Page:The principal navigations, voyages, traffiques and discoveries of the English nation 16.djvu/27

 the citie of Lima with letters of aduiso of vs, and of the losse of our men. There were also in the sayd barke one Flemming and three Spaniards: and they were all sworne and receiued the Sacrament before they came to sea by three or foure friers, that if wee should chance to meete them, they should throw those letters ouer boord: which (as wee were giving them chase with our pinnesse) before wee could fetch them up, they had accordingly throwen away. Yet our Generall wrought so with them, that they did confesse it: but hee was faine to cause them to bee tormented with their thumbes in a wrinch, and to continue them at seuerall times with extreme paine.

Also hee made the old Flemming beleeue that hee would hang him; and the rope being about his necke hee was pulled vp a little from the hatches, and yet hee would not confesse, chusing rather to die, then hee would bee periured. In the end it was confessed by one of the Spaniards, whereupon wee burnt the barke, and carried the men with vs.

The third of May wee came into a bay where are three little townes, which are called Paracca, Chincha, and Pisca, where some of vs landed and tooke certaine houses, wherein was bread, wine, figs and hennes: but the sea went so high, that wee could not land at the best of the townes without sinking of our boats, and great hazard of vs all. This place standeth in thirteene degrees and 2/3 to the Southward of the line.

The fift of May wee departed from this harbour leauing the Content our viceadmirall within at an Iland of seales, by which meanes at that time wee lost her companie.

The ninth wee gaue chase to a saile, namely, Our admirall, The Hugh Gallant, and The George which wee had taken before comming out of the roade of Arica; The content which was our viceadmirall being still lost: but wee could not fetch it. The George made after it, but lost it that night.

The tenth day the Hugh Gallant (in which barke I Francis Pretie was) lost companie of our admirall.

The eleuenth we which were in the Hugh Gallant put into a bay which standeth in 12 degrees 2/3, in which bay we found a riuer of fresh water about eight of the clocke at night; and though we were but of small force, and no more but one barke and 18 men in it, yet