Chap.

i 602.

Their Pro-posals i

Rejected-

LXVIII. during the Reign of §lueen Elizabeth. 387

they would needs hasten on Board theCarrack again ; Because, as it seemed,by these two Gentlemen, there was anUproar, and a Division in her ; Somebeing of Opinion to entertain a Parly,others to save themselves, and set heron Fire: Which Sir William Monfonhearing, without any further Delay orConference with Sir Richard , whatwas to be done, he leaped suddenly in-to his Boat, and rowed to the Carrack ;When he drew near her, he was knownto divers Gentlemen on Board , sincehis Imprisonment amongst them, whoseemed to be very glad of their Meet-ing ; And they embraced him, in Re-membrance of their old Acquain-tance.

The Captain of her was Don DiegoLobo , a gallant young Gentleman, of aNoble House. He came down, upon theBend of the Ship, and commanded hisMen to stand aside ; Sir William did thelike to his Company in the Boat. TheCaptain demanded of him, if he hadthe Portuguese Language, he told himsufficiently to treat of that Business,and acquainted him of the Command hehad in the Fleet; Sir William intimatedthe Affection he bore to the PortugueseNation, and that the Treaty, which wasoffered proceeded from his Motion ,and wiffied him to proceed to his Propo-sals, which he did, and were as fol-lows.

The first Demand he made, was, thatthey might be safely put on Shoar withtheir Arms. The second, that it shouldbe done the same Night. The third,that they should enjoy their Ship andOrdnance, as appertaining to the King,but the English the Wealth. Thefourth, that the Flag and Ancient shouldnot be taken down, but worn duringthe whole Time the Carrack was unla-ding. This Speech being ended, SirWilliam told him his Demands gaveRoom to suspect, that, under Pretenceof Parly, they meant Treachery, orthat their Hopes were greater thanthere was Cause, or he could conceive;And, but that he knew it was the Wayof some Men to demand great Things,when less would serve them, he wouldnot lose his Advantage to entertain aParly any longer.

He desired, that what they intend-ed might be quickly concluded ; ForNight growing on might advantagethem; And as for his Resolution, heshould understand it in few Words, as

follows: To his first Demand, he was 1602.willing to yield, that they should be Sir William'put on Shoar with their Arms; The fe- S

cond, he was contented,that they shouldbe set on Shoar that Night, excepteight or ten of the principal Gentle-men, which he would detain threeDays. To the third, he held it idleand frivolous, to imagine he would con-sent to separate Ship and Goods, and e-steemed it por Cosa de bur la, (or, as aJest.) To the fourth, he would notconsent, being resolved never to per-mit a Spaniso Flag to be worn in thePresence of the Queen’s Ships, unlessit were disgracefully over the Poop.

There was long Expostulation uponthese Points, and Sir William Monfon,seing the Obstinacy of the Captain, of-fered, in great Rage, to leap into hisBoat, resolving to break off theTreaty,which the Rest of the Gentlemen per-ceiving , and that he had proposednothing, but that might very well standwith their Reputation, they entreatedhim once more to ascend into the Ship,and they would enter into new Capitu-lation, the Effect whereof, as it wasagreed upon, was as follows.

That a Messenger should be sent to ^ cce Wd-the Admiral, to have his Confirmationto the Points concluded on, and that,in ,the mean Time, the Flag and An-cient should be taken down; And ifthe Admiral should not consent to theAgreement, they to have Leisure toput out their Flag and Ancient, beforethe Fight should begin ; That the Com-pany should be presently set on Shoar,the Captain with eight other of thePrincipal Gentlemen, three Days after.

That the Ship, with her Goods, shouldbe surrendered, without any Deceit orTreachery. That they should use theirEndeavours for the Castle to forbearshooting, whilst the English rid in theRoad. And this was the Substance ofthe Conditions agreed upon.

The Reader must understand, thatthis Carrack wintered in Mosambique,in her Return from the Indies, a Place State of theof great Infection, as appeared by the Carrack -Mortality in the Ship ; For of six Hun-dred and odd Men, not twenty of themlived to return Home. After a greatdeal of Calamity and Misfortune, shearrived at this Port of Cezimbra, wherethe Viceroy of Portugal sent elevenGallies to her Rescue, and four Hun-dred Mocas de Camara, (which is aTitle of Gentlemen that serve the King

5 F upon