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26 VOYAGES OF SIR HUGH WILLOUGHBY AND OTHERS,
would be flopped and barred by the force of the ice, and the cold climate: and
therefore it was thought beft by the opinion of them all, that by the tenth day of
May, the captains and mariners fhould take fhipping, and depart from Ratcliffe upon
the ebbe, if it pleafed God. They having faluted their acquaintance, one his wife,
another his children, another his kinsfolks, and another his friends dearer than his
kinsfolks, were prefent and ready at the day appointed: and having weighed anchor,
they departed with the turning of the water, and failing eafily, came firft to Greenwich.
‘Lhe greater fhips are towed down with boats, and oars, and the mariners being all
apparelled in watchet or fky-coloured cloth, rowed. amain, and made away with dili-
gence. And being come near to Greenwich, (where the court then lay) prefently on
the news thereof, the courtiers came running out, and the common people flocked
together, ftanding very thick upon the fhore; the privy council they looked out at the
windows of the court, and the reft ran up to the tops of the towers: the fhips here-
upon difcharge their ordnance, and fhoot off their pieces after the manner of war,
and of the fea, infomuch that the tops of the hills founded therewith, the vallies and
the waters gave an echo, and the mariners they fhouted in fuch fort that the fky rang
again with the noife thereof. One ftood in the poop of the thip, and by his gefture
bids farewell to his friends in the beft manner he could. Another walks upon the
hatches, another climbs the fhrouds, another ftands upon the main yard, and another
in the top of the fhip. To be fhort, it was a very triumph (after a fort) in all refpects
to the beholders. But (alas!) the good King Edward (in refpect of whom prin-
cipally all this was prepared) he only by reafon of his ficknefs was abfent from this
fhew, and not long after the departure of thefe fhips, the lamentable and moft for-
rowful accident of his death followed. ;
But to proceed in the matter.
The fhips going down with the tide, came at laft to Woolwich, where they ftayed
and ca{t anchor, with purpofe to depart therehence again as foon as the turning of
the water, and a better wind fhould draw them to fet fail. After this they departed
and came to Harwich, in which port they ftaid long, not without great lofs and con-
fuming of time: yet at the lait with a good wind they hoifted up fail, and committed
themfelves to the fea, giving their laft adieu to their native country, which they knew
not whether they fhould ever return to fee again or not. Many of them looked often-
times back, and could not refrain from tears, confidering into what hazards they
were to fall, and what uncertainties of the fea they were to make trial of.
Amongftt the reft, Richard Chancelor, the captain of the Edward Bonaventure, was
not a little grieved with the fear of wanting victuals, part whereof was found to be
corrupt and putrified at Harwich, and the hogfheads of wine alfo leaked, and were
not ftaunch: his natural and fatherly affection alfo fomewhat troubled him ; for he
left behind him his two little fons, which were in the cafe of orphans if he {ped not
well; the eftate alfo of his company moved him to care, being in the former refpeéts
after a fort unhappy, and were to abide with himfelf every good or bad accident :.
but in. the mean time while his mind was thus tormented with the multiplicity of for.
rows and cares, after many days failing, they kenned land afar. off, whereunto the
pilot directed the fhips; and being come to it, they land, and find it to be Roft
Ifland, where they ftayed certain days, and afterwards fet fail again, and proceeding
towards the north, they efpied certain other iflands, which were called the Crofs-of-
Iflands. From-which places when they were a little departed, Sir Hugh Willoughby
‘the general, a man of good forefight and providence in all his aCtions, ere¢ted and
fet
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