66 66 "blood lawfully nor unlawfully within forty days past; you may have licence to come on land." We said, we were all ready to take that oath." Whereupon one of those that were with him, being, as it seemed, a notary, made an entry of this act. Which done, another of the attendants of the great person, which was with him in the same boat, after his lord had spoken a little to him, said aloud; "My lord "would have you know, that it is not of pride or 66 66 66 greatness, that he cometh not aboard your ship; "but for that in your answer you declare, that you "have many sick amongst you, he was warned by "the conservator of health of the city, that he should "keep a distance." We bowed ourselves towards him and answered, "we were his humble servants; "and accounted for great honour, and singular humanity towards us, that which was already done; but hoped well, that the nature of the sickness of our 66 men was not infectious." So he returned; and a while after came the notary to us aboard our ship; holding in his hand a fruit of that country, like an orange, but of colour between orange-tawny and scarlet, which cast a most excellent odour. He used it, as it seemeth, for a preservative against infection. He gave us our oath; "By the name of Jesus and "his merits" and after told us, that the next day by six of the clock in the morning we should be sent to, and brought to the Strangers house, so he called it, where we should be accommodated of things, both for our whole, and for our sick. So he left us; and when we offered him some pistolets, he smiling, said, "he must not be twice paid for one labour:" meaning, as I take it, that he had salary sufficient of the state for his service. For, as I after learned, they call an officer that taketh rewards, Twice-paid. The next morning early, there came to us the same officer that came to us at first with his cane, and told us," he came to conduct us to the Strangers house; "and that he had prevented the hour, because we 66 66 might have the whole day before us for our business. For" said he, "if you will follow my advice, 66 "there shall first go with me some few of you, and see "the place, and how it may be made convenient for you; and then you may send for your sick, and the "rest of your number, which ye will bring on land." We thanked him, and said, that this care, which he took of desolate strangers, God would reward. And so six of us went on land with him: and when we were on land, he went before us, and turned to us, and said, "he was but our servant, and our guide." He led us through three fair streets; and all the way we went there were gathered some people on both sides, standing in a row; but in so civil a fashion, as if it had been, not to wonder at us, but to welcome us; and divers of them, as we passed by them, put their arms a little abroad; which is their gesture when they bid any welcome. The Strangers house is a fair and spacious house, built of brick, of somewhat a bluer colour than our brick; and with handsome windows, some of glass, some of a kind of cambric oiled. He brought us first into a fair parlour above stairs, and then asked us, "What number of persons we were? "And how many sick?" We answered, " we were “in all, sick and whole, one and fifty persons, "whereof our sick were seventeen." He desired us to have patience a little, and to stay till he came back to us, which was about an hour after; and then he led us to see the chambers, which were provided for us, being in number nineteen: they having cast it, as it seemeth, that four of those chambers, which were better than the rest, might receive four of the principal men of our company, and lodge them alone by themselves; and the other fifteen chambers, were to lodge us two and two together. The chambers were handsome and chearful chambers, and furnished civilly. Then he led us to a long gallery, like a dorture, where he shewed us all along the one side, for the other side was but wall and window, seventeen cells, very neat ones, having partitions of cedar wood. Which gallery and cells, being in all forty, many more than we needed, were instituted as an infirmary for sick persons. And he told us withal, that as any 66 66 66 of our sick waxed well, he might be removed from his cell to a chamber: for which purpose there were set forth ten spare chambers, besides the number we spake of before. This done, he brought us back to the parlour, and lifting up his cane a little, as they do when they give any charge or command, said to us, "Ye are to know that the custom of the land requir"eth, that after this day and to-morrow, which we give you for removing of your people from your ship, you are to keep within doors for three days. "But let it not trouble you, nor do not think your"selves restrained, but rather left to your rest and 66 ease. You shall want nothing, and there are six "of our people appointed to attend you, for any bu"siness you may have abroad." We gave him thanks, with all affection and respect, and said, "God surely "is manifested in this land." We offered him also twenty pistolets; but he smiled, and only said; "What? twice paid!" And so he left us. Soon after our dinner was served in; which was right good viands, both for bread and meat: better than any collegiate diet that I have known in Europe. We had also drink of three sorts, all wholesome and good; wine of the grape; a drink of grain, such as is with us our ale, but more clear; and a kind of cider made of a fruit of that country; a wonderful pleasing and refreshing drink. Besides, there were brought in to us great store of those scarlet oranges for our sick; which, they said, were an assured remedy for sickness taken at sea. There was given us also, a box of small grey or whitish pills, which they wished our sick should take, one of the pills every night before sleep; which, they said, would hasten their recovery. The next day, after that our trouble of carriage, and removing of our men, and goods out of our ship, was somewhat settled and quiet, I thought good to call our company together; and when they were assembled said unto them; " My dear friends, let us know ourselves, and "how it standeth with us. We are men cast on "land, as Jonas was, out of the whale's belly, when we were as buried in the deep: and now we are 66 66 66 66 66 on land, we are but between death and life; for we are beyond both the old world and the new; " and whether ever we shall see Europe, God only "knoweth. It is a kind of miracle hath brought us "hither and it must be little less that shall bring 66 us hence. Therefore in regard of our deliverance "past, and our danger present and to come, let us "look up to God, and every man reform his own ways. Besides we are come here amongst a Christian people, full of piety and humanity: let us not bring "that confusion of face upon ourselves, as to shew our vices or unworthiness before them. Yet there " is more for they have by commandment, though "in form of courtesy, cloistered us within these "walls for three days: who knoweth whether it be "not to take some taste of our manners and condi❝tions? And if they find them bad, to banish us straightways; if good, to give us farther time. "For these men, that they have given us for attendance, may withal have an eye upon us. Therefore "for God's love, and as we love the weale of our "souls and bodies, let us so behave ourselves as we 66 66 66 66 may be at peace with God, and may find grace in "the eyes of this people." Our company with one voice thanked me for my good admonition, and promised me to live soberly and civilly, and without giving any the least occasion of offence. So we spent our three days joyfully, and without care, in expectation what would be done with us when they were expired. During which time, we had every hour joy of the amendment of our sick; who thought themselves cast into some divine pool of healing; they mended so kindly and so fast. The morrow after our three days were past, there came to us a new man, that we had not seen before, clothed in blue as the former was, save that his turban was white, with a small red cross on the top. He had also a tippet of fine linen. At his coming in he did bend to us a little, and put his arms abroad. We of our parts saluted him in a very lowly and submissive manner; as looking that from him we should re ceive sentence of life or death. He desired to speak with some few of us: whereupon six of us only stayed, and the rest avoided the room. He said, "I am by "office governor of this House of Strangers, and by "vocation I am a Christian priest; and therefore am come to you, to offer you my service, both as stran 66 66 66 gers, and chiefly as Christians. Some things I may "tell you, which I think you will not be unwilling "to hear. The state hath given you licence to stay "on land for the space of six weeks: and let it not "trouble you if your occasions ask farther time, for the "law in this point is not precise; and I do not doubt "but myself shall be able to obtain for you such far"ther time as may be convenient. Ye shall also under"stand, that the Strangers house is at this time rich, "and much aforehand; for it hath laid up revenue "these thirty-seven years; for so long it is since any stranger arrived in this part: and therefore take ye "no care; the state will defray you all the time you "stay; neither shall you stay one day the less for "that. As for any merchandise you have brought, 66 ye shall be well used, and have your return "either in merchandise, or in gold and silver: "for to us it is all one. And if you have any other "request to make, hide it not. For ye shall find, we "will not make your countenance to fall by the an"swer ye shall receive. Only this I must tell you, "that none of you must go above a karan," that is "with them a mile and an half, "from the walls of "the city without special leave." We answered, after we had looked awhile one upon another, admiring this gracious and parent-like usage; "that we could "not tell what to say: for we wanted words to express our thanks; and his noble free offers left us nothing to ask. It seemed to us, that we had be"fore us a picture of our salvation in heaven: for "we that were awhile since in the jaws of death, were now brought into a place where we found nothing but consolations. For the commandment "laid upon us, we would not fail to obey it, though "it was impossible but our hearts should be inflamed 66 66 66 66 |