A true Description and brief Discourse, Of a most lamentable Voyage, made lately to Tripoli in Barbary, in a Ship named the JESUS: wherein is not only showed the great misery, that then happened the Author hereof and his whole company, aswell the Merchants as the Mariners in that Voyage, according to the cursed custom of those barbarous and cruel Tyrants, in their terrible usage of Christian captives: but also, the great unfaithfulness of those heathenish Infidels, in not regarding their promise.  
Together, with the most wonderful judgement of God, upon the king of Tripoli and his son, and a great number of his people, being all the Tormentors of those English Captives.  
Set forth by THOMAS SANDERS, one of those Captives there at the same time.  
¶ Imprinted at London, by Richard jones, for Edward White, dwelling at the Sign of the Gun, by the little North door of Paul's, the 15. of April. 1587.   

To the Right worshipful Master julius Caesar, doctor of the civil law, and judge of the Admiralty: Thomas Saunders wisheth all health, wealth, and worldly happiness.  
INgratitude or unthankfulness for benefits received (right worshipful) is, and ever hath been a thing so loathsome and vile to men of good minds, that (among some nations) they have set down laws and ordinances to punish the offenders therein, so hard and sharp, that those that have been found within the compass of the same, have suffered no less than loss of life: yea more than this, the very brute beasts have so much loathed this horrible vice, that they according to the instinction of nature, have showed themselves (in this respect) more indifferent than some men: as it is reported in Guevarra his works, of a Lion, who finding in his den a fugitive bondman that was fled from his master, a Roman Proconsul, dwelling in the confines of the deserts of Egypt, having hurt his foot with a thorn which he had gotten roaming up and down seeking his pray, suffered the same to be lanced, cut, and cured by this fugitive, so that within short space it was throughlie whole and well. This poor man although he dwelled quietly with his new found host, and might also use and take such as he got in the wilderness, yet loving liberty, on a time g●t forth of the den, and being seen of the espials which his master had laid for him, was by them taken and brought to him, who caused him to be sent to Rome, to be tormented among other condemned men, at such time as the Emperor should make any solemn feast or triumph. It fortuned afterward, this same Lion to be taken and sent also to Rome, to be there kept among other savage and wild beasts. Not long after this, the same condemned bondman, was amongst others appointed also to the slaughter, & brought into the field called Campus Circulus, to try his fortune with some wild beast, and to conclude, it was his good hap to encounter with that Lion which he before had cured: Assoon as this hungry ramping Lion had espied that man, as one desirous of his pray, he ran towards him to have devoured him, but when he perceived well that he was the very man that had lodged with him in his den, and done him good, he straightway stood over the man, defending him from the cruelty of any other beast. When the man who expected nothing but death, had well considered the humanity of the beast, and throughlie regarded him, he was then assured that it was his quondam host in the deserts, and thereupon made the bolder to touch him, and so stroked and cherished him. The Emperor and the whole state of Rome stood still, abashed at this strange & rare sight, and after a little stay made, caused to be inquired of the man, whether he were a Necromancer, or whether he had enchanted the Lion, seeing that he was hunger-prickt, and yet had no power to hurt him: to this he answered, that his safety came by the gentleness of the beast, and not of any power of his own, and reported at large the cause of that clemency, as before is expressed. To be short, the man had his life, and licence to beg up and down the streets of Rome, leading the Lion in his hand, upon whose breast was written as followeth. Hic Leo est hospes, huius hominis. and in the forepart of his coat was set down, Hic homo est medicus huius Leonis. To avoid this horrible sin, I have (Right worshipful) presumed to dedicate unto your worship, the true reports of my troubles, & of certain others in Turkey, which although they be not set out with brave terms, yet is in them set down nothing but plain troth, easy to be told, but hard to be tolerated: beseeching your worship, as friendly to accept of the same, as I willingly present it, which if it were answerable to my desires, should then signify what heart I carry to your worship, unto whom I confess myself most wholly bounden, and lest my rude speeches should savour of flattery. I here leave your worship to the Almighty, who send you health and heaven.  
Your worship's most dutiful to command, THOMAS SANDERS.   

To the gentle Reader.  
GEntle Reader, I have here presented to thy view, (although of myself altogether unwilling, yet won with the earnestness of such (my friends) as I might not withstand) the true report of my troubles and of divers others my Companions and fellows in Tripoli, under the Turks dominion, which I had thought at the first setting down in paper, should never have been put in print, but notwithstanding now, I commit it to thy favourable consideration, and (I hope) to thy benefit and good liking. Beseeching thee to pardon me for such faults as I have grossly overslipped, considering always that truth needeth no filled terms: If there be any thing that delighteth thee I have my desire, if otherwise, friendly control, and then will I rest content, and so farewell.  
Yours to use, Thomas Saunders.   

OF A MOST LAMENtable voyage made into Trypolie in Barbary, in a Ship called the JESUS, etc.  
THis voyage was set forth by the right worshipful, sir Edward Osburne knight, chief merchant of all the Turkish company, & one master Richard Stapers, the ship being of the burden of one hundred tun, called the jesus, she was builded at Farmne a river by Portsmoth, The owners were M. Thomas Thomson, Nicholas Carnabie, & john Gilman. The Master (under God) was one Aches Hellier of Blackwall, and hi● Mate was one Richard Morris of that place: their Pilot was one Anthony jerado a French man, of the Province of Massillins: the Purser was one William Thomson our owner's son, the merchants factors were Roman Sonnings a Frenchman, and Richard Skegs, servant unto the said master Stapers: the owners were bound unto the merchants by charter party thereupon, in one thousand marks, that the said ship by God's permission should go for Tripoli in Barbary: that is to say, first from Portsmouth to Newhaven in Normandy: from thence to saint Lukar, otherwise called S. Lucas in Andeloseer, and from thence to Tripoli, which is in the east part of Africa, and so to return unto London. 
Man doth purpose, and God doth dispose.  But here ought every Christian to note & consider the works of our God (that many times) what man doth determine God doth disappoint. The said master having some occasion to go to Farmne, took with him the Pilot and the Purser and returning again, by means of a pirrie of wind, the boat wherein they were, was drowned: the said Master, 
The Master and the Purser with all the rest except the Pilot drowned.  the purser, and all the company, only the said Pilot by experience in swimming saved himself: these were the beginning of our sorrows. After which the said masters mate would not proceed in that voyage: and the owners hearing of this misfortune, and the unwillingness of the masters mate, did send down one Richard Deimound, and shipped him for Master, 
A new Master chosen.  who did choose for his Mate one Andrew Dier, and so the said ship departed on her voyage accordingly: that is to say, about the sixtéenth day of October, in anno 1584., she made sail from Portsmouth, and the eightéenth day than next following, 
The new m●ister died. The jesus arrived into Newhaven. Another Master choose.  she arrived into Newhaven, where our said last master Richard Deimound by a surfeit died. The factors than appointed the said Andrew Dier, being then masters mate, to be their Master for that voyage, who did choose to be his Mates, the two quarter masters of the same Ship, to wit, Peter Austin and Giles Shillabey, and for Purser was shipped one Richard Burges, afterward about the eight day of November, we made sail foorthward, and by force of weather we were driven back again into Portsmouth, 
The jesus driven back again into Portsmouth.  where we refreshed our victuals and other necessaries, & then the wind came fair. About the nine and twentieth day than next following, we departed thence: & the first day of December, by means of a contrary wind, 
After set forward and driven back again into Plymouth. After that driven back to Falmouth.  we were driven to Plymouth: the xviii. day than next following, we made foorthward again, & by force of wether we were driven into Falmouth, where we remained until the first day of january: at which time the wind came fair, we departed thence, & about the xx. day of the said month, we arrived safely at S. Lucas, and about the ix. day of March next following, we made sail from thence, & about the xviii. day of the same month we came to Tripoli 
The jesus arrived into Tripoli.  in Barbary, where we were very well entertained by the king of the country, & also of the commons. The commodities of the place is sweet oils: the king there is a merchant and the rather willing to prefer himself before his commons, requested our said factors to traffic with him, 
The king of Tripoli a merchant.  and promised them that if they would take his oils at his own price, they should pay no manner of custom, and they took of him certain Tuns of Oil: & afterward perceiving that they might have far better cheap, notwithstanding the custom free, they desired the King to licence them to take the Oils at the pleasure of his commons, for that his price did exceed theirs: whereunto the king would not agree, but was rather contented to abate his price: insomuch that the factors bought all their Oils of the King's custom free, and so laded the same aboard.  
In the mean time there came to that place one Miles Dickenson, in a Ship of Bristol, 
Another ship of Bristol came to Tripoli.  who together with our said factors, took a house to themselves there Our French factor Roman Sonnings, desirous to buy a commodity in the market, and wanting money, desired the said Miles Dickenson to lend him a hundred Chikinoes until he came to his lodging, which he did, 
A French factor beguiled an English factor.  and afterward the same Sonnings met with Miles Dickenson in the street, and delivered him money bound up in a napkin: saying, master Dickenson there is the money that I borrowed of you, and so thanked him for the same: he doubting nothing less than falsehood, which is seldom known among merchants, & specially being together in one house, & is the more detestable between Christians, then being in Turkey among the heathen: the said Dickenson did not tell the money presently, until he came to his lodging, and then finding nine Chikinoes lacking of his hundred, which was above three pounds▪ for that every Chikinoe is worth seven shillings of English money: he came to the said Roman Sonnings and delivered him his handkerchief, and asked him how many Chikinoes he had delivered him, Sonnings answered, a hundred: Dickenson said no: and so they protested and swore on both parts: but in the end the said Roman Sonnings did swear deeply with detestable oaths▪ 
The French factor desired vengeance to light on himself, which God brought to pass for an example to blasphemous swearers.  and curses, and prayed God that he might show his works on him, that other might take ensample thereby, and that he might be hanged like a Dog, and never come into England again, if he did not deliver unto the said Dickenson an hundred Chekinoes. And here behold a notable example for all blasphemers, cursers, and swearers, how GOD rewarded him accordingly, for many times it cometh to pass, that GOD showeth his miracles upon such monstrous blasphemers, to the ensample of others, as now hereafter you shall here what befell to this Roman Sonnings.  
There was a man in the said Town a pledge, whose name was Patron Norado, who the year before had done this Sonnings some pleasure there. The foresaid Patron Norado was indebted unto a Turk of that Town, in the sum of four hundred and fifty crowns, for certain goods sent by him into Christendom in a Ship of his own, and by his own brother, and himself remained in Tripoli as pledge, until his said brothers return: and as the report went there, that after his brother's arrival into Christendom, he came among lewd company, 
A conspiracy practised by the French Factor, to deceive a Turkish merchant of 450 crowns.  and lost his brothers said Ship and goods at dice, and never returned unto him again. The said Patron Norado being void of all hope, and finding now opportunity, consulted with the said Sonnings for to swim a-seaboard the islands, and the Ship being then out of danger, should take him in, as after was confessed, and so to go to Tallownes in the province of Massillins, with this Patron Norado, and there to take in the rest of his lading. The Ship being ready the first day of May, and having her Sails all abroad, our said Factors did take their leave of the King, who very courteously bid them farewell, and when they came aboard, they commanded the Master and the company hastily to get out the Ship: the Master answered that it was unpossible, for that the wind was contrary and overblowed. And he required us upon forfeiture of our bands, that we should do our endeavour to get her forth, then went we to warp out the Ship, and presently the king sent a boat aboard of us, with three men in her, commanding the said Sonnings to come a shore: at whose coming, the King demanded of him custom for the Oils, 
The king of Tripoli swerveth from his promise, through covetousness.  Sonnings answered him that his highness had promised to deliver them custom free: but notwithstanding the king weighed not his said promise, and as an Infidel that hath not the fear of GOD before his eyes, nor regard of his word, albeit he was a King: he caused the said Sonnings to pay the custom to the uttermost penny. And afterward willed him to make haste away, saying, that the jenizaries would have the Oil a shore again. These jenizaries are soldiers there under the Great Turk, and their power is above the Kings. And so the said Factor departed from the King, and came to the water side, and called for a boat to come a board, and he brought with him the foresaid Patron Norado. The company inquisitive to know what man that was, 
The beginning of their troubles, and occasion of all their misery.  Sonnings answered, that he was his countryman, a passenger: I pray GOD said the Company, that we come not into trouble by this man. Then said Sonnings angerly, what have you to do with any matters of mine, if any thing chance otherwise then well, I must answer for all.  
Now the Turk unto whom this Patron Norado was indebted, missing him, supposed him to be aboard of our Ship, and presently went unto the King, and told him that he thought that his pledge Patron Norado was aboard of the English Ship, whereupon the King presently sent a boat aboard of us, with three men in her, commanding the said Sonnings to come a shore, and not speaking any thing as touching the man, he said that he would come presently in his own boat, but assoon as they were gone, he willed us to warp forth the Ship, and said that he would see the knaves hanged before he would go a shore. And when the King saw that he came not a shore, but still continued warping away the Ship, he strait commanded the Gunner of the Bulwark next unto us, to shoot three shoots without ball. Then we came all to the said Sonnings, and asked of him what the matter was, that we were shot at, he said that it was the jenezaries would have the oil a shore again, and willed us to make hast away, 
All the Turkish gunner's in T●rpo●ie commanded to do their best to sink the JESUS, but could n●● once hit her.  and after that he had discharged three shots without ball, he commanded all the gunner's in the town to do their endeavour to sink us, but the Turkish gunner's could not once strike us, wherefore the king sent presently to the Baneo: this Baneo is the prison whereas all the captives lay at night, and promised if that there were any that could either sink us, or else cause us to come in again, he should have a hundred crowns and his liberty. With that came forth a Spaniard called Sebastian, 
A proclamation m●●e, that whosoever could sink her, or bring her in should have a C. crowns, & if he were a captive he should have his liberty. How a Spaniard took it in hand, and brought it to pass, & made the Ship to yield.  which had been an old servitor in Flanders, and he said, that upon performance of that promise, he would undertake either to sink us, or to cause us to come in again, and thereto he would gauge his life, and at the first shot he split our rother's head in pieces, and the second shot he struck us under water, and the third shot he shot us through our foremast with a Coluerlyn shot, & thus he having rend both our Rother & Mast, and shot us under water, we were enforced to go in again. This Sebastian for all his diligence herein, had neither his liberty nor an hundred crowns, so promised by the said king, but after his service done, was committed again to prison, whereby may appear the regard that a Turk or Infidel hath of his word, although he be able to perform it, yea more, though he be a King.  
Then our merchants seeing no remedy, they together with five of our company went a shore, and then they ceased shooting, they shot unto us in the whole nine and thirty shoots, without the hurt of any man. And when our merchants came a shore, the king commanded presently that they with the rest of our company, that were with them should be chained four and four, to a hundred weight of iron, 
The English men chained by four and four.  and when we came in with the ship, there came presently above an hundred Turks aboard of us, and they searched us, & stripped our very clothes from our backs, and broke open our chests and made a spoil of all that we had: and the Christian caitiffs likewise that same a board of us, made spoil of our goods, and used us as ill as the Turks did. And our masters mate having a Geneva Bible in his hand, 
The Christian captives as greedy of the Englishmen'S spoil as the Turks.  there came the kings chaefe gunner, and took it out from him, who showed me of it, and I having the language, went presently to the king's treasurer, and told him of it: saying, that sith it was the will of God that we should fall into their hands, yet that they should grant us to use our consciences to our own discretion, as they suffered the Spaniards and other nations to use theirs, and he granted us, than I told him that the master gunner had taken away a Bible from one of our men, the Treasurer went presently and commanded him to deliver up the Bible again, whi●h he did: and within a little after he took it from the man again, and I showed the Treasurer of it, and presently he commanded him to deliver it again: saying, thou villeine, wilt thou turn to christianity again, for he was a Renegois, 
A Turks took a Geneva Bible for his sh●re of the spoil.  which was one that first was a Christian, and afterwards became a Turk, and so be delivered me the Bible the second time. And then I having it in my hand, the gunner came to me, and spoke these words, saying: thou Dog I will have the book in despite of thee, and took it from me, saying: if thou tell the King's Treasurer of it any more, by Mahummet I will be revenged of thee. Notwithstanding I went the third time unto the King's Treasurer, and told him of it, and he came with me, saying this unto the gunner: by the head of the great Turk, if thou take it from him again, thou shalt have an hundred Bastanadoes. And forthwith he delivered me the book, saying, he had not the value of a pin of the spoil of the Ship, 
All that had share of the spoil (shortly after) by God's judgement perished.  which was the better for him, as hereafter you shall here, for there was none, neither Christian nor Turk that took the value of a pennyworth of our goods from us, but perished both body and goods within seventeen months following, as hereafter shall plainly appear. Then came the Gwardian Bashée which is the keeper of the kings captives, to fetch us all a shore, and then I remembering the miserable estate of poor distressed captives, in the time of their bondage to those Infidels: went to mine own chest, and took out thereof a jar of Oil, and filled a basket full of white Ruske to carry a shore with me, but before I came to the Banio, the Turkish boys had taken away almost all my bread, and the keeper said, deliver me the jar of Oil, and when thou comest to the Banio thou shalt have it again, 
The lamentation of the merchants and mariners being all chained in prison.  but I never had it of him any more. But when I came to the Banio, and saw our merchants and all the rest of our company in chains, and we all ready to receive the some reward, what heart in the world is there so hard, but would have pitied our cause, hearing or seeing the lamentable greeting there was betwixt us: all this happened the first of May.  
And the second day of the same month, the King with all his counsel sat in judgement upon us. The first that were had forth to be reigned, 
The Englishmen arraigned.  were the Factors, and the Masters, & the King asked them wherefore they came not a shore when he sent for them: and Roman Sonnings answered, that though he were King a shore, and might command there, so was he as touching those that were under him: 
Roman Sonnings condemned to be hanged over one of the Bulwarks. The Master Andrew Dier, condemned to be hanged over the other Bulwark. Rich. Skegs procured master Dyer's pardon and his own.  and therefore said, if any offence be, the fault is wholly in myself, and in no other. Then forthwith the King gave judgement, that the said Roman Sonnings should be hanged over the Northenest Bulwark, from whence he conveyed the forenamed Patron Norado, and then he called for our Master Andrew Dier, and used few words to him, and so condemned him to be hanged over the walls of the Westermost Bulwark.  
Then fell our other Factor (named Richard Skegs) upon his knees before the King, and said, I beseech your highness either to pardon our Master, or else suffer me to die for him, for he is ignorant of this cause. And then the people of that country favouring the said Richard Skegs, besought the King to pardon them both. So then the King spoke these words: Behold for thy sake I pardon the Master. Then presently the Turks shouted, and cried, saying: Away with the Master from the presence of the King. And then he came into the Banio where as we were, and told us what had happened, and we all rejoiced at the good hap of master Skegges, that he was saved, and our Master for his sake. But afterward our joy was turned to double sorrow, for in the mean time the King's mind was altered, for that one of his Counsel had advised him, that unless the Master died also, by the law they could not confiscate the Ship nor goods, neither captive any of the men, whereupon the King sent for our Master again, 
Master Dier afterwards condemned to be hanged over another Bulwark.  and gave him another judgement after his pardon for one cause, which was that he should be hanged. Hear all true Christians may see what trust a Christian man may put in an Infidel's promise, who being a King, and pardoned a man now, as you have heard, and within an hour after hanged him for the same cause before a whole multitude: and also promised our Factors their Oils custom free, and at their going away made them pay the uttermost penny for the custom thereof.  
And when that Roman Sonnings saw no remedy but that he should die, be protested to turn Turk, 
Roman Sonnings the French man turned Turk in hope of his life, and died in the profession of a Turk.  hoping thereby to have saved his life. Then said the Turk, if thou wilt turn Turk, speak the words that thereunto belong, and he did so. Then said they unto him, now thou shalt die in the faith of a Turk, and so he did as the Turks reported that were at his execution. And the forenamed Patron Norado, whereas before he had liberty, and did nothing, he then was condemned slave perpetual, except there were payment made of the foresaid sum of money. Then the King condemned all us, who were in number six and twenty, of the which, two were hanged as you have heard, 
XXIII. Englishmen condemned to perpetual prison.  and one died the first day we c●me a shore, by the visitation of almighty God, and the other three and twenty he condemned slaves perpetually unto the Great Turk, and the Ship and goods was confiscated to the cse of the great Turk: and then we all f●ll down upon our knees, giving God thanks for this sorrowful visitation and giving ourselves wholly to the almighty power of GOD, unto whom all secrets are known, that he of his goodness would vouchsafe to look upon us. Hear may all true Christian hearts see the wonderful works of God showed upon such Infidel's blasphemers, whoremasters, and runagate Christians, and so shall you read in the end of this book, of the like upon the unfaithful king and all his children, and of as many as took any portion of the said goods. But first to show our miserable bondage and slavery, 
Every five men allowed but two pennies of bread in a day.  and unto what small pittance and allowance we were tied, for every five men had allowance but five Osperes of bread in a day, which is but two pence English: and our lodging was to lie on the bare boards, with a very simple cape to cover us, we were also forcibly and most violently shaven, head and beard, and within three days after, 
The Englishmen'S heads and beards forcibly shaven.  I and six more of my fellows together with four score of Italians and Spaniards, were sent forth in a Galeat to take a Greekish Carmosal, which came into Arrabia to steal Negroes, & went out of Tripoli unto that place, which was two hundred and forty leagues thence, 
The Christians chained, three & three to an Oar in the Galley, and rowed all naked above the girdle, & pitti●ullie beaten with a Ox pissell,  but we were cheaned three and three to an oar, and we rowed naked above the girdle, and the Boatswain of the Galley walked abast the Mast and his Mate afore the Mast, and each of them a Bulls pissell dried in their hands, and when their devilish choler rose, they would strike the Christians for no cause: and they allowed us but half a pound of bread a man in a day without other kind of sustenance, water excepted: And when we came to the place whereas we saw the Carmosall, we were not suffered to have neither needle, bodkin, knife, or any other instrument about us, nor at any other time in the night up on pain of one hundredth bastinadoes, we were then also vildly manackled in such sort, that we could not put our hands the length of a foot asunder the one from the other, and every night they searched our chains three times, to see if they were fast reaveted: We continued fight with the Carmosall three hours, and then we took it, 

The Galley of Tripoli took a Greekish Carmosall.  
The Turks build a church The Englishmen put to all kind of slavery. Some to hue stones. Some to draw stores. Some to draw timber. Some to draw Ordinance. The country rebelled against the king.   and lost but two of our men in that fight, but there were slain of the Greeks five, and fourteen were cruelly hurt, and they that were sound, were presently made slaves, and chained to the oars: and within fifteen days after we returned again into Tripoli, and then we were put to all manner of slavery, I was put to hue stones, and other to carry stones, and some to draw the Cart with earth, and some to make mortar, & some to draw stones (for at that time the Turks builded a Church:) and thus we were put to all kind of slavery that was to be done, and in the time of our being there, the moors that are the Husbandmen of the country rebelled against the King, because he would have constrained them to pay greater tribute than heretofore they had done, so that the soldiers of Tripoli marched forth of the town to have joined battle against the moors for their rebellion, and the King sent with them four pieces of ordinance, which were drawn by the captives twenty miles into the country after them, and at the sight thereof the moors fled, and then the captains returned back again. Then I and nineteen Christians more, were sent twelve miles into the country with a cart to load timber, and we returned again the same day. 
The Christians sent three times a week thirty miles to fetch wood  Now the King had eighteen captives, which three times a week went to fetch wood thirty miles from the town, and on a time he appointed me for one of the eighteen, & we departed at eight of the clock in the night: and upon the way as we road upon the Camels, I demanded of one of our company? who did direct us the way, he said that there was a Moor in our company which was our guide, and I demanded of them how Tripoli and the wood bore one of the other, and he said, East north-east, and West Southweast. And at midnight or near thereabouts, as I was riding upon my Camel, I sell a sleep, and the guide and all the rest road away from me, not thinking but I had been among them. When I awoke, and finding myself alone, durst not call nor hollow, for fear lest the wild Moors should hear me, because they hold this opinion that in killing a Christian they do God good service: & musing with myself what were best for me to do, and if I should go forth and the wild Moors should hap to meet with me, they would kill me: and on the other side, if I should return back to Tripoli without any wood or company, I should be most miserably used therefore: of two evils, rather I had to go forth to the losing of my life, then to turn back and trust to their mercy, fearing to be used as before I had seen others: for understanding by some of my company before, how Tripoli and the said wood did lie one of another, by the North star. I went forth at adventure, and as God would have it, I came right to the place where they were, even about an hour before day: there altogether we rested and gave our camels provender, and assoon as the day appeared, 
The Christians plucked up the wood by the roots to load their Camels.  we road all into the wood: and I seeing no wood there, but a stick here and a stick there, about the bigness of a man's arm, growing in the sand, caused me to marvel how so many Camels should be laden in that place. The wood was jiniper, we needed no axe nor other edge tool to cut it, but plucked it up by strength of hands, roots and all, which a man might easily do, and so gathered it together, a little at one place and so at another; and laded our Camels, and came home about seven of the clock that night following: because I fell lame and my Camel was tired, I left my wood in the way.  

Eighteen captives run away from Tripoli.  There was in Tripoli that time a Venetian, whose name was Benadetta Venissiano, and seventeen captives more of his company, which ran away from Tripoli in a boat, and came in sight of an Island called Malta, which lieth forty leagues from Tripoli right North, and being within a mile of the shore, and very fair weather, one of their company said, In dispeto de diu a desk a venio de pilliar tarra, 
The judgement of God upon wicked blasphemers.  which is as much to say: In the despite of God we shall now fetch the shore, and presently there arose a mighty storm, with thunder and rain, & the wind at North, their boat being very small, so that they were enforced to bear up room, & to shear right afore the wind overagainst the coast of Barbary from whence they came, & rowing up & down the coast, their victuals being spent, the xxi. day after their departure, they were enforced through the want of food to come a shore, thinking to have stolen some sheep: but the moors of the country very craftily, perceiving their intent gathered together a threescore horsemen, & hide themselves behind a sandy hill, & when the christians were come all a shore, 
The moors took the xviii. christians that ran away from Tripoli.  & passed up half a mile into she country, the moors road betwixt them and their boat, and some of them pursued the christians, & so they were all taken and brought to Tripoli, from whence they had before escaped: & presently the king commanded that the foresaid Benedicta with one more of his company should lose their ears, & the rest to be most cruelly beaten, which was presently done. 
The king of Tripoli had a son which was ruler in the Island of jerbbye.  This king had a son which was a ruler in an Island called jerbby, whereunto arrived an English ship called the Green Dragon, of the which was master, one M. Blonket, who having a very unhappy boy in that ship, & understanding that whosoever would turn Turk should be well entertained of the king's son, this boy did run a shore, & voluntarily turned Turk. Shortly after the kings soon came to Tripoli to visit his father, & seeing our company, he greatly fancied Rich. Burges our pursser, & james Smith, they were both young men, therefore he was very desirous to have them to turn Turk, but they would not yield to his desire, saying: we are your father's slaves, & as slaves we will serve him: then his father the king sent for them, & asked them if they would turn Turk, & they said: If it please your highness, christians we were borne, & so we will remain, & beseeched the king that they might not be enforced thereunto. The king had there before in his house, a son of a yeoman of our Queen's guard, 
The kings son had a Captive that was son to one of the Queen's majesties guard, that was forced to turn Turk.  whom the kings son had enforced to turn Turk, his name was john Nelson, him the king caused to be brought to these young men, and then said unto them: will not you bear this your countryman company, and be Turk as he is, and they said, that they would not yield thereunto during life: but it sell out, that within a month after, the kings son went home to jerbbïe again, being six score miles from Tripoli, and carried our two foresaid young men with him, which were Richard Burges and james Smith: and after their departure from us, they sent us a letter, signifying that there was no violence showed unto them as not, but within three days after they were violently used, for that the king's son demanded of them again if that they would turn Turk: 
Richard Burges made a Turk by force.  then answered Richard Burges, a Christian I am, and so I will remain. Then the kings son very angerly said unto him: by Mahommet thou shalt presently be made Turk. Then called he for his men, and commanded them to make him Turk, and they did so, and circumcised him, and would have had him speak the words that thereunto belonged, but he answered them stoutly that he would not: and although they had put on him the habit of a Turk, yet said he, Christian I was borne and so I will remain, though you force me to do otherwise. And then he called for the other, & commanded him to be made Turk perforce also: 
james Smith made Turk, and circumcised by force.  but he was very strong, for it was so much as eight of the King's sons men could do to hold him, so in the end they circumcised him, and made him Turk. Now to pass over a little, and so to show the manner of our delivery out of that miserable captivity.  

The first motion for those Englishmen'S delivery.  In may aforesaid, shortly after our apprehension, I wrote a letter into England unto my Father dwelling in Eavistoke in Devonshire, signifying unto him the whole estate of our calamities: and I wrote also to Constantinople to the English ambassador, both which letters were faithfully delivered. But when my Father had received my letter, and understood the truth of our mishap; and the occasion thereof, and what had happened to the offenders: he certified the Right honourable the earl of Bedford thereof, who in short space acquainted her Highness with the whole cause thereof, and her Majesty like a most merciful Princess, tendering her subjects, presently took order for our deliverance. Whereupon the right worshipful sir Edward Osburne, knight, directed his letters with all speed to the English ambassador in Constantinople, to procure our delivery, and he obtained the great Turk's commission, & sent it forth with to Tripoli, by one master Edward Barton, together with a justice of the great Turks, & one soldier, and another Turk, & a Greek which was his interpreter, which could speak besides Greek, Turkish, Italiam, Spanish, & English. And when they came to Tripoli, they were well entertained. 
A Commission come from the great Turk for the Englishmen'S delivery.  And the first night they did lie in a captains house in the town, all our company that were in Tripoli, came that night for joy to master Barton and the other commissioners to see them. Then master Barton said unto us, welcome my good countrymen, and lovingly entertained us, & at our departure from him, he gave us two shillings, and said, serve God, for to morrow I hope you shall be as free as ever you were, we all give him thanks, and so departed. The next day in the morning very early, the king had intelligence of their coming, sent word to the keeper, that none of the Englishmen (meaning our company) should go to work. Then he sent for master Barton and the other commissioners, & demanded of the said M Barton his message: the justice answered, that the Great Turk his Sovereign had sent them unto him, 
The some of the great Turk's commission, pronounced by a a Turkish justice.  signifying that he was informed that a certain English ship called the jesus was by him the said King confiscated, about twelve months since, and now my said Sovereign hath here sent his especial commission by us unto you for the delivery of the said ship & goods, and also the free liberty & deliverance of the Englishmen of the same ship, whom you have taken and kept in captivity & farther the same justice said, I am authorized by my said sovereign the great Turk to see it done: and therefore I command you by virtue of this commission, presently to make restitution of the premises or the value thereof, and so did the justices deliver unto the King the great Turk's commission to the effect aforesaid, which commission the king with all obedience received: & after the perusing of the same, 
The Englishmen released by the king of Tripoli, and delivered to M Barton, the 28 day of April, 1585.  he forthwith commanded all the English captives to be brought before him, & then willed the keeper to strike of all our irons, which done, the king said. You Englishmen for that you did offend the laws of this place, by the same laws therefore some of your company were condemned to die as you know & you to be perpetual captives during your lives: notwithstanding seeing it hath pleased my sovereign lord the great Turk to pardon your said offences, & to give you your freedom & liberty, behold here I make delivery of you to this English gentleman: so he delivered us all that were there, being thirteen in number, to master Barton, who required also those two young men which the king's son had taken with him. Then the king answered that it was against their law to deliver them, for that they were turned Turks: and touching the ship and goods, the king said, that he had sold her, but would make restitution of the value, and as much of the goods as came unto his hands, and so the King arose & went to dinner, and commanded a jew to go with master Barton and the other commissioners, to show them their lodging, which was a house provided and appointed them by the said king. And because I had the Italian and Spanish tongues, by which their most traffic in that country is, Master Barton made me his Cater to buy his victuals for him and his company, and delivered me money needful for the same. Thus were we set at liberty, the xxviii. day of April, 1585.  

The plagues and punishments that happened to the king and his people.  Now to return to the king's plagues and punishments which Almighty God at his will and pleasure sendeth upon men in the sight of the world, and likewise of the plagues that befell his children and others aforesaid. First when we were made bondmen, being the second day of May, 1584., the king had 300 captives, and before the month was expired there died of them of the plague 150, 
150 captives died of the plague in one month. Nine of the company of the jesus died of the plague. The king lost 150 Camels, taken by the wild moors. A captive of Malta ran away with a Brigandine, and xii. captives more. The kings fairest More di●● under him, which he made to be buried in her skin, shoes & all.  & whereas there were xxvi. men of our company, of whom two were hanged, and one died the same day that we were made bondslaves, & that present month there died nine more of our company of the plague, & other two were forced to turn Turks as before is rehearsed: & on the fourth day of june next following, the king lost 150 Camels, which were taken from him by the wild moors: & on the xxviii. day of the said month of june, one Geffrey Maltees a Runnagado of Malta, ran away to his country, and stole a Brigandine which the king had builded for to take christians withal, & carried with him twelve christians more which were the king's captives. Afterward about the tenth day of july next following, the king road forth upon the greatest & fairest Mare that might be seen, as white as any Swan, he had not ridden forty paces from his house, but on a sudden the same Mare fell down under him stark dead, & I with six more was commanded to bury her skin, shoes and all, which we did. And about three months after our delivery, M. Barton with all the residue of his company departed from Tripoli to Oezant in a vessel called a Settea of one Marcus Segoorus, who dwelled in Oezant, & after our arrival at Oezant, we remained xv. days there aboard our vessel before we could have Platego (that is, leave to come a shore) because the plague was in that place from whence we came: & about three days after we came a shore, 
Two Englishmen shipped to Constantinople with M. Barton. N●ne of the Englishmen shipped to England. The Soldiers of Tripoli kill the king. The king's son goeth to Constantinople with his father's captives, who skirmish in the Galley with him and his Turks, in which conflict, two Englishmen were slain.  thither came another Settea of Massilins bound for Constantinople. Then did M. Barton and his company, with two more of our company, ship themselves as passengers in the same Settea, and went to Constantinople. But the other nine of us that remained in Oezant, about three months after shipped ourselves in a Ship of the said Mareus Segoorus, which came to Oezant, and was bound for England. In which three months the Soldiers of Tripoli killed the said King. And then the king's son according to the custom there, went to Constantinople, to surrender up all his father's treasure, goods, Captives, and Concubines, unto the Great Turk, and took with him our said Pursser Richard Burges, & james Smith, and also the other two Englishmen, which he the said king's son had enforced to become Turks as is aforesaid. And they the said Englishmen, finding now some opportunity, concluded with the Christian captives which were going with them unto Constantinople, being in number about one hundred and fifty, to kill the king's son, and all the Turks which were aboard of the Galley, and privily the said Englishmen conveyed unto the said Christian captives weapons for that purpose. And when they came into the main sea towards Constantinople (upon the faithful promise of the said Christian captives) these four Englishmen leapt suddenly into the Croossia, that is, into the midst of the Galley where the Cannon lieth, and with their swords drawn, did fight against all the foresaid Turks, and for want of help of the said Christian captives, who falsely broke the●●●emises, the said M. Blonkets boy was killed, and the sa●● I●mes Smith & our Pursser Richard Burges, and the other Englishman, were taken & bound into chains to be han●●●●● there arrival into Constantinoples and as the Lords w●● 〈◊〉 about two days after, passing through the gulf of V 〈…〉 an Island called Saffalonea, they met with two of the doke of Venice his Galleys, 
Two Galleys of Venice took the king of Tripoli hi● Galley and killed the king's son and all the Turks in it, & released all the Christians, being in number 150.  which took that Galley, & killed the kings son, & his mother, & all the Turks that were there, in number ●50, and they saved the Christian captives, & would have killed the two Englishmen, because they were circumcised & become Turks, had not the other Christian captives excused them, saying, that they were enforced to be Turks by the king's son, & showed the Venetians also, how they did enterprise at sea to fight against all the Turks & that their two fellows were slain in that fight. Then the Venetians saved them, & they with all the residue of the said captives had their liberty, which were in number 150 or thereabouts, & the said Galley & all the Turks treasure, was confiscated to the use of the duke of Venice, & from thence our two Englishmen traveled homeward by land, & in this mean time we had one more of our company which died in Oezante, & afterward the other eight shipped themselves at Oezante, in a ship of the said Marcus Segorius which was bound for England: & before we departed thence, there arrived the Ascension & the George Bonaventure of London into Saffalonea, in a harbour there called Arrogostoria, whose merchants agreed with the merchants of our ship, & so loaded all the merchandise of our ship into the said ships of London, who took us eight also in as passengers, & so we came home, & within two months after our arrival at London our said pursser Richard Burges & his fellow came home also, for the which we are bound to praise almighty God during our life, and as duty bindeth us, to pray for the preservation of our most gracious Queen, for the great care her Majesty had over us her poor subjects, in seeking & procuring of our deliverance aforesaid, & also for her honourable privy council, & I especially for the prosperity & good estate of the house of the late deceased the Right honourable the earl of Bedford, whose honour I must confess, most diligently at the suit of my father now departed, traveled herein: for that which Arrest continually bounden to his, whose soul I doubt not but is already in the heavens in joy with the Almighty, unto which place he vouchsafe to bring us all, that for our sins suffered most vile and shameful death upon the cross, there to live perpetually world without end: Amen.  
Thom Sanders.  
FINIS.