They came down to serve, to the number of 4,000 or 5,000. They are good archers. Every one was armed with his bow and arrows, a sword and a dagger; and had long hair, boots that reached up to the groin, and a shirt of mail hanging, the one half before, and the other half behind. These were sent away again as soon as the army was past. They would drink wine out of all measure.
Then the army being past, I ladened my ship with wines and other things: and so, after I had that which I had left at Scio, I departed for Messina. In the way, I found about Zante, certain galliots of Turks laying aboard of certain vessels of Venice laden with muscatels. I rescued them, and had but a barrel of wine for my powder and shot. Within a few days after, I came to Messina.
I had in my ship a Spanish pilot, called NOBIEZIA, which I took in at Cadiz at my coming forth. He went with me all this voyage into the Levant without wages, of goodwill that he bare me and the ship. He stood me in good stead until I came back again to Cadiz; and then I needed no pilot. And so from thence I came to London with the ship and goods in safety: GOD be praised!
And all those mariners that were in my said ship—which were, besides boys, threescore and ten—for the most part, were within five or six years after, able to take charge of ships, and did.
RICHARD CHANCELLOR, who first discovered Russia, was with me in that voyage; and MATTHEW BAKER, who afterwards became the Queen's Majesty's Chief Shipwright.
