and punishment for ill people called obraches,
like to Bridewell here in London; in which place divers Indians are
sold for slaves, some for ten years and some for twelve. It was no
small grief unto us when we understood that we should be carried
thither, and to be used as slaves; we had rather be put to death,
howbeit there was no remedy, but we were carried to the prison of
Tescuco, where we were not put to any labour, but were very straightly
kept and almost famished, yet by the good providence of our merciful
God, we happened there to meet with one Robert Sweeting, who was the
son of an Englishman born of a Spanish woman; this man could speak very
good English, and by his means we were holpen very much with victuals
from the Indians, as mutton, hens, and bread. And if we had not been
so relieved we had surely perished; and yet all the provision that we
had gotten that way was but slender. And continuing thus straightly
kept in prison there for the space of two months, at the length we
agreed amongst ourselves to break forth of prison, come of it what
would, for we were minded rather to suffer death than longer to live in
that miserable state.

And so having escaped out of prison, we knew not what way to fly for
the safety of ourselves; the night was dark, and it rained terribly,
and not having any guide, we went we knew not whither, and in the
morning at the appearing of the day, we perceived ourselves to be come
hard to the city of Mexico, which is four and twenty English miles from
Tescuco. The day being come, we were espied by the Spaniards, and
pursued, and taken, and brought before the Viceroy and head justices,
who threatened to hang us for breaking of the king's prison. Yet in
the end they sent us into a garden belonging to the Viceroy, and coming
thither, we found there our English gentlemen which were delivered as
hostages when as our General was betrayed at St. John de Ullua, as is
aforesaid, and with them we also found Robert Barret, the master of the
Jesus, in which place we remained, labouring and doing such things as
we were commanded for the space of four months, having but two sheep a
day allowed to suffice us all, being very near a hundred men; and for
bread, we had every man two loaves a day of the quantity of one
halfpenny loaf. At the end of which four months, they having removed
our gentlemen hostages and the master of the Jesus to a prison in the
Viceroy his own house, did cause it to be