During our being in this towne, as formerly also at S. Iago there had passed iustice vpon the life of one of our owne companie for an odious matter: so here likewise was there an Irish man hanged, for the murthering of his Corporall.
In this time also passed manie treaties betweene their Commissioners and vs, for ransome of their Citie, but vpon disagreements, we still spent the early mornings in firing the outmost houses; but they being built verie magnificently of stone, vvith high loftes, gaue vs no small trauell to ruine them. And albeit for diuers daies together, D2 we ordained eche morning by day breake, vntill the heat began at nine of the clocke, that two hundred Mariners did nought else but labour to fier and burne the said houses vvithout our trenches, vvhilest the souldiers in a like proportion stood foorth for their gard: yet did we not or could not in this time consume so much as one third part of the towne, vvhich Towne is here plainly described and set forth in this Map. And so in the end, what wearied with firing, and vvhat hastened by some other respects, we were contented to accept of fiue and twentie thousand Duckets, of fiue shillings sixe pence the peece, for the ransome of the rest of the towne.
Amongst other things which happened and were found at S. Domingo, I may not omit to let the world know one very notable marke and token, of the vnsatiable ambition of the Spanish king & his nation, [vvich] was found in the kings house, vvherein the chiefe Gouernor of that Citie and countrey is appointed alwaies to lodge, vvhich vvas this: In the comming to the hall or other romes of this house, you must first ascend vp by a faire large paire of staires, at the head of vvhich staires is a handsome spatious place to vvalke in, somewhat like vnto a gallerie, vvherein vpon one of the vvals, right ouer against you as you enter the said place, so as your eye can not escape the sight of it, there is described and painted in a very large Scutchion, the armes of the king of Spaine, and in the lower part of the said Scutchion, there is likewise described a globe, containing in it the whole circuite of the sea and the earth, vvhereupon is a horse standing on his hinder part vvithin the globe, and the other fore part vvithout the globe, lifted vp as it vvere to leape, vvith a scroll painted in his mouth, vvherein vvas written these vvordes in Latin Non sufficit orbis: which is as much to say, as the world suffiseth not, vvhereof the meaning vvas required to be knowen of some of those of the better sort, that came in commission to treat vpon the ransome of the tovvne, who would shake their heades, and turne aside their countenance in some smyling sort, without answering any thing, as greatly ashamed thereof. For by some of our companie it vvas told them, that if the Queene of England vvould resolutely prosecute the warres against the Kinge of Spaine, he should be forced to lay aside that proude and vnreasonable reaching vaine of his, for he should finde more then inough to do, to keepe that vvhich he had alreadie, as by the present example of their lost towne they might for a beginning perceaue vvell inough.
Now to the satisfying of some men, who maruel greatly that such a famous and goodly builded Citie so vvell inhabited of gallant people, very brauely apparelled (vvhereof our souldiers found good store for their reliefe) should afoord no greater riches then vvas found there, vvherein it is to be vnderstood that the Indian people, which were the naturals of this vvhole Island of Hispaniola (the same being neare hand as great as England) were many yeares since cleane consumed by the tyrannie of the Spaniards, vvhich vvas cause, that for lacke of people to vvorke in the Mines, the gold and siluer Mines of this Island are vvholy giuen ouer, and thereby they are faine in this Island to vse copper money, whereof vvas found verie great quantitie. The chiefe trade of this place consisteth of Suger and Ginger, which groweth in the Island, and of hides of oxen and kine, vvhich in this wast countrey of the Island are bred in infinite numbers, the soile being verie fertile: and the said beasts are fed vp to a verie large growth, and so killed for nothing so much, as for their hides aforesaid. Wee found here great store of strong wine, sweete oyle, vineger, oliues, and other such like prouisions, as excellent vvheate meale packed vp in wine pipes and other caske, and other commodities likewise, as vvollen and linnen cloth, and some silkes, all which D3 prouisions are brought out of Spaine & serued vs for great releese. There vvas but a little plate or vessell of Siluer, in comparison of the great pride in other thinges of thys towne, because in these hote countreyes they vse much of these erthen dishes finely painted or varnished, vvich they call Parsellina, and is had out of the East India, and for their drinking, they vse glasses altogether, whereof they make excellent good and faire in the same place. But yet some plate we founde, and many other good thinges, as theyr hosholde garniture very gallant and rich, vvhich had cost them deere, although vnto vs they vvere of small importance.
From S. Domingo we put ouer to the maine or firme land, and going all alongest the coast, vve came at the last in sight of Cartagena, standing vpon the sea side so neare as some of our barks in passing alongst, approched vvithin the reach of their Culuerin shot, vvhich they had planted vpon certaine platformes. The harbour mouth lay some three miles tovvard the Westvvard of the town, vvhereinto we entered about three or foure of the clocke in the afternoone vvithout any resistance, [of ordinance], or other impeachment planted vpon the same. In the euening vve put our selues on land tovvardes the harbour mouth, vnder the leading of Maister Carleill our Lieftenant generall, vvho after he had digested vs to march forvvard about the midnight, as easily as foote might fall, expresselye commaunding to keepe close by the sea vvash of the shore for our best and surest vvay, whereby we vvere like to goe through, and not to misse anye more of the vvay, vvhich once vve had lost within an hower after our first beginning to march, through the slender knowledge of him that tooke vpon him to be our guide, whereby the night spent on, which otherwise must haue bene done by resting. But as we came vvithin some tvvo miles of the towne, their horsemen which vvere some hundred, met vs, and taking the alarum, retired to their townevvard again vpon the first volley of our shot that vvas giuen them: for the place where vve encountred being vvoody and bushie euen to the water side, was vnmeet for their seruice.
At this instant vve might heare some peeces of artillerie discharged, with diuers small shot tovvardes the harbour, vvhich gaue vs to vnderstand, according to the order set downe in the euening before by our Generall, that the Vice-Admirall accompanied with Captaine Venner, Captaine White, and Captaine Crosse, vvith other sea captaines, and vvith diuers Pinnaces and boates should giue some attempt vnto the litle fort standing on the entrie of the inner hauen, neere adioining to the tovvne, though to small purpose, for that the place vvas stronge, and the entrye verie narrovve vvas chained ouer: so as there coulde be nothing gotten by the attempt, more then the giuing of them an Alarum on that other side of the hauen being a mile and a halfe from the place where vve novve vvere. In which attempt the Vice-Admirall had the rudder of his Skiffe stroken through with a Saker shot, and litle or no harme receaued else where.
The troopes being novve in their march, half a myle behither the tovvne or lesse, the [ground] we were on grew to be straight, and not aboue fiftie paces ouer, hauing the maine sea on the side of it, and the harbour water or inner sea (as you may tearme it) on the other side, vvhich in this plot is plainely shewed. This straight was fortified cleane ouer with a stone vvall and a ditch without it, the saide wall being as orderly built vvith flanking in euery part, as can be set dovvne. There vvas onely so much of this straight vnvvalled, as might serue for the issuing of the horsemen, or the passing of carriage in time of neede: but this vnvvalled part vvas not vvithout a very good Barricado of vvine buts or pipes, filled vvith earth, ful and thick as they might stand on end one by another, some part of D4 of them standing euen vvithin the maine sea.
This place of strength vvas furnished of sixe great peeces, demi-Culuerins, and Sakers, vvhich shot directlie in front vpon vs as vve approched. Novve vvithout this vval vpon the inner side of the streight, they had brought likevvise tvvo great Gallies vvith their provvesse to the shore, hauing planted in them eleuen peeces of ordinance vvhich did beate all crosse the straight, and flanked our comming on. In these tvvo Gallies vvere planted three or foure hundred small shot, and on the land in the garde onely of thys place, three hundred shot and pikes.
They in this their full readinesse to receiue vs, spared not their shot both great and small. But our Lieftenant generall, taking the aduantage of the darke (the day light as yet not broken out) approched by the lovvest ground, according to the expresse direction vvhich himselfe hadde formerlie giuen, the same being the sea vvash shore, vvhere the vvater vvas somevvhat fallen, so as most of all their shot vvas in vaine. Our Lieftenant generall [commaunded] our shot to forbeare shooting vntill vve vvere come to the vvall side, and so vvith pikes roundlie together vve approched the place, vvhere vve soone found out the Barricadoes of pipes or buts, to be the meetest place for our assault, vvhich notvvithstaning it vvas vvell tempted by vs: dovvne vvent the buts of earth, and pell mell came our svvordes and pikes together, after out shot had first giuen their volley, euen at the enemies nose. Our pikes vvere somevvhat longer then theirs, and our bodies better armed, for very fevve of them vvere armed, vvith vvhich aduantage out svvordes and pikes grevv to hard for them, and they driuen to giue place. In this furious entrie, the Lieutenant generall slue vvith his ovvne hands, the chiefe Ensigne bearer of the Spaniards, vvho fought verie manfullie to his liues end.
We follovved into the towne vvith them, and giuing them no leasure to breath, vve vvanne the Market place, albeit they made head, and fought a while [before vve got] it, and so vve being once seazed and assured of that, they were content to suffer vs to lodge vvithin their towne, and themselues to goe to their vviues, vvhome they had caried into other places of the countrey before our comming thither.