diers, and there presently to be hanged,
despatching at the same instant another poor prisoner, with this reason
wherefore this execution was done, and with this message further, that
until the party who had thus murdered the General's messenger were
delivered into our hands to receive condign punishment, there should no
day pass wherein there should not two prisoners be hanged, until they
were all consumed which were in our hands. Whereupon the day following,
he that had been captain of the king's galley brought the offender
to the town's end, offering to deliver him into our hands. But it was
thought to be a more honourable revenge to make them there, in our
sight, to perform the execution themselves; which was done accordingly.

During our being in this town, as formerly also at Santiago there had
passed justice upon the life of one of our own company for an odious
matter, so here likewise was there an Irishman hanged for the murdering
of his corporal.

In this time also passed many treaties between their commissioners and
us, for ransom of their city; but upon disagreements we still spent the
early mornings in firing the outmost houses; but they being built very
magnificently of stone, with high lofts, gave us no small travail to
ruin them. And albeit for divers days together we ordained each morning
by daybreak, until the heat began at nine of the clock, that two hundred
mariners did naught else but labour to fire and burn the said houses
without our trenches, whilst the soldiers in a like proportion stood
forth for their guard; yet did we not, or could not in this time consume
so much as one-third part of the town, which town is plainly described
and set forth in a certain map. And so in the end, what wearied with
firing, and what hastened by some other respects, we were contended to
accept of 25,000 ducats of five shillings six-pence the piece, for the
ransom of the rest of the town.

Amongst other things which happened and were found at St. Domingo, I may
not omit to let the world know one very notable mark and token of the
unsatiable ambition of the Spanish king and his nation, which was found
in the king's house, wherein the chief governor of that city and country
is appointed always to lodge, which was this. In the coming to the hall
or other rooms of this house, you must first ascend up by a fair large
pair of stairs, at the head of which stairs is a handsome spacious
place to walk in, somewhat like unto a