being no signs of releasing us, it concerned me now to bethink myself how I should live for the future. For neither had I any more than my countrymen any allowance for clothes, but for victuals only.
Having stayed here some two or three days; we did take leave of one another, hoping to see one another oftener: since we now knew each other's habitations: and I departed to my house, having a keeper with me.
By this time, I began to speak the language of the country, whereby I was enabled the better to speak my mind unto the people that brought me my victuals; which was, henceforth not to boil my rice but to bring it raw, according to the quantity that the other Englishmen had. This occasioned a great deal of disputing and reasoning between us. They alleged "that I was not as they, being the Captain's son and they but his servants: and therefore that it was ordered by the great men at Court that my victuals should be daily brought unto me; whereas they went always from house to house for theirs. Neither was it fitting for me," they said. "to employ myself in such an inferior office as to dress my own meat, being a man that the King had notice of by name; and very suddenly before I should be aware of it, would send for me into his presence; where I should be highly promoted to some place of honour. In the mean time," they told me, as pretending to give me good counsel, "that it was more for my credit and reputation to have my provisions brought unto me ready dressed as they were before."
Although I was yet but a novice in the country, and knew not much of the people; yet plain reason told me that it was not so much for my good and credit that they pleaded, as for their own benefit: wherefore I returned them this answer, "That if, as they said, I was greater in quality than the rest, and so held in their estimation; it would be but reason to demand a greater allowance; whereas I desired no more than the other Englishmen had: and as for the toil and trouble in dressing of it, that would be none to me, for my boy had nothing else to do." And then I alleged several inconveniences in bringing my victuals ready boiled: as first, that it was not dressed according to my diet; and many times not brought in due season, so that I could not eat when I was an hungry; and the last and chief reason was, that I might save a little
