For by that time all things were prepared, and the Souldiers got upon
the Poope as the day before: to avoid suspition, all that did belong to
the Gunner-roome went downe, and the slaves in the middle decke attended
their business, so that we could cast up our account in this manner.
First, nine _English_ slaves, besides _Iohn Rawlins_: five of the _Tor
Bay_ men, and one boy, foure _English_ Renegadoes, and two _French_,
foure _Hollanders_: in all four and twenty and a boy: so that lifting up
our hearts and hands to God for the successe of the businesse, we were
wonderfully incouraged; and setled our selves, till the report of the
peece gave us warning of the enterprise. Now, you must consider, that in
this company were two of _Rawlins_ men, _Iames Roe_, and _Iohn Davies_,
whom he brought out of _England_, and whom the fortune of the Sea
brought into the same predicament with their Master. These were imployed
about noone (being as I said, the ninth of February) to prepare their
matches, while all the _Turkes_ or at least most of them stood on the
Poope, to weigh down the ship as it were, to bring the water forward to
the Pumpe: the one brought his match lighted betweene two spoons, the
other brought his in a little peece of a Can: and so in the name of God,
the _Turkes_ and _Moores_ being placed as you have heard, and five and
forty in number, and _Rawlins_ having proined the Tuch-holes, _Iames
Roe_ gave fire to one of the peeces, about two of the clocke in the
afternoone, and the confederates upon the warning, shouted most
cheerefully: the report of the peece did teare and breake down all the
Binnacle, and compasses, and the noise of the slaves made all the
Souldiers amased at the matter, till seeing the quarter of the ship
rent, and feeling the whole body to shake under them: understanding the
ship was surprised, and the attempt tended to their utter destruction,
never Beare robbed of her whelpes was so fell and mad: For they not
onely cald us dogs, and cried out, _Usance de Lamair_, which is as much
to say, the Fortune of the wars: but attempted to teare up the planckes,
setting a worke hammers, hatchets, knives, the oares of the Boate, the
Boat-hooke, their curtleaxes, and what else came to hand, besides stones
and brickes in the Cooke-roome, all which they threw amongst us,
attempting still and still to breake and rip up the hatches, and boords
of the steering, not desisting from their former execrations, and
horrib