Page images
PDF
EPUB

Dyvers peeces of brasse mounted in the base towne, and many dismounted. So as we have wasted ffrom the enemy in this place aboute a hundred and ffortie pieces of artillery.

We founde in the towne, and nere the towne, about two thowsande quarters of corne, meale, Beeffe, certaine sorts of ffishe of the King's provisions, greate store of caskes and store of wyne, cables, ropes, ledd, hempe, ankers, all which thinges ys moste hapelie taken ffrom the enemy, consideringe this place appointed ffor the randevous of his shippinge to meete together the ende of this moneth.

The country wasted, some seven or eighte miles aboute, some two thowsande of the enemy, many tymes in severall companyes, but wold never abyd.

There ys in the towne nyne companyes of ould souldiors, which were in the army for England; theire companyes ys but small as ffortie, ffiftie, or threescore.

My truste ys in God that the waste of the shippinge and the king's provision in this place hath greatlie aultered theire purposes, hopinge withall that the like shall befall them in other places, which God graunte to the beatinge downe of theire practizes againste that litle Isle.

us.

Vitle and pouder cannott but be greatlie welcome unto

I beseche your Honor that my gracyous Mystrys herebie maie have knowledge of the greate Love and concord betwene our Generalls, nothinge dowtinge the contynuance of the same.

The Marques of Seralvo ys in the towne with one bastard sonne of the Marques Seinte Cruce, named Don Diego de Bassan. Thus comittinge your Honor to the Almightie I humblie take my leave ffrom the Groyne this 6th of Maie, 1589.

This presente daie hit was knowen that an army of the enemy of 8,500 were within ffower miles, wherupon the Lorde Generall with seven regiments marched fforth, and

ffounde the enemy in greate strengthe, encamped at a bridge which leadeth up towardes Bittance, and stronglie ffortiffied. The Lord Generall with his Brothers, and dyvers Coronells, chardged verie ffiercelie, and wone the bridge, and the enemyes strengths, and put the enemy to flighte with the slaughter of 400, and gave chase some three miles.* Theyre good ffootinge saved theyr Lyves. The enemy lost a thowsand weapons and armes. Sr. Edward Norrys was hurte in the heade, and relyved by Coronell Sydney. One man of accompte slaine of our side, dyvers hurte. Hit was a verie honorable attempte which hathe much amaied the enemy.

*The following extract from Stow is curious, and highly complimentary to the courage and coolness of Sir John Norris :

"Neere unto the Spaniards campe was a river, which had a foord, and a bridge, where they lay strongly fortified ;-the generall (Sir John Norris) still marched on, as if he meant resolutely to passe the foord. Whereupon the Spaniards drew some of their forces upon the bridge, to the foorde, from whence came many large vollies of muskett shot, as thick as hayle, and lighted oft upon the English army, who obeying their generall's command, stirred not, nor discharged one peece. The neerer the English approached the foord, so much the more the Spaniards thundered out their shot, unto every which volly flying round about their eares, the generall turning his face towards the enemie, would bow his body, and vale his bonnet, saying 'I thanke you, Sir-I thanke you, Sir,' to the great admiration of all his campe, and of Generall Drake, who by this time was come to the hil toppe to make supply, and to behould the service, but uppon the suddaine the generall bent his course towards the bridge, and having given his souldiers a signall unto battell, made a fierce assault, being at first very sharply resisted, where Sir Edward Norris and others being at pushe of pike and pellmell, was striken downe and very dangerously wounded in the head with an arming sworde, and was instantly rescued by the generall."

Theyre lodgings wasted and spoiled, dyvers horses and mules taken, and all the country eighte miles aboute wasted and burned.

Your Lordeshipp's in all dutye and love duringe lyef,
THOMAS FFENNER.*

(Signed)

In Birch's Memoirs an abstract is given, said to be from a letter of Captain Fenner to Mr. Bacon, relating to the proceedings of this officer subsequent to the embarkation of the troops at Cascais, at which place Captain William Fenner, of the Aid, the brother of Thomas, was killed by a shot from the fort. On putting to sea a storm arose which separated the fleet; and Fenner, in the Dreadnought, with a detachment of merchant ships, failing to discover the fleet, and very much distressed for want of water, bore up for Porto Santo, and fell in with a pinnace that supplied them with apricots and red plums, which refreshed the people for four days, when he fell in with Captain Cross alone, having also lost the fleet. They entered the road being seventeen ships, and the following day seven more joined them. They landed, took possession of the island, and levied a large contribution of water, oil, vinegar, fat oxen, sheep, a multitude of hens and chickens, with as many musk melons, grapes, figs, and mulberries as they wanted, and which supplied them plentifully till their arrival in England.

* MS., State Paper Office.

THE EARL OF ESSEX.

1585 TO 1600.

"AMONG the courtiers of Elizabeth had lately appeared a new favourite-young, noble, wealthy, accomplished, eloquent, brave, generous, aspiring— a favourite who had obtained from the grey-headed Queen such marks of regard as she had scarce vouchsafed to Leicester in the season of the passions-who was at once the ornament of the palace, and the idol of the city-who was the common patron of men of letters, and of men of the sword-who was the common refuge of the persecuted Catholic, and of the persecuted Puritan."*

A true picture of Robert Devereux, Earl of Essex, one of the most accomplished and most talented young noblemen that England could boast of in the reign of Queen Elizabeth; and, it must be added, the most unfortunate. Often as the life and character of Essex have afforded subjects for the biographer of every age, a brief sketch of the history of such a man will not be considered inappropriately intro

*

view.

Macaulay's Review of Bacon's Works.-Edinburgh Re

duced with that of the many Worthies to whom that reign gave rise; being one which can never fail to communicate instruction and deep interest. Robert Devereux, son of Walter Devereux, first Earl of Essex of this name and family, was born November 10th, 1567, at Netherwood, his father's seat, in Herefordshire. Walter dying in 1576, the title descended to Robert, in his ninth year. The former had only enjoyed it for the short period of four years, having been created Earl of Essex and invested with the Garter in the year 1572, in consideration of his important services in joining the Lord Admiral the Earl of Lincoln with a body of troops he had raised, and routing and dispersing the rebel forces under the Earls of Northumberland and Westmoreland.

Walter, the father, dying, when the young Earl was in his ninth year, recommended him to the protection of William Cecil Lord Burleigh, whom he had appointed his guardian. At twelve he was sent to the University of Cambridge by his Lordship, who placed him in Trinity College, under the tutelage of Dr. Whitgift, then Master, and afterwards Archbishop of Canterbury. His education was conducted with great strictness, and his progress, by good parts and diligent attention to his studies, was very rapid. In 1583, being in his sixteenth year, he took the degree of Master of Arts, and kept his public act. Soon after this he

« EelmineJätka »