THE true copie of a letter found at the sacking of Cadiz , written by Don Bernaldino Delgadillo de Avellaneda, Generall of the king of Spaine his Navie in the West Indies, sent unto Doctor Peter Florez, President of the contractation house for the Indies, and by him put in print with privilege: wherein are declared many untruthes, and false reports, tending to the disgrace of the service of her Majesties Navie, and the commanders thereof, lately sent to the West Indies, under the command of sir Francis Drake, and sir John Hawkins Generals at the sea: and sir Thomas Baskervill Generall at land: with a confutation of divers grosse lies and untruthes, contayned in the same letter: together with a short relation of the fight, according to the truth.
The Copie of a letter which Don Bernaldino Delgadillo de Avellaneda, Generall of the king of Spaine his armie, sent unto Doctor Peter Florez, President of the contractation house for the Indies, wherein he maketh mention of the successe of the English armie, after they departed from Panama, whereof was Generall Francis Drake, and of his death.
FROM Cartagena I gave relation unto your Worship how I departed from the citie of Lisbone, in the pursuite of the English armie: although for the great haste the Galeons could not be so well repaired as was needfull, and with foule weather one was lost, and a Fly-boat was burnt. And having sayled many dayes in pursuite of the enemie, untill I arrived at Cartagena , and there taking the advise of Don Pedro de Acunna, Governour of the citie, and Captaine generall (for wee had great neede of water, and to repaire our shippes) we stayed in that port: whereas I had intelligence by an Indian that Francis Drake died in Nombre de Dios, for very griefe that he had lost so many Barkes and men, as was afterwards more manifestly knowen. Thus having given you a rela tion of all that happened hitherto, now I let you understand, that I left this Port the second of March, and tooke our course towardes Havana, where I thought to have found the English fleete. And having used all the diligence possible, upon Munday the eleventh of the said moneth, about two of the clocke in the afternoone, at the end of the Ile of Pinos, in the entrance of Guaniguanico, I met with the English fleete, being fourteene very good ships: I drew towardes them although they had the winde of us, and our Admirall who bore up towards the winde, with other two ships beganne to draw neere them, and although we set thus upon them, three times with all their ships, yet would they not set againe upon us, and those of our men which were farthest off cryed to them amaine, being both within shot of artillerie, muskets, and calivers, whereby they received evident hurt by us: They plyed their great ordinance according to their manner, and especially their Viceadmirall, and seeing our resolution how sharpe we were bent towards them, they with all expedition and speede possible prepared to flie away, hoysing sailes and leaving their boates for haste in the sea: but I followed them, with nine ships all the night following, and with foure more the next day, till I made them double the Cape of S. Antonie, and to take the course towards the Chanell of Bahama, according to the instructions from his Majestie. It little availed us to be seene, with lesse number of ships, neither yet all the diligence we could use, could cause them to stay or come neere us, nor to shoot off one harquebuze or peece of artillerie, for they fled away as fast as they could, and their shippes were halfe diminished, and that the best part of them: the rest they repaired in Puerto Bello, whereas they were about forte dayes, and so by that meanes they were all well repayred; and our shippes were very foule, because the time would not permit us to trim them: I have sayled 2 moneths and a halfe in the Admirall, since we departed from Cartagena , we have not repaired their pumpes nor clensed them: and the same day I departed thence, there came unto me a small Pinnesse in the like distresse : our Viceadmirall and the rest of our ships have the like impediment, but no great hinderance unto us, for ought I could perceive by our enemies: It is manifest what advantage they had of us, and by no meanes was it possible for us to take them, unlesse we could have come to have found them at an anker. Neverthelesse they left us one good shippe behinde for our share, well manned, which tolde me that Drake died in Nombre de Dios, and that they have made for Generall of the English fleete the Colonel Quebraran: and also by meanes of the small time, being straightly followed by us, they had no opportunitie to take either water, wood or flesh, and they are also in such bad case, that I know not how they will be able to arrive in England . The number of men we have taken are about an hundred and fortie, and fifteene noble captaines of their best sort, and some of them rich, as well may appeare by their behaviour: I have no other thing to write at this time. Our Lord keepe you who best can, and as I desire.From Havana the 30 of March,
1596.
DON BERNALDINO DELGADILLO DE AVELLANEDA.
Licence to Imprint
THE Licenciat Don John Bermudes of Figueroa Lieutenant of the Assistants of the citie of Sivill, and the Province thereof, who doth supply the office of the Assistant in the absence of the Right honourable the Earle of Priego, giveth licence to Roderigo de Cabriera to imprint the Relation of the death of Francis Drake, which onely he may do for two moneths, and no other to imprint the same within the said terme, upon paine of tenne thousand Maravedis for his Majesties chamber.Given in Sivill the 15 of May 1596.
The Licenciat Don John Bermudes of Figueroa.
By his Assigne Gregorie Gutierez Notarie.
The answere to the Spanish letter.
THIS letter of the Generall Don Bernaldino sent into Spaine declaring the death of Sir Francis Drake and their supposed victorie, was altogether received for an undoubted trueth, and so pleasing was this newes unto the Spaniarde, that there was present commandement given to publish the letter in print, that all the people of Spaine might be pertakers of this common joy: the which letter printed in Sivill, bearing date the 15 of May, 1596 came to the hands of Henrie Savile Esquire, who being employed in that service for the West Indies, and Captaine of her Majesties good shippe the Adventure, under the conduct of sir Francis Drake, and sir John Hawkins, hath caused the said printed letter to be translated into Eng lish. And that the impudencie of the Spanish Generall may the more plainely appeare, the sayde Henrie Savile doth answere particularly to every untrueth in the same letter contayned, as hereafter followeth.First the Generall doth say, that Francis Drake died at Nombre de Dios, as he had intelligence by an Indian.
THE Generall sent this newes into his countrey confirmed with his hand and seale of Armes: It is the first newes in his letter, and it was the best newes that he could send into Spaine. For it did ease the stomackes of the timorous Spaniards greatly to heare of the death of him, whose life was a scourge and a continuall plague unto them: But it was a point of great simplicitie, and scarcely beseeming a Generall, to tie the credite of his report locally to any place upon the report of a silly Indian slave. For it had bene sufficient to have sayd, that Francis Drake was certainly dead, without publishing the lie in print, by naming Nombre de Dios: for it is most certaine sir Francis Drake died twixt the Iland of Escudo, and Puerto Bello: but the Generall being ravished with the suddaine joy of this report as a man that hath escaped a great danger of the enemie, doth breake out into an insolent kinde of bragging of his valour at Sea, and heaping one lie upon another, doth not cease untill he hath drawen them into sequences, and so doth commende them unto Peter the Doctor, as censor of his learned worke.Secondly, The Generall doth write unto the Doctor, that Francis Drake died for very griefe that he had lost so many barkes and men.
A THING very strange that the Generall or the Indian whom hee doth vouch for his lie, should have such speculation in the bodie of him whom they never saw, as to deliver for truth unto his countrie, the very cause or disease whereof hee died: and this second report of his is more grosse then the first. For admit the mistaking of the place might be tollerable; notwithstanding, this precise affirming the cause of his death doth manifestly proove that the Generall doth make no conscience to lie. And as concerning the losse of any Barkes or men in our Navie, by the valour of the Spaniard before Sir Francis Drake his death, we had none (one small pinnesse ex cepted) which we assuredly know was taken by chance, falling single into a fleete of five Frigates (of which was Generall Don Pedro Telio) neere unto the Iland of Dominica, and not by the valour of Don Bernaldino : the which five Frigates of the kings afterwardes had but ill successe, for one of them we burnt in the harbour of S. Juan de Puerto rico, and one other was sunke in the same harbour, and the other three were burnt amongst many other shippes at the taking of Cadiz . This I thinke in wise mens judgements, will seeme a silly cause to make a man sorrowe to death. For true it is, sir Francis Drake died of the fluxe which hee had growen upon him eight dayes before his death, and yeelded up his spirit like a Christian to his creatour quietly in his cabbin. And when the Generall shall survey his losse, he shall finde it more then the losse of the English, and the most of his, destroyed by the bullet: but the death of Sir Francis Drake was of so great comfort unto the Spaniard, that it was thought to be a sufficient amendes, although their whole fleete had beene utterly lost.Thirdly, the Generall doth say of his owne credite, and not by intelligence from any Indian or other, that on the eleventh of March last he met the English fleete at the Ile of Pinos, being fourteene good shippes: who although they had the winde of him, yet he set upon them three times with all their shippes : but the English Fleete fled, and refused to fight, shooting now and then a shot, but especially the Viceadmirall.
THIS third lie of the Generall Don Bernaldino Delgadillo de Avellaneda (whose name for the prolixitie thereof may be drawen somewhat neere the length of a cable) hath no colour of protection, but it hath a just proportion in measure to the lies of olde Bernardino de Mendoza his countreyman, concerning the overthrowe of hir Majesties Navie in the yeere one thousand five hundred eightie and eight. For except Don Bernaldino the Generall did purpose to winne the whetstone from Don Bernardino de Mendoza the olde Spanish lyer; I cannot conjecture why he should write to his countrey for a truth, that he chased the English Navie with nine shippes, and did three severall times give the onset to the English fleete, who being fourteene good shippes (as he saith) did flie and refuse to fight; considering that the Spanish Viceadmirall (if he be living) and many other can witnesse the contrarie: who fighting like a true valiant man, departed from the fight with a tome and battered shippe to save her from sinking. Neither can I imagine that there is any one in the Spanish Fleete (Don Bernaldino excepted) that will say they were lesse then twentie sayle of shippes when they met the English fleete: and the Spanish Navie can witnesse that they received such store of bullets from the English fleete, that they were glad to depart, and in despight of them the English navie did holde their determined course: And taking a viewe of the Spanish fleete the next day, their number was not above thirteene ships, which did argue that they were either sunke or fled to harbour to save themselves.Fourthly, the General saith, that the English fleete fled away, and left their oares for hast behind them in the sea.
IT was strange that they should leave behinde them oares in the sea, sithence there was not in the English fleete either Galley or Galliasse, which required the use of oares: as for the oares of their ship-boates and other such small vessels, they had stowed them aboord their shippes, and were no impediment unto them, but most necessarie for them to use, and therefore not likely they would cast them overboord: But it is more likely, that the Generall fell into some pleasant dreame at Sea, wherein he did see a false apparition of victorie against the English, and for lacke of matter did set this downe in his letter for newes to his countrey: It is sinne to belie the Devill, and therefore the Generall shall have his right: the letter is so well contrived, and yet with no great eloquence, but with such art, that there are not many more lines, then there are lies, which shewed that there are wonderfull and extraordinarie gifts in the Generall: but I am perswaded if Don Bernaldino had thought that his letter should have beene printed, he would have omitted many things conteined in the letter: for the Doctor did use him somewhat hardly in shewing the letter openly, and more in suffering it to bee printed: for friendes may like good fellowes send lies one to the other for recreation, and feed their friends with some small taste thereof, so it be kept close, without danger to incurre the title of a lying Generall: But as the matter is now handled through the simplicitie of the Doctor, I cannot see but the Generall Don Bernaldino is like to carrie the title equally twixt both his shoulders.Fiftly, the Generall doth say in his printed letter, that notwithstanding all the diligence he could use, he could not cause the English fleete to stay nor come neere them, nor discharge one harquebuze or peece of artillerie, but fled away as fast as they could.
AND this lie also he doth not receive by intelligence from any other, but himselfe was an eye-witnesse in the action, which made him bold to sende this with the rest into his countrey for current newes: but herein Don Bernaldino was more bolde than wise, for the tome and battered sides of his Galeons, being compared with her Majesties shippes, and others that served in that fight, doe declare, that his ships received at least two bullets for one. Neither can it be concealed but his owne countreyman (if any do favour truth) may easily see the losse, and late reparations, done unto the kings fleete, sithence they did encounter with the English Navie, whensoever they that remaine shall arrive in Spaine. But the Generall seemeth to be a very good proficient in his profession, and waxeth somewhat bold, treading the true steps of olde Bernardino de Mendoza: and yet Mendoza was somewhat more warie in his lies, for he had sometime the colour of intelligence to shadowe them: but the Generall growing from boldnesse to impudencie maketh no scruple to say, that the English Navie fled as fast as they could without discharging any harquebuze or peece of artillerie, when as the battered sides of his ships doe returne the lie to his face: For in this conflict Don Bernaldino did behave himselfe so valiantly, that he was alwayes farthest off in the fight, and had so great care of his owne person, that he stoode cleare from the danger of musket or any small shot, and durst not approch; whereas our Generall was the foremost, and so helde his place, untill by order of fight other shippes were to have their turnes, according to his former direction : who wisely and politikely had so ordered his vangarde, and rereward, that as the manner of it was altogether strange to the Spaniarde, so might they have bene without all hope of victorie, if their Generall had bene a man of any judgement in sea-fights: I knowe no reason why the English Navie should flie from him; for the Spaniarde may put all the gaine in his eye that ever he did winne from the English: Peradventure some silly novice of our countrey meeting the Generall in Spaine, and hearing a repetition of so many sillables in one name, as Don Bernaldino Delgadillo de Avellaneda, might thinke them to be wordes of conjuration, and for feare of raysing a spirit, might flie from him as from the Devill: or some simple Indian slave hearing the like repetition of his long and tedious name, might suppose it to be an armie of Spaniards, and for feare runne away: but the commanders and captaines of the English Navie were men of such resolution, that no Spanish bragges could dismay them (for they have often met them with their Pikes in their Spanish beardes) nor the countenance of Don Bernaldino quaile them, although hee were acowtred in his gilt leather buskins, and his Toledo rapier.Sixtly the Generall saith in his letter, that notwithstanding their flying away so fast, the English left them one good ship well manned, who tolde him that Drake dyed in Nombre de Dios: in which ship were one hundred and fortie men, and fifteene noble captaines of the best sort.
THE Generall Don Bernaldino, like a resolute Spaniarde having already gone over his shooes, maketh no danger to wade over his bootes also: and as he hath begunne, so hee doth conclude. I marvaile that he did not in writing his discourse remember this old saying: that is, A liar ought to have a good memorie: It were much better for him in mine opinion to revoke the testimonie which he saith he had from the Englishmen, concerning Sir Francis Drake his death at Nombre de Dios, and stand to the intelligence received from the silly Indian slave, as it appeareth in his first lie: for without all doubt there is no English man that will say (if he have his right senses) that he dyed at Nombre de Dios, for they all knowe the contrarie: neither can the General avouch that he received intelligence from any English man, that after the death of Sir Francis Drake they did elect for Generall Colonel Quebraran (as he doth most falsely affirme in the latter ende of his vaine and frivolous letter) seeing that this name was strange & unknowen to any in the English Navie. Neither do I imagine that any of those which the Generall saith he hath taken, were so forgetfull, as not to remember their Generals name. But without all doubt this addition of so new and strange a name to the English Generall, doth proove that Don Bernaldino is not unfurnished of a forge and storehouse of lies, from whence as from an everflowing fountaine, he sendeth forth lies of al sorts sufficient for his own store, and great plentie to furnish his friends: the Generall was much beholding to his godfathers who gave him the name Bernaldino, which we in English doe take to be plaine Barnard, which name hath as it were a kinde of privilege from being sharpely reprehended, when the partie is thought to erre: for it is a common saying amongst the schoolemen that Bernardus non videt omnia, viz. Barnard seeth not all things, (when he doth dissent from their opinions) the which favour we could be content to yeeld to Bernaldino for the name sake, if he were not taken with so many manifest and impudent lies: neither doe I thinke that Sennor Bernaldino will say, that he sawe all that he hath written, be it spoken in councell for shaming the Generall: for is there any man so voide of reason as to thinke, that any Englishman being demanded of his Generals name, would write or speak Quebraran for Baskervil. So much difference there is in the sound of the sillables, as there is no affinitie at all, or likelihood of truth. But such are the Generals rare gifts, (be it spoken to his small prayse) that we Englishmen must of force confesse, that the Generall hath given a proud onset to carrie the whetstone from Sennor Bernaldino de Mendoza : neither will the hundred and fortie men and fifteene noble Captaines (which he saith he did take, of whom he might have bene rightly informed of their Generals name) acquit him of lying forgerie, for giving the name of Quebraran to the English Generall. As for the good shippe well manned, which he saith the English left them after the fight, I am perswaded he hath no man to witnesse that lie, for the ship was separated by weather from the English fleete in the night, thirteene dayes before the fight with the Spanish Navie, and never to any mans knowledge came more in sight of the English fleete. If the Spanish ship by chance did take the saide well manned ship (as they call her) I doubt not but they have the ship, the hundred and forty men, and the fifteene noble Captaines to shew : But evermore I gesse the Spanish reckoning will fall short when it is examined, for the fifteene noble Captaines will proove, (as I take it) but three, whose losse I grieve to thinke on: Neither did the Spaniards gaine them by valour, or we loose or leave them for cowardise, as most untruely this bragging lier hath certified. But the Generall like a provident man, to make his fame and credite the greater with his Prince and countrey, taketh upon him (amongst other his miracles performed before the English fleete) by way of amplification to make small matters seeme great, as a little shooe to serve a great foote, and finding that it can hardly be brought to passe, he doth so stretch the leather with his teeth that it is readie to breake: and yet notwithstanding al this will not serve his purpose; for the printing of the letter doth marre the play, and bringeth such matter in question, as the Generall doth wish might be concealed, and were he not of so drie and cholerick a complexion, as commonly Spaniards are, he would blush for very shame in publishing so impudently such manifest untruthes. For sithence his meeting with the English fleete at the Ile of Pinos, there hath bene by the worthie English Generals an honourable expedition from England into the Continent of Spaine, where amongst other exploites having taken the citie of Cadiz , in the sacke thereof was found some of Don Bernaldino his printed letters: which comming to the handes of a captaine that served in Sir Francis Drakes last voyage to the West Indies, he hath thought very fit (in regard of the slanders to the English Navie contained in the saide letter) to quote the errors, that the trueth onely may appeare, to all such as have a desire to be rightly informed of such accidents as befell them in this late voyage to the West Indies: and this may suffise to shew Don Bernaldino Delgadillo de Avellaneda his great judgement in amplifying small matters, or of nothing to make in shewe somewhat. And now having thus farre informed you of the trueth in reproofe of the slanderous, false, and untrue reports of this glorious lying Generall, with a true disproofe to some of the grossest of his lies, I will leave him with the rest of his lying letter, and the circumstances therein contained to your censures: who in discretion may easily discerne the same: And have here following plainely and truely set downe the course and order of our whole fight after we met.The meeting of our English Navie and the Spanish fleete, and the order of our encounter.
SUNDAY the first of March, according to our computation, wee descryed the Iland of Pinos, where haling in for the Westerne part thereof, thinking there to have watered, being within foure leagues off it Southerly, we sent in three of our Pinnesses to discover the harbour, and to sound afore us, about one of the clocke in the afternoone; the same day we discovered a fleete of twentie sailes, and deeming them to be the Spanish fleete, we kept our loofe to get the winde, but their Viceadmirall with divers other ships went about to cut off our Pinnesses: so that our Generall with some other of our shippes, was forced to tacke about upon the larbourd tacke, and so ranne in towardes the lande keeping the winde, so as we recovered our Pinnesses; which forced the enemies shippes to tacke about, and to take the aide of their fleete, and being come neere unto them they shot at us; we still approched, having our close fights up, our flags, ensignes and streamers displayed, our men orderly placed in each quarter, but forbare our fight untill our Generall beganne, and gave us warning to come in and fight, by shooting off a great peece, according to his former directions: so being within musket shot, the Viceadmirall of the Spanish fleete came neerest unto us, to whom our Viceadmirall John Traughton Captaine of the Elizabeth Bonadventure gave fight, betwixt whom there was the greatest voley of small shot changed that lightly hath bene heard at Sea, which continued a long halfe houre. In which time the Spanish fleete came in to fight. Our Generall Sir Thomas Baskervill being in the Garland (whereof Humphrey Reignolds was Captaine, being the next shippe unto the Elizabeth Bonadventure) bare up to the enemie, playing with his great ordinance hotly untill he came within musket shot. Jonas Bodenham Captaine of the Defiance, and Henrie Savile Captaine of the Adventure, came likewise in to fight with them. After the Garland being within musket shot played her part, and made good fight for the space of an houre. The Defiance bare up likewise and had her turne: after came the Adventure againe within musket shot, who having changed many a great bullet with them before, renewed his fight, & continued it an houre with small shot. Then came Thomas Drake Captaine of the Hope, who last of all had his turne. Thus had all the Queenes shippes their course: The marchants ships with other small vessels being without the Queenes ships, shot when they saw opportunitie. After the enemie finding no good to be done (being well beaten) fell from us, the Adventure playing upon them with her great ordinance, made three of the last shot at them: their Viceadmirall with divers others of their ships, were so beaten that they left off the fight, and were forced to lie in the winde, for that they durst not lie of either boord by reason of their many and great leakes, which they had received by our great shot. The Generall with the rest of their fleete tacking about, fell in our wake, thinking to get the winde, which in the beginning wee sought to hinder. But our Generall seeing that in holding the winde we should shoot our selves into the bay, gave them the winde. All that night they kept themselves upon our brode side, notwithstanding our Admiral carried his cresset-light all night, having great care of our smallest shippes. This fight continued about foure houres till it was neere night, in the which fight, thankes be to God, there were slaine so few persons of our English fleete, as I thinke the like conflict hath not bene performed with so little losse of men: What harme befell the Spaniards in their fleete I leave to your judgements. Yet our eyes can witnesse their ships were sore beaten and racked thorough, whereby there was such falling backe and lying by the lee to stoppe their leakes, as some of them were driven to haste away, and rather to runne on shore to save themselves then sinke in the Sea: besides within two houres after our fight with them, we sawe one of their great shippes on fire which burnt into the Sea, and all the sterne of another of their ships blowen up: And in the morning a shippe of our fleete was runne so neere the land, that to double the Cape de los Corrientes he must of necessitie tacke about and fall in the wake of the enemie, which caused our Generall in the Garland and the Defiance to tacke about; which two ships forced the three ships of the enemies (which were put foorth to take our shippe, or else to cause her runne on ground) to returne to their fleete to save themselves, hoysing all their sayles for haste: This morning they were faire by us having the winde of us, being but thirteen sayle of their twentie to be seene: then we stroke our toppe sayles thinking to have fought with them againe, which they perceiving tacked about from us, and after that never durst nor would come neere us: What became of the rest of their fleete wee knowe not, but true it was that they were in great distresse mightily beaten and tome, by having received many bullets from us. All this day wee had sight of them, but they shewed little will to fight or come neere us, so we keeping our course West, and by North, about sixe of the clocke at night lost the sight of them. And this is a true discourse of our fight with the Spanish fleete. The which the author hereof will justifie with the adventure of his life, against any Spaniarde serving in that action, that shall contradict the same.
HENRY SAVILE.
