Being About 100
Leagues From The Nearest Land, A Swallow Came On Board The Ship, Driven
Out To Sea As
Was believed by a storm; and this was the more probable as a
great many more swallows and other land
Birds came onboard next day, the
twenty-eighth February, and a whale was seen. On the third of March about
midnight it blew so great a storm as to split their sails; and being in
great danger of perishing, they made a vow to send one of their number on
a pilgrimage to the shrine of Neustra Senhora de Cintra at Guelva, and
the lot fell again on the admiral, shewing that his offerings were more
acceptable than those of others. While thus driving on under bare poles,
amid high winds, a raging sea, and frightful thunder and lightning, it
pleased God to give them a sight of land about midnight. But this
threatened them with new danger; and to avoid being beaten to pieces on
the rocks, or running into some unknown place whence they might not be
able to get off, they were under the necessity to make some sail and to
beat up against the storm till day. When day appeared they found
themselves close in with the rock of Lisbon, and were forced to put in
there for present safety. The people and seamen of that country were much
astonished at the news, and flocked from all parts to behold the wonder;
for such they considered a ship which had escaped so terrible a storm, as
they had heard of many vessels having perished about the coast of Flanders
and other parts at this time. The admiral came to anchor in the river
Tagus on Monday the fourth of March, and immediately sent off an express
to their Catholic majesties with an account of his arrival, and another to
the king of Portugal asking leave to come to anchor off the city of Lisbon;
for he did not consider himself in safety where he then lay, especially
from any that might entertain evil designs against him, who might believe
that in destroying him they did acceptable service to their own king by
obstructing the success of the court of Spain.
On Tuesday the fifth of March, the master of a large guard-ship which lay
in the Tagus came in his boat filled with armed men to the admirals
caravel, and required him to go with him to the kings officers to give an
account of himself, as was the custom of all ships that came to this port.
To this he answered, that the admirals of their Catholic majesties, one of
whom he was, were not bound to obey any such summons, nor to quit their
ships to give an account of themselves to any one, and that he was
resolved to do his duty. The master then desired him to send his
boatswain to make the report. To this the admiral replied that it was the
some thing whether he sent even a grummet or went himself, and it was
therefore in vain to desire him to send any person.
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