An houre glasse of Indian newes. Or A true and tragicall discourse, shewing the most lamentable miseries, and distressed calamities indured by 67 Englishmen, which were sent for a supply to the planting in Guiana in the yeare. 1605 VVho not finding the saide place, were for want of victuall, left a shore in Saint Lucia, an island of caniballs, or men-eaters in the West-Indyes, vnder the conduct of Captain Sen-Iohns, of all which said number, onely a 11. are supposed to be still liuing, whereof 4. are lately returnd into England. Written by Iohn Nicholl, one of the aforesaid company.

To the right Worshipfull Sir Thomas Smith of London Knight, go∣uernour of the worshipfull compa∣nie of Marchants of London, tra∣ding the East Indies.

THe fortunate companie of most Wri∣ters, professe themselues (as it seemes in their Dedications) to haue such choise of Patrones, that at length there proues but one, which out of their ma∣ny reasons of choise they will make choise of. It fa∣reth not so with mee (right Worshipfull) who find reasons weak to induce me, but necessitie strong to enforce me to craue your Patronage: Vnlesse this be a reason, that from you alone I can hope for, both that countenance to warrant me, & that courteous∣nes, not to discountenance mee, that iudgement to finde, and yet that gentlenes to forgiue; being as none of those that are Intus caeci foris oculati, so neither of those that are wise at home, and fooles abroad: ac∣quainted, and delighted to bee acquainted with for∣raine matters, knowing that though they be forraine yet they be humane, & that it is nothing else, Res hu∣manas negligere: then Humanitatem ipsam, naturam{que} humanam exucre. Which if it be a reason, it is all, and yet it is such an one as is borrowed from you, brea∣theth

by you, and dyeth in your dislike. The case then standing (R. Worshipfull) that I am forced beeing a stranger, to betake my selfe to such a one, to whose knowledge and experience, a Coun∣trie is but a Cittie, and the whole world a Countrie, & therefore with whom the stranger is no stranger: I most humbly request your Wor. that it be not any way offensiue to you, which was euery way necessa∣rie to me. For bee it from anie to imagine, that I sought heereby to adde anie thing to your Ocean: But who thinkes this, thinkes not a misse, that I ho∣ped the relation of a miserable and lamentable voy∣age, would so much more moue you then manye o∣thers, by how better you apprehend such things then many others.

Such therefore as it is I haue, and such as I haue, I giue, and in moste humble and hearty maner, offer to be viewed then, when you giue your serious eyes leaue to play. Thus beseeching God to send his continuall, and perpetuall bles∣sings vpon you and all yours, I hum∣bly take my leaue.

Yours humble in all dutie: Iohn Nicholl.