walles of the Citie, crying out continually for money, money, till our throates grew hoarse with bauling, but the stones of the walles gaue more comfort to vs, then the In∣habitants. One day (aboue all the rest) wee heard, that the King was to ride a Hun∣ting; and wee imagining that all the abuses, wrongs, and miseries, which wee endured, proceeded from some vnder-hand hard d••aling, and packing of our Captaines and Offi∣cers, resolued to gather about the King at his comming forth, and to cry out for money: but the King being angry (as wee supposed) came riding amongst vs, drawing his Pistoll from the Saddle-bow, as if hee purposed to haue shot some of vs: but seeing none of vs to shrinke from him, nor to be dismayed, hee rode backe againe, wee following him, and desiring, hee would either giue vs money, or else to kill vs out-right; one amongst the rest (whose name was William Attane) spake to the King aloud, thus: I hold it honour to dye by [ 10] the hands of a King, but basely to starue to death, I will neuer suffer it. Vpon these our clamours, the King looking better vpon our necessities, sent money the next day, and immediate∣ly after gaue vs a moneths meanes in money, and two moneths meanes in cloath, to make vs apparrell.
Of the cloath wee receiued some part, but the money being payed, was by our Captaines sent into England to their wiues; no part of it euer comming to the poore common Soul∣diours hands: for presently vpon this, wee were commanded aboord the Ships, with promise that when wee were aboord, wee should haue our money. But being in the Shippes vnder hatches, away were wee carried with prouision onely of one moneths victuals; when by rea∣son [ 20] of the weather, wee were forced to lye eight weekes at Sea: in all which time, wee had nothing but pickelled Herrings, and salt Stremlings, with some small quantitie of hard dryed meates: by which ill dyet, many of our men fell sicke, and dyed. In the Shippe wherein I was, wee liued foureteene dayes without bread, all our best foode being salt Herrings, which wee were glad to eate raw; the best of vs all hauing no better su∣stenance.
At the last, it pleased God to send vs to a place called Vfrasound in Fynland, where wee lan∣ded, (Fynland being subiect to the King of Sweueland.) From Vfrasound wee were to goe to Weyborough, a chiefe Towne in the Countrie of Fynland: where wee no sooner arriued, but our Souldiors ranne some one way, and some another, so long that the Captaines were left alone [ 30] with the Shippes: This running away of them, being done onely to seeke foode, so great was their hunger.
By this carelesse dispersing themselues, they lost the command of the whole Countrey, which they might easily haue had, if they had beene vnited together: and not onely were depriued of that benefit, but of Horses also, which were allowed by the King for them to ride vpon. So that, what by the reason of the tedious Iourney (which wee were to tra∣uell, being fourescore leagues) and what by reason of the extreame cold, being a moneth be∣fore Christmas, at which time the Snow fell, and neuer went off the ground vntill Whitson∣tide following; but all the Raine, and all the Snow that fell, freezing continually, diuers of our men were starued to death with the Frost. Some lost their fingers, some their toes, some [ 40] their noses, many their liues: insomuch, that when wee all met at Weyborough, wee could make no more but one thousand and foure hundred able men; and yet when we were landed at Vfra∣sound, wee were two thousand strong; the extremity of the cold Countrey hauing killed so ma∣ny of our Souldiours in so little time.
At our landing at Weyborough wee had good hopes to receiue better comforts, both of mo∣ney and victuals: for the Inhabitants told vs, the King had allowed it vs, and in that report they spake truth: yet contrary to our expectation, wee lay there about foureteene dayes, and had nothing but a little Rice, of which we made bread, and a little butter, which was our best reliefe. Drinke had we none, nor money: our Captaines gaue vs certaine letherne pelches, onely made of Sheeps skins, to keepe vs from the cold.
At this place we receiued armes to defend vs against the enemy, and six Companies that were [ 50] allowed by the King for Horsemen, receiued Horses there. From thence wee were to march into Russia, where our enemies continued. But the iourney was long and vncomfortable: for wee marched from Newyeares day vntill Whitsontide, continually in Snow, hauing no rest, but onely a little in the nights. So that the miseries and misfortunes which wee endured vpon the borders of Fynland, were almost insufferable, by reason the number of them seemed infinite. For all the people had forsaken their houses long before wee came, because they were euermore oppressed by Souldiours: by which meanes we could get neither meate nor drinke, but were glad to hunt Cats, and to kill them, or any beasts wee could lay hold on, and this wee baked, and made them serue for daily sustenance. The greatest calamitie of all was, wee could get no Water to drinke, it had beene so long frozen vp, and the Snow so deepe, that [ 60] it was hard to say, whether wee marched ouer Water, or vpon Land. So that wee were compelled to digge vp Snow, and with stones redde hot, to melt in tubbes, and then to drinke it.