1,133 Matching Annotations
  1. Sep 2015
    1. He was this year detected of buggery (and indicted for ye same) with a mare, a cowe, tow goats, five sheep, 2. calves, and a turkey.

      he was busy!

    2. And yet all this could not suppress ye breaking out of sundrie notorious sins, (as this year, besids other, gives us too many sad presidents and instances,) espetially drunkennes and unclainnes; not only incontinencie betweene persons unmaried, for which many both men & women have been punished sharply enough, but some maried persons allso. But that which is worse, even sodomie and bugerie, (things fearfull to name,) have broak forth in this land, oftener then once.

      things are getting out of hand...maybe the people have too much freedom?

    3. Thomas Granger

      The one thing you will remember from this course when you are 95 years old.

    4. as it is with waters when their streames are stopped or dam̅ed up

      Love this idea so much....

    1. them thus frying in ye fyer, and ye streams of blood [426]quenching ye same, and horrible was ye stinck & sente ther of; but ye victory seemed a sweete sacrifice,

      wtf...this is messed up!

    2. some hewed to peeces, others rune throw with their rapiers, so as they were quickly dispatchte, and very few escaped. It was conceived they thus destroyed about 400

      this is a massacre

    3. others rane into their howses, & brought out fire, and sett them on fire, which soone tooke in their matts, &, standing close togeather, with ye wind, all was quickly on a flame, and therby more were burnte to death then was otherwise slain;

      yikes...

    4. It should seeme their desire was to come upon ye enemie sudenly, & undiscovered

      smart

    5. revenge was so sweete unto them, as it prevailed above all ye rest; so as they resolved to joyne with ye English against them, & did

      revenge is too sweet to pass up

    6. for they would not come to open battle with them

      you mean they don't want to just stand in an open battlefield and fight? weird...

    7. as that ye English were stranegers and begane to overspred their countrie, and would deprive them therof in time, if they were suffered to grow & increse; and if ye Narigansets did assist ye English to subdue them, they did but make way for their owne overthrow, for if they were rooted out, the English would soone take occasion to subjugate them

      good luck trying to stop the invasion of the Europeans...it's just the beginning

    1. yet nothing was done to him

      he wasn't punished...they just sent him back

    2. Ile of Shols

      Isle of Shoals? Like the one off the coast of NH?

    3. but they were so steeld with drinke as their peeces were to heavie for them;

      drinking and guns don't mix well

    4. if they had not been over armed with drinke, more hurt might have been done.

      if they weren't so drunk, they might have had a better chance

    5. said ye king was dead

      he's independent, the way he sees it.

    6. So, to be short, they first resolved joyntly to write to him, and in a freindly & neigborly way to admonish him to forbear these courses, & sent a messenger with their letters to bring his answer.

      tried talking to Morton first, before fighting with him

    7. to prevente ye further grouth of this mischeefe, and suppress Morton & his consortes before yey grewe to further head and strength.

      overpower the rebels!

    8. they should stand in more fear of their lives & goods (in short time) from this wicked & deboste crue, then from ye salvages them selves.

      Morton & his people were more dangerous than the Natives

    9. Oh! that princes & parlements would take some timly order to prevente this mischeefe, and at length to suppress it, by some exemplerie punishmente upon some of these gaine thirstie murderers, (for they deserve no better title,) before their collonies in these parts be over throwne by these barbarous savages, thus armed with their owne weapons, by these evill instruments, and traytors to their neigbors and cuntrie.

      he's really mad about this!

    10. when some of their neigbours & freinds are daly killed by ye Indeans, or are in deanger therof, and live but at ye Indeans mercie.

      scared that the Natives now have guns

    11. And having thus instructed them, he imployed some of them to hunte & fowle for him

      after teaching the Natives how to use a gun, he made them hunt for him?

    12. begane ye practise of ye same in these parts;

      began to trade with the Natives

    13. Bacchinalians

      bacchanalin: characterized by or given to drunken revelry; riotously drunken

    14. Roman Goddes Flora,
    15. drinking both wine & strong waters in great exsess,

      there are no rules and no God! sounds like a party to me!

    16. till he could gett passages for England.

      they're kicking him out and sending him all the way back to England?? harsh!

    17. Therfore I would [285]advise you to thruste out this Levetenant Fitcher; and I, having a parte in the plantation, will receive you as my partners and consociats; so may you be free from service, and we will converse, trad, plante, & live togeather as equalls, & supporte & protecte one another, or to like effecte.

      planning to overthrow the Lieutenant and have a more democratic society

    18. who had been a kind of petie-fogger, of Furnefells Inne,

      what?

    19. pretie parts

      ?

    20. Athisme.

      Atheism. Just checking that you got that. :)

    21. Mr. Morton,

      We will be reading him soon. He will be your very favorite. :)

    1. every man for his owne perticuler

      every man for himself/his family, at least when it comes to corn

    2. So they begane to thinke how they might raise as much corne as they could, and obtaine a beter crope then they had done, that they might not still thus languish in miserie

      trying to figure out how to sustain themselves

    3. became servants to ye Indeans, and would cutt them woode & fetch them water, for a cap full of corne; others fell to plaine stealing, both night & day, from ye Indeans, of which they greevosly complained. In ye end, they came to that misery, that some starved & dyed with could & hunger

      they're becoming very desperate!

    4. or he yt was their cheef [157]was taxed by some amongst them for keeping Indean women,

      there was a tax for keeping Native women?

    5. being left competently provided when ye ship left them

      I thought they had no food?! that's competently provided for?

    6. hat they should set corne every man for his owne perticuler

      The end of the common course and condition...beginning of private property...all that good stuff...

    1. scarce any left alive besids him selfe.

      ?

    2. spetiall instrument sent of God for their good beyond their expectation.

      interesting that he views Squanto as an "instrument"

    3. That when ther men came to them, they should leave their bows & arrows behind them.

      hmm...sounds like they don't trust them even with this agreement

    4. That if any of his did any hurte to any of theirs, he should send ye offender, that they might punish him.

      an eye for an eye?

    5. they brought againe all ye tooles that were stolen away before

      they gave back the tools they had stolen?

    6. sundrie

      several?

    7. begane now to deserte one another in this calamitie, saing they would not hasard ther lives for them, t

      people didn't want to risk their lives to help their sick friends

    8. as in this generall calamity they were not at all infected either with sicknes, or lamnes…

      they're lucky!

    9. ther was but 6. or 7. sound persons, who, to their great comendations be it spoken, spared no pains, night nor day, but with abundance of toyle and hazard of their owne health, fetched them woode, made them fires, drest them meat, made their beads, washed their lothsome cloaths, cloathed & uncloathed them

      just 6 or 7 people took care of everyone else?!

    10. that of 100. & odd persons, scarce 50. remained.

      so they started with 100 people?

    11. But that which was most sadd & lamentable was, that in 2. or 3. moneths time halfe of their company dyed

      wow...how many people were there originally?

    12. covenant & combine our selves togeather into a civill body politick, for our better ordering & preservation & furtherance of ye ends aforesaid; and by vertue hearof to enacte, constitute, and frame such just & equall lawes, ordinances, acts, constitutions, & offices, from time to time, as shall be thought most meete & convenient for ye generall good of ye Coloni

      sounds like an early version of democracy

    13. Northerne parts of Virginia,

      I thought they were in Cape Cod?

    14. Anno

      is this the ship?

    1. both hungrie, & thirstie, their sowle was overwhelmed in them.

      I don't know, my soul doesn't usually help when I'm hungry and thirsty...

    2. delivered them from ye hand of ye oppressour.

      from England?

    3. what could they see but a hidious & desolate wildernes, full of wild beasts & willd men?

      sounds inviting!

    4. , and they that know ye winters of yt cuntrie know them to be sharp & violent, & subjecte to cruell & feirce stormes, deangerous to travill to known places, much more to serch an unknown coast.

      they picked the wrong season to come to New England!

    5. savage barbarians,

      not the barbarians again! ugh its like they own the place or something...

    6. this poore peoples presente condition

      poor money-wise? or poor unfortunate-wise? both?

    7. Seneca

      who?

    8. the which being made & certainly knowne to be it, they were not a litle joyfull.

      they weren't joyful? is that because landing on Cape Cod is dangerous?

    9. yet he lived many years after, and became a profitable member both in church & com̅one wealthe.

      well that's nice

    10. a lustie

      what does this mean?

    11. com̅ited them selves to ye will of God, & resolved to proseede.

      always trusting in God...

    12. ther was a great iron scrue ye passengers brought out of Holland, which would raise ye beame into his place; ye which being done, the carpenter & mr. affirmed that with a post put under it, set firme in ye lower deck, & otherways bounde, he would make it sufficiente.

      they were able to fix it well enough to continue on. turning back would cost them too much money

    13. to consider in time of ye danger; and rather to returne then to cast them selves into a [92]desperate & inevitable perill. And truly ther was great distraction & differance of opinion amongst ye mariners them selves

      the people in charge of the ship debated whether to turn around or continue on their voyage with the damaged ship

    14. ne of the maine beames in ye midd ships was bowed & craked, which put them in some fear that ye shipe could not be able to performe ye vioage

      this doesn't sound too promising!

    15. to smite this yong man with a greeveous disease, of which he dyed in a desperate maner, and so was him selfe ye first yt was throwne overbord

      how's that for karma?

    16. that he hoped to help to cast halfe of them over board before they came to their jurneys en

      yikes...not a very nice sea-man

    17. which was some incouragmente unto them; yet according to ye usuall maner many were afflicted with sea-sicknes.

      is this how words were spelled or was Bradford not well educated? was he just writing the words the way they sounded?

    18. incouragmente

      encouragement

    19. one shipe

      the mayflower?

    20. Of their vioage, & how they passed ye sea, and of their safe arrivall at Cape Codd.

      wow, this is going to be fun with this wonderful spelling!

    21. Besids, what could they see but a hidious & desolate wildernes, full of wild beasts & willd men?

      Different locations, different people, different perspective. This guy is acting like he's God

    22. So they com̅ited them selves to ye will of God, & resolved to proseede

      Slaves for God? Doesn't sound too good

    23. which ye shipe was shroudly shaken, and her upper works made very leakie; and one of the maine beames in ye midd ships was bowed & craked, which put them in some fear that ye shipe could not be able to performe ye vioage. So some of ye cheefe of ye company, perceiveing ye mariners to feare ye suffisiencie of ye shipe

      I can't help but think they have no time to make any sort of plan. All of these distractions are just too much to handle.

    24. These troubls being blowne over, and now all being compacte togeather in one shipe,[AE] they put to sea againe with a prosperus winde, which continued diverce days togeather, which was some incouragmente unto them;

      He seems more concerned about the opposing personalities colliding, rather than the journey itself. Some phrases that stood out for me were "diverse days together" and "compacted".

    1. at least as near as my slender judgmente can attaine the same.

      so I guess he's saying that he is going to tell us a story from the beginning, being honest about the events to the best of his ability

    2. I must begine at ye very roote & rise of ye same.

      I think he's trying to say let me connect my truths to my writing. He seems really passionate already

    1. This makes me sick. No remorse for brutally murdering all of these people. If I see God as a justice word here I'll be upset

    2. for it had been a long time since they had done us any considerable damage.

      Asking for it!

    3. I trusted in divine providence, for I left without a crust of bread or a grain of wheat or maize, and with no other provision

      that's putting a lot of trust in the divine...

    4. seeing that they were being set afire and that they would be burned to death,

      they're burning the Natives to death?

    5. they also were put to flight with little resistance.

      Natives aren't used to them fighting back

    6. some Indians who were in our service with their bows and arrows,

      why didn't these Natives join the revolt?

    7. I determined to take the resolution of going out in the morning to fight with the enemy until dying or conquering.

      that's pretty brave...or stupid...or both

    8. Instantly all the said Indian rebels began a chant of victory and raised war whoops, burning all the houses of the villa, and they kept us in this position the entire night,

      the Natives have surrounded and trapped the remaining Spanish

    9. suffered greatly from thirst because of the scarcity of water.

      smart move by the Natives by cutting off the water supply

    10. but the height of the places in which they were, so favorable to them and on the contrary so unfavorable to us

      Natives taking advantage of the land they know

    11. There they took up their position, and this day passed without our having any further engagements or skirmishes than had already occurred,

      is this just basically a stand-off?

    12. there appeared on the road from Tesuque a band of the people whom they were awaiting,

      just when the Spanish think they have a handle on it, reinforcements arrive

    13. Whereupon he went back, and his people received him with peals of bells and trumpets, giving loud shouts in sign of war.

      no deal!

    14. He came back from thee after a short time, saying that his people asked that all classes of Indians who were in our power be given up to them,

      negotiating demands

    15. he and the rest of his followers were Catholic Christians,

      I doubt that they are Catholic by choice, so they probably do not care about the religion

    16. Thus if we wished to choose the white it must be upon our agreeing to leave the country, and if we chose the red, we must perish

      leave or die!

    17. I asked him how it was that he had gone crazy too-being an Indian who spoke our language, was so intelligent, and had lived all his life in the villa among the Spaniards, where I had placed such confidence in him-and was now coming as a leader of the Indian rebels.

      "I've been so good to you, why are you doing this to me?!?"

    18. I sent some soldiers to summon him and tell him on my behalf that he could come to see me in entire safety, so that I might ascertain from him the purpose for which they were coming.

      why would they ever tell you their reasons when they are getting ready to attack? they clearly don't want to talk it out.

    19. we might endeavor to defend ourselves against the enemy’s invasions.

      yeah...good luck...

    20. such untimely deaths

      ...would there have been a better time for the Natives to attack so that these deaths could've been more "timely"?

    21. and that they [the governors] came to tell me of it and of how they were unwilling to participate in such wickedness and treason, saying that they now regarded the Spaniards as their brothers

      these "governors" were Native Americans?

    22. The first messenger was killed and the others did not pass beyond Santo Domingo, because of their having encountered on the road the certain notice of the deaths of the religious who were in that convent, and of the alcalde mayor, some other guards, and six more Spaniards whom they captured on that road.

      damn...the Spanish are out of their league

    23. To this was added a certain degree of negligence by reason of the report of the uprising not having been given entire credence, as is apparent from the ease with which they captured and killed both those who were escorting some of the religious, as well as some citizens in their houses

      the threat of revolt wasn't taken seriously by the Spanish, so they were caught off-guard

    24. part of the heathen enemy,

      another Native tribe?

    25. the Christian Indians

      were they unwillingly converted? seems like a good reason to revolt...

    26. only Heaven can reward your reverence, though I do not doubt that his Majesty (may God keep him) will do so.

      only heaven can give you a true reward, but the King will probably also give you a material reward, so don't worry!

    1. So heartless! All the work paid off tho??

    2. “If I end his life, my own life is ended.”

      thinking ahead, wise!

    3. They had no calendar and that was the best way they had of setting the date.

      Makes more sense now

    4. No sympathy here, wow. This is way too harsh.

    5. “If you have this power, then blow me out into the air; my gods have more power than you have. My gods have put a heart into me to enter your home.

      regaining faith in his own culture/religion...realizing that the Spanish are not all-powerful

    6. “I have come to kill you.”

      straightforward, to the point

    7. So that was how they got all the evidence against the priest.

      I see why the Natives wanted to kill all the priests now...

    8. wanted all the young girls to be brought to him when they were about thirteen or fourteen years old. They had to live with the priest. He told the people they would become better women if they lived with him for about three years.

      EW COME ON

    9. Then, the priest, thinking the man was away, would come to visit his wife,

      shady priest...doesn't seem very holy

    10. He was not doing the people any good and he was always figuring what he could do to harm them.

      to the Natives, priest = bad to the Spanish, they were "saving" the Natives

    11. Now during this time the men would go out pretending they were going on a hunting trip and they would go to some hiding place, to make their prayer offerings.

      they were so scared of the Spanish that they had to sneak away to practice their own religion

    12. all the people in the village had to come there to worship, and those that did not come were punished severely

      forced conversion to religion that they don't even understand

    13. If any man gave out on the way he was simply left to die.

      harsh!!!

    14. He did not like the Kachinas and he destroyed the altars and the customs. He called it idol worship and burned up all the ceremonial things in the plaza.

      he destroyed pieces of their religion

    15. which means a grouchy person that will not do anything himself, like a child

      lol...nice!

    16. told the people that they had much more power than all their chiefs and a whole lot more power than the witches. The people were very much afraid of them, particularly if they had much more power than the witches. They were so scared that they could do nothing but allow themselves to be made slaves.

      the Natives think the Spanish are mythical beings b/c they used fear tactics to scare the Natives into thinking that they were all-powerful

    17. The people of Shung-opovi were at first afraid of the priests but later they decided he was really the Bahana, the savior, and let him build a mission at Shung-opovi.

      They misunderstood who/what the priest was...which I'm guessing led to their unwanted conversion to Catholicism?

    18. every place was pretty well settled down when the Spanish came.

      the Natives already had established communities when the Spanish came to take over

    1. Even to the last, I could not convince the Indians that we were of the Christians...

      the Natives trust de Vaca & his people, and can't imagine them being associated with the cruelty of the other Christians

    2. who must be obeyed and served,

      they think quite a lot of themselves, these other Christians. they seem jealous of the relationship de Vaca and his comrades have formed with the Natives

    3. the Indians being ever diligent to bring us all they could.

      taking advantage of the Natives' kindness & seeing them as servants

    4. and given them to the Christians,

      okay, they're not objects...

    5. caused their interpreter to tell the Indians that we were of them, and for a long time we had been lost; that they were the lords of the land who must be obeyed and served, while we were persons of mean condition and small force. The Indians cared little or nothing for what was told them; and conversing among themselves said the Christians lied : that we had come whence the sun rises, and they whence it goes down : we healed the sick, they killed the sound ; that we had come naked and barefooted, while they had arrived in clothing and on horses with lances; that we were not covetous of anything, but all that was given to us, we directly turned to give, remaining with nothing; that the others had the only purpose to rob whomsoever they found, bestow- ing nothing on any one... Even to the last, I could not convince the Indians that we were of the Christians...

      One of the most famous passages in CDV. What do you think of it?

    6. e had many high words with, them ; for they wished to make slaves of the Indians we brought...

      Key moment, maybe?

    1. they must be won by kindness, which is a way certain, and no other is.

      a different approach than most explorers/conquerers took. he's seeing them as people and thinks they should be treated accordingly

    2. but preferred to die rather than live in dread of such cruel usage as they received

      this is incredibly sad

    3. they looked as though they would willingly die.

      wow...

    4. The sight was one of infinite pain to us

      to see such beautiful/useful land go to waste?

    5. hearing more of Christians.

      how does he know these men were Christians?

    6. we gave many thanks to God our Lord

      of course you did

    7. he answered that they came from heaven.

      the Natives see the explorers as god-like

    8. over six hundred open hearts of deer.'

      thats a lot of deer hearts....

    1. they place their houses on the skirt of a wood, the thickest and most tangled they can find, and near it make a ditch in which they sleep.

      use the land as a resource & almost as a weapon

    2. When no longer offended and their anger is gone, they return. From that time they are friends as if nothing had happened

      they've gotten it out of their systems & are over it

    3. until their heat has subsided.

      cooling off

    4. they strike each other with the fists, fighting until ex- hausted, and then separate.

      facing their problems like men!

    5. It is com- mon among them all to leave their wives when there is no conformity, and directly they connect themselves with whom they please.

      oh?

    6. the Indians leave him to perish, unless it be a son or a brother; him they will assist, even to carrying on their back.

      leave the weak behind, unless they are family

    7. in seasons of scarcity, the children were allowed to suckle, that they might not famish

      yeah, but how can the mothers keep producing milk for that long? especially with poor nutrition/not enough food?

    8. The children are suckled until the age of twelve years, when they are old enough to get sup- port for themselves.

      wow...12 is when a child can finally feed themselves in this culture? that's a long time to be dependent...especially considering that the life expectancy probably wasn't that high

    1. On one occasion while I slept, the fire fell upon the straw, when it began to blaze so rapidly that not- T^-ithstanding the haste I made to get out of it,

      yikes! not a pleasant way to wake up!

    2. while walking naked as I was born.

      why does he have no clothes?

    3. I was detained some time.

      you mean you were lost, de Vaca

    4. for every day went on increasing his compassion and his gifts.

      the Natives' compassion and gifts are growing every day...thank them!

    5. many came to us that night sick

      hypochondriacs

    6. I made four fires, in the form of a cross

      Do you think CDV is building the symbolism of his narrative intentionally?

    7. Thank God I found a burning tree,

      Ok, English majors, HAVE AT IT.

    8. After he made over them the sign of the cross, and commended them to God, they instantly said that all the pain had left,

      What do you folks think about this moment?

    1. sat down among us, and from the sorrow and pity they felt, they all began to lament so earnestly that they might have been heard at a dis- tance, and continued so doing more than half an hour.

      they feel this loss so deeply, even though it is not their own. and yet, they are "barbarians"

    2. but when they saw us thus, in a plight so different from what it was before, and so extraordinary, they were alarmed and turned back.

      its strange that they turn back after seeing the Europeans in a weaker and more helpless state

    3. in a plight so different from what it was before, and so extraordinary, they were alarmed and turned back.

      Interesting, you'd think that seeing them in need would give them all the more reason to want to help

    1. He answered that it was no longer a time in which one should com- mand another] but that each should do what he thought best to save his own life

      everyone is on their own. things are getting serious

    2. He answered saying that could not be done, because the boat was far to sea and he wished to reach the shore

      no, we can't go help the others because the Governor doesn't want to

    3. They entreated us to go with them, and said they would give us the Christ- ians, water, and many other things

      sounds like a trap to me

    4. and of more authority and condition than any we had hitherto seen

      that would be why they are chiefs...

    5. The Governor replied that he would give up the hostages when they should bring the Christians they had taken.

      we'll trade you!

    6. he departed with his boat...

      WOW. Totally abandoning any concern for the rest, using his position of power to look out for his own skin. Terrible leader.

    7. .

      resorting back to religion

    8. near the shore, they began to move on hands and feet, crawling to land into some ravines

      SHIPWRECKED.

    9. He answered that it was no longer a time in which one should com- mand another] but that each should do what he thought best to save his own life ; that he so intended to act; and saying this, he departed with his boat...

      Every man for himself....seems like a fateful decision, but props to de Vaca for always trying to keep the group together...

    1. In the boat

      did they figure out how to build boats?

    2. more than forty men of disease and hunger

      how many were there to begin with?

    3. we knew not how to construct, nor were there tools, nor iron, nor forge, nor tow, nor resin, nor rigging; finally, no one thing of so many that are necessary, nor any man who had a knowledge of their manufacture; and, above all, there -was nothing to eat, while building, for those who should labor...

      soo....they've got nothing.

    4. and could pass out of it only through death,

      that's not very optimistic

    5. and that whatever might happen to one should be the lot of all, without any forsaking the rest.

      they're a team

    6. that of the persons mounted, the greater part commenced secretly to plot, hoping to secure a better fate for themselves by abandoning the Governor and the sick, who were in a state of weak- ness and prostration.

      survival of the fittest! abandon the weak!

    7. Grod,

      praise Grod!

    8. There were not horses enough to carry the sick, who went on increas- ing in numhers day hy day, and we knew of no cure.

      the Europeans are sick as opposed to the Natives...interesting

    9. to the place I had visited.

      he's been here before?

    10. Captain Alonzo del Castillo
    11. So there's going to be a lot of aimless sailing here?

    1. They are of admirable proportions, very spare and of great activity and strength.

      they are intimidating...maybe this is why he thinks of them as barbarians

    2. com- manded the cavalry to dismount and charge the In- dians on foot.

      mmm....doesn't seem like a great idea.

    3. the people beyond were less numerous and poorer, the land little occupied, and the inhabitants much scattered ; that thenceforward were great lakes, dense forests, immense deserts and solitudes

      how could he have possibly gathered all this info from the Natives? did they speak his language?

    4. As we sallied they fled to the lakes near by, because of which and the large maize fields, we could do them no injury

      the Natives have an advantage because they know the land

    5. asking for their women and children, whom we re- leased

      oh, by the way, we captured all Native women and children! but let me keep talking about animals...

    6. very cold.

      he's clearly never been to New England...

    7. the Gelves

      the Gelves?

    8. So much hate, but so much admiration towards the natives? Thoughts anyone?

    9. Thinking to irrationally!

    10. Abundance of rich resources

    11. Can you really blame them here?

    12. .

      I love the description and connection to nature here

    1. truth

      there is no TRUTH!!!

    2. and for some persons difficult to believe, nevertheless they may without hesitation credit me as strictly faithful. Better than to exaggerate, I have lessened in all things, and it is sufficient to say the relation is offered to your Majesty for truth.

      he's telling the truth, okay?!?

    3. and bring them to a know- ledge of the true faith and true Lord,

      heavily focused on religion...I'm assuming Christianity. seems very passionate about seeking to convert the "barbarians"

    4. it might testify to my exertion in the royal behalf.

      makes it seem like the whole of his experiences is solely in service of/for the crown

    5. To me, one only duty remains, to present a relation of what was seen and heard in the ten years I wandered lost

      ten years?! wow...

    6. that I should not have to speak in order to be reckoned among those who for diligence and fidelity in affairs your Majesty honors.

      his legacy speaks for him

    7. but coming in the providence of God and solely by His will.

      so fortunate people are blessed by God and unfortunate people can't do anything about their circumstances b/c God did not choose them to be the fortunate ones? hmm...

    8. but coming in the providence of God and solely by His will.

      Claiming that sometimes have good fortune simply because God willed it. Interesting. I wonder if he is going to attribute his own success or failure to God's will.

    9. ,

      Really? According to whom?