But withall in my audience, he commanded Areta, that none should come neare mee except the slave, nor no food should be given mee but three ounces of moosted browne bread, every second day, and a Fuleto or English Pint of water, neither any bed, pillow, or coverlet to be allowed mee: And close up sayd he, this window in his roome, with lyme and stone, stop the holes of the doore with double [X. 458.]Matts, hanging another locking to it; and to withdraw all visible and sensible comfort from him, let no tongue, nor feet be heard neare him, till I have my designes accomplished: And thou Hazier I charge thee, at thy incommings to have no conference with him, nor at thy out-goings abroad to discover him to the English Factors, as thou wilt answer upon thy life, and the highest torments can be devised.
These directions delivered, and alas too accessary to me in the performance: my roome was made a darke-drawne Dungeon, my belly the anatomy of mercilesse hunger, my comfortlesse hearing, the receptacle of sounding Bells, my eye wanting light, a loathsome languishing in despaire, and my ground lying body, the woefull mirrour of misfortunes: every houre wishing anothers comming, every day the night, and every night the morning.
A speedy expedition for a mercilesse mischeife.And now being every second or third day attended with the twinckling of an eye, and my sustenance agreeable to my attendance, my body grew exceeding debile and infirme; insomuch that the Governour (after his answers receaved from Madrile) made haste to put in execution, his bloody and mercilesse purpose before Christmas Holy-dayes: least ere the expiring of the twelfth day, I should be utterly famished, and unable to undergoe my tryall, without present perishing, yet unknowne to me, save onely in this knowledge, that I was confident to dye a fearefull and unacquainted death: for it is a current custome with the Spaniard, that if a stranger be apprehended upon any suspicion, he is never brought to open tryall, and common Jayle, but clapd up in a Dungeon, and there tortured, impoysoned, or starved to death: Such meritorious deeds, accompany these onely titular Christians: for the Spaniard [X. 459.]accounteth it more to be called a Christian, than either to beleeve what hee professeth, or to conforme him selfe to the life of Christianity: yea, I sparingly avouch it, hee is the worst and baddest creature of the Christian name; having no more Religion (and lesse respective to devotion) than an externall presumptuous show; which perfiteth this ancient Proverbe, The Spaniard; est bonus Catholicus, sed malus Christianus.
In end, by Gods permission, the scourge of my fiery tryall approaching; upon the forty seventh day after my first imprisonment, and five dayes before Christmas; about two a clocke in the morning, I heard the noyse of a Coach in the fore-street, marvelling much what it might meane.
My transportation from prison to the fields to be racked.Within a pretty while I heard the locks of my Prison-doore in opening; whereupon bequeathing my soule to God, I humbly implored his gracious mercie and pardon for my sinnes: for neither in the former night nor this, could I get any sleepe, such was the force of gnawing hunger, and the portending heavinesse of my presaging soule.
Meanewhile the former nine Sergeants, accompanied with the Scrivan, entered the roome without word speaking, and carrying mee thence, with irons and all, on their armes through the house, to the street, they layd mee on my backe in the Coach: where two of them sat up beside mee, (the rest using great silence) went softly along by the Coach side.
Then Baptista the Coach-man, an Indian Negro droving out at the Sea-gate, the way of the shoare-side, I was brought Westward almost a league from the Towne, to a Vine-presse house, standing alone amongst Vineyards, [X. 460.]where they inclosed mee in a roome till day light, for hither was the Racke brought the night before, and privately placed in the ende of a Trance.
And all this secresie was used, that neyther English, French, or Flemings, should see or get any knowledge of my Tryall, my grievous Tortures, and dreadfull dispatch, because of their treacherous and cruel proceedings.
At the breach of day the Governour, Don Francesco, and the Alcalde, came foorth in another Coach: where when arrived, and I invited to their presence, I pleaded A stranger ought not to be accused with strangers without an Interpreter.for a Trench man, being against their Law, to accuse or condemne a Stranger, without a sufficient Interpreter. The which they absolutely refused, neyther would they suffer or grant mee an Appellation to Madrid.
And now after long and new Examinations, from morning to darke night, they finding my first and second Confession so runne in one, that the Governour swore, I had learned the Arte of Memory: Saying further, is it possible hee can in such distresse, and so long a time, observe so strictly in every manner the poynts of his first Confession, and I so often shifting him too and fro.