Chapter VI: Part I: Master Thomas Dallam’s Diary (4)

Hear is indiferente store of Currante and ayle, and greate store of corne, for theye doo sell som to other contris that wante; also good store of goates and shepe and other catle. Because som of our companye was sicke, we restede heare 3 dayes.

The 24, being Christmas Eeve, we proseded in our jurnaye throughe Morrea. A bout nowne we came to a rever that we muste pass throughe; and, determaninge thare to baite, for we ever had vitals reddie dreste for 3 dayes, we pitched and placed ourselves under the alder trees, to kepe us from the son; for thoughe it was Christmas eve, yeat we thoughte it to be as hoate wether as we have it in Inglande at Whitsontide, and swallowes came fliinge a bout us. Our dinner ended, we croste the rever, and entred into a foreste-like Cuntrie, wheare we saw nether towne nor villidge, but somtime a shipheardes Hoote (hut). At nyghte we founde 3 litle pore cottidges. In this wylde cuntrie, wheare we rested the moste part of the nyght; and whyle 4 of us slepte, the other 4 did watche, for we touke the place to be daingerus to sleepe it. I was one of the 4 that did watche in the fore parte of the nyghte. Betwixte 11 and 12 of the clocke we saw a bale of fierr, as bigge as a greate foot bale,[148] risinge out of the easte, and did rise of a greate heighte, and did give a greate lighte; than, faulinge towardes the weste, the lighte and fier bothe was less and less. Mr. Conisbe was verrie sorie that he had not sene that fier bale.

At 4 a clocke in the morninge, beinge Christmas daye, we Sett forwardes. This day we could not number the heardes of swine which we saw and paste throughe, and also heardes of shepe and goates, and we weare verrie muche trubled wethe shepheardes’ doggs, the which weare like to pluck us of our horsis.

This cuntrie is a parte of the plains of Arcadia. Aboute (an) howre we cam to a villidge, wheare we did thinke to have boughte som vittels, but we could gitt nothinge but 8 egges.

When we weare a myle oute of this towne upon the plains, the day before was verrie fair, but now thar fell a sodon shower of raine, the which came downe as if it had bene powered downe with bouls, and no winde; but our horsis stood stone still, and would not stur one foote. The shower lasted not a bove halfe a quarter of an hour, and for a great parte of that time for a myle round aboute us we could se no ground for water. Upon a sodon it seaste, and the water was gone, all savinge som which laye in hollow placis.

Pasinge throughe this plaine, upon our righte hande we myghte se the seae, and upon the sandes an infinite company of wyld swans.[149] Upon our lefte hande we sawe highe mountains.

At nyghte we came to a Castell, caled Castell Turneaes,[150] the which dothe stand upon a verrie hie hill, posseste with a garreson of Turkes, and is 3 myles from the seae. It is a Castele that may be kepte with a verrie few men. The waye to it is so lade[151] that ordenance cannot be broughte anythinge near it.

On St. Stevn’s Day we did thinke to have croste a parte of the sea to the iland Zante, but the wynde was so hie that we could not.

On St. John’s Day, the wynde beinge somwhat abatted, we carried our supportes[152] and other Lugedge to the seasid, wheare we weare in hoope to find som boats. Cominge thether, we founde a great markett of swyne and other cattell, and so thar is everie day, beinge faire weather. The iland Zante hathe all theire provition of vittell from thence. From this place it is but 12 or 18 myles by sea, yeate we had muche adow to hier a hogge boate to carrie us to Zante. For our passage and carriege of our stufe we payed seven Chickens (sequins), or 7 pecis of gould which weare nyne shillinges a peece.

Heare, at the sea sid, we parted from our drugaman, or the Turke that was our gidd from Constantinople. Thoughe he was a Turke, his righte name was Finche, borne at Chorlaye in Longcashier.

OUR ENTERTAINMENT AT ZANTE.

Beinge come to Zante, we could not be permited to goe a shore, because the governers of the toune did understand that we came from Constantinople, or oute of Turkie. It (is) ther Custom to deale so with all straingers that come out of Turkie, if they have not a letter of health from some Venitian or Ittalian.

So by the judgimente of the Provodore and the tow Sinyors of Healthe, we wear comited to the lazaretto, which is a prison for all suche travelers, and thare to remaine for 10 dayes; and if, at the ende of 10 dais, any man be founde sicke when the Sinyors of Healthe com to examon and se them, than they muste remaine thare for 10 daies more.

JENNARIE.

By suche meanes as our martchantes who ar facktors thare did use, we had poticke (pratique) the 6 of Jenuarie, but at our firste cominge we weare in doubte to have laine thare longer in this prison, but we hade a greate favor showede us, for we weare not put into the ordenarie preson, but into a new house wheare never any bodie had dwelte, and it was cloce to the seae. Also the water men which brought us from Castell Turneas[153] was commited with us, because they broughte us in theire boote; and we weare constrained to finde them vittals for 7 dayes; for than the Sinyors of Healthe came unto us to se if any man weare sicke. Than Mr. Paule Pinder desiered that they would releace the water men, and ease us of that charge. So theye weare contented that the water men should have proticke, or libertie, if theye would leape out at a window into the sea, and washe them selues over heade with theyer clothis on; the which theye weare verrie lothe to dow, but Mr. Connisbye drew his simmeterie, and swore a greate othe that if they would not leape out quickly he would cut of theier legges, and made them perforce leap oute; and so we weare rid of them.

Many thinges which hapened in the time of our impresoment, for wante of time I doo omit.

FEBRUARIE.

We stayed in the iland of Zante fortie and 6 dayes, ever expectinge som ship to com in thare that would Carrie us to Venis, or els for Inglande, but the firste that came war the Heckter, in the which I wente out of Inglande; and we did thinke that she by that time had bene in Inglande. When I saw her I was somwhat sorie, for I had a great desier to have gone to Venis; but yeat I was glad againe, because I knew that in her was a sur passidge, and emongste men that did know me.

The 26 of Februarie, in the morninge, we departed from Zante. The nexte day we had ill wether and the wynd contrarie, so that we returned again, and went in at Safflanee,[154] in Morea. In our company was the Edward Boneventur[155] and the Swallow. In that harbur we founde the great Susan[156] of London, a ship of 3 hundrethe tun; and thare was the Riall Defence of Brstoll. The laste of this monthe cam in thare the martchante Boniventur.

MARCHE 1599.

The firste of Marche came in a litle shipe caled the Diamon.

In this contrie is verrie good muscadine,[157] and thar is also som Currante. This harbur is verrie good; what wether so ever blow, a ship is without dainger thare. On the weste sid dothe stand a pretie toune caled Luksere[158]; on the easte, a Castell. When we wente to sea from hence we weare in Company eighte ships; beinge 4 or 5 leages at sea, the wynde came contrarie, and like to be foule wether, so that we returned againe to the same harber; in the morninge the wynde came fair againe, and we sett saile againe.

The sixte daye we paste the Gulfe of Venis, the which daye the wynde came all southe weste a smale gale, so that we could not keepe our course; but as we weare turninge in the nighte, the wynde came faire at southe and by easte, and contenued the nexte daye.

The 9th daye we descried Mount Etnaye, but thare it is caled Muntabell,[159] the burninge mountaine in Cisillia. In the Afternoone we came under the shore of the same lande; at the firste we did thinke to com to an anker because the wynd was bad, yeate torninge up and downe by the shore, we saw the watche toweres make lightes at the topp of theire tours, to shew unto other watche toures how many ships they saw that weare not theire frendes; for thare be of those touers round aboute the iland, so that yf one Touer do show so many lightes one after another as they se ships, it will goo round aboute the iland in a verrie shorte time. Yf we had com to an anker we feared them note, but theye weare a frayed of us; yeat doubtinge the wynde would be worse, or else no wynd at all, we kept at sea. The next day we weare so neare the shore that we saw a greate company of souldiers, bothe horse and foote, gathered together.

For all that, towardes eyghte we came to an anker neare the shore. When the wynde came faire, everie ship sett saile before our Anker was upe or wayed. The other 7 ships beinge under saile, they gave chase to a Spainishe shipe which was goinge to Malta with wheate, and when she saw so many Inglishe ships under saile she thoughte it better for her to goo backe againe to Sesillia than to keepe her cource. Our shipe beinge the hindmoste of all the 8, yeate we out wente them all, and touke that prise. There was but 10 men in her; it was but a smale barke; she was loden with wheate. When our sailers had pillidged her our Mr. gave the ship and wheate to Captain Coke, a man of ware; we had out of her verrie fine whyte breade and good Chese. In the nyghte folloinge thare rise a myghtie storme, the wynde at weste, at which time we weare 30 leages from Capp Passaro,[160] wheare we weare laste at Anker. This storme contenued 48 houres, that we weare not able to beare any saile; in this storm the prise which we hade taken was Caste awaye.

The 13th day, beinge Weddensday, we weare in sighte of Cape Passaro againe, beinge driven backe againe thre score Leagues, and thar came to an Anker againe, wheare we founde a greate Flemishe shipe. That nyghte the watche touers made lightes as they did before. The nexte morninge we wayed Anker again, but we weare driven further backwardes. The second nyghte after we recovered that place againe; this truble we touke to be a punishmente for takinge of that prise. The nexte day, beinge Sundaye, and the 16th daye of Marche, it was verrie calme and extreame hoote wether; at 8 a clocke at nyghte we sett saile, for the wynde came faire at easte, but a verrie smale gale; the next day we weare becalmed betwixte Malta and Cesillia.

The 19th we mett with an Inglishe ship caled the John and Francis, neare the coste of Cesillia, loaden with Turkes and Jues bounde for Alicksandrea.

The 21, beinge Good Fridaye, the wynde came faire, and broughte us to Panthaleara (Pantelaria).

One Easter day the wynd was direcktly againste us, and drive us backe.

The 25, beinge Tusdaye, we mett with the Rebeka of London and the Gren Dragon of Bristoll.

The 29, the wynde beinge faire, we paste by Cape Bone; 10 leagues from that we paste by a litle Ilande caled Simbre,[161] a verrie hie mountaine also the same daye by Porta Farren,[162] the goinge into Tunis.

The firste daye of Aprill we Croste the Gulfe of Lions. Our vitals beinge verrie badd, I was invited to diner with our marchantes in the great Cabbin, and beinge at diner, we harde the crye of a mearmaide, like as yf one had hailed our shipe; but our bootswane forbid any man to make answeare or to louke oute.

The second daye the wynde came faire; the thirde day the wynde being bade, we came to an anker at Firma[163] Teara, wheare our botes wente a shore for freshe water and stores, not inhabeted, but with bannished men thare. Neare unto a watche tower we founde a man lyinge deade withoute a heade, for it had bene cut of by som Turks as we supposed. This Iland is verrie neare a place or towne in Spaine caled Iverse.[164] Our ship did rid but a litle from the toune and Castle, which Castell is verrie stronge. The 6 daye, beinge Sondaye, in the morninge, as we weare wayinge anker, Thare came a boate from that toune, and broughte our marchantes for a presente tow gootes, oringis, Lemons, leekes, and Chibbals,[165] and grene beans, indeco, lettes, and other earbs. The 7th daye we sailed by Caldaroune[166] and by Alligante, which is an hondrethe Leagues within the straites mouthe; thare we mett with tow Flemishe sale that came from Talloune.[167] The 8 daye we weare becalmed before Alligante. The 9 daye we paste by Cape Pale,[168] in the nyghte folloinge by Cape Degate[169]; in the morninge we weare becalmed before Alama,[170] a fair toune in Spaine, as it is said, not moche inferrier to London. We weare in a maner becalmed all that daye and the nyghte followinge.

This day we saw greate store of the spane (spawn) of whales, whearof they make spermacetie; it did swym upon the water as the whale lefte it: upon the water it showed reed; but when we touke upe som of it in a buckete, it was whyte, and like grease.

Also this daye, beinge a verrie smale gale of wynde, a great fishe caled a storke (shark?), of a marvalus length, did follow our ship, sid by sid, with his eyes a bove water waytinge for a praye; for if a man had come withe in his lengthe of the water, he would hardly have escaped him.

Our Mr. goner made reddie his harpinge iron, and, when the sutle fishe se him reddie to pitche it at him, he staied and fell behinde the ship, and came up on the other side, and sarved him so 2 or 3 times; but at laste he hitt him a litle behinde the heade with a full blowe, but his skine was so harde that the iron turned duble and would not enter anythinge at all, only we myghte se a litle whyte spott wheare it lighte. Nether did the fishe make any show of felinge it, but turned him a boute, and wente awaye direcktly from the ship.

The 11th daye, the wynde beinge muche againste us, as we weare turninge to gitt somthinge of the wynde, we came neare unto the Castell Defeare[171] in Spaine, and verrie neare unto the shore, we loukinge still when the Castell would shoute at us, but they would not. Than, beinge com less than a league from the shore, we had no wynde at all, and so it contenued all the nexte daye. By this meanes our fleete weare scattered one a league from another, so that yf the Spainishe gallis had come forthe they myghte have taken us one after another.

That daye it was strainge to se how the porposis did rune in greate fleetes or scoles (shoals), in what maner it is credable to reporte, and the noyes that they made.

The 13th we mett with a ship of Yarmouthe. The 15th we came neare to Gibletore,[172] wheare we mett with 3 Inglishe men (or ships) and one Flemin, which made our fleete 14 saile; but the wynde was so contrarie that we coulde not com neare the narrow gutt of the straite’s mouthe, but laye becalmed unto Budgrow,[173] also to Marvels,[174] and Grande Malligan.

The 16th we weare becalmede. The nexte morninge we saw 2 greate whalis, which wear so huge that we thoughte them to be tow gallis or frigates: ite was an extreame hoote day.

The 17th, at 10 a clocke, the wynde came faire at northe-easte, so that aboute a 11 of the clocke at nyght we entred into the narrow gutt, which is 4 leagues in lengthe. At the son risinge we paste bye Cape Sprott,[175] which is 10 leages withoute the straite’s mouthe, at which time we had in our sighte 21 saile of ships.

The same daye, towardes nyghte, one shipe in our Companye, caled the Rebecka, the which at that time was the moste speedie of saile, touke her leve of us, with an intente to bringe the firste newes into Ingland of our safe cominge homwardes.

The nexte morninge, beinge the 19th, we descried Mount Chegos,[176] a hie lande in Spaine, 7 leagues from the Southe Cape.

The 20th, in the morninge, beinge Sundaye, verrie arlye, one in our mayntope saw a saille Cominge towardes us direckly; and when we myghte well desarne the hull of her, we did know her to be the Rebecka, the same shipe that touke her leve of us tow dayes before to carrie newes of our safe cominge homwards. The Cause of the returne of that ship was for that tow galliouns of Spaine did give Chace unto her, yeate nothinge so good of saile as she; but the Mr. of the Rebecka thoughte them to be Carreks[177] Cominge from the Indies loden with greate welthe, whearin he was muche desaved, for theye weare tow men-of-warr that did ly in wayte for our ship, as afterwardes theie confesed. When they weare come neare unto us, we did also thinke them to be but than cominge from the Indies. One of them was a shipe of one thousande tow hundrethe tone, the other 8 hundrethe. Our Mr. was verrie unwillinge to feighte with them, but our saylors was verrie desierus; so we presently wente to prayers, and than our gonors made reddie their ordinance, feightes[178] oute, and everie man his place appointed, and all thinges in reddines, we havinge the wynde of the Spanishe ships. Our ship, caled the Heckter, laye sid by sid to the greate gallioune, and an other Inglishe shipp Called the Greate Susan laye close by the other, ever expectinge who would give the firste shoute. All the other ships that weare before in our Companye weare gone a league and more of from us, without dainger of any shott. Thare was great odes betwixte our shipp, that ship was caled the Great Suzana

[_Here some pages are missing._][179]

unto him, and desiered him to give me and my mate Harve leve to go a shore thare, and we would take poste horse, and make what speed we Could to London; so at laste he granted me and 3 more leve to goo, upon Condition that we would take the Spainishe Captaine with us, and bringe him safe unto the marchantes, the which we promesed to doo.

Than we wente a shore at Dover, and our trompetes soundinge all the waye before us into the towne, wheare we made our selves as merrie as Could, beinge verrie glad that we weare once againe upon Inglishe ground. After diner, thar Came into the toune a Franche imbasseter, beinge accompened with divers knightes and jentlmen of Kente; so, at tow of the Clocke, we touke poste horse to Canterburrie, and from thenc to Rochester that nyghte, and the nexte day to London.