Fleete of some 30. sailes to be rigged and furnished with all things
necessary. Ouer that Fleete she appointed Generall sir Francis Drake (of
whose manifold former good seruices she had sufficient proofe) to whom she
caused 4. ships of her Nauie royall to be deliuered, to wit, The
Bonauenture wherein himselfe went as Generall; the Lion vnder the conduct
of Master William Borough Controller of the Nauie; the Dread-nought vnder
the command of M. Thomas Venner; and the Rainebow, captaine whereof was M.
Henry Bellingham: vnto which 4 ships two of her pinasses were appointed as
hand-maids. There were also added vnto this Fleet certaine tall ships of
the Citie of London, of whose especiall good seruice the General made
particular mention in his priuate Letters directed to her Maiestie. This
Fleete set saile from the sound of Plimouth in the moneth of April towards
the coast of Spaine.

The 16. of the said moneth we mette in the latitude of 40. degrees with two
ships of Middleborough, which came from Cadiz; by which we vnderstood that
there was great store of warlike prouision at Cadiz and thereabout ready to
come for Lisbon. Vpon this information our Generall with al speed possible,
bending himselfe thither to cut off their said forces and prouisions, vpon
the 19. of April entered with his Fleet into the Harbor of Cadiz: where at
our first entring we were assailed ouer against the Towne by sixe Gallies,
which notwithstanding in short time retired vnder their fortresse.

There were in the Road 60. ships and diuers other small vessels vnder the
fortresse: there fled about 20. French ships to Port Real, and some small
Spanish vessels that might passe the sholdes. At our first comming in we
sunke with our shot a ship of Raguza of a 1000. tunnes, furnished with 40.
pieces of brasse and very richly laden. There came two Gallies more from S.
Mary port, and two from Porto Reale, which shot freely at vs, but
altogether in vaine: for they went away with the blowes well beaten for