I quickly got them together, and having provided for us what Meat and Liquors (the best) he had aboard, he then told us that we were all heartily welcome, and that he was now, more than ever our friend, and having taken a good lusty draught of what he had before him, seeing it go round; friends and fellow-Travellers, said he, from my Childhood I have had wondrous and various vicissitudes of Fortune, in so much that though the relation of several of your lives which I have had, seems very strange and eminently remarkable to me, yet when you shall hear me giving you an account of the transactions of my life, which I shall trouble you with very speedily, you will look upon them as incredible as Mounsieur St. Serfs Voyage into the Moon, or the Travels of Sir John Mandivle; In all the various windings and turnings of my life, I never was settled long in one Condition. It is true, from very low and mean beginnings I have got to the height of considerable employments, from a Parish Child, I was for my Rogueries condemned to be transported, by subtle deportment and insinuating behaviour I changed my Doom, and was made Cabbin-boy, from thence I did gradually rise passing through every Office that doth belong to a Ship till I was constituted a Captain, several Voyages I have made to most parts of the known World, and have gotten great sums of money, but no sooner did I call it my own, but it vanished by shipwrack, or I was taken Prisoner and lost it that way. I am now in my declension, and having a fairer opportunity than ever I yet had, or ever thought to have to enrich my self, and sit down quietly in some remote Corner of the World, I am resolved to lay hold on it. And now coming near the Coast of Europe I shall tell you my resolution, that I intend to make my self a voluntary Exile to my own Countrey. In order thereunto I shall shape my course for the Streights, which will harbor my design in disposing of my goods, neither will it be prejudicial to you to accompany me thither, since from thence you may dispose your selves to the best and most flourishing Countries of the World.
Here he paused a while to hear our opinion, which we acquainted him with unanimously, that we were very joyful to continue longer in his company, and that we would see him anchored in his designed Port, or run what ever fortune should befal him; having assured him this, he continued his discourse: Since I know your minds, and am, and shall be obliged to you for your societies, I shall endeavour to requite your kindnesses: and that my words may not seem airy pretences without performances, I shall make this Proposition which if granted, you shall know how I have studied a way to gratifie you. It is this, Master Latroon, the Scrivener there, and Drugster, shall give each of them one hundred pounds a piece to Mistress Dorothy, and that I may not exempt my self from helping her forward into the World, I will give the like sum with this Box of rough Diamonds, which I know is worth as much more; we all consented: next, said he, every man according to his stock of money expended in the procuration of what Commodities we have aboard upon the Sale thereof shall receive it again, and his profit thereof according to proportion, with an equal dividend of what Goods was taken upon credit. You shall see me so just to you, that I will somewhat injure my self by taking no fraught from you, but instead thereof the principal Officers shall share with us, and the private Seamen shall have double pay out of the same Goods which we took upon trust.
Upon this we all agreed, and the noise of this Agreement running through the Ship, the nicest of them all from the highest to the lowest liked so well the Knavish-generosity of our Captain, that they all caper’d for joy, and having brought out what Brandy they had on the Decks, drinking the Captains Health, protesting to serve him with their lives, they received Commands to stand away for Sicilia, where in a little time we safely came to an Anchor.
Arriving at Sicilia an Island of the Mediterranean-Sea, seated between Italy and Africk, we made choice of Messina, a City as it is the most illustrious one, in that all-fruitful and ever-flourishing Island, so it is for all manner of forreign Commerce as much crowded with the great Conflux of strangers as most places in Europe; here we landed, and soon found it the onely place of the world that would best fit our purpose: The Joy that possess’d such especially that had never been there before, undoubtedly would have over-swell’d its Banks and become boundless, had not the prudent foresight of some of us hindred its increase by informing there were some black threatning Clouds of danger still hung over our heads, and that we could not be safe till we had settled our affairs by the sale of our Ship and Goods, then if they would ride post to their pleasures none should stop them in their Carreer; this something qualified their exultation and rejoycing, and every one officiated in his proper function.
Our Commodities were not only excellently good in their kind, but extraordinary rich and valuable, the knowledge whereof soon reaching the ears of the Inhabitants and Merchants of Messina, they came in Droves to us, because it was troublesome to deal with so many, we resolv’d to make a quick market of the Continent and things contained, Ship and Cargo altogether. This Proposition better pleas’d those wealthy Citizens, than if we had plaid the Hucksters with our Commodities, wherefore two of the most wealthy and greatest account amongst them bought all, paying us ready money without a penny Credit. After that every man had received his share or dividend proportionably, and according to a general Agreement; we divided our selves into parties as Interest or Inclination lead us. The Captain, Scrivener, Drugster, Jane, Doll, and my self were of one company, the Sea-men with the Under-officers of the ship divided themselves into several Gangs or Squadrons, who having more money now than their Great grand-fathers ever told in their lives, fell into such an excess of Debauchery, that the Citizens thought that Hell had plotted a Conspiracy to disturb their quiet, and these were the Emissaries who should put it in execution.
Getting drunk they frequently quarrell’d about their Sicilian wenches, and indeed to give them their due they seem by the out-side to be worth the going to Logger-heads for, sometimes they fell together by the ears, in that one that deserved not to have a quarter so much as himself, yet had full as much; and now having store of money they regarded their gentility, in that manner that they stood upon every punctilio to defend it from the calumnies and aspersions of such who had but a little before been hail fellow, well met: so that now the least seeming affront would not go down with them, unless it were steept in the blood that dropt from the Nose of the Affronter, when there was a cessation of Arms among themselves, then would they ramble about the streets like mad men, abusing whomever they met, and were well chasten’d for their pains, several of them coming short home.
The City began now to mutter, and verily believed them to be a parcel of Rogues that had sold what was none of their own, and probably to the ruin of many an honest man; and was therefore resolved to endure this outrage no longer.
We hearing this, thought our selves very unsafe whilst in Messina, and therefore concluded to remove thence to Palermo, a City in the same Island of Sicilia. By enquiry I found the most convenient and customary way of travelling thither was by Mules, which are plentiful for Hire; I bargained for as many as would conveniently carry our company which were six, and our money; and so with as much privacy as we could we departed Messina; these Mules travelled very commodiously with us, and carried us over the mountains both with speed and security; and although it was an hundred and eighty miles from the City we left behind us, to Palermo, yet we got thither in less then four days.
In this famous City of Palermo (the fairest of all others of Sicily, and at present the Metropolis and Regal Seat) we stayed some considerable time, and laying aside for a while our shifting and cheating, &c. having enough, that we might employ our wits and inventions in nothing but contriving variety of Recreations, and Pleasures, which were the novel, we cared not at what excessive rate we purchas’d them.
The Captain and my self being more than half glutted with City delights resolved, for some few days to travel into the Countrey, and since it was so famously noted, we would not leave it till we had seen those Excellencies and Rarities wherewith it injoyes Fames Trumpet through the whole Universe. In order thereunto taking our leave of our Friends, and promising to return within five or six days, we proceeded in our progress. In our short Itinerary we saw many brave Towns, and wonderful Places, which told, would exceed belief, as Mount Ætna, and Mongibello, Strombellow, &c. which though it belcheth inexpressible and continual fire out of its bowels, yet hath its head notwithstanding (on that part where the fire issues) covered with deep Snow till the midst of Summer. In Meunenino is the lake Nastia, where in three Eddies you may perfectly perceive boyling water, which gurgles up with an intolerable stink, and sometimes you may see it spew up flames of fire. It hath likewise in sundry other places divers other fountains of admirable nature and quality.