Abacucke Prickett, of London, haberdasher, examined, says that
Henry Hudson, John Hudson, Thomas Widowes, Philip Staffe, John
Kinge, Michael Burte, Sidrach Fanner, Adrian Moore and John Ladley,
mariners of the Discovery in the voyage for finding out the N.W.
passage, about 6 years past, were put out of the ship by force into
the Shallop in the strait called Hudson's Strait in America, by
Henry Grene, John Thomas, John Wilson, Michael Pearce, and others,
by reason they were sick and victuals wanted, "under account"
[i.e., if rations from the existing scant store were served out
equally] they should starve for want of food if all the company
should return home in the ship. Philip Staffe went out of the ship
of his own accord, for the love he bare to the said Hudson, who was
thrust out of the ship. Grene, with 11 or 12 more of the company,
sailed away with the Discovery, leaving Hudson and the rest in the
shallop in the month of June in the ice. What became of them he
knows not. He was lame in his legs at the time, and unable to
stand. He greatly lamented the deed, and had no hand in it. Hudson
and Staffe were the best friends he had in the ship.
About five weeks after the said ship came to Sir Dudley Digges
Island. Here Grene, Wilson, Thomas, Pearse and Adrian Mouter would
needs go ashore to trade with the savages, and were betrayed and
set upon by the savages, and all of them sore wounded, yet
recovered the boat before they died. Grene, coming into the boat,
died presently. Wilson, Thomas and Pearse were taken into the ship,
and died a few hours afterwards, two of them having had their
bowels cut out. The blood upon the clothes brought home was the
blood of these persons so wounded and slain by the savages, and no
other.
There was falling out between Grene and Hudson the master, and
between Wilson the surgeon and Hudson, and between Staffe and
Hudson, but no mutiny was in question, until of a sudden the said
Grene and his consorts forced the said Hudson and the rest into the
shallop, and left them in the ice.
The chests of Hudson and the rest were opened, and their clothes,
and such things as they had, inventoried and sold by Grene and the
others, and some of the clothes were worn.
Thomas Widowes was thrust out of the ship into the shallop, but
whether he willed them take his keys and share his goods, to save
his life, this examinate knoweth not.
At the putting out of the men, the ship's carpenter [Staffe] asked
the company if they would be [wished to be] hanged, when they came
to England.
He does not know whether the carpenter is dead or alive, for he
never saw him since he was put out into the shallop.
No shot was made at Hudson or any of them nor any hurt done them,
that he knows.
He did not see Hudson bound, but heard that Wilson pinioned his
arms, when he was put into the shallop. But, when he was in the
shallop, this examinate saw him in a motley gown at liberty, and
they spoke together, Hudson saying: It is that villain Ivott
[Juet], that hath undone us; and he answered: No, it is Grene that
hath done all this villainy.
It is true that Grene, Wilson and Thomas had consultation together
to turn pirates, and so he thinks they would have done, had they
not been slain.
There was no watchword given, but Grene, Wilson, Thomas and Bennett
watched the master, when he came out of his cabin, and forced him
over board into the shallop, and then they put out the rest, being
sick men.
He told Sir Thomas Smith the truth, as to how Hudson and the rest
were turned out of the ship.
He told the masters of the Trinity-house the truth of the business,
but never knew or heard that the masters said they deserved to be
hanged for the same.
They were not victualled with rabbits or partridges before Hudson
and the rest were turned into the shallop, nor after.
There was no mutiny otherwise than as aforesaid, they were turned
out only for want of victuals, as far as he knows.
He does not know the handwriting of Thomas Widowes. He, for his
part, made no means to hinder any proceedings that might have been
taken against them.
(Signed) ABACOOKE PERIKET.
[_On the same day_.]
Robert Bilett, of St. Katherine's, mariner, examined, saith that,
upon a discontent amongst the company of the ship the Discovery in
the finding out of the N.W. passage, by occasion of the want of
victualls, Henry Grene, being the principal, together with John
Thomas, William Wilson, Robert Ivett [Juet] and Michael Pearse,
determined to shift the company, and thereupon Henry Hudson, the
master, was by force put into the shallop, and 8 or 9 more were
commanded to go into the shallop to the master, which they did,
this examinate thinking this course was taken only to search the
master's cabin and the ship for victualls, which the said Grene and
others thought the master concealed from the company to serve his
own turn. But, when they were in the shallop, Grene and the rest
would not suffer them to come any more on board the ship, so Hudson
and the rest in the shallop went away to the southward, and the
ship came to the eastward, and the one never saw the other since.
What is otherwise become of them be knoweth not.
He says that the men went ashore (as above) to get victuals; and
from their wounds the cabins, beds and clothes were made bloody.
There was discontent amongst the company, but no mutiny to his
knowledge, until the said Grene and his associates turned the
master and the rest into the shallop.
He heard of no mutiny "till overnight that Hudson and the rest were
[to be] put into the shallop the next day," and this examinate and
M'r. Prickett persuaded the crew to the contrary, and Grene
answered the master was resolved to overtrowe all, and therefore he
and his friends would shift for themselves.
Such clothes as were left behind in the ship by Hudson and his
associates were sold, and worn by some of the company that wanted
clothes.
The ship's carpenter never used such speeches, to his knowledge.
[This seems to refer to Staffe's question, "Would they be hanged
when they came to England?"]
Philip Staffe, the carpenter, went into the shallop of his own
accord, without any compulsion; whether he be dead or alive, or
what has become of him, he knoweth not.
No man, either drunk or sober, can report that Hudson and his
associates were shot at after they were in the shallop, for there
was no such thing done.
He was under the deck, when Henry Hudson was put out of the ship,
so that he saw it not, nor knoweth whether he were bound or not,
but saith he heard he was pinioned.
Henry Grene, and two or three others, made a motion to turn
pirates, and he believes they would have done, if they had lived.
He denieth that he took any ringe out of Hudson's pocket, neither
ever saw it except on his finger, nor knoweth what became of it.
Such beds and clothes as were left in the ship, and not taken by
Hudson and the rest into the shallop, were brought into England,
because they left them behind in the ship.
There was no watchword given, but Grene and the others commanded
the said Hudson and the rest into the shallop, and upon that
command they went.
He told Sir Thomas Smith the manner how Hudson and the rest went
from them, but what Sir Thomas said to their wives he knoweth not.
There was no mutiny, but some discontent, amongst the company; they
were not victualled with any abundance of rabbits and partridges
all the voyage. He doth not know the handwriting of Widowes, nor
hath he seen what he put down in writing.
(Signed) ROBERT BYLETH.
* * * * *
Admiralty. Oyer and Terminer. 41.