Page:The principal navigations, voyages, traffiques and discoveries of the English nation 15.djvu/349

 Drake, which onely he may do for two moneths, and no other to imprint the same within the said terme, vpon paine of tenne thousand Marauedis for his Maiesties chamber. Giuen in Siuill the 15 of May 1596.

The Licenciat Don Iohn Bermudes of Figueroa. By his Assigne Gregorie Gutierez Notarie.

This letter of the Generall Don Bernaldino sent into Spaine declaring the death of Sir Francis Drake and their supposed victorie, was altogether receiued for an undoubted trueth, and so pleasing was this newes vnto the Spaniards, that there was present commandement giuen to publish the letter in print, that all the people of Spaine might be partakers of this common ioy: the which letter printed in Siuill, bearing date the 15 of May, 1596 came to the hands of Henrie Sauile Esquire, who being employed in that seruice for the West Indies, and Captaine of her Maiesties good shippe the Aduenture, vnder the conduct of sir Francis Drake, and sir Iohn Hawkins, hath caused the said printed letter to be translated into English. And that the impudencie of the Spanish Generall may the more plainely appeare, the sayde Henrie Sauile doth answere particularly to euery vntrueth in the same letter contayned, as hereafter followeth.

The answere to the Spanish letter.

First the Generall doth say, that Francis Drake died at Nombre de Dios, as he had intelligence by an Indian.

The Generall sent this newes into his countrey confirmed 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 timorous Spaniards greatly to heare of the death of him whose life was a scourge and continuall plague vnto them: But it was a point of great simplicitie, and scarcely beseeming a Generall to tie the credite of his report locally to any place vpon the report of a silly Indian slaue. For it had bene sufficient to haue sayd, that Francis Drake was certainly dead, without publishing the lie in print, by naming Nombre de Dios: for it is most certaine sir Francis Drake died twixt the Iland of Escudo, and Puerto Bello; but the Generall being