Here followeth an Account of the great success given by
God to a few of our Ships against the King of Spain's West-India
Fleet.
The Letter of Captain Stayner, Commander of the Speaker
Frigat, to General Blake, and General Mountagu.
Right Honorable,
AFter my service presented to your Honors, these are to
acquaint you, that upon the 8. instant at night it blew hard
Westerly, by means where of we with our Squadrons (only
the Providence was gone to water) weighed out of the Bay of
Cadiz and plyed to sea; in the evening we espied eight Sail
some five or six leagues to the Westwards of Cadiz, we using
the best means we could to meet with them the next day,
which we did, It being little wind at N.E. It was nine of the
clock before we came up with them, but having a fresh gale in
the night, all but we and the Bridgwater were to the Leeward,
and could not come to us. But when we came to the Fleet, it
proved to be the Spanish Fleet come from the West-Indies,
which were four of the King of Spains, three Merchant-men,
and one Prize which they had taken by way of the Wester-Islands,
being a Portugal, which were eight in all: We engaged
the Fleet, but being within four leagues of Cadiz, could
not stay for our ships, but we, the Bridgwater, and Plymouth
engaged them, and had a sharp dispute some of us; but the
Admiral being the smallest ship, we flighted her, for we conceived
there was some policie used in the Flag; by which means
their Admiral and the Portugal Prize got into Cadiz; the
Vice Admiral and one more we sunk, and burnt two: We
took one; the Captain of her, which we have on board, saith
she hath in her two Millions of silver; the Vice-Admiral had
as much, I do believe. The Plymouth chased another; who ran
ashore between S. Peters and Cape Degar, but it seems by the
prisoners information she had no silver in her; the ship we took
was as good as all the Fleet besides; the other that Captain