146 DISCOVERIES OF THE ENGLISH. 
" think to be lords of half the world and he 
urges, that after violently invading and conquer- 
ing the dominions of others, they might be ex- 
pected to have as much " Christian charity'* as 
to allow friendly powers to trade in ports which 
they themselves never enter. Impelled by these 
views of the subject, a company of merchant ad- 
venturers in London equipped, in 1553, " two 
" goodly ships," with a crew of 14<0 men, to prose- 
cute trade and discovery in Guinea. It may de- 
serve mention, that Captain Windham had al- 
ready, in 1551 and 155*2, made two voyages to 
the coast of Barbary, and carried on some trade. 
He had not encountered the Portuguese ; but 
that nation, through their merchants in London, 
gave notice, that whatever English ship should 
be met with in those seas, would be treated as 
mortal enemies. This threat did not deter our 
navigators, though the lack of ** Christian cha- 
" rity," which it implied, induced them to add to 
their other stores a due provision of great guns. 
The command was divided between Windham,* 
who had made the voyages already mentioned, 
and a Portuguese of the name of Pinteado, who, 
after having enjoyed high favour with his own 
sovereign, had fallen into disgrace, and transferred 
his services to the English. Much was expected 
* Hakluyt, (1599.) Vol. II. Part II. p. 11. 
