well stricken in yeeres, well spoken, of comely personage,
of good stature, but of hard fortune. In his
seuerall seruices against the Moores he was twise
taken prisoner, and both times ransomed by the king.
In a former voyage of returne from the East India
he was driuen vpon the Baxos or sands of Iuda nere
the coast of Cephala, being then also captaine of a
caracke which was there lost, and himselfe, though
escaping the sea-danger, yet fell into the hands of
infidels on land; who kept him vnder long and grieuous
seruitude. Once more the king carying a louing
respect to the man, and desirous to better his condition,
was content to let him try his fortune in this Easterly
nauigation, and committed vnto him the conduct of this
caracke, wherein he went from Lisbon Generall of the
whole fleet, and in that degree had returned, if the
Vice-rey of Goa embarked for Portugall in the Bon
Iesus had not, by reason of his late office, bene preferred.
Sir Iohn intending not to adde too much affliction
to the afflicted, moued with pity and compassion of
humane misery, in the end resolued freely to dismisse
this captaine and the most part of his followers, to
their owne countrey, and for the same purpose bestowed
them in certaine vessels furnished with all kindes
of necessary prouision. This businesse thus dispatched,
good leasure had he to take such view of the goods
as conueniency might affoord. And hauing very
prudently (to cut off the vnprofitable spoile and pillage
whereunto he saw the minds of many inclined) seised
vpon the whole to her Maiesties vse, after a short
and slender romaging and searching of such things
as first came to hand, he perceiued that the wealth
would arise nothing disanswerable to expectation;
but that the variety and grandure of all rich commodities
would be more then sufficient to content both the
aduenturers desire and the souldiers trauell.
And here I cannot but enter into the consideration
and acknowledgement of Gods great fauor towards our
nation, who by putting this purchase into our hands
hath manifestly discouered those secret trades and
Indian riches, which hitherto lay strangely hidden,
and cunningly concealed from vs; whereof there was
among some few of vs some small and vnperfect glimse
onely, which now is turned into the broad light of
full and perfect knowledge. Whereby it should
seeme that the will of God for our good is (if our
weaknesse could apprehend it) to haue vs communicate
with them in those East Indian treasures, and by the
erection of a lawfull traffike to better our meanes
to aduance true religion and his holy seruice.
The caracke being in burden by the estimation of the
wise and experienced no lesse then 1600 tunnes had
full 900 of those stowed with the grosse bulke of
marchandise, the rest of the tunnage being allowed,
partly to the ordinance which were 32 pieces of brasse
of all sorts, partly to the passengers and the victuals,
which could not be any small quantity, considering
the number of the persons betwixt 600 and 700, and