Chap. XXVII. during the Reign oj §tyeen Elizabeth.

i§8y. " noyed our Fleet by towing Fire Shipstf amongst us, We may suppose, by‘ c the Hurt we did the Spaniards, the" Year before, in Calais Road, and" greater we had done, if we had had" the Help of Gallies.

" It is a Wonder to observe everytc Man’s Opinion of this Voyage, as" well those that were Actors in it, ascc others that staid at Home ; Some" imputing the Overthrow of it to the" Landing at the Groyne, others to the" Portuguese failing of their Help and" Astistance, as was promised by Don" Antonio ; And some to Sir Francis<c Drake's not coming up the River" with his/Fleet.

“ TH/r any of these three might“ seem probable Reasons to many Men," that shall but hear them, and the" Landing at the Groyne, the chiefest" of the three alledged ; yet weighing" truly the Defect, and where it was,tf it will appear, that the Action was" overthrown before their setting out<c from Home, they being too weakly" provided of all Things needful fortc so great an Expedition.

" For when this Voyage was first in" Debate, the Number of Ships was" not concluded on according to the" Proportion of Men, wherefore they" were forced to detain divers Easter-fC lings they met with in our Channel," and compelled them to serve in this" Action, for the Transportation of our" Soldiers; And tho’ these Ships were" an Ease to our Men, which would" otherways have been much pestered," for Want of Room, yet their Victu-

als were nothing augmented ; But" they were put on Board the Ships," like banished Men, to seek their“ Fortunes at Sea ; For, by Confession," divers of the Ships had not four Days" Victuals, when they departed from" Plymouth.

" Another Impediment to this(e Voyage was Field-Pieces, the Want

Z6y

“ whereof was the Loss of Lisbon 1589.

" For the Strength consisting in the" Castle, and we having only an Army" to countenance us, but no Means for" Battery, we were the Loss of the" Victory ourselves; For it was appa-ll rent, by Intelligence we received, if" we had presented them with Battery,

" they were resolved to parly, and so<s by Consequence to yield, and this" was the main and chief Reason of" the Portuguese Excuse in not joyning“■ with us.

" Th e r e is one Reason to be alledg-‘ e ed on the Portuguese Behalf, and" their Love and Favour to our Pro-" ceedings; For tho' they shewed not" themselves forward, upon the Oc-" lion aforesaid, in aiding us; Yet they“ opposed not themselves as Enemies" against us; For if they had pursued" us, in our Retreat/ from Lisbon toCafcais, our Men being weak, lick-ly, without Powder and Shot, and" other Arms, they had put us to a" greater Loss and Disgrace than we“ had on’t: And if ever England have" Occasion to set up a Competitor in" Portugal, our Carriage and good" Treatment of the People of that" Country have gained us great Repu- '

" tation amongst them : For the Gene-" ral most advisedly forbad the Rifling" of their Houses, in the Country and" Suburbs of Lisbon, which they pof-fess’d, and commanded Royal Pay-" ment for every Thing they took,

" without Compulsion or rigorous U-“ sage. This has made those, that" stood but indifferently affected be-" fore, now ready, upon the like Oc-casion, to assist us.

But in this Reasoning, Sir Williamdid not consider the good old EnglishProverb; A Bird in the Hand is worthtwo in the Bush.

CHAP.