Page:A Description of New England - Smith (1616).djvu/73

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52
The description of New England,

pistols, musket, sword and poniard, the Vice-admirall 100 tuns, the Rere-admiral 60, the other 80: al had 250 men most armed as is said.by, and some others, againe importuned him to yeeld to the fauour of those, against whom there was nothing but ruine by fighting: But if he would goe aboard them, in that hee could speake French, by curtesie hee might goe cleere; seeing they offered him such faire quarter, & vowed they were Protestants, and all of Rochell, and had the Kings commission onely to take Spaniards, Portugales, and Pyrats; which at last hee did: but they kept this examinates Captaine and some other of his company with him. The next day the French men of warre went aboard vs, and tooke what they listed, and diuided the company into their seuerall ships, and manned this examinates ship with the Frenchmen; and chased with her all the shippes they saw: vntill about fiue or six dayes after vpon better consideration, they surrendered the ship, and victualls, with the most part of our prouision, but not our weapons.

More: he confesseth that his Captain exhorted them to performe their voyage, or goe for New found Land to returne fraughted with fish, where hee would finde meanes to proceed in his plantation: but Chambers and Minter grew vpon tearms they would not; The gentlemen and souldiers were euer willing to fight.vntill those that were Souldiers concluded with their Captaines resolution, they would; seeing they had clothes, victualls, salt, nets, & lines sufficient, & expected their armes: and such other things as they wanted, the French men promised to restore, which the Captaine the next day went to seeke, and sent them about loading of

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