On the Monday [October 24th], having begun early in the morning; all our forces, about noon, were landed: and presently marched up to a bridge between Punthal and Cadiz. In going up to which, some of our men were unfortunately and unmanly surprised; and before they knew their own danger, had there their throats cut. Some had their brains beaten out with the stocks of muskets; others, their noses sliced off; whilst some heads were spurned up and down the streets like footballs; and some ears worn in scorn in Spanish hats. For when I was in ‘prison in Cadiz, whither some of these Spanish picaroes [robbers] were brought in for flying from the castle, I was an eyewitness of Englishmen’s ears being worn in that despiteful manner.

What the forces being on shore did or how far they went up I cannot tell, for I was no land soldier; and therefore all that while kept aboard. Yet about twelve o’clock, when they were marched out of sight, I (knowing that other Englishmen had done the like, the very same day) ventured on shore likewise, to refresh myself: with my sword only by my side; because I thought that the late storms had beaten all the Spaniards in, and therefore I feared no danger.

On therefore I softly walked, viewing the desolation of such a place: for I saw nobody. Yet I had not gone far from the shore, but some Englishmen were come even almost to our ships; and from certain gardens had brought with them many oranges and lemons. The sight of these sharpened my stomach the more to go on; because I had a desire to present some of those fruits to my Captain. Hereupon I demanded of them, “what danger there was in going?” They said, “None, but that all was hushed; and not a Spaniard stirring.” We parted; they to the ships, I forward.

And before I had reached a mile, I found (for all their talking of no danger) three Englishmen stark dead; being slain, lying in the way, it being full of sandy pits, so that I could hardly find the passage: and one, some small distance from them, not fully dead. The groans which he uttered led me to him; and finding him lying on his belly; I called to him, and turning him on his back saw his wounds, and said, “Brother! what villain hath done this mischief to thee? ” He lamented in sighs and doleful looks; and casting up his eyes to heaven, but could not speak. I then resolved, and was about it, for Christian charity’s sake and for country’s sake; to have carried him on my back to our ships, far off though they lay; and there, if by any possible means it could have been done, to have recovered him.

But my good intents were prevented. For on a sudden, came rushing in upon me, a Spanish horseman, whose name, as afterwards I was informed, was Don JUAN of Cadiz, a Knight. I seeing him make speedily and fiercely at me with his drawn weapon, suddenly whipped out mine, wrapping my cloak about mine arm. Five or six skirmishes we had; and for a pretty while, fought off and on.

At last, I getting, with much ado, to the top of a sandy hillock, the horseman nimbly followed up after. By good fortune to me (though bad to himself) he had no petronel or pistols about him: and there clapping spurs to his horse’s sides; his intent, as it seemed, was with full career to ride over me, and trample me under his horse’s feet. But a providence greater than his fury, was my guard.

Time was it for me to look about warily and to lay about lustily; to defend a poor life so hardly distressed. As therefore his horse was violently breaking in upon me, I struck him in the eyes with a flap of my cloak. Upon which, turning sideward, I took my advantage; and, as readily as I could, stepping in, it pleased GOD that I should pluck my enemy down, and leave him at my mercy for life: which notwithstanding I gave him, he falling on his knees, and crying out in French to me. Pardonnex-moi, je vous prie, je suis un bon Chretien. “Pardon me, Sir! I am a good Christian.”

I, seeing him brave, and having a soldier’s mind to rifle him, I searched for jewels but found none, only five pieces of eight about him in all, amounting to twenty shillings English. Yet he had gold, but that I could not come by. For I was in haste to have sent his Spanish knighthood home on foot, and to have taught his horse an English pace.

Thus far my voyage for oranges had sped well; but in the end, it proved a sour sauce to me: and it is harder to keep a victory than to obtain one. So here it fell out with mine.

For fourteen Spanish musketeers spying me so busy about one of their countrymen, bent [aimed] all the mouths of their pieces to kill me; which they could not well do, without endangering Don JUAN’S life. So that I was enforced (and glad I escaped so too) to yield myself their prisoner.

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