ld, with his fist caught him such a buffet behind the ear,
that he fell down stark dead, and all the rest stood amazed. Then Mr.
Oxenham called out, 'All honest men who know me, and can trust me, stand
by your lawful captain against these ruffians.' Whereon, sirs, I, and
Penberthy my good comrade, and four Plymouth men, who had sailed with
Mr. O. in Mr. Drake's ship, and knew his trusty and valiant conditions,
came over to him, and swore before God to stand by him and the lady.
Then said Mr. O. to the rest, 'Will you carry this treasure, knaves,
or will you not? Give me an answer here.' And they refused, unless he
would, before they started, give each man his share. So Mr. O. waxed
very mad, and swore that he would never be served by men who did not
trust him, and so went in again; and that night was spent in great
disquiet, I and those five others keeping watch about the house of
boughs till the rest fell asleep, in their drink. And next morning, when
the wine was gone out of them, Mr. O. asked them whether they would go
to the hills with him, and find those negroes, and persuade them after
all to carry the treasure. To which they agreed after awhile, thinking
that so they should save themselves labor; and went off with Mr.
Oxenham, leaving us six who had stood by him to watch the lady and the
treasure, after he had taken an oath of us that we would deal justly and
obediently by him and by her, which God knows, gentlemen, we did. So
he parted with much weeping and wailing of the lady, and was gone seven
days; and all that time we kept that lady faithfully and honestly,
bringing her the best we could find, and serving her upon our bended
knees, both for her admirable beauty, and for her excellent conditions,
for she was certainly of some noble kin, and courteous, and without
fear, as if she had been a very princess. But she kept always within the
house, which the little maid (God bless her!) did not, but soon learned
to play with us and we with her, so that we made great cheer of her,
gentlemen, sailor fashion--for you know we must always have our minions
aboard to pet and amuse us--maybe a monkey, or a little dog, or a
singing bird, ay, or mice and spiders, if we have nothing better to
play withal. And she was wonderful sharp, sirs, was the little maid, and
picked up her English from us fast, calling us jolly mariners, which I
doubt but she has forgotten by now, but I hope in God it be not so;" and
therewith the good fel