The Principal Navigations, Voyages, Traffiques and Discoveries of the English Nation — Volume 07: England's Naval Exploits Against SpainHakluyt, Richard
History
The Principal Navigations, Voyages, Traffiques and Discoveries of the English Nation — Volume 07: England's Naval Exploits Against Spain
Hakluyt, Richard
Discoveries in geography -- English; Voyages and travels
In the moneth of Nouember there arriued in Tercera two great shippes, which
were the Admirall and Viceadmirall of the Fleete laden with siluer, who
with stormie weather were separated from the Fleete, and had beene in great
torment and distresse, and readie to sinke: for they were forced to vse all
their Pumps: so that they wished a thousand times to haue met with the
Englishmen to whom they would willingly haue giuen their siluer and all
that euer they brought with them onely to saue their liues. And although
the Erle of Cumberland lay still about those Islands, yet they met not with
him, so that after much paine and labour they got into the Road before
Angra, where with all speede they vnladed and discharged aboue fiue
millions of siluer, all in pieces of 8 or 10 pound great: so that the whole
Kay lay couered with plates and chests of siluer, full of Ryales of eight,
most wonderfull to behold, (each million being ten hundred thousand
duckats,) besides pearles, gold and other stones, which were not registred.
The Admirall and chiefe commander of those ships and Fleete called Aluaro
Flores de Quiniones was sicke of the Neapolitan disease, and was brought to
land, whereof not long after he died in Siuillia. He brought with him the
Kings broad seale and full authoritie to be Generall and chiefe commander
vpon the Seas, and of all Fleetes or ships, and of all places and Islands,
or lands wheresoeuer he came: wherevpon the Gouernour of Tercera did him
great honour, and betweene them it was concluded, perceiuing the weaknesse
of their ships, and the danger of the Englishmen, that they would send the
shippes, emptie with souldiers to conuey them, either to Siuill or Lisbon,
where they could first arriue, with aduise vnto his Maiestie of all that
had passed, and that he would giue order to fetch the siluer with good and
safe conuoy. Wherevpon the said Aluero Flores stayed there, vnder colour of
keeping the siluer, but specially because of his disease, and for that they
were affraide of the Englishmen. This Aluaro Flores had alone for his owne
part aboue 50000 Duckats in pearles which he shewed vnto vs, and sought to
sell them or barter them with vs for spices or bils of exchange. The said
two ships set saile with 3 or 4 hundred men, as well souldiers as others
that came with them out of India, and being at sea had a storme, wherewith
the Admirall burst and sunke in the sea, and not one man saued. The
Vice-Admirall cut downe her mast, and ranne the ship on ground hard by
Setuuel, where it burst in pieces, some of the men sauing them selues by
swimming, that brought the newes, but the rest were drowned.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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