He Was Of Middle Stature, And Lame Of
One Foot, But Not So In Disposition And Manners, Being A Good Christian
And Well-Bred Gentleman.
- Astley, I. 231, b.]
The 20th January 1591, news was brought from Portugal to Tercera, that
the English had taken a ship sent by the king to the Portuguese Indies,
carrying advice to the viceroy of the return of the four ships to
Portugal; which captured ship was stuffed full of goods, in consequence
of their return, besides having 500,000 ducats in ryals of eight. It
sailed from Lisbon in November 1590, and fought the English a long time,
but had at length to yield, and was carried to England, where all the
men were set free and returned to Lisbon, at which place the captain was
thrown into prison, but afterwards justified himself and was released,
as he told me personally. The English took, at the same time, a ship
coming from the Mina, laden with gold, and two ships laden with pepper
and other spices, bound for Italy, their pepper only being worth 170,000
ducats. All these rich prizes were carried clear off into England.
In July 1591, an earthquake commenced in the island of Tercera, which
continued from the 26th of that month to the 12th of August, or 18 days,
during all which time no person durst remain within a house, but all
fled into the fields in terrible consternation, fasting and praying
almost incessantly. Many houses fell down, and in particular a town
called Villa Franca was almost utterly destroyed, all its houses and
cloisters thrown down, and several people slain.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 709 of 842
Words from 194086 to 194358
of 230997
