The voyage made to Tripolis in Barbarie, in the yeere 1583. with a ship called the Jesus, wherein the adventures and distresses of some Englishmen are truely reported, and other necessary circumstances observed. Written by Thomas Sanders.
THIS voyage was set foorth by the right worshipfull sir
Edward Osborne knight, chiefe merchant of all the Turkish
company, and one master Richard Staper, the ship being
of the burden of one hundred tunnes, called the Jesus, she
was builded at
Farmne a river by Portsmouth
. The
owners were master Thomas Thomson, Nicholas Carnaby,
and John Gilman. The master was one Aches Hellier of
Black-wall, and his Mate was one Richard Morris of that
place: their Pilot was one Anthonie Jerado a Frenchman,
of the province of Marseils: the purser was one William
Thomson our owners sonne: the merchants factors were
Romane Sonnings a Frenchman, and Richard Skegs
servant unto the said master Staper. The owners were
bound unto the merchants by charter partie thereupon,
in one thousand markes, that the said ship by Gods
permission should goe for Tripolis in
Barbarie, that is to
say, first from Portsmouth
to Newhaven
in Normandie
,
from thence to S. Lucar, otherwise called Saint Lucas in
Andeluzia, and from thence to Tripolie, which is in the
East part of Africa
, and so to returne unto London. But
here ought every man to note and consider the workes of
our God, that many times what man doth determine God
doth disappoint. The said master having some occasion
to goe to Farmne, tooke with him the Pilot and the
Purser, and returning againe by meanes of a perrie of
winde, the boat wherein they were, was drowned, with
the said master, the purser, and all the company: onely
the said Pilot by experience in swimming saved himselfe :
these were the beginnings of our sorrowes. After which
the said masters mate would not proceed in that voiage,
and the owner hearing of this misfortune, and the
unwillingnesse of the masters mate, did send downe one
Richard Deimond, and shipped him for master, who did
chuse for his Mate one Andrew Dier, and so the said ship
departed on her voiage accordingly: that is to say, about
the 16 of October, in An. 1583. she made saile from
Portsmouth
, and the 18 day then next following she
arrived at Newhaven
, where our saide last master Deimond
by a surfeit died. The factors then appointed the said
Andrew Dier, being then masters mate, to be their master
for that voiage, who did chuse to be his Mates the two
quarter masters of the same ship, to wit, Peter Austine,
and Shillabey, and for Purser was shipped one Richard
Burges. Afterward about the 8 day of November we
made saile forthward, and by force of weather we were
driven backe againe into Portesmouth, where we renued
our victuals and other necessaries, and then the winde
came faire. About the 29 day then next following we
departed thence, and the first day of December by meanes
of a contrarie winde, wee were driven to Plimmouth.
The 18 day then next following, we made foorthward
againe, & by force of weather we were driven to Falmouth,
where we remained untill the first day of January: at
which time the winde comming faire, we departed thence,
and about the 20 day of the said moneth we arrived safely
at S. Lucar. And about the 9 day of March next following, we made saile from thence, and about the 18 day of
the some moneth we came to Tripolis in
Barbarie, where
we were verie well intertained by the king of that countrey, and also of the commons. The commodities of that
place are sweete oiles : the king there is a merchant, and
the rather (willing to preferre himselfe before his commons)
requested our said factors to traffique with him, and
promised them that if they would take his oiles at his
owne price, they should pay no maner of custome, and
they tooke of him certaine tunnes of oile: and afterwarde
perceiving that they might have farre better cheape notwithstanding the custome free, they desired the king to
licence them to take the oiles at the pleasure of his
commons, for that his price did exceede theirs: whereunto
the king would not agree, but was rather contented to
abate his price, insomuch that the factors bought all their
oyles of the king custome free, and so laded the same
aboord.
In the meane time there came to that place one Miles
Dickenson in a ship of Bristow, who together with our
said Factors tooke a house to themselves there. Our
French Factor Romane Sonnings desired to buy a commodity in the market, and wanting money, desired the
saide Miles Dickenson to lend him an hundred Chikinoes
untill he came to his lodging, which he did, and afterward
the same Sonnings mette with Miles Dickenson in the
streete, and delivered him money bound up in a napkin:
saying, master Dickenson there is the money that I
borowed of you, and so thanked him for the same: hee
doubted nothing lesse then falshoode, which is seldome
knowne among marchants, and specially being together in
one house, and is the more detestable betweene Christians,
they being in
Turkie among the heathen. The said
Dickenson did not tell the money presently, untill he
came to his lodging, and then finding nine Chikinoes
lacking of his hundred, which was about three pounds,
for that every Chikino is woorth seven shillings of English
money, he came to the sayde Romane Sonnings and
delivered him his handkerchiefe, and asked him howe
many Chikinoes hee had delivered him? Sonnings
answered, an hundred: Dickenson said no: and so they
protested and swore on both parts. But in the end the
sayd Romane Sonnings did sweare deepely with detestable
othes and curses, and prayed God that hee might shewe
his workes on him, that other might take ensample
thereby, and that he might be hanged like a dogge, and
never come into England againe, if he did not deliver unto
the sayde Dickenson an hundred Chikinoes. And here
beholde a notable example of all blasphemers, cursers and
swearers, how God rewarded him accordingly: for many
times it commeth to passe, that God sheweth his miracles
upon such monstrous blasphemers, to the ensample of
others, as nowe hereafter you shall heare what befell to
this Romane Sonnings.
There was a man in the said towne a pledge, whose
name was Patrone Norado, who the yere before had done
this Sonnings some pleasure there. The foresaid Patrone
Norado was indebted unto a Turke of that towne, in the
summe of foure hundred and fiftie crownes, for certain
goods sent by him into Christendome in a ship of his
owne, and by his owne brother, and himselfe remained
in Tripolis as pledge untill his said brothers returne : and,
as the report went there, after his brothers arrivall into
Christendome, he came among lewde companie, and lost
his brothers said ship and goods at dice, and never
returned unto him againe.
The said Patrone Norado being voyde of all hope, and
finding now opportunitie, consulted with the said Sonnings
for to swimme a seaboorde the Islands, and the ship being
then out of danger, should take him in (as after was
confessed) and so to goe to Tolon in the province of
Marseilis with this Patrone Norado, and there to take in
his lading.
The shippe being readie the first day of May, and
having her sayles all aboorde, our sayde Factors did take
their leave of the king, who very courteously bidde them
farwell, and when they came aboorde, they commaunded
the Master and the companie hastily to get out the ship:
the Master answered that it was unpossible, for that the
winde was contrary and overblowed. And he required us
upon forfeiture of our bandes, that we should doe our
indevour to get her foorth. Then went wee to warpe out
the shippe, and presently the king sent a boate aboord
of us, with three men in her, commaunding the saide
Sonnings to come a shoare : at whose comming, the king
demaunded of him custome for the oyles: Sonnings
answered him that his highnesse had promised to deliver
them custome free. But notwithstanding the king weighed
not his said promise, and as an infidell that hath not the
feare of God before his eyes, nor regarde of his worde,
albeit hee was a king, hee caused the sayde Sonnings to
pay the custome to the uttermost penie. And afterwarde
willed him to make haste away, saying, that the Janizaries
would have the oyle ashoare againe.
These Janizaries are souldiers there under the great
Turke, and their power is above the Kings. And so the
saide Factor departed from the king, and came to the
waterside, and called for a boate to come aboorde, and
he brought with him the foresaid Patrone Norado. The
companie inquisitive to know what man that was,
Sonnings answered, that he was his countreyman, a
passenger: I pray God said the companie, 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 answere
for all.
Nowe the Turke unto whom this Patrone Norado was
indebted, missing him (supposed him to be aboorde of
our shippe) presently went unto the King, and tolde him
that hee thought that his pledge Patrone Norado was
aboord of the English ship, whereupon the King presently
sent a boat aboord of us, with three men in her, commanding the said Sonnings to come a shoare, and not
speaking any thing as touching the man, he saide that
hee would come presently in his owne boate, but assoone
as they were gone, he willed us to warpe foorth the ship,
and saide that he would see the knaves hanged before
he would goe a shoare. And when the king sawe that
he came not a shoare, but still continued warping away
the shippe, he straight commaunded the gunner of the
bulwarke next unto us, to shoote three shootes 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 Janizaries who would have the oyle a
shoare againe, and willed us to make haste away, and
after that he had discharged three shots without ball, he
commaunded all the gunners in the towne to doe their
indevour to sinke us, but the Turkish gunners could not
once strike us, wherefore the king sent presently to the
Banio: (this Banio is the prison wheras all the captives
lay at night) and promised if that there were any that
could either sinke us, or else cause us to come in againe,
he should have a hundred crownes, and his libertie. With
that came foorth a Spaniard called Sebastian, which had
bene an old servitour in Flanders, and he said, that upon
the performance of that promise, hee would undertake
either to sinke us, or to cause us to come in againe, and
therto he would gage his life, and at the first shotte he
split our rudders head in pieces, and the second shotte he
strake us under the water, and the third shotte he shotte
us through our foremast with a Colvering shot, and thus
he having rent both our rudder and maste, and shot us
under water, we were inforced to goe in againe.
This Sebastian for all his diligence herein, had neither
his liberty, nor an hundred crownes, so promised by the
said king, but after his service done was committed againe
to prison, whereby may appeare the regard that the Turke
or infidell hath of his worde, although he be able to performe it, yea more, though he be a king.
Then our merchants seeing no remedie, they together
with five of our companie went a shoare, and then they
ceased shooting: they shot unto us in the whole, nine and
thirtie shootes, without the hurt of any man.
And when our marchants came a shoare, the King
commaunded presently that they with the rest of our
companie that were with them, should be cheined foure
& foure, to a hundred waight of yron, and when we came
in with the ship, there came presently above an hundred
Turks aboord of us, and they searched us, and stript our
very clothes from our backes, and brake open our chests,
and made a spoyle of all that we had: and the Christian
caitifes likewise that came a boord of us made spoyle of
our goods, and used us as ill as the Turkes did. And our
masters mate having a Geneva Bible in his hand, there
came the kings chiefe gunner, and tooke it out from him,
who shewed me of it, and I having the language, went
presently to the kings treasurer, and tolde him of it,
saying, that sith it was the will of God that we should
fall into their handes, yet that they should grant us to use
our consciences to our owne discretion, as they suffered
the Spaniards and other nations to use theirs, and he
graunted us: then I told him that the maister gunner had
taken away a Bible from one of our men: the Treasurer
went presently and commaunded him to deliver up the
Bible againe, which he did: & within a litle after he tooke
it from the man againe, and I shewed the Treasurer of it,
and presently he commaunded him to deliver it againe:
saying, thou villaine, wilt thou turne to Christianitie
againe? for he was a Renegado, which is one that first
was a Christian, and afterwards becommeth a Turke, and
so he delivered me the Bible the second time. And then
I having it in my hand, the gunner came to me, and spake
these wordes, saying, thou dogge, I wil have the booke in
despight of thee, and tooke it from me, saying: If thou
tell the kings treasurer of it any more, by Mahomet I will
be revenged of thee. Notwithstanding I went the third
time unto the kings Treasurer, and tolde him of it, and
he came with me, saying thus unto the gunner: by the
head of the great Turke, if thou take it from him againe,
thou shalt have an hundred bastonadoes. And foorthwith
he delivered me the booke, saying, he had not the value
of a pin of the spoyle of the ship, which was the better for
him, as hereafter you shall heare: for there was none,
neither Christian nor Turke that tooke the value of a
peniworth of our goods from us, but perished both bodie
and goods within seventeene moneths following, as hereafter shall plainely appeare.
Then came the Guardian Basha, which is the keeper of
the kings captives, to fetch us all a shoare, and then I
remembring the miserable estate of poore distressed captives, in the time of their bondage to those infidels, went
to mine owne chest, and tooke out thereof a jarre of oyle,
and filled a basket full of white Ruske to carie a shoare
with me, but before I came to the Banio, the Turkish
boyes had taken away almost all my bread, and the
keeper saide, deliver me the jarre of oyle, and when thou
commest to the Banio thou shalt have it againe, but I
never had it of him any more.
But when I came to the Banio, and sawe our Marchants
and all the rest of our company in chaines, and we all
ready to receive the same 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, 1584.
And the second day of the same moneth, the King with
all his counsell sate in judgement upon us. The first that
were had forth to be arraigned, were the Factors, and the
Masters, and the King asked them wherefore they came
not a shoare when he sent for them. And Romaine
Sonnings answered, that though he were king on shoare,
and might commaunde there, so was hee as touching
those that were under him: and therefore said, if any
offence be, the fault is wholy in my selfe, and in no other.
Then foorthwith the king gave judgement, that the saide
Romaine Sonnings should be hanged over the Northeast
bulwarke: from whence he conveyed the forenamed
Patrone Norado, and then he called for our Master Andrew
Dier, and used fewe wordes to him, and so condemned
him to be hanged over the walles of the Westermost
bulwarke.
Then fell our other Factor (named Richard Skegs) upon
his knees before the king, and said, I beseech your highnesse 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 countrey favouring the said Richard
Skegs besought the king to pardon them both. So then
the king spake these wordes: Beholde, for thy sake, I
pardon the Master. Then presently the Turkes shouted,
and cried, saying: Away with the Master from the presence of the king. And then he came into the Banio
whereas we were, and tolde us what had happened, and
we all rejoyced at the good hap of Master Skegs, that hee
was saved, and our Master for his sake.
But afterward our joy was turned to double sorrow, for
in the meane time the kings minde was altered: for that
one of his counsell had advised him, that unlesse the
Master died also, by the lawe they could not confiscate
the ship nor goods, neither captive any of the men:
whereupon the king sent for our Master againe, and gave
him another judgement after his pardon for one cause,
which was that hee should be hanged. Here all true
Christians may see what trust a Christian man may put in
an infidels promise, who being a King, pardoned a man
nowe, as you have heard, and within an houre after
hanged him for the same cause before a whole multitude:
and also promised our Factors their oyles custome free,
and at their going away made them pay the uttermost
penie for the custome thereof.
And when that Romaine Sonnings saw no remedy but
that he should die, he protested to turne Turke, hoping
thereby to have saved his life. Then saide the Turke, If
thou wilt turne Turke, speake the words that thereunto
belong: and he did so. Then saide they unto him, Now
thou shalt die in the faith of a Turke, and so hee did,
as the Turkes reported that were at his execution. And
the forenamed Patrone Norado, whereas before he had
libertie and did nothing, he then was condemned slave
perpetuall, except there were paiment made of the foresaid summe of money.
Then the king condemned all us, who were in number
sixe and twentie, of the which, two were hanged (as you
have heard) and one died the first day wee came on shoare,
by the visitation of Almightie God: and the other three
and twentie he condemned slaves perpetually unto the
great Turke, and the ship and goods were confiscated to
the use of the great Turke: and then we all fell downe
upon our knees, giving God thankes for this sorrowfull
visitation, and giving our selves wholy to the Almightie
power of God, unto whom all secrets are knowen, that he
of his goodnesse would vouchsafe to looke upon us.
Here may all true Christian hearts see the wonderfull
workes of God shewed upon such infidels, blasphemers,
whoremasters, and renegate Christians, and so you shall
reade in the ende of this booke, of the like upon the
unfaithfull king and all his children, and of as many as
tooke any portion of the said goods.
But first to shewe our miserable bondage and slaverie,
and unto what small pittance and allowance wee were tied,
for every five men had allowance but five aspers of bread
in a day, which is but two pence English: and our lodging
was to lye on the bare boords, with a very simple cape to
cover us, wee were also forceably and most violently
shaven, head and beard, and within three dayes after, I
and sixe more of my fellowes, together with fourescore
Italians and Spaniards were sent foorth in a Galeot to
take a Greekish Carmosell, which came into Africa
to
steale Negroes, and went out of Tripolis unto that place,
which was two hundred and fourtie leagues thence, but
wee were chained three and three to an oare, and wee
rowed naked above the girdle, and the Boteswaine of the
Galley walked abaft the maste, and his Mate afore the
maste, and eche of them a bulls pissell dried in their
handes, and when their divelish choller rose, they would
strike the Christians for no cause: And they allowed us
but halfe a pound of bread a man in a day without any
other kinde of sustenance, water excepted. And when we
came to the place whereas wee saw the Carmosell, we
were not suffered to have neither needle, bodkin, knife, or
any other weapon about us, nor at any other time in the
night, upon paine of one hundred bastonadoes: wee were
then also cruelly manackled in such sort, that we could not
put our handes the length of one foote asunder the one
from the other, and every night they searched our chaines
three times, to see if they were fast riveted: Wee continued fight with the Carmosell three houres, and then wee
tooke it, and lost but two of our men in that fight, but
there were slaine of the Greekes five, and foureteene were
cruelly hurt, and they that were sound, were presently
made slaves, and chained to the oares : and within fifteene
dayes after we returned againe into Tripolis, and then wee
were put to all maner of slaverie. I was put to hewe
stones, and other to cary stones, and some to draw the
Cart with earth, and some to make morter, and some
to draw stones, (for at that time the Turkes builded a
church :) And thus we were put to all kinde of slaverie
that was to be done. And in the time of our being there,
the Moores that are the husbandmen of the countrey,
rebelled against the king, because he would have constrained them to pay greater tribute then heretofore they
had done, so that the Souldiours of Tripolis marched
foorth of the towne to have joyned battell against the
Moores for their rebellion, and the King sent with them
foure pieces of Ordinance, which were drawen by the
captives twentie miles into the Countrey after them, and at
the sight thereof the Moores fled, and then the Captaines
returned backe againe. Then I and certaine Christians
more were sent twelve miles into the countrey with a Cart
to lode timber, and we returned againe the same day.
Nowe the king had 18. captives, which three times a
weeke went to fetch wood thirtie miles from the towne:
and on a time he appointed me for one of the 18. and
wee departed at eight of the clocke in the night, and upon
the way as wee rode upon the camels, I demaunded of one
of our company, who did direct us the way? he sayd,
that there was a Moore
in our company which was our
guide: and I demaunded of them how Tripolis and the
wood bare one off the other? and hee said, East Northeast, and West Southwest. And at midnight or neere
thereabouts, as I was riding upon my camel, I fell asleepe,
and the guide and all the rest rode away from me, not
thinking but I had bene among them. When I awooke,
and finding my selfe alone durst not call nor hallow for
feare least the wilde Moores should heare me, because
they holde this opinion, that in killing a Christian they
do God good service: and musing with my selfe what
were best for me to do, if I should goe foorth, and the
wilde Moores should hap to meete with mee, they would
kill mee: and on the other side, if I should returne backe
to Tripolis without any wood or company, I should be
most miserably used: therefore of two evils, rather I had
to goe foorth to the loosing of my life, then to turne
backe and trust to their mercie, fearing to bee used as
before I had seene others: for understanding by some of
my company before, howe Tripolis and the saide wood did
lie one off another, by the North starre I went forth at
adventure, and as God would have it, I came right to the
place where they were, even about an houre before day:
there altogether wee rested and gave our camels provender, and assoone as the day appeared, we rode all
into the wood: and I seeing no wood there, but a sticke
here and a sticke there, about the bignesse of a mans
arme growing in the sand, it caused mee to marveile how
so many camels should be loden in that place. The wood
was Juniper, we needed no axe nor edge toole to cut it,
but pluckt it up by strength of hands rootes 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 clocke that night
folowing: because I fell lame, and my camel was tired, I
left my wood in the way.
There was in Tripolis that time a Venetian, whose name
was Benedetto Venetiano, and seventeene captives more
of his company, which ranne away from Tripolis in a
boate, and came in sight of an Island called Malta
, which
lieth fourtie leagues from Tripolis right North, and being
within a mile of the shoare, & very faire weather, one of
their company said, In dispetto de dio adesso venio a
pilliar terra, which is as much to say: In the despite of
God I shall now fetch the shoare, and presently there arose
a mighty storme, with thunder and raine and the wind at
North, their boate being very small, so that they were
inforced to beare up roome, and to sheare right afore the
winde over against the coast of Barbarie from whence they
came, and rowing up and downe the coast, their victuals
being spent, the 21. day after their departure they were
inforced through the want of food to come ashoare, thinking to have stolne some sheepe: but the Moores of the
countrey very craftily perceiving their intent, gathered
together a threescore horsemen, and hid themselves
behinde a sandie hill, and when the Christians were come
all a shoare, and past up halfe a mile into the countrey,
the Moores rode betwixt them and their boate, and some
of them pursued the Christians, and so they were all
taken and brought to Tripolis, from whence they had
before escaped: and presently the king commaunded that
the foresaide Benedetto with one more of his company
should lose their eares, and the rest should be most
cruelly beaten, which was presently done. This king had
a sonne which was a ruler in an Island called Gerbi,
whereunto arrived an English shippe called the Greene
Dragon, of the which was Master one M. Blonket, who
having a very unhappy boy in that shippe, and understanding that whosoever would turne Turke should be well
enterteined of the kings sonne, this boy did runne a shoare,
and voluntarily turned Turke. Shortly after the kings
sonne came to Tripolis to visite his father, and seeing our
company, hee greatly fancied Richard Burges our Purser,
and James Smith: they were both yong men, therefore he
was very desirous to have them to turne Turkes, but they
would not yeeld to his desire, saying: We are your
fathers slaves, and as slaves wee will serve him. Then his
father the king sent for them, and asked them if they
would turne Turkes? And they saide: If it please your
highnesse, Christians we were borne, and so we will
remaine, and beseeched the king that they might not bee
inforced thereunto. The king had there before in his
house a sonne of a yeoman of our Queenes guard, whom
the kings sonne had inforced to turne Turke, his name
was John Nelson : him the king caused to be brought to
these yong men, and then said unto them: Wil not you
beare this your countreyman company, and be Turke as
hee is? And they saide, that they would not yeeld thereunto during life. But it fell out, that within a moneth
after, the kings sonne went home to Gerbi againe, being
sixe score miles from Tripolis, and caried our two foresaid
yong 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 shewed
unto them as yet, but within three dayes after they were
violently used, for that the kings sonne demaunded of
them againe, if that they would turne Turke? Then
answered Richard Burges, a Christian I am, and so I will
remaine. Then the kings sonne very angerly said unto
him: By Mahomet thou shalt presently be made Turke.
Then called he for his men, and commanded them to make
him Turke, and they did so, and circumcised him, and
would have had him speake the wordes that thereunto
belonged, but he answered them stoutly that he would
not: and although they had put on him the habite of a
Turke, yet sayd he, A Christian I was borne, and so I will
remaine, though you force me to doe otherwise.
And then he called for the other, and commaunded him
to be made Turke perforce also: but he was very strong,
for it was so much as eight of the kings sonnes men could
doe to holde him, so in the ende they circumcised him,
and made him Turke. Now to passe over a litle, and so
to shewe the maner of our deliverance out of that miserable captivitie.
In May aforesaid, shortly after our apprehension, I
wrote a letter into England unto my father dwelling in
Tavistoke in Devonshire
, signifying unto him the whole
estate of our calamities: and I wrote also to Constantinople to the English Embassadour, both which letters were
faithfully delivered. But when my father had received my
letter, and understood the trueth of our mishap, and the
occasion thereof, and what had happened to the offenders,
he certified the right honourable the earle of Bedford
thereof, who in short space acquainted her highnesse with
the whole cause thereof, and her Majestie like a most
mercifull princesse tendering her Subjects, presently tooke
order for our deliverance. Whereupon the right worshipful sir Edward Osborne knight directed his letters with all
speed to the English Embassadour in Constantinople, to
procure our delivery: and he obteined the great Turkes
Commission, and sent it foorthwith to Tripolis, by one
Master Edward Barton, together with a Justice of the
great Turkes, and one souldiour, and another Turke, and
a Greeke which was his interpretour, which could speake
besides Greeke, Turkish, Italian, Spanish and English.
And when they came to Tripolis, they were well interteined. And the first night they did lie in a Captaines
house in the towne: all our company that were in Tripolis
came that night for joy to Master Barton and the other
Commissioners to see them. Then master Barton said
unto us, welcome my good countreymen, and lovingly
interteined us, and 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 gave him
thankes and so departed.
The next day in the morning very early, the King
having intelligence of their comming, sent word to the
keeper, that none of the Englishmen (meaning our company) should goe to worke. Then he sent for Master
Barton and the other Commissioners, and demaunded
of the saide Master Barton his message: the Justice
answered, that the great Turke his Sovereigne had sent
them unto him, signifying that he was informed that a
certaine English shippe, called the Jesus, was by him the
saide king confiscated, about twelve moneths since, and
nowe my saide Sovereigne hath here sent his especiall
commission by us unto you, for the deliverance of the
saide shippe and goods, and also the free libertie and
deliverance of the Englishmen of the same shippe, whom
you have taken and kept in captivitie. And further the
same Justice saide, I am authorized by my said soveraigne
the great Turke to see it done: And therefore I commaund you by vertue of this commission, presently to
make restitution of the premisses or the value thereof:
and so did the Justices deliver unto the King the great
Turkes commission to the effect aforesaide, which com
mission the king with all obedience received: and after
the perusing of the same, he foorthwith commanded all
the English captives to be brought before him, and then
willed the keeper to strike off all our yrons, which done,
the king said, You Englishmen, for that you did offend
the lawes of this place, by the same lawes therefore some
of your company were condemned to die as you knowe,
and you to bee perpetuall captives during your lives:
notwithstanding, seeing it hath pleased my soveraigne
lord the great Turke to pardon your said offences, and to
give you your freedome and libertie, beholde, here I make
delivery of you to this English Gentleman: so hee delivered
us all that were there, being thirteene in number, to
Master Barton, who required also those two yong men
which the Kings sonne had taken with him. Then the
king answered that it was against their lawe to deliver
them, for that they were turned Turkes: and touching
the ship and goods, the king said, that he had solde her,
but would make restitution of the value, and as much of
the goods as came unto his hands, and so the king arose
and went to dinner, and commaunded a Jew to goe with
Master Barton and the other commissioners, to shew them
their lodging, which was a house provided and appointed
them by the said king. And because I had the Italian
& Spanish tongues, by which their most trafique in that
countrey is, Master Barton made me his Cater to buy his
victuals for him and his company, and delivered me money
needfull for the same. Thus were wee set at libertie the
28. day of April, 1585.
Nowe to returne to the kings plagues and punishments,
which Almighty God at his will and pleasure sendeth
upon men in the sight of the worlde, and likewise of the
plagues that befell his children and others aforesaide.
First when wee were made bondmen, being the second
day of May 1584. the king had 300. captives, and before
the moneth was expired, there died of them of the plague
150. And whereas there were 26. men of our company,
of whom two were hanged, and one died the same day
that wee were made bondslaves: that present moneth
there died nine more of our company of the plague, and
other two were forced to turne Turkes as before is
rehearsed: and on the fourth day of June next following
the king lost 150. camels, which were taken from him
by the wilde Moores: and on the 28. day of the saide
moneth of June, one Geffrey Maltese, a renegado of
Malta
, ranne away to his countrey, and stole a Brigandine
which the king had builded for to take the Christians
withall, and caried with him twelve Christians more which
were the kings captives. Afterward about the tenth day
of July next following, the king road foorth upon the
greatest and fairest mare that might be seene, as white as
any swanne: hee had not ridden fourtie paces from his
house, but on a sudden the same mare fell downe under
him starke dead, and I with sixe more were commaunded
to burie her, skinne, shoes and all, which we did. And
about three moneths after our deliverie, Master Barton,
with all the residue of his company, departed from Tripolie
to Zante
, in a vessell, called a Settea, of one Marcus
Segoorus, who dwelt in Zante
, and after our arrivall at
Zante
wee remained fifteene dayes there aboorde our
vessell, before wee coulde have Platego (that is, leave to
come a shoare) because the plague was in that place, from
whence wee came: and about three dayes after we came
a shoare, thither came another Settea of Marseils bound
for Constantinople. Then did Master Barton, and his
company, with two more of our company, shippe themselves as passengers in the same Settea, and went to
Constantinople. But the other nine of us that remained
in Zante
, about three moneths after, shipt our selves in a
shippe of the said Marcus Segoorus, which came to Zante
,
and was bound for England. In which three moneths, the
souldiers of Tripolie killed the said king. And then the
Kings sonne, according to the custome there, went to
Constantinople, to surrender up all his fathers treasure,
goods, captives, and concubines, unto the great Turke,
and tooke with him our saide Purser Richard Burges, and
James Smith, and also the other two Englishmen, which
he the said kings sonne had inforced to become Turkes, as
is aforesayd. And they the said Englishmen finding now
some opportunitie, concluded with the Christian captives
which were going with them unto Constantinople, being in
number about one hundred and fiftie, to kill the kings
sonne, and all the Turkes which were aboord of the
Galley, and privily the saide Englishmen conveyed unto the
saide Christian captives, weapons for that purpose. And
when they came into the maine Sea, towarde Constantinople (upon the faithfull promise of the sayde Christian
captives (these foure Englishmen lept suddenly into the
Crossia, that is, into the middest of the Galley, where the
canon lieth, and with their swordes drawne, did fight
against all the foresaid Turkes, and for want of helpe of
the saide Christian captives, who falsly brake their promises, the said Master Blonkets boy was killed, and the
sayde James Smith, and our Pursser Richard Burges, and
the other Englishman, were taken and bound into chaines,
to be hanged at their arrivall in Constantinople: and as the
Lordes will was, about two dayes after, passing through
the gulfe of Venice
, at an Island called Cephalonia
, they
met with two of the duke of Venice
his Gallies, which
tooke that Galley, and killed the kings sonne, and his
mother, and all the Turkes that were there, in number
150. and they saved the Christian captives, and would
have killed the two Englishmen because they were circumcised, and become Turkes, had not the other Christian
captives excused them, saying, that they were inforced to
be Turkes, by the kings sonne, and shewed the Venetians
also, how they did enterprise at sea to fight against all the
Turks, and that their two fellowes were slaine in that
fight. Then the Venetians saved them, and they, with all
the residue of the said captives, had their libertie, which
were in number 150. or thereabouts, and the saide Gallie,
and all the Turkes treasure was confiscated to the use of
the state of Venice. And from thence our two Englishmen travelled homeward by land, and in this meane time
we had one more of our company, which died in Zante
,
and afterward the other eight shipped themselves at Zante
,
in a shippe of the said Marcus Segorus, which was bound
for England: and before we departed thence, there arrived
the Assension, and the George Bonaventure of London in
Cephalonia
, in a harbour there, called Arrogostoria, whose
Marchants agreed with the Marchants of our shippe, and
so laded al the marchandise of our shippe into the said
ships of London, who tooke us eight in as passengers,
and so we came home, and within two moneths after our
arrivall at London, our said Purser Richard Burges, and
his fellow came home also: for the which we are bound to
praise Almightie God, during our lives, and as duetie
bindeth us, to pray for the preservation of our most
gracious Queene, for the great care her Majestie had over
us, her poore Subjects, in seeking and procuring of our
deliverance aforesaide: and also for her honourable privie
Counsell, and I especiall for the prosperitie and good
estate of the house of the late deceased, the right honourable the Earle of Bedford, whose honour I must confesse,
most diligently at the suite of my father now departed,
traveiled herein: for the which I rest continually bounden
to him, whose soule I doubt not, but is already in the
heavens in joy, with the Almightie, unto which place he
vouchsafe to bring us all, that for our sinnes suffered
most vile and shameful death upon the Crosse, there to
live perpetually world without ende, Amen.
