AD. THE ENGLISH VOYAGES 



1580-82. 



affirming that I knewe not the man, yet would they not 

 beleeve me, but urged stil upon me that I was he that 

 they sought for, and so I was conveied away to prison. 

 And as I was thus going to prison, to the further increase 

 of my griefe, it chanced that at that very instant there 

 was a poore man in the presse that was come to towne to 

 sell hennes, who told the Justices that they did me wrong, 

 and that in truth he knew very well that I was an 

 Englishman and no Spaniard. They then demanded of 

 him how he knew that, and threatned him that he said so, 

 for that he was my companion, and sought to convey me 

 away from my father, so that he also was threatned to be 

 laid in prison with me : he for the discharge of himselfe 

 stood stifly in it, that I was an Englishman, & one of 

 captaine Hawkins men, and that he had knowen me 

 weare the S. Benito in the Blacke-friers at Mexico, for 

 3 or 4 whole yeres together : which when they heard, 

 they forsooke him, and began to examine me a new, 

 whether that speech of his were true, yea or no, which 

 when they perceived that I could not denie, and per- 

 ceiving that I was run from Mexico, & came thither of 

 purpose to convey my selfe away with the fleete, I was 

 presently committed to prison with a sorrowful! heart, 

 often wishing my selfe that that man which knew me had 

 at that time bene further off: howbeit he in sinceritie had 

 compassion of my distressed estate, thinking by his . 

 speech, and knowing of me, to have set me free from I 

 that present danger which he saw me in : howbeit, 

 contrary to his expectation, I was thereby brought into 

 my extreme danger, and to the hazard of my life, yet 

 there was no remedy but patience perforce. And I was 

 no sooner brought into prison, but I had a great paire 

 of bolts clapt on my legs, and thus I remained in that 

 prison for the space of 3 weekes, where were also many 

 other prisoners which were thither committed for sundry 

 crimes, & condemned to the gallies. During which 

 time of imprisonment there, I found amongst those my 

 prison-fellowes some that had knowen me before in 



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