Page:The principal navigations, voyages, traffiques and discoveries of the English nation 15.djvu/207

 The voyage of Master Andrew Barker of Bristol, with two ships the one called the Ragged staffe, the other the Beare, to the coast of Terra firma, and the Bay of Honduras in the West Indies, in the yeere 1576. Wherein the reasons are premised which mooued him to set forth this voyage against the Spaniards: collected out of certaine notes and examinations touching this enterprise by M. Richard Hakluyt.

First of all Andrew Barker hauing abode in one of the Canary Islands called Tenerif for a certaine time, and returning home left behind him Charles Chester (the sonne of Dominic Chester-merchant of Bristol) to learn the language. Now the sayd Andrew Barker forthwith vpon his arriual in England, in Nouember, 1574, fraighted a small ship (named the Speedwell of Bristol) to goe for the Canaries with cloth and other merchandise of great value. He sent also one Iohn Drue of Bastable as his Factor to make sale and dispose of the said goods, who when he arriued at Tenerif, landed the marchandize, and sent home the barke with some small quantity of wine, making account to sell the sayd wares to greater aduantage in prouiding wines and sugar for the lading of another ship, which Andrew Barker had appointed to send thither. Also according to this his purpose the said Andrew in March following sent a ship called the Christopher of Dartmouth, captaine whereof was one Henry Roberts of Bristol: who when he had landed in Tenerif, and was in good hope to find the lading of his ship in a readines, contrary to his expectation, was suddenly cast into prison: the Spaniards alleadging that Andrew Barker was accused to the inquisition by Charles Chester, whereupon his goods were confiscat, his factor Iohn Drue, was attached, and he also (the said captaine Roberts) being as they supposed Barkers partner, was in like sort to be imprisoned. In fine all the foresaid commodities appertaining to the said Andrew and his brother M. Iohn Barker and others to the value of 1700 pound and vpwards (as it doth appeare by proofes of record in the Admiralty) were vtterly lost, being confiscat to the said inquisition. Howbeit captaine Roberts by the meanes of a frier was deliuered out of prison (which cost him all the merchandize he brought with him in his ship) and so returned with dead fraight to the summe of 200 pound that