35

The wind serving we stood to the North-east, and this was Robert Billets course, contrarie to Robert Juet, who would have gone to the North-west.
We had the Easterne shoare still in sight,
and (in the night) had a stout gale of wind,
and stood afore it, till wee met with Ice,
into the which we ranne from thinne to thicke,
till we could goe no further for Ice, which lay so thicke ahead of us
(and the wind brought it after us asterne)
that wee could not stirre back ward, nor forward :
but so lay imbayed fourteene daies in worse Ice,
then ever wee met to deale withall,
for we had beene where there was greater store,
but it was not so broad upon the water as this :
for this floting Ice contained miles, and halfe miles in compasse,
where we had a deepe Sea, and a Tide of flood and ebbe,
which set North-west and South-east.
Heere Robert Juet would have gone to the North-west,
but Robert Billet was confident to go throught the North-east, which he did.
At last, being cleere of this Ice,
he continued his course in sight of the Eastern shoare,
till he raised foure Ilands which lay North and South :
but we passed them sixe or seven league, the wind tooke us so short.
Then wee stood backe to them againe,
and came to an Anchor betweene two of the most Northermost.
We sent the Boat ashoare, to see if there were any thing there to be had,
but found nothing, but cockle Grasse,
whereof they gathered store, and so returned aboard.
Before we came to this place, I might well see,
that I was kept in the ship against Henry Greenes minde,
because I did not favour their proceeding better then I did.
Then hee began (very subtilly) to draw me
to take upon me to search for those things, which himselfe had stolne :
and accused me of a matter no lesse then Treason amongst us,
that I had deceived the company of thirtie Cakes of bread.
Now they began to talke amongst themselves,
that England was no safe place for them, and Henry Greene swore,
the shippe should not come into any place (but keepe the Sea still)
till he had the Kings Majesties hand and Seale to shew for his safetie.
They had many devices in their heads,
but Henry Greene in the end was their Captaine, and so called to them.