ROBERT TOMSON ad. 



1555. 



children : In whose house the said Tomson remained 



by the space of one whole yeere or thereabout, for two 



causes : The one to learne the Castillian tongue, the other 



to see the orders of the countrey, and the customes of 



the people. At the end of which time having scene the 



fleetes of shippes come out of the Indies to that citie, 



with such great quantitie of gold & silver, pearles, 



precious stones, suger, hides, ginger, and divers other 



rich commodities, he did determine with himselfe to 



seeke meanes and opportunitie to passe over to see 



that rich countrey from whence such great quantitie of 



rich commodities came. And it fell out that within 



short time after, the sayd John Field (where the sayd 



Tomson was lodged) did determine to passe over into 



the West Indies, himselfe, with his wife, children, and 



familie, and at the request of the sayde Tomson, he 



purchased a licence of the King to passe into the Indies, 



for himselfe, his wife and children, and among them 



also for the sayde Tomson to passe with them : so that 



presently they made preparation of victuall and other 



necessarie provision for the voyage. But the shippes 



which were prepared to perfourme the voyage being 



all ready to depart, upon certaine considerations by the 



kings commandement were stayed and arrested till further 



should bee knowen of the Kings pleasure. Whereupon 



the said John Field, with Robert Tomson departed out of 



Sivil and came down to S. Lucar 15. leagues off, and [III. 448.] 



seeing the stay made upon the ships of the said fleet, 



& being not assured when they would depart, determined 



to ship themselves for the lies of the Canaries, which are 



250. leagues from S. Lucar, and there to stay till the said 



fleet should come thither : for that is continually their 



port to make stay at 6. or 8. daies, to take in fresh water, 



bread, flesh, & other necessaries. 



So that in the moneth of February in An. 1555. the 

 sayde Robert Tomson with the said John Field and his 

 companie, shipped themselves out of the towne of S. 

 Lucar in a carvel of the citie of Cadiz, and within 6. 



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