Having undertaken naval expeditions to the coasts of Spain in 1587, 1588, and 1589,[4] in the spring of 1591, the Earl of Cumberland sailed to Cape St. Vincent in a new privateering campaign with one royal ship, the 600-ton galleon Garland, and four of his own, the 260-ton Sampson, the Golden Noble, Allegarta, and the small pinnace Discovery.

[7] So greatly we were abused by the nation of Holland, who, though they were the first that engaged us in the war with Spain, yet still maintained their own trade into those ports, and supplied the Spaniards with ammunition, victuals, shipping and intelligences against us.

[2] Archduke Albert, Spanish Viceroy of Portugal, noticed the presence on those waters of English privateers and had sent Coloma's squadron to sail the coast of Algarve till Cape St. Vincent and join forces with Alonso de Bazán's galleons.

[8] After the action, Cumberland wrote to Archduke Albert requesting him that the English prisoners should be humanely treated or he would retaliate the injuries which they might suffer with "double severity" upon the Spaniards.

[9] Two weeks after the encounter, a much larger English fleet under Lord Thomas Howard, dispatched to the Azores to capture the annual Spanish treasure convoy sailing from the Americas, was put to the flight at the Battle of Flores.