Source.—Ellis's Original Letters, Second Series, vol. i., pp. 110, 111.
To the King our Sovereign Lord.
Please it unto your Royal Majesty of your grace especially to grant unto John Earl of Oxford, owner under God of a ship called the Jesus of Orwell, that the said ship, without any fine or fee to be paid unto you, may have licence, in the worship of God and of St. James, to make the first voyage unto St. James[12] with as many persons as therein would thitherward take their passage. Considering that by cause of the loss of another ship ... the said Earl hath done upon the said ship great cost to make it the more able to do you service and to withstand your enemies in time of need.
Endorsed—Donné à n're Palais de Westm. le xxviij jour de Feverer, l'an etc xxiij. [February 28, 1445.]
[12] The shrine of St. James of Compostella.
THE DISCOMFORTS OF PILGRIMS AT SEA (circa 1445).
Source.—Early Naval Ballads, vol. ii., pp. 1-4. (Percy Society.)
Man may leve all gamys,
That saylen to Seynt Jamys;
For many a man hit gramys,[13]
When they begyn to sayle.
For when they have take the sea,
At Sandwyche or at Wynchylsee,
At Brystow,[14] or where that hit bee,
Theyr herts begyn to fayle.
Anone the mastyr commaundeth fast
To hys shyp-men in all the hast,
To dresse hem soon about the mast
Theyr takeling to make.
With "howe! hissa!" then they cry,
"What, howte! mate, thou stondyst too ny,
Thy fellow may not hale the by;"
Thus they begyn to crake.