Page:A Description of New England - Smith (1616).djvu/71

remayned to spoon before the wind, till we had reaccommodated a Iury mast, & the rest, to returne for Plimouth. My reimbarkment, incounters with pyrats and imprisonment by the French.My Vice-admirall beeing lost, not knowing of this, proceeded her voyage: Now with the remainder of those prouisions, I got out again in a small Barke of 60 tuns with 30 men (for this of 200 and prouision for 70) which were the 16 before named, and 14 other saylors for the ship. With those I set saile againe the 24 of Iune: where what befell me (because my actions and writings are so publicke to the world, enuy still seeking to scandalize my indeauours, & seeing no power but death, can stop the chat of ill tongues, nor imagination of mens mindes) lest my owne relations of those hard euents, might by some constructors, be made doubtfull, I haue thought it best to insert the examinations of those proceedings, taken by Sir Lewis Stukley a worthie Knight, and Viceadmirall of Deuonshire; which were as followeth.

 

The examination of Daniel Baker, late Steward to Captaine Iohn Smith in the returne of Plimouth; taken before Sir Lewis Stukley Knight, the eight of December 1615.

Captaine Fry his ship 140 tuns, 36 cast peeces & murderers, 80 men, of which 40, or 50. were master gunners.Who saith, being chased two dayes by one Fry, an English Pirate, that could not board vs, by reason of foule weather, Edmund Chambers, the Master Iohn Minter, his mate, Thomas Digby the Pilot, and others importured his saide Captaine to yeeld; houlding it vnpossible hee should defend

him-