Chap. LIX. during the Reign of §yeen Elizabeth,

t'syj. Grove, phe/of his Pilots, _who pretended ander Gorges fays the largest of these 1597*it Was not a Commodious Haven for Ship- Ships ivatf of four Hundred Tuns, andping, he set Sail, with the best Part of esteemed to be a very rich Ship, as wellthe Fleet to St. Michael's, leaving Sir for the Loading, as for the PassengersFrancis Vere, and Sir Nicholas Parker, who were in her.to cruise between Gratiosa , and St. Some of the chief Officers were nowGeorge's Island, and the Earl of South- for attaching the Town and Fleet, andampton and Sir William Monson, to do thought it a very feasible Attempt; Andthe like, to the Westward of Gratiosa. Essex joined in the fame Opinion. They, . Th e Earl of Essex had no sooner left Seamen thought otherwise; However,canFiota*" 1 ' that Island ( Camden says scarce above they very readily offered their Service,comes ^Gra- two Hours) but the Flota of America both by Sea and Land. But F.jscx him-tiosa, just ' arrived there, consisting of forty Sail self, and Mont joy, With some others,tie part tire * (seven whereof had Plate on Board) having afterwards taken a View of thewhich, as soon as they had Notice, that Place, and the Enemy , and finding thethe Englijh were in those Seas, immedi- latter, in a very advantageous Situation,ate-ly bore away to Fercera. They ar- with their Ships drawn Up close underrived all in Safety there, (three stragling the Forts, j And besides, that the HavenShips alone excepted, which were tak- was secured by good Fortifications, Withen, fay some Authors,. by Sir William a strong Garrison, and several GunsMonson ) is) and put in for Shelter in the mounted, and that the Wind Was so cou-pon of Angra, the chief of the Island, trary that (heir Granadoes and Bombswhich was strongly defended by several could do them no Service, they who I sjf r t f ica ~Forts, having good Garrisons, and were the most forward in the Proposals, tempt themounted with Gannon. were most backward in the Execution. Spaniards

An Attempt Southampton and Vere attempted They therefore came to a Resolution, atTercer3 ’'•/ Southam- to crowd into the Haven with great not to make any Attempt on them, and^arrieT^' Boats at Midnight, and to cut the Ca- returning with tye Fleet no St. Michdel's,

Tte ' bles of the nearest Ships, that they might came to an Anchor Before Punt a Delga-be forced to Sea by the Gusts which da. : , ^ :

Blew from the 8hoar: But, the Spani- PIerh they intended to have made aards keeping a very strict Watch, that Descent,” and to have attacked chid City,

Project unhapily miscarried. the Chief of the Island. The Soldiers

Southampton, Vere and Monson , being pleased with the Place, had' aupon this, immediately dispatched a great Inclination to plunder it; And thea Frigat to St. Michael' s, to give the General himself, setting aside his Chifrac--Lord General Advice of what had pas- ter, went in a Boat to discovef a cen-sed, and to inform him, that they would venien,t Landing-place; But found gilundertake to hinder the Enemy from Things there so well prepared for hisgetting out to Sea. Reception, that this Design was also

Ess ex, having in a Day or two’s judged impracticable.

Time got his Fleet together, came and However, leaving Aa/ri^/rwith lbrneconsulted with the other Commanders Ships, to amuse the Enemy at thatPlace,

Three Spa- What Measures were to be taken. The with the Apprehensions of his Landing,

Ships Earl, in his own Account of this Expo- he went himself with the fdst- r&Ptila vSranS.ta Vn. ditiony which I have mention’d above, . Franca, a pretty neat Towfi abotit sixsays, that in his Way he met with a Miles distant, well stocked with Mer-great Ship belonging to the Govemour qhandize, particularly Wine and Wood.of Havana, and a Frigat of the King of This Place lie surprized, arid took, with-^pa/sss manned with his own Soldiers, out any great Opposition, and making atogether with another Frigat, belong- Stay there : of about six Daysssthb'Sol-ing to a private Persony all which he dfers found a tollerablo. Booty. ,took and manned, for the safe bringing In fife mean while, Raleigh,.' whoHome of the Ship and Goods. Sir Mlex- waited the Return of Rjsek td St. 'Mi-chael's,

m ' Of tM Escape of these Ships, the Readerwilf nave a more particular Account below, inMonjonVo-Wti W or ds ; Buthd makek no MentionOf any'Ship takeii ty him; Which: fore hp would

fcave' done, if assy sech therehad been, Sit Arthur'

Gorges fays the commswKeWrs was, .that whale

they werebu^'in plan^rbg ope^hjp', Apy^gave

the RestAn 0?portunHy olyfawng. , one

Was a Vfigat takep. by ch^Mrfiol, Som)am$m%

as-thA Reader wB seeMowi