Ixxvi

P R EFAC E.

I further observe, that the merchants were advcnterous xvitli Sir FrancisDrake, as liaveins: full assureance of his courage and conduct. I feareour moderne men would fade of such hclpes, were they to sett out upon alike designe.

As to our conduct in 1.588, under the lord admirall Howard, carle of ^Effingham, it appeares, wee tooke noe care for intelligence, (although theSpaniards had a full account of the posture of our fleets, by their takeingone of our fishing boates) for had it not beene for the English privateer,Fleming Valdes, his. councill to burne our fleete as thev lay in harbourwithout men, had taken effect.

Our want of powder and shott, and not pursueing our victor}”, showesour gentlemen captaines small care of knowing what stores came aboard,and little skill to make use of an oportunity then oflerred, to have totallydestroyed the Spanish fleete before they gott home.

The Spaniards ignorance in sea affaires, takeing the Lizard for the Ram-head, and tacking off that night, lost theire opportunity of destroying ourfleet in Plymouth Sound.

And although king Phillipp’s councill for his fleet to saile along thecoast of France, was great and good, yett being to be putt in practiceby gentlemen ignorant in sea affaires, and preferred onely for theirebirth, it lost the effect it might have had, and totally overthrew all theiredesigne.

That Sir Francis Drake and Sir John Norris’s expedition into Portugal,anno 1589, became fruitless, by undertaking soe great a designe with soelittle meanes, wanting victualls, armes, and amunition, (and shipping fortheire soldiers) at theire setting out from England.

Their goeing out of the way to attacque the Groine, not taking the fortsupon the Tagus, nor goeing up to Lisbone with the fleet, were all greatoversights : the miscarriage of one of them was enough to have spoiled

T

theire designe had tliey sett out well.

The