ger more then ordinarie. And though I know my selfe the meanest of many thousands, whose apprehensiue inspection can pearce beyond the boundes of my habilities, into the hidden things of Nature, Art, and Reason: yet I intreate such giue me leaue to excuse my selfe of so much imbecillitie, as to say, that in these eight yeares which I haue been conuersant with these affairs, I haue not learned there is a great difference, betwixt the directions and judgement of experimentall knowledge, and the superficiall coniecture of variable relation: wherein rumor, humor, or misprison haue such power, that oft times one is enough to beguile twentie, but twentie, not sufficient to keep one from being deceiued. Therefore I know no reason but to beleeue my own eies, before any mans imagination, that is but wrested from the conceits of my owne proiects, and indeauours. But I honor, with all affection, the counsell and instructions of iudiciall directions, or any other honest aduertisement; so farre to obserue, as they tie mee not to the crueltie of vnknowne euents.

These are the inducements that thus drew me to neglect all other imployments, and spend my time and best abilities in these aduentures. Wherein, though I haue had many discouragements by the ingratitude of some, the malicious slanders of others, the falsenesse of friendes, the treachery of cowards, and slownesse of aduenturers; but chiefly by one Hunt, who was Master of the ship, with whom oft arguing these proiects, for a plantation, howeuer hee seemed well in words to like it, yet he practiced to haue robbed mee of my plots, and obseruations, and so to leaue me alone in a desolate Ile, to the fury of famine, and all other extreamities (lest I should haue acquainted Sir Thomas Smith, my Honourable good friend, and the Councell of Virginia) to the end, he and his associates, might secretly ingrosse it, ere it were knowne to the State: Yet that God that alway hath kept me from the worst of such practices, deliuered me from the worst of his dissimulations. Notwithstanding after my departure, hee abused the Saluages where hee came, and betrayed twenty seauen of these poore innocent soules, which he sould in Spaine for slaues, to mooue their hate against our Nation, as well as to cause my proceedings to be so much the more difficult.

Now, returning in the Bark, in the fifth of August, I arrived at Plimouth: where imparting those my purposes to my honourable friende Sir Ferdinando Gorge, and some others; I was so incouraged, and assured to haue the managing their authoritie in those parts, during my life, that I ingaged my selfe to vndertake it for them. Arriuing at London, I found also many promise me such assistance, that I entertained Michaell Cooper the Master, who returned with 'mee, and others of the company. How hee dealt with others, or others with him I know not: But

my publike proceeding gaue such incouragement, that it became so well apprehended by some fewe of the Southren Company, as these proiects were liked, and he furnished from London with foure ships at Sea, before they at Plimouth had made any prouision at all, but onely a ship cheefely set out by Sir Ferdinando Gorge; which vpon Hunts late trecherie among the Saluages, returned as shee went, and did little or nothing, but lost her time. I must confesse I was beholden to the setters forth of the foure ships that went with Cooper; in that they offered mee that imploiment if I would accept it: and I finde, my refusal hath incurred some of their displeasures, whose fauor and loue I exceedingly desire, if I may honestly inioy it. And though they doe censure me as opposite to their proceedings; they shall yet still in all my words and deedes, finde, it is their error, not my fault, that occasions their dislike: for hauing ingaged my selfe in this businesse to the West Countrie; I had beene verie dishonest to haue broke my promise; nor will I spend more time in discouerie, or fishing, till I may goe with a companie for plantation: for, I know my grounds. Yet euery one that reades this booke can not put it in practice; though, it may helpe any that haue seene those parts. And though they endeavour to worke me euen out of my owne designes, I will not much enuy their fortunes: but, I would bee sary, their intruding ignorance should, by their defailements, bring those certainties to doubtfulnesse: So that the businesse prosper, I haue my desire; be it by Londoner, Scot, Welch, or English, that are true subiects to our King and Countrey: the good of my Countrey is that I seeke; and there is more then enough for all, if they could bee content but to proceed.

my returne.

At last it pleased Sir Ferdinando Gorge, and The occasion of Master Doctor Sutliffe Deane of Exceter, to conceiue so well of these projects, and my former inployments, as induced them to make a new aduenture with me in those parts, whither they haue so often sent to their continuall losse. By whose example, many inhabitants of the west Country, made promises of much more then was looked for, but their priuate emulations quickly qualified that heat in the greater number; so that the burden lay principally on them, and some few Gentlemen my friends, in London. In the end I was furnished with a Ship of 200. and another of 50. But ere I had sayled 120 leagues, shee broke all her masts; pumping each watch 5 or 6000 strokes: onely her spret saile remayned to spoon before the wind, till we had reaccommodated a Iury mast, and the rest, to returne for Plimouth. My ViceAdmirall beeing lost, not knowing of this, proceeded her voyage: Now with the remainder of those proui

My reimbark

ment, incounters imprisonment by

with pyrats and

the French..

sions, I got out again in a small Barke of 60 tuns with 30 men (for this of 200 and prouision for 70) which were the 16 before named, and 14 other saylors for the ship. With those I set saile againe the 24 of Iune: where what befeil me (because my actions and writings are so publicke to the world, enuy still seeking to scandalize my indeauours, and seeing no power but death, can stop the chat of ill tongues, nor imagination of mens mindes) lest my owne relations of those hard euents, might by some constructors, be made doubtfull, I haue thought it best to insert the examinations of those proceedings, taken by Sir Lewis Stukley a worthie Knight, and Vice admirall of Devonshire; which were as followeth..

The examination of Daniel Baker, late Steward to Captaine John Smith in the returne of Plimouth; taken before Sir Lewis Stukley Knight, the eight of December 1615.

Captaine Fry his ship 140 tuns, 36

murderers, 80

40, or 50, were

Who saith, being chased two dayes by one Fry, an English Pirate, that could not board vs, by reacast peeces and son of foule weather, Edmund Chambers, the Masmen; of which ter, Iohn Minter, his mate, Thomas Digby the master gunners. Pilot, and others importuned his saide Captaine to yeeld; houlding it vnpossible hee should defend himselfe and that the saide Captaine should send them his boate, in that they had none: which at last he concluded vpon these conditions, That Fry the Pyrate should vow not to take any thing from Captaine Smith, that might ouerthrowe his voyage, nor send more Pirates into his ship then hee liked off; otherwaies, he would make sure of them he had, and defend himselfe against the rest as hee could.

More: he confesseth that the quarter-masters and Chambers receiued golde of those Pirats; but how much, he knoweth not: Nor would his Captain come out of his Caben to entertaine them; although a great many of them had beene his saylers, and for his loue would haue wafted vs to the Iles of Flowers,

At Fyall, wee were chased by two French PyThe one of 200, rats, who commanded vs Amaine. Chambers, Min

the other 20. ter, Digby, and others, importuned againe the Captaine to veeld; alledging they were Turks, and would make them all slaues: or Frenchmen, and would throw them all ouer board if they shot but a peece; and that they were entertained to fish, and not to fight: vntill the Captaine vowed to fire the powder and split the ship, if they would not stand to their defence; whereby at last we went cleere of them, for all their shot.

The Admirall 140 At Flowers wee were chased by foure French 12 murderers, 20 men of warre; all with their close fights afore and

tuns, 12 peeces,

pistols, pocket

sword and po

the Rere-admiral

al' had 250 men

said.

after. And this examinants Captaine hauing pro- men, with long vided for our defence, Chambers Minter, Digby, pistols, musket, and some others, againe importuned him to yeeld to hard, the Vicethe fauour of those, against whom there was nothing all 100 tuns, but ruine by fighting: But if he would goe aboard 60, the other 80: them in that hee could speake French, by curtesie most armed as is hee might goe cleere; seeing they offered him such. faire quarter, and vowed they were Protestants, and all of Rochell, and had the Kings commission onely to take Spaniard, Portugales, and Pyrats; which at last hee did: but they kept this examinates Captaine and some other of his company with him. The next day the French men of warre went aboard vs, and tooke what they listed, and diuided the company into their seuerall ships, and manned this examinates ship with the Frenchmen; and chased with her all the shippes they saw: vntill about fiue or six dayes after vpon better consideration, they surrendered the ship, and victualls, with the most part of our prouision, but not our weapons.

:

The gentlemen

to fight.

More he confesseth that his Captain exhorted them to per forme their voyage, or goe for New found Land to returne fraughted with fish, where hee would finde meanes, to proceed in his plantation; but Chambers and Minter grew vpon tearms they would not; vntill those that were Souldiers concluded with their Captaines resolution, they and soldiers would; seeing they had clothes, victualls, salt, nets, were euer willing and lines sufficient, and expected their armes: and such other things as they wanted, the French men promised to restore, which the Captaine the next day went to seeke, and sent them about loading of commodities, as powder, match, hookes, instruments, his sword and dagger, bedding, aqua vitæ, his commission, apparell, and many other things; the particulars he remembreth not; But, as for the cloath, canuas, and the Captaines cloathes, Chambers, and his associats diuided it amongst themselues, and to whom they best liked; his Captaine not hauing any thing, to his knowledge, but his wastecoat and breeches. And in this manner going from ship to ship, to regaine our armes, and the rest; they seeing a sayle, gaue chase vntill night. The next day being very foule weather, this examinate came so neere with the ship vnto the French men of warre that they split the maine sayle on the others spret sayle yard. Chambers willed the Captaine come aboard, or hee would leaue him: whereupon the Captaine commanded Chambers to send his boate for him. Chambers replyed shee was split (which was false) telling him hee might come if he would in the Admiralls boat. The Captaines answer was, he could not command her, nor come when hee would so this examinate fell

F

on sterne; and that night left his said Captaine alone amongst the French men, in this manner, by the coinmand of Chambers, Minter, and others.

Daniel Cage, Edward Stalings, Gentlemen; Walter Chissell, Dauid Cooper, Robert Miller, and John Partridge, beeing examined, doe acknowledge and confesse, that Daniel Baker his examination aboue written is true.

A double trea chery

Now the cause why the French detayned me againe, was the suspicion this Chambers and Minter gaue them, that I would reuenge my selfe, vpon the Bank, or in New found Land, of all the French I could there incounter; and how I would haue fired the ship, had they not ouerperswaded mee: and many other such like tricks to catch but opportunite in this maner to leaue me, And thus they returned to Plimouth; and perforce with the French I thus proceeded.

A fleet of nine
French men of

with the Span

iards.

Being a Fleet of eight or nine sayle, we watched war, and fights for the West Indies fleet, till ill weather separated vs from the other 8. Still we spent our time about the Iles neere Fyall: where to keepe my perplexed thoughts from too much meditation of my miserable estate, I writ this discourse; thinking to haue sent it you of his Maiesties Councell, by some ship or other: for I saw their purpose was to take all they could. At last we were chased by one Captain Barra, an English Pyrat, in a small ship, with some twelue peeces of ordinance, about thirty men, and neer all starued. They sought by curtesie releefe of vs; who gaue them such faire promises, as at last wee betrayed Captaine Wolliston (his Lieftenant, and foure or fiue of their men aboard vs, and then prouided to take the rest perforce. Now my part was to be prisoner in the gun-room, and not to speake to any of them vpon my life: yet had Barra knowledge what I was. Then Barra perceiuing wel these French intents, made ready to fight, and Wolliston as resolutely regarded not their threats, which caused vs demurre vpon the matter longer, som sixteene houres; and then returned their prisoners, and some victualls also, vpon a small composition. The next wee tooke was a small English man of Poole from New found Land. The great caben at this present, was my prison; from whence I could see them pillage those poore men of all that they had, and halfe their fish when hee was gone, they sould his poore cloathes at the maine mast, by an outcry, which scarce gaue each man seauen pence a peece. Not long after, wee tooke a Scot fraught from Saint Michaels to Bristow hee had better fortune then the other. For, hauing but taken a boats loading of suger, marmelade, suckets, and