It is an extraordinary story. The _Speedwell's_ men, delayed by embarking a gun which had been landed, did not get on board until the Spanish ship was within less than pistol-shot; then Shelvocke cut his cable, and, the ship not falling off the right way, "I had but just room enough to clear him." The men were so dismayed at the appearance of the enemy's ship that some of them had proposed to jump overboard on the way off, and swim ashore--one actually did so. The Spaniard at length attacked in earnest, and, according to Shelvocke's account, handled his ship cleverly, keeping the _Speedwell_ in a disadvantageous position, and battering her with his broadsides, Shelvocke making what return he could. Suddenly the Spaniards crowded on deck, shouting, and it was realised that the _Speedwell's_ colours had been shot away, giving the appearance of a surrender. Shelvocke immediately displayed his colours afresh; upon which, "designing to do our business at once, they clapped their helm well a-starboard, to bring the whole broadside to point at us; but their fire had little or no effect, all stood fast with us, and they muzzled themselves [_i.e._ got the ship stuck head to wind, or "in irons"], by which I had time to get ahead and to windward of him before he could fill again." And so the _Speedwell_ got off, their assailant being the _Peregrine_, of 56 guns and 450 men; and Shelvocke tells us that he had not a single man killed or wounded! The _Speedwell_ was hulled repeatedly, and severely damaged aloft--but no casualties! There are, it must be admitted, too many tales of immunity in privateer accounts, in spite of the "tremendous fire," or "shattering broadsides" of the enemy; and, as a skipper cannot well manufacture casualties while all his crew are alive and well, one can only suppose that the terrible fire of the enemy is exaggerated.