HAuing taken our iourney to­ward Virginia in the begin­ing of February last past in a ship called the blacke Hodge, her burthen 160. tun mann'd only with 8. Iron peeces and a poore Faulcon, we soone ouer passed both the tedious endurances and fearefull dangers of such a voyage, and came at last by the 14. of March vnder 13. and halfe Latitude, within 20 leagues of Matalina by 6. of clocke in the mor­ning, the weather somwhat thicke, & the wind affording a reasonable gale, whereby we descri­ed a ship lying at hull, as if she were carelesse either to go backward, or forward; which cau­sed vs to edge with her, as desirous to know what she was: but she presently set vp all her sayles, and taking a course of South and by West ran quickly out of sight in the space of three or foure glasses: this made vs keepe our course for Matalina, which we attained by the nex day at night, being the 15. of March, and so wasting the Iland of Dominico, wee bare with Guardalupo, and there anchored to take in fresh water which we wanted.

Then came aboord vs certaine Indians, and 6. Frenchmen, who had remained there some 16. moneths, being cast vpon the land by ship­wracke, and so were vnprouided for a further iourney: they enformed vs of a Spanish man of warre that past along some seuen dayes before discharging her ordinance at the inhabitants, and putting the Iland in great feare, notwith­standing some two dayes before there ancho­red another ship, whose Captaine with some souldiers came a shore with wine and other prouision, as if they meant to make merry and shew all the signes of friendship and content­ment: but she stayd but one night at anchor, and so departed without further notice; what course she meant to take, nor could the inha­bitants guesse, by reason their feare enforced their flight, into the mountaines, lest they should bee surprised: onely wee were ad­uertised by certaine Indians, that they deter­mined for S ^t. Vincents, leauing word, that whē the great Fleete passed along they should en­forme the Generall, that Captaine Bartholo­mew was gone vp in prosecution of his dire­ctions.

This was the ship we descryed at Hull and so resolued shee must needes bee some Spanish man of warre, because no Marchant, or ship of burthen would lose the aduantage of so fayre a [Page] winde to transport her to any port of trafficke and spend the time in hulling, as if she lay of purpose to discouer some prise, and take the aduantage of such passengers as were to go to Menis, being the common trade way both for English and Dutch, and so as it appeared after­ward she stirred that course of purpose, both to deceiue the Ilanders, & to betray vs, whom they had descryed a farre off.

From Guardalupa wee departed the 18. of March hasting to Menis, and suspecting the worst, held a loofe a halfe road to be the more free frō the Spaniards, by reason we determined to repaire our ship, & refresh our selues at Me­nis: The ship being much beaten with a dange­rous storme some 70. leagues from our owne coast, the people much distempered as hauing bene a 11. weeks imprisoned in an ill conditio­ned ship, and peraduenture wanting many ne­cessaries, which commonly we prepare for long voyages.

But such was the pleasure of God, that wee were preuented and disappointed in these pur­poses, for falling with Menis by the 20. of March, and compassing the furthest point to stand in the handsommer with the shore, wee perceiued two tall ships at anchor right ouer­against the watring place with their top sayles loose, and their boates going a shore for their men. At first we supposed them Hollanders, in [Page] respect of their building, and the Hollanders co [...]ours borne by their Admirall in the mayne top, the vice Admirall hauing his fore-top ma [...] downe, and no colours displayed, which encreased our former opinion, adding withall that i [...] must needs bee prise or some other ship sub [...]e [...]t to the misfortune of a fight.

But driuen by necessity of water, and wil­ling to refresh our selues a shore, we trimmed our ship, and came to anchor fayrely by them, sending our boate in friendly manner to hale them both vnprouided and vnarmed, which returned with certificate, that they were Spa­niards, wherein not fully satisfied by reason of our former apprehension that it was otherwise the better to be resolued, we sent out our boat againe, as well to be assured what to trust vnto as to gaine sometime to prepare our ship, and trim her more commodiously, being pestered with goods and fardels betweene the deckes and altogether vnprouided for any fight ey­ther offensiue or defensiue.

The boate approched the hindmost ship, which I call the vice-Admirall, and haled her, demanding who they were, but in steed of re­soluing vs, shee commanded them to come a­boord, and would answer no otherwise, where­vpon the boat rowed from them, as resoluing all was not well, and so made haste vnto vs a­gaine, yet could not preuent a volley of small [Page] shot powred very dangerously amongst them, insomuch that they had their cloathes shot through, their oares shiuered, and the sides battered with bullets: yet thankes bee to God neither was a man hurt, nor any thing lost, which, as if they had had notice of the same e­scape, rated their rage so much the more. For by that time the boat was out of reach of their small shot, they followed it to the ship with great Ordnance, and when they per­ceiued they were safely come aboord, they tooke it so ill, that they thundred against our ship with the soarer rage, and most violent vol­lyes, which wee could not answer, hauing no peece in our gunner roome, nor indeed any o­ther well mounted for such a Sea fight.

By this time we vnderstood what they were, and resolued wee should not depart quietly without mischiefe, whereupon our Master set vs on worke to haue brought our Ordnance into frame, and so to order our ship that wee might defend our selues if need were, but ma­ny things failing vs, we practised to weigh our anchors, which was not to be done so sodain­ly, confidering our encombrances on ship boord: we then resolud to weigh it vp with the boat, had not so many shot thundred amongst vs, that we wondred at our escape.

By this time their vice Admirall heaued vp her anchor to her warpe, and laid her selfe to [Page] wind-ward, if either wee should passe forward, or anchor short againe, so that wee perceiued they meant to assault vs on all hands: for shee let flie a whole broad side vpon vs, and came furiously vp to our lee quarter without da­mage or resistance of our parts, to which sure they were the rather induced because the Ad­mirall hauing receiued her men from shore, her top sayle loose all ready, and many things commodious to their purpose, began to weigh anchor, and made toward vs amaine.

But when we were thus terrified and threat­ned by them, and thus encombred and disani­mated amongst our selues, knowing withall (by reason of our ill prepared Ordnance) the disaduantage and hazard to be boorded at an­chor by two good ships well prepared for spoyle and ruine, we hoysed vp our sayles, and determined to set forward, had not the vice-Admirall come on our star-boord side, and beat vpon vs so hardly, that we fell to our bu­sinesse, and answered their vnkindnesse accor­dingly with many faire shot, which prooued most effectuall, especially from a demy culue­ring, which at last shot her betweene winde & water, so that she was compelled from vs, and bare off to Sea, leauing her Admirall onely single with vs, who at last came fairely in our quarter to wind-ward, taking in her Holland flag, and aduanced her Spanish colours, and so [Page] haled vs.

Wee quietly and quickly answered, both what we were, and whither we were bound, di­scouering the effect of our commission, and re­lating the cause of our tarying there for water, neither purposing to annoy any subiect of the king of Spains, nor by way of affront to braue either Marchant or man of Warre. Then she charged vs to strike our sailes for the king of Spaine, and vaile the bonnet according to the prerogatiue they had in those Seas: we replyed with enlarging the particulars of the league betweene the King our Master and their king, adding withall, that as we intended no ill, wee would take no wrong, whereupon the Master left the poope, and sequestred himselfe from such open conference; had they not called for the Captaine againe, who at last presented himselfe, till they commanded him to come aboord with his commission, which he refused yet wished them to send their boat aboord, & then they should see it most willingly.

But instead either of answering vs further with kind words, or accepting of our reply in good part, they made two great shot at vs, and poured among vs such a volley of small shot, before wee could get off the poope, that wee thanked God they did no more harme, yet we were much amazed they did so much: not thus content they waued vs mith their bright [Page] sword [...], an reuiled vs with opprob [...]ious tearms mis- [...]earming vs dogs, and inuenting more o­dious names against vs then we could imagin, that Christians durst vrge one another withal: at last they layd vs aboord, which enforced vs to raise vp our maine saile, and to giue the word to our small shot, which all this while lay close well resolued and prepared: but so­dainly breaking foorth we plyed them in such sort that we made them giue backe & shrinke from their former forwardnesse.

The fight continued some halfe houre in our quarter, and according to the terror of such encounters, we were compast as it were in fire and smoake, vntill they discouered the wast of our ship naked, and were encouraged with the hope of reciprocall damage, whereupon they brauely ran vpon our side, and layd vs aboord lufe to lufe, hastning with pikes and swords to enter, to which was added such fury, that if they had not beene preuented, we should haue shrunke vnder the rage of a barbarous slaugh­ter: but it pleased God so to direct our Master with aduice, and encourage our men with va­lour, that our pikes being formerly placed vn­der our halfe decke, and certaine shot lying close for that purpose vnder the portels of the ship, encountred them so brauely, that their fu­ry was not onely rebated, but their hastinesse intercepted, and the whole company beaten [Page] backe, especially vpon the wind-ward side, where the charge was hottest, and the fight bloodiest; for there the throng was great, and men had worke enough to make proofe of their courages & fortunes, diuers of our men were hurt, and many fell on their side; if a man retired wounded with vs, two I am sure were slaine amongst them; if their pikes reached as farre as our bodyes, ours were long enough to fasten in their sides; if a Partison frō thē gashed our armes, a Halbard from vs lighted on their heads: yea, we came so neere, that swords cut pikes a sunder, and targets were hewed with the blowes, so that if a fight were woorth the describing: it is pitty that some great Com­manders on both sides beheld not this, to re­cord the action to memory, and recompence the men with sufficient reward.

In the end they were violently repulsed by vs, enforced to a retreat, vntill they were rein­forced backe againe by their Commanders, who standing vpon tearmes of honour, as be­ing men of warre, and designed for that pur­pose, thought it an indignity to be so afronted and countermaunded, which caused a second charge, and that was answered with a second beating backe, till the Captaine himselfe grew enraged, as not brooking to bee so much ouer­mated, and constrained them to come on a fresh, which they did so effectually, that que­stionlesse [Page] it had wrought an alteration, if the God that tosseth Monarchies, and teareth the Mountaines in his fury, had not taught vs to tosse our pikes with prosperous euent, and poured out a sodaine volley of small shot vp­on them, whereby that worthy Commander was slaine at the foote of a pike and many of his souldiers dropped down on the top of the hatches.

This we saw with our eyes, and reioyced at with our hearts, so that we might perceiue as it were good successe comming on, & deliue­rance to breake through the thicking cloud of that vengeance which was prepared against vs: for presently our Master tooke aduantage of their discomfiture (though with some commi­seration for that valiant Captaine so slaine) that he not only plyed them a fresh with great ordinance, but had more false shot vnder the pikes, which were bestowed to good purpose, & amased our enemies with the sodainnesse.

Amongst the rest one Lucas our Carpen­ters mate must not be forgottē, who perceiued a way how to annoy them, as they were thus pusled and in a confusion, drue out a minion which hee nobly set a worke vnder the halfe decke, till at the last he brought it to the doxe of the halfe decke, and there bent it vpon them but in such a manner, that when it was fiered the cases full of stones and peeces of Iron fell [Page] vpon them like haile, and cleared their decke in such a sort that it slue many, and in short time we saw few assailants, but onely such as crept from place to place very couertly, and seemed willing to obscure themselues from the fury of our shot, which now was thicker then theirs. For although (as farre as wee may commend our enemies) they had done some things wor­thy of admiration: yet either wanting men, or ouertaken with the vnlooked for valour of our company, they now began to shrinke, and gaue vs leaue to be wanton with our aduantage.

Yet were our great Ordnance onely foure that wee could vse in this fight, but it should seeme they serued the turne as well as foure times foure: for they shot her diuers times be­tweene winde and water, and so preuailed, that at last we saw many signes of their willingnes to leaue vs, but by reason she was fast in a slach of our cable, which in hast of weighing our anchor hung loose, she could not be diuided nor make that way she purposed, vntill one of our men cut it with an axe without direction, and was slaine for his labour. But when shee perceiued she was loose, after she had beene a boord two houres and a halfe, good Lord what hast she made, and how quickly were we diuided, both great and small shot playing on both sides, which lasted vntill the remotenesse was aboue a Caliuer shot, and we discouered [Page] the vice Admirall comming to her assistance, who began a farre off to ply vs with great shot and put vs in mind, wee had another worke in hand.

Whereupon wee manned our ship a new, separating the dead and hurt bodies by them­selues from vs, and were so encouraged, that we waued her, and in a manner made toward her to fight a fresh. For whē we perceiued, that the Admirall made not a shot more at vs, wee verily imagined, that either she was preparing her selfe with a new supply, or wanted men to make her seruiceable, or resolued to goe away from vs, considering she had lost her Captain; yet loth to be secure, and imagining the vice Admirall might come and boord vs finding vs play, till the Admirall did make her selfe better ready, wee prepared our selues, wondring yet that she came no neerer vs then Falcon shot, wherewith she plyed vs still on the lee fide, vn­till at last she receiued another payment from our demy Culuering, which shot her through, & made her beare with the shore into smooth water, where she remained till 2. of the clocke after midnight, and so we had time to reforme our disorders, and make our selues better rea­dy for the next dayes varietie.

By breake of day shee came vp againe with the Admirall with her; as if they determined indeed to deuoure vs at once; but as it seemed [Page] it was but a Brauado, though for the time they forsooke not our quarter within Musket shot: for all that night and morning they were qui­et neighbours, and kept vs company without any great anoyāce with their top sailes down, not knowing, as it should seeme, what to doe with vs, or else suspecting their owne hurts and leakes, they durst not trust themselues too far from land, nor to the fury of another encoun­ter.

All that night wee had time and leysure to ouerlooke our losses, and prepare for them if they assayled vs againe; and indeed wee were better prouided then before, & better accom­modated in our ship, as freeing it from former encombrances, & affoording farre more scope for our Ordnance to play vpon them: but God be thanked it fell out otherwise: for though we might perceiue them speake together, and with many yards a crosse entend to keepe vs company; yet did they not make much hast vp, nor trouble vs with many shot, till the next day the Admirall made shew of an encounter, and we after prayers were ended prouided to fight with them, but sodainely wee perceiued the vice Admirall hang a sterne, cutting her maine sayle to come vp, and stirring very ill, which astonished vs the more, because wee could not imagine the reason, considering she was the best sayler and now spared her Admi­rall [Page] a fore-top sayle, shewing all the signes of retracting, and no desire to come too neere vs any more.

At length the Admirall shooke in the wind and by apparant signes gaue vs notice of slack­ing her course, whereby we might run a head and follow the seas at our pleasure, so we per­ceiued the vice Admirall with all her sailes to make towards an Iland called Sana, which the Admirall either tooke notice of, as knowing the danger she was in, or gaue directions ac­cordingly, considering there was no good to be done with vs: for presently she tacked about and lost vs, bearing toward that Iland also, which wee easily discouered with her whole length: but the ships were quickly out of sight, although wee saw the breach of the sheare all along, and how the Admirall departed from vs, which caused vs to imagine, that shee was forced a shore by her leakes receiued in the fight, and durst not aduenture for feare shee should haue beene suncke altogether, & que­stionlesse the Admirall had neuer gone from our sides, nor tryed any fortune but our cour­tesie, if we could by any meanes haue brought ouer our demy Culuering on our fighting side which was endeuoured by our Master & Gun­ner: but as you haue heard our ship being so encombred, it was in vaine, and we little drea­ming, either of Pirats or aduersary in those [Page] seas, made lesse account to bee intercepted in this manner: but such is the condition of hu­maine life, that commonly mischiefes come vnlooked for, and when they come, accompa­ny one another with much variety, especially at Sea, where I will bee bold to say, that a fight is more terrible to frailty, and yeeldeth greater occasion of astonishment, then a maine battle at land, or the surprising of a towne in the fury of an execution.

This fight continued fiue or sixe houres, & was the more vnwelcome, because we were so vnprouided, and had no intents, nor gaue any occasion to disturbe them, as for the losse of men, and accidentall troubles if religion had not taught vs, what by Gods prouidence is brought to passe; yet morality and dayly expe­rience might enforme vs of the dangers of warre, and perils at Sea, by storms, tempests, shipwrackes, encountring with Pirats, mee­ting with enemies, crosse winds, long voyages, vnkown shores, barbarous nations, deuouring monsters, and a hundred inconueniences, of which humane policies are not capable, nor mens coniectures apprehensiue.

We lost Doctor Bohune, and seuen other were slaine out right: two died shortly after of their wounds, and 16. were shot through in some part or other of the body, whose wounds Gods be thanked were recured and without [Page] maime or further impeachment of health are now recouered and setled in Virginia, accor­ding to our first entended purpose and Com­mission: I reckon not such as are hurt with pikes and other offensiue weapons, because there was no danger in their cures, and the skilfull Surgeon shewed his art & good speed with facility. How many they lost we cānot tel, nor what men of name were entertained a­mongst them, onely I am sure we saw many lye slaine on the decke, and more cast ouer boord in the fight, besides the scuppers ran with blood, and the very Sea in their quarter was coloured with a Scarlet hue, and looked fear­fully vpon vs all.

O the ambition and turbulency of mens na­tures, and the ill condition of reuenge, that cannot bee contented with faire satisfaction, vnlesse it be answered with death and blood: I speake not of the vniustifiable proceedings of Pirates, because the diuell hath any scuse fo such theft, frō the necessity of life & the terror of pouerty, which cānot be preuented in great and sturring spirits without course of actiue imployment, or some endeauours or other: but of the insatiate pride of the heart, and the wicked disposition of mallice, which is ne­uer satisfied, but with the death and destructiō of an enemy, as was apparant in this encoun­ter. For we could not imagin, why they should [Page] aduenture thus vpō vs, vnlesse to make vs prise, and subiect to the spoyle of robbery. As for the pretence of their kings prerogatiue, there was not so much as a thought of afronting thē in that kinde, had they not insulted as it were ouer vs in an ouerdaring manner, and com­manded vs to that which we knew was disho­nourable to our nation and disgratious to our selues: but for feare of lauishes and burstings out of frailty, I will now desist, either from complayning of them, or exscusing our selues; & only conclude, there were some hreat faults cōmitted amongst vs all on both sides, which the God of heauen determined to punish in this manner, and that God of heauen direct vs to make vse of his iudgements, that we not on­ly pray to him for the diuersion of his wrath from our sinnes, but yeeld him all possible praise and thanksgiuing for any deliuerance, or blessing whatsoeuer, and more particularly for this our vnlookt for escape from so great a danger.

The buhthen of their Admirall was 300. tuns, hauing 22. peeces of Brasse, and all pro­uision of a man of Warre indeed: their Vice-Admirall 300. tuns, and 16. cast peeces, nor much inferior to her for trimming and corre­spondent equipage, and both to the out­ward shew ouer-masterfull and daring for one poore Marchant and passenger, being but a [Page] 160. tuns, hauing 8. Iron peeces and one Fal­con, ouerloaden with stuffe and wares, encom­bred with passengers, toyled with a storme, ti­red with a long voyage, affrighted with wants, and euery way insufficient to answer any such enemy: but as it in the Scripture, it is all one to thee O God, whether there bee few or many, and Gedeons 300. shall slay many thousands of the Midianites: as for deliuerances, the people of Israel shall passe through the red Sea dry foot: Ionas shall be cast safe on shore out of the Whales belly: and Paul shal escape shipwrack, sauing his life with all his passengers in the I­land of Malia. For to conclude with the pur­pose in hand, there is one thing most remarke­able as an inducement to this our deliuerance, that Captaine Chester embraced Doctor Bo­hune being mortally wounded, & thus recom­forted him, saying, O Doctor Bohune what a disaster is this; the noble Doctor no whit exa­nimated, replyed; Fight it out braue man, the cause is good, and Lord receiue my soule.