r general made answer, that
whatsoever Hollander made such reports lied like a traitor, and that he
would make it good against any one who dared to spread any such report;
affirming, if Queen Elizabeth had not taken pity upon them, they had
been utterly ruined and enslaved by the King of Spain, and branded for
rebels and traitors. The particular wrongs done by them to our nation
would fill volumes, and amaze the world to hear.

[Footnote 154: This is to be understood of the merchants who traded, or
warred rather; not of the whole country or best men of Holland. Losers
will have leave to speak, and merchants envy each other.--_Purch_.]

* * * * *

Appended to this very unsatisfactory notice of the voyage of Middleton
to the Moluccas, are two letters to the King of England, one from the
King of Ternate, and one from the King of Tidor. In the former, the King
of Ternate mentions, that one of his predecessors, about thirty years
before, had sent a ring by Sir Francis Drake to Queen Elizabeth. He
complains that the Hollanders had prevented him from permitting Captain
Middleton to establish a factory in the island, for which he craves
pardon, being against his will, and promises a better reception
afterwards to the English ships.

The letter from the King of Tidor requests the King of England to take
pity of him, and not permit him and his country to be oppressed by the
Hollanders and the King of Ternate, but to send him succours, which he
requests may be under the command of Captain Henry Middleton or his
brother.

There is a third letter likewise, from the King of Bantam to King James,
acknowledging having received a present by Captain Henry Middleton, and
announcing that he had sent in return, two _bezoars_, one weighing
fourteen _mas_, and the other three.

Sec. 2. _Voyage of Captain Colthurst, in the Ascension, to Banda_.[155]

The 2d of April, 1604, we had sight of the Lizard. The 23d we fell in
with the western part of St Jago bearing W. by N. six leagues; when we
stood eastward for Mayo, having the wind at north. The 24th we fell in
with Mayo, and stood to the southward of that island, coming to anchor
in fifteen fathoms. We landed on the 25th, when one of our merchants was
taken by the people of the island. Next day we landed 100 men to
endeavour to recover our merchant, but could not get near any of the
islanders, so that we had to leave him behind, setting sail that night
with