a.d. THE ENGLISH VOYAGES 



1585. 



he in courteous wise bad them welcome, making them 

 the best cheere that he could with beere, beefe, and 

 bisket, wherewith that ship was well furnished : and 

 while they were thus in banquetting with the Maister, 

 foure of the seven departed in the sayd Pinnesse, and 

 went backe againe to Bilbao : the other three stayed, and 

 were very pleasant for the time. But Master Foster 

 misdoubting some danger secretly gave speech that he 

 was doubtfull of these men what their intent was; 

 neverthelesse he sayd nothing, nor seemed in any out- 

 ward wise to mistrust them at all. Foorthwith there 

 came a ship-boate wherein were seventie persons being 

 Marchants and such like of Biscay : and besides this 

 boate, there came also the Pinnesse which before had 

 brought the other three, in which Pinnesse there came 

 foure and twentie, as the Spaniards themselves since con- 

 [II. ii. 113.] fessed. These made towards the Primrose, and being 

 come thither, there came aboord the Corrigidor with 

 three or foure of his men : but Master Foster seeing this 

 great multitude desired that there might no more come 

 aboord, but that the rest should stay in their boates, 

 which was granted : neverthelesse they tooke small heede 

 of these wordes ; for on a suddaine they came foorth of 

 the boate, entring the shippe, every Spaniarde taking 

 him to his Rapier which they brought in the boate, 

 with other weapons, and a drumme wherewith to 

 triumph over them. Thus did the Spaniards enter the 

 shippe, plunging in fiercely upon them, some planting 

 themselves under the decke, some entring the Cabbens, 

 and a multitude attending their pray. Then the Cor- 

 rigidor having an officer with him which bare a white 

 wand in his hand, sayd to the master of the ship : Yeeld 

 your selfe, for you are the kings prisoner : whereat the 

 Maister sayd to his men, We are betrayed. Then some 

 of them set daggers to his breast, and seemed in furious 

 manner as though they would have slaine him, meaning 

 nothing lesse then to doe any such act, for all that they 

 sought was to bring him and his men safe alive to shore. 



414 



