situate in the Isle of Cuba, and
from thence passed within the sight of Hauana; but Trenchant their pilot,
and the trumpeter, and certaine other mariners of this brigantine, which
were led away by force in this voyage (as elsewhere we haue declared)
desired nothing more then to returne to me: wherefore these men agreed
together (if peraduenture the wind serued them well) to passe the chanell
of Bahama, while their seditious companions were asleepe: which they did
accomplish with such good successe, that in the morning toward the breake
of the day about the fiue and twentieth of March they arriued vpon the
coast of Florida: where knowing the fault which they had committed, in a
kinde of mockery they counterfaited the Iudges: but they played not this
pranke vntill they had tippled well of the Wine which remained yet in
their prize. One counterfeited the Iudge, another presented my person: one
other after he had heard the matter pleaded, concluded thus: Make you your
causes as good as it pleaseth you, but if when you come to the fort
Caroline the Captaine cause you not to be hanged, I will neuer take him
for an honest man: others thought that my choller being passed, I would
easily forget this matter. Their saile was no sooner descried vpon the
coast, but the king of the place named Patica, dwelling eight leagues
distant from our fort, and being one of our good friends, sent an Indian
to aduertise me that he had descried a shippe vpon the coast, and that he
thought it was one of our nation. (M475) Hereupon the brigantine oppressed
with famine, came to an anker at the mouth of the Riuer of May, when at
the first blush we thought they had bene shippes come from France; which
gaue vs occasion of great ioy: but after I had caused her to be better
viewed, I was aduertised that they were our seditious companions that were
returned. Therefore I sent them word by Captaine Vasseur and my Seargeant,
that they should bring vp their brigantine before the fortresse: which
they promised to doe. Now there was not aboue two leagues distance from
the mouth of the riuer where they cast anker vnto the fortresse. The next
day I sent the same Captaine and Sergeant with thirty souldiers, because I
saw they much delayed their comming. Then they brought them: and because
certaine of them had sworne at their departure, that they would neuer come
againe within the fort, I well pleased they should keep their oth. For
this purpose I waited for them at t