The Travails of an English man. CONTAINING HIS SUNDRY CAlamities endured by the space of twenty and odd years in his absence from his native Country; wherein is truly deciphered the sundry shapes of wild Beasts, Birds, Fishes, Foules, roots, plants, etc. With the description of a man that appeared in the Sea: and also of a huge Giant brought from China to the King of Spain. No less pleasant than approved. By I. H.  
Published with authority.  
Imprinted at London for William Wright, and are to be sold at his shop near unto Paul's School. 1591.   


SEMPER EADEM.    

TO THE MOST HIGH AND Mighty Princess, Elizabeth by the grace of God Queen of England, France, and Ireland, defendress of the faith, etc.  
Your highness most humble subject I. H. heartily prayeth for the continuance of your majesties most prosperous reign.  
ABout xxiii. years past (most gracious and renowned Sovereign) being priest forth for one of the Gunners in your majesties ships for the West Indian voyage, (of which Sir john Haukins was general) such was our success before his return into England, we were distressed through want of victuals, nor could we obtain any for money: by means whereof many of us (though unto our General's great grief) were constrained to be set on shore in the West Indies, amongst the wild Indians. Since which time (most dread Sovereign) I have passed sundry perils there in the wildernesses, and escaped many dangers, wherein my life stood often in hazard, yet by the providence of the Almighty I was preserved. And being now returned into to my native Country of England, I do in all humbleness prostrate myself (together with the discourse of my travels) at your highness feet, humbly beseeching your Majesty to accept the same at your subjects hands, as our Saviour jesus Christ accepted the poor widows mite. And thus I humbly take my leave, praying for the prosperous reign of your most excellent Majesty.   

The late and wonderful Travail of an Englishman, with his slavery and misery sustained for 23. years space together.  
NOt untruly nor without cause, said job the faithful servant of God (whom the sacred Scriptures tell us, to have dwelled in the land of Hus) that man being borne of a woman, living a short time, ●s replenished with many miseries, which some know by reading of histories, many by the view of others calamities, and I by experience in myself, as this present Treatise ensuing shall show.  
It is not unknown unto many that I I. H. pouder-maker was borne at Bourne, a Town in Lincolnshire, from my age of twelve years brought up in Redriffe near London; with M. Francis Lee, who was the Queen's majesties powder-maker, whom I served, until I was priest to go on the voyage to the West Indies, with the Right worshipful Sir john Haukins, who appointed me to be one of the Gunners in her majesties ship called the jesus of Libbicke, who set sail from Plymouth in the month of October 1567. having with him an other ship of her Majesties, called the Minion, and four ships of his own namely, the Angel, the Swallow, the judith, and the William and john. He directed his Vice-admiral, that if foul weather did separate them, to meet at the Island of Tennerif. After which by the space of seven days and seven nights, we had such storms at Sea, that we lost our long boats and a pinnisse, with some men coming to the Tennerif: there our General heard that his vice-admiral with the Swallow, and the William and john, were at the Island called the Gomero, where finding his vice-admiral he anchored, took in fresh water and set sail for Cape Blank, where in the way we took a Portugal Caruill, laden with fish called Mullets: from thence to Cape de Verde. In our course thither we met a Frenchman of Rochel called Captain Bland, who had taken a Portugal Caruill, whom our vice-admiral chafed and took. Sir Francis Drake was made Master and Captain of the carvel, and so weekept our way till we came to Cape de Verde, and there we anchored, took our boats, and set soldiers on shore. Our General was the first that leapt on land, & with him Captain Dudley there we took certain Negroes, but not without damage to ourselves for our General, Captain Dudley, and eight other of our company were hurt with poisoned arrows, about nine days after the eight that were wounded died. Our General was taught by a Negro, to draw the poison out of his wound with a clove of garlic, whereby he was cured. Fron thence we went to Surroleon, where be monstrous fishes called Sharks, which will devour men, I amongst others was sent in the Angel with two pinnaces into the river called the Calice, that were there trading with the Negroes, we took one of them with the Negroes, & brought them away. In this river in the night time we had one of our pinnaces bulged by a sea-horse, so that our men swimming about the river, were all taken into the other pinnaces, except two that took hold one of another, and were carried away by the sea horse, who hath the just proportion of a horse, saving that his legs be short, his teeth very great and a span in length, he useth on the night to go on land into the woods, seeking at unawares to devour the Negroes in their cabins, whom they by their vigilancy prevent, and kill them in this manner. The Negroes keep watch, and diligently attend their coming, and when they are gone into the woods, they forthwith lay a great tree overthwart the way, so that at their return, for that their legs be so short, they cannot go over it: then the Negroes set upon them with their bows, arrows and darts, and so destroy them.  
From thence we entered the river called the Causterus, where there were other caravels trading with the Negroes, and them we took. In this Island betwixt the river and the main, Trees grow with their roots upwards, and Oysters upon them. There grow Palmita trees, which be as high as a ships main mast, & on their tops grow nuts, wine and oil, which they call Palmita wine and Palmita oil. The Plantine trees also grow in that country, the tree is as big as a man's thigh, and as high as a fir pole, the leaves thereof be long & broad, and on the top grow the fruit which is called Plantaines, they are crooked and a cubit long, and as big as a man's wrist, they grow on clusters: when they be ripe they be very good and dainty to eat, Sugar is not more delicate in taste than they be. In this land be Elyphants, which the Negroes kill in this manner: they seek out their haunts where they rest in the night, which is against a tree, that they saw three parts in sunder, so that when the Elephant leaneth and stretch himself against it, the tree falleth, & he with it, than he roareth, whereby the Negroes know he is fallen, than they come upon him and kill him.  
From thence with the Angel, the judith and the pinnaces, we failed to Surreleon, where our General at that time was, who with the Captains and soldiers went up into the river called the Faggarine, to take a town of the Negroes, where he found three kings of that Country with fifty thousand Negroes besieging the same town, which they could not take in many years before that they had warred with it. Our General made a breach, entered, and valiantly took the town, wherein were found five Portugals, which yielded themselves to his mercy, and he saved their lives, we took and carried thence for traffic of the West Indies five hundred Negroes. The three kings drove seven thousand Negroes into the sea at low water, at the point of the land, where they were all drowned in the ooze, for that they could not take their canoes to save themselves. We returned back again in our pinnaces to the ships, and there took in fresh water, and made ready sail towards Reogrande. At our coming thither we entered with the Angel, the judith, and the two pinnasses, we found there seven Portugal Caravels, which made great fight with us. In the end by God's help we won the victory, and drove them to the shore, from whence with the Negroes they fled, we fetched the caravels from the shore into the river. The next morning sir Frances Drake with his carvel, the Swallow, the William and john came into the river, with Captain Dudley and his soldiers, who landed being but a hundred soldiers, and fought with seven thousand Negroes, burned the town, and returned to our General with the loss of one man.  
In that place there be many musk cats, which breed in hollow trees, the Negroes take them in a net and put them in a cage, and nourish them very daintily, & take the musk from them with a spoon.  
Hear we left the Ethyope land,  
And took the Indian voyage in hand.  
Hear by the way died Captain Dudley.  
In sailing towards the Indies, the first land that we escried, was the Island called Domineco, where at our coming we anchored, took in fresh water and wood for our provision, which done, we sailed towards the Island called Margarita, where our General in despite of the spaniards anchored, landed, and took in fresh victuals. A mile off the Island there is a rock in the sea, wherein do breed many fowls, like unto Barnacles, in the night we went out in our boats, and with cudgels we killed many of them, and we brought them with many of their eggs aboard with us, their eggs be as big as Turkey's eggs, and speckled like them, we did eat them, and found them very good meat.  
From thence we sailed to Burborata, which is in the main land of the West Indies, there we came in, moored our ships, and tarried two months trimming and dressing our ships, and in the mean time trading with certain Spaniards of that country. There our General sent us unto a Town called Placentia, (which stood on a high hill) to have entreated a Bishop that dwelled there for his favour and friendship in their laws, who hearing of our coming, for fear forsook the Town, whereupon one of our company made these English verses following.  
Unto the Bishop we were sent,  
To crave his favour in the laws:  
He knew not the good that we meant,  
He fled for fear and not for cause.  
We took such a journey up the hill,  
That few or none have done so ill.  
In our way up the hill to Placentia, we found a monstrous venomous worm, with two heads, his body was as big as a man's arm, and a yard long▪ our master Robert Barret did cut him in sunder with his sword, and it made it as black as if it were coloured with ink.  
Hear be many Tigers, monstrous and furious beasts, which by subtlety devour and destroy many men, they use the traded ways, and will show themselves twice or thrice to the travelers, and so departed secretly, lurking till they be passed, then suddenly and at unawares they leap upon them and devour them, they had so used two of our company, had not one of them looked behind. Our General sent three ships unto the Island called Corussa, to make provision for the rest where they remained until his coming. He sent from thence the Angel and the judith to River de hache, where we anchored before the town. The Spaniards shot three pieces at us from the shore, whom we requited with two of ours, and shot through the governors house, we weighed anchor, & anchored again without shot of the town, where we rid five days in despite of the Spaniards, and their shot. In the mean space there came a Caruil of advise from S. Domingo whom with the Angel, and the judith we chased and drove to the shore, we fetched him from thence spite of 200 Spaniards hargabush shot, and anchored again before the town, and rid there with him, till our General's coming, who anchored, landed his men, and valiantly took the Town, with the loss of one man, whose name was Thomas Surgeon, we landed and planted on the shore for our safeties our field ordinance, we drove the Spaniards up into the country above two leagues, whereby they were enforced to trade with our General, to whom he sold most part of his Negroes.  
In this river we killed a monstrous Alagarta in this port at Sun set: seven of us went in the pinnace up into the River, carrying with us a dog, unto whom with rope yarn we bond a great hook of steel, with a chain that had a swivel, which we put under the dog's belly, the point of the hook coming over his back fast bound, as aforesaid, we put him over board, & veered out our rope by little & little, rowing away with our boat, the Alagarta came and presently swallowed up the dog, than did we row hard, till we had choked him, he plunged and made a wonderful stir in the water, we leapt on shore, and haled him on land: he was 23 foot by the rule, headed like a hog, in body like a serpent, full of scales as broad as a saucer, his tail long and full of knots, as big as a falcon shot, he hath four legs, his feet have long nails like unto a dragon, we opened him, took out his guts, flayed him, dried his skin, & stuffed it with straw, meaning to have brought it home, had not the ship been cast away. This monster will carry away and devour both man and horse.  
Now to S. Amart, where we landed, traded, and sold certain Negroes: there two of our company killed a monstrous adder, going towards his cave with a coney in his mouth, his body was as big as any man's thigh, and seven foot long, upon his tail he had sixteen knots, every one as big as a great walnut, which they say, do show his age: his colour was green and yellow, they opened him and found two coneys in his belly.  
From thence to Cartagene, where we went in, moored our ships, and would have traded with them, but they durst not for fear of the king, we brought up the Minion against the Castle, and shot at the Castle and Town: these we landed in an Island, where were many gardens, there in a cave we found certain Buttesios' of wine, which we brought away with us, in recompense whereof our General commanded to be set on shore woollen and linen cloth to the value thereof. From hence by foul weather we were forced to seek the port of S. john de Lowe: in our way, thwart of Campeche, we met with a Spaniard, a small ship, who was bound for Santa Domingo, he had in him a Spaniard, called Augustine de villa nova, that was he that betrayed all the Noble men in the Indies, & caused them to be beheaded, wherefore he with two Friars with him fled to S. Domingo, them we took and brought with us into the port of S. john de Low. Our General made a great account of him, and used him like a Noble man, in the end he was one of them that betrayed us, when we had moored our ships, and landed, we mounted the ordinance that we found there in the Island, and for our safeties kept watch and ward. Two days after we discovered the Spanish fleet, whereof Lushon a Spaniard was General, with him came a Spaniard, called Don Martin Henerico, whom the king of Spain sent to be his vizeking of the Indies. He sent a pinnace with a flag of truce unto our General, to know of what Country those ships were that road there in the King of Spain's port, who said they were the Q. of England's ships, which came in there for victuals for their money, for the which if your General will come in here, he shall give me victuals 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 answer, that he was a vice, & had a thousand men, and therefore he would come in. Our General said, if he be a vice, I represent my Queen's person, & I am a vice as well as he, and if he have a thousand men, my powder and shot will take the better place. Then the vice after counsel among themselves, yielded to our General's demand, swearing by his King and his Crown, by his commission and authority, that he had from his King, that he would perform it, and thereupon pledges were given on both parts. Our General bearing a godly and Christian mind, void of fraud and deceit, judged the Spaniards to have done the like, delivered to them six Gentlemen, not doubting to have received the like from them, but the faithless spaniards, in costly apparel gave of the basest of their company, as afterwards it was well known. These things finished, proclamation was made on both sides, that on pain of death no occasion should be given, whereby any quarrel should grow to the breach of the league, and then they peaceably entered the port, with great triumph on both sides.  
The Spaniards presently brought a great Hulk, a ship of nine hundred, and moored her by the side of the Minion, and they cut out ports in their other ships, planting their ordinance towards us, in the night they filled the Hulk with men, to lay the Minion aboard, as the sequel did show, which made our General doubtful of their dealings, wherefore, for that he could speak the Spanish tongue, he sent Robert Barret aboard the vizeking, to know his meaning in those dealings, who willed him with his company to come in to him, whom he commanded presently to be set in the bilbowes, and forthwith a Cornet (for a watchword among the false Spaniards) was sounded for the enterprising of their pretended treason against our General, whom Augustine de villa nova sitting at dinner with him, should then presently have killed with a poynado which he had privily in his sleeve, which was espied and prevented by one john Chamberlain, who took the poynado out of his sleeve. Our General hastily rose up, and commanded him to be put prisoner in the Steward room, and to be kept with two men. The faithless Spaniards, thinking all things to their desire had been finished, suddenly sounded a Trumpet, and therewith three hundred Spaniards entered the Minion, whereat our General with a loud and fierce voice called unto us, saying, God and Saint George, upon those traitorous villains, and rescue the Minion, I trust in God the day shall be ours, and with that the Mariners and soldiers leapt out of th' jesus of Libbicke into the Minion, and beat out the spaniards, and with a shot out of her fired the Spaniards vice-admiral, where the most part of three hundred spaniards were spoiled, and blown over board with powder. Their Admiral also was on fire half an hour, we cut our cables, wound off our ships, and presently fought with them, they came upon us on every side, and continued the fight from ten of the clock until it was night, they killed all our men that were on shore in the Island, saving three, which by swimming got aboard the jesus of Lybic. They sunk the General's ship called the Angel, and took the Swallow, the Spaniards admiral had above threescore shot through her, many of his men were spoiled, four other of their ships were sunk, there were in that fleet, and that came from the shore to rescue them, fifteen hundred we slew of them, five hundred and forty, as we were credebly informed by a note that came to Mexico. In this fight the jesus of Lybic had five shot through her main mast, her foremast was stroke in sunder under the hounds with a chain shot, and her hull was wonderfully pierced with shot, therefore it was unpossible to bring her away. They set two of their own ships on fire, intending therewith to have burnt the jesus of Libbicke, which we prevented by cutting our cables in the half, and winding off by our sternefast. The Minion was forced to set sail & stand off from us, and come to an anchor without shot of the Island. Our General courageously cheered up his soldiers and Gunners, and called to Samuel his page for a cup of Beer, who brought it him in a silver cup, and he drinking to all his men willed the Gunners to stand by their ordinance lustily like men. He had no sooner set the cup out of his hand, but a demi Culuerine shot struck away the cup & a Cooper's plain that stood by the main mast, & ran out on the other side of the ship, which nothing dismayed our General, for he ceased not to encourage us, saying, fear nothing, for God who hath preserved me from this shot, will also deliver us from these traitors and villains. Then captain Bland meaning to have turned out of the port, had his main mast stroke over board with a chainshot that came from the shore, wherefore he anchored, fired his ship, took his pinnace with all his men, and came aboard the jesus of Libbicke to our General, who said unto him, that he thought he would not have run away from him: he answered, that he was not minded to have run away from him, but his intent was to have turned up, and to have laid the wethermost ship of the Spanish fleet aboard, and fired his ship in hope therewith to have set on fire the Spanish fleet, he said if he had done so he had done well. With this night came on. Our General commanded the Minion, for safeguard of her masts to be brought under the jesus of Libbicks lee: he willed Sir Francis Drake to come in with the judith, and to lay the Minion aboard, to take in men and other things needful, and to go out, and so he did.  
At night when the wind came off the shore, we set sail, and went out in despite of the spaniards and their shot, where we anchored, with two anchors under the Island, the wind being northerly, which was wonderful dangerous, and we feared every hour to be driven with the lee shore. In the end the wind came larger, we weighed anchor, and set sail, seeking the river of Pannico for water, whereof we had very little, and victuals were so scarce, that we were driven to eat hides, cats, rats, parrots, monkeys, and dogs, wherefore our General was forced to divide his company into two parts, for there was a mutiny among them for want of victuals, and some said that they had rather be on the shore to shift for themselves amongst the enemies, then to starve on shippe-boord. He asked them who would go on shore, and who would tarry on shippe-boord, those that would go on shore, he willed to go on foremast, and those that would tarry, on baft mast: fourscore and sixteen of us were willing to depart. Our General gave unto every one of us six yards of roan cloth, and money to them that demaundedit. When we were landed, he came unto us, where friendly embracing every one of us, he was greatly grieved that he was forced to leave us behind him, he counseled us to serve God, and to love one another, and thus courteously he gave us a sorrowful farewell, & promised if God sent him safe home, he would do what he could, that so many of us as lived should by some means be brought into England, and so he did.  
Since my return into England I have heard, that many misliked that he left us so behind him, & brought away Negroes, the reason is this, for them he might have had victuals, or any other thing needful, if by fowl weather he had been driven upon the islands, which for gold nor silver he could not have had.  
And thus our General parted to his ships, and we remained on land, where for oursafeties, fearing the wild Indians that were about us, we kept watch all night, and at sun rising we marched on our way, three and three in a rank, until that we came into a field under agrove, where the Indians came upon us, ask us what people we were, and how we came there. Two of our company, namely Anthony Goddard, and john Cornish, for that they could speak the Spanish tongue, went to them, and said we were Englishmen, that never came in that country before, and that we had fought with the Spaniards, and for that we lacked victuals, our General set us on shore, they asked us whither we intended to go, we said, to Pannico. The Captain of the Indians willed us to give unto them some of our clothes and shirts, which we did: then he bade us give them all, but we would not so do, wherereupon john Cornish was then slain with an arrow, which an Indian boy that stood by the Captain shot at him, wherefore he struck the boy on the neck with his bow, that he lay for dead, and willed us to follow him, who brought us into a great field, where we found fresh water, he bade us sit down about the pond and drink, and he with his company would go in the mean space to kill five or six dear, and bring them to us. We tarried there until three of the clock, but they came not: there one of our company whose name was john Cook, with four other departed from us into a grove to seek relief, where presently they were taken by the Indians, and stripped as naked as ever they were borne, and so returned to us.  
Then we divided ourselves into two parts, half to Anthony Goddard, and the rest to james Collier, and thus severally we sought for Pannico. Anthony Goddard with his company, bid us farewell, they passed a river, where the Indians rob many of them of their clothes, & so passing on their way, came to a stony hill, where they stayed. james colyer with his company, that day passed the same river, and were also rob, and one of them slain by chance, we came that night unto the hill, where Anthony Goddard and his company rested, there we remained till morning, & then we marched altogether from thence, entering betwixt two groves, where the Indians rob us of all our clothes, & left us naked, they hurt many, and killed eight of us. Three days after we came to another river there the Indians showed us the way to Pannico, and so left us: we passed the river into the wilderness, where we made wreaths of green grass, which we wound about our bodies, to keep us from the sun, & gnats of that country. We traveled there seven days, and seven nights, before we came to Pannico, feeding on nothing but roots, and Guiavos, a fruit like figs. At our coming to the river of Pannico, two Spanish horsemen came over unto us in a canoe, they asked us how long we had been in the wilderness, & where our General was, for they knew us to be of the company that had fought with their countrymen: we told them seven days and seven nights, and for lack of victuals our General set us on shore, and he was gone away with his ships. They returned to their Governor, who sent them with five Canoes, to bring us all over. Which done, they set us in array, where a hundred horsemen with their lances, came forcibly upon us, but did not hurt us, they carried us prisoners to Pannico, where we remained one night. In the river of Pannico, there is a fish like a Calf, the spaniards call it a Mallateen, he hath a stone in his head, which the Indians use for the disease of the Colic, in the night he cometh on land, and eateth grass. I have eaten of it, & it eateth not much urlike to bacon. From thence we 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 up & down the sands, I have eaten of them, and they be very good meat. There groweth a fruit which the Spaniards call Auoco●●es, it is proportioned like an egg, and as black as a coal, having a stone in it, and it is an excellent good fruit. There also groweth a strange thing which they call Mageis, it serveth them to many uses, below by the root they make a hole, whereat they do take out of it twice every day, a certain kind of liquor, which they seethe in a great kettle, till the third part be consumed, and that it wax thick, it is as sweet as any honey, they do eat it. Within twenty days after that they have taken all the liquor from it, it withereth, and they cut it down, and use it as we use our hemp here in England, which done, they convert it to many uses: of some part they make Mantles, ropes, and thread: of the ends they make needles to sow their saddles, panels, and other furniture for their horses: of the rest they make tiles to cover 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, environed with four hills, it hath but two ways of entrance, and it is full of creeks, in the which in their Canoes they pass from place to place, and to the Islands there within. In the Indies ordinarily three times a year be wonderful earthquakes, which put the people in great fear and danger: during the time of two years that I was in Mexico, I saw them six times, when it cometh it throweth down trees, houses, and churches. There is a City 25 leagues from Mexico, called Tuscalia, which is inhabited with a hundred thousand Indians, they go in white shirts, linen breeches, and long mantles, and the women wear about them a garment much like unto a flannen petticoat. The King's palace was the first place that we were brought unto in Mexico, where without we were willed to sit down. Much people, men, women, & children came wondering about us, many lamented our misery, & some of their clergy asked us 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. Fron thence we were carried in a canoe to a Tanner's house, which standeth a little from the city: the next morning two friars & two priests came thither to us, and willed us to bless ourselves, and say our prayers in the Latin tongue, that they might understand us, many of our company did so, whereupon they returned to the vizeking, and told him that we were good Christians, & that they liked us well, & then they brought us much relief, with clothes, our sick men were sent to their hospitals, where many were cured, and many died. From the Tanner's house we were led to a gentleman's place, where upon pain of death we were charged to abide, and not to come into the City, thither we had all things necessary brought us, on sundays and holidays, much people came, and brought us great relief.  
The vizeking practised to hang us, and caused a pair of new gallows to be set up, to have executed us, whereunto the Noblemen of that country would not consent, but prayed him to stay until the ship of advise brought news from the king of Spain, what should be done with us, for they said they could not find any thing by us, whereby they might lawfully put us to death.  
The vizeking than commanded us to be sent to an Island thereby, & he sent for the Bishop of Mexico, who sent four priests to the Island, to examine & confess us, who said, that the vizeking would burn us, when we were examined and confessed according to the laws of their country. They returned to the Bishop, & told him that we were very good Christians. The Bishop certified the vizeking of our examinations and confessions, and said that we were good Christians, therefore he would not meddle with us. Then the vizeking sent for our master R. Barret, whom he kept prisoner in his palace, until the fleet was departed for Spain. The rest of us he sent to a Town seven leagues from Mexico, called Tothscoco, to card wool among the Indian slaves, which drudgery we disdained, and concluded to beat our masters, and so we did, wherefore they sent to the vizeking, desiring him for God's sake and our Ladies, to send for us, for they would not keep us any longer, they said that we were devils & no men.  
The vizeking sent for us, & imprisoned us in a house in Mexico, from thence he sent An. Goddard, & some other of our company with him into Spain, with Lushon, the General that took us, the rest of us stayed in Mexico 2 years after, & then were sent prisoners into Spain, with Don john de valesco de varre, admiral & general of the spanish fleet, who carried with him in his ship, to be presented to the K. of Spain, the anatomy of a Giant, which was sent from China to Mexico, to the vizeking Don Martin Hennerico, to be sent to the K. of Spain for a great wonder. It did appear by the anatomy, that he was of a monstrous size, the skull of his head was near as big as half a bushel, his neck bones shoulder plates, arm bones, & all other lineaments of his other parts, were huge and monstrous to behold, the shank of his leg from the ankell to the knee, was as long as any man's ankell up to his waist, and of bigness accordingly.  
At this time, and in this ship, were also sent to be presented to the king of Spain, two chests full of earth with ginger growing in them, which were also sent from China, to be sent to the king of Spain. The ginger runneth in the ground like to liccoras, the blades grow out of it, in length and proportion like unto the blades of wild garlic, which they cut every fifteen days, they use to water them twice a day, as we do our herbs here in England, they put the blades in their porridge, and use them in their other meats, whose excellent savour and taste is very delightful, and procureth a good appetite.  
When we were shipped in the port of S. john de Low, the General called our master Robert Barret & us with him, into his cabin, and asked us if we would fight against Englishmen, if we met them at sea, we said that we would not fight against our Crown, but if we met with any other, we would do what we were able. He said if we had said otherwise, he would not have believed us, and for that we should be the better used, and have allowance as other men had, & he gave a charge to every one of us, according unto our knowledge. Robert Barret was placed with the pilot, I was put in the Gunner room, William cause with the bote-sunne, john Bear with the quarter-maisters, Edward Rider, and Geffrey Giles, with the ordinary mariner, Richard the masters boy attended on him and the pilot: shortly after we departed from the port of S. john de Lowe with all the fleet of Spain, for the Port called the Havana: we were twenty six days sailing thither. There we came in, anchored, took in fresh water, and stayed sixteen days, for the fleet called Numbredetheos', which is the fleet that brings the treasure from Perowe.  
The General of that fleet was called Diego Florres de Values. After his coming, when he had watered his ships, both the fleets joined in one, and Don de Valasco de varre was the first fifteen days general of both the fleets, who turning through the channel, called the Bahama, his pilot had like to have cast away all the fleet upon the Cape called Caneverall, which was prevented by me I. H. and our master Robert Barret, I being in the second watch, y land, and called to Robert Barret, bidding him look over board, for I saw land under the lee bow of the ship: he called to the bote-sunne, and bade him let fly the foresail sheate, and lay the helm upon the lee, and cast the ship about. When we were cast about, we were but in seven fathom water: we shot off a piece, giving advice to the fleet to cast about, and so they did. For this we were beloved of the General, and all the fleet. The General was in a great rage, and swore by the king, that he would hang his pilot: for he said, that twice before, he had almost cast away the Admiral. When it was day, he commanded a piece to be shot off, to call to council: the other Admiral in his ship came up to him, and asked what the matter was, he said, that his pilot had cast away his ship & all the fleet, had it not been for two of the Englishmen, and therefore he would hang him. The other Admiral with many fair words persuaded him to the contrary.  
When we came in the height of the Barmotha, we discovered a monster in the sea, who showed himself, three times unto us from the middle upwards, in which parts he was proportioned like a man, of the complexion of a Mulliato, or tawny Indian. The General did command one of his clerks to put it in writing, and he certified the king and his nobles thereof. Presently after this, for the space of sixteen days we had wonderful fowl weather, and then God sent us a fair wind, until such time as we discovered the Island called the Fiall.  
On S. james day, we made rackets, wheels, & other fire works, to make pastime that night, as it is the order of the Spaniards. When we came near the land, our master R. Barret conferred with us, to take the pinnise one night, when we came on the Island called the Serres, to free ourselves, from the danger & bondage that we were going into, whereunto we agreed, none had any pinnace a stern then but our ship, which gave great courage to our enterprise: we prepared a bag of bread, & a buttesio of water, which would have served us 9 days, & provided ourselves to go, our master borrowed a small compass of the master gunner of the ship, who lent it him, but suspected his intent, & closely made the general privy to it, who for a time dissembled the matter, in the end seeing our pretence, he called R. Barret, commanding his head to be put in the stocks, and a great pair of iron bolts on his legs, and the rest of us to be set in the stocks by the legs. Then he willed a piece to be shot off, and he sent the pinnace for the other Admiral, & all the captains, masters, & pilates of both fleets, to come aboard of him. He commanded the main yard to be struck down, & to put two pulleys, on every yard arm one; the hangman was called, and we were willed to confess ourselves, for he swore by the king that he would hang us.  
When the other Admiral, and the rest were come aboard, he called them into his counsel chamber, & told them that he would hang the master of the Englishmen, and all his company. The Admiral, whose name was Diego Flores de Values, asked him wherefore: he said, that we had determined to rise in the night with the pinnace, and with a ball of firework to set the ship on fire, and go our ways: therefore said he, I will have you, the Captains, Masters, and pilate's, to set your hands unto that, for I swear by the King that I will hang them. Diego Flores de Values answered, I, nor the Captains, Masters, and pilate's will not set our hands to that, for he said, if he were prisoner, as we were, he would have done the like himself. He counseled him, to keep us fast in prison, till he came into Spain, and then send us to the contratation house in Civil, where, if we had deserved death the law would pass on us, for he would not have it said that in such a fleet as that was, six men & a boy, should take the pinnace, and go away, and so he returned to his ship again.  
When he was gone, the general came to the main mast to us, and swore by the king, that we should not come out of the stocks till we came into Spain: within sixteen days after we came over the Bar of S. Lucar, & came up to the Hurcathoes, than he put us into a pinnace in the stocks, and sent us prisoners to the Contratation house in Civil. From thence, after one year we broke prison, on S. Steuens day at night, seven of our company escaped, Robert Barret, I, I. H. john Emurie, Humphrey Roberts, and john Gilbert, were taken, & brought back to the Gontratation house, where we remained in the stocks till twelve tide was passed. Then our keeper put up a petition to the judge of the Contratation house, that we might be sent to the great prison house in Civil, for that we broke prison, whereupon we were presently led thither, where we remained one month. And then from thence, to the Castle of the Inquisition house in Triana, where we continued one year, which expired, they brought us out in procession, every one of us having a candle in his hand, and the Coat with S. Andrew's cross on our backs: they brought us up on an high scaffold, that was set up in the place of S. Francis, which is in the chief street of Civil: there they set us down upon benches, every one in his degree, & against us on another scaffold sat all the judges, and the Clergy on their benches, the people wondered, and gazed on us, some pitying our cases, other said, burn those heretics. When we had sit there two hours, we had a sermon made to us, after which one called Bresinnia, secretary to the Inquisition, went up into the pulpit with the process, & called Robert Barret and john Gilbart, whom two Familiars of the Inquisition brought from the scaffold before the judges, where the secretary read the sentence, which was that they should be burnt, and so returned to the scaffold, and were burnt.  
Then I job Hortop, and john Bone, were called, & brought to the place, as before, where we heard our sentence, which was, that we should go to the Galleys, and there to row at the oars end ten years, and then to be brought back to the Inquisition house, to have the cote with S. Andrew's cross put on our backs, and from thence to go to the everlasting prison remediless, and so we were returned to the scaffold from whence we came. Thomas Marks, and Thomas Ellis were called, and had sentence to serve in the Galleys eight years, and Humphrey Roberts, and john Emerie to serve five years, and so were returned to the benches on the scaffold, where we sat till four of clock in the after noon. Then we were led again to the Inquisition house, from whence we were brought. The next day in the morning, Bresinia the secretary came thither to us, and delivered to every one of us his sentence in writing, I with the rest were sent to the Galleys, where we were chained four and four together, every man's daily allowance was twenty six ounces of course black biscuit and water. Our clothing for the whole year, two shirts, two pair of breeches of course canvas, a red cote of course cloth, soon on, and soon off, and a gown of hair with a Friars hood, our lodging was on the bare boards, and banks of the Galleys, our heads and beards were shaven every month, hunger, thirst, cold, and stripes, we lacked none, till our several time expired, and after the time of 12 years, for I served two years above my sentence, I was sent back to the Inquisition house in Civil, & there having put on the cote with S. Andrews cross, I was sent to the everlasting prison remediless, where I wore the cote 4. years, & then upon great suit, I had it taken off for 50 ducats, which Hornando de Soria, treasurer of the king's mint lent me, whom I served for it as a drudge 7 years, and until the month of October last, 1590. and then I came from Civil to S. Lucar, where I made means to come away in a flybote, that was laden with wines & salt, which were Fleming's goods, the king of Spain's subjects, dwelling in Civil, married to Spanish women, and sworn to their king. In this month of October last, departing from S. Lucar, at sea, off the sothernmost Cape, we met an English ship, called the Galleon Dudley, who took the Fleming, and me out of him, & brought me to Portsmouth, where they set me on land, the 2 day of December last passed, 1590. From thence I was sent by M. Muns the lieutenant of Portsmouth, with letters to the R. honourable the Earl of Sussex, who commanded his secretary to take my name and examination, how long I had been out of England, and with whom I went, which he did. And on Christmas even I took my leave of his honour, and went to Redriffe.  
The Computation of my imprisonment.  
I suffered imprisonment in Mexico two years.  
In the Contratation house in Civil one year.  
In the Inquisition house in Triana one year.  
I was in the Galleys twelve year.  
In the everlasting prison remediless, with the cote with S. Andrews cross on my back, four years.  
And at liberty I served as a drudge Hornando de Soria 3 years, which is the full complement of 23 years.  
Since my departure from England, until this time of my return, I was five times in great danger of death, besides the many perils I was in, in the Galleys.  
First in Port of S. john de Low, where being on shore, with many other of our company, which were all slain saving I, & two other that by swimming got aboard the jesus of Libbicke.  
Secondly, when we were robbed by the wild Indians  
Thirdly, after we came to Mexico, the vizeking would have hanged us.  
Fourthly, because he could not have his mind to hang us, he would have burnt us.  
Fiftly, the General that brought us into Spain, would have hanged us at sea.  
Thus having truly set down unto you my travels, misery & dangers, endured the space of 23. years, I say:  

Let patience now the standard bear,  
And forgiveness give the charge  
Of bleege, and eke the ancour tear,  
Of spiteful malice barge:  
Expect the end of prisoned race,  
And hope of future hap:  
That each good gift of fortune's grace,  
May fall within our lap.  
Extremities cannot always last,  
Each thing doth bow and bend:  
In time both joy and woe doth waste,  
And all things have an end.   
FINIS.