Pliny with other Ancient and moderne Authors They are found in divers partes of the world as in the west Indies in the South sea in the east Indian sea in the Straites of Magellane and in the Scottish Sea Those found neere the Pooles are not perfect but are of a thick colour whereas such as are found neere the line are most orient transparent the curious call it their water and the best is a cleare white shining with fierie flames And those of the east India haue the best reputation though as good are found in the west India the the choice ones are of great valew and estimation but the greatest that I haue read or heard of was found in these Ilands of Pearles the which King Phillip the second of Spaine gaue to his daughter Elizabeth wife to Albertus Arch-duke of Austria and Governour of the States of Flaunders in whose possession it remaineth and is called la Peregrina for the rarenes of it being as bigge as the pomell of a Poniard SECT LXIIII. IN this Navigation after our surrender the Generall tooke especial care for the good intreaty of vs 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 aliue the day after our surrendry The number whereof was neere fortie and many of them with eight ten or twelue wounds and some with more The thing that ought to moue vs to giue God Almighty especiall thankes and prayses was that they were cured in a manner without instruments or salues 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 serue 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 haue noted that the Spaniards in generall are nothing so curious in accommodating themselues with good and carefull Surgeans nor to fitt them with that which belongeth to their profession as other Nations are though they haue greater neede then any that I doe know At the time of our surrender I had not the Spanish tongue and so was forced to vse an interpreter or the Latine or French which holpe mâ— much for the vnderstanding of those which spake vnto me in Spanish together with a little smattering I had of the Portugall Through the noble proceeding of Don Beltran with vs and his particuler 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 vse vs so well that wee were Lutherans and for that cause the saith which was given vs was not to be kept nor performed Others that we had fought as good Souldiers and therefore dâ—served good quarter Others nicknamed vs with the name of Corsarios or Pirats not discerning thereby that they included themselues within the same imputation Some were of opinion that from Panama the Generall would send vs into Spaine Others sayd that he durst not dispose of vs 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 gaue the hearing and laid vp 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 occurrants conformable to Gods most holy will Withall I profitted my selfe of the meanes which should bee offered and beare greatest probabilitie to worke our comfort help and remedie And so as time ministred oportunitie 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 vs the cost and charges ensuing which doubtles would be such as deserued consideration and excuse besides that now whilest he was in place and power and authority in his hands to performe with vs that hee would looke into his honour and profit himselfe of the occasion and not put vs into the hands of a third person who perhaps bring more powerfull then himselfe he might be forced to pray and intreate the performance of his promise whereunto hee gaue vs the hearing and bare vs 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 Corsarlos or Pirats which I laâ—oured 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 haue conversation Alleadging that a Pirate or Corsario is he which in time of peace or truce spoyleth or â—â—bâ—eth those which haue peace or truce with them but the Engâ—ish haue neyther peace nor truce with Spaine but warre and â—herefore not to be accounted Pirats Besides Spaine broke the peace with England and not England with Spaine and that by Ymbargo which of all kinds of defiances is most reproved and of least reputation The ransoming of prysoners and that by the Cannon being more honorable but aboue 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 themselues Moreover Pirats are those who range the Seas without licence of 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 the Kingdomes of Christendome But the English haue all licence either immediately from their Prince or from others therevnto authorized and so cannot in any sence be comprehended vnder the name of Pirats for any hostility vndertaken against Spaine or the dependancies thereof And so the state standing as now it doth if in Spaine a paâ—tiâ—uler man should arme 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
Shipps being all deepe loaden began to feele the Tempest so that wee not able to lye by it neither a hull nor a try and so with an easie Sayle bare vp before the Wind with intent to put into Falmouth but God was pleased that comming within tenne leagues of Sylly the wind vered to the North-east and so we went on in our Voyage Thwart of the Flees of Bayon wee met with a small Ship of Master Waltre of London called the Elizabeth which came out of Plimouth some eyght dayes after vs of whom wee enformed our selues of some particularities and wrote certaine Letters to our Friends making Relation of what had past till that day and so tooke our farewell each of the other The like we did with a small Carvell of Plimouth which wee meet in the height of the Rocke in Portingall From thence wee directed our course to the Ilands of Madera and about the end of Iune in the sight of the Ilands we descryed a Sayle some three leagues to the East-wards and a league to Wind-ward of vs which by her manner of working and making gaue vs to vnderstand that shee was one of the Kings Frigarts For shee was long and snugg and spread a large Clewe and standing to the West-wards and weâ— to the East-wards to recover her Wake when we east about shee beganne to â—eco shete and to goe away lasking and within two glasses iâ— was plainely seene that shee went from vs and so we followed on our course and shee seeing that presently stroke her Topsayles which our Pynace perceiving and being within shot continued the Chase till I shot off a Peece and called her away which fault many runne into thinking to get thereby and sometimes loose themselues by being too bold to venture from their Fleete for it was impossible for vs being to leeward to take her or to succour our owne shee being a Ship of about two hundreth Tunnes And Pynaces to meddle with Ships is to buy Repentance at too deare a rate For their office is to wayte vpon their Fleete in calmes with their Oares to follow a Chase and in occasions to Anchor neere the shore when the greater Ships cannot without perill Aboue all to be readie and obedient at every call Yet will I not that any wrest my meaning neither say I that a Pynace or small Ship armed may not take a great Ship vnarmed for daily experience teacheth vs the contrary The Madera Ilands are two the greater called La madera and the other Porto Santo of great fertilitie and rich in Sugar Conserves Wine and sweet Wood whereof they take their name Other commodities they yeeld but these are the principall The chiefe Towne and Port is on the Souther side of the Madera well fortified they are subiect to the Kingdome of Portingall the Inhabitants and Garrison all Portingalles The third of Iuly we past along the Ilands of Canaria which haue the name of a Kingdome and containe these seaven Ilands Grand Canaria Tenerifa Palma Gomera Lancerota Forteventura and Fierro These Ilands haue abundance of Wine Sugar Conserues Orcall Pitch Iron and other Commodities and store of Cattell and Corne but that a certaine Worme called Gorgoshâ— breedeth in it which eateth out the substance leaving the huske in manner whole The head Iland where the Iustice which they call Audiencia is resident and whither all sutes haue their appealation and finall sentence is the Grand Canaria although the Tenerifa is held for the better and richer Iland and to haue the best Sugar and the Wine of the Palma is reputed for the best The Pitch of these Ilands melteth not with the Sunne and therefore is proper for the higher workes of Shipping Betwixt Forteventura and Lancerota is a goodly found fit for a meeting place for any Fleete Where is good Anchoring and aboundance of many sorts of Fish There is water to be had in most of these Ilands but with great vigilance For the naturalls of them are venturous and hardie and many times clime vp and downe the steepe Rockes and broken hills which seeme impossible which I would hardly haue beleeved had I not seene it and that with the greatest art and agilitie that may be Their Armes for the most part are Launces of nine or ten foote with a head of a foote and halfe long like vnto Boare-Speares saue that the head is somewhat more broad Two things are famous in these Ilands the Pike of Tenerifa which is the highest Land in my iudgement that I haue seene and men of credit haue told they haue seene it more then fortie leagues off It is like vnto a Sugar loafe and continually covered with Snow and placed in the middest of a goodly vallie most fertile and temperate round about it Out of which going vp the pike the colde is so great that it is insufferable and going downe to the Townes of the Iland the heate seemeth most extreame till they approach neere the coast The other is a Tree in the Iland Fierro which some write and affirme with the dropping of his leaues to giue water for the suâ—tenance of the whole Iland which I haue not seene although I haue beene on shoare on the Iland but those which haue seene it haue recounted this misterie differently to that which is written in this maner That this Tree is placed in the bottome of a Valley ever florishing with broad leaues and that round about it are a multitude of goodly high Pynes which over-top it and as it seemeth were planted by the divine providence to preserue it from Sunne and Wind. Out of this Valley ordinarily rise every day great vapours and exhalations which by reason that the Sunne is hindered to worke his operation with the height of the Mountaines towards the South-east convert themselues into moysture and so bedewe all the Trees of the Valley and from those which over-top this Tree drops downe the dewe vpon his leaues and so from his leaues into a round Well of Stone which the Naturals of the land haue made to receiue the water of which the people and cattle haue great releife but sometimes it raineth and then the Inhabitants doe reserue water for many dayes to come in their Cisterns and Tynaxes which is that they drinke of and wherewith they principally sustaine themselues The Citty of the Grand Canaria and chiefe Port is on the west side of the Iland the head Towne and Port of Tenerifa is towards the south part and the Port and Towne of the Palma and Gomera on the East side In Gomera some three Leagues south-ward from the Towne is a great River of water but all these Ilands are perilous to land in for the seege caused by the Ocean sea which alwayes is forcible and requireth great circumspection whosoever hath not vrgent cause is either to goe to the East-wards or to the west-wards of all these Ilands as well to avoyd the calmes which hinder sometimes eight or
in this Worke we saw a Shippe turning to Windwards to succour her selfe of the Ilands but having discryed vs put off to Sea-wards Two dayes after the wind changing we saw her againe running alongst the coast and the Daintie not being in case to goe after her for many reasons we manned the Fancie and sent her after her who about the setting of the Sunne â—etched her vp and spake with her when finding her to be a great Fly-boat of at least three or foure hundreth Tunnes with 18. Peeces of Artillery would haue returned but the wind freshing in put her to Leewards and standing in to succour her selfe of the land had sight of another small Barke which after a short chase shee tooke but had nothing of moment in her for that she had bin vpon the great Sholes of Abreoios in 18. degrees and there throwne all they had by the board to saue their liues This and the other chase were the cause that the Fancie could not beat it vp in many dayes but before we had put all in a readinesse the wind changing shee came vnto vs and made Relation of that which had past and how they had given the small Barke to the Portingalls and brought with them onely her Pilot and a Marchant called Pedro de escalante of Potosi SECT XXVII IN this Coast the Portingalls by industrie of the Indians haue wrought many feats At Cape Frio they tooke a great French Ship in the night the most of her company being on the shore with Cannoas which they haue in this Coast so great that they carry seventie and eightie men in one of them And in Isla grand I saw one that was aboue threescore foote long of one tree as are all that I haue seene in Brasill with provisions in them for twentie or thirtie dayes At the Iland of San-sebastian neere Saint Vincent the Indians killed about eightie of master Candish his men and tooke his Boat which was the overthrow of his Voyage There commeth not any Ship vpon this Coast whereof these Cannoas giue not notice presently to every place And wee were certified in Isla grand that they had sent an Indian from the River of Ienero through all the Mountaines and Marishes to take a view of vs and accordingly made a Relation of our Shippes Boates and the number of men which we might haue But to prevent the like danger that might come vpon vs being carelesse and negligent I determined one night in the darkest and quietest of it to see what watch our Company kept on the shore man'd our Light-horsman and Boat armed them with Bowes and Targetts and got a shore some good distance from the places where were our Boothes and sought to come vpon them vndiscovered wee vsed all our best endevours to take them at vnawares yet comming within fortie paces we were discovered the whole and the sicke came forth to oppose themselues against vs. Which wee seeing gaue them the Hubbub after the manner of the Indians and assaulted them and they vs but being a close darke night they could not discerne vs presently vpon the Hubbub From our Shippe the Gunner shott a peece of Ordinance over our heads according to the order given him and thereof we tooke occasion to retyre vnto our Boates and within a little space came to the Boothes and landing places as though wee came from our Shippes to ayde them They began to recount vnto vs how that at the wester poynt of the Iland out of certaine Cannoas had landed a multitude of Indians which with a great out-cry came vpon thâ—m and â—ssaulted them fiercely but finding better resistance then they looked for and seeing themselues discovered by the Shippes tooke themselues to their heeles and returned to their Cannoas in which they imbarked themselues and departed One affirmed he saw the Cannoas another their long hayre a third their Bowes a fourth that it could not be but that some of them had their payments And it was worth the sight to behold those which had not moved out of their beds in many Moneths vnlesse by the helpe of others gotten some a bow-shoot off into the Woods others into the toppes of Trees and those which had any strength ioyned together to fight for their liues In fine the Booths and Tents were left desolate To colour our businesse the better after we had spent some houre in seeking out and ioyning the Companie together in comforting animating and commending them I left them an extraordinary Guard for that night and so departed to our Shippes with such an opinion of the assault given by the Indians that many so possessed through all the Voyage would not be perswaded to the contrary Which impression wrought such effect in most of my Companie that in all places where the Indians might annoy vs they were after most carefull and vigilant as was convenient In these Ilands it heigheth and falleth some fiue or six foot water and but once in two and twentie houres as in all this Coast and in many parts of the West Indies as also in the coast of Perew and Chely saving where are great Bayes or indraughts and there the tydes keepe their ordinary course of twice in foure and twentie houres In the lesser of these Ilands is a Caue for a small Ship to ride in Land-lockt and shee may moore her selfe to the trees of either side this we called Palmito Iland for the aboundance it hath of the greater sort of Palmito trees the other hath none at all A man may goe betwixt the Ilands with his Ship but the better course is out at one end In these Ilands are many Scorpions Snakes and Adders with other venemous Vermine They haue Parotts and a certaine kinde of fowle like vnto Phesants somewhat bigger and seeme to be of their nature Here we spent aboue a moneth in curing of our sicke men supplying our wants of Wood and Water and in other necessary workes And the tenth of December all things put in order we set sayle for Cape Frio having onely six men sicke with purpose there to set ashore our two Prisoners before named and anchoring vnder the Cape we sent our Boat a shore but they could not finde any convenient place to land them in and so returned the Wind being Southerly and not good to goe on our voyage we succoured our selues within Isla Grand which lyeth some dozen or foureteene Leagues from the Cape betwixt the West and by South and West South-west the rather to set our Prisoners a shore In the mid way betwixt the Cape and this Iland lyeth the River Ienero a very good Harbour fortified with a Garrison and a place well peopled The Isla Grand is some eight or ten Leagues long and causeth a goodly Harbour for Shipping It is full of great sandie Bayes and in the most of them is store of good water within this Iland are many other smaller Ilands which cause divers
of ours but one small Pynace nor any man of name saue onely Captaine Cocke who dyed with honour amidst his Company The greatest dammage that as I remember they caused to any of our Shippes was to the Swallow of her Maiestie which I had in that action vnder my Charge with an Arrow of fire shott into her Beake-head which we saw not because of the sayle till it had burned a hole in the Rose as bigge as a mans head the Arrow falling out and driving alongst by the Shippes side made vs doubt of it which after we discovered SECT XL. IN many occasions notwithstanding it is most preiudiciall to dissemble the reprehension and punishment of murmurings and mutterings when they carry a likelihood to grow to a mutenie seeme to leane to a faction or that a person of regard or merite favoureth the intention or contradicteth the Iustice c. and others of like qualitie The prudent Governour is to cut off this Hydra's head in the beginning and by prevention to provide remedie with expedition and this sometimes with absolute authoritie although the best be ever to proceed by Counsell if necessitie and occasion require not the contrary for passion many times over-ruleth but that which is sentenced and executed by consent is iustified although sometimes erronious March 29. 1594. SECT XLI FRom Cape Desire some foure leagues North-west lye foure Ilands which are very small and the middlemost of them is oâ— the fashion of a Sugar-loafe We were no sooner cleare of Cape Desire and his ledge of Rockes which lie a great way off into the Sea but the wind tooke vs contrary by the North-west and so we stood off into the Sea two dayes and two nights to the Westwards In all the Straites it ebbeth and floweth more or lesse and in many places it higheth very little water but in some Bayes where are great indraughts it higheth eight or ten foote and doubtlesse further in more If a man be furnished with wood and water and the winde good he may keepe the mayne Sea and goe round about the Straites to the Southwards and it is the shorter way for besides the experience which we made that all the South part of the Straites is but Ilands many times having the Sea open I remember that Sir Francis Drake told me that having short the Straites a storme tooke him first at North-west and after vered about to the South-west which continued with him many dayes with that extremitie that he could not open any Sayle and that at the end of the storme he found himselfe in fiftie degrees which was sufficient testimony and proofe that he was beaten round about the Straites for the least height of the Straites is in fiftie two degrees and fiftie minutes in which stand the two entrances or mouths And moreover he sayd that standing about when the winde changed he was not well able to double the Southermost Iland and so anchored vnder the lee of it and going a-shore carried a Compasse with him and seeking out the Southermost part of the Iland cast himselfe downe vpon the vttermost poynt groveling and so reached out his bodie over it Presently he imbarked and then recounted vnto his people that he had beene vpon the Southermost knowne land in the world and more â—urther to the Southwards vpon it then any of them yea or any man as yet knowne These testimonies may suffice for this truth vnto all but such as are incredulous will beleeue nothing but what they see for my part I am of opinion that the Straite is navigable all the yeare long although the best time be in November December and Ianuary and then the winds more favourable which other times are variable as â—n all narrow Seas Being some fiftie leagues a Sea-boord the Straites the winde vering to the West-wards we cast about to the North-wards and lying the coast along shaped our course for the Iland Mocha About the fifteenth of Aprill we were thwart of Baldivia which was then in the hands of the Spaniards but since the Indians in Anno 1599. dispossessed them of it and the Conception which are two of the most principall places they had in that Kingdome and both Ports Baldivia had its name of a Spanish Captaine so called whom afterwards the Indians tooke Prisoner and it is said they required of him the reason why he came to molest them and to take their Country from them having no title nor right therevnto he answered to get Gold which the barbarous vnderstanding caused Gold to be molten and powred downe his throat saying Gold was thy desire glut thee with it It standeth in fortie degrees hath a pleasant River and navigable for a Ship of good burden may goe as high vp as the Cittie and is a goodly wood Country Here our Beefe beganne to take end and was then as good as the day wee departed from England it was preserved in Pickell which though it be more chargeable yet the profit payeth the charge in that it is made durable contrary to the opinion of many which hold it impossible that Beefe should be kept good passing the Equinoctiall lyne And of our Porke I eate in the house of Don Beltran de Castro in Lyma neere foure yeares old very good preserved after the same manner notwithstanding it had lost his Pickle long before Some degrees before a man come to Baldivia to the South-wards as Spaniards haue told me lyeth the Iland Chule not easily to be discerned from the mayne for he that passeth by it cannot but thinke it to be the mayne It is said to be inhabited by the Spaniards but badly yet rich of gold The 19. of Aprill being Easter-euen we anchored vnder the Iland Mocha It lyeth in 39. degrees it may be some foure leagues over and is a high mountainous hill but round about the foote thereof some halfe league from the Sea-shore it is Champion ground well inhabited and manured From the Straites to this Iland we found that either the coast is set out more westerly then it is or that we had a great current which put vs to the west-wards for we had not sight of land in three dayes after Our reckoning was to see it but for that we coasted not the land I cannot determine whether it was caused by the current or lying of the land But Spaniards which haue sayled alongst it haue told me that it is a bold and safe coast and reasonable sounding of it In this Iland of Mocha we had communication and contratation with the inhabitants but with great vigilancie and care for they and all the people of Chily are mortall enemies to the Spaniards and held vs to be of them and so esteemed Sir Francis Drake when he was in this Iland which was the first land also that he touched on this coast They vsed him with so fine a trechery that they possessed themselues of all the Oares in his Boate saving two and
ten dayes sayling as the contagion which their distemperature is wont to cause and with it to breede Calenturas which wee call burning Fevers These Ilands are sayd to be first discovered by a French-man called Iohn de Betancourt about the yeare 1405. They are now a Kingdome subiect to Spaine SECT XIII BEing cleare of the Ilands wee directed our course for Cape Blauce and two howres before Sunne set we had sight of a Carvell some League in the winde of vs which seemed to come from Gynea or the Ilands of Cape de Verde and for that hee which had the sery-watch neglected to look out being too lee-ward of the Ilands and so out of hope of sight of any shipp for the little trade and contrariety of the winde that though a man will from few places hee can recover the Ilands comming from the south-wards wee had the winde of her and perhaps the possession also whereof men of Warre are to haue particular care for in an houre and place vnlookt for many times chance accidents contrary to the ordinary course and custome and to haue younkers in the top continually is most convenient and necessary not onely for descrying of sayles and land but also for any sudden gust or occasion that may be offered Seeing my selfe past hope of returning backe without some extraordinary accident I began to set order in my Companie and victuals And for thaâ— to the south-wards of the Canaries is for the most part an idle Navigation I devised to keepe my people occupied as well to continue them in health for that too much case in hott Countries is neither profitable nor healthfull as also to divert them from remembrance of their home and from play which breedeth many inconveniences and other bad thoughts and workes which idlenes is cause of and so shifting my company as the custome is into Starboord and Larboord men the halfe to watch and worke whilest the others slept and take rest I limited the three dayes of the weeke which appertayned to each to be imployed in this manner the one for the vse and clensing of their Armes the other for roomeging making of Sayles Nettings Decking and Defences for our Shippes and the third for clensing their bodies mending and making their apparell and necessaries which though it came to be practised but once in seaven dayes for that the Sabboth is ever to be reserved for God alone with the ordinary Obligation which each person had besides was many times of force to be omitted And thus wee entertained our time with a fayre Wind and in few dayes had sight of the Land of Barbary some dozen Leagues to the Northwards of Cape Blacke Before we came to the Cape wee tooke in our Sayles and made preparation of Hookes and Lines to Fish For in all that Coast is great abundance of sundry kinds of Fish but especially of Porgus which wee call Breames many Portingalls and Spaniards goe yearely thither to fish as our Country-men to the New-found-land and within Cape Blacke haue good Harbour for reasonable shipping where they dry their Fish paying a certaine easie tribute to the Kings Collector In two houres wee tooke store of Fish for that day and the next but longer it would not keepe good and with this refreshing set Sayle againe and directed our course betwixt the Ilands of Cape de Verd and the Maine These Ilands are held to be scituate in one of the most vnhealthiest Climates of the world and therefore it is wisedome to shunne the sight of them how much more to make abode in them In two times that I haue beene in them either cost vs the one halfe of our people with Fevers and Fluxes of sundry kinds some shaking some burning some partaking of both some possest with frensie others with sloath and in one of them it cost me six moneths sicknesse with no small hazard of life which I attribute to the distemperature of the ayre for being within foureteene degrees of the Equinoctiall lyne the Sunne hath great force all the yeare and the more for that often they passe two three and foure yeares without rayne and many times the earth burneth in that manner as a man well shodd cannot endure to goe where the Sunne shineth With which extreame heate the bodie fatigated greedily desireth refreshing and longeth the comming of the Breze which is the North-east winde that seldome fayleth in the after-noone at foure of the clocke or sooner which comming cold and fresh and finding the poores of the body open and for the most part naked penetrateth the very bones and so causeth sudden distemperature and sundry manners of sicknesse as the Subiects are divers wherevpon they worke Departing out of the Calmes of the Ilands and comming into the fresh Brese it causeth the like and I haue seene within two dayes after that we haue partaked of the fresh ayre of two thousand men aboue a hundreth and fiftie haue beene crazed in their health The Inhabitants of these Ilands vse a remedie for this which at my first being amongst them seemed vnto me ridiculous but since time and experience hath taught to be grounded vpon reason And is that vpon their heads they weare a Night-capp vpon it a Moutero and a Hat over that and on their bodies a sute of thicke Cloth and vpon it a Gowne furr'd or lyned with Cotton or Bayes to defend them from the heate in that manner as the Inhabitants oâ— cold Countries to guard themselues from the extreamitie of the colde Which doubtlesse is the best diligence that any man can vse and whosoever prooveth it shall find himselfe lesse annoyed with the heate then if he were thinly Cloathed for that where the cold ayre commeth it peirceth not so subtilly The Mâ—one also in this Climate as in the coast of Guyne and in all hott Countries hath forcible operation in the body of man and therefore as the Plannet most preiudiciall to his health is to be shunned as also not to sleepe in the open Ayre or with any Scuttle or Window open whereby the one or the other may enter to hurt For a person of credit told me that one night in a river of Guyne leaving his Window open in the side of his Cabin the Moone shining vpon his shoulder left him with such an extraordinary paine and furious burning in it as in aboue twentie houres he was like to runne madde but in fine with force of Medicines and cures after long torment he was eased Some I haue heard say and others write that there is a Starre which never seperateth it selfe from the Moone but a small distance which is of all Starres the most beneficiall to man For where this Starre entreth with the Moone it maketh voyde her hurtfull enfluence and where not it is most perilous Which if it be so is a notable secret of the divine Providence and a speciall cause amongst infinite others to moue vs to
as big as Wal-nuts but round and smooth and grow in great clusters the trees in forme are all one and the meate in the nut better but they haue no water Another kinde of great Cocos groweth in the Andes of Peru which haue not the delicate meate nor drinke which the others haue but within are full of Almonds which are placed as the graines in the Pomegrannet being three times bigger then those of Europe and are much like them in tast In these Ilands are Cyvet-Cats which are also found in parts of Asia and Afrique esteemed for the Civet they yeelde and carry about them in a cod in their hinder parts which is taken from them by force In them also are store of Monkies and the best proportioned that I haue seene and Parrots but of colour different to those of the west Indies for they are of a russet or gray colour and great speakers SECT XIIII WIth a faire and large winde we continued our course till we came within fiue degrees of the Equinoctiall lyne where the winde tooke vs contrary by the Southwest about the twentie of Iulie but a fayre gale of wind and a smooth Sea so that wee might beare all a taunt and to advantage our selues what wee might wee stoode to the East-wards being able to lye South-east and by South The next day about nine of the Clocke my companie being gathered together to serue God which wee accustomed to doe every morning and evening it seemed vnto me that the coulour of the Sea was different to that of the daies past and which is ordinarily where is deepe water and so calling the Captaine and Master of my Ship I told them that to my seeming the water was become very whitish and that it made shewe of Sholde water Wherevnto they made answere that all the lynes in our Shippes could not fetch ground for wee could not be lesse then threescore and tenne Leagues off the Coast which all that kept reckoning in the Ship agreed vpon and my selfe was of the same opinion And so wee applyed our selues to serue God but all the time that the service endured my heart could not be at rest and still me thought the water began to waxe whiter and whiter Our prayers ended I commanded a lead and a lyne to be brought and having the lead in foureteene fathoms wee had ground which put vs all into a maze and sending men into the toppe presently discovered the land of Guynne some fiue Leagues from vs very low Land I commanded a Peece to be shott and lay by the lee till my other Shippes came vp Which hayling vs wee demanded of them how farre they found themselues off the Land who answered some threescore and tenne or fourescore Leagues when wee told them wee had sounded and found but foureteene Fathomes and that we were in sight of Land they began to wonder But having consulted what was best to be done I caused my Shalop to be manned which I towed at the Sterne of my Ship continually and sent her and my Pynace a head to sound and followed them with an easie Sayle till we came in seaven and six fathome Water and some two Leagues from the shore anchored in hope by the Sea or by the Land to find some refreshing The Sea we found to be barren of Fish and my Boates could not discover any landing place though a whole day they had rowed alongst the Coast with great desire to set foote on shore for that the sedge was exceeding great and dangerous Which experienced wee set sayle notwithstanding the contrarietie of the winde sometimes standing to the West-wards sometime to the East-wards according to the shifting of the wind SECT XV. HEre is to be noted that the error which we fell into in our accompts was such as all men fall into where are currants that set East or West and are not knowne for that there is no certaine rule yet practised for triall of the longitude as there is of the latitude though some curious and experimented of our Nation with whom I haue had conference about this poynt haue shewed me two or three manner of wayes how to know it This some yeares before was the losse of the Edward Cotton bound for the Coast of Brasill which taken with the winde contrary neere the lyne standing to the East-wards and making accompt to be fiftie or sixtie Leagues off the Coast with all her Sayles standing came suddenly a ground vpon the sholes of Madrebombat and so was cast away though the most part of their company saved themselues vpon Raffes But with the contagion of the Countrie and bad entreatie which the Negros gaue them they died so that there returned not to their Country aboue three or â—oure of them But God Almightie dealt more mercifully with vs in shewing vs our error in the day and in time that wee might remedie it to him be evermore glory for all This currant from the line Equinoctiall to twentie degrees Northerly hath grâ—at force and setteth next of any thing East directly vpon the shore which we found by this meanes Standing to the Westwards the wind Southerly when we lay with our Ships head West and by South we gayned in our heith more then if wee had made our way good west south-west for that the currant tooke vs vnder the bow but lying west or west and by north we lost more in twelue houres then the other way we could get in foure and twentie By which plainly we saw that the currant did set East next of any thing Whether this currant runneth ever one way or doth alter and how we could by no meanes vnderstand but tract of time and observation will discover this as it hath done of many others in sundry Seas The currant that setteth betwixt New-found-land and Spaine runneth also East and West and long time deceived many and made some to count the way longer and others shorter according as the passage was speedie or slowe not knowing that the furtherance or hinderance of the currant was cause of the speeding or slowing of the way And in sea Cardes I haue seene difference of aboue thirtie Leagues betwixt the Iland Tercera and the Mayne And others haue recounted vnto me that comming from the India's and looking out for the Ilands of Azores they haue had sight of Spaine And some haue looked out for Spaine and haue discovered the Ilands The selfe same currant is in the Levant Sea but runneth trade betwixt the Maynes and changeable sometimes to the East-wards sometimes to the West-wards In Brasill and the South Sea the currant likewise is changeable but it runneth ever alongst the Coast accompanying the winde and it is an infallible rule that twelue or twentie foure houres before the Wind alters the currant begins to change In the West Indies onely the currant runneth continually one way and setteth alongst the Coast from the Equinoctiall lyne towards the North. No man hath
night from the sight of the Compasse and haue another before them whereby they see what they doe and are ever witnesses of the good or bad Steeridge of all men that take the Helme This I haue seene neglected in our best Shippes yet nothing more necessary to be reformed For a good Helme-man may be overcome with an imagination and so mis-take one poynt for another or the Compasse may erre which by another is discerned The inconveniences which hereof may ensue all experimented Sea-men may easily conceiue and by vs take warning to avoyd the like SECT XXIIII THe next day about tenne of the Clocke wee were thwart of Cape Blanco which is low sandie Land and perilous for foure Leagues into the Sea thwart it lye banks of sand which haue little water on them on a sudden we found our selues amongst them in lesse then three fathome water but with our Boat and Shalope we went sounding and so got cleare of them The next day following we discovered the Ilands where wee purposed to refresh our selues They are two and some call them Saint Iames his Ilands and others Saint Annes They lie in two and twentie degrees and a halfe to the South-wards of the lyne and towards the evening being the fifth of November we anchored betwixt them and the Mayne in six fathome water where wee found our other Shippes All which being well Moored we presently began to set vp Tents and Booths for our sicke men to carry them a shore and to vse our best diligence to cure them For which intent our three Surgeans with their servants and adherents had two Boates to wayte continually vpon them to fetch whatsoever was needfull from the Shippes to procure refreshing and to Fish either with Netts or Hookes and Lynes Of these implements wee had in aboundance and it yeelded vs some refreshing For the first dayes the most of those which had health occupied themselues in romeging our Ship in bringing a shore of emptie Caske in filling of them and in felling and cutting of Wood which being many workes and few hands went slowly forwards Neere these Ilands are two great Rockes or small Ilands adioyning In them we found great store of young Gannetts in their nests which we reserved for the sicke and being boyled with pickled Porke well watered and mingled with Oatmeale made reasonable Pottage and was good refreshing and sustenance for them This provision fayled vs not till our departure from them Vpon one of these Rocks also we found great store of the hearbe Purslane which boyled and made into Sallets with oyle and vineger refreshed the sicke stomackes and gaue appetite With the ayre of the shore and good cherishing many recovered speedily Some died away quickly and others continued at a stand We found here some store of fruits a kind of Cherry that groweth vpon a tree like a Plum-tree red of colour with a stone in it but different in making to ours for it is not altogether round and dented about they haue a pleasing taste In one of the Ilands we found Palmito trees great and high and in the toppe a certaine fruit like Cocos but no bigger then a Wallnut We found also a fruit growing vpon trees in codds like Beanes both in the codd and the fruit Some of my Company proved of them and they caused vomits and purging as any medicine taken out of the Apothecaries shop according to the quantitie received They haue hudds as our Beanes which shaled off the kernell parteth it selfe in two and in the middle is a thin skinne like that of an Onion said to be hurtfull and to cause exceeding vomits and therefore to be cast away Monardus writing of the nature and propertie of this fruit as of others of the Indies for that it is found in other parts also calleth them Havas purgativas and sayth that they are to be prepared by peeling them first and then taking away the skinne in the middle and after beaten into powder to take the quantitie of fiue or sixe either with Wine or Sugar Thus they are good against Fevers and to purge grosse humors against the Collicke and payne of the ioynts in taking them a man may not sleepe but is to vse the dyet vsuall as in a day of purging One other fruit we found very pleasant in taste in fashion of an Artechoque but lesse on the outside of colour redd within white and compassed about with prickles our people called them Prick-peares no Conserue is better They grow vpon the leaues of a certaine roote that is like vnto that which we call semper viva and many are wont to hang them vp in their houses but their leaues are longer and narrower and full of Prickes on either side The fruit groweth vpon the side of the leafe and is one of the best fruites that I haue eaten in the Indies In ripening presently the Birds or Vermine are feeding on them a generall rule to know what fruit is wholsome and good in the Indies and other parts Finding them to be eaten of the Beasts or Fowles a man may boldly eate of them The water of these Ilands is not good the one for being a standing water and full of venemous Wormes and Serpents which is neare a Butt-shot from the Sea shore where we found a great Tree fallen and in the roote of it the names of sundry Portingalls Frenchmen and others and amongst them Abraham Cockes with the time of their being in this Island The other though a running water yet passing by the rootes of certaine trees which haue a smell as that of Garlique taketh a certaine contagious sent of them Here two of our men dyed with swelling of their bellies The accident we could not attribute to any other cause then to this suspitious water It is little and falleth into the sand and soketh through it into the Sea and therefore we made a well of a Pipe and placed it vnder the rocke from which it falleth and out of it filled our Caske but we could not fill aboue two Tunnes in a night and a day SECT XXV SO after our people began to gather their strength wee manned our Boates and went over to the Mayne where presently we found a great Ryver of fresh and sweete water and a mightie Marish Countrie which in the Winter seemeth to be continually over-flowne with this River and others which fall from the mountaynous Country adiacent We rowed some leagues vp the Ryver and found that the further vp we went the deeper was the River but no fruit more then she sweate of our bodies for the labour of our handes At our returne wee loaded our Boate with Water and afterwardes from hence wee made our Store SECT XXVI THe sicknesse having wasted more then the one halfe of my people we determined to take out the victualls of the Hawke and to burne her which wee put in execution And being occupied
never suspected that any thing could make them forsake vs So we much lamented them The storme ceasing and being out of all hope we set sayle and went on our course During this storme certaine great fowles as big as Swannes soared aboue vs and the winde calming setled themselues in the Sea and fed vpon the sweepings of our Ship which I perceiving and desirous to see of them because they seemed farre greater then in truth they were I caused a hooke and lyne to be brought me and with a peece of a Pilchard I bayted the hook a foot from it tyed a peece of corke that it might not sinke deepe and threw it into the Sea which our ship driving with the Sea in a little time was a good space from vs and one of the Fowles being hungry presently seized vpon it and the hooke in his vpper beake It is like to a Faulcons bill but that the poynt is more crooked in that maner as by no meanes he could cleare himselfe except that the lyne brake or the hooke righted Plucking him towards the ship with the waving of his wings he eased the waight of his body and being brought to the sterne of our ship two of our Company went downe by the Ladder of the poope and seized on his necke and wings but such were the blowes he gaue them with his Pinnions as both left their hand-fast being beaten blacke and blew we cast a snare about his necke and so tryced him into the Ship By the same manner of Fishing we caught so many of them as refreshed and recreated all my people for that day Their bodies were great but of little flesh and tender in taste answerable to the food whereon they feed They were of two colours some white some gray they had three ioynts in each wing and from the poynt of one wing to the poynt of the other both stretched out was aboue two fathomes The wind continued good with vs till we came to 49. degrees and 30. minuts where it tooke vs Westerly being as we made our accompt some fiftie leagues from the shore Betwixt 49. and 48. degrees is Port Saint Iulian a good Harbour and in which a man may graue his Ship though shee draw fifteene or sixteene foote water But care is to be had of the people called Pentagones They are treacherous and of great stature so the most giue them the name of Gyants The second of February about nine of the Clocke in the morning we discryed land which bare South-west of vs which wee looked not for so timely and comming neerer and neerer vnto it by the lying wee could not coniecture what land it should be for we were next of any thing in 48. degrees and no Platt nor Sea-card which we had made mention of any land which lay in that manner neere about that height In fine wee brought our Lar-bord tacke aboord and stood to the North-east-wardes all that day and night and the Winde continuing Westerly and a fayre gale wee continued our course alongst the coast the day and night following In which time wee made accompt we discovered well neere three-score leagues off the coast It is bold and made small shew of dangers The land is a goodly Champion Country and peopled we saw many fires but could not come to speake with the people for the time of the yeare was farre spent to shoot the Straites and the want of our Pynace disabled vs for finding a Port or Roade not being discretion with a ship of charge and in an vnknowne coast to come neere the shore before it was sounded which were causes together with the change of the winde good for vs to passe the Straite that hindered the further discovery of this Land with its secrets This I haue sorrowed for many times since for that it had likelihood to be an excellent Countrie It hath great Rivers of fresh waters for the out-shoot of them colours the Sea in many places as we ran alongst it It is not mountaynous but much of the disposition of England and as temperate The things we noted principally on the coast are these following the westermost poynt of the land with which we first fell is the end of the land to the West-wardes as we found afterwards If a man bring this poynt South-west it riseth in three mounts or round hillockes bringing it more Westerly they shoot themselues all into one and bringing it Easterly it riseth in two hillocks This we called poynâ— Tremountaine Some twelue or foureteene leagues from this poynt to the East-wardes fayre by the shore lyeth a low flat Iland of some two leagues long we named it Fayre Iland â—or it was all over as greene and smooth as any Meddow in the spring of the yeare Some three or foure leagues Easterly from this Iland is a goodly opening as of a great River or an arme of the Sea with a goodly low Countrie adiacent And eight or tenne leagues from this opening some three leagues from the shore lyeth a bigge Rocke which at the first wee had thought to be a Shippe vnder all her Sayles but after as we came neere it discovered it selfe to be a Rocke which we called Condite-head for that howsoever a man commeth with it it is like to the Condite heads about the Cittie of London All this coast so farre as wee discovered lyeth next of any thing East and by North and West and by South The land for that it was discovered in the raigne of Queene Elizabeth my soveraigne Lady and Mistris and a maiden Queene and at my cost and adventure in a perpetuall memory of her chastitie and remembrance of my endevours I gaue it the name of HAVVKINS maiden-land Before a man fall with this land some twentie or thirtie leagues he shall meete with bedds of Oreweed driving to and fro in that Sea with white flowers growing vpon them and sometimes farther off which is a good show and signe the land is neere whereof the Westermost part lyeth some threescore leagues from the neerest land of America With our fayre and large Winde we shaped our course for the Straites and the tenth of February we had sight of land and it was the head land of the Straites to the North-wards which agreed with our height wherein we found our selues to be which was in thirtie two degrees and fortie minutes Within a few houres we had the mouth of the Straites open which lyeth in 52. degrees and 50. minuts It riseth like the North foreland in Kent and is much like the land of Margates It is not good to borrow neere the shore but to giue it a fayre birth within a few houres we entred the mouth of the Straites which is some six leagues broad and lyeth in 52. degrees and 50. minutes doubling the poynt on the Star-board which is also flat of a good birth we opened a fayre Bay in which
reach is foure or fiue leagues broad and in it are many channells or openings into the Sea for all the land on the Souther part of the Straites are Ilands and broken land and from the beginning of this reach to the end of the Straites high mountaynous land on both sides in most parts covered with snow all the yeare long Betwixt the Iland Elizabeth and the Mayne is the narrowest passage of all the Straites it may be some two Musket shott from side to side From this Straite to Elizabeth bay is some foure leagues and the course lyeth North-west and by west This bay is all sandie and cleane ground on the Easter part but before you come at it there lyeth a poynt of the shore a good byrth off which is dangerous And in this reach as in many parts of the Straites runneth a quicke and forcible tyde In the Bay it higheth eight or nine foote water The Norther part of the Bay hath foule ground and rocks vnder water and therefore it is not wholsome borrowing of the mayne One of master Thomas Candish his Pynaces as I haue beene enformed came a-ground vpon one of them and he was in hazard to haue left her there From Elizabeth Bay to the River of Ieronimo is some fiue leagues The course lyeth West and by North and West Here the Wind scanted and forced vs to seeke a place to anchor in Our Boates going alongst the shore found a reasonable Harbour which is right against that which they call River Ieronimo but it is another channell by which a man may disemboake the Straite as by the other which is accustomed for with a storme which tooke vs one night suddenly we were forced into that opening vnwittingly but in the morning seeing our error and the wind larging with two or three bourds wee turned out into the old channell not daring for want of our Pynace to attempt any new discoverie This Harbour we called Blanches Bay for that it was found by William Blanch one of our Masters mates Here having moored our shippe we began to make our provision of wood and water whereof was plentie in this Bay and in all other places from Pengwin Ilands till within a dozen leagues of the mouth of the Straites Now finding our Deckes open with the long lying vnder the lyne and on the coast of Brasill the Sunne having beene in our Zenith many times we calked our ship within bourd and without aboue the Decks And such was the diligence we vsed that at foure dayes end we had aboue threescore Pipes of water and twentie Boats of wood stowed in our Ship no man was idle nor otherwise busied but in necessary workes some in felling and cleaving of wood some in carrying of water some in romaging some in washing others in baking one in heating of pitch another in gathering of Mussells no man was exempted but knew at evening wherevnto he was to betake himselfe the morning following Some man might aske me how we came to haue so many emptie Caske in lesse then two moneths for it seeemeth much that so few men in such short time and in so long a Voyage should waste so much Whereto I answere that it came not of excessiue expence for in health we never exceeded our ordinary but of a mischance which befell vs vnknowne in the Iland of Saint Iames or Saint Anne in the coast of Brasill where we refreshed our selues and according to the custome layd our Caske a shore to trimme it and after to fill it the place being commodious for vs. But with the water a certaine worme called Broma by the Spaniard and by vs Arters entred also which eat it so full of holes that all the water soaked out and made much of our Caske of small vse This we remedied the best wee could and discovered it long before we came to this place Hereof let others take warning in no place to haue Caske on the shore where it may be avoyded for it is one of the provisions which are with greatest care to be preserved in long Voyages and hardest to be supplyed These Arters or Broma in all hot Countries enter into the plankes of Shippes and especially where are Rivers of fresh water for the common opinion is that they are bred in fresh water and with the current of the Rivers are brought into the Sea but experience teacheth that they breed in the great Seas in all hott Clymates especially neere the Equinoctiall lyne for lying so long vnder and neere the lyne and towing a Shalop at our sterne cōming to clense her in Brasil we found her all vnder water covered with these wormes as bigge as the little finger of a man on the outside of the planke not fully covered but halfe the thicknes of their bodie like to a gelly wrought into the planke as with a Gowdge And naturall reason in my iudgement confirmeth this for creatures bread and nourished in the Sea comming into fresh water die as those actually bred in Ponds or fresh Rivers die presently if they come into Salt water But some man may say this fayleth in some Fishes and Beasts Which I must confesse to be true but these eyther are part terrestryall and part aquatile as the Mare-maide Sea-horse and other of that kind or haue their breeding in the fresh and growth or continuall nourishment in the Salt water as the Salmond and others of that kinde In little time if the Shippe be not sheathed they put all in hazzard for they enter in no bigger then a small Spanish Needle and by little and little their holes become ordinarily greater then a mans finger The thicker the planke is the greater he groweth yea I haue seene many Shippes so eaten that the most of their plankes vnder water haue beene like honey combes and especially those betwixt wind and water If they had not beene sheathed it had bin impossible that they could haue swomme The entring of them is hardly to be discerned the most of them being small as the head of a Pinne Which all such as purpose long Voyages are to prevent by sheathing their Shippes And for that I haue seene divers manners of sheathing for the ignorant I will set them downe which by experience I haue found best In Spaine and Portingall some sheath their Shippes with Lead which besides the cost and waight although they vse the thinnest sheet-lead that I haue seene in any place yet it is nothing durable but subiect to many casualties Another manner is vsed with double plankes as thicke without as within after the manner of furring which is little better then that with Lead for besides his waight it dureth little because the worme in small time passeth through the one and the other A third manner of sheathing hath beene vsed amongst some with fine Canvas which is of small continuance and so not to be regarded The fourth prevention which now is most
traversing and mounting yea greater security of the Artillery and consequently of the ship For the longer the peece is the greater is the retention of the fire and so the torment and danger of the peece the greater But here will be contradiction by many that dare avouch that longer peeces are to be preferred for that they burne their powder better and carrie the shott further and so necessarily of better execution whereas the short Artillery many times spends much of their powder without burning and workes thereby the slenderer effect To which I answere that for Land service Fortes or Castles the long peeces are to bee preferred but for shipping the shorter are much more serviceable And the powder in them being such as it ought will be all fiered long before the shott can come forth and to reach farre in fights at sea is to little effect For hee that purposeth to annoy his Enemie must not shoote at randome nor at point blanke if hee purpose to accomplish with his devoire nether must he spend his shott nor powdâ—r but where a pot-gun may reach his contrary how much the neerer so much the better and this duely executed the short Artillery will worke its effect as well as the long otherwise neither short nor long are of much importance but here my meaning is noâ— to approue the overshort peeces devised by some persons which at every shott they make daunce out of their cariages but those of indifferent length and which keepe the meane betwixt seaven and eight foote SECT XLVII THe entertainement wee gaue vnto our contraries being otherwise then was expected they fell off ranged a head having broken in peeces all our gallerie and presently they cast about vpon vs and being able to keepe vs company with their fighting sayles lay a weather of vs ordinarily within Musket shott playing continually with them and their great Artillerie which we endured and answered as we could Our Pinnace engaged her selfe so farre as that before shee could come vnto vs the Vice-admirall had like to cut her off and comming to lay vs aboord and to enter her men the Vice-admirall boorded with her so that some of our company entred our ship over her bow-sprit as they themselues reported We were not a little comforted with the fight of our people in safetie within our shippe for in all wee were but threescore and fifteene men and boyes when we began to fight and our Enemies thirteene hundred men and boyes little more or lesse and those of the choise of Peru. SECT LVIII HEere it shall not be out of the way to discourse a little of the Spanish Discipline and manner of their governement in generall which is in many things different to ours In this expedition came two Generals the one Don Beltran de Castro who had the absolute authoritie and commaund The other Michael Angell Filipon a man well in yeares and came to this preferment by his long and painefull service who though he had the title of Generall by sea I thinke it was rather of courtesie then by Pattent and for that hee had beene many yeares Generall of the south Sea for the carriage and waâ—tage of the silver from Lyma to Panama Hee seemed to bee an assistant to supply that with his counsell advice and experience whereof Don Beltran had never made tryall for hee commanded not absolutely but with the confirmation of Don Beltran for the Spaniards neuer giue absolute authoritie to more then one A custome that hath beene and is approoued in all Empires Kingdomes Common-wealthes and Armies rightly disciplined the mixture hath been seldome seene to prosper as will manifestly appeare if we consider the issue of all actions and iourneys committed to the government of two or more generally The famous victory of Hanniball against the Romane Consuls Paulus Emillius and Terrentius Varro was attributed to their equality of government The vnhappie ouerthrow giuen by the Turke Amurate to the Christian Princes in the Iourney of Nicapolis is held to haue proceeded from the difference betwixt the Heads euery one leaning to his owne opinion The ouerthrow in recouerie of the Holy land vndertaken by King Richard of England and King Philip of France sprang from the like differences and dissentions The victory of the Emperour Charles the fifth against the Protestant Princes of Germanie is imputed to their distractures arising from parity in command If we looke into our owne actions committed to the charge of two Generals thâ— effects and fruits which they haue brought forth for the most part will be found to be little better yea most of them through emulation envie and pride overthrowne and brought to nought though to couer their confusions there haue neuer beene wanting cloakes and colours The most approoved writers reprooue and call it a monster with two heads and not without reason For if the Monarchy be generally approoued for strongest soundest and most perfect and most sufficient to sustaine it selfe And the Democracie and Aristocracie vtterly reprooued as weake feeble and subiect to innovations and infirmities it cannot be but errour confusion and imperfection to differ or dissent from it For where the supreame government is divided betwixt two or more the Authoritie is diminished and so looseth his true force as a fagget of stickes whose bond being broken the entire strength is easily dissolued but all vnder correction The Spaniards in their Armadoes by Sea imitate the discipline order and officers which are in an Army by land and divide themselues into three bodies to wit Souldiers Marriners and Gunners Their Souldiers ward and watch and their officers in every Shippe round as if they were on the shoare this is the only taske they vndergoe except cleaning their Armes wherein they are not ouer curious The Gunners are exempted from all labour and care except about the Artillery And these are either Almaynes Flemmings or strangers for the Spaniards are but indifferently practised in this Art The Marriners are but as slaues to the reâ—t to moyle and to toyle day and night and those but few and bad and not suffered to sleepe or harbour themselues vnder the deckes For in faire or fowle weather in stormes sunne or raine they must passe voyde of couert or succour There is ordinarily in every shippe of Warre a Captaine whose charge is as that of our Masters with vs and alâ—o a Captaine of the Souldiers who commandeth the Captaine of the Shippe the Souldiers Gunners and Marriners in her yea though there be diuers Captaines with their companies in one shippe which is vsuall amongst them yet one hath the supreme authoritie and the residue are at his ordering and disposing They haue their Mastros de Campo Seargeant Master Generall or Captaine of the Artillery with their Assere Maior and all other officers as in a Campe. If they come to fight with another Armado they order themselues as in a
better acquainted and experimented in those Seas that her Maiestie and their Lordships might be the better served His modestie and discretion is doubtlesse to be had in remembrance and great estimation For the ambition of many which covet the command of Fleetes and places of government not knowing their Compasse nor how nor what to command doe purchase to themselues shame and losse to those that employ them Being required in a Commander at Sea a sharpe wit a good vnderstanding experience in shipping practise in mannagement of Sea busines knowledge in Navigation and in command I hold it much better to deserue it and not to haue it then to haue it not deserving it SECT IV. THe fruits and inconveniences of the latter we daily partake of to our losse and dishonor As in the Fleete that went for Burdieux Anno 1592. which had six Gallant Ships for Wasters At their going out of Plimouth the Vice-admirall that should haue beene starnmost of all was the headmost and the Admirall the light and he that did execute the office of the Vice-admirall lanching off into the Sea drew after him the greater part of the Fleete and night comming on and both bearing lights caused a separation so that the head had a quarter of the bodie and the Fleete three quarters and he that should goe before came behinde Whereof ensued that the three parts meeting with a few Spanish Men of Warre wanting their head were a prey vnto them For the Vice-admirall and other Wasters that should be the Shepheards to guard and keepe their flocke and to carry them in safetie before them were headmost and they the Men who made most hast to flie from the Wolfe Whereas if they had done as they ought in place of losse and infamie they had gained honor and reward This I haue beene enformed of by the Spanish and English which were present in the occasion And a ship of mine being one of the Starnmost freed her selfe for that shee was in warlike manner with her false Netting many Pendents and Streamers and at least 16. or 18. Peeces of Artillery the enemie thinking her to be a Waster or Ship of warre not one of them durst lay her aboord and this the Master and company vaunted of at their returne In the same Voyage in the river of Burdieux as is credibly reported if the six Wasters had kept together they had not onely not received domage but gotten much Honour and Reputation For the Admirall of the Spanish Armado was a Flemish Shippe of not aboue 130. Tunnes and the rest Flie-boates and small shipping for the most part And although they were 22. Sayle in all what manner of Ships they were and how furnished and appoynted is well knowne with the difference In the Fleete of her Maiestie vnder the charge of my Father Sir Iohn Hawkins Anno 1590. vpon the coast of Spaine the Vice-admirall being a head one morning where his place was to be a Sterne lost vs the taking of eight men of Warre loaden with Munition Victuals and Provisions for the supplie of the Souldiers in Britaine and although they were seaven or eight Leagues from the Shore when our Vice-admirall began to fight with them yet for that the rest of our Fleete were some foure some fiue Leagues and some more distant from them when we beganne to giue chase the Spaniards recovered into the Harbour of Monge before our Admirall could come vp to giue direction yet well beaten with losse of aboue two hundreth men as they themselues conâ—essed to me after And doubtlesse if the winde had not over-blowne and that to follow them I was forced to shut all my lower ports the ship I vndertooke doubtles had never endured to come to the Port but being doubble Fli-boates and all good of Sayle they bare for their liues and we what we could to follow and fetch them vp In this poynt at the I le of Flores Sir Richard Greenfield got eternall honour and reputation of great valour and of an experimented Souldier chusing rather to sacrifice his life and to passe all danger whatsoeuer then to sayle in his Obligation by gathering together those which had remained a shore in that place though with the hazard of his ship and companie And rather we ought to imbrace an honourable death then to liue with infamie and dishonour by fayling in dutie and I account that he and his Country got much honor in that occasion for one ship and of the second sort of her Maiesties sustained the force of all the Fleete of Spaine and gaue them to vnderstand that they be impregnible for having bought deerely the boording of her divers and sundry times and with many ioyntly and with a continuall fight of 14. or 16. houres at length leaving her without any Mast standing and like a Logge in the Seas shee made notwithstanding a most honourable composition of life and libertie for aboue two hundreth and sixtie men as by the Pay-booke appeareth which her Maiestie of her free grace commanded in recompence of their service to be given to every one his six moneths wages All which may worthily be written in our Chronicles in letters of Gold in memory for all Posterities some to beware and others by their example in the like occasions to imitate the true valour of our Nation in these Ages In point of Providence which Captaine Vavisor in the foresight gaue also good proofe of his valour in casting about vpon the whole Fleete notwithstanding the greatnesse and multitude of the Spanish Armadâ— to yeeld that succour which he was able Although some doe say and I consent with them that the besâ— valour is to obey and to follow the head seeme that good or bad which is commanded For God himselfe telleth vs that obedience is better then sacrifice Yet in some occasions where there is difficultie or impossibilitie to know what is commanded many times it is great discretion and obligation iudiciously to take hold of the occasion to yeeld succour to his associats without putting himselfe in manifest dangâ—râ— But to our Voyage SECT V. BEing cleare of the race of Portland the Wind began to suffle with fogge and misling rayne and forced vs to a short sayle which continued with vs three dayes the Wind never vering one poynt nor the fogge suffering vs to see the Coast. The third day in the fogge we met with a Barke of Dartmouth which came from Rochell and demanding of them if they had made any land answered that they had onely seene the Edie stone that morning which lyeth thwart of the sound of Plimouth and that Dartmouth as they thought bare off vs North North-east which seemed strange vnto vs for we made account that wee were thwart of Exmouth within two houres after the Weather beganne to cleare vp and we found our selues thwart of the Berry and might see the small Barke bearing into Torbay having over-shot her port which error
often happeneth to those that make the land in foggie weather and vse not good diligence by sound by lying off the land and other circumstances to search the truth and is cause of the losse of many a Ship and the sweete liues of multitudes of men That evening we anchored in the range of Dartmouth till the floud was spent and the ebbe come wee â—et Sayle againe And the next morning early being the 26. of Aprill wee harboured our selues in Plimouth My Ship at an Anchor and I ashore I presently dispatched a messenger to London to advise my Father Sir Iohn Hawkins what had past which not onely to him but to all others that vnderstood what it was seemed strange That the wind contrary and the weather such as it had beene wee could be able to gaine Plimouth But doubtlesse the Daintie was a very good Sea ship and excellent by the winde which with the neap streames and our diligence to benefit our selues of all advantages made sezible that which almost was not to be beleeved And in this occasion I found by experience that one of the principall parts required in a Mariner that frequenteth our coastes of England is to cast his Tydes and to know how they set from poynt to poynt with the difference of those in the Channell from those of the shore SECT VI. NOw presently I began to prepare for my Dispatch and to hasten my Departure and finding that my Ship which I expected from the Straites came not and that shee was to goe to London to discharge and vncertaine how long shee might stay I resolved to take another of mine owne in her place though lesser called the Hawke onely for a Victualler purposing in the coast of Brasill or in the Straites to take out her men and Victualls and to cast her off SECT VII WIth my continuall travell the helpe of my good friends and excessiue charge which none can easily beleeue but those which haue prooved it towardes the end of May I was readie to set sayle with my three Ships drawne out into the sound and began to gather my Company aboord The 28. of May as I remember began a storme of winde Westerly the two lesser shippes presently harboured themselues and I gaue order to the master of the Daintie called Hugh Cornish one of the most sufficientest men of his coate to bring her also into Catt-water which he laboured to doe but being neere the mouth of the harbour and doubting least the Anchor being weighed the Ship might cast the contrary way and so run on some perill entertained himselfe a while in laying out a warpe and in the meane time the wind freshing and the ship riding by one Anchor brake the flooke of it and so forced them to let fall another by which and by the warpe they had layd out they rydd The storme was such as being within hearing of those vpon the shore we were not able by any meanes to send them succour and the second day of the storme desiring much to goe aboord there ioyned with me Captaine William Anthony Captaine Iohn Ellis and master Henry Courton in a Light-Horsman which I had all men exercised in charge and of valour and sufficiencie and from their youth bred vp in businesse of the Sea which notwithstanding and that wee laboured what we could for the space of two houres against waues and wind we could finde no possibilitie to accomplish our desire which seene we went aboord the other Shippes and put them in the best securitie wee could thus busied we might see come driving by vs the mayne Mast of the Daintie which made me to feare the worst and so hasted a-shore to satisfie my longing And comming vpon Catt-downe wee might see the Ship heaue and sett which manifestly shewed the losse of the Mast onely which was well imployed for it saved the ship men and goods For had shee driven a ships length more shee had no doubt beene cast away and the men in that place could not chuse but run into danger Comming to my house to shift me for that we were all wett to the skinne I had not well changed my Clothes when a servant of mine who was in the Pynace at my comming ashore enters almost out of breath with newes that shee was beating vpon the Rockes which though I knew to be remedilesse I put my selfe in place where I might see her and in a little time after shee sunke downe right These losses and mischances troubled and grieved but nothing daunted me for common experience taught me that all honourable Enterprises are accompanied with difficulties and daungers Si fortuna me tormenta Esperanca me contenta Of hard beginnings many times come prosperous and happie events And although a well-willing friend wisely foretold me them to be presages of future bad successe and so disswaded me what lay in him with effectuall reasons from my Pretence yet the hazard of my credite and danger of disreputation to take in hand that which I should not prosecute by all meanes possible was more powerfull to cause me to goe forwardes then his graue good counsell to make me desist And so the storme ceasing I beganne to get in the Daintie to Mast her a-new and to recover the Fancy my Pynace which with the helpe and furtherance of my Wines Father who supplyed all my wants together with my credit which I thanke God was vnspotted in ten dayes put all in his former estate or better And so once againe in Gods name I brought my Shippes out into the found the Wind being Easterly and beganne to take my lâ—aue of my friends and of my dearest friend my second â—elfe whose vnfeyned teares had wrought me vnto irresolution and sent some other in my roome had I not considered that he that is in the Daunce must needs daunce on though he doe but hopp except he will be a laughing stocke to all the lookers on So remembring that many had their eyes set vpon me with diverse affections as alsâ— the hope of good successe my intention being honest and good I shut the doore to all impediments and mine eare to all contrary counsell and gaue place to voluntary banishment from all that I loued and esteemed in this life with hope thereby better to serue my God my Prince and Countrie then to encrease my Tallent any way And so began to gather my companie aboord which occupied my good friends and the Iustices of the Towne two dayes and forced vs to search all Lodgings Tavernes and Ale-houses For some would ever be taking their leaue and never depart some drinke themselues so drunke that except they were carried aboord they of themselues were not able to goe one steppe others knowing the necessitie of the time fayned themselues sicke others to be indebted to their Hostes and forced me to ransome them one his Chest another his Sword another his Shirts another his Carde and Instruments for Sea And