A letter of M. John Lok to the worshipfull company of Marchants adventurers for Guinie, written 1561, shewing reasons for his not proceeding in a voyage then intended to the foresayd countrey.
WORSHIPFULL sirs;
since the arrivall of M. Pet and
Buttoll Monjoy (as I understand) for the voyage it is
concluded that the Minion shall proceed on her voyage,
if within 20 dayes she may be repaired of those hurts she
hath received by the last storme: or in the moneth of
January also, if the wind wil serve therfore. Wherefore
for that your worships shall not be ignorant of my determined purpose in the same, with the reasons that have
perswaded me thereunto; I have thought good to advertise you thereof, trusting that your worships will weigh
them, as I uprightly and plainly meane them. And not
for any feare or discouragement that I have of my selfe by
the raging of the stormes of the sea, for that (I thanke the
Lord) these have not beene the first that I have abiden,
neither trust I they shalbe the last. First the state of the
ship, in which, though I thinke not but M. Pet can do
more for her strengthening then I can conceive, yet for all
that, it will neither mend her conditions, nor yet make her
so stanch that any cabin in her shalbe stanch for men to
lie drie in: the which sore, what a weakening it will be to
the poore men after their labour, that they neither can
have a shift of apparell drie, nor yet a drie place to rest in,
I referre to your discretion. For though that at Harwich
she was both bound and caulked as much as might be,
both within and without, yet for all that she left not,
afore this flaw, in other weathers, being stressed, to open
those seames, and become in the state she was before; I
meane, in wetting her men: notwithstanding her new
worke. And my judgement, with that little experience
I have had, leadeth me to thinke that the ship whose
water works and footings be spent and rotten cannot be
but leake for men. Next, the unseasonable time of the
yere which is now present. And how onely by meanes of
the unseasonable times in the returne from the voyage
home, many thereby have decayed, to the great misery and
calamity of the rest, and also to the great slander of the
voyage (which I much respect) the last and other voyages
have declared. And what it is to make the voyage in
unseasonable time, that hath the second voyage also
declared. Wherefore weying and foreseeing this (as I
may wel terme it) calamity and unevitable danger of
men, and that by men she must be brought home againe
(except that God will shew an extraordinary miracle) I
purpose not nor dare I venture with a safe conscience to
tempt God herein. Againe, forsomuch as she is alone,
and hath so little helpe of boat or pinnesse in her trade, &
also for her watering, where a long time of force must be
spent, my going, to the accomplishment of your expectations, will be to small effect for this time, because I shall
want both vessell and men to accomplish it. And I would
not gladly so spend my time and travell, to my great
charges and paine, and after, for not falling out accordingly, to lose both pot and water, as the proverbe is. As
for the Primrose, if she be there, her trade will be ended
or ever we come there, so that she of force, by want of
provision, must returne : yea, though we should carry with
us a supply for her, yet is the meeting of her doubtfull,
and though we met her, yet will the men not tarry, as no
reason is they should: howbeit my opinion of her is that
she is put into Ireland
. The Flowerdeluce was in Mil
ford. Thus for that your worships might understand the
whole cause why I doe not proceed, I have troubled you
at this time with this my long Letter. And, as God is
my Judge, not for feare of the Portugals, which there
we shall meet (and yet alone without ayde) as here is a
shippe which was in Lisbon
, whose men say that there
are in a readinesse (onely to meet us) foure great ships, of
the which one is accounted 700 tunnes, & other pinnesses:
yet not for feare of them, nor raging of the seas (whose
rage God is above to rule) but onely for the premisses:
the sequell whereof must by reason turne to a great
misery to the men: the which I for my part (though it
might turne me to as much gaine as the whole commeth
to) yet would I not be so tormented, as the sight thereof
would be a corsive to my heart, and the more, because
foreseeing the same, I should be so leud, as yeelding, to
have runne into the danger thereof, and therefore I have
absolutely determined with my selfe not to goe this
voyage. Howbeit if in a seasonable time of the yeere I
had but one ship sufficient, though much lesse by the
halfe, I would not refuse (as triall being made thereof
should appeare) or if I had ability of my selfe to venture
so much, it should well be seene. And this I speake to
give you to understand that I refuse not this for feare:
If you purpose to proceed heerein, send some one whom
you please; to whom I will not onely deliver the articles
which I have received, but also will give some particular
notes which I have noted in the affaires which you have
committed unto mee, with the best helpe and counsell I
can. Thus the living God keepe your worships all.
Bristoll this 11 of December 1561.
Your worships to comand to his power
John Lok.
