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
Besides, the ships aforementioned there were 20 carauels rowed with oares,
being appointed to performe necessary seruices vnto the greater ships:
insomuch that all the ships appertayning to this Nauie amounted vnto the
summe of 150. eche one being sufficiently prouided of furniture and
victuals,
The number of mariners in the saide Fleete were aboue 8000. of slaues 2088.
of souldiers 20000. (besides noblemen and gentlemen voluntaries) of great
cast pieces 2650. The foresaid ships were of an huge and incredible
capacitie and receipt. For the whole Fleete was large ynough to containe
the burthen of 60 thousand tunnes.
[Sidenote: A description of the Galeons.] The Galeons were 64. in number,
being of an huge bignesse, and very stately built, being of marueilous
force also, and so high that they resembled great castles, most fit to
defend themselues and to withstand any assault, but in giuing any other
ships the encounter farre inferiour vnto the English and Dutch ships, which
can with great dexteritie wield and turn themselues at all assayes. The
vpperworke of the said Galeons was of thicknesse and strength sufficient to
beare off musket-shot. The lower worke and the timbers thereof were out of
measure strong, being framed of plankes and ribs foure or fiue foote in
thicknesse, insomuch that no bullets could pierce them, but such as were
discharged hard at hand: which afterward prooued true, for a great number
of bullets were founde to sticke fast within the massie substance of those
thicke plankes. Great and well pitched Cables were twined about the masts
of their shippes, to strengthen them against the battery of shot.
[Sidenote: A description of the Galliasses.] The Galliasses were of such
bignesse, that they contained within them chambers, chapels, turrets,
pulpits, and other commodities of great houses. The Galliasses were rowed
with great oares, there being in eche one of them 300. slaues for the same
purpose, and were able to do great seruice with the force of their
Ordinance. All these together with the residue aforenamed were furnished
and beautified with trumpets, streamers, banners, warlike ensignes, and
other such like ornaments.
[Sidenote: The great Ordinance, bullets, gunpoulder, and other furniture.]
Their pieces of brasen ordinance were 1600. and of yron a 1000.
The bullets thereto belonging were 120. thousand.
Item of gun-poulder 5600. quintals. Of matche 1200. quintals.
Of muskets and kaleiuers 7000. Of haleberts and partisans 10000.
Moreouer they had great store of canons, double-canons, culuerings and
field-pieces for land seruices.
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