Page:An English Garner Ingatherings from Our History and Literature (Volume 1 1877).pdf/367

 run away; they made no matter of it, if they stayed two or three days one with the other.

They all wondered much to see themselves in this condition, to be kept only to eat; and the people of the country giving it unto them, daily expecting when they would put them to work, which they never did nor dared to do. For the King's order was to feed them well only, and to look after them; until he pleased to send for them.

This, after some time, made the Englishmen change their minds, and not to think themselves slaves any more; but the inhabitants of the land to be their servants, in that they laboured to sustain them: which made them to begin to domineer, and would not be content, unless they had such victuals as pleased them; and oftentimes used to throw the pots victuals and all, at their heads that brought them, which they patiently would bear.

And as they lived here longer, they knew better what privileges they had in belonging unto the King; and being maintained by virtue of his command. And their privileges they made use of to no purpose, as I shall relate an instance or two by and by, and showed their English metal.

Victuals were the only thing allowed to them, but no clothes. By this time the clothes they had were almost worn out. This put them to a study what course to take to procure more, when those on their backs were gone. The readiest way that they could devise was this, that whereas they used to take their victuals brought to them ready dressed, they should now take them raw; and so to pinch somewhat out of their bellies to save to buy clothes for their backs. And so accordingly they concluded to do, and by the favour that GOD gave them in the sight of the people, by alleging the innocency of their cause and the extremity of their present condition, having not the least ability to help or relieve themselves; they consented to give them two measures of rice a day each man, one of which is as much as any man can eat in a day, so that the other was to serve for advance towards clothes. For besides rice, they gave them to eat with it, salt, pepper, limes, herbs, pumpkins, cocoa nuts, flesh (a little): these, and such like things, were their constant fare.

And thus they made a shift to live for some years, until