THis voiage was set foorth by the right wor­shipful, sir Edward Osburne knight, cheefe merchant of all the Turkish companie, & one maister Richard Stapers, the ship being of the burthen of one hundred tun, called the Iesus, shée was builded at Farmne a riuer by Portsmoth, The owners were M. Thomas Thomson, Ni­cholas Carnabie, & Iohn Gilman. The Maister (vnder God) was one Aches Hellier of Blackwall, and hi [...] Mate was one Richard Morris of that place: their Pilot was one An­thony Ierado a French man, of the Prouince of Massillins: the Purser was one William Thomson our owners son, the marchants factors were Romaine Sonnings a French­man, and Richard Skegs, seruant vnto the said maister Stapers: y ^e owners were bound vnto y ^e merchāts by charter partie thereupon, in one thousand marks, y ^t the said ship by Gods permission should go for Tripoly in Barbarie: that is to saie, first from Portsmouth to Newhauen in Norman­die: from thence to saint Lukar, otherwise called S. Lucas in Andeloseer, and from thence to Tripolie, which is in the east part of Affrica, and so to returne vnto London. Man dooth purpose, and God dooth dispose. But héere ought euerie Christian to note & consider the workes of our God (that manie times) what man dooth determine [Page] God dooth disappoint. The said maister hauing some occa­sion to go to Farmne, tooke with him the Pilot and the Pur­ser and returning againe, by meanes of a perrie of winde, the bote wherein they were, was drowned: the said Mai­ster, The Maister and the Pur­ser with all the rest ex­cept the Pilot drowned. the Pursser, and all the companie, onelie the said Pilot by experience in swimming saued himselfe: these were the beginning of our sorrowes. After which the said Maisters mate would not procéed in that voiage: and the owners hearing of this misfortune, and the vnwillingnesse of the Maisters mate, did send downe one Richard Deimound, and shipped him for Maister, A new Mai­ster chosen. who did choose for his Mate one Andrew Dier, and so the said ship departed on hir voi­age accordinglie: that is to saie, about the sixtéenth daie of October, in anno 1584, shée made saile from Portsmouth, and the eightéenth day then next following, The new m [...]ister died. The Iesus ar­riued into Newhauen. Another Master chosē. shée arriued in­to Newhauen, where our said last maister Richard Dei­mound by a surfeit died. The factors then appointed the said Andrew Dier, being then Maisters mate, to be their Maister for that voiage, who did choose to be his Mates, the two quarter maisters of the same Ship, to wit, Peter Au­stine and Giles Shillabey, and for Purser was shipped ane Richard Burges, afterward about the eight daie of Nouem­ber, we made saile foorthward, and by force of weather we were driuen backe againe into Portsmouth, The Iesus driuen backe ag [...]ine into Portsmouth. where we re­freshed our victuals and other necessaries, & then the wind came faire. About the nine and twentith daie then next fol­lowing, we departed thence: & the first day of December, by means of a contrarie wind, After set for­ward and dri­uen backe a­g [...]ine into Plimmouth. After that driuen backe to Falmouth. we were driuen to Plimmouth: the xviii. day then next following, we made foorthward a­gaine, & by force of wether we were driuen into Falmouth, where we remained vntill y ^e first day of Ianuary: at which time the wind came faire, we departed thence, & about the xx. day of the said moneth, we ariued safelie at S. Lucas, and about the ix. day of March next following, we made saile frō thence, & about the xviii. daie of the same moneth we came to Tripolie The Iesus ar­riued into Tripolie. in Barbarie, where we were verie well inter­teined by y ^e king of y ^e countrie, & also of the cōmons. The cō ­modities of y ^e place is swéet oiles: y ^e king there is a marchāt [Page] and the rather willing to preferre himselfe before his com­mons, requested our said factors to trafike with him, The king of Tripolie a marchant. and promised them that if they would take his oiles at his owne price, they should paie no maner of custome, and they tooke of him certeine Tuns of Oile: & afterward percei­uing that they might haue far better cheape, notwithstand­ing the custome frée, they desired the King to licence them to take the Oiles at the pleasure of his commons, for that his price did exceed theirs: wherevnto the king would not agree, but was rather contented to abate his price: inso­much that the factors bought all their Oiles of the Kings 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, Another ship of Bristowe came to Tri­polie. who togither with our said factors, tooke a house to themselues there Our French factor Romaine Sonnings, desirous to buie a commoditie in the market, and wanting monie, desired the said Miles Dickenson to lend him a hundred Chikinoes vntill he came to his lodging, which he did, A French fac­tor beguiled an English factor. and afterward the same Sonnings met with Miles Dickenson in the stréet, and de­liuered him monie bound vp in a napkin: saieng, maister Dickenson there is the monie that I borowed of you, and so thanked him for the same: he doubting nothing lesse then falshood, which is sildome knowne among marchants, & speciallie being togither in one house, & is the more detest­able betwéen Christians, then being in Turkie among the heathen: the said Dickenson did not tell the monie present­lie, vntill he came to his lodging, and then finding nine Chikinoes lacking of his hundred, which was aboue three pounds▪ for that euerie Chikinoe is worth seauen shillings of English monie: he came to the said Romaine Sonnings and deliuered him his handkercher, and asked him how manie Chikinoes he had deliuered him, Sonnings answe­red, a hundred: Dickenson said no: and so they protested and swore on both parts: but in the end the said Romaine Sonnings did sweare deepelie with detestable othes▪ The French factor desired vengeance to light on [...]im­selfe, which God brought to passe for an example to bla [...]phemous swearers. and cursses, and praied God that he might shew his works on him, that other might take ensample thereby, and that he [Page] might be hanged like a Dog, and neuer come into Eng­land againe, if he did not deliuer vnto the said Dickenson an hundred Chekinoes. And héere beholde a notable ex­ample for all blasphemers, curssers, and swearers, how GOD rewarded him accordinglie, for manie times it commeth to passe, that GOD sheweth his miracles vpon such monstrous blasphemers, to the insample of others, as now héereafter you shall héere what befell to this Romaine Sonnings.

There was a man in the said Towne a pledge, whose name was Patrone Norado, who the yeare before had doone this Sonnings some pleasure there. The foresaid Patrone Norado was indebted vnto a Turke of that Towne, in the summe of foure hundred and fiftie crownes, for certeine goods sent by him into Christendome in a Ship of his owne, and by his owne brother, and him­selfe remained in Tripolie as pledge, vntill his said brothers returne: and as the reporte went there, that after his brothers arriuall into Christendome, hee came among lewde companie, A conspiracie practised by the French Factor, to de­ceiue a Tur­kish mar­chant of 450 crownes. and loste his brothers said Ship and goods at dice, and neuer returned vnto him againe. The said Patrone Norado being voide of all hope, and finding nowe opportunitie, consulted with the said Son­nings for to swimme a seaboord the Ilands, and the Ship being then out of danger, should take him in, as after was confessed, and so to goe to Tallowne in the prouince of Massillins, with this Patrone Norado, and there to take in the rest of his lading. The Ship being readie the first daie of Maie, and hauing hir Sailes all abroad, our said Factors did take their leaue of the King, who verie courteouslie bid them farewell, and when they came aboord, they commanded the Maister and the companie hastelie to get out the Ship: the Maister answered that it was vnpossible, for that the winde was contrarie and ouerblowed. And hee required vs vpon forfeiture of our bands, that we should doo our indeuour to get hir foorth, then went we to warpe out the Ship, and presentlie the king sent a bote aboord of vs, with thrée men in hir, com­manding [Page] the said Sonnings to come a shore: at whose comming, the King demanded of him custome for the Oiles, The king of Tripolie swarueth frō his promise, through co­uetousnesse. Sonnings aunswered him that his highnesse had promised to deliuer them custome frée: but notwithstand­ing the king weighed not his said promise, and as an In­fidell that hath not the feare of GOD before his eies, nor regarde of his word, albeit he was a King: he caused the said Sonnings to paie the custome to the vttermost pen­nie. And afterward willed him to make haste awaie, saieng, that the Ienizaries would haue the Oile a shore a­gaine. These Ienizaries are souldiours there vnder the Great Turke, and their power is aboue the Kings. And so the said Factor departed from the King, and came to the water side, and called for a bote to come a boorde, and hee brought with him the foresaid Patrone Norado. The companie inquisitiue to know what man that was, The begin­ning of their troubles, and occasion of all their miserie. Sonnings aunswered, that he was his countriman, a passenger: I praie GOD said the Companie, that we come not into trouble by this man. Then said Sonnings angerlie, what haue you to doo with anie matters of mine, if anie thing chaunce otherwise then well, I must an­swer for all.

Nowe the Turke vnto whome this Patrone Norado was indebted, missing him, supposed him to be aboord of our Ship, and presentlie went vnto the King, and told him that he thought that his pledge Patrone Norado was aboord of the English Ship, wherevpon the King present­lie sent a bote aboord of vs, with thrée men in hir, com­manding the said Sonnings to come a shore, and not speak­ing anie thing as touching the man, he said that he would come presentlie in his owne bote, but assoone as they were gone, hee willed vs to warpe foorth the Ship, and said that hee woulde sée the knaues hanged before he would goe a shore. And when the King saw that hee came not a shore, but still continued warping awaie the Ship, he straight commanded the Gunner of the Bul­warke next vnto vs, to shoote thrée shootes without ball. [Page] 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 Ienezaries would haue the oile a shore againe, and willed vs to make hast awaie, All the Tur­k [...]h gunners in T [...]rpo [...]ie commanded to doo their best to sinke the IESVS, but could n [...] once hit hir. and after that he had dis­charged thrée shots without ball, he command [...]d all the gunners in the towne to doo their indeuoure to sinke vs, but the Turkish gunners could not once strike vs, where­fore the king sent presentlie to the Baneo: this Baneo is the prison whereas all the captiues laie at night, and promised if that there were anie that could either sinke vs, or else cause vs to come in againe, he should haue a hundred crownes and his libertie. With that came foorth a Spani­ard called Sebastian, A proclam [...] ­tion m [...]e, that whoso­euer could sinke hir, or bring hir in should haue a C. crownes, & if he were a captiue he should haue his libertie. How a Spani­ard tooke it in hand, and brought it to passe, & made the Ship to yeeld. which had béene an old seruitor in Flanders, and he said, that vpon performance of that pro­mise, he would vndertake either to sinke vs, or to cause vs to come in againe, and thereto he would gage his life, and at the first shot he splyt our Rothers head in peeces, and the second shot he strake vs vnder water, and the third shot he shot vs through our foremast with a Coluerlyn shot, & thus he hauing rent both our Rother & Mast, and shot vs vnder water, we were inforced to go in againe. This Sebastian for all his diligence héerein, had neither his libertie nor an hundred crownes, so promised by the said king, but after his seruice doone, was committed againe to prison, wherby may appeare the regard that a Turke or Infidell hath of his woord, although he be able to performe it, yea more, though he be a King.

Then our marchants séeing no remedie, they toge­ther with fiue of our companie went a shore, and then they ceased shooting, they shot vnto vs in the whole nine and thirtie shootes, without the hurt of anie man. And when our marchants came a shore, the king comman­ded presentlie that they with the rest of our companie, that were with them should be cheined foure and foure, to a hundred waight of iron, The English men cheined by foure and foure. and when we came in with the ship, there came presentlie aboue an hundred Turkes aboord of vs, and they searched vs, & stript our verie clothes from our backs, and brake open our chests and made [Page] a spoile of all that we had: and the Christian caitifes like­wise that same a boord of vs, made spoile of our goods, and vsed vs as ill as the Turkes did. And our Maisters mate hauing a Geneua Bible in his hand, The Christiā captiues as greedie of the English­mens spoile as the Turks. there came the kings chaefe gunner, and tooke it out from him, who shewed me of it, and I hauing the language, went presentlie to the kings treasurer, and told him of it: saieng, that sith it was the will of God that we should fall into their hands, yet that they should graunt vs to vse our consciences to our owne discretion, as they suffered the Spaniards and other nations to vse theirs, and he granted vs, then I told him that the maister gunner had taken awaie a Bible from one of our men, the Treasurer went presentlie and comman­ded him to deliuer vp the Bible againe, whi [...]h he did: and within a little after he tooke it from the man againe, and I shewed the Treasuror of it, and presentlie he commanded him to deliuer it againe: saieng, thou villeine, wilt thou turne to christianitie againe, for he was a Renegoi, A Turks tooke a Ge­neua Bible for his sh [...]re of the spoile. which was one that first was a Christian, and afterwards be­came a Turke, and so be deliuered me the Bible the second time. And then I hauing it in my hand, the gunner came to me, and spake these words, saieng: thou Dog I will haue the booke in despight of thée, and tooke it from me, sai­eng: if thou tell the Kings Treasurer of it anie more, by Mahummet I will be reuenged of thée. Notwithstanding I went the third time vnto the Kings Treasurer, and told him of it, and he came with me, saieng this vnto the gun­ner: by the head of the great Turke, if thou take it from him againe, thou shalt haue an hundred Bastanadoes. And foorthwith he deliuered me the booke, saieng, he had not the valew of a pin of the spoile of the Ship, All that had share of the spoile (short­lie after) by Gods iudge­ment peri­shed. which was the bet­ter for him, as héereafter you shall heere, for there was none, neither Christian nor Turke that tooke the valew of a penniworth of our goods from vs, but perished both bodie and goods within seauentéene months following, as héere­after shall plainelie appeare. Then came the Gwardian Bashée which is the keeper of the Kinges captiues, to fetch vs all a shore, and then I remembring the miserable estate [Page] of poore distressed captiues, in the time of their bondage to those Infidels: went to mine owne chest, and tooke out thereof a iarre of Oile, and filled a basket full of white Ruske to carrie a shore with me, but before I came to the Banio, the Turkish boies had taken awaie almost all my bread, and the kéeper said, deliuer me the iarre of Oile, and when thou commest to the Banio thou shalte haue it a­gaine, The lamen­tation of the marchants and marriners being all cheined in prison. but I neuer had it of him anie more. But when I came to the Banio, and sawe our marchants and all the rest of our companie in Cheines, and we all readie to re­ceiue the some reward, what heart in the world is there so hard, but would haue pittied our cause, hearing or seeing the lamentable gréeting there was betwixt vs: all this happened the first of Maie.

And the second daie of the same moneth, the King with all his counsell sat in iudgement vpon vs. The first that were had foorth to be reigned, The English­men arraig­ned. were the Factors, and the Maisters, & the King asked them wherfore they came not a shore when he sent for them: and Romaine Sonnings an­swered, that though he were King a shore, and might command there, so was hee as touching those that were vnder him: Romaine Sonnings condempned to be hanged ouer one of the Bulwarks. The Maister Andrew Dier, condempned to be hanged ouer the o­ther Bul­warke. Rich. Skegs procured maister Diers pardon and his owne. and therefore said, if anie offence be, the fault is wholie in my selfe, and in no other. Then foorthwith the King gaue iudgement, that the said Romaine Son­nings should be hanged ouer the Northenest Bulwarke, from whence hee conueied the forenamed Patrone No­rado, and then hee called for our Maister Andrew Dier, and vsed fewe woordes to him, and so condemned him to bee hanged ouer the walles of the Westermost Bul­warke.

Then fell our other Factor (named Richard Skegs) vp­on his knées before the King, and said, I beséeche your highnesse either to pardon our Maister, or else suffer me to die for him, for hee is ignorant of this cause. And then the people of that countrie fauouring the saide Richard Skegs, besought the King to pardon them bothe. So then the King spake these wordes: Beholde for thy sake I par­don [Page] the Maister. Then presentlie the Turkes shouted, and cried, saieng: Awaie with the Maister from the pre­sence of the King. And then hee came into the Banio where as wee were, and tolde vs what had happened, and wee all reioised at the good happe of maister Skegges, that hée was saued, and our Maister for his sake. But afterwarde our ioye was turned to double sorrowe, for in the meane time the Kings minde was altered, for that one of his Counsell had aduised him, that vnlesse the Mai­ster died also, by the lawe they could not confiscate the Shippe nor goods, neither captiue anie of the men, where­vpon the King sent for our Maister againe, Maister Dier afterwards condempned to be hanged ouer another Bulwarke. and gaue him another iudgement after his pardon for one cause, which was that hee should bee hanged. Heere all true Christi­ans maye see what trust a Christian man maie put in an Infidels promise, who being a King, and pardoned a man nowe, as you haue heard, and within an houre after han­ged him for the same cause before a whole multitude: and also promised our Factors their Oiles custome frée, and at their going awaye made them paie the vttermost pennie for the custome thereof.

And when that Romaine Sonnings sawe no remedie but that he should dye, bee protested to turne Turke, Romaine Sonnings the French man turned Turke in hope of his life, and died in the profes­sion of a Turke. ho­ping thereby to haue saued his life. Then said the Turke, if thou wilt turne Turke, speake the wordes that there­vnto belong, and hee did so. Then said they vnto him, nowe thou shalt die in the faith of a Turke, and so he did as the Turkes reported that were at his execution. And the forenamed Patrone Norado, whereas before hee had libertie, and did nothing, hee then was condemned slaue perpetuall, except there were paiment made of the fore­said summe of monie. Then the King condempned all vs, who were in number sixe and twentie, of the which, two were hanged as you haue heard, XXIII. Eng­lishmen con­demned to perpetuall prison. and one died the first daye wee c [...]me a shore, by the visitation of almightie God, and the other three and twentie hee condemned slaues per­petuallie vnto the Great Turke, and the Ship and goods [Page] was confiscated to the cse of the great Turke: and then we all f [...]ll downe vpon our knees, giuing God thanks for this sorrowfull visitation and giuing our selues wholie to the almightie powre of GOD, vnto whome all secrets are knowne, that he of his goodnesse would vouchsafe to looke vpon vs. Heere may all true Christian hearts see the woon­derfull workes of God shewed vpon such Infidels blasphe­mers, whooremaisters, and runnagate Christians, and so shall you read in the end of this booke, of the like vpon the vnfaithfull king and all his children, and of as manie as tooke anie portion of the said goods. But first to shew our miserable bondage and flauerie, Euerie fiue men allowed but two pēce of bread in a daie. and vnto what small pit­tance and allowance we were tide, for euerie fiue men had allowance but fiue Osperes of bread in a day, which is but two pence English: and our lodging was to lie on the bare boords, with a verie simple cape to couer vs, we were also forceablie and most violentlie shauen, head and beard, and within three daies after, The English­mens heads and beards forceablie shauen. I and six more of my fellowes to­gether with foure score of Italians and Spaniards, were sent foorth in a Galeat to take a Gréekish Carmosal, which came into Arrabia to steale Negroes, & went out of Tri­polie vnto that place, which was two hundred and fortie leagues thence, The Christi­ans cheined, three & three to an Oare in the Galley, and rowed all naked aboue the girdle, & pitti [...]ullie beaten with a Oxe pissell, but wée were cheaned thrée and thrée to an oare, and we rowed naked aboue the girdle, and the Bote­swaine of the Galley walked abast the Mast and his Mate afore the Maste, and each of them a Bulles pissell dried in their handes, and when their diuellish choller rose, they would strike the Christians for no cause: and they allowed vs but halfe a poūd of bread a man in a day without other kinde of sustenance, water excepted: And when we came to the place whereas we saw the Carmosall, wée were not suffered to haue neither needle, bodkin, knife, or any other instrument about vs, nor at any other time in the night vp on paine of one hundreth bastinadoes, wee were then also vildely manackled in such sort, that we coulde not put our handes the length of a foote asunder the one from the other, and euery night they searched our chaines three times, to see if they were fast reaueted: Wee continued fight with the [Page] Carmosall thrée houres, and then we tooke it, The Gallie of Tripolie tooke a Gree­kish Carmo­sall. The Turkes build a church The English­men put to all kind of slauerie. Some to hew stones. Some to draw stores. Some to draw timber. Some to draw Ordinance. The countrie rebelled a­gainst the king. and lost but two of our men in that fight, but there were slaine of the Greekes fiue, and fourteen were cruellie hurt, and they that were sound, were presentlie made slaues, and cheined to the oares: and within fiftéene daies after we returned againe into Tripolie, and then we were put to all manner of sla­uerie, I was put to hew stones, and other to carrie stones, and some to draw the Carte with earth, and some to make morter, & some to draw stones (for at that time the Turkes builded a Church:) and thus we were put to al kind of sla­uerie that was to bée done, and in the time of our béeing there, the Moores that are the Husbandmen of the countrey rebelled against the King, because he would haue constrai­ned them to paye greater tribute then heretofore they had doone, so that the souldiors of Tripolie marched foorth of the towne to haue ioined battell against the Moores for their rebellion, and the King sent with them foure peeces of ordi­nance, which were drawne by the captiues twentie miles into the countrie after them, and at the sight thereof the Moores fled, and then the captaines returned backe againe. Then I and ninetéene Christians more, were sent twelue miles into the countrie with a cart to lode timber, and we returned againe the same daie. The Christi­ans sent three times a weeke thirtie miles to fetch wood Nowe the King had eigh­teene captiues, which thrée times a wéeke went to fetch wood thirtie miles from the towne, and on a time he ap­pointed me for one of the eighteene, & we departed at eight of the clocke in the night: and vpon the waie as we rode vpon the Cammels, I demanded of one of our companie? who did direct vs the waie, he said that there was a Moore in our companie which was our guide, and I demanded of them how Tripolie and the wood bore one of the other, and he said, East Northeast, and Weast Southweast. And at midnight or neere thereabouts, as I was riding vpon my Cammell, I sell a sleepe, and the guide and all the rest rode awaie from me, not thinking but I had béene 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 hold this opinion that in killing a Christi­an they doo God good seruice: & musing with my selfe what [Page] were best for me to doo, and if I should go foorth and the wilde Moores should hap to méet with me, they would kill me: and on the other side, if I should returne backe to Tri­polie without anie wood or companie, I should be most miserablie vsed therefore: of two euils, rather I had to go foorth to the losing of my life, then to turne backe and trust to their mercie, fearing to be vsed as before I had seene o­thers: for vnderstanding by some of my companie before, how Tripolie and the said wood did lie one of another, by the North starre. I went foorth at aduenture, and as God would haue it, I came right to the place where they were, euen about an houre before day: there altogether we rested and gaue our Cammels prouender, and assoone as the daie appeared, The Christi­ans plucked vp the wood by the roots to loade their Cammels. we rode all into the wood: and I séeing no wood there, but a sticke héere and a sticke there, about the big­nesse of a mans arme, growing in the sand, caused me to maruell how so manie Cammels should be loden in that place. The wood was Iiniper, we néeded no axe nor other edge toole to cut it, but pluckt it vp by strength of hands, rootes and all, which a man might easilie doo, and so gathe­red it togither, a little at one place and so at another; and laded our Cammels, and came home about seauen of the clocke that night following: bicause I fell lame and my Cammell was tired, I left my wood in the waie.

Eighteene captiues run awaie from Tripolie.There was in Tripolie that time a Venecian, whose name was Benadetta Venissiano, and seauentéene cap­tiues more of his companie, which ran awaie from Tripo­lie in a bote, and came in sight of an Iland called Malta, which lieth fortie leagues from Tripolie right North, and being within a mile of the shore, and verie faire weather, one of their companie said, In dispeto de diu a desse a ve­nio de pilliar tarra, The iudge­ment of God vpon wicked blasphemers. which is as much to say: In the despite of God we shall now fetch the shore, and presentlie there a­rose a mightie storme, with thunder and raine, & the wind at North, their bote being verie small, so that they were inforced to beare vp rome, & to sheare right afore the wind oueragainst the coast of Barbarie frō whence they came, & rowing vp & downe the coast, their vittels being spent, the xxi. day after their departure, they were inforced through [Page] the want of food to come a shore, thinking to haue stolne some shéepe: but the Moores of the countrie verie craftilie, perceiuing their intent gathered togither a thréescore hors­men, & hid themselues behind a sandie hill, & when the chri­stians were come all a shore, The Moores tooke the xviii. christi­ans that ran awaie from Tripolie. & past vp halfe a mile into she countrie, the Moores rode betwixt them and their bote, and some of them pursued the christians, & so they were all ta­ken and brought to Tripolie, from whence they had before escaped: & presentlie the king commanded that the foresaid Benedicta with one more of his companie should lose their eares, & the rest to be most cruellie beaten, which was pre­sentlie doone. The king of Tripolie had a son which was ruler in the Iland of Ierbbye. This king had a sonne which was a ruler in an Iland called Ierbby, wherevnto ariued an English ship called the Greene Dragon, of the which was maister, one M. Blonket, who hauing a verie vnhappie boie in that ship, & vnderstanding y ^t whosoeuer would turne Turke should be well enterteined of the kings sonne, this boy did run a shore, & voluntarilie turned Turke. Shortlie after y ^e kings sone came to Tripolie to visit his father, & séeing our com­panie, he greatlie fancied Rich. Burges our pursser, & Iames Smith, they were both yoong mē, therfore he was verie de­sirous to haue thē to turne Turke, but they wold not yéeld to his desire, saieng: we are your fathers slaues, & as slaues we will serue him: then his father the king sent for them, & asked them if they would turne Turke, & they said: If it please your highnes, christiās we were borne, & so we will remaine, & beséeched the king that they might not be infor­ced thervnto. The king had there before in his house, a son of a yeoman of our Queenes guard, The kinges sonne had a Captiue that was sonne to one of the Queenes ma­iesties guard, that was for­ced to turne Turke. whom y ^e kings son had inforsed to turne Turke, his name was Iohn Nelson, him the king caused to be brought to these yoong men, and then said vnto them: will not you beare this your countriman companie, and be Turke as he is, and they said, that they would not yéeld therevnto during life: but it sell out, that within a moneth after, the Kinges sonne went home to Ierbbïe againe, being sixe score miles from Tripolie, and caried our two foresaid yoong men with him, which were Richard Burges and Iames Smith: and after their depar­ture from vs, they sent vs a letter, signifieng that there [Page] was no violence shewed vnto them as not, but within thrée daies after they were violentlie vsed, for that the kings sonne demanded of them againe if that they would turne Turke: Richard Burges made a Turke by force. then answered Richard Burges, a Christian I am, and so I will remaine. Then the Kinges sonne verie an­gerlie said vnto him: by Mahommet thou shalt presentlie 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 haue had him speake the words that therevnto belonged, but he answered them stoutlie that hée would not: and although they had put on him the habit of a Turke, yet said hee, Christian I was borne and so I will remaine, though you force me to doo otherwise. And then he called for the other, & commanded him to be made Turke perforce also: Iames Smith made Turke, and circumci­sed by force. but he was verie strong, for it was so much as eight of the Kings sonnes men could doo to hold him, so in the end they circumcised him, and made him Turke. Now to passe ouer a little, and so to shew the maner of our deliuerie out of that miserable captiuitie.

The first mo­tion for those Englishmens deliuerie.In Maye aforesaid, shortlie after our apprehension, I wrote a letter into England vnto my Father dwelling in Eauistoke in Deuonshire, signifieng vnto him the whole estate of our calamities: and I wrote also to Constantino­ple to the English ambassadour, both which letters were faithfullie deliuered. But when my Father had receiued my letter, and vnderstood the truth of our mishap; and the occasion thereof, and what had happened to the offendors: he certified the Right honorable the earle of Bedford there­of, who in shorte space acquainted hir Highnesse with the whole cause thereof, and hir Maiestie like a most mercifull Princesse, tendring hir subiects, presentlie tooke order for our deliuerance. Wherevpon the right worshipfull sir Ed­ward Osburne, knight, directed his letters with all speed to the English ambassadour in Constantinople, to procure our deliuerie, and he obteined the great Turks commission, & sent it forth with to Tripolie, by one master Edward Bar­ton, togither with a Iustice of the great Turks, & one soul­dior, and another Turke, & a Greeke which was his inter­pretor, which could speake besides Gréeke, Turkish, Italiā, [Page] Spanish, & English. And when they came to Tripolie, they were well interteined. A Commissiō come from the great Turke for the Englishmens deliuerie. And the first night they did lie in a captaines house in the towne, all our companie that were in Tripolie, came that night for ioy to maister Barton and the other commissioners to see them. Then maister Barton said vnto vs, welcome my good countrimen, and louinglie inter­teined vs, & at our departure from him, he gaue vs two shil­lings, and said, serue God, for to morrow I hope you shall be as frée as euer you were, we all giue him thankes, and so de­parted. The next daie in the morning verie earlie, the king had intelligence of their comming, sent word to the kéeper, y ^t none of the Englishmē (meaning our companie) should go to worke. Then he sent for maister Barton and the other com­missioners, & demanded of the said M Barton his message: the Iustice answered, that the Great Turke his Souereigne had sent thē vnto him, The somme of the great Turkes com­mission, pro­noun [...]ed by a a Turkish Iustice. signifieng that he was informed that a certeine English ship called the Iesus was by him the said King confiscated, about twelue moneths since, and now my said Souereigne hath héere sent his especiall commission by vs vnto you for the deliuerie of the said ship & goods, and also the free libertie & deliuerance of the Englishmen of the same ship, whom you haue taken and kept in captiuitie & farther the same Iustice said, I am authorised by my said souereigne the great Turke to see it doone: and therefore I command you by vertue of this commission, presentlie to make restitu­tion of the premises or the value therof, and so did the Iusti­ces deliuer vnto the King the great Turkes commission to the effect aforesaid, which commission the king with all obe­dience receiued: & after the perusing of the same, The English­men released by the king of Tripolie, and deliuered to M Barton, the 28 daie of Aprill, 1585. he forthwith commanded all the English captiues to bee brought before him, & then willed the kéeper to strike of all our irons, which doone, the king said. You Englishmen for that you did offend the lawes of this place, by the same lawes therefore some of your companie were condemned to die as you know & you to be perpetuall captiues during your liues: notwithstāding seeing it hath pleased my souereigne lord the great Turke to pardon your said offences, & to giue you your freedom & liber­tie, behold héere I make deliuerie of you to this English gen­tleman: so he deliuered vs all that were there, being thirteene [Page] in number, to maister Barton, who required also those two yoong men which the kings sonne had taken with him. Then the king answered that it was against their lawe to deliuer them, for that they were turned Turkes: and tou­ching the ship and goods, the king said, that he had sold hir, but would make restitution of the value, and as much of the goods as came vnto his hands, and so the King arose & went to dinner, and commanded a Iew to go with maister Barton and the other commissioners, to shewe them their lodging, which was a house prouided and appointed them by the said king. And bicause I had the Italian and Spanish toongs, by which their most trafike in that countrie is, Maister Barton made me his Cater to buie his victuals for him and his com­panie, and deliuered me money néedfull for the same. Thus were we set at libertie, the xxviii. day of Aprill, 1585.

The plagues and punish­ments that happened to the king and his people.Now to returne to the kings plagues and punishments which Almightie God at his will and pleasure sendeth vpon men in the sight of the world, and likewise of the plagues that befell his children and others aforesaid. First when we were made bondmen, being the second day of May, 1584, the king had 300 captiues, and before the moneth was expired there died of them of the plague 150, 150 captiues died of the plague in one moneth. Nine of the companie of the Iesus died of the pl [...]gue. The king lost 150 Ca­mels, taken by the wilde Moores. A captiue of Malta ran a­waie with a Brigandine, and xii. cap­tiues more. The kings fairest M [...]re di [...] vnder him, which he made to be burried in hir skinne, shooes & all. & whereas there were xxvi. men of our companie, of whom two were hanged, and one died the same day that we were made bondslaues, & that present moneth there died nine more of our companie of the plague, & other two were forced to turne Turkes as before is rehearsed: & on the fourth day of Iune next following, the king lost 150 Cammels, which were taken from him by the wild Moores: & on the xxviii. day of the said moneth of Iune, one Geffrey Maltees a Runnagado of Malta, ran awaie to his countrie, and stole a Brigandine which the king had buil­ded for to take christians withall, & carried with him twelue christians more which were the kings captiues. Afterward about the tenth day of Iulye next following, the king rode foorth vpon the greatest & fairest Mare that might be séene, as white as any Swan, he had not ridden fortie paces from his house, but on a sudden the same Mare fell downe vnder him starke dead, & I with six more was commanded to burie hir skin, shooes and all, which we did. And about thrée moneths [Page] after our deliuerie, M. Barton with all the residue of his com­panie departed from Tripolie to Oezant in a vessell called a Settea of one Marcus Segoorus, who dwelt in Oezāt, & after our ariuall at Oezāt, we remained xv. daies there aboord our vessell before we could haue Platego (that is, leaue to come a shore) bicause the plague was in that place from whence we came: & about thrée daies after we came a shore, Two Englishmen shipped to Constan­tinople with M. Barton. N [...]ne of the Englishmen shipped to England. The Soldiors of Tripolie kill the king. The kings sonne goeth to Constan­tinople with his fathers captiues, who skirmish in the Galley with him and his Turkes, in which conflict, two Englishmen were slaine. thether came another Settea of Massilins bound for Constantinople. Then did M. Barton and his companie, with two more of our com­panie, ship themselues as passengers in the same Settea, and went to Constantinople. But the other nine of vs that re­mained in Oezāt, about three moneths after shipt our selues in a Ship of the said Mareus Segoorus, which came to Oe­zant, and was bound for England. In which three moneths the Souldiors of Tripolie killed the said King. And then the kings sonne according to the custome there, went to Con­stantinople, to surrender vp all his fathers treasure, goods, Captiues, and Concubines, vnto the Great Turke, and tooke with him our said Pursser Richard Burges, & Iames Smith, and also the other two Englishmen, which he the said kings sonne had inforced to become Turkes as is aforesaid. And they the said Englishmen, finding now some opportunitie, concluded with the Christian captiues which were going with them vnto Constantinople, being in number about one hundred and fiftie, to kill the kings sonne, and all the Turks which were aboord of the Galley, and priuilie the said Eng­lishmen conueyed vnto the said Christian captiues weapons for that purpose. And when they came into the maine sea to­wa [...]ds Constantinople (vpon the faithfull promise of the said Christian captiues) these foure Englishmen lept suddenlie into the Croossia, that is, into the midst of the Galley where the Cannon lieth, and with their swords drawne, did fight against all the foresaid Turkes, and for wante of helpe of the said Christian captiues, who falslie brake the [...] [...]emi­ses, the said M. Blonkets boy was killed, and the sa [...] I [...]mes Smith & our Pursser Richard Burges, and the other English­man, were taken & bound into chaines to be han [...] [...] there arriuall into Constantinoples and as the Lords w [...] [...] a­bout two daies after, passing through the gulfe of V [...] [Page] an Iland called Saffalonea, they met with two of the doke of Venis his Galleis, Two Gal­leis of Venice tooke the king of Tripolie hi [...] Gal­ley and kil­led the kings sonne and all the Turkes in it, & released all the Chri­stians, being in number 150. which tooke that Gallie, & kild y ^e kings sonne, & his mother, & all the Turks that were there, in nū ­ber [...]50, and they saued the Christian captiues, & would haue killed the two Englishmen, bicause they were circumcised & become Turkes, had not the other Christian captiues excu­sed them, saieng, that they were enforsed to be Turks by the kings sonne, & shewed the Venecians also, how they did en­terprise at sea to fight against all the Turks & that their two fellowes were slaine in that fight. Thē the Venecians saued them, & they with all the residue of the said captiues had their libertie, which were in number 150 or thereabouts, & the said Gallie & all the Turkes treasure, was confiscated to the vse of the duke of Venice, & frō thence our two Englishmen tra­uelled homeward by land, & in this meane time we had one more of our cōpanie which died in Oezante, & afterward the other eight shipped thēselues at Oezante, in a ship of the said Marcus Segorius which was bound for Englād: & before we departed thence, there ariued the Assenciō & the George Bo­nauenture of London into Saffalonea, in a harbor ther called Arrogostoria, whose marchants agréed with the marchants of our ship, & so loded all the marchandize of our ship into the said ships of Londō, who tooke vs eight also in as passengers, & so we came home, & within two moneths after our ariuall at Londō our said pursser Richard Burges & his fellow came home also, for the which we are bound to praise almightie God during our life, and as dutie bindeth vs, to praie for the preseruation of our most gratious Quéene, for the great care hir Maiestie had ouer vs hir poore subiects, in séeking & procu­ring of our deliuerance aforesaid, & also for hir honorable pri­uie councell, & I especiallie for the prosperitie & good estate of the house of the late deceased the Right honorable the erle of Bedford, whose honor I must confesse, most diligentlie at the sute of my father now departed, trauelled herein: for y ^t which Arest continuallie bounden to his, whose soule I doubt not but is alreadie in y ^e heauens in ioy with the Almightie, vnto which place he vouchsafe to bring vs all, y ^t for our sins suffe­red most vile and shamefull death vpon the crosse, there to liue perpetuallie world without end: Amen.