MEMORANDUM.

The circumstance of captain Shelvocke’s losing the Speedwel at Fernandes, and his building a bark out of the wreck, has been received by some people as a most ingenious wonderful performance: and has been the chief motive of such as never heard the like before, to buy the book for the sake of that story. Therefore I thought it proper here to mention, two particular facts of the same kind, tho’ far superior to that of Shelvocke.

The one is of John Oxenham of Plymouth, in queen Elizabeth’s reign. When Sir Francis Drake had made himself greatly famous for his exploits against the Spaniards in America, the affair at that time being new, all people were speaking of Drake’s glory and acquisitions. Mr. Oxenham being a sprightly man, and emulous of doing something very extraordinary, set on foot a subscription at Plymouth to fit out a ship with seventy men to land at the istmus of Darien; hide the ship and leave her there till he returnd; build another vessel and cross the land by a river thereabouts, and so get at once into the South Sea and surprize the enemy: for he knew that to go by cape Horne was very hazardous, tedious and chargeable, especially in those days. This, tho’ it might seem a strange project and like a wild chimera, yet ’tis certain he performd it: he left the ship a ground at Darien; coverd her with trees; went inland to a river which leads into the south ocean; built a bark there 45 foot by the keel, and saild into the South Sea, where he made several rich prizes. However he afterwards lost them all with his life by the artifices of a lady whom he took prisoner. If the reader is curious, he may find it at length in Hacluit. Sir Richard Hawkins also has it in his South Sea journal.

The other is an example in the reign of king Charles I. After several experiments were made to find a northwest passage to the East-indies, captain James a very skilful navigator was sent also upon the same errand: and discoverd more land which he called new South Wales. He wanderd up and down those seas in vain; and then winterd at a place called by him Charleton island, in 52 degrees. His ship having all this time received great damage, he there built a pinnace out of the said ship; and he with his people returnd in it to England. See the journal printed by the king’s command 1633.

If these facts are examined together, besides many that I could mention done by the buccaniers, pyrates and others, captain Shelvocke will appear to have done nothing at all to boast of: neither can his performance hardly bear a comparison.

FINIS.