On a voyage from Bristol to Newfoundland and Spain, the Elizabeth sailed into bad weather. Water got into the hold and ruined most of the cargo of dried fish. Bartholomew Jefford, master, and Robert Griffin, mate, had to make a sworn statement about the events that led to the loss of the cargo, so the owners could claim on their insurance. They described how they had taken on board 990 kintals (about 50,500 kg) of dried salt cod, but then were caught in a storm. The ship lost the main mast and the hold was flooded with sea water. After eight weeks at sea, the ship reached Bilboa in Spain, by which time most of the no-longer dried fish was so rotten it had to be thrown overboard.