n this expedition, having been previously
drawn up by the company of adventurers, revised by the admiralty and
approved of by the Stadtholder, Prince Maurice, were publicly read over
to them, and every man sworn to obey them. These sailing orders are
called Artykelbreefs by the Dutch, and are never suffered to be put in
force, till they have received this kind of sanction from the state,
when they become the law of the voyage, to which all concerned are
subject, and must undergo the penalties contained in them, for breach of
any of the articles. This circumstance is worthy of remark and imitation
by other nations, and is a strong proof of the care paid by that
republic to the commercial welfare of its citizens.

SECTION I.

_Narrative of the Voyage_.

On the 13th of September, 1598, the Maurice and Concord sailed from the
port of Gocree; and, being joined by the Henry Frederick and Hope, from
Amsterdam, the whole fleet proceeded for Plymouth, where their English
pilot, Mr Mellish, who had been the companion of Sir Thomas Candish in
his navigations, was to take in his apparel and other necessaries. They
sailed from Plymouth on the 21th September, the wind then blowing a
fresh gale at N.E. Next morning, being out of the channel, they
perceived that the boat belonging to the vice-admiral was missing, in
which were six men, which gave them considerable uneasiness, insomuch
that they had some intention of returning to Plymouth in search of them.
They met, however, with an English privateer, which soon made them alter
their intentions; by assuring them that their men had run away with the
boat, and could not be recovered, on which they resolved to proceed on
their voyage. At this time considerable jealousies sprung up, respecting
the capacity and conduct of the vice-admiral, which were soon increased
by his losing his other boat and one man, and which could not be
recovered by all their care. This carelessness occasioned much murmuring
and discontent among the seamen, which the vice-admiral daily increased
by his haughty behaviour, and by his contempt for advice, which no man
needed more than he.

The 4th October, they met a small fleet of English, Dutch, and French
ships, returning from Barbary, from whom they had accounts of a terrible
pestilence then raging in that country, which had swept away 250,000
persons in a very short space of time. The 6th, they came between the
islands of Teneriff and Grand Canary, and on t