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1564.

A meeting at Sir William Gerards house the 11 of July 1564. for the setting foorth of a voyage to Guinea, with the Minion of the Queens, the John Baptist of London, and the Merline of M. Gonson.

IT this meeting were these chiefe adventurers, Sir William Gerard, sir William Chester, sir Thomas Lodge, Anthonie Hickman, and Edward Castelin. Where it was agreed that Francis Ashbie should be sent to Deptford to M. Gonson for his letters to Peter Pet to goe about the rigging of the Minion upon the Queenes majesties charges, and so the said Francis to repaire with the same letters to Gillingham with money to supplie our charge there.

Also that every one of the five partners shall foorthwith call upon their partners to supply towards this new rigging and victualling, 29 li. 10s. 6d. for every 100 li. value.

Also that every one of the five partners shall foorthwith bring in 50 li. towards the furniture of the premisses.

Likewise it is agreed that if M. Gonson give his consent that the Merline shall be brought about from Bristoll to Hampton, that a letter be drawen whereunto his hand shall be, before order be given for the

same.

1564.

The successe of this Voiage in part appeareth [II. ii. 56.] by certaine briefe relations extracted out of the second voyage of Sir John Hawkins to the West Indies, made in the sayd yeere 1564. which I thought good to set downe for want of further instructions, which hitherto I could not by any meanes come by, albeit I have used all possible indevour for the obtaining of the same: Take them therefore in the meane season as foloweth.

Aster John Hawkins, with the Jesus of Lubeck a ship of 700. tunnes, and the Salomon, a ship of 7 score, the Tiger a barke of 50, and the Swalow of 30 tunnes, being all well furnished with men to the number of one hundred threescore and ten, as also with ordinance and victuall requisite for such a voiage, departed out of Plimmouth the 18 day of October in the yeere of our Lord 1564. with a prosperous winde: at which departing, in cutting the foresaile, a marveilous misfortune happened to one of the officers in the ship, who by the pullie of the sheat was slaine out of hand being a sorowful beginning to them all. And after their setting out 10 leagues to the Sea, hee met the same day with the Minion a ship of the Queens Majesties, The Minion whereof was captaine David Carlet, & also her consort of the Queene. the John Baptist of London being bound to Guinea likewise, who hailed one the other after the custome of the sea, with certaine pieces of ordinance for joy of their meeting: which done, the Minion departed from him to seeke her other consort the Merline of London, which was a sterne out of sight, leaving in M. Hawkins companie the John Baptist her other consort.

Thus sailing forwards on their way with a prosperous wind until the 21 of the same moneth, at that time a

1564.

The firing and sinking of the

Merline bound for Guinea.

great storme arose, the wind being at Northeast about 9 of the clocke at night, and continued so 23 houres together, in which storme M. Hawkins lost the company of the John Baptist aforesaid, and of his pinnasse called the Swallow, the other 3 ships being sore beaten with the storme. The 23 day the Swalow, to his no small rejoicing, came to him againe in the night 10 leagues to the Northward of Cape Finister, having put roomer and not being able to double the Cape, in that there rose a contrary wind at Southwest. The 25 the wind continuing contrary, he put into a place in Galicia called Ferol, where he remained 5 daies and appointed all the masters of his ships an order for the keeping of good company.

The 26 day the Minion came in also where he was, for the rejoycing whereof he gave them certaine pieces of ordinance after the curtesie of the Sea for their welcome, but the Minions men had no mirth because of their consort the Merline, whom at their departure from M. Hawkins upon the coast of England, they went to seeke, and having met with her, kept company two dayes together, and at last by misfortune of fire (through the negligence of one of the gunners) the pouder in the gunners roome was set on fire, which with the first blast stroke out her poope, and therewithall lost 3 men, besides many sore burned (which escaped by the Brigandine being at her sterne) and immediatly to the great losse of the owners, and most horrible sight of the beholders, she sunke before their eies. The 30 day of the moneth M. Hawkins with his consorts and company of the Minion having now both the Brigandines at her sterne, weighed anker, and set saile on their voiage having a prosperous wind thereunto. The 4 of November they had sight of the Iland of Madera, and the 6 day of Teneriffa, which they thought to have bene the Canarie, in that they supposed themselves to have bene to the Eastward of Teneriffa but were not: but the Minion beyng 3 or 4 leagues a head of us kept on her course to Teneriffa,

having better sight thereof then the other had, and by that means they parted company.

The aforesaid Sir John Hawkins passing on his voiage by Cavo Verde, and Sierra Leona, and afterward crossing over the maine Ocean comming to the towne of Burboroata upon the coast of Terra firma in the West Indies, had further information of the evill successe of this Guinean voyage, as in the same hereafter is verbatim mentioned.

The 29 of April, we being at anker without the road, a French ship called the green Dragon of Newhaven, whereof was captaine one Bon Temps came in, who saluted us after the maner of the sea, with certaine pieces of ordinance, and we resaluted him with the like againe : with whom having communication, he declared that hee had bene at the Mina in Guinea, and was beaten off by the Portugals gallies, and enforced to come thither to make sale of such wares as he had: and further that the like was hapned unto the Minion: also, that captaine David Carlet, & a marchant, with a dozen mariners were betraied by the Negros at their first arrival thither, remaining prisoners with the Portugals, besides other misadventures of the losse of their men hapned through the great lacke of fresh water, with great doubts of bringing home the ships: which was most sorowful for us to understand.

1564.

[The voyage

1566.

[II. ii. 57.] The voyage of M. George Fenner to Guinie, and the Islands of Cape Verde, in the yeere of 1566. with three ships, to wit, the Admirall called the Castle of Comfort, the May Flower, and the George, and a Pinnasse also:

X

Written by Walter Wren.

He 10 day of December, in the yeere abovesayd, we departed from Plimmouth, and the 12 day we were thwart of Ushant.

The 15 day in the morning being Sunday, wee had sight of Cape Finister, and the same night we lost the company of our Admirall, wherefore we sayled along the coast of Portugall, hoping that our Admirall had bene before us.

The 18 day we met with a French ship of whom wee made inquirie for our Admirall, but he could not tell us newes of him: so we followed our course to the Ilands of the Canaries.

The 25 day in the morning we fell with a small Iland called Porto Santo, & within 3 houres wee had sight of another Iland called Madera which is 6 leagues from Porto Santo.

The said 25 day being the day of the Nativitie, we hoised out our boat, and fet master Edward Fenner captaine of the May Flower aboord us, being in the George, with the master whose name was Robert Cortise and others of the sayd shippe, and feasted them with such cheere as God had sent us.

The 28 day we fel with an Iland called Tenerif, which is 27 leagues from the said Iland, and on the East side thereof we came to an anker in 40 fadome water, within a base shot of the shore, in a litle Baie wherein were 3 or 4 small houses: which Baie and houses were distant from a litle towne called Santa Cruz, a league or thereabout, and as we rode in the said Baie, we might see

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