Page:The principal navigations, voyages, traffiques and discoveries of the English nation 15.djvu/270

 little ship, we saw a great smoke come from our admiral, and the Hopewel and Swallow forsaking him with all the sailes they could make: whereupon bearing vp with our admiral (before we could come to him) we had both the small ships to windward of vs, purposing (if we had not bene too hotte for them) to haue layd vs aboord. Thus (the fight continuing between vs and them 3. houres) we were forced to stand to the Northwards, the Hopewel and the Swallow not comming in all this while to ayd vs, as they might easily haue done. Our admirall by this time being in fight with their viceadmiral, and another great ship of theirs, stood off to sea with his topgallant saile, and all the sailes he could make: then might the Hopewel and the Swallow haue payd roome to second him, but they failed him as they did vs, standing off close by a wind to the Eastward. All this time we were forced to the Northwards with 2. of their great ships and one of there small. They hauing a loom gale (wee being altogether becalmed) with both there great ships came vp faire by vs, shot at vs, and on the sudden furled their spritsailes and mainsailes, thinking that wee could not escape them. Then falling to prayer, we shipped our oars that we might rowe to shore, and anker in shallow water where there great ships could not come nie vs, for other refuge we had none. Then 1. of their smal ships being manned from 1. of their great, and hauing a boat to rowe themselues in, shipped her oars likewise and rowed after vs, thinking with there small shot to haue put vs from our oars, vntil the great ships might come vp with vs: but by the time she was within musket shot, the Lord of his mercie did send vs a faire gale of wind at the Northwest off the shore. What time (they being all to leeward of vs) wee stood to the East. The small ship was vnder our lee within Falcon shot, and another great shippe lay to the Westward, so that wee could no way possibly escape them vpon that boord: then (we thinking to auoyd them by casting about to the Westwards) the other great shippe gate vnder our lee, and the small ship on our weather quarter, purposing to make vs pay roome with the great ship, by force of her small and great shot. Then (we being lerboord tacked, and they sterboord) we made her spring her looffe, and by a fortunate shot which our gunner made, pierced her betwixt winde and water. Hereupon shee was forced to lay herselfe vpon the carena, and to stand with one of the other ships for ayde. Afterward (commending our selues to almightie God