AD. THE ENGLISH VOYAGES 



1580-82. 



I had alwayes a longing and desire to this my native 

 countrey : and, to returne and serve againe in the 

 Mines where I might have gathered great riches and 

 wealth, I very well saw that at one time or another 

 I should fall againe into the danger of that divelish In- 

 quisition, and so be stript of all, with losse of life also, and 

 therefore I made my choise rather to learne to weave 

 Grogranes and Taffaties, and so compounding with a 

 Silke-weaver, I bound my selfe for three yeeres to serve 

 him, and gave him an hundred and iiftie Pezos to teach 

 me the science, otherwise he would not have taught mee 

 under seven yeeres prentiship, and by this meanes I lived 

 the more quiet, and free from suspition. Howbeit I 

 should many times be charged by familiars of that divelish 

 house, that I had a meaning to runne away into England, 

 and to be an heretike Lutherane againe : To whom I 

 would answere that they had no neede to suspect any 

 such thing in mee, for that they knewe all very well that 

 it was impossible for me to escape by any maner of 

 meanes : yet notwithstanding I was called before the 

 Inquisitor, and demaunded why I did not marrie : I 

 answered that I had bound my selfe at an occupation. 

 Well said the Inquisitor, I knowe thou meanest to runne 

 away, and therefore I charge thee here upon paine of 

 burning as an heretike relapsed, that thou depart not out 

 of this citie, nor come neere to the port of S. John de 

 Ullua, nor to any other port : To the which I answered, 

 that I would willingly obey. Yea said he, see thou doe 

 so and thy fellowes also, they shall have the like charge. 



So I remained at my science the full time, and learned 

 the Art, at the end whereof there came newes to Mexico 

 that there were certaine Englishmen landed with a great 

 power at the port of Acapulco, upon the South sea, and 

 that they were comming to Mexico to take the spoyle 

 therof, which wrought a marvellous great feare amongst 

 them, & many of those that were rich, began to shift for 

 themselves, their wives & children : upon which hurlie 

 burlie the Viceroy caused a generall muster to be made of 



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