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
with those taken by our shippes of London, besides one very rich Indian
ship, which set herselfe on fire, beeing boarded by the Pilgrim, and fiue
other taken by master Wats his ships of London, between the Hauana and Cape
S. Antonio. The fourth of this moneth of Nouember we receiued letters from
the Tercera, affirming that there are 3000 bodies of men remaining in that
Iland, saued out of the perished ships: and that by the Spaniards owne
confession, there are 10000 cast away in this storme, besides those that
are perished betweene the Ilands and the maine. Thus it hath pleased God to
fight for vs and to defend the iustice of our cause, against the ambicious
and bloody pretenses of the Spaniard, who seeking to deuoure all nations,
are themselues deuoured. A manifest testimony how iniust and displeasing,
their attempts are in the sight of God, who hath pleased to witnes by the
successe of their affaires, his mislike of their bloody and iniurious
designes, purposed and practised against all Christian princes, ouer whom
they seeke vnlawfull and vngodly rule and Empery.
One day or two before this wracke happened to the Spanish fleete, when as
some of our prisoners desired to be set on shore vpon the Ilandes, hoping
to be from thence transported into England, which libertie was formerly by
the Generall promised: One Morice Fitz Iohn, sonne of olde Iohn of Desmond,
a notable traytour, cousin german to the late Earle of Desmond, was sent to
the English from shippe to shippe, to perswade them to serue the King of
Spaine. The arguments hee vsed to induce them were these. The increase of
pay which he promised to be trebled: aduancement to the better sort: and
the exercise of the true Catholique Religion, and safetie of their soules
to all. For the first, euen the beggerly and vnnaturall behauiour of those
English and Irish rebels, that serued the King in that present action, was
sufficient to answere that first argument of rich pay. For so poore and
beggerly they were, as for want of apparell they stripped their poore
Countrey men prisoners out of their ragged garments, worne to nothing by
sixe months seruice, and spared not to despoyle them euen of their bloody
shirtes, from their wounded bodies, and the very shooes from their feete; A
notable testimonie of their rich entertainment and great wages. The second
reason was hope of aduancement if they serued well, and would continue
faithfull to the King. But what man can be so blockishly ignorant euer to
expect place or honour from a forraine King, hauing no other argument or
perswasion then his owne disloyaltie; to be vnnatural to his owne Countrey
that bred him; to his parents that begat him, and rebellious to his true
Prince, to whose obedience he is bound by oath, by nature, and by Religion?
No, they are onely assured to be employed in all desperate enterprises, to
bee helde in scorne and disdaine euer among those whom they serue. And that
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