MARTIN FROBISHER a.d. 



J 577- 

 many intising shewes, to come eate and sleepe ashore, 

 with great arguments of courtesie, and clapping his bare 

 hands over his head in token of peace and innocencie, 

 willed us to doe the like. But the better to allure our 

 hungry stomackes, he brought us a trimme baite of raw Great offers. 

 flesh, which for fashion sake with a boat-hooke wee 

 caught into our boate : but when the cunning Cater per- 

 ceived his first cold morsell could nothing sharpen our 

 stomacks, he cast about for a new traine of warme flesh 

 to procure our appetites, wherefore he caused one of his 

 fellowes in halting maner, to come foorth as a lame man 

 from behind the rockes, and the better to declare his 

 kindnes in carving, he hoised him upon his shoulders, 

 and bringing him hard to the water side where we were, 

 left him there limping as an easie prey to be taken of us. 

 His hope was that we would bite at this baite, and 

 speedily leape ashore within their danger, wherby they 

 might have apprehended some of us, to ransome their 

 friends home againe, which before we had taken. The 

 gentlemen and souldiers had great will to encounter 

 them ashore, but the Generall more carefull by processe 

 of time to winne them, then wilfully at the first to spoile 

 them, would in no wise admit that any man should put 

 himselfe in hazard ashore, considering the matter he now 

 intended was for the Ore, and not for the Conquest : 

 notwithstanding to proove this cripples footemanship, he 

 gave liberty for one to shoote : whereupon the cripple 

 having a parting blow, lightly recovered a rocke and 

 went away a true and no fained cripple, and hath learned 

 his lesson for ever halting afore such cripples againe. 

 But his fellowes which lay hid before, full quickly then 

 appeared in their likenesse, and maintained the skirmish 

 with their slings, bowes and arrowes very fiercely, and 

 came as neere as the water suffred them : and with as 

 desperate minde as hath bene seene in any men, without 

 feare of shotte or any thing, followed us all along the 

 coast, but all their shot fell short of us, and are of little 

 danger. They had belayed all the coast along for us, [III. 72.] 



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