Further English Voyages to Spanish America, 1583-1594

Documents from the Archives of the Indies at Seville illustrating English Voyages to the Caribbean, the Spanish Main, Florida, and Virginia

Irene A. Wright, Irene A. Wright

• Publisher: Hakluyt Society
• Year: 2017
• ISBN:
  9781317131250
• Edition: 1
• Topic: History
• Subtopic: Early Modern History
• Index: History

Translated and edited. For other selections, see Second Series 62, 71, 111. This is a new print-on-demand hardback edition of the volume first published in 1951.

Document No.1¹

[Diego Menéndez de Valdés² to the Crown, Puerto Rico, July 30, 1583]

(p. 1)

+

Catholic Royal Majesty

On Friday, the 26th instant, a letter and advice reached me from Salamanca³ to the effect that on Monday, the 22nd, seven vessels had arrived in Port Vargas, which is in this island and on that coast, toward the west, 30 leagues from here, five of them being large ships, one a shallop⁴ and one a pinnace. When they had anchored, from aboard the pinnace they asked the people on shore where Puerto Rico⁵ was, said they had come in only to repair one of their ships which was damaged, demanded refreshment, and declared that they intended no harm. Those on shore inquired who was in command and whether Don Antonio was with them. There was some talking among them before a reply was made, after which they answered that it was Mr. William Hawkins only. Forthwith they set about repairing their ship, and the shallop and pinnace were sent to explore the ports thereabouts.

Within an hour after I received this letter I sent a despatch-bark for Santo Domingo with the letter itself, that they might inform the galleys, which it seems are at La Yaguana, and warn Havana, whither I would have sent word direct if I had had a suitable vessel which could have sailed with requisite promptitude.

That night, from this city I sent out one⁶ of the men best suited to meet this emergency to assemble what fighting men there are there, and to prevent the enemy from landing to obtain water and information. He is to keep me advised. I sent out two others, one along the north shore and the other along the south, to reconnoitre those ports and report.

The one who went to the south coast returned today with a letter from the alcalde of Salamanca which it seems the messenger took from a courier he met on the way, who was bringing it to me. This letter relates that the next morning after those above mentioned had arrived, three large ships appeared off El Desecho, which is about eight leagues from where they lay. The shallop of the fleet of seven which was off the coast, on sighting these ships went to them (p. 2) and immediately returned to its own vessels. These made sail forthwith, the one having been repaired. They steered for La Mona, which is on the course for Santo Domingo. The three which had just come up joined them but because night fell those watching could not see whether they sailed eastward along the north coast toward this city, as they might do.

This messenger whom I sent along the south coast, who brought me the letter, reported that on Monday the 22nd nineteen sail passed along that south shore past Coamo, and the following Wednesday a ship entered the port of Bayamo which is near there, struck sail and fired a gun. It must have been looking for some pinnace it had sent to reconnoitre and when it did not find it, made sail.

I would add that the fleet of seven sail asked the people on shore if they wanted to barter for women, and inquired who was governor of Puerto Rico.

It is my opinion that the nineteen vessels which passed along the south coast on Monday were the New Spain fleet because on the preceding Saturday night a ship which put in here had left that fleet off Guadalupe, although at the best it might be further on its way, but not much. That the whole fleet was not sighted might be because the rest of its ships were further out. The ship which passed Coamo on Wednesday I take to belong with the seven, and suppose that for their purposes they were to rendezvous at La Mona since it is a small place from which warning cannot be sent to these islands.

This fleet must have been driven into Port Vargas by necessity (to repair the ship) since that is a dead port. It is evident the ships put in for no other purpose because when a flag was displayed on shore and a light shown they would not land nor await refreshment, as corsairs do and those who come to barter. Instead, as soon as the ship had been repaired they departed, as I have said.

God protect Santo Domingo and Havana, and preserve us ourselves because from the indications, here reported, I am convinced that this is a very strong fleet and intends to locate a site for an establishment … (p. 8) …

… Puerto Rico, the fortress, July 30, 1583.

Catholic Royal Majesty

Your Majesty’s humble servant kisses Your Catholic Royal Majesty’s feet.

Diego Menindez de Valdés (Rubric)

Notes

¹ A. de I., 54-3-20, Santo Domingo 169. 2 plitgos, original. Duplicated in 147-6-5, Indiferente General 1887.

² His Majesty’s governor of the island of San Juan de Puerto Rico.

³ The settlement of San German, at Guadianilla, moved inland to protect itself from Caribs and pirates and took the name of New Salamanca.

⁴ …chalupa… ‘A “shallop” was the Spanish equivalent to the English “pinnace”, and had oars.’—Corbett, Sir Julian, Drake and the Tudor Navy (London) 1912), I, p. 159, n. 1.

⁵ Meaning the city of San Juan. At the time, the town was Puerto Rico and the island was San Juan, a nomenclature which has since been reversed.

⁶ This man was Alealde Diego Rodriguez Castellanos; cf. Documents Nos. 4 and 5. Menéndez de Valdés’ instructions to him, dated July 27, 1582 (preserved in A. de. I, 54-3-20, Santo Domingo 169, interrogatory and depositions concerning services he rendered at this time) were to reconnoitre, to report, to prevent the enemy from taking on water or subsistence and from trading, and to capture a prisoner. The questionnaire and replies show that on the third day out from San Juan he arrived at Punta de la Canoa, where Hawkins’ fleet then lay. On July 31 from ambush, his force being himself and seven men, he watched the English take on water. They were about 150 men. When three boatloads had returned he fell upon two men who were washing clothes in the stream, took one alive and made off with him, despite pursuit.

This prisoner’s name was Robert. Under torture he ‘divulged the enemy’s design and that they were thieves and among those who went to sack Isla de Fuego near Cape Verde.’ See also A. de I., 143–3–16, Indiferente General 1097, deposition, Antonio Gonzalez, Seville, May 9,1584. Despite search the editor did not find Robert’s deposition.

Document No. 2¹

[Captain Juan Melgarejo² to the Crown, San Juan de Puerto, July 30, 1583]

(p. 1)

+

Sacred Catholic Royal Majesty

… On the 22nd of this month seven ships arrived at Port Bargas on this coast, of which five were heavy galleons and two were shallops. They spoke to the people of San German, said that they were English driven up from Brazil, and that they sought a river mouth with water sufficient to allow them to overhaul their vessels and remain three or four days. It seems their idea was to await the rest of their fleet. They asked for this city and inquired who was governor and demanded to know his name. They said their general was William Hawkins¹ Judging by what they have understood, the people of Guadianilla say the commander is Don Antonio of Crato.

Today, Tuesday the 30th, word arrived that off El Desecho three other large vessels had appeared and that one of the shallops went out to reconnoitre them and, having done so, the signal being given, the vessels weighed and all ten came together. The messenger who brought this news said that from a height which overlooked the sea he counted the vessels of the fleet and they were thirteen.

They write that there are many women aboard. Therefore some think they intend to settle in this island. I take a different view because in order to settle they must fortify, and nowhere better than on the island this city occupies where there is so (p. 2) good a harbour. Since they could have done this without beating back eastward and dismasting and stripping their vessels in the hurricane² season, I am convinced (especially if Don Antonio is aboard, as they say) … that they will fall upon Havana … (p. 3).

… Puerto Rico, July 30, 1583.

Catholic Royal Majesty

Your Majesty’s servant kisses Your Majesty’s royal feet.

Captain Juan Melgarejo (Rubric).

Notes

¹ A. de I, 147-6-5, Indiferente General...