‘The travels of Sig. Pietro della Valle, a noble Roman, into East-India and Arabia Deserta. In which, the several countries, together with the customs, manners, traffique, and rites both religious and civil, of those Oriental princes and nations, are faithfully described: In familiar letters to his friend Signior Mario Schipano. Whereunto is added a relation of Sir Thomas Roe’s voyage into the East-Indies’ [‎339] (360/508)

A Voyage to EAST-INDIA,
mander. replyed ? that he would fend them one 5 and immediately
caufed his Barge to be man'd^and fent off to them,which brought
back one of their Officers, and two others of inferior rank, with
this meffage from xhcw Cattain, how that he had promifedthe
King of Spain his Mafter not to leave his Ship, and therefore
fore d he might be, but never would be Commanded out of hen
Captain Jofeph received the Meflhge, and ufed thofe that brought
it Civilly, and then ordered, that they fhould be (hewed (in a
broad fide of great Guns, that lay all ready prim'd to be fir d
againft them)how we were prepar'd to vindicate our felves,which J"
put the poor Portugals into a fit of trembling, and upon it delir'd /
our Commander to write a few words to theirs, that happily with
their perfwafion might make him come. Captain J^^willing to
preferve his Honour,^ to prevent blood,confented,and forthwith
caufed a fewlines mSpaniJh to this effed to be wrote unto him.That
Whereas he thelCommanderoi the had offered vio
lence to our Ship that faird peaceably by him, he will'd him to
come prefently and give a reafon for that Wrong , or elfe at his
perill. - /
So he difcharged thofe Portugats, fending one of our Mafters
Mates back with them with thofe few words, and this further
meffage, that if he refufed to coiue, he would fink by his fide^
but that he would force him before he left him 5 Moruntium
verba font prophetical his words came to pafs 5 for he himfelffud-
denly after fell by a great shot that came from the Caraquestide*
The Commandei" oixhtCaraque^ notwithftanding the Meflageand
Menace fent to him, was flill peremptory in his firft anfwer* So
our Men returning. Captain Jofeph himfelf, made the three firft
Shot at them, all which, the mark being fo fair and near,hit them,
this done, the Bullets began to fiieon both fides, om Captain
cheering his Company, immediately afcended the half-Do^
the place where Commanders ufe to keep in thofe Encounters^
to fhew their own Gallantry, and to encourage the Company un
der their Command, where he had not been the Eighth part of:
an hour ere a great Shot from the Caraqnes quarter, deprived
him of Life in the twinkling of an Eye. For this Cap tarn, Jofeph *
he was certainly one who had very much of a Man in him, tor
years ancient, who had commanded beforein Sea-fights^ which
he met withall within the Streigbts in the Midland Sea j and
near death many times in them, which took others round about
him, while himfelf went off untouched. , //
After Captain Jofeph was (lain, the Mafter of our Ship continu-
ed the fight about half an hour, then (knowing there was
another to be admitted into that prime place of Command) the ^
night approaching, for that time gave over vpumng out a tlag
of Couniel to call the Captain of the Vic e Adm iral (Captain K
Henry VepxveU ) who was to iucceed, and the other Commanders
aboard to confult about the profecution o( this encounter. The
night being come, we now proceeded no further. The Caraqw