Page:The principal navigations, voyages, traffiques and discoveries of the English nation 15.djvu/182

 nothing but victuals, were recomforted.

I found also in the same Port twelue ships which had in them by the report two hundred thousand pound in gold and siluer, all which (being in my possession, with the kings Iland as also the passengers before in my way thitherward stayed) I set at libertie, without the taking from them the waight of a groat: onely because I would not be delayed of my dispatch, I stayed two men of estimation and sent post immediatly to Mexico, which was two hundred miles from vs, to the Presidentes and Councell there, shewing them of our arriuall there by the force of weather, and the necessitie of the repaire of our shippes and victuals, which wantes we required as friends to king Philip to be furnished of for our money: and that the Presidents and Councel there should with all conuenient speede take order, that at the arriuall of the Spanish fleete, which was dayly looked for, there might no cause of quarrrel rise betweene vs and them, but for the better maintenance of amitie, their commandement might be had in that behalfe.

This message being sent away the sixteenth day of September at night, being the very day of our arriuall, in the next morning which was the seuenteenth day of the same moneth, we sawe open of the Hauen thirteene great shippes, and vnderstanding them to bee the fleete of Spaine, I sent immediately to aduertise the Generall of the fleete of my being there, doing him to vnderstand, that before I would suffer them to enter the Port, there should some order of conditions passe betweene vs for our safe being there, and maintenance of peace.

Now it is to be vnderstood that this Port is made by a little Iland of stones not three foote aboue the water in the highest place, and but a bow-shoot of length any way, this Iland standeth from the maine land two bow shootes or more, also it is to be vnderstood that there is not in all this coast any other place for shippes to arriue in safety, because the North winde hath there such violence, that vnlesse the shippes be very safely mored with their ankers fastened vpon this Iland, there is no remedie for these North windes but death: also the place of the Hauen was so little, that of neccesitie the shippes must ride one aboord the other, so that we could not giue place to them, nor they to vs: and here I beganne to bewaile that which after followed for now, said I, I am in two dangers, and forced to receiue the one of them. That