IN the moneth of Nouember last past, there were sundry Shyps appertay­ning to seuerall Marchants of London, which were rigde and fraught, forth with marchandize, some for Spaine, and some for sundry other places of traffique, who together hauing wind and wether, which oft-time fell out very vncertaine, arriued safely in short space, at such places as they desired, among whom was the Centurion of London, a very tall Shyppe of burden, yet but weakely manned, as appeareth by this Historie ensuing; wherein God shewed a most wonderfull accident of his mercifull loue and fauour towards them, giuing them the victory, and deliuering them from the hands of their E­nemies, at such time as it was thought vnpossible for them to escape.

Thys aforesaid Shyp called the Centurion, safely arri­ued at Marseelis, where after they had deliuered their goods, they staied about the space of fiue wéekes, and better, and then tooke in lading, intending to returne to England.

Now when the Centurion was ready to come away frō Marseelis, there were sundry other shyps of smaller burden, entreated the Maister thereof, whose name is Robert Brad­shawe, [Page 4] dwelling at the Lime-house, to stay a day or two for them, vntill they were in a readines to depart with them, thereby perswading them, that it would be farre better for them to stay and goe together in respect of their assistance, then to depart of themselues without company, and so hap­pily for want of ayde fall into the hands of theyr Enemies in the Spanish Gallies. Vpon which reasonable perswasi­on, notwithstanding that thys Ship was of such sufficiencie as they might hazard her in the danger of the Sea, yet they stayed for those little Ships according to theyr request, who together did put to Sea from Marseelis, and vowed in gene­rall not to flie one from another, if so they should happen to meete with any Spanish Gallies, beeing resolute rather to fight it out, then once to be taken by the Spaniards to endure their accustomed crueltie.

These small Shippes accompanied with the Centurion, sayling along the Coste of Spaine, was vpon Ester day last in the straights of Iebualtare suddainly becalmed, where im­mediatly they sawe sundry Gallies make towards them, in very valiant and couragious sorte: the chiefe Leaders and Souldiours in those Gallies, brauely apparrelled in silke Coates, with siluer whistles about theyr necks, and great plumes of Feathers in theyr Hafs, who with theyr Calli­uers, shotte at the Centurion so fast as they might: so that by tenne of the clock and somewhat before, they had boorded the Centurion, who before theyr comming, had prepared for them, and intended to giue them so sower a welcom as they might. And thereupon hauing prepared theyr close fights, & al things in a readines, they called vpon God, on whō onely they trusted: and hauing made theyr prayers, and cheered vp one another to fight so long as life endured, they began to discharge theyr great Ordinaunce vpon the Gallies, but the little Shyps durst not come forward, but lay aloofe, while fiue Gallies had hoorded them, yea and with theyr grapling yrons made theyr Gallies fast to the said Shippe called the Centurion.

The Gallies were grapled to the Centurion in thys manner, two lay on one side, and two on another, and the Admirall lay full in the sterne, which galled & battered the Centurion so sore, that her maine Mast was greatly weake­ned, her sayles filled with many holes, and the Mizzen and sterne made almost vnseruiceable.

During which time there was a sore and deadly fight on both sides, in which, the Trumpet of the Centurion, sown­ded forth the deadly points of war, & encouraged thē to fight manfully against their aduersaries: on the contrary part, there was no warlike Musicke in the Spanish Gallies, but onely their whystles of siluer, which they sounded foorth to theyr owne contentment: in which fight many a Spaniard was turned into the sea, and they in multitudes came crau­ling and hung vpon the side of the shippe, intending to haue entred into the same, but such was the courage of the Eng­lishmen, that so fast as the Spaniards did come to enter, they gaue them such entertainment, that some of them were gladde to tumble aliue into the sea, beeing remediles for e­uer to gette vp aliue. In the Centurion there was in all, of men and boyes, forty and eyght, who together fought most valiantly, and so galled the enemy, that many a braue and lusty Spaniard lost his life in that place.

The Centurian was fyred fyue seuerall times, with wilde fyre and other prouision, which the Spaniards threw in for that purpose: yet God be thanked, by the great and dilligent fore-sight of the Master it did no harme at all.

In euery of the Gallies there was about fiue or sixe hundereth Souldiours: who together with the shotte, spoyled, rent, and battered the Centurion very sore: shotte through her maine Mast, and slew foure of the men in the sayde shippe, the one of them béeing the Masters mate.

Ten other persons were hurt, by meanes of splinters which the Spaniards shotte: yea, in the ende when their prouision was almost spent, they were constrayned to shoote at them hammers, and the chaines from theyr slaues, [Page 6] and yet God be thanked, they receiued no more domage: but by spoyling and ouer wearying of the Spaniards, the Eng­lishmen constrayned them to vngrapple themselues, and gette them going, and sure if there had béene any other fresh shyp or succour to haue releiued and assisted the Centurion, they had slayne, suncke, or taken all those Gallies and theyr Souldiours.

The Dolphin lay a loofe of and durst not come neere, while the other two small shyppes fledde away, so that one of the Gallyes went from the Centurion and sette vpon the Dolphin, which shyppe immediatly was set on fire with theyr owne powder, wherby both men and shyppe perished: but whether it was with theyr good wills or no, that was not knowne vnto the Centurion, but sure if it had come for­ward, and beene an ayde vnto the Centurion, it is to be sup­posed that it hadde not perished.

Fiue houres and a halfe this fight continued, in which time both were glad to depart onely to breath themselues, but when the Spaniards were gonne, they neuer durst re­turne to fight: yet the next day sixe other Gallies came and looked at them, but durst not at any hand meddle with them. Thus God deliuered them from the hands of their enemies, and gaue them the victory: for which they hartily praysed God, and are now safely arriued in London.