I Will neither talke of the Roman glory, nor the Roman Vertues, which made that glo­ry so translucent to the lookers on; but how? by commemo­ration of hystory, and publication of their worthinesse to the world, which was ap­parant in nothing more, then the rewar­ding of well deserving men, or remem­bring them to posteritie by some relation, or other; thus at this day is the Common [Page 2]Wealth of Venice, famosed for observing the rules of Ahashuerosh, in keeping the custome of attention to his owne Chronicles, and then making a stop at Mordechaies saving his life, asking what had beene done to the man of so great deserving, and when answere was made nothing (oh blessed be those times, wherein Princes will demand such questions, and Courtiers be so honest to tell the truth) you know what follow­ed? and my heart leaps for ioy to see the Emperour so gratious: From hence other Common-Wealths haue, or should haue such Registers, as a man by Alphabet may finde out the memorable actions of others im­ployed in their Countries seruice, or such Antiquaries as shall expose the Noble Achieu­ments of heroijck spirits in what kinde so ever. As for their interposition? that would haue none, but men of Honour, and great Captaines nominated, I am sod­den in my question, how came they to be so Honourable? but from humbled Auncestors, and poore beginnings? and all from the advancement and donation of Maiestick Princes?

Oh God? he, that saw the Danow, and the vast mouth of Hister, gaping vpon the blacke Sea: hee that looked vpon Nilus seven gates opening themselues vpon the Mediterranean Sea: Hee that fol­loweth the Rhine in his triple division, and braving the Ocean with his streames, and also saw the weake swellings vnder the Alpes, or trickling drops come out of the Hils, would wonder at the progresse of these Rivers, and stand amazed to con­ceiue, that such poore springs should in­crease to such huge streames: thus fareth it with men of good deserving, the more meane, and obscure, the more glory and honour to make their vertue extend so farre, as true notice and memory of their actions, or to stepp out of the common tract of drudging and despised poverty, to take braver steps toward renowne, and riches.

Therefore I embrace Master Hacklife for his voyages: the Travellers of our time for their iournals: the Chronolo­gers for their inventories: the writers of Story, for their records of memorable [Page 4]men, and all the lovers of their Country for attempting some exploit, or other without insulting, or ostentation: and yet remarkable to future ages: yea I protest, I thanke him: that set out the discourses of the Iacob and Exchange of Bristow, with their Masters and Saylers who performed wonders, ere they could bring the ships into England: and all others, that are so touched with truth and desire not to let passe worthy accidents, that they will pub­lish honest discourses, which shall affoord example, or precept to idle sluggish men to be rowsed vp, and take more cheere­full courses to doe themselues, and coun­try good.

I could name many things of wonder, and other men of worth: but that I de­termine no such heapes, nor to raise a poore Pamphlet, to such an height, that En­vies fingers shall attempt to pull it downe to rubbish, or raging feete presume to trample it to dirt: I will now onely speake of a man, of whom I am acquainted with nothing but his valour, and skill in his profession, yea I am so impartiall, that not [Page 5]knowing any friend, or kindred belong­ing vnto him, I will yet out of meere affec­tion to vertue, and desire to worke vpon the governours of Factories, importune them to remember the liuing with re­ward, and the dead by recompencing their widdowes, and children; and intreat o­thers to endevour the immitation of well deservers, and make vse of Themistocles schol­lership, who was so inflamed with the Trophes of Miltiades, that he never desisted, till he had got the reputation of a great Captaine.

This Andrew Shilling, of whom I would speake, and am affrayd I shall not speake sufficiently, came from all the degrees of Navall imployment to be master of a ship, yea, of many ships, till at last in the time of Sir Thomas Glover, whom master Clarke brought over with his Lady to Constantino­ple, he arrived there himselfe with a ship called the Angell, which he commanded, as maister Tiler did the Dragon. There was also maister Bradshaw at Aleppo, Captaine King at Xante, and many other well deserving men at Scio, Smirna, and al the ports of the Levant [Page 6]and Arches. But Shilling (without impeach­ment of the credit of others (was so liked and looked vpon with the iudicious eyes of the East India Company, that they im­ployed him thither, and he imployed him­selfe so well, and so honestly, that he dis­patched his businesse, and came with Sir Thomas Roe (who had beene Ambassadour to the great Mogull) into England. But see, what it is to thriue? the Marchants mooving in their proper elements for obtaining of wealth, and having had some passages of discontentments with former Captaines, thought it not befitting to be further mo­lested, and therefore once againe made choice of master Shilling to goe another voyage, to which (after his accounts were rendred) he so addressed himselfe, that he scarce tarried 6 weeks, but vndertooke the busines. And in a ship, called the London, was appointed Admirall of that Fleet; the Vice Admirall was the Hart: There were also two other ships in the company, the Eagle and the Roe-buck, all of great burthen, and daringly able to encounter with a far grea­ter number.

Thus shall honest men be imployed, and vertue can not be poore, so that whether it was their iudgement, and good husban­dry, or his wisedome and care to take hold of opportunities fore-top, he thought his time well bestowed in growing rich, and they thought their choice very happie to make him rich, and so vpon reciprocall a­greement, he tooke the Seas for Zarret in the East Indies in the next ships, that were readie after Sir Thomas Roe came into Eng­land: and after many changes, and varietie of Accidents, boysterous Seas, and moun­ting billowes, fearefull stormes, and some wants, he attained the desired harbour, had not an vndesired mischance flung him downe into the harbour of death: For he perished in the Sea by slaughter, which was the more lamentable, because by his vallour and directions his Company were victors, and both brought their ships to take in their lading at other places, and brought them without losse into England; but that they counted the losse of Shilling to exceed halfe the benefit in their best fraighted ship: but how this came to passe? [Page 8]if you will giue me leaue to write out a worthy mans Letter, I will not leaue you, till you vnderstand as much as my selfe.

After a long and tedious passage by the Ilands, watring places, and Cape, we disco­vered divers ships, some for the West, some for the South, and many, both Flemmings and others for their Country: those which were remote we never attended, such as came within kenning had friendly saluta­tions, and many times when we encoun­tred with some friends, extraordinary gusts, and foggy mists did divide vs, which being vsuall, and the common effect of long iourneyes, we neither wondred at the same, nor tarried for further encom­brances: but came in convenient time to S. Laurence, and from thence keeping the common road, we arrived happily at Za­retta, and yet I cannot call it so, because of some disastrous mischiefe which hapned vnto vs, and although it was a common thing to encounter with daily mischances, from tempests, enemies, and Pyrats, which were all as easily passed over, as suddenly came vpon vs: yet at this time our losse [Page 9]and griefe was the greater, because we had not only a wealthy ship in our possession, but a valiant Captaine to manage our af­faires, both which we lost to our great dis­comforts, when the malignity of time was overcome with industry, and our enemies departed from vs beaten and discomfited.

Know then, that we haue not had long trade in Persia, till of late sending euery yeere a ship, we acquainted our selues with the inhabitants of Iasques in the Persi­an Gulph, and so proceeded with them in orderly traffique, both to their satisfaction, & enriching our Marchants, which when the Portingalis vnderstood, they contrived by all possible meanes to intercept our ior­neyes, which they performed both by se­cret plots, and conspiracie, and open force, and defiances. Concerning the plots they inferred many things against vs to the peo­ple, and kindled a kind of reciprocall iea­lousie betweene vs: they inticed vs ashore, vnder cullour of viewing stuffs, and com­modities, and then surprised vs, taking ma­ny prisoners by divers sleights, and vsing vs vnkindly, when they had vs vnder sub­iection. [Page 10]Concerning their force and pow­er, they alwayes had fiue or sixe great Gal­lions, and shippes of warre belonging to Spaine, & imploied for the securitie of these places, and at this instant, had foure well appointed ships in readines, who lay wat­ching for our Marchant, as a Hawke ho­uering ouer the prey, and so resolved to take it, whosoeuer it was: all which was considered of vs in our passage, so that whē we were within 40, or 50. leagues of Zar­ret a Councell of warre was called, and An­drew Shilling being our Admirall, and Com­maunder of our small Fleet, concluded to send the Hart being vice-Admirall, and the Eagle to Iasques in Persia, and so according to our ceremonies, they tooke their leaue of vs, before we came to Zarret, and wee went directly to harbour, wher we might haue beene welcommed with all the comforts of friendly greetings, had not the Marchants vnderstood, what we had done, but apprehensiue of the danger, they would not suffer vs to land, but sent vs presently after the other to assist them: for they knewe, they should bee fought [Page 11]with all, if not over-set: it was not our turnes to dispute, nor had we any other part to play but obedience, and so wee put to Sea againe, taking a course to fol­low our shipps.

But we had not beene two dayes vnder sayle, before wee encountred a Portingall of 300. tunne, which at first made good semblance of opposition, till wearied with our shott, and beaten with a broad side, shee yeelded her selfe, and wee tooke possession of her: her Marchandise was but Raisons, and Dates, and fortie two Arabian horses: yet were they worth store of money, and might haue made vs a sa­ving iourney.

This shipp wee carried along with vs thus fraighted, and sayled a fortnight without any impeachment, or adventure, till at last by Gods eternall providence, we met our two ships returning home againe to Zarret, as not able to encounter with the Portingals, whose strength and prepara­tion they reported extraordinary: But the truth is, they were very rich themselues, and loath to loose al by any misadventure, [Page 12]which they might escape, and not wil­fully run into: and yet I must confesse, they had many motiues to fight with them, & daring heartes to the encounter: For all their great burthen, and preparation, wel? they did not? but returned (as I sayd) and met vs at Sea, discoursing at large of the matter, and describing the maner of the Enemies watches, and how brauely and warlike they were appointed: When Andrew Shilling had heard them out, and ap­prehended the vtmost perill, hee resolved to trie his Fortune, and set vpon them, proiecting, that if the worst came, the Por­tingall ship formerly taken, should be fiered, and thrust to them, which when some in­terposed, as pittying the losse of so many braue horses, he as brauely replyed, how doe they then in the wars, when they are compelled to kill their prisoners in colde blood, and therefore thinke neither of scruple, or nicety, but let vs follow the businesse, we take in hand.

Thus we concluded to fight, and so be­fitting our selues, approched them on the harbour of Iasques on a satterday, being [Page 13]about the 17. of December 1620 and within eight dayes of Christmas: and so without more adoe we came vp with them, and to them, but the wind being contrary, we could not fight with them in harbour, nor they durst not stirre as we imagined, wher­vpon we desisted for that time, & woond our selues away, as if we meant not to fight at all, which questionles did much animate them, and made them suppose, that our former desisting and recoyling a­rose out of suspition of their greatnes, and power; For the next day being Sunday, they came out of the road, and in a braving and daring maner invited vs to an encoun­ter, which we intertained with many Na­vall ceremonies, and putting out our cul­lours of defiance, with the adorning our ships to answere their proportion of Gal­lantnesse, we made a braue show, as if we meant to intertaine death and slaughter with mirth and iollitie.

In a word, the Drums & Trumpets sum­mon vs, & we went chearfully to the busi­nes: Our fight began at eight of the clocke in the morning, and continued to night, [Page 14]when the darknes tooke either pitty vpon vs, or by way of opposition stomached our light: For many times we made fire workes, & shot flaming arrowes into their ships, we also threw burning balls, and sent cases full of stones, which killed their men without mercy: we also shot off their Admiralls rudder, that they were enforest to come to Anchor, and repaire their losses, which as it should seeme were very great, and so the fight continued fearefully be­tweene vs.

In a word, such was the terror and dan­gerous encounter, that although Captaine Shilling our Admirall with all the good words, and better actions, which belon­ged to a principall commander, still com­forted vs, and as farre as men might con­iecture, warranted our prevailing at this time: yet Captaine Best his sonne, whom they call Generall in the East Indies, taking hold of our first determination to set fire on the Portingall in our possession, with the horses, put it presently in practise, when there was neither reason nor cause, and when he was furthest from all perill, [Page 15]and mischiefe: as we thought we had in­deed fitted and appointed her to fire, but how? in case of necessitie, which as yet came not vpon vs, nor was there any like­lihood more then the chance of encoun­ters, and fortune of warre to desparire of prevailing. Well; he tooke out as many things as he thought convenient, leaving most part of the Dates and Raisons in her, and leaving vs in kinde of confusion to see so many goodly horses perish in the ra­ging Sea, and so to all our griefes she was fired, and thrust vp to strike amongst the Portingalls, with supposition either to de­stroy them, or dissipate them: But alas all was in vaine, for either the busines was ill managed, or the Wind slacked her course, or something or other was amisse; for she went not forward, but perished in her flames and combustion before vs all, effec­ting no more good, then a generall casting vp the account of the Accident, wherevn­to life is subiect, and a particular examina­tion of our owne estates, which might be subiect to the same inconveniences. But to goe forward.

I must needs confesse that if it had plea­sed the Captaine, seeing he was so resolved, he might haue come nearer and thrust her vp more closer vpon them to their preiu­dice, and firing indeed; but failing, and thus disappointed, our fight continued longer, and (as I said) the very night tooke pittie vpon vs, and divided vs, in which darknes they went away into harbour, and being wonderfully torne with our shot, and dis­membred with crosse barres, thought it best to repaire their ships againe, and pro­vide more men to set vpon vs afresh. The truth is, we let them alone, and gaue way to their good husbandry, anchoring our selues in harbour, and preparing to goe a­bout our marchandice, and set forward our traffique. But on a sudden, within 3. or 4. dayes vnexpected, they came out of the road, & braved vs againe, which when our Captaine Shilling perceived, we also perceived in him, (which we never did before) very fignes of discontent, as if they were presagers of some mischiefe to fol­low; For though the valiant man was vn­daunted, yet as it happens in such cases of [Page 17]suspition, anger, and revenge, he thus ven­ted out his griefe, as a Complainant against the malignitie of time, and over-sights of en­counters.

I see (quoth he (that in al expeditions op­portunity is not to be neglected, but shee taketh it in scorne, that when she openeth her lap, we refuse her bounty and kindnes: so that if we had followed our fortune last day, and not suffered these men to haue breathed in the meditation of revenge, & gone foreward in their reparations, wee had ended the busines: but now they haue not onely got new breath, but new cou­rages, and will returne vpon vs with grea­ter fury and mischiefe: Besides there are severall vertues, which are vnseasonable in their practise, such as wee call pitty, com­miseration, and patience, all good for no­thing in these warlike trials, and among pollitick and cruel adversaries, but to draw on heavier burthens, and make vs subiect to fearefull inconveniences; wherefore if I liue, I will never bee guilty of this errour againe, and if I dye, I leaue it to you all as a principle, neuer to slacke you hand, if you [Page 18]finde the enemy staggering, neuer to giue ouer, till you haue made a faire Composition, or dispatched the busines. But come? see­ing we must fight, let vs doe it couragious­ly? that these Portingals (with many presi­dents of former times) may confesse, they haue met with English-men.

After this briefe and pithy complaint, we prepared our selues, and on Childermas day our Admirall came and anchored by their sides, whom the Vice-Admirall followed, & did the like: the other two shipps being smaller, & of weaker sayle, the winde sma­ly helping them, could not come fore­ward, & so we were compelled with the London, and the Hart to make a triall with al the 4. great Portingals, which we did in such a maner, that I protest (if I might scape vaine glory or partialitie) neuer was such a fight so wel begun, nor better continued; for we tore them all to peices, and kild so many men, that they could scarce get away from vs, nor had escaped perishing all, if mischance had not checked our forward­nes, and moderated our insulting with the greatest losse, that we thought we could [Page 19]receiue; for in the midst of the conflict, while we were wrapped in smoake, and sweating in blood, a crosse shot crost vs all, and slue our Captaine: yea he perished in the midst of our triumphs, when wee had but sixe men slaine, and very few to speake of, hurt.

Andrew Shilling perished, when we by his valour prospred, and thought to haue gone cleere away with the Victory. Andrew Shil­ling perished to our disconsolation, & abate­ment of ioy when we thought of nothing but prevailing: but Wisedome was at last predominant, and in remediles cases we cast vp another account of reclaiming our selues, and tempring the sorrow, so that we were once againe divided, and the Portin­galls most gladly and cunningly departed from vs, and when they were out of sight we gaue God the prayse for our delive­rance, and divided the sorrow for our Cap­taines losse amongst vs, not a man but be­moaned his death; not a man but partici­pated with his vertues; not a man but was the better for his instructions; not a man but wondred at his experience and skill in [Page 20]Navigation; not a man but lamented his vntimely death; not a man but extolled his timely worthinesse, and so with one con­sent, he was buried with all the Ceremo­nies of a Generall, and cast out of sight for feare of troubling vs further, and raising new extasies to no purpose.

This second encounter was more for­midable then the first, and continued lon­ger, but ended (thanks be to God) as you haue heard to our small detriment at this time, whereby we went forward in our busines, and were well-commed to Iasques in Persia to advance our traffique. But how many were slaine of our enemies we know not, onely we know, their ships were made vnserviceable for the present, and report (when we were setled in har­bour) assured vs, that they lost 370. Portin­galls, besides Moores and Negroes, of whom they make no account, as being their slaues, and so subiect to all basenesse, prostitution, and carelesnesse.

I could enlarge this Letter with many oc­currences in our Voyage, both tending to navigatiō & discourse, but when our good [Page 21]ship called the Hart commeth into England, there are those in her, that will truely and heartily tell you, all you desire, and more then I am acquainted with: onely I can assure you, our trade thriues, and we haue 1200. tunne of lading readie at Zarret, but the Portingals grow stronger, and stronger, and prepare themselues to intercept our ships both in the way of revenge, for their former losses, and out of covetuousnes and glory to enrich themselues, and performe some worthy exploit vpon vs; for they heare of our preparation, and know of our riches, which hath made them (as I sayd) prepare a greater Fleete, and maketh vs assured, there is nothing to be expected but encounters and slaughters, blood and death, happen when it will and to whom it shall.

This Letter was written from Swallo Road, neere Zarret the 20. of November, 1621. and brought into England with the last shipps, that came in the beginning of Iune, to the comforting of many sad hearts, & recoue­ring the staggering opiniō of the East Indiaes companies thriuing, frō whence I protest I [Page 22]haue extracted nothing but the truth, and if I by way of illustration or amplificatiō, there are some things added in the prayse of the man: Oh, let vertue haue this pas­sage amongst you, that it is a glory to all Common-wealths, neither to obscure her, as she is of a durable essence and existence, nor to be forgetfull of her servants, as they are worthie of commemoration, and well deserving in their severall places, wherein God hath be­stowed them.