e to my handes. This bringer
hath shewed me here very great courtesie, wherefore I pray you shew him
what fauor you may. About the middle of the next moneth I thinke we shall
depart from hence, God be our guide. I thinke Andrew will goe by land to
Aleppo, wherein I pray you further him what you may: but if he should not
goe, then I pray you dispatch away a messenger with is much speede as
possible you may. I can say no more, but do for me as you would I should do
for you in the like cause, and so with my very hearty commendations, &c.
From out of the prison in Ormuz, this 24 day of September, 1583.
Yours, Iohn Newberie.
* * * * *
His third Letter to Maister Leonard Poore, written from Goa.
[Sidenote: Michael Stropine an Italian accused our men to be spies.] My
last I sent you was from Ormuz, whereby I certified you what had happened
there vnto me, and the rest of my company, which was, that foure dayes
after our arriuall there, we were all committed to prison, except one
Italian which came with me from Aleppo, whom the Captaine never examined,
onely demaunded what countryman he was, but I make account Michael
Stropene, who accused vs, had informed the Captaine of him. The first day
we arriued there, this Stropene accused vs that we were spies sent from Don
Antonio, besides diuers other lies: nothwithstanding if we had beene of any
other countrey then of England, we might freely haue traded with them. And
although we be Englishmen, I know no reason to the contrary, but that we
may trade hither and thither as well as other nations, for all nations doe,
and may come freely to Ormuz, as Frenchmen, Flemmings, Almains, Hungarians,
Italians, Greekes, Armenians, Nazaranies, Turkes and Moores, Iewes and
Gentiles, Persians, Moscouites, and there is no nation that they seeke for
to trouble, except ours: wherefore it were contrary to all iustice and
reason that they should suffer all nations to trade with them, and to
forbid vs. But now I haue as great liberty as any other nation, except it
be to go out of the countrey, which thing as yet I desire not But I thinke
hereafter, and before it be long, if I shall be desirious to go from hence,
that they wil not deny me licence. Before we might be suffered to come out
of prison, I was forced to put in suerties for 2000 pardaus, not to depart
from hence without licence of the viceroy Otherwise except this, we haue as
much libertie as any other nation,
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