a.d. THE ENGLISH VOYAGES 



1589-91. 



with advise out of Portugall, that of 5 ships which in 

 the yere 1590 were laden in Lisbon for the Indies, 4 of 

 them were turned againe to Portin. After they had 

 bene 4 moneths abroad, & that the Admirall, wherein 

 the Viceroy called Mathias dAlbukerk sailed, had onely 

 gotten to India, as afterward newes thereof was brought 

 over-land, having bin at the least 1 1 moneths at sea & 

 never saw land, and came in great misery to Malacca. 

 In this ship there died by the way 280 men, according to 

 a note by himselfe made, and sent to the Cardinal at 

 Lisbon, with the names & surnames of every man, 

 together with a description of his voiage, & the misery 

 they had endured, which was onely done, because he 

 would not lose the government of India : and for that 

 cause he had sworne either to lose his life, or to arrive 

 in India, as in deed he did afterwards, but to the great 

 danger, losse and hinderance of his companie, that were 

 forced to buy it with their lives, & onely for want of 

 provision, as it may wel be thought : for he knew full 

 well that if he had returned backe againe into Portugal as 

 the other ships did, he should have bin cassiered from 

 his Indian regiment, because the people began already to 

 murmure at him for his proud & lofty mind. And 

 among other things that shewed his pride the more, 

 behind above the gallery of his ship he caused Fortune 

 to be painted, & his own picture w 1 a staffe standing by 

 her, as it were threatning Fortune, with this posie, Quero 

 que vencas, that is, I wil have thee to overcome : which 

 being read by the Cardinal & other gentlemen (that to 

 honor him brought him aboord his ship) it was thought 

 to be a point of exceeding folly : but it is no strange 

 matter among the Portugals : for they above all others 

 must of force let the foole peepe out of their sleeves, 

 specially when they are in authoritie, for that I knew the 

 said Mathias dAlbukerk in India, being a souldier and a 

 captaine, where he was esteemed and accounted for one 

 of the best of them, & much honoured, and beloved of 

 all men, as behaving himselfe curteously to every man, 



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