9 English Free-booter’s Adventures (1568)
Sir John Hawkins (1532-1595) was the second son of William Hawkins an English sea captain who sailed between Africa and the Caribbean and helped institute the “Triangle Trade” of Atlantic slavery. He was commissioned as a privateer by Queen Elizabeth and later as treasurer of the Royal Navy helped redesign English ships to be more seaworthy and carry larger guns. This helped England defeat the Spanish Armada in 1588. Hawkins was the mentor of Sir Francis Drake. A freebooter is a pirate or lawless adventurer.
The ships departed from Plymouth the second day of October, Anno 1567, and had reasonable weather until the seventh day, at which time forty leagues North from Cape Finister there arose an extreme storm which continued four days in such sort that the fleet was dispersed and all our great boats lost. But the eleventh day of the same month, the wind changed with fair weather, whereby all our ships before dispersed met in one of those islands, called Gomera, where we took water and departed from thence and arrived at Cape Verde the eighteenth of November. We landed 150 men, hoping to obtain some Negroes. We got but few and those with great hurt and damage to our men, which chiefly proceeded from their envenomed arrows. From thence we passed the time upon the coast of Guinea, searching with all diligence the Rivers from Rio Grande unto Sierra Leona till the twelfth of January, in which time we had not gotten together a hundred and fifty Negroes. But even in that present instant, there came to us a Negro sent from a King oppressed by other Kings his neighbors, desiring our aide. [We] sent 120 of our men which the fifteenth of January assaulted a town of the Negroes of our Allies’ adversaries which had in it 8,000 inhabitants and very strongly impaled and fenced, after their manner. But it was so well defended that our men prevailed not but lost six men and 40 hurt, so that our men sent forthwith to me for more help. I went myself and with the help of the King of our side, assaulted the town both by land and sea and very hardly with fire (their houses being covered with dry Palm leaves), obtained the town and put the inhabitants to flight. Where we took 250 persons, men, women, and children. And by our friend the King of our side there was taken 600 prisoners, whereof we hoped to have had our choice. But the Negro (in which nation is seldom or never found truth) meant nothing less. For that night he removed his camp and prisoners, so that we were fain to content us with those few which we had gotten ourselves. Now had we obtained between 4 and 500 Negroes, wherewith we thought it somewhat reasonable to seek the coast of the West Indies and there, for our Negroes and other our merchandize, we hoped to obtain whereof to countervail our charges with some gains. Whereunto we proceeded with all diligence, furnished our watering, took fuel, and departed the coast of Guinea the third of February, continuing at the sea with a passage more hard than before had been accustomed, till the 27th day of March, which day we had sight of an island called Dominica upon the coast of the West Indies. From thence we coasted from place to place, making our traffic with the Spaniards as we might. Somewhat hardly, because the King had straightly commanded all his Governors in those parts, by no means to suffer any trade to be made with us. Notwithstanding we had reasonable trade and courteous entertainment, from the Isle of Margarita unto Cartagena, without anything greatly worth the noting.
Partly by the Spaniards desire of Negroes and partly by friendship of the Treasurer, we obtained a secret trade whereupon the Spaniards resorted to us by night and bought of us to the number of 200 Negroes. In all other places where we traded the Spaniard inhabitants were glad of us and traded willingly. Shortly after the 16th of September we entered the Port of St. John de Ulúa [Veracruz] and in our entry the Spaniards thinking us to be the fleet of Spain, the chief officers of the Country came aboard us. Which being deceived of their expectation were greatly dismayed, but immediately when they saw our demand was nothing but victuals were recomforted. I found also in the same port 12 ships which had in them by the report 200,000 lb. in gold and silver all which I set at liberty without the taking from them the weight of a grote. Only because I would not be delayed of my dispatch, I stayed two men of estimation and sent post immediately to Mexico [City] which was 200 miles from us, to the Presidents and Council there, showing them of our arrival there by the force of weather and the necessity of the repair of our ships and victuals. Which wants we required as friends to King Philip to be furnished of for our money. And that the Presidents and Council there should with all convenient speed take order, that at the arrival of the Spanish fleet which was daily looked for, there might be no cause of quarrel rise between us and them. But for the better maintenance of amity, their commandment might be had in that behalf.
This message being sent away the sixteenth day of September at night, being the very day of our arrival, in the next morning we saw open of the haven 13 great ships. And understanding them to be the fleet of Spain, I sent immediately to advertise the General of the fleet of my being there, doing him to understand that before I would suffer them to enter the port, there should some other order of conditions pass between us for our safe being there. And here I began to bewail that which after followed, for now said I, I am in two dangers and forced to receive one of them. That was, either I must have kept out the fleet from entering the port, that which with God’s help I was very well able to do; or else suffer them to enter in with their accustomed treason which they never fail to execute where they may have opportunity, or circumvent it by any means. If I had kept them out, then had there been present shipwreck of all the fleet which amounted in value to six millions, which was in value of our money £1,800,000 which I considered I was not able to answer, fearing the Queens Majesty’s indignation in so weighty a matter. Thus with myself revolving the doubts, thought rather better to abide the Jutt [impulse] of the uncertainty, than the certainty. And therefore as choosing the least mischief I proceeded to conditions. These conditions at the first, he somewhat misliked. Chiefly the guard of the island to be in our own keeping, which if they had had, we had soon known our fate. For with the first North wind they had cut our cables and our ships had gone ashore. But in the end he concluded to our request. Thus at the end of 3 days all was concluded and the fleet entered the port, saluting one another as the manner of the sea doth require. Thus, as I said before, Thursday we entered the port, Friday we saw the fleet, and on Monday at night they entered the port. Then we labored 2 days placing the English ships by themselves and the Spanish ships by themselves, the captains of each port and inferior men of their parties promising great amity of all sides. Which even with all fidelity was meant of our part, so the Spaniards meant nothing less of their parts. But from the mainland had furnished themselves with a supply of men to the number of 1000, and meant the next Thursday, being the 23 of September, at dinner time to set upon us of all sides. The same Thursday in the morning the Viceroy blew the trumpet and of all sides set upon us. Our men which waded ashore being stricken with sudden fear, gave place, fled, and sought to recover succor of the ships. The Spaniards being before provided for the purpose landed in all places in multitudes from their ships, which they might easily do without boats, and slew all our men ashore without mercy.
Source: “An English Free-booter’s Adventures” (1568), Sir John Hawkins, “The Hawkins Voyages” in Hakluyt Society, Works (London, 1878), 70-81. American History Told By Contemporaries, Alfred Bushnell Hart, 1897, 75-81. https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.45493/page/n95/mode/2up
