THE ENGLISH SPANISH PILGRIM: A CAPTIVE’S TALE — PART 4

This week we conclude the series of excerpts from the captivity narrative of James Wadsworth.

Last week, Wadsworth described his arrival in Salé and his experiences in that town. This week, we pick up the story from there.

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After I had been in Salé some time, my Master, perceiving me to be sick and feeble and not able to perform any service, gave me leave to see a French Merchant, Johan de la Goretta, to see if I could persuade him to ransom me. This Merchant traded from thence to Seville and Calais, and he trafficked in slaves and other commodities. When I had explained my case to him, he promised to do for me what he possibly could. Having taken my name in writing, he presently told me he knew one of my name, whom (as it fell out) was my uncle, who was then the English Consul for the merchants at Saint Lucas.

Thereupon, having examined me and finding me to tell the truth, he offered my master 50 crowns for my ransom. But my master utterly refused it. Then the Merchant rose higher and gave him the sum of six score crowns and upwards.

And so I was ransomed and set at liberty.

Now (having a Moor in my company for my conductor), I began to enquire after my companions. I found some in the Castle, and some in several private houses. These latter were scarce ever suffered to go outside, especially the fairest and youngest, whose bodies the Moors abused with their sodomy.

After considerable difficulty, I managed to see my companions. I then took my leave of them and went to the Merchant, acquainting him with how I had visited my companions, and entreating him to ransom them. He declined at first, not knowing them. Besides, they being so many in number, their ransom would amount to a far greater sum of money then he could well disburse.

I persuaded him, however, that it would be an exceedingly charitable deed, and no less profitable for him, since their fathers and friends were men of great fashion in England. So then at last the Merchant, partly resolved to ransom them, went to visit them. Most of their masters, however, would not part with them upon any terms. Seeing this, the Merchant went to the Governor of the Castle, who was a very great friend of his.

After presenting the Governor with a diamond ring worth 600 crowns, the Merchant convinced him to buy my companions himself, which he did. He gave for them some 30 pound or 40 pounds each. This done, the Governor delivered them up to the Merchant.

When the Moors (my companions’ masters) realized what had happened, they went in a great rage to the Merchants house, where we were waiting to embark on the next wind for Spain, to get their slaves back. Saying that I was the reason they were like to lose their slaves, one of their masters drew his simitar to kill me. I took to my heels and sought sanctuary in the Governor’s house. After I had informed him how the case stood, he came out, with his guard as protection, and took my companions from their masters’ again.

He then put us all in a house near his own, with a guard of twelve musketeers to defend us till such time as the Merchant’s ship was ready for Spain.

The Moors (my companions’ masters) were thus further enraged. Having plotted together, they said they intended to have their slaves gelded, and to then be sent for eunuchs as a present to the King of Morrocco to attend his 300 wives. So they went to the Governor and declared their intent to him. The Governor was much perplexed, not daring to deny anything which was for his King.

The Governor, not knowing any other way to prevail, entreated them that they would not do so, and that upon a future occasion, they would be able to command him. And so with persuasion and good words, he obtained his will, and we were freed from all danger.

As the Merchant made ready to depart for Spain, however, one of the aforesaid Moors presented him with a poisoned tart, planning that once he died from eating it, they could recover all their slaves. But as it pleased God, this poison did not take effect for a day and a half.

After dinner, the Merchant took his leave of the governor, and the Governor escorted him aboard his ship, taking the twelve of us along with him. Upon our departing, we all gave the Governor our most humble and hearty thanks as the sole instrument of our happy delivery. And then, having hoisted up the sails, we went on our voyage.

However, after we had scarcely sailed for half an hour, the Merchant began to grow ill, and to rave, and to complain of pain. Seeing this, the master of the ship turned his course to Marmora, a town now belonging to Spain, eight leagues north from Salé. Anchoring that night, we waited for the morning tide to enter the port. That tide being come, we carried our Merchant to shore.

As I laid him on a bed, he expired in my arme—without having made any will or disposing of his goods. The next day, he was buried with all the honor that the Governor and soldiers of the town could exhibit. We twelve carried torches before his corpse to the Church, sang the requiem and dirges for the dead, and the Priest celebrated mass for his soul.

Which the ceremonies ended, we returned to our ship, ready to depart with the next morning tide.

At that moment however, there drew towards Marmora the Moor whom they call the Saint of Salé, with 30,000 other Alarabes. They assaulted the town with such fury and shouting, it was as if Heaven and Earth had come together. Their onslaught was valiantly repulsed, the town being assisted with 150 sailors and passengers out of our ship and several pinnaces, but especially by two French gunners who never let fly in vain (the Spanish Gunners missing for the most part).

A great part of the Moors thus being slain, the rest fled with their Saint back again to Salé.

Two days after, we departed the town and continued our course for Calais.

Drawing near the city of Alarache, we were chased by three men-of-war out of Algiers and were forced to take shelter under the Castle of Alarache, where I and another of my companions went ashore, being unwilling to venture any further in that ship. Finding there a lighter boat of the Governor’s ready for Calais, we embarked therein.

We were accompanied by a Captain and a Dominican Friar. When we were neared Calais, the Friar began to tell the Captain about the best courtesans in that town. But in the midst of his story, he perceived a Turkish bark making towards us—which broke off his discourse and drove him to mumble over his moldy beads, and say his breviary and office to the Virgin Mary. Once we had gotten safely on the Spanish shore, however, he continued his former discourse.

Here, parting from my companion, I went to Saint Lucas, from which it was three leagues to my uncle’s house. There, I was received and entertained with no little joy. Ten days later, the rest of our company arrived. After being supplied for the journey, I accompanied them to their College in Seville, where, taking my leave, I left them.

And so I went to the Court of Madrid to visit my parents and friends, who knew not what had become of me. There, I was entertained with great joy, and I opened to my Father all the miseries I had suffered.

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This ends this series of excerpts from James Wadsworth.

For those who may be interested…

James Wadsworth’s description of his ransom and return home comes from The English Spanish pilgrime. Or, A nevv discouerie of Spanish popery, and Iesuiticall stratagems VVith the estate of the English pentioners and fugitiues vnder the King of Spaines dominions, and else where at this present. (published in 1629), pages 42-46.

As usual, I have lightly edited and abridged the original text to make it more accessible for modern readers.

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