alleaging many examples of Gods sparpe punishment for such ingratitude; and withall promised to doe any thing that might stand with their good liking. By which gentle speaches the matter was pacified, and the Captaine and Master at the request of the company were content to forgiue this great treachery of Parker and Smith, who after many admonitions concluded in these wordes: The Lord iudge betweene you and mee: which after came to a most sharpe reuenge euen by the punishment of of the Almightie. Thus by a generall consent it was concluded not to depart, but there to stay for the Generals returne. Then our Captaine and Master, seeing that they could not doe the Generall that seruice which they desired, made a motion to the company, that they would lay downe vnder their handes the losing of the Generall, with the extremities wherein we then stoode: whereunto they consented, and wrote vnder their handes as followeth.
The testimoniall of the companie of The Desire touching their losing of their Generall, which appeareth to haue beene vtterly against their meanings.
THe 26 of August 1591 wee whose names bee here vnder
written, with diuers others departed from Plimmouth under M.
Thomas Candish our Generall, with 4 ships of his, to wit, The
Galeon, The Robuck, The Desire, and the Black pinnesse, for
the performance of a voyage into The South sea. The 19 of
Nouember we fell with the bay of Saluador in Brasil. The 16 of
December we tooke the towne of Santos, hoping there to
reuictuall our selues, but it fell not out to our contentment. The
24 of Ianuary we set saile from Santos, shaping our course for
The Streights of Magellan. The 8 of Februarie by violent
stormes the sayde fleete was parted: The Robuck and The
Desire arriued in Porte Desire the 6 of March. The 16 of
March The Black pinnesse arriued here also: and the 18 of the
same our admirall came into the roade; with whom we departed
the 20 March in poore and weake estate. The 8 of Aprill 1592
we entred the Streights of Magellan. The 21 of Aprill wee
ankered beyond Cape Froward, within 40 leagues of The South
sea, where wee rode vntill the 15 of May. In which time wee
had great store of snowe, with some gustie weather, the wind
continuing still at Westnorthwest against vs. In this time wee
