The Principal Navigations, Voyages, Traffiques and Discoveries of the English Nation Volume Vi Part 12

MADE THIS LAST SUMMER BY THREESCORE AND THIRTEENE SAILE OF SHIPPES,

SENT FORTH AT THE COMMAND AND DIRECTION OF THE GENERAL OF THE VNITED PROUINCES,

TO THE COAST OF SPAINE

AND THE CANARIE-ISLES:

WITH THE TAKING OF A TOWNE IN THE ILE OF GOMERA

AND THE SUCCESSE OF PART OF THE SAIDE FLEETE IN THEIR RETURNED HOMEWARD.

WHICH SET SAILE FOR SPAINE THE 25 OF MAIE, AND RETURNED HOME

THE 10 OF SEPTEMB. 1599.

At London:

PRINTED BY P.S. FOR W. ASPLEY, DWELLING IN PAULES CHURCHYARD AT THE SIGNE OF THE TYGERS HEAD.

1599.

NOTE

The following very curious and interesting pamphlet was not included in the edition of 1598-1600. It was, however, inserted in the fifth volume of the small edition, 4to., of 1812, and is here transposed to that part of the Voyages relating to the Canaries, etc. Originally printed for "W. Apsley, dwelling in. Paules Church-Yard, at the signe of the Tygers Head" in 1599, it is of the utmost rarity, and for that reason I have thought it right to give the original t.i.tle-page.--_E. G._

A TRUE REPORT

OF A VOYAGE MADE THIS LAST SUMMER, BY A FLEETE OF 73. SHIPPES,

SENT FORTH AT THE COMMANDE AND DIRECTION OF THE STATES GENERALL OF THE VNITED PROUINCES,

TO THE COAST OF SPAINE AND THE CANARIE-ISLES.

Tuesday the 25. daie of Maie the wind being Northe and Northe-east, we in the fleete of Roterdam, being 20. saile of ships, the sunne beeing Southe-west and by West, came before Flushing, and ankered neere vnto Cleiburch; our generall at his comming found the fleetes of North-Holland, and Zealand ready.

Wednesday, the 26. daie wee remained there at anchor.

Thursday the 27. daie of Maie, we tooke into our ships (by the Generals commandement) two gentlemen and foure souldiours.

Friday the 28. of May 1599, the wind being northerly, we waied our anchors, and sailed from the Weelings with 73. ships, hauing faire weather, setting our course West, Southwest. Wee had 3. Admirals in this fleete, whereof the chiefe Admirall was the ship of William Derickson Cloper, wherein was embarked the honourable gentleman Peter Van Doest being generall of the fleete. This ship was called the Orange, carying in her top a flag of Orange colour, vnder whose squadron was certaine Zelanders, with some South and North Hollanders; Ian Geerbranston caried the white flag vnder whom the Zelanders and ships of the Maze were appointed. And Cornelius Gheleinson of Vlyshing wore in his maine top the blew flag, vnder whom were appointed certaine ships of the Maze with some North Hollanders. Thus were wee deuided into sondry squadrons, but to what ende it was so done, it is to me, and many others vnknowne.

Sat.u.r.day the 29. of Maie, hauing sight of Callis, the ships lay to the lee ward, and staied for the rereward. The Lord generall shot off a peece, and afterward hung out the princes flag, in signe that the captains shold come aboord him, presently al the captains entred into their boates, and rowed aboord the General, at which time were two pinnaces sent out of the fleet, whereof one was the Generals Pinnace, but vnto what place they sailed, wee were altogether ignorant. And when the boates rowed from the Generall, some of them went aboord the victualers, and tooke out of them certaine fire-workes. The sunne Southwest, the Generall discharged an other peece of ordinance, and put out the Princes flag, wherevpon presently the captaines went aboord him, and when our captaine returned, he had in his hande a letter closed vp, which hee brought from the Generall, and wee imagined that euery captaine had receiued the like, and then wee sailed altogether toward the higth of Blacknesse, where wee anch.o.r.ed, (which caused vs greatly to wonder, seeing we had so faire a wind,) but we perceiued afterwards, that this was done, to the ende we should there abide the coming of the great new ship of Amsterdam: for the soldiours which were appointed for her, were all with vs in a ship of our company.

Sunday, the 30. of Maie, where lying at anchor al that night, the next morning we set saile altogether hauing the winde at North East, wee set our course West Northwest, the weather being faire. The same morning our captain read vnto vs those very articles which before had bin read vnto vs in the prince Mauritz his Court, and afterwards we altogether, and with one accord were sworne to the keeping of them: At noone we were neere vnto Beuersier hauing a fine gale out of the East Northeast, the euening was calme, the foremost shippes slacked their sailes, attending the comming in of the hindermost.

Wednesday the ninth of Iune by the breake of daie we were hard vnder the coast of Spaine neere to Viuero, the winde being westerly, we sailed North West and by North, and North Northwest, the sunne Southwest and by West, we were ouer against the cape Ortegael, we sailed North West and by North, to fetch the wind: we were in 44. degrees 20. minuts, at twilight, we had the foresaid Cape of vs about 5. miles South West and by West.

Thursday the 10. of Iune, the winde being at East South East, wee directed our course towardes the sh.o.r.e, and might certainly discerne that it was the coast of Ortegall, we bore in West Southwest directly with the land, and ordered all thinges as if we presently should haue had battell, and about noone wee had sight of the Groyne, namely the tower which standeth neere the Groine.

Friday, the 11. of Iune, at the breake of day the winde being at North East and by East, sixe of our ships sailed forwarde South Southwest, meaning to enter the Groine, and there to learne how al things stood. The sunne being Southeast, Cape Prior was East from vs, wee bare South, presently after we spied two boates comming out of Veroli to learn what ships we were, the rather because that the day before they had seen our fleete at sea: we sailed by the wind, and lay in the wind to stay for their comming. The one doubting vs woulde not come neere vs, the other boat also durst not approch neere vs; wee called to one of the Spaniardes, saying wee came from Hamborch laden with cordage and other goods, desiring and praying him to let vs haue a Pilot to bring vs into the Groine, wherewith the boate came aboord vs, so that by our great haste, and policie we got one Spaniard, the other which remained in the boate would not come into our ship, but presently thrust off their boate, making all possible speede to get from vs. Hauing nowe gotten this Spaniarde, hee was presently deliuered into the handes of the Generall, who confessed that there were about 4000.

souldiours come into the towne, with certaine hors.e.m.e.n, 36. waggons with money, and 300. pipes of wine, to furnish the Spanish fleet, that he lay the night past in the Groine, and was the Kings seruant. [Sidenote: The whole fleet cometh before the Groine.] The sun South South-West, we came with fleet our whole fleete before the Groine, where wee found the great newe ship of Amsterdam vnder the Towne.

At 12. 13. and 10. fadome we cast anchor, so that wee might behold much people both on the sh.o.a.re and vpon the wals of the town: from the castle and town both, they shot mightely with their great ordinance into our fleet, so that there were aboue 200. cannon shot discharged, wherewith some of our ships were hit, but not one man lost, and little hurt done otherwise. There lay an other castle East ward from the towne, which shot also most terribly, but altogether vncertainly, for we know not that they touched any one ship more then Moy Lambert, which was greatly, to bee wondered at, seeing our fleete lay so thicke together, and so neere vnder the castle. There laie hard vnder the castle 12. great Gallions, with some French ships, which also nowe and then shot among our fleete, but they lay so neere the walles that wee could do them no harme at all. The Lord Generall worthy of al praise, wisely be thinking himselfe, caused all his captaines and counsell to come aboorde him, that they might together conferre vpon this busines, and what meanes might best bee found, to inuade the towne and the enemy, but they concluded not to meddle with the land there: seeing the enemy was there, strong vpon his guard, and that 5.

weekes past both from Amsterdam, and by a French man, they had knowledge of our comming; by reason of the calme, wee were constrained to towe out our ships with the boates in dispite of al their shot, thus we parted from the Groyne without profit, or effecting of any thing, leauing the Papists of Groyne as wee founde them, from thence (the winde being at South Southwest) wee bent our course towarde Cape Saint Vincent, meaning to goe to Saint Lucars, hoping to fal vpon them at vnawares, and ere they looked for vs.

Sat.u.r.day the 12. of Iune, hauing got a fine gale we ran along the coast of Galicia, at noone wee were before the Iland of Cesarian, and set our course towards Cape Finister.

Sunday the 13. of Iune, the lorde Generall gaue sharpe commandement by his letters, forbidding al men aboorde the ships to vse any play, with tables, cards, or dice, either for money, or for pastime, or vpon credit.

Munday the 14. of Iune, the wind blew so harde out of the North, that wee could not beare our topsailes with our forecourse which sailed South, the sunne was southward we had Port a Porte of vs, being in 41. degrees and 20 minuts.

Tuesday the 15. of Iune, as soone as day appeared, we had sight of Cape Roxent, and then we sailed making small way, staying for the comming together of the fleete: the wind as before we sailed South Southwest, and were in 36 degrees.

Wednesday the 16. of Iune, towardes the euening we had sight of two strange ships eastward of our fleete, certain of our ships made towards them and tooke them, the one was an English man of war; the other was a Spanish barke with three missens: at his comming before the Generall, he said, he had already sent 2. prises into Englande, and woulde now with this prise returne home: for his victuals were almost spent.

Thursday the 17. of Iune, it was very still and calme weather.

Friday the 18. of Iune, the wind being at North Northeast, we sailed South Southwest. The Lord Generall caused all the Captaines with the Pilots to come aboord him: demanding of them which of them was best acquainted in the Isles of Canaria: and further, by what meanes, they might conquer and force the said Ilands, and land their people. And about noone the captaines were chosen and appointed which shoulde commande on lande. The Generall gaue out newe ensignes, to the number of 9. or 10. according to the number of the ships. The Lord Generall appointed to each new captaine, an Ancient bearer, a Lieutenant, and other officers, with 130. souldiers and mariners, and instructions how euery one of them should gouerne himself on the land.

Sat.u.r.day the 19. of Iune, the Generall commanded that the captaines should deliuer out victuals but twice a day, to wit, 6. and 6. to a messe: for 6.

men, 5. cans of beere of Roterdams measure euery day, 5. pounde of breade and no more; a cheese of 6. l. euery weeke, one pound of b.u.t.ter weekely, likewise pease, beanes, or Otemeale twise a day, according to the order.

Captaine Harman, and captaine Pije, had each of them commission to commande on the land as captaines ouer two companies of saylers, each company containing 130. men. Harman Thunesson was appointed Ancient to captaine Henricke Pije, and de Blomme Ancient to captaine Hendricke Hertman. The ancients were deliuered the same day.

The 20. 21. 22. daies, wee sailed South Southwest, the wind being northerly.

Wednesday the 23. of Iune, the wind was North Northeast. The Generall commaunded all the captaines both for the sea and land to come aboord him, where it was ordained and determined how the battell should be ordered, after they were landed. According to the lat.i.tude, we found our selues to be 36. miles from great Canaria.

Thursday the 24. of Iune, we ranne our foresaid course. The sun being West Northwest, we sawe the land East and by South off vs: wee sailed East and by South, and with great labour and diligence bore all that might with the land.

Friday The 25. of Iune, we continued our course to the land for our a.s.sured knowledge thereof, and perceiued it to be Lancerot; we saw also a small land (which lay between both) called Allegrania, and also the Iland Forteuentura, which is 24. miles great, afterward we sailed Southwest along the Coast of Forteuentura, which is a lande that hath very high hils.

[Sidenote: The whole Netherlandish fleet commeth before the Island and town of Grand Canaria.] The sun Southwest, we were past the Iland Forteuentura, and were sailed out of sight thereof, running as yet Southwest: about ii. a clocke in the afternoone wee had sight of the Iland of great Canaria, for a while wee kept our way, but when the Generall was a.s.sured that it was the grand Canaria, wee all tooke in our sailes, and lay to the lee ward, and so remained vntill it was past midnight, then wee set saile againe and made to the lande, our course westwarde.

Sat.u.r.day the 26. of Iune, in the morning the whole fleet sailed West directly to the land the winde North and by East, and made all thinges ready to land; being now neere the sh.o.r.e, the whole fleete let fall their anchors harde by the great castle, which lieth North Northwest from the town, from whence they began to shoot mightily against the ships. The lord Generall and the vize Admirall with the other ships that had the greatest ordenance, anch.o.r.ed close vnder the castle, and for a certain time they plied each other with their great shot; the Generals main mast, and his missen mast were shot thorow, and his vize Admirall, namely the great new ship of Amsterdam was shot thorow 6. or 7. times; so that some of the souldiours and maryners also were slaine before they entered their long boates to rowe to the sh.o.r.e: But the ships for their parts, had so well bestowed their shot on the castle, that they of the castle began to faint, wherby they discharged not so thicke and often as before. Our men rowed to the land in the long boates, euery one full of souldiours, and the ships which could not discharge their ordenance against the castle, bent them against the sh.o.r.e, (for the enemy had three bra.s.se peeces lying vpon the strand) and many people were there gathered together where our souldiours shoulde land. Nowe as soone as the Generall with the most parte of the long boates were come together, they all at one instant rowed toward the sh.o.r.e, maintaining for a while the fight on both sides with their shot. But the General perceiuing that the enemie woulde not abandon the place, with a valiant courage made to the sh.o.r.e, and altogether leaping into the water vp to the middle, maintained the fight with the enemy. Notwithstanding the enemy no lesse couragious, would not yet leaue the strond, so that some of our souldiours and mariners lost their liues before the enemy would retire: for the place was discommodious, and hard to lande, but most of the enemy were slaine, to the number of 30. or 36. and the Gouernor his right leg was shot off, sitting on his horse. The lord General Peter von der Doest leaping first on land, was thrust in his leg with a pike, and had in his body 4. wounds more, and was in great danger to haue lost his life but that one of the souldiours slewe the Spaniarde which meant to haue don it; but his wounds were of small moment, and his ancient bearer was slain with a shot, the Lieutenant Generall was shot in his throte, captaine Kruye in the heade, 4. soldiours were slain, and 15. hurt in the generals pinnace before they could come to land: But when our people now with one courage all together rushed vpon the enemie, (leauing their ordenance behinde them,) they forsooke the strond, and ran together into the town, carying with them their Gouernour, whose leg was shot off, and he was a knight of the order of the crosse, and leauing behind them 36. deade carcases on the strond, were presently by our people ransacked, and our dead people buried. Our men now hauing won the strond, put themselues presently in battell ray; the empty boates returned to the ships, but after our people had taken the strond, the castle did neuer shoot shot. [Sidenote: Twenty foure companies strong of Netherlanders.] After the boates were returned aboord, presently they rowed againe to the sh.o.r.e full of soldiours; our people being all landed, they which for the first time had commandement, set vs in 7.

troupes, or battalions, being xxiiii. companies strong, of soldiours and Mariners, with twentie foure Auncientes. At which time we marched a little forward twenty one a brest, and standing altogether in battell; [Sidenote: The first castle taken.] suddainly three mariners came running to the Generall, (which had bin at the castle) telling him that the Spaniards desired to deliuer him the castle, so their liues and goods might be saued: the generall with some of the captaines and souldiours went first thither, and presently the castle was deliuered into his possession, hoping on his pitty and mercy, and leauing behind them all the great ordenance, namely 9.

peeces of bra.s.se, and 6. Iron peeces, and also al their weapons. In the castle were about 80. Spaniards, some cannoniers, some soldiors, and some people of the countrey, for the defence thereof: beside powder, shot and match accordingly, for the artillery, and also thirty small peeces or caliuers. Also wee founde 58. prisoners, the rest were slaine with shot in the fury, and some were run away. The prisoners (which our people had taken in the road with two Barkes, and a ship sunke with our ordenance, as they lay all 3. hard before the castle) were sent altogether aboorde the ships except 3. of the princ.i.p.als which the lord General reserued by him, to the end he might the better knowe the state of all things. Presently 80.

soldiours were sent into the castle, who tooke down the kings flag, and set vp the princes colours. At the same instant two Negros were brought to the General, which were fetched out of the mountains, they said that they had lien there a sleepe, and knew nothing of any matter. But now when it began to wax dark, we marched altogether a great way towards the town, 4.

companies of soldiors approached hard vnder the towne, and other 4.

companies had the rereward: those of the Maze, with the Amsterdammers remained a pretty way from the town, vnder the hils; and the Zealanders, with the North Hollanders lay neere the waters side, so wee remained al that night in order of battell.

Sunday the 27. of Iune, after we had now stood al night in battel order, early in the morning we marched with al our 7. troupes: hard vnder the town of Canarie, where we remained a while in that order: but because they of the castle (which lieth to the towne) shot so mightily among vs; 2. of the troupes retired vnder a hill, where we were a little freede from the castle: for while our people stood imbattailed before the town, the castle did vs great hurt, for sometimes they shot fiue or sixe men with one shot, ere we could entrench our selues before the castle: but after they perceiued that our people had made a small trench against the shot of the castle, they placed on the hill fiue or sixe small peeces of bra.s.se called falconets (which shoote about a pounde of pouder) and sometimes they shot boules of wood, wherewith in the beginning they slew manie of our people: so aduantagiouslie had they placed their ordenaunce to shoot among vs. Ten or twelue of our Souldiours ranne vp the hill, whereof the enemy tooke one, and presently cut him in foure peeces. Our people seeing that they so tyranouslie dealte with them, about the euening tooke a Spaniarde prisoner, and vsed him after the same maner. The lorde, Generall perceiuing that many men were slaine with the ordenance, caused fiue peeces of bra.s.se to bee brought from the castle which we had taken the daie before, and towarde the euening we beganne to make a battery, and the same euening brought into it three peeces, whereof two were placed presentlie to play vppon the Castle and the hill; but that euening were but fiue or sixe shotte made. While that our men made the batterie, and planted or placed the ordenaunce, the enemy placed his ordenance in counter-battery: and before our battery could be finished, and the ordenance placed, many of our men were shot, among whom Peter vanden Eynde commissioner, had his leg shot off, whereof he died within three daies after. After that it was dark, al they which lay there before the towne were againe set in order of battel, 15. on a ranke, and so remained all that night.

The 28. of Iune, early in the morning euery man retired to his quarter, and then were two peeces more brought to the battery, which also were presently placed on the Rampire, and so wee began to shoot against the castle with 4.

peeces, and with the fifth we plaied vpon the small ordenance which lay vpon the hils. The enemie in the castle laid many sackes of wooll, and placed many tonnes or barrels filled with stones vpon the castle walles supposing thereby to make some little defence from our ordenance; but when an Iron bullet chanced to hit the barrels so filled with stones, it did them mightie hurt, for the stones would scatter maruailouslie abroad, whereby many of them that were in the castle were slaine. Our men hauing now with their shot almost abated the force of the castle, 4. companies marched vp the hils, intending to beate the enemy from thence, which lay there with the ordenance. But the enemy perceiuing himselfe to bee a.s.saulted on all partes, (for most of the ordenance of the castle were dismounted and made vnprofitable, the gate of the towne set one fire by the Generals commandement) about noone they forsooke both the castle, hill, and town, and with all their wiues, children, money and Iewels, and all other things that they coulde carry with them, fled into the mountaines. Which when our men perceiued, they put themselues in order of battle xv. in a ranke. [Sidenote: The second castle and town of Grand Canaria taken.] The lord Generall seeing the Spaniards shamefullie to flie, caused 2. ladders belonging to the enemies, to be brought out of a church which stood without the towne, whereof the one was too shorte, notwithstanding himselfe with one of the ladders climed vp the walles, one man at once followed, and by this meanes entered the towne ouer the wals. About noone some of our men ran into the castle without any reencounter: the enemy had vndermined the gate, but as we approched the wall, it tooke fire, but not one of our people was therewith hurt. They had also skattered powder in sundrie places, but our men themselues did fire the same: and as soone as our people were entred the castle, the kinges colours were taken downe, and the prince of Oranges set vp, and we found fiue peeces of bra.s.se therein. When wee were all entered into the towne, we put our selues againe into order of battell 15. in a ranke in a low ground within the towne: and the souldiours which entered the towne by the hils side, brought to the Generall a man of Flushing, which they had taken out of prison: as soone as the Generall sawe him, he went presently with him to the prison, accompanied with some of our captaines, where they found 36. prisoners, which presently were discharged.

And further they declared, that the Spaniards had taken with them 2.

prisoners into the mountaines, which were condemned to be burnt, the one was an English man, the other a Dutchman, which had lien in the holy house.