vs to vnitie obedience loue and regard of our voyage and for the better confirmation thereof willed euery man the next Sunday following to prepare himselfe to receiue the Communion as Christian brethren and friends ought to doe which was done in very reuerent sort and so with good contentment euery man went about his businesse The 17. day of August we departed the port of S. Iulian the 20. day we fell with the streight or freat of Magellan going into the South sea at the Cape or headland whereof we found the bodie of a dead man whose flesh was cleane consumed The 21. day we entred The streight which we found to haue many turnings and as it were shuttings vp as if there were no passage at all by meanes whereof we had the wind often against vs so that some of the fleete recouering a Cape or point of land others should he forced to turne backe againe and to come to an anchor where they could In this streight there be many faire harbors with store of fresh water but yet they lacke their best commoditie for the water is there of such depth that no man shal find ground to anchor in except it bee in some narow riuer or corner or betweene some rocks so that if any extreme blasts or contrary winds do come whereunto the place is much subiect it carieth with it no small danger The land on both sides is very huge mountainous the lower mountains whereof although they be monstrous and wonderfull to looke vpon for their height yet there are others which in height exceede them in a strange maner reaching themselues aboue their fellowes so high that betweene them did appeare three regions of cloudes These mountaines are couered with snow at both the Southerly and Easterly partes of the streight there are Illands among which the sea hath his indraught into the streights euen as it hath in the maine entrance of the freat This streight is extreme cold with frost and snow continually the trees seeme to stoope with the burden of the weather and yet are greene continually and many good and sweete herbes doe very plentifully grow and increase vnder them The bredth of the streight is in some place a league in some other places 2. leagues and three leagues and in some other 4. leagues but the narowest place hath a league ouer The 24. of August we arriued at an Island in the streights where we found great store of foule which could not slie of the bignesse of geese whereof we killed in lesse then one day 3000. and victualled our selues throughly therewith The 6. day of September we entred the South sea at the Cape or head shore The seuenth day wee were driuen by a great storme from the entring into the South sea two hundred leagues and odde in longitude and one degree to the Southward of the Streight in which height and so many leagues to the Westward the fifteenth day of September fell out the Eclipse of the Moone at the houre of sixe of the clocke at night but neither did the Eclipticall conflict of the Moone impayre our state nor her clearing againe amend vs a whit but the accustomed Eclipse of the Sea continued in his force wee being darkened more then the Moone seuen fold From the Bay which we called The Bay of seuering of friends wee were driuen backe to the Southward of the streights in 57. degrees and a terce in which height we came to an anker among the Islands hauing there fresh and very good water with herbes of singular vertue Not farre from hence we entred another Bay where wee found people both men and women in their Canoas nakedâ— and ranging from one Iâ—land to another to seeke their meat who entred traffique with vs for such things as they had We returning hence Northward againe found the 3. of October three Islands in one of which was such plentie of birdes as is seant credible to report The 8. day of October we lost sight of one of our Consotrs wherein M. Winter was who as then we supposed was put by a storme into the streights againe which at our returne home wee found to be true and he not perished as some of our company feared Thus being come into the height of The streights againe we ran supposing the coast of Chili to lie as the generall Mays haue described it namely Northwest which we found to lie and trend to the Northeast and Eastwards whereby it appeareth that this part of Chili hath not bene truely hitherto discouered or at the least not truely reported for the space of 12. degrees at the least being set downe either of purpose to deceiue or of ignorant coniecture We continuing our course fell the 29. of Nouember with an Island called la Mocha where we cast anchor and our Generall hoysing out our boate went with ten of our company to shore where wee found people whom the cruell and extreme dealings of the Spaniards haue forced for their owne safetie and libertie to flee from the maine and to fortifie themselues in this Island We being on land the people came downe to vs to the water side with shew of great courtesie bringing to vs potatoes rootes and two very fat sheepe which our Generall receiued and gaue them other things for them and had promise to haue water there but the next day repayring againe to the shore and sending two men aland with barrels to fill water the people taking them for Spaniards to whom they vse to shew no fauour if they take them layde violent hands on them and as we thinke slew them Our Generall seeing this stayed here no longer but wayed anchor and set sayle towards the coast of Chili and drawing towards it we mette neere to the shore an Indian in a Canoa who thinking vs to haue bene Spaniards came to vs and tolde vs that at a place called S. Iago there was a great Spanish ship laden from the kingdome of Peru for which good newes our Geneall gaue him diuers trifles wherof he was glad and went along with vs and brought vs to the place which is called the port of Valparizo When we came thither we found indeede the ship riding at anker hauing in her eight Spaniards and three Negros who thinking vs to haue bene Spaniards and their friends welcommed vs with a drumme and made ready a Bortija of wine of Chili to drinke to vs but as soone as we were entred one of our company called Thomas Moone began to lay about him and strooke one of the Spanyards and sayd vnto him Abaxo Perro that is in English Goe downe dogge One of these Spaniards seeing persons of that quality in those seas all to crossed and blessed himselfe but to be short wee stowed them vnder batches all saue one Spaniard who suddenly and desperately leapt ouer boord into the sea and swamme ashore to the towne of S. Iago
for the preseruation of his most excellent Maiestie his crown Imperiall of his realmes of England and Ireland and to serue his grace the Realme and this present voyage truely and not to giue vp intermit or leaue off the said voyage and enâ—erprise vntill it shal be accomplished to farre forth as possibilitie and life of man may serue or extend Therfore it behoueth euery person in his degree as well for conscience as for dueties sake to remember his said charge and the accomplishment thereof 3 Item where furthermore euery mariner or passengeâ— in his ship hath giuen like othe to bee obedient to the Captaine generall and to euery Captaine and master in his ship for the obseruation of these present orders contained in this booke and all other which hereafter shal be made by the 12. counsailers in this present book named or the most part of them for the better conduction and preseruation of the flette and atchieuing of the voyage and to be prompt ready and obedient in all acts and feates of honesty reason and duetie to be ministred shewed executed in aduancement and preferment of the voyage and exploit therfore it is conuenient that this present booke shall once euery weeke by the discretion of the Captaine be read to the said companie to the intent that euery man may the better remember his othe conscience duetie and charge 4 Item euery person by vertue of his othe to doe effectually with good wil as farre forth as him shall complie all and euery such act and acts deede and deeds as shal be to him or them from time to time commanded committed and enioyned during the voyage by the Captain generall with the assent of the Counsell and assistants as well in and during the whole Nauigation and voyage as also in discouering and landing as cases and occasions shall require 5 Item all courses in Nauigation to be set and kept by the aduice of the Captaine Pilot maior masters masters mates with the assents of the counsailers and the most number of them and in voyces vniformely agreeing in one to preuaile and take place so that the Captaine generall shall in all counsailes and assemblies haue a double voyce 6 Item that the fleete shal keep together and not separate themselues asunder as much as by winde weather may be done or permitted that the Captaines Pilots masters shall speedily come aboord the Admiral when and as often as he shall seeme to haue iust cause to assemble them for counsaile or consultation to be had concerning the affaires of the fleete and voyage 7 Item that the marchants and other skilful persons in writing shal daily write describe and put in memorie the Nauigation of euery day and night with the points and obseruation of the lands tides elements altitude of the sunne course of the moon and starres and the same so noted by the order of the Master and pilot of euery ship to be put in writing the captaine generall assembling the masters together once euery weeke if winde and weather shal serue to conferre all the obseruations and notes of the said ships to the intent it may appeare wherein the notes do agree and wherein they dissent and vpon good debatement deliberation and conclusion determined to put the same into a common leger to remain of record for the company the like order to be kept in proportioning of the Cardes Astrolabes and other instruments prepared for the voyage at the charge of the companie 8 Item that all enterprises and exploits of discouering or landing to search Iles regions and such like to be searched attempted and enterprised by good deliberation and common assent determined aduisedly And that in all enterprises notable ambassages suites requests or presentment of giftes or presents to Princes to be done and executed by the captaine generall in person or by such other as he by common assent shall appoint or assigne to doe or cause to be done in the same 9 Item the steward and cooke of euery ship and their associats to giue and render to the captaine and other head officers of their shippe weekely or oftner if it shall seeme requisite a iust or plaine and perfect accompt of expenses of the victuals as wel flesh fish bisket meate or bread as also of beere wine oyle or vineger and all other kinde of viâ—â—ualling vnder their charge and they and euery of them so to order and dispeâ—de the same that no waste or vnprofitable excesse be made otherwise then reason and necessitie shall command 10 Item when any inferiour or meane officer of what degree or condition he shal be shal be tried vntrue remisse negligent or vnprofitable in or about his office in the voyage or not to vse him selfe in his charge accordingly then euery such officer to be punished or remoued at the discretion of the captaine and assistants or the most part of them and the person so remoued not to be reputed accepted or taken from the time of his remoue any more for an officer but to remaine in such condition and place as hee shall be assigned vnto and none of the companie to resist such chastisement or worthie punishment as shal be ministred vnto him moderately according to the fault or desert of his offence after the lawes and common customes of the seas in such cases heretofore vsed and obserued 11 Item if any Mariner or officer inferiour shal be found by his labour not meete nor worthie the place that he is presently shipped for such person may bee vnshipped and put on lande at any place within the kings Maiesties realme dominion and one other person more able and worthy to be put in his place at the discretion of the captaine and masters order to be taken that the partie dismissed shal be allowed proportionably the value of that he shall haue deserued to the time of his dismission or discharge he to giue order with sureties pawn or other assurance to repay the ouerplus of that he shall haue receiued which he shall not haue deserued such wages to be made with the partie newly placed as shal be thought reasonable and he to haue the furniture of al such necessaries as were prepared for the paâ—tie dismissed according to right and conscience 12 Item that no blaspheming of God or detestable swearing be vsed in any ship nor communication of ribaldrie filthy tales or vngodly talke to be suffred in the company of any ship neither dicing carding tabling nor other diuelish games to be frequented whereby ensueth not onely pouertie to the players but also strife variance brauling fighting and oftentimes murther to the vtter destruction of the parties and prouoking of Gods most iust wrath and sworde of vengeance These and all such like pestilences and contagious of vices and sinnes to bee eschewed and the offenders once monished and not reforming to bee punished at the discretion of the captaine and master as appertaineth 13 Item
England receiued and conducted there intertained vsed honoured and finally in good safetie towards his returne and repaire furnished and with much liberalitie and franke handling friendly dismissed to the intent that the trueth of the premisses may bee to the most mightie Emperour of Russia sincerely signified in eschewment of all euents and misfortunes that may chance in this voyage which God defend to the Ambassadours person traine and goods this present memoriall is written and autentikely made and by the sayde Ambassadour his seruants whose names be vnderwritten and traine in presence of the Notarie and witnesses vndernamed recognized and acknowledged Giuen the day moneth and yeere vnderwritten of which instrument into euery of the sayde Shippes one testimoniall is deliuered and the first remaineth with the sayde Companie in London Giftes sent to the King and Queenes Maiesties of England by the Emperour of Russia by the report of the Ambassadour and spoyled by the Scots after the Shipwracke 1 First sixe timber of Sables rich in colour and haire 2 Item twentie entire Sables exceeding beautifull with teeth eares and clawes 3 Item foure liuing Sables with chaines and collars 4 Item thirtie Lusarnes large and beautifull 5 Item sixe large and great skinnes very rich and rare worne onely by the Emperour for woorthinesse 6 Item a large and faire white Ierfawcon for the wilde Swanne Crane Goose and other great Fowles together with a drumme of siluer the hoopes gilt vsed for a lure to call the sayd Hawke Giftes sent to the Emperour of Russia by the King and Queenes Maiesties of England 1 First two rich pieces of cloth of Tissue 2 Item one fine piece of Scarlet 3 Item one fine Uiolet in graine 4 Item one fine Azur cloth 5 Item a notable paire of Brigandines with a Murrian couered with Crimson veluet and gilt nailes 6 Item a Male and Female Lions Giftes giuen to the Ambassadour at his departure ouer and aboue such as were deliuered vnto him at his first arriuall 1 First a chaine of golde of one hundred pound 2 Item a large Bason and Ewer siluer and gilt 3 Item a paire of pottle pots gilt 4 Item a paire of flaggons gift The names of all such Russies as were attendant vpon the Ambassadour at and before his departure out of England Isaak Fwesschencke Demetre Gorbolones Symonde Yeroffia Stephen Lowca Andria Foma Memorandum the day and yeere of our Lord aboue mentioned in the house of the worshipfull Iohn Dimmocke Citizen and Draper of London situate within the famous Citie of London in the Realme of England the aboue named honourable Osep Gregorywich Napea Ambassadour and Orator aboue mentioned personally constituted and present hauing declared vnto him by the mouth of the right worshipfull master Anthonie Hussie Esquire the effect of the causes and contents of and in this booke at the interpretation of Robert Best his interpreter sworne recognized and knowledged in presence of me the Notarie personages vnder written the contents of this booke to be true aswell for his owne person as for his seruants aboue named who did not subscribe their names as is aboue mentioned but onely recognized the same In witnesse whereof I Iohn Incent Notarie Publike at the request of the said Master Anthonie Hussie and other of the Marchants haue to these presents vnderwritten set my accustomed signe with the Subscription of my name the day and yeere aboue written being present the right Worshipfull Aldermen of London Knights Andrew Iudde George Barne William Chester Rafe Greeneaway Iohn Mersh Esquier Iohn Dimmock Blase Sanders Hubert Hussie and Robert Best aboue mentioned The voyage of the foresaid M. Stephen Burrough An. 1557. from Colmogro to Wardhouse which was sent to seeke the Bona Esperanza the Bona Confidentia and the Philip and Mary which were not heard of the yeere before May. VPon Sunday the 23. of May I departed with the Searchthrift from Colmogro the latitude whereof is 64. degrees 25. minutes and the variation of the compasse 5. degrees 10. minutes from the North to the East Wednesday we came to the Island called Pozanka which Island is within foure leagues of the barre Berozoua It floweth here at an East and by South Moone full sea Saturday in the morning we departed from Pozanka and plied to the barre of Berôzoua Gooba whereupon wee came to anker at a lowe water and sounded the said Barre with our two Skiffes and found in the best vpon the shoaldest of the barre 13. foote water by the rule It highâ—th vpon this barre in spring streames 3. foote water and an East Moone maketh a full sea vpon this barre Sunday in the morning wee departed from the barre of Berozoua and plied along by the shoalds in fiue fadome vntill I had sight of S. Nicholas roade and then wee cast about to the Northwards and went with a hommocke which is halfe a mile to the Eastwards of Coya Reca which hommocke and S. Nicholas abbey lye Southsouthwest and Northnortheast and betweene them are 11. leagues Coia Reca is halfe a mile to the Eastwards of Coscaynos Coscaynos the middes of the Island called Mondeustoua ostroue which is thwart of the barre of Berozoua lieth South and by East North and by West and betweene them are 4. leagues or as you may say from the Seaboord part of the barre to Coscaynos are 3. leagues and a halfe Munday at a Northeast and by East sunne we were thwart of Coscaynos Dogs nose lieth from Coscaynos Northnorthwest and betweene them are eight leagues and Dogs nose sheweth like a Gurnerds head if you be inwardly on both sides of it on the lowe point of Dogs nose there standeth a crosse alone Iune FRom Dogs nose to Foxenose are three leagues North and by West The 2. day of Iune I went on shoare 2. miles to the Northwards of Dogs nose and had the latitude of that place in 65. degrees 47. minutes It floweth a shoare at this place at an East Moone full sea and the shippe lay thwart to wende a floodâ— in the off at a Southsoutheast moone So that it is to be vnderstoode that when it is a full sea on the shoare it is two points to ebbe before it be a lowe water in the off The variation of the Compasse at this place is 4. degrees from the North to the East This day the Northnorthwest winde put vs backe againe with Dogs nose where a ship may ride thwart of a salt house in 4. fadome or 4. fadome and a halfe of water and haue Landfange for a North and by West winde which Salt house is halfe a mile to the Southwards of Dogs nose Friday at a Southsouthwest Sunne wee departed from this Salt house It is to be noted that foure miles to the Northwards of Dogs nose there growe no trees on the banke by the water side and the bankes consist of fullers earth Ouer the cliffes there growe some trees so that Dogs nose is the better to be
knowen because it is fullers earth and the like I haue not seene in all that Countrey A head of Foxe nose a league from the shoare there are 15. fadome betwixt Foxe nose and Zolatitsa there are 6. leagues I meane the Southerly part of Foxe nose Sunday I sounded the barre of Zolatitsa which the Russes told me was a good hardorow but in the best of it I found but 4. foote water Munday I had the latitude in 66. degrees and then was point Pentecost sixe leagues South of vs. Wednesday I went on land at Crosse Island and tooke the latitude which was 66. degrees 24. minutes We being one league Northeast of Crosse Island I sawe the land on the Eastside which I iudged to be Cape good fortune and it was then Eastsoutheast of vs 9. leagues Cape grace is 7. leagues and a halfe Northeast from Crosse Island There are 2. Islands 5. leagues Northnortheast from Cape grace the Southermost of them is a little long Island almost a mile long and the Northermost a little round Island and they are both hard aboord the shore Cape Race is from the Southermost Island North and by West and betweene them are two leagues and from that and halfe a league Northnorthwest there is another poynt Betweene which poynt and Cape Race the Russes haue a Stanauish or harborow for their Lodias and to the Westwards of the said poynt there is a shoale bay Three leagues and a halfe to Northwards of Cape Race we had the latitude on the 10. day of this moneth in 67. degrees 10. minutes Riding within half a league of the shoare in this latitude I found it to be a full sea at a North and by East moone I had where we roade two and twentie fadoome and the tallow which is taken vp is full of great broken shels and some stones withall like vnto small sand congealed together From a South sunne that wee weyed the winde being at North and by East wee driued to the windwards halfe the ebbe with the ships head to the Eastwards And then when we cast her head to the Westwards we sounded and had 22. fadome broken shels and gray sand this present day was very mistie with frost on the shrowds as the mist fell Friday in the morning at an East sunne the mist brake vp a little the winde being at North and by West a stiffe gale our shrowdes and roapes ouer head being conered with frost and likely to be a â—â—orme I thought it good to seeke an harborow and so plied roome with the Islands which are two leagues to the Southwards of Cape Race and within these Islands thankes bee to God we found harborow for vs. It higheth at these Islands two fadome water it floweth in the harborow at this place at a Southsoutheast moone ful sea and a sea boord it floweth at a Southsouthwest moone a full sea The Russes call this Island Tri Ostroue You may come in betweene the little Island and the great Island and keepe you in the mids of the Sound and if you borrowe on any side let it bee on the greatest Island and you shall haue at a low water foure fadome and three fadome and a halfe and three fadome vntill that you be shot so farre in as the narrowest which is betweene the Northermost point of the greatest Island and the Southerne point of the maine which is right against it and then hale to the Northwards with the crosse which standeth in the maine and you shall haue at a lowe water 10. foote water and faire sand And if you be disposed to goe through the Sound to the Southwards keepe the Northwest shoare aboorde for on the Island side after you be shotte so farre in as the crosse it is a shoale of rockes halfe the sound ouer which rockes do last vnto the Southerly part of the great Island and rather to the Southwards And if you be constrained to seeke a harbor for Northerly windes when you come out of the sea hale in with the Southerly part of the great Island giuing the Island a faire birth and as you shoote towards the maine you shall finde roade for all Northerly windes in foure fadome fiue sixe and seuen fadome at a lowe water Also within this great Island if neede bee you may haue a good place to ground a ship in the great Island is almost a mile long and a quarter of a mile ouer This storme of Northerly winde lasted vntill the 16. of this moneth and then the winde came Southerly but we could not get out for Ice I went on shore at the crosse and tooke the latitude which is 66. degrees 58. minutes 30. seconds the variation of the Compasse 3. degrees and a halfe from the North to the East Thursday being faire weather and the winde at North we plied to the winde-wards with sailes and oares wee stopped the flood this day three leagues to the Northwards of Cape Race two miles from the shoare and had twentie faâ—ome water faire gray and blacke sand and broken shels And when the slake came wee wayed and made aboord to the shoare-wards and had within two cables length of the shoare eighteene fadomes faire gray and blacke land a man may finde roade there for a North winde and so to the Westwards Two leagues to the Southward of Corpus Christi poynt you may haue Landfang for a North and by East winde and from that to the Westwards in 23. fadome almost a mile from shoare and faire sand and amongst the sand little yong small limpets or such like as growe vpon muscles and within two cables length and lesse of the shoare are eighteene fadomes and the sounding aforesaid but the yong limpets more plentifull It was a full sea where we roade almost a mile from shoare at a South and by West moone two leagues to the Southwards of Corpus Christi point is the vttermost land which land and Cape Race lyeth South and halfe a point to Westwards and North and halfe a point to the Eastwards and betweene them are sixe leagues Riding this day sixe leagues to the Northwards of Cape Race the winde at Northnorthwest with mist and frost at noone the sunne appeared through the mist so that I had the latitude in 67. degrees 29. minutes Munday we were thwart of Corpus Christi point two leagues and a halfe from shoare or rather more where we sounded and had 36. fadoms and broken cocle shels with brannie sand but the broken shels very thicke Tuesday in the morning we were shotte a head of Cape gallant which the Russes call Sotinoz And as we were shot almost halfe a league betwixt it and Cape comfort the wind came vp at the Northwest and after to the Northwards so that we were faine to beare roome to seeke a harbour where we found good harbour for all windes and the least 7. fadome water betweene S. Iohns Islands
and the maine After that we came to an ancre we tooke the latitude which was 68. degrees 1. minute after noone the winde at North with plentie of snowe At a West sunne there came aboord vs certaine Lappians in a boate to the number of sixeteene persons and amongst them there were two wenches and some of them could speake the Russe tongue I asked them where their abiding was and they tolde mee that there was a companie or heard of them to the number of 100. men besides women and children but a litle from vs in the riuer Iekonga They tolde me that they had bene to seeke meate among the rockes saying If wee get no meate wee eate none I sawe them eate rocke weedes as hungerly as a cowe doeth grasse when shee is hungrie I sawe them also eate foules egges rawe and the yong birdes also that were in the egges I obserued certaine wordes of their language which I thought good to set downe for their vse that hereafter shall haue occasion to continue this voyage COwghtie coteat what call you this Poddythecke come hither Auanchythocke get the hence Anna farewell Teyrue good morrowe Iomme â—emaufes I thanke you Passeuellie a friend Olmuelke a man Captella a woman Alke a sonne Neit a daughter or yong wench Oyuie a head Cyelme an eye Nenna a nose Nealma a mouth Pannea teeth Neughtema a tongue Seaman a beard Peallee an eare Teappat the necke Voapt the haire Keat a hand Soarme fingers Iowlkie a legge Peelkie the thombe or great toe Sarke wollen cloth Lein linnen cloth Payte a shirt Tol fire Keatse water Murr wood Vannace a boate Ariea an oare Nurr a roape Peyue a day Hyr a night Peyuezea the Sunne Manna the Moone Laste starres Cozam volka whither goe you Ottapp sleepe Tallye that Keiedde pieue a weeke Isckie a yeere Kesse Sommer Talue Winter Iowksam colde Parox warme Abrye raine Youghang yce Keaâ—ykye a stone Sellowpe siluer Solda golde Tennae tinnne Veskue copper Rowadt yron Neybx a knife Axshe a hatchet Leabee bread Ieauegoat meale Pencka the winde Iowte A platter Kemnie a kettle Keestes gloues Sapege shoes Conde a wilde Deare Poatsa the labouring Deare Their wordes of number are these as followeth OFte 1. Noumpte 2. Colme 3. Nellye 4. Vitte 5. Cowte 6. Keydeem 7. Kaffts 8. Owghchte 9. Locke 10. Ostretumbelocke 11. Cowghtnumbelocke 12. Colmenonbelocke 13. Nellynombelocke 14. Vittie nombelocke 15. Cowtenombelocke 16. Keydemnombelocke 17. Kafts nombelocke 18. Owght nombelocke 19. Coffreylocke 20. Colmelocke 30. Nellylocke 40. Vitte locke 50. Cowtelocke 60. Keydemlocke 70. Kaffstelocke 80. Oughcheteloke 90. Tewer 100. 25 Friday in the morning we departed from Saint Iohns Island to the Westwards thereof a mile from the shoare we sounded and had 36. fadoms and oazie sand Iuana Creos is from Cape gallant Westnorthwest and halfe a point to the Northwards and betweene them is 7. leagues The point of the Island which is Cape comfort lyeth from Iuana Creos Northwest and by North and almost the 3. part of a point to the Westwards and betweene them are 3. leagues The Eastermost of S. Georges Islands or the 7. Islands lyeth from Iuana Creos Northwest halfe a point to the Northwards and betweene them are 14. leagues a halfe The vttermost of the 7. Islands Cape comfort lieth Northwest by North Southeast and by South Under the Southermost Island you shall finde good roade for all Northerly windes from the Northwest to the Northeast From the Southeast part of the 7. Islands vnto the Northwest part of them are 3. leagues and a halfe From the Northwest part of the Islands aforesaid vnto S. Peters Islands are 11. leagues Northwest 26 S. Peters Islands rise an indifferent low point not seeming to be an Island and as if it had a castle vpon it S. Pauls Islands lie from S. Peters Islands Northwest and to the Westwards and betweene them are 6. leagues Within these Islands there is a faire sandy bay and there may be found a good roade for Northerly windes Cape Sower beere lyeth from S. Pauls Islands Northwest and by West and betweene them are 5. leagues Cape comfort which is the Island of Kildina lieth from Cape Sower beere 6. leagues West Northwest and it is altogether a bay betweene them seeming many Islands in it From Cape Bonauenture to Chebe Nauoloche are 10. leagues Northwest and a litle to the Westwards Chebe Nauoloche is a faire point wheron standeth a certaine blacke like an emptie buâ—te standing a head From Chebe Nauoloch to Kegor is 9. leagues and a halfe Northwest and halfe a poynt to the Westwards Kegor riseth as you come from the Eastwards like 2. round homocks standing together and a faire saddle betweene them 27 It floweth where we road this Sunday to the Eastwards of Kegor at a Southeast and by East moone a full sea we roade in 15. fadome water within halfe a mile of the shoare at a Northwest Sunne the mist came downe so thicke that we were faine to come to an ancre within lesse then a mile of the point that turneth to Doms haff where we had 33. fadome and the sounding like to the skurfe of a skalde head 28 Munday at afternoone wee came into the Sound of Wardhouse although it were very mistie Then I sent a man a shoare to know some newes and to see whether they could heare any thing of our ships 29 Tuesday I went on shoare and dined with the Captaines deputie who made mee great cheere the Captaine himselfe was not as yet come from Bergen they looked for him euery houre and they said that he would bring newes with him At a Northwest and by North sunne we departed from Wardhouse toward Colmogro 30 Wednesday we came to Kegor where we met with the winde at East Southeast so that we were faine to go in to a bay to the Westwards of the point Kegor where a man may moare 2. or 3. small ships that shall not draw past 11. or 12. foote water for all windes an East Northeast winde is the worst It is a ledge of rocks that defendeth the Northerly winds froÌ„ the place where they moare When we came into the bay we saw there a barke which was of Dronton three or foure Norway ye aghes belonging to Northberne so when I came a shoare I met first with the Dutchmen amongst whom was the Borrow-masters sonne of Dronton who tolde me that the Philip and Mary wintered at Dronton and withall he shewed me that the Confidence was lost and that he had bought her sailes for his ship Then the Dutch-men caried me to their Boothe and made me good cheere where I sawe the Lappians chepen of the said Dutchmen both siluer platters and dishes spoones gilt rings ornaments for girdles of siluer gilt and certaine things made to hang about the necke with siluer chaines belonging to them The Dutchmen bring
twise a weeke yet leaue they a tuft of haire vpon their heads about 2. foote long I haue enquired why they leaue the tuft of haire vpon their heads They answer that thereby they may easâ—â—er be caried vp into heauen when they are dead For their religion they haue certaine priests who are apparelled like vnto other men They vse euery morning and afternoone to go vp to the tops of their churches and tell there a great tale of Mahumet and Mortus Ali and other preaching haue they none Their Lent is after Christmas not in abstinence from flesh onely but from all meats and drinks vntill the day be off the skie but then they eate somtimes the whole night And although it be against their religion to drinke wine yet at night they will take great excesse thereof and be drunken Their Lent beginneth at the new Moone and they do not enter into it vntill they haue seene the same neither yet doeth their Lent end vntill they haue seen the next new Moone although the same through close weather should not be seen in long time They haue among them certaine holy men whom they call Setes counted holy for that they or any of their ancestors haue bene on pilgrimage at Mecha in Arabia for whosoeuer goeth thither on pilgrimage to visite the sepulchre of Mahumet both he and all his posteritie are euer after called Setes and counted for holy men and haue no lesse opinion of themselues And if a man contrary one of these he will say that he is a Saint and therefore ought to be beleeued and that hee cannot lie although he lie neuer so shamefully Thus a man may be too holy and no pride is greater then spirituall pride of a mind puffed vp with his owne opinion of holinesse These Setes do vse to shaue their heads all ouer sauing on the sides a litle aboue the temples the which they leaue vnshauen and vse to braid the same as women do their haire and to weare it as long as it will grow Euery morning they vse to worship God Mahumet and Mortus Ali in praying turne themselues toward the South because Mecha lieth that way from them When they be in trauell on the way many of them will as soone as the Sunne riseth light from their horses turning themselues to the South and will lay their gownes before them with their swords and beads and so standing vpright worship to the South and many times in their prayers kneele downe and kisse their beads or somwhat els that lieth before them The men or women doe neuer goe to make water but they vse to take with them a pot with a spout and after they haue made water they flash some water vpon their priuy parts and thus doe the women as well as the men and this is a matter of great religion among them and in making of water the men do cowre downe as well as the women When they earnestly affirme a matter they will sweare by God Mahumet or Mortus Ali and sometimes by all at ones as thus in their owne language saying Olla Mahumet Ali. But if he will sweare by the Shaughs head in saying Shaugham basshe you may then beleeue him if you will The Shaugh keepeth a great magnificence in his court and although sometimes in a moneth or six weekes none of his nobilitie or counsaile can see him yet goe they daily to the court and tary there a certaine time vntill they haue knowen his pleasure whether hee will commaund them any thing or not Hee is watched euery night with a thousand of his men which are called his Curshes whâ— are they that hee vseth to send into the Countreis about his greatest affaires When he sendeth any of them if it be to the greatest of any of his nobilitie he will obey them although the messenger should beat any of them to death The Shaugh occupieth himselfe alwayes two dayes in the weeke in his Bathstoâ—e and when he is disposed to goe thither he taketh with him fiue or sixe of his concubines more or lesse and one day they consume in washing rubbing and bathing him and the other day in paring his nailes and other matters The greatest part of his life hee spendeth amongst his wiues and concubines Hee hath now reigned about fiftie and foure yeeres and is therefore counted a very holy man as they euer esteeme their kings if they haue reigned fiftie yeeres or more for they measure the fauour of God by a mans prosperitie or his displeasure by a mans misfortune or aduersitie The great Turke hath this Shaugh in great reuerence because he hath reigned king so long time I haue sayd before that hee hath foure wiues and as many concubines as him listeth and if he chance to haue any children by any of his concubines and be minded that any of those children shall inherite after him then when one of his wiues dieth the concubine whom hee so fauoureth hee maketh one of his wiues and the childe whom he so loueth best he ordaineth to bee king after him What I heard of the maner of their mariages for offending of honest consciences and chaste eares I may not commit to writing their fasting I haue declared before They vse circumcision vnto children of seuen yeeres of age as do the Turkes Their houses as I haue said are for the most part made of bricke not burned but only dried in the Sunne In their houses they haue but litle furniture of houshold stuffe except it be their carpets and some copper worke for all their kettles dishes wherein they eate are of copper They eate on the ground sitting on carpets crosse legged as do Tailors There is no man so simple but he sitteth on a carpet better or worse and the whole house or roume wherein he sitteth is wholy couered with carpets Their houses are all with flat roofes couered with earth and in the Sommer time they lie vpon them all night They haue many bond seruaunts both men and women Bondmen and bondwomen is one of the best kind of merchandise that any man may bring When they buy any maydes or yong women they vse to feele them in all partes as with vs men doe horses when one hath bought a yong woman if he like her he will keepe her for his owne vse as long as him listeth and then selleth her to an other who doeth the like with her So that one woman is sometimes sold in the space of foure or fiue yeeres twelue or twentie times If a man keepe a bondwoman for his owne vse and if hee find her to be false to him and giue her body to any other he may kill her if he will When a merchant or traueller commeth to any towne where he entendeth to tary any time he hireth a woman or somtimes 2. or 3. during his abode there And when he commeth to an
God for the wickednesse of the people that inhabited the same There remaineth at this day to be seene a part of the ruines of the castle and certaine tombs wherein as it seemeth haue bin laid noble personages for vpon a tombe stone might be perceiued the forme of a horse and a man sitting on it with a bow in his hand and arrowes girt to his side there was a piece of a scutchion also vpon one of the stones which had characters grauen on it whereof some part had beene consumed with the weather and the rest left vnperfect but by the forme of them that remained we iudged them to be characters of Armenia and other characters werâ— grauen also vpoÌ„ another tombe stone Nowe they departed from Oueak the said fift of October â—â— fiue of the clocke after noone and came to Perauolok the 10. day about eleuen or twelue of the clocke that night making no abode at that place but passed alongst by it This worde Perauolok in the Russe tongue doeth signifie a narrow straight or necke of land betweene two waters and it is so called by them because from the riuer Volga at that place to the riuer Don or Tanais is counted thirty versts or as much as a man may well trauell on foote in one day And seuen versts beneath vpon an Island called Tsaritsna the Emperour of Russia hath fiftie gunners all the summer time to keepe watch called by the Tartar name Carawool Betweene this place and Astracan are fiue other Carawools or watches 1 The first is named Kameni Carawool and is distant from Perauolok 120 verâ—ts 2 The second named Stupino Carowool distant from the first 50. versts 3 The third called Polooy Carowool is 120. versts distant from the second 4 The fourth named Keezeyur Carawool is 50. versts distant from the third 5 The fift named Ichkebre is 30. verst distant from the fourth and from Ichkebre to Astracan is 30. versts The 16. of October they arriued at Astracan with their three stroogs in safetie about nine of the clock in the morning where they found the ship prouided for the Persia voyage in good order readinesse The 17. day the foure principal factors of the company Arthur Edwards William Turnbull Matthew Talbois and Peter Garrard were inuited to dine with the chiefe diake or secretary of Astracan Vasili Pheodorouich Shelepin who declared then vnto them the troubles that were in Media and Persia and how the Turke with helpe of the Crims had conquered and did possesse the greatest part of Media also he laid before them that Winter was at hand if they should put out with their ship to the sea they should bee constrained to take what hazards might happen them by wintring in the parts of Media or els where for backe againe to that place there was no hope for them to returne whereupon the said factors determined to stay there all Winter to learne further of the state of those countreis The 19. of Nouember the winde being Northerly there was a great frost and much ice in the riuer the next day being the 20. of Nouember the ice stood in the riuer and so continued vntill Easter day The 22. of December departed this life Iohn Moore the gunner of the ship Thursday the 7. of Ianuary betweene 8. and 9. of the clocke at night there appeared a crosse proceeding from the moone with two galles at the South and North end therâ—of The 6. of Ianuary being Twelfe day which they call Chreshenia â—the Russes of Astracan brake a hole in the ice vpon the riuer Volga hallowed the water with great solemnity according to the maner of their countrey at which time all the souldiers of the towne shot off their smal pieces vpon the ice and likewise to gratifie the captaine of the castel being a Duke whose name is Pheodor Michalouich Troiocouria who stood hard by the ship beholding them as they were on the riuer was shot off all the ordinance of our ship being 15. pieces vâ—z 2. faulcons 2. faulconets 4. fowlers 4. fowlers chambers and 3. other small pieces made for the stroogs to shoote haâ—â—estones and afterwards the great ordinance of the castle was shot off On the 31. of Ianuary there happened a great eclipse of the moone which began about 12. of the clocke at night and continued before she was cleare an houre and a halfe by estimation which ended the first of February about halfe an houre past one in the morning she was wholly darkned by the space of halfe an houre The 26. of February the towne of Nagay Tartars called the Yourt which is within 3. quarters of a mile of the castle of Astracan by casualty was set on fire about 10. of the clock at night continued burning til midnight whereby one halfe of it was burnt and much cattell destroyed The Nagayes that inhabite that towne are the Emperour of Russia his vassâ—ls It is supposed there are of them inhabiting that place of men women and children the number of sâ—uen thousand That night the Allarum was made in the castle and towne of Astracan The captaine thereof had all his souldiers in very good order and readinesse being of them in number two thousand gunners and cassaks that is to say a thousand gunners which are accounted meere souldiers and are not put to any other seruice then the vse of their pieces watch c. as souldiers which alwaies keepe the castle and the cassaks also vsing their pieces do keepe the towne and are commonly set to all kind of labours The 7. of March 1580. the Nagayes and Crims came before Astracan to the number of one thousand foure hundred horsemen which incamped round about but the neerest of them were two Russe versts and a halfe off from the castle and town some of them lay on the Crims side of Volga and some on the Nagay side but none of them came vpon the Island that Astracan standeth on It was said that two â—f the prince of the Crims his sonnes were amongst them They sent a messenger on the eight day to the captain of Astracan to signifie that they would come and visit him who answered he was ready to receiue them and taking a great shot or bullet in his hand willed the messenger to tel them that they should not want of that geare so long as it would last The ninth day newes was brought that the Crims determined to assault the towne or castle and were making of fagots of reede to bring with them for that purpose The tenth day two Russes that were captiuesâ— and two of the Tartars bondmen ranne away from the Nagayes and came into Astracan The same day word was brought to the Duke of two Nagayes which were seene at Gostine house supposed to be spies but were gone againe from thence before they were suspected This Gostine house is a place a litle without the towne where the Tisiks or Persian merchants do vsually
his place after their order and dignity that is to wit Mustafa Baâ—sha as chiefe captaine entred the trench direct to the bulwarke of England with his people captaines vnder him Pery Bassha went to the trenches against the gate of Italy with his folkes and captaines vnder him Aemek Bassha was in the trenches of Auuergne and Spaine with the Aga of the Ianizaires and the Beglarby of Romany with him The Beglarby of Natolia was in the trenches of Prouence Allibey was with his company against the gardins of saint Anthony on the North side and diuers other captaines with him and set his ordinance against the wall of the gate of Almaine which was but weake and set vp seuen mantellets by the milles toward the West and by the space of eight or nine dayes they beat vpon the same wall which put vs in great feare if they had continued Howbeit the noble lord great master forthwith caused repaires to be made within and planks tables to be set to fortifie the sayd weake wall and abode there from the morning til night to cause it to be the more hasted The arâ—illery of the gate of Almaine and the Massif of the gate of the campe and of the palais beat so sore and so often vpon the sayd mantellets that it wearied the enemies to make and repaire them so often and they tooke vp the pieces and bare them away And also they could not well beat the sayd wall because the brimmes of the ditch without were almost as hie as the wall that they beat But or they bare the artillery away they beat the steeple of S. Iohns church so that the most part was broken and cast downe The foresayd mantellets were appointed to beat S. Nicholas tower and by the space of ten or twelue dayes they shot sore against it but they had so sharpe and vigorous answere that there was not one mantellet that abode whole an houre The captaine of the sayd tower and his folke did such diligence and businâ—sse in shooting off their pieces that the enemies curst set vp no more mantellets by day nor shoot no more but onely by night while the Moone did shine which is a thing worthy of memory of maruaile and of praise At the last when they had beaten against the sayd tower a certaine time seeing that it furthered nothing they tooke their ordinance froÌ„ thence and bare it where they thought best During the shot in the sayd place the other captaines were not idle nor in a sleepe but without cease night and day they beat the wall of England and Spaine and set foureteene mantellets against it shooting great bombards whereof some of the stones were fiue or sixe spannes about and some other of nine or ten and within a moneth and lesse they cast downe the wall almost euen smooth with the Barbican And when the sayd wall was so beaten they set to beat the bulwarke of Spaine for to raise the defences and in their trenches they set three great bombards which shot stones of eleuen spannes in compasse and with the sayd pieces they beat the sayd bulwarke and wall in such wise that they made great bracks and the stones and earth that fell serued the enemies for ladders so that they might come vpon the plaine ground In like sort they raised the defences from the height of the bulwarke at the posterne of Prouence and sit three great pieces on the brimme of the ditch which shot stones of eleuen spannes against the wall and within a while they made a breach as at the posterne of Spaine The artillery of the towne did shoot without cease against the mantellets and brake many of them but they made other as it is sayd in the nights For they had alâ— things that belonged to them needed And out of the posterne of England was shot a gunne that brake downe one of the sayd mantellets and hit vpon one of the pieces and slew foure or fiue men and bare away both the legs of the master of the ordinance which died soone after whereof the great Turke was very ill content and sayd that he had rather haue lost one of his basshas or captaines then the sayd master Also it is to knowen that there were three or foure mantellets addressed against the plain ground of Italy and by continuall beating of shot that they made there was also a breach and by the earth and stones that were fallen they might come vp to it Of the politike repaires and defences that the ingenious captaine Gabriel Martiningo made within the towne against the breaches in the walles THe captaine Gabriel Martiningo prompt diligent and expert to giue remedies to the needfull places foorthwith caused to make the trauerses vpon the wall whereas the breach was with good repaires and gunnes small and great which were set in the sayd trauerses the which shot not onely at the breaches but to the trenches and made great murder of enemies aswell at the assaults that they made as otherwhiles And beside the trauerses the sayd captaine planted small artillery as harquebushes and handgunnes vpon certaine houses within the towne that stood open against the breach with good repaires and from that place great slaughter of Turks was made at the assaults Also it is of trueth that beside the sayd mantellets that shot against the wall of England and Spaine with great bombards were two mantellets in an hie place â—oward the way to the gardin of Maupas in the which were certaine double gunnes as basilisas with holow stones and wilde fire in them which shot against the wall into the towne at all auentures for to make murder of people howbeit thanked be God they did no great harme but to the houses After these great terrible beatings and that the enemies had way to mount vpon the towne walles and come to hand with vs by trauersing of their trenches to the fallen earth within the breach more surely and without hurt of our gunshot shooting thorow holes that they made in the walles of the ditch without they cast vp much stone and earth because it should couer them from the shot of the bulwarke of Auuergne And also they shot feruently against the bulwarke of Spaine for to raise the defences of the which at the last they raised the most part reseruing only a few gunners below in the mine of the sayd bulwarke which litle or nothing damaged them And this is touching the gunshot whereof I say not the third part because it is a thing incredible to them that haue not seene it For some dayes they shot with those great bombards that were on the brimme of the ditch and from the mantellets bent against the wall of England and Spaine 20 or 30 times and more And I beleeue verily that since the creation of the world such artillery and so great quantity was neuer bent and layed before any towne as hath bene against Rhodes at this siege Wherfore
fragrant sepulture all honour is performed He which is emperour of the seuen climats and of the foure parts of the world the inuincible king of Graecia Agiamia Hungaria Tartaria Valachia Rossia Turchia Arabia Bagdet Caramania Abessis Giouasir Siruan Barbaria Alger Franchia Coruacia Belgrade c. alwayes most happy and possessour of the crowne from twelue of his ancestours and of the seed of Adam at this present emperour the sonne of an emperour preserued by the diuine prouidence a king woorthy of all glory and honour Sultan Murad whose forces the Lord God alwayes increase and father of him to whom the imperiall crowne is to descend the paradise and woonderfull call cypresse worthy of the royall throne and true heire of the imperiall authority most woorthy Mehemet Can the sonne of Sultan Murad Can whose enterprises God vouchsafe to accomplish and to prolong his happy dayes on the behalfe of whose mother this present letter is written to the most gracious and most glorious the wisest among women and chosen among those which triumph vnder the standard of Iesus Christ the most mighty and most rich gouernour and most rare among womankinde in the world the most gracious Queene of England which follow the steps of the virgine Mary whose end be prosperous and perfect according to your hearts desire I send your Maiesty so honorable and sweet a salutation of peace that al the flocke of Nightingales with their melody cannot attaine to y e like much lesse this simple letter of mine The singular loue which we haue conceiued one toward the other is like to a garden of pleasant birds and the Lord God vouchsafe to saue and keepe you and send your Maiesty an happy end both in this world and in the world to come After the arriuall of your honourable presents from the Court of your Maiesty your Highnesse shall vnderstand that they came in such a season that euery minute ministred occasion of long coÌ„solation by reason of the comming of your Maiesties Ambassadour to the triumphant Court of the Emperour to our so great contentment as we could possibly wish who brought a letter from your Maiesty which with great honour was presented vnto vs by our eunuks the paper whereof did smell most fragrantly of camfor and ambargriese and the incke of perfect muske the contents whereof we haue heard very attentiuely from point to point I thinke it therefore expedient that according to our mutuall affection in any thing whatsoeuer may concerne the countreys which are subiect to your Maiesty I neuer faile hauing information giuen vnto me in whatsoeuer occasion shall be ministred to gratiue your Maiesty to my power in any reasonable and conuenient matter that all your subiects businesses and affaires may haue a wished and happy end For I will alwayes be a sollicitour to the most mighty Emperour for your Maiesties afaires that your Maiesty at all times may be fully satisfied Peace be to your Maiesty and to all such as follow rightly the way of God Written the first day of the Moone of Rabie Liuol in the yere of the Prophet 1002. THE SECOND PART OF THIS Second volume containing the principall Nauigations Voyages Traffiques and Discoueries of the English nation made to the South and Southeast quarters of the world without the Straights of Gibraltar namely to the Ilands of Madera and of the Canaries to the kingdome of Barbarie to the Iles of Capo Verde to the riuer of Senega to the coast of Ghinea and Benin about the cape of Buona Esperansa and so to Goa in the East Indies and likewise beyond cape Comori to the Iles of Nicubar to Sumatra to the chanell of Sincapura ouer against the city of Malacca and to diuers other places The voyage of Macham an English man wherein he first of any man discouered the Iland of Madera recorded verbatim in the Portugall history written by Antonio Galuano IN the yeere 1344 King Peter the fourth of that name reigning in Aragon the Chronicles of his age write that about this time the Iland of Madera standing in 32 degrees was discouered by an English man which was named Macham who sailing out of England into Spaine with a woman that he had stollen arriued by tempest in that Iland and did cast anker in that hauen or bay which now is called Machico after the name of Macham And because his louer was sea-sicke he went on land with some of his company and the shippe with a good winde made saile away and the woman died for thought Macham which loued her dearely built a chapell or hermitage to bury her in calling it by the name of Iesus and caused his name and hers to be written or grauen vpon the stone of her tombe and the occasion of their arriuall there And afterward he ordeined a boat made of one tree for there be trees of a great compasse about and went to sea in it with those men that he had and were left behinde with him and came vpon the coast of Afrike without saile or oare And the Moores which saw it tooke it to be a maruellous thing and presented him vnto the king of that countrey for a woonder and that king also sent him and his companions for a miracle vnto the king of Castile In the yeere 1395 King Henry the third of that name reigning in Castile the information which Macham gaue of this Iland and also the ship of his company mooued many of France and Castile to go and discouer it and also the great Canaria c. In the yeere 1417 King Iohn the second reigning in Castile and his mother Lady Katherine being Regent one Monsieur Ruben of Bracamont which was Admirall of France demanding the conquest of the Ilands of the Canaries with the title of King for a kinsman of his named Monsieur Iohn Betancourt after that the Queene had giuen him them and holpen him he departed from Siuil with a good army And they affirme also that the principall cause which moued him to this was to discouer the Iland of Madera which Macham had found c. ibidem pag. 2. of Anthonio Galuano This note following concerning the ayde and assistance of the English Marchants giuen to King Iohn the first of Portugall for the winning of Ceuta in Barbarie which was the first occasion of all the Portugall discoueries is taken out of Thomas Walsingham his Latine Chronicle Anno 1415. HOc anno Ioannes primus Rex Portugalliae fretus auxilio Mercatorum Angliae quà m maximè Alemannorum vicit Agarenos in terra Regis Betinarinorum multis eorum millibus ad generum Cereris destinatis cepÃtque ciuitatem eorum quà m amplissimam supra mare sitam vocatam Ceut eorum lingua The same in English THis yere Iohn the first king of Portugall being principally assisted by the helpe of the English Marchants and Almaines ouercame the Moores in the dominion of the king of Barbary putting many thousands of them to the
write that the king of Portugall sendeth him yeerely eight ships laden with marchandize His kingdom confineth with the red Sea and reacheth far into Afrike toward Aegypt and Barbarie Southward it confineth with the Sea toward the Cape de Bona Speranza and on the other side with the sea of sand called Mare de Sabione a very dangerous sea lying between y e great citie of Alcair or Cairo in Aegypt and the country of Aethiopia In the which way are many vnhabitable deserts continuing for the space of fiue dayes iourney And they affirme that if the sayd Christian Emperor were not hindered by those deserts in the which is great lacke of victuals especially of water he would or now haue inuaded the kingdom of Egypt and the citie of Alcair The chiefe city of Ethiopia where this great emperor is resident is called Amacaiz being a faire citie whose inhabitants are of the colour of an Oliue There are also many other cities as the city of Saua vpon the riuer of Nilus where the Emperour is accustomed to remaine in the Sommer season There is likewise a great city named Barbaregaf and Ascon from whence it is said that the Queene of Saba came to Hierusalem to heare the wisedom of Salomon This citie is but litle yet very faire and one of the chiefe cities in Ethiope In this prouince are many exceeding high mountains vpon the which is said to be the earthly paradise and some say that there are the trees of the Sunne and Moone whereof the antiquitie maketh mention yet that none can passe thither by reason of great deserts of an hundred daies iourney Also beyond these mountains is the Cape of Bona Speranza And to haue said thus much of Afrike it may suffice The first voiage to Guinea and Benin IN the yeere of our Lord 1553. the twelfth day of August sailed from Portsmouth two goodly ships the Primerose and the Lion with a pinnas called the Moone being all well furnished aswell with men of the lustiest sort to the number of seuen score as also with ordinance and victuals requisite to such a voiage hauing also two captaines the one a stranger called Anthonie Anes Pinteado a Portugall borne in a towne named The Port of Portugall a wise discreet and sober man who for his running in sailing being as well an expert Pilot as a politike captaine was sometime in great fauour with the king of Portugall and to whom the coasts of Brasile and Guinea were committed to be kept from the Frenchmen to whom he was a terrour on the Sea in those parts and was furthermore a gentleman of the king his masters house But as fortune in maner neuer fauoureth but flattereth neuer promiseth but deceiueth neuer raiseth but casteth downe againe and as great wealth fauour haue alwaies companions emulation and enuie he was after many aduersities quarels made against him inforced to come into England where in this golden voyage he was euil matched with an vnequal companion and vnlike match of most sundry qualities conditions with vertues few or none adorned Thus departed these noble ships vnder saile on their voyage But first captaine Windam putting forth of his ship at Portsmouth a kinsman of one of the head marchants and shewing herein a muster of the tragicall partes hee had conceiued in his braine and with such small beginnings nourished so monstrous a birth that more happy yea and blessed was that yong man being left behind then if he had bene taken with them as some do wish he had done the like by theirs Thus sailed they on their voyage vntill they came to the Iland of Madera where they tooke in certaine wines for the store of their ships and paid for them as they agreed of the price At these Ilands they met with a great Galion of the king of Portugall full of men and ordinance yet such as could not haue preuailed if it had attempted to withstand or resist our ships for the which cause it was set foorth not onely to let and interrupt these our shippes of their purposed voiage but al other that should attempt the like yet chiefly to frustrate our voiage For the king of Portugall was smisterly informed that our ships were armed to his castle of Mina in those parties whereas nothing lesse was ment After that our ships departed from the Iland of Madera forward on their voiage began this worthy captaine Pinteados sorow as a man tormented with the cōpany of a terrible Hydra who hitherto flattred with him made him a faire countenance and shew of loue Then did he take vpō him to command all alone setting nought both by captain Pinteado and the rest of the marchants factors sometimes with opprobrious words and somtimes with threatnings most shamfully abusing them taking from Pinteado the seruice of the boies and certain mariners that were assigned him by the order and direction of the worshipful merchants and leauing him as a commō mariner which is the greatest despite and grief that can be to a Portugale or Spaniard to be diminished of their honor which they esteem aboue all riches Thus sailing forward on their voiage they came to the Ilands of Canarie continuing their course frō thence vntil they arriued at the Iland of S. Nicholas where they victualled thēselues with fresh meat of the flesh of wild goats whereof of is great plenty in that Iland in maner of nothing els From hence folowing on their course and tarying here there at the desert Ilands in the way because they would not come too timely to the countrey of Guinea for the heat and tarying somwhat too long for what can be well ministred in a commō wealth where inequalitie with tyrannie wil rule alone they came at the length to the first land of the country of Guinea where they fel with the great riuer of Sesto where they might for their marchandizes haue laden their ships with the graines of that countrey which is a very hote fruit and much like vnto a fig as it groweth on the tree For as the figs are full of small seeds so is the said fruit full of graines which are loose within the cod hauing in the mids thereof a hole on euery side This kind of spice is much vsed in cold countries may there be sold for great aduantage for exchange of other wares But our men by the perswasion or rather inforcement of this tragicall captaine not regarding and setting light by that commoditie in comparison of y e fine gold they thirsted sailed an hundred leagues further vntil they came to the golden land where not attempting to come neere the castle pertaining to the king of Portugall which was within the riuer of Mina they made sale of their ware only on this side beyond it for the gold of that coūtry to the quantitie of an hundred and fiftie pounds weight
toward the North are the kingdoms of Gambra and Budomel not farre from the riuer of Senega And from hence toward the inland regions and along by the sea coast are the regions of Ginoia or Guinea which we commonly call Ginnee On the Westside of these regions toward the Ocean is the cape or point called Cabo verde or Caput viride that is the greene cape to the which the Portugals first direct their course when they saile to America or the land of Brasile Then departing from hence they turne to the right hand toward the quarter of the winde called Garbino which is betweene the West and the South But to speake some what more of AEthiopia although there are many nations of people so named yet is Aethiopia chiefly diuided into two parts whereof the one is called Aethiopia vnder Aegypt a great rich region To this perteineth the Island Meroe imbraced round about with the stremes of the riuer Nilus In this Island women reigned in old time Iosephus writeth that it was sometime called Sabea and that the Queene of Saba came from thence to Ierusalem to heare the wisedom of Salomon FroÌ„ hence toward the East reigneth the said Christian Emperor Prester Iohn whom some cal Papa Iohannes other say that he is called Pean Iuan that is great Iohn whose Empire reacheth far beyond Nilus and is extended to the coasts of the Red sea Indian sea The middle of the region is almost in 66. degrees of longitude and 12. degrees of latitude About this region inhabite the people called Clodi Risophagi Babylonij Axiunitae Molili and Molibae After these is the region called Troglodytica whose inhabitantsâ— dwel in caues and dennes for these are their houses the flesh of serpents their meat as writeth Plinie and Diodorus Siculus They haue no speachâ— but rather a grinning and chattering There are also people without heads called Blemines hauing their eyes and mouth in their breast Likewise Strucophagi and naked Ganphasantes Satyrs also which haue nothing of men but onely shape Moreouer Oripei great hunters Mennones also and the region of Smyrnophora which bringeth foorth myrthe After these is the region of Azania in the which many Elephants are found A great part of the other regions of Africke that are beyond the Aequinoctiall line are now ascribed to the kingdome of Melinde whose inhabitants are accustomed to trafique with the nations of Arabia and their king is ioyned in friendship with the king of Portugal and payeth tribute to Prester Iohn The other Ethiope called AEthiopia interior that is the inner Ethiope is not yet knowne for the greatnesse thereof but onely by the sea coastes yet is it described in this maner First from the Aequinoctiall toward y e South is a great region of Aethiopians which bringeth forth white Elephants Tygers and the beastes called Rhinocerotes Also a region that bringeth foorth plenty of cynamoâ—e lying betweene the branches of Nilus Also the kingdome of Habech or Habasia a region of Christian men lying both on this side and beyond Nilus Here are also the Aethiopians called Ichthiophagi that is such as liue onely by fish and were sometimes subdued by the warres of great Alexander Furthermore the Aethiopians called Rhapsij Anthropophâ—gi y t are accustomed to eat mans flesh inhabite the regions neere vnto the mountains called Monteâ— Lunae that is the mountaines of the Moone Gazatia is vnder the Tropike of Capricorne After this followeth the front of Afrike the Cape of Buena Speranza or Caput Bonae Spei that is the Cape of good hope by the which they passe that saile from Lisbon to Calicut But by what names the Capes and gulfes are called forasmuch as the same are in euery globe and card it were here superfluous to rehearse them Some write that Africa was so named by the Grecians because it is without colde For the Greeke letter Alpha or A signifieth priuation voyd or without and Phrice signifieth colde For in deed although in the stead of Winter they haue a cloudy and tempestuous season yet is it not colde but rather smoothering hote with hote showres of raine also and somewhere such scorching windes that what by one meanes and other they seeme at certaine times to liue as it were iâ— fornaces and in maner already halfe way in Purgatorie or hell Gemma Phrisius writeth that iâ— certaine parts of Africa as in Atlas the greater the aire in the night season is seene shining with many strange fires and flames rising in maner as high as the Moone and that in the element are sometime heard as it were the sound of pipes trumpets and drummes which noises may perhaps be caused by the vehement and sundry motions of such firie exhalations in the aire as we see the like in many experiences wrought by fire aire and winde The hollownesse also and diuers reflexions and breaking of the cloudes may be great causes hereof beside the vehement colde of the middle region of the aire whereby the said fiery exhalations ascending thither are suddenly stricken backe with great force for euen common and dayly experience teacheth vs by the whissing of a burning torch what noise fire maketh in the aire and much more where it striueth when it is inclosed with aire as appeareth in gunnes and as the like is seene in onely aire inclosed as in Organ pipes and such other instruments that go by winde For winde as say the Philosophers is none other then aire vehemently moued as we see in a paire of bellowes and such other Some of our men of good credit that were in this last voiage to Guinea affirme earnestly that in the night season they felt a sensible heat to come from the beames of the moone The which thing although it be strange and insensible to vs that inhabite cold regions yet doeth it stand with good reason that it may so be forasmuch as the nature of starres and planets as writeth Plinie consisteth of fire and conteineth in it a spirit of life which cannot be without heat And that the Moone giueth heate vpon the earth the Prophet Dauid seemeth to confirme in his 121. Psalme where speaking of such men as are defended from euils by Gods protection hee saith thus Per diem Sol non exuret te nec Luna per noctem That is to say In the day the Sunne shall not burne thee nor the Moone by night They say furthermore that in certaine places of the sea they saw certaine streames of water which they call spouts falling out of the aire into the sea that some of these are as bigge as the great pillars of Churches insomuch that sometimes they fall into shippes and put them in great danger of drowning Some faine that these should be the Cataracts of heauen which were all opened at
for warres although he be but meane may notwithstanding haue yealow hats The Tutans and Chians when they goe abroad haue besides all this before them ledde three or foure horses with their guard in armour Furthermore the Louteas yea and all the people of China are wont to eate their meâ—â—e sitting on stooles at high tables as we doe and that very cleanely although they vse neither table-clothes nor napkins Whatsoeuer is set downe vpon the boord is first carued before that it be brought in they feede with two sticks refraining from touching their meate with their hands euen as we do with forkes for the which respect they lesse do neede any table clothes Ne is the nation only ciuill at meate but also in conuersation and in courtesie they seeme to exceede all other Likewise in their dealings after their maner they are so ready that they farre passe all other Gentiles and Moores the greater states are so vaine that they line their clothes with the best silke that may be found The Louteas are an idle generation without all maner of exercises and pastimes except it be eating and drinking Sometimes they walke abroad in the fields to make the souldiers shoot at pricks with their bowes but their eating passeth they will stand eating euen when the other do draw to shoot The pricke is a great blanket spread on certaine long poles he that striketh it hath of the best man there standing a piece of crimson Taffata the which is knit about his head in this sort the winners be honoured and the Louteas with their bellies full returne home againe The inhabitants of China be very great Idolaters all generally doe worship the heauens and as wee are wont to say God knoweth it so say they at euery word Tien Tautee that is to say The heauens doe know it Some doe worship the Sonne and some the Moone as they thinke good for none are bound more to one then to another In their temples the which they do call Meani they haue a great altar in the same place as we haue true it is that one may goe round about it There set they vp the image of a certaine Loutea of that countrey whom they haue in great reuerence for certaine notable things he did At the right hand standeth the diuel much more vgly painted then we doe vse to set him out whereunto great homage is done by such as come into the temple to aske counsell or to draw lottes this opinion they haue of him that he is malicious and able to do euil If you aske them what they do thinke of the soules departed they will answere that they be immortall and that as soone as any one departeth out of this life he becommeth a diuel if hee haue liued well in this world if otherwise that the same diuel changeth him into a bufle oxe or dogge Wherefore to this diuel they doe much honour to him doe they sacrifice praying him that he will make them like vnto himselfe and not like other beastes They haue moreouer another sort of temples wherein both vpon the altars and also on the walls do stand many idols well proportioned but bareheaded these beare name Omithofon accompted of them spirits but such as in heauen do neither good nor euill thought to be such men and women as haue chastly liued in this world in abstinence from fish and flesh fed onely with rise and salates Of that diuel they make some accompt for these spirits they care litle or nothing at all Againe they holde opinion that if a man do well in this life the heauens will giue him many temporall blessings but if he doe euil then shall he haue infirmities diseases troubles and penurie and all this without any knowledge of God Finally this people knoweth no other thing then to liue and die yet because they be reasonable creatures all seemed good vnto them we speake in our language though it were not very sufficient our maner of praying especially pleased them and truely they are well ynough disposed to receiue the knowledge of the trueth Our Lord grant for his mercy all things so to be disposed that it may sometime be brought to passe that so great a nation as this is perish not for want of helpe Our maner of praying so well liked them that in prison importunately they besought vs to write for them somewhat as coÌ„cerning heauen the which we did to their contentation w t such reasons as we knew howbeit not very cunningly As they do their idolatry they laugh at themselues If at any time this countrey might be ioyned in league with the kingdome of Portugale in such wise that free accesse were had to deale with the people there they might all be soone conuerted The greatest fault we do finde in them is Sodomie a vice very common in the meaner sort and nothing strange amongst the best This sinne were it left of them in all other things so well disposed they be that a good interpreter in a short space might do there great good If as I said the countrey were ioyned in league with vs. Furthermore the Louteas with all the people of China are wont to solemnize the dayes of the new and full Moones in visiting one an other and making great banquets for to that end as I earst said do tend all their pastimes and spending their dayes in pleasure They are wont also to solemnize ech one his birth day whereunto their kindred and friends do resort of custome with presents of iewels or money receiuing againe for their reward good cheare They keepe in like maner a generall feast with great banquets that day their king was borne But their most principall and greatest feast of all and best cheare is the first day of their new yeere namely the first day of the new Moone of February so that their first moneth is March and they reckon the times accordingly respect being had vnto the reigne of their princes as when any deed is written they date it thâ—s Made such a day of such a moone and such a yeere of the reigne of such a king And their ancient writings beare date of the yeeres of this or that king Now will I speake of the maner which the Chineans doe obserue in doing of iusticeâ— that it may be knowen how farre these Gentiles do herein exceed many Christians that be more bounden then they to deale iustly and in trueth Because the Chinish king maketh his abode continually in the City Pachin his kingdome so great the shires so many as to fore it hath bene said in it therefore the gouernours and rulers much like vnto our Shiriffes be appointed so suddenly and speedily discharged againe that they haue no time to grow naught Furthermore to keepe the state in more securitie the Louteas that gouerne one shire are chosen out of some other shire distant farre off where they must leaue their wiues children and goods carying nothing
as yet her haire tied vp after the Pegues fashion this woman and other mo with whom a black Moore damsel in our company had conference and did vnderstand them wel ynough had dwelt in Pegu. This new come woman imagining that we ment to make our abode in that citie bid vs to be of good comfort for that her countrey was not distant from thence aboue fiue dayes iourney and that out of her countâ—ey there lay a high way for vs home into our owne Being asked the way she answered that the first three daies the way lieth ouer certaine great mountaines wildernesse afterward people are met withall againe Thence two dayes iourney more to the Brames countrey Wherefore I doe conclude that Chenchi is one of the confines of this kingdome separated by certaine huge mountaines as it hath bene alreadie said that lie out towards the South In the residue of these mountaines standeth the prouince of Sian the Laoyns countrey Camboia Campaa and Cochinchina This citie chiefe of other sixteene is situated in a pleasant plaine abounding in all things necessarie sea-fish onely excepted for it standeth farre from the sea of fresh fish so much store that the market places are neuer emptie The walles of this citie are very strong and high one day did I see the Louteas thereof go vpon the walles to take the view thereof borne in their seates which I spake of before accompanied with a troupe of horsemen that went two and two It was tolde me they might haue gone three three We haue seene moreouer that within this aforesayde Citie the king hath moe then a thousande of his kinne lodged in great pallaces in diuerse partes of the Citie their gates be redde and the entrie into their houses that they may be knowen for that is the kings colour These Gentlemen according to their neerenesse in blood vnto the king as soone as they be married receiue their place in honour this place neither increaseth nor diminisheth in any respect as long as the king liueth the king appointeth them their wiues and familie allowing them by the moneth all things necessarie abundantly as he doth to his gouernours of shires and Cities howbeit not one of these hath as long as he liueth any charge or gouernement at all They giue themselues to eating and drinking and be for the most part burly men of bodie insomuch that espying any one of them whom we had not seene before we might knowe him to be the King his cosin They be neuerthelesse very pleasant courteous and faire conditioned neither did we find all the time wee were in that citie so much honour and good intertainement any where as at their hands They bid vs to their houses to eate and drinke and when they found vs not or we were not willing to go with them they bid our seruants and slaues causing them to sit downe with the first Notwithstanding the good lodging these Gentlemen haue so commodious that they want nothing yet are they in this bondage that during life they neuer goe abroad The cause as I did vnderstand wherefore the king so vseth his cosins is that none of them at any time may rebell against him and thus he shutteth them vp in three or foure other cities Most of them can play on the Lute and to make that kinde of pastime peculiar vnto them onely all other in the cities where they doe liue be forbidden that instrument the Curtisans and blinde folke onely excepted who be musicians and can play This king furthermore for the greater securitie of his Realme and the auoyding of tumults letteth not one in all his countrey to be called Lord except he be of his blood Manie great estates and gouernours there be that during their office are lodged Lordlike and doe beare the port of mightie Princes but they be so many times displaced and other placed a new that they haue not the time to become corrupt True it is that during their office they be well prouided for as afterward also lodged at the kings charges and in pension as long as they liue payed them monethly in the cities where they dwell by certaine officers appointed for that purpose The king then is a Lord onely not one besides him as you haue seene except it be such as be of his blood A Nephew likewise of the king the kings sisters sonne lyeth continually within the walles of the citie in a strong pallace built Castle wise euen as his other cousins do remayning alwayes within doores serued by Cunuches neuer dealing with any matters On their festiuall dayes new moones full moones the magistrates make great bankets and so do such as be of the king his blood The kings Nephew hath to name Vanfuli his pallace is walled about the wall is not high but foure-square and in circuit nothing inferiour to the wals of Goa the outside is painted red in euery square a gate and ouer each gate a tower made of timber excellently well wrought before the principall gate of the foure that openeth into the high streete no Loutea be he neuer so great may passe on horsebacke or carried in his seat Amidst this quadrangle standeth the pallace where that Nobleman lyeth doubtlesse worth the sight although we came not in to see it By report the roofes of the towers and house are glased greene the greater part of the quadrangle set with sauage trees as Okes Chestnuts Cypresse Pine-apples Cedars and other such like that we do want after the manner of a wood wherein are kept Stags Oren and other beasts for that Lord his recreation neuer going abroad as I haue sayd One preheminence this citie hath aboue the rest where we haue bene that of right as we do thinke that besides the multitude of market places wherein all things are to be sold through euery â—â—reeâ—e continually are cryed all things necessary as flesh of all sortes freshfish hearbes oyle vineger meate rise in summa all things so plentifully that many houses neede no seruants euery thing being brought â—o their doores Most part of the marchants remaine in the surburbes for that the cities are shut vp euery night as I haue sayd The marchants therefore the better to attend their businesse do chuse rather to make their abode without in the suburbes then within the citie I haue seene in this riuer a pretie kinde of fishing not to be omitted in my opinion and therefore I will set it downe The king hath in many riuers good store of barges full of sea-crowes that breede are fedde and doe die therein in certaine cages allowed monethly a certaine prouision of rise These barges the king bestoweth vpon his greatest magistrates giuing to some two to some three of them as he thinketh good to â—ish therewithall after this manner At the houre appointed to fish all the barges are brought together in a circle where the riuer is shalow and the crowes tyed together vnder
of the first degree euery third yere haue recourse and in one publike house or place of assembly doe the second time make an oration of another sentence obscurer then the former and doe vndergo a more seuere examination Now there is commonly such an huge multitude of people that this last yere in the foresayd famous city of Cantam by reason of the incredible assembly of persons flocking to that publike act or commencement at the first entrance of the doores there were many troden vnder foot and quelled to death as we haue bene most certainly informed Moreouer they that sue for the highest degree are subiect vnto a most seuere and exact censure whereby they are to be examined at the Kings Court onely and that also euery third yere next insuing the sayd yere wherein graduates of the second degree are elected in ech prouince and a certaine number being prescribed vnto euery particular prouince they do ascend vnto that highest pitch of dignity which is in so great regard with the king himselfe that the three principall graduates do for honours sake drinke off a cup filled euen with the Kings owne hand and are graced with other solemnities Out of this order the chiefe magistrates are chosen for after that they haue attained vnto this third degree being a while trained vp in the lawes of the realme and in the precepts of vrbanity they are admitted vnto diuers functions Neither are we to thinke that the Chinians be altogether destitute of other artes For as touching morall philosophy all those books are fraught with the precepts thereof which for their instructions sake are alwayes conuersant in the hands of the foresayd students wherein such graue and pithy sentences are set downe that in men void of the light of the Gospell more can not be desired They haue books also that intreat of things and causes naturall but herein it is to be supposed that aswell their books as ours do abound with errors There be other books among them that discourse of herbs and medicines and others of chiualry and martiall affaires Neither can I here omit that certaine men of China albeit they be but few and rare to be found are excellent in the knowledge of astronomy by which knowledge of theirs the dayes of the new moone incident to euery moneth are truely disposed and digested and are committed to writing and published besides they doe most infallibly foretell the eclipses of the Sun and Moone and whatsoeuer knowledge in this arte we of Iapon haue it is deriued from them Leo. We doe freely confesse that Michael sithens our books intreating of the same arte are a great part of them written in the characters or letters of China But now instruct you vs as touching their maner of gouernment wherein the Chinians are sayd greatly to excell Michael That that in very deed is their chiefe arte and vnto that all their learning and exercise of letters is directed Whereas therefore in the kingdome of China one onely king beares rule ouer so many prouinces it is strange what a number of Magistrates are by him created to administer publique affaires For to omit them which in ech Towne and City haue iurisdiction ouer the townesmen and citizens there are three principall Magistrates in euery prouince The first is he that hath to deale in cases criminall and is called Ganchasu the second is the Kings Fosterer and is called Puchinsu the third is the Lieu-tenant generall for the warres named as we sayd before Chumpin These three therefore haue their place of residence in the chiefe City of the prouince and the two former haue certaine associates of their owne order but of inferiour authority appointed in diuers Cities and Townes vnto whom according to the variety of causes the Gouernours of Townes and the Maiors of Cities doe appeale Howbeit the three forenamed Magistrates are in subiection vnto the Tuâ—an that is the Uice-roy ordained in ech prouince And all these Magistrates beare office for the space of three yeeres together yet so that for the gouerning of ech prouince not any of the same prouince but strangers that is men of another prouince are selected whereof it commeth to passe that the Iudges may giue sentence with a farre more entire and incorrupt minde then if they were among tâ—eir owne kinsefolke and allies Ouer and besides all these there is an annuall or yeerely Magistrate which is called Chaien whose duety it is to make inquisition of all crimes and especially the crimes of Magistrates and also to punish common offences but concerning the faults of the great magistrates to admonish the king himselfe Of this order euery yere are sent out of the Kings Court for ech prouince one and going ouer all the Cities and Townes thereof they do most diligently ransacke and serch out all crimes and vpon them which are imprisoned they inflict due punishment or being found not guilty they dismisse them vnpunished Hence it is that all Magistrates greatly fearing to be called in question by the Chaien arâ— well kept within the limits of their callings Besides all these Magistrates there is at either Court namely in the North and in the South a Senate or honourable assembly of graue counsellours vnto the which out of all prouinces according to the neerenesse and distance of the place affaires of greater weight and moment are referred and by their authority diuers Magistrates are created howbeit the managing and expedition of principall affaires is committed vnto the Senate of Paquin Moreouer there are euery yeere certaine Magistrates appointed in ech prouince to goe vnto the king and euery third yeere all the Gouernours of Cities and of Townes do visit him at once what time triall is made of them that aspire vnto the third degree vpon which occasion there is at the same time an incredible number of people at the Kings Court. By reason of this excellent order and harmony of Magistrates placed one vnder another it can scarse be imagined what sweet peace and tranquility flourisheth thorowout the whole realme especially sithens after speedy inquisition persons that are guilty be put as the maner is there to the punishment of the bastonado neither yet are suits or actions any long time delayed Also it is not to be omitted that for the obtaining of any dignity or magistracy the way is open without all respect of gentry or blood vnto all men if they be learned and especially if they haue attained vnto the third and highest degree aforesayd Neither can it be expressed how obedient and duetifull the common sort are vnto their Magistrates and with what magnificence and pompe the sayd Magistrates come abroad for the most part of them haue fiftie or threescore Sergeants attending vpon them and going before them two and two in a ranke some of them carrying Halberds Maces and Battle-axes some trailing yron chaines vpon the ground others holding great roddes or staues of
not faile but accomplish that which I haue vndertaken and according to your request adde somewhat more concerning religion Whereas therefore the kingdome of China hath hitherto bene destitute of true religion and now the first beginnings thereof are included in most narrow bounds that nation being otherwise a people most ingenious and of an extraordinary and high capacity hath alwayes liued in great errours and ignorance of the trueth being distracted into sundry opinions and following manifolde sects And among these sects there are three more famous then the rest the first is of them that professe the doctrine of one Confucius a notable philosopher This man as it is reported in the history of his life was one of most vpright and incorrupt maners whereof he wrote sundry treatises very pithily and largely which aboue all other books are seriously read and perused by the Chinians The same doctrine do all Magistrates embrace and others also that giue their mindes to the study of letters a great part whereof Confucius is sayd to haue inuented and he is had in so great honour that all his followers and clients vpon the dayes of the new and full Moone doe assemble themselues at the common Schoole which I haue aboue mentioned and before his image which is worshipped with burning of incense and with tapers they doe thrise bend their knees and bow their heads downe to the ground which not onely the common scholars but the chiefe Magistrates do performe The summe of the foresayd doctrine is that men should follow the light of nature as their guide and that they should diligently endeuour to attaine vnto the vertues by me before mentioned and lastly that they should employ their labour about the orderly gouernment of their families and of the Common-wealth All these things are in very deed praise-woorthy if Confucius had made any mention of almighty God and of the life to come and had not ascribed so much vnto the heauens and vnto fatall necessity nor yet had so curiously intreated of worshipping the images of their forefathers In which regard he can very hardly or not at all be excused from the crime of idolatry notwithstanding it is to be granted that none other doctrine among the Chinians approcheth so neere vnto the trueth as this doeth The second sect is of them which follow the instructions of Xaquam or as the Chinians call him Xequiam whose opinions because they are well knowen amongst vs it were bootlesse for me to repeat especially sithens in the Catechisme composed by our graue visitour they are notably refuted This doctrine doe all they embrace which are in China called Cen but with vs at Iapon are named Bonzi For this I doe briefly and by the way giue you to vnderstand that all words of the Chinians language are of one sillable onely so that if there be any word that consisteth of more sillables then one it consisteth also of more wordes then one These sectaries called Cen doe shaue their beards and their heads and doe for the most part together with diuers of their associates inhabit the Temples of Xaquam or of others which in regard of the same profession haue in their Kalenders beene canonized for Saints and doe rehearse certaine prayers after their maner either vpon books or beads vsing other ceremonies after the maner of our Bonzi These men haue some inckling of the life to come and of the rewardes of good men and the punishments of the wicked howbeit all their assertions are fraught with errours The third sect is of them which are called Taâ—zu and those doe imitate a certaine other man to be adored as they thinke for his holinesse These also are Priests after their kinde howbeit they let their haire grow and doe in other obseruations differ from the former Nowe because the sect of Confucius is the most famous of all the three and the two other sects called Cen and Taâ—zu are not much addicted vnto learning their religion preuailing onely among the common sort the Priests of both the sayd sects doe leade a most base and seruile life amongst the Chinians insomuch that they kneele downe before the Magistrates and are not permitted to sit beside them and sometimes if the Magistrate please are abased vnto the punishment of the bastonado whereas in our Iles of Iapon it is farre otherwise Priest euen of false religion being had in so great honour among vs. Leo. I heard also Michael that the Saraceni superstition takes place in China now whether it doth or no you can resolue vs. Michael That forren superstition was brought into China what time the Tartars inuaded the kingdome and vsurped the gouernment thereof All the Saracens therefore in China are originally descended of the Tartars who because they were an infinite number could not vtterly be expelled and rooted out of the kingdome but remaining still there haue propagated their posterity though not their religion These therefore are souldiers for the greater part of them and sometimes doe obtaine martiall dignities and except a few ceremonies of their superstition which is nowe become stale and almost worne out they doe liue altogether after the Chinians fashion their predecessours being brought into the same kingdome about foure hundred yeeres agoe Linus Now Michael let vs heare you say somewhat of the Christan religion which as we hope hath set most happy footing in that kingdome Michael I could say much concerning those most wished and acceptable beginnings were they not already published in Iapon by the letters of the fathers howbeit I will make a briefe rehearsall of all things that I may not seeme altogether to haue abandoned this labour You know that from the time wherein the fathers of the society arriued in our Ilands to the end they might augment Christian religion they were in like sort most carefull how they might insinuate themselues into the innermost parts of the kingdome of China In the middest of this endeuour and trauell Francis Xauier a most deuout man of the foresayd society departed out of this present life at the I le of Sancian which some call Sangiam leauing an example vnto the rest of his associates how they should likewise doe their bâ—st to plant the religion of Christ in that nationâ— This man was seconded by others who vsed all meanes and left no practise vnattempted that they might bring these good beginnings vnto a prosperous issue howbeit they were greatly hindered by reason of an ancient custome in China in regard whereof they doe not without great difficulty and circumspection admit any strangers into their dominions except those which hauing a long time executed the office of ambassadours doe ordinarily euery third yeere present themselues before the king in the admission of whom likewise there is maruellous care vsed that they may not easily espie and become acquainted with the affaires of the Realme Heereunto may be added that the Chinians are great
about 5 leagues to the Southward we sawe a great day here we had 4 degrees and 27 minuts The 16 we met with a French ship of Hunfleur who robbed our pinnesse we sent a letter by him and this night we saw another spot in the Sunne at his going downe And towards euening we were thwart of a riuer and right ouer the riuer was a high tuft of trees The 17 we ankered in the riuers mouth and then we found the land to be Cauo de las Palmas and betweene vs the cape was a great ledge of rockes one league and a halfe into the sea and they bare to the West of the Cape we saw also an Island off the point of the foreland thus it waâ—ed night that we could perceiue no more of the lande but onely that it trended in like a bay where there runneth a streame as if it were in the riuer of Thames and this was the change day of the Moone The 19 a faire temperate day and the wind South we went East and the lande a sterne of vs West and it shewed low by the water side like Islands this was the east of Cauo de las Palmas and it trended in with a great sound and we went East all night and in the morning wee were but 3 or 4 leagues from the shore The 20 we were thwart of a riuer called Rio de los Barbos The 21 we went along the shore East 3 or 4 leagues to the West of Cauo de tres puntas I find the bay to be set deeper then it is by 4 leagues and at 4 of the clocke the land begun to shewe high and the first part of it full of Palme trees The 24 still going by the shore the land was very low and full of trees by the water side and at 12 of the clocke we ankered thwart of the riuer called Rio de Boilas Here we sent our boate a shore with the marchants but they durst not put into the riuer because of a great billow that continually brake at the enterance vpon the barre The 28 we sailed alongst the shore and ankered at night in seuen fadom because a great current would haue put vs backe which came from the East Southeast from Papuas The 29 at noone we were thwart of Arda and there we tooke a Carauel but the men were fled on land then we went aboord her but she had nothing in her but only a litle oyle of Palme trees and a few roots The next morning our Captaine and marchants went to meete Portugals that came in a boate to speake with vs where they communed about the buying of the Carauell of our men againe and the Portugals promised that we should haue for the Carauell certaine bullocks and Elephants teeth and they gaue vs one tooth and one bullocke presently and sayd they would bring vs the rest the next day The first of Ianuarie our Captaine went on land to speake with the Portugales but when he saw they did dissemble he came aboord againe and presently we vnrigged the Carauell and set her on fire before the towne Then we set saile and went along the coast where we saw a Date tree the like whereof is not in all that coast vpon the water side also we fell on ground a litle in one place Thus we went to Villa longa and there ankered The third we were as far shot as Rio de Lagoa where our marchants went a shore and vpon the barre they found 3 fadom flat but they went not in because it was late There is also to the Eastward of this riuer a Date tree higher then all the rest of the other trees thereabout Thus we went along the coast and euery night ankered al the shore as we went was full of trees and thicke woods The 6 day in the morning it was very foggy so that we could not see the land and at three of the clocke in the afternoone it cleared vp then we found our selues thwart of the riuer of Iaya and when we found the shallow water we bare into the sea South as we did the voyage before and came to an ancre in fiue fadom water The next day we set saile againe and towards noone we were thwart of the riuer of Benin in foure fadom water The 10 day our Captaine went on land with the shallop at 2 a clocke in the afternoone All this weeke it was very foggy euery day vntill ten a clocke and all this time hitherto hath beene as temperate as our summer in England This day we went into the road and ankered the west point of the road bare East northeast off vs we riding in foure fadome water The 21 a faire temperate day this day M. Hassald went to the towne of Goto to heare newes of the Captaine The 23 came the Carauell and Samuell in her and she brought 63 Elephants teeth and three bullocks The 28 a faire temperate day and towards night there fell much raine lightning and thunder this day our boate came aboord from Goto The 24 of Februarie we tooke in 298 Cerons or sackes of pepper and 4 Elephants teeth and the winde was at Southeast And the 26 we put the rest of our goods into the Carauell and M. Hassald went with her to Goto The 5 of March y e Carauel came againe brought 21 Cerons of pepper 4 Elephants teeth The 9 of Aprill our Carauell came aboord with water for our prouision for the sea and this day also we lost our shallope The 17 a drowsie rainie day and in the afternoone we saw 3 great spoutes of raine two on our larbord side and one right with the ships head but God be thanked they came not at vs and this day we tooke in the last of our water for the sea and the 26 we victualed our Carauell to go with vs to the sea The 27 we set saile to goe homewarde with the winde at Southwest and at two a clocke in the afternoone the riuer of Benin was Northeast 8 leagues from vs. The 3 of May we had such a terrible gust with raine lightning thunder that it tore and split our fore saile and also the Carauels fore-sayle and maine-sayle with the wind at Southeast The 12 a faire temperate day much like our â—ommer mornings in England being but one degree a halfe from the line but at midnight we had a cruell gust of raine the wind at northeast The 24 we were South from from Cauo de las Palmas â—7 leagues The first of Iuly we had sight of the Island of Braua and it bare East 7 leagues off and this Island is one of the Islands of Cauo Verde The 13 of August we spake with the Queenees ships the Lord Thomas Howard being Admirall and sir Richard Greeneuill Uiceadmirall They kept vs in their company vntill the 15
to haue dominion and vse thereof Therefore we need no longer to doubt of the temperate and commodious habitation vnder the poles during the time of Summer But all the controuersie consisteth in the Winter for then the Sunne leaueth those regions and is â—o more seene for the space of other sixe moneths in the which time all the Sunnes course is vnder their horizon for the space of halfe a yere and then those regions say some must needs be deformed with horrible darknesse and continuall night which may be the cause that beasts can not seeke their food and that also the colde should then be intollerable By which double euils all liuing creatures should be constrained to die and were not able to indure the extremity and iniury of Winter and famine insuing thereof but that all things should perish before the Summer following when they should bring foorth their brood and yoong and that for these causes the sayd Clime about the pole should be desolate and not habitable To all which obiections may be answered in this maner First that though the Sunne be absent from them those six moneths yet it followeth not that there should be such extreme darknesse for as the Sunne is departed vnder their horizon so is it not farre from them and not so soone as the Sunne falleth so suddenly commeth the darke night but the euening doth substitute and prolong the day a good while after by twilight After which time the residue of the night receiueth light of the Moone and Starres vntill the breake of the day which giueth also a certaine light before the Sunnes rising so that by these meanes the nights are seldome darke which is verified in all parts of the world but least in the middle zone vnder the Equinoctiall where the twilights are short and the nights darker then in any other place because the Sunne goeth vnder their horizon so deepe euen to their antipodesâ— We see in England in the Summer nights when the Sunne goeth not farre vnder the horizon that by the light of the Moone Starres we may trauell all night and if occasion were do some other labour also And there is no man that doubteth whether our cattell can see to feed in the nights seeing we are so well certified therof by our experience and by reason of the sphere our nights should be darker then any time vnder the poles The Astronomers consent that the Sunne descending from our vpper hemisphere at the 18 parallel vnder the horizon maketh an end of twilight so that at length the darke night insueth and that afterward in the morning the Sun approching againe within as many parallels doth driue away the night by accesse of the twilight Againe by the position of the sphere vnder the pole the horizon and the equinoctiall are all one These reuolutions therefore that are parallel to the equinoctiall are also parallel to the horizon so that the Sunne descending vnder that horizon and there describing certaine parallels not farre distant doth not bring darke nights to those regions vntill it come to the parallels distant 18 degrees from the equinoctiall that is about the 21 degree of Scorpio which will be about the 4 day of our Nouember and after the Winter solstitium the Sunne returning backe againe to the 9 degree of Aquarius which will be about the 19 of Ianuary during which time onely that is from the 4 day of Nouember vntill the 19 day of Ianuary which is about six weeks space those regions do want the commodity of twilights therefore during the time of these sayd six moneths of darknesse vnder the poles the night is destitute of the benefit of the Sunne and the sayd twilights onely for the space of six weeks or thereabout And yet neither this time of six weeks is without remedy from heauen for the Moone with her increased light hath accesse at that time and illuminateth the moneâ—hs lacking light euery one of themselues seuerally halfe the course of that moneth by whose benefit it commeth to passe that the night named extreame darke possesseth those regions no longer then one moneth neither that continually or all at one time but this also diuided into two sorts of shorter nights of the which either of them indureth for the space of 15 dayes and are illuminate of the Moone accordingly And this reason is gathered out of the sphere whereby we may testifie that the Summers are warme and fruitfull and the Winters nights vnder the pole are tolerable to liuing creatures And if it be so that the Winter and time of darknesse there be very colde yet hath not nature left them vnprouided therefore for there the beasts are couered with haire so much the thicker in how much the vehemency of colde is greater by reason whereof the best and richest furres are brought out of the coldest regions Also the fowles of these colde countreys haue thicker skinnes thicker feathers and more stored of downe then in other hot places Our English men that trauell to S. Nicholas and go a fishing to Wardhouse enter farre within the circle Arctike and so are in the frozen zone and yet there as well as in Island and all along those Northerne Seas they finde the greatest store of the greatest fishes that are as Whales c. and also abundance of meane fishes as Herrings Cods Haddocks Brets c. which argueth that the sea as well as the land may be and is well frequented and inhabited in the colde countreys But some perhaps will maruell there should be such temperate places in the regions about the poles when at vnder 62 degrees in latitude our captaine Frobisher his company were troubled with so many and so great mountaines of fleeting ice with so great stormes of colde with such continuall snow on tops of mountaines and with such barren soile there being neither wood nor trees but low shrubs and such like To all which obiections may be answered thus First those infinite Islands of ice were ingendred and congealed in time of Winter and now by the great heat of Summer were thawed and then by ebs flouds winds and currents were driuen to and fro and troubled the fleet so that this is an argument to proue the heat in Summer there to be great that was able to thaw so monstrous mountaines of ice As for continuall snow on tops of mountaines it is there no otherwise then is in the hotest part of the middle zone where also lieth great snow all the Summer long vpon tops of mountaines because there is not sufficient space for the Sunnes reflection whereby the snow should be molten Touching the colde stormy winds and the barrennesse of the country it is there as it is in Cornwall and Deuonshire in England which parts though we know to be fruitfull and fertile yet on the North side thereof all alongst the coast within seuen or eight miles off the sea there can neither hedge nor tree grow
with a rocke of yce that she sunke downe therewith in the sight of the whole fleete Howbeit hauing signified her danger by shooting off a peece of great Ordinance new succour of other ships came so readily vnto them that the men were all saued with boats Within this ship that was drowned there was parcell of our house which was to bee erectedfor them that should stay all the winter in Meta Incognita This was a more fearefull speâ—tacle for the Fleâ—te to beholde for that the outragious storme which presently followed threatned them the like fortune and danger For the Fleete being thus compassed as aforesayd on euery side with yceâ— hauing left much behinde them thorow which they passed and finding more before them thorow which it was not possible to passe there arose a sudden terrible tempest at the Southeast which blowing from the maine sea directly vpon the place of the Streites brought together all the yce a sea-boorde of vs vpon our backes and thereby debard vs of turning backe to recouer sea-roome againe so that being thus compassed with danger on euery side sundry men with sundry deuises sought the best way to saue themselues Some of the ships where they could find a place more cleare of yce and get a little birth of sea roome did take in their sayles and there lay a drift Other some fastened mored Anker vpon a great Island of yce and roade vnder the Lee therof supposing to be better guarded thereby from the outragious winds and the danger of the lesser fleeting yce And againe some were so fast shut vp and compassed in amongst an infinite number of great countreys and Islands of yce that they were faine to submit themselues and their ships to the mercy of the vnmercifull yce and strengthened the sides of their ships with iunckes of cables beds Maâ—tes plankes and such like which being hanged ouer boord on the sides of their ships might the better defend them from the outragiâ—â—s sway and strokes of the said yce But as in greatest distresse men of best valour are best to bee discerned so it is greatly worthy commendation and noting with what inuincible minde euery Captaine encouraged his company and with what incredible labour the painefull Mariners and poore Miners vnacquainted with such extremities to the euerlasting renowne of our nation did ouercome the brunt of these so great and extreme dangers for some euen without boord vpon the yce and some within boord vpon the sides of their ships hauing poles pikes pieces of timber and Ores in their handes stoode almost day and night without any rest bearing off the force and breaking the sway of the yce with such incredible paine and perill that it was wonderfull to beholde which otherwise no doubt had striken quite through and through the sides of their ships notwithstanding our former prouision for plankes of timber of more then three inches thicke and other things of greater force and bignesse by the surging of the sea and billowe with the yce were shiuered and cut in sunder at the sides of our ships so that it will seeme more then credible to be reported of And yet that which is more it iâ— faithfully and plainely to bee prooued and that by many substantiall witnesses that our ships euen those of greatest burdens with the meeting of contrary waues of the sea were heaued vp betweene Islands of yce a foote welneere out of the sea aboue their watermarke hauing their knees and timbers within boord both bowed and broken therewith And amidst these extremes whilest some laboured for defence of the ships and sought to saue their bodies other some of more milder spirit sought to saue the soule by deuout prayer and meditation to the Almightie thinking indeede by no other meanes possible then by a diuine Miracle to haue their deliuerance so that there was none that were either idle or not well occupied and he that helde himselfe in best securitie had God knoweth but onely bare hope remayning for his best safetie Thus all the gallant Fleete and miserable men without hope of euer getting foorth againe distressed with these extremities remayned here all the whole night and part of the next day excepting foure ships that is the Anne Francis the Moone the Francis of Foy and the Gabriell which being somewhat a Seaboord of the Fleete and being fast ships by a winde hauing a more scope of cleare tryed it out all the time of the storme vnder sayle being hardly able to beare a toast of each And albeit by reason of the fleeting yce which were dispersed here almost the whole sea ouer they were brought many times to the extreamest point of perill mountaines of yce tenne thousand times scaping them scarce one yuch which to haue striken had bene their present destruction considering the swift course and way of the ships and the vnwieldinesse of them to sâ—ay and turne as a man would wish yet they esteemed it their better safetie with such perill to seeke Sea-roome than without hope of euer getting libertie to lie striuing against the streame and beating amongst the Isle mountaines whose hugenesse and moâ—strous greatnesse was such that no man would credite but such as to their paines sawe and felt it And these foure shippes by the next day at noone got out to Sea and were first cleare of the yce who now enioying their owne libertie beganne a nâ—w to sorrow and feare for their fellowes safeties And deuoutly kneeling about their maine Mast they gaue vnto God humble thankes not only for themselues but besoâ—ght him likewise highly for their friendes deliuerance And euen now whilest amiddest these extremities this gallant Fleete and valiant men were altogither ouerlaboured and forewatched with the long and fearefull continuance of the foresayd dangers it pleased God with his eyes of mercie to looke downe from heauen to sende them helpe in good time giuing them the next day a more fauourable winde at the West-Northwest which did not onely disperse and driue foorth the yce before them but also gaue them libertie of more scope and Sea-roome and they were by night of the same day following perceiued of the other foure shippes where to their greatest comfort they enioyed againe the fellowship one of another Some in mending the sides of their ships some in setting vp their top Mastes and mending their sayles and tacklings Againe some complayning of their false Stemme borne away some in stopping their leakes some in recounting their dangers past spent no small time labour So that I dare well â—â—ouch there were neuer men more dangerously distressed nor more mercifully by Gods prouidence deliuered And hereof both the torne ships and the forwearied bodies of the men arriued doe beare most euident marke and witnesse And now the whole Fleete plyed off to Seaward resoluing there to abide vntill the Sunne might consume or the force of winde disperse these yce from the place of their passage and being a good birth off
will and pleasure and as by his wisedome he had ordeined to be best Yet because the effect fell out so suddenly and shortly after according to their desires they thought neuerthelesse it came to passe by our meanes that we in vsing such speeches vnto them did but dissemble the matter and therefore came vnto vs to giue vs thankes in their maner that although we satisfied them not in promise yet in deedes and effect we had fulfilled their desires This marueilous accident in all the Countrey wrought so strange opinions of vs that some people could not tell whether to thinke vs gods or men and the rather because that all the space of their sicknes there was no man of ours knowen to die or that was specially sicke they noted also that we had no women amongst vs neither that we did care for any of theirs Some therefore were of opinion that we were not borne of women and therefore not mortal but that we were men of an old generation many yeeres past then risen againe to immortalitiâ— Some would likewise seeme to prophecie that there were more of our generation yet to come to kill theirs and take their places as some thought the purpose was by that which was already done Those that were immediatly to come after vs they imagined to be in the aire yet inuisible and without bodies and that they by our intreatie and for the loue of vs did make the people to die in that sort as they did by shooting inuisible bullets into them To confirme this opinion their Phisitions to excuse their ignorance in curing the disease would not be ashamed to say but earnestly make the simple people beleeue that the strings of blood that they sucked out of the sicke bodies were the strings wherewithall the inuisible bullets were â—ied and cast Some also thought that wee shot them our selues out of our pieces from the place where wee dwelt and killed the people in any Towne that had offended vs as wee listed howe farre distant from vs soeuer it were And other some said that it was the speciall worke of God for our sakes as we our selues haue cause in some sort to thinke no lesse whatsoeuer some doe or may imagine to the contrary specially some Astrologers knowing of the Eclipse of the Sunne which we saw the same yeere before in our voyage thitherward which vnto them appearâ—d very terrible And also of a Comet which began to appeare but a fewe dayes before the â—eginning of the saide sicknesse But to exclude them from being the speciall causes of so speciall an accident there are further reasons then I thinke fit at this present to be alleadged These their opinions I haue set downe the more at large that it may appeare vnto you that there is good hope they may be brought through discreete dealing and gouernment to the imbracing of the trueth and consequently to honour obey feare and loue vs. And although some of our company towards the end of the yeere shewed themselues too fierce in slaying some of the people in some Townes vpon causes that on our part miâ—â—t eâ—sily ynough haue bene borne withall yet not withstanding because it was on their part iustly deserued the alteration of their opinions generally and for the most part conâ—erning vs is the lesse to be doubted And whatsoeuer els they may be by carefulnesse of our selues neede nothing at all to be feared The best neuerthelesse in this as in all actions besides is to be endeuoured and hoped and of the worst that may happen notice to be taken with consideration and as much as may be eschewed The conclusion NOw I haue as I hope made relation not of so few and small things but that the Countrey of men that are indifferent and well disposed may bee sufficiently liked If there were no more knowen then I haue mentioned which doubtlesse and in great reason is nothing to that which remaineth to be discouered neiâ—her the soyle nor commodities As we haue reason so to gather by the difference we found in our trauaâ—les for although al which I haue before spoken of haue bâ—ne discouered and experimented not farre from the Sea coast where was our abode and most of our trauailing yet sometimes as we made our iourneys further into the maine and Counâ—rey we found the soile to be fatter the trees greâ—ter and to grow thinner the ground more firme and deeper mould more and larger champions finer grasse and as good as euer we saw any in England in some places rockie and farre more high and hilly ground more plentie of their fruites more abundance of beastes the more inhabited with people and of greater pollicie and larger dominions with greater townes and houses Why may wee not then looke for in good hope from the inner parts of more and greater plentie as well of otheâ— things as of those which wee haue already discouered Unto the Spaniards happened the like in discoâ—ering the maine of the West Indies The maine also of this Countrey of Virginia extending sâ—me wayes so many hundreds of leagues as otherwise then by the relation of the inhabiâ—ants wee haue most certaine knowledge of where yet no Christian prince hath any possession or dealing â—annot but yeelde many kinds of excellent commodities which we in our discouery haue not yet seene What hope there is els to bee gathered of the nature of the Climate being answerable to the Iland of Iapan the land of China Persia Iury the Ilands of Cyprus and Candy the South parts of Greece Italy and Spaine and of many other notable and famous Countreys because I meane not to be tedious I leaue to your owne consideration Whereby also the excellent temperature of the aire there at all seasons much warmer then in England and neuer so vehemently hot as sometimes is vnder and betweene the Tropikes or neere them cannot be knowen vnto you without further relation For the holsomnesse thereof I neede to say but thus much that for all the want of prouision as first of English victuall excepting for twentie dayes we liued onely by drinking water and by the victuall of the Countrey of which some sorts were very strange vnto vs and might haue bene thought to haue altered our temperatures in such sort as to haue brought vs into some grieuous and dangerous diseases Secondly the want of English meanes for the taking of beastes fish and foule which by the helpe onely of the inhabitants and their meanes could not bee so suddenly and easily prouided for vs nor in so great number and quantities nor of that choise as otherwise mighâ— haue bene to our better satisfaction and contentment Some want also we had of clothes Furthermore in al our trauailes which were most specially and often in the time of Winter our lodging was in the open aire vpon the ground And yet I say for all this there were but foure of our whole company being one hundreth and eight that died all the yeere
to the Sunne ascribing vnto him the honour of the victory They haue no knowledge of God nor of any religion sauing of that which they see as the Sunne and the Moone They haue their Priests to whom they giue great credit because they are great magicians great soothsayers and callers vpon diuels These Priests serue them in stead of Physitions and Chirurgions They carry alwayes about them a bag full of herbes and drugs to cure the sicke diseased which for the most part are sick of the pocks for they loue women maidens exceedingly which they call the daughters of the Sunne and some of them are Sodemites They marry and euery one hath his wife and it is lawfull for the King to haue two or three yet none but the first is honoured and acknowledged for Queene and none but the children of the first wife inherite the goods and authoritie of the father The women doe all the businesse at home They keepe not house with them after they know they be with child And they eate not of that which they touch as long as they haue their flowers There are in all this Countrey many Hermaphrodites which take all the greatest paine and beare the victuals when they goe to warre They paint their faces much and sticke their haire full of feathers or downe that they may seeme more terrible The victuals which they carry with them are of bread of hony and of meale made of Maiz parched in the fire which they keepe without being marred a long while They carry also sometimes fish which they cause to be dressed in the smoke In necessitie they eat a thousand rifraffes euen to the swallowing downe of coales and putting sand into the pottage that they make with this meale When they goe to warre their King marcheth firstâ— with a clubbe in the one hand and his bowe in the other with his quiuer full of arrowes All his men follow him which haue likewise their bowes and arrowes While they fight they make great cries and exclamations They take no enterprise in hand but first they assemble oftentimes their Councell together and they take very good aduisement before they growe to a resolution They meete together euery morning in a great common house whither their King repaireth and setteth him downe vpon a seate which is higher then the seates of the other where all of them one after another come and salute him and the most ancient begin their salutations lifting vp both their handes twise as high as their face saying Ha he ya and the rest answer ha ha Assoone as they haue done their salutation euery man sitteth him downe vpon the seates which are round about in the house If there be any thing to intreate of the King calleth the Iawas that is to say their Priestes and the most ancient men and asketh them their aduise Afteâ—ward he commaundeth Cassine to be brewed which is a drinke made of the leaues of a certaine tree They drinke this Cassine very hotte he drinketh first then he causeth to be giuen thereof to all of them one after another in the same boule which holdeth well a quart measure of Paris They make so great account of this drinke that no man may taste thereof in this assembly vnlesse hee hath made proofe of his valure in the warre Moreouer this drinke hath such a vertue that assoone as they haue drunke it they become all in a sweate which sweate being past it taketh away hunger and thirst for foure and twenty houres after When a King dyeth they burie him very solemnly and vpon his graue they set the cuppe wherein he was woont to drinke and round about the sayde graue they sticke many arrowes and weepe and fast three dayes together without ceassing All the kings which were his friends make the like mourning and in token of the loue which they bare him they cut of more then the one halfe of their haire as well men as women During the space of sixe Moones so they reckon their moneths there are certaine women appoynted which bewaile the death of this King crying with a loude voyce thrise a day to wit in the Morning at Noone and at Euening All the goods of this King are put into his house and afterward they set it on fire so that nothing is euer more after to be seene The like is done with the goods of the Priestes and besides they burie the bodies of the Priests in their houses and then they set them on fire They sowe their Maiz twise a yere to wit in March and in Iune and all in one and the same soyle The sayd Maiz from the time that it is sowed vntill the time that it be ready to be gathered is but three moneths on the ground The other 6. moneths they let the earth rest They haue also faire Pumpions very good Beanes They neuer dung their land onely when they would sowe they set the weedes on fire which grewe vp the 6. moneths and burne them all They dig their ground with an instrument of wood which is fashioned like a broad mattocke wherewith they digge their Uines in France they put two graiues of Maiz together When the land is to be sowed the King commaundeth one of his men to assemble his subiects euery day to labour during which labour the King causeth store of that drinke to be made for them wherof we haue spoken At the time when the Maiz is gathered it is all carried into a common house where it is distributed to euery man according to his qualitie They sowe no more but that which they thinke will serue their turnes for sixe moneths that very scarcely For during the Winter they retire themselues for three or foure moneths in the yeere into the woods where they make little cotages of Palme boughes for their retraite and liue there of Maste of Fish which they take of Oisters of Stagges of Turkeycockes and other beastes which they take They eate all their meate broyled on the coales and dressed in the smoake which in their language they call Boucaned They eate willingly the flesh of the Crocodile and in deede it is faire and white and were it not that it sauoureth too much like Muske we would oftentimes haue eaten thereof They haue a custome among them that when they finde themselues sicke where they feele the paine whereas we cause our selues to be let blood their Physitions sucke them vntill they make the blood follow The women are likewise of good proportion and tall and of the same colour that the men be of painted as the men be Howbeit when they are borne they be not so much of an Oliue colour and are farre whiter For the chiefe cause that maketh them to be of this colour proceedes of annointings of oyle which they vse among them
kinde of fruits of the countrey which are very good as plancans sapotes guiaues pinas aluacatas tunas mamios limons orenges walnuts very small and hard with little meat in them grapes which the Spanyards brought into the countrey and also wilde grapes which are of the countrey and are very small quinses peaches figs and but few apples and very small and no peares but there are melons and calabaças or gourds There is much hony both of bees and also of a kind of tree which they call magueiz This hony of magueiz is not so sweet as the other hony is but it is better to be eaten only with bread then the other is and the tree serueth for many things as the leeues make threed to sowe any kinde of bags and are good to couer and thatch houses and for diuers other things They haue in diuers places of the countrey many hote springs of water as aboue all other I haue seene one in the prouince of Mechuacan In a plaine field without any mountaine there is a spring which hath much water it is so hot that if a whole quarter of beefe be cast into it within on halfe houre it will be as well sodden as it will be ouer a fire in halfe a day I haue seene halfe a sheepe cast in and immediatly it hath bene sodden and I haue eaten part of it There are many hares and some conies There are no partridges but abundance of quailes They haue great store of fish in the South sea and many oisters and very great The people do open the oisters and take out the meat of them and dry it as they do any other kinde of fish and keepe them all the yeere and when the times serue they send them abroad into the countrey to sell as all other fish They haue no salmon nor â—rowt nor pele nor carpe tench nor pike in all the countrey There are in the countrey mighty high mountaines and hilles and snow vpon them they commonly burne and twise euery day they cast out much smoke and ashes at certeine open places which are in the tops of them There is among the wilde people much manna I haue gathered of the same and haue eaten it and it is good for the Apothecaries send their seruants at certeine times to gather of the same for purgations and other vses There are in the mountaines many wilde hogs which all men may kill and lions and tygres which tygres do much harme to men that trauell in the wildernesse In this countrey not long since there were two poore men that found a maruellous rich mine and when these men went to make a register of the same according to the law and custome before the kings officers they thought this mine not meet for such men as they were and violently tooke the sayd mine for the king and gaue no part thereof vnto the two poore men And within certaine dayes the kings officers resorted thither to labor in the mine they found two great mighty hilles were come together so they found no place to worke in And in the time while I was among them which was fiue yerees there was a poore shepheard who keeping his sheepe happened to finde a well of quicke-siluer and he went in like maner to manifest the same as the custome and maner is the kings officers dealt in like order as they did with the two poore men that found the rich mine taking it quite from the shepheard but when they went to fetch home the quicke-siluer or part thereof they could neuer finde it againe So these things haue bene declared vnto the king who hath giuen commandement that nothing being found in the fields as mines and such like shall be taken away from any man And many other things haue bene done in this countrey which men might count for great maruels There is great abundance of sugar here they make diuers conserues very good and send them into Peru where as they sell them maruellous well because they make none in those parts The people of the countrey are of a good stature tawny coloured broad faced flat nosed and giuen much to drinke both wine of Spaine and also a certeine kind of wine which they make with hony of Magueiz and roots and other things which they vse to put into the same They call the same wine Pulco They are soone drunke and giuen to much beastlinesse and void of all goodnesse In their drunkennesse they vse and commit Sodomy and with their mothers and daughters they haue their pleasures and pastimes Whereupon they are defended from the drinking of wines vpon paines of money aswell he that selleth the wines as the Indian that drinketh the same And if this commandement were not all the wine in Spaine and in France were not sufficient for the West Indies onely They are of much simplicity and great cowards voide of all valour and are great witches They vse diuers times to talke with the diuell to whom they do certeine sacrifices and oblations many times they haue bene taken with the same and I haue seene them most cruelly punished for that offence The people are giuen to learne all maner of occupations and sciences which for the most part they learned since the comming of the Spanyards I say all maner of arts They are very artificiall in making of images with feathers or the proportion or figure of any man in all kind of maner as he is The finenesse and excellency of this is woonderfull that a barbarous people as they are should giue themselues to so fine an arte as this is They are goldsmiths blackesmiths and coppersmiths carpenters masons shoomakers railers sadlers â—nbroderers and of all other kind of sciences and they will do worke so good cheape that poore yoong men that goe out of Spaine to get their liuing are not set on worke which is the occasion there are many idle people in the countrey For the Indian will liue all the weeke with lesse then one groat which the Spanyard cannot do nor any man els They say that they came of the linage of an olde man which came thither in a boat of wood which they call a canoa But they cannot tell whether it were before the flood or after neither can they giue any reason of the flood nor froÌ„ whence they came And when the Spanyards came first among them they did certeine sacrifice to an image made in stone of their owne inuention The stone was set vpon a great hill which they made of bricks of earth they call it their Cowa And certeine dayes in the yere they did sacrifice certeine olde men and yoong children and onely beleeued in the Sunne and the Moone saying that from them they had all things that were needful for them They haue in these parts great store of cotton wooll with which they make a mâ—ner of linnen cloth which the Indians
their example against any other time of like occasion But because it may bee supposed that heerein wee forgette not the priuate benefite of our selues and are thereby the rather mooued to incline our selues to this composition wee doe therefore thinke good for the clearing of our selues of all such suspition to declare heereby that what part or portion soeuer it bee of this ransome or composition for Cartagena which should come vnto vs wee doe freely giue and bestowe the same wholy vpon the poore men who haue remayned with vs in the Uoyage meaning as well the Sayler as the Souldier wishing with all our hearts it were such or so much as might seeme a sufficient rewarde for their painefull indeuour And for the firme confirmation thereof we haue thought meete to subsigne these presents with our owne hands in the place and time aforesayd Captaine Christopher Carliell Lieutenant Generall Captaine Goring Captaine Sampson Captaine Powell c. But while wee were yet there it happened one day that our watch called the Centinell vpon the Church-steeple had discouered in the Sea a couple of small Barkes or Boates making in with the Harbour of Cartagena whereupon Captaine Moone and Captaine Varney with Iohn Grant the Master of the Tyger and some other Sea-men embarked themselues in a couple of small Pinnesses to take them before they should come nigh the shore at the mouth of the Harbour left by some stragling Spanyardes from the Lande they might bee warned by signes from comming in which sell out accordingly notwithstanding all the diligence that our men could vse for the Spanish Boates vpon the sight of our Pinnesses comming towardes them ranne themselues ashore and so their men presently hidde themselues in bushes hard by the Sea side amongst some others that had called them by signes thither Our men presently without any due regard had to the qualitie of the place and seeing no man of the Spanyards to shew themselues aboorded the Spanish Barkes or Boates and so standing all open in them were suddenly shotte at by a troope of Spanyardes out of the bushes by which volley of shotte there were slaine Captaine Varney which dyed presently and Captaine Moone who dyed some fewe dayes after besides some foure or fiue others that were hurt and so our folkes returned without their purpose not hauing any sufficient number of souldiers with them to fight on shore For those men they caryed were all Mariners to rowe few of them armed because they made account with their ordinance to haue taken the Barkes well enough at sea which they might full easily haue done without any losse at all if they had come in time to the harbour mouth before the Spaniards boates had gotten so neere the shore During our abode in this place as also at S. Domingo there passed diuers courtesies betweene vs and the Spaniards as feasting and vsing them with all kindnesse and fauour so as amongst others there came to see the Generall the Gouernour of Cartagena with the Bishop of the same and diuers other Gentlemen of the better sort This towne of Cartagena we touched in the out parts consumed much with fire as we had done S. Domingo vpon discontentments and for want of agreeing with vs in their first â—reaties touching their ransome which at the last was concluded between vs should be 100 and 10000 Ducats for that which was yet standing the Ducat valued at fiue shillings sixe pence sterling This towne though not halfe so bigge as S. Domingo giues as yon see a farre greater ransome being in very deede of farre more importance by reason of the excellencie of the Harbour and the situation thereof to serue the trade of Nombre de Dios and other places and is inhabited with farre more richer Merchants The other is chiefly inhabited with Lawyers and braue Gentlemen being the chiefe or highest appeale of their suites in law of all the Islands about it and of the maine land coast next vnto it And it is of no such accompt as Cartagena for these and some other like reasons which I could giue you ouer long to be now written The warning which this towne receiued of our comming towards them from S. Domingo by the space of twentie dayes before our arriuall here was cause that they had both fortified and euery way prepared for their best defence As also that they had caried and conueyed away all their treasure and principall substance The ransome of an hundred ten thousand Ducats thus concluded on as is aforesaid the same being written and expressing for nothing more then the towne of Cartagena vpon the payment of the sayd ransome we felt the said towne and drewe some part of our souldiers into the Priorie or Abbey standing a quarter of an English mile belowe the towne vpon the harbour water-side the same being walled with a wall of stone which we told the Spaniards was yet ours and not redeemed by their composition whereupon they finding the defect of their contract were contented to enter into another ransome for all places but specially for the sayde house as also the Blocke house or Castle which is vpon the mouth of the inner harbour And when wee asked as much for the one as for the other they yeelded to giue a thousand Crownes for the Abbey leauing vs to take our pleasure vpon the Blockehouse which they sayd they were not able to ransome hauing stretched themselues to the vttermost of their powers and therefore the sayd Blockehouse was by vs vndermined and so with gunne powder blowen vp in pieces While this latter contract was in making our whole Fleete of ships fell downe towards the harbour mouth where they anchored the third time and imployed their men in fetching of fresh water aboord the ships for our voyage homewards which water was had in a great wâ—ll that is in the Island by the harbour mouth which Island is a very pleasant place as hath bene seene hauing in it many sorts of goodly and very pleasant fruites as the Orâ—nge trees and others being set orderly in walkes of great length together Insomuch as the whole Island being some two or three miles about is cast into grounds of gardening and orchards After sixe weekes abode in this place we put to sea the last of March where after two or three dayes a great ship which we had taken at S. Domingo and thereupon was called The new yeeres gift fell into a great leake being laden with ordinance hides and other spoyles and in the night she lost the company of our Fleete which being missed the next morning by the Generall hee cast about with the whole Fleete fearing some great mischance to bee happened vnto her as in very deede it so fell out for her leake was so great that her men were all tyred with pumping But at the last hauing found her the Barke Talbot in her company which stayed by great hap with her they were ready to take their men out
with flankers of great trees and stones filled with earth betweene and had not our comming disappointed their pretence they would haue made it one of the strongest places in all the maine There they ment to haue builded a great towne We found there three pieces of brasse ordinance sunke in the sea which we weighed vp all the people were fled and their goods carried away Up within this bay there was a little village but of no force where we found a great fresh riuer our men rowing vp some two leagues found pillage as wine and oyle and some small quantitie of yron After our comming hither to anker and the solemne buriall of our Generall sir Francis in the sea Sir Thomas Baskeruill being aboord the Defiance where M. Bride made a sermon hauing to his audience all the captaines in the fleete sir Thomas commanded all aboord the Garland with whom he held a Councell there shewing his Commission was accepted for General captain Bodenham made captaine of the Defiance M. Sauill captaine of y e Aduenture The 27 died captaine Iosias of the Delight and captaine Egerton a Gentlâ—man of the Foâ—e-sight and Iames Wood chiefe chirurgion of the fleete out of the Garland The 28 died Abraham Kendall out of the Saker At this place we watered againe washed our ships made new sailes it being by the Generall and all the captaines agreed that if we could by any meanes turne vp againe for Santa Martha we should if not to goe directly for England Here also we tooke in some balast as our neede râ—quired The 6 of Februarie the Elizabeth of M. Wattes was discharged and sunke and that day the Pegasus iolly was going on shore for water carying no guarde The Spaniards perceiuing it came downe vpon them killed two of them and tooke 2 or 3 prisoners and so ranne vp into the woods againe The seuenth the Delight and captaine Edens frigat were discharged and sunke because they were old and leakâ—d and the Queenes ships wanted saylers That day our men being mustered we had sicke and whole 2000. And the next day we set on shore all our prisoners as Spaniards and Negros But before at our first comming to Puerto Bello sir Thomas sent two of those Spaniards to Nombre de Dios and to Panama to fetch ransome for some of the chiefest prisoners but they neuer returned againe As we were setting saile there came one with a flagge of truce and told the General that they had taken 18 of our men and that they were well vsed adding that if he would stay 8 or 10 dayes longer they should be brought from Panama We supposed this to haue bene but a delay to haue kâ—pt vs there while the kings forces had come about by sea as they dayly expected We set saile the 8 of Februarie turning vp for Santa Martha and the 14 day we saw the Ilands of Baru some 14 leagues to the Wesâ—ward of Carthagena The Generall that night told vs he would stand in â—or the towne of Baru in the bay but that night blew so much winde and continued that small moone that the same night we lost the Foresight and the next day standing againe to make the land which we had made we lost companie of the Susan Parnel The Helpe and the Pegasus Then â—he next day we put ouer for Cape S. Antonie and gaue ouer Santa Martha The 25 we saw the Iland of Grand Cayman some 30 leagues to the Northwestward of Iamaica being a low sandie Iland hauing many tortoyses about it The 26 we saw the hie land of Cuba to the Eastward of the broken Ilands to the East of the Iland of Pinos and were imbayed in among those dangerous places But perceiuing it we stood out againe Southsoutheast and so got cleere and then stood away West and by North for the I le of Pinos which we saw the first of March It is a low land with wood and fresh water to the Western end If you come in with the middest of it you shall see rise vp aboue the rest of the land 8 or 9 râ—und homockes and the Westermost hath three in one Being that foorth with the West end and standing in for to water we espied 20 sayle of ships about one in the afternone This was a third part of the fleete which the king sent for Carthagena the rest of the fleete being gone for the Honduras They were in all 60 sailes sent onely to meete our fleete being commâ—nded wheresoeuer they heard we were to come vpon vs with all their three forces This fleete which we met withall came standing for Cape de los Corrientes and had bene refreshed at Hauana Assoone as they discried vs they kept close vpon a tacke thinking to get the winde of vs but we weathered them And when our Admirall with all the rest of our fleet were right in the wâ—nds â—ye of them sir Thomas Baskeruil putting out the Queenes armes and all the rest of our fleete their brauerie bare roome with themâ— and commanded the Defiance not to shoot but to keâ—pe close by to second him The Uiceadmirall of the Spaniards being a greater ship then any of ours and the best sayler in all their fleete loofed by and gaue the Concord the â—wo first great shot which she repayed presently againe thus the fight began The Bonauenture baâ—e full with her ringing her such a peale of ordinance and small shot withall that he left her with torne sides The Admirall also made no spare of powder and shot But the Defiance in the middest of the Spanish flâ—ete thâ—ndering of her ordinance and small shot continued the fight to the end So that the Uiceaâ—mirall with 3 or 4 of her consorts were forced to tacke about to the Eastward leauing their admirall and the rest of the fleete who came not so hotly into the fight as they did The fight continued two houres better At sunne set all the fleete tacked about to the Eastward we continued our coâ—rse to the Westward for cape de los Corrientes supposing we should haue met with more of their consorts In this conflict in the Defiance we had fiue men slaine three English men a Greâ—ke and a Nâ—gro That night some halfe houre after their fleete keeping vpon their weather quarter we saw a mightie smoke rise out of one of their great ships which stayed behind which happenâ—d by meanes of powder as we thinke and presently after she was all on a light fire and so was consumed and all burnt as we might well perceiue The next day beâ—ng thâ— second of March in the morning by breake of day we were hard aboord Cape de los Corrientes which is a bare low cape hauing a bush of trees higher then the rest some mile to the Eastward of the cape All Cuba is full of wood on the Southside The Spanish fleete which then were but 14 no more then we were kept still vpon our
liue vnited for the most part towards the riuer of Amazones But the especiall cause of his present remooue was because two or three yeeres past twentie Spaniards came to his towne and sought to take his best wife from him but before they carried her away hee at time and place of aduantage killed halfe of them the rest fledde most of them sore hurt Now in this case hee thought it best to dwell farre ynough from them Your Indian pilot Ferdinando who conducted you by Amana and now abideth neere the head of Desâ—ekebe is one of this mans subiects By whom as it may seeme hee hath taken good notice of our princesse and countrey For hee descended more particularly to inquire what forces were come with vs assuring me of the Spaniards beeing in Trinidad and that the Indians our friendes betwixt hope and feare haue earnestly expected our returne from England these foure or fiue moneths When I had answered him that at our departure we left no Spaniards aliue to annoy them that we now came only to discouer and trade with them and that if her Maiestie should haue sent a power of men where no enemie was to resist the Indians might perhaps imagine that wee came rather to inuade then to defend them He replied that this course very wel sorted with the report which they had heard of our Princesse iustice rare graces and vertues the fame of whose power in beeing able to vanguish the Spaniards and singular goodnesse in vndertaking to succour and defend the afflicted Indians was now so generall that the nations farre and neere were all agreed to ioyne with vs and by all meanes possible to assâ—st vs in expelling and rooting out the Spaniards from all parts of the land and that we were deceiued if wee thought this countrey not large ynough to receiue vs without molestation or intâ—usion vpon the Indians who wanted not choise of dwelling places if they forsooke one to liue in another but stoode in neede of our presence at all times to ayde them and maintaine their libertie which to them is deerer then land or liuing He then farther desired that he with his people might haue our fauour against the Arwaccas who not being content to enioy their groundes and houses had taken from them many of their wiues and children the best of whose fortune was if they liued to liue in perpetuall slauerie vnder the Spaniards Wee put him in good hope and comfort thereof And hee to deserue some part of this friendship commended vnto vs an elderly man to be our Pilote in bringing vs to Raleana When we were ready to depart he demanded whether we wanted any Vrapo which is the wood that is vsually carried from these parts to Trinidad in Canoas and is there sold to the French for trade he offered if we would bring our ship neere his port to put in her lading thereof But because most of our caske was not yron-bound and in making stowage-way to remooue it would haue bene the losse of our Sider and other drinke I therefore referred the taking of any quantity to fitter opportunitie thinking it sufficient at this time to haue only my boats lading therof which afterwards in extremitie of foule weather before we could get aboord our ship wee were inforced in a darke night to heaue all ouerboord thinking our selues happy to haue recouered thither at seuen dayes ende with safetie of life onely All which time wee could no where set foote on shore but rested day and night wet and weather beaten in our couertlesse boate which was sometimes ready to sinke vnder vs. For wee had in this place without comparison more raine wind and gustes then else where at any time To bee briefe my men became weake and sicke and if wee had stayed any longer time out I doubt whether the greatest part of vs had euer come aboord againe I afterwards vnderstood by my Indian pilot that this weather is for most part of the yeere vsuall neere the Island Oncaiarie which lyeth North from the riuer Capurwacka some sixe leagues into the sea and that they hold opinion how this Iland is kept by some euil spirit for they verily beleeue that to sleepe in the day time neere it except it be after much drinke is present death The only season wherein little raine doth fal there is as I gathered by their speech they diuiding al times by their Moones at our Winter Solstice The mother-wind of this coast is for the most part to the Northward of the East except when the Sunne is on this side of the Equinoctiall for then it often beares Southerly but most in the night This our guid is of the Iaos who doe al marke themselues thereby to bee knowen from other nations after this maner With the tooth of a small beast like a Rat they race some their faces some their bodies after diuers formes as if it were with the scratch of a pin the print of which rasure can neuer bee done away againe during life When he had sometime conuersed with our Indians that went from England with vs hee became willing to see our countrey His sufficiencie trustinesse and knowledge is such that if the pretended voyage for Guiana doe take place you shall I doubt not find him many wayes able to steed your Lordship in your designes and purposes For besides his precise knowledge of all the coast and of the Indian townes and dwellings he speaketh all their languages was bred in Guiana is a sworne brother to Puâ—ima who slewe the Spaniards in their returne from Manoa can direct vs to many golde mines and in nothing will vndertake more then hee assuredly will performe To the Westward this Bay hath many good roads vnder small Islands whereof the greatest named Gowateri is inhabited by the Shebaios and besides the plenty of foule fish fruits wilde â—orks and deere which are there to be had where Caiane falles into the sea for it standeth in the mouthes of Wâ—a and Caiane it yeeldes safe and good harbour in foure and fiue fathome for ships of great burthen On all that coast we found not any like it wee therefore honoured this place by the name of Port Howard The road vnder Triangle Islands which are the Westermost from the rest and stand in fiue degrees which haue also store of â—ish foule deere and Iwanas is good but not comparable with this other where in all windes and weather shippes though they be many may all riâ—e securely The hils and high lands are limits to this bay on ech side for to the Eastward beyond it appeare none at all and to the Westward of mount Hobbeigh very â—ew Where the mountaines faile there Brasill wood is no farther to bee sought for but in all parts cotton pepper silke and Balsamum trees doe grow in abundance The rootes of the herbe Wiapassa are here most plentifull I finde them in taste nothing different from good ginger and in
and as wee haue at your request bene at great charges in sending these men so we pray you let vs haue lawful fauour in like courtesie to further all our causes And if any of our Mariners or passengers in any respect of displeasure against their company or in hope of preserment of mariage or otherwise would procure to tary and dwell there and leaue his charge and office that then you will bee a means to the Iustice that such fugitiues should bee sent abord the ship as prisoners for as you know without our men wee cannot bring home our ship Wee haue giuen order to our factours to vse your counsell and helpe in their affaires and to gratifie you for the same as to your courtesie and faithfull friendship shall appertaine to your good liking and in the meane time for a token of our good willes towards you we haue sent you a field-bed of walnut tree with the canopy valens curtaines and gilt knops And if there be any commoditie else that may pleasure you or your friends wee haue giuen order that they shall haue the refusing of it before any other giuing for it as it is worth And thus to conclude promising to performe all the foresaide things on our parts in euery condition we commit you to God whoeuer preserue you with all his blessings Your louing friends Christopher Hodsdon Anthonie Garrard Thomas Bramlie Iohn Bird. William Elkin Certaine notes of the voyage to Brasill with the Minion of London aforesaid in the yere 1580. written by Thomas Grigs Purser of the said ship THe thirde day of Nouember in the yeere abouesaid we departed in the Minioâ— of London from Harwich from which time no great thing worth the knowledge or regard of others happened vntil the 22. of December the next moneth which day for our owne learning vse wee obserued the setting of the Sunne which was Westsouthwest we then being vnder the line Equinoctiall where we found the aire very temperate and the winde for the most part Southeast and East southeast The same day we also obserued the rising of the moone being one day after the full which rose at East northeast The first land that wee fell with vpon the coast of Brasill was the yland of S. Sebastian where we arriued the 14. day of Ianuary in the yeere 1581. The 16. day Thomas Babington and others in our pinnesse went a shoare to Guaybea where they met with Iohn Whithall his father and mother in lawe who hauing receiued letters from thence to be deliuered at Santos came abord and then we weyed and set saile and the 28. day wee arriued at the yland of Santa Catelina neere the entrance of Santos Our course from S. Sebastian was Southwest and by West and betwixt the Southwest and by West and West southwest This yland of Santa Catelina seemeth at the first to be a part of the yland of Girybia Wee ankâ—red at nine fathome blacke osâ—e ground Upon the yland there grow many Palmito-trees but no fresh water is there to be found The third day of February we arriued before the towne of Santos and were there well receiued and intertained of the Captaine the kings officers and all the people The fourth day we tooke into our ship a beâ—fe aliue which serued for the victualling of the ship and the refreshing of our men and to make vs the merrier at Shrouetide The eight day we deliuered to M. Iohn Whithall a bedstead with the appurtenances which were sent to him from our marchants of London The 18. day the captaine of Santos came abord our ship by whom we had knowledge of foure great French ships of warre that had bene at the riuer of Ienero which there tooke three Canoas but were driuen from thence by their castles sorts and were looked for here at Santos Whereupon the Captaine requested vs to lend them some armour and artillery and we lent them twentie caliuers and two barrels of powder The 19. day our skiffe which we had sent to Alcatrarzas and had bene away sixe dayes came againe and brought good store of great and good fish and tolde vs that there was good store of fish to be taken there by the hooke and as much wood as we would haue of the Palmito-tree The 20. day at night Nicholas Gale one of our company fell ouer our shippes side and was drowned in the port of Santos before the towne where our ship rode at anker The 22. day two of the Canoas which the Frenchmen tooke in the riuer of Ienero returned to Santos and reported that the foure French ships were past to the southwards as they thought for the Straights of Magellan and so into the South sea The 23. day the aforesaide Nicholas Gale who fell ouerbord two dayes before was found againe and taken vp three miles from our ship and our company went to his buriall in the Church at Santos This day the Captaine and Iustices of Santos wished vs to tary in their road till the last of April for they had sent a barke of Santos to Baya at the kings charges to know whether we should haue trade or no and this barke could not returne before that time About this time there arriued at Feâ—nambuck a shippe from Portugall which brought newes that the Islands Indies and Portugall it selfe was molested and troubled by the Spaniâ—rds and that the Portugales had both English and Frenchmen to Lisbone to defend them against Spaine The 25. day wee sent two of our men namely Thomas Michael and Simon Thorne to Baya in a barke that went thither from Santos The two and twentie day of Aprill our Master and Thomas Babington hauing some talke and conference with the Padres of Santos they our men being ready to go to the Riuer of Ienero tolde them that they were sorry for our banishment from the Church and that the Ministrador had written from Rio de Ienero that forasmuch as these twentie yeres or more the English nation had denied the Church of Rome and her proceedings therefore the Ministrador commanded that none of vs should come to their Church the Padres willed vs herein to haue patience and to take it in good part and promised to stand our friends in their word and writing both to the Ministrador and to the bishop at Baya and further requested all our English company to haue no ill opinion of them The 28. of April we laded sugars into our ship The 21. of May we tooke in fresh victuals from Santos The 10. day of Iune wee gratified one Iosto Thorno dwelling in Santos with some of our English victuals and intertained him in good sort in our ship and this day wee were promised to haue a Pilot at Santos to cary vs to Baya The 11. day we went to fish to make prouision for our ship and men and from that time till the eighteenth day wee fet water and cut wâ—od for our fire and trimmed
hils and craggy rocks do exalt themselues whose tops be all huary with snowe in the moneths of August September and October Notwithstanding the lower partes of the hilles are replenished and beautified with impenetrable thicke woods of strange and vnknown trees flourishing all the yere long Here we made prouision of fewel and fresh water and passed by Cape Deseado into the South sea the 6 of September And running along towards the North-west about 70 leagues the winde turned directly against vs with great extremitie of foule weather as raine haile snow and thicke fogs which continued so more theÌ„ 3 weeks that we could beare no saile at which time we were driuen â—7 degr to the south pole The 15 of September the moone was there ecclipsed began to be darkned preseâ—â—ly after the setting of the sunne about 6 of the clocke at night being then Equinoctial vernal in that countrey The said ecclipse happened the 16 day in the morning before one of the clocke in England which is about sixe houres difference agreeing to one quarter of the world from the Meridian of England towards the West The last of September being a very soule night and the seas sort growne we lost the Marigold the Generals shippe and the Elizabeth running to the East-ward to get the shore whereof we had sight the 7 of October falling into a very dangerous bay â—ull of â—ocks and there we lost company of M. Drake the same night The next day very hardly cleaping the danger of the rocks we put into the streights againe where we aâ—kâ—red in an open bay for the space of 2 dayes and made great fiers on the shore to the end that if M. Drake should come into the streights hee might finde vs. After wee went into a sound where we stayâ—d for the space of 3 weekes and named it The port of Health for the most part of our men being veâ—y sicke with long watchingâ— wet cold and euill diet did here God be thanked wonderfully recouer their health in short space Here we had very great muscles some being 20 inches long very pleasant meate and many of them full of seed-pearles We came out of this harbour the first of Nouember giuing ouer our voiage by M. Winters compulsion full sorâ— against the marineâ—s minds who alleged he stood in diâ—paire as well to haue winds to serue his turne for Peru as also of M. Drakes safetie So we came backe againe through the streights to S. Georges Island where we tooke of the foules beâ—ore named and after departed And thus wee passed by Cape Victorie out of the streights the 11 of Nouember directing our course to the North-â—ast till the last of this moneth What time wee arriuâ—d at an island which lyeth at the mouth of the riuer of Plate Upon this island there is such an infinite number of seales as may seeme incredible to any man that hath not bene there â—eme of thâ—m being 16 foote long not fearing the preâ—ence of men for the most of our men were vpon the island for the space of 15 dayes to set vp a Pinnesse during which time the seales would come and slepe by them and rather resist our men then giue placeâ— vnlesse morâ—alâ— blowes forced them to yeelde When our Pinnesse was built we wâ—nt to another island where wee did water and aftâ—rward departâ—d the first of Ianuarie 1579â— and ran towards the North till the 20 of the said moneth and then we arriued aâ— an island which lieth on the coast of Brasil neere to a towne called sant Vincent inhabited by the Portugals The sayd towne lyeth 24 degrees Southwarde almost vnder the Tropicke of Capricone Here by reason of fowle weather we lost our Pinnesse and 8 men in her and neuer saw them since Here also our ship was in great danger by the meanes of a strong current which had almost cast vs vpon the shore before wee were aware insomuch that we were constrained to anker in the open sea and brake our cable and lost an anker and preâ—ently let fal another anker in weighing whereof our men were sore spoiled For the capstan ranne about so violently with the rising of the shippe in the sea that it threwe the men from the barres and brake out the braines of one man one other had his legge broken and diuers others were sore hurt At last wee gote vp our anker and set sayle and ran into a place called Tanay where we roade vnder an island and tooke in wood and water And while we stayed here there came 3 Portugals aboord vs in a canoa to knowe what wee would haue or of what countrey we were To whom our Captaine made answere that we were Englishmen and had brought commodities for their countrey if they would trafficke with vs where at they greatly marueiled For they saide that they neuer heard of any English ship to haue bene in that countrey before and so they went to land againe hauing one of our men with them to speake with the Gouernour of the towne and we kept one of them for a pledge Shortly after there came another canoa aboord vs with one Portugal and al the rest naked men of the countrâ—y of whom wee had two small Oxen one yong Hogge with certaine hennes also Pome-cytrons limons oranges and other fruites of the countrey For the which our Captaine gaue to them linnen cloth combes kniues and other trifles In the meane time the Gouernour of â—he towne sent word that we should haue nothing vnlesse we would bring our shippe into the hauen Whereunto our Captaine would in no case consent for all their practise was to haue gotten vs within their danger neuertheles we came somewhat neere the towne with our ship as though wee would haue gone in but we neuer meant it Here we tooke in our man and set the Portugal pledge on land After that we went to an â—land called the isle of Sant Sebastian where wee tooke fish Here the Portugals had betrayed vs if a Brasillian one of their slaues had not bene For he stole from them shewed vnto vs by signes that the Portugals were comming with their canoas to take vs as it fell out in deed for the next morning they shewed themselues with 12 or 16 canoas some of them hauing 40 men in them The same night two of our men ran away with our boat to the Portugals And thus wee came away from thence toward our owne countrey the 17 of March and had sight of the Cape of sant Augustine lying in 8 degrees to the Southward of the line After that we had sight of an island lying within 3 degrees of the Equinoctial called the isle of Fernando de Loronha We crossed the Equinoctial the 13 of April and had sight of the North starre the 19 of the sayd moneth The 1 2 3,4 and 5 of May wee sayled through the sea of Weedes about the space
the voyage and not willing in any case to turne his ship but that the desire which we all had to continue in consort with our Admirall made vs to thinke well of his company and in fine an agreement and conclusion was thus made on all sides to follow the Admiral without anymore talke of the Streights till the Spring The 10 day of March it fell out so vnfortunately that Samuel Teller our Masters mate fell ouerboord and so perished we being not able by any meanes to recouer him The eight and twentieth day being in the height of one and twenty degrees wee espied a saile which wee iudged came out of the Streights and had rich lading but the night being at hand we lost her very vnluckily and the next day could haue no sight of her The fift day of April we fel with the land of Brasilia in the height as I iudge of sixteen degrees and a tierce and our Captaine went then aboord the Admirall where they concluded to sende the pinnesse and our boate on shore for fresh water because wee stoode in neede of it which did so with eighteene good men and three or foure tunne of water caske They were from vs till the eighth day in the morning at which time we espied them againe and that day we came all together into the roade of Camana where there came a Canoa aboord vs and one of the chiefest Portugals that belonged to the place Here wee tooke in beefes hogs water and wood at our pleasure hauing almost no man able to resist vs but some of our Portugals stole from vs in the Canoa The 11 day wee entred into the hauen of Baya where wee were receiued at the point comming in with two great pieces of Ordinance which discharged bullets at vs fiue times a piece but they lost shot and powder and did vs no harme After wee had passed the point wee halled in for the roade as close as the wind would permit vs but could not come so neere as we desired and therefore we came to an ankor a faire birth off the towne not without great store of shotte from theâ—ce but yet our harme was none at all for ought they could doe At our comming in wee found in the road eight ships and one carauel of the which one was a hulke or double flieboat of the burden of two hundred and fifty tunnes hauing in her 24 pieces of good Ordinance shee with the rest of the ships together with the towne gaue vs shot and shot but not one touched so much as any of our sayles And least wee should seeme in the meane time to be idle we repayed for euery shot of theirs â—wo or three sometimes at the ships and the townâ— together The next day at night wee thought to haue halled in with the ships and to haue fetched out some of them but the wind blew then off the shore so that wee could not possiblie doe it And againe the next day at night we concluded to goe with our owne two boates and two other boats of the countrey which we had taken before which went with carauel-sailes into the roade and accordingly performed the same notwithstanding the shot of the enemie The Moone did shine and gaue very good light and in we went with our carauels and boates and the shot came about our eares as thicke as haile but the Portugals and the rest perceiuing vs no whit at all to shrinke or be dismayed forsooke their ships began to prouide to saue themselues some with their boats some by swimming and so wee entred the ships with a great showre and found few to resist vs but yet the shore not being a cables length from vs they did so plie both their great and small ordinance at vs that it much annoyed vs But yet for all that we made light of their shot and our men of the barke Clifford entred the Admirall and Uiceadmirall and ouâ— Admirals men entreâ— two other ships of the like burden and presently euery one cut the cables in the hause and so by the helpe of God in despite of them all wee brought away â—oure of them The least whereof was of the burthen of 130 tunnes In this broile the hulke shotte at vs many times but did no hurt at all but at the last comming by the hulke towing our nâ—w prizes we halled them and demanded whence they were they answered vs of Flushing and then we commanded him to wey ankor and to come after vs And not daring to refuse it he did so and brought with him a carauel with fortie or fifty buts of wine in her and another small barke which had little or nothing in her and rode by vs as one of our company and was a ship of the burden of two hundreth and fifty tunneâ— Our hard happe was to find no great matter either of marchandize or victuals in these ships sauing in one of them we found foure buts of wine in another two in another one and some fish and all the rest of their lading was on shore All this was done vpon Easter eeue and we gaue thanks to God that we had sped so well and that very night there came a boate from the towne with a Dutch merchant and one Portugal to offer some ransome for the ships as they sayd but as I iudge rather to espie our strength we kept them that night aboord and the next day we sent them to our Admiral The next day being Easter day arose a very great storme insomuch that our carauel which we first tooke brake from vs and one of our new prizes also by meanes of the breaking of her cable slipt away whereupon although the winde was great and the sea troublesome yet wee sent certaine of our men in our boat to recouer them if they might but we feare that the rage of the weather hath caused vs to leese both our men and prizes In the middest of this storme our two Spaniards which wee tooke in the riuer of Plate seeing vs all busie about our prizes beganne to thinke howe they might escape our handes and suddenly slipt both out of one of the cabbins windowes and by swimming got a shoare a thing which seemed to vs impossible considering the outrage of the weather This storme continued long and preuented vs of making our intended attempt against the towne hauing as much to doe as possibly we might in keeping our ships and prizes from running ashore and falling into the hands of those that stood gaping greedily for our ruine The 19 day the storme being a little ceased wee all weyed and came to an Island that lyeth next Northwest from the bay and the twentieth day we went on shore and our carpenters set vp our pinnesse The 23 day the people of the countrey came downe amaine vpon vs and beset vs round and shot at vs with their bowes and arrowes but in short time wee caused them to retire and
Princes of Iapan to appeare and to sweare obedience vnto this his nephew Who with great pompe going vnto the Dairi to receiue that dignitie at his hande had surrendred vnto him the Castle of Miacó and the palaces of Quabacondono to dwell in Thus at the beginning of the third moone he set forward on his iourney to Nangoia hauing before giuen order that Augustine should passe ouer into the kingdome of Coray and that his other Captaines should remayne in Ceuxima Wherefore the twentieth day of the third Moone hee came vnto Nangoia where the companies of the other lordes beeing numbered were founde to bee 200000. persons besides those that were conducted by the foure foresayde gouernours In the meane season Augustine with his forces and with a Fleete of eight hundred Ships arriued at Coray In whose armie the lord Protasius excelled all others for though hee had but the leading of 2000. souldiers yet for the goodnesse of his armour and the beautie of his ships he was admired of all men At their very first entrance they wonne 2. castles of the kingdome of Coray by maine force wherein the Corayans reposed great confidence for they where enuironed with mighty high walles and defended with great multitudes of souldiers and with a kinde of gunnes of 2. spannes and ½ long which in stead of bullets discharged with a terrible noise woodden arrowes headed with forked points of yron but the sayd gunnes beeing able to hurt but a small distance off and the Iaponians being furnished with brazen ordinance vnknowen vnto the Corayans they presently draue them from their walles and with ladders made for the same purpose of great canes they forthwith scaled the same and planted their ensignes thereon the Corayans indeed for a short time making resistance but after a while betaking themselues to dishonorable flight 5000 men of their part being slaine and of Augustines but 100. and 400. wounded Augustine perceiuing that the Corayans could not endure any long assault determined to take vpon himselfe and his armie the whole burthen and honour of this warre and not staying for the gouernours his associates to â—â—â—h vp into the heart of the kingdome and to the principall City vnto which determination all the lordes that were with him gaue their consent This was no doubt a bolde yea and in some sort a rash enterprise of Augustine but yet it argueth a wise and valiant minde in him But this long delay was so grecuous to the Captaines which in Ceuxima expected the successe of the warre that before they heard any newes at all concerning the surprize of the two Castles they brought Augustine in suspition among their friends that hee ambitiously affected the honour of the whole warre Which thing beeing knowen vnto Quabacondono he was so troubled in mind euen before he came to Nangoia that suddenly hee commaunded the other Captaines to set sayle from Ceuxima But when Quabacondono was come to Nangoia and heard newes of the two Castles taken and that Augustine pursuing the victorie proceeded on towards the Miacó that is to say The kingly citie of Coray and was determined to inuade the same also all which Augustine himselfe wrote and requested him to send the other captaines and commanders to assayle the kingdom on aâ— sides and to furnish the castles which he had taken and should take with garisons of souldiers because as yet he had not men enough to hold those fortresses which he had wonne he was surprized with such vnspeakable ioy as he affirmed openly that in all Iapan he had no subiect comparable to Augustine and that neither Nabunanga nor himselfe euer knewe any man indued with so valiant and couragious a mind I saith he knowing against whâ—m and with what forces I waged warre subdued by litle and litle all Iapan vnto me but Augustine in so short a time and with so small forces hath boldely set his foote in a forren region and with most glorious victory hath subdued the mightie kingdome of Coray Wherefore quoth he I will reward him with many kingdomes and wil make him neâ—t vnto my selfe the greatest Prince in all Iapan Hee added farther that now his owne sonne seemed to bee risen from the death and that whosoeuer durst either disgrace or extenuate the deedes of Augustine he would grieuously punish him not respecting whether hee did it vpon reason or malice By this speach the name and report of Augustine grew so honourable amongst all men that thâ—se which most enuied his estate durst not speake one ill worde of him but highly commended him before Quabacondono This kingdome of Coray extendeth in length about 100. and in bredth 60. leagues And albeit the inhabitants in nation language and strength of body which maketh the people of China to dread thâ—m be different from the Chinians yet because they pay tribute to the king of China and exercise traffique with his subiects they doe after a sort imitate the Lawes apparell customes and gouernement of the Chinians They border on one side vpon the Tartars and other nations with whom sometimes they haue peace and sometimes warre but with the Chinians they haue continuall peace They are speciall good bow-men but at other weapons because they haue but few and those bad they are nothing so skilfull Wherefore they are not comparable to the Iaponians who by reason of their warres are continually exercised in armes and are by nature more couragious and valiant being furnished with yron-peeces with lances and with excellent swordes Onely in shipping they are inferiour to the Corayans and Chinians by reason of the hugenesse of their Ships which they vse vpon the sea Wherefore if they were to ioyne battels by sea there is no doubt but that both the foresayde Nations would bâ— too hard for them But now because they knewe nothing of the comming of the Iaponian armie or for that they doubted that their sea-forces were the stronger or els because God was determined to punish them he suffered them to be destitute of all the defence of their shipping so that the Iaponians without any resistance landed vpon their dominions Now the fame of Augustines victory causing the armie notably to increase and the Mariners and many others which caryed burthens as they were trained vp in warre from thâ—ir childhood bearing armes while the Corayan captiues supplied their baser offices so great a terrour possessed all the people of Coray where Augustine came that all the castles and fortresses which hee passed by were forsaken by their garisons and all men fled for refuge to the principall ciâ—y And while other commanders and Christians sent from Ceuxima and Nangoia shaped their course for Coray Augustine had pitâ—hed his campe neere vnto the foresaid principall citie of the which being come within 3. dayes iourney â—e was encountered by 20000. men whom at the very first assault hauing slaine 3000. of them hee put to flight But approching very neere vnto the citie and hauing
esperanza in 19 degrees Cabo del Enganno in 30 degrees a halfe The hauen of Saint Iago The hauen of Aguaiaual These shoalds are the bottoms of ma◠〈◊〉 or the Bay of California The bottom of the Bay of California Theâ— got vp thee 〈◊〉 of 〈…〉 the 26. of August We carried an interpreter with him A very good course taken to appease vnknowen Sauages Good forâ—cast Indians besmoutched with cole Pipes and bagges of Tobacco Shels and beades A notable policie Swarmes oâ—â—eoplâ— An exceeding great current of the riuer A wisâ— deâ—ise Newes of bearded and white men The Sunne worshipped as God Certaine warlike people behind a mountaine These people are greatly incâ—ined to learne the Christian faith The riuer in diuers places full of shelfes Another olde man Their ancesters told them tâ—at there were bearded and white men in the world Another nation People of 23. languages dwelling along this riuer Acuco as Gomara writteth is on a strong mountaine Great houses of stone Round 〈◊〉 Dancing and singing at mariages of the Sauages They burne their dead Pipes to 〈◊〉 Tabacco with Maiz gourds Miâ—l Grindestones earthen pots good fish This riuer ouerfloweth his banks at certaine seasons Colde and raine Ceuola 40 days iourney from thence by the riuer Turqueses in Ceuola This was the Negro that went with Frier Marco de Niza Quicoma Coama Conies and yucas Cotton A mountaine Ceuola a goodly thing Gold and siluer in a mountainâ— neere Ceuola A mighty riuer This riuer seemeth to vâ—â— Noâ—thward by the colde The Negro that went with Frier Marco de Niâ—a sâ—aine The cause wherefore Stephan Dorantez the Negro was slaine They of Ceuola haue 14. or 15. lords their enemies An olde woâ—â— called Guâ—â—â—â—â—câ— in a lake greaâ—ly woâ—shipped Antonio d'Esâ—eâ—o spraketh of such a great lake 200 limâ—es oâ— people This might be the â—tooke â—aked oâ—â— o◠〈◊〉 The sea side The Sauageâ—â—â—easonâ— to â—e taken heede of Certaine newes of the Spanyardâ— at Ceuola Ceuola tenne dayes diâ—tant â—rom this place A desert of tâ—â—â— dayes iouâ—ney Oxen of Ceuola A desert Cumana He returneth in 2. dayes and an halfe to his ships Maâ—ke â—hat 〈◊〉 â—he Spaniardes caâ—â— with tâ—â—m in newe deâ—â—oueâ—iâ—s Rio de buena Guia. Parrats in these parâ—s Two moones to Ceuola Another booke wâ—itten of the particulars of that countrey Quicama Coama Cumana Treason of the sauages An Inchanter This Riuer ran â—â—ch farther vp than â—e had tâ—aâ—â—lled He sayled 85 leagues vp the Riuer The port of Colima The Portugal Pilote set on land Sir Francis Drake sayled on the backe â—â—de of America to 43 degrees of Northerly latitude 38 degrees A description of the people and Countrey of Noua Albion These are like chaines of â—surnâ—y in Canada and Hochelage The king resignes his crowne and kingdome to Sir Francis Drake Great riches in Noua Albion Great heards of Deere Abundance of strange conies Noua Albion Golde and siluer in the â—arâ—d of Noua Albion The Isle â—â— Masbate The Bay of Manilla in 14. degrees and one quarter Canton 22â— degrees The Iland of Macao Ilha Branca As Ilhas fermosasâ— Lequeosâ— Mines of gold Firando Other Ilands Eastward of Iapon Iapon 900. leagues distant from the coast of America in 37 degrees and an halfe Seuen and thirty deg and an halfe Read Francis Vllaâ— chap. 16. Cabo de San Lucas in 22. deg Hauens lately found out Acapulco English factors in the Grand Canaria Iohn Sweeting Englishman married in Cadiz sendeth a ship of his owne into the West Indies vnder the conduct of his sonne in laws Leonard Chilton Ralph Saâ—re Many of one men died of these wormes at the taking of Puerto rico Cuerpo Santo His arriuall at Vera Cruz. Florida 300. leagues from San Iuan de Vllua Mexico Sant Iuan de Vllua The way and distance from San Iuan de â—llua to Vera Cruz is fiuâ— leagues Venta de Riâ—conado Pueblo de los Angeles Mâ—â—iâ— Don Luis de Velasco This is to be vnderstood of his second comming into Spaine Mexico conquered Anno 1519. and 1520. Cochinilla is not a worme nor a flie but a berry A new trade begun in the city of Fez by Roger Bodenham The place where Cochinilla groweth and the pâ—â—â— thereof 1568. Cadiz San Iuan de Vllua Vera Cruz. Xalapa Sixteene leagues Perota seuen leagues Fuentes de Ozumba nine leagues Pueblo de los Angeles eight leagues Tlaxcalla foure leagues northward from los Angeles Vulcan is a hill that continually burneth with fire Cochinilla Pueblo de los Angeles 20 leagues from Mexico His voyage from Mexico to Nueua Biscaiâ— New Biscay The Siluer mines of Tamaâ—caltepec The valley of S. Bartholomew The hauen where y e shipe of China the Philippinas arriue Guaxaca Aguatulco Nixapa Sapotecas Tecoantepec Soconusco Suchetepec Guasacapan Guatimala Sonsonate San Saluador Acaxutla Nicoia a port where y e ships which goe to the Philippinas are diuided Pueâ—â—o de Câ—uallos a rich place The description of Hauana at large The smal force of Haâ—ana The commodities of Cuba Nombre de Dios. Panama Potossi Cusco Paitâ— Vera Paz. Chiapa 300 leagues from Mexico Ecatepec an hill nine leagues high Tecoaâ—tepecâ— His iourney to Panucâ— Mestitlan Clanchinoltepeâ— Guâ—xutlâ— Guastecâ—n Tancuylabo Salt a principall merchandize Tampice a port towne Panuco â—â—allapa Sant Iago de los â—alles Mighty mules Don Henrico Manriques viceroy of Mexico Rio de laâ— Palmas The mines of Sacatecas The valley of S. Michael Pueblo nueuo Mechuacan Copper mines Campeche Merida Rio de Tabasâ—o Iucatan The greatnesse of the king of Spaines tribute out of the West Indies The quintaâ— The marke of siluer is 64 reals of plate The reuenue of the kings buls and pardons came yerely to three millions Rebellions in Noua Hispania by too great exactions The reasons which mooue the kings of Spaine to forbid forren traffiâ—e in the West Indies Mâ—gueis S. Iohn de Villua Spirits 〈◊〉 Cruâ— Musquitâ— Popiniayâ— Monkeys Wheat twise in a yeere Tlaxcalla a free city Mexico A way to drowne Mexico Crocodiles Nauigation to China from Puerto de Acapulco The Northwest streight The more Northward the richer siluer mines Painting earth Golde mines Mesquiquez Seuen cities by witchcraft not found of the seckers Pedro Morales Nicolas Burgignon write the like of Copalla The strange oxen of Cibola Cibola abandoned A great riuer nere Cibolâ— Water congealed to salt Dogs of India described Cacao a fruit currant as money Fruits Hot springs Hares and conies Sea fish Burning mountaines Manna Wilde hogs lions and tigres Mines discouered not sound againe The authom fiue yeeres in Nueua Espanna Sugar conserues Description of the Indians person and maners The people of Nueua Espanna great cowarde The Indians ignorance froÌ„ whence they came The Sun and Moone honored Score of cotrâ— The wilde Indians Friers in reuerence Copper mines The pompe of owners of mines Things necessary to mines of siluer and golde The plenty of cattell Sheepe Wooll Cloth Woad Alum