Page images
PDF
EPUB

driven for thirst to drinke thereof, and how happy we would now have thought ourselves if we might have had our fills of the same: yet should wee have fared the better with this our poore feasting, if we might have had our meate and drinke (such and so much as it was) stand quietly before us: but beside all the former extremities, wee were so tossed and turmoiled with such horrible stormie and tempestuous weather, that every man had best holde fast his Canne, cup, and dish in his hands, yea and himselfe too, many times, by the ropes, railes, or sides of the ship or else he should soone finde all under feete.

Herewith our maine saile was torne from the yarde and blowne overboord quite away into the sea without recovery, and our other sailes so rent and torne (from side to side some of them) that hardly any of them escaped hole. The raging waves and foming surges of the sea came rowling like mountaines one after another, and overraked the waste of the shippe like a mightie river running over it, whereas in faire weather it was neere 20. foote above the water, that nowe wee might cry out with the princely Prophet Psalme 107. vers. 26. They mount up to heaven, and descend to the deepe, so that their soule melteth away for trouble: they reele too and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, and all their cunning is gone. With this extremitie of foule weather the ship was so tossed and shaken, that by the craking noise it made, and by the leaking which was now much more then ordinary, wee were in great feare it would have shaken in sunder, so that now also we had just cause to pray a litle otherwise then the Poet, though marring the verse, yet mending the meaning.

Deus maris & Coeli, quid enim nisi vota supersunt, Solvere quassatæ parcito membra ratis.

Notwithstanding it pleased God of his great goodnesse to deliver us out of this danger. Then forthwith a new maine saile was made and fastened to the yard, and the rest repaired as time and place would suffer which we had no sooner done, but yet againe wee were troubled with as great extremitie as before, so that againe we were like to have lost our new maine saile, had not Master William Antony the Master of the ship himselfe (when none else would or durst) ventured with danger of drowning by creeping along upon the maine yarde (which was

let downe close to the railes) to gather it up out of the sea, and to fasten it thereto, being in the meane while oft-times ducked over head and eares into the sea.

These stormes were so terrible, that there were some in our company, which confessed they had gone to seas for the space of 20. yeeres, and had never seene the like, and vowed that if ever they returned safe home, they would never come to Sea againe.

The last of November at night we met with an English ship, out of which (because it was too late that night) it was agreed that we should have had the next morning two or three Tunnes of wine, which, as they said, was al the provision of drink they had, save only a But or two, which they must needs reserve for their owne use: but after that, we heard of them no more, till they were set on ground upon the coast of Ireland, where it appeared that they might have spared us much more then they pretended they could, so as they might wel have relieved our great necessities, and have had sufficient for themselves besides, to bring them into England.

The first of December at night we spake with another English ship, and had some beere out of her, but not sufficient to carry us into England, so that wee were constrained to put into Ireland, the winde so serving.

The next day we came to an anker, not far from the S. Kelmes under the land & winde, where we were somewhat more quiet, but (that being no safe harbour to ride in) the next morning wee went about to weigh anker, but having some of our men hurt at the Capsten, wee were faine to give over and leave it behinde, holding on our course to Ventrie haven, where wee safely arrived the same day, that place being a very safe and convenient harbor for us, that now wee might sing as we had just cause, They that goe downe to the Sea, &c.

So soone as we had ankered here my Lord went foorthwith to shoare, and brought presently fresh water and fresh victuals, as Muttons, pigges, hennes, &c. to refresh his company withall. Notwithstanding himselfe had lately bene very weake, and tasted of the same extremitie that his Company did: For in the time of our former want, having a little fresh water left him remaining in a pot, in the night it was broken, and the water drunke and dried up. Soone after the sicke and wounded men were carried to the next principall Towne, called Dingena

cush, being about three miles distant from the foresaide haven, where our shippe roade, to the Eastwards, that there they might be the better refreshed, and had the Chirurgians dayly to attend upon them. Here we wel refreshed our selves whilest the Irish harpe sounded sweetely in our eares, and here we, who for the former extremities were in maner halfe dead, had our lives (as it were) restored unto us againe.

This Dingenacush is the chiefe Towne in al that part of Ireland, it consisteth but of one maine streete, from whence some smaller doe proceede on either side. It hath had gates (as it seemeth) in times past at either ende to open and shut as a Towne of warre, and a Castle also. The houses are very strongly built with thicke stone walles, and narrow windowes like unto Castles : for as they confessed, in time of trouble, by reason of the wilde Irish or otherwise, they used their houses for their defence as Castles. The castle and all the houses in the Towne, save foure, were won, burnt, and ruinated by the Erle of Desmond. These foure houses fortified themselves against him, and withstood him and all his power perforce, so as he could not winne them.

There remaineth yet a thicke stone wall that passeth overthwart the midst of the streete which was a part of their fortification. Notwithstanding whilest they thus defended themselves, as some of them yet alive confessed, they were driven to as great extremities as the Jewcs, besieged by Titus the Romane Emperour, insomuch that they were constrained to eat dead mens carcases for hunger. The Towne is nowe againe somewhat repaired, but in effect there remaine but the ruines of the former Towne. Commonly they have no chimneis in their houses, excepting them of the better sort, so that the smoake was very troublesom to us, while we continued there. Their fewell is turfes, which they have very good, and whinnes or furres. There groweth little wood thereabouts, which maketh building chargeable there as also want of lime (as they reported) which they are faine to fetch from farre, when they have neede thereof. But of stones there is store ynough, so that with them they commonly make their hedges to part ech mans ground from other; and the ground seemeth to be nothing else within but rockes and stones: Yet it is very fruitfull and plentifull of grasse, and graine, as may appeare by the

[blocks in formation]

abundance of kine and cattel there: insomuch that we had good muttons (though somewhat lesse then ours in England) for two shillings or five groates a piece, good pigges and hennes for 3. pence a piece.

The greatest want is industrious, painefull, and husbandly inhabitants to till and trimme the ground: for the common sort, if they can provide sufficient to serve from hand to mouth, take no further care.

Of money (as it seemeth) there is very small store amongst them, which perhaps was the cause that made them double and triple the prizes of many things we bought of them, more then they were before our comming thither.

Good land was here to be had for foure pence the Acre yeerely rent. There are Mines of Alome, Tinne, brasse, and yron. Stones wee sawe there as cleare as Christall, naturally squared like Diamonds.

That part of the Countrey is all ful of great mountaines and hills, from whence came running downe the pleasant streames of sweete fresh running water. The naturall hardnesse of that Nation appeareth in this, that their small children runne usually in the middest of Winter up and downe the streetes bare-foote and bare-legged, with no other apparell (many times) save onely a mantell to cover their nakednesse.

The chiefe Officer of their Towne they call their Soveraigne, who hath the same office and authoritie among them that our Maiors have with us in England, and hath his Sergeants to attend upon him, and beare the Mace before him as our Maiors.

We were first intertained at the Soveraignes house, which was one of those 4. that withstood the Erle of Desmond in his rebellion. They have the same forme of Common prayer word for word in Latin, that we have here in England. Upon the Sunday the Soveraigne commeth into the Church with the Sergeant before him, and the Sheriffe and others of the Towne accompany him, and there they kneele downe every man by himselfe privately to make his prayers. After this they rise and go out of the Church againe to drinke, which being done, they returne againe into the Church, and then the Minister beginneth prayers.

Their maner of baptizing differeth something from ours part of the service belonging thereto is repeated

in Latin, and part in Irish. The Minister taketh the child in his hands, and first dippeth it backwards, and then forwards, over head and eares into the cold water in the midst of Winter, whereby also may appeare their naturall hardnesse, (as before was specified.) They had neither Bell, drum, nor trumpet, to call the Parishioners together, but they expect till their Soveraigne come, and then they that have any devotion follow him.

They make their bread all in cakes, and, for the tenth part, the bakers bake for all the towne.

We had of them some 10. or II. Tunnes of beere for the Victory, but it proved like a present purgation to them that tooke it, so that we chose rather to drinke water then it.

The 20. of December we loosed from hence, having well provided our selves of fresh water, and other things necessary, being accompanied with sir Edw. Dennie, his Lady, and two yong sonnes.

This day in the morning my Lord going ashoare to dispatch away speedily some fresh water that remained for the Victory, the winde being very faire for us, brought us newes that there were 60. Spanish prizes taken and brought to England. For two or three dayes wee had a faire winde, but afterwards it scanted so, that (as I said before) we were faine to keepe a cold Christmas with The Bishop and his clearkes.

After this we met with an English ship, that brought us joyful news of 91. Spanish prizes that were come to England and sorrowfull newes withall, that the last and best prize we tooke, had suffered shipwracke at a place upon the coast of Cornwal which the Cornish men cal Als Efferne, that is, Hel-cliffe, and that Captaine Lister and all the men in the ship were drowned, save 5. or 6. the one halfe English, the other Spanish that saved themselves with swimming: but notwithstanding much of the goods were saved, and reserved for us, by sir Francis Godolphin, and the worshipful gentlemen of the Countrey there. My Lord was very sorry for Captaine Listers death, wishing that he had lost his voyage to have saved his life.

The 29. of December we met with another shippe, that tolde us the same newes, and that sir Martin Frobisher, & Captaine Reymond had taken the Admirall and viceAdmiral of the Fleet that we espied going to Terçera

« PreviousContinue »