NOt vntruly nor without cause , said Iob the faithful seruant of God ( whome the sacred Scriptures tell vs , to haue dwelt in the lande of Hus ) that man beeing borne of a woman , liuing a short time , ●s replenished with many miseries , which some knowe by reading of histories , many by the viewe of others calamities , and I by experience in my selfe , as this present Treatise insuing shall shew .

It is not vnknowne vnto many that I I. H. pouder-maker was borne at Bourne , a Towne in Lincolnshire , from my age of twelue yeeres brought vp in Redriffe neere London ; with M. Frauncis Lee , who was the Queenes Maiesties powder-maker , whome I serued , vntill I was prest to goe on the voiage to the West Indies , with the Right worshipful Sir Iohn Haukins , who appointed mee to be one of the Gunners in her Maiesties shippe called the Iesus of Libbicke , who set saile from Plimmouth in the moneth of October 1567. hauing with him an other shippe of her Maiesties , called the Minion , and foure shippes of his owne namely , the Angell , the Swallow , the Iudith , and the William and Iohn . He directed his Vizeadmirall , that if foule weather did separate them , to meete at the Iland of Tennerif . After which by the space of seuen daies and seuen nights , we had such storms at Sea , that we lost our long boates and a pinnisse , with some men comming to the Tennerif : there our Generall heard that his vizeadmirall with the Swallow , and the William and Iohn , were at the Iland called the Gomero , where finding his vizeadmirall hee ancored , tooke in fresh water and set saile for Cape Blanke , where in the way we tooke a Portugall Caruill , laden with fish called Mullets : from thence to Cape de Verde . In our course thither we met a Frenchman of Rochell called Captaine Bland , who had taken a Portugall Caruill , whome our vizeadmirall chafed and tooke . Sir Frauncis Drake was made Master and Captaine of the Caruill , and so weekept our way till wee came to Cape de Verde , and there we ancored , tooke our boates , and set soldiers on shore . Our Generall was the first that leapt on land , & with him Captain Dudley there we tooke certain Negros , but not without damage to our selues for our General , Captaine Dudley , and eight other of our company were hurt with poysoned arrowes , about nine daies after the eight that were wounded died . Our Generall was taught by a Negro , to draw the poyson out of his wound with a cloue of garlicke , whereby he was cured . From thence we went to Surroleon , where be monstrous fishes called Sharkes , which wil deuoure men , I amongst others was sent in the Angell with two pinnaces into the riuer called the Calouses , that were there trading with the Negros , we tooke one of them with the Negroes , & brought them away . In this riuer in the night time we had one of our pinnaces bulged by a sea-horse , so that our men swimming about the riuer , were all taken into the other pinnaces , except two that tooke holde one of another , and were carried awaie by the sea horse , who hath the iust proportion of a horse , sauing that his legs be short , his teeth verie great and a span in length , he vseth on the night to go on land into the woodes , seeking at vnawares to deuour the Negros in their cabbins , whom they by their vigilancie preuent , and kill them in this manner . The Negros keepe watch , and diligently attend their comming , and when they are gone into the woodes , they forthwith laie a great tree ouerthwart the waie , so that at their returne , for that their legs be so short , they cannot go ouer it : then the Negroes set vppon them with their bowes , arrowes and darts , and so destroy them .

From thence we entered the riuer called the Causterus , where there were other Caruelles trading with the Negros , and them we tooke . In this Iland betwixt the riuer and the maine , Trees grow with their rootes vpwards , and Oisters vpon them . There grow Palmita trees , which be as high as a ships maine mast , & on their tops grow nuts , wine and oyle , which they call Palmita wine and Palmita oyle . The Plantine trees also grow in that countrie , the tree is as big as a mans thigh , and as high as a firre pole , the leaues thereof be long & broade , and on the top grow the fruit which is called Plantaines , they are crooked and a cubite long , and as big as a mans wrist , they grow on clusters : when they be ripe they be verie good and daintie to eate , Suger is not more delicate in tast than they be . In this land bee Elyphants , which the Negros kill in this manner : they seke out their hants where they rest in the night , which is against a tree , that they saw three partes in sunder , so that when the Elephant leaneth and stretch himselfe against it , the tree falleth , & he with it , then he roareth , wherby the Negros know he is fallen , then they come vpon him and kill him .

From thence with the Angell , the Iudith and the pinnaces , wee failed to Surreleon , where our Generall at that time was , who with the Captaines and souldiers went vp into the riuer called the Faggarine , to take a towne of the Negroes , where he found three kings of that Countrie with fiftie thousand Negroes beseeging the same towne , which they could not take in many yeeres before that they had warred with it . Our Generall made a breach , entered , and valiantlie tooke the towne , wherein were founde fiue Portugals , which yeelded themselues to his mercie , and hee saued their liues , we tooke and carried thence for trafficke of the West Indies fiue hundred Negroes . The three kings droue seuen thousand Negros into the sea at low water , at the point of the land , where they were all drowned in the oze , for that they could not take their canowes to saue themselues . Wee retourued backe againe in our pinnaces to the shippes , and there tooke in fresh water , and made readie sayle towards Reogrande . At our comming thether we entred with the Angel , the Iudith , and the two pinnasses , we found there seuen Portugall Caruils , which made great fight with vs . In the end by Gods helpe wee won the victory , and droue them to the shore , from whence with the Negroes they fled , we fetcht the caruils from the shore into the riuer . The next morning sir Frances Drake with his Caruell , the Swallow , the William and Iohn came into the riuer , with Captaine Dudley and his soldiers , who landed being but a hundred souldiers , and fought with seauen thousande Negroes , burned the towne , and returned to our Generall with the losse of one man .

In that place there be many muske cats , which breed in hollow trees , the Negroes take them in a net and put them in a cage , and nourish them verie daintily , & take the muske from them with a spoone .

Heere by the way died Captaine Dudley .

In sayling towards the Indies , the first land that wee escried , was the Iland called Domineco , where at our comming we ancored , tooke in fresh water and wood for our prouision , which done , we sayled towardes the Iland called Margarita , where our Generall in despite of the Spanyardes ancored , landed , and tooke in fresh victuals . A mile off the Iland there is a rocke in the sea , wherein do breede many fowles , like vnto Barnacles , in the night wee went out in our boates , and with cudgels wee killed many of them , and wee brought them with many of their egges abord with vs , their egges be as bigge as Turkies egges , and speckled like them , wee did eate them , and found them very good meat .

From thence wee sayled to Burborata , which is in the maine lande of the West Indies , there we came in , mored our shippes , and tarryed two moneths trimming and dressing our shippes , and in the meane time trading with certaine Spanyards of that cuntry . There our Generall sent vs vnto a Towne called Placentia , ( which stood on a high hil ) to haue intreated a Bishop that dwelt there for his fauour and frendship in their lawes , who hearing of our comming , for feare forsoke the Towne , wherevpon one of our companie made these English verses following .

In our way vp the hill to Placentia , wee found a monstrous venemous worme , with two heads , his bodie was as bigge as a mans arme , and a yard long ▪ our maister Robert Barret did cutte him in sunder with his swoord , and it made it as blacke as if it were coloured with ynke .

Heere bee many Tygers , monstrous and furious beasts , which by subtletie deuoure and destroy many men , they vse the traded waies , and will shewe themselues twise or thrise to the trauellers , and so depart secretly , lurking till they be past , then sodainly and at vnawares they leape vpon them and deuoure them , they had so vsed two of our companie , had not one of them looked behind . Our Generall sent three ships vnto the Iland called Corussa , to make prouision for the rest where they remained vntill his comming . Hee sent from thence the Angell and the Iudith to Riuer de hache , where we ancored before the towne . The Spanyards shot three peeces at vs from the shore , whome we requited with two of ours , and shotte through the Gouernors house , we wayed ancor , & ancored againe without shot of the towne , where we rid fiue daies in despite of the Spanyards , and their shot . In the meane space there came a Caruil of aduise from S. Domingo whom with the Angell , and the Iudith we chased and droue to the shore , we fetcht him from thence spite of 200 Spanyards hargabush shot , and ancored again before the towne , and rid there with him , till our Generals comming , who ancored , landed his men , and valiantly tooke the Towne , with the losse of one man , whose name was Thomas Surgeon , wee landed and planted on the shore for our safties our field ordinance , wee droue the Spanyards vp into the country aboue two leagues , wherby they were inforced to trade with our Generall , to whom he sold most part of his Negros .

In this riuer we killed a monstrous Alagarta in this port at Sunne set : seuen of vs went in the pinnice vp into the Riuer , carrying with vs a dogge , vnto whom with rope yarne wee bound a great hooke of steele , with a chaine that had a swiuel , which wee put vnder the dogs belly , the point of the hooke comming ouer his back fast bound , as aforesaid , we put him ouer bord , & vered out our rope by little & little , rowing away with our boate , the Alagarta came and presently swallowed vp the dogge , then did we rowe hard , till we had choked him , hee plunged and made a wonderfull sturre in the water , we leapt on shore , and haled him on lande : he was 23 foote by the rule , headed like a hogge , in bodie like a serpent , full of scales as broad as a sawcer , his taile long and full of knots , as bigge as a fawcon shotte , he hath foure legges , his feete haue long nailes like vnto a dragon , we opened him , tooke out his guttes , flead him , dried his skinne , & stuffed it with strawe , meaning to haue brought it home , had not the shippe been cast away . This monster wil carrie away and deuoure both man and horse .

Nowe to S. Amart , where wee landed , traded , and solde certaine Negros : there two of our companie killed a monstrous adder , going towards his caue with a cunnie in his mouth , his bodie was as bigge as anie mans thigh , and seuen foot long , vpon his tayle he had sixteene knottes , euerie one as bigge as a great walnut , which they say , do shew his age : his colour was green and yellowe , they opened him and found two cunnies in his bellie .

From thence to Cartagene , where we went in , mored our ships , and would haue traded with them , but they durst not for feare of the king , we brought vp the Minnion against the Castell , and shotte at the Castell and Towne : these we landed in an Iland , where were many gardens , there in a caue we found certain Buttesios of wine , which wee brought away with vs , in recompence whereof our Generall commaunded to bee set on shore woollen and linnen cloth to the value thereof . From hence by foule weather wee were forced to seeke the port of S. Iohn de Lowe : in our way , thwart of Campeche , wee met with a Spanyard , a small ship , who was bound for Santa Domingo , he had in him a Spanyard , called Augustine de villa noua , that was he that betrayed all the Noble men in the Indies , & caused them to be beheaded , wherefore he with two Friers with him fled to S. Domingo , them wee tooke and brought with vs into the port of S. Iohn de Low. Our Generall made a great account of him , and vsed him like a Noble man , in the ende he was one of them that betrayed vs , when we had mored our shippes , and landed , we mounted the ordinance that wee found there in the Iland , and for our safeties kept watch and ward . Two daies after wee discouered the Spanish fleete , wherof Lushon a Spanyard was Generall , with him came a Spanyard , called Don Martin Henerico , whom the king of Spaine sent to bee his vize-king of the Indies . He sent a pinnice with a flagge of truce vnto our Generall , to know of what Countrie those ships were that rode there in the King of Spaines port , who sayd they were the Q. of Englandes ships , which came in there for victuals for their mony , for the which if your Generall will come in here , he shall giue me victualles and all other necessaries , and I will go out on the one side of the port , and he shall come in on the other side . The Spaniard returned for answere , that he was a vize king , & had a thousand men , and therefore he would come in . Our Generall sayd , if he bee a vize king , I represent my Queenes person , & I am a vize king as well as he , and if he haue a thousand men , my pouder and shot will take the better place . Then the vize king after counsell among themselues , yeelded to our Generals demaund , swearing by his King and his Crowne , by his commission and authoritie , that hee had from his King , that he would performe it , and therevpon pledges were giuen on both parts . Our Generall bearing a godly and Christian mind , voide of fraud and deceite , iudged the Spanyards to haue done the like , deliuered to them six Gentlemen , not doubting to haue receiued the like from them , but the faithlesse Spanyardes , in costly apparell gaue of the basest of their companie , as afterwardes it was well knowne . These things finished , proclamation was made on both sides , that on payne of death no occasion should be giuen , whereby any quarrel should growe to the breach of the league , and then they peaceably entered the port , with great triumph on both sides .

The Spanyards presently brought a great Hulke , a ship of nine hundred , and mored her by the side of the Minion , and they cut out ports in their other shippes , planting their ordenance towards vs , in the night they filled the Hulke with men , to lay the Minion aboord , as the sequel did shew , which made our General doutfull of their dealinges , wherefore , for that hee could speake the Spanish toong , hee sent Robert Barret aboord the vize-king , to knowe his meaning in those dealings , who willed him with his company to come in to him , whome he commaunded presently to bee sette in the bilbowes , and foorthwith a Cornet ( for a watchword among the false Spanyards ) was sounded for the enterprising of their pretended treason against our Generall , whome Augustine de villa noua sitting at dinner with him , should then presently haue killed with a poynado which hee had priuily in his sleeue , which was espyed and preuented by one Iohn Chamberlaine , who tooke the poynado out of his sleeue . Our Generall hastily rose vp , and commaunded him to bee put prisoner in the Steward roome , and to bee kept with two men . The faithlesse Spanyards , thinking all things to their desire had beene finished , sodainely sounded a Trumpet , and therewith three hundred Spanyards entred the Minion , whereat our Generall with a lowde and fierce voyce called vnto vs , saying , God and Saint George , vpon those trayterous villaines , and rescue the Minnion , I trust in God the day shall bee ours , and with that the Marriners and soldiers leapt out of th Iesus of Libbicke into the Minnion , and beate out the Spanyardes , and with a shotte out of her fiered the Spanyards vize-admirall , where the most part of three hundred Spanyardes were spoyled , and blowne ouer boord with powder . Their Admiral also was on fier half an houre , wee cutte our cables , wound off our shippes , and presently fought with them , they came vpon vs on euery side , and continued the fight from tenne of the clocke vntill it was night , they kylled all our men that were on shore in the Iland , sauing three , which by swimming got aboord the Iesus of Libicke . They sunke the Generals ship called the Angell , and tooke the Swallow , the Spanyards admiral had aboue threescore shot through her , many of his men were spoyled , foure other of their shippes were sunke , there were in that fleete , and that came from the shore to rescue them , fifteene hundred we slew of them , fiue hundred and fortie , as wee were credebly infourmed by a note that came to Mexico . In this fight the Iesus of Libicke had fiue shot through her maine mast , her fore-mast was stroke in sunder vnder the hounds with a chaine shot , and her hull was wonderfully pearced with shot , therfore it was vnpossible to bring hir awaie . They set two of their own ships on fire , intending therwith to haue burnt the Iesus of Libbicke , which wee preuented by cutting our cables in the halfe , and winding off by our sternefast . The Minion was forced to set saile & stand off from vs , and come to an ancor without shot of the Iland . Our Generall couragiously cheered vp his soldiers and Gunners , and called to Samuel his page for a cup of Beere , who brought it him in a siluer cup , and he drinking to al his men willed the Gunners to stand by their ordenance lustily like men . He had no sooner set the cup out of his hand , but a demy Culuerine shot stroke away the cup & a Coopers plaine that stood by the maine mast , & ran out on the other side of the ship , which nothing dismaied our Generall , for hee ceased not to incourage vs , saying , feare nothing , for God who hath preserued mee from this shot , will also deliuer vs from these traytors and villaines . Then captaine Bland meaning to haue turned out of the port , had his main mast stroke ouer bord with a chainshot that came from the shore , wherefore hee ancored , fired his ship , tooke his pinnice with all his men , and came aboord the Iesus of Libbicke to our Generall , who saide vnto him , that hee thought he would not haue runne away from him : hee aunswered , that he was not minded to haue runne awaye from him , but his intente was to haue turned vp , and to haue laide the wethermost shippe of the Spanish fleet aboord , and fyred his shippe in hope therewith to haue set on fire the Spanish fleet , he said if he had done so hee had done well . With this night came on . Our Generall commaunded the Minnion , for safegard of her masts to be brought vnder the Iesus of Libbicks lee : hee willed Sir Francis Drake to come in with the Iudith , and to lay the Minion abord , to take in men and other thinges needfull , and to goe out , and so he did .

At night when the wind came off the shore , wee set sayle , and went out in despite of the Spanyardes and their shot , where wee ancored , with two ancors vnder the Iland , the wind being northerly , which was wonderfull daungerous , and we feared euerie houre to be driuen with the lee shore . In the ende the wind came larger , we wayed ancor , and set sayle , seeking the riuer of Pannico for water , whereof we had very little , and victuals were so scarse , that we were driuen to eat hides , cats , rats , parrats , munkies , and dogges , wherefore our Generall was forced to diuide his company into two partes , for there was a mutenie among them for want of victuals , and some saide that they had rather bee on the shore to shift for themselues amongst the enemies , then to sterue on shippe-boord . Hee asked them who would goe on shore , and who would tarrie on shippe-boord , those that would goe on shore , he willed to goe on foremast , and those that would tarrie , on baft mast : fourescore and sixteene of vs were willing to departe . Our Generall gaue vnto euery one of vs six yardes of roane cloth , and money to them that demaundedit . When we were landed , he came vnto vs , where frendly imbracing euery one of vs , he was greatly greeued that he was forced to leaue vs behind him , he counselled vs to serue God , and to loue one another , and thus courteously he gaue vs a sorrowful farewell , & promised if God sent him safe home , he would do what hee could , that so many of vs as liued shuld by some means be brought into England , and so he did .

Since my returne into England I haue heard , that many misliked that he left vs so behind him , & broght away Negros , the reason is this , for them he might haue had victuals , or any other thing needfull , if by fowle weather he had beene driuen vpon the Ilands , which for gold nor siluer he could not haue had .

And thus our Generall parted to his ships , and wee remained on lande , where for oursafeties , fearing the wild Indians that were about vs , we kept watch all night , and at sunne rising wee marched on our waye , three and three in a ranke , vntill that wee came into a fielde vnder agroue , where the Indians came vppon vs , asking vs what people we were , and how we came there . Two of our companie , namely Anthonie Goddard , and Iohn Cornish , for that they could speake the Spanish toong , went to them , and sayde we were Englishmen , that neuer came in that countrie before , and that we had fought with the Spanyards , and for that wee lacked victuals , our Generall sette vs on shore , they asked vs whither we intended to goe , wee saide , to Pannico . The Captaine of the Indians wylled vs to giue vnto them some of our clothes and shirtes , which wee did : then hee bad vs giue them all , but wee would not so doe , whererevpon Iohn Cornish was then slaine with an arrowe , which an Indian boy that stoode by the Captaine shotte at him , wherefore hee strooke the boy on the necke with his bowe , that he laye for deade , and willed vs to follow him , who brought vs into a great fielde , where wee found fresh water , hee bad vs sitte downe about the pond and drinke , and hee with his company would goe in the meane space to kill fiue or sixe deere , and bring them to vs . We tarryed there vntill three of the clocke , but they came not : there one of our company whose name was Iohn Cooke , with four other departed from vs into a groue to seeke reliefe , where presently they were taken by the Indians , and stript as naked as euer they were borne , and so returned to vs .

Then we diuided our selues into two parts , halfe to Anthony Goddard , and the rest to Iames Collier , and thus seuerally we sought for Pannico . Anthony Goddard with his company , bid vs farewell , they passed a riuer , where the Indians robbed many of them of their clothes , & so passing on their way , came to a stony hill , where they staied . Iames Collyer with his company , that day passed the same riuer , and were also robbed , and one of them slaine by chance , we came that night vnto the hill , where Anthony Goddard and his company rested , there we remained till morning , & then wee marched altogether from thence , entering betwixt two groues , where the Indians robbed vs of all our clothes , & left vs naked , they hurt many , and killed eight of vs . Three daies after we came to another riuer there the Indians shewed vs the way to Pannico , and so left vs : we passed the riuer into the wildernes , where we made wreaths of greene grasse , which wee wound about our bodies , to keepe vs from the sunne , & gnats of that country . Wee trauelled there seuen daies , and seuen nights , before we came to Pannico , feeding on nothing but roots , and Guiauos , a fruite like figges . At our comming to the riuer of Pannico , two Spanish horsemen came ouer vnto vs in a Canowe , they asked vs how long we had beene in the wildernes , & where our Generall was , for they knewe vs to be of the company that had fought with their countrymen : we told them seuen daies and seuen nights , and for lacke of victuals our Generall set vs on shore , and he was gone away with his shippes . They returned to their Gouernour , who sent them with fiue Canowes , to bring vs all ouer . Which done , they set vs in array , where a hundred horsemen with their launces , came forceably vpon vs , but did not hurt vs , they carried vs prisoners to Pannico , where wee remained one night . In the riuer of Pannico , there is a fish like a Calfe , the Spanyardes call it a Mallateen , hee hath a stone in his head , which the Indians vse for the disease of the Collicke , in the night hee commeth on lande , and eateth grasse . I haue eaten of it , & it eateth not much vrlike to bacon . From thence wee were sent to Mexico , which is threescore leagues from Pannico . In our way thither , 20 leagues from the sea side , I did see white Crabs running vp & downe the sands , I haue eaten of them , and they be verie good meat . There groweth a fruit which the Spaniards cal Auoco●●es , it is proportioned like an egge , and as blacke as a cole , hauing a stone in it , and it is an excellent good fruite . There also groweth a strange thing which they call Magei , it serueth them to many vses , below by the roote they make a hole , whereat they do take out of it twise euery day , a certaine kind of licour , which they seeth in a great kettell , till the third part be consumed , and that it waxe thicke , it is as sweet as anie honie , they doe eate it . Within twentie daies after that they haue taken all the licour from it , it withereth , and they cut it downe , and vse it as we vse our hempe heere in England , which done , they conuert it to many vses : of some part they make Mantles , ropes , and threed : of the ends they make needles to sowe their saddels , pannels , and other furniture for their horses : of the rest they make tyles to couer their houses , and they put it to many other purposes .

And thus we came to Mexico , which is 7 leagues about , seated in a great fen , inuironed with foure hils , it hath but two waies of entrance , and it is ful of creeks , in the which in their Canowes they passe from place to place , and to the Ilandes there within . In the Indies ordinarily three times a yeare bee woonderfull earthquakes , which put the people in great feare and daunger : during the time of two yeres that I was in Mexico , I saw them six times , when it commeth it throweth downe trees , houses , and churches . There is a Citie 25 leagues from Mexico , called Tuscalia , which is inhabited with a hundred thousand Indians , they go in white shirts , linnen breeches , and long mantles , and the women weare about them a garment much like vnto a flannen petticote . The Kings pallace was the first place that we were brought vnto in Mexico , where without we were willed to sit downe . Much people , men , women , & children came wondering about vs , many lamented our misery , & some of their clergie asked vs if we were Christians , we said , we praised God , we were as good christians as they : they asked how they might know that , we said , by our confessions . From thence we were carried in a Canowe to a Tanners house , which standeth a little from the citie : the next morning two friars & two priests came thither to vs , and willed vs to blesse our selues , and say our praiers in the Latin tong , that they might vnderstand vs , many of our company did so , wherevpon they returned to the vize-king , and told him that we were good Christians , & that they liked vs well , & then they brought vs much releefe , with cloths , our sick men were sent to their hospitals , where many were cured , and many died . From the Tanners house we were led to a gentlemans place , where vpon paine of death wee were charged to abide , and not to come into the Citie , thither we had all things necessarie brought vs , on sundaies and holydaies , much people came , and brought vs great releefe .

The vize-king practised to hang vs , and caused a paire of new gallows to be set vp , to haue executed vs , wherevnto the Noblemen of that country would not consent , but praied him to stay vntill the ship of aduise brought newes from the king of Spaine , what should be done with vs , for they saide they could not finde any thing by vs , whereby they might lawfully put vs to death .

The vize-king then commanded vs to be sent to an Iland therby , & he sent for the Bishop of Mexico , who sent foure priests to the Iland , to examine & confes vs , who said , that the vize-king would burne vs , when we were examined and confessed according to the lawes of their country . They returned to the Bishop , & told him that we were very good Christians . The Bishop certefied the vize-king of our examinations and confessions , and said that we were good Christians , therefore he would not meddle with vs . Then the vize-king sent for our maister R. Barret , whom he kept prisoner in his pallace , vntil the fleete was departed for Spaine . The rest of vs hee sent to a Towne seuen leagues from Mexico , called Tothscoco , to carde wooll among the Indian slaues , which drudgery we disdained , and concluded to beat our maisters , and so we did , wherefore they sent to the vize-king , desiring him for Gods sake and our Ladies , to send for vs , for they would not keep vs any longer , they said that we were deuils & no men .

The vizeking sent for vs , & imprisoned vs in a house in Mexico , from thence he sent An. Goddard , & some other of our company with him into Spaine , with Lushon , the Generall that tooke vs , the rest of vs staied in Mexico 2 yeeres after , & then were sent prisoners into Spaine , with Don Iohn de valesco de varre , admiral & general of the spanish fleet , who caried with him in his ship , to be presented to the K. of Spaine , the anatomie of a Giant , which was sent from China to Mexico , to the vize-king Don Martin Hennerico , to be sent to the K. of Spaine for a great wonder . It did appeere by the anatomie , that he was of a monstrous size , the skull of his head was neer as big as half a bushel , his neck bones shoulder plates , arme bones , & all other lineaments of his other partes , were huge and monstrous to behold , the shanke of his leg from the ankell to the knee , was as long as any mans ankell vp to his wast , and of bignesse accordingly .

At this time , and in this shippe , were also sent to bee presented to the king of Spaine , two chests full of earth with ginger growing in them , which were also sent from China , to be sent to the king of Spaine . The ginger runneth in the ground like to liccoras , the blades growe out of it , in length and proportion like vnto the blades of wild garlicke , which they cut euerie fifteene daies , they vse to water them twise a day , as we doe our hearbes heere in England , they put the blades in their porrage , and vse them in their other meates , whose excellent sauour and tast is very delightfull , and procureth a good appetite .

When wee were shipped in the port of S. Iohn de Low , the Generall called our maister Robert Barret & vs with him , into his cabbin , and asked vs if wee would fight against Englishmen , if we met them at sea , we said that wee would not fight against our Crowne , but if we met with any other , we would doe what wee were able . He said if we had saide otherwise , hee would not haue beleeued vs , and for that we should be the better vsed , and haue allowance as other men had , & he gaue a charge to euery one of vs , according vnto our knowledge . Robert Barret was placed with the pilate , I was put in the Gunner roome , William Cawse with the bote-sunne , Iohn Beare with the quarter-maisters , Edward Rider , and Geffrey Giles , with the ordinarie marriner , Richard the maisters boy attended on him and the pilate : shortly after we departed from the port of S. Iohn de Lowe with all the fleete of Spaine , for the Port called the Hauana : we were twenty six daies sayling thither . There wee came in , ancored , tooke in fresh water , and staied sixteene daies , for the fleete called Numbredetheos , which is the fleet that brings the treasure from Perowe .

The Generall of that fleete was called Diego Florres de Values . After his comming , when hee had watred his ships , both the fleetes ioyned in one , and Don de Valasco de varre was the first fifteene daies general of both the fleets , who turning through the channell , called the Bahama , his pilate had like to haue cast away all the fleete vppon the Cape called Caneuerall , which was preuented by me I. H. and our maister Robert Barret , I being in the second watch , escried lande , and called to Robert Barret , bidding him looke ouer boord , for I saw land vnder the lee bow of the ship : he called to the bote-sunne , and bad him let flie the fore sayle sheate , and lay the helme vpon the lee , and cast the shippe about . When we were cast about , we were but in seuen fadome water : we shot off a peece , giuing aduice to the fleet to cast about , and so they did . For this we were beloued of the General , and all the fleet . The Generall was in a great rage , and swore by the king , that hee would hang his pilate : for hee saide , that twise before , hee had almost cast away the Admirall . When it was day , he commaunded a peece to be shot off , to call to councell : the other Admirall in his ship came vp to him , and asked what the matter was , hee said , that his pilate had cast away his ship & al the fleet , had it not beene for two of the Englishmen , and therfore hee would hang him . The other Admirall with many faire words perswaded him to the contrary .

When we came in the height of the Barmotha , we discouered a monster in the sea , who shewed himselfe , three times vnto vs from the midle vpwards , in which parts he was proportioned like a man , of the complection of a Mulliato , or tawny Indian . The Generall did commaund one of his clarkes to put it in writing , and he certified the king and his nobles thereof . Presently after this , for the space of sixteene daies wee had wonderfull fowle weather , and then God sent vs a faire wind , vntill such time as wee discouered the Iland called the Fiall .

On S. Iames day , we made rackets , wheeles , & other fire works , to make pastime that night , as it is the order of the Spanyards . When we came neere the land , our maister R. Barret conferred with vs , to take the pinnise one night , when we came on the Iland called the Serres , to free our selues , from the danger & bondage that wee were going into , wherevnto we agreed , none had any pinnice a sterne then but our shippe , which gaue great courage to our enterprise : we prepared a bagge of bread , & a buttesio of water , which would haue serued vs 9. daies , & prouided ourselues to go , our master borrowed a small compas of the master gunner of the ship , who lent it him , but suspected his intent , & closly made the generall priuy to it , who for a time dissembled the matter , in the end seeing our pretense , he called R. Barret , commanding his head to be put in the stocks , and a great paire of iron bolts on his legs , and the rest of vs to be set in the stocks by the legs . Then he wylled a peece to be shot off , and hee sent the pinnice for the other Admirall , & all the captaines , maisters , & pilates of both fleets , to come aboord of him . He commaunded the maine yard to be strooke downe , & to put two pullies , on euery yard arme one ; the hangman was called , and we were willed to confesse our selues , for hee swore by the king that he would hang vs .