ivered it to
our foremost man. In which scroll were written in ancient Hebrew, and in
ancient Greek, and in good Latin of the school, and in Spanish these
words: "Land ye not, none of you, and provide to be gone from this coast
within sixteen days, except you have further time given you; meanwhile,
if you want fresh water, or victual, or help for your sick, or that your
ship needeth repair, write down your wants, and you shall have that
which belongeth to mercy." This scroll was signed with a stamp of
cherubim's wings, not spread, but hanging downwards; and by them a
cross. This being delivered, the officer returned, and left only a
servant with us to receive our answer. Consulting hereupon amongst
ourselves, we were much perplexed. The denial of landing, and hasty
warning us away, troubled us much: on the other side, to find that the
people had languages, and were so full of humanity, did comfort us not a
little. And above all, the sign of the cross to that instrument, was to
us a great rejoicing, and as it were a certain presage of good. Our
answer was in the Spanish tongue, "That for our ship, it was well; for
we had rather met with calms and contrary winds, than any tempests. For
our sick, they were many, and in very ill case; so that if they were not
permitted to land, they ran in danger of their lives." Our other wants
we set down in particular, adding, "That we had some little store of
merchandise, which if it pleased them to deal for, it might supply our
wants, without being chargeable unto them." We offered some reward in
pistolets unto the servant, and a piece of crimson velvet to be
presented to the officer; but the servant took them not, nor would
scarce look upon them; and so left us, and went back in another little
boat which was sent for him.

About three hours after we had despatched our answer there came towards
us a person (as it seemed) of a place. He had on him a gown with wide
sleeves, of a kind of water chamolet, of an excellent azure colour, far
more glossy than ours: his under apparel was green, and so was his hat,
being in the form of a turban, daintily made, and not so huge as the
Turkish turbans; and the locks of his hair came down below the brims of
it. A reverend man was he to behold. He came in a boat, gilt in some
part of it, with four persons more only in that boat; and was followed
by another boat, wherein were some twenty. When he was come within a
flight-shot of our ship, signs were ma