Page:The principal navigations, voyages, traffiques and discoveries of the English nation 16.djvu/104

 saile. For wee must needes set vp a Smiths forge, to make boltes, spikes, and nayles, besides the repairing of our other wants. Whereupon they concluded it to bee their best course to take the pinnesse, and to furnish her with the best of the company, and to goe to the Generall with all expedition, leauing the shippe and the rest of the company vntill the Generals returne; for hee had vowed to our Captaine, that hee would returne againe for the Streights, as hee had tolde vs. The Captaine and Master of the pinnesse being the Generals men were well contented with the motion.

But the Generall hauing in our shippe two most pestilent fellowes, when they heard of this determination they vtterly misliked it, and in secret dealt with the company of both shippes, vehemently perswading them, that our Captaine and Master would leaue them in the countrey to be deuoured of the Canibals, and that they were mercilesse and without charitie: whereupon the whole company ioyned in secret with them in a night to murther our Captaine and Master, with my selfe, and all those which they thought were their friendes. There were markes taken in his caben howe to kill him with muskets through the shippes side, and bullets made of siluer for the execution, if their other purposes should faile. All agreed hereunto, except it were the bote-swaine of our shippe, who when hee knew the matter, and the slender ground thereof, reueiled it vnto our Master, and so to the Captaine. Then the matter being called in question, those two most murtherous fellowes were found out, whose names were Charles Parker and Edward Smith.

The Captaine being thus hardly beset in perill of famine, and in danger of murthering, was constrained to vse lenitie, and by courteous meanes to pacifie this furie: shewing, that to doe the Generall seruice, vnto whom he had vowed faith in this action, was the cause why hee purposed to goe vnto him in the pinnesse, considering, that the pinnesse was so necessary a thing for him, as that hee could not bee without her, because hee was fearefull of the shore in so great shippes. Whereupon all cried out with cursing and swearing, that the pinnesse should not goe vnlesse the shippe went. Then the Captaine desired them to shewe themselues Christians, and not so blasphemously to behaue themselues, without regard or thankesgiuing to God for their great deliuerance, and present sustenance bestowed vpon them,