Spanish ships within the port. These fell slowly back, but the galleys, which were so stationed as to present their heavy bow armament to the advancing English, and which were covered by the town batteries behind them, very severely galled the adwmce, and especially inconvenienced Sir Francis Vere iu the aiboc. Essex, who witnessed this from the northern side of the entrance to the port, could no longer be restrained, and gallantly threw himself into the figh. Howard of entered in a pinnace, being un- such narrow waters. The English pressed forward steadily, driving c,z nan,ova. the Spanish galleons and ruer-

(From a chart pblisbed by Joy chantmen up the harbour past Gold, so9.) more galleys, which were moored in Puntal Road, and which fought furiously. The Isle of Leon was joined to the mainland by a bridge at Sunco. Upon reaching the neighborn'hood of the bqdge, the furtive Spanish vessels fell into great confusion. There was, howev9r, a narrow canal whereby they could reach the open sea on the south side of the island. ]Entrance to this canal seems to have been obtainable by means of a swing openg near the island end of the bridge. a Into the canal the fleeing ships crowded pell-mell, only to discover that at the seaward end of i was stationea Sir John Wingfeild in the A good many, however, succeeded in thus escaping, though Sir John was exceedingly vigilant and arrested several. h the meantime, very hot fighting between the English and Spanish men-of-war continued in PtmtM I{oad, where Howard himself was engaged. But towards noon the action slackened, a many of the Spanish vessels having by that hot been destroyed by the English fire, or stink or set fire to by their own people to

Mortson says that Ralegh, having entered, anchor out of gtmshot of the Spaniards, and med lack of water as an excuse for not going thrther in; and that not tmtil the ainbow had passed him did RMegh weigh and proceed. a Mortson says that the fleeing ships broke through the bridge itltk

It did not wholly cease tmtil 4 r..