Harman hath taken is very rich but little silver in her. Both the
Prize and our ship are sorely wounded both in Mast and Hull.
The Commanders advise me not to take the silver out of her; I
do intend to take further advise about it; there is no News,
onely the Fleet I belceive will follow us. The Gallits came out
because of the riches and disability of our ships: we will come
towards you except your Honours send further orders, for we
are in no capacity to stay here. I shall leave two or three of the
best sayling ships off the Cape, and I and the rest will come
to Lisbone, where I hope to finde your Honours. There is the
Nova Spaniold Fleet at the Havanna, but when they will come
home is not known. This is all, onely there is loss of men in
some ships, the number I know not. I am,
From en board the Speaker,
in hasts, Sept. 9. 1956.
Yours Honors most humble Servant,
RIC: STATNER..
The Letter of Generall Blake and Generall Monntagu to his
Highness the Lord Protector.
May it Please your Highness.
BEing out of water, and our Victualls almost spent, and
having not heard from your Highness, since the receipt
of your commands by the Griffin, we found it requisite to sayle
for this place, with the greatest part of the Fleet, as well to
recruite our wants, as to be in the way of further order. Accordingly
we arived here on the 11. instant, and the 17. following
in the night received the enclosed account from the Commander
of the Squadron less before Cadiz, which we humbly
present to your Highness, hoping we shall be shortly able to
informe your Highness more particularly thereof, having sent
out what Frigots we could, aswell to reinforce the Guard before
Cadiz, as to secure the Prizes hither to us: In the meantime;
the Providences that have already come to our knowledge
concurring to bring these ships into our hands, do very much
convince us it is of God in more then an ordinary manner; and