long boat, which was veered astern by a long warp, where the ketch, laying the long boat on board, and the sea going somewhat high, they entered the ketch disorderly, without regard to any, but everyone shifting for themselves. Being all shipped, the ketch was so over burdened as she could make but little way, so that after we had taken farewell with the discharge of a volley of our great ordnance we tacked into the sea and left the ketch to ply into the island, which she safely gained by 7 of the morning, and had landed the Prince and all his company on St. Mary's Island.
The next morning our Admiral advised with me what course we should take with ourselves, for the Prince had commanded Sir Henry Mainwaring, who was Captain under the Admiral, and Mr. Walter Whiting, the Master of the ship, to attend him in the ketch, I being left purposely to supply both their places in their absence. After serious consultation with the master's mates and two pilots of the island, who all assured us we might safely go in, the Admiral resolved on that course, and after two or three boards we laid it in quarter winds,[492] and came to an anchor in the best of the road about 2 of the clock afternoon; the Prince and all his train standing upon the lower point of land, and welcomed us in as we passed close by with much expression of joy and heaving up their hats. The Prince and his train lay in the Castle[493] four nights.
On Friday morning, being the 3rd of October, we set sail out of Scilly, and on Sunday following, being the 5th day, we came into St. Helen's and anchored on Nomans Land,[494] and shipped the Prince and his train into our long boat and other ships' boats, who were safely landed at Portsmouth about 11 of the clock; we taking our farewell with discharge of all our great ordnance, seconded by all the Fleet, with general thanksgiving to God for our safe arrival, to the joy and comfort of all true hearted subjects.
The 14th day of October, we set sail from St. Helen's Point, being Tuesday. The 16th day after, being Thursday morning, we came to an anchor in Dover Road, where, having leave of the Admiral, I went into a fisher boat, and taking in my son John out of the St. George, wherein he had served the whole voyage under Sir Thomas Steward, we landed at Dover, from whence we took horse to Chatham, where we alighted at my house about 4 of the clock in the evening, finding my wife and family in good health; for which great mercies in our preservation in the whole journey and safe return we all gave thanks to our good God.
The 24th of May, 1624, being sent for to St. James's, I there received from Sir Robert Carr,[495] by the Prince's Highness' order, a gold chain of the value of 104l. in way of reward for my attendance in the voyage into Spain in bringing his Highness home, which chain I was commanded to wear one day, and to wait upon the Prince to the Parliament, which I accordingly did and received very gracious respect from his Highness.