l's son, and Francis Knolles the
Queen's cousin, and Martin Frobisher, and Christopher Carlile. Philip
Sidney had wished to make one also in the glory; but Philip Sidney was
needed elsewhere. The Queen's consent had been won from her at a bold
interval in her shifting moods. The hot fit might pass away, and
Burghley sent Drake a hint to be off before her humour changed. No word
was said. On the morning of the 14th of September the signal flag was
flying from Drake's maintop to up anchor and away. Drake, as he admitted
after, 'was not the most assured of her Majesty's perseverance to let
them go forward.' Past Ushant he would be beyond reach of recall. With
light winds and calms they drifted across the Bay. They fell in with a
few Frenchmen homeward-bound from the Banks, and let them pass
uninjured. A large Spanish ship which they met next day, loaded with
excellent fresh salt fish, was counted lawful prize. The fish was new
and good, and was distributed through the fleet. Standing leisurely on,
they cleared Finisterre and came up with the Isles of Bayona, at the
mouth of Vigo Harbour. They dropped anchor there, and 'it was a great
matter and a royal sight to see them.' The Spanish Governor, Don Pedro
Bemadero, sent off with some astonishment to know who and what they
were. Drake answered with a question whether England and Spain were at
war, and if not why the English merchants had been arrested. Don Pedro
could but say that he knew of no war, and for the merchants an order had
come for their release. For reply Drake landed part of his force on the
islands, and Don Pedro, not knowing what to make of such visitors, found
it best to propitiate them with cartloads of wine and fruit. The
weather, which had been hitherto fine, showed signs of change. The wind
rose, and the sea with it. The anchorage was exposed, and Drake sent
Christopher Carlile, with one of his ships and a few pinnaces, up the
harbour to look out for better shelter. Their appearance created a panic
in the town. The alarmed inhabitants took to their boats, carrying off
their property and their Church plate. Carlile, who had a Calvinistic
objection to idolatry, took the liberty of detaining part of these
treasures. From one boat he took a massive silver cross belonging to the
High Church at Vigo; from another an image of Our Lady, which the
sailors relieved of her clothes and were said, when she was stripped, to
have treated with some indignity. Carlile's repo