WILLIAM TOWERSON ad. 



1556. 



betwixt the Nothermost two hilles there are two high 

 and great trees standing in sight as it were a sailes 

 breadth one from another, and a litle more to the 

 Northwestwards are certaine hommocks. Having sayled 

 somewhat into the shoare wee tooke our selves to be 

 shotte somewhat past the river de Sestos, so that we 

 kept about to fetch it. And a litle after we had sight 

 of three sayles of shippes and two pinnesses which were 

 in the weather of us, and having sight of them we made 

 our selves readie to meete them, and hailed off our ships 

 to fetch the winde as neere as we could : and having 

 sayled about an houre or two, they also went about, and 

 went as we went to make themselves readie, and when 

 we had them in chase, they went away from us : but 

 when they had made themselves readie, they kept about 

 againe, and came with us verie finely appointed with their 

 streamers, and pendants and ensignes, and noyse of trum- [II. ii. 37.] 

 pets very bravely : so when we met, they had the weather 

 of us, and we being determined to fight, if they had 

 bene Portugals, waved them to come under our Lee, 

 which they denied stoutly : then we demaunded of them 

 whence they were, and they sayd of France, we told 

 them againe that we were of London in England. They 

 asked of us what Portugals wee had seene, we answered, 

 none but Fishermen : then they told us that there were 

 certaine Portugall ships gone to the Mina to defend it, 

 and that they met with another at the river de Sestos, The river of 

 which was a ship of two hundred which they had burned, * esios - 

 and had saved none but the master and two or three 

 Negroes, and certaine others which were sore burned 

 which they left a shore there. Then they desired to 

 come aboord of us with their boates to talke with us, 

 and wee gave them leave. Then the captaine of the 

 Admirall and divers others came aboord very friendly, 

 desiring us to keepe them company because of the 

 Portugals, and to goe to the Mina with them : wee 

 told them that we had not watered, and that we were 

 but now fallen with the coast, and they shewed us that 



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