THE Rare and most wonderful things which Edw. Webbe an Englishman borne, hath seen and passed in his troublesome travails, in the Cities of jerusalem, Damasko, Bethlehem and Galely: and in the lands of jewrie, Egypt, Grecia, Russia, and Prester john. Wherein is set forth his extreme slavery sustained many years together in the Galleys and wars of the great Turk, against the lands of Persia, Tartary, Spain, and Portugal, with the manner of his releasement and coming into England in May last.  
Newly enlarged and corrected by the Author.  
LONDON Printed for William Wright. 1590.   

  

To the most Mighty, my gracious and renowned Sovereign, Elizabeth by the grace of God Queen of England, France, and Ireland, defender of the faith. etc. Your highness most humble subject Ed. Webbe hearty prayeth for the continuance of your majesties health and prosperous reign to the worlds end.  
COnsidering (most gracious and dread Sovereign) the wonderful providence of Almighty GOD showed towards your Highness since the time of your most happy and prosperous reign, aswell in the preservation of your majesties person from the hands of your highness enemies, as also in defending this small Angle or Realm of England from the force of foreign foes, and the continual blessings of peace and plenty, with which ever since he hath in bountiful sort maintained it: I could not therefore but (according to my duty) render humble thanks to almighty God for the same, when to my great comfort, even in the midst of my grievous thraldom in Turkey, I heard it most truly reported by a Christian captive, and your highness clemency by him highly commended. The report of whose fame truly described, aswell in the administration of justice, and supporting of Christian religion, as also in relieving and succouring the poor distressed members of this land, gave me just cause to pray heartily for my delivery, and to long inwardly until I came to see your Highness (my dread Sovereign) and this my native Country. And now having obtained my long expected wish, I do in all humbleness prostrate myself and this plain discourse of my travels, to your most excellent Majesty: wherein may be seen that if in Turkey I would have denied my Christ, or in my travail would have forsaken my Prince to have served for Spain, thereby to have become a Traitor to your Majesty & my native Country, I needed not to have lived in want, but in great prosperity. But for as much as almighty God hath now set me free from thraldom, and delivered me from many dangers, and sent me into England, my desire is that I may be employed in such service and affairs, as may be pleasing to God, and found profitable to my Prince and Country. And thus trusting your Highness will accept in good▪ worth this true discourse though rudely penned I humbly take my leave, praying for the prosperous health and continual reign of your most excellent Majesty.  
Your highness most humble subject. Edward Webbe.   

The Epistle to the Reader.  
Courteous Reader, I have undertaken in this short discourse, to utter the most part of such things as I saw and passed in the time of my troublesome travail and slavish life sustained in the Galleys, and wars of the great Turk.  
And this I protest, that in this book there is nothing mentioned or expressed but that which is of truth, and what mine own eyes have perfectly seen. Some foolish persons perhaps will cavil & say, that these are lies and feigned fables, and that it containeth nothing else: but to those I answer, that what soever is herein mentioned, he whosoever he be, that shall so find fault and doubt of the truth hereof, let him but come and confer with me or make inquiry of the best and greatest travelers and Merchants about all this land: and they doubtless shall be resolved that this is true which is here expressed: with a great deal more, which now I cannot call to remembrance, for that my memory faileth me, by means of my great and grievous troubles.  
And whereas in the first edition of this book a great fault in number did negligently escape in Folio 3. in these words 30. thousand for 300. thousand: and 50. thousand for 500 thousand: that fault is truly amended in this Edition. From my lodging at Black-wall, this nineteenth of May, 1590.  
Your loving Country man, Edward Webbe.   

Verses written upon the Alphabet of the Queen's majesties name.  

Eternal God who guideth still your grace,  
Lengthen your life in health and happy state:  
Inspire your subjects hearts in every place,  
Zealous in love and free from secret hate,  
And shorten life in those that breed debate.  
Behold her Lord, who is our strength and stay,  
Even she it is, by whom we hold our own:  
Turn not thy face from her in any way,  
Hue down her foes and let them all be known.   

Renowned Queen your highness subjects joy,  
even for to see the fall of all your foes,  
God of his mercy shield you from annoy,  
Intended treasons still for to disclose:  
None of us all but will most duly pray,  
Almighty God preserve you night and day.   
FINIS.   

E. Webb his travails.  
I Edward Webbe an Englishman, borne at Saint Katherins near the tower of London, was the son of one Richard Webb master gunner of England, my father having some natural affection to me, when I was but xii. years old, did prefer me to the service of Captain jenkenson, at such time as he was sent ambassador into Russia, with whom I went by sea and upon him I was daily attendant: in which my journey, I was conversant among the people of that country which were appareled like to the Turks and Tartarians with furde caps & long garments down to their shins: much like to Carbines or Horsemen ready to the war. There I made my abode some space in the head city of Russia called Musko, in which their building is all of fir, except the emperors Court, which is of lime and stone. They execute very sharp laws among themselves, and are a kind of tyrannous people as appeareth by their customs, of which among many other, these I specially noted, viz. that if any man be indebted one to another, and doth not make payment at his day and time appointed: the officers may enter upon the debtor and forcibly break down their houses and imprison them in grievous sort: where judgement shall presently pass against him, which is with a mallet of wood he shall have so many blows on the shins or on the forehead as the judge shall award: and this punishment shall be inflicted sundry days upon him. The Turks also useth to beat debtor with a mallet, but not in that sort, for in Turkey they are beaten for debt upon the soles of the feet with a Cane or cudgel if payment be not made by a day. I also noted, that if any noble man offend the Emperor of Russia, the said Noble man is taken and imprisoned with all his children and kinsfolks, and the first great frost that cometh (for the country is wonderful cold and subject to frosts) there is a great hole made in the Ice over some great river, and then the party principal is first put in, and after him his wife, his children, and all other his kinsfolks, and so leave none of his posterity to possess his lands or goods but the same are bestowed upon others at the Emperor's pleasure. There I stayed three years attendant on my Master, in which time the crime▪ Tartarians otherwise named the new Christians, made war upon the said city of Musko, which soon after was betrayed and speedily burned, the people in great abundance massacred, and the Tartarian soldiers had wonderful rich spoils in the same: there was I at that time with seven other Englishmen taken prisoners, and for slaves were altogether conveyed to Caffa, where the king of the Tartarians abideth and keepeth a stately Court: being conveyed thither we were set to wipe the feet of the kings horses, and to become ordinary slaves in the said Court, to fetch water, cleave wood, and to do such other drudgery. There were we beaten three times a week with a Bulls pissell, or a horse tail. And in this sort and miserable servitude we stayed there five years, than were we ransomed from thence by our friends, where we paid every man three hundred crowns which is seven shillings six pence a piece, of currant English money. Among that people called the Tartarians, I noted specially this one thing, that their children being new borne, do never open their eyes until they be nine days and nine nights old. Thus being ransomed as is aforesaid, I returned home into England, where having stayed some small time, I went again into Russia in the heart of master Kings at Ratcliff with thirty sail of ships more in our company, at which ●a●e her majesties ship cassed the Willoughby was our Admiral, and the Harry appertaining to the company of the Merchants was our vice-admiral, Master William Burrow then being our Captain and master. In which our voyage we met with five Rovers or men of war whom we set upon, & burned their Admiral and brought those ships into Narre, and there the men were massacred in this manner by the Russians: first great stakes strooken into the ground, and they spitted upon poles as a man would put a pig upon the spit, and so seven score were handled in that manner in a very tyrannous sort. We unladed our burden at Narre, and took in other lading for our commodities, but the ship wherein I was which was called the heart, having sailed but twelve miles from thence stroke upon a rock, whereby the ship and goods were lost, the residue of the fleet had no harm, and all the men in our ship saved their lives by taking them into the boat of the said ship.  
By means of which ship so cast away, I lost all that I had, and then came again into England and gathered a new stock, and in the Henry of London I went to Levanta alias Legorne. This ship called the Henry, had been sold before to Doctor Hector and other Italian Merchants, which was unknown unto us so that at our coming to Legorne the ship was seized on by the factors of those that were the owners thereof, and by them laden with ambergris to Alexandria, in which ship myself was master gunner.  
Thus as I said before, I remained six years in this miserable estate, wonderfully beaten & misused every day: there have I seen of my fellows when they have been so weak as they could not row by reason of sickness and faintness: where the Turks would lay upon them as upon Horses, and beat them in such sort, as oft times they died, and then threw them into the Sea.  
Thus seeing myself still to continue in this miserable state, I was constrained for want of victuals, to discover myself and to show them that I had good skill in Gunner's Art, which I thought would have been greatly well esteemed at the Turks hands: but then for the same I was more narrowly looked unto, yet somewhat better esteemed of then I was before. Not long after the Turk made wars against the Persians, and gathered 700. thousand men together, and these were conducted by his chief Bassas into Persia. At which time (for that had skill in Artillery) I was chosen forth of the Galleys to go with the Army into Persia, and there to do the Turk service in the field, with whom I travailed on foot, but in our going thither, there died of our Army by means of great sickness, disdiet, and want of victuals, about the number of 300. thousand: so that when we came into Percia, we were 400. thousand strong in the field, there we rested us one month, by which time we having heartened ourselves, gave a fierce assault upon the Persians, where the Turks side got the worst, and lost 60. thousand men. Then the General over the Turks Army, whose name was Sannon Bassa, sent us so many soldiers more as made us 500 thousand strong, there we stayed a long time, making wars against the Persians and the great City of Damasko, where the Turk little prevailed: for if the Turk were as politic as he is strong of power, the Persians were not able to resist him. Thus leaving the Turks Army in Persia, we came through Damasko to our City called the great Caier, which City is threescore miles in compass, and is the greatest City in the world, it standeth upon the River of Nilo, and in the said City there are twelve thousand churches which they term Muskots. This City at all times keepeth forty thousand men continually in Soldiers pay, and are ready at one hours warning to serve under the great Turk: there we stayed to see the cutting or parting of the River of Nilo, which is done once every year, upon the 25. day of August. This City standeth in the land of Egypt, and is under the government of the great Turk. And there is a king over the said City, who is called the king of the great Caer, and is the Uize Roy or Lieutenant to the great Turk, and he is then present at the cutting of this river of Nilo: at which time there is great triumph, and every Town and Country round about, to the value of a thousand mile) send gifts and presents to the King of the great Caer, in consideration of the water which cometh to them from that River of Nilo, by means of the cutting of it, which is but once every year.  
It is therefore to be known, that in the land of Egypt it raineth not at all, and all the ground throughout the land of Egypt is continually watered by the water which upon the 25. day of August is turned into the countries round about, by means of the wonderful growing and swelling of the water upright without any stay at all, on one side thereof to the height of a huge mountain, which beginneth to increase the 15. day of August, and by the 25. of August is at the highest, on which day it is cut, by dividing of two pillars in a strange sort, near to the city of the great Caer, and so turned of as from a great mountain into the land of Egypt: by means whereof the Turk holds all the land of Egypt in subjection to himself, and might if he would dismiss them clean from having any water at all.  
From thence I went with the Turks power and under his conduction to the land of jewry, and from thence to the city of jerusalem, where part of the old Temple is yet standing, and many Monuments of great antiquity, as herein after shall be showed. In the land of Syria, there is a River that no jew can get or catch any fish in it at all, and yet in the same River there is great store of fish like unto Salmon Trout. But let a Christian or a Turk come thither and fish for them, & either of them shall catch them in great abundance, if they do but put their hand into the water with a little bread, and an hundredth will be about his hand.  
Thus having seen a number of rare and most wonderful things, we went to the city of Agowa, which is the head and chief City in all the East Indies, there we gave battle against the Christians that keep the said city, which are Portugal's, for that the Town appertaineth to the King of Portugal. There we gave battle & lost three score thousand of the great Turk's men, and yet could not obtain it: nevertheless the great Turk's Lieutenant or General with his power, took a place called Armous, where they had great store of treasure and Sows of silver.  
Thus being chief master Gunner in these Turkish wars, I was sent for again by commandment of the Turk to Damasko, where I stayed all that winter with twenty thousand men. And from thence made provision to make wars against the land of prester john, who is by profession a Christian. In this land of prester john, when it doth rain, it continueth at the least one whole month. And in the gran Caer, there is a plague once in every seventh year, which cometh with such a fierceness, that the most part of all the people there do die of the said plague: and people in great numbers lose their eye sight with the vapours and great heat which cometh from the ground.  
I remember one battle which the Admiral of the great Turk named Ally Bassa, made with three score Galleys, and seized upon a Town where the said Ally Bassa was borne himself, named Trybusas, which is in the Confines of Calabria, and under the government of the King of Spain, at which Town he landed his Army an hour before day, thinking to have taken it by treason: and thereupon in great fury scaled the walls with lather's: but the watch bewrayed us, and on a sudden, cried Arm, arm, which was soon done: for every man took him to his tools and weapons of defence. But it is worthy of memory, to see how the women of that Town did ply themselves with their weapons, making a great Massacre upon our men, and murdered 500 of them in such speedy and furious sort as is wonderful: we needed not to have feared their men at all, had not the women been our greatest overthrow, at which time I myself was master Gunner of the Admiral's Galley, yet chained grievously, and beaten naked with a Turkish sword flatling, for not shooting where they would have me, and where I could not shoot.  
It is but a few years since that in the city of Constantinople, there happened a great plague, where there died in six months space, seven hundredth thousand persons, at which time Master Harbarne Ambassador for the Turkey company was there, and lost sundry of his servants.  
From Damasko we went into the land of prester john who is a Christian, and is called Christien de Sentour: that is, the Christian of the Gerdell: against this Prester john, I went with the Turks power, and was then their master Gunner in the field, the number of Turkish Soldiers sent thither, was five hundredth thousand men who went thither by land, and pitched themselves in battle ray at Saran, near to the place where the son of Prester john keepeth his Court. There Prester john with his power, slew of the Turks to the number of sixty thousand, only by policy of draw Bridges to let forth water, made as secret Slewses for that purpose, in which water so many Turks perished. The next day following, the Turks power did encompass Prester john's son and took him prisoner, and sent him for a Present to the great Turk's court then being at Constantinople, but soon after, Prester john himself, made an agreement between the great Turk and his son, that the one should not demand tribute of the other, and so his son was released and sent home again.  
It is to be understood that the great Turk paid tribute unto Prester john, before the time of these wars, and the Turk did demand a tribute of Prester john's son, which had been paid unto him many years before: whereupon Prester john, when his son was taken prisoner, gave consent to forgive the one tribute for the other, and thereby they were set at liberty the one from the other.  
This Prester john of whom I spoke before, is a king of great power, and keepeth a very bountiful Court, after the fashion of that country, and hath every day to serve him at his table, 60. kings, wearing leaden crowns on their heads: and these serve in the meat unto Prester john's table: and continually the first dish of meat set upon his table is a dead man's skull, clean picked and laid in black earth, putting him in mind that he is but earth and must die. These 60. kings are all his Uize Royes in several places, and they have their deputies to supply their rooms, and these kings live continually in Prester john's Court, and go no further than they may be still attendant upon him without leave from their Emperor Prester john.  
In the court of Prester john, there is a wild man, and another in the high street at Constantinople, whose allowance is every day a quarter of raw mutton: and when any man dieth for some notorious offence, then are they allowed every day a quarter of man's flesh. These wild men are chained fast to a post every day, the one in Prester john's court, and the other in the high street of Constantinople, each of them having a mantel cast about their shoulders, and all over their bodies they have wonderful long hair, they are chained fast by the neck, and will speedily devour any man that cometh in their reach.  
There is a beast in the court of Prester john, called Arians, having four heads, they are in shape like a wild Cat, and are of the height of a Mastie Cur.  
In his court also there is Fowls called Pharaoh's fowls, whose feathers are very beautiful to be worn, these fowls are as big as a Turkey, their flesh is very sweet, and their feathers are of all manner of colours.  
There is Swans in that place, which are as large again as the Swans of England, and their feathers are as blue as any blue cloth.  
I have seen in a place like a park adjoining unto Prester john's Court, three score and seventeen Unicorns and Elephants all alive at one time, and they were so tame that I have played with them as one would play with young Lambs.  
These Elephants together with many other wild and tame beasts will not drink of any water until the Unicorns do begin thereof: these Unicorns when they come to drink of any river, they put in their horn which is blackish and but short: and forth of that water will rise a great scum, and thereby cleanse all the filth and corruption that is within the same, and this horn grated to powder in drink, is a present remedy against any manner of poison.  
When Prester john is served at his table, there is no salt at all set on in any saltseller as in in other places, but a loaf of bread is cut cross, and then two knives are laid a cross upon the loaf, and some salt put upon the blades of the knives and no more.  
Being thus in the land of Prester john, I travailed within eighteen degrees of the Sun, every degree being in distance three score miles.  
I was at the Red sea at the place where Moses made passage with his wand for the children of Israel, where I saw a ship called the grand Maria, she draws but xi. foot water, and against this ship three score galleys and ships have fought at one time and can not conquer her: and this is under the government of the great Turk.  
This ship is built almost flat, and is of such burden, that she will carry in her ten thousand fight men, with their furniture.  
I have been in the Courts of the three great patriarchs, the first whereof is kept at jerusalem, the second at the gran Caer, and the third is at Constantinople: these have their Courts in very stately sort, and attended on by none but Priests.  
When I was at jerusalem I saw the sepulchre wherein it is said that Christ was buried: it is as it were in a vault, and hath seven doors and seven roes of marble steps or stairs to go down into the same, and then at the bottom of the stairs there is a fair Chapel, with an Altar and a Lamp burning continually day and night before it, and the grave is full of white earth so white as chalk, and a tomb of the same earth made and laid upon stone, whereon are sundry letters written, but I could not read them. Upon the left hand of which Chapel is a rock of stone, of a blackish colour, being all of that stone that we commonly call the load stone, which is of this nature: that it will draw iron unto it: this stone is the principallest instrument which Mariners & Sailors do use for directing of their compass at the sea.  
The great Turk hath some profit coming by the keeping of this monement, & hath therefore builded at his own charges an Hospital within jerusalem, which his Genezaries do keep: and this Hospital is to receive all Pilgrims and travelers to lodge in when so ever they come. And all that come to see the sepulchre do pay ten Crowns a piece, whereof the Turk hath but one, and the rest goes to the Church, and so they may stay there so long as they list to lodge in that new Hospital, and have lodging, bread, victuals and water so long as they will remain there, but no wine: such as come thither for pilgrims have no beds at all, but lie upon the ground on turkey karpets, and before the sepulchre of Christ there is mass said every day, & none may say the Mass there, but a man that is a pure virgin: there was one that died when I was there, that daily said and sung the Mass before the sepulchre, and he was an hundred and thirty years of age before his death, and now another is in his room, but whether the old man that dead is, or this which is now in place to sing and say the said Mass, were pure virgins I knownot, but sure I dare not swear for them, because they are men, and flesh and blood as other are.  
After that I had thus long traveled and spent my time in the wars and affairs of the great Turk, I was returned again to Constantinople, where at my arrival a penny loaf of English starling money, was worth a crown of gold, such was the sickness, misery, and dearth then upon the said city, and happy was he that so could get bread to eat. Nevertheless, because I was a Christian, and for that the Turk had no cause presently to use me in my office of gunnership, I was there imprisoned, where I found two thousand Christians pined up in stone walls locked fast in iron chains, grievously pinched with extreme penury, and such as wished death rather than in such misery to live: amongst these was I placed, and took part with them accordingly: grieving at my hard hap that the wars had not ended me before I came thither.  
Thus I remained there with the rest, guarded and daily watched, that we could stir no manner of way, there we were suffered to work upon any manner of trade or occupation wherein we were any way expert: and what we did or made, we sold to the Turks, and they gave us money for the same: and thus were we suffered to work until it were time to go and gather snow, which is there used yearly of custom to be gathered: for the Turk hath great sums of money paid him for the said snow, which is gathered and sold to his subjects for a penny the pound, which pound, is two pound and a half English: and this snow they use only to cool their drink in the summer season. And no man may sell any snow until the Turk hath sold all his.  
Thus living in this slavish life as is afore said, a long time, diverse of us complotted & hamered in our heads how we might procure our releasement: whereupon I attempted with the consent of five hundredth Christians, fellow slaves with myself, to break a wall of fourteen foot broad, made of earth, lime, and sand, which we greatly moistened with strong vinegar, so that the wall being made moist therewith through the help of a spike of iron, five hundred of us had almost escaped out of prison: but look what shall be, shall be, and what God will have, shall come to pass and no more, as appeareth by us, for we having made means for our speedy flight, as we were issewing forth, we were bewrayed by the barking of a dog, which caused the Turks to arise, and they taking us with the manner, stopped us from flying away and gave us in recompense of our pains taking herein, seven hundredth blows a piece with a bulls pissell upon the naked skin, viz. three hundred on the belly, and four hundred on the back.  
Thus lying still prisoner in the Turks dungeons, it pleased God to send thither for the releasement of me and others, a worthy gentleman of this land, named Master Harborne Ambassador thither for the company of Merchants, who to the great honour of England did behave himself wonderful wisely, and was a special means for the releasement of me and sundry other English captives, who were set at liberty soon after the death of the great Bassa: thus by the means of the said master Harborne I was set free from thraldom, and by him sent into England where I arrived on the first of May. 1589.  
Whilst I was remaining prisoner in Turkey, and kept in such slavish manner as is before rehearsed, the great Turk had his son circumcised, which was the foreskin of his privy members was taken off, at which time there was great triumphs and free liberty proclaimed for a hundred days space, that any Nobleman, gentleman, traveler, Christian or other, might freely (without being molested) come and see the triumphs there used, which were wonderful: I myself was then constrained to make a cunning piece of fire work framed in form like to the Ark of Noye, being 24. yards high, and eight yards broad, wherein was placed 40. men drawn on six wheels, yet no man seen, but seemed to go alone, as though it were only drawn by two fiery Dragons, in which show or Ark there was 12. thousand several pieces of fire work.  
At the same time that I was released, there were set at liberty about twenty English men, whereof I was one of the last: some of them are at this present in England. Myself and others were released by means of her majesties favourable letters sent to the great Turk, brought by the aforesaid master Harborne, some by the ransom money gathered at sundry times by the Merchants in the City of London, for that godly purpose: of which, some of their names that were released were these. Hamond Pan, john Beer, john Band, Andrew Pullins, Edward Buggins and others.  
Here may the bountiful Citizens of London see (as in a glass) the fruits of their liberality and charitable devotion given at several times in the year towards the releasement of poor captives, such as are constrained to abide most wild and grievous tortures, especially the torture and torment of conscience which grieved me & all true Christians to the very soul: for the Turk by all means possible would still persuade me and other my fellow Christians while I was there the time of thirteen years, to forsake Christ, to deny him, and to believe in their God Mahomet: which if I would have done, I might have had wonderful preferment of the Turk, and have lived in as great felicity as any Lord in that Country: but I utterly denied their request, though by them grievously beaten naked for my labour, and reviled in most detestable sort, calling me dog, devil, hellhound, and such like names: but I give God thanks, he gave me strength to abide with patience these crosses. And though I were but a simple man void of all learning, yet still I had in remembrance that Christ died for me, as appeareth by the holy Scriptures, and that Christ therein saith, He that denieth me before men, I will deny him before my father which is in heaven: and again he saith, Whosoever believeth on me shall be saved and have life everlasting: this comfort made me resolute, that I would rather suffer all the torments of death in the world, then to deny my Saviour and Redeemer Christ jesus.  
After my free liberty granted in Turkey, I intending my journey towards England, came by land to Uenicie, where I met at Padua thirty Englishmen students, I met also with an Englishman, who lived in the state of a Friar, he brought me before the high Bishop, where I was accused for an heretic, and he brought in two false witnesses to be sworn against me (having before known me in Turkey) nevertheless I disproved his witnesses, and they were found forsworn men, than was I set at liberty, and constrained to give fifteen Crowns towards the finishing of our Lady's shrine at Padua, and my accuser and his witnesses were punished.  
From thence I came to the Duke of Ferrara, where I was well entertained and liberally rewarded with a horse and five and twenty Crowns for the sake of the queens Majesty of England.  
Thrice had I the strappado, hoisted up backward with my hands bound behind me, which struck all the joints in my arms out of joint, where a Physician was ready to set my arms in joint again presently, I was also constrained to drink salt water and quicklyme, and then a fine lawn or calico thrust down my throat and plucked up again, ready to pluck my heart out of my belly, all to make me to confess that I was an English spy. After this there were four bard horses prepared to quarter me, and I was still threatened to die, except I would confess some thing to my harm.  
Thus seven months I endured in this misery, and yet they could find no cause against me, than I wrote to the Uiceroy to do me justice, he did write to the K. of Spain to know what should be done with me: whereupon the king of Spain wrote that I should be employed in a gunner's room: then was I entertained, and had 35. crowns a month, and had the kings patent sealed for the same, and then understanding that three ships were coming towards England, I departed and fled from thence with them to my native country, in the grace of London by the help of one Nicholas Nottingham master thereof. Thus came I into England with great joy and heart's delight, both to myself and all my acquaintance.  
The report in Rheum, Naples, and all over Italy, in my travel which was at such time as the Spaniards came to invade England, after I had been released of my imprisonment, as I passed thpough the streets, the people of that parts asked me how I durst acknowledge my self to be an English man, and thereupon to daunt me, did say, that England was taken by the Spaniards, and that the Queen of England (whom God long preserve) was taken prisoner, and was coming towards Rome to do penuance: and that her highness was brought thither, through deserts, moist, hilly and foul places: and where plain ground was, holes and hollow trenches were digged in the way of her majesties passage, to the intent that she might have gone up to the mid leg in oes or mire: with these speeches they did check me, and I said, that I trusted God doubtless would defend my prince better, then to deliver her into the hands of her enemies, wherefore they did greatly revile me.  
Many things I have omitted to speak of, which I have seen and noted in the time of my troublesome travel. One thing did greatly comfort me which I saw long since in Sicilia, in the city of Palerms, a thing worthy of memory, where the right honourable the Earl of Oxenford a famous man for Chivalry, at what time he travailed into foreign countries, being then personally present, made there a challenge against all manner of persons whatsoever, and at all manner of weapons, as Turniments, Barriors with horse and armour, to fight and combat with any whatsoever, in the defence of his Prince and country: for which he was very highly commended, and yet no man durst be so hardy to encounter with him, so that all Italy over, he is acknowledged ever since for the same, the only Chivallier and Noble man of England. This title they give unto him as worthily deserved.  
Moreover in the land of Egypt near to the River of Nilo, within six miles of the gran Caer. There are seven Mountains builded on the out side, like unto the point of a Diamond, which mountains were builded in King Pharaos' time to keep corn in, and they are mountains of great strength. It is said that they were builded about that time when joseph did lad home his brethren's Asses with corn, in the time of the great dearth mentioned in the scripture. At which time all their corn lay in those mountains.  
In the river of Nilo, there is long fishes of ten or twelve foot long, which swimmeth near the shore, they are called the fishes of King Pharaoh, they are like unto a Dolphin. These fishes are so subtle, that swimming near the shore side, they will pull men or women suddenly into the river and devour them.  
In the city of the gran Caer, the houses are of a very old building, all of lime and stone, and in most of the houses, the roofs are covered with fine gold, in a very workmanly sort.  
In Egypt there is small store of water, because it never raineth in that country, so that their water is very dangerous to drink. They have no springs at all in that country, and yet there falleth such a dew every night, as doth refresh and keep their herbs and plants in due sort, and makes them spring very fruitfully.  
The people of those countries before mentioned are for the most part of a reasonable stature, yet of a brounish and swart complexion: their women go muffled: and generally in the land of jewry they wear high stéepled hats, much like unto the form of a sugar loaf.  
The city of Damascus is very fruitful and greatly replenished with all manner of fruits whatsoever, as Pombgranades, Oranges, Lemons, Apples, Pears, Plumbs, Grapes, and all other like fruits.  
The Turks are a people that at some time they will attempt to do wonderful things, as going upon Ropes, and thrusting their swords into their naked flesh, and stick their sword in their flesh like unto a Scabbard: and many other things of great danger.  
In Turkey no man may strike the gran Cadie, that is their chiefest judge, if any man do strike him, he loseth his right arm for his labour, without redemption.  
At my coming over into England from Rome, I was fame to steal away, being then retained in yearly fee to the King of Spain, to be one of his chiefest Gunners. And if the Ship wherein I came over, had been taken, both they and I myself had died for that offence.  
The old City of jerusalem, is a very desolate place, nothing to be seen but a little of the old walls which is yet remaining, and all the rest is grass, moss, and weeds, like to a piece of rank or moist ground. They have no tillage in those parts.  
The City of jerusalem where the Temple standeth, is almost a mile from the old walls of jerusalem: it is of a very old building, and there standeth all the old relics preserved and kept as monuments of great treasure.  
Now to return where I left of, and declare unto you wherein I employed myself since my coming into England: here I visited my friends from May till November, and then departed into France, where I had entertainment at the hands of the renowned king and captain of this age, Henry of Bourbon king of France and Navarre, who received me into pay, and appointed me his master Gunner in the field.  
It is to be remembered that at this great battle I made one shot of such an accustomed mixture, that did slay the kings enemies in great abundance, whereat the enemies greatly wondered, considering they could neither find bullet, chaineshot, nor could see any other thing more than plain powder, and yet the people strangely slain out right, and lay dead in great abundance.  
At my departure forth of France, the kings Secretary gave me certain letters of commendation to bear with me to the States of England, wherein was declared my good service, and how willing he was still to have employed me in his wars, and would have given me sufficient rewards if with him I would have remained: but being sent for, to come again into my native country, to the intent to be employed in her majesties affairs, I could do no less but make haste towards England, to take in hand any service which I were able to perform.  
At which time I being in the French kings Court, and ready to departed towards England, there came certain news to the King from Roan, that Monsieur de Lego Captain of the Castle in the said town of Roan, with sundry other Protestants, being gentlemen and gentlewomen of good account, had conspired against the traitorous Leaguers that do there rebelliously withstand the King, and had yielded up the Castle with the keys unto a Captain of great courage, to the use of the French King: whereupon all the power this Captain could make, was not able to keep it above half a day: for the King's power lay far from the same, yet upon the sudden they made towards Roan so fast as they might: But all they did was in vain, for before the King's force could get within six miles of the said town, the enemy had won it again by force of cannon shot, and took sundry persons as prisoners which they found in the said Castle, and apprehended sundry other in the town which consented thereunto. Among whom was a Lady and her three waiting gentlewomen, who were by the leaguer and traitors to the King, taken and imprisoned.  
The Captain of the said Castle perceiving that the enemy would have grievously tormented him, stood upon battlements of the said castle, and fought very valiantly, and would not yield, nor suffer himself to be taken by no means: but after he had slain with his own hands about fourteen or fifteen severail persons, he seeing the enemy come in great abundance upon him, thereby intending to take him, suddenly fling his weapons at them, and without any regard of saving his life, wilfully fling himself headlong over the castle wall, and thereby broke his neck: The rest were grievously tormented and put to death for consenting thereunto.  
But it grieveth me to report the extreme tyranny which those Traitorous Leaguers inflicted upon the Lady aforesaid and her three waiting Maids, only for delivering the keys which they had in their custody. These were massacred in this manner: first they were all stripped naked in a field wherein they were executed: they were all severally by the hands and legs bound to the feet of four sundry horses provided for that purpose, and every one being made fast upon a sudden to the horses, some whipped each horse forward: and then with axes, sword, and hatchets quartered them alive: which report when the King understood thereof, he vowed to revenge their death upon those tyrannous Tormentors.  
Thus have you heard the manner of my tedious and grievous travail, my misery, slavery, and captivity, which I suffered therein, the manner of some old monuments and the customs of such as dwell in foreign Nations far off, and in places where our Saviour and his Apostles were resident, and preached upon the earth: my services done under the great Turk in Persia, Tartary, Grecia, and places of service: I omit herein my service at the taking of Tunnys, and what I did in the Roil under don john de Austria: and many other things which I could here discover unto you, only let this suffice, that I shall be glad, and do daily desire that I may be employed in some such service as may be profitable to my Prince and Country.  
FINIS.