University of Virginia Library

Chapter III.
A desperate Sea-fight in the Straights;
His passage to Rome, Naples, and the view of Italy.

betwixt the two Capes they meet with an Argosie

of Venice, it
seemed the Captaine desired to speake with them, whose untoward
answer was such, as slew them a man; whereupon the
Britaine presently gave them the broad-side, then his Sterne, and
his other broad-side also, and continued the chase, with his chase
peeces, till he gave them so many broad-sides one after another, that
the Argosies sayles and tackling was so torne, she stood to her defence,
and made shot for shot; twice in one houre and a halfe the Britaine
boarded her, yet they cleared themselves, but clapping her aboard
againe, the Argosie fired him, which with much danger to them both
was presently quenched. This rather augmented the Britaines rage,
than abated his courage; for having reaccommodated himselfe
againe, shot her so oft betweene wind and water, shee was readie to
sinke, then they yeelded; the Britaine lost fifteene men, she twentie,
besides divers were hurt, the rest went to worke on all hands; some
to stop the leakes, others to guard the prisoners that were chained,
the rest to rifle her. The Silkes, Velvets, Cloth of gold, and Tissue,
Pyasters, Chicqueenes and Sultanies, which is gold and silver, they
unloaded in foure and twentie houres, was wonderfull, whereof
having sufficient, and tired with toile, they cast her off with her company,
with as much good merchandize as would have fraughted such
another Britaine, that was but two hundred Tunnes, she foure or
five hundred.

To repaire his defects, hee stood for the coast of Calabria, but
hearing there was six or seven Galleyes

at Mesina hee departed
thence for Malta, but the wind comming faire, he kept his course
along the coast of the Kingdome of Sicilia by Sardinia and Corsica,
till he came to the Road of Antibo in Peamon, where he set Smith
on shore with five hundred chicqueenes, and a little box God sent
him worth neere as much more. Here he left this noble Britaine, and
embarked himselfe for Lygorne, being glad to have such opportunitie
and meanes to better his experience by the view of Italy; and
having passed Tuskany, and the Countrey of Sieana, where hee
found his deare friends, the two Honourable Brethren, the Lord
Willoughby and his Brother cruelly wounded, in a desperate fray,
yet to their exceeding great honour. Then to Viterbo and many
other Cities he came to Rome, where it was his chance to see Pope
Clement the eight, with many Cardinalls, creepe up the holy Stayres,
which they say are those our Saviour Christ went up to Pontius
Pilate, where bloud falling from his head, being pricked with his
crowne of thornes, the drops ∥ are marked with nailes of steele, upon
them none dare goe but in that manner, saying so many Ave-Maries
and Pater-nosters, as is their devotion, and to kisse the nailes of steele:
But on each side is a paire of such like staires, up which you may goe,
stand, or kneele, but divided from the holy Staires by two walls:
right against them is a Chappell, where hangs a great silver Lampe,
which burneth continually, yet they say the oyle neither increaseth
nor diminisheth. A little distant is the ancient Church of Saint John
de Laterane, where he saw him say Masse, which commonly he doth
upon some Friday once a moneth. Having saluted Father Parsons,
that famous English Jesuite, and satisfied himselfe with the rarities
of Rome, he went downe the River of Tiber to Civita Vechia, where
he embarked himselfe to satisfie his eye with the faire Citie of Naples,
and her Kingdomes nobilitie; returning by Capua, Rome and Seana,
he passed by that admired Citie of Florence, the Cities and Countries
of Bolonia, Ferrara, Mantua, Padua and Venice, whose Gulfe he
passed from Malamoco and the Adriatike Sea for Ragouza, spending
some time to see that barren broken coast of Albania and Dalmatia,
to Capo de Istria, travelling the maine of poore Slavonia by
Lubbiano, till he came to Grates in Steria, the Seat of Ferdinando
Arch-duke of Austria, now Emperour of Almania: where he met an
English man, and an Irish Jesuite, who acquainted him with many
brave Gentlemen of good qualitie, especially with the Lord Ebersbaught,
with whom trying such conclusions, as he projected to
undertake, preferred him to Baron Kisell, Generall of the Artillery,
and he to a worthy Collonell, the Earle of Meldritch, with whom
going to Vienne in Austria, under whose Regiment, in what service,
and how he spent his time, this ensuing Discourse will declare.