getting thither, yet they were sure of winning the place
easily, and gaining wealth enough by the conquest ". The earl
felt it was now time to disclose his own intentions, being " so
far shot to the southward, that he was sure not to meet with
any going to the northward, so that no news of him could
reach Spain till it came from the Indies ". " Then laid I
before them," said he, " how our men were already many of
them sick, and that undoubtedly the crossing the line would
keep them from recovering, although the passage were as
good as man could wish. Besides, I remembered them of
intelligence given us, both upon the coast of Spain and the
island, that the king had sent thither, to defend the place
10
146 ENGLISH SEAMEN
against me, 600 soldiers ; and also it was likely he had given
order, that if they saw themselves not strong enough to resist,
they should flee with their portable goods into the mountains,
and set their sugar and Brazil wood on fire ; then were we
sure to have nothing. And lastly, if we beat long under the
line, undoubtedly most of our men would fall sick, and then
should we be forced to return without doing anything ; for
to no other place could we go, once bearing up upon that
occasion." Perceiving by their silence that what he said had
produced the desired effect, he proceeded to say, that, not to
conceal longer what hitherto had been kept secret for the
good of all, the truth was, he had "never any intention to
go for Brazil, after he found that they could not leave
England before Christmas ; but that the West Indies was
his object," where there were many probabilities to make a
voyage by, as, first, the sacking of Margarita, which they
knew was rich ; then Puerto Rico ; after that St. Domingo ;
then, in July, the outward-bound fleet would be in the Acoa,
where we could not miss them ; and if these gave us not
content, in the end of July or August we should meet the
fleet at Cape S. Antonio. Some of these projects, he
mentioned, "more," he says, "to carry the men with good
liking thither, than for any thought he had of them himself".
All entering unto his views "with greedy desire and hope-
ful expectation, he directed them each to make the best of
his way for Dominica, thinking it better to go straggling
thither, there being possibility to meet some purchase by the
way, which they were most in likelihood of when they spread
furthest". There they had all arrived on 23rd of May, and
then they carried their sick on shore. The island was
inhabited only by Indians, who hated the Spaniards, and
liked the French no better, but were well pleased with
English visitors. They brought great store of potatoes,
plantains, pines, pepper, and tobacco, for which they most
desired to have swords, hatchets and knives in exchange ;
THE EARL OF CUMBERLAND 147
clothes, also, were very much in request with them ; but if
they could get none, beads or any gaudy baubles were
accepted. They spoke some Spanish words, . . . probably
enough for all the intercourse that was required. They
showed a great desire to obtain the same sort of acquaintance
with the language of their new friends : " some of them," says
the chaplain, "Avould point to most parts of his body, and
having told the name of it in the language of Dominica, he
would not rest till he were told it in English ; which having
once heard, he would repeat, till he could either name it right,
or at least till he thought it was right ; and so commonly it
would be, saving that to all words ending in a consonant they
always set the second vowel ; as, for chin they say chin-ne, so
making the monosyllables dissyllables". The chaplain
thought their "wits were able to direct them to things
bodily profitable " ; he describes them as using either a
broad sheet of basket-work, or a very broad leaf in its stead,
to shelter them against the rain, because it washed off their
red paint, which was so laid on, he said, that if you touched it,
you found it on your fingers. They made a drink of the
cassava or mandioc root ; " better of their pines (and it should
seem, says Layfield, that might be made an excellent liquor) ;
but the best, and reserved for the king's cup only, was of
potatoes". The earl brought the squadron into a goodly
bay, able to receive a greater navy than had been together
in the memory of that age : it was at the north-west end of
the island ; and his information directed him to seek for a hot
spring there, which he found fast by the side of a very fine
river. " The bath," says Layfield, " is as hot as either the
Cross Bath or the King's Bath in the city of Bath in England ;
and within three or four yards runneth into the river, which,
within a stone's cast, disburdeneth itself into the sea. Here
the sick men specially found good refreshing ; " and here
they remained till the 1st of June. It was thought con-
venient to take a muster of their companies here, "and
148 ENGLISH SEAMEN
something better to acquaint every one with his own colours" ;
but the weather proved so unfavourable that this could not
be done.
But notwithstanding the ill weather, the beauty of the
country made a strong impression upon those whose hearts
were not wholly set upon schemes of plunder. It is "so
mountainous/' says Layfield, " that the valleys may better be
called pits than plains ; and withal so unpassably woody,
that it is marvellous how those naked souls can pull themselves
through them, without renting their natural clothes. Some
speak of more easy passages in the inland of the island, which
makes it probable that they leave those skirts and edges of
their country thus of purpose for a wall of defence. Their
hills are apparelled with very goodly green trees, of many
sorts. The tallness of these unrequested trees makes the
hills seem more hilly than of themselves happily they are ;
for they grow so like good children of some happy civil body,
without envy or oppression, as that they look like a proud
meadow about Oxford, when, after some irruption, Thames is
again couched low within his own banks, leaving the earth's
mantle more ruggy and flakey than otherwise it would have
been ; yea, so much seem these natural children delighted
with equality, and withal with multiplication, that, having
grown to a definite stature, without desire of overtopping
others, they willingly let down their boughs, which, being
come to the earth again, take root, as it were to continue the
succession of their decaying progenitors ; and yet they do
continually maintain themselves in a green good-liking,
through the liberality, partly of the sun's neighbourhood,
which provideth them, in that nearness to the sea, of exceed-
ing showers ; partly of many fine rivers, which, to requite the
shadow and coolness they receive from the trees, give them
back again a continual refreshing of very sweet and tasty
water." *
* Purchas, 1158.
THE EARL OF CUMBERLAND 149
The weather, and the difficulty of finding an open piece of
ground of sufficient extent, having rendered it impossible for
the earl to muster his people here, he sailed, on the 1st of
June, for the Virgin Islands, and on the afternoon of the
3rd, came to an anchor. A fit place having been discovered
on one of these uninhabited islands that evening, the land
forces went ashore betimes on the following morning, being
Whitsunday. There he took a perfect muster of them.
The companies, indeed (though after much sickness), were
"goodly in number, one might well say, not so few as a
thousand". When they had been trained "into all sorts and
faces of fights," the earl, who found it, he says, " for many
respects meet to speak to them, commanded the drums to
beat a call ; and the troops being drawn in the nearest
closeness that conveniently they might be, that he might be
heard of all, his lordship, standing under a great cliff of a
rock, his prospect to the seaward, stepped upon one of the
greater stones, which, added to his natural stature, gave him a
pretty height above the other company ; and so commanding
audience, made a speech to them". We have the harangue
preserved, as nearly as he could remember it, in his own
unfinished relation. " Kind countrymen and fellow-soldiers,"
said he, " I am sure there is none here but have marked,
and the wisest wonder at my light regarding the many gross
faults committed among you, suffering eveiy man to do what
be would, and urging no man further than he listed. Many
courses drew me to this patience ; only one I will now utter,
the rest being fitter to conceal to myself than to make so
many acquainted with. The great hope of meeting the
carracks made me hope for a short journey ; which, if it had
happened, I thought it better to return with every man's
good word, than by punishing of any to have their ill word
at my return. But that hope is altogether past ; and now
we are settled to another course, which, though it may be
will not prove altogether so rich, and must of force keep us
150 ENGLISH SEAMEN
longer abroad, yet I assure you, upon my honour and con-
science, I do constantly believe there will spring out of it
more glory to God, more service to our prince and country,
and more honour to ourselves, than could have been done
by the carracks if we had taken them all. For the better
performance we must fall to another course ; I in governing,
you in obeying ; I in directing you what to do, you in follow-
ing my directions ; to which end I have already delivered
you certain articles. And though these twenty days at the
least you have had them amongst you, yet fear I there are
some which wish they could but light upon so much as they
would conceal from me. Base conditions be hateful things
in men professing arms ; there is none baser than theft, and
110 theft so base as for a man to steal from his own com-
panion : and he that concealeth anything gotten in this
journey, stealeth from every man in it, ... all going to have
their part of whatsoever is gotten. This I thought not unfit
particularly to touch, because the speech hath given great
offence to the whole army, and no doubt may encourage some
of lewd and base humours among us to do the like. But let
the warning I now give you drive these thoughts out of their
thoughts that hold them ; and be also a warning that they
heedfully observe the rest of the articles. For, I assure you,
my over-patient and forced sluggish humour is shaken off;
and I will neither oversee, nor suffer to pass unpunished, ill
deservers." *
As they were now within a day's sail of Puerto Rico, he
appointed officers for the field. Twelve companies were
made up, whereof if any " wanted the full number of eighty,
they were plentifully supplied by a large overplus of gallant
gentlemen that followed his lordship's colours, borne by Cap-
tain Bromley; and Sir John Berkeley also had another eighty;
so that the whole army appointed to land was near upon a
* Purchas, 1158, 1159.
THE EARL OF CUMBERLAND 151
thousand, especially seeing that the officers of several com-
panies were not reckoned in these numbers". It was now
debated whether to pass through the Virgins, which many of
the masters and sea captains would have preferred as the
nearer way, and there were divers on board, both soldiers and
mariners, who had gone this way with Drake ; or to hold the
old course through the Passages. The first was the nearer
but more dangerous way, being, says Layfield, very narrow,
about the breadth of the Thames near London, and they
durst not pi'omise themselves the continuance of a leading
wind. The earl, however, determined upon the farther and
safer course ; more desiring, he said, to be the first that
took Puerto Rico, than the second that passed through the
Virgins. On the morning of the 5th, two small pinnaces
were sent forward to explore the landing, Captain Knotsford,
who was in one of them, having been Sir John Hawkins's
pilot, and esteemed to be very expert in those countries.
The fleet lingered till it was dark, and then putting out all
sails, came to them undiscovered a little after midnight. But
the pinnaces had found the distance more than had been
supposed ; it was dark before they reached the place which
they went to discover, and for fear of carrying the earl to
leeward, they had tarried for him and done nothing. He
stood off and on till morning, and then descried what ap-
peared to him a smooth landing-place ; but all who had
been with Drake insisted that it was impossible to get there,
"the wind over-blowing all day out of the sea". The earl,
however, and Sir John Berkeley rowed thither, and found it
not only smooth but a most goodly sandy bay, and that they
might march all along by the sea-side till they came to the
town. Well pleased with this, he gave orders that every
captain and ship should put their men in boats, and follow
his bloody colours, which he would have presently landed.
But some of the commanders objected that the march seemed
to be great, that none knew the way, and that if the town,
152 ENGLISH SEAMEN
as they had often heard, stood on an island, they should be
forced to return to their ships, not having means to get unto
it. " Gentlemen," said the earl, " a willing mind makes long
steps with great ease. I have been sick, and am not now
strong ; you shall go no farther nor faster than I will do
before you. For guides, we need no better than our eyes ;
the town standing by the sea-side, and we landing from the
sea, see no other but fair sandy bays all the way thither.
We might land much nearer, if we were sure there were
anywhere to leeward such a headland as this, that maketh
smooth landing within it ; but that being uncertain, I mean
to take this, which I do assuredly believe God hath directed
us unto ; for I am sure it is better than any ever told me of.
And for your last argument, that if it be an island we shall
not get into it, that reason is nothing ; for you see our boats
may row by us ; and when we shall come to any water, they
may set us over if it be deep ; in shallow places we shall pass
ourselves. So all you have said or can say being thoroughly
answered, let me have no more speaking, but get your men
all into your boats and follow in order as I have directed
you." Further, he told them, that in taking Puerto Rico,
they should possess the keys of all the Indies, and that
though there were not so many millions in the town as when
a greater force failed to take it, it was nevertheless rich, and
there were gold mines in the island. And if men of judg-
ment thought it was too strong for their strength to carry,
because it had already resisted a much stronger force, that
consideration ought to encourage them, seeing the more
cause would they have to be proud of taking it ; " and believe
me," he pursued, "assured we are to take it, now we see
where to land quietly ; the Indian soldiers live too pleasantly
to venture their lives ; they will make a great show, and
perhaps endure one brunt, but if they do any more, tear me
to pieces I" *
* Purchas, 1153, 1154.
THE EARL OF CUMBERLAND 153
By eight in the morning the whole force was landed,
about a 1000 men, "in a most fine place/' says the earl,
" where not any wet his furniture nor saw an enemy ; by
which means all our troops were put in good order, and
were made much stronger than a small resistance before
we were marshalled would have made us ". The landing
was about four leagues from the town, toward which they
marched in the extreme heat of the day ; this, and the way
being sandy, would, he says, "no doubt have tired many, but
that going all along by the sea, they marched at pleasure
in it when they listed ; and besides, had the place whither
they were going still in sight, which, standing upon the top
of a hill, showed much nearer than it was". Commonly on
firm, sometimes on loose sand, yet it was a fair march for
three leagues, when a few horsemen who had been sent to
view their strength, came near enough to reconnoitre them,
then turned their horses and galloped away. They soon
fell in with a negro who was willing enough to be their
guide, but he neither spoke good English nor good Spanish ;
and moreover was in great fear, as well he might be, at
finding himself exposed to imminent danger on one side or
the other, whether he led them right or not. " Through
most unpassable rocks and cliffs," he brought them to the
entrance of an arm of the sea, by which the little island on
which the capital stands is separated from the main one.
The earl had expected to get over in his boats, but this he
saw was hindered by a bulwark on the island side, close at
the mouth of the entrance, with five pieces of great brass
ordnance. The entrance was not above sixty yards over, and
a little within stopped quite across with piles ; so that while
the Spaniards occupied this fort it was not possible to get
in there. There were some who proposed to plant musque-
teers among the rocks, that they might beat those in the
fort from their guns ; but though this was thought feasible,
it was not determined on, because, if the fort had been
154. ENGLISH SEAMEN
silenced, they were ignorant of the depth ; and the boats
had not yet found any landing-place. "And here," the
chaplain says, "we were at a flat bay, even at our wits' end."
The earl, however, was sure there must be some good passage
by which the horsemen had come ; " and with much ado the
negro, being something comforted, and partly with threaten-
ing, partly with promises, brought to the little wits he had,"
was made to understand whither they wanted to be guided.
" When," says the earl, " I perceived he understood me, I
followed him through the most wickedest wood that ever I
was in in all my life." The troops went on " with as nimble
minds as weary bodies, for they had marched from morning
till it was even on the edge of the evening, but they would
not be weary ; and, at length, through such untrodden paths,
or rather no paths, as would have taught," the chaplain
observes, "the most proud body to stoop humbly," they came
upon the footing of the horsemen, and following their beaten
track, came just at sunset to a long and narrow causeway,
leading to a bridge, which connected the great island with
the lesser one. The causeway was wide enough for three
persons abreast, and the bridge was drawn up : on the op-
posite bank was a strong barricade, and a little beyond it a
fort with ordnance. They learnt from another negro, that
at low water the passage was fordable beside the causeway ;
" but their own sailors could say little to the ebbing and
flowing here ; " and the only way to know the fit time of
assault Avas to set a continual watch, to give present informa-
tion of the ebb. Two in the morning was the time which
the negro stated. The troops, therefore, were ordered to
rest and refresh themselves, for the better enabling them to
fight in the morning.*
* Purchas, 1154, 1160. Thus far the earl's own narrative of the
voyage extends. "The same honourable hand," says Purchas, "hath
been our actor and author ; but here, when he comes to doing, he breaks
off speaking, and (tarn Martc quam Mercuric) exchangeth words for
THE EARL OF CUMBERLAND 155
They retired to a piece of open ground over which they
had passed. The negro guided them to some fresh water ;
some had brought bread with them, and the earl "was no
niggard of what he had ". His lodging that night was his
target. " I," says the chaplain, " lay at his head, and to my
remembrance never slept better. Two hours before day the
alarum was given very quietly, and was readily taken, for we
needed not but to shake our ears." There grew a question
concerning the command that day, between Berkeley and
the earl, arising from an honourable desire on both sides
to have the post of danger. The earl yielded to a fair plea,
becomingly urged, and to the representation that, being the
general, it behoved him, for the sake of the army, to consider
his own preservation ; nevertheless he persisted in being at
the service in person, though he left Sir John with the com-
mand ; and he put himself in armour, as did all the corn-
swords, and mercurial arts into martial acts." He then often declares
the reason which induced him to leave out apolitical discourse, and state-
moral mystery of this history, written by the same noble commander.
" The times," he says, " are altered, and howsoever planets have their
peculiar course, fixed stars must move with their orb, and follow the
first movable. The men of Bethshemesh bought dearly their prying
into the ark ; and I know not how I may be tolerated to utter now in
public those state mysteries which he then in private counselled for his
country's good. I could also be willing, as I know the world would be
greedy of such morsels ; but ^Esop's dog, snatching at the shadow of a
morsel in the water, lost that which he had in his mouth ; and his crow,
gaping to sing to please the fox, displeased herself with loss of all her
other wealth and purchase. Everywhere in this vast work we have been
wary, and yet scarce wary enough of this danger in our wariest wariness ;
wherein yet (if any such fault be) it is not an itching finger, busy in
things above us, but store of business in so multiform a task, perhaps,
hath occasioned oversight to eyes, otherwise dim enough. Once whatso-
ever the king and state disclaim, I disclaim also as not mine, because I
and mine are theirs, and no further desire to be, or see mine own than in
the public; of which, and for which (under God) I am, have, can, write,
do, speak, acknowledge all things. I will pry in the East and West
Indies, rather than state it at home" (p. 1154).
156 ENGLISH SEAMEN
manders, and who else had armour, for they looked that the
service should be hot. So, indeed, it proved ; the enemy's
sentinels discovered them as they approached ; the Spaniards
were perfectly prepared ; and the member of the Church
militant, when he declares it may be well said that it was
well fought by his comrades, says also, that if it had been
day, and every one could have seen what he did, so many
would probably not have deserved so much commendation.
The assault continued about two hours ; and " though the
assailants left no way in the world unattempted, yet no way
could they find to enter the gate ". The causeway, he says,
had been purposely made so rugged, that the adventurers, in
order to keep their feet, chose to wade in the water beside
it. The earl's shield-bearer stumbled, and falling against the
earl overthrew him into the water, where, being by reason of
his armour unable to rise, he was in great danger of drowning.
It was not till a second attempt, that the sergeant-major,
who was next him, succeeded in getting him out, and not
till he had swallowed so much salt water as to cause such
extremity of sickness, that he was forced to lie down in the
very place upon the causeway, till, being somewhat recovered,
he was able to be led to a spot of more ease, where the
bullets made him threatening music on every side ; and there
he remained till the end of the action, lying upon the ground,
"very exceeding sick," in a place so perilous that it would
have been as safe to be at the entry of a breach by assault.*
The assailants had the advantage of numbers, but they
were in a position where that advantage could not avail them.
" Not less than 3000 English bullets were sent among the
Spaniards, who, on their part, were not much behind the
invaders in sending these heavy leaden messengers of death ;
for besides six pieces of great ordnance which played just
upon the causeway, and some pretty store of musqueteers,
* Purchas, 1161.
THE EARL OF CUMBERLAND 157
at a port fast by the gate there lay a fowler, or cast piece,
that did more scathe than all the rest, for this shot at once
many murdering shot, wherefore the piece is also called a
murderer." Yet the English came to the gate, and some
two or three began to hew at it with bills, for want of fitter
instruments ; others meantime were at the push of the pike
at the ports and loop-holes, and having broken their own
pikes seized those of their enemies with their naked hands
and broke them. With all these exertions they could not
force an entrance, and Berkeley, attempting to discover if a
passage could be found on either side of the gate, twice
waded so far that he got into deep water, and must have
perished if he could not have swam. The end was that the
tide came in ; and when day began to break, the water,
which had been knee-deep, was up to the waist ; daylight
would have enabled the Spaniards to sweep the causeway