Echoes of Old LancashireAxon, William E. A. (William Edward Armytage)
History
Echoes of Old Lancashire
Axon, William E. A. (William Edward Armytage)
Lancashire (England) -- History
Then I went to the Master, who was a Man of a very bold Spirit, and
told him our Intents; whose answer to me was, If we offered to
rise, and they overcame us, we had as good be burnt alive, the
which I knew very well. But I could get him no way to adhere to me,
in that he being fearful of Blood-shed; for that was his Reason:
Insomuch, that at last I told him we were resolved, and I
question’d not to do it without one Drop of Blood spilt, and I
believ’d that the Lord would prosper it, by Reason, I could rather
go to Algier, than to kill a Turk: So at last he agreed to this, to
let me do what I would, provided we killed none: At that time there
being still two Turks lying in the Cabin with him: So that he was
to lie in the Cabin, that by his being there they should mistrust
nothing, which accordingly he did. And having bad weather, and lost
the Company of the Man of War; the Turks seeing our Diligence, made
them careless of us.
So the second Night, after the Captain was gone to sleep, I
perswaded one to lie in my Cabin, and so one in another, till at
last it raining very much, I perswaded them all down to sleep; and
when asleep, got their Arms in Possession. Then said I to the Men
of our Vessel: Now have we the Turks at our Command; no Man shall
hurt any of them, for if you do, I will be against you: But this we
will do, now they are under, we will keep them so, and go to
May-York. So when I had ordered some to keep the Doors, if any
should come out, straightly charging the Spilling of no Blood; and
so altered our Course for May-York the which in the Morning we were
fair by: So my Order was to our Men, if any offer’d to come out,
not to let out above one at a time. And in the Morning one came
out, expecting to have seen their own Country, but on the contrary,
it was May-York. Now, said I to our Men, be careful of the Door,
for when he goes in, we shall see what they will do. And as soon as
he told them we were going towards May-York, they instead of
Rising, fell all to crying, for their Hearts were taken from them.
So they desired they might not be Sold; the which I promised they
should not. So soon as I had pacified them, then I went in to the
Master, he not yet knowing what was done, and so he told their
Captain what we had done, how that we had over-come his Men, and
that we were going for May-York. At which unexpected News he Wept,
and desired the Master not to Sell him; the which he promised he
would not. Then we told the Captain we would make a Place to hide
them in, where the Spaniards should not find them; at which they
were very glad, and we did accordingly. So when we came in, the
Master went on Shoar, with Four more, and left me on Board with the
Turks, which were Ten. And when he had done his Business, not
taking Product, lest the Spaniards should come and see the Turks.
But at Night an English Master came on Board, being an
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