nner. God pardon the Masters uncharitable
dealing with this man. Now for that I am come to speake of him, out
of whose ashes (as it were) that unhappie deed grew which brought a
scandall upon all that are returned home, and upon the action
itself, the multitude (like the dog) running after the stone, but
not at the caster; therefore, not to wronge the living nor slander
the dead, I will (by the leave of God) deliver the truth as neere
as I can."
Prickett's deliverance of the truth leaves much to be desired.
Without giving any information in regard to Hudson's "uncharitable
dealing" with the gunner, he takes a fresh departure in these
words: "You shall understand that our Master kept (in his house at
London) a young man named Henrie Greene, borne in Kent, of
worshipfull parents, but by his leud life and conversation hee had
lost the good will of all his frinds, and had spent all that hee
had. This man our Master would have to sea with him because hee
could write well.... This Henrie Greene was not set down in the
owners booke, nor any wages for him.... At Island the Surgeon and
hee fell out in Dutch, and hee beat him ashoare in English, which
set all the Companie in a rage soe that wee had much adoe to get
the Surgeon aboord. [This curiously parallels the fight between
Surgeon Pavy and Lieutenant Kislingbury] ... Robert Juet, (the
Masters Mate) would needs burne his finger in the embers, and tolde
the Carpenter a long tale (when hee was drunke) that our Master had
brought in Greene to cracke his credit that should displease him:
which wordes came to the Masters eares, who when hee understood it,
would have gone back to Island, when hee was fortie leagues from
thence, to have sent home his Mate Robert Juet in a fisherman. But,
being otherwise perswaded, all was well.... Now when our Gunner was
dead, and (as the order is in such cases) if the Company stand in
neede of any thing that belonged to the man deceased, then it is
brought to the mayne mast, and there sold to them that will give
moste for the same. This Gunner had a gray cloth gowne, which
Greene prayed the Master to friend him so much as to let him have
it, paying for it as another would give. The Master saith hee
should, and thereupon hee answered some, that sought to have it,
that Greene should have it, and none else, and soe it rested.
"Now out of season and time the Master calleth the Carpenter to
goe in hand with an house on shoare, which at the beginnin
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