aring also that their Captaine was
comming to speake with him, and therefore desired our Generall to come and
speake with him himselfe.

With this answere the boate returned, and then our Generall caused his
pinnesse to rowe to them, and as he came neere the shoare they came in a
great companie with much obeysance, opening their hands and armes abroade,
bowing themselues with their bonnets off, with as much humble salutations
outwardly as they might: earnestly desiring our Generall and Marchants to
come on lande to them, wherevnto he would not agree without sufficient
gages of Gentlemen and Marchants. At length they promised to sende two
gages to our Generals contentment, promising fresh water, victuall, money,
or Negroes for ware, if it were such as they liked: and therefore desired
our Generall and Marchants to sende them a shoare in writing the quantitie
of their wares, and the names of them: all which our Generall departed to
performe, looking for their answere the morrowe following. And being gone a
litle from the shoare, he caused his bases, curriers, and harquebusses to
be shot off, and our ships in like case shot off fiue or sixe pieces of
great ordinance, and so came aboord to prepare the note. The Portugales
most of them departed, sauing those that were left to watch and to receiue
the note, which about foure or five a clocke in the afternoone was sent,
and it was receiued. [Sidenote: The treason of the Portugals in S. Iago to
our men.] But all the purposes of the Portugal were villainously to betray
vs, (as shal appeare hereafter) although we meant in truth and honestie,
friendly to trafike with them.

There was to the Westward of vs and about two leagues from vs, a towne
behinde a point fast by the sea side, where they had certaine carauels, or
shippes and also two Brigandines, whereof they (with all the speede that
they might) made readie foure Carauels, and both the brigandines which were
like two Gallies, and furnished them both with men and ordinance as much at
they could carrie, and as soone as it was night, they came rowing and
falling towardes vs: so that the land being high and the weather somewhat
cloude or mystie, and they comming all the way close vnder the shoare we
could not see them till they were right against one of our ships called the
May-floure.

By this time it was about one or two of the clocke in the morning, and the
May-floure roade neerer them then the other two by a base shotte, so