The Principal Navigations, Voyages, Traffiques and Discoveries of the English Nation, vol. 11 | Page 4

dismaied. [Sidenote: The valour
and death of their Boatswaine.] But chiefly the boateswaine shewed
himself valiant aboue the rest: for he fared amongst the Turkes like a
wood Lion: for there was none of them that either could or durst stand
in his face, till at the last there came a shot from the Turkes, which
brake his whistle asunder, and smote him on the brest, so that he fell
downe, bidding them farewell, and to be of good comfort, encouraging
them likewise to winne praise by death, rather then to liue captiues in
misery and shame. Which they hearing, in deed intended to haue done,

as it appeared by their skirmish: but the prease and store of the Turkes
was so great, that they were not able long to endure, but were so
ouerpressed, that they could not wield their weapons: by reason
whereof, they must needs be taken, which none of them intended to
haue bene, but rather to haue died: except onely the masters mate, who
shrunke from the skirmish, like a notable coward, esteeming neither the
valure of his name, nor accounting of the present example of his
fellowes, nor hauing respect to the miseries, whereunto he should be
put. But in fine, so it was, that the Turks were victors, whereof they had
no great cause to reioyce, or triumph. Then would it haue grieued any
hard heart to see these Infidels so violently intreating the Christians, not
hauing any respect of their manhood which they had tasted of, nor yet
respecting their owne state, how they might haue met with such a
bootie, as might haue giuen them the ouerthrow; but no remorse hereof,
or any thing els doth bridle their fierce and tirannous dealing, but that
the Christians must needs to the gallies, to serue in new offices: and
they were no sooner in them, but their garments were pulled ouer their
eares, and torne from their backes, and they set to the oares.
I will make no mention of their miseries, being now vnder their
enemies raging stripes. I thinke there is no man wil iudge their fare
good, or their bodies vnloden of stripes, and not pestered with too much
heate, and also with too much cold: but I will goe to my purpose, which
is, to shew the ende of those, being in meere miserie, which continually
doe call on God with a steadfast hope that he will deliuer them, and
with a sure faith that he can doe it.
Nigh to the citie of Alexandria, being a hauen towne, and vnder the
dominion 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,