we sail from Peru where we have continue for the space of one whole year for  china and Japan by the south sea take with we victual for twelve month and  have good wind from the east though soft and weak for five month space and  more but the wind come about and settle in the west for many day so as we can  make little or no way and be sometime in purpose to turn back but then again  there arise strong and great wind from the south with a point east which carry  we up for all that we can do towards the north by which time our victual fail  we though we have make good spare of they so that find ourselves in the amid  of the great wilderness of water in the world without victual we give  ourselves for lose man and prepare for death yet we do lift up our heart and  voice to God above who show his wonder in the deep beseech he of his mercy  that as in the beginning he discover the face of the deep and bring forth dry  land so he will now discover land to we that we may not perish and it come to  pass that the next day about evening we see within a ken before we towards the  north as it be thick cloud which do put we in some hope of land know how that  part of the south sea be utter unknown and may have island or continent that  hitherto be not come to light wherefore we bend our course thither where we  see the appearance of land all that night and in the dawn of the next day we  may plain discern that it be a land flat to our sight and full of boscage  which make it show the more dark and after a hour and a half sail we enter  into a good haven be the port of a fair city not great indeed but well build  and that give a pleasant view from the sea and we think every minute long till  we be on land come close to the shore and offer to land but straightway we see  diverse of the people with baston in their hand as it be forbid we to land yet  without any cry of fierceness but only as warning we off by sign that they  make whereupon be not a little discomfort we be advice with ourselves what we  shall do during which time there make forth to we a small boat with about  eight person in it whereof one of they have in his hand a tipstaff of a yellow  cane tip at both end with blue who come aboard our ship without any show of  distrust at all and when he see one of our number present himself somewhat  before the rest he draw forth a little scroll of parchment somewhat yellow  than our parchment and shine like the leave of write table but otherwise soft  and flexible and deliver it to our foremost man in which scroll be write in  ancient Hebrew and in ancient Greek and in good Latin of the school and in  Spanish these word land you not none of you and provide to be go from this  coast within sixteen day except you have further time give you meanwhile if  you want fresh water or victual or help for your sick or that your ship needs  repair write down your want and you shall have that which belong to mercy this  scroll be sign with a stamp of cherubin wing not spread but hang downward and  by they a cross this be deliver the officer return and leave only a servant  with we to receive our answer consult hereupon among ourselves we be much  perplex the denial of land and hasty warning we away trouble we much on the  other side to find that the people have language and be so full of humanity do  comfort we not a little and above all the sign of the cross to that instrument  be to we a great rejoice and as it be a certain presage of good our answer be  in the Spanish tongue that for our ship it be well for we have rather meet  with calm and contrary wind than any tempest for our sick they be many and in  very ill case so that if they be not permit to land they run danger of their  life our other want we set down in particular add that we have some little  store of merchandise which if it please they to deal for it may supply our  want without be Chargeable unto they we offer some reward in pistolet unto the  servant and a piece of crimson velvet to be present to the officer but the  servant take they not nor will scarce look upon they and so leave we and go  back in another little boat which be send for he about three hour after we  have dispatch our answer there come towards we a person as it seem of place he  have on he a gown with wide sleeve of a kind of water chamolet of a excellent  azure colour fair more glossy than we his under apparel be green and so be his  hat be in the from of a turban dainty make and not so huge as the Turkish  turban and the lock of his hair come down below the brim of it a reverend man  be he to behold he come in a boat gild in some part of it with four person  more only in that boat and be follow by another boat wherein be some twenty  when he be come within a flightshot of our ship sign be make to we that we  shall send forth some to meet he upon the water which we present do in our  ship boat send the principal man among we save one and four of our number with  he when we be come within six yard of their boat they call to we to stay and  not to approach far which we do and thereupon the man who I before describe  stand up and with a loud voice in Spanish ask be you Christian we answer we be  fear the less because of the cross we have see in the subscription at which  answer the say person lift up his right hand towards heaven and draw it soft  to his mouth which be the gesture they use when they thank God and then say if  you will swear all of you by the merit of the saviour that you be no pirate  nor have shed blood lawful nor unlawful within forty day pass you may have  licence to come on land we say we be all ready to take that oath whereupon one  of those that be with he be as it seem a notary make a entry of this act which  do another of the attendant of the great person which be with he in the same  boat after his lord have speak a little to he say aloud my lord will have you  know that it be not of pride or greatness that he come not aboard your ship  but for that in your answer you declare that you have many sick among you he  be warn by the conservator of health of the city that he shall keep a distance  we bow ourselves towards he and answer we be his humble servant and account  for great honour and singular humanity towards we that which be already do but  hope well that the nature of the sickness of our man be not infectious so he  return and a while after come the notary to we aboard our ship hold in his  hand a fruit of that country like a orange but of colour between orange tawny  and scarlet which cast a most excellent odour he use it as it seem for a  preservative against infection he give we our oath by the name of jesus and  his merit and after tell we that the next day by six of the clock in the  morning we shall be send to and bring to the stranger house so he call it  where we shall be accommodate of thing both for our whole and for our sick so  he leave we and when we offer he some pistolet he smile say he must not be  twice pay for one labour meaning as I take it that he have salary sufficient  of the state for his service for as I after learned they call a officer that  take reward twice pay the next morning early there come to we the same officer  that come to we at first with his cane and tell we he come to conduct we to  the stranger house and that he have prevent the hour because we may have the  whole day before we for our business for say he if you will follow my advice  there shall first go with I some few of you and see the place and how it may  be make convenient for you and then you may send for your sick and the rest of  your number which you will bring on land we thank he and say that this care  which he take of desolate stranger God will reward and so six of we go on land  with he and when we be on land he go before we and turn to we and say he be  but our servant and our guide he lead we through three fair street and all the  way we go there be gather some people on both side stand in a row but in so  civil a fashion as if it have be not to wonder at we but to welcome we and  diverse of they as we pass by they put their arm a little abroad which be  their gesture when they do bid any welcome the stranger house be a fair and  spacious house build of brick of somewhat a blu colour than our brick and with  handsome window some of glass some of a kind of cambric oil he bring we first  into a fair parlour above stair and then ask we what number of person we be  and how many sick we answer we be in all sick and whole one and fifty person  whereof our sick be seventeen he desire we to have patience a little and to  stay till he come back to we which be about a hour after and then he lead we  to see the chamber which be provide for we be in number nineteen they have  cast it as it seem that four of those chamber which be better than the rest  may receive four of the principal man of our company and lodge they alone by  themselves and the other fifteen chamber be to lodge we two and two together  the chamber be handsome and cheerful chamber and furnish civil then he lead we  to a long gallery like a dorture where he show we all along the one side for  the other side be but wall and window seventeen cell very neat one have  partition of cedar wood which gallery and cell be in all forty many more than  we needs be institute as a infirmary for sick person and he tell we withal  that as any of our sick wax well he may be remove from his cell to a chamber  for which purpose there be set forth ten spare chamber beside the number we  speak of before this do he bring we back to the parlour and lift up his cane a  little as they do when they give any charge or command say to we you be to  know that the custom of the land require that after this day and tomorrow  which we give you for remove of your people from your ship you be to keep  within door for three day but let it not trouble you nor do not think  yourselves restrain but rather leave to your rest and ease you shall want  nothing and there be six of our people appoint to attend you for any business  you may have abroad we give he thank with all affection and respect and say  God sure be manifest in this land we offer he also twenty pistolet but he  smile and only say what twice pay and so he leave we soon after our dinner be  serve in which be right good viand both for breed and treat better than any  collegiate diet that I have know in Europe we have also drink of three sort  all wholesome and good wine of the grape a drink of grain such as be with we  our ale but more clear and a kind of cider make of a fruit of that country a  wonder please and refresh drink beside there be bring in to we great store of  those scarlet orange for our sick which they say be a assure remedy for  sickness take at sea there be give we also a box of small grey or whitish peel  which they wish our sick shall take one of the peel every night before sleep  which they say will hasten their recovery the next day after that our trouble  of carriage and remove of our man and good out of our ship be somewhat settle  and quiet I think good to call our company together and when they be assemble  say unto they my dear friend let we know ourselves and how it stand with we we  be man cast on land as Jonas be out of the whale belly when we be as bury in  the deep and now we be on land we be but between death and life for we be  beyond both the old world and the new and whether ever we shall see Europe God  only know it be a kind of miracle bath bring we hither and it must be little  less that shall bring we hence therefore in regard of our deliverance pass and  our danger present and to come let we look up to God and every man reform his  own way beside we be come here among a Christian people full of piety and  humanity let we not bring that confusion of face upon ourselves as to show our  vice or unworthiness before they yet there be more for they have by  commandment though in from of courtesy cloister we within these wall for three  day who know whether it be not to take some taste of our manner and condition  and if they find they bid to banish we straightway if good to give we further  time for these man that they have give we for attendance may withal have a eye  upon we therefore for God love and as we love the weal of our soul and body  let we so behave ourselves as we may be at peace with God and may find grace  in the eye of this people our company with one voice thank I for my good  admonition and promise I to live sober and civil and without give any the  least occasion of offence so we spend our three day joyful and without care in  expectation what will be do with we when they be expire during which time we  have every hour joy of the amendment of our sick who think themselves cast  into some divine pool of heal they mend so kind and so fast the morrow after  our three day be pass there come to we a new man that we have not see before  cloth in blue as the former be save that his turban be white with a small read  cross on the top he have also a tippet of fine linen at his come in he do bend  to we a little and put his arm abroad we of our part salute he in a very lowly  and submissive manner as look that from he we shall receive sentence of life  or death he desire to speak with some few of we whereupon six of we only stay  and the rest avoid the room he say I be by office governor of this house of  stranger and by vocation I be a Christian priest and therefore be come to you  to offer you my service both as stranger and chief as Christian some thing I  may tell you which I think you will not be unwilling to hear the state have  give you licence to stay on land for the space of six week and let it not  trouble you if your occasion ask further time for the law in this point be not  precise and I do not doubt but my self shall be able to obtain for you such  further time as may be convenient you shall also understand that the stranger  house be at this time rich and much aforehand for it have lie up revenue these  thirty seven year for so long it be since any stranger arrive in this part and  therefore take you 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 bring you shall be well use and have your return either in merchandise or  in gold and silver for to we it be all one and if you have any other request  to make hide it not for you shall find we will not make your countenance to  fall by the answer you shall receive only this I must tell you that none of  you must go above a karan that be with they a mile and a half from the wall of  the city without especial leave we answer after we have look awhile one upon  another admire this gracious and parent like usage that we can not tell what  to say for we want word to express our thank and his noble free offer leave we  nothing to ask it seem to we that we have before we a picture of our salvation  in heaven for we that be a while since in the jaw of death be now bring into a  place where we find nothing but consolation for the commandment lie upon we we  will not fail to obey it though it be impossible but our heart shall be  inflame to tread further upon this happy and holy ground we add that our  tongue shall first cleave to the roof of our mouth ere we shall forget either  his reverend person or this whole nation in our prayer we also most humble  beseech he to accept of we as his true servant by as just a right as ever man  on earth be bind lie and present both our person and all we have at his foot  he say he be a priest and look for a priest reward which be our brotherly love  and the good of our soul and body so he go from we not without tear of  tenderness in his eye and leave we also confuse with joy and kindness say  among ourselves that we be come into a land of angel which do appear to we  daily and prevent we with comfort which we think not of much less expect the  next day about ten of the clock the governor come to we again and after  salutation say familiar that he be come to visit we and call for a chair and  sit he down and we be some ten of we the rest be of the mean sort or else go  abroad sit down with he and when we be set he begin thus we of this island of  Bensalem for so they call it in their language have this that by mean of our  solitary situation and of the law of secrecy which we have for our traveller  and our rare admission of stranger we know well most part of the habitable  world and be ourselves unknown therefore because he that know least be fit to  ask question it be more reason for the entertainment of the time that you ask  I question than that I ask you we answer that we humble thank he that he will  give we leave so to do and that we conceive by the taste we have already that  there be no worldly thing on earth more worthy to be know than the state of  that happy land but above all we say since that we be meet from the several  end of the world and hope assure that we shall meet one day in the kingdom of  heaven for that we be both part Christian we desire to know in respect that  land be so remote and so divide by vast and unknown sea from the land where  our saviour walk on earth who be the apostle of that nation and how it be  convert to the faith it appear in his face that he take great contentment in  this our question he say you knit my heart to you by ask this question in the  first place for it show that you first seek the kingdom of heaven and I shall  glad and brief satisfy your demand