When I sawe them so bent I called to Captaine Clifforde who was in the Quenes pynnis desyringe him to take me in and bringe me to the generall, for that I wolde not be caried into England by a company of such unruly persons.
He cryed unto me that he wolde have me in or elles come abourde for me himself, but theye manned theire Boate and sett me aboarde, which, when one of those in the toppe perceaved, he cryed with an othe, What! will you let him goe! Yf he fetche up the Admyrall before nighte he will overtake us and then you shall see what worke he will make with us.
In the middest of the mutinie I callid the Pursur unto me and demaunded of him for what cause the company had stinckinge beveredge to drincke, as there were in the shippe 15 tounes of beare, sayinge, that if theye had any such theye sholde have it in thende and drincke the beare as longe as it lasted. Whereupon the company with one voyce cryed, Yea, Captaine, God save your life, yt is your will we knowe that we sholde have it; but we have it not.
The daye before theis matters brake forthe I ymparted my mynde to Mr Borughes, tellinge him that scince the generall is bounde for the Ilandes the next fayre daye that cometh, I will goe abourde him and geve him to understand in what case we stande for victualles that we maye be the better provyded whatsoever befall. Nay, said he, the pursur hath byn with him and he understandeth it alreadye for that wilbe a meane yf he be not mynded to goe for the Ilandes to make him goe thither. And therefore if he will runn into the Indies lett him run, he knoweth alreadye what we want, never goe to him at all for any thinge. Then, I said, when the Pursur was with him he was so busie as he cold not have any leasure and therefore willed him to resorte unto him at another tyme. He[1544] answered as he did at the firste. The same tyme that the Raynebowe had her mayne sayle taken from the yearde by weather the Captaine of her desired me to beare up with the generall to give him to understand of his distres. Then quoth Mr Boroughes, The generall seeth in what case he is and beareth all the sayle he can and stayeth not for him, let us staye by him and helpe him. But his desyre is, quothe I, that the generall sholde knowe it presentlye and that his foremast is spent. Thereto Mr Boroughes answered, The Captaine is a foole and he knoweth not what belongeth to it so well as I doe.
Captaine Clifford sayth and testifieth that a such tyme as he came nere the Golden Lyon to take in Captaine Marchaunte he callid to the master of the same shippe, wishinge him to have care of himselfe, to bringe backe the shippe to the generall and to appease the companye, for that he knewe he was a man colde doe much amonge them, addinge further that he was not able to answere it at his cominge home. He answered he colde not doe withall and the company were resolved to goe home. The master of the same pinnisse spake unto him in like manner, or a greate deale more.
Then Captaine Clifforde called to the company and tolde them that if theye wente awaye with her Maiesties Shippe some of them wolde be hanged, upon which wordes Captayne Marchaunt hard them call Capteine Clifforde, Arrant villane.
Upon dewe consideracon whereof the generall sayde:—Althoughe I am not dobtefull what to doe in this case, or yet want any aucthoritie, but myselfe have from Her Maiestie sufficient Jurisdiccon to correcte and punnishe with all severitie as to me in discretion shalbe meete, Accordinge to the Qualitie of the offences, all those sceditious persons which sholl be in the whole fleete, yet for the confidence I have in your discretions, as also to wytnes our agreament in Judgement in all matters, I praye you lett me heare your severall opynions touching this facte which hath byn declared in your hearinge this daye; In my judgement it was as fowle and untollerable a mutanye as ever I have knowne. Captyne Marchant hath discharged his dutie faythefull as a true servitor unto her Maiestie; all the rest of that shippe, exceptinge only those 12 or 16 which helde up theire handes to wytnes theire wyllingnes to retorne to our company have deserved a shamfull deathe in that theye have forsaken her Maiesties standerd and conyssyon and forsaken her Maiesties Shippes Royal beinge distressed, and as much as in them lyeth hindreth the service in hande for the honor and saffetye of her Maiesties realmes and domynyons. And therefore my fiynall and diffinityve sentence is this—That the master of the said Shippe, the boteswaine, and Mr Boroughe, and Crowe, the pryncipall contryvers and workers of this mutanie, shall, assone as I come by them, wheresoever I find them within my power, abyde the paynes of Death; yf not theye shall remayne as deade men in lawe. All the rest shall remayne also at her Maiesties mercye as accessaryes to this treacherous defection. And thoughe it shall please her Majestie to looke upon them with mercye, yett my sentence is theye shall all come to the Corte gate with halters aboute theire neckes for an example of all such offendours. The whole Councell approved this sentence as iuste and necessarye for avoydinge the like hereafter, which elles muste needes growe to the utter dissolucon of all her Maiesties service for the sea hereafter.
God save the Quene.
The next paper (f. 243, et seq.), is endorsed
‘The voluntary confession of William Bigatt, Master of the Lion, under Captain Wm. Burrowes, June 1587.’