om the Indies. They exclaimed against his
familiarity with the officers of the fleet, and many other English
gentlemen, between whom, they said, unusual civilities had passed, but
all these transactions had been carefully noticed.

Besides, to sum up the whole, and put the truth past all doubt, they
said, he came from a council of war, held that morning on board the
admiral's ship, in order to put in execution the orders assigned him.
They upbraided him with being accessary to the burning of the island of
St. Thomas, in the West Indies. "Wherefore, (said they) these
Lutherans, and sons of the devil, ought to have no credit given to what
they say or swear."

In vain did Mr. Lithgow, endeavour to obviate every accusation laid
against him, and to obtain belief from his prejudiced judges. He begged
permission to send for his cloak-bag, which contained his papers, and
might serve to show his innocence. This request they complied with,
thinking it would discover some things of which they were ignorant. The
cloak-bag was accordingly brought, and being opened, among other things,
was found a license from king James the First, under the sign manuel,
setting forth the bearer's intention to travel into Egypt; which was
treated by the haughty Spaniards with great contempt. The other papers
consisted of passports, testimonials, &c. of persons of quality. All
these credentials, however, seemed rather to confirm than abate the
suspicions of these prejudiced judges, who, after seizing all the
prisoner's papers, ordered him again to withdraw.

In the mean time a consultation was held to fix the place where the
prisoner should be confined. The alcade, or chief judge, was for putting
him into the town prison; but this was objected to, particularly by the
corregidor, who said, in Spanish, "In order to prevent the knowledge of
his confinement from reaching his countrymen, I will take the matter on
myself, and be answerable for the consequences;" upon which it was
agreed, that he should be confined in the governor's house with the
greatest secrecy.

This matter being determined, one of the sergeants went to Mr. Lithgow,
and begged his money, with liberty to search him. As it was needless to
make any resistance, the prisoner quietly complied, when the sergeant
(after rifling his pockets of eleven ducatoons) stripped him to his
shirt; and searching his breeches he found, enclosed in the waistband,
two canvass bags, containing one hundred a