been a clash of opinions in regard to the ship's course; and of so
violent a sort that strong measures were required to maintain
discipline. The outcome was that "our Master took occasion to
revive old matters, and to displace Robert Juet from being his
mate, and the boatswaine from his place, for the words spoken in
the first great bay of ice."

For what happened at that time we have a better authority than
Prickett. The "Note" of Thomas Widowes covers this episode; and, in
covering it, throws light upon the mutinous conditions which
prevailed increasingly as the voyage went on. As the only
contemporary document giving Hudson's side of the matter it is of
first importance--we may be very sure that it would not have come
down to us had it been discovered by the mutineers--and I cite it
here in full as Purchas prints it:

"The tenth day of September, 1610, after dinner, our Master called
all the Companie together, to heare and beare witnesse of the abuse
of some of the Companie (it having beene the request of Robert
Juet), that the Master should redresse some abuses and slanders, as
hee called them, against this Juet: which thing after the Master
had examined and heard with equitie what hee could say for
himselfe, there were proued so many and great abuses, and mutinous
matters against the Master, and [the] action by Juet, that there
was danger to have suffered them longer: and it was fit time to
punish and cut off farther occasions of the like mutinies.

"It was proved to his face, first with Bennet Mathew, our Trumpet,
upon our first sight of Island [Iceland], and he confest, that he
supposed that in the action would be man slaughter, and proue