Chamber, he brought forth two sheets of paper fairly written
in Englishy (being the same Relation which you had Printed with you
at London) and very distinctly read the same over unto us, which we
hearkened unto with great delight and admiration, freely proffering us
a Copy of the same, which we afterward took and brought away along with
us; which Copy hereafter followeth.{1}

1 Here begins the first part of the tract.

[61]A Way to the East India's being lately discovered by Sea, to the
{{7}} South of Affrich by certain Portugals, far more safe and profitable
then had been heretofore; certain English Merchants encouraged by the
great advantages arising from the Eastern Commodities, to settle a
Factory there for the advantage of Trade. And having to that purpose
obtained the Queens Royal Licence Anno Dom. 1569. 11. or 12. Eliz.
furnisht out for those parts four ships, my Master being sent as Factor
to deal and Negotiate for them, and to settle there, took with him his
whole Family, (that is to say) his Wife, and one Son of about
twelve years of age, and one Daughter of about fourteen years, two
Maidservants, one Negro female slave, and my Self, who went under him
as his Book-keeper, with this company on Monday the third of April next
following, (having all necessaries for Housekeeping when we should
come there), we Embarqued our selves in the good ship called the India
Merchant, of about four hundred and fifty Tuns burthen, and having a
good wind, we on the fourteenth day of May had sight of the Canaries,
and not long after of the Isles of Cafe Vert or Verd, where taking in
such things as were necessary for our Voyage, and some fresh Provisions,
we stearing our course South, and a point East, about the first of
August came within sight of the Island of St Hellen, where we took in
some fresh water, we then set our faces for the Cape of Good Hope, where
by Gods blessing after some sickness, whereof some of our company died,
though none of our family; and hitherto we had met with none but calm
weather, yet so it pleased God, when we were almost in fight of St.
Laurence, an Island so called, one of the greatest in the world, as
[62]Marriners say, we were overtaken and dispersed by a great storm of
Wind, which continued with luch violence {{8 }} many days, that losing
all hope of safety, being out of our own knowledge, and whether we
should fall on Flats or Rocks, uncertain in the nights, not having the
least benefit