The Principal Navigations, Voyages, Traffiques, and Discoveries of the English Nation — Volume 14: America, Part IIIHakluyt, Richard
History
The Principal Navigations, Voyages, Traffiques, and Discoveries of the English Nation — Volume 14: America, Part III
Hakluyt, Richard
Discoveries in geography -- English; Voyages and travels
Wel, I perceiuing all this, took vpon me not to suspect
anything, but was still iocund and mery: howbeit, I knew it stood me
vpon to shift for my selfe. And so wayting my time when the Master was
in his cabbin asleepe, I conueyed my selfe secretly downe by the shrowds
into the ship boate, and made no stay but cut the rope wherewithal she
was moared, and so by the cable haled on shore, where I leapt on land,
and let the boate goe whither it would. Thus by the helpe of God I
escaped that day, and then neuer stayed at S. Lucar, but went all night
by the way which I had seene other take toward Siuil: so that the next
morning I came to Siuil, and sought me out a workemaster, that I might
fall to my science, which was weauing of taffataes; and being
intertained I set my selfe close to my worke, and durst not for my life
once to stirre abroad for fear of being knowen: and being thus at my
worke, within 4 dayes after I heard one of my fellows say, that he heard
there was great inquiry made for an Englishman that came home in the
fleete: what an heretique Lutheran (quoth I) was it, I would to God I
might knowe him, surely I would present him to the Holy house. And thus
I kept still within doores at my worke, and fained my selfe not well at
ease, and that I would labour as I might to get me new clothes. And
continuing thus for the space of 3. moneths I called for my wages, and
bought me all things new, different from the apparell that I did weare
at sea, and yet durst not be ouerbold to walke abroad: and after
vnderstanding that there were certaine English ships at S. Lucar bound
for England, I tooke a boat and went aboord one of them, and desired the
Master that I might haue passage with him to goe into England, and told
him secretly that I was one of those which Captaine Hawkins did set on
shore in the Indies: he very courteously prayed me to haue him excused,
for he durst not meddle with me, and prayed me therefore to returne from
whence I came. Which when I perceiued, with a sorrowful heart, God
knoweth, I tooke my leaue of him, not without watry cheekes. [Sidenote:
He commeth home in an English ship from Maiorca.] And then I went to S.
Mary port, which is 3. leagues from S. Lucar, where I put my selfe to be
a souldier to goe in the king of Spaines Gallies, which were bound for
Maiorca, and comming thither in the end of the Christmas holidayes, I
found there two English ships, the one of London, and the other of the
West countrey, which were ready freighted and stayed but for a faire
winde. To the Master of the one, which was of the West countrey went I,
and told him that I had bene 2. yeeres in Spaine to learne the language,
and that I was now desirous to goe home and see my friends, for that I
lacked maintenance: and so hauing agreed with him for my passage, I
tooke shipping. And thus through the prouidence of Almighty God, after
16. yeeres absence, hauing sustained many and sundry great troubles and
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account