1577. saile continued not above two houres, before it was blowen from the yard with a freat, and then we were forced to lie a hull againe, untill the nineteenth day of October in the morning, and then we put an olde bonnet to our foreyard, which, by the good blessing and providence of God, brought us to the Ile of Wight, where we arrived the 20 of October in the afternoone. The commodities and wares that are most desired in Guinie, betwixt Sierra Liona and the furthest place of the Mine. M Anils of brasse, and some of leade. Basons of divers sorts, but the most lattin. Margarites, and certaine other sleight beads. Some horse tailes. Linnen cloth principally. Basons of Flanders. Some red cloth of low price, and some kersie. Some great brasse basons graved, such as in Flanders Some great basons of pewter, and ewers graven. Some lavers, such as be for water. Great knives of a low price. Sleight Flanders-caskets. Chests of Roan of a lowe price, or any other chests. Course French coverings. Packing sheets good store. Swords, daggers, frise mantels, and gownes, clokes, hats, red caps, Spanish blankets, axe heads, hammers, short pieces of yron, sleight belles, gloves of a lowe price, leather bags, and what other trifles you will. Certaine Articles delivered to M. John Lok, by Sir William Gerard Knight, M. William Guinea. A remembrance for you M. Lok at your comming to the coast of Guinie. tions. Also Irst, when God shal send you thither, to you shall learne what commodities doe belong to the places where you shall touch, and what may be good for them. 1561. marchants It is thought good, that having a fort upon the coast The English of Mina in the king of Habaans country, it would serve intend to to great purpose: wherfore you are especially sent to fortifie in consider where the fort might be best placed, and upon Ghinea, in the what ground: wherein are to be noted these things king of following. Habaans 1. That the ground so serve, that it joyne to the country. sea on the one part, so as shippes and boats may come to lade and unlade. 2. What molde of earth the ground is of. 3. What timber or wood may be had, and how it will be caried. 4. What provision of victuals may be had in the countrey and what kinde of our victuals will best serve to continue. 5. The place must be naturally strong, or such as 1561. Haban. may be made strong with a small charge, and afterwards kept with a few men. 6. How water may be provided, if there be none to be had in the ground where the fort shall stand, or neere to it. 7. What helpe is to be had from the people of the countrey, either for the building of it, or for the defence thereof. [II. ii. 53.] To moove the king of Haban a farre off, for The king of the making of a fort, and to note how he will like it; but use your communication so, that although there might fall out good cause for the doing of it, yet he do not understand your meaning. Search the countrey so farre as you may, both alongst the coast, and into the land. To learne what became of the marchants that were left at Benin. The matters which shall be of importance to be noted we nothing doubt that you will omit, wherefore we referre the order of these affaires to your good dis cretion. Also we pray you as occasion shall serve that you ayd and helpe our factours, both with your counsell and otherwise; and thus God send you safely to returne. William Gerrard, William Winter, Benjamin Gonson, Anthony Hickman, Edward Castelin. A letter of M. John Lok to the worshipfull company of Marchants adventurers for Guinie, written 1561, shewing reasons for his not proceeding in a voyage then intended to the foresayd countrey. Orshipfull sirs; since the arrival of M. Pet and Buttoll Monjoy (as I understand) for the voyage it is concluded that the Minion shall proceed on her voyage, if within 20 dayes she may be repaired of those hurts she hath received by the last storme: or in the moneth of January also, if the wind wil serve therfore. Wherefore for that your worships shall not be ignorant of my determined purpose in the same, with the reasons that have perswaded me thereunto; I have thought good to advertise you thereof, trusting that your worships will weigh them, as I uprightly and plainly meane them. And not for any feare or discouragement that I have of my selfe by the raging of the stormes of the sea, for that (I thanke the Lord) these have not beene the first that I have abiden, neither trust I they shalbe the last. First the state of the ship, in which, though I thinke not but M. Pet can do more for her strengthening then I can conceive, yet for all that, it will neither mend her conditions, nor yet make her so stanch that any cabin in her shalbe stanch for men to lie drie in the which sore, what a weakening it will be to the poore men after their labour, that they neither can have a shift of apparell drie, nor yet a drie place to rest in, I referre to your discretion. For though that at Harwich she was both bound and caulked as much as might be, both within and without, yet for all that she left not, afore this flaw, in other weathers, being stressed, to open those seames, and become in the state she was before; I meane, in wetting her men: notwithstanding her new worke. And my judgement, with that little experience 1561. 1561. I have had, leadeth me to thinke that the ship whose water works and footings be spent and rotten cannot be but leake for men. Next, the unseasonable time of the yere which is now present. And how onely by meanes of the unseasonable times in the returne from the voyage home, many thereby have decayed, to the great misery and calamity of the rest, and also to the great slander of the voyage (which I much respect) the last and other voyages have declared. And what it is to make the voyage in unseasonable time, that hath the second voyage also declared. Wherefore weying and foreseeing this (as I may wel terme it) calamity and unevitable danger of men, and that by men she must be brought home againe (except that God will shew an extraordinary miracle) I purpose not nor dare I venture with a safe conscience to tempt God herein. Againe, forsomuch as she is alone, and hath so little helpe of boat or pinnesse in her trade, & also for her watering, where a long time of force must be spent, my going, to the accomplishment of your expectations, will be to small effect for this time, because I shall want both vessell and men to accomplish it. And I would not gladly so spend my time and travell, to my great charges and paine, and after, for not falling out accordingly, to lose both pot and water, as the proverbe is. As for the Primrose, if she be there, her trade will be ended or ever we come there, so that she of force, by want of provision, must returne: yea, though we should carry with us a supply for her, yet is the meeting of her doubtfull, and though we met her, yet will the men not tarry, as no reason is they should: howbeit my opinion of her is that she is put into Ireland. The Flowerdeluce was in Milford. Thus for that your worships might understand the whole cause why I doe not proceed, I have troubled you at this time with this my long Letter. And, as God is my Judge, not for feare of the Portugals, which there we shall meet (and yet alone without ayde) as here is a shippe which was in Lisbon, whose men say that there are in a readinesse (onely to meet us) foure great ships, of |