Chapter IV: Part I: Master Thomas Dallam’s Diary (2)

After we had couled and Refreshed our selves, we Returned throughe the scatelsteade,[73] plat,[74] or foundationes of the towne or cittie of Scandaroune, so caled by the Turkes, but formerly caled Allicksandretta. There we myghte se greate peecis of wales wheare goodly housis and monestaris had bene, which in the same is now nothing but boges and pondes, wals of housis, and a castle, so sunke into the grounde with water aboute it that no bodie can go unto it. We did se thare, upon the wales of an oulde house, verrie strainge varmente Runing up and downe at great pace, som of them biger than a great toude, and of the same collore, but they had longe tayles lyk a Ratt.[75] Som of them weare longer maede and less of boddie, and so many otheres of diveres fations. An other time my mate Harvie and I wente into the feeldes to washe our lininge, and, whylste it was a driinge, we went to gather some fruite, for thar be great store of good frute that is comon, cominge to a whyte Damson tre. As we were a gatheringe we espied a great Ader that was in the tre upon the bowes, at least 12 or 14 foute from the grounde. He was even Reddie to leape upon one of us. Assown as we turned our backe to run awaye, He leape oute of the tre, and Rune into a thickett of brieres. A greate number of suche smale matteres I will omitte.

The 18th Daye our ship was to be unladen of suche goodes as was appoynted to goo to Alippo[76]; but that morninge, as sowne as we weare up, we saw a marvalus goodly show of tentes upon the sid of that mountayne, stritchinge downe unto that fountaine which I spoke of before; the which, when our mayster sawe, he sente a boate ashore to know the cause; and our marchantes sent him worde that he should not, by any meanes, send any goodes or any man a shore untill he did se all the tentes gone, for thare was the souldieres of Damascus, a parte of the greate Turkes armye, that weare goinge to the warres, and if theye did finde any thinge on the shore that did lyke them, they would tak it as theire owne. So at nyghte we saw these tentes a takinge up, for, by Reason the contrie is verrie hote, theye dow travell by nyghte, and not by daye; so for four dayes there came everie nyghte a fresche companye, and we kept a borde our shipe. Everie daye thar would com Ridinge to the seae side a great company of brave horsmen, with their lancis. Som hade their neagors to carrie their Lancis and other weapeins. Som sayd that they weare sent for to Constantinople, the which is 20 dayes Jurnaye from Scandaroune.

The 30th daye the Franch Consell which is Resedent at Alippo Dined aborde our shipp.

The same daye, towardes nyghte, our men begann to unlood our ship of such goodes as was for Alippo, for souner theye could not well, by Reason of the abbundance of Jenesaris that passed that waye, and pitched thare tentes within one myle and halfe of the Roode; and it is a verrie uncomfortable place. Thare is but 3 houstile,[77] one Itallian, one Franche, and one Inglishe. Some litle cottigis thare be made of Reedes, lik a somer house, and tow smale tentes.

JUNE.

The firste of June Thar was letters convayede verrie straingly from Alippo to Scandaroune, the which is thre score and twelve myles distance. After I hade bene thare a litle whyle, I persaved that it was an ordinarie thinge. For, as we weare sittinge in our marchantes house talkinge, and pidgons weare a feedinge in the house before us, thare came a whyte cote pidgon flyinge in, and lyghte on the grounde amongeste his fellowes, the which, when one of the marchantes saw, he sayd: Welcom, Honoste Tom, and, takinge him upe, thare was tied with a thred under his wynge, a letter, the bignes of a twelve penc., and it was Dated but four houres before. After that I saw the lyke done, and alwayes in 4 houres.

The fourthe Daye, in the morninge, thare weare pitched above twentie tentes at the place afore sayde, but the number of brave Jenesaries I could not learne, because I could not be conversante with them, or any that did know it. The moste of them weare horsmen, and everie man had his Lance, and most of them his boye, or slave, to beare his Lance, and everie mane his bowe and quiver of arrowes, and semeterrie by his sid. Not only there maner of shoutinge, but ther bowes and arrowes be strainge.

In the time of our being at Scandaroune, our longe boote wente everie Frydaye to Tharschus,[78] the cittie or towne wheare the appstele St. Pale was borne, for that was ther markett Daye, and she wente to buy vittals. Tharshus is but 16 myles from Scandaroune, and aboute the myd waye, or somwhat nearer to Scandarowne, is the place wheare Jonas[79] was caste out of the whales bellie, as the Turkes and Greekes tould us.

The Mr. guner of our shipe, one of his mates, my mate Harvie, and I, with two saylores which Rowed us thether, we wente to that verrie place, and thare we gathered and filled a sacke full of sampeare,[80] whiche did grow upon those Rockes.

The tenthe of this monthe we departede from Scandaroune towardes Constantinople, the wynde beinge direcktly againste us, bordinge it from shore to shore.

Towardes nyghte we came neare to a fayre towne on our Ryghte hande; at one end of it thare is a fayre and large castle, and the towne is a great lengthe by the sea side. This towne is caled Yeaass,[81] about six leagues from Tharesus, which the Turkes do cale Bayas, for they do chainge the names of moste townes.

The 12, 13, and 14th we sayled by the coste, and neare the shore of Carmanye, which is in Asia the Less. The wynde beinge nothinge favoarable, we had great leasur to louke upon the shores.

The 15th day we saw Siprus againe.

The 20th daye we Recovered to a Cape, which is one hundrethe leagues from Scandaroune.

The 23 we sayled by Castle Rosee,[82] which is in litle Asia.

The 25 we sawe a farr of the famus Ilande Called the Roodes, the which in times paste hathe bene kepte by Christian Knyghts, but now Inhabited by Turkes.

The 26 we sayled by the shore of the Roods, of the which we tooke sufficiente vew, for the wynde was directly againste us; we myghte se whear divers fortes hathe bene upon litle mountayns.

This Ilande is 14 or 15 Leagues in lengthe and four leagues in bredthe. The 27 we sayled by the northe ende of the Ilande, and at the northe ende of the Ilande, and at the northe-easte corner of the same, thar is a towne or Cittie, the which for Cittiwation and strengthe I cannot not give it due commendations.

This 27 daye died one Thomas Cable, who was under 20 yearis of age, and son to one of the owneres of our shipe.

As we weare to pass betwyxt the northe end of the Ilande and the shore of Asia, which is but 5 leagues betwyxte, and the wynd direcktly in ye gulfe againste us, and also we wantede freshe water and other vitals verrie scarce, our Mr. and marchantes thoughte it good to touche at the towne.

Cominge to an ankere neare unto the wales of the towne, thare we founde in the Roode a gallioune of the great Turkes, the bigeste ship he hathe, aboute one thousand tun, a verrie carte, a ship of no strengthe; yeat was she Richly laden, and cam from Alicksandria.

We weare no sowner come to an anker but the Turkes began to com aborde us, so that the verie firste day thar came abord us not so few as five hundrethe Rude Turkes, and lykwyse everie day that we stayed thare they seased not.

The nexte daye, beinge the 28 of this monthe, the Captaine basha, governer of the towne, beinge gone abrood with there galles on some greate busines, the Chia[83] his Debitie (deputy), who for the time was Captaine, he, with the chefeest men of the towne, came abord our ship, and she was trimed up in as handsom maner as we could for the time. Our gonroume was one of the fayereste Roumes in the ship, and pleasant to com into. In the gonroume I had a pare of virginals, the which our Mr. goner, to make the better showe, desired me to sett them open. When the Turkes and Jues came in and saw them, they wondered what it should be; but when I played on them, than they wondered more. Diveres of them would take me in there armes and kis me, and wyshe that I would dwell with them. When the Captaynes Debutie had well vewed our shipe, the Captaine and Mr. of our shipe, accordinge to the Custam of the contrie, did give unto this man as muche brode clothe for a present, as would make his Captaine a veste or a goune after the Turkie manere; and so they wente awaye. Assowne as they weare gone, the stuerde of our ship and his men, my mate Harvie and I, went on shore to se the towne within. When we came to the gate wheare we should enter, I louked well upon it, and saw a superscription wryten or coutt in stone, but I could not understand it, only the yeare of our Lorde, when this gate was bulte or Reedified, and it was thus sett downe: Ano Dom. 1475.

When we had entered this gate, the firste turninge that we could finde upon our Ryghte hande we turned up a verrie fine streete to go to the wales. We there founde myghtie greate ordenance, bothe of brass and Iron, the which was made by Christians; som great peecis of brass that weare burste when the Turkes lay seige unto the towne.

Ther weare marvalus greate peecis that weare made of hamered Iron, everie stafe[84] at the leaste 3 Inches square, and houped aboute lyke a barrell, the bore so bige as tow man myghte creep in bothe at once. A Greeke that gided us aboute the Wales tould us that one of these peecis, beinge once discharged, could not be charged a gaine, and made Reddie to be discharged, in less than tow houres.

This towne is Doble waled, betwixte the wales the distance of a pare of shorte butts (boats), and the ditche is verrie Depe, but drie.

To be shorte, havinge paste Rounde aboute the towne with oute any contradicktion or staye, only the time that we Dranke a pitcher of wyne which coste us but one penye, we made haste unto the seaye sid, and so to goe aborde. When we weare with oute the gate, loukinge for our bote, we se it cominge of from our shipe. When it cam to the shore, thare was in it Mr. Maye, our preatcher, and one that was appoynted to be our Imbaseders under butler. Cothe Mr. Maye to me: Ar you Reddie to goo aborde? Yeae, truly! said I; for I am verrie hungrie and wearrie with travell. I praye you, sayde he, go backe againe with me to the gate, that I maye but se the superscription over it, and sett one foute within the gate, and then I will go backe againe with you. So we wente all backe with Mr. Maye to the gate. When we weare thare, he saw a farr of a fountaine of water, made lyke one of our Conducktes, with a fayre, brighte Dishe of steele hanginge in a cheane, for the Turkes drinke nothinge but water. I praye you, cothe Mr. Maye, goe with me to yonder fountaine, that I may drinke som of that water, for it semethe to be verrie good, and I have a greate desier to drinke som of it. So we wente all with him to the fountaine, and everie one of us did drinke a dishe of water. As we weare a drinkinge, thare came unto us tow stout Turkes, and sayd: Parlye Francko, sinyore? which is: Can ye speake Ittallian, sinyor? Soe cothe Mr. Maye. Soe, as theye weare a talkinge, I louked aboute me, and a Turke, settinge upon his stale (stall), who did know me—for he had hard me play on my virginals and kissed me aborde our shipe—he beckened me to com unto him; and when I came som what neare him, in kindnes and som love he bore unto me, made me a sine to be gone; and poynted to the gate, and bid me make haste. So to the gate went I as faste as I coulde Truge, and my mate Harvie and the Reste of my Company followed after as faste as theye could; leavinge Mr. Maye and the under butler talkinge with the Turkes, for theye tow could speake Ittallian a litle, and so could none of us. When we weare gotten withoute the gate we Louked backe towardes the fountaine, but we se nobodye there; for the Turkes had carried Mr. Maye and the other man to prison. By chance we founde our bote and sayleres thare Reddie, and aborde our shipe we wente. When we came aborde, I wente presently to our Mr., and tould him all that had hapened. When I tould him how I had bene aboute the towne, he Imagened that we by that meanes had given som offence; because it is Daingerus for a stranger, beinge a Christian, to Take a vew of that towne, and so thoughte that for our faulte these men weare taken presoners. What wordes did pass betwyxte our Mr. and me I will omitt till God send us into Inglande. No man durste be so boulde as to goo ashore all that Daye, nether did any com abord us.

The nexte morninge a litle Greeke bote cam from the towne abord our shipe wythe a Letter from Mr. Maye, Direckted not onlye to our Mr. and marchantes, but also to the Reste of theyre companye. This Letter was wrytten so pittifully, as yf theye had bene presoneres thare seven yeares: showinge how they weare taken from the fountayne and copled together, lyke as theye hade bene tow Doggs, with a cheane of could Rustie Iron, and lede into a Darke dungeon, thare cheane fastened with a staple unto a poste wheare they muste continually stande, and nether sitt nor knele, and everye tow houres weare shaken over them whippes made of wyere, threatening most Crouell punishmente; and tharfore desiered that by all meanes thei would seke som meanes for theyer spedie Release, or eles that theye myghte be presently put to Deathe, for theye weare not able to Induer that myserable lyfe and sharp punishment, which was lykly to be Inflicted vpon them yf the ship did once departe. Our Mr. and marchantes weare so wounded with Reding this letter, and pittinge the presoneres case, and banishinge all feare, they Resolvede to go ashore. Our Mr. and five martchants havinge made themselves as brave as they could, they wente a shore verrie stoutly to the Captayns house, desieringe to speake with the chial, the Captain bassha his debutie, who after he had made them to staye whyle he came unto them to know the cose of theire cominge, one of our men that could beste speak Ittallian Tould him that Theye founde them selves verrie muche aggreved that theyer men should be stayede as presoneres, and not to be Informed of the Cause; and lyke wyse wondered how they Durste be so bould as to make stay of any one of our men, we beinge goinge with so Riche a presente to the Grand Sinyor, and those tow men which theye had stayed weare tow spetiall men, one of them our Divine and preacher, the other the chefe and princepall man for the presente. This, with other wordes, they sayed to feare them; also theye sayd that yf he would not presently deliver those men, they would hier a gallie and send to the Grand Sinyor, that he might understand how they wear wronged and hindred in their voyege without any occation given to our knowledge.

The Answer of the Chial was this:

Yeaster Day I was abord your Shipp presentinge my Captayn’s person in his absence; you gave me not suche entertainmente as my place Did Requier; you made me no good cheare, nether Did you give me a presente for my Captaine.

Our men answeared: The beste Entertainmente that we could give unto yow for the time yow had; good cheare we could mak yow none, for we had nothinge for our selves; our cominge to this place was to haue some Relefe heare, and to furnishe our selves with suche vitals as this contrie yeldethe for our monye. Whereas yow saye that yow had no presente for your Captayne, yow say not truly, for yow had so muche brode Clothe as would make your Captaine a Veste. But than said the chial: I had none for my selfe, and one will I have before yow have your men. Then saide they: Is that all the occation that moved yow to Impreson our men? And will the gifte of suche a presente give you contente That we maye have our men? Yea, surlye, sayde the chia. And so this Quarell was ended. Heare yow maye se the base and covetus condition of these Rude and barbarus doged Turkes, and how litle they do Regard Christians.

This Cittie wale which is nexte unto the seae is marvalus stronge, and so fortified with greate ordinance, not upon the wale, but their nosis Do louke throw the wale, so placed that no ship can pass on that side of the lande withoute leve. Within the town, in most streetes, a man cannot trott a horse, the streetes ly so full of bulletes, made of marble,[85] and of all sizis, from 16 Incchis to 3 Inchis. Many other Thinges conserninge this Cittie and Iland I do omit till my Returne into Inglande; but of all the townes or Citties that in my life I have sene, for strengthe I never saw the lyke.

Now, havinge Redemed our men oute of prison, the next day beinge the 30th, or last day of June, we wayed Anker, hoysed saile, and so to sea.

The firste of July, beinge under saile, we entered the sea Aegebu,[86] passinge by and emongste the Iles of Archipelagua, wheare is a marvalus company of little Ilandes. The second daye we sailed by one of them emongeste the Reste, leavinge it southe. It is caled Lango.[87] Upon the northe side verrie pleasante lowe grounde, wheare semed to be not only store of vines, but plentie of other frute. Also we se a verrie fine toune, whose wales Resiste the waves of the sea. Within the towne verrie fayer buildinges, the which was never done by the Turkes, thoughe they now Inioye (enjoy) the same. It was our happ to caste Anker before the towne alnyghte, but in the morninge we sett sayle. The towne is called Lango (Stanco), by the name of the Ilande.

The third daye, standinge upon the spar-decke of our shipp, I tould no less than 16 Ilandes which weare Rounde about us.

The fourthe day, leavinge Learo[88] southe, we came to the Ilande Samose, wheare that famos felosefer Pathagarus was borne. This Ilande, for the moste parte, is Inhabited with Greekes. The wynde beinge verrie contrarie to our cource, that findinge a faire Roode, we Caste anker thare, wheare we myghte se a litle towne, a myle and better from the shore.

The people in the towne, seeinge our shipp com to an anker, we sawe them Rune into the felds and drive awaye there Cattell with greate speede up into the mountaines. Also in the Rood, halfe a myle from us, was a litle shipp or barke, the which they halled ashore, and carriede awaye the goodes that was in her; but they touke more paynes then theie needed, for we ment them no harme, and one hour within nyghte we wayed Anker; but the wynd was so Direcktly in the narrow passage[89] we had to go betwyxt that Iland and another,[90] that we could not pass, but weare forced to put in againe at the southe easte corner of the same ilande, under hudge mountaine.[91] To my thinkinge it is only one parme stone (pumice stone), and of sartaintie all that parte which was nexte unto the sea is a fearme stone, and verrie streighte uprighte.

The nexte Day som of our men went a shore to se yf they could find any freshe water, and to cut doune som fier wood.

One of those men, beinge a verrie bould fellow, stole away from his fellowes, and wente to the towne aforesayde. He presumed partly upon his language, but the reste of his fellowes came aborde without him, and everie one did thinke that he was taken prisoner. The nexte daye, aboute ten of the clocke, he came to the sea sid, and weaved for a boate; so, when he cam aborde, he broughte with him som hens and som breade, and was halfe Drunke with wyne. About tow houres after came to the shore the captaine of that ilande, who was a Turke, and broughte with him a presente, in hope to recave a better.

Heare doth grow a kinde of graine or corne, which theie do call myllio (millet), a small seed muche lyke unto canara-bird seed. The increase of it is at the least one hundrethe and fiftie foulde. They make of it finer bread than of wheate. The eighte Daye Died one John Knill, sarvante to Mr. Wyseman, marchante, who was also one of the owneres of our shipp.

The tenthe daye we wayed anker, and provede to pass our cource, but the wynde would not suffer us, beinge weste and by northe, as it was before. When we saw that we could not prevaile againste the wynde, we came rounde to that place whear we did firste anker, thinkinge thare to git som better store of vitals and freshe water; but beinge verrie darke before we could git into the harber, by the necklyience (negligence) of him that sounded, our ship was a grounde, the which turned us to greate feare and muche truble a greate parte of that nyghte; yeat in the ende all was well. But in the morninge, when we did thinke to have gone a shore, we espied 4 gallis and a frigett, which came stealinge by the shore. The gallis stayed a league of, under the shore of Asia the lesse, but the frigett came into the roode to se what we wear, and thar came to an anker; the which when our Mr. persaved, not knowinge what There intent was, he caused anker to be wayed with all speed, and beinge under saile, the frigett went before us, and also the gallis; for than our Mr. purposed to goo that way which before he Durste not adventur; for whearas we should have lefte this ilande on our Righte hand, now we lefte it on our lefte hand, and ventured to goo be twyxte Samose and the mayne land of Asia the less, the which is a marvalus straite pasege for suche a ship as ours was. Even in the straighteste place these four gallis stayed for us, but when they se our strengthe and bouldnes, they weare afrayed of us. They had placed ther gallis cloce by the shore, so that ether the beake head did tuche the shore or else there ors myghte, and yeat had we hardly roume enoughe to pass betwyxte theire ores and the mayne lande. Our Mr. caused all our company to stand up and make as great a show as we coulde, and when we weare ryghte over againste them, our five trumpetes sounded sodonly, which made them wonder, loukinge earnestly upon us, but gave us not a worde; so we Dashte them oute of countinance who mente to have feared us, and we lefte them by the shore of Samose, beinge the eleventhe day of July.

The 12th daye we discried Scio. The 13th we sayled by the shore of that ilande.

The 14th we cam to an anker in a rood, tow leagues shorte of the greate towne or Cittie of Scio, so called by the name of the ilande.

The 15th day, in the morninge, our longe boate beinge reddie to go ashore for freshe water, which we stod great need of, for in 3 dayes before we had nothinge to eate but rice boyled in stinkinge water, and our bevveredge did also stincke. The boate beinge lanched, thre of our jentlmen passingeres came unto me and asked me yf I would goo a shore to see yf we could buy some freshe vittals, and I sayd: Yeae, with all my harte. Assowne as we weare in the boate, the Mr. was tould of it, and he louked over the ship side, and spoke unto me, for the other myghte have gone with his good will, and nevere com again, nether woulde he have stayed halfe an hour for them; but theye did know that he would not leave me behinde. So the Mr. asked me whether I would go, and I tould him but to sett foute on shore, drinke som freshe water, and com aborde with the boate. Than he bid me come aborde againe presently, but the jentlmen had me betwyxte them, and helde me faste; nether did I meane to dow as he bid me. Well, sayd the Mr., I see ye will goo ashore, and the companye that is with yow will draw yow up to yonder towne which you se, and I will tell you before you goo that which yow shall finde true. In no parte of the worlde Dothe grow any masticke[92] but in this ilande, and now is the time for it. The commodities heare ar nothinge but masticke, cotten woll, and wynes. Yow cannot goo to yonder towne but yow muste needes go throughe the gardens wheare these thinges grow; and yf you be sene to take one sprige of masticke, or one podd of cotten woll, or one bunche of grapes, it is a whole yeares impresonmente, and thare wilbe no redemption for you. Tharfore do not saye but that I gave yow suffitiente warninge, etc.

This iland of Scio is risinge from the sea side som 3 or 4 myle, and this towne which we mente to go unto is tow myle from the sea, and it semed, a farr off, to be a prittie towne, with a castell in the mydeste of it.[93]

When the Mr. had tould us his mynde, for the Daingeres we myghte fale into unawares, than he sayd to me that yf I cam not backe againe with the boat when she had taken in water, he would sett sayle and be gone; but we feared not that, for as sowne as we came to lande, we wente direcktly to the towne. It was upon the Sondaye, and the people seinge our ship com to an anker, and seldum had sene the lyke in that contrie, and lykwyse saw us com a shore, many wemen and childrin came to meet us, who wondred as muche at us as we did at them. We wente on right forwardes, givinge no bodie one worde till we came into the mydle of the towne under the castell wale, and thare standinge still loukinge aboute us, thare came a Greeke unto us, and demanded whom we soughte for, or whither we would goo. To of our company could speake Ittalian well, who Answered that our cominge was to buy som vitals.

This man saide thare was a Consoll in the towne, and we muste repare unto him before we could have anythinge, so he wente with us unto the Consols house. The streetes weare full of people, which flocked together to louke upon us.

When we came to the Consols house, we weare to go up a pare of staires, made lyke a ladder at one end of the house withoute. This lader went up to a stage or scaffould which was on the backesid of his house, that louked righte towardes the sea wheare our shipp lay at an anker. The consoll was apon this stage, sittinge at a table, and with him thare was six verrie gallant jentlwemen, and verrie beautifull. Assowne as we came up, these brave wemen arose and wente awaye, and the Consoll came unto us, imbracinge us one after another, and bid us verrie wellcom. He caused the Table to be furnished with a verrie fine bankett (banquet) of sweete meates, and but tow litle cakes of breade; our drinke was verrie good raspis.[94] Whyleste we satt thare talkinge, the common sorte of the people in that towne came to the garden wales, for on that sid of the house was the Consols garthen, and the wales weare of stone withoute morter, and the people Did so muche desier to se us, that they did climbe upon the wales. The Consoll many times stood up chidinge them, and shakinge his hande at them, threatininge punishmente; but the more he chid, the more the people did climbe upon the wale, and the wale beinge over loden, Downe came the wale, makinge a greate noyes, the lengthe of a pare of butes (boats), and almoste so muche in another place. The which made The Consoll verrie angrie, and he myghte verrie well have wyshte that we had note com thare.

Wheare we satt we myghte se our shipp ryghte before us, and we se the boate goo a bord with water.

In this meane time, the Consoll had sente tow men aboute the towne, to se what vitels they could git for us; at the end of tow houres theye came againe, and tould us that theye could find nothinge that was to be sould at that time, beinge Sondaye, but aboute a bushell of garlicke, the which we wear contented to take, because we would have somthinge; and we saw that we weare trublsom to the Consoll; so, havinge taken or leves of the Consoll, he apoynted one to carrie our garlick to the townes end before us. Goinge Downe the ladder from the scaffould, upon bothe sides of the ladder did stand the chefeste wemen in the towne, in degrees one above Another, to se us at our goinge awaye; they stoode in suche order as we myghte se theire facis and bristes nakede, yeat weare they verrie richly appareled, with cheanes aboute theyre neckes, and juels in them and in there eares, theire heades verrie comly dresed with rebbininge of diverse collores; but that which made us moste admiere them was their beautie and cleare complecktion. I thinke that no parte of the worlde can compare with the wemen in That contrie for beautie; but afterwards we understood that yf we had gone to the Cittie, which was but sixe myles further, we should have bene muche better entertained, for in that Cittie was an Inglishe Consoll, whose name was Mr. Willyam Aldridge, a fine jentlman, but our Mr. would not put in thare, for feare of beinge put to som charge; for he was a verrie myserable and sparinge man, all for his owne profitt, and not regardinge to satisfie other mens Desieres, or to give his passingers anye Contente.

Beinge Come aborde our ship with our bage of garelicke, it was not so selenderly regarded but that we myghte have had chapmen (buyers) for it, and our monye againe with profitt.

The same Daye Anker was wayed, and we under sail, but we profetted litle, for before the morninge we came to an Anker againe somethinge neare to the same place.

The nexte daye, beinge the 16 daye, we wayed Anker againe, and weare becalmed before the greate toone of Scio, verrie neare unto it, but our Mr. would not suffer any man to goo ashore.

The 19th of July we came to the Iland Tenedoes, the which is ryghte over agenste the southe Ende of the platt or ruins of the great Cittie of Troye, the wynde beinge Direcktly againste us, and also a great Currante which comes from the rever of Hellisponte. We came to an Anker by the Shore, neare to that southe gatte of Troye; a greate parte of the gate is yeat standinge, with som hudge peecis of those myghtie wales that hathe bene.

The xxth Daye we wayed Anker againe, but could do no goode, for the wynde and currante was againste us, and we came to an anker againe neare to the same place.

The 21 Day, Died a boye Caled John Felton, who was borne at Yarmouthe.

Also, the same day, I and som more of our company wente a shore, and sawe som monimentes in Troy, peecis of wales, sutchins,[95] and marble pillares.

We beinge come aborde againe, ii of the greate Turkes gallis cam by us, some rowinge and som saylinge; bucause they should not com a borde us, our Mr. caused Anker to be wayed, and towardes nyghte, the wynde faylinge, we came to an anker againe.

The 22th Day, tow friggotes which came down the ryver Hellisponte, seinge our ship, and knowing her to be a ship from Inglande by her flage in the mayn top, tow Inglishe men that weare in one of the friggotes desiered of ther Captaine that they myghte haile our shipe. The captaine was verrie willinge so to dow, The which our captaine, or Mr., persavinge, and knowing the frigotes to be Turkes, and because theye should not come a borde us, he caused Anker to be wayed with all speede; for the Turk’s condition is suche that, yf they come a borde, the captaines would have had a presente, or have beged somthinge.

So by that time that theye weare com unto us, we weare under saille. Than the tow Inglishe men caled unto us, and, after som salutations, theye tould our Mr. thate thare was cominge at hande The Amberall of the greate Turkes navie, and, in his Company, 15 gallis more; and also showed how we myghte knowe the Amberall from the reste, for his gallie had tow lanthorns on his poupe, and the reste but one a peece. And so these friggotes departede.

No souner weare the frigotes gone but we discried the gallies verrie neare unto us, for theye cam downe the rever Hellisponte, at a corner by the wales of Troye. The sighte of these gallis, to our thinkinge, was a marvalus show, they weare so curiusly paynted with fayre collors and good varnishe. The slaves that weare in them rowinge satt all nakede. As they weare rowinge towardes Tenedoes, the wynde cam fayer for them, and than they cut ther sayels, and the slaves weare covered with a peece of canves that over sprede them all. When the gallis weare under saile they showed muche better than theye did before. The sailes weare made of cotten woll, and one clothe verrie whyte, and another verrie blewe, and the masts of the sam colores.

As theye weare sailinge by us, our Mr. caused the gonors to give them thre peecis, the which was but meserably done; yeate, beinge so neare the wales of Troy, the eckco was suche that everie peece semed to be five by the reporte.

Than the Amberall sente a gallie unto us to demande his presente, and also to aske whye we did salute him no better. The gallie beinge com unto us with his messege our Mr. answered that the Amberal’s presente was caked[96] under the hatchis, nether did he know what it was untill he came to our imbassador at Constantinople; and for that thare was no better salutation, or more shott given to the Amberall, the reason was That he did [not] knowe that the Amberall was thare. Yf he hade he would have given him all the ordinance in our shipp.

This excuse beinge made, the captaine of that gallie, who did not com a borde us, but sente a litle boate to our ship sid, for the gallie durste not com neare us, but the men in this boate sad that their captaine myghte not returne to his amberall excepte he carried him som smale presente.

Than our Mr., makinge deligente seartche in our ship, he found tow holland chestis, the which he sente to the amberall. Than the captaine of that gallie demanded a presente for him selfe. Our Mr. answered that he had nothinge. Than he desiered to have som tobacko[97] and tobackco-pipes, the which in the end he had. And so he sailed to Tenedose, wheare the Amberall and the reste of the gallis weare come to an Anker. At his departur, our Mr. gave him one peece with the shott.

Aboute tow houres after this gallie was gone, the wynde beinge verrie smale, and touke us shorte righte befor Cape Jenisarie, by som people caled the Cape of Janisaries.[98] Thare I wente a shore wythe som of our martchantes, wheare we founde a litle scateringe villidge, inhabited with Greekes. Thare we boughte som breade and hens.

Also thare we saw more at large the rewins of the wales and housis in Troye, and from thence I broughte a peece of a whyte marble piller, the which I broke with my owne handes, havinge a good hamer, which my mate Harvie did carrie a shore for the same purpose; and I broughte this peece of marble to London. This Cape Jenisarie is aboute ten myle from Tenedose.

Now, beinge Come aborde our ship, we sett saile the same Daye, and entered into the rever Hellisponte seven leagues, and thare came to an Anker neare unto the tow Castels caled Sestose and Abidose. Sestose is in Thracia, and Abidose in Litle Asia. These tow Castels are verrie strongly kepte for the defence of entringe the Straites of Hellisponte aforesaid, which is the waye that all shipinge muste pass by that goethe to Constantinople.

The 24 a Captaine of one of the Castels came aborde our shipp, and broughte with him a presente.

Diverse other Turkishe captains came a borde us in the time that we stayed thare, and also the Consoll of Gallippelo.[99] Beinge thare by chance he came a borde us. This Consoll is a frier, and verrie fine Jentlman.

AUGUSTE.

In the time that we stayed heare for a wynde, we wente many times a shore, but what hapened, and what we saw at this time, I pass over.

But our Imbasador who was than at Constantinople, hearinge that our shipp had layne longe thare for a wynde, he sente downe a Chirmagee[100] to fetche up sartaine letters, and also for us that weare for the present; in the Chirmagee came Mr. Thomas Glover,[101] Mr. Baylye of Saulsburie, and a Jenisarie. From Constantinople to that place is neare aboute tow hundrethe and fiftie myle.

The nexte morninge, being the fifte of Aguste, not only we that weare for the presente, butt also Mr. Maye, our preatcher, and other Jentlmen that wente to sarve the Imbassader, would needes leave the shipe and goo with us, for it was thoughte by our fizitions that one of our sailores was infeckted with the plague.

The Chirmagee would not carrie us all, but Mr. Glover did hier tow boates more. We weare, in all, 16, with Mr. Glover and Mr. Baylye.

The sixte Daye we arived at Gallipilo, and cominge to the Ittallian Consol’s house, who is a frier, he recaved us verrie kindly, but our staye was so shorte that we had no time to se the Cittie. Haveing fayer wynde, we made haste to sea againe. Aboute the mydle of the nyghte followinge, haveinge no wynde at all, and our men wearie with rowinge, we wente a shore, wheare we founde 3 or 4 wynde myls and the wales of an ould Castele. Though it was verrie Darke, yeat some of our men rowed up and downe till theye founde a litle cottage, wheare they gott some fiere. Others broke downe an ould hedge; and so we made a greate fier under the Castle wale. At Gallipilo, the daye before, at our goinge to sea, we boughte halfe a mutton, and heare we boyled the one halfe, and rosted the other. Thoughe it was but in a homly fashon, yeat we eat it bothe merrily and sweetly. Our fier was so large that we hade hyghte (heat) enoughe.

Before the morninge we wente to sea againe. When it was Daye, the wynde rose so greate that we weare forced to goo a shore, and to hale our boates on lande at a greate Towne Called Relezea.[102] Thare we founde wyne and breade greate plentie, but some of our Company did wake into the feeldes, and entered into a vinyarde to gather grapes; but beinge pursued by the Greekes that owed the vinyard, they weare not only in Dainger of recavinge som hurte, but also of lousing theire garmentes. Cuthberte Bull had loste his Cloake, and one that wente to be the Imbassaderes Couke was pinyonede, his girdle and knyfes taken awaye; but one Mr. Gonzale, a verrie stoute man, redemed those thinges againe, and made the Greeks rune awaye, for he beate them wythe their owne weapons, but not in theire owne grounde. Than the pore Greeks made a greate complainte unto the governor of the towne, whoe was than in our company, and had broughte us a sheepe for a presente. He quickly made us all frendes, and Mr. Glover was verrie willinge to make the Greekes restetution for the hurte was Done them. This governor, or Captaine of this towne, is a verrie stoute and stronge man of his person, but actevitie he hade none, for som in our company did prove him many wayes: he could nether run, leape, wrastell, pitche the barr, the stone upon the hande, trowe the sledge,[103] nether any defence with sorde or cudgell; but yf he did catche a man in his armes fadem wyse,[104] he would so crushe him, that he would make his harte ake, and reddie to stop his brethe. He beinge askede the reason whye he could do none of these exercisis, he Answered that Turkes would never pracktise the same that Christians did. At this toune we stayed alnyghte. The nexte morninge, our captaine, Mr. Glover, gave unto this governor or captaine, 2 or 3 peecis of goold caled chickenes,[105] for his love and good company, for he was verrie willinge to make us merry and lothe that we should departe.

The same daye, beinge the eighte daye, we touke our jurnaye by lande, towinge our bootes by the shore ten myles.

In the after nowne we came to a towne called Hora,[106] for our boates was not able to goo any further, the wynde was so hie and the sea so roughe; thare we stayed alnyghte. At this towne, but espetialy at the laste before, is great store of corne and vinyardes, verrie good; also greate store of silke wormes, wyne a pottell[107] for one penye; but the inhabytans of all these townes ar verrie pore, the Turks dothe kepe them so under, levinge upon the frutes of these pore peoples labures. All this contrie which we traveled through from over againste Troye, or the place wheare we lefte our shipp, is Thratia, whearin Constantinople doth stande.

The nexte daye, beinge the nynthe daye, we lefte our boates at Horra, and wente 3 myles farther to a towne caled Cannosea,[108] but farther we could not goo anythinge neare to the sea, for it is so hillie and full of woodes, a verrie wyldernes; so thare we stayed that daye and alnyghte ever loukinge for our boates, but they could not com. Our captaine, Mr. Glover, when we had well vewed the towne and se that the condetion of the people was not to our lykinge, he made choyce of a house for us to lodge in, that was next unto the sea. The towne stode upon a hill, and this house upon the verrie brinke or end of the hill, beinge the heighte of St. Paules Churche a bove the sea; and we weare to go up a ladder into a gallarie, that was made at the end of the house, loukinge towardes the sea, and thare was a litle dowre to go into the roume wheare we shoulde lodge upon the bare bordes.

For, in all this time that we traveled, we never put of our clothis, nether did we finde any beed to rest in. In this roume thare was not so muche as a stoule or forme to sitt upon, nor anythinge in the house but one shelfe, whereon stood tow pitcheres and tow earthen plateres; note one wyndoe to give lyghte, but one litle hole throughe a stone wale.

We beinge at this towne before nowne, to pass awaye the time after we had made a shorte diner, we walked downe to the wood sid, which is close to the sea; a wildernes or desarte wood, which is put to no use, as we did thinke, by the sighte of it. Thare we saw diverse sortes of varmen, which we have not the like in Inglande.

Growinge towardes nyghte, and rememberinge whate hard lodginge we should have in our new In, findinge a thicke softe weed, that growed by the wood sid, everrie one of us that was thare gathered a bundle of it to laye under our heades, when we should sleepe.

Nyghte beinge come, and our supper ended, everie man chalked out his ristinge place upon the bare bordes; our jenisarie placed him selfe upon a borde that laye louse upon the joistes. Everie man had his Sorde reddie Drawne lyinge by his side; tow of our company had musketes. When we had layne about halfe an houre, we that had our weeden pillowes weare sodonly wonderfully tormented with a varmen that was in our pillowes, the which did bite farr worss than fleaes, so that we weare glad to throw awaye our pillowes, and swepe the house cleane; but we could not clense our selves so sowne. Thus as we laye wakinge in a Darke uncomfortable house, Mr. Glover tould us what strainge varmen and beastes he had sene in that contrie, for he had lived longe thare. He spoake verrie muche of Aderes, snaykes, and sarpentes, the defferance and the bignes of som which he had sene.

Passinge awaye the time with such lyke talke, the moste parte of us fell a sleepe, and som that could not sleepe laye still and sayd nothinge for disquietinge of the reste, all beinge whyshte. Mr. Baylye had occasion to goe to the dore to make water, the dore was verrie litle, and opened very straitly into the gallarie, the wynde blowed marvalus strongly, and made a greate noyse, for the house lay verrie open to the sea and wether. Mr. Baylle, when he lay downe to sleepe, had untied his garters a litle, so that when he came into the gallarie, the wynde blew his garter, that was louse and trayled after him, rounde aboute the other legge; it was a greate silke garter, and by the force of the wynde it fettered his legges bothe faste together. Our talk a litle before, of Aders, snakes, and sarpentes, was yeat in his rememberance, and the place was neare wheare muche varmen was. He thoughte they had swarmed aboute him, but aboute his legges he Thought he was sur of a sarpente, so that soddonly he cried oute with all the voyce he hade: A sarpente! a sarpente! a sarpente! and was so frighted that he could not finde the doore to gitt in, but made a great buslinge and noyse in the gallarie. On the other side, we that weare in the house, did thinke that he had saide: Assalted! assalted! for before nyghte we doubted that some tritcherie would hapen unto us in that towne, so that we thoughte the house had bene besett with people to cutt our Throtes. Thare was 15 of us in the house, and it was bute a litle house; everie man touke his sorde in hande, one reddie to spoyle another, not any one knowinge the Cause. One that could not finde his sorde, goot to the Chimnay, and offeringe to climbe up, Downe fell a parte of the chimnaye tope upon his heade, and hurte him a litle; another, that was sodonly awakede, strouke aboute him with his sorde, and beate downe the shelfe and broke the pitcheres and plateres which stood thar on; the roume being verrie darke, for it was a boute mydnyghte. Otheres did thinke that they weare pullinge downe the house over our heades. Our janisarie, who should have bene our garde, and have protecked us from all Daingeres, he lykwyse doubtinge the people of the towne, and hearinge suche a noyse sodonly, he touke up the louse borde wheare on he laye, and sliped Downe into the valte. As we weare thus all amayzed, at the laste Mr. Bayllye founde the waye in at the doore. When Mr. Glover saw him com in, he sayd unto him: How now, man, what is the matter, who do you se? Mr. Baylle was even bretheless with feare, cryinge out, and with struglinge to gitt in at the doore, so thet he could not answer him at the firste; at last he sayd: A sarpente! a sarpente! had trubled him. When Mr. Glover harde him say so, than feare was gone, and he wente to the Dore, and thare he founde Mr. Bayllis’ garter reddie to be carried away with the wynde. After we a litle wondered at our greate amayzmente for so smale a cause, Mr. Glover caled everie man by his name, to se yf any man weare slayne or wounded; for thare was sixtene of us in all, our weaperns all drawne, and the roume was but litle. Everie man beinge caled, we weare all alive, and but smale hurtes done. At laste we founde our janisarie wanting; who myghte well be ashamed to make it knowne wheare he was; but Mr. Glover callinge him verrie earnestly, he answered in the valte. He could not git out any way, but Mr. Gonzale Touke up the borde that laye wheare he wente downe, and lyinge a longe upon the floure, he could but hardly reatche him, to take him by the hande; without muche adew theye puled him up. When he leaped into the valte, beinge verrie sore frighted, he caste of his uper garmente, and lefte it behind him in the valte, but no man could perswade him to goo downe againe and fetche it, for the place was lothesom, and it should seme that he was thare frighted with somthinge, in that kinde Mr. Baylye was; so his garmente remayned there till the morninge, that he who oned the house did fetche it.

The nexte morninge, Mr. Sharpe, Mr. Lamberte, and tow jentlmen more, hiered mules, and touke theire jurnaye by lande to Stambole, or Constantinople, the which was 3 dayes jurnaye.

The same Daye, when these 4 jentlmen weare gone, we returnede to Hora againe, wheare we lefte our boates, and stayed thare alnyghte.

In the morninge we departede, and in the afternowne we wente ashore at a towne caled Heragleza,[109] other wyse Rellinge. Betwyxte this towne and the sea, upon a hill Dothe stande tow and twentie fayer wynde milns; everie milne hathe six sayles. They stande upon a straighte lyne, and of an equalle distance, so as theye made a verrie fayer shaw when we weare upon the seae. We weare at this towne verrie Curtiusly entertained, wheare we made merrie till mydnyghte, than Entringe our boates. In the morninge, beinge the 14th Day, we came to Selabrea,[110] a faire and large towne. We wente thare a shore for wyne and water, but we stayed not so longe as to se all the towne. Heare I se greate abundance of moske mylyons,[111] that weare as big as our sidrums or pumpions,[112] sould for the vallue of one penye or 3 halfe penis a peece.

The 15th day, beinge Wednesday, we arived at Constantinople.

The 16th our shipp Came neare to the Seven Towers, which is the firste porte that we com unto of the surralia (seraglio) which doth joyne close to the Cittie. From that poynte or corner of the surralia unto the Cittie it is almoste tow myles; thare our shipp cam to an anker, and the nexte daye she begane to be new payntede.