Page:The principal navigations, voyages, traffiques and discoveries of the English nation 15.djvu/352

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the sea, sithence there was not in the English fleete either Galley or Galliasse, which required the vse of oares: as for the oares of their ship-boates and other such small vessels, they had stowed them aboord their shippes, and were no impediment vnto them, but most necessarie for them to vse, and therefore not likely they would cast them ouerboord: But it is more likely, that the Generall fell into some pleasant dreame at Sea, wherein he did see a false apparition of victorie against the English, and for lacke of matter did set this downe in his letter for newes to his countrey: It is sinne to belie the Deuill, and therefore the Generall shall haue his right: the letter is so well contriued, and yet with no great eloquence, but with such art, that there are not many more lines, then there are lies, which shewed 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, he would haue omitted many things conteined in the letter: for the Doctor did vse him somewhat hardly in shewing the letter openly, and more in suffering it to bee printed: for friendes may like good fellowes send lies 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 title of a lying Generall: But as the matter is now handled through the simplicitie of the Doctor, I cannot see but the Generall Don Bernaldino is like to carrie the title equally twixt both his shoulders.

Fiftly, the Generall doth say in his printed letter, that notwithstanding all the diligence he could vse, he could not cause the English fleete to stay nor come neere them, nor discharge one harquebuze 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 sende this with the rest into his countrey for current newes; but herein Don Bernaldino was more bolde than wise, for the torne and battered sides of his Galeons, being compared with her Maiesties 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 countreyman (if any do