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But in conclusion he besought Heaven to be propitious unto him that such occasions might be offered unto him wherein by showing himself valiant he might comply with the duty of a Christian, leaving the Queen satisfied and Isabella deserved.

Six days these two ships sailed with a prosperous wind, shaping their course for the Terceira Islands—a place where never are wanting either ships of Portugal, from the East Indies, or some that come thither from the West Indies. And at six days’ end there arose such a cross-wind full in the teeth of them, and continued so long and so strong, that without suffering them to reach the islands, they were enforced to make for Spain; near unto whose coast, at the mouth of the Strait of Gibraltar, they descried three ships, the one a very tall and goodly ship, and the other two much less.

Ricaredo’s ship made up to that which was admiral, for to know of his General whether or no he would set upon those three ships which they had descried; but before that he came up unto them he might discern that upon the top of the mainmast there was hung out a black streamer, and coming a little nearer, he might hear fifes and trumpets sounding faintly and hoarsely; clear and apparent signs that the General was dead, or some other principal person of the ship. At last, coming within hearing, that they might speak one to another, which they had not done since their first putting forth, they might hear them from out the admiral call out aloud unto them to have the Vice-Admiral Ricaredo to come aboard their ship, because the General the night before died of an apoplexy.

All upon this news were very sad save Ricaredo, who was inwardly glad, not for the loss of his General, but to see that he was left at liberty, and might freely command both ships; for so was it ordered by the Queen, that the General miscarrying, Ricaredo should succeed in his room; who presently went aboard the admiral, where he found some that mourned for their dead General, and others that rejoiced with him that was now living. In a word, both the one and the other presently yielded him obedience, and with short ceremonies cried him up for their General, two of those three ships which they had discovered not giving leave for greater; for going aloof from the great ship, they made up to the two. They straight knew them to be galleys, and Turkish galleys, by the half-moons which they bare in their flags, which gave Ricaredo great contentment, it seeming unto him that that prize, if Heaven should grant it him, would be of great benefit, without having given offence to any Catholic.

The Turkish galleys came to know the English ships, who did not carry the arms of England in their flags, but of Spain, for to deceive those that should chance to descry them, and might take them to be ships of piracy. The Turks thought they had been ships that had come from the Indies, and that they would quickly yield and be taken; whereupon they came encroaching by little and little upon them, thinking presently to board them. And Ricaredo suffered them to come nearer and nearer unto him, till he had them in command of his ordnance, and then let fly at them, and giving them a broadside, discharged so luckily, that he put five balls into one of the galleys with such fury, that one half of it lay all open and naked. She heeled over forthwith and began to sink, without any possibility of righting herself. The other galley seeing its fellow’s ill success, threw out a tow rope in all haste, and strove to bring her under the side of the great ship; but Ricaredo, who had ships that were light laden, and were quick and nimble, and such excellent sailers that they would turn and wind and come off and on as if they had been plied with oars, commanded them to charge the ordnance anew, chasing them even to the ship, showering upon them a world of shot. They of the opened galley, as soon as they came to the ship, forsook their galley, and with all possible haste endeavoured to get into the ship. This being perceived by Ricaredo, and that the sound galley employed itself in relieving the other, he sets upon her with both his ships; and without giving her leave to tack about, or to make any use of her oars, he did put her to that strait, that the Turks likewise that were in her were forced to flee for refuge to the ship, not with any hope to defend themselves therein, or to stand it out in fight, but for to escape for the present with their lives. The Christians wherewith those galleys were manned, tearing out the rings and breaking their chains, intermingled with the Turks, sought to recover their ship; and as they were clambering up by the side of her, with musket shot from the ships they went shooting at them as at a mark. But Ricaredo gave order that they should shoot only at the Turks, and spare the Christians. Thus were all the Turks almost slain; and they who entered the ship with the Christians, for they were mingled one amongst another, making use of their weapons, were cut in pieces; for the force of the valiant when they begin to fall must yield to the weakness of those that are rising. And therefore the Christians, taking heart, laid about them with such courage and mettle that they did wonders for the working of their liberty, thinking all this while that those English ships were Spanish.