AD. THE ENGLISH VOYAGES 



1596- 



were Christians and all baptised and bred up under one 

 and the true faith, so wee should live together like 

 Christians in the feare and service of God : And as 

 we were the subjects of our most excellent sovereigne, 

 and had vowed obedience unto her : so we should tend 

 all our courses to the advancement of her dignity, and 

 the good of our countrey, and not to enter into any 

 base or unfit actions. And because we came for his 

 love into this action that for his sake we would so 

 love together as if himselfe were still living with us, 

 and that we would follow (as our chiefe commander) 

 him, unto whom under his hand he would give com- 

 mission to succeede himselfe : all which with solemne 

 protestation we granted to obey. Then for that the 

 yere was past, and finding the cost of Guynea most 

 tempestuous, hee saw in reason that the bay of ^Ethiopia 

 would be our utter overthrow, and infect us all to death : 

 whereupon he advised us to be respective of our selves, 

 and to divert our purpose from S. Tome, either for 

 Brasil or the West India, yeelding many reasons that 

 it was our best course : but we all with one voice 

 desired to proceede for S. Tome. And so departing from 

 this contagious filthy place, we directed our course for 

 S. Tome, but could by no means double the sholds 

 of Madrabomba, but very dangerously ran into shold 

 water, still hoping of the best. In fine we were enforced 

 to beare up & take some other course ; for the time 

 A most con- wasted, our men fell sicke, and the coast was contagious 

 tagious ^ alwayes raging & tempestuous. The water falling from 

 jitypace, ^^ heavens did stinke, and did in 6 houres turne into 

 maggots where it fell either among our clothes, or in 

 wads of Ocombe. 



So by a general consent it was held to be our best 

 course to goe for the West India ; & so much the rather, 

 because we had good pilots for that place, who undertooke 

 more then was after performed. So we bent our course 

 for the Isles of Cape Verde, & arriving at the Isle of 

 S. lago the 30 of August, we presently landed at Praia, 



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