THE WORTHY ENTERPRISE OF JOHN FOX, AN ENGLISHMAN, IN DELIVERING 266
CHRISTIANS OUT OF THE CAPTIVITY OF THE TURKS AT ALEXANDRIA, THE 3RD OF
JANUARY, 1577.
Among our merchants here in England, it is a common voyage to traffic
to Spain; whereunto a ship called the Three Half Moons, manned with
eight and thirty men, well fenced with munitions, the better to
encounter their enemies withal, and having wind and tide, set from
Portsmouth 1563, and bended her journey towards Seville, a city in
Spain, intending there to traffic with them. And falling near the
Straits, they perceived themselves to be beset round about with eight
galleys of the Turks, in such wise that there was no way for them to
fly or to escape away, but that either they must yield or else be sunk,
which the owner perceiving, manfully encouraged his company, exhorting
them valiantly to show their manhood, showing them that God was their
God, and not their enemies', requesting them also not to faint in
seeing such a heap of their enemies ready to devour them; putting them
in mind also, that if it were God's pleasure to give them into their
enemies' hands, it was not they that ought to show one displeasant look
or countenance there against; but to take it patiently, and not to
prescribe a day and time for their deliverance, as the citizens of
Bethulia did, but to put themselves under His mercy. And again, if it
were His mind and good will to show His mighty power by them, if their
enemies were ten times so many, they were not able to stand in their
hands; putting them, likewise, in mind of the old and ancient
worthiness of their countrymen, who in the hardest extremities have
always most prevailed, and gone away conquerors; yea, and where it hath
been almost impossible. "Such," quoth he, "hath been the valiantness
of our countrymen, and such hath been the mighty power of our God."
With such other like encouragements, exhorting them to behave
themselves manfully, they fell all on their knees, making their prayers
briefly unto God; who, being all risen up again, perceived their
enemies, by their signs and defiances, bent to the spoil, whose mercy
was nothing else but cruelty; whereupon every man took him to his
weapon.
Then stood up one Grove, the master, being a comely man, with his sword
and target, holding them up in defiance against his enemies. So
likewise stood up the owner, the master's mate, boatswain, purser, and
every man well appointed. Now likewise sounded up the drums, trumpets,
and flutes, which would have encouraged any man, had he never so little
heart or courage in him.
Then taketh him to his charge John Fox, the gunner, in the disposing of
his pieces, in order to the best effect, and, sending his bullets
towards the Turks, who likewise bestowed their pieces thrice as fast
towards the Christians. But shortly they drew near, so that the bowmen
fell to their charge in sending forth their arrows so thick amongst the
galleys, and also in doubling their shot so sore upon the galleys, that
there were twice so many of the Turks slain as the number of the
Christians were in all. But the Turks discharged twice as fast against
the Christians, and so long, that the ship was very sore stricken and
bruised under water; which the Turks, perceiving, made the more haste
to come aboard the ship: which, ere they could do, many a Turk bought
it dearly with the loss of their lives. Yet was all in vain; boarded
they were, where they found so hot a skirmish, that it had been better
they had not meddled with the feast; for the Englishmen showed
themselves men indeed, in working manfully with their brown bills and
halberds, where the owner, master, boatswain, and their company stood
to it so lustily, that the Turks were half dismayed. But chiefly the
boatswain showed himself valiant above the rest, for he fared amongst
the Turks like a wood lion; for there was none of them that either
could or durst stand in his face, till at last there came a shot from
the Turks which brake his whistle asunder, and smote him on the breast,
so that he fell down, bidding them farewell, and to be of good comfort,
encouraging them, likewise, to win praise by death, rather than to live
captives in misery and shame, which they, hearing, indeed, intended to
have done, as it appeared by their skirmish; but the press and store of
the Turks were so great, that they were not long able to endure, but
were so overpressed, that they could not wield their weapons, by reason
whereof they must needs be taken, which none of them intended to have
been, but rather to have died, except only the master's mate, who
shrunk from the skirmish, like a notable coward, esteeming neither the
value of his name, nor accounting of the present example of his
fellows, nor having respect to the miseries whereunto he should be put.
But in fine, so it was, that the Turks were victors, whereof they had
no great cause to rejoice or triumph. Then would it have grieved any
hard heart to see these infidels so violently entreating the
Christians, not having any respect of their manhood, which they had
tasted of, nor yet respecting their own state, how they might have met
with such a booty as might have given them the overthrow; but no
remorse hereof, or anything else doth bridle their fierce and tyrannous
dealing, but the Christians must needs to the galleys, to serve in new
offices; and they were no sooner in them, but their garments were
pulled over their ears, and torn from their backs, and they set to the
oars.
I will make no mention of their miseries, being now under their
enemies' raging stripes. I think there is no man will judge their fare
good, or their bodies unloaden of stripes, and not pestered with too
much heat, and also with too much cold; but I will go to my purpose,
which is to show the end of those being in mere misery, which
continually do call on God with a steadfast hope that He will deliver
them, and with a sure faith that He can do it.
Nigh to the city of Alexandria, being a haven town, and under the
dominion of the Turks, there is a road, being made very fencible with
strong walls, whereinto the Turks do customably bring their galleys on
shore every year, in the winter season, and there do trim them, and lay
them up against the spring-time; in which road there is a prison,
wherein the captives and such prisoners as serve in the galleys are put
for all that time, until the seas be calm and passable for the galleys,
every prisoner being most grievously laden with irons on their legs, to
their great pain, and sore disabling of them to any labour; into which
prison were these Christians put and fast warded all the winter season.
But ere it was long, the master and the owner, by means of friends,
were redeemed, the rest abiding still in the misery, while that they
were all, through reason of their ill-usage and worse fare, miserably
starved, saving one John Fox, who (as some men can abide harder and
more misery than other some can, so can some likewise make more shift,
and work more duties to help their state and living, than other some
can do) being somewhat skilful in the craft of a barber, by reason
thereof made great shift in helping his fare now and then with a good
meal. Insomuch, till at the last God sent him favour in the sight of
the keeper of the prison, so that he had leave to go in and out to the
road at his pleasure, paying a certain stipend unto the keeper, and
wearing a lock about his leg, which liberty likewise five more had upon
like sufferance, who, by reason of their long imprisonment, not being
feared or suspected to start aside, or that they would work the Turks
any mischief, had liberty to go in and out at the said road, in such
manner as this John Fox did, with irons on their legs, and to return
again at night.
In the year of our Lord 1577, in the winter season, the galleys happily
coming to their accustomed harbourage, and being discharged of all
their masts, sails, and other such furnitures as unto galleys do
appertain, and all the masters and mariners of them being then nested
in their own homes, there remained in the prison of the said road two
hundred three score and eight Christian prisoners who had been taken by
the Turks' force, and were of fifteen sundry nations. Among which
there were three Englishmen, whereof one was named John Fox, of
Woodbridge, in Suffolk, the other William Wickney, of Portsmouth, in
the county of Southampton, and the third Robert Moore, of Harwich, in
the county of Essex; which John Fox, having been thirteen or fourteen
years under their gentle entreatance, and being too weary thereof,
minding his escape, weighed with himself by what means it might be
brought to pass, and continually pondering with himself thereof, took a
good heart unto him, in the hope that God would not be always scourging
His children, and never ceasing to pray Him to further his intended
enterprise, if that it should redound to His glory.
Not far from the road, and somewhat from thence, at one side of the
city, there was a certain victualling house, which one Peter Vuticaro
had hired, paying also a certain fee unto the keeper of the road. This
Peter Vuticaro was a Spaniard born, and a Christian, and had been
prisoner above thirty years, and never practised any means to escape,
but kept himself quiet without touch or suspect of any conspiracy,
until that now this John Fox using much thither, they brake one to
another their minds, concerning the restraint of their liberty and
imprisonment. So that this John Fox, at length opening unto this
Vuticaro the device which he would fain put in practice, made privy one
more to this their intent; which three debated of this matter at such
times as they could compass to meet together, insomuch that, at seven
weeks' end they had sufficiently concluded how the matter should be, if
it pleased God to further them thereto; who, making five more privy to
this their device, whom they thought that they might safely trust,
determined in three nights after to accomplish their deliberate
purpose. Whereupon the same John Fox and Peter Vuticaro, and the other
five appointed to meet all together in the prison the next day, being
the last day of December, where this John Fox certified the rest of the
prisoners what their intent and device was, and how and when they
minded to bring that purpose to pass, who thereunto persuaded them
without much ado to further their device; which, the same John Fox
seeing, delivered unto them a sort of files, which he had gathered
together for this purpose by the means of Peter Vuticaro, charging them
that every man should be ready, discharged of his irons, by eight of
the clock on the next day at night.
On the next day at night, the said John Fox, and his five other
companions, being all come to the house of Peter Vuticaro, passing the
time away in mirth for fear of suspect till the night came on, so that
it was time for them to put in practice their device, sent Peter
Vuticaro to the master of the road, in the name of one of the masters
of the city, with whom this keeper was acquainted, and at whose request
he also would come at the first; who desired him to take the pains to
meet him there, promising him that he would bring him back again. The
keeper agreed to go with him, asking the warders not to bar the gate,
saying that he would not stay long, but would come again with all
speed.
In the mean-season, the other seven had provided them of such weapons
as they could get in that house, and John Fox took him to an old rusty
sword-blade without either hilt or pommel, which he made to serve his
turn in bending the hand end of the sword instead of a pommel, and the
other had got such spits and glaves as they found in the house.
The keeper being now come unto the house, and perceiving no light nor
hearing any noise, straightway suspected the matter; and returning
backward, John Fox, standing behind the corner of the house, stepped
forth unto him; who, perceiving it to be John Fox, said, "O Fox, what
have I deserved of thee that thou shouldest seek my death?"
"Thou villain," quoth Fox, "hast been a bloodsucker of many a
Christian's blood, and now thou shalt know what thou hast deserved at
my hands," wherewith he lift up his bright shining sword of ten years'
rust, and stroke him so main a blow, as therewithal his head clave
asunder so that he fell stark dead to the ground. Whereupon Peter
Vuticaro went in and certified the rest how the case stood with the
keeper, and they came presently forth, and some with their spits ran
him through, and the other with their glaves hewed him in sunder, cut
off his head, and mangled him so that no man should discern what he
was.
Then marched they toward the road, whereinto they entered softly, where
were five warders, whom one of them asked, saying, who was there?
Quoth Fox and his company, "All friends." Which when they were all
within proved contrary; for, quoth Fox, "My masters, here is not to
every man a man, wherefore look you, play your parts." Who so behaved
themselves indeed, that they had despatched these five quickly. Then
John Fox, intending not to be barren of his enterprise, and minding to
work surely in that which he went about, barred the gate surely, and
planted a cannon against it.
Then entered they into the jailer's lodge, where they found the keys of
the fortress and prison by his bedside, and there got they all better
weapons. In this chamber was a chest wherein was a rich treasure, and
all in ducats, which this Peter Vuticaro and two more opening, stuffed
themselves so full as they could between their shirts and their skin;
which John Fox would not once touch and said, "that it was his and
their liberty which he fought for, to the honour of his God, and not to
make a mart of the wicked treasure of the infidels." Yet did these
words sink nothing unto their stomachs; they did it for a good intent.
So did Saul save the fattest oxen to offer unto the Lord, and they to
serve their own turn. But neither did Saul scape the wrath of God
therefor, neither had these that thing which they desired so, and did
thirst after. Such is God's justice. He that they put their trust in
to deliver them from the tyrannous hands of their enemies, he, I say,
could supply their want of necessaries.
Now these eight, being armed with such weapons as they thought well of,
thinking themselves sufficient champions to encounter a stronger enemy,
and coming unto the prison, Fox opened the gates and doors thereof, and
called forth all the prisoners, whom he set, some to ramming up the
gate, some to the dressing up of a certain galley which was the best in
all the road, and was called "The Captain of Alexandria," whereinto
some carried masts, sails, oars, and other such furniture, as doth
belong unto a galley.
At the prison were certain warders whom John Fox and his company slew,
in the killing of whom there were eight more of the Turks which
perceived them, and got them to the top of the prison, unto whom John
Fox and his company were fain to come by ladders, where they found a
hot skirmish, for some of them were there slain, some wounded, and some
but scarred and not hurt. As John Fox was thrice shot through his
apparel, and not hurt, Peter Vuticaro and the other two, that had armed
them with the ducats, were slain, as not able to wield themselves,
being so pestered with the weight and uneasy carrying of the wicked and
profane treasure; and also divers Christians were as well hurt about
that skirmish as Turks slain.
Amongst the Turks was one thrust through, who (let us not say that it
was ill-fortune) fell off from the top of the prison wall, and made
such a groaning that the inhabitants thereabout (as here and there
stood a house or two), came and questioned him, so that they understood
the case, how that the prisoners were paying their ransoms; wherewith
they raised both Alexandria, which lay on the west side of the road,
and a castle which was at the city's end next to the road, and also
another fortress which lay on the north side of the road, so that now
they had no way to escape but one, which by man's reason (the two holds
lying so upon the mouth of the road) might seem impossible to be a way
for them. So was the Red Sea impossible for the Israelites to pass
through, the hills and rocks lay so on the one side, and their enemies
compassed them on the other. So was it impossible that the walls of
Jericho should fall down, being neither undermined nor yet rammed at
with engines, nor yet any man's wisdom, policy, or help, set or put
thereunto. Such impossibilities can our God make possible. He that
held the lion's jaws from rending Daniel asunder, yea, or yet from once
touching him to his hurt, cannot He hold the roaring cannons of this
hellish force? He that kept the fire's rage in the hot burning oven
from the three children that praised His name, cannot He keep the
fire's flaming blasts from among His elect?
Now is the road fraught with lusty soldiers, labourers, and mariners,
who are fain to stand to their tackling, in setting to every man his
hand, some to the carrying in of victuals, some munitions, some oars,
and some one thing some another, but most are keeping their enemy from
the wall of the road. But to be short, there was no time misspent, no
man idle, nor any man's labour ill-bestowed or in vain. So that in
short time this galley was ready trimmed up. Whereinto every man
leaped in all haste, hoisting up the sails lustily, yielding themselves
to His mercy and grace, in Whose hands is both wind and weather.
Now is this galley a-float, and out of the shelter of the road; now
have the two castles full power upon the galley; now is there no remedy
but to sink. How can it be avoided? The cannons let fly from both
sides, and the galley is even in the middest and between them both.
What man can devise to save it? There is no man but would think it
must needs be sunk.
There was not one of them that feared the shot which went thundering
round about their ears, nor yet were once scarred or touched with five
and forty shot which came from the castles. Here did God hold forth
His buckler, He shieldeth now this galley, and hath tried their faith
to the uttermost. Now cometh His special help; yea, even when man
thinks them past all help, then cometh He Himself down from Heaven with
His mighty power, then is His present remedy most ready. For they sail
away, being not once touched by the glance of a shot, and are quickly
out of the Turkish cannons' reach. Then might they see them coming
down by heaps to the water's side, in companies like unto swarms of
bees, making show to come after them with galleys, bustling themselves
to dress up the galleys, which would be a swift piece of work for them
to do, for that they had neither oars, masts, sails, nor anything else
ready in any galley. But yet they are carrying into them, some into
one galley, and some into another, so that, being such a confusion
amongst them, without any certain guide, it were a thing impossible to
overtake the Christians; beside that, there was no man that would take
charge of a galley, the weather was so rough, and there was such an
amazedness amongst them. And verily, I think their god was amazed
thereat; it could not be but that he must blush for shame, he can speak
never a word for dulness, much less can he help them in such an
extremity. Well, howsoever it is, he is very much to blame to suffer
them to receive such a gibe. But howsoever their god behaved himself,
our God showed Himself a God indeed, and that He was the only living
God; for the seas were swift under His faithful, which made the enemies
aghast to behold them; a skilfuller pilot leads them, and their
mariners bestir them lustily; but the Turks had neither mariners,
pilot, nor any skilful master, that was in readiness at this pinch.
When the Christians were safe out of the enemy's coast, John Fox called
to them all, telling them to be thankful unto Almighty God for their
delivery, and most humbly to fall down upon their knees, beseeching Him
to aid them to their friends' land, and not to bring them into another
danger, since He had most mightily delivered them from so great a
thraldom and bondage.
Thus when every man had made his petition, they fell straightway to
their labour with the oars, in helping one another when they were
wearied, and with great labour striving to come to some Christian land,
as near as they could guess by the stars. But the winds were so
contrary, one while driving them this way, another while that way, so
that they were now in a new maze, thinking that God had forsaken them
and left them to a greater danger. And forasmuch as there were no
victuals now left in the galley, it might have been a cause to them (if
they had been the Israelites), to have murmured against their God; but
they knew how that their God, who had delivered Egypt, was such a
loving and merciful God, as that He would not suffer them to be
confounded in whom He had wrought so great a wonder, but what calamity
soever they sustained, they knew it was but for their further trial,
and also (in putting them in mind of their further misery), to cause
them not to triumph and glory in themselves therefor. Having, I say,
no victuals in the galley, it might seem one misery continually to fall
upon another's neck; but to be brief the famine grew to be so great
that in twenty-eight days, wherein they were on the sea, there died
eight persons, to the astonishment of all the rest.
So it fell out that upon the twenty-ninth day after they set from
Alexandria, they fell on the isle of Candia, and landed at Gallipoli,
where they were made much of by the abbot and monks there, who caused
them to stay there while they were well refreshed and eased. They kept
there the sword wherewith John Fox had killed the keeper, esteeming it
as a most precious relic, and hung it up for a monument.
When they thought good, having leave to depart from thence, they sailed
along the coast till they arrived at Tarento, where they sold their
galley, and divided it, every man having a part thereof. The Turks on
receiving so shameful a foil at their hands, pursued the Christians,
and scoured the seas, where they could imagine that they had bent their
course. And the Christians had departed from thence on the one day in
the morning and seven galleys of the Turks came thither that night, as
it was certified by those who followed Fox and his company, fearing
lest they should have been met with. And then they came afoot to
Naples, where they departed asunder, every man taking him to his next
way home. From whence John Fox took his journey unto Rome, where he
was well entertained by an Englishman who presented his worthy deed
unto the Pope, who rewarded him liberally, and gave him letters unto
the King of Spain, where he was very well entertained of him there, who
for this his most worthy enterprise gave him in fee twenty pence a day.
From whence, being desirous to come into his own country, he came
thither at such time as he conveniently could, which was in the year of
our Lord God 1579; who being come into England went unto the Court, and
showed all his travel unto the Council, who considering of the state of
this man, in that he had spent and lost a great part of his youth in
thraldom and bondage, extended to him their liberality to help to
maintain him now in age, to their right honour and to the encouragement
of all true-hearted Christians.
THE COPY OF THE CERTIFICATE FOR JOHN FOX AND HIS COMPANY, MADE BY THE
PRIOR AND THE BRETHREN OF GALLIPOLI, WHERE THEY FIRST LANDED.
We, the Prior and Fathers of the Convent of the Amerciates, of the city
of Gallipoli, of the order of Preachers, do testify that upon the 29th
of January last past, 1577, there came into the said city a certain
galley from Alexandria, taken from the Turks, with two hundred and
fifty-eight Christians, whereof was principal Master John Fox, an
Englishman, a gunner, and one of the chiefest that did accomplish that
great work, whereby so many Christians have recovered their liberties,
in token and remembrance whereof, upon our earnest request to the same
John Fox, he has left here an old sword, wherewith he slew the keeper
of the prison, which sword we do as a monument and memorial of so
worthy a deed, hang up in the chief place of our convent house. And
for because all things aforesaid, are such as we will testify to be
true, as they are orderly passed, and have therefore good credit, that
so much as is above expressed is true, and for the more faith thereof,
we, the Prior and Fathers aforesaid, have ratified and subscribed these
presents. Given in Gallipoli, the 3rd of February, 1577.
I, Friar VINCENT BARBA, Prior of the same place, confirm the premises,
as they are above written.
I, Friar ALBERT DAMARO, of Gallipoli, sub-prior, confirm as much.
I, Friar ANTHONY CELLELER, of Galli, confirm as aforesaid.
I, Friar BARTLEMEW, of Gallipoli, confirm as above said.
I, Friar FRANCIS, of Gallipoli, confirm as much.