The Principal Navigations, Voyages, Traffiques and Discoveries of the English Nation — Volume 11 eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 571 pages of information about The Principal Navigations, Voyages, Traffiques and Discoveries of the English Nation — Volume 11.

The Principal Navigations, Voyages, Traffiques and Discoveries of the English Nation — Volume 11 eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 571 pages of information about The Principal Navigations, Voyages, Traffiques and Discoveries of the English Nation — Volume 11.
But the Turks discharged twise as fast against the Christians, and so long, that the ship was very sore stricken and bruised vnder water.  Which the Turkes perceiuing, made the more haste to come aboord the Shippe:  which ere they could doe, many a Turke bought it deerely with the losse of their liues.  Yet was all in vaine, and boorded they were, where they found so hote a skirmish, that it had bene better they had not medled with the feast.  For the Englishmen shewed themselues men in deed, in working manfully with their browne bils and halbardes:  where the owner, master, boateswaine, and their company stoode to it so lustily, that the Turkes were halfe dismaied. [Sidenote:  The valour and death of their Boatswaine.] But chiefly the boateswaine shewed himself valiant aboue the rest:  for he fared amongst the Turkes like a wood Lion:  for there was none of them that either could or durst stand in his face, till at the last there came a shot from the Turkes, which brake his whistle asunder, and smote him on the brest, so that he fell downe, bidding them farewell, and to be of good comfort, encouraging them likewise to winne praise by death, rather then to liue captiues in misery and shame.  Which they hearing, in deed intended to haue done, as it appeared by their skirmish:  but the prease and store of the Turkes was so great, that they were not able long to endure, but were so ouerpressed, that they could not wield their weapons:  by reason whereof, they must needs be taken, which none of them intended to haue bene, but rather to haue died:  except onely the masters mate, who shrunke from the skirmish, like a notable coward, esteeming neither the valure of his name, nor accounting of the present example of his fellowes, nor hauing respect to the miseries, whereunto he should be put.  But in fine, so it was, that the Turks were victors, whereof they had no great cause to reioyce, or triumph.  Then would it haue grieued any hard heart to see these Infidels so violently intreating the Christians, not hauing any respect of their manhood which they had tasted of, nor yet respecting their owne state, how they might haue met with such a bootie, as might haue giuen them the ouerthrow; but no remorse hereof, or any thing els doth bridle their fierce and tirannous dealing, but that the Christians must needs to the gallies, to serue in new offices:  and they were no sooner in them, but their garments were pulled ouer their eares, and torne from their backes, and they set to the oares.

I will make no mention of their miseries, being now vnder their enemies raging stripes.  I thinke there is no man wil iudge their fare good, or their bodies vnloden of stripes, and not pestered with too much heate, and also with too much cold:  but I will goe to my purpose, which is, to shew the ende of those, being in meere miserie, which continually doe call on God with a steadfast hope that he will deliuer them, and with a sure faith that he can doe it.

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The Principal Navigations, Voyages, Traffiques and Discoveries of the English Nation — Volume 11 from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.