A LETTER VVRITTEN TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFVLL THE GOVERNOVRS AND ASSISTANTS OF THE EAST INDIAN MARCHANTS IN LONDON: CONTAINING THE ESTATE OF THE EAST INDIAN: FLEETE, WITH THE NAMES OF THE CHIEFE MEN OF NOTE DEAD IN THE VOYAGE
AT LONDON Imprinted for Thomas Thorppe, and are to be sould by William Aspley.
1603.
A LETTER VVRITTEN TO THE RIGHT worshipfull the Gouernours and Assistants of the East Indian Marchants in London; containing the estate of the East Indian Fleete, with the names of the chiefe men of note dead in the Voyage.
RIght Worshipfull my dutie remembred. It may please you to vnderstand, that we wayed Anchor the 20. of Aprill 1601. and set saile out of Torbaye by Dartmouthe.
The 21. of Iune following, being in the heigth of three degrees to the Northwards of the line, wee tooke a ship of Vianna bound for Brasill, of the burthen of 130. tunne, her lading was Wine, Oyle and Meale, which hath stood vs in [Page 2]great steede in this our voyage: fiue or sixe dayes after we turned her off after we had pillaged her as we thought good.
The 20. day of Iuly we turned away the Guifte beeing in the height of 19. degrees to the Southward of the Line, the 24. day we came vnder the Tropicke of Capricorne.
The 19. day of September we came to Anchor at Saldaiua, beeing in very great distresse by reason of the scuruy disease then raging among vs. The Ascention and Susans company were scarce able to let fall their Anchors without the helpe of other ships, there we staied and refreshed our men with fresh victuals, as Beefe and Mutton in great aboundance which cost vs little or nothing, there we staied about seauen weekes, and had staied there longer if the inhabitantes had continued to bring vs fresh victuals, so we departed thence the 9. of October.
The 29. of December we came to Anchor in the baye of Antoga, here we trucked with the inhabitants for Rice, Lemmans and Plantaines & such like fruite, we sette vp one of our Pinnaces: here also we lost diuerse of our men which dyed of the [Page 3]Filx by reason of the great heate, and feeding of the Plantaines and Lemmans which they did deuoure immoderately.
This Baye is the Inland of Saint Laurence and standeth in the height of sixeteene degrees.
The 4. day of March we departed thence in the euening, and the first day of Iune 1602. we discried the land Sumatra.
The 3. day we Anchored in the Roade of Achin in seauen faddome water. To make any large discourse of matters which passed whilst wee lay in the Roade of Achin I omitte, because time will not permitte: But in few wordes you shall vnderstand, that heere wee found little Pepper, not sufficient to loade the Ascention, hauing in her little aboue eight score tunnes, we could not I thinke in all the East Indiaes haue come to a worser place for loading.
The 30. of Iuly the Generall sent away the Susan to Priaman to seeke her loading, being an Iland which lieth towardes the southwardes eight score leagues, a little distance from Sumatra, and about 20. dayes before our comming to Achin, the little [Page 4]Pinnace came from her and certified our generall she was almost loaden, that we hope she will not be long after vs.
The 11. of September we departed out of the roade of Achin for the straights of Mallaca to seeke purchase: The Red Dragon, the Assention, the Hector and a Flemming which came into the Roade os Achin but 4. dayes before.
The 3. of October beeing Sunday about fiue of the clocke in the afternoone we saw a saile and gaue her chase, about nine of the clocke wee fetched her vp and hayled her, and found her to be a Ship come from Goa and bound for Mallaca laden with Portingals goodes, as Pintados, Calicottes and other stuffes great store, a great part of her loading was Rice and victualls, and in her about seauen or eight hundred persons men women and children, we had out of her 958. Fardils: and diuers chests with other things as Canistees: wee were forced from her by force of weather beeing put from our Anchors.
The 25. day we Anchored in the roade of Achin.
The 11. day of Nouember being Thurseday we waied our Anchors and set saile from Achin, viz. [Page 5]the Dragon, the Hector, and a little Pinnace, and the Ascention, they did keepe vs company till the next day being bound for Priaman vnto the Susan, and so from thence they were purposed to goe for Bantam, God grant they may get thither in safety, for then it is not to be doubted they shall get their full lading of Pepper according to their desires, as shall appeare vnto you hereafter: So wee leauing them the day aboue said, departed for England, to the great reioycing of vs all that were to goe home into out Country after so tedious a pilgrimage.
The 3. day of Februarie about 10. of the clocke afore noone, wee had sight of the Cape Bona esperanse a Frenchman which we left in the roade of Achin being in our company, which came out a day after vs, who together had determined to goe for Saldauia if two Flemmings who came then into our company had not altered our determination, for after wee had hailed them, wee vnderstood they were vnwilling to put in for that place, but to goe for Saint Hellena, so we stoode along with them, and altogether ariued at Saint Hellena.
The 21. day of the same month, the Ascention and the Frenchman called the Creset of Saint Mallowes, the two Dutchmen, the Admirall was called the Amsterdam about the burthen of [Page 6]300. Last, and the other called the Tergow, of the bignesse of the Ascention: which shippe hath beene almost thirty three monethes from home, and as they tould vs laden at Petauia, most of her lading beeing Pepper, and in their way homeward they touched at Banton, the people of Banton were glad when they came thither because they thought they woulde haue laden Pepper, hauing great store lying vpon their hands and being cheaper then ours is.
The generall of the Flemmings whose name is Iacob Cornelius Van Neskes toulde vs that there is Pepper enough to lade foure or fiue Ships, so that if the Dragon came there in any time conuenient it is not to bee doubted but they are vppon the waye homewardes full laden with Pepper, &c.
The Frenchmen haue determined suddainely to leaue our companye to depart homewardes, which hath made mee to trouble you with this discourse, although not so large as willingly I would it were, for that time will not permitte mee to doe otherwise, hoping that it will not bee any thing displeasing vnto you, hauing as I thinke not before this heard any certainety [Page 7]of vs since our departure out of England beeing verie willing it should come to your hands before you heare of vs any more, the better to prepare your mindes for the setting foorth of a new voyage. Wee shall bee readye to departe from hence the fifteenth day of this moneth of March, GOD send vs home in safetye.
The names of the chiefe men of note which are dead in the Voyage.
THere was 182. men which were dead out of our Fleete before we parted from our Generall, three of our men dead since. Men of note which are dead, are these: William Leake Purser of this Shippe, George Parsons Purser of the Hector, Maister Casell, Maister Horton who married Alderman Wattes his daughter, which foure dyed before we came to Saldauia.
Brad [...]ncke Maister of the Dragon, Maister Pullion our Preacher, Maister Winter Maisters mate, Maister Napper Maister of the Hector, these foure dyed at Antogill.
Maister Brand Captaine of the Ascention, going a shore in his Boate to the buriall of Maister Winter, very vnfortunately by a shotte that was made by the Gunner of the Admirall, was slaine, with another called Iohn Parker, who steered the Boate.
The 27. of Februarie being Satterday, Maister Haward Captaine of the Susan dyed in the Roade of Achin, Maister Stradling, Maister Winchcombe, [Page 9]Iohn Iland, Iames Chamley, dyed in the Roade of Achin, Maister Robert Pope in the straights of Mallaca, Maister Thomas Saltin in the Roade of Achin.
Thus being inforced to cut short, I cease for this present, praying for your prosperities in all your intended enterprises, according to your disires.
Fare you well,
from aboard the Ascention at S. Hellena, the 9. of March, 1602.