inion of the Turkes, there is a roade, being made very fensible with
strong wals, whereinto the Turkes doe customably bring their gallies on
shoare euery yeere, in the winter season, and there doe trimme them, and
lay them vp against the spring time. In which road there is a prison,
wherein the captiues and such prisoners as serue in the gallies, are put
for all that time, vntill the seas be calme and passable for the gallies,
euery prisoner being most grieuously laden with irons on their legges, to
their great paine, and sore disabling of them to any labour taking.
[Sidenote: The Englishmen carried prisoners vnto an Hauen nere Alexandria.]
Into which prison were these Christians put, and fast warded all the Winter
season. But ere it was long, the Master and the Owner, by meanes of
friends, were redeemed: the rest abiding still by the miserie, while that
they were all (through reason of their ill vsage and worse fare, miserably
starued) sauing one Iohn Fox, who (as some men can abide harder and more
miserie, then other some can, so can some likewise make more shift, and
worke more deuises to helpe their state and liuing, then other some can
doe) being somewhat skilfull in the craft of a Barbour, by reason thereof
made great shift in helping his fare now and then with a good meale.
Insomuch, til at the last, God sent him fauour in the sight of the keeper
of the prison, so that he had leaue to goe in and out to the road, at his
pleasure, paying a certaine stipend vnto the keeper, and wearing a locke
about his leg: which libertie likewise, sixe more had vpon like sufferance:
who by reason of their long imprisonment, not being feared or suspected to
start aside, or that they would worke the Turkes any mischiefe, had
libertie to go in and out at the sayd road, in such maner, as this Iohn Fox
did, with irons on their legs, and to returne againe at night.
In the yeere of our Lord 1577. in the Winter season, the gallies happily
comming to their accustomed harborow, and being discharged of all their
mastes, sailes, and other such furnitures, as vnto gallies doe appertaine,
and all the Masters and mariners of them being then nested in their owne
homes: there remained in the prison of the said road two hundred threescore
and eight Christian prisoners, who had bene taken by the Turks force, and
were of sixteen sundry nations. Among which there were three Englishmen,
whereof one was named Iohn Foxe of Woodbridge in Suffolke, the other
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