Among Others Taken At The
Entrenchment, Were A Portuguese Called Vincent Fonseca, Purser Of The
Carak, With Two Of Her
Cannoneers, one a German, and the other a
Hollander; who, refusing to give any account voluntarily of what was
asked,
Were threatened with torture, and then confessed that within
fifteen days three other caraks would certainly arrive at the same
island, there being five caraks in the fleet at their departure from
Goa, the Buen Jesus admiral, Madre de Dios, San Bernardo, San
Christophoro, and Santa Cruz, that now on fire. They had especial orders
from the king of Spain, not in any case to touch at St. Helena, where
the Portuguese caraks used always till now to refresh on their way from
the East Indies, procuring water and fresh, provisions. The reason of
this order was, that the king was informed the English men of war meant
to lie there in wait for them. If therefore, their necessities should
drive them to seek supply any where, they were commanded to put in at
Angola on the coast of Africa, and only to remain there so long as was
necessary to take in water, that they might avoid the inconvenience of
infections, to which that hot country is dangerously liable. The last
rendezvous appointed for them was the island of Flores, where they were
assured of a naval force meeting them and convoying them to Lisbon.
On receiving this intelligence, Sir John held a council with Captains
Norton, Downton, and Abraham Cocke, commanding three ships of the Earl
of Cumberland, Mr Thomson of Harwich, captain of the Dainty, belonging
to Sir John Hawkins, one of Sir Walter Raleighs fleet, Captain
Christopher Newton of the Golden Dragon, newly come from the West
Indies, and others.
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