WILLIAM TOWERSON ad. 



l S77- 

 about the Cape : besides, not knowing the state of 

 our countrey and Spaine, and although it were peace, 

 yet there was little hope of friendship at their hands, 

 considering the voyage that we had made, and we also 

 being so weake, that by force and violence we could 

 come by nothing, and doubting also that the King of 

 Portugall knowing of our being there, might worke 

 some way with the Councell of Spaine to trouble us : 

 and further, considering that if we did put in with any 

 harbor, we should not be able to come out againe, till 

 we sent for more men into England, which would be 

 a great charge, and losse of time, and meanes of many 

 dangers. All these things pondred, we agreed to shoot 

 off two pieces of ordinance, to warne the Christopher, 

 and then we went our course for England : she hear- 

 ing our pieces followed us, and we carried a light for 

 her, but the next day in the morning it was thicke, 

 and we could not see her in the afternoone neither, so 

 that we suspected that either she was gone with Spaine, 

 or els that she should put foorth more sailes then we in 

 the night, and was shot a head of us, so that then we 

 put forth our top-sailes, and went our course with 

 England. 



At the time when the Christopher left us, we were 

 within 1 20 leagues of England, and 45 leagues North- 

 west and by West from Cape Finister : and at the 

 same time in our ships we had not above sixe Mariners 

 and sixe Marchants in health, which was but a weake 

 company for such a ship to seeke a forren harbour. 



The 16 day, about sixe of the clocke at night, we 

 met with a great storme at the Westsouthwest, & 

 West, and our men being weake, and not able to Extreame 

 handle our sailes, we lost tire same night our maine weaknesse of 

 saile, foresaile, and spreetsaile, & were forced to lie a ° 

 hulling, untill the eighteenth day, and then we made 

 ready an olde course of a foresaile, and put it to the 

 yard, and therewith finding our selves far shot into the [II. ii. 52.] 

 sleeve, we bare with our owne coast ; but that fore- 



251 



