The 13th we mett with a ship of Yarmouthe. The 15th we came neare to Gibletore,[172] wheare we mett with 3 Inglishe men (or ships) and one Flemin, which made our fleete 14 saile; but the wynde was so contrarie that we coulde not com neare the narrow gutt of the straite’s mouthe, but laye becalmed unto Budgrow,[173] also to Marvels,[174] and Grande Malligan.
The 16th we weare becalmede. The nexte morninge we saw 2 greate whalis, which wear so huge that we thoughte them to be tow gallis or frigates: ite was an extreame hoote day.
The 17th, at 10 a clocke, the wynde came faire at northe-easte, so that aboute a 11 of the clocke at nyght we entred into the narrow gutt, which is 4 leagues in lengthe. At the son risinge we paste bye Cape Sprott,[175] which is 10 leages withoute the straite’s mouthe, at which time we had in our sighte 21 saile of ships.
The same daye, towardes nyghte, one shipe in our Companye, caled the Rebecka, the which at that time was the moste speedie of saile, touke her leve of us, with an intente to bringe the firste newes into Ingland of our safe cominge homwardes.
The nexte morninge, beinge the 19th, we descried Mount Chegos,[176] a hie lande in Spaine, 7 leagues from the Southe Cape.
The 20th, in the morninge, beinge Sundaye, verrie arlye, one in our mayntope saw a saille Cominge towardes us direckly; and when we myghte well desarne the hull of her, we did know her to be the Rebecka, the same shipe that touke her leve of us tow dayes before to carrie newes of our safe cominge homwards. The Cause of the returne of that ship was for that tow galliouns of Spaine did give Chace unto her, yeate nothinge so good of saile as she; but the Mr. of the Rebecka thoughte them to be Carreks[177] Cominge from the Indies loden with greate welthe, whearin he was muche desaved, for theye weare tow men-of-warr that did ly in wayte for our ship, as afterwardes theie confesed. When they weare come neare unto us, we did also thinke them to be but than cominge from the Indies. One of them was a shipe of one thousande tow hundrethe tone, the other 8 hundrethe. Our Mr. was verrie unwillinge to feighte with them, but our saylors was verrie desierus; so we presently wente to prayers, and than our gonors made reddie their ordinance, feightes[178] oute, and everie man his place appointed, and all thinges in reddines, we havinge the wynde of the Spanishe ships. Our ship, caled the Heckter, laye sid by sid to the greate gallioune, and an other Inglishe shipp Called the Greate Susan laye close by the other, ever expectinge who would give the firste shoute. All the other ships that weare before in our Companye weare gone a league and more of from us, without dainger of any shott. Thare was great odes betwixte our shipp, that ship was caled the Great Suzana
[Here some pages are missing.][179]
unto him, and desiered him to give me and my mate Harve leve to go a shore thare, and we would take poste horse, and make what speed we Could to London; so at laste he granted me and 3 more leve to goo, upon Condition that we would take the Spainishe Captaine with us, and bringe him safe unto the marchantes, the which we promesed to doo.
Than we wente a shore at Dover, and our trompetes soundinge all the waye before us into the towne, wheare we made our selves as merrie as Could, beinge verrie glad that we weare once againe upon Inglishe ground. After diner, thar Came into the toune a Franche imbasseter, beinge accompened with divers knightes and jentlmen of Kente; so, at tow of the Clocke, we touke poste horse to Canterburrie, and from thenc to Rochester that nyghte, and the nexte day to London.
