prisoner in New Spain, where
an Englishman was certain to be made a sacrifice, what necessity, or
what accident soever, brought him thither; and that I had rather be
delivered up to the savages, and be devoured alive, than fall into the
merciless claws of the priests, and be carried into the Inquisition. I
added, that otherwise I was persuaded, if they were all here, we might,
with so many hands, build a bark large enough to carry us all away
either to the Brasils southward, or to the islands or Spanish coast
northward: but that if in requital they should, when I had put weapons
into their hands, carry me by force among their own people, I might be
ill used for my kindness to them, and make my case worse than it
was before.

He answered, with a great deal of candour and ingenuity, that their
condition was so miserable, and they were so sensible of it, that he
believed they would abhor the thought of using any man unkindly that
should contribute to their deliverance; and that, if I pleased, he would
go to them with the old man, and discourse with them about it, and
return again, and bring me their answer: that he would make conditions
with them upon their solemn oath, that they would be absolutely under my
leading, as their commander and captain; and that they should swear upon
the holy Sacraments and Gospel, to be true to me, and go to such
Christian country as I should agree to, and no other; and to be directed
wholly and absolutely by my orders, till they were landed safely in
such country as I intended; and that he would bring a contract from
them under their hands for that purpose.

Then he told me, he would first swear to me himself, that he would never
stir from me as long as he lived, till I gave him order; and that he
would take my side to the last drop of blood, if there should happen the
least breach of faith among his countrymen.

He told me, they were all of them very civil honest men, and they were
under the greatest distress imaginable, having neither weapons or
clothes, nor any food, but at the mercy and discretion of the savages;
out of all hopes of ever returning to their own country: and that he was
sure, if I would undertake their relief, they would live and die by me.

Upon these assurances, I resolved to venture to relieve them, if
possible, and to send the old savage and the Spaniard over to them to
treat: but when he had gotten all things in readiness to go, the
Spaniard himself started an ob