de to us that we should send forth
some to meet him upon the water, which we presently did in our
ship-boat, sending the principal man amongst us save one, and four of
our number with him. When we were come within six yards of their boat,
they called to us to stay, and not to approach farther, which we did.
And thereupon the man, whom I before described, stood up, and with a
loud voice in Spanish, asked, "Are ye Christians?" We answered, "We
were;" fearing the less, because of the cross we had seen in the
subscription. At which answer the said person lift up his right hand
towards heaven, and drew it softly to his mouth (which is the gesture
they use, when they thank God), and then said: "If ye will swear, all of
you, by the merits of the Saviour, that ye are no pirates; nor have shed
blood, lawfully nor unlawfully, within forty days past; you may have
license to come on land." We said, "We were all ready to take that
oath." Whereupon one of those that were with him, being (as it seemed) a
notary, made an entry of this act. Which done, another of the attendants
of the great person, which was with him in the same boat, after his lord
had spoken a little to him, said aloud: "My lord would have you know,
that it is not of pride, or greatness, that he cometh not aboard your
ship: but for that, in your answer, you declare that you have many sick
amongst you, he was warned by the conservator of health of the city that
he should keep a distance." We bowed ourselves towards him, and
answered: "We were his humble servants; and accounted for great honour
and singular humanity towards us, that which was already done: but hoped
well, that the nature of the sickness of our men was not infectious." So
he returned; and a while after came the notary to us aboard our ship;
holding in his hand a fruit of that country, like an orange, but of
colour between orange-tawny and scarlet: which cast a most excellent
odour. He used it (as it seemed) for a preservative against infection.
He gave us our oath, "By the name of Jesus, and His merits:" and after
told us, that the next day by six of the clock in the morning, we should
be sent to, and brought to the strangers' house (so he called it), where
we should be accommodated of things, both for our whole and for our
sick. So he left us; and when we offered him some pistolets, he
smiling, said, "He must not be twice paid for one labour:" meaning (as I
take it) that he had salary sufficient of the st