THE
ANSWERE TO
The Spanish letter.
First whereas the Generall doth say, that Fraunces Drake dyed at Nombre de Dios, as he had intelligence by an Indian.
THe Generall sente this newes into his Country cõfirmed with his hand and seale of Armes: It is the first newes in his letter, and it was the best newes that he could send into Spaine. For it did ease the stomackes of the timerous Spaniardes greatly to heare of the death of him, whose life was a scourge & continuall plague vnto them: But it was a pointe of great simplicitie, & scarcely beseeming a Generall, to tie the credite of his reporte locally to any place vppon the report of a silly Indian slaue. For it had beene sufficient to haue said, that Fraunces Drake was certainly dead, without publishing the lye in Print, by naming Nombre de Dios: for it is most certaine Sir Fraunces Drake dyed twixt the Island of Scouda, and Porte-bella: But the Generall being rauished with the The Generall seemeth to wante friendes in Courte, sending such great newes to a priuate Doctor. suddaine ioy of this report as a man that hath escaped a great daunger of the enemie, doeth breake out into an insolent kind of bragging of his valour at Sea, and heaping one lye vpon another, doth not cease vntill he hath drawne them into sequences, and so doth commende them vnto Peter the Doctor, as censour of his learned worke.
Secondly, The general doth write vnto the doctor, that Frances Drake dyed for verie griefe that hee had lost so many Barkes and men.
A Thing verie strange that the General or the Indian, who hee doth vouch for his lye, should haue such speculation in the bodye of him whome they neuer saw, as to deliuer for truth vnto his Countrie, the verie cause or disease whereof hee dyed: And this second report of his is more grosse then the first. For admit the mistaking of the place might bee tollerable; notwithstanding, this precise affirming the cause of his death, doth manifestly prooue that the Don Bernaldino doth lye impudently. Generall doth make no conscience to lye. And as concerning the losse of any Barkes or men in our Nauie, by the valour of the Spaniard before Sir Fraunces Drake his death, wee had none (one small Pinnesse excepted) which we assuredly know was The successe of the kings fiue Frigots. taken by chaunce falling single into a fleete of fiue Frigots (of which was Generall, Don Pedro Telio,) neere vnto the Island of Dominico, and not by the valour of Don Bernaldino: the which fiue Frigots of the Kings afterwards had but ill successe, for one of them we burnt in the harbour of S. Iohn Portrico, and one other was sunck in the same harbour, and the other three were burnt amongst many other Shippes at the taking of Cales: This I thinke in wise mens iudgements, will seeme a seely cause to mooue a man sorrowe to death. The certain cause wherof Sir Frances Drake dyed. For true it is, Sir Fraunces Drake dyed of the Flixe which hee had growne vppon him eight daies before his death, and yeelded vp his spirite like a Christian to his creatour quietly in his Cabbin. And when the Generall shall suruey his losses, he shall finde it more then the losse of the English, and the most of his destroyed by the Bullet: But the death of Sir Fraunces Drake was of so great comfort vnto the Spaniard, that it was thought to be a sufficient amendes, although their whole fleete had beene vtterly lost.
Thirdly, The generall doth say of his owne credite, and not by intelligence from any Indian or other, that on the eleauenth of March last hee met the English fleete at the Isle of Pinas, being fourteene good Shippes, who although they had the winde of him, yet hee set vppon them three times with all their Shippes, but the English fleete flled, and refused to fight shooting now and then a shot, but especially the Admirall.
THis third lye of the Generall Don Bernaldino Delgadillo de Avellaneda, (whose name for the prolixitie thereof maye be drawne somwhat neere the length of a Cable) hath no colour of protection, but it hath a iust proportion A payre of of Spanish Lyers. in measure to the lyes of olde Barnardino de Mendozza his Countrieman, concerning the ouerthrow of her Maiesties Nauie in the yeare 1588. for except Don Barnaldino the Generall, did purpose to winne the whetstone from Don Barnardino de Mendozza the olde Spanish lyer: I cannot coniecture why hee should write to his Countrie for a truth, that hee chased the English Nauye with nine Shippes, and did three seuerall times giue the onset to the English fleete, who being fourteene good Shippes (as he saith) did flye and refuse to fight, being that The Spanish Viceadmirall a man of vallour. the Spanish Viceadmiral (if he be liuing) and manye other, can witnesse the contrarie, who fighting like a true valiant man, departed from the fight with a torne and battered Shippe to saue her from sinking. Neither can I imagine that there is any one in the Spanish fleete (Don Bernaldino excepted) that will saye they were lesse then twentie sayle of Shipps when they met the English fleet: And the Spanish Nauy can witnesse that they receiued such store of Bullets from the English fleete, that they were glad to depart, and in despight of them the English Nauie did holde their determined The number of the Spanish Shippes after the fight. course: And taking a view of the Spanish fleete the next day, their number was not aboue thirteene Shippes, which did argue that they were either sunke, or fled to harbour to saue themselues.
Fourthly, The generall saith, that the English fleete fled awaye, and left their Oares for haste behind them in the Sea.
IT was strange that they shoulde leaue behinde them Oares in the Sea, being there was not in the English fleete either This lie was made in the Generals owne forge. Gally or gallyasse, which required the vse of Oares, as for the Oares of their ship-boates and other such small vessels, they had stoed them aboarde their Shippes, and were no impediment vnto them, but most necessarie for them to vse, and therfore not likely they would cast them ouerboard: But it is most likely, that the Generall fell into some pleasant dreame at Sea, wherein hee did see a false apparition of victorie against the English, & for lacke of matter did set this downe in his letter for newes to his countrie: A commendation of the Generall It is sinne to belye the Deuill, and therefore the Generall shal haue his right, the letter is so well contriued, (and yet with no great eloquence) but with such art, that ther are not many more lines, then there are lyes, which sheweth that there are wonderfull and extraordinarie gifts in the Generall: But I am perswaded if Don Bernaldino had thought that his letter should haue beene Printed, hee woulde haue omitted many thinges contained in The Generall doth practise to lye, for recreation. the letter, for the Doctor did vse him somwhat hardly in shewing the letter openly, and more in suffering it to be Printed: for friends may like good fellowes send lyes one to the other for recreation, and feed their friends with some small taste thereof, so it be kept close, without danger to incurre the tytle of a lying Generall: But as the matter is now handled throgh the simplycitie of the Doctor, I cannot see but the General Don Bernaldino, is like to carrie the tytle equally twixt both his shoulders.
Fiftly, The generall doth say in his Printed letter, that notwithstanding all the diligence he could vse, hee coulde not cause the English fleete to staie nor come neere them, nor discharge one Hargebush or peece of Artillerie, but fled away as fast as they could.
ANd this lie also he doth not receiue by intelligence from any other, but himselfe was an eye-witnesse in the action, which made him bold to send this with the rest into his Countrie for currant newes: But herein Don Bernaldino was more bolde then wise, for the torne and battered sides of his Gallyons, being compared with her Maiestes The torne sides of the Spanish Shippes doe condemne Don Bernaldino of lying. Shippes; and others that serued in that fight, doe declare, that his Ships receiued at least two bullets for one. Neither can it be concealed but his owne Countriemen (if any do fauour truth) may easily see the losse, and late reparations, done vnto the Kings fleete sithence they did encounter with the English Nauie, whensoeuer they that remaine shall arriue in Spaine: But the Generall seemeth to bee a verye good proficient in his profession, and waxeth somewhat bolde, treading the true steppes of old Barnardino de Mendozza, and yet Mendozza was somewhat more warie in his lyes, for he had sometime the colour of intelligence to shadow them, but the Generall growing from boldnes to impudencie, maketh no scruple to say, that the English Nauie fled as fast as they could without discharging any Hargebush or peece of Artillerie, when as the battered sides of his ships Note the valoure of Don Bernaldino. do returne the lye to his face: For in this conflict Don Bernaldino did behaue himselfe so valiantly, that he was alwaies farthest of in the fight, & had so great care of his owne person that he stoode cleare frõ the danger of Muskat or any smal shot, & durst not approach, whereas our generall The order of the English Nauie. was the foremost, & so held his place, vntill by order of fight other ships were to haue their turnes, according to his former direction, who wisely & pollitickly had so ordered his vangarde, & reregarde, that as the maner of it was altogether strange to the Spaniard, so might they haue bene without all hope of victorie, if their General had beene a man of any iudgement in Sea fights: I know no reason why the The Spaniard cannot bragge of his gaine. English Nauie should flye from him, for the Spaniard may put all the gaine in his eye that euer he did winne from the English: Peraduenture some siely nouice of our country meeting the general in Spaine, and hearing a repetition of so many sillables in one name, as Don Bernaldino Delgadillo de Auellaneda, might thinke them to be words of Coniuration, & for feare of raysing a Spirit, might flie from him as from the Deuill, or some simple Indian slaue hearing the like repetition of his long and tedious name, might suppose it to be an Armie of Spaniards, and for feare runne awaye: But the commaunders and Captaines of the English Nauie, Spanish bragges are of no value with the English. were men of such resolution, that no Spanish bragges coulde dismaye them, for they haue often met them with their Pikes in their Spanish beardes. Nor the countenaunce of Don Bernaldino quaile them, although he were acowtred in his gilt Leather buskins, and his Toledo Rapyer.
Sixtly, The generall saith in his letter, that notwithstanding their flying away so fast, the English left them one good Shippe well manned, who told him that the Drake dyed in Nombre de Dios, in which Shippe were one hundred and fourtie men, and fifteene noble Captaines of the best sorte.
THe Generall Don Bernaldino, Don Bernaldino very resolute. like a resolute Spaniarde hauing alreadye gonne ouer his shoes, maketh no dannger to wade ouer his Boates also: and as hee hath begun so he doth conclude, I maruaile that hee did not in writing his discourse remember this olde saying; that is, A lyar ought to haue a good memorie: It were much better for him in mine opinion to reuoke the testimonie which hee saith he had from the Englishmen, concerning Sir Fraunces Drake his death at Nombre de Dios, and stande to the intelligence The Indian slaue, is the best shadow, to the Generals lye. receiued from the siely Indian slaue, as it appeareth in his first lye, for without al doubt, there is no Englishman that wil say (if he haue his right sences) that he dyed at Nombre de Dios, for they all knowe the contrarie: Neither can the Generall avouch that he receiued intelligence from any English man, that after the death of Don Bernaldino his rare gift in coyning a new and straunge name. Sir Fraunces Drake they did elect for Generall Colonell Quebraran, as he doth most falsly affirme in the latter end of his vaine and friuolous letter, being that the name was straunge, and vnknowne to any in the English Nauie. Neither doe I imagine that any of those which the General saith he hath taken were so forgetfull as not to remember their generals name. But without all doubt this addition of so new, and straunge a name to the English Generall, doth proue that Don Bernaldino is not vnfurnished The Generals storehouse of lyes. of a forge & storehouse of lyes, from whence as from an euerflowing fountaine, he sendeth forth lyes of al sorts sufficient for his owne store, and greate plentie to furnish his friends: The General was much beholding to his godfathers who gaue him the name Barnaldino, which we in English do take to be plaine Barnard, which name hath as it were a kind of priueledge from being sharply reprehended The schoolemen of modestie do vse this kinde of reprehension, when they doe thinke the Author to erre. when the party is thought to erre: for it is a common saying amongst the Schoolemen that Barnardus non videt omnia, viz. Barnard seeth not all thinges, (when he doth dissent from their opinions) the which fauour wee coulde bee content to yeelde to Bernaldino for the name sake, if he were not taken with so many manifest and impudent lies, neither doe I thinke that Signior Bernaldino will say that he saw all that he hath written, be it spoken in councell for shaming the General, for is there any man so voide of reason as to thinke? That any Englishman being demaunded of his Generals name, would write or speake Quebraran The difference twixt Quebraran and Baskeruile. for Baskeruile, so much difference there is in the sound of the sillables, as there is no affinitie at all, or likelihoode of truth: But such are the Generals rare gifts, (be it spoken to his small praise) that we Englishmen must of force confesse that the Generall hath giuen a proude onset to carrie the whetstone from Signior Barnardino de Mendozza: Neither will the 140. men & 15. noble Captaines (which hee saith hee did take, of whome he might haue beene The Generall conuicted of lying and forgery. rightly informed of their generals name) acquit him of lying forgerie, for giuing the name of Quebraran to the English Generall: as for the good Shippe well manned, which he saith the English left them after the fight, I am perswaded hee hath no man to witnesse that lye, for the ship was seperated by weather from the English fleete in the night thirteene daies before the fight, with the Spanish Nauie, & The Generall maketh great brags in taking a distressed Ship, which is supposed not to strike one blow. neuer to anye mans knowledge came more in sight of the English fleete, if the Spanish Shippes by chaunce did take the said wel manned Shippe (as they cal her) I doubt not but they haue the Shippe, the 140. men, and the 15. noble Captaines to shew: But euermore I gesse the Spanish reckoning will fall short when it is examined, for the fifteene noble Captaines The fifteene noble Captaines according the generals lying occupation, will proue but three. will proue (as I take it) but three, whose losse I grieue to thinke on: Neither did the Spaniards gaine them by valour, or we loose or leaue them for cowardise, as most vntruely this bragging lyer hath certified. But the Generall like a prouident man, to make his fame and credite the greater with his Prince and country, doth take vpon him (amongst other his miracles perfourmed before the English fleet) by way of amplification to make small matters seeme great, as a little shoe to serue a great foote, and finding that it can hardly be brought to passe, he doth stretch the Leather with his teeth that it is ready to breake, and notwithstanding, all The Printing of the letter doth shame the Generall. this will not serue his purpose, for the Printing of the letter doth marr the play, and bringeth such matter in question, as the Generall doth wish might be concealed, and were he not of so dry and cholericke Don Bernaldino of an excellent complexion. complexion, as commonly Spaniards are, he would blush for very shame in publishing so impudently such manifest vntruthes. For sithence his meeting with the English fleet at the Isle of Pinas, there hath beene by the worthie English Generals, an honourable expedition from The first discouery of the Generals Printed letter. England into the Continent of Spaine, where amongst other exploits hauing taken the Cittie of Cales, in the sacke thereof was found some of Don Bernaldino his Printed letters: & comming to the hands of a Captaine that serued in the voyage to the west Indies, he hath thought very fit (in regard of the slaunders to the English Nauie contained in the saide letter) to quote the errors, that the truth onely may appeare, to all such as haue a desire to bee rightly informed of such accidents, as befell thẽ in this late voyage to the west Indies: and this may suffice to shew Don Bernaldino Delgadillo de Avellaneda his greate The Generals great skill in amplifying. iudgement in amplyfying small matters, or of nothing to make in shewe seeme somewhat. And now hauing thus farre informed you of the truth in reproofe of the slaunderous, false, and vntrue reports of this glorious lying Generall, with a true disproofe to some of the grossest of his lyes, I will leaue him with the rest of his lying letter, and the circumstances therein contained to your censures: who in discretion may easily discerne the same. And haue heere following plainely and truely set downe the course and order of our whole fight after we met.