A Brave MEMORABLE AND DANGEROVS SEA-FIGHT, foughten neere the Road of Tittawan in Barbary, where the George and Elizabeth (a Ship of London) under the Command of Mr. Edmond E [...]ison, having but 19. peeces of Ordnance, was encompass'd and encountred by nine great Turkish Pyrat ships, or men of War, they being in number of men at the least 60. to one; and their Ordnance more than ten to one against the English, yet (by Gods assistance) they were encouraged to a resolute fight, and obtained a glorious victory over their miscreant enemies, and a happy returne with men, ship, and goods to London.

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LONDON:

Printed for Henry Gosson; and are to be sold at his shop on London Bridge. 1636.

TO THE LOYALL AND Generous minded for his Prince and Countries service, the hopefull Mr. EDMOND ELLISON, the Master and Commander in the ship and fight hereafter related.

SIR, as Childhood brings us to manhood, manhood to old age, and old age to death, so (by consequence) a good life begets fame, which though Time doe seeme to devoure, yet when time is ended, an honest fame shall be invested with Eternitie. For as all the valiant men cannot boast of high birth and great houses, so all dejected and cowardly spirited mungrils are not borne in meane Tenements and poore Cottages: for my part (being a meere stranger unto you) I dare not to delineate your pedi­gree, having no skill in honourable Heraldry; yet hearing of the worthy forwardnesse, and fortunate endevours of yours, I could not refraine to set my pen to paper to the publishing of your late imminent dangers and most happy deliverance; which [Page] by the Almighties blessings, and your valorous fight, and di­rections, and the worthy and remarkable courage of your few men, for the glory of God and the honour of our Country, you have accomplished. Sir, I did not write this onely for your sake, but for the example of others, that they in the reading of it may in the first place magnifie his great name, who is the giver of all victorie; and secondly to be truly constant in all extremities, by your worthy imitation: for as charitie com­mands us to forget mens faults, so it is shame and pittie that vertue and extraordinarie good Actions should be buried in the gulph of oblivion.

I have made bold to make relation of what you know to be true in action; you doe know best if I have erred, which I hope I have not: I know that you are the sonne of a most worthy, ap­proved, and serviceable Sea-man, whose old and good improve­ments you doe most filially follow. To close up my dedication, I doe recommend my selfe and my labours to your love, you to your fathers, and both of you to the Almightie, craving par­don for my boldnesse, and remaining yours.

In any service befitting your worth to be commanded,
JOHN TAYLOR.

A brave memorable and dangerous Sea­fight, foughten neere the Road of Tittawan in Barbary, where the George and Elizabeth (a Ship of London) under the Command of Mr. Edmond Ellison, having but 19. peeces of Ordnance, was encompass'd and encountred by nine great Turkish Pyrat ships or men of Warre, they being in number of men at the least 60. to one; and their Ordnance more than ten to one against the English, yet (by Gods as­sistance) they were encouraged to a resolute fight, and obtai­ned a glorious victorie over their miscreant enemies, and a happy returne with men, ship, and goods to London.

Invocation.
FIrst to begin, I'le invocate and pray
To Him that hath both heaven and earthly sway,
That hee'le direct my spirit and my quill,
That Truth, and onely Truth from them distill:
As falshood is mans credits greatest blot,
Let not my lines with lyes the paper spot.
Thus (being arm'd with Truth and Fortitude,
I send my verse amongst the multitude
Of criticke censurers, whose best and worst
Is to vent out their follies, or to burst.
Th'yeere sixteene hundred thirty five, that's past,
Friday the 20. of November last,
The ship nam'd George and Elsabeth, abode
At Tittawan, at Anchor in the Road;
Our businesse and occasions at that place
Caus'd us to anchor there some certaine space.
Betimes w'arose, and as all Christians should,
We fell to prayer, for mercies manifold
Before extended, and to be extended,
Imploring heavenly power, that had defended
Us in all dangers (though we oft transgresse)
Would quit our crimes and helpe us in distresse.
Our prayse to God and prayers being done,
Even with the mounting of the morning Sunne,
Whose golden beames did guild the Oceans face,
And Zephirus balmy breath the Ayre did grace,
Both skves and seas seem'd calme in beauteous forme,
When streight we spide an unexpected storme.
Nine Warlike ships, with swelling sayles appear'd;
And towards us their course directly stear'd;
And by the reason that we did not know
If they were Christians, Turks, or friend or foe,
We to prevent the worst that might befall,
Betooke our selves unto our tackling all:
Some to the Capstane, some hold of the Cable,
Some heave, some quoyle, (it was no time to fable)
Some with Fish, Cat, and Boighroaps (we know how)
Did bring and bend our Anchor at the bough.
Both Topsailes out, the Maine and Foresaile fell,
Our Spritsaile and our Mizzen were handed well;
Our Sheats, Tacks, Boleins, Braces, Tyes and Lifts,
Martlines, and Halliers, (all mann'd, all make shifts)
With Helme and Steeresman to doe each his best,
T'avoyd destruction, and to purchase rest.
Their Admirall, (at least 500. tunnes)
Fenc'd with two tyre of Ordnance (forty Gunnes)
Gave warning (to the rest oth' cursed crew)
By shooting off a Peece, us to pursue.
Nor was the Admirall himselfe inclinde
To come too neere us, he was richly linde
With gold and treasure, therefore he thought meet
To charge the other eight ships of his Fleet
To charge and chace us; streight in little space
They gave another Gunne for charge and chace.
Thus neere and neerer they upon us come,
Whilest we with Trumpets sound, and beaten Drum,
T'wards Suttye, where we thought secure to be,
But God did otherwayes for us foresee.
By reason of the foulenesse of our ship,
She was unapt those Rovers to outstrip;
And therefore force perforce, we all must stay,
Fight, or give men, ship, goods and all away:
Which upon short consideration then
We did bethinke our selves that we were men,
Not heathen Infidels, that Christ denide;
But those for whom our blest Redeemer dyde,
For whom h'arose againe, and did ascend
To bring us to those joyes that ne're shall end.
And shall we give our selves away to those,
That are the sonne of Gods malicious foes?
And shall we, for base feare be so un just
To part with Ship and goods within our trust?
No surely, Bulke and Fraught much more did cost,
Then cow'rdly to be given away or lost:
Besides the slavery of our persons, and
Our Ransoms begg'd from many a mizers hand,
Who (some of them) as willing with't doe part,
As they would doe from bloud dropt from their heart,
These things considered, we did hold it best,
True Christians fortitude to manifest.
Because they twice did shoot, and twice begun,
Upon their second Gun we gave a Gun;
And so unto't pell-mell straight wayes we went,
Our shot and powder liberally we spent;
But they were much more bountifull than we,
For every shot we sent, they gave us three.
Then boord and boord on either side they layd us,
Where we paid them, and (as they could) they paid us;
When ten men (of the Turks) at first were slaine,
Which made them with all speed fall off againe
And leave us, yet I something doe mistake,
That Conflict more than ten did kill or shake.
We being from the first two parted thus,
Streight two more came, and fiercely boorded us;
Where all those villaines (on the Ocean deepe)
Striv'd (all we had) to get, and we to keepe;
Where shot and shot flew free; we gave and tooke,
Till (finding us too hot) they us forsooke.
The Ayre was fild with Drum and crying sounds
Of thundring Ordnance; And the noyse rebounds
Downe from the verge of the rotundious skyes,
That what with Guns, Drums, Clamors wounded crics,
Confusion, horror, and the cowards feare,
Grim Death himselfe began to domineere.
The accursed blood (from the base sonnes of Cain)
Gush'd, and began the greene-fac'd sea to staine,
Thus six times boorded by those cruell men,
We still sent some of them to Plutoes den,
And in their fury they did mount our tops,
Shot through our Sailes, and Masts, and cut our Roaps,
Shatterd our ship, and would in shivers teare her,
They had beene better they had ne're come neere her,
For we were all resolv'd to fight and dye
For God, Prince, Countrey, and our liberty.
Their ships much rent with round and cros-bar shot,
And steele in bundles (which we spared not)
Their men hurt, and unknowne what number slaine,
They all in generall the fight refraine.
Their Admirall came hot within our reach,
Whose shot and ours made now and then a breach,
Untill at last, good fortune did affoord,
VVe shot, and beat her Main-mast bye the Boord,
VVhich made her leave the fight; that lucky blow
Did ease us gladly from our greatest foe.
Encompast round with smouldring smoke and sire,
Our enemies did finally retire.
Thus (by the power of God) their force was foyld,
Three of their ships went home torne, split and spoyld,
The other six their course to Sea-ward bore,
Having no minde to trouble us no more;
But as they made away (our loves to show)
VVe gave them now and then a parting blow:
For any man of judgement may conceive,
VVe spent some powder at their taking leave.
In this sharp conslict with those faithlesse Turkes,
God shew'd his 'Mercy over all his workes.
For though for one of us th'had threescore men,
And for one Gun of ours th'had more than ten,
Yet from the first to last of all the fight,
VVe lost but three men which were slaine outright.
And five or six men had some wounds or scarres
To weare, as noble jewels of the warres;
Yet none of those that with us wounded were,
VVe hope the use of one limb shall forbeare;
For which we give all Honour, Laud, and Praise
Unto th'Almighty Ancient of all dayes.
He is the God of Battels, and 'twas He
With his strong Arme, that got the victorie:
The Lord of Hosts was onely our defence,
And we were his unworthy Instruments.
His power hath brought to passe most wondrous things,
And with small meanes confounded mighty Kings:
VVhen Egypts Pharaoh did his name despise,
He foyld him with an Hoast of Lice and Flyes,
And ('gainst that King) Gods souldiers in those warres,
Were Hailstones, Scabs, and Frogs, and Grashoppers,
For such contemptuous vermin he can make
His Armies, to inforce great Kings to quake.
Gedeon, with poore three hundred (Truth recites)
Destroyd the mighty Hoast of Midianites.
Iudg. 7.
With Foxes, and the Jaw-bone of an Asse,
Gods strength in Sampson brought great things to passe.
VVith Shamgars slender goad, and Jaels Nayle,
Iudg. 15.
Iudg. 3 & 4.
(Against the proud) th' Almighty can prevaile.
All ea [...]thly force (t'oppose his force) is feeble,
Goliahs braines were pierced with a pibble;
And surely, had the Lord not fought for us,
We had not liv'd to tell our story thus.
These Rabshakaes, that each occasion waits
To rob and spoyle all Christians in the Straits,
Whose barbarous and inhumane cruelty
Is worse than Death (for Death ends misery)
For such as dye under our Saviours Banner,
(Dye Conqu'rors) 'tis no matter in what manner.
Would every man resolve thus, surely then
Men would not give away ships, goods, and men
To these Mahometan base Infidels,
Whose spight gainst Christ and Christians so excels,
Then would our resolution strike a feare
And terror in these Hell-hounds of Argiere,
Their hopes are numbers, threats and composition,
A Trembling, cowardly and base submission;
And thus with Bug-beare looks, and scare-crow words,
They oft win more than with Guns, Pikes, or swords.
Had Weddell yeelded in the Persian Gulph,
Rufrero had devour'd him like a Wolfe:
Had Nichols yeelded like a fearefull mome,
His ship with victory had ne're come home:
Had Malam basely given himselfe away,
He had bin captiv'd, and lost a glorious day.
And e're this fight had Ellison given over,
His credit he should ne're againe recover;
Then let men strive to doe as hath bin done
By VVeddell, Nichols, Malam, Ellison,
Take faith, and hope, and courage in distresse,
Trust in the Lord, and he'le give good successe.
We brag not (I would have it understood)
'Tis not the arme of man, nor flesh and blood
That can effect such mighty things as these,
But onely he that rules heav'n, earth, and seas,
He gives the courage, and the fortitude
To few men, to withstand a multitude;
And yet to brag and boast there's none more apt
Than such as in a cowards skin are wrap'd:
Such as dare not looke danger in the face,
But seeke some skulking hole, or hiding place,
Betweene the Decks, or in some Cable-Teire,
To keepe their carkasse shot-free in their feare;
Who feare a Guns report, more than they doe
The Hangman, Gallowse, and the Halter too.
These, and none else but such as these will prate,
And lyes and letters often shall relate
The unknowne worthy Actions which they did,
Remembring not to tell how they were hid
I'th Cook-roome, or some Cabbin, or the Hold,
As is before a little plainly told.
VVe are not such, we therefore say againe,
Gods be the glory; all our force was vaine;
But yet we knew our cause was just and right,
And so the Lord encourag'd us to fight.
But some perhaps may say we are too free,
And that good ships and men may taken be
VVith multitudes of enemies combinde,
And disadvantage of Sea, Sunne, and winde;
And that in such a case, good composition
On reasonable termes, a forc'd condition
Is better part with part, than to lose all,
And into an assur'd destruction fall.
All this is right; but yet all this is wrong,
If men doe not what doth to men belong:
VVe know that ships, and men, as good as any,
Have beene sunke, slaine, and taken, too too many;
But sure we thinke their detrimentall Fate
Should not make men despairing, desperate;
But stand upon defence whil'st hope doth last,
And ne're compound or yeeld, till hope is past.
For certaine 'tis, these Argeire dogs are such,
VVith faith and troth they seldome doe keepe touch;
But contrary to humane kinde profession,
Their composition turnes to base oppression:
Besides, we know not what will Merchants say,
VVhen (without leave) we give their goods away.
Therefore, as Merchants make account of men,
Let men so serve them honestly agen;
If they pay us, we hold it right and just
To serve, and to be worthy of their trust:
But if there were such as would not depart
With fraight and wages, fitting mens desert,
Shall men turne ill' cause they are ill inclin'd?
Or shall their being darke make others blinde?
If any such therebe, we hope they'le mend;
Or if they mend not, they will one day end.
So gracious God thy mercy we implore,
To blesse all such as doe thy Name adore:
And for thy glorious sonnes most boundlesse merit,
Give Christians all, thy All-preserving spirit;
Encourage them to fight, and to withstand
Thine enimies and theirs, let thy strong hand
And their weake faith be strengthned still by thee,
That in thy name they may victorious be.
Snaffle, and curbe those rude unmanag'd jades
That live by Theft, and spoyle of Merchants Trades.
Thine are the Seas, O let the Seas be free
For Traffique, and the honour be to thee;
And as these Turks with Satans guiles are wounded,
Be they by thee conformed, or confounded.
And if thou please in Mercies manifold,
As there's one shepherd, make us one sheepfold.

To make some things more plaine and obvious to the Reader, we desire him to take into consideration, that wee went to a place called Buttow, upon the Coast of Barbarie, where finding no goods to fraight our ship as we expected, but onely Wheat, which was sold for six shillings the bushell there, which, though it were deare, we desired to be fraighted with it, and to carry it to the Canaries; but theMerchantsFactors there, would not give so great a price for so much of it as would fraight us; but they adventured for so much as did a quarter lade us; with the which Corne, and some gold and silver of the Merchants, we weighed Anchor from Buttow, and came to the Road at Tittawan, where the nine Argeire Pyrati­call ships (or men of warre) did assault us, as is before re­lated; but when (by Gods assistance) we had gotten from our enimies, we made for the Canaries, there to sell our Corne, and to fraight our ship from thence for England: we being arrived at the Canaries, did find the people op­pressed with an extreme famine, so that they look'd ra­ther [Page 13] like the ghosts or Anatomics of dead carkasses than of living men or women. In briefe, they were so pyn'd and pinch'd with hunger, that many of them did drop downe dead daily in the streets, starv'd to death; so that our small quantity of corne which wee brought from Buttow (which cost but six shillings the Bushell) we sold it at the Canaries for 33s. the Bushell. So that if our Mer­chants Factors had fully fraighted us with Wheat at But­tow, we had made a profitable voyage with it at the Ca­naries, for they would have given almost any price for it.

Our Wheat being sold, wee could have no fraight at the Canaries, the season was so farre past, and therefore with such gold and silver as we had (which was the Merchants) we weighed from the Canaries, and (by the favour of God) wee after all these dangers arrived safely at London in April last, 1636.

To close up all, Mr. Ellison had one of his men, named VVilliam Ling, who was a quarter Master. This Ling (with two men more) had the charge to ply two peeces of Ordnance in the Steerage. Ling having a Cabbin on the Decke over his head, had in his Cabbin some Barba­rie gold and other good stuffe, which he had cramm'd into an old Boot. In the Steerage where Ling was, he did open a small Loope-hole, through which hee espyed a Turke that had broke open his Cabbin, and had made a booty of his Boot; which Ling perceiving, not well [Page 14] pleased with, put to a charged Musket, presenting it through the aforesaid Loop-hole he shot the Turk tho­rough, who strait fell downe; and after the fight Ling found him dead with the golden lynde Boot in his hand, a good Semiter by him, a great silver sealed Ring on his finger, which finger was so swelled that hee was faine to cut it off to have the Ring; which having done, and pillaged the pillager naked, Ling gave him a cast of his office overboord, to feed Cods, Haddocks and Sharks.

I have named Captaine Iohn VVeddell, and Master Ed­ward Nichols, and Master Malam, in this former relati­on, which although two of them are dead, and the third onely remaining alive (I meane Captaine John VVeddell) and though their persons and worth were knowne to many, yet there are more that knew them not; for whose satisfaction I will give a memorable touch of their three severall noble and valiant Sea-fights, although some of them haue bin more at large related by mee many yeares agoe.

Mr. Edward Nichols was Master of the good ship cal­led the Dolphin of London, of the Burthen of 240 tuns (or thereabouts) mann'd with 36 men and 2 boyes, 19 pee­ces of Ordnance, and 9 murtherers, being laden at Zant, and bound homeward for England, was set upon by six great Turkish men of warre, with 1500 men in them at [Page 15] least, and 140 odde Guns, and after a cruell and bloody fight (which continued the space of five houres) with three most terrible assaults, with the losse of eleven men and boyes who were killed, and five maymed and hurt, the ship was set on fire in the fight, which made the Pyrats forsake her (having their ships sorely torne and rent with the Dolphins Ordnance) three of their Captaines being fugitive or Renegade Englishmen; namely, Captaine Kel­ley, Captaine VValsingham, and Captaine Sampson; but lastly, it pleased God that by the mens industry the fire was quenched: This fight was fought the 12. of January, 1616. And when the ship was re­paired, at a place called Callarie, she set saile home­wards, and after all these dangers, arrived safe at London. The fame of which danger and deliverance came to the hearing of our Royall Prince Charles, who is now our gracious Soveraigne; hee to ho­nour and give applause to so worthy a designe, did come aboord of her, and viewed her hurts and dan­gerous breaches, where to the encouragement of o­thers to imitate Master Nichols in resolution and noble valour, his Highnesse grac'd him to make him his servant, with the title of a Captaine.

Captaine Iohn VVeddell on the first of February being Sunday, 1624. was homewards bound for [Page 16] England from the East-Indies: and in the Gulph of Persia, hee being generall Commander of the Fleet, which consisted of foure good ships; name­ly, the Royall Iames, Admirall; the Ionas, Vice­admirall; the Starre, Rere-admirall, and the Eagle; There was also (to associate the English) foure good Dutch ships, whose names were, The South Holland, Admirall; the Bantam, Vice-admirall; the Mawd of Dort, Rere-admirall, and the VVeasop, under the Command of an experienc'd brave Sea-man named Albert Becker. These two Commanders were set upon by eight great ships or Galliows of the Por­tugales, and 32 Friggots, which were under the Command of Rufrero (an inexorable and implaca­ble enemie to Captaine VVeddell.) These two Fleets met and fought on the day aforesaid with furious opposition, fighting three dayes without intermis­sion, at which time the Dutch Admirall Albert Bec­ker was slaine, with 28 more that were killed in his ships, and the English lost much about the same number; but (as it was related by a French-man that was with the Portugals in the fight) the enemie had of his men slaine 481, besides many maymed and hurt; they having 232 peeces of Ordnance, and 2100 men, besides 32 Friggots, against the English and Dutch; yet were some of them sunke, many [Page 17] of them spoyld, and by the mercy and assistance of God, they were all foyld. So that after many dan­gers past, Captaine VVeddell with ships and goods came richly welcome to London.

Concerning Captaine Richard Malam, his fight was inferiour to none of the former, and his delive­rance was as remarkable as any: the story of it was never published, therefore I may erre in the time when, but I shall hit right upon the matter how it was; and (as I thinke it was in Anno 1621. or there­abouts,) which if I faile, there are many yet living in Rederiffe and elsewhere to confute me.

This Richard Malam being Commander in a small ship of London named the VVilliam and Francis, or VVilliam and Iohn, having but eleven pceces of Ord­nance, was (neere the South Cape) set upon and fiercely fought withall by eleven Tukish men of Warre; the fight continued from the morning till the darknesse of the night made them come to a parley and truce till the next day-light, upon con­dition that Captaine Malam, and one Master Hugh­kinson of Dover (who was Cape Merchant, and then in the fight) should come aboord of the Turkish Ad­mirall for pledges that Malams ship should not be stolne or slipp'd away in the night: In this hard exigent and condition they both went into a Boat [Page 18] which the Turke sent for them, for the ships were so torne in the fight, and many men slaine and hurt, that they were all willing to have a little ease till the morning. But as Malam and the Merchant went downe out of his ship into the Turkish Boat, he spake softly to his mate and some other of his men, that if they could they should convey the ship away in the night, whilest he was aboord of the enemie, and let him and the Merchant shift for them­selves as they could.

The Boat carried Malam and Hughkinson aboord the Turke where they were well entertained, and their wounds drest (for Malam had received a hurt, but I know not whether the other was hurt or not) but the Turke contrary to a Turkish nature did deale very affable with them, applauding their va­lours, though they had done him much spoyle; but in the morning, when they thought to have set them aboord their ship againe to renue the fight, the Turkes perceived the ship was gone, in a rage commanded that Malam and the Merchant should be both hanged at the yard Armes of his ship.

In this extremitie Captaine Malam told the Turke that his ship was so torne and rent with their Ordnance, that hee thought shee was sunke to the Seas bottome, and not conveyed away as [Page 19] hee suspected, all which the Turke would not be­leeve, but commanded his men to make speed with the execution: Then Malam said to him, Sir, I have done you no wrong, but I have sustained a great losse by you; I have lost in the Sea my men, my ship, my goods, with a great deale that did be­long to other men, and shall I now lose my life? If it must be so, I doe intreat you that wee may not dye thus ignominiously by the Halter; but let us be fastened to the mast, and be shot to death with muskets.

The Turke presently condescended to his request; but as they were making ready for death, there was a small Scottish ship came sayling about a point of land in ken of them: The Turkes being greedy for prey, deferr'd the execution, and made towards the Scottishman, which being a small Vessell of little re­sistance or defence, was presently at the Pyrats mercie, who did but halfe pillage her, and in a generous way did release both Captaine Malam and Hughkinson, putting them both into the Scot­tish Ship, which Ship (being the Turkes prize) hee gave to Malam; but when shee brought him to London, hee gave her freely to the Scottishman againe: And thus was this fight and escape; and [Page 20] for a further happinesse, after Captaine Malam had beene at home at Rederiffe some certaine dayes, his men brought the ship home, where shee arrived safe at London.

FINIS.

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