With the English Armada being organised at the same time, a breakaway expedition to the Azores was also authorised by Queen Elizabeth I.Ballantyne & Eastland pp 26-27 George Clifford, 3rd Earl of Cumberland, was put in command of a private venture of which he set up a number of ships which included the Victory, Meg, Margaret, a caravel and two other support vessels. William Monson, a 20 year old at the time, was second in command as captain of the Margaret. Cumberland set off on 18 June 1589 from Plymouth and headed to the coast of Spain.
