Spanish and Portuguese South America during the Colonial Period; Vol. 1 of 2Watson, Robert Grant
History
Spanish and Portuguese South America during the Colonial Period; Vol. 1 of 2
Watson, Robert Grant
America -- Discovery and exploration; South America -- History -- To 1806
Hawkins and his men kept on their course along the coast, and came on
the 3rd of April to a place called _Burboroata_, where the ships came to
anchor, and he himself went on shore to speak to the Spaniards, to whom
he declared his nationality, and that he came thither for lawful trade,
for which he required permission. They made answer that they were
forbidden by their king to traffic with any foreign nation, upon pain of
forfeiting their goods; they therefore desired him to depart, for they
were subjects, and might not go beyond the law. Hawkins, however, who
was an impersonation of the _Civis Romanus sum_, was above the law. He
replied that his necessity was such as he might not so do; for being in
one of the Queen’s _armadas_ of England, and having many soldiers in
them, he had need both of some refreshing for them, and of victuals, and
of money also, without which he could not depart. With much other talk
he persuaded them not to fear any dishonest part of his towards them;
for neither would he commit any such thing to the dishonour of his
prince, nor yet for dishonest reputation and estimation, unless he were
too rigorously dealt withal, which he hoped not to find at their hands.
The Spaniards made answer that it lay not in them to give any licence,
for that they had a governor to whom the government of these parts was
committed; but if Hawkins would stay ten days longer they would send to
their governor, who was three score leagues off, and would return answer
within the appointed time.
Meanwhile Hawkins was permitted to bring his ships into harbour and to
receive the victuals he required. On the fourth day he went in and
received according to promise all things requisite; whereupon the shrewd
captain thought to himself that to remain according to his promise for
the stipulated ten days, spending victuals and men’s wages, would be a
mere act of folly. He therefore requested permission to sell certain
lean and sick negroes which he had in his ships, like to die upon his
hands if he kept them ten days. He was forced to make this request,
because he had not otherwise wherewith to pay for victuals and for
necessaries. This request being put in writing and presented, the
officers and town-dwellers assembled together; and, finding his request
so reasonable, granted him licence for thirty negroes, which afterwards
they caused the officers to view, to the intent they should accede to
nothing but what was reasonable, for fear of afterwards being called to
answer therefor.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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