The Santa Clara, a Biscayen ship of 600 tons, taken.
Before the Fleet severed themselves, they met with a great Biscayen on the Spanish coast, called [the] Santa Clara, a ship of 600 tons. The noise of the artillery on both sides being heard; immediately they drew to their Fleet. Where, after a reasonably hot fight, the ship was entered and mastered: which they found fraighted with all sorts of small ironwork, as horse-shoes, nails, plough-shares, iron bars, spikes, bolts, locks, gimbols, and such like, valued by us at £6,000 or £7,000 [=£24,000 to £30,000 now] but worth to them treble the value. This Biscayen was sailing towards San Lucar [de Barrameda, the Port of Seville], there to take in some further provision for the West India.
This ship being first rummaged, and after sent for England: our Fleet coasted along towards the South Cape of St. Vincent.
And, by the way, about the Rock [Cape da Roca] near Lisbon, Sir John Burrough in the Roebuck spying a Sail afar off, gave her present chase: which, being a Fly-boat and of good sail [a good sailer], drew him far southwards before he could fetch her; but at last she came under his lee, and struck sail.
The Master of which Fly-boat coming aboard him, confessed, that the King [Philip II.] indeed had prepared a great Fleet in San Lucar [de Barrameda] and Cadiz; and, as the report in Spain was current, for the West Indies.
But indeed the Spanish King had provided this Fleet upon this counsel:
He received intelligence that Sir Walter Ralegh was to put out strong for the West India. To impeach him, and to ranconter [encounter] his force; he appointed this Fleet: although, looking for the arrival of his East Indian Carracks, he first ordained those ships to waft [convoy] them from the Azores. But persuading himself that if the Fleet of Sir Walter Ralegh did go for the West India, then the Islands should have none to infest them but small Men of War; which the Carracks of themselves would be well able to match: his order was to Don Alonso de Baçan, brother to the Marquis of Santa Cruz, and General of his Armada, to pursue Sir Walter's Fleet, and to confront him; what course soever he held.
And that this was true, our men in short time by proof understood. For Sir John Burrough (not long after the taking of his last prize, the Fly-boat), as he sailed back again towards the rest of his company, discovered the Spanish Fleet to seaward of him: which, having likewise spied him betwixt them and the shore, made full account to bring him safe into [a] Spanish harbour; and therefore spread themselves in such sort before him, that indeed his danger was very great. For both the liberty of the sea was brought into a narrow straight [distance]; and the shore, being enemy Sir John Burrough in great danger of the Spanish Fleet. [hostile] could give him no comfort of relief. So that, trusting to GOD's help only and his good sail [sailing], he thrust out from among them, in spite of all their force; and, to the notable illusion of all their cunning, which they shewed to the uttermost in laying the way for his apprehension.