The second voyage to Barbary in the yeere 1552. Set
foorth by the right worshipfull Sir John Yorke, Sir
William Gerard, Sir Thomas Wroth, Master Frances
Lambert, Master Cole, and others; Written by the
relation of Master James Thomas then Page to Master
Thomas Windham chiefe Captaine of this voyage.
THE shippes that went on this voyage were three, whereof
two were of the
River of Thames, That is to say, the
Lyon of London, whereof Master Thomas Windham was
Captaine and part owner, of about an hundred & fiftie
tunnes: The other was the Buttolfe about fourescore
tunnes, and a Portugall Caravel bought of certaine
Portugals in Newport
in Wales, and fraighted for this
voyage, of summe sixtie tunnes. The number of men in
the Fleete were an hundred and twentie. The Master of
the Lyon
was one John Kerry of Mynhed in Somersetshire
, his Mate was David Landman. The chiefe Captaine
of this small Fleete was Master Thomas Windham a
Norffolke gentleman borne, but dwelling at
Marshfieldparke in Somerset
shire. This Fleete departed out of
King-rode neere Bristoll about the beginning of May
1552, being on a Munday in the morning: and the
Munday fortnight next ensuing in the evening came to
an ancker at their first port in the roade of Zafia, or
Asafi on the coast of Barbarie, standing in 32. degrees
of latitude, and there put on land part of our marchandise
to be conveied by land to the citie of Marocco: which
being done, and having refreshed our selves with victuals
and water, we went to the second port called Santa Cruz,
where we discharged the rest of our goods, being good
quantitie of linnen and woollen cloth, corall, amber, Jet,
and divers other things well accepted by the Moores. In
which road we found a French ship, which not knowing
whether it were warre or peace betweene England and
France, drewe her selfe as neere under the towne wals as
she could possible, craving aide of the towne for her
defence, if need were, which in deed seeing us draw neere,
shot at us a piece from the wals, which came over the
Lion our Admirall, between the maine mast & her foremast. Whereupon we comming to an anker, presently
came a pinnes aboord us to know what we were, who
understanding that we had bene there the yere before, &
came with the good leave of their king in marchants wise,
were fully satisfied, and gave us good leave to bring our
goods peaceably on shore, where the Viceroy, whose
name was Sibill Manache, within short time after came to
visite us, and used us with all curtesie. But by divers
occasions we spent here very neere three moneths before
we could get in our lading, which was Sugar, Dates,
Almonds, and Malassos or sugar Syrrope. And for all
our being here in the heate of the Sommer, yet none of
our company perished by sicknesse. Our ships being
laden, wee drew into the Sea for a Westerne wind for
England. But being at sea, a great leake fell upon the
Lion, so that we were driven to Lancerota, and Forteventura, where, betweene the two Ilands, we came to a road,
whence wee put on land out of our sayd ship 70. chestes
of Sugar upon Lancerota, with some dozen or sixteene of
our company, where the inhabitants supposing we had
made a wrongfull prize of our caravell, suddenly came
with force upon our people, among whom I my selfe
was one, tooke us prisoners, and spoiled the sugars:
which thing being perceived from our ships, they manned
out three boates, thinking to rescue us, and drave the
Spaniards to flight, whereof they slew eighteene, and
tooke their governour of the Iland prisoner, who was a
very aged gentleman about 70. yeeres of age. But
chasing the enemie so farre, for our recoverie, as
pouder and arrowes wanted, the Spaniardes perceiving
this, returned, and in our mens retire they slew sixe of
them. Then a Parle grew, in the which it was agreed,
that we the prisoners should be by them restored, and
they receive their olde governour, giving us a testimonie
under his and their hands, what damages wee had there
received, the which damages were here restored, and
made good by the king of Spaine his marchants upon
our returne into England. After wee had searched and
mended our leake, being returned aboord, we came under
saile, and as wee were going to the sea on the one side
of the Iland, the Cacafuego and other ships of the king
of Portugals Armada entered at the other, and came
to anker in the road from whence we were but newly
departed, and shot off their great ordinance in our hearing. And here by the way it is to bee understood that
the Portugals were much offended with this our new
trade into Barbarie, and both in our voiage the yeere
before, as also in this they gave out in England by their
marchants, that if they tooke us in those partes, they
would use us as their mortall enemies, with great threates
and menaces. But by God and good providence wee
escaped their handes. From this Iland shaping our
course for England, we were seven or eight weekes before
we could reach the coast of England. The first port wee
entered into was the haven of Plimmouth, from whence
within short time wee came into the Thames
, and landed
our merchandise at London, about the ende of the moneth
of October, 1552.
