most men's in those days) ran somewhat
thus:--

"DEAR LAD,--I have been wool-gathering all night after five great hulks,
which the Pixies transfigured overnight into galleons, and this morning
again into German merchantmen. I let them go with my blessing; and
coming back, fell in (God be thanked!) with Valdez' great galleon;
and in it good booty, which the Dons his fellows had left behind, like
faithful and valiant comrades, and the Lord Howard had let slip past
him, thinking her deserted by her crew. I have sent to Dartmouth a sight
of noblemen and gentlemen, maybe a half-hundred; and Valdez himself, who
when I sent my pinnace aboard must needs stand on his punctilios, and
propound conditions. I answered him, I had no time to tell with him; if
he would needs die, then I was the very man for him; if he would live,
then, buena querra. He sends again, boasting that he was Don Pedro
Valdez, and that it stood not with his honor, and that of the Dons in
his company. I replied, that for my part, I was Francis Drake, and my
matches burning. Whereon he finds in my name salve for the wounds of
his own, and comes aboard, kissing my fist, with Spanish lies of holding
himself fortunate that he had fallen into the hands of fortunate Drake,
and much more, which he might have kept to cool his porridge. But I have
much news from him (for he is a leaky tub); and among others, this,
that your Don Guzman is aboard of the Sta. Catharina, commandant of her
soldiery, and has his arms flying at her sprit, beside Sta. Catharina at
the poop, which is a maiden with a wheel, and is a lofty built ship of
3 tier of ordnance, from which God preserve you, and send you like luck
with.

"Your deare Friend and Admirall,

"F. Drake.

"She sails in this squadron of Recalde. The Armada was minded to smoke
us out of Plymouth; and God's grace it was they tried not: but their
orders from home are too strait, and so the slaves fight like a bull
in a tether, no farther than their rope, finding thus the devil a hard
master, as do most in the end. They cannot compass our quick handling
and tacking, and take us for very witches. So far so good, and better
to come. You and I know the length of their foot of old. Time and light
will kill any hare, and they will find it a long way from Start to
Dunkirk."

"The admiral is in a gracious humor, Leigh, to have vouchsafed you so
long a letter."

"St. Catherine! why, that was the galleon we hammered all yesterd