monitions and reasons of the false traitor being vnderstood and pondered by the great Turke and his counsell it was considered of them not to loose so good occasion and time Wherefore hee made most extreme diligence to rigge and apparell many ships vessels of diuers sorts as galliasses gallies pallandres fustâ—s and brigantines to the number of 350. sailes and moe When the prisoner that the sayd de Merall did send into Turkie had done his câ—mmission hee returned into Rhodes whereof euery man had maruell And many folkes deemâ—d â—uil of his comming againe as of a thing vnaccustomed but none durst say any thing seeing the sayd de Merall of so great authoritie and dignitie and he cherished the sayd prisoner more then he was woont â—o doe Therefore belike hee had well done his message and had brought good tidings to the damnable and shamefull mind of â—he sayd traitor de Merall How the great Turke caused the passages to be kept that none should beare tidings of his hoste to Rhodes THe great Turke intending with great diligence to make readie his hoste both by sea and by land the better to come to his purpose and to take the towne vnwarily as hee was aduertised thought to keepe his doings as secret as hee might and commaunded that none of his subiects should goe to Rhodes for any maner of thing And likewise he tooke all the barkes and brigantines out of the hauens and portes in those coastes because they should giue no knowledge of his armie And also hee made the passages by land to bee kept that none should passe Howbeit so great apparell of an armie could not bee long kept close for the spies which the lord great master had sent into Turkie brought tidings to the castle of saint Peter and to Rhodes of all that was sayd and done in Turkie Neuerthelesse the sayd lord gaue no great credence to all that was brought and told because that many yeeres before the predecessours of the great Turke had made great armies and alway it was sayd that they went to Rhodes the which came to none effect And it was holden for a mocke and a by-word in many places that the Turke would goe to besiege Rhodes And for this reason doubt was had of this last armie and some thought that it should haue gone into Cyprus or to Cataro a land of the lordship of Venice Howbeit the great master not willing to bee taken vnwarily but the meane while as carefull and diligent for the wealth of his towne his people vnderstanding these tidings of the Turkes armie did all his diligence to repaire and strengthen the towne Amongst all other things to build vp and raise the bulwarke of Auuergne and to cleanse and make deeper the ditches And the more to cause the workemen to haste them in their businesse they sayd lord ouersawe them twice or thrise euery day How the lord great master counselled with the lordes for prouision for the towne THen the sayd reuerend lord thought to furnish and store the towne with more vitailes for the sustenance thereof and for the same many times hee spake with the lordes that had the handling and rule of the treasurie and of the expenses thereof in his absence and since his comming That is to wit with the great Commander Gabriel de pommerolles lieutenant of the sayd lord The Turcoplier Sir Iohn Bourgh of the English nation and the Chanceller Sir Andrew de Meral of whom is spoken afore and of his vntruth agaynst his religion The which three lordes sayd that hee should take no thought for it for the towne was well stored with vitailes for a great while and that there was wheate ynough till new came in Notwithstanding it were good to haue more or the siege were laide afore the towne and therefore it were behoouefull to send for wheate and other necessaries into the West for succours of the towne and at that time to puruey for euery thing Of the prouision for vitailes and ordinance of warre AS touching the store and ordinance of warre the sayd lordes affirmed that there was ynough for a yeere and more whereof the contrary was found for it failed a moneth or the citie was yeelded It is of trueth that there was great store and to haue lasted longer then it did But it was needfull to spend largely at the first comming of the enemies to keepe them from comming neere and from bringing earth to the ditches sides as they did And moreouer you are to consider the great number of them and their power that was spred round about the towne giuing vs so many assaults and skirmishes in so many places as they did and by the space of sire whole moneths day and night assailing vs that much ordinance and store was wasted to withstand them in all points And if it failed it was no maruell Howbeit the noble lord great master prouided speedily for it and sent Brigantines to Lango to the castle of saint Peter and to the castels of his isle Feraclous and Lyndo for to bring powder and saltpeter to strength the towne but it suffised not And for to speake of the purueiance of vitailes it was aduised by the lord great master and his three lords that it was time to send some ships for wheat to places thereabout before the Turks hoste were come thither And for this purpose was appointed a ship named the Gallienge whose captaine hight Brambois otherwise called Wolfe of the Almaine nation an expert man of the sea the which made so good diligence that within a moneth he performed his voiage and brought good store of wheat from Naples and Romania which did vs great comfort How a Brigantine was sent to Candie for wine and of diuers ships that came to helpe the towne AFter this a motion was made to make prouision of wine for the towne for the men of Candie durst not saile for to bring wine to Rhodes as they were woont to doe for feare of the Turkes hoste and also they of the towne would send no ship into Candie fearing to be taken and enclosed with the sayd hoste by the way Howbeit some merchants of the towne were willing to haue aduentured themselues in a good ship of the religion named the Mary for to haue laden her with wine in Candie But they could not agree with the three lordes of the treasure and their let was but for a little thing and all the cause came of the sayd traitour de Merall faining the wealth of the treasure for he intended another thing and brake this good and profitable enterprise and will of the sayd merchants seeing that it was hurtfull to the Turke whose part the said traitour held in his diuelish heart that notwithstanding the reuerend lord great master that in all things from the beginning to the ende hath alway shewed his good will and with all diligence and right that might bee requisite to a soueraigne captaine and head of warre
prescript of the priuileges is granted by your princely maiesties goodnesse and shall be for the benefite of both our subiects For performance whereof because hee standeth in neede of your Imperiall Maiesties authoritieâ— wee earnestly beseech the same that you would cause all those which bee in authoritie vnder your Highnesse by all their best meanes to aide and assist this our Ambassadour in executing this your Imperiall Maiesties pleasure for vnto him wee haue committed this charge wherein how honestly hee will discharge his credite toward both our Maiesties I no whit stand in doubt to whom also our pleasure is that all our subiects shall bee obedient as farre as the grant of your Imperiall maiestie doeth permit Moreouer whereas that woorthie personage Mustafa your Imperiall maiesties Interpretor hath taken speciall paines for the procuring of this league betweene vs wee earnestly beseech you that for our sakes your Imperiall Maiestie would vouchsafe to aduance him vnto the degree of the Mâ—stafaraks or chiefe pensioners If in these and in all other honest causes our aforesayde Agent and our subiectes shall finde your Imperiall Hignesses fauour a noble traffique will flourish betweene these nations and wee if by any way wee may stand your State in steade will alwayes most willingly be readie to requite this your Maiesties fauour and good will with all kinde of good offices Almightie God the maker of the world preserue and keepe your Imperiall Maiestie c. A Letter of the Queenes Maiestie to Alli Bassa the Turkes high Admirall sent by her ambassadour M. William Hareborne and deliuered vnto him aboord his gallie in the Arsenal ELIZABETHA c. Illustrissimo viro Alli Bassa magni Musulmanici Caesaris Admiralio salutem successus fortunatos Non ignotum esse Excellentiae vestrae arbitramur priuilegia quae dam à potentissimo Caesare Musulmanico domino vestro clementissimo subditis nostris Anglicis concessa esâ—e vt illis liceat in omnibus imperij Musulmanici prouincijs tutò securè manere ac negotiari non aliter quà m hoc ipsum Francis Polonis Venetis Germanis antea indultum est Qua ex causa nos Gulielmum Hareborne nobis dilectum è corporis custodibus vnuÌ„ ac multis nominibus ornatum ad inclytam Constantinopolis ciuitatem pro agente misimus qui ex priuilegiorum praedictorum praescripto nostras subditorum nostroâ—um res in illis locis constituereâ— Facere igitur non potuimus quin Excellentiae vestâ—ae Guilielmum hunc pro ea qua apud magnum Caesarem polles authoritate commendaremus petentes summopere vt tutò in mari sine Classiariorum vestrorum violentia securè in portibus absque ministrorum rapinis â—niâ—ria tam ipse quà m omnes Angli subditi nostri possint versari vti pro tenore literarum patentium à magno Caesare concessarum illis licere ex illarum conspectione perspicuum esse potest Gratisâ—imum ergo nobis excellentia vestra fecerit si portuum omnium aliorúmque locorum qui vestrae iurisdictioni parent custodibus item classium nauium praefectis omnibus mandare velit vt Guilielmus iste aliÃque Angli subditi nostri cum in illorum erunt potestate amicè humaniter tractarentur Quemadmodum nos vicissâ—m â—iâ—nes magni Caesaris subditos omni humanitatis genere tractabunus si in Oceani maria aliáue loca venerint quae nostro parent imperio Postremo excellentiam vestram pro eo quem in nostros extendet fauore ijs omnibus officijs prosequemur quae à gratissima principe in optime de se merontes debent proficisci Benè foeliciter valeas Datum è castro nostro Windesorij die vicessimo mensis Nouembris Anno Iesu Christi saluatoris nostri 1582. Regni verò nostri vicessimo quarto A briefe Remembrance of things to be indeuoured at Constantinople and in other places in Turkie touching our Clothing and our Dying and things that bee incident to the same and touching ample vent of our naturall commodities of the labour of our poore people withall and of the generall enriching of this Realme drawen by M. Richard Hakluyt of the middle Temple and giuen to a friend that was sent into Turkie 1582. 1 A Nile wherewith we colour Blew to be brought into this realme by seed or roote 2 And the Arte of compounding of the same 3 And also all other herbes vsed in dying in like maner to bee brought in 4 And all Trees whose Leaues Seedes or Barkes or Wood doe serue to that vse to be brought into this realme by Seed or Roote 5 All little Plants and Buskes seruing to that vse to be brought in 6 To learne to know all earths and minerals forren vsed in dying and thâ—ir naturall places for possible the like may here be found vpon sight 7 Also with the materials vsed in dying to bring in the excellencie of the arte of dying 8 To procure from Muhaisira a citie in AEgypt to Constantinople the seed of Sesamum the herbe and the same into this realme Common trade is betweene Alexandria and Constantinople and therefore you may easily procure the seeds Of this seed much oyle is made and many mils set on worke about the same in the sayd Muhaisira and if this seede may prosper in England infinite benefite to our Clothing trade may rise by the same This citie is situate vpon Nilus the riuer and thence this is brought to Venice and to diuers other Cities of Italie and to Antwerpe 9 To note all kindes of clothing in Turkie and all degrees of their labour in the same 10 To endeuour rather the vent of Kersies then of other Clothes as a thing more â—eneficiall to our people 11 To endeuour the sale of such our clothes as hee coloured with our owne naturall colours as much as you can rather then such as be coloured with forren colours 12 To seeke out a vent for our Bonettos a cap made for Barbarie for that the poore people may reape great profite by the trade 13 To endeuour vent of knit Stocks made of Norwich yarne of other yarne which brought to great trade may turne our poore people to great benefite besides the vent of the substance of our colours and of our diuers labour 14 To endeuor a vent of our Saffron for the benefit of our poore people for a large vent found it setteth many on worke Remembrances for master S. to giue him the better occasion to informe himselfe of some things in England and after of some other things in Turkie to the great profite of the Common weale of this Countrey Written by the foresayd master Richard Hakluyt for a principall English Factor at Constantinople 1582. SInce all men confesse that be not barbarously bred that men are borne as well to seeke the common commoditie of their Countrey as their owne priuate benefite it may seeme follie to perswade that point for each man meaneth so to doe But wherein men should
so made captiues Thus at the seuen dayes end we twelue Englishmen the twelue French and the twenty Spaniards were all conducted toward Marocco with nine hundred souldiers horsemen and fotmen and in two dayes iourney we came to the riuer of Fez where we lodged all night being prouided of tents The next day we went to a towne called Salle and lay without the towne in tents From thence we trauelled almost an hundred miles without finding any towne but euery night we came to fresh water which was partly running water and sometime raine water So we came at last within three miles of the city of Marocco where we pitched our tents and there we matte with a carrier which did trauell in the countrey for the English marchants and by him we sent word vnto them of our estate and they returned the next day vnto vs a Moore which brought vs victuals being at that instant very feeble and hungry and withall sent vs a letter with pen inke and paper willing vs to write vnto them what ship it was that was cast away and how many and what men there were aliue For said they we would knowe with speed for to morow is the kings court and therefore we would know for that you should come into the citie like captiues But for all that we were carried in as captiues and with ropes about our neckes as well English as the French and Spaniards And so we were carried before the king and when we came before him he did commit vs all to ward where wâ—e lay 15 dayes in close prison and in the end we were cleared by the English Marchants to their great charges for our deliuerance cost them 700 ounces euery ounce in that country contayning â—wo shillings And when we came out of prison we went to the Alfandica where we continued eight weekes with the English marchants At the end of which time being well apparelled by the bountie of our marchants we were conueyed downe by the space of eight dayes iourney to S. Cruz where the English ships road where we tooke shipping about the 20 of March two in the Anne Francis of London and fiue more of vs fiue dayes after in the Expedition of London and two more in a Flemish flie-boat and one in the Mary Edward also of London other two of our number died in the countrey of the bloodie-fluxe the one at our first imprisonment at Marocco whose name was George Hancock and the other at S. Cruz whose name was Robert Swancon whose death was hastened by eating of rootes and other vnnaturall things to slake their raging hunger in our trauaile and by our hard and cold lodging in the open fields without tents Thus of fiftie persons through the rashnesse of an vnskilfull Master ten onely suruiued of vs and after a thousand miseries returned home poore sicke and feeble into our countrey Richard Iohnson William Williams Carpenter Iohn Durham Abraham Rouse Iohn Matthewes Thomas Henmore Iohn Siluester Thomas Whiting William Church Iohn Fox The letters of the Queenes most excellent Maiestie sent by one Laurence Aldersey vnto the Emperour of Aethiopia 1597. Inuictissimo potentissimóque Abassenorum regi magnóque vtriusque Aethiopiae imperatori c. ELizabetha dei gratia Angliae Franciae Hiberniae regina fidei defensor c. summo ac potentissimo AEthiopiae imperatori salutem Quod ab omnibus qui vbiuìs terrarum ac gentium sunt regibus principibusque praestari par aequum est vt quanquà m maximo locorum interuallo dissiti moribus ac legibus discrepantes communem tamen generis humani societatem tueri conseruare mutuaque vt occasio ferret charitatis beneuolentiae officia velint exercere in eo nos de vestra fide atque humanitate spem certissimam concipientes huic subito nostro Laurentio Alderseio in regnum vestrum proficiscenti hasce literas nostras quibus nostra erga vos beneuolentia testata sit illum hinc profectuÌ„ esse conster potissimùm vobis indicandas dedimus Qui cùm orbis terrarum perscrutandi cognoscendique studio permotus multis antehà c regionibus peragratis iam tandem in eas regiones quae vestrae ditionis sunt longum periculosumque iter instituat cùm ipse existimauit tum nos etiam sumus in eadem opinione ad incolumitatem suam atque etìam ad gratiam apud vos plurimum illi profuturum si diplomate nostro munitus beneuolenâ—iae nostrae profectionis hinc suae testimonium ad vos deferret Nam cum summus ille mundi conditor rectorque praepotens deus regibus principibusque qui suam vicem gerunt orbem terrarum suis cuique finibus pro rata portione designatis regendum atque administrandum dederit eoque munere ius quoddam inter eos fraternae necessitudinis aeternumque foedus ab illis colendum sanxerit non erit vt arbitramur ingratum vobis cùm beneuolentiae nostrae significationem tà m immensa maris ac terrarum spatia transgressam ab vltima Britannia ad vos in Aethiopiam perferri intellexeritis Nobisque rursùs ericiucundum cùm subditorum nostrorum praedicatione ab ipsis Nili fontibus ab ijs regionibus quae solis cursum definiunt fama vestri nominis ad nos recurret Erit igitur humanitatis vestrae huic subdito nostro eam largiri gratiam vt in ditionem vestram sub presidio ac tutela vestri nominis intrare ibique saluus incolumis manere possit quod ipsum etiam ab aliis principibus per quorum regiones illi transeundum erit magnoperè petimus nobisque ipsis illud honoris causa tributum existimabimus neque tamèn maiorem hac in re gratiam postulamus quà m vicissìm omnium principum subditis omniumque gentium hominibus ad nos commeantibus liberrimè concedimus Datum Londini quinto die Nouembris anno regni nostri tricesimo nono annoque Dom. 1597. The same in English To the most inuincible and puissant king of the Abassens the mightie Emperour of Aethiopia the higher and the lower ELizabeth by the grace of God Queene of England France and Ireland defender of the faith c. To the most high and mightie Emperour of Aethiopia greeting Whereas it is a matter requisite and well beseeming all kings and princes of what lands or nations soeuer be they neuer so much disseuered in place or differing in customes and lawes to maintaine and preserue the common societie of mankinde and as occasion shall be offered to performe mutuall duties of charitie and beneuolence we for that cause conceiuing most vndoubted hope of your princely fidelity and courtesie haue giuen vnto this our subiect Laurence Aldersey intending to trauell into your dominions these our letters to be deliuered without faile vnto your Highnesse to the end they may be a testimony of our good will towards you and of our saide subiect his departure from England Who after his trauels in many forren
although they be diligently by arte husbanded and seene vnto and the cause thereof are the Northerne driuing winds which comming from the sea are so bitter and sharpe that they kill all the yoong tender plants and suffer scarse any thing to grow and so is it in the Islands of Meta incognita which are subiect most to East Northeastern winds which the last yere choaked vp the passage so with ice that the fleet could hardly recouer their port Yet notwithstanding all the obiections that may be the countrey is habitable for there are men women children sundry kind of beasts in great plenty as beares deere hares foxes and dogs all kinde of flying fowles as ducks seamewes wilmots partridges larks crowes hawks and such like as in the third booke you shall vnderstand more at large Then it appeareth that not onely the middle zone but also the Zones about the poles are habitable Which thing being well considered and familiarly knowen to our Generall captaine Frobisher aswell for that he is thorowly furnished of the knowledge of the sphere and all other skilles appertaining to the arte of nauigation as also for the confirmation he hath of the same by many yeres experience both by sea and land and being persuaded of a new and nerer passage to Cataya then by Capo de buona Sperança which the Portugals yerely vse he began first with himselfe to deuise and then with his friends to conferre and layed a plaine plat vnto them that that voyage was not onely possible by the Northwest but also he could proue easie to be performed And further he determined and resolued with himselfe to go make full proofe thereof and to accomplish or bring true certificate of the truth or els neuer to returne againe knowing this to be the only thing of the world that was left yet vndone whereby a notable minde might be made famous and fortunate But although his will were great to performe this notable voyage whereof he had conceiued in his minde a great hope by sundry sure reasons and secret intelligence which here for sundry causes I leaue vntouched yet he wanted altogether meanes and ability to set forward and performe the same Long time he conferred with his priuate friends of these secrets and made also many offers for the performing of the same in effect vnto sundry merchants of our countrey aboue 15 yeres before he attempted the same as by good witnesse shall well appeare albeit some euill willers which challenge to themselues the fruits of other mens labours haue greatly iniured him in the reports of the same saying that they haue bene the first authours of that action and that they haue learned him the way which themselues as yet haue neuer gone but perceiuing that hardly he was hearkened vnto of the merchants which neuer regard vertue without sure certaine and present gaines he repaired to the Court from whâ—nce as from the fountaine of our Common wealth all good causes haue their chiefe increase and maintenance and there layed open to many great estates and learned men the plot and summe of his deuice And amongst many honourable minds which fauoured his honest and commeâ—dable enterprise he was specially bound and beholding to the right honourable Ambrose Dudley earle of Warwicke whose fauourable minde and good disposition hath alwayes bene ready to countenance and aduance all honest actions with the authours and executers of the same and so by meanes of my lord his honourable countenance he receiued some comfort of his cause and by litle and litle with no small expense and paine brought his cause to some perfection and had drawen together so many aduenturers and such summes of money as might well defray a reasonable charge to furnish himselfe to sea withall He prepared two small barks of twenty and fiue and twenty tunne a piece wherein he intended to accomplish his pretended voyage Wherefore being furnished with the foresayd two barks and one small pinnesse of ten tun burthen hauing therein victuals and other necessaries for twelue moneths prouision he departed vpon the sayd voyage from Blacke-wall the 15 of Iune anno Domini 1576. One of the barks wherein he went was named The Gabriel and the other The Michael and sailing Northwest from England vpon the 11 of Iuly he had sight of an high and ragged land which he iudged to be Frisland whereof some authors haue made mention but durst not approch the same by reason of the great store of ice that lay alongst the coast and the great mists that troubled them not a litle Not farre from thence he lost company of his small pinnesse which by meanes of the great storme he supposed to be swallowed vp of the Sea wherein he lost onely foure men Also the other barke named The Michael mistrusting the matter conueyed themselues priuily away from him and returned home with great report that he was cast away The worthy captaine notwithstanding these discomforts although his mast was sprung and his toppe mast blowen ouerboord with extreame foule weather continued his course towards the Northwest knowing that the sea at length must needs haue an ending that some land should haue a beginning that way and determined therefore at the least to bring true proofe what land and sea the same might be so farre to the Northwestwards beyond any man that hath heretofore discouered And the twentieth of Iuly he had sight of an high land which he called Queene Elizabeths Forland after her Maiesties name And sailing more Northerly alongst that coast he descried another forland with a great gut bay or passage diuiding as it were two maine lands or continents asunder There he met with store of exceeding great ice all this coast along and coueting still to continue his course to the Northwards was alwayes by contrary winde deteined ouerthwart these straights and could not get beyond Within few dayes after he perceiued the ice to be well consumed and gone either there ingulfed in by some swift currents or indrafts carried more to the Southwards of the same straights or els conueyed some other way wherefore he determined to make proofe of this place to see how farre that gut had continuance and whether he might carry himselfe thorow the same into some open sea on the backeside whereof he conceiued no small hope and so entred the same the one and twentieth of Iuly and passed aboue fifty leagues therein as he reported hauing vpon either hand a great maine or continent And that land vpon his right hand as he sailed Westward he iudged to be the continent of Asia and there to be diuided from the firme of America which lieth vpon the left hand ouer against the same This place he named after his name Frobishers streights like as Magellanus at y e Southwest end of the world hauing discouered the passage to the South sea where America is diuided from the continent of that land which lieth vnder the South
abundance Diamonds of inestimable value with great store of pearle The report of a French man called Bountillier of Sherbrouke concerning Trinidad and Dorado HE saith that beeing at Trinidad in 1591. he had of an Indian there a peece of Golde of a quarter of a pound in exâ—hange of a knife the sayde Indian tolde him hee had it at the head of that riuer which commeth to Paracoa in Trinidad and that within the Riuer of Orenoque it was in great abundance Also in 1593. beeing taken by the Spanyardes and brought prisoner into the Iland of Madera the place for his prison there came in this meane time a Barke of sortie Tunnes from a new Discouery with two millions of Golde the company whereof reported Golde in that place to bee in great abundance and called it El Nueuo Dorado This Frenchman passed from Spaine in the Barke and hauing a cabben neere a gentleman one of the Discouerers that came from that place in the sayde Barke had diuers times conference with him and amongst other things of the great abundance of Golde in the sayd Dorado being as they sayd within the riuer of Orenoque Reportes of certaine Marchants of Rio de Hacha concerning El Nueuo Dorado THey sayd aduancing the kings great treasure in the Indies that Nueuo Reyno yeelded very many Golde mines and wonderfull rich but lately was discouered a certaine Prouince so rich in Golde as the report thereof may seeme incredible it is there in such abundance and is called El Nueuo Dorado Antonio de Berreo made the said discouerie The report of a Spanyard Captaine with Berreo in the discouerie of El Nueuo Dorado THat the information sent to the King was in euery poynt truely sayde that the riuer Orenoque hath seuen mouths or outlets into the sea called Las Siete bocas de dragon that the sayd riuer runneâ—h farre into the land in many places very broad and that Anth. de Berreo lay at Trinidad making head to goe to conquere and people the sayd Dorado A Relation of the second Voyage to Guiana performed and written in the yeere 1596. by Laurence Keymis Gent. TO THE APPROVED RIGHT VALOROVS AND worthy Knight Sir Walter Ralegh Lord warden of the Stanneries Captaine of her Maiesties Guard and her Highnesse Lieutenant generall of the Countie of Cornewall I Haue here briefly set downe the effect of this your second Discouerie without any enlargement of made wordes for in this argument single speech best beseemeth a simple trueth Where the affinitie of the matter with your person leadeth mee to write of your selfe vnto your selfe that small libertie which I haue therein vsed shall I doubt not without offence or sinister construction be giuen to the cause in hand which whether it suffer not detriment by attributing lesse then of right belongeth the iudgement bee theirs that vprightly and indifferently shall weigh the consequents of their euill purpose who in seeking to detract from the Author of these Discoueries doe so much as in theÌ„ lieth wound deface tread vnder foot the thing it selfe But this is no nouelty nor proper only to these our dayes For long since it hath bin said Laudes eo vsque sunt tolerabiles donec ea dicunturâ— quae auditores se quoque facere posse existimant simaior a proferantur inuident non credunt The feruent zeale loyalty of your minde in labour with this birth of so honorable expectation as it hath deserued a recompence farre different so needeth it not my poore suffrage to endeare the toyle care and danger that you haue willingly vndergone for the good and aduancement of our weale publique The praise-worthinesse thereof doeth approue it selfe and is better read in your liuing doings then in my dead vnregarded papers All that I can wish is that my life were a sufficient pledge to iustifie how much more easie and more materiall the course for Guiana would bee then others which requiring greater charge yeelde not so large benefit and are subiect to more doubtfull euents If vnto their wisdomes who sit in place and authority it shall appeare otherwise and that in following of other attempts there is lesse difficultie certainer profit and need-fuller offence vnto the enemie the cost and trauaile which you haue bestowed shall not I hope be altogether lost if vnto your Honour I can proue how and where the amends is to be had maugre the force and preuention of all Spaniards Your Lordships to be commanded in all seruice LAVRENCE KEYMIS To the Fauourers of the Voyage for Guiana IN things earnestly desired though neuer so likely we are still suspicious thinking it more credite to our common wisedome to discredite most noble and profitable indeuours with distrust then touch to our valours and safeties to lie wilfully idle So that howsoeuer an action well and iudicially attempted bee esteemed halfe performed yet is this my iealous conceite concerning Guiana that nothing is begun before all be ended In this regarde gentle Reader I haue presumed to burthen thine eares with the weake plea of a good cause and in stead of opening it throughly to thy prudent consideration to note only mine owne vnsatisfied affection hoping that because I doe name Guiana vnto thee thou wilt vouchsafe hoc nomine to vaile and couer all other my defects in the desert of a good meaning In publishing this Treatise my labor principally tendeth to this end to remoue all fig-leaues from our vnbeliefe that either it may haue cause to shake off the colourable pretences of ignorance or if we will not be perswaded that our selfe-will may rest inexcusable They that shall apply and construe this my doing to serue the Spaniard his turne so wel as our owne in so much as it may seeme to instruct warne and arme him for their satisfaction herein they must not be ignorant that his eyes in seeing our shipping there doe as effectually informe him that many of our hearts are toward that place as if it should be credibly aduertised by some corrupt hireling that we thinke write and discourse of nothing els Neither can I imagine that to conceale our knowledge herein which to conceale may perhaps proue be hereafter taken for worse theÌ„ paricide would be of better purpose then to hoodwinke our selues as who would say No man shall see vs. Besides if the action were wholy to bee effected at her Maiesties charge then might it at her Highnesse pleasure be shadowed with some other drift and neuer be discouered vntill it were acted But since it craueth the approbation and purses of many Aduenturers who cannot be so prodigall both of their possessions and liues as voluntarily to run themselues out of breath in pursuing they know not what great reason it is that where assistance is to be asked due causes be yeelded to perswade induce them vnto it The Spaniard is not so simple vnsetled vncertaine in his determinations as to build them on our breath or to make
Item that euery bargaine made by the said marchants with any maner of persons of what places soeuer they be for any kind of marchaÌ„dise whatsoeuer shal be firme stable so that none of both the marchants shall shrinke or giue backe from that bargaine after that the earnest penie be once giuen and taken betweene the principall bargayners And if peraduenture any strife arise about the same bargaine the triall and inquirie thereof shall be made according to the vses and customes of the fayres and townes where it chanced that the said bargaine was made and contracted Item we promise the aforesaid marchants granting for euer for vs and our heires that from hence foorth we will not in any wise make nor cause to be made any stay or arrest or any delay by reason of arrest of their wares marchandises or other goods by our selues or by any other or others for any neede or accident against the will of the sayd marchants without present payment of such a price as the marchants would haue sold those marchandises for to other men or without making of them other satisfaction so that they shall hold themselues well contented and that no price or valuation shal be set vpon their wares marchandises goods by vs or by any officer of ours Item we will that all bayliffes and officers of fayres cities boroughs and market townes shall doe speedie iustice from day to day without delay according to the lawe of Marchants to the aforesayd marchants when they shall complaine before them touching all and singuler causes which may be determined by the same law And if default be found in any of the bayliffes or officers aforesayd where by the sayd marchants or any of them haue sustained or do sustaine any damage through delay though the marchant recouer his losses against the partie principall yet the bayliffe or other officer shall be punished to vs ward according to the qualitie of the default And wee doe grant this punishment in fauour of the aforesayd marchants in regard of the hastening of their iustice Item that in al maner of pleas sauing in case where punishmeÌ„t of death is to be inflicted where a marchant is impleaded or sueth another of what condition soeuer hee bee which is sued whether stranger or home borne in fayres cities or boroughs where sufficient numbers of marchants of the foresayd countreis are and where the triall ought to bee made let the one halfe of the Iurie be of the sayd marchants and the other halfe of good and lawfull men of the place where the suite shall fall out to bee and if sufficient number of marchants of the sayd countries cannot bee found those which shall be found fit in that place shall be put vpon the iurie and the rest shall be chosen of good and fit men of the places where such suit shall chance to be Item we will we ordaine aud wee appoint that in euery market towne and fayre of our realme aforesayd and elsewhere within our dominion our weight shall bee set in some certiane place and that before the weighing the balance shall bee seene emptie in the presence of the buyer and of the seller and that the skales bee equall and that afterward the weigher weigh in the equall balance And when hee hath set the balances euen let him straitghway remooue his hands so that the balance way remayne euen And that throughout all our kingdome and dominion there be one weight and one measure and that they be marked with the marke of our standard And that euery man may haue a weight of one quarter of an hundred and vnder where the same hath not bin contrary to the liberty of the lord of the place and contrary to the libertie granted by vs and our predecessors or contrary to the custome of townes and fayres which hath hitherto beene obserued Item we will and we grant that some certaine faythfull and discreete man resident in London be appointed to doe Iustice to the aforesayd marchants before whome they may haue their sutes decided and may speedilie recouer their debts if the Shiriffes and Maior should not from day to day giue them speedy iustice And hereof let a Commission be made which we grant vnto the aforesaid marchants besides this present Charter to wit of such things as betweene marchant and marchant are to be decided according to the lawe of marchants Item we ordayne and appoynt and wee will that this ordinance and statute shall firmely bee obserued for euer for vs and our heires that the aforesayd marchants shal not loose the aforesayd liberties nor any of them for any libertie whatsoeuer which wee or our heires hereafter shall grant And for the obtayning of the aforesayd liberties and free customes and for remission of our arresting of their goods the aforesayd marchants all and euery of them for themselues and all other of their parties with one accorde and one consent haue granted vnto vs that of euery tunne of wine which they shall bring or cause to be brought into our realme and dominion for which they shall bee bound to pay freight vnto the mariners besides the olde customes which are due and were woont to bee payd vnto vs they will pay vnto vs and to our heires in the name of a custome two shillings in money either out of hande or else within fortie dayes after the sayd wines shall bee brought on land out of the shippes Item for euery sacke of wooll which the sayd marchants or others in their name shall buy and carie out of the realme or cause to bee brought and caried out they will pay forty pence aboue the old custome of halfe a marke which was payed heretofore And for a last of hides to bee caryed out of our realme and dominion halfe a marke aboue that which heretofore was payed by the olde custome And like wise for three hundreth Felles with the wooll on them to bee transporâ—ed out of our realme and dominion fortie pence aboue that certaine rate which before was payed by the olde custome Also two shillings vpon euery scarlate and euery cloth died in graine Item eighteene pence for euery cloth wherein any kind of graine is mingled Item twelue pence vpon euery cloth dyed without graine Item twelue pence vpon euerie quintall of copper And whereas sundrie of the aforesayd marchants are woont to exercise other marchandises as of Huer de pois and other fine wares as sarâ—enets lawnes cindalles and silke and diuers other marchandises and to sell horses and other beastes corne and sundrie other things and marchandises which cannot easily bee reduced vnto a certaine custome the sayd marchants haue granted to giue vnto vs and to our heires of euery pound of siluer of the estemation and value of these kinde of goods and marchandises by what name soeuer they be called three pence in the pound in the bringing in of these goods into our realme and dominion aforesaid within twentie dayes after
commandement to handle discusse and finally to determine the foresaid busines and with letters of credence vnto the right reuerend lord and master generall aforesayd Which ambassadours together with Iohn Beuis of London their informer and the letters aforesaid and their ambassage the said right reuerend lord and Master generall at his castle of Marienburgh the 28. of Iuly in the yeare aforesaid reuerently and honourably receiued and enterteined and in his minde esteemed them worthy to treate and decide the causes aforesayd and so vnto the sayd ambassadouurs he ioyned in commission on his behalfe three of his owne counsellers namely the honourable and religious personages Conradus de Walrode great commander Seiffridus Walpode de Bassenheim chiefe hospitalary and commander in Elburg Wolricus Hachenberger treasurer being all of the order aforesaid Which ambassadors so entreating about the premisses and sundry conferences and consultations hauing passed between them friendly and with one consent concluded an agreement and concord in manner following That is to say First that all arrestments reprisals and impignorations of whatsoeuer goods and marchandises in England and Prussia made before the date of these presents are from henceforth quiet free and released without all fraud and dissimulation insomuch that the damages charges and expenses occasioned on both parts by reason of the foresayd goods arrested are in no case hereafter to be required or chalenged by any man but the demaunds of any man whatsoeuer propounded in this regard are and ought to be altogether frustrate and voide and all actions which may or shall be commenced by occasion of the sayd goods arrested are to be extinct and of none effect Moreouer it is secondly concluded and agreed that all and singuler Prussians pretending themselues to be iniuried by the English at the Porte of Swen or elsewhere howsoeuer and whensoeuer before the date of these presents hauing receiued the letters of the foresaide right reuerende lord and Master generall and of the cities of their abode are to repayre towards England vnto the sayd hon embassadours who are to assist them and to propound and exhibite their complaintes vnto the forenamed lord and king The most gracious prince is bounde to doe his indeuor that the parties damnified may haue restitution of their goods made vnto them or at least complete iustice and iudgement without delay Also in like maner all English men affirming themselues to haue bene endamaged by Prussians wheresoeuer howsoeuer and whensoeuer are to haue recourse vnto the often forenamed right reuerend lorde the Master generall with the letters of their king and of the cities of their aboad propounding their complaints and causes vnto him Who likewise is bound to doe his indeuour that the sayd losses and damages may be restored or at the least that speedie iudgement may be without all delayes executed This caueat being premised in each clause that it may and shall be freely granted and permitted vnto euery man that will ciuilly make his suite and complaint to doe it either by himselfe or by his procurator or procurators Also thirdly it is agreed that whosoeuer of Prussia is determined criminally to propound his criminal complaints in England namely that his brother or kinseman hath beene slaine wounded or maimed by English men the same partie is to repayre vnto the citie of London in England and vnto the sayd ambassadors bringing with him the letters of the sayd right reuerend lord the master generall and of the cities of their abode which ambassadors are to haue free and full authority according to the complaints of the men of Prussia and the answers of the English men to make and ordaine a friendly reconciliation or honest recompence betweene such parties which reconciliation the sayd parties reconciled are bound vndoubtedly without delay to obserue But if there be any English man found who shall rashly contradict or contâ—mne the composition of the foresayd ambassadors then the sayd ambassadours are to bring the forenamed Prussian plaintifes before the presence of the kings Maiestie and also to make supplication on the behalfe of such plaintifes that complete iustice and iudgment may without delayes bee administred according as those suites are commenced Moreouer whatsoeuer English man against whom anie one of Prussia would enter his action shall absent himselfe at the terme the sayd ambassadours are to summon and ascite the foresayd English man to appeare at the terme next insuing that the plaintifes of Prussia may in no wise seeme to depart or to returne home without iudgâ—ment or the assistance of lawe Nowe if the sayd English man being summoned shall be found stubborne or disobedient the forenamed ambassadours are to make their appeale and supplication in manner aforesayd And in like sorte in all respects shall the English plaintifes be dealt withall in Prussia namely in the citie of Daâ—tzik where the deputies of the sayd citie and of the citie of Elburg shal take vnto themselues two other head boroughs one of Dantzik and the other of Elburg which foure commissioners are to haue in al respects the very like authority of deciding discussing and determining all criminall complaints propounded criminally by English men against any Prussian or Prussians by friendly reconciliation or honest recompense if it be possible But if it cannot friendly be determined or if anie Prussian shall not yeeld obedience vnto any such order or composition but shal be found to contradict and to contemne the same from thenceforth the said foure deputies and headboroughs are to make their appeale and supplication vnto the Master generall of the land aforesayd that vnto the sayd English plaintifes speedy iudgement and complete iustice may be administred But if it shall so fall out that any of the principall offenders shall decease or already are deceased in either of the sayd countries that then it shall bee free and lawfull for the plaintife to prosecute his right against the goods or heires of the party deceased Also for the executing of the premisses the termes vnder written are appointed namely the first from the Sunday whereupon Quasi modo geniti is to be sung next ensuing vntill the seuenth day following The second vpon the feast oâ— the holy Trinitie next to come and for seuen dayes following The third vpon the eight day after Saint Iohn Baptist next to come for seuen daies following The fourth last and peremptory terme shall be vpon the feast of S. Michael next to come and vpon seuen dayes next following And from thenceforth all causes which concerne death or the mayming of a member with all actions proceeding from them are to remaine altogether voide and extinct And if peraduenture any one of the foresayd ambassadours shall in the meane season dye then the other two shall haue authoritie to chuse a third vnto them And if after the date of these presents any cause great or small doth arise or spring foorth it must bee decided in England and in Prussia as it hath
places at their pleasure and liberty by sea land or fresh waters may depart and exercise all kinde of merchandizes in our empire and dominions and euery part thereof freely and quietly without any restraint impeachment price exaction prest straight custome â—oll imposition or subsidie to be demanded taxed or paid or at any time hereafter to be demaÌ„ded taxed set leuied or inferred vpon them or any of them or vpon their goods ships wares marchandizes and things of for or vpon any part or parcell thereof or vpon the goods ships wares merchandizes and things of any of them so that they shall not need any other safe conduct or licence generall ne speciall of vs our heires or successours neither shall be bound to aske any safe conduct or licence in any of the aforesaid places subiect vnto vs. 2 Item we giue and graunt to the said marchants this power and liberty that they ne any of them ne their goods wares marchandizes or things ne any part thereof shal be by any meanes within our dominions landes countreyes castles townes villages or other place or places of our iurisdiction aâ— any time heereafter attached staied arrested ne disturbed for anie debt duetie or other thing for the which they be not principall debters or sureties ne also for any offence or trespasse committed or that shall be committed but onely for such as they or any of them shall actually commit and the same offences if any such happen shall bee by vs onely heard and determined 3 Item we giue and graunt that the said Marchants shal and may haue free libertie power and authoritie to name choose and assigne brokers shippers packers weighers measurers wagoners and all other meet and necessary laborers for to serue them in their feat of marchandises and minister and giue vnto them and euery of them a corporall othe to serue them well and truely in their offices and finding them or any of them doing contrary to his or their othe may punish and dismisse them and from time to time choose sweare and admit other in their place or places without contradiction let vexation or disturbance either of vs our heires or successors or of any other our Iustices officers ministers or subiects whatsoeuer 4 Item we giue and graunt vnto the saide Marchants and their successours that such person as is or shal be commended vnto vs our heires or successors by the Gouernour Consuls and assistants of the said fellowship restant within the citie of London within the realme of England to be their chiefe Factor within this our empire and dominions may and shal haue ful power and authoritie to gouerne and rule all Englishmen that haue had or shall haue accesse or repaire in or to this said Empire and iurisdictions or any part thereof and shal and may minister vnto them and euery of them good iustice in all their causes plaints quarrels and disorders betweene them moued and to be moued and assemble deliberate consult conclude define determine and make such actes and ordinancesâ— as he so commended with his Assistants shall thinke good and meete for the good order gouernment and rule of the said Marchants and all other Englishmen repairing to this our saide empire and dominions or any part thereof and to set and leuie vpon all and euery Englishmenâ— offender or offenders of such their acts and ordinances made and to be made penalties and mulâ—ts by fine or imprisonment 5 Item if it happen that any of the saide Marchants or other Englishman as one or more doe rebell against such chiefe Factor or Factors or his or their deputies and will not dispose him or themselues to obey them and euery of them as shall appertaine if the saide Rebels or disobedients doe come and bee founde in our saide Empire and iurisdictions or any part and place thereof then wee promise and graunt that all and euery our officers ministers and subiects shall effectually ayde and assist the saide chiefe Factour or Factours and their deputies and for their power shall really woorke to bring such rebell or disobedient rebels or disobedients to due obedience And to that intent shall lende vnto the same Factour or Factours and their deputies vpon request therefore to be made prisons and instruments for punishments â—rom time to time 6 Item we promise vnto the saide Marchants and their successours vpon their request to exhibite and doe vnto them good exact and fauourable iustice with expedition in all their causes and that when they or any of them shall haue accesse or come to or before any of our Iustices for any their plaints mooued and to bee mooued betweene any our subiects or other stranger and them or any of them that then they shal be first and forthwith heard as soon as the party whâ—ch they shal find before our Iustices shal be depeached which party being heard forthwith and assoone as may be the said English marchants shall be ridde and dispatched And if any action shall be moued by or against any of the said Marchants being absent out of our saide empire and dominions then such Marchants may substitute an â—tturney in all and singular his causes to be followed as need shall require and as shall seeme to him expedient 7 Item wee graunt and promise to the saide Marchants and to their successours that if the same Marchants or â—ny of them shall bee wounded or which God forbid slaine in any part or place of our Empire or dominions then good information thereof giuen Wee and our Iustices and other officers shall execute due correction and punishment without delay according to the exigence of the case so that it shall bee an example to all other not to commit the like And if it shall chaunce the factors seruants or ministers of the saide Marchants or any of them to trespasse or offende whereby they or any of them shall incurre the danger of death or punishment the goods wares marchandizes and things of their Masters shall not therefoore bee forfaited confiscated spoiled ne seised by any meanes by vs our heires or successours or by any our officers ministers or subiects but shall remaine to their vse franke free and discharged from all punishment and losse 8 Item we graunt that if any of the English nation be arrested for any debt he shal not be laid in prison so farre as he can put in sufficient suretie and pawne neither shall any sergeant or officer leade them or any of them to prison before he shall haue knowen whether the chiefe Factor or factors or their deputies shal be sureties or bring in pawne for such arrested then the officers shal release the partie and shall set hâ—m or them at libertie 9 Moreouer wee giue graunt and promise to the saide Marchants that if any of their ships or other vessels shall bee spoyled robbed or damnified in sayling anckoring or returning to or from our saide Empires and Dominions or any part thereof by any Pirats Marchants or other person
that is worth 2.3 or 4. grotes is a rich man Of their Religious men THe Metropolitane is next vnto God our Lady and S. Nicholas excepted for the Emperors maiesty iudgeth affirmeth him to be of higher dignitie then himselfe for that saith he he is Gods spiritual officer and I the Emperour am his temporall officer and therefore his maiestie submitteth himselfe vnto him in many things concerning religious matters as in leading the Metropolitans horse vpon Palme sunday and giuing him leaue to sitte on a chaire vpon the 12. day when the riuer Mosco was in blessing his maiestie standing on the yce All matters of religion are reformed by the Metropolitane he heareth the causes and giueth sentence as himselfe listeth and is authorized so to doe whether it be to whip hang or burne his will must needs be fulfilled They haue both monks friers and nunnes with a great number of great rich monasteries they keepe great hospitalitie and doe relieue much poore people day by day I haue bene in one of the monasteries called Troietes which is walled about with bricke very strongly like a castle and much ordinance of brasse vpon the walles of the same They told me themselues that there are seuen hundred brethren of thē which belong vnto that house The most part of the lands towns and villages which are within 40. miles of it belong vnto the same They shewed me the church wherein were as many images as could hang about or vpon the wals of the Church round about and euen the roofe of the church was painted ful of images The chiefe image was of our Ladie which was garnished with gold rubies saphirs and other rich stones abundantly In the midst of the church stood 12. waxe tapers of two yards long and a fathom about in hignesse there stands a kettle full of waxe with about 100. weight wherein there is alwayes the wieke of a candle burning as it were a lampe which goeth not out day nor night They shewed me a coffin couered with cloth of gold which stoode vpon one side within their church in which they told me lay a holy man who neuer eate or dranke and yet that he liueth And they told me supposing that I had beleeued them that he healeth many diseases and giueth the blind their sight with many other miracles but I was hard of belief because I saw him worke no miracle whilest I was there After this they brought me into their sellers and made me taste of diuers kinds of drinks both wine and beere mead and quassie of sundry colours and kinds Such abundance of drink as they haue in their sellers I doe suppose few princes haue more or so much at once Their barrels or vessels are of an vnmeasurable bignes sise some of them are 3. yards long and more and 2. yards more broad in their heads they conteine 6. or 7. tunnes a piece they haue none in their sellers of their owne making that are lesse then a tunne They haue 9. or 10. great vautes which are full of those barrels which are seldome remooued for they haue trunks which come downe through the roofe of the vautes in sundry places through which they powre drinke downe◠hauing the caske right vnder it to receiue the same for it should be a great trouble to bring it all downe the stayres They giue bread meat and drinke vnto all men that come to them not onely while they are at their abbey but also when they depart to serue them by the way There are a great number of such monasteries in the Realm and the Emperors maiesty rideth oftentimes from one to another of them and lieth at them 3. or 4. daies together The same monkes are as great merchants as any in the land of Russia and doe occupy buying and selling as much as any other men and haue boats which passe too and fro in the riuers with merchandize from place to place where any of their countrey do traffike They eate no flesh during their liues as it is reported but vpon Sunday Munday Tuesday Thursday and Saturday it is lawful for them to eate egges butter cheese and milke and at all times to eate fish and after this sort they lead their liues They weare all blacke garments and so doe none other in all the lande but at that abbey onely They haue no preachers no not one in al the land to instruct the people so that there are many the most part of the poore in the country who if one aske them how many gods there be they wil say a great many meaning that euery image which they haue is a god for all the countrey and the Emperours maiesty himselfe wil blesse and bowe and knocke their heads before their images in so much that they will crie earnestly vnto their images to helpe them to the things which they need Al men are bound by their law to haue those images in their houses and ouer euery gate in all their townes and cities are images set vp vnto which the people bow and bend and knocke their heads against the ground before them as often as they come by any church or crosse they do in like maner And when they come to any house they blesse themselues 3. or 4. times before they will salute any man in the house They reckon and hold it for great sinne to touch or handle any of their images within the circle of the boord where the painting is but they keep them very daintily and rich men deck them ouer and about with gold siluer and stones and hang them ouer and about with cloth of gold The priestes are married as other men are and weare all their garments as other men doe except their nightcaps which is cloth of some sad colour being round reacheth vnto the eares their crownes are shauen but the rest of their haire they let grow as long as nature will permit so that it hangeth beneath their eares vpon their shoulders their beards they neuer shaue if his wife happen to die it is not lawfull for him to mary againe during his life They minister the Communion with bread and wine after our order but he breaketh the bread and putteth it into the cup vnto the wine and commonly some are partakers with them and they take the bread out againe with a spoon together with part of the wine and so take it themselues and giue it to others that receiue with them after the same maner Their ceremonies are al as they say according to the Greeke Church vsed at this present day and they allow no other religion but the Greeks and their owne and will not permit any nation but the Greeks to be buried in their sacred burials or churchyards All their churches are full of images vnto the which the people when they assemble doe bowe and knocke their heads as I haue before said that some will haue knobbes vpon their foreheads with knocking
to the saide fellowship and company nor to any of them to cary and transport or cause to be caried and transported any commodie of this Realme to their newe trade but onely in English ships and to be sailed for the most part with English Mariners nor also to bring into this Realme nor into Flanders from their saide new trade any merchandizes or other commodities but in English ships and sailed for the most part by the English Mariners on paine to forfeit for euery such offence two hundred pounds whereof the one moitie shall be to the Queenes Maiestie her heires and successors the other moitie to the head officers of any port towne hauing any hauen or harborough decayed by what name soeuer they bee incorporate to the reparation of such harborough that will sue for the same in any Court of Record by action bill plaint or information wherein no essoine protection or wager of lawe for the defendant shall be admitted or allowed Prouided also and be it enacted that no maner of person or persons shall from hence forth carrie or transport or cause to bee carried or transported out of this Realme of England any maner of clothes or karsies into any of the partes where the said fellowship and societie is priuiledged to trade by this Act before the same clothes and karsies shall be all dressed and for the most part died within this Realme vpon paine of forfeiture for euery such cloth and karsie otherwise caried and transported fiue pounds the one halfe thereof to the Queenes Maiestie her heires and successors the other halfe to the Master and Wardens of the Clothworkers in the Citie of London for the time being by what name soeuer they be incorporate that wil sue for the same Prouided also that whensoeuer the said societie or company shall willingly withdraw and discontinue wholy by the space of three yeeres in time of peace the discharging of their marchandizes at the road of S. Nicholas bay in Russia and doe not discharge their said merchandizes at some other port or roade lying on that North coast of Russia or other territorie nowe subiect to the saide mightie prince of Russia c. hitherto by the subiects of this realme not commonly frequented that then during the time of any such discontinuance and withdrawing as is aforesaid it shal be lawful to all the subiects of this realme to trade to the Narue onely in English bottoms any thing in this Act to the contrary notwithstanding Prouided also that euery of the Queenes Maiesties Subiects inhabiting within the Citie of Yorke the townes of Newcastle vpon Tine Hull and of Boston hauing continually traded the course of merchandize by the space of ten yeeres and which before the 25. of December that shal be in Anno D. 1567. shal contribute ioyne and put in stocke to with and amongst the said company such summe summes of money as any of the said company which hath throughly continued and contributed to the saide newe trade from the yeere 1552. hath done and before the saide 25. of December 1567. shall do for the furniture of one ordinary full and intire portion or share and do in all things behaue himselfe as others of the said societie be bound to doe and hereafter shall bee bound to do by the priuiledges ordinances and statutes of the saide company shall from the same 25. day of December 1567. be and be accompted free and as one of the saide societie and company and subiect to the priuiledges ordinances and statutes of the saide company reasonably made and to be made any thing in this present Act to the contrary notwithstanding A very briefe remembrance of a voyage made by M. Anthony Ienkinson from London to Moscouia sent from the Queenes Maiestie to the Emperour in the yeere 1566. THe fourth day of May in the yere aforesaid I imbarked my selfe at Grauesend in the good ship called the Harry of London and hauing had a prosperous voyage arriued at the bay of S. Nicholas in Russia the 10. day of Iuly following and immediatly I sent in post to the Emperor to aduertise of my comming and traueiling then thorowe the countrey I with my company came to the Mosco where the Emperour kept his court the 23. of August and foorthwith gaue the Secretarie to vâ—derstand of my arriuall who aduertised the Emperours Maiestie of it and the first day of September being a solemne feast among the Russes I came before the Emperours Maiestie sitting in his seate of honour and hauing kissed his hand and done the Queenes Maiesties commendations and deliuered her Graces letters and present he â—ad me to dinner which I accepted and had much honour done vnto me both then and all the time of my abode in Russia The Priuiledges graunted by the Emperour of Russia to the English merchants of that company obteined the 22. of September Anno 1567. by M. Anthony Ienkinson ONe onely strengthener of all things and God without beginning which was before the world the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost our onely God in Trinitie and maker of all things whom we worship in all things and in all places the doer and fulfiller of all things which is the perfect knowledge giuer of the true God our Lorde Iesus Christ with the comforter the holy Spirit and thou which art the strengthener of our faith keepe vs together giue vs health to preserue our kingdome thou giuer of all good fruites and helper of all Christian beleeuers We great lord by the grace of God and great duke Iohn Vasiliwich of all Russia Volodimer Mosco Nouogrod Cazan Astracan Plesco Smolensko Tweria Yougorie Vadika Bulgar Sybier and others Emperour and great duke of Nouogrod of the lower land of Chernygo Rezan Polotski Rostoue Yereslaue Bealozera Oudoria Obdoria Condensa and lord of many other lands and of all the North parts commander and lord of Liffe-land Whereas our sister Queene Elizabeth by the grace of God Queene of England France and Ireland hath written to vs her letters that wee would graunt her merchants William Gerrard William Chester Rowland Heyward Lawrence Hussie Iohn Marsh Anthony Ienkinson William Rowly and their company of England to come in ships into this kingdome and those merchants William Gerrard and his company haue required of vs that we would graunt and licence them to come into our countrey of Dwina with all kind of wares at wil to our city of Mosco and to all our castles in our kingdomes we for our sisters sake Elizabeth by the grace of God Queene of England France and Ireland haue licenced her merchants William Gerrard and his company to passe in ships to our kingdome of Colmogro and to the land of Dwina and to all other our inheritances in the North parts with all kind of wares to our city of Mosco and to all castles and townes in our kingdome And sir William Garrard his company desired of vs that we would grant them licence to passe to
sought out and to be giuen to the English merchants being here abiding at that time in our Countrey the factors seruants or deputies of the Company aforesayd to whom we haue granted this our gratious letter And if there happen none of the English merchants factors seruants or deputies to be in our Countreis at such time then we wil all the said goods to be sought out and bestowed in some conuenient place and when any of the Company aforewritten bringing these our letters shall come for their goods we to command their goods to be restored vnto them 8 Likewise wee haue graunted leaue to the English merchants their Gouernours Consuls and assistantsâ— namely sir William Garrard knight Rowland Hayward and to the Companie to builde houses at Vologda Colmogro and the seaside at Inangorod at Cherell and in all other places of our Dominions as shall be needefull for their trade And they to keepe at the said house one housekeeper a Russe and two or three men to keepe their wares at the said houses making sale thereof to whom they will they their Factors or deputies the said housekeeper not to buy or sell for them 9 Also we haue giuen and graunted to the English Merchants their house which they haue by our goodnesse at S. Maximes in the Zenopski and other their houses in the towne of Zenopski made for the better assurance of their goods and all such as they shall set vp hereafter shal be of the Opressini and will make them knowen to all them of Opressini 10 And whereas by our goodnes we haue graunted them a Ropehouse at Vologda being farre from the English Merchants house now we haue giuen them to build a house for that vse by the said English house and haue giuen and graunted them of our goodnesse ground one hundreth and fourescore fadome long and fiftie fadomes in breadth according to their owne request 11 Also we haue of our goodnesse giuen and graunted to the English Merchants leaue to buy them a house at Wichida and there to search out mines of yron And where they shal happily find it there to set vp houses for the making of the same yron and to make the same of our goodnesse haue graunted them woods fiue or sixe miles compasse about the sayd houses to the making of the sayd yron and not to exceede these bounds and limits And where they shall cut the sayde wood not to set vp any village or farme there bringing the artificers for making of their yron out of their owne Countrey and to learne our people that arte and so freely occupying the said yron in these our Dominions transporting also of the same home into Englande allowing for euery pound one dingo or halfe penie 12 And if any of the said yron shal be needfull for our workes then we to take of the said yron to our worke vpon agreement of price paying money out of our Treasurie for the same And when the said English Merchants or Factors shal send their owne people out of our Realme into their Countrey ouer land through any Countrey whatsoeuer freely to send the same with our words 13 Also we of our goodnesse haue graunted that if any man misuse the said English the Factors or seruants or the saide English Merchants their Factors or seruants abuse any other at Moscouie or any other out townes whatsoeuer within our Dominions in trade of Marchandise or otherwise then they to haue vpright iustice in all such matters of our counsaile the Opressini without all let or delay But if our Iustice may not agree the parties then lots to be made and to whose lotte it shall fall to him the right to be giuen and that only our counsaile at Moscouie and none of our Captaines or authorised people or officers in any other our townes giue iudgement vpon the said English Merchants for any thing 14 Also if any stranger shall haue matter of controuersie with any English Merchant Factor or seruant abiding within these our Realmes or coâ—trariwise any English Merchant Factor or seruant against any other stranger in all those causes our Counsaile of the Opressini to giue them Iustice and to make an agreement end betweene the parties without all delay And none to deale therein saue our Counsaile of the Opressini 15 And if any man haue action against any English Merchant being absent that then in his absence it shal be lawful for any other Englishman at his assignation to answere his cause 16 If any Englishman happen to be wounded or beaten to death or any Russe or stranger slaine or beaten 17 Or any â—â—ollen goods to be found in the said English houses then our Counsellers to cause the guiltie persons to be sought out and to doe right and Iustice in the cause and the partie that is guiltie if he deserue punishment to be corrected accordingly after his offence That the said English Merchants factors and seruant sustaine thereby no hinderance or damage 18 And whatsoeuer English Marchant Factor seruant or deputie shal be guiltie or any fault deseruing our displeasure then our Counsellers to cause the guiltie partie to goe vnder suerâ—es and their goods to be sealed and kept vntill our pleasure be further knowen and our Counsaile to examine their offence and so to report it vnto vs that we may command what shall be done therein and none other to be arrested or haue their goods sealed which are not guiltie of that offence nor to stay or apprehend them in any of our Dominions for the same 19 If any English Marchant Factor or seruant shall offend it shal be lawfull for their Agent to doe iustice vpon the said partie or to send him home into England at his pleasure 20 If any English Marchant Factor or seruant haue lent or hereafter shall lende money to any of our people or credite them with wares and so depart into any forreigne Countrey or die before the debt be due to be payde then our people and Marchants to paye the sayde debt to whom soeuer shall be appointed to the sayd roome or charge and the saide English Marchant factorâ— or seruant to bring his bill of debt to our Counsell to shewe them what is due and what money is owing them for any wares and thus to doe truly not adding any whit to the debt and our Counsel to command the debt to be discharged vnto the English Marchant factor or seruant without delay 21 And whatsoeuer English Marchant shall be arrested for debt then our Counsell to command the partie vnder arrest to be deliuered to the Agent and if he haue no suertiâ— to binde the Agent with him for the better force of the bond And if any Englishman be endebted we will the Creditor not to cast him in prison or to deliuer him to the Sergeant left the officer lose him but to take ware in pawne of the debt 22 Also of our goodnes we haue granted the English Marchants to send our Commission to
best shewe and with some warme Shube of furre vnder it in the winter time But in the sommer nothing but her two shirts for so they call them one ouer the other whether they be within doores or without On their heads they weare caps of some coloured stuffe many of veluet or of cloth of gold but for the most part kerchiefs Without earings of siluer or some other mettall and her crosse about her necke you shall see no Russe woman be she wife or maide The Lord Boris Pheodorowich his letter to the Right Honorable William Burghley Lord high Treasurer of England c. BY the grace of God the great Lord Emperor and great Duke Theodore Iuanowich great Lord King and great Duke of all Russia of Volodemer Mosco and Nouogorod king of Cazan and Astracan Lord of Vobsko and great Duke of Smolensco Tuer Vghori Permi Viatsko Bolgorie and other places Lorde and great Duke of Nouogrod in the Lowe Countrey of Chernigo Rezan Polotsky Rostoue Yeroslaue Bealozera and Lâ—efland of Oudorski Obdorski Condinski and commander of all Sibierland and the North coasts great Lorde ouer the Countrey of Iuerski Grisinski Emperor of Kabardinski and of the Countrey Charchaski and the Countrey of Gorsky and Lord of many other regions From Boris Pheodorowich his Maiesties brother in law master of his horses gouernour of the territories of Cazan and Astracan to William Lord Burghley Lord high Treasurer to the most vertuous Ladie Elizabeth Queene of England France and Ireland and other dominions I receiued your Lordships letters wherein you write that you haue receiued very ioyfully my letters sent vnto you and aduisedly read them and imparted the same vnto her Maiestie and that your Merchants finde themselues agreeued that when they approch these parts and are arriued here they are not permitted to enter into a free and liberall course of barter traffike and exchange of their commodities as heretofore they haue done but are compelled before they can enter into any traffike to accept the Emperours waxe and other goods at high rates farre aboue their value to their great losse and that they are by reason of this restraint long holden vpon these coasts to the danger of wintering by the way Hereafter there shal be no cause of offence giuen to the Marchants of the Queenes Maiestie Queene Elizabeth they shall not be forced to any thing neither are there or shall be any demands made of custome or debts Such things as haue beene heretofore demaunded all such things haue beene already vpon their petition and supplication commaunded to be discharged I haue sollicited his Maiestie for them that they be not troubled hereafter for those matters and that a fauourable hand be caried ouer them And according to your request I will be a meane to the Emperour for them in all their occasions and will my selfe shew them my fauorable countenance And I pray you William Burghley to signifie to her Maiesties Merchants that I promise to haue a care of them and for the Queenes Maiestie of Englands sake I will take her Merchants into my protection and will defend them as the Emperours selected people vnder the Emperors commission and by mine appointment all his Maiesties officers and authorized people shall be carefull ouer them The Emperors gracious fauor towards them was neuer such as it is now And where you write that at the port the Emperors Officers sell their waxe by commission at a set rate giuen them farre aboue the value and that they enforce your Marchants to accept it they deny that they take any such course but say they barter their waxe for other wares and also put their waxe to sale for readie money to your Merchants according to the worth thereof and as the price goeth in the custome house here It hath beene heretofore deare and now is sold as good cheape as in any other place and as they can best agree they enforce no man to buy it but rather kepe it therefore your Marchants haue no iust cause to make any such report I haue expressely giuen order that there shall be no such course vsed to enforce them but to buy according to their owne willes and to tarrie at the port or to depart at their pleasure And as touching the customes alreadie past and debts demanded at your Merchants hands whereof you write Our Lord great Emperour and great Duke Theodore Iuanowich of all Russia of famous memory hath shewed his Maiesties especial fauour and loue for the great loue of his welbeloued sister Queene of England and by my petition and mediation whereas there was commandement giuen to take Marshes whole debt of your Merchants and factors it is moderated to the halfe and for the other halfe commandement giuen it should not be taken and the Merchants billes to be deliuered them And to the end hereafter that her Maiesties Marchants moue no contention betwixt our Lord the Emperor and great Duke of Russia and his welbeloued sister Queene Elizabeth his Maiestie desireth order to be giuen that your Marchants doe deale iustly in their traffike and plainely without fraud or guile And I will be a fauourer of them aboue all others vnder his Maiesties authoritie themselues shall see it Written in our great Lorde the Emperours citie of Mosco in the moneth of Iuly 7099. The Queenes Maiesties letter to Theodore Iuanouich Emperour of Russia 1591. ELizabeth by the grace of God Queene of England France and Ireland defender of the faith c. to the right high mighty and right noble prince Theodore Iuanouich great Lord King and great Duke of all Russia Volodemer Mosco Nouogrod King of Cazan and Astracan Lord of Vobsko and great Duke of Smolensko Otuer Vghory Perme Viatski Bolgory and other places Lord and great Duke of Nouogrod in the low countrey of Chernigo Rezan Polotsky Rostoue Yeraslaue Bealozero and Lifland of Oudorsky Obdorsky Condinsky and commander of all Sibierland and the North coasts great Lord ouer the countrey of Iuersky Grisinsky Emperor of Kabardinsky and of the countrey of Charkasky and of the countrey of Gorsky and Lord of many other countreys our most deare and louing brother greeting Right noble and excellent prince we haue receiued your Maiesties letters brought ouer by our merchants in their returne of their last voyage from your port of S. Nicholas which letters we haue aduisedly read and considered and thereby perceiue that your Maiesty doth greatly mislike of our late imployment of Ierome Horsey into your dominions as our messenger with our Highnesse letters and also that your Maiesty doth thinke that we in our letters sent by the sayd messenger haue not obserued that due order or respect which apperteined to your princely maiesty in the forme of the same letter aswel touching the inlargement of your Maiesties stile and titles of honor which your Maiesty expected to haue bene therein more particularly expressed as also in the adding of our greatest seale or
for the ayding helping and protecting of her Maiesties merchants by the order and commaundement of our Lord and king his Maiestie And to that ende I haue giuen order to all our authorised people to bee carefull ouerthem and to defende them in all causes and to giue them free libertie to trafficke at their owne willes and pleasures It may bee that your merchants doe not certifie you the trueth of all things nor make knowen vnto your honour my readinesse to protect them And howe my Letters and Commissions are sent to all authorised people for them that they shoulde ayde and assist them according to the tenour of my Letters to all others that bee in authoritie vnder the said Officers or otherwise Also your honour writeth of the debarring of your merchants at the Sea port from their accustomed libertie of enterchangeable trafficke and bartar Touching which complaint search and inquisition hath bene made and commaundement giuen that your Queenes Maiesties merchants at the Seaside and in all places where the trade is doe not sustaine any domage or hinderance hereafter but that they shal be at libertie without any hindering or letting either in the Mosco the Treasurehouse or else where by any of our authorised people but absolutely to bee at free libertie at their owne will and pleasure And also I will continue to be their protectour and defendour in all causes by our Lorde and kings Maiesties order and commaundement as it shal be knowen and certified you by your people resident here in the Mosco Written in our Kings Maiesties royall citie of Mosco from the beginning of the world 7101â— yeere in the moneth of Ianuary A most gracious Letter giuen to the English Merchants Sir Iohn Hart and his company by Theodore Iuanowich the King Lord and great duke of all Russia the onely vpholder thereof THe onely God omnipotent before all eternitie his will be done without ende the Father Sonne and holy Ghost we glorifie in Trinitie Our onely God the maker of all things and worker of all in all euery where with plentifull increase for which cause he hath giuen life to man to loue him and to trust in him Our onely God which inspireth euery one of vs his holy children with his word to discerne good through our Lord Iesus Christ and the holy quickning spirit of life now in these perilous times establish vs to keepe the right sâ—epter and suffer vs to reigne of our selues to the good profit of the land and to the subduing of the people together with the enemies and to the mainteinance of vertue We the great Lord king and great duke Theodore Iuanouich of all Russia the onely vpholder of Volodimer Mosco and Nouogrod King of Casan and king of Astracan Lord of Vobsco and great duke of Smolensko of Otuer Vghorie Permia Viatski Bulgari and other regions great duke also of Nouogrod in the lowe Countrey of Chernigo of Rezan Polotski Rostoue Yaruslaue Bealozero and of Liefland of Vdorski Obdorski Condenski and commaunâ—er of all the Countrey of Siberi and of the North parts and Lord ouer the Countrey of Iuerski Grusinski and King ouer the Countrey of Igorski and ruler ouer many other kingdomes and Lordships more Our princely Maiestie at the request of our brother in lawe Boâ—is Feodorowich Godenoua our seruant and Master of our horses generall Comptroller of our house and gouernour of the Lordships and kingdomes of Casan and Astracan vnto the English merchants Sir Iohn Hart knight sir William Webbe knight Richard Salkenstow Alderman Nicholas Moseley alderman Robert Doue Wilâ— Garrowe Iohn Harbey Robert Chamberlaine Henry Anderson Iohn Woodworth FraÌ„cis Cherry Iohn Merrick Christopher Holmes hath graciously giuen leaue to come go with their ships into our kingdome territories of Duina with all kind of commodities at their pleasures to trafficke froÌ„ the seaside to our roial city of Mosco in al other cities townes countries and territories of our whole kingdom of Mosco vpon the humble petition and sute of the saide English merchants sir Iohn Hart and his company wee haue giuen them leaue to passe and trafficke into all parts of our dominions and territories of Mosco and to our inheritance of Nouogrod and Plesco with their wares and commodities without paying any custome or dueties We the great Lord king and great duke Theodore Iuanowich of all Russia haue firmely giuen and graunted vnto the aforesaide English merchants sir Iohn Hart and his company for the loue we beare to our deare sister Queene Elizabeth we I say of our gracious goodnes haue giuen leaue to trauel and passe to our royal seat of Mosco and to all the parts of our kingdome with all kinde of commodities and to trafficke with all kinde of wares at their owne pleasure without paying any custome of their said wares To you our Customers we wil and command not to take any maner of custome of the said merchants and their company neither for entering weying nor passing by or through any place of our territories nor for custome of iudgement by Lawe or for their person or persons nor any duties ouer bridges or for certificats or processes or for conducting ouer any streames or waters or for any other customes or dueties that may be named we wil and straitly commaund you not to take any of them in any wise Prouided alwayes that the saide merchants shall not colour any strangers wares nor bring them into our countrey nor fauour them colourably nor sel for any stranger To you our subiects also we coÌ„mand not to meddle or deale with any wares of strangers colourably nor to haue them by you in keeping nor to offer to sel their coÌ„modities but themselues to sel their owne coÌ„modities in change or otherwise as they may or can And in al townes cities countreys or any part of our dominions and territories it shal be lawful for the foresaid merchants and their company to sell or barter away their owne commodities in change or otherwise for or at their pleasure as they will And whensoeuer the said merchants or any of them come into our territories of great Nouogrod or Plesco or to any other parts of our kingdome with their wares by vertue of these our Maiesties letters we straitly charge and command you our Captaines generals and all other that be authorised or in office to suffer the aforesaid merchants to passe and repasse and to take no kinde of custome or dutie of them or any of their goods howsoeuer it may haue name nor in no place else where they shal come in all our kingdome Likewise if they sell not nor buy no wares you shall take no custome but suffer them quietly to passe where they will with their goods Of our gratious goodnes and meere goodwill we haue giuen the said merchants leaue to trafficke throughout all our kingdomes and in all townes and cities with all maner of wares and commodities without paying any custome or dutie Wheresoeuer they shal
destroyed whereof I neede not make any other mention The new Cairo answereth euery yeere in tribute to the grand Signior 600000 ducates of golde neat and free of all charges growing on the same which money is sent to Constantinople about the fine of September by the way of Aleppo alwayes by lande vnder the custodie of three hundred horsemen and two hundred Ianizaries footmen The citie of Cairo is adorned with many faire Mesquitas rich great anâ— of goodly and gorgeous building among which are fiue principall The first is called Morastanâ— that is to say The hospitall which hath of rent fiue hundred ducats of golde euery day left vnto it by a king of Damasco from auncient times which king hauing conquered Cairo for the space oâ— fiue dayes continually put the people thereof to the sword and in the end repenting him of so great manslaughter caused this cruelty to cease and to obtaine remission for his sinne commiâ—ted caused this hospitall to be built enriching it as is aboue said The second famous monument of Cairo is called Neffisaâ— of one Neffisa buried there who was a Dame of honour and mooued by lust yeelded her body voluntarily without rewarde to any that required the same and sayde she bestowed this almes for the loue of her Prophet Mahomet and therefore at this day they adore her reuerence her and finally haue canonized her for a Saint affirming that shee did many miracles The third is called Zauia della Innachari who was one of the foure Doctors in the law The fourth is called Imamsciafij where is buried Sciafij the second Doctor of this law Of the other two Doctors one is buried in Damasco the other in Aleppo The fift last famous monument is Giamalazar that is the house of Lazarus and this is the generall Uniuersity of the whole kingome of Egypt In this place Anno 1566 in the moneth of Ianuary by misfortune of fue were burned nine thousand bookes of great value as well for that they were written by hand as also wrought so richly with golde that they were worth 300 and 400 ducats a piece one with another And because it could neuer be knowen yet how this fire beganne they haue and doe holde the same for a most sinister augurie and an euident and mâ—nifest signe of their vtter ruine The houses of Cairo without are vâ—ry faire within the greater number richly adorned with hangings wrought with golde Euery person which resorteth to this place for traffiques sake is bound to pay halfe a duckat except the gentlâ—men Venetians Siotes and Rhaguseans because they are tributarie to the Grand Signior Cairo is distant from the riuer Nilus a mile and more being situate on a plaine saue that on the one side it hath a faire little hill on the toppe whereof stands a faire castle but not strong for that it may be battered on euery side but very rich large compassed about with faire gardens into the which they conueigh water for their necessitie out of Nilus with certaine wheeles other like engines This magnificent citie is adorned with very fruitfull gardens both pleasant and commodious with great plenty of pondes to water the same Notwithstanding the great pleasures of Cairo are in the moneth of August when by meanes of the great raine in Ethiopia the riuer Nilus ouerfloweth and watereth all the countrey and then they open the mouth of a great ditch which extendeth into the riuer and passeth through the midst of the citie and entring there are innumerable barkes rowing too and fro laden with gallant girles and beautifull dames which with singing eating drinking and feasting take their solace The women of this countrey are most beautifull and goe in rich attire bedecked with gold pretious stones and iewels of great value but chiefely perfumed with odours and are very libidinous and the men likewise but foule and hard fauoured The soile is very fertile and abundant the flesh fat which they sell without bones their candles they make of the marowe of cattell because the Moores eate the tallow They vse also certaine litle furnaces made of purpose vnder the which they make fire putting into the furnace foure or fiue hundred â—gges and the said fire they nourish by litle and litle vntill the chickens be hatched which after they be hatched and become somewhat bigger they sell them by measure in such sort as we sell and measure nuts and chestnuts and such like Of certaine notable monuments without the citie of Cairo WIthout the Citie sixe miles higher into the land are to be seene neere vnto the riuer diuerse Piramides among which are three marueilous great and very artificially wrought Out of one of these are dayly digged the bodies of auncient men not rotten but all whole the cause whereof is the qualitie of the Egyptian soile which will not consume the flesh of man but rather dry and harden the same and so alwayes conserueth it And these dead bodies are the Mummie which the Phisitians and Apothecaries doe against our willes make vs to swallow Also by digging in these Pyramides oftentimes are found certaine Idoles or Images of golde siluer and other mettall but vnder the other piramides the bodies are not taken vp so whole as in this but there are found legges and armes comparable to the limmes of giants Neare to these piramides appeareth out of the sand a great head of stone somewhat like marble which is discouered so farre as the necke ioyneth with the shoulders being all whole sauing that it wanteth a little tippe of the nose The necke of this head contayneth in circuit about sixe and thirty foot so that it may be according to the necke considered what greatnesse the head is of The riuer Nilus is a mile broad wherein are very many great Croccodiles from Cairo vpward but lower then Cairo passeth no such creature and this they say is by reason of an inchantment made long since which hindereth their passage for comming any lower then Cairo Moreouer of these creatures there are sometimes found some of an incredible bignesse that is to say of fourtie foot about The males haue their members like to a man and the females like to a woman These monsters oftentimes issue out of the water to feede and finding any small beasts as sheepe lambes goates or other like doe great harme And whiles they are foorth of the water if they happen at vnwares vpon any man woman or childe whom they can â—uercome they spare not their liues In the yeere of our Lorde one thousand fiue hundred and sixtie it happened that certaine poore Christians trauelling by Cairo towardes the countrey of Prete Ianni to rescue certaine slaues were guided by a Chaus and iourneyed alongst the banke of the said riuer The Chaus remained lingering alone behinde to make his prayers as their custome is at a place called Tana whom being busie in his double deuotion one of these Crocodiles ceazed by the shoulders and drew
Realme any of the said corrants being the raysins of Corinth or wines of Candia other then the sayd companie in paine of our indignation and of forfaiture and losse aswell of the shippe and ships with the furniture thereof as also of the goods marchandize and thinges whatsoeuer they be of those which shall attempt or presume to commit or doe any matter or thing contrarie to the prohibition aforesayd The one halfe of all the saide forfeitures to be to vs our heires and successours and the other halfe of all and euery the sayde forfeitures we doe by these presents of our speciall grace certaine knowledge and meere motion clearely and wholie for vs our heires and successors giue and graunt vnto the saide Gouernour and companie of marchantes of the Leuant And further all and euery the sayde offendours for their sayde contempt to suffer imprisonment during our pleasures and such other punishment as to vs for so high a contempt shall seeme meere and conuenient and not to be in any wise deliuered vntill they and euery of them shall be come bounde vnto the sayd Gouernour for the time being in the summe of one thousand poundes or lesse at no time then after to sayle or traffike by sea into any the dominions aforesaide or to bring or cause to be brought from any the places aforesayde any corrants raysins of Corinth or wines of Candia contrarie to our expresse commaundement in that behalfe herein set downe and published Prouided alwayes and our expresse will is notwithstanding the premisses that if our sayde subiectes shall at any time hereafter be recompensed of and for all such newe impostes and charges as they and euery of them shall pay and likewise be freely discharged of and from the payment of all manner of newe imposte or taxe for any of their marchandise which they hereafter shall bring into or from any the dominions of the sayde State or Segniorie of Venice and from all bondes and other assurances by them or any of them to be made for or in that behalfe that then immediatly from and after such recompence and discharge made as aforesayde our sayde prohibition and restraint in these presentes mentioned shall not be of any strength or force against the sayde Citie or State of Venice or any the subiects thereof but for and during such time onely and in such case when hereafter the sayde State of Venice shall againe beginne to taxe or leuie any manner of newe imposte within the sayde dominions vpon any the goods or marchandizes of our sayde subiectes heereafter to be brought into any the dominions of the said State or Segniorie of Venice Any thing in these our letters Patents contayned to the contrarie thereof in any wise notwithstanding And further wee straightly charge and commaunde and by these presentes prohibite all and singular Customers and Collectors of our Customes pondage and subsidies and all other Officers within our Porte and Citie of London and else where to whom it shall appertaine and euery of them That they or any of them by themselues their clarkes or substitutes shall not receiue or take or suffer to be receiued or taken for vs or iâ— our name or to our vse or in the name or vnto the vse of our heires or successors of any person or persons any summe or summes of money or other consideration during the sayde terme of twelue yeeres for any custome pondage taxe or subsidie of any corrants raysins of Corinth or wines of Candie aforesayd saue onely of and in the name of the sayde Gouernour and companie of marchantes of the Leuant or of some of that companie without the consent of the sayde Gouernour and companie in writing vnder their sayd common seale first had and obteyned and vnto them shewed for the testifying their sayd consent And for the better and more sure obseruation thereof wee will and graunt for vs our heires or successors by these presentes that our Treasurour and Barons of the Exchequer for the time being by force of these presentes and the inrollment thereof in the sayde Court of our Exchequour at all and euery time and times during the sayde terme of twelue yeeres at and vpon the request of the sayde Gouernour and companie their Attourney or Attourneys Deputies or assignes shall and may make and direct vnder the seale of the sayde Court one or more sufficient writte or writtes close or patent vnto euery or any of the sayd Customers or other Officers to whom it shall appertaine commaunding them and euery of them thereby that neither they nor any of them at any time or times during the sayd space of twelue yeeres shall take entrie of any corants raisins of Corinth or wines of Candia or take or make any agreement for any custome pondage or other subsidie for any of the sayd corants raisins of Corinth or wines of Candie with any person or persons whatsoeuer other then with or in the name and by the priuitie of the sayd gouernour and company or some of the same company And further of our speciall grace certaine knowledge and meere motion we haue condescended and graunted and by these presents for vs our heires and successours doe condescend and graunt to the sayd Gouernour and company of marchants of Leuant that wee our heires and successours during the sayd terme will not graunt libertie licence or power to any person or persons whatsoeuer contrary to the tenour of these our letters patents to saile passe trade or traffique by the sayde Leuant Sea into or from the sayde dominions of the sayd Grand Signior or the dominions of the State of Venice or any of them contrary to the true meaning of these presents without the consent of the sayd Gouernour and Companie or the most part of them And whereas Henry Farrington and Henry Hewet haue not yet assented to bee incorporated into the sayd societie of Gouernour and companie of marchants of Leuant neuerthelesse sithence as we be informed they haue bene traders that way heretofore our will and pleasure is and we doe hereby expressely commaund and charge that if it happen at any time within two moneths next following after the date hereof the sayd Henry Farrington and Henry Hewet or either of them to submit themselues to be of the sayd companie and doe giue such assurance as the sayd Gouernour and companie or the more part of them shall allow of to beare pay and performe such orders constitutions paiments and contributions as other of the sayd company shall be ordered to beare pay and performe that then euery of the sayd Henry Farrington and Henry Hewet so doing and submitting himselfe shall vpon his or their request vnto the sayd Gouernour bee admitted into the sayd companie and corporation of Gouernour and companie of marchants of Leuant and haue and enioy the same and as great liberties priuileges and preheminences as the rest of the sayde corporation or companie may or ought to haue by vertue of this our graunt
attâ—mpt any thing into Florida and those regions inclining towards the North they proued moâ—t vnhappy and were at length discouraged vtterly by the hard and lamentable successe of many both religious and valiant in armes â—ndeuouring to bring those Norâ—herly regions also vnder the Spaâ—ish iurisdicâ—ion as if God had prescribed lâ—â—â—ts vnâ—o the Spanish nation which they might not exceed as by their owne gests recorded may be aptly gatherâ—d The French as they can pretend lesse title vnto these Northerne parts then the Spanyard by how much the Spanyard made the first discouery of the same continent so far Northward as vnto Florida and the French did â—ut reuiew that before discouered by the English nation vsurping vpon our right and imposing names vpon countreys riuers bayes capes or headlands as if they had bene the first finders of those coasts which iniury we offered not vnto the Spanyards but left off to discouer when we approched the Spanish limits euen so God hath not hitherto permitted them to establish a possession permanent vpon anothers right notwithstanding their manifolde attempts in which theâ— issue hath bene no lesse tragicall then that of the Spanyards as by their owne reports is extant Then sâ—eing the English nation onely hath right vnto these countreys of America from the cape of Florida Northward by the priuilege of first discouery vnto which Cabot was authorised by regall authority and set forth by the expense of our late famous king Henry the seuenth which right also seemeth strongly defended on our behalfe by the powerfull hand of almighty God withstanding the enteâ—prises of other nations it may greatly incourage vs vpon so iust ground as is our right and vpon so sacred an intent as to plant religion our right and intent being meet foundations for the same to prosecute effectually the full possession of those so ample and pleasant countreys apperteining vnto the crowne of England the same as is to be coniectured by infallible arguments of the worlds end approching being now arriued vnto the time by God prescribed of their vocation if â—uer their calling vnto the knowledge of God may be expâ—cted Which also is very probable by the reuolution and course of Gods word and religion which from the beginning hath moued from the East towards at last vnto the West where it is like to end vnlesse the same begin againe where it did in the East which were to expect a like world againe But we are assured of the contrary by the prophesie of Christ whereby we gather that after his word preached thorowout the world shal be the end And as the Gospel when it descended Westward began in the South and afterward spread into the North of Europe euen so as the same hath begunne in the South countreys of America no lesse hope may be gathered that it will also spread into the North. These considerations may helpe to suppresse all dreads rising of hard euents in attempts made this way by other nations as also of the heauy successe and issue in the late enterprise made by a worthy gentleman our countryman sir Humfrey Gilbert knight who was the first of our nation that caried people to erect an habitatioâ— and gouernment in those Northerly countreys of America About which albeit he had consumed much substance and lost his life at last his people also perishing for the most part yet the mystery thereof we must leaue vnto God and iudge charitably both of the cause which was iust in all pretence and of the person who was very zealous in prosecuting the same deseruing honourable remembrance for his good minde and expense of life in so vertuous an enterprise Whereby neuerthelesse least any man should be dismayd by example of other folks calamity and misdeeme that God doth resist all attempts intended that way I thought good so farre as my selfe was an eye witnesse to deliuer the circumstance and maner of our proceedings in that action in which the gentleman was so infortunately incumbred with wants and woorse matched with many ill disposed people that his rare iudgement and regiment premedicated for those affaires was subiected to tolerate abuses in sundry extremities to holde on a course more to vpholde credit then likely in his owne conceit happily to succeed The issue of such actions being alwayes miserable not guided by God who abhorreth confusion and disorder hath left this for admonition being the first attempt by our nation to plant vnto such as shall take the same cause in hand hereafter not to be discouraged from it but to make men well aduised how they handle his so high and excellent matters as the cariage is of his word into those very mighty and vast countreys And action doubtlesse not to be intermedled with base purposes as many haue made the same but a colour to shadow actions otherwise scarse iustifiable which doth excite Gods heauy iudgements in the end to the terrifying of weake mindes from the cause without pondering his iust proceedings and doth also incense forren princes against our attempts how iust soeuer who can not but deeme the sequele very dangerous vnto their state if in those parts we should grow to strength seeing the very beginnings are entred with spoile And with this admonition denounced vpon zeale towards Gods cause also towards those in whom appeareth disposition honourable vnto this action of planting Christian people and religion in those remote and barbarous nations of America vnto whom I wish all happinesse I will now proceed to make relation briefly yet particularly of our voyage vndertaken with sir Humfrey Gilbert begun continued and ended aduersly When first Sir Humfrey Gilbert vndertooke the Westerne discouery of America and had procured from her Maiesty a very large commission to inhabit possesse at his choice all remote and heathen lands not in the actuall possession of any Christian prince the same commission exemplified with many priuileges such as in his discretion he might demand very many gentlemen of good estimation drew vnto him to associate him in so commendable an enterprise so that the preparation was expected to grow vnto a puissant fleet able to encounter a kings power by sea neuerthelesse amongst a multitude of voluntary men their dispositions were diuers which bred a iarre and made a diuision in the end to the confusion of that attempt euen before the same was begun And when the shipping was in a maner prepared men ready vpon the coast to go aboord at that time some brake consort and followed courses degenerating from the voyage before pretended Others failed of their promises contracted and the greater number were dispersed leauing the Generall with few of his assured friends with whom he aduentured to sea where hauing tasted of no lesse misfortune he was shortly driuen to retire home with the losse of a tall ship and more to his griefe of a valiant gentleman Miles Morgan Hauing buried onely in a
preparation a great masse of substance wherby his estate was impaired his minde yet not dismaid he continued his former designment purpose to reuiue this enterprise good occasion seruing Upon which determination standing long without meanes to satisfy his desire at last he granted certaine assignments out of his coÌ„mission to sundry persons of meane ability desiring the priuilege of his grant to plant fortifie in the North parts of America about the riuer of Canada â—o whoÌ„ if God gaue good successe in the North parts where then no matter of moment was expected the same he thought would greatly aduance the hope of the South be a furtherance vnto his determination that way And the worst that might happen in that course might be excused without preiudice vnto him by the former supposition that those North regions were of no regard but chiefly a possession taken in any parcell of those heathen countrâ—ys by vertue of his grant did inuest him of territories extending euery way two hundred leagues which induced sir Humfry Gilbert to make those assignments desiring greatly their expedition because his commission did expire after six yeres if in that space he had not gotten actuall possession Time went away wâ—thout any thing done by his assignes insomuch that at last he must resolue himsâ—lfe to take a voyage in person for more assurance to keepe his patent in force which then almost was expired or within two yeres In furtherance of his determination amongst others sir George Peckam knight shewed himselfe very zealous to the action greatly aiding him both by his aâ—uâ—ce in the charge Other gentlemen to their ability ioyned vnto him resoluing to aduenture their substance liues in the same cause Who beginning their preparation from that time both of shipping munition victual men and things requisit sâ—me of them coÌ„tinued the charge two yeres coâ—plâ—at without intermission Such were the difficulties and crosse accidents opposing these procâ—edings which tooke not end in lesse thâ—n two yeres many of which circumstances I will omit The last place of our assâ—mbly before we left the coast of England war in Causet bay neere vnto Plimmouth then resolued to put vnto the sea with shipping and prouision such as we had before our store yet remaining but chiefly the time and season of the yeere wâ—re too farre spent Neuerthelesse it seemed first very doubtfull by what way to shape our course and to bâ—gin our intended discouerâ— either from the South Northward or from the North Southward The first that is beginning South without all controuersie was the likeliest wherein we were assured to haue commodity of the current which from the cape of Florida setteth Northward and would haue furthered greatly our nauigation discouering from the foresayd cape along towards cape Briton and all those lands lying to the North. Also the yere being farre spent and arriued to the moneth of Iune we were not to spend time in Northerly courses where we should be surprised with timely Winter but to couet the south which we had space enough then to haue attained and there might with lesse detriment haue wintred that season being more milde and short in the South then in the North where winter is both long and rigorous These and other like reasons alleged in fauour of the Southerne course first to be taken to the contrary was inferred that forasmuch as both our victuals and many other needfull prouisions were diminished and left insufficient for so long a voyage and for the wintering of so many men we ought to shape a course most likely to minister supply and that was to take the Newfoundland in our way which â—as but seuen hundred leagues from our English coast Where being vsually at that time of the yere and vntill the fine of August a multitude of ships repairing thither for fish we should be relieued abundantly with many necessaries which after the fishing ended they might well spare and freely impart vnto vs. Not staying long vpon that Newland coast we might proceed Southward and follow still the Sunne vntill we arriued at places more temperate to our content By which reasons we were the rather induced to follow this Northerly course obeying vnto necessity which must be supplied Otherwise we doubted that sudden approch of Winter bringing with it continuall fogge and thicke mists tempest and rage of weather also contrariety of currents descending from the cape of Florida vnto cape Briton and cape Râ—se would fall out to be great and irresistable impediments vnto our further proceeding for that yeere and compell vs to Winter in those North and colde regions Wherfore suppressing all obiections to the contrary we resolued to begin our course Northward and to follow directly as we might the trade way vnto Newfoundland from whence after our refreshing and reparation of wants we intended without delay by Gods permission to proceed into the South not omitting any riuer or bay which in all that large tract of land appeared to our view worthy of search Immediatly we agreed vpon the maner of our course and orders to be obserued in our voyage which were deliuered in writing vnto the captaines and masters of euery ship a copy in maner following Euery shippe had deliuered two bullets or scrowles the one sealed vp in ware the other left open in both which were included seuerall watch-words That open seruing vpon our owne coast or the coast of Ireland the other sealed was promised on all hands not to be broken vp vntill we should be cleere of the Irish coast which from thencefoorth did sâ—rue vntill we arriued and met altogether in such harbors of the Newâ—oundland as were agreed for our Rendez vouz The sayd watch-words being requisit to know our consorts whensoeuer by night either by fortune of weather our fleet dispersed should come together againe or one should hale another or if by ill watch and steerage one ship should chance to fall aboord of another in the darke The reason of the bullet sealed was to keepe secret that watch-worâ— while we were vpon our owne coast lest any of the company stealing from the fleet might bewray the same which knowen to an enemy he might boord vs by night without mistrust hauing our owne watch-word Orders agreed vpon by the Captaines and Masters to be obserued by the fleet of Sir Humfrey Gilbert FIrst the Admirall to cary his flag by day and his light by night 2 Item if the Admirall shall shorten his saile by night then to shew two lights vntill he be answered againe by euery ship shâ—wing one light for a short time 3 Item if the Admirall after his shortening of saile as aforesayd shall make more saile againe then he to shew three lights one aboue another 4 Item if the Admirall shall happen to hull in the night then to make a wauering light ouer his other light wauering the light vpon a pole 5 Item if the fleet should happen to be scattered
or so short a time may be supposed albeit true in euery particularitie as partly by the former relation may be collected and some I suppressed with silence for their sakes liuing it pleased God to support this company of which onely one man died of a maladie inueterate and long infested the rest kept together in reasonable contentment and concord beginning continuing and ending the voyage which none els did accomplish either not pleased with the action or impatient of wants or preuented by death Thus haue I deliuered the contents of the enterprise and last action of sir Humfrey Gilbert knight faithfully for so much as I thought meete to be published wherein may alwaies appeare though he be extinguished some sparkes of his vertues he remaining firme and resolute in a purpose by all pretence honest and godly as was this to discouer possesse and to reduce vnto the seruice of God and Christian pietie those remote and heathen Countreys of America not actually possessed by Christians and most rightly appertaining vnto the Crowne of England vnto the which as his zeale deserueth high commendation euen so he may iustly be taxed of temeritie and presumption rather in two respects First when yet there was onely probabilitie not a certaine determinate place of habitation selected neither any demonstration of commoditie there in esse to induce his followers neuertheles he both was too prodigall of his owne patrimony and too careles of other mens expences to imploy both his and their substance vpon a ground imagined good The which felling very like his associates were promised and made it their best reckoning to bee salued some other way which pleased not God to prosper in his first and great preparation Secondly when by his former preparation he was enfeebled of abilitie and credit to performe his designements as it were impatient to abide in expectation better opportunitie and meanes which God might raise he thrust himselfe againe into the action for which he was not sit presuming the cause pretended on Gods behalfe would carie him to the desired ende Into which hauing thus made reentrie he could not yeeld againe to withdraw though hee sawe no encouragement to proceed left his credite foyled in his first attempt in a second should vtterly be disgraced Betweene extremities hee made a right aduenture putting all to God and good fortune and which was worst refused not to entertaine euery person and meanes whatsoeuer to furnish out this expedition the successe whereof hath bene declared But such is the infinite bountie of God who from euery euill deriueth good For besides that fruite may growe in time of our trauelling into those Northwest lands the crosses turmoiles and afflictions both in the preparation and execution of this voyage did correct the intemperate humors which before we noted to bee in this Gentleman and made vnsauorie and lesse delightfull his other manifold vertues Then as he was refined and made neerer drawing vnto the image of God so it pleased the diuine will to resume him vnto himselfe whither both his and euery other high and noble minde haue alwayes aspired Ornatissimo viro Magistro Richardo Hakluyto Oxonij in Collegio aedis Christi Artium Philosophiae Magistro amico fratri suo SNon statueram ad tescribere cùm in mentem veniret promissum literarum tuarum Putabaste superiore iam Iunio nos subsecuturum Iraque de meo statu ex doctore Humfredo certiorem te fieri iusseram Verùm sic tibi non esset satisfactum Itaque scribam ad teijsdem ferè verbis quia noua meditari 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mihi hoc tempore non vacat Vndecimo Iunij ex Anglia reuera tandem feriò soluimus portu terra apud Plemuthum simul relictis Classis quinque nauibus constabat maxima quam frater Amiâ—alij accommodauerat ignotum quo coÌ„silio statim tertio die à nobis se subduxit Reliqui perpetuò coniunctim nauigauimus ad 23. Iulij quo tempore magnis nebulis intercepto aspectu alij aliam viam tenuimus nobis seorsim prima terra apparuit ad Calendas Augusti ad gradum circiter 50. cùm vltrà 41. paucis ante diebus descendissemus spe Australium ventorum qui tamen nobis suo tempore nunquam spirauêre Insula est ea quam vestri Penguin vocant ab auium eiusdem nominis multitudine Nos tamen nec aues vidimus nec insulam accessimus ventis alio vocantibus Caeterùm conuenimus omnes in éundem locum paulò ante portum in quem communiconsilio omnibus veniendum erat idque intra duas horas magna Dei benignitate nostro gaudio Locus situs est in Newfoundlandia inter 47. 48. gradum Diuum Ioannem vocant Ipse Admiralius propter multitudinem hominum angustiam nauis paulò afflictiorem comitatum habuit iam duos dysentericis doloribus amisie de caeteris bona spes est Ex nostris nam ego me Mauricio Browno verè generoso iuuenime coniunxeram duo etiam casu quodam submersi sunt Caeteri salui longè firmiores Ego nunquam sanior In hunc locum terâ—io Augusti appulimus quinto autem ipse Admiralius has regiones in suam regni Angliae possessionem potestatemque vendicauit latis quibusdam legibus de religione obsequio Reginae Angliae Reâ—icimur hoc tempore paulò hilariùs lautiùs Certè enim qualibus ventis vsi simus quà m fessi esse potuerimus tam longi temporis ratio docuerit proinde nihil nobis deerit Nam extra Anglos 20 circiter naues Lusitanicas Hispanicas nacti in hoc loco sumus â—ae nobis impares non patientur nos esurire Angli etsi satis firmi à nobis tuti authoritate regij diplomatis omni obse quio humanitate prosequunturâ— Nunc narrandi erant mores regiones populi Caeterùm quid narrem mi Hakluyte quando praeter solitudinem nihil video Piscium inexhausta copia inde huc commeantibus magnus quaestus Vix hamus sundum attigit illicò insignialiquo onustus est Terra vniuersa montana syluestris arbores vt plurimùm pinus cae partim consenuêre partim nunc adolescunt magna pars vetustate collapsa aspectum terrae iter euntium ita impedit vt nusquam progredi liceat Herbae omnes procerae sed rarò à nostris diuerse Natura videtur velle niti etiam ad generandum frumentum Inueni enim gramina spicas in similitudinem secales facilè cultura satione in vsum humanum assucfieri posse videntur Rubi in syluìs vel potiùs fraga arborescentia magna suauitate Visi circa tuguria non-nunquam apparent conficluntur sed albi sunt vt mihi ex pellibus coniicere licuit minores quà m nostri Populus an vllus sic in hac regione incertum est Nec vllum vidi qui testari posset
of the Reader to the end it might most manifestly and at large appeare to all such as are not acquainted with the histories how the king of Portugall whose Countrey for popularity and number of people is scarce comparable to some three shires of England and the king of Spaine likewise whose natural Conntrey doth not greatly abound with people both which princes by means of their discoueries within lesse then 90. yeeres post haue as it appeareth both mightily and marueilously enlarged their territories and dominions through their owne industrie by the assistance of the omnipotent whose aid we shall not need to doubt seeing the cause and quarell which we take in hand tendeth to his honour and glory by the enlargement of the Christian faith To conclude since by Christian dutie we stand bound chiefly to further all such acts as do tend to the encreasing the true flock of Christ by reducing into the right way those lost sheepe which are yet astray And that we shall therein follow the example of our right vertuous predecessors of renowmed memorie and leaue vnto our posteritie a deuine memoriall of so godly an enterprise Let vs I say for the considerations alledged enter into iudgement with our selues whether this action may belong to vs or no the rather for that this voyage through the mighty assistance of the omnipotent God shall take our desired effect whereof there is no iust cause of doubt Then shal her Maiesties dominions be enlarged her highnesse antient titles iustly confirmed all odiâ—us idlenesse from this our Realme vtterly banished diuers decayed townes repaired and many poore and needy persons relieued and estates of such as now liue in want shall be embettered the ignorant and barbarous idolaters taught to know Christ the innocent defended from their bloodie tyrannicall neighbours the diabolicall custome of sacrificing humane creatures abolished All which no man doubteth are things gratefull in the sight of our Sauiour Christ and tending to the honour and glory of the Trinitie Bee of good cheere therefore for hee that cannot erre hath sayd That before the ende of the world his word shall bee preached to all nations Which good worke I trust is reserued for our nation to accomplish in these parts Wherefore my deere countreymen be not dismayed for the power of God is nothing diminished nor the loue that he hath to the preaching and planting of the Gospell any whit abated Shall wee then doubt he will be lesse ready most mightily and miraculously to assist our nation in this quarell which is chiefly and principally vndertaken for the enlargement of the Christian faith abroad and the banishment of idlenes at home then he was to Columbus Vasques Nunnes Hernando Cortes and Francis Pizaâ—ro in the West and Vasques de Gama Peter Aluares Alonso de Albuquerque in the East Let vs therefore with cheerefull minds and couragious hearts giue the attempt and leaue the sequell to almightie God for if he be on our part what forceth it who bee against vs Thus leauing the correction and reformation vnto the gentle Reader whatsoeuer is in this treatise too much or too little otherwise vnperfect I take leaue and so end A letter of Sir Francis VValsingham to M. Richard Hakluyt then of Christchurch in Oxford incouraging him in the study of Cosmographie and of furthering new discoueries c. I Understand aswel by a letter I long since receiued from the Maior of Bristoll as by conference with sir George Peknam that you haue endeuoured giuen much light for the discouery of the Westerne partes yet vnknowen as your studie in these things is very coÌ„mendable so I thanke you much for the same wishing you do continue your trauell in these and like matters which are like to turne not only to your owne good in priuate but to the publike benefite of this Realme And so I bid you farewell From the Court the 11. of March 1582. Your louing Friend FRANCIS WALSINGHAM A letter of Sir Francis VValsingham to Master Thomas Aldworth merchant and at that time Maior of the Citie of Bristoll concerning their aduenture in the Westerne discouerie AFter my heartie commendations I haue for certaine causes deferred the answere of your letter of Nouember last till now which I hope commeth all in good time Your good inclination to the Westerne discouerie I cannot but much commend And for that sir Humfrey Gilbert as you haue heard long since hath bene preparing into those parts being readie to imbarke within these 10. dayes who needeth some further supply of shipping then yet he hath I am of opinion that you shall do well if the ship or 2. barkes you write of be put in a readinesse to goe alongst with him or so soone after as you may I hope this trauell wil proue profitable to the Aduenturers and generally beneficiall to the whole realme herein I pray you conferre with these bearers M. Richard Hackluyt and M. Thomas Steuenton to whome I referre you And so bid you heartily farewell Richmond the 11. of March 1582. Your louing Friend FRANCIS WALSINGHAM A letter written from M. Thomas Aldworth merchant and Maior of the Citie of Bristoll to the right honourable Sir Francis Walsingham principall Secretary to her Maiestie concerning a Westerne voyage intended for the discouery of the coast of America lying to the Southwest of Cape Briton RIght honourable vpon the â—eceit of your letters directed vnto me and deliuered by the bearers hereof M. Richard Hakluyt and M. Steuenton bearing date the 11. of March I presently conferred with my friends in priuate whom I know most affectionate to this godly enterprise especially with M. William Salterne deputie of our company of merchants whereupon my selfe being as then sicke with as conuenient speede as he could hee caused an assembly of the merchants to be gathered where after dutifull mention of your honourable disposition for the benefite of this citie he by my appointment caused your letters being directed vnto me piruatly to be read in publike and after some good light giuen by M. Hakluyt vnto them that were ignorant of the Countrey and enterpriseâ— and were desirous to be resolued the motion grew generally so well to be liked that there was eftsoones set downe by mens owne hands then present apparently knowen by their own speach and very willing offer the summe of 1000. markes and vpward which summe if it should not suffice we doubt not but otherwise to furnish out for this Westerne discouery a ship of threescore and a barke of 40. tunne to bee left in the countrey vnder the direction and gouernment of your sonne in law M. Carlilâ— of whom we haue heard much good if it shall stand with your honors good liking and his acceptation In one of which barks we are also willing to haue M. Steuenton your honours messenger and one well knowen to vs as captains And here in humble maner desiring your honour to vouchsafe vs of your further direction by a generall
lesse gratefull to you here then I know it to be acceptable to many great and worthie persons there And no maruaile though it were very welcome vnto you and that you liked of the translation thereof since no history hitherto set sorth hath more affinitie resemblance or conformitie with yours of Virginia then this of Florida But calling to minde that you had spent more yeeres in France then I and vnderstand the French better then my selfe I forthwith perceiued that you approoued mine endeuour not for any priuate ease or commoditie that thereby might redound vnto you but that it argued a singular and especiall care you had of those which are to be employed in your owne like enterprise whom by the reading of this my translation you would haue forewarned and admonished aswell to beware of the grosse negligence in prouiding of sufficiency of victuals the securitie disorders and mutinies that fell out among the French with the great inconueniences that thereupon ensued that by others mishaps they might learne to preuent and auoyde the like as also might be put in minde by the reading of the manifolde commodities and great fertilitie of the places herein at large described and so neere neighbours vnto our Colonies that they might generally bee awaked and stirred vp vnto the diligent obseruation of euery thing that might turne to the aduancement of the action whereinto they are so cheerefully entred Many speciall poynts concerning the commodities of these partes the accidents of the French mens gouernment therein the causes of their good or bad successe with the occasions of the abandoning one of their forts and the surprise of the other by the enemie are herein truely and faithfully recorded Which because they be quoted by me in the margents and reduced into a large alphabeticall table which I haue annexed to the ende of the worke it shall be needlesse to recken vp againe And that the rather because the â—ame with diuers other things of chiefest importance are liuely drawne in colours at your no smal charges by the skilfull painter Iames Morgues sometime liuing in the Black-fryers in London whom Monsieur Chastillion then Admirall of France sent thither with Laudonniere for that purpose which was an eye-witnesse of the goodnesse and fertility of those regions and hath put downe in writing many singularities which are not mentioned in this treatise which since he hath published together with the purtraitures These foure voyages I knew not to whom I might better offer then to your selfe and that for diuers iust considerations First for that as I haue sayd before they were dedicated vnto you in French secondly because now foure times also you haue attempted the like vpon the selfe same coast neere adioyning thirdly in that you haue peâ—sed as farre vp into the maine and discouered no lesse secrets in the partes of your aboad then the French did in the places of their inhabiting lastly considering you are now also ready vpon the late returne of Captaine Stafford and good newes which he brought you of the safe arriual of your last Colony in their wished hauen to prosecute this action more throughly then euer And here to speake somewhat of this your enterprise I affirme that if the same may speedily and effectually be pursued it will prooue farre more beneficiall in diuers respects vnto this our realme then the world yea many of the wiser sort haue hitherto imagined The particular coÌ„modities whereof are wel knowen vnto your selfe and some few others and are faithfully and with great iudgement coÌ„mitted to writing as you are not ignorant by one of your fellowers which remained there about a twelue month with your worshipful Lieutenant M. Ralph Lane in the diligent search of the secrets of those Countreys Touching the speedy and effectuall pursuing of your action though I wote well it would demaund a princes purse to haue it throughly followed without lingring yet am I of opinion that you shall drawe the same before it be long to be profitable and gainful aswel to those of our nation there remaining as to the merchants of England that shall trade hereafter thither partly by certaine secret commodities already discouered by your seruants partly by breeding of diuers sorts of beasts in those large and ample regions and planting of such things in that warme climat as wil best prosper there and our realme standeth most in need of And this I find to haue bin the course that both the Spaniards and Portugals tooke in the beginnings of their discoueries conquests For the Spaniards at their first entrance into Hispaniola fouÌ„d neither suger-canes nor ginger growing there nor any kind of our cattel But finding the place fit for pasture they sent kine buls and sundry sorts of other profitable beasts thither transported the plants of suger-canes and set the rootes of ginger the hides of which oxen with suger and ginger are now the chiefe merchandise of that Island The Portugals also at their first footing in Madera as Iohn Barros writes in his first Decade found nothing there but mighty woods for timber whereupon they called the Island by that name Howbeit the climate being fauourable they inriched it by their own industry with the best wines and sugers in the world The like maner of proceeding they vsed in the Isles of the Açores by sowing therin great quantity of Woad So dealt they in S. Thomas vnder the Equinoctial and in Brasil and sundry other places And if our men will follow their steps by your wise direction I doubt not but in due time they shall reape no lesse commoditie and benefit Moreouer there is none other likelihood but that her Maiesty which hath Christned and giuen the name to your Virginia if need require will deale after the maner of honorable godmothers which seeing their gossips not fully able to bring vp their children themselues are wont to contribute to their honest education the rather if they find any towardlines or reasonable hope of goodnesse in them And if Elizabeth Queene of Castile and Aragon after her husband Ferdinando and she had emptied their cofers and exhausted their treasures in subduing the kingdome of Granada and rooting the Mores a wicked weed out of Spayne was neuerthelesse so zealous of Gods honour that as Fernandus Columbus the sonne of Christopher Columbus recordeth in the history of the deedes of his father she layd part of her owne iewels which she had in great account to gage to furnish his father foorth vpon his first voyage before any foot of land of all the West Indies was discouered what may we expect of our most magnificent and gracious prince ELIZABETH of England into whose lappe the Lord hath most plentifully throwne his treasures what may wee I say hope of her forwardnesse and bounty in aduancing of this your most honourable enterprise being farre more certaine then that of Columbus at that time especially and tending no
their places of Rendeuous from El Dorado which appeare to be foure Nueuo Reyno the mouth of Amazones or Orellana Cubagua or the coast of the Caracas and Trinidad 1 From Moiobamba where Orellana hath his head-spring to his mouth the Spaniards account it 2000. leagues Raleana riseth neere the said mountaines in Moiobamba tributeth his waters to the sea not farre from the other Guiana is enuironed with these 2 freshwater-seas where their distance is greatest from their risings and is besides guarded with impassable mountaines which inclose and defend it on all parts excepting Topiawaries countrey It is no maruel then if the vigor heart life of those Spaniards who sought it froÌ„ Nueuo Reyno were allayed spent before they came neere to it in those long desolate vncomfortable wayes 2 From Cubagua to seeke it by sea in vessels of any burthen is a worke of far greater labour then to saile directly from Spaineâ— And to passe ouer land is a matter of great difficultie by reason that the Indian nations inhabiting betweene the coast of The Caracas and Guiana being wearied and harried with the daily incursions of the Spaniards haue now turned their abused patience into furie refusing to suffer any forces of men to be led through their countreys For the Spaniards trauelling in those parts when they found not gold answerable to their expectation ouerlaid them with cruelties tyrannie and thraldome forbearing neither men women friends nor foes Which maner of dealing though in some part it satisfied their desire of present profit yet hath it otherwise done them much harme in hardening and driuing those nations to desperate resolutions 3 From the mouth of Orellana to seeke entrance with any number of men to bore a hole through the mountaines is all one Neither finde wee that any seeking it that way haue at any time boasted of their gaines or pleasurable iourneys 4 From Trinidad as the course is shortest so doeth it promise best likelyhood of successe Howbeit impossible it is with any vessell of ordinarie burthen by that way to recouer the riuer of Raleana The second The Spaniards haue bene fo farre from helping and furthering one another or admitting partners or coadiutors in the Guiana-cause that amongst so many attemptes from the beginning to the last I cannot find any one when they were otherwise likeliest to preuaile free from discords mutinies and cruell murthers amongst themselues Thirdly The Spaniardes in this place haue mist that aduantage which elsewhere hath â—â—eeded themselues in all their conquestes namely the dissentions and mutuall warres of the Indians Which of what force it is may be gathered by the example Aranco in Chili For the Indians of that one prouince conteining in circuit not aboue 20. leagues haue maintained warres aboue these 30. yeeres against all the Spaniards and in despight of them haue kept â—heir owne countrey oftentimes discomfiting their enemies in many set battels burning and destroying somâ— of their strongest townes The chiefe reason whereof I take to bee because â—o Indian nation was enemie vnto them And howsoeuer the Spaniards vaunt of their redoubted exployâ—s in the Indies yet doe their owne writings in effect testifie that without the ayde of the Indians diuided among themselues Mexico Peru and the rest had neuer beene Spanish Lastly I can impute it to no cause so rightly as immediatly to the diuine prouidence for by him princes raigne And in my beleefe except we will looke to bee warned by miracle â—rom heauen wee neede no further assurances then wee already haue to perswade our selues that it hath pleased God of his infinite goodnesse in his will and purpose to appoint and reserue this â—mpire for vs. The third voyage set forth by sir VValter Ralegh to Guiana with a pinnesse called The Watte in the yeere 1596. Written by M. Thomas Masham a gentleman of the companie VPon Thursday the 14. of October 1596. we set saile from Limehouse vpon the riuer of Thames and through much contrarietie of winds and other accidents we made it the 27. of December before we could get out of Waimouth The 25. of Ianuarie in the morning we came to the North side of the Island of Grand Canaria where we hoped to haue gotten a boate to serue vs vpon the coast of Guiana but the winde was so great that we could not lauch our shalope so we past along by the roade and the towne and at length saw a boate lying on shoare which being too bigge for vs wee ripped vp and wooded our selues with her That day wee descryed a saile which at length wee found to be a flieboate of Dartmouth of 200. tunnes bound to the Island of Mayo for salte Wee fell in consort with her and that night stoode for the Southermost part of the Island there to water where wee stayed all the next day and watered at the Southsouthwest part thereof That night wee weyed and stoode away together Southsoutheast and South and by East purposing by their perswasion to goe for the riuer Doro. The 28. of Ianuarie wee made the furthermost part of Barbarie and this morning we met with M. Beniamin Wood with his fleete of 3 sailes bound for the straights of Magellan China to wit The Beare The Whelpe and The Beniamin who told vs that there was no good to be done in the riuer Doro. Whereupon we stood along with them for Cape Blanco vnto which we came vpon Sunday night next following And vpon Munday morning the first of Februarie we saw two ships in a sandie bay so wee stirred in with them which were Frenchmen bound for the West Indies and put all into the bay where wee refreshed our selues with fish in which there was infinite store and stayed there vntill Thursday the 5. at which time wee stood vp with the Cape againe where rode the Frenchman and his pinnesse who put foorth right afore vs and another Frenchman and his carauel well manned So all we 5. English came to an anker by them where after kinde greeting with many shots out of euery ship both English and French all our captaines were inuited to a feast aboord the French admirall where after great cheere and kinde entertainment it was concluded on all handes to take the Isle of Fogo if God would giue vs leaue The same day we all weyed and stoode along for the Isle of Sal vnto which we came the 8. of Februarie and ankered altogether at a bay in the West part thereof in which Island wee had good store of goates and fresh fish There is no man dwelling vpon the Island that we could see Wee could finde no fresh water vpon it but one standing puddle of bad water it hath foure great mountaines vpon the 4. corners of it Here the Frenchmen as it seemeth being ouercome with drinke hauing bene aboord our Generall at a feast beiâ—g on shoare one of the gentlemen of their companie was slaine and their chiefe captaine sorely wounded by reason
spent not any during the time of our abode here Our Captaine and Master falling into the consideration of our estate and dispatch to goe to the Generall found our wants so great as that in a moneth wee coulde not fitte our shippe to set saile For wee must needes set vp a Smiths forge to make boltes spikes and nayles besides the repairing of our other wants Whereupon they concluded it to bee their best course to take the pinnesse and to furnish her with the best of the company and to goe to the Generall with all expedition leauing the shippe and the rest of the company vntill the Generals returne for hee had vowed to our Captaine that hee would returne againe for the Streights as hee had tolde vs. The Captaine and Master of the pinnesse being the Generals men were well contented with the motion But the Generall hauing in our shippe two most pestilent fellowes when they heard of this determination they vtterly misliked it and in secret dealt with the company of both shippes vehemently perswading them that our Captaine and Master would leaue them in the countrey to bee deuoured of the Canibals and that they were mercilesie and without charitie whereupon the whole company ioyned in secret with them in a night to murther our Captaine and Master with my selfe and all those which they thought were their friendes There were markes taken in his caben howe to kill him with muskets through the shippes side and bullets made of siluer for the execuâ—ion if their other purposes should faile All agreed hereunto except it were the bote-swaine of our shippe who when hee knew the matter and the slender ground thereof reueâ—led it vnto our Master and so to the Captaine Then the matter being called in question those two most murtherous fellowes were found out whose names were Charles Parker and Edward Smith The Câ—ptaine being thus hardly beset in perill of famine and in danger of murthering was constrained to vse lenitie and by courteous meanes to pacifâ—e this furie shewing that to doe the Generall seruice vnto whom he had vowed faith in this action was the cause why hee purposed to goe vnto him in the pinnesse considering that the pinnesse was so necessary a thing for him as that hee could not bee without her because hee was fearefull of the shore in so great shippes Whereupon all cried out with cursing and swearing that the pinnesse should not goe vnlesse the shippe went Then the Captaine desired them to shewe themselues Christians and not so blasphemously to be haue themselues without regard or thankesgiuing to God for their great deliuerance and present sustenance bestowed vpon them alleaging many examples of Gods sharpe punishment for such ingratitude and withall promised â—o doe any thing that might stend with their good liking By which gentle speaches the matter was pacified and the Captaine and Master at the request of the company were content to forgiue this great treachery of Parker and Smith who after many admonitions concluded in these wordes The Lord iudge betweene you and mee which after came to a most sharpe reuenge euen by the punishment of the Almightie Thus by a generall consent it was concluded not to depart but there to stay for the Generals returne Then our Captaine and Master seeing that they could not doe the Generall that seruice which they desired made a motion to the companie that they would lay downe vnder their handes the losing of the Generall with the extremities wherein we then stoode whereunto they consented and wrote vnder their hands as followeth The testimoniall of the companie of The Desire touching their losing of their Generall which appeareth to haue beene vtterly against their meanings THe 26 of August 1591 wee whose names bee here vnder written with diuers others departed from Plimmouth vnder M. Thomas Candish our Generall with 4 ships of his to wit The Galeon The Robuck The Desire and The Black pinnesse for the performance of a voyage into The South sea The 19 of Nouember we fell with the bay of Saluador in Brasil The 16 of December we tooke the towne of Santos hoping there to reuictuall our selues but it fell not out to our contentment The 24 of Ianuary we set saile from Santos shaping our course for The Streights of Magellan The 8 of Februarie by violent stormes the sayde fleete was parted The Robuck and The Desire arriued in Porte Desire the 6 of March The 16 of March The Black pinnesse arriued there also and the 18 of the same our admirall came into the roadeâ— with whom we departed the 20 of March in poore and weake estate The 8 of Aprill 1592 we entred The Streights of Magellan The 21 of Aprill wee ankered beyond Cape Froward within 40 leagues of The South sea where wee rode vntill the 15 of May. In which time wee had great store of snowe with some gustie weather the wind continuing still at Westnorthwest against vs. In this time wee were inforced for the preseruing of our victuals to liue the most part vpon muskles our prouision was so slender so that many of our men died in this hard extremitie Then our General returned for Brasil there to winter to procure victuals for this voyage against the next yeere So we departed The Streights the 15 of May. The 21 being thwart of Port Desire 30 leagues off the shoare the wind then at Northeast and by North at fiue of the clock at night lying Northeast wee suddenly cast about lying Southeast and by South and sometimes Southeast the whole fleete following the admirall our ship comming vnder his lee shot ahead him and so framed saile fit to keepe companie This night wee were seuered by what occasion wee protest wee know not whither we lost them or they vs. In the moruing we only saw The Black pinnesse then supposing that the admirall had ouershot vs. All this day wee stoode to the Eastwards hoping to find him because it was not likely that he would stand to the shoare againe so suddenly But missing him towards night we stood to the shoareward hoping by that course to finde him The 22 of May at night we had a violent storme with the winde at Northwest and wee were inforced to hull not being able to beare saile and this night we perished our maine tressâ—etrees so that wee could no more vse our maine top-saile lying most dangerously in the sea The pinnesse likewise receiued a great leake so that wee were inforced to seeke the next shoare for our reliefe And because famine was like to bee the best ende wee desired to goe for Port Desire hoping with seales and penguins to relieue our selues and so to make shift to followe the Generall or there to stay his comming from Brasil The 24 of May wee had much winde at North. The 25 was calme and the sea very loftie so that our ship had dangerous foule weather The 26 our fore-shrowdes brake so that if wee had not beene