Page:The principal navigations, voyages, traffiques and discoveries of the English nation 15.djvu/232

 The next day we quartered a litle more at large, but not into the halfe part of the towne, and so making substantiall trenches, and planting all the ordinance, that ech part was correspondent to other, we held this towne the space of one moneth.

In the which time happened some accidents, more then are well remembred for the present, but amongst other things, it chanced that the Generall sent on his message to the Spaniards a Negro boy with a flagge of white, signifiying truce, as is the Spanyards ordinarie maner to doe there, when they approch to speake to vs: which boy vnhappily was first mette withall by some of those, who had bene belonging as officers for the King in the Spanish Galley, which with the Towne was lately fallen into our hands; who without all order or reason, and contrary to that good vsage wherewith wee had intertained their messengers, furiously strooke the poore boy thorow the body with one of of their horsemens staues: with which wound the boy returned to the General, and after hee had declared the maner of this wrongfull crueltie, died forthwith in his presence, wherewith the Geuerall being greatly passioned, commaunded the Prouost Martiall, to cause a couple of Friers then Prisoners, to be caried to the same place where the boy was stroken, accompanied with sufficient guard of our souldiers, and there presently to be hanged, dispatching at the same instant another poore prisoner, with this reason wherefore this execution was done, and with this message further, that vntill the party who had thus murdered the Generals messenger were diliuered into our hands, to receiue condigne punishment, there should no day passe, wherein there should not two prisoners be hanged, vntil they were all consumed which were in our hands.

Whereupon the day following, hee that had bene Captaine of the kings Galley, brought the offender to the townes ende, offering to deliuer him into our hands; but it was thought to be a more honourable reuenge to make them there in our sight, to performe the execution themselues: which was done accordingly.

During our being in this towne, as formerly also at S. Iago there had passed iustice vpon the life of one of our owne company for an odious matter, so heere likewise was there an Irishman hanged, for the murthering of his Corporall.

In this time also passed many treaties betweene their Commissioners and vs, for ransome of their Citie; but vpon disagreements we still spent the early mornings in fiering the