IN regard that wee began our voyage some-what too late in the yeare, it fell out to be so much the longer, (as I wrote vnto your worships in Ianuary last, from the Iland Mau­ritio, by the Admirall Ste­uen vander Haghen:) from whence we departed the 27. of Ianuary, and fear­ing the passage of those shallow places, wee caused our Pinnasses or small boates to sayle before, and in the night time to hang out Lanthornes, by which meanes wee got ouer the flats of Nazare, ouer the North point called Haya de Malsa, and Perodes Ban­hos, and made toward Chagros, but could not get the­ther by the North, and therefore tooke our course Southerly, and found no ground: from thence wee past betweene Pulo Malueo, and the Maldiues, but saw no land vntill the two and twenty of March, yet wee [Page 2]espied the Iland of Sumatra, which is the point of Achin, but could not reach it.

The 28. of Ianuary wee drew neere to the Nico­bares, where wee tooke in fresh water, and got some Coques Nuttes, and a few Hennes, in which place the inhabitants goe altogether naked: there I thought to haue gotten some Amber, which if I had stayed there, I might haue got for fiue blankes. There our men went on shoare, and hauing mustered, prepared some instruments of wood which I as then wanted.

At which time our souldiers and Sailers, desiring to know to what parts they were bound (for that as then they began to murmure amongst them-selues, saying, that they were not hyred to fight on land (and some of the chiefest Sailers stoutly maintained it.) I shewed them that the states commissaries Commis­sion giuen vnto me, was to besiege and win the towne of Malacca, setting before their eyes what honor and great profit they were to expect from thence, toge­ther with the small perill which they had to incurre: saying, that I would send them to no other place, but where I would hazard mine owne life with them, promising them that if they chanced to winne the towne by force of assault, they should haue the ran­sacking thereof, and if that they got it by treatie and composition, they should likewise haue that they found therein, reseruing some part thereof to fortifie the towne withall, wherewith they were much incou­raged, and resolutely with one voyce, cryed out and sayd, that they were fully resolued to win the towne, [Page 3]and with that resolution wee sayled through the Straights: and vpon the last of Aprill, arriued within halfe a mile of Malacca, with the losse of two men onely, that dyed by the way.

And being come before Malacca, I commanded that foure ships that lay in the road, (whereof one was laden for China,) should bee set on fire, but my com­mission being not obserued, my men giuing them­selues to drinking, they let them make away, where they had three men slaine, and fifteene wounded: but I willed them onely to burne them, and not to ran­sake them.

The next day after we consulted about our landing (for that order had beene taken long before how wee should land, and what euery man should doe) some were of opinion to land presently, others said that it was not expedient for vs to land so hastily in a strange countrey, not knowing the enemies forces, and that it was best for vs to stay the comming of the King of Ihor that was looked for within eight or ten dayes, for wee perceiued a wood neere vnto the shore, much to the enemies aduantage to play vpon vs from thence, we not being able to pursue them, and there­fore alledged that they thought it not good to put the whole Fleete in danger, before the comming of the King of Ihor: who being arriued with two or three thousand men, they sayd wee might land boldly, and put our enemy in great feare: this was the iudgment of the greater part of vs, which did preuaile, though I my selfe liked better of our present landing.

The eight of May we landed with the King of Ihor, (who had about three thousand men with him,) and in our landing lost not one man; for the Portugales be­ing two or three hundred, that stood ready on the shore to resist vs, suddenly retired into the suburbes of the towne, where they defended themselues till mid night, and then setting them on fire, and breaking the bridge, ranne into the towne. In my aduise sent vnto the Commissaries, I haue declared what I haue done before Malacca, vntill the eight of August, and what small ayde and assistance we haue receiued from the Ihorites, with the disorder and mutiny of our peo­ple, the strength of the towne, their sallies out against vs, and how they haue with credit beene driuen back againe by vs, &c.

At such time as we intended to remooue our siege, in regarde that the Portingales Armado as then laye hard by Capo Rachado, which is about twelue miles from Malacca: they of Malacca thought verily eyther to spoile vs, or to hinder our pretence (they of Mal­leyc being all gone aboorde, except a hundred and twenty, or a hunderd and thirty men,) and issuing out of the towne with all the men they could make, set vpon vs, but we couragiously draue them back againe, with the losse of fifty of their men, and but one man of ours hurt.

This done, for the space of two nights I was much troubled about shipping of our Ordnance, in regarde that the streame was not swift, whereby the water could not get to the shore, & the ground very muddy, [Page 5]so that I could hardly get our Canon aboord, but God prouided so well for vs, that vpon the 16. day we all got aboord, and left not any thing on the shoare, hauing about three hundred hurt and sicke men a­mongst vs. Notwithstanding the 17. of August we set forward to encounter our enimy, whose Fleete was 14. Galions, 4. Galleys, and 15. or 16. Fustes or Fri­gates, and two or three Galions, came two or three dayes after vnto their Fleete: that euening we shotte against them, and chased them, but in the night they put on more sailes, and wee following after them all the next day, holding our course Northerly. The next night following I layd mee downe to sleepe, for I had taken no rest in three dayes and three nights before, beeing much busied about our Ordinance: In the meane time Dyrick Mol maister of my ship came vnto me, shewing me that the enemy out-sailed vs, asking me whether wee should put on any more sailes, I an­swered, yea; and willed him at any hand to keepe them still in fight. Not long after that he came againe, and tolde mee that the enemy had cast Anchor, wher­vpon I charged him to Anchor also, and to keepe aboue the winde: The rest of our ships anchred loofe­ward, a Canon shot wide from the enemy. In the mor­ning before the breake of day, I caused a peece to bee shotte off, to warne to set saile, for as then the enemy had gotten some-what more, and had the loofe of vs: and at the same time also shotte off a warning peece vnto his shippe. Our shippe called the Nassau, was long winding vp of her Anchor; and before I could [Page 6]make signes vnto her to cut the cable, a Portugall ship aborded her, which I perceiuing, wound my shippe about to ayde her, but the Sea was so calme, that I could not reache her, but by force borded Simon Man, and could by no meanes get from him. The Admirall Alioza de Caruailla, seeing vs fast together, boorded Symon Mau, and Henrico de Loroinge boorded mee, (these two were the greatest Gallions the enemy had): after that came Duarte de Guerra, and fell also vpon mee, where-with wee gaue fire on all sides, at which encounter most part of Duarte de Guerras men were kild, and hee himselfe also: Alioza de Caruailla forsooke his ship, and was likewise slaine: Don Henri­co receiued more then a hundred shottes thorough his ship.

Afterwards Claes Gherritsz Maister of the Mauri­tius, fell vpon Duarte de Guerra, and set her on fire, whereby our blind also was set on fire: the other Por­tugall ships would haue set vpon vs, but durst not for the fire, meane time I cast out an Anchor which was cut off by my men, but they sayd that it was done by the fire. The Mauritius loosed himselfe, & Simon Man of Middleborough draue from vs, with Duarte de Guer­ra, and Alioza de Caruailla, but the people for the most part were all slaine, I hauing cast out another Anchor, called vnto them to cast one of their Cables vnto vs to stay them, but the noyse was so great that they heard vs not, so that they burnt all together. Simon Mau saued the most part of his men, except eigh­teene that were hurt, and some that were taken [Page 7]prisoners, that were afterwards released by my meanes. I was still fast grapled to Henrico, to whom I promisd his life if hee would yeeld, (for hee could not defend himselfe, which hee promised to doe, ma­ny of his men being very desirous to come ouer into our ship, but I refused them (yet twelue of them came aboord) fearing that my men would fall to the spoile, for they had twise more men then wee, and our anchor would not hold, and still the enemyes fleete approached, wee beeing very weary, my Mai­ster and my Captaine beeing slaine, and the chiefe Marchant hurt, whereof not long after hee dyed, and I was forced to bee present at euery conflict. Whervpon I commanded Don Henrico to cast out an­chor, but hee excused himselfe, saying, that hee was not able to doe it, for which cause I sent a man to looke whether it were so or not, which gaue himselfe to the spoyle; then I sent an other that tooke the maisters Whistle from his necke, but comming back againe, sayd that the shippe was full of dead men, and that the anchors were lost, and the cables shotte in peeces, by the Canon shotte. Where-vpon I caused a Rope to bee brought out at the Sterne, to fasten it vnto vs. In the meane time our anchor tooke holde, and his ship brake from vs, and so I lost my prize: which shewes that they which make many delayes, are often disappointed, so that it seemes that marshall affaires must bee vndertaken with quick and speedy resolution. This grieued vs much, but there was no remedie: This happened about euening.

One of the enemies ships also boorded the Nassau, at which time also their Vice-roy fell vpon him on the other side, but could not winne him, and therefore set the Gallery, and the Sterne of her on fire, and so shee was burnt, the Vice-roy likewise had been burnt with her if the Galleyes had not pluckt him away by force.

The most part of the Nassaus men were saued: Mauritius and the Black Lion thought to haue falne vpon the Viceroy; but the winde was too calme, the rest of our ships did their endeuours, but there were some faint-hearted amongst them, notwithstanding wee held out, and fought all that day, although vnfor­tunately with losse of two ships on either side.

The next day being the nineteene of August, all our ships being repayred, wee resolued to recouer our losses, for the which wee were much grieued, but if the Nassau had cut her Anchors in time, wee had not boorded one the other, and it had fallen out better for vs.

The twentieth of August wee fell to it againe, al­though I found not my men so ready and resolute as before, for those that had escaped out of the shippes that were burnt, especially they of Middleborough, asked mee where they should haue their moneths pay, wherevnto I answered, that it was then no time to speake of such matters; and that I knew not how the Commissaries would vnderstand these things, and yet I sayd I was informed that they had beha­ued themselues valiantly, and that therefore it was [Page 9]no reason but that they should haue their due, and that to my power I would defend and maintaine them in all iust causes. Within an houre after, the men of my ship also came vnto mee, and demanded security for their moneths pay; or else they said they would not fight: they had some setters on, which as yet I dare not name. This made mee halfe abasht, yet I vsed all the meanes that I could possible to ap­pease them, and at the last they seemed to bee con­tented.

About the euening wee approched the enemy a­gaine, and then I first obserued what danger the words (of respectiue ships) set downe in our Arti­cles brought vs into: for by meanes of the losse of the two shippes aforesaid, euery one drew back from ioyning with the enemy, beeing lothe to vse his hy­poteke or assurance, whereby wee were not halfe so forward to set vpon our enemy as wee were at the first; for not so much as a Swabber in the shippe but hee would dispute vpon the wordes of Respectiue ships, for whereas it is sayd, that for the assurance of their pay, they shall haue the ship wherein they serued, and the goods that were in it and no more, euery one was carefull for his owne.

That day and the next wee shotte diuers times at the Viceroy, but I perceiuing that wee had not pow­der enough to ouer-come such an army, nor bullets to serue our turnes, though I had caused some to bee made before Malacca; but not sufficient, wee left off.

The shipps that stayde behinde came neere vnto the enemy, that had his rowing Pinnasses, where­with hee could fetch water when hee would, and in our sight carryed his hurt men to Malacca, where­vpon wee called a counsell together, and resolued to goe to Ihor, chiefly to release our ships, for it see­med that our enemy could sayle better then wee, as also to refresh out sicke men, to make Bullets, and to incourage the King: this wee performed at Ihor, which hath one of the best riuers of the world: there wee made Bullets, but could get but little refreshing for money, I also incouraged the King of Ihor, coun­selling him to fortifie his towne, and shewed him how hee should doe it, which at last was begunne, and had soone beene finished, if the Hollanders would haue wrought.

Wee departed thence the thirteene of October, and the twentith came before Malacca, and for the space of sixe dayes laye in sight of the Towne, but could not approach neere vnto it by reason of the winde, so that the enemy placed all his shipps, being seauen Galeons and three Galleys (for the fourth was shotte to peeces by Capo Rachado) in a rowe, and all his Canon on the one side. Wee there-vpon taking counsell resolued to set vpon the enemy, but because wee had little prouision of pouder, and a long iour­ney to make home-ward, and perceiuing that wee could not seperate their shippes with shooting, wee agreed that three of our ships should boord them, which I thought to haue done in the night time, [Page 11]taking with mee the Sunne, and the Froninee of Delse, but could not by reason of the streame: the morning beeing coole and cleere, and fitte to take some-thing in hand, the winde comming from the land, and wee lying Northerly from the roade, wee made saile, mea­ning to fall vpon their shippe that lay most Southerly and most beneath the streame, for the water began to turne, but the winde was so sharpe, that I could scant passe by the roade, so that wee approached neere to Illa das noas, and woond about it, but could not set vp­on any of them, but vpon that which laye Norther­liest (which was the greatest Gallion next vnto the Vice-royes, and had in her nineteene Brasse peeces, and three Yron peeces, a hundred and three score Portingales, and as many Moores (I willed my maister called Symon Lambrechtsz Man, whom I had taken in­to my ship, in the steed of Dirick Mol that was slaine, to set vpon her. Wee were forced to passe by all the shippes of the enemy, not without some hurt vnto vs, but I shotte not at all, rescuing euery thing ready vntill our aboording, but when wee were halfe way forward amongst the enemies ships, my Maister and the Pylote counselled mee to turne our course, to whō I made answer, that I wanted no aduise nor coun­saile, to delay them of till wee were aboord the Gal­lion, and so held on vntill we boorded her, and so let a Dragge fall, appointing ten Musquetters to keepe it, and to hinder that the enemy should not loose it, which the enemy sought to doe: I willed them also to shoote continually towards their Mersch, and from [Page 12]our Mersch and garnates, I caused stones and fire-balles to bee cast, whereby the enimie was driuen vnder his net. And as soone as I had fastned vppon him, the Sunne fell on his other side, and the Prouince came behinde vs, and brake his Spritt against the enemies shippes, the Galion had an anchor before the flood, and a cable fastned at the Vice-royes ship, but the cable was presently cutte in peeces, as al­so the cable that fastened the Viceroy vnto him, and so wee draue together towards the Lee: the other Portugales perceiuing that, hoysed their sailes (which was that which I aymed at, to drawe them from the wall,) and made to sea-ward. Wee fell vp­on the Saint Nicholas, and killed all the men, except eight Portingalles, that hidde them-selues vnder the Ballast, and so wee tooke her.

My Maister and the Pilote sayd, that it was not expedient that two of our shippes should be bound to one shippe, and that wee should leaue the Sunne alone with it, and fall vpon the Viceroy that drew neere vnto vs, which counsell I liked not, fearing to haue the like chance that I had with Henrico.

A little while after Roobol Maister of the great Sunne, called vnto mee, to pray mee to let him alone in the shippe, and that hee would carry it to the Sea, which I would not consent vnto, but per­ceiuing that I could not doe any thing to my minde, I leaft it: and presently the weather was very calme, the Portingales shippes laye loofe-ward from vs, whereof one made towards the great Sunne, but [Page 13]hee could not, fearing to be clapt on boord by vs, we perceiuing that the calme either hindred vs to come togither; I sent a boate to Roobol willing him to set fire in the shippe, where vnto hee answered that I should hold my peace, and sayd hee would not do it, in the meane time hee got him-selfe loose, by what meanes I know not, and hoysing vp his great sayle, ranne more then a myle from the Fleete not once looking backe: In the meane while two Portingale shippes boorded the Vize-admirall, against whome came Mauritius and the Blacke Lion, and behaued them­selues so well, that the one of th'enemies shippes was burnt, and the other spoyled. The Erasmus set vppon a portingale, but they were presently sepa­rated againe, and I sayling by him willed him to bord him againe, which he did, but they were present­ly seperated againe. The great calme hindred mee that I could not come neere them: after that a whirle­winde rysing, scattered the shippes; and with that Mauritius made towards the Portingale againe, Erasmus and I also turning towards him, which the Portingale perceiuing, yeelded vnto vs, where wee killed foure and forty Portingales, and tooke out of her eight peeces of brasse, and so set fire on hir. In the shippe which the Vize-admirall burnt there was not so much as a catte or a dogge saued: The shippe that Roobol did let go, was driuen by the Gallies to the shoare, and so the euening came vp­pon vs.

The next morning, the Vizeroys shippe lying [Page 14]formost, I made towards him, but my Maister and Pilot tolde mee that I could not reach him; for which cause I made to the Galion Saint Symon, that yeelded it selfe vnto mee, for the men were most of them runne from him: the Captaine with twenty men onely remaining in her: out of her I tooke foureteene peeces, some flesh, wine, and pou­der, and so set it on fire.

This (thankes bee vnto GOD) was the suc­cesse of our battaile, without any great losse of men, wee burnt three Gallions, wherein many Gen­tlemen were slaine, and aboue foure hundred Portin­gale souldiers, as I was after informed by certaine intercepted letters; wee our selues made our vic­tory bloudy, for our men were so diuilishly giuen so seeke after prey and bootie, that rowing round about the Gallion that burnt, they fell to ransack­ing the men that swum in the water, whereby the fire got into the powder, and burnt three of our boates, wherein wee lost foure and twenty men of the White Lyon, eighteene of the Black Lion, eleuen of the Vice-Admirall, seauen of the Prouince, and fiue of the great Sunne. God forgiue them their ouer-sight.

The eight and twentie day wee went againe to­wards Malacca; intending to burne the Vice-roy and the Paule, but as wee had concluded the euening before to performe it: the next morning the Vice-roy himselfe caused fire to bee put into three of the Gallions, so great was their feare: I [Page 51]seeing that presently retired, thinking them to bee fire shippes sent for to burne vs.

After that I made agreement to release the Portingales, that were in all a hundred seauenty fiue, and as many Moores, vppon condition that the Viceroy should send mee all my Duch-men that were prisoners in Mallacca, and that hee had in any place within the Indies; and that three Captaines, Christianus Swarez, Andreas Peso, and Ferdinando Marcado, should pay fiue thousand Ducats for their ransome, which should bee de­uided amongst our men.

Which accordingly was performed, beside a thousand Ducats which are not yet payd, for two Portingales, whereof one left his brother with me in hostage: This money I deuided amongst the Saylers, euery one hauing fiue ryals of eight, (for the Ducats make but sixe ryals) to make them the willinger to sette vppon the rest of the Armado that was gone to Nisobaer. The chiefe thing wor­thy the noting was that when I came the second time within the sight of Mallacca, there rose a mu­tinie in some of the ships saying that they would not fight, and alledging that they entred not into seruice to that end, saying that it was true that they had made me a promise to make a triall vpon Nisobaer but that they said was performed before Mallacca: and also at Capo Rachado, as they sup­posed: the most part of them yeelded to rea­son, but those of the Vice-Admirall said they [Page 16]would giue eare to nothing, so that I was forced to vse some threatning wordes, and sayd that for all their deniall the matter should not goe as they would haue it, and so willing, nilling, they went on with the rest.

Thus I went with all the shippes to Nisobaer, though I intended to haue sent the White-Lyon and the Vice-admirall toward; Bantham, there to take in their lading, and the next yeare to bee at home: but the most voyces would haue vs all to goe to­gether to Nisobaer, and to trie whether wee could seperat their shippes, which wee hoped to finde all dispersed, as also to get the King of Queda on our side, to the end that no victuals should bee carried from thence to Malacca, and so wee came before Queda.

The nineteene of Nouember I offered my ser­uice vnto the King, showing him that I was come thether to helpe him for to driue the Portingales out of his dominions, and to chase them from his Hauen, according to his letters written vnto mee, and sent to Batasaner, and that I was desirous to lade a shippe there, because his name was not yet knowne in our countrey, which I sayd would tend vnto his honor and profit. The King glad to heare that, prayed mee to helpe him to take a Pourtu­gale shippe and two Fregattes that laye in the ri­uer: Where-vpon I presently sent three Boates that the same night set those three shippes on fire, after that the Maleyes had taken the goods un­wares [Page 17]out of them, for I charged my men to take nothing from thence, there I tooke a praw com­ming from Malacca, and therein some letters, con­taining that their Armado was not farre from Pau­lo Bouton, and meant to sayle to the Indies the fourth of December: therfore I made hast to follow them, before that the foure Fregattes with a hundred and foure and twentie men and munition of warre, should come vnto them, and ioyne with them.

The ninth of December wee gotte to Paulo Bouton, and saw the Armado, which no sooner per­ceiued vs, but they retyred to a place where they had streame and winde to their aduantage, and made themselues fast with foure cables before and behinde, and with a cable that reached from the one shippe to the other, and laye in such manner that wee could not come neere vnto them, vnlesse wee would winde our selues on boord of them in the night, I sent diuerse shippes vnto them, but could doe nothing. Then wee prepared a fire ship, thinking vnder the shotte of our Cannon to gette neere them, but it would not bee: they had placed all their Canon on the one side, and in the midst all along their shippes they had layd Trees and Pipes filde vp with sand, and had in-sconsed them-selues in such manner, that they could turne and winde their shippes as they would, and discharge their Cannon at their pleasures, hauing a Northerlie winde that blew strongly out of the valleys, so that wee sought to get neere vnto them.

When wee came towards the point of the land, it was there calme vnder the high land, and com­ming neere vnto them, the winde blew out of the Valleys, so that if wee would boord them, wee could not, vnlesse we would burne our selues with them, which they desire, (as it appeareth by the letters of the Vice-roy) for they make their rec­koning that they haue wone victory enough if by burning of two of their shippes, they burne one of ours: for the King cares not for his shippes, so he may thereby finde the meanes to hinder the Hollanders from their Nauigation.

It was not good for vs to stay there any longer, for euery day wee lost our anchors, so that our resolution was to go to Pulo Lankeui, where they must of force stay, if they would goe for Mallacca, that so we might set vpon them in the maine Sea. The twentith day lying vnder Lankeui, sixe miles from Poulo Bouton, wee determined to send the white Lyon to Queda to see if she might get three or four hundred bales of Pepper there, because at Dachin shee should finde lading enough to serue her turne: But they could get nothing in Queda: For when they begin to gather the new Pepper, the old is gone, which is worth foure and twenty ryalls in Cosgie, and in Ihor, and so went to the rest of our ships againe, lying vnder Pulo Lankeui to watch for the Portingales.

The nine and twentith day the King of Queda (after that I burnt the Portugales shippes in his [Page 19]Riuer) caused twenty Portugales to bee kild, thinking so to doe mee a great pleasure therein, because I had sent him word that hee should shew some signes by his actions, that I might conceiue him to be my good friend. Your Wor­shippes may iudge hereby what affection hee beareth vnto the Portugales: From thence there is nothing to bee brought away but Pepper and victuals, whereby those of Mallacca are sustai­ned: this people alwaies hold with the stronger part. In the deliuering of the Portingale priso­ners vnto the Vice roy before Mallacca, I had like to haue bene betrayed, for whereas I was so liberal that I gaue a hundred and seauenty Portingales, and as many Moores, for fiue or sixe of my men which they had (but I reserued the Captaines and three or foure more for to get the three thousand ducats afore-said) I sent a note by a Portingale on shoare, to will the Vice-roy to send mee my men, and I would send him all his soldiers hole and dis­seased, which if hee refused and held mee in sus­pence, I said I would cast all the Portingales ouer­boord, he returned with a note, whereby the Vice­roy willed me to send him the Portingales, & sent me a bill of all their names both soldiers & Cap­taines & all others that were in my hands, & when my messēger shewed me that the prisoners were in danger of their liues; Andrew Hurtado made answer let him kill them, the rest will fight better an o­ther time, which whē I vnderstood, I returned the messenger presently againe with this answer that [Page 20]if in the morning before Sunne rising hee did not send mee all my Duch men I would kill all the Portingales; for I perceiued that the Viceroy de­laid mee off; hee returning brought with him three Duch-men, for there were no more in the towne, the rest were in the Armado at Poulo Bouton: which hee promised to send, meane time I had call'd a Councell togither, and my white flagge hung out, and certainly if hee had staid but two houres longer, these hundred and seauenty Por­tingales had beene cast ouer-boord, for a war­ning vnto them, not to mocke with vs another time, for when they haue their desires, they scoffe at vs, and esteeme vs to bee men that know not the course of the world, and that dare not (be­cause of the reuerence wee beare vnto them) of­fend them any-way, and thus the boast before the Indian Princes.

I thought to haue sent a letter to the Viceroy, but deferr'd it for certaine causes, vntill some fitter time, to let him vnderstand that wee intended to make warre-like soldiers, and that if hee would deale hardlyer with my men that hee should take, then I had hether to done with his, hee would find himselfe greatly deceiued, and that if he thought to stoppe my mouth with the Inquisition and such like masquerados, and so keepe and consume my men in his country, saying that hee could doe no­thing against th'Inquisition, I and those that shal come after mee to the Indies, would make warre [Page 21]against th'Inquisition, and cast all their shaueling Fryers ouer-boord, which would concerne the Inquisition and not him. May it therefore please the States to take such order that these fel­lowes may no longer terrifie vs with their viz­ards: And thus much I caused to bee sayd vnto the Viceroy him-selfe by the Captaines that were prisoners.

Meane time I sent a Praw from Queda to Pulo Lankeui with one of my men in it, to see whether the enemie lay still at Poulo-bouton, who returned answer the nine and twentith day, that they were yet there, and brought two boyes prisoners with him, that tolde mee that they had sent a Galliot to Mallacca to haue aduise from the Viceroy, to know what they should do, whither they shold re­turne to the Indies or to Mallacca, for they durst not leaue their aduantage, without command: they said also, that when I thought to haue set on them with the fire-shippe and shotte vppon them, that twenty men were kild in the Admirall, seauen in Iohn Pintos shippe, and eight in Iacomo de Ma­raris his cousins shippe wherein they went, but what was done in the other shippes they knew not.

I perceiuing that there was no lading at Queda, and that the enemy would not leaue his place of aduantage, and that my time drew neere to go to the Molucques, durst not stay any longer, for [Page 22] Amboine was of force to be fortified, whilst Ternate was taken in by those of Manilles, where the Gouernor Don Pedro de Sousa with a thousand two hundred Spaniards and eight hundred Indians was come, and had taken the King prisoner.

Therefore wee concluded, that the Vice-admirall with the White Lyon, and the great Sunne, should goe for Achin, to see if they by any meanes could make the like agreement with the King, as wee had made with the King of Ihor, and to giue the White Lion her full lading, and so send her home­ward, as also for to take in his owne lading if hee might, if not to goe presently for Bantam, and there to take in their lading, and so to returne home-ward, if hee could bee ready against the last of February, or the middle of March at the fur­thest, and to send the great Sunne to the coastes of Cormandel, but first to saile by Puncto de Galli vnder Celon, and there to trafficke and stay vntill the last of February, looking for the shippes of Bengale, and other places, which at that very time came from Couchien, and then were to goe to­wards Masolipatan, hoping that they shall finde trafficke enough for Pauwels van Sold, beeing in the Shippe called Delfte, hath (as I vnderstood of the Portugales that were taken before Queda) gotten three hundred bales of Cotten, linnen pain­ted, and also some Pintados.

I intended to goe the inner waye to Bantam [Page 23]with sixe Ships, to see if I can make agreement al­so with the King, and from thence to take our voy­age towards Amboyna and the Molucques, for Am­boyna must necessarily bee fortified, and wee must trie once againe to get the Molucques. Those of Banda play the beasts: some resolution or other must bee taken, for our men with their goods, that are there not assured of their liues, and the goods of the company are much endangered. From thence we will make towards China, and trye what we can doe there.

In the boate which I tooke before Malacca vp­on the three and twentith of October, I had seuen and thirtie bales, most part linnen cloath, and some Spanish Lether, whereof seauen I sent by the same boate to Amboyna, with foure thousand ry­als, foure and forty men, and forty Negros, and the halfe part of his lading of Rice, that was spoyled: and to goe to Maraza to buy good Rise, Flesh, and some Pintados or Cotton, Painted cloath, for to carry to Amboina, and to tell them that I would follow after them in the end of December: The other seuenteene Bales I gaue to our Saylers for a prize, with a Bale of thred, to make them the more willinger and readier to fight, for that they had gotten but little bootie. I hope we shall finde lading at Amboina and Banda, for the Pintados or Cotton cloath of Panwels van Sold, shall no doubt haue prepared some-thing for vs.

I perceiue full well that wee shall haue long worke to doe about the Molucques, and that the time will fall out too short for vs to goe to Mou­son in China; but time will teach vs what is to bee done: if wee assure not Amboina, all our labour is in vaine, it is also against my opinion that the Spaniard should come thether.

The Generall Don Pedro de Sousa is made Mar­quis of Ternate: The King that is taken is carryed to the West Indies, but his sonne is leaft with the King of Sidor, I was in good hope to haue perfor­med some-thing, but my armie is too much weake­ned, and I finde what hurt I receiued from the ship that was burning before Malacca, for there I lost the best men in my shippes: it is a strange thing that they are so rashlye and rudely giuen to the spoile, yet notwithstanding I must bee content and holde my peace.

Your worships may hereby perceiue, how wee haue behaued our selues these nine moneths here in the Straights, some-time fortunately, and some­time crossely, but alwayes haue done the best we could, following your worships councell. I neuer wanted will nor courage to doe any seruice for my countrie, and though I haue not done as I would or desired, yet I haue performed what I could, as it is manifest by the premises. I comfort my selfe with this saying: That it is enough in great mat­ters to will well, the Tree falls not at the first blow: [Page 25]if I could haue ouer-throwne those seauen shippes that lay still at Paulo Bouton, our time had beene well spent, but wee thought it not expedient to spendall our powder and munition. Wee haue yet a long iourney to make, wee must not bee too prodigall: I haue written my whole minde to the generall companie, what meanes there are to be­ginne warre againe.

The Almightie GOD giue vs a prosperous voyage, that all our endeuours may tend to the good of our natiue countrey, and of the worshipfull company.

The 6. of Ianuary 1607.