OF such honor (amongst all nations) hath the trade of Marchandizing béen euer accōpted that Commerce (euer in the hottest flames of Warre against one another,) could finde no better, or fayrer meanes to vnite them in amitie, and to ioyne thē (as it were in wedlock) then by Commerce and Negotiation. This is that chayne which bindes Kingdomes in Leagues, begetts loue betwéene princes farre remoued asunder, and teacheth nations, dif­ferent in qualitie, in colour, in religion,) to deale faithfully together as brethren. Traffique (to speake of our owne country) hath increased and strengthe­ned our Nauy, which is a second wall (besides that girdle of the Sea that encompasseth her body) to de­fend our Iland. It is the bréeder, and onely bringer vp of good Mariners, skilfull Pilots and cunning Nauigators, who to a state are as necessary in peace as [Page] husbandmen for the tillage, and in warre, as seruice­able as so many Captaines for the field. Traffique is the carier abroad of our owne home-spun commodi­ties, and a bringer in of the fruites of forraine king­domes, by which meanes the Merchant and Cittizen grow vp to wealth, and the tradeseman that liues by the hardnes of his hand, is still kept and mainteyned in good doings. There is no coast be it neuer so dange­rous, left vnsought no language (be it neuer so barba­rous or hard to learne) left vnstudied, no people (neuer so wilde) left vnuētured vpon, nor any treasure of the earth or curious worke of man left vnpurchased, only for this end, to do honor to our country, & to heape ri­ches to our selues, both which benefits do only spring out of our Trading to forraine shores.

For this cause therefore (A peace being conclu­ded beweene the two greaf and opulent kingdomes of England and Spaine) an english Ship (called the Three halfe Moones) being manned with eight and thirty Mariners and brauely armed with munition, was rigd, victualled, and readie furnished to take her voyage to Spayne. The Gods of the Sea (the windes) knowing her intent, prepared themselues, to goe along with her, and making the waues ready it becomed this Ship to hoist vp sailes & come on, So that w^c a merry gale shee tooke her leaue at Ports­mouth, bending her course towards Siuill, the grea­test Cittie in Spaine. Gallantly did shee for many dayes beare vp her head, and daunced euen on the top [Page] of the billowes: her masts stoode vp stiftly and went away like so many trées moued by enchantmēt, whilst the big bellied sayles made hast to fly after (blustring and puffing either in scorne or in anger) yet could ne­uer ouer-take them: or rather as louers roming af­ter young damosels at barlibreake, they tooke delight to see them make away before, and of purpose suffered them to vse that aduantage. But (alacke!) howe soone does the happinesse of this world alter? In this brauery had shée not caried her selfe long, but entring into the Sraights, Neptune grew angry with her, or els enuying her glory, sent eight gallies of the Turkes to beset her round. Now or neuer was both the cou­rage and the cunning of the Mariner to bee shewed, for either he must by the wings of his sailes fly away and so saue himselfe, or manfully stand to it, and pre­serue all from danger or gloriously to suffer all to pe­rish. Of flight was there no hope, for the windes & waues (that before were their freinds and tempted them to set forth) grew now trecherous and conspi­red their destruction. Nothing therefore tebut the mi­raculous power of heauen, and their owne resoluti­ons is on their side: euery man hereupon cals vp his spirits, and as the suddaynes of the deadly storme would allow them, did comfort one another. It was a goodly sight to behold how to the very face of danger they did defie danger, and howe in the midst of an o­uerthrow which had round beset them, they wisely and stoutly laboured to worke out a safetie, nothing [Page] could bée heard but noyse and confusion, and yet euen in that wilde disorder was there to bée seene an excel­lent method of pollicie. Their roming vp and down shewed as if they had bin all frantick, yet like so many dancers, that sometimes are here and anon antickly leape thither, fetching tournings and windings with strange and busie action, they closed vp euery worke with a swéete and musicall preparation.

For after the close fights were made ready aboue and that the deuilish mouthes of their ordināce were opening to spit hell fire out of the bellie of the Ship: vp comes the Maister (whose name was Groue) ar­med with sword and target, wauing his bright blade about his head in defiance of his barbarous and blou­dy enemies: his very lookes were able to fright death from his company, and so wel did his courage become him, that it serued better then all their warlike musicke to hearten vp the rest: close by his side (as vowed partners in all fortune good or badde whatsoeuer) stoode the Owner, the Maisters mate, Boteswayne, Purser and the rest of the Mariners. All of them armed, all of them full of valor, al of them full of braues: they shewed on the top of the hatches, like so many well garded battlemēts on the walls of a besieged citty, euery man encoraging his next neighbor, to fight valiantly because they were Englishmen and to die honorably (because they were Christians) rather then stoope to the basecaptiuitie of those, that were Christs professed and open enemies.

[Page] As the Englishmen were thus busie to defend thē ­selues on the one side, so were the Turkes actiue in their Gallies on the other side, their Semytaries gli­stred in the Sun, their steeele targetts receaued the fire of his beames vpon them, and beat it backe to dazle the eyes of them whom they assailed: Showers of musketts with bullets chargd stood ready to bee powred downe, some were preparing to tosse balls of wilde fire, as if the Sea had bin their tennys court, others with bulles pizzells in their hands walkt vp & downe betweene the Rowers, somtimes encoraging sometimes threatning, sometimes striking the mise­rable gally slaues, because they should be nimble at y^e oare who for feare of blowes more then of present death, tugd with their armes, till the Sinewes of them were ready to cracke with swelling, & till their eie-balls in stead of bullets did almost fly out of their heades.

At length the drummes, trumpets, & fifes strake vp their deadly consort on either side: presently does y^e demy canon & culuering striue to drownd that noise whilst the Sea, roares of purpose, to drowne the noise of both. In this conflict, of three elements, (Aire wa­ter and fire) Iohn Raynard (the Gonner) so liuely. & so stoutly be haued hinselfe, in discharging his ordnance of their great bellies, that at length fire seemed to haue the maistry, for so thickly did his bulletts fly a­broad, & were wrapt vp in such cloudes of lightning, y^t the sea shewd as if it had bin al in flames, whilst the [Page] Gallies of the Turkes aswell as the English Shippe, could hardly but by the grones and showtes of men beene fownd out where about in the Sea they ho­uered. Many Turkes and many gally slaues did in this battaile loose their liues, and end their Captiuitie: but those who suruiued doubling their spirits at the horror of the dāger with which they were inuironed fell vpon the English Shippe in such stormes of haile­shot, which still like hammers on an Anuill) lay bea­ting on the ribs of it, that at length, the Sea offred in many places to breake into her, and to get the con­quest, of which glory the Turkes being enuious, came flying with the force of all those wodden wings that bore them vp, and of purpose to board her. But at this stirring feast, Neptune was made drunke w^c the bloud both of Christians and Turkes mingled to gether. Here came the gallyes and the Ship to grap­ling, looke howe a companie of howndes, hang vppon a goodly Stagge, when with their noise they ring out his death, So hang these Gallies, vppon the bodie of her: nothing of her coulde bee seene for Smoke and fire, shee was halfe choked with the flames and halfe stifled in the waters. Yet as you shall often see a Bull, when his strength see­meth to bee all spent, and that he is readie to faint and fall on his knees, castes vp on a suddaine his sur­ly head, and brauely renewes a fresh and more feirce encounter: So did this ship breake from the Gallyes, like a lustie Beare from so manie dogs or [Page] rather like an inuineible Lion from so manie beares. The Turkes leapd out of their vessells, and like ratts nimbly climed vp to the taclings of the ship, But the English Mariners, so laid about them with swords, browne bills, haluebeards, and morris pikes, that in so tragicall an act it was halfe a comedie to behold what tumbling tricks the Turkes made into the sea backwards. Some of them catching hold of the vp­per deckes, had their hands strick off, and so for e­uer lost their feeling, other clasping their armes a­bout a cable, to fling their bodyes into the ship, lost their heads, & so knew not which way to goe though it lay before them. In this terrible insurrection in Neptunes kingdome it was hard to tell for a great while who should bée the winners, albeit how soeuer they sped, both were certaine to bee loosers, for the Turks would not giue ouer, & the English scorned to yéelde, the Owner, Maister and Boteswayne cryed out brauely and with lowd lusty spirits let vs all re­solue to die, but not a man bée so base as to yéeld to a-Turke: especially did the Boteswayne shew the no­ble courage of a Mariner, both in directing without feare, and in bestowing blowes in scorne of danger, which hard almes whilst hee was dealing amongst the Miscreants, a shot was sent from a gally as a messenger of his death, & ther by a spoiler (though not a conqueror) of his valour, for it brake (with the vie­lent stroke it gaue) his whistle in sunder, & left him an the hatches with these last words in his mouth, [Page] Fight it out as you are Christians, and win honor by death.

His fall did not abate but whetted their stomackes to a sharper reueng, onely the maisters mate, shew­ed himselfe not worthie of that name, or to bée mate to so noble a maister as he was, for cowardly he cri­ed, yeeld, yeeld, pulling in his arme from striking in the hottest of the skirmish.

What cittie is not ouer come by y^e tyrany of Time, or the oppression of assaults? what shoares though neuer so high can beat back the sea, when he swelles vp infury? what castles of flynt or marble are not shaken w^t the continuall thunder of the Canon? So was this poore English ship: whilst her ribs held out, and were vnbroken, her Mariners held out and had their hearts sound. But when they felt her shrinke vnder them that should beare them vp in all stormes and that such numbers of Turkes did so oppresse them with thronging in, and with beating them downe, when they had scarce féete able to stande, then euen then did they not yéelde, but yet then were they ta­ken.

Glad was the Turke that (though in this storme it rayned down bloud so fast) he was wet no farther: hee looked vpon his ill gotten commodity with a dull & heauie eye, for the foote of his account shewed him that his gaines of this voyage woulde not answere the treble part of his losses: Inraged at which, emp­tying the wetherbeaten and the mangled ship both of [Page] men, and of such things as were woorth the cariage, the one he tooke home with him to enrich the number of his spoiles, the other were condemned to the Gal­lies.

Néere to the cittie of Alexandria, (being a hauen towne) & vnder the Turkes dominion) is a Road, de­fended by strong walles, wher the gallies are drawn vp on shore euery yeare in the winter season, and are there trimmed & layd vp against the Spring. In this Roade standes a prison where all those that serue in those gallies of Alexandria, are kept as captiues, so long as the seas bée rough and not passable for their Turkish vessels: hither were these Chrstians brought the first villany and indignitie that was done vnto them, was the shauing off of all the hayre both of heade and beard, thereby to rob them of those orna­ments which all Christians make much of, because they best become them.

It is well knowne to all nations in Christen­dome (by the wofull experience of those wretches that haue felt it) what miserie men endure in this thraldome vnder the Turke. Their lodging is the cold earth, their diet, course bread and (sometimes) stinking water, for if they shoulde taste of the cleere Springe, their drinke were as good as the Turkes, who neuer tast wine: their apparell, thin and course canuas, their stockings and shooes, heauie bolts and cold Irons, the exercise to put life into them, or to catch them a heate, is at the pleasure of a prowd and [Page] dogged Turke for the least fault, nay for none at all, but onely to feede his humor, to receiue a hundred bastinadoes on the rim of the bellie with a bulls dried péezle, at one time, and within a day after two hun­dred stripes on the backe.

In this most lamentable estate did these Christi­ans continue, but it was not long ere the Master and Owner by the good meanes of freindes were redée­med from this slauery: the rest lying by it, soone were starued to death, others with cold, and blowes brea­thed out their last.

But Iohn Reynard, (the gonner) being enabled by the prouidence and will of God to endure this affliction with a stronger heart then others coulde out liued most of his fellowes, onely to bée (as it af­ter fell out) a preseruation of his owne life, with many other Christians. For hauing some skill in the trade of a barber, hée did by that meanes shift now and then for victuals and mended his hard dyet, wherupon growing (after a long imprisonment) into fa­uour with the Keeper of the Christians that were gally slaues, hee so behaued himselfe, that at length hee got libertie to goe in and out to the Roade at his plea­sure, paying a certaine stipend to the Keeper, & wea­ring a locke about his legge: and this libertie did sixe more likewise purchase vpon like sufferance, who by reason of long imprisonmēt, were neuer suspected to start aside, or that they had in their bosomes euer any thought to workethe Turkes any mischeife, with [Page] whom they had stayed so long, that in a maner they were as brothers familiar together.

But the wrath of winter driuing all the Gallies into harbor, by which meanes they lay there vnrigd and disfurnished of al their properties which set them forth: the Maisters, Captaines, and officers of the Gallies, retiring likewise either to their priuate af­fayres, or to some other imployment of the State: behold there remayned (at this season and parte of the yeare) in this prison of the Road, 266. Christian prisoners, who were of fiftéene seuerall nations, and all of them taken and made slaues to the Turke.

Amongst which there were (at this time) but onely thrée Englishmen, & of thē was this Iohn Rey­nard one: who hauing worne out the miserie of 13. or 14. yeares seruitude vnder so barbarous a tyrant, beganne (as hee full often had done before) to call to minde the happines and fréedome of his owne coun­trey, which comparing to his present state, he wept to remember the one, and gat vp his manly courage and cast in his thoughts how to shake off the other.

Not farre from the Roade, somewhat néere to one side of the Citty, was a victualing house which one Peter Vnticaro had hired, paying also a certaine fee for his libertie to the keeper of the Roade, this Peter Vnticaro being a Spaniard borne, and a chri­stian, had beene prisoner vnder the Turkes by the space of 30. years, yet neuer (though many times the forelock of occasion was thrust into his hands did he [Page] practise any means for his enlargement, but liued so quietly & so contētedly in outward appearāce as if he had forgotten that he was borne amongst christians, or y^t hee euer desired to be buried amongst them. Not­withstanding which, did Iohn Reynard open his intent to this Spaniard, who cōsented to put it in act, & within few daies after a third person (of their fellow prisoners) was drawne into the conspiracy: which there so often as they could without suspition held con­ference to gether, laide seuerall plots for their escape and at the end of seuen weekes or there abouts, their councels had fully begot the meanes of their present deliuery. Fiue more therefore are made acquainted with the businesse to all whom libertie being sweete, (especially out of so base and in famous a slauery,) these eight resolued (in three nights following) to free not onely themselues but all the rest of the Christians that were in prison. In y^t prison doe these eight meete (at a time conuenient) and there did Reynard & Vntecaro deliuer to all the rest what was intended: euery man was glad of the newes, euery man vowed to assist them, & in the action to win free­dome or to end their liues. Upon this confident trust put ech vpon other, Reynard and Peter secretly fur­nished them with files, which they had as secretly prouided for the purpose, charging euery person to bestir himselfe nimbly, and to haue his heeles at li­berty from shackles by such an hower of y^e following euening.

[Page] The night approching, Reynard and Vnticaro with the other six, being at the spaniards house, spent their time merrily, to blind the eies of suspition, till darkenes had taken hold of the world, at which time Peter Vnticaro was sent to the Maister of the Road in name of one of the Maisters of the Cittie, with whom the keeper of the Road was acquainted and at whose request he would gladly come: who desired him to meete the other at peters house presently, pro­mising to bring him backe againe to the Roade.

The keeper vpon deliuery of this message, agreed to goe with Vnticaro, commanding the warders not to barre the gate, because his retourne shoulde be spee­die.

In the meane season had the other seuen who staied in Peters house, furnished themselues with such wea­pons as the time and place did afford them, amongst whom Iohn Reynard had gotten an old rusty sword blade, without either hilt or pummel, which not with standing by bending the hand-end of the sword in stead of a pummell, to serue his turne, the other had spitts and glaues &c.

The keeper of the Road being with Vnticaro en­tred into the house, the lights were of purpose put out and no noise of any liuing creature to be heard: At which the keeper of the Roade being astonished, and suspecting some villanie, stept backe, but Iohn Rey­nard hauing hid himselfe in a corner next to the dore, stept forth vnto him and stopped his passage, who [Page] perceiuing it to be Iohn Reynard, and that he was armde (as he might wel feare) for mischeife, said thus O Reynard what haue I deserued at thy hands, that thou seekest my death. Marrie this hast thou deserued (quoth Reynard) and strucke him on the head, that he cleft his skull, thou hast bin a sucker of much Chri­stian bloud, and therefore die like a villaine, no sooner was his hands lifted vp to giue his fatall blowe, but the rest (being at his elbow) came forward, & quick­ly dispatched him, cutting of his head and so mang­led him that he could not be knowne.

This prologue to the Tragedie going off so well, heauē was by this time hung al ouer with black to ad a grace to that which was to be acted: no time there­fore doe they loose, but steale softly and yet resolutely to the Road, where entring they found sire warders onely, who asked who is there: All friends replied y^t-other & were let in, But instead of welcomes blowes were giuen and the sixe warders in a short time left dead on the floore.

Upon this, (taking their enemies weapons to defend themselues,) were the gates presently barred vp strongly and the mouth of a Canon planted full vpon it, readie charged and one appointed with a linstocke to giue fire if any assalt were made vpon them. Then entered they into the Iaylors lodge where they found the keyes both of the Fortres and of the prison, by his bedside, and in his chamber were they armed, with better weapons. In this lodge of the keepers, [Page] founde they likewise a chest, which Vnticaro and one or two more opening, found well lined with Duckets: the Spaniard and some others neglec­ting the busines in hand, stuft their bosomes and pockets with this golde, but Reynard disswaded them from that couetousnesse which was likely to bee the ouerthrowe of them all, wishing them to prouide for their liberty which shoulde retourne to the honour of God and of their coun­tries, rather then to sell their liues yea perhaps their soules for the treasure of Infidelles. But the Spaniard and his companions liked the colour of the Duckets better then Iohn Reynards doctrine, and therfore they hastned away to the prison, whose dores being opened, It appeared that they with their files had plied their worke aswell within, as the other had with their weapōs abroad for euery mans legges were deliuered from his Irons: whereupon hauing first put certaine warders (that were to looke to the prison) to silence for euer speaking more, they all fell roundly to labour, some to ramming vp the gates, some to launch out a certaine Gally which was the best in all the Roade, and was called the Captaine of Alexandria, some caried mastes, others fet­ched Sayles, others laide in oares, all of them were busie, all of them sweat hard, yet none of them were weary.

In killing those Turkes that were warders [Page] about the prison, eight other Turkes hearing a noise, and suspecting mischeife, got vp to the top of the prison, betwéene whom and the prisoners, (who coulde not come neare them but by ladders) was a hot skirmish. Some were wounded on both sides, some slaine outright. Iohn Reynard was thrice shot through his apparrell but not hurt: Peter Vnticaro and the rest that shared in the Duc­kets being not able to cary their bodies in this danger, by reason of the gold about them, which wearied them with the weight were there first mortally wounded, and afterwere stricken down dead.

Amongst the Turkes was one thrust through, who falling from the toppe of the prison wall, made so horrible a noyse that the Turkes who dwelt within hearing (for here and there stoode a house or two scattring) came to take him vp ere he was ful dead, and by him vnderstood, how the Gally slaues were reckoning with the Turkes about their ransome without paying any thing but cracked crownes towards it: hereupon they raised both that part of Alexandria which lay on the west side of the Roade, and a Castle which was at the ende of the Cittie next to the Roade, also another fortresse which lay on the other side of the Roade.

The Allarum thus on euery side being gi­uen, danger and death did round about beset the [Page] poore Christians: there was but one onely pas­sage to escape foorth, and that lay betweene the very iawes of destruction: yet not withstanding no mans heart failed him, the nearer death came towardes this companie of wretches, the lesse seemed they to care for his threatnings, for the Roade is still replenished with lusty Soul­diers, with stout labourers and with tough Ma­riners, all whose handes are full of helping one another in this great worke of life and death, some to victuall the gally that must saue them, o­thers to hang vp the tacklinges, others to line it with shot for defence against enemies, but the most part were busie in keeping the Turkes from the wall of the Roade. In the end all things be­ing in a readines, euery man leaped into the Gal­ly ioyfully, hoisted vp sailes lustily, and lanched into the Seas merrily, submitting their liues, and fortunes to the mercy of him, that commands both sea and land.

The vessell flotes on the waues like a good­ly pageant, shee flies away by the helpe of oares as if shee had borrowed so many winges, and in a moment is shee gotten safe out of the Road, but hauing escaped one danger, shée encoun­ters a greater, for now on both sides of her, doe the two Castles sende out their vengeance: the Canons roare, and shoote to sinke them, the waues watch that aduantage and gape to de­uoure [Page] them: fortie and fiue bullets, (dreadfull as thunder) fell about these Christians eares, yet not one of them bruised their heades: they came out of the Roade safely, and went from the danger of the Castles securely, for ioy whereof, they gaue a lusty shout, that ecchoed and reboun­ded backe againe betweene the cloudes and the shore.

On they went, and though the windes beganne to grow angry, and to threaten stormes, yet with cheerefull hearts did they choose rather to perish in the eye of heauen, and by the hand of God, then to bee fetched backe againe and beare the yoake of Infidelles. For casting their eyes backe, they might beholde the Turkes, (for by this time the sunne was a good way on his fore­noones iourney) comming downe to the Sea-side in swarmes like locusts to deuoure a country: all of them laying their handes to launch out Gallies, and follow the Christians. But such a spirite of rage, madnesse, disorder, and feare, fell vppon them, that what one set forwarde, three hindred. And as in a Cittie fired in the night time, men are so astonished, that they scarce can finde the common wayes by which they may saue themselues, no more could the Turkes in this wilde & giddy tumult, know how to furder themselues. After much labour therefore, and nothing prospering, after much [Page] crying out vpon Mahomet, and more cursing the Christians, they quieted there spleenes, & looked about them how to make good what was in this battaile and battery of the Christians defaced, whilest in the meane time, y^e poore Captiues, were both out of their sight, & out of their Iurisdiction.

For away went they rowndly, one compa­nie still and anon leaping to the oare, as another felt themselues wearie. All their prayers being powred out, that the hand of heauen woulde so guide them, that they might land vppon some Christian shore. A long time did they thus wan­der in those incertaine pathes of the Sea, the windes sometime blowing gently on their faces and sometimes angerly: In so much that at length, victuals began to fayle them, And then Famine (a more cursed enemie then him from whom they escaped, yea then death it selfe) opened her vnwholesome iawes, and with her stinking breath blasted their chéekes, by which meanes in 28. dayes, (wherein they were tossed vp & downe from billow to billow) their dyed for want of bread eight persons, to the astonishment of all the rest, that looked still for their tourne, and to bée flung ouer board after their fellowes.

But with a more mercifull eye (when hee beheld how patiently they endured his trialls) did God looke downe vpon them. And on the 29. day after they set from Alexandria, they fell vpon the [Page] Iland of Candy, & so put in at Gallipolie, where the Abbot and Monkes of the place gaue them good entertainement, warmed them, and gaue them foode, not suffering them to depart till they had refreshed their bodies & had gathered strength to proceed on their Iourney. The sword w^t which Iohn Reynard, had slaine the Turkish Iaylor, did they hang vp for a monument, in remembrance that by so weake an instrument so many Christi­ans were deliuered from so barbarous a thraldome

From hence they sayled alongst the coast till they ariued at Tarento, where they sold their Gally, deuided the mony amongst themselues, e­uery man hauing a part of it to relieue them: for so hardly were they pursued by the Turkish Gal­lyes, that often times they came to that place at night, from whence the Christians went away but the morning before. So that it behoued them to vse all the dilligent speede they could, and not to tary long in one country, From Tarento there­fore do they trauaile by land to Naples, & there did they seperate thēselues & breake companie, euery man shaping his best course to get to his owne home.

Iohn Reynard tooke his Iourney to Rome, where he found good and freindly entertainement at the hands of an English man, by whose meanes the Pope gaue him a liberall reward, and sent him with Commendatorie letters to the King of [Page] Spaine, who for that worthy exployt vpon the Turkes gaue him in fee 20. pence by the day. But the loue of his owne country calling him from thence hee forsooke Spayne, and his preferment there, and retourned to England. ⸫