Why this mighty concern for what cannot be avoided? Why this chagrin? Why this _mal au cœur_? You might have fancied yourself invincible, you might have got a sanctified pass from his holiness, it would still have had the same catastrophe. The _English_ are hereticks, man, they value none of these evangelical charms of a rush; their bullets have no consideration in the world for a relique, nor their small-shot for a chaplet. Besides, they are so well acquainted with our seas, their own channel is hardly more familiar to them. This is but the old grudge of 88, when queen _Elizabeth_ thump’d us so about: considering all things, I think you are come off very well. What signifies a few paultry hulks? The plate we are sure you had prudently carried over the mountains in 1500 carts at least, an undertaking as little dream’d of, and as much surprizing, as prince _Eugene_’s passing the _Alps_; but with this plaguy unlucky disadvantage, that it may not be quite so true. Now and then in my more reserved speculations, I stumbled upon that same _Drake_, that burn’d about 100 of our ships at _Cadiz_; upon my honour I can’t forgive him, and yet can’t blame him neither. But those two galeons that were so richly laden, stick in my stomach most confoundedly. No wonder our affairs prosper no better, for those same hereticks have taken away several of our saints; that same _Drake_ I mentioned just now, he run away with _St. Philip_. Besides this, these _English_ water-dogs swam after us into _Cadiz_, and went to _Pointal_, and there firk’d us so about the pig-market, that we were even glad to save our bacon, and fire some of our ships, and run the others on ground; there too, after burning the admiral, these unsanctifyed ranters stole away, not sneakingly, but with an open hand, and main force, two most glorious saints more, St. _Matthew_ and St. _Andrew_. There was another too of those _English_ bully-rocks, Sir _Walter Rawleigh_, with a pox to him, he serv’d us a slippery trick indeed, for he took away the mother of God, and God knows she was worth one hundred and fifty thousand pounds sterling, not reckoning the other smaller craft that went with him only to bear her company. There is something in our destinies that gives them an ascendant over us; and a brave man scorns to buckle to fortune. You may live to be beaten again as I was, and poor _Alphonso de Leva_, nay, honest _Recalde_, he was cursedly maul’d too with his rear squadron; and to add to my misfortunes, I was a little while after drubb’d again by them, I thought they never would have done dancing round me for my part: but what consummated my disgrace, and still leaves the deepest impression on my spirits, is the burning my fleet at _Calais_; there I must own it sincerely to you, I was somewhat astonished: I thought _Vesuvius_ had been floating upon the water, or mount _Ætna_ had out of kindness come to light me thro’ the north passage home: but this was a hellish invention of those _Englishmen_ to