biect and base
worke, seeing they had the best occasion of the worlde offered them to
make themselues all riche: which was to arme the two Barkes which were in
building, and to furnish them with good men: (M472) and then to saile vnto
Peru, and the other Isles of the Antilles, where euery Souldier might
easily enrich himselfe with tenne thousand Crownes. And if their
enterprise should bee misliked withall in France, they should bee alwayes
able, by reason of the great wealth that they should gaine, to retire
themselues into Italy, vntill the heate were ouerpassed, and that in the
meane season some warre would fall out, which would cause all this to be
quite forgotten.

This word of riches sounded so well in the eares of my Souldiers, that in
fine, after they had oftentimes consulted of their affaires, they grew to
the number of threescore and sixe: which to colour their great desire
which they had to goe on stealing, they caused a request to bee presented
vnto mee by Francis de la Callie Sergeant of my company, contayning in sum
a declaration of the small store of victuals that was left to maintaine
vs, vntil the time that shippes might returne from France: for remedy
whereof they thought it necessary to sende to New Spaine, Peru, and all
the Isles adioyning, which they besought mee to be content to graunt. But
I made them answere, that when the Barkes were finished, I would take such
good order in generall, that by meanes of the Kings marchandise, without
sparing mine owne apparell, wee would get victuals of the inhabitants of
the Countrey: seeing also that wee had ynough to serue vs for foure
moneths to come. (M473) For I feared greatly, that vnder pretence of
searching victuals, they would enterprise somewhat against the King of
Spaines Subiects, which in time to come might iustly bee layde to my
charge, considering that at our departure out of France, the Queene had
charged me very expresly, to doe no kinde of wrong to the King of Spaines
Subiects, nor any thing whereof he might conceiue any ielousie.

They made as though they were content with this answere. But eight dayes
after, as I continued in working vpon our Fort, and on my Barkes, I fell
sicke. Then my seditious companions forgetting all honour and duetie,
supposing that they had found good occasion to execute their rebellious
enterprise, beganne to practise afresh their former designes, handling
their businesse so well, during my sicknesse, that they openly