Sir Francis Drake: His Voyage, 1595: Together with the Spanish account of Drake's attack on Puerto RicoMaynarde, Thomas, active 1595
History
Sir Francis Drake: His Voyage, 1595: Together with the Spanish account of Drake's attack on Puerto Rico
Maynarde, Thomas, active 1595
Drake, Francis, approximately 1540-1596 -- Travel; Voyages around the world -- Early works to 1800
So on Monday the twenty-ninth we began our jorney, takinge with us the
strongest and lustiest of our armie, to the number of fifty men and
seven colours. Before our settinge hence, we buried Captaine Arnolde
Baskerville, our serjant-major generall, a gallant gentleman. The first
daye we marched three leagues; the next, six leagues, where we came to
a greate house which the enemie had sett on fire, it beinge a place
where the kinge’s mules do use to lodge cominge from Panama to Nombre de
Dios with his treasure: it is the midway betwixt both places. The house
would receave five hundred horses. We had not marched fully a league on
Wednesday morninge, when we came to a place fortified upon the toppe of
an hill, which the enemie defended. We had noe other way to passe nor
noe means to make our approach but a very deepe lande, where but one
could passe at once, unles it were by clammeringe upon the bancks and
creepinge up the hill through the brakes, which some of our men did, and
came to the trees which they had plasshed to make theyr palizadoe, over
which they coulde not passe, the many bowes so hindered them. It was my
chance, clammeringe up the banckes to repaire to three musketters which
I had holpen up, to fall directly betwixt two of theyr places fortified,
cominge unto two paths by which they fetched their water, and givinge
presently upon them, the place being open, my small number found to goode
resistance, and I was driven to retire with the losse of these fewe.
Heere was the only place to beate them from theyr houlde, wherof I sent
the coronell worde, Captaine Poore and Bartlett and others repayringe to
me. I shewed them the path; we heard the enemie plasshinge and fellinge
of trees farre before us. The coronell sent for us to come unto him: he
debated with us what he foresaw before our cominge from Nombre de Dios,
and though he thought, in his oppinion, we should feare the enemie hence,
yet, havinge retreits upon retreits, they would kill our best men without
takinge little or any hurte themselves; and our men began to drop apace;
our powder and match were spoilde by much rain and waters which we had
passed, unles it were such as som of our souldiers had with more care
preserved. The provision for meate at our coming from Nombre de Dios was
seven or eight cakes of bisked or ruske for a man, which was eyther by
wette spoyled, or theyr greediness had devoured; so there remained to
fewe one daye’s bread; to most none at all. Our hurte men, as Captaine
Nicholas Baskerville and some other of accounte, we should be driven to
leave to the mercie of the enemie, unles they could houlde companie.
Before our cominge to Panama, had we beaten them from all these houlds,
which I think would have bin to dangerous for us to have attempted,
consideringe the estate we were in, we must have fought with them at a
bridge where they had intrenched themselves in a far greater number than
we were; and it is manifest, if we had not within three days gotten some
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account