THREE TO ONE:

BEING AN ENGLISH-SPANISH COMBAT.

LOVING Countrymen! Not to weary you with long preambles, unnecessary for you to read and troublesome for me to set down; I will come roundly to the matter: entreating you, not to cast a malicious eye upon my actions nor rashly to condemn them, nor to stagger in your opinions of my performance; since I am ready with my life to justify what I set down, the truth of this relation being warranted by noble proofs and testimonies not to be questioned.

I am a Western man; Devonshire my country, and Tavistock my place of habitation.

I know not what the Court of a King means, nor what the fine phrases of silken Courtiers are. A good ship I know, and a poor cabin; and the language of a cannon: and therefore as my breeding has been rough, scorning delicacy; and my present being consisteth altogether upon the soldier (blunt, plain and unpolished) so must my writings be, proceeding from fingers fitter for the pike than the pen. And so, kind Countrymen! I pray you to receive them.

Neither ought you to expect better from me, because I am but the chronicler of my own story.

After I had seen the beginning and end of the Algiers’ voyage; I came home somewhat more acquainted with the world, but little amended in estate: my body more wasted and weather-beaten; but my purse, never the fuller, nor my pockets thicker lined.

Then the drum beating up for a new expedition, in which many noble gentlemen and heroical spirits were to venture their honours, lives and fortunes; cables could not hold me : for away I would, and along I vowed to go; and did so.

The design opening itself at sea for Cadiz, proud I was to be employed there; where so many gallants and English worthies did by their examples encourage the common soldiers to honourable darings.

The ship I went in was called the Convertine, one of the Navy Royal. The captain, THOMAS PORTAR.

On the two and twentieth day of October, being a Saturday, 1625 ; our fleet came into Cadiz, about three o’clock in the afternoon: we, being in all, some 110 sail.

The Saturday night, some sixteen sail of the Hollanders, and about ten White Hall Men (who in England are called Colliers) were commanded to fight against the Castle of Punthal, standing three miles from Cadiz: who did so accordingly; and discharged in that service, at the least, 1,600 shot.

On the Sunday morning following, the Earl of Essex going up very early, and an hour at least before us, to the fight; commanded our ship, the Convertine, being of his squadron, to follow him: the Castle playing hard and hotly upon his Lordship.

Captain PORTAR and the Master of our ship whose name is Master HILL, having upon sight of so fierce an encounter an equal desire to do something worthy of themselves and their country; came up so close to the Castle as possibly men in such a danger either could or durst adventure, and there fought bravely. The Castle bestowed upon us a hot salutation (and well becoming our approach) with bullets; whose first shot killed three of our men, passing through and through our ship; the second killed four; and the third two more at least; with great spoil and battery [battering] to our ship: the last shot flying so close to Captain PORTAR that with the windage of the bullet, his very hands had almost lost the sense of feeling, being struck into a sudden numbness.

Pages: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10