although they be diligently by arte husbanded and seene vnto and the cause thereof are the Northerne driuing winds which comming from the sea are so bitter and sharpe that they kill all the yoong tender plants and suffer scarse any thing to grow and so is it in the Islands of Meta incognita which are subiect most to East Northeastern winds which the last yere choaked vp the passage so with ice that the fleet could hardly recouer their port Yet notwithstanding all the obiections that may be the countrey is habitable for there are men women children sundry kind of beasts in great plenty as beares deere hares foxes and dogs all kinde of flying fowles as ducks seamewes wilmots partridges larks crowes hawks and such like as in the third booke you shall vnderstand more at large Then it appeareth that not onely the middle zone but also the Zones about the poles are habitable Which thing being well considered and familiarly knowen to our Generall captaine Frobisher aswell for that he is thorowly furnished of the knowledge of the sphere and all other skilles appertaining to the arte of nauigation as also for the confirmation he hath of the same by many yeres experience both by sea and land and being persuaded of a new and nerer passage to Cataya then by Capo de buona Sperança which the Portugals yerely vse he began first with himselfe to deuise and then with his friends to conferre and layed a plaine plat vnto them that that voyage was not onely possible by the Northwest but also he could proue easie to be performed And further he determined and resolued with himselfe to go make full proofe thereof and to accomplish or bring true certificate of the truth or els neuer to returne againe knowing this to be the only thing of the world that was left yet vndone whereby a notable minde might be made famous and fortunate But although his will were great to performe this notable voyage whereof he had conceiued in his minde a great hope by sundry sure reasons and secret intelligence which here for sundry causes I leaue vntouched yet he wanted altogether meanes and ability to set forward and performe the same Long time he conferred with his priuate friends of these secrets and made also many offers for the performing of the same in effect vnto sundry merchants of our countrey aboue 15 yeres before he attempted the same as by good witnesse shall well appeare albeit some euill willers which challenge to themselues the fruits of other mens labours haue greatly iniured him in the reports of the same saying that they haue bene the first authours of that action and that they haue learned him the way which themselues as yet haue neuer gone but perceiuing that hardly he was hearkened vnto of the merchants which neuer regard vertue without sure certaine and present gaines he repaired to the Court from whâ—nce as from the fountaine of our Common wealth all good causes haue their chiefe increase and maintenance and there layed open to many great estates and learned men the plot and summe of his deuice And amongst many honourable minds which fauoured his honest and commeâ—dable enterprise he was specially bound and beholding to the right honourable Ambrose Dudley earle of Warwicke whose fauourable minde and good disposition hath alwayes bene ready to countenance and aduance all honest actions with the authours and executers of the same and so by meanes of my lord his honourable countenance he receiued some comfort of his cause and by litle and litle with no small expense and paine brought his cause to some perfection and had drawen together so many aduenturers and such summes of money as might well defray a reasonable charge to furnish himselfe to sea withall He prepared two small barks of twenty and fiue and twenty tunne a piece wherein he intended to accomplish his pretended voyage Wherefore being furnished with the foresayd two barks and one small pinnesse of ten tun burthen hauing therein victuals and other necessaries for twelue moneths prouision he departed vpon the sayd voyage from Blacke-wall the 15 of Iune anno Domini 1576. One of the barks wherein he went was named The Gabriel and the other The Michael and sailing Northwest from England vpon the 11 of Iuly he had sight of an high and ragged land which he iudged to be Frisland whereof some authors haue made mention but durst not approch the same by reason of the great store of ice that lay alongst the coast and the great mists that troubled them not a litle Not farre from thence he lost company of his small pinnesse which by meanes of the great storme he supposed to be swallowed vp of the Sea wherein he lost onely foure men Also the other barke named The Michael mistrusting the matter conueyed themselues priuily away from him and returned home with great report that he was cast away The worthy captaine notwithstanding these discomforts although his mast was sprung and his toppe mast blowen ouerboord with extreame foule weather continued his course towards the Northwest knowing that the sea at length must needs haue an ending that some land should haue a beginning that way and determined therefore at the least to bring true proofe what land and sea the same might be so farre to the Northwestwards beyond any man that hath heretofore discouered And the twentieth of Iuly he had sight of an high land which he called Queene Elizabeths Forland after her Maiesties name And sailing more Northerly alongst that coast he descried another forland with a great gut bay or passage diuiding as it were two maine lands or continents asunder There he met with store of exceeding great ice all this coast along and coueting still to continue his course to the Northwards was alwayes by contrary winde deteined ouerthwart these straights and could not get beyond Within few dayes after he perceiued the ice to be well consumed and gone either there ingulfed in by some swift currents or indrafts carried more to the Southwards of the same straights or els conueyed some other way wherefore he determined to make proofe of this place to see how farre that gut had continuance and whether he might carry himselfe thorow the same into some open sea on the backeside whereof he conceiued no small hope and so entred the same the one and twentieth of Iuly and passed aboue fifty leagues therein as he reported hauing vpon either hand a great maine or continent And that land vpon his right hand as he sailed Westward he iudged to be the continent of Asia and there to be diuided from the firme of America which lieth vpon the left hand ouer against the same This place he named after his name Frobishers streights like as Magellanus at y e Southwest end of the world hauing discouered the passage to the South sea where America is diuided from the continent of that land which lieth vnder the South
To ende this matter let mee now I beseech you speake vnto your Lordship as in times past the elder Scipio spake to Cornelius Scipio Africanus Quò sis Africane alacrior ad tutandam Rempublicam sic habeto Omnibus qui patriam conseruauerint adiuuerint auxerint certum esse in coelo ac definitum locum vbi beati aeuo sempiterno fruantur It remaineth therefore that as your Lordship from time to time vnder her most gracious and excellent Maiestie haue shewed your selfe a valiant protectour a carefull conseruer and an happy enlarger of the honour and reputation of your Countrey so at length you may enioy those celestial blessings which are prepared to such as tread your steps and seeke to aspire to such diuine and heroical vertues And euen here I surcease wishing all temporal and spirituall blessings of the life present and that which is to come to be powred out in most ample measure not onely vpon your honourable Lordship the noble and vertuous Lady your bedfellow and those two rare iewels your generous off-springs but also vpon all the rest wheresoeuer of that your noble and renowmed family From London the 7. day of this present October 1598. Your honours most humble alwayes to be commanded Richard Hakluyt Preacher ¶ A preface to the Reader as touching the principall Voyages and discourses in this first part HAuing for the benefit and honour of my Countrey zealously bestowed so many yeres so much traueile and cost to bring Antiquities smothered and buried in darke silence to light and to preserue certaine memorable exploits of late yeeres by our English nation atchieued from the greedy and deuouring iawes of obliuion to gather likewise and as it were to incorporate into one body the torne and scattered limmes of our ancient and late Nauigations by Sea our voyages by land and traffiques of merchandise by both and hauing so much as in me lieth restored ech particular member being before displaced to their true ioynts and ligaments I meane by the helpe of Geographie and Chronologie which I may call the Sunne and the Moone the right eye and the left of all history referred ech particular relation to the due time and place I do this second time friendly Reader if not to satisfie yet at least for the present to allay and hold in suspense thine expectation presume to offer vnto thy view this first part of my threefold discourse For the bringing of which into this homely and rough-hewen shape which here thou seest what restlesse nights what painefull dayes what heat what cold I haue indured how many long chargeable iourneys I haue traueiled how many famous libraries I haue searched into what varietie of ancient and moderne writers I haue perused what a number of old records patents priuileges letters c. I haue redeemed from obscuritie and perishing into how manifold acquaintance I haue entred what expenses I haue not spared and yet what faire opportunities of priuate gaine preferment and ease I haue neglected albeit thy selfe canst hardly imagine yet I by daily experience do finde feele and some of my entier friends can sufficiently testifie Howbeit as I told thee at the first the honour and benefit of this Common weale wherein I liue and breathe hath made all difficulties seeme easie all paines and industrie pleasant and all expenses of light value and moment vnto me For to conteine my selfe onely within the bounds of this present discourse and in the midst thereof to begin wil it not in all posteritie be as great a renowme vnto our English nation to haue bene the first discouerers of a Sea beyond the North cape neuer certainly knowen before and of a conuenient passage into the huge Empire of Russia by the bay of S. Nicolas and the riuer of Duina as for the Portugales to haue found a Sea beyond the Cape of Buona Esperanza and so consequently a passage by Sea into the East Indies or for the Italians and Spaniards to haue discouered vnknowen landes so many hundred leagues Westward and Southwestward of the streits of Gibraltar of the pillers of Hercules Be it granted that the renowmed Portugale Vasquez de Gama trauersed the maine Ocean Southward of Africke Did not Richard Chanceler and his mates performe the like Northward of Europe Suppose that Columbus that noble and high-spirited Genuois escried vnknowen landes to the Westward of Europe and Africke Did not the valiant English knight sir Hugh Willoughby did not the famous Pilots Stephen Burrough Arthur Pet and Charles Iackman accoast Noua Zembla Colgoieue and Vaigatz to the North of Europe and Asia Howbeit you will say perhaps not with the like golden successe not with such deductions of Colonies nor attaining of conquests True it is that our successe hath not bene correspondent vnto theirs yet in this our attempt the vncertaintie of finding was farre greater and the difficultie and danger of searching was no whit lesse For hath not Herodotus a man for his time most skilfull and iudicial in Cosmographie who writ aboue 2000. yeeres ago in his 4. booke called Melpomene signified vnto the Portugales in plaine termes that Africa except the small Isthmus between the Arabian gulfe and the Mediterran sea was on all sides enuironed with the Ocean And for the further confirmation thereof doth he not make mention of one Neco an AEgyptian King who for trials sake sent a Fleet of Phoenicians downe the Red sea who setting forth in Autumne and sailing Southwardâ— till they had the Sunne at noonetide vpon their sterbourd that is to say hauing crossed the AEquinoctial and the Southerne tropique after a long Nauigation directed their course to the North and in the space of 3. yeeres enuironed all Africk passing home through the Gaditan streites and arriuing in AEgypt And doth not Plinie tel them that noble Hanno in the flourishing time and estate of Carthage sailed from Gades in Spaine to the coast of Arabia foelix and put downe his whole iournall in writing Doth he not make mention that in the time of Augustus Cesar the wracke of certaine Spanish ships was found â—loating in the Arabian gulfe And not to be ouer-tedious in alleaging of testimonies doth not Strabo in the 2. booke of his Geography together with Cornelius Nepos and Plinie in the place before named agree all in one that one Eudoxus fleeing â—rom king Lathyrus and valing downe the Arabian bay sailed along doubled the Southern point of Africk and at length arriued at Gades And what should I speake of the Spaniards Was not diuine Plato who liued so many ages ago and plainely described their West Indies vnder the name of Atlantis was not he I say in stead of a Cosmographer vnto them Were not those Carthaginians mentioned by Aristotle lib. de admirabil auscult their forerunners And had they not Columbus to stirre them vp and pricke them forward vnto their Westerne discoueries yea to be their chiefe loads-man and Pilot Sithens therefore these two worthy
beleeueth not shal be condemned At this word he modestly smiled but the other Moals began to clap their hands and to deride vs. And my silly interpreter of whom especially I should haue receiued comfort in time of need was himself abashed vtterly daâ—â—t out of countenance Then after silence made I said vnto him I came vnto your sonne because we heard that he was become a Christian and I brought vnto him letters on the behalfe of my souereigne Lord the king of France and your sonne sent me hither vnto you The cause of my comming therefore is best known vnto your selfe Then he caused me to rise vp And he enquired your maiesties name and my name and the name of mine associate and interpreter and caused them all to be put down in writing He demaunded likewise because he had bene informed that you were departed out of your owne countreys with an armie against whom you waged warre I answered against the Saracens who had defiled the house of God at Ierusalem He asked also whether your Highnes had euer before that time sent any messengers vnto him or no To you sir said I neuer Then caused he vs to sit downe and gaue vs of his milke to drinke which they account to be a great fauour especially when any man is admitted to drinke Cosmos with him in his own house And as I sate looking downe vpon the ground he commanded me to lift vp my countenance being destrous as yet to take more diligent view of vs or els perhaps for a kinde of superstitious obseruation For they esteeme it a signe of ill lucke or a prognostication of euill vnto them when any man sâ—ts in their presence holding downe his head as if he were sad especially when he leanes his cheeke or chinne vpon his hand Then we departed forth and immediatly after came our guide vnto vs and conducting vs vnto our lodging saide vnto me Your master the King requesteth that you may remaine in this land which request Baatu cannot satisfie without the knowledge and consent of Mangu-Can Wherefore you and your interpreter must of necessitie goe vuto Mangu-Can Howbeit your associate and the other man shall returne vnto the court of Sartach staying therefor you till you come backe Then began the man of God mine interpreter to lament esteeming himselfe but a dead man Mine associate also protested that they should sooner chop off his head then withdrawe him out of my companie Moreouer I my selfe saide that without mine associate I coulde not goe and that we stood in neede of two seruants at the least to attend vpon vs because if one should chance to fall sicke we could not be without another Then returning vnto the court he told these sayings vnto Baatu And Baatu commanded saying let the two Priests and the interpreter goe together but let the clearke returne vnto Sartach And comming againe vnto vs hee tolde vs euen so And when I would haue spoken for the clearke to haue had him with vs he saide No more words for Baatu hath resolued that so it shall be and therefore I dare not goe vnto the court any more Goset the clearke had remaining of the almes money bestowed vpon him 26. Y perperas and no more 10. whereof he kept for himselfe and for the lad and 16. he gaue vnto the man of God for vs. And thus were we parted asunder with teares he returning vnto the court of Sartach and our selues remaining still in the same place Of our iourney towards the Court of Mangu Can. Chap. 22. VPon Assumption euen our clearke arriued at the court of Sartach And on the morrow after the Nestorian Priestes were adorned with our vestments in the presence of the saide Sartach Then wee ouâ— selues were conducted vnto another hoste who was appointed to prouide vs houseroome victualles and horses But because wee had not ought to bestowe vpon him hee did all things vntowardly for vs. Then wee rode on forwarde with Baatu descending along by the banke of Etilia for the space of fiue weekes together Sometimes mine associate was so extremelie hungrie that hee would tell mee in a manner weeping that it fared with him as though hee had neuer eaten any thing in all his life before There is a faire or market following the court of Baatu at all times but it was so farre distant from vs that we could not haue recourse thereunto For wee were constrained to walke on foote for want of horses At length certaine Hungarians who had sometime bene after a sort Cleargie men found vs out and one of them could as yet sing many songs without booke and was accompted of other Hungarians as a Priest and was sent for vnto the funerals of his deceased countrey men There was another of them also pretily wel instructed in his Grammer for hee could vnderstand the meaning of any thing that wee spake but could not answere vs. These Hungarians were a great comfort vnto vs bringing vs Cosmos to drinke yea and sometimes flesh for to eate also who when they requested to haue some bookes of vs and I had not any giue them for indeede we had none but onely a Bible and a breuiarie it grieued mee exceedingly And I saide vnto them Bring mee some inke and paper and I will write for you so long as we shall remaine here and they did so And I copied out for them Horas beatae Virginis and Officium defunctorum Moreouer vpon a certaine day there was a Comanian that accompanied vs saluting vs in Latine and saying Saluete Domini Wondering thereat and saluting him againe I demaunded of him who had taught him that kinde of salutation Hee saide that hee was baptized in Hungaria by our Friers and that of them hee learned it He saide moreouer that Baatu had enquired many things of him concerning vs and that hee tolde him the estate of our order Afterwarde I sawe Baatu riding with his companie and all his subiects that were housholders or masters of families riding with him and in mine estimation they were not fiue hundred persons in all At length about the ende of Holy roode there came a certaine rich Moal vnto vs whose father was a Millenarie which is a great office among them saying I am the man that must conduct you vnto Mangu-Can and wee haue thither a iourney of foure moneths long to trauell and there is such extreame colde in those parts that stones and trees doe euen riue asunder in regarde thereof Therefore I would wish you throughly to aduise your selues whether you be able to indure it or no. Unto whome I answered I hope by Gods helpe that we shal be able to brooke that which other men can indure Then he saide if you cannot indure it I wil forsake you by the way And I answered him it were not iust dealing for you so to doe for wee goe not thither vpon anie businesse of our owne but by reason that we are
and get the charitie of well disposed people But being at libertie they get nothing The poore is very innumerable and liue most miserably for I haue seene them eate the pickle of Hearring and other stinking fish nor the fish cannot be so stinking nor rotten but they will eate it and praise it to be more wholesome then other fish or fresh meate In mine opinion there be no such people vnder the sunne for their hardnesse of liuing Well I will leaue them in this poynt and will in part declare their Religion They doe obserue the lawe of the Greekes with such excesse of superstition as the like hath not bene heard of They haue no grauen images in their Churches but all painted to the intent they will not breake the commandement but to their painted images they vse such idolatrie that the like was neuer heard of in England They will neither worship nor honour any image that is made forth of their owne countrey For their owne images say they haue pictures to declare what they be and howe they be of God and so be not ours They say Looke how the Painter of Caruer hath made them so we doe worship them and they worship none before they be Christened They say we be but halfe Christians because we obserue not part of the olde law with the Turks Therefore they call themselues more holy then vs. They haue none other learning but their mother tongue nor will suffer no other in their countrey among them All their seruice in Churches is in their mother tongue They haue the olde and newe Testament which are daily read among them and yet their superstition is no lesse For when the Priests doe reade they haue such tricks in their reading that no man can vnderstand them nor no man giueth eare to them For all the while the Priest readeth the people sit downe and one talke with another But when the Priest is at seruice no man sitteth but gagle and ducke like so many Geese And as for their prayers they haue but little skill but vse to say As bodi pomele As much to say Lord haue mercy vpon me For the tenth man within the land cannot say the Pater noster And as for the Creede no man may be so bolde as to meddle therewith but in the Church for they say it shoulde not bee spoken of but in the Churches Speake to them of the Cōmandements and they wil say they were giuen to Moses in the law which Christ hath nowe abrogated by his precious death and passion therefore say they we obserue little or none thereof And I doe beleeue them For if they were examined of their Lawe and Commaundements together they shoulde agree but in fewe poynts They haue the Sacrament of the Lords Supper in both kindes and more ceremonies then wee haue They present them in a dish in both kindes together and carrie them rounde about the Church vpon the Priestes head and so doe minister at all such times as any shall require They bee great offerers of Candles and sometimes of money which wee call in England Soule pense with more ceremonies then I am able to declare They haue foure Lents in the yeere whereof our Lent is the greatest Looke as we doe begin on the Wednesday so they doe on the Munday before And the weeke before that they call The Butter weeke And in that weeke they eate nothing but Butter and milke Howbeit I beleeue there bee in no other countrey the like people for drunkennesse The next Lent is called Saint Peters Lent and beginneth alwayes the Munday next after Trinitie sunday and endeth on Saint Peters euen If they should breake that fast their beliefe is that they should not come in at heauen gates And when any of them die they haue a testimoniall with them in the Coffin that when the soule commeth to heauen gates it may deliuer the same to Saint Peter which declareth that the partie is a true and holy Russian The third Lent beginneth fifteene dayes before the later Lady day and endeth on our Lady Eeuen The fourth Lent beginneth on Saint Martins day and endeth on Christmas Eeuen which Lent is fasted for Saint Philip Saint Peter Saint Nicholas and Saint Clement For they foure be the principall and greatest Saints in that countrey In these Lents they eate neither Butter Egges Milke nor Cheese but they are very straitely kept with Fish Cabbages and Rootes And out of their Lents they obserue truely the Wednesdayes and Fridayes throughout the yeere and on the Saturday they doe eate flesh Furthermore they haue a great number of Religious men which are blacke Monks and they eate no flesh throughout the yeere but fish milke and Butter By their order they should eate no fresh-fish and in their Lents they eate nothing but Coleworts Cabbages salt Cowcumbers with other rootes as Radish and such like Their drinke is like our peny Ale and is called Quass They haue seruice daily in their Churches and vse to goe to seruice two houres before day and that is ended by day light At nine of the clocke they goe to Masse that ended to dinner and after that to seruice againe and then to supper You shall vnderstand that at euery dinner and supper they haue declared the exposition of the Gospel that day but howe they wrest and twine the Scripture and that together by report it is wonderfull As for whoredome and drunkennesse there be none such liuing and for extortion they be the most abhominable vnder the sunne Nowe iudge of their holinesse They haue twise as much land as the Duke himselfe hath but yet hee is reasonable eeuen with them as thus When they take bribes of any of the poore and simple he hath it by an order When the Abbot of any of of their houses dieth then the Duke hath all his goods moueable and vnmoueable so that the successour buieth all at the Dukes hands and by this meane they be the best Fermers the Duke hath Thus with their Religion I make an ende trusting hereafter to know it better To the right worshipfull and my singular good Vncle Master Christopher Frothingham giue these Sir Reade and correct For great is the defect The Testimonie of M. Richard Eden in his Decades concerning the Booke following AND whereas saith he I haue before made mention howe Moscouie was in our time discouered by Richard Chanceler in his voyage toward Cathay by the direction and information of M. Sebastian Cabota who long before had this secret in his minde I shall not neede here to describe that voyage forasmuch as the same is largely and faithfully written in the Latine tongue by that learned yong man Clement Adams schoolemaster to the Queenes henshmen as he receiued it at the mouth of the said Richard Chanceler The newe Nauigation and discouerie of the kingdome of Moscouia by the Northeast in the yeere 1553 Enterprised by Sir Hugh Willoughbie knight and perfourmed by Richard Chancelor
keepe a note thereof in your booke secretly to your selfe which you shall open and disclose at your comming home to the gouernours and assistants in such sorte as the trueth of their secret trades and occupyings may be reuealed and knowen You shal need alwayes to haue Argos eyes to spie their secret packing and conueyance aswell on land as aboord the shippe of and for such â—urres and other commodities as yeerely they doe vse to buy packe and conuey hither If you will bee vigilant and secrete in this article you cannot misse to spie their priuie packing one with another either on shore or aboord the shippe worke herein wisely and you shall deserue great thanks of the whole company 10 Also at the lading againe of the shippe you shall continue and abide abord to the ende that you may note and write in your booke all such goods and marchandises as shall be brought and laden which you shall orderly note in all sortes as heretofore as in the second article partly it is touched and in any wise put the Master and the company in remembrance to looke and foresee substancially to the roomaging of the shippe by faire meanes or threats as you shall see and thinke will serue for the best 11 Thus when the shippe is full laden againe and all things aboord in good order and that you doe fortune to goe a shore to the Agent for your letters and dispatch away you shall demand whether all the goods be laden that were brought thither and to know the trueth therof you shal repaire to the companies storehouse there at S. Nicholas to see if there be any goods left in the sayd storehouse if there be you shaldemand why they be not laden and note what kinde of goods they be that be so left and seeing any of the shippes there not fully laden you shall put the Agent in remembrance to lade those goods so left if any such be to be laden as is aforesayd And thus God sending you a faire wind to make speede and away 12 Finally when God shall send you to arriue againe vpon this coast in safetie either at Harewich or elsewhere goe not you aland if you may possiblie to the ende that when you be gone a shore there may no goods be sent priuily ashore to be solde or else to be solde aboord the ship in your absence but keepe you still aboord if you can by any meanes for the causes aforesaid and write the company a letter form the shippe of your good arriuall which you may conuey to them by land by some boy or mariner of the shippe or otherwise as you shall thinke best and likewise when God shall send you and the shippe into the riuer here doe not in any wise depart out of the shippe that you be in vntil the company doe send some other aboord the shippe in your steâ—de and place to keepe the shippe in your absence The Nauigation and discouerie toward the riuer of Ob made by Master Steuen Burrough Master of the Pinnesse called the Serchthrift with diuers things worth the noting passed in the yere 1556. WE departed from Ratclifte to Blackewall the 23 of April Satturday being S. Markes day we departed from Blackewall to Grays The 27 being Munday the right Worshipfull Sebastian Cabota came aboord our Pinnesse at Grauesende accompanied with diuers Gentlemenâ— and Gentlewomen who after that they had viewed our Pinnesse and tasted of such cheere as we could make them aboord they went on shore giuing to our mariners right liberall rewards and the good olde Gentleman Master Cabota gaue to the poore most liberall almes wishing them to pray for the good fortune and prosperous successe of the Serchthrift our Pinnesse And then at the signe of the Christopher hee and his friends banketted and made me and them that were in the company great cheere and for very ioy that he had to see the towardnes of our intended discouery he entred into the dance himselfe amongst the rest of the young and lusty company which being ended hee and his friends departed most gently commending vs to the gouernance of almighty God Tuesday we rode still at Grauesend making prouision for such things as we wanted Wednesday in the morning we departed from Grauesende the winde being at Southwest that night we came to an anker thwart our Lady of Hollands Thursday at three of the clocke in the morning we weyed and by eight of the clocke we were at an anker in Orwell wannes and theâ— incontinent I went aboord the Edward Bonauenture where the worshipfull company of marchants appointed me to be vntill the sayd good ship arriued at Wardhouse Then I returned againe into the pinnesse Friday the 15 of May we were within 7 leagues of the shore on the coast of Norway the latitude at a South sunne 58 degrees and a halfe where we saw three sailes beside our owne company and thus we followed the shoare or land which lieth Northnorthwest North and by West and Northwest and by North as it doth appeare by the plot Saturday at an East sunne we came to S. Dunstans Island which Island I so named It was off vs East two leagues and a halfe the wind being at Southeast the latitude this day at a South sunne 59 degrees 42 minutes Also the high round mountaine bare East of vs at a south sunne and when this hill is East of you and being bound to the Northward the land lyeth North and halfe a point Westerly from this sayd South sunne vnto a North sunne twenty leagues Northwest alongst the shoare Upon Sunday at sixe of the clocke in the morning the farthest land that we could see that lay Northnorthwest was East of vs three leagues and then it trended to the Northwards and to the Eastwards of the North which headland I iudged to be Scoutsnesâ—e At seuen of the clocke we changed our course and went North the wind being at Southsoutheast and it waxed very thick and mistie and when it cleered we went Northnortheast At a South sunne we lost sight of the Serchthrift because of the mist making our way North. And when we lost sight of the shoare and pinnesse we were within two leagues a halfe of the shoare the last land that we saw when this mist came vpon vs which is to the Northwards of Scowtsnesse lay Northnortheast and Southsouthwest and we made our way North vntill a west sunne fiue leagues From that vntill Munday three a clocke in the morning ten leagues Northnortheast and then we went North and by East because the winde came at the Westsouthwest with thicke miste the latitude this day at a South sunne sixtie three degrees and a halfe truely taken at this season we had sight of our Pinnesse againe From that vntill Tuesday a South sunne Northnortheast fortie foure leagues and then Northeast From a South sunne vntill eight of the clocke fifteene leagues Northeast From that vntill Wednesday a South sunne
good and as you may most conueniently and from Willoughbies land you shall proceed Westwards alongst the tract of it though it incline Northerly euen so farre as you may or can trauell hauing regard that in conuenient time you may returne home hither to London for wintering And for your orderly passing in this voyage and making obseruations in the same we referre you to the instructions giuen by M. William Burrough whereof one copie is annexed vnto the first part of this Indenture vnder our seale for you Arthur Pet another copie of it is annexed to the second part of this Indenture vnder our seale also for you Charles Iackman and a third copy thereof is annexed vnto the third part of this Indenture remaining with vs the saide companie sealed and subscribed by you the said Arthur Pet and Charles Iackman And to the obseruing of all things contained in this Commission so neere as God will permit me grace thereunto I the said Arthur Pet doe couenant by these presents to performe them and euery part and parcell thereof And I the said Charles Iackman doe for my part likewise couenant by these presents to performe the same and euery part thereof so neere as God will giue me grace thereunto And in witnes thereof these Indentures were sealed and deliuered accordingly the day and yeere first aboue written Thus the Lorde God Almightie sende you a prosperous voyage with happie successe and safe returne Amen Instructions and notes very necessary and needfull to be obserued in the purposed voyage for discouery of Cathay Eastwards by Arthur Pet and Charles Iackman giuen by M. William Burrough 1580. VVHen you come to Orfordnesse if the winde doe serue you to goe a seabord the sands doe you set off from thence and note the time diligently of your being against the saide Nesse turning then your glasse whereby you intende to keepe your continuall watch and apoint such course as you shal thinke good according as the wind serueth you and froÌ„ that time forwards continually if your ship be lose vnder saile a hull or trie do you at the end of euery 4. glasses at the least except calme sound with your dipsin lead and note diligently what depth you finde and also the ground But if it happen by swiftnes of the shippes way or otherwise that you cannot get ground yet note what depth you did proue and could finde no ground this note is to be obserued all your voyage as well outwards as home wards But when you come vpon any coast or doe finde any sholde banke in the sea you are then to vse your leade oftener as you shal thinke it requisite noting diligently the order of your depth and the deeping and sholding And so likewise doe you note the depthes into harboroughs riuers c. And in keeping your dead reckoning it is very necessary that you doe note at the ende of euery foure glasses what way the shippe hath made by your best proofes to be vsed and howe her way hath bene through the water considering withall for the sagge of the sea to leewards accordingly as you shall finde it growen and also to note the depth and what things worth the noting happened in that time with also the winde vpon what point you finde it then and of what force or strength it is and what sailes you beare But if you should omit to note those things at the end of euery foure glasses I would not haue you to let it slip any longer time then to note it diligently at the end of euery watch or eight glasses at the farthest Doe you diligently obserue the latitude as often and in as many places as you may possible and also the variation of the Compasse especially when you may bee at shoare vpon any land noting the same obseruations truely and the place and places where and the time and times when you do the same When you come to haue sight of any coast or land whatsoeuer doe you presently set the same with your sailing Compasse howe it beares off you noting your iudgement how farre you thinke it from you drawing also the forme of it in your booke howe it appeares vnto you noting diligently how the highest or notablest part thereof beareth off you and the extreames also in sight of the same land at both ends distinguishing them by letters A. B.C. c. Afterwards when you haue sailed 1. 2. 3. or 4. glasses at the most noting diligently what way your barke hath made and vpon what point of the Compasse do you againe set that first land seene or the parts thereof that you first obserued if you can well perceiue or discerne them and likewise such other notable points or signes vpon the land that you may then see and could not percâ—iue at the first time distinguishing it also by letters from the other and drawing in your booke the shape of the same land as it appeareth vnto you and so the third time c. And also in passing alongst by any and euery coast doe you drawe the maner of biting in of euery Bay and entrance of euery harborow or riuers mouth with the lying out of euery point or headland vnto the which you may giue apt names at your pleasure and make some marke in drawing the forme and border of the same where the high cliffs are and where lowe lande is whether sande hils or woods or whatsoeuer not omitting to note any thing that may be sensible and apparant to you which may serue to any good purpose If you carefully with great heede and diligence note the obseruations in your booke as aforesaid and afterwards make demonstration thereof in your plat you shall thereby perceiue howe farre the land you first sawe or the parts thereof obserued was then from you and consequently of all the rest and also how farre the one part was from the other and vpon what course or point of the Compasse the one lieth from the other And when you come vpon any coast where you find floods and ebs doe you diligently note the time of the highest and lowest water in euery place and the slake or still water of full sea and lowe water and also which way the flood doeth runne how the tides doe set how much water it hicth and what force the tide hath to driue a ship in one houre or in the whole tide as neere as you can iudge it and what difference in time you finde betwene the running of the flood and the ebbe And if you finde vpon any coast the currant to runne alwayes one way doe you also note the same duely how it setteth in euery place and obserue what force it hath to driue a ship in one houre c. Item as often and when as you may conueniently come vpon any land to make obseruation for the latitude and variation c. doe you also if you may with your instrument for trying of distances obserue the platforme
that land to the end you may winter there the first yeere if you be let by contrary winds and to the end that if we may in short time come vnto Cambalu and vnlade and set saile againe for returne without venturing there at Cambalu that you may on your way come as farre in returne as a port about Noua Zembla that the summer following you may the sooner be in England for the more speedy vent of your East commodities and for the speedier discharge of your Mariners if you cannot go forward and backe in one selfe same Summer And touching the tract of the land of Noua Zembla toward the East out of the circle Arcticke in the more temperate Zone you are to haue regard for if you finde the soyle planted with people it is like that in time an ample vent of our warme wollen clothes may be found And if there be no people at all there to be found then you shall specially note what plentie of whales and of other fish is to be found there to the ende we may turne our newe found land fishing or Island fishing or our whale fishing that way for the ayde and comfort of our newe trades to the Northeast to the coasts of Asia Respect of fish and certaine other things ANd if the aire may be found vpon that tract temperate and the soile yeelding wood water land and grasse and the seas fish then we may plant on that maine the offals of our people as the Portingals do in Brasill and so they may in our fishing in our passage and diuers wayes yeelde commoditie to England by harbouring and victualling vs. And it may be that the inland there may yeeld masts pitch tarre hempe and all things for the Nauie as plentifully as Eastland doth The Islands to be noted with their commodities and wants TO note the Islands whether they be hie land or low land mountaine or flat grauelly clay chalkie or of what soile woody or not woody with springs and riuers or not and what wilde beastes they haue in the same And whether there seeme to be in the same apt matter to build withall as stone free or rough and stone to make lime withall and wood or coale to burne the same withall To note the goodnesse or the badnesse of the hauens and harborowes in the Islands If a straight be found what is to be done and what great importance it may be of ANd if there be a straight in the passage into the Scithian seas the same is specially and with great regard to be noted especially if the same straight be narrow and to be kept I say it is to be noted as a thina that doeth much import for what prince soeuer shall be Lorde of the same and shall possesse the same as the king of Denmarke doeth possesse the straight of Denmarke he onely shall haue the trate out of these regions into the Northeast parts of the world for himselfe and for his priuate profit or for his subiects onely or to enioy wonderfull benefit of the toll of the same like as the king of Denmarke doth enioy of his straights by suffring the merchants of other Princes to passe that way If any such straight be found the eleuation the high or lowe land the hauens neere the length of the straights and all other such circumstances are to be set downe for many purposes and al the Mariners in the voyage are to be sworne to keepe close all such things that other Princes preuent vs not of the same after our returne vpon the disclosing of the Mariners if any such thing should hap Which way the Sauage may bee made able to purchase our cloth and other their wants IF you find any Island or maine land populous and that the same people hath need of cloth then are you to deuise what commodities they haue to purchase the same withall If they be poore then are you to consider of the soile and hâ—w by any possibilitie the same may be made to inrich them that hereafter they may haue something to purchase the cloth withall If you enter into any maine by portable riuer and shall find any great woods you are to note what kind of timber they be of that we may know whether they are for pitch tarre mastes deale-boord clapboord or for building of ships or houses for so if the people haue no vse of them they may be brought perhaps to vse Not to venture the losse of any one man YOu must haue great care to preserue your people since your number is so small and not to venture any one man in any wise To bring home besides merchandize certaine trifles BRing home with you if you may from Cambalu or other ciuil place one or other yong man although you leaue one for him Also the fruites of the Countreys if they will not of themselues dure drie them and so preserue them And bring with you the kernels of peares and apples and the stones of such stonefruits as you shall find there Also the seeds of all strange herbs flowers for such seeds of fruits and herbs comming from another part of the world and so far off will delight the fansie of many for the strangenesse and for that the same may grow and continue the delight long time If you arriue at Cambalu or Quinsay to bring thence the mappe of that countrey for so shall you haue the perfect description which is to great purpose To bring thence some old printed booke to see whether they haue had print there before it was deuised in Europe as some write To note their force by sea and by land If you arriue to Cambalu or Quinsay to take a speciall view of their Nauie and to note the force greatnesse maner of building of them the sailes the tackles the ankers the furniture of them with ordinance armour and munition Also to note the force of the wals and bulwarks of their cities their ordonance and whether they haue any calâ—uers and what powder and shot To note what armour they haue What swords What pikes halberds and bils What horses of force and what light horses they haue And so throughout to note the force of the Countrey both by sea and by land Things to be marked to make coniectures by TO take speciall note of their buildings and of the ornaments of their houses within Take a speciall note of their apparell and furniture and of the substance that the same is made of of which a Merchant may make a gesse as well of their commoditie as also of their wants To note their Shoppes and Warehouses and with what commodities they abound the price also To see their Shambles and to view all such things as are brought into the Markets for so you shall soone see the commodities and the maner of the people of the inland and so giue a gesse of many things To note their fields of graine and their trees of fruite and how they
abound or not abound in one and other and what plenty or scarsitie of fish they haue Things to be caried with you whereof more or lesse is to bee caried for a shew of our commodities to be made KArsies of all orient colours specially of stamell broadcloth of orient colours also Frizadoes Motlies Bristow friezes Spanish blankets Baies of al colours specially with Stamel Worsteds Carels Saies Woadmols Flanels Rash c. Felts of diuers colours Taffeta hats Deepe caps for Mariners coloured in Stamel whereof if ample vent may be found it would turne to an infinite commoditie of the common poore people by knitting Quilted caps of Leuant taffeta of diuers colours for the night Knit stocks of silke of orient colours Knit stocks of Ierzie yarne of orient colours whereof if ample vent might folow the poore multitude should be set in worke Stocks of karsie of diuers colours for men and for women Garters of silke of seuerall kinds and of colours diuers Girdles of Buffe and all other leather with gilt and vngilt buckles specially waste girdles waste girdles of veluet Gloues of all sorts knit and of leather Gloues perfumed Points of all sorts of silke threed and leather of all maner of colours Shooes of Spanish leather of diuers colours of diuers length cut and vncuâ—â— Shooes of other leather Ueluet shooes and pantophles These shooes and pantophles to be sent this time rather for a shew then for any other cause Purses knit and of leather Nightcaps knit and other A garnish of pewter for a shew of a vent of that English commoditie bottles flagons spoones c. of that mettall Glasses of English making Uenice glasses Looking glasses for women great and faire Small dials a few for proofe although there they will not hold the order they do here Spectacles of the common sort Others of Christall trimmed with siluer and otherwise Hower glasses Combes of boxe Combes of â—uorie Combes of horne Linnen of diuers sorts Handkerchiefs with silke of seuerall colours wrought Glazen eyes to ride with against dust Kniues in sheaths both single and double of good edge Needles great and small of euery kind Buttons greater and smaller with moulds of leather and not of wood and such as be durable of double silke and that of sundry colours Boxes with weights for gold and of euery kind of the coine of gold good and bad to shew that the people here vse weight and measure which is a certaine shew of wisedom and of certaine gouernment setled here All the seuerall siluer coynes of our English monies to be caried with you to be shewed to the gouernours at Cambalu which is a thing that shall in silence speake to wise men more then you imagine Locks and keyes hinges bolts haspes c. great and small of excellent workemanship whereof if vent may be hereafter we shall set our subiects in worke which you must haue in great regard For in finding ample uent of any thing that is to be wrought in this realme is more woorth to our people besides the gaine of the merchant then Christchurch Bridewell the Sauoy and all the Hospitals of England For banketting on shipboord persons of credite FIrst the sweetest persumes to set vnder hatches to make y e place sweet against their comming aboord if you arriue at Cambalu Quinsey or in any such great citie not among Sauages Marmelade Sucket Figs barrelled Raisins of the sunne Comfets of diuers kinds made of purpose by him that is most excellent that shal not dissolue Prunes damaske Dried peares Walnuts Almonds Smalnuts Oliues to make them taste their wine The apple Iohn that dureth two yeeres to make shew of our fruits Hullocke Sacke Uials of good sweet waters and casting bottels of glasses to be sprinkle the ghests withall after their comming aboord Suger to vse with their wine if they will The sweet oyle of Zante and excellent French vineger and a fine kind of Bisket stieped in the same do make a banketting dish and a little Sugar cast in it cooleth and comforteth and refresheth the spirits of man is to be had with you to make a shew of by taste and also to comfort your sicke in the voyage Cynamom water Imperiall water With these and such like you may banket where you arriue the greater and best persons Or with the gift of these Marmelades in small boxes or small vials of sweet waters you may gratifie by way of gift or you may make a merchandize of them The Mappe of England and of London Take with you the mappe of England set out in faire colours one of the biggest sort I meane to make shew of your countrey from whence you come And also the large Mappe of London to make shew of your Citie And let the riuer be drawen full of Ships of all sorts to make the more shew of your great trade and traffike in trade of merchandize Ortelius booke of Mappes If you take Ortelius booke of Mappes with you to marke all these Regions it were not amisse and if need were to present the same to the great Can for it would be to a Prince of marueilous account The booke of the attire of all Nations Such a booke caried with you and bestowed in gift would be much esteemed as I perswade my selfe Bookes If any man will lend you the new Herball and such Bookes as make shew of herbes plants trees fishes foules and beasts of these regions it may much delight the great Can and the nobilitie and also their merchants to haue the view of them for all things in these partes so much differing from the things of those regions since they may not be here to see them by meane of the distance yet to see those things in a shadow by this meane will delight them The booke of Rates TAke with you the booke of Rates to the ende you may pricke all those commodities there specified that you shall chance to find in Cambalu in Quinsey or in any part of the East where you shall chance to be Parchment Rowles of Parchment for that we may vent much without hurt to the Realme and it lieth in small roume Glew To carie Glew for that we haue plentie and want vent Red Oker for Painters To seeke vent because we haue great mines of it and haue no vent Sope of both kindes To try what vent it may haue for that we make of both kinds and may perhaps make more Saffron To try what vent you may haue of Saffron because this realme yeelds the bell of the world and for the rillage and other labours may set the poore greatly in worke to their reliefe Aquauitae By new deuises wonderful quantities may be made here and therefore to seeke the vent Blacke Conies skins To try the vent at Cambalu for that it lieth towards the North and for that we abound with the commoditie and may spare it Threed of all colours The vent thereof may set our people in worke Copper Spurres and
see all the solemnitie The Emperor comming out of his Pallace there went before him the Metropolitan Archbishops Bishops and chiefest Monkes and Clergie men with very rich Copes and Priestes garments vpon them carying pictures of our Ladie c. with the Emperours Angell banners censers and many other such ceremonious things singing all the way The Emperour with his nobilitie in order entred the Church named Blaueshina or Blessednes where prayers and seruice were vsed according to the maner of their Church that doâ—e they went thence to the Church called Michael the Archangell and there also vsed the like prayers and seruice and from thence to our Lady Church Prechista being their Cathedrall Church In the middest thereof was a chaire of maiestie placed wherein his Auncestors vsed to sit at such extraordinarie times his robes were then changed and most rich and vnualuable garments put on him being placed in this Princely seate his nobility standing round about him in their degres his imperiall Crowne was set vpon his head by the Metropolitane his Scepter globe in his right hand his sword of Iustice in his left of great riches his 6. Crownes also by which he holdeth his kingdomes were set before him and the Lord Boris Pheodorowich was placed at his right hand then the Metropolitan read openly a booke of a small volume with exhortations to the Emperour to minister true Iustice to inioy with tranquilitie the Crowne of his auncestors which God had giuen him and vsed these words following Through the will of the almighty without beginning God which was before this world whom we glorifie in the Trinitie one onely God the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost maker of all things worker of all in all euery where fulfiller of all things by which will and working he both liueth and giueth life to man that our only God which enspireth euery one of vs his only children with his word to discerne God through our Lord Iesus Christ and the holy quickning spirit of life now in these perilous times establish vs to keep the right Scepter and suffer vs to raigne of our selues to the good profit of the land to the subduing of the people together with the enemies the maintenance of vertue And so the Metropolitaâ— blessed and layd his crosse vpon him After this he was taken out of his chaire of Maiestie hauing vpon him an vpper robe adorned with precious stones of all sorts orient pearles of great quantitie but alwayes augmented in riches it was in waight two hundred pounds the traine and parts thereof borne vp by 6. Dukes his chiefe imperiall Crowne vpon his head very precious his staffe imperiall in his right hand of an vnicornes horne of three foot and a halfe in length beset with rich stones bought of Merchants of Ausburge by the old Emperour in An. 1581. and cost him 7000. Markes sterling This Iewel M. Horsey kept sometimes before the Emperor had it His scepter globe was caried before him by the prince Boris Pheodorowich his rich cap beset with rich stones and pearles was caried before him by a Duke his 6. Crownes also were caried by Demetrius Iuanowich Godonoua the Emperors vncle Mekita Romanowich the Emperors vncle Stephan Vasiliwich Gregory Vasiliwich Iuan Vasiliwich brothers of the blood royal Thus at last the Emperor came to the great Church doore and the people cried God saue our Emperour Pheodor Iuanowich of al Russia His horse was there ready most richly adorned with a couering of imbrodered pearle and precious stones saddle and all furniture agreeable to it reported to be worth 300000 markes sterling There was a bridge made of 150. fadome in length three maner of waies three foote aboue ground and two fadome broad for him to goe from one Church to the other with his Princes and nobles from the presse of the people which were in number infinite and some at that time pressed to death with the throng As the Emperour returned out of the Churches they were spred vnder foot with cloth of gold the porches of the Churches with red velvet the bridges with scarlet and stammell cloth from one church to another and as soone as the Emperor was passed by the cloth of gold veluet and scarlet was cut and taken of those that could come by it euery man desirous to haue a piece to reserue it for a monument siluer and gold coyne then mynted of purpose was cast among the people in great quantitie The lord Boris Pheodorowich was sumptuously and richly attired with his garments decked with great orient pearle beset with al sorts of precious stones In like rich maner were appareled all the family of the Godonouaes in their degrees with the rest of the princes and nobilitie whereof one named Knez Iuan Michalowich Glynsky whose robe horse and furniture was in register found worth one hundred thousand markes sterling being of great antiquitie The Empresse being in her pallace was placed in her chaire of Maiesty also before a great open window most precious and rich were her robes and shining to behold with rich stones and orient pearle beset her crowne was placed vpon her head accompanied with her Princesses and Ladies of estate then cried out the people God preserue our noble Empresse Irenia After all this the Emperour came into the Parliament house which was richly decked there he was placed in his royall seat adorned as before his 6. crownes were set before him vpon a table the basin and ewer royall of gold held by his knight of gard with his men standing two on each side in white apparell of cloth of siluer called Kindâ—y with scepters and battle axes of gold in their hands the Princes and nobilitie were all placed according to their degrees all in their rich roabs The Emperour after a short oration permitted euery man in order to kisse his hande which being done he remoued to a princely seate prepared for him at the table where he was serued by his nobles in very princely order The three out roomes being very great and large were beset with plate of golde and siluer round from the ground vp to the vaâ—ts oâ—e vpon the other among which plate were many barrels of siluer and golde this solemnitie and triumph lasted a whole weeke wherein many royall pastimes were shewed and vsed after which the chiefest men of the nobilitie were elected to their places of office dignitie as the Prince Boris Pheodorowich was made chiefe Counseller to the Emperor Master of the horse had the charge of his person Liuetenant of the Empire and Warlike engins Gouernor or Liuetenant of the Empire of Cazan and Astracan and others to this dignitie were by Parliament and gift of the Emperor giuen him many reuenues and rich lands as there was giuen him and his for euer to inherite a prouince called Vaga of 300. English miles in length and 250. in bredth with many townes and great villages populous and wealthy his yeerely reuenue out of that
kinds of fish breed in the Volgha and are catched in great plenty and serued thence into the whole Realme for a great food Of the Roes of these foure kinds they make very great store of Icary or Caueary as was said before They haue besides these that breed in the Volgha a fish called the Riba bela or white salmon which they accompt more delicate then they do the red salmon whereof also they haue exceeding great plentie in the Riuers Northward as in Duyna the riuer of Cola c. In the Ozera or lake neere a towne called Perislaue not far froÌ„ the Mosco they haue a smal fish which they cal the fresh herring of the fashion and somewhat of the taste of a sea-herring Their chiefe townes for fish are Yaâ—â—slaue Bealozera Nouogrod Astracan and Cazan which all yeeld a large custome to the Emperour euery yeere for their trades of fishing which they practise in Sommer but sende it frozen in the Winter time into all parts of the Realme The chiefe Cities of Russia THe chiefe cities of Russia are Mosco Nouogrod Rostoue Volodomer Plesko Smolensko Iaruslaue Petislaue Nisnouogrod Vologda Vstiug Colmogro Cazan Astracan Cargapolia Columna The city of Mosco is supposed to be of great antiquitie though the first founder be vnknowen to the Russe It seemeth to haue taken the name froÌ„ the riuer that runneth on the one side of the towne Berosus the Chaldean in his 5. booke telleth that Nimrod whoÌ„ other prophane stories cal Saturne sent Assyrius Medus Moscus Magog into Asia to plant colonies there and that Moscus planted both in Asia and Europe Which may make some probabilitie that the citie or rather the riuer whereon it is built tooke the denomination froÌ„ this Moscus the rather because of the climate or situation which is in the very farthest part list of Europe bordering vpon Asia The Citie was much enlarged by one Iuan or Iohn sonne to Daniel that first changed his title of duke into King though that honor continued not to his posterity the rather because he was inuested into it by the Popes Legate who at that time was Innocentius the 4. about the yeere 1246. which was very much misliked by the Russe people being then a part of the Easterne or Greeke Church Since that time the name of this city hath growen more famous better knowen to the world insomuch that not only the prouince but the whole Countrey of Russia is termed by some by the name of Moscouia the Metropolite city The forme of this City is in maner round with 3. strong wals circuling the one within the other streets lying betwene whereof the inmost wall and the buildings closed within it lying safest as the heart within the body fenced and watred with the riuer Moscua that runneth close by it is all accompted the Emperors castle The number of houses as I haue heard through the whole Citie being reckoned by the Emperor a litle before it was fired by the Crim was 41500. in all Since the Tartar besieged and fired the towne which was in the yere 1571. there lieth waste of it a great breadth of ground which before was wel set and planted with buildings specially that part on the South side of Moscua built not long before by Basilius the Emperor for his garison of souldiers to whom he gaue priuiledge to drinke Mead and beere at the dry or prohibited times when other Russes may drinke nothing but water and for that cause called this new city by the name of Naloi that is skinck or poure in So that now the city of Mosco is not much bigger then the city of London The next in greatnes in a maner as large is the citie Nouograd where was committed as the Russe saith the memorable warre so much spoke of in stories of the Scythians seruants that tooke armes against their masters which they report in this sort viz. That the Boiarens or gentlemen of Nouograd the territory about which only are souldiers after the discipline of those countreis had war with the Tartars Which being wel performed ended by them they returned homewards Where they vnderstood by the way that their Cholopey or bondslaues whom they left at home had in their absence possessed their townes lands houses wiues and all At which newes being somewhat amased and yet disdeining the villany of their seruants they made the more speed home and so not far from Nouograd met them in warlike maner marching against them Whereupon aduising what was best to be doâ—e they agreed all to set vpon them with no other shew of weapon but with their horse whips which as their maner is euery man rideth withal to put them in remembrance of their seruile condition thereby to terrifie them abate their courage And so marching on lashing altogether with their whips in their hands they gaue the onset Which seemed so terrible in the eares of their villaines and stroke such a sense into them of the smart of the whip which they had felt before that they fled altogether like sheepe before the driuers In memory of this victory the Nouogradians euer since haue stamped their come which they cal a dingoe Nouogrodskoy currant through al Russia with the figure of a horsman shaking a whip aloft in his hand These 2. cities exceed y e rest in greatnes For strength their chiefe townes are Vobsko Smolensko Cazan Astracan as lying vpon the borders But for situation Iaruslaue far exceedeth the rest For besides the commodities that the soile yeeldeth of pasture and corne it lieth vpon the famous riuer of Volgha looketh ouer it from a high banke very faire stately to behold whereof the towne taketh the name For Iaruslaue in that tongue signifieth as much as a faire or famous banke In this towne as may be ghessed by the name dwelt the Russe king Vladimer sirnamed Iaruslaue that maried the daughter of Harald king of England by mediation of Sueno the Dane as is noted in the Danish story about the yere 1067. The other townes haue nothing y t is greatly memorable saue many ruines within their wals The streets of their cities and townes in stead of pauing are planked with fir trees plained layd euen close the one to the other Their houses are of wood without any lime or stone built very close and warme with firre trees plained and piled one vpon another They are fastened together with dents or notches at euery corner so clasped fast together Betwixt the trees or timber they thrust in mosse whereof they gather plenty in their woods to keep out the aire Euery house hath a paire of staires that lead vp into the chambers out of the yard or streat after the Scottish maner This building seemeth far better for their countrey then that of stone or bricke as being colder more dampish then their wooden houses specially of firre that is a dry warme
bought or solde When their fishing is done their manner is to drawe their carbasses or boates on shore and there to leaue them with the keele turned vpwardes till the next spring tide Their trauaile to and fro is vpon sleddes drawen by the Olen Deere which they vse to turne a grasing all the Sommer time in an Island called Kildyn of a verie good soyle compared with other partes of that Countrey and towards the Winter time when the snowe beginneth to fall they fetch them home againe for the vse of their sledde The description of the regions people and riuers lying North and East from Moscouia as the way from Moscouia to the riuer Petzora and the Prouince Iugaria or Iuhra and from thence to the riuer Obi. Likewise the description of other countreys and regions euen vnto the Empire of the great Can of Cathay taken out of Sigismundus ab Herberstein THE dominion of the Prince of Moscouia reacheth farre toward the East and North vnto the places which we will now describe As concerning which thing I translated a book y t was presented vnto me in the Moscouites tongue and haue here made a briefe rehearsall of the same I will first therefore describe the iourney from Moscouia to Petzora and so to Iugaria and Obi. From Moscouia to the citie of Vologda are numbred fiue hundred versts one verst conteyning almost the space of an Italian myle From Vologda to Vstiug toward the right hand descending with the course of the riuer of Vologda and Suchana with whom it ioyneth are counted fiue hundred verstes where within two versts of the towne called Strelze and hard by the citie of Vstiug Suchana ioyneth vnto Iug which runneth from the South from whose mouth vnto the springs of the same are numbred fiue hundred versts But Suchana and Iug after they ioyne together lose their first names and make but one riuer named Dwina by the which the passage to the citie of Colmogro conteineth fiue hundred versts from whence in the space of sixe dayes iourney Dwina entreth into the North Ocean at sixe mouthes And the greatest part of this iourney consisteth by Nauigation For by lande from Vologda vnto Colmogro passing ouer the riuer Vuaga are a thousand verstes Not farre from Colmogro the riuer Pienega running from the East on the right hand for the space of seuen hundred versts falleth into Dwina From Dwina by the riuer Pienega by the space of two hundred versts they come to a place called Nicholai from whence within halfe a verst ships haue passage into the riuer Kuluio which hath his originall from a lake of the same name towarde the North from whose springs is eight daies viage to the mouth of the same where it entreth into the Ocean Sayling by the coasts of the right hand of the sea they passe by the regions of Stanuwische Calunczscho and Apnu And sayling about the promontorie or cape of Chorogoski Nosz Stanuwische Camenekh and Tolstickh they come at length into the riuer Mezen and from thence in the space of sixe dayes to a village of the same name standing in the mouth of the riuer Pieza by the which againe ascending toward the left hand sommer East they come to the riuer Piescoia from whence sayling for the space of fiue versts they come into two lakes in the which are seene two wayes whereof one on the right side goeth to the riuer Rubicho by the which they passe to the riuer Czircho Other by an other and shorter way bring their ships from the lake directly into Czircho from whence except they be hindered by tempest they come in the space of three weekes to the riuer and mouth of Czilma flowing into the great riuer Petzora which in that place is two versts in breadth Sayling from thence they come in the space of sixe dayes to the Towne and castle of Pustosero neare vnto the which Petzora entreth into the North Ocean at sixe mouthes The inhabitants of this place are men of simple wit they receiued the faith of Christ and were baptised in the yeare M.D.xviii From the mouth of Czilma vnto the mouth of the riuer Vssa going by Petzora is one moneths viage Vssa hath his springs in the mountaine Poyas Semnoi being on the left hand toward the sommer East and springeth out of a great stone of the same mountaine called Camen Bolschoi From the springs of Vssa to the mouthes of the same are numbered more then a thousand versts Furthermore Petzora runneth from this south winter part from whence ascending from the mouthes of Vssa vnto the mouthes of the riuer Stzuchogora is three weekes viage They that described this vyage sayd that they rested betweene the mouthes of the riuers of Stzuchogora and Potzscheriema and left their victuals there which they brought with them from Russia Beyond the riuers of Petzora and Stzuchogora toward the mountaine Camenipoias and the sea with the Ilands thereabout and the Castle of Pustosero are diuers and innumerable nations which by one common name are called Samoged that is such as eate themselues They haue great increase of foules birdes and diuers kindes of beastes as Sables Marternes Beuers Otters Herntelines Squirrels and in the Ocean the beast called a Mors Also Uesse white Beares Wolues Hares Equiwoduani great Whales and a fish called Semsâ— with diuers other The people of these nations come not to Moscouia For they are wilde and flee the company and society of other men From the mouthes of Stzuchogora sayling vp the riuer vnto Poiassa Artawische Cameni and Poiassa the greater is three weekes vyage Furthermore the ascending to the mount Camen is three dayes iourney from the which descending they come to the riuer Artawischa and from thence to the riuer Sibut from whence they passe to the Castle of Lepin and from Lepin to the riuer Sossa The people that inhabite the region by this riuer are called Vuogolici Leauing Sossa on the right hande they come to the great riuer Obi that springeth out of the lake Kitaisko the which with all the haste they could make they could scarcely passe ouer in one day the riuer being of such breadth that it reacheth fourescore versts The people also that dwell about the riuer are called Vuogolici and Vgritzschi From the Castle of Obea ascending by the riuer of Oby vnto the riuer Irtische into the which Sossa entereth is three moneths iourney In these places are two Castles named Ierom and Tumen kept by certaine Lords called Knesi Iuhorski being tributaries to the great Duke of Moscouia as they say Here are diuers kinds of beasts and furres From the mouth of the riuer Irtische to the Castle of Grustina is two moneths iourney from whence to the lake Kitai by the riuer Oby which I said to
that an vniuersall peace with our Christian neighbours will cut off the emploiment of the couragious increasing youth of this realme he is much deceiued For there are other most conuenient emploiments for all the superfluitie of euery profession in this realme For not to meddle with the state of Ireland nor that of Guiana there is vnder our noses the great ample countrey of Virginia the In-land whereof is found of late to bee so sweete and holesome a climate so rich and abundant in siluer mines so apt and capable of all commodities which Italy Spaine and France can affoord that the Spaniards themselues in their owne writings printed in Madrid 1586 and within few moneths afterward reprinted by me in Paris and in a secret mappe of those partes made in Mexico the yeere before for the king of Spaine which originall with many others is in the custodie of the excellent Mathematician M. Thomas Hariot as also in their intercepted letters come vnto my hand bearing date 1595. they acknowledge the In-land to be a better and richer countrey then Mexico and Nueua Spania it selfe And on the other side their chiefest writers as Peter Martyr ab Angleria and Francis Lopez de Gomara the most learned Venetian Iohn Baptista Ramusius and the French Geographers as namely Popiliniere and the rest acknowledge with one consent that all that mightie tract of land from 67. degrees Northward to the latitude almost of Florida was first discouered out of England by the commaundement of king Henry the seuenth and the South part thereof before any other Christian people of late hath bene planted with diuers English Colonies by the royal consent of her sacred Maiestie vnder the broad seale of England whereof one as yet remaineth for ought we know aliue in the countrey Which action if vpon a good godly peace obtained it shal please the Almighty to stirre vp her Maiesties heart to continue with her fauourable countenance as vpon the ceasing of the warres of Granada hee stirred vp the spirite of Isabella Queene of Castile to aduaunce the enterprise of Columbus with transporting of one or two thousand of her people and such others as vpon mine owne knowledge will most willingly at their owne charges become Aduenturers in good numbers with their bodies and goods she shall by Gods assistance in short space worke many great and vnlooked for effects increase her dominions enrich her cofers and reduce many Pagans to the faith of Christ. The neglecting hitherto of which last point our aduersaries daily in many of their bookes full bitterly lay vnto the charge of the professors of the Gospell No sooner should we set footing in that pleasant and good land and erect one or two conuenient Fortes in the Continent or in some Iland neere the maine but euery step we tread would yeeld vs new occasion of action which I wish the Gentrie of our nation rather to regard then to follow those soft vnprofitable pleasures wherein they now too much consume their time and patrimonie and hereafter will doe much more when as our neighbour warres being appeased they are like to haue lesse emploiment then nowe they haue vnlesse they bee occupied in this or some other the like expedition And to this ende and purpose giue me leaue I beseech you to impart this occurrent to your honourable and prouident cōsideration that in the yere one thousand fiue hundred eighty and seuen when I had caused the foure voyages of Ribault Laudonniere and Gourges to Florida at mine owne charges to bee printed in Paris which by the malice of some too much affectioned to the Spanish faction had bene aboue twentie yeeres suppressed assoone as that booke came to the view of that reuerend and prudent Counseller Monsieur Harlac the lord chiefe Iustice of France and certaine other of the wisest Iudges in great choler they asked who had done such intollerable wrong to their whole kingdome as to haue concealed that woorthie worke so long Protesting further that if their Kings and the Estate had throughly followed that action France had bene freed of their long ciuill warres and the variable humours of all sortes of people might haue had very ample and manifold occasions of good and honest emploiment abroad in that large and fruitfull Continent of the West Indies The application of which sentence vnto our selues I here omit hastening vnto the summarie recapitulation of other matters contained in this worke It may please your Honour therefore to vnderstand that the second part of this first Treatise containeth our auncient trade and traffique with English shipping to the Ilands of Sicilie Candie and Sio which by good warrant herein alleaged I find to haue bene begun in the yeere 1511. and to haue continued vntill the yeere 1552. and somewhat longer But shortly after as it seemeth it was intermitted or rather giuen ouer as is noted in master Gaspar Campions discreet letters to master Michael Lock and master William Winter inserted in this booke first by occasiō of the Turkes expelling of the foure and twentie Mauneses or gouernours of the Genouois out of the I le of Sio and by taking of the sayd Iland wholie into his owne hand in Aprill 1566. sending thither Piali Basha with fourescore gallies for that purpose and afterward by his growing ouer mightie and troublesome in those Seas by the cruell inuasion of Nicosia and Famagusta and the whole I le of Cyprus by his lieutenant Generall Mustapha Basha Which lamentable Tragedie I haue here againe reuiued that the posteritie may neuer forget what trust may bee giuen to the oath of a Mahumetan when hee hath aduauntage and is in his choler Lastly I haue here put downe at large the happie renuing and much increasing of our interrupted trade in all the Leuant accomplished by the great charges and speciall industrie of the worshipfull and worthy Citizens Sir Edward Osborne Knight M. Richard Staper and M. William Hareborne together with the league for traffike onely betweene her Maiestie and the Grand Signior with the great priuileges immunities and fauours obteyned of his imperiall Highnesse in that behalfe the admissions and residencies of our Ambassadours in his stately Porch and the great good and Christian offices which her Sacred Maiestie by her extraordinary fauour in that Court hath done for the king and kingdome of Poland and other Christian Princes the traffike of our Nation in all the chiefe Hauens of Africa and Egypt the searching and haunting the very bottome of the Mediterran Sea to the ports of Tripoli and Alexandretta of the Archipelagus by the Turkes now called The white sea euen to the walles of Constantinople the voyages ouer land and by riuer through Aleppo Birrha Babylon and Balsara and downe the Persian gulfe to Ormuz and thence by the Ocean sea to Goa and againe ouer-land to Bisnagar Cambaia Orixa Bengala Aracan Pegu Malacca Siam the Iangomes Quicheu and euen to the Frontiers of the Empire of China the former performed
instructed him in the faith of Christ although hee made much of all men that were learned in the Greeke and Latine tongues yet he yeelded speciall honor to those that spent their time in the studie of Diuinitie which he called Christian Philosophie so that beginning at the furthest part of the Ocean sea which then was taken to be his owne natiue soyle of Britaine and trusting in the assistance of God when the darkenes of superstition was most thicke then hee vndertooke a care of Religion stirring vp innumerable nations from the West as farre as India it selfe to the hope of eternall life Hee passed many nightes without sleepe hauing his minde occupied in diuine studies and whensoeuer his laisure from greater affaires did permit him his vacant times should be spent in the vse of writing and other good exercises assuring himselfe that his kingdomes and Empire were â—o be continued and strengthened to him by prayer and holy workes and oftentimes taking vpon him as it were the person of a notable preacher of Christian discipline he would teach his children and nobilitie that godlinesse was to be preferred before riches yea before the Monarchie of all the world He â—uerthrew the false gods of the heathens and by many lawes often reuiued he abrogated the worshipping of Images in all the countries of Greece AEgypt Persia Asia and the whole Romane Empire commanding Christ onely by his Edicts to be worshipped the sacred Gospell to be preached the Ministers thereof to be honoured and relieued and the temples of Idoles euery where to be destroyed Whithersoeuer he went hee caused the booke of the Gospell of Christ to be still caried before him that thereby it might appeare to be a forme of faith to all men and to appertaine generally to all nations He was the first that appointed an Imperiall Diademe or Crowne to the Kings of Britaine He was most beneficiall to all Churches bestowing vpon them lands and fields and vpon the poore sicke persons widowes and orphanes corne and wood being as carefull of them as if hee had bene their naturall father He vsed learned men most familiarly as Eusebius Lactantius and others and they are witnesses that this was his vsuall prayer to God O Lord we know thee to be the onely God we are sure that thou art the onely King and we call vpon thee as our helper through thee we haue gotten the victorie and by thee we haue ouerthrowen the enemie Sextus Aurelius reporteth that it was his greatest delight to imbrace the studie of learning to fauour good Arts to read write and meditate and that he composed many bookes and Epistles both in the Greeke and Latine tongues He died at Nicomedia being then 66. yeres of age in the 32. yere of his reigne and in the 339. yeere after the Incarnation of Christ and was buried at Constantinople Octauius being then King of Britaine whose life Eusebius bishop of Caesarea hath written in Greeke in 4. bookes which afterwards were translated into the Latine tongue by Iohn Porâ—es a Frenchman ¶ The life and trauailes of Pelagius borne in Wales PElagius Cambrius ex ea Britanniae parte oriun dus famati illius Collegij Bannochorensis a Cestria non procul praepositus erat in quo Christianorum pâ—ilosophorum duo millia ac centum ad plebis in Christo commoditatem militabant manuum suarum laboribus iuxta Pauli doctrinam victitantes Post quam plures exhibitos pro Christiana Repub. labores vir cruditione insignis tum Graecè tum Latinè peritus vt Tertullianus alter quorundam Clericorum la cessitus iniurijs grauatim tulit ac tandem a fide defecit Peragratis igitur deinceps Gallijs in Aegyptum Syriam aliásque orientis Regiones demum peruenit Vbi ex earum partiuÌ„ Monacho praesul ordinatus sui nominis haeresim fabricabat asserens hominem sine peccato nasci ac solo voluntaâ—is imperio sine gratia saluari posse vt ita nefarius baptismum acfidem tolleret Cum his consimilibus impostricâ—s doctrinae foecibus in patriam suam reuersus omnem illam Regionem Iuliano Caelestino Pseudoepiâ—copis fautoribus conspurcabat Verum ante lap sum suum studia tractabat honestissima vt post Gennadium Bedam Honorium alij ferunt authores composuÃtque multos libros ad Christianam vtilitatem At postquam est Hereticus publicatus multo plures edidâ—t haeresi succurrentes ex diametro cum vera pietate pugnantes vnde erat a suis Britannis in exilium pulsus vt in Epistola ad Martinum 5. Valdenus habet Claruit anno post Christum incarnatum 390. sub Maximo Britannorum Rege ¶ The same in English PElagius borne in that part of Britaine which is called Wales was head or gouernour of the famous Colledge of Bangor not farre from Chester whâ—rein liued a Societie of 2100. Diuines or Students of Christian philosophie applying themselues to the profite of the Christian people and liuing by the labours of their owne handes according to Pauls doctrine He was a man excellently learned and skilfull both in the Greeke and Latine tongues and as it were another Tertullian after his long and great trauailes for the good of the Christian common wealth seeing himselfe abused and iniuriously dealt withall by some of the Clergie of that time he tooke the matter so grieuously that at the last he relapsed from the faith Whereupon he left Wales and went into France and hauing gone through France hee went therehence into Egypt Syria ther Countries of the East and being made Priest by a certaine Monke of those partes he there hatched his heresie which according to his name was called the heresie of the Pelagians which was that man was borne without sinne and might be saued by the power of his owne will without grace that so the miserable man might take away faith and baptisme With this and the like dregges of false doctrine hee returned againe into Wales and there by the meanes of the two false Prelates Iulian and Celestine who fauoured hâ—s heresie hee infected the whole Countrey with it But before his fall and Apostasie from the faith he exercised himselfe in the best studies as Gennadius Beda Honorius and other authors doe report of him and wrote many bookes seruing not a litle to Christian vtilitie but being once fallen into his heresie hee wrote many more erroneous bookes then he did before honest and sincere whereupon at the last his owne Countreymen banished him as Walden testifieth in his Epistle to Pope Martine the fift He flourished in the yere after the Incarnation 390. Maximus being then King of Britaine ¶ Certaine Englishmen sent to Constantinople by the French King to Iustinian the Emperor about the yeere of Christ 500. out of the fourth booke of Procopius de Bello Gothico BRitanniam insulam tres numerosissimae gentes incolunt Quorum vnicuique suus Rex imperat Nominantur hae gentes Angili Frisones qui eiusdem
English HVbert Walter bishop of Sarisburie a vertuous man and famous for his good wit and piety was one of the chiefest of them that followed king Richard into Syria going against the Saracens As he returned from Palaestina and came in his iourney into Sicilia he there heard of the ill fortune of the king being fallen into his enemies handes and thereupon leauing his iourney homewards he went presently and in all haste to the place where the king was captiued whom the king immediatly vpon his comming sent into England that by the authority of the councell a tribute might be collected for his redemption which this Hubert performed with great diligâ—nce and deliuered the king After this he was made Archbishop of Canterburie and after the death of king Richard he shewed the like dueties of fidelitie and trust to his brother Iohn that succeeded him For by a long oration he perswaded the whole nation of the English men that he was a very circumspect man vertuous valiant borne of noble parentage and most woorthy of the crowne Whereupon he was so receiued of all the people and crowned king He wrote certaine books and died at the last with very great griefe of minde in the yeere 1205 hauing beene archbishop the space of 11 yeres 8 moneths and sixe dayes by reason of the ciuil discords abroad whereby all things went topsie turuy and in the reigne of king Iohn The trauailes of Robert Curson RObertus Curson ex nobili quodam Anglorum ortus genere disciplinis tum prophanis tum sacris studiosus incubuit idque quantum ex coniecturis colligo in celebratissima Oxonij Academia Praestantissimis illic institutoribus vsus ex summa circa ingenuas artes industria assiduo literarum labore famam sibi inter suos celeberrimam comparauit Ampliora deinde meditatus Parisiorum Lutetiam aâ—que Romam ipsam perijt illic Theologus Doctor hic verò Cardinalis effectus Vnde vterque Matthaeus Parisius ae Westmonasterius hoc de ipso testimonium adferunt hic libro 2. ille 8. suoâ—um Chronicorum Anno Domini 1218 inquiunt in captione Damiatae AEgypti vrbis sub Ioanne Brenno Hierosolymorum rege fuit cum Pelagio Albanensi Magister Robertus de Curson Anglus Clericus celebertimus genere nobilis ac Romanae Ecclesiae Cardinalis c Bostonus Buriensis in suo Catalogo Cursonum aliquos libros composuisle narrat Claruit anno superius numerato per praedictos testes in Anglia regnante Henrico tertio Ioannis regis filio fuÃtque hic diebus Honorij tertij Romani pontificis in Angliam Bostono teste legatus The same in English RObert Curson descended of a noble family of England vsed great diligence aswell in prophane as in diuine studies in the famous Uniuersity of Oxford as I coniecture He had there the best scholemasters that were to be gotten and was most industrious in the arts and continual exercises of learning by meanes whereof he grew to be of great renowne where he liued Afterward thinking of greater matters he went to Paris and thence to Rome it selfe and at Paris he proceeded doctor of Diuinity at Rome he was made cardinall whereupon both Matthew Paris Matthew of Westminster produce this testimony of him the one in his second booke the other in his eight booke of Chronicles In the yere of our Lord say they 1218 at the taking of Damiata a city of Egypt vnder Iohn Brenne king of Ierusalem M. Robert Curson an English man a most famous clearke of noble parentage and cardinall of the church of Rome was there with Pelagius Albanensis c. Boston of Burie in Suffolke in his catalogue reporteth that he wrote diuers books He flourished in the yeere aforesayd by the witnesses aforesayd Henry the third sonne of king Iohn being then king of England and by the further testimony of Boston this Curson was legate into England in the dayes of Honorius the third bishop of Rome The voyage of Ranulph earle of Chester of Saer Quincy earle of VVinchester William de Albanie earle of Arundel with diuers other noble men to the Holy land in the second yere of K. Henry the third Matth. Paris Holensh pag. 202. IN the yeere 1218 Ranulph earle of Chester was sent into the Holy land by king Henry the third with a goodly company of souldiers and men of warre to ayde the Christians there against the Infidels which at the same time had besieged the city of Damiata in Egypt In which enterprise the valiancy of the same earle after his comming thither was to his great praise most apparant There went with him in that iourney Saer de Quincy earle of Winchester William de Albanie earle of Arundel besides diuers barons as the lord Robert fitz Walter Iohn constable of Chester William de Harecourt and Oliuer fitz Roy sonne to the king of England and diuers others The voyage of Henry Bohun and Saer Quincy to the Holy land THis yere being the sixt yere of Henry the third deceased Henry de Bohun earle of Hereford and Saer de Quincy earle of Winchester in their iourney which they made to the Holy land Matth. Paris Holensh pag. 202. colâ— 2. The trauailes of Ranulph Glanuile earle of Chester RAnulphus Glanuile Cestriae Comes vir nobilissimi generis vâ—roque iure eruditus in albo illustâ—ium virorum à me meritò ponendus venit Ita probè omnes adolescentiae suae annos legibus tum humanis tum diuinis consecrauit vt non prius in hominem per aetatem euaserit quà m nomen decúsque ab insigni eruditione sibi comparauerit Cum profecti essent Francorum Heroes Ptolemaidem inito cum Ioanne Brenâ—o Hierosolymorum rege concilio Damiatam AEgypti vrbem obsidendam constituebant aâ—no salutis humanae 1218. Misitillùe Henricus rex ab Honorio 3 Rom. Pontifice rogatus cum magna armatorum manu Ranulphum ad rem Christian am iuuandam Cuius viâ—tus Polydoro teste in eo bello mitis omnium laudibus celebrata â—uit Quo confecto negotio Ranulphus in patriam reuersus scripfit De legibus Angliae librum vnum Fertur praeterea alia quaedam scripsisse sed tempus edax rerum ea nobis abstulit Claruit anno à Seruatoris nostri natiuitate 1230 confectus senio dum Henricus terâ—ius sub Antichristi tyrannide in Anglia regnaret The same in English RAnulph Glanuile earle of Chester a man of a very noble house and learned in both the Lawes deserues of duetie to be here placed by me in the catalogue of woorthy and notable men He applied so well all the yeeres of his youth to the study of humane and diuine Lawes that he came not so soone to the age of a man as he had purchased to himselfe by reason of his singular learning renowme and honour When the noble men of France went to Ptolomais vpon the counsell of Iohn Brenne king of Ierusalem they resolued to besiege Damiata a city
of Egypt in the yeere 1218. And then Henry the king vpon the motion of Honorius the third bishop of Rome sent thither this earle Ranulph with a great power of armed souldiers to further the enterprise of the Christians whose valure in that warre by the testimonie of Polidor Virgil was marueilously commended of all men After the end of which businesse he being returned into his countrey wrote a booke of the lawes of England It is also reported that he wrote other books but time the destroyer of many memorials hath taken them from vs. He flourished in the yeere after the natiuity of Christ 1230 being very aged and in the reigne of K. Henry the third The voyage of Petrus de Rupibus bishop of VVinchester to Ierusalem in the yere of grace 1231 and in the 15 of Henry the third ANno gratiae 1231 mense verò Iulio Petrus Wintoniensis episcopus completo in terra sancta iam sere per quinquennium magnificè peregrinationis voto reuersus est in Angliam Kalendis Augusti Wintoniam veniens susceptus est cum processione solenni in sua ecclesia cathedrali The same in English IN the yere of grace 1231 and in the moneth of Iuly Peter bishop of Winchester hauing spent almost fiue whole yeres in fulfilling his vow of pilgrimage in the Holy land with great pompe returned into England about the Kalends of August and comming vnto Winchester was receiued with solemne procession into his cathedrall church The honourable and prosperous voyage of Richard earle of Cornewall brother to king Henry the third accompanied with William Longespee earle of Sarisburie and many other noble men into Syria IN the 24 yeere of king Henry the third Richard earle of Cornwall the kings brother with a nauy of ships sailed into Syria where in the warres against the Saracens he greatly aduanced the part of the Christians There went ouer with him the earle of Sarisburie William Longspee and William Basset Iohn Beauchampe Geoffrey de Lucie Iohn Neuel Geoffrey Beauchampe Peter de Brense and William Furniuall Simon Montfort earle of Leicester went ouer also the same time but whereas the earle of Cornwall tooke the sea at Marseils the earle of Leicester passed thorow Italy and tooke shipping at Brindize in Apulia and with him went these persons of name Thomas de Furniual with his brother Gerard de Furniuall Hugh Wake Almerike de S. Aumond Wiscard Ledet Punchard de Dewin and William de Dewin that were brethren Gerard Pesmes Fouke de Baugie and Peter de Chauntenay Shortly after also Iohn earle of Albemarle William Fortis and Peter de Mallow a Poictouin men for their valiancy greatly renowmed went thither leading with them a great number of Christian souldiers Matth. Paris Matth. West Holensh pag. 225. col 2. The comming of the Emperour of Constantinople called Baldwine into England in the yere 1247 out of Matthâ— Paris Holensh pag. 239. vol. 2. ABout the same time Baldwine naming himselfe emperour of Constantinople came againe into England to procure some new ayd of the king towards the recouery of his empire out of the which he was expelled by the Greeks The voyage of VVilliam Longespee Earle of Sarisburie into Asia in the yeere 1248 and in the 32 yeere of the reigne of Henry the third king of England LEwis the French king being recouered of his sickenesse which he fell into in the yere 1234 vowed thereupon for a free will sacriâ—ice to God that he if the Councell of his realme would suffer him would in his owne person visit the Holy land which matter was opened and debated in the Parliament of France held in the yeere 1247. Where at length it was concluded that the king according to his vow should take his iourney into Asia and the time thereof was also prefixed which should be after the feast of S. Iohn Baptist the next yeere ensuing At which time William Longespee a worthie warrior with the bishop of Worcester and certaine other great men in the Realme of England mooued with the example of the Frenchmen prepared themselues likewise to the same iourney It fell out in this enterprise that about the beginning of October the French king assaulted and tooke Damiata being the principall fort or hold of the Saracens in all Egypt Anno 1249. and hauing fortified the Citie with an able garrison left with the Duke of Burgundie he remooued his tents from thence to goe Eastward In whose armie followed William Longespee accompanied with a piked number of English warriors retaining vnto him But such was the disdaine of the Frenchmen against this William Longespee and the Englishmen that they could not abide them but flouted them after an opprobrious maner with English tailes insomuch that the French king himselfe had much adoe to keepe peace betweene them The originall cause of this grudge betweene them began thus There was not farre from Alexandria in Egypt a strong fort or castle replenished with great Ladies and rich treasure of the Saracens which hold it chanced the sayd William Longespee with his company of English soldiers to get more by politique dexteritie then by open force of armes wherwith he his retinue were greatly enriched When the â—renchmen had knowledge hereof they not being made priuie hereto began to conceiue an heart burning against the English souldiers could not speake well of them after that It hapned againe not long after that the sayd William had intelligence of a company of rich merchants among the Saracens going to a certaine Faire about the parts of Alexandria hauing their camels asses and mules richly loden with silkes precious iewels spices gold siluer with cart loades of other wares beside victuall and other furniture whereof the souldiers then stood in great need he hauing secret knowledge hereof gathered all the power of Englishmen vnto him that he could and so by night falling vpon the merchants some he slew with their guides and conducters some hee tooke some hee put to flight the carts with the driuers and with the oxen camels asses and mules with the whole cariage and victuals he tooke brought with him loosing in all the skirmish but one souldier and eight of his seruitors of whom notwithstanding some he brought home wounded to be cured This being knowen in the Campe foorth came the Frenchmen which all this while loytered in their pauillions and meeting this cariage by the way tooke all the foresayd praie whole to themselues rating the said William and the Englishmen for aduenturing and issuing out of the Campe without leaue or knowledge of their Generall contrary to the discipline of warre William said againe he had done nothing but he would answere to it whose purpose was to haue the spoyle deuided to the behoofe of the whole armie When this would not serue hee being sore grieued in his minde so cowardly to be spoyled of that which he so aduenturously had trauailed for went to the
that the same was done neither by him nor his consent Which princes and messengers standing aloofe off from the kings sonne worshipping him fell flat vpon the ground you sayd the prince do reuerence me but yet you loue me not But they vnderstood him not because he spake in English vnto them speaking by an Interpreter neuerthelesse he honourably entertained them and sent them away in peace Thus when prince Edward had beene eighteene moneths in Acra he tooke shipping about the Assumption of our Lady as we call it returning homeward and after seuen weekes he arriued in Sicilia at Trapes and from thence trauailed thorow the middes of Apulia till he came to Rome where he was of the Pope honorably entertained From thence he came into France whose fame and noble prowesse was there much bruted among the common people and enuied of the Nobility especially of the earle of Chalons who thought to haue intrapped him and his company as may appeare in the story but Prince Edward continued foorth his iourney to Paris and was there of the French king honourably entertained and after certaine dayes he went thence into Gascoine where he taried till that he heard of the death of the king his father at which time he came home and was crowned king of England in the yere of our Lord 1274. The trauaile of Robert Turneham RObertus Turneham Franciscanus Theologiae professor insignis Lynnae celebri Irenorum ad ripas Isidis emporio collegio suorum fratrum magnificè praefuit Edwardus Princeps cognomento Longus Henrici textij filius bellicam expeditionem contra Saracenos Assyriam incolentes anno Dom. 1268. parabat Ad quam profectionem quaesitus quoque Orator vehemens qui plebis in causa religionis animos excitaret Turnehamus principi visus vel dignissimus est qui munus hoc obiret Sic tanquam signifer constitutus Assyrios vnà cum Anglico exercitu peâ—ijt ac suum non sine laude praestitit officium Claruit anno salutiferi partus 1280 varia componens sub eodem Edwardo eius nominis primo post Conquestum The fame in English RObert Turneham Franciscan a notable professour of Diuinity was with great dignity Prior of the Colledge of his Order in the famous Mart towne of Linne situate vpon the riuer of Isis in Norfolke Prince Edward surnamed the Long the sonne of Henry the third prepared his warlike voyage against the Saracens dwelling in Syria in the yeere of our Lord 1268. For the which expedition some earnest preacher was sought to stir vp the peoples minds in the cause of religion And this Turneham seemed to the Prince most worthy to performe that office so that he being appointed as it were a standerd bearer went into Syria with the English army and performed his duety with good commendation He flourished in the yeere of Christ 1280 setting foorth diuers works vnder the same king Edward the first of that name after the Conquest Anthony Beck bishop of Durisme was elected Patriarch of Hierusalem and confirmed by Clement the fift bishop of Rome in the 34 yere of Edward the first Lelandus ANtonius Beckus episcopus Dunelmensis fult regnante Edwardo eius appellationis ab aduentu Gulielmi magni in Angliam primo Electus est in patriarcham Hierosolomitanum anno Christi 1305 a Clemente quinto Rom. pontifice confirmatus Splendidus erat supra quâm decebat episcopum Construxit castrum Achelandae quatuor passuum millibus a Dunelmo in ripa Vnduglessi fluuioli Elte shamum etiam vicinum Grencuico ac Somaridunum castellum Lindianae prouinciae ae dificijs illustria reddidit Deinde palatium Londini erexit quod nunc Edwardi principis est Tandem ex splendore nimio potentia conflauit sibi apud nobilitatem ingentem inuidiam quam viuens nunquam extinguere potuit Sed de Antonio eius scriptis fusiùs in opere cuius titulus de pontificibus Britannicis dicemus Obijt Antonius anno a nato in salutem nostram Christo 1310 Edwardo secundo regnante The same in English ANthony Beck was bishop of Durisine in the time of the reigne of Edward the first of that name after the inuasion of William the great into England This Anthony was elected patriarch of Ierusalem in the yeere of our Lord God 1305 and was confirmed by Clement the fift pope of Rome He was of greater magnificence then for the calling of a bishop He founded also the castle of Acheland foure miles from Durisme on the shore of a prety riuer called Vnduglesme He much beautified with new buildings Eltham mannor being nere vnto Greenwich and the castle Somaridune in the county of Lindsey And lastly he built new out of the ground the palace of London which now is in the possession of prince Edward Insomuch that at length through his ouer great magnificence and power he procured to himselfe great enuy among the nobility which he could not asswage during the rest of his life But of this Anthony of his writings we will speake more at large in our booke intitled of the Britain bishops This Anthony finished his life in the yere of our Lord God 1310 and in the reigne of king Edward the second Incipit Itinerarium fratris Odorici fratrum minorum de mirabilibus Orientalium Tartarorum LIcet multa varia de ritibus conditionibus huius mundi enarrentur a multis ego tamen frater Odoricus de foro Iulij de portu Vahonis volens ad partes infidelium transfretare magna mira vidi audiui quae possum veracitèr enarrare Primò transiens Mare Maius me de Pera iuxta CoÌ„stantinopolim transtuli Trapesundam quae antiquitus Pontus vocabatur Haec terra benè situata est sicut scala quaedam Perfarum Medorum eorum qui sunt vltra mare In hac terra vidi mirabile quod mihi placuit scilicèt hominem ducentem secum plusquam 4000 perdicum Homo autem per terram gradiebatur perdices vero volabant per aëra quas ipse ad quoddam castrum dictum Zauena duxit distans à Trapesunda per tres dieras Hae perdices illius conditionis erant cùm homo ille quiescere voluit omnes se aptabant circa ipsum more pullorum gallinarum per illum modum duxit eas vfque ad Trapesundam vsque ad palatium imperatoris qui de illis sumpsit quot voluit residuas vir ille ad locum vnde venerat adduxit In hac ciuitate requiescit corpus Athanasij supra portam ciuitatis Vltra transiui vsque in Armeniam maiorem ad quandam ciuitatem quae vocatur Azaron quae erat multùm opulenta antiquitùs sed Tartari eam pro magna parte destruxerunt In ea erat abundantia pani carnium aliorum omniuÌ„ victualium preterquam vini fructuum Haec ciuitas est multuÌ„ frigida de illa dicitur quòd altius situatur quà m aliqua alia in hoc
and some other spices The saide shippe called the Holy Crosse was so shaken in this voyage and so weakened that she was layd vp in the docke and neuer made voyage after Another voyage to the Iles of Candia and Chio made by the shippe the Mathew Gonson about the yeere 1535 according to the relation of Iohn Williamson then Cooper in the same ship made to M. Richard Hackluit in the yeere 1592. THe good shippe called the Mathew Gonson of burden 300 tunnes whereof was owner old M. William Gonson pay-master of the kings Nauie made her voyage in the yere 1535. In this ship went as Captaine Richard Gray who long after died in Russia Master William Holftocke afterward Controuller of the Queenes Nauie went then as purser in the same voyage The Master was one Iohn Pichet seruant to old M. William Gonson Iames Rumnie was Masters mate The master cooper was Iohn Williamson citizen of London liuing in the yeere 1592 and dwelling in Sant Dunstons parish in the East The M. Gunner was Iohn Godfrey of Bristoll In this ship were 6 gunners and 4 trumpetters all which foure trumpetters at our returne homewards went on land at Messina in the Iland of Sicilia as our ship road there at anker gat them into the Gallies that lay neere vnto vs in them went to Rome The whole number of our companie in this ship were about 100. men we were also furnished with a great bote which was able to cary 10 tunnes of water which at our returne homewards we towed all the way from Chio vntill we came through the straight of Gibaltar into the maine Ocean We had also a great long boat and a skiff We were out vpon this voyage eleuen moneths yet in all this time there died of sicknesse but one man whose name was George Forrest being seruant to our Carpenter called Thomas Plummer In a great lygier booke of one William Eyms seruant vnto Sir William Bowyerâ— Alderman of London bearing date the 15 of Nouember 1533 and continued vntill the 4 of Iuly 1544. I find that he the said William Eyms was factor in Chio not only for his Master but also for the duke of Norfolkes grace for many other worshipful marchants of London among whom I find the accompts of these especially to wit of his said Master sir William Bowyer of William Nicholas Wilford Marchant-taylors of London of Thomas Curtis pewterer of Iohn Starky Merter of William Ostrige Marchant of Richard Field Draper And further I find in the said ligier booke a note of the said Eyms of all such goods as he left in the hands of Robert Bye in Chio who became his Masters factor in his roome and another like note of particulers of goods that he left in the hands of Oliuer Lesson seruant to William and Nicholas Wilford And for proofe of the continuance of this trade vntill the end of the yeere 1552. I found annexed vnto the former note of the goods left with Robert Bye in Chio a letter being dated the 27 of Nouember 1552 in London The Epitaph of the valiant Esquire M. Peter Read in the south I le of Saint Peters Church in the citie of Norwich which was knighted by Charles the fift at the winning of Tunis in the yeere of our Lord 1538. HEre vnder lyeth the corpes of Peter Reade Esquire who hath worthily serued not onely his Prince and Countrey but also the Emperour Charles the fift both at his conquest of Bâ—rbarie and at his siege at Tunis as also in other places Who had giuen him by the sayd Emperour for his valiant deedes the order of Barbary Who dyed the 29 day of December in the yeere of our Lord God 1566. The voyage of Sir Thomas Chaloner to Alger with Charles the fift 1541 drawen out of his booke De Republica Anglorum instauranda THomas Chalonerus patria Londinensis studio Cantabrigensis educatione aulicus religione pius veréque Christianus fuit Itaque cum inuenilem aetatemâ— mentemque suam humanioribus studijs roborasset Domino Henrico Kneuetto à potentissimo rege Henrico eius nominis octauo ad Carolum quintum imperatorem transmisâ—o legato vnà cum illo profectus est tanquam familiaris amicus veleidem à confilijs Quo quidem tempore Carolo quinto nauali certamine à Genua Corsica in Algyram in Africa contra Turcas classem soluente ac hostiliter proficiscente ornatissimo illo Kneuetto legato regis Thoma Chalonero Henrico Knolleo Henrico Isamo illustribus viris eundem in illa expeditione suapte sponte sequentibus pariterque militantibus mirifice vitam suam Chalonerus tutatus est Nam triremi illa in qua fuerat vel scopulis allisa vel grauissimis procellis conquassata naufragus cum se diù natatu defendisset deficientibus viribus brachijs manibusque languidis ac quasi eneruatis prehensa dentibus cum maxima difficultate rudenti quae ex altera triremi iam propinqua tum fuerat eiecta non sine dentium aliquorum iactura ac fractura sese tandem recuperauit ac domum integer relapsus est The same in English THomas Chaloner was by birth a Londiner by studie a Cantabrigian by education a Courtier by religion a deuout and true Christian. Therfore after he had confirmed his youth and minde in the studies of good learning when Sir Henry Kneuet was sent ambassadour from the mighty Prince Henry the 8. to the Emperour Charles the fift he went with him as his familiar friend or as one of his Councell At which time the said Charles the 5. passing ouer from Genoa and Corsica to Alger in Africa in warlike sort with a mighty army by sea that honorable Kneuet the kings ambassadour Thomas Chaloner Henry Knolles and Henry Isham right worthy persons of their owne accord accompanied him in that expedition serued him in that warre wherin Thomas Chaloner escaped most wonderfully with his life For the gally wherein he was being either dashed against the rockes or shaken with mighty stormes and so cast away after he had saued himselfe a long while by swimming when his strength failed him his armes hands being faint and weary with great difficulty laying hold with his teeth on a cable which was cast out of the next gally not without breaking and losse of certaine of his teeth at length recouered himselfe and returned home into his countrey in safety The voyage of M. Roger Bodenham with the great Barke Aucher to Candia and Chio in the yeere 1550. IN the yeere 1550. the 13 of Nouember I Roger Bodenham Captaine of the Barke Aucher entered the said ship at Grauesend for my voiage to the Ilands of Candia and Chio in the Leuant The master of my ship was one William Sherwood From thence we departed to â—ilbery hope and there remained with contrarie windes vntill the 6. of Ianuary 1551. The 6 of Ianuarie the M. came to Tilbery and I had prouided a skilfull pylot to
beene spoken of had not Q. Curtius or some other like by his learned stile reuiued the remembrance of him and called backe againe his doings to his posteritie For the which cause we see commonly in all ages learned men to be much made of by noble personages as that rare paterne of learning Aristotle to haue bene greatly honoured of that former renowmed Monarch Alexander who affirmed openly that he was more bound to his Master Aristotle then to king Philip his father because the one had well framed his minde the other onely his body Many other like examples I could alledge at this present if I knew not vnto whom I now wrote or in what for your honour being skilfull in hiâ—tories and so familiarly acquainted with the matter it selfe that is in still entertaining learned men with all curtesie I should seeme to light a candle at noone tide to put you in remembrance of the one or to exhort you to doe the other dayly being accustomed to performe the same Crassus sayth in Tullies first booke De Oratore that a Lawyers house is the oracle of the whole citie But I can iustly witnesse that for these fiue yeeres last past since my returne from my trauell beyond the seas that your lodging in the Court where I through your vndeserued goodnesse to my great comfort do dayly frequent hath bene a continuall receptacle or harbour for all learned men comming from both the eyes of the realme Cambridge and Oxford of the which Vniuersity your lordship is Chanceller to their great satisfaction of minde and ready dispatch of their sutes Especially for Preachers and Ministers of true religion of the which you haue beene from time to time not onely a great fauourer but an earnest furtherer and protectour so that these two nurseries of learning in one of the which I haue before this spent part of my time that I may speake boldly what I thinke should wrong your honour greatly and much forget themselues if by all meanes possible they should not heerafter as at this present to their smal powers many well learned gentlemen of them do labour and trauell in shewing of themselues thankefull to reuerence and honour your lordship and honest their owne names whose studies certeinly would suddenly decay and fall flat if they were not held vp by such noble pâ—oppes and had not some sure ankerholds in their distresse to leane vnto How ready dayly your trauell is and hath long beene besides to benefit all other persons in whom any sparke of vertue or honesty remaineth I need not labour to expresse the world knowing already the same But whosoeuer they be that in all their life time haue an especiall care by all meanes to profit as many as they be able and hurt none do not onely a laudable act but leade a perfect and very godly life Whereupon Strabo affirmeth this most truely to be spoken of them Mortales tum demum Deum imitari cum benefici fuerint That is Mortall men then specially to follow the nature of God when they are beneficiall and bountifull to others Great commendation vndoubtedly it bringeth to any noble personage that as the Moone that light and brightnesse which she receiueth of the Sun is wont presently to spread abroad vpon the face of the earth to the refreshing and comforting of all inferiour and naturall things bearing life so for him to bestow all that fauour and credit which he hath gotten at the princes handes to the helpe and reliefe of the woorthy and needy Great is the force my right honourable lord of true vertue which causeth men as Tully writeth in his booke De Amicitia to be loued honored oft of those persons which neuer saw them Whereof I neuer had better proofe I take God mine one conscience to witnesse the which I declared also to certaine of my friends assoone as I returned then at my last being at Constantinople in the yere of our Lord 1564 whereas I oft resorting as occasion serued to the right honorable Christian ambassadors while I made my abode there namely vnto Monsieur Antonio Petrimol lieger there for the French king Sig. M. Victor Bragadino for the segniory of Venice Sig. Lorenzo Giustiniano for the state of Scio or Chios and Sig. Albertacio delli Alberti for the duke of Florence heard them often report and speake very honorably of your lordship partly for your other good inclinations of nature but especially for your liberality courteous intreating of diuers of their friends countrymen which vpon sundry occasions had bene here in this our realme So that to conclude all men iustly fauour your honourable dealings and deserts and I for my part haue reuerenced and honoured the same euermore both here at home and elswhere abroad wishing often to haue had some iust occasion to pay part of that in good will which my slender abilitie will neuer suffer me fully to discharge For vnto whom should I sooner present anything any way especially concerning matters done abroad then vnto your lordship by whom I was much cherished abroad in my trauell and mainteined since my returne here at home For the which cause I haue enterprised hoping greatly of your lordships fauour herein to clothe and set forth a few Italian newes in our English attire being first mooued thereunto by the right worshipfull M. D. Wilson Master of her Maieâ—ties Requeâ—ts your honouâ—s aâ—â—ured trusty friend a great painfull furtherer of learning whom I and many other for diuers respects ought to reuerence who remembring that I had bene at Cyprus was willing that my pen should trauell about the Christian and Turkish affaires which there lately haue happened perswading himselfe that somewhat thereby I might benefit this our natiue countrey Against whose reasonable motion I could not greatly wrestle hazzarding rather my slender skill in attempting and performing this his requested taske then he through my refusall should seeme to want any iot of my good will In offering vp the which newes although I shall present no new thing to your honour because you are so well acquainted with the Italian copy as I know yet I trust your lordship will not mislike that the same which is both pleasant to reade and so necessary to be knowen for diuers of our captaines and other our countreymen which are ignorant in the Italian tongue may thus now shew it selfe abroad couered vnder the wing of your lordships protection Certeinly it mooueth me much to remember the losse of those three notable Ilands to the great discomfort of all Chistendome to those hellish Turkes horseleeches of Christian blood namely Rhodes besieged on S. Iohn Baptists day and taken on Iohns day the Euangelist being the 27 of December 1522. Scio or Chios being lost since my being there taken of Piali Basha with 80 gallies the 17 of April 1566. And now last of all not only Famagusta the chiefe holde fortresse in Cyprus to haue bene
Constantinople there the Marchant and the Pilot landed At this bridge is an house of the great Turkes with a faire Garden belonging vnto it neere the which is a point called Ponta S. Stephano and there the shippe ankered that day The 26 day the ship came to â—â—e seuen Towers and the 27 we came neerer The 29 there came three gallies to bring vs vp further and when the shippe came against the great Turks palace we shot off all our ordinance to the number of foure and thirty pieces Then landed our Ambassadour and then we discharged foure and twenty pieces who was receiued with more then fifty or threescore men on horsebacke The ninth of April he presented the great Bassa with siâ—e clothes foure cannes of siluer double gilt and one piece of fine holland and to three other Bassas that is to say the second Bassa which is a gelded man and his name is Mahomet Bassa to the third who maried the great Turks sister and to the fourth whom they call Abraham Bassa to euery one of these he gaue foure clothes Now before the great Bassa and Abraham Bassa at their returne from the Court and as we thinke at other times but at that time for a certaine there came a man in maner of a foole who gaue a great shout three or foure times crying very hollowly the place rebounded with the sound and this man say they is a prophet of Mahomet his armes and legges naked on his feet he did weare woodden pattens of two sorts in his hand a flagge or streamer set on a short speare painted he carried a mat and bottels and other trumpery at his backe and sometimes vnder his arme on his head he had a cappe of white Camels haire flat like an helmet written about with letters and about his head a linnen rowle Other seruingmen there were with the sayd Bassas with red attire on their heads much like French hoods but the long flappe somewhat smaller towardes the end with scuffes or plates of mettall like vnto the chape of an ancient arming sword standing on their foreheads like other Ianisaries These Bassas entertained vs as followeth First they brought vs into a hall there to stand on one side and our Ambassadour and gentlemen on the other side who sate them downe on a bench couered with carpets the Ambassadour in the midst on his left hand sate our gentlemen and on his right hand the Turkes next to the doore where their master goeth in and out the common sort of Turkes stayed in the Court yard not suffered to come neere vs. When our Ambassadour had sitten halfe an houre the Bassas who sate by themselues in an inner small roome sent for him to whom the Ambassadour and his gentlemen went they all kissed his hand and presently returned the Ambassadour onely excepted who stayed there and a Turks chaus with him with the Ambassadour and his gentlemen went in also so many of our men as there were presents to cary in but these neither kissed his hand nor taried After this I went to visit the church of Santa Sophia which was the chiefe church when it was the Christians and now is the chiefe see and church of primacie of this Turke present before I entred I was willed to put off my shoes to the end I should not prophane their church I being a Christian. The pillers on both sides of the church are very costly and rich their Pulpets seemely and handsome two are common to preach in the third reserued onely for their Paschall The ground is couered with Mats and the walles hanged with Tapistry They haue also Lamps in their churches one in the middle of the church of exceeding greatnesse and another in another part of the church of cleane golde or double gilded full as bigge as a barrel Round about the church there is a gallery builded vpon rich and stately pillers That day I was in both the chappels in one of the which lieth the Turkes father and fiue of his sonnes in tombes right costly with their turbents very white and cleane shifted as they say euery Friday they be not on their heads but stand on mouldes made for that purpose At the endes ouer and about their tombes are belts like girdles beset with iewels In the other chappell are foure other of his sonnes and one daughter in like order In the first chappell is a thing foure foot high couered with greene beset with mother of pearle very richly This is a relique of Mahomet and standeth on the left side of the head of the great Turks tombe These chappels haue their floores couered and their walles hanged with Tapistrie of great price I could value the couering and hangings of one of the chappels at no lesse then fiue hundred poundes besides their lamps hanging richly gilded These chappels haue their roofes curiously wrought with rich stone and gilded And there lie the bookes of their Lawes for euery man to reade The 11 day of April the shippe came to the Key of the Custome house The 16 the Ambassadour and we his men went to the Captaine Bassa who is Admirall of the seas his name is Vchali he would not receiue vs into his house but into his gallie to deliuer our present which was as followeth Foure pieces of cloth and two siluer pots gilt grauen The poope or sterne of his gally was gilded both within and without and vnder his feet and where he sate was all couered with very rich Tapistry Our Ambassadour and his gentlemen kissed his hand and then the gentlemen were commanded out and our Ambassadour sate downe by him on his left hand and the chaus stood before him Our men might walke in the gally fore and after some of vs caried and some went out againe The gally had seuen pieces of brasse in her prowe small and great she had thirty bankes or oares on either side and at euery banke or oare seuen men to rowe The 18 day the shippe went from the Key And 21 the Admirall tooke his leaue of the great Turke being bound to the Sea with sixe and thirty gallies very fairely beautified with gilding and painting and beset with flags and streamers all the which gallies discharged their ordinance and we for his farewell gaue him one and twenty pieces Then he went to his house with his gallies and the 22 he went to the Sea and the Castle that standeth in the water gaue him foureteene or sixteene pieces and when he came against the Turks Seraglio he shot off all his caliuers and his great pieces and so hee went his way The 24 our Ambassadour went to the Court whose entertainement with the order thereof followeth When wee came first on â—and there was way made for vs by two or three Bassaes and diuers chauses on horsebacke with their men on foot to accompany our Ambassadour to the Court. Also they brought horses for him
of thee and tooke it from me saying If thou tell the kings treasurer of it any more by Mahomet I will be reuenged of thee Notwithstanding I went the third time vnto the kings Treasurer and tolde him of it and he came with me saying thus vnto the gunner by the head of the great Turke if thou take it from him againe thou halt haue an hundred bastonadoes And foorthwith he deliuered me the booke saying he had not the value of a pin of the spoyle of the ship which was the better for him as hereafter you shall heare for there was none neither Christian nor Turke that tooke the value of a peniworth of our goods from vs but perished both bodie and goods within seuenteene moneths following as hereafter shall plainely appeare Then came the Guardian Basha which is the keeper of the kings captiues to fetch vs all a shoare and then I remembring the miserable estate of poore distressed captiues in the time of their bondage to those infidels went to mine owne chest and tooke out thereof a iarre of oyle and filled a basket full of white Ruske to carie a shoare with me but before I came to the Banio the Turkish boyes had taken away almost all my bread and the keeper saide deliuer me the iarre of oyle and when thou commest to the Banio thou shalt haue it againe but I neuer had it of him any more But when I came to the Banio and sawe our Marchants and all the rest of our company in chaines and we all ready to receiue the same reward what heart in the world is there so hard but would haue pitied our cause hearing or seeing the lamentable greeting there was betwixt vs all this happened the first of May 1584. And the second day of the same moneth the King with all his counsell sate in iudgement vpon vs. The first that were had forth to be arraigned were the Factors and the Masters and the King asked them wherefore they came not a shoare when he sent for them And Romaine Sonnings answered that though he were king on shoare and might commaunde there so was hee as touching those that were vnder him and therefore said if any offence be the fault is wholy in my selfe and in no other Then foorthwith the king gaue iudgement that the saide Romaine Sonnings should be hanged ouer the Norâ—heast bulwarke from whence he conueyed the forenamed Patrone Norado and then he called for our Master Andrew Dier and vsed fewe worâ—es to him and so condemned him to be hanged ouer the walles of the Westermost bulwarke Then fell our other Factor named Richard Skegs vpon his knees before the king and said I beseech your highnesse either to pardon our Master or else suffer me to die for him for he is ignorant of this cause And then the people of that countrey fauouring the said Richard Skegs besought the king to pardon them both So then the king spake these wordes Beholde for thy sake I pardon the Master Then presently the Turkes shouted and cried saying Away with the Master from the presence of the king And then he came into the Banio whereas we were and tolde vs what had happened and we all reioyced at the good hap of master Skegs that hee was saued and our Master for his sake But afterward our ioy was turned to double sorrow for in the meane time the kings minde was altered for that one of his counsell had aduised him that vnlesse the Master died also by the lawe they could not confiscate the ship nor goods neither captiue any of the men whereupon the king sent for our Master againe and gaue him another iudgement after his pardon for one cause which was that hee should be hanged Here all true Christians may see what trust a Christian man may put in an infidels promise who being a King pardoned a man nowe as you haue heard and within an houre after hanged him for the same cause before a whole multitude and also promised our Factors their oyles custome free and at their going away made them pay the vttermost penie for the custome thereof And when that Romaiâ—e Sonnings saw no remedy but that he should die he protested to turne Turke hoping thereby to haue saued his life Then saide the Turke If thou wilt turne Turke speake the words that thereunto belong and he did so Then saide they vnto him Now thou shalt die in the faith of a Turke and so hee did as the Turkes reported that were at his execution And the forenamed Patrone Norado whereas before he had libertie and did nothing he then was condemned slaue perpetuall except there were paiment made of the foresaid summe of money Then the king condemned all vs who were in number sixe and twentie of the which two were hanged as you haue heard and one died the first day wee came on shoare by the visitation of Almightie God and the other three and twentie he condemned slaues perpetually vnto the great Turke and the ship and goods were confiscated to the vse of the great Turke and then we all fell downe vpon our knees giuing God thankes for this sorrowfull visitation and giuing our selues wholy to the Almightie power of God vnto whom all secrets are knowen that he of his goodnesse would vouchsafe to looke vpon vs. Here may all true Christian hearts see the wonderfull workes of God shewed vpon such infidels blasphemers whoremasters and renegate Christians and so you shall reade in the ende of this booke of the like vpon the vnfaithfull king and all his children and of as many as tooke any portion of the said goods But first to shewe our miserable bondage and slauerie and vnto what small pittance and allowance wee were tied for euery fiue men had allowance but fiue aspers of bread in a day which is but two pence English and our lodging was to lye on the bare boords with a very simple cape to couer vs wee were also forceably and most violently shauen head and beard and within three dayes after I and sixe more of my fellowes together with fourescore Italians and Spaniards were sent foorth in a Galeot to take a Greekish Carmosell which came into Africa to steale Negroes and went out of Tripolis vnto that place which was two hundred and fourtie leagues thence but wee were chained three and three to an oare and wee rowed naked aboue the girdle and the Boteswaine of the Galley walked abaft the maste and his Mate afore the maste and eche of them a bulls pissell dried in their handes and when their diuelish choller rose they would strike the Christians for no cause And they allowed vs but halfe a pound of bread a man in a day without any other kinde of sustenance water excepted And when we came to the place whereas wee saw the Carmosell we were not suffered to haue neither needle bodkin knife or any other weapon about vs nor at any other time in the night
the two ship boates to be had out and they towed the ship till we were out of sight of the Castle of Malta The 9 day of Aprill we came to Zante and being before the towne William Aldridge seruant to Master Thomas Cordall of London came aboord vs with whom our Master and twelue more of our company thought to haue gone on shoare but they could not be permitted so we all came aboord againe and went to Patras where we arriued vpon good Friday and lay there with good entertainement at the English house where was the Consull Master Grimes Ralph Ashley and Iohn Doddington who very kindly went with vs and shewed vs the pleasures of the towne They brought vs to the house of the Cady who was made then to vnderstand of the 20 Turks that wee had aboord which were to goe to Constantinople being redeemed out of captiuitie by sir Francis Drake in the West Indies and brought with him into England and by order of the Queenes Maiestie sent now into their Countrey Whereupon the Cady commaunded them to be brought before him that he might see them and when he had talked with them and vnderstood howe strangely they were deliuered hee marueiled much and admired the Queenes Maiestie of England who being but a woman is notwithstanding of such power and renowne amongst all the princes of Christendome with many other honourable wordes of commending her Maiestie So he tooke the names of those 20. Turkes and recorded them in their great bookes to remaine in perpetuall mâ—mory After this our foresaid countreymen brought mee to the Chappel of S. Andrew where his tombe or sepulchre is and the boord vpon which hee was beheaded which boord is now so rotten that if any man offer to cut it it falleth to powder yet I brought some of it away with me Upon Tuesday in Easter weeke wee set out towards Zante againe and the 24. of April with much adoe wee were all permitted to come on shoare and I was caried to the English house in Zante where I was very well entertained The commodities of Zante are Currans and oyle the situation of the Towne is vnder a very great hill vpon which standeth a very strong Castle which commaundeth the Towne At Zante we tooke in a Captaine and 16. souldiers with other passengers Wee departed from Zante vpon Tuesday the 15. of April and the next day we ankered at a small Island called Striualia which is desolate of people sauing a fewe religious men who entertained vs well without taking any money but of courtesie we bestowed somewhat vpon them for their maintenance and then they gaue vs a couple of leane sheepe which we caried aboord The last day of Aprill wee arriued at Candie at a Castle called Sowday where wee set the Captaine Souldiers and Mariners ashoare which wee tooke in at Zante with all their carriage The second day of May wee set saile againe and the fourth day came to the Islands of Milo where we ankered and found the people there very courteous and tooke in such necessaries as we wanted The Islands are in my iudgement a hundred in number and all within the compasse of a hundred miles The 11. day the Chaus which is the greatest man there in authoritie for certaine offences done in a little Chappell by the water side which they saide one of our shippe had done and imputed it to mee because I was seene goe into it three dayes before came to vs and made much a doe so that we were faine to come out of our shippe armed but by three pieces of golde the brabling was ended and we came to our shippe This day wee also set saile and the next day passed by the Castle of Serpeto which is an old ruinated thing and standeth vnder a hils side The 13. day we passed by the Island of Paris and the Island of the bankes of Helicon and the Island called Ditter where are many boares and the women bee witches The same day also wee passed by the Castle of Tino standing vpon a very high mountaine and neere vnto it is the Island of Diana The 15. of May wee came to Sio where I stayed thirtie and three dayes In it is a very proper Towne after the building of that Countrey and the people are ciuil and while we were here there came in sixe Gaâ—lies which had bene at Alexandria and one of them which was the Admiral had a Prince of the Moores prisoner whom they tooke about Alexandria and they meant to present him to the Turke The towne standeth in a valley and a long the water side pleafantly There are about 26. winde-mils about it and the commodities of it are cotton wooll cotton yarne mastike and some other drugs As we remained at Sio there grew a great controuersie betweene the mariners of the Hercules and the Greekes of the Towne of Sio about the bringing home of the Turkes which the Greekes tooke in ill part and the boyes cried out Viue el Re Philippe whereupon our men beate the boyes and threwe stones and so a broile beganne and some of our men were hurt but the Greekes were fetcht out of their houses and manaâ—led together with yrons and threatned to the Gallies about fourtie of them were sent to the prison and what became of them when we were gone we know not for we went thence within two dayes after which was the 19. of Iune The 20. day wee passed by the Island of Singonina an Island risen by the casting of stones in that place the substance of the ground there is brimstone and burneth sometimes so much that it bloweth vp the rockes The 24. of Iune wee came to Cyprus and had sight in the way of the aforesaide sixe Gallies that came from Alexandria one whereof came vnto vs and required a present for himselfe and for two of the other Gallies which we for quietnesse sake gaue them The 27. of Iune wee came to Tripolie where I stayed till the fift of Iuly and then tooke passage in a smal barke called a Caramusalin which was a passage boat and was bound for Bichieri thirteene miles on this side Alexandria which boate was fraighted with Turkes Moores and Iewes The 20. day of Iuly this barke which I passed in ranne vpon a rocke and was in very great danger so that we all began some to be ready to swimme some to leape into the shippe boate but it pleased God to set vs quickly off the rocke and without much harme The 28. of Iuly I came to Bichieri where I was well entertained of a Iewe which was the Customer there giuing me Muskadine and drinking water himselfe hauing broken my fast with him he prouided mee a Camell for my carriage and a Mule for mee to ride vpon and a Moore to runne by me to the City of Alexandria who had charge to see mee safe in the English house whither I came but found
sword and he tooke their city which was very mighty seated vpon the sea which is called Ceuta in their language Confirmatio treugarum inter Regem Angliae Eduardum quartum Ioannem secundum Regem Portugalliae datarum in oppido montis Maioris 8 Februarij apud Westmonasterium 12 Septembris 1482 anno regni 22 Regis Eduardi quarti lingua Lusitanica ex opere sequenti excerpta Libro das obras de Garcia de Resende que tracta da vida è feitos del Rey dom Ioham secundo Embaixada que el Rey mandou à el Rey d' Inglaterra cap. 33. EDa qui de Monte Mor mandou el Rey por embaixadores à el rey dom Duarte de Inglaterra Ruy de Sousa pessoa principal è de muyto bon saber é credito de que el Rey muyto confiaua é ho doutor Ioam d' Eluas é Fernam de Pina por secretario E for am por mar muy honradamente com may boa companhia hos quaes foram en nome del Rey confirmar as ligas antiquas com Inglaterra que polla condisan dellus ho nouo Rey de hum reyno é do outro era obrigado à mandar confirmar é tambien pera mostrarem ho titolo que el rey tinha no senhorio de Guinee pera que depois de visto el rey d'Inglaterra defendesse em todos seus reynos que ninguen armassenem podesse mandar à Guinee é assi mandasse desfazer huna armada que pera laa faziam per mandado do Duque de Medina Sidonia hum Ioam Tintam é bum Guilherme Fabiam Ingreses Com ha qual embaixada el rey d' Inglaterra mostrou receber grande contentamento é foy delle com muyta honra recebida é em tudo fez inteiramente ho que pellos embaixadores Ibe foy requerido De que elles trouxeran autenticas escrituras das diligencias que con pubricos pregones fizeram é assi as prouisones das aprouasones que eran necessarias é com tudo muyto ben acabado é ha vontade del rey se vieram The Ambassage which king Iohn the second king of Portugall sent to Edward the fourth king of England which in part was to stay one Iohn Tintam and one William Fabian English men from proceeding in a voyage which they were preparing for Guinea 1481 taken out of the booke of the workes of Gracias de Resende which intreateth of the life and acts of Don Iohn the second king of Portugall Chap. 33. ANd afterwards the king sent as Ambassadours from the towne of Monte maior to king Edward the fourth of England Ruy de Sonsa a principall person and a man of great wisedome and estimation and in whom the king reposed great trust with doctor Iohn d'Eluas and Ferdinand de Pina as secretarie And they made their voyage by sea very honourably being very well accompanied These men were sent on the behalfe of their king to confirme the ancient leagues with England wherein it was conditioned that the new king of the one and of the other kingdome should be bound to send to confirme the olde leagues And likewise they had order to shew and make him acquainted with the title which the king held in the segneury of Ginnee to the intent that after the king of England had seene the same he should giue charge thorow all his kingdomes that no man should arme or set foorth ships to Ginnee and also to request him that it would please him to giue commandement to dissolue a certaine fleet which one Iohn Tintam and one William Fabian English men were making by commandement of the duke of Medina Sidonia to goe to the aforesayd parts of Ginnee With which ambassage the king of England seemed to be very well pleased and they were receiued of him with very great honour and he condescended vnto all that the ambassadours required of him at whose hands they receiued authenticall writings of the diligence which they had performed with publication thereof by the heralds and also prouisoes of those confirmations which were necessary And hauing dispatched all things well and with the kings good will they returned home into their countrey A briefe note concerning an ancient trade of the English Marchants to the Canarie-ilands gathered out of an olde ligier booke of M. Nicolas Thorne the elder a worshipfull marchant of the city of Bristoll IT appeareth euidently out of a certaine note or letter of remembrance in the custody of me Richard Hakluyt written by M. Nicolas Thorne the elder a principall marchant of Bristoll to his friend and factour Thomas Midnall and his owne seruant William Ballard at that time resident at S. Lucar in Andeluzia that in the yeere of our Lord 1526 and by all circumstances and probabilities long before certaine English marchants and among the rest himselfe with one Thomas Spacheford exercised vsuall and ordinary trade of marchandise vnto the Canarie Ilands For by the sayd letter notice was giuen to Thomas Midnall and William Ballard aforesayd that a certaine ship called The Christopher of Cadiz bound for the West Indies had taken in certaine fardels of cloth both course and fine broad and narrow of diuers sorts and colours some arouas of packthreed sixe cerons or bagges of sope with other goods of M. Nicolas Thorne to be deliuered at Santa Cruz the chiefe towne in Tenerifa one of the seuen Canary-ilands All which commodities the sayd Thomas and William were authorised by the owner in the letter before mentioned to barter sell away at Santa Cruz. And in lieu of such mony as should arise of the sale of those goods they were appointed to returne backe into England good store of Orchell which is a certaine kinde of mosse growing vpon high rocks in those dayes much vsed to die withall some quantity of sugar and certaine hundreds of kid-skinnes For the procuring of which and of other commodities at the best and first hand the sayd Thomas and William were to make their abode at Santa Cruz and to remaine there as factours for the abouesayd M. Nicolas Thorne And here also I thought good to signifie that in the sayd letters mention is made of one Thomas Tison an English man who before the foresayd yere 1526 had found the way to the West Indies and was there resident vnto whom the sayd M. Nicolas Thorne sent certaine armour and other commodities specified in the letter aforesayd A description of the fortunate Ilands otherwise called the Ilands of Canaria with their strange fruits and commodities composed by Thomas Nicols English man who remained there the space of seuen yeeres together MIne intent is particularly to speake of the Canaria Ilands which are seuen in number wherein I dwelt the space of seuen yeres and more because I finde such variety in sundry writers and especially great vntruths in a booke called The New found world Antarctike set out by a French man called Andrew Theuet the which
his booke he dedicated to the Cardinall of Sens keeper of the great seale of France It appeareth by the sayd booke that he had read the works of sundry Phylosophers Astronomers and Cosmographers whose opinions he gathered together But touching his owne trauell which he affirmeth I refer to the iudgement of the expert in our dayes and therefore for mine owne part I write of these Canaria Ilands as time hath taught me in many yeres The Iland of Canaria THe Iland of Canaria is almost equal in length and bredth containing 12 leagues in length touching the which as principall and the residue the Spanyards holde opinion that they discouered the same in their nauigation toward America but the Portugals say that their nation first found the sayd Ilands in their nauigation toward Aethiopia and the East Indies But truth it is that the Spanyards first conquered these Ilands with diuers English gentlemen in their company whose posterity this present day inioyeth them Some write that this Iland was named Canaria by meane of the number of dogs which there were found as for example Andrew Theuet sayth that one Iuba carried two dogs from thence but that opinion could I neuer learne by any of the naturall people of the countrey although I haue talked with many in my time and with many of their children For trueth it is that there were dogs but such as are in all the Northwest lands and some part of the West India which serued the people in stead of sheepe for victuall But of some of the conquerors of those Ilands I haue heard say that the reason why they were called the Canaria Ilands is because there grow generally in them all fouresquare canes in great multitude together which being touched will cast out a liquour as white as milke which liquor is ranke poison and at the first entry into these Ilands some of the discouerers were therewith poisoned for many yeeres after that conquest the inhabitants began to plant both wine and sugar so that Canaria was not so called by sugar canes The people which first inhabited this land were called Canaries by the conquerors they were clothed in goat skinnes made like vnto a loose cassocke they dwelt in caues in the rocks in great amity and brotherly loue They spake all one language their chiefe feeding was gelt dogges goates and goates milke their bread was made of barley meale and goates milke called Gofia which they vse at this day and thereof I haue eaten diuers times for it is accounted exceeding holesome Touching the originall of these people some holde opinion that the Romans which dwelt in Africa exiled them thither aswell men as women their tongues being cut out of their heads for blasphemy against the Romane gods But howsoeuer it were their language was speciall and not mixed with Romane speech or Arabian This Iland is now the principallest of all the rest not in fertility but by reason it is the seat of iustice and gouernment of all the residue This Iland hath a speciall Gouernour for the Iland onely yet notwithstanding there are three Iudges called Auditours who are superiour Iudges and all in one ioyntly proceed as the Lord Chanceller of any realme To this city from all the other Ilands come all such by appeale as haue sustained any wrong and these good Iudges do remedy the same The city is called Ciuitas Palmarum it hath a beautifull Cathedrall church with all dignities thereunto pertaining For the publike weale of the Iland there are sundry Aldermen of great authority who haue a councell house by themselues The city is not onely beautifull but the citizens curious and gallant in apparell And after any raine or foule weather a man may goe cleane in Ueluet slippers because the ground is sandy the aire very temperate without extreame heat or colde They reape wheat in February and againe in May which is excellent good and maketh bread as white as snow This Iland hath in it other three townes the one called Telde the second Galder and the third Guia. It hath also twelue sugar houses called Ingenios in which they make great quantity of good sugar The maner of the growth of sugar is in this sort a good ground giueth foorth fruit nine times in 18 yere that is to say the first is called Planta which is layd along in a furrow so that the water of a sluce may come ouer euery roote being couered with earth this root bringeth foorth sundry canes and so consequently all the rest It groweth two yeeres before the yeelding of profit and not sixe moneths as Andrew Theuet the French man writeth Then are they cut euen with the ground and the tops leaues called Coholia cut off and the canes bound into bundels like faggots and so are caried to the sugar house called Ingenio where they are ground in a mill and the iuyce thereof conueyed by a conduct to a great vessell made for the purpose where it is boiled till it waxe thicke and then is it put into a fornace of earthen pots of the molde of a sugar loafe and then is it carried to another house called a purging house where it is placed to purge the blacknesse with a certaine clay that is layd thereon Of the remainder in the causoron is made a second sort called Escumas and of the purging liquor that droppeth from the white sugar is made a third sort and the remainder is called Panela or Netas the refuse of all the purging is called Remiel or Malasses and thereof is made another sort called Refinado When this first fruit is in this sort gathered called Planta then the Cane-field where it grew is burned ouer with sugar straw to the stumps of the first canes and being husbanded watred and trimmed at the end of other two yeeres it yeeldeth the second fruit called Zoca The third fruit is called Tertia Zoca the fourth Quarta Zoca and so orderly the rest til age causeth the olde Canes to be planted againe This Iland hath singular good wine especially in the towne of Telde and sundry sorts of good fruits as Batatas Mellons Peares Apples Orenges Limons Pomgranats Figs Peaches of diuers sorts and many other fruits but especially the Plantano which groweth neere brooke sides it is a tree that hath no timber in it but groweth directly vpward with the body hauing maruelous thicke leaues and euery leafe at the toppe of two yards long and almost halfe a yard broad The tree neuer yeeldeth fruit but once and then is cut downe in whose place springeth another and so still continueth The fruit groweth on a branch and euery tree yeeldeth two or three of those branches which beare some more and some lesse as some forty and some thirty the fruit is like a Cucumber and when it is ripe it is blacke and in eating more delicate then any conserue This Iland is sufficiently prouided of Oxen Kine Camels Goats Sheepe Capons Hens
meat is rice and salets and neere the sea side fish They feast one another many times wherein they vse great diligence especially in drinking one to another insomuch that the better sort least they might rudely commit some fault therein doe vse to reade certaine bookes written of duties and ceremonies apperteyning vnto banquets To be delicate and fine they put their meate into their mouthes with litle forkes accounting it great rudenesse to touch it with their fingers winter sommer they drinke water as hot as they may possibly abide it Their houses are in danger of fire but finely made and cleane layde all ouer with strawe-pallets whereupon they doe both sit in stead of stooles and lie in their clothes with billets vnder their heads For feare of defiling these pallets they goe either barefoote within doores or weare strawe pantofles on their buskins when they come abroad the which they lay aside at their returne home againe Gentlemen for the most part do passe the night in banketting musicke vaine discourses they sleepe the day time In Meaco and Sacaio there is good store of beds but they be very litle and may be compared vnto our pues In bringing vp their children they vse words only to rebuke them admonishing as diligently and aduisedly boyes of sixe or seuen yeeres of age as though they were olde men They are giuen very much to intertaine strangers of whom most curiously they loue to aske euen in trifles what for raine nations doe and their fashions Such arguments and reasons as be manifest and are made plaine with examples doe greatly perswade them They detest all kinde of theft whosoeuer is taken in that fault may be slaine freely of any bodie No publike prisons no common gayles no ordinary Iusticers priuately each householder hath the hearing of matters at home in his owne house and the punishing of greater crimes that deserue death without delay Thus vsually the people is kept in awe and feare About foure hundred yeeres past as in their olde recordes we finde all Iapan was subiect vnto one Emperour whose royall seat was Meaco in the Iaponish language called Cubucama But the nobilitie rebelling against him by litle and litle haue taken away the greatest part of his dominion howbeit his title continually remayneth and the residue in some respect dor make great account of him still acknowledging him for their superior Thus the Empyre of Iapan in times past but one alone is now diuided into sixtie sixe kingdomes the onely cause of ciuill warres continually in that Iland to no small hinderance of the Gospell whilest the kings that dwell neare together inuade one another each oue coueting to make his kingdome greater Furthermore in the citie Meaco is the pallace of the high Priest whom that nation honoureth as a God he hath in his house 366 Idoles one whereof by course is euery night set by his side for a watchman He is thought of the common people so holy that it may not be lawfull for him to goe vpon the earth if happily he doe set one foote to the ground he looseth his office He is not serued very sumptuously he is maintained by almes The heads and beards of his ministers are shauen they haue name Cangues and their authoritie is great throughout all Iapan The Cubucama vseth them for Embassadors to decide controuersies betwixt princes and to end their waâ—tes whereof they were wont to make very great gaine It is now two yeres since or there about that one of them came to Bungo to intreate of peace betwixt the king thereof and the king of Amanguzzo This Agent fauouring the king of Bungo his cause more then the other brought to passe that the foresayd king of Bungo should keepe two kingdomes the which he had taken in warres from the king of Amanguzzo Wherefore he had for his reward of the king of Bungo aboue 30000 ducats And thus farre hereof I come now to other superstitions and ceremonies that you may see deare brethren that which I said in the beginning how subtilly the deuill hath deceiued the Iaponish nation and how diligent and readie they be to obey worship him And first al remembrance and knowledge not onely of Christ our Redeemer but also of that one God the maker of all things is cleane extinguished and vtterly abolished out of the Iapans hearts Moreouer their superstitious sects are many whereas it is lawfull for each one to follow that which liketh him best but the principall sects are two namely the Amidans and Xacaians Wherefore in this countrey shall you see many monasteries not onely of Bonzii men but also of Bonziae women diuersly attired for some doe we are white vnder and blacke vpper garments other goe apparelled in ash colour and their Idole hath to name Denichi from these the Amidanes differ very much Againe the men Bonzii for the most part dwell in sumptuous houses and haue great reuenues These fellowes are chaste by commaundement marry they may not vpon paine of death In the midst of their Temple is erected an altar whereon standeth a woodden Idole of Amida naked from the girdle vpward with holes in his eares after the manner of Italian gentlewomen sitting on a woodden rose goodly to behold They haue great libraries and halles for them all to dine and sup together and bels wherwith they are at certaine houres called to prayers In the euening the Superintendent giueth each one a theame for meditation After midnight before the altar in their Temple they do say Mattens as it were out of Xaca his last booke one quier one verse the other quier an other Early in the morning each one giueth himselfe to meditation one houre they shaue their heads and beards Their cloysters be very large and within the precinct therof Chappels of the Fotoquiens for by that name some of the Iapanish Saints are called their holy daies yeerely be very many Most of these Bonzii be gentlemen for that the Iapanish nobility charged with many children vse to make most of them Bonzii not being able to leaue for each one a partrimony good enough The Bonzii most couetousâ—y bent know all the wayes how to come by money They sell vnto the people many scrolles of paper by the helpe whereof the common people thinketh it selfe warranted from all power of the deuils They borrow likewise money to be repayed with great vsury in an other worlde giuing by obligation vnto the lender an assurance thereof the which departing out of this life he may carry with him to hell There is another great company of such as are called Inambuxu with curled and staring haire They make profession to finde out againe things either lost or stolen after this sort They set before them a child whom the deuill inuadeth called vp thither by charmes of that child then doe they aske that which they are desirous to know These mens prayers both good and bad are thought greatly to preuaile insomuch
into their sleeues then preach they in publique a sermon vnto the people declaring what they mind to doe with the great good liking of all such as doe heare them for euery body wondreth at such a kinde of holinesse Then take they hookes to cut downe briars and thornes that might hinder them in their way to heauen and so embarke themselues in a new vessell tying great stones about their neckes armes â—oines thighes and feete thus they launching out into the maine Sea be either drowned there their shippe bouged for that purpose or els doe cast themselues ouer-boord headlong into the Sea The emptie barke is out of hand set a fire for honours sake by their friends that folow them in another boat of their owne thinking it blasphemie that any mortall creature should afterward once touch the barke that had bene so religiousâ—y halowed Truly when we went to Meaco eight dayes before we came to the I le of Hiu at Fore towne sixe men and two women so died To all such as die so the people erecteth a Chappell and to each of them a pillar and a pole made of Pineaple for a perpetuall monument hanging vp many shreds of paper in stickes all the roofe ouer with many verses set downe in the walles in commendation of that blessed company Wherefore vnto this place both day and night many come very superstitiously in pilgrimage It happened euen then as Aloisius Almeida and I went to christen a childe wee traueiled that way at what time foure or fiue olde women came foorth out of the aforesayd chappell with beades in their handes for in this point also the deuill counterfaiteth Christianitie who partly scorned at vs for follie partly frowned and taunted at our small deuotion for passing by that holy monument without any reuerence or worship done thereunto at all It remaineth now we speake two or three wordes of those Sermons the Bonzii are woont to make not so many as ours in number but assuredly very well prouided for The Pulpit is erected in a great temple with a silke Canopie ouer it therein standeth a costly seate before the seate a table with a bell and a booke At the houre of Sermon each secâ— of the Iapans resorteth to their owne doctors in diuers Temples Up goeth the doctor into the Pulpit and being set downe after that hee hath lordlike looked him about signifieth silence with his bell and so readeth a fewe wordes of that booke we spake of the which he expoundeth afterward more at large These preachers be for the most part eloquent and apt to drawe with their speach the mindes of their hearers Wherefore to this ende chieflie such is their greedinesse tendeth all their talke that the people bee brought vnder the colour of godlinesse to enrich their monasteries promising to each one so much the more happinesse in the life to come how much the greater costes and charges they bee at in Church matters and obsequies notwithstanding this multitude of superstitious Sects and companies and the diuersitice thereof amongst themselues yet in this principally all their Superintendents doe trauell so to perswade their Nouices in their owne tales and lies that they thinke nothing els trueth nothing els sure to come by euerlasting saluation nothing els woorth the hearing Whereunto they adde other subtleties as in going grauitie in countenance apparell and in all outward shew comelinesse Whereby the Iapans mindes are so nousâ—ed in wicked opinions doe conceiue thereby such trust and hope of euerlasting saluation that not onely at home but also abroad in euery corner of the towne continually almost they run ouer their beades humbly asking of Amida and Xaca wealth honour good health and euerlasting ioyes Thus then deare brethren may you thinke how greatly they need the helpe of God that either doe bring the Gospell into this countrey or receiuing it brought vnto them doe forsake idolatrie and ioine themselues with Christ being assaulted by so many snares of the deuill troubled with the daily dissuasions of their Bonzii and finally so iniuriously so hardly so sharpely vexed of their kinred and friends that except the grace of God obtained by the sacrifices and prayers of the Catholique church doe helpe vs it cannot be chosen but that the faith and constancie of many if not of all in these first beginnings of our churches will greatly be put in ieopardie So much the more it standeth you vpon that so earnestly long for the health of soules to commend specially these Iapanish flocks vnto our Lord. We came to Sacaio the eight and twentie day of Ianuary Aloisius Almeida first for businesse but afterward let by sicknesse staied there some while but I parting the next day from thence came thirteene leagues off to Meaco the last of Ianuarie Of my comming all the Christians tooke great comfort but specially Gaspar Vilela who in 6 yeres had seen none of our companie at Meaco his yeeres are not yet fortie but his gray haires shew him to be seuentie so vehemently is his litle body afflicted and worne with extreme cold Hee speaketh Iapanish so skilâ—ully after the phrase of Meaco the which for the renowne of this people and royal seat of the king is best accounted of that hee doeth both confesse and preach in that language Certaine godly bookes also he hath done into that speach not omitting to translate other as laisure suffreth him To make an ende our Lord for his goodnesse vouchsafe to preserue vs all continually and to giue vs ayde both rightly to interprete his will and well to doe the same From Meaco the 19 of February 1565. Other such like matter is handled both in other his letters and also in the Epistles written by his companions to be seene at large in the aforesaid volume Amongst the rest this seemed in my iudgement one of the principall and therefore the rather I tooke vpon me to do it into English Of the Iles beyond Iapan in the way from China to the Moluccas AMongst other Iles in the Asian sea betwixt Cantan a Chinish hauen in Cathaio the Moluccas much spoâ—en of in the Indian histories and painted out in Maps Ainan and Santianum are very famous Ainan standeth 19 degrees on this side of the Equinoctiall line nere China from whence the Chinish nation haue their prouision for shipping and other necessaries râ—quisite for their Nauie There staied Balthasar Gagus a great traueiler 5 moneths who describeth that place after this maner Ainan is a goodly countrey ful of Indian fruits all kind of victuals besides great store of it wels and pearle well inhabited the townes built of stone the people rude in conditions apparelled in diuers coloured rugs with two oâ—e hornes as it were made of fine cypres hanging downe about their eares and a paire of sharpe cyzers at their foreheads The cause wherefore they go in such attire I could not vnderstand except it bee for that they do counterfeit the deuil in the
kept our loose hoised our top-sailes and weathered them and came hard aboord the flieboat with our ordinance prepared and gaue he◠our whole broad side with the which we slew diuers of their men so as we might see the blood run out at the scupper holes After that we cast about and new charged all our ordinance and came vpon them againe willing them to yeeld or els we would sinke them wherupon the one would haue yeelded which was shot betweene winde and water but the other called him traitor Unto whom we made answere that if he would not yeeld presently also we would sinke him first And thereupon he vnderstanding our determination presently put out a white flag and yeelded and yet refused to strike their owne sailes for that they were sworne neuer to strike to any Englishman We then commanded their captaines and masters to come aboord vs which they did And after examination stowing them we sent certaine of our owne men aboord them and strook their sailes and manned their ships finding in them both 126 persons liuing 8 dead besides those which they themselues had cast ouerboord So it pleased God to giue vs the victory being but 42 men and a boy whereof 2 were killed and 3 wounded for the which good successe we giue God the only praise These two rich prizes laden with 1400 chests of quicksiluer with the armes of Castile and Leon fastened vpon them and with a great quantity of bulles or indulgences and guilded Missals or Seruice books with an hundred tunnes of excellent wines we brought shortly after into the riuer of Thames vp to Blacke-wall By the taking of this quicksiluer about 1400 chests the king of Spaine loseth for euery quintall of the same a quintall of siluer that should haue beene deliuered him by the masters of the mines there which amounteth to 600000 pounds More by taking of his bulles to wit two millions and 72 thousand for liuing and dead persons for the prouinces of Noua Hispania Iucatan Guatimala the Honduras and the Philippinas taxed at two reals the piece And more for eighteene thousand bulles taxed at foure reals amounteth all to 107700 pounds Summa totalis 707700 li. More there were taken ten fardels of gil◠missals and breuiaries sent for the kings account So the hinderance that the king receiueth by the losse of his bulles and quicksiluer amounteth as is abouesaid besides the lacking of his wines about 100 tunnes whereby his fleet is disappointed of a great part of their prouision A true report of the honourable seruice at Sea perfourmed by Sir Iohn Burrough Knight Lieutenant generall of the fleet prepared by the honor Sir Walter Ralegh Knight Lord warden of the Stanneries of Cornwall and Deuon Wherin chiefly the Santa Clara of Biscay a ship of 600 tunnes was taken and the two East Indian caraks the Santa Cruz and the Madre de Dios were forced the one burnt and the other taken and brought into Dartmouth the seuenth of September 1592. SIr Walter Ralegh vpon cōmission receiued from her Maiesty for an expedition to be made to the West Indies slacked not his vttermost diligence to make full prouision of all things necessary as both in his choise of good ships and sufficient men to performe the action euidently appeared For his shippes which were in number 14 or 15 those two of her Maiesties the Garland the Foresight were the chiefest the rest either his owne or his good friends or aduenturers of London For the gentlemen his consorts and officers to giue them their right they were so well qualited in courage experience discretion as the greatest prince might repute himselfe happy to be serued with their like The honor of Lieutenant generall was imposed vpon sir Iohn Burrough a gentleman for his manifold good and heroicall parts thought euery way worthy of that commandement with whom after sir W. R. returned was ioyned in commission sir Martin Frobisher who for his speciall skill knowledge in marine causes had formerly caried imploiments of like or greater place The rest of the captaines souldiers and sailers were men of notable resolution and for the most part such as heretofore had giuen to the world sufficient proofe of their valour in diuers seruices of the like nature With these ships thus manned sir Walter Ralegh departed towards the West countrey there to store himselfe with such further necessaries as the state of his voyage did needfully require where the Westerly windes blowing for a long time contrary to his course bound and constrained him to keepe harborough so many weeks that the fittest season for his purpose was gone the mindes of his people much altered his victuals consumed and withall her Maiesty vnderstanding how crosly all this sorted began to call the proceeding of this preparation into question insomuch that whereas the sixt of May was first come before sir Walter could put to sea the very next day Martin Frobisher in a pinnesse of my lord Admirals called The Disdaine met him and brought to him from her Maiesty letters of reuocation with commandement to relinquish for his owne part the intended attempt and to leaue the charge and conduct of all things in the hands of sir Iohn Burrough and sir Martin Frobisher But sir Walter finding his honor so farre engaged in the vndertaking of this voyage as without proceeding he saw no remedy either to salue his reputation or to content those his friends which had put in aduentures of great summes with him and making construction of the Queenes letters in such sort as if her commandement had bene propounded in indifferent termes either to aduance forward or to retire at his owne discretion would in no case yeeld to leaue his fleet now vnder saile Wherefore continuing his course into the sea he met within a day or two with certaine sailes lately come from Spaine among which was a ship appertaining to Monsieur Gourdon gouernor of Caleis and found aboord her one M. Neuel Dauies an Englishman who hauing indured a long and miserable captiuity for the space of twelue yeeres partly in the inquisition in Spaine was now by good fortune escaped and vpon returne to his countrey This man among other things reported for certaine that there was little hope of any good this yeere to be done in the West India considering that the king of Spaine had sent expresse order to all the ports both of the Ilands and of Terra firma that no ship should stirre that yeere nor any treasure be layed aboord for Spaine But neither this vnpleasant relation nor ought els could stay his proceedings vntill a tempest of strange and vncouth violence arising vpon Thursday the 11 of May when he was a thwart the Cape Finister had so scattered the greater part of the fleet and sunke his boats and pinnesses that as the rest were driuen and seuered some this way and some that sir Walter himselfe being in the Garland of her Maiesty was in
enter we plied our great ordinance much at them as high vp as they might be mounted for otherwise we did them litle harme and by shooting a piece out of our forecastle being close by her we fired a mat on her beak-head which more and more kindled and ran from thence to the mat on the bow-sprit and from the mat vp to the wood of the bow-sprit and thence to the top-saile yard which fire made the Portugals abaft in the ship to stagger and to make shew of parle But they that had the charge before encouraged them making shew that it might easily be put out and that it was nothing Whereupon againe they stood stifly to their defence A none the fire grew so strong that I saw it beyond all helpe although she had bene already yeelded to vs. Then we desired to be off from her but had litle hope to obtaine our desire neuerthelesse we plied water very much to keep our ship well In deed I made litle other reckoning for the ship my selfe and diuers hurt men then to haue ended there with the Carack but most of our people might haue saued themselues in boats And when my care was most by Gods prouidence onely by the burning asunder of our spritsaile-yard with ropes and saile and the ropes about the spritsaile-yard of the Carack whereby we were fast intangled we fell apart with burning of some of our sailes which we had then on boord The Exchange also being farther from the fire afterward was more easily cleared and fell off from abaft And as soone as God had put vs out of danger the fire got into the fore-castle where I thinke was store of Beniamin and such other like combustible matter for it flamed and ran ouer all the Carack at an instant in a maner The Portugals lept ouer-boord in great numbers Then sent I captaine Grant with the boat with leaue to vse his owne discretion in sauing of them So he brought me aboord two gentlemen the one an old man called Nuno Velio Pereira which as appeareth by the 4 chapter in the first booke of the woorthy history of Huighen de Linschoten was gouernour of Moçambique and Cesala in the yeere 1582. and since that time had bene likewise a gouernour in a place of importance in the East Indies And the shippe wherein he was comming home was cast away a litle to the East of the Cape of Buona Speranza and from thence he trauelled ouer-land to Moçambique and came as a passenger in this Carack The other was called Bras Carrero and was captaine of a Carack which was cast away neere Moçambique and came likewise in this ship for a passenger Also three men of the inferior sort we saued in our boat onely these two we clothed and brought into England The rest which were taken vp by the other ship boats we set all on shore in the I le of Flores except some two or three Negros whereof one was borne in Moçambique and another in the East Indies This fight was open off the Sound betweene Faial and Pico 6 leagues to the Southward The people which we saued told vs that the cause why they would not yeeld was because this Carack was for the king end that she had all the goods belonging to the king in the countrey for that yeere in her and that the captaine of her was in fauour with the king and at his returne into the Indies should hane been Uiceroy there And withall this ship was nothing at all pestered neither within boord nor without and was more like a ship of warre then otherwise moreouer she had the ordinance of a Carak that was cast away at Moçambique and the company of her together with the company of another Carack that was cast away a litle to the Eastwards of the Cape of Buona Speranza Yet through sicknesse which they caught at Angola where they watered they say they had not now aboue 150 white men but Negros a great many They likewise affirmed that they had three noblemen and three ladies in her but we found them to differ in most of their talke All this day and all the night she burned but the next morning her poulder which was lowest being 60 barrels blew her abroad so that most of the ship did swim in parts aboue the water Some of them say that she was bigger then the Madre de Dios and some that she was lesse but she was much vndermasted and vndersoiled yet she went well for a ship that was so foule The shot which wee made at her in great Ordinance before we layde her aboord might be at seuen bouts which we had and sixe or 7 shot at about one with another some 49 shotâ— the time we lay aboord might be two houres The shot which we discharged aboord the Carack might be some twentie Sâ—cars And thus much may suffice concerning our daungerous conflict with that vnfortunate Carack The last of Iune after long trauersing of the seas we had sight of another mightie Carack which diuerse of our company at the first tooke to be the great S. Philip the Admirall of Spaine but the next day being the first of Iuly fetching her vp we perceiued her indeede to be a Carack which after some few shot bestowed vpon her we summoned to yeeld but they standing stoutly to their defence vtterly refused the same Wherefore seeing no good could be done without boording her I consulted what course we should take in the boording But by reason that wee which were the chiefe Captaines were partly slaine and partly wounded in the former conflict and because of the murmuring of some disordered and cowardly companions our valiant and resolute determinations were crossed and to conclude a long discourse in few wordes the Carack escaped our hands After this attending about Coruo Flores for some West Indian purchase and being disappointed of our expectation and victuals growing short we returned for England where I arriued at Portesmouth the 28 of August The casting away of the Tobie neere Cape Espartel corruptly called Cape Sprat without the Straight of Gibraltar on the coast of Barbarie 1593 THe Tobie of London a ship of 250 tunnes manned with fiftie men the owner whereof was the worshipfull M. Richard Staper being bound for Liuorno Zante and Patras in Morea being laden with marchandize to the value of 11 or 12 thousand pounds sterling set sayle from Black-wall the 16 day of August 1593 and we went thence to Portesmouth where we tooke in great quantitie of wheate and set sayle foorth of Stokes bay in the Isle of Wight the 6. day of October the winde being faire and the 16 of the same moneth we were in the heigth of Cape S. Vincent where on the next morning we descried a sayle which lay in try right a head off vs to which we gaue chase with very much winde the sayle being a Spaniard which wee found in fine so good of sayle that we were faine to leaue
the Frigat were already pinched with spare allowance and want of clothes chiefly Whereupon they besought the Generall to returne for England before they all perished And to them of the Golden Hinde they made signes of their distresse pointing to their mouthes and to their clothes thinne and ragged then immediately they also of the Golden Hinde grew to be of the same opinion and desire to returne home The former reasons hauing also moued the Generall to haue compassion of his poore men in whom he saw no want of good will but of meanes fit to performe the action they came for resolued vpon retire and calling the Captaine and Master of the Hinde he yeelded them many reasons inforcing this vnexpected returne withall protesting himselfe greatly satisfied with that hee had seene and knew already Reiterating these words Be content we haue seene enough and take no care of expence past I will set you foorth royally the next Spring if God send vs safe home Therefore I pray you let vs no longer striue here where we fight against the elements Omitting circumstance how vnwillingly the Captaine Master of the Hinde condescēded to this motion his owne company can testifie yet comforted with the Generals promises of a speedie returne at Spring and induced by other apparant reasons prouing an impossiblitie to accomplish the action at that time it was concluded on all hands to retire So vpon Saturday in the afternoone the 31 of August we changed our course and returned backe for England at which very instant euen in winding about there passed along betweene vs and towards the land which we now forsooke a very lion to our seeming in shape hair and colour not swimming after the maner of a beast by moouing of his feete but rather sliding vpon the water with his whole body excepting the legs in sight neither yet diuing vnder and againe rising aboue the water as the maner is of Whales Dolphins Tunise Porposes and all other fish but confidently shewing himselfe aboue water without hiding Notwithstanding we presented our selues in open view and gesture to amase him as all creatures will be commonly at a sudden gaze and sight of men Thus he passed along turning his head to and fro yawning and gaping wide with ougly demonstration of long teeth and glaring eies and to bidde vs a farewell comming right against the Hinde he sent forth a horrible voyce roaring or bellowing as doeth a lion which spectacle wee all beheld so farre as we were able to discerne the same as men prone to wonder at euery strange thing as this doubtlesse was to see a lion in the Ocean sea or fish in shape of a lion What opinion others had thereof and chiefly the Generall himselfe I forbeare to deliuer But he tooke it for Bonum Omen reioycing that he was to warre against such an enemie if it were the deuill The wind was large for England at our returne but very high and the sea rough insomuch as the Frigat wherein the Generall went was almost swalowed vp Munday in the afternoone we passed in the sight of Cape Race hauing made as much way in little more then two dayes and nights backe againe as before wee had done in eight dayes from Cape Race vnto the place where our ship perished Which hindrance thitherward and speedback againe is to be imputed vnto the swift current as well as to the winds which we had more large in our returne This munday the Generall came aboord the Hind to haue the Surgeon of the Hind to dresse his foote which he hurt by treading vpon a naile At what time we comforted ech other with hope of hard successe to be all past and of the good to come So agreeing to cary out lights alwayes by night that we might keepe together he departed into his Frigat being by no meanes to be intreated to tarie in the Hind which had bene more for his security Immediatly after followed a sharpe storme which we ouerpassed for that time Praysed be God The weather faire the Generall came aboord the Hind againe to make merrie together with the Captaine Master and company which was the last meeting and continued there from morning vntill night During which time there passed sundry discourses touching affaires past and to come lamenting greatly the losse of his great ship more of the men but most of all of his bookes and notes and what els I know not for which hee was out of measure grieued the same doubtles being some matter of more importance then his bookes which I could not draw from him yet by circumstance I gathered the same to be y e Ore which Daniel the Saxon had brought vnto him in the Mew found land Whatsoeuer it was the remembrance touched him so deepe as not able to containe himselfe he beat his boy in great rage euen at same time so long after the miscarying of the great ship because vpon a faire day when wee were becalmed vpon the coast of the New found land neere vnto Cape Race he sent his boy aboord the Admirall to fetch certaine things amongst which this being chiefe was yet forgotten and left behind After which time he could neuer conueniently send againe aboord the great ship much lesse hee doubted her ruine so neere at hand Herein my opinion was better confirmed diuersly and by sundry coniectures which maketh me haue the greater hope of this rich Mine For where as the Generall had neuer before good conceit of these North parts of the world now his mind was wholly fixed vpon the Mew found land And as before he refused not to grant assignements liberally to them that required the same into these North parts now he became contrarily affected refusing to make any so large grants especially of S. Iohns which certaine English merchants made suite for offering to imploy their money and trauell vpon the same yet neither by their owne suite nor of others of his owne company whom he seemed willing to pleasure it could be obtained Also laying downe his determination in the Spring following for disposing of his voyage then to be reattempted he assigned the Captaine Master of the Golden Hind vnto the South discouery and reserued vnto himselfe the North affirming that this voyage had wonne his heart from the South and that he was now become a Northerne man altogether Last being demanded what means he had at his arriuall in England to compasse the charges of so great preparation as he intended to make the next Spring hauing determined vpon two fleetes one for the South another for the North Leaue that to mee hee replied I will aske a pennie of no man I will bring good tidings vnto her Maiesty who wil be so gracious to lend me 10000 pounds willing vs therefore to be of good cheere for he did thanke God he sayd with al his heart for that he had seene the same being enough for vs all and that we needed not to
haue pearced euen vnto the vttermost regions After this sort the North climate a fruitfull father of so many nations hath oftentimes sent foorth this way and that way his valiant people and by this meane hath peopled infinite Countreys so that most of the nations of Europe drawe their originall from these parts Contrariwise the more Southerne regions because they bee too barren by reason of their insupportable heate which raigneth in them neede not any such sending forth of their inhabitants and haue bene oftentimes constrained to receiue other people more often by force of armes then willingly All Africke Spaine and Italie can also testifie the same which neuer so abounded with people that they had neede to send them abroad to inhabite elsewhere as on the contrary Scythia Norway Gotland and France haue done The posterity of which nations remaineth yet not only in Italy Spaine Africke but also in fruitful and faire Asia Neuerthelesse I find that the Romans proceeding further or rather adding vnto these two chiefe causes aforesaid as being most curious to plant not onely their ensignes and victories but also their lawes customes religion in those prouinces which they had conquered by force of armes haue oftentimes by the decree of their soueraigne Senate sent forth inhabitants which they called Colonies thinking by this way to make their name immortall euen to the vnfurnishing of their own Countrey of the forces which should haue preserued the same in her perfection a thing which hindred them much more then aduanced them to the possession of the vniuersal monarchy whereunto their intention did a spire For it came to passe that their Colonies here and there being miserably sacked by strange people did vtterly ruine and ouerthrow their Empire The brinks of the riuer of Rhene are yet red those of Danubius are no lesse bloody and our France became fat with their blood which they lost These are the effects and rewards of al such as being pricked forward with this Romane and tyrannical ambition will goe about thus to subdue strange people effects I say contrary to the profit which those shall receiue which onely are affectioned to the common benefite that is to say to the generall policie of all men and endeuour to vnite them one with another aswell by trafficke and ciuill conuersations as also by military vertues and force of armes when as the Sauages will not yeeld vnto their endeuours so much tending vnto their profit For this cause princes haue sent forth out of their Dominions certaine men of good actiuity to plant themselues in strange Countreys there to make their profite to bring the Countrey to ciuilitie and if it might be to reduce the inhabitants to the true knowledge of our God an end so much more commendable as it is farre from all tyrannicall and cruell gouernement and so they haue alwayes thriued in their enterprises and by little and little gained the heartes of them which they haue conquered or wonne vnto them by any meanes Hereof wee may gather that sometimes it is good yea very expedient to send forth men to discouer the pleasure and commoditie of strange Countreys But so that the Countrey out of which these companies are to passe remaine not weakned nor depriued of her forces And againe in such sort that the company sent forth be of so iust sufficient number that it may not be defeited by strangers which euery foote endeuour nothing else but to surprise the same vpon the sudden As within these few daies past the French haue proued to my great griefe being able by no means possible to withstand the same considering that the elements men and all the fauours which might be hoped for of a faithfull and Christian alliance fought against vs which thing I purpose to discouer in this present historie with so euideut trueth that the kings Maiesty my soueraigne prince shall in part be satisfied of the diligence which I haue vsed in his seruice and mine aduersaries shall find themselues so discouered in their false reports that they shall haue no place of refuge But before I begin I will briefely set downe the situation and description of the land whereunto we haue sailed and where we haue inhabited from the yeere 1561. vnto sixty fiue to the ende that those things may the more easily be borne away which I meane to describe in this discourse The description of the VVest Indies in generall but chiefly and particularly of Florida THat part of the earth which at this day we call the fourth part of the world or America or rather the West India was vnknowen vnto our ancestours by reason of the great distance thereof In like maner all the Westerne Islands and fortunate Isles were not discouered but by those of our age Howbeit there haue bin some which haue said that they were discouerd in the time of Augustus Caesar and that Virgil hath made mention thereof in the sixt booke of his AEneidos when he saith There is a land beyond the starres and the course of the yeere and of the Sunne where Atlas the Porter of heauen sustaineth the pole vpon his shoulders neuerthelesse it is easie to iudge that hee meaneth not to speake of this land whereof no man is found to haue written before his time neither yet aboue a thousand yeeres after Christopher Colon did first light vpon this land in the yeere 1592. And fiue yeeres after Americus went thither by the commandement of the king of Castile and gaue vnto it his owne name whereupon afterward it was called America This man was very well seene in the Arte of Nauigation and in Astronomie whereby hee discouered in his time many lands vnknowen vnto the ancient Geographers This Countrey is named by some the land of Bresill and the lande of Parots It stretcheth it selfe according vnto Postell from the one Pole to the other sauing at the streight of Magelan whereunto it reacheth 53. degrees beyond the Equator I will diuide it for the better vnderstanding into three principall parts That which is toward the Pole Arcticke or the North is called new France because that in the yeere 1524. Iohn Verrazzano a Florentine was sent by King Francis the first and by Madam the Regent his mother vnto these newe Regions where he went on land and discouered all the coast which is from the Tropicke of Cancer to wit from the eight and twentieth vnto the fiftieth degree and farther vnto the North. Hee planted in this Countrey the Ensignes and Armes of the king of France so that the Spaniardes themselues which were there afterwarde haue named this Countrey Terra Francesca The same then extendeth it selfe in Latitude from the 25. degree vnto the 54. toward the North and in Longitude from 210. vnto 330. The Easterne part thereof is called by the late writers The land of Norumbega which beginneth at the Bay of Gama which separateth it from the Isle
Merkit Moal paupeâ—riâ—i homines Taâ—taroâ—um sâ—â—es Cyngis Mangu-can Mancherule Berta vel Berca Exacta maâ—is Caspij descriptio Canglae populi vel Cangitâ—â—e Frater Andreas Reprehenditur Isidori error de mari Caspio Oceanus Aquilonariâ— Isidorus Oceanus Aquilonaris Descendit naui per flumen Volga Nota. 30 diete à Porta ferâ—ea Astracan Decscriptio cuâ—iae Baatu Horda sonâ—t medium Misit rex Franciae ad Kencham nuncios Iohannes de Plano carpini Liâ—erae Regis Francorum Quinque septimanas iuxta Etiliam descendebant Quidam Huâ—gaâ—i Comanus Iter quatuor mensium à Voâ—ga Ingens friguâ— 16. Septemb. Cangle populi Maior Bâ—lgaria Iagag flumen 12. dieâ—is à Volga Pascatir â—erra vel Bascinloâ—um terra vel Zibier Hungari à Pascatir â—riundi Nota. Deut. 32.21 ‖ Qui fuerunt isti fratres Cangle planicies ingens Defectus materie ignis Aliqua flumina Vasta solitudo ‖ Nota diligenter Iter versus meridiem octo dieâ—um Asini velocissimâ—â— Montes altissimi Terrae cultae Kenchat villa Saracenorum Septimo die Nouembris ibant super glaciem Ciuitas valdè parua Magnus fluuius Mulâ—ae paludes Vites Casale Montes Caucasi contiguantur maâ—i Oâ—ientali Talas vel Chincitalas ciuitas Frater Andreas Casale Bolac villa Aurisodinae Intrat ditionem Mangu cham Alpes in quibus habitabant Cara-catay Magnus fluuiuâ— Terra culta Equius villa bona Longissimè à Perside Lacus quindecem dietaâ—um circâ—â—tu Cailac magna villa plena mercatoribus Contomanni Iugures populi Idolatrae Cailac Iugures seâ—ta diuisa ab alijs Idololatris suiâ— apud Caracarum frateâ— Wilhelmus Tyare cartaceae Chinenses ita etiam scribâ—â—â— Sortilegi Bombustio mortuorum Patria Presbiteri Iohannis Tangut populi fortissimi Boues pilosis caudisâ— his similes sunt in Quiâ—era Americae septentrionalis prouincia Tebet populi Auri abundantia Tangut homines magnised â—uâ—ci Langa Solanga Solangi â—imiles Hâ—â—panis â—usci Tabula de dente elephantino Muc populi Magna Cathaya Ecclus. 39. ver 4. Gasariâ—â— Soldaiaâ— The citie of Matriga ‖ Matriga Zikia Frier Bartholomeus de Cremona The necke of Taurica Cheâ—sonesus The Tartars The benefite of a painter in strange countreis They vse the like custome in Florida Drying of flesh in the wind Our falconers vse the left fist Another straÌ„ge custome which I leaue to be scanned by falconers themseluâ—s Great expense of wooll A caâ—â—at right worthy the noting * Or Akas Cloth is the chiefe marchaÌ„dise in Tartarie Salt pits Ten dayes iourney The length of Comania Russia Prussia Extreme heate in Sommer Tanais The breadth of Tanais He is much deceiued About the beginning of August the Tartars returne Southward The people of Moxel are Pagans The people called Merdui being Saracens The circuite of the Caspian sea Kergis or Aas The Saracens called Lesgi He returneth by Deâ—bent Coâ—at the Nestorian No good consequence They are come as farre as Volga The Tartars wil be called Moal This history of Presbiâ—er Iohn in the Northeast is alleadged at large by Gerarduâ— Mercator in his generall mappe From whence tâ—e Turkeâ— first sprang An Ocean sea Nayman Presbiter Iohâ— The place of Ken Kan his aâ—â—ade Vut Can or Vâ—e Can. The village of Cara Carum Crit and Merkit Moal in olde time a beggerly people The place of the Tartars Cyngis Mangu-Câ—n Maâ—cherule Oâ— Bercâ— Changlae Frier Andâ—ew The North Ocean The North Ocean We descendeth downe the riuer Volga in a barke Aâ—tracan The description of Baatu his court Horda signifieth the midsâ— Iohn de Plano Carpini The letters of the French king They trauell fiue weekes by the banke of Etilia Hungarians A Comanian A iourney of 4. moneths from Volga The 16. of September 46. dayes Or Kangitrae Or Iaic Iaic twelue dayes iourney from Volga Pascatir The Hungarians descended from the Bascirdes Valachians Deut. 32. v. 21. Rom. 10. v. 19. Cangle Aâ—â— huge plaine countrey Certaine riuers Eight dayes iourney southward Asses swift of foote High mountaines Manured grounds Kenchat a village of the Saracens The 7. day of Nouember A great riuer Many lakes Wines A cottage The mouÌ„tains of Caucasus are extended vnto the Easterne Sea The citie of Talas or Chincitaiâ— Frier Andrew The village of Bolac He entreth into the territories of Mangu-Can Certain Alpes wherein the Cara Catayans inhabited A mighty riuer Ground tilled Equius A lake fifteene dayes iourney in compasse Cailac a great citie and full of merchants Contomanni The people called Iugures idolaters Frier William was at Caracarum Bookes Paper So do the people of China vse to write drawing their lines perpeÌ„dicularly downward not as we doe from the right hand to the lefte The countrey of Presbiter Iohn Tangut Strange oxen The people of Tebet Abundance of golde The stature of the people of Tangut and of the Iugures Langa Solanga The people of Solanga resemble Spaniards A table of elephants tooth The people called Muâ— Great Cathaya The fishing at great Yarmouth Henry the third Edward the confessoâ— 57 Ships of the Cinque Portes bound to serue the king 15. dayes at their owne costs Thomas Walsingham writeth y t he had once 1100. strong shippes | Or Motue | Or Foy †Or Sâ—ford †Or Padâ—low Stockhith ‡ Or Linne Or Yermouth Nâ—w Brickelsey The words of Gerardus Mâ—rcator in the foote of his generall Map vpon the description of the North partes There is a notable whirlepoole on the coast of Norway called Malestrande about the latitude of 68. Inâ—entio Fortunata An. 2. 4. 31. Eâ—â—ardi tertij An. Dom. 1390. ‖ Aâ—â—as Vilna ‖ Filius natu minimus Edwardi 3. Redituâ—â— â—ong trauaile Alexandria Lettowe Ruce Algezer in Granado â—ayas in Armenia Froysart lib. 3. cap. 40. Satalie in the mayne of Asâ—a neere Rhods Tremisen is in Barbarie ‖ Or Pallce Froysart lib. 3. cap. 40. Turkie The time when Chaucer wrote is thus mentioned in the end of his letter of Cupide Beda Ecclesiasticae histoâ—â—â— Gentis Anglorum lib. 2. cap. 3. Malâ—â—buâ— de gestis Regum Angloâ—um lib. 1. cap. 4. Nauigatio Interdicta Negociatorum Anglicanorum patrocinium Traffique prohibited Nauigation forbidden A league betweene Carol. Mag. and K. Offa. Protection of the English Marchants William of Malmâ—b lib. â— cap 9. de gestis Regum Anglorum Garganus a mountaine of Apulia in Italie Guliel Malmesb. de gestis ponâ— Anglorum lib. â— Germanie Norway Commercia inter Germanos Anglos ‖ 1199. Solitae meâ—catorum consuetudines The ancient customes of Marchants ‖ 1216. ‖ Antiqua consucrudo Gildhalle Colonienâ—â—â—â— Londini The ancient custome of the Coloners Gild-hall in London Ricardus Comes Cornubiae Rex Romanorum Carta conditionalis ‖ Nota antiquitatem ‡ The Stiliard Note the antiquitie Exceptio contra notorios regni hosâ—es Lex mercatoria Lex mercatoria quâ—â— Antiquae Cusâ—umae An exception for traficking with y e known enemies of the kingdome Where is this law now become Villa de Tonnesbergh The towne of Tonesbergh Northbernae
reserued for the English nation to possâ—sse The Spanyards prosperous in the Southerne discoueries yet vnhappy in thâ—se Northerne The French are but viuepers vpon our right The FreÌ„ch also infortunate in those North parts of America A good incouragement for the English nation to proceed in the conquests of the North of America The due time approcheth by all likelihood of calling these heathens vnto Christianity The word of God moueth circularly The planting of Gods word must be handled with reuerence Ill actions coloured by pretence of planting vpon remote lands The fiâ—st and great preparation of sir HuÌ„frey Gilbert A constant resolution of sir Humfey Gilbert A second preparation of sir Humfrey Gilbert Consultation about our course Comodities in discouering from South Northward Cause why we began our discouery froÌ„ the North. Incommodities in begining North. Beginning of the voyage Our fleet consisted of fiue sailes in which we had about 260 men Prouisions fit for such discoueries Iune 11. Iune 13. Obserue Iune 15. Iuly 20. Great fogges vpon the Ocean sea Northward Iuly 27. The banke in length vnknowen stretcheth from North into South in bredth 10. leagues in depth of water vpon it 30 fadome A great fishing vpon y e banke Abundance of foules Iuly 30. First sight of land Iland and a foule named Penguin An Iland called Baccalaos of the fish taken there Misdemeanor of them in the Swallow English ships are the strongest and Admirals of other fleetes fishing vpon the South parts of New-found land Good order taken by English marchaÌ„ts for our supply in Newfound land Good entertainment in Newfound land No Sauages in the South part of New-found land August 4. August 5. Possession taken Three Lawes Actuall possession maintained in New-found land Men appointed to makâ— search New found land is al Islands or brokeÌ„ lands Goodly roads and harbours New found land is habitable Cold by accidental meanes Commodities Fish of sea and fresh water Newfound land both minister commoditieâ— abundantly for art industrie Siluer Ore brought vnto the Generall Reasons why no further search was made for the silver mine Misdemeanor in our companie God brought togither these men into the ship ordained to perish who before had coÌ„mitted such outrage Why sir Huâ—â— Gilbert went in the Frigate Liberalitie of the Portugals August 20 S. Iohns in 47 deg 40 min. Cape Race in 46 degrees 25 minutes Fish large and plentifull Cattel in the Isle of Sablon Good soile August 27. Predictions before the wracke Losse of our Admirall Stephanus Parmenius a learned Hungarian Daniel a refiner of mettals A wonderfull scape and deliuerance A great distresse A desperate resolution Two men famished Causes inforcing vs to returne home againe August 31. A monster of the sea September 2. Our last conference with our Generall Circumstances to be well obserued in our Generall importing the Ore to be of a siluer Mine Wilfulnes in the Generall A token of a good mind A resolute and Christianlike saying in a distresse Sir Humfrey Gilbâ—rt drowned Arriuall in England of the Golden Hindâ— A fit motion of the Captain vnto sir Humâ—â—ey Gilbert An ill recompense Constancie in sir Humfrey Gilbert His temeritie and presumption Afflictions needfull in the children of God Dominus Ralegh Insula Penguâ—â— In the south side of Newe found land there is store of plaine and champion Countrey as Richard Clarke found The great heate of the sunne in summer 20. Leaguesâ— from the Isle of Sablon 15. Leagues froâ— the Isle of Sablon Herein Clarke 〈◊〉 chargethâ—â— Hâ—mâ—â—ey Gilbert The ship cast away on Châ—â—â—a◠〈◊〉 the 〈…〉 â—5â—3 Sâ—xteene gate into the ship-boate Master Hâ—dlyes vngodly propâ—sâ—â—oâ— They came on land the 7. day after theiâ— shipwracke The fruitfulnesse of the south part of Newfoundland Foureteene oâ— our men brought out of Newfound land in a ship of Sâ— Iohn de Luz Master Edward Hays Sir Humfrey Gilbert did arriue at Saint Iohns Hauen in Neâ—found land the 3. of August Anno 1583. Among these there was found the tract of a beast oâ— 7. ynches and a halfe ouer Sir Humfrey tooke possâ—ssion of the New-found land in right of the Crowne of England Three lawes estaâ—lished theâ—e by Sir â—â—â—frey Sundry pâ—rsons â—ecame Tenants to Sir Humfrey and doe mainteine possâ—ssion 〈◊〉 in diuers places â—hâ—re 〈◊〉 ‖ Englishmen Master Iohn Hawkins Sir Francis Drake M. William Winter M. Iohn Chester M. Martin Frobisher Anthony Parkhurst William â—aties Iohn Louel Dauid Iâ—gram Strangers French Iohn Kidault Iaques Carrieâ— Andrew Theueâ— Moâ—litus Goutgues Monsieur Laudonniete Italians Christopher Columbus Iohn Verâ—zarus God doeth not alwayes begin his greatest workes by the greatest persons His custome was to bowe himselfe very lowe in making of courtesie Hernando Cortes Francisco Pizarâ—o A reasonable â—equesâ— The argument of the booke The principall causes why this voyage is vndertaken The seconde kinde of planting Iosua 4. Iosua 6. Iosua 8. Iosua 9. Iudg. 11.13 Iudg. 1. A good now for al Conquerers to be mercifull Iudg. 6.7 Ruffinus lib. cap. 9. Meâ—opius slaâ—nâ— Edesius and Frumenâ—ius preserued by the Indians Frumentius in great fauour with y t Queene of the IndiaÌ„s An other great worke of God begunne by a man of meâ—nâ— birth Ruffinuâ— the Author of this storie â—usebâ—â—â— his ecclesiasticall Historie testifieth how that Conâ—tantine the great did enlarge his doâ—inions bâ— subduing of Infidels and Idolatrous nations Eusebius lib. 1. de vita Constant. cap. 4. eâ— cap. 9. Euseb. eâ—d lib. â—ap â—9 â—â—eoâ—oâ—â—â— in eccle lib. 5. cap. â—â— Theodoretus cap. 26. eodem 〈◊〉 1170. Owen Gwyneth was then Prince of Northwales Nullum â—emâ—us 〈◊〉 Regi This Islanâ— was discouered by Sir Humfrey and his company in this hâ—â— iourney Mutezuma hiâ— Oration to his subiects in presence of Hernando Cortes which Oration was made about the yeere 152â— M. Oliuer Dalbony M. Edward Reow. M.R.H. M.I.A. Cox the mâ—â—ster Clothiâ—â—s Woolmâ—n Carders Spâ—â—ters Weauersâ— Fiâ—lersâ— Sheermeâ— Diers Dâ—apeâ—â— Cappers Yaâ—â—rs c. and many decayed townes reported The idle persons of this realme shall by occasion of this iourney hee well imployed a set on worke â—empe doeth grow neere S. Laurence riuer naturally Head the beginning of the booke intituled Diuers voyages touching the discouery of America Beasts for pleasure Given 〈◊〉 for forty shillings a piece Great grapes Wine of the Palme tree Commodities found in August last 1. 〈…〉 This â—â—argeâ— cannot be vniust where both parties are gainers â— Decad lib. â— fol. 77. of the West Indies in English Canoa is a kind of boat â— Decad lib. â— fol 97. About the yere of our Lord 1511. Conquest at the West Indies fol. 43. and 45. English A marueilouâ— victorie Ceffala accounted to be the place where the noble and wise king Salomon did fetch his gold These are the furthest parts of the world from England At these Ilands hath siâ— Francis Drake bene where the same of the Queenes most excellent Maiestie was renowmed Moscouie Dutchmen Denmarke Easterlings Turkie Leuani Barbarie
demaund your limits and tribute of the French king which at that present he restrained your Grace in person passed with a great power into France putting your Graces person to great paine and labour and without doubt victoriously you had conquered the sayd Realme of France as ye began if your aduersary had not reconciled himselfe and knowledged your Graces right and title and so promised truly to pay the tribute then due fulfill your request in all things and also desired your Grace for peace the which of your clemencie you could not refuse Now I considering this your noble courage and desire and also perceiuing that your Grace may at your pleasure to your greater glory by a godly meane with little cost perill or labour to your Grace or any of your subiects amplifie and inrich this your sayd Realme I know it is my bounden duety to manifest this secret vnto your Grace which hitherto as I suppose hath beene hid which is that with a small number of ships there may bee discouered diuers New lands and kingdomes in the which without doubt your Grace shall winne perpetuall glory and your subiectes infinite profite To which places there is left one way to discouer which is into the North for that of the foure partes of the worlde it seemeth three parts are discouered by other Princes For out of Spaine they haue discouered all the Indies and Seas Occidentall and out of Portingall all the Indies and Seas Orientall so that by this part of the Orient Occident they haue compassed the world For the one of them departing toward the Orient and the other toward the Occident met againe in the course or way of the middest of the day and so then was discouered a great part of the same Seas and coastes by the Spaniards So that now rest to be discouered the sayd North parts the which it seemeth to mee is onely your charge and duety Because the situation of this your Realme is thereunto neerest and aptest of all other and also for that you haue already taken it in hand And in mine opinion it will not seeme well to leaue so great and profitable an enterprise seeing it may so easily and with so little cost labour and danger be followed and obtayned though heretofore your Grace hath made thereof a proofe found not the commodity thereby as you trusted at this time it shall be no impediment For there may be now prouided remedies for things then lacked and the inconueniences and lets remooued that then were cause that your Graces desire tooke no full effect which is the courses to be changed followed the foresaid new courses And concerning the mariners shippes and prouision an order may be deuised and taken meete and conuenient much better then hitherto By reason wherof and by Gods grace no doubt your purpose shall take effect Surely the cost herein will be nothing in comparison to the great profit The labour is much lesse yea nothing at all where so great honour and glory is hoped for and considering well the courses truely the danger way is shorter to vs then to Spaine or Portingall as by euident reasons appereth And now to declare something of the commodity and vtilitie of this Nauigation and discouerie it is very cleere and certaine that the Seas that commonly men say without great danger difficulty and perill yea rather it is impossible to passe that those same Seas be nauigable and without anie such danger but that shippes may passe and haue in them perpetuall clerenesse of the day without any darkenesse of the night which thing is a great commoditie for the nauigants to see at all times round about them as well the safegards as dangers and how great difference it is betweene the commoditie and perils of other which leese the most part of euery foure and twentie houres the said light and goe in darkenesse groping their way I thinke there is none so ignorant but perceiueth this more plainely then it can be expressed Yea what a vantage shal your Graces subiects haue also by this light to discouer the strange lands countries and coastes For if they that be discouered to saile by them in darkenesse is with great danger much more then the coastes not discouered be daungerous to trauell by night or in darkenesse Yet these dangers or darkenesse hath not letted the Spanyards and Portingals and other to discouer many vnknowen Realmes to their great perill Which considered and that your Graces subiects may haue the same light it will seeme your Graces subiects to be without actiuity or courage in leauing to doe this glorious and noble enterprise For they being past this litle way which they named so dangerous which may be two or three leagues before they come to the Pole and as much more after they passe the Pole it is cleere that from thence foorth the seas and landes are as temperate as in these partes and that then it may be at the will and pleasure of the mariners to choose whether they will sayle by the coastes that be colde temperate or hote For they being past the Pole it is plaine they may decline to what part they list If they will goe toward the Orient they shall inioy the regions of all the Tartarians that extend toward the midday and from thence they may goe and proceede to the land of the Chinas and from thence to the land of the Cathaio Orientall which is of all the maine land most Orientall that can be reckoned from our habitation And if from thence they doe continue their nauigation following the coasts that returne toward the Occident they shall fall in with Malaca and so with all the Indies which we call Orientall and following the way may returne hither by the Cape of Buona Speransa and thus they shall compasse the whole worlde And if they will take their course after they be past the Pole toward the Occident they shall goe in the backe side of the new found land which of late was discouered by your Graces subiects vntill they come to the backe side and South Seas of the Indies Occidentall And so continuing their voyage they may returne thorow the streight of Magellan to this countrey and so they compasse also the world by that way and if they goe this third way and after they be past the Pole goe right toward the Pole Antarctike and then decline toward the lands and Islands situated between the Tropikes and vnder the Equinoctiall without doubt they shall finde there the richest landes and Islands of the world of golde precious stones balmes spices and other thinges that we here esteeme most which come out of strange countries and may returne the same way By this it appeareth your Grace hath not onely a great aduantage of the riches but also your subiects shall not trauell halfe of the way that other doe which goe round about as aforesayd The
booke made by the right worshipful M. Robert Thorne in the yeere 1527. in Siuil to Doctour Ley Lord ambassadour for king Henry the eight to Charles the Emperour being an information of the parts of the world discouered by him and the king of Portingal and also of the way to the Moluccaes by the North. RIght noble and reuerend in c. I haue receiued your letters and haue procured and sent to know of your seruant who your Lordship wrote should be sicke in Merchena I cannot there or els where heare of him without he be returned to you or gone to S. Lucar and shipt I cannot iudge but that of some contagious sicknesse hee died so that the owner of the house for defaming his house would bury him secretly and not be knowen of it For such things haue often times happened in this countrey Also to write vnto your Lordshippe of the new trade of Spicery of the Emperour there is no doubt but that the Islands are fertile of Cloues Nutmegs Mace and Cinnamom and that the said Islands with other there about abound with golde Rubies Diamondes Balasses Granates Iacinets and other stones pearles as all other lands that are vnder and neere the Equinoctiall For we see where nature giueth any thing she is no nigard For as with vs and other that are aparted from the said Equinoctiall our mettals be Lead Tinne and Iron so theirs be Gold Siluer and Copper And as our fruits and graines bee Apples Nuts and Corne so theirs be Dates Nutmegs Pepper Cloues and other Spices And as we haue Ieat Amber Cristall Iasper and other like stones so haue they Rubies Diamonds Balasses Saphyres Iacinets and other like And though some say that of such precious mettals graines or kind of spices and precious stones the abundance and quantity is nothing so great as our mettals fruits or stones aboue rehearsed yet if it be well considered how the quantitie of the earth vnder the Equinoctiall to both the Tropicall lines in which space is found the sayd Golde spices and precious stones is as much in quantity as almost all the earth from the Tropickes to both the Poles it cannot be denied but there is more quantity of the sayd mettals fruites spices and precious stones then there is of the other mettals and other things before rehearsed And I see that the preciousnes of these things is measured after the distance that is between vs and the things that we haue appetite vnto For in this nauigation of the Spicerie was discouered that these Islands nothing set by golde but set more by a knife and a nayle of iron then by his quantitie of Golde and with reason as the thing more necessary for mans seruice And I doubt not but to them should be as precious our corne and seedes if they might haue them as to vs their spices likewise the pieces of glasse that here we haue counterfeited are as precious to them as to vs their stones which by experience is seene daylie by them that haue trade thither This of the riches of those countries is sufficient Touching that your Lordship wrote whether it may bee profitable to the Emperor or no it may be without doubt of great profite if as the king of Portingal doth he would become a merchant and prouide shippes and their lading and trade thither alone and defend the trade of these Islands for himselfe But other greater businesse withholdeth him from this But still as now it is begunne to be occupied it would come to much For the shippes comming in safetie there would thither many euery yere of which to the Emperour is due of all the wares and iewels that come from thence the fift part for his custome cleare without any cost And besides this hee putteth in euery flote a certaine quantitie of money of which hee enioyeth of the games pound and pounds like as other aduenturers doe In a fleete of three shippes and a Carauel that went from this citie armed by the marchants of it which departed in Aprill last past I and my partener haue one thousand foure hundred duckets that we employed in the sayd fleete principally for that two English men friends of mine which are somewhat learned in Cosmographie should goe in the same shippes to bring me certaine relation of the situation of the countrey and to be expert in the nauigation of those seas and there to haue informations of many other things and aduise that I desire to knowe especially Seeing in these quarters are shippes and mariners of that countrey and cardes by which they saile though much vnlike ours that they should procure to haue the said cards and learne how they vnderstand them and especially to know what nauigation they haue for those Islands Northwards and Northeastward For it from the sayd Islands the sea did extend without interposition of land to saile from the North point to the Northeast poynt one thousand seuen hundred or one thousand eight hundred leagues they should come to the New found Islands that we discouered and so we should be neerer to the sayd Spicerie by almost two thousand leagues then the Emperour or the king of Portingal are And to aduise your Lordship whether of these Spiceries of the king of Portingal or the Emperours is neerer and also of the titles that either of them hath and howe our New found lands are parted from it for that by writing without some demonstration it were hard to giue any declaration of it I haue caused that your Lordship shall receiue herewith a little Mappe or Carde of the world the which I feare me shall put your Lordship to more labour to vnderstand then me to make it onely for that it is made in so litle roome that it cannot be but obscurely set out that is desired to be seene in it and also for that I am in this science little expert Yet to remedy in part this difficulty it is necessary to declare to your Lordship my intent with which I trust you shall perceiue in this Card part of your desire if for that I cannot expresse mine intent with my declaration I doe not make it more obscure First your Lordship knoweth that the Cosmographers haue diuided the earth by 360 degrees in latitude and as many in longitude vnder the which is comprehended all the roundnes of the earth the latitude bring diuided into foure quarters ninetie degrees amount to euery quarter which they measure by the altitude of the Poles that is the North and South starres being from the line Equinoctiall till they come right vnder the North starre the said ninetie degrees and as much from the sayd line Equinoctiall to the South starre be other ninety degress And as much more is also from either of the sayd starres agayne to the Equinoctiall Which imagined to bee round is soone perceiued thus 360 degrees of latitude to be consumed in the said foure quarters of ninetie degrees a quarter
Denmarke aforetime of Norway who by so many â—illes of supplication out of Island in old time and of late haue beene often interrupted for the setting through of controuersies concerning possessions Wee call Krantzius himselfe to witnesse against himselfe whose words in the first section were these Before the receiuing of Christian faith the Islanders liuing according to the lawe of nature did not much differ from our lawe c. If by the lawe of nature then doubtlesse by that lawe of iustice which giueth to euery man his owne If by the lawe of iustice then certainely distinctions of properties and possessions must needes haue taken place in our Nation and although this very lawe is often transgressed and that haynously euen in the Church notwithstanding both the Church and also heathen men doe acknowledge it to be most iust and good The seuenth section They make all one reckoning of their whelpes and of their children except that of the poorer sort you shall easier obtaine their sonne then their shalke ALthough in the beginning of this Treatise I thought that Munster and other men of great name in those things which they haue left written concerning Islande were not to bee charged with slander yet whether that fauour may here be shewed by any man whatsoeuer be he neuer so fauourable and neuer so sincere I doe not sufficiently conceiue For what should moue such great men following the despightfull lyes and fables of mariners to defame and staine our nation with so horrible and so shamefull a reproch Surely nothing else but a carelesse licentiousnesse to deride and contemne a poore and vnknowen Nation and such other like vices But be it knowen to all men that this vntrueth doth not so much hurt to the Islanders as to the authors themselues For in heaping vp this and a great number of others into their Histories they cause their credite in other places also to be suspected And hereby they gaine thus much as Aristotle sayth that when they speake trueth no man will beleeue them without suspition But attend a while Reader and consider with me the grauitie and wisedome of these great Clarkes that we may not let passe such a notable commendation of Island Krantzius and Munster haue hitherto taught that the Islanders are Christians Also that before the receiuing of Christian faith they liued according to the lawe of nature Also that the Islanders liued after a law not much differing from the lawe of the Germanes Also that they liued in holy simplicitie Attend I say good Reader and consider what markes of Christianitie of the law of nature of the Germanes law of holy simplicitie these authors require and what markes they shew and describe in the Islanders There was one of the sayd markes before namely that the Islanders doe place hell or the prison of the damned within the gulfe and bottome of mount Hecla concerning which reade the first section of this part and the seuenth section of the former The seconde marke is that with the Anabaptists they take away distinctions of properties and possessions in the section next going before The third and most excellent is this those singular naturall affections that loue and tender care and that fatherly and godly minde of the Islanders towards their children namely that they make the same accompt of them or lesse then they doe of their dogges What Will Munster and Krantzius after this fashion picture out vnto vs the law of Christ the lawe of nature the lawe of the Germanes and holy simplicitie O rare and excellent picture though not altogether matching the skill of Apelles O sharpe and wonderfull inuention if authenticall O knowledge more then humane though not at all diuine But wee Islanders albeit the farthest of all nations and inhabiting a frozen clime require farre other notes of Christianitie For we haue the commaundement of God that euery man should loue his neighbour as himselfe Nowe there is none I suppose that doeth not loue or esteeme more of himselfe then of his dogge And if there ought to bee so great fauour so great estimation so great loue vnto our neighbour then how great affection doe wee owe vnto our children The most neare and inseparable loue of whom besides that nature hath most friendly setled in our mindes the loue of God also commandeth vs to haue speciall regard in trayning them vp Exod. 12.24 Ephes. 6.4 namely that there may be in holy marriage certaine seminaries of Gods Church and exercises of all pietie and honestie according to the excellent saying of the Poet. God will haue each family a litle Church to be ALso Of humane life or mans societie a Schole or College is holy matrimonie That it may be manifest that among Christians their sonnes are more to be accompted of and regarded then their dogges and if any doe no otherwise esteeme of them that they are no Christians But this naturall affection towarde our most deare of-spring is plainely seene in the heathen themselues that whomsoeuer you totally depriue of this you denie them also to bee men The mothers of Carthage testifie this to be true when as in the third Punic warre the most choyse and gallant young men in all the Citie were sent as pledges into Sicilia whom they followed vnto the shippes with most miserable weeping and lamentation and some of them being with griefe separated from their deare sonnes when they sawe the sayles hoysed and the shippes departing out of the hauen for very anguish cast themselues headlong into the water as Sabellicus witnesseth Egaeus doth testifie this who when hee sawe the shippe of his sonne Theseus returning â—ut of Creete with blacke sayles thinking that his sonne had perished ended his life in the next waters Sabell lib. 3. cap. 4. Gordianus the elder Proconsul of Affrica doth testifie this who likewise vpon rumors of the death of his sonne hanged himselfe Campoful lib. 5. cap. 7. Also locasta the daughter of Creon Auctolia daughter of Simon Anius King of the Thuscans Orodes King of the Parthians and an infinite number of others Concerning whom reade Plutarch star lib. 2. and other authors c. To these may be added that sentence Loue descendeth c. So that you see it is no lesse proper to a man entirely to loue his children then for a bird to flie that if our writers at any time haue confessed the Islanders to be men much lesse to be Christians they must will they nill they ascribe vnto them this loue and affection towardes their children If not they doe not onely take from them the title and dignitie of men but also they debase them vnder euery brute beast which euen by the instinct of nature are bound with exceeding great loue and tender affection towards their young ones I will not adde against this shamelesse vntruth most notable examples of our owne countreymen I will omit our lawes of man-stealing more ancient then the Islanders themselues being receiued from the Noruagians
and are extant in our booke of lawes vnder the title Manhelge cap. 5. Whosoeuer selleth a freeman any man much more a sonne vnto strangers c. Now if any man be driuen to that hard fortune that he must needs commit his owne sonne into the hands of some inhabitant or stranger being vrged thereunto by famine or any other extreame necessity that he may not be constrained to see him hungerstarued for want of sustenance but keepeth his dogge still for his owne eating this man is not to be sayd that he esteemeth equally or more basely of his sonne then of his dogge whether Islanders or any other countreymen do the same The Germane or the Danish mariners might perhaps find amongst vs certaine beggars laden with children for we haue here a great number of them who in iesting maner for they are much giuen to trifling talke might say Giue me this or sell me that aâ—d when the stranger should aske What will you giue me for it the begger might answere I haue ten or foureteene children I will giue you some one or more of them c. For this rabble of beggers vseth thus fondly to prate with strangers Now if there be any well disposed man who pitying the need and folly of these beggers releaseth them of one sonne and doth for Gods sake by some meanes prouide for him in another countrey doth the begger therefore who together with his sonne being ready to die for hunger and pouerty yeeldeth and committeth his sonne into the hands of a mercifull man make lesse account of his sonne then of his dogge Such works of loue and mercie haue bene performed by many aswell Islanders themselues as strangers one of which number was that honourable man Accilius Iulius being sent by the most gracious King of Denmarke into Island in the yere of our Lord 1552 who as I haue heard tooke and carried with him into Denmarke fiftene poore boyes where afterward it was reported vnto me that by his good meanes euery one of them being bound to a seuerall trade proued good and thriftie men What if some man be driuen to that passe that he doth not onely sell his sonne but not finding a chapman his owne selfe killeth and cateth him Examples of this kinde be common namely of the vnwilling and forced cruelty of parents towards their children not being pricked on through hate or want of naturall affection but being compelled thereunto by vrgent necessity Shall any man hereupon ground a generall reproch against a whole nation We reade that in the siege of Samaria two mothers sâ—ew their sonnes aud eat them sodden 4. King chap. 6. We reade in the siege of Ierusalem how lamentable the voice of that distressed mother was being about to kill her tender childe My sweet babe sayth she sor I will report Eusebius owne words concerning this matter though very common that the affection of a mother may appeare borne to miserie and mishap for whom should I conueniently reserue thee in this tumult of famine of warre and sedition If we be subdued to the gouernment of the Romans we shall weare out our vnhappy dayes vnder the yoke of slauery But I thinke famine will preuent captiuity Besides there is a rout of seditious rebels much more intollerable then either of the former miseries Come on therefore my sonne be thou meat vnto thy mother a fury to these rebels and a by-word in the common life of men which one thing onely is wanting to make vp the calamities of the Iewes These sayings being ended she killeth her sonne roasting and eating one halfe and reseruing the other c. Eusebius lib. 3. cap. 6. Now what man will not beleeue that this vnhappy mother would full gladly haue passed ouer this her sonne into the possession of some master or chapman if she could haue happened vpon any such with whom she thought he might haue beene preserued That famine is well knowen which oppressed Calagurium a city of Spaine when in olde time Câ—cius Pompeius layed siege thereunto Valerius lib. 7. cap. 7. the citizens whereof conuerted their wiues and children into meat for the satisfying of their extreame hunger whom doubtlesse they would with all their hearts haue solde for other victuals That famine also is well knowen which in the yere of our Lord 851 Vincent lib. 25. cap. 26. afflicted Germany insomuch that the father was glad to deuoure his owne sonne It is well knowen after the death of the Emperour Henry the seuenth in a famine continuing three whole yeres how the parents would deuoure their children and the children their parents and that especially in Polonia and Bohemia And that we may not onely allege ancient examples it is reported that there was such a grieuous dearth of corne in the yeeres 1586 and 1587 thorowout Hungary that some being compelled for want of food were faine to sell their children vnto the most bloudy and barbarous enemy of Christians and so to enthrall them to the perpetuall yoke of Turkish slauery and some are sayd to haue taken their children whom they could no longer sustaine aâ—d with cruell mercy to haue cast them into Danubius and drowned them But should these stories and the like make any man so mad as to affirme that this or that nation accustometh to kill their children for their owne food and to sell them willingly vnto the Turks or to drowne and strangle them willingly in the water I cannot thinke it So neither because beggers in Island being enforced through extreame and biting necessitie do willingly part with their sonnes is this custome generally to be imputed vnto the whole nation and that by way of dâ—sgrace by any man except it be such an one who hath taken his leaue of all modesty plaine dealing humanity and trueth But I could wish that the loue of dogges in Islanders might be more sparingly reprehended by those people whose matrons and specially their noble women take so great delight in dogs that they carry them in their bosomes thorow the open streetes I will not say in Churches which fashion Caesar blamed in certaine strangers whom he saw at Rome carrying about yoong apes and whelpes in their armes asking them this question Whether women in their countrey brought foorth children or no signifying heereby that they do greatly offend who bestow vpon beasts these naturall affections wherewith they should be inuited to the loue of mankinde and specially of their owne ofspring which strange pleasure neuer ouertooke nor possessed the nation of the Islanders Wherefore now Munster and Krantzius you must finde vs out other marks of Christianity of the law of nature of the Germans law and of holy simplicity The eight section They honour their Bishop as their King vnto whose command all the whole people haue respect Whatsoeuer he prescribeth out of the law the scriptures or the customes of other nations they do full holily obserue THere was indeed at the beginning about the time of the
sumus Indè archiepiscopi ceterique principes imperij Alemanniam per dextram repetentes nos versùs Franciam ad sinistram declinantes cum inenarrabilibus gratijs osculis ab inuicem discessimus Et tandem de triginta equitibus qui de Normannia pingues exiuimus vix viginti pauperes peregrini omnes pedites macie multa attenuati reuersi sumus The same in English I Ingulphus an humble seruant of reuerend Guthlac and of his monastery of Croiland borne in England and of English parents at the beautifull citie of London was in my youth for the attaining of good letters placed first at Westminster and afterward sent to the Uniuersitie of Oxford And hauing excelled diuers of mine equals in learning of Aristotle I inured my selfe somewhat vnto the first second Rhethorique of Tullie And as I grew in age disdayning my parents meane estate and forsaking mine owne natiue soyle I affected the Courts of kings and princes and was desirous to be clad in silke and to weare braue and costly attire And loe at the same time William our souereigne king now but then Erle of Normandie with a great troup of followers and attendants came vnto London to conferre with king Edward the Counfessour his kinsman Into whose company intruding my selfe and proffering my seruice for the performance of any speedy or weightie affayres in short time after I had done many things with goood successe I was knowen and most entirely beloued by the victorious Erle himselfe and with him I sayled into Normandie And there being made his secretarie I gouerned the Erles Court albeit with the enuie of some as my selfe pleased yea whom I would I abased and preferred whom I thought good When as therefore being carried with a youthfull heat and lustie humour I began to be wearie euen of this place wherein I was aduanced so high aboue my parentage and with an inconstant minde and affection too too ambitious most vehemently aspired at all occasions to climbe higher there went a report throughout all Normandie that diuers Archbishops of the Empire and secular princes were desirous for their soules health and for deuotion sake to goe on pilgrimage to Ierusalem Wherefore out of the family of our lorde the Earle sundry of vs both gentlemen and clerkes principall of whom was my selfe with the licence and good will of our sayd lord the earle sped vs on that voiage and trauailing thirtie horses of vs into high Germanie we ioyned our selues vnto the Archbishop of Mentz And being with the companies of the Bishops seuen thousand persons sufficiently prouided for such an expedition we passed prosperously through many prouinces and at length attained vnto Constantinople Where doing reuerence vnto the Emperour Alexius we sawe the Church of Sancta Sophia and kissed diuers sacred reliques Departing thence through Lycia we fell into the hands of the Arabian theeues and after we had bene robbed of infinite summes of money and had lost many of our people hardly escaping with extreame danger of our liues at length wee ioyfully entered into the most wished citie of Ierusalem Where we were receiued by the most reuerend aged and holy patriarke Sophronius with great melodie of cymbals and with torch-light and were accompanied vnto the most diuine Church of our Sauiour his sepulchre with a solemne procession aswell of Syrians as of Latines Here how many prayers we vttered what abundance of teares we shed what deepe sighs we breathed foorth our Lord Iesus Christ onely knoweth Wherefore being conducted from the most glorious sepulchre of Christ to visite other sacred monuments of the citie we saw with weeping eyes a great number of holy Churches and oratories which Achim the Souldan of Egypt had lately destroyed And so hauing bewailed with sadde teares and most sorowful and bleeding affections all the ruines of that most holy city both within and without and hauing bestowed money for the reedifying of some we desired with most ardent deuotion to go forth into the countrey to wash our selues in the most sacred riuer of Iordan and to kisse all the steppes of Christ. Howbeit the theeuish Arabians lurking vpon euery way would not suffer vs to trauell farre from the city by reason of their huge and furious multitudes Wherefore about the spring there arriued at the port of Ioppa a fleet of ships from Genoa In which fleet when the Christian merchants had exchanged all their wares at the coast townes and had likewise visited the holy plâ—ces wee all of vs embarked committing our selues to the seas and being tossed with many stormes and tempests at length wee arriued at Brundusium and so with a prosperous iourney trauelling thorow Apulia towaâ—ds Rome we there visited the habitations of the holy apostles Peter and Paul and did reuerence vnto diuers monuments of holy martyrs in all places thorowout the city From thence the archbishops and other princes of the empire trauelling towards the right hand for Alemain and we declining towards the left hand for France departed asunder taking our leaues with vnspeakable thankes and courtesies And so at length of thirty horsemen which went out of Normandie fat Iusly and frolique we returned thither skarse twenty poore pilgrims of vs being all footmen and consumed with leannesse to the bare bones ¶ Diuers of the honourable family of the Beauchamps with Robert Curtoys sonne of William the Conqueror made a voyage to Ierusalem 1096. Hol. pag. 22. vol. 2. POpe Vrbane calling a councell at Clermont in Auuergne exhorted the Christian princes so earnestly to make a iourney into the Holy land for the recouery thereof out of the Saracens hands that the saide great and generall iourney was concluded vpon to be taken in hand wherein many noble men of Christendome went vnder the leading of Godfrey of Bouillon others as in the Chronicles of France of Germanie and of the Holy land doeth more plainely appeare There went also among other diuers noble men foorth of this Realme of England specially that worthily bare the surname of Beauchampe ¶ The voyage of Gutuere an English Lady maried to Balduine brother of Godfreide duke of Bouillon toward Ierusalem about 1097. And the 11. yeere of William Rufus King of England THe Christian armie of Godfrie of Bouillon passing the citie of Iconium alias Agogna in the countrey of Licaonia and from thence by the city of Heraclia came at length vnto the citie of Marasia where they encamped and soiourned there three whole dayes because of the wife of Balduine brother germane of the duke of Loraigne Which Lady being long time vexed with a grieuous malady was in extremitie where at length paying the debt due to nature she changed this transitorie lite for life eternall Who in her life time was a very worthy and vertuous Lady borne in England and descended of most noble parentage named Gutuere Which according to her degree was there most honourably enterred to the great griefe of all the whole armie As reporteth William
Archbishop of Tyre lib. 3. cap. 17. hist. belli sacri The same author in the 10. booke first chapter of the same historie concerning the same English Lady writeth further as followeth Baldwine hauing folowed the warres for a time gaue his minde to marriage so that being in England he fell in loue with a very honourable and noble Lady named Gutuere whom he married and caried with him in that first happy expedition wherin he accompanied his brethren the Lords duke Godfrey and Eustace persons very commendable in all vertues and of immortall memorie But he had hard fortune in his iourney because his foresaid wife being wearied with a long sicknes finished her life with a happie end neere the citie of Marasia before the Christian armie came vnto Antioch where she was honourably buried as we haue declarâ—d before ¶ Chronicon Hierosolymitanum in lib. 3. cap. 27. maketh also mention of this English Lady which he calleth Godwera in this maner HAc in regione Maresch vxor Baldewini nobilissima quam de regno Angele eduxit diutina corporis molestia aggrauata duci Godefrido commendata vitam exâ—alauit sepulta Catholicis obsequijs cuius nomen erat Godwera The same in English IN this prouince of Maresch the most noble wife of Baldwine which he caried with him out of England being visited with dayly sicknesses and infirmities of body and commended to the custody of duke Godfrey departed out of this life and was buried after the Christian maner Her name was Godwera ¶ The voyage of Edgar the sonne of Edward which was the sonne of Edmund surnamed Ironside brother vnto K. Edward the confessor being accompanied with valiant Robert the sonne of Godwin vnto Ierusalem in the yeere of our Lord 1102. Recorded by William of Malmesburie lib. 3. histo fol. 58. SVbsequenti tempore cum Roberto filio Godwini milite audacissimo Edgarus Hierosolymam pertendit Illud fuit tempus quo Turci Baldwinum regem apud Ramas obsederunt qui cum obsidionis iniuriam ferre nequiret per medias hostium acies effugit solius Roberti opera liberatus praeeuntis euaginato gladio dexâ—ra leuaque Turcos caedentis Sed cum successu ipso truculentior alacritate nimia procutreret ensis manu excidit Ad quem recolligendum cum se inclinasset omnium incursu oppressus vinculis palmas dedit Inde Babyloniam vt aiunt ductus cum Christum abnegare nollet in medio foro ad signum positus sagittis terebratus martyrium consecrauit Edgarus amisso milite regressus multaque beneficia ab Imperatoribus Graecorum Alemannorum adeptus quippè qui etiam cum retinere pro generis amplitudine tentassent omnia pro natalis soli desiderio spreuit Quosdam enim profectò fallie amor patriae vt nihil eis videatur iucundum nisi consuetum hauserint coelum Vndè Edgarus fatua cupidine illusus Angliam redijt vbi vt superius dixi diuerso fortunae ludicro rotatus nunc remotus tacitus canos suos in agro consumit The same in English AFterward Edgar being sonne vnto the nephewe of Edward the confessour traueiled with Robert the sonne of Godwin a most valiant knight vnto Ierusalem And it was at the same time when the Turkes besieged king Baldwin at Rama who not being able to endure the straight siege was by the helpe of Robert especially going before him and with his drawen sword making a lane and slaying the Turkes on his right hande and on his left deliuered out of that danger and escaped through the midst of his enemies campe But vpon his happie successe being more eager and fierce as hee went forward somewhat too hastily his sworde fell out of his hand Which as he stouped to take vp being oppressed with the whole multitude hee was there taken and bound From whence as some say being carried vnto Babylon or Alcair in Egypt when he would not renounce Christ he was tyed vnto a stake in the midst of the market place and being shot through with arrowes died a martyr Edgar hauing lost his knight returned and being honoured with many rewards both by the Greekish and by the Germaine Emperour who both of them would right gladly haue entertained him stil for his great nobilitie contemned all things in respect of his natiue soile For in very deede some are so inueagled with the loue of their countrey that nothing can seeme pleasant vnto them vnlesse they breath in the same aire where they were bred Wherefore Edgar being misledde with a fond affection returned into England and afterward being subiect vnto diuers changes of fortune as we haue aboue signified he spendeth now his extreeme olde age in an obscure and priuate place of the countrey ¶ Mention made of one Godericus a valiant Englishman who was with his ships in the voyage vnto the Holy land in the second yeere of Baldwine King of Ierusalem in the third yere of Henry the first of England CHronicon Hierosolymitanum lib. 9. cap. 9. Verùm dehinc septem diebus euolutis rex ab Assur exiens nauem quae dicitur Buza ascendit cum eo Godericus pirata de regno Angliae ac vexillo hastae praefixo elato in aëre ad radios solis vsque Iaphet cum paucis nauigauit vt hoc eius signo ciues Christiani recognito fiduciam vitae regis haberent non facile hostiuÌ„ minis pauefacti turpiter diffugium facerent aut vrbem reddere cogerentur Sciebat enim eos multum de vita salute eius desperare Saraceni auteÌ„ viso eius signo recognito ea parte que vrbem nauigio cingebat illi in galeis viginti Carinis tredecim quas vulgo appellant Câ—zh occurrerunt volentes Buzam regis coronare Sed Dei auxilio vndis maris illis exaduerso tumescentibus ac reluctantibus Buza autem regis facili agili cursu inter procellas labente ac volitante in portu Ioppae delusis hostibus subitò affuit sex ex Saracenis in arcu suo in nauicula percussis ac vulneratis Intrans itaque ciuitatem dum incolumis omnium pateret oculis reuixit spiritus cunctorum gementium de eius morte hactenus dolentium eo quòd caput rex Christianorum princeps Hierusalem adhuc viuus incolumis receptus sit The same in English BUt seuen dayes afterward the King comming out of the towne of Assur entred into a shippe called a Busse and one Godericke a pirate of the kingdome of England with him and fastening his banner on the toppe of a speare and holding it vp aloft in the aire against the beames of the Sunne sailed vnto Iâ—phet with a small company That the Christian Citizens there seeing this his banner might conceiue hope that the King was yet liuing and being not easâ—ily terrified with the threates of the enemies might shamefully runne away or be constrained to yeeld vp the citie For hee knew that they were very much out
toward the North are the kingdoms of Gambra and Budomel not farre from the riuer of Senega And from hence toward the inland regions and along by the sea coast are the regions of Ginoia or Guinea which we commonly call Ginnee On the Westside of these regions toward the Ocean is the cape or point called Cabo verde or Caput viride that is the greene cape to the which the Portugals first direct their course when they saile to America or the land of Brasile Then departing from hence they turne to the right hand toward the quarter of the winde called Garbino which is betweene the West and the South But to speake some what more of AEthiopia although there are many nations of people so named yet is Aethiopia chiefly diuided into two parts whereof the one is called Aethiopia vnder Aegypt a great rich region To this perteineth the Island Meroe imbraced round about with the stremes of the riuer Nilus In this Island women reigned in old time Iosephus writeth that it was sometime called Sabea and that the Queene of Saba came from thence to Ierusalem to heare the wisedom of Salomon FroÌ„ hence toward the East reigneth the said Christian Emperor Prester Iohn whom some cal Papa Iohannes other say that he is called Pean Iuan that is great Iohn whose Empire reacheth far beyond Nilus and is extended to the coasts of the Red sea Indian sea The middle of the region is almost in 66. degrees of longitude and 12. degrees of latitude About this region inhabite the people called Clodi Risophagi Babylonij Axiunitae Molili and Molibae After these is the region called Troglodytica whose inhabitantsâ— dwel in caues and dennes for these are their houses the flesh of serpents their meat as writeth Plinie and Diodorus Siculus They haue no speachâ— but rather a grinning and chattering There are also people without heads called Blemines hauing their eyes and mouth in their breast Likewise Strucophagi and naked Ganphasantes Satyrs also which haue nothing of men but onely shape Moreouer Oripei great hunters Mennones also and the region of Smyrnophora which bringeth foorth myrthe After these is the region of Azania in the which many Elephants are found A great part of the other regions of Africke that are beyond the Aequinoctiall line are now ascribed to the kingdome of Melinde whose inhabitants are accustomed to trafique with the nations of Arabia and their king is ioyned in friendship with the king of Portugal and payeth tribute to Prester Iohn The other Ethiope called AEthiopia interior that is the inner Ethiope is not yet knowne for the greatnesse thereof but onely by the sea coastes yet is it described in this maner First from the Aequinoctiall toward y e South is a great region of Aethiopians which bringeth forth white Elephants Tygers and the beastes called Rhinocerotes Also a region that bringeth foorth plenty of cynamoâ—e lying betweene the branches of Nilus Also the kingdome of Habech or Habasia a region of Christian men lying both on this side and beyond Nilus Here are also the Aethiopians called Ichthiophagi that is such as liue onely by fish and were sometimes subdued by the warres of great Alexander Furthermore the Aethiopians called Rhapsij Anthropophâ—gi y t are accustomed to eat mans flesh inhabite the regions neere vnto the mountains called Monteâ— Lunae that is the mountaines of the Moone Gazatia is vnder the Tropike of Capricorne After this followeth the front of Afrike the Cape of Buena Speranza or Caput Bonae Spei that is the Cape of good hope by the which they passe that saile from Lisbon to Calicut But by what names the Capes and gulfes are called forasmuch as the same are in euery globe and card it were here superfluous to rehearse them Some write that Africa was so named by the Grecians because it is without colde For the Greeke letter Alpha or A signifieth priuation voyd or without and Phrice signifieth colde For in deed although in the stead of Winter they haue a cloudy and tempestuous season yet is it not colde but rather smoothering hote with hote showres of raine also and somewhere such scorching windes that what by one meanes and other they seeme at certaine times to liue as it were iâ— fornaces and in maner already halfe way in Purgatorie or hell Gemma Phrisius writeth that iâ— certaine parts of Africa as in Atlas the greater the aire in the night season is seene shining with many strange fires and flames rising in maner as high as the Moone and that in the element are sometime heard as it were the sound of pipes trumpets and drummes which noises may perhaps be caused by the vehement and sundry motions of such firie exhalations in the aire as we see the like in many experiences wrought by fire aire and winde The hollownesse also and diuers reflexions and breaking of the cloudes may be great causes hereof beside the vehement colde of the middle region of the aire whereby the said fiery exhalations ascending thither are suddenly stricken backe with great force for euen common and dayly experience teacheth vs by the whissing of a burning torch what noise fire maketh in the aire and much more where it striueth when it is inclosed with aire as appeareth in gunnes and as the like is seene in onely aire inclosed as in Organ pipes and such other instruments that go by winde For winde as say the Philosophers is none other then aire vehemently moued as we see in a paire of bellowes and such other Some of our men of good credit that were in this last voiage to Guinea affirme earnestly that in the night season they felt a sensible heat to come from the beames of the moone The which thing although it be strange and insensible to vs that inhabite cold regions yet doeth it stand with good reason that it may so be forasmuch as the nature of starres and planets as writeth Plinie consisteth of fire and conteineth in it a spirit of life which cannot be without heat And that the Moone giueth heate vpon the earth the Prophet Dauid seemeth to confirme in his 121. Psalme where speaking of such men as are defended from euils by Gods protection hee saith thus Per diem Sol non exuret te nec Luna per noctem That is to say In the day the Sunne shall not burne thee nor the Moone by night They say furthermore that in certaine places of the sea they saw certaine streames of water which they call spouts falling out of the aire into the sea that some of these are as bigge as the great pillars of Churches insomuch that sometimes they fall into shippes and put them in great danger of drowning Some faine that these should be the Cataracts of heauen which were all opened at
Noes floud But I thinke them rather to be such fluxions and eruptions as Aristotle in his booke de Mundo saith to chance in the sea For speaking of such strange things as are seene often times in the sea he writeth thus Oftentimes also euen in the sea are seene euaporations of fire and such eruptions and breaking foorth of springs that the mouthes of riuers are opened Whirlepooles and fluxions are caused of such other vehement motions not only in the middest of the sea but also in creeks streights At certaine times also a great quantity of water is suddenly lifted vp and carried about with the Moone c. By which wordes of Aristotle it doth appeare that such waters be lifted vp in one place at one time and suddenly fall downe in an other place at another time And here unto perhaps perteineth it that Richard Chanceller told me that he heard Sebastian Cabot report that as farre as I remember either about the coasts of Brasile or Rio de Plata his shippe or pinnesse was suddenly lifted from the sea and cast vpon land I wot not howe farre The which thing and such other like wonderfull and strange workes of nature while I consider and call to remembrance the narrownesse of mans vnderstanding and knowledge in comparison of her mightie power I can but cease to maruell and confesse with Plinie that nothing is to her impossible the least part of whose power is not yet knowen to men Many things more our men saw and considered in this voyage woorthy to be noted whereof I haue thought good to put some in memory that the reader may aswell take pleasure in the variety of things as knowledge of the historie Among other things therefore touching the maners and nature of the people this may seeme strange that their princes noble men vse to pounce and rase their skinnes with pretie knots in diuers formes as it were branched damaske thinking that to be a decent ornament And albeit they goe in maner all naked yet are many of them especialy their women in maner laden with collars bracelets hoopes and chaines either of gold copper or iuory I my selfe haue one of their brasâ—ets of Iuory weighing two pound and sixe ounces of Troy weight which make eight and thirtie ounces this one of their women did weare vpon her arme It is made of one whole piece of the biggest part of the tooth turned and somewhat carued with a hole in the midst wherin they put their hands to weare it on their arme Some haue on euery arme one and as many on their legges wherewith some of them are so galled that although they are in maner made lame thereby yet will they by no meanes leaue them off Some weare also on their legges great shackles of bright copper which they thinke to bee no lesse comely They weare also collars bracelets garlands and girdles of certain blew stones like beads Likewise some of their women weare on their bare armes certaine foresleeues made of the plates of beaten golde On their fingers also they weare rings made of golden wires with a knot or wreath like vnto that which children make in a ring of a rush Among other things of golde that our men bought of them for exchange of their wares were certaine dogs-chaines and collers They are very wary people in their bargaining and will not lose one sparke of golde of any value They vse weights and measures and are very circumspect in occupying the same They that shall haue to doe with them must vse them gently for they will not trafique or bring in any wares if they be euill vsed At the first voyage that our men had into these parties it so chanced that at their departure from the first place where they did trafick one of them either stole a muske Cat or tooke her away by force not mistrusting that that should haue hindered their bargaining in another place whither they intended to goe But for all the haste they coulde make with full sailes the fame of their misusage so preuented them that the people of that place also offended thereby would bring in no wares insomuch that they were inforced either to restore the Cat or pay for her at their price before they could trafique there Their houses are made of foure postes or trees and couered with boughes Their common feeding is of roots such fishes as they take whereof they haue great plenty There are also such flying fishes as are seene in the sea of the West Indies Our men salted of their fishes hoping to prouide store thereof but they would take no salt and must therfore be eaten forthwith as some say Howbeit other affirme that if they be salted immediatly after they be taken they wil last vncorrupted ten or twelue dayes But this is more strange that part of such flesh as they caried with them out of England which putrified there became sweete againe at their returne to the clime of temperate regions They vse also a strange making of bread in this maner They grinde betweene two stones with their handes as much corne as they thinke may suffice their family and when they haue thus brought it to floure they put thereto a certaine quantitie of water and make thereof very thinne dough which they sticke vpon some post of their houses where it is baked by the heate of the Sunne so that when the master of the house or any of his family will eate thereof they take it downe and eate it They haue very faire wheate the eare whereof is two handfuls in length and as bigge as a great Bulrush and almost foure inches about where it is biggest The stemme or straw seemeth to be almost as bigge as the litle finger of a mans hand or litle lesse The graines of this wheate are as big as our person round also and very white and somewhat shining like pearles that haue lost their colour Almost all the substance of them turneth into floure maketh litle bran or none I told in one eare two hundred threescore graines The eare is inclosed in three blades longer then it selfe of two inches broad a piece And by this fruitfulnes the Sunne seemeth partly to recompence such griefes and molestations as they otherwise receiue by the feruent heate thereof It is doubtlesse a worthy coÌ„templation to consider the contrary effects of the sunne or rather the contrary passions of such things as receiue the influence of his beames either to their hurt or benefit Their drinke is either water or the iuise that droppeth from the cut branches of the barren Date trees called Palmitos For either they hang great gourdes at the said branches euery euening and let them so hang all night or else they set them on the ground vnder the trees that the droppes may fall therein They say that this kinde of drinke is