z68

j 59 S.

The Earlresolves tokeep thePlace :

But is pre-vented by aSickness a-mong hisPeople.

SeveralSpanishShips taken.

EliZ. Naval Expeditions ? &c of the English, Book II.

Port, which was accounted by the Spa-niards the Key of America, was fullydetermined, on Account of it’s conveni-ent Situation, to have made it a Placeof War, and from thence to have cruis-ed upon the Enemy. This Design notonly pleased his Lordship, but was al-so highly agreeable to all the English,under his Command, insomuch, thatthey, whose Names were enroll’d inthe List of them that were appointed tostay, thought themselves highly fa-voured. With this View the Earl oblig-ed all the Inhabitants to depart, not-withstanding they made him considera-ble Osiers of rich Goods, besides Goldand Silver-Plate,if they might be allow-ed to continue there.

These Measures were, however,soon broken, by a new and unexpectedScene, which obliged the Earl to changehis Resolution. A violent Flux carriedoff so many of his Men, that the Num-ber left could not be sufficient both formanning the Fleet home, and keepingthe Place too. They went alhoar atfirst above a Thousand in Number ;But now they were so reduced, by thisand other Distempers, that they couldhardly reckon half so many. Camdetifays the Number of those who died inthis Manner amounted to seven Hun-dred. This so discouraged those whowere to be left behind, that they ex-pected no better Fate than their Com-panions. Upon this Account, the Earlresolved not to stay ; But yet was wil-ling to bring the Spaniards to someTerms for the Ransom of their Iflandand City, before he departed. Thisthey pretended they would do, andcame to some Treaties about it; Butthey were so far from being so free intheir Offers, as they had been at first ;That now, being perhaps sensible of themiserable State of Health the Englishwere in, they appeared to deal verycoldly and indifferently in the Matter,and to have some other treacherous De-signs on Foot.

While they were' there, on thenineteenth of July, a Caravel fromMargarita came into the Harbour, withPassengers bound for Spain, which theytook. They found little else in her,excepting to the Value of about a Thou-sand Duckets in Pearl. But by herthey understood that the Pearl-Chest atMargarita was, at that Time, vastlyrich, and but sienderly guarded. HisLordship,upon this Information, ordered

three Ships thither to attempt the tak- 1^98.ing this Treasure > But Margarita lyingSouth-East, or South-East and by South,from Puerto Ricco, and the Winds, atthat Time of the Year, blowing con- sf Pearlstantly East-South-East, or South-East tempted i»and byEast, they were forced back fru- vain.strate of their Hopes. Sir WilliamMonj'on mentions likewise the taking ofa Ship, which came into the Harbourfrom Angola, in Africa, with Negroes.

The Earl finding, at Length, thatthe Spaniards continued trifling with de $ aTts ’him, and being confirmed in his Opinionthat they had some Treachery in View;

And, besides, having some other Gamein his Eye, set Sail himself from PuertoRicco, on the fourteenth of Auguf, leav-ing Sir John Berkley there, as wellwith the better half of the Fleet, aswith full Power &nd Commiffion to doall Things in his Absence.

Of the great Ships, His Lordshiptook with him the Scourge and theSampson, and, of the smaller Vessels,the Royal Defence, the Frigat, theScout, the Elizabeth, the Guiana, andtwo little Ships, a French Man, and aSpanish Frigat, which he found in theHarbour. So that he left with Sir Johnthe Strength of the Navy, the Afcenfion ,the Gallion, the Alcedo, the Consent ,the Pegasus, the Centurion, two strongFly-boats, and the Anthony. The Rea-son of the Earl’s Departure, and leavingSir John Berkley to finish his Concernsat Puerto Ricco was the earnest Desirehe had of being early at the Islands,where he hoped to intercept the MexicoFleet, or some of the Carracks. Buthe came too late, and perhaps to hisgood Fortune; For, but few Days beforehis Arrival, there had been nine andtwenty large Spanish Men of War atFlores. How long Sir John staid afterthe Earl was gone is uncertain; As isalso what Conclusion was made of theAffair between the Spaniards and them;

But this is certain, that after a violentStorm (in which both Fleets were verynear overwhelmed) Sir John’s Shipscame up with the Earl’s at the Island ofFlores j From whence they departed, Returnson the sixteenth of September, and pro- Englafl •ceeded to England, without meeting anyremarkable Adventure, and arrivedthere in the Month of Oslober. ^

This was the last Voyage performed As ar J af l.by this Noble-man, or, at least, the °f t elast we have any Account of. He wasa Man of admirable Abilities, both in

Civil