Now _Don Melchor_ began to understand mee, and told mee, never man had satisfied him with better reasons then my self. Hee thanked mee heartily, and told mee, hee thought no Gentleman in _Chiapa_ could tell so well as himself now why the _English_ ships came so much upon their Coasts; and that my discourse had satisfied him to the full. Hee desired mee to goe on to his other questions. To his second demanding whether the _English_ went barefoot like the _Indians_, I told him I thought that the Count of _Gondomar_, (who had been many yeers Ambassadour from _Spain_ in _England_) had satisfied all the _Spaniards_ that doubt, who coming from _England_ to _Madrid_, and being there asked by some Courtiers, whether _London_ was as big as _Madrid_, and as well peopled; he made answer, that hee thought there was scarce a hundred left in _London_. Hee proved it from the use and custome of his own Countrymen of _Spain_; who when they are to make a journey, shew themselves two or three daies before in colours, walking with boots and spurs, that their friends may take notice that they are departing out of the Towne or City. So said the Count of _Gondomar_, I think by this there are very few People in _London_; for when I came from thence I left them all almost in cloaths of colours, booted and spurred as ready to depart and take some journey. And truely my _Don_ (quoth I) your owne Count hath answered for mee; yet I say, the _English_ are so farre from going barefoot, that they goe booted, and are all in a readinesse to move out of _England_ for any noble and generous designe; but above all they are still ready for _America_, where they know is store and abundance of Hydes to make them Bootes to cover the barenesse of their legges, that they may not be suspected to be like bare-footed _Indians_. Here _Don Melchor_ replyed, I pray sir, when they come by Sea to these parts doe they come also booted and spurred? For I should thinke, when they fight, their Spurs should hinder them. To this his doubt I answered first, as concerning spurres in the ships, with the example of one of his own Nation, and of the best Divines in _Spain_, living in my time in _Valladolid_, called _Maestro Nunno_, (Reader of Divinity in the Colledge of St. _Gregorie_, but in his carriage and experience in the World a simple noddy) who being invited by a Noble man to goe with him in his Coach out of the City a mile or two to a garden of recreation, went hastily about the Colledge to borrow boots and spurs; and when he had put them on, being asked whither he went, and why he put on boots and spurs, answered that he was to goe in a Coach out of the City, and that hee thought the Coach and Mules would want spurs to goe and come the sooner. Even so my _Don_ (quoth I) the _English_ men come booted and spurred in their ships, to make their ships sail on the swifter. And this is the reason why the _English_ ships saile faster, and when they are in fight turn about quicker then a _Spanish_ Galeon, because they are spurred & kicked within. O Sir, I humbly thank you (said _Don Melchor_) for that by your discourse now I know the truth of what indeed I have often heard say, that the _English_ ships are nimbler, and quicker at Sea then our heavy Galeons. Now as for fighting the _English_ mens spurs (said I) are no hinderance to them, but rather a great advantage. For they fight with weapons, with their hands and with their feet, wherein they exceed the _Spaniards_; for when they have shot with their peeces, or cut down with their swords any enemy, or knocked him with their holbards, then with their feet and spurres, they fall upon him, and so soone rid him out of the way, that hee may no more rise up against them. All you have told mee (said the wise _Velazco_) stands with so much reason, that my judgment is convinced by you. As for eating and sacrificing one another like the _Indians_ (I told him) that the _English_ filled their bellies so well with fat Beef and Mutton, fowles, Rabbits, Partridges and Pheasants, that they had no stomacke at all to mans flesh. And that truly for frixoles dressed with garlick, that onely daintie dish was wanting in _England_; and that for Garlick, three reasons moved the _English_ not to bee lavishing of that little they had; first, for feare they should want it for their horses drenches; secondly, for that they felt not themselves so much troubled with the wind, nor puffed up with windy and vaine conceits as other nations did; but thirdly and chiefly they refrained from it among themselves, that they might not smell of it, and that by the sent and smell of it a farre off at Sea they might when they came to the Coast of _America_, smell out a _Spanish_ ship, and know it from a _Hollander_.