ad. THE ENGLISH VOYAGES 



1588. 



mouth it was much wondered at, of the principal men 

 of the towne, who said that there was not sweeter water 

 in any spring in Plimouth. Thus doth God provide for 

 his creatures, unto whom be praise now and for ever- 

 more, Amen. 



The voiage set forth by M. John Newton, and 

 M. John Bird marchants of London to the 

 kindome and Citie of Benin in Africa, with 

 a ship called the Richard of Arundell, and a 

 pinnesse, in the yere 1588. briefely set downe 

 in this letter following, written by the chiefe 

 Factor in the voyage to the foresaid Mar- 

 chants at the time of the ships first arrivall 

 at Plimouth. 



Orshipful Sirs, the discourse of our 

 whole proceeding in this voyage wil aske 

 more time and a person in better health 

 then I am at this present, so that I trust 

 you will pardon me, till my comming 

 up to you: in the meane time let this 

 suffice. Whereas we departed in the 

 moneth of December from the coast of England with 

 your good ship the Richard of Arundell and the pinnesse, 

 we held on our direct course towards our appointed 

 port, and the 14 day of Februarie following we arrived 

 in the haven of Benin, where we found not water enough 

 to carry the ship over the barre, so that we left her 

 without in the road, and with the pinnesse & ship 

 boat, into which we had put the chiefest of our mar- 

 Goto in Benin, chandise, we went up the river to a place called Goto, 

 where we arrived the 20 of February, the foresaid Goto 

 being the neerest place that we could come to by 

 water, to go for Benin. From thence we presently sent 

 Negroes to the king, to certifie him of our arrivall, 

 and of the cause of our comming thither : who returned 

 to us againe the 22 day with a noble man in their 



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