INTRODUCTION.

There are two relations of this voyage in the Pilgrims of Purchas, or rather accounts of two separate voyages by different ships of the fleet; which consisted of four, the Red Dragon, admiral, Captain Henry Middleton general; the Hector, vice-admiral, Captain Sorflet; the Ascension, Captain Colthurst; and the Susan.  These were, in all probability, the same ships which had been in the former voyage under Lancaster.  The former of these journals, written on board the admiral, confines itself chiefly to Captain Middleton’s transactions at Bantam and the Moluccas; having sent Captain Colthurst in the Ascension to Banda.  The latter contains the separate transactions of Captain Colthurst, and is described as a brief extract from a larger discourse written by Thomas Clayborne, who seems to have sailed in the Ascension; and, besides describing what particularly relates to the trip to Banda, gives some general account of the whole voyage.  In the Pilgrims of Purchas, these narratives are transposed, the former being given in vol.  I. p. 703, and the latter in vol.  I. p. 185.  “But should have come in due place before, being the second voyage of the company, if we had then had it:  But better late than never.”  Such is the excuse of Purchas for misplacement, and we have therefore here placed the two relations in their proper order, in separate subdivisions of the section.  The first indeed is a very bald and inconclusive article, and gives hardly any information respecting the object and success of the voyage to the Moluccas.

[Footnote 152:  Purch.  Pilgr.  I.185, and I. 703.  Astl.  I.279, and I. 281.]

Sec. 1. Voyage of the General, Henry Middleton, afterward Sir Henry, to Bantam and the Moluccas, in 1604.[153]

Being furnished with all necessaries, and having taken leave of the company, we set sail from Gravesend on the 25th March, 1604, and arrived about the 20th December, after various accidents, in the road of Bantam, with our crews very weak and sickly.  After many salutations, and interchange of ordnance between us and the Hollanders, the general of the Hollanders dined with our general on the 31st December.  Next day, being 1st January, 1605, the general went on shore with a letter and presents from James I. King of England, to the King of Bantam, then a youth of thirteen years of age, and governed by a protector.  The 16th of the same month, our general came on board to proceed for the Moluccas, having appointed Captain Surtlet to go home in the Hector.  The 7th February, we anchored under the shore of Veranula, the people of which having a deadly hatred against the Portuguese, had sent to the Hollanders for aid against them, promising to become their subjects if they would expel the Portuguese.  In short, the castle of Amboyna was surrendered to the Hollanders; after which, by their command, the governor of the town debarred us from all trade.

[Footnote 153:  Purch.  Pilgr.  I.708.  Astl.  I. 279.]