The trauailes of an English man Containing his sundrie calalmities indured by the space of twentie and odd yeres in his absence from his natiue countrie; wherein is truly decyphered the sundrie shapes of wilde beasts, birds, fishes, foules, rootes, plants, &c. With the description of a man that appeared in the sea: and also of a huge giant brought from China to the King of Spaine. No lesse pleasant than approued. By I.H. Published with authoritie.

The late and wonderfull Trauaile of an Englishman, with his slauerie and miserie sustained for 23. yeeres space together.

NOt vntruly nor without cause, said Iob the faithful seruant of God (whome the sacred Scriptures tell vs, to haue dwelt in the lande of Hus) that man beeing borne of a wo∣man, liuing a short time, ••s replenished with ma∣ny miseries, which some knowe by reading of histories, many by the viewe of others calamities, and I by experience in my selfe, as this present Treatise insuing shall shew.

It is not vnknowne vnto many that I I. H. pou∣der-maker was borne at Bourne, a Towne in Lin∣colnshire, from my age of twelue yeeres brought vp in Redriffe neere London; with M. Frauncis Lee, who was the Queenes Maiesties powder-maker, whome I serued, vntill I was prest to goe on the voiage to the West Indies, with the Right worshipful Sir Iohn Hau∣kins, who appointed mee to be one of the Gunners in her Maiesties shippe called the Iesus of Libbicke, who set saile from Plimmouth in the moneth of October

1567. hauing with him an other shippe of her Maie∣sties, called the Minion, and foure shippes of his owne namely, the Angell, the Swallow, the Iudith, and the William and Iohn. He directed his Vizeadmirall, that if foule weather did separate them, to meete at the I∣land of Tennerif. After which by the space of seuen daies and seuen nights, we had such storms at Sea, that we lost our long boates and a pinnisse, with some men comming to the Tennerif: there our Generall heard that his vizeadmirall with the Swallow, and the Wil∣liam and Iohn, were at the Iland called the Gomero, where finding his vizeadmirall hee ancored, tooke in fresh water and set saile for Cape Blanke, where in the way we tooke a Portugall Caruill, laden with fish cal∣led Mullets: from thence to Cape de Verde. In our course thither we met a Frenchman of Rochell called Captaine Bland, who had taken a Portugall Caruill, whome our vizeadmirall chafed and tooke. Sir Fraun∣cis Drake was made Master and Captaine of the Car∣uill, and so weekept our way till wee came to Cape de Verde, and there we ancored, tooke our boates, and set soldiers on shore. Our Generall was the first that leapt on land, & with him Captain Dudley there we tooke certain Negros, but not without damage to our selues for our General, Captaine Dudley, and eight other of our company were hurt with poysoned arrowes, a∣bout nine daies after the eight that were wounded di∣ed. Our Generall was taught by a Negro, to draw the poyson out of his wound with a cloue of garlicke, whereby he was cured. Frō thence we went to Surro∣leon, where be monstrous fishes called Sharkes, which

wil deuoure men, I amongst others was sent in the An∣gell with two pinnaces into the riuer called the Calou∣ses, that were there trading with the Negros, we tooke one of them with the Negroes, & brought them away. In this riuer in the night time we had one of our pinna∣ces bulged by a sea-horse, so that our men swimming a∣bout the riuer, were all taken into the other pinnaces, except two that tooke holde one of another, and were carried awaie by the sea horse, who hath the iust pro∣portion of a horse, sauing that his legs be short, his teeth verie great and a span in length, he vseth on the night to go on land into the woodes, seeking at vnawares to de∣uour the Negros in their cabbins, whom they by their vigilancie preuent, and kill them in this manner. The Negros keepe watch, and diligently attend their com∣ming, and when they are gone into the woodes, they forthwith laie a great tree ouerthwart the waie, so that at their returne, for that their legs be so short, they can∣not go ouer it: then the Negroes set vppon them with their bowes, arrowes and darts, and so destroy them.

From thence we entered the riuer called the Cau∣sterus, where there were other Caruelles trading with the Negros, and them we tooke. In this Iland betwixt the riuer and the maine, Trees grow with their rootes vpwards, and Oisters vpon them. There grow Palmita trees, which be as high as a ships maine mast, & on their tops grow nuts, wine and oyle, which they call Palmi∣ta wine and Palmita oyle. The Plantine trees also grow in that countrie, the tree is as big as a mans thigh, and as high as a firre pole, the leaues thereof be long & broade, and on the top grow the fruit which is called

Plantaines, they are crooked and a cubite long, and as big as a mans wrist, they grow on clusters: when they be ripe they be verie good and daintie to eate, Suger is not more delicate in tast than they be. In this land bee Elyphants, which the Negros kill in this manner: they seke out their hants where they rest in the night, which is against a tree, that they saw three partes in sunder, so that when the Elephant leaneth and stretch himselfe against it, the tree falleth, & he with it, then he roareth, wherby the Negros know he is fallen, then they come vpon him and kill him.

From thence with the Angell, the Iudith and the pinnaces, wee failed to Surreleon, where our Ge∣nerall at that time was, who with the Captaines and souldiers went vp into the riuer called the Faggarine, to take a towne of the Negroes, where he found three kings of that Countrie with fiftie thousand Negroes beseeging the same towne, which they could not take in many yeeres before that they had warred with it. Our Generall made a breach, entered, and valiantlie tooke the towne, wherein were founde fiue Portu∣gals, which yeelded themselues to his mercie, and hee saued their liues, we tooke and carried thence for traf∣ficke of the West Indies fiue hundred Negroes. The three kings droue seuen thousand Negros into the sea at low water, at the point of the land, where they were all drowned in the oze, for that they could not take their canowes to saue themselues. Wee retourued backe againe in our pinnaces to the shippes, and there tooke in fresh water, and made readie sayle towards Reogrande. At our comming thether we entred with

the Angel, the Iudith, and the two pinnasses, we found there seuen Portugall Caruils, which made great fight with vs. In the end by Gods helpe wee won the victo∣ry, and droue them to the shore, from whence with the Negroes they fled, we fetcht the caruils from the shore into the riuer. The next morning sir Frances Drake with his Caruell, the Swallow, the William and Iohn came into the riuer, with Captaine Dudley and his sol∣diers, who landed being but a hundred souldiers, and fought with seauen thousande Negroes, burned the towne, and returned to our Generall with the losse of one man.

In that place there be many muske cats, which breed in hollow trees, the Negroes take them in a net and put them in a cage, and nourish them verie daintily, & take the muske from them with a spoone.

Heere we left the Ethyope land, And tooke the Indian voiage in hand.

Heere by the way died Captaine Dudley.

In sayling towards the Indies, the first land that wee escried, was the Iland called Domineco, where at our comming we ancored, tooke in fresh water and wood for our prouision, which done, we sayled towardes the Iland called Margarita, where our Generall in despite of the Spanyardes ancored, landed, and tooke in fresh victuals. A mile off the Iland there is a rocke in the sea, wherein do breede many fowles, like vnto Barnacles, in the night wee went out in our boates, and with cud∣gels wee killed many of them, and wee brought them with many of their egges abord with vs, their egges be as bigge as Turkies egges, and speckled like them, wee

did eate them, and found them very good meat.

From thence wee sayled to Burborata, which is in the maine lande of the West Indies, there we came in, mored our shippes, and tarryed two moneths trim∣ming and dressing our shippes, and in the meane time trading with certaine Spanyards of that cuntry. There our Generall sent vs vnto a Towne called Placentia, (which stood on a high hil) to haue intreated a Bishop that dwelt there for his fauour and frendship in their lawes, who hearing of our comming, for feare forsoke the Towne, wherevpon one of our companie made these English verses following.

Vnto the Bishop we were sent, To craue his fauour in the lawes: He knew not the good that we ment, He fled for feare and not for cause. We tooke such a iourney vp the hill, That few or none haue done so ill.

In our way vp the hill to Placentia, wee found a monstrous venemous worme, with two heads, his bo∣die was as bigge as a mans arme, and a yard long▪ our maister Robert Barret did cutte him in sunder with his swoord, and it made it as blacke as if it were colou∣red with ynke.

Heere bee many Tygers, monstrous and furious beasts, which by subtletie deuoure and destroy many men, they vse the traded waies, and will shewe them∣selues twise or thrise to the trauellers, and so depart se∣cretly, lurking till they be past, then sodainly and at vn∣awares they leape vpon them and deuoure them, they had so vsed two of our companie, had not one of them

looked behind. Our Generall sent three ships vnto the Iland called Corussa, to make prouision for the rest where they remained vntill his comming. Hee sent from thence the Angell and the Iudith to Riuer de hache, where we ancored before the towne. The Spa∣nyards shot three peeces at vs from the shore, whome we requited with two of ours, and shotte through the Gouernors house, we wayed ancor, & ancored againe without shot of the towne, where we rid fiue daies in despite of the Spanyards, and their shot. In the meane space there came a Caruil of aduise from S. Domingo whom with the Angell, and the Iudith we chased and droue to the shore, we fetcht him from thence spite of 200 Spanyards hargabush shot, and ancored again be∣fore the towne, and rid there with him, till our Gene∣rals comming, who ancored, landed his men, and vali∣antly tooke the Towne, with the losse of one man, whose name was Thomas Surgeon, wee landed and planted on the shore for our safties our field ordināce, wee droue the Spanyards vp into the country aboue two leagues, wherby they were inforced to trade with our Generall, to whō he sold most part of his Negros.

In this riuer we killed a monstrous Alagarta in this port at Sunne set: seuen of vs went in the pinnice vp into the Riuer, carrying with vs a dogge, vnto whom with rope yarne wee bound a great hooke of steele, with a chaine that had a swiuel, which wee put vnder the dogs belly, the point of the hooke cōming ouer his back fast bound, as aforesaid, we put him ouer bord, & vered out our rope by little & little, rowing away with our boate, the Alagarta came and presently swallowed

vp the dogge, then did we rowe hard, till we had cho∣ked him, hee plunged and made a wonderfull sturre in the water, we leapt on shore, and haled him on lande: he was 23 foote by the rule, headed like a hogge, in bo∣die like a serpent, full of scales as broad as a sawcer, his taile long and full of knots, as bigge as a fawcon shotte, he hath foure legges, his feete haue long nailes like vn∣to a dragon, we opened him, tooke out his guttes, flead him, dried his skinne, & stuffed it with strawe, meaning to haue brought it home, had not the shippe been cast away. This monster wil carrie away and deuoure both man and horse.

Nowe to S. Amart, where wee landed, traded, and solde certaine Negros: there two of our companie killed a monstrous adder, going towards his caue with a cunnie in his mouth, his bodie was as bigge as anie mans thigh, and seuen foot long, vpon his tayle he had sixteene knottes, euerie one as bigge as a great walnut, which they say, do shew his age: his colour was green and yellowe, they opened him and found two cunnies in his bellie.

From thence to Cartagene, where we went in, mored our ships, and would haue traded with them, but they durst not for feare of the king, we brought vp the Min∣nion against the Castell, and shotte at the Castell and Towne: these we landed in an Iland, where were ma∣ny gardens, there in a caue we found certain Buttesios of wine, which wee brought away with vs, in recom∣pence whereof our Generall commaunded to bee set on shore woollen and linnen cloth to the value there∣of. From hence by foule weather wee were forced to

seeke the port of S. Iohn de Lowe: in our way, twhart of Campeche, wee met with a Spanyard, a small ship, who was bound for Santa Domingo, he had in him a Spanyard, called Augustine de villa noua, that was he that betrayed all the Noble men in the Indies, & cau∣sed them to be beheaded, wherefore he with two Fri∣ers with him fled to S. Domingo, them wee tooke and brought with vs into the port of S. Iohn de Low. Our Generall made a great account of him, and vsed him like a Noble man, in the ende he was one of them that betrayed vs, when we had mored our shippes, and lan∣ded, we mounted the ordinance that wee found there in the Iland, and for our safeties kept watch and ward. Two daies after wee discouered the Spanish fleete, wherof Lushon a Spanyard was Generall, with him came a Spanyard, called Don Martin Henerico, whō the king of Spaine sent to bee his vize-king of the In∣dies. He sent a pinnice with a flagge of truce vnto our Generall, to know of what Countrie those ships were that rode there in the King of Spaines port, who sayd they were the Q. of Englandes ships, which came in there for victuals for their mony, for the which if your Generall will come in here, he shall giue me victualles and all other necessaries, and I will go out on the one side of the port, and he shall come in on the other side. The Spaniard returned for answere, that he was a vize king, & had a thousand men, and therefore he would come in. Our Generall sayd, if he bee a vize king, I re∣present my Queenes person, & I am a vize king as well as he, and if he haue a thousand men, my pouder and shot will take the better place. Then the vize king after

counsell among themselues, yeelded to our Generals demaund, swearing by his King and his Crowne, by his commission and authoritie, that hee had from his King, that he would performe it, and therevpon pled∣ges were giuen on both parts. Our Generall bearing a godly and Christian mind, voide of fraud and deceite, iudged the Spanyards to haue done the like, deliuered to them six Gentlemen, not doubting to haue recei∣ued the like from them, but the faithlesse Spanyardes, in costly apparell gaue of the basest of their companie, as afterwardes it was well knowne. These things fini∣shed, proclamation was made on both sides, that on payne of death no occasion should be giuen, whereby any quarrel should growe to the breach of the league, and then they peaceably entered the port, with great triumph on both sides.

The Spanyards presently brought a great Hulke, a ship of nine hundred, and mored her by the side of the Minion, and they cut out ports in their other shippes, planting their ordenance towards vs, in the night they filled the Hulke with men, to lay the Minion aboord, as the sequel did shew, which made our General dout∣full of their dealinges, wherefore, for that hee could speake the Spanish toong, hee sent Robert Barret a∣boord the vize-king, to knowe his meaning in those dealings, who willed him with his company to come in to him, whome he commaunded presently to bee sette in the bilbowes, and foorthwith a Cornet (for a watchword among the false Spanyards) was sounded for the enterprising of their pretended treason against our Generall, whome Augustine de villa noua sit∣ting

at dinner with him, should then presently haue killed with a poynado which hee had priuily in his sleeue, which was espyed and preuented by one Iohn Chamberlaine, who tooke the poynado out of his sleeue. Our Generall hastily rose vp, and commaun∣ded him to bee put prisoner in the Steward roome, and to bee kept with two men. The faithlesse Spany∣ards, thinking all things to their desire had beene fini∣shed, sodainely sounded a Trumpet, and therewith three hundred Spanyards entred the Minion, where∣at our Generall with a lowde and fierce voyce called vnto vs, saying, God and Saint George, vpon those trayterous villaines, and rescue the Minnion, I trust in God the day shall bee ours, and with that the Marri∣ners and soldiers leapt out of th Iesus of Libbicke in∣to the Minnion, and beate out the Spanyardes, and with a shotte out of her fiered the Spanyards vize-ad∣mirall, where the most part of three hundred Spany∣ardes were spoyled, and blowne ouer boord with powder. Their Admiral also was on fier half an houre, wee cutte our cables, wound off our shippes, and pre∣sently fought with them, they came vpon vs on euery side, and continued the fight from tenne of the clocke vntill it was night, they kylled all our men that were on shore in the Iland, sauing three, which by swim∣ming got aboord the Iesus of Libicke. They sunke the Generals ship called the Angell, and tooke the Swal∣low, the Spanyards admiral had aboue threescore shot through her, many of his men were spoyled, foure o∣ther of their shippes were sunke, there were in that fleete, and that came from the shore to rescue them,

fifteene hundred we slew of them, fiue hundred and fortie, as wee were credebly infourmed by a note that came to Mexico. In this fight the Iesus of Libicke had fiue shot through her maine mast, her fore-mast was stroke in sunder vnder the hounds with a chaine shot, and her hull was wonderfully pearced with shot, ther∣fore it was vnpossible to bring hir awaie. They set two of their own ships on fire, intending therwith to haue burnt the Iesus of Libbicke, which wee preuented by cutting our cables in the halfe, and winding off by our sternefast. The Minion was forced to set saile & stand off from vs, and come to an ancor without shot of the Iland. Our Generall couragiously cheered vp his sol∣diers and Gunners, and called to Samuel his page for a cup of Beere, who brought it him in a siluer cup, and he drinking to al his men willed the Gunners to stand by their ordenance lustily like men. He had no sooner set the cup out of his hand, but a demy Culuerine shot stroke away the cup & a Coopers plaine that stood by the maine mast, & ran out on the other side of the ship, which nothing dismaied our Generall, for hee ceased not to incourage vs, saying, feare nothing, for God who hath preserued mee from this shot, will also deli∣uer vs from these traytors and villaines. Then captaine Bland meaning to haue turned out of the port, had his main mast stroke ouer bord with a chainshot that came from the shore, wherefore hee ancored, fired his ship, tooke his pinnice with all his men, and came aboord the Iesus of Libbicke to our Generall, who saide vnto him, that hee thought he would not haue runne away from him: hee aunswered, that he was not minded to

haue runne awaye from him, but his intente was to haue turned vp, and to haue laide the wethermost shippe of the Spanish fleet aboord, and fyred his shippe in hope therewith to haue set on fire the Spanish fleet, he said if he had done so hee had done well. With this night came on. Our Generall commaunded the Min∣nion, for safegard of her masts to be brought vnder the Iesus of Libbicks lee: hee willed Sir Francis Drake to come in with the Iudith, and to lay the Minion abord, to take in men and other thinges needfull, and to goe out, and so he did.

At night when the wind came off the shore, wee set sayle, and went out in despite of the Spanyardes and their shot, where wee ancored, with two ancors vnder the Iland, the wind being northerly, which was won∣derfull daungerous, and we feared euerie houre to be driuen with the lee shore. In the ende the wind came larger, we wayed ancor, and set sayle, seeking the riuer of Pannico for water, whereof we had very little, and victuals were so scarse, that we were driuē to eat hides, cats, rats, parrats, munkies, and dogges, wherefore our Generall was forced to diuide his company into two partes, for there was a mutenie among them for want of victuals, and some saide that they had rather bee on the shore to shift for themselues amongst the enemies, then to sterue on shippe-boord. Hee asked them who would goe on shore, and who would tarrie on shippe-boord, those that would goe on shore, he willed to goe on foremast, and those that would tarrie, on baft mast: fourescore and sixteene of vs were willing to departe. Our Generall gaue vnto euery one of vs six yardes of

roane cloth, and money to them that demaundedit. When we were landed, he came vnto vs, where frend∣ly imbracing euery one of vs, he was greatly greeued that he was forced to leaue vs behind him, he counsel∣led vs to serue God, and to loue one another, and thus courteously he gaue vs a sorrowful farewell, & promi∣sed if God sent him safe home, he would do what hee could, that so many of vs as liued shuld by some means be brought into England, and so he did.

Since my returne into England I haue heard, that many misliked that he left vs so behind him, & broght away Negros, the reasō is this, for them he might haue had victuals, or any other thing needfull, if by fowle weather he had beene driuen vpon the Ilands, which for gold nor siluer he could not haue had.

And thus our Generall parted to his ships, and wee remained on lande, where for oursafeties, fearing the wild Indians that were about vs, we kept watch all night, and at sunne rising wee marched on our waye, three and three in a ranke, vntill that wee came into a fielde vnder agroue, where the Indians came vppon vs, asking vs what people we were, and how we came there. Two of our companie, namely Anthonie Goddard, and Iohn Cornish, for that they could speake the Spanish toong, went to them, and sayde we were Englishmen, that neuer came in that countrie before, and that we had fought with the Spanyards, and for that wee lacked victuals, our Generall sette vs on shore, they asked vs whither we intended to goe, wee saide, to Pannico. The Captaine of the Indians wylled vs to giue vnto them some of our clothes and

shirtes, which wee did: then hee bad vs giue them all, but wee would not so doe, whererevpon Iohn Cornish was then slaine with an arrowe, which an In∣dian boy that stoode by the Captaine shotte at him, wherefore hee strooke the boy on the necke with his bowe, that he laye for deade, and willed vs to follow him, who brought vs into a great fielde, where wee found fresh water, hee bad vs sitte downe about the pond and drinke, and hee with his company would goe in the meane space to kill fiue or sixe deere, and bring them to vs. We tarryed there vntill three of the clocke, but they came not: there one of our company whose name was Iohn Cooke, with four other depar∣ted from vs into a groue to seeke reliefe, where present∣ly they were taken by the Indians, and stript as naked as euer they were borne, and so returned to vs.

Then we diuided our selues into two parts, halfe to Anthony Goddard, and the rest to Iames Collier, and thus seuerally we sought for Pannico. Anthony God∣dard with his company, bid vs farewell, they passed a riuer, where the Indians robbed many of thē of their clothes, & so passing on their way, came to a stony hill, where they staied. Iames Collyer with his company, that day passed the same riuer, and were also robbed, and one of them slaine by chance, we came that night vnto the hill, where Anthony Goddard and his com∣pany rested, there we remained till morning, & then wee marched altogether from thence, entering be∣twixt two groues, where the Indians robbed vs of all our clothes, & left vs naked, they hurt many, and killed eight of vs. Three daies after we came to another riuer

there the Indians shewed vs the way to Pannico, and so left vs: we passed the riuer into the wildernes, where we made wreaths of greene grasse, which wee wound about our bodies, to keepe vs from the sunne, & gnats of that country. Wee trauelled there seuen daies, and seuen nights, before we came to Pannico, feeding on nothing but roots, and Guiauos, a fruite like figges. At our comming to the riuer of Pannico, two Spanish horsemen came ouer vnto vs in a Canowe, they asked vs how long we had beene in the wildernes, & where our Generall was, for they knewe vs to be of the com∣pany that had fought with their countrymen: we told them seuen daies and seuen nights, and for lacke of vi∣ctuals our Generall set vs on shore, and he was gone a∣way with his shippes. They returned to their Gouer∣nour, who sent them with fiue Canowes, to bring vs all ouer. Which done, they set vs in array, where a hun∣dred horsemen with their launces, came forceably vp∣on vs, but did not hurt vs, they carried vs prisoners to Pannico, where wee remained one night. In the riuer of Pannico, there is a fish like a Calfe, the Spanyardes call it a Mallateen, hee hath a stone in his head, which the Indians vse for the disease of the Collicke, in the night hee commeth on lande, and eateth grasse. I haue eaten of it, & it eateth not much vrlike to bacon. From thence wee were sent to Mexico, which is threescore leagues from Pannico. In our way thither, 20 leagues from the sea side, I did see white Crabs running vp & downe the sands, I haue eaten of them, and they be ve∣rie good meat. There groweth a fruit which the Spani∣ards cal Auoco••••es, it is proportioned like an egge, and

as blacke as a cole, hauing a stone in it, and it is an ex∣cellent good fruite. There also groweth a strange thing which they call Magei, it serueth them to many vses, below by the roote they make a hole, whereat they do take out of it twise euery day, a certaine kind of licour, which they seeth in a great kettell, till the third part be consumed, and that it waxe thicke, it is as sweet as anie honie, they doe eate it. Within twentie daies after that they haue taken all the licour from it, it withereth, and they cut it downe, and vse it as we vse our hempe heere in England, which done, they conuert it to many vses: of some part they make Mantles, ropes, and threed: of the ends they make needles to sowe their saddels, pan∣nels, and other furniture for their horses: of the rest they make tyles to couer their houses, and they put it to many other purposes.

And thus we came to Mexico, which is 7 leagues about, seated in a great fen, inuironed with foure hils, it hath but two waies of entrance, and it is ful of creeks, in the which in their Canowes they passe from place to place, and to the Ilandes there within. In the Indies ordinarily three times a yeare bee woonderfull earth∣quakes, which put the people in great feare and daun∣ger: during the time of two yeres that I was in Mexi∣co, I saw them six times, when it commeth it throweth downe trees, houses, and churches. There is a Citie 25 leagues from Mexico, called Tuscalia, which is inhabi∣ted with a hundred thousand Indians, they go in white shirts, linnen breeches, and long mantles, and the wo∣men weare about them a garment much like vnto a flannen petticote. The Kings pallace was the first place

that we were brought vnto in Mexico, where without we were willed to sit downe. Much people, men, wo∣men, & children came wondering about vs, many la∣mented our misery, & some of their clergie asked vs if we were Christians, we said, we praised God, we were as good christians as they: they asked how they might know that, we said, by our confessions. Frō thence we were carried in a Canowe to a Tanners house, which standeth a little from the citie: the next morning two friars & two priests came thither to vs, and willed vs to blesse our selues, and say our praiers in the Latin tong, that they might vnderstand vs, many of our company did so, wherevpon they returned to the vize-king, and told him that we were good Christians, & that they li∣ked vs well, & then they brought vs much releefe, with cloths, our sick men were sent to their hospitals, where many were cured, and many died. From the Tanners house we were led to a gentlemans place, where vpon paine of death wee were charged to abide, and not to come into the Citie, thither we had all things necessa∣rie brought vs, on sundaies and holydaies, much peo∣ple came, and brought vs great releefe.

The vize-king practised to hang vs, and caused a paire of new gallows to be set vp, to haue executed vs, wherevnto the Noblemen of that country would not consent, but praied him to stay vntill the ship of aduise brought newes from the king of Spaine, what should be done with vs, for they saide they could not finde a∣ny thing by vs, whereby they might lawfully put vs to death.

The vize-king then commanded vs to be sent to an

Iland therby, & he sent for the Bishop of Mexico, who sent foure priests to the Iland, to examine & confes vs, who said, that the vize-king would burne vs, when we were examined and confessed according to the lawes of their country. They returned to the Bishop, & told him that we were very good Christians. The Bishop certefied the vize-king of our examinations and con∣fessions, and said that we were good Christians, there∣fore he would not meddle with vs. Then the vize-king sent for our maister R. Barret, whom he kept prisoner in his pallace, vntil the fleete was departed for Spaine. The rest of vs hee sent to a Towne seuen leagues from Mexico, called Tothscoco, to carde wooll among the Indian slaues, which drudgery we disdained, and con∣cluded to beat our maisters, and so we did, wherefore they sent to the vize-king, desiring him for Gods sake and our Ladies, to send for vs, for they would not keep vs any longer, they said that we were deuils & no men.

The vizeking sent for vs, & imprisoned vs in a house in Mexico, from thence he sent An. Goddard, & some other of our company with him into Spaine, with Lu∣shon, the Generall that tooke vs, the rest of vs staied in Mexico 2 yeeres after, & then were sent prisoners into Spaine, with Don Iohn de valesco de varre, admiral & general of the spanish fleet, who caried with him in his ship, to be presented to the K. of Spaine, the anatomie of a Giant, which was sent from China to Mexico, to the vize-king Don Martin Hennerico, to be sent to the K. of Spaine for a great wonder. It did appeere by the anatomie, that he was of a monstrous size, the skull of his head was neer as big as half a bushel, his neck bones

shoulder plates, arme bones, & all other lineaments of his other partes, were huge and monstrous to behold, the shanke of his leg from the ankell to the knee, was as long as any mans ankell vp to his wast, and of bignesse accordingly.

At this time, and in this shippe, were also sent to bee presented to the king of Spaine, two chests full of earth with ginger growing in them, which were also sent from China, to be sent to the king of Spaine. The gin∣ger runneth in the ground like to liccoras, the blades growe out of it, in length and proportion like vnto the blades of wild garlicke, which they cut euerie fifteene daies, they vse to water them twise a day, as we doe our hearbes heere in England, they put the blades in their porrage, and vse them in their other meates, whose ex∣cellent sauour and tast is very delightfull, and procu∣reth a good appetite.

When wee were shipped in the port of S. Iohn de Low, the Generall called our maister Robert Barret & vs with him, into his cabbin, and asked vs if wee would fight against Englishmen, if we met them at sea, we said that wee would not fight against our Crowne, but if we met with any other, we would doe what wee were able. He said if we had saide otherwise, hee would not haue beleeued vs, and for that we should be the better vsed, and haue allowance as other men had, & he gaue a charge to euery one of vs, according vnto our know∣ledge. Robert Barret was placed with the pilate, I was put in the Gunner roome, William Cawse with the bote-sunne, Iohn Beare with the quarter-maisters, Edward Rider, and Geffrey Giles, with the ordinarie

marriner, Richard the maisters boy attended on him and the pilate: shortly after we departed from the port of S. Iohn de Lowe with all the fleete of Spaine, for the Port called the Hauana: we were twenty six daies sayling thither. There wee came in, ancored, tooke in fresh water, and staied sixteene daies, for the fleete cal∣led Numbredetheos, which is the fleet that brings the treasure from Perowe.

The Generall of that fleete was called Diego Flor∣res de Values. After his comming, when hee had wa∣tred his ships, both the fleetes ioyned in one, aud Don de Valasco de varre was the first fifteene daies general of both the fleets, who turning through the channell, called the Bahama, his pilate had like to haue cast a∣way all the fleete vppon the Cape called Caneuerall, which was preuented by me I. H. and our maister Ro∣bert Barret, I being in the second watch, escried lande, and called to Robert Barret, bidding him looke ouer boord, for I saw land vnder the lee bow of the ship: he called to the bote-sunne, and bad him let flie the fore sayle sheate, and lay the helme vpon the lee, and cast the shippe about. When we were cast about, we were but in seuen fadome water: we shot off a peece, giuing aduice to the fleet to cast about, and so they did. For this we were beloued of the General, and all the fleet. The Generall was in a great rage, and swore by the king, that hee would hang his pilate: for hee saide, that twise before, hee had almost cast away the Admirall. When it was day, he commaunded a peece to be shot off, to call to councell: the other Admirall in his ship came vp to him, and asked what the matter was, hee

said, that his pilate had cast away his ship & al the fleet, had it not beene for two of the Englishmen, and ther∣fore hee would hang him. The other Admirall with many faire words perswaded him to the contrary.

When we came in the height of the Barmotha, we discouered a monster in the sea, who shewed himselfe, three times vnto vs from the midle vpwards, in which parts he was proportioned like a man, of the complec∣tion of a Mulliato, or tawny Indian. The Generall did commaund one of his clarkes to put it in writing, and he certified the king and his nobles thereof. Presently after this, for the space of sixteene daies wee had won∣derfull fowle weather, and then God sent vs a faire wind, vntill such time as wee discouered the Iland cal∣led the Fiall.

On S. Iames day, we made rackets, wheeles, & other fire works, to make pastime that night, as it is the order of the Spanyards. When we came neere the land, our maister R. Barret conferred with vs, to take the pinnise one night, when we came on the Iland called the Ser∣res, to free our selues, from the danger & bondage that wee were going into, wherevnto we agreed, none had any pinnice a sterne then but our shippe, which gaue great courage to our enterprise: we prepared a bagge of bread, & a buttesio of water, which would haue ser∣ued vs 9. daies, & prouided ourselues to go, our master borrowed a small compas of the master gunner of the ship, who lent it him, but suspected his intent, & closly made the generall priuy to it, who for a time dissemb∣led the matter, in the end seeing our pretense, he called R. Barret, cōmanding his head to be put in the stocks,

and a great paire of iron bolts on his legs, and the rest of vs to be set in the stocks by the legs. Then he wylled a peece to be shot off, and hee sent the pinnice for the other Admirall, & all the captaines, maisters, & pilates of both fleets, to come aboord of him. He commaun∣ded the maine yard to be strooke downe, & to put two pullies, on euery yard arme one; the hangman was cal∣led, and we were willed to confesse our selues, for hee swore by the king that he would hang vs.

When the other Admiral, and the rest were come a∣bord, he called them into his counsell chamber, & told them that hee would hang the maister of the English∣men, and all his company. The Admirall, whose name was Dego Flores de Values, asked him wherefore: he sayde, that wee had determined to rise in the night with the pinnice, and with a ball of fire-worke to sette the shippe on fire, and goe our wayes: therefore sayde he, I will haue you, the Captaines, Maisters, and Pi∣lates, to sette your handes vnto that, for I sweare by the King that I will hang them. Dego Flores de Values aunswered, I, nor the Captaines, Maisters, and Pilates will not sette our hands to that, for he saide, if hee were prisoner, as we were, he would haue done the like him selfe. He counselled him, to keepe vs fast in prison, till he came into Spayne, and then sende vs to the contra∣tation house in Ciuil, where, if we had deserued death the law would passe on vs, for he would not haue it said that in such a fleet as that was, six men & a boy, should take the pinnice, and goe away, and so he returned to his shippe againe.

When he was gone, the general came to the main mast

to vs, and swore by the king, that we should not come out of the stockes till we came into Spaine: within six∣teene daies after wee came ouer the Bar of S. Lucar, & came vp to the Hurcathoes, then hee put vs into a pin∣nice in the stocks, and sent vs prisoners to the Contra∣tation house in Ciuill. From thence, after one yere we broke prison, on S. Steuens day at night, seauen of our company escaped, Robert Barret, I, I. H. Iohn Emurie, Humphrey Roberts, and Iohn Gilbert, were taken, & brought backe to the Gontratation house, where wee remained in the stockes till twelfe tide was past. Then our keeper put vp a petition to the Iudge of the Con∣tratation house, that we might be sent to the great pri∣son house in Ciuill, for that we broke prison, whervp∣on we were presently led thither, where we remayned one moneth. And then from thence, to the Castell of the Inquisition house in Triana, where we continued one yeere, which expired, they brought vs out in pro∣cession, euery one of vs hauing a candle in his hande, and the Cote with S. Andrewes crosse on our backes: they brought vs vp on an high scaffold, that was set vp in the place of S. Frauncis, which is in the cheefe street of Ciuill: there they set vs downe vpon benches, eue∣rie one in his degree, & against vs on another scaffold sate all the Iudges, and the Clergie on their benches, the people wondered, and gazed on vs, some pittying our cases, other said, burne those heretikes. When wee had sit there two howers, we had a sermon made to vs, after which one called Bresinnia, secretorie to the In∣quisition, went vp into the pulpit with the processe, & called Robert Barret and Iohn Gilbart, whom two Fa∣miliars

of the Inquisition brought from the scaffold before the Iudges, where the secretorie reade the sen∣tence, which was that they should be burnt, and so re∣turned to the scaffold, and were burnt.

Then I Iob Hortop, and Iohn Bone, were called, & brought to the place, as before, where wee heard our sentence, which was, that we should go to the Gallies, and there to rowe at the oares end ten yeeres, and then to be brought backe to the Inquisition house, to haue the cote with S. Andrewes crosse put on our backes, and from thence to go to the euerlasting prison reme∣dilesse, and so wee were returned to the scaffold from whence we came. Thomas Marks, and Thomas Ellis were called, and had sentence to serue in the Gallies eight yeeres, and Humphrey Roberts, and Iohn Eme∣rie to serue fiue yeres, and so were returned to the ben∣ches on the scaffold, where wee sate till foure of clocke in the after noone. Then we were led againe to the In∣quisition house, from whence we were brought. The next day in the morning, Bresinia the secretorie came thither to vs, and deliuered to euerie one of vs his sen∣tence in writing, I with the rest were sent to the Gal∣lies, where we were chained foure and foure together, euery mans daily allowance was twentie six ounces of course black bisket and water. Our clothing for the whole yeare, two shirts, two paire of breches of course canuas, a red cote of course cloth, soone on, and soone off, and a gowne of haire with a Friars hoode, our lod∣ging was on the bare bords, and bankes of the Gallies, our heads and beards were shauen euery month, hun∣ger, thirst, cold, and stripes, wee lacked none, till our se∣uerall

time expired, and after the time of 12 yeeres, for I serued two yeres aboue my sentence, I was sent backe to the Inquisition house in Ciuill, & there hauing put on the cote with S. Andrews crosse, I was sent to the e∣uerlasting prison remedilesse, where I wore the cote 4. yeeres, & then vpon great suite, I had it taken off for 50 duckets, which Hornando de Soria, treasurer of the kings mint lent me, whom I serued for it as a drudge 7 yeeres, and vntill the moneth of October last, 1590. and then I came from Ciuil to S. Lucar, where I made means to come away in a fly-bote, that was laden with wines & salt, which were Flemmings goodes, the king of Spaynes subiects, dwelling in Ciuill, maried to Spa∣nish women, and sworne to their king. In this moneth of October last, departing from S. Lucar, at sea, off the sothernmost Cape, wee met an English ship, called the Galleon Dudley, who tooke the Flemming, and mee out of him, & brought me to Portsmouth, where they set me on land, the 2 day of December last past, 1590. From thence I was sent by M. Muns the lieutenant of Portsmouth, with letters to the R. honorable the Earle of Sussex, who commanded his secretorie to take my name and examination, how long I had beene out of England, and with whom I went, which he did. And on Christmas euen I tooke my leaue of his honor, and went to Redriffe.

The Computation of my imprisonment. I suffered imprisonment in Mexico two yeeres. In the Contratation house in Ciuill one yeere. In the Inquisition house in Triana one yeere. I was in the Gallies twelue yeere.

In the euerlasting prison remedilesse, with the cote with S. Andrews crosse on my backe, foure yeres.

And at libertie I serued as a drudge Hornando de Soria 3 yeres, which is the ful complement of 23 yeres.

Since my departure from England, vntill this time of my return, I was fiue times in great danger of death, besides the many perils I was in, in the Gallyes.

First in Port of S. Iohn de Low, where being on shore, with many other of our company, which were all slaine sauing I, & two other that by swimming got aboord the Iesus of Libbicke.

Secondly, when we were robd by the wild Indians

Thirdly, after wee came to Mexico, the vize-king would haue hanged vs.

Fourthly, because hee could not haue his minde to hang vs, he would haue burnt vs.

Fiftly, the Generall that brought vs into Spayne, would hane hanged vs at sea.

Thus hauing truly set downe vnto you my trauels, misery & dangers, endured the space of 23. yeres, I say:

Let patience nowe the standard beare, And forgiuenes giue the charge Of bleege, and eke the ancour teare, Of spightfull mallice barge: Expect the ende of prisoned race, And hope of future happe: That each good gift of fortunes grace, May fall within our lappe. Extremeties cannot alwayes last, Each thing doth bowe and bend: In time both ioy and woe doth wast, And all things haue an end.

FINIS.