Thus In Good Order They Left Zante And The Castle Of Grecia, And
Committed Themselves Again To The Seas, And
Proceeded in their course
and voyage in quietness, without sight of any enemy till they came near
to Pantalarea, an
Island so called betwixt Sicily and the coast of
Africa; into sight whereof they came the 13th day of July, 1586. And
the same day, in the morning, about seven of the clock, they descried
thirteen sails in number, which were of the galleys lying in wait of
purpose for them in and about that place. As soon as the English ships
had spied them, they by-and-bye, according to a common order, made
themselves ready for a fight, laid out their ordnance, scoured,
charged, and primed them, displayed their ensigns, and left nothing
undone to arm themselves thoroughly. In the meantime, the galleys more
and more approached the ships, and in their banners there appeared the
arms of the isles of Sicily and Malta, being all as then in the service
and pay of the Spaniard. Immediately both the Admirals of the galleys
sent from each of them a frigate to the Admiral of our English ships,
which being come near them, the Sicilian frigate first hailed them, and
demanded of them whence they were; they answered that they were of
England, the arms whereof appeared in their colours. Whereupon the
said frigate expostulated with them, and asked why they delayed to send
or come with their captains and pursers to Don Pedro de Leiva, their
General, to acknowledge their duty and obedience to him, in the name of
the Spanish king, lord of those seas. Our men replied and said that
they owed no such duty nor obedience to him, and therefore would
acknowledge none; but commanded the frigate to depart with that answer,
and not to stay longer upon her peril. With that away she went; and up
came towards them the other frigate of Malta; and she in like sort
hailed the Admiral, and would needs know whence they were and where
they had been. Our Englishmen in the Admiral, not disdaining an
answer, told them that they were of England, merchants of London, had
been in Turkey, and were now returning home; and to be requited in this
case, they also demanded of the frigate whence she and the rest of the
galleys were. The messenger answered, "We are of Malta, and for mine
own part, my name is Cavalero. These galleys are in service and pay to
the King of Spain, under the conduct of Don Pedro de Leiva, a nobleman
of Spain who hath been commanded hither by the king with this present
force and army of purpose to intercept you. You shall therefore,"
quoth he, "do well to repair to him to know his pleasure; he is a
nobleman of good behaviour and courtesy, and means you no ill." The
captain of the English Admiral, whose name was Master Edward Wilkinson,
now one of the six masters of Her Majesty's Royal Navy, replied and
said, "We purpose not at this time to make trial of Don Pedro his
courtesy, whereof we are suspicious and doubtful, and not without good
cause;" using withal good words to the messenger, and willing him to
come aboard him, promising security and good usage, that thereby he
might the better know the Spaniard's mind. Whereupon he indeed left
his frigate and came aboard him, whom he entertained in friendly sort,
and caused a cup of wine to be drawn for him, which he took, and began,
with his cap in his hand and with reverent terms, to drink to the
health of the Queen of England, speaking very honourably of Her
Majesty, and giving good speeches of the courteous usage and
entertainment that he himself had received in London at the time that
the Duke of Alencon, brother to the late French king, was last in
England. And after he had well drunk, he took his leave, speaking well
of the sufficiency and goodness of our ships, and especially of the
Merchant Royal, which he confessed to have seen before, riding in the
Thames near London. He was no sooner come to Don Pedro de Leiva, the
Spanish General, but he was sent off again, and returned to the English
Admiral, saying that the pleasure of the General was this, that either
their captains, masters, and pursers should come to him with speed, or
else he would set upon them, and either take them or sink them. The
reply was made by Master Wilkinson aforesaid that not a man should come
to him; and for the brag and threat of Don Pedro, it was not that
Spanish bravado that should make them yield a jot to their hindrance,
but they were as ready to make resistance as he to offer an injury.
Whereupon Cavalero the messenger left bragging, and began to persuade
them in quiet sort and with many words; but all his labour was to no
purpose, and as his threat did nothing terrify them, so his persuasion
did nothing move them to do that which he required. At the last he
entreated to have the merchant of the Admiral carried by him as a
messenger to the General, that so he might be satisfied and assured of
their minds by one of their own company. But Master Wilkinson would
agree to no such thing; although Richard Rowit, the merchant himself,
seemed willing to be employed in that message, and laboured by
reasonable persuasions to induce Master Wilkinson to grant it - as
hoping to be an occasion by his presence and discreet answers to
satisfy the General, and thereby to save the effusion of Christian
blood, if it should grow to a battle. And he seemed so much the more
willing to be sent, by how much deeper the oaths and protestations of
this Cavalero were, that he would (as he was a true knight and a
soldier) deliver him back again in safety to his company.
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