And,
Having Received My Commission, Instructions, And Her Majesties Letters,
I Departed From London, The 14th August 1585, In A Tall Ship Called The
Ascension, In Company With The Minion And Hopewell.
We arrived in safety
at the port of Azaffi in Barbary on the 14th of September following.
The
alcaide of the town, who is the kings chief officer there, or as it were
mayor of the place, received me with all civility and honour, according
to the custom of the country, and lodged me in the best house in the
town. From thence I dispatched a messenger, which in their language is
called a _trottero_, to inform the emperor of my arrival; who
immediately sent a party of soldiers for my guard and safe conduct, with
horses for myself, and mules for my baggage and that of my company or
suite.
Accompanied by Richard Evans, Edward Salcot, and other English merchants
resident in the country, and with my escort and baggage, I came to the
river _Tenisist_, within four miles of the city of Morocco, and pitched
my tents among a grove of olive trees on the banks of that river, where
I was met by all the English merchants by themselves, and the French,
Flemish, and various other Christians, who waited my arrival. After we
had dined, and when the heat of the day was over, we set out about 4
o'clock in the afternoon for the city, where I was lodged by order of
the emperor in a fair house in the _Judaria_ or jewry, the quarter in
which the Jews have their abode, being the best built and quietest part
of the city.
After I had rested there three days, I was introduced into the kings
presence, to whom I delivered my message and her majesties letters, and
was received with much civility. During three years in which I remained
there as her majesties agent and _ligier_, or resident, I had favourable
audiences from time to time; as, whenever I had any business, I was
either admitted to his majesty himself or to his viceroy, the alcaide
Breme Saphiana, a very wise and discreet person, and the principal
officer of the court. For various good and sufficient reasons, I forbear
to put down in writing the particulars of my service.
After obtaining leave, and receiving an honourable reward from the
emperor, I departed from his court at Morocco the 18th of August 1588,
to a garden belonging to him called Shersbonare, where he promised I
should only stay one day for his letters. Yet on one pretence or
another, I was detained there till the 14th of September, always at the
kings charges, having 40 or 50 shot attending upon me as my guard. At
length I was conducted from thence, with every thing requisite for my
accommodation, to the port of Santa Cruz, six days journey from Morocco,
where our ships ordinarily take in their lading, and where I arrived on
the 21st of that month.
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