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The originall of the first voyage for traffique into the kingdom of Marocco in Barbarie, begun in the yeere 1551. with a tall ship called the Lion of London, whereof went as captaine Master Thomas Windam, as appeareth by this extract of a letter of James Aldaie, to the worshipfull master Michael Locke, which Aldaie professeth himselfe to have bene the first inventer of this trade.

WORSHIPFUL Sir,
having lately bene acquainted with your intent to prosecute the olde intermitted discoverie for Catai, if therein with my knowledge, travell or industrie I may doe you service, I am readie to doe it, and therein to adventure my life to the uttermost point. Trueth it is, that I have bene by some men (not my friends) evill spoken of at London, saying that although I be a man of knowledge in the Arte of Navigation and Cosmographie, and that I have bene the inventer of some voyages that be now growen to great effect; yet say they maliciously and without just cause, that I have not bene willing at any season to proceed in those voyages that I have taken in hand, taking example especially of two voyages. The one was when I was master in the great Barke Aucher for the Levant , in which voyage I went not, but the causes they did not know of my let from the same, nor of the other. But first the very trueth is, that I was from the same voyage letted by the Princes letters, which my Master Sebastian Gabota had obtained for that purpose, to my great griefe. And as touching the second voyage which I invented for the trade of Barbarie, the living God knoweth that I say most true, that when the great sweate was, (whereon the chiefe of those with whom I joyned in that voyage died, that is to say, Sir John Lutterell, John Fletcher, Henry Ostrich and others) I my selfe was also taken with the same sweate in London, and after it, whether with evill diet in keeping, or how I know not, I was cast into such an extreame fever, as I was neither able to ride nor goe: and the shippe being at Portesmouth, Thomas Windam had her away from thence, before I was able to stand upon my legges, by whom I lost at that instant fourescore pound. Besides I was appointed by them that died (if they had lived) to have had the whole government both of shippe and goods, because I was to them the sole inventer of that trade.

In the first voyage to Barbary there were two Moores, being noble men, whereof one was of the Kings blood, convayed by the said Master Thomas Windham into their Countrey out of England.

Yours humble at your commandement,
James Alday.

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1551 AD (1)
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