Page:The principal navigations, voyages, traffiques and discoveries of the English nation 15.djvu/271

 in prayer, and giuing him thankes for the winde which he had sent vs for our deliverance) we looked forth and descryed two saile more to the offen: these we thought to haue bene the Hopewell, and the Swallow that had stoode in to ayde vs: but it prooued farre otherwise, for they were two of the kings gallies. Nowe hauing a loome gale of winde, wee shipped our oars, and rowed off the shore: and our watch was no sooner set, but we espied one gallie vnder our lee hard by vs, boging vp with vs. Then (because it was euening) one of the great ships discharged sixe great shot at vs, to the ende the gallies should knowe that wee were the shippe they looked for. Then the gallie came vp, and (hailing vs of whence our shippe was) a Portugall which wee had with vs, made them answere, that wee were of the fleete of Tierra firma, and of Siuil: with that they bid vs amaine English dogs, and came vpon our quarter star-boord: and giuing vs fiue cast pieces out of her prowe, they sought to lay vs aboord: but we so galled them with our muskets, that wee put them from our quarter. Then they winding their gallie, came vp into our sterne, and with the way that the gallie had, did so violently thrust in the boordes of our Captaines cabbin, that her nose came into it, minding to giue vs all their prowe, and so to sinke vs. But wee being resolute, so plyed them with our small shot, that they could haue no time to discharge their great ordinance: and when they began to approch, wee heaued into them a ball of fire, and by that meanes put them off: whereupon they once againe fell asterne of vs, and gaue vs a prowe. Then hauing the second time put them off, we went to prayer, and sang the first part of the 25. Psalme, praysing God for our safe deliuerance. This being done, we might see 2. gallies and a frigat all three of bending themselues together to encounter vs: hereupon we (eftsoones commending our estate into the hands of God) armed our selues, and resolued (for the honour of God, her Maiestie, and our countrey) to fight it out till the last man. Then shaking a pike of fire in defiance of the enemie, and weauing them amaine, we bad them come aboord: and an Englishman in the gallie made answer, that they would come aboord presently. So managing ourselues to our furniture, and euery moment expecting the assault, wee heard them parle to this effect, that they determined to keepe vs companie till the morning, and then to make an end with vs: then giuing vs another shot from one of the gallies, they fell asterne. Thus our