_A desperate Sea Fight in the Streights; His Passage to_ Rome, Naples,
_and the view of_ Italy.
Betwixt the two _Capes_, they met with an _Argosie_ of _Venice_; it seemed
the Captain desired to speak with them, whose untoward answer was such, as
slew them a Man; {MN} whereupon the _Britain_ presently gave them the
Broad-side, then his Stern, and his other Broad-side also, and continued
the Chase, with his chase Pieces, till he gave them so many Broad-sides
one after another, that the _Argosies_ Sails and Tackling was so torn, she
stood to her defence, and made shot for shot; twice in one hour and a half
the _Britain_ boarded her, yet they cleared themselves, but clapping her
aboard again, the _Argosie_ fired him, which with much danger to them
both was presently quenched. This rather augmented the _Britain's_ rage,
than abated his courage; for having reaccommodated himself again, shot
her so oft between Wind and Water, she was ready to sink, then they
yielded; the _Britain_ lost fifteen Men, she twenty, besides divers were
hurt, the rest went to Work on all hands; some to stop the Leaks, others
to guard the Prisoners that were chained, the rest to ride her. The Silks,
Velvets, Cloth of Gold, and Tissue, Piasters, Chicqueens and Sultanies,
which is Gold and Silver, they unloaded in four and twenty hours, was
wonderful, whereof having sufficient, and tired with toil, they cast her
off with her Company, with as much good Merchandize as would have
fraughted such another _Britain_, that was but two Hundred Tuns, she four
or five Hundred.
* * * * *
{MN} _A desperate Sea Fight._
To repair his Defects, he stood for the Coast of _Calabria_, but hearing
there was six or seven Galleys at _Messina,_ he departed thence for
_Malta;_ but the Wind coming fair, he kept his course along the Coast of
the Kingdom of _Sicilia_, by _Sardinia_ and _Corsica_, till he came to the
Road of _Antibo_ in _Peamon,_ where he set _Smith_ on shoar with five
Hundred Chicqueens, and a little Box God sent him worth near as much more.
Here he left this Noble _Britain_, and embarked himself for _Legorn,_
being glad to have such opportunity and means to better his Experience by
the view of _Italy;_ and having passed _Tuskany,_ and the Country of
_Siena,_ where he found his dear Friends, the two Honourable Brethren, the
Lord _Willoughby,_ and his Brother cruelly wounded, in a desperate fray,
yet to their exceeding great Honour. Then to _Viterbo_ and many other
Cities he came to _Rome,_ from where it was his chance to see Pope Clement
the VIII. with many Cardinals, creep up the Holy Stairs, {MN} which they
say, are those our Savior Christ went up to _Pontius Pilate,_ where blood,
falling from his Head, being pricked with his Crown of Thorns, the drops
are marked with Nails of Steel, upon them none dare go but in that manner,
saying so many _Ave-Maries_ and _Pater-Nosters,_ as is their Devotion, and
to kiss the Nails of Steel: But on each side, is a pair of such like
Stairs, upon which you may go, stand, or kneel, but divided from the Holy
Stairs by two Walls: Right against them is a Chappel, where hangs a great
Silver Lamp, which burneth continually; yet they say, the Oil neither
increaseth nor diminisheth. A little distant is the ancient Church of
Saint _John de Lateran,_ where he saw him say Mass, which commonly he doth
upon some Friday once a Month. Having saluted Father _Parsons,_ that
famous _English_ Jesuit, and satisfied himself with the Rarities of
_Rome,_ he went down the River of _Tiber_ to _Civita Vechia,_ where he
embarked himself, to satisfie his Eye with the fair City of _Naples,_ and
her Kingdoms Nobility; returning by _Capua, Rome_ and _Siena,_ he passed
by that admired City of _Florence,_ the Cities and Countreys of _Bolonia,
Ferrara, Mantua, Padua_ and _Venice,_ whose Gulf he passed from _Malamoco_
and the _Adriatic_ Sea for _Ragouza,_ spending some time to see that
barren, broken Coast of _Albania_ and _Dalmatia,_ to _Capo de Istria,_
Travelling the main of poor _Sclavonia_ by _Lubbiano,_ till he came to
_Grates_ in _Styria,_ the Seat of _Ferdinando,_ Arch-duke of _Austria,_
now Emperour of _Almania:_ where he met an _English_ Man, and an _Irish_
Jesuit, who acquainted him with many brave Gentlemen of good Quality,
especially with the Lord _Ebersbaught,_ with whom, trying such
Conclusions, as he projected to undertake, preferred him to Baron
_Kisell,_ General of the Artillery, and he to a worthy Colonel, the Earl
of _Meldritch,_ with whom, going to _Vienna_ in _Austria,_ under whose
Regiment, in what Service, and how he spent his time, this ensuing
Discourse will declare.
* * * * *
{MN} _The Popes holy stairs brought from_ Jerusalem, _whereon (they say)
Christ went up to_ Pontius Pilate.
* * * * *