EVer since Almighty God commanded Adam to subdue the earth, there haue not wanted in all ages, some heroicall spi­rits, which in obedience to that high man­date, either from manifest reason alluring them, or by secret instinct inforcing them thereunto, haue expended their wealth, imployed their times, and aduentured their persons, to finde out the true circuit thereof.

Of these, some haue endeauored to effect this their purpose, by conclusion and consequence, drawne from the proportion of the higher circles; to this nethermost globe, being the center of the rest. Others not contented with schoole points. and such demonstrations (for that a small errour in the beginning, grow­eth in the progresse to a great inconuenience) haue added there­unto their owne history and experience. All of them in reason haue deserued great commendation of their owne ages, and purchased a iust renowne with all posterity. For if a surueyer of some few Lordships, whereof the bounds and limits were before knowne, worthily deserue his reward, not onely for his trauell, but for his skill also, in measuring the whole and euerie part thereof: how much more, aboue comparison, are their famous trauells by all meanes possible to be eternized, who haue bestow­ed their studies and indeauor, to suruey and measure this globe allmost vnmeasurable? Neither is here that difference to be ob­iected, [Page 2] which in priuate possessions is of value: 1577 Whose Land suruey you? forasmuch as the maine Ocean by right is the Lords alone, and by nature left free, for all men to deale withall, as very suffi­cient for all mens vse, and large enough for all mens industry.

And therefore that valiant enterprise, accompanied with happy successe, which that right rare and thrice worthy Cap­taine Francis Drake atcheiued, in first turning vp a furrow about the whole world, doth not onely ouermatch the ancient Argo­nautes, but also outreacheth in many respects, that noble mari­ner Magellanus and by farre surpasseth his crowned victory. But hereof let posterity iudge.

It shall, for the present, be deemed a sufficient discharge of duty, to register the true and whole history of that his voyage, with as great indifferency of affection as a history doth require, and with the plaine euidence of truth, as it was left recorded by some of the chiefe, and diuers other actors in that action.

The said Captaine Francis Drake, hauing in a former voy­age, in the yeares 72. and 73. (the description whereof is already imparted to the veiw of the world) had a sight, and onely a sight of the south Atlantik, and thereupon either conceiuing a new, or renewing a former desire, of sailing on the same, in an English bottom; he so cherished thenceforward, this his noble desire and resolution in himselfe, that notwithstanding he was hinde­red for some yeares, partly be secret enuie at home, and partly by publique seruice for his Prince and countrie abroad, (wherof Ireland vnder Walter Earle of Essex giues honorable testimonie) yet, against the yeare 1577. by gratious commission from his soueraigne, and with the helpe of diuers friends ad­uenturers, he had fitted himselfe with fiue ships.

1. The Pellican. admirall. burthen 100. tonnes. Captaine generall. Francis Drake.

2. The Elizabeth. vice admirall. burthen 80. tonnes. Cap­taine Iohn Winter.

3. The Marigold. a bark of 30. tonnes. Captaine Iohn Thomas.

4. The Swanne. a fliboat of 50. tonnes. Captaine Iohn Chester.

[Page] [Page]

[Page] [Page 3] 5. The Christopher. a pinnace of 15. tonnes. Captaine. Tho­mas Moone.

These ships he mand with 164. able and sufficient men, and furnished them also with such plentifull prouision of all things necessary, as so long and dangerous a voyage did seeme to re­quire: and amongst the rest, with certaine pinnaces ready fra­med, but caried aboard in peices, to be new set vp in smoother water, when occasion serued. Neither had he omitted, to make prouision also for ornament and delight, carying to this purpose with him, expert musitians, rich furniture (all the vessels for his table, yea many belonging euen to the Cooke-roome being of pure siluer) and diuers shewes of all sorts of curious workman­ship, whereby the ciuilitie and magnificence of his natiue con­trie, might, amongst all nations whithersoeuer he should come, be the more admired.

Nou. 15 Being thus appointed we set saile out of the sound of Plim­mouth, about 5. of the clocke in the afternoone Nouember 15. of the same yeare, Nou. 16 and running all that night Southwest, by the morning were come as farre as the Lyzard, where meeting the winde at Southwest (quite contrarie to our intended course) we were forced, with our whole fleet to put in to Falmouth.

Nou. 17. 18. The next day, towards euening, there arose a storme, continu­ing all that night, and the day following (especially betweene 10. of the clocke in the forenoone, and 5. in the after noone) with such violence, that though it were in a verygood harbor, yet 2. of our ships viz. the admirall (wherein our generall him­selfe went) and the Marigold, were faine to cut their maine masts by board, and for the repairing of them, and many other dam­mages in the tempest sustained (as soone as the weather would giue leaue) to beare backe to Plimmouth againe, where wee all arriued the 13. day after our first departure thence. Nou. 28

Whence (hauing in few daies supplied all defects) with hap­pier sayles we, once more put to sea Decem. 13. 1577. December. 13 1577

As soone as we were out of sight of land, our generall gaue vs occasion to coniecture in part, whither he intended, both by [Page 4] the directing of his course, and appointing the Randeuous (if any should bee seuered from the fleet) to be the Iland Mo­gadore. And so sailing with fauorable windes, the first land that wee had sight of, was Cape Cantine in Barbarie December 25. Christmas day in the morning. Dec. 25 The shoare is faire white sand, and the inland contrie very high and mountainous, it lieth in 32. deg. 30. mi. north latitude, and so coasting from hence southward, about 18. leagues, we arriued the same day at Mogadore the Iland before named.

This Mogadore, lies vnder the dominion of the king of Fesse in 31. deg. 40. mi. about a mile off from the shoare, by this meanes making a good harbor betweene the land and it. It is vninhabi­ted, of about a league in circuit, not very high land, all ouer­growne with a kinde of shrub brest high, not much vnlike our priuet, verie full of Doues and therefore much frequented of Goshaukes, and such like birds of prey, besides diuers sorts of sea-foule very plentie. At the south side of this Iland are three hollow rocks, vnder which are great store of very wholesome but very vglie fish to looke to. Lying here about a mile from the maine, a boate was sent to sound the harbor, and finding it safe, and in the very entrance on the north side about 5. or 6. fathome water (but at the souther side it is very dangerous) we brought in our whole fleet December 27. and continued there till the last day of the same moneth, imploying our leasure, the meane while, Decemb. in setting vp a pinnace, one of the 4. brought from home in peices with vs. Our abode here was soone perceiued by the inhabitants of the contrie, who comming to the shoare, by signes and cries made shewe, that they desired to be fetched a­board, to whom our generall sent a boate, into which 2. of the chiefest of the Moores were presently receiued, and one man of ours, in exchange, left a land, as a pledge for their returne.

They that came aboard were right courteously entertained, with a daintie banquet, and such gifts as they seemed to be most glad of, that they might thereby vnderstand, that this fleete came in peace and friendship, offering to traffique with them, [Page 5] for such commodities as their contrie yeelded, to their owne content. This offer they seemed most gladly to accept, and pro­mised, the next day, to resort againe, with such things as they had to exchange for ours. It is a law amongst them to drinke no wine, notwithstanding by stealth it pleaseth them well to haue it abundantly, as here was experience. At their returne ashoare, they quietly restored the pledge which they had stayed, and the next day, at the houre appointed, returning againe, brought with them Camells, in shewe loaden with wares to be exchan­ged for our commodities, and calling for a boate in haste, had one sent them, according to order, which our generall (being at this present absent) had giuen before his departure to the Iland.

Our boate comming to the place of landing (which was a­mong the rocks) one of our men called Iohn Fry, mistrusting no danger, nor fearing any harme pretended by them, and there­fore intending to become a pledge, according to the order vsed the day before, readilie stept out of the boate and ranne a land, which oportunitie (being that which the Moores did looke for) they tooke the aduantage of, and not onely they which were in sight, layed hands on him to carrie him away with them, but a number more, which lay secretly hidden, did forth with breake forth from behinde the rocks, whither they had conueyed them­selues (as it seemeth the night before) forcing our men to leaue the rescuing of him that was taken as captiue, and with speed to shift for themselues.

The cause of this violence, was a desire which the king of Fesse had, to vnderstand what this fleet was, whether any fore­runner of the kings of Portugall or no, and what newes of cer­taintie the fleet might giue him. And therefore after that he was brought to the kings presence, and had reported that they were Englishmen, bound for the straights, vnder the conduct of generall Drake, he was sent back againe with a present to his Captaine and offer of great curtesie and freindship, if he would vse his contry But in this meane time, the generall being grieued with this shew of iniurie, and intending, if he might, to recouer [Page 6] or redeeme his man, his pinnace being ready, landed his com­pany, and marched somewhat into the countrie, without any resistance made against him: neither would the Moores, by any meanes come nigh our men, to deale with them any way; wherefore hauing made prouision of wood, as also visited an old fort, built sometime by the king of Portugall, but now ruined by the king of Fesse, we departed December 31. Dec. 31 towards Cape Blanck, in such sort, that when Fry returned, he found to his great griefe, that the fleet was gone: but yet, by the kings fauor, he was sent home into England not long after, in an English Merchants ship.

Shortly after our putting forth of this harbour, we were met with contrary windes and foule weather, which continued till the fourth of Ianuary: yet we still held on our course, and the third day after, Ian. 7 fell with cape De Guerre in 30. deg. min. where wee lighted on 3. Spanish fishermen called Caunters, whom we tooke with our new pinnace, and caried along with vs, till we came to Rio Del Oro, Ian. 13 iust vnder the Tropick of Cancer: where with our pinnace also we took a caruell. From hence, till the fifteenth day, Ian. 15 we failed on towards cape Barbas, where the Marigold tooke a caruell more, and so onward to cape Blanck till the next day at night. Ian. 16

This cape lieth in 20. deg. 30. min. shewing it selfe vpright like the corner of a wall, to them that come towards it from the North, hauing, betweene it and cape Barbas, lowe, sandy, and very white land all the way. Here we obserued the south Guards, called the Crosiers 9. deg. 30. min. aboue the horizon. Within the cape, we tooke one spanish ship more riding at anchor (all her men being fled ashoare in the boate saue two) which, with­all the rest we had formerly taken, we caried into the harbor, 3. leagues within the cape.

Here our generall determined, for certaine dayes to make his abode, both for that the place afforded plenty of fresh vic­tualls, for the present refreshing of our men, and for their fu­ture supply at sea (by reason of the infinite store of diuers sorts of [Page 7] good fish, which are there easie to be taken, euen within the harbor, the like whereof, is hardly to be found againe, in any part of the world) as also, because it serued very fitly, for the dis­patching of some other businesses that we had. During the time of our abode in this place, our generall being ashoare was visi­ted by certaine of the people of the country, who brought downe with them a woman a Moore (with her little babe han­ging vpon her dry dugge, hauing scarce life in herselfe, much lesse milke to nourish her child) to be sould as a horse, or a cow and calfe by her side, in which sort of merchandise our generall would not deale. But they had also Amber-greece, with cer­taine gummes of some estimation, which they brought to ex­change with our men for water (whereof they haue great want) so that comming with their Allforges (they are leathern bags holding liquor) to buy water, they cared not at what price they bought it, so they might haue to quench their thirst. A very hea­uie iudgement of God vpon that coast! The circumstances whereof considered, our generall would receiue nothing of them for water, but freely gaue it them that came to him, yea and fed them also ordinarily with our victualls, in eating where­of, their manner was not onely vnciuill, and vnsightly to vs, but euen inhumane and loathsome in it selfe.

And hauing washed and trimd our ships, and discharged all our spanish prises, excepting one Caunter (for which we gaue to the owner one of our owne ships viz. the Christopher) and one caruell formerly bound to Saint Iago, which we caused to acom­panie vs hither, where shee also was discharged: Ian. 22 after 6. dayes abode here, we departed, directing our course for the Ilands of cape Verde, where (if any where) we were of necessity to store our fleet with fresh water, for a long time, for that our generall intended from thence to runne a long course (euen to the coast of Brasill) without touch of land. And now, hauing the winde constant at North East & East North East, which is vsuall about those parts, because it bloweth almost continually from the shoare. Ianuary the 27. we coasted Bonavista, and the next day [Page 8] after, we came to anchor vnder the Wester part (towards Saint Iago) of the Iland Maio, Ian. 28 it lyeth in 15. deg. oo. high land, sa­uing that the North-west part stretcheth out into the sea, the space of a league very low, and is inhabited by subiects to the king of Portugall.

Ian. 29 Here landing, in hope of traffique with the inhabitants for water, we found a Towne, not farre from the waters side, of a great number of desolate and ruinous houses, with a poore na­ked Chappell or Oratory, such as small cost and charge might serue and suffice, being to small purpose, and as it seemeth one­ly to make a shew, and that a false shew, contrary to the nature of a scarcrow, which feareth birds from comming nigh; this en­tiseth such as passe by to hale in, and looke for commodity, which is not at all to be found there; though in the inner parts of the Iland it be in great abundance.

For when wee found the springs and wells which had beene there (as appeared) stopped vp againe, and no other water, to purpose, to bee had to serue our need, we marched vp to seeke some more conuenient place to supply our want, or at least to see whether the people would be dealt withal, to helpe vs there­in. In this trauelling, we found the soile to be very fruitfull, ha­uing euery where plenty of figgetrees, with fruite vpon most of them. But in the vallies and low ground, where little low cotta­ges were built, were pleasant vineyards planted, bearing then, ripe and most pleasant grapes. There were also tall trees, without any branch till the top, which bare the Coco nuts. There were also great store of certaine lower trees, with long and broad leaues, bearing the fruit which they call Plantanes, in clusters to­gether like puddings, a most dainty and wholesome fruit. All of these trees were euen laden with fruit, some ready to be eaten, others comming forward, others ouer-ripe. Neither can this seeme strange, though about the middest of Winter with vs, for that the Sunne doth neuer withdraw himselfe farther off from them, but that with his liuely heate he quickeneth and strengthe­neth the power of the soyle and plant; neither euer haue they [Page 9] any such frost and cold, as thereby to loose their greene hew and appearance.

We found very good water in diuerse places, but so farre off from the roade, that wee could not with any reasonable paines enioy it. The people would by no meanes be induced to haue any conference with vs, but keeping in the most sweet and fruit­full vallies among the hils, where their townes and places of dwelling were, gaue vs leaue without interruption to take our pleasure in suruewing the Iland, as they had some reason, not to endanger themselues, where they saw they could reape nothing sooner then damage and shame, if they should haue offered vio­lence to them which came in peace to do them no wrong at all.

This Iland yeeldeth other great commodities, as wonderfull heards of goats, infinite store of wilde hens, and salt without la­bour (onely the gathering it together excepted) which conti­nually in a maruellous quantitie is increased vpon the sands by the flowing of the sea, and the heate of the Sunne kerning the same. So that of the increase thereof they keepe a continuall traf­fique with their neighbours in the other adiacent Ilands. Ian. 30 Wee set sayle thence the 30. day.

Being departed from Maio, Ian. 31 the next day wee passed by the Iland of Saint Iago, ten leagues West of Maio in the same lati­tude, inhabited by the Portugals and Moores together. The cause whereof is said to haue beene in the Portugals themselues, who (continuing long time Lords within themselues, in the said Iland) vsed that extreame and vnreasonable crueltie ouer their slaues, that (their bondage being intollerable) they were forced to seeke some meanes to helpe themselues, and to lighten that so heauy a burden; and thereupon chose to flie into the most mountany parts of the Iland: and at last, by continuall escapes, increasing to a great number, and growing to a set strength, do now liue, with that terror to their oppressors, that they now endure no lesse bondage in mind then the Forcatos did before in body: besides the dammage that they daily suffer at their hands in their goods and cattell, together with the abrid­ging [Page 10] of their liberties in the vse of diuerse parts of the fruitfull soile of the said Iland: which is very large, maruellous fruitfull (a refuge for all such ships as are bound towards Brasill, Ginny, the East Indies, Binny, Calecut. &c.) and a place of rare force, if it were not for the cause afore-recited, which hath much abated the pride, and cooled the courage of that people, who (vnder pretence of traffique and friendship) at first making an entrance ceased not, practising vpon the poore Ilanders (the ancient re­mainder of the first planters thereof, as it may seeme from the coast of Guinea) vntil they had excluded them from all gouern­ment and liberty, yea almost life.

On the South-west of this Iland, we tooke a Portugall laden the best part with wine, and much good cloth, both linnen and woollen, besides other necessaries, bound for Brasill, with many gentlemen and Marchants in her.

As we passed by with our fleet, in sight of 3. of their townes, they seemed very ioyfull that wee touched not with their coast; and seeing vs depart peaceably, in honour of our fleet and Ge­nerall, or rather to signifie that they were prouided for an as­sault, shot off two great peeces into the sea, which were answered by one giuen them againe from vs.

South west from Saint Iago in 14. deg. 30. min. about twelue leagues distant, yet, by reason of the height seeming not aboue three leagues lyeth another Iland, called of the Portugals Fogo, viz. the burning Iland, or fierie fornace, in which riseth a steepe vpright hill, by coniecture at least six leagues, or eighteene Eng­lish miles from the vpper part of the water: within the bowels whereof, is a consuming fire, maintained by sulphury matter, seeming to be of a maruellous depth, and also very wide. The fire sheweth it selfe but foure times in an houre, at which times it breaketh our with such violence and force, and in such maine abundance, that besides that it giueth light like the Moone a great way off, it seemeth, that it would not stay till it touch the heauens themselues. Herein are ingendred great store of pumice stones, which being in the vehement heate of the fire caried vp [Page 11] without the mouth of that fiery body, fall downe, with other grosse and slimy matter vpon the hill, to the continuall increa­sing of the same. And many times these stones falling downe in­to the sea are taken vp and vsed, as we our selues had experience by sight of them swimming on the water. The rest of the Iland is fruitfull notwithstanding, and is inhabited by Portugals, who liue very commodiously therein, as in the other Ilands there­about.

Vpon the South side, about two leagues off this Iland of bur­ning, lyeth a most sweet and pleasant Iland, the trees thereof are alwaies greene and faire to looke on, the soile almost full set with trees, in respect wherof its named the Braue Iland, being a store­house of many fruits and commodities, as figges alwayes ripe, cocos, plantons, orenges, limons, cotton, &c. from the bancks into the sea do runne in many places the siluer streames of sweet and wholsome water, which with boats or pinnaces may easily be taken in. But there is no conuenient place or roade for ships, neither any anchoring at all. For after long triall, and often ca­sting of leades, there could no ground be had at any hand, nei­ther was it euer knowne (as is reported) that any line would fetch ground in any place about that Iland. So that the top of Fogo burneth not so high in the aire, but the roote of Braua (so is the Iland called) is buried and quenched as low in the seas.

The onely inhabitant of this Iland is an Heremit, as we sup­pose, for we found no other houses but one, built as it seemed for such a purpose; and he was so delighted in his solitarie liuing, that he would by no meanes abide our comming, but fled, lea­uing behind him the relicks of his false worship; to wit, a crosse, with a crucifix, an altar with his superaltar, and certaine other idols of wood of rude workemanship.

Here we dismissed the Portugals taken neere Saint Iago, and gaue to them in exchange of their old ship, our new pinnace built at Mogadore: Feb. 1 with wine, bread, and fish for their prouision, and so sent them away, Febr. 1.

Hauing thus visited, as is declared, the Ilands of cape Verde, [Page 12] and prouided fresh water as we could, Feb. 2 the second of Febr. we de­parted thence, directing our course towards the straights, so to passe into the South sea; in which course wee sayled 63. dayes without sight of land (passing the line equinoctiall Feb. 17 the 17. day of the same moneth) till we fell with the coast of Brasill, the fift of April following. Apr. 5

During which long passage on the vast gulph, where nothing but sea beneath vs and aire aboue vs was to be seene, as our eies did behold the wonderfull workes of God in his creatures, which he hath made innumerable both small and great beasts, in the great and wide seas: so did our mouthes taste, and our natures feed on, the goodnesse thereof in such fulnesse at all times, and in euery place, as if he had commanded and enioyned the most profitable and glorious works of his hands to waite vpon vs, not alone for the reliefe of our necessities, but also to giue vs delight in the contemplation of his excellence, in beholding the variety and order of his prouidence, with a particular tast of his fatherly care ouer vs all the while.

The truth is, wee often met with aduerse winds, vn welcome stormes, and to vs (at that time) lesse welcome calmes, and being as it were in the bosome of the burning zone, we felt the effects of sultring heat, not without the affrights of flashing lightnings, and terrifyings of often claps of thunder; yet stil with the admix­ture of many comforts. For this we could not but take notice of, that whereas we were but badly furnished (our case considered) of fresh water (hauing neuer at all watred (to any purpose, or that we could say wee were much the better for it) from our first set­ting forth out of England till this time, nor meeting with any place where we might conueniently water, till our comming to the riuer of Plate, long after) continually, after once we were come within foure degrees of the line on this side, viz. after Feb. 10. and till we were past the line as many degrees towards the South, viz. till Feb. 27. there was no one day went ouer vs but we receiued some raine, whereby our want of water was much supplyed.

[Page 13] This also was obseruable, that of our whole fleet, being now 6. in number, notwithstanding the vncouthnes of the way, and what euer other difficulties, by weather or otherwise wee met withall, not any one, in all this space, lost company of the rest; except onely our Portugall prise for one day, who March 28. was seuered from vs, but the day following March 29. shee found vs againe, to both here owne, and our no little comfort: shee had in her 28. of our men, and the best part of all our proui­sion for drinke; her short absence caused much doubting and sorrow in the whole companie, neither could shee then haue been finally lost, without the ouerthrow of the whole voyage.

Among the many strange creatures which we sawe, we tooke heedfull notice of one, as strange as any; to wit, the flying fish, a fish of the bignes and proportion, of a reasonable or middle sort of Pilchards: hee hath finnes, of the length of his whole body, from the bulk to the top of the taile, bearing the forme, and supplying the like vse to him, that wings doe to other crea­tures. By the helpe of these finnes, whē he is chased of the Bonito, or great mackrel (whom the Aurata or dolphin likewise pursueth) and hath not strength to escape by swimming any longer, hee lifteth vp himselfe aboue the water, and flieth a pretty height, sometimes lighting into boates or barkes as they saile along: The quills of their wings are so proportionable, and finelie set together, with a most thinne and dainty filme, that they might seeme to serue, for a much longer and higher flight, but the drie­nes of them is such, after some 10. or 12. strokes, that hee must needs into the water againe to moisten them, which else would grow stiffe and vnfit for motion. The inrease of this little and wonderfull creature is in manner infinite, the fry whereof lieth vpon the vpper part of the waters, in the heate of the Sun, as dust vpon the face of the earth, which being in bignesse of a wheat straw, and length an inch more or lesse, do continually exercise themselues in both their faculties of nature: wherein, if the Lord had not made them expert indeed, their generation could not haue continued, being so desired a prey to so many, [Page 14] which greedily hunt after them, forcing them to escape in the ayre by flight, when they cannot in the waters liue in safety. 1578 Neither are they allwayes free, or without danger, in their fly­ing; but as they escape one euill, by refusing the waters so they sometimes, fall into as great a mischiefe, by mounting vp into the ayre, at that, by meanes of a great and rauening foule, na­med of some a Don or Spurkite, who feeding chiefely, on such fish as he can come by at aduantage, in their swimming in the brim of the waters, or leaping aboue the same, presently ceaseth vpon them with great violence, making great havock, especially amongst these flying fishes, though with small profit to himselfe.

There is another sort of fish, which likewise flieth in the ayre, named a Cuttill: its the same, whose bones the goldsmithes commonly vse, or at least not vnlike that sort, a multitude of which, haue at one time, in their flight, fallen into our ship, a­mongst our men.

Passing thus, in beholding the most excellent works of the eternall God in the seas, as if we had beene in a garden of plea­sure. April 5 Aprill 5. we fell with the coast of Brasill, in 31. deg. 30. min. towards the pole Antartick, where the land is lowe neere the sea, but much higher within the countrie; hauing in depth not aboue 12. fathome, 3. leagues off from the shoare: and being descried by the inhabitants, we sawe great and huge fires, made by them in sundry plaes. Which order of making fires, though it be vniuersall, as well among Christians as heathens, yet is it not likely that many doe vse it to that end, which the Brasilians doe: to wit, for a sacrifice to Deuills, whereat they▪ intermixe many and diuers ceremonies of coniurations, casting vp great heapes of sand, to this end, that if any ships, shall go about to stay vpon their coasts, their ministring spirits may make wrack of them, whereof the Portugalls by the losse of di­uers of their ships, haue had often experience.

In the reports of Magellanes voyage, it is said, that this peo­ple pray to no maner of thing, but liue only according to the in­stinct of nature, which if it were true, there should seeme to be a [Page 15] wonderfull alteration in them, since that time, being fallen from a simple and naturall creature, to make Gods of Deuills; But I am of the minde, that it was with them then, as now it is, one­ly they lacked then the like occasion, to put it in practise which now they haue: for then, they liued as a free people among themselues, but now, are in most miserable bondage and slauery, both in body, goods, wife, and children, and life it self to the Portugalls, whose hard and most cruell dealings against them, forceth them to flie, into the more vnfruitful parts of their owne land, rather there to starue, or at least liue miserably with liber­tie, then to abide such intollerable bondage, as they lay vpon them vsing the aforesaid practises with deuills, both for a re­uenge against their oppressors, and also for a defence, that they haue no further entrance into the country. And supposing in­deed, that no other had vsed trauell by sea in ships, but their enemies onely, they therefore vsed the same at our comming: notwitstanding, our God made their deuilish intent of none ef­fect; For albeit there lacked not (within the space of our falling with this coast) forcible stormes and tempests, yet did we sust­aine no dammage, but onely the seperating of our ships, out of sight for a few dayes. Here our generall would haue gone a­shore, but we could finde no harbor in many leagues. And therefore coasting along the land, towards the south, Aprill 7. Apr. 7 we had a violent storme, for the space of 3. houres, With thun­der, lightning, and raine in great abundance, accompanied with a vehement south winde, directly against vs, which cau­sed a seperation of the Christopher (viz. the Caunter which wee tooke at cape Blank, in exchange for the Christopher, whose name she henceforward bore) from the rest of the fleet.

After this, we kept on our course, sometime to the sea ward, sometimes toward the shoare, but alwayes southward, as neere as we could: Apr. 14 till Aprill 14. in the morning, at which time wee passed by cape Saint Mary, which lies in 35. deg. neere the mouth of the riuer of Plate: and running within it about 6. or 7. leagues along by the maine, we came to anchor in a bay, [Page 16] vnder another cape which our Generall afterwards called cape Ioy Apr. 16 by reason that the second day after our anchoring here, the Christopher (whom we had lost in the former storme) came to vs againe.

Among other cares which our Generall tooke in this action, next the maine care of effecting the voyage it selfe, these were the principall and chiefly subordinate: to keepe our whole fleet (as neere as possible we could) together; to get fresh water which is of continuall vse; and to refresh our men wearied with long toyles at sea, as oft as we should find any opportunitie of effe­cting the same. And for these causes it was determined, and pub­lique notice thereof giuen at our departure from the Ilands of cape Verde; that the next Randeuous both for the recollecting of our nauy (if it should be despersed) as also for watering, and the like, should be the riuer of Plate: whither we were all to re­paire with all the conuenient speed that could be made, and to stay one for another, if it should happen that we could not ar­riue there all together; and the effect wee found answerable to our expectations, for here our seuered ship (as hath beene de­clared) found vs againe, and here we found those other helps al­so so much desired. The countrey hereabout is of a temperate and most sweet aire, very faire and pleasant to behold, and be­sides the exceeding fruitfulnesse of the soile, its stored with plen­tie of large and mightie deere.

Notwithstanding that in this first bay wee found sweet and wholsome water euen at pleasure; yet the same day after the ar­riuall of the Caunter, Apr. 16 we remoued some twelue leagues farther vp into another; where we found a long rocke, or rather Iland of rocks, not farre from the maine; making a commodious harbor, especially against a Southerly wind: vnder them we anchored, and rode till the 20. day at night; in which meane space we killed diuers Seales, or sea-wolues (as the Spaniard cals them) which resorted to these rocks in great abundance. They are good meat, and were an acceptable food to vs for the present, and a good supply of our prouision for the future.

[Page 17] Apr. 20 Hence April 20. we waighed againe and sayled yet further vp into the riuer, euen till we found but three fadome depth, and that we roade with our ships in fresh water; but wee staid not there, nor in any other place of the riuer, because that the winds being strong, the shoales many, and no safe harbour found, we could not without our great danger so haue done. Haling there­fore to seaward againe, Apr. 27 the 27. of the same moneth (after that we had spent a iust fortnight in that riuer, to the great comfort of the whole fleet) we passed by the South side thereof into the maine. The land here lieth South, South-West, and North N. E. with shole water, some three or foure leagues off into the sea; its about 36. deg. 20. min. and somewhat better South latitude.

Apr. 27 At our very first comming forth to sea againe, to wit, the same night our flyboate the Swanne lost company of vs: whereupon, though our Generall doubted nothing of her happy comming forward againe to the rest of the fleete; yet because it was grie­uous to haue such often losses, and that it was his duty as much as in him lay, to preuent all inconueniences besides, that might grow; he determined to diminish the number of his ships, there­by to draw his men into lesse roome; that both the fewer ships might the better keepe company, and that they might also bee the better appointed with new and fresh supplies of prouision and men, one to ease the burthen of another: especially, for that he saw the coast (it drawing now toward Winter here) to bee subiect to many and grieuous stormes: And therefore he conti­nued on his course, to find out a conuenient harbour for that vse; searching all that coast from 36. to 47. degrees (as diligent­ly as contrary winds and sundry stormes would permit) and yet sound none for the purpose. May 8 And in the mean time viz. May 8. by another storme the Caunter also was once more seuered frō vs.

May 12 May 12. wee had sight of land, in 47. deg. where wee were forced to come to anchor in such roade as we could find for the time. Neuerthelesse our Generall named the place cape Hope; by reason of a bay discouered within the hedland, which seemed to promise a good and commodious harbour. But by reason of [Page 18] many rockes lying off from the place, wee durst not aduenture with our ships into it without good and perfect discouery be­fore hand made.

Our Generall, especially in matters of moment, was neuer wont to relye onely on other mens care, how trusty or skilfull soeuer they might seeme to be; but alwayes contemning danger and refusing no toyle, he was wont himselfe to be one whosoe­uer was a second at euery turne, where courage, skill, or industry was to be imployed; neither would hee at this time intrust the discouery of these dangers to anothers paines, but rather to his owne experience in searching out and sounding of them. May 13 A boat being therefore hoised forth, himselfe with some others the next morning, May 13. rowed into the bay; and being now very nigh the shore, one of the men of the countrey shewed himselfe vnto him seeming very pleasant, singing and dancing, after the noise of a rattle which he shooke in his hand, expecting earnestly his landing.

But there was sudainly so great an alteration in the weather, into a thick and misty fogge; together with an extreame storme and tempest, that our generall, being now 3. leagues from his ship, thought it better to returne, then either to land, or make any other stay: and yet the fogg thickened so mightily, that the sight of the ships was bereft them, and if Captaine Thomas (vp­on the abundance of his loue and seruice to his generall) had not aduentured, with his ship to enter that bay, in this perplex­itie, where good aduise would not suffer our ships to beare in, while the windes were more tolerable, and the ayre cleerer; we had sustained some great losse, or our generall had beene further endangered, who was now quickly receiued abord his ship; out of which, being within the bay, they let fall an anchor, and rode there (God be praised) in safety: but our other ships, riding without, were so oppressed with the extremitie of the storme, that they were forced to run off to sea for their owne safegard, being in good hope onely of the good successe of that ship, which was gone in to releiue our generall; before this storme [Page 19] arose, our Caunter, formerly lost, was come in the same day vnto vs into the roade, but was put to sea againe, the same eue­ning, with the rest of the fleete.

May 14 The next day May 14. the weather being faire, and the windes moderate, but the fleet out of sight, our generall deter­mined to goe ashore, to this end, that he might, by making of fires, giue signes to the dispersed ships, to come together againe into that roade: whereby at last, they were all assembled, ex­cepting the Swanne, lost long time before, and excepting our Portugall prise, called the Mary; which waighing in this last storme, the night before, had now lost company, and was not found againe in a long time after.

In this place (the people being remoued vp into the country, belike for feare of our comming) we found neere vnto the rocks, in houses made for that purpose, as also in diuers other places, great store of Ostriches at least to the number of 50. with much other foule; some dried and some in drying for their prouision, as it seemed, to carrie with them to the place of their dwel­lings. The Ostriches thighs were in bignes equall to reasonable legs of murton, They cannot flie at all; but they runne so swiftly, and take so long strides, that it is not possible for a man in run­ning by any meanes to take them, neither yet to come so nigh them, as to haue any shot at them either with bow or peece: Whereof our men had often proofe on other parts of that coast for all the countrey is full of them; We found there the tooles or instruments which the people vse in taking them.

Among other meanes they vse in betraying these Ostriches, they haue a great and large plume of feathers, orderly com­pact together vpon the end of a staffe; in the forepart bearing the likenesse of the head, necke, and bulke of an Ostrich; and in the hinder part, spreading it selfe out very large, sufficient (being hol­den before him) to hide the most part of the body of a man: With this it seemeth they staulke, driuing them into some straite or necke of land close to the sea side; where spreading long and strong nets, with their dogs which they haue in readinesse at all [Page 20] times, they ouerthrow them, and make a common quarry. The countrey is very pleasant, and seemeth to be a fruitfull soyle.

Being afterwards driuen to fall with this place againe, we had great acquaintance and familiarity with the people, who reioy­ced greatly in our comming, and in our friendship, in that wee had done them no harme. But because this place was no fit or conuenient harbor for vs, to do our necessary busines; neither yet to make prouision, of such things as we wanted, as water, wood, and such like, we departed thence the 15. of May. May 15

At our departure hence, we held our course South and by VVest, and made about 9. leagues in 24. houres; bearing very little sayle, that our fleet might the easier gett vp with vs, Which by reason of the contrary windes, were cast a sterne of vs.

In 47. deg. 30. min. we found a bay, which was faire, safe, and beneficiall to vs, very necessary for our vse; into which we haled, and anchored May 17 May 17. and the next day May 18 May 18. we came further into the same bay, where we cast anchor, and made our abode full fifteene dayes.

The very first day of our arriuall here, our generall hauing set things in some order, for the dispatch of our necessary busines, being most carefull for his two ships which were wanting, sent forth to the southward, Captaine Winter in the Elizabeth vice­admiral; himself in the admiral, going forth northward, into the sea, to see, if happily they might meete with either of them: at which time, by the good prouidence of God, hee himselfe met with the Swanne, formerly lost at our departure from the riuer of Plate, and brought her into the same harbor, the same day: where being afterward vnloaden, and discharged of her fraight, shee was cast off, and her iron worke, and other necess­aries being saued, for the better prouision of the rest; of the re­mainder was made fire wood, and other implements which we wanted. But all this while, of the other ship which wee lost so lately, in our extremitie, we could haue no newes.

While we were thus employed, after certaine dayes of our stay in this place, being on shoare, in an Iland, nigh vnto the [Page 21] maine, where at lowe water was free passage on foot, from the one to the other; the people of the country did shew themselues vnto vs, with leaping, dancing, and holding vp their hands, and making ourcries after their manner: but being then high water, we could not go ouer to them on foot. Wherefore the Generall caused immediatly a boat to bee in readinesse, and sent vnto them such things as he thought would delight them; as kniues, bells, bugles, &c. whereupon they beeing assembled together vpon a hill, halfe an English mile from the waters side; sent downe two of their company, running one after the other with a great grace, trauersing their ground as it seemed after the man­ner of their warres, by degrees descending towards the waters side very swiftly. Notwithstanding drawing nigh vnto it, they made a stay, refusing to come neere our men: which our men perceiuing, sent such things as they had tyed with a string vpon a rod, and stucke the same vp a reasonable distance from them, where they might see it. And assoone as our men were departed from the place, they came and tooke those things, leauing in­stead of them, as in recompence, such feathers as they vse to weare about their heads, with a bone made in manner of a tooth­pick, carued round about the top, and in length about six inches, being very smoothly burnished. Whereupon our Generall, with diuers of his gentlemen and companie, at low water went ouer to them to the maine.

Against his comming they remained still vpon the hill, and set themselues in a ranke, one by one; appointing one of their company to runne before them from the one end of the ranke to the other, and so backe againe, continually East and West, with holding vp his hands ouer his head, and yeelding forward his body in his running toward the rising and setting of the Sunne: and at euery second or third turne at the most, erected his body, aginst the midst of the ranke of the people, lifting himselfe vaulting-wise from the ground towards the Moone, being then ouer our heads: signifying thereby, as we conceiued, that they called the Sunne and Moone (whom they serue for [Page 22] gods) to witnesse, that they meant nothing towards vs but peace. But when they perceiued that we ascended the hill apace, and drew nigh vnto them, they seemed very fearefull of our com­ming.

Wherefore our Generall not willing, to giue them any way any occasion to mislike, or be discomfited, [...]etyred his company; wherby they were so allured, and did so therein confirme them­selues of vs, that we were no enemies, neither meant them harm, that without al feare diuers came down with great speed after vs, presently entring into traffique with our men. Notwithstanding they would receiue nothing at our hands but the same must be first cast vpon the ground, vsing this word, Zussus, for exchange Tóytt to cast vpon the ground. And if they misliked any thing, they cryed Coróh. Coróh, speaking the same with ratling in the throat. The wares we receiued from them were arrowes of reeds, feathers, and such bones as are afore described.

This people go naked, except a skin of furre which they cast about their shoulders, when they sit or lye in the cold: but ha­uing any thing to do, as going or any other labour, they vse it as a girdle about their loynes. They weare their haire very long, but lest it might trouble them in their trauell, they knit it vp with a roll of Ostrich feathers, vsing the same rolls and haire together for a quiuer for their arrowes, and for a store house, in which they carry the most things which they carry about them. Some of them within these rolls sticke on either side of their heads (for a signe of honour in their persons) a large and plaine feather shewing like hornes afarre off: So that such a head vpon a naked body (if diuels do appeare with hornes) might very nigh resem­ble diuels.

Their whole brauery and setting out themselues standeth in painting their bodies with diuers colours, and such workes as they can deuise. Some wash their faces with sulphure, or some such like substance: some paint their whole bodies black, leauing onely their neckes behind and before White, much like our da­mosels that weare their squares, their neckes and breasts naked. [Page 23] Some paint one shoulder blacke, another white▪ and their sides and legs interchangeably, with the same colours, one still con­trary to the other. The black part hath set vpon it white moones, and the white part blacke Suns, being the marks and characters of their gods, as is before noted.

They haue some commodity by painting of their bodies, for the which cause they vse it so generally: and that I gather to be the defence it yeeldeth against the piercing and nipping cold. For the colours being close layd on vpon their skinne, or rather in their flesh, as by continuall renewing of these iuyces which are layed on, soakt into the inner part thereof, doth fill vp the pores so close that no aire or cold can enter, or make them once to shrinke.

They haue cleane, comely, and strong bodies: they are swift of foot, and seeme very actiue. Neither is any thing more la­mentable (in my iudgement) then that so goodly a people, and so liuely creatures of God, should bee ignorant of the true and liuing God. And so much the more is this to be lamented, by how much they are more tractable, and easie to be brought to the sheepfold of Christ: hauing in truth a land sufficient to re­compence any Christian Prince in the world, for the whole tra­uell and labour, cost and charges bestowed in that behalfe: with a wonderfull enlarging of a kingdome, besides the glory of God by encreasing of the Church of Christ.

Its wonderfull to heare, being neuer knowne to Christians before this time, how familiar they became in short space with vs; thinking themselues to be ioyned with such a people, as they ought rather to serue, then offer any wrong or iniurie vnto. Pre­suming that they might be bold with our Generall as with a Fa­ther, and with vs as with brethren and their neerest friends; nei­ther seemed their loue lesse towards vs. One of the chiefest among them hauing on a time receiued a cap of our Generals head, which he did daily weare, remouing himselfe but a little from vs, with an arrow pierced his legge deepely, causing the bloud to streame out vpon the ground: signifying thereby, how [Page 24] vnfainedly he loued him, and giuing therin a couenant of peace: The number of men which here did frequent our companie, were about fiftie persons. Within, in the Southermost part of this bay, there is a riuer of fresh water, with a great many profi­table Ilands; of which, some haue alwaies such store of Seales or sea-wosues as were able to maintaine a huge army of men. Other Ilands being many and great, are so replenished with birds and foule, as if there were no other victuals, a wonderfull multitude of people might be nourished by the increase of them for many posterities. Of these we killed some with shot, and some with status, and tooke some with our hands, from mens heads and shoulders vpon which they lighted. We could not perceiue that the people of the countrey had any sort of boate or canowe, to come to these Ilands. Their owne prouision which they eate, for ought we could perceiue, was commonly raw. For we should sometimes find the remnants of Seales all bloudy which they had gnawne with their teeth like dogs: They go all of them ar­med, with a short bow of about an ell in length in their hands, with arrowes of reeds, and headed with a flint stone, very cun­ningly cut and fastned.

This bay by reason of the plenty of Seales therein found (in­somuch that we killed two hundred in the space of one houre) we called Seale, bay. And hauing now made sufficient prouision of victuals and other necessaries, as also happily finished all our businesses, Iune 3 Iune 3. we set saile from thence; And coasting along towards the pole Antartick Iune 12. Iune 12 we fell with a little bay, in which we anchored for the space of two dayes spent in the dis­charging of our Caunter, the Christopher, which wee here layed vp.

Iune 14 The 14. day we waighed againe, and kept on our course South­ward till the 17. Iune 17 and then cast anchor in another bay in 50. deg. 20. min. lacking but little more then one degree, of the mouth of the Straights, through which lay, our so much desited passage into the South sea.

Here our generall on good aduise determined to alter his [Page 25] course; and turne his sterne to the Northward againe, if happi­ly God would grant we might find our ship and friends whom we lost in the great storme, as is before said. Forasmuch as (if we should enter the Straight without them in our company) it must needs go hard with them; and we also in the meane time as well by their absence, as by the vncertaintie of their state, must needs receiue no small discomfort.

Iune 18 And therefore Iune 18. in the morning putting to sea againe, with hartie and often prayers wee ioyned watchfull industry to serue Gods good prouidence: and held on our purpose to runne backe toward the line into the same height, in which they were first disseuered from vs.

Iune 19 The 19. day of Iune toward night, hauing sayled within a few leagues of port Saint Iulian, we had our ship in sight: for which we gaue God thankes with most ioyfull minds. And forasmuch as the ship was farre out of order, and very leake, by reason of extremity of weather which she had endured, aswell before her loosing company as in her absence: our Generall thought good to beare into Port Saint Iulian with his fleet, because it was so nigh at hand, and so conuenient a place: intending there to re­fresh his wearied men, and cherish them which had in their ab­sence tasted such bitternesse of discomfort, besides the want of many things which they sustained.

Iune 20 Thus the next day the 20. of Iune we entred Port Saint Iuli­an: which standeth in 49. deg. 30. min. and hath on the South side of the harbour picked rockes like towers, and within the har­bour many Ilands, which you many ride hard aboard off, but in going in you must borrow of the North shoare.

Being now come to anchor, and all things fitted and made safe aboard, our Generall with certaine of his companie, (viz. Thomas Drake his brother, Iohn Thomas, Robert Winter, Oliuer the Master gunner, Iohn Brewer, and Thomas Hood) Iune 22 Iune 22. rowed further in with a boate to find out some conuenient place which might yeeld vs fresh water, during the time of our abode there, and furnish vs with supply for prouision, to take to [Page 26] sea with vs at our departure. Which worke as it was of great ne­cessitie, and therefore carefully to be performed; so did not he thinke himselfe discharged of his duty, if he himselfe bestowed not the first trauell therein, as his vse was at all times in all other things, belonging to the relieuing of our wants, and the mainte­nance of our good estate, by the supply of what was needfull. Presently vpon his landing he was visited by two of the inhabi­tants of the place, whom Magellane named Patagous, or rather Pentagours from their huge stature, and strength proportionable: These as they seemed greatly to reioyce at his arriuall, so did they shew themselues very familiar, receiuing at our Generals hands whatsoeuer he gaue them, and taking great pleasure in seeing Master Oliuer master gunner of the Admirall, to shoot an English arrow: trying with him to shoot at length, but came nothing neere him.

Not long after, came one more of the same laste, but of a sowerer sorte, for he, misliking of the familiarity which his fel­lowes had vsed, seemed very angry with them, and stroue ear­nestly to withdrawe them, and to turne them to become our e­nemies; Which our generall with his men not suspecting in thē, vsed them as before: and one Mr. Robert Winter, thinking of pleasure to shoote an arrow at length, as Mr. Oliuer had done before, that he which came last also might haue a sight thereof, the string of his bow brake; which, as before it was a terror vn­to them, so now broken, it gaue them great incouragement, and boldnes, and as they thought, great aduantage in their treache­rous intent and purpose; not imagining that our calliuers, swords, and targets, were any munition or weapon of warre.

In which perswasion (as the generall with his companie were, quietly without any suspition of euill, going downe towards his boate) they sodainely being prepared, and gotten by stealth behinde them, shot their arrowes; and cheifely at him which had the bowe, not suffering him to string the same a­gaine, which he was about to haue done, as well as hee could: but being wounded in the shoulder at the first shot, and turning [Page 27] about, was sped with an arrow, which peirced his lunges, yet he fell not. But the Mr. gunner being ready to shoote of his calli­uer, which tooke not fire in leuelling thereof, was presently slaine out right. In this extremitie, if our generall had not beene both expert in such affaires, able to judge, and giue present di­rection in the danger thereof, and had not valiantly thrust him­selfe into the dance, against these monsters, there had no one of our men, that there were landed, escaped with life. He there­fore, giuing order that no man should keepe any certaine ground, but shift from place to place, encroaching still vpon the enemie, vsing their targets, and other weapons for the defence of their bodies, and that they should breake so many arrowes, as by any meanes they could come by, being shot at them; where­in he himselfe was very diligent, and carefull also in calling on them, knowing that their arrowes being once spent, they should haue these enemies at their deuotion and pleasure, to kill or saue, and this order being accordingly taken, himselfe I say with a good courage and trust in the true and liuing God, taking and shooting off, the same peece, which the gunner could not make to take fire, dispatched the first beginner of the quarrell, the same man which slewe our Mr. gunner. For the peece being charged with a bullet, and haile shot, and well aimed, tare out his bellie and gutts, with great torment, as it seemed by his cry, which was so hideous and horrible a roare, as if ten bulls had ioyned together in roaring, wherewith the courage of his partners was so abated, and their hearts appalled, that notwithstanding, di­uerse of their fellowes and countriemen appeared out of the woods, on each side: yet they were glad, by flying away, to saue themselues, quietly suffering our men either to depart or stay. Our generall chose rather to depart, then to take further reuenge of them, which now he might, by reason of his woun­ded man, whom for many good parts he loued dearely; and therefore would rather haue saued him, then slaine an hundred enemies, but being past recouery, he died the 2. day, after his being brought aboard againe.

[Page 28] That night our Mr. gunners body being left ashoare, for the speedier bringing of the other aboard, our generall himselfe the next day, with his boate well appointed, turned to the shoare, to fetch it likewise: which they found lying where it was left, but stript of his vppermost garment, and hauing an english ar­row stucke in his right eye.

Both of these dead bodies were layd together in one graue, with such reuerence, as was fit for the earthen tabernacles of immortall soules; and with such commendable ceremonies, as belong vnto souldiers of worth, in time of warre, which they most truly and rightfully deserued.

Magellane was not altogether deceiued, in naming them Giants; for they generally differ from the common sort of men, both in stature, bignes, and strength of body, as also in the hideousnesse of their voice: but yet they are nothing so monstrous, or giantlike as they were reported; there being some English men, as tall, as the highest of any that we could see, but peraduenture, the Spaniards did not thinke, that euer, any English man would come thither, to reproue them; and therevpon might presume the more boldly to lie: the name Pentagones, Fiue cubits viz. 7. foote and halfe, describing the full height (if not some what more) of the highest of them.

But this is certaine, that the Spanish cruelties there vsed, haue made them more monstrous, in minde and manners, then they are in body; and more inhospitable, to deale with any strangers, that shall come hereafter. For the losse of their friends (the remēbrance wherof is assigned and conueighed ouer from one generation to another, among their posteritie) breedeth an old grudge, which will not easily be forgotten, with so quarrell­some and revengefull a people. Notwithstanding the terrour which they had conceiued of vs, did henceforward so quench their heate, and take downe their edge, that they both for­gate reuenge, and seeming by their countenance, to repent them of the wrong they had offered vs, that meant them no harme, suffered vs to doe what we would, the whole space of [Page 29] two monethes after this, without any interruption or molesta­tion by them, and it may perhaps be a meanes, to breede a peace in that people, towards all that may hereafter this, come that way.

To this euill, thus receiued at the hands of infidells, there was adioyned, and grew another mischiefe, wrought and contriued closely amongst our selues, as great, yea farre greater, and of farre more greiuous consequence then the former: but that it was, by Gods prouidence, detected and preuented in time, which else had extended it selfe, not onely to the violent shedding of innocent blood, by murthering our generall and such others as were most firme and faithfull to him: but also to the finall ouer­throw of the whole action intended, and to diuers other most dangerous effects.

These plotts had beene layd before the voyage beganne in England: the very modell of them was shewed, and declared to our generall in his garden at Plimmouth, before his setting sayle, which yet he either would not credit, as true or likely, of a per­son whom he loued so deerely, and was perswaded of to loue him likewise vnfainedly, or thought by loue and benefits, to re­moue and remedy it, if there were any euill purposes conceiued against him.

And therfore, he did not onely continue (to this suspected & accused person) al countenance, credit, and courtesies, which he was wont to shew & giue him, but encreased them, vsing him in a manner as another himselfe, and as his most inmost friend: lodging him with himselfe; giuing him the second place, in all companies, in his presence; leauing in his hand, the state as it were of his owne person; in his absence; imparting vnto him all his counsells; allowing him free liberty in all things, that were reasonable; and bearing often, at his hands great infirmi­ties; yea despising, that any priuate iniury, should breake so firme a friendship, as he meant towards him. And therefore, was he often times not a little offended, euen with those, who (vpon conscience of their duty, and knowledge that otherwise they [Page 30] should indeed offend) disclosed from time to time vnto him, how the fire increased, that theatned his owne, together with the destruction of the whole action.

But at length, perceiuing that his lenity and fauours did little good; in that the heat of ambition was not yet allayed, nor could be quenched, as it seemed, but by blood; and that the manifold practises grew dayly more and more, euen to extremi­ties; he thought it high time, to call these practises into questi­on, before it were too late, to call any question of them into hearing. And therefore setting good watch ouer him, and as­sembling all his Captaines, and gentlemen of his comapany to­gether; he propounded to them, the good parts which were in the gentleman, the great good will, and inward affection, more then brotherly, which he had euer, since his first acquaintance borne him, not omitting the respect, which was had of him, among no meane personages in England; and afterwards de­liuered the letters, which were written to him, with the particu­lars from time to time, which had beene obserued, not so much by himselfe, as by his good friends; not onely at sea, but euen at Plimmouth; not bare words but writings; not writings a­lone, but actions, tending to the ouerthrowe of the seruice in hand, and making away of his person.

Proofes were required and alleaged, so many, and so euident, that the gentleman himselfe, stricken with remorse of his incon­siderate and vnkinde dealing, acknowledged himselfe to haue deserued death, yea many deathes; for that he conspired, not onely the ouerthrow of the action, but of the principall ac­tor also, who was not a stranger or il-willer, but a deare and true friend vnto him: and therefore in a great assembly open­ly besought them, in whose hands iustice rested, to take some order for him; that he might not be compelled, to enforce his owne hands, against his owns bowells, or otherwise to become his owne executioner.

The admiration and astonishment hereat, in all the hearers euen those which were his neerest friends, and most affected him [Page 31] was great, yea in those, which for many benefits receiued from him, had good cause to loue him: but yet the generall was most of all distracted; and therefore withdrewe himselfe, as not able to conceale his tender affection, requiring them, that had heard the whole matter, to giue their iudgements, as they would another day answer it vnto their prince, and vnto almightie God, judge of all the earth. Therefore they all, aboue 40. in number, the chiefest of place and judgement in the whole fleet, after they had discussed diuersly of the case, and alleaged what­soeuer came in their mindes, or could be there produced by any of his other friends, with their owne hands, vnder seale, adiudged that: He had deserued death: And that it stoode, by no meanes with their safety, to let him liue: And therefore, they remitted the manner thereof, with the rest of the circumstances to the generall.

This judgement, and as it were assise, was held a land, in one of the Ilands of that port; which afterwards, in memory hereof was called, the Iland of True iustice and iudgement.

Now after this verdict was thus returned vnto our generall (vnto whom, for his company, her maiestie before his depar­ture, had committed her sword, to vse for his safety, with this word: We doe account that he which striketh at thee Drake striketh at vs) he called for the guilty party, and caused to be read vnto him, the seuerall verdicts which were written, and pronounced of him, which being acknowledged for the most part (for none had giuen heauier sentence against him, then he had giuen a­gainst himselfe) our generall proposed vnto him this choice: whether he would take, to be executed in this Iland? or to be sett a­land on the maine? or returne into England, there to answer his deed before the Lords of her maiesties Councell?

He most humbly thanked the generall for his clemencie, ex­tended towards him in such ample sort: and crauing some res­pit, to consult thereon, and so make his choice aduisedly: the next day he returned this answer, that: Albeit he had yeelded in his heart, to entertaine so great a sinne; as whereof now he was iust­ly condemned: yet he bad a care, and that excelling all other cares, [Page 32] to die a christian man, that whatsoeuer did become of his clay body, he might yet remaine assured of an eternall inheritance, in a farre bet­ter life. This he feared, if he should be set a land among Infidels, how he should be able to maintaine this assurance, feeling in his owne frailtie, how mighty the contagion is of lewde custome. And there­fore he besought the generall most earnestly, that he would yet haue a care, and regard of his soule; and neuer jeopard it amongst heathen and sauage Infidells. If he should returne into England, he must first haue a ship, and men to conduct it, with sufficient victu­als: two of which though they were had, yet for the third, he thought no man would accompanie him, in so bad a message to so vile an issue, from so honorable a seruice. But if that there were, which could induce their mindes, to returne with him; yet the very shame of the returne, would be as death, or grieuouser if it were possible: he­cause be should be so long a dying, and die so often. Therefore he pro­fessed, that with all his heart, he did embrace the first branch of the generals proffer; desiring onely this fauour, that they might receiue the holy communion, once againe together before his death; and that he might not die, other then a gentlemans death.

Though sundry reasons were vsed by many, to perswade him to take either of the other wayes: yet when he remained reso­lute in his former determination, both parts of his last request were granted: and the next conuenient day, a communion was celebrated, by Mr. Francis Fletcher, preacher and pastor of the fleet at that time. The generall himselfe communicated in this Sacred ordinance, with this condemned penitent gentleman; who shewed great tokens of a contrite and repentant heart, as who was more deepely displeased with his owne act, then any man else. And after this holy repast, they dined also at the same table together, as cheerefully in sobriety, as euer in their liues they had done aforetime: each cheering vp the other, and taking their leaue, by drinking each to other, as if some journey onely had beene in hand.

After dinner, all things being brought in a readines, by him that supplied the roome of the prouost Marshall; without any [Page 33] dallying, or dolaying the time, he came forth, and kneeled downe, preparing at once, his necke for the axe, and his spirit for heauen: which hauing done, without long ceremony, as who had before digested this whole tragedy, he desired all the rest to pray for him, and willed the executioner to doe his office, not to feare nor spare.

Thus hauing by the worthie manner of his, death (being much more honorable by it, then blameable for any other of his actions) fully blotted out, what euer staine, his fault might seeme to bring vpon him; he left vnto our fleete, a lamentable example of a goodly gentleman, who in seeking aduancement vnfit for him, cast away himselfe: and vnto posteritie a monu­ment, of I know not what, fatall calamitie, incident to that Port, and such like actions, which might happilie afford a new paire of paralells, to be added to Plutarchs: in that the same place, neere about the same time of the yeare, witnessed the execution of 2. gentlemen, suffring both for the like cause, employed both in like seruice, entertained both in great place, endued both with excellent qualities, the one 58. yeare after the other.

For on the maine, our men found a gibbet, fallen downe, made of a spruce mast, with mens bones vnderneath it, which they coniectured to be the same gibbet, which Magellane com­manded to be erected, in the yeare 1520. for the execution, of Iohn Carthagene the Bishop of Burgos cosen, who by the kings order, was ioyned with Magellane in commission, and made his vice-admirall.

In the Iland, as we digged to burie this gentleman, we found a great grinding stone, broken in two parts, which wee tooke and set fast in the ground, the one part at the head, the other at the feet, building vp the middle space, with other stones and turfes of earth, and engraued in the stones, the names of the par­ties buried there, with the time of their departure, and a memo­riall of our generalls name in Latine, that it might the better be vnderstood, of all that should come after vs.

These things thus ended, and set in order, our generall dis­charging [Page 34] the Mary viz. our Portugall prise, because shee was leake and troublesome, defaced her; and then left her ribs and keele vpon the Iland: where for two moneths together we had pitched our tents. And so hauing wooded, watered, trimmed our ships, dispatched all our other businesses, and brought our fleet into the smallest number, euen 3. onely, besides our pinna­ces, that we might the easier keepe our selues together, be the better furnished with necessaries, and be the stronger mand, a­gainst what soeuer need should be, August 17. we departed out of this port, and being now in great hope, of a happie issue to our enterprise, which almighty god hitherto had so blest and prospered, we set our course for the Straights. Southwest.

August 20. we fel with the cape; neere which lies the en­trance into the straight, called by the Spaniards Capo virgin Ma­ria, appearing 4. leagues before you come to it with high and steepe gray cliffes, full of blacke starres, against which the sea beating, sheweth as it were the spoutings of Whales, hauing the highest of the cape, like cape vincent in Portugall: At this cape, our generall caused his fleet, in homage to our soueraigne lady the Queenes maiesty, to strike their top-sailes vpon the bunt, as a token of his willing and glad minde, to shewe his dutifull o­bedience to her highnes, whom he acknowledged to haue full interest and right, in that new discouery; and withall, in re­membrance of his honorable friend and fauorer, Sir Christopher Hatton, he changed the name of the shippe, which himselfe went in, from the Pellican to be called the golden Hinde. Which cere­monies being ended, together with a sermon, teaching true o­bedience, with prayers and giuing of thankes for her maiesty, and most honorable counsell, with the whole body of the com­mon weale, and church of God, we continued our course on into the said frete, where passing with land in fight on both sides, we shortly fell with so narrow a straite, as carrying with it much winde, often turnings, and many dangers, requireth an expert judgement, in him that shall passe the same, it lieth West North West & East South East: but hauing left this straite a sterne, we [Page 35] seemed to be come out of a riuer of two leagues broade, into a large and maine sea, hauing the night following, an Iland in sight, which (being in height nothing inferior to the Iland Fogo, before spoken of) burneth (like it aloft) also in the aire, in a won­derfull sort, without intermission.

It hath formerly beene receiued as an vndoubted truth, that the seas, following the course of the first mouer, from East to West, haue a continuall current through this straite, but our experience found the contrary: the ebbings and flowings here, being as orderly (in which the water rises and falls more then 5. fathomes, vpright) as on other coasts.

The 24 of August being Bartholomew day, we fell with 3. Ilands, bearing triangle-wise one from another, one of them was very faire and large, and of a fruitfull soile, vpon which be­ing next vnto vs, and the weather very calme, our generall with his gentlemen, and certaine of his mariners, then landed; taking possession thereof in her Maiesties name, and to her vse, and cal­led the same Elizabeth Iland.

The other two, though they were not so large, nor so faire to the eye, yet were they to vs exceeding vsefull, for in them wee found great store of strange birds, which could not flie at all, nor yet runne so fast, as that they could escape vs with their liues: in body they are lesse then a goose, and bigger then a mallard, short and thicke set together, hauing no feathers, but insteed thereof, a certaine hard and matted downe; their beakes are not much vnlike the bills of crowes, they lodge and breed vpon the land, where making earthes, as the conies doe, in the ground, they lay their egges, and bring vp their young; their feeding and prouision to liue on, is in the sea, where they swimm in such sort, as nature may seeme to haue granted them no small prero­gatiue in swiftnesse, both to prey vpon others, and themselues to escape from any others that seeke to cease vpon them, and such was the infinite resort of these birds to these Ilands, that in the space of 1. day, we killed no lesse then 3000. & if the increase be according to the number, it is not to be thought, that the world [Page 36] hath brought forth, a greater blessing in one kinde of creature in so small a circuit, so necessarily and plentifully seruing the vse of man, they are a very good and wholesome victuall: our ge­nerall named these Ilands, the one Bartholomew, according to the day; the other Saint Georges, in honour of England, accor­ding to the ancient custome there obserued.

In the Iland of Saint George, we found the body of a man, so long dead before, that his bones would not hold together, be­ing moued out of the place whereon they lay.

From these Ilands, to the entrance into the South sea, the frete is very crooked; hauing many turnings, and as it were shut­tings vp, as if there were no passage at all, by meanes whereof, we were often troubled with contrary windes, so that some of our ships, recouering a cape of land, entring another reach, the rest were forced to alter their course, and come to anchor where they might. It is true which Magellane reporteth of this pas­sage: namely that there be many faire harbours, and store of fresh water; but some ships, had need to be fraughted with no­thing else, besides anchors and cables, to finde ground, in most of them, to come to anchor; which when any extreame gusts, or contrary windes doe come (whereunto the place is altoge­ther subiect) is a great hindrance to the passage and carrieth with it no small danger.

The land on both sides is very high and mountainous, ha­uing on the North and West side the continent of America, and on the South and East part, nothing but Ilands: among which, lye innumerable fretes or passages into the South sea. The mountaines arise with such tops, and spires into the aire, & of so rare a height, as they may well be accounted amongst the wonders of the world; enuironed as it were, with many regions of congealed clouds, and frozen meteors, wherby they are con­tinually fed and increased, both in height and bignes, from time to time, retaining that which they haue once receiued, being little againe diminished by the heate of the sun, as being so farre from reflexion, and so nigh the cold and frozen region.

[Page 37] But notwithstanding all this, yet are the lowe and plaine groundes verie fruitful, the grasse greene and naturall; the hearbs that are of very strange sorts, good and many; the trees for the most part of them alwaies greene; the ayre of the tempera­ture of our countrey, the water most pleasant; and the soile agreeing to any graine which we haue growing in our countrie: a place no doubt, that lacketh nothing, but a people to vse the same to the Creators glory, and the encreasing of the Church: the people inhabiting these parts, made fires as we passed by in diuers places.

Drawing nigh the entrance of the South sea, wee had such a shutting vp to the Northwards, and such large and open fretes toward the South, that it was doubtfull which way wee should passe, without further discouerie: for which cause, our generall hauing brought his fleete to anchor vnder an Iland; himselfe, with certaine of his gentlemen, rowed in a boate to descrie the passage; who hauing discouered a sufficient way towards the North, in their returne to their ships, met a cannowe vnder the same Iland, where wee rode then at anchor, hauing in her diuers persons.

This cannowe or boate was made of the barke of diuers trees, hauing a prowe and a sterne standing vp, and semicircle­wise yeelding inward, of one forme and fashion; the body whereof was a most dainty mould, bearing in it most comely proportion, and excellent workmanship; in so much as to our generall and vs, it seemed neuer to haue beene done, without the cunning and expert iudgement of art; and that not for the vse of so rude and barborous a people, but for the pleasure of some great and noble personage, yea of some Prince: It had no other closing vp or caulking in the seames, but the stitchin with thongs, made of Seale-skins, or other such beast, and yet so close that it receiued very little or no water at all.

The people are of a meane stature, but well set and compact, in all their parts and limmes; they haue great pleasure in pain­ting their faces, as the others haue, of whom we haue spoken [Page 38] before. Within the said Iland they had a house of meane buil­ding, of certaine poles, and couered with skinnes of beast; ha­uing therein fire, water, and such meate, as commonly they can come by: as seales, mussels, and such like.

The vessels wherein they keepe their water, and their cups in which they drinke, are made of barkes of trees, as was their ca­now: and that with no lesse skill (for the bignesse of the thing) being of a very formall shape and good fashion. Their working tooles, which they vse in cutting these things and such other, are kniues made of most huge and monstrous mussell shels (the like whereof haue not beene seene or heard of lightly by any trauellers; the meate thereof beeing very sauourie and good in eating) which, after they haue broken off the thinne and brittle substance of the edge, they rub and grinde them vpon stones had for the purpose, till they haue tempered and set such an edge vpon them, that no wood is so hard but they will cut it at plea­sure with the same: whereof we our selues had experience. Yea they cut therewith bones of a maruellous hardnesse; making of them fisgies to kill fish, wherein they haue a most pleasant exer­cise with great dexteritie.

Sept. 6 The sixth of September we had left asterne vs all these trou­blesome Ilands, and were entred into the South sea, or Mare del zur: at the cape whereof, our Generall had determined with his whole company to haue gone ashore, and there after a Ser­mon to haue left a monument of her Maiestie ingrauen in met­tall, for a perpetuall remembrance; which he had in a readinesse for that end prepared: but neither was there any anchoring, neither did the wind suffer vs by any meanes to make a stay.

Onely this by all our mens obseruations was concluded; that the entrance, by which we came into this straite, was in 52. deg. the middest in 53. deg. 15. m and the going out in 52. deg. 30. m. being 150. leagues in length: At the very entry, supposed also to be about 10. leagues in bredth. After we were entred ten leagues within it, it was found not past a league in breadth: far­ther within, in some places very large, in some very narrow, and [Page 39] in the end found to be no straite at all, but all Ilands.

Now when our Generall perceiued that the nipping cold, vn­der so cruell and frowning a Winter, had empaired the health of some of his men; hee meant to haue made the more hast a­gaine toward the line, and not to saile any farther towards the pole Antartick, lest being father from the Sunne, and neerer the cold, we might happily be ouertaken with some greater dan­ger of sickness. But God giuing men leaue to purpose, reserueth to himselfe the disposition of all things: making their intents of none effect, or changing their meanings oft times cleane into the contrary, as may best serue for his owne glory and their profit.

Sept. 7 For September 7. the second day after our entrance into the South sea (called by some Mare pacificum, but prouing to vs ra­ther to be Mare furiosum.) God by a contrary wind and intolle­rable tempest, seemed to set himselfe against vs: forcing vs not onely to alter our course and determination, but with great trouble, long time, many dangers, hard escapes, and finall sepa­rating of our fleet, to yeeld ourselues vnto his will. Yea such was the extremitie of the tempest, that it appeared to vs as if he had pronounced a sentence, not to stay his hand, nor to withdraw his iudgement till he had▪ buried our bodies and ships also, in the bottomlesse depth of the raging sea.

Sept. 15 In the time of this incredible storme the 15. of September, the Moone was ecclipsed in Aries, and darkened about three points, for the space of two glasses: which being ended, might seeme to giue vs some hope of alteration and change of weather to the better. Notwithstanding, as the ecclipticall conflict, could adde nothing to our miserable estate, no more did the ending thereof ease vs any thing at all; nor take away any part of our troubles from vs: but our ecclipse continued still in its full force, so preuailing against vs, that for the space of full 52. dayes toge­ther, we were darkened more then the Moone by 20. parts, or more then we by any meanes could euer haue preserued, or re­couered light of our selues againe, if the Sonne of God which [Page 40] layed this burthen vpon our backs, had not mercifully borne it vp with his owne shoulders, and vpheld vs in it by his owne power, beyond any possible strength or skill of man. Neither indeed did we at all escape, but with the feeling of great dis­comforts through the same.

For these violent and extraordinarie flawes (such as seldome haue been seene) still continuing, or rather increasing, Sept. 30 Septem­ber 30. in the night, caused the sorrowfull separation of the Ma­rigold from vs, in which was Captaine Iohn Thomas, with many others of our deare friends: who by no means that we could con­ceiue could helpe themselues, but by spooming along before the sea. With whom albeit wee could neuer meet againe, yet (our Generall hauing aforehand giuen order, that if any of our fleet did loose company, the place of resort to meet againe should be in 30. deg. or thereabouts, vpon the coast of Peru, to­ward the Equinoctiall) wee long time hoped (till experience shewed our hope was vaine) that there we should ioyfully meet with them: especially for that they were well prouided of vi­ctuals, and lackt no skilfull and sufficient men (besides their Cap­taine) to bring forwards the ship to the place appointed.

From the seuenth of September (in which the storme began) till the seuenth of october we could not by any meanes recouer any land (hauing in the meane time beene driuen so farre South, Octob. 7 as to the 57. deg. and somewhat better) on this day towards night, somewhat to the Northward of that cape of America (whereof mention is made before in the description of our de­parture from the straite into this sea) with a sorrie saile wee en­tred a harbour: where hoping to enioy some freedome and ease, till the storme was ended, we receiued within few houres after our comming to anchor, so deadly a stroake and hard entertaine­ment, that our Admirall left not onely an anchor behind her, through the violence and furie of the flawe; but in departing thence, also lost the company and sight of our Vice-admirall, the Elizabeth: partly through the negligence of those that had the charge of her, partly through a kind of desire that some in [Page 41] her had to be out of these troubles, and to be at home againe: which (as since is knowne) they thence forward by all meanes assayed and performed. Octob. 8 For the very next day October 8. reco­uering the mouth of the straits againe (which wee were now so neere vnto) they returned backe the same way by which they came forward, and so coasting Brasill, they arriued in England Iune 2. the yeare following.

So that now our Admirall if she had retained her old name of Pellican, which she bare at our departure from our countrey, she might haue beene now indeed said to be as a Pellican alone in the wildernesse. For albeit our Generall sought the rest of his fleet with great care, yet could we not haue any sight or certaine ne wes of them by any meanes.

From this bay of parting of friends, we were forcibly driuen backe againe into 55. deg. towards the pole Antarticke. In which height we ranne in among the Ilands before mentioned, lying to the Southward of America, through which we passed from one sea to the other, as hath beene declared. Where com­ming to anchor, wee found the waters there to haue their in­draught and free passage, and that through no small guts, or nar­row channels, but indeed through as large frets or straights, as it hath at the supposed streights of Magellane through which we came.

Among these Ilands, making our abode with some quietnesse for a very little while,(viz. two dayes) and finding diuers good and wholesome herbs together with fresh water; our men which before were weake, and much empaired in their health, began to receiue good comfort: especially by the drinking of one herbe (not much vnlike that herbe which wee commonly call Penny­lease) which purging with great facilitie affoorded great helpe and refreshing to our wearied and sickly bodies. But the winds returning to their old wont, and the seas raging after their for­mer manner, yea euery thing as it were setting it selfe against our peace and desired rest, here was no stay permitted vs, neither any safety to be looked for.

[Page 42] For such was the present danger by forcing and continuall slawes, that we were rather to looke for present death then hope for any deliuery, if God almightie should not make the way for vs. The winds were such as if the bowels of the earth had set all at libertie; or as if all the clouds vnder heauen had beene called together, to lay their force vpon that one place: The seas, which by nature and of themselues are heauie, and of a weightie sub­stance, were rowled vp from the depths, euen from the roots of the rockes, as if it had beene a scroll of parchment, which by the extremity of heate runneth together: and being aloft were car­ried in most strange manner and abundance, as feathers or drifts of snow, by the violence of the winds, to water the exceeding tops of high and loftie mountaines. Our anchors, as false friends in such a danger, gaue ouer their holdfast, and as if it had beene with horror of the thing, did shrinke downe to hide themselues in this miserable storme; committing the distressed ship and helpelesse men to the vncertaine and rowling seas, which tossed them, like a ball in a racket. In this case, to let fall more anchors, would auaile vs nothing; For being driuen from our first place of anchoring, so vnmeasurable was the depth, that 500. fathome would fetch no ground: So that the violent storme without in­termission; the impossibility to come to anchor; the want of op­portunitie to spread any sayle, the most mad seas; the lee shores; the dangerous rocks; the contrary and most intollerable winds; the impossible passage out; the desperate tarrying there; and in­euitable perils on euery side, did lay before vs so small likelihood to escape present destruction, that if the speciall prouidence of God himselfe had not supported vs, we could neuer haue endu­red that wofull state: as being inuironed with most terrible and most fearefull iudgements round about. For truly, it was more likely that the mountaines should haue beene rent in sunder, from the top to the bottome, and cast headlong into the sea, by these vnnaturall winds; then that, we, by any helpe or cunning of man, should free the life of any one amongst vs.

Notwithstanding the same God of mercy which deliuered [Page 43] Ionas out of the Whales belly, and heareth all those that call vp­on him faithfully, in their distresse; looked downe from heauen, beheld our teares, and heard our humble petitions, ioyned with holy vowes. Euen God (whom not the winds and seas al one, but euen the diuels themselues and powers of hell obey) did so wonderfully free vs, and make our way open before vs, as it were by his holy Angels still guiding and conduting vs, that more then the affright and amaze of this estate, we receiued no part of damage in all the things that belonged vnto vs.

But escaping from these straites and miseries, as it were through the needles ey (that God might haue the greater glory in our deliuery) by the great and effectuall care and trauell of our Generall, the Lords instrument therein; we could now no longer forbeare, but must needes finde some place of refuge, aswell to prouide water, wood, and other necessaries, as to com­fort our men, thus worne and tired out, by so many and so long intollerable toyles: the like whereof, its to be supposed, no tra­ueller hath felt, neither hath there euer beene, such a tempest (that any records make mention of) so violent, and of such con­tinuance, since Noahs flood, for as hath beene sayd it lasted from September 7. to October 28, full 52. dayes.

Not many leagues therefore to the Southwards of our for­mer anchoring, we ranne in againe among these Ilands; where we had once more better likelihood to rest in peace: and so much the rather, for that wee found the people of the countrie, trauelling for their liuing, from one Iland to another, in their canowes, both men, women, and young infants wrapt in skins, and hanging at their mothers backs; with whom we had traf­fique, for such things as they had, as chaines of certaine shells and such other trifles; here the Lord gaue vs three dayes to breath our selues, and to prouide such things as we wanted, al­beit the same was with continuall care, and troubles to auoid imminent dangers, which the troubled seas and blustering windes, did euery houre threaten vnto vs.

But when we seemed to haue stayed there too long, we were [Page 44] more rigorously assaulted by the not formerly ended, but now more violently renewed storme; and driuen thence also with no small danger; leauing behind vs the greater part of our cable with the anchor; being chased along by the winds, and buffeted incessantly in each quarter by the seas (which our Generall inter­preted, as though God had sent them of purpose to the end which ensued) till at length wee fell with the vttermost part of land towards the South pole, and had certainely discouered how farre the same doth reach Southward, from the coast of America aforenamed.

The vttermost cape or hedland of all these Ilands, stands neere in 56. deg. without which there is no maine, nor Iland to be seene to the Southwards: but that the Atlanticke Ocean, and the South sea, meete in a most large and free scope.

It hath beene a dreame through many ages, that these Ilands haue beene a maine, and that it hath beene terra incognita; wherein many strange monsters liued. Indeed it might truly, be­fore this time, be called incognota, for howsouer the mappes and generall descriptions of Cosmographers, either vpon the deceiue­able reports of other men, or the deceitfull imaginations of themselues (supposing neuer herein to be corrected) haue set it downe, yet it is true, that before this time, it was neuer discoue­red, or certainely knowne by any traueller, that wee haue heard of.

And here as in a fit place, it shall not be amisse, to remoue that error in opinion, which hath beene held by many, of the impossible returne, out of Mar Del Zur, into the West Ocean; by reason of the supposed Easterne current, and leuant windes: which (say they) speedily carrie any thither, but suffer no re­turne. They are herein likewise altogether deceiued: for neither did we meete with any such current, neither had we any such cer­taine windes, with any such speed to carry vs through; but at all times, in our passage there, we found more opportunity to returne backe againe, into the West Ocean, then to goe forward into Mar Del zur, by meanes either of current, or windes to [Page 45] hinder vs, whereof we had experience more then we wished: being glad oftentimes, to alter our course, and to fall asterne a­gaine, with francke winde (without any impediment of any such surmised current) farther in one afternoone, then we could fetch vp, or recouer againe in a whole day, with a reasonable gale. And in that they alleage the narrownes of the frete, and want of sea-roome, to be the cause of this violent current; they are herein no lesse deceiued, then they were in the other with­out reason: for besides, that it cannot be sayd, that there is one onely passage, but rather innumerable it is most certaine, that a sea-board all these Ilands, there is one large and maine sea, wherein if any will not be satisfied, nor belieue the report of our experience and ey-sight, hee should be aduised to suspend his iudgement, till he haue either tried it himselfe, by his owne trauell, or shall vnderstand, by other trauellers, more particu­lars to confirme his minde herein.

Now as wee were fallen to the vttermost part of these Ilands Octob. 28 Octob. 28. our troubles did make an end, the storme ceased, and all our calamities (onely the absence of our friends excepted) were remoued, as if God, all this while, by his secret proui­dence, had lead vs to make this discouery; which being made, according to his will he stayed his hand, as pleased his maiestie therein, and refreshed vs as his seruants.

At these Southerly parts we found the night, in the latter end of October, to be but 2. houres long: the sunne being yet aboue 7. degrees distant from the Tropick: so that it seemeth, being in the Tropick, to leaue very little, or no night at all in that place.

There be few of all these Ilands, but haue some inhabitants, whose manners, apparell, houses, canowes and meanes of li­uing, is like vnto those formerly spoken of, a little before our departure out of the Straight. To all these Ilands, did our gene­rall giue one name, to wit Elizabethides.

Octob. 30 After two daies stay, which wee made in and about these I­lands, the 30. of October we set saile; shaping our course right [Page 46] North west, to coast alongst the parts of Peru (for so the generall mappes set out the land to lie) both for that we might, with con­uenient speed, full with the height of 30. deg. being the place appointed, for the rest of our fleete to re-assemble; as also, that no opportunity might be lost, in the meane time to finde them out, if it seemed good to God to direct them to vs.

In this course, we chanced (the next day) with two Ilands, being as it were store houses, of most liberall prouision of victu­alls for vs, of birds; yeelding not onely sufficient and plentifull store, for vs who were present, but enough, to haue serued all the rest also, which were absent.

Thence (hauing furnished our selues to our content) we con­tinued our course Nouember 1. still Northwest, as wee had formerly done, but in going on, we soone espied, that we might easily haue beene deceiued: and therefore casting about, and steering vpon another point, wee found, that the generall mappes did erre from the truth, in setting downe the coast of Pe­ru, for 12. deg. at least to the Northward, of the supposed straite; no lesse then is the Northwest point of the compasse, different from the Northeast, perceiuing hereby, that no man, had euer by trauell, discouered any part of these 12. deg. and therefore the setters forth of such descriptions, are not to be trusted; much lesse honored, in their false and fraudulent con­iectures; which they vse, not in this alone, but in diuers other points of no small importance.

We found this part of Peru, all alongst to the height of Lima, which is 12. deg. South of the line, to be mountainous and ve­ry barren, without water or wood, for the most part, except in certaine places, inhabited by the Spaniards, and few others, which are very fruitfull and commodious.

After we were once againe thus fallen with the land, we conti­nually coasted along, til we came to the height of 37. d. or there­about: and finding no conuenient place of abode, nor likeli­hood to heare any newes of our ships, we ranne off againe with an Iland, which lay in sight, named of the Spaniards Mucho, by [Page 47] reason of the greatnesse and large circuit thereof.

Nou. 25 At this Iland comming to anchor, Nouemb. 25. we found it to be a fruitfull place, and well stored with sundrie sorts of good things: as sheepe and other cattell, maize, which is a kinde of graine whereof they make bread, potatoes, with such other rootes: besides that, it is thought to be wonderfull rich in gold and to want no good thing for the vse of mans life. The inhabi­tants are such Indians, as by the cruell and most extreame dea­ling of the Spaniards, haue beene driuen to flie from the maine, here to releeue and fortifie themselues. With this people, our Generall thought it meet to haue traffique, for fresh victuals and water: and for that cause, the very same night of our arriuall there, himselfe with diuers of his company went ashoare, to whom the people with great courtesie came downe, bringing with them such fruits and other victuals as they had, and two very fat sheepe, which they gaue our Generall for a present. In recompence whereof, hee bestowed vpon them againe many good and necessarie things; signifying vnto them, that the end of his comming was for no other cause but by way of exchange, to traffique with them for such things as wee needed, and they could spare: and in particular, for such as they had alreadie brought downe vnto vs, besides fresh water, which wee desired of them. Herein they held themselues well contented, and see­med to be not a little ioyful of our comming: appointing where we should the next morning haue fresh water at pleasure, and withall signifying that then also they would bring vs downe such other things as we desired to serue our turnes.

Nou. 26 The next day therefore very early in the morning (all things being made readie for traffique, as also vessels prepared to bring the water) our Generall taking great care for so necessarie pro­uision, repaired to the shoare againe; and setting aland two of his men, sent them with their Barricoes to the watering place, as­signed the night before. Who hauing peaceably past on one halfe of the way, were then with no small violence set vpon by those traiterous people, and suddenly slaine: And to the end that [Page 48] our Generall with the rest of his company should not onely be stayed from rescuing them, but also might fall (if it were possi­ble) into their hands in like manner, they had layed closely be­hind the rockes an ambushment of (as we guessed) about 500. men, armed and well appointed for such a mischiefe. Who sud­denly attempting their purpose (the rocks being very dangerous for the boate, and the sea-gate exceeding great) by shooting their arrowes hurt and wounded euery one of our men, before they could free themselues, or come to die vse of there weapons to do any good. The General himself was shot in the face, vnder his right eye, and close by his nose, the arrow piercing a maruel­lous way in, vnder basis cerebri, with no small danger of his life; besides that, he was grieuously wounded in the head. The rest, being nine persons in the boate, were deadly wounded in diuers parts of their bodies, if God almost miraculously had not giuen cure to the same. For our chiefe Surgeon being dead, and the other absent by the losse of our vice-admirall, and hauing none left vs but a boy, whose good will was more then any skill hee had, we were little better then altogether destitute of such cun­ning and helpes as so grieuous a state of so many wounded bo­dies did require. Notwithstanding God, by the good aduice of our Generall, and the diligent putting too of euery mans helpe, did giue such speedy and wonderfull cure, that we had all great comfort thereby, and yeelded God the glory thereof.

The cause of this force and iniurie by these Ilanders, was no other but the deadly hatred which they beare against their cruell enemies the Spaniards, for the bloudy and most tirannous op­pression which they had vsed towards them. And therefore with purpose against them (suspecting vs to bee Spaniards indeed, and that the rather, by occasion that though command was gi­uen to the contrary, some of our men in demanding water, vsed the Spanish word Aqua)sought some part of reuenge against vs.

Our Generall notwithstanding he might haue reuenged this wrong; with little hazard or danger; yet being more desirous to preserue one of his owne men aliue, then to destroy 100. of his [Page 49] enemies, committed the same to God: wishing this onely pu­nishment to them, that they did but know whom they had wronged, and that they had done this iniurie not to an enemie, but to a friend, not to a Spaniard, but to an Englishman; who would rather haue beene a patron to defend them, then any way an instrument of the least wrong that should haue beene done vnto them. The weapons which this people vse in their warres, are arrowes of reeds, with heads of stone, very brittle and indented▪ but darts of a great length, headed with iron or bone.

The same day that we receiued this dangerous affront, in the afternoone we set sayle from thence; and because we were now nigh the appointed height, wherein our ships were to be looked for, as also the extremity and crasie state of our hurt men adui­sing vs to vse expedition, to finde sone conuenient place of re­pose, which might afford them some rest, and yeeld vs necessary supply of fresh victuals for their diet; we bent our course, as the wind would suffer vs, directly to run in with the maine. Nou. 30 Where falling with a bay, called Philips Bay, in, 32. deg. or thereabout, Nouemb. 30. we came to anchor: and foorthwith manned and sent our boate to discouer what likelihood the place would offer to affoord vs such things as we stood in need of.

Our boate doing her vttermost endeuour in a diligent search, yet after long trauell could find no appearance of hope for re­liefe, either of fresh victuals or of fresh water: huge heards of wild buffes they might disecrne, but not so much as any signe of any inhabitant thereabout. Yet in their returne to vs, they des­cried within the bay, an Indian with his Canow as he was a fish­ing: him they brought aboard our generall, canow and all as he was in it. A comely personage, and of a goodly stature; his appa­rell was a white garment, reaching scarcely to his knees, his armes and legges were naked; his haire vpon his head verie long; without a beard, as all the Indians for the most part are. He see­med verie gentle, of mild and humble nature, being verie tracta­ble to learne the vse of euery thing, and most gratefull for such things as our Generall bestowed vpon him. In him we might see [Page 50] a most liuely patterne of the harmelesse disposition of that peo­ple; and how grieuous a thing it is that they should by any meanes be so abused as all those are, whom the Spaniards haue any command or power ouer.

This man being courteously entertained, and his paines of comming double required; after we had shewed him, partly by signes, and partly by such things as we had, what things we nee­ded, and would gladly receiue by his meanes, vpon exchange of such things as he would desire; wee sent him away with our boate and his owne canow (which was made of reed straw) to land him where he would. Who being landed, and willing our men to stay his returne, was immediatly met with by two or three of his friends; to whom imparting his newes, and shewing what gifts he had receiued, he gaue so great content, that they wil­lingly furthered his purpose; so that, after certaine houres of our mens abode there, hee with diuers others (among whom was their head or Captaine) made their returne; bringing with them their loadings of such things as they thought would do vs good: as some hennes, egges, a fat hogge, and such like. All which (that our men might be without all suspition of all euill to be meant or intended by them) they sent in one of their canowes, a reasonable distance from off the shoare, to our boate, the sea-gate being at that present very great, and their Captaine hauing sent backe his horse, would needs commit himselfe to the credit of our men, though strangers, and come with them to our Ge­nerall, without any of his owne acquaintance or countriemen with him.

By his comming as we vnderstood, that there was no meane or way, to haue our necessities relieued in this place; so he offe­red himselfe to be our pilote, to a place and that a good harbo­rough, not farre backe to the Southward againe: where, by way of traffique, we might haue at pleasure, both water, and those other things which we stood in need of. This offer our ge­nerall very gladly receiued, and so much the rather, for that the place intended, was neere about the place appointed, for the [Page 51] randenoues of our fleete. Omitting therefore our purpose, of pursuing the buffes formerly spoken of, of which we had other­wise determined, if possible to haue killed some; this good newes of better prouision, and more easie to come by, drew vs away: and so the 5. day after our arriuall, viz. Decem. 4 December 4. we departed hence, and the next day Decemb. 5 December 5. by the willing conduct of our new Indian Pilote, we came to anchor in the de­sired harbor.

This harbor the Spaniards call valperizo, and the towne ad­ioyning Saint Iames of Chinli it stands in 35. deg. 40. min. where albeit we neither met with our ships, not heard of them, yet there was no good thing which the place afforded, or which our necessities indeed for the present required, but we had the same in great abundance: amongst other things we found in the towne diuerse storehouses of the wines of Chilie; and in the harbour, a ship called the Captaine of Moriall, or the grand Captaine of the South, Admirall to the Ilands of Salomon; loaden for the most part, with the same kinde of liquors: onely there was besides, a certaine quantity of fine gold of Baldiuia and a great crosse of gold beset with Emeranlds, on which was nailed a God of the same mettall, wee spent some time in refreshing our selues, and easing this ship of so heauy a burthen: and on the 8. day of the same moneth (hauing in the meane time, suffi­ciently stored our selues with necessaries, as wine, bread, bacon &c. for along season) we set saile, returning backe towards the line; carrying againe our Indian pilote with vs, whom our ge­nerall bountifully rewarded, and enriched with many good things, which pleased him exceedingly, and caused him, by the way, to be landed in the place where he desired.

Our necessities being thus to our content releeued, our next care was the regaining (if possible) of the company of our ships, so long seuered from vs: neither would any thing haue satisfied bur generall, or vs so well, as the happy meeting, or good newes of them, this way therefore (all other thoughts for the present set apart) were all our studies and endeauours bent, how to fit it [Page 52] so, as that no opportunity of meeting them might be passed ouer.

To this end, considering that we could not conueniently runne in with our ship (in search of them) to euery place, where was likelihood of being a harbour; and that our boate was too little, and vnable to carry men enough, to encounter the ma­lice or treachery of the Spaniards (if we should by any chance meete with any of them) who are vsed to shew no mercy, where they may ouermaster; and therefore meaning not to hazard our selues to their cruell courtesie; we determined, as we coa­sted now towards the line, to search diligently for some conue­nient place, where we might, in peace and safety, stay the trim­ming of our ship, and the erecting of a pinnace, in which wee might with better security, then in our boate, and without en­dangering of our ship, by running into each creeke, leaue no place vntried, if happily we might so finde againe our friends and countrimen.

For this cause December 19. Dec. 19 we entred a bay, not farre to the Southward of the towne of Cyppo now inhabited by the Spaniards, in 29. deg 30. min. where hauing landed certaine of our men, to the number of 14. to search what conueniency the place was likely to afford, for our abiding there; we were immediatly descried by the Spaniards, of the towne of Cyppo, aforesayd, who speedily made out 300. men at least wherof 100. were Spaniards, euery one well mounted vpon his horse; the rest were Indians, running as dogs, at their heeles, all naked, and in most miserable bondage.

They could not come any way so closely, but God did open our eyes to see them, before there was any extremity of danger, whereby our men being warned, had reasonable time to shift themselues as they could; first from the maine, to a rocke with­in the sea; and from thence into their boate: which being ready to receiue them, conueighed them with expedition, out of the reach of the Spaniards fury, without the hurt of any man.

Onely one Richard Miniuy, being ouer bold and carelesse of [Page 53] his owne safety, would not be intreated by his friends, nor fea­red by the multitude of his enemies, to take the present benefit of his owne deliuery: but chose either to make 300. mē by out­brauing of them to become afraide, or else himselfe to die in the place; the latter of which indeed he did, whose dead body being drawne by the Indians from the rocke to the shoare, was there manfully by the Spaniards beheaded, the right hand cut off, the heart pluct out, all which they carried away in our sight, and for the rest of his carcase, they caused the Indians to shoote it full of arrowes, made but the same day, of greene wood, and so left it to be deuoured of the beastes and foules but that we went ashoare againe and buried it: wherein as there appeareth a most extreame and barbarous cruelty, so doth it declare to the world, in what miserable feare the Spaniard holdeth the gouernment of those parts; liuing in continuall dread of forreigne inuasion by strangers, or secret cutting of their throats, by those whom they kept vnder them in so shamefull slauery, I meane the innocent and harmelesse Indians. And therefore they make sure to murther what strangers soeuer they can come by, and suffer the Indians by no meanes to haue any weapon longer then they be in present seruice: as appeared by their arrowes cut from the tree the same day, as also by the credible report of others who knew the matter to be true. Yea they suppose they shew the wretches great fauour, when they do not for their pleasures whip them with cords, and day by day drop their naked bodies with burning bacon: which is one of the least cruelties, amongst many, which they vniuersally vse against that Nation and people.

This being not the place we looked for, nor the entertaine­ment such as we desired; Dec. 20 we speedily got hence againe, and De­cemb. 20. the next day, fell with a more conuenient harbour, in a bay somewhat to the Northward of the forenamed Cyppo, ly­ing in 27. deg. 55. win. South the line.

In this place we spent some time in trimming of our ship, and building of our pinnace, as we desired: but still the griefe for the [Page 54] absence of our friends remained with vs, for the finding of whom, our generall hauing now fitted all things to his mind, in­tended (leauing his ship the meane while at anchor in the bay) with his pinnace and some chosen men, himselfe to returne backe to the Southwards againe; to see if happily he might ei­ther himselfe meete with them, or find them in some harbour, or creeke; or heare of them by any others, whom he might meete with, with this resolution he set on, but after one daies sayling, the winde being contrary to his purpose, he was forced, whether he would or no to returne againe.

within this bay, during our abode there, we had such abun­dance of fish, not much vnlike our Gurnard in England, as no place had euer afforded vs the like (Cape Blanck onely vpon the coast of Barbary excepted) since our first setting forth of Plymmouth, vntill this time, the plenty whereof in this place was such, that our gentlemen sporting themselues day by day, with 4. or 5. hookes and lines, in 2. or 3. houres, would take sometimes 400. sometimes more at one time.

Ian. 19 All our businesse being thus dispatched, Ianuary 19. we set sayle from hence; and the next place that we fell withall, Ian. 22 Ian. 22. was an Iland standing in the same height, with the North cape of the prouince of Mormorena, at this Iland we found 4. Indians with their canowes, which tooke vpon them to bring our men to a place of fresh water, on the foresayd cape; in hope whereof, our generall made them great cheere (as his manner was towards all strangers) and set his course by their direction, but when we came vnto the place, and had trauelled vp a long way into the land, wee found fresh water indeed, but scarce so much as they had drunke wine in their passage thither.

As we sayled along, continually searching for fresh water; we came to a place called Tarapaca, and landing there we ligh­ted on a Spaniard who lay asleepe, and had lying by him 13. barres of siluer, waighing in all, about 4000. Spanish duccatts: we would not (could wee haue chosen) haue awaked him of his nappe: but seeing we, against our wills, did him that iniury, we [Page 55] freed him of his charge, which otherwise perhaps would haue kept him waking, and so left him to take out (if it pleased him) the other part of his sleepe, in more security.

Our search for water still continuing, as we landed againe not farre from thence, we met a Spaniard with an Indian boy, driuing 8. Lambes or Peruvian sheepe: each sheepe bare two leathren bagges, and in each bagge was 50. pound waight of refined siluer, in the whole 800. waight: we could not indure to see a gentleman Spaniard turnd carrier so; and therefore without intreaty, we offered our seruice, and became drouers: onely his directions were not so perfect, that we could keepe the way which hee intended; for almost as soone as hee was parted from vs, we with our new kinde of carriges, were come vnto our boates.

Farther beyond this cape fore-mentioned lie certaine Indian towns, frō whence as we passed by, came many of the people in certaine bawses made of Seales skins; of which two being ioy­ned together of a iust length, and side by side, resemble in fashi­on or forme a boate: they haue in either of them a small gutt, or some such thing blowne full of winde; by reason whereof it floateth, and is rowed very swiftly, carrying in it no small bur­then. In these vpon sight of our ship, they brought store of fish of diuerse sortes, to traffique with vs, for any trifles wee would giue them: as kniues, margarites, glasses, and such like, where­of, men of 60. & 70. yeares old, were as glad as if they had recei­ued some exceeding rich commodity; being a most simple and plaine dealing people. Their resort vnto vs was such, as consi­dering the shortnesse of the time, was wonderfull to vs to behold.

Not farre from this, viz. in 22. deg. 30. min. lay Mormorena, another great towne of the same people, ouer whom 2. Spani­ards held the gouerment, with these our generall thought meet to deale; or at least to try their courtesy, whether they would, in way of traffique, giue vs such things as we needed or no, and therefore Ian. 26 Ian. the 26. we cast anchor here, we found them (more [Page 56] for feare then for loue) somewhat tractable, and receiued from them by exchange many good things, very necessarie for our vses.

Amongst other things which we had of them, the sheepe of the countrey (viz. such as we mentioned before bearing the lea­therne bags) were most memorable. Their height and length was equall to a pretty cow, and their strength fully answerable, if not by much exceeding their size or stature. Vpon one of their backes did sit at one time three well growne and tall men, and one boy, no mans foot touching the ground by a large foot in length, the beast nothing at all complaining of his burthen in the meane time. These sheepe haue neckes like camels; their heads bearing a reasonable resemblance of another sheepe. The Spaniards vse them to great profit. Their wooll is exceeding fine, their flesh good meate, their increase ordinarie, and be­sides they supply the roome of horses for burthen or trauell: yea they serue to carry, ouer the mountaines, maruellous loades, for 300. leagues together, where no other carriage can be made but by them onely. Hereabout, as also all along, and vp into the countrey throughout the Prouince of Cusko, the common ground wheresoeuer it bee taken vp, in euery hundred pound weight of earth, yeeldeth 25. s. of pure siluer, after the rate of a crowne an ounce.

The next place likely to affoord vs any newes of our ships (for in all this way from the height where wee builded our pin­nace, there was no bay or harbour at all for shipping) was the port of the towne of Arica, standing in 20. deg. whither we arri­ued the 7. of February Feb. 7: This towne seemed to vs to stand in the most fruitfull soile that we saw all alongst these coasts: both for that it is situate in the mouth of a most pleasant and fertile vally, abounding with all good things; as also in that it hath continu­all trade of shipping, as well from Lyma as from all other parts of Peru. It is inhabited by the Spaniards. In two barks here, we found some forty and odde barres of siluer (of the bignesse and fashion of a brickbatte, and in waight each of them about 20. [Page 57] pounds) of which wee tooke the burthen on our selues to ease them, and so departed towards Chowley; with which wee fell the second day following, Feb. 9 viz. Febr. 9. and in our way to Lima, we met with another barke at Ariquipa, which had begun to loade some siluer and gold, but hauing had (as it seemed from Arica by land) some notice of our coming, had vnloaden the same againe before our arriuall. Yet in this our passage we met another barke loaden with linnen: some of which we thought might stand vs in some stead, and therefore tooke it with vs.

Feb. 15 At Lima we arriued Febr. 15. and notwithstanding the Spa­niards forces, though they had thirtie ships at that present in harbour there, whereof 17. (most of them the especiall ships in all the South sea) were fully ready, we entred and anchored all night in the middest of them, in the Calao: and might haue made more spoile amongst them in few houres if we had beene affected to reuenge, then the Spaniard could haue recouered againe in many yeares. But wee had more care to get vp that company which we had so long mist, then to recompence their cruell and hard dealing by an euen requitall, which now wee might haue tooke. This Lima stands in 12. deg. 30. min. South latitude.

Here albeit no good newes of our ships could bee had, yet got we the newes of some things that seemed to comfort, if not to counteruaile our trauells thither, as namely, that in the ship of one Mighell Angell there, there were 1500. barres of plate, besides some other things (as silkes, linnen, and in one a chest full of royals of plate) which might stand vs in some stead in the other ships; aboard whom we made somewhat bold to bid our selues welcome. Here also we heard the report of some things that had befallen in & neere Europe, since our departure thence; In particular of the death of some great personages: as, the king of Portugall, and both the kings of Morocco and Fesse, dead all three in one day at one battell: The death of the king of France, and the Pope of Rome: Whose abhominations as they are in part cut off from some Christian kingdomes, where his shame [Page 58] is manifest, so do his vassals and accursed instruments labour by all meanes possible to repaire that losse, by spreading the same the further in these parts, where his diuellish illusions and dam­nable deceiuings are not knowne. And as his doctrine takes place any where, so do the manners that necessarily accompanie the same infinuate themselues together with the doctrine. For as its true that in all the parts of America, where the Spaniards haue any gouernment, the poisonous infection of Popery hath spread it selfe; so on the other side it is as true, that there is no Citie, as Lima, Panama, Mexico, &c. no towne or village, yea no house almost in all these Prouinces, wherein (amongst other the like Spanish vertues) not onely whoredome, but the filthinesse of Sodome, not to bee named among Christians, is not common without reproofe: the Popes pardons being more rife in these parts then they be in any part of Europe, for these filthinesses whereout he sucketh no small aduantage. Notwithstanding the Indians, who are nothing neerer the true knowledge of God then they were afore, abhorre this most filthie and loathsome manner of liuing; Shewing themselues in respect of the Spani­ards, as the Scythians did in respect of the Grecians: who in their barbarous ignorance, yet in life and behauiour, did so farre ex­cell the wise and learned Greekes, as they were short of them in the gifts of learning and knowledge.

But as the Pope and Antichristian Bishops labour by their wicked factors with tooth and naile to deface the glory of God, and to shut vp in darknesse the light of the Gospell; so God doth not suffer his name and Religion to be altogether without wit­nesse, to the reprouing both of his false and damnable doctrine, as also crying out against his vnmeasurable and abhominable li­centiounesse of the flesh, euen in these parts. For in this City of Lima, not two monethes before our comming thither, there were certaine persons, to the number of twelue apprehended, examined, and condemned for the profession of the Gospell, and reproouing the doctrines of men, with the filthie manners vsed in that City: Of which twelue, sixe were bound to one stake [Page 59] and burnt, the rest remained yet in prison, to drinke of the same cup within few dayes. Lastly, here we had intelligence of a cer­taine rich ship, which was loaden with gold and siluer for Pana­ma, that had set forth of this hauen the second of February.

The very next day therefore in the morning (viz. the 16. of the said moneth Feb. 16) wee set sayle, as long as the wind would serue our turne, and towed our ship as soone as the wind failed; con­tinuing our course toward Panama, making stay no where, but hastening all wee might, to get sight if it were possible, of that gallant ship the Cacafuego, the great glory of the South sea; which was gone from Lima 14. dayes before vs.

We fell with the port of Paita in 4. deg. 4o. min. Febr. 20 Feb. 20. with port Saint Hellen and the riuer and port of Guiaquill, Febr. 24 Febr. 24. we past the line Febr. 28 the 28. and the first of March March 1 wee fell with cape Francisco: where, about midday, we descried a sayle a head of vs, with whom after once we had spoken with her, we lay still in the same place about sixe dayes; to recouer our breath againe which we had almost spent with hasty following, and to recall to mind what aduentures had past vs since our late comming from Lima; but especially to do Iohn de Anton a kindnesse, in freeing him of the care of those things with which his ship was loaden.

This ship we found to bee the same of which we had heard, not onely in the Calao of Lima, but also by diuers occasions afterward (which now we are at leasure to relate, viz. by a ship which we tooke betweene Lima and Paita: by another which we took loaden with wine in the port of Paita: by a third loaden with tackling and implements for ships (besides eightie pound waight in gold) from Guiaquill. And lastly, by Gabriel Aluarez, with whom we talked somewhat neearer the line) we found her to be indeed the Cacafuego: though before we left her, she were new named by a boy of her owne the Cacaplata. We found in her some fruite, conserues, sugars, meale and other victuals, and (that which was the especiallest cause of her heauy and slow sayling) a certaine quantitie of iewels and precious stones, 13. [Page 60] chests of ryals of plate; 80. pound waight in gold; 26. tunne of vncoyned siluer; two very faire gilt siluer drinking boules, and the like trifles, valued in all at about 360000. pezoes. We gaue the master a little linnen and the like, for these commodities; and at the end of sixe dayes we bad farewell and parted. Hee hastening somewhat lighter then before to Panama, we ply­ing off to sea, that we might with more leasure consider what course hence forward were fittest to be taken.

And considering that now we were come to the Northward of the line ( Cape Francisco standing in the entrance of the bay of Panama, in 1. deg. of North latitude) and that there was no likelihood or hope that our ships should be before vs that way by any meanes: seeing that in running so many degrees from the Southermost Ilāds hitherto, we could not haue any signe or no­tice of their passage that way, notwithstanding that we had made so diligent search, and carefull enquirie after them, in euery har­bour or creeke almost as we had done; and considering also that the time of the yeare now drew on, wherein we must attempt, or of necessitie wholly giue ouer that action which chiefly our Ge­nerall had determined: namely, the discouery of what passage there was to be found, about the Northerne parts of America, from the South sea, into our owne Ocean (which being once discouered, and made knowne to be nauigable, we should not onely do our countrie a good and notable seruice, but we also our selues, should haue a neerer cut and passage home: where otherwise, we were to make a very long and tedious voyage of it, which would hardly agree with our good liking, we hauing beene so long from home already, and so much of our strength seperated from vs) which could not at all be done, if the oppor­tunity of time were now neglected: we therefore all of vs wil­lingly harkened, and consented to our generalls aduice: which was, first to seeke out some conuenient place, wherein to trimme our ship, and store our selues with wood and water and other prouisions, as we could get: and thenceforward to hasten on our intended journey, for the discouery of the said passage, [Page 61] through which we might with joy returne to our longed homes.

1579 From this cape before we set onward March the 7. March 7 shaping our course towards the Iland of Caines, with which we fell March 16. March 16 setling our selues for certaine dayes, in a fresh riuer, betweene the maine and it; for the finishing of our needfull bu­sinesses as it is aforesaid. While we abode in this place, we felt a very terrible earthquake, the force whereof was such, that our ship and pinnace, riding very neere an English mile from the shoare, were shaken and did quiuer as if it had beene layd on drie land: we fond here many good commodities which wee wanted, as fish, fresh water, wood &c. besides Alagartoes, Munckeyes and the like, and in our iourny hither, we met with one ship more (the last wee met with in all those coastes) loaden with linnen, China silke and China-dishes, amongst which wee found also a Faulcon of gold, handsomly wrought, with a great emerald set in the brest of it.

March 24 From hence we parted the 24. day of the moneth forena­med, with full purpose to runne the neerest course, as the winde would suffer vs, without touch of land a long time; and there­fore passed by port Papagaia; the port of the Vale, of the most rich and excellent balmes of lericho; Quantapico; and diuerse others: as also certaine gulphes hereabouts, which without in­termission, send forth such continuall and violent windes, that the Spaniards, though their ships be good, dare not venture themselues too neere the danger of them.

Notwithstanding, hauing notice that we should be troubled with often calmes, and contrary windes, if we cotinued neere the coast, and did not runne of to sea to fetch the winde; and that if we did so, we could not then fall with land againe when we would: our generall thought it needfull, that we should runne in with some place or other, before our departure from the coast; to see if happily wee could, by traffique, augment our prouision of victuals, and other necessaries: that being at sea, we might not be driuen to any great want or necessi­tie [Page 62] albeit wee had reasonable store of good things aboard vs already.

The next harbor therefore which we chanced with, Apr. 15 on April 15. in 15. deg. 40. min. was Guatulco so named of the Spani­ards who inhabited it, with whom we had some entercourse, to the supply of many things which we desired, and chiefely bread &c. And now hauing reasonably, as wee thought prouided our selues, we departed from the coast of America for the pre­sent: but not forgetting, before we gate a-shipboard, to take with vs also a certaine pot (of about a bushell in bignesse) full of ryalls of plate, which we found in the towne: together with a chaine of gold, and some other iewells, which we intreated a gentleman Spaniard to leaue behinde him, as he was flying out of towne.

Apr. 16 From Guatulco we departed the day following, viz. Aprill 16. setting our course directly into the sea: whereon we sayled 500. leagues in longitude, to gee a winde: and betweene that and lune 3. 1400. leagues in all, till we came into 42. deg. of North latitude, where in the night following, we found such alteration of heate, into extreame and nipping cold, that our men in generall, did grieuously complaine thereof; some of them feeling their healths much impaired thereby, neither was it, that this chanced in the night alone, but the day following carried with it, not onely the markes, but the stings and force of the night going before; to the great admiration of vs all, for besides that the pinching and biting aire, was nothing altered; the very roapes of our ship were stiffe, and the raine which fell, was an vnnatural congealed and frozen substance, so that we see­med rather to be in the frozen Zone, then any way so neere vn­to the sun, or these hotter climates.

Neither did this happen for the time onely, or by some sud­den accident, but rather seemes indeed, to proceed from some ordinary cause, against the which the heate of the sun preuailes not, for it came to that extremity, in sayling but 2. deg. farther to the Northward in our course: that though sea-men lack not [Page 63] good stomaches, yet it seemed a question to many amongst vs, whether their hands should feed their mouthes, or rather keepe themselues within their couerts, from the pinching cold that did benumme them. Neither could we impute it to the tender­nesse of our bodies, though we came lately from the extremitie of heate, by reason whereof we might be more sensible of the present cold: insomuch as the dead and sencelesse creatures, were as well affected with it as our selues, our meate as soone as it was remooued from the fire, would presently in a manner be frozen vp; and our ropes and tackling, in few dayes were growne to that stiffenesse, that what 3. men afore were able with them to performe, now 6. men with their best strength, and vttermost endeauour, were hardly able to accomplish: whereby a sudden and great discouragement seased vpon the mindes of our men, and they were possessed with a great mis­like, and doubting of any good to be done that way, yet would not our general be discouraged, but as wel by comfortable spee­ches, of the diuine prouidence, and of Gods louing care ouer his children, out of the scriptures; as also by other good and profitable perswasions, adding thereto his own cheerfull exam­ple, he so stirred them vp, to put on a good courage, and to quite themselues like men, to indure some short extremity, to haue the speedier comfort, and a little trouble, to obtaine the greater glory; that euery man was throughly armed with wil­lingnesse, and resolued to see the vttermost, if it were possible, of what good was to be done that way.

The land in that part of America, bearing farther out into the West, then we before imagined, we were neerer on it then wee were aware; and yet the neerer still wee came vnto it, the more extremitie of cold did sease vpon vs. Iune 5 The 5. day of Iune, wee were forced by contrary windes, to run in with the shoare, which we then first descried; and to cast anchor in a bad bay, the best roade we could for the present meete with: where wee were not without some danger, by reason of the many extreme gusts, and flawes that beate vpon vs; which if they ceased and [Page 64] were still at any time, immediatly vpon their intermission, there followed most vile, thicke, and stinking fogges; against which the sea preuailed nothing, till the gusts of wind againe remoued them, which brought with them, such extremity and violence when they came, that there was no dealing or resisting against them.

In this place was no abiding for vs; and to go further North, the extremity of the cold (which had now vtterly discouraged our men) would not permit vs: and the winds directly bent against vs, hauing once gotten vs vnder sayle againe, comman­ded vs to the Southward whether we would or no.

From the height of 48. deg. in which now we were, to 38. we found the land by coasting alongst it to bee but low and reaso­nable plaine: euery hill (whereof we saw many, but none verie high) though it were in Iune, and the Sunne in his neerest ap­proch vnto them being couered with snow.

Iune 17 In 38 deg. 30. min. we fell with a conuenient and fit harbo­rough, and Iune 17. came to anchor therein: where we conti­nued till the 23. day of Iuly following. During all which time, notwithstanding it was in the height of Summer, and so neere the Sunne; yet were wee continually visited with like nipping colds, as we had felt before: insomuch that if violent exercises of our bodies, and busie imployment about our necessarie la­bours, had not sometimes compeld vs to the contrary, we could very well haue beene contented to haue kept about vs still our Winter clothes; yea (had our necessities suffered vs) to haue kept our beds; neither could we at any time in whole fourteene dayes together, find the aire so cleare as to be able to take the height of Sunne or starre.

And here hauing so fit occasion,(notwithstanding it may seeme to be besides the purpose of writing the history of this our voyage) we will a little more diligently inquire into the causes of the continuance of the extreame cold in these parts: as also into the probabilities or vnlikelihoods of a passage to be found that way. Neither was it (as hath formerly beene touched) the [Page 65] tendernesse of our bodies, comming so lately out of the heate, whereby the poores were opened, that made vs so sensible of the colds we here felt: in this respect, as in many others, we found our God a prouident father, and carefull Physitian for vs. We lacked no outward helpes nor inward comforts, to restore and fortifie nature, had it beene decayed or weakened in vs; neither was there wanting to vs the great experience of our Generall, who had often himselfe proued the force of the burning Zone; whose aduice alwayes preuailed much to the preseruing of a moderate temper in our constitutions: so that euen after our departure from the heate wee alwayes found our bodies not as sponges, but strong and hardned, more able to beare out cold, though we came out of excesse of heate, then a number of cham­ber champions could haue beene, who lye on their feather-beds till they go to sea, or rather whose teeth in a temperate aire do beate in their heads, at a cup of cold Sack and sugar by the fire.

And that it was not our tendernes, but the very extremitie of the cold it selfe, that caused this sensiblenes in vs, may the rather appeare in that the naturall inhabitants of the place (with whom we had for a long season familiar intercourse, as is to be related) who had neuer beene acquainted with such heate; to whom the countrey, ayre, and climate was proper; and in whom custome of cold was as it were a second nature: yet vsed to come shiue­ring to vs in their warme furres; crowding close together body to body, to receiue heate one of another, and sheltring them­selues vnder a lee bancke, if it were possible, and as often as they could, labouring to shroude themselues vnder our garments al­so, to keepe them warme. Besides how vnhandsome and defor­med appeared the face of the earth it selfe shewing trees with­out leaues, and the ground without greennes in those moneths of Iune and Iuly. The poore birds and foules not daring (as we had great experience to obserue it) not daring so much as once to arise from their nests, after the first egge layed, till it with all the rest be hatched, and brought to some strength of nature, able to helpe it selfe. Onely this recompence hath nature affoorded [Page 66] them, that the heate of their owne bodies being exceeding great, it perfecteth the creature with greater expedition, and in shorter time then is to be found in many other places.

As for the causes of this extremity they seeme not to be so deeply hidden, but that they may at least in part be guessed at: The chiefest of which we conceiue to be the large spreading of the Asian and American continent, which (somewhat North­ward of these parts) if they be not fully ioyned, yet seeme they to come very neere one to the other. From whose high and snow-couered mountaines, the North and North-west winds (the constant visitants of those coasts) send abroad their frozen nimphes, to the infecting of the whole aire with this insuffera­ble sharpnesse: not permitting the Sunne, no not in the pride of his heate, to dissolue that congealed matter and snow, which they haue breathed out so nigh the Sunne, and so many degrees distant from themselues. And that the North and North-west winds are here constant in Iune and Iuly, as the North wind a­lone is in August and September; we not onely found it by our owne experience, but were fully confirmed in the opinion there­of, by the continued obseruations of the Spaniards. Hence comes the generall squalidnesse and barrennesse of the countrie; hence comes it, that in the middest of their Summer, the snow hardly departeth euen from their very doores, but is neuer ta­ken away from their hils at all; hence come those thicke mists and most stinking fogges, which increase so much the more, by how much higher the pole is raised: wherein a blind pilot is as good as the best director of a course. For the Sunne striuing to performe his naturall office, in eleuating the vapours out of these inferior bodies; draweth necessarily abundance of moisture out of the sea: bat the nipping cold (from the former causes) mee­ting and opposing the Sunnes indeuour, forces him to giue ouer his worke imperfect: and instead of higher eleuation, to leaue in the lowest region, wandring vpon the face of the earth and wa­ters, as it were a second sea: through which its owne beames can­not possibly pierce, vnlesse sometimes when the sudden violence [Page 67] of the winds doth helpe to scatter and breake through it; which thing happeneth very seldome, and when it happeneth is of no continuance. Some of our marriners in this voyage had former­ly beene at Wardhouse, in 72. deg. of North latitude; who yet affirmed, that they felt no such nipping cold there in the end of Summer, when they departed thence, as they did here in those hottest moneths of Iune and Iuly.

And also from these reasons we coniecture; that either there is no passage at all through these Northerne coasts (which is most likely) or if there be, that yet it is vnnauigable. Adde here­unto, that though we searched the coast diligently, euen vnto the 48. deg. yet found we not the land, to trend so much as one point in any place towards the East, but rather running on con­tinually Northwest, as if it went directly to meet with Asia; and euen in that height when we had a franke wind, to haue carried vs through, had there beene a passage, yet we had a smooth and calme sea, with ordinary flowing and reflowing, which could not haue beene, had there beene a frete: of which we rather in­fallibly concluded then coniectured, that there was none. But to returne.

Iune 18 The next day after our comming to anchor in the aforesaid har­bour, the people of the countrey shewed themselues; sending off a man with great expedition to vs in a canow. Who being yet but a little from the shoare, and a great way from our ship, spake to vs continually as he came rowing on. And at last at a reasonable distance staying himselfe, he began more solemnely a long and tedious oration, after his manner: vsing in the deli­uerie thereof, many gestures and signes; mouing his hands, tur­ning his head and body many wayes; and after his oration en­ded, with great shew of reuerence and submission, returned back to shoare againe. He shortly came againe the second time in like manner, and so the third time: When he brought with him (as a present from the rest) a bunch of feathers, much like the feathers of a blacke crow, very neatly and artificially gathered vpon a string, and drawne together into a round bundle, being verie [Page 68] cleane and finely cut, and bearing in length an equall proportion one with another; a speciall cognizance (as wee afterwards ob­serued) which they that guard their kings person, weare on their heads. With this also he brought a little basket made of rushes, and filled with an herbe which they called Tabáh. Both which being tyed to a short rodde, he cast into our boate. Our Generall intended to haue recompenced him immediatly with many good things, he would haue bestowed vpon him: but entring into the boate to deliuer the same, he could not be drawne to receiue them by any meanes: saue one hat, which being cast into the water out of the ship, he tooke vp (refusing vtterly to meddle with any other thing, though it were vpon a board put off vnto him) and so presently made his returne. After which time, our boate could row no way, but wondring at vs as at gods, they would follow, the same with admiration.

The 3. day following, viz. Ian. 21 the 21. our ship hauing receiued a leake at sea, was brought to-anchor neerer the shoare, that her goods being landed, she might be repaired: but for that we were to preuent any danger, that might chance against our safety, our generall first of all landed his men, with all necessary prouision, to build tents and make a fort for the defence of our selues and goods: and that wee might vnder the shelter of it, with more safety (what euer should befall) end our businsse; which when the people of the country perceiued vs doing, as men set on fire to war, in defence of their countrie, in great hast and companies, with such weapons as they had, they came downe vnto vs; and yet with no hostile meaning, or intent to hurt vs: standing when they drew neere, as men rauished in their mindes, with the sight of such things as they neuer had seene, or heard of before that time: their errand being rather with submission and feare to worship vs as Gods, then to haue any warre with vs as with mortall men. Which thing as it did partly shew it selfe at that instant, so did it more and more ma­nifest it selfe afterwards, during the whole time of our abode amongst them. At this time, being willed by signes to lay from [Page 69] them their bowes and arrowes, they did as they were directed, and so did all the rest, as they came more and more by compa­nies vnto them, growing in a little while, to a great number both of men and women.

To the intent therefore, that this peace which they themselues so willingly sought, might without any cause of the breach thereof, on our part giuen, be continued; and that wee might with more safety and expedition, end our businesses in quiet; our Generall with all his company, vsed all meanes possible, gently to intreate them, bestowing vpon each of them liberally, good and necessary things to couer their nakednesse, withall sig­nifying vnto them, we were no Gods but men, and had neede of such things to couer our owne shame; teaching them to vse them to the same ends: for which cause also wee did eate and drinke in their presence, giuing them to vnderstand, that with­out that wee could not liue, and therefore were but men as well as they.

Notwithstanding nothing could perswade them, nor re­moue that opinion, which they had conceiued of vs, that wee should be Gods.

In recompence of those things which they had receiued of vs, as shirts linnen cloth, &c. they bestowed vpon our generall, and diuerse of our company, diuerse things, as feathers, cawles of networke, the quiuers of their arrowes, made of fawne-skins, and the very skins of beasts that their women wore vpon their bodies. Hauing thus had their fill of this times visiting and be­holding of vs, they departed with ioy to their houses, which houses are digged round within the earth, and haue from the vppermost brimmes of the circle, clefts of wood set vp, and ioy­ned close together at the top, like our spires on the steeple of a Church: which being couered with earth, suffer no water to en­ter, and are very warme, the doore in the most part of them, performes the office also of a chimney, to let out the smoake: its made in bignesse and fashion, like to an ordinary scuttle in a ship, and standing slopewise: their beds are the hard ground, [Page 70] onely with rushes strewed vpon it, and lying round about the house, haue their fire in the middest, which by reason that the house is but low vaulted, round and close, giueth a maruelous reflexion to their bodies to heate the same.

Their men for the most part goe naked, the women take a­kinde of bulrushes, and kembing it after the manner of hempe, make themselues thereof a loose garment, which being knitte a­bout their middles, hanges downe about their hippes, and so af­fordes to them a couering of that, which nature teaches should be hidden: about their shoulders, they weare also the skin of a deere, with the haire vpon it. They are very obedient to their-husbands, and exceeding ready in all seruices: yet of them­selues offring to do nothing, without the consents, or being cal­led of the men.

As soone as they were returned to their houses, they began a­mongst themselues a kind of most lamentable weeping & crying out; which they continued also a great while together, in such sort, that in the place where they left vs (being neere about 3. quarters of an English mile distant from them) we very plaine­ly, with wonder and admiration did heare the same: the women especially, extending their voices, in a most miserable and dole­full manner of shreeking.

Notwithstanding this humble manner of presenting them­selues, and awfull demeanour vsed towards vs, we thought it no wisedowe too farre to trust them (our experience of former Infidels dealing with vs before, made vs carefull to prouide a­gainst an alteration of their affections, or breach of peace if it should happen) and therefore with all expedition we set vp our tents, and entrenched our selues with walls of stone: that so be­ing fortified within our selues, we might be able to keepe off the enemie (if they should so proue) from comming amongst vs without our good wills: this being quickly finished we went the more cheerefully and securely afterward, about our other businesse.

Against the end of two daies (during which time they had [Page 71] not againe beene with vs) there was gathered together a great assembly of men, women, and children (inuited by the report of them which first saw vs, who as it seemes, had in that time, of purpose dispersed themselues into the country, to make knowne the newes) who came now the second time vnto vs, bringing with them as before had beene done, feathers and bagges of To­bàh for presents, or rather indeed for sacrifices, vpon this per­swasion that we were Gods.

When they came to the top of the hill, at the bottome whereof wee had built our fort, they made a stand; where one (appointed as their chiefe speaker) wearied both vs his hearers, and himselfe too, with a long and tedious oration: deliuered with strange and violent gestures, his voice being extended to the vttermost strength of nature, and his words falling so thicke one in the neck of another, that he could hardly fetch his breath againe: as soone as he had concluded, all the rest, with a reue­rend bowing of their bodies (in a dreaming manner, and long producing of the same) cryed Oh: thereby giuing their consents, that all was very true which he had spoken, and that they had vt­tered their minde by his mouth vnto vs; which done, the men laying downe their bowes vpon the hill, and leauing their wo­men and children behinde them, came downe with their pre­sents; in such sort, as if they had appeared before a God in­deed: thinking themselues happy, that they might haue accesse vnto our generall, but much more happy, when they sawe that he would receiue at their hands, those things which they so wil­lingly had presented: and no doubt, they thought themselues neerest vnto God, when they sate or stood next to him: In the meane time the women, as if they had beene desperate, vsed vn­naturall violence against themselues, crying and shreeking pite­ously, tearing their flesh with their nailes from their cheekes, in a monstrous manner, the blood streaming downe along their brests; besides despoiling the vpper parts of their bodies, of those single couerings they formerly had, and holding their hands aboue their heads, that they might not rescue their brests [Page 72] from harme, they would with furie cast themselues vpon the ground, neuer respecting whether it were cleane or soft, but dashed themselues in this manner on hard stones, knobby, hil­locks, stocks of wood, and pricking bushes, or what euer else lay in their way, itterating the same course againe and againe: yea women great with child, some nine or ten times each, and others holding out till 15. or 16. times (till their strengths failed them) exercised this cruelty against themselues: A thing more grieuous for vs to see, or suffer could we haue holpe it, then trouble to them (as it seemed) to do it.

This bloudie sacrifie (against our wils) being thus perfor­med, our Generall with his companie in the prefence of those strangers fell to prayers: and by signes in lifting vp our eyes and hands to heauen, signified vnto them, that that God whom we did serue, and whom they ought to worship, was aboue: Besee­ching God if it were his good pleasure to-open by some meanes their blinded eyes; that they might in due time be called to the knowledge of him the true and euerliuing God, and of Iesus Christ whom he hath sent, the saluation of the Gentiles. In the time of which prayers, singing of Psalmes, and reading of cer­taine Chapters in the Bible, they sate very attentiuely: and ob­seruing the end at euery pause, with one voice still cryed, Oh, greatly rejoycing in our exercises. Yea they tooke such pleasure in our singing of Psalmes, that whensoeuer they resorted to vs, their first request was commonly this, Gnaáh, by which they in­treated that we would sing.

Our General hauing now bestowed vpon them diuers things, at their departure they restored them all againe; none carrying with him any thing of whatsoeuer hee had receiued, thinking themselues sufficiently enriched and happie, that they had found so free accesse to see vs.

Against the end of three daies more (the newes hauing the while spread it self farther, and as it seemed a great way vp into the countrie) were assembled the greatest number of people, which wee could reasonably imagine, to dwell within any con­uenient [Page 73] distance round about. Amongst the rest, the king him­selfe, a man of a goodly stature and comely personage attended with his guard, of about 100. tall and warlike men, this day, viz. Iune 26 Iune 26. came downe to see vs.

Before his comming, were sent two Embassadors or messen­gers to our Generall, to signifie that their Hióh, that is, their king was coming and at hand. They in the deliuery of their mes­sage, the one spake with a soft and low voice, prompting his fel­low; the other pronounced the same word by word after him, with a voice more audible: continuing their proclamation (for such it was) about halfe an houre. Which being ended, they by signes made request to our Generall, to send something by their hands to their Hióh or king, as a token that his comming might be in peace. Our Generall willingly satisfied their desire; and they, glad men, made speedy returne to their Hióh: Neither was it long before their king (making as princely a shew as possibly he could) with all his traine came forward.

In their coming forwards they cryed continually after a singing manner with a lustie courage. And as they drew neerer and neerer towards vs, so did they more and more striue to be­haue themselues with a certaine comelinesse and grauity in all their actions.

In the forefront came a man of a large body and goodly as­pect bearing the Septer or royall mace (made of a certaine kind of blacke wood, and in length about a yard and a halfe) before the king. Whereupon hanged two crownes, a bigger and a lesse, with three chaines of a maruellous length, and often doubled; besides a bagge of the herbe Tabáh. The crownes were made of knitworke, wrought vpon most curiously with feathers of di­uers colours, very artificially placed, and of a formall fashion: The chaines seemed of a bony substance: euery linke or part thereof being very little, thinne, most finely burnished, with a hole pierced through the middest. The number of linkes going to make one chaine, is in a manner infinite: but of such estima­tion it s amongst them, that few be the persons that are admit­ted [Page 74] to weare the same: and euen they to whom its lawfull to vse them, yet are stinted what number they shall vse; as some ten, some twelue, some twentie, and as they exceed in number of chaines, so are they thereby knowne to be the more honorable personages.

Next vnto him that bare his Scepter, was the king himselfe with his guard about him: His attire vpon his head was a cawle of knitworke, wrought vpon somewhat like the crownes, but differing much both in fashion and perfectnesse of worke; vpon his shoulders he had on a coate of the skins of conies, reaching to his wast: His guard also had each coats of the same shape, but of other skins:some hauing cawles likewise stucke with feathers, or couered ouer with a certaine downe, which groweth vp in the countrey vpon an herbe much like our lectuce; which ex­ceeds any other downe in the world for finenesse, and beeing layed vpon their cawles by no winds can be remoued: Of such estimation is this herbe amongst them, that the downe thereof is not lawfull to be worne, but of such persons as are about the king (to whom also it is permitted to weare plume of feathers on their heads, in signe of honour) and the seeds are not vsed but onely in sacrifice to their gods. After these in their order, did fol­low the naked sort of common people; whose haire being long, was gathered into a bunch behind, in which stucke plumes of feathers, but in the forepart onely single feathers like hornes, euery one pleasing himselfe in his owne deuice.

This one thing was obserued to bee generall amongst them all; that euery one had his face painted, some which white, some blacke, and some with other colours, euery man also bringing in his hand one thing or other for a gift or present: Their traine or last part of their company consisted of women and children, each woman bearing against her breast a round basket or two, hauing within them diuers things, as bagges of Tobâh, a roote which they call Petáh, whereof they make a kind of meale, and either bake it into bread, or eate it raw; broyled fishes like a pilchard; the seed and downe aforenamed, with such like:

[Page 75] Their baskets were made in fashion like a deepe boale, and though the matter were rushes, or such other kind of stuffe, yet was it so cunningly handled, that the most part of them would hold water; about the brimmes they were hanged with peeces of the shels of pearles, and in some places with two or three linkes at a place, of the chaines forenamed: thereby signifying, that they were vessels wholly dedicated to the onely vse of the gods they worshipped: and besides this, they were wrought vp­pon with the matted downe of red feathers, distinguished into diuers workes and formes.

In the meane time our Generall hauing assembled his men together (as forecasting the danger, and worst that might fall our) prepared himselfe to stand vpon sure ground, that wee might at all times be ready in our owne defence, if any thing should chance otherwise then was looked for or expected.

Wherefore euery man being in a warlike readinesse, he mar­ched within his fenced place, making against their approach a most warlike shew (as he did also at all other times of their re­sort) whereby if they had beene desperate enemies, they could not haue chosen but haue conceiued terrour and feare, with dis­couragement to attempt any thing against vs, in beholding of the same.

When they were come somewhat neere vnto vs, trooping togetehr, they gaue vs a common or a generall salutation: ob­seruing in the meane time a generall silence. Whereupon he who bare the Scepter before the king, being prompted by ano­ther whom the king assigned to that office, pronounced with an audible and manly voice, what the other spake to him in secret: continuing, whether it were his oration or proclamation, at the least halfe an houre. At the close whereof, there was a common Amen, in signe of approbation giuen by euery person: And the king himselfe with the whole number of men and women (the little children onely remaining behind) came further downe the hill, and as they came set themselues againe in their former order.

[Page 76] And being now come to the foot of the hill and neere out fort, the Scepter bearer with a composed countenance and stately carriage began a song, and answerable thereunto, obser­ued a kind of measures in a dance: whom the king with his guard and euery other sort of person following, did in like manner sing and daunce, sauing onely the women who danced but kept si­lence. As they danced they still came on: and our Generall per­ceiuing their plaine and simple meaning, gaue order that they might freely enter without interruption within our bulwarke: Where after they had entred they yet continued their song and dance a reasonable time: their women also following them with their wassaile boales in their hands, their bodies bruised, their faces torne, their dugges, breasts, and other parts bespotted with bloud, trickling downe from the wounds, which with their nailes they had made before their comming.

After that they had satisfied or rather tired themselues in this manner, they made signes to our Generall to haue him sit down; Vnto whom both the king and diuers others made seuerall ora­tions, or rather indeed if wee, had vnderstood them, supplicati­ons, that hee would take the Prouince and kingdome into his hand, and become their king and patron: making signes that they would resigne vnto him their right and title in the whole land, and become his vassals in themselues and their posterities: Which that they might make vs indéed beleeue that it was their true meaning and intent; the king himselfe with all the rest with one consent, and with great reuerence, ioyfully singing a song, set the crowne vpon his head; inriched his necke with all their chaines; and offering vnto him many other things, honoured him by the name of Hyóh. Adding thereunto (as it might seeme) a song and dance of triumph: because they were not onely visi­ted of the gods (for so they still iudged vs to be) but the great and chiefe god was now become their god, their king and patron, and themselues were become the onely happie and blessed peo­ple in all the World.

These things being so freely offered, our Generall thought [Page 77] not meet to reiect or refuse the same: both for that he would not giue them any cause of mistrust, or disliking of him (that be­ing the onely place, wherein at this present, we were of necessi­tie inforced to seeke reliefe of many things) and chiefely, for that he knew not to what good end God had brought this to passe, or what honour and profit it might bring to our countrie in time to come.

Wherefore in the name and to the vse of her most excellent maiesty, he tooke the scepter crowne and dignity, of the sayd countrie into his hand; wishing nothing more, then that it had layen so fitly for her maiesty to enioy, as it was now her proper owne, and that the riches and treasures thereof (wherewith in the vpland countries it abounds) might with as great conueni­ency be transported, to the enriching of her kingdome here at home, as it is in plenty to be attained there: and especially, that so tractable and louing a people, as they shewed themselues to be, might haue meanes to haue manifested their most willing obedience the more vnto her, and by her meanes, as a mother and nurse of the Church of Christ, might by the preaching of the Gospell, be brought to the right knowledge, and obedience of the true and euerliuing God.

The ceremonies of this resigning, and receiuing of the king­dome being thus performed, the common sort both of men and women, leauing the king and his guard about him, with our generall, dispersed themselues among our people, taking a dili­gent view or suruey of euery man; and finding such as pleased their fancies (which commonly were the youngest of vs) they presently enclosing them about, offred their sacrifices vnto them, crying out with lamentable shreekes and moanes, wee­ping, and scratching, and tearing their very flesh off their faces with their nailes, neither were it the women alone which did this, but euen old men, roaring and crying out, were as violent as the women were.

We groaned in spirit to see the power of Sathan so farre pre­uaile, in seducing these so harmelesse soules, and laboured by all [Page 78] means, both by shewing our great dislike, and when that serued not, by violent withholding of their hands from that madnesse, directing them (by our eyes and hands lift vp towards heauen) to the liuing God whom they ought to serue: but so mad were they vpon their Idolatry, that forcible withholding them wou'd not preuaile (for as soone as they could get liberty to their hands againe, they would be as violent as they were before) till such time, as they when they worshipped, were conueyed from them into the tents, whom yet as men desides themselues, they would with fury and outrage seeke to haue againe.

After that time had a little qualified their madnes, they then began to shew & make knowne vnto vs their griefes and diseases which they carried about them, some of them hauing old aches, some shruncke sinewes, some old soares and canckred vlcers, some wounds more lately receiued, and the like, in most lamen­table manner crauing helpe and cure thereof from vs: making signes, that if we did but blowe vpon their griefes, or but tou­ched the diseased places, they would be whole.

Their griefes we could not but take pitty on them, and to our power desire to helpe them: but that (if it pleased God to open their eyes) they might vnderstand we were but men and no gods, we vsed ordinary meanes, as lotions, emplaisters, and vnguents most fitly (as farre as our skills could guesse) agreeing to the natures of their griefes, beseeching God, if it made for his glory, to giue cure to their diseases by these meanes. The like we did from time to time as they resorted to vs.

Few were the dayes, wherein they were absent from vs, du­ring the whole time of our abode in that place: and ordinarily euery third day, they brought their sacrifices, till such time, as they certainely vnderstood our meaning, that we tooke no plea­sure, but were displeased with them: whereupon their zeale a­bated, and their sacrificing, for a season, to our good liking cea­sed; not-withstanding they continued still to make their resort vnto vs in great abundance, and in such sort, that they oft-times forgate, to prouide meate for their owne sustenance; so that [Page 79] our generall (of whom they made account as of a father) was faine to performe the office of a father to them, relieuing them with such victualls, as we had prouided for our selues, as, Mus­cles, Scales, and such like, wherein they tooke exceeding much content; and seeing that their sacrifices were displeasing to vs, yet (hating ingratitude) they sought to recompence vs, with such things as they had, which they willingly inforced vpon vs, though it were neuer so necessarie or needfull for themselues to keepe.

They are a people of a tractable, free, and louing nature, with­out guile or treachery; they bowes and arrowes (their only wea­pons, and almost all their wealth) they vse very skillfully, but yet not to do any great harme with them, being by reason of their weakenesse, more fit for children then for men, sending the ar­row neither farre off, nor with any great force: and yet are the men commonly so strong of body, that that, which 2. or 3. of our men could hardly beare, one of them would take vpon his backe, and without grudging carrie it easily away, vp hill and downe hill an English mile together: they are also exceeding swift in running, and of long continuance; the vse whereof is so familiar with them, that they seldome goe, but for the most part runne. One thing we obserued in them with admiration: that if at any time, they chanced to see a fish, so neere the shoare, that they might reach the place without swimming, they would neuer, or very seldome misse to take it.

After that our necessary businesses were well dispatched, our generall with his gentlemen, and many of his company, made a journy vp into the land, to see the manner of their dwelling, and to be the better acquainted, with the nature and commodi­ties of the country. Their houses were all such as wee haue for­merly described, and being many of them in one place, made seuerall villages here and there. The inland we found to be farre different from the shoare, a goodly country, and fruitfull soyle, stored with many blessings fit for the vse of man: infinite was the company of very large and fat Deere, which there we sawe [Page 80] by thousands, as we supposed, in a heard: besides a multitude of a strange kinde of Conies, by farre exceeding them in num­ber: their heads and bodies, in which they resemble other Co­nies, are but small; his tayle like the tayle of a Rat, exceeding long;and his feet like the pawes of a Want or Moale; vnder his chinne, on either side, he hath a bagge, into which he gathereth his meate, when he hath filled his belly abroade, that he may with it, either feed his young, or feed himselfe, when he lists not to trauaile from his burrough: the people eate their bodies, and make great account of their skinnes, for their kings holi­daies coate was made of them.

This country our generall named Albion, and that for two causes; the one in respect of the white bancks and cliffes, which lie toward the sea: the other, that it might haue some affinity, euen in name also, with our owne country, which was some­time so called.

Before we went from thence, our generall caused to be set vp, a monument of our being there; as also of her maiesties, and successors right and title to that kingdome, namely, a plate of brasse, fast nailed to a great and firme post; whereon is engra­uen her graces name, and the day and yeare of our arriuall there, and of the free giuing vp, of the prouince and kingdome, both by the king and people, into her maiesties hands: toge­ther with her highnesse picture, and armes in a piece of sixpence currant English monie, shewing it selfe by a hole made of pur­pose through the plate: vnderneath was likewise engrauen the name of our generall &c.

The Spaniards neuer had any dealing, or so much as set a foote in this country; the vtmost of their discoueries, reaching onely to many degrees Southward of this place.

And now, as the time of our departure was perceiued by them to draw nigh, so did the sorrowes and miseries of this peo­ple, seeme to themselues to increase vpon them; and the more certaine they were of our going away, the more doubtfull they shewed themselues, what they might doe; so that we might ea­sily [Page 81] iudge that that ioy (being exceeding great) wherewith they receiued vs at our first arriuall, was cleane drowned in their ex­cessiue sorrow for our departing: For they did not onely loose on a sudden all mirth, ioy, glad countenance, pleasant speeches, agility of body, familiar reioycing one with another, and all pleasure what euer flesh and bloud might bee delighted in, but with sighes and sorrowings, with heauy hearts and grieued minds, they powred out wofull complaints and moanes, with bitter teares and wringing of their hands, tormenting them­selues. And as men refusing all comfort, they onely accounted themselues as cast-awayes, and those whom the gods were a­bout to forsake: So that nothing we could say or do, was able to ease them of their so heauy a burthen, or to deliuer them from so desperate a straite, as our leauing of them did seeme to them that it would cast them into.

Howbeit seeing they could not still enioy our presence, they (supposing vs to be gods indeed) thought it their duties to in­treate vs that being absent, we would yet be mindfull of them, and making signes of their desires, that in time to come wee would see them againe, they stole vpon vs a sacrifice, and set it on fire erre we were aware; burning therein a chaine and a bunch of feathers. We laboured by all meanes possible to withhold or withdraw them but could not preuaile, till at last we fell to prayers and singing of Psalmes, whereby they were allured im­mediatly to forget their folly, and leaue their sacrifice vnconsu­med, suffering the fire to go out, and imitating vs in all our acti­ons; they fell a lifting vp their eyes and hands to heauen as they saw vs do.

Iuly 23 The 23. of Iuly they tooke a sorrowfull farewell of vs, but be­ing loath to leaue vs, they presently ranne to the tops of the hils to keepe vs in their sight as long as they could, making fires be­fore and behind, and on each side of them, burning therein (as is to be supposed) sacrifices at our departure.

Not farre without this harborough did lye certaine Ilands (we called them the Ilands of Saint Iames) hauing on than plen­tifull [Page 82] and great store of Seales and birds, with one of which wee fell Iuly 24 Iuly 24. whereon we found such prouision as might compe­tently serue our turne for a While. We departed againe the day next following, viz. Iuly 35. Iuly 25. And our Generall now considering, that the extremity of the cold not only continued but increased, the Sunne being gone farther from vs, and that the wind blow­ing still (as it did at first) from the Northwest, cut off all hope of finding a passage through these Northerne parts, thought it necessarie to loose no time; and therefore with generall consent of all, bent his course directly to tunne with the Ilands of the Moluccas. And so hauing nothing in our view but aire and sea, without sight of any land for the space of full 68. dayes toge­ther, wee continued our course through the maine Ocean, till September 30. Sept. 30. following, on which day we fell in kenne of cer­taine Ilands, lying about eight degrees to the Northward of the line.

From these Ilands present'y vpon the discouery of vs, came a great number of canowes, hauing each of them in some foure, in some sixe, in some fourteene or fifteene men, bringing with them Coques, fish, Potatos, and certaine fruites to small purpose.

Their canowes were made after the fashion, that the canowes of all the rest of the Ilands of Moluccas for the most part are: That is of one tree, hollowed within with great art and cunning, being made so smooth both within and without, that they bore a glosse, as if it were a harnesse most finely burnished: A prowe and sterne they had of one fashion, yeelding inward in manner of a semicircle, of a great height, and hanged full of certaine white and glistering s [...]ls for brauery: One each side of their ca­nows, lay out two peeces of timber about a yard and halfe long, more or lesse according to the capacitie of their boate. At the ends whereof was fastned crossewise a great cane, the vse where­of was to keepe their canowes from ouerthrowing, and that they might be equally borne vp on each side.

The people themselues haue the neather parts of their eares [Page 83] cut round or circlewise, hanging downe very low vpon their cheeks, wherein they hang things of a reasonable weight: the nailes on the fingers of some of them, were at least an inch long, and their teeth as blacke as pitch; the colour whereof they vse to renew by often eating of an herbe, with a kind of powder, which in a cane they carrie about them to the same purpose. The first sort and company of those canowes beeing come to our ship (which then by reason of a scant wind made little way) very sub­tilly and against their natures, began in peace to traffique with vs, giuing vs one thing for another very orderly, intending (as we perceiued) hereby to worke a greater mischiefe to vs: Intrea­ting vs by signes most earnestly to draw neerer towards the shore, that they might (if possible) make the easier prey both of the ship and vs. But these passing away, and others continually resorting, wee were quickly able to guesse at them what they were: For if they receiued any thing once into their hands, they would neither giue recompence nor restitution of it, but thought what euer they could finger to bee their owne: Ex­pecting always with browes of brasse to receiue more, but would part with nothing: Yea being reiected for their bad dea­ling, as those with whom we would haue no more to do, vsing vs so euilly, they could not be satisfied till they had giuen the at­tempt to reuenge themselues, because we would not giue them whatsoeuer they would haue for nothing: And hauing stones good store in their canowes, let flie a maine of them against vs. It was farre from our Generals meaning to requite their malice by like iniurie. Yet that they might know that be had power to doe them harme (if he had listed) he caused a great peece to be shot off not to hurt them but to affright them. Which wrought the desired effect amongst them, for at the noise thereof, they euery one leaped out of his canow into the water, and diuing vnder the keele of their boates, staied them from going any way till our ship was gone a good way from them. Then they all lightly recouered into their canowes, and got them with speed toward the shoare.

[Page 84] Notwithstanding other new companies (but all of the same mind) continually made resort vnto vs. And seeing that there was no good to be got by violence, they put on a shew of see­ming honestie, and offering in shew to deale with vs by way of exchange; vnder that pretence they cunningly fell a filching of what they could, and one of them puld a dagger and kniues from one of our mens girdles, and being required to restore it againe, he rather vsed what meanes he could to catch at more. Neither could we at all be to ridde of this vngracious company, till we made some of them feele some smart as well as terror: and so we left that place by all passengers to be knowne hereafter by the name of the Island of Theeues.

Octob. 3 Till the third of October wee could not get cleare of these consorts, but from thence we continued our course without sight of land till the Octob. 16 16. of the same moneth, when we fell with foure Ilands standing in 7. deg. 5. min. to the Northward of the line. Octob. 21 We coasted them till the 21. day, and then anchored and watered vpon the biggest of them called Mindanao. Octob. 22 The 22. of October as we past betweene two Ilands, about sixe or eight leagues South of Mindanao, there came from them two canows to haue talked with vs, and we would willingly haue talked with them, but there arose so much wind that put vs from them to the Southwards. Octob. 25 October 25. we passed by the Iland named Talao in 3. deg. 40. min. we saw to the Northward of it three or foure other Ilands, Octob. 30 Teda, Saeln Saran, (three Ilands so named to vs by an Indian) the middle whereof stands in 3. deg. we past the last saue one of thes▪ & Nouemb. 1 the first day of the following moneth in like manner, we past the Ile Suaro in 1. deg. 50. min, and Nou. 3 the third of Nouember we came in sight of the Ilands of the Mo­luccaes as we desired.

These are foure high piked Ilands, their names, Tirenáte, Ti­dóre, Matchan, Baetchan, all of them very fruitfull, and yeelding abundance of cloues, whereof wee furnished our selues of as much as we desired at a very cheape rate. At the East of them lyes a very great Iland called Gillola.

[Page 85] We directed our course to haue gone to Tidore but in coa­sting along a little Iland belonging to the king of Terenate, Nou. 4 No­uemb. 4. his deputy or Viceroy with all expedition came off to our ship in a canow, and without any feare or doubting of our good meaning came presently aboard. Who after some confe­rence with our Generall, intreated him by any meanes to runne with Terenate, not with Tidore, assuring him that his king would be wondrous glad of his comming, and be ready to do for him what he could, and what our Generall in reason should require: For which purpose he himselfe would that night bee with his king to carry him the newes: with whom if he once dealt, he should find, that as he was a king so his word should stand; wher­as if he dealt with the Portingals (who had the command of Tidore) he should find in them nothing but deceit and treache­ry. And besides that if he went to Tidore before he came to Tere­nate, than would his king haue nothing to doe with vs, for he held the Portingall as an enemy. On these perswasions our Ge­nerall resolued to runne with Terenate, where the next day very early in the morning we came to anchor: And presently, our Ge­neral sent a messenger to the king with a veluet cloake, for a pre­sent and token that his comming should be in peace: and that he required no other thing at his hands, but that (his victuals being spent in so long a voiage) he might haue supply from him by way of traffique and exchange of marchandise (whereof he had store of diuers sorts) of such things as he wanted. Which he thought he might be the bolder to require at his hands, both for that the thing was lawfull, and that he offered him no preiu­dice or wrong therein, as also because he was intreated to re­paire to that place by his Viceroy at Mutir, who assured him of necessarie prouision in such manner as now he required the same.

Before this, the Viceroy according to his promise had beene with the king, signifying vnto him what a mighty Prince and kingdome we belonged vnto, what good things the king might receiue from vs, not onely now, but for hereafter by way of [Page 86] traffique: yea what honour and benefit it might be to him, to be in league and friendship with so noble and famous a Prince as we serued: And farther what a discouragement it would be to the Portugals his enemies to heare and see it: In hearing whereof the king was so presently moued to the well liking of the matter, that before our messenger could come halfe the way, he had sent the Viceroy with diuers others of his Nobles and Coun­cellors to our Generall, with speciall message that he should not onely haue what things he needed, or would require with peace and friendship, but that be would willingly entertaine amitie with so famous and renowned a Princes as was ours, and that if it seemed good in her eyes to accept of it, he would sequester the commodities and traffique of his whole Iland from others, especially from his enemies the Portugals (from whom he had nothing but by the sword) and reserue it to the intercourse of our Nation, if we would embrace it: In token whereof he had now sent to our Generall his signet, and would within short time after, come in his owne person with his brethren and Nobles with boats or canowes into our ship, and be a meanes of bring­ing her into a safer harbour.

While they were deliuering their message to vs, our messen­ger was come vnto the Court, who being met by the way by certaine noble personages, was with great solemnitie conueied into the kings presence: at whose hands he was most friendly and graciously entertained, and hauing deliuered his errand to­gether with his present vnto the king, the king seemed to him to iudge himselfe blame-worthy, that he had not sooner hasted in person to present himselfe to our Generall, who came so farre and from so great a Prince; And presently with all expedition, he made ready himselfe with the chiefest of all his States and Councellors to make repaire vnto vs.

The manner of his comming as it was princely, so truly it see­med to vs very strange & maruellous: seruing at the present not so much to set out his owne royall and kingly state (which was great) as to do honour to her highnesse to whom we belonged; [Page 87] wherein how willingly he imployed himselfe, the sequell will make manifest.

First therefore, before his comming, did he send off 3. great and large Canowes; in each whereof, were certaine of the grea­test personages that were about him, attired all of them in white Lawne, or cloth of Calecut, hauing ouer their heads, from one end of the Canow to the other, a couering of thinne and fine mats, borne vp by a frame made of reedes, vnder which euery man sate in order according to his dignity; the hoary heads, of many of them, set forth the greater reuerence due to their per­sons, and manifestly shewed, that the king vsed the aduice of a graue and prudent Counsell, in his affaires. Besides these, were diuerse others, young and comely men, a great number attired in white as were the other, but with manifest differences: ha­uing their places also vnder the same couering, but in inferior order, as their calling required.

The rest of the men were souldiers, who stood in comely or­der round about on both sides; on the outside of whom, againe did sit the rowers in certaine galleries, which being 3. on each side all alongst the Canow, did lie off from the side thereof, some 3. or 4. yards, one being orderly builded lower then the other: in euery of which galleries was an equall number of banckes, whereon did sit the rowers, about the number of foure­scoure in one Canow: In the forepart of each Canow, sate two men, the one holding a Tabret, the other a piece of brasse, whereon they both at once stroke; and obseruing a due time and reasonable space betweene each stroake by the sound there­of, directed the rowers to keepe their stroake with their oares; as on the contrary, the rowers ending their stroake with a song, gaue warning to the others to strike againe; and so continued they their way with maruelous swiftnesse: neither were their Canowes naked or vnfurnished of warlike munition, they had each of thē, at least one small cast piece of about a yard in length mounted vpon a stocke, which was set vpright; besides euery man except the rowers, had his sword, dagger, and target, and [Page 88] some of them some other weapons, as, lances, calliuers, bowes, arrowes, and many darts.

These Canowes comming neere our ship in order, rowed round about vs one after another; and the men as they passe by vs, did vs a kinde of homage with great solemnity, the greatest personages beginning first, with reuerend countenance and be­hauiour, to bow their bodies euen to the ground: which done, they put our owne messenger aboard vs againe, and signified to vs, that their king (who himselfe was comming) had sent them before him, to conduct our ship into a better roade, desiring a halser to be giuen them forth, that they might employ their seruice as their king commanded, in towing our ship therewith to the place assigned.

The king himselfe was not farre behinde, but he also with 6. graue and ancient fathers in his Canow approaching, did at once together with them, yeeld vs a reuerend kinde of obey­sance in farre more humble manner, then was to be expected; he was of a tall stature, very corpulent and well set together, of a very princely and gratious countenance; his respect amongst his owne was such, that neither his Viceroy of Mutir aforena­med, nor any other of his counsellers, durst speake vnto him but vpon their knees, not rising againe till they were licenced.

Whose comming as it was to our generall, no small cause of goodliking, so was he receiued in the best manner we could, an­swerable vnto his state: our ordinance thundred, which wee mixed with great store of small shot, among which sounding our trumpets, and other instruments of musick, both of still and loud noise, where with he was so much delighted, that requesting our musick to come into the boate, hee ioyned his Canow to the same, and was towed at least a whole houre together, with the boate at the sterne of our ship: Besides this, our gene­rall sent him such presents, as he thought, might both requite his curtesy already receiued, and worke a farther confirmation, of that goodliking and friendship already begunne.

The king being thus in musicall paradise, and enioying that [Page 89] wherewith he was so highly pleased; his brother named Moro with no lesse brauery, then any of the rest, accompanied also with a great number of gallant followers, made the like repaire, and gaue vs like respect; and his homage done he fell asterne of vs, till we came to anchor: neither did our generall leaue his curtesie vnrewarded, but bountifully pleased him also before we parted.

The king as soone as we were come to anchor, craued par­don to be gone, and so tooke leaue, promising vs, that the next day he would come aboard, and in the meane time would pre­pare and send such victualls, as were requisite and necessary for our prouision.

Accordingly the same night, and the morrow following, we receiued what was there to be had, by way of traffique, to wir, rice in pretty quantity, hennes, sugar canes, imperfect and li­quid sugar, a fruit which they call Figo (Magellane calls it a figge of a span long, but is no other then that which the Spani­ards and Portingalls haue named Plantanes) Cocoes and a kind of meale which they call Sago, made of the toppes of certaine trees, tasting in the mouth like soure curdes, but meltes away like sugar; whereof they make a kinde of cake which will keepe good at least 10. yeares; of this last we made the greatest quan­tity of our prouision: for a few cloues wee did also traffique, whereof for, a small matter, wee might haue had greater store, then we could well tell where to bestow: but our generalls care was, that the ship should not be too much pestered or annoyed therewith.

At the time appointed, our generall (hauing set all things in order to receiue him) looked for the kings returne, who failing both in time and promise, sent his brother to make his excuse, and to intreat our generall to come on shoare; his brother be­ing the while to remaine aboard, as a pawne for his safe resto­ring: our generall could willingly haue consented, if the king himself had not first broke his word: the consideration where­of, bred an vtter disliking in the whole company, who by no [Page 90] meanes would giue consent, he should hazard himselfe, especi­ally, for that the kings brother had vttered certaine words, in secret conference with our generall aboard his cabbin, which bred no small suspition of ill intent; our generall being thus re­solued not to goe ashoare at that time, reserued the Viceroy for a pledge, and so sent certaine of his gentlemen to the court, both to accompany the kings brother, and also with speciall message to the king himselfe.

They being come somewhat neere vnto the castle, were re­ceiued by another brother of the kings, and certaine others of the greatest states, and conducted with great honour towards the castle, where being brought into a large and faire house, they saw gathered together a great multitude of people, by sup­position at least 1000. the chiefe whereof, were placed round a­bout the house, according as it seemed to their degrees and cal­ling, the rest remained without.

The house was in forme foure square, couered all ouer with cloth of diuerse colours, not much vnlike our vsuall pentadoes borne vpon a frame of reedes, the sides being open from the groundsell to the couering, and furnished with seates round a­bout: it seemes it was there councell-house and not commonly employed to any other vse.

At the side of this house, next vnto the castle was seated the chaire of state, hauing directly ouer it, and extending very large­ly euery way, a very faire and rich canopy, as the ground also for some 10. or 12. pases compasse, was couered with cloth of Arras.

Whilest our gentlemen attended in this place the comming of the king, which was about the space of halfe an houre, they had the better opportunity to obserue these things; as also that before the kings comming, there were already set threescore no­ble graue and ancient personages, all of them reported to be of the kings priuy Councell: at the neather end of the house were placed a great company of yong men, comely personage and attire. With out the house on the right side, stood foure ancient [Page 91] comely hoare-headed men, cloathed all in red downe to the ground, but attired on their heads not much vnlike the Turkes; these they called Romans, or strangers, who lay as lidgiers there to keepe continuall traffique with this people: there were also two Turkes one Italian as lidgiers: and last of all one Spaniard, who being freed by the kings out of the hands of the Portugals, in the recouering of the Iland, serued him now in stead of a souldier.

The king at last comming from the castle, with 8. or 10. more graue Senators following him, had a very rich canopy (adorned in the middest with embossings of gold) borne ouer him, and was garded with 12. lances the points turned downeward: our men (accompanied with Moro the kings brother) arose to meet him, and he very gratiously did welcome and entertaine them.

He was for person, such as we haue before described him, of lowe voice, temperate in speech, of kingly demeanour, and a Moore by nation. His attire was after the fashion of the rest of his countrey, but farre more sumptuous, as his condition and state required: from the wast to the ground, was all cloth of gold, and that very rich; his legges bare, but on his feet a paire of shooes of cordiuant died red: in the attire of his head, were finely wreathed in diuerse rings of plated gold, of an inch, or an inch and halfe in breadth, which made a faire and princely shew, somewhat resembling a crowne in forme; about his necke hee had a chaine of perfect gold, the linkes very great and onefold double; on his left hand was a Diamond, an Emerald, a Ruby, and a Turky, 4, very faire and perfect jewells, on his right hand in one ring, a big and perfect Turky, and in another ring many Diamonds of a smaller size, very artificially set and couched together.

As thus he sate in his chaire of State, at his right side there stood a page with a very costly fanne (richly embrodered and be­set with Saphires) breathing & gathering the aire to refresh the king, the place very hot, both by reason of the sunne, and the assembly of so great a multitude. After a while our gentle­men [Page 92] men hauing deliuered their message, and receiued answer, were licenced to depart, and were safely conducted backe againe, by one of the chiefe of the kings Councell, who had charge from the king himselfe to performe the same.

Our gentlemen obseruing the castle as well as they could, could not couceiue it to be a place of any great force: two onely canons they there saw, and those at that present vntrauersable because vnmounted. These with all other furniture of like sort which they haue, they haue gotten them from the Portingals, by whom the castle it selfe was also builded, whiles they inhabited that place and Iland. Who seeking to settle a tyrannous gouern­ment (as in other places so) ouer this people, and not conten­ting themselues with a better estate then they deserued (except they might (as they thought) make sure worke by leauing none of the royall bloud aliue, who should make challenge to the kingdome) cruelly murthered the king himselfe (father to him who now raignes) and intended the like to all his sonnes. Which cauelty instead of establishing, brought such a shaking on their vsurped estate, that they were faine, without couenanting to car­rie away goods, munition, or any thing else to quitte the place and the whole Iland to saue their liues.

For the present king with his brethren in reuenge of their fa­thers murther, so bestirred themselues, that the Portingall was wholly driuen from that Iland, and glad that he yet keepes foo­ting in Tidore. These foure yeares this king hath beene increa­sing, and was (as was affirmed) at that present, Lord of an hun­dred Ilands thereabout; and was euen now preparing his forces to hazard a chance with the Portingals for Tidore it selfe.

The people are Moores, whose Religion consists much in cer­taine superstitious obseruations of new Moones, and certaine seasons, with a rigid and strickt kind of fasting. We had experi­ence hereof in the Viceroy and his retinue, who lay aboard vs all the time for the most part during our abode in this place: who during their perscribed time, would neither eate not drinke, not so much as a cup of cold water in the day (so zealous are they [Page 93] in their selfe deuised worship) but yet in the night would eate threetimes, and that very largely. This Terenate stands in 27. min. North latitude.

While we rode at anchor in the harbour at Terenate, besides the natiues there came aboard vs another, a goodly gentleman, very well accompanied with his interpreter, to view our ship, and to conferre with our Generall: he was apparelled much af­ter our manner, most neate and Courtlike: his carriage the most respectiue, and full of discreet behauiour that euer we had seene; Hee told vs that he was himselfe but a stranger in those Ilands, being a naturall of the Prouince of Paghia in China; his name, Pausaos of the familie of Hombu: of which familie there had 11. raigned in continuall succession these two hundred yeares, and king Bonog by the death of his elder brother (who dyed by a fall from his horse) the rightfull heire of all China, is the twelfth of this race: he is of 22. yeares of age: his mother yet liuing: he hath a wife, and by her sonne: he is well beloued, and highly ho­noured of all his subjects, and liues in great peace from any feare of forreine inuasion: but it was not this mans fortune to enioy his part of this happinesse both of his king and countrey, as hee most desired.

For being accused of a capitall crime whereof (through free) yet he could not euidently make his innocency appeare, and knowing the peremptory iustice of China, to be irreuocable, if he should expect the sentence of the Iudges; he before hand made suite to his king, that it would please him to commit his trial to Gods prouidence and iudgement, and to that end to per­mit him to trauell on this condition, that if the brought not home some worthy intelligence, such as his Maiestie had neuer had before, and were most fit to be knowne, and most honorable for China, he should for euer liue an exile, or else dye for daring to set foot againe in his owne countrey: for he was assured that the God of heauen had care of innocency.

The king granted his suite, and now he had beene three yeares abroad, and at this present came from Tidore (where he had re­mained [Page 94] two moneths) to see the English Generall, of whom he heard such strange things, and from him (if it pleased God to afford it) to learne some such intelligence as might make way for his returne into his countrey: and therefore he earnestly in­treated our Generall, to make relation to him of the occasion, way, and manner of his coming so far from England thither, with the manifold occurrences that had happened to him by the way.

Our Generall gaue ample satisfaction to each part of his re­quest: the stranger hearkened with great attention and delight to his discourse, and as he naturally excelled in memory (be­sides his helpe of art to better the same) so he firmely printed it in his mind, and with great reuerence thanked God, who had so vnexpectedly brought him, to the notice of such admirable things. Then fell he to intreate our Generall with many most earnest and vehement persuasions, that be would be content to see his countrey before his departure any farther Westward, that it should be a most pleasant, most honourable, and most profi­table thing for him that he should gaine hereby the notice, and carrie home the description of one of the most ancient, migh­tiest and richest kingdomes in the world. Hereupon he tooke oc­casion to relate the number and greatnesse of the Prouinces, with the rare commodities and good things they yeelded: the num­ber, statelinesse, and riches of their Cities, with what abundance of men, victuals, munition, and all manner of necessaries and delightfull things they were stored with: In particular, touching ordnance and great gunnes (the late inuention of a scab-shind F [...]er amongst vs in Europe) he related that in Suntien (by some called Quinzai) which is the chiefest Citie of all China, they had brasse ordnance of all sorts (much easier to be trauersed then ours were, and so perfectly made that they would hit a shillng) aboue 2000. yeares agoe. With many other worthy things which our Generals owne experience (if it would please him to make triall) would (better then his relation) assure him of. The brize would shortly serue very fitly to carrie him thither, and he [Page 95] himselfe would accompanie him all the way. He accounted himselfe a happie man, that he had but seene and spoken with vs; the relation of it might perhaps serue him to recouer fauour in his countrey: but if he could preuaile with our Generall him­selfe to go thither, he doubted not but it would be a meanes of his great aduancement, and increase of honour with his king: Notwithstanding our Generall could not on such perswasions be induced, and to the stranger parted sorrie, that he could not preuaile in his request, yet exceeding glad of the intelligence he had learned.

Nou. 9 By the ninth of Nouember hauing gotten what prouision the place could affoord vs, wee then set sayle: and considering that our ship for want of trimming was now growne foule, that our caske and vessels for water were much decayed; and that diuers other things stood in need of reparation: our next care was, how wee might fall with such a place where with safetie we might a while stay for the redressing of these inconueniences. The calme­nesse of the winds, which are almost continuall before the com­ming of the brize (which was not yet expected) perswaded vs it was the fittest time that we could take.

Nou. 14 With this resolution wee sayled along till Nouember 14. at what time we arriued at a little Iland (to the Southward of Ce­lébes standing in 1. deg. 40, min. towards the pole antarticke: which being without inhabitants, gaue vs the better hope of quiet abode. We anchored and finding the place conuenient for our purposes (there wanting nothing here which we stood in need of, but onely water which wee were faine to fetch from another Iland somewhat farther to the South) made our abode herefor 26. whole dayes together.

The first thing we did, we pitched our tents and intrenched ourselues as strongly as we could vpon the shoare, lest at any time perhaps we might haue beene disturbed by the inhabitants of the greater Iland which lay not farre to the Westward of vs; after we had prouided thus for our security, wee landed our goods, and had a Smiths forge set vp, both for the making of [Page 96] some necessarie shipworke, and for the repairing of some iron­hooped caskes, without which they could not long haue serued our vse: and for that our Smiths coales were all spent long be­fore this time; there was order giuen and followed for the bur­ning of charcoale, by which that want might be supplyed.

We trimd our ship, and performed our other businesses to our content. The place affording vs not onely all necessaries (which we had not of our owne before) thereunto, but also wonderfull refreshing to our wearied bodies, by the comforta­ble reliefe and excellent prouision that here we found, whereby of sickely, weake, and decayed (as many of vs seemed to be be­fore our comming hither) we in short space grew all of vs to be strong, lusty, and healthfull persons. Besides this, we had rare experience of Gods wonderfull wisedome in many rare and ad­mirable creatures which here we saw.

The whole Iland is a through growne wood, the trees for the most part are of large and high stature, very straight and cleane without bowes, saue onely in the very top. The leaues whereof are nor much vnlike our broomes in England: Among these trees, night by night did shew themselues an infinite smarme of fierie-seeming-wormes flying in the aire, whose bodies (no big­ger then an ordinary flie) did make a shew, and giue such light as if euery twigge on euery tree had beene a lighted candle: or as if that place had beene the starry spheare. To these wee may adde the relation of another almost as strange a creature, which here we saw, and that was an innumerable multitude of huge Bats or reare-mice, equalling or rather exceeding a good Henne in bignesse. They flie with maruellous swiftnesse, but their flight is very short; and when they light, they hang onely by the bowes with their backes downeward.

Neither may wee without ingratitude (by reason of the special vse we made of them) omit to speake of the huge multi­tude, of a certaine kinde of Crayfish, of such a size, that one was sufficient to satisfie foure hungry men at a dinner, being a very good and restoratiue meate; the especiall meane (as we concei­ued it) of our increase of health.

[Page 97] They are as farre as we could perceiue, vtter strangers to the sea, liuing always on the land, where they worke themselues earths, as do the conies, or rather they dig great and huge caues, vnder the rootes of the most huge and monstrous trees, where they lodge themselues by companies together. Of the same sort and kind, we found in other places, about the Iland Celébes some that for want of other refuge, when we came to take them, did clime vp into trees to hide themselues, whether we were enfor­ced to clime after them, if we would haue them, which wee would not sticke to do rather then to be without them: this I­land we called Crab-iland.

All necessary causes of our staying longer in this place being at last finished, our generall prepared to be in a readinesse, to take the first aduantage of the comming of the brize or winde which we expected; and hauing the day before, furnished our selues with fresh water from the other Iland, and taken in proui­sion of wood and the like: Dec. 12 December 12. we put to sea, di­recting our course toward the West: Dec. 16 the 16. day wee had sight of the Iland Celebes or Silébis, but hauing a bad winde, and being intangled among many Ilands, incumbred also with many other difficulties, and some dangers, & at last meeting with a deep bay, out of which we could not in three daies turne out agnine, wee could not by any meanes recouer the North of Silébis, or con­tinue on our course farther West, but were inforced to alter the same toward the South; finding that course also to be both difficult and very dangerous, by reason of many shoales, which lay farre off, here and there among the Ilands, insomuch, that in all our passages from England hitherto, we had neuer more care to keepe our selues afloate, Ian. 9 and from sticking on them: thus were we forced to beate vp and downe with extraordinary care and circumspection till Ianuary 9. at which time, we supposed that we had at last attained a free passage, the land turning eui­dently in our sight about to Westward, and the wind being enlarged, followed vs as we desired with a reasonable gale.

When loe on a sudden, when we least suspected no shew or [Page 98] suspition of danger appearing to vs, and we were now sailing onward with full sailes, in the beginning of the first watch of the said day at night, euen in a moment our ship was laid vp fast vp­on a desperate shoale, with no other likelihood in appearance, but that wee with her must there presently perish: there being no probability how any thing could be saued, or any person scape aliue.

The vnexpectednesse of so extreame a danger, presently rou­sed vs vp to looke about vs, but the more we looked, the lesse hope we had of getting cleere of it againe, so that nothing now presenting it selfe to our mindes, but the ghastly appearance of instant death, affording no respit or time of pausing, called vp­on vs to turne our thoughts another way, to renounce the world to deny our selues, and to commend our selues into the mercifull hands of our most gratious God: to this purpose wee presently fell prostrate, and with ioyned prayers sent vp vnto the throne of grace, humbly besought almighty God, to extend his mercy vnto vs in his sonne Christ Iesus; and so preparing as it were our necks vnto the blocke, we euery minute expected the small stroake to be giuen vnto vs.

Notwithstanding that we expected nothing but imminent death, yet (that we might not seeme to tempt God, by leauing any second meanes vnattempted which he afforded) presently as soone as prayers were ended our generall (exhorting vs to haue the especiallest care of the better part, to wit, the soule, and ad­ding many comfortable speeches, of the ioyes of that other life, which wee now alone looked for) incouraged vs all to bestirre our selues, shewing vs the way thereto by his owne example; and first of all the pump being well plyed, and the ship freed of water, we found our leaks to be nothing increased, which thought it gaue vs no hope of deliuerance, yet it gaue vs some hope of respit, insomuch, as it assured vs that the bulke was sound, which truly we acknowledged to be an immediate proui­dence of God alone, insomuch, as no strength of wood and iron could haue possibly borne so hard and violent a shocke, as our [Page 99] ship did, dashing herselfe vnder full saile against the rockes, ex­cept the extraordinary hand of God, had supported the same.

Our next assay was for good ground and anchor-hold, to sea, ward of vs (whereon to hale) by which meanes if by any, our ge­nerall put vs in comfort, that there was yet left some hope ro cleere our selues: in his owne person, he therefore vndertooke the charge of sounding, and but euen a boates length from the ship, he found that the bottom could not by any length of line be reached vnto: so that the beginnings of hope, which wee were willing to haue conceiued before, were by this meanes quite dasht againe; yea our misery seemed to be increased, for whereas at first wee could looke for nothing but a present end, that expectation was now turned, into the awaiting for a lingring death, of the two, the farre more fearefull to be chosen: one thing fell out happily for vs, that the most of our men did not conceiue this thing, which had they done, they would in all likelihood haue beene so much discouraged, that their sorrow would the more disable them, to haue sought the remedy: our generall with those few others, that could iudge of the euent wisely, dissembling the same, and giuing in the meane time cheerfull speeches, and good incouragements vnto the rest.

For whiles it seemed to be a cleere case, that our ship was so fast moared, that shee could not stirr; it necessary followed, that either we were there to remaine on the place with her; or else leauing her to commit our selues in most poore end help­lesse state, to seeke some other place of stay and refuge, the better of which two choices, did carry with it the appearance of worse then 1000. deathes.

As touching our ship, this was the comfort that shee could giue vs, that shee her selfe lying there confined already vpon the hard and pinching rocks, did tell vs plaine, that shee conti­nually expected her speedy dispatch, as soone as the sea and windes should come, to be the seuere executioners of that hea­uy iudgement, by the appointment of the eternall iudge alrea­dy [Page 100] giuen vpon her, who had committed her there to Adaman­tine bonds in a most narrow prison, against their comming for that purpose: so that if we would stay with her, we must pe­rish with her; or if any by any yet vnperceiueable meanes, should chance to be deliuered, his escape must needs be a per­petuall misery, it being farre better to haue perished together, then with the losse and absence of his friends, to liue in a strange land: whether a solitary life (the better choice) among wild beastes, as a bird on the mountaines without all comfort, or a­mong the barbarous people of the heathen, in intollerable bondage both of body and minde.

And put the case that her day of destruction should be defer­red, longer then either reason could perswade vs, or in any like­lihood could seeme possible (it being not in the power of earth­ly things, to indure what shee had suffred already) yet could our abode there profit vs nothing, but increase our wretchednesse, and enlarge our sorrows, for as her store and victualls were not much (sufficient to sustaine vs onely some few daies, without hope of hauing any increase, no not so much as of a cup of cold water) so must it ineuitably come to passe, that we (as children in the mothers wombe) should be driuen euen to eate the flesh from of our owne armes, shee being no longer able to sustaine vs; and how horrible a thing this would haue proued, is easy by any one to be perceiued.

And whither (had we departed from her) should we haue re­ceiued any comfort; nay the very impossibility of going, ap­peared to be no lesse, then those other before mentioned: our boate was by no meanes able at once, to carry aboue 20. persons with any safety, and we were 58. in all, the neerest land was six leagues from vs, and the winde from the shoare directly bent a­gainst vs: or should we haue thought of setting some ashoare, and after that to haue fetched the rest, there being no place thereabout without inhabitants, the first that had landed must first haue fallen into the hand of the enemie, and so the rest in order, and though perhaps we might escape the sword, yet [Page 101] would our life haue beene worse then death, not alone in respect of our wofull captiuity, and bodily mifseries, but most of all in respectt of our Christian liberty, being to be depriued of all pub­lique meanes of seruing the true God, and continually grieued with the horrible impieties and diuellish idolatries of the hea­then.

Our miserie beeing thus manifest, the very consideration wherof must needs haue shaken flesh and bloud, if faith in Gods promises had not mightily sustained vs, we past the night with earnest longings that the day would once appeare, the meane time we spent in often prayers, and other godly exercises, there­by comforting our selues; and refreshing our hearts, striuing to bring our selues to an humble submission vnder the hand of God, and to a referring our selues wholly to his good will and pleasure.

The day therefore at length appearing, and it being almost full sea about that time, after we had giuen thankes to God for his forbearing of vs hitherto, and had with teares called vpon him to blesse our labours; we againe renewed our trauell, to see if we could now possibly find any anchor-hold, which we had formerly sought in vaine. But this second attempt proued as fruitlesse as the former, and left vs nothing to trust to, but pray­ers and teares, seeing it appeared impossible that euer the fore­cast counsell, pollicie, or power of man could euer effect the de­liuery of our ship, except the Lord onely miraculously should do the same.

It was therefore presently motioned, and by generall voice determined to commend our case to God alone, leauing our selues wholly in his hand; to spill or saue vs as seeme best to his gracious wisedome. And that our faith might bee the better strengthened, and the comfortable apprehension of Gods mer­cie in Christ, be more clearely felt; we had a Sermon and the Sacrament of the bodie and bloud of our Sauiour celebrated.

After this sweet repast was thus receiued, and other holy ex­ercises adioyned were ended, lest we should seeme guilty in any [Page 102] respect for not vsing all lawfull meanes we could inuent; we fell to one other practise yet vnassayed, to wit, to vnloading of our ship by casting some of her goods into the sea: which thing as it was attempted most willingly, so was it dispatched in very short time. So that euen those things which we before this time, nor any other in our case could be without, did now seeme as things onely worthy to be despised, yea we were herein so forward, that neither our munition for defence, nor the very meale for sustentation of our liues could find fauour with vs, but euerie thing as it first came to hand went ouerboard assuring our selues of this, that if it pleased God once to deliuer vs out of that most desperate strait wherein we were, he would fight for vs against our enemies, neither would he suffer vs to perish for want of bread. But when all was done, it was not any of our endeuours, but Gods onely hand that wrought our deliuerie; twas he alone that brought vs euen vnder the very stroake of death; twas he a­lone that said vnto vs, Returne againe ye sonnes of men; twas he alone that set vs at liberty againe, that made vs safe and free, after that we had remained in the former miserable condition, the full space of twentie houres, to his glorious name be the euer­lasting praise.

The manner of our deliuery (for the relation of it will espe­cially be expected) was onely this. The place whereon we sate so fast, was a firme rocke in a cleft, whereof it was we stucke on the larbord side' at low water there was not aboue sixe foote depth in all on the starbord, within little distance as you haue heard no bottome to be found, the brize during the whole time that we thus were stayed, blew somewhat stiffe directly against out broad side, and so perforce kept the ship vpright: It pleased God in the beginning of the tyde, while the water was yet almost at lowest, to slacke the stiffenesse of the wind; and now out ship who required thirteene foot water to make her fleet, and had not at that time on the one side aboue seuen at most, wanting her prop on the other side, which had too long alreadie kept her vp, fell a heeling towards the deepe water, and [Page 103] by that meanes freed her keele and made vs glad men.

This shoale is at least three or foure leagues in length, it lies in 2. deg. lacking three or foure minutes South latitude. The day of this deliuerance was the tenth of Ianuary. Ian. 10

Of all the dangers that in our whole voyage we met with, this was the greatest, but it was not the last as may appeare by what ensueth. Neither could we indeed for a long season free our selues from the continuall care and feare of them; nor could we euer come to any conuenient anchoring, but were continually for the most pare tost amongst the many Ilands and shoales (which lye in infinite number round about on the South parts of Celébes) till the eight day of the following moneth.

Ian. 12 Ian. 12. being not able to beare our sayles by reason of the tempest and fearing of the dangers, we let fall our anchors vpon a shoale in 3. deg. 30. min. Ian. 14 Ian. 14. we were gotten a little farther South, where at an Iland in 4. deg. 6. min. we againe cast anchor and spent a day in watering and wooding. After this wee met with foule weather, Westerly winds, and dangerous shoales for many dayes together: insomuch that we were vtterly weary of this coast of Sillebis, thought best to beare with Timor. The Southermost cape of Sillebis stands in 5. deg. that side the line.

But of this coast of Sillebis we could not so easily cleare our selues. Ian. 20 The 20. of Ianua. wee were forced to runne with a small Iland not farte from thence; where hauing sent our boate a good distance from vs to search out a place where we might anchor: wee were suddenly enuironed with no small extremities, for there arose a most violent, yea an intollerable flaw and storme out of the Southwest against vs, making vs (who were on a lee shoare amongst most dangerous and hidden shoales) to feare extreamely not onely the losse of our boate and men, but the present losse of our selues, our ship and goods, or the casting of those men whom God should spare into the hands of Infidels. Which misery could not by any power or industry of ours haue beene auoided, if the mercifull goodnesse of God had not (by staying the outragious extremities wherewich we were set [Page 104] vpon) wrought our present deliuery, by whose vnspeakeable mercy our men and boate also were vnexpectedly, yet safely, re­stored vnto vs.

Wee gate off from this place as well as we could, and conti­nued on our course till the 26. day, Ian. 26 when the winde tooke vs, very strong against vs, West and West Southwest, so as that wee could beare no more saile, till the end of that moneth was full expired.

Febr. 1 February 1. we saw very high land, and as it seemed well inha­bited, we would faine haue borne with it to haue got some suc­cour, but the weather was so ill, that we could finde no harbour, and we were very fearefull of aduenturing our selues too farre, amongst the many dangers which were neere the shoare. Febr. 3 The third day also we saw a little Iland, but being vnable to beare a­ny faile, but onely to ly at hull, we were by the storme carried away, and could not fetch it. Febr. 6 February 6. we saw fiue Ilands, one of them towards the East, and foure towards the West of vs, one bigger then another, at the biggest of which we cast an­chor, and the next day watred and wooded.

Febr. 8 After we had gone hence on February 8. we descried two ca­nowes, who hauing descried vs as it seemes before, came wil­lingly vnto vs, and talked with vs, alluring and conducting vs to their towne not farre off, named Baratiua it stands in 7. deg. 13. min. South the line.

The people are Gentiles of handsome body, and comely sta­tute, of ciuill demeanour, very iust in dealing, and courteous to strangers, of all which we had euident proofe, they shewing themselues most glad of our coming and cheerfully ready to re­lieue our wants, with whatsoeuer their country could afford. The men goe all naked saue their heads and secret parts, euery one hauing one thing or other hanging at his eares. Their wo­men are couered from the middle to the foote, weating vpon their naked armes bracelets, and that in no small number, some hauing nine at least vpon each arme, made for the most part of horne or brasse, whereof the lightest (by our estimation) would weigh 2. ounces.

[Page 105] With this people linnen cloth (whereof they make roles for their heads, and girdles to weare about their loynes) is the best marchandise and of greatest estimation: They are also much de­lighted with Margaretas (which in their language they call Sa­leta) and such other like trifles.

Their Iland is both rich and fruitfull, rich in gold, siluer, cop­per, tinne, sulpher, &c. neither are they onely expert to try those mettalls, but very skillfull also in working of them artifici­ally, into diuerse formes and shapes, as pleaseth them best. Their fruites are diuerse likewise and plentifull, as, nutmegges, ginger, long pepper, limons, cucumbers, cocoes, figoes, sagu, with diuerse other sorts, whereof we had one in reasonable quantity, in bignesse forme and huske, much like a bay-berry, hard in substance, but pleasant in tast, which being sod becom­eth soft, and is a most profitable and nourishing meate: of each of these wee receiued of them, whatsoeuer wee desired for our need; insomuch that (such was Gods gratious goodnesse to vs) the old prouerbe was verified with vs, After a storme commeth a calme, after warre peace, after scarcity followeth plenty;) so that in all our voyage ( Terenate onely excepted) from our departure out of our owne countrey hitherto, wee found not any where greater comfort and refreshing, then we did at this time in this place; in refreshing and furnishing our selues, here we spent 2. dayes, and departed hence February 10. Febr. 10

When we were come into the height of 8. deg. 4. min, Febr. 12 Feb. 12. in the morning we espied a greene Iland to the Southward; not long after, two other Ilands on the same side, and a great one more towards the North: they seemed all to be well inha­bited, bur wee had neither need nor desire to goe to visit them, and so we past by them. Feb. 14 The 14. day wee saw some other reaso­nable bigge Ilands, and Febr. 16 February 16, we past betweene foure or fiue bigge Ilands more which lay in the height 9. deg. 40. min.

Feb. 18. 19. The 18. we cast anchor vnder a little Iland, whence we depar­ted againe the day following; we wooded here, but other reliefe except two turtles we receiued none.

[Page 106] Febr. 22. The 22. day we lost sight of three Ilands on our starboard side, which lay in to▪ deg. and some odde minutes.

After this, we past on to the Westward without stay or any thing to be taken notice of, March 9 till the 9. of March when in the mor­ning wee espied land, some part thereof very high in 8. de. 20. m. South latitude: here we anchored that night, and the next day weighed againe, March 10 and bearing farther North, and neerer the shoare, we came to anchor the second time.

March 11 The eleuenth of March we first tooke in water, and after sent our boate againe to shoare, March 12 where we had traffique with the people of the country; whereupon the same day, we brought our ship more neere the towne: and hauing setled our selues there that night, the next day our generall sent his man ashoare, to present the king with certaine cloth, both linnen and wool­len, besides some silkes, which hee gladly and thankfully recei­ued, and returned rice, cocoes, hennes, and other victualls in way of recompence. This Iland we found to be the Iland Iaua, the middle whereof stands in 7. deg. and 30. min. beyond the equator.

March 13 The 13. of March our general himself with many of his gen­tlemen, and others went to shoare, and presented the king (of whom he was ioyfully and louingly receiued) with his musicke, and shewed him the manner of our vse of armes, by training his men with their pikes & other weapons, which they had before him: for the present we were entertained as we desired, and at last dismissed with a promise of more victuals to bee shortly sent vs.

In this Iland there is one chiefe, but many vnder-gouernors, or petty kings, whom they call Raias, who liue in great familia­ritie and friendship one with another. March 14 The 14. day we receiued victuals from two of them, and the day after that, to wit, the March 15 15. three of these kings in their owne persons came aboard to see our Generall, and to view our ship and warlike munition. They were well pleased with what they saw, and with the entertaine­ment which we gaue them. And after these had beene with vs, [Page 107] and on their returne had as it seemes related what they found, 1580 Raia Donan the chiefe king of the whole land bringing victuals with him for our reliefe: he also the next day after came aboard vs. Few were the dayes that one or more of these kings did misse to visit vs, insomuch that we grew acquainted with the names of many of them, as of Raia Pataiára, Raia Cabocapálla, Raia Mangbángo, Ria Bocabarra, Raia Timbánton: whom our Ge­nerall alwayes entertained with the best cheere that wee could make, and shewed them all the commodities of our ship, with our ordnance and other armes and weapons, and the seuerall furnitures belonging to each, and the vses for which they ser­ued. His musicke also and all things else whereby he might do them pleasure, wherein they tooke exceeding great delight with admiration.

March 21 One day amongst the rest, viz, March. 21. Raia Donan com­ming aboard vs, in requitall of our musick which was made to him, presented our generall with his country musick, which though it were of a very strange kind, yet the sound was plea­sant and delightfull: the same day, he caused an oxe also to be brought to the waters side, and deliuered to vs, for which he was to his content rewarded by our Generall, with diuerse sorts of very costly silks which he held in great esteeme.

Though our often giuing entertainement in this manner, did hinder vs much in the speedy dispatching of our businesses, and made vs spend the more dayes about them, yet here we found all such conuenient helpes, that to our contents we at last ended them: the matter of greatest importance which we did (besides victualing) was the new trimming and washing of our ship, which by reason of our long voyage was so ouergrowne with a kind of shell-fish sticking fast vnto her, that it hindred her excee­dingly, and was a great trouble to her sayling.

The people (as are their kings) are a louing, a very true, and a iust dealing people. We traffiqued with them for hens, goats, cocoes, plantons, and other kinds of victuals, which they offe­red vs in such plenty that we might haue laden our ship if we had needed.

[Page 108] March 26 We tooke our leaues and departed from them the 26. of March, and set our course West South West, directly towards the cape of good hope, or Bon Esperance, and continued without touch of ought, but aire and water, May 21 till die 21. of May, when we espied land (to with a part of the maine of Africa) in some places very high, under the latitude of 31. deg. and halfe.

Iune. 15 Wee coasted along till Iune 15. on which day, hauing very faire weather, and the winde at Southeast, wee past the cape it­selfe so neere in sight, that we had beene able with our pieces to haue shot to land.

Iuly 15 Iuly 15. we fell with the land againe about Rio de Sesto, where we saw many negroes in their boates a fishing, whereof 2. came very neere vs but we cared not to stay, nor had any talke or dea­ling with them.

Iuly 22 The 22. of the same moneth, we came to Sierra Leona, and spent two dayes for watering in the mouth of Tagoine, and then put to sea againe Iuly 24; here also we had oisters, and plenty of lem­mons, which gaue vs good refreshing.

August 15 We found our selues vnder the Tropick of Cancer August 15. hauing the winde at Northeast, and we 50. leagues off from the neerest land. Aug. 16

The 22. day we were in the height of the Canaries. Sept. 26 And the 26. (which was Monday in the iust and ordi­nary reckoning of those that had stayed at home in one place or countrie, but in our cōputation was the Lords day or Sonday) we safely with joyfull minds and thankfvll hearts to God, arriued at Plimoth, the place of our first setting forth after we had spent 2. years 10. moneths and some few odde daies beside, in seeing the wonders of the Lord in the deep, in discouering so many ad­mirable things, in going through with so many strange aduen­tures, in escaping out of so many dangers, and ouercomming so many difficulties in this our encompassing of this neather globe, and passing round about the world, which we haue related.