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
and as his threat did nothing terrifie them, so his perswasion did nothing
mooue them to doe that which hee required. At the last he intreated to haue
the Marchant of the Admirall caried by him as a messenger to the Generall,
so that he might be satisfied, and assured of their mindes by one of their
owne company. But M. Wilkinson would agree to no such thing, although
Richard Rowit the marchant himselfe seemed willing to bee imployed in that
message, and laboured by reasonable perswasions to induce M. Wilkinson to
graunt it, as hoping to be an occasion by his presence and discreet
answeres to satisfie the Generall, and thereby to saue the effusion of
Christian blood, if it should grow to a battel. And he seemed so much the
more willing to be sent, by how much deeper the othes and protestations of
this Cauallero were, that he would (as hee was a true knight and a
souldier) deliuer him backe againe in safetie to his company. Albeit, M.
Wilkinson, which by his long experience had receiued sufficient triall of
Spanish inconsistencie and periurie, wished him in no case to put his life
and libertie in hazard vpon a Spaniards othe. But at last, vpon much
intreatie, he yeelded to let him go to the General, thinking in deed, that
good speeches and answeres of reason would haue contented him, whereas
otherwise refusall to do so, might peraduenture haue prouoked the more
discontentment.
M. Rowit therefore passing to the Spanish Generall, the rest of the Gallies
hauing espied him, thought in deed that the English were rather determined
to yeelde, then to fight, and therefore came flocking about the frigat,
euery man crying out, Que nueuas, que nueuas, Haue these Englishmen
yeelded? the frigate answered, Not so, they neither haue nor purpose to
yeeld, onely they haue sent a man of their company to speake with our
Generall: and being come to the Gallie wherein he was, he shewed himselfe
to M. Rowit in his armour, his guard of souldiers attending vpon him in
armour also, and began to speake very proudly in this sort: Thou
Englishman, from whence is your fleete, why stand ye aloofe off, knowe ye
not your duetie to the Catholique King, whose person I here represent?
Where are your billes of lading, your letters, pasports, and the chiefe of
your men? Thinke ye my attendance in these seas to be in vaine, or my
person to no purpose? Let al these things be done out of hand as I command,
vpon paine of my further displeasure and the spoyle of you all: These
wordes of the Spanish Generall were not so outragiously pronounced as they
were mildly answered by M. Rowit, who tolde him that they were al
Merchantmen, vsing trafique in honest sort, and seeking to passe quietly,
if they were not vrged further then reason. As for the king of Spaine, he
thought (for his part) that there was amitie betwixt him and his Souereigne
the Queene of England, so that neither he nor his officers should goe about
to offer any such injurie to English Marchants, who as they were farre from
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