s libertie, and surprize the ship;
providing Ropes with broad spikes of Iron, and all the Iron Crowes, with
which hee knew a way, upon consent of the rest, to ramme up or tye fast
their Scuttels, Gratings, and Cabbins, yea, to shut up the Captaine
himselfe with all his consorts, and so to handle the matter, that upon
the watch-word given, the _English_ being Masters of the Gunner roome,
Ordnance, and Powder, they would eyther blow them into the Ayre, or kill
them as they adventured to come downe one by one, if they should by any
chance open their Cabbins. But because hee would proceed the better in
his enterprise, as he had somewhat abruptly discovered himselfe to the
nine _English_ slaves, so he kept the same distance with the foure
_Hollanders_, that were free men, till finding them comming somewhat
toward them, he acquainted them with the whole Conspiracie, and they
affecting the Plot, offered the adventure of their lives in the
businesse. Then very warily he undermined the _English_ Renegado, which
was the Gunner, and three more his Associats, who at first seemed to
retract. Last of all were brought in the _Dutch_ Renegadoes, who were
also in the Gunner roome, for alwayes there lay twelve there, five
Christians, and seven _English_, and _Dutch Turkes_: so that when
another motion had settled their resolutions, and _Iohn Rawlins_ his
constancie had put new life as it were in the matter, the foure
_Hollanders_ very honestly, according to their promise, sounded the
_Dutch_ Renegadoes, who with easie perswasion gave their consent to so
brave an Enterprize; whereupon _Iohn Rawlins_, not caring whether the
_English_ Gunners would yeeld or no, resolved in the Captaines morning
watch, to make the attempt. But you must understand that where the
_English_ slaves lay, there hung up alwayes foure or five Crowes of
Iron, being still under the carriages of the Peeces, and when the time
approached being very darke, because _Iohn Rawlins_ would have his Crow
of Iron ready as other things were, and other men prepared in their
severall places, in taking it out of the carriage, by chance, it hit on
the side of the Peece, making such a noyse, that the Souldiers hearing
it awaked the _Turkes_, and bade them come downe: whereupon the Botesane
of the _Turkes_ descended with a Candle, and presently searched all the
slaves places, making much adoe of the matter, but finding neyther
Hatchet nor Hammer, nor any thing else to move suspicion of t