For Ilions sake, with Dardan blood attird,
Whose wooden horse, the Trojan Temples fird.
On our left hand toward the maine, we saw an Iland, called Saint Maure, formerly Leucas, or Leucada; which is onely inhabited by Jewes, to whome Bajazet the second gave it in possession, after their expulsion from Spaine: The chiefe City is Saint Maure, which not long agoe was subject to Venice. This Ile Saint Maure was aunciently contiguate with the continent, but now rent asunder, and invironed with the sea: In this meane while of our navigable passage, the Captaine of the vessell espied a Saile comming from Sea, he presently being moved therewith, sent a Mariner to the toppe, who certified him she was a Turkish Galley of Biserta, prosecuting a straight course to invade our Barke. Which sudden affrighting newes overwhelmed us almost in despare. Resolution being by the amazed Maister demaunded, of every man what was best to doe, some replyed one way, and some another: Insomuch, that the most part of the passengers gave counsell, rather to render, then fight; being confident, their friends would pay their ransome, and so relieve them. But I the wandring Pilgrime, pondering in my pensive breast, my solitary estate, the distance of my Country and friends, could conceive no hope of deliverance. Upon the which troublesome and fearefull appearance of slavery, A counsell to fight.I absolutely arose, and spoke to the Maister, saying: The halfe of the Carmosalo is your owne, and the most part also of the loading (all which he had told me before:) wherefore my counsell is, that you prepare your selfe to fight, and goe encourage your passengers, promise to your Mariners double wages, make ready your two peeces of [II. 61.]Ordonance, your Muskets, Powder, Lead and halfe-Pikes: for who knoweth, but the Lord may deliver us from the thraldome of these Infidels, My exhortation ended, he was greatly animated therewith, and gave me thankes; whereupon, assembling the passengers and Mariners, he gave good comfort, and large promises to them all: So that their affrighted hopes were converted to a couragious resolution; seeming rather to give the first assault, then to receive the second wrong.
To performe the plots of our defence, every man was busie in the worke, some below in the Gunner-roome, others cleansing the Muskets, some preparing the powder and balles, some their Swords, and short weapons, some dressing the halfe-pikes, & others making fast the doores above: for so the Maister resolved to make combate below, both to save us from small shot, and besides for boording us on a sudden. The dexterous courage of all men was so forward to defend their lives and liberty, that truely in mine opinion we seemed thrice as many as we were. All things below and above being cunningly perfected, and every one ranked in order with his Harquebuse and pike, to stand on the Centinell of his owne defence, we recommended our selves in the hands of the Almighty: and in the meane while attended their fiery salutations.
In a furious spleene, the first Hola of their courtesies, was the progresse of a martiall conflict, thundring forth a terrible noise of Galley-roaring peeces. And we in a sad reply, sent out a backe-sounding eccho of fiery flying shots: which made an æquivox to the clouds, rebounding backward in our perturbed breasts, the ambiguous sounds of feare and hope. After a long and doubtfull fight, both with great and small shot (night parting us) the Turkes [II. 62.]retired till morning, and then were mindfull to give us the new rancounter of a second alarum. But as it pleased him, who never faileth his, to send downe an unresistable tempest; about the breake of day we escaped their furious designes; and were enforced to seeke into the bay of Largostolo in Cephalonia; both because of the violent weather, and also for that a great lake was stricken into our Ship. In this fight there were of us killed three Italians, two Greekes, and two Jewes, with eleven others deadly wounded, and I also hurt in the right arme with A notable deliverance.a small shot. But what harme was done by us amongst the Infidels, we were not assured thereof, save onely this, we shot away their middle mast, and the hinder part of the puppe; for the Greekes are not expert Gunners, neither could our Harquebusadoes much annoy them, in respect they never boorded. But howsoever it was, being all disbarked on shoare, we gave thanks to the Lord for our unexpected safety, and buried the dead Christians in a Greekish Church-yard, and the Jewes were interred by the sea side.
This bay of Largastolo is two miles in length, being invironed with two little Mountaines; upon the one of these two, standeth a strong Fortresse, which defendeth the passage of the narrow Gulfe. It was here that the Christian Gallies assembled, in the yeare 1571. when they came to abate the rage of the great Turks Armado; which at that time lay in Peterasso, in the firme land of Greece, and right opposite to them; and had made conquest the yeare before, of noble Cyprus from the Venetians.
The Ile of Cephalonia was formerly called Ithaca, and greatly renowned, because it was the heretable Kingdome of the worthy Ulysses, who excelled all other Greekes in Eloquence and subtility of wit. Secondly, by Strabo it was named Dulichi: And thirdly, by auncient Authors [II. 63.]Cephalonia of old Ithaca.Cephalonia, of Cephalo, who was Captaine of the Army of Cleobas Anfrittion. The which Anfrittion, a Theban Captaine having conquered the Iland, and slaine in battell Pterelaus King of Teleboas, for so then was the Iland called, gave it in a gift of government to Cephalo. This Cephalo was a Noble man of Athens, who being one day at hunting killed his owne wife Procris, with an arrow in steed of his prey, whereupon he flying to Amphitrion, and the other pittying his case, resigned this Islle to him, of whom it taketh the denomination: Cephalonia lyeth in the mouth of the Gulfe Lepanto, opposite to a part of Ætolia and Acarnania in the firme land: It is in circuit 156. and in length 48. miles.
The land it selfe is full of Mountaines, yet exceeding fertile, yeelding Malvasia, Muskadine, vino Leatico, Raysins, Olives, Figges, Honey, Sweet-water, Pine, Mol-berry, Date, and Cypre-trees, and all other sorts of fruites in abundance. The commodity of which redounds yearely to the Venetians, for they are Signiors thereof.
Leaving this weather-beaten Carmoesalo, layd up to a full sea, I tooke purpose to travell through the Iland; in the first dayes journey, I past by many fine Villages and pleasant fields, especially the vaile Alessandro; where the Greekes told me, their Ancestors were vanquished in battell by the Macedonian Conquerour. They also shewed me on the top of Mount Gargasso, the ruines of that Temple, which had beene of old dedicate to Jupiter: and upon the second day I hired two Fisher-men in a little Boat, to carry me over to Zante, being twenty five miles distant.
Here in Zante a Greekish Chyrurgion undertooke the curing of my arme, & performed condition within time.