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
to the Ambassages Letters Traffiques and prohibition of Traffiques concluding and repealing of leagues damages reprisals arrests complaints supplications compositions and restitutions which happened in the time oâ— king Richard the 2. and king Henry the 4. between the said kings and their subiects on the one partie and Conradus de Zolner Conradus de Iungingen and Vlricus de Iungingen three of the great masters of Prussia and their subiects with the common societie of the Hans-townes on the other partie In all which discourse you may note very many memorable things as namely first the wise discreet and caâ—telous dealing of the Ambassadors and Commissioners of both parts then the wealth of the foresaid nations and their manifold and most vsuall kinds of wares vttered in those dayes as likewise the qualitie burthen and strength of their shipping the number of their Mariners the maner of their combates at sea the number and names of the English townes which traded that way with the particular places as well vpon the coast of Norway as euery where within the sound of Denmark which they frequented together with the inâ—eterate malice and craftie crueltie of the Hanse And because the name office and dignitie of the masters generall or great Masters of Prussia would otherwise haue bene vtterly darke and vnknowen to the greater part of Readers I haue set downe immediatly before the first Prussian ambassage pagina 144 a briefe and orderly Catalogue of them all contayning the first originall and institution of themselues and of their whole knightly order and brotherhood with the increase of reuenues and wealth which befell them afterward in Italy and Germany and the great conquests which they atchieued vpon the infidels of Prussia Samogitia Curland Liefland Lituania c. also their decay and finall ouerthrow partly by the reuolt of diâ—ers Townes and Castles vnder their iurisdiction and partly by the meanes of their next mightie neighbour the King of Poland After all these out of 2. branches of 2. ancient statutes is partly shewed our trade and the successe thereof with diuers forren Nations in the time of K. Henry the sixt Then followeth the true processe of English policie I meane that excellent and pithy treatise de politia conseruatiua maris which I cannot to any thing more fitly compare then to the Emperour of Russia his palace called the golden Castle and described by Richard Chanceller pag. 238. of this volume whereof albeit the outward apparance was but homely and no whit correspondent to the name yet was it within so beautified and adorned with the Emperour his maiesticall presence with the honourable and great assembly of his rich-attired Peers and Senatours with an inualuable and huge masse of gold and siluer plate with other princely magnificence that well might the eyes of the beholders be dazeled and their cogitations astonished thereat For indeed the exteriour habit of this our English politician to wit the harsh and vnaffected stile of his substantiall verses and the olde dialect of his wordeâ— is such as the first may seeme to haue bene whistled of Pans oaten pipe and the second to haue proceeded from the mother of Euander but take you off his vtmost weed and beholde the comelinesse beautie and riches which lie hid within his inward sense and sentence and you shall finde I wisse so much true and sound policy so much delightfull and pertinent history so many liuely descriptions of the shipping and wares in his time of all the nations almost in Christendome and such a subtile discouery of outlandish merchants fraud and of the sophistication of their wares that needes you must acknowledge that more matter and substance could in no wise be comprised in so little a roome And notwithstanding as I said his stile be vnpolished and his phrases somewhat out of vse yet so neere as the written copies would giue me leaue I haue most religiously without alteration obserued the same thinking it farre more conuenient that himselfe should speake then that I should bee his spokesman and that the Readers should enioy his true verses then mine or any other mans fained prose Next after the conclusion of the last mentioned discourse the Reader may in some sort take a vieu of our state of merchandise vnder K. Edward the fourth as likewise of the establishing of an English company in the Netherlands and of all the discreet prouisoes iust ordinations gratious priuileges conteined in the large Charter which was granted for the same purpose Now besides our voyages and trades of late yeeres to the North and Northeast regions of the world and our ancient traffique also to those parts I haue not bene vnmindefull so farre as the histories of England and of other Countreys would giue me direction to place in the fore-front of this booke those forren conquests exploits and trauels of our English nation which haue bene atchieued of old Where in the first place as I am credibly informed out of Galfridus Monumetensis and out of M. Lambert his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I haue published vnto the world the noble actes of Arthur and Malgo two British Kings Then followeth in the Saxons time K. Edwin his conquest of Man and Anglesey and the expedition of Bertus into Ireland Next succeedeth Octher making relation of his doings and describing the North Countreys vnto his soueraigne Lord K. Ecfrid After whom Wolstans Nauigation within the Sound of Denmark is mentioned the voyage of the yong Princes Edmund and Edward into Sweden and Hungarie is recorded as likewise the mariage of Harald his daughter vnto the Russian duke Ieruslaus Neither is that Englishman forgotten who was forced to traueile with the cruel Tartars into their Countrey and from thence to beare them company into Hungary and Poland And because those Northeasterne Regions beyond Volga by reason of the huge deserts the colde climate and the barbarous inciuilitie of the people there inhabiting were neuer yet throughly traueiled by any of our Nation nor sufficiently knowen vnto vs I haue here annexed vnto the said Englishmans traueile the rare memorable iournals of 2. Friers who were some of the first Christians that trauailed farthest that way and brought home most particular intelligence knowledge of all things which they had seene These Friers were sent as Ambassadours vnto the sâ—uage Tartars who had as then wasted and ouerrunne a great part of Asia and had pierced farre into Europe with fire and sword to mitigate their fury and to offer the glad tidings of the Gospel vnto them The former namely Iohannes de Plano â—arpini whose iourney because he road sixe moneths poste directly beyond Boristhenes did I thinke both for length and difficultie farre surpasse that of Alexander the great vnto the riuer of Indus was in the yeere 1246. sent with the authoritie and commission of a Legate from Pope Innocentius the fourth who passed through more garisons of the Tartars and wandered ouer more vast barren and cold deserts
thy sake bestowed vpon this first Volume which if thou shalt as thankefully accept as I haue willingly and freely imparted with thee I shall bee the better encouraged speedily to acquaint thee with those rare delightfull and profitable histories which I purpose God willing to publish concerning the Southerne and Westerne partes of the World ¶ Postscriptum Not knowing any other place so conuenient I am here to aduertise the friendly Reader of certaine faultes escaped in the printing of this booke and to request him that in the Page 54. and in the last line saue two hee would in stead of Kine read Swine and he shall thereby auoid a great contradiction likewise pag. 187. that hee would vnto the ende of the second verse of the Prologue to the English Policy make supply of the word Rest which is there wanting also pag. 221. lin 29. for woorthinesse read woorthies c. Other faults if there bee any are I doubt not easily corrigible ΕἸΣ ᾈΠΟΔΗΜΙΑΣ ΒΡΕΤΤΑÎΩΠΠΌÎΗΜΑ ΡΙΧî¿Î¡Î‘ΡΔΟΥ ΤΟΥ á¾ÎšÎ”ΥΙΥΟΥ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In nauales RICHARDI HAKLVYTI Commentarios ANglia magnarum foecunda puerpera rerum siue solum spectes nobile siue salum Quae quantum sumptis se nobilitauerit armis siue domi gessit praelia siue foris Multorum celebrant matura volumina tantae Insula materiem paruula landis alit At se in quot qualésque quando effuderit orâ—s qua fidit ignotum peruia classis iter Solius Hakluyti decus est praediuite penna ostendisse suis ciuibus ausa mari Quaecunque idcirco celeri gens Anglica naui Oceani tristes spernere doctaminas A prima generisque gentis origine gessit qua via per fluctus vlla patere potest Siue decus laudémque secuta vt hostibus alas demeret atque suis laeta pararet opes Hoc opus Hakluyti cui debet patria multum cui multum patriae quisquis amicus erit Qua re námque magis se nostra Britannia iactat quà m quòd sit praeter caetera classe potens Quam prius obsessam tenebris sic liberaâ— vt nunc quisque sciat quà m sit nobile classis opus Quaâ— si Daedalicè vtemur surgemus in altum sin autem â—earicè quod voret aequor habet RICH. MVLCASTER Eiusdem in eundem QVi graui primus cecinit camoena Aureum vellus procerésque Graecos quos sibi adiunxit comites IaÌ„son Vectus in Argo Naue quam primùm secuisse fluctus praedicant salsos sibi comparauit Inde non vnquam moritura magnae praemia famae Tanta si merces calamum secuta Vnicae nauis referentis acta Quanta Richardum manet Hakluytum gloria cuius Penna descripsit freta mille mille Insulae nostrae celeres carinas Quae per immensi loca peruolarunt omnia mundi Senties gratam patriam tuaeque Laudis aeternùm memorem laboris Quae tua cura calamóque totum ibit in orbem Quam doces omni studio fouere Naâ—ticum robur validámque classem Hac luet quisquis violentus Anglos vsserit hostis In eximium opus R. HAKLVYTI de Anglorum ad disiunctissimas regiones nauigationibus GVLIELMI CAMDâ—NI Hexastichon ANglia quae penitùs toto discluditur orbe Angulus orbis erat paruus orbis erat Nunc cùm sepositos alios detexerit orbes Maximus orbis honos Orbis orbis erit At quid Haklute tibi monstranti haec debeat orbis Laus tua crede mihi non erit orbe minor DI MARC ' ANTONIO PIGAfeta Gentilhuomo Vicentino IGnota mi starei con poto honore Sepolta nell ' oscure antiche carte S'alcun de figli mieicon spesa arte Non hauesse hor scoperto il mio splendore Ramusio pria pieno d'ardente amore Manifesto le mie piu riche parte Che son lá doue il Maragnon diparte E doue il Negro allaga e'l Gange scorre Hakluyto poi senza verunrisguardo Di fatica o di danno accolt ' hà insieme Ciò c'hà potuto hauer dâ— typhi Inglesi Onde veâ—rassie doue bella sguardo E la Dwina agghiaccia el'Obi freme Et altri membri mici non ben palesi ¶ A Catalogue of the Voyages of this first volume made to the North and Northeast quarters 1 THe voyage of Arthur K. of Britaine to Island and the most Northeaâ—tern parts of Europe Anno 517. pag. 1. 2 The voyage of Malgo king of Britaine to Island Gotland Orkney Denmark and Norway Anno 580. pag. 3. 3 The conquest of the Isles of Anglesey and Man by Edwin the Saxon king of Northumberland Anno 624. 3. 4 The voyage of Bertus into Ireland Anno 684. 4. 5 The voyage of Octher to the North parts beyond Norway about the yeere 890. 4. 6 The second voyage of Octher into the Sound of Denmarke 5. 7 Wolstans Nauigation into the East sea or the Sound of Denmarke 6. 8 The voyage of King Edgar with 4000. shippes round about his large Monarchie Anno 973. 6. 9 The voyage of Edmund and Edward the sonnes of King Edmund Ironside into Hungary Anno 1017. 9. 10 The mariage of the daughter of Harald vnto Ieruslaus duke of Russia in his owne Countrey Anno 1067. 16. 11 The voyage of a certaine Englishman into Tartaria and from thence into Poland and Hungary Anno 1243. â—0 12 The long and wonderfull voyage of Frier Iohn de Plano Carpini Anno 1246. 21,37,53 13 The iournall of Frier William de Rubricis Anno 1253. 71,93 14 The voyage of Nicolaus de Linna a Franciscan Frier and an excellent Mathematician of Oxford to all the Regions situate vnder the North-pole Anno 1360. 121. 15 The voyage of Henry Earle of Derby afterward King of England into Prussia and Letto Anno 1390. 122. 16 The voyage of Thomas of Woodstock duke of Glocester into Prussia Anno 1391. 123. 17 The voyage of sir Hugh Willoughby knight wherein he vnfortunately perished at Arzina Reca in Lapland Anno 1553. 232. 18 The voyage of Richard Chanceller Pilote maior the first discouerer by sea of the kingdome of Moscouia Anno 1553. 237,243 19 The voyage of Stephen Burrough toward the Riuer of Ob intending the discouery of the Northeast passage Anno 1556. 274. 20 The landing of Richard Iohnson among the Samoeds Anno 1556. 283. 21 The voyage of the aforesaide Stephen Burrough from Colmogro in Russia to Wardhouse in search of certaine English ships not heard-of the yeere before Anno 1557. 290. 22 The voyage of M. Anthony Ienkinson into Russia wherein Osep Napea first Ambassadour from the Emperour of Moscouia to Queene Mary was transported into his Countrey Anno 1557. 310,314 23 The voyage of M. Anthony Ienkinson from the Citie of Mosco in
at Fontanas and Nichoâ—as succeeded in his roome In the yere 1204. Hugo de Lacy inuaded Vlster with an armie and encountered with Iohn de Curcy tooke him prisoner subdued Vlster vnto himselfe Afterward he permitted the said Iohn to goe at libertie who comming vnto king Reginald was honourably enterteined by him because he was his sonne in lawe for Iohn de Curcy had taken to wife Affrica the daughter of Godredus which founded the abbey of S. Mary de iugo domini and was there buried In the yeere 1205. Iohn de Curcy Reginald king of the islands inuading Vlster with a hundreth ships at the port which is called Stranfeord did negligently besiege the castle of Rath but Walter de Lacy coÌ„ming vpoÌ„ them with his armie put them to flight from that time Curcy neuer recouered his land In the yere 1210. Eâ—gus the son of Sumerled his 3. sonnes were slaine At the same time Iohn king of England conducted a fleet of 500. ships into Irland and subdued it vnto himselfe and sending a certaine earle named Fulco vnto the isle of Man his souldiers almost vtterly wasted it in the space of 15. dayes and hauing taken pledges they returned home into their owne countrey King Reginald and his nobles were at this time absent from Man In the yere 1217. deceased Nicolas bishop of the islands and was buried in Vlster in the house of Benchor whom Reginald succeeded I thinke it not amisse to report somewhat more concerning the two foresaid brethren Reginaldus and Olauus REginald gaue vnto his brother Olauus the island called Lodhus or Lewes which is saide to be larger then the rest of the islands but almost destitute of inhabitants because it is so ful of mountaines quarreis being almost no where fit for tillage Howbeit the inhabitants thereof do liue for the most part vpon hunting and fishing Olauus therefore went to take possession of this Island and dwelt therein leading a poore life and when he saw that it would by no meanes suffice for the sustentation of himselfe his folowers hee went boldly vnto his brother Reginald who as then remained in the islands spake on this wise vnto him My brother said he and my lord and king you know that the kingdom of the islands pertained vnto me by right of inheritance howbeit because the Lord had chosen you to beare the scepter I doe not enuie that honour vnto you neither doeth it any whit grieue mee that you are exalted vnto this royall dignitie Nowe therefore I beseech you to prouide mee some portion of land in the islands whereby I may honestly liue For the Island of Lewis which you gaue me is not sufficient for my maintenance Which his brother Reginald hearing said that he would consult about the premisses And on the morow when Olauus was sent for to parle Reginald coÌ„manded him to be attached and to be caried vnto William king of Scotland and with him to remaine prisoner and Olauus remained in prison almost for the space of 7. yeres But at the 7. yeres end William king of Scots deceased and Alexander his sonne reigned in his stead The foresaid William before his death commanded that all prisoners should be set at libertie Olauus therefore being at libertie came vnto Man and immediatly with a great company of nobles tooke his iourney vnto S. Iames and his brother Reginald caused the said Olauus to take vnto wife the daughter of a certaine noble man of Kentyre cousine german vnto his owne wife by name being called Lauon and he granted vnto him the possession of Lewis After a few dayes Reginald the bishop of the Islands hauing gathered a Synod separated Olauus and Godred his sonne and Lauon his wife namely because shee was cousin german vnto his former wife Afterward Olauus maried Scristina daughter vnto Ferkarus earle of Rosse Hereupon the wife of Reginald Queene of the Islands being incensed sent letters vnto the Island of Sky in K. Reginald his name to her sonne Godred willing him to take Olauus Which coÌ„mandement Godred putting in practise entring the isle of Lewis for y e same purpose Olauus fled in a litle skiffe vnto his father in law the earle of Rosse in the meane time Godred wasted the isle of Lewis At the very same time Pol the son of Boke vicount of Sky being a man of power in al the Islands because he would not consent vnto Godred fled dwelt together with Olauus in the dominions of the earle of Rosse making a league with Olauus they went both in a ship vnto Sky To be short sending certaine spies they were informed that Godred remained secure with a smal company in a certaine Isle called y e isle of S. Columba And vniting vnto themselues their friends and acquaintance others that would goe voluntarily with them in the dead of the night hauing lanched 5. ships from the next sea-shore which was distant about the space of 2. furlongs from the foresaid Island they enuironed the said Island on all sides Now Godred and his company rising early in the morning and seeing themselues beset with their enemies on all sides they were vtterly astonied Howbeit arming themselues they began stoutly to make resistance but altogether in vaine For about 9. of the clocke in the morning Olauus and the foresaid vicount Pol with al their souldiers entred the Island and hauing slaine all whom they found without the precincts of the Church they apprehended Godred gelding him and putting out his eyes Unto which action Olauus gaue not his coÌ„sent neither could he withstand it by reason of the forenamed vicount the son of Boke This was done in the yere of Christ 1223. The next sommer folowing Olauus hauing receiued pledges from all the chiefe men of the Islands with a fleet of 32. ships sailed vnto Man and arriued at Rognolfwaht At the same time Reginald and Olauus diuided the kingdome of the Islands betweene themselues Man being granted vnto Reginald besides his portion the name of a king also Olauus hauing receiued certaine victuals of the people of Man returned together with his company vnto his owne portion of Islands The yeere folowing Reginald taking vnto him Alanus lord of Galway together with his subiects of Man sailed vnto the Islands that hee might take away that portion of ground from his brother Olauus which he had granted vnto him and subdue it vnto himselfe Howbeit by reason that the people of Man had no list to fight against Olauus or the Islanders because they bare good will towards them Reginald and Alanus lord of Galway being defeated of their purpose returned home vnto their owne Within a short space after Reginald vnder pretense of going vnto the Court of his lord the king of England receiued an 100. markes of the people of Man and tooke his iourney vnto Alanus lord of Galway Which the people of Man hearing tooke great indignation thereat insomuch that they sent for
created knight In y e yere 1257. the Church of S. Maries of Russin was dedicated by Richard bishop of Soder In the yeere 1260. Haco king of Norway came into the parts of Scotland and without atchieuing ought turning his course towards the Orcades he there deceased at Kirwas and was buried at Bergen In the yeere 1265. Magnus the sonne of Olauus king of Man and of the Islands died at the castle of Russin and was buried at the Church of S. Mary at Russin In the yere 1266. the kingdome of the Islands was translated vnto Alexander king of Scots That which followeth was written in a new character or letter and of a diuers kinde from the former IN the yeere 1270. vpon the seuenth day of October the Fleete of Alexander king of Scots arriued at Roghalwath and the next day before the Sunne rising there was a battell fought betweene the Mannians and the Scots in the which conflict there were slaine 535. Mannians whereupon a certaine versifier writeth to this effect Fiue hundreth fourtie men are slaine against ill haps Yee Mannians arme your selues for feare of afterclaps In the yeere 1313. Robert king of Scots besieged the castle of Russin which Dingawy Dowil held against him howbeit at the last the king tooke the castle In the yeere 1316. vpon the feast of Ascension Richard le Mandeuile and his brethren with diuers great personages of Irland arriued at Ramaldwath demaunding to haue victuals and money ministred vnto them because they had bene spoyled by their enemies which made continuall warre vpon them But when the whole company of the Mannians answered that they would giue nothing they proceeded against them in warlike maner with two bands till they were come vnder the side of the hill called Warthsel in the fielde where Iohn Mandeuile remained and there hauing fought a battell the Irish ouercame the people of Man and spoiled the Island and the Abbey of Russin also and when they had reueled a whole moneth in the Island lading their ships they returned home The mariage of the daughter of Harald slaine by VVilliam the Conquerour vnto Ieruslaus duke of Russia taken out of the 9. Booke of the Danish historie written by Saxo Grammaticus An. D. 1067. HAraldo caefo filij eius duo confestim in Daniam cum sorore migrarunt Quos Sweno paterni illorum meriti oblitus consanguineae pietatis more accepit puellamque Ruthenorum regi Waldemaro qui ipse Iarislaus a suis est appellatus nuptum dedit Eidem postmodùm nostri temporis dux v◠sanguinis ita nominis haeres ex filia nepos obuenit Itaque hinc Britannicus indè Eous sanguis in salutarem nostri principis ortum confluens communem stirpem duarum gentium ornamentum effecit The same in English HArald being slaine his two sonnes with their sister sped themselues immediatly into Denmarke Whom Sweno forgetting their fathers deserts receiued in most kinde and friendly maner and bestowed the yong damosell in mariag◠vpon Waldemarus king of Russia who was also called by his subiects Iarislaus Afterward the said Waldemarus had by his daughter a nephew being duke at this present who succeeded his predecessour both in line al descent and in name also Wherefore the English blood on the one side and the Russian on the other side concurring to the ioyfull birth of our prince caused that mutual kinred to be an ornament vnto both nations The state of the shipping of the Cinque ports from Edward the Confessour and William the Conquerour and so downe to Edward the first faithfully gathered by the learned Gentleman M. William Lambert in his Perambulation of Kent out of the most ancient Records of England I Finde in the booke of the generall suruey of the Realme which William the Conquerour caused to bee made in the fourth yeere of his reigne and to be called Domesday because as Matthew Parise saith it spared no man but iudged all men indifferently as the Lord in that great day wil do that Douer Sandwich and Rumney were in the time of K. Edward the Confessour discharged almost of all maner of impositions and burdens which other townes did beare in consideration of such seruice to bee done by them vpon the Sea as in their special titles shall hereafter appeare Whereupon although I might ground reasonable coniecture that the immunitie of the hauen Townes which we nowe call by a certaine number the Cinque Ports might take their beginning from the same Edward yet for as much as I read in the Chartre of K. Edward the first after the conquest which is reported in our booke of Entries A recitall of the graunts of sundry kings to the Fiue Ports the same reaching no higher then to William the Conquerour I will leaue my coniecture and leane to his Chartre contenting my selfe to yeelde to the Conquerour the thankes of other mens benefits seeing those which were benefited were wisely contented as the case then stood to like better of his confirmation or second gift then of K. Edwards first graunt and endowment And to the ende that I may proceed in some maner of array I will first shewe which Townes were at the beginning taken for the Fiue Ports and what others be now reputed in the same number secondly what seruice they ought and did in times passed and lastly what priuiledges they haue therefore and by what persons they haue bene gouerned If I should iudge by the common and rude verse Douer Sandwicus Ry Rum Frigmare ventus I must say that Douer Sandwich Rie Rumney and Winchelsey for that is Frigmare ventus be the Fiue Ports Againe if I should be ruled by the Rolle which reciteth the Ports that send Barons to the Parliament I must then adde to these Hastings and Hyde for they also haue their Barons as well as the other and so should I not onely not shew which were the first Fiue but also by addition of two others increase both the number and doubtfulnesse Leauing the verse therefore for ignorance of the authour and suspition of his authoritie and forsaking the Rolle as not assured of the antiquitie I will flee to Henry Bracton a man both ancient learned and credible which liued vnder K. Henry the thirde and wrote aboue three hundreth yeeres since learnedly of the lawes of this Realme He I say in the third booke of his worke and treatise of the Crowne taking in hand to shewe the articles inquirable before the Iustice in Eire or Itinerent as we called them because they vsed to ride from place to place throughout the Realme for administration of iustice setteth forth a special fourme of writs to be directed seuerally to the Bailifes of Hastings Hithe Rumney Douer and Sandwich commanding them that they should cause twentie foure of their Barons for so their Burgesses or townesmen and the citizens of London likewise were wont to be termed to appeare before the Kings Iustices at Shipwey in
sueramus eisdem in processu nostro ad Tartaros consilium habentes responderunt nobis communiter dicentes quòd Dominum Papam habere vellent in specialem Dominum in patrem sanctam quoque Romanam Ecclesiam in dominam magistram confirmantes etiam omnia quae priùs de hac materia per Abbatem suum transmiserant Et super hoc etiam nobiscum ad Dominum Papam nuncios suos literas transmiserunt The voyage of Iohannes de Plano Carpini vnto the Northeast parts of the world in the yeere of our Lord 1246. Of the first sending of certaine Friers Predicants and Minorites vnto the Tartars taken out of the 32. Booke of Vincentius Belaucensis his Speculum Historiale beginning at the second Chapter ABout this time also Pope Innocentius the fourth sent Frier Ascelline being oâ—e of the order of the Praedicants together with three other Friers of the same authoritie whereunto they were called consorted with him out of diuers Couens of their order with letters Apostolicall vnto the Tartars campe wherein hee exhorted them to giue ouer their bloudie slaughter of mankinde and to receiue the Christian faith And I in verie deede receiued the relations concerning the deedes of the Tartars onelie which according to the congruence of times I have aboue inserted into this my woorke from a Frier Minorite called Simon de Sanct. Quintin who lately returned from the same voyage And at that verie time also there was a certaine other Frier Minorite namely Frier Iohn de Plano Carpini sent with certaine associates vnto the Tartars who likewise as himselfe witnesseth abode and conuersed with them a yeere and three moneths at the least For both he one Frier Benedict a Polonian being of the same order and a partaker of all his miserie and tribulation receiued straight commaundement from the Pope that both of them shoulde diligently searche out all things that concerned the state of the Tartars And therefore this Frier Iohn hath written a little Historie which is come to our hands such things as with his owne eyes hee sawe among the Tartars or which he heard from diuers Christians worthy of credit remaining there in captiuitie Out of which historie I thought good by way of conclusion to insert somewhat for the supply of those things which are wanting in the said Frier Simon Of the situation and qualitie of the Tartars land By Iohannes de Plano Carpini Chap. 3. THere is towards the East a land which is called Mongal or Tartaria lying in that part of the worlde which is thought to be most North Easterly On the East part it hath the countrey of Kythay and of the people called Solangi on the South part the countrey of the Saracens on the South east the land of the Huini and on the West the prouince of Naâ—mani but on the North side it is inuironed with the Ocean Sea In some part thereof it is full of mountaines and in other places plaine and smoothe grounde but euerie where sandie and barren neither is the hundreth part thereof fruitefull For it cannot beare fruite vnlesse it be moistened with riuer waters which bee verie rare in that countrey Wherevpon they haue neither villages nor cities among them except one which is called Cracurim and is said to be a proper towne We our selues sawe not this towne but were almost within halfe a dayes iourney thereof when we remained at Syra Orda which is the great court of their Emperour And albeit the foresaid lande is otherwise vnfruitfull yet is it very commodious for the bringing vp of cattell In certaine places thereof are some small store of trees growing but otherwise it is altogether destitute of woods Therefore the Emperour and his noble men and all other warme themselues and dresse their meate with fires made of the doung of oxen and horses The ayre also in that countrey is verie intemperate For in the midst of Sommer there be great thunders and lightnings by the which many men are slaine and at the same time there falleth great abundance of snowe There bee also such mightie tempestes of colde wiâ—des that sometimes men are not able to sitte on the horsebacke Whereupon being neere vnto the Orda for by this name they call the habitatious of their Emperours and noble men in regarde of the great winde we were constrained to lye greueling on the earth and could not see by reason of the dust There is neuer any raine in Winter but onely in Sommer albeit in so little quantitie that sometimes it scarcely sufficeth to allay the dust or to moysten the rootes of the grasse There is often times great store of haile also Insomuch that when the Emperour elect was to be placed in his Emperiall throne myselfe being then present there fell such abundance of haile that vpon the sudden melting thereof more then 160. persons were drowned in the same place there were manie tentes and other thinges also caried away Likewise in the Sommer season there is on the sudden extreame heate and suddenly againe intollerable colde Of their forme habite and maner of liuing Chap. 4. THe Mongals or Tartars in outward shape are vnlike to all other people For they are broader betweene the eyes and the balles of their cheekes then men of other nations bee They haue flat and small noses litle eyes and eye liddes standing streight vpright they are shauen on the crownes like priests They weare their haire somewhat longer about their eares then vpon their foreheads but behinde they let it growe long like womans haire whereof they braide two lockes binding eche of them behind either eare They haue short feet also The garments as well of their men as of their women are all of one fashion They vse neither cloakes hattes nor cappes But they weare Iackets framed after a strange manner of buckeram skarlet or Baldakines Their shoubes or gownes are hayrie on the outside and open behinde with tailes hanging downe to their hammes They vse not to washe their garments neither will in any wise suffer them to bee washed especially in the time of thunder Their habitations bee rounde and cunningly made with wickers and staues in manner of a tent But in the middest of the toppes thereof they haue a window open to conuey the light in and the smoake out For their fire is alwayes in the middest Their walles bee couered with felt Their doores are made of felte also Some of these Tabernacles may quickely be taken asunder and set together againe and are caried vpon beastes backes Other some cannot be taken infunder but are stowed vpon carts And whithersoeuer they goe be it either to warre or to any other place they transport their tabernacles with them They are very rich in cattel as in camels oxen sheep and goats And I thinke they haue more horses and mares then all the world besides But they haue no kine
naturam bubali quia si vident hominem indutum rubeis insiliunt in eum volentes interficere Post illos sunt Tebet homines solentes comedere parentes suos defunctos vt causa pietatis non facerent aliud sepulchrum eis nisi viscera sua Modo â—amen hoc dimiserunt quia abominabiles erant omni nationi Tamen adhuc faciunt pulchros ciphos de capitibus parentum vt illis bibentes habeant memoriam eorum in iocuâ—ditate sua Hoc dixit mihi qui viderat Isti habent multum de auro in terra sua Vnde qui indiget auro fodit donec reperiat accipiat quando indiget residuum condens in terra quia si reponeret in arca vel in thesauro crederet quod Deus aâ—feâ—ret ei aliud quod est in terra De istis hominibus vidi personas multum deformes Tangut vidi homines magnos sed fuscos Iugures sunt mediocris staturae sicut nostri Apud Iugures est fons radix ideomatis Turci Comanici Post Tebet sunt Langa Solanga quorum nuncios vidi in curia Qui adduxerant magnas bigas plusquam decem quarum quaelibet trahebatur sex bobus Isti sunt parui homines fusci sicut Hispani habent tunicas si cut supertunicale diaconi manicis parum strictioribus habent in capitibus mitras sicut episcopi Sed pars anterior est parum interior quà m posterior non terminatur in vnum angulum sed sunt quadrae desuper sunt de stramine rigidato per calorem magnum limato in tantum quod fulget ad radium solis sicut speculum vel galea bene burnita Et circa tempora habent longas bendas de eadem materia assutas ipsi mitrae quae se extendunt ad ventum sicut duo cornua egredientia de temporibus Et quando ventus nimis iactat eas plicant eas per medium mitrae superius à tempore in tempus iacent sicut circulus ex transuerso capitis Et principalis nuncius quando veniebat ad curiam habebat tabulam de dente elephantino ad longitudinem vnius cubiti ad latitudinem vnius palmi rasam multum Et quandocunque loquebatur ipsi Cham vel alicui magno viro semper aspiciebat in illam tabulam acsi inueniret ibi ea quae dicebat nec respiciebat ad dextram vel sinistram nec in faciem illius cui loquebatur Etiam accedens coram domino recedens nusquam respicit nisi in tabulam suam Vltra istos sunt alij homines vt intellexi pro vero qui dicuntur Muc qui habent villas sed nulla animalia sibi appropriant tamen sunt multi greges multa armenta in terra ipsorum nullus custodit ea Sed cum aliquis indiget aliquo ascendit collem clamat omnia animalia audientia clamorem accedunt circa illum permitâ—unt se tractari quasi domestica Et si nuncius vel aliâ—uis extraneus accedat ad regionem illam ipsi includunt eum in domo ministrant ei necessaria donâ—â— negocium eius fuerit expeditum Quia si iret extraneus per regionem animalia ad odorem eius fugerent efficerentur syluestria Vltra est magna Cathaya cuius incolae antiquitus vt credo dicebantur Seres Ab ipsis enim veniunt optimi pannâ— serici Et ille populus dicitur Seres a quodam oppido eorum Bene intellexi quod in illa regione est oppidum habens muros argenteos propugnacula aurea In ista terra sunt multae prouinciae quarum plures adhuc non obediunt Moallis Et inter* Aliqua desiderantur The iournal of frier William de Rubruquis a French man of the order of the minorite friers vnto the East parts of the worlde An. Dom. 1253. TO his most Soueraigne most Christian Lord Lewis by Gods grace the renowmed king of France frier William de Rubruk the meanest of the Minorites order wisheth health coÌ„tinual triumph in CHRIST It is written in the booke of Ecclesiasticus concerning the wise man He shall trauell into forren countries and good and euill shall he trie in all things The very same action my lord and king haue I atchieued howbeit I wish that I haue done it like a wise man and not like a foole For many there be that performe the same action which a wise man doth not wisely but more vndiscreetly of which number I feare my selfe to be one Notwithstanding howsoeuer I haue done it because you commanded mee when I departed from your highnes to write all things vnto you which I should see among the Tartars and you wished me also that I should not feare to write long letters I haue done as your maiestie inioined me yet with feare and reuerence because I want wordes and eloquence sufficient to write vnto so great a maiestie Be it knowen therefore vnto your sacred Maiestie that in the yeare of our Lord 1253. about the Nones of May we entered into the sea of Pontus which the Bulgarians call the great sea It containeth in length as I learned of certaine merchants 1008 miles and is in a maner diuided into two parts About the midst thereof are two prouinces one towards the North and another towards the South The South prouince is called Synopolis and it is the castle and porte of the Soldan of Turkie but the North prouince is called of the Latines Gasaria of the Greeks which inhabite vpon the sea shore thereof it is called Cassaria that is to say Caesaria And there are certaine head lands stretching foorth into the sea towards Synopolis Also there are 300. miles of distance betweene Synopolis and Cassaria Insomuch that the distance from those points or places to Constantinople in length and breadth is about 700. miles and 700. miles also from thence to the East namely to the countrey of Hiberia which is a prouince of Georgia At the prouince of Gasaria or Cassaria we arriued which prouince is in a maner three square hauing a citie on the West part thereof called Kersoua wherein S. Clement suffered martyrdome And sayling before the said citie we sawe an island in which a Church is sayd to be built by the hands of angels But about the midst of the said prouince toward the South as it were vpon a sharpe angle or point standeth a citie called Soldaia directly ouer against Synopolis And there doe all the Turkie merchants which traffique into the North countries in their iourney outward arriue and as they returne homeward also from Russia and the said Northerne regions into Turkie The foresaid merchants transport thither ermines and gray furres with other rich and costly skinnes Others carrie cloathes made of cotton or bombast and silke and diuers kindes of spices But vpon the East part of the said prouince standeth a
Ruce no Christen man so oft of his degree In Granade at the siege had he bee At Algezer and ridden in Belmarye At Leyes was hee and also at Satalye when they were wonne and in the great see at many a Noble armie had hee bee At mortall battailes had he bin fifteene And foughten for our faith at Tramissen in listes thries and aye slayne his foe This ilke worthie Knight had bin also sometime with the lord of Palathye ayenst another Heathen in Turkie Written in the lustie moneth of May in our Palace where many a million of louers true haue habitation The yeere of grace ioyfull and iocond a thousand foure hundred and second The original proceedings and successe of the Northren domestical and forren trades and traffiques of this Isle of Britain from the time of Nero the Emperour who deceased in the yeere of our Lord 70. vnder the Romans Britons Saxons and Danes till the conquest and from the conquest vntill this present time gathered out of the most authenticall histories and records of this nation A testimonie out of the fourteenth Booke of the Annales of Cornelius Tacitus proouing London to haue bene a famous Mart Towne in the reigne of Nero the Emperour which died in the yeere of Christ 70. AT Suetonius mira constantia medios inter hostes Londinium perrexit cognomento quidem coloniae non insigne sed copia negociatorum coÌ„meaâ—u maxime celebre The same in English BUt Suetonius with wonderfull constancie passed through the middest of his enemies vnto London which though it were not honoured with the name and title of a Romane Colonie yet was it most famous for multitude of Marchants and concourse of people A testimonie out of Venerable Beda which died in the yeere of our Lord 734. proouing London to haue bene a Citie of great traffike and Marchandize not long after the beginning of the Saxons reigne ANno Dominicae incarnationis sexcentesimo quarto Augustinus Britanniarum Archiepiscopus ordinauit duos Episcopos Mellitum videlicet Iustumâ— Mellitum quidem ad praedicandum prouinciae Orientalium Saxonum qui Tamesi fluuio dirimuntur à Cantia ipsi Orientalâ— Mari contigui quorum Metropolis Londonia Ciuitas est super ripam praefati fluminis posiâ—a ipsa multorum emporium populorum terra marique venientium The same in English IN the yeere of the incarnation of Christ 604. Augustine Archbishop of Britaine consecrated two Bishops to wit Mellitus and Iustus He appoynted Mellitus to preach to the East Saxons which are diuided from Kent by the riuer of Thames and border vpon the Easterne sea whose chiefe and Metropolitane Citie is London seated vpon the banke of the aforesayd riuer which is also a Marte Towne of many nations which repayre thither by sea and by land The league betweene Carolus Magnus and Offa King of Mercia concerning safe trade of the English Marchants in all the Emperours Dominion This Offa died in the yeere of our Lord 795. OFfa interea Carolum magnum Regem Francorum frequentibus legationibus amicum parauit quamuis non facile quod suis artibus conduceret in Caroli animo inuenerit Discordarunt antea adeo vt magnis motibus vtrobique concurrentibus etiam negociatorum commeatus prohiberentur Est Epistola Albini huiusce rei index cuius partem hic apponam Nescio quid de nobis venturum sit Aliquid enim dissentionis diabolico fomento inflammante nuper inter Regem Carolum Regem Offam exortum est ita vt vtrinque nauigatio interdicta negociantibus cesset Sunt qui dicant nos pro pace in illas partes mittendos Et nonnullis interpositis Nunc inquit ex verbis Caroli foedus firmum inter eum Offam compactum subijciam Carolus gratia Dei Rex Francorum Longobardorum patricius Romanorum viro venerando fratri charissimo Offae Regi Merciorum salutem Primo gratias agimus omnipotenti deo de salute animatum de Catholicae fidei sinceritate quam in vestris laudabiliter paginis reperimus exaratam De peregrinis vero qui pro amore Dei salute animarum suarum beatorum Apostolorum limina desiderant adire cum pace sine omni perturbatione vadant Sed si aliqui non religioni seruientes sed lucra sectantes inueniantur inter eos locis opportunis statuta soluant telonia Negociatores quoque â—olumus vt ex mandato nostro patrocinium habeant in Regno nostro legitime Et si aliquo loco iniusta affligantur oppressione reclament ad nos vel nostros iudices plenam videbimus iustitiam fieri The same in English IN the meane season Offa by often legacies solicited Charles le maignâ— the king of France to be his friend albeit he could not easily finde king Charles any whit enclined to further and promote his craftie attempts Their mindes were so alienated before that bearing hauty stomacks on both parts euen the mutuall traffique of their Marchants was prohibited The Epistle of Albinus is a sufficient testimony of this matter part whereof I will here put downe I know not quoth he what will become of vs. For there is of late by the instigation of the deuill some discord and variance sprung vp betweene king Charles and king Ofâ—a insomuch that sailing to and fro is forbiddenâ— vnto the Marchants of both their dominions Some say that we are to be sent for the obtaining of a peace into those partes And againe after a fewe lines Nowe quoth he out of Charles his owne words I will make report of the league concluded betweene him and Offa. Charles by the grace of God king of the Franks and Lombards and Senatour of the Romanes vnto the reuerend and his most deare brother Offa king of the Mercâ—ans sendeth greeting First we doe render vnto almightie God most humble thankes for the saluation of soules and the sinceritie of the Catholique faith which we to your great commendation haue found signified in your letters As touching those pilgrimes who for the loue of God and their owne soules health are desirous to resort vnto the Churches of the holy Apostles let them goe in peace without all disturbance But if any be found amongst them not honouring religion but following their owne gaine they are to pay their ordinarie customes at places conuenient It is our pleasure also and commandement that your marchants shall haue lawfull patronage and protection in our dominions Who if in any place they chance to be afflicted with any iniust oppression let them make their supplication vnto vs or vnto our Iudges and we will see iustice executed to the full An ancient testimonie translated out of the olde Saxon lawes containing among other things the aduancement of Marchants for their thrise crossing the wide seas set downe by the learned Gentleman Master William Lambert pagina 500. of his perambulaâ—ion of Kent IT was sometime in
the said Simon to saile for England and spoiled the said craier and also tooke and caried away with them the goods and marchandises of the said Simon being in the foresaid ship to the value of 66. pounds Item in the yeere of our Lord 1397. certaine malefactors of Wismer and Rostok with certaine others of the Hans tooke a crayer of one Peter Cole of Zeland called the Bussship which Alan Barret the seruant and factor of the foresaid Simon Durham had laden with mastes sparres and other marchandize for the behalfe of the said Simon and vniustly tooke from thence the goods of the said Simon to the value of 24. pounds and caried the same away Item in the yeere of our Lord 1394. certaine malefactors of Wismer and others of the Hans vniustly tooke vpon the sea and caried away with them a packe of woollen cloth of the foresaid Simon worth 42. pounds out of a certain crayer of one Thomas Fowler of Lenne being laden and bound for Dantzik in Prussia Item pitifully complaining the marchants of Lenne doe auouch verifie affirme that about the feast of S. George the martyr in the yeere of our Lord 1394. sundry malefactors and robbers of Wismer Rostok and others of the Hans with a great multitude of ships arriued at the towne of Norbern in Norway and tooke the said town by strong assault and also wickedly and vniustly took al the marchants of Lenne there residing with their goods cattels and burnt their houses and mansions in the same place and put their persons vnto great ransoms euen as by the letters of safeconduct deliuered vnto the said marchants it may more euidently appeare to the great damage and impouerishment of the marchants of Lenne namely Imprimis they burnt there 21. houses belonging vnto the said marchants to the value of 440. nobles Item they tooke from Edmund Belyetere Thomas Hunt Iohn Brandon and from other marchants of Lenne to the value of 1815. pounds Concerning this surprise Albertus Krantzius in the sixt book of his history of Norway and the 8. Chapter writeth in maner following IN the meane while Norway enioyed peace vnder the gouernment of a woman vntil Albertus king of Suecia who had now seuen yeeres continued in captiuity vnder Queen Margaret was to be set at liberty Which when the common souldiers of Rostok Wismer called the Vitalians perceiued who whilest their king was holden captiue in the right of the forenamed cities for the behalfe of their lord the king being prince of Mekleburg by birth vndertooke and waged warre al the time of his captiuitie banding their forces together they resolued at their own costs charges but in the right of the said cities to saile into the 3. kingdoms and to take such spoiles as they could lay hold on These common souldiers therfore sâ—eing an end of their tyrannical and violent dealing to approch sassed into Norway vnto the towne of Norbern being a mart town for al the marchants of Germanie who transporting fishes from thence doe bring thither marchandises of all kinds especially corne vnto the scarcitie wherof vnlesse it be brought out of other countreys that kingdome as we haue said is very much subiect Departing out of their ships and going on shore they set vpon the towne and by fire and sword they easily compelled the inhabitants dwelling in weake wodden houses to giue place Thus these Vitalians entring and surprising the towne conueyed such spoiles vnto their ships as them pleased and hauing laden their ships with those booties they returned home frolike vnto the ports of their own cities Without all respect they robbed and rifled the goods aswel of the Germanes as of the Noâ—uagians and like lewde companions wasting and making hauock of all things prooued themselues neuer the wealthier For it is not the guise of such good fellowes to store vp or to preserue ought The citizens at the first seemed to be inriched howbeit afterward no man misdoubting any such calamitie goods ill gotten were worse spent Thus farre Kranâ—zius Item pitifully complaining the foresaide marchants auouch verifie and affirme that vpon the 14. day after the feast of S. George in the yeere of our Lord next aboue written as 4. ships of Lenne laden with cloth wine and other marchandises were sailing vpon the maine sea with all the goods and wares conteined in them for Prussia sundry malefactors of Wismer and Rostok with others of the Hans being in diuers ships came vpon them and by â—orce of armes and strong hand tooke the said ships with the goods and marchandises contained in them and some of the people which were in the saide foure ships they slew some they spoyled and others they put vnto extreame ransomes And carying away with them those foure ships with the commodities and marchandise therin they parted stakes thâ—rwith as them listed to the great impâ—uerishment losse of the said marchants of Lenne namely in cloth of William Silesden Tho. Waterden Ioh. Brandon Ioh. WesenhaÌ„ other marchants of Lenne to the value of 3623 li.5.s.11 d. Item pitifully complaining the foresaid marchants doe affirme that one Henry Lambolt and other his adherents in the yeere of our Lord 1396. looke vpon the maine sea betweene Norway and Sâ—aw one crayer laden with osmunds and with diuers other marchandises perteining vnto Iohn Brandon of Lenne to the summe and value of 443 li.4.s.2.d Moreouer they tooke from Iohn Lakingay 4. lasts and an halfe of osmunds to the value of 220 lib.10.s Item the foresaid marchants complaine that certain malefactors of Wismer with other their compliâ—es of the Hans in the yeere of our Lord 1396. tooke from Thomas Ploker of Lenne out of a certaine ship sailing vpon the maine sea towaâ—ds Sconâ—land whereof Iames Snycop was master cloth and other marchandise to the summe and value of 13 lib.13.s.4.d Item the aboue-named marchants complaine saying that certaine malefactors of Wismer with others of the Hans society in the yere of our Lord 1397. wickedly and vniustly took out of a certaine ship of Dantzik whereof Laurence van Russe was master from Ralph Bedingam of Lenne one fardel of cloth worth 52 li.7.s.6.d Also for the ransome of his seruant 8 li.6.s.8.d Itemâ— they tooke from Thomas Earle diuers goods to the value of 24. pounds Item the foresaid marchants complainâ—â— that certaine malefactors of Wismer Rostok with others of the Hans in the yeere of our Lord 1399. wickedly vniustly tooke one crayer pertayning vnto Iohn Lakingliâ—h of Lenne laden with diuers goods and marchandise pertaining vnto sundry marchants of Lenne namely from the forenamed Iohn one fardel of cloth and one chest full of harneis and other things to the value of 90 lib Item they took out of the foresaid ship from Roger Hood one fardel of cloth and one chest with diuers goods to the value of 58 lib Item from Iohn Pikeron one fardell of cloth and one chest with
colour and Lombards maintenance The king it needes to make an ordinance With his Counsayle that may not fayle I trowe That friends should from enimies be knowe Our enimies taken and our friends spared The remedy of hem must be declared Thus may the sea be kept in no sell For if ought he spoken wot yee well We haue the strokes and enemies haue the winning But mayntainers are parteners of the finning We liue in lust and â—ide in couetise This is our rule to maintaine marchandise And policie that wee haue on the sea And but God helpe it will no other bee Of the commodities of Ireland and policie and keeping thereof and conquering of wild Irish with an incident of Wales Chap. 9. I Cast to speake of Ireland but a litle Commodities of it I will entitle Hides and fish Salmon Hake Herringe Irish wooll and linen cloth faldinge And marterns goode ben her marchandie Hertes Hides and other of Uenerie Skinnes of Otter Squirell and Irish hare Of sheepe lambe and Fore is her chaffare Felles of Kiddes and Conies great plentie So that if Ireland helpe vs to keepe the sea Because the King cleped is Rex Angliae And is Dominus also Hyberniae Did possessed by Progenitours The Irish men haue cause like to ours Our land and hers together to defend That no enemie should hurt ne offend Ireland ne vs but as one commontie Should helpe well to keepe about the sea For they haue hauens great and goodly bayes Sure wyde and deepe of good assayes At Waterford and colles many one And as men sayne in England be there none Better hauens ships in to ride No more sure for enemies to abide Why speake I thus so much of Ireland For all so much as I can vnderstand It is fertile for things that there doe growe And multiplien loke who lust to knowe So large so good and so commodious That to declare is strange and maruailous For of siluer and golde there is the oore Among the wilde Irish though they be poore For they are rude and can thereon no skill So that if we had their peace and good will To myne and fine and metal for to pure In wilde Irish might we finde the cure As in London saith a Iuellere Which brought from thence golde oore to vs here Whereof was fyned mettal good and clene As they touch no better could be seene Nowe here beware and heartily take intent As yee will answere at last iudgement That for slought and for racheshede Yee remember with all your might to hede To keepe Ireland that it be not lost For it is a boterasse and a post Under England and Wales another God forbid but ech were others brother Of one ligeance due vnto the king But I haue pittie in good faith of this thing That I shall say with auisement I am aferde that Ireland will be shent It must awey it wol bee lost from vs But if thou helpe thou Iesu gracious And giue vs grace al slought to leue beside For much thing in my herte is hide Which in another treatise I caste to write Made al onely for that soile and site Of fertile Ireland wich might not be forborne But if England were nigh as goode as gone God forbid that a wild Irish wirlinge Should be chosen for to bee their kinge After her conqueste for our last puissance And hinder vs by other lands alliance Wise men seyn wich felin not ne douten That wild Irish so much of ground haue gotten There vpon vs as likenesse may be Like as England to sherris two or three Of this our land is made comparable So wild Irish haue wonne on vs vnable Yet to defend and of none power That our ground is there a litle corner To all Ireland in true comparison It needeth no more this matter to expon Which if it bee lost as Christ Iesu forbed Farewel Wales then England commeth to dred For aliance of Scotland and of Spaine And other mâ—e as the pety Bretaine And so haue enemies enuiron round about I beseech God that some prayers deuout Mutt let the said aâ—parance probable Thus disposed without feyned fable But all onely for â—erill that I see Thus imminent it 's likely for to bee And well I wotte that from hence to Rome And as men say in all Christendome Is nâ— ground ne land to Ireland liche So large so good so plenteous so riche That to this worde Dominus doe long Then mee semeâ—h that right were and no wrong To get the lande and it were piteous To vs to lese this high name Dominus And all this word Dominus of name Shuld haue thâ— ground obeysant wilde and tame That name and people togidre might accord Al the ground subiect to the Lord. And that it is possible to bee subiect Unto the king wel shal it bee detect In the litle booke that I of spake I trowe reson al this wel vndertake And I knowe wel howe it stante Alas fortune beginneth so to scant Or ellis grace that deade is gouernance For so minisheth parties of our puissance In that land that wee lese euery yere More ground and more as well as yee may here I herd a man speake to mee full late Which was a lord of full great estate Than expense of one yere done in France Werred on men well willed of puissance This said ground of Ireland to conquere And yet because England might not forbere These said expenses gadred in one yeere But in three yeeres or foure gadred vp here Might winne Ireland to a finall conqueste In one sole yeere to set vs all at reste And how soone wolde this be paied ageyne Which were it worth yerely if wee not feyne I wol declare who so luste to looke I trowe full plainely in my litle booke But couetise and singularitie Of owne profite enuie crueltie Hath doon vs harme and doe vs euery day And musters made that shame is to say Our money spent al to litle auaile And our enimies so greatly doone preuaile That what harme may fall and ouerthwerte I may vnneth write more for sore of herte An exhortation to the keeping of Wales BEware of Wales Christ Iesu muâ—t vs keepe That it make not our childers childe to weepe Ne vs also so if it goe his way By vnwarenes seth that many a day Men haue bee ferde of her rebellion By great tokens and ostentation Seche the meanes with a discrete auise And helpe that they rudely not arise For to rebell that Christ it forbede Looke wel aboute for God wote yee haue neede Unfainingly vnfeyning and vnfeynt That conscience for slought you not atteynt Kepe well that grounde for harme that may ben vsed Or afore God mutte yee ben accused Of the commodious Stockfish of Island and keeping of the Sea namely the Narrow sea with an incident of the keeping of Caleis Chap. 10â— OF Island to write is litle nede Saue of Stock-fish Yet
Lord Jesu saith Blessed motte they bee That maken peace that is tranquillitee For peace makers as Matthew writeth aright Should be called the sonnes of God almight God giue vs grace the weyes for to keepe Of his precepts and slugly not to sleepe In shame of sinne that our verry foo Might be to vs conuers and turned so For in the Prouerbs is a text to this purpose Plaine inough without any glose When mens weyes please vnto our Lord It shall conuert and bring to accord Mans enemies vnto peace verray In vnitie to liue to Goddis pay With vnitie peace rest and charitie Hee that was here cladde in humonitie That came from heauen and styed vp with our nature Or hee ascended he yaue to vs cure And left with vs peace ageyne striffe and debate Moâ—e giue vs peace so well irradicate Here in this world that after all this selfe Wee may haue peace in the land of beheste Ierusalem which of peace is the sight With his brightnes of eternall light There glorified in rest with his tuition The Deitie to see with full fruâ—â—ion Bee second person in diuinenesse is Who vs assume and bring vs to the blis Amen Here endeth the true processe of the Libel of English policie exhorting all England to keepe the sea enuiron shewing what profit and saluation with worship commeth thereof to the reigne of England GOe furth Libelle and meekely shew thy face Appearing euer with humble countenance And pray my Lords to take in grace In opposaile and cherishing the aduance To hardines if that not variance Thou hast fro trought by full experience Authors and reasons if ought faile in substance Remit to hâ—m that yafe thee this science That seth it is soth in verray fayth That the wise Lord Baron of Hungerford Hath thee ouerseene and verely he saith That thou art true and thus hee doeth record Next the Gospel God wotte it was his worde When hee thee redde all ouer in a night Goe forth trew booke and Christ defend thy right Explicit libellus de Politia conseruatiua maris A large Charter granted by K. Edward the 4. in the second yere of his reigne to the marchants of England resident especially in the Netherland for their chusing of a master and gouernor among themselues which gouernement was first appointed vnto one William Obray with expresse mention what authoritie he should haue EDward by the grace of God king of France of England lord of Ireland to al those which shal see or heare these letters sendeth greeting good wil. Know ye that whereas we haue vnderstood as well by the report of our louing and faithfull Counsellors as by the common complaint and report of all men that many vexations griefs debates discords annoyes dissentions damages haue heretofore bene done moued committedâ—â—nd happened and do daily fal out and happen among the common marchants mariners our subiects of our realmes of France England our lordships of Ireland and Wales of other our dominions seigneuries and territories because that good discretion and authority hath not bin obserued among our saide subiects which abide frequent conuerse remain inhabit passe aswel by sea as by land into y e parts of Brabant Flanders Henault Holland Zeland and diuers other countreis seigneuries belonging aswell to the high and mighty prince our most deere and louing cousin y e Duke of Burgoine of Brabant carle of Flanders c. as being in the obedience dominion of other lords which are in friendship alliance good wil with vs and that it is to be doubted that through the saide inconuenience and occasion many discommodities may ensue fal out in time to come which God forbid vnles we should prouide conuenient remedie in this behalfe for our subiects aforesaid wherefore we desiring most effectually and heartily to auoide the mischiefe of the saide inconueniences to prouide conuenient remedy for the same to the end that the said common marchants and mariners and others our subiects of our said realms dominions which at this present hereafter shal haunt and frequent y e said countreis may be iustly lawfully ruled gouerned and intreated by right equity in the countreis aforesaid and that equity reason iustice may be ministred vnto them and euery of them according as the cases shal require we being wel assured and hauing ful confidence in the discretion faithfulnes wisdome experience good diligence of our most deare welbeloued subiect Will. Obray our seruant in regard of the good faithfull and acceptable seruices which he hath done vs in our realm among our subiects in times past hoping that he wil do also hereafter we haue made ordained constituted committed and established and by the tenour of these presents of our special grace ful power authority royall we ordaine appoint commit and establish during our pleasure to be gouernor iudge warden of iustice and the appurtenances appendances therof which we haue or may haue ouer our said common subiects the marchants trauailing hereafter as wel by sea as by land and abiding in the said countries of Brabant Flanders Henault Holland Zeland and other countreis beyond the sea as is aforesaide together with the wages rights profits and emoluments heretofore accustomed as the said Will. Obray at other times hath had and receiued of our said subiects when he had vsed and exercised the said office of gouernor also with other such rights and profits as hereafter shal more plainly be declared And furthermore for our parts we haue giuen him and by these presents do giue him as much as in vs lieth during our pleasure ful power authority and special commandement to gouerne rule and cause to be gouerned and ruled with good iustice by himselfe or by his sufficient lieuetenants or deputies all aâ—d euery our foresaid subiects the common marchants mariners comming remaining frequenting passing repairing from henceforth into the said countreis of Brabant Flanders Henault Holland Zeland and other countreyes beyond the sea as it is said and to keep and cause to be kept to exercise and maintein for vs and in our place the said office of gouernour and to doe all such things which a faithfull gouernour ought to do and to take knowledge and administration of the causes of the said common marchants and mariners our subiects and of euery of them and of their causes and quarels moued or hereafter to be moued in the countreis aforesaid or within the limits borders therof and to doe them full speedy iustice And to reforme cause reformation gouerne appease and pacifie all contentions discords questions or debates between those our said subiects moued or to moued and to right redresse repaire restore and amend all transgressions domages enterprises outrages violences and iniuries committed or to be coÌ„mitted and like wise to require to aske demand and receiue restitutions reparations
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
dying and colouring Moreouer that you haue a speciall foresight in the chusing of your Tallowe and that it may be well purified and tried or els it will in one yeere putrifie consume Also that you certifie vs the trueth of the waights and measures and howe they doe answere with ours and to send vs 3. robles in money that we may trie the iust value of them Also we doe send you in these ships ten yong men that be bound Prentises to the Companie whom we will you to appoynt euery of them as you shall there finde most apt and meete some to keepe accompts some to buy and sell by your order and Commission and some to send abroad into the notable Cities of the Countrey for vnderstanding and knowledge And we will you send vs aduertisement from time to time aswell of the demeanours of our Prentises which we doe send now as also of such other as bee already there with you And if you finde any of them remisse negligent or otherwise misuse themselues and will not be ruled that then you doe send him home and the cause why And because we doe perceiue the Countrey to be large and that you haue three housholds we doe appoynt Henry Lane to be one of our Agents and to ioyne with you in all your doings and to haue like authoritie and power as you George Killingworth and Richard Gray haue not doubting but you three will so conferre together as both our Prentises and others may be appoynted and diuided euery of them to his office and to that he can best skill of and you also so diuide your selues euery of you to an house as by aduertisement one from another our businesse and trafficke may take good successe And for diuers considerations to auoyde many troubles and businesse that might happen wee haue appoynted that hee which shall abide at Colmogro which we doe thinke to bee most nicetest Henry Lane shall haue with him there such of our yong wen as can best skill in keeping of accompts after the maner of Marchants that is by Debitor and Creditor And that there shall be the place where our bookes shal be kept because it is nearer the sea side where our goods shal be discharged and our ships laden And the said Henry Lane to be charged with all such goods as we shall discharge there out of our ships according to our Inuoyces Which goods are to be sent from Colmogro to Vologhda or to Mosco or to any other place where you three or two of you do apppoynt thē to be sold so that Henry Lane be one And so frō time to time immediatly as any thing is sold doe you certifie the same to Henry Lane that he may enter it into the Bookes as appertaineth otherwise he should be too farre behinde in his Bookes at the comming of our ships when he should send vs the accompt of the whole yeere passed And we will also that you George Killingworth and Richard Gray doe in the fine of April next send either of you vnto Henry Lane a whole perfit iust accompt firmed with your owne hands of all the goods you haue solde and bought vntill that time and what remaineth vnsolde and also the accompt of all maner costs of wares and charges of you and the yong men vnder you particularly in such sort as the said accompt may bee with him in Colmogro at the fine of May at the furthest to the intent that hee may make all our accompts perfite against the comming of our ships and in any wise to keepe accompt of euery voyage by it selfe and not mingle one voyage with another at no hand And as we will haue you to keepe accompt of euery voyage by it selfe euen so wee would haue all the whole costes and charges of euery yeere put into the voyage of that yeere As the charges of all the last yeere must be put to the accompt of the third voyage and the charges of this yeere present must in the fine of April next be put to the fourth voyage Not doubting but your wisedome is such that you will not take it in euill part that wee doe appoynt Henry Lane to take the accompt of the rest For we doe it for none other cause but to keepe a good order in our bookes that his bookes and ours may by this meanes agree and hee being the yonger man may best take paines and that you doe keepe accompt of euery kinde of wares by it selfe to the intent wee may perceiue wherein is our most gaine And also in the making of your returne in any wise name in your billes of lading letters and accompts what wares doe appertaine to the first second and third voyage and that wee may knowe the same by the numbers or otherwise as you shall thinke good by your wisedomes putting the charges of the saide wares vnto them as nigh as you can And all such money as shall bee made of your goods in any place wee referre that to your discretion where it shall remaine vntill it bee employed either at Vologhda Mosco or els where And likewise wee will that Henry Lane doe make in a readinesse about the beginning of Iune euery yeere our whole accompt of the voyage in that yeere passed in such sort that wee may receiue the same by our shippes and that wee may plainely perceiue what sales are made and what remaineth of the first second third and fourth voyage and what charges haue bene layde out for the sayd voyages and what wares bee bought and laden and what they cost and for what voyage euery parcell thereof is and to send vs a copie of the same accompt in euery shippe And also forasmuch as at this time we haue sent you but small store of wares in comparison of that we haue hope will bee vttered in short space and yet neuerthelesse much more then you wrote for whereby there shall not be sufficient to make any ample returne and vnderstanding that there is great quantitie of goods stayed for our trade there by the Emperour wee haue mooued the Embassador that you may haue credite for such quantitie as shall seeme good to you to prouide for our benefite Which credite if you may by his meanes obtaine or otherwise haue we would you bought as much Wexe principally as you may get For if there be in that countrey so great quantitie as we be informed there is it will be the best commoditie we may haue for hauing that wholly in our hands we may serue our owne countrey and others Therefore seeing the Emperour doth minde that such commodities as bee in his dominions shall not passe to Rie and Reuel and Poland as they haue done but bee reserued for vs therefore we must so lay for it that it may not ly vpon their hands that haue it to sell alwayes hauing consideration in the price and time as our next dispatch may correspond Whereof you may send
beene or what he had done he could not tell Also he wrote that one Iohn Lucke a Ioyner was taken by the Liefelanders and put in prison As yet wee haue not heard from the sayd Iohn Lucke nor know not whether he be released out of prison or not We suppose that by him you wrote some letter which as yet is not come to our hands so that we thinke hâ—e is yet in prison or otherwise dispatched out of the way The fifteenth day of December wee receiued a letter from Christopher Hodson dated in the Mosco the 29 of Iuly by the way of Danske which is in effect a copie of such another receiued from him in our shippes You shal vnderstand that we haue laden in three good shippes of ours these kind of wares following to wit in the Swallowe of London Master vnder God Steuen Burrow 34 fardels N o 136 broad short clothes and foure fardels N o 58 Hampshire Kersies and 23 pipes of bastards and seckes and 263 pieces of raisins and 4 hogsheds N o 154 pieces of round pewter and ten hogsheds and poncheons of prunes and one dryfatte with Almonds And in the Philip and Marie Master vnder God Thomas Wade 25 fardels N o 100 broad clothes and three fardels N o 42 Hampshire Kersies and thirtie pipes of seckes and bastards and 100 pieces of raisins And in the Iesus of London Master vnder God Arthur Pette 10 fardels N o 40 broade shorte clothes and twenty seuen pipes of bastards and seckes as by the Inuoices herewith inclosed may appeare Also you shall receiue such necessaries as you did write to bee sent for the rope makers trusting that you shall haue better successe with them which you shall send vs in these ships then with the rest which you haue sent vs yet for we as yet haue sold none of them And whereas we wrote vnto you in our former letter that we would send you a hundred tunnes of salte by reason it is so deare here we doe send you but nine tunnes and a halfe for it cost here ten pence the bushell the first penie namely in the Swallow 6 tunnes and a halfe in the Philip and Marie one tunne and a halfe and in the Iesus one tunne and a halfe The 4 hogsheds of round pewter goe in the Swallow and in the Philip and Marie N o 154 pieces as is aforesaid We send you three ships trusting that you haue prouided according to our former writing good store of lading for them If yee haue more wares then will lade the ships let it be Traine oyles that you leaue behinde the price is not here so good as it was it is worth here 9 pound the tunne We thinke it good you should let the smaller ship bring as much of the traine as she can cary And that the masters of the ships do looke wel to the romaging for they might bring away a great deale more then they doe if they would take paine in the romaging and bestowe the traine by it selfe and the ware and tallowe by it selfe for the leakage of the traine doth fowle the other wares much As for Allard the skinner if you thinke good he may come home in these shippes We haue no doubt but that you Henrie Lane if you minde to come home now in these ships as you requested will leaue such good order there with our seruants as shall bee for our most profite and their preferment if they doe their dueties diligently and truely If our friend Master Antonie Ienkinson bee returned and meane to come away in these ships to declare his mind and opinion of his trauaile if need require and he be so minded he may returne thither by land and be there by the fine of Ianuarie or before But as we be vncertaine whether he be returned or not so we know not what he hath done nor what benefite may rise hereafter of his trauaile Therefore in this wee remit it to his and your good discretions Wee send you Thomas Hawtrey which is our seruant for yeeres our minde is he should be placed where he may doe best seruice Also we send you Nicholas Chancelour to remaine there who is our apprentice for yeeres our minde is hee should be set about such businesse as he is most fit for he hath been kept at writing schoole long he hath his Algorisme and hath vnderstanding of keeping of bookes of reckonings We send you now but 100 Kersies but against the next yeere if occasion serue wee will send you a greater quantitie according as you shal aduise vs One of the pipes of seckes that is in the Swallow which hath 2 round compasses vpon the bung is to be presented to the Emperour for it is special good The nete waight of the 10 puncheons of prunes is 4300. 2 thirds 1 pound It is written particularly vpon the head of euery puncheon and the nete weight of the fatte of almonds is 500 li. two quarters The raisins prunes and almonds you were best to dispatch away at a reasonable price and principally the raisins for in keeping of them will be great losse in the waight and the fruit will decay We thinke it good that you prouide against the next yeere for the comming of our shippes 20 or 30 bullockes killed and salted for beefe is very deare here Therefore you were best to saue some of this salt that we doe send you in these ships for the purpose The salte of that countrey is not so good In this you may take the opinion of the masters of the shippes Foxe skins white blacke and russet will be vendible here The last yere you sent none but there were mariners that bought many If any of the mariners doe buy any trifling furres or other commodities we will they shall be registred in our pursers bookes to the intent we may know what they be We desire to know how the Emperour tooke the letter which we sent in our ships as an answere to the letter that came in his name and vnder his seale for the sixe thousand dallers Thus wee rest committing you to God from London the fift day of May 1560. For lacke of time the gouernours haue not firmed this letter which is the copie of the other two letters firmed by them Yours William Mericke Yours Blase Sanders The maner of Iustice by lots in Russia written by Master Henrie Lane and executed in a controuersie betweene him and one Sheray Costromitskey in Mosco 1560. AFter the comming home into Russia of Ioseph Napea the first ambassadour to Queene Marie I remaining the Agent there sundrie Russian marchants by Iosephs procurement obtained letters from the Emperour to freight goods and passe in our ships for England which thing vpon good consideration I answered and refused They were then driuen to credite vs and compound in value vntill the next returne At which time notwithstanding good accompt in the value of 600 robles
the night Why not in the hill of Lipara opening with a wide and bottomlesse gulfe as Aristotle beareth record whereunto it is dangerous to approch in the night froÌ„ whence the sound of Cymbals and the noyse of rattles with vnwonted and vncouth laughters are heard Why not in the field of Naples neare vnto Puteoli Why not in the Pike of â—eneriffa before mentioned like Aetna continually burning and casting vp stones into the aier as Munster himselfe witnesseth Why not in that Aethiopian hill which Plinie affirmeth to burne more then all the former And to conclude why not in the mountaine of Vesuuius which to the great damage of al the countrey adioyning to the vtter destruction of Caius Plinius prying into y e causes of so strange a fire vomiting out flames as high as the clouds filling the aire with great abundance of pumistones and ashes with palpable darknesse intercepting the light of the sunne from al the region therabout I wil speake yet speake no more then the truth because in deede they foresaw that men would yeeld no credite to those things as being too well knowen though they should haue feined them to haue beene the flames of hell but they thought the burning of Hecla the rumor whereof came more slowly to their eares to be fitter for the establishing of this fond fable But get ye packing your fraud is found out leaue off for shame hereafter to perswade any simple man y t there is a hel in mount Helca For nature hath taught both vs others maugre your opinion to acknowledge her operations in these fireworkes not the fury of hell But now let vs examine a few more such fables of y e coÌ„moÌ„ people which haue so vnhappily misledd our historiographers cosmographers The eight section Neare vnto the mountaines the 3. fornamed Hecla c. there be three vaste holes the depth whereof especially at mount Hecla cannot be discerned by any man be he neuer so sharpe sighted but there appeare to the beholders thereof certaine men at that instant plunged in as yet drawing their breath who answere their friends exhorting them with deepe sighs to returne home that they must depart to mount Hecla and with that they suddenly vanish away TO confirme the formerlie of an earthly visible hell albeit I will easily grant that Frisius in writing these things did not entend to reproch any but only to blaze abroad new incredible matters certaine idle companions knowing neither hell nor heauen haue inuented this fable no lesse reprochfull then false and more vaine detestable then Sicilian scoffes Which fellowes these writers being otherwise men of excellent parts and to whom learning is much indebted haue followed with an ouer hastie iudgement But it were to be wished that none would write Histories with so great a desire of setting foorth nouelties strange things that they feare not in that regard to broch any fabulous oldmiues toyes so to defile pure gold with filthy mire But I pray you how might those drowned meÌ„ be swimming in the infernal lake yet for al that parleing with their acquaintance friends What Will you coniure raise vp vnto vs from death to life old Orpheus conferring with his wife Euridice drawen backe againe down to the Stigian flood in these parts of the world as it were by the bankes of snowey Tanais Hebrus descanting vpon his harpe But in very deed although others will not acknowledge the falshood vanity of these trifles yet Cardane being a diligent considerer of all things in his 18. booke de subâ—ilitate doth acknowledge find them out Whose words be these There is Hecla a mountaine in Island which burneth like vnte AEâ—na at certain seasons hereupon the coÌ„mon people haue conceiued an opinion this long time that soules are there purged some least they should seeme liars heape vp more vanities to this fable that it may appeare to be probable agreeable to reasoÌ„ But what be those vanities namely they feine certaine ghosts answering theÌ„ that they are going to mount Hecla as the same Cardane saith And further he addeth Neither in Island only but euery where albeit seldome such things come to passe And then he tels this storie following of a man-killing spright There was saith he solemnized this last yeare the funerall of a coÌ„mon citizen in the gate neare vnto the great Church by that marketplace which in regard of the abundaÌ„ce of herbs in our toong hath the name of the herbmarket There meets with me one of mine acquaintance I according to the custome of Phisiâ—ians presently aske of what disease the man died he giueth me answere that this man vsed to come home from his labour 3. houres within night one night amoÌ„g the rest he espied an hobgoblin pursuing him which to auoid he ran away with al speed but being caught by the spright he was throwne down vpon the ground He would faine haue made a shout was not able At length when the spright he had struggled together vpon the ground a good while he was found by certain passengers carried home halfe dead And when he was come to himselfe againe being asked what was the matter he vp and tolde this strange relation Hereupon being vtterly daunted discouraged when neither by his friends nor by Phisitians nor by Priests he could be perswaded that these things were but his owne conceits that there was no such matter 8. daies after he died I heard also afterward of others which were his neighbors that no man could more coÌ„stantly affirme himselfe to be wounded of his enemy then this man did that he was cast vpon the ground by a ghost And when some demanded what he did after he was tumbled on the earth The dead man quoth he laying his hands to my throat went about to straÌ„gle me neither was there any remedy but by defending my selfe with mine own hands When others doubted least he might suffer these things of a liuing man they asked him how he could discerne a dead man froÌ„ a liuing To this he rendered a very probable reason saying that he seemed in handling to be like Cottum that he had no weight but held him down by maine force And presently after he addeth In like manner as in Island so in the desert sands of AEgypt AEthiopia and India where the sunne is hoat the very same apparitions the same sprights are wont to delude wayfaring men Thus much Cardane Yet from hence I trow no man will conclude as our writers of Island do that in the places of AEgypt AEthiopia and India there is a prison of damned soules I thought good to write these things out of Cardane that I may bring euen the testimony of strangers on our sides against such monstrous fables This place of Cardane implieth these two things namely y e apparitions of sprights are not proper to Island alone which thing al meÌ„
it be some fewe relations Moreouer as touching Gronland we holde this from the opinion of our auncestours that from the extreeme part of Norway which is called Biarmlandia and from whence the saide Gronland is not farre distant it fetcheth about the Northren coast of Island with an huge circuit in maner of an halfe Moone Our Chronicles likewise doe testifie that our owne countreymen in times past resorted thither for traffique and also that the very same countrey of Gronland had certaine Bishops in the dayes of Poperie More then this we cannot auouch But now it is reported that your Englishmen whom I may almost call the lordes of the Ocean sea make yeerely voyages vnto Gronland concerning which matter if you please to giue me further aduertisement you shall doe me an especial fauour Moreouer whatsoeuer newes you heare concerning the affaires of England or of other Countreys thereabout I pray you make vs acquainted therewith Thus reuerend six wishing you long life for the seruice of God for the increase of learning and the benefit of the people committed to your charge I bid you farewel From Island vpon the feast of the visitation of the blessed Uirgine Mary Anno Dom. 1595. Yours Gudbrandus Thorlacius Bishop of Hola in Island The miraculous victory atchieued by the English Fleete vnder the discreet and happy conduct of the right honourable right prudent and valiant lord the L. Charles Howard L. high Admirall of England c. Vpon the Spanish huge Armada sent in the yeere 1588. for the inuasion of England together with the wofull and miserable successe of the said Armada afterward vpon the coasts of Norway of the Scottish Westerne Isles of Ireland of Spaine of France and of England c. Recorded in Latine by Emanuel van Meteran in the 15. booke of his history of the low Countreys HAuing in part declared the strange and wonderfull euents of the yeere eightie eight which hath bene so long time foretold by ancient prophesies we will now make relation of the most notable and great enterprise of all others which were in the foresaid yeere atchieued in order as it was done Which exploit although in very deed it was not performed in any part of the low Countreys was intended for their ruine and destruction And it was the expedition which the Spanish king hauing a long time determined the same in his minde and hauing consulted thereabout with the Pope set foorth and vndertooke against England and the low Countreys To the end that he might subdue the Realme of England and reduce it vnto his catholique Religion and by that meanes might be sufficiently reuenged for the disgrace contempt and dishonour which hee hauing 34. yeeres before enforced them to the Popes obedience had endured of the English nation and for diuers other iniuries which had taken deepe impression in his thoughts And also for that hee deemed this to bee the most readie and direct course whereby hee might recouer his heredetarie possession of the lowe Countreys hauing restrained the inhabitants from sayling vpon the coast of England Which verily vpon most weighty arguments and euident reasons was thought would vndoubtly haue come to passe considering the great aboundance and store of all things necessary wherewith those men were furnished which had the managing of that action committed vnto them But now let vs describe the matter more particularly The Spanish King hauing with small fruite and commoditie for aboue twentie yeeres together waged warre against the Netherlanders after deliberation with his counsellers thereabout thought it most conuenient to assault them once againe by Sea which had bene attempted sundry times heretofore but not with forces sufficient Unto the which expedition it stoode him nowe in hand to ioyne great puissance as hauing the English people his professed enemies whose Island is so situate that it may either greatly helpe or hinder all such as saile into those parts For which cause hee thought good first of all to inuade England being perswaded by his Secretary Escouedo and by diuers other well experienced Spaniards and Dutchmen and by many English fugitiues that the conquest of that Iland was lesse difficult then the conquest of Holland and Zeland Moreouer the Spaniards were of opinion that it would bee farre more behoueful for their King to conquere England and the lowe Countreys all at once then to be constrained continually to maintaine a warlike Nauie to defend his East and West Indie Fleetes from the English Drake and from such like valiant enemies And for the same purpose the king Catholique had giuen commandement long before in Italy and Spaine that a great quantitie of timber should be felled for the building of shippes and had besides made great preparation of things and furniture requisite for such an expedition as namely in founding of brasen Ordinance in storing vp of corne and victuals in trayning of men to vse warlike weapons in leauying and mustering of souldiers insomuch that about the beginning of the yeere 1588. he had finished such a mightie Nauie and brought it into Lisbon hauen as neuer the like had before that time sailed vpon the Ocean sea A very large and particular description of this Nauie was put in print and published by the Spaniards wherein were set downe the number names and burthens of the shippes the number of Mariners and souldiers throughout the whole Fleete likewise the quantitie of their Ordinance of their armour of bullets of match of gun-poulder of victuals and of all their Nauall furniture was in the saide description particularized Unto all these were added the names of the Gouernours Captaines Noblemen and gentlemen voluntaries of whom there was so great a multitude that searce was there any family of accompt or any one principall man throughout all Spaine that had not a brother sonne or kinseman in that Fleete who all of them were in good hope to purchase vnto themselues in that Nauie as they termed it inuincible endlesse glory and renowne and to possesse themselues of great Seigniories and riches in England and in the lowe Countreys But because the said description was translated and published out of Spanish into diuers other languages we will here onely make an abridgemeut or briefe rehearsall thereof Portugal furnished and set foorth vnder the conduct of the duke of Medina Sidonia generall of the Fleete ten Galeons two Zabraes 1300. Mariners 3300. souldiers 300. great pieces with all requisite furniture Biscay vnder the conduct of Iohn Martines de Ricalde Admiral of the whole Fleete set forth tenne Galeons 4. Pataches 700. mariners 2000. souldiers 250. great pieces c. Guipusco vnder the conduct of Michael de Oquendo tenne Galeons 4. Pataches 700. mariners 2000. souldiers 310. great pieces Italy with the Leuant Islands vnder Martine de Vertendona 10. Galeons 800. mariners 2000. souldiers 310. great pieces c. Castile vnder Diego Flores de Valdez 14. Galeons two Pataches 1700. mariners 2400. souldiers and 380. great pieces
corporis dotes Constantius Chlorus Caesar illam duxit in vxorem atque ex eà filium in Britanniâ genuit Constantinum Magnum Sed eo tandem Eboraci defuncto cum Annâ illâ Euangelicâ in sanctâ viduitate perdurauit ad vltimum vitae diem tota Christianae religioni dedita Sunt enim authores qui narrent per istam cessante persecutione pacem Ecclesijs datam Ad tantam coelestis Philosophiae cognitionem eam ferunt post agnitum Euangelium peruenisse vt olim multos ediderit libros carmina quaedam Graeca quae hucúsque à Pontico superesse perhibentur Visionibus admonita Hierosolymam petijt omnia saluatoris loca perlustrauit Romae tandem octogenaria foeliciter in Christo quieuit .15 Kalendas Septembris filio adhuc superstite anno salutis humanae 337. Regnante apud Britannos Octauio Huius corpus non minimâ nunc curâ Venetijs seruatur The same in English HElena Flauia Augusta the heire and onely daughter of Coelus sometime the most excellent king of Britaine the mother of the Emperour Constantine the great by reason of her singular beautie faith religion goodnesse and godly Maiestie according to the testimonie of Eusebius was famous in all the world Amongst all the women of her time there was none either in the liberall arts more learned or in instruments of musike more skilfull or in the diuers languages of nations more abundant then herselfe She had a naturall quicknesse or excellency of wit eloquence of speech and a most notable grace in all her behauiour She was seene in the Hebrew Greeke and Latine tougues Her father as Virumnius reporteth had no other childe to succeed in the kingdome after him but her and therefore caused her to be instructed in these things by the best teachers that thereby she might the better in time gouerne the Realme so that by reason of her passing beautie and other her excellent giftes of body and minde Constantius Chlorus the Emperour married her and had by her a sonne called Constantine the great while hee remained in Britaine Who at length deceasing at Yorke this Helena no otherwise then Anna of whom mention is made in the new Testament continued a vertuous and holy widow to the end of her life There are some writers which doe affirme that persecution ceased and peace was granted to the Christian Churches by her good meanes After the light and knowledge of the Gospel she grewe so skilfull in diuinitie that shee wrote and composed diuers bookes and certaine Greeke verses also which as Ponticus reporteth are yet extant Being warned by some visions she went to Ierusalem and visiâ—ed all the places there which Christ had frequented She liued to the age of fourescore yeeres and then died at Rome the 15. day of August in the yeere of our redemption 337. Octauius being then king of Britaine and her sonne Constantine the Emperour then also liuing and her body is to this day very carefully preserued at Venice The life and trauels of Constantine the great Emperour and King of Britaine FLauius Constantinus cognomento Magnus post Genitorem CoÌ„stantium Britannorum Rex ac Romanorum Caesar Augustus ex Britannica matre in Britannia natus in Britannia creatus Imperator patriam natalem magnificè suae gloriae participem fecit Prosâ—igatis Alemanis Hispanis Francis eorúmque Regibus pro spectaculo bestijs obiectis Galliam subiectam tenuit Tres Helenae matris auunculos Britannos Leolinum Traherum Marium quos caeteris semper fidentiores habuerat in suis fortunis Italis à Maxentij tyrannide foelicitèr liberatis in Senatorum ordinem Romae promouir Innumerae in eo vt Eutropius habet claruêre tam animi quà m corporis virtutes dum appetentissimus esset gloriae militaris successu semper in bellis prospero Inter literas tam Graecas quà m Latinas à Christianissima matre Helena Christi fidem edoctus eos honorabat praecipuè qui in Philosophia Christiana vitam reclinassent Vnde ab Oceani finibus nempe Britannis incipiens ope fretus diuina religionis curam in medijs superstitionum tenebris cepit ab Occiduis ad Indos innumerasad aeternae spem vitae erigens gentes Animum diuinis exercendo studijs noctes trahebat insomnes quaesita scribendi diuerticula per otium frequentabat Imperium oratione ac Sanctis operationibus continendum ratus Egregius Christianae disciplinae praeco filios ac proceres docuit pietatem diuitijs omnibus at que adeò ipsi anteferre totius mundi Monarchiae Falsorum deorum euerfor Imaginum cultus per Graeciam AEgyptum Persiam Asiam vniuersam ditionem Romanam repetitis abrogat legibus iubens peredicta Christum coli Euangelium predicarisacrum Ministris honores alimentâ— dari atque idolorum vbÃque destrui templa Et vt fidei forma cunctis videretur Euangelium Iesu Christi ante se semper ferri fecir Biblia sacra ad omnes prouincias destinari diademá que Monarchicum primus Britannis regibus dedit Ecclesijs infinita praestiâ—it agros annonam stipem egenis aegris viduis ac orphanis pro quibusque vt pater sollicitus Eusebium Lactantium similes familiarissimos habuit hanc ad Deum orationem indiès ipsis in eius vita testibus fudit Vnum te Deum esse nouimus vnum te Regem intelligimus appellamus adiutorem nobis abs te victoria cecidit ex te Aduersarium fudimus c. Pro delicijs habuit vt Sextus Aurelianus tradit literarum studia colere bonos artes fouere legere scribere meditari composuit Graecè Latinè multos libros Epistolas E vita Nicomedie discessit Senex aetatis suae Anno 66. Imperij 32 à Christi verò incarnatione 339. Constantinopli sepultus Octauio in Británijs regnante Eius vitam in quatuor libris Eusebius Caesariensis Graecè scripsit Ioannes Portesius Gallus in Latinum transtulit sermonem ¶ The same in English FLauius Constantine surnamed the great king of the Britaine 's after his father and Emperor of the Romanes borne in Britanie of Helena his mother and there created Emperour made his natiue countrey partaker of his singular glory and renoume Hauing conquered and put to flight the Almanes Spaniards Frenchmen and their Kings for a spectacle throwen out to wild beasts he held France it selfe as subiect vnto him and hauing happily deliuered the Italians from the tyrannie of Maxentius he preferred three of his mothers vncles all Britaines namely Leoline Trahere and Marius whom in all his actions he had found more faithfull vnto him then any others to be of the order of the Romane Senators Eutropius reporteth that he infinitely excelled in the vertues both of the mind and body also and that hauing a pleasure in the practise of warre and in the iust commendation of Martiall prowesse he neuer pitched his field but his successe in the battel was alwayes victorious His mother Helena hauing
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
sunt cum insula cognominis Britones Tanta vero hominum multitudo esse videtur vt singulis annis inde magno numero cum vxoribus liberis ad Francos emigtent Illi autem in eorum terramâ— quae maximè deserta videtur excipiunt Vnde insulam sibi vendicare ferunt Vtique non ita pridem cum Francorum Rex quosdam è suis Constantinopolim ad Iustinianum legaret Anglos etiam misit ambitiosius vendicans quasi haec insula suo subesset imperio The same in English THe Isle of Britaine is inhabited by three most populous nations euery of which is gouerned by a seuerall king The sayd nations are named Angili Frisones and Britones which last are called after the name of the Island In this Isle there are such swarmes of people that euery yeere they goe foorth in great numbers with their wiues and children into France And the Frenchmen right willingly receiue them into their lande which seemeth very desolate for want of inhabitants Whereupon it is sayd that the French doe challenge the foresayd Island vnto themselues For not long since when the king of the Frankes sent certaine of his subiects ambassadours to Constantinople vnto Iustinian the Emperour he sent English men also ambitiously boasting as though the sayd Isle had bene vnder his iurisdiction A testimonie of the sending of Sighelmus Bishop of Shirburne by King Alphred vnto Saint Thomas of India in the yeare of our Lord 883 recorded by William of Malmesburie in his second booke and fourth Chapter de gestis regum Anglorum ELeemosynis intentus priuilegia ecclesiarum sicut pater statuerat roborauit trans mare Romam ad sanctum Thomam in Indiam multa munera misit Legatus in hoc missus Sighelmus Shirburnensis Episcopus cum magna prosperitate quod quiuis hoc seculo miretur Indiam penetrauit inde rediens exoticos splendores gemmarum liquores aromatum quorum illa humus ferax est reportauit The same in English KIng Alphred being addicted to giuing of almes confirmed the priuileges of Churches as his father had determined and sent also many giftes beyond the seas vnto Rome and vnto S. Thomas of India His messenger in this businesse was Sighelmus bishop of Schirburne who with great prosperitie which is a matter to be wondered at in this our age trauailed thorough India and returning home brought with him many strange and precious vnions and costly spyces such as that countrey plentifully yeeldeth A second testimony of the foresaid Sighelmus his voyage vnto Saint Thomas of India c. out of William of Malmesbury his second booke de gestis pontificum Anglorum cap. de episcopis Schireburnensibus Salisburiensibus Wiltunensibus SIghelmus trans mare causa eleemosynarum regis etiam ad Sanctum Thomam in Indiam missus mira prosperitate quod quiuis in hoc seculo miretur Indiam penetrauit indequè rediens exotici generis gemmas quarum illa humus ferax est reportauit Nonnullae illaâ—um adhuc in ecclesiae monumentis visuntur The same in English SIghelmus being for the performance of the kings almes sent beyond the seas and trauailing vnto S. Thomas of India very prosperously which a man would woonder at in this age passed through the sayde countrey of India and returning home brought with him diuers strange and precious stones such as that climate affourdeth Many of which stones are as yet extant in the monuments of the Church The life and trauailes of Iohn Erigena IOannes Erigena Britannus natione in Meneuia vrbe seu ad fanum Dauidis patricio genitore natus dum Anglos Daci crudeles bellis ac rapinis molestarent ac omnia illic essent tumultibus plena longam ipse peregrinationem Athenas vsque suscepit annosque quamplures literis Graecis Chaldaicis Arabicis insudauit omnia illic inuisit Philosophorum loca ac studia imo ipsum oraculum Solis quod Aefculapius sibi construxerat Inueniens tandem quod longo quaesierat labore in Italiam Galliam est reuersus vbi ob inâ—ignem eruditionem Carolo Caluo postea Ludouico Balbo acceptus Dionysij Areopagitae libros de coelesti Hierarchia ex Constantinopoli tunc missos Latinos fecit Anno Dom. 858. Profectus postea in Britanniam Alphredi Anglorum Regis suorum liberorum factus est praeceptor atque ipso mox adhortante inter ocia literaria è Graeco transtulit in tres linguas scilicet Chaldaicam Arabicam Latinam Aristotelis moralia de secretis secretorum seu recto regimine Principum opus certe exquisitum In Malmsburiensi caenobio tandem quo recreationis gratia se contulerat interlegenduma quibusdam discipulis maleuolis interimebatur Anno Christi 884. The same in English IOhn Erigene a Britane descended of honourable parents and borne in the Towne of S. Dauid in Wales seeing the Englishmen to be oppressed with the warres and rapines of the cruell Danes and all the land in a hurlie burlie he in the meane time vndertooke a long iourney euen as farre as Athens and there spent many yeres in the studie of the Greeke Chaldie and Arabian tongues he there frequented all the places and schooles of the Philosophers and the oracle also of the Sunne which Aesculapius had built vnto himselfe And hauing found at length that which he had with long trauell searched he returned againe into Italie and France where for his singular learning he was much fauoured of the two Kings Charles and Lewes and in his being there he translated into Latine the bookes of Dionysius Areopagita concerning the Heauenly Hierarchie which were sent from Constantinople in the yeere 858. After this hee came backe againe into his owne Countrey and was schoolemaster vnto Alphred then King of England and his sonnes and vpon his request at his times of leasure he translated Aristotles Morals of the Secrets of Secrets or of the right gouernement of Princes out of Greeke into these three tongues Chaldie Arabian and Latine which he did very exquisitely At the last being in the Abbie of Malmsburie whither he went for his recreation and there according to his manner disputing and reading to the Students some of them misliking and hating him rose against him and slue him in the yeere of Christ 884. The trauailes of Andrew VVhiteman aliâs Leucander Centur. 2. ANdraeas Leucander alià s Whiteman iuxta Lelandum Monachus Abbas Ramesiensis Caenobij tertius fuit Hic bonis artibus studio quodam incredibili noctes atque dies inuigilabat operae praecium ingens inde retulit Accessit praeterea ardens quoddam desiderium ea proprijs apertis oculis videndi loca in quibus Seruator Christus redemptionis nostrae mysteria omnia consummauit quorum prius sola nomina ex scripturarum lectione nouerat vnde sacram Hierosolymorum vrbem miraculorum praedicationis ac passionis eius testem inuisit atque domum rediens factus est Abbas Claruisse fertur anno
of hope of his life and safetie The Saracens seeing and knowing this his banner that part of them which enuironed the Citie by water made towards him with twentie Gallies and thirteene shippes which they commonly cal Cazh seeking to inclose the Kings shippe But by Gods helpe the billowes of the Sea swelling and raging against them and the Kings shippe gliding and passing through the waues with an easie and nimble course arriued suddenly in the hatten of Ioppa the enemies frustrated of their purpose and sixe of the Saracens were hurt and wounded by shot out of the Kings shippe So that the King entering into the Citie and nowe appearing in safetie in all their sightes the spirits of all them that mourned for him and vntil then lamented as though hee had bene dead reuiued because that the head and King of the Christians and prince of Ierusalem was yet aliue and come againe vnto them in perfect health ¶ Mention made of one Hardine of England one of the chiefest personages and a leader among other of two hundred saile of ships of Christians that landed at Ioppa in the yeere of our Lord God 1102. CHronicon Hierosolymitanum libro 9. cap. 11. Interea dum haec obsidio ageretur 200. naues Christianorum nauigio Ioppen appulsae sunt vt adorarent in Hierusalem Horum Bernardus Witrazh de terra Galatiae Hardinus de Anglia Otho de Roges Hadewerck vnus de praepotentibus Wesifalorum primi ductores fuisse referuntur c. Erat autem tertia feria Iulij mensis quando hae Christianorum copiae Deo protegente huc nauigio angustiatis obsessis ad opem collatae sunt Sarracenorum autem turmae videntes quia Christianorum virtus audacter facie ad faciem vicino sibi hospitio proximè iungebatur media nocte oâ—biincumbente amotis tentorijs amplius milliari subtractae consederunt dum luce exorta consilium inirent vtrum Ascalonem redirent aut ciues Iaphet crebris assultibus vexarent The same in English VVHile the Sarazens continued their siege against Ioppa two hundred saile of Christian ships arriued at Ioppa that they might performe their deuotions at Hierusalem The chiefe men and leaders of these Christians are reported to haue bene Bernard Witrazh of the land of Galatia Hardine of England Otho of Roges Haderwerck one of the chiefe noble men of Westphalia c. This Christian power through Gods speciall prouision arriued here for the succour and reliefe of the distressed besieged Christians in Ioppa the third day of Iuly 1102. and in the second yeere of Baldwine king of Ierusalem Whereupon the multitude of the Sarazens seeing that the Christian power ioyned themselues boldly close by them euen face to face in a lodging hard by them the very next night at midnight remooued their tents and pitched them more then a mile off that they might the next morning bee aduised whether they should returne to Ascalon or by often assaults vexe the citizens of Iaphet Chronicon Hierosolymitanum eodem libro 9. cap. 12. continueth this historie of these two hundreth saile of ships and sheweth how by their prowesse chiefly the multitude of the Sarazens were in short space vanquished and ouerthrowen The words are these Ab ipso verò die terriae feriae dum sic in superbia elatione suae multitudinis immobiles Saraceni persisterent multis armorum terroribus Christianum populum vexarent sexta feria appropinquance Rex Baldwinus in tubis cornibus a Iaphet egrediens in manu robusta equitum peditum virtutem illorum crudeli bello est aggressus magnis hinc hinc clamoribus intonantes Christiani quoque qui nauigio appulsi sunt horribili pariter clamore cum Rege Baldwino graui strepitu vociferantes Babylonios vehementi pugna sunt aggressi saeuissimis atque mortiferis plagis eos affligentes donec bello fatigati vltra vim non sustinentes fugam versus Ascalonem inierunt Alij verò ab insecutoribus eripi existimantes marâ— se credentes intolerabili procellarum fluctuatione absorpti sunt Et sic ciuitas Ioppe cum habitatoribus suis liberata est Ceciderunt hac die tria millia Sarracenorum Christianorum verò pauci perijsse inuenti sunt The same in English YEt notwithstanding after the said third day of Iuly the Sarazens persisted high minded and insolent by reason of their great multitude and much annoied the Christian people with their many forceable and terrible weapons whereupon on the sixt day of Iuly early in the morning king Baldwine issued out of Iaphet his trumpets and cornets yeelding a great and lowd sound and with a very strong armie as well of horsemen as footemen who on euery side making great shoutes and outcries with fierce and sharpe battell set on the maine power of their enemies The Christians also who arriued in the nauie rearing great clamours and noyses with loud voices and shoutings in horrible wise together with king Baldwine assaulted likewise with strong battell the Babylonians and afflicted them with most sore and deadly wounds vntill the Sarazens being wearied with fighting nor able longer to endure and hold out against the valure of the Christians fled towards Ascalon And other of them hoping to escape from them that pursued them lept into the sea and were swalowed vp in the waues thereof And so the citie of Ioppa with the inhabitants thereof were freed of their enemies There were slaine this day three thousand Sarazens and but a few of the Christians perished ¶ A Fleete of Englishmen Danes and Flemmings arriued at Ioppa in the Holy land the seuenth yeere of Baldwine the second king of Hierusalem Written in the beginning of the tenth booke of the Chronicle of Hierusalem in the 8. yeere of Henry the first of England Cap. 1. AT the same time also in the seuenth yeere of the raigne of Baldwine the Catholike king of Hierusalem a very great warrelike Fleete of the Catholike nation of England to the number of about seueÌ„ thousand hauing with them more men of warre of the kingdom of Denmarke of Flanders and of Antwerpe arriued with ships which they call Busses at the hauen of the citie of Iaphet determining there to make their abode vntill they hauing obtained the kings licence and safe conduct might safely worship at Hierusalem Of which nauie the chiefest and best spoken repairing to the king spake to him in this maner Christ preserue the Kings life and prosper his kingdome from day to day Wee being men and souldiours of Christian profession haue through the helpe of God sayled hither through mightie and large seas from the farre countreys of England Flanders and Denmarke to worship at Ierusalem and to visit the sepulchre of our Lord. And therefore we are assembled to intreat your clemency touching the matter that by your fauour and safe conduct we may peaceably goe vp to Ierusalem and worship there and so returne Chap. 2. THe king fauourably hearing their whole
was buried by his brother after Christian maner Chap. 6. AFter the lamentable burials of these so famous Princes the King taking occasion of the death of these principall men of his armic agreed making none priuie thereto to receiue the money which was offered him for his differring off the siege of the citie of Sagiâ—ta yet dissembling to make peace with the Saracens but that he ment to go through with the worke that he had begunne Whereupon sending a message vnto Iaphet hee aduised the English souldiers to come downe to Acres with their fleete and to conferre and consult with him touching the besieging and assaulting of the citie of Sagitta which rising immediatly vpon the kings commaundement and foorthwith hoysing vp the sayles of their shippes aloft with pendants and stremers of purple and diuerse other glorious colours with their flagges of scarlet colour and silke came thither and casting their ancres rode hard by the citie The king the next day calling vnto him such as were priuie acquainted with his dealings opened his griefe vnto the chiefe Captaines of the English men and Danes touching the slaughter of Hugh and the death of his brother and what great confidence he reposed in them concerning these warres and that nowe therefore they being departed and dead he must of necessity differre the besieging of Sagitta for this time dismisse the armie assembled This resolution of the king being spred among the people the armie was dissolued and the Englishmen Danes and Flemings with sailes and oares going aboard their fleete saluted the king and returned home vnto their natiue countries The trauailes of one Athelard an Englishman recorded by master Bale Centur. 2. AThelardus Bathoniensis Coenobij monachus naturalium rerum mysteria causas omnes diligentâ—â—â tam vndecun que exquisitá perserutatus est vt cum aliquibus veteris seculi philoâ—ophis non indignè conferâ—i possit Hic olim spectatae indolis Adolescens vt virente adhuc aetate iuuenile ingenium foecundaret atque adres magnas pararet relicta dulci patria longin quas petijt regiones Cum verò AEgyptum Arabiam peragrans plura inuenisset quae eius desiderabat animus cum magno laborum ac literarum lucro in Angliam tum demùm reuertebatur Claruit anno virginei partus 1130. Henrico primo regnante The same in English AThelard a Monke of the Abbie of Bathe was so diligent a searcher of the secrets and causes of naturall things that he deserueth worthely to be compared with some of the auncient Philosophers This man although young yet being of a good wit and being desirous to increase and enrich the same with the best things and to prepare himselfe as it were for greater matters left his Countrey for a time and trauailed into forreine Regions He went through Egypt and Arabia and found out many things which he desired to his owne priuate contentment and the profite of good letters generally and so being satisfied returned againe into his Countrey he flourished in the yeere 1130. Henry the first being then king of England ¶ The life and trauailes of one VVilliam of Tyre an Englishman Centur. 13. GVlielmus Ecclesiae Dominici sepulchri Hierosolymae Regularium Canonicorum prior natione Anglicus vir vita moribus coÌ„mendabilis Anno Dom. 1128. postquam Tyrorum Ciuitas fidei Christianae restituta est a Guimundo Hierosolymorum patriarcha eidem vrbi primus Archiepiscopus praeficiebatur Est autem Tyrus ciuitas antiquissima Phoeniciae vniuersae Metropolis quae inter Syriae prouincias bonorum omnium penè commoditate incolarum frequentia primum semper obtinuit locum post conscripta quaedam opuscula Epistolas ad Domâ—num migrauit Anâ— Christi 1130. quum duobus tantum sedisset annis in Tyrensi Ecclesia sepelitur The same in English VVIlliam the Prior of the Canons Regular in the Church of Ierusalem called the Lords Sepulchre was an Englishman borne and of a vertuous and good behauiour After that the Citie of Tyre was restored againe to the Christian faith Guimunde the Patriarke of Ierusalem made him the first Archbishop of Tyre in the yeere 1128. Which Tyre is a very ancient Citie the Metropolis of all Phoenicia and hath bene accompted the chiefest Prouince of Syria both for fruitful commodities and multitude of inhabitants This William hauing in his life written many Bookes and Epistles died at last in the yeere 1130. hauing bene Archbishop the space of two yeeres and was buried in the Church of Tyre The trauailes of Robertus Ketenensis RObertus Ketenensis natione cognomine Anglus degusâ—atis primum per Anglorum gymnasia humanarum artium elementis literarijs vltramarinas statim visitare prouincias in animo constituit Peragratis ergò Gallijs Italia Dalmatia Graecia tum demum peruenit in Asiam vbi non paruo labore ac vitae suae periculo inter Saracenos truculentissimum hominum genus Arabicam linguam ad amussim didicit In Hispaniam postea nauigio traductus circa fluuium Hibetum Astrologicae artis studio cum Hermanno quodam Dalmata magni sui itineris comite se totum dedit Claruit anno seruatoris nostri 1143 Stephano regnante Pampilonaâ— sepelitur The same in English THis Robert Ketenensis was called an Englishman by surname as he was by birth who after some time spent in the foundations of humanitie and in the elements of good Artes in the Uniuersities of England determined to trauaile to the partes beyond sea and so trauailed through France Italie Dalmatia and Greece and came at last into Asia where he liued in great danger of his life among the cruell Saracens but yet learned perfectly the Arabian tongue Afterwardes he returned by sea into Spaine and there about the riuer Iberus gaue him selfe wholy to the studie of Astrologie with one Hermannus a Dalmatian who had accompanied him in his long voyage He flourished in the yeere 1143. Steuen being then King of England and was buried at Pampilona A voyage of certaine English men vnder the conduct of Lewes king of France vnto the Holy land TAntae expeditionis explicito apparatu vterque princeps iter arripuit exercitu separtito Imperator enim Conradus praecedebat itinere aliquot dierum cum Italorum Germanorum aliarúmque gentium amplissimis copijs Rex vero Lodouicus sequebatur Francorum Flandrensium Normannorum Britonum Anglorum Burgundionum Prouincialium Aquitanorum equestri simul pedestri agmine comitatus Gulielmus Neobrigensis fol. 371. The same in English BOth the princes prouision being made for so great an expedition they seuering their armies entered on their iourney For the Emperour Conradus went before certaine dayes iourney with very great power of Italians Germans and other countreys And king Lewes followed after accompanied with a band of horsemen and footmen of French men Flemmings Normans Britons English men Burgundions men of Prouence and Gascoins The voyage of Iohn Lacy to Ierusalem ANno
of Syria through all which land the king had free passage without resistance neither durst the Saracenâ— Prince encounter after that with K. Richard Of all which his atchâ—uances the sayd K. Richard sent his letters of certificate as well into England as also to the Abbot of Clara valle in France well hoping y t he God willing should be able to make his repaire againe to them by Easter next Many other famous acts were done in this voyage by these two Kings and moe should haue bene had not they falling into discorde disseuered themselues by reason whereof Philip the French king returned home againe within short space who being returned againe eftsoones inuaded the countrey of Normandy exciting also Iohn the brother of king Richard to take on him the kingdome of Englande in his brothers absence who then made league vpon the same with the French king and did homage vnto him which was about the fourth yeere of king Richard Who then being in Syria and hearing thereof made peace with the Turkes for three yeeres and not long after king Richard the next spring following returned also who in his returne driuen by distresse of weather about the parts of Histria in a towne called Synaca was there taken by Lympold Duke of the same countrey and so solde to the Emperour for sixtie thousand Markes who for no small ioy thereof writeth to Philip the French king these letters here following The letter of the Emperour to Philip the French king concerning the taking of King Richard HEnricus Dei gratia Romanorum Imperator semper Augustus Dilecto speciali amico suo Philippo illustri Francorum Regi salutem sincerae dilectionis affectum Quoniam Imperatoria Celsitudo non dubitat Regalem Magnificentiam tuam latiorem effici de vniuersis quibus omnipotentia creatoris nostri nos ipsos Romanum Imperâ—um honorauerit exaltauerit nobilitati tuae tenore praesentium declarare duximus quod inimicus Imperij nostri â—urbator Regni tui Rex Angliae quam esset in transeundo mare ad partes suas reuer surus accidit vt ventus rupta naui sua in qua ipse erat induceret eum in partes Histriae ad locum qui est inter Aquileiam Venetias Vbi Rex Dei permissione passus naufragium cum paucis euasit Quidam itaque fidelis noster Comes Maynardus de Grooxâ—e populas regionis illius audito quod in terra erat considerato diligentiùs qualem nominatus Rex in terra promissionis proditionem traditionem perditionis suae cumulum exercuerat insecuti sunt intendentes eum captiuare Ipso autem Rege in fugam conuerso ceperunt de suis octo milites Postmodum processit Rex ad Burgum in Archiepâ—scopatu Salseburgensi qui vocatur Frisorum vbi Fridericus de Betesow Rege cum tribus tantum versus Austriam properante noctu sex milites de suis coepit Dilectus autem Consanguineus noster Lympoldus Dux Austriae obseruata strata saepè dictum Regemiuxta Denam in villa viciniori in domo despecta captiuaâ—â—t Cumitaque in nostra nunc habeatur Potestate ipse semper tua molestauit turbationis operam praestiterit ea quae praemisimus nobilitati tuae insmuare curaâ—imus scientes ea dilectioni tuae beneplacita existere animo tuo vberrimam importare laetitiam Datum apud Ritheountum 5. Kalendas Ianua King Richard being thus traiterously taken and solde to the Emperour by the Duke of Austridge for 60000. markes was there kept in custodie a yeere and 3. moneths In some stories it is affirmed that King Richard returning out of Asia came to Italy with prosperous winde where he desired of the Pope to be absolued of an othe made against this will and could not obteine it and so setting out from thence towards England passing by the Countrey of Conradus the Marques whose death he being slaine a litle before was falsâ—y imputed by the French king to the king of England there traiterously was taken as is aforesayde by Limpoldus duke of Austridge Albeit in another storie I finde the matter more credibly set forth which saith thus That king Richard slewe the brother of this Limpoldus playing with him at Chesse in the French Kings Court and Limpoldus taking his vantage was more cruel against him and deliuered him as is sayde to the Emperour In whose custodie he was deteined during the time aboue mentioned a yeere 3. moneths During which time of the kings endurance the French king in the meane season stirred warre in Normandie and Earle Iohn the Kings brother made stirre and inuaded England but the Barons and Bishops of the land mightily withstood him At length it was so agreed and concluded with the Emperour that king Richard should be released for a hundreth and foure thousand pound of which money part should remaine to the Duke of Austridge the rest should be the Emperours The summe of which money was here gathered and made in England of chalices crosses shrines candlestickes and other Church plate also with publike contribution of Friers Abbots and other subiects of the Realme whereof part was presently paid and for the residue remaining hostages and pledges were taken which was about the fift yeere of his reigne and then it was obteined of the Pope that Priestes might celebrate with Chalices of latten and tinne At what time this aforesaide money was payde and the hostages giuen for the ransome of the King I haue an olde historie which saith that the aforesaid Duke of Austridge was shortly after plagued by God with 5. sundry plagues First with the burning of his chiefe Townes 2 With drowning of tenne thousand of his men in a flood happening no man can tell how 3 By turning all the eares of his corne fieldes into wormes 4. By taking away almost all the Nobles of his land by death 5. By breaking his owne leg falling from his horse which leg he was compelled to cut off with his owne hands and afterwards died of the same who then at his death is reported to forgiue K. Richard 50000. marks and sent home the hostages that were with him And further a certaine booke intituled Eulogium declareth that the sayd Limpoldus duke of Austrich fell in displeasure with the bishop of Rome and died excommunicate the next yeere after Anno 1196. But thus as you haue heard Richard the King was ransomed deliuered from the couetous captiuitie of the Emperor and returning home made an ende of his voyage for Asia which was both honourable to himselfe and to all Christian states but to the Saracens the enemies of Christianitie terrible and dishonourable This historie of King Richards voiage to Ierusalem is very excellently and largely written in Latine by Guilielmus Neobrigensis and Roger Houeden Epitaphium Richardi primi regis Anglorum apud fontem Ebraldi SCribitur hoc auro rex auree laus tua tota aurea materiae conueniente nota
Laus tua prima fuit Siculi Cyprus altera Dromo tertia Caruanna quarta suprema Iope Retrusi Siculi Cyprus pessundata Dromo mersus Caruanna capta retenta Iope Epitaphium eiusdem vbi viscera eius requiescunt VIscera Kareolum corpus fons seruat Ebraldi cor Rothomagus magne Richarde tuum The life and trauailes of Baldwinus Deuonius sometime Archbishop of Canterbury BAldwinus Deuonius tenui loco Excestriae natus vir ore facundus exactus Philosophus ad omne studiorum genus per illos dies aptissimus inuenie batur Scholarum rector primùm erat tum postea Archidiac onus eruditione ac sapientia in omni negotio celebris fuit praeterâ—à Cisterciensis Monachus Abbas Fordensis Coenobij magnus suorum aestimatione ac vniuersae eorum societati quasi Antesignanus fuit deinde Wigoâ—niensis praesul fuit mortuo demùm Richardo Cantuariorum Archiepiscopus ac totius Angliae Primas Cui muneri Baldwinus sollicitè inuigilans egregium se pastorem exhibuit dominicum semen quantum patiebatur eius temporis iniquitas vnique locorum spargens Richardus Anglorum rex acceptis tunc regui insignijs summo studio classem ac omnia ad Hierosolymitanum bellum gerendum necessaria parauit Secutus est illicò regem in Syriam Palestinam vsque Baldwinus vt esset in tam Sancto vt ipse putabat iâ—inere laborum dolorum ac periculorum particeps Prefuit Cantuariensi Ecclesie ferè 6. annis Richardum regem in Syriam secutus anno Salutis nostrae 1190. Tyri vitam finiâ—it vbi sepultus est The same in English BAldwine a Deuonshire man borne in Exceter of mean parentage was a very eloquent man an exact Philosopher and in those dayes very excellent in all kind of studies He was first of all a Schoolemaster afterwards he became an Archdeacon very famous for his learning wisdom in all his doings He was also a Cistercian Monke and Abbot of Foord Monasterie and the chiefe of all those that were of his order he grew after this to be bishop of Worâ—ester and at last after the death of Archb. Richard he was promoted made Archbishop of Canterbury and Primate of all England In the discharge of which place he being very vigilant shewed himselfe a worthy Pastor sowing the feed of Gods word in euery place as farre foorth as the iniquitie of that time permitted In his time king Richard with all indeuour prepared a Fleet and all things necessary for waging of warre against the Infidels at Ierusalem taking with him the standerd and ensignes of the kingdome This Baldwine â—ftsoones folowed the king into Syria and Palestina as one desirous to be partaker of his trauailes paines and perils in so holy a voyage Hee was Archbishop of Canterburie almost sixe yeres but hauing followed the king into Syria in the yeere 1190â— he died at Tyrâ— where he was also buried ¶ An annotation concerning the trauailes of the sayd Baldwine taken out of Giraldus Cambrensis in his Itinerarium Cambriae lib. â— Cap. 14. Fol. 229. INter primos Thomae Becketi successor hic secundus audita saluatoris salutiâ—â—rae Crucis iniuria nostris proh dolor diebus per Saladinum irrogata cruce â—ignatus in eiusdem obsequâ—js tam remotis finibus quà m propinquis praedicationis officium virilâ—ter assumpsit Et post-modùm iter accipiens nauigiâ—que fungens apud Marsiham transcurso tandem pelagi profundo in portu Tyrensâ—incolumis applicuit inde ad exercitum nostrum obsidentem pariter obsessum Aconem transiuit vbi multos ex nostris inueniens ferè cunctos principum defectu in summa desolatione iam positos desperatione alios quidem longa expectatione fatigatos alios fame inopia grauiter afflictos quosdam verò aëris inclementia distemperatos diem foelicitèr in terra sacra clausurus extremum singulos pro posse vinculo charitat is amplectens sumptibus impensis verbis vitae meritis confirmauit The same in English THis Baldwine being the second successor vnto Thomas Becket after he had heard y e wrong which was done to our Sauiour and the signe of the Crosse by Saladine the Sultan of Egypt taking vpon him the Lords Character he couragiously perfourmed his office of preaching in the obedience thereof as well in farre distant Countreis as at home And afterwards taking his iourney and imbarking himselfe at Marseils hauing at length passed y e Leuant sea he arriued safely in the Hauen of Tyrus and from thence went ouer to Achon vnto our armie besieging the Towne and yet as it were besieged it selfe where finding many of our Countreymen and almost all men remaining in wonderfull pensiuenesse and despaire through the withdrawing of the Princes some of them tyred with long expectation others grieuously afflicted with hunger and pouertie and others distempered with the heate of the weather being ready happily to ende his dayes in the Holy land embracing euery one according to his abilitie in the bond of loue he ayded them at his costes and charges and strengthened them with his wordes and good examples of life ¶ A note drawen out of a very ancient booke remaining in the hands of the right worshipfull M. Thomas Tilney Esquire touching Sir Frederike Tilney his ancestor knighted at Acon in the Holy land for his valour by K. Richard the first as foloweth PErtinult iste liber prâ—ùs Frederico Tilney de Boston in comitatu Lincolniae militi facto apud Acon in terra Iudae ae anno regis Richardi primi tertio Vir erat iste magnae staturae potens in corpore qui cum patribus suis dormit apud Titrington iuxta villam sui nominis Tilney in Mershland Cuius altitudo in salua custodia permanet ibidem vsque in hunc diem Et post eius obitum sexdecem militibus eius nominis Tilney haereditas illa successiuè obuenit quorum vnus post alium semper habitabat apud Boston praedictum dum fratris senioris haereditas haeredi generali deuoluta est quae nupta est Iohanni duci Norfolciae Eorum miles vltimus â—uit Philippus Tilney nuper de Shelleigh in Comitatu Suffolciae pater genitor Thomae Tilney de Hadleigh in Comltatu praedicto Armigeri cui modò artineâ— iste liber Anno aetatis suae 64. Anno Domini 1556. ¶ The same in English THis booke pertained in times past vnto Sir Frederick Tilney of Boston in the Countie of Lincolne who was knighted at Acon in the land of Iurie in the third yeere of the reigne of king Richard the first This knight was of a tall stature and strong of body who resteth interred with his fore fathers at Tirrington neere vnto a towne in Marshland called by his owne name Tilney The iust height of this knight is there kept in safe custody vntill this very day Also after this mans decease the inheritance of his landes fell successiuely vnto sixteene sundry knights called all
by the name of Tilney who dwelt alwayes one after another at the towne of Boston aforesayd vntill such time as the possessions of the elder brother fell vnto an heire general which was maried vnto Iohn duke of Northfolke The last knight of that name was sir Philip Tilney late of Shelleigh in the Countie of Suffolke predecessor and father vnto Thomas Tilney of Hadleigh in the Countie aforesayd Esquire vnto whom the sayd booke of late appertained In the yeere of his age 64. and in the yeere of our Lord 1556. ¶ The trauailes of one Richard surnamed Canonicus RIchardus Canonicus ad Trinitatis fanum Londini Regularis ab ipsa pueritia bonarum artium literas impensè amauit excoluit ac didicit Qui ex râ—niâ—â—o labore atque exercitatione longa talis tandem euasit orator Poeta quales ea aetas tarissimos mitriebat Ob id Richardo Anglorum time Regi charus longam cum eo peregrinationem in Palestinam ac Sytiam dum expugnaret Turcas suscepit Vnde in Angliam tum demum reuersus omnia quâ—â— pâ—â—â—sens vidit in vâ—bibus agris ac milâ—â—um castris fideli narratione tam carmine quà m prosae descripsit Neque interim omisit eiusdem Regis mores formam per omnia corporis lineamenta de signare â—â—diditque praeclaro suo operi hoc aptissimum pro titulo nomem â—â—ifceâ— Itinerarium Regis Richardi Claruit anno redemptionis nostrae 1200. sub â—oanno Anglorum Regâ— The same in English RIchard surnamed Canonicus an obseruant Frier of Trinitie Church in London was in great loue with the studies of good Artes and tooke paines in them and learned them And at last by his continuall endeuour and long exercise therein hee grewe to bee such an Oratour and Poet as fewe were in that age liuing by reason whereof hee grew in fauour with Richard then King of England and vndertooke that long voyage with him into Palestina and Syria agaynst the Turkes From whence being returned againe into England hee faithfully described both in Uerse and Prose all such things as hee had seene in the Cities fieldes and tentes of the souldiours where hee was present and omitted not to note the behauiour forme and proportion of body in the foresayd king giuing to his notable worke this most apt name for the titleâ— The Iournall of King Richard He flourished in the yeere of our Redemption 1200. vnder Iohn king of England ¶ The trauailes of Gulielmus Peregrinus GVlielmus Peregriâ—us Poeta quidem per eam aetatem excellens genere Anglus florebat literarum vt multi tunc erant amator maximus qui bona tempora melioribus impenderat studijs Hic cum acâ—episset expeditionem in Saracenos per Regem Richardum parari accinxit se ad iter illud non tantum vt miles sed etiam peregrinus Vidit ea quae in Mari Hispanico fiebant vidit quae in Syria Palestina commissa fuerunt in Sultanum Babylonie Regem ac perfidos Saracenos Omnia haec scripsit viuis depinxit coloribus ita vt quasi prae oculis totum poneret negotium idémque Argumentum cum Richardo Canonico non inâ—oeliciter Heroico pertractauit carmine opúsque iam absolutum Huberto Cantuariorum Archiepiscopo Stephano Turnhamo Capitaneo rerum bellicarum expertissimo dedicauit additâ— hoc titulo Odepoâ—icon Richardi Regis Multáque alia edidisse Poetam talem non dubito sed num extent illa eius scripta mihi non constat Hoc ramen satis constat eum fuisse in pretio Anno à salutisero virginis partu 1200. sub Anglorum Rege Ioanne The same in English VVIlliam the Pilgrime a very excellent Poet in those dayes and an Englishman borne was of great fame being much giuen to good letters as many then were and bestowed his good time in the best kinde of studies Hee vnderstanding of the preparation of king Richard against the Saracens prepared himselfe also for the same voyage not onely as a Souldiour but as a Pilgrime also He sawe those things which happened in the Spanish Seas and which were done in Syria and Palestina against the Sultan the king of Babylon and the trecherous Saracens All which things he wrote and expressed them as it were in liuely colours as if they had bene still in doing before his eyes and handled the same Argument in Heroicall verse which the forenamed Richard Canonicus did And hauing finished his worke he dedicated it to Hubert Archbishop of Canterburie and to Stephen Turneham a most expert Captaine of the warres giuing it this Title The expedition of King Richard And I doubt not but that so good a Poet as hee was published many other things but whether they be extanâ— yea or no I know not but this I know that he was a man well accounted of and flourished in the yeere after the birth of Christ 1200. vnder king Iohn The large contribution to the succour of the Holy land made by king Iohn king of England in the third yeere of his reigne 1201. Matth. Paris and Holinsh. pag. 164. AT the same time alâ—o the kings of France and England gaue large money towards the maintenance of the army which at this present went fâ—orth vnder the leading of the earle of Flanders and other to warre against the enemies of the Christian faith at the instance of pope Innocent There was furthermore granted vnto them the fortieth part of all the reuenues belonging vnto ecclesiasticall persons towards the ayd of the Christians then being in the Holy land and all such aswel of the nobility as other of the weaker sort which had taken vpon them the crosse and secretly layed it downe were compelled eft soones to receiue it now againe The trauailes of Hubert VValter bishop of Sarisburie HVbertus Walterus Sarisburiensis Episcopus vir probus ingenióque ac pictate clarus inter praecipuos vnus eorum erat qui post Richardum regem expugnandorum Saracenorum gratia in Syriam proficisce bantur Cum ex Palestina rediens audiret in Sicilia quod idem Richardus in inimicorum manus incidisset omisso itinere incoepto ad eum cursim diuertebat Quem ille statim in Angliam misit vt illic regij Senatus authoritate indicto pro eius redemptione tributo pecuniam colligeret quod industrius fecit ac regem liberauit Inde Cantuariorum Archiepiscopus factus post eius mortem Ioanni illius fratri ac successori paria fidelitatis officia praestitit Longa enim oratione toti Anglorum nationi â—ersuasit quod vir prouidus praestans fortis genere nobilissimus imperio dignissimus eiset quo salutatus a populo fuit aâ—que in regem coronatus Composuit quaedam opuscula ex immenso animi dolore demum obijsse fertur Anno salutis humanae 1205. cum sedisset annos 11. Menses octo dies sex quum vidisset ex intestinis odijs omnia in transmarinis regionibus pessùm ire regnante Ioanne The same in
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
matter for we can pay no lesse then ten in the hundred thorowout the Turks whole dominion Insomuch that if one of our shippes should go thither it would be for the customers profit 4000 ducats at least whereas if we should not trade thither he should lose so much Also the burgesses and the common people would be very glad of our trade there for the Communalty do get more by our countreymen thâ—n they do by any other nation whatsoeuer for we do vse to buy many of their silke quilts and of their Scamato and Dimite that the poore people make in that towne more then any other natioâ— so that we would not so gladly trade but the people of the countrey would betwise so willing Wherefore they themselues would be a meanes vnto their gouernour by their petition to bring this trade to passe giuing him to vnderstand that of all nations in the world we do him least hurt and that we may do his countrey great good in consuming those commodities which his countrey people make Furthermore it were farre more râ—quisite that we should cary our owne commodities then to suffer a stranger to cary them thither for that we can affoord them better cheape then a stranger caâ— I write not this by heare say of other men but of mine own experience for I haue traded in the countrey aboue this 30 yeres and haue bene maried in the towne of Chio full 24 yeres so that you may assure yourselfe that I will write nothing but truth Now I will declare vnto you the wares and commodities that are in the countreyes neere abont Chio. There are very good galles the best sort whereof are sold in England fiue shillings deerer then any other countrey galles There is also cotten wooll tanned hides hides in the haire waxe chamlets mocayares grogerams silke of diuers countreyes cordouan skinnes tanned white to be made blacke of them great quantity and also course wooll to make beds The naturall commodities growing in the Iland it felfe are silke rawe and masticke Of these commodities â—here are laden yeerely ten or twelue great ships of Genoa besides fiue or sixe that do belong to the towne of Chio which ships are fraughted for Genoa Messina and Ancona And now that the Mauneses and the chiefe merchants of Genoa are banished the trade is cleane lost by reason whereof merchandise must now of necessity be better cheape then they haue bene in times past But yet when all those ships did trade to the countrey also our ships we neuer had lesse then three kintals of galles for a carsie and in England we sold them for 35 and 36 shillings the hundred And whereas now they are brought by the Venetians they sell them vnto vs for three pound tenne shillings and foure pound the hundred Also we had three kintals of cottâ—n wooll for a carsie and solde the wooll in England for 50 shillings or 3 pound at the most whereas now the Italians sell the same to vs for 4 pound 10 shillings and 5 pound the hundred In like maner chamlets whereas we had three pieces and of the best sort two and a halfe for a carsie and could not sell them aboue 20 shillings and 22 shillings the piece they sell them for 30 and 35 shillings the piece Also grogerams where we had of the best two pieces and a halfe for a carsie they sell them for foure shillings and foure shillings and sixe pence the yard Carpets the smaller sort which serue for cupboords we had three for a carsie whereas we at the most could not sell them but for 20 shillings the piece they sell them for 35 shillings the piece And so all other commodities that the Uenetians do bring they sell them to vs for the third part more gaines then we our selues in those dayes that we traded in those parts Likewise the barrels of oile that they bring from Candia we neuer could sell them aboue foure nobles the barrell where they sell them alwayes for 50 shillings 3 pound the barrell What great pity is this that we should lose so good a trade and may haue it in our owne hands and be better welcome to that countrâ—y then the Uenetians Moreouer the Uenetians come very little to Chio for their most trade is into Alexandria And for to assure you that we had these commodities in barter of our carsies looke into your fathers books and the books of Sir Iohn Gresham and his brethren and you shall finde what I haue sayd to be true Also you know that we are forced to seeke oiles out of Spaine and that for these many yeeres they haue bene solde for 25 pound and 30 pound the tunne whereas if we can obtaine the foresayd safeconduct from the Turke there are diuers places in his dominions where we may lade 500 tunnes at 5 pound sterling the tunne The places are Modon and Coron which are but twelue miles distant the one from the other and do stand in our way to Chio as you may plainly see by the Card. Also these are places where we may vtter our owne commodities and not onely these two places but many others where we may haue oiles and be better vsed then we are in Spaine where we pay very deare and also are very euill intreated many wayes as to you is not vnknowen So that by these meanes if the marchants will we may be eased and haue such a trade as the like is not in Christendome Now as for getting the safeconduct if I were but able to spend one hundred pounds by the yeere I would be bound to lose it if that I did not obtaine the foresayd safeconduct For I know that if the inhabitants of Chio did but thinke that wee would trade thither againe they at their owne cost would procure to vs a safeconduct without any peny of charges to the marchants So that if the marchants will but beare my charges to solicit the cause I will vndertake it my selfe Wherefore I pray you speake to M. Winter and the other marchants that this matter may take effect And let me haue your answere herein assoone as conueniently you may for that the time of the yeere draweth nigh that this businesse must be done Thus I commit you to God and rest alwayes yours to command Yours as your seruant Gaspar Campion To the worshipfull M. VVilliam VVinter IT may please your worship to vnderstand that as concerning the voyage to Chio what great profit would be gotten both for marchants and also for owners of shippes as it was well knowen in those dayes when the Matthew Gonson the Trinitie Fitzwilliams and the Sauiour of Bristow with diuers other ships which traded thither yerely and made their voyage in ten or twelue moneths and the longest in a yeere M. Francis Lambert M. Iohn Brooke and M. Drauer can truely informe you heereof at large And by reason that wee haue not traded into those parts these many yeeres
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
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
Spirituall consistorie before the Tundi Rebelles are executed in this manner especially if they be noble men or officers The king looke what day he giueth sentence against any one the same day the partie wheresoeuer he be is aduertised thereofâ— and the day told him of his execution The condemned person asketh of the messenger whether it may bee lawfull for him to kill himselfe the which thing when the king doeth graunt the partie taking it for an honour putteth on his best apparell and launcing his body a crosse from the breast downe all the belly murthereth himselfe This kind of death they take to be without infamie neither doe their children for their fathers crime so punished loose their goods But if the king reserue them to be executed by the hangman then flocketh be together his children his seruants and friends home to his house to preserue his life by force The king committeth the fetching of him out vnto his chiefe Judge who first setteth vpon him with bow and arrowes and afterward with pikes and swords vntill the rebell and all his family be slaine to their perpetuall ignominie and shame The Indie-writers make mention of sundry great cities in this Iland as Cangoxima a hauen towne in the South part thereof and Meaco distant from thence three hundred leagues northward the royall seat of the king and most wealthy of all other townes in that Iland The people thereabout are very noble and their language the best Iaponish In Meaco are sayd to be ninetie thousande houses inhabited and vpward a famous Uniuersitie and in it fiue principall Colleges besides closes cloysters of Bonzi Leguixil and Hamacata that is Priests Monks and Nunnes Other fiue notable Uniuersities there be in Iapan namely Coia Negur Homi Frenoi and Bandu The first foure haue in them at the least three thousand fiue hundred schollers in the fift are many mo For Bandu prouince is very great and possessed with sixe princes fiue whereof are vassals vnto the sixt yet he himselfe subiect vnto the Iaponish king vsually called the great king of Meaco lesser scholes there be many in diuers places of this Ilande And thus much specially concerning this glorious Iland among so many barbarous nations and rude regions haue I gathered together in one summe out of sundry letters written from thence into Europe by no lesse faithfull reporters than famous trauellers For confirmation whereof as also for the knowledge of other things not conteyned in the primisses the curious readers may peruse these 4 volumes of Indian matters written long ago in Italian and of late compendiously made latine by Petrus Maffeius my olde acquainted friend entituling the same De rebus Iaponicis One whole letter out of the fift booke thereof specially intreating of that countrey I haue done into English word for word in such wise as followeth Aloisius Froes to his companions in Iesus Christ that remaine in China and India THe last yeere deare brethren I wrote vnto you from Firando how Cosmus Turrianus had appointed me to trauaile to Meaco to helpe Gaspar Vilela for that there the haruest was great the labourers few and that I should haue for my companion in that iourney Aloisius Almeida It seemeth now my part hauing by the helpe of God ended so long a voiage to signifie vnto you by letter such things specially as I might thinke you would most delight to know And because at the beginning Almeida and I so parted the whole labour of writing letters betwixt vs. that he should speake of our voyage and such things as happened therein I should make relation of the Meachians estate write what I could well learne of the Iapans maners and conditions setting aside all discourses of our voyage that which standeth me vpon â— will discharge in this Epistle that you considering how artificially how cunningly vnder the pretext of religion that craftie aduersary of mankind leadeth and draweth vnto perdition the Iapanish mindes blinded with many superstitions and ceremonies may the more pitie this Nation The inhabiters of Iapan as men that neuer had greatly to doe with other Nations in their Geography diuided the whole world into three parts Iapan Sian and China And albeit the Iapans receiued out of Sian and China their superstitions and cermonies yet do they neuerthelesse contemne all other nations in comparison of themselues and standing in their owne conceite doe far preferre themselues before all other sorts of people in wisedome and policie Touching the situation of the countrey and nature of the soyle vnto the things estsooneserst written this one thing I wil adde in these Ilands the sommer to be most hot the winter extreme cold In the kingdome of Canga as we call it falleth so much snow that the houses being buried in it the inhabitants keepe within doores certaine moneths of the yeere hauing no way to come foorth except they breake vp the tiles Whirlewindes most vehement earthquakes so common that the Iapans dread such kind of feares litle or nothing at all The countrey is ful of siluer mines otherwise barren not so much by fault of nature as through the slouthfulnesse of the inhabitants howbeit Oxen they keepe and that for tillage sake onely The ayre is holesome the waters good the people very faire and well bodied bate headed commonly they goe procuring baldnesse with sorrow and teares eft soones rooting vp with pinsars all the haire of their heads as it groweth except it be a litle behind the which they knot and keepe with all diligence Euen from their childhood they weare daggers and swords the which they vse to lay vnder their pillowes when they goe to bed in shew courteous and affable in deede haughtie and proud They delight most in warlike affaires and their greatest studie is armes Mens apparell diuersely colouered is worne downe halfe the legges and to the elbowes womens attyre made hansomely like vnto a vaile is somewhat longer all manner of dicing and these they doe eschue The machant although he be wealthy is not accounted of Gentlemen be they neuer so poore retaine their place most precisely they stande vpon their honour and woorthinesse ceremoniously striuing among themselues in courtesies and faire speeches Wherein if any one happily be lesse carefull than he should be euen for a trifle many times he getteth euill will Want though it trouble most of them so much they doe detest that poore men cruelly taking pittie of their infantes newly home especially girles do many times with their owne feete strangle them Noble men and other likewise of meaner calling generally haue but one wife a peece by whom although they haue issue yet for a trifle they diuorse themselues from their wiues and the wiues also sometimes from their husbands to marry with others After the second degree cousins may there lawfully marry Adoption of other mens children is much vsed among them In great townes most men and women can write and reade This Nation feedeth sparingly their vsuall
dangerous to encounter the Spaniard at his owne home a thing needlesse to proceed by inuasion against him a thing of too great moment for two subiects of their qualitie to vndertake And therfore did not so aduance the beginnings as though they hoped for any good successe therof The chances of wars be things most vncertaine for what people soeuer vndertake them they are in deed as chastisements appointed by God for the one side or the other For which purpose it hath pleased him to giue some victories to the Spaniards of late yeeres against some whom he had in purpose to ruine But if we consider what wars they be that haue made their name so terrible we shal find them to haue bin none other then against the barbarous Moores the naked Indians and the vnarmed Netherlanders whose yeelding rather to the name theÌ„ act of the Spaniards hath put them into such a conceit of their mightines as they haue considerately vndertaken the conquest of our monarchie consisting of a people vnited alwayes held sufficiently warlike against whom what successe their inuincible army had the last yeere as our very children can witnes so I doubt not but this voiage hath sufficiently made knowen what they are euen vpon their owne dunghill which had it bene set out in such sort as it was agreed vpon by their first demaund it might haue made our nation the most glorious people of the world For hath not the want of 8 of the 12 pieces of artillerie which were promised vnto the Aduenture lost her maiestie the possession of the Groine and many other places as hereafter shal appeare whose defensible rampires were greates then our batterie such as it was cold force and therefore were left vnattempted It was also resolued to haue sent 600 English horses of the Low countries whereof we had not one notwithstanding the great charges expended in their transportation hither and that may the army assembled at Puente de Burgos thanke God of as well as the forces of Portugall who foreran vs 6 daies together Did we not want 7 of the 13 old Companies which we should haue had froÌ„ thence foure of the 10 dutch Companies 6 of their men of war for the sea from the Hollanders which I may iustly say we wanted in that we might haue had so many good souldiers so many good ships and so many able bodies more then we had Did there not vpoÌ„ the first thinking of the iourney diuers gallant Courtiers put in their names for aduenturers to the summe of 10000 it who seeing it went forward in good earnest aduised themselues better and laid the want of so much money vpon the iourney Was there not moreouer a round summe of the aduenture spent in leuying furnishing and maintaining 3 moneths 1500 men for the seruice of Berghen with which Companies the Mutinies of Oftend were suppressed a seruice of no smal moment What misery the detracting of the time of our setting out which should haue bene the 1 of February did lay vpon vs too many can witnes and what extremitie the want of that moneths viâ—tuals which we did eat during the moneth we lay at Plimmouth for a wind might haue driuen vs vnto no man can doubt of that knoweth what men do liue by had not God giuen vs in the ende a more prosperous wind and shorter passage into Galitia then hath bene often seen where our owne force fortune reuictualled vs largely of which crosse windes that held vs two dayes after our going out the Generals being wearie thrust to Sea in the same wisely chusing rather to attend the change thereof there then by being in harborough to lose any part of the better when it should come by hauing their men on shore in which two dayes 25 of our companies shipped in part of the fleet were scattered from vs either not being able or willing to double Vshant These burdens layed vpon our Generals before their going out they haue patiently endured and I thinke they haue thereby much enlarged their honour for hauing done thus much with the want of our artillery 600 horse 3000 foot 20000 li. of their aduenture and one moneths victuals of their proportion what may be coniectured they would haue done with their ful coÌ„plement For the losse of our men at sea since we can lay it on none but the will of God what can be said more then that it is his pleasure to turne all those impediments to the honor of them against whom they were intended and he will still shew himselfe the Lord of hosts in doing great things by theÌ„ whom many haue sought to obscure who if they had let the action fall at the height thereof in respect of those defects which were such especially for the seruice at land as would haue made a mighty subiect stoope vnder theÌ„ I do not see how any man could iustly haue layd any reproch vpon him who commanded the same but rather haue lamented the iniquity of this time wherein men whom forren countries haue for their conduct in seruice worthily esteemed of should not only in their owne countrey not be seconded in their honorable endeuors but mightily hindred euen to y e impairing of their owne estates which most willingly they haue aduentured for the good of their countries whose worth I wil not value by my report lest I should seem guiltie of flattery which my soule abhorreth yet come short in the true measure of their praise Onely for your instructioÌ„ against them who had almost seduced you from the true opinion you hold of such men you shal vnderstand that General Norris froÌ„ his booke was trained vp in the wars of the Admiral of France and in very yong yeeres had charge of men vnder the erle of Essex in Ireland which with what commendations he then discharged I leaue to the report of them who obserued those seruices Upon the breach betwixt Don Iohn the States he was made Colonell generall of all y e English forces there present or to come which he continued 2 yeeres he was then made Marshall of the field vnder Conte Hohenlo and after that General of the army in Frisland at his coÌ„ming home in the time of Monsieurs gouernment in Flanders he was made lord President of Munster in Ireland which he yet holdeth from whence within one yeere he was sent for sent Generall of the English forces which her maiestie theÌ„ lent to the Low countries which he held til the erle of Leicesters going ouer And he was made Marshall of the field in England the enemy being vpon our coast and when it was expected the crowne of England should haue bene tried by battel Al which places of commaundement which neuer any Englishman successiuely attained vnto in forren wars and the high places her maiestie hath thought him woorthy of may suffice to perswade you that he was not altogether vnlikely to discharge that which he vndertooke What fame general Drake
hath gotten by his iourny about the world by his aduentures to the west Indies the scourges he hath laid vpon the Spanish nation I leaue to the Southerne parts to speake of refer you to The Booke extanâ— in our own language treating of y e same beseech you considering the waighty matters they haue in all the course of their liues with wonderfull reputation managed that you wil esteeme them not wel informed of their proceedings that thinke them insufficient to passe through that which they vndertooke especially hauing gone thus far in the view of the world through so many incombrances disappointed of those agreements which led them y t rather to vndertake the seruice But it may be you wil thinke me herein either to much opinionated of the voiage or conceited of the Commanders y e labouring thus earnestly to aduance the opinion of them both haue not so much as touched any part of the misorders weaknes wants that haue bene amongst vs whereof they that returned did plentifully report True it is I haue conceiued a great opinion of the iourney do thinke honorably of the Commanders for we find in greatest antiquities that many Commanders haue bene receiued home with triumph for lesse merite that our owne countrey hath honored men heretofore with admiration for aduentures vnequal to this it might therfore in those daies haue seemed superfluous to extend any mans commendations by particular remembrances for that then all men were ready to giue euery man his due But I hold it most necessary in these daies sithence euery vertue findeth her direct opposite actions woorthy of all memory are in danger to be enuiously obscured to denounce the prayses of the action and actors to the ful but yet no further then with sinceritie of trueth not without grieuing at the iniury of this time wherein is enforced a necessitie of Apologies for those men matters which all former times were accustomed to entertaine with the greatest applause that might be But to answere the reports which haue bene giuen out in reproch of the actors and action by such as were in the same let no man thinke otherwise but that they who fearing the casuall accidents of war had any purpose of returning did first aduise of some occasion that should moue them thereunto and hauing found any whatsoeuer did thinke it sufficiently iust in respect of the earnest desire they had to seeke out matter that might colour their comming home Of these there were some who hauing noted the late Flemish warres did finde that many yong men haue gone ouer and safely returned souldiers within fewe moneths in hauing learned some wordes of Arte vsed in the warres and thought after that good example to spend like time amongst vs which being expired they beganne to quarrell at the great mortalitie that was amongst vs. The neglect of discipline in the Armie for that men were suffered to be drunke with the plentie of wines The scarsitie of Surgions The want of carriages for the hurt and sicke and the penurie of victuals in the Campe Thereupon diuining that there would be no good done And that therefore they could be content to lose their time and aduenture to returne home againe These men haue either coÌ„ceiued wel of their owne wits who by obseruing the passages of the warre were become sufficieÌ„t souldiers in these fewe weeks did long to be at home where their discourses might be wondred at or missing of their Portegues and Milrayes which they dreamed on in Portugall would rather returne to their former maner of life then attend the ende of the iourney For seeing that one hazard brought another and that though one escaped the bullet this day it might light vpon him tomorow the next day or any day and that the warre was not confined to any one place but y t euery place brought foorth new enemies they were glad to see some of the poore souldiers fal sicke y t fearing to be infected by them they might iustly desire to go home The sicknesse I confesse was great because any is too much But hath it bene greater then is ordinary amongst Englishmen at their first entrance into the warres whither soeuer they goe to want the fulnesse of their flesh pots Haue not ours decayed at all times in France with eating yong fruits and drinking newe wines haue they not abundantly perished in the Low countreys with â—old and rawnesse of the aire euen in their garrisons Haue there not more died in London in sixe moneths of the plague then double our Armie being at the strongest And could the Spanish Armie the last yeere who had all prouisions that could be thought on for an Armie and tooke the fittest season in the yeere for our Climate auoyd â—icknes amongst their souldiers May it then be thought that ours could escape there where they found inordinate heat of weather and hot wines to distemper them withall But can it be that wee haue lost so many as the common sort perswade themselues wee haue It hath bene prooued by stricke examinations of our musters that we were neuer in our fulnesse before our going from Plimouth 11000. souldiers not aboue 2500. Marriners It is also euident that there returned aboue 6000. of all sorts as appeareth by the seuerall paiments made to them since our comming home And I haue truely shewed you that of these numbers very neere 3000. forsooke the Armie at the Sea whereof some passed into France and the rest returned home So as we neuer being 13000. in all and hauing brought home aboue 6000. with vs you may see how the world hath bene seduced in beleeuing that we haue lost 16000. men by sicknes To them that haue made question of the gouernment of the warres little knowing what appertaineth thereunto in that there were so many drunkards amongst vs I answere that in their gouernment of shires and parishes yea in their very housholdes themselues can hardly bridle their vassals from that vice For we see it is a thing almost impossible at any your Faires or publique assemblies to finde any quarter thereof sober or in your Townes any Alepoles vnfrequented And we obserue that though any man hauing any disordered persons in their houses do locke vp their drinke and set Butlers vpon it that they will yet either by indirect meanes steale themselues drunke from their Masters tables or runne abroad to seeke it If then at home in the eyes of your Iustices Maiors Preachers and Masters and where they pay for euery pot they take they cannot be kept from their liquor doe they thinke that those base disordered persons whom themselues sent vnto vs as liuing at home without rule who hearing of wine doe long for it as a daintie that their purses could neuer reach to in England and hauing it there without mony eueÌ„ in their houses where they lie hold their guard can be kept from being drunk and once drunke held
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
also the riuers on both sides of Engroneland for that I see it particularly described in the sea card but the discourse or narration is lost The beginning of the lettâ—â— is thus Concerning those things that you desire to know of me as of the men and their maners and customes of the beasts and of the countries adioyning I haue made therof a particuler booke which by Gods help I will bring with me wherein I haue described the countrey the monstrous fishes the customes and lawes of Frisland Island Estland the kingdome of Norway Estoâ—iland Drogio and in the end the life of M. Nicolo the knight our brother with the discouery which he made and the state of Groneland I haue also written the life and acts of Zichmni a prince as worthy of immortall memory as any that euer liued for his great valiancie and singuler humanitie wherein I haue described the discouery of Engroneland on both sides and the citie that he builded Therefore I will speake no further hereof in this letter hoping to be with you very shortly and to satisfie you in sundry other things by word of mouth All these letters were written by M. Antonio to Messer Carlo his brother and it grieueth me that the booke and diuers other writings concerning these purposes are miserably lost for being but a child when they came to my hands and not knowing what they were as the maner of children is I tore them and rent them in pieces which now I cannot cal to remembrance but to my exceeding great griefe Notwithstanding that the memory of so many good things should not bee lost whatsoeuer I could get of this matter I haue disposed and put in order in the former discourse to the â—nde that this age might be partly satisfied to the which â—â— are more beholding for the great discoueries made in those partes then to any other of the time past being most studious of the newe relations and discoueries of strange counteries made by the great mindes and industrie of our ancestours For the more credite and confirmation of the former Historie of Messer Nicolas and Messer Antonio Zeni which for some fewe respects may perhaps bee called in question I haue heere annexed the iudgement of that famous Cosmographer Abraham Ortelius or rather â—he yealding and submitting of his iudgement thereunto who in his Theatrâ—m Orbis fol. 6. next before the map of Mar del Zur boroweth proofe and authoritâ—e out of this relation to shew that the Northeast parte of America called Estoâ—iland and in the original alwayes affirmed to bee an Islande was about the yeere 1390 discouered by the aforesayd Venetian Gentleman Messer Antonia Zenâ— aboue 100 yeeres before euer Christopher Columbus set saile for those Westerne Regions and that the Northren Seas were euen then sayled by our Europaean Pilots through the helpe of the loadstone with diuers other particulars concerning the customes religion and wealth of the Southern Americans which are most euidenâ—ly confirmed by all the late and moderne Spanish Histories of Nueua Espanna and Peru. ANd here I shall not as I suppose commit any great inconuenience or absurditie in adding vnto this History of the new world certaine particulars as touching the first discouery therof not commonly known Which discouerie al the writers of our time ascribe that not vnworthily vnto Christopher Columbus For by him it was in a maner first discouered made knowenâ— and profitably communicated vnto the Christian world in the yeere of our Lord 1492. Howbeit I finde that the North part thereof called Estrotiland which most of all extendeth toward our Europe and the Islands of the same namely Groneland Island and Frisland was long ago found out by certaine fishers of the Isle of Frisland driuen by tempest vpon the shore thereof and was afterward about the yeere 1390 discouered a new by one Antonio Zeno a gentleman of Venice which sayled thither vnder the conduct of Zichmni king of the saide Isle of Frisland a prince in those parts of great valour and renowned for his martiall exploits and victories Of which expedition of Zichmni there are extant in Italian certaine collections or abridgements gathered by Francisco Marcolino out of the letters of M. Nicolo and Antonio Zeni two gentlemen of Venice which liued in those partes Out of which collections I doe adde concerning the description of Estoâ—â—land aforesaid these particulars following Estotiland saith he aboundeth with all things necessary for mankinde In the mids thereof standeth an exceeding high mountaine from which issue foure riuers that moisten all the countrie The inhabitans are wittie and most expert in all Mechanicall arts They haue a kinde of peculiar language and letters Howbeit in this Kings Librarie are preserued certaine latine bookes which they vnderstand not being perhaps left there not many yeeres before by some Europaeans which traffiqued thither They haue all kinde of mettals but especially golde wherewith they mightily aboâ—nd They trafficke with the people of Groneland from whence they fetch skinnes pitch and brimstone The inhabitants report that towardes the South there are regions abounding with gold and very populous they haue many and huge woods from whence they take timber for the building of ships and cities whereof and of castles there are great store The vse oâ— the loadstone for Nauigation is vnknowen vnto them They make relation also of a certaine region toward the South called Drogio which is inhabited by Canibals vnto whom mans flesh is delicate meat wherof being destitute they liue by fishing which they vse very much Beyond this are large regions and as it were a newe world but the people are barbarcus and goe naked howbeit against the colde they cloth themselues in beastes skinnes These haue no kinde of metall and they liue by hunting Their weapons are certaine long staues with sharpe points and bowes They wage warres one against another They haue gouernours and obey certaine lawes But from hence more towardes the South the climate is much more temperate and there are cities and temples of idoles vnto whom they sacrifice liuing men whose flesh they afterwards deuoute These nations haue the vse of siluer and gold Thus much of this tract of landes out of the aforesaide collections or abridgements Wherein this also is worthy the obseruation that euen then our Europaean Pilots sayled those seas by the helpe of the loadstone For concerning the vse thereof in Nauigation I suppose there is not to be found a more ancient testimonie And these things I haue annexed the rather vnto this table of Mar del Zur considering that none of those Authours which haue written the Histories of the Newe world haue in any part of their writings mentioned one word thereof Hitherto Ortelius THE VOYAGES OF THE ENGLISH NATION TO NEVVFOVND LAND TO the Isles of Ramea and the Isles of Assumption otherwise called Natiscotec situate at the mouth of the Riuer of Canada and to the Coastes of Cape Briton and
on the Sea homeward a sore tempest arose and perforce droue him backe againe to an vnknowen Port of the sayd land where he by the most cruell barbarous Indians on the sudden was slaine with all his company except the two young schollers aforesayde whom the barbarous Indians by reason they were of comely stature and beautifull personages tooke and forthwith presented them to their King and Queene which both being very well liked of the King courteously entreated and ordeined Edesius to be his Butler and Frumentius his Secretarie and in few yeeres by reason of their learning and ciuill gouernment they were had in great fauour honour and estimation with the Princes But the King departing this life left the Queene his wife with her yong sonne to gouerne and gaue free scope and libertie to the two Christians at their best pleasure to passe to their natiue soyles allowing them all necessaries for the same Yet the Queene who highly fauoured them was very sorowfull they should depart and therefore most earnestly intreated them to tarie and assist her in the gouernment of her people till such time as her young sonne grewe to ripe yeeres which request they fulfilled And Frumentius excelling Edesius farre in all wisedome ruled both the Queene and her subiects at his discretion whereby he tooke occasion to put in practice priuily that the foundation of Christian religion might be planted in the hearts of such as with whom he thought his perswasion might best preuaile and that soonest would giue eare vnto him which being brought to passe accordingly hee then with his fellow Edesius tooke leaue of the Queene to returne to his natiue countrey And so soone as he was arriued there he reuealed to the Emperour Constantine the effect of all those euents who both commending his deedes and wholy allowing thereof by the aduise and good liking of Athanasius then Bishop of Alexandria did arme and set forth a conuenient power for the ayde of Frumentius in this his so godly a purpose And by this meanes came the Emperour afterwards by faire promises and by force of armes together vnto the possession of all the Indians countrey The author of this storie Ruffinus receiued the trueth hereof from the very mouth of Edesius companion to Frumentius Moreouer Eusebius in his Historie Ecclesiasticall in precise termes and in diuers places maketh mention how Constantine the great not onely enlarged his Empire by the subduing of his next neighbours but also endeuoured by all meanes to subiect all such remote Barbarous and Heathen nations as then inhabited the foure quaters of the worlde For as it is written the Emperour throughly ayded with a puissant armie of valiant souldiers whom he had before perswaded to Christian religion in proper person himselfe came euen vnto this our country of England then called the Island of Britaines bending from him full West which he wholy conquered made tributarie and setled therein Christian faith and left behinde him such Rulers thereof as to his wisedome seemed best From thence hee turned his force towardes the North coast of the world and there vtterly subdued the rude and cruell Nation of the Scythians whereof part by friendly perswasions part by maine strength hee reduced the whole to Christian faith Afterwards he determined with himselfe to search out what strange people inhabited in the vttermost parts of the South And with great hazard and labour making his iourney thither at last became victour ouer them all euen to the countrey of the Blemmyans and the remote AEthiopians that now are the people of Presbyter Iohn who yet till this day continue and beare the name of Christians In the East likewise what Nation soeuer at that time he could haue notice of he easily wonne and brought in subiection to the Empire So that to conclude there was no region in any part of the world the inhabitants whereof being Gentiles though vnknowen vnto him but in time he ouercame and vanquished This worthy beginning of Constantine doth his sonnes succeeding his â—oâ—me and also diuers other Emperours afterward to their vttermost endeuour followed and continued which all the bookes of Eusebius more at large set foorth Theodoretus likewise in his Ecclesiasticall historie maketh mention how Theodosius the vertuous Emperour imployed earnestly all his time as well in conquering the Gentiles to the knowledge of the holy Gospel vtterly subuerting their prophane Temples and abominable Idolatry as also in extinguishing of such vsurping tyrants as with Paganisme withstood the planting of Christian religion After whose decease his sonnes Honorius and Arcadius were created Emperours the one of the East the other of the West who with all stout godlinesse most carefully imitated the fore steps of their Father eyther in enlarging their territories or increasing the christian flocke Moreouer it is reported by the sayd authors that Theodosius iunior the Emperour no whit inferiour in vertuous life to any of the aboue named Princes with great studie and zeale pursued and proÌ„secuted the Gentiles subdued their tyrants and countries and vtterly destroyed all their idolatry conuerting their soules to acknowledge their onely Messias and Creator and their Countries to the enlargement of the Empire To be briefe who so listeth to read Eusebius Pamphilus Socrates Scholasticus Theodoritus Hermia Sozomen and Euagrius Scholasticus which all were most sage Ecclesiasticall writers shall finde great store of examples of the worthy liues of sundry Emperours tending all to the confirmation of my former speeches And for like examples of later time yea euen in the memorie of man I shall not neede to recite any other then the conquest made of the West and East Indies by the Kings of Spaine and Portugall whereof there is particular mention made in the last Chapter of this booke Herein haue I vsed more copy of examples then otherwise I would haue done sauing that I haue bene in place where this maner of planting the Christian faith hath bene thought of some to be scarce lawfull yea such as doe take vpon them to be more then meanely learned To these examples could I ioyne many moe but whosoeuer is not satisfied with these fewe may satisfie himselfe in reading at large the Authors last aboue recited Thus haue I as I trust prooued that we may iustly trade and traffique with the Sauages and lawfully plant and inhabite their Countries The third Chapter doeth shew the lawfull title which the Queenes most excellent Maiestie hath vnto those Countries which through the ayde of Almighty God are meant to be inhabited ANd it is very euident that the planting there shal in time right amply enlarge her Maiesties Territories and Dominions or I might rather say restore her to her Highnesse ancient right and interest in those Countries into the which a noble and worthy personage lineally descended from the blood royall borne in Wales named Madockap Owen Gwyneth departing from the coast of England about the yeere of our
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
The solid world and made it fall before them Built all their braue attempts on weaker grounds And lesse perswasiue likelihoods then this Nor was there euer princely Fount so long Powr'd forth a sea of Rule with so free course And such ascending Maiestie as you Then be not like a rough and violent wind That in the morning rends the Forrests downe Shoues vp the seas to heauen makes earth to tremble And toombes his wastfull brauery in the Euen But as a riuer from a mountaine running The further he extends the greater growes And by his thriftie race strengthens his streame Euen to ioyne battell with th' imperious sea Disdayning his repulse and in despight Of his proud furie mixeth with his maine Taking on him his titles and commandes So let thy soueraigne Empire be encreast And with Iberian Neptune part the stake Whose Trident he the triple world would make You then that would be wise in Wisdomes spight Directing with discredite of direction And hunt for honour hunting him to death With whom before you will inherite gold You will loose golde for which you loose your soules You that chuse nought for right but certaintie And feare that valour will get onely blowes Placing your faith in Incredulitie Sit till you see a wonder Vertue rich Till Honour hauing golde rob golde of honour Till as men hate desert that getteth nought They loath all getting that deserues not ought And vse you gold-made men as dregges of men And till your poysoned soules like Spiders lurking In sluttish chinckes in mystes of Cobwebs hide Your foggie bodies and your dunghill pride O Incredulitie the wit of Fooles â—hat slouenly will spit on all things faire The Cowards castle and the Sluggards cradle How easie t' is to be an Infidel But you Patrician Spirites that refine Youâ— flesh to fire and issue like a flame On braue indeuours knowing that in them The tract of heauen in morne-like glory opens That know you cannot be the Kings of earth Claiming the Rights of your creation And let the Mynes of earth be Kings of you That are so farre from doubting likely drifts That in things hardest y' are most confident You that know death liues where power liues vâ—usde Ioying to shine in waues that burie you And so make way for life euen through your graues That will not be content like horse to hold A thread-bare beaten way to home affaires But where the sea in enuie of your reigne Closeth her wombe as fast as t' is disclosde That she like Auarice might swallow all And let none find right passage through her rage There your wise soules as swift as Eurus lead Your Bodies through to profit and renowne And skorne to let your bodies choke your soules In the rude breath and prisoned life of beastes You that herein renounce the course of earth And lift your eyes for guidance to the starres That liue not for your selues but to possesse Your honour'd countrey of a generall store In pitie of the spoyle rude selfe-loue makes Of them whose liues and yours one ayre doth feede One soile doeth nourish and one strength combine You that are blest with sence of all things noble In this attempt your compleat woorthes redouble But how is Nature at her heart corrupted I meane euen in her most ennobled birth How in excesse of Sence is Sence bereft her That her most lightening-like effects of lust Wound through her flesh her soule her flesh vnwounded And she must neede incitements to her good Euen from that part she hurtes O how most like Art thou heroike Autor of this Act To this wrong'd soule of Nature that sustainst Paine charge and perill for thy countreys good And she much like a bodie numb'd with surfeits Feeles not thy gentle applications For the health vse and honour of her powers Yet shall my verse through all her ease-lockt eares Trumpet the Noblesse of thy high intent And if it cannot into act proceed The fault and bitter penance of the fault Make red some others eyes with penitence For thine are cleare and what more nimble spirits Apter to byte at such vnhooked baytes Gaine by our losse that must we needs confesse Thy princely valure would haue purchast vs. Which shall be fame eternall to thy name Though thy contentment in thy graue desires Of our aduancement faile deseru'd effect O how I feare thy glory which I loue Least it should dearely grow by our decrease Natures that sticke in golden-graueld springs In mucke-pits cannot scape their swallowings But we shall foorth I know Golde is our Fate Which all our actes doth fashion and create Then in the Thespiads bright Propheticke Fount Me thinkes I see our Liege rise from her throne Her eares and thoughts in steepe amaze erected At thâ— most rare endeuour of her power And now she blesseth with her woonted Graces Th' industrious Knight the soule of this exploit Dismissing him to conuoy of his starres And now for loue and honour of his woorth Our twise-borne Nobles bring him Bridegroom-like That is espousde for vertue to his loue With feasts and musicke rauishing the aire To his Argolian Fleet where round about His bating Colours English valure swarmeâ— In haste as iâ— Guianian Orenoque With his Fell waters fell vpon our shore And now a wind as forward as their spirits Sets their glad feet on smooth Guianas breast Where as if ech man were an Orpheus A world of Sauages fall tame before them Storing their theft-free treasuries with golde And there doth plentie crowne their wealthie fields There Learning eates no more his thriftlesse bookes Nor Valure Estridge-like his yron armes There Beautie is no strumpet for her wants Nor Gallique humours puâ—rifie her blood But all our Youth take Hymens lights in hand And fill eche roofe with honor'd progenie There makes Societie Adamantine chaines And ioyns their hearts with wealth whom wealth disioin'dâ— There healthfull Recreations strow their meades And make their mansions daunce with neighbourhood That here were drown'd in churlish Auarice And there do Pallaces and temples rise Out of the earth and kisâ—e th' enamored skies Where new Britannia humblie kneeles to heauen The world to her and both at her blest feet In whom the Circles of all Empire meete G. C. Ad Thomam Hariotum Matheseos vniuersae Philosophiae peririssimum de Guiana Carmen Dat. Anno. 1595. MOntibus est Regio quasi muris obsita mulâ—â—s Circumsepit aquis quos Raleana suis. Intus habet largos Guaiana recessus hostili gestans libera colla iugo Hispanus cliuis illis sudauit alsit septem annos nouies nec tamen inualuit Numenâ— omen inest numeris Fatale sit illi Et nobis virtus sit recidiua precor Gualtero patefacta via est duce auspice Ralegh Mense vno ó factum hoc nomine quo celebrem Nocte dieque datis velisâ— remisque laborans Exegit summae dexteritatis opus Scilicet expensis magnis non ille pepercit Communi natus
Wapo Macatto The 29. day of Iune we arriued in Portland roade hauing spent fiue moneths in going staying and returning Here foâ—low the names of those worthie Spaniards that haue sought to discouer and conquer Guiana Extracted out of the writings of Iuan de Castellanos clerigo who compiled the booke intituled Primera parte de las Elegias de varones illustres de Indias THe enterprise of Guiana was vndertaken by Diego de Ordas of the kingdome of Leon in the yeere 1531. Hee was one of the captaines of Cortes in the conquest of Mexico This Ordas made his entrance by the riuer of Amana by which wee entred and spent fiftie dayes before hee came to the riuer of Orenoque which we past in fifteene Hee named the riuer by which hee entred Viapari which name it still retaineth in the Spanish descriptions It lyeth South from Trinidad some fiue leagues He transported out of Spaine a thousand souldiers He dyed afterwards at sea in returning for Spaine 2 Iuan Correso arriued at the riuer of Amazones or Orellana with three hundred men Hee marched vp into the countrey But neither hee nor any of his companie did returne againe 3 Gaspar de Sylua with his two brothers departed from Teneriff accompanied with two hundred men to assist Diego de Ordas They sought El Dorado by the riuer of Amazones but staying there a short time they fell downe to Trinidad where they all three were buried 4 Iuan Gonsales set saile from Trinidad to discouer Guiana He reposed himselfe more on the Faith of his guides then on his small number of men Hee by triall founde the confines of Guiana so farre as hee entred to bee populous plentifull of victuall and rich in golde Upon such proofes as hee brought with him to make good his report many others aduentured to follow his steps 5. 6 Philip de Vren after him Pedro de Limpias who both successiuely commanded the Almaines were leaders in this action Limpias was slaine by an Indian Casique named Porâ—ma 7 Ieronimo de Orral vndertooke it by the way of Maracapana After great trauell and his substance all spent he dyed on the sudden at S. Domingo 8. 9 Ximenes brother of Don Ximenes de Quesida the Adelantado and Pedro de Orsua were both at sundry times in the same conquest 10 Father Iala a Frier taking with him onely one companion and some Indian guides passed into the prouinces of Guiana Hee returned with good intelligence and brought with him Eagles idols and other iewels of golde An. 1560. Hee assayed the second time to passe in like maner but was slaine by the Indians 11 Hernandez de Serpa also vndertooke it The Indians of Cumanawgoto killed him and defeated his armie 12 Afterwardes Diego de Vargas and his sonne Don Iuan followed this enterprise and at their first setting out were slaine by the Indians 13 Caceres vndertooke this discouery from Nueuo Reyno de Granada Hee came no neerer to it then Matachines which borders vpon the sayd kingdome of Granada Hee rested there and peopled that place 14 It was also attempted by Alonço de Herera at two seuerall times Hee endured great miserie but neuer entred one league into the countrey Hee sought it by Viapari or Amana and was at last slaine by a nation of Indians called Xaguas 15 It was also vndertaken by Antonio Sedenno with whom Herrera and Augustine Delgado ioyned in the conquest of Trinidad against Bawcunai a famous king of that place He passed by Maracapana in the yeere 1536 to discouer El Dorado with 500 chosen men In this iourney hee got much gold and tooke many Indian prisoners whom hee manacled in yrons and many of them dyed as they were led in the way The Tigers being fleshed on those dead carkeisses assaulted the Spaniards who with much trouble hardly defended themselues from them Sedenno was buried within the precinct of the empire neere the head of the riuer Tinados Most of his people perished likewise 16 Augustine Delgado searched the countrey to the Southward of Cumanawgoto with 53. footemen and three horsemen The warres that were then betweene the Indians of the vale and those of the mountaines serued well for his purpose By which â—ccasâ—â—n he sound meanes to passe so farre vntill he came to an Indian Casique named Garamental who entertained him with all kindnesse and gaue him for a present some rich iewels of golde sixe seâ—mâ—ly pages tenne young slaues and three nymphes very beautifull which bare the names of three prâ—umâ—es from whence they were sent to Garamental chiefe commander of all that countrey Their names were Guanba Gotoguane and Maiarare These prouinces are of an excellent temperature very healthfull and haue an admirable influence in producing faire women The Spaniards afterwardes to requite the manifold curtesies that they receiued in that countrey tooke and carried away besides all the golde that they could get all the Indians that they could lay holde on they conueyed them in yrons to Cubagua and sould them for slaues Delgado afterwards was shot in the eye by an Indian of which hurt he died 17 Diego de Losada succeeded in his brothers place Hee had many more men who in the ende wasted themselues in mutinies those that liued returned to Cubagua 18 Reynoso vndertooke this iourney but hauing endured exceeding troubles in the discomfort of his minde he gaue it ouer and was buried in Hispaniola 19 Pedro de Orsua in the yeere 1560. sought it with 400. Spaniards by the riuer of Orellana Hee imbarqued his men in the countrey of the Motijones As they passed downe the riuer they found Synamon trees His men murthered him and afterward the sayde rebels beheaded lady Anes his wife who forsooke not her lord in all his trauels vnto death 20 Frier Francis Montesino was in the prouince of Marecupana with 100. souldiers bound for Guiana wheÌ„ Lopez Aguirri the tyrant made insurrection in all those parts of the Indies What became of this intended iourney is not expressed In this discouerie of Guiana you may reade both of Orellaâ—a who discouered the riuer of Amazones An. 1542. and of Berreo with others that haue trode this maze and lost themselues in seeking to finde this countrey An aduertisement to the Reader IN this Breuiarie the names onely are comprised of such as being led with the generall fame of Guiana haue indeuoured to discouer and possesse it The whole histories are long and cannot suddenly be translated or englished at large as we in these Elegies finde them It may perhaps seeme strange and incredible that so many caualleros should all faile in this one attempt since in many parts of the Indies far smaller numbers in shorter time haue performed as great matters and subdued mighty kingdomes I haue therefore thought it good here to alleage those reasons which by circumstance may bee gathered to haue beene chiefe impediments to the Spaniard in this intended search and conquest The first may bee the remotenesse or distance of
Riuer Wee vnderstood by very good meanes the wonderfull bredth and largenesse of this Riuer which iustly may bee called the Emperour of Riuers to wit by a brother of our companie which being a boy was there sayled it wholy through being personally present in all the successes of that strange enterance which Pedro de Oriua made and in the mutinies and perilous conspiracies of that wicked Diego de Aguirre out of all which troubles and dangers the Lord deliuered him to make him one of our societie The second Testimonie out of Iosephus de Acosta lib. 3. cap. 2. AMong all the riuers not onely of the West Indies but also of the whole world the chief is the Riuer of Marannon or of the Amazones whereof I haue spoken in the second booke The Spaniards haue diuers times sayled along this riuer with determination to discouer countries which according to report are of great riches especially that which they call Dorado and Paytiti The Adelantado or admirall Iuan de Salinas made a very notable entrance although to small profite It hath a salt or fall of water which they call El Pongo which is one of the most dangerous places in the world for being restrained betweene two exceeding hie deuided mountaines it maketh a fall of terrible depth where the water with the great descent maketh such whirlepooles that it seemeth impossible but that it should sinke it self there into the ground For all this the boldnes of men hath attempted to passe the said El Pongo for the greedines to come to that so famous renowmed Dorado They suffered themselues to bee caryed from aloft being throwne downâ— headlong with the furie of the riuer and sitting fast in their Canoas or boats in which they â—ayled although they were ouerturned in the fal and they and their Canoas suncke downe to the bottome yet they rose vp againe aboue the water and at length with their hands and force gat out of the whirlepooles The whole army in a maner escaped sauing a very fewe which were drowned and which I most maruel at they handled the matter so well that they lost not their victuals and powder which they caryed with them In their returne for after great trauels and dangers they returned that way againe they clymed vp ouer one of those aforesaide exceeding high mountaines creeping vp vpon their handes and feete Captaine Pedro de Orsua made another enterance by the selfe same riuer and after hee was slaine by a mutinie of his people other captaines followed the discouerie by the arme that falleth into the North Sea One of our companie told me who while he was a secular man was in al that expedition that they entred vp the Riuer almost an hundred leagues with the tydes and that when the fresh water and the salt meeteth which is either almost vnder or very neere the Equinoctial line the riuer is 70 leagues broad a thing incredible and which exceedeth the bredth of Mediterran sea Howbeit other in their descriptions make it not past 25 or 30 leagues broad at the mouth The third Testimonie out of Iosephus de Acosta lib. 3. cap 25. IN that part of America whereof the coasts be throughly known the greater part of the Inland is not knowen which is that which falleth betweene Piru and Brasil and there are diuers opinions of some which say that it is all sunken land full of lakes and bogges and or others which affirme that there are great and florishing kingdomes there and there they place the Countrey of Paytity and Dorado and great Emperours and say that there are wonderfull things there I heard of one of our companie my selfe a man of crâ—dite that hee had seene great townes and high wayes as broad and as much beaten as the wayes betweene Salamanca and Validolid and this was when the great entrance or discouerie was made by the great riuer of the Amazones or Marannon by Pedro de Oâ—sua and afterwardes by others that succeded him and they supposing that Dorado which they sought was farther vp in the countrey did not inhabite there and afterward returned without discouering Dorado which they neuer found and without that great prouince which they left A short description of the riuer of Marannon or Amazones and the Countries thereabout as also of the sea of Fresh-water taken out of an ancient Discourse of all the Portes Creekes and Hauens of the West Indies Written by Martin Fernandez de Encâ—ça and dedicated to Charles the Emperour Anno 1518. MArannon lyeth in seuen degrees and an halfe Northward of the Equinoctial it is a great riuer and hath more then fifteene leagues in bredth eight leagues within the land It hath many islands and in this riuer within the land forâ—â—e leagues there is neere to the sayde riuer a mountaine whereupon growe trees of Incense the trees be of a good height the boughs thereof be like to Plum-trees and the Incense doeth hang at them as the yce doeth at the tiles of a house in the winter season when it doeth freeze In this riuer were taken foure Indian in a smal boat called in the Indian language a Canoa that came downe by the riuerâ— and there were taken from them two stones of Emeralds the one of them being as great as a mans hand They sayd that so many dayes iourney going vpward by the riuer they sound a rocke of that stone Likewise there were taken from them two loaues made of floure which were like to cakes of Sope and it seemed that they were kneaded with the licour of Balsamum All this coast from the Cape of S. Austine vnto Marannon is a cleare coast deep but neer to the riuer are certaine sholds towardes the East part And by the West part the riuer is deepe and it hath a good entrie From this riuer Marannon vnâ—o the riuer which is called The sea of fresh water are 25 leâ—gues this riuer hath 40 leagues of bredth at the mouth and carieth such abundance of water that it entreth more then 20 leagues into the Sea and mingleth not it selfe with the salt water this bredth goeth 25 leagues within the land and after it is deuided into partes the one going towards the Southeast and the other towards the Southwest That which goeth towards the Southeast is very deepe and of much water and hath a chanel half a league of bredth that a Carack may goe vp through it the tydes be so swift that the ships haue need of good cables The riuer of â—his port is very good and there haue bene some that haue entred 50 leagues within it haue seenâ— no mountaines The Indians of this countrey haue their lips made full of small holes in 4 parts through thoâ—e holes be put small rings and likewise at their eares if any man aske of theÌ„ where they had their gold they answere that going vp by the riuer so many dayes iourney they found certaine mountaines that had much of it
height of 28. degrees to the Southward of the Line The 4. day wee fell with the shoare high and bold being in 30. degrees and a terse little more or lesse All of it to the Northward was a high land but to the Southward it did presently faile and was a very low land and all sandie About sixe leagues from the shoare wee sounded and had about fifteene or sixteene fathome water and blacke sandie oze We thought to haue gone to the shoare and to haue watered but we could not discerne any good harbour and therefore we cast off to seaward againe The 12. day wee found our selues in 32. degrees and 27. minutes From the day of the Natiuitie of Christ till the 13. day of this moneth although the Sunne was very neere vnto vs yet we found no want of winds but variable as in England not so hot but that a mans shoulders might well disgest a frize gowne and his bellie the best Christmas cheere in England yet wee for our parts had no want but such as might content honest men The tenth day being about 8. leagues from the shoare and a little short of the Riuer of Plate it was my good happe to espie a saile which was a small Portugal bound for the Riuer to a towne called Santa Fee and from thence by horse and carts the marchants and part of their goods were to bee transported into Peru. This shippe being about the burthen of 45. or 50. tunnes wee tooke that day about three of the clocke wherein there was for Master of Pilote and Englishman called Abraham Cocke borne in Lee. We examined him and the rest concerning the state of the Riuer and they told vs that there were in the Riuer fiue townes some of 70. housholds and some of more The first towne was about 50. leagues vp the Riuer called Buenos Ayres the rest some 40. some 50. leagues one from another so that the vppermost towne called Tucaman is 230. leagues from the entrance of the Riuer In these townes is great store of corne cattell wine and sundry fruits but no money of gold or siluer they make a certaine kinde of slight cloth which they giue in trucke of sugar rice Marmalade and Sucket which were the commodities that this shippe had They had abord also 45. Negros whereof euery one in Peru yeeldeth 400. duckets a piece and besides these there were as passengers in her two Portugal women and a childe The 11. day wee espied another saile which was the consort of this Portugall and to him also we gaue chase and tooke him the same day Hee was of the burthen of the other and had in him good store of sugar Marmalade and Sucâ—ats with diuers other things which we noted downe our booke In this ship also we found about 35. Negro women and foure or fiue friers of which one was an Irish man of the age of three or foure and twentie yeeres and two Portugal women also which were borne in the riuer of Ienero Both these ships were bought in Brasil by a yong man which was Factor for the bishop of Tucaman and the friers were sent for by that bishop to possesse a new Monasterie which the bishop was then a building The bookes beads and pictures in her cost as one of the Portugals confessed aboue 1000. duckats Of these ships we learned that M. Iohn Drake who went in consort with M. Fenton had his Barke cast away a little short of the Riuer of Plate where they were taken captiues by the Sauages all sauing them which were slaine in the taking the Sauages kept them for a time and vsed them very hardly yet at the last Iohn Drake and Richard Faireweather and two or three more of their company with them got a Canoa and escaped and came to the first towne of the Spaniards Faireweather is maried in one of the townes but Iohn Drake was carried to Tucaman by the Pilot of this ship and was liuing and in good health the last yeere Concerning this voyage of the Portugals they tolde vs that it was the thirde voyage that was made into the Riuer of Plate these 30. yeeres The 12. of Ianuary wee came to Seale yland and the 14. day to the Greene yland where going in we found hard abord the maine 8. fathome 7. and 6. and neuer lesse then fiue fathome There lies a ledge of rocks in the faire way betwixt the yland and the maine so that you must bee sure to borrow hard abord the maine and leaue the ledge on the larbord side One of the Portugals which wee caried along with vs in our shippe seemed to bee a man of experience and I entred into speach with him concerning the state of the Riuer hee tolde mee that the towne of Buenos Ayres is from the Greene yland about seuentie leagues standing on the Southside of the Riuer and from thence to Santa Fee is 100. leagues standing on the same side also At which towne their shippes doe discharge all their goods into small Barkes which rowe and towe vp the Riuer to another towne called Ascension which is from Santa Fee 150 leagues where the boats discharge on shoare and so passe all the goods by carts and horses to Tucaman which is in Peru. The towne of Ascension stands in a very fertile place reaping corne twise in the yeere with abundance of wine cattell and fruits In the townes of Ascension and Tucaman a rapier of 20. rials of plate is worth 30. duckats a boxe of Marmalade 20. duckats a looking glasse a foote ouer is worth 30. li. pictures in tables of 14. inches 30. and 40. li. a piece The 16. day wee went from Greene yland to the watering place which is about a league to the Westward where wee tooke in about 18. tunnes of water and the 22. day came againe to Seale yland to make prouision of Seales where a storme arose which put vs in some danger by the breaking of our anckers and cables and the winde blew so colde that wee much marueiled at it considering the height of the place I must needes in this place finde fault with our selues and the whole company that riding in this Riuer 16. dayes the chanell was not sounded nor the way made perfect The 29. day wee tooke into our ship one Miles Philips which was left in the West Indies by M. Hawkins The first of February I tooke the Sunne in 38. degrees And the 3. day of I tooke it againe and found it to be in 41. degrees The 7. day of February our Captaine master Lister being in one of the prizes hoysed ouer bord his Gundelo and went abord the Admirall and being there they sent their Gundelo abord vs for our Master master Collins and my selfe at our comming we were called into the Captaines cabbin where were set in counsell for matters touching the state of our voyage these men whose names are vnder written
villa Antiquitas commercij inter Angliam Norwegiaâ— The antiquity of traffique betweene England and Norway Maior Communitas stapulae Charta anno regni sexto conâ—ecta A Charter made in the sixt yeere of his reigne Eâ—â—seri seatres The first war mooued against the Prussian infifidels anno â—om 1239. The Prussians abandon Christianitie A memorable stratageme 4000â— This man sent an ambassage to Richard the second The great master ouercommeth the king of Polonia The king by treason ouerthroweth the Master The ancient assistance of the kings of England against infidels Edward the 3. The arresting of the English goods and marchants 1388. An ancient custome The priuiledges of the English marchaÌ„ts in Prussia 1403. 1405. 1406. These ships were taken by the English y e 20. of Iuly 1404. Hamburgh Bremâ— Stralessund Lubec Gripeswold Campen 1403. ‡ Namely the ship of Edgard Scof at Câ—leis The ship of Tidman Dordewant and Tidman Warowen at Orwel and Zepiswich Note well 1403. The anâ—cient friendship betweene England and Prussia Margaret queen of Denmarke 1403. The coÌ„plaints of the Liuonians Note well 1400. Newcastle An English ship of 200. tunnes â—ull Hull Hull Hull Hull Yorke Yorke London London Colchester Yermouâ—h Norwich Yermouth Longsound in Norway Yermouth Yermouth Selaw in Norway Cley Cley Cley Cley Cley Cley â—â—â—eton Wiueton Wiueton Wiueton Wiueton Lenne Lenne 21. houses of English marchants burnt at Norbern in Norway The Vitalians Lenne Lenne Lenne Lenne Lenne Lenne Note the 〈◊〉 treasons of the Hanâ— The ancient customes of wools Pence for the towne of Cales The great charter of marchants A speciall Charter The customers of the pety custome 1405 The customers of the subsidie The Hans societie determineth the ouerthrow of English marchaÌ„ts Statutes against y e English marchants in Norway and in Suedland How many which be the Hans townes A meting at Hage the 28. of August 1407. Here relation is had vnto y e king of the Romans Septem 27. 1408. A motion for a perpâ—tuall league A ship of the burthen of 300. Tonnes ‖ 1404. ‖ Notaâ— Naues maximae Henrici quinti. Incipit liber de custodia Maris praesertiâ— arcti inter Doueram Galisiam Sigismond died 1438. He was here 1416. Videns imperator Sigismundus duas villas inter caeteras Angliç scilicet Calisiam Doueream ponens suos duos digitos super duos suoâ— oculos ait regi Frater custodite istas duas villas sicut duos vestros oculos The Noble was coined by Edward the third Anno regni 18. Quatuor considerâ—ntur in monetâ— aurea Anglicâ— quae dicitur Nobile scilicet Rex Nauis gladius Mare Quae designant potestatem Anglicoâ—um super Mare In quorum opprobrium his diebus Britones minores Flandrenses alij dicunt Anglicis Tollite de vestro Nobile nauem imponite onem Intendentes quod sicut quondam á tempore Edwardi tertij Anglici erant domini Maris modo his diebus sunt vâ—â—ordes victi ad bellâ—ndum Mare obseruandum velut oâ—es Figges â—aisins Wine Bastard Datâ—s Lycoâ—as â—iuil Oyle Graynes White Pastel Sopâ— Waxe Iron Wadmolle Gotefell â—idfell Saffron Quickesiluer Flemish cloth made of English Wooll The necessarie coniunction of Spaine and Flanders Wine Osey Waxe Graine Figs Reisens Hony Cordeweyne Dates Salt Hides Note well The Britons great Rouers and Theeues Historia oâ—â—endenâ— quam ordinationem Rex Edwardus tertius fecit contra depraedatores marinos Britanniae minoris ad debellandum eos subiugandum Britannos minores Statutum Regis Edwardi tertij pro Lombardis Anno Domini 1436. Hen. 6.14 Pitch Tarre Board Flexe Collein threed Fustian Canuas Cardes Bokeram Siluer-plate Wedges of Siluer and Metall ‖ 〈◊〉 Woad An example of deceite ‖ Or loue Note diligeÌ„tly A woful complaint of lacke of nauie if need come A storie of destruction of Denmarke for destruction of their marchants The pâ—aâ—se of Richard of Whitingdon marchant Mader Woad Garlicke Onions saltfish What our marchants bye in that coste more then all other Of Hankin lions Lombards are cause enough to hurt this land although there were none other cause False colouring of goods by Lombards Alas for bâ—ibes gift of good feasts other means that sâ—oppen our policie This is the very state of our time It to a marueilous thing that so great a sicknes and hurt of y e land may haue no remedie of so many as take heÌ„selues wise men of gouernance * Or hunting Mynes of siluer and gold in Ireland This is now to be greatly feared This Lorde was the Earle of Ormond that told to me this matter that he would vndertake iâ— nâ— pain of losse of al his liuelihood But this proffer could not be admiâ—ted Ergo malè The trade of Bristow to Island The old trade of Scarborough to Island and the North. Thâ— ioy of Sigiâ—mond the Emperour that â—aleâ—s was English Harflew was loâ—t in the yere 1449 in the 27. of Henry the sixth * Dieit Chronica quod isle Edgaru cunctis praedâ— ceâ—io ibu â—uiâ— faelicâ—or nolli sâ—â—utaâ—â— inferior omnibus moâ—um 〈◊〉 are prellantior lucr◠〈◊〉 se Anglisnon minus t◠〈◊〉 quam Cyris Persia Catolin Fâ—anci Homulus verò Romanis Dicit Chronica preparauerâ—t naueâ— rob utissi nas numero â—ria millia sexcenta in quibus redeunie aellate omnem insulam ad retrorem extraneoeuÌ„ a suorum excitationem cum maximo apparatu ciâ—cumnauigate consâ—euerno Dicit Châ—onica c. vt non minus quantam ei eriam in bac vita boâ—orum operum mercolem donauerit cum aliquando ad maximâ—m cius festiuitatem reger comites mulâ—aâ—umque prouineiarum protector es conuenissent c. Caleis was yeâ—lded to y e English 1347. King Edward has 700 English ships and 14151. English mariners before Caleis The battell of Scluse by sea The great ships of Henry the fift made at Hampton Great caracks of Genua taken by the Duke of Bedford 1416. The French name thus onerâ— Hâ—owen was of fiue hundred saile The Trinitie the Grace de Dieu the holy Ghost Exâ—ortaâ—io generalis in cuslodiam toâ—lus Angliae per diligentiam custodiae circuirus maris circa littoâ—a eiusdem quae debeâ— esse per vnanimiâ—aâ—é Consiliaâ—ioâ—um regis hominum bonae vâ—luâ—tâ—tiâ— Tâ—â—â—â—unâ— câ—uâ—ae predictae custodiae sâ—ilicet hoâ—oâ— commodum â—egni opproâ—â—â—m iâ—iâ—â—iâ—is Ephes. 4. Solliciti sius seruate vnitatem spiritus in vinculo pacis Matth. 5. Beati pacifici quoniam filij Dei vocabuntur Cum placuâ—â—ine Domino viae hominis eius inimicos ad pacem conuertet Vibs beata Ierusalem dicta pacis visio The wise lord of Hungerfords iudgement of this booke 1462 A secrete The discouery of the North. By Sebastian Cabot and sir Thomas Pere in the right yere of his reigne And this is the voyage spoken of by Gonsaluo Ouiedo that came to S. Domingo Note Nauigation vnder the Pole Tartaria China New found land discouered by y e English Doctor Leys
THe summe of expenses aswell of wages prests as for the expenses of the kings houses and for other gifts and rewards shippes and other things necessary to the parties of France and Normandie and before Calice during the siege there as it appeareth in the accompts of William Norwel keeper of the kings Wardrobe from the 21. day of April in the 18 yeere of the reigne of the said king vnto the foure and twentieth day of Nouember in the one and twentieth yeere of his reigne is iii. hundreth xxxvii thousand li. ix s iiii d. A note out of Thomas Walsingham touching the huge Fleete of eleuen hundred well furnished ships wherewith king Edward the third passed ouer vnto Calais in the yeere 1359. ANno gratiae 1359. Iohannes Rex Franciae sub vmbra pacis dolose obtulit Regi Angliae Flandriam Picardiam Aquitaniam aliasque terras quas equitauerat vastarat pro quibus omnibus ratificandis idem Rex Edwardus in Franciam nuncios suos direxit quibus omnibus Franci contradixerunt Vnde motus Rex Anglie celeriter se suos praeparauit ad transfretandum ducens secum principem Walliae Edwardum suum primogenitum ducem Henricum Lancastrie ferè proceres omnes quos comitabantur vel sequebaÌ„tur poene mille currusâ— habuirque apud Sanwicum instructas optime vndecies centum naues cum hoc apparatu ad humiliandum Francorum fastum Franciam nauigauit relicto domino Thoma de Wooodstock filio suo iuniore admodum paruulo Anglici regni custode sub tutela tamen The same in English IN the yeere of our Lord 1359. Iohn the French king craftily and vnder pretence of peace offered vnto Edward the third king of England Flanders Picardie Gascoigne and other territories which he had spoyled and wasted for the ratifying of which agreement the foresaid king Edward sent his ambassadors into France but the Frenchmen gain saied them in all their articles and demaunds Whereupon the king of England being prouoked speedily prepared himselfe and his forces to crosse the seas carying with him Edward Prince of Wales his heire apparant and Henry duke of Lancaster and almost all his Nobles with a thousand wagons and cartes attending vpon them And the said king had at Sandwich eleuen hundred ships exceedingly well furnished with which preparation he passed ouer the seas to abate the Frenchmens arrogancie leauing his yonger sonne Thomas of Woodstocke being very tender of age as his vicegerent in the Realme of England albeit not without a protectour c. The voyage of Nicholas de Lynna a Franciscan Frier and an excellent Mathematician of Oxford to all the Regions situate vnder the North pole in the yeere 1360. and in the raigne of Edward the 3. king of England QVod ad descriptionem partium Septentrionalium attinet eam nos accipimus ex Itinerario Iacobi Cnoyen Buscoducensis qui quaedam exrebus gestis Arthuri Britanni citat maiorem autem partem potiora à Sacerdote quodam apud Regem Noruegiae An. Dom. 1364. didicit Descenderat is ex illis quos Arthurus ad has habitandas insulas miserat referebat An. 1360. Minoritam quendam Anglum Oxoniensem Mathematicum in eas insulas venisse ipsisque relictis ad vlteriora arte Magica profectuÌ„ descripsisse omnia Astrolabio dimensum esse in hanc subiectam formam ferè vti ex Iacobo collegimus Euripos illos quatuor dicebat tanto impetu ad interiorem voraginem rapi vt naues semel ingressae nullo vento retroagi possent nequè verò vnquam tantum ibi ventum esse vt molae frumentarie circumagendae sufficiat Simillima his habet Giraldus Cambrensis qui floruit An. 1210. in libro de mirabilibus Hyberniae sic enim scribit Non procul ab insulis Hebridibus Islandia c. ex parte Boreali est maris quae dam miranda vorago in quam à remotis partibus omnes vndique fluctus marinitanquam ex condicto fluunt recurrunt qui in secreta naturae penetralia se ibi transfundentes quasi in Abyssum vorantur Si verò nauem hâc fortè transire contigerit tanta rapitur attrahitur fluctuum violentia vt eam statim irreuocabiliter vis voracitatis absorbeat Quatuor voragines huius Oceani a quatuor oppositis mundi partibus Philosophi describunt vnde â—am marinos fluctus quà m AEolicos flatus causaliter peruenire nonnulli coniectant The same in English TOuching the description of the North partes I haue taken the same out of the voyage of Iames Cnoyen of Hartzeuan Buske which alleageth certaine conquests of Arthur king of Britaine and the most part and chiefest things among the rest he learned of a certaine priest in the king of Norwayes court in the yeere 1364. This priest was descended from them which king Arthur had sent to inhabite these Islands and he reported that in the yeere 1360 a certaine English Frier a Franciscan and a Mathematician of Oxford came into those Islands who leauing them and passing further by his Magicall Arte described all those places that he sawe and tooke the height of them with his Astrolabe according to the forme that I Gerard Mercator haue set downe in my mappe and as I haue taken it out of the aforesaid Iames Cnoyen Hee sayd that those foure Indraughts were drawne into an inward gulfe or whirlepoole with so great a force that the ships which once entred therein could by no meanes be driuen backe againe and that there is neuer in those parts so much winde blowing as might be sufficient to driue a Corne mill Giraldus Cambrensis who florished in the yeere 1210 vnder king Iohn in his booke of the miracles of Ireland hath certaine words altogether alike with these videlicet Not farre from these Islands namely the Hebrides Island c. towards the North there is a certaine woonderful whirlpoole of the sea whereinto all the waues of the sea from farre haue their course and recourse as it were without stoppe which there conueying themselues into the secret receptacles of nature are swallowed vp as it were into a bottomlesse pit and if it chance that any shippe doe passe this way it is pulled and drawen with such a violence of the waues that eftsoones without remedy the force of the whirlepoole deuoureth the same The Philosophers describe foure indraughts of this Ocean sea in the foure opposite quarters of the world from whence many doe coniecture that as well the flowing of the sea as the blasts of the winde haue their first originall A Testimonie of the learned Mathematician master Iohn Dee touching the foresaid voyage of Nicholas De Linna ANno 1360. that is to wit in the 34. yeere of the reigne of the triumphant king Edward the third a frier of Oxford being a good Astronomer went in companie with others to the most Northren Islands of the world and there leauing his company together hee trauailed alone
and purposely described all the Northerne Islands with the indrawing seas and the record thereof at his returne he deliuered to the king of England The name of which booke is Inuentio Fortunata aliter fortunae qui liber incipit a gradu 54. vsque ad polum Which frier for sundry purposes after that did fiue times passe from England thither and home againe It is to be noted that from the hauen of Linne in Norfolke whereof the foresaid Francisan frier tooke his name to Island it is not aboue a fortnights sailing with an ordinarie winde and hath bene of many yeeres a very common and vsuall trade which further appeareth by the priuileges granted to the Fishermen of the towne of Blacknie in the said Countie of Norfolke by king Edward the third for their exemption and freedome from his ordinary seruice in respect of their trade to Island The voyage of Henry Earle of Derbie after Duke of Hereford and lastly king of England by the name of Henry the fourth An. Dom. 1390. into Prussia and Lettowe against the infidels recorded by Thomas of Walsingham DDominus Henricus Comes de Derbie per idem tempus profectus est in le Pruys vbi cum adjutorio marescalli dictae patriae cujusdam Regis vocati Wytot deuicit exercitum Regis de Lettowe captis quatuor ducibus tribus peremptis amplius quam trecentis de valentioribus exercitus supradicti pariter interemptis Ciuitas quoque vocatur Will in cujus castellum Rex de Lettowe nomine Skirgalle confugerat potenti virtute dicti Comitis maximè aâ—que suorum capta est Namque qui fuerunt de famâ—lia sâ— primi murum ascenderant vexillum ejus super muros caeteris vel torpentibus vel ignorantibus posuerunt Captaque sunt ibi vel occisa quatuor millia plebanorum fratre Regis de Poleyn inter caeteros ibi perempto qui aduersarius nostri fuitâ— Obsessumque fuit castrum dictae Ciuitatis per quinque hebdomadas Sed propter infirmitates quibus vexabatur exercitus magistri de Pruys de Lifland noluerunt diutius expectare Facti sunt Christiani de gente de Lettowe octo Et magister de Lifland duxit secum in suam patriam tria millia captiuorum The same in English ABout the same time L. Henry the Earle of Derbie trauailed into Prussia where with the helpe of the Marshall of the same Prouince and of a certaine king called Wytot hee vanquished the armie of the king of Lettowe with the captiuitie of foure Lithuanian Dukes and the slaughter of three besides more then three hundred of the principall common souldiers of the sayd armie which were slaine The Citie also which is called Wil or Vilna into the castle whereof the king of Lettow named Skirgalle fled for his sauegard was by the valour of the sayd Earle especially and of his followers surprised and taken For certaine of the chiefe men of his familie while others were slouthfull or at least ignorant of their intent skaling the walles aduanced his colours thereupon And there were taken and slaine foure thousand of the common souldiers and amongst others was slaine the king of Poland his brother who was our professed enemie And the castle of the foresaid Citie was besieged for the space of fiue weekes but by reason of the infirmities and inconueniences wherewith the whole armie was annoyed the great masters of Prussia and of Lifland would not stay any longer There were conuerted of the nation of Lettowe eight persons vnto the Christian faith And the master of Lifland carried home with him into his countrey three thousand captiues The voyage of Thomas of VVoodstocke Duke of Glocester into Prussia in the yeere 1391. written by Thomas Walsingham EOdem tempore dux Glouerniae Dominus Thomas de Woodstock multis moerentibus iter apparauit versùs le Pruys quem non Londinensium gemitus non communis vulgi moeror retinere poterant quiâ— proficisci vellet Nam plebs communis tà m Vrbana quà m rustica metuebant quòd eo absente aliquod nouum detrimentum succresceret quo praesente nihil tale timebant Siquidèm in eo spes solatium totius patriae reposita videbantur Ipse verò mòx vt fines patriae suae transijt illicò aduersa agitatus fortuna nunc hà c nunc illà c turbinibus procellosis circumfertur in tantum destituitur vt de vita etiam desperaret Tandem post Daciam post Norwagiam post Scoticam barbariem non sine mortis pauore transcursam peruenit Northumbriam ad castellum se contulit de Tinnemutha velùt assylum antiquitùs notum sibi vbi per aliquot dies recreatus iter assumpsit versus manerium suum de Plashy magnum apportans gaudium toti regno tam de ejus euasione quà m de aduentu suo The same in English AT the same time the Duke of Glocester Lord Thomas of Woodstock the yongest sonne of Edward the third to the great griefe of many tooke his iourney towards Prussia whom neither the Londoners mones nor yet the lamentation of the communaltie could restraine from his intended expedition For the common people both of the Citie and of the countrey feared lest in his absence some newe calamitie might happen which they feared not while he was present For in him the whole nation seemed to repose their hope and comfort Howbeit hauing skarce passed as yet the bounds of his owne countrey he was immediatly by hard fortune tossed vp and downe with dangerous stormes and tempests and was brought into such distresse that he despaired euen of his owne life At length hauing not without danger of death sailed along the coastes of Denmarke Norway and Scotland he returned into Northumberland and went to the castle of Tinmouth as vnto a place of refuge knowen of olde vnto him where after hee had refreshed himselfe a fewe dayes hee tooke his iourney toward his Mannour of Plashy bringing great ioy vnto the whole kingdome aswell in regard of his safetie as of his returne The verâ—es of Geofrey Chaucer in the knights Prologue who liuing in the yeere 1402. as hee writeth himselfe in his Epistle of Cupide shewed that the English Knights after the losse of Acon were wont in his time to trauaile into Prussia and Lettowe and other heathen lands to aduance the Christian faith against Infidels and miscreants and to seeke honour by feats of armes The English Knights Prologue A Knight there was and that a worthie man that from the time that he first began to riden out he loued Cheualrie trouth honour freedome and Curtesie full worthy was he in his lords warre and thereto had hee ridden no man farre As well in Christendome as in Heathennesse and euer had honour for his worthinesse At Alisandre hee was when it was wonne full oft time hee had the bourd begon abouen all nations in Pruce In Lettowe had hee riden and in