MY Service tendered unto you, I de­sire to acquaint you of the Lords gracious dealing with us, in this our design hitherto: for indeed it is very remark­able, that such a Fleet of Ships, as ours, should run such a distance without losing of company, or any other accident (in the least) happening to either of them: For, [Page 4] blessed be God, setting Sail from the Cowes the first present, we arrived with very sea­sonable weather in nine days (all safe and well) in Cast-Cales Road, which was the tenth in the morning; and there under­stood that Rupert intended to set sail within two days, which was very true; whereup­on the General sent to the King of Portugal for leave to come into the River of Lisbone: And the next day, being the eleventh, we wayed, and intended to go into the River, and lay them aboard forthwith, with as much resolution and courage as I have seen in men. But when we came neer the Castles, they both shot at us (Julians and the other) divers shot; upon which we came to Anchor betwixt the Ketchupps, and sent a Boat a shoar to know the Reason of their shooting at us: The Captain of the great Castle (Julians) sent Answer, That he had not Order from the King to let us come into the River. The Merchant ships that came with us seeing this, set Sail for the Straights; viz. Captain Tho: Ashly, Knight, [Page 5] and Captain Luttun carryed the Agent for Saint Lucar. The twelfth, the King sent one of his greatest Nobles to congratulate with the General, desiring us not to come in, except the weather proved bad, where­by we could not Ride where we were; it being his fear that we would quarrel or fight in his Harbor: Upon the return of his Messenger, the King sent the General a large present of provisions for refreshment. The eighteenth at night, the weather beginning to prove foul, we came into the Bay of Wy­ers in the River, two miles distant from Ru­pert; of what ships he hath, I have inclosed you a List: he hath made three fire ships also. He leaveth no means unattempted, by lyes and absurdities, to make us odious: his Declaration should have been inclosed, but I conceive you will have it in print: his men come from him dayly to us: and the Swallow was coming to us also the last week, but was discovered; they had one Anchor aboard: the Boatswain they have clapt in chains: Sir John Mince is gone a­shoar [Page 6] sick, and I beleeve will hardly trouble them any more: We are informed that their Admiral hath not above fourty Sea-men, and very few there are in the rest of his ships, onely Renegadoes and Bandithoes: To write the hellish expressions that come from their mouths, would make a man tremble; in so much that I verily beleeve they are ripe to destruction: they are more like devils, then men, say all that come from them. Here are divers Merchant ships, of whom two are coming home, viz. Mr Tanner, and Mr Heaman. Rupert ex­pects ayd from the French, and we hear there are four sail coming to him with three hundred men apeece: Our Agent had audi­ence from the King the twenty second pre­sent, of which I beleeve you will have more fully by others: but Captain Molton went ashoar the twenty third, to satisfie the King, in answer to Ruperts Declaration, with its falsities. Truly Sir, I am confident God wil give these ships to us, before we part from them: but his time is the best time and his [Page 7] way the best. To our assistance I hope we have the prayers of all godly honest men, and we shall wait Gods leasure. I have not else at present, but to give you thanks for divers favors, and continue,