Her they laid alongside and captured easily, she having just arrived from Spain, having no thoughts of meeting a foe, just as she reached her port of destination.
This lightened the hearts of the crew, and with their prizes in tow, they sailed out in good spirits.

The ship contained large stores of goods from Spain, with sherries, and merchandise of every kind.

They went back to the Isle of Pines, their usual rendezvous, and on adding up the goods that they had taken from various prizes, found that, even now, they had made no bad thing of their voyage.
They were now much reduced in fighting strength by illness, and Captain Drake determined in his mind that the crews were no longer strong enough for the manning of two ships, and that it would be better to take to one, alone.

He knew, however, that even his authority would not suffice to persuade the sailors to abandon one of the vessels, for sailors have a great love for their ships.

He therefore determined to do it by a sudden stroke, and that known only to himself and another.