A.D. THE ENGLISH VOYAGES 



1568. 



hundreth men that remained for the speedier preparing 

 of our water aboord, there arose an extreame storme, so 

 that in three dayes we could by no meanes repaire aboord 



The greatest our ship : the ship also was in such perill that every houre 



mherle of all ^^ looked for shipwracke. 



But yet God againe had mercie on us, and sent faire 

 weather, we had aboord our water, and departed the 

 sixteenth day of October, after which day we had faire 

 and prosperous weather till the sixteenth day of 

 November, which day God be praysed we were cleere 

 from the coast of the Indies, and out of the chanell and 

 gulfe of Bahama, which is betweene the Cape of Florida, 

 and the Ilandes of Lucayo. After this growing neere to 

 the colde countrey, our men being oppressed with famine, 

 died continually, and they that were left, grew into such 

 weakenesse that we were scantly able to manage our shippe, 

 and the winde being alwayes ill for us to recover England, 

 we determined to goe with Galicia in Spaine, with intent 

 there to relieve our companie and other extreame wantes. 

 And being arrived the last day of December in a place 

 neere unto Vigo called Ponte Vedra, our men with 

 excesse of fresh meate grew into miserable disseases, and 

 died a great part of them. This matter was borne out 

 as long as it might be, but in the end although there were 

 none of our men suffered to goe a land, yet by accesse of 

 the Spaniards, our feeblenesse was knowen to them. 

 Whereupon they ceased not to seeke by all meanes to 

 betray us, but with all speede possible we departed to 

 Vigo, where we had some helpe of certaine English ships 

 and twelve fresh men, wherewith we repaired our wants 

 as we might, and departing the 20 day of January 1568 

 arrived in Mounts bay in Cornewall the 25 of the same 

 moneth, praised be God therefore. 



If all the miseries and troublesome affaires of this 

 sorowfuU voyage should be perfectly and throughly 

 written, there should neede a painefull man with his 

 pen, and as great a time as he had that wrote the lives 

 and deathes of the Martyrs. John Hawkins. 



74 



