Digby acted
throughout as if he had a "publike charge," but he was really little other
than a pirate. He sailed from Deal in December, 1627, his ships the "Eagle"
and the "George and Elizabeth." It was six months before the decisive fight
took place; but on the way he had captured some French and Spanish ships
near Gibraltar; and what with skirmishes and sickness, his voyage did not
want for risk and episode at any time. Digby the landsman maintained
discipline, reconciled quarrels, doctored his men, ducked them for
disorderliness, and directed the naval and military operations like any old
veteran. At Scanderoon [now Alexandretta in the Levant] the French and
Venetians, annoyed by his presence, fired on his ships. He answered with
such pluck and decision that, after a three hours' fight, the enemy was
completely at his mercy, and the Venetians "quitted to him the signiority
of the roade." In his Journal of the Voyage you may read a sober account,
considering who was the teller of the tale, of a brilliant exploit. He does
not disguise the fact that he was acting in defiance of his own countrymen
in the Levant.
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