Page:The principal navigations, voyages, traffiques and discoveries of the English nation 15.djvu/355

 Sennor Bernaldino will say, that he sawe all that he hath written, be it spoken in councell for shaming the Generall: for is there any man so voide of reason as to thinke, that any Englishman being demanded of his Generals name, would write or speake Quebraran for Baskeruil.

So much difference there is in the sound of the sillables, as there is no affinitie at all, or likelihood of truth. But such are the Generals rare gifts, (be it spoken to his small prayse) that we Englishmen must of force confesse, that the General hath giuen a proud onset to carrie the whetstone from Sennor Bernaldino de Mendoça: neither will the hundred and fortie men and fifteene noble Captaines (which he saith he did take, of whom he might haue bene 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 he hath no man to witnesse that lie, for the ship was separated by weather from the English fleete in the night, thirteene dayes before the fight with the Spanish Nauie, and neuer to any mans knowledge came more in sight of the English fleete.

If the Spanish ship by chance did take the saide well manned ship (as they call her) I doubt not but they haue the ship, the hundred and forty men, and the fifteene noble Captaines to shew: But euermore I gesse the Spanish reckoning will fall short when it is examined, for the fifteene noble Captaines will prooue, (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 lier hath certified. But the Generall like a prouident man, to make his fame and credite the greater with his Prince and countrey, taketh vpon him (amongst other miracles performed before the English fleete) by way of amplification to make small matters seeme great as a little shooe to serue a great foote, and finding that it can hardly be brought to passe, he doth so stretch the leather with his teeth that it is readie to break: and yet notwithstanding al this will not serue; for the printing of the letter doth marre the play, and bringeth such matter in question, as the Generall doth wish might be concealed, and were he not of so drie and