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Carew, Richard, 1555-1620

"The Survey of Cornwall And an epistle concerning the excellencies of the English tongue"

The winde no
sooner came good, but away pack the Gallies with all the hast
they could.
Thus haue you a summary report of the Spaniards glorious enterprise,
and the Cornish mens infamous cowardise, which (were there any cause)
I could qualify by many reasons, as, the suddennesse of the attempt,
the narrownesse of the country, the opennesse of the towne,
the aduantage of the Gallies ordinance on a people vnprepared against
such accidents, through our long continued peace, & at that very time,
for the most part, eyther in their Tynne-workes, or at sea, who e're
the next day made resistance, euen with a handfull, and entred a
vowed resolution, to reuenge their losse at the next encounter,
if the enemy had landed againe.
So might I likewise say, that all these circumstances meeting in any
other quarter of the Realme, would hardly haue produced much better
effects. But I will not seeke to thrust my Countrymen into any other
folkes company, for shifting them out of sight.
Verily such sudden surprizes worke more indignity [159] then dammage,
and more dammage then disgrace, and haue so beene euer construed.


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