'That it is well known how both we and the soldiers are entered
into this action as voluntary men, without any impress or gage
from her Majesty or anybody else.
And forasmuch as we have
hitherto discharged the parts of honest men, so that now by the
great blessing and favour of our good God there have been taken
three such notable towns, wherein by the estimation of all men
would have been found some very great treasures, knowing that
Santiago was the chief city of all the islands and traffics
thereabouts, St. Domingo the chief city of Hispaniola, and the
head government not only of that island, but also of Cuba, and of
all the islands about it, as also of such inhabitations of the
firm land, as were next unto it, and a place that is both
magnificently built and entertaineth great trades of merchandise;
and now lastly the city of Carthagena, which cannot be denied to
be one of the chief places of most especial importance to the
Spaniard of all the cities which be on this side of the West
India: we do therefore consider, that since all these cities, with
their goods and prisoners taken in them, and the ransoms of the
said cities, being all put together, are found far short to
satisfy that expectation which by the generality of the
enterprisers was first conceived; and being further advised of
the slenderness of our strength, whereunto we be now reduced, as
well in respect of the small number of able bodies, as also not a
little in regard of the slack disposition of the greater part of
those which remain, very many of the better minds and men being
either consumed by death or weakened by sickness and hurts; and
lastly, since that as yet there is not laid down to our knowledge
any such enterprise as may seem convenient to be undertaken with
such few as we are presently able to make, and withal of such
certain likelihood, as with God's good success which it may please
him to bestow upon us, the same may promise to yield us any
sufficient contentment: we do therefore conclude hereupon, that it
is better to hold sure as we may the honour already gotten, and
with the same to return towards our gracious sovereign and
country, from whence, if it shall please her Majesty to set us
forth again with her orderly means and entertainment, we are most
ready and willing to go through with anything that the uttermost
of our strength and endeavour shall be able to reach unto. But
therewithal we do advise and protest that it is far from our
thoughts, either to refuse, or so much as to seem to be weary of
anything which for the present shall be further required or
directed to be done by us from our General.'
THE THIRD and last point is concerning the ransom of this city of
Carthagena, for the which, before it was touched with any fire,
there was made an offer of some 27,000 or 28,000 pounds
sterling:--
'Thus much we utter herein as our opinions, agreeing, so it be done
in good sort, to accept this offer aforesaid, rather than to break
off by standing still upon our demands of 100,000 pounds; which
seems a matter impossible to be performed for the present by them.
And to say truth, we may now with much honour and reputation
better be satisfied with that sum offered by them at the first, if
they will now be contented to give it, than we might at that time
with a great deal more; inasmuch as we have taken our full
pleasure, both in the uttermost sacking and spoiling of all their
household goods and merchandise, as also in that we have consumed
and ruined a great part of their town with fire. And thus much
further is considered herein by us; that as there be in the voyage
a great many poor men, who have willingly adventured their lives
and travails, and divers amongst them having spent their apparel
and such other little provisions as their small means might have
given them leave to prepare, which being done upon such good and
allowable intention as this action hath always carried with it
(meaning, against the Spaniard, our greatest and most dangerous
enemy), so surely we cannot but have an inward regard, so far as
may lie in us, to help them in all good sort towards the
satisfaction of this their expectation; and by procuring them some
little benefit to encourage them, and to nourish this ready and
willing disposition of theirs, both in them and in others by their
example, against any other time of like occasion. But because it
may be supposed that herein we forget not the private benefit of
ourselves, and are thereby the rather moved to incline ourselves
to this composition, we do therefore think good for the clearing
ourselves of all such suspicion, to declare hereby, that what part
or portion soever it be of this ransom or composition for
Carthagena which should come unto us, we do freely give and bestow
the same wholly upon the poor men who have remained with us in the
voyage (meaning as well the sailor as the soldier), wishing with
all our hearts it were such or so much as might see a sufficient
reward for their painful endeavour. And for the firm confirmation
thereof, we have thought meet to subsign these presents with our
own hands in the place and time aforesaid.
But while we were yet there, it happened one day that our watch called
the sentinel, upon the church-steeple, had discovered in the sea a
couple of small barks or boats, making in with the harbour of
Carthagena. Whereupon Captain Moon and Captain Varney, with John
Grant, the master of the Tiger, and some other seamen, embarked
themselves in a couple of small pinnaces, to take them before they
should come nigh the shore, at the mouth of the harbour, lest by some
straggling Spaniards from the land, they might be warned by signs from
coming in.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 10 of 14
Words from 9314 to 10362
of 13847
