/I Will Not Forsake My Little Company Going Homeward, With
Whom I Have Passed So Many Storms And Perils./ And
In very truth he
was urged to be so over hard by hard reports given of him that he was
Afraid of the sea; albeit this was rather rashness than advised
resolution, to prefer the wind of a vain report to the weight of his
own life. Seeing he would not bend to reason, he had provision out of
the/Hind/, such as was wanting aboard his frigate. And so we committed
him to God's protection, and set him aboard his pinnace, we being more
than 300 leagues onward of our way home.
By that time we had brought the Islands of Azores south of us; yet we
then keeping much to the north, until we had got into the height and
elevation of England, we met with very foul weather and terrible seas,
breaking short and high, pyramid-wise. The reason whereof seemed to
proceed either of hilly grounds high and low within the sea, as we see
hills and vales upon the land, upon which the seas do mount and fall,
or else the cause proceedeth of diversity of winds, shifting often in
sundry points, all which having power to move the great ocean, which
again is not presently settled, so many seas do encounter together, as
there had been diversity of winds. Howsoever it cometh to pass, men
which all their lifetime had occupied the sea never saw more
outrageous seas, we had also upon our mainyard an apparition of a
little fire by night, which seamen do call Castor and Pollux. But we
had only one, which they take an evil sign of more tempest; the same
is usual in storms.
Monday, the 9 of September, in the afternoon, the frigate was near
cast away, oppressed by waves, yet at that time recovered; and giving
forth signs of joy, the General, sitting abaft with a book in his
hand, cried out to us in the /Hind/, so oft as we did approach within
hearing, /We are as near to heaven by sea as by land!/ Reiterating the
same speech, well beseeming a soldier, resolute in Jesus Christ, as I
can testify he was.
The same Monday night, about twelve of the clock, or not long after,
the frigate being ahead of us in the /Golden Hind/, suddenly her
lights were out, whereof as it were in a moment we lost the sight, and
withal our watch cried /the General was cast away/, which was too
true. For in that moment the frigate was devoured and swallowed up of
the sea. Yet still we looked out all that night, and ever after until
we arrived upon the coast of England; omitting no small sail at sea,
unto which we gave not the tokens between us agreed upon to have
perfect knowledge of each other, if we should at any time be
separated.
In great torment of weather and peril of drowning it pleased God to
send safe home the /Golden Hind/, which arrived in Falmouth the 22 of
September, being Sunday, not without as great danger escaped in a flaw
coming from the south-east, with such thick mist that we could not
discern land to put in right with the haven.
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