t) would haue done the like, if there had bene any principall
man to haue put them forward, and to haue brought all the company to the
fight, and not to haue run into corners themselues. But I must needs say,
that their ship was as well prouided for defence, as any that I haue seene.
And the Portugals peraduenture encouraged by our slacke working, plaied the
men and had Barricados made, where they might stand without any danger of
our shot. They plied vs also very much with fire, so that most of our men
were burnt in some place or other: and while our men were putting out of
the fire, they would euer be plying them with small shot or darts. This
vnusuall casting of fire did much dismay many of our men and made them draw
backe as they did. When we had not men to enter, we plied our great
ordinance much at them as high vp as they might be mounted, for otherwise
we did them little harme, and by shooting a piece out of our forecastle
being close by her, we fired a mat on her beak head, which more and more
kindled, and ran from thence to the mat on the bow-sprit, and from the mat
vp to the wood of the bow-sprit, and thence to the top saile yard, which
fire made the Portugals abaft in the ship to stagger, and to make shew of
parle. But they that had the charge before encouraged them, making shew,
that it might easily be put out, and that it was nothing. Whereupon againe
they stood stifly to their defence. Anone the fire grew so strong, that I
saw it beyond all helpe, although she had bene already yeelded to vs. Then
we desired to be off from her, but had little hope to obtaine our desire;
neuerthelesse we plied water very much to keep our ship well. Indeed I made
little other reckoning for the ship, my selfe, and diuers hurt men, then to
haue ended there with the Carak, but most of our people might haue saved
themselues in boats. And when my care was most, by Gods prouidence onely,
by the burning asunder of our spritsaile-yard with ropes and saile, and the
ropes about the spritsaile-yarde of the Carack, whereby we were fast
intangled, we fell apart, with burning of some of our sailes which we had
then on boord. The Exchange also being farther from the fire, afterward was
more easily cleared, and fell off from abaft And as soone as God had put vs
out of danger, the fire got into the fore-castle, where, I think, was store
of Beniamin, and such other like combustible matter, for it flamed and ran
ouer all the Carack at an instant in