ra Leona on the coast of Guinea, in the yeere 1592.

In May the 34 yeere of our gracious soueraigne Queene Elizabeth, a patent
of speciall licence was granted to Thomas Gregory of Tanton in the county
of Somerset, and to Thomas Pope, and certaine other marchants to traffique
into Guinea from the Northermost part of the riuer of Nonnia to the
Southermost parts of the riuers of Madrabumba and Sierra Leona, and to
other parts as well to the Southeast as to the Northwest, for a certaine
number of leagues therein specified which amount to an hundred or
thereabout. Which patent was granted for the terme of ten yeeres: as
appeareth at large in the sayd patent recorded in the Rolles in her
Majesties Chancery.

* * * * *

The maner of the taking of two Spanish ships laden with quicksiluer and the
Popes bulles, bound for the West Indies, by M. Thomas White in the Amity
of London, 1592.

The 26 of Iuly 1592, in my returning out of Barbary in the ship called the
Amity of London, being in the height of 36 degrees or thereabout, at foure
of the clocke in the morning we had sight of two shippes, being distant
from vs about three or foure leagues: by seuen of the clocke we fetched
them vp, and were within gunshot: whose boldnesse, hauing the king of
Spaines armes displayed, did make vs judge them rather ships of warre then
laden with marchandise. And as it appeared by their owne speeches, they
made full account to haue taken vs: it being a question among them, whether
it were best to cary vs to S. Lucar, or to Lisbon. We waued ech other a
maine. They hauing placed themselues in warlike order one a cables length
before another, we began the fight. In the which we continued, so fast as
we were able to charge and discharge, the space of fiue houres, being neuer
a cables length distant either of vs from other. In which time we receiued
diuers shot both in the hull of our ship, masts, and sailes, to the number
of 32 great, besides 500 musket shot and harquebuzes a crocke at the least,
which we tolde after the fight. And because we perceiued them to be stout,
we thought good to boord the Biscaine, which was on head the other: where
lying aboord about an houre, and plying our ordinance and small shot; in
the end we stowed all his men. Now the other in the flieboat, thinking we
had entred our men in their fellow, bare roome with vs, meaning to haue
layed vs aboord, and so to haue intrapped vs betwixt them b