entred Macureguaria, and to haue begun a warre vpon Inga at this time, yea or no, if the time of the yeere, and all things else had sorted. For mine owne part (as we were not able to march it for the riuers, neither had any such strength as was requisite, and durst not abide the comming of the Winter, or to tarie any longer from our ships) I thought it were euill counsell to haue attempted it at that time, although the desire of gold will answere many obiections: but it would haue bin in mine opinion an vtter ouerthrow to the enterprize, if the same should be hereafter by her Maiesty attempted; for then (whereas now they haue heard we were enemies to the Spaniards and were sent by her Maiesty to relieue them) they would as good cheap haue ioyned with the Spaniards at our returne, as to haue yeelded vnto vs, when they had proued that we came both for one errant, and that both sought but to sacke and spoile them, but as yet our desire of gold, or our purpose of inuasion is not knowen to them of the empire: and it is likely that if her Maiestie vndertake the enterprize, they will rather submit themselues to her obedience then to the Spaniards, of whose cruelty both themselues and the borderers haue already tasted: and therefore till I had knowen her Maiesties pleasure, I would rather haue lost the sacke of one or two townes (although they might haue beene very profitable) then to haue defaced or indangered the future hope of so many millions, and the great good, and rich trade which England may be possessed of thereby. I am assured nowe that they will all die euen to the last man against the Spaniards in hope of our succour and returne: whereas otherwise if I had either layd handes on the borderers, or ransomed the lords, as Berreo did, or inuaded the subiects of Inga, I know all had beene lost for hereafter.
After that I had resolued Topiawari lord of Aromaia, that I could not at this time leaue with him the companies he desired, and that I was contented to forbeare the enterprize against the Epuremei till the next yeare, he freely gaue me his onely sonne to take with me into England, and hoped, that though hee himselfe had but a short time to liue, yet that by our meanes his sonne should be established after his death: and I left with him one Francis Sparrow, a seruant of Captaine Gifford, (who was desirous to tarie, and could describe a countrey with his pen) and a boy of mine called Hugh Goodwin, to learne the language.
