being eight or nine, were dismissed without anything at all
taken from them. Who being afterwards put somewhat farther off from the
shore, by the contrariety of the wind, we happened to meet with some
other French ships, full laden with Newland fish, being upon their
return homeward from the said Newfoundland; whom the General after
some speech had with them, and seeing plainly that they were Frenchmen,
dismissed, without once suffering any man to go aboard of them.

The day following, standing in with the shore again, we decried another
tall ship of twelve score tons or thereabouts, upon whom Master Carlile,
the Lieutenant-General, being in the Tiger, undertook the chase; whom
also anon after the Admiral followed. And the Tiger having caused the
said strange ship to strike her sails, kept her there without suffering
anybody to go aboard until the Admiral was come up; who forthwith
sending for the master, and divers others of their principal men, and
causing them to be severally examined, found the ship and goods to
be belonging to the inhabitants of St. Sebastian, in Spain, but the
mariners to be for the most part belonging to St. John de Luz, and the
Passage. In this ship was great store of dry Newland fish, commonly
called with us Poor John; whereof afterwards, being thus found a lawful
prize, there was distribution made into all the ships of the fleet, the
same being so new and good, as it did very greatly bestead us in the
whole course of our voyage. A day or two after the taking of this ship
we put in within the Isles of Bayon [The Cies Islets, at the mouth of
the Vigo River.], for lack of favourable wind. Where we had no sooner
anchored some part of the fleet, but the General commanded all the
pinnaces with the shipboats to be manned, and every man to be furnished
with such arms as were needful for that present service; which being
done, the General put himself into his galley, which was also well
furnished, and rowing towards the city of Bayon, with intent, and the
favour of the Almighty, to surprise it. Before we had advanced one
half-league of our way there came a messenger, being an English
merchant, from the governor, to see what strange fleet we were; who
came to our General, conferred a while with him, and after a small time
spent, our General called for Captain Sampson, and willed him to go to
the governor of the city, to resolve him of two points. The first to
know if there were any wars between Spain and