BL La 9, 52
BL MSS Lansdowne 9, 52
Wright: Queen Elizabeth and her Times Vol 1, 1838, No. 111 Page 241
Roger Bodenham to Anthony Penne, Seville, Aug. 31 1566
Transcribed by Thomas Wright who notes: This letter gives us a curious picture of the state of Southern Europe, when the Christians were in danger of being taken by the Moorish Corsairs almost in our own seas.
What avayleth dilligens, labor, or pollice of man; if it be not directed by Gode's will, all is in vayne. It is moste certayne that man maye purpose, but God dothe dispose, as now it hathe pleased God to deale with me, and turne all my joye into sorow, in suche wise as withowt doubt, if he gave me not patyence to suffer it, I am not able to beare it.
I am certain ere this come to your handes, ye have hard of my great misfortune. I wolde have writen you of it long ere this, but that by no meanes I colde sett my penne to the paper, and now God knows howl do it, and with what payne, only because I will satisfye you how it paste.
The 29th daye of July, in the morning before daye, at the Cape Sanct Marye, being the coaste of Portingale, not paste twenty-five leagues from Sainct Livears or Cadix, whither I was bounde, even at home at my own doors, being calme withowt any breathe of wynd, I was besett with some gallies of Turks of Argell, and although the matche was too muche for me, being so fewe men as I hadde with me, yet I put myselfe in order, and I foughte with them in the morninge tyll none, in the which fyght manie of my men were slaine, and all the reste sore hurte, so that by no means we colde make anye farther defens, and so we wer all taken and stripped naked and put into the gallies, the shipp so beaten that I fear me she sanke, for after the Turks had taken owt of her what they wolde, they lefte her driving in the sea, with all her ordinans and takell ; and allthoughe I have made much deligens in the searche of her, I cannot fynd her.
The next daye after I was taken, the Turks went to Cadix, and there made sale of certain Christians, to the number of a ten persons, among the which I was one, and paid for my bodye seven hundred ducats, which a frend of myne layd owt for me, and howe I shall paye it agayn, God knows. All the rest he carryed away in sorowfull captivitie, and the greatest greef that I have of them is the small remedy that I fynd for theire redemption ; the worst of them will not be redemed with three hundred ducats. God sende the remedye.
The daye before I was taken, the same Turks toke three shipps that came owt of th’ Indias, with above three hundred thousand ducats, and many men, women, and children, and more in one company twenty-two shipps laden with the King's provisions, and more four Biskayne ships, and four hulks, that came owt of Flanders, with dyvers others. The lyke was never sene in these partes, nor hearde of, nor I think wil be agayn.
This notwithstanding, if the shippe do come to my handes, as I hope she shall, if she be not sunke, if God be pleased I maye make a voyage with her, I dare saye that I will save the principall of all men's parts, but and she be gone, there is no remedye.
Whether Water be alyve or dead, I knowe not. God helpe them all, for certainly how much this grieves me I am not able to expres. I praye you let me heare from you, and the Lorde sende you helthe. From Sevill, the laste of Auguste, anno 1566.
By yours, the sorrowefull,
Roger Bodeham
It was never sene nor hearde that the Turks did any such thing in these partes, wherfore all men were owt of doubt of any such matter, and did not mistruste anye suche thing. Here is many a heavy harte, for it hathe done muche harme in this citty, the taking of the three shipps that came owt of th'Indias, and dayly they loke for the flete to come from thense, and the Turks be here tarying for them.
