Page:The principal navigations, voyages, traffiques and discoveries of the English nation 15.djvu/361

 for Cape Verde, the appointed place for the George noble to meete vs: where we arriued the fift of Iuly, and there found him. And so instantly we proceeded for our voyage, because the yeere was farre spent. At this place most vnfortunately our General fell exceeding sicke, and we wanting water were enforced to goe with a place named Pescadores in 10 degrees of North latitude, where we had many skirmishes with the barbarous Negros. Our Generall now hopelesse of life, and we all dismayed and comfortlesse through that his exceeding extremity, hauing his memory very perfit, he called all his Captaines, Masters, and officers vnto him, vnto whom he made a very pithie and briefe speech, tending to this purpose: That as we were Christians and all baptised and bred vp vnder one and the true faith, so wee should liue together like Christians in the feare and seruice of God: And as we were the subiects of our most excellent souereigne, and had vowed obedience vnto her: so we should tend all our courses to the aduancement of her dignity, and the good of our countrey, and not to enter into any base or vnfit actions. And because we came for his loue into this action that for his sake we would so loue together as if himselfe were still liuing with vs, and that we would follow (as our chiefe commander) him vnto whom vnder his hand he gaue commission to succeede himselfe: all which with solemne protestation we granted to obey. Then for that the yere was past, and finding the cost of Guynea most tempestuous, hee saw in reason that the bay of Æthiopia would be our vtter ouerthrow, and infect vs all to death: whereupon he aduised vs to be respectiue of our selues, and to diuert our purpose from S. Tomé, either for Brazil or the West India, yeelding many reasons that it was our best course: but we all with one voice desired to proceede for S. Tomé. And so departing from this contagious filthy place, we directed our course for S. Tomé, but could by no means double the sholds of Madrabomba, but very dangerously ran into shold water, still hoping of the best.

In fine we were enforced to beare vp and take some other course; for the time wasted, our men fell sicke, and the coast was contagious alwayes raging and tempestuous. The water falling from the heauens did stinke, and did in 6 houres turne into maggots where it fell either among our clothes, or in wads of Ocombe.

So by a general consent it was held to be our best course to