THE TRUE RELATION OF THAT WORTHY SEA FIGHT, WHICH two of the East Jndia Ships, had with 4. Portugeses, of great force and burden, in the Persian Gulf.  
WITH THE LAMENTABLE Death of Captain Andrew Shilling.  
WITH OTHER MEMORABLE ACCIDENTS, IN THAT Voyage.  
Printed this 2. of july.  
LONDON Printed by I. D. for Nathaniel Newberry and William Sheffard, and are to be sold in Popes-head Alley. 1622.   


— Tibi crescit omne  
Et quod occasus videt, & quod ortus,  
Parce venturis, tibi mors paramur,  
Sis licet sequis, properamus ipsi:  
Prima quae vitam dedit hora, carpsit:   Seneca in Hercul: fuerent. 
THE LAMENTABLE DEATH OF CAPTAIN Andrew Shilling, who was slain by the Portugeses, in the Persian Gulf.  
I Will neither talk of the Roman glory, nor the Roman Virtues, which made that glory so translucent to the lookers on; but how? by commemoration of history, and publication of their worthiness to the world, which was apparent in nothing more, than the rewarding of well deserving men, or remembering them to posterity by some relation, or other; thus at this day is the Common Wealth of Venice, famosed for observing the rules of Ahashuerosh, in keeping the custom of attention to his own Chronicles, and then making a stop at Mordechays saving his life, ask what had been done to the man of so great deserving, and when answer was made nothing (oh blessed be those times, wherein Princes will demand such questions, and Courtiers be so honest to tell the truth) you know what followed? and my heart leaps for joy to see the Emperor so gracious: From hence other Commonwealths have, or should have such Registers, as a man by Alphabet may find out the memorable actions of others employed in their Country's service, or such Antiquaries as shall expose the Noble Achievements of heroijck spirits in what kind so ever. As for their interposition? that would have none, but men of Honour, and great Captains nominated, I am sodden in my question, how came they to be so Honourable? but from humbled Ancestors, and poor beginnings? and all from the advancement and donation of Majestic Princes?  
Oh God? he, that saw the Danow, and the vast mouth of Hister, gaping upon the black Sea: he that looked upon Nilus seven gates opening themselves upon the Mediterranean Sea: He that followeth the Rhine in his triple division, and braving the Ocean with his streams, and also saw the weak swellings under the Alps, or trickling drops come out of the Hills, would wonder at the progress of these Rivers, and stand amazed to conceive, that such poor springs should increase to such huge streams: thus fareth it with men of good deserving, the more mean, and obscure, the more glory and honour to make their virtue extend so fare, as true notice and memory of their actions, or to step out of the common tract of drudging and despised poverty, to take braver steps toward renown, and riches.  
Therefore I embrace Master Hacklife for his voyages: the Travellers of our time for their journals: the Chronologers for their inventories: the writers of Story, for their records of memorable men, and all the lovers of their Country for attempting some exploit, or other without insulting, or ostentation: and yet remarkable to future ages: yea I protest, I thank him: that set out the discourses of the jacob and Exchange of Bristol, with their Masters and Sailors who performed wonders, ere they could bring the ships into England: and all others, that are so touched with truth and desire not to let pass worthy accidents, that they will publish honest discourses, which shall afford example, or precept to idle sluggish men to be roused up, and take more cheerful courses to do themselves, and country good.  
I could name many things of wonder, and other men of worth: but that I determine no such heaps, nor to raise a poor Pamphlet, to such an height, that Envies fingers shall attempt to pull it down to rubbish, or raging feet presume to trample it to dirt: I will now only speak of a man, of whom I am acquainted with nothing but his valour, and skill in his profession, yea I am so impartial, that not knowing any friend, or kindred belonging unto him, I will yet out of mere affection to virtue, and desire to work upon the governor's of Factories, importune them to remember the living with reward, and the dead by recompensing their widows, and children; and entreat others to endeavour the imitation of well deservers, and make use of Themistocles scholarship, who was so inflamed with the Trophies of Miltiades, that he never desisted, till he had got the reputation of a great Captain.  
This Andrew Shilling, of whom I would speak, and am afraid I shall not speak sufficiently, came from all the degrees of Naval employment to be master of a ship, yea, of many ships, till at last in the time of Sir Thomas Glover, whom master Clarke brought over with his Lady to Constantinople, he arrived there himself with a ship called the Angel, which he commanded, as master Tiler did the Dragon. There was also master Bradshaw at Aleppo, Captain King at Xante, and many other well deserving men at Scio, Smirna, and all the ports of the Levant and Arches. But Shilling (without impeachment of the credit of others (was so liked and looked upon with the judicious eyes of the East India Company, that they employed him thither, and he employed himself so well, and so honestly, that he dispatched his business, and came with Sir Thomas Roe (who had been Ambassador to the great Mogul) into England. But see, what it is to thrive? the Merchant's moving in their proper elements for obtaining of wealth, and having had some passages of discontentments with former Captains, thought it not befitting to be further molested, and therefore once again made choice of master Shilling to go another voyage, to which (after his accounts were rendered) he so addressed himself, that he scarce tarried 6 weeks, but undertook the business. And in a ship, called the London, was appointed Admiral of that Fleet; the Vice Admiral was the heart: There were also two other ships in the company, the Eagle and the Roebuck, all of great burden, and daringly able to encounter with a far greater number.  
Thus shall honest men be employed, and virtue can not be poor, so that whether it was their judgement, and good husbandry, or his wisdom and care to take hold of opportunities foretop, he thought his time well bestowed in growing rich, and they thought their choice very happy to make him rich, and so upon reciprocal agreement, he took the Seas for Zarret in the East Indies in the next ships, that were ready after Sir Thomas Roe came into England: and after many changes, and variety of Accidents, boisterous Seas, and mounting billows, fearful storms, and some wants, he attained the desired harbour, had not an undesired mischance fling him down into the harbour of death: For he perished in the Sea by slaughter, which was the more lamentable, because by his valour and directions his Company were victors, and both brought their ships to take in their lading at other places, and brought them without loss into England; but that they counted the loss of Shilling to exceed half the benefit in their best freighted ship: but how this came to pass? if you will give me leave to write out a worthy man's Letter, I will not leave you, till you understand as much as myself.  
After a long and tedious passage by the Lands, watering places, and Cape, we discovered diverse ships, some for the West, some for the South, and many, both Flemings and others for their Country: those which were remote we never attended, such as came within kenning had friendly salutations, and many times when we encountered with some friends, extraordinary gusts, and foggy mists did divide us, which being usual, and the common effect of long journeys, we neither wondered at the same, nor tarried for further encumbrances: but came in convenient time to S. Laurence, and from thence keeping the common road, we arrived happily at Zaretta, and yet I cannot call it so, because of some disastrous mischief which happened unto us, and although it was a common thing to encounter with daily mischances, from tempests, enemies, and Pirates, which were all as easily passed over, as suddenly came upon us: yet at this time our loss and grief was the greater, because we had not only a wealthy ship in our possession, but a valiant Captain to manage our affairs, both which we lost to our great discomforts, when the malignity of time was overcome with industry, and our enemies departed from us beaten and discomfited.  
Know then, that we have not had long trade in Persia, till of late sending every year a ship, we acquainted ourselves with the inhabitants of Iasques in the Persian Gulf, and so proceeded with them in orderly traffic, both to their satisfaction, & enriching our Merchants, which when the Portingalis understood, they contrived by all possible means to intercept our journeys, which they performed both by secret plots, and conspiracy, and open force, and defiances. Concerning the plots they inferred many things against us to the people, and kindled a kind of reciprocal jealousy between us: they enticed us ashore, under colour of viewing stuffs, and commodities, and then surprised us, taking many prisoners by diverse sleights, and using us unkindly, when they had us under subjection. Concerning their force and power, they always had five or six great Galleons, and ships of war belonging to Spain, & employed for the security of these places, and at this instant, had four well appointed ships in readiness, who lay watching for our Merchant, as a Hawk hover over the prey, and so resolved to take it, whosoever it was: all which was considered of us in our passage, so that when we were within 40, or 50. leagues of Zarret a Council of war was called, and Andrew Shilling being our Admiral, and Commander of our small Fleet, concluded to send the heart being vice-admiral, and the Eagle to Iasques in Persia, and so according to our ceremonies, they took their leave of us, before we came to Zarret, and we went directly to harbour, where we might have been welcomed with all the comforts of friendly greetings, had not the Merchants understood, what we had done, but apprehensive of the danger, they would not suffer us to land, but sent us presently after the other to assist them: for they known, they should be fought with all, if not overset: it was not our turns to dispute, nor had we any other part to play but obedience, and so we put to Sea again, taking a course to follow our ships.  
But we had not been two days under sail, before we encountered a Portugal of 300. ton, which at first made good semblance of opposition, till wearied with our shot, and beaten with a broad side, she yielded herself, and we took possession of her: her Merchandise was but Raisins, and Dates, and forty two Arabian horses: yet were they worth store of money, and might have made us a saving journey.  
This ship we carried along with us thus freighted, and sailed a fortnight without any impeachment, or adventure, till at last by God's eternal providence, we met our two ships returning home again to Zarret, as not able to encounter with the Portugeses, whose strength and preparation they reported extraordinary: But the truth is, they were very rich themselves, and loath to lose all by any misadventure, which they might escape, and not wilfully run into: and yet I must confess, they had many motives to fight with them, & daring hearts to the encounter: For all their great burden, and preparation, well? they did not? but returned (as I said) and met us at Sea, discoursing at large of the matter, and describing the manner of the Enemy's watches, and how bravely and warlike they were appointed: When Andrew Shilling had heard them out, and apprehended the utmost peril, he resolved to try his Fortune, and set upon them, projecting, that if the worst came, the Portugal ship formerly taken, should be fired, and thrust to them, which when some interposed, as pitying the loss of so many brave horses, he as bravely replied, how do they then in the wars, when they are compelled to kill their prisoners in cold blood, and therefore think neither of scruple, or nicety, but let us follow the business, we take in hand.  
Thus we concluded to fight, and so befitting ourselves, approached them on the harbour of Iasques on a saturday, being about the 17. of December 1620 and within eight days of Christmas: and so without more ado we came up with them, and to them, but the wind being contrary, we could not fight with them in harbour, nor they durst not stir as we imagined, whereupon we desisted for that time, & wound ourselves away, as if we meant not to fight at all, which questionless did much animate them, and made them suppose, that our former desisting and recoiling arose out of suspicion of their greatness, and power; For the next day being Sunday, they came out of the road, and in a braving and daring manner invited us to an encounter, which we entertained with many Naval ceremonies, and putting out our colours of defiance, with the adorning our ships to answer their proportion of Gallantness, we made a brave show, as if we meant to entertain death and slaughter with mirth and jollity.  
In a word, the Drums & Trumpets summon us, & we went cheerfully to the business: Our fight began at eight of the clock in the morning, and continued to night, when the darkness took either pity upon us, or by way of opposition stomached our light: For many times we made fire works, & shot flaming arrows into their ships, we also threw burning balls, and sent cases full of stones, which killed their men without mercy: we also shot off their Admiral's rudder, that they were enforest to come to Anchor, and repair their losses, which as it should seem were very great, and so the fight continued fearfully between us.  
In a word, such was the terror and dangerous encounter, that although Captain Shilling our Admiral with all the good words, and better actions, which belonged to a principal commander, still comforted us, and as fare as men might conjecture, warranted our prevailing at this time: yet Captain Best his son, whom they call General in the East Indies, taking hold of our first determination to set fire on the Portugal in our possession, with the horses, put it presently in practice, when there was neither reason nor cause, and when he was furthest from all peril, and mischief: as we thought we had indeed fitted and appointed her to fire, but how? in case of necessity, which as yet came not upon us, nor was there any likelihood more than the chance of encounters, and fortune of war to desparire of prevailing. Well; he took out as many things as he thought convenient, leaving most part of the Dates and Raisins in her, and leaving us in kind of confusion to see so many goodly horses perish in the raging Sea, and so to all our griefs she was fired, and thrust up to strike amongst the Portingalls, with supposition either to destroy them, or dissipate them: But alas all was in vain, for either the business was ill managed, or the Wind slacked her course, or something or other was amiss; for she went not forward, but perished in her flames and combustion before us all, effecting no more good, than a general casting up the account of the Accident, whereunto life is subject, and a particular examination of our own estates, which might be subject to the same inconveniences. But to go forward.  
I must needs confess that if it had pleased the Captain, seeing he was so resolved, he might have come nearer and thrust her up more closer upon them to their prejudice, and firing indeed; but failing, and thus disappointed, our fight continued longer, and (as I said) the very night took pity upon us, and divided us, in which darkness they went away into harbour, and being wonderfully torn with our shot, and dismembered with cross bars, thought it best to repair their ships again, and provide more men to set upon us afresh. The truth is, we let them alone, and gave way to their good husbandry, anchoring ourselves in harbour, and preparing to go about our merchandise, and set forward our traffic. But on a sudden, within 3. or 4. days unexpected, they came out of the road, & braved us again, which when our Captain Shilling perceived, we also perceived in him, (which we never did before) very fignes of discontent, as if they were presages of some mischief to follow; For though the valiant man was undaunted, yet as it happens in such cases of suspicion, anger, and revenge, he thus vented out his grief, as a Complainant against the malignity of time, and oversights of encounters.  
I see (quoth he (that in all expeditions opportunity is not to be neglected, but she taketh it in scorn, that when she openeth her lap, we refuse her bounty and kindness: so that if we had followed our fortune last day, and not suffered these men to have breathed in the meditation of revenge, & gone forward in their reparations, we had ended the business: but now they have not only got new breath, but new courages, and will return upon us with greater fury and mischief: Besides there are several virtues, which are unseasonable in their practice, such as we call pity, commiseration, and patience, all good for nothing in these warlike trials, and among politic and cruel adversaries, but to draw on heavier burdens, and make us subject to fearful inconveniences; wherefore if I live, I will never be guilty of this error again, and if I die, I leave it to you all as a principle, never to slack you hand, if you find the enemy staggering, never to give over, till you have made a fair Composition, or dispatched the business. But come? seeing we must fight, let us do it courageously? that these Portugeses (with many precedents of former times) may confess, they have met with Englishmen.  
After this brief and pithy complaint, we prepared ourselves, and on Childermas day our Admiral came and anchored by their sides, whom the Vice-admiral followed, & did the like: the other two ships being smaller, & of weaker sail, the wind smaly helping them, could not come forward, & so we were compelled with the London, and the heart to make a trial with all the 4. great Portugeses, which we did in such a manner, that I protest (if I might scape vain glory or partiality) never was such a fight so well begun, nor better continued; for we tore them all to pieces, and killed so many men, that they could scarce get away from us, nor had escaped perishing all, if mischance had not checked our forwardness, and moderated our insulting with the greatest loss, that we thought we could receive; for in the midst of the conflict, while we were wrapped in smoke, and sweeting in blood, a cross shot crossed us all, and slew our Captain: yea he perished in the midst of our triumphs, when we had but six men slain, and very few to speak of, hurt.  
Andrew Shilling perished, when we by his valour prospered, and thought to have gone clear away with the Victory. Andrew Shilling perished to our disconsolation, & abatement of joy when we thought of nothing but prevailing: but Wisdom was at last predominant, and in remediless cases we cast up another account of reclaiming ourselves, and tempering the sorrow, so that we were once again divided, and the Portingalls most gladly and cunningly departed from us, and when they were out of sight we gave God the praise for our deliverance, and divided the sorrow for our Captain's loss amongst us, not a man but bemoaned his death; not a man but participated with his virtues; not a man but was the better for his instructions; not a man but wondered at his experience and skill in Navigation; not a man but lamented his untimely death; not a man but extolled his timely worthiness, and so with one consent, he was buried with all the Ceremonies of a General, and cast out of sight for fear of troubling us further, and raising new ecstasies to no purpose.  
This second encounter was more formidable than the first, and continued longer, but ended (thanks be to God) as you have heard to our small detriment at this time, whereby we went forward in our business, and were wellcommed to Iasques in Persia to advance our traffic. But how many were slain of our enemies we know not, only we know, their ships were made unserviceable for the present, and report (when we were settled in harbour) assured us, that they lost 370. Portingalls, besides Moors and Negro, of whom they make no account, as being their slaves, and so subject to all baseness, prostitution, and carelessness.  
I could enlarge this Letter with many occurrences in our Voyage, both tending to navigation & discourse, but when our good ship called the heart cometh into England, there are those in her, that will truly and hearty tell you, all you desire, and more than I am acquainted with: only I can assure you, our trade thrives, and we have 1200. ton of lading ready at Zarret, but the Portugeses grow stronger, and stronger, and prepare themselves to intercept our ships both in the way of revenge, for their former losses, and out of covetousness and glory to enrich themselves, and perform some worthy exploit upon us; for they hear of our preparation, and know of our riches, which hath made them (as I said) prepare a greater Fleet, and maketh us assured, there is nothing to be expected but encounters and slaughters, blood and death, happen when it will and to whom it shall.  
This Letter was written from Swallo Road, near Zarret the 20. of November, 1621. and brought into England with the last ships, that came in the beginning of june, to the comforting of many sad hearts, & recovering the staggering opinion of the East India's companies thriving, from whence I protest I have extracted nothing but the truth, and if I by way of illustration or amplification, there are some things added in the praise of the man: Oh, let virtue have this passage amongst you, that it is a glory to all Commonwealths, neither to obscure her, as she is of a durable essence and existence, nor to be forgetful of her servants, as they are worthy of commemoration, and well deserving in their several places, wherein God hath bestowed them.  
FINIS.