The Life of Sir Kenelm Digby

The Life of Sir Kenelm Digby
Author: Thomas Longueville
Publisher: Theclassics.Us
Total Pages: 114
Release: 2013-09
Genre:
ISBN: 9781230738277

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1896 edition. Excerpt: ... coast of Sicily; but "knew not the ground," which by their " lead " " appeared fouleand rockie ." Fortunately their anchors " took hold," or nothing could have saved them. On the 9th April the weather improved a little and the ship again weighed anchor; but what a change had taken place in the fortunes of Sir Kenelm in two days! On the Sunday night, after making his captures, he "had a fleete of 7 sayles, and had taken so much as" "would have payed " all the expenses of the expedition and left a good balance beyond it, and now he had only "one shippe" and had barely escaped with his life. In moody spirits he sailed along the coast of Sicily, rounded Cape Passaro, the extreme south point, and then went in a northerly direction towards Italy and the 'Straits of Messina. As he approached them, he "descryed a shippe plying to gett into them ." He "stood with her, and shee as boldly to" him, and both prepared for action. Sir Kenelm hailed her captain and asked him to come on board and show his commission and bills of lading. He refused; whereupon Sir Kenelm warned him that he " would shoote at him," and shortly afterwards gave him a broadside, when he immediately "strooke his toppesailes." He said that he "would have fought, but that his men forced him to yield ." His ship was of 300 tons, carried thirteen good guns, and was laden with corn. After taking this prize, Sir Kenelm sailed in an easterly direction, until reaching Cape Spartivento, one of the most southern points of Italy. There he waited for four and twenty hours in the hope of getting some news of his fleet, but none came. He then set sail for the island of...