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848 DE CHASTE’S VOYAGE TO TERCERA,
conduct. To lofe one’s life or fortune, I confider but little; not fo-of my honour, which
would be forfeit, were Ito act otherwife ; or elfe the circumftance would ferve to iimorta-
lize the want of faith of Spaniards, in /hewing that a general of an army with all the prin-
cipal men of your nation, were devoid thereof, as you are in the fair road to demonfiraie.
Upon this, they all anfwered: Monf: de Cha/te, you do us an injury in entertaining fo
bad an opinion of our faith ; do not, for an infant, imagine unlefs it be by voluntary confent
of you’felf, and your people to accompany us to the glorious battle of Larache, where every
good chriftian ought to be prefent to oppofe the infidels ; that the marquis would on any ac-
count oblige you, nor even break his treaty with you ; and if be Should be { difpofed, our
honour is fo precious to us, we would rather forfeit our lives, than fuffer him to-do fo.
After this they immediately weited on the marquis, to whom they repeated the obfer-
vations made by the commander, on his want of faith, in taking him to Lifbon after
promifing him fhipping from Tercera to return to France. ‘They reprefented to him,
that if fuch were his intentions, the commander would have caufe to complain; and
that he would compromife not only his own reputation, but that of the whole Spanifh
nation. They befought him to keep his faith and promife, and fhip the l’rench from
the ifland, before the Spaniards failed: which the marquis agreed to do, upon con-
dition that the commander fhould leave le Sieur d’?Anguaraques, the Maitre de Camp,
with four captains and their companies; not being able to embark the whole for want
of yeflels. ‘The commander, upon learning this, repaired to the marquis, and told
him, that in the capitulation no mention of hoftages was made; that fuch conduct
was a retractation of promife ; and that, if he by torce or authority fhould be conftrain-
ed to abide by thofe conditions, it fhould be himfelf who would remain as an hoftage,
and make good his retreat, running his chance. ‘Vhe marquis anfwered: Mon/. de
Chafte, leave me the hoftages I have required ; 1 efteem you too much to confent to your ruin,
as I fhould do, if remaining as an hoftage, you were to anfwer for the diforder which your
foldiers might be guilty of, on paffing through the territories of the king of Spain my mafter,
‘from bad conduct: you muft embark tomorrow with your people, in three Bifcayan veffels,
each of four hundred tons, and a bark for your fick and wounded ; thefe hall be at your dif-
pyal, with provifions and people to conduct you to the French fhores in the neighbourhood of
Fonterabia ; and as foon as I hear of the treatment which the faid Bifcayans may have re-
ceived, and of their arrival in port, Iwill not fail to Ship the remainder of your people, which
however, I fball take to Lifbon: this is ali I can do for you ; and on whieh Iam refolved.
Very well, faid the commander, “ the /trongc/t, as you do, make the law, Jjir. When
taking leave, he affured him of failing with his people.
The next day which was Saturday, 14th Augult, they went aboard in fuch con-
fufion, that the veflels were full of French foldiers or failors, and a great number
were concealed belonging to the companies which remained as hoftages, being appre-
henfive that this would be their laft chance; which was the caufe of a greater part
dying of hunger and thirft, or the bloody flux at fea, as we were two months on the
voyage which we reckoned upon effecting in a fortnight, if the wind had been favoura-
ble; but being contrary, and the veflels bad, we were in danger of foundering on
Tuefday the feventeenth of the fame month, and the men were confequently fo much
affeéted, that. feveral dead were thrown into the fea, the remainder being very ill of
the bloody flux ; the confequence of the diftrefs they had to combat with in the mountain
of Yercera, before the capitulation, and on board continuing to live fo wretchedly,
that they had nothing to drink but a {mall four wine, ftinking water, broken bif-
cuit made four years before at Milan, hard asa ftone, and half worm eaten, and fome
fpoilt falt fith; fo that the beft entertainment the poor fellows who were fick and
wounded
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