AD. THE ENGLISH VOYAGES 



did at your commandement (as they say) arrest, and for a 

 long season also deteined under that arrest, the foresaid 

 [I. 139.] ships, with all the men and goods that were in them : 

 namely untill such time, as the men and mariners afore- 

 saide (beeing driven perforce, and constrained thereunto) 

 should lay in sufficient securitie for the payment of fortie 

 pounds sterling, upon a certain day appointed, unto your 

 use, for every of the foresaide ships : and also untill they 

 had moreover delivered three pledges, for the bringing of 

 the saide ships and men backe againe into the foresaid 

 haven, before the feast of the nativitie of S. John the 

 Baptist next ensuing, then and there to stand unto your 

 favour and curtesie, as touching the said persons, and 

 those ships of theirs : which dealing, the parties themselves 

 take very grievously, yea, and all others that heare thereof 

 thinke it to be a strange and unwonted course. And 

 because it is most undoubtedly contrary to all reason, 

 equitie, justice, and lawe, that the faults or demerits of 

 offenders should in any sort be punished in such persons, 

 or in their goods, as neither have bene accessory nor 

 partakers in the crime, nor have had any society with the 

 saide offenders : we doe heartily intreat and request your 

 Highnes, that weighing and pondering the matter in the 

 balance of justice, you would of your love and friendship, 

 command the foresaid pledges to be set at libertie, and 

 the said securitie utterly to bee released and acquited. 

 And know you this for a certaintie, that if the foresaide 

 malefactors, who (as it is reported) slewe your Knight 

 aforesaide, shall any where within our realme and 

 dominions be found, we wil cause justice and judgement 

 to bee executed upon them, according to the Lawe and 

 custome of our sayde Realme. For we cannot in these 

 times conveniently and well indure, that the ships afore- 

 saide, or any other ships of our kingdome (which ought 

 alwayes to be in a readinesse for our service) should 

 without speciall licence, depart out of our saide kingdome, 

 unto forreine dominions. Nowe, what you shall think 

 good at this our request to performe in the premisses, 



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