Sanders,

1587

departed on her voyage accordingly. That is to say, about the 16th of October 1583, she made sail from Portsmouth, and the 18th day then next following, she arrived in Newhaven [Havre]; where our said last Master, DEIMOND, by a surfeit, died.

The Factors then appointed the said ANDREW DIER, being then Master's Mate, to be their Master for that voyage; who did choose to be his Mates, the two Quarter Masters of the same ship, to wit, PETER AUSTIN and SHILLABEY, and for Purser was shipped one RICHARD BURGES.

Afterwards, about the 8th day of November, we made sail forward, and by force of weather we were driven back again into Portsmouth; where we refreshed ourselves with victuals and other necessaries: and then the wind came fair.

About the 29th day then next following, we departed thence; and the 1st day of December, by means of a contrary wind, we were driven into Plymouth.

The 18th day then next following, we made southward again, and by force of weather we were driven into Falmouth; where we remained until the 1st day of January [1584]. At which time the wind coming fair, we departed thence; and about the 20th day of the said month we arrived safely at San Lucar.

About the 9th day of March next following, we made sail from thence; and about the 18th day of the same month, we came to Tripoli in Barbary: where we were very well entertained by the King of that country, and also of the commons [people].

The commodity of that place is sweet oils. The King there is a merchant, and the rather (willing to prefer himself before his commons) requested our said Factors to traffic with him; and promised them that if they should take his oils at his own price, they should pay no manner of custom [export duty]: and they took of him certain tuns of oils. Afterward perceiving that they might have far better cheap notwithstanding the free custom, they desired the King to licence them to take the oils at the pleasure of his commons, for that his price did exceed theirs: whereunto the King would not agree, but was rather contented to abate his price, insomuch that the Factors bought all their oils of the King, custom free, and so laded the same aboard.

In the mean time there came to that place, one MILES DICKENSON, in a ship of Bristol; who, together with our said Factors, took a house to themselves there. Our French Factor, ROMAINE SONNINGS desired to buy a commodity in the market; and wanting money, desired the said MILES DICKENSON to lend him an hundred chikinos [shekins] until he came to his lodging: which he did. Afterwards the same SONNINGS met with MILES DICKENSON in the street, and delivered him money bound up in a napkin, saying, "Master DICKENSON, there is the money I borrowed of you!" and so thanked him for the same. He doubted nothing less than falsehood, which is seldom known among merchants, and specially being together in one house; and is the more detestable between Christians, they being in Turkey among the heathen.

The said DICKENSON did not tell [count] the money presently [immediately], until he came to his lodging; and then finding nine chikinos lacking of his hundred, which was about £3 (= £20 in present value), for that every chikino is worth seven shillings of English money; he came to the said ROMAINE SONNINGS, and delivered him his handkerchief, and asked him, "How many chikinos he had delivered him? SONNINGS answered, "An hundred." DICKENSON said, "No!" And so they protested, and swore on both parts. But in the end, the said ROMAINE SONNINGS did swear deeply, with detestable oaths and curses; and prayed GOD that He might show His works on him that others might take example thereby, and that he might be hanged like a dog, and never come into England again; if he did not deliver into the said DICKENSON a hundred chikinos.

And here, behold a notable example for all blasphemers, cursers, and swearers! how GOD rewarded him accordingly. For many times it cometh to pass that GOD showeth His miracles upon such monstrous blasphemers, to the example of others; as now hereafter you shall hear what befel to this ROMAINE SONNINGS.

There was a man in the said town, a pledge; whose name was Patrone NORADO; who, the year before, had done this SONNINGS Some pleasure there.. The foresaid Patrone

NORADO was indebted unto a Turk of that town in the sum of 450 crowns (about £130, or in present value about £1,000) for certain goods sent by him into Christendom in a ship of his own, and by his own brother; and he himself remained in Tripoli as a pledge until his said brother's return: and, as the report went there, after his brother's arrival in Christendom, he came among lewd company, and lost his brother's said ship and goods at dice; and never returned unto him again.

The said Patrone NORADO-being void of all hope, and finding now opportunity-consulted with the said SONNINGS for to swim a seaboard the islands, and the ship being then out of danger, should take him in (as after was confessed); and so to go to Toulon, in the Province of Marseilles, with this Patrone NORADO, and there to take in the rest of his lading.

The ship being ready the 1st day of May [1584], and having her sails all aboard; our said Factors took their leave of the King, who very courteously bade them farewell: and when they came aboard, they commanded the Master and the company hastily to get out the ship. The Master answered that it was impossible, for that the wind was contrary and overblowed: and he required us upon forfeiture of our bonds, that we should do our endeavour to get her forth. Then went we to warp out the ship. Presently [immediately] the King sent a boat aboard of us, with three men in her, commanding the said SONNINGS to come ashore. At whose coming, the King demanded of him custom for the oils. SONNINGS answered him, "that His Highness had promised to deliver them custom free!" But notwithstanding, the King weighed not his said promise, and—as an infidel that had not the fear of GOD before his eyes; nor regard for his word, albeit he was a King-he caused the said SONNINGS to pay the custom to the uttermost penny: and afterwards willed him to make haste away, saying, "that the Janissaries would have the oil ashore again."

These Janissaries are soldiers there, under the Great Turk; and their power is above the King's.

So the said Factor departed from the King, and came to the water side, and called for a boat to come aboard. He brought with him the foresaid Patrone NORADO. The company inquisitive to know what man that was, SONNINGS answered,

that he was his countryman, as passenger. "I pray GOD," said the company, "that we come not into trouble by this man." Then said SONNINGS angrily, "What have you to do with any matters of mine? If anything chance otherwise than well, I must answer for all."

Now the Turk unto whom the Patrone NORADO was indebted, missing him, supposed him to be aboard of our ship; presently went unto the King, and told him "that he thought his pledge Patrone NORADO was aboard the English ship:" whereupon the King presently sent a boat aboard of us, with three men in her, commanding the said SONNINGS to come ashore, and not speaking anything as touching the man. He said, "He would come presently in his own boat." But as soon as they were gone, he willed us to warp forth the ship; and said that "he would see the knaves hanged, before he would go ashore."

And when the King saw that he came not ashore, but still continued warping away the ship, he straight commanded the gunner of the bulwark to fire three shoots [rounds] without ball.

Then we came all to the said SONNINGS, and asked of him, "What was the matter that we were shot at?" He said that "it was the Janissaries, who would have the oil ashore again,” and willed us to make haste away.

After that the King had discharged three shots without ball, he commanded the gunners in the town to do their endeavour to sink us: but the Turkish gunners could not once strike us. Wherefore the King sent presently to the bagnio-this bagnio is the prison where all the captives lay at night-and promised that if there were any that could either sink us or else cause us to come in again, he should have a hundred crowns (= £30, or in present value over £200) and his liberty. With that, came forth a Spaniard called SEBASTIAN, who had been an old servitor in Flanders; and he said, that "upon the performance of that promise, he would undertake either to sink us or to cause us to come in again; and thereto he would gage his life." At the first shot, he split our rudder's head in pieces; the second shot, he strake us under water; and with the third shot, he shot us through the foremast with a culvering shot. Thus he having rent both our rudder and mast, and shot us under water, we were enforced to go in again.

Sanders.

1587

This SEBASTIAN, for all his diligence herein, had neither his liberty, nor a hundred crowns, so promised by the King; but after his service done, was committed again to prison. Whereby may appear the regard that a Turk or infidel hath of his word, although he be able to perform it: yea more, though he be a King.

Then our Merchants [i.e., Factors] seeing no remedy; they together with five of our company went ashore. Then they ceased shooting. They shot unto us in the whole, nine and thirty shots; without the hurt of any man.

And when our Merchants came ashore, the King commanded presently that they, with the rest of our company that were with them, should be chained four and four to an hundredweight of iron. When we came in with the ship, there came presently above a hundred Turks aboard of us. They searched us, and stript our very clothes from our backs, brake open our chests, and made a spoil of all that we had.

The Christian caitiffs [renegadoes] likewise that came aboard us made spoil of our goods, and used us as ill as the Turks did.

And our Master's Mate having a "Geneva Bible" in his hand; there came the King's Chief Gunner, and took it from him. The Master's Mate showed me of it, and I, having the language, went to the King's Treasurer; and told him of it, saying, "that since it was the will of GOD that we should fall into their hands; yet that they should grant us to use our consciences to our own discretion, as they suffered the Spaniards and other nations to use theirs." He granted it us. Then I told him that "the Master Gunner had taken away a Bible from one of our men." The Treasurer went presently, and commanded him to deliver up the Bible again: which he did.

But within a little while after, he took it from the man again; and I showed the Treasurer of it, and he commanded him to deliver it again, saying, "Thou villain! wilt thou turn to Christianity again?" For he was renegado; which is one that first was a Christian, and afterwards became a Turk. So he delivered me the Bible a second time.

And then I having it in my hand, the Gunner came to me, and spake these words, saving, "Thou dog! I will have the book in despite of thee:" and took it from me, saying, “If