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
Order being put in all things, we kept a very sure watch this first
night, and the morning being come, our admirall and captaine Venner,
with the rest of the captaines, went about the towne, and gaue order for
the fortifying of it with all expedition: so that within two dayes it
was surrounded with posts and planks, all that part of the towne next
the maine land, at least nine foot high; for (God be thanked) we found
provision in the towne sufficient store for it. Now it is to be
vnderstood, that this towne is enuironed on the one part by the sea, and
on the back-side by a riuer that runneth behinde it; so that to come to
it by land, you must enter it by a small narrow passage not aboue forty
paces ouer at an high water. At this passage we built a fort, and
planted in it fiue pieces of ordinance, which we tooke out of the first
fort we wan at our comming into the harborow. Now we hauing the towne in
possession, our admirall sent for the Hollanders by his chyrurgian,
which had bene brought vp in that countrey, a man knowing their
conditions, and sober and discreet of his owne cariage. At his first
comming aboord of them, they seemed to stand vpon their owne guard and
defence, for they were three great and strong ships: but he vsed
himselfe so, that they at the last willed him to come into the greatest
of their ships, which was aboue 450 tunnes. Then he declared to them our
intent, of comming thither, and that they should be there as sure from
any shew of violence or iniury offered them, as if they were in their
owne houses, and if they should thinke so good, his admirall would
fraight them for England, if they would be content with fraight
reasonable, and as they should agree, and it should be at their owne
choise whether to go or not, he would not force them, vnlesse it were to
their benefit and good liking. Although this people were somewhat
stubburne at the first, as that nation is in these causes, yet being
satisfied with good words and good dealing they came aland, and after
conference had with the admirall, they were so satisfied, that they went
thorow with a fraight: and then we ioyned with them, and they with vs,
and they serued vs as truely and as faithfully as our owne people did,
both at watch and ward, by sea and all other seruices. Within two dayes
after our comming in, about midnight, a great number of Portugals and
Indians with them, came downe vpon vs with a very great cry and noise;
but God be thanked, we were ready for them: for our admirall supposing
some such assault, had prouided all our muskets with haile-shot, which
did so gaule both the Indians and the Portugals, that they made them
presently retreat. And this is to be noted, that there was both the
horse and his rider slaine both with one of these shot. Our men followed
them some fiue or sixe score, but no further. We lost in this conflict
but onely one man, but had diuers hurt. What was lost of their part, we
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