bread, wine, and cheese which they gave vnto him. Then two of the Negros
(which were the pledges) made themselues sicke, desiring to goe a shore,
promising to send other two for them. Captaine Haiward perceiuing that our
men had let the Negros come a shore, asked what they meant, and doubting
the worst began to drawe toward the boate, and two or three of the Negros
folowed him. And when hee came to the boate they began to stay him, and he
made signes vnto them that hee would fetch them more drinke and bread:
notwithstanding, when he was entering into the boate, one of them caught
him by the breeches and would haue staied him, but hee sprang from him and
leapt into the boate, and as soone as hee was in, one of the Negros a shore
beganne to blow a pipe, and presently the other Negro that was in our boate
sitting on the boates side, and master Wormes sword by him, suddenly drew
the sword out of the scabberd, and cast himselfe into the Sea, and swamme a
shore, and presently the Negros laied handes on our men that were on shore,
and tooke three of them with great violence, and tore all their apparell
from their backes and left them nothing to couer them, and many of them
shot so thicke at our men in our boates, that they could scarse set hand to
any Oare to rowe from the shore, yet (by the helpe of God) they got from
them with their boates although many of them were hurt with their poysoned
arrowes: and the poison is vncurable, if the arrow enter within the skin
and drawe blood, and except the poison be presently suckt out, or the place
where any man is hurt bee foorthwith cut away, he dieth within foure dayes,
and within three houres after they bee hurt or pricked, wheresoeuer it be,
although but at the litle toe, yet it striketh vp to the heart, and taketh
away the stomacke, and causeth the partie marueilously to vomite, being
able to brooke neither meat nor drinke.
The Negros hauing vsed our men with such cruelty, whose names were Nicholas
Day, William Bats, and Iohn Tomson, led them away to a towne which was
within a mile of the water side, or thereabout.
The 20 day we sent to land a boate or skiffe wherein were eight persons,
and one of them was the foresayd Iohn Tomson and our interpreter which was
a Frenchman, (for there was one of the Negros which spake good French:) and
they caried with them two harquebusses, two targets and a mantell.
The cause of sending them was to learne what ransome they demaunded for
Bats and Day whom they detained. And when they came to the shore and told
the Negros what they desired, they went and fetched them from among the
trees, and brought them loose among fortie or fiftie of them. And being
come within a stones cast of the sea side, William Bats brake from them,
and ran as fast as he could into the sea towards the boat, and he was not
so soone in the water but hee fell downe, either breath or his foote
failing him in the sand being soft: so that the Negros came and fell on him
and tooke him and haled him, that we thought they had torne him in pieces:
[Sidenote: The danger of poysoned arrowes.] for they tore againe all the
apparell from his backe, so that some of them caried our men againe to the
towne, and the rest shot at vs with their poisoned arrowes, and hurt one of
our men called Androwes in the smal of the leg, who being come aboord, (for
all that our Surgeons could do) we thought he would haue died.
Our Generall (notwithstanding all this villanie) sent agayne to them, and
offered them any thing that they desired for the raunsome of our men, but
they would not deliuer them: giuing vs this answere: That there was in the
foresayd roade, three weekes before we came, an English shippe which had
taken three of their people, and vntill we did bring or send them againe,
wee should not haue our men although wee would giue our three shippes with
their furniture.
The 21 day a French shippe of the burden of 80 tunnes (or thereabouts,)
came to the place where we were, being bound to traffique at the Cape: we
told them of the detaining of our two men by the Negros: and seeing that
these Frenchmen were very well welcome to the Negros, we wished them to see
whether they could procure them againe of the Negros, and bring them along
with them, and our Generall promised the Frenchmen 100 li. to obtaine them.
So wee committed the matter to the Frenchmen and departed.
Of our men that were hurt by the Negros arrowes, foure died, and one to
saue his life had his arme cut off. Androwes that was last of all hurt, lay
lame not able to helpe himselfe: onely two recouered of their hurts. So we
placed other men in the roomes of those that we lost, and set saile.
The 26 day between Cape Verde and Bona vista we sawe many flying fishes of
the bignesse of herrings, whereof two flew into our boat, which we towed at
our sterne.
The 28 day we fell with an Iland called Bona vista, which is from Cape
Verde 86 leagues. The Northside of the sayde Iland is full of white sandie
hils and dales, and somewhat high land.
The sayd day wee came to an anker within the Westermost point, about a
league within the point and found in our sounding faire sand in ten fadome
water, but you may go neere till you be in fiue or six fadome, for the
ground is faire.
As soone as we were at an anker, our Generall sent his pinnasse a land, and
found fiue or sixe small houses, but the people were fled into the
mountains: and the next day he sent a shore againe, and met with two
Portugals, who willingly went aboord with his men, and at their comming he
welcommed them, although they were but poore and simple, and gaue each of
them a paire of shoes, and so set them a shore againe.
The 30 day we weighed and sailed into a Bay within a small Iland about a
league from vs, and tooke plentie of diuers sortes of fishe. The foresayd
Iland lieth in sixteene degrees. And if you meane to anker in the said Bay,
you may borow in four or fiue fadome of the Southermost point of the sayd
Iland, which you may see when you ride in the road. But beware of the
middle of the Baie, for there lieth a ledge of rocks, which at lowe water
breaketh, yet there is three fadome water ouer them.
The last day of Ianuarie our Generall with certaine of his men went a shore
in the Baie to the houses, where be found 12 Portugals. In all the Iland
there were not aboue 30 persons, which were banished men for a time, some
for more yeeres, some for lesse, and amongst them there was one simple man
which was their captaine.
They liue vpon goats flesh, cocks, hennes, and fresh water: other victuals
they haue none, sauing fish, which they esteeme not, neither haue they any
boats to take them.
They reported that this Iland was giuen by the king of Portugall to one of
his gentlemen, who hath let it foorth to rent for one hundreth duckats a
yeere, which rent is reared onely in goates skinnes. For by their speaches
there hath bene sent foorth of the sayd Iland into Portugall 40000 skins in
one yeere.
We were to these men marueilously welcome, and to their powers very wel
entertained, and they gaue vs the flesh of as many hee-goates as wee would
haue, and tooke much paines for vs in taking them, and bringing them from
the mountains vpon their asses.
They haue there great store of the oyle of Tortoises, which Tortoise is a
fish which swimmeth in the Sea, with a shell on his backe as broad as a
target. It raineth not in this Iland but in three moneths of the yeere,
from the midst of Iuly to the midst of October, and it is here alwayes very
hote. Kine haue bene brought hither, but by reason of the heate and drought
they haue died.
The 3 of February wee departed from this Iland, and the same day fell with
another Iland called the Iland of Maiyo, which is 14 leagues from the other
Iland: there is in the midst of the way between these two Ilands a danger
which is alwayes to be seene.
We ankred in the Northwest side of the sayd Ile in a faire Baie of eight
fadomes water and faire sand, but here we staied not, but the fourth day
weighed and sailed to another Iland called S. Iago, which lieth off the
said Iland of Maiyo East and by South, and about fiue leagues one from the
other. Being come within the Westermost point, we saw a faire road, and a
small towne by the water side, and also a fort or platforme by it: there we
purposed to come to anker, and our marchants to make some sale. But before
we came within their shot, they let flie at vs two pieces, whereupon we
went roomer and sailed along the shore two or three leagues from the road,
where we found a small Baie and two or three small houses, where we came to
an anker in 14 fadome faire ground.
Within an houre after we had ankered we might see diuers horsemen and
footmen on the land right against vs riding and running to and fro.
The next day being the fift of Februarie, a great companie of their
horsemen and footmen appeared on the shoare side, vnto whom our Generall
sent to vnderstande whether they would quietly trafike with vs: And they
sent him worde againe, desiring that they might speake with him, promising
that if he came to trafike as a marchant he should be welcome, and also
that he should haue any thing that he or the marchant would with reason
demaund.
When this answere was brought vnto our Generall he was very glad thereof
and the whole companie, and presently (with as much speede as he could) he
caused his boates to be made readie: but doubting the villanie of the
Portugales, he armed his boates putting a double base in the head of his
pinnesse, and two single bases in the head of the Skiffe, and so sent to
the May-floure, and the George, and willed them in like sort to man their
two boates.
These boates being thus manned and well appointed, our Generall entered
into his Skiffe, and with the rest rowed to the shoare where were
threescore horsemen or more, and two hundreth footemen readie to receiue
them. Our Generall marueiled that they came in so great a number and all
armed, and therefore with a flagge of truce sent to them to knowe their
pleasure: and they answered him with many faire promises and othes, that
their pretence was all true, and that they meant like Gentlemen and
Marchantes to trafike with him, declaring also that their Captaine was
comming to speake with him, and therefore desired our Generall to come and
speake with him himselfe.
With this answere the boate returned, and then our Generall caused his
pinnesse to rowe to them, and as he came neere the shoare they came in a
great companie with much obeysance, opening their hands and armes abroade,
bowing themselues with their bonnets off, with as much humble salutations
outwardly as they might: earnestly desiring our Generall and Marchants to
come on lande to them, wherevnto he would not agree without sufficient
gages of Gentlemen and Marchants. At length they promised to sende two
gages to our Generals contentment, promising fresh water, victuall, money,
or Negroes for ware, if it were such as they liked: and therefore desired
our Generall and Marchants to sende them a shoare in writing the quantitie
of their wares, and the names of them: all which our Generall departed to
performe, looking for their answere the morrowe following. And being gone a
litle from the shoare, he caused his bases, curriers, and harquebusses to
be shot off, and our ships in like case shot off fiue or sixe pieces of
great ordinance, and so came aboord to prepare the note. The Portugales
most of them departed, sauing those that were left to watch and to receiue
the note, which about foure or five a clocke in the afternoone was sent,
and it was receiued. [Sidenote: The treason of the Portugals in S. Iago to
our men.] But all the purposes of the Portugal were villainously to betray
vs, (as shal appeare hereafter) although we meant in truth and honestie,
friendly to trafike with them.
There was to the Westward of vs and about two leagues from vs, a towne
behinde a point fast by the sea side, where they had certaine carauels, or
shippes and also two Brigandines, whereof they (with all the speede that
they might) made readie foure Carauels, and both the brigandines which were
like two Gallies, and furnished them both with men and ordinance as much at
they could carrie, and as soone as it was night, they came rowing and
falling towardes vs: so that the land being high and the weather somewhat
cloude or mystie, and they comming all the way close vnder the shoare we
could not see them till they were right against one of our ships called the
May-floure.
By this time it was about one or two of the clocke in the morning, and the
May-floure roade neerer them then the other two by a base shotte, so they
made a sure account either to haue taken her or burnt her. In the meane
time our men that had the watch (litle thinking of such villainous
treacheries after so many faire wordes) were singing and playing one with
the other and made such a noyse, that (being but a small gale of winde, and
riding neere the lande) they might heare vs from the shoare: so that we
supposed that they made account that we had espyed them, which indeede we
had not, neither had any one piece of ordinance primed, or any other thing
in a readinesse.
They came so neere vs that they were within gunshot of vs, and then one of
our men chanced to see a light, and then looking out spied the 4 ships, and
suddenly cried out, Gallies, gallies, at which crie we were all amazed, and
foorthwith they shot at vs all the great ordinance that they had, and their
harquebusses, and curriers, and so lighted certaine tronkes or pieces of
wilde fire, and all of them with one voice (as well they on the shoare as
they in the shippes) gaue a great shoute, and so continued hallowing with
great noyses, still approaching neerer and neerer vnto the May-floure. We
(with all the speede that we might) made readie one piece of ordinance and
shotte at them, which caused them somewhat to stay, so they charged their
ordinance and shot at vs freshly againe, and while they shotte this second
time at vs, we had made readie three pieces which we shot at them, but they
approched still so neere, that at last we might haue shot a sheafe arrowe
to them. Wherevpon we hauing a gale of winde off the shoare hoysed our
foresayle, and cut our cable at the hawse, and went towarde our Admirall,
and they continued following and shooting at vs, and sometime at our
Admirall, but our Admirall shotte one such piece at them, that it made them
to retire, and at length to worpe away like traiterous villaines, and
although they thus suddenly shot all their shot at vs, yet they hurt
neither man or boye of ours, but what we did to them we know not.
But seeing the villanie of these men we thought it best to stay there no
longer, but immediately set sayle towardes an Iland, called Fuego, 12
leagues from the said Iland of S. Iago. At which Island of Fuego we came to
an anker the 11 day of this moneth, against a white chappell in the West
end of the sayd Iland, within half a league of a litle towne, and with in a
league or thereabout of the vtternost point of the said Island.
In this Island is a marueilous high hill which doth burne continually, and
the inhabitants reported that about three yeeres past the whole Island was
like to be burned with the abundance of fire that came out of it.
About a league from the chappel to the Westward is a goodly spring of fresh
water, where we had as much as we would. Wheate they haue none growing
here, but a certaine seede that they call Mill, and certaine peason like
Guinie peason, which Mill maketh good breade, but they haue here good store
of rother beasts and goates. [Sidenote: Cotton in Fuego.] Their marchandize
is cotton, which groweth there.
The inhabitants are Portugals which haue commandement from the king to
trafike neither with Englishmen nor Frenchmen for victuall or any other
thing, except they be forced so to doe.
There lieth off this Iland another called Ila Braua, which is not passing
two leagues ouer, it hath good store of goates and many trees, but there
are not passing three or foure persons dwelling in it.
[Sidenote: They returne.] The 25 day of February we departed towardes the
Islands at Azores: and on the 23 day March we had sight of one of them
called Flores, and then wee might see another Island to the Northward of it
called Cueruo, lying two leagues or thereabouts off the other.
The 27 we came to an anker in Cueruo ouer against a village of about twelue
simple houses; but in the night by a gale of winde, which caused vs to
drawe our anker after vs we hoysed sayle and went to the aforesayd Island
of Flores, where we sawe strange streames of water running downe from the
high cliffes by reason of the great abundance of raine that had suddenly
fallen.
The 29 day we came againe to Cueruo and cast anker, but a storme arose and
continued seuen or eight houres together, so that we let slip a cable and
anker, and after the storme was alayed we came againe thinking to haue
recouered the same, but the Portugals had either taken it, or spoiled it:
the cable was new and neuer wet before, and both the cable and anker were
better worth then 40 li. So that we accompt our selues much beholding to
the honest Portugales.
The 18 day of April we tooke in water at the Island of Flores, and hauing
ankered our cable was fretted in sunder with a rocke and so burst, where
wee lost that cable and anker also, and so departed to our coast.
Then wee set sayle to an Islande named Faial, about the which lie three
other Islands, the one catted Pico, the other Saint George, and the other
Graciosa, which we had sight of on the eight and twentieth day.
The 29 we came to an anker in the Southwest side of Faial in a faire bay,
and 22 fadom water against a litle towne where we had both fresh water and
fresh victuall. In this Iland by the report of the inhabitants, there
groweth certaine greene woad, which by their speeches is faire better then
the woad of S. Michael or of Tercera.
The 8 day of May we came to Tercera where we met with a Portugall ship, and
being destitute of a cable and anker, our Generall caused vs to keepe her
companie, to see if she could conueniently spare vs any. The next morning
we might see bearing with vs a great shippe and two Carauels, which we
iudged to be of the king of Portugals Armada, and so they were, wherevpon
we prepared our selues for our defence. [Sidenote: A Portugall Galiasse of
400 tunnes.] The said ship was one of the kings Galliasses, about the
burden of foure hundred tunnes, with about three hundred men in her, the
shippe being well appointed with brasse pieces both great and small, and
some of them so bigge that their shot was as great as a mans head, the
other two Carauels were also very warlike and well appointed both with men
and munition.
[Sidenote: A fight betweene one English ship and 7 Portugals.] As soone as
they were within shotte of vs, they waued vs amaine with their swords, we
keeping our course, the greatest shippe shot at vs freely and the carauell
also, and we prepared our selues, and made all things cleare for our
safegard as neere as we could. Then the great shippe shot at vs all her
broad side, and her foure greatest pieces that lay in her sterne, and
therewith hurt some of our men, and we did the best we could with our shot
to requite it. At last two other Carauels came off the shoare, and two
other pinnesses full of men, and deliuered them aboord the great shippe,
and so went backe againe with two men in a piece of them. The ship and the
Carauell gave vs the first day three fights, and when the night was come
they left off shooting, yet notwithstanding kept hard by vs all the night.
In the meane time we had as much as wee could doe all the night to mende
our ropes, and to strengthen our bulwarkes, putting our trust in God, and
resoluing our selues rather to die in our defence then to bee taken by such
wretches.
The next day being the 10 of May in the morning, there were come to the
aide the said Portugals foure great Armadas or Carauels more which made
seuen, of which 4 three of them were at the least 100 tunnes a piece, the
other not so bigge, but all well appointed and full of men. All these
together came bearing with vs being in our Admirall, and one of the great
Carauels came to lay vs aboorde (as we iudged) for they had prepared their
false nettings, and all things for that purpose, so that the Gallias came
vp in our larboord side, and the Carauell in our starboord side.
Our Captaine and master perceiuing their pretence, caused our gunners to
make all our ordinance readie with crossebarres, chaineshotte and
haileshot: so the ship and Carauell came vp, and as soone as they were
right in our sides, they shotte at vs as much ordinance as they could,
thinking to haue layde vs presently aboord: whereupon we gaue them such a
heate with both our sides, that they were both glad to fall asterne of vs,
and so paused the space of two or three houres being a very small gale of
winde.
Then came vp the other fiue and shot all at vs, and so fell all asterne of
vs, and then went to counsell together.
Then our small barke named the George came to vs, and wee confered together
a great space. And as the Portugall shippes and Carauels were comming to vs
againe, our barke minding to fall asteme of vs and so to come vp againe,
fell quickly vpon the lee, and by reason of the litle winde, it was so long
before she could fill her sailes againe, that both the shippe and Carauels
were came vp to vs, and she falling in among them made reasonable shift
with them, but they got a head of her, so that she could not vs: then 5 of
the Carauels followed her, but we saw she defended her selfe against them
all.
Then came the great shippe and the Carauell to vs, and fought with vs all
that day with their ordinance.
The May-floure our other consort being very good by the winde, tooke the
benefite thereof and halde all that day close by the winde, but could not
come neere vs. So when night againe was come, they gaue ouer their fight
and followed vs all the night.
In these many fights it could not otherwise be but needes some of our men
must be slaine, (as they were indeede) and diuers hurt, and our tackle much
spoyled: yet for all this we did our best indeuour to repaire all things,
and to stand to it to the death with our assured trust in the mercie and
helpe of God.
This night the May-floure came vp to vs, and our Captaine tolde them his
harmes and spoyles, and wished them if they could spare halfe a dosen fresh
men to hoyse out their boate and sende them to him, but they could not
spare any, and so bare away againe. Which when our enemies sawe in the next
morning that we were one from another, they came vp to vs againe and gaue
vs a great fight with much hallowing and hooping, making accompt either to
boorde vs or els to sinke vs: but although our companie was but small, yet
least they should see vs any whit dismayed, when they hallowed we hallowed
also as fast as they, and waued to them to come and boorde vs if they
durst, but that they would not, seeing vs still so couragious: [Sidenote:
The 7 Portugals depart with shame from one English ship.] and hauing giuen
vs that day foure fights, at night they forsooke vs with shame, as they
came to vs at the first with pride.
They had made in our ship some leakes with their shot which we againe
stopped with al speed, and that being done, we tooke some rest after our
long labour and trouble.
The next day in the morning the May-floure came to vs, and brought vs sixe
men in her boate which did vs much pleasure, and we sent to them some of
our hurt men.
Then we directed our course for our owne countrey, and by the second day of
Iune we were neere to our owne coast and sounded being thwart the Lyzard.
The third day we had sight of a shippe which was a Portugall, who bare with
vs, and at his comming to vs (the weather being calme) our Captaine caused
him to hoyse foorth his boate to come aboord to speake with him, and at
their comming our Captaine and Marchants demanded of them what ware they
had, and whether they were bound, and they made answere that their lading
was sugar and cotton. Then our Captaine and Marchants shewed them fiue
Negroes that we had, and asked them whither they would buy them, which they
were very desirous to doe, and agreed to giue for them 40 chests of sugar,
which chests were small hauiug not aboue 26 loaues in a piece: so they with
their boate did fetch fiue of the chestes and deliuered them and went for
more, and when they had laden their boate and were come againe, we might
see bearing with vs a great ship and a small, which our Captaine supposed
to be men of warre or Rouers, [Marginal Note: A Portugall ship
(notwithstanding all their villanies) defended by our men from Rouers.] and
then willed the Portugales to carie their sugar to their ship againe,
purposing to make our selues readie for our defence. But the Portugales
earnestly intreated our Captaine not so to forsake them, and promised him
(if he would safegard them) to giue him aboue the bargain ten chests of
sugar: whereupon our Captaine was content, and the Portugall not being good
of sayle, we spared our topsayles for her; so at last the foresaid ship
bare with vs, and (seeing that we did not feare them) gaue vs ouer. And the
next morning came two others bearing with vs, and seeing vs not about to
flie a iot from them forsooke vs also.
The 5 day of Iune we had sight of the Stert, and about noone we were thwart
of the bay of Lime, and so sounded and had 35 fadom water.
The sixt day we came in at the Needles and so came to an anker vnder the
Isle of Wight at a place called Meadhole, and from thence sayled to
Southampton where we made an ende of this voyage.
* * * * *