Yet As Fast As They
Came To Enter, So Courageously Were They Received By The English, That
Many Of Them Were Fain To Tumble Alive Into The Sea, Remediless Of Ever
Getting Out Alive.
There were in the Centurion 48 men and boys in all,
who bestirred themselves so valiantly and so galled the enemy, that many
a brave and lusty Spaniard lost his life.
The Centurion was set on fire
five several times, with wild-fire and other combustibles thrown in for
that purpose by the Spaniards; yet by the blessing of God, and the great
and diligent foresight of the master, the fire was always extinguished
without doing any harm.
In every one of these five gallies there were about 200 soldiers; who,
together with the great guns, spoiled, rent, and battered the Centurion
very sorely; shot her mainmast through, and slew four of her men, one of
whom was the masters mate. Ten other persons were hurt by splinters. But
in the end, the Spaniards had almost spent their shot, so that they were
obliged to load with hammers and the chains of their galley-slaves, yet,
God be praised, the English received no more harm. At length, sore
galled and worn out, the Spaniards were constrained to unfasten their
grapplings and sheer off; at which time, if there had been any fresh
ship to aid and succour the Centurion, they had certainly sunk or taken
all those gallies. The Dolphin lay aloof and durst not come near, while
the other two small ships fled away. One of the gallies from the
Centurion set upon the Dolphin; which ship went immediately on fire,
occasioned by her own powder, so that the ship perished with all her
men: But whether this was done intentionally or not, was never known.
Surely, if she had come bravely forward in aid of the Centurion, she had
not perished.
This fight continued five hours and a half, at the end of which time
both parties were glad to draw off and breathe themselves; but the
Spaniards, once gone, durst not renew the fight. Next day, indeed, six
other gallies came out and looked at the Centurion, but durst on no
account meddle with her. Thus delivered by the Almighty from the hands
of their enemies, they gave God thanks for the victory, and arrived not
long after safe at London. Mr John Hawes merchant, and sundry others of
good note were present in this fight.
SECTION X.
_Sea-fight near the Azores, between the Revenge man of war, commanded by
Sir Richard Granville, and fifteen Spanish men of war_, 31_st August_
1591. _Written by Sir Walter Raleigh_[371].
PRELIMINARY DISCOURSE[372].
Because the rumours are diversely spread, as well in England as in the
Low Countries and elsewhere, of this late encounter between her majestys
ships and the armada of Spain; and that the Spaniards, according to
their usual manner, fill the world with their vain-glorious vaunts,
making great shew of victories, when on the contrary themselves are most
commonly and shamefully beaten and dishonoured, thereby hoping to
possess the ignorant multitude by anticipating and forerunning false
reports:
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 341 of 441
Words from 178454 to 178981
of 230997
