[The generall continueth his honourable usage towards the
sicke and wounded.]
In this navigation, after our surrender, the generall tooke especial
care for the good intreaty of us, and especially of those who were
hurt. And God so blessed the hands of our surgians (besides that they
were expert in their art), that of all our wounded men not one died that
was alive the day after our surrendry: the number whereof was neere
fortie; and many of them with eight, ten, or twelve wounds, and some
with more. The thing that ought to move us to give God Almighty
especiall thankes and prayses, was, that they were cured in a manner
without instruments or salves. For the chests were all broken to peeces,
and many of their simples and compounds throwne into the sea; those
which remained, were such as were throwne about the shippe in broken
pots and baggs; and such as by the Divine Providence were reserved, at
the end of three dayes, by order from the generall, were commaunded to
be sought and gathered together. These with some instruments of small
moment, bought and procured from those who had reserved them to a
different end, did not onely serve for our cures, but also for the
curing of the Spaniards, being many more then those of our company.
For the Spanish surgians were altogether ignorant in their profession,
and had little or nothing wherewith to cure. And I have noted, that the
Spaniards, in generall, are nothing so curious in accommodating
themselves with good and carefull surgeans, nor to fit them with that
which belongeth to their profession, as other nations are, though they
have greater neede then any that I do know.
At the time of our surrender, I had not the Spanish tongue, and so was
forced to use an interpreter, or the Latine, or French, which holpe me
much for the understanding of those which spake to me in Spanish,
together with a little smattering I had of the Portugall.
Through the noble proceeding of Don Beltran with us, and his particular
care towards me, in curing and comforting me, I began to gather heart,
and hope of life, and health; my servants, which were on foote, advised
me ordinarily of that which past. But some of our enemies, badly
inclined, repined at the proceedings of the generall, and sayd he did
ill to use us so well; that we were Lutherans; and for that cause, the
faith which was given us, was not to be kept nor performed. Others, that
wee had fought as good souldiers, and therefore deserved good quarter:
others nicknamed us with the name of _corsarios_, or pirats; not
discerning thereby that they included themselves within the same
imputation. Some were of opinion, that from Panama, the generall would
send us into Spaine: others sayd that he durst not dispose of us but by
order from the vice-roy of Peru, who had given him his authority. This
hit the nayle on the head.
To all I gave the hearing, and laid up in the store-house of my memory
that which I thought to be of substance; and in the store-house of my
consideration, endevoured to frame a proportionable resolution to all
occurants, conformable to Gods most holy will. Withall I profitted my
selfe of the meanes which should be offered, and beare greatest
probabilitie to worke our comfort, helpe, and remedie. And so as time
ministered opportunitie, I began, and endevoured to satisfie the
generall and the better sort in the points I durst intermeddle. And
especially to perswade, by the best reasons I could, that wee might be
sent presently from Panama; alleaging the promise given us, the cost and
charges ensuing, which doubtles would be such as deserved consideration
and excuse: besides, that now whilest he was in place, and power and
authority in his hands, to performe with us, that hee would looke into
his honour, and profit himselfe of the occasion, and not put us into the
hands of a third person; who perhaps being more powerfull then himselfe,
he might be forced to pray and intreate the performance of his promise:
whereunto hee gave us the hearing, and bare us in hand that hee would
doe what hee could.
The generall, and all in generall, not onely in the Peru, but in all
Spaine, and the kingdomes thereof, before our surrendry, held all
English men of warre to be corsarios, or pirats; which I laboured to
reforme, both in the Peru, and also in the counsels of Spaine, and
amongst the chieftaines, souldiers, and better sort, with whom I came to
have conversation: alleadging that a pirate or corsario, is [Sidenote:
What a pirate is.] hee, which in time of peace or truce, spoyleth or
robbeth those which have peace or truce with them: but the English have
neyther peace nor truce with Spaine, but warre; and therefore not to be
accounted pirats. Besides, Spaine broke the peace with England, and not
England with Spaine; and that by ymbargo,[241] which of all kindes of
[Three sorts of defiances.] defiances is most reproved, and of
least reputation; the ransoming of prysoners, and that by the cannon
being more honorable; but above all, the most honorable is with trumpet
and herald to proclaime and denounce the warre by publicke defiance. And
so if they should condemne the English for pirats, of force they must
first condemne themselves.
Moreover, pirats are those who range the seas without licence from their
prince; who when they are met with, are punished more severely by their
owne lords, then when they fall into the hands of strangers: which is
notorious to be more severely prosecuted in England, in time of peace,
then in any of the kingdomes of Christendome.
But the English have all licence, either immediately from their prince,
or from others thereunto authorized, and so cannot in any sence be
comprehended under the name of pirats, for any hostility undertaken
against Spaine or the dependancies thereof.
[The custom of Spaine for of warre.]
And so the state standing as now it doth; if in Spaine a particular man
should arm a shippe, and goe in warre-fare with it against the English,
and happened to be taken by them; I make no question, but the company
should bee intreated according to that manner, which they have ever used
since the beginning of the warre, without making further inquisition.
Then if hee were rich or poore, to see if hee were able to give a
ransome, in this also they are not very curious. But if this Spanish
shippe should fall athwart his King’s armado or gallies, I make no doubt
but they would hang the captaine and his companie for pirates. My reason
is, for that by a speciall law, it is enacted, that no man in the
kingdomes of Spaine, may arme any shippe, and goe in warre-fare, without
the King’s speciall licence and commission, upon paine to be reputed a
pirate, and to bee chastised [The custome of England.] with
the punishment due to _corsarios_. In England the case is different: for
the warre once proclaimed, every man may arme that will, and hath
wherewith; which maketh for our greater exemption from being
comprehended within the number of pirates.
With these, and other like arguments to this purpose, (to avoid
tediousnes, I omitt): I convinced all those whom I heard to harpe upon
this string: which was of no small importance for our good entreatie,
and motives for many, to further and favour the accomplishment of the
promise lately made unto us.