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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/3752-h.zip b/3752-h.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..e71b65d --- /dev/null +++ b/3752-h.zip diff --git a/3752-h/3752-h.htm b/3752-h/3752-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..4e717e8 --- /dev/null +++ b/3752-h/3752-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,4859 @@ +<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN"> +<HTML> +<HEAD> + +<META HTTP-EQUIV="Content-Type" CONTENT="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1"> + +<TITLE> +The Project Gutenberg E-text of Voyager's Tales, by Richard Hakluyt +</TITLE> + +<STYLE TYPE="text/css"> +BODY { color: Black; + background: White; + margin-right: 10%; + margin-left: 10%; + font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; + text-align: justify } + +P {text-indent: 4% } + +P.noindent {text-indent: 0% } + +P.poem {text-indent: 0%; + margin-left: 10%; + font-size: small } + +P.letter {text-indent: 0%; + font-size: small ; + margin-left: 10% ; + margin-right: 10% } + +P.footnote {font-size: small ; + text-indent: 0% ; + margin-left: 0% ; + margin-right: 0% } + +P.intro {font-size: medium ; + text-indent: 0% ; + margin-left: 5% ; + margin-right: 5% } + +P.finis { font-size: larger ; + text-align: center ; + text-indent: 0% ; + margin-left: 0% ; + margin-right: 0% } + +</STYLE> + +</HEAD> + +<BODY> + + +<pre> + +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Voyager's Tales, by Richard Hakluyt + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Voyager's Tales + +Author: Richard Hakluyt + +Posting Date: May 13, 2009 [EBook #3752] +Release Date: February, 2003 +First Posted: August 21, 2001 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK VOYAGER'S TALES *** + + + + +Produced by Les Bowler. HTML version by Al Haines. + + + + + +</pre> + + +<BR><BR> + +<H1 ALIGN="center"> +VOYAGER'S TALES, +</H1> + +<H2 ALIGN="center"> +FROM THE COLLECTIONS OF RICHARD HAKLUYT. +</H2> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +INTRODUCTION. +</H3> + +<P> +Richard Hakluyt, notwithstanding the Dutch look of his name, was of a +good British stock, from Wales or the Welsh borders. At the beginning +of the fourteenth century an ancestor of his, Hugo Hakelute, sat in +Parliament as member for Leominster. +</P> + +<P> +Richard Hakluyt, born about five years before the accession of Queen +Elizabeth, was a boy at Westminster School, when visits to a cousin in +the Middle Temple, also a Richard Hakluyt, first planted in him an +enthusiasm for the study of adventure towards a wider use and knowledge +of the globe we live upon. As a student at Christ Church, Oxford, all +his leisure was spent on the collection and reading of accounts of +voyage and adventure. He graduated as B. A. in 1574, as M. A. in 1577, +and lectured publicly upon geography, showing "both the old imperfectly +composed, and the new lately reformed maps, globes, spheres, and other +instruments of this art." +</P> + +<P> +In 1582 Hakluyt, at the age of about twenty-nine, issued his first +publication: "Divers Voyages touching the Discovery of America and the +Lands adjacent unto the same, made first of all by our Englishmen, and +afterwards by the Frenchmen and Bretons: and certain Notes of +Advertisements for Observations, necessary for such as shall hereafter +make the like Attempt." His researches had already made him the +personal friend of the famous sea captains of Elizabeth's reign. In +1583 he had taken orders, and went to Paris as chaplain to the English +ambassador, Sir Edward Stafford. From Paris he returned to England for +a short time, in 1584, and laid before the Queen a paper recommending +the plantation of unsettled parts of America. It was called "A +particular Discourse concerning Western Discoveries, written in the +year 1584, by Richard Hakluyt, of Oxford, at the request and direction +of the right worshipful Mr. Walter Raleigh, before the coming home of +his two barks." Raleigh and Hakluyt were within a year of the same +age. +</P> + +<P> +To found a colonial empire in America by settling upon new lands, and +by dispossessing Spaniards, was one of the grand ideas of Walter +Raleigh, who obtained, on the 25th of March in that year, 1584, a +patent authorising him to search out and take possession of new lands +in the Western world. He then fitted out two ships, which left England +on the 27th of April, under the command of Philip Amadas and Arthur +Barlow. In June they had reached the West Indies, then they sailed +north by the coasts of Florida and Carolina, and they had with them two +natives when they returned to England in September, 1584. In December +Raleigh's patent was enlarged and confirmed, and presently afterwards +Raleigh was knighted. +</P> + +<P> +Richard Hakluyt's paper, in aid of this beginning of the shaping of +another England in the New World, was for a long time lost. It was +first printed in 1877 at Cambridge, Massachusetts, among the +Collections of the Maine Historical Society. It won for its author a +promise of the next vacant prebend at Bristol; the vacancy came about a +year later, and the Rev. Richard Hakluyt was admitted to it in 1586. +</P> + +<P> +Hakluyt remained about five years at Paris as Chaplain to the English +Embassy, and while there he caused the publication in 1586 of an +account by Laudonniere of voyages into Florida. This he also +translated and published, in London, in 1587, as "A Notable History +containing Four Voyages made by certain French Captains into Florida." +In 1588 Hakluyt returned to England, and in the next year, 1589, he +published in one folio volume, "The Principal Navigations, Voyages, and +Discoveries of the English Nation." In April of the next year he +became rector of Witheringsett-cum-Brockford, in Suffolk. The full +development of his work appeared in three volumes folio in the years +1598, 1599, and 1600, as "The Principal Navigations, Voyages, Traffics, +and Discoveries of the English Nation," the first of these volumes +differing materially from the volume that had appeared in 1589. +</P> + +<P> +Hakluyt became, in May, 1602, prebendary, and in 1603 archdeacon of +Westminster. He was twice married, died about six months after +Shakespeare, and was buried in Westminster Abbey on the 26th of +November, 1616. +<BR><BR> +H. M. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<H1 ALIGN="center"> +VOYAGERS' TALES. +</H1> + +<BR><BR> + +<P CLASS="noindent"> +THE WORTHY ENTERPRISE OF JOHN FOX, AN ENGLISHMAN, IN DELIVERING 266 +CHRISTIANS OUT OF THE CAPTIVITY OF THE TURKS AT ALEXANDRIA, THE 3RD OF +JANUARY, 1577. +</P> + +<P> +Among our merchants here in England, it is a common voyage to traffic +to Spain; whereunto a ship called the Three Half Moons, manned with +eight and thirty men, well fenced with munitions, the better to +encounter their enemies withal, and having wind and tide, set from +Portsmouth 1563, and bended her journey towards Seville, a city in +Spain, intending there to traffic with them. And falling near the +Straits, they perceived themselves to be beset round about with eight +galleys of the Turks, in such wise that there was no way for them to +fly or to escape away, but that either they must yield or else be sunk, +which the owner perceiving, manfully encouraged his company, exhorting +them valiantly to show their manhood, showing them that God was their +God, and not their enemies', requesting them also not to faint in +seeing such a heap of their enemies ready to devour them; putting them +in mind also, that if it were God's pleasure to give them into their +enemies' hands, it was not they that ought to show one displeasant look +or countenance there against; but to take it patiently, and not to +prescribe a day and time for their deliverance, as the citizens of +Bethulia did, but to put themselves under His mercy. And again, if it +were His mind and good will to show His mighty power by them, if their +enemies were ten times so many, they were not able to stand in their +hands; putting them, likewise, in mind of the old and ancient +worthiness of their countrymen, who in the hardest extremities have +always most prevailed, and gone away conquerors; yea, and where it hath +been almost impossible. "Such," quoth he, "hath been the valiantness +of our countrymen, and such hath been the mighty power of our God." +</P> + +<P> +With such other like encouragements, exhorting them to behave +themselves manfully, they fell all on their knees, making their prayers +briefly unto God; who, being all risen up again, perceived their +enemies, by their signs and defiances, bent to the spoil, whose mercy +was nothing else but cruelty; whereupon every man took him to his +weapon. +</P> + +<P> +Then stood up one Grove, the master, being a comely man, with his sword +and target, holding them up in defiance against his enemies. So +likewise stood up the owner, the master's mate, boatswain, purser, and +every man well appointed. Now likewise sounded up the drums, trumpets, +and flutes, which would have encouraged any man, had he never so little +heart or courage in him. +</P> + +<P> +Then taketh him to his charge John Fox, the gunner, in the disposing of +his pieces, in order to the best effect, and, sending his bullets +towards the Turks, who likewise bestowed their pieces thrice as fast +towards the Christians. But shortly they drew near, so that the bowmen +fell to their charge in sending forth their arrows so thick amongst the +galleys, and also in doubling their shot so sore upon the galleys, that +there were twice so many of the Turks slain as the number of the +Christians were in all. But the Turks discharged twice as fast against +the Christians, and so long, that the ship was very sore stricken and +bruised under water; which the Turks, perceiving, made the more haste +to come aboard the ship: which, ere they could do, many a Turk bought +it dearly with the loss of their lives. Yet was all in vain; boarded +they were, where they found so hot a skirmish, that it had been better +they had not meddled with the feast; for the Englishmen showed +themselves men indeed, in working manfully with their brown bills and +halberds, where the owner, master, boatswain, and their company stood +to it so lustily, that the Turks were half dismayed. But chiefly the +boatswain showed himself valiant above the rest, for he fared amongst +the Turks like a wood lion; for there was none of them that either +could or durst stand in his face, till at last there came a shot from +the Turks which brake his whistle asunder, and smote him on the breast, +so that he fell down, bidding them farewell, and to be of good comfort, +encouraging them, likewise, to win praise by death, rather than to live +captives in misery and shame, which they, hearing, indeed, intended to +have done, as it appeared by their skirmish; but the press and store of +the Turks were so great, that they were not long able to endure, but +were so overpressed, that they could not wield their weapons, by reason +whereof they must needs be taken, which none of them intended to have +been, but rather to have died, except only the master's mate, who +shrunk from the skirmish, like a notable coward, esteeming neither the +value of his name, nor accounting of the present example of his +fellows, nor having respect to the miseries whereunto he should be put. +But in fine, so it was, that the Turks were victors, whereof they had +no great cause to rejoice or triumph. Then would it have grieved any +hard heart to see these infidels so violently entreating the +Christians, not having any respect of their manhood, which they had +tasted of, nor yet respecting their own state, how they might have met +with such a booty as might have given them the overthrow; but no +remorse hereof, or anything else doth bridle their fierce and tyrannous +dealing, but the Christians must needs to the galleys, to serve in new +offices; and they were no sooner in them, but their garments were +pulled over their ears, and torn from their backs, and they set to the +oars. +</P> + +<P> +I will make no mention of their miseries, being now under their +enemies' raging stripes. I think there is no man will judge their fare +good, or their bodies unloaden of stripes, and not pestered with too +much heat, and also with too much cold; but I will go to my purpose, +which is to show the end of those being in mere misery, which +continually do call on God with a steadfast hope that He will deliver +them, and with a sure faith that He can do it. +</P> + +<P> +Nigh to the city of Alexandria, being a haven town, and under the +dominion of the Turks, there is a road, being made very fencible with +strong walls, whereinto the Turks do customably bring their galleys on +shore every year, in the winter season, and there do trim them, and lay +them up against the spring-time; in which road there is a prison, +wherein the captives and such prisoners as serve in the galleys are put +for all that time, until the seas be calm and passable for the galleys, +every prisoner being most grievously laden with irons on their legs, to +their great pain, and sore disabling of them to any labour; into which +prison were these Christians put and fast warded all the winter season. +But ere it was long, the master and the owner, by means of friends, +were redeemed, the rest abiding still in the misery, while that they +were all, through reason of their ill-usage and worse fare, miserably +starved, saving one John Fox, who (as some men can abide harder and +more misery than other some can, so can some likewise make more shift, +and work more duties to help their state and living, than other some +can do) being somewhat skilful in the craft of a barber, by reason +thereof made great shift in helping his fare now and then with a good +meal. Insomuch, till at the last God sent him favour in the sight of +the keeper of the prison, so that he had leave to go in and out to the +road at his pleasure, paying a certain stipend unto the keeper, and +wearing a lock about his leg, which liberty likewise five more had upon +like sufferance, who, by reason of their long imprisonment, not being +feared or suspected to start aside, or that they would work the Turks +any mischief, had liberty to go in and out at the said road, in such +manner as this John Fox did, with irons on their legs, and to return +again at night. +</P> + +<P> +In the year of our Lord 1577, in the winter season, the galleys happily +coming to their accustomed harbourage, and being discharged of all +their masts, sails, and other such furnitures as unto galleys do +appertain, and all the masters and mariners of them being then nested +in their own homes, there remained in the prison of the said road two +hundred three score and eight Christian prisoners who had been taken by +the Turks' force, and were of fifteen sundry nations. Among which +there were three Englishmen, whereof one was named John Fox, of +Woodbridge, in Suffolk, the other William Wickney, of Portsmouth, in +the county of Southampton, and the third Robert Moore, of Harwich, in +the county of Essex; which John Fox, having been thirteen or fourteen +years under their gentle entreatance, and being too weary thereof, +minding his escape, weighed with himself by what means it might be +brought to pass, and continually pondering with himself thereof, took a +good heart unto him, in the hope that God would not be always scourging +His children, and never ceasing to pray Him to further his intended +enterprise, if that it should redound to His glory. +</P> + +<P> +Not far from the road, and somewhat from thence, at one side of the +city, there was a certain victualling house, which one Peter Vuticaro +had hired, paying also a certain fee unto the keeper of the road. This +Peter Vuticaro was a Spaniard born, and a Christian, and had been +prisoner above thirty years, and never practised any means to escape, +but kept himself quiet without touch or suspect of any conspiracy, +until that now this John Fox using much thither, they brake one to +another their minds, concerning the restraint of their liberty and +imprisonment. So that this John Fox, at length opening unto this +Vuticaro the device which he would fain put in practice, made privy one +more to this their intent; which three debated of this matter at such +times as they could compass to meet together, insomuch that, at seven +weeks' end they had sufficiently concluded how the matter should be, if +it pleased God to further them thereto; who, making five more privy to +this their device, whom they thought that they might safely trust, +determined in three nights after to accomplish their deliberate +purpose. Whereupon the same John Fox and Peter Vuticaro, and the other +five appointed to meet all together in the prison the next day, being +the last day of December, where this John Fox certified the rest of the +prisoners what their intent and device was, and how and when they +minded to bring that purpose to pass, who thereunto persuaded them +without much ado to further their device; which, the same John Fox +seeing, delivered unto them a sort of files, which he had gathered +together for this purpose by the means of Peter Vuticaro, charging them +that every man should be ready, discharged of his irons, by eight of +the clock on the next day at night. +</P> + +<P> +On the next day at night, the said John Fox, and his five other +companions, being all come to the house of Peter Vuticaro, passing the +time away in mirth for fear of suspect till the night came on, so that +it was time for them to put in practice their device, sent Peter +Vuticaro to the master of the road, in the name of one of the masters +of the city, with whom this keeper was acquainted, and at whose request +he also would come at the first; who desired him to take the pains to +meet him there, promising him that he would bring him back again. The +keeper agreed to go with him, asking the warders not to bar the gate, +saying that he would not stay long, but would come again with all +speed. +</P> + +<P> +In the mean-season, the other seven had provided them of such weapons +as they could get in that house, and John Fox took him to an old rusty +sword-blade without either hilt or pommel, which he made to serve his +turn in bending the hand end of the sword instead of a pommel, and the +other had got such spits and glaves as they found in the house. +</P> + +<P> +The keeper being now come unto the house, and perceiving no light nor +hearing any noise, straightway suspected the matter; and returning +backward, John Fox, standing behind the corner of the house, stepped +forth unto him; who, perceiving it to be John Fox, said, "O Fox, what +have I deserved of thee that thou shouldest seek my death?" +</P> + +<P> +"Thou villain," quoth Fox, "hast been a bloodsucker of many a +Christian's blood, and now thou shalt know what thou hast deserved at +my hands," wherewith he lift up his bright shining sword of ten years' +rust, and stroke him so main a blow, as therewithal his head clave +asunder so that he fell stark dead to the ground. Whereupon Peter +Vuticaro went in and certified the rest how the case stood with the +keeper, and they came presently forth, and some with their spits ran +him through, and the other with their glaves hewed him in sunder, cut +off his head, and mangled him so that no man should discern what he +was. +</P> + +<P> +Then marched they toward the road, whereinto they entered softly, where +were five warders, whom one of them asked, saying, who was there? +Quoth Fox and his company, "All friends." Which when they were all +within proved contrary; for, quoth Fox, "My masters, here is not to +every man a man, wherefore look you, play your parts." Who so behaved +themselves indeed, that they had despatched these five quickly. Then +John Fox, intending not to be barren of his enterprise, and minding to +work surely in that which he went about, barred the gate surely, and +planted a cannon against it. +</P> + +<P> +Then entered they into the jailer's lodge, where they found the keys of +the fortress and prison by his bedside, and there got they all better +weapons. In this chamber was a chest wherein was a rich treasure, and +all in ducats, which this Peter Vuticaro and two more opening, stuffed +themselves so full as they could between their shirts and their skin; +which John Fox would not once touch and said, "that it was his and +their liberty which he fought for, to the honour of his God, and not to +make a mart of the wicked treasure of the infidels." Yet did these +words sink nothing unto their stomachs; they did it for a good intent. +So did Saul save the fattest oxen to offer unto the Lord, and they to +serve their own turn. But neither did Saul scape the wrath of God +therefor, neither had these that thing which they desired so, and did +thirst after. Such is God's justice. He that they put their trust in +to deliver them from the tyrannous hands of their enemies, he, I say, +could supply their want of necessaries. +</P> + +<P> +Now these eight, being armed with such weapons as they thought well of, +thinking themselves sufficient champions to encounter a stronger enemy, +and coming unto the prison, Fox opened the gates and doors thereof, and +called forth all the prisoners, whom he set, some to ramming up the +gate, some to the dressing up of a certain galley which was the best in +all the road, and was called "The Captain of Alexandria," whereinto +some carried masts, sails, oars, and other such furniture, as doth +belong unto a galley. +</P> + +<P> +At the prison were certain warders whom John Fox and his company slew, +in the killing of whom there were eight more of the Turks which +perceived them, and got them to the top of the prison, unto whom John +Fox and his company were fain to come by ladders, where they found a +hot skirmish, for some of them were there slain, some wounded, and some +but scarred and not hurt. As John Fox was thrice shot through his +apparel, and not hurt, Peter Vuticaro and the other two, that had armed +them with the ducats, were slain, as not able to wield themselves, +being so pestered with the weight and uneasy carrying of the wicked and +profane treasure; and also divers Christians were as well hurt about +that skirmish as Turks slain. +</P> + +<P> +Amongst the Turks was one thrust through, who (let us not say that it +was ill-fortune) fell off from the top of the prison wall, and made +such a groaning that the inhabitants thereabout (as here and there +stood a house or two), came and questioned him, so that they understood +the case, how that the prisoners were paying their ransoms; wherewith +they raised both Alexandria, which lay on the west side of the road, +and a castle which was at the city's end next to the road, and also +another fortress which lay on the north side of the road, so that now +they had no way to escape but one, which by man's reason (the two holds +lying so upon the mouth of the road) might seem impossible to be a way +for them. So was the Red Sea impossible for the Israelites to pass +through, the hills and rocks lay so on the one side, and their enemies +compassed them on the other. So was it impossible that the walls of +Jericho should fall down, being neither undermined nor yet rammed at +with engines, nor yet any man's wisdom, policy, or help, set or put +thereunto. Such impossibilities can our God make possible. He that +held the lion's jaws from rending Daniel asunder, yea, or yet from once +touching him to his hurt, cannot He hold the roaring cannons of this +hellish force? He that kept the fire's rage in the hot burning oven +from the three children that praised His name, cannot He keep the +fire's flaming blasts from among His elect? +</P> + +<P> +Now is the road fraught with lusty soldiers, labourers, and mariners, +who are fain to stand to their tackling, in setting to every man his +hand, some to the carrying in of victuals, some munitions, some oars, +and some one thing some another, but most are keeping their enemy from +the wall of the road. But to be short, there was no time misspent, no +man idle, nor any man's labour ill-bestowed or in vain. So that in +short time this galley was ready trimmed up. Whereinto every man +leaped in all haste, hoisting up the sails lustily, yielding themselves +to His mercy and grace, in Whose hands is both wind and weather. +</P> + +<P> +Now is this galley a-float, and out of the shelter of the road; now +have the two castles full power upon the galley; now is there no remedy +but to sink. How can it be avoided? The cannons let fly from both +sides, and the galley is even in the middest and between them both. +What man can devise to save it? There is no man but would think it +must needs be sunk. +</P> + +<P> +There was not one of them that feared the shot which went thundering +round about their ears, nor yet were once scarred or touched with five +and forty shot which came from the castles. Here did God hold forth +His buckler, He shieldeth now this galley, and hath tried their faith +to the uttermost. Now cometh His special help; yea, even when man +thinks them past all help, then cometh He Himself down from Heaven with +His mighty power, then is His present remedy most ready. For they sail +away, being not once touched by the glance of a shot, and are quickly +out of the Turkish cannons' reach. Then might they see them coming +down by heaps to the water's side, in companies like unto swarms of +bees, making show to come after them with galleys, bustling themselves +to dress up the galleys, which would be a swift piece of work for them +to do, for that they had neither oars, masts, sails, nor anything else +ready in any galley. But yet they are carrying into them, some into +one galley, and some into another, so that, being such a confusion +amongst them, without any certain guide, it were a thing impossible to +overtake the Christians; beside that, there was no man that would take +charge of a galley, the weather was so rough, and there was such an +amazedness amongst them. And verily, I think their god was amazed +thereat; it could not be but that he must blush for shame, he can speak +never a word for dulness, much less can he help them in such an +extremity. Well, howsoever it is, he is very much to blame to suffer +them to receive such a gibe. But howsoever their god behaved himself, +our God showed Himself a God indeed, and that He was the only living +God; for the seas were swift under His faithful, which made the enemies +aghast to behold them; a skilfuller pilot leads them, and their +mariners bestir them lustily; but the Turks had neither mariners, +pilot, nor any skilful master, that was in readiness at this pinch. +</P> + +<P> +When the Christians were safe out of the enemy's coast, John Fox called +to them all, telling them to be thankful unto Almighty God for their +delivery, and most humbly to fall down upon their knees, beseeching Him +to aid them to their friends' land, and not to bring them into another +danger, since He had most mightily delivered them from so great a +thraldom and bondage. +</P> + +<P> +Thus when every man had made his petition, they fell straightway to +their labour with the oars, in helping one another when they were +wearied, and with great labour striving to come to some Christian land, +as near as they could guess by the stars. But the winds were so +contrary, one while driving them this way, another while that way, so +that they were now in a new maze, thinking that God had forsaken them +and left them to a greater danger. And forasmuch as there were no +victuals now left in the galley, it might have been a cause to them (if +they had been the Israelites), to have murmured against their God; but +they knew how that their God, who had delivered Egypt, was such a +loving and merciful God, as that He would not suffer them to be +confounded in whom He had wrought so great a wonder, but what calamity +soever they sustained, they knew it was but for their further trial, +and also (in putting them in mind of their further misery), to cause +them not to triumph and glory in themselves therefor. Having, I say, +no victuals in the galley, it might seem one misery continually to fall +upon another's neck; but to be brief the famine grew to be so great +that in twenty-eight days, wherein they were on the sea, there died +eight persons, to the astonishment of all the rest. +</P> + +<P> +So it fell out that upon the twenty-ninth day after they set from +Alexandria, they fell on the isle of Candia, and landed at Gallipoli, +where they were made much of by the abbot and monks there, who caused +them to stay there while they were well refreshed and eased. They kept +there the sword wherewith John Fox had killed the keeper, esteeming it +as a most precious relic, and hung it up for a monument. +</P> + +<P> +When they thought good, having leave to depart from thence, they sailed +along the coast till they arrived at Tarento, where they sold their +galley, and divided it, every man having a part thereof. The Turks on +receiving so shameful a foil at their hands, pursued the Christians, +and scoured the seas, where they could imagine that they had bent their +course. And the Christians had departed from thence on the one day in +the morning and seven galleys of the Turks came thither that night, as +it was certified by those who followed Fox and his company, fearing +lest they should have been met with. And then they came afoot to +Naples, where they departed asunder, every man taking him to his next +way home. From whence John Fox took his journey unto Rome, where he +was well entertained by an Englishman who presented his worthy deed +unto the Pope, who rewarded him liberally, and gave him letters unto +the King of Spain, where he was very well entertained of him there, who +for this his most worthy enterprise gave him in fee twenty pence a day. +From whence, being desirous to come into his own country, he came +thither at such time as he conveniently could, which was in the year of +our Lord God 1579; who being come into England went unto the Court, and +showed all his travel unto the Council, who considering of the state of +this man, in that he had spent and lost a great part of his youth in +thraldom and bondage, extended to him their liberality to help to +maintain him now in age, to their right honour and to the encouragement +of all true-hearted Christians. +</P> + +<BR><BR> + +<P CLASS="noindent"> +THE COPY OF THE CERTIFICATE FOR JOHN FOX AND HIS COMPANY, MADE BY THE +PRIOR AND THE BRETHREN OF GALLIPOLI, WHERE THEY FIRST LANDED. +</P> + +<P> +We, the Prior and Fathers of the Convent of the Amerciates, of the city +of Gallipoli, of the order of Preachers, do testify that upon the 29th +of January last past, 1577, there came into the said city a certain +galley from Alexandria, taken from the Turks, with two hundred and +fifty-eight Christians, whereof was principal Master John Fox, an +Englishman, a gunner, and one of the chiefest that did accomplish that +great work, whereby so many Christians have recovered their liberties, +in token and remembrance whereof, upon our earnest request to the same +John Fox, he has left here an old sword, wherewith he slew the keeper +of the prison, which sword we do as a monument and memorial of so +worthy a deed, hang up in the chief place of our convent house. And +for because all things aforesaid, are such as we will testify to be +true, as they are orderly passed, and have therefore good credit, that +so much as is above expressed is true, and for the more faith thereof, +we, the Prior and Fathers aforesaid, have ratified and subscribed these +presents. Given in Gallipoli, the 3rd of February, 1577. +</P> + +<P CLASS="noindent"> +I, Friar VINCENT BARBA, Prior of the same place, confirm the premises, +as they are above written. +</P> + +<P CLASS="noindent"> +I, Friar ALBERT DAMARO, of Gallipoli, sub-prior, confirm as much. +</P> + +<P CLASS="noindent"> +I, Friar ANTHONY CELLELER, of Galli, confirm as aforesaid. +</P> + +<P CLASS="noindent"> +I, Friar BARTLEMEW, of Gallipoli, confirm as above said. +</P> + +<P CLASS="noindent"> +I, Friar FRANCIS, of Gallipoli, confirm as much. +</P> + +<BR><BR> + +<P CLASS="noindent"> +THE BISHOP OF ROME, HIS LETTERS IN BEHALF OF JOHN FOX. +</P> + +<P> +Be it known unto all men, to whom this writing shall come, that the +bringer hereof, John Fox, Englishman, a gunner, after he had served +captive in the Turks' galleys, by the space of fourteen years, at +length, through God his help, taking good opportunity, the 3rd of +January last passed, slew the keeper of the prison (whom he first +stroke on the face) together with four and twenty other Turks, by the +assistance of his fellow-prisoners; and with 266 Christians (of whose +liberty he was the author) launched from Alexandria, and from thence +arrived first at Gallipoli, in Candia, and afterwards at Tarento, in +Apulia; the written testimony and credit of which things, as also of +others, the same John Fox hath in public tables from Naples. +</P> + +<P> +Upon Easter Eve he came to Rome, and is now determined to take his +journey to the Spanish Court, hoping there to obtain some relief +towards his living; wherefore the poor distressed man humbly +beseecheth, and we in his behalf, do in the bowels of Christ, desire +you, that taking compassion of his former captivity and present penury, +you do not only suffer him freely to pass through all your cities and +towns, but also succour him with your charitable alms, the reward +whereof you shall hereafter most assuredly receive, which we hope you +will afford to him, whom with tender affection of pity we commend unto +you. At Rome, the 20th of April, 1577. +</P> + +<P CLASS="noindent"> +THOMAS GROLOS, Englishman, Bishop of Astraphen. +<BR> +RICHARD SILLEUN, Prior Angliae. +</P> + +<P CLASS="noindent"> +ANDREAS LUDOVICUS, Register to our Sovereign Lord the Pope, which for +the greater credit of the premises, have set my seal to these presents. +At Rome, the day and year above written. +</P> + +<P CLASS="noindent"> +MAURICIUS CLEMENT, the governor and keeper of the English hospital in +the city. +</P> + +<BR><BR> + +<P CLASS="noindent"> +THE KING OF SPAIN, HIS LETTERS TO THE LIEUTENANT FOR THE PLACING OF +JOHN FOX IN THE OFFICE OF A GUNNER, ETC. +</P> + +<P> +To the illustrious prince, Vespasian Gonsaga Colonna, our Lieutenant +and Captain-General of our realm of Valencia, having consideration that +John Fox, Englishman, hath served us, and was one of the most principal +which took away from the Turks a certain galley, which they have +brought to Taranto, wherein were two hundred and fifty-eight Christian +captives. We license him to practice, and give him the office of a +gunner, and have ordained that he go to our said realm there to serve +in the said office in the galleys, which by our commandment are lately +made. And we do command that you cause to be paid to him eight ducats +pay a month, for the time that he shall serve in the said galleys as a +gunner, or till we can otherwise provide for him, the said eight ducats +monthly of the money which is already of our provision, present and to +come, and to have regard of those which come with him. From Escurial +the 10th of August, 1577.—I, the King, +</P> + +<P CLASS="noindent"> + JUAN DEL GADO.<BR> +</P> + +<P> +And under that a confirmation of the Council. +</P> + +<BR><BR> + +<P CLASS="noindent"> +VERSES WRITTEN BY A. M. TO THE COURTEOUS READERS, WHO WAS PRESENT AT +ROME WHEN JOHN FOX RECEIVED HIS LETTERS OF THE POPE. +</P> + +<P CLASS="poem"> + Leaving at large all fables vainly used,<BR> + All trifling toys that do no truth import,<BR> + Lo, here how the end (at length) though long diffused,<BR> + Unfoldeth plain a true and rare report;<BR> + To glad those minds which seek their country's wealth,<BR> + By proffered pains to enlarge his happy health.<BR> + At Rome I was, when Fox did there arrive,<BR> + Therefore I may sufficiently express,<BR> + What gallant joy his deeds did there revive<BR> + In the hearts of those which heard his valiantness.<BR> + And how the Pope did recompense his pains,<BR> + And letters gave to move his greater gains.<BR> +</P> + +<P CLASS="poem"> + But yet I know that many do misdoubt,<BR> + That those his pains are fables and untrue;<BR> + Not only I in this will bear him out,<BR> + But diverse more that did his patents view.<BR> + And unto those so boldly I daresay,<BR> + That nought but truth John Fox doth here bewray;<BR> + Besides here's one was slave with him in thrall,<BR> + Lately returned into our native land,<BR> + This witness can this matter perfect all,<BR> + What needeth more? for witness he may stand.<BR> + And thus I end, unfolding what I know,<BR> + The other man more larger proof can show.<BR> + Honos alit artes, A. M.<BR> +</P> + +<BR> + +<HR ALIGN="center" WIDTH="60%"> + +<BR> + +<P CLASS="noindent"> +THE VOYAGE MADE TO TRIPOLIS IN BARBARY, IN THE YEAR 1584, WITH A SHIP +CALLED THE JESUS, WHEREIN THE ADVENTURES AND DISTRESSES OF SOME +ENGLISHMEN ARE TRULY REPORTED, AND OTHER NECESSARY CIRCUMSTANCES +OBSERVED. WRITTEN BY THOMAS SANDERS. +</P> + +<P> +This voyage was set forth by the Right Worshipful Sir Edward Osborne +Knight, chief merchant of all the Turkish Company, and one Master +Richard Stapers, the ship being of the burden of one hundred tons, +called the Jesus; she was builded at Farmne, a river by Portsmouth. +The owners were Master Thomas Thompson, Nicholas Carnabie, and John +Gilman. The master (under God) was one Zaccheus Hellier, of Blackwall, +and his mate was one Richard Morris, of that place; their pilot was one +Anthony Jerado, a Frenchman, of the province of Marseilles; the purser +was one William Thompson, our owner's son; the merchants' factors were +Romaine Sonnings, a Frenchman, and Richard Skegs, servant unto the said +Master Stapers. The owners were bound unto the merchants by charter +party thereupon in one thousand marks, that the said ship, by God's +permission should go for Tripolis in Barbary, that is to say, first +from Portsmouth to Newhaven in Normandy, thence to S. Lukar, otherwise +called S. Lucas, in Andalusia, and from thence to Tripolis, which is in +the east part of Africa, and so to return unto London. +</P> + +<P> +But here ought every man to note and consider the works of our God, +that (many times) what man doth determine God doth disappoint. The +said master having some occasion to go to Farmne, took with him the +pilot and the purser, and returning again, by means of a gust of wind, +the boat wherein they were was drowned, the said master, the purser, +and all the company; only the said pilot by experience in swimming +saved himself, these were the beginnings of our sorrows. After which +the said master's mate would not proceed in that voyage, and the owner +hearing of this misfortune, and the unwillingness of the master's mate, +did send down one Richard Deimond and shipped him for master, who did +choose for his mate one Andrew Dier, and so the said ship departed on +her voyage accordingly; that is to say, about the 16th of October, +1584, she made sail from Portsmouth, and the 18th day then next +following she arrived into Newhaven, where our said last master Deimond +by a surfeit died. The factors then appointed the said Andrew Dier, +being then master's mate, to be their master for that voyage, who did +choose to be his mates the two quarter-masters of the same ship, to +wit, Peter Austine and Shillabey, and for purser was shipped one +Richard Burges. Afterward about the 8th day of November we made sail +forthward, and by force of weather we were driven back again into +Portsmouth, where we refreshed our victuals and other necessaries, and +then the wind came fair. About the 29th day then next following we +departed thence, and the 1st day of December, by means of a contrary +wind, we were driven to Plymouth. The 18th day then next following we +made forthward again, and by force of weather we were driven to +Falmouth, where we remained until the 1st day of January, at which time +the wind coming fair we departed thence, and about the 20th day of the +said month we arrived safely at S. Lucas. And about the 9th day of +March next following we made sail from thence, and about the 18th day +of the same month we came to Tripolis in Barbary, where we were very +well entertained by the king of that country and also of the commons. +The commodities of that place are sweet oils; the king there is a +merchant, and the rather (willing to prefer himself before his commons) +requested our said factors to traffic with him, and promised them that +if they would take his oils at his own price they should pay no manner +of custom, and they took of him certain tons of oil; and afterward +perceiving that they might have far better cheap, notwithstanding the +custom free, they desired the king to license them to take the oils at +the pleasure of his commons, for that his price did exceed theirs; +whereunto the king would not agree, but was rather contented to abate +his price, insomuch that the factors bought all their oils of the +king's custom free, and so laded the same aboard. +</P> + +<P> +In the meantime there came to that place one Miles Dickinson, in a ship +of Bristol, who together with our said factors took a house to +themselves there. Our French factor, Romaine Sonnings, desired to buy +a commodity in the market, and, wanting money, desired the said Miles +Dickinson to lend him a hundred chikinoes until he came to his lodging, +which he did; and afterwards the same Sonnings met with Miles Dickinson +in the street, and delivered him money bound up in a napkin, saying, +"Master Dickinson, there is the money that I borrowed of you," and so +thanked him for the same. He doubted nothing less than falsehood, +which is seldom known among merchants, and specially being together in +one house, and is the more detestable between Christians, they being in +Turkey among the heathen; the said Dickinson did not tell the money +presently, until he came to his lodging, and then, finding nine +chikinoes lacking of his hundred (which was about three pounds, for +that every chikinoe is worth seven shillings of English money), he came +to the said Romaine Sonnings and delivered him his handkerchief, and +asked him how many chikinoes he had delivered him. Sonnings answered, +"A hundred"; Dickinson said "No"; and so they protested and swore on +both parts. But in the end the said Romaine Sonnings did swear deeply +with detestable oaths and curses; and prayed God that he might show his +works on him, that other might take ensample thereby, and that he might +be hanged like a dog, and never come into England again, if he did not +deliver unto the said Dickinson a hundred chikinoes. And here behold a +notable example of all blasphemers, cursers, and swearers, how God +rewarded him accordingly; for many times it cometh to pass that God +showeth his miracles upon such monstrous blasphemers to the ensample of +others, as now hereafter you shall hear what befell to this Romaine +Sonnings. +</P> + +<P> +There was a man in the said town a pledge, whose name was Patrone +Norado, who the year before had done this Sonnings some pleasure there. +The foresaid Patrone Norado was indebted unto a Turk of that town in +the sum of four hundred and fifty crowns, for certain goods sent by him +into Christendom in a ship of his own, and by his own brother, and +himself remained in Tripolis as pledge until his said brother's return; +and, as the report went there, he came among lewd company, and lost his +brother's said ship and goods at dice, and never returned unto him +again. +</P> + +<P> +The said Patrone Norado, being void of all hope and finding now +opportunity, consulted with the said Sonnings for to swim a-seaboard +the islands, and the ship, being then out of danger, should take him in +(as was afterwards confessed), and so go to Tallowne, in the province +of Marseilles, with this Patrone Norado, and there to take in the rest +of his lading. +</P> + +<P> +The ship being ready the first day of May, and having her sails all +abroad, our said factors did take their leave of the king, who very +courteously bid them farewell, and when they came aboard they commanded +the master and the company hastily to get out the ship. The master +answered that it was impossible, for that the wind was contrary and +overblowed. And he required us, upon forfeiture of our bands, that we +should do our endeavour to get her forth. Then went we to warp out the +ship, and presently the king sent a boat aboard of us, with three men +in her, commanding the said Sonnings to come ashore, at whose coming +the king demanded of him custom for the oils. Sonnings answered him +that his highness had promised to deliver them customs free. But, +notwithstanding, the king weighed not his said promise, and as an +infidel that hath not the fear of God before his eyes, nor regard of +his word, albeit he was a king, he caused the said Sonnings to pay the +custom to the uttermost penny; and afterwards ordered him to make haste +away, saying that the janisaries would have the oil ashore again. +</P> + +<P> +These janisaries are soldiers there under the Great Turk, and their +power is above the king's. And so the said factor departed from the +king, and came to the waterside, and called for a boat to come aboard, +and he brought with him the foresaid Patrone Norado. The company, +inquisitive to know what man that was, Sonnings answered that he was +his countryman, a passenger. "I pray God," said the company, "that we +come not into trouble by this man." Then said Sonnings angrily, "What +have you to do with any matters of mine? If anything chance otherwise +than well, I must answer for all." +</P> + +<P> +Now the Turk unto whom this Patrone Norado was indebted, missing him, +supposed him to be aboard of our ship, presently went unto the king and +told him that he thought that his pledge, Patrone Norado, was aboard on +the English ship. Whereupon the king presently sent a boat aboard of +us, with three men in her, commanding the said Sonnings to come ashore; +and, not speaking anything as touching the man, he said that he would +come presently in his own boat; but as soon as they were gone he willed +us to warp forth the ship, and said that he would see the knaves hanged +before he would go ashore. And when the king saw that he came not +ashore, but still continued warping away the ship, he straight +commanded the gunner of the bulwark next unto us to shoot three shots +without ball. Then we came all to the said Sonnings, and asked him +what the matter was that we were shot at; he said that it was the +janisaries who would have the oil ashore again, and willed us to make +haste away. And after that he had discharged three shots without ball +he commanded all the gunners in the town to do their endeavour to sink +us; but the Turkish gunners could not once strike us, wherefore the +king sent presently to the Banio (this Banio is the prison whereas all +the captives lay at night), and promised that if there were any that +could either sink us or else cause us to come in again, he should have +a hundred crown, and his liberty. With that came forth a Spaniard +called Sebastian, which had been an old servitor in Flanders, and he +said that, upon the performance of that promise, he would undertake +either to sink us or to cause us to come in again, and thereto he would +gage his life; and at the first shot he split our rudder's head in +pieces, and the second shot he struck us under water, and the third +shot he shot us through our foremast with a culverin shot, and thus, he +having rent both our rudder and mast and shot us under water, we were +enforced to go in again. +</P> + +<P> +This Sebastian for all his diligence herein had neither his liberty nor +a hundred crowns, so promised by the said king; but, after his service +done, was committed again to prison, whereby may appear the regard that +a Turk or infidel hath of his work, although he be able to perform +it—yea, more, though he be a king. +</P> + +<P> +Then our merchants, seeing no remedy, they, together with five of our +company, went ashore; and they then ceased shooting. They shot unto us +in the whole nine-and-thirty shots without the hurt of any man. +</P> + +<P> +And when our merchants came ashore the king commanded presently that +they, with the rest of our company that were with them, should be +chained four and four to a hundredweight of iron, and when we came in +with the ship there came presently above a hundred Turks aboard of us, +and they searched us and stripped our very clothes from our backs, and +broke open our chests, and made a spoil of all that we had; and the +Christian caitiffs likewise that came aboard of us made spoil of our +goods, and used us as ill as the Turks did. And our master's mate, +having a Geneva Bible in his hand, there came the king's chief gunner +and took it out from him, who showed me of it; and I, having the +language, went presently to the king's treasurer, and told him of it, +saying that since it was the will of God that we should fall into their +hands, yet that they should grant us to use our consciences to our own +discretion, as they suffered the Spaniards and other nations to use +theirs; and he granted us. Then I told him that the master gunner had +taken away a Bible from one of our men: the treasurer went presently +and commanded him to deliver up the Bible again, which he did. And +within a little after he took it from the man again, and I showed the +treasurer of it, and presently he commanded him to deliver it again, +saying, "Thou villain! wilt thou turn to Christianity again?" for he +was a relagado, which is one that was first a Christian and afterwards +becometh a Turk; and so he delivered me the Bible the second time. And +then I, having it in my hand, the gunner came to me, and spake these +words, saying, "Thou dog! I will have the book in despite of thee!" +and took it from me, saying, "If you tell the king's treasurer of it +any more, by Mahomet I will be revenged of thee!" Notwithstanding I +went the third time unto the king's treasurer, and told him of it; and +he came with me, saying thus unto the gunner: "By the head of the +Great Turk if thou take it from him again thou shalt have a hundred +bastinadoes." And forthwith he delivered me the book, saying he had +not the value of a pin of the spoil of the ship—which was the better +for him, as hereafter you shall hear; for there was none, either +Christian or Turk, that took the value of a pennyworth of our goods +from us but perished both body and goods within seventeen months +following, as hereafter shall plainly appear. +</P> + +<P> +Then came the guardian Basha, who is the keeper of the king's captives, +to fetch us all ashore; and then I, remembering the miserable estate of +poor distressed captives in the time of their bondage to those +infidels, went to mine own chest, and took out thereof a jar of oil, +and filled a basket full of white ruske, to carry ashore with me. But +before I came to the Banio the Turkish boys had taken away almost all +my bread, and the keeper said, "Deliver me the jar of oil, and when +thou comest to the Banio thou shalt have it again;" but I never had it +of him any more. +</P> + +<P> +But when I came to the Banio and saw our merchants and all the rest of +our company in chains, and we all ready to receive the same reward, +what heart is there so hard but would have pitied our cause, hearing or +seeing the lamentable greeting there was betwixt us. All this happened +the first of May, 1584. +</P> + +<P> +And the second day of the same month the king with all his council sat +in judgment upon us. The first that were had forth to be arraigned +were the factors and the masters, and the king asked them wherefore +they came not ashore when he sent for them. And Romaine Sonnings +answered that, though he were a king on shore, and might command there, +so was he as touching those that were under him; and therefore said, if +any offence be, the fault is wholly in myself and in no other. Then +forthwith the king gave judgment that the said Romaine Sonnings should +be hanged over the north-east bulwark, from whence he conveyed the +forenamed Patrone Norado. And then he called for our master, Andrew +Dier, and used few words to him, and so condemned him to be hanged over +the walls of the westernmost bulwarks. +</P> + +<P> +Then fell our other factor, named Richard Skegs, upon his knees before +the king, and said, "I beseech your highness either to pardon our +master or else suffer me to die for him, for he is ignorant of this +cause." And then the people of that country, favouring the said +Richard Skegs, besought the king to pardon them both. So then the king +spake these words: "Behold, for thy sake I pardon the master." Then +presently the Turks shouted and cried, saying, "Away with the master +from the presence of the king." And then he came into the Banio where +we were, and told us what had happened, and we all rejoiced at the good +hap of Master Skegs, that he was saved, and our master for his sake. +</P> + +<P> +But afterwards our joy was turned to double sorrow, for in the meantime +the king's mind was altered: for that one of his council had advised +him that, unless the master died also, by the law they could not +confiscate the ship nor goods, neither make captive any of the men. +Whereupon the king sent for our master again, and gave him another +judgment after his pardon for one cause, which was that he should be +hanged. Here all true Christians may see what trust a Christian man +may put in an infidel's promise, who, being a king, pardoned a man now, +as you have heard, and within an hour after hanged him for the same +cause before a whole multitude; and also promised our factors their +oils custom free, and at their going away made them pay the uttermost +penny for the custom thereof. +</P> + +<P> +And when that Romaine Sonnings saw no remedy but that he should die, he +protested to turn Turk, hoping thereby to have saved his life. Then +said the Turk, "If thou wilt turn Turk, speak the words that thereunto +belong;" and he did so. Then said they unto him, "Now thou shalt die +in the faith of a Turk;" and so he did, as the Turks reported that were +at his execution; and the forenamed Patrone Norado, whereas before he +had liberty and did nothing, he then was condemned slave perpetual, +except there were payment made of the foresaid sum of money. +</P> + +<P> +Then the king condemned all us, who were in number five and twenty, of +which two were hanged (as you have heard) and one died the first day we +came on shore by the visitation of Almighty God, and the other three +and twenty he condemned slaves perpetually unto the Great Turk, and the +ship and goods were confiscated to the use of the Great Turk; then we +all fell down upon our knees, giving God thanks for this sorrowful +visitation and giving ourselves wholly to the almighty power of God, +unto whom all secrets are known, that He of His goodness would +vouchsafe to look upon us. +</P> + +<P> +Here may all true Christian hearts see the wonderful works of God +showed upon such infidels, blasphemers, and runagate Christians, and so +you shall read in the end of this book of the like upon the unfaithful +king and all his children, and of as many as took any portion of the +said goods. +</P> + +<P> +But first to show our miserable bondage and slavery, and unto what +small pittance and allowance we were tied, for every five men had +allowance but five aspers of bread in a day, which is but twopence +English, and our lodging was to lie on the bare boards, with a very +simple cape to cover us. We were also forcibly and most violently +shaven, head and beard, and within three days after, I and five more of +my fellows, together with fourscore Italians and Spaniards, were sent +forth in a galiot to take a Greek carmosel, which came into Arabia to +steal negroes, and went out of Tripolis unto that place which was two +hundred and forty leagues thence; but we were chained three and three +to an oar, and we rowed naked above the girdle, and the boatswain of +the galley walked abaft the mast, and his mate afore the mast, and each +of them a whip in their hands, and when their devilish choler rose they +would strike the Christians for no cause, and they allowed us but half +a pound of bread a man in a day, without any other kind of sustenance, +water excepted. And when we came to the place where we saw the +carmosel, we were not suffered to have neither needle, bodkin, knife, +or any other instrument about us, nor at any other time in the night, +upon pain of one hundred bastinadoes: we were then also cruelly +manacled, in such sort that we could not put our hands the length of +one foot asunder the one from the other, and every night they searched +our chains three times, to see if they were fast riveted. We continued +the fight with the carmosel three hours, and then we took it, and lost +but two of our men in that fight; but there were slain of the Greeks +five, and fourteen were cruelly hurt; and they that were found were +presently made slaves, and chained to the oars, and within fifteen days +after we returned again into Tripolis, and then we were put to all +manner of slavery. I was put to hew stones, and other to carry stones, +and some to draw the cart with earth, and some to make mortar, and some +to draw stones (for at that time the Turks builded a church), and thus +we were put to all kinds of slavery that was to be done. And in the +time of our being there the Moors, that are the husbandmen of the +country, rebelled against the king, because he would have constrained +them to pay greater tribute than heretofore they had done, so that the +soldiers of Tripolis marched forth of the town, to have joined battle +against the Moors for their rebellion, and the king sent with them four +pieces of ordnance, which were drawn by the captives twenty miles into +the country after them, and at the sight thereof the Moors fled, and +then the captains returned back again. Then I, and certain Christians +more, were sent twelve miles into the country with a cart to load +timber, and we returned again the same day. +</P> + +<P> +Now, the king had eighteen captives, which three times a week went to +fetch wood thirty miles from the town, and on a time he appointed me +for one of the eighteen, and we departed at eight of the clock in the +night; and upon the way, as we rode upon the camels, I demanded of one +of our company who did direct us the way: he said that there was a +Moor in our company which was our guide; and I demanded of them how +Tripolis and the wood bare one off the other, and he said, +"East-north-east and west-south-west." And at midnight, or thereabouts, +as I was riding upon my camel, I fell asleep, and the guide and all the +rest rode away from me, not thinking but I had been among them. When I +awoke, and, finding myself alone, I durst not call nor holloa, for fear +lest the wild Moors should hear me—because they hold this opinion, +that in killing a Christian they do God good service—and musing with +myself what were best for me to do: if I should return back to +Tripolis without any wood or company I should be most miserably used; +therefore, of the two evils, rather I had to go forth to the losing of +my life than to turn back and trust to their mercy, fearing to be used +as before I had seen others. For, understanding by some of my company +before how Tripolis and the said wood did lie one off another, by the +North Star I went forth at adventure, and, as God would have it, I came +right to the place where they were, even about an hour before day. +There altogether we rested, and gave our camels provender, and as soon +as the day appeared we rode all into the wood; and I, seeing no wood +there but a stick here and a stick there, about the bigness of a man's +arm, growing in the sand, it caused me to marvel how so many camels +should be loaded in that place. The wood was juniper; we needed no axe +nor edged tool to cut it, but plucked it up by strength of hands, roots +and all, which a man might easily do, and so gathered together a little +at one place, and so at another, and laded our camels, and came home +about seven of the clock that night following: because I fell lame and +my camel was tired, I left my wood in the way. +</P> + +<P> +There was in Tripolis at that time a Venetian whose name was Benedetto +Venetiano, and seventeen captives more of his countrymen, which ran +away from Tripolis in a boat and came inside of an island called Malta, +which lieth forty leagues from Tripolis right north; and, being within +a mile of the shore and very fair weather, one of their company said, +"In dispetto de Dio adesso venio a pilliar terra," which is as much to +say: "In the despite of God, I shall now fetch the shore;" and +presently there arose a mighty storm, with thunder and rain, and the +wind at the north, their boat being very small, so that they were +enforced to bear up room and to sheer right afore the wind over against +the coast of Barbary, from whence they came, and rowing up and down the +coast, their victuals being spent, the twenty-first day after their +departure, they were enforced through the want of food to come ashore, +thinking to have stolen some sheep. But the Moors of the country very +craftily (perceiving their intent) gathered together a threescore of +horsemen and hid themselves behind the sandy hill, and when the +Christians were come all ashore, and passed by half a mile into the +country, the Moors rode betwixt them and their boat, and some of them +pursued the Christians, and so they were all taken and brought to +Tripolis, from whence they had before escaped; and presently the king +commanded that the foresaid Benedetto, with one more of his company, +should lose their ears, and the rest to be most cruelly beaten, which +was presently done. This king had a son which was a ruler in an island +called Gerbi, whereunto arrived an English ship called the Green +Dragon, of the which was master one M. Blonket, who, having a very +unhappy boy on that ship, and understanding that whosoever would turn +Turk should be well entertained of the king's son, this boy did run +ashore and voluntarily turned Turk. Shortly after the king's son came +to Tripolis to visit his father, and seeing our company, he greatly +fancied Richard Burges, our purser, and James Smith. They were both +young men, therefore he was very desirous to have them to turn Turks; +but they would not yield to his desire, saying, "We are your father's +slaves and as slaves we will serve him." Then his father the king sent +for them, and asked them if they would turn Turks; and they said: "If +it please your Highness, Christians we were born and so we will remain, +and beseech the king that they might not be enforced thereunto." The +king had there before in his house a son of a yeoman of our Queen's +guard, whom the king's son had enforced to turn Turk; his name was John +Nelson. Him the king caused to be brought to these young men, and then +said unto them, "Will you not bear this, your countryman, company, and +be Turk as he is?" and they said that they would not yield thereunto +during life. But it fell out that, within a month after, the king's +son went home to Gerbi again, being five score miles from Tripolis, and +carried our two foresaid young men with him, which were Richard Burges +and James Smith. And after their departure from us they sent us a +letter, signifying that there was no violence showed unto them as yet; +yet within three days after they were violently used, for that the +king's son demanded of them again if that they would turn Turk. Then +answered Richard Burges: "A Christian I am, and so I will remain." +Then the king's son very angrily said unto him, "By Mahomet thou shalt +presently be made Turk!" Then called he for his men and commanded them +to make him Turk; and they did so, and circumcised him, and would have +had him speak the words that thereunto belonged; but he answered them +stoutly that he would not, and although they had put on him the habit +of a Turk, yet said he, "A Christian I was born, and so I will remain, +though you force me to do otherwise." +</P> + +<P> +And then he called for the other, and commanded him to be made Turk +perforce also; but he was very strong, for it was so much as eight of +the king's son's men could do to hold him. So in the end they +circumcised him and made him Turk. Now, to pass over a little, and so +to show the manner of our deliverance out of that miserable captivity. +</P> + +<P> +In May aforesaid, shortly after our apprehension, I wrote a letter into +England unto my father, dwelling in Evistoke in Devonshire, signifying +unto him the whole estate of our calamities, and I wrote also to +Constantinople to the English ambassador, both which letters were +faithfully delivered. But when my father had received my letter, and +understood the truth of our mishap, and the occasion thereof, and what +had happened to the offenders, he certified the Right Honourable the +Earl of Bedford thereof, who in short space acquainted her Highness +with the whole cause thereof; and her Majesty, like a most merciful +princess tendering her subjects, presently took order for our +deliverance. Whereupon the Right Worshipful Sir Edward Osborne, +knight, directed his letters with all speed to the English ambassador +in Constantinople to procure our delivery, and he obtained the Great +Turk's commission, and sent it forthwith to Tripolis by one Master +Edward Barton, together with a justice of the Great Turk's and one +soldier, and another Turk and a Greek, which was his interpreter, which +could speak beside Greek, Turkish, Italian, Spanish and English. And +when they came to Tripolis they were well entertained, and the first +night they did lie in a captain's house in the town. All our company +that were in Tripolis came that night for joy to Master Barton and the +other commissioners to see them. Then Master Barton said unto us, +"Welcome, my good countrymen," and lovingly entertained us; and at our +departure from him he gave us two shillings, and said, "Serve God, for +tomorrow I hope you shall be as free as ever you were." We all gave +him thanks and so departed. The next day, in the morning very early, +the king having intelligence of their coming, sent word to the keeper +that none of the Englishmen (meaning our company) should go to work. +Then he sent for Master Barton and the other commissioners, and +demanded of the said Master Barton his message. The justice answered +that the Great Turk, his sovereign, had sent them unto him, signifying +that he was informed that a certain English ship, called the Jesus, was +by him the said king confiscated about twelve months since, and now my +said sovereign hath here sent his especial commission by us unto you +for the deliverance of the said ship and goods, and also the free +liberty and deliverance of the Englishmen of the said ship whom you +have taken and kept in captivity. And further, the same justice said, +I am authorised by my said sovereign the Great Turk to see it done; and +therefore I command you, by the virtue of this commission, presently to +make restitution of the premises or the value thereof. And so did the +justice deliver unto the king the Great Turk's commission to the effect +aforesaid, which commission the king with all obedience received; and +after the perusing of the same, he forthwith commanded all the English +captives to be brought before him, and then willed the keeper to strike +off all our irons. Which done, the king said, "You Englishmen, for +that you did offend the laws of this place, by the same laws therefore +some of your company were condemned to die, as you know, and you to be +perpetual captives during your lives; notwithstanding, seeing it hath +pleased my sovereign lord the Great Turk to pardon your said offences, +and to give you your freedom and liberty, behold, here I make delivery +of you unto this English gentleman." So he delivered us all that were +there, being thirteen in number, to Master Barton, who required also +those two young men which the king's son had taken with him. Then the +king answered that it was against their law to deliver them, for that +they were turned Turks; and, touching the ship and goods, the king said +that he had sold her, but would make restitution of the value, and as +much of the goods as came unto his hands. And so the king arose and +went to dinner, and commanded a Jew to go with Master Barton and the +other commissioners to show them their lodgings, which was a house +provided and appointed them by the said king. And because I had the +Italian and Spanish tongues, by which there most traffic in that +country is, Master Barton made me his caterer, to buy his victuals for +him and his company, and he delivered me money needful for the same. +Thus were we set at liberty the 28th day of April, 1585. +</P> + +<P> +Now, to return to the king's plagues and punishments which Almighty God +at his will and pleasure sendeth upon men in the sight of the world, +and likewise of the plagues that befell his children and others +aforesaid. First, when we were made bondmen, being the second day of +May, 1584, the king had 300 captives, and before the month was expired +there died of them of the plague 150. And whereas there were twenty-six +men of our company, of whom two were hanged and one died the same +day as we were made bondslaves, that present month there died nine more +of our company of the plague, and other two were forced to turn Turks +as before rehearsed; and on the 4th day of June next following, the +king lost 150 camels which were taken from him by the wild Moors; and +on the 28th day of the said month of June one Geffrey Malteese, a +renegado of Malta, ran away to his country, and stowed a brigantine +which the king had builded for to take the Christians withal, and +carried with him twelve Christians more which were the king's captives. +Afterwards about the 10th day of July next following, the king rode +forth upon the greatest and fairest mare that might be seen, as white +as any swan; he had not ridden forty paces from his house, but on a +sudden the same mare fell down under him stark dead, and I with six +more were commanded to bury her, skin, shoes, and all, which we did. +And about three months after our delivery, Master Barton, with all the +residue of his company, departed from Tripolis to Zante in a vessel +called a settea, of one Marcus Segoorus, who dwelt in Zante; and, after +our arrival at Zante, we remained fifteen days there aboard our vessel, +before we could have Platego (that is, leave to come ashore), because +the plague was in that place from whence we came, and about three days +after we came ashore, thither came another settea of Marseilles, bound +for Constantinople. Then did Master Barton and his company, with two +more of our company, ship themselves as passengers in the same settea +and went to Constantinople. But the other nine of us that remained in +Zante, about three months after, shipped ourselves in a ship of the +said Marcus Segoorus, which came to Zante, and was bound for England. +In which three months the soldiers of Tripolis killed the said king; +and then the king's son, according to the custom there, went to +Constantinople, to surrender up all his father's treasure, goods, +captives, and concubines unto the Great Turk, and took with him our +said purser Richard Burges, and James Smith, and also the other two +Englishmen which he the king's son had enforced to become Turks as is +aforesaid. And they, the said Englishmen, finding now some +opportunity, concluded with the Christian captives which were going +with them unto Constantinople, being in number about 150, to kill the +king's son and all the Turks which were aboard of the galley, and +privily the said Englishmen conveyed unto the said Christian captives +weapons for that purpose. And when they came into the main sea, +towards Constantinople (upon the faithful promise of the said Christian +captives) these four Englishmen leapt suddenly into the crossia—that +is, into the middest of the galley, where the cannon lieth—and with +their swords drawn, did fight against all the foresaid Turks, and for +want of help of the said Christian captives, who falsely brake their +promises, the said Master Blonket's boy was killed and the said James +Smith, and our purser Richard Burges, and the other Englishmen were +taken and bound into chains, to be hanged at their arrival in +Constantinople. And, as the Lord's will was, about two days after, +passing through the Gulf of Venice, at an island called Cephalonia, +they met with two of the Duke of Venice, his galleys, which took that +galley, and killed the king's son and his mother, and all the Turks +that were there, in number 150, and they saved the Christian captives; +and would have killed the two Englishmen, because they were circumcised +and become Turks, had not the other Christian captives excused them, +saying that they were enforced to be Turks by the king's son, and +showed the Venetians how they did enterprise at sea to fight against +all the Turks, and that their two fellows were slain in that fight. +Then the Venetians saved them, and they, with all the residue of the +said captives, had their liberty, which were in number 150 or +thereabouts, and the said galley and all the Turks' treasure was +confiscated to the use of the State of Venice. And from thence our two +Englishmen travelled homeward by land, and in this meantime we had one +more of our company which died in Zante, and afterwards the other eight +shipped themselves at Zante in a ship of the said Marcus Segoorus which +was bound for England. And before we departed thence, there arrived +the Ascension and the George Bonaventure of London, in Cephalonia, in a +harbour there called Arrogostoria, whose merchants agreed with the +merchants of our ship, and so laded all the merchandise of our ship +into the said ships of London, who took us eight also in as passengers, +and so we came home. And within two months after our arrival at London +our said purser Richard Burges, and his fellow, came home also, for the +which we are bound to praise Almighty God during our lives, and, as +duty bindeth us, to pray for the preservation of our most gracious +Queen, for the great care her Majesty had over us, her poor subjects, +in seeking and procuring of our deliverance aforesaid, and also for her +Honourable Privy Council; and I especially for the prosperity and good +estate of the house of the late deceased, the Right Honourable the Earl +of Bedford, whose honour I must confess most diligently, at the suit of +my father now departed, travailed herein—for the which I rest +continually bounden to him, whose soul I doubt not but already is in +the heavens in joy, with the Almighty, unto which place He vouchsafed +to bring us all, that for our sins suffered most vile and shameful +death upon the cross, there to live perpetually world without end. +Amen. +</P> + +<BR><BR> + +<P CLASS="noindent"> +THE QUEEN'S LETTERS TO THE TURK, 1584, FOR THE RESTITUTION OF THE SHIP, +CALLED THE JESUS, AND THE ENGLISH CAPTIVES DETAINED IN TRIPOLIS, IN +BARBARY, AND FOR CERTAIN OTHER PRISONERS IN ALGIERS. +</P> + +<P> +Elizabeth, by the grace of the Most High God and only Maker of Heaven +and Earth, of England, France, and Ireland Queen, and of the Christian +faith, against all the idolaters and false professors of the name of +Christ dwelling among the Christians, most invincible and puissant +Defender; to the most valiant and invincible Prince, Sultan Murad Can, +the most mighty ruler of the Kingdom of Mussulman and of the East +Empire, the only and highest monarch above all, health and many happy +and fortunate years, with great abundance of the best things. +</P> + +<P> +Most noble and puissant Emperor, about two years now past, we wrote +unto your Imperial Majesty that our well-beloved servant, William +Harebrown, a man of great reputation and honour, might be received +under your high authority for our ambassador in Constantinople and +other places, under the obedience of your Empire of Mussulman; and also +that the Englishmen being our subjects might exercise intercourse and +merchandise in all those provinces no less freely than the French, +Polonians, Venetians, Germans, and other your confederates, which +travel through divers of the East parts endeavouring that by mutual +traffic the East may be joined and knit to the West. +</P> + +<P> +Which privileges, when as your most puissant Majesty by your letters +and under your dispensation most liberally and favourably granted to +our subjects of England, we could no less do but in that respect give +you as great thanks as our heart could conceive, trusting that it will +come to pass that this order of traffic so well ordained will bring +with itself most great profits and commodities to both sides, as well +to the parties subject to your Empire as to the provinces of our +Kingdom. +</P> + +<P> +Which thing, that it may be done in plain and effectual manner, whereas +some of our subjects of late at Tripolis in Barbary, and at Algiers, +were by the inhabitants of those places (being perhaps ignorant of your +pleasure) evil intreated and grievously vexed, we do friendly and +lovingly desire your Imperial Majesty that you will understand their +causes by our ambassador, and afterward give commandment to the +lieutenants and presidents of those provinces, that our people may +henceforth freely, without any violence or injury, travel and do their +business in those places. +</P> + +<P> +And we again with all endeavour shall study to perform all those things +which we shall in any wise understand to be acceptable to your Imperial +Majesty, which God, the only Maker of the World, Most Best and Most +Great, long keep in health and flourishing. Given in our Palace at +London, the 5th day of the month of September, in the year of Jesus +Christ our Saviour 1584, and of our reign the twenty-sixth. +</P> + +<BR><BR> + +<P CLASS="noindent"> +THE COMMANDMENT OBTAINED OF THE GRAND SIGNIOR BY HER MAJESTY'S +AMBASSADOR, FOR THE QUIET PASSING OF HER SUBJECTS TO AND FROM HIS +DOMINIONS, SENT IN ANNO 1584 TO THE VICEROYS, ALGIERS, TUNIS, AND +TRIPOLIS IN BARBARY. +</P> + +<P> +To our Beglerbeg of Algiers. We certify thee by this our commandment +that the right honourable William Harebrowne, ambassador to the Queen's +Majesty of England, hath signified unto us that the ships of that +country, in their coming and returning to and from our Empire, on the +one part of the seas have the Spaniards, Florentines, Sicilians, and +Maltese, on the other part our countries, committed to your charge, +which above said Christians will not quietly suffer their egress and +regress into and out of our dominions, but to take and make the men +captives, and forfeit the ships and goods, as the last year the Maltese +did one which they took at Gerbi, and to that end do continually lie in +wait for them to their destruction, whereupon they are constrained to +stand to their defence at any such times as they might meet with them; +wherefore considering by this means they must stand upon their guard +when they shall see any galley afar off, whereby if meeting with any of +your galleys, and not knowing them, in their defence they do shoot at +them, and yet after, when they do certainly know them, do not shoot any +more, but require to pass peaceably on their voyage, which you would +deny, saying, "The peace is broken, for that you have shot at us, and +so do make prize of them, contrary to our privileges, and against +reason:" for the preventing of which inconvenience the said ambassador +hath required this our commandment. We therefore command thee that +upon sight hereof then do not permit any such matter in no sort +whatsoever, but suffer the said Englishmen to pass in peace, according +to the tenor of our commandment given, without any disturbance or let +by any means upon the way, although that, meeting with thy galleys, and +not knowing them afar off, they, taking them for enemies, should shoot +at them, yet shall ye not suffer them to hurt them therefor, but +quietly to pass. Wherefore look thou, that they may have right +according to our privilege given them, and finding any that absenteth +himself and will not obey this our commandment, presently certify us to +our porch, that we may give order for his punishment; and with +reverence give faithful credit to this our commandment, which having +read, thou shalt again return it unto them that present it. From our +palace in Constantinople, the prime of June, 1584. +</P> + +<BR><BR> + +<P CLASS="noindent"> +THE TURK'S LETTER TO THE KING OF TRIPOLIS, IN BARBARY, COMMANDING THE +RESTITUTION OF AN ENGLISH SHIP, CALLED THE JESUS, WITH THE MEN AND +GOODS, SENT FROM CONSTANTINOPLE BY MAHOMET BEG, A JUSTICE OF THE GREAT +TURK'S, AND AN ENGLISH GENTLEMAN, CALLED MASTER EDWARD BARTON. ANNO +1584. +</P> + +<P> +Honourable and most worthy Pasha Romadan Beglerbeg, most wise and +prudent judge of the West Tripolis, we wish the end of all thy +enterprises happy and prosperous. By these our Highness's letters we +certify thee that the Right Honourable William Harebrowne, Ambassador +in our most famous porch for the most excellent Queen's Majesty of +England, in person and by letters hath certified our Highness that a +certain ship, with all her furniture and artillery, worth two thousand +ducats, arriving in the port of Tripolis, and discharged of her lading +and merchandise, paid our custom according to order, and again the +merchants laded their ship with oil, which by constraint they were +enforced to buy of you, and having answered in like manner the custom +for the same, determined to depart. A Frenchman, assistant to the +merchant, unknown to the Englishmen, carried away with him another +Frenchman indebted to a certain Moor in four hundred ducats, and by +force caused the Englishmen and ship to depart, who, neither suspecting +fraud nor deceit, hoisted sails. In the meantime, this man, whose +debtor the Frenchman had stolen away, went to the Pasha with a +supplication, by whose means, and force of the Castle, the Englishmen +were constrained to return into the port, where the Frenchman, author +of the evil, with the master of the ship, an Englishman, innocent of +the crime, were hanged, and five-and-twenty Englishmen cast into +prison, of whom, through famine and thirst, and stink of the prison, +eleven died, and the rest were like to die. Further, it was signified +to our Majesty also that the merchandise and other goods with the ship +were worth seven thousand six hundred ducats. Which things, if they be +so, this is our commandment, which was granted and given by our +Majesty, that the English ship, and all the merchandise, and whatsoever +else was taken away, be wholly restored, and that the Englishmen be let +go free, and suffered to return into their country. Wherefore, when +this our commandment shall come unto thee, we straightly command that +the foresaid business be diligently looked unto and discharged. And if +it be so that a Frenchman, and no Englishman, hath done this craft and +wickedness, unknown to the Englishmen, and, as author of the +wickedness, is punished, and that the Englishmen committed nothing +against the peace and league, or their articles; also, if they paid +custom according to order, it is against law, custom of countries, and +their privilege, to hinder or hurt them. Neither is it meet their +ship, merchandise, and all their goods taken should be withholden. We +will, therefore, that the English ship, merchandise, and all other +their goods, without exception, be restored to the Englishmen; also, +that the men be let go free, and, if they will, let none hinder them to +return peaceably into their country; do not commit that they another +time complain of this matter, and how this business is despatched +certify us at our most famous porch. Dated in the city of +Constantinople, in the nine hundred and ninety-second year of Mahomet, +and in the end of the month of October, and the year of Jesus 1584. +</P> + +<BR><BR> + +<P CLASS="noindent"> +A LETTER OF MASTER WILLIAM HAREBROWNE, THE ENGLISH AMBASSADOR, LEDGER +IN CONSTANTINOPLE, TO THE PASHA ROMADAN, THE BEGLERBEG OF TRIPOLIS, IN +BARBARY, FOR THE RESTORING OF AN ENGLISH SHIP, CALLED THE JESUS, WITH +GOODS AND MEN DETAINED AS SLAVES, 1585. +</P> + +<P> +Right Honourable Lord, it hath been signified unto us by divers +letters, what hath fallen out concerning a certain ship of ours, called +the Jesus, into which, for the help of Richard Skegs, one of our +merchants in the same, now deceased, there was admitted a certain +Frenchman, called Romaine Sonnings, which for his ill behaviour, +according to his deserts, seeking to carry away with him another +Frenchman, which was indebted to certain of your people, without paying +his creditors, was hanged by sentence of justice, together with Andrew +Dier, the master of the said ship, who, simply and without fraud, +giving credit to the said Frenchman, without any knowledge of this evil +fact, did not return when he was commanded by your honourable lordship. +The death of the said lewd Frenchman we approve as a thing well done, +but contrariwise, whereas your lordship hath confiscated the said ship, +with the goods therein, and hath made slaves of the mariners, as a +thing altogether contrary to the privileges of the Grand Signior, +granted four years since, and confirmed by us, on the behalf of the +most excellent the Queen's Majesty of England, our mistress, and +altogether contrary to the league of the said Grand Signior, who, being +fully informed of the aforesaid cause, hath granted unto us his royal +commandment of restitution, which we send unto your honourable lordship +by the present bearer, Edward Barton, our secretary, and Mahomet Beg, +one of the justices of his stately court, with other letters of the +most excellent Admiral and most valiant captain of the sea, requiring +your most honourable lordship, as well on the behalf of the Grand +Signior as of the Queen's most Excellent Majesty, my mistress, that the +men, oils, ship, furniture, money, and all other goods whatsoever, by +your lordship and your order taken from our men, be restored unto this +my secretary freely, without delay, as the Grand Signior of his +goodness hath granted unto us, especially in regard that the same oils +were bought by the commandment of our Queen's most Excellent Majesty +for the provision of her Court. Which if you perform not, we protest +by these our letters against you, that you are the cause of all the +inconveniences which may ensue upon this occasion, as the author +thereof contrary to the holy league sworn by both our princes, as by +the privileges, which this our servant will show you, may appear. For +the seeing of which league performed, we remain here as Ledger in this +stately court, and by this means you shall answer in another world unto +God alone, and in this world unto the Grand Signior, for this heinous +sin committed by you against so many poor souls, which by this your +cruelty are in part dead, and in part detained by you in most miserable +captivity. Contrariwise, if it shall please you to avoid this +mischief, and to remain in the favour of Almighty God and of our +princes, you shall friendly fulfil this our just demand (as it behoveth +you to show yourself a prudent governor and faithful servant unto your +lord), and the same may turn to your great honour and profit by the +trade of merchandise, which our men in time to come may use in that +government of yours, which, generally, as well those poor men as all +others which you shall meet at the sea, ought to be, according to the +commandment of the Grand Signior, friendly entertained and received of +your honourable lordship; and we will not fail in the duties of a +special friend whatsoever you shall have occasion to use us as we +desire. Almighty God grant unto your lordship (in the fulfilling of +this our just request, whereby we may be delivered from further trouble +in this matter and yourself from further displeasure) all true felicity +and increase of honour. Given in our palace from Capamat, in Pera, the +15th of January, 1585. +</P> + +<BR><BR> + +<P CLASS="noindent"> +A BRIEF EXTRACT SPECIFYING THE CERTAIN DAILY PAYMENTS, ANSWERED +QUARTERLY IN TIME OF PEACE, BY THE GRAND SIGNIOR, OUT OF HIS TREASURY, +TO THE OFFICERS OF HIS SERAGLIO OR COURT, SUCCESSIVELY IN DEGREES; +COLLECTED IN A YEARLY TOTAL SUM AS FOLLOWETH: +</P> + +<P> +For his own diet every day, one thousand and one aspers, according to a +former custom received from his ancestors; notwithstanding that +otherwise his diurnal expense is very much, and not certainly known, +which sum maketh sterling money by the year, two thousand one hundred +and ninety-two pounds, three shillings, and eightpence. +</P> + +<P> +The forty-five thousand janisaries, reparted into sundry places of his +dominions, at five aspers a day, amounteth by the year, five hundred +fourscore and eleven thousand and three hundred pounds. +</P> + +<P> +The azamoglans' tribute children far surmount that number, for that +they are collected from among the Christians, from whom between the +years of five and twelve they are pulled away yearly perforce; whereof +I suppose those in service may be equal in number with the janisaries +abovesaid, at three aspers a day, one with another, which is two +hundred fourscore and fifteen thousand five hundred and fifty pounds. +</P> + +<P> +The five Pashas whereof the Viceroy is supreme, at one thousand aspers +the day, besides their yearly revenues, amounteth sterling by the year, +ten thousand nine hundred and fifty pounds. +</P> + +<P> +The five Beglerbegs, chief presidents of Greece, Hungary, and Slavonia, +being in Europe, in Anatolia, and Carmania of Asia, at one thousand +aspers the day; as also to eighteen other governors of provinces at +five hundred aspers the day, amounteth by the year thirty thousand five +hundred and threescore pounds. +</P> + +<P> +The Pasha, admiral of the sea, one thousand aspers the day, two +thousand one hundred fourscore and ten thousand pounds. +</P> + +<P> +The Aga of the janisaries, general of the footmen, five hundred aspers +the day, and maketh by the year in sterling money one thousand +fourscore and fifteen pounds. +</P> + +<P> +The Imbrahur Pasha, master of his horse, one hundred and fifty aspers +the day, in sterling money three hundred and eight and twenty pounds. +</P> + +<P> +The chief esquire under him, one hundred and fifty aspers, is three +hundred and eight and twenty pounds. +</P> + +<P> +The Agas of the Spahi, captains of the horsemen, five at one hundred +and fifty aspers to either of them, maketh sterling one thousand nine +hundred threescore and eleven pounds. +</P> + +<P> +The Capagi Pashas, head porters, four, one hundred and fifty aspers to +each, and maketh out in sterling money by the year, one thousand three +hundred and fourteen pounds. +</P> + +<P> +The Sisinghir Pasha, controller of the household, one hundred and +twenty aspers the day, and maketh out in sterling money by the year, +two hundred threescore and two pounds, sixteen shillings. +</P> + +<P> +The Chiaus Pasha, captain of the pensioners, one hundred and twenty +aspers the day, and amounteth to, by the year, in sterling money, two +hundred threescore and two pounds, sixteen shillings. +</P> + +<P> +The Capigilar Caiafi, captain of his barge, one hundred and twenty +aspers the day, and maketh out by the year, in sterling money, two +hundred threescore and two pounds, sixteen shillings. +</P> + +<P> +The Solach Bassi, captain of his guard, one hundred and twenty aspers, +two hundred threescore and two pounds, sixteen shillings. +</P> + +<P> +The Giebrigi Bassi, master of the armoury, one hundred and twenty +aspers, two hundred threescore and two pounds, sixteen shillings. +</P> + +<P> +The Topagi Bassi, master of the artillery, one hundred and twenty +aspers, two hundred threescore and two pounds, sixteen shillings. +</P> + +<P> +The Echim Bassi, physician to his person, one hundred and twenty +aspers, two hundred threescore and two pounds, sixteen shillings. +</P> + +<P> +The forty physicians under him, to each forty aspers is three thousand +eight hundred threescore and six pounds, sixteen shillings. +</P> + +<P> +The Mustafaracas, spearmen attending on his person, in number 500, to +either threescore aspers, and maketh sterling threescore and five +thousand and seven hundred pounds. +</P> + +<P> +The Cisingeri, gentlemen attending upon his diet, forty, at forty +aspers each of them, and amounteth to sterling by the year, three +thousand five hundred and four pounds. +</P> + +<P> +The Chiausi, pensioners, four hundred and forty, at thirty aspers, +twenty-eight thousand nine hundred and eight pounds. +</P> + +<P> +The Capagi, porters of the Court and city, four hundred at eight +aspers, and maketh sterling money by the year, seven thousand and eight +pounds. +</P> + +<P> +The Solachi, archers of his guard, three hundred and twenty, at nine +aspers, and cometh unto, in English money, the sum of six thousand +three hundred and six pounds. +</P> + +<P> +The Spahi, men of arms of the Court and the city, ten thousand, at +twenty-five aspers, and maketh of English money, five hundred forty and +seven thousand and five hundred pounds. +</P> + +<P> +The Janisaries, sixteen thousand, at six aspers, is two hundred and ten +thousand and two hundred and forty pounds. +</P> + +<P> +The Giebegi, furbishers of armour, one thousand five hundred, at six +aspers, and amounteth to sterling money, nineteen thousand seven +hundred and fourscore pounds. +</P> + +<P> +The Seiefir, servitors in his esquire or stable, five hundred, at two +aspers, and maketh sterling money, two thousand one hundred fourscore +and ten pounds. +</P> + +<P> +The Saefi, saddlers and bit-makers, five hundred, at seven aspers, +seven thousand six hundred threescore and five pounds. +</P> + +<P> +The Capergi, carriers upon mules, two hundred, at five aspers, two +thousand one hundred fourscore and ten pounds. +</P> + +<P> +The Ginegi, carriers upon camels, one thousand five hundred, at eight +aspers, and amounteth in sterling money to twenty-six thousand two +hundred and fourscore pounds. +</P> + +<P> +The Reiz, or captains of the galleys, three hundred, at ten aspers, and +amounteth in English money, by the year, the sum of six thousand five +hundred threescore and ten pounds. +</P> + +<P> +The Alechingi, masters of the said galleys, three hundred, at seven +aspers, four thousand five hundred fourscore and nineteen pounds. +</P> + +<P> +The Getti, boatswains thereof, three hundred, at six aspers, is three +thousand nine hundred forty and two pounds. +</P> + +<P> +The Oda Bassi, pursers, three hundred, at five aspers, maketh three +thousand two hundred and fourscore pounds. +</P> + +<P> +The Azappi, soldiers, two thousand six hundred, at four aspers, whereof +the five hundred do continually keep the galleys, two-and-twenty +thousand seven hundred fourscore and six pounds. +</P> + +<P> +The Mariers Bassi, masters over the shipwrights and caulkers of the +navy, nine, at twenty aspers the piece, amounteth to three thousand +fourscore and four pounds, four shillings. +</P> + +<P> +The Master Dassi, shipwrights and caulkers, one thousand, at fourteen +aspers, and amounteth to, by the year, thirty thousand six hundred and +threescore pounds. +</P> + +<P> +Summa totalis of daily payments amounteth by the year sterling one +million nine hundred threescore eight thousand seven hundred and +thirtyfive pounds, nineteen shillings, and eight pence, answered +quarterly without default with the sum of four hundred fourscore twelve +thousand one hundred fourscore and four pounds, four shillings, and +eleven pence, and is for every day five thousand three hundred +fourscore and thirteen pounds, fifteen shillings, and ten pence. +</P> + +<BR><BR> + +<P CLASS="noindent"> +ANNUITIES OF LANDS NEVER IMPROVED FIVE TIMES MORE IN VALUE THAN THEIR +SUMS MENTIONED, GIVEN BY THE SAID GRAND SIGNIOR AS FOLLOWETH: +</P> + +<P> +To the Viceroy for his timar or annuity, 60,000 gold ducats. +</P> + +<P> +To the second pasha for his annuity, 50,000 ducats. +</P> + +<P> +To the third pasha for his annuity, 40,000 ducats. +</P> + +<P> +To the fourth pasha for his annuity, 30,000 ducats. +</P> + +<P> +To the fifth pasha for his annuity, 20,000 ducats. +</P> + +<P> +To the captain of the janisaries, 20,000 ducats. +</P> + +<P> +To the Jou Merhor Bassi, master of his horse, 15,000 ducats. +</P> + +<P> +To the captain of the pensioners, 10,000 ducats. +</P> + +<P> +To the captain of his guard, 5,000 ducats. +</P> + +<P> +Summa totalis, 90,000 livres sterling. +</P> + +<P> +Besides these above specified be sundry other annuities, given to +divers others of his aforesaid officers, as also to certain persons +called Sahims, diminishing from three thousand to two hundred ducats, +esteemed treble to surmount the annuity abovesaid. +</P> + +<BR><BR> + +<P CLASS="noindent"> +THE TURK'S CHIEF OFFICERS. +</P> + +<P> +The Viceroy is high treasurer, notwithstanding that under him be three +sub-treasurers, called Testaders, which be accountable to him of the +receipts out of Europe, Asia, and Africa, save their yearly annuity of +lands. +</P> + +<P> +The Lord Chancellor is called Nissangi Pasha, who sealeth with a +certain proper character such licenses, safe-conducts, passports, +especial grants, etc., as proceed from the Grand Signior; +notwithstanding all letters to foreign princes so firmed be after +enclosed in a bag and sealed by the Grand Signior, with a signet which +he ordinarily weareth about his neck, credited of them to have been of +ancient appertaining to King Solomon the Wise. +</P> + +<P> +The Admiral giveth his voice in the election of all begies, captains of +islands (to whom he giveth their charge), as also appointeth the +sub-pashas, bailies or constables over cities and towns upon the +sea-coasts about Constantinople and in the Archipelago, whereof he +reapeth great profit. +</P> + +<P> +The Sub-Bassi of Pera payeth him nearly fifteen thousand ducats, and so +likewise either of the others, according as they are placed. +</P> + +<P> +The Resistop serveth in office to the Viceroy and Chancellor as +secretary, and so likewise doth the Cogy, Master of the Rolls, before +which two pass all writings presented to or granted by the said Viceroy +and Chancellor, offices of especial credit and like profit, moreover +rewarded with annuities of lands. +</P> + +<P> +There be also two chief judges named Ladies Lisguire, the one over +Europe and the other over Asia and Africa, which in court do sit on the +bench at the left hand of the pashas. These sell all offices to the +under-judges of the land called Cadies, whereof is one in every city or +town, before whom all matters of controversy are by judgment decided, +as also penalties and corrections for crimes ordained to be executed +upon the offenders by the Sub-bassi. +</P> + +<BR><BR> + +<P CLASS="noindent"> +THE NUMBER OF SOLDIERS CONTINUALLY ATTENDING UPON THE BEGLERBEGS, THE +GOVERNORS OF PROVINCES, AND SANGIACKS, AND THEIR PETTY CAPTAINS +MAINTAINED OF THESE PROVINCES. +</P> + +<PRE> + The Beglerbegs of . . . Persons. + + Graecia 40,000 + Buda 15,000 + Slavonia 15,000 + Anatolia 15,000 + Caramania 15,000 + Armenia 18,000 + Persia 20,000 + Usdrum 15,000 + Chirusta 15,000 + Caraemiti 30,000 + Giersul 32,000 + Bagdad 25,000 + Balsara 22,000 + Lassaija 17,000 + Aleppo 25,000 + Damascus 17,000 + Cairo 12,000 + Abes 12,000 + Mecca 8,000 + Cyprus 18,000 + Tunis, in Barbary 8,000 + Tripolis, in Syria 8,000 + Algiers 40,000 +</PRE> + +<P> +Whose sangiacks and petty captains be three hundred and sixty-eight, +every of which retaining continually in pay from five hundred to two +hundred soldiers, may be, one with another, at least three hundred +thousand persons. +</P> + +<BR><BR> + +<P CLASS="noindent"> +CHIEF OFFICERS IN HIS SERAGLIO ABOUT HIS PERSON BE THESE: +</P> + +<P CLASS="noindent"> + Capiaga, high porter.<BR> + Alnader Bassi, treasurer.<BR> + Oda Bassi, chamberlain.<BR> + Killergi Bassi, steward.<BR> + Saraiaga, controller.<BR> + Peskerolen, groom of the chamber.<BR> + Edostoglan, gentleman of the ewer.<BR> + Sehetaraga, armour-bearer.<BR> + Choataraga, he that carrieth his riding cloak. + Ebietaraga, groom of the stool.<BR> +</P> + +<P> +There be many other meaner offices, which I esteem superfluous to +write. +</P> + +<BR><BR> + +<P CLASS="noindent"> +THE TURK'S YEARLY REVENUE. +</P> + +<P> +The Grand Signior's annual revenue is said to be fourteen millions and +a half of golden ducats, which is sterling five millions eightscore +thousand pounds. +</P> + +<P> +The tribute paid by the Christians, his subjects, is one gold ducat +yearly for the redemption of every head, which may amount unto not so +little as one million of golden ducats, which is sterling three hundred +and threescore thousand pounds. +</P> + +<P> +Moreover, in time of war he exacteth manifold sums, for maintenance of +his army and navy, of the said Christians. +</P> + +<P> +The Emperor payeth him yearly tribute for Hungary threescore thousand +dollars, which is sterling thirteen thousand pounds, besides presents +to the Viceroy and pashas, which are said to surmount twenty thousand +dollars. +</P> + +<BR><BR> + +<P CLASS="noindent"> +AMBASSADORS' ALLOWANCES. +</P> + +<P> +The ambassador of the Emperor is allowed one thousand aspers the day. +</P> + +<P> +The ambassador of the French king heretofore enjoyed the like; but of +late years, by means of displeasure conceived by Mahomet, then Viceroy, +it was reduced to six crowns the day, besides the provision of his +esquire of stable. +</P> + +<P> +The ambassador of Poland and for the State of Venice are not Ledgers as +these two abovesaid. The said Polack is allowed twelve French crowns +the day during his abode, which may be for a month. Very seldom do the +State of Venice send any ambassador otherwise than enforced of urgent +necessity; but instead thereof keep there their agent, president over +their merchants, of them termed a bailiff, who hath no allowance of the +Grand Signior, although his port and state is in manner as magnifical +as the other aforesaid ambassadors'. The Spanish ambassador was equal +with others in janisaries; but for so much as he would not, according +to custom, follow the list of other ambassadors in making presents to +the Grand Signior, he had no allowance. His abode there was three +years, at the end whereof, having concluded a truce for six years, +taking place from his first coming in November last past, he was never +admitted to the presence of the Grand Signior. +</P> + +<BR> + +<HR ALIGN="center" WIDTH="60%"> + +<BR> + +<P CLASS="noindent"> +A TRUE REPORT OF A WORTHY FIGHT, PERFORMED IN THE VOYAGE FROM TURKEY BY +FIVE SHIPS OF LONDON, AGAINST ELEVEN GALLEYS AND TWO FRIGATES OF THE +KING OF SPAIN'S, AT PANTALAREA, WITHIN THE STRAITS, ANNO 1586. WRITTEN +BY PHILIP JONES. +</P> + +<P> +The merchants of London, being of the incorporation for the Turkey +trade, having received intelligences and advertisements from time to +time that the King of Spain, grudging at the prosperity of this +kingdom, had not only of late arrested all English ships, bodies, and +goods in Spain, but also, maligning the quiet traffic which they used, +to and in the dominions and provinces under the obedience of the Great +Turk, had given orders to the captains of his galleys in the Levant to +hinder the passage of all English ships, and to endeavour by their best +means to intercept, take, and spoil them, their persons and goods; they +hereupon thought it their best course to set out their fleet for Turkey +in such strength and ability for their defence that the purpose of +their Spanish enemy might the better be prevented, and the voyage +accomplished with greater security to the men and ships. For which +cause, five tall and stout ships appertaining to London, and intending +only a merchant's voyage, were provided and furnished with all things +belonging to the seas, the names whereof were these:— +</P> + +<P CLASS="noindent"> + 1. The Merchant Royal, a very brave and goodly ship, and of great report.<BR> + 2. The Toby.<BR> + 3. The Edward Bonaventure.<BR> + 4. The William and John.<BR> + 5. The Susan.<BR> +</P> + +<P> +These five departing from the coast of England in the month of +November, 1585, kept together as one fleet till they came as high as +the isle of Sicily, within the Levant. And there, according to the +order and direction of the voyage, each ship began to take leave of the +rest, and to separate himself, setting his course for the particular +port whereunto he was bound—one for Tripolis in Syria, another for +Constantinople, the chief city of the Turk's empire, situated upon the +coast of Roumelia, called of old Thracia, and the rest to those places +whereunto they were privately appointed. But before they divided +themselves, they altogether consulted of and about a certain and +special place for their meeting again after the lading of their goods +at their several ports. And in conclusion, the general agreement was +to meet at Zante, an island near to the main continent of the west part +of Morea, well known to all the pilots, and thought to be the fittest +place for their rendezvous; concerning which meeting it was also +covenanted on each side and promised that whatsoever ship of these five +should first arrive at Zante, should there stay and expect the coming +of the rest of the fleet for the space of twenty days. This being +done, each man made his best haste, according as wind and weather would +serve him, to fulfil his course and to despatch his business; and no +need was there to admonish or encourage any man, seeing no time was +ill-spent nor opportunity omitted on any side in the performance of +each man's duty, according to his place. +</P> + +<P> +It fell out that the Toby, which was bound for Constantinople, had made +such good speed, and gotten such good weather, that she first of all +the rest came back to the appointed place of Zante, and not forgetting +the former conclusion, did there cast anchor, attending the arrival of +the rest of the fleet, which accordingly (their business first +performed) failed not to keep promise. The first next after the Toby +was the Royal Merchant, which, together with the William and John, came +from Tripolis in Syria, and arrived in Zante within the compass of the +aforesaid time limited. These ships, in token of the joy on all parts +conceived for their happy meeting, spared not the discharging of their +ordnance, the sounding of drums and trumpets, the spreading of ensigns, +with other warlike and joyful behaviours, expressing by these outward +signs the inward gladness of their minds, being all as ready to join +together in mutual consent to resist the cruel enemy, as now in +sporting manner they made mirth and pastime among themselves. These +three had not been long in the haven but the Edward Bonaventure, +together with the Susan her consort, were come from Venice with their +lading, the sight of whom increased the joy of the rest, and they, no +less glad of the presence of the others, saluted them in most friendly +and kind sort, according to the manner of the seas. And whereas some +of these ships stood at that instant in some want of victuals, they +were all content to stay in the port till the necessities of each ship +were supplied, and nothing wanted to set out for their return. +</P> + +<P> +In this port of Zante the news was fresh and current of two several +armies and fleets, provided by the King of Spain, and lying in wait to +intercept them: the one consisting of thirty strong galleys, so well +appointed in all respects for the war that no necessary thing wanted, +and this fleet hovered about the Straits of Gibraltar. The other army +had in it twenty galleys, whereof some were of Sicily and some of the +island of Malta, under the charge and government of John Andreas Dorea, +a captain of name serving the King of Spain. These two divers and +strong fleets waited and attended in the seas for none but the English +ships, and no doubt made their account and sure reckoning that not a +ship should escape their fury. And the opinion also of the inhabitants +of the isle of Zante was, that in respect of the number of galleys in +both these armies having received such strait commandment from the +king, our ships and men being but few and little in comparison of them, +it was a thing in human reason impossible that we should pass either +without spoiling, if we resisted, or without composition at the least, +and acknowledgment of duty to the Spanish king. +</P> + +<P> +But it was neither the report of the attendance of these armies, nor +the opinions of the people, nor anything else, that could daunt or +dismay the courage of our men, who, grounding themselves upon the +goodness of their cause and the promise of God to be delivered from +such as without reason sought their destruction, carried resolute minds +notwithstanding all impediments to adventure through the seas, and to +finish their navigation maugre the beards of the Spanish soldiers. But +lest they should seem too careless and too secure of their estate, and +by laying the whole and entire burden of their safety upon God's +Providence should foolishly presume altogether of His help, and neglect +the means which was put into their hands, they failed not to enter into +counsel among themselves and to deliberate advisedly for their best +defence. And in the end, with general consent, the Merchant Royal was +appointed Admiral of the fleet, and the Toby Vice-Admiral, by whose +orders the rest promised to be directed, and each ship vowed not to +break from another whatsoever extremity should fall out, but to stand +to it to the death, for the honour of their country and the frustrating +of the hope of the ambitious and proud enemy. +</P> + +<P> +Thus in good order they left Zante and the Castle of Grecia, and +committed themselves again to the seas, and proceeded in their course +and voyage in quietness, without sight of any enemy till they came near +to Pantalarea, an island so called betwixt Sicily and the coast of +Africa; into sight whereof they came the 13th day of July, 1586. And +the same day, in the morning, about seven of the clock, they descried +thirteen sails in number, which were of the galleys lying in wait of +purpose for them in and about that place. As soon as the English ships +had spied them, they by-and-bye, according to a common order, made +themselves ready for a fight, laid out their ordnance, scoured, +charged, and primed them, displayed their ensigns, and left nothing +undone to arm themselves thoroughly. In the meantime, the galleys more +and more approached the ships, and in their banners there appeared the +arms of the isles of Sicily and Malta, being all as then in the service +and pay of the Spaniard. Immediately both the Admirals of the galleys +sent from each of them a frigate to the Admiral of our English ships, +which being come near them, the Sicilian frigate first hailed them, and +demanded of them whence they were; they answered that they were of +England, the arms whereof appeared in their colours. Whereupon the +said frigate expostulated with them, and asked why they delayed to send +or come with their captains and pursers to Don Pedro de Leiva, their +General, to acknowledge their duty and obedience to him, in the name of +the Spanish king, lord of those seas. Our men replied and said that +they owed no such duty nor obedience to him, and therefore would +acknowledge none; but commanded the frigate to depart with that answer, +and not to stay longer upon her peril. With that away she went; and up +came towards them the other frigate of Malta; and she in like sort +hailed the Admiral, and would needs know whence they were and where +they had been. Our Englishmen in the Admiral, not disdaining an +answer, told them that they were of England, merchants of London, had +been in Turkey, and were now returning home; and to be requited in this +case, they also demanded of the frigate whence she and the rest of the +galleys were. The messenger answered, "We are of Malta, and for mine +own part, my name is Cavalero. These galleys are in service and pay to +the King of Spain, under the conduct of Don Pedro de Leiva, a nobleman +of Spain who hath been commanded hither by the king with this present +force and army of purpose to intercept you. You shall therefore," +quoth he, "do well to repair to him to know his pleasure; he is a +nobleman of good behaviour and courtesy, and means you no ill." The +captain of the English Admiral, whose name was Master Edward Wilkinson, +now one of the six masters of Her Majesty's Royal Navy, replied and +said, "We purpose not at this time to make trial of Don Pedro his +courtesy, whereof we are suspicious and doubtful, and not without good +cause;" using withal good words to the messenger, and willing him to +come aboard him, promising security and good usage, that thereby he +might the better know the Spaniard's mind. Whereupon he indeed left +his frigate and came aboard him, whom he entertained in friendly sort, +and caused a cup of wine to be drawn for him, which he took, and began, +with his cap in his hand and with reverent terms, to drink to the +health of the Queen of England, speaking very honourably of Her +Majesty, and giving good speeches of the courteous usage and +entertainment that he himself had received in London at the time that +the Duke of Alencon, brother to the late French king, was last in +England. And after he had well drunk, he took his leave, speaking well +of the sufficiency and goodness of our ships, and especially of the +Merchant Royal, which he confessed to have seen before, riding in the +Thames near London. He was no sooner come to Don Pedro de Leiva, the +Spanish General, but he was sent off again, and returned to the English +Admiral, saying that the pleasure of the General was this, that either +their captains, masters, and pursers should come to him with speed, or +else he would set upon them, and either take them or sink them. The +reply was made by Master Wilkinson aforesaid that not a man should come +to him; and for the brag and threat of Don Pedro, it was not that +Spanish bravado that should make them yield a jot to their hindrance, +but they were as ready to make resistance as he to offer an injury. +Whereupon Cavalero the messenger left bragging, and began to persuade +them in quiet sort and with many words; but all his labour was to no +purpose, and as his threat did nothing terrify them, so his persuasion +did nothing move them to do that which he required. At the last he +entreated to have the merchant of the Admiral carried by him as a +messenger to the General, that so he might be satisfied and assured of +their minds by one of their own company. But Master Wilkinson would +agree to no such thing; although Richard Rowit, the merchant himself, +seemed willing to be employed in that message, and laboured by +reasonable persuasions to induce Master Wilkinson to grant it—as +hoping to be an occasion by his presence and discreet answers to +satisfy the General, and thereby to save the effusion of Christian +blood, if it should grow to a battle. And he seemed so much the more +willing to be sent, by how much deeper the oaths and protestations of +this Cavalero were, that he would (as he was a true knight and a +soldier) deliver him back again in safety to his company. Albeit, +Master Wilkinson, who, by his long experience, had received sufficient +trial of Spanish inconstancy and perjury, wished him in no case to put +his life and liberty in hazard upon a Spaniard's oath; but at last, +upon much entreaty, he yielded to let him go to the General, thinking +indeed that good speeches and answers of reason would have contented +him, whereas, otherwise, refusal to do so might peradventure have +provoked the more discontentment. +</P> + +<P> +Master Rowit, therefore, passing to the Spanish General, the rest of +the galleys, having espied him, thought, indeed, that the English were +rather determined to yield than to fight, and therefore came flocking +about the frigate, every man crying out, "Que nuevas? que nuevas? Have +these Englishmen yielded?" The frigate answered, "Not so; they neither +have nor purpose to yield. Only they have sent a man of their company +to speak with our General." And being come to the galley wherein he +was, he showed himself to Master Rowit in his armour, his guard of +soldiers attending upon him, in armour also, and began to speak very +proudly in this sort: "Thou Englishman, from whence is your fleet? +Why stand ye aloof off? know ye not your duty to the Catholic king, +whose person I here represent? Where are your bills of lading, your +letters, passports, and the chief of your men? Think ye my attendance +in these seas to be in vain, or my person to no purpose? Let all these +things be done out of hand, as I command, upon pain of my further +displeasure, and the spoil of you all." These words of the Spanish +General were not so outrageously pronounced, as they were mildly +answered by Master Rowit, who told him that they were all merchantmen, +using traffic in honest sort, and seeking to pass quietly, if they were +not urged further than reason. As for the King of Spain, he thought +(for his part) that there was amity betwixt him and his Sovereign, the +Queen of England, so that neither he nor his officers should go about +to offer any such injury to English merchants, who, as they were far +from giving offence to any man, so they would be loth to take an abuse +at the hands of any, or sit down to their loss, where their ability was +able to make defence. And as touching his commandment aforesaid for +the acknowledging of duty in such particular sort, he told him that, +where there was no duty owing there none should be performed, assuring +him that their whole company and ships in general stood resolutely upon +the negative, and would not yield to any such unreasonable demand, +joined with such imperious and absolute manner of commanding. "Why, +then," said he, "if they will neither come to yield, nor show obedience +to me in the name of my king, I will either sink them or bring them to +harbour; and so tell them from me." With that the frigate came away +with Master Rowit, and brought him aboard to the English Admiral again, +according to promise, who was no sooner entered in but by-and-bye +defiance was sounded on both sides. The Spaniards hewed off the noses +of the galleys, that nothing might hinder the level of the shot; and +the English, on the other side, courageously prepared themselves to the +combat, every man, according to his room, bent to perform his office +with alacrity and diligence. In the meantime a cannon was discharged +from out the Admiral of the galleys, which, being the onset of the +fight, was presently answered by the English Admiral with a culverin; +so the skirmish began, and grew hot and terrible. There was no powder +nor shot spared, each English ship matched itself in good order against +two Spanish galleys, besides the inequality of the frigates on the +Spanish side. And although our men performed their parts with singular +valour, according to their strength, insomuch that the enemy, as amazed +therewith, would oftentimes pause and stay, and consult what was best +to be done, yet they ceased not in the midst of their business to make +prayer to Almighty God, the revenger of all evils and the giver of +victories, that it would please Him to assist them in this good quarrel +of theirs, in defending themselves against so proud a tyrant, to teach +their hands to war and their fingers to fight, that the glory of the +victory might redound to His name, and to the honour of true religion, +which the insolent enemy sought so much to overthrow. Contrarily, the +foolish Spaniards, they cried out, according to their manner, not to +God, but to our Lady (as they term the Virgin Mary) saying, "Oh, Lady, +help! Oh, blessed Lady, give us the victory, and the honour thereof +shall be thine." Thus with blows and prayers on both sides, the fight +continued furious and sharp, and doubtful a long time to which part the +victory would incline, till at last the Admiral of the galleys of +Sicily began to warp from the fight, and to hold up her side for fear +of sinking, and after her went also two others in like case, whom all +the sort of them enclosed, labouring by all their means to keep them +above water, being ready by the force of English shot which they had +received to perish in the seas. And what slaughter was done among the +Spaniards the English were uncertain, but by a probable conjecture +apparent afar off they supposed their loss was so great that they +wanted men to continue the charging of their pieces; whereupon with +shame and dishonour, after five hours spent in the battle, they +withdrew themselves. And the English, contented in respect of their +deep lading rather to continue their voyage than to follow in the +chase, ceased from further blows, with the loss of only two men slain +amongst them all, and another hurt in his arm, whom Master Wilkinson, +with his good words and friendly promises, did so comfort that he +nothing esteemed the smart of his wound, in respect of the honour of +the victory and the shameful repulse of the enemy. +</P> + +<P> +Thus, with dutiful thanks to the mercy of God for His gracious +assistance in that danger, the English ships proceeded in their +navigation. And coming as high as Algiers, a port town upon the coast +of Barbary, they made for it, of purpose to refresh themselves after +their weariness, and to take in such supply of fresh water and victuals +as they needed. They were no sooner entered into the port but +immediately the king thereof sent a messenger to the ships to know what +they were. With which messenger the chief master of every ship +repaired to the king, and acquainted him not only with the state of +their ships in respect of merchandise, but with the late fight which +they had passed with the Spanish galleys, reporting every particular +circumstance in word as it fell out in action; whereof the said king +showed himself marvellous glad, entertaining them in the best sort, and +promising abundant relief of all their wants; making general +proclamation in the city, upon pain of death, that no man, of what +degree or state soever he were, should presume either to hinder them in +their affairs or to offer them any manner of injury in body or goods; +by virtue whereof they despatched all things in excellent good sort +with all favour and peaceableness. Only such prisoners and captives of +the Spaniards as were in the city, seeing the good usage which they +received, and hearing also what service they had performed against the +foresaid galleys, grudged exceedingly against them, and sought as much +as they could to practise some mischief against them. And one amongst +the rest, seeing an Englishman alone in a certain lane of the city, +came upon him suddenly, and with his knife thrust him in the side, yet +made no such great wound but that it was easily recovered. The English +company, hearing of it, acquainted the king of the fact; who +immediately sent both for the party that had received the wound and the +offender also, and caused an executioner, in the presence of himself +and the English, to chastise the slave even to death, which was +performed, to the end that no man should presume to commit the like +part or to do anything in contempt of his royal commandment. +</P> + +<P> +The English, having received this good justice at the king's hands, and +all other things that they wanted or could crave for the furnishing of +their ships, took their leave of him, and of the rest of their friends +that were resident in Algiers, and put out to sea, looking to meet with +the second army of the Spanish king, which waited for them about the +mouth of the Strait of Gibraltar, which they were of necessity to pass. +But coming near to the said strait, it pleased God to raise, at that +instant, a very dark and misty fog, so that one ship could not discern +another if it were forty paces off, by means whereof, together with the +notable fair Eastern winds that then blew most fit for their course, +they passed with great speed through the strait, and might have passed, +with that good gale, had there been five hundred galleys to withstand +them and the air never so clear for every ship to be seen. But yet the +Spanish galleys had a sight of them, when they were come within three +English miles of the town, and made after them with all possible haste; +and although they saw that they were far out of their reach, yet in a +vain fury and foolish pride, they shot off their ordnance and made a +stir in the sea as if they had been in the midst of them, which vanity +of theirs ministered to our men notable matter of pleasure and mirth, +seeing men to fight with shadows and to take so great pains to so small +purpose. +</P> + +<P> +But thus it pleased God to deride and delude all the forces of that +proud Spanish king, which he had provided of purpose to distress the +English; who, notwithstanding, passed through both his armies—in the +one, little hurt, and in the other, nothing touched, to the glory of +His immortal name, the honour of our prince and country, and the just +commendation of each man's service performed in that voyage. +</P> + +<BR> + +<HR ALIGN="center" WIDTH="60%"> + +<BR> + +<P CLASS="noindent"> +THE UNFORTUNATE VOYAGE MADE WITH THE JESUS, THE MINION, AND FOUR OTHER +SHIPS, TO THE PARTS OF GUINEA AND THE WEST INDIES, IN THE YEARS 1567 +AND 1568. BY MASTER JOHN HAWKINS. +</P> + +<P> +The ships departed from Plymouth the 2nd day of October, anno 1567, and +had reasonable weather until the seventh day, at which time, forty +leagues north from Cape Finisterre, there arose an extreme storm which +continued four days, in such sort that the fleet was dispersed and all +our great boats lost, and the Jesus, our chief ship, in such case as +not thought able to serve the voyage. Whereupon in the same storm we +set our course homeward, determining to give over the voyage; but the +11th day of the same month the wind changed, with fair weather, whereby +we were animated to follow our enterprise, and so did, directing our +course to the islands of Grand Canaries, where, according to an order +before prescribed, all our ships, before dispersed, met in one of those +islands, called Gomera, where we took water, and departed from thence +the 4th day of November towards the coast of Guinea, and arrived at +Cape Verde the 18th of November, where we landed one hundred and fifty +men, hoping to obtain some negroes; where we got but few, and those +with great hurt and damage to our men, which chiefly proceeded from +their envenomed arrows; although in the beginning they seemed to be but +small hurts, yet there hardly escaped any that had blood drawn of them +but died in strange sort, with their mouths shut, some ten days before +they died, and after their wounds were whole; where I myself had one of +the greatest wounds, yet, thanks be to God, escaped. From thence we +passed the time upon the coast of Guinea, searching with all diligence +the rivers from Rio Grande unto Sierra Leone till the 12th of January, +in which time we had not gotten together a hundred and fifty negroes: +yet, notwithstanding the sickness of our men and the late time of the +year commanded us away: and thus having nothing wherewith to seek the +coast of the West Indies, I was with the rest of our company in +consultation to go to the coast of the Myne, hoping there to have +obtained some gold for our wares, and thereby to have defrayed our +charge. But even in that present instant there came to us a negro sent +from a king oppressed by other kings, his neighbours, desiring our aid, +with promise that as many negroes as by these wars might be obtained, +as well of his part as of ours, should be at our pleasure. Whereupon +we concluded to give aid, and sent one hundred and twenty of our men, +which the 15th of January assaulted a town of the negroes of our +allies' adversaries which had in it 8,000 inhabitants, and very +strongly impaled and fenced after their manner, but it was so well +defended that our men prevailed not, but lost six men, and forty hurt, +so that our men sent forthwith to me for more help; whereupon, +considering that the good success of this enterprise might highly +further the commodity of our voyage, I went myself, and with the help +of the king of our side assaulted the town, both by land and sea, and +very hardly with fire (their houses being covered with dry palm leaves) +obtained the town, and put the inhabitants to flight, where we took 250 +persons, men, women, and children, and by our friend the king of our +side there were taken 600 prisoners, whereof we hoped to have our +choice, but the negro (in which nation is seldom or never found truth) +meant nothing less; for that night he removed his camp and prisoners, +so that we were fain to content us with those few which we had gotten +ourselves. +</P> + +<P> +Now had we obtained between four and five hundred negroes, wherewith we +thought it somewhat reasonable to seek the coast of the West Indies, +and there, for our negroes, and other our merchandise, we hoped to +obtain whereof to countervail our charges with some gains, whereunto we +proceeded with all diligence, furnished our watering, took fuel, and +departed the coast of Guinea, the third of February, continuing at the +sea with a passage more hard than before hath been accustomed, till the +27th day of March, which day we had sight of an island, called +Dominique, upon the coast of the West Indies, in fourteen degrees: +from thence we coasted from place to place, making our traffic with the +Spaniards as we might, somewhat hardly, because the king had straitly +commanded all his governors in those parts by no means to suffer any +trade to be made with us; notwithstanding we had reasonable trade, and +courteous entertainment, from the Isle of Marguerite and Cartagena, +without anything greatly worth the noting, saving at Cape de la Vela, +in a town called Rio de la Hacha, from whence come all the pearls. The +treasurer who had the charge there would by no means agree to any +trade, or suffer us to take water. He had fortified his town with +divers bulwarks in all places where it might be entered, and furnished +himself with a hundred harquebusiers, so that he thought by famine to +have enforced us to have put on land our negroes, of which purpose he +had not greatly failed unless we had by force entered the town; which +(after we could by no means obtain his favour) we were enforced to do, +and so with two hundred men brake in upon their bulwarks, and entered +the town with the loss only of eleven men of our parts, and no hurt +done to the Spaniards, because after their volley of shot discharged, +they all fled. +</P> + +<P> +Thus having the town, with some circumstance, as partly by the +Spaniards' desire of negroes, and partly by friendship of the +treasurer, we obtained a secret trade; whereupon the Spaniards resorted +to us by night, and bought of us to the number of two hundred negroes: +in all other places where we traded the Spaniards inhabitants were glad +of us, and traded willingly. +</P> + +<P> +At Cartagena, the last town we thought to have seen on the coast, we +could by no means obtain to deal with any Spaniard, the governor was so +strait, and because our trade was so near finished, we thought not good +either to adventure any landing or to detract further time, but in +peace departed from thence the 24th of July, hoping to have escaped the +time of their storms, which then soon after began to reign, the which +they call Furicanos; but passing by the west end of Cuba, towards the +coast of Florida, there happened to us, the twelfth day of August, an +extreme storm, which continued by the space of four days, which so beat +the Jesus, that we cut down all her higher buildings; her rudder also +was sore shaken, and, withal, was in so extreme a leak, that we were +rather upon the point to leave her than to keep her any longer; yet, +hoping to bring all to good pass, sought the coast of Florida, where we +found no place nor haven for our ships, because of the shallowness of +the coast. Thus, being in greater despair, and taken with a new storm, +which continued other three days, we were enforced to take for our +succour the port which serveth the city of Mexico, called St. John de +Ullua, which standeth in nineteen degrees, in seeking of which port we +took in our way three ships, which carried passengers to the number of +one hundred, which passengers we hoped should be a means to us the +better to obtain victuals for our money and a quiet place for the +repairing of our fleet. Shortly after this, the sixteenth of +September, we entered the port of St. John de Ullua, and in our entry, +the Spaniards thinking us to be the fleet of Spain, the chief officers +of the country came aboard us, which, being deceived of their +expectation, were greatly dismayed, but immediately, when they saw our +demand was nothing but victuals, were recomforted. I found also in the +same port twelve ships, which had in them, by the report, 200,000 +livres in gold and silver, all which (being in my possession with the +King's island, as also the passengers before in my way thitherward +stayed) I set at liberty, without the taking from them the weight of a +groat; only, because I would not be delayed of my despatch, I stayed +two men of estimation, and sent post immediately to Mexico, which was +two hundred miles from us, to the presidents and Council there, showing +them of our arrival there by the force of weather, and the necessity of +the repair of our ship and victuals, which wants we required, as +friends to King Philip, to be furnished of for our money, and that the +presidents in council there should, with all convenient speed, take +order that at the arrival of the Spanish fleet, which was daily looked +for, there might no cause of quarrel rise between us and them, but, for +the better maintenance of amity, their commandment might be had in that +behalf. This message being sent away the 16th day of September, at +night, being the very day of our arrival, in the next morning, which +was the sixteenth day of the same month, we saw open of the haven +thirteen great ships, and understanding them to be the fleet of Spain, +I sent immediately to advertise the general of the fleet of my being +there, doing him to understand that, before I would suffer them to +enter the port, there should be some order of conditions pass between +us for our safe being there and maintenance of peace. Now, it is to be +understood that this port is a little island of stones, not three feet +above the water in the highest place, and but a bow-shot of length any +way. This island standeth from the mainland two bow-shots or more. +Also it is to be understood that there is not in all this coast any +other place for ships to arrive in safety, because the north wind hath +there such violence, that, unless the ships be very safely moored, with +their anchors fastened upon this island, there is no remedy for these +north winds but death; also, the place of the haven was so little, that +of necessity the ships must ride one aboard the other, so that we could +not give place to them nor they to us; and here I began to bewail the +which after followed: "For now," said I, "I am in two dangers, and +forced to receive the one of them." That was, either I must have kept +out the fleet from entering the port (the which, with God's help, I was +very well able to do), or else suffer them to enter in with their +accustomed treason, which they never fail to execute where they may +have opportunity, or circumvent it by any means. If I had kept them +out, then had there been present shipwreck of all the fleet, which +amounted in value to six millions, which was in value of our money +1,800,000 livres, which I considered I was not able to answer, fearing +the Queen's Majesty's indignation in so weighty a matter. Thus with +myself revolving the doubts, I thought rather better to abide the jutt +of the uncertainty than the certainty. The uncertain doubt was their +treason, which by good policy I hoped might be prevented; and +therefore, as choosing the least mischief, I proceeded to conditions. +Now was our first messenger come and returned from the fleet with +report of the arrival of a Viceroy, so that he had authority, both in +all this province of Mexico (otherwise called Nova Hispania) and in the +sea, who sent us word that we should send our conditions, which of his +part should (for the better maintenance of amity between the princes) +be both favourably granted and faithfully performed, with many fair +words how, passing the coast of the Indies, he had understood of our +honest behaviour towards the inhabitants, where we had to do as well +elsewhere as in the same port, the which I let pass, thus following our +demand. We required victual for our money, and licence to sell as much +ware as might furnish our wants, and that there might be of either part +twelve gentlemen as hostage for the maintenance of peace, and that the +island, for our better safety, might be in our own possession during +our abode there, and such ordnance as was planted in the same island, +which was eleven pieces of brass, and that no Spaniard might land in +the island with any kind of weapon. +</P> + +<P> +These conditions at the first he somewhat misliked—chiefly the guard +of the island to be in our own keeping; which, if they had had, we had +soon known our fate; for with the first north wind they had cut our +cables, and our ships had gone ashore; but in the end he concluded to +our request, bringing the twelve hostages to ten, which with all speed +on either part were received, with a writing from the Viceroy, signed +with his hand and sealed with his seal, of all the conditions +concluded, and forthwith a trumpet blown, with commandment that none of +either part should inviolate the peace upon pain of death; and, +further, it was concluded that the two generals of the fleet should +meet, and give faith each to other for the performance of the promises, +which was so done. +</P> + +<P> +Thus, at the end of three days, all was concluded, and the fleet +entered the port, saluting one another as the manner of the sea doth +require. Thus, as I said before, Thursday we entered the port, Friday +we saw the fleet, and on Monday, at night, they entered the port; then +we laboured two days, placing the English ships by themselves, and the +Spanish ships by themselves, the captains of each part, and inferior +men of their parts, promising great amity of all sides; which, even as +with all fidelity was meant of our part, though the Spanish meant +nothing less of their parts, but from the mainland had furnished +themselves with a supply of men to the number of one thousand, and +meant the next Thursday, being the 23rd of September, at dinner-time, +to set upon us of all sides. The same Thursday, the treason being at +hand, some appearance showed, as shifting of weapons from ship to ship, +planting and bending of ordnance from the ship to the island where our +men were, passing to and fro of companies of men more than required for +their necessary business, and many other ill likelihoods, which caused +us to have a vehement suspicion, and therewithal sent to the Viceroy to +inquire what was meant by it, which sent immediately straight +commandment to unplant all things suspicious, and also sent word that +he, in the faith of a Viceroy, would be our defence from all +villainies. Yet we, not being satisfied with this answer, because we +suspected a great number of men to be hid in a great ship of nine +hundred tons, which was moored next unto the Minion, sent again unto +the Viceroy the master of the Jesus, which had the Spanish tongue, and +required to be satisfied if any such thing were or not; on which the +Viceroy, seeing that the treason must be discovered, forthwith stayed +our master, blew the trumpet, and of all sides set upon us. Our men +which were on guard ashore, being stricken with sudden fear, gave +place, fled, and sought to recover succour of the ships; the Spaniards, +being before provided for the purpose, landed in all places in +multitudes from their ships, which they could easily do without boats, +and slew all our men ashore without mercy, a few of them escaping +aboard the Jesus. The great ship which had, by the estimation, three +hundred men placed in her secretly, immediately fell aboard the Minion, +which, by God's appointment, in the time of the suspicion we had, which +was only one half-hour, the Minion was made ready to avoid, and so, +loosing her headfasts, and hailing away by the sternfasts, she was +gotten out; thus, with God's help, she defended the violence of the +first brunt of these three hundred men. The Minion being passed out, +they came aboard the Jesus, which also, with very much ado and the loss +of many of our men, were defended and kept out. Then were there also +two other ships that assaulted the Jesus at the same instant, so that +she had hard work getting loose; but yet, with some time, we had cut +our headfasts, and gotten out by the sternfasts. Now, when the Jesus +and the Minion were gotten two ship-lengths from the Spanish fleet, the +fight began hot on all sides, so that within one hour the admiral of +the Spaniards was supposed to be sunk, their vice-admiral burned, and +one other of their principal ships supposed to be sunk, so that the +ships were little to annoy us. +</P> + +<P> +Then is it to be understood that all the ordnance upon the island was +in the Spaniards' hands, which did us so great annoyance that it cut +all the masts and yards of the Jesus in such sort, that there was no +hope to carry her away; also it sank our small ships, whereupon we +determined to place the Jesus on that side of the Minion, that she +might abide all the battery from the land, and so be a defence for the +Minion till night, and then to take such relief of victual and other +necessaries from the Jesus as the time would suffer us, and to leave +her. As we were thus determining, and had placed the Minion from the +shot of the land, suddenly the Spaniards had fired two great ships +which were coming directly to us, and having no means to avoid the +fire, it bred among our men a marvellous fear, so that some said, "Let +us depart with the Minion," others said, "Let us see whether the wind +will carry the fire from us." But to be short, the Minion's men, which +had always their sails in a readiness, thought to make sure work, and +so without either consent of the captain or master, cut their sail, so +that very hardly I was received into the Minion. +</P> + +<P> +The most part of the men that were left alive in the Jesus made shift +and followed the Minion in a small boat, the rest, which the little +boat was not able to receive, were enforced to abide the mercy of the +Spaniards (which I doubt was very little); so with the Minion only, and +the Judith (a small barque of fifty tons) we escaped, which barque the +same night forsook us in our great misery. We were now removed with +the Minion from the Spanish ships two bow-shots, and there rode all +that night. The next morning we recovered an island a mile from the +Spaniards, where there took us a north wind, and being left only with +two anchors and two cables (for in this conflict we lost three cables +and two anchors), we thought always upon death, which ever was present, +but God preserved us to a longer time. +</P> + +<P> +The weather waxed reasonable, and the Saturday we set sail, and having +a great number of men and little victual, our hope of life waxed less +and less. Some desired to yield to the Spaniards, some rather desired +to obtain a place where they might give themselves to the infidels; and +some had rather abide, with a little pittance, the mercy of God at sea. +So thus, with many sorrowful hearts, we wandered in an unknown sea by +the space of fourteen days, till hunger enforced us to seek the land; +for hides were thought very good meat; rats, cats, mice, and dogs, none +escaped that might be gotten; parrots and monkeys, that were had in +great prize, were thought there very profitable if they served the turn +of one dinner. Thus in the end, on the 8th day of October, we came to +the land in the bottom of the same bay of Mexico, in twenty-three +degrees and a half, where we hoped to have found habitations of the +Spaniards, relief of victuals, and place for the repair of our ship, +which was so sore beaten with shot from our enemies, and bruised with +shooting of our own ordnance, that our weary and weak arms were scarce +able to defend and keep out the water. But all things happened to the +contrary, for we found neither people, victual, nor haven of relief, +but a place where, having fair weather, with some peril we might land a +boat. Our people, being forced with hunger, desired to be set aland, +whereunto I concluded. +</P> + +<P> +And such as were willing to land I put apart, and such as were desirous +to go homewards I put apart, so that they were indifferently parted, a +hundred of one side and a hundred of the other side. These hundred men +we set on land with all diligence, in this little place aforesaid, +which being landed, we determined there to refresh our water, and so +with our little remain of victuals to take the sea. +</P> + +<P> +The next day, having on land with me fifty of our hundred men that +remained, for the speedier preparing of our water aboard, there arose +an extreme storm, so that in three days we could by no means repair our +ships. The ship also was in such peril that every hour we looked for +shipwreck. +</P> + +<P> +But yet God again had mercy on us, and sent fair weather. We got +aboard our water, and departed the 16th day of October, after which day +we had fair and prosperous weather till the 16th day of November, which +day, God be praised, we were clear from the coast of the Indians and +out of the channel and gulf of Bahama, which is between the cape of +Florida and the islands of Cuba. After this, growing near to the cold +country, our men, being oppressed with famine, died continually, and +they that were left grew into such weakness that we were scarcely able +to manoeuvre our ship, and the wind being always ill for us to recover +England, determined to go to Galicia, in Spain, with intent there to +relieve our company and other extreme wants. And being arrived the +last day of December, in a place near unto Vigo, called Pontevedra, our +men, with excess of fresh meat, grew into miserable diseases, and died +a great part of them. This matter was borne out as long as it might +be, but in the end, although there was none of our men suffered to go +on land, yet by access of the Spaniards our feebleness was known to +them. Whereupon they ceased not to seek by all means to betray us, but +with all speed possible we departed to Vigo, where we had some help of +certain English ships, and twelve fresh men, wherewith we repaired our +wants as we might, and departing the 30th day of January, 1568, arrived +in Mount's Bay in Cornwall the 25th of the same month, praised be God +therefore. +</P> + +<P> +If all the misery and troublesome affairs of this sorrowful voyage +should be perfectly and thoroughly written, there should need a painful +man with his pen, and as great time as he had that wrote the "Lives and +Deaths of the Martyrs." +<BR><BR> + JOHN HAWKINS.<BR> +</P> + +<BR> + +<HR ALIGN="center" WIDTH="60%"> + +<BR> + +<P CLASS="noindent"> +A DISCOURSE WRITTEN BY ONE MILES PHILLIPS, ENGLISHMAN, ONE OF THE +COMPANY PUT ASHORE IN THE WEST INDIES BY MASTER JOHN HAWKINS IN THE +YEAR 1568, CONTAINING MANY SPECIAL THINGS OF THAT COUNTRY AND OF THE +SPANISH GOVERNMENT, BUT SPECIALLY OF THEIR CRUELTIES USED TO OUR +ENGLISHMEN, AND AMONGST THE REST, TO HIMSELF FOR THE SPACE OF FIFTEEN +OR SIXTEEN YEARS TOGETHER, UNTIL BY GOOD AND HAPPY MEANS HE WAS +DELIVERED FROM THEIR BLOODY HANDS, AND RETURNED TO HIS OWN COUNTRY. +ANNO 1582. +</P> + +<BR><BR> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +THE FIRST CHAPTER. +</H3> + +<P CLASS="noindent"> +WHEREIN IS SHOWN THE DAY AND TIME OF OUR DEPARTURE FROM THE COAST OF +ENGLAND, WITH THE NUMBER AND NAMES OF THE SHIPS, THEIR CAPTAINS AND +MASTERS, AND OF OUR TRAFFIC AND DEALING UPON THE COAST OF AFRICA. +</P> + +<P> +Upon Monday, being the 2nd of October, 1567, the weather being +reasonable fair, our General, Master John Hawkins, having commanded all +his captains and masters to be in a readiness to make sail with him, he +himself being embarked in the Jesus, whereof was appointed for master +Robert Barret, hoisted sail and departed from Plymouth upon his +intended voyage for the parts of Africa and America, being accompanied +with five other sail of ships, as namely the Minion, wherein went for +captain Master John Hampton, and John Garret, master. The William and +John, wherein was Captain Thomas Bolton, and James Raunce, master. The +Judith, in whom was Captain Master Francis Drake, now Knight, and the +Angel, whose master, as also the captain and master of the Swallow, I +now remember not. And so sailing in company together upon our voyage +until the 10th of the same month, an extreme storm then took us near +unto Cape Finisterre, which lasted for the space of four days, and so +separated our ships that we had lost one another, and our General, +finding the Jesus to be but in ill case, was in mind to give over the +voyage and to return home. Howbeit, the eleventh of the same month, +the seas waxing calm and the wind coming fair, he altered his purpose, +and held on the former intended voyage; and so coming to the island of +Gomera, being one of the islands of the Canaries, where, according to +an order before appointed, we met with all our ships which were before +dispersed. We then took in fresh water and departed from thence the +4th of November, and holding on our course, upon the 18th day of the +same month we came to an anchor upon the coast of Africa, at Cape +Verde, in twelve fathoms of water, and here our General landed certain +of our men, to the number of 160 or thereabouts, seeking to take some +negroes. And they, going up into the country for the space of six +miles, were encountered with a great number of the negroes, who with +their envenomed arrows did hurt a great number of our men, so that they +were enforced to retire to the ships, in which conflict they recovered +but a few negroes; and of these our men which were hurt with their +envenomed arrows, there died to the number of seven or eight in very +strange manner, with their mouths shut, so that we were forced to put +sticks and other things into their mouths to keep them open; and so +afterwards passing the time upon the coast of Guinea, until the 12th of +January, we obtained by that time the number of one hundred and fifty +negroes. And being ready to depart from the sea coast, there was a +negro sent as an ambassador to our General, from a king of the negroes, +which was oppressed with other kings, his bordering kings, desiring our +General to grant him succour and aid against those his enemies, which +our General granted unto, and went himself in person on land with the +number of 200 of our men, or thereabouts, and the said king which had +requested our aid, did join his force with ours, so that thereby our +General assaulted and set fire upon a town of the said king his +enemies, in which there was at the least the number of eight or ten +thousand negroes, and they, perceiving that they were not able to make +any resistance, sought by flight to save themselves, in which their +flight there were taken prisoners to the number of eight or nine +hundred, which our General ought to have had for his share; howbeit the +negro king, which requested our aid, falsifying his word and promise, +secretly in the night conveyed himself away with as many prisoners as +he had in his custody; but our General, notwithstanding finding himself +to have now very near the number of 500 negroes, thought it best +without longer abode to depart with them and such merchandise as he had +from the coast of Africa towards the West Indies, and therefore +commanded with all diligence to take in fresh water and fuel, and so +with speed to prepare to depart. Howbeit, before we departed from +thence, in a storm that we had, we lost one of our ships, namely, the +William and John, of which ship and her people we heard no tidings +during the time of our voyage. +</P> + +<BR><BR> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +THE SECOND CHAPTER. +</H3> + +<P CLASS="noindent"> +WHEREIN IS SHOWED THE DAY AND TIME OF OUR DEPARTURE FROM THE COAST OF +AFRICA, WITH THE DAY AND TIME OF OUR ARRIVAL IN THE WEST INDIES, ALSO +OF OUR TRADE AND TRAFFIC THERE, AND ALSO OF THE GREAT CRUELTY THAT THE +SPANIARDS USED TOWARDS US, BY THE VICEROY HIS DIRECTION AND +APPOINTMENT, FALSIFYING HIS FAITH AND PROMISE GIVEN, AND SEEKING TO +HAVE ENTRAPPED US. +</P> + +<P> +All things being made in a readiness at our General his appointment, +upon the 3rd day of February, 1568, we departed from the coast of +Africa, having the weather somewhat tempestuous; which made our passage +the more hard, and sailing so for the space of twenty-five days, upon +the 27th March, 1568, we came in sight of an island called Dominique, +upon the coast of America, in the West Indies, situated in fourteen +degrees of latitude, and two hundred and twenty-two of longitude. From +thence our General coasted from place to place, ever making traffic +with the Spaniards and Indians, as he might, which was somewhat hardly +obtained, for that the king had straitly charged all his governors in +those parts not to trade with any. Yet notwithstanding, during the +months of April and May, our General had reasonable trade and traffic, +and courteous entertainment in sundry places, as at Marguerite, +Corassoa, and elsewhere, until we came to Cape de la Vela, and Rio de +la Hacha (a place from whence all the pearls do come). The governor +there would not by any means permit us to have any trade or traffic, +nor yet suffer us to take in fresh water; by means whereof our General, +for the avoiding of famine and thirst, about the beginning of June was +enforced to land 200 of our men, and so by main force and strength to +obtain that which by no fair means he could procure; and so recovering +the town with the loss of two of our men, there was a secret and +peaceable trade admitted, and the Spaniards came in by night, and +bought of our negroes to the number of 200 and upwards, and of our +other merchandise also. From thence we departed for Cartagena, where +the governor was so strait that we could not obtain any traffic there, +and so for that our trade was near finished, our General thought it +best to depart from thence the rather for the avoiding of certain +dangerous storms called the huricanoes, which accustomed to begin there +about that time of the year, and so the 24th of July, 1568, we departed +from thence, directing our course north, leaving the islands of Cuba +upon our right hand, to the eastward of us, and so sailing towards +Florida, upon the 12th of August an extreme tempest arose, which dured +for the space of eight days, in which our ships were most dangerously +tossed, and beaten hither and thither, so that we were in continual +fear to be drowned, by reason of the shallowness of the coast, and in +the end we were constrained to flee for succour to the port of St. John +de Ullua, or Vera Cruz, situated in nineteen degrees of latitude, and +in two hundred and seventy-nine degrees of longitude, which is the port +that serveth for the city of Mexico. In our seeking to recover this +port our General met by the way three small ships that carried +passengers, which he took with him, and so the 16th of September, 1568, +we entered the said port of St. John de Ullua. The Spaniards there, +supposing us to have been the King of Spain's fleet, the chief officers +of the country thereabouts came presently aboard our General, where +perceiving themselves to have made an unwise adventure, they were in +great fear to have been taken and stayed; howbeit our General did use +them all very courteously. In the said port there were twelve ships, +which by report had in them in treasure, to the value of two hundred +thousand pounds, all which being in our General his power, and at his +devotion, he did freely set at liberty, as also the passengers which he +had before stayed, not taking from any of them all the value of one +groat, only we stayed two men of credit and account, the one named Don +Lorenzo de Alva, and the other Don Pedrode Revera, and presently our +General sent to the Viceroy to Mexico, which was threescore leagues +off, certifying him of our arrival there by force of weather, desiring +that forasmuch as our Queen, his Sovereign, was the King of Spain his +loving sister and friend, that therefore he would, considering our +necessities and wants, furnish us with victuals for our navy, and +quietly to suffer us to repair and amend our ships. And furthermore +that at the arrival of the Spanish fleet, which was there daily +expected and looked for, to the end that there might no quarrel arise +between them and our General and his company for the breach of amity, +he humbly requested of his excellency that there might in this behalf +some special order be taken. This message was sent away the 16th of +September, 1568, it being the very day of our arrival there. The next +morning, being the 17th of the same month, we descried thirteen sail of +great ships; and after that our General understood that it was the King +of Spain's fleet then looked for, he presently sent to advertise the +General hereof of our being in the said port, and giving him further to +understand, that before he should enter there into that harbour, it was +requisite that there should pass between the two Generals some orders +and conditions, to be observed on either part, for the better +contriving of peace between them and theirs, according to our General's +request made unto the Viceroy. And at this instant our General was in +a great perplexity of mind, considering with himself that if he should +keep out that fleet from entering into the port, a thing which he was +very well able to do with the help of God, then should that fleet be in +danger of present shipwreck and loss of all their substance, which +amounted unto the value of one million and eight hundred thousand +crowns. Again, he saw that if he suffered them to enter, he was +assured they would practise all manner of means to betray him and his, +and on the other side the haven was so little, that the other fleet +entering, the ships were to ride one hard aboard of another; also he +saw that if their fleet should perish by his keeping them out, as of +necessity they must if he should have done so, then stood he in great +fear of the Queen our Sovereign's displeasure; in so weighty a cause, +therefore, did he choose the least evil, which was to suffer them to +enter under assurance, and so to stand upon his guard, and to defend +himself and his from their treasons, which we were all assured they +would practise, and so the messenger being returned from Don Martine de +Henriquez, the new Viceroy, who came in the same fleet, and had +sufficient authority to command in all cases both by sea and land in +this province of Mexico or New Spain, did certify our General, that for +the better maintenance of amity between the King of Spain and our +Sovereign, all our requests should be both favourably granted and +faithfully performed; signifying further that he heard and understood +of the honest and friendly dealing of our General towards the King of +Spain's subjects in all places where he had been, as also in the said +port; so that to be brief our requests were articled and set down in +writing, viz.— +</P> + +<P CLASS="noindent"> +1. The first was that we might have victuals for our money and license +to sell as much wares as might suffice to furnish our wants. +</P> + +<P CLASS="noindent"> +2. The second, that we might be suffered peaceably to repair our +ships. +</P> + +<P CLASS="noindent"> +3. The third, that the island might be in our possession during the +time of our abode there, in which island our General, for the better +safety of him and his, had already planted and placed certain ordnance, +which were eleven pieces of brass; therefore he required that the same +might so continue, and that no Spaniard should come to land in the said +island having or wearing any kind of weapon about him. +</P> + +<P CLASS="noindent"> +4. The fourth and the last, that for the better and more sure +performance and maintenance of peace, and of all the conditions, there +might twelve gentlemen of credit be delivered of either part as +hostages. +</P> + +<P> +These conditions were concluded and agreed upon in writing by the +Viceroy and signed with his hand, and sealed with his seal, and ten +hostages upon either part were received. And farther, it was concluded +that the two Generals should meet and give faith each to other for the +performance of the promises. All which being done, the same was +proclaimed by the sound of a trumpet, and commandment was given that +none of either part should violate or break the peace upon pain of +death. Thus, at the end of three days all was concluded, and the fleet +entered the port, the ships saluting each other as the manner of the +seas doth require. The morrow after being Friday, we laboured on all +sides in placing the English ships by themselves and the Spanish ships +by themselves; the captains and inferior persons of either part +offering and showing great courtesy one to another, and promising great +amity upon all sides. Howbeit, as the sequel showed, the Spaniards +meant nothing less upon their parts. For the Viceroy and the governor +thereabout had secretly on land assembled to the number of one thousand +chosen men, and well appointed, meaning the next Thursday, being the +24th of September, at dinner time to assault us, and set upon us on all +sides. But before I go any further, I think it not amiss briefly to +describe the manner of the island as it then was, and the force and +strength that it is now of. For the Spaniards, since the time of our +General's being there, for the better fortifying of the same place, +have upon the same island built a fair castle and bulwark very well +fortified; this port was then, at our being there, a little island of +stones, not past three foot above water in the highest place, and not +past a bow's shot over any way at the most, and it standeth from the +mainland two bow-shots or more, and there is not in all this coast any +other place for ships safely to arrive at; also the north winds in this +coast are of great violence and force, and unless the ships be safely +moored in, with their anchors fastened in this island, there is no +remedy, but present destruction and shipwreck. All this our General, +wisely foreseeing, did provide that he would have the said island in +his custody, or else the Spaniards might at their pleasure have but cut +our cables, and so with the first north wind that blew we had had our +passport, for our ships had gone ashore. But to return to the matter. +The time approaching that their treason must be put in practice, the +same Thursday morning, some appearance thereof began to show itself, as +shifting of weapons from ship to ship, and planting and bending their +ordnance against our men that warded upon the land with great repair of +people; which apparent shows of breach of the Viceroy's faith caused +our General to send one to the Viceroy to inquire of him what was meant +thereby, who presently sent and gave order that the ordnance aforesaid +and other things of suspicion should be removed, returning answer to +our General in the faith of a Viceroy that he would be our defence and +safety from all villainous treachery. This was upon Thursday, in the +morning. Our General not being therewith satisfied, seeing they had +secretly conveyed a great number of men aboard a great hulk or ship of +theirs of nine hundred tons, which ship rode hard by the Minion, he +sent again to the Viceroy Robert Barret, the master of the Jesus—a man +that could speak the Spanish tongue very well, and required that those +men might be unshipped again which were in that great hulk. The +Viceroy then perceiving that their treason was thoroughly espied, +stayed our master and sounded the trumpet, and gave order that his +people should upon all sides charge upon our men which warded on shore +and elsewhere, which struck such a maze and sudden fear among us, that +many gave place and sought to recover our ships for the safety of +themselves. The Spaniards, which secretly were hid in ambush on land, +were quickly conveyed over to the island in their long boats, and so +coming to the island they slew all our men that they could meet with +without any mercy. The Minion—which had somewhat before prepared +herself to avoid the danger—hailed away, and abode the first brunt of +the three hundred men that were in the great hulk; then they sought to +fall aboard the Jesus, where was a cruel fight, and many of our men +slain; but yet our men defended themselves, and kept them out: so the +Jesus also got loose, and, joining with the Minion, the fight waxed hot +upon all sides; but they having won and got our ordnance on shore, did +greatly annoy us. In this fight there were two great ships of the +Spaniards sunk and one burnt, so that with their ships they were not +able to harm us; but from the shore they beat us cruelly with our own +ordnance in such sort that the Jesus was very sore spoiled, and +suddenly the Spaniards, having fired two great ships of their own, came +directly against us; which bred among our men a marvellous fear. +Howbeit, the Minion, which had made her sails ready, shifted for +herself without consent of the General, captain, or master, so that +very hardly our General could be received into the Minion; the most of +our men that were in the Jesus shifted for themselves, and followed the +Minion in the boat, and those which that small boat was not able to +receive were most cruelly slain by the Spaniards. Of our ships none +escaped save the Minion and the Judith, and all such of our men as were +not in them were enforced to abide the tyrannous cruelty of the +Spaniards. For it is a certain truth, that whereas they had taken +certain of our men at shore, they took and hung them up by the arms +upon high posts until the blood burst out of their fingers' ends; of +which men so used there is one Copstowe and certain others yet alive, +who, through the merciful Providence of the Almighty, were long since +arrived here at home in England, carrying still about with them (and +shall to their graves) the marks and tokens of those their inhuman and +more than barbarous cruel dealing. +</P> + +<BR><BR> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +THE THIRD CHAPTER. +</H3> + +<P CLASS="noindent"> +WHEREIN IS SHOWED HOW THAT, AFTER WE WERE ESCAPED FROM THE SPANIARDS, +WE WERE LIKE TO PERISH WITH FAMINE AT THE SEA, AND HOW OUR GENERAL, FOR +THE AVOIDING THEREOF, WAS CONSTRAINED TO PUT HALF OF HIS MEN ON LAND, +AND WHAT MISERIES WE AFTER THAT SUSTAINED AMONGST THE SAVAGE PEOPLE, +AND HOW WE FELL AGAIN INTO THE HANDS OF THE SPANIARDS. +</P> + +<P> +After that the Viceroy, Don Martin Henriques, had thus contrary to his +faith and promise most cruelly dealt with our General, Master Hawkins, +at St. John de Ullua, where most of his men were by the Spaniards slain +and drowned, and all his ships sunk and burnt, saving the Minion and +the Judith, which was a small barque of fifty tons, wherein was then +captain Master Francis Drake aforesaid; the same night the said barque +was lost us, we being in great necessity and enforced to move with the +Minion two bow-shots from the Spanish fleet, where we anchored all that +night; and the next morning we weighed anchor and recovered an island a +mile from the Spaniards, where a storm took us with a north wind, in +which we were greatly distressed, having but two cables and two anchors +left; for in the conflict before we had lost three cables and two +anchors. The morrow after, the storm being ceased and the weather +fair, we weighed and set sail, being many men in number and but small +store of victuals to suffice us for any long time; by means whereof we +were in despair and fear that we should perish through famine, so that +some were in mind to yield themselves to the mercy of the Spaniards, +other some to the savages or infidels, and wandering thus certain days +in these unknown seas, hunger constrained us to eat hides, cats and +dogs, mice, rats, parrots, and monkeys, to be short, our hunger was so +great that we thought it savoury and sweet whatsoever we could get to +eat. +</P> + +<P> +And on the 8th of October we came to land again, in the bottom of the +Bay of Mexico, where we hoped to have found some inhabitants, that we +might have had some relief of victuals and a place where to repair our +ship, which was so greatly bruised that we were scarce able, with our +weary arms, to keep out the water. Being thus oppressed, by famine on +the one side and danger of drowning on the other, not knowing where to +find relief, we began to be in wonderful despair. And we were of many +minds, amongst whom there were a great many that did desire our General +to set them on land, making their choice rather to submit themselves to +the mercy of the savages or infidels than longer to hazard themselves +at sea, where they very well saw that if they should all remain +together, if they perished not by drowning, yet hunger would enforce +them, in the end, to eat one another. To which request our General did +very willingly agree, considering with himself that it was necessary +for him to lessen his number, both for the safety of himself and the +rest. And, thereupon, being resolved to set half his people on shore +that he had then left alive, it was a world to see how suddenly men's +minds were altered, for they which a little before desired to be set on +land were now of another mind, and requested rather to stay, by means +whereof our General was enforced, for the more contenting of all men's +minds, and to take away all occasions of offence, to take this order: +first he made choice of such persons of service and account as were +needful to stay, and that being done, of those which were willing to +go, he appointed such as he thought might be best spared, and presently +appointed that by the boat they should be set on shore, our General +promising us that the next year he would either come himself or else +send to fetch us home. Here, again, it would have caused any stony +heart to have relented to hear the pitiful moan that many did make, and +how loth they were to depart. The weather was then somewhat stormy and +tempestuous, and therefore we were in great danger, yet, +notwithstanding there was no remedy, but we that were appointed to go +away must of necessity do so. Howbeit, those that went in the first +boat were safely set ashore, but of them which went in the second boat, +of which number I myself was one, the seas wrought so high that we +could not attain to the shore, and therefore we were constrained—through +the cruel dealing of John Hampton, captain of the Minion, and +John Sanders, boatswain of the Jesus, and Thomas Pollard, his mate—to +leap out of the boat into the main sea, having more than a mile to +shore, and, so to shift for ourselves, and either to sink or swim. And +of those that so were, as it were, thrown out and compelled to leap +into the sea, there were two drowned, which were of Captain Bland's +men. +</P> + +<P> +In the evening of the same day—it being Monday, the 8th of October, +1568—when we were all come to shore, we found fresh water, whereof +some of our men drank so much that they had almost cast themselves +away, for we could scarce get life in them for the space of two or +three hours after. Other some were so cruelly swollen—what with the +drinking in of the salt water, and what with the eating of the fruit +which we found on land, having a stone in it much like an almond, which +fruit is called capule—that they were all in very ill case, so that we +were, in a manner, all of us, both feeble, weak, and faint. +</P> + +<P> +The next morning—it being Tuesday, the 9th of October—we thought it +best to travel along by the sea coast, to seek out some place of +habitation—whether they were Christians or savages we were +indifferent—so that we might have wherewithal to sustain our hungry +bodies, and so departing from a hill where we had rested all night, not +having any dry thread about us, for those that were not wet being +thrown into the sea were thoroughly wet with rain, for all the night it +rained cruelly. As we went from the hill, and were come into the +plain, we were greatly troubled to pass for the grass and woods, that +grew there higher than any man. On the left hand we had the sea, and +upon the right hand great woods, so that of necessity we must needs +pass on our way westward through those marshes, and going thus, +suddenly we were assaulted by the Indians, a warlike kind of people, +which are in a manner as cannibals, although they do not feed upon +man's flesh as cannibals do. +</P> + +<P> +These people are called Chichemici, and they used to wear their hair +long, even down to their knees; they do also colour their faces green, +yellow, red, and blue, which maketh them to seem very ugly and terrible +to behold. These people do keep wars against the Spaniards, of whom +they have been oftentimes very cruelly handled: for with the Spaniards +there is no mercy. They, perceiving us at our first coming on land, +supposed us to have been their enemies the bordering Spaniards; and +having, by their forerunners, descried what number we were, and how +feeble and weak, without armour or weapon, they suddenly, according to +their accustomed manner when they encounter with any people in warlike +sort, raised a terrible and huge cry, and so came running fiercely upon +us, shooting off their arrows as thick as hail, unto whose mercy we +were constrained to yield, not having amongst us any kind of armour, +nor yet weapon, saving one caliver and two old rusty swords, whereby to +make any resistance or to save ourselves; which, when they perceived +that we sought not any other than favour and mercy at their hands, and +that we were not their enemies the Spaniards, they had compassion on +us, and came and caused us all to sit down. And when they had a while +surveyed, and taken a perfect view of us, they came to all such as had +any coloured clothes amongst us, and those they did strip stark naked, +and took their clothes away with them; but they that were apparelled in +black they did not meddle withal, and so went their ways and left us, +without doing us any further hurt, only in the first brunt they killed +eight of our men. And at our departure they, perceiving in what weak +case we were, pointed us with their hands which way we should go to +come to a town of the Spaniards, which, as we afterwards perceived, was +not past ten leagues from thence, using these words: "Tampeco, +tampeco, Christiano, tampeco, Christiano," which is as much (we think) +as to say in English, "Go that way, and you shall find the Christians." +The weapons that they use are no other but bows and arrows, and their +aim is so good that they very seldom miss to hit anything that they +shoot at. Shortly after they had left us stripped, as aforesaid, we +thought it best to divide ourselves into two companies, and so, being +separated, half of us went under the leading one of Anthony Goddard, +who is yet alive, and dwelleth at this instant in the town of Plymouth, +whom before we chose to be captain over us all. And those that went +under his leading, of which number I, Miles Phillips, was one, +travelled westward—that way which the Indians with their hands had +before pointed us to go. The other half went under the leading of one +John Hooper, whom they did choose for their captain, and with the +company that went with him David Ingram was one, and they took their +way and travelled northward. And shortly after, within the space of +two days, they were again encountered by the savage people, and their +Captain Hooper and two more of his company were slain. Then again they +divided themselves; and some held on their way still northward, and +other some, knowing that we were gone westward, sought to meet with us +again, as, in truth, there was about the number of five-and-twenty or +six-and-twenty of them that met with us in the space of four days +again. And then we began to reckon amongst ourselves how many we were +that were set on shore, and we found the number to be an hundred and +fourteen, whereof two were drowned in the sea and eight were slain at +the first encounter, so that there remained an hundred and four, of +which five-and-twenty went westward with us, and two-and-fifty to the +north with Hooper and Ingram; and, as Ingram since has often told me, +there were not past three of their company slain, and there were but +five-and-twenty of them that came again to us, so that of the company +that went northward there is yet lacking, and not certainly heard of, +the number of three-and-twenty men. And verily I do think that there +are of them yet alive and married in the said country, at Sibola, as +hereafter I do purpose (God willing) to discourse of more particularly, +with the reasons and causes that make me so to think of them that were +lacking, which were with David Ingram, Twide, Browne, and sundry +others, whose names we could not remember. And being thus met again +together we travelled on still westward, sometimes through such thick +woods that we were enforced with cudgels to break away the brambles and +bushes from tearing our naked bodies; other sometimes we should travel +through the plains in such high grass that we could scarce see one +another. And as we passed in some places we should have of our men +slain, and fall down suddenly, being stricken by the Indians, which +stood behind trees and bushes, in secret places, and so killed our men +as they went by; for we went scatteringly in seeking of fruits to +relieve ourselves. We were also oftentimes greatly annoyed with a kind +of fly, which, in the Indian tongue, is called tequani; and the +Spaniards call them musketas. There are also in the said country a +number of other kind of flies, but none so noisome as these tequanies +be. You shall hardly see them, they be so small: for they are scarce +so big as a gnat. They will suck one's blood marvellously, and if you +kill them while they are sucking they are so venomous that the place +will swell extremely, even as one that is stung with a wasp or bee. +But if you let them suck their fill, and to go away of themselves, then +they do you no other hurt, but leave behind them a red spot somewhat +bigger than a flea biting. At the first we were terribly troubled with +these kind of flies, not knowing their qualities; and resistance we +could make none against them, being naked. As for cold, we feared not +any: the country there is always so warm. +</P> + +<P> +And as we travelled thus for the space of ten or twelve days, our +captain did oftentimes cause certain to go up into the tops of high +trees, to see if they could descry any town or place of inhabitants, +but they could not perceive any, and using often the same order to +climb up into high trees, at the length they descried a great river, +that fell from the north-west into the main sea; and presently after we +heard an harquebuse shot off, which did greatly encourage us, for +thereby we knew that we were near to some Christians, and did therefore +hope shortly to find some succour and comfort; and within the space of +one hour after, as we travelled, we heard a cock crow, which was also +no small joy unto us; and so we came to the north side of the river of +Panuco, where the Spaniards have certain salines, at which place it was +that the harquebuse was shot off which before we heard; to which place +we went not directly, but, missing thereof, we left it about a bow-shot +upon our left hand. Of this river we drank very greedily, for we had +not met with any water in six days before; and, as we were here by the +river's side, resting ourselves, and longing to come to the place where +the cock did crow and where the harquebuse was shot off, we perceived +many Spaniards upon the other side of the river riding up and down on +horseback, and they, perceiving us, did suppose that we had been of the +Indians, their bordering enemies, the Chichemici. The river was not +more than half a bow-shot across, and presently one of the Spaniards +took an Indian boat, called a canoa, and so came over, being rowed by +two Indians; and, having taken the view of us, did presently row over +back again to the Spaniards, who without any delay made out about the +number of twenty horsemen, and embarking themselves in the canoas, they +led their horses by the reins, swimming over after them; and being come +over to that side of the river where we were, they saddled their +horses, and being mounted upon them, with their lances charged, they +came very fiercely running at us. Our captain, Anthony Goddard, seeing +them come in that order, did persuade us to submit and yield ourselves +unto them, for being naked, as we at this time were, and without +weapon, we could not make any resistance—whose bidding we obeyed; and +upon the yielding of ourselves, they perceived us to be Christians, and +did call for more canoas, and carried us over by four and four in a +boat; and being come on the other side, they understanding by our +captain how long we had been without meat, imparted between two and two +a loaf of bread made of that country wheat, which the Spaniards called +maize, of the bigness of one of our halfpenny loaves, which bread is +named in the Indian tongue clashacally. This bread was very sweet and +pleasant to us, for we had not eaten any for a long time before; and +what is it that hunger doth not make to have a savoury and delicate +taste? Having thus imparted the bread amongst us, those which were men +they sent afore to the town, having also many Indians, inhabitants of +that place, to guard them. They which were young, as boys, and some +such also as were feeble, they took up upon their horses behind them, +and so carried us to the town where they dwelt, which was distant very +near a mile from the place where we came over. +</P> + +<P> +This town is well situated, and well replenished with all kinds of +fruits, as pomegranates, oranges, lemons, apricots, and peaches, and +sundry others, and is inhabited by a great number of tame Indians, or +Mexicans, and had in it also at that time about the number of two +hundred Spaniards, men, women, and children, besides negroes. Of their +salines, which lie upon the west side of the river, more than a mile +distant from thence, they make a great profit, for it is an excellent +good merchandise there. The Indians do buy much thereof, and carry it +up into the country, and there sell it to their own country people, in +doubling the price. Also, much of the salt made in this place is +transported from thence by sea to sundry other places, as to Cuba, St. +John de Ullua, and the other ports of Tamiago, and Tamachos, which are +two barred havens west and by south above threescore leagues from St. +John de Ullua. When we were all come to the town, the governor there +showed himself very severe unto us, and threatened to hang us all; and +then he demanded what money we had, which in truth was very little, for +the Indians which we first met withal had in a manner taken all from +us, and of that which they left the Spaniards which brought us over +took away a good part also; howbeit, from Anthony Goddard the governor +here had a chain of gold, which was given unto him at Cartagena by the +governor there, and from others he had some small store of money; so +that we accounted that amongst us all he had the number of five hundred +pezoes, besides the chain of gold. +</P> + +<P> +And having thus satisfied himself, when he had taken all that we had, +he caused us to be put into a little house, much like a hog sty, where +we were almost smothered; and before we were thus shut up into that +little cote, they gave us some of the country wheat called maize +sodden, which they feed their hogs withal. But many of our men which +had been hurt by the Indians at our first coming on land, whose wounds +were very sore and grievous, desired to have the help of their surgeons +to cure their wounds. The governor, and most of them all, answered, +that we should have none other surgeon but the hangman, which should +sufficiently heal us of all our griefs; and they, thus reviling us, and +calling us English dogs and Lutheran heretics, we remained the space of +three days in this miserable state, not knowing what should become of +us, waiting every hour to be bereaved of our lives. +</P> + +<BR><BR> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +THE FOURTH CHAPTER. +</H3> + +<P CLASS="noindent"> +WHEREIN IS SHOWED HOW WE WERE USED IN PANUCO, AND IN WHAT FEAR OF DEATH +WE WERE THERE, AND HOW WE WERE CARRIED TO MEXICO TO THE VICEROY, AND OF +OUR IMPRISONMENT THERE AND AT TESCUCO, WITH THE COURTESIES AND +CRUELTIES WE RECEIVED DURING THAT TIME, AND HOW IN THE END WE WERE BY +PROCLAMATION GIVEN TO SERVE AS SLAVES TO SUNDRY GENTLEMEN SPANIARDS. +</P> + +<P> +Upon the fourth day after our coming thither, and there remaining in a +perplexity, looking every hour when we should suffer death, there came +a great number of Indians and Spaniards armed to fetch us out of the +house, and amongst them we espied one that brought a great many new +halters, at the sight whereof we were greatly amazed, and made no other +account but that we should presently have suffered death; and so, +crying and calling to God for mercy and for forgiveness of our sins, we +prepared ourselves to die; yet in the end, as the sequel showed, their +meaning was not so; for when we were come out of the house, with those +halters they bound our arms behind us, and so coupling us two and two +together, they commanded us to march on through the town, and so along +the country from place to place toward the city of Mexico, which is +distant from Panuco west and by south the space of threescore leagues, +having only but two Spaniards to conduct us, they being accompanied +with a great number of Indians, warding on either side with bows and +arrows, lest we should escape from them. And travelling in this order, +upon the second day, at night, we came unto a town which the Indians +call Nohele, and the Spaniards call it Santa Maria, in which town there +is a house of White Friars, which did very courteously use us, and gave +us hot meat, as mutton and broth, and garments also to cover ourselves +withal, made of white baize. We fed very greedily of the meat and of +the Indian fruit, called nochole, which fruit is long and small, much +like in fashion to a little cucumber. Our greedy feeding caused us to +fall sick of hot burning agues; and here at this place one Thomas +Baker, one of our men, died of a hurt, for he had been before shot with +an arrow into the throat at the first encounter. +</P> + +<P> +The next morrow, about ten of the clock, we departed from thence, bound +two and two together, and guarded as before, and so travelled on our +way toward Mexico, till we came to a town within forty leagues of +Mexico named Mesticlan, where is a house of Black Friars, and in this +town there are about the number of three hundred Spaniards, both men, +women, and children. The friars sent us meat from the house ready +dressed, and the friars and men and women used us very courteously, and +gave us some shirts and other such things as we lacked. Here our men +were very sick of their agues, and with eating of another fruit, called +in the Indian tongue, Guiaccos, which fruit did bind us sore. The next +morning we departed from thence with our two Spaniards and Indian guard +as aforesaid. Of these two Spaniards the one was an aged man, who all +the way did very courteously entreat us, and would carefully go before +to provide for us both meat and things necessary to the uttermost of +his power. The other was a young man, who all the way travelled with +us, and never departed from us, who was a very cruel caitiff, and he +carried a javelin in his hand, and sometimes when as our men with very +feebleness and faintness were not able to go so fast as he required +them, he would take his javelin in both his hands and strike them with +the same between the neck and the shoulders so violently that he would +strike them down, then would he cry and say: "Marches, marches, +Engleses perros, Luterianos, enemicos de Dios;" which is as much to say +in English, "March, march on you English dogs, Lutherans, enemies to +God." And the next day we came to a town called Pachuca, and there are +two places of that name, as this town of Pachuca, and the mines of +Pachuca, which are mines of silver, and are about six leagues distant +from this town of Pachuca towards the north-west. +</P> + +<P> +Here at this town the good old man our governor suffered us to stay two +days and two nights, having compassion of our sick and weak men, full +sore against the mind of the young man his companion. From thence we +took our journey, and travelled four or five days by little villages +and Stantias, which are farms or dairy houses of the Spaniards, and +ever as we had need the good old man would still provide us sufficient +of meats, fruits, and water to sustain us. At the end of which five +days we came to a town within five leagues of Mexico, which is called +Quoghliclan, where we also stayed one whole day and two nights, where +was a fair house of Grey Friars, howbeit, we saw none of them. Here we +were told by the Spaniards in the town that we had not more than +fifteen English miles from thence to Mexico, whereof we were all very +joyful and glad, hoping that when we came thither we should either be +relieved and set free out of bonds, or else be quickly despatched out +of our lives; for seeing ourselves thus carried bound from place to +place, although some used us courteously, yet could we never joy nor be +merry till we might perceive ourselves set free from that bondage, +either by death or otherwise. +</P> + +<P> +The next morning we departed from thence on our journey towards Mexico, +and so travelled till we came within two leagues of it, where there was +built by the Spaniards a very fair church, called Our Lady Church, in +which there is an image of Our Lady of silver and gilt, being as high +and as large as a tall woman, in which church, and before this image, +there are as many lamps of silver as there be days in the year, which +upon high days are all lighted. Whensoever any Spaniards pass by this +church, although they be on horseback, they will alight and come into +the church, and kneel before this image, and pray to Our Lady to defend +them from all evil; so that whether he be horseman or footman he will +not pass by, but first go into the church and pray as aforesaid, which +if they do not, they think and believe that they shall never prosper, +which image they call in the Spanish tongue Nostra Signora de +Guadaloupe. At this place there are certain cold baths, which arise, +springing up as though the water did seethe, the water whereof is +somewhat brackish in taste, but very good for any that have any sore or +wound to wash themselves therewith, for as they say, it healeth many; +and every year once upon Our Lady Day, the people used to repair +thither to offer and to pray in that church before the image, and they +say that Our Lady of Guadaloupe doth work a number of miracles. About +this church there is not any town of Spaniards that is inhabited, but +certain Indians do dwell there in houses of their own country building. +</P> + +<P> +Here we were met by a great number of Spaniards on horseback, which +came from Mexico to see us, both gentlemen and men of occupations, and +they came as people to see a wonder; we were still called upon to march +on, and so about four of the clock in the afternoon of the said day, we +entered into the city of Mexico by the way or street called La Calia +Sancta Catherina; and we stayed not in any place till we came to the +house or palace of the Viceroy, Don Martin Henriques, which standeth in +the middest of the city, hard by the market place called La Placa dell +Marquese. We had not stayed any long time at this place, but there was +brought us by the Spaniards from the market place great store of meat, +sufficient to have satisfied five times so many as we were; some also +gave us hats, and some gave us money; in which place we stayed for the +space of two hours, and from thence we were conveyed by water into +large canoas to a hospital, where certain of our men were lodged, which +were taken before the fight at St. John de Ullua. We should have gone +to Our Lady's Hospital, but that there were also so many of our men +taken before at that fight that there was no room for us. After our +coming thither, many of the company that came with me from Panuco died +within the space of fourteen days; soon after which time we were taken +forth from that place and put all together into Our Lady's Hospital, in +which place we were courteously used, and visited oftentimes by +virtuous gentlemen and gentlewomen of the city, who brought us divers +things to comfort us withal, as succats and marmalades and such other +things, and would also many times give us many things, and that very +liberally. In which hospital we remained for the space of six months, +until we were all whole and sound of body, and then we were appointed +by the Viceroy to be carried unto the town of Tescuco, which is distant +from Mexico south-west eight leagues; in which town there are certain +houses of correction and punishment for ill people called obraches, +like to Bridewell here in London; in which place divers Indians are +sold for slaves, some for ten years and some for twelve. It was no +small grief unto us when we understood that we should be carried +thither, and to be used as slaves; we had rather be put to death, +howbeit there was no remedy, but we were carried to the prison of +Tescuco, where we were not put to any labour, but were very straightly +kept and almost famished, yet by the good providence of our merciful +God, we happened there to meet with one Robert Sweeting, who was the +son of an Englishman born of a Spanish woman; this man could speak very +good English, and by his means we were holpen very much with victuals +from the Indians, as mutton, hens, and bread. And if we had not been +so relieved we had surely perished; and yet all the provision that we +had gotten that way was but slender. And continuing thus straightly +kept in prison there for the space of two months, at the length we +agreed amongst ourselves to break forth of prison, come of it what +would, for we were minded rather to suffer death than longer to live in +that miserable state. +</P> + +<P> +And so having escaped out of prison, we knew not what way to fly for +the safety of ourselves; the night was dark, and it rained terribly, +and not having any guide, we went we knew not whither, and in the +morning at the appearing of the day, we perceived ourselves to be come +hard to the city of Mexico, which is four and twenty English miles from +Tescuco. The day being come, we were espied by the Spaniards, and +pursued, and taken, and brought before the Viceroy and head justices, +who threatened to hang us for breaking of the king's prison. Yet in +the end they sent us into a garden belonging to the Viceroy, and coming +thither, we found there our English gentlemen which were delivered as +hostages when as our General was betrayed at St. John de Ullua, as is +aforesaid, and with them we also found Robert Barret, the master of the +Jesus, in which place we remained, labouring and doing such things as +we were commanded for the space of four months, having but two sheep a +day allowed to suffice us all, being very near a hundred men; and for +bread, we had every man two loaves a day of the quantity of one +halfpenny loaf. At the end of which four months, they having removed +our gentlemen hostages and the master of the Jesus to a prison in the +Viceroy his own house, did cause it to be proclaimed, that what +gentleman Spaniard soever was willing, or would have any Englishman to +serve him, and be bound to keep him forthcoming to appear before the +justices within one month after notice given, that they should repair +to the said garden, and there take their choice; which proclamation was +no sooner made but the gentlemen came and repaired to the garden amain, +so that happy was he that could soonest get one of us. +</P> + +<BR><BR> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +THE FIFTH CHAPTER. +</H3> + +<P CLASS="noindent"> +WHEREIN IS SHOWED IN WHAT GOOD SORT AND HOW WEALTHILY WE LIVED WITH OUR +MASTERS UNTIL THE COMING OF THE INQUISITION, WHEN AS AGAIN, OUR SORROWS +BEGAN AFRESH; OF OUR IMPRISONMENT IN THE HOLY HOUSE, AND OF THE SEVERE +JUDGMENT AND SENTENCES GIVEN AGAINST US, AND WITH WHAT RIGOUR AND +CRUELTY THE SAME WERE EXECUTED. +</P> + +<P> +The gentlemen that thus took us for their servants or slaves, did new +apparel us throughout, with whom we abode doing such service as they +appointed us unto, which was for the most part to attend upon them at +the table, and to be as their chamberlains, and to wait upon them when +they went abroad, which they greatly accounted of, for in that country +no Spaniard will serve one another, but they are all of them attended +and served by Indians weekly, and by negroes which be their slaves +during their life. In this sort we remained and served in the said +city of Mexico and thereabouts for the space of a year and somewhat +longer. Afterwards many of us were by our masters appointed to go to +sundry of their mines where they had to do, and to be as overseers of +the negroes and Indians that laboured there. In which mines many of us +did profit and gain greatly; for first we were allowed three hundred +pezoes a man for a year, which is three score pounds sterling, and +besides that the Indians and negroes which wrought under our charge, +upon our well using and entreating of them, would at times as upon +Saturdays when they had left work labour for us, and blow as much +silver as should be worth unto us three marks or thereabouts, every +mark being worth six pezoes and a half of their money, which nineteen +pezoes and a half, is worth four livres, ten shillings of our money. +Sundry weeks we did gain so much by this means besides our wages, that +many of us became very rich, and were worth three thousand or four +thousand pezoes, for we lived and gained thus in those mines some three +or four years. As concerning those gentlemen which were delivered as +hostages, and that were kept in prison in the Viceroy his house, after +that we were gone from out the garden to serve sundry gentlemen as +aforesaid, they remained prisoners in the said house, for the space of +four months after their coming thither, at the end whereof the fleet, +being ready to depart from St. John de Ullua to go for Spain, the said +gentlemen were sent away into Spain with the fleet, where I have heard +it credibly reported, many of them died with the cruel handling of the +Spaniards in the Inquisition house, as those which have been delivered +home after they had suffered the persecution of that house can more +perfectly declare. Robert Barret also, master of the Jesus, was sent +away with the fleet into Spain the next year following, whereafter he +suffered persecution in the Inquisition, and at the last was condemned +to be burnt, and with him three or four more of our men, of whom one +was named Gregory and another John Browne, whom I knew, for they were +of our general his musicians, but the names of the rest that suffered +with them I know not. +</P> + +<P> +Now after that six years there fully expired since our first coming +into the Indies in which time we had been imprisoned and served in the +said countries, as is before truly declared in the year of our Lord one +thousand five hundred and seventy four, the Inquisition began to be +established in the Indies very much against the minds of many of the +Spaniards themselves, for never until this time since their first +conquering and planting in the Indies, were they subject to that bloody +and cruel Inquisition. The chief Inquisitor was named Don Pedro Moya +de Contreres, and John de Bouilla his companion, and John Sanchis the +Fischall, and Pedro de la Rios, the Secretary, they being come and +settled, and placed in a very fair house, near unto the White Friars, +considering with themselves that they must make an entrance and +beginning of that their most detestable Inquisition here in Mexico to +the terror of the whole country, thought it best to call us that were +Englishmen first in question, and so much the rather for that they had +perfect knowledge and intelligence, that many of us were become very +rich as hath been already declared, and therefore we were a very great +booty and prey to the Inquisitors, so that now again began our sorrows +afresh, for we were sent for, and sought out in all places of the +country, and proclamation made upon pain of losing of goods, and +excommunication that no man should hide or keep secret any Englishman +or any part of their goods. By means whereof we were all soon +apprehended in all places, and all our goods seized and taken for the +Inquisitors' use, and so from all parts of the country we were conveyed +and sent as prisoners to the city of Mexico, and there committed to +prison in sundry dark dungeons where we could not see but by +candlelight, and were never more than two together in one place so that +we saw not one another, neither could one of us tell what was become of +another. Thus we remained close imprisoned for the space of a year and +a half, and others for some less time, for they came to prison ever as +they were apprehended. During which time of our imprisonment at the +first beginning we were often called before the Inquisitors alone, and +there severely examined of our faith, and commanded to say the pater +noster, the Ave Maria, and the creed in Latin, which God knoweth a +great number of us could not say otherwise than in the English tongue. +And having the said Robert Sweeting who was our friend at Tescuco +always present with them for an interpreter he made report for us in +our own country speech we could say them perfectly, although not word +for word as they were in Latin. Then did they proceed to demand of us +upon our oaths what we did believe of the sacrament, and whether there +did remain any bread or wine after the words of consecration, yea or +no, and whether we did not believe that the Host of bread which the +priest did hold up over his head, and the wine that was in the chalice, +was the very true and perfect body and blood of our Saviour Christ, yea +or no, to which if we answered not yea, then was there no way but +death. Then would they demand of us what we did remember of ourselves, +what opinions we had held or had been taught to hold, contrary to the +same whiles we were in England; to which we for the safety of our lives +were constrained to say that we never did believe, nor had been taught +otherwise than as before we had said. Then would they charge us that +we did not tell them the truth, that we knew to the contrary, and +therefore we should call ourselves to remembrance and make them a +better answer at the next time or else we should be racked and made to +confess the truth whether we would or no. And so coming again before +them the next time, we were still demanded of our belief whiles we were +in England, and how we had been taught, and also what we thought or did +know of such of our company as they did name unto us, so that we could +never be free from such demands, and at other times they would promise +us that if we would tell them the truth, then should we have favour and +be set at liberty, although we very well knew their fair speeches were +but means to entrap us to the hazard and loss of our lives; howbeit God +so mercifully wrought for us by a secret means that we had that we kept +us still to our first answer, and would still say that we had told the +truth unto them, and knew no more by ourselves nor any other of our +fellows than as we had declared, and that for our sins and offences in +England against God and our Lady, or any of His blessed saints, we were +heartily sorry for the same, and did cry God mercy, and besought the +Inquisitors, for God's sake, considering that we came into those +countries by force of weather, and against our wills, and that never in +all our lives we had either spoken or done anything contrary to their +laws, that therefore they would have mercy on us, yet all this would +not serve, for still from time to time we were called upon to confess, +and about the space of three months, before they proceeded to their +severe Judgment, we were all racked, and some enforced to utter that +against themselves which afterwards cost them their lives. +</P> + +<P> +And thus having gotten from our own mouths matter sufficient for them +to proceed in judgment against us, they caused a large scaffold to be +made in the midst of the market-place in Mexico, right over against the +head church, and fourteen or fifteen days before the day of their +judgment, with the sound of a trumpet, and the noise of their +attabalies, which are a kind of drums, they did assemble the people in +all parts of the city, before whom it was then solemnly proclaimed that +whosoever would upon such a day, repair to the marketplace, they should +hear the sentence of the Holy Inquisition against the English heretic +Lutherans, and also see the same put in execution. Which being done, +and the time approaching of this cruel judgment, the night before they +came to the prison where we were, with certain officers of that holy +hellish house, bringing with them certain fools' coats which they had +prepared for us, being called in their language St. Benitos, which +coats were made of yellow cotton and red crosses upon them, both before +and behind; they were so busied in putting on their coats about us and +in bringing us out into a large yard, and placing and pointing us in +what order we should go to the scaffold or place of judgment upon the +morrow, that they did not once suffer us to sleep all that night long. +</P> + +<P> +The next morning being come, there was given to every one of us for our +breakfast, a cup of wine, and a slice of bread fried in honey, and so +about eight of the clock in the morning, we set forth of the prison, +every man alone in his yellow coat and a rope about his neck, and a +great green wax candle in his hand unlighted, having a Spaniard +appointed to go upon either side of every one of us; and so marching in +this order and manner towards the scaffold in the market-place, which +was a bow-shot distant or thereabouts, we found a great assembly of +people all the way, and such throng, that certain of the Inquisitors' +officers on horseback were constrained to make way, and so coming to +the scaffold we went up by a pair of stairs, and found seats ready made +and prepared for us to sit down on, every man in order as he should be +called to receive his judgment. We being thus set down as we were +appointed, presently the Inquisitors came up another pair of stairs, +and the Viceroy and all the chief justices with them. When they were +set down and placed under the cloth of estate agreeing to their degrees +and calling, then came up also a great number of friars, white, black, +and grey, about the number of 300 persons, they being set in the places +for them appointed. Then was there a solemn Oyes made, and silence +commanded, and then presently began their severe and cruel judgment. +</P> + +<P> +The first man that was called was one Roger, the chief armourer of the +Jesus, and he had judgment to have 300 stripes on horseback, and after +condemned to the galleys as a slave for ten years. +</P> + +<P> +After him was called John Gray, John Browne, John Rider, John Moone, +James Collier, and one Thomas Browne. These were adjudged to have 200 +stripes on horseback, and after to be committed to the galleys for the +space of eight years. +</P> + +<P> +Then was called John Keies, and was adjudged to have 100 stripes on +horseback, and condemned to serve in the galleys for the space of six +years. +</P> + +<P> +Then were severally called the number of fifty-three, one after +another, and every man had his several judgment, some to have 200 +stripes on horseback and some 100, and some condemned for slaves to the +galleys, some for six years, some for eight, and some for ten. +</P> + +<P> +And then was I, Miles Phillips, called, and was adjudged to serve in a +monastery for five years, without any stripes, and to wear a fool's +coat or San Benito, during all that time. +</P> + +<P> +Then were called John Storie, Richard Williams, David Alexander, Robert +Cooke, and Horsewell, and Thomas Hull. These six were condemned to +serve in monasteries without stripes, some for three years, and some +for four, and to wear the San Benito during all the said time. Which +being done, and it now drawing towards night, George Rivelie, Peter +Momfrie, and Cornelius the Irishman were called, and had their judgment +to be burnt to ashes, and so were presently sent away to the place of +execution in the market-place, but a little from the scaffold, where +they were quickly burnt and consumed. And as for us that had received +our judgment, being sixty-eight in number, we were carried back that +night to prison again, and the next day in the morning, being Good +Friday, the year of our Lord, 1575, we were all brought into a court of +the Inquisitors' Palace, where we found a horse in readiness for every +one of our men which were condemned to have stripes, and to be +committed to the galleys, which were in number sixty, and so they, +being enforced to mount up on horseback, naked, from the middle upward, +were carried to be showed as a spectacle for all the people to behold +throughout the chief and principal streets of the city, and had the +number of stripes to every one of them appointed, most cruelly laid +upon their naked bodies with long whips, by sundry men appointed to be +the executioners thereof, and before our men there went a couple of +criers, which cried as they went, "Behold these English dogs, +Lutherans, enemies to God," and all the way as they went, there were +some of the Inquisitors themselves, and of the familiars of that +rake-hell order, that cried to the executioners, "Strike, lay on those +English heretics, Lutherans, God's enemies;" and so this horrible +spectacle being showed round about the city, and they returned to the +Inquisitors' House, with their backs all gore blood and swollen with +great bumps. They were then taken from their horses and carried again +to prison, where they remained until they were sent into Spain to the +galleys, there to receive the rest of their martyrdom; and I, and the +six other with me, which had judgment and were condemned among the rest +to serve an apprenticeship in the monasteries, were taken presently and +sent to certain religious houses appointed for the purpose. +</P> + +<BR><BR> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +THE SIXTH CHAPTER. +</H3> + +<P CLASS="noindent"> +WHEREIN IS SHOWED HOW WE WERE USED IN THE RELIGIOUS HOUSES, AND THAT +WHEN THE TIME WAS EXPIRED THAT WE WERE ADJUDGED TO SERVE IN THEM, THERE +CAME NEWS TO MEXICO OF MASTER FRANCIS DRAKE'S BEING IN THE SOUTH SEA, +AND WHAT PREPARATION WAS MADE TO TAKE HIM; AND HOW I, SEEKING TO +ESCAPE, WAS AGAIN TAKEN AND PUT IN PRISON IN VERA CRUZ, AND HOW AGAIN I +MADE MINE ESCAPE FROM THENCE. +</P> + +<P> +I, Miles Phillips, and William Lowe were appointed to the Black Friars, +where I was appointed to be an overseer of Indian workmen, who wrought +there in building a new church, amongst which Indians I learned their +language or Mexican tongue very perfectly, and had great familiarity +with many of them, whom I found to be a courteous and loving kind of +people, ingenious, and of great understanding, and they hate and abhor +the Spaniards with all their hearts. They have used such horrible +cruelties against them, and do still keep them in such subjection and +servitude, that they and the negroes also do daily lie in wait to +practice their deliverance out of that thraldom and bondage that the +Spaniards do keep them in. +</P> + +<P> +William Lowe, he was appointed to serve the cook in the kitchen; +Richard Williams and David Alexander were appointed to the Grey Friars; +John Storey and Robert Cooke to the White Friars; Paul Horsewell the +Secretary took to be his servant; Thomas Hull was sent to a monastery +of priests, where afterward he died. Thus we served out the years that +we were condemned for, with the use of our fools' coats, and we must +needs confess that the friars did use us very courteously, for every +one of us had his chamber, with bedding and diet, and all things clean +and neat; yea, many of the Spaniards and friars themselves do utterly +abhor and mislike of that cruel Inquisition, and would as they durst +bewail our miseries, and comfort us the best they could, although they +stood in such fear of that devilish Inquisition that they durst not let +the left hand know what the right doeth. +</P> + +<P> +Now after that the time was expired for which we were condemned to +serve in those religious houses, we were then brought again before the +Chief Inquisitor, and had all our fools' coats pulled off and hanged up +in the head church, called Ecclesia Majora, and every man's name and +judgment written thereupon with this addition—HERETIC LUTHERAN +RECONCILED. And there are also all their coats hanged up which were +condemned to the galleys, with their names and judgments, and +underneath his coat, HERETIC LUTHERAN RECONCILED. And also the coats +and names of the three that were burned, whereupon were written, AN +OBSTINATE HERETIC LUTHERAN BURNT. Then were we suffered to go up and +down the country, and to place ourselves as we could, and yet not so +free but that we very well knew that there was a good espial always +attending us and all our actions, so that we durst not once to speak or +look awry. David Alexander and Robert Cooke they returned to serve the +Inquisitor, who shortly after married them both to two of his negro +women; Richard Williams married a rich widow of Biskay with four +thousand pezoes; Paul Horsewell is married to a Mestiza, as they name +those whose fathers were Spaniards and their mothers Indians, and this +woman which Paul Horsewell hath married is said to be the daughter of +one that came in with Hernando Cortes, the Conqueror, who had with her +in marriage four thousand pezoes and a fair house; John Storie he is +married to a negro woman; William Lowe had leave and licence to go into +Spain, where he is now married. For mine own part I could never +thoroughly settle myself to marry in that country, although many fair +offers were made unto me of such as were of great ability and wealth; +but I could have no liking to live in that place where I must +everywhere see and know such horrible idolatry committed, and durst not +once for my life speak against it; and therefore I had always a longing +and desire to this my native country; and to return and serve again in +the mines, where I might have gathered great riches and wealth, I very +well saw that at one time or another I should fall again into the +danger of that devilish Inquisition, and so be stripped of all, with +loss of life also, and therefore I made my choice rather to learn to +weave Groganes and Taffataes, and so compounding with a silk weaver, I +bound myself for three years to serve him, and gave him one hundred and +fifty pezoes to teach me the science, otherwise he would not have +taught me under seven years' prenticeship, and by this means I lived +the more quiet and free from suspicion. +</P> + +<P> +Howbeit I should many times be charged by familiars of that devilish +house, that I had a meaning to run away into England, and be an heretic +Lutheran again; to whom I would answer that they had no need to suspect +any such thing in me, for that they knew all very well that it was +impossible for me to escape by any manner of means; yet notwithstanding +I was called before the Inquisitors and demanded why I did not marry. +I answered that I had bound myself at an occupation. "Well," said the +Inquisitor, "I know thou meanest to run away, and therefore I charge +thee here upon pain of burning as an heretic relapsed, that thou depart +not out of this city, nor come near to the port of St. John de Ullua, +nor to any other port;" to the which I answered that I would willingly +obey. "Yea," said he, "see thou do so, and thy fellows also; they +shall have the like charge." +</P> + +<P> +So I remained at my science the full time and learned the art, at the +end whereof there came news to Mexico that there were certain +Englishmen landed with a great power at the port of Acapulco, upon the +South Sea, and that they were coming to Mexico to take the spoil +thereof, which wrought a marvellous great fear among them, and many of +those that were rich began to shift for themselves, their wives and +children; upon which hurly-burly the Viceroy caused a general muster to +be made of all the Spaniards in Mexico, and there were found to the +number of seven thousand and odd householders of Spaniards in the city +and suburbs, and of single men unmarried the number of three thousand, +and of Mestizies—which are counted to be the sons of Spaniards born of +Indian women—twenty thousand persons; and then was Paul Horsewell and +I, Miles Phillips, sent for before the Viceroy and were examined if we +did know an Englishman named Francis Drake, which was brother to +Captain Hawkins; to which we answered that Captain Hawkins had not any +brother but one, which was a man of the age of threescore years or +thereabouts, and was now governor of Plymouth in England. And then he +demanded of us if we knew one Francis Drake, and we answered no. +</P> + +<P> +While these things were in doing, there came news that all the +Englishmen were gone; yet was there eight hundred men made out under +the leading of several captains, whereof two hundred were sent to the +port of St. John de Ullua, upon the North Sea, under the conduct of Don +Luis Suares; two hundred were sent to Guatemala, in the South Sea, who +had for their captain John Cortes; two hundred more were sent to +Guatelco, a port of the South Sea, over whom went for captain Don Pedro +de Roblis; and two hundred more were sent to Acapulco, the port where +it was said that Captain Drake had been, and they had for captain +Doctor Roblis Alcalde de Corte, with whom I, Miles Phillips, went as +interpreter, having licence given by the Inquisitors. When we were +come to Acapulco we found that Captain Drake was departed from thence, +more than a month before we came thither. But yet our captain, Alcalde +de Corte, there presently embarked himself in a small ship of +threescore ton, or thereabout, having also in company with him two +other small barques, and not past two hundred men in all, with whom I +went as interpreter in his own ship, which, God knoweth, was but weak +and ill-appointed; so that for certain, if we had met with Captain +Drake, he might easily have taken us all. +</P> + +<P> +We, being embarked, kept our course, and ran southward towards Panama, +keeping still as nigh the shore as we could; and leaving the land upon +our left hand, and having coasted thus for the space of eighteen or +twenty days, and were more to the south than Guatemala, we met at last +with other ships which came from Panama, of whom we were certainly +informed that he was clean gone off the coast more than a month before; +and so we returned back to Acapulco again, and there landed, our +captain being thereunto forced, because his men were very sore sea-sick. +All the while that I was at sea with them I was a glad man, for +I hoped that if we met with Master Drake we should all be taken, so +that then I should have been freed out of that danger and misery +wherein I lived, and should return to mine own country of England +again. But missing thereof, when I saw there was no remedy but that we +must needs come on land again, little doth any man know the sorrow and +grief that inwardly I felt, although outwardly I was constrained to +make fair weather of it. +</P> + +<P> +And so, being landed, the next morrow after we began our journey +towards Mexico, and passed these towns of name in our way, as first the +town of Tuatepec, fifty leagues from Mexico; from thence to Washaca, +forty leagues from Mexico; from thence to Tepiaca, twenty-four leagues +from Mexico; and from thence to Lopueblo de Los Angelos, where is a +high hill which casteth out fire three times a day, which hill is +eighteen leagues directly west from Mexico; from thence we went to +Stapelata, eight leagues from Mexico, and there our captain and most of +his men took boat and came to Mexico again, having been forth about the +space of seven weeks, or thereabouts. +</P> + +<P> +Our captain made report to the Viceroy what he had done, and how far he +had travelled, and that for certain he was informed that Captain Drake +was not to be heard of. To which the Viceroy replied and said, surely +we shall have him shortly come into our hands, driven on land through +necessity in some one place or other, for he, being now in these seas +of Sur, it is not possible for him to get out of them again; so that if +he perish not at sea, yet hunger will force him to land. And then +again I was commanded by the Viceroy that I should not depart from the +city of Mexico, but always be at my master's house in a readiness at an +hour's warning, whensoever I should be called for. Notwithstanding +that, within one month after, certain Spaniards going to Mecameca, +eighteen leagues from Mexico, to send away certain hides and +cuchionelio that they had there at their stantias, or dairy houses, and +my master having leave of the secretary for me to go with them, I took +my journey with them, being very well horsed and appointed; and coming +thither, and passing the time there at Mecameca certain days, till we +had certain intelligence that the fleet was ready to depart, I, not +being more than three days' journey from the port of St. John de Ullua, +thought it to be the meetest time for me to make an escape, and I was +the bolder presuming upon my Spanish tongue, which I spake as naturally +as any of them all, thinking with myself that when I came to St. John +de Ullua I would get to be entertained as a soldier, and so go home +into Spain in the same fleet; and, therefore, secretly one evening +late, the moon shining fair, I conveyed myself away, and riding so for +the space of two nights and two days, sometimes in, and sometimes out, +resting very little all that time, upon the second day at night I came +to the town of Vera Cruz, distant from the port of St. John de Ullua, +where the ships rode, but only eight leagues; and here purposing to +rest myself a day or two, I was no sooner alighted but within the space +of one half hour after I was by ill hap arrested, and brought before +justices there, being taken and suspected to be a gentleman's son of +Mexico that was run away from his father. So I, being arrested and +brought before the justices, there was a great hurly-burly about the +matter, every man charging me that I was the son of such a man, +dwelling in Mexico, which I flatly denied, affirming that I knew not +the man; yet would they not believe me, but urged still upon me that I +was he that they sought for, and so I was conveyed away to prison. And +as I was thus going to prison, to the further increase of my grief, it +chanced that at that very instant there was a poor man in the press +that was come to town to sell hens, who told the justices that they did +me wrong, and that in truth he knew very well that I was an Englishman, +and no Spaniard. Then they demanded of him how he knew that, and +threatened him that he said so for that he was my companion, and sought +to convey me away from my father, so that he also was threatened to be +laid in prison with me. He, for the discharge of himself, stood +stiffly in it that I was an Englishman, and one of Captain Hawkins's +men, and that he had known me wear the San Benito in the Black Friars +at Mexico for three or four whole years together; which when they heard +they forsook him, and began to examine me anew, whether that speech of +his were true, yea or no; which when they perceived that I could not +deny, and perceiving that I was run from Mexico, and came thither of +purpose to convey myself away with the fleet, I was presently committed +to prison with a sorrowful heart, often wishing myself that that man +which knew me had at that time been further off. Howbeit, he in +sincerity had compassion of my distressed state, thinking by his +speech, and knowing of me, to have set me free from that present danger +which he saw me in. Howbeit, contrary to his expectation, I was +thereby brought into my extreme danger, and to the hazard of my life, +yet there was no remedy but patience, perforce; and I was no sooner +brought into prison but I had a great pair of bolts clapped on my legs, +and thus I remained in that prison for the space of three weeks, where +were also many other prisoners, which were thither committed for sundry +crimes and condemned to the galleys. During which time of imprisonment +there I found amongst those my prison fellows some that had known me +before in Mexico, and truly they had compassion of me, and would spare +of their victuals and anything else that they had to do me good, +amongst whom there was one of them that told me that he understood by a +secret friend of his which often came to the prison to him that I +should be shortly sent back again to Mexico by waggon, so soon as the +fleet was gone from St. John de Ullua for Spain. +</P> + +<P> +This poor man, my prison fellow, of himself, and without any request +made by me, caused his said friend, which came often unto him to the +grate of the prison, to bring him wine and victuals, to buy for him two +knives which had files in their backs, which files were so well made +that they would serve and suffice any prisoner to file off his irons, +and of those knives or files he brought one to me, and told me that he +had caused it to be made for me, and let me have it at the very price +it cost him, which was two pezoes, the value of eight shillings of our +money, which knife when I had it I was a joyful man, and conveyed the +same into the foot of my boot upon the inside of my left leg, and so +within three or four days after that I had thus received my knife I was +suddenly called for, and brought before the head justice, which caused +those my irons with the round bolt to be stricken off, and sent to a +smith in the town, where was a new pair of bolts made ready for me of +another fashion, which had a broad iron bar coming between the +shackles, and caused my hands to be made fast with a pair of manacles, +and so was I presently laid into a waggon all alone, which was there +ready to depart, with sundry other waggons to the number of sixty, +towards Mexico, and they were all laden with sundry merchandise which +came in the fleet out of Spain. +</P> + +<P> +The waggon that I was in was foremost of all the company, and as we +travelled, I being alone in the waggon, began to try if I could pluck +my hands out of the manacles, and as God would, although it were +somewhat painful for me, yet my hands were so slender that I could pull +them out and put them in again, and ever as we went when the waggons +made most noise and the men busiest, I would be working to file off my +bolts, and travelling thus for the space of eight leagues from Vera +Cruz we came to an high hill, at the entering up of which (as God +would), one of the wheels of the waggon wherein I was brake, so that by +that means the other waggons went afore, and the waggon man that had +charge of me set an Indian carpenter at work to mend the wheel; and +here at this place they baited at an ostrie that a negro woman keeps, +and at this place for that the going up of the hill is very steep for +the space of two leagues and better, they do always accustom to take +the mules of three or four waggons and to place them all together for +the drawing up of one waggon, and so to come down again and fetch up +others in that order. All which came very well to pass, for as it drew +towards night, when most of the waggoners were gone to draw up their +waggons in this sort, I being alone, had quickly filed off my bolts, +and so espying my time in the dark of the evening before they returned +down the hill again, I conveyed myself into the woods there adjoining, +carrying my bolts and manacles with me, and a few biscuits and two +small cheeses. And being come into the woods I threw my irons into a +thick bush, and then covered them with moss and other things, and then +shifted for myself as I might all that night. And thus, by the good +providence of Almighty God, I was freed from mine irons, all saving the +collar that was about my neck, and so got my liberty the second time. +</P> + +<BR><BR> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +THE SEVENTH CHAPTER. +</H3> + +<P CLASS="noindent"> +WHEREIN IS SHOWED HOW I ESCAPED TO GUATEMALA UPON THE SOUTH SEA, AND +FROM THENCE TO THE PORT OF CAVALLOS, WHERE I GOT PASSAGE TO GO INTO +SPAIN, AND OF OUR ARRIVAL AT THE HAVANA AND OUR COMING TO SPAIN, WHERE +I WAS AGAIN LIKE TO HAVE BEEN COMMITTED PRISONER, AND HOW THROUGH THE +GREAT MERCY OF GOD I ESCAPED AND CAME HOME IN SAFETY INTO ENGLAND IN +FEBRUARY, 1582. +</P> + +<P> +The next morning (daylight being come) I perceived by the sun rising +what way to take to escape their hands, for when I fled I took the way +into the woods upon the left hand, and having left that way that went +to Mexico upon my right hand, I thought to keep my course as the woods +and mountains lay still direct south as near as I could; by means +whereof I was sure to convey myself far enough from that way which went +to Mexico. And as I was thus going in the woods I saw many great fires +made to the north not past a league from the mountain where I was, and +travelling thus in my boots, with mine iron collar about my neck, and +my bread and cheese, the very same forenoon I met with a company of +Indians which were hunting of deer for their sustenance, to whom I +spake in the Mexican tongue, and told them how that I had of a long +time been kept in prison by the cruel Spaniards, and did desire them to +help me file off mine iron collar, which they willingly did, rejoicing +greatly with me that I was thus escaped out of the Spaniards' hands. +Then I desired that I might have one of them to guide out of those +desert mountains towards the south, which they also most willingly did, +and so they brought me to an Indian town eight leagues distance from +thence named Shalapa, where I stayed three days; for that I was +somewhat sickly. At which town (with the gold that I had quilted in my +doublet) I bought me an horse of one of the Indians, which cost me six +pezoes, and so travelling south within the space of two leagues I +happened to overtake a Grey Friar, one that I had been familiar withal +in Mexico, whom then I knew to be a zealous, good man, and one that did +much lament the cruelty used against us by the Inquisitors, and truly +he used me very courteously; and I, having confidence in him, did +indeed tell him that I was minded to adventure to see if I could get +out of the said country if I could find shipping, and did therefore +pray him of his aid, direction, and advice herein, which he faithfully +did, not only in directing me which was any safest way to travel, but +he also of himself kept me company for the space of three days, and +ever as we came to the Indians' houses (who used and entertained us +well), he gathered among them in money to the value of twenty pezoes, +which at my departure from him he freely gave unto me. +</P> + +<P> +So came I to the city of Guatemala upon the South Sea, which is distant +from Mexico about 250 leagues, where I stayed six days, for that my +horse was weak, and from thence I travelled still south and by east +seven days' journey, passing by certain Indian towns until I came to an +Indian town distant from Mexico direct south 309 leagues. And here at +this town inquiring to go to the port of Cavallos in the north-east +sea, it was answered that in travelling thither I should not come to +any town in ten or twelve days' journey; so here I hired two Indians to +be my guides, and I bought hens and bread to serve us so long time, and +took with us things to kindle fire every night because of wild beasts, +and to dress our meat; and every night when we rested my Indian guides +would make two great fires, between the which we placed ourselves and +my horse. And in the night time we should hear the lions roar, with +tigers, ounces, and other beasts, and some of them we should see in the +night which had eyes shining like fire. And travelling thus for the +space of twelve days, we came at last to the port of Cavallos upon the +east sea, distant from Guatemala south and by east 200 leagues, and +from Mexico 450 or thereabouts. This is a good harbour for ships, and +is without either castle or bulwark. I having despatched away my +guides, went down to the haven, where I saw certain ships laden chiefly +with canary wine, where I spake with one of the masters, who asked me +what countryman I was, and I told him that I was born in Granada, and +he said that then I was his countryman. I required him that I might +pass home with him in his ship, paying for my passage; and he said yea, +so that I had a safe conduct or letter testimonial to show that he +might incur no danger; for, said he, "it may be that you have killed +some man, or be indebted, and you would therefore run away." To that I +answered that there was not any such cause. +</P> + +<P> +Well, in the end we grew to a price that for 60 pezoes he would carry +me into Spain. A glad man was I at this good hap, and I quickly sold +my horse, and made my provision of hens and bread to serve me in my +passage; and thus within two days after we set sail, and never stayed +until we came to the Havana, which is distant from port de Cavallos by +sea 500 leagues, where we found the whole fleet of Spain, which was +bound home from the Indies. And here I was hired for a soldier, to +serve in the admiral ship of the same fleet, wherein the general +himself went. +</P> + +<P> +There landed while I was here four ships out of Spain, being all full +of soldiers and ordnance, of which number there were 200 men landed +here, and four great brass pieces of ordnance, although the castle were +before sufficiently provided; 200 men more were sent to Campechy, and +certain ordnance; 200 to Florida with ordnance; and 100 lastly to St. +John de Ullua. As for ordnance, there they have sufficient, and of the +very same which was ours which we had in the Jesus, and those others +which we had planted in the place, where the Viceroy betrayed Master +Hawkins, our general, as hath been declared. The sending of those +soldiers to every of those posts, and the strengthening of them, was +done by commandment from the King of Spain, who wrote also by them to +the general of his fleet, giving him in charge so to do, as also +directing him what course he should keep in his coming home into Spain, +charging him at any hand not to come nigh to the isles of Azores, but +to keep his course more to the northward, advertising him withal what +number and power of French ships of war and other Don Anthony had at +that time at the Tercera and isles aforesaid, which the general of the +fleet well considering, and what great store of riches he had to bring +home with him into Spain, did in all very dutifully observe and obey; +for in truth he had in his said fleet 37 sail of ships, and in every of +them there was as good as 30 pipes of silver, one with another, besides +great store of gold, cochineal, sugars, hides, and Cana Fistula, with +other apothecary drugs. This our general, who was called Don Pedro de +Guzman, did providently take order for, for their most strength and +defence, if needs should be, to the uttermost of his power, and +commanded upon pain of death that neither passenger or soldier should +come aboard without his sword and harquebuse, with shot and powder, to +the end that they might be the better able to encounter the fleet of +Don Anthony if they should hap to meet with them, or any of them. And +ever as the weather was fair, this said general would himself go aboard +from one ship to another to see that every man had his full provision +according to the commandment given. +</P> + +<P> +Yet to speak truly what I think, two good tall ships of war would have +made a foul spoil amongst them, for in all this fleet there were not +any that were strong and warlike appointed, saving only the admiral and +vice-admiral. And again, over and besides the weakness and +ill-furnishing of the rest, they were all so deeply laden, that they had +not been able (even if they had been charged) to have held out any long +fight. Well, thus we set sail, and had a very ill passage home, the +weather was so contrary. We kept our course in manner northeast, and +brought ourselves to the height of 42 degrees of latitude, to be sure +not to meet with Don Anthony his fleet, and were upon our voyage from +the 4th of June until the 10th of September, and never saw land till we +fell with the Arenas Gordas hard by St. Lucar. +</P> + +<P> +And there was an order taken that none should go on shore until he had +a licence; as for me, I was known by one in the ship, who told the +master that I was an Englishman, which (as God would) was my good hap +to hear; for if I had not heard it, it had cost me my life. +Notwithstanding, I would not take any knowledge of it, and seemed to be +merry and pleasant that we were all come so well in safety. Presently +after, licence came that we should go on shore, and I pressed to be +gone with the first; howbeit, the master came unto me and said, +"Sirrah, you must go with me to Seville by water." I knew his meaning +well enough, and that he meant there to offer me up as a sacrifice to +the Holy House. For the ignorant zeal of a number of these +superstitious Spaniards is such that they think that they have done God +good service when they have brought a Lutheran heretic to the fire to +be burnt; for so they do account of us. Well, I perceiving all this, +took upon me not to suspect anything, but was still jocund and merry, +howbeit I knew it stood me upon to shift for myself. And so waiting my +time when the master was in his cabin asleep, I conveyed myself +secretly down by the shrouds into the ship boat, and made no stay, but +cut the rope wherewithal she was moored, and so by the cable hailed on +shore, where I leapt on land, and let the boat go whither it would. +Thus by the help of God I escaped that day, and then never stayed at +St. Lucar, but went all night by the way which I had seen others take +towards Seville. So that the next morning I came to Seville, and +sought me out a workmaster, that I might fall to my science, which was +weaving of taffaetas, and being entertained I set myself close to my +work, and durst not for my life once to stir abroad, for fear of being +known, and being thus at my work, within four days after I heard one of +my fellows say that he heard there was great inquiry made for an +Englishman that came home in the fleet. "What, an heretic Lutheran +(quoth I), was it? I would to God I might know him. Surely I would +present him to the Holy House." And thus I kept still within doors at +my work, and feigned myself not well at ease, and that I would labour +as I might to get me new clothes. And continuing thus for the space of +three months, I called for my wages, and bought me all things new, +different from the apparel that I did wear at sea, and yet durst not be +over bold to walk abroad; and after understanding that there were +certain English ships at St. Lucar, bound for England, I took a boat +and went aboard one of them, and desired the master that I might have +passage with him to go into England, and told him secretly that I was +one of those which Captain Hawkins did set on shore in the Indies. He +very courteously prayed me to have him excused, for he durst not meddle +with me, and prayed me therefore to return from whence I came. Which +then I perceived with a sorrowful heart, God knoweth, I took my leave +of him, not without watery cheeks. And then I went to St. Mary Port, +which is three leagues from St. Lucar, where I put myself to be a +soldier in the King of Spain's galleys, which were bound for Majorca +and coming thither in the end of the Christmas holidays I found there +two English ships, the one of London, and the other of the west +country, which were ready freighted, and stayed but for a fair wind. +To the master of the one which was of the west country went I, and told +him that I had been two years in Spain to learn the language, and that +I was now desirous to go home and see my friends, for that I lacked +maintenance, and so having agreed with him for my passage I took my +shipping. And thus, through the providence of Almighty God, after +sixteen years' absence, having sustained many and sundry great troubles +and miseries, as by this discourse appeareth, I came home to this my +native country in England in the year 1582, in the month of February in +the ship called the Landret, and arrived at Poole. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR><BR> + + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Voyager's Tales, by Richard Hakluyt + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK VOYAGER'S TALES *** + +***** This file should be named 3752-h.htm or 3752-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/3/7/5/3752/ + +Produced by Les Bowler. 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You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Voyager's Tales + +Author: Richard Hakluyt + +Posting Date: May 13, 2009 [EBook #3752] +Release Date: February, 2003 +First Posted: August 21, 2001 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK VOYAGER'S TALES *** + + + + +Produced by Les Bowler. HTML version by Al Haines. + + + + + + + + + +VOYAGER'S TALES, + +FROM THE COLLECTIONS OF RICHARD HAKLUYT. + + + + +INTRODUCTION. + +Richard Hakluyt, notwithstanding the Dutch look of his name, was of a +good British stock, from Wales or the Welsh borders. At the beginning +of the fourteenth century an ancestor of his, Hugo Hakelute, sat in +Parliament as member for Leominster. + +Richard Hakluyt, born about five years before the accession of Queen +Elizabeth, was a boy at Westminster School, when visits to a cousin in +the Middle Temple, also a Richard Hakluyt, first planted in him an +enthusiasm for the study of adventure towards a wider use and knowledge +of the globe we live upon. As a student at Christ Church, Oxford, all +his leisure was spent on the collection and reading of accounts of +voyage and adventure. He graduated as B. A. in 1574, as M. A. in 1577, +and lectured publicly upon geography, showing "both the old imperfectly +composed, and the new lately reformed maps, globes, spheres, and other +instruments of this art." + +In 1582 Hakluyt, at the age of about twenty-nine, issued his first +publication: "Divers Voyages touching the Discovery of America and the +Lands adjacent unto the same, made first of all by our Englishmen, and +afterwards by the Frenchmen and Bretons: and certain Notes of +Advertisements for Observations, necessary for such as shall hereafter +make the like Attempt." His researches had already made him the +personal friend of the famous sea captains of Elizabeth's reign. In +1583 he had taken orders, and went to Paris as chaplain to the English +ambassador, Sir Edward Stafford. From Paris he returned to England for +a short time, in 1584, and laid before the Queen a paper recommending +the plantation of unsettled parts of America. It was called "A +particular Discourse concerning Western Discoveries, written in the +year 1584, by Richard Hakluyt, of Oxford, at the request and direction +of the right worshipful Mr. Walter Raleigh, before the coming home of +his two barks." Raleigh and Hakluyt were within a year of the same +age. + +To found a colonial empire in America by settling upon new lands, and +by dispossessing Spaniards, was one of the grand ideas of Walter +Raleigh, who obtained, on the 25th of March in that year, 1584, a +patent authorising him to search out and take possession of new lands +in the Western world. He then fitted out two ships, which left England +on the 27th of April, under the command of Philip Amadas and Arthur +Barlow. In June they had reached the West Indies, then they sailed +north by the coasts of Florida and Carolina, and they had with them two +natives when they returned to England in September, 1584. In December +Raleigh's patent was enlarged and confirmed, and presently afterwards +Raleigh was knighted. + +Richard Hakluyt's paper, in aid of this beginning of the shaping of +another England in the New World, was for a long time lost. It was +first printed in 1877 at Cambridge, Massachusetts, among the +Collections of the Maine Historical Society. It won for its author a +promise of the next vacant prebend at Bristol; the vacancy came about a +year later, and the Rev. Richard Hakluyt was admitted to it in 1586. + +Hakluyt remained about five years at Paris as Chaplain to the English +Embassy, and while there he caused the publication in 1586 of an +account by Laudonniere of voyages into Florida. This he also +translated and published, in London, in 1587, as "A Notable History +containing Four Voyages made by certain French Captains into Florida." +In 1588 Hakluyt returned to England, and in the next year, 1589, he +published in one folio volume, "The Principal Navigations, Voyages, and +Discoveries of the English Nation." In April of the next year he +became rector of Witheringsett-cum-Brockford, in Suffolk. The full +development of his work appeared in three volumes folio in the years +1598, 1599, and 1600, as "The Principal Navigations, Voyages, Traffics, +and Discoveries of the English Nation," the first of these volumes +differing materially from the volume that had appeared in 1589. + +Hakluyt became, in May, 1602, prebendary, and in 1603 archdeacon of +Westminster. He was twice married, died about six months after +Shakespeare, and was buried in Westminster Abbey on the 26th of +November, 1616. + +H. M. + + + + +VOYAGERS' TALES. + + + +THE WORTHY ENTERPRISE OF JOHN FOX, AN ENGLISHMAN, IN DELIVERING 266 +CHRISTIANS OUT OF THE CAPTIVITY OF THE TURKS AT ALEXANDRIA, THE 3RD OF +JANUARY, 1577. + +Among our merchants here in England, it is a common voyage to traffic +to Spain; whereunto a ship called the Three Half Moons, manned with +eight and thirty men, well fenced with munitions, the better to +encounter their enemies withal, and having wind and tide, set from +Portsmouth 1563, and bended her journey towards Seville, a city in +Spain, intending there to traffic with them. And falling near the +Straits, they perceived themselves to be beset round about with eight +galleys of the Turks, in such wise that there was no way for them to +fly or to escape away, but that either they must yield or else be sunk, +which the owner perceiving, manfully encouraged his company, exhorting +them valiantly to show their manhood, showing them that God was their +God, and not their enemies', requesting them also not to faint in +seeing such a heap of their enemies ready to devour them; putting them +in mind also, that if it were God's pleasure to give them into their +enemies' hands, it was not they that ought to show one displeasant look +or countenance there against; but to take it patiently, and not to +prescribe a day and time for their deliverance, as the citizens of +Bethulia did, but to put themselves under His mercy. And again, if it +were His mind and good will to show His mighty power by them, if their +enemies were ten times so many, they were not able to stand in their +hands; putting them, likewise, in mind of the old and ancient +worthiness of their countrymen, who in the hardest extremities have +always most prevailed, and gone away conquerors; yea, and where it hath +been almost impossible. "Such," quoth he, "hath been the valiantness +of our countrymen, and such hath been the mighty power of our God." + +With such other like encouragements, exhorting them to behave +themselves manfully, they fell all on their knees, making their prayers +briefly unto God; who, being all risen up again, perceived their +enemies, by their signs and defiances, bent to the spoil, whose mercy +was nothing else but cruelty; whereupon every man took him to his +weapon. + +Then stood up one Grove, the master, being a comely man, with his sword +and target, holding them up in defiance against his enemies. So +likewise stood up the owner, the master's mate, boatswain, purser, and +every man well appointed. Now likewise sounded up the drums, trumpets, +and flutes, which would have encouraged any man, had he never so little +heart or courage in him. + +Then taketh him to his charge John Fox, the gunner, in the disposing of +his pieces, in order to the best effect, and, sending his bullets +towards the Turks, who likewise bestowed their pieces thrice as fast +towards the Christians. But shortly they drew near, so that the bowmen +fell to their charge in sending forth their arrows so thick amongst the +galleys, and also in doubling their shot so sore upon the galleys, that +there were twice so many of the Turks slain as the number of the +Christians were in all. But the Turks discharged twice as fast against +the Christians, and so long, that the ship was very sore stricken and +bruised under water; which the Turks, perceiving, made the more haste +to come aboard the ship: which, ere they could do, many a Turk bought +it dearly with the loss of their lives. Yet was all in vain; boarded +they were, where they found so hot a skirmish, that it had been better +they had not meddled with the feast; for the Englishmen showed +themselves men indeed, in working manfully with their brown bills and +halberds, where the owner, master, boatswain, and their company stood +to it so lustily, that the Turks were half dismayed. But chiefly the +boatswain showed himself valiant above the rest, for he fared amongst +the Turks like a wood lion; for there was none of them that either +could or durst stand in his face, till at last there came a shot from +the Turks which brake his whistle asunder, and smote him on the breast, +so that he fell down, bidding them farewell, and to be of good comfort, +encouraging them, likewise, to win praise by death, rather than to live +captives in misery and shame, which they, hearing, indeed, intended to +have done, as it appeared by their skirmish; but the press and store of +the Turks were so great, that they were not long able to endure, but +were so overpressed, that they could not wield their weapons, by reason +whereof they must needs be taken, which none of them intended to have +been, but rather to have died, except only the master's mate, who +shrunk from the skirmish, like a notable coward, esteeming neither the +value of his name, nor accounting of the present example of his +fellows, nor having respect to the miseries whereunto he should be put. +But in fine, so it was, that the Turks were victors, whereof they had +no great cause to rejoice or triumph. Then would it have grieved any +hard heart to see these infidels so violently entreating the +Christians, not having any respect of their manhood, which they had +tasted of, nor yet respecting their own state, how they might have met +with such a booty as might have given them the overthrow; but no +remorse hereof, or anything else doth bridle their fierce and tyrannous +dealing, but the Christians must needs to the galleys, to serve in new +offices; and they were no sooner in them, but their garments were +pulled over their ears, and torn from their backs, and they set to the +oars. + +I will make no mention of their miseries, being now under their +enemies' raging stripes. I think there is no man will judge their fare +good, or their bodies unloaden of stripes, and not pestered with too +much heat, and also with too much cold; but I will go to my purpose, +which is to show the end of those being in mere misery, which +continually do call on God with a steadfast hope that He will deliver +them, and with a sure faith that He can do it. + +Nigh to the city of Alexandria, being a haven town, and under the +dominion of the Turks, there is a road, being made very fencible with +strong walls, whereinto the Turks do customably bring their galleys on +shore every year, in the winter season, and there do trim them, and lay +them up against the spring-time; in which road there is a prison, +wherein the captives and such prisoners as serve in the galleys are put +for all that time, until the seas be calm and passable for the galleys, +every prisoner being most grievously laden with irons on their legs, to +their great pain, and sore disabling of them to any labour; into which +prison were these Christians put and fast warded all the winter season. +But ere it was long, the master and the owner, by means of friends, +were redeemed, the rest abiding still in the misery, while that they +were all, through reason of their ill-usage and worse fare, miserably +starved, saving one John Fox, who (as some men can abide harder and +more misery than other some can, so can some likewise make more shift, +and work more duties to help their state and living, than other some +can do) being somewhat skilful in the craft of a barber, by reason +thereof made great shift in helping his fare now and then with a good +meal. Insomuch, till at the last God sent him favour in the sight of +the keeper of the prison, so that he had leave to go in and out to the +road at his pleasure, paying a certain stipend unto the keeper, and +wearing a lock about his leg, which liberty likewise five more had upon +like sufferance, who, by reason of their long imprisonment, not being +feared or suspected to start aside, or that they would work the Turks +any mischief, had liberty to go in and out at the said road, in such +manner as this John Fox did, with irons on their legs, and to return +again at night. + +In the year of our Lord 1577, in the winter season, the galleys happily +coming to their accustomed harbourage, and being discharged of all +their masts, sails, and other such furnitures as unto galleys do +appertain, and all the masters and mariners of them being then nested +in their own homes, there remained in the prison of the said road two +hundred three score and eight Christian prisoners who had been taken by +the Turks' force, and were of fifteen sundry nations. Among which +there were three Englishmen, whereof one was named John Fox, of +Woodbridge, in Suffolk, the other William Wickney, of Portsmouth, in +the county of Southampton, and the third Robert Moore, of Harwich, in +the county of Essex; which John Fox, having been thirteen or fourteen +years under their gentle entreatance, and being too weary thereof, +minding his escape, weighed with himself by what means it might be +brought to pass, and continually pondering with himself thereof, took a +good heart unto him, in the hope that God would not be always scourging +His children, and never ceasing to pray Him to further his intended +enterprise, if that it should redound to His glory. + +Not far from the road, and somewhat from thence, at one side of the +city, there was a certain victualling house, which one Peter Vuticaro +had hired, paying also a certain fee unto the keeper of the road. This +Peter Vuticaro was a Spaniard born, and a Christian, and had been +prisoner above thirty years, and never practised any means to escape, +but kept himself quiet without touch or suspect of any conspiracy, +until that now this John Fox using much thither, they brake one to +another their minds, concerning the restraint of their liberty and +imprisonment. So that this John Fox, at length opening unto this +Vuticaro the device which he would fain put in practice, made privy one +more to this their intent; which three debated of this matter at such +times as they could compass to meet together, insomuch that, at seven +weeks' end they had sufficiently concluded how the matter should be, if +it pleased God to further them thereto; who, making five more privy to +this their device, whom they thought that they might safely trust, +determined in three nights after to accomplish their deliberate +purpose. Whereupon the same John Fox and Peter Vuticaro, and the other +five appointed to meet all together in the prison the next day, being +the last day of December, where this John Fox certified the rest of the +prisoners what their intent and device was, and how and when they +minded to bring that purpose to pass, who thereunto persuaded them +without much ado to further their device; which, the same John Fox +seeing, delivered unto them a sort of files, which he had gathered +together for this purpose by the means of Peter Vuticaro, charging them +that every man should be ready, discharged of his irons, by eight of +the clock on the next day at night. + +On the next day at night, the said John Fox, and his five other +companions, being all come to the house of Peter Vuticaro, passing the +time away in mirth for fear of suspect till the night came on, so that +it was time for them to put in practice their device, sent Peter +Vuticaro to the master of the road, in the name of one of the masters +of the city, with whom this keeper was acquainted, and at whose request +he also would come at the first; who desired him to take the pains to +meet him there, promising him that he would bring him back again. The +keeper agreed to go with him, asking the warders not to bar the gate, +saying that he would not stay long, but would come again with all +speed. + +In the mean-season, the other seven had provided them of such weapons +as they could get in that house, and John Fox took him to an old rusty +sword-blade without either hilt or pommel, which he made to serve his +turn in bending the hand end of the sword instead of a pommel, and the +other had got such spits and glaves as they found in the house. + +The keeper being now come unto the house, and perceiving no light nor +hearing any noise, straightway suspected the matter; and returning +backward, John Fox, standing behind the corner of the house, stepped +forth unto him; who, perceiving it to be John Fox, said, "O Fox, what +have I deserved of thee that thou shouldest seek my death?" + +"Thou villain," quoth Fox, "hast been a bloodsucker of many a +Christian's blood, and now thou shalt know what thou hast deserved at +my hands," wherewith he lift up his bright shining sword of ten years' +rust, and stroke him so main a blow, as therewithal his head clave +asunder so that he fell stark dead to the ground. Whereupon Peter +Vuticaro went in and certified the rest how the case stood with the +keeper, and they came presently forth, and some with their spits ran +him through, and the other with their glaves hewed him in sunder, cut +off his head, and mangled him so that no man should discern what he +was. + +Then marched they toward the road, whereinto they entered softly, where +were five warders, whom one of them asked, saying, who was there? +Quoth Fox and his company, "All friends." Which when they were all +within proved contrary; for, quoth Fox, "My masters, here is not to +every man a man, wherefore look you, play your parts." Who so behaved +themselves indeed, that they had despatched these five quickly. Then +John Fox, intending not to be barren of his enterprise, and minding to +work surely in that which he went about, barred the gate surely, and +planted a cannon against it. + +Then entered they into the jailer's lodge, where they found the keys of +the fortress and prison by his bedside, and there got they all better +weapons. In this chamber was a chest wherein was a rich treasure, and +all in ducats, which this Peter Vuticaro and two more opening, stuffed +themselves so full as they could between their shirts and their skin; +which John Fox would not once touch and said, "that it was his and +their liberty which he fought for, to the honour of his God, and not to +make a mart of the wicked treasure of the infidels." Yet did these +words sink nothing unto their stomachs; they did it for a good intent. +So did Saul save the fattest oxen to offer unto the Lord, and they to +serve their own turn. But neither did Saul scape the wrath of God +therefor, neither had these that thing which they desired so, and did +thirst after. Such is God's justice. He that they put their trust in +to deliver them from the tyrannous hands of their enemies, he, I say, +could supply their want of necessaries. + +Now these eight, being armed with such weapons as they thought well of, +thinking themselves sufficient champions to encounter a stronger enemy, +and coming unto the prison, Fox opened the gates and doors thereof, and +called forth all the prisoners, whom he set, some to ramming up the +gate, some to the dressing up of a certain galley which was the best in +all the road, and was called "The Captain of Alexandria," whereinto +some carried masts, sails, oars, and other such furniture, as doth +belong unto a galley. + +At the prison were certain warders whom John Fox and his company slew, +in the killing of whom there were eight more of the Turks which +perceived them, and got them to the top of the prison, unto whom John +Fox and his company were fain to come by ladders, where they found a +hot skirmish, for some of them were there slain, some wounded, and some +but scarred and not hurt. As John Fox was thrice shot through his +apparel, and not hurt, Peter Vuticaro and the other two, that had armed +them with the ducats, were slain, as not able to wield themselves, +being so pestered with the weight and uneasy carrying of the wicked and +profane treasure; and also divers Christians were as well hurt about +that skirmish as Turks slain. + +Amongst the Turks was one thrust through, who (let us not say that it +was ill-fortune) fell off from the top of the prison wall, and made +such a groaning that the inhabitants thereabout (as here and there +stood a house or two), came and questioned him, so that they understood +the case, how that the prisoners were paying their ransoms; wherewith +they raised both Alexandria, which lay on the west side of the road, +and a castle which was at the city's end next to the road, and also +another fortress which lay on the north side of the road, so that now +they had no way to escape but one, which by man's reason (the two holds +lying so upon the mouth of the road) might seem impossible to be a way +for them. So was the Red Sea impossible for the Israelites to pass +through, the hills and rocks lay so on the one side, and their enemies +compassed them on the other. So was it impossible that the walls of +Jericho should fall down, being neither undermined nor yet rammed at +with engines, nor yet any man's wisdom, policy, or help, set or put +thereunto. Such impossibilities can our God make possible. He that +held the lion's jaws from rending Daniel asunder, yea, or yet from once +touching him to his hurt, cannot He hold the roaring cannons of this +hellish force? He that kept the fire's rage in the hot burning oven +from the three children that praised His name, cannot He keep the +fire's flaming blasts from among His elect? + +Now is the road fraught with lusty soldiers, labourers, and mariners, +who are fain to stand to their tackling, in setting to every man his +hand, some to the carrying in of victuals, some munitions, some oars, +and some one thing some another, but most are keeping their enemy from +the wall of the road. But to be short, there was no time misspent, no +man idle, nor any man's labour ill-bestowed or in vain. So that in +short time this galley was ready trimmed up. Whereinto every man +leaped in all haste, hoisting up the sails lustily, yielding themselves +to His mercy and grace, in Whose hands is both wind and weather. + +Now is this galley a-float, and out of the shelter of the road; now +have the two castles full power upon the galley; now is there no remedy +but to sink. How can it be avoided? The cannons let fly from both +sides, and the galley is even in the middest and between them both. +What man can devise to save it? There is no man but would think it +must needs be sunk. + +There was not one of them that feared the shot which went thundering +round about their ears, nor yet were once scarred or touched with five +and forty shot which came from the castles. Here did God hold forth +His buckler, He shieldeth now this galley, and hath tried their faith +to the uttermost. Now cometh His special help; yea, even when man +thinks them past all help, then cometh He Himself down from Heaven with +His mighty power, then is His present remedy most ready. For they sail +away, being not once touched by the glance of a shot, and are quickly +out of the Turkish cannons' reach. Then might they see them coming +down by heaps to the water's side, in companies like unto swarms of +bees, making show to come after them with galleys, bustling themselves +to dress up the galleys, which would be a swift piece of work for them +to do, for that they had neither oars, masts, sails, nor anything else +ready in any galley. But yet they are carrying into them, some into +one galley, and some into another, so that, being such a confusion +amongst them, without any certain guide, it were a thing impossible to +overtake the Christians; beside that, there was no man that would take +charge of a galley, the weather was so rough, and there was such an +amazedness amongst them. And verily, I think their god was amazed +thereat; it could not be but that he must blush for shame, he can speak +never a word for dulness, much less can he help them in such an +extremity. Well, howsoever it is, he is very much to blame to suffer +them to receive such a gibe. But howsoever their god behaved himself, +our God showed Himself a God indeed, and that He was the only living +God; for the seas were swift under His faithful, which made the enemies +aghast to behold them; a skilfuller pilot leads them, and their +mariners bestir them lustily; but the Turks had neither mariners, +pilot, nor any skilful master, that was in readiness at this pinch. + +When the Christians were safe out of the enemy's coast, John Fox called +to them all, telling them to be thankful unto Almighty God for their +delivery, and most humbly to fall down upon their knees, beseeching Him +to aid them to their friends' land, and not to bring them into another +danger, since He had most mightily delivered them from so great a +thraldom and bondage. + +Thus when every man had made his petition, they fell straightway to +their labour with the oars, in helping one another when they were +wearied, and with great labour striving to come to some Christian land, +as near as they could guess by the stars. But the winds were so +contrary, one while driving them this way, another while that way, so +that they were now in a new maze, thinking that God had forsaken them +and left them to a greater danger. And forasmuch as there were no +victuals now left in the galley, it might have been a cause to them (if +they had been the Israelites), to have murmured against their God; but +they knew how that their God, who had delivered Egypt, was such a +loving and merciful God, as that He would not suffer them to be +confounded in whom He had wrought so great a wonder, but what calamity +soever they sustained, they knew it was but for their further trial, +and also (in putting them in mind of their further misery), to cause +them not to triumph and glory in themselves therefor. Having, I say, +no victuals in the galley, it might seem one misery continually to fall +upon another's neck; but to be brief the famine grew to be so great +that in twenty-eight days, wherein they were on the sea, there died +eight persons, to the astonishment of all the rest. + +So it fell out that upon the twenty-ninth day after they set from +Alexandria, they fell on the isle of Candia, and landed at Gallipoli, +where they were made much of by the abbot and monks there, who caused +them to stay there while they were well refreshed and eased. They kept +there the sword wherewith John Fox had killed the keeper, esteeming it +as a most precious relic, and hung it up for a monument. + +When they thought good, having leave to depart from thence, they sailed +along the coast till they arrived at Tarento, where they sold their +galley, and divided it, every man having a part thereof. The Turks on +receiving so shameful a foil at their hands, pursued the Christians, +and scoured the seas, where they could imagine that they had bent their +course. And the Christians had departed from thence on the one day in +the morning and seven galleys of the Turks came thither that night, as +it was certified by those who followed Fox and his company, fearing +lest they should have been met with. And then they came afoot to +Naples, where they departed asunder, every man taking him to his next +way home. From whence John Fox took his journey unto Rome, where he +was well entertained by an Englishman who presented his worthy deed +unto the Pope, who rewarded him liberally, and gave him letters unto +the King of Spain, where he was very well entertained of him there, who +for this his most worthy enterprise gave him in fee twenty pence a day. +From whence, being desirous to come into his own country, he came +thither at such time as he conveniently could, which was in the year of +our Lord God 1579; who being come into England went unto the Court, and +showed all his travel unto the Council, who considering of the state of +this man, in that he had spent and lost a great part of his youth in +thraldom and bondage, extended to him their liberality to help to +maintain him now in age, to their right honour and to the encouragement +of all true-hearted Christians. + + + +THE COPY OF THE CERTIFICATE FOR JOHN FOX AND HIS COMPANY, MADE BY THE +PRIOR AND THE BRETHREN OF GALLIPOLI, WHERE THEY FIRST LANDED. + +We, the Prior and Fathers of the Convent of the Amerciates, of the city +of Gallipoli, of the order of Preachers, do testify that upon the 29th +of January last past, 1577, there came into the said city a certain +galley from Alexandria, taken from the Turks, with two hundred and +fifty-eight Christians, whereof was principal Master John Fox, an +Englishman, a gunner, and one of the chiefest that did accomplish that +great work, whereby so many Christians have recovered their liberties, +in token and remembrance whereof, upon our earnest request to the same +John Fox, he has left here an old sword, wherewith he slew the keeper +of the prison, which sword we do as a monument and memorial of so +worthy a deed, hang up in the chief place of our convent house. And +for because all things aforesaid, are such as we will testify to be +true, as they are orderly passed, and have therefore good credit, that +so much as is above expressed is true, and for the more faith thereof, +we, the Prior and Fathers aforesaid, have ratified and subscribed these +presents. Given in Gallipoli, the 3rd of February, 1577. + +I, Friar VINCENT BARBA, Prior of the same place, confirm the premises, +as they are above written. + +I, Friar ALBERT DAMARO, of Gallipoli, sub-prior, confirm as much. + +I, Friar ANTHONY CELLELER, of Galli, confirm as aforesaid. + +I, Friar BARTLEMEW, of Gallipoli, confirm as above said. + +I, Friar FRANCIS, of Gallipoli, confirm as much. + + + +THE BISHOP OF ROME, HIS LETTERS IN BEHALF OF JOHN FOX. + +Be it known unto all men, to whom this writing shall come, that the +bringer hereof, John Fox, Englishman, a gunner, after he had served +captive in the Turks' galleys, by the space of fourteen years, at +length, through God his help, taking good opportunity, the 3rd of +January last passed, slew the keeper of the prison (whom he first +stroke on the face) together with four and twenty other Turks, by the +assistance of his fellow-prisoners; and with 266 Christians (of whose +liberty he was the author) launched from Alexandria, and from thence +arrived first at Gallipoli, in Candia, and afterwards at Tarento, in +Apulia; the written testimony and credit of which things, as also of +others, the same John Fox hath in public tables from Naples. + +Upon Easter Eve he came to Rome, and is now determined to take his +journey to the Spanish Court, hoping there to obtain some relief +towards his living; wherefore the poor distressed man humbly +beseecheth, and we in his behalf, do in the bowels of Christ, desire +you, that taking compassion of his former captivity and present penury, +you do not only suffer him freely to pass through all your cities and +towns, but also succour him with your charitable alms, the reward +whereof you shall hereafter most assuredly receive, which we hope you +will afford to him, whom with tender affection of pity we commend unto +you. At Rome, the 20th of April, 1577. + +THOMAS GROLOS, Englishman, Bishop of Astraphen. + +RICHARD SILLEUN, Prior Angliae. + +ANDREAS LUDOVICUS, Register to our Sovereign Lord the Pope, which for +the greater credit of the premises, have set my seal to these presents. +At Rome, the day and year above written. + +MAURICIUS CLEMENT, the governor and keeper of the English hospital in +the city. + + + +THE KING OF SPAIN, HIS LETTERS TO THE LIEUTENANT FOR THE PLACING OF +JOHN FOX IN THE OFFICE OF A GUNNER, ETC. + +To the illustrious prince, Vespasian Gonsaga Colonna, our Lieutenant +and Captain-General of our realm of Valencia, having consideration that +John Fox, Englishman, hath served us, and was one of the most principal +which took away from the Turks a certain galley, which they have +brought to Taranto, wherein were two hundred and fifty-eight Christian +captives. We license him to practice, and give him the office of a +gunner, and have ordained that he go to our said realm there to serve +in the said office in the galleys, which by our commandment are lately +made. And we do command that you cause to be paid to him eight ducats +pay a month, for the time that he shall serve in the said galleys as a +gunner, or till we can otherwise provide for him, the said eight ducats +monthly of the money which is already of our provision, present and to +come, and to have regard of those which come with him. From Escurial +the 10th of August, 1577.--I, the King, + + JUAN DEL GADO. + +And under that a confirmation of the Council. + + + +VERSES WRITTEN BY A. M. TO THE COURTEOUS READERS, WHO WAS PRESENT AT +ROME WHEN JOHN FOX RECEIVED HIS LETTERS OF THE POPE. + + Leaving at large all fables vainly used, + All trifling toys that do no truth import, + Lo, here how the end (at length) though long diffused, + Unfoldeth plain a true and rare report; + To glad those minds which seek their country's wealth, + By proffered pains to enlarge his happy health. + At Rome I was, when Fox did there arrive, + Therefore I may sufficiently express, + What gallant joy his deeds did there revive + In the hearts of those which heard his valiantness. + And how the Pope did recompense his pains, + And letters gave to move his greater gains. + + But yet I know that many do misdoubt, + That those his pains are fables and untrue; + Not only I in this will bear him out, + But diverse more that did his patents view. + And unto those so boldly I daresay, + That nought but truth John Fox doth here bewray; + Besides here's one was slave with him in thrall, + Lately returned into our native land, + This witness can this matter perfect all, + What needeth more? for witness he may stand. + And thus I end, unfolding what I know, + The other man more larger proof can show. + Honos alit artes, A. M. + + + ----- + + + +THE VOYAGE MADE TO TRIPOLIS IN BARBARY, IN THE YEAR 1584, WITH A SHIP +CALLED THE JESUS, WHEREIN THE ADVENTURES AND DISTRESSES OF SOME +ENGLISHMEN ARE TRULY REPORTED, AND OTHER NECESSARY CIRCUMSTANCES +OBSERVED. WRITTEN BY THOMAS SANDERS. + +This voyage was set forth by the Right Worshipful Sir Edward Osborne +Knight, chief merchant of all the Turkish Company, and one Master +Richard Stapers, the ship being of the burden of one hundred tons, +called the Jesus; she was builded at Farmne, a river by Portsmouth. +The owners were Master Thomas Thompson, Nicholas Carnabie, and John +Gilman. The master (under God) was one Zaccheus Hellier, of Blackwall, +and his mate was one Richard Morris, of that place; their pilot was one +Anthony Jerado, a Frenchman, of the province of Marseilles; the purser +was one William Thompson, our owner's son; the merchants' factors were +Romaine Sonnings, a Frenchman, and Richard Skegs, servant unto the said +Master Stapers. The owners were bound unto the merchants by charter +party thereupon in one thousand marks, that the said ship, by God's +permission should go for Tripolis in Barbary, that is to say, first +from Portsmouth to Newhaven in Normandy, thence to S. Lukar, otherwise +called S. Lucas, in Andalusia, and from thence to Tripolis, which is in +the east part of Africa, and so to return unto London. + +But here ought every man to note and consider the works of our God, +that (many times) what man doth determine God doth disappoint. The +said master having some occasion to go to Farmne, took with him the +pilot and the purser, and returning again, by means of a gust of wind, +the boat wherein they were was drowned, the said master, the purser, +and all the company; only the said pilot by experience in swimming +saved himself, these were the beginnings of our sorrows. After which +the said master's mate would not proceed in that voyage, and the owner +hearing of this misfortune, and the unwillingness of the master's mate, +did send down one Richard Deimond and shipped him for master, who did +choose for his mate one Andrew Dier, and so the said ship departed on +her voyage accordingly; that is to say, about the 16th of October, +1584, she made sail from Portsmouth, and the 18th day then next +following she arrived into Newhaven, where our said last master Deimond +by a surfeit died. The factors then appointed the said Andrew Dier, +being then master's mate, to be their master for that voyage, who did +choose to be his mates the two quarter-masters of the same ship, to +wit, Peter Austine and Shillabey, and for purser was shipped one +Richard Burges. Afterward about the 8th day of November we made sail +forthward, and by force of weather we were driven back again into +Portsmouth, where we refreshed our victuals and other necessaries, and +then the wind came fair. About the 29th day then next following we +departed thence, and the 1st day of December, by means of a contrary +wind, we were driven to Plymouth. The 18th day then next following we +made forthward again, and by force of weather we were driven to +Falmouth, where we remained until the 1st day of January, at which time +the wind coming fair we departed thence, and about the 20th day of the +said month we arrived safely at S. Lucas. And about the 9th day of +March next following we made sail from thence, and about the 18th day +of the same month we came to Tripolis in Barbary, where we were very +well entertained by the king of that country and also of the commons. +The commodities of that place are sweet oils; the king there is a +merchant, and the rather (willing to prefer himself before his commons) +requested our said factors to traffic with him, and promised them that +if they would take his oils at his own price they should pay no manner +of custom, and they took of him certain tons of oil; and afterward +perceiving that they might have far better cheap, notwithstanding the +custom free, they desired the king to license them to take the oils at +the pleasure of his commons, for that his price did exceed theirs; +whereunto the king would not agree, but was rather contented to abate +his price, insomuch that the factors bought all their oils of the +king's custom free, and so laded the same aboard. + +In the meantime there came to that place one Miles Dickinson, in a ship +of Bristol, who together with our said factors took a house to +themselves there. Our French factor, Romaine Sonnings, desired to buy +a commodity in the market, and, wanting money, desired the said Miles +Dickinson to lend him a hundred chikinoes until he came to his lodging, +which he did; and afterwards the same Sonnings met with Miles Dickinson +in the street, and delivered him money bound up in a napkin, saying, +"Master Dickinson, there is the money that I borrowed of you," and so +thanked him for the same. He doubted nothing less than falsehood, +which is seldom known among merchants, and specially being together in +one house, and is the more detestable between Christians, they being in +Turkey among the heathen; the said Dickinson did not tell the money +presently, until he came to his lodging, and then, finding nine +chikinoes lacking of his hundred (which was about three pounds, for +that every chikinoe is worth seven shillings of English money), he came +to the said Romaine Sonnings and delivered him his handkerchief, and +asked him how many chikinoes he had delivered him. Sonnings answered, +"A hundred"; Dickinson said "No"; and so they protested and swore on +both parts. But in the end the said Romaine Sonnings did swear deeply +with detestable oaths and curses; and prayed God that he might show his +works on him, that other might take ensample thereby, and that he might +be hanged like a dog, and never come into England again, if he did not +deliver unto the said Dickinson a hundred chikinoes. And here behold a +notable example of all blasphemers, cursers, and swearers, how God +rewarded him accordingly; for many times it cometh to pass that God +showeth his miracles upon such monstrous blasphemers to the ensample of +others, as now hereafter you shall hear what befell to this Romaine +Sonnings. + +There was a man in the said town a pledge, whose name was Patrone +Norado, who the year before had done this Sonnings some pleasure there. +The foresaid Patrone Norado was indebted unto a Turk of that town in +the sum of four hundred and fifty crowns, for certain goods sent by him +into Christendom in a ship of his own, and by his own brother, and +himself remained in Tripolis as pledge until his said brother's return; +and, as the report went there, he came among lewd company, and lost his +brother's said ship and goods at dice, and never returned unto him +again. + +The said Patrone Norado, being void of all hope and finding now +opportunity, consulted with the said Sonnings for to swim a-seaboard +the islands, and the ship, being then out of danger, should take him in +(as was afterwards confessed), and so go to Tallowne, in the province +of Marseilles, with this Patrone Norado, and there to take in the rest +of his lading. + +The ship being ready the first day of May, and having her sails all +abroad, our said factors did take their leave of the king, who very +courteously bid them farewell, and when they came aboard they commanded +the master and the company hastily to get out the ship. The master +answered that it was impossible, for that the wind was contrary and +overblowed. And he required us, upon forfeiture of our bands, that we +should do our endeavour to get her forth. Then went we to warp out the +ship, and presently the king sent a boat aboard of us, with three men +in her, commanding the said Sonnings to come ashore, at whose coming +the king demanded of him custom for the oils. Sonnings answered him +that his highness had promised to deliver them customs free. But, +notwithstanding, the king weighed not his said promise, and as an +infidel that hath not the fear of God before his eyes, nor regard of +his word, albeit he was a king, he caused the said Sonnings to pay the +custom to the uttermost penny; and afterwards ordered him to make haste +away, saying that the janisaries would have the oil ashore again. + +These janisaries are soldiers there under the Great Turk, and their +power is above the king's. And so the said factor departed from the +king, and came to the waterside, and called for a boat to come aboard, +and he brought with him the foresaid Patrone Norado. The company, +inquisitive to know what man that was, Sonnings answered that he was +his countryman, a passenger. "I pray God," said the company, "that we +come not into trouble by this man." Then said Sonnings angrily, "What +have you to do with any matters of mine? If anything chance otherwise +than well, I must answer for all." + +Now the Turk unto whom this Patrone Norado was indebted, missing him, +supposed him to be aboard of our ship, presently went unto the king and +told him that he thought that his pledge, Patrone Norado, was aboard on +the English ship. Whereupon the king presently sent a boat aboard of +us, with three men in her, commanding the said Sonnings to come ashore; +and, not speaking anything as touching the man, he said that he would +come presently in his own boat; but as soon as they were gone he willed +us to warp forth the ship, and said that he would see the knaves hanged +before he would go ashore. And when the king saw that he came not +ashore, but still continued warping away the ship, he straight +commanded the gunner of the bulwark next unto us to shoot three shots +without ball. Then we came all to the said Sonnings, and asked him +what the matter was that we were shot at; he said that it was the +janisaries who would have the oil ashore again, and willed us to make +haste away. And after that he had discharged three shots without ball +he commanded all the gunners in the town to do their endeavour to sink +us; but the Turkish gunners could not once strike us, wherefore the +king sent presently to the Banio (this Banio is the prison whereas all +the captives lay at night), and promised that if there were any that +could either sink us or else cause us to come in again, he should have +a hundred crown, and his liberty. With that came forth a Spaniard +called Sebastian, which had been an old servitor in Flanders, and he +said that, upon the performance of that promise, he would undertake +either to sink us or to cause us to come in again, and thereto he would +gage his life; and at the first shot he split our rudder's head in +pieces, and the second shot he struck us under water, and the third +shot he shot us through our foremast with a culverin shot, and thus, he +having rent both our rudder and mast and shot us under water, we were +enforced to go in again. + +This Sebastian for all his diligence herein had neither his liberty nor +a hundred crowns, so promised by the said king; but, after his service +done, was committed again to prison, whereby may appear the regard that +a Turk or infidel hath of his work, although he be able to perform +it--yea, more, though he be a king. + +Then our merchants, seeing no remedy, they, together with five of our +company, went ashore; and they then ceased shooting. They shot unto us +in the whole nine-and-thirty shots without the hurt of any man. + +And when our merchants came ashore the king commanded presently that +they, with the rest of our company that were with them, should be +chained four and four to a hundredweight of iron, and when we came in +with the ship there came presently above a hundred Turks aboard of us, +and they searched us and stripped our very clothes from our backs, and +broke open our chests, and made a spoil of all that we had; and the +Christian caitiffs likewise that came aboard of us made spoil of our +goods, and used us as ill as the Turks did. And our master's mate, +having a Geneva Bible in his hand, there came the king's chief gunner +and took it out from him, who showed me of it; and I, having the +language, went presently to the king's treasurer, and told him of it, +saying that since it was the will of God that we should fall into their +hands, yet that they should grant us to use our consciences to our own +discretion, as they suffered the Spaniards and other nations to use +theirs; and he granted us. Then I told him that the master gunner had +taken away a Bible from one of our men: the treasurer went presently +and commanded him to deliver up the Bible again, which he did. And +within a little after he took it from the man again, and I showed the +treasurer of it, and presently he commanded him to deliver it again, +saying, "Thou villain! wilt thou turn to Christianity again?" for he +was a relagado, which is one that was first a Christian and afterwards +becometh a Turk; and so he delivered me the Bible the second time. And +then I, having it in my hand, the gunner came to me, and spake these +words, saying, "Thou dog! I will have the book in despite of thee!" +and took it from me, saying, "If you tell the king's treasurer of it +any more, by Mahomet I will be revenged of thee!" Notwithstanding I +went the third time unto the king's treasurer, and told him of it; and +he came with me, saying thus unto the gunner: "By the head of the +Great Turk if thou take it from him again thou shalt have a hundred +bastinadoes." And forthwith he delivered me the book, saying he had +not the value of a pin of the spoil of the ship--which was the better +for him, as hereafter you shall hear; for there was none, either +Christian or Turk, that took the value of a pennyworth of our goods +from us but perished both body and goods within seventeen months +following, as hereafter shall plainly appear. + +Then came the guardian Basha, who is the keeper of the king's captives, +to fetch us all ashore; and then I, remembering the miserable estate of +poor distressed captives in the time of their bondage to those +infidels, went to mine own chest, and took out thereof a jar of oil, +and filled a basket full of white ruske, to carry ashore with me. But +before I came to the Banio the Turkish boys had taken away almost all +my bread, and the keeper said, "Deliver me the jar of oil, and when +thou comest to the Banio thou shalt have it again;" but I never had it +of him any more. + +But when I came to the Banio and saw our merchants and all the rest of +our company in chains, and we all ready to receive the same reward, +what heart is there so hard but would have pitied our cause, hearing or +seeing the lamentable greeting there was betwixt us. All this happened +the first of May, 1584. + +And the second day of the same month the king with all his council sat +in judgment upon us. The first that were had forth to be arraigned +were the factors and the masters, and the king asked them wherefore +they came not ashore when he sent for them. And Romaine Sonnings +answered that, though he were a king on shore, and might command there, +so was he as touching those that were under him; and therefore said, if +any offence be, the fault is wholly in myself and in no other. Then +forthwith the king gave judgment that the said Romaine Sonnings should +be hanged over the north-east bulwark, from whence he conveyed the +forenamed Patrone Norado. And then he called for our master, Andrew +Dier, and used few words to him, and so condemned him to be hanged over +the walls of the westernmost bulwarks. + +Then fell our other factor, named Richard Skegs, upon his knees before +the king, and said, "I beseech your highness either to pardon our +master or else suffer me to die for him, for he is ignorant of this +cause." And then the people of that country, favouring the said +Richard Skegs, besought the king to pardon them both. So then the king +spake these words: "Behold, for thy sake I pardon the master." Then +presently the Turks shouted and cried, saying, "Away with the master +from the presence of the king." And then he came into the Banio where +we were, and told us what had happened, and we all rejoiced at the good +hap of Master Skegs, that he was saved, and our master for his sake. + +But afterwards our joy was turned to double sorrow, for in the meantime +the king's mind was altered: for that one of his council had advised +him that, unless the master died also, by the law they could not +confiscate the ship nor goods, neither make captive any of the men. +Whereupon the king sent for our master again, and gave him another +judgment after his pardon for one cause, which was that he should be +hanged. Here all true Christians may see what trust a Christian man +may put in an infidel's promise, who, being a king, pardoned a man now, +as you have heard, and within an hour after hanged him for the same +cause before a whole multitude; and also promised our factors their +oils custom free, and at their going away made them pay the uttermost +penny for the custom thereof. + +And when that Romaine Sonnings saw no remedy but that he should die, he +protested to turn Turk, hoping thereby to have saved his life. Then +said the Turk, "If thou wilt turn Turk, speak the words that thereunto +belong;" and he did so. Then said they unto him, "Now thou shalt die +in the faith of a Turk;" and so he did, as the Turks reported that were +at his execution; and the forenamed Patrone Norado, whereas before he +had liberty and did nothing, he then was condemned slave perpetual, +except there were payment made of the foresaid sum of money. + +Then the king condemned all us, who were in number five and twenty, of +which two were hanged (as you have heard) and one died the first day we +came on shore by the visitation of Almighty God, and the other three +and twenty he condemned slaves perpetually unto the Great Turk, and the +ship and goods were confiscated to the use of the Great Turk; then we +all fell down upon our knees, giving God thanks for this sorrowful +visitation and giving ourselves wholly to the almighty power of God, +unto whom all secrets are known, that He of His goodness would +vouchsafe to look upon us. + +Here may all true Christian hearts see the wonderful works of God +showed upon such infidels, blasphemers, and runagate Christians, and so +you shall read in the end of this book of the like upon the unfaithful +king and all his children, and of as many as took any portion of the +said goods. + +But first to show our miserable bondage and slavery, and unto what +small pittance and allowance we were tied, for every five men had +allowance but five aspers of bread in a day, which is but twopence +English, and our lodging was to lie on the bare boards, with a very +simple cape to cover us. We were also forcibly and most violently +shaven, head and beard, and within three days after, I and five more of +my fellows, together with fourscore Italians and Spaniards, were sent +forth in a galiot to take a Greek carmosel, which came into Arabia to +steal negroes, and went out of Tripolis unto that place which was two +hundred and forty leagues thence; but we were chained three and three +to an oar, and we rowed naked above the girdle, and the boatswain of +the galley walked abaft the mast, and his mate afore the mast, and each +of them a whip in their hands, and when their devilish choler rose they +would strike the Christians for no cause, and they allowed us but half +a pound of bread a man in a day, without any other kind of sustenance, +water excepted. And when we came to the place where we saw the +carmosel, we were not suffered to have neither needle, bodkin, knife, +or any other instrument about us, nor at any other time in the night, +upon pain of one hundred bastinadoes: we were then also cruelly +manacled, in such sort that we could not put our hands the length of +one foot asunder the one from the other, and every night they searched +our chains three times, to see if they were fast riveted. We continued +the fight with the carmosel three hours, and then we took it, and lost +but two of our men in that fight; but there were slain of the Greeks +five, and fourteen were cruelly hurt; and they that were found were +presently made slaves, and chained to the oars, and within fifteen days +after we returned again into Tripolis, and then we were put to all +manner of slavery. I was put to hew stones, and other to carry stones, +and some to draw the cart with earth, and some to make mortar, and some +to draw stones (for at that time the Turks builded a church), and thus +we were put to all kinds of slavery that was to be done. And in the +time of our being there the Moors, that are the husbandmen of the +country, rebelled against the king, because he would have constrained +them to pay greater tribute than heretofore they had done, so that the +soldiers of Tripolis marched forth of the town, to have joined battle +against the Moors for their rebellion, and the king sent with them four +pieces of ordnance, which were drawn by the captives twenty miles into +the country after them, and at the sight thereof the Moors fled, and +then the captains returned back again. Then I, and certain Christians +more, were sent twelve miles into the country with a cart to load +timber, and we returned again the same day. + +Now, the king had eighteen captives, which three times a week went to +fetch wood thirty miles from the town, and on a time he appointed me +for one of the eighteen, and we departed at eight of the clock in the +night; and upon the way, as we rode upon the camels, I demanded of one +of our company who did direct us the way: he said that there was a +Moor in our company which was our guide; and I demanded of them how +Tripolis and the wood bare one off the other, and he said, +"East-north-east and west-south-west." And at midnight, or thereabouts, +as I was riding upon my camel, I fell asleep, and the guide and all the +rest rode away from me, not thinking but I had been among them. When I +awoke, and, finding myself alone, I durst not call nor holloa, for fear +lest the wild Moors should hear me--because they hold this opinion, +that in killing a Christian they do God good service--and musing with +myself what were best for me to do: if I should return back to +Tripolis without any wood or company I should be most miserably used; +therefore, of the two evils, rather I had to go forth to the losing of +my life than to turn back and trust to their mercy, fearing to be used +as before I had seen others. For, understanding by some of my company +before how Tripolis and the said wood did lie one off another, by the +North Star I went forth at adventure, and, as God would have it, I came +right to the place where they were, even about an hour before day. +There altogether we rested, and gave our camels provender, and as soon +as the day appeared we rode all into the wood; and I, seeing no wood +there but a stick here and a stick there, about the bigness of a man's +arm, growing in the sand, it caused me to marvel how so many camels +should be loaded in that place. The wood was juniper; we needed no axe +nor edged tool to cut it, but plucked it up by strength of hands, roots +and all, which a man might easily do, and so gathered together a little +at one place, and so at another, and laded our camels, and came home +about seven of the clock that night following: because I fell lame and +my camel was tired, I left my wood in the way. + +There was in Tripolis at that time a Venetian whose name was Benedetto +Venetiano, and seventeen captives more of his countrymen, which ran +away from Tripolis in a boat and came inside of an island called Malta, +which lieth forty leagues from Tripolis right north; and, being within +a mile of the shore and very fair weather, one of their company said, +"In dispetto de Dio adesso venio a pilliar terra," which is as much to +say: "In the despite of God, I shall now fetch the shore;" and +presently there arose a mighty storm, with thunder and rain, and the +wind at the north, their boat being very small, so that they were +enforced to bear up room and to sheer right afore the wind over against +the coast of Barbary, from whence they came, and rowing up and down the +coast, their victuals being spent, the twenty-first day after their +departure, they were enforced through the want of food to come ashore, +thinking to have stolen some sheep. But the Moors of the country very +craftily (perceiving their intent) gathered together a threescore of +horsemen and hid themselves behind the sandy hill, and when the +Christians were come all ashore, and passed by half a mile into the +country, the Moors rode betwixt them and their boat, and some of them +pursued the Christians, and so they were all taken and brought to +Tripolis, from whence they had before escaped; and presently the king +commanded that the foresaid Benedetto, with one more of his company, +should lose their ears, and the rest to be most cruelly beaten, which +was presently done. This king had a son which was a ruler in an island +called Gerbi, whereunto arrived an English ship called the Green +Dragon, of the which was master one M. Blonket, who, having a very +unhappy boy on that ship, and understanding that whosoever would turn +Turk should be well entertained of the king's son, this boy did run +ashore and voluntarily turned Turk. Shortly after the king's son came +to Tripolis to visit his father, and seeing our company, he greatly +fancied Richard Burges, our purser, and James Smith. They were both +young men, therefore he was very desirous to have them to turn Turks; +but they would not yield to his desire, saying, "We are your father's +slaves and as slaves we will serve him." Then his father the king sent +for them, and asked them if they would turn Turks; and they said: "If +it please your Highness, Christians we were born and so we will remain, +and beseech the king that they might not be enforced thereunto." The +king had there before in his house a son of a yeoman of our Queen's +guard, whom the king's son had enforced to turn Turk; his name was John +Nelson. Him the king caused to be brought to these young men, and then +said unto them, "Will you not bear this, your countryman, company, and +be Turk as he is?" and they said that they would not yield thereunto +during life. But it fell out that, within a month after, the king's +son went home to Gerbi again, being five score miles from Tripolis, and +carried our two foresaid young men with him, which were Richard Burges +and James Smith. And after their departure from us they sent us a +letter, signifying that there was no violence showed unto them as yet; +yet within three days after they were violently used, for that the +king's son demanded of them again if that they would turn Turk. Then +answered Richard Burges: "A Christian I am, and so I will remain." +Then the king's son very angrily said unto him, "By Mahomet thou shalt +presently be made Turk!" Then called he for his men and commanded them +to make him Turk; and they did so, and circumcised him, and would have +had him speak the words that thereunto belonged; but he answered them +stoutly that he would not, and although they had put on him the habit +of a Turk, yet said he, "A Christian I was born, and so I will remain, +though you force me to do otherwise." + +And then he called for the other, and commanded him to be made Turk +perforce also; but he was very strong, for it was so much as eight of +the king's son's men could do to hold him. So in the end they +circumcised him and made him Turk. Now, to pass over a little, and so +to show the manner of our deliverance out of that miserable captivity. + +In May aforesaid, shortly after our apprehension, I wrote a letter into +England unto my father, dwelling in Evistoke in Devonshire, signifying +unto him the whole estate of our calamities, and I wrote also to +Constantinople to the English ambassador, both which letters were +faithfully delivered. But when my father had received my letter, and +understood the truth of our mishap, and the occasion thereof, and what +had happened to the offenders, he certified the Right Honourable the +Earl of Bedford thereof, who in short space acquainted her Highness +with the whole cause thereof; and her Majesty, like a most merciful +princess tendering her subjects, presently took order for our +deliverance. Whereupon the Right Worshipful Sir Edward Osborne, +knight, directed his letters with all speed to the English ambassador +in Constantinople to procure our delivery, and he obtained the Great +Turk's commission, and sent it forthwith to Tripolis by one Master +Edward Barton, together with a justice of the Great Turk's and one +soldier, and another Turk and a Greek, which was his interpreter, which +could speak beside Greek, Turkish, Italian, Spanish and English. And +when they came to Tripolis they were well entertained, and the first +night they did lie in a captain's house in the town. All our company +that were in Tripolis came that night for joy to Master Barton and the +other commissioners to see them. Then Master Barton said unto us, +"Welcome, my good countrymen," and lovingly entertained us; and at our +departure from him he gave us two shillings, and said, "Serve God, for +tomorrow I hope you shall be as free as ever you were." We all gave +him thanks and so departed. The next day, in the morning very early, +the king having intelligence of their coming, sent word to the keeper +that none of the Englishmen (meaning our company) should go to work. +Then he sent for Master Barton and the other commissioners, and +demanded of the said Master Barton his message. The justice answered +that the Great Turk, his sovereign, had sent them unto him, signifying +that he was informed that a certain English ship, called the Jesus, was +by him the said king confiscated about twelve months since, and now my +said sovereign hath here sent his especial commission by us unto you +for the deliverance of the said ship and goods, and also the free +liberty and deliverance of the Englishmen of the said ship whom you +have taken and kept in captivity. And further, the same justice said, +I am authorised by my said sovereign the Great Turk to see it done; and +therefore I command you, by the virtue of this commission, presently to +make restitution of the premises or the value thereof. And so did the +justice deliver unto the king the Great Turk's commission to the effect +aforesaid, which commission the king with all obedience received; and +after the perusing of the same, he forthwith commanded all the English +captives to be brought before him, and then willed the keeper to strike +off all our irons. Which done, the king said, "You Englishmen, for +that you did offend the laws of this place, by the same laws therefore +some of your company were condemned to die, as you know, and you to be +perpetual captives during your lives; notwithstanding, seeing it hath +pleased my sovereign lord the Great Turk to pardon your said offences, +and to give you your freedom and liberty, behold, here I make delivery +of you unto this English gentleman." So he delivered us all that were +there, being thirteen in number, to Master Barton, who required also +those two young men which the king's son had taken with him. Then the +king answered that it was against their law to deliver them, for that +they were turned Turks; and, touching the ship and goods, the king said +that he had sold her, but would make restitution of the value, and as +much of the goods as came unto his hands. And so the king arose and +went to dinner, and commanded a Jew to go with Master Barton and the +other commissioners to show them their lodgings, which was a house +provided and appointed them by the said king. And because I had the +Italian and Spanish tongues, by which there most traffic in that +country is, Master Barton made me his caterer, to buy his victuals for +him and his company, and he delivered me money needful for the same. +Thus were we set at liberty the 28th day of April, 1585. + +Now, to return to the king's plagues and punishments which Almighty God +at his will and pleasure sendeth upon men in the sight of the world, +and likewise of the plagues that befell his children and others +aforesaid. First, when we were made bondmen, being the second day of +May, 1584, the king had 300 captives, and before the month was expired +there died of them of the plague 150. And whereas there were twenty-six +men of our company, of whom two were hanged and one died the same +day as we were made bondslaves, that present month there died nine more +of our company of the plague, and other two were forced to turn Turks +as before rehearsed; and on the 4th day of June next following, the +king lost 150 camels which were taken from him by the wild Moors; and +on the 28th day of the said month of June one Geffrey Malteese, a +renegado of Malta, ran away to his country, and stowed a brigantine +which the king had builded for to take the Christians withal, and +carried with him twelve Christians more which were the king's captives. +Afterwards about the 10th day of July next following, the king rode +forth upon the greatest and fairest mare that might be seen, as white +as any swan; he had not ridden forty paces from his house, but on a +sudden the same mare fell down under him stark dead, and I with six +more were commanded to bury her, skin, shoes, and all, which we did. +And about three months after our delivery, Master Barton, with all the +residue of his company, departed from Tripolis to Zante in a vessel +called a settea, of one Marcus Segoorus, who dwelt in Zante; and, after +our arrival at Zante, we remained fifteen days there aboard our vessel, +before we could have Platego (that is, leave to come ashore), because +the plague was in that place from whence we came, and about three days +after we came ashore, thither came another settea of Marseilles, bound +for Constantinople. Then did Master Barton and his company, with two +more of our company, ship themselves as passengers in the same settea +and went to Constantinople. But the other nine of us that remained in +Zante, about three months after, shipped ourselves in a ship of the +said Marcus Segoorus, which came to Zante, and was bound for England. +In which three months the soldiers of Tripolis killed the said king; +and then the king's son, according to the custom there, went to +Constantinople, to surrender up all his father's treasure, goods, +captives, and concubines unto the Great Turk, and took with him our +said purser Richard Burges, and James Smith, and also the other two +Englishmen which he the king's son had enforced to become Turks as is +aforesaid. And they, the said Englishmen, finding now some +opportunity, concluded with the Christian captives which were going +with them unto Constantinople, being in number about 150, to kill the +king's son and all the Turks which were aboard of the galley, and +privily the said Englishmen conveyed unto the said Christian captives +weapons for that purpose. And when they came into the main sea, +towards Constantinople (upon the faithful promise of the said Christian +captives) these four Englishmen leapt suddenly into the crossia--that +is, into the middest of the galley, where the cannon lieth--and with +their swords drawn, did fight against all the foresaid Turks, and for +want of help of the said Christian captives, who falsely brake their +promises, the said Master Blonket's boy was killed and the said James +Smith, and our purser Richard Burges, and the other Englishmen were +taken and bound into chains, to be hanged at their arrival in +Constantinople. And, as the Lord's will was, about two days after, +passing through the Gulf of Venice, at an island called Cephalonia, +they met with two of the Duke of Venice, his galleys, which took that +galley, and killed the king's son and his mother, and all the Turks +that were there, in number 150, and they saved the Christian captives; +and would have killed the two Englishmen, because they were circumcised +and become Turks, had not the other Christian captives excused them, +saying that they were enforced to be Turks by the king's son, and +showed the Venetians how they did enterprise at sea to fight against +all the Turks, and that their two fellows were slain in that fight. +Then the Venetians saved them, and they, with all the residue of the +said captives, had their liberty, which were in number 150 or +thereabouts, and the said galley and all the Turks' treasure was +confiscated to the use of the State of Venice. And from thence our two +Englishmen travelled homeward by land, and in this meantime we had one +more of our company which died in Zante, and afterwards the other eight +shipped themselves at Zante in a ship of the said Marcus Segoorus which +was bound for England. And before we departed thence, there arrived +the Ascension and the George Bonaventure of London, in Cephalonia, in a +harbour there called Arrogostoria, whose merchants agreed with the +merchants of our ship, and so laded all the merchandise of our ship +into the said ships of London, who took us eight also in as passengers, +and so we came home. And within two months after our arrival at London +our said purser Richard Burges, and his fellow, came home also, for the +which we are bound to praise Almighty God during our lives, and, as +duty bindeth us, to pray for the preservation of our most gracious +Queen, for the great care her Majesty had over us, her poor subjects, +in seeking and procuring of our deliverance aforesaid, and also for her +Honourable Privy Council; and I especially for the prosperity and good +estate of the house of the late deceased, the Right Honourable the Earl +of Bedford, whose honour I must confess most diligently, at the suit of +my father now departed, travailed herein--for the which I rest +continually bounden to him, whose soul I doubt not but already is in +the heavens in joy, with the Almighty, unto which place He vouchsafed +to bring us all, that for our sins suffered most vile and shameful +death upon the cross, there to live perpetually world without end. +Amen. + + +THE QUEEN'S LETTERS TO THE TURK, 1584, FOR THE RESTITUTION OF THE SHIP, +CALLED THE JESUS, AND THE ENGLISH CAPTIVES DETAINED IN TRIPOLIS, IN +BARBARY, AND FOR CERTAIN OTHER PRISONERS IN ALGIERS. + +Elizabeth, by the grace of the Most High God and only Maker of Heaven +and Earth, of England, France, and Ireland Queen, and of the Christian +faith, against all the idolaters and false professors of the name of +Christ dwelling among the Christians, most invincible and puissant +Defender; to the most valiant and invincible Prince, Sultan Murad Can, +the most mighty ruler of the Kingdom of Mussulman and of the East +Empire, the only and highest monarch above all, health and many happy +and fortunate years, with great abundance of the best things. + +Most noble and puissant Emperor, about two years now past, we wrote +unto your Imperial Majesty that our well-beloved servant, William +Harebrown, a man of great reputation and honour, might be received +under your high authority for our ambassador in Constantinople and +other places, under the obedience of your Empire of Mussulman; and also +that the Englishmen being our subjects might exercise intercourse and +merchandise in all those provinces no less freely than the French, +Polonians, Venetians, Germans, and other your confederates, which +travel through divers of the East parts endeavouring that by mutual +traffic the East may be joined and knit to the West. + +Which privileges, when as your most puissant Majesty by your letters +and under your dispensation most liberally and favourably granted to +our subjects of England, we could no less do but in that respect give +you as great thanks as our heart could conceive, trusting that it will +come to pass that this order of traffic so well ordained will bring +with itself most great profits and commodities to both sides, as well +to the parties subject to your Empire as to the provinces of our +Kingdom. + +Which thing, that it may be done in plain and effectual manner, whereas +some of our subjects of late at Tripolis in Barbary, and at Algiers, +were by the inhabitants of those places (being perhaps ignorant of your +pleasure) evil intreated and grievously vexed, we do friendly and +lovingly desire your Imperial Majesty that you will understand their +causes by our ambassador, and afterward give commandment to the +lieutenants and presidents of those provinces, that our people may +henceforth freely, without any violence or injury, travel and do their +business in those places. + +And we again with all endeavour shall study to perform all those things +which we shall in any wise understand to be acceptable to your Imperial +Majesty, which God, the only Maker of the World, Most Best and Most +Great, long keep in health and flourishing. Given in our Palace at +London, the 5th day of the month of September, in the year of Jesus +Christ our Saviour 1584, and of our reign the twenty-sixth. + + +THE COMMANDMENT OBTAINED OF THE GRAND SIGNIOR BY HER MAJESTY'S +AMBASSADOR, FOR THE QUIET PASSING OF HER SUBJECTS TO AND FROM HIS +DOMINIONS, SENT IN ANNO 1584 TO THE VICEROYS, ALGIERS, TUNIS, AND +TRIPOLIS IN BARBARY. + +To our Beglerbeg of Algiers. We certify thee by this our commandment +that the right honourable William Harebrowne, ambassador to the Queen's +Majesty of England, hath signified unto us that the ships of that +country, in their coming and returning to and from our Empire, on the +one part of the seas have the Spaniards, Florentines, Sicilians, and +Maltese, on the other part our countries, committed to your charge, +which above said Christians will not quietly suffer their egress and +regress into and out of our dominions, but to take and make the men +captives, and forfeit the ships and goods, as the last year the Maltese +did one which they took at Gerbi, and to that end do continually lie in +wait for them to their destruction, whereupon they are constrained to +stand to their defence at any such times as they might meet with them; +wherefore considering by this means they must stand upon their guard +when they shall see any galley afar off, whereby if meeting with any of +your galleys, and not knowing them, in their defence they do shoot at +them, and yet after, when they do certainly know them, do not shoot any +more, but require to pass peaceably on their voyage, which you would +deny, saying, "The peace is broken, for that you have shot at us, and +so do make prize of them, contrary to our privileges, and against +reason:" for the preventing of which inconvenience the said ambassador +hath required this our commandment. We therefore command thee that +upon sight hereof then do not permit any such matter in no sort +whatsoever, but suffer the said Englishmen to pass in peace, according +to the tenor of our commandment given, without any disturbance or let +by any means upon the way, although that, meeting with thy galleys, and +not knowing them afar off, they, taking them for enemies, should shoot +at them, yet shall ye not suffer them to hurt them therefor, but +quietly to pass. Wherefore look thou, that they may have right +according to our privilege given them, and finding any that absenteth +himself and will not obey this our commandment, presently certify us to +our porch, that we may give order for his punishment; and with +reverence give faithful credit to this our commandment, which having +read, thou shalt again return it unto them that present it. From our +palace in Constantinople, the prime of June, 1584. + + +THE TURK'S LETTER TO THE KING OF TRIPOLIS, IN BARBARY, COMMANDING THE +RESTITUTION OF AN ENGLISH SHIP, CALLED THE JESUS, WITH THE MEN AND +GOODS, SENT FROM CONSTANTINOPLE BY MAHOMET BEG, A JUSTICE OF THE GREAT +TURK'S, AND AN ENGLISH GENTLEMAN, CALLED MASTER EDWARD BARTON. ANNO +1584. + +Honourable and most worthy Pasha Romadan Beglerbeg, most wise and +prudent judge of the West Tripolis, we wish the end of all thy +enterprises happy and prosperous. By these our Highness's letters we +certify thee that the Right Honourable William Harebrowne, Ambassador +in our most famous porch for the most excellent Queen's Majesty of +England, in person and by letters hath certified our Highness that a +certain ship, with all her furniture and artillery, worth two thousand +ducats, arriving in the port of Tripolis, and discharged of her lading +and merchandise, paid our custom according to order, and again the +merchants laded their ship with oil, which by constraint they were +enforced to buy of you, and having answered in like manner the custom +for the same, determined to depart. A Frenchman, assistant to the +merchant, unknown to the Englishmen, carried away with him another +Frenchman indebted to a certain Moor in four hundred ducats, and by +force caused the Englishmen and ship to depart, who, neither suspecting +fraud nor deceit, hoisted sails. In the meantime, this man, whose +debtor the Frenchman had stolen away, went to the Pasha with a +supplication, by whose means, and force of the Castle, the Englishmen +were constrained to return into the port, where the Frenchman, author +of the evil, with the master of the ship, an Englishman, innocent of +the crime, were hanged, and five-and-twenty Englishmen cast into +prison, of whom, through famine and thirst, and stink of the prison, +eleven died, and the rest were like to die. Further, it was signified +to our Majesty also that the merchandise and other goods with the ship +were worth seven thousand six hundred ducats. Which things, if they be +so, this is our commandment, which was granted and given by our +Majesty, that the English ship, and all the merchandise, and whatsoever +else was taken away, be wholly restored, and that the Englishmen be let +go free, and suffered to return into their country. Wherefore, when +this our commandment shall come unto thee, we straightly command that +the foresaid business be diligently looked unto and discharged. And if +it be so that a Frenchman, and no Englishman, hath done this craft and +wickedness, unknown to the Englishmen, and, as author of the +wickedness, is punished, and that the Englishmen committed nothing +against the peace and league, or their articles; also, if they paid +custom according to order, it is against law, custom of countries, and +their privilege, to hinder or hurt them. Neither is it meet their +ship, merchandise, and all their goods taken should be withholden. We +will, therefore, that the English ship, merchandise, and all other +their goods, without exception, be restored to the Englishmen; also, +that the men be let go free, and, if they will, let none hinder them to +return peaceably into their country; do not commit that they another +time complain of this matter, and how this business is despatched +certify us at our most famous porch. Dated in the city of +Constantinople, in the nine hundred and ninety-second year of Mahomet, +and in the end of the month of October, and the year of Jesus 1584. + + +A LETTER OF MASTER WILLIAM HAREBROWNE, THE ENGLISH AMBASSADOR, LEDGER +IN CONSTANTINOPLE, TO THE PASHA ROMADAN, THE BEGLERBEG OF TRIPOLIS, IN +BARBARY, FOR THE RESTORING OF AN ENGLISH SHIP, CALLED THE JESUS, WITH +GOODS AND MEN DETAINED AS SLAVES, 1585. + +Right Honourable Lord, it hath been signified unto us by divers +letters, what hath fallen out concerning a certain ship of ours, called +the Jesus, into which, for the help of Richard Skegs, one of our +merchants in the same, now deceased, there was admitted a certain +Frenchman, called Romaine Sonnings, which for his ill behaviour, +according to his deserts, seeking to carry away with him another +Frenchman, which was indebted to certain of your people, without paying +his creditors, was hanged by sentence of justice, together with Andrew +Dier, the master of the said ship, who, simply and without fraud, +giving credit to the said Frenchman, without any knowledge of this evil +fact, did not return when he was commanded by your honourable lordship. +The death of the said lewd Frenchman we approve as a thing well done, +but contrariwise, whereas your lordship hath confiscated the said ship, +with the goods therein, and hath made slaves of the mariners, as a +thing altogether contrary to the privileges of the Grand Signior, +granted four years since, and confirmed by us, on the behalf of the +most excellent the Queen's Majesty of England, our mistress, and +altogether contrary to the league of the said Grand Signior, who, being +fully informed of the aforesaid cause, hath granted unto us his royal +commandment of restitution, which we send unto your honourable lordship +by the present bearer, Edward Barton, our secretary, and Mahomet Beg, +one of the justices of his stately court, with other letters of the +most excellent Admiral and most valiant captain of the sea, requiring +your most honourable lordship, as well on the behalf of the Grand +Signior as of the Queen's most Excellent Majesty, my mistress, that the +men, oils, ship, furniture, money, and all other goods whatsoever, by +your lordship and your order taken from our men, be restored unto this +my secretary freely, without delay, as the Grand Signior of his +goodness hath granted unto us, especially in regard that the same oils +were bought by the commandment of our Queen's most Excellent Majesty +for the provision of her Court. Which if you perform not, we protest +by these our letters against you, that you are the cause of all the +inconveniences which may ensue upon this occasion, as the author +thereof contrary to the holy league sworn by both our princes, as by +the privileges, which this our servant will show you, may appear. For +the seeing of which league performed, we remain here as Ledger in this +stately court, and by this means you shall answer in another world unto +God alone, and in this world unto the Grand Signior, for this heinous +sin committed by you against so many poor souls, which by this your +cruelty are in part dead, and in part detained by you in most miserable +captivity. Contrariwise, if it shall please you to avoid this +mischief, and to remain in the favour of Almighty God and of our +princes, you shall friendly fulfil this our just demand (as it behoveth +you to show yourself a prudent governor and faithful servant unto your +lord), and the same may turn to your great honour and profit by the +trade of merchandise, which our men in time to come may use in that +government of yours, which, generally, as well those poor men as all +others which you shall meet at the sea, ought to be, according to the +commandment of the Grand Signior, friendly entertained and received of +your honourable lordship; and we will not fail in the duties of a +special friend whatsoever you shall have occasion to use us as we +desire. Almighty God grant unto your lordship (in the fulfilling of +this our just request, whereby we may be delivered from further trouble +in this matter and yourself from further displeasure) all true felicity +and increase of honour. Given in our palace from Capamat, in Pera, the +15th of January, 1585. + + +A BRIEF EXTRACT SPECIFYING THE CERTAIN DAILY PAYMENTS, ANSWERED +QUARTERLY IN TIME OF PEACE, BY THE GRAND SIGNIOR, OUT OF HIS TREASURY, +TO THE OFFICERS OF HIS SERAGLIO OR COURT, SUCCESSIVELY IN DEGREES; +COLLECTED IN A YEARLY TOTAL SUM AS FOLLOWETH: + +For his own diet every day, one thousand and one aspers, according to a +former custom received from his ancestors; notwithstanding that +otherwise his diurnal expense is very much, and not certainly known, +which sum maketh sterling money by the year, two thousand one hundred +and ninety-two pounds, three shillings, and eightpence. + +The forty-five thousand janisaries, reparted into sundry places of his +dominions, at five aspers a day, amounteth by the year, five hundred +fourscore and eleven thousand and three hundred pounds. + +The azamoglans' tribute children far surmount that number, for that +they are collected from among the Christians, from whom between the +years of five and twelve they are pulled away yearly perforce; whereof +I suppose those in service may be equal in number with the janisaries +abovesaid, at three aspers a day, one with another, which is two +hundred fourscore and fifteen thousand five hundred and fifty pounds. + +The five Pashas whereof the Viceroy is supreme, at one thousand aspers +the day, besides their yearly revenues, amounteth sterling by the year, +ten thousand nine hundred and fifty pounds. + +The five Beglerbegs, chief presidents of Greece, Hungary, and Slavonia, +being in Europe, in Anatolia, and Carmania of Asia, at one thousand +aspers the day; as also to eighteen other governors of provinces at +five hundred aspers the day, amounteth by the year thirty thousand five +hundred and threescore pounds. + +The Pasha, admiral of the sea, one thousand aspers the day, two +thousand one hundred fourscore and ten thousand pounds. + +The Aga of the janisaries, general of the footmen, five hundred aspers +the day, and maketh by the year in sterling money one thousand +fourscore and fifteen pounds. + +The Imbrahur Pasha, master of his horse, one hundred and fifty aspers +the day, in sterling money three hundred and eight and twenty pounds. + +The chief esquire under him, one hundred and fifty aspers, is three +hundred and eight and twenty pounds. + +The Agas of the Spahi, captains of the horsemen, five at one hundred +and fifty aspers to either of them, maketh sterling one thousand nine +hundred threescore and eleven pounds. + +The Capagi Pashas, head porters, four, one hundred and fifty aspers to +each, and maketh out in sterling money by the year, one thousand three +hundred and fourteen pounds. + +The Sisinghir Pasha, controller of the household, one hundred and +twenty aspers the day, and maketh out in sterling money by the year, +two hundred threescore and two pounds, sixteen shillings. + +The Chiaus Pasha, captain of the pensioners, one hundred and twenty +aspers the day, and amounteth to, by the year, in sterling money, two +hundred threescore and two pounds, sixteen shillings. + +The Capigilar Caiafi, captain of his barge, one hundred and twenty +aspers the day, and maketh out by the year, in sterling money, two +hundred threescore and two pounds, sixteen shillings. + +The Solach Bassi, captain of his guard, one hundred and twenty aspers, +two hundred threescore and two pounds, sixteen shillings. + +The Giebrigi Bassi, master of the armoury, one hundred and twenty +aspers, two hundred threescore and two pounds, sixteen shillings. + +The Topagi Bassi, master of the artillery, one hundred and twenty +aspers, two hundred threescore and two pounds, sixteen shillings. + +The Echim Bassi, physician to his person, one hundred and twenty +aspers, two hundred threescore and two pounds, sixteen shillings. + +The forty physicians under him, to each forty aspers is three thousand +eight hundred threescore and six pounds, sixteen shillings. + +The Mustafaracas, spearmen attending on his person, in number 500, to +either threescore aspers, and maketh sterling threescore and five +thousand and seven hundred pounds. + +The Cisingeri, gentlemen attending upon his diet, forty, at forty +aspers each of them, and amounteth to sterling by the year, three +thousand five hundred and four pounds. + +The Chiausi, pensioners, four hundred and forty, at thirty aspers, +twenty-eight thousand nine hundred and eight pounds. + +The Capagi, porters of the Court and city, four hundred at eight +aspers, and maketh sterling money by the year, seven thousand and eight +pounds. + +The Solachi, archers of his guard, three hundred and twenty, at nine +aspers, and cometh unto, in English money, the sum of six thousand +three hundred and six pounds. + +The Spahi, men of arms of the Court and the city, ten thousand, at +twenty-five aspers, and maketh of English money, five hundred forty and +seven thousand and five hundred pounds. + +The Janisaries, sixteen thousand, at six aspers, is two hundred and ten +thousand and two hundred and forty pounds. + +The Giebegi, furbishers of armour, one thousand five hundred, at six +aspers, and amounteth to sterling money, nineteen thousand seven +hundred and fourscore pounds. + +The Seiefir, servitors in his esquire or stable, five hundred, at two +aspers, and maketh sterling money, two thousand one hundred fourscore +and ten pounds. + +The Saefi, saddlers and bit-makers, five hundred, at seven aspers, +seven thousand six hundred threescore and five pounds. + +The Capergi, carriers upon mules, two hundred, at five aspers, two +thousand one hundred fourscore and ten pounds. + +The Ginegi, carriers upon camels, one thousand five hundred, at eight +aspers, and amounteth in sterling money to twenty-six thousand two +hundred and fourscore pounds. + +The Reiz, or captains of the galleys, three hundred, at ten aspers, and +amounteth in English money, by the year, the sum of six thousand five +hundred threescore and ten pounds. + +The Alechingi, masters of the said galleys, three hundred, at seven +aspers, four thousand five hundred fourscore and nineteen pounds. + +The Getti, boatswains thereof, three hundred, at six aspers, is three +thousand nine hundred forty and two pounds. + +The Oda Bassi, pursers, three hundred, at five aspers, maketh three +thousand two hundred and fourscore pounds. + +The Azappi, soldiers, two thousand six hundred, at four aspers, whereof +the five hundred do continually keep the galleys, two-and-twenty +thousand seven hundred fourscore and six pounds. + +The Mariers Bassi, masters over the shipwrights and caulkers of the +navy, nine, at twenty aspers the piece, amounteth to three thousand +fourscore and four pounds, four shillings. + +The Master Dassi, shipwrights and caulkers, one thousand, at fourteen +aspers, and amounteth to, by the year, thirty thousand six hundred and +threescore pounds. + +Summa totalis of daily payments amounteth by the year sterling one +million nine hundred threescore eight thousand seven hundred and +thirtyfive pounds, nineteen shillings, and eight pence, answered +quarterly without default with the sum of four hundred fourscore twelve +thousand one hundred fourscore and four pounds, four shillings, and +eleven pence, and is for every day five thousand three hundred +fourscore and thirteen pounds, fifteen shillings, and ten pence. + + +ANNUITIES OF LANDS NEVER IMPROVED FIVE TIMES MORE IN VALUE THAN THEIR +SUMS MENTIONED, GIVEN BY THE SAID GRAND SIGNIOR AS FOLLOWETH: + +To the Viceroy for his timar or annuity, 60,000 gold ducats. + +To the second pasha for his annuity, 50,000 ducats. + +To the third pasha for his annuity, 40,000 ducats. + +To the fourth pasha for his annuity, 30,000 ducats. + +To the fifth pasha for his annuity, 20,000 ducats. + +To the captain of the janisaries, 20,000 ducats. + +To the Jou Merhor Bassi, master of his horse, 15,000 ducats. + +To the captain of the pensioners, 10,000 ducats. + +To the captain of his guard, 5,000 ducats. + +Summa totalis, 90,000 livres sterling. + +Besides these above specified be sundry other annuities, given to +divers others of his aforesaid officers, as also to certain persons +called Sahims, diminishing from three thousand to two hundred ducats, +esteemed treble to surmount the annuity abovesaid. + + +THE TURK'S CHIEF OFFICERS. + +The Viceroy is high treasurer, notwithstanding that under him be three +sub-treasurers, called Testaders, which be accountable to him of the +receipts out of Europe, Asia, and Africa, save their yearly annuity of +lands. + +The Lord Chancellor is called Nissangi Pasha, who sealeth with a +certain proper character such licenses, safe-conducts, passports, +especial grants, etc., as proceed from the Grand Signior; +notwithstanding all letters to foreign princes so firmed be after +enclosed in a bag and sealed by the Grand Signior, with a signet which +he ordinarily weareth about his neck, credited of them to have been of +ancient appertaining to King Solomon the Wise. + +The Admiral giveth his voice in the election of all begies, captains of +islands (to whom he giveth their charge), as also appointeth the +sub-pashas, bailies or constables over cities and towns upon the +sea-coasts about Constantinople and in the Archipelago, whereof he +reapeth great profit. + +The Sub-Bassi of Pera payeth him nearly fifteen thousand ducats, and so +likewise either of the others, according as they are placed. + +The Resistop serveth in office to the Viceroy and Chancellor as +secretary, and so likewise doth the Cogy, Master of the Rolls, before +which two pass all writings presented to or granted by the said Viceroy +and Chancellor, offices of especial credit and like profit, moreover +rewarded with annuities of lands. + +There be also two chief judges named Ladies Lisguire, the one over +Europe and the other over Asia and Africa, which in court do sit on the +bench at the left hand of the pashas. These sell all offices to the +under-judges of the land called Cadies, whereof is one in every city or +town, before whom all matters of controversy are by judgment decided, +as also penalties and corrections for crimes ordained to be executed +upon the offenders by the Sub-bassi. + + +THE NUMBER OF SOLDIERS CONTINUALLY ATTENDING UPON THE BEGLERBEGS, THE +GOVERNORS OF PROVINCES, AND SANGIACKS, AND THEIR PETTY CAPTAINS +MAINTAINED OF THESE PROVINCES. + + The Beglerbegs of . . . Persons. + + Graecia 40,000 + Buda 15,000 + Slavonia 15,000 + Anatolia 15,000 + Caramania 15,000 + Armenia 18,000 + Persia 20,000 + Usdrum 15,000 + Chirusta 15,000 + Caraemiti 30,000 + Giersul 32,000 + Bagdad 25,000 + Balsara 22,000 + Lassaija 17,000 + Aleppo 25,000 + Damascus 17,000 + Cairo 12,000 + Abes 12,000 + Mecca 8,000 + Cyprus 18,000 + Tunis, in Barbary 8,000 + Tripolis, in Syria 8,000 + Algiers 40,000 + +Whose sangiacks and petty captains be three hundred and sixty-eight, +every of which retaining continually in pay from five hundred to two +hundred soldiers, may be, one with another, at least three hundred +thousand persons. + + +CHIEF OFFICERS IN HIS SERAGLIO ABOUT HIS PERSON BE THESE: + + Capiaga, high porter. + Alnader Bassi, treasurer. + Oda Bassi, chamberlain. + Killergi Bassi, steward. + Saraiaga, controller. + Peskerolen, groom of the chamber. + Edostoglan, gentleman of the ewer. + Sehetaraga, armour-bearer. + Choataraga, he that carrieth his riding cloak. + Ebietaraga, groom of the stool. + +There be many other meaner offices, which I esteem superfluous to +write. + + +THE TURK'S YEARLY REVENUE. + +The Grand Signior's annual revenue is said to be fourteen millions and +a half of golden ducats, which is sterling five millions eightscore +thousand pounds. + +The tribute paid by the Christians, his subjects, is one gold ducat +yearly for the redemption of every head, which may amount unto not so +little as one million of golden ducats, which is sterling three hundred +and threescore thousand pounds. + +Moreover, in time of war he exacteth manifold sums, for maintenance of +his army and navy, of the said Christians. + +The Emperor payeth him yearly tribute for Hungary threescore thousand +dollars, which is sterling thirteen thousand pounds, besides presents +to the Viceroy and pashas, which are said to surmount twenty thousand +dollars. + + +AMBASSADORS' ALLOWANCES. + +The ambassador of the Emperor is allowed one thousand aspers the day. + +The ambassador of the French king heretofore enjoyed the like; but of +late years, by means of displeasure conceived by Mahomet, then Viceroy, +it was reduced to six crowns the day, besides the provision of his +esquire of stable. + +The ambassador of Poland and for the State of Venice are not Ledgers as +these two abovesaid. The said Polack is allowed twelve French crowns +the day during his abode, which may be for a month. Very seldom do the +State of Venice send any ambassador otherwise than enforced of urgent +necessity; but instead thereof keep there their agent, president over +their merchants, of them termed a bailiff, who hath no allowance of the +Grand Signior, although his port and state is in manner as magnifical +as the other aforesaid ambassadors'. The Spanish ambassador was equal +with others in janisaries; but for so much as he would not, according +to custom, follow the list of other ambassadors in making presents to +the Grand Signior, he had no allowance. His abode there was three +years, at the end whereof, having concluded a truce for six years, +taking place from his first coming in November last past, he was never +admitted to the presence of the Grand Signior. + + ----- + + +A TRUE REPORT OF A WORTHY FIGHT, PERFORMED IN THE VOYAGE FROM TURKEY BY +FIVE SHIPS OF LONDON, AGAINST ELEVEN GALLEYS AND TWO FRIGATES OF THE +KING OF SPAIN'S, AT PANTALAREA, WITHIN THE STRAITS, ANNO 1586. WRITTEN +BY PHILIP JONES. + +The merchants of London, being of the incorporation for the Turkey +trade, having received intelligences and advertisements from time to +time that the King of Spain, grudging at the prosperity of this +kingdom, had not only of late arrested all English ships, bodies, and +goods in Spain, but also, maligning the quiet traffic which they used, +to and in the dominions and provinces under the obedience of the Great +Turk, had given orders to the captains of his galleys in the Levant to +hinder the passage of all English ships, and to endeavour by their best +means to intercept, take, and spoil them, their persons and goods; they +hereupon thought it their best course to set out their fleet for Turkey +in such strength and ability for their defence that the purpose of +their Spanish enemy might the better be prevented, and the voyage +accomplished with greater security to the men and ships. For which +cause, five tall and stout ships appertaining to London, and intending +only a merchant's voyage, were provided and furnished with all things +belonging to the seas, the names whereof were these:-- + + 1. The Merchant Royal, a very brave and goodly ship, and of great + report. + 2. The Toby. + 3. The Edward Bonaventure. + 4. The William and John. + 5. The Susan. + +These five departing from the coast of England in the month of +November, 1585, kept together as one fleet till they came as high as +the isle of Sicily, within the Levant. And there, according to the +order and direction of the voyage, each ship began to take leave of the +rest, and to separate himself, setting his course for the particular +port whereunto he was bound--one for Tripolis in Syria, another for +Constantinople, the chief city of the Turk's empire, situated upon the +coast of Roumelia, called of old Thracia, and the rest to those places +whereunto they were privately appointed. But before they divided +themselves, they altogether consulted of and about a certain and +special place for their meeting again after the lading of their goods +at their several ports. And in conclusion, the general agreement was +to meet at Zante, an island near to the main continent of the west part +of Morea, well known to all the pilots, and thought to be the fittest +place for their rendezvous; concerning which meeting it was also +covenanted on each side and promised that whatsoever ship of these five +should first arrive at Zante, should there stay and expect the coming +of the rest of the fleet for the space of twenty days. This being +done, each man made his best haste, according as wind and weather would +serve him, to fulfil his course and to despatch his business; and no +need was there to admonish or encourage any man, seeing no time was +ill-spent nor opportunity omitted on any side in the performance of +each man's duty, according to his place. + +It fell out that the Toby, which was bound for Constantinople, had made +such good speed, and gotten such good weather, that she first of all +the rest came back to the appointed place of Zante, and not forgetting +the former conclusion, did there cast anchor, attending the arrival of +the rest of the fleet, which accordingly (their business first +performed) failed not to keep promise. The first next after the Toby +was the Royal Merchant, which, together with the William and John, came +from Tripolis in Syria, and arrived in Zante within the compass of the +aforesaid time limited. These ships, in token of the joy on all parts +conceived for their happy meeting, spared not the discharging of their +ordnance, the sounding of drums and trumpets, the spreading of ensigns, +with other warlike and joyful behaviours, expressing by these outward +signs the inward gladness of their minds, being all as ready to join +together in mutual consent to resist the cruel enemy, as now in +sporting manner they made mirth and pastime among themselves. These +three had not been long in the haven but the Edward Bonaventure, +together with the Susan her consort, were come from Venice with their +lading, the sight of whom increased the joy of the rest, and they, no +less glad of the presence of the others, saluted them in most friendly +and kind sort, according to the manner of the seas. And whereas some +of these ships stood at that instant in some want of victuals, they +were all content to stay in the port till the necessities of each ship +were supplied, and nothing wanted to set out for their return. + +In this port of Zante the news was fresh and current of two several +armies and fleets, provided by the King of Spain, and lying in wait to +intercept them: the one consisting of thirty strong galleys, so well +appointed in all respects for the war that no necessary thing wanted, +and this fleet hovered about the Straits of Gibraltar. The other army +had in it twenty galleys, whereof some were of Sicily and some of the +island of Malta, under the charge and government of John Andreas Dorea, +a captain of name serving the King of Spain. These two divers and +strong fleets waited and attended in the seas for none but the English +ships, and no doubt made their account and sure reckoning that not a +ship should escape their fury. And the opinion also of the inhabitants +of the isle of Zante was, that in respect of the number of galleys in +both these armies having received such strait commandment from the +king, our ships and men being but few and little in comparison of them, +it was a thing in human reason impossible that we should pass either +without spoiling, if we resisted, or without composition at the least, +and acknowledgment of duty to the Spanish king. + +But it was neither the report of the attendance of these armies, nor +the opinions of the people, nor anything else, that could daunt or +dismay the courage of our men, who, grounding themselves upon the +goodness of their cause and the promise of God to be delivered from +such as without reason sought their destruction, carried resolute minds +notwithstanding all impediments to adventure through the seas, and to +finish their navigation maugre the beards of the Spanish soldiers. But +lest they should seem too careless and too secure of their estate, and +by laying the whole and entire burden of their safety upon God's +Providence should foolishly presume altogether of His help, and neglect +the means which was put into their hands, they failed not to enter into +counsel among themselves and to deliberate advisedly for their best +defence. And in the end, with general consent, the Merchant Royal was +appointed Admiral of the fleet, and the Toby Vice-Admiral, by whose +orders the rest promised to be directed, and each ship vowed not to +break from another whatsoever extremity should fall out, but to stand +to it to the death, for the honour of their country and the frustrating +of the hope of the ambitious and proud enemy. + +Thus in good order they left Zante and the Castle of Grecia, and +committed themselves again to the seas, and proceeded in their course +and voyage in quietness, without sight of any enemy till they came near +to Pantalarea, an island so called betwixt Sicily and the coast of +Africa; into sight whereof they came the 13th day of July, 1586. And +the same day, in the morning, about seven of the clock, they descried +thirteen sails in number, which were of the galleys lying in wait of +purpose for them in and about that place. As soon as the English ships +had spied them, they by-and-bye, according to a common order, made +themselves ready for a fight, laid out their ordnance, scoured, +charged, and primed them, displayed their ensigns, and left nothing +undone to arm themselves thoroughly. In the meantime, the galleys more +and more approached the ships, and in their banners there appeared the +arms of the isles of Sicily and Malta, being all as then in the service +and pay of the Spaniard. Immediately both the Admirals of the galleys +sent from each of them a frigate to the Admiral of our English ships, +which being come near them, the Sicilian frigate first hailed them, and +demanded of them whence they were; they answered that they were of +England, the arms whereof appeared in their colours. Whereupon the +said frigate expostulated with them, and asked why they delayed to send +or come with their captains and pursers to Don Pedro de Leiva, their +General, to acknowledge their duty and obedience to him, in the name of +the Spanish king, lord of those seas. Our men replied and said that +they owed no such duty nor obedience to him, and therefore would +acknowledge none; but commanded the frigate to depart with that answer, +and not to stay longer upon her peril. With that away she went; and up +came towards them the other frigate of Malta; and she in like sort +hailed the Admiral, and would needs know whence they were and where +they had been. Our Englishmen in the Admiral, not disdaining an +answer, told them that they were of England, merchants of London, had +been in Turkey, and were now returning home; and to be requited in this +case, they also demanded of the frigate whence she and the rest of the +galleys were. The messenger answered, "We are of Malta, and for mine +own part, my name is Cavalero. These galleys are in service and pay to +the King of Spain, under the conduct of Don Pedro de Leiva, a nobleman +of Spain who hath been commanded hither by the king with this present +force and army of purpose to intercept you. You shall therefore," +quoth he, "do well to repair to him to know his pleasure; he is a +nobleman of good behaviour and courtesy, and means you no ill." The +captain of the English Admiral, whose name was Master Edward Wilkinson, +now one of the six masters of Her Majesty's Royal Navy, replied and +said, "We purpose not at this time to make trial of Don Pedro his +courtesy, whereof we are suspicious and doubtful, and not without good +cause;" using withal good words to the messenger, and willing him to +come aboard him, promising security and good usage, that thereby he +might the better know the Spaniard's mind. Whereupon he indeed left +his frigate and came aboard him, whom he entertained in friendly sort, +and caused a cup of wine to be drawn for him, which he took, and began, +with his cap in his hand and with reverent terms, to drink to the +health of the Queen of England, speaking very honourably of Her +Majesty, and giving good speeches of the courteous usage and +entertainment that he himself had received in London at the time that +the Duke of Alencon, brother to the late French king, was last in +England. And after he had well drunk, he took his leave, speaking well +of the sufficiency and goodness of our ships, and especially of the +Merchant Royal, which he confessed to have seen before, riding in the +Thames near London. He was no sooner come to Don Pedro de Leiva, the +Spanish General, but he was sent off again, and returned to the English +Admiral, saying that the pleasure of the General was this, that either +their captains, masters, and pursers should come to him with speed, or +else he would set upon them, and either take them or sink them. The +reply was made by Master Wilkinson aforesaid that not a man should come +to him; and for the brag and threat of Don Pedro, it was not that +Spanish bravado that should make them yield a jot to their hindrance, +but they were as ready to make resistance as he to offer an injury. +Whereupon Cavalero the messenger left bragging, and began to persuade +them in quiet sort and with many words; but all his labour was to no +purpose, and as his threat did nothing terrify them, so his persuasion +did nothing move them to do that which he required. At the last he +entreated to have the merchant of the Admiral carried by him as a +messenger to the General, that so he might be satisfied and assured of +their minds by one of their own company. But Master Wilkinson would +agree to no such thing; although Richard Rowit, the merchant himself, +seemed willing to be employed in that message, and laboured by +reasonable persuasions to induce Master Wilkinson to grant it--as +hoping to be an occasion by his presence and discreet answers to +satisfy the General, and thereby to save the effusion of Christian +blood, if it should grow to a battle. And he seemed so much the more +willing to be sent, by how much deeper the oaths and protestations of +this Cavalero were, that he would (as he was a true knight and a +soldier) deliver him back again in safety to his company. Albeit, +Master Wilkinson, who, by his long experience, had received sufficient +trial of Spanish inconstancy and perjury, wished him in no case to put +his life and liberty in hazard upon a Spaniard's oath; but at last, +upon much entreaty, he yielded to let him go to the General, thinking +indeed that good speeches and answers of reason would have contented +him, whereas, otherwise, refusal to do so might peradventure have +provoked the more discontentment. + +Master Rowit, therefore, passing to the Spanish General, the rest of +the galleys, having espied him, thought, indeed, that the English were +rather determined to yield than to fight, and therefore came flocking +about the frigate, every man crying out, "Que nuevas? que nuevas? Have +these Englishmen yielded?" The frigate answered, "Not so; they neither +have nor purpose to yield. Only they have sent a man of their company +to speak with our General." And being come to the galley wherein he +was, he showed himself to Master Rowit in his armour, his guard of +soldiers attending upon him, in armour also, and began to speak very +proudly in this sort: "Thou Englishman, from whence is your fleet? +Why stand ye aloof off? know ye not your duty to the Catholic king, +whose person I here represent? Where are your bills of lading, your +letters, passports, and the chief of your men? Think ye my attendance +in these seas to be in vain, or my person to no purpose? Let all these +things be done out of hand, as I command, upon pain of my further +displeasure, and the spoil of you all." These words of the Spanish +General were not so outrageously pronounced, as they were mildly +answered by Master Rowit, who told him that they were all merchantmen, +using traffic in honest sort, and seeking to pass quietly, if they were +not urged further than reason. As for the King of Spain, he thought +(for his part) that there was amity betwixt him and his Sovereign, the +Queen of England, so that neither he nor his officers should go about +to offer any such injury to English merchants, who, as they were far +from giving offence to any man, so they would be loth to take an abuse +at the hands of any, or sit down to their loss, where their ability was +able to make defence. And as touching his commandment aforesaid for +the acknowledging of duty in such particular sort, he told him that, +where there was no duty owing there none should be performed, assuring +him that their whole company and ships in general stood resolutely upon +the negative, and would not yield to any such unreasonable demand, +joined with such imperious and absolute manner of commanding. "Why, +then," said he, "if they will neither come to yield, nor show obedience +to me in the name of my king, I will either sink them or bring them to +harbour; and so tell them from me." With that the frigate came away +with Master Rowit, and brought him aboard to the English Admiral again, +according to promise, who was no sooner entered in but by-and-bye +defiance was sounded on both sides. The Spaniards hewed off the noses +of the galleys, that nothing might hinder the level of the shot; and +the English, on the other side, courageously prepared themselves to the +combat, every man, according to his room, bent to perform his office +with alacrity and diligence. In the meantime a cannon was discharged +from out the Admiral of the galleys, which, being the onset of the +fight, was presently answered by the English Admiral with a culverin; +so the skirmish began, and grew hot and terrible. There was no powder +nor shot spared, each English ship matched itself in good order against +two Spanish galleys, besides the inequality of the frigates on the +Spanish side. And although our men performed their parts with singular +valour, according to their strength, insomuch that the enemy, as amazed +therewith, would oftentimes pause and stay, and consult what was best +to be done, yet they ceased not in the midst of their business to make +prayer to Almighty God, the revenger of all evils and the giver of +victories, that it would please Him to assist them in this good quarrel +of theirs, in defending themselves against so proud a tyrant, to teach +their hands to war and their fingers to fight, that the glory of the +victory might redound to His name, and to the honour of true religion, +which the insolent enemy sought so much to overthrow. Contrarily, the +foolish Spaniards, they cried out, according to their manner, not to +God, but to our Lady (as they term the Virgin Mary) saying, "Oh, Lady, +help! Oh, blessed Lady, give us the victory, and the honour thereof +shall be thine." Thus with blows and prayers on both sides, the fight +continued furious and sharp, and doubtful a long time to which part the +victory would incline, till at last the Admiral of the galleys of +Sicily began to warp from the fight, and to hold up her side for fear +of sinking, and after her went also two others in like case, whom all +the sort of them enclosed, labouring by all their means to keep them +above water, being ready by the force of English shot which they had +received to perish in the seas. And what slaughter was done among the +Spaniards the English were uncertain, but by a probable conjecture +apparent afar off they supposed their loss was so great that they +wanted men to continue the charging of their pieces; whereupon with +shame and dishonour, after five hours spent in the battle, they +withdrew themselves. And the English, contented in respect of their +deep lading rather to continue their voyage than to follow in the +chase, ceased from further blows, with the loss of only two men slain +amongst them all, and another hurt in his arm, whom Master Wilkinson, +with his good words and friendly promises, did so comfort that he +nothing esteemed the smart of his wound, in respect of the honour of +the victory and the shameful repulse of the enemy. + +Thus, with dutiful thanks to the mercy of God for His gracious +assistance in that danger, the English ships proceeded in their +navigation. And coming as high as Algiers, a port town upon the coast +of Barbary, they made for it, of purpose to refresh themselves after +their weariness, and to take in such supply of fresh water and victuals +as they needed. They were no sooner entered into the port but +immediately the king thereof sent a messenger to the ships to know what +they were. With which messenger the chief master of every ship +repaired to the king, and acquainted him not only with the state of +their ships in respect of merchandise, but with the late fight which +they had passed with the Spanish galleys, reporting every particular +circumstance in word as it fell out in action; whereof the said king +showed himself marvellous glad, entertaining them in the best sort, and +promising abundant relief of all their wants; making general +proclamation in the city, upon pain of death, that no man, of what +degree or state soever he were, should presume either to hinder them in +their affairs or to offer them any manner of injury in body or goods; +by virtue whereof they despatched all things in excellent good sort +with all favour and peaceableness. Only such prisoners and captives of +the Spaniards as were in the city, seeing the good usage which they +received, and hearing also what service they had performed against the +foresaid galleys, grudged exceedingly against them, and sought as much +as they could to practise some mischief against them. And one amongst +the rest, seeing an Englishman alone in a certain lane of the city, +came upon him suddenly, and with his knife thrust him in the side, yet +made no such great wound but that it was easily recovered. The English +company, hearing of it, acquainted the king of the fact; who +immediately sent both for the party that had received the wound and the +offender also, and caused an executioner, in the presence of himself +and the English, to chastise the slave even to death, which was +performed, to the end that no man should presume to commit the like +part or to do anything in contempt of his royal commandment. + +The English, having received this good justice at the king's hands, and +all other things that they wanted or could crave for the furnishing of +their ships, took their leave of him, and of the rest of their friends +that were resident in Algiers, and put out to sea, looking to meet with +the second army of the Spanish king, which waited for them about the +mouth of the Strait of Gibraltar, which they were of necessity to pass. +But coming near to the said strait, it pleased God to raise, at that +instant, a very dark and misty fog, so that one ship could not discern +another if it were forty paces off, by means whereof, together with the +notable fair Eastern winds that then blew most fit for their course, +they passed with great speed through the strait, and might have passed, +with that good gale, had there been five hundred galleys to withstand +them and the air never so clear for every ship to be seen. But yet the +Spanish galleys had a sight of them, when they were come within three +English miles of the town, and made after them with all possible haste; +and although they saw that they were far out of their reach, yet in a +vain fury and foolish pride, they shot off their ordnance and made a +stir in the sea as if they had been in the midst of them, which vanity +of theirs ministered to our men notable matter of pleasure and mirth, +seeing men to fight with shadows and to take so great pains to so small +purpose. + +But thus it pleased God to deride and delude all the forces of that +proud Spanish king, which he had provided of purpose to distress the +English; who, notwithstanding, passed through both his armies--in the +one, little hurt, and in the other, nothing touched, to the glory of +His immortal name, the honour of our prince and country, and the just +commendation of each man's service performed in that voyage. + + ----- + + + +THE UNFORTUNATE VOYAGE MADE WITH THE JESUS, THE MINION, AND FOUR OTHER +SHIPS, TO THE PARTS OF GUINEA AND THE WEST INDIES, IN THE YEARS 1567 +AND 1568. BY MASTER JOHN HAWKINS. + +The ships departed from Plymouth the 2nd day of October, anno 1567, and +had reasonable weather until the seventh day, at which time, forty +leagues north from Cape Finisterre, there arose an extreme storm which +continued four days, in such sort that the fleet was dispersed and all +our great boats lost, and the Jesus, our chief ship, in such case as +not thought able to serve the voyage. Whereupon in the same storm we +set our course homeward, determining to give over the voyage; but the +11th day of the same month the wind changed, with fair weather, whereby +we were animated to follow our enterprise, and so did, directing our +course to the islands of Grand Canaries, where, according to an order +before prescribed, all our ships, before dispersed, met in one of those +islands, called Gomera, where we took water, and departed from thence +the 4th day of November towards the coast of Guinea, and arrived at +Cape Verde the 18th of November, where we landed one hundred and fifty +men, hoping to obtain some negroes; where we got but few, and those +with great hurt and damage to our men, which chiefly proceeded from +their envenomed arrows; although in the beginning they seemed to be but +small hurts, yet there hardly escaped any that had blood drawn of them +but died in strange sort, with their mouths shut, some ten days before +they died, and after their wounds were whole; where I myself had one of +the greatest wounds, yet, thanks be to God, escaped. From thence we +passed the time upon the coast of Guinea, searching with all diligence +the rivers from Rio Grande unto Sierra Leone till the 12th of January, +in which time we had not gotten together a hundred and fifty negroes: +yet, notwithstanding the sickness of our men and the late time of the +year commanded us away: and thus having nothing wherewith to seek the +coast of the West Indies, I was with the rest of our company in +consultation to go to the coast of the Myne, hoping there to have +obtained some gold for our wares, and thereby to have defrayed our +charge. But even in that present instant there came to us a negro sent +from a king oppressed by other kings, his neighbours, desiring our aid, +with promise that as many negroes as by these wars might be obtained, +as well of his part as of ours, should be at our pleasure. Whereupon +we concluded to give aid, and sent one hundred and twenty of our men, +which the 15th of January assaulted a town of the negroes of our +allies' adversaries which had in it 8,000 inhabitants, and very +strongly impaled and fenced after their manner, but it was so well +defended that our men prevailed not, but lost six men, and forty hurt, +so that our men sent forthwith to me for more help; whereupon, +considering that the good success of this enterprise might highly +further the commodity of our voyage, I went myself, and with the help +of the king of our side assaulted the town, both by land and sea, and +very hardly with fire (their houses being covered with dry palm leaves) +obtained the town, and put the inhabitants to flight, where we took 250 +persons, men, women, and children, and by our friend the king of our +side there were taken 600 prisoners, whereof we hoped to have our +choice, but the negro (in which nation is seldom or never found truth) +meant nothing less; for that night he removed his camp and prisoners, +so that we were fain to content us with those few which we had gotten +ourselves. + +Now had we obtained between four and five hundred negroes, wherewith we +thought it somewhat reasonable to seek the coast of the West Indies, +and there, for our negroes, and other our merchandise, we hoped to +obtain whereof to countervail our charges with some gains, whereunto we +proceeded with all diligence, furnished our watering, took fuel, and +departed the coast of Guinea, the third of February, continuing at the +sea with a passage more hard than before hath been accustomed, till the +27th day of March, which day we had sight of an island, called +Dominique, upon the coast of the West Indies, in fourteen degrees: +from thence we coasted from place to place, making our traffic with the +Spaniards as we might, somewhat hardly, because the king had straitly +commanded all his governors in those parts by no means to suffer any +trade to be made with us; notwithstanding we had reasonable trade, and +courteous entertainment, from the Isle of Marguerite and Cartagena, +without anything greatly worth the noting, saving at Cape de la Vela, +in a town called Rio de la Hacha, from whence come all the pearls. The +treasurer who had the charge there would by no means agree to any +trade, or suffer us to take water. He had fortified his town with +divers bulwarks in all places where it might be entered, and furnished +himself with a hundred harquebusiers, so that he thought by famine to +have enforced us to have put on land our negroes, of which purpose he +had not greatly failed unless we had by force entered the town; which +(after we could by no means obtain his favour) we were enforced to do, +and so with two hundred men brake in upon their bulwarks, and entered +the town with the loss only of eleven men of our parts, and no hurt +done to the Spaniards, because after their volley of shot discharged, +they all fled. + +Thus having the town, with some circumstance, as partly by the +Spaniards' desire of negroes, and partly by friendship of the +treasurer, we obtained a secret trade; whereupon the Spaniards resorted +to us by night, and bought of us to the number of two hundred negroes: +in all other places where we traded the Spaniards inhabitants were glad +of us, and traded willingly. + +At Cartagena, the last town we thought to have seen on the coast, we +could by no means obtain to deal with any Spaniard, the governor was so +strait, and because our trade was so near finished, we thought not good +either to adventure any landing or to detract further time, but in +peace departed from thence the 24th of July, hoping to have escaped the +time of their storms, which then soon after began to reign, the which +they call Furicanos; but passing by the west end of Cuba, towards the +coast of Florida, there happened to us, the twelfth day of August, an +extreme storm, which continued by the space of four days, which so beat +the Jesus, that we cut down all her higher buildings; her rudder also +was sore shaken, and, withal, was in so extreme a leak, that we were +rather upon the point to leave her than to keep her any longer; yet, +hoping to bring all to good pass, sought the coast of Florida, where we +found no place nor haven for our ships, because of the shallowness of +the coast. Thus, being in greater despair, and taken with a new storm, +which continued other three days, we were enforced to take for our +succour the port which serveth the city of Mexico, called St. John de +Ullua, which standeth in nineteen degrees, in seeking of which port we +took in our way three ships, which carried passengers to the number of +one hundred, which passengers we hoped should be a means to us the +better to obtain victuals for our money and a quiet place for the +repairing of our fleet. Shortly after this, the sixteenth of +September, we entered the port of St. John de Ullua, and in our entry, +the Spaniards thinking us to be the fleet of Spain, the chief officers +of the country came aboard us, which, being deceived of their +expectation, were greatly dismayed, but immediately, when they saw our +demand was nothing but victuals, were recomforted. I found also in the +same port twelve ships, which had in them, by the report, 200,000 +livres in gold and silver, all which (being in my possession with the +King's island, as also the passengers before in my way thitherward +stayed) I set at liberty, without the taking from them the weight of a +groat; only, because I would not be delayed of my despatch, I stayed +two men of estimation, and sent post immediately to Mexico, which was +two hundred miles from us, to the presidents and Council there, showing +them of our arrival there by the force of weather, and the necessity of +the repair of our ship and victuals, which wants we required, as +friends to King Philip, to be furnished of for our money, and that the +presidents in council there should, with all convenient speed, take +order that at the arrival of the Spanish fleet, which was daily looked +for, there might no cause of quarrel rise between us and them, but, for +the better maintenance of amity, their commandment might be had in that +behalf. This message being sent away the 16th day of September, at +night, being the very day of our arrival, in the next morning, which +was the sixteenth day of the same month, we saw open of the haven +thirteen great ships, and understanding them to be the fleet of Spain, +I sent immediately to advertise the general of the fleet of my being +there, doing him to understand that, before I would suffer them to +enter the port, there should be some order of conditions pass between +us for our safe being there and maintenance of peace. Now, it is to be +understood that this port is a little island of stones, not three feet +above the water in the highest place, and but a bow-shot of length any +way. This island standeth from the mainland two bow-shots or more. +Also it is to be understood that there is not in all this coast any +other place for ships to arrive in safety, because the north wind hath +there such violence, that, unless the ships be very safely moored, with +their anchors fastened upon this island, there is no remedy for these +north winds but death; also, the place of the haven was so little, that +of necessity the ships must ride one aboard the other, so that we could +not give place to them nor they to us; and here I began to bewail the +which after followed: "For now," said I, "I am in two dangers, and +forced to receive the one of them." That was, either I must have kept +out the fleet from entering the port (the which, with God's help, I was +very well able to do), or else suffer them to enter in with their +accustomed treason, which they never fail to execute where they may +have opportunity, or circumvent it by any means. If I had kept them +out, then had there been present shipwreck of all the fleet, which +amounted in value to six millions, which was in value of our money +1,800,000 livres, which I considered I was not able to answer, fearing +the Queen's Majesty's indignation in so weighty a matter. Thus with +myself revolving the doubts, I thought rather better to abide the jutt +of the uncertainty than the certainty. The uncertain doubt was their +treason, which by good policy I hoped might be prevented; and +therefore, as choosing the least mischief, I proceeded to conditions. +Now was our first messenger come and returned from the fleet with +report of the arrival of a Viceroy, so that he had authority, both in +all this province of Mexico (otherwise called Nova Hispania) and in the +sea, who sent us word that we should send our conditions, which of his +part should (for the better maintenance of amity between the princes) +be both favourably granted and faithfully performed, with many fair +words how, passing the coast of the Indies, he had understood of our +honest behaviour towards the inhabitants, where we had to do as well +elsewhere as in the same port, the which I let pass, thus following our +demand. We required victual for our money, and licence to sell as much +ware as might furnish our wants, and that there might be of either part +twelve gentlemen as hostage for the maintenance of peace, and that the +island, for our better safety, might be in our own possession during +our abode there, and such ordnance as was planted in the same island, +which was eleven pieces of brass, and that no Spaniard might land in +the island with any kind of weapon. + +These conditions at the first he somewhat misliked--chiefly the guard +of the island to be in our own keeping; which, if they had had, we had +soon known our fate; for with the first north wind they had cut our +cables, and our ships had gone ashore; but in the end he concluded to +our request, bringing the twelve hostages to ten, which with all speed +on either part were received, with a writing from the Viceroy, signed +with his hand and sealed with his seal, of all the conditions +concluded, and forthwith a trumpet blown, with commandment that none of +either part should inviolate the peace upon pain of death; and, +further, it was concluded that the two generals of the fleet should +meet, and give faith each to other for the performance of the promises, +which was so done. + +Thus, at the end of three days, all was concluded, and the fleet +entered the port, saluting one another as the manner of the sea doth +require. Thus, as I said before, Thursday we entered the port, Friday +we saw the fleet, and on Monday, at night, they entered the port; then +we laboured two days, placing the English ships by themselves, and the +Spanish ships by themselves, the captains of each part, and inferior +men of their parts, promising great amity of all sides; which, even as +with all fidelity was meant of our part, though the Spanish meant +nothing less of their parts, but from the mainland had furnished +themselves with a supply of men to the number of one thousand, and +meant the next Thursday, being the 23rd of September, at dinner-time, +to set upon us of all sides. The same Thursday, the treason being at +hand, some appearance showed, as shifting of weapons from ship to ship, +planting and bending of ordnance from the ship to the island where our +men were, passing to and fro of companies of men more than required for +their necessary business, and many other ill likelihoods, which caused +us to have a vehement suspicion, and therewithal sent to the Viceroy to +inquire what was meant by it, which sent immediately straight +commandment to unplant all things suspicious, and also sent word that +he, in the faith of a Viceroy, would be our defence from all +villainies. Yet we, not being satisfied with this answer, because we +suspected a great number of men to be hid in a great ship of nine +hundred tons, which was moored next unto the Minion, sent again unto +the Viceroy the master of the Jesus, which had the Spanish tongue, and +required to be satisfied if any such thing were or not; on which the +Viceroy, seeing that the treason must be discovered, forthwith stayed +our master, blew the trumpet, and of all sides set upon us. Our men +which were on guard ashore, being stricken with sudden fear, gave +place, fled, and sought to recover succour of the ships; the Spaniards, +being before provided for the purpose, landed in all places in +multitudes from their ships, which they could easily do without boats, +and slew all our men ashore without mercy, a few of them escaping +aboard the Jesus. The great ship which had, by the estimation, three +hundred men placed in her secretly, immediately fell aboard the Minion, +which, by God's appointment, in the time of the suspicion we had, which +was only one half-hour, the Minion was made ready to avoid, and so, +loosing her headfasts, and hailing away by the sternfasts, she was +gotten out; thus, with God's help, she defended the violence of the +first brunt of these three hundred men. The Minion being passed out, +they came aboard the Jesus, which also, with very much ado and the loss +of many of our men, were defended and kept out. Then were there also +two other ships that assaulted the Jesus at the same instant, so that +she had hard work getting loose; but yet, with some time, we had cut +our headfasts, and gotten out by the sternfasts. Now, when the Jesus +and the Minion were gotten two ship-lengths from the Spanish fleet, the +fight began hot on all sides, so that within one hour the admiral of +the Spaniards was supposed to be sunk, their vice-admiral burned, and +one other of their principal ships supposed to be sunk, so that the +ships were little to annoy us. + +Then is it to be understood that all the ordnance upon the island was +in the Spaniards' hands, which did us so great annoyance that it cut +all the masts and yards of the Jesus in such sort, that there was no +hope to carry her away; also it sank our small ships, whereupon we +determined to place the Jesus on that side of the Minion, that she +might abide all the battery from the land, and so be a defence for the +Minion till night, and then to take such relief of victual and other +necessaries from the Jesus as the time would suffer us, and to leave +her. As we were thus determining, and had placed the Minion from the +shot of the land, suddenly the Spaniards had fired two great ships +which were coming directly to us, and having no means to avoid the +fire, it bred among our men a marvellous fear, so that some said, "Let +us depart with the Minion," others said, "Let us see whether the wind +will carry the fire from us." But to be short, the Minion's men, which +had always their sails in a readiness, thought to make sure work, and +so without either consent of the captain or master, cut their sail, so +that very hardly I was received into the Minion. + +The most part of the men that were left alive in the Jesus made shift +and followed the Minion in a small boat, the rest, which the little +boat was not able to receive, were enforced to abide the mercy of the +Spaniards (which I doubt was very little); so with the Minion only, and +the Judith (a small barque of fifty tons) we escaped, which barque the +same night forsook us in our great misery. We were now removed with +the Minion from the Spanish ships two bow-shots, and there rode all +that night. The next morning we recovered an island a mile from the +Spaniards, where there took us a north wind, and being left only with +two anchors and two cables (for in this conflict we lost three cables +and two anchors), we thought always upon death, which ever was present, +but God preserved us to a longer time. + +The weather waxed reasonable, and the Saturday we set sail, and having +a great number of men and little victual, our hope of life waxed less +and less. Some desired to yield to the Spaniards, some rather desired +to obtain a place where they might give themselves to the infidels; and +some had rather abide, with a little pittance, the mercy of God at sea. +So thus, with many sorrowful hearts, we wandered in an unknown sea by +the space of fourteen days, till hunger enforced us to seek the land; +for hides were thought very good meat; rats, cats, mice, and dogs, none +escaped that might be gotten; parrots and monkeys, that were had in +great prize, were thought there very profitable if they served the turn +of one dinner. Thus in the end, on the 8th day of October, we came to +the land in the bottom of the same bay of Mexico, in twenty-three +degrees and a half, where we hoped to have found habitations of the +Spaniards, relief of victuals, and place for the repair of our ship, +which was so sore beaten with shot from our enemies, and bruised with +shooting of our own ordnance, that our weary and weak arms were scarce +able to defend and keep out the water. But all things happened to the +contrary, for we found neither people, victual, nor haven of relief, +but a place where, having fair weather, with some peril we might land a +boat. Our people, being forced with hunger, desired to be set aland, +whereunto I concluded. + +And such as were willing to land I put apart, and such as were desirous +to go homewards I put apart, so that they were indifferently parted, a +hundred of one side and a hundred of the other side. These hundred men +we set on land with all diligence, in this little place aforesaid, +which being landed, we determined there to refresh our water, and so +with our little remain of victuals to take the sea. + +The next day, having on land with me fifty of our hundred men that +remained, for the speedier preparing of our water aboard, there arose +an extreme storm, so that in three days we could by no means repair our +ships. The ship also was in such peril that every hour we looked for +shipwreck. + +But yet God again had mercy on us, and sent fair weather. We got +aboard our water, and departed the 16th day of October, after which day +we had fair and prosperous weather till the 16th day of November, which +day, God be praised, we were clear from the coast of the Indians and +out of the channel and gulf of Bahama, which is between the cape of +Florida and the islands of Cuba. After this, growing near to the cold +country, our men, being oppressed with famine, died continually, and +they that were left grew into such weakness that we were scarcely able +to manoeuvre our ship, and the wind being always ill for us to recover +England, determined to go to Galicia, in Spain, with intent there to +relieve our company and other extreme wants. And being arrived the +last day of December, in a place near unto Vigo, called Pontevedra, our +men, with excess of fresh meat, grew into miserable diseases, and died +a great part of them. This matter was borne out as long as it might +be, but in the end, although there was none of our men suffered to go +on land, yet by access of the Spaniards our feebleness was known to +them. Whereupon they ceased not to seek by all means to betray us, but +with all speed possible we departed to Vigo, where we had some help of +certain English ships, and twelve fresh men, wherewith we repaired our +wants as we might, and departing the 30th day of January, 1568, arrived +in Mount's Bay in Cornwall the 25th of the same month, praised be God +therefore. + +If all the misery and troublesome affairs of this sorrowful voyage +should be perfectly and thoroughly written, there should need a painful +man with his pen, and as great time as he had that wrote the "Lives and +Deaths of the Martyrs." + + JOHN HAWKINS. + + + ----- + + + +A DISCOURSE WRITTEN BY ONE MILES PHILLIPS, ENGLISHMAN, ONE OF THE +COMPANY PUT ASHORE IN THE WEST INDIES BY MASTER JOHN HAWKINS IN THE +YEAR 1568, CONTAINING MANY SPECIAL THINGS OF THAT COUNTRY AND OF THE +SPANISH GOVERNMENT, BUT SPECIALLY OF THEIR CRUELTIES USED TO OUR +ENGLISHMEN, AND AMONGST THE REST, TO HIMSELF FOR THE SPACE OF FIFTEEN +OR SIXTEEN YEARS TOGETHER, UNTIL BY GOOD AND HAPPY MEANS HE WAS +DELIVERED FROM THEIR BLOODY HANDS, AND RETURNED TO HIS OWN COUNTRY. +ANNO 1582. + + + +THE FIRST CHAPTER. + +WHEREIN IS SHOWN THE DAY AND TIME OF OUR DEPARTURE FROM THE COAST OF +ENGLAND, WITH THE NUMBER AND NAMES OF THE SHIPS, THEIR CAPTAINS AND +MASTERS, AND OF OUR TRAFFIC AND DEALING UPON THE COAST OF AFRICA. + +Upon Monday, being the 2nd of October, 1567, the weather being +reasonable fair, our General, Master John Hawkins, having commanded all +his captains and masters to be in a readiness to make sail with him, he +himself being embarked in the Jesus, whereof was appointed for master +Robert Barret, hoisted sail and departed from Plymouth upon his +intended voyage for the parts of Africa and America, being accompanied +with five other sail of ships, as namely the Minion, wherein went for +captain Master John Hampton, and John Garret, master. The William and +John, wherein was Captain Thomas Bolton, and James Raunce, master. The +Judith, in whom was Captain Master Francis Drake, now Knight, and the +Angel, whose master, as also the captain and master of the Swallow, I +now remember not. And so sailing in company together upon our voyage +until the 10th of the same month, an extreme storm then took us near +unto Cape Finisterre, which lasted for the space of four days, and so +separated our ships that we had lost one another, and our General, +finding the Jesus to be but in ill case, was in mind to give over the +voyage and to return home. Howbeit, the eleventh of the same month, +the seas waxing calm and the wind coming fair, he altered his purpose, +and held on the former intended voyage; and so coming to the island of +Gomera, being one of the islands of the Canaries, where, according to +an order before appointed, we met with all our ships which were before +dispersed. We then took in fresh water and departed from thence the +4th of November, and holding on our course, upon the 18th day of the +same month we came to an anchor upon the coast of Africa, at Cape +Verde, in twelve fathoms of water, and here our General landed certain +of our men, to the number of 160 or thereabouts, seeking to take some +negroes. And they, going up into the country for the space of six +miles, were encountered with a great number of the negroes, who with +their envenomed arrows did hurt a great number of our men, so that they +were enforced to retire to the ships, in which conflict they recovered +but a few negroes; and of these our men which were hurt with their +envenomed arrows, there died to the number of seven or eight in very +strange manner, with their mouths shut, so that we were forced to put +sticks and other things into their mouths to keep them open; and so +afterwards passing the time upon the coast of Guinea, until the 12th of +January, we obtained by that time the number of one hundred and fifty +negroes. And being ready to depart from the sea coast, there was a +negro sent as an ambassador to our General, from a king of the negroes, +which was oppressed with other kings, his bordering kings, desiring our +General to grant him succour and aid against those his enemies, which +our General granted unto, and went himself in person on land with the +number of 200 of our men, or thereabouts, and the said king which had +requested our aid, did join his force with ours, so that thereby our +General assaulted and set fire upon a town of the said king his +enemies, in which there was at the least the number of eight or ten +thousand negroes, and they, perceiving that they were not able to make +any resistance, sought by flight to save themselves, in which their +flight there were taken prisoners to the number of eight or nine +hundred, which our General ought to have had for his share; howbeit the +negro king, which requested our aid, falsifying his word and promise, +secretly in the night conveyed himself away with as many prisoners as +he had in his custody; but our General, notwithstanding finding himself +to have now very near the number of 500 negroes, thought it best +without longer abode to depart with them and such merchandise as he had +from the coast of Africa towards the West Indies, and therefore +commanded with all diligence to take in fresh water and fuel, and so +with speed to prepare to depart. Howbeit, before we departed from +thence, in a storm that we had, we lost one of our ships, namely, the +William and John, of which ship and her people we heard no tidings +during the time of our voyage. + + + +THE SECOND CHAPTER. + +WHEREIN IS SHOWED THE DAY AND TIME OF OUR DEPARTURE FROM THE COAST OF +AFRICA, WITH THE DAY AND TIME OF OUR ARRIVAL IN THE WEST INDIES, ALSO +OF OUR TRADE AND TRAFFIC THERE, AND ALSO OF THE GREAT CRUELTY THAT THE +SPANIARDS USED TOWARDS US, BY THE VICEROY HIS DIRECTION AND +APPOINTMENT, FALSIFYING HIS FAITH AND PROMISE GIVEN, AND SEEKING TO +HAVE ENTRAPPED US. + +All things being made in a readiness at our General his appointment, +upon the 3rd day of February, 1568, we departed from the coast of +Africa, having the weather somewhat tempestuous; which made our passage +the more hard, and sailing so for the space of twenty-five days, upon +the 27th March, 1568, we came in sight of an island called Dominique, +upon the coast of America, in the West Indies, situated in fourteen +degrees of latitude, and two hundred and twenty-two of longitude. From +thence our General coasted from place to place, ever making traffic +with the Spaniards and Indians, as he might, which was somewhat hardly +obtained, for that the king had straitly charged all his governors in +those parts not to trade with any. Yet notwithstanding, during the +months of April and May, our General had reasonable trade and traffic, +and courteous entertainment in sundry places, as at Marguerite, +Corassoa, and elsewhere, until we came to Cape de la Vela, and Rio de +la Hacha (a place from whence all the pearls do come). The governor +there would not by any means permit us to have any trade or traffic, +nor yet suffer us to take in fresh water; by means whereof our General, +for the avoiding of famine and thirst, about the beginning of June was +enforced to land 200 of our men, and so by main force and strength to +obtain that which by no fair means he could procure; and so recovering +the town with the loss of two of our men, there was a secret and +peaceable trade admitted, and the Spaniards came in by night, and +bought of our negroes to the number of 200 and upwards, and of our +other merchandise also. From thence we departed for Cartagena, where +the governor was so strait that we could not obtain any traffic there, +and so for that our trade was near finished, our General thought it +best to depart from thence the rather for the avoiding of certain +dangerous storms called the huricanoes, which accustomed to begin there +about that time of the year, and so the 24th of July, 1568, we departed +from thence, directing our course north, leaving the islands of Cuba +upon our right hand, to the eastward of us, and so sailing towards +Florida, upon the 12th of August an extreme tempest arose, which dured +for the space of eight days, in which our ships were most dangerously +tossed, and beaten hither and thither, so that we were in continual +fear to be drowned, by reason of the shallowness of the coast, and in +the end we were constrained to flee for succour to the port of St. John +de Ullua, or Vera Cruz, situated in nineteen degrees of latitude, and +in two hundred and seventy-nine degrees of longitude, which is the port +that serveth for the city of Mexico. In our seeking to recover this +port our General met by the way three small ships that carried +passengers, which he took with him, and so the 16th of September, 1568, +we entered the said port of St. John de Ullua. The Spaniards there, +supposing us to have been the King of Spain's fleet, the chief officers +of the country thereabouts came presently aboard our General, where +perceiving themselves to have made an unwise adventure, they were in +great fear to have been taken and stayed; howbeit our General did use +them all very courteously. In the said port there were twelve ships, +which by report had in them in treasure, to the value of two hundred +thousand pounds, all which being in our General his power, and at his +devotion, he did freely set at liberty, as also the passengers which he +had before stayed, not taking from any of them all the value of one +groat, only we stayed two men of credit and account, the one named Don +Lorenzo de Alva, and the other Don Pedrode Revera, and presently our +General sent to the Viceroy to Mexico, which was threescore leagues +off, certifying him of our arrival there by force of weather, desiring +that forasmuch as our Queen, his Sovereign, was the King of Spain his +loving sister and friend, that therefore he would, considering our +necessities and wants, furnish us with victuals for our navy, and +quietly to suffer us to repair and amend our ships. And furthermore +that at the arrival of the Spanish fleet, which was there daily +expected and looked for, to the end that there might no quarrel arise +between them and our General and his company for the breach of amity, +he humbly requested of his excellency that there might in this behalf +some special order be taken. This message was sent away the 16th of +September, 1568, it being the very day of our arrival there. The next +morning, being the 17th of the same month, we descried thirteen sail of +great ships; and after that our General understood that it was the King +of Spain's fleet then looked for, he presently sent to advertise the +General hereof of our being in the said port, and giving him further to +understand, that before he should enter there into that harbour, it was +requisite that there should pass between the two Generals some orders +and conditions, to be observed on either part, for the better +contriving of peace between them and theirs, according to our General's +request made unto the Viceroy. And at this instant our General was in +a great perplexity of mind, considering with himself that if he should +keep out that fleet from entering into the port, a thing which he was +very well able to do with the help of God, then should that fleet be in +danger of present shipwreck and loss of all their substance, which +amounted unto the value of one million and eight hundred thousand +crowns. Again, he saw that if he suffered them to enter, he was +assured they would practise all manner of means to betray him and his, +and on the other side the haven was so little, that the other fleet +entering, the ships were to ride one hard aboard of another; also he +saw that if their fleet should perish by his keeping them out, as of +necessity they must if he should have done so, then stood he in great +fear of the Queen our Sovereign's displeasure; in so weighty a cause, +therefore, did he choose the least evil, which was to suffer them to +enter under assurance, and so to stand upon his guard, and to defend +himself and his from their treasons, which we were all assured they +would practise, and so the messenger being returned from Don Martine de +Henriquez, the new Viceroy, who came in the same fleet, and had +sufficient authority to command in all cases both by sea and land in +this province of Mexico or New Spain, did certify our General, that for +the better maintenance of amity between the King of Spain and our +Sovereign, all our requests should be both favourably granted and +faithfully performed; signifying further that he heard and understood +of the honest and friendly dealing of our General towards the King of +Spain's subjects in all places where he had been, as also in the said +port; so that to be brief our requests were articled and set down in +writing, viz.-- + +1. The first was that we might have victuals for our money and license +to sell as much wares as might suffice to furnish our wants. + +2. The second, that we might be suffered peaceably to repair our +ships. + +3. The third, that the island might be in our possession during the +time of our abode there, in which island our General, for the better +safety of him and his, had already planted and placed certain ordnance, +which were eleven pieces of brass; therefore he required that the same +might so continue, and that no Spaniard should come to land in the said +island having or wearing any kind of weapon about him. + +4. The fourth and the last, that for the better and more sure +performance and maintenance of peace, and of all the conditions, there +might twelve gentlemen of credit be delivered of either part as +hostages. + +These conditions were concluded and agreed upon in writing by the +Viceroy and signed with his hand, and sealed with his seal, and ten +hostages upon either part were received. And farther, it was concluded +that the two Generals should meet and give faith each to other for the +performance of the promises. All which being done, the same was +proclaimed by the sound of a trumpet, and commandment was given that +none of either part should violate or break the peace upon pain of +death. Thus, at the end of three days all was concluded, and the fleet +entered the port, the ships saluting each other as the manner of the +seas doth require. The morrow after being Friday, we laboured on all +sides in placing the English ships by themselves and the Spanish ships +by themselves; the captains and inferior persons of either part +offering and showing great courtesy one to another, and promising great +amity upon all sides. Howbeit, as the sequel showed, the Spaniards +meant nothing less upon their parts. For the Viceroy and the governor +thereabout had secretly on land assembled to the number of one thousand +chosen men, and well appointed, meaning the next Thursday, being the +24th of September, at dinner time to assault us, and set upon us on all +sides. But before I go any further, I think it not amiss briefly to +describe the manner of the island as it then was, and the force and +strength that it is now of. For the Spaniards, since the time of our +General's being there, for the better fortifying of the same place, +have upon the same island built a fair castle and bulwark very well +fortified; this port was then, at our being there, a little island of +stones, not past three foot above water in the highest place, and not +past a bow's shot over any way at the most, and it standeth from the +mainland two bow-shots or more, and there is not in all this coast any +other place for ships safely to arrive at; also the north winds in this +coast are of great violence and force, and unless the ships be safely +moored in, with their anchors fastened in this island, there is no +remedy, but present destruction and shipwreck. All this our General, +wisely foreseeing, did provide that he would have the said island in +his custody, or else the Spaniards might at their pleasure have but cut +our cables, and so with the first north wind that blew we had had our +passport, for our ships had gone ashore. But to return to the matter. +The time approaching that their treason must be put in practice, the +same Thursday morning, some appearance thereof began to show itself, as +shifting of weapons from ship to ship, and planting and bending their +ordnance against our men that warded upon the land with great repair of +people; which apparent shows of breach of the Viceroy's faith caused +our General to send one to the Viceroy to inquire of him what was meant +thereby, who presently sent and gave order that the ordnance aforesaid +and other things of suspicion should be removed, returning answer to +our General in the faith of a Viceroy that he would be our defence and +safety from all villainous treachery. This was upon Thursday, in the +morning. Our General not being therewith satisfied, seeing they had +secretly conveyed a great number of men aboard a great hulk or ship of +theirs of nine hundred tons, which ship rode hard by the Minion, he +sent again to the Viceroy Robert Barret, the master of the Jesus--a man +that could speak the Spanish tongue very well, and required that those +men might be unshipped again which were in that great hulk. The +Viceroy then perceiving that their treason was thoroughly espied, +stayed our master and sounded the trumpet, and gave order that his +people should upon all sides charge upon our men which warded on shore +and elsewhere, which struck such a maze and sudden fear among us, that +many gave place and sought to recover our ships for the safety of +themselves. The Spaniards, which secretly were hid in ambush on land, +were quickly conveyed over to the island in their long boats, and so +coming to the island they slew all our men that they could meet with +without any mercy. The Minion--which had somewhat before prepared +herself to avoid the danger--hailed away, and abode the first brunt of +the three hundred men that were in the great hulk; then they sought to +fall aboard the Jesus, where was a cruel fight, and many of our men +slain; but yet our men defended themselves, and kept them out: so the +Jesus also got loose, and, joining with the Minion, the fight waxed hot +upon all sides; but they having won and got our ordnance on shore, did +greatly annoy us. In this fight there were two great ships of the +Spaniards sunk and one burnt, so that with their ships they were not +able to harm us; but from the shore they beat us cruelly with our own +ordnance in such sort that the Jesus was very sore spoiled, and +suddenly the Spaniards, having fired two great ships of their own, came +directly against us; which bred among our men a marvellous fear. +Howbeit, the Minion, which had made her sails ready, shifted for +herself without consent of the General, captain, or master, so that +very hardly our General could be received into the Minion; the most of +our men that were in the Jesus shifted for themselves, and followed the +Minion in the boat, and those which that small boat was not able to +receive were most cruelly slain by the Spaniards. Of our ships none +escaped save the Minion and the Judith, and all such of our men as were +not in them were enforced to abide the tyrannous cruelty of the +Spaniards. For it is a certain truth, that whereas they had taken +certain of our men at shore, they took and hung them up by the arms +upon high posts until the blood burst out of their fingers' ends; of +which men so used there is one Copstowe and certain others yet alive, +who, through the merciful Providence of the Almighty, were long since +arrived here at home in England, carrying still about with them (and +shall to their graves) the marks and tokens of those their inhuman and +more than barbarous cruel dealing. + + + +THE THIRD CHAPTER. + +WHEREIN IS SHOWED HOW THAT, AFTER WE WERE ESCAPED FROM THE SPANIARDS, +WE WERE LIKE TO PERISH WITH FAMINE AT THE SEA, AND HOW OUR GENERAL, FOR +THE AVOIDING THEREOF, WAS CONSTRAINED TO PUT HALF OF HIS MEN ON LAND, +AND WHAT MISERIES WE AFTER THAT SUSTAINED AMONGST THE SAVAGE PEOPLE, +AND HOW WE FELL AGAIN INTO THE HANDS OF THE SPANIARDS. + +After that the Viceroy, Don Martin Henriques, had thus contrary to his +faith and promise most cruelly dealt with our General, Master Hawkins, +at St. John de Ullua, where most of his men were by the Spaniards slain +and drowned, and all his ships sunk and burnt, saving the Minion and +the Judith, which was a small barque of fifty tons, wherein was then +captain Master Francis Drake aforesaid; the same night the said barque +was lost us, we being in great necessity and enforced to move with the +Minion two bow-shots from the Spanish fleet, where we anchored all that +night; and the next morning we weighed anchor and recovered an island a +mile from the Spaniards, where a storm took us with a north wind, in +which we were greatly distressed, having but two cables and two anchors +left; for in the conflict before we had lost three cables and two +anchors. The morrow after, the storm being ceased and the weather +fair, we weighed and set sail, being many men in number and but small +store of victuals to suffice us for any long time; by means whereof we +were in despair and fear that we should perish through famine, so that +some were in mind to yield themselves to the mercy of the Spaniards, +other some to the savages or infidels, and wandering thus certain days +in these unknown seas, hunger constrained us to eat hides, cats and +dogs, mice, rats, parrots, and monkeys, to be short, our hunger was so +great that we thought it savoury and sweet whatsoever we could get to +eat. + +And on the 8th of October we came to land again, in the bottom of the +Bay of Mexico, where we hoped to have found some inhabitants, that we +might have had some relief of victuals and a place where to repair our +ship, which was so greatly bruised that we were scarce able, with our +weary arms, to keep out the water. Being thus oppressed, by famine on +the one side and danger of drowning on the other, not knowing where to +find relief, we began to be in wonderful despair. And we were of many +minds, amongst whom there were a great many that did desire our General +to set them on land, making their choice rather to submit themselves to +the mercy of the savages or infidels than longer to hazard themselves +at sea, where they very well saw that if they should all remain +together, if they perished not by drowning, yet hunger would enforce +them, in the end, to eat one another. To which request our General did +very willingly agree, considering with himself that it was necessary +for him to lessen his number, both for the safety of himself and the +rest. And, thereupon, being resolved to set half his people on shore +that he had then left alive, it was a world to see how suddenly men's +minds were altered, for they which a little before desired to be set on +land were now of another mind, and requested rather to stay, by means +whereof our General was enforced, for the more contenting of all men's +minds, and to take away all occasions of offence, to take this order: +first he made choice of such persons of service and account as were +needful to stay, and that being done, of those which were willing to +go, he appointed such as he thought might be best spared, and presently +appointed that by the boat they should be set on shore, our General +promising us that the next year he would either come himself or else +send to fetch us home. Here, again, it would have caused any stony +heart to have relented to hear the pitiful moan that many did make, and +how loth they were to depart. The weather was then somewhat stormy and +tempestuous, and therefore we were in great danger, yet, +notwithstanding there was no remedy, but we that were appointed to go +away must of necessity do so. Howbeit, those that went in the first +boat were safely set ashore, but of them which went in the second boat, +of which number I myself was one, the seas wrought so high that we +could not attain to the shore, and therefore we were constrained--through +the cruel dealing of John Hampton, captain of the Minion, and +John Sanders, boatswain of the Jesus, and Thomas Pollard, his mate--to +leap out of the boat into the main sea, having more than a mile to +shore, and, so to shift for ourselves, and either to sink or swim. And +of those that so were, as it were, thrown out and compelled to leap +into the sea, there were two drowned, which were of Captain Bland's +men. + +In the evening of the same day--it being Monday, the 8th of October, +1568--when we were all come to shore, we found fresh water, whereof +some of our men drank so much that they had almost cast themselves +away, for we could scarce get life in them for the space of two or +three hours after. Other some were so cruelly swollen--what with the +drinking in of the salt water, and what with the eating of the fruit +which we found on land, having a stone in it much like an almond, which +fruit is called capule--that they were all in very ill case, so that we +were, in a manner, all of us, both feeble, weak, and faint. + +The next morning--it being Tuesday, the 9th of October--we thought it +best to travel along by the sea coast, to seek out some place of +habitation--whether they were Christians or savages we were +indifferent--so that we might have wherewithal to sustain our hungry +bodies, and so departing from a hill where we had rested all night, not +having any dry thread about us, for those that were not wet being +thrown into the sea were thoroughly wet with rain, for all the night it +rained cruelly. As we went from the hill, and were come into the +plain, we were greatly troubled to pass for the grass and woods, that +grew there higher than any man. On the left hand we had the sea, and +upon the right hand great woods, so that of necessity we must needs +pass on our way westward through those marshes, and going thus, +suddenly we were assaulted by the Indians, a warlike kind of people, +which are in a manner as cannibals, although they do not feed upon +man's flesh as cannibals do. + +These people are called Chichemici, and they used to wear their hair +long, even down to their knees; they do also colour their faces green, +yellow, red, and blue, which maketh them to seem very ugly and terrible +to behold. These people do keep wars against the Spaniards, of whom +they have been oftentimes very cruelly handled: for with the Spaniards +there is no mercy. They, perceiving us at our first coming on land, +supposed us to have been their enemies the bordering Spaniards; and +having, by their forerunners, descried what number we were, and how +feeble and weak, without armour or weapon, they suddenly, according to +their accustomed manner when they encounter with any people in warlike +sort, raised a terrible and huge cry, and so came running fiercely upon +us, shooting off their arrows as thick as hail, unto whose mercy we +were constrained to yield, not having amongst us any kind of armour, +nor yet weapon, saving one caliver and two old rusty swords, whereby to +make any resistance or to save ourselves; which, when they perceived +that we sought not any other than favour and mercy at their hands, and +that we were not their enemies the Spaniards, they had compassion on +us, and came and caused us all to sit down. And when they had a while +surveyed, and taken a perfect view of us, they came to all such as had +any coloured clothes amongst us, and those they did strip stark naked, +and took their clothes away with them; but they that were apparelled in +black they did not meddle withal, and so went their ways and left us, +without doing us any further hurt, only in the first brunt they killed +eight of our men. And at our departure they, perceiving in what weak +case we were, pointed us with their hands which way we should go to +come to a town of the Spaniards, which, as we afterwards perceived, was +not past ten leagues from thence, using these words: "Tampeco, +tampeco, Christiano, tampeco, Christiano," which is as much (we think) +as to say in English, "Go that way, and you shall find the Christians." +The weapons that they use are no other but bows and arrows, and their +aim is so good that they very seldom miss to hit anything that they +shoot at. Shortly after they had left us stripped, as aforesaid, we +thought it best to divide ourselves into two companies, and so, being +separated, half of us went under the leading one of Anthony Goddard, +who is yet alive, and dwelleth at this instant in the town of Plymouth, +whom before we chose to be captain over us all. And those that went +under his leading, of which number I, Miles Phillips, was one, +travelled westward--that way which the Indians with their hands had +before pointed us to go. The other half went under the leading of one +John Hooper, whom they did choose for their captain, and with the +company that went with him David Ingram was one, and they took their +way and travelled northward. And shortly after, within the space of +two days, they were again encountered by the savage people, and their +Captain Hooper and two more of his company were slain. Then again they +divided themselves; and some held on their way still northward, and +other some, knowing that we were gone westward, sought to meet with us +again, as, in truth, there was about the number of five-and-twenty or +six-and-twenty of them that met with us in the space of four days +again. And then we began to reckon amongst ourselves how many we were +that were set on shore, and we found the number to be an hundred and +fourteen, whereof two were drowned in the sea and eight were slain at +the first encounter, so that there remained an hundred and four, of +which five-and-twenty went westward with us, and two-and-fifty to the +north with Hooper and Ingram; and, as Ingram since has often told me, +there were not past three of their company slain, and there were but +five-and-twenty of them that came again to us, so that of the company +that went northward there is yet lacking, and not certainly heard of, +the number of three-and-twenty men. And verily I do think that there +are of them yet alive and married in the said country, at Sibola, as +hereafter I do purpose (God willing) to discourse of more particularly, +with the reasons and causes that make me so to think of them that were +lacking, which were with David Ingram, Twide, Browne, and sundry +others, whose names we could not remember. And being thus met again +together we travelled on still westward, sometimes through such thick +woods that we were enforced with cudgels to break away the brambles and +bushes from tearing our naked bodies; other sometimes we should travel +through the plains in such high grass that we could scarce see one +another. And as we passed in some places we should have of our men +slain, and fall down suddenly, being stricken by the Indians, which +stood behind trees and bushes, in secret places, and so killed our men +as they went by; for we went scatteringly in seeking of fruits to +relieve ourselves. We were also oftentimes greatly annoyed with a kind +of fly, which, in the Indian tongue, is called tequani; and the +Spaniards call them musketas. There are also in the said country a +number of other kind of flies, but none so noisome as these tequanies +be. You shall hardly see them, they be so small: for they are scarce +so big as a gnat. They will suck one's blood marvellously, and if you +kill them while they are sucking they are so venomous that the place +will swell extremely, even as one that is stung with a wasp or bee. +But if you let them suck their fill, and to go away of themselves, then +they do you no other hurt, but leave behind them a red spot somewhat +bigger than a flea biting. At the first we were terribly troubled with +these kind of flies, not knowing their qualities; and resistance we +could make none against them, being naked. As for cold, we feared not +any: the country there is always so warm. + +And as we travelled thus for the space of ten or twelve days, our +captain did oftentimes cause certain to go up into the tops of high +trees, to see if they could descry any town or place of inhabitants, +but they could not perceive any, and using often the same order to +climb up into high trees, at the length they descried a great river, +that fell from the north-west into the main sea; and presently after we +heard an harquebuse shot off, which did greatly encourage us, for +thereby we knew that we were near to some Christians, and did therefore +hope shortly to find some succour and comfort; and within the space of +one hour after, as we travelled, we heard a cock crow, which was also +no small joy unto us; and so we came to the north side of the river of +Panuco, where the Spaniards have certain salines, at which place it was +that the harquebuse was shot off which before we heard; to which place +we went not directly, but, missing thereof, we left it about a bow-shot +upon our left hand. Of this river we drank very greedily, for we had +not met with any water in six days before; and, as we were here by the +river's side, resting ourselves, and longing to come to the place where +the cock did crow and where the harquebuse was shot off, we perceived +many Spaniards upon the other side of the river riding up and down on +horseback, and they, perceiving us, did suppose that we had been of the +Indians, their bordering enemies, the Chichemici. The river was not +more than half a bow-shot across, and presently one of the Spaniards +took an Indian boat, called a canoa, and so came over, being rowed by +two Indians; and, having taken the view of us, did presently row over +back again to the Spaniards, who without any delay made out about the +number of twenty horsemen, and embarking themselves in the canoas, they +led their horses by the reins, swimming over after them; and being come +over to that side of the river where we were, they saddled their +horses, and being mounted upon them, with their lances charged, they +came very fiercely running at us. Our captain, Anthony Goddard, seeing +them come in that order, did persuade us to submit and yield ourselves +unto them, for being naked, as we at this time were, and without +weapon, we could not make any resistance--whose bidding we obeyed; and +upon the yielding of ourselves, they perceived us to be Christians, and +did call for more canoas, and carried us over by four and four in a +boat; and being come on the other side, they understanding by our +captain how long we had been without meat, imparted between two and two +a loaf of bread made of that country wheat, which the Spaniards called +maize, of the bigness of one of our halfpenny loaves, which bread is +named in the Indian tongue clashacally. This bread was very sweet and +pleasant to us, for we had not eaten any for a long time before; and +what is it that hunger doth not make to have a savoury and delicate +taste? Having thus imparted the bread amongst us, those which were men +they sent afore to the town, having also many Indians, inhabitants of +that place, to guard them. They which were young, as boys, and some +such also as were feeble, they took up upon their horses behind them, +and so carried us to the town where they dwelt, which was distant very +near a mile from the place where we came over. + +This town is well situated, and well replenished with all kinds of +fruits, as pomegranates, oranges, lemons, apricots, and peaches, and +sundry others, and is inhabited by a great number of tame Indians, or +Mexicans, and had in it also at that time about the number of two +hundred Spaniards, men, women, and children, besides negroes. Of their +salines, which lie upon the west side of the river, more than a mile +distant from thence, they make a great profit, for it is an excellent +good merchandise there. The Indians do buy much thereof, and carry it +up into the country, and there sell it to their own country people, in +doubling the price. Also, much of the salt made in this place is +transported from thence by sea to sundry other places, as to Cuba, St. +John de Ullua, and the other ports of Tamiago, and Tamachos, which are +two barred havens west and by south above threescore leagues from St. +John de Ullua. When we were all come to the town, the governor there +showed himself very severe unto us, and threatened to hang us all; and +then he demanded what money we had, which in truth was very little, for +the Indians which we first met withal had in a manner taken all from +us, and of that which they left the Spaniards which brought us over +took away a good part also; howbeit, from Anthony Goddard the governor +here had a chain of gold, which was given unto him at Cartagena by the +governor there, and from others he had some small store of money; so +that we accounted that amongst us all he had the number of five hundred +pezoes, besides the chain of gold. + +And having thus satisfied himself, when he had taken all that we had, +he caused us to be put into a little house, much like a hog sty, where +we were almost smothered; and before we were thus shut up into that +little cote, they gave us some of the country wheat called maize +sodden, which they feed their hogs withal. But many of our men which +had been hurt by the Indians at our first coming on land, whose wounds +were very sore and grievous, desired to have the help of their surgeons +to cure their wounds. The governor, and most of them all, answered, +that we should have none other surgeon but the hangman, which should +sufficiently heal us of all our griefs; and they, thus reviling us, and +calling us English dogs and Lutheran heretics, we remained the space of +three days in this miserable state, not knowing what should become of +us, waiting every hour to be bereaved of our lives. + + + +THE FOURTH CHAPTER. + +WHEREIN IS SHOWED HOW WE WERE USED IN PANUCO, AND IN WHAT FEAR OF DEATH +WE WERE THERE, AND HOW WE WERE CARRIED TO MEXICO TO THE VICEROY, AND OF +OUR IMPRISONMENT THERE AND AT TESCUCO, WITH THE COURTESIES AND +CRUELTIES WE RECEIVED DURING THAT TIME, AND HOW IN THE END WE WERE BY +PROCLAMATION GIVEN TO SERVE AS SLAVES TO SUNDRY GENTLEMEN SPANIARDS. + +Upon the fourth day after our coming thither, and there remaining in a +perplexity, looking every hour when we should suffer death, there came +a great number of Indians and Spaniards armed to fetch us out of the +house, and amongst them we espied one that brought a great many new +halters, at the sight whereof we were greatly amazed, and made no other +account but that we should presently have suffered death; and so, +crying and calling to God for mercy and for forgiveness of our sins, we +prepared ourselves to die; yet in the end, as the sequel showed, their +meaning was not so; for when we were come out of the house, with those +halters they bound our arms behind us, and so coupling us two and two +together, they commanded us to march on through the town, and so along +the country from place to place toward the city of Mexico, which is +distant from Panuco west and by south the space of threescore leagues, +having only but two Spaniards to conduct us, they being accompanied +with a great number of Indians, warding on either side with bows and +arrows, lest we should escape from them. And travelling in this order, +upon the second day, at night, we came unto a town which the Indians +call Nohele, and the Spaniards call it Santa Maria, in which town there +is a house of White Friars, which did very courteously use us, and gave +us hot meat, as mutton and broth, and garments also to cover ourselves +withal, made of white baize. We fed very greedily of the meat and of +the Indian fruit, called nochole, which fruit is long and small, much +like in fashion to a little cucumber. Our greedy feeding caused us to +fall sick of hot burning agues; and here at this place one Thomas +Baker, one of our men, died of a hurt, for he had been before shot with +an arrow into the throat at the first encounter. + +The next morrow, about ten of the clock, we departed from thence, bound +two and two together, and guarded as before, and so travelled on our +way toward Mexico, till we came to a town within forty leagues of +Mexico named Mesticlan, where is a house of Black Friars, and in this +town there are about the number of three hundred Spaniards, both men, +women, and children. The friars sent us meat from the house ready +dressed, and the friars and men and women used us very courteously, and +gave us some shirts and other such things as we lacked. Here our men +were very sick of their agues, and with eating of another fruit, called +in the Indian tongue, Guiaccos, which fruit did bind us sore. The next +morning we departed from thence with our two Spaniards and Indian guard +as aforesaid. Of these two Spaniards the one was an aged man, who all +the way did very courteously entreat us, and would carefully go before +to provide for us both meat and things necessary to the uttermost of +his power. The other was a young man, who all the way travelled with +us, and never departed from us, who was a very cruel caitiff, and he +carried a javelin in his hand, and sometimes when as our men with very +feebleness and faintness were not able to go so fast as he required +them, he would take his javelin in both his hands and strike them with +the same between the neck and the shoulders so violently that he would +strike them down, then would he cry and say: "Marches, marches, +Engleses perros, Luterianos, enemicos de Dios;" which is as much to say +in English, "March, march on you English dogs, Lutherans, enemies to +God." And the next day we came to a town called Pachuca, and there are +two places of that name, as this town of Pachuca, and the mines of +Pachuca, which are mines of silver, and are about six leagues distant +from this town of Pachuca towards the north-west. + +Here at this town the good old man our governor suffered us to stay two +days and two nights, having compassion of our sick and weak men, full +sore against the mind of the young man his companion. From thence we +took our journey, and travelled four or five days by little villages +and Stantias, which are farms or dairy houses of the Spaniards, and +ever as we had need the good old man would still provide us sufficient +of meats, fruits, and water to sustain us. At the end of which five +days we came to a town within five leagues of Mexico, which is called +Quoghliclan, where we also stayed one whole day and two nights, where +was a fair house of Grey Friars, howbeit, we saw none of them. Here we +were told by the Spaniards in the town that we had not more than +fifteen English miles from thence to Mexico, whereof we were all very +joyful and glad, hoping that when we came thither we should either be +relieved and set free out of bonds, or else be quickly despatched out +of our lives; for seeing ourselves thus carried bound from place to +place, although some used us courteously, yet could we never joy nor be +merry till we might perceive ourselves set free from that bondage, +either by death or otherwise. + +The next morning we departed from thence on our journey towards Mexico, +and so travelled till we came within two leagues of it, where there was +built by the Spaniards a very fair church, called Our Lady Church, in +which there is an image of Our Lady of silver and gilt, being as high +and as large as a tall woman, in which church, and before this image, +there are as many lamps of silver as there be days in the year, which +upon high days are all lighted. Whensoever any Spaniards pass by this +church, although they be on horseback, they will alight and come into +the church, and kneel before this image, and pray to Our Lady to defend +them from all evil; so that whether he be horseman or footman he will +not pass by, but first go into the church and pray as aforesaid, which +if they do not, they think and believe that they shall never prosper, +which image they call in the Spanish tongue Nostra Signora de +Guadaloupe. At this place there are certain cold baths, which arise, +springing up as though the water did seethe, the water whereof is +somewhat brackish in taste, but very good for any that have any sore or +wound to wash themselves therewith, for as they say, it healeth many; +and every year once upon Our Lady Day, the people used to repair +thither to offer and to pray in that church before the image, and they +say that Our Lady of Guadaloupe doth work a number of miracles. About +this church there is not any town of Spaniards that is inhabited, but +certain Indians do dwell there in houses of their own country building. + +Here we were met by a great number of Spaniards on horseback, which +came from Mexico to see us, both gentlemen and men of occupations, and +they came as people to see a wonder; we were still called upon to march +on, and so about four of the clock in the afternoon of the said day, we +entered into the city of Mexico by the way or street called La Calia +Sancta Catherina; and we stayed not in any place till we came to the +house or palace of the Viceroy, Don Martin Henriques, which standeth in +the middest of the city, hard by the market place called La Placa dell +Marquese. We had not stayed any long time at this place, but there was +brought us by the Spaniards from the market place great store of meat, +sufficient to have satisfied five times so many as we were; some also +gave us hats, and some gave us money; in which place we stayed for the +space of two hours, and from thence we were conveyed by water into +large canoas to a hospital, where certain of our men were lodged, which +were taken before the fight at St. John de Ullua. We should have gone +to Our Lady's Hospital, but that there were also so many of our men +taken before at that fight that there was no room for us. After our +coming thither, many of the company that came with me from Panuco died +within the space of fourteen days; soon after which time we were taken +forth from that place and put all together into Our Lady's Hospital, in +which place we were courteously used, and visited oftentimes by +virtuous gentlemen and gentlewomen of the city, who brought us divers +things to comfort us withal, as succats and marmalades and such other +things, and would also many times give us many things, and that very +liberally. In which hospital we remained for the space of six months, +until we were all whole and sound of body, and then we were appointed +by the Viceroy to be carried unto the town of Tescuco, which is distant +from Mexico south-west eight leagues; in which town there are certain +houses of correction and punishment for ill people called obraches, +like to Bridewell here in London; in which place divers Indians are +sold for slaves, some for ten years and some for twelve. It was no +small grief unto us when we understood that we should be carried +thither, and to be used as slaves; we had rather be put to death, +howbeit there was no remedy, but we were carried to the prison of +Tescuco, where we were not put to any labour, but were very straightly +kept and almost famished, yet by the good providence of our merciful +God, we happened there to meet with one Robert Sweeting, who was the +son of an Englishman born of a Spanish woman; this man could speak very +good English, and by his means we were holpen very much with victuals +from the Indians, as mutton, hens, and bread. And if we had not been +so relieved we had surely perished; and yet all the provision that we +had gotten that way was but slender. And continuing thus straightly +kept in prison there for the space of two months, at the length we +agreed amongst ourselves to break forth of prison, come of it what +would, for we were minded rather to suffer death than longer to live in +that miserable state. + +And so having escaped out of prison, we knew not what way to fly for +the safety of ourselves; the night was dark, and it rained terribly, +and not having any guide, we went we knew not whither, and in the +morning at the appearing of the day, we perceived ourselves to be come +hard to the city of Mexico, which is four and twenty English miles from +Tescuco. The day being come, we were espied by the Spaniards, and +pursued, and taken, and brought before the Viceroy and head justices, +who threatened to hang us for breaking of the king's prison. Yet in +the end they sent us into a garden belonging to the Viceroy, and coming +thither, we found there our English gentlemen which were delivered as +hostages when as our General was betrayed at St. John de Ullua, as is +aforesaid, and with them we also found Robert Barret, the master of the +Jesus, in which place we remained, labouring and doing such things as +we were commanded for the space of four months, having but two sheep a +day allowed to suffice us all, being very near a hundred men; and for +bread, we had every man two loaves a day of the quantity of one +halfpenny loaf. At the end of which four months, they having removed +our gentlemen hostages and the master of the Jesus to a prison in the +Viceroy his own house, did cause it to be proclaimed, that what +gentleman Spaniard soever was willing, or would have any Englishman to +serve him, and be bound to keep him forthcoming to appear before the +justices within one month after notice given, that they should repair +to the said garden, and there take their choice; which proclamation was +no sooner made but the gentlemen came and repaired to the garden amain, +so that happy was he that could soonest get one of us. + + + +THE FIFTH CHAPTER. + +WHEREIN IS SHOWED IN WHAT GOOD SORT AND HOW WEALTHILY WE LIVED WITH OUR +MASTERS UNTIL THE COMING OF THE INQUISITION, WHEN AS AGAIN, OUR SORROWS +BEGAN AFRESH; OF OUR IMPRISONMENT IN THE HOLY HOUSE, AND OF THE SEVERE +JUDGMENT AND SENTENCES GIVEN AGAINST US, AND WITH WHAT RIGOUR AND +CRUELTY THE SAME WERE EXECUTED. + +The gentlemen that thus took us for their servants or slaves, did new +apparel us throughout, with whom we abode doing such service as they +appointed us unto, which was for the most part to attend upon them at +the table, and to be as their chamberlains, and to wait upon them when +they went abroad, which they greatly accounted of, for in that country +no Spaniard will serve one another, but they are all of them attended +and served by Indians weekly, and by negroes which be their slaves +during their life. In this sort we remained and served in the said +city of Mexico and thereabouts for the space of a year and somewhat +longer. Afterwards many of us were by our masters appointed to go to +sundry of their mines where they had to do, and to be as overseers of +the negroes and Indians that laboured there. In which mines many of us +did profit and gain greatly; for first we were allowed three hundred +pezoes a man for a year, which is three score pounds sterling, and +besides that the Indians and negroes which wrought under our charge, +upon our well using and entreating of them, would at times as upon +Saturdays when they had left work labour for us, and blow as much +silver as should be worth unto us three marks or thereabouts, every +mark being worth six pezoes and a half of their money, which nineteen +pezoes and a half, is worth four livres, ten shillings of our money. +Sundry weeks we did gain so much by this means besides our wages, that +many of us became very rich, and were worth three thousand or four +thousand pezoes, for we lived and gained thus in those mines some three +or four years. As concerning those gentlemen which were delivered as +hostages, and that were kept in prison in the Viceroy his house, after +that we were gone from out the garden to serve sundry gentlemen as +aforesaid, they remained prisoners in the said house, for the space of +four months after their coming thither, at the end whereof the fleet, +being ready to depart from St. John de Ullua to go for Spain, the said +gentlemen were sent away into Spain with the fleet, where I have heard +it credibly reported, many of them died with the cruel handling of the +Spaniards in the Inquisition house, as those which have been delivered +home after they had suffered the persecution of that house can more +perfectly declare. Robert Barret also, master of the Jesus, was sent +away with the fleet into Spain the next year following, whereafter he +suffered persecution in the Inquisition, and at the last was condemned +to be burnt, and with him three or four more of our men, of whom one +was named Gregory and another John Browne, whom I knew, for they were +of our general his musicians, but the names of the rest that suffered +with them I know not. + +Now after that six years there fully expired since our first coming +into the Indies in which time we had been imprisoned and served in the +said countries, as is before truly declared in the year of our Lord one +thousand five hundred and seventy four, the Inquisition began to be +established in the Indies very much against the minds of many of the +Spaniards themselves, for never until this time since their first +conquering and planting in the Indies, were they subject to that bloody +and cruel Inquisition. The chief Inquisitor was named Don Pedro Moya +de Contreres, and John de Bouilla his companion, and John Sanchis the +Fischall, and Pedro de la Rios, the Secretary, they being come and +settled, and placed in a very fair house, near unto the White Friars, +considering with themselves that they must make an entrance and +beginning of that their most detestable Inquisition here in Mexico to +the terror of the whole country, thought it best to call us that were +Englishmen first in question, and so much the rather for that they had +perfect knowledge and intelligence, that many of us were become very +rich as hath been already declared, and therefore we were a very great +booty and prey to the Inquisitors, so that now again began our sorrows +afresh, for we were sent for, and sought out in all places of the +country, and proclamation made upon pain of losing of goods, and +excommunication that no man should hide or keep secret any Englishman +or any part of their goods. By means whereof we were all soon +apprehended in all places, and all our goods seized and taken for the +Inquisitors' use, and so from all parts of the country we were conveyed +and sent as prisoners to the city of Mexico, and there committed to +prison in sundry dark dungeons where we could not see but by +candlelight, and were never more than two together in one place so that +we saw not one another, neither could one of us tell what was become of +another. Thus we remained close imprisoned for the space of a year and +a half, and others for some less time, for they came to prison ever as +they were apprehended. During which time of our imprisonment at the +first beginning we were often called before the Inquisitors alone, and +there severely examined of our faith, and commanded to say the pater +noster, the Ave Maria, and the creed in Latin, which God knoweth a +great number of us could not say otherwise than in the English tongue. +And having the said Robert Sweeting who was our friend at Tescuco +always present with them for an interpreter he made report for us in +our own country speech we could say them perfectly, although not word +for word as they were in Latin. Then did they proceed to demand of us +upon our oaths what we did believe of the sacrament, and whether there +did remain any bread or wine after the words of consecration, yea or +no, and whether we did not believe that the Host of bread which the +priest did hold up over his head, and the wine that was in the chalice, +was the very true and perfect body and blood of our Saviour Christ, yea +or no, to which if we answered not yea, then was there no way but +death. Then would they demand of us what we did remember of ourselves, +what opinions we had held or had been taught to hold, contrary to the +same whiles we were in England; to which we for the safety of our lives +were constrained to say that we never did believe, nor had been taught +otherwise than as before we had said. Then would they charge us that +we did not tell them the truth, that we knew to the contrary, and +therefore we should call ourselves to remembrance and make them a +better answer at the next time or else we should be racked and made to +confess the truth whether we would or no. And so coming again before +them the next time, we were still demanded of our belief whiles we were +in England, and how we had been taught, and also what we thought or did +know of such of our company as they did name unto us, so that we could +never be free from such demands, and at other times they would promise +us that if we would tell them the truth, then should we have favour and +be set at liberty, although we very well knew their fair speeches were +but means to entrap us to the hazard and loss of our lives; howbeit God +so mercifully wrought for us by a secret means that we had that we kept +us still to our first answer, and would still say that we had told the +truth unto them, and knew no more by ourselves nor any other of our +fellows than as we had declared, and that for our sins and offences in +England against God and our Lady, or any of His blessed saints, we were +heartily sorry for the same, and did cry God mercy, and besought the +Inquisitors, for God's sake, considering that we came into those +countries by force of weather, and against our wills, and that never in +all our lives we had either spoken or done anything contrary to their +laws, that therefore they would have mercy on us, yet all this would +not serve, for still from time to time we were called upon to confess, +and about the space of three months, before they proceeded to their +severe Judgment, we were all racked, and some enforced to utter that +against themselves which afterwards cost them their lives. + +And thus having gotten from our own mouths matter sufficient for them +to proceed in judgment against us, they caused a large scaffold to be +made in the midst of the market-place in Mexico, right over against the +head church, and fourteen or fifteen days before the day of their +judgment, with the sound of a trumpet, and the noise of their +attabalies, which are a kind of drums, they did assemble the people in +all parts of the city, before whom it was then solemnly proclaimed that +whosoever would upon such a day, repair to the marketplace, they should +hear the sentence of the Holy Inquisition against the English heretic +Lutherans, and also see the same put in execution. Which being done, +and the time approaching of this cruel judgment, the night before they +came to the prison where we were, with certain officers of that holy +hellish house, bringing with them certain fools' coats which they had +prepared for us, being called in their language St. Benitos, which +coats were made of yellow cotton and red crosses upon them, both before +and behind; they were so busied in putting on their coats about us and +in bringing us out into a large yard, and placing and pointing us in +what order we should go to the scaffold or place of judgment upon the +morrow, that they did not once suffer us to sleep all that night long. + +The next morning being come, there was given to every one of us for our +breakfast, a cup of wine, and a slice of bread fried in honey, and so +about eight of the clock in the morning, we set forth of the prison, +every man alone in his yellow coat and a rope about his neck, and a +great green wax candle in his hand unlighted, having a Spaniard +appointed to go upon either side of every one of us; and so marching in +this order and manner towards the scaffold in the market-place, which +was a bow-shot distant or thereabouts, we found a great assembly of +people all the way, and such throng, that certain of the Inquisitors' +officers on horseback were constrained to make way, and so coming to +the scaffold we went up by a pair of stairs, and found seats ready made +and prepared for us to sit down on, every man in order as he should be +called to receive his judgment. We being thus set down as we were +appointed, presently the Inquisitors came up another pair of stairs, +and the Viceroy and all the chief justices with them. When they were +set down and placed under the cloth of estate agreeing to their degrees +and calling, then came up also a great number of friars, white, black, +and grey, about the number of 300 persons, they being set in the places +for them appointed. Then was there a solemn Oyes made, and silence +commanded, and then presently began their severe and cruel judgment. + +The first man that was called was one Roger, the chief armourer of the +Jesus, and he had judgment to have 300 stripes on horseback, and after +condemned to the galleys as a slave for ten years. + +After him was called John Gray, John Browne, John Rider, John Moone, +James Collier, and one Thomas Browne. These were adjudged to have 200 +stripes on horseback, and after to be committed to the galleys for the +space of eight years. + +Then was called John Keies, and was adjudged to have 100 stripes on +horseback, and condemned to serve in the galleys for the space of six +years. + +Then were severally called the number of fifty-three, one after +another, and every man had his several judgment, some to have 200 +stripes on horseback and some 100, and some condemned for slaves to the +galleys, some for six years, some for eight, and some for ten. + +And then was I, Miles Phillips, called, and was adjudged to serve in a +monastery for five years, without any stripes, and to wear a fool's +coat or San Benito, during all that time. + +Then were called John Storie, Richard Williams, David Alexander, Robert +Cooke, and Horsewell, and Thomas Hull. These six were condemned to +serve in monasteries without stripes, some for three years, and some +for four, and to wear the San Benito during all the said time. Which +being done, and it now drawing towards night, George Rivelie, Peter +Momfrie, and Cornelius the Irishman were called, and had their judgment +to be burnt to ashes, and so were presently sent away to the place of +execution in the market-place, but a little from the scaffold, where +they were quickly burnt and consumed. And as for us that had received +our judgment, being sixty-eight in number, we were carried back that +night to prison again, and the next day in the morning, being Good +Friday, the year of our Lord, 1575, we were all brought into a court of +the Inquisitors' Palace, where we found a horse in readiness for every +one of our men which were condemned to have stripes, and to be +committed to the galleys, which were in number sixty, and so they, +being enforced to mount up on horseback, naked, from the middle upward, +were carried to be showed as a spectacle for all the people to behold +throughout the chief and principal streets of the city, and had the +number of stripes to every one of them appointed, most cruelly laid +upon their naked bodies with long whips, by sundry men appointed to be +the executioners thereof, and before our men there went a couple of +criers, which cried as they went, "Behold these English dogs, +Lutherans, enemies to God," and all the way as they went, there were +some of the Inquisitors themselves, and of the familiars of that +rake-hell order, that cried to the executioners, "Strike, lay on those +English heretics, Lutherans, God's enemies;" and so this horrible +spectacle being showed round about the city, and they returned to the +Inquisitors' House, with their backs all gore blood and swollen with +great bumps. They were then taken from their horses and carried again +to prison, where they remained until they were sent into Spain to the +galleys, there to receive the rest of their martyrdom; and I, and the +six other with me, which had judgment and were condemned among the rest +to serve an apprenticeship in the monasteries, were taken presently and +sent to certain religious houses appointed for the purpose. + + + +THE SIXTH CHAPTER. + +WHEREIN IS SHOWED HOW WE WERE USED IN THE RELIGIOUS HOUSES, AND THAT +WHEN THE TIME WAS EXPIRED THAT WE WERE ADJUDGED TO SERVE IN THEM, THERE +CAME NEWS TO MEXICO OF MASTER FRANCIS DRAKE'S BEING IN THE SOUTH SEA, +AND WHAT PREPARATION WAS MADE TO TAKE HIM; AND HOW I, SEEKING TO +ESCAPE, WAS AGAIN TAKEN AND PUT IN PRISON IN VERA CRUZ, AND HOW AGAIN I +MADE MINE ESCAPE FROM THENCE. + +I, Miles Phillips, and William Lowe were appointed to the Black Friars, +where I was appointed to be an overseer of Indian workmen, who wrought +there in building a new church, amongst which Indians I learned their +language or Mexican tongue very perfectly, and had great familiarity +with many of them, whom I found to be a courteous and loving kind of +people, ingenious, and of great understanding, and they hate and abhor +the Spaniards with all their hearts. They have used such horrible +cruelties against them, and do still keep them in such subjection and +servitude, that they and the negroes also do daily lie in wait to +practice their deliverance out of that thraldom and bondage that the +Spaniards do keep them in. + +William Lowe, he was appointed to serve the cook in the kitchen; +Richard Williams and David Alexander were appointed to the Grey Friars; +John Storey and Robert Cooke to the White Friars; Paul Horsewell the +Secretary took to be his servant; Thomas Hull was sent to a monastery +of priests, where afterward he died. Thus we served out the years that +we were condemned for, with the use of our fools' coats, and we must +needs confess that the friars did use us very courteously, for every +one of us had his chamber, with bedding and diet, and all things clean +and neat; yea, many of the Spaniards and friars themselves do utterly +abhor and mislike of that cruel Inquisition, and would as they durst +bewail our miseries, and comfort us the best they could, although they +stood in such fear of that devilish Inquisition that they durst not let +the left hand know what the right doeth. + +Now after that the time was expired for which we were condemned to +serve in those religious houses, we were then brought again before the +Chief Inquisitor, and had all our fools' coats pulled off and hanged up +in the head church, called Ecclesia Majora, and every man's name and +judgment written thereupon with this addition--HERETIC LUTHERAN +RECONCILED. And there are also all their coats hanged up which were +condemned to the galleys, with their names and judgments, and +underneath his coat, HERETIC LUTHERAN RECONCILED. And also the coats +and names of the three that were burned, whereupon were written, AN +OBSTINATE HERETIC LUTHERAN BURNT. Then were we suffered to go up and +down the country, and to place ourselves as we could, and yet not so +free but that we very well knew that there was a good espial always +attending us and all our actions, so that we durst not once to speak or +look awry. David Alexander and Robert Cooke they returned to serve the +Inquisitor, who shortly after married them both to two of his negro +women; Richard Williams married a rich widow of Biskay with four +thousand pezoes; Paul Horsewell is married to a Mestiza, as they name +those whose fathers were Spaniards and their mothers Indians, and this +woman which Paul Horsewell hath married is said to be the daughter of +one that came in with Hernando Cortes, the Conqueror, who had with her +in marriage four thousand pezoes and a fair house; John Storie he is +married to a negro woman; William Lowe had leave and licence to go into +Spain, where he is now married. For mine own part I could never +thoroughly settle myself to marry in that country, although many fair +offers were made unto me of such as were of great ability and wealth; +but I could have no liking to live in that place where I must +everywhere see and know such horrible idolatry committed, and durst not +once for my life speak against it; and therefore I had always a longing +and desire to this my native country; and to return and serve again in +the mines, where I might have gathered great riches and wealth, I very +well saw that at one time or another I should fall again into the +danger of that devilish Inquisition, and so be stripped of all, with +loss of life also, and therefore I made my choice rather to learn to +weave Groganes and Taffataes, and so compounding with a silk weaver, I +bound myself for three years to serve him, and gave him one hundred and +fifty pezoes to teach me the science, otherwise he would not have +taught me under seven years' prenticeship, and by this means I lived +the more quiet and free from suspicion. + +Howbeit I should many times be charged by familiars of that devilish +house, that I had a meaning to run away into England, and be an heretic +Lutheran again; to whom I would answer that they had no need to suspect +any such thing in me, for that they knew all very well that it was +impossible for me to escape by any manner of means; yet notwithstanding +I was called before the Inquisitors and demanded why I did not marry. +I answered that I had bound myself at an occupation. "Well," said the +Inquisitor, "I know thou meanest to run away, and therefore I charge +thee here upon pain of burning as an heretic relapsed, that thou depart +not out of this city, nor come near to the port of St. John de Ullua, +nor to any other port;" to the which I answered that I would willingly +obey. "Yea," said he, "see thou do so, and thy fellows also; they +shall have the like charge." + +So I remained at my science the full time and learned the art, at the +end whereof there came news to Mexico that there were certain +Englishmen landed with a great power at the port of Acapulco, upon the +South Sea, and that they were coming to Mexico to take the spoil +thereof, which wrought a marvellous great fear among them, and many of +those that were rich began to shift for themselves, their wives and +children; upon which hurly-burly the Viceroy caused a general muster to +be made of all the Spaniards in Mexico, and there were found to the +number of seven thousand and odd householders of Spaniards in the city +and suburbs, and of single men unmarried the number of three thousand, +and of Mestizies--which are counted to be the sons of Spaniards born of +Indian women--twenty thousand persons; and then was Paul Horsewell and +I, Miles Phillips, sent for before the Viceroy and were examined if we +did know an Englishman named Francis Drake, which was brother to +Captain Hawkins; to which we answered that Captain Hawkins had not any +brother but one, which was a man of the age of threescore years or +thereabouts, and was now governor of Plymouth in England. And then he +demanded of us if we knew one Francis Drake, and we answered no. + +While these things were in doing, there came news that all the +Englishmen were gone; yet was there eight hundred men made out under +the leading of several captains, whereof two hundred were sent to the +port of St. John de Ullua, upon the North Sea, under the conduct of Don +Luis Suares; two hundred were sent to Guatemala, in the South Sea, who +had for their captain John Cortes; two hundred more were sent to +Guatelco, a port of the South Sea, over whom went for captain Don Pedro +de Roblis; and two hundred more were sent to Acapulco, the port where +it was said that Captain Drake had been, and they had for captain +Doctor Roblis Alcalde de Corte, with whom I, Miles Phillips, went as +interpreter, having licence given by the Inquisitors. When we were +come to Acapulco we found that Captain Drake was departed from thence, +more than a month before we came thither. But yet our captain, Alcalde +de Corte, there presently embarked himself in a small ship of +threescore ton, or thereabout, having also in company with him two +other small barques, and not past two hundred men in all, with whom I +went as interpreter in his own ship, which, God knoweth, was but weak +and ill-appointed; so that for certain, if we had met with Captain +Drake, he might easily have taken us all. + +We, being embarked, kept our course, and ran southward towards Panama, +keeping still as nigh the shore as we could; and leaving the land upon +our left hand, and having coasted thus for the space of eighteen or +twenty days, and were more to the south than Guatemala, we met at last +with other ships which came from Panama, of whom we were certainly +informed that he was clean gone off the coast more than a month before; +and so we returned back to Acapulco again, and there landed, our +captain being thereunto forced, because his men were very sore sea-sick. +All the while that I was at sea with them I was a glad man, for +I hoped that if we met with Master Drake we should all be taken, so +that then I should have been freed out of that danger and misery +wherein I lived, and should return to mine own country of England +again. But missing thereof, when I saw there was no remedy but that we +must needs come on land again, little doth any man know the sorrow and +grief that inwardly I felt, although outwardly I was constrained to +make fair weather of it. + +And so, being landed, the next morrow after we began our journey +towards Mexico, and passed these towns of name in our way, as first the +town of Tuatepec, fifty leagues from Mexico; from thence to Washaca, +forty leagues from Mexico; from thence to Tepiaca, twenty-four leagues +from Mexico; and from thence to Lopueblo de Los Angelos, where is a +high hill which casteth out fire three times a day, which hill is +eighteen leagues directly west from Mexico; from thence we went to +Stapelata, eight leagues from Mexico, and there our captain and most of +his men took boat and came to Mexico again, having been forth about the +space of seven weeks, or thereabouts. + +Our captain made report to the Viceroy what he had done, and how far he +had travelled, and that for certain he was informed that Captain Drake +was not to be heard of. To which the Viceroy replied and said, surely +we shall have him shortly come into our hands, driven on land through +necessity in some one place or other, for he, being now in these seas +of Sur, it is not possible for him to get out of them again; so that if +he perish not at sea, yet hunger will force him to land. And then +again I was commanded by the Viceroy that I should not depart from the +city of Mexico, but always be at my master's house in a readiness at an +hour's warning, whensoever I should be called for. Notwithstanding +that, within one month after, certain Spaniards going to Mecameca, +eighteen leagues from Mexico, to send away certain hides and +cuchionelio that they had there at their stantias, or dairy houses, and +my master having leave of the secretary for me to go with them, I took +my journey with them, being very well horsed and appointed; and coming +thither, and passing the time there at Mecameca certain days, till we +had certain intelligence that the fleet was ready to depart, I, not +being more than three days' journey from the port of St. John de Ullua, +thought it to be the meetest time for me to make an escape, and I was +the bolder presuming upon my Spanish tongue, which I spake as naturally +as any of them all, thinking with myself that when I came to St. John +de Ullua I would get to be entertained as a soldier, and so go home +into Spain in the same fleet; and, therefore, secretly one evening +late, the moon shining fair, I conveyed myself away, and riding so for +the space of two nights and two days, sometimes in, and sometimes out, +resting very little all that time, upon the second day at night I came +to the town of Vera Cruz, distant from the port of St. John de Ullua, +where the ships rode, but only eight leagues; and here purposing to +rest myself a day or two, I was no sooner alighted but within the space +of one half hour after I was by ill hap arrested, and brought before +justices there, being taken and suspected to be a gentleman's son of +Mexico that was run away from his father. So I, being arrested and +brought before the justices, there was a great hurly-burly about the +matter, every man charging me that I was the son of such a man, +dwelling in Mexico, which I flatly denied, affirming that I knew not +the man; yet would they not believe me, but urged still upon me that I +was he that they sought for, and so I was conveyed away to prison. And +as I was thus going to prison, to the further increase of my grief, it +chanced that at that very instant there was a poor man in the press +that was come to town to sell hens, who told the justices that they did +me wrong, and that in truth he knew very well that I was an Englishman, +and no Spaniard. Then they demanded of him how he knew that, and +threatened him that he said so for that he was my companion, and sought +to convey me away from my father, so that he also was threatened to be +laid in prison with me. He, for the discharge of himself, stood +stiffly in it that I was an Englishman, and one of Captain Hawkins's +men, and that he had known me wear the San Benito in the Black Friars +at Mexico for three or four whole years together; which when they heard +they forsook him, and began to examine me anew, whether that speech of +his were true, yea or no; which when they perceived that I could not +deny, and perceiving that I was run from Mexico, and came thither of +purpose to convey myself away with the fleet, I was presently committed +to prison with a sorrowful heart, often wishing myself that that man +which knew me had at that time been further off. Howbeit, he in +sincerity had compassion of my distressed state, thinking by his +speech, and knowing of me, to have set me free from that present danger +which he saw me in. Howbeit, contrary to his expectation, I was +thereby brought into my extreme danger, and to the hazard of my life, +yet there was no remedy but patience, perforce; and I was no sooner +brought into prison but I had a great pair of bolts clapped on my legs, +and thus I remained in that prison for the space of three weeks, where +were also many other prisoners, which were thither committed for sundry +crimes and condemned to the galleys. During which time of imprisonment +there I found amongst those my prison fellows some that had known me +before in Mexico, and truly they had compassion of me, and would spare +of their victuals and anything else that they had to do me good, +amongst whom there was one of them that told me that he understood by a +secret friend of his which often came to the prison to him that I +should be shortly sent back again to Mexico by waggon, so soon as the +fleet was gone from St. John de Ullua for Spain. + +This poor man, my prison fellow, of himself, and without any request +made by me, caused his said friend, which came often unto him to the +grate of the prison, to bring him wine and victuals, to buy for him two +knives which had files in their backs, which files were so well made +that they would serve and suffice any prisoner to file off his irons, +and of those knives or files he brought one to me, and told me that he +had caused it to be made for me, and let me have it at the very price +it cost him, which was two pezoes, the value of eight shillings of our +money, which knife when I had it I was a joyful man, and conveyed the +same into the foot of my boot upon the inside of my left leg, and so +within three or four days after that I had thus received my knife I was +suddenly called for, and brought before the head justice, which caused +those my irons with the round bolt to be stricken off, and sent to a +smith in the town, where was a new pair of bolts made ready for me of +another fashion, which had a broad iron bar coming between the +shackles, and caused my hands to be made fast with a pair of manacles, +and so was I presently laid into a waggon all alone, which was there +ready to depart, with sundry other waggons to the number of sixty, +towards Mexico, and they were all laden with sundry merchandise which +came in the fleet out of Spain. + +The waggon that I was in was foremost of all the company, and as we +travelled, I being alone in the waggon, began to try if I could pluck +my hands out of the manacles, and as God would, although it were +somewhat painful for me, yet my hands were so slender that I could pull +them out and put them in again, and ever as we went when the waggons +made most noise and the men busiest, I would be working to file off my +bolts, and travelling thus for the space of eight leagues from Vera +Cruz we came to an high hill, at the entering up of which (as God +would), one of the wheels of the waggon wherein I was brake, so that by +that means the other waggons went afore, and the waggon man that had +charge of me set an Indian carpenter at work to mend the wheel; and +here at this place they baited at an ostrie that a negro woman keeps, +and at this place for that the going up of the hill is very steep for +the space of two leagues and better, they do always accustom to take +the mules of three or four waggons and to place them all together for +the drawing up of one waggon, and so to come down again and fetch up +others in that order. All which came very well to pass, for as it drew +towards night, when most of the waggoners were gone to draw up their +waggons in this sort, I being alone, had quickly filed off my bolts, +and so espying my time in the dark of the evening before they returned +down the hill again, I conveyed myself into the woods there adjoining, +carrying my bolts and manacles with me, and a few biscuits and two +small cheeses. And being come into the woods I threw my irons into a +thick bush, and then covered them with moss and other things, and then +shifted for myself as I might all that night. And thus, by the good +providence of Almighty God, I was freed from mine irons, all saving the +collar that was about my neck, and so got my liberty the second time. + + + +THE SEVENTH CHAPTER. + +WHEREIN IS SHOWED HOW I ESCAPED TO GUATEMALA UPON THE SOUTH SEA, AND +FROM THENCE TO THE PORT OF CAVALLOS, WHERE I GOT PASSAGE TO GO INTO +SPAIN, AND OF OUR ARRIVAL AT THE HAVANA AND OUR COMING TO SPAIN, WHERE +I WAS AGAIN LIKE TO HAVE BEEN COMMITTED PRISONER, AND HOW THROUGH THE +GREAT MERCY OF GOD I ESCAPED AND CAME HOME IN SAFETY INTO ENGLAND IN +FEBRUARY, 1582. + +The next morning (daylight being come) I perceived by the sun rising +what way to take to escape their hands, for when I fled I took the way +into the woods upon the left hand, and having left that way that went +to Mexico upon my right hand, I thought to keep my course as the woods +and mountains lay still direct south as near as I could; by means +whereof I was sure to convey myself far enough from that way which went +to Mexico. And as I was thus going in the woods I saw many great fires +made to the north not past a league from the mountain where I was, and +travelling thus in my boots, with mine iron collar about my neck, and +my bread and cheese, the very same forenoon I met with a company of +Indians which were hunting of deer for their sustenance, to whom I +spake in the Mexican tongue, and told them how that I had of a long +time been kept in prison by the cruel Spaniards, and did desire them to +help me file off mine iron collar, which they willingly did, rejoicing +greatly with me that I was thus escaped out of the Spaniards' hands. +Then I desired that I might have one of them to guide out of those +desert mountains towards the south, which they also most willingly did, +and so they brought me to an Indian town eight leagues distance from +thence named Shalapa, where I stayed three days; for that I was +somewhat sickly. At which town (with the gold that I had quilted in my +doublet) I bought me an horse of one of the Indians, which cost me six +pezoes, and so travelling south within the space of two leagues I +happened to overtake a Grey Friar, one that I had been familiar withal +in Mexico, whom then I knew to be a zealous, good man, and one that did +much lament the cruelty used against us by the Inquisitors, and truly +he used me very courteously; and I, having confidence in him, did +indeed tell him that I was minded to adventure to see if I could get +out of the said country if I could find shipping, and did therefore +pray him of his aid, direction, and advice herein, which he faithfully +did, not only in directing me which was any safest way to travel, but +he also of himself kept me company for the space of three days, and +ever as we came to the Indians' houses (who used and entertained us +well), he gathered among them in money to the value of twenty pezoes, +which at my departure from him he freely gave unto me. + +So came I to the city of Guatemala upon the South Sea, which is distant +from Mexico about 250 leagues, where I stayed six days, for that my +horse was weak, and from thence I travelled still south and by east +seven days' journey, passing by certain Indian towns until I came to an +Indian town distant from Mexico direct south 309 leagues. And here at +this town inquiring to go to the port of Cavallos in the north-east +sea, it was answered that in travelling thither I should not come to +any town in ten or twelve days' journey; so here I hired two Indians to +be my guides, and I bought hens and bread to serve us so long time, and +took with us things to kindle fire every night because of wild beasts, +and to dress our meat; and every night when we rested my Indian guides +would make two great fires, between the which we placed ourselves and +my horse. And in the night time we should hear the lions roar, with +tigers, ounces, and other beasts, and some of them we should see in the +night which had eyes shining like fire. And travelling thus for the +space of twelve days, we came at last to the port of Cavallos upon the +east sea, distant from Guatemala south and by east 200 leagues, and +from Mexico 450 or thereabouts. This is a good harbour for ships, and +is without either castle or bulwark. I having despatched away my +guides, went down to the haven, where I saw certain ships laden chiefly +with canary wine, where I spake with one of the masters, who asked me +what countryman I was, and I told him that I was born in Granada, and +he said that then I was his countryman. I required him that I might +pass home with him in his ship, paying for my passage; and he said yea, +so that I had a safe conduct or letter testimonial to show that he +might incur no danger; for, said he, "it may be that you have killed +some man, or be indebted, and you would therefore run away." To that I +answered that there was not any such cause. + +Well, in the end we grew to a price that for 60 pezoes he would carry +me into Spain. A glad man was I at this good hap, and I quickly sold +my horse, and made my provision of hens and bread to serve me in my +passage; and thus within two days after we set sail, and never stayed +until we came to the Havana, which is distant from port de Cavallos by +sea 500 leagues, where we found the whole fleet of Spain, which was +bound home from the Indies. And here I was hired for a soldier, to +serve in the admiral ship of the same fleet, wherein the general +himself went. + +There landed while I was here four ships out of Spain, being all full +of soldiers and ordnance, of which number there were 200 men landed +here, and four great brass pieces of ordnance, although the castle were +before sufficiently provided; 200 men more were sent to Campechy, and +certain ordnance; 200 to Florida with ordnance; and 100 lastly to St. +John de Ullua. As for ordnance, there they have sufficient, and of the +very same which was ours which we had in the Jesus, and those others +which we had planted in the place, where the Viceroy betrayed Master +Hawkins, our general, as hath been declared. The sending of those +soldiers to every of those posts, and the strengthening of them, was +done by commandment from the King of Spain, who wrote also by them to +the general of his fleet, giving him in charge so to do, as also +directing him what course he should keep in his coming home into Spain, +charging him at any hand not to come nigh to the isles of Azores, but +to keep his course more to the northward, advertising him withal what +number and power of French ships of war and other Don Anthony had at +that time at the Tercera and isles aforesaid, which the general of the +fleet well considering, and what great store of riches he had to bring +home with him into Spain, did in all very dutifully observe and obey; +for in truth he had in his said fleet 37 sail of ships, and in every of +them there was as good as 30 pipes of silver, one with another, besides +great store of gold, cochineal, sugars, hides, and Cana Fistula, with +other apothecary drugs. This our general, who was called Don Pedro de +Guzman, did providently take order for, for their most strength and +defence, if needs should be, to the uttermost of his power, and +commanded upon pain of death that neither passenger or soldier should +come aboard without his sword and harquebuse, with shot and powder, to +the end that they might be the better able to encounter the fleet of +Don Anthony if they should hap to meet with them, or any of them. And +ever as the weather was fair, this said general would himself go aboard +from one ship to another to see that every man had his full provision +according to the commandment given. + +Yet to speak truly what I think, two good tall ships of war would have +made a foul spoil amongst them, for in all this fleet there were not +any that were strong and warlike appointed, saving only the admiral and +vice-admiral. And again, over and besides the weakness and +ill-furnishing of the rest, they were all so deeply laden, that they had +not been able (even if they had been charged) to have held out any long +fight. Well, thus we set sail, and had a very ill passage home, the +weather was so contrary. We kept our course in manner northeast, and +brought ourselves to the height of 42 degrees of latitude, to be sure +not to meet with Don Anthony his fleet, and were upon our voyage from +the 4th of June until the 10th of September, and never saw land till we +fell with the Arenas Gordas hard by St. Lucar. + +And there was an order taken that none should go on shore until he had +a licence; as for me, I was known by one in the ship, who told the +master that I was an Englishman, which (as God would) was my good hap +to hear; for if I had not heard it, it had cost me my life. +Notwithstanding, I would not take any knowledge of it, and seemed to be +merry and pleasant that we were all come so well in safety. Presently +after, licence came that we should go on shore, and I pressed to be +gone with the first; howbeit, the master came unto me and said, +"Sirrah, you must go with me to Seville by water." I knew his meaning +well enough, and that he meant there to offer me up as a sacrifice to +the Holy House. For the ignorant zeal of a number of these +superstitious Spaniards is such that they think that they have done God +good service when they have brought a Lutheran heretic to the fire to +be burnt; for so they do account of us. Well, I perceiving all this, +took upon me not to suspect anything, but was still jocund and merry, +howbeit I knew it stood me upon to shift for myself. And so waiting my +time when the master was in his cabin asleep, I conveyed myself +secretly down by the shrouds into the ship boat, and made no stay, but +cut the rope wherewithal she was moored, and so by the cable hailed on +shore, where I leapt on land, and let the boat go whither it would. +Thus by the help of God I escaped that day, and then never stayed at +St. Lucar, but went all night by the way which I had seen others take +towards Seville. So that the next morning I came to Seville, and +sought me out a workmaster, that I might fall to my science, which was +weaving of taffaetas, and being entertained I set myself close to my +work, and durst not for my life once to stir abroad, for fear of being +known, and being thus at my work, within four days after I heard one of +my fellows say that he heard there was great inquiry made for an +Englishman that came home in the fleet. "What, an heretic Lutheran +(quoth I), was it? I would to God I might know him. Surely I would +present him to the Holy House." And thus I kept still within doors at +my work, and feigned myself not well at ease, and that I would labour +as I might to get me new clothes. And continuing thus for the space of +three months, I called for my wages, and bought me all things new, +different from the apparel that I did wear at sea, and yet durst not be +over bold to walk abroad; and after understanding that there were +certain English ships at St. Lucar, bound for England, I took a boat +and went aboard one of them, and desired the master that I might have +passage with him to go into England, and told him secretly that I was +one of those which Captain Hawkins did set on shore in the Indies. He +very courteously prayed me to have him excused, for he durst not meddle +with me, and prayed me therefore to return from whence I came. Which +then I perceived with a sorrowful heart, God knoweth, I took my leave +of him, not without watery cheeks. And then I went to St. Mary Port, +which is three leagues from St. Lucar, where I put myself to be a +soldier in the King of Spain's galleys, which were bound for Majorca +and coming thither in the end of the Christmas holidays I found there +two English ships, the one of London, and the other of the west +country, which were ready freighted, and stayed but for a fair wind. +To the master of the one which was of the west country went I, and told +him that I had been two years in Spain to learn the language, and that +I was now desirous to go home and see my friends, for that I lacked +maintenance, and so having agreed with him for my passage I took my +shipping. And thus, through the providence of Almighty God, after +sixteen years' absence, having sustained many and sundry great troubles +and miseries, as by this discourse appeareth, I came home to this my +native country in England in the year 1582, in the month of February in +the ship called the Landret, and arrived at Poole. + + + + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Voyager's Tales, by Richard Hakluyt + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK VOYAGER'S TALES *** + +***** This file should be named 3752.txt or 3752.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/3/7/5/3752/ + +Produced by Les Bowler. 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At the beginning +of the fourteenth century an ancestor of his, Hugo Hakelute, sat in +Parliament as member for Leominster. + +Richard Hakluyt, born about five years before the accession of Queen +Elizabeth, was a boy at Westminster School, when visits to a cousin in +the Middle Temple, also a Richard Hakluyt, first planted in him an +enthusiasm for the study of adventure towards a wider use and knowledge +of the globe we live upon. As a student at Christ Church, Oxford, all +his leisure was spent on the collection and reading of accounts of +voyage and adventure. He graduated as B. A. in 1574, as M. A. in 1577, +and lectured publicly upon geography, showing "both the old imperfectly +composed, and the new lately reformed maps, globes, spheres, and other +instruments of this art." + +In 1582 Hakluyt, at the age of about twenty-nine, issued his first +publication: "Divers Voyages touching the Discovery of America and the +Lands adjacent unto the same, made first of all by our Englishmen, and +afterwards by the Frenchmen and Bretons: and certain Notes of +Advertisements for Observations, necessary for such as shall hereafter +make the like Attempt." His researches had already made him the +personal friend of the famous sea captains of Elizabeth's reign. In +1583 he had taken orders, and went to Paris as chaplain to the English +ambassador, Sir Edward Stafford. From Paris he returned to England for +a short time, in 1584, and laid before the Queen a paper recommending +the plantation of unsettled parts of America. It was called "A +particular Discourse concerning Western Discoveries, written in the +year 1584, by Richard Hakluyt, of Oxford, at the request and direction +of the right worshipful Mr. Walter Raleigh, before the coming home of +his two barks." Raleigh and Hakluyt were within a year of the same +age. + +To found a colonial empire in America by settling upon new lands, and +by dispossessing Spaniards, was one of the grand ideas of Walter +Raleigh, who obtained, on the 25th of March in that year, 1584, a +patent authorising him to search out and take possession of new lands +in the Western world. He then fitted out two ships, which left England +on the 27th of April, under the command of Philip Amadas and Arthur +Barlow. In June they had reached the West Indies, then they sailed +north by the coasts of Florida and Carolina, and they had with them two +natives when they returned to England in September, 1584. In December +Raleigh's patent was enlarged and confirmed, and presently afterwards +Raleigh was knighted. + +Richard Hakluyt's paper, in aid of this beginning of the shaping of +another England in the New World, was for a long time lost. It was +first printed in 1877 at Cambridge, Massachusetts, among the +Collections of the Maine Historical Society. It won for its author a +promise of the next vacant prebend at Bristol; the vacancy came about a +year later, and the Rev. Richard Hakluyt was admitted to it in 1586. + +Hakluyt remained about five years at Paris as Chaplain to the English +Embassy, and while there he caused the publication in 1586 of an +account by Laudonniere of voyages into Florida. This he also +translated and published, in London, in 1587, as "A Notable History +containing Four Voyages made by certain French Captains into Florida." +In 1588 Hakluyt returned to England, and in the next year, 1589, he +published in one folio volume, "The Principal Navigations, Voyages, and +Discoveries of the English Nation." In April of the next year he +became rector of Witheringsett-cum-Brockford, in Suffolk. The full +development of his work appeared in three volumes folio in the years +1598, 1599, and 16OO, as "The Principal Navigations, Voyages, Traffics, +and Discoveries of the English Nation," the first of these volumes +differing materially from the volume that had appeared in 1589. + +Hakluyt became, in May, 16O2, prebendary, and in 16O3 archdeacon of +Westminster. He was twice married, died about six months after +Shakespeare, and was buried in Westminster Abbey on the 26th of +November, 1616. + +H. M. + + + + +VOYAGERS' TALES. + + + +THE WORTHY ENTERPRISE OF JOHN FOX, AN ENGLISHMAN, IN DELIVERING 266 +CHRISTIANS OUT OF THE CAPTIVITY OF THE TURKS AT ALEXANDRIA, THE 3RD OF +JANUARY, 1577. + +Among our merchants here in England, it is a common voyage to traffic +to Spain; whereunto a ship called the Three Half Moons, manned with +eight and thirty men, well fenced with munitions, the better to +encounter their enemies withal, and having wind and tide, set from +Portsmouth 1563, and bended her journey towards Seville, a city in +Spain, intending there to traffic with them. And falling near the +Straits, they perceived themselves to be beset round about with eight +galleys of the Turks, in such wise that there was no way for them to +fly or to escape away, but that either they must yield or else be sunk, +which the owner perceiving, manfully encouraged his company, exhorting +them valiantly to show their manhood, showing them that God was their +God, and not their enemies', requesting them also not to faint in +seeing such a heap of their enemies ready to devour them; putting them +in mind also, that if it were God's pleasure to give them into their +enemies' hands, it was not they that ought to show one displeasant look +or countenance there against; but to take it patiently, and not to +prescribe a day and time for their deliverance, as the citizens of +Bethulia did, but to put themselves under His mercy. And again, if it +were His mind and good will to show His mighty power by them, if their +enemies were ten times so many, they were not able to stand in their +hands; putting them, likewise, in mind of the old and ancient +worthiness of their countrymen, who in the hardest extremities have +always most prevailed, and gone away conquerors; yea, and where it hath +been almost impossible. "Such," quoth he, "hath been the valiantness +of our countrymen, and such hath been the mighty power of our God." + +With such other like encouragements, exhorting them to behave +themselves manfully, they fell all on their knees, making their prayers +briefly unto God; who, being all risen up again, perceived their +enemies, by their signs and defiances, bent to the spoil, whose mercy +was nothing else but cruelty; whereupon every man took him to his +weapon. + +Then stood up one Grove, the master, being a comely man, with his sword +and target, holding them up in defiance against his enemies. So +likewise stood up the owner, the master's mate, boatswain, purser, and +every man well appointed. Now likewise sounded up the drums, trumpets, +and flutes, which would have encouraged any man, had he never so little +heart or courage in him. + +Then taketh him to his charge John Fox, the gunner, in the disposing of +his pieces, in order to the best effect, and, sending his bullets +towards the Turks, who likewise bestowed their pieces thrice as fast +towards the Christians. But shortly they drew near, so that the bowmen +fell to their charge in sending forth their arrows so thick amongst the +galleys, and also in doubling their shot so sore upon the galleys, that +there were twice so many of the Turks slain as the number of the +Christians were in all. But the Turks discharged twice as fast against +the Christians, and so long, that the ship was very sore stricken and +bruised under water; which the Turks, perceiving, made the more haste +to come aboard the ship: which, ere they could do, many a Turk bought +it dearly with the loss of their lives. Yet was all in vain; boarded +they were, where they found so hot a skirmish, that it had been better +they had not meddled with the feast; for the Englishmen showed +themselves men indeed, in working manfully with their brown bills and +halberds, where the owner, master, boatswain, and their company stood +to it so lustily, that the Turks were half dismayed. But chiefly the +boatswain showed himself valiant above the rest, for he fared amongst +the Turks like a wood lion; for there was none of them that either +could or durst stand in his face, till at last there came a shot from +the Turks which brake his whistle asunder, and smote him on the breast, +so that he fell down, bidding them farewell, and to be of good comfort, +encouraging them, likewise, to win praise by death, rather than to live +captives in misery and shame, which they, hearing, indeed, intended to +have done, as it appeared by their skirmish; but the press and store of +the Turks were so great, that they were not long able to endure, but +were so overpressed, that they could not wield their weapons, by reason +whereof they must needs be taken, which none of them intended to have +been, but rather to have died, except only the master's mate, who +shrunk from the skirmish, like a notable coward, esteeming neither the +value of his name, nor accounting of the present example of his +fellows, nor having respect to the miseries whereunto he should be put. +But in fine, so it was, that the Turks were victors, whereof they had +no great cause to rejoice or triumph. Then would it have grieved any +hard heart to see these infidels so violently entreating the +Christians, not having any respect of their manhood, which they had +tasted of, nor yet respecting their own state, how they might have met +with such a booty as might have given them the overthrow; but no +remorse hereof, or anything else doth bridle their fierce and tyrannous +dealing, but the Christians must needs to the galleys, to serve in new +offices; and they were no sooner in them, but their garments were +pulled over their ears, and torn from their backs, and they set to the +oars. + +I will make no mention of their miseries, being now under their +enemies' raging stripes. I think there is no man will judge their fare +good, or their bodies unloaden of stripes, and not pestered with too +much heat, and also with too much cold; but I will go to my purpose, +which is to show the end of those being in mere misery, which +continually do call on God with a steadfast hope that He will deliver +them, and with a sure faith that He can do it. + +Nigh to the city of Alexandria, being a haven town, and under the +dominion of the Turks, there is a road, being made very fencible with +strong walls, whereinto the Turks do customably bring their galleys on +shore every year, in the winter season, and there do trim them, and lay +them up against the spring-time; in which road there is a prison, +wherein the captives and such prisoners as serve in the galleys are put +for all that time, until the seas be calm and passable for the galleys, +every prisoner being most grievously laden with irons on their legs, to +their great pain, and sore disabling of them to any labour; into which +prison were these Christians put and fast warded all the winter season. +But ere it was long, the master and the owner, by means of friends, +were redeemed, the rest abiding still in the misery, while that they +were all, through reason of their ill-usage and worse fare, miserably +starved, saving one John Fox, who (as some men can abide harder and +more misery than other some can, so can some likewise make more shift, +and work more duties to help their state and living, than other some +can do) being somewhat skilful in the craft of a barber, by reason +thereof made great shift in helping his fare now and then with a good +meal. Insomuch, till at the last God sent him favour in the sight of +the keeper of the prison, so that he had leave to go in and out to the +road at his pleasure, paying a certain stipend unto the keeper, and +wearing a lock about his leg, which liberty likewise five more had upon +like sufferance, who, by reason of their long imprisonment, not being +feared or suspected to start aside, or that they would work the Turks +any mischief, had liberty to go in and out at the said road, in such +manner as this John Fox did, with irons on their legs, and to return +again at night. + +In the year of our Lord 1577, in the winter season, the galleys happily +coming to their accustomed harbourage, and being discharged of all +their masts, sails, and other such furnitures as unto galleys do +appertain, and all the masters and mariners of them being then nested +in their own homes, there remained in the prison of the said road two +hundred three score and eight Christian prisoners who had been taken by +the Turks' force, and were of fifteen sundry nations. Among which +there were three Englishmen, whereof one was named John Fox, of +Woodbridge, in Suffolk, the other William Wickney, of Portsmouth, in +the county of Southampton, and the third Robert Moore, of Harwich, in +the county of Essex; which John Fox, having been thirteen or fourteen +years under their gentle entreatance, and being too weary thereof, +minding his escape, weighed with himself by what means it might be +brought to pass, and continually pondering with himself thereof, took a +good heart unto him, in the hope that God would not be always scourging +His children, and never ceasing to pray Him to further his intended +enterprise, if that it should redound to His glory. + +Not far from the road, and somewhat from thence, at one side of the +city, there was a certain victualling house, which one Peter Vuticaro +had hired, paying also a certain fee unto the keeper of the road. This +Peter Vuticaro was a Spaniard born, and a Christian, and had been +prisoner above thirty years, and never practised any means to escape, +but kept himself quiet without touch or suspect of any conspiracy, +until that now this John Fox using much thither, they brake one to +another their minds, concerning the restraint of their liberty and +imprisonment. So that this John Fox, at length opening unto this +Vuticaro the device which he would fain put in practice, made privy one +more to this their intent; which three debated of this matter at such +times as they could compass to meet together, insomuch that, at seven +weeks' end they had sufficiently concluded how the matter should be, if +it pleased God to further them thereto; who, making five more privy to +this their device, whom they thought that they might safely trust, +determined in three nights after to accomplish their deliberate +purpose. Whereupon the same John Fox and Peter Vuticaro, and the other +five appointed to meet all together in the prison the next day, being +the last day of December, where this John Fox certified the rest of the +prisoners what their intent and device was, and how and when they +minded to bring that purpose to pass, who thereunto persuaded them +without much ado to further their device; which, the same John Fox +seeing, delivered unto them a sort of files, which he had gathered +together for this purpose by the means of Peter Vuticaro, charging them +that every man should be ready, discharged of his irons, by eight of +the clock on the next day at night. + +On the next day at night, the said John Fox, and his five other +companions, being all come to the house of Peter Vuticaro, passing the +time away in mirth for fear of suspect till the night came on, so that +it was time for them to put in practice their device, sent Peter +Vuticaro to the master of the road, in the name of one of the masters +of the city, with whom this keeper was acquainted, and at whose request +he also would come at the first; who desired him to take the pains to +meet him there, promising him that he would bring him back again. The +keeper agreed to go with him, asking the warders not to bar the gate, +saying that he would not stay long, but would come again with all +speed. + +In the mean-season, the other seven had provided them of such weapons +as they could get in that house, and John Fox took him to an old rusty +sword-blade without either hilt or pommel, which he made to serve his +turn in bending the hand end of the sword instead of a pommel, and the +other had got such spits and glaves as they found in the house. + +The keeper being now come unto the house, and perceiving no light nor +hearing any noise, straightway suspected the matter; and returning +backward, John Fox, standing behind the corner of the house, stepped +forth unto him; who, perceiving it to be John Fox, said, "O Fox, what +have I deserved of thee that thou shouldest seek my death?" + +"Thou villain," quoth Fox, "hast been a bloodsucker of many a +Christian's blood, and now thou shalt know what thou hast deserved at +my hands," wherewith he lift up his bright shining sword of ten years' +rust, and stroke him so main a blow, as therewithal his head clave +asunder so that he fell stark dead to the ground. Whereupon Peter +Vuticaro went in and certified the rest how the case stood with the +keeper, and they came presently forth, and some with their spits ran +him through, and the other with their glaves hewed him in sunder, cut +off his head, and mangled him so that no man should discern what he +was. + +Then marched they toward the road, whereinto they entered softly, where +were five warders, whom one of them asked, saying, who was there? +Quoth Fox and his company, "All friends." Which when they were all +within proved contrary; for, quoth Fox, "My masters, here is not to +every man a man, wherefore look you, play your parts." Who so behaved +themselves indeed, that they had despatched these five quickly. Then +John Fox, intending not to be barren of his enterprise, and minding to +work surely in that which he went about, barred the gate surely, and +planted a cannon against it. + +Then entered they into the jailer's lodge, where they found the keys of +the fortress and prison by his bedside, and there got they all better +weapons. In this chamber was a chest wherein was a rich treasure, and +all in ducats, which this Peter Vuticaro and two more opening, stuffed +themselves so full as they could between their shirts and their skin; +which John Fox would not once touch and said, "that it was his and +their liberty which he fought for, to the honour of his God, and not to +make a mart of the wicked treasure of the infidels." Yet did these +words sink nothing unto their stomachs; they did it for a good intent. +So did Saul save the fattest oxen to offer unto the Lord, and they to +serve their own turn. But neither did Saul scape the wrath of God +therefor, neither had these that thing which they desired so, and did +thirst after. Such is God's justice. He that they put their trust in +to deliver them from the tyrannous hands of their enemies, he, I say, +could supply their want of necessaries. + +Now these eight, being armed with such weapons as they thought well of, +thinking themselves sufficient champions to encounter a stronger enemy, +and coming unto the prison, Fox opened the gates and doors thereof, and +called forth all the prisoners, whom he set, some to ramming up the +gate, some to the dressing up of a certain galley which was the best in +all the road, and was called "The Captain of Alexandria," whereinto +some carried masts, sails, oars, and other such furniture, as doth +belong unto a galley. + +At the prison were certain warders whom John Fox and his company slew, +in the killing of whom there were eight more of the Turks which +perceived them, and got them to the top of the prison, unto whom John +Fox and his company were fain to come by ladders, where they found a +hot skirmish, for some of them were there slain, some wounded, and some +but scarred and not hurt. As John Fox was thrice shot through his +apparel, and not hurt, Peter Vuticaro and the other two, that had armed +them with the ducats, were slain, as not able to wield themselves, +being so pestered with the weight and uneasy carrying of the wicked and +profane treasure; and also divers Christians were as well hurt about +that skirmish as Turks slain. + +Amongst the Turks was one thrust through, who (let us not say that it +was ill-fortune) fell off from the top of the prison wall, and made +such a groaning that the inhabitants thereabout (as here and there +stood a house or two), came and questioned him, so that they understood +the case, how that the prisoners were paying their ransoms; wherewith +they raised both Alexandria, which lay on the west side of the road, +and a castle which was at the city's end next to the road, and also +another fortress which lay on the north side of the road, so that now +they had no way to escape but one, which by man's reason (the two holds +lying so upon the mouth of the road) might seem impossible to be a way +for them. So was the Red Sea impossible for the Israelites to pass +through, the hills and rocks lay so on the one side, and their enemies +compassed them on the other. So was it impossible that the walls of +Jericho should fall down, being neither undermined nor yet rammed at +with engines, nor yet any man's wisdom, policy, or help, set or put +thereunto. Such impossibilities can our God make possible. He that +held the lion's jaws from rending Daniel asunder, yea, or yet from once +touching him to his hurt, cannot He hold the roaring cannons of this +hellish force? He that kept the fire's rage in the hot burning oven +from the three children that praised His name, cannot He keep the +fire's flaming blasts from among His elect? + +Now is the road fraught with lusty soldiers, labourers, and mariners, +who are fain to stand to their tackling, in setting to every man his +hand, some to the carrying in of victuals, some munitions, some oars, +and some one thing some another, but most are keeping their enemy from +the wall of the road. But to be short, there was no time misspent, no +man idle, nor any man's labour ill-bestowed or in vain. So that in +short time this galley was ready trimmed up. Whereinto every man +leaped in all haste, hoisting up the sails lustily, yielding themselves +to His mercy and grace, in Whose hands is both wind and weather. + +Now is this galley a-float, and out of the shelter of the road; now +have the two castles full power upon the galley; now is there no remedy +but to sink. How can it be avoided? The cannons let fly from both +sides, and the galley is even in the middest and between them both. +What man can devise to save it? There is no man but would think it +must needs be sunk. + +There was not one of them that feared the shot which went thundering +round about their ears, nor yet were once scarred or touched with five +and forty shot which came from the castles. Here did God hold forth +His buckler, He shieldeth now this galley, and hath tried their faith +to the uttermost. Now cometh His special help; yea, even when man +thinks them past all help, then cometh He Himself down from Heaven with +His mighty power, then is His present remedy most ready. For they sail +away, being not once touched by the glance of a shot, and are quickly +out of the Turkish cannons' reach. Then might they see them coming +down by heaps to the water's side, in companies like unto swarms of +bees, making show to come after them with galleys, bustling themselves +to dress up the galleys, which would be a swift piece of work for them +to do, for that they had neither oars, masts, sails, nor anything else +ready in any galley. But yet they are carrying into them, some into +one galley, and some into another, so that, being such a confusion +amongst them, without any certain guide, it were a thing impossible to +overtake the Christians; beside that, there was no man that would take +charge of a galley, the weather was so rough, and there was such an +amazedness amongst them. And verily, I think their god was amazed +thereat; it could not be but that he must blush for shame, he can speak +never a word for dulness, much less can he help them in such an +extremity. Well, howsoever it is, he is very much to blame to suffer +them to receive such a gibe. But howsoever their god behaved himself, +our God showed Himself a God indeed, and that He was the only living +God; for the seas were swift under His faithful, which made the enemies +aghast to behold them; a skilfuller pilot leads them, and their +mariners bestir them lustily; but the Turks had neither mariners, +pilot, nor any skilful master, that was in readiness at this pinch. + +When the Christians were safe out of the enemy's coast, John Fox called +to them all, telling them to be thankful unto Almighty God for their +delivery, and most humbly to fall down upon their knees, beseeching Him +to aid them to their friends' land, and not to bring them into another +danger, since He had most mightily delivered them from so great a +thraldom and bondage. + +Thus when every man had made his petition, they fell straightway to +their labour with the oars, in helping one another when they were +wearied, and with great labour striving to come to some Christian land, +as near as they could guess by the stars. But the winds were so +contrary, one while driving them this way, another while that way, so +that they were now in a new maze, thinking that God had forsaken them +and left them to a greater danger. And forasmuch as there were no +victuals now left in the galley, it might have been a cause to them (if +they had been the Israelites), to have murmured against their God; but +they knew how that their God, who had delivered Egypt, was such a +loving and merciful God, as that He would not suffer them to be +confounded in whom He had wrought so great a wonder, but what calamity +soever they sustained, they knew it was but for their further trial, +and also (in putting them in mind of their further misery), to cause +them not to triumph and glory in themselves therefor. Having, I say, +no victuals in the galley, it might seem one misery continually to fall +upon another's neck; but to be brief the famine grew to be so great +that in twenty-eight days, wherein they were on the sea, there died +eight persons, to the astonishment of all the rest. + +So it fell out that upon the twenty-ninth day after they set from +Alexandria, they fell on the isle of Candia, and landed at Gallipoli, +where they were made much of by the abbot and monks there, who caused +them to stay there while they were well refreshed and eased. They kept +there the sword wherewith John Fox had killed the keeper, esteeming it +as a most precious relic, and hung it up for a monument. + +When they thought good, having leave to depart from thence, they sailed +along the coast till they arrived at Tarento, where they sold their +galley, and divided it, every man having a part thereof. The Turks on +receiving so shameful a foil at their hands, pursued the Christians, +and scoured the seas, where they could imagine that they had bent their +course. And the Christians had departed from thence on the one day in +the morning and seven galleys of the Turks came thither that night, as +it was certified by those who followed Fox and his company, fearing +lest they should have been met with. And then they came afoot to +Naples, where they departed asunder, every man taking him to his next +way home. From whence John Fox took his journey unto Rome, where he +was well entertained by an Englishman who presented his worthy deed +unto the Pope, who rewarded him liberally, and gave him letters unto +the King of Spain, where he was very well entertained of him there, who +for this his most worthy enterprise gave him in fee twenty pence a day. +From whence, being desirous to come into his own country, he came +thither at such time as he conveniently could, which was in the year of +our Lord God 1579; who being come into England went unto the Court, and +showed all his travel unto the Council, who considering of the state of +this man, in that he had spent and lost a great part of his youth in +thraldom and bondage, extended to him their liberality to help to +maintain him now in age, to their right honour and to the encouragement +of all true-hearted Christians. + + + +THE COPY OF THE CERTIFICATE FOR JOHN FOX AND HIS COMPANY, MADE BY THE +PRIOR AND THE BRETHREN OF GALLIPOLI, WHERE THEY FIRST LANDED. + +We, the Prior and Fathers of the Convent of the Amerciates, of the city +of Gallipoli, of the order of Preachers, do testify that upon the 29th +of January last past, 1577, there came into the said city a certain +galley from Alexandria, taken from the Turks, with two hundred and +fifty-eight Christians, whereof was principal Master John Fox, an +Englishman, a gunner, and one of the chiefest that did accomplish that +great work, whereby so many Christians have recovered their liberties, +in token and remembrance whereof, upon our earnest request to the same +John Fox, he has left here an old sword, wherewith he slew the keeper +of the prison, which sword we do as a monument and memorial of so +worthy a deed, hang up in the chief place of our convent house. And +for because all things aforesaid, are such as we will testify to be +true, as they are orderly passed, and have therefore good credit, that +so much as is above expressed is true, and for the more faith thereof, +we, the Prior and Fathers aforesaid, have ratified and subscribed these +presents. Given in Gallipoli, the 3rd of February, 1577. + +I, Friar VINCENT BARBA, Prior of the same place, confirm the premises, +as they are above written. + +I, Friar ALBERT DAMARO, of Gallipoli, sub-prior, confirm as much. + +I, Friar ANTHONY CELLELER, of Galli, confirm as aforesaid. + +I, Friar BARTLEMEW, of Gallipoli, confirm as above said. + +I, Friar FRANCIS, of Gallipoli, confirm as much. + + + +THE BISHOP OF ROME, HIS LETTERS IN BEHALF OF JOHN FOX. + +Be it known unto all men, to whom this writing shall come, that the +bringer hereof, John Fox, Englishman, a gunner, after he had served +captive in the Turks' galleys, by the space of fourteen years, at +length, through God his help, taking good opportunity, the 3rd of +January last passed, slew the keeper of the prison (whom he first +stroke on the face) together with four and twenty other Turks, by the +assistance of his fellow-prisoners; and with 266 Christians (of whose +liberty he was the author) launched from Alexandria, and from thence +arrived first at Gallipoli, in Candia, and afterwards at Tarento, in +Apulia; the written testimony and credit of which things, as also of +others, the same John Fox hath in public tables from Naples. + +Upon Easter Eve he came to Rome, and is now determined to take his +journey to the Spanish Court, hoping there to obtain some relief +towards his living; wherefore the poor distressed man humbly +beseecheth, and we in his behalf, do in the bowels of Christ, desire +you, that taking compassion of his former captivity and present penury, +you do not only suffer him freely to pass through all your cities and +towns, but also succour him with your charitable alms, the reward +whereof you shall hereafter most assuredly receive, which we hope you +will afford to him, whom with tender affection of pity we commend unto +you. At Rome, the 2Oth of April, 1577. + +THOMAS GROLOS, Englishman, Bishop of Astraphen. + +RICHARD SILLEUN, Prior Angliae. + +ANDREAS LUDOVICUS, Register to our Sovereign Lord the Pope, which for +the greater credit of the premises, have set my seal to these presents. +At Rome, the day and year above written. + +MAURICIUS CLEMENT, the governor and keeper of the English hospital in +the city. + + + +THE KING OF SPAIN, HIS LETTERS TO THE LIEUTENANT FOR THE PLACING OF +JOHN FOX IN THE OFFICE OF A GUNNER, ETC. + +To the illustrious prince, Vespasian Gonsaga Colonna, our Lieutenant +and Captain-General of our realm of Valencia, having consideration that +John Fox, Englishman, hath served us, and was one of the most principal +which took away from the Turks a certain galley, which they have +brought to Taranto, wherein were two hundred and fifty-eight Christian +captives. We license him to practice, and give him the office of a +gunner, and have ordained that he go to our said realm there to serve +in the said office in the galleys, which by our commandment are lately +made. And we do command that you cause to be paid to him eight ducats +pay a month, for the time that he shall serve in the said galleys as a +gunner, or till we can otherwise provide for him, the said eight ducats +monthly of the money which is already of our provision, present and to +come, and to have regard of those which come with him. From Escurial +the 10th of August, 1577.--I, the King, + + JUAN DEL GADO. + +And under that a confirmation of the Council. + + + +VERSES WRITTEN BY A. M. TO THE COURTEOUS READERS, WHO WAS PRESENT AT +ROME WHEN JOHN FOX RECEIVED HIS LETTERS OF THE POPE. + +Leaving at large all fables vainly used, +All trifling toys that do no truth import, +Lo, here how the end (at length) though long diffused, +Unfoldeth plain a true and rare report; +To glad those minds which seek their country's wealth, +By proffered pains to enlarge his happy health. +At Rome I was, when Fox did there arrive, +Therefore I may sufficiently express, +What gallant joy his deeds did there revive +In the hearts of those which heard his valiantness. +And how the Pope did recompense his pains, +And letters gave to move his greater gains. + +But yet I know that many do misdoubt, +That those his pains are fables and untrue; +Not only I in this will bear him out, +But diverse more that did his patents view. +And unto those so boldly I daresay, +That nought but truth John Fox doth here bewray; +Besides here's one was slave with him in thrall, +Lately returned into our native land, +This witness can this matter perfect all, +What needeth more? for witness he may stand. +And thus I end, unfolding what I know, +The other man more larger proof can show. + Honos alit artes, A. M. + + + ----- + + + +THE VOYAGE MADE TO TRIPOLIS IN BARBARY, IN THE YEAR 1584, WITH A SHIP +CALLED THE JESUS, WHEREIN THE ADVENTURES AND DISTRESSES OF SOME +ENGLISHMEN ARE TRULY REPORTED, AND OTHER NECESSARY CIRCUMSTANCES +OBSERVED. WRITTEN BY THOMAS SANDERS. + +This voyage was set forth by the Right Worshipful Sir Edward Osborne +Knight, chief merchant of all the Turkish Company, and one Master +Richard Stapers, the ship being of the burden of one hundred tons, +called the Jesus; she was builded at Farmne, a river by Portsmouth. +The owners were Master Thomas Thompson, Nicholas Carnabie, and John +Gilman. The master (under God) was one Zaccheus Hellier, of Blackwall, +and his mate was one Richard Morris, of that place; their pilot was one +Anthony Jerado, a Frenchman, of the province of Marseilles; the purser +was one William Thompson, our owner's son; the merchants' factors were +Romaine Sonnings, a Frenchman, and Richard Skegs, servant unto the said +Master Stapers. The owners were bound unto the merchants by charter +party thereupon in one thousand marks, that the said ship, by God's +permission should go for Tripolis in Barbary, that is to say, first +from Portsmouth to Newhaven in Normandy, thence to S. Lukar, otherwise +called S. Lucas, in Andalusia, and from thence to Tripolis, which is in +the east part of Africa, and so to return unto London. + +But here ought every man to note and consider the works of our God, +that (many times) what man doth determine God doth disappoint. The +said master having some occasion to go to Farmne, took with him the +pilot and the purser, and returning again, by means of a gust of wind, +the boat wherein they were was drowned, the said master, the purser, +and all the company; only the said pilot by experience in swimming +saved himself, these were the beginnings of our sorrows. After which +the said master's mate would not proceed in that voyage, and the owner +hearing of this misfortune, and the unwillingness of the master's mate, +did send down one Richard Deimond and shipped him for master, who did +choose for his mate one Andrew Dier, and so the said ship departed on +her voyage accordingly; that is to say, about the 16th of October, +1584, she made sail from Portsmouth, and the 18th day then next +following she arrived into Newhaven, where our said last master Deimond +by a surfeit died. The factors then appointed the said Andrew Dier, +being then master's mate, to be their master for that voyage, who did +choose to be his mates the two quarter-masters of the same ship, to +wit, Peter Austine and Shillabey, and for purser was shipped one +Richard Burges. Afterward about the 8th day of November we made sail +forthward, and by force of weather we were driven back again into +Portsmouth, where we refreshed our victuals and other necessaries, and +then the wind came fair. About the 29th day then next following we +departed thence, and the 1st day of December, by means of a contrary +wind, we were driven to Plymouth. The 18th day then next following we +made forthward again, and by force of weather we were driven to +Falmouth, where we remained until the 1st day of January, at which time +the wind coming fair we departed thence, and about the 2Oth day of the +said month we arrived safely at S. Lucas. And about the 9th day of +March next following we made sail from thence, and about the 18th day +of the same month we came to Tripolis in Barbary, where we were very +well entertained by the king of that country and also of the commons. +The commodities of that place are sweet oils; the king there is a +merchant, and the rather (willing to prefer himself before his commons) +requested our said factors to traffic with him, and promised them that +if they would take his oils at his own price they should pay no manner +of custom, and they took of him certain tons of oil; and afterward +perceiving that they might have far better cheap, notwithstanding the +custom free, they desired the king to license them to take the oils at +the pleasure of his commons, for that his price did exceed theirs; +whereunto the king would not agree, but was rather contented to abate +his price, insomuch that the factors bought all their oils of the +king's custom free, and so laded the same aboard. + +In the meantime there came to that place one Miles Dickinson, in a ship +of Bristol, who together with our said factors took a house to +themselves there. Our French factor, Romaine Sonnings, desired to buy +a commodity in the market, and, wanting money, desired the said Miles +Dickinson to lend him a hundred chikinoes until he came to his lodging, +which he did; and afterwards the same Sonnings met with Miles Dickinson +in the street, and delivered him money bound up in a napkin, saying, +"Master Dickinson, there is the money that I borrowed of you," and so +thanked him for the same. He doubted nothing less than falsehood, +which is seldom known among merchants, and specially being together in +one house, and is the more detestable between Christians, they being in +Turkey among the heathen; the said Dickinson did not tell the money +presently, until he came to his lodging, and then, finding nine +chikinoes lacking of his hundred (which was about three pounds, for +that every chikinoe is worth seven shillings of English money), he came +to the said Romaine Sonnings and delivered him his handkerchief, and +asked him how many chikinoes he had delivered him. Sonnings answered, +"A hundred"; Dickinson said "No"; and so they protested and swore on +both parts. But in the end the said Romaine Sonnings did swear deeply +with detestable oaths and curses; and prayed God that he might show his +works on him, that other might take ensample thereby, and that he might +be hanged like a dog, and never come into England again, if he did not +deliver unto the said Dickinson a hundred chikinoes. And here behold a +notable example of all blasphemers, cursers, and swearers, how God +rewarded him accordingly; for many times it cometh to pass that God +showeth his miracles upon such monstrous blasphemers to the ensample of +others, as now hereafter you shall hear what befell to this Romaine +Sonnings. + +There was a man in the said town a pledge, whose name was Patrone +Norado, who the year before had done this Sonnings some pleasure there. +The foresaid Patrone Norado was indebted unto a Turk of that town in +the sum of four hundred and fifty crowns, for certain goods sent by him +into Christendom in a ship of his own, and by his own brother, and +himself remained in Tripolis as pledge until his said brother's return; +and, as the report went there, he came among lewd company, and lost his +brother's said ship and goods at dice, and never returned unto him +again. + +The said Patrone Norado, being void of all hope and finding now +opportunity, consulted with the said Sonnings for to swim a-seaboard +the islands, and the ship, being then out of danger, should take him in +(as was afterwards confessed), and so go to Tallowne, in the province +of Marseilles, with this Patrone Norado, and there to take in the rest +of his lading. + +The ship being ready the first day of May, and having her sails all +abroad, our said factors did take their leave of the king, who very +courteously bid them farewell, and when they came aboard they commanded +the master and the company hastily to get out the ship. The master +answered that it was impossible, for that the wind was contrary and +overblowed. And he required us, upon forfeiture of our bands, that we +should do our endeavour to get her forth. Then went we to warp out the +ship, and presently the king sent a boat aboard of us, with three men +in her, commanding the said Sonnings to come ashore, at whose coming +the king demanded of him custom for the oils. Sonnings answered him +that his highness had promised to deliver them customs free. But, +notwithstanding, the king weighed not his said promise, and as an +infidel that hath not the fear of God before his eyes, nor regard of +his word, albeit he was a king, he caused the said Sonnings to pay the +custom to the uttermost penny; and afterwards ordered him to make haste +away, saying that the janisaries would have the oil ashore again. + +These janisaries are soldiers there under the Great Turk, and their +power is above the king's. And so the said factor departed from the +king, and came to the waterside, and called for a boat to come aboard, +and he brought with him the foresaid Patrone Norado. The company, +inquisitive to know what man that was, Sonnings answered that he was +his countryman, a passenger. "I pray God," said the company, "that we +come not into trouble by this man." Then said Sonnings angrily, "What +have you to do with any matters of mine? If anything chance otherwise +than well, I must answer for all." + +Now the Turk unto whom this Patrone Norado was indebted, missing him, +supposed him to be aboard of our ship, presently went unto the king and +told him that he thought that his pledge, Patrone Norado, was aboard on +the English ship. Whereupon the king presently sent a boat aboard of +us, with three men in her, commanding the said Sonnings to come ashore; +and, not speaking anything as touching the man, he said that he would +come presently in his own boat; but as soon as they were gone he willed +us to warp forth the ship, and said that he would see the knaves hanged +before he would go ashore. And when the king saw that he came not +ashore, but still continued warping away the ship, he straight +commanded the gunner of the bulwark next unto us to shoot three shots +without ball. Then we came all to the said Sonnings, and asked him +what the matter was that we were shot at; he said that it was the +janisaries who would have the oil ashore again, and willed us to make +haste away. And after that he had discharged three shots without ball +he commanded all the gunners in the town to do their endeavour to sink +us; but the Turkish gunners could not once strike us, wherefore the +king sent presently to the Banio (this Banio is the prison whereas all +the captives lay at night), and promised that if there were any that +could either sink us or else cause us to come in again, he should have +a hundred crown, and his liberty. With that came forth a Spaniard +called Sebastian, which had been an old servitor in Flanders, and he +said that, upon the performance of that promise, he would undertake +either to sink us or to cause us to come in again, and thereto he would +gage his life; and at the first shot he split our rudder's head in +pieces, and the second shot he struck us under water, and the third +shot he shot us through our foremast with a culverin shot, and thus, he +having rent both our rudder and mast and shot us under water, we were +enforced to go in again. + +This Sebastian for all his diligence herein had neither his liberty nor +a hundred crowns, so promised by the said king; but, after his service +done, was committed again to prison, whereby may appear the regard that +a Turk or infidel hath of his work, although he be able to perform it-- +yea, more, though he be a king. + +Then our merchants, seeing no remedy, they, together with five of our +company, went ashore; and they then ceased shooting. They shot unto us +in the whole nine-and-thirty shots without the hurt of any man. + +And when our merchants came ashore the king commanded presently that +they, with the rest of our company that were with them, should be +chained four and four to a hundredweight of iron, and when we came in +with the ship there came presently above a hundred Turks aboard of us, +and they searched us and stripped our very clothes from our backs, and +broke open our chests, and made a spoil of all that we had; and the +Christian caitiffs likewise that came aboard of us made spoil of our +goods, and used us as ill as the Turks did. And our master's mate, +having a Geneva Bible in his hand, there came the king's chief gunner +and took it out from him, who showed me of it; and I, having the +language, went presently to the king's treasurer, and told him of it, +saying that since it was the will of God that we should fall into their +hands, yet that they should grant us to use our consciences to our own +discretion, as they suffered the Spaniards and other nations to use +theirs; and he granted us. Then I told him that the master gunner had +taken away a Bible from one of our men: the treasurer went presently +and commanded him to deliver up the Bible again, which he did. And +within a little after he took it from the man again, and I showed the +treasurer of it, and presently he commanded him to deliver it again, +saying, "Thou villain! wilt thou turn to Christianity again?" for he +was a relagado, which is one that was first a Christian and afterwards +becometh a Turk; and so he delivered me the Bible the second time. And +then I, having it in my hand, the gunner came to me, and spake these +words, saying, "Thou dog! I will have the book in despite of thee!" +and took it from me, saying, "If you tell the king's treasurer of it +any more, by Mahomet I will be revenged of thee!" Notwithstanding I +went the third time unto the king's treasurer, and told him of it; and +he came with me, saying thus unto the gunner: "By the head of the +Great Turk if thou take it from him again thou shalt have a hundred +bastinadoes." And forthwith he delivered me the book, saying he had +not the value of a pin of the spoil of the ship--which was the better +for him, as hereafter you shall hear; for there was none, either +Christian or Turk, that took the value of a pennyworth of our goods +from us but perished both body and goods within seventeen months +following, as hereafter shall plainly appear. + +Then came the guardian Basha, who is the keeper of the king's captives, +to fetch us all ashore; and then I, remembering the miserable estate of +poor distressed captives in the time of their bondage to those +infidels, went to mine own chest, and took out thereof a jar of oil, +and filled a basket full of white ruske, to carry ashore with me. But +before I came to the Banio the Turkish boys had taken away almost all +my bread, and the keeper said, "Deliver me the jar of oil, and when +thou comest to the Banio thou shalt have it again;" but I never had it +of him any more. + +But when I came to the Banio and saw our merchants and all the rest of +our company in chains, and we all ready to receive the same reward, +what heart is there so hard but would have pitied our cause, hearing or +seeing the lamentable greeting there was betwixt us. All this happened +the first of May, 1584. + +And the second day of the same month the king with all his council sat +in judgment upon us. The first that were had forth to be arraigned +were the factors and the masters, and the king asked them wherefore +they came not ashore when he sent for them. And Romaine Sonnings +answered that, though he were a king on shore, and might command there, +so was he as touching those that were under him; and therefore said, if +any offence be, the fault is wholly in myself and in no other. Then +forthwith the king gave judgment that the said Romaine Sonnings should +be hanged over the north-east bulwark, from whence he conveyed the +forenamed Patrone Norado. And then he called for our master, Andrew +Dier, and used few words to him, and so condemned him to be hanged over +the walls of the westernmost bulwarks. + +Then fell our other factor, named Richard Skegs, upon his knees before +the king, and said, "I beseech your highness either to pardon our +master or else suffer me to die for him, for he is ignorant of this +cause." And then the people of that country, favouring the said +Richard Skegs, besought the king to pardon them both. So then the king +spake these words: "Behold, for thy sake I pardon the master." Then +presently the Turks shouted and cried, saying, "Away with the master +from the presence of the king." And then he came into the Banio where +we were, and told us what had happened, and we all rejoiced at the good +hap of Master Skegs, that he was saved, and our master for his sake. + +But afterwards our joy was turned to double sorrow, for in the meantime +the king's mind was altered: for that one of his council had advised +him that, unless the master died also, by the law they could not +confiscate the ship nor goods, neither make captive any of the men. +Whereupon the king sent for our master again, and gave him another +judgment after his pardon for one cause, which was that he should be +hanged. Here all true Christians may see what trust a Christian man +may put in an infidel's promise, who, being a king, pardoned a man now, +as you have heard, and within an hour after hanged him for the same +cause before a whole multitude; and also promised our factors their +oils custom free, and at their going away made them pay the uttermost +penny for the custom thereof. + +And when that Romaine Sonnings saw no remedy but that he should die, he +protested to turn Turk, hoping thereby to have saved his life. Then +said the Turk, "If thou wilt turn Turk, speak the words that thereunto +belong;" and he did so. Then said they unto him, "Now thou shalt die +in the faith of a Turk;" and so he did, as the Turks reported that were +at his execution; and the forenamed Patrone Norado, whereas before he +had liberty and did nothing, he then was condemned slave perpetual, +except there were payment made of the foresaid sum of money. + +Then the king condemned all us, who were in number five and twenty, of +which two were hanged (as you have heard) and one died the first day we +came on shore by the visitation of Almighty God, and the other three +and twenty he condemned slaves perpetually unto the Great Turk, and the +ship and goods were confiscated to the use of the Great Turk; then we +all fell down upon our knees, giving God thanks for this sorrowful +visitation and giving ourselves wholly to the almighty power of God, +unto whom all secrets are known, that He of His goodness would +vouchsafe to look upon us. + +Here may all true Christian hearts see the wonderful works of God +showed upon such infidels, blasphemers, and runagate Christians, and so +you shall read in the end of this book of the like upon the unfaithful +king and all his children, and of as many as took any portion of the +said goods. + +But first to show our miserable bondage and slavery, and unto what +small pittance and allowance we were tied, for every five men had +allowance but five aspers of bread in a day, which is but twopence +English, and our lodging was to lie on the bare boards, with a very +simple cape to cover us. We were also forcibly and most violently +shaven, head and beard, and within three days after, I and five more of +my fellows, together with fourscore Italians and Spaniards, were sent +forth in a galiot to take a Greek carmosel, which came into Arabia to +steal negroes, and went out of Tripolis unto that place which was two +hundred and forty leagues thence; but we were chained three and three +to an oar, and we rowed naked above the girdle, and the boatswain of +the galley walked abaft the mast, and his mate afore the mast, and each +of them a whip in their hands, and when their devilish choler rose they +would strike the Christians for no cause, and they allowed us but half +a pound of bread a man in a day, without any other kind of sustenance, +water excepted. And when we came to the place where we saw the +carmosel, we were not suffered to have neither needle, bodkin, knife, +or any other instrument about us, nor at any other time in the night, +upon pain of one hundred bastinadoes: we were then also cruelly +manacled, in such sort that we could not put our hands the length of +one foot asunder the one from the other, and every night they searched +our chains three times, to see if they were fast riveted. We continued +the fight with the carmosel three hours, and then we took it, and lost +but two of our men in that fight; but there were slain of the Greeks +five, and fourteen were cruelly hurt; and they that were found were +presently made slaves, and chained to the oars, and within fifteen days +after we returned again into Tripolis, and then we were put to all +manner of slavery. I was put to hew stones, and other to carry stones, +and some to draw the cart with earth, and some to make mortar, and some +to draw stones (for at that time the Turks builded a church), and thus +we were put to all kinds of slavery that was to be done. And in the +time of our being there the Moors, that are the husbandmen of the +country, rebelled against the king, because he would have constrained +them to pay greater tribute than heretofore they had done, so that the +soldiers of Tripolis marched forth of the town, to have joined battle +against the Moors for their rebellion, and the king sent with them four +pieces of ordnance, which were drawn by the captives twenty miles into +the country after them, and at the sight thereof the Moors fled, and +then the captains returned back again. Then I, and certain Christians +more, were sent twelve miles into the country with a cart to load +timber, and we returned again the same day. + +Now, the king had eighteen captives, which three times a week went to +fetch wood thirty miles from the town, and on a time he appointed me +for one of the eighteen, and we departed at eight of the clock in the +night; and upon the way, as we rode upon the camels, I demanded of one +of our company who did direct us the way: he said that there was a +Moor in our company which was our guide; and I demanded of them how +Tripolis and the wood bare one off the other, and he said, "East-north- +east and west-south-west." And at midnight, or thereabouts, as I was +riding upon my camel, I fell asleep, and the guide and all the rest +rode away from me, not thinking but I had been among them. When I +awoke, and, finding myself alone, I durst not call nor holloa, for fear +lest the wild Moors should hear me--because they hold this opinion, +that in killing a Christian they do God good service--and musing with +myself what were best for me to do: if I should return back to +Tripolis without any wood or company I should be most miserably used; +therefore, of the two evils, rather I had to go forth to the losing of +my life than to turn back and trust to their mercy, fearing to be used +as before I had seen others. For, understanding by some of my company +before how Tripolis and the said wood did lie one off another, by the +North Star I went forth at adventure, and, as God would have it, I came +right to the place where they were, even about an hour before day. +There altogether we rested, and gave our camels provender, and as soon +as the day appeared we rode all into the wood; and I, seeing no wood +there but a stick here and a stick there, about the bigness of a man's +arm, growing in the sand, it caused me to marvel how so many camels +should be loaded in that place. The wood was juniper; we needed no axe +nor edged tool to cut it, but plucked it up by strength of hands, roots +and all, which a man might easily do, and so gathered together a little +at one place, and so at another, and laded our camels, and came home +about seven of the clock that night following: because I fell lame and +my camel was tired, I left my wood in the way. + +There was in Tripolis at that time a Venetian whose name was Benedetto +Venetiano, and seventeen captives more of his countrymen, which ran +away from Tripolis in a boat and came inside of an island called Malta, +which lieth forty leagues from Tripolis right north; and, being within +a mile of the shore and very fair weather, one of their company said, +"In dispetto de Dio adesso venio a pilliar terra," which is as much to +say: "In the despite of God, I shall now fetch the shore;" and +presently there arose a mighty storm, with thunder and rain, and the +wind at the north, their boat being very small, so that they were +enforced to bear up room and to sheer right afore the wind over against +the coast of Barbary, from whence they came, and rowing up and down the +coast, their victuals being spent, the twenty-first day after their +departure, they were enforced through the want of food to come ashore, +thinking to have stolen some sheep. But the Moors of the country very +craftily (perceiving their intent) gathered together a threescore of +horsemen and hid themselves behind the sandy hill, and when the +Christians were come all ashore, and passed by half a mile into the +country, the Moors rode betwixt them and their boat, and some of them +pursued the Christians, and so they were all taken and brought to +Tripolis, from whence they had before escaped; and presently the king +commanded that the foresaid Benedetto, with one more of his company, +should lose their ears, and the rest to be most cruelly beaten, which +was presently done. This king had a son which was a ruler in an island +called Gerbi, whereunto arrived an English ship called the Green +Dragon, of the which was master one M. Blonket, who, having a very +unhappy boy on that ship, and understanding that whosoever would turn +Turk should be well entertained of the king's son, this boy did run +ashore and voluntarily turned Turk. Shortly after the king's son came +to Tripolis to visit his father, and seeing our company, he greatly +fancied Richard Burges, our purser, and James Smith. They were both +young men, therefore he was very desirous to have them to turn Turks; +but they would not yield to his desire, saying, "We are your father's +slaves and as slaves we will serve him." Then his father the king sent +for them, and asked them if they would turn Turks; and they said: "If +it please your Highness, Christians we were born and so we will remain, +and beseech the king that they might not be enforced thereunto." The +king had there before in his house a son of a yeoman of our Queen's +guard, whom the king's son had enforced to turn Turk; his name was John +Nelson. Him the king caused to be brought to these young men, and then +said unto them, "Will you not bear this, your countryman, company, and +be Turk as he is?" and they said that they would not yield thereunto +during life. But it fell out that, within a month after, the king's +son went home to Gerbi again, being five score miles from Tripolis, and +carried our two foresaid young men with him, which were Richard Burges +and James Smith. And after their departure from us they sent us a +letter, signifying that there was no violence showed unto them as yet; +yet within three days after they were violently used, for that the +king's son demanded of them again if that they would turn Turk. Then +answered Richard Burges: "A Christian I am, and so I will remain." +Then the king's son very angrily said unto him, "By Mahomet thou shalt +presently be made Turk!" Then called he for his men and commanded them +to make him Turk; and they did so, and circumcised him, and would have +had him speak the words that thereunto belonged; but he answered them +stoutly that he would not, and although they had put on him the habit +of a Turk, yet said he, "A Christian I was born, and so I will remain, +though you force me to do otherwise." + +And then he called for the other, and commanded him to be made Turk +perforce also; but he was very strong, for it was so much as eight of +the king's son's men could do to hold him. So in the end they +circumcised him and made him Turk. Now, to pass over a little, and so +to show the manner of our deliverance out of that miserable captivity. + +In May aforesaid, shortly after our apprehension, I wrote a letter into +England unto my father, dwelling in Evistoke in Devonshire, signifying +unto him the whole estate of our calamities, and I wrote also to +Constantinople to the English ambassador, both which letters were +faithfully delivered. But when my father had received my letter, and +understood the truth of our mishap, and the occasion thereof, and what +had happened to the offenders, he certified the Right Honourable the +Earl of Bedford thereof, who in short space acquainted her Highness +with the whole cause thereof; and her Majesty, like a most merciful +princess tendering her subjects, presently took order for our +deliverance. Whereupon the Right Worshipful Sir Edward Osborne, +knight, directed his letters with all speed to the English ambassador +in Constantinople to procure our delivery, and he obtained the Great +Turk's commission, and sent it forthwith to Tripolis by one Master +Edward Barton, together with a justice of the Great Turk's and one +soldier, and another Turk and a Greek, which was his interpreter, which +could speak beside Greek, Turkish, Italian, Spanish and English. And +when they came to Tripolis they were well entertained, and the first +night they did lie in a captain's house in the town. All our company +that were in Tripolis came that night for joy to Master Barton and the +other commissioners to see them. Then Master Barton said unto us, +"Welcome, my good countrymen," and lovingly entertained us; and at our +departure from him he gave us two shillings, and said, "Serve God, for +tomorrow I hope you shall be as free as ever you were." We all gave +him thanks and so departed. The next day, in the morning very early, +the king having intelligence of their coming, sent word to the keeper +that none of the Englishmen (meaning our company) should go to work. +Then he sent for Master Barton and the other commissioners, and +demanded of the said Master Barton his message. The justice answered +that the Great Turk, his sovereign, had sent them unto him, signifying +that he was informed that a certain English ship, called the Jesus, was +by him the said king confiscated about twelve months since, and now my +said sovereign hath here sent his especial commission by us unto you +for the deliverance of the said ship and goods, and also the free +liberty and deliverance of the Englishmen of the said ship whom you +have taken and kept in captivity. And further, the same justice said, +I am authorised by my said sovereign the Great Turk to see it done; and +therefore I command you, by the virtue of this commission, presently to +make restitution of the premises or the value thereof. And so did the +justice deliver unto the king the Great Turk's commission to the effect +aforesaid, which commission the king with all obedience received; and +after the perusing of the same, he forthwith commanded all the English +captives to be brought before him, and then willed the keeper to strike +off all our irons. Which done, the king said, "You Englishmen, for +that you did offend the laws of this place, by the same laws therefore +some of your company were condemned to die, as you know, and you to be +perpetual captives during your lives; notwithstanding, seeing it hath +pleased my sovereign lord the Great Turk to pardon your said offences, +and to give you your freedom and liberty, behold, here I make delivery +of you unto this English gentleman." So he delivered us all that were +there, being thirteen in number, to Master Barton, who required also +those two young men which the king's son had taken with him. Then the +king answered that it was against their law to deliver them, for that +they were turned Turks; and, touching the ship and goods, the king said +that he had sold her, but would make restitution of the value, and as +much of the goods as came unto his hands. And so the king arose and +went to dinner, and commanded a Jew to go with Master Barton and the +other commissioners to show them their lodgings, which was a house +provided and appointed them by the said king. And because I had the +Italian and Spanish tongues, by which there most traffic in that +country is, Master Barton made me his caterer, to buy his victuals for +him and his company, and he delivered me money needful for the same. +Thus were we set at liberty the 28th day of April, 1585. + +Now, to return to the king's plagues and punishments which Almighty God +at his will and pleasure sendeth upon men in the sight of the world, +and likewise of the plagues that befell his children and others +aforesaid. First, when we were made bondmen, being the second day of +May, 1584, the king had 300 captives, and before the month was expired +there died of them of the plague 150. And whereas there were twenty- +six men of our company, of whom two were hanged and one died the same +day as we were made bondslaves, that present month there died nine more +of our company of the plague, and other two were forced to turn Turks +as before rehearsed; and on the 4th day of June next following, the +king lost 150 camels which were taken from him by the wild Moors; and +on the 28th day of the said month of June one Geffrey Malteese, a +renegado of Malta, ran away to his country, and stowed a brigantine +which the king had builded for to take the Christians withal, and +carried with him twelve Christians more which were the king's captives. +Afterwards about the 10th day of July next following, the king rode +forth upon the greatest and fairest mare that might be seen, as white +as any swan; he had not ridden forty paces from his house, but on a +sudden the same mare fell down under him stark dead, and I with six +more were commanded to bury her, skin, shoes, and all, which we did. +And about three months after our delivery, Master Barton, with all the +residue of his company, departed from Tripolis to Zante in a vessel +called a settea, of one Marcus Segoorus, who dwelt in Zante; and, after +our arrival at Zante, we remained fifteen days there aboard our vessel, +before we could have Platego (that is, leave to come ashore), because +the plague was in that place from whence we came, and about three days +after we came ashore, thither came another settea of Marseilles, bound +for Constantinople. Then did Master Barton and his company, with two +more of our company, ship themselves as passengers in the same settea +and went to Constantinople. But the other nine of us that remained in +Zante, about three months after, shipped ourselves in a ship of the +said Marcus Segoorus, which came to Zante, and was bound for England. +In which three months the soldiers of Tripolis killed the said king; +and then the king's son, according to the custom there, went to +Constantinople, to surrender up all his father's treasure, goods, +captives, and concubines unto the Great Turk, and took with him our +said purser Richard Burges, and James Smith, and also the other two +Englishmen which he the king's son had enforced to become Turks as is +aforesaid. And they, the said Englishmen, finding now some +opportunity, concluded with the Christian captives which were going +with them unto Constantinople, being in number about 150, to kill the +king's son and all the Turks which were aboard of the galley, and +privily the said Englishmen conveyed unto the said Christian captives +weapons for that purpose. And when they came into the main sea, +towards Constantinople (upon the faithful promise of the said Christian +captives) these four Englishmen leapt suddenly into the crossia--that +is, into the middest of the galley, where the cannon lieth--and with +their swords drawn, did fight against all the foresaid Turks, and for +want of help of the said Christian captives, who falsely brake their +promises, the said Master Blonket's boy was killed and the said James +Smith, and our purser Richard Burges, and the other Englishmen were +taken and bound into chains, to be hanged at their arrival in +Constantinople. And, as the Lord's will was, about two days after, +passing through the Gulf of Venice, at an island called Cephalonia, +they met with two of the Duke of Venice, his galleys, which took that +galley, and killed the king's son and his mother, and all the Turks +that were there, in number 150, and they saved the Christian captives; +and would have killed the two Englishmen, because they were circumcised +and become Turks, had not the other Christian captives excused them, +saying that they were enforced to be Turks by the king's son, and +showed the Venetians how they did enterprise at sea to fight against +all the Turks, and that their two fellows were slain in that fight. +Then the Venetians saved them, and they, with all the residue of the +said captives, had their liberty, which were in number 150 or +thereabouts, and the said galley and all the Turks' treasure was +confiscated to the use of the State of Venice. And from thence our two +Englishmen travelled homeward by land, and in this meantime we had one +more of our company which died in Zante, and afterwards the other eight +shipped themselves at Zante in a ship of the said Marcus Segoorus which +was bound for England. And before we departed thence, there arrived +the Ascension and the George Bonaventure of London, in Cephalonia, in a +harbour there called Arrogostoria, whose merchants agreed with the +merchants of our ship, and so laded all the merchandise of our ship +into the said ships of London, who took us eight also in as passengers, +and so we came home. And within two months after our arrival at London +our said purser Richard Burges, and his fellow, came home also, for the +which we are bound to praise Almighty God during our lives, and, as +duty bindeth us, to pray for the preservation of our most gracious +Queen, for the great care her Majesty had over us, her poor subjects, +in seeking and procuring of our deliverance aforesaid, and also for her +Honourable Privy Council; and I especially for the prosperity and good +estate of the house of the late deceased, the Right Honourable the Earl +of Bedford, whose honour I must confess most diligently, at the suit of +my father now departed, travailed herein--for the which I rest +continually bounden to him, whose soul I doubt not but already is in +the heavens in joy, with the Almighty, unto which place He vouchsafed +to bring us all, that for our sins suffered most vile and shameful +death upon the cross, there to live perpetually world without end. +Amen. + + +THE QUEEN'S LETTERS TO THE TURK, 1584, FOR THE RESTITUTION OF THE SHIP, +CALLED THE JESUS, AND THE ENGLISH CAPTIVES DETAINED IN TRIPOLIS, IN +BARBARY, AND FOR CERTAIN OTHER PRISONERS IN ALGIERS. + +Elizabeth, by the grace of the Most High God and only Maker of Heaven +and Earth, of England, France, and Ireland Queen, and of the Christian +faith, against all the idolaters and false professors of the name of +Christ dwelling among the Christians, most invincible and puissant +Defender; to the most valiant and invincible Prince, Sultan Murad Can, +the most mighty ruler of the Kingdom of Mussulman and of the East +Empire, the only and highest monarch above all, health and many happy +and fortunate years, with great abundance of the best things. + +Most noble and puissant Emperor, about two years now past, we wrote +unto your Imperial Majesty that our well-beloved servant, William +Harebrown, a man of great reputation and honour, might be received +under your high authority for our ambassador in Constantinople and +other places, under the obedience of your Empire of Mussulman; and also +that the Englishmen being our subjects might exercise intercourse and +merchandise in all those provinces no less freely than the French, +Polonians, Venetians, Germans, and other your confederates, which +travel through divers of the East parts endeavouring that by mutual +traffic the East may be joined and knit to the West. + +Which privileges, when as your most puissant Majesty by your letters +and under your dispensation most liberally and favourably granted to +our subjects of England, we could no less do but in that respect give +you as great thanks as our heart could conceive, trusting that it will +come to pass that this order of traffic so well ordained will bring +with itself most great profits and commodities to both sides, as well +to the parties subject to your Empire as to the provinces of our +Kingdom. + +Which thing, that it may be done in plain and effectual manner, whereas +some of our subjects of late at Tripolis in Barbary, and at Algiers, +were by the inhabitants of those places (being perhaps ignorant of your +pleasure) evil intreated and grievously vexed, we do friendly and +lovingly desire your Imperial Majesty that you will understand their +causes by our ambassador, and afterward give commandment to the +lieutenants and presidents of those provinces, that our people may +henceforth freely, without any violence or injury, travel and do their +business in those places. + +And we again with all endeavour shall study to perform all those things +which we shall in any wise understand to be acceptable to your Imperial +Majesty, which God, the only Maker of the World, Most Best and Most +Great, long keep in health and flourishing. Given in our Palace at +London, the 5th day of the month of September, in the year of Jesus +Christ our Saviour 1584, and of our reign the twenty-sixth. + + +THE COMMANDMENT OBTAINED OF THE GRAND SIGNIOR BY HER MAJESTY'S +AMBASSADOR, FOR THE QUIET PASSING OF HER SUBJECTS TO AND FROM HIS +DOMINIONS, SENT IN ANNO 1584 TO THE VICEROYS, ALGIERS, TUNIS, AND +TRIPOLIS IN BARBARY. + +To our Beglerbeg of Algiers. We certify thee by this our commandment +that the right honourable William Harebrowne, ambassador to the Queen's +Majesty of England, hath signified unto us that the ships of that +country, in their coming and returning to and from our Empire, on the +one part of the seas have the Spaniards, Florentines, Sicilians, and +Maltese, on the other part our countries, committed to your charge, +which above said Christians will not quietly suffer their egress and +regress into and out of our dominions, but to take and make the men +captives, and forfeit the ships and goods, as the last year the Maltese +did one which they took at Gerbi, and to that end do continually lie in +wait for them to their destruction, whereupon they are constrained to +stand to their defence at any such times as they might meet with them; +wherefore considering by this means they must stand upon their guard +when they shall see any galley afar off, whereby if meeting with any of +your galleys, and not knowing them, in their defence they do shoot at +them, and yet after, when they do certainly know them, do not shoot any +more, but require to pass peaceably on their voyage, which you would +deny, saying, "The peace is broken, for that you have shot at us, and +so do make prize of them, contrary to our privileges, and against +reason:" for the preventing of which inconvenience the said ambassador +hath required this our commandment. We therefore command thee that +upon sight hereof then do not permit any such matter in no sort +whatsoever, but suffer the said Englishmen to pass in peace, according +to the tenor of our commandment given, without any disturbance or let +by any means upon the way, although that, meeting with thy galleys, and +not knowing them afar off, they, taking them for enemies, should shoot +at them, yet shall ye not suffer them to hurt them therefor, but +quietly to pass. Wherefore look thou, that they may have right +according to our privilege given them, and finding any that absenteth +himself and will not obey this our commandment, presently certify us to +our porch, that we may give order for his punishment; and with +reverence give faithful credit to this our commandment, which having +read, thou shalt again return it unto them that present it. From our +palace in Constantinople, the prime of June, 1584. + + +THE TURK'S LETTER TO THE KING OF TRIPOLIS, IN BARBARY, COMMANDING THE +RESTITUTION OF AN ENGLISH SHIP, CALLED THE JESUS, WITH THE MEN AND +GOODS, SENT FROM CONSTANTINOPLE BY MAHOMET BEG, A JUSTICE OF THE GREAT +TURK'S, AND AN ENGLISH GENTLEMAN, CALLED MASTER EDWARD BARTON. ANNO +1584. + +Honourable and most worthy Pasha Romadan Beglerbeg, most wise and +prudent judge of the West Tripolis, we wish the end of all thy +enterprises happy and prosperous. By these our Highness's letters we +certify thee that the Right Honourable William Harebrowne, Ambassador +in our most famous porch for the most excellent Queen's Majesty of +England, in person and by letters hath certified our Highness that a +certain ship, with all her furniture and artillery, worth two thousand +ducats, arriving in the port of Tripolis, and discharged of her lading +and merchandise, paid our custom according to order, and again the +merchants laded their ship with oil, which by constraint they were +enforced to buy of you, and having answered in like manner the custom +for the same, determined to depart. A Frenchman, assistant to the +merchant, unknown to the Englishmen, carried away with him another +Frenchman indebted to a certain Moor in four hundred ducats, and by +force caused the Englishmen and ship to depart, who, neither suspecting +fraud nor deceit, hoisted sails. In the meantime, this man, whose +debtor the Frenchman had stolen away, went to the Pasha with a +supplication, by whose means, and force of the Castle, the Englishmen +were constrained to return into the port, where the Frenchman, author +of the evil, with the master of the ship, an Englishman, innocent of +the crime, were hanged, and five-and-twenty Englishmen cast into +prison, of whom, through famine and thirst, and stink of the prison, +eleven died, and the rest were like to die. Further, it was signified +to our Majesty also that the merchandise and other goods with the ship +were worth seven thousand six hundred ducats. Which things, if they be +so, this is our commandment, which was granted and given by our +Majesty, that the English ship, and all the merchandise, and whatsoever +else was taken away, be wholly restored, and that the Englishmen be let +go free, and suffered to return into their country. Wherefore, when +this our commandment shall come unto thee, we straightly command that +the foresaid business be diligently looked unto and discharged. And if +it be so that a Frenchman, and no Englishman, hath done this craft and +wickedness, unknown to the Englishmen, and, as author of the +wickedness, is punished, and that the Englishmen committed nothing +against the peace and league, or their articles; also, if they paid +custom according to order, it is against law, custom of countries, and +their privilege, to hinder or hurt them. Neither is it meet their +ship, merchandise, and all their goods taken should be withholden. We +will, therefore, that the English ship, merchandise, and all other +their goods, without exception, be restored to the Englishmen; also, +that the men be let go free, and, if they will, let none hinder them to +return peaceably into their country; do not commit that they another +time complain of this matter, and how this business is despatched +certify us at our most famous porch. Dated in the city of +Constantinople, in the nine hundred and ninety-second year of Mahomet, +and in the end of the month of October, and the year of Jesus 1584. + + +A LETTER OF MASTER WILLIAM HAREBROWNE, THE ENGLISH AMBASSADOR, LEDGER +IN CONSTANTINOPLE, TO THE PASHA ROMADAN, THE BEGLERBEG OF TRIPOLIS, IN +BARBARY, FOR THE RESTORING OF AN ENGLISH SHIP, CALLED THE JESUS, WITH +GOODS AND MEN DETAINED AS SLAVES, 1585. + +Right Honourable Lord, it hath been signified unto us by divers +letters, what hath fallen out concerning a certain ship of ours, called +the Jesus, into which, for the help of Richard Skegs, one of our +merchants in the same, now deceased, there was admitted a certain +Frenchman, called Romaine Sonnings, which for his ill behaviour, +according to his deserts, seeking to carry away with him another +Frenchman, which was indebted to certain of your people, without paying +his creditors, was hanged by sentence of justice, together with Andrew +Dier, the master of the said ship, who, simply and without fraud, +giving credit to the said Frenchman, without any knowledge of this evil +fact, did not return when he was commanded by your honourable lordship. +The death of the said lewd Frenchman we approve as a thing well done, +but contrariwise, whereas your lordship hath confiscated the said ship, +with the goods therein, and hath made slaves of the mariners, as a +thing altogether contrary to the privileges of the Grand Signior, +granted four years since, and confirmed by us, on the behalf of the +most excellent the Queen's Majesty of England, our mistress, and +altogether contrary to the league of the said Grand Signior, who, being +fully informed of the aforesaid cause, hath granted unto us his royal +commandment of restitution, which we send unto your honourable lordship +by the present bearer, Edward Barton, our secretary, and Mahomet Beg, +one of the justices of his stately court, with other letters of the +most excellent Admiral and most valiant captain of the sea, requiring +your most honourable lordship, as well on the behalf of the Grand +Signior as of the Queen's most Excellent Majesty, my mistress, that the +men, oils, ship, furniture, money, and all other goods whatsoever, by +your lordship and your order taken from our men, be restored unto this +my secretary freely, without delay, as the Grand Signior of his +goodness hath granted unto us, especially in regard that the same oils +were bought by the commandment of our Queen's most Excellent Majesty +for the provision of her Court. Which if you perform not, we protest +by these our letters against you, that you are the cause of all the +inconveniences which may ensue upon this occasion, as the author +thereof contrary to the holy league sworn by both our princes, as by +the privileges, which this our servant will show you, may appear. For +the seeing of which league performed, we remain here as Ledger in this +stately court, and by this means you shall answer in another world unto +God alone, and in this world unto the Grand Signior, for this heinous +sin committed by you against so many poor souls, which by this your +cruelty are in part dead, and in part detained by you in most miserable +captivity. Contrariwise, if it shall please you to avoid this +mischief, and to remain in the favour of Almighty God and of our +princes, you shall friendly fulfil this our just demand (as it behoveth +you to show yourself a prudent governor and faithful servant unto your +lord), and the same may turn to your great honour and profit by the +trade of merchandise, which our men in time to come may use in that +government of yours, which, generally, as well those poor men as all +others which you shall meet at the sea, ought to be, according to the +commandment of the Grand Signior, friendly entertained and received of +your honourable lordship; and we will not fail in the duties of a +special friend whatsoever you shall have occasion to use us as we +desire. Almighty God grant unto your lordship (in the fulfilling of +this our just request, whereby we may be delivered from further trouble +in this matter and yourself from further displeasure) all true felicity +and increase of honour. Given in our palace from Capamat, in Pera, the +15th of January, 1585. + + +A BRIEF EXTRACT SPECIFYING THE CERTAIN DAILY PAYMENTS, ANSWERED +QUARTERLY IN TIME OF PEACE, BY THE GRAND SIGNIOR, OUT OF HIS TREASURY, +TO THE OFFICERS OF HIS SERAGLIO OR COURT, SUCCESSIVELY IN DEGREES; +COLLECTED IN A YEARLY TOTAL SUM AS FOLLOWETH: + +For his own diet every day, one thousand and one aspers, according to a +former custom received from his ancestors; notwithstanding that +otherwise his diurnal expense is very much, and not certainly known, +which sum maketh sterling money by the year, two thousand one hundred +and ninety-two pounds, three shillings, and eightpence. + +The forty-five thousand janisaries, reparted into sundry places of his +dominions, at five aspers a day, amounteth by the year, five hundred +fourscore and eleven thousand and three hundred pounds. + +The azamoglans' tribute children far surmount that number, for that +they are collected from among the Christians, from whom between the +years of five and twelve they are pulled away yearly perforce; whereof +I suppose those in service may be equal in number with the janisaries +abovesaid, at three aspers a day, one with another, which is two +hundred fourscore and fifteen thousand five hundred and fifty pounds. + +The five Pashas whereof the Viceroy is supreme, at one thousand aspers +the day, besides their yearly revenues, amounteth sterling by the year, +ten thousand nine hundred and fifty pounds. + +The five Beglerbegs, chief presidents of Greece, Hungary, and Slavonia, +being in Europe, in Anatolia, and Carmania of Asia, at one thousand +aspers the day; as also to eighteen other governors of provinces at +five hundred aspers the day, amounteth by the year thirty thousand five +hundred and threescore pounds. + +The Pasha, admiral of the sea, one thousand aspers the day, two +thousand one hundred fourscore and ten thousand pounds. + +The Aga of the janisaries, general of the footmen, five hundred aspers +the day, and maketh by the year in sterling money one thousand +fourscore and fifteen pounds. + +The Imbrahur Pasha, master of his horse, one hundred and fifty aspers +the day, in sterling money three hundred and eight and twenty pounds. + +The chief esquire under him, one hundred and fifty aspers, is three +hundred and eight and twenty pounds. + +The Agas of the Spahi, captains of the horsemen, five at one hundred +and fifty aspers to either of them, maketh sterling one thousand nine +hundred threescore and eleven pounds. + +The Capagi Pashas, head porters, four, one hundred and fifty aspers to +each, and maketh out in sterling money by the year, one thousand three +hundred and fourteen pounds. + +The Sisinghir Pasha, controller of the household, one hundred and +twenty aspers the day, and maketh out in sterling money by the year, +two hundred threescore and two pounds, sixteen shillings. + +The Chiaus Pasha, captain of the pensioners, one hundred and twenty +aspers the day, and amounteth to, by the year, in sterling money, two +hundred threescore and two pounds, sixteen shillings. + +The Capigilar Caiafi, captain of his barge, one hundred and twenty +aspers the day, and maketh out by the year, in sterling money, two +hundred threescore and two pounds, sixteen shillings. + +The Solach Bassi, captain of his guard, one hundred and twenty aspers, +two hundred threescore and two pounds, sixteen shillings. + +The Giebrigi Bassi, master of the armoury, one hundred and twenty +aspers, two hundred threescore and two pounds, sixteen shillings. + +The Topagi Bassi, master of the artillery, one hundred and twenty +aspers, two hundred threescore and two pounds, sixteen shillings. + +The Echim Bassi, physician to his person, one hundred and twenty +aspers, two hundred threescore and two pounds, sixteen shillings. + +The forty physicians under him, to each forty aspers is three thousand +eight hundred threescore and six pounds, sixteen shillings. + +The Mustafaracas, spearmen attending on his person, in number 500, to +either threescore aspers, and maketh sterling threescore and five +thousand and seven hundred pounds. + +The Cisingeri, gentlemen attending upon his diet, forty, at forty +aspers each of them, and amounteth to sterling by the year, three +thousand five hundred and four pounds. + +The Chiausi, pensioners, four hundred and forty, at thirty aspers, +twenty-eight thousand nine hundred and eight pounds. + +The Capagi, porters of the Court and city, four hundred at eight +aspers, and maketh sterling money by the year, seven thousand and eight +pounds. + +The Solachi, archers of his guard, three hundred and twenty, at nine +aspers, and cometh unto, in English money, the sum of six thousand +three hundred and six pounds. + +The Spahi, men of arms of the Court and the city, ten thousand, at +twenty-five aspers, and maketh of English money, five hundred forty and +seven thousand and five hundred pounds. + +The Janisaries, sixteen thousand, at six aspers, is two hundred and ten +thousand and two hundred and forty pounds. + +The Giebegi, furbishers of armour, one thousand five hundred, at six +aspers, and amounteth to sterling money, nineteen thousand seven +hundred and fourscore pounds. + +The Seiefir, servitors in his esquire or stable, five hundred, at two +aspers, and maketh sterling money, two thousand one hundred fourscore +and ten pounds. + +The Saefi, saddlers and bit-makers, five hundred, at seven aspers, +seven thousand six hundred threescore and five pounds. + +The Capergi, carriers upon mules, two hundred, at five aspers, two +thousand one hundred fourscore and ten pounds. + +The Ginegi, carriers upon camels, one thousand five hundred, at eight +aspers, and amounteth in sterling money to twenty-six thousand two +hundred and fourscore pounds. + +The Reiz, or captains of the galleys, three hundred, at ten aspers, and +amounteth in English money, by the year, the sum of six thousand five +hundred threescore and ten pounds. + +The Alechingi, masters of the said galleys, three hundred, at seven +aspers, four thousand five hundred fourscore and nineteen pounds. + +The Getti, boatswains thereof, three hundred, at six aspers, is three +thousand nine hundred forty and two pounds. + +The Oda Bassi, pursers, three hundred, at five aspers, maketh three +thousand two hundred and fourscore pounds. + +The Azappi, soldiers, two thousand six hundred, at four aspers, whereof +the five hundred do continually keep the galleys, two-and-twenty +thousand seven hundred fourscore and six pounds. + +The Mariers Bassi, masters over the shipwrights and caulkers of the +navy, nine, at twenty aspers the piece, amounteth to three thousand +fourscore and four pounds, four shillings. + +The Master Dassi, shipwrights and caulkers, one thousand, at fourteen +aspers, and amounteth to, by the year, thirty thousand six hundred and +threescore pounds. + +Summa totalis of daily payments amounteth by the year sterling one +million nine hundred threescore eight thousand seven hundred and +thirtyfive pounds, nineteen shillings, and eight pence, answered +quarterly without default with the sum of four hundred fourscore twelve +thousand one hundred fourscore and four pounds, four shillings, and +eleven pence, and is for every day five thousand three hundred +fourscore and thirteen pounds, fifteen shillings, and ten pence. + + +ANNUITIES OF LANDS NEVER IMPROVED FIVE TIMES MORE IN VALUE THAN THEIR +SUMS MENTIONED, GIVEN BY THE SAID GRAND SIGNIOR AS FOLLOWETH: + +To the Viceroy for his timar or annuity, 60,000 gold ducats. + +To the second pasha for his annuity, 50,000 ducats. + +To the third pasha for his annuity, 40,000 ducats. + +To the fourth pasha for his annuity, 30,000 ducats. + +To the fifth pasha for his annuity, 20,000 ducats. + +To the captain of the janisaries, 20,000 ducats. + +To the Jou Merhor Bassi, master of his horse, 15,000 ducats. + +To the captain of the pensioners, 10,000 ducats. + +To the captain of his guard, 5,000 ducats. + +Summa totalis, 90,000 livres sterling. + +Besides these above specified be sundry other annuities, given to +divers others of his aforesaid officers, as also to certain persons +called Sahims, diminishing from three thousand to two hundred ducats, +esteemed treble to surmount the annuity abovesaid. + + +THE TURK'S CHIEF OFFICERS. + +The Viceroy is high treasurer, notwithstanding that under him be three +sub-treasurers, called Testaders, which be accountable to him of the +receipts out of Europe, Asia, and Africa, save their yearly annuity of +lands. + +The Lord Chancellor is called Nissangi Pasha, who sealeth with a +certain proper character such licenses, safe-conducts, passports, +especial grants, etc., as proceed from the Grand Signior; +notwithstanding all letters to foreign princes so firmed be after +enclosed in a bag and sealed by the Grand Signior, with a signet which +he ordinarily weareth about his neck, credited of them to have been of +ancient appertaining to King Solomon the Wise. + +The Admiral giveth his voice in the election of all begies, captains of +islands (to whom he giveth their charge), as also appointeth the sub- +pashas, bailies or constables over cities and towns upon the sea-coasts +about Constantinople and in the Archipelago, whereof he reapeth great +profit. + +The Sub-Bassi of Pera payeth him nearly fifteen thousand ducats, and so +likewise either of the others, according as they are placed. + +The Resistop serveth in office to the Viceroy and Chancellor as +secretary, and so likewise doth the Cogy, Master of the Rolls, before +which two pass all writings presented to or granted by the said Viceroy +and Chancellor, offices of especial credit and like profit, moreover +rewarded with annuities of lands. + +There be also two chief judges named Ladies Lisguire, the one over +Europe and the other over Asia and Africa, which in court do sit on the +bench at the left hand of the pashas. These sell all offices to the +under-judges of the land called Cadies, whereof is one in every city or +town, before whom all matters of controversy are by judgment decided, +as also penalties and corrections for crimes ordained to be executed +upon the offenders by the Sub-bassi. + + +THE NUMBER OF SOLDIERS CONTINUALLY ATTENDING UPON THE BEGLERBEGS, THE +GOVERNORS OF PROVINCES, AND SANGIACKS, AND THEIR PETTY CAPTAINS +MAINTAINED OF THESE PROVINCES. + +The Beglerbegs of . . . Persons. + +Graecia 40,000 +Buda 15,000 +Slavonia 15,000 +Anatolia 15,000 +Caramania 15,000 +Armenia 18,000 +Persia 20,000 +Usdrum 15,000 +Chirusta 15,000 +Caraemiti 30,000 +Giersul 32,000 +Bagdad 25,000 +Balsara 22,000 +Lassaija 17,000 +Aleppo 25,000 +Damascus 17,000 +Cairo 12,000 +Abes 12,000 +Mecca 8,000 +Cyprus 18,000 +Tunis, in Barbary 8,000 +Tripolis, in Syria 8,000 +Algiers 40,000 + +Whose sangiacks and petty captains be three hundred and sixty-eight, +every of which retaining continually in pay from five hundred to two +hundred soldiers, may be, one with another, at least three hundred +thousand persons. + + +CHIEF OFFICERS IN HIS SERAGLIO ABOUT HIS PERSON BE THESE: + +Capiaga, high porter. +Alnader Bassi, treasurer. +Oda Bassi, chamberlain. +Killergi Bassi, steward. +Saraiaga, controller. +Peskerolen, groom of the chamber. +Edostoglan, gentleman of the ewer. +Sehetaraga, armour-bearer. +Choataraga, he that carrieth his riding cloak. Ebietaraga, groom of +the stool. + +There be many other meaner offices, which I esteem superfluous to +write. + + +THE TURK'S YEARLY REVENUE. + +The Grand Signior's annual revenue is said to be fourteen millions and +a half of golden ducats, which is sterling five millions eightscore +thousand pounds. + +The tribute paid by the Christians, his subjects, is one gold ducat +yearly for the redemption of every head, which may amount unto not so +little as one million of golden ducats, which is sterling three hundred +and threescore thousand pounds. + +Moreover, in time of war he exacteth manifold sums, for maintenance of +his army and navy, of the said Christians. + +The Emperor payeth him yearly tribute for Hungary threescore thousand +dollars, which is sterling thirteen thousand pounds, besides presents +to the Viceroy and pashas, which are said to surmount twenty thousand +dollars. + + +AMBASSADORS' ALLOWANCES. + +The ambassador of the Emperor is allowed one thousand aspers the day. + +The ambassador of the French king heretofore enjoyed the like; but of +late years, by means of displeasure conceived by Mahomet, then Viceroy, +it was reduced to six crowns the day, besides the provision of his +esquire of stable. + +The ambassador of Poland and for the State of Venice are not Ledgers as +these two abovesaid. The said Polack is allowed twelve French crowns +the day during his abode, which may be for a month. Very seldom do the +State of Venice send any ambassador otherwise than enforced of urgent +necessity; but instead thereof keep there their agent, president over +their merchants, of them termed a bailiff, who hath no allowance of the +Grand Signior, although his port and state is in manner as magnifical +as the other aforesaid ambassadors'. The Spanish ambassador was equal +with others in janisaries; but for so much as he would not, according +to custom, follow the list of other ambassadors in making presents to +the Grand Signior, he had no allowance. His abode there was three +years, at the end whereof, having concluded a truce for six years, +taking place from his first coming in November last past, he was never +admitted to the presence of the Grand Signior. + + ----- + + +A TRUE REPORT OF A WORTHY FIGHT, PERFORMED IN THE VOYAGE FROM TURKEY BY +FIVE SHIPS OF LONDON, AGAINST ELEVEN GALLEYS AND TWO FRIGATES OF THE +KING OF SPAIN'S, AT PANTALAREA, WITHIN THE STRAITS, ANNO 1586. WRITTEN +BY PHILIP JONES. + +The merchants of London, being of the incorporation for the Turkey +trade, having received intelligences and advertisements from time to +time that the King of Spain, grudging at the prosperity of this +kingdom, had not only of late arrested all English ships, bodies, and +goods in Spain, but also, maligning the quiet traffic which they used, +to and in the dominions and provinces under the obedience of the Great +Turk, had given orders to the captains of his galleys in the Levant to +hinder the passage of all English ships, and to endeavour by their best +means to intercept, take, and spoil them, their persons and goods; they +hereupon thought it their best course to set out their fleet for Turkey +in such strength and ability for their defence that the purpose of +their Spanish enemy might the better be prevented, and the voyage +accomplished with greater security to the men and ships. For which +cause, five tall and stout ships appertaining to London, and intending +only a merchant's voyage, were provided and furnished with all things +belonging to the seas, the names whereof were these:-- + +1. The Merchant Royal, a very brave and goodly ship, and of great +report. +2. The Toby. +3. The Edward Bonaventure. +4. The William and John. +5. The Susan. + +These five departing from the coast of England in the month of +November, 1585, kept together as one fleet till they came as high as +the isle of Sicily, within the Levant. And there, according to the +order and direction of the voyage, each ship began to take leave of the +rest, and to separate himself, setting his course for the particular +port whereunto he was bound--one for Tripolis in Syria, another for +Constantinople, the chief city of the Turk's empire, situated upon the +coast of Roumelia, called of old Thracia, and the rest to those places +whereunto they were privately appointed. But before they divided +themselves, they altogether consulted of and about a certain and +special place for their meeting again after the lading of their goods +at their several ports. And in conclusion, the general agreement was +to meet at Zante, an island near to the main continent of the west part +of Morea, well known to all the pilots, and thought to be the fittest +place for their rendezvous; concerning which meeting it was also +covenanted on each side and promised that whatsoever ship of these five +should first arrive at Zante, should there stay and expect the coming +of the rest of the fleet for the space of twenty days. This being +done, each man made his best haste, according as wind and weather would +serve him, to fulfil his course and to despatch his business; and no +need was there to admonish or encourage any man, seeing no time was +ill-spent nor opportunity omitted on any side in the performance of +each man's duty, according to his place. + +It fell out that the Toby, which was bound for Constantinople, had made +such good speed, and gotten such good weather, that she first of all +the rest came back to the appointed place of Zante, and not forgetting +the former conclusion, did there cast anchor, attending the arrival of +the rest of the fleet, which accordingly (their business first +performed) failed not to keep promise. The first next after the Toby +was the Royal Merchant, which, together with the William and John, came +from Tripolis in Syria, and arrived in Zante within the compass of the +aforesaid time limited. These ships, in token of the joy on all parts +conceived for their happy meeting, spared not the discharging of their +ordnance, the sounding of drums and trumpets, the spreading of ensigns, +with other warlike and joyful behaviours, expressing by these outward +signs the inward gladness of their minds, being all as ready to join +together in mutual consent to resist the cruel enemy, as now in +sporting manner they made mirth and pastime among themselves. These +three had not been long in the haven but the Edward Bonaventure, +together with the Susan her consort, were come from Venice with their +lading, the sight of whom increased the joy of the rest, and they, no +less glad of the presence of the others, saluted them in most friendly +and kind sort, according to the manner of the seas. And whereas some +of these ships stood at that instant in some want of victuals, they +were all content to stay in the port till the necessities of each ship +were supplied, and nothing wanted to set out for their return. + +In this port of Zante the news was fresh and current of two several +armies and fleets, provided by the King of Spain, and lying in wait to +intercept them: the one consisting of thirty strong galleys, so well +appointed in all respects for the war that no necessary thing wanted, +and this fleet hovered about the Straits of Gibraltar. The other army +had in it twenty galleys, whereof some were of Sicily and some of the +island of Malta, under the charge and government of John Andreas Dorea, +a captain of name serving the King of Spain. These two divers and +strong fleets waited and attended in the seas for none but the English +ships, and no doubt made their account and sure reckoning that not a +ship should escape their fury. And the opinion also of the inhabitants +of the isle of Zante was, that in respect of the number of galleys in +both these armies having received such strait commandment from the +king, our ships and men being but few and little in comparison of them, +it was a thing in human reason impossible that we should pass either +without spoiling, if we resisted, or without composition at the least, +and acknowledgment of duty to the Spanish king. + +But it was neither the report of the attendance of these armies, nor +the opinions of the people, nor anything else, that could daunt or +dismay the courage of our men, who, grounding themselves upon the +goodness of their cause and the promise of God to be delivered from +such as without reason sought their destruction, carried resolute minds +notwithstanding all impediments to adventure through the seas, and to +finish their navigation maugre the beards of the Spanish soldiers. But +lest they should seem too careless and too secure of their estate, and +by laying the whole and entire burden of their safety upon God's +Providence should foolishly presume altogether of His help, and neglect +the means which was put into their hands, they failed not to enter into +counsel among themselves and to deliberate advisedly for their best +defence. And in the end, with general consent, the Merchant Royal was +appointed Admiral of the fleet, and the Toby Vice-Admiral, by whose +orders the rest promised to be directed, and each ship vowed not to +break from another whatsoever extremity should fall out, but to stand +to it to the death, for the honour of their country and the frustrating +of the hope of the ambitious and proud enemy. + +Thus in good order they left Zante and the Castle of Grecia, and +committed themselves again to the seas, and proceeded in their course +and voyage in quietness, without sight of any enemy till they came near +to Pantalarea, an island so called betwixt Sicily and the coast of +Africa; into sight whereof they came the 13th day of July, 1586. And +the same day, in the morning, about seven of the clock, they descried +thirteen sails in number, which were of the galleys lying in wait of +purpose for them in and about that place. As soon as the English ships +had spied them, they by-and-bye, according to a common order, made +themselves ready for a fight, laid out their ordnance, scoured, +charged, and primed them, displayed their ensigns, and left nothing +undone to arm themselves thoroughly. In the meantime, the galleys more +and more approached the ships, and in their banners there appeared the +arms of the isles of Sicily and Malta, being all as then in the service +and pay of the Spaniard. Immediately both the Admirals of the galleys +sent from each of them a frigate to the Admiral of our English ships, +which being come near them, the Sicilian frigate first hailed them, and +demanded of them whence they were; they answered that they were of +England, the arms whereof appeared in their colours. Whereupon the +said frigate expostulated with them, and asked why they delayed to send +or come with their captains and pursers to Don Pedro de Leiva, their +General, to acknowledge their duty and obedience to him, in the name of +the Spanish king, lord of those seas. Our men replied and said that +they owed no such duty nor obedience to him, and therefore would +acknowledge none; but commanded the frigate to depart with that answer, +and not to stay longer upon her peril. With that away she went; and up +came towards them the other frigate of Malta; and she in like sort +hailed the Admiral, and would needs know whence they were and where +they had been. Our Englishmen in the Admiral, not disdaining an +answer, told them that they were of England, merchants of London, had +been in Turkey, and were now returning home; and to be requited in this +case, they also demanded of the frigate whence she and the rest of the +galleys were. The messenger answered, "We are of Malta, and for mine +own part, my name is Cavalero. These galleys are in service and pay to +the King of Spain, under the conduct of Don Pedro de Leiva, a nobleman +of Spain who hath been commanded hither by the king with this present +force and army of purpose to intercept you. You shall therefore," +quoth he, "do well to repair to him to know his pleasure; he is a +nobleman of good behaviour and courtesy, and means you no ill." The +captain of the English Admiral, whose name was Master Edward Wilkinson, +now one of the six masters of Her Majesty's Royal Navy, replied and +said, "We purpose not at this time to make trial of Don Pedro his +courtesy, whereof we are suspicious and doubtful, and not without good +cause;" using withal good words to the messenger, and willing him to +come aboard him, promising security and good usage, that thereby he +might the better know the Spaniard's mind. Whereupon he indeed left +his frigate and came aboard him, whom he entertained in friendly sort, +and caused a cup of wine to be drawn for him, which he took, and began, +with his cap in his hand and with reverent terms, to drink to the +health of the Queen of England, speaking very honourably of Her +Majesty, and giving good speeches of the courteous usage and +entertainment that he himself had received in London at the time that +the Duke of Alencon, brother to the late French king, was last in +England. And after he had well drunk, he took his leave, speaking well +of the sufficiency and goodness of our ships, and especially of the +Merchant Royal, which he confessed to have seen before, riding in the +Thames near London. He was no sooner come to Don Pedro de Leiva, the +Spanish General, but he was sent off again, and returned to the English +Admiral, saying that the pleasure of the General was this, that either +their captains, masters, and pursers should come to him with speed, or +else he would set upon them, and either take them or sink them. The +reply was made by Master Wilkinson aforesaid that not a man should come +to him; and for the brag and threat of Don Pedro, it was not that +Spanish bravado that should make them yield a jot to their hindrance, +but they were as ready to make resistance as he to offer an injury. +Whereupon Cavalero the messenger left bragging, and began to persuade +them in quiet sort and with many words; but all his labour was to no +purpose, and as his threat did nothing terrify them, so his persuasion +did nothing move them to do that which he required. At the last he +entreated to have the merchant of the Admiral carried by him as a +messenger to the General, that so he might be satisfied and assured of +their minds by one of their own company. But Master Wilkinson would +agree to no such thing; although Richard Rowit, the merchant himself, +seemed willing to be employed in that message, and laboured by +reasonable persuasions to induce Master Wilkinson to grant it--as +hoping to be an occasion by his presence and discreet answers to +satisfy the General, and thereby to save the effusion of Christian +blood, if it should grow to a battle. And he seemed so much the more +willing to be sent, by how much deeper the oaths and protestations of +this Cavalero were, that he would (as he was a true knight and a +soldier) deliver him back again in safety to his company. Albeit, +Master Wilkinson, who, by his long experience, had received sufficient +trial of Spanish inconstancy and perjury, wished him in no case to put +his life and liberty in hazard upon a Spaniard's oath; but at last, +upon much entreaty, he yielded to let him go to the General, thinking +indeed that good speeches and answers of reason would have contented +him, whereas, otherwise, refusal to do so might peradventure have +provoked the more discontentment. + +Master Rowit, therefore, passing to the Spanish General, the rest of +the galleys, having espied him, thought, indeed, that the English were +rather determined to yield than to fight, and therefore came flocking +about the frigate, every man crying out, "Que nuevas? que nuevas? Have +these Englishmen yielded?" The frigate answered, "Not so; they neither +have nor purpose to yield. Only they have sent a man of their company +to speak with our General." And being come to the galley wherein he +was, he showed himself to Master Rowit in his armour, his guard of +soldiers attending upon him, in armour also, and began to speak very +proudly in this sort: "Thou Englishman, from whence is your fleet? +Why stand ye aloof off? know ye not your duty to the Catholic king, +whose person I here represent? Where are your bills of lading, your +letters, passports, and the chief of your men? Think ye my attendance +in these seas to be in vain, or my person to no purpose? Let all these +things be done out of hand, as I command, upon pain of my further +displeasure, and the spoil of you all." These words of the Spanish +General were not so outrageously pronounced, as they were mildly +answered by Master Rowit, who told him that they were all merchantmen, +using traffic in honest sort, and seeking to pass quietly, if they were +not urged further than reason. As for the King of Spain, he thought +(for his part) that there was amity betwixt him and his Sovereign, the +Queen of England, so that neither he nor his officers should go about +to offer any such injury to English merchants, who, as they were far +from giving offence to any man, so they would be loth to take an abuse +at the hands of any, or sit down to their loss, where their ability was +able to make defence. And as touching his commandment aforesaid for +the acknowledging of duty in such particular sort, he told him that, +where there was no duty owing there none should be performed, assuring +him that their whole company and ships in general stood resolutely upon +the negative, and would not yield to any such unreasonable demand, +joined with such imperious and absolute manner of commanding. "Why, +then," said he, "if they will neither come to yield, nor show obedience +to me in the name of my king, I will either sink them or bring them to +harbour; and so tell them from me." With that the frigate came away +with Master Rowit, and brought him aboard to the English Admiral again, +according to promise, who was no sooner entered in but by-and-bye +defiance was sounded on both sides. The Spaniards hewed off the noses +of the galleys, that nothing might hinder the level of the shot; and +the English, on the other side, courageously prepared themselves to the +combat, every man, according to his room, bent to perform his office +with alacrity and diligence. In the meantime a cannon was discharged +from out the Admiral of the galleys, which, being the onset of the +fight, was presently answered by the English Admiral with a culverin; +so the skirmish began, and grew hot and terrible. There was no powder +nor shot spared, each English ship matched itself in good order against +two Spanish galleys, besides the inequality of the frigates on the +Spanish side. And although our men performed their parts with singular +valour, according to their strength, insomuch that the enemy, as amazed +therewith, would oftentimes pause and stay, and consult what was best +to be done, yet they ceased not in the midst of their business to make +prayer to Almighty God, the revenger of all evils and the giver of +victories, that it would please Him to assist them in this good quarrel +of theirs, in defending themselves against so proud a tyrant, to teach +their hands to war and their fingers to fight, that the glory of the +victory might redound to His name, and to the honour of true religion, +which the insolent enemy sought so much to overthrow. Contrarily, the +foolish Spaniards, they cried out, according to their manner, not to +God, but to our Lady (as they term the Virgin Mary) saying, "Oh, Lady, +help! Oh, blessed Lady, give us the victory, and the honour thereof +shall be thine." Thus with blows and prayers on both sides, the fight +continued furious and sharp, and doubtful a long time to which part the +victory would incline, till at last the Admiral of the galleys of +Sicily began to warp from the fight, and to hold up her side for fear +of sinking, and after her went also two others in like case, whom all +the sort of them enclosed, labouring by all their means to keep them +above water, being ready by the force of English shot which they had +received to perish in the seas. And what slaughter was done among the +Spaniards the English were uncertain, but by a probable conjecture +apparent afar off they supposed their loss was so great that they +wanted men to continue the charging of their pieces; whereupon with +shame and dishonour, after five hours spent in the battle, they +withdrew themselves. And the English, contented in respect of their +deep lading rather to continue their voyage than to follow in the +chase, ceased from further blows, with the loss of only two men slain +amongst them all, and another hurt in his arm, whom Master Wilkinson, +with his good words and friendly promises, did so comfort that he +nothing esteemed the smart of his wound, in respect of the honour of +the victory and the shameful repulse of the enemy. + +Thus, with dutiful thanks to the mercy of God for His gracious +assistance in that danger, the English ships proceeded in their +navigation. And coming as high as Algiers, a port town upon the coast +of Barbary, they made for it, of purpose to refresh themselves after +their weariness, and to take in such supply of fresh water and victuals +as they needed. They were no sooner entered into the port but +immediately the king thereof sent a messenger to the ships to know what +they were. With which messenger the chief master of every ship +repaired to the king, and acquainted him not only with the state of +their ships in respect of merchandise, but with the late fight which +they had passed with the Spanish galleys, reporting every particular +circumstance in word as it fell out in action; whereof the said king +showed himself marvellous glad, entertaining them in the best sort, and +promising abundant relief of all their wants; making general +proclamation in the city, upon pain of death, that no man, of what +degree or state soever he were, should presume either to hinder them in +their affairs or to offer them any manner of injury in body or goods; +by virtue whereof they despatched all things in excellent good sort +with all favour and peaceableness. Only such prisoners and captives of +the Spaniards as were in the city, seeing the good usage which they +received, and hearing also what service they had performed against the +foresaid galleys, grudged exceedingly against them, and sought as much +as they could to practise some mischief against them. And one amongst +the rest, seeing an Englishman alone in a certain lane of the city, +came upon him suddenly, and with his knife thrust him in the side, yet +made no such great wound but that it was easily recovered. The English +company, hearing of it, acquainted the king of the fact; who +immediately sent both for the party that had received the wound and the +offender also, and caused an executioner, in the presence of himself +and the English, to chastise the slave even to death, which was +performed, to the end that no man should presume to commit the like +part or to do anything in contempt of his royal commandment. + +The English, having received this good justice at the king's hands, and +all other things that they wanted or could crave for the furnishing of +their ships, took their leave of him, and of the rest of their friends +that were resident in Algiers, and put out to sea, looking to meet with +the second army of the Spanish king, which waited for them about the +mouth of the Strait of Gibraltar, which they were of necessity to pass. +But coming near to the said strait, it pleased God to raise, at that +instant, a very dark and misty fog, so that one ship could not discern +another if it were forty paces off, by means whereof, together with the +notable fair Eastern winds that then blew most fit for their course, +they passed with great speed through the strait, and might have passed, +with that good gale, had there been five hundred galleys to withstand +them and the air never so clear for every ship to be seen. But yet the +Spanish galleys had a sight of them, when they were come within three +English miles of the town, and made after them with all possible haste; +and although they saw that they were far out of their reach, yet in a +vain fury and foolish pride, they shot off their ordnance and made a +stir in the sea as if they had been in the midst of them, which vanity +of theirs ministered to our men notable matter of pleasure and mirth, +seeing men to fight with shadows and to take so great pains to so small +purpose. + +But thus it pleased God to deride and delude all the forces of that +proud Spanish king, which he had provided of purpose to distress the +English; who, notwithstanding, passed through both his armies--in the +one, little hurt, and in the other, nothing touched, to the glory of +His immortal name, the honour of our prince and country, and the just +commendation of each man's service performed in that voyage. + + ----- + + + +THE UNFORTUNATE VOYAGE MADE WITH THE JESUS, THE MINION, AND FOUR OTHER +SHIPS, TO THE PARTS OF GUINEA AND THE WEST INDIES, IN THE YEARS 1567 +AND 1568. BY MASTER JOHN HAWKINS. + +The ships departed from Plymouth the 2nd day of October, anno 1567, and +had reasonable weather until the seventh day, at which time, forty +leagues north from Cape Finisterre, there arose an extreme storm which +continued four days, in such sort that the fleet was dispersed and all +our great boats lost, and the Jesus, our chief ship, in such case as +not thought able to serve the voyage. Whereupon in the same storm we +set our course homeward, determining to give over the voyage; but the +11th day of the same month the wind changed, with fair weather, whereby +we were animated to follow our enterprise, and so did, directing our +course to the islands of Grand Canaries, where, according to an order +before prescribed, all our ships, before dispersed, met in one of those +islands, called Gomera, where we took water, and departed from thence +the 4th day of November towards the coast of Guinea, and arrived at +Cape Verde the 18th of November, where we landed one hundred and fifty +men, hoping to obtain some negroes; where we got but few, and those +with great hurt and damage to our men, which chiefly proceeded from +their envenomed arrows; although in the beginning they seemed to be but +small hurts, yet there hardly escaped any that had blood drawn of them +but died in strange sort, with their mouths shut, some ten days before +they died, and after their wounds were whole; where I myself had one of +the greatest wounds, yet, thanks be to God, escaped. From thence we +passed the time upon the coast of Guinea, searching with all diligence +the rivers from Rio Grande unto Sierra Leone till the 12th of January, +in which time we had not gotten together a hundred and fifty negroes: +yet, notwithstanding the sickness of our men and the late time of the +year commanded us away: and thus having nothing wherewith to seek the +coast of the West Indies, I was with the rest of our company in +consultation to go to the coast of the Myne, hoping there to have +obtained some gold for our wares, and thereby to have defrayed our +charge. But even in that present instant there came to us a negro sent +from a king oppressed by other kings, his neighbours, desiring our aid, +with promise that as many negroes as by these wars might be obtained, +as well of his part as of ours, should be at our pleasure. Whereupon +we concluded to give aid, and sent one hundred and twenty of our men, +which the 15th of January assaulted a town of the negroes of our +allies' adversaries which had in it 8,000 inhabitants, and very +strongly impaled and fenced after their manner, but it was so well +defended that our men prevailed not, but lost six men, and forty hurt, +so that our men sent forthwith to me for more help; whereupon, +considering that the good success of this enterprise might highly +further the commodity of our voyage, I went myself, and with the help +of the king of our side assaulted the town, both by land and sea, and +very hardly with fire (their houses being covered with dry palm leaves) +obtained the town, and put the inhabitants to flight, where we took 250 +persons, men, women, and children, and by our friend the king of our +side there were taken 600 prisoners, whereof we hoped to have our +choice, but the negro (in which nation is seldom or never found truth) +meant nothing less; for that night he removed his camp and prisoners, +so that we were fain to content us with those few which we had gotten +ourselves. + +Now had we obtained between four and five hundred negroes, wherewith we +thought it somewhat reasonable to seek the coast of the West Indies, +and there, for our negroes, and other our merchandise, we hoped to +obtain whereof to countervail our charges with some gains, whereunto we +proceeded with all diligence, furnished our watering, took fuel, and +departed the coast of Guinea, the third of February, continuing at the +sea with a passage more hard than before hath been accustomed, till the +27th day of March, which day we had sight of an island, called +Dominique, upon the coast of the West Indies, in fourteen degrees: +from thence we coasted from place to place, making our traffic with the +Spaniards as we might, somewhat hardly, because the king had straitly +commanded all his governors in those parts by no means to suffer any +trade to be made with us; notwithstanding we had reasonable trade, and +courteous entertainment, from the Isle of Marguerite and Cartagena, +without anything greatly worth the noting, saving at Cape de la Vela, +in a town called Rio de la Hacha, from whence come all the pearls. The +treasurer who had the charge there would by no means agree to any +trade, or suffer us to take water. He had fortified his town with +divers bulwarks in all places where it might be entered, and furnished +himself with a hundred harquebusiers, so that he thought by famine to +have enforced us to have put on land our negroes, of which purpose he +had not greatly failed unless we had by force entered the town; which +(after we could by no means obtain his favour) we were enforced to do, +and so with two hundred men brake in upon their bulwarks, and entered +the town with the loss only of eleven men of our parts, and no hurt +done to the Spaniards, because after their volley of shot discharged, +they all fled. + +Thus having the town, with some circumstance, as partly by the +Spaniards' desire of negroes, and partly by friendship of the +treasurer, we obtained a secret trade; whereupon the Spaniards resorted +to us by night, and bought of us to the number of two hundred negroes: +in all other places where we traded the Spaniards inhabitants were glad +of us, and traded willingly. + +At Cartagena, the last town we thought to have seen on the coast, we +could by no means obtain to deal with any Spaniard, the governor was so +strait, and because our trade was so near finished, we thought not good +either to adventure any landing or to detract further time, but in +peace departed from thence the 24th of July, hoping to have escaped the +time of their storms, which then soon after began to reign, the which +they call Furicanos; but passing by the west end of Cuba, towards the +coast of Florida, there happened to us, the twelfth day of August, an +extreme storm, which continued by the space of four days, which so beat +the Jesus, that we cut down all her higher buildings; her rudder also +was sore shaken, and, withal, was in so extreme a leak, that we were +rather upon the point to leave her than to keep her any longer; yet, +hoping to bring all to good pass, sought the coast of Florida, where we +found no place nor haven for our ships, because of the shallowness of +the coast. Thus, being in greater despair, and taken with a new storm, +which continued other three days, we were enforced to take for our +succour the port which serveth the city of Mexico, called St. John de +Ullua, which standeth in nineteen degrees, in seeking of which port we +took in our way three ships, which carried passengers to the number of +one hundred, which passengers we hoped should be a means to us the +better to obtain victuals for our money and a quiet place for the +repairing of our fleet. Shortly after this, the sixteenth of +September, we entered the port of St. John de Ullua, and in our entry, +the Spaniards thinking us to be the fleet of Spain, the chief officers +of the country came aboard us, which, being deceived of their +expectation, were greatly dismayed, but immediately, when they saw our +demand was nothing but victuals, were recomforted. I found also in the +same port twelve ships, which had in them, by the report, 200,000 +livres in gold and silver, all which (being in my possession with the +King's island, as also the passengers before in my way thitherward +stayed) I set at liberty, without the taking from them the weight of a +groat; only, because I would not be delayed of my despatch, I stayed +two men of estimation, and sent post immediately to Mexico, which was +two hundred miles from us, to the presidents and Council there, showing +them of our arrival there by the force of weather, and the necessity of +the repair of our ship and victuals, which wants we required, as +friends to King Philip, to be furnished of for our money, and that the +presidents in council there should, with all convenient speed, take +order that at the arrival of the Spanish fleet, which was daily looked +for, there might no cause of quarrel rise between us and them, but, for +the better maintenance of amity, their commandment might be had in that +behalf. This message being sent away the 16th day of September, at +night, being the very day of our arrival, in the next morning, which +was the sixteenth day of the same month, we saw open of the haven +thirteen great ships, and understanding them to be the fleet of Spain, +I sent immediately to advertise the general of the fleet of my being +there, doing him to understand that, before I would suffer them to +enter the port, there should be some order of conditions pass between +us for our safe being there and maintenance of peace. Now, it is to be +understood that this port is a little island of stones, not three feet +above the water in the highest place, and but a bow-shot of length any +way. This island standeth from the mainland two bow-shots or more. +Also it is to be understood that there is not in all this coast any +other place for ships to arrive in safety, because the north wind hath +there such violence, that, unless the ships be very safely moored, with +their anchors fastened upon this island, there is no remedy for these +north winds but death; also, the place of the haven was so little, that +of necessity the ships must ride one aboard the other, so that we could +not give place to them nor they to us; and here I began to bewail the +which after followed: "For now," said I, "I am in two dangers, and +forced to receive the one of them." That was, either I must have kept +out the fleet from entering the port (the which, with God's help, I was +very well able to do), or else suffer them to enter in with their +accustomed treason, which they never fail to execute where they may +have opportunity, or circumvent it by any means. If I had kept them +out, then had there been present shipwreck of all the fleet, which +amounted in value to six millions, which was in value of our money +1,800,000 livres, which I considered I was not able to answer, fearing +the Queen's Majesty's indignation in so weighty a matter. Thus with +myself revolving the doubts, I thought rather better to abide the jutt +of the uncertainty than the certainty. The uncertain doubt was their +treason, which by good policy I hoped might be prevented; and +therefore, as choosing the least mischief, I proceeded to conditions. +Now was our first messenger come and returned from the fleet with +report of the arrival of a Viceroy, so that he had authority, both in +all this province of Mexico (otherwise called Nova Hispania) and in the +sea, who sent us word that we should send our conditions, which of his +part should (for the better maintenance of amity between the princes) +be both favourably granted and faithfully performed, with many fair +words how, passing the coast of the Indies, he had understood of our +honest behaviour towards the inhabitants, where we had to do as well +elsewhere as in the same port, the which I let pass, thus following our +demand. We required victual for our money, and licence to sell as much +ware as might furnish our wants, and that there might be of either part +twelve gentlemen as hostage for the maintenance of peace, and that the +island, for our better safety, might be in our own possession during +our abode there, and such ordnance as was planted in the same island, +which was eleven pieces of brass, and that no Spaniard might land in +the island with any kind of weapon. + +These conditions at the first he somewhat misliked--chiefly the guard +of the island to be in our own keeping; which, if they had had, we had +soon known our fate; for with the first north wind they had cut our +cables, and our ships had gone ashore; but in the end he concluded to +our request, bringing the twelve hostages to ten, which with all speed +on either part were received, with a writing from the Viceroy, signed +with his hand and sealed with his seal, of all the conditions +concluded, and forthwith a trumpet blown, with commandment that none of +either part should inviolate the peace upon pain of death; and, +further, it was concluded that the two generals of the fleet should +meet, and give faith each to other for the performance of the promises, +which was so done. + +Thus, at the end of three days, all was concluded, and the fleet +entered the port, saluting one another as the manner of the sea doth +require. Thus, as I said before, Thursday we entered the port, Friday +we saw the fleet, and on Monday, at night, they entered the port; then +we laboured two days, placing the English ships by themselves, and the +Spanish ships by themselves, the captains of each part, and inferior +men of their parts, promising great amity of all sides; which, even as +with all fidelity was meant of our part, though the Spanish meant +nothing less of their parts, but from the mainland had furnished +themselves with a supply of men to the number of one thousand, and +meant the next Thursday, being the 23rd of September, at dinner-time, +to set upon us of all sides. The same Thursday, the treason being at +hand, some appearance showed, as shifting of weapons from ship to ship, +planting and bending of ordnance from the ship to the island where our +men were, passing to and fro of companies of men more than required for +their necessary business, and many other ill likelihoods, which caused +us to have a vehement suspicion, and therewithal sent to the Viceroy to +inquire what was meant by it, which sent immediately straight +commandment to unplant all things suspicious, and also sent word that +he, in the faith of a Viceroy, would be our defence from all +villainies. Yet we, not being satisfied with this answer, because we +suspected a great number of men to be hid in a great ship of nine +hundred tons, which was moored next unto the Minion, sent again unto +the Viceroy the master of the Jesus, which had the Spanish tongue, and +required to be satisfied if any such thing were or not; on which the +Viceroy, seeing that the treason must be discovered, forthwith stayed +our master, blew the trumpet, and of all sides set upon us. Our men +which were on guard ashore, being stricken with sudden fear, gave +place, fled, and sought to recover succour of the ships; the Spaniards, +being before provided for the purpose, landed in all places in +multitudes from their ships, which they could easily do without boats, +and slew all our men ashore without mercy, a few of them escaping +aboard the Jesus. The great ship which had, by the estimation, three +hundred men placed in her secretly, immediately fell aboard the Minion, +which, by God's appointment, in the time of the suspicion we had, which +was only one half-hour, the Minion was made ready to avoid, and so, +loosing her headfasts, and hailing away by the sternfasts, she was +gotten out; thus, with God's help, she defended the violence of the +first brunt of these three hundred men. The Minion being passed out, +they came aboard the Jesus, which also, with very much ado and the loss +of many of our men, were defended and kept out. Then were there also +two other ships that assaulted the Jesus at the same instant, so that +she had hard work getting loose; but yet, with some time, we had cut +our headfasts, and gotten out by the sternfasts. Now, when the Jesus +and the Minion were gotten two ship-lengths from the Spanish fleet, the +fight began hot on all sides, so that within one hour the admiral of +the Spaniards was supposed to be sunk, their vice-admiral burned, and +one other of their principal ships supposed to be sunk, so that the +ships were little to annoy us. + +Then is it to be understood that all the ordnance upon the island was +in the Spaniards' hands, which did us so great annoyance that it cut +all the masts and yards of the Jesus in such sort, that there was no +hope to carry her away; also it sank our small ships, whereupon we +determined to place the Jesus on that side of the Minion, that she +might abide all the battery from the land, and so be a defence for the +Minion till night, and then to take such relief of victual and other +necessaries from the Jesus as the time would suffer us, and to leave +her. As we were thus determining, and had placed the Minion from the +shot of the land, suddenly the Spaniards had fired two great ships +which were coming directly to us, and having no means to avoid the +fire, it bred among our men a marvellous fear, so that some said, "Let +us depart with the Minion," others said, "Let us see whether the wind +will carry the fire from us." But to be short, the Minion's men, which +had always their sails in a readiness, thought to make sure work, and +so without either consent of the captain or master, cut their sail, so +that very hardly I was received into the Minion. + +The most part of the men that were left alive in the Jesus made shift +and followed the Minion in a small boat, the rest, which the little +boat was not able to receive, were enforced to abide the mercy of the +Spaniards (which I doubt was very little); so with the Minion only, and +the Judith (a small barque of fifty tons) we escaped, which barque the +same night forsook us in our great misery. We were now removed with +the Minion from the Spanish ships two bow-shots, and there rode all +that night. The next morning we recovered an island a mile from the +Spaniards, where there took us a north wind, and being left only with +two anchors and two cables (for in this conflict we lost three cables +and two anchors), we thought always upon death, which ever was present, +but God preserved us to a longer time. + +The weather waxed reasonable, and the Saturday we set sail, and having +a great number of men and little victual, our hope of life waxed less +and less. Some desired to yield to the Spaniards, some rather desired +to obtain a place where they might give themselves to the infidels; and +some had rather abide, with a little pittance, the mercy of God at sea. +So thus, with many sorrowful hearts, we wandered in an unknown sea by +the space of fourteen days, till hunger enforced us to seek the land; +for hides were thought very good meat; rats, cats, mice, and dogs, none +escaped that might be gotten; parrots and monkeys, that were had in +great prize, were thought there very profitable if they served the turn +of one dinner. Thus in the end, on the 8th day of October, we came to +the land in the bottom of the same bay of Mexico, in twenty-three +degrees and a half, where we hoped to have found habitations of the +Spaniards, relief of victuals, and place for the repair of our ship, +which was so sore beaten with shot from our enemies, and bruised with +shooting of our own ordnance, that our weary and weak arms were scarce +able to defend and keep out the water. But all things happened to the +contrary, for we found neither people, victual, nor haven of relief, +but a place where, having fair weather, with some peril we might land a +boat. Our people, being forced with hunger, desired to be set aland, +whereunto I concluded. + +And such as were willing to land I put apart, and such as were desirous +to go homewards I put apart, so that they were indifferently parted, a +hundred of one side and a hundred of the other side. These hundred men +we set on land with all diligence, in this little place aforesaid, +which being landed, we determined there to refresh our water, and so +with our little remain of victuals to take the sea. + +The next day, having on land with me fifty of our hundred men that +remained, for the speedier preparing of our water aboard, there arose +an extreme storm, so that in three days we could by no means repair our +ships. The ship also was in such peril that every hour we looked for +shipwreck. + +But yet God again had mercy on us, and sent fair weather. We got +aboard our water, and departed the 16th day of October, after which day +we had fair and prosperous weather till the 16th day of November, which +day, God be praised, we were clear from the coast of the Indians and +out of the channel and gulf of Bahama, which is between the cape of +Florida and the islands of Cuba. After this, growing near to the cold +country, our men, being oppressed with famine, died continually, and +they that were left grew into such weakness that we were scarcely able +to manoeuvre our ship, and the wind being always ill for us to recover +England, determined to go to Galicia, in Spain, with intent there to +relieve our company and other extreme wants. And being arrived the +last day of December, in a place near unto Vigo, called Pontevedra, our +men, with excess of fresh meat, grew into miserable diseases, and died +a great part of them. This matter was borne out as long as it might +be, but in the end, although there was none of our men suffered to go +on land, yet by access of the Spaniards our feebleness was known to +them. Whereupon they ceased not to seek by all means to betray us, but +with all speed possible we departed to Vigo, where we had some help of +certain English ships, and twelve fresh men, wherewith we repaired our +wants as we might, and departing the 30th day of January, 1568, arrived +in Mount's Bay in Cornwall the 25th of the same month, praised be God +therefore. + +If all the misery and troublesome affairs of this sorrowful voyage +should be perfectly and thoroughly written, there should need a painful +man with his pen, and as great time as he had that wrote the "Lives and +Deaths of the Martyrs." + JOHN HAWKINS. + + + ----- + + + +A DISCOURSE WRITTEN BY ONE MILES PHILLIPS, ENGLISHMAN, ONE OF THE +COMPANY PUT ASHORE IN THE WEST INDIES BY MASTER JOHN HAWKINS IN THE +YEAR 1568, CONTAINING MANY SPECIAL THINGS OF THAT COUNTRY AND OF THE +SPANISH GOVERNMENT, BUT SPECIALLY OF THEIR CRUELTIES USED TO OUR +ENGLISHMEN, AND AMONGST THE REST, TO HIMSELF FOR THE SPACE OF FIFTEEN +OR SIXTEEN YEARS TOGETHER, UNTIL BY GOOD AND HAPPY MEANS HE WAS +DELIVERED FROM THEIR BLOODY HANDS, AND RETURNED TO HIS OWN COUNTRY. +ANNO 1582. + + + +THE FIRST CHAPTER. + +WHEREIN IS SHOWN THE DAY AND TIME OF OUR DEPARTURE FROM THE COAST OF +ENGLAND, WITH THE NUMBER AND NAMES OF THE SHIPS, THEIR CAPTAINS AND +MASTERS, AND OF OUR TRAFFIC AND DEALING UPON THE COAST OF AFRICA. + +Upon Monday, being the 2nd of October, 1567, the weather being +reasonable fair, our General, Master John Hawkins, having commanded all +his captains and masters to be in a readiness to make sail with him, he +himself being embarked in the Jesus, whereof was appointed for master +Robert Barret, hoisted sail and departed from Plymouth upon his +intended voyage for the parts of Africa and America, being accompanied +with five other sail of ships, as namely the Minion, wherein went for +captain Master John Hampton, and John Garret, master. The William and +John, wherein was Captain Thomas Bolton, and James Raunce, master. The +Judith, in whom was Captain Master Francis Drake, now Knight, and the +Angel, whose master, as also the captain and master of the Swallow, I +now remember not. And so sailing in company together upon our voyage +until the 10th of the same month, an extreme storm then took us near +unto Cape Finisterre, which lasted for the space of four days, and so +separated our ships that we had lost one another, and our General, +finding the Jesus to be but in ill case, was in mind to give over the +voyage and to return home. Howbeit, the eleventh of the same month, +the seas waxing calm and the wind coming fair, he altered his purpose, +and held on the former intended voyage; and so coming to the island of +Gomera, being one of the islands of the Canaries, where, according to +an order before appointed, we met with all our ships which were before +dispersed. We then took in fresh water and departed from thence the +4th of November, and holding on our course, upon the 18th day of the +same month we came to an anchor upon the coast of Africa, at Cape +Verde, in twelve fathoms of water, and here our General landed certain +of our men, to the number of 160 or thereabouts, seeking to take some +negroes. And they, going up into the country for the space of six +miles, were encountered with a great number of the negroes, who with +their envenomed arrows did hurt a great number of our men, so that they +were enforced to retire to the ships, in which conflict they recovered +but a few negroes; and of these our men which were hurt with their +envenomed arrows, there died to the number of seven or eight in very +strange manner, with their mouths shut, so that we were forced to put +sticks and other things into their mouths to keep them open; and so +afterwards passing the time upon the coast of Guinea, until the 12th of +January, we obtained by that time the number of one hundred and fifty +negroes. And being ready to depart from the sea coast, there was a +negro sent as an ambassador to our General, from a king of the negroes, +which was oppressed with other kings, his bordering kings, desiring our +General to grant him succour and aid against those his enemies, which +our General granted unto, and went himself in person on land with the +number of 200 of our men, or thereabouts, and the said king which had +requested our aid, did join his force with ours, so that thereby our +General assaulted and set fire upon a town of the said king his +enemies, in which there was at the least the number of eight or ten +thousand negroes, and they, perceiving that they were not able to make +any resistance, sought by flight to save themselves, in which their +flight there were taken prisoners to the number of eight or nine +hundred, which our General ought to have had for his share; howbeit the +negro king, which requested our aid, falsifying his word and promise, +secretly in the night conveyed himself away with as many prisoners as +he had in his custody; but our General, notwithstanding finding himself +to have now very near the number of 500 negroes, thought it best +without longer abode to depart with them and such merchandise as he had +from the coast of Africa towards the West Indies, and therefore +commanded with all diligence to take in fresh water and fuel, and so +with speed to prepare to depart. Howbeit, before we departed from +thence, in a storm that we had, we lost one of our ships, namely, the +William and John, of which ship and her people we heard no tidings +during the time of our voyage. + + + +THE SECOND CHAPTER. + +WHEREIN IS SHOWED THE DAY AND TIME OF OUR DEPARTURE FROM THE COAST OF +AFRICA, WITH THE DAY AND TIME OF OUR ARRIVAL IN THE WEST INDIES, ALSO +OF OUR TRADE AND TRAFFIC THERE, AND ALSO OF THE GREAT CRUELTY THAT THE +SPANIARDS USED TOWARDS US, BY THE VICEROY HIS DIRECTION AND +APPOINTMENT, FALSIFYING HIS FAITH AND PROMISE GIVEN, AND SEEKING TO +HAVE ENTRAPPED US. + +All things being made in a readiness at our General his appointment, +upon the 3rd day of February, 1568, we departed from the coast of +Africa, having the weather somewhat tempestuous; which made our passage +the more hard, and sailing so for the space of twenty-five days, upon +the 27th March, 1568, we came in sight of an island called Dominique, +upon the coast of America, in the West Indies, situated in fourteen +degrees of latitude, and two hundred and twenty-two of longitude. From +thence our General coasted from place to place, ever making traffic +with the Spaniards and Indians, as he might, which was somewhat hardly +obtained, for that the king had straitly charged all his governors in +those parts not to trade with any. Yet notwithstanding, during the +months of April and May, our General had reasonable trade and traffic, +and courteous entertainment in sundry places, as at Marguerite, +Corassoa, and elsewhere, until we came to Cape de la Vela, and Rio de +la Hacha (a place from whence all the pearls do come). The governor +there would not by any means permit us to have any trade or traffic, +nor yet suffer us to take in fresh water; by means whereof our General, +for the avoiding of famine and thirst, about the beginning of June was +enforced to land 200 of our men, and so by main force and strength to +obtain that which by no fair means he could procure; and so recovering +the town with the loss of two of our men, there was a secret and +peaceable trade admitted, and the Spaniards came in by night, and +bought of our negroes to the number of 200 and upwards, and of our +other merchandise also. From thence we departed for Cartagena, where +the governor was so strait that we could not obtain any traffic there, +and so for that our trade was near finished, our General thought it +best to depart from thence the rather for the avoiding of certain +dangerous storms called the huricanoes, which accustomed to begin there +about that time of the year, and so the 24th of July, 1568, we departed +from thence, directing our course north, leaving the islands of Cuba +upon our right hand, to the eastward of us, and so sailing towards +Florida, upon the 12th of August an extreme tempest arose, which dured +for the space of eight days, in which our ships were most dangerously +tossed, and beaten hither and thither, so that we were in continual +fear to be drowned, by reason of the shallowness of the coast, and in +the end we were constrained to flee for succour to the port of St. John +de Ullua, or Vera Cruz, situated in nineteen degrees of latitude, and +in two hundred and seventy-nine degrees of longitude, which is the port +that serveth for the city of Mexico. In our seeking to recover this +port our General met by the way three small ships that carried +passengers, which he took with him, and so the 16th of September, 1568, +we entered the said port of St. John de Ullua. The Spaniards there, +supposing us to have been the King of Spain's fleet, the chief officers +of the country thereabouts came presently aboard our General, where +perceiving themselves to have made an unwise adventure, they were in +great fear to have been taken and stayed; howbeit our General did use +them all very courteously. In the said port there were twelve ships, +which by report had in them in treasure, to the value of two hundred +thousand pounds, all which being in our General his power, and at his +devotion, he did freely set at liberty, as also the passengers which he +had before stayed, not taking from any of them all the value of one +groat, only we stayed two men of credit and account, the one named Don +Lorenzo de Alva, and the other Don Pedrode Revera, and presently our +General sent to the Viceroy to Mexico, which was threescore leagues +off, certifying him of our arrival there by force of weather, desiring +that forasmuch as our Queen, his Sovereign, was the King of Spain his +loving sister and friend, that therefore he would, considering our +necessities and wants, furnish us with victuals for our navy, and +quietly to suffer us to repair and amend our ships. And furthermore +that at the arrival of the Spanish fleet, which was there daily +expected and looked for, to the end that there might no quarrel arise +between them and our General and his company for the breach of amity, +he humbly requested of his excellency that there might in this behalf +some special order be taken. This message was sent away the 16th of +September, 1568, it being the very day of our arrival there. The next +morning, being the 17th of the same month, we descried thirteen sail of +great ships; and after that our General understood that it was the King +of Spain's fleet then looked for, he presently sent to advertise the +General hereof of our being in the said port, and giving him further to +understand, that before he should enter there into that harbour, it was +requisite that there should pass between the two Generals some orders +and conditions, to be observed on either part, for the better +contriving of peace between them and theirs, according to our General's +request made unto the Viceroy. And at this instant our General was in +a great perplexity of mind, considering with himself that if he should +keep out that fleet from entering into the port, a thing which he was +very well able to do with the help of God, then should that fleet be in +danger of present shipwreck and loss of all their substance, which +amounted unto the value of one million and eight hundred thousand +crowns. Again, he saw that if he suffered them to enter, he was +assured they would practise all manner of means to betray him and his, +and on the other side the haven was so little, that the other fleet +entering, the ships were to ride one hard aboard of another; also he +saw that if their fleet should perish by his keeping them out, as of +necessity they must if he should have done so, then stood he in great +fear of the Queen our Sovereign's displeasure; in so weighty a cause, +therefore, did he choose the least evil, which was to suffer them to +enter under assurance, and so to stand upon his guard, and to defend +himself and his from their treasons, which we were all assured they +would practise, and so the messenger being returned from Don Martine de +Henriquez, the new Viceroy, who came in the same fleet, and had +sufficient authority to command in all cases both by sea and land in +this province of Mexico or New Spain, did certify our General, that for +the better maintenance of amity between the King of Spain and our +Sovereign, all our requests should be both favourably granted and +faithfully performed; signifying further that he heard and understood +of the honest and friendly dealing of our General towards the King of +Spain's subjects in all places where he had been, as also in the said +port; so that to be brief our requests were articled and set down in +writing, viz.-- + +1. The first was that we might have victuals for our money and license +to sell as much wares as might suffice to furnish our wants. + +2. The second, that we might be suffered peaceably to repair our +ships. + +3. The third, that the island might be in our possession during the +time of our abode there, in which island our General, for the better +safety of him and his, had already planted and placed certain ordnance, +which were eleven pieces of brass; therefore he required that the same +might so continue, and that no Spaniard should come to land in the said +island having or wearing any kind of weapon about him. + +4. The fourth and the last, that for the better and more sure +performance and maintenance of peace, and of all the conditions, there +might twelve gentlemen of credit be delivered of either part as +hostages. + +These conditions were concluded and agreed upon in writing by the +Viceroy and signed with his hand, and sealed with his seal, and ten +hostages upon either part were received. And farther, it was concluded +that the two Generals should meet and give faith each to other for the +performance of the promises. All which being done, the same was +proclaimed by the sound of a trumpet, and commandment was given that +none of either part should violate or break the peace upon pain of +death. Thus, at the end of three days all was concluded, and the fleet +entered the port, the ships saluting each other as the manner of the +seas doth require. The morrow after being Friday, we laboured on all +sides in placing the English ships by themselves and the Spanish ships +by themselves; the captains and inferior persons of either part +offering and showing great courtesy one to another, and promising great +amity upon all sides. Howbeit, as the sequel showed, the Spaniards +meant nothing less upon their parts. For the Viceroy and the governor +thereabout had secretly on land assembled to the number of one thousand +chosen men, and well appointed, meaning the next Thursday, being the +24th of September, at dinner time to assault us, and set upon us on all +sides. But before I go any further, I think it not amiss briefly to +describe the manner of the island as it then was, and the force and +strength that it is now of. For the Spaniards, since the time of our +General's being there, for the better fortifying of the same place, +have upon the same island built a fair castle and bulwark very well +fortified; this port was then, at our being there, a little island of +stones, not past three foot above water in the highest place, and not +past a bow's shot over any way at the most, and it standeth from the +mainland two bow-shots or more, and there is not in all this coast any +other place for ships safely to arrive at; also the north winds in this +coast are of great violence and force, and unless the ships be safely +moored in, with their anchors fastened in this island, there is no +remedy, but present destruction and shipwreck. All this our General, +wisely foreseeing, did provide that he would have the said island in +his custody, or else the Spaniards might at their pleasure have but cut +our cables, and so with the first north wind that blew we had had our +passport, for our ships had gone ashore. But to return to the matter. +The time approaching that their treason must be put in practice, the +same Thursday morning, some appearance thereof began to show itself, as +shifting of weapons from ship to ship, and planting and bending their +ordnance against our men that warded upon the land with great repair of +people; which apparent shows of breach of the Viceroy's faith caused +our General to send one to the Viceroy to inquire of him what was meant +thereby, who presently sent and gave order that the ordnance aforesaid +and other things of suspicion should be removed, returning answer to +our General in the faith of a Viceroy that he would be our defence and +safety from all villainous treachery. This was upon Thursday, in the +morning. Our General not being therewith satisfied, seeing they had +secretly conveyed a great number of men aboard a great hulk or ship of +theirs of nine hundred tons, which ship rode hard by the Minion, he +sent again to the Viceroy Robert Barret, the master of the Jesus--a man +that could speak the Spanish tongue very well, and required that those +men might be unshipped again which were in that great hulk. The +Viceroy then perceiving that their treason was thoroughly espied, +stayed our master and sounded the trumpet, and gave order that his +people should upon all sides charge upon our men which warded on shore +and elsewhere, which struck such a maze and sudden fear among us, that +many gave place and sought to recover our ships for the safety of +themselves. The Spaniards, which secretly were hid in ambush on land, +were quickly conveyed over to the island in their long boats, and so +coming to the island they slew all our men that they could meet with +without any mercy. The Minion--which had somewhat before prepared +herself to avoid the danger--hailed away, and abode the first brunt of +the three hundred men that were in the great hulk; then they sought to +fall aboard the Jesus, where was a cruel fight, and many of our men +slain; but yet our men defended themselves, and kept them out: so the +Jesus also got loose, and, joining with the Minion, the fight waxed hot +upon all sides; but they having won and got our ordnance on shore, did +greatly annoy us. In this fight there were two great ships of the +Spaniards sunk and one burnt, so that with their ships they were not +able to harm us; but from the shore they beat us cruelly with our own +ordnance in such sort that the Jesus was very sore spoiled, and +suddenly the Spaniards, having fired two great ships of their own, came +directly against us; which bred among our men a marvellous fear. +Howbeit, the Minion, which had made her sails ready, shifted for +herself without consent of the General, captain, or master, so that +very hardly our General could be received into the Minion; the most of +our men that were in the Jesus shifted for themselves, and followed the +Minion in the boat, and those which that small boat was not able to +receive were most cruelly slain by the Spaniards. Of our ships none +escaped save the Minion and the Judith, and all such of our men as were +not in them were enforced to abide the tyrannous cruelty of the +Spaniards. For it is a certain truth, that whereas they had taken +certain of our men at shore, they took and hung them up by the arms +upon high posts until the blood burst out of their fingers' ends; of +which men so used there is one Copstowe and certain others yet alive, +who, through the merciful Providence of the Almighty, were long since +arrived here at home in England, carrying still about with them (and +shall to their graves) the marks and tokens of those their inhuman and +more than barbarous cruel dealing. + + + +THE THIRD CHAPTER. + +WHEREIN IS SHOWED HOW THAT, AFTER WE WERE ESCAPED FROM THE SPANIARDS, +WE WERE LIKE TO PERISH WITH FAMINE AT THE SEA, AND HOW OUR GENERAL, FOR +THE AVOIDING THEREOF, WAS CONSTRAINED TO PUT HALF OF HIS MEN ON LAND, +AND WHAT MISERIES WE AFTER THAT SUSTAINED AMONGST THE SAVAGE PEOPLE, +AND HOW WE FELL AGAIN INTO THE HANDS OF THE SPANIARDS. + +After that the Viceroy, Don Martin Henriques, had thus contrary to his +faith and promise most cruelly dealt with our General, Master Hawkins, +at St. John de Ullua, where most of his men were by the Spaniards slain +and drowned, and all his ships sunk and burnt, saving the Minion and +the Judith, which was a small barque of fifty tons, wherein was then +captain Master Francis Drake aforesaid; the same night the said barque +was lost us, we being in great necessity and enforced to move with the +Minion two bow-shots from the Spanish fleet, where we anchored all that +night; and the next morning we weighed anchor and recovered an island a +mile from the Spaniards, where a storm took us with a north wind, in +which we were greatly distressed, having but two cables and two anchors +left; for in the conflict before we had lost three cables and two +anchors. The morrow after, the storm being ceased and the weather +fair, we weighed and set sail, being many men in number and but small +store of victuals to suffice us for any long time; by means whereof we +were in despair and fear that we should perish through famine, so that +some were in mind to yield themselves to the mercy of the Spaniards, +other some to the savages or infidels, and wandering thus certain days +in these unknown seas, hunger constrained us to eat hides, cats and +dogs, mice, rats, parrots, and monkeys, to be short, our hunger was so +great that we thought it savoury and sweet whatsoever we could get to +eat. + +And on the 8th of October we came to land again, in the bottom of the +Bay of Mexico, where we hoped to have found some inhabitants, that we +might have had some relief of victuals and a place where to repair our +ship, which was so greatly bruised that we were scarce able, with our +weary arms, to keep out the water. Being thus oppressed, by famine on +the one side and danger of drowning on the other, not knowing where to +find relief, we began to be in wonderful despair. And we were of many +minds, amongst whom there were a great many that did desire our General +to set them on land, making their choice rather to submit themselves to +the mercy of the savages or infidels than longer to hazard themselves +at sea, where they very well saw that if they should all remain +together, if they perished not by drowning, yet hunger would enforce +them, in the end, to eat one another. To which request our General did +very willingly agree, considering with himself that it was necessary +for him to lessen his number, both for the safety of himself and the +rest. And, thereupon, being resolved to set half his people on shore +that he had then left alive, it was a world to see how suddenly men's +minds were altered, for they which a little before desired to be set on +land were now of another mind, and requested rather to stay, by means +whereof our General was enforced, for the more contenting of all men's +minds, and to take away all occasions of offence, to take this order: +first he made choice of such persons of service and account as were +needful to stay, and that being done, of those which were willing to +go, he appointed such as he thought might be best spared, and presently +appointed that by the boat they should be set on shore, our General +promising us that the next year he would either come himself or else +send to fetch us home. Here, again, it would have caused any stony +heart to have relented to hear the pitiful moan that many did make, and +how loth they were to depart. The weather was then somewhat stormy and +tempestuous, and therefore we were in great danger, yet, +notwithstanding there was no remedy, but we that were appointed to go +away must of necessity do so. Howbeit, those that went in the first +boat were safely set ashore, but of them which went in the second boat, +of which number I myself was one, the seas wrought so high that we +could not attain to the shore, and therefore we were constrained-- +through the cruel dealing of John Hampton, captain of the Minion, and +John Sanders, boatswain of the Jesus, and Thomas Pollard, his mate--to +leap out of the boat into the main sea, having more than a mile to +shore, and, so to shift for ourselves, and either to sink or swim. And +of those that so were, as it were, thrown out and compelled to leap +into the sea, there were two drowned, which were of Captain Bland's +men. + +In the evening of the same day--it being Monday, the 8th of October, +1568--when we were all come to shore, we found fresh water, whereof +some of our men drank so much that they had almost cast themselves +away, for we could scarce get life in them for the space of two or +three hours after. Other some were so cruelly swollen--what with the +drinking in of the salt water, and what with the eating of the fruit +which we found on land, having a stone in it much like an almond, which +fruit is called capule--that they were all in very ill case, so that we +were, in a manner, all of us, both feeble, weak, and faint. + +The next morning--it being Tuesday, the 9th of October--we thought it +best to travel along by the sea coast, to seek out some place of +habitation--whether they were Christians or savages we were +indifferent--so that we might have wherewithal to sustain our hungry +bodies, and so departing from a hill where we had rested all night, not +having any dry thread about us, for those that were not wet being +thrown into the sea were thoroughly wet with rain, for all the night it +rained cruelly. As we went from the hill, and were come into the +plain, we were greatly troubled to pass for the grass and woods, that +grew there higher than any man. On the left hand we had the sea, and +upon the right hand great woods, so that of necessity we must needs +pass on our way westward through those marshes, and going thus, +suddenly we were assaulted by the Indians, a warlike kind of people, +which are in a manner as cannibals, although they do not feed upon +man's flesh as cannibals do. + +These people are called Chichemici, and they used to wear their hair +long, even down to their knees; they do also colour their faces green, +yellow, red, and blue, which maketh them to seem very ugly and terrible +to behold. These people do keep wars against the Spaniards, of whom +they have been oftentimes very cruelly handled: for with the Spaniards +there is no mercy. They, perceiving us at our first coming on land, +supposed us to have been their enemies the bordering Spaniards; and +having, by their forerunners, descried what number we were, and how +feeble and weak, without armour or weapon, they suddenly, according to +their accustomed manner when they encounter with any people in warlike +sort, raised a terrible and huge cry, and so came running fiercely upon +us, shooting off their arrows as thick as hail, unto whose mercy we +were constrained to yield, not having amongst us any kind of armour, +nor yet weapon, saving one caliver and two old rusty swords, whereby to +make any resistance or to save ourselves; which, when they perceived +that we sought not any other than favour and mercy at their hands, and +that we were not their enemies the Spaniards, they had compassion on +us, and came and caused us all to sit down. And when they had a while +surveyed, and taken a perfect view of us, they came to all such as had +any coloured clothes amongst us, and those they did strip stark naked, +and took their clothes away with them; but they that were apparelled in +black they did not meddle withal, and so went their ways and left us, +without doing us any further hurt, only in the first brunt they killed +eight of our men. And at our departure they, perceiving in what weak +case we were, pointed us with their hands which way we should go to +come to a town of the Spaniards, which, as we afterwards perceived, was +not past ten leagues from thence, using these words: "Tampeco, +tampeco, Christiano, tampeco, Christiano," which is as much (we think) +as to say in English, "Go that way, and you shall find the Christians." +The weapons that they use are no other but bows and arrows, and their +aim is so good that they very seldom miss to hit anything that they +shoot at. Shortly after they had left us stripped, as aforesaid, we +thought it best to divide ourselves into two companies, and so, being +separated, half of us went under the leading one of Anthony Goddard, +who is yet alive, and dwelleth at this instant in the town of Plymouth, +whom before we chose to be captain over us all. And those that went +under his leading, of which number I, Miles Phillips, was one, +travelled westward--that way which the Indians with their hands had +before pointed us to go. The other half went under the leading of one +John Hooper, whom they did choose for their captain, and with the +company that went with him David Ingram was one, and they took their +way and travelled northward. And shortly after, within the space of +two days, they were again encountered by the savage people, and their +Captain Hooper and two more of his company were slain. Then again they +divided themselves; and some held on their way still northward, and +other some, knowing that we were gone westward, sought to meet with us +again, as, in truth, there was about the number of five-and-twenty or +six-and-twenty of them that met with us in the space of four days +again. And then we began to reckon amongst ourselves how many we were +that were set on shore, and we found the number to be an hundred and +fourteen, whereof two were drowned in the sea and eight were slain at +the first encounter, so that there remained an hundred and four, of +which five-and-twenty went westward with us, and two-and-fifty to the +north with Hooper and Ingram; and, as Ingram since has often told me, +there were not past three of their company slain, and there were but +five-and-twenty of them that came again to us, so that of the company +that went northward there is yet lacking, and not certainly heard of, +the number of three-and-twenty men. And verily I do think that there +are of them yet alive and married in the said country, at Sibola, as +hereafter I do purpose (God willing) to discourse of more particularly, +with the reasons and causes that make me so to think of them that were +lacking, which were with David Ingram, Twide, Browne, and sundry +others, whose names we could not remember. And being thus met again +together we travelled on still westward, sometimes through such thick +woods that we were enforced with cudgels to break away the brambles and +bushes from tearing our naked bodies; other sometimes we should travel +through the plains in such high grass that we could scarce see one +another. And as we passed in some places we should have of our men +slain, and fall down suddenly, being stricken by the Indians, which +stood behind trees and bushes, in secret places, and so killed our men +as they went by; for we went scatteringly in seeking of fruits to +relieve ourselves. We were also oftentimes greatly annoyed with a kind +of fly, which, in the Indian tongue, is called tequani; and the +Spaniards call them musketas. There are also in the said country a +number of other kind of flies, but none so noisome as these tequanies +be. You shall hardly see them, they be so small: for they are scarce +so big as a gnat. They will suck one's blood marvellously, and if you +kill them while they are sucking they are so venomous that the place +will swell extremely, even as one that is stung with a wasp or bee. +But if you let them suck their fill, and to go away of themselves, then +they do you no other hurt, but leave behind them a red spot somewhat +bigger than a flea biting. At the first we were terribly troubled with +these kind of flies, not knowing their qualities; and resistance we +could make none against them, being naked. As for cold, we feared not +any: the country there is always so warm. + +And as we travelled thus for the space of ten or twelve days, our +captain did oftentimes cause certain to go up into the tops of high +trees, to see if they could descry any town or place of inhabitants, +but they could not perceive any, and using often the same order to +climb up into high trees, at the length they descried a great river, +that fell from the north-west into the main sea; and presently after we +heard an harquebuse shot off, which did greatly encourage us, for +thereby we knew that we were near to some Christians, and did therefore +hope shortly to find some succour and comfort; and within the space of +one hour after, as we travelled, we heard a cock crow, which was also +no small joy unto us; and so we came to the north side of the river of +Panuco, where the Spaniards have certain salines, at which place it was +that the harquebuse was shot off which before we heard; to which place +we went not directly, but, missing thereof, we left it about a bow-shot +upon our left hand. Of this river we drank very greedily, for we had +not met with any water in six days before; and, as we were here by the +river's side, resting ourselves, and longing to come to the place where +the cock did crow and where the harquebuse was shot off, we perceived +many Spaniards upon the other side of the river riding up and down on +horseback, and they, perceiving us, did suppose that we had been of the +Indians, their bordering enemies, the Chichemici. The river was not +more than half a bow-shot across, and presently one of the Spaniards +took an Indian boat, called a canoa, and so came over, being rowed by +two Indians; and, having taken the view of us, did presently row over +back again to the Spaniards, who without any delay made out about the +number of twenty horsemen, and embarking themselves in the canoas, they +led their horses by the reins, swimming over after them; and being come +over to that side of the river where we were, they saddled their +horses, and being mounted upon them, with their lances charged, they +came very fiercely running at us. Our captain, Anthony Goddard, seeing +them come in that order, did persuade us to submit and yield ourselves +unto them, for being naked, as we at this time were, and without +weapon, we could not make any resistance--whose bidding we obeyed; and +upon the yielding of ourselves, they perceived us to be Christians, and +did call for more canoas, and carried us over by four and four in a +boat; and being come on the other side, they understanding by our +captain how long we had been without meat, imparted between two and two +a loaf of bread made of that country wheat, which the Spaniards called +maize, of the bigness of one of our halfpenny loaves, which bread is +named in the Indian tongue clashacally. This bread was very sweet and +pleasant to us, for we had not eaten any for a long time before; and +what is it that hunger doth not make to have a savoury and delicate +taste? Having thus imparted the bread amongst us, those which were men +they sent afore to the town, having also many Indians, inhabitants of +that place, to guard them. They which were young, as boys, and some +such also as were feeble, they took up upon their horses behind them, +and so carried us to the town where they dwelt, which was distant very +near a mile from the place where we came over. + +This town is well situated, and well replenished with all kinds of +fruits, as pomegranates, oranges, lemons, apricots, and peaches, and +sundry others, and is inhabited by a great number of tame Indians, or +Mexicans, and had in it also at that time about the number of two +hundred Spaniards, men, women, and children, besides negroes. Of their +salines, which lie upon the west side of the river, more than a mile +distant from thence, they make a great profit, for it is an excellent +good merchandise there. The Indians do buy much thereof, and carry it +up into the country, and there sell it to their own country people, in +doubling the price. Also, much of the salt made in this place is +transported from thence by sea to sundry other places, as to Cuba, St. +John de Ullua, and the other ports of Tamiago, and Tamachos, which are +two barred havens west and by south above threescore leagues from St. +John de Ullua. When we were all come to the town, the governor there +showed himself very severe unto us, and threatened to hang us all; and +then he demanded what money we had, which in truth was very little, for +the Indians which we first met withal had in a manner taken all from +us, and of that which they left the Spaniards which brought us over +took away a good part also; howbeit, from Anthony Goddard the governor +here had a chain of gold, which was given unto him at Cartagena by the +governor there, and from others he had some small store of money; so +that we accounted that amongst us all he had the number of five hundred +pezoes, besides the chain of gold. + +And having thus satisfied himself, when he had taken all that we had, +he caused us to be put into a little house, much like a hog sty, where +we were almost smothered; and before we were thus shut up into that +little cote, they gave us some of the country wheat called maize +sodden, which they feed their hogs withal. But many of our men which +had been hurt by the Indians at our first coming on land, whose wounds +were very sore and grievous, desired to have the help of their surgeons +to cure their wounds. The governor, and most of them all, answered, +that we should have none other surgeon but the hangman, which should +sufficiently heal us of all our griefs; and they, thus reviling us, and +calling us English dogs and Lutheran heretics, we remained the space of +three days in this miserable state, not knowing what should become of +us, waiting every hour to be bereaved of our lives. + + + +THE FOURTH CHAPTER. + +WHEREIN IS SHOWED HOW WE WERE USED IN PANUCO, AND IN WHAT FEAR OF DEATH +WE WERE THERE, AND HOW WE WERE CARRIED TO MEXICO TO THE VICEROY, AND OF +OUR IMPRISONMENT THERE AND AT TESCUCO, WITH THE COURTESIES AND +CRUELTIES WE RECEIVED DURING THAT TIME, AND HOW IN THE END WE WERE BY +PROCLAMATION GIVEN TO SERVE AS SLAVES TO SUNDRY GENTLEMEN SPANIARDS. + +Upon the fourth day after our coming thither, and there remaining in a +perplexity, looking every hour when we should suffer death, there came +a great number of Indians and Spaniards armed to fetch us out of the +house, and amongst them we espied one that brought a great many new +halters, at the sight whereof we were greatly amazed, and made no other +account but that we should presently have suffered death; and so, +crying and calling to God for mercy and for forgiveness of our sins, we +prepared ourselves to die; yet in the end, as the sequel showed, their +meaning was not so; for when we were come out of the house, with those +halters they bound our arms behind us, and so coupling us two and two +together, they commanded us to march on through the town, and so along +the country from place to place toward the city of Mexico, which is +distant from Panuco west and by south the space of threescore leagues, +having only but two Spaniards to conduct us, they being accompanied +with a great number of Indians, warding on either side with bows and +arrows, lest we should escape from them. And travelling in this order, +upon the second day, at night, we came unto a town which the Indians +call Nohele, and the Spaniards call it Santa Maria, in which town there +is a house of White Friars, which did very courteously use us, and gave +us hot meat, as mutton and broth, and garments also to cover ourselves +withal, made of white baize. We fed very greedily of the meat and of +the Indian fruit, called nochole, which fruit is long and small, much +like in fashion to a little cucumber. Our greedy feeding caused us to +fall sick of hot burning agues; and here at this place one Thomas +Baker, one of our men, died of a hurt, for he had been before shot with +an arrow into the throat at the first encounter. + +The next morrow, about ten of the clock, we departed from thence, bound +two and two together, and guarded as before, and so travelled on our +way toward Mexico, till we came to a town within forty leagues of +Mexico named Mesticlan, where is a house of Black Friars, and in this +town there are about the number of three hundred Spaniards, both men, +women, and children. The friars sent us meat from the house ready +dressed, and the friars and men and women used us very courteously, and +gave us some shirts and other such things as we lacked. Here our men +were very sick of their agues, and with eating of another fruit, called +in the Indian tongue, Guiaccos, which fruit did bind us sore. The next +morning we departed from thence with our two Spaniards and Indian guard +as aforesaid. Of these two Spaniards the one was an aged man, who all +the way did very courteously entreat us, and would carefully go before +to provide for us both meat and things necessary to the uttermost of +his power. The other was a young man, who all the way travelled with +us, and never departed from us, who was a very cruel caitiff, and he +carried a javelin in his hand, and sometimes when as our men with very +feebleness and faintness were not able to go so fast as he required +them, he would take his javelin in both his hands and strike them with +the same between the neck and the shoulders so violently that he would +strike them down, then would he cry and say: "Marches, marches, +Engleses perros, Luterianos, enemicos de Dios;" which is as much to say +in English, "March, march on you English dogs, Lutherans, enemies to +God." And the next day we came to a town called Pachuca, and there are +two places of that name, as this town of Pachuca, and the mines of +Pachuca, which are mines of silver, and are about six leagues distant +from this town of Pachuca towards the north-west. + +Here at this town the good old man our governor suffered us to stay two +days and two nights, having compassion of our sick and weak men, full +sore against the mind of the young man his companion. From thence we +took our journey, and travelled four or five days by little villages +and Stantias, which are farms or dairy houses of the Spaniards, and +ever as we had need the good old man would still provide us sufficient +of meats, fruits, and water to sustain us. At the end of which five +days we came to a town within five leagues of Mexico, which is called +Quoghliclan, where we also stayed one whole day and two nights, where +was a fair house of Grey Friars, howbeit, we saw none of them. Here we +were told by the Spaniards in the town that we had not more than +fifteen English miles from thence to Mexico, whereof we were all very +joyful and glad, hoping that when we came thither we should either be +relieved and set free out of bonds, or else be quickly despatched out +of our lives; for seeing ourselves thus carried bound from place to +place, although some used us courteously, yet could we never joy nor be +merry till we might perceive ourselves set free from that bondage, +either by death or otherwise. + +The next morning we departed from thence on our journey towards Mexico, +and so travelled till we came within two leagues of it, where there was +built by the Spaniards a very fair church, called Our Lady Church, in +which there is an image of Our Lady of silver and gilt, being as high +and as large as a tall woman, in which church, and before this image, +there are as many lamps of silver as there be days in the year, which +upon high days are all lighted. Whensoever any Spaniards pass by this +church, although they be on horseback, they will alight and come into +the church, and kneel before this image, and pray to Our Lady to defend +them from all evil; so that whether he be horseman or footman he will +not pass by, but first go into the church and pray as aforesaid, which +if they do not, they think and believe that they shall never prosper, +which image they call in the Spanish tongue Nostra Signora de +Guadaloupe. At this place there are certain cold baths, which arise, +springing up as though the water did seethe, the water whereof is +somewhat brackish in taste, but very good for any that have any sore or +wound to wash themselves therewith, for as they say, it healeth many; +and every year once upon Our Lady Day, the people used to repair +thither to offer and to pray in that church before the image, and they +say that Our Lady of Guadaloupe doth work a number of miracles. About +this church there is not any town of Spaniards that is inhabited, but +certain Indians do dwell there in houses of their own country building. + +Here we were met by a great number of Spaniards on horseback, which +came from Mexico to see us, both gentlemen and men of occupations, and +they came as people to see a wonder; we were still called upon to march +on, and so about four of the clock in the afternoon of the said day, we +entered into the city of Mexico by the way or street called La Calia +Sancta Catherina; and we stayed not in any place till we came to the +house or palace of the Viceroy, Don Martin Henriques, which standeth in +the middest of the city, hard by the market place called La Placa dell +Marquese. We had not stayed any long time at this place, but there was +brought us by the Spaniards from the market place great store of meat, +sufficient to have satisfied five times so many as we were; some also +gave us hats, and some gave us money; in which place we stayed for the +space of two hours, and from thence we were conveyed by water into +large canoas to a hospital, where certain of our men were lodged, which +were taken before the fight at St. John de Ullua. We should have gone +to Our Lady's Hospital, but that there were also so many of our men +taken before at that fight that there was no room for us. After our +coming thither, many of the company that came with me from Panuco died +within the space of fourteen days; soon after which time we were taken +forth from that place and put all together into Our Lady's Hospital, in +which place we were courteously used, and visited oftentimes by +virtuous gentlemen and gentlewomen of the city, who brought us divers +things to comfort us withal, as succats and marmalades and such other +things, and would also many times give us many things, and that very +liberally. In which hospital we remained for the space of six months, +until we were all whole and sound of body, and then we were appointed +by the Viceroy to be carried unto the town of Tescuco, which is distant +from Mexico south-west eight leagues; in which town there are certain +houses of correction and punishment for ill people called obraches, +like to Bridewell here in London; in which place divers Indians are +sold for slaves, some for ten years and some for twelve. It was no +small grief unto us when we understood that we should be carried +thither, and to be used as slaves; we had rather be put to death, +howbeit there was no remedy, but we were carried to the prison of +Tescuco, where we were not put to any labour, but were very straightly +kept and almost famished, yet by the good providence of our merciful +God, we happened there to meet with one Robert Sweeting, who was the +son of an Englishman born of a Spanish woman; this man could speak very +good English, and by his means we were holpen very much with victuals +from the Indians, as mutton, hens, and bread. And if we had not been +so relieved we had surely perished; and yet all the provision that we +had gotten that way was but slender. And continuing thus straightly +kept in prison there for the space of two months, at the length we +agreed amongst ourselves to break forth of prison, come of it what +would, for we were minded rather to suffer death than longer to live in +that miserable state. + +And so having escaped out of prison, we knew not what way to fly for +the safety of ourselves; the night was dark, and it rained terribly, +and not having any guide, we went we knew not whither, and in the +morning at the appearing of the day, we perceived ourselves to be come +hard to the city of Mexico, which is four and twenty English miles from +Tescuco. The day being come, we were espied by the Spaniards, and +pursued, and taken, and brought before the Viceroy and head justices, +who threatened to hang us for breaking of the king's prison. Yet in +the end they sent us into a garden belonging to the Viceroy, and coming +thither, we found there our English gentlemen which were delivered as +hostages when as our General was betrayed at St. John de Ullua, as is +aforesaid, and with them we also found Robert Barret, the master of the +Jesus, in which place we remained, labouring and doing such things as +we were commanded for the space of four months, having but two sheep a +day allowed to suffice us all, being very near a hundred men; and for +bread, we had every man two loaves a day of the quantity of one +halfpenny loaf. At the end of which four months, they having removed +our gentlemen hostages and the master of the Jesus to a prison in the +Viceroy his own house, did cause it to be proclaimed, that what +gentleman Spaniard soever was willing, or would have any Englishman to +serve him, and be bound to keep him forthcoming to appear before the +justices within one month after notice given, that they should repair +to the said garden, and there take their choice; which proclamation was +no sooner made but the gentlemen came and repaired to the garden amain, +so that happy was he that could soonest get one of us. + + + +THE FIFTH CHAPTER. + +WHEREIN IS SHOWED IN WHAT GOOD SORT AND HOW WEALTHILY WE LIVED WITH OUR +MASTERS UNTIL THE COMING OF THE INQUISITION, WHEN AS AGAIN, OUR SORROWS +BEGAN AFRESH; OF OUR IMPRISONMENT IN THE HOLY HOUSE, AND OF THE SEVERE +JUDGMENT AND SENTENCES GIVEN AGAINST US, AND WITH WHAT RIGOUR AND +CRUELTY THE SAME WERE EXECUTED. + +The gentlemen that thus took us for their servants or slaves, did new +apparel us throughout, with whom we abode doing such service as they +appointed us unto, which was for the most part to attend upon them at +the table, and to be as their chamberlains, and to wait upon them when +they went abroad, which they greatly accounted of, for in that country +no Spaniard will serve one another, but they are all of them attended +and served by Indians weekly, and by negroes which be their slaves +during their life. In this sort we remained and served in the said +city of Mexico and thereabouts for the space of a year and somewhat +longer. Afterwards many of us were by our masters appointed to go to +sundry of their mines where they had to do, and to be as overseers of +the negroes and Indians that laboured there. In which mines many of us +did profit and gain greatly; for first we were allowed three hundred +pezoes a man for a year, which is three score pounds sterling, and +besides that the Indians and negroes which wrought under our charge, +upon our well using and entreating of them, would at times as upon +Saturdays when they had left work labour for us, and blow as much +silver as should be worth unto us three marks or thereabouts, every +mark being worth six pezoes and a half of their money, which nineteen +pezoes and a half, is worth four livres, ten shillings of our money. +Sundry weeks we did gain so much by this means besides our wages, that +many of us became very rich, and were worth three thousand or four +thousand pezoes, for we lived and gained thus in those mines some three +or four years. As concerning those gentlemen which were delivered as +hostages, and that were kept in prison in the Viceroy his house, after +that we were gone from out the garden to serve sundry gentlemen as +aforesaid, they remained prisoners in the said house, for the space of +four months after their coming thither, at the end whereof the fleet, +being ready to depart from St. John de Ullua to go for Spain, the said +gentlemen were sent away into Spain with the fleet, where I have heard +it credibly reported, many of them died with the cruel handling of the +Spaniards in the Inquisition house, as those which have been delivered +home after they had suffered the persecution of that house can more +perfectly declare. Robert Barret also, master of the Jesus, was sent +away with the fleet into Spain the next year following, whereafter he +suffered persecution in the Inquisition, and at the last was condemned +to be burnt, and with him three or four more of our men, of whom one +was named Gregory and another John Browne, whom I knew, for they were +of our general his musicians, but the names of the rest that suffered +with them I know not. + +Now after that six years there fully expired since our first coming +into the Indies in which time we had been imprisoned and served in the +said countries, as is before truly declared in the year of our Lord one +thousand five hundred and seventy four, the Inquisition began to be +established in the Indies very much against the minds of many of the +Spaniards themselves, for never until this time since their first +conquering and planting in the Indies, were they subject to that bloody +and cruel Inquisition. The chief Inquisitor was named Don Pedro Moya +de Contreres, and John de Bouilla his companion, and John Sanchis the +Fischall, and Pedro de la Rios, the Secretary, they being come and +settled, and placed in a very fair house, near unto the White Friars, +considering with themselves that they must make an entrance and +beginning of that their most detestable Inquisition here in Mexico to +the terror of the whole country, thought it best to call us that were +Englishmen first in question, and so much the rather for that they had +perfect knowledge and intelligence, that many of us were become very +rich as hath been already declared, and therefore we were a very great +booty and prey to the Inquisitors, so that now again began our sorrows +afresh, for we were sent for, and sought out in all places of the +country, and proclamation made upon pain of losing of goods, and +excommunication that no man should hide or keep secret any Englishman +or any part of their goods. By means whereof we were all soon +apprehended in all places, and all our goods seized and taken for the +Inquisitors' use, and so from all parts of the country we were conveyed +and sent as prisoners to the city of Mexico, and there committed to +prison in sundry dark dungeons where we could not see but by +candlelight, and were never more than two together in one place so that +we saw not one another, neither could one of us tell what was become of +another. Thus we remained close imprisoned for the space of a year and +a half, and others for some less time, for they came to prison ever as +they were apprehended. During which time of our imprisonment at the +first beginning we were often called before the Inquisitors alone, and +there severely examined of our faith, and commanded to say the pater +noster, the Ave Maria, and the creed in Latin, which God knoweth a +great number of us could not say otherwise than in the English tongue. +And having the said Robert Sweeting who was our friend at Tescuco +always present with them for an interpreter he made report for us in +our own country speech we could say them perfectly, although not word +for word as they were in Latin. Then did they proceed to demand of us +upon our oaths what we did believe of the sacrament, and whether there +did remain any bread or wine after the words of consecration, yea or +no, and whether we did not believe that the Host of bread which the +priest did hold up over his head, and the wine that was in the chalice, +was the very true and perfect body and blood of our Saviour Christ, yea +or no, to which if we answered not yea, then was there no way but +death. Then would they demand of us what we did remember of ourselves, +what opinions we had held or had been taught to hold, contrary to the +same whiles we were in England; to which we for the safety of our lives +were constrained to say that we never did believe, nor had been taught +otherwise than as before we had said. Then would they charge us that +we did not tell them the truth, that we knew to the contrary, and +therefore we should call ourselves to remembrance and make them a +better answer at the next time or else we should be racked and made to +confess the truth whether we would or no. And so coming again before +them the next time, we were still demanded of our belief whiles we were +in England, and how we had been taught, and also what we thought or did +know of such of our company as they did name unto us, so that we could +never be free from such demands, and at other times they would promise +us that if we would tell them the truth, then should we have favour and +be set at liberty, although we very well knew their fair speeches were +but means to entrap us to the hazard and loss of our lives; howbeit God +so mercifully wrought for us by a secret means that we had that we kept +us still to our first answer, and would still say that we had told the +truth unto them, and knew no more by ourselves nor any other of our +fellows than as we had declared, and that for our sins and offences in +England against God and our Lady, or any of His blessed saints, we were +heartily sorry for the same, and did cry God mercy, and besought the +Inquisitors, for God's sake, considering that we came into those +countries by force of weather, and against our wills, and that never in +all our lives we had either spoken or done anything contrary to their +laws, that therefore they would have mercy on us, yet all this would +not serve, for still from time to time we were called upon to confess, +and about the space of three months, before they proceeded to their +severe Judgment, we were all racked, and some enforced to utter that +against themselves which afterwards cost them their lives. + +And thus having gotten from our own mouths matter sufficient for them +to proceed in judgment against us, they caused a large scaffold to be +made in the midst of the market-place in Mexico, right over against the +head church, and fourteen or fifteen days before the day of their +judgment, with the sound of a trumpet, and the noise of their +attabalies, which are a kind of drums, they did assemble the people in +all parts of the city, before whom it was then solemnly proclaimed that +whosoever would upon such a day, repair to the marketplace, they should +hear the sentence of the Holy Inquisition against the English heretic +Lutherans, and also see the same put in execution. Which being done, +and the time approaching of this cruel judgment, the night before they +came to the prison where we were, with certain officers of that holy +hellish house, bringing with them certain fools' coats which they had +prepared for us, being called in their language St. Benitos, which +coats were made of yellow cotton and red crosses upon them, both before +and behind; they were so busied in putting on their coats about us and +in bringing us out into a large yard, and placing and pointing us in +what order we should go to the scaffold or place of judgment upon the +morrow, that they did not once suffer us to sleep all that night long. + +The next morning being come, there was given to every one of us for our +breakfast, a cup of wine, and a slice of bread fried in honey, and so +about eight of the clock in the morning, we set forth of the prison, +every man alone in his yellow coat and a rope about his neck, and a +great green wax candle in his hand unlighted, having a Spaniard +appointed to go upon either side of every one of us; and so marching in +this order and manner towards the scaffold in the market-place, which +was a bow-shot distant or thereabouts, we found a great assembly of +people all the way, and such throng, that certain of the Inquisitors' +officers on horseback were constrained to make way, and so coming to +the scaffold we went up by a pair of stairs, and found seats ready made +and prepared for us to sit down on, every man in order as he should be +called to receive his judgment. We being thus set down as we were +appointed, presently the Inquisitors came up another pair of stairs, +and the Viceroy and all the chief justices with them. When they were +set down and placed under the cloth of estate agreeing to their degrees +and calling, then came up also a great number of friars, white, black, +and grey, about the number of 300 persons, they being set in the places +for them appointed. Then was there a solemn Oyes made, and silence +commanded, and then presently began their severe and cruel judgment. + +The first man that was called was one Roger, the chief armourer of the +Jesus, and he had judgment to have 300 stripes on horseback, and after +condemned to the galleys as a slave for ten years. + +After him was called John Gray, John Browne, John Rider, John Moone, +James Collier, and one Thomas Browne. These were adjudged to have 200 +stripes on horseback, and after to be committed to the galleys for the +space of eight years. + +Then was called John Keies, and was adjudged to have 100 stripes on +horseback, and condemned to serve in the galleys for the space of six +years. + +Then were severally called the number of fifty-three, one after +another, and every man had his several judgment, some to have 200 +stripes on horseback and some 100, and some condemned for slaves to the +galleys, some for six years, some for eight, and some for ten. + +And then was I, Miles Phillips, called, and was adjudged to serve in a +monastery for five years, without any stripes, and to wear a fool's +coat or San Benito, during all that time. + +Then were called John Storie, Richard Williams, David Alexander, Robert +Cooke, and Horsewell, and Thomas Hull. These six were condemned to +serve in monasteries without stripes, some for three years, and some +for four, and to wear the San Benito during all the said time. Which +being done, and it now drawing towards night, George Rivelie, Peter +Momfrie, and Cornelius the Irishman were called, and had their judgment +to be burnt to ashes, and so were presently sent away to the place of +execution in the market-place, but a little from the scaffold, where +they were quickly burnt and consumed. And as for us that had received +our judgment, being sixty-eight in number, we were carried back that +night to prison again, and the next day in the morning, being Good +Friday, the year of our Lord, 1575, we were all brought into a court of +the Inquisitors' Palace, where we found a horse in readiness for every +one of our men which were condemned to have stripes, and to be +committed to the galleys, which were in number sixty, and so they, +being enforced to mount up on horseback, naked, from the middle upward, +were carried to be showed as a spectacle for all the people to behold +throughout the chief and principal streets of the city, and had the +number of stripes to every one of them appointed, most cruelly laid +upon their naked bodies with long whips, by sundry men appointed to be +the executioners thereof, and before our men there went a couple of +criers, which cried as they went, "Behold these English dogs, +Lutherans, enemies to God," and all the way as they went, there were +some of the Inquisitors themselves, and of the familiars of that rake- +hell order, that cried to the executioners, "Strike, lay on those +English heretics, Lutherans, God's enemies;" and so this horrible +spectacle being showed round about the city, and they returned to the +Inquisitors' House, with their backs all gore blood and swollen with +great bumps. They were then taken from their horses and carried again +to prison, where they remained until they were sent into Spain to the +galleys, there to receive the rest of their martyrdom; and I, and the +six other with me, which had judgment and were condemned among the rest +to serve an apprenticeship in the monasteries, were taken presently and +sent to certain religious houses appointed for the purpose. + + + +THE SIXTH CHAPTER. + +WHEREIN IS SHOWED HOW WE WERE USED IN THE RELIGIOUS HOUSES, AND THAT +WHEN THE TIME WAS EXPIRED THAT WE WERE ADJUDGED TO SERVE IN THEM, THERE +CAME NEWS TO MEXICO OF MASTER FRANCIS DRAKE'S BEING IN THE SOUTH SEA, +AND WHAT PREPARATION WAS MADE TO TAKE HIM; AND HOW I, SEEKING TO +ESCAPE, WAS AGAIN TAKEN AND PUT IN PRISON IN VERA CRUZ, AND HOW AGAIN I +MADE MINE ESCAPE FROM THENCE. + +I, Miles Phillips, and William Lowe were appointed to the Black Friars, +where I was appointed to be an overseer of Indian workmen, who wrought +there in building a new church, amongst which Indians I learned their +language or Mexican tongue very perfectly, and had great familiarity +with many of them, whom I found to be a courteous and loving kind of +people, ingenious, and of great understanding, and they hate and abhor +the Spaniards with all their hearts. They have used such horrible +cruelties against them, and do still keep them in such subjection and +servitude, that they and the negroes also do daily lie in wait to +practice their deliverance out of that thraldom and bondage that the +Spaniards do keep them in. + +William Lowe, he was appointed to serve the cook in the kitchen; +Richard Williams and David Alexander were appointed to the Grey Friars; +John Storey and Robert Cooke to the White Friars; Paul Horsewell the +Secretary took to be his servant; Thomas Hull was sent to a monastery +of priests, where afterward he died. Thus we served out the years that +we were condemned for, with the use of our fools' coats, and we must +needs confess that the friars did use us very courteously, for every +one of us had his chamber, with bedding and diet, and all things clean +and neat; yea, many of the Spaniards and friars themselves do utterly +abhor and mislike of that cruel Inquisition, and would as they durst +bewail our miseries, and comfort us the best they could, although they +stood in such fear of that devilish Inquisition that they durst not let +the left hand know what the right doeth. + +Now after that the time was expired for which we were condemned to +serve in those religious houses, we were then brought again before the +Chief Inquisitor, and had all our fools' coats pulled off and hanged up +in the head church, called Ecclesia Majora, and every man's name and +judgment written thereupon with this addition--HERETIC LUTHERAN +RECONCILED. And there are also all their coats hanged up which were +condemned to the galleys, with their names and judgments, and +underneath his coat, HERETIC LUTHERAN RECONCILED. And also the coats +and names of the three that were burned, whereupon were written, AN +OBSTINATE HERETIC LUTHERAN BURNT. Then were we suffered to go up and +down the country, and to place ourselves as we could, and yet not so +free but that we very well knew that there was a good espial always +attending us and all our actions, so that we durst not once to speak or +look awry. David Alexander and Robert Cooke they returned to serve the +Inquisitor, who shortly after married them both to two of his negro +women; Richard Williams married a rich widow of Biskay with four +thousand pezoes; Paul Horsewell is married to a Mestiza, as they name +those whose fathers were Spaniards and their mothers Indians, and this +woman which Paul Horsewell hath married is said to be the daughter of +one that came in with Hernando Cortes, the Conqueror, who had with her +in marriage four thousand pezoes and a fair house; John Storie he is +married to a negro woman; William Lowe had leave and licence to go into +Spain, where he is now married. For mine own part I could never +thoroughly settle myself to marry in that country, although many fair +offers were made unto me of such as were of great ability and wealth; +but I could have no liking to live in that place where I must +everywhere see and know such horrible idolatry committed, and durst not +once for my life speak against it; and therefore I had always a longing +and desire to this my native country; and to return and serve again in +the mines, where I might have gathered great riches and wealth, I very +well saw that at one time or another I should fall again into the +danger of that devilish Inquisition, and so be stripped of all, with +loss of life also, and therefore I made my choice rather to learn to +weave Groganes and Taffataes, and so compounding with a silk weaver, I +bound myself for three years to serve him, and gave him one hundred and +fifty pezoes to teach me the science, otherwise he would not have +taught me under seven years' prenticeship, and by this means I lived +the more quiet and free from suspicion. + +Howbeit I should many times be charged by familiars of that devilish +house, that I had a meaning to run away into England, and be an heretic +Lutheran again; to whom I would answer that they had no need to suspect +any such thing in me, for that they knew all very well that it was +impossible for me to escape by any manner of means; yet notwithstanding +I was called before the Inquisitors and demanded why I did not marry. +I answered that I had bound myself at an occupation. "Well," said the +Inquisitor, "I know thou meanest to run away, and therefore I charge +thee here upon pain of burning as an heretic relapsed, that thou depart +not out of this city, nor come near to the port of St. John de Ullua, +nor to any other port;" to the which I answered that I would willingly +obey. "Yea," said he, "see thou do so, and thy fellows also; they +shall have the like charge." + +So I remained at my science the full time and learned the art, at the +end whereof there came news to Mexico that there were certain +Englishmen landed with a great power at the port of Acapulco, upon the +South Sea, and that they were coming to Mexico to take the spoil +thereof, which wrought a marvellous great fear among them, and many of +those that were rich began to shift for themselves, their wives and +children; upon which hurly-burly the Viceroy caused a general muster to +be made of all the Spaniards in Mexico, and there were found to the +number of seven thousand and odd householders of Spaniards in the city +and suburbs, and of single men unmarried the number of three thousand, +and of Mestizies--which are counted to be the sons of Spaniards born of +Indian women--twenty thousand persons; and then was Paul Horsewell and +I, Miles Phillips, sent for before the Viceroy and were examined if we +did know an Englishman named Francis Drake, which was brother to +Captain Hawkins; to which we answered that Captain Hawkins had not any +brother but one, which was a man of the age of threescore years or +thereabouts, and was now governor of Plymouth in England. And then he +demanded of us if we knew one Francis Drake, and we answered no. + +While these things were in doing, there came news that all the +Englishmen were gone; yet was there eight hundred men made out under +the leading of several captains, whereof two hundred were sent to the +port of St. John de Ullua, upon the North Sea, under the conduct of Don +Luis Suares; two hundred were sent to Guatemala, in the South Sea, who +had for their captain John Cortes; two hundred more were sent to +Guatelco, a port of the South Sea, over whom went for captain Don Pedro +de Roblis; and two hundred more were sent to Acapulco, the port where +it was said that Captain Drake had been, and they had for captain +Doctor Roblis Alcalde de Corte, with whom I, Miles Phillips, went as +interpreter, having licence given by the Inquisitors. When we were +come to Acapulco we found that Captain Drake was departed from thence, +more than a month before we came thither. But yet our captain, Alcalde +de Corte, there presently embarked himself in a small ship of +threescore ton, or thereabout, having also in company with him two +other small barques, and not past two hundred men in all, with whom I +went as interpreter in his own ship, which, God knoweth, was but weak +and ill-appointed; so that for certain, if we had met with Captain +Drake, he might easily have taken us all. + +We, being embarked, kept our course, and ran southward towards Panama, +keeping still as nigh the shore as we could; and leaving the land upon +our left hand, and having coasted thus for the space of eighteen or +twenty days, and were more to the south than Guatemala, we met at last +with other ships which came from Panama, of whom we were certainly +informed that he was clean gone off the coast more than a month before; +and so we returned back to Acapulco again, and there landed, our +captain being thereunto forced, because his men were very sore sea- +sick. All the while that I was at sea with them I was a glad man, for +I hoped that if we met with Master Drake we should all be taken, so +that then I should have been freed out of that danger and misery +wherein I lived, and should return to mine own country of England +again. But missing thereof, when I saw there was no remedy but that we +must needs come on land again, little doth any man know the sorrow and +grief that inwardly I felt, although outwardly I was constrained to +make fair weather of it. + +And so, being landed, the next morrow after we began our journey +towards Mexico, and passed these towns of name in our way, as first the +town of Tuatepec, fifty leagues from Mexico; from thence to Washaca, +forty leagues from Mexico; from thence to Tepiaca, twenty-four leagues +from Mexico; and from thence to Lopueblo de Los Angelos, where is a +high hill which casteth out fire three times a day, which hill is +eighteen leagues directly west from Mexico; from thence we went to +Stapelata, eight leagues from Mexico, and there our captain and most of +his men took boat and came to Mexico again, having been forth about the +space of seven weeks, or thereabouts. + +Our captain made report to the Viceroy what he had done, and how far he +had travelled, and that for certain he was informed that Captain Drake +was not to be heard of. To which the Viceroy replied and said, surely +we shall have him shortly come into our hands, driven on land through +necessity in some one place or other, for he, being now in these seas +of Sur, it is not possible for him to get out of them again; so that if +he perish not at sea, yet hunger will force him to land. And then +again I was commanded by the Viceroy that I should not depart from the +city of Mexico, but always be at my master's house in a readiness at an +hour's warning, whensoever I should be called for. Notwithstanding +that, within one month after, certain Spaniards going to Mecameca, +eighteen leagues from Mexico, to send away certain hides and +cuchionelio that they had there at their stantias, or dairy houses, and +my master having leave of the secretary for me to go with them, I took +my journey with them, being very well horsed and appointed; and coming +thither, and passing the time there at Mecameca certain days, till we +had certain intelligence that the fleet was ready to depart, I, not +being more than three days' journey from the port of St. John de Ullua, +thought it to be the meetest time for me to make an escape, and I was +the bolder presuming upon my Spanish tongue, which I spake as naturally +as any of them all, thinking with myself that when I came to St. John +de Ullua I would get to be entertained as a soldier, and so go home +into Spain in the same fleet; and, therefore, secretly one evening +late, the moon shining fair, I conveyed myself away, and riding so for +the space of two nights and two days, sometimes in, and sometimes out, +resting very little all that time, upon the second day at night I came +to the town of Vera Cruz, distant from the port of St. John de Ullua, +where the ships rode, but only eight leagues; and here purposing to +rest myself a day or two, I was no sooner alighted but within the space +of one half hour after I was by ill hap arrested, and brought before +justices there, being taken and suspected to be a gentleman's son of +Mexico that was run away from his father. So I, being arrested and +brought before the justices, there was a great hurly-burly about the +matter, every man charging me that I was the son of such a man, +dwelling in Mexico, which I flatly denied, affirming that I knew not +the man; yet would they not believe me, but urged still upon me that I +was he that they sought for, and so I was conveyed away to prison. And +as I was thus going to prison, to the further increase of my grief, it +chanced that at that very instant there was a poor man in the press +that was come to town to sell hens, who told the justices that they did +me wrong, and that in truth he knew very well that I was an Englishman, +and no Spaniard. Then they demanded of him how he knew that, and +threatened him that he said so for that he was my companion, and sought +to convey me away from my father, so that he also was threatened to be +laid in prison with me. He, for the discharge of himself, stood +stiffly in it that I was an Englishman, and one of Captain Hawkins's +men, and that he had known me wear the San Benito in the Black Friars +at Mexico for three or four whole years together; which when they heard +they forsook him, and began to examine me anew, whether that speech of +his were true, yea or no; which when they perceived that I could not +deny, and perceiving that I was run from Mexico, and came thither of +purpose to convey myself away with the fleet, I was presently committed +to prison with a sorrowful heart, often wishing myself that that man +which knew me had at that time been further off. Howbeit, he in +sincerity had compassion of my distressed state, thinking by his +speech, and knowing of me, to have set me free from that present danger +which he saw me in. Howbeit, contrary to his expectation, I was +thereby brought into my extreme danger, and to the hazard of my life, +yet there was no remedy but patience, perforce; and I was no sooner +brought into prison but I had a great pair of bolts clapped on my legs, +and thus I remained in that prison for the space of three weeks, where +were also many other prisoners, which were thither committed for sundry +crimes and condemned to the galleys. During which time of imprisonment +there I found amongst those my prison fellows some that had known me +before in Mexico, and truly they had compassion of me, and would spare +of their victuals and anything else that they had to do me good, +amongst whom there was one of them that told me that he understood by a +secret friend of his which often came to the prison to him that I +should be shortly sent back again to Mexico by waggon, so soon as the +fleet was gone from St. John de Ullua for Spain. + +This poor man, my prison fellow, of himself, and without any request +made by me, caused his said friend, which came often unto him to the +grate of the prison, to bring him wine and victuals, to buy for him two +knives which had files in their backs, which files were so well made +that they would serve and suffice any prisoner to file off his irons, +and of those knives or files he brought one to me, and told me that he +had caused it to be made for me, and let me have it at the very price +it cost him, which was two pezoes, the value of eight shillings of our +money, which knife when I had it I was a joyful man, and conveyed the +same into the foot of my boot upon the inside of my left leg, and so +within three or four days after that I had thus received my knife I was +suddenly called for, and brought before the head justice, which caused +those my irons with the round bolt to be stricken off, and sent to a +smith in the town, where was a new pair of bolts made ready for me of +another fashion, which had a broad iron bar coming between the +shackles, and caused my hands to be made fast with a pair of manacles, +and so was I presently laid into a waggon all alone, which was there +ready to depart, with sundry other waggons to the number of sixty, +towards Mexico, and they were all laden with sundry merchandise which +came in the fleet out of Spain. + +The waggon that I was in was foremost of all the company, and as we +travelled, I being alone in the waggon, began to try if I could pluck +my hands out of the manacles, and as God would, although it were +somewhat painful for me, yet my hands were so slender that I could pull +them out and put them in again, and ever as we went when the waggons +made most noise and the men busiest, I would be working to file off my +bolts, and travelling thus for the space of eight leagues from Vera +Cruz we came to an high hill, at the entering up of which (as God +would), one of the wheels of the waggon wherein I was brake, so that by +that means the other waggons went afore, and the waggon man that had +charge of me set an Indian carpenter at work to mend the wheel; and +here at this place they baited at an ostrie that a negro woman keeps, +and at this place for that the going up of the hill is very steep for +the space of two leagues and better, they do always accustom to take +the mules of three or four waggons and to place them all together for +the drawing up of one waggon, and so to come down again and fetch up +others in that order. All which came very well to pass, for as it drew +towards night, when most of the waggoners were gone to draw up their +waggons in this sort, I being alone, had quickly filed off my bolts, +and so espying my time in the dark of the evening before they returned +down the hill again, I conveyed myself into the woods there adjoining, +carrying my bolts and manacles with me, and a few biscuits and two +small cheeses. And being come into the woods I threw my irons into a +thick bush, and then covered them with moss and other things, and then +shifted for myself as I might all that night. And thus, by the good +providence of Almighty God, I was freed from mine irons, all saving the +collar that was about my neck, and so got my liberty the second time. + + + +THE SEVENTH CHAPTER. + +WHEREIN IS SHOWED HOW I ESCAPED TO GUATEMALA UPON THE SOUTH SEA, AND +FROM THENCE TO THE PORT OF CAVALLOS, WHERE I GOT PASSAGE TO GO INTO +SPAIN, AND OF OUR ARRIVAL AT THE HAVANA AND OUR COMING TO SPAIN, WHERE +I WAS AGAIN LIKE TO HAVE BEEN COMMITTED PRISONER, AND HOW THROUGH THE +GREAT MERCY OF GOD I ESCAPED AND CAME HOME IN SAFETY INTO ENGLAND IN +FEBRUARY, 1582. + +The next morning (daylight being come) I perceived by the sun rising +what way to take to escape their hands, for when I fled I took the way +into the woods upon the left hand, and having left that way that went +to Mexico upon my right hand, I thought to keep my course as the woods +and mountains lay still direct south as near as I could; by means +whereof I was sure to convey myself far enough from that way which went +to Mexico. And as I was thus going in the woods I saw many great fires +made to the north not past a league from the mountain where I was, and +travelling thus in my boots, with mine iron collar about my neck, and +my bread and cheese, the very same forenoon I met with a company of +Indians which were hunting of deer for their sustenance, to whom I +spake in the Mexican tongue, and told them how that I had of a long +time been kept in prison by the cruel Spaniards, and did desire them to +help me file off mine iron collar, which they willingly did, rejoicing +greatly with me that I was thus escaped out of the Spaniards' hands. +Then I desired that I might have one of them to guide out of those +desert mountains towards the south, which they also most willingly did, +and so they brought me to an Indian town eight leagues distance from +thence named Shalapa, where I stayed three days; for that I was +somewhat sickly. At which town (with the gold that I had quilted in my +doublet) I bought me an horse of one of the Indians, which cost me six +pezoes, and so travelling south within the space of two leagues I +happened to overtake a Grey Friar, one that I had been familiar withal +in Mexico, whom then I knew to be a zealous, good man, and one that did +much lament the cruelty used against us by the Inquisitors, and truly +he used me very courteously; and I, having confidence in him, did +indeed tell him that I was minded to adventure to see if I could get +out of the said country if I could find shipping, and did therefore +pray him of his aid, direction, and advice herein, which he faithfully +did, not only in directing me which was any safest way to travel, but +he also of himself kept me company for the space of three days, and +ever as we came to the Indians' houses (who used and entertained us +well), he gathered among them in money to the value of twenty pezoes, +which at my departure from him he freely gave unto me. + +So came I to the city of Guatemala upon the South Sea, which is distant +from Mexico about 250 leagues, where I stayed six days, for that my +horse was weak, and from thence I travelled still south and by east +seven days' journey, passing by certain Indian towns until I came to an +Indian town distant from Mexico direct south 309 leagues. And here at +this town inquiring to go to the port of Cavallos in the north-east +sea, it was answered that in travelling thither I should not come to +any town in ten or twelve days' journey; so here I hired two Indians to +be my guides, and I bought hens and bread to serve us so long time, and +took with us things to kindle fire every night because of wild beasts, +and to dress our meat; and every night when we rested my Indian guides +would make two great fires, between the which we placed ourselves and +my horse. And in the night time we should hear the lions roar, with +tigers, ounces, and other beasts, and some of them we should see in the +night which had eyes shining like fire. And travelling thus for the +space of twelve days, we came at last to the port of Cavallos upon the +east sea, distant from Guatemala south and by east 200 leagues, and +from Mexico 450 or thereabouts. This is a good harbour for ships, and +is without either castle or bulwark. I having despatched away my +guides, went down to the haven, where I saw certain ships laden chiefly +with canary wine, where I spake with one of the masters, who asked me +what countryman I was, and I told him that I was born in Granada, and +he said that then I was his countryman. I required him that I might +pass home with him in his ship, paying for my passage; and he said yea, +so that I had a safe conduct or letter testimonial to show that he +might incur no danger; for, said he, "it may be that you have killed +some man, or be indebted, and you would therefore run away." To that I +answered that there was not any such cause. + +Well, in the end we grew to a price that for 6O pezoes he would carry +me into Spain. A glad man was I at this good hap, and I quickly sold +my horse, and made my provision of hens and bread to serve me in my +passage; and thus within two days after we set sail, and never stayed +until we came to the Havana, which is distant from port de Cavallos by +sea 500 leagues, where we found the whole fleet of Spain, which was +bound home from the Indies. And here I was hired for a soldier, to +serve in the admiral ship of the same fleet, wherein the general +himself went. + +There landed while I was here four ships out of Spain, being all full +of soldiers and ordnance, of which number there were 200 men landed +here, and four great brass pieces of ordnance, although the castle were +before sufficiently provided; 200 men more were sent to Campechy, and +certain ordnance; 200 to Florida with ordnance; and 100 lastly to St. +John de Ullua. As for ordnance, there they have sufficient, and of the +very same which was ours which we had in the Jesus, and those others +which we had planted in the place, where the Viceroy betrayed Master +Hawkins, our general, as hath been declared. The sending of those +soldiers to every of those posts, and the strengthening of them, was +done by commandment from the King of Spain, who wrote also by them to +the general of his fleet, giving him in charge so to do, as also +directing him what course he should keep in his coming home into Spain, +charging him at any hand not to come nigh to the isles of Azores, but +to keep his course more to the northward, advertising him withal what +number and power of French ships of war and other Don Anthony had at +that time at the Tercera and isles aforesaid, which the general of the +fleet well considering, and what great store of riches he had to bring +home with him into Spain, did in all very dutifully observe and obey; +for in truth he had in his said fleet 37 sail of ships, and in every of +them there was as good as 30 pipes of silver, one with another, besides +great store of gold, cochineal, sugars, hides, and Cana Fistula, with +other apothecary drugs. This our general, who was called Don Pedro de +Guzman, did providently take order for, for their most strength and +defence, if needs should be, to the uttermost of his power, and +commanded upon pain of death that neither passenger or soldier should +come aboard without his sword and harquebuse, with shot and powder, to +the end that they might be the better able to encounter the fleet of +Don Anthony if they should hap to meet with them, or any of them. And +ever as the weather was fair, this said general would himself go aboard +from one ship to another to see that every man had his full provision +according to the commandment given. + +Yet to speak truly what I think, two good tall ships of war would have +made a foul spoil amongst them, for in all this fleet there were not +any that were strong and warlike appointed, saving only the admiral and +vice-admiral. And again, over and besides the weakness and ill- +furnishing of the rest, they were all so deeply laden, that they had +not been able (even if they had been charged) to have held out any long +fight. Well, thus we set sail, and had a very ill passage home, the +weather was so contrary. We kept our course in manner northeast, and +brought ourselves to the height of 42 degrees of latitude, to be sure +not to meet with Don Anthony his fleet, and were upon our voyage from +the 4th of June until the 10th of September, and never saw land till we +fell with the Arenas Gordas hard by St. Lucar. + +And there was an order taken that none should go on shore until he had +a licence; as for me, I was known by one in the ship, who told the +master that I was an Englishman, which (as God would) was my good hap +to hear; for if I had not heard it, it had cost me my life. +Notwithstanding, I would not take any knowledge of it, and seemed to be +merry and pleasant that we were all come so well in safety. Presently +after, licence came that we should go on shore, and I pressed to be +gone with the first; howbeit, the master came unto me and said, +"Sirrah, you must go with me to Seville by water." I knew his meaning +well enough, and that he meant there to offer me up as a sacrifice to +the Holy House. For the ignorant zeal of a number of these +superstitious Spaniards is such that they think that they have done God +good service when they have brought a Lutheran heretic to the fire to +be burnt; for so they do account of us. Well, I perceiving all this, +took upon me not to suspect anything, but was still jocund and merry, +howbeit I knew it stood me upon to shift for myself. And so waiting my +time when the master was in his cabin asleep, I conveyed myself +secretly down by the shrouds into the ship boat, and made no stay, but +cut the rope wherewithal she was moored, and so by the cable hailed on +shore, where I leapt on land, and let the boat go whither it would. +Thus by the help of God I escaped that day, and then never stayed at +St. Lucar, but went all night by the way which I had seen others take +towards Seville. So that the next morning I came to Seville, and +sought me out a workmaster, that I might fall to my science, which was +weaving of taffaetas, and being entertained I set myself close to my +work, and durst not for my life once to stir abroad, for fear of being +known, and being thus at my work, within four days after I heard one of +my fellows say that he heard there was great inquiry made for an +Englishman that came home in the fleet. "What, an heretic Lutheran +(quoth I), was it? I would to God I might know him. Surely I would +present him to the Holy House." And thus I kept still within doors at +my work, and feigned myself not well at ease, and that I would labour +as I might to get me new clothes. And continuing thus for the space of +three months, I called for my wages, and bought me all things new, +different from the apparel that I did wear at sea, and yet durst not be +over bold to walk abroad; and after understanding that there were +certain English ships at St. Lucar, bound for England, I took a boat +and went aboard one of them, and desired the master that I might have +passage with him to go into England, and told him secretly that I was +one of those which Captain Hawkins did set on shore in the Indies. He +very courteously prayed me to have him excused, for he durst not meddle +with me, and prayed me therefore to return from whence I came. Which +then I perceived with a sorrowful heart, God knoweth, I took my leave +of him, not without watery cheeks. And then I went to St. Mary Port, +which is three leagues from St. Lucar, where I put myself to be a +soldier in the King of Spain's galleys, which were bound for Majorca +and coming thither in the end of the Christmas holidays I found there +two English ships, the one of London, and the other of the west +country, which were ready freighted, and stayed but for a fair wind. +To the master of the one which was of the west country went I, and told +him that I had been two years in Spain to learn the language, and that +I was now desirous to go home and see my friends, for that I lacked +maintenance, and so having agreed with him for my passage I took my +shipping. And thus, through the providence of Almighty God, after +sixteen years' absence, having sustained many and sundry great troubles +and miseries, as by this discourse appeareth, I came home to this my +native country in England in the year 1582, in the month of February in +the ship called the Landret, and arrived at Poole. + + + + + +End of The Project Gutenberg Etext of Voyager's Tales, by Richard Hakluyt + diff --git a/old/vgrtl10.zip b/old/vgrtl10.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..78b8bae --- /dev/null +++ b/old/vgrtl10.zip |