Page:A Mainsail Haul - Masefield - 1913.djvu/87

Rh took a rich Venetian "argosy" in his first cruise off the south of Spain, and a day or two later he took a smaller ship, which he retained as his flagship. He fitted her with four and twenty cannon, and named her "the Little John" after the comrade of Robin Hood. Other pirates, among them a man named Simon Dansekar, offered to form an alliance with him; and with their forces, added to his own, he was strong enough for "bold attempts."

He had at least four "well-appointed" ships under his command, with "above two hundred Englishmen, good soldiers, and expert mariners," besides Turks, to man them. With this squadron he took a huge Venetian carrack, after a fierce fight. The carrack was the Soderina; a wealthy merchantman, worth, it was said, some half a million crowns. The credit of the capture was due to Ward. The ship was gallantly defended, and would not have been taken had not Ward driven his hands aboard her at the point of his dagger. The wealth was safely landed at Tunis, where it purchased Ward an abundant popularity.

While dividing the spoils of this carrack, Ward quarrelled with his partner, Simon Dansekar.