1586. with it, of purpose to refresh themselves after their wearinesse, and to take in such supply of fresh water & victuals, as they needed: they were no sooner entred into the port, but immediatly the king thereof sent a messenger to the ships to knowe what they were, with which messenger the chiefe master of ech shippe repaired to the king, and acquainted him not onely with the state of their ships, in respect of marchandize, but with the late fight which they had passed with the Spanish Gallies, reporting every particular circumstance in word as it fell out in action: whereof the said king shewed himselfe marvelous glad, interteining them in the best sort, and promising abundant reliefe of all their wants, making generall proclamation in the city upon paine of death, that no man of what degree or state soever he were, should presume either to hinder them in their affaires, or to offer them any maner of injury in body or goods. By vertue whereof they dispatched al things in excellent good sort, with al favor & peaceablenesse: only such prisoners and captives of the Spaniards as were in the Citie, seeing the good usage which they received, and [II. i. 289.] hearing also what service they had performed against the foresaide Gallies, grudged exceedingly against them, and sought as much as they could to practise some mischiefe against them and one amongst the rest seeing an Englishman alone in a certaine lane of the Citie, came upon him suddenly, and with his knife thrust him in the side, yet made no such great wound, but that it was easily recovered. The English company hearing of it, acquainted the king with the fact, who immediatly sent both for the party that had received the wound, and the offender also, and caused an executioner in the presence of himselfe and the English, to chastise the slave even to death, which was performed to the ende that no man should presume to commit the like part, or to doe any thing in contempt of his royal commandement. The English having received this good justice at the kings hands, and al other things that they wanted, or 1586. could crave for the furnishing of their shippes, tooke their leave of him, and of the rest of their friendes, that were resident in Alger, and put out to Sea, looking to meete with the second army of the Spanish king, which waited for them about the mouth of the Straights of Gibraltar, which they were of necessitie to passe. But comming neere to the said Streight, it pleased God to raise at that instant a very darke and mistie fogge, so that one ship coulde not discerne another, if it were 40. paces off: by meanes whereof, together with the notable faire Easterne winds that then blewe most fit for their course, they passed with great speed through the Streight, and might have passed with that good gale, had there bene 500. Gallies to withstand them, and the aire never so cleare for every ship to be seene. But yet the Spanish The second Gallies had a sight of them when they were come within Spanish fleete 3. English miles of the towne, and made after them in lying in waite for the all possible haste, and although they saw that they were English. farre out of their reach, yet in a vaine fury and foolish pride, they shot off their Ordinance, and made a stirre in the Sea as if they had bene in the midst of them, which vanitie of theirs ministred to our men notable matter of pleasure and mirth, seeing men to fight with shadowes, and to take so great paines to so small purpose. But thus it pleased God to deride, and delude all the forces of that proud Spanish king, which he had provided of purpose to distresse the English, who notwithstanding passed through both his Armies, in the one, little hurt, and in the other nothing touched, to the glory of his immortall Name, the honour of our Prince and Countrey, and the just commendation of ech mans service performed in that voyage. [The returne 1588. The returne of Master William Harborne from Departed from Constantinople with 30. persons of my suit and family the 3. of August. Passing through the Countries of Thracia, now called Romania the great, Valachia & Moldavia, where ariving the 5. of September I was according to the Grand Signior his commandement very courteously interteined by Peter his positive prince, a Greeke by profession, with whom was concluded that her Majesties subjects there trafiquing should pay but three upon the hundreth, which as well his owne Subjects as all other nations answere: whose letters to her Majesthe Prince of tie be extant. Whence I proceeded into Poland, where Moldavia to the high Chanceler sent for mee the 27. of the same the Queene. Letters of the moneth. And And after after most honorable intertainment Chanceler of imparted with me in secret maner the late passed and Poland to the present occurrents of that kingdome, & also he writ to her Majestie. The letters of Queene. Thence I hasted unto Elbing, where the 12. of October I was most friendly welcomed by the Senate of that City, whom I finde and judge to be faithfully devoted to her Majesties service, whose letters likewise unto the same were presented me. No lesse at Dantzik the 27. of that moneth I was courteously received by one of the Buroughmasters accompanied with two others of the Senate, & a Civil doctor their Secretarie. After going through the land of Pomer I rested one day at Stetin, where, for that ye duke was absent, nothing ensued. Rostoke I passed through the Citie without any stay, and at Wismar received like friendly greeting as in the other places: but at Lubeck, for that I came late and departed early in the morning, I was not visited. At Hamburg the 19. of November, and at Stoad the ninth of December in like maner I was saluted by a Boroughmaster and the Secretarie, and in all these places they presented mee At 1588. sundry sorts of their best wine and fresh fish, every of them with a long discourse, congratulating, in the names of their whole Senate, her Majesties victory over the Spaniard, and my safe returne, concluding with offer of their ready service to her future disposing. Yet the Dantziks after my departure thence caused the Marchants to pay custome for the goods they brought with them in my company, which none other towne neither Infidels nor Christians on ye way ever demanded. And notwithstanding the premisses, I was most certainly informed of sundry of our nation there resident that most of the [II. i. 290.] Hanse-towns upon the sea coasts, especially Dantzik, Lubeck, and Hamborough have laden and were shipping for Spaine, great provision of corne, cables, ropes, powder, saltpeter, hargubusses, armour, iron, leade, copper, and all other munition serving for the warre. Whereupon I gather their fained courtesie proceeded rather for feare then of any good affection unto her Majesties service, Elbing and Stoad onely excepted, which of duetie for their commoditie I esteemed well affected. The privilege of Peter the Prince of Moldavia graunted to the English Marchants. 2 Etrus Dei gratia princeps Valachiæ & bethæ Dei gratia Angliæ, Franciæ, ac Hiberniæ Reginæ apud Serenissimum ac potentissimum Turcarum Imperatorem hanc constitutionem fecerimus: Nimirùm ut dehinc suæ Serenitatis subditis, omnibusque mercatoribus integrum sit hic in provincia nostra commorandi, conversandi, mercandi, vendendi, contrahendíque, imo omnia exercendi, quæ mercaturæ ac vitæ humanæ societas ususque requirit, sine ulla alicujus contradictione, 1588. aut inhibitione: salvo ac integro tamen jure Telonii nostri; hoc est, ut a singulis rebus centum ducatorum pretii, tres numerent. Quod ratum ac firmum constitutione nostra haberi volumus. In cujus rei firmius testimonium, sigillum nostrum appressum est. Actum in castris nostris die 27. mensis Augusti, anno Domini 1588. The same in English. Peter by the grace of God prince of Valachia and Mol davia; we signifie by these presents to all and singuler persons, whom it doth or shall concerne, that we have made this agreement with the worthy gentleman William Hareborne Ambassador of the right high and mighty prince, the Lady Elizabeth by the grace of God Queene of England, France and Ireland, with the most puissant and mightie Emperour of the Turkes: To witte, that from hencefoorth it shalbe lawfull for her highnesse subjects and all her Marchants, to remaine, converse, buy, sel, bargaine and exercise all such things, as the trade of marchandise, and humane societie and use requireth, without any hinderance or let: the right of our Custome alwayes reserved; That is, that they pay three ducats upon all such things as amount to the price of one hundred ducats. Which by this our ordinance we command to be surely and firmely observed; For the more assured testimony whereof, our seale is hereunto annexed. Given in our Campe the 27. of the moneth of August in the yeere of our Lord 1588. |