In The Year Of Our Lord 1577, In The Winter Season, The Galleys Happily
Coming To Their Accustomed Harbourage, And
Being discharged of all
their masts, sails, and other such furnitures as unto galleys do
appertain, and all the masters
And mariners of them being then nested
in their own homes, there remained in the prison of the said road two
hundred three score and eight Christian prisoners who had been taken by
the Turks' force, and were of fifteen sundry nations. Among which
there were three Englishmen, whereof one was named John Fox, of
Woodbridge, in Suffolk, the other William Wickney, of Portsmouth, in
the county of Southampton, and the third Robert Moore, of Harwich, in
the county of Essex; which John Fox, having been thirteen or fourteen
years under their gentle entreatance, and being too weary thereof,
minding his escape, weighed with himself by what means it might be
brought to pass, and continually pondering with himself thereof, took a
good heart unto him, in the hope that God would not be always scourging
His children, and never ceasing to pray Him to further his intended
enterprise, if that it should redound to His glory.
Not far from the road, and somewhat from thence, at one side of the
city, there was a certain victualling house, which one Peter Vuticaro
had hired, paying also a certain fee unto the keeper of the road. This
Peter Vuticaro was a Spaniard born, and a Christian, and had been
prisoner above thirty years, and never practised any means to escape,
but kept himself quiet without touch or suspect of any conspiracy,
until that now this John Fox using much thither, they brake one to
another their minds, concerning the restraint of their liberty and
imprisonment. So that this John Fox, at length opening unto this
Vuticaro the device which he would fain put in practice, made privy one
more to this their intent; which three debated of this matter at such
times as they could compass to meet together, insomuch that, at seven
weeks' end they had sufficiently concluded how the matter should be, if
it pleased God to further them thereto; who, making five more privy to
this their device, whom they thought that they might safely trust,
determined in three nights after to accomplish their deliberate
purpose. Whereupon the same John Fox and Peter Vuticaro, and the other
five appointed to meet all together in the prison the next day, being
the last day of December, where this John Fox certified the rest of the
prisoners what their intent and device was, and how and when they
minded to bring that purpose to pass, who thereunto persuaded them
without much ado to further their device; which, the same John Fox
seeing, delivered unto them a sort of files, which he had gathered
together for this purpose by the means of Peter Vuticaro, charging them
that every man should be ready, discharged of his irons, by eight of
the clock on the next day at night.
On the next day at night, the said John Fox, and his five other
companions, being all come to the house of Peter Vuticaro, passing the
time away in mirth for fear of suspect till the night came on, so that
it was time for them to put in practice their device, sent Peter
Vuticaro to the master of the road, in the name of one of the masters
of the city, with whom this keeper was acquainted, and at whose request
he also would come at the first; who desired him to take the pains to
meet him there, promising him that he would bring him back again. The
keeper agreed to go with him, asking the warders not to bar the gate,
saying that he would not stay long, but would come again with all
speed.
In the mean-season, the other seven had provided them of such weapons
as they could get in that house, and John Fox took him to an old rusty
sword-blade without either hilt or pommel, which he made to serve his
turn in bending the hand end of the sword instead of a pommel, and the
other had got such spits and glaves as they found in the house.
The keeper being now come unto the house, and perceiving no light nor
hearing any noise, straightway suspected the matter; and returning
backward, John Fox, standing behind the corner of the house, stepped
forth unto him; who, perceiving it to be John Fox, said, "O Fox, what
have I deserved of thee that thou shouldest seek my death?"
"Thou villain," quoth Fox, "hast been a bloodsucker of many a
Christian's blood, and now thou shalt know what thou hast deserved at
my hands," wherewith he lift up his bright shining sword of ten years'
rust, and stroke him so main a blow, as therewithal his head clave
asunder so that he fell stark dead to the ground. Whereupon Peter
Vuticaro went in and certified the rest how the case stood with the
keeper, and they came presently forth, and some with their spits ran
him through, and the other with their glaves hewed him in sunder, cut
off his head, and mangled him so that no man should discern what he
was.
Then marched they toward the road, whereinto they entered softly, where
were five warders, whom one of them asked, saying, who was there?
Quoth Fox and his company, "All friends." Which when they were all
within proved contrary; for, quoth Fox, "My masters, here is not to
every man a man, wherefore look you, play your parts." Who so behaved
themselves indeed, that they had despatched these five quickly. Then
John Fox, intending not to be barren of his enterprise, and minding to
work surely in that which he went about, barred the gate surely, and
planted a cannon against it.
Then entered they into the jailer's lodge, where they found the keys of
the fortress and prison by his bedside, and there got they all better
weapons.
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