that both their blessings and their curses they sell vnto the people The nouices of this order before they be admitted goe together two or three thousand in a company vp a certaine high mountaine to doe pennance there three score dayes voluntarily punishing themselues In this time the deuill sheweth himselfe vnto them in sundry shapes and they like young graduals admitted as it were fellowes into some certaine companie are set foorth with white âassels hanging about their neckes and blacke Bonnets that scarcely couer any more then the crowne of their heads Thus attyred they range abroade in all Iapan to set out themselues and their cunning to sale each one beating his bason which he carieth alwayes about with him to giue notice of their comming in al townes where they passe There is also an other sort called Genguis that make profession to shewe by soothsaying where stollen things are and who were the theeues These dwell in the toppe of an high mountaine blacke in the face for the continuall heate of the sunne for the cold windes and raines they doe continually endure They marry but in their owne tribe and line the report goeth that they be horned beasts They climbe vp most high rockes and hilles and go ouer very great riuers by the onely arte of the deuill who to bring those wreâches the more into errour biddeth them to goe vp a certaine high mountaine where they stande miserably gazing and earnestly looking for him as long as the deuill appointeth them At the length at nonetide or in the euening commeth that deuil whom they call Amida among them to shew himselfe vnto them this shew breedeth in the braines and hearts of men such a kinde of superstition that it can by no meanes be rooted out of them afterward The deuill was wont also in another mountaine to shew himselfe vnto the Iapanish Nation Who so was more desirous than other to go to heauen and to enioy Paradise thither went he to see that sight and hauing seene the deuill followed him so by the deuill perswaded into a denne vntill he came to a deepe pit Into this pit the deuill was wont to leape and to take with him his worshipper whom he there murdred This deceit was thus perceiued An old man blinded with this superstition was by his sonne disswaded from thence but all in vaine Wherefore his sonne followed him priuily into that denne with his bow arrows where the deuill gallantly appeared vnto him in the shape of a man Whilest the old man falleth downe to worshippe the deuill his sonne speedily shooting an arrow at the spirit so appearing strooke a Foxe in stead of a man so suddenly was that shape altered This olde man his sonne tracking the Foxe so running away came to that pit whereof I spake and in the bottome thereof he found many bones of dead men deceiued by the deuill after that sort in time past Thus deliuered he his father from present death and all other from so pestilent an opinion There is furthermore a place bearing name Coia very famous for y e multitude of Abbyes which the Bonzii haue therein The beginner and founder whereof is thought to be one Combendaxis a suttle craftie fellowe that got the name of holinesse by cunning speech although the lawes and ordinances he made were altogether deuillish he is said to haue found out the Iapanish letters vsed at this day In his latter yeeres this Sim suttle buried himselfe in a foure square graue foure cubites deepe seuerely forbidding it to be opened for that then he died not but rested his bodie wearied with continuall businesse vntill many thousand thousands of yeeres were passed after the which time a great learned man named Mirozu should come into Iapan and then would he rise vp out of his graue againe About his tombe many lampes are lighted sent thither out of diuerse prouinces for that the people are perswaded that whosoeuer is liberall and beneficiall towardes the beautifying of that monument shall not onely increase in wealth in this world but in the life to come be safe through Combendaxis helpe Such as giue themselues to worship him liue in those Monasteries or Abbyes with shauen heads as though they had forsaken all secular matters whereas in deede they wallow in all sortes of wickednesse and lust In these houses the which are many as I sayd in number doe remaine 6000 Bonzii or thereabout besides the multitude of lay men women be restrained from thence vpon paine of death Another company of Bonzii dwelleth at Fatonochaiti They teach a great multitude of children all tricks sleights of guile theft whom they do find to be of great towardnes those do they instruct in al the petigrues of princes and fashions of the nobilitie in chiualrie and eloquence and so send them abroad into other prouinces attired like yong princes to this ende that faining themselues to be nobly borne they may with great summes of money borowed vnder the colour and pretence of nobilitie returne againe Wherefore this place is so infamous in all Iapan that if any scholer of that order be happily taken abroad he incontinently dieth for it Neuerthelesse these cousiners leaue not daily to vse their woonted wickednesse and knauerie North from Iapan three hundred leagues out of Meaco lieth a great countrey of sauage men clothed in beasts skinnes rough bodied with huge beards and monstrous muchaches the which they hold vp with litle forkes as they drinke These people are great drinkers of wine fierce in warres and much feared of the Iapans being hurt in fight they wash their wounds with salt water other Surgerie haue they none In their breasts they are sayd to cary looking glasses their swordes they tie to their heads in such wise that the handle doe rest vpon their shoulders Seruice and ceremonies haue they none at all onely they are woont to worship heauen To Aquita a great towne in that Iaponish kingdom which we call Geuano they much resort for marchandise and the Aquitanes likewise doe trauell into their countrey howbeit not often for that there many of them are slaine by the inhabiters Much more concerning this matter I had to write but to auoyd tediousnesse I will come to speake of the Iapans madnesse againe who most desirous of vaine glory doe thinke then specially to get immortall fame when they procure themselues to be most sumptuously and solemnly buried their burials and obsequies in the citie Meaco are done after this maner About one houre before the dead body be brought foorth a great multitude of his friends apparelled in their best aray goe before vnto the fire with them goe their kinswomen and such as bee of their acquaintance clothed in white for that is the mourning colour there with a changeable coloured vaile on their heads Each woman hath with her also according to her abilitie all her familie trimmed vp in white mockado the better sort and wealthier women goe
the wings are let leape downe into the water some vnder some aboue woorth the looking vpon each one as he hath filled his bagge goeth to his owne barge and emptieth it which done he returneth to fish againe Thus hauing taken good store of fish they set the crowes at libertie and do suffer them to fish for their owne pleasure There were in that citie where I was twentie barges at the least of these aforesayd crowes I went almost euery day to see them yet could I neuer be throughly satisfied to see so strange a kind of fishing Of the Iland Iapan and other litle Iles in the East Ocean By R. Willes THe extreame part of the knowen world vnto vs in the noble Iland Giapan written otherwise Iapon and Iapan This Island standeth ân the East Ocean beyond all Asia betwixt Cathayo and the West Indies sixe and thirtie degrees Northward from the Equinoctial line in the same clime with the South part of Spaine and Portugall distant from thence by sea sixe thousand leagues the trauaile thither both for ciuill discord great pyracie and often ship wracks is very dangerous This countrey is âillie and pestered with snow wherefore it is neither so warme as Portugall nor yet so wealthy as far as we can learne wanting oyle butter cheese milke egges sugar honny vineger saffron cynamom and pepper Barley-branne the Ilanders doe vse in stead of salt medicinable things holsome for the bodie haue they none at all Neuerthelesse in that Iland sundry fruites doe growe not much vnlike the fruites of Spaine and great store of Siluer mynes are therein to be seene The people are tractable ciuill wittie courteous without deceit in vertue and honest conuersation exceeding all other nations lately discouered but so much standing vpon their reputation that their chiefe Idole may be thought honour The contempt thereof causeth among them much discord and debate manslaughter and murther euen for their reputation they doe honour their parents keepe their promises absteine from adulterie and robberies punishing by death the least robbery done holding for a principle that whosoeuer stealeth a trifle will if he see occasion steale a greater thing It may be theft is so seuerely punished of them for that the nation is oppressed with scarcitie of all things necessary and so poore that euen for miserie they strangle their owne children preferring death before want These fellowes doe neither eate nor kill any foule They liue chiefely by fish hearbes and fruites so healthfully that they die very old Of Rice and Wheat there is no great store No man is ashamed there of his pouertie neither be their gentlemen therefore lesse honoured of the meaner people neither will the poorest gentleman there match his childe with the baser sort for any gaine so much they do make more account of gentry then of wealth The greatest delight they haue is in armour each boy at fourteene yeeres of age be he borne gentle or otherwise hath his sword and dagger very good archers they be contemning all other nations in comparison of their manhood and prowesse putting not vp one iniurie be it neuer so small in worde or deede among themselues They feede moderately but they drinke largely The vse of vines they knowe not their drinke they make of Rice vtterly they doe abhorre dice and all games accounting nothing more vile in a man then to giue himselfe vnto those things that make vs greedy and desirous to get other mens goods If at any time they do sweare for that seldome they are wont to doe they sweare by the Sunne many of them are taught good letters wherfore they may so much the sooner be brought vnto Christianitie Each one is contented with one wife they be all desirous to learne naturally inclined vnto honesty courtesie godly talke they listen vnto willingly especially wheÌ they vnderstand it throughly Their gouernmeÌt coÌsisteth of 3 estates The first place is due vnto the high Priest by whose lawes decrees all publike and priuate matters appertayning to religion are decided The sects of their clergie men whom they doe call Bonzi be of no estimation or authoritie except the high Priest by letters patent doe confirme the same be confirmeth and alloweth of their Tundi who be as it were Bishops although in many places they are nominated by sundry Princes These Tundi are greatly honoured of all sorts they doe giue benefices vnto inferiour ministers and do grant licences for many things as to eate flesh vpon those dayes they goe in pilgrimage to their Idoles with such like priuileges Finally this high Priest wont to be chosen in China for his wisedome and learning made in Iapan for his gentry and birth hath so large a Dominion and reuenues so great that efâsones he beardeth the perie Kings and Princes there Their second principal Magistrate in their language Vo is the chiefe Herehaught made by succession and birth honoured as a God This Gentleman neuer toucheth the ground with his foote without for faâing of his office he neuer goeth abroad out of his house nor is at all times to be seene At home he is either carried about in a litter or els he goeth in woodden Choppines a foote high from the ground commonly he siâteth in his chaire with a sword in one side and a bow and arrowes in the other next his bodie he weareth blacke his outward garments be red all shadowed ouer with Cypresse at his cappe hang certaine Lambeaur much like vnto a Bishops Miter his forehead is painted white and red he eateth his meat in earthen dishes This Herehaught determineth in all Iapan the diuerse titles of honour whereof in that Iland is great plentie each one particularly knowen by his badge commonly seene in sealing vp their letters and dayly altered according to their degrees About this Vo euery Noble man hath his Soliciter for the nation is so desirous of praise and honour that they striue among themselues who may bribe him best By these meanes the Herehaught groweth so rich that although hee haue neither land nor any reuenues otherwise yet may he be accounted the wealthiest man in all Iapan For three causes this great Magistrate may loose his office first if he touch the ground with his foote as it hath beene alreadie said next if he kill any body thirdly if he be found an enemie vnto peace and quietnesse howbeit neither of these aforesaid causes is sufficient to put him to death Their third chiefe officer is a Iudge his office is to take vp and to end matters in controuersie to determine of warres and peace that which he thinketh right to punish relâeâs wherein he may commaund the noble men to assist him vpon paine of forfeiting their goods neuerthelesse at all times he is not obeyed for that many matters are ended rather by might and armes then determined by law Other controuersies are decided either in the Temporall Court as it seemeth good vnto the Princes or in the
which M. Robert Duddeley tolde me he had seene Upon this sight and for the abundance of golde which he saw in the city the images of golde in their temples the plates armours and shields of gold which they vse in the warres he called it El Dorado After the death of Ordas and Martinez and after Orellana who was imployed by Gonzalo Piçarro one Pedro de Osua a knight of Nauarre attempted Guiana taking his way from Peru and built his brigandines vpon a riuer called Oia which riseth to the Southward of Quito and is very great This riuer falleth into Amazones by which Osua with his companies descended and came out of that prouince which is called Mutylonez and it seemeth to mee that this empire is resârued for her Maiesty and the English nation by reasân of the hard succese which all these and other Spanyards found in attempting the same whereof I will speake briefly though impertinent in some âort to my purpose This Pedro de Osua had among his troups a Biscain called Agiri a man meanly borne who bare no other office then a sergeant or alferez but after cârteine moneths when the souldiers were grieued with trauels and consumed with famine and that no entrance could be found by the branches or body of Amazones this Agiri raised a mutiny of which hee made himselfe the head and so preuailed as he put Osua to the sword and all his followers taking on him the whole charge and commandement with a purpose not onely to make himselfe emperour of Guiana but also of Peru of all that side of the West Indies he had of his party seuen hundred souldiers and of those many promised to draw in other captaines companies to deliuer vp townes and forts in Peruâ but neither finding by y e said riuer any passage into Guiana nor any possibility to returne towards Peru by the same Amazones by reason that y e descent of the riuer made so great a current he was inforced to disemboque at the mouth of the sayd Amazones which can not be lesse then a thousand leagues from the place where they imbarked from thence he coastâd the land till he arriued at Margarita to the North of Mompatar which is at this day called Puerto de Tyranno for that he there slew Don Iuan de villa Andreda gouernour of Margarita who was father to Don Iuan Sarmiento gouernor of Margarita when sir Iohn Burgh landed there and attempted the Island Agiri put to the sword all other in the Island that refused to be of his party and tooke with him certeine Simerones and other desperate companions From thence he went to Cumana and there slew the gouernour and dealt in all as at Margarita hee spoiled all the coast of Caracas and the prouince of Venezuela and of Rio de la hacha and as I remember it was the same yere that sir Iohn Hawkins sailed to Saint Iuan de Vllua in the Iesus of Lubeck for himselfe tolde me that he met with such a one vpon the coast that rebelled and had sailed downe all the riuer of Amazones Agiri from thence landed about Sancta Marta and sacked it also putting to death so many as refused to be his followers purposing to inuade Nueuo reyno de Granada and to sacke Pamplon Merida Lagrita Tunxa and the rest of the cities of Nueuo reyno and frâm thence againe to enter Peru but in a fight in the sayd Nueuo reyno he was ouerthrâwen and finding no way to escape he first put to the sword his owne children foretelling them that they should not to liue to be defamed or vpbraided by the Spanyards after his death who would haue termed them the children of a traitour or tyrant and that sithence hee could not make them princes hee would yet deliuer them from shame and reproch These were the ends and tragedies of Ordas Martinez Orellana Ozua and Agiri Also soone after Ordas followed Ieronimo Ortal de Saragosa with 130 souldiers who failing his entrance by sea was cast with the current on the coast of Paria peopled about S. Miguel de Neueri It was then attempted by Don Pedro de Silua a Portugues of the family of Ruigomes de Silua and by the fauour which Ruigomes had with the king he was set out but he also shot wide of the marke for being departed from Spaine with his fleet he entered by Marannon and Amazones where by the nations of the riuer and by the Amazones hee was vtterly ouerthrowen and himselfe and all his armie defeated onely seuen escaped and of those but two returned After him came Pedro Hernandez de Serpa and landed at Cumaná in the West Indies taking his iourney by land towards Orenoque which may be some 120 leagues but yeâ he came to the borders of the sayd riuer hee was set vpon by a nation of the Indians called Wikiri and ouerthrowen in such sort that of 300 souldiers horsemen many Indians and Negros there returned but 18. Others affirme that he was defeated in the very entrance of Guiana at the first ciuill towne of the empire called Macureguarai Captaine Preston in taking S. Iago de Leon which was by him and his companies very resolutely performed being a great towne and farre within the land held a gentleman prisoner who died in his ship that was one of the company of Hernandez de Serpa and saued among those that escaped who witnessed what opinion is held among the Spanyards thereabouts of the great riches of Guiana and El Dorado the city of Inga Another Spanyard was brought aboord me by captaine Preston who told me in the hearing of himselfe aâd diuers other gentlemen that he met with Berreos campe-master at Caracas when he came ârom the borders of Guiana and that he saw with him forty of most pure plates of golde curiously wrought and swords of Guiana decked and inlayed with gold feathers garnished with golde and diuers rarities which he caried to the Spanish king After Hernandez de Serpa it was vndertaken by the Adelantado Don Gonzales Ximenes de Casada who was one of the chiefest in the conquest of Nueuo reino whose daughter and heire Don Antonio de Berreo marâed Gonzales sought the passage also by the riuer called Papamene which riseth by Quito in Peru runneth Southeast 100 leagues and then falleth into Amazones but he also failing the entrance returned with the losse of much labour and cost I tooke one captaine George a Spanyard that followed Gonzales in this enterprise Gonzales gaue his daughter to Berreo taking his oth honour to follow the enterprise to the last of his substance and life who since as he hath sworne to me hath spent 300000 ducats in the same yet neuer could enter so far into the land as my selfe with that poore troupe or rather a handfull of men being in all about 100 gentlemen souldiers rewers boat-keepers boyes of all sorts neither could any of the forepassed
at Fontanas and Nichoâas succeeded in his roome In the yere 1204. Hugo de Lacy inuaded Vlster with an armie and encountered with Iohn de Curcy tooke him prisoner subdued Vlster vnto himselfe Afterward he permitted the said Iohn to goe at libertie who comming vnto king Reginald was honourably enterteined by him because he was his sonne in lawe for Iohn de Curcy had taken to wife Affrica the daughter of Godredus which founded the abbey of S. Mary de iugo domini and was there buried In the yeere 1205. Iohn de Curcy Reginald king of the islands inuading Vlster with a hundreth ships at the port which is called Stranfeord did negligently besiege the castle of Rath but Walter de Lacy coÌming vpoÌ them with his armie put them to flight from that time Curcy neuer recouered his land In the yere 1210. Eâgus the son of Sumerled his 3. sonnes were slaine At the same time Iohn king of England conducted a fleet of 500. ships into Irland and subdued it vnto himselfe and sending a certaine earle named Fulco vnto the isle of Man his souldiers almost vtterly wasted it in the space of 15. dayes and hauing taken pledges they returned home into their owne countrey King Reginald and his nobles were at this time absent from Man In the yere 1217. deceased Nicolas bishop of the islands and was buried in Vlster in the house of Benchor whom Reginald succeeded I thinke it not amisse to report somewhat more concerning the two foresaid brethren Reginaldus and Olauus REginald gaue vnto his brother Olauus the island called Lodhus or Lewes which is saide to be larger then the rest of the islands but almost destitute of inhabitants because it is so ful of mountaines quarreis being almost no where fit for tillage Howbeit the inhabitants thereof do liue for the most part vpon hunting and fishing Olauus therefore went to take possession of this Island and dwelt therein leading a poore life and when he saw that it would by no meanes suffice for the sustentation of himselfe his folowers hee went boldly vnto his brother Reginald who as then remained in the islands spake on this wise vnto him My brother said he and my lord and king you know that the kingdom of the islands pertained vnto me by right of inheritance howbeit because the Lord had chosen you to beare the scepter I doe not enuie that honour vnto you neither doeth it any whit grieue mee that you are exalted vnto this royall dignitie Nowe therefore I beseech you to prouide mee some portion of land in the islands whereby I may honestly liue For the Island of Lewis which you gaue me is not sufficient for my maintenance Which his brother Reginald hearing said that he would consult about the premisses And on the morow when Olauus was sent for to parle Reginald coÌmanded him to be attached and to be caried vnto William king of Scotland and with him to remaine prisoner and Olauus remained in prison almost for the space of 7. yeres But at the 7. yeres end William king of Scots deceased and Alexander his sonne reigned in his stead The foresaid William before his death commanded that all prisoners should be set at libertie Olauus therefore being at libertie came vnto Man and immediatly with a great company of nobles tooke his iourney vnto S. Iames and his brother Reginald caused the said Olauus to take vnto wife the daughter of a certaine noble man of Kentyre cousine german vnto his owne wife by name being called Lauon and he granted vnto him the possession of Lewis After a few dayes Reginald the bishop of the Islands hauing gathered a Synod separated Olauus and Godred his sonne and Lauon his wife namely because shee was cousin german vnto his former wife Afterward Olauus maried Scristina daughter vnto Ferkarus earle of Rosse Hereupon the wife of Reginald Queene of the Islands being incensed sent letters vnto the Island of Sky in K. Reginald his name to her sonne Godred willing him to take Olauus Which coÌmandement Godred putting in practise entring the isle of Lewis for y e same purpose Olauus fled in a litle skiffe vnto his father in law the earle of Rosse in the meane time Godred wasted the isle of Lewis At the very same time Pol the son of Boke vicount of Sky being a man of power in al the Islands because he would not consent vnto Godred fled dwelt together with Olauus in the dominions of the earle of Rosse making a league with Olauus they went both in a ship vnto Sky To be short sending certaine spies they were informed that Godred remained secure with a smal company in a certaine Isle called y e isle of S. Columba And vniting vnto themselues their friends and acquaintance others that would goe voluntarily with them in the dead of the night hauing lanched 5. ships from the next sea-shore which was distant about the space of 2. furlongs from the foresaid Island they enuironed the said Island on all sides Now Godred and his company rising early in the morning and seeing themselues beset with their enemies on all sides they were vtterly astonied Howbeit arming themselues they began stoutly to make resistance but altogether in vaine For about 9. of the clocke in the morning Olauus and the foresaid vicount Pol with al their souldiers entred the Island and hauing slaine all whom they found without the precincts of the Church they apprehended Godred gelding him and putting out his eyes Unto which action Olauus gaue not his coÌsent neither could he withstand it by reason of the forenamed vicount the son of Boke This was done in the yere of Christ 1223. The next sommer folowing Olauus hauing receiued pledges from all the chiefe men of the Islands with a fleet of 32. ships sailed vnto Man and arriued at Rognolfwaht At the same time Reginald and Olauus diuided the kingdome of the Islands betweene themselues Man being granted vnto Reginald besides his portion the name of a king also Olauus hauing receiued certaine victuals of the people of Man returned together with his company vnto his owne portion of Islands The yeere folowing Reginald taking vnto him Alanus lord of Galway together with his subiects of Man sailed vnto the Islands that hee might take away that portion of ground from his brother Olauus which he had granted vnto him and subdue it vnto himselfe Howbeit by reason that the people of Man had no list to fight against Olauus or the Islanders because they bare good will towards them Reginald and Alanus lord of Galway being defeated of their purpose returned home vnto their owne Within a short space after Reginald vnder pretense of going vnto the Court of his lord the king of England receiued an 100. markes of the people of Man and tooke his iourney vnto Alanus lord of Galway Which the people of Man hearing tooke great indignation thereat insomuch that they sent for
horses bee tired for we are not so well storâd with horses as they Those horses which the Tartars vse one day thây ride not vpon three or foure dayes after Moreouer if the Tartars draw homeward our men must not therefore depart and casseir their bandes or separate themselues asunder because they doe this vpon policie namely to haue our armie diuided that they may more securely inuade and waste the countrey And in very deede our captaines ought both day and night to keepe their armie in a readines and not to lie out of their armour but at all assayes to bee prouided for battell For the Tartars like diuels are alwaies watching and deuising howe to practise mischiefe Furthermore if in battell any of the Tartars be cast off their horse backes they must presently bee layd holde on and taken for being on foote they shoote strongly wounding and killing both horses and men Of the iourney of frier Iohn vnto the first guard of the Tartars Chap. 19. VVE therefore by the commaundement of the sea apostolique setting foorth towards the nations of the East chose first to trauel vnto the Tartars because we feared that there might be great danger imminent vpon the Church of God next vnto them by their inuasions Proceeding on therefore we came to the king of Bohemia who being of our familiar acquaintance aduised vs to take our iourney through Polonia and Russia For we had kinsfolkes in Polonia by whose assistance we might enter into Russia Hauing giuen vs his letters hee caused our charges also to be defrayed in all his chiefe houses and cities till we came vnto his nephew Boleslaus duke of Slesia who also was familiar and well knowen vnto vs. The like fauour he shewed vs also till wee came vuto Conradus duke of Lautiscia vnto whome then by Gods especiall fauour towards vs lord Wasilico duke of Russia was come from whose mouth we heard more at large câÌcerning the deedes of the Tartars for he had sent ambassadours thither who were returned backe vnto him Wherefore it being giuen vs to vnderstand that we must bestow giftes vpon them we caused certaine skinnes of beuers and other beastes to be bought with part of that money which was giuen vpon almes to succour vs by the way Which thing duke Conradus and the duches of Cracow and a bishop and certaine souldiers being aduertised of gaue vs likewise more of the same skins And to be short duke Wasilico being earnestly requested by the duke of Cracow and by the bishop and barons on our behalfe conducted vs with him vnto his owne land and there for certaine daies entertained vs at his owne charges to the ende that we might refresh our selues a while And when being requested by vs he had caused his bishops to resort vnto him we reade before them the Popes letters admonishing them to returne vnto the vnitie of the Church To the same purpose also we our selues admonished them and to our abilitie induced as well the duke as the bishops and others thereunto Howbeit because duke Daniel the brother of Wasilico aforesaid hauing as then taken his iourney vnto Baty was absent they could not at that time make a finall answere After these things duke Wasilico sent vs forward with one of his seruants as farre as Kiow the chiefe citie of Russia Howbeit we went alwayes in danger of our liues by reason of the Lituanians who did often inuade y e borders of Russia euen in those verie places by which we were to passe But in regard of the foresayd seruant wee were out of the Russians daunger the greatest part of whome were either slaine or caried into captiuitie by the Tartars Moreouer at Danilon wee were feeble euen vnto the death Notwithstanding wee caused our selues to bee carried in a waggon through the snowe and extreme colde And being come vnto Kiow wee consulted with the Millenary other noble men there concerning our iourney They told vs that if wee carried those horses which wee then had vnto the Tartars great store of snowe lying vpon the ground they would all dye be cause they knew not howe to digge vp the grasse vnder the snow as the Tartarian horses doe neither could there bee ought found for them to eate the Tartars hauing neither hay nor strawe nor any other fodder We determined therefore to leaue them behind at Kiow with two seruants appointed to keepe them And wee were constrayned to bestow gifts vpon the Millenary that we might obtaine his fauour to allowe vs poste horses and a guide Wherefore beginning our iourney the second daye after the feast of the Purification wee arriued at the towne of Canow which was immediatly vnder the dominion of the Tartars The gouernour whereof allowed vs horses and a guide vnto another towne wherein wee found one Michaeas to be gouernour a man full of all malice and despight Who notwithstanding hauing receiued giftes at our handes according to his maner conducted vs to the first guarde of the Tartars How he and his company were at the first receiued of the Tartars Chap. 20. VVHerefore the first saturday next after Ashwednesday hauing about the Sunnes going downe taken vp our place of rest the armed Tartars came rushing vpon vs in vnciuil and horrible maner being very inquisitiue of vs what maner of persons or of what condition we were when we had answered them that we were the Popes Legates receiuing some victuals at out handes they immediatly departed Moreouer in the morning rising and proceeding on our iourney the chiefe of them which were in the guard met with vs demaunding why or for what intent and purpose we came thither and what busines we had with them Unto whom we answered We are the legates of our lord the Pope who is the father lord of the Christians He hath sent vs as well vnto your Emperour as to your princes and all other Tartars for this purpose because it is his pleasure that all Christians should be in league with the Tartars and should haue peace with them It is his desire also that they should become great or in fauour with God in heauen therfore he admonisheth them aswel by vs as by his own letters to become Christians and to embrace the faith of our Lord Iesu Christ because they could not otherwise be saued Moreouer he giues theÌ to vnderstand that he much marueileth at their moÌstrous slaughters massacres of mankind especially of Christians but most of al of HungariaÌs Mountaineirs Polonians being al his subiects hauing not iniuried them in ought nor attempted to doe them iniurie And because the Lord God is grieuously offended thereat he aduiseth them from henceforth to beware of such dealing to repent them of that which they had done He requesteth also that they would write an answere vnto him what they purpose to doe hereafter and what their intention is All which things being heard and
to death at the same time when the Tartars armie was in Hungarie which for the same cause returned home Moreoouer vpon the foresaide Concubine and many other of her confederats sentence of iudgement was pronounced and they were put to death At the same time Ieroslaus the great Duke of Soldal which is a part of Russia deceased For being as it were for honours sake inuited to eate and drink with the Emperours mother and immediatly after the banquet returning vnto his lodging he fel sicke and within seuen dayes died And after his death his body was of a strange blew colour and it was commonly reported that the said Duke was poisoned to the ende that the Tartars might freely and totally possesse his Dukedome How the Friers comming at length vnto the Emperour gaue and receiued letters Chap. 31. TO be short the Tartars brought vs vnto their Emperor who when he had heard of them that we were come vnto him coÌmanded that we should return vnto his mother For he was determined the next day as it is abouesaid to set vp a flag of defiaÌce against al y â countreis of the West which he would haue vs in no case to know Wherefore returning we staied some few dayes with his mother and so returned baâke again vnto him With whom we continued for the space of one whole moneth in such extreme hunger and thirst that we could scarce hold life and soule together For the prouision allowed vs for foure dayes was scantly sufficient for one day Neither could we buy vs any sustenance because the market was too farre off Howbeit the Lorde prouided for vs a Russian goldsmith named Cosmas who being greatly in the Emperours fauour procured vs some sustenance This man shewed vnto vs the throne of the Emperour which hee had made before it was set in the proper place and his seale which he also had framed Afterward the Emperor sent for vs giuing vs to vnderstand by Chingay his chief Secretary that wee should write downe our messages affaires and should deliuer them vnto him Which thing we performed accordingly Aâter many daies he called for vs againe demanding whether there were any with our Lord the Pope which vnderstood the Russian the Sarracen or the Tartarian language To whom we answered that we had none of those letters or languages Howbeit that there were certaine Saracens in the land but inhabiting a great distance from our Lord the Pope And wee saide that wee thought it most expedient that when they had written their mindes in the Tartarian language and had interpreted the meaning therof vnto vs we should diligently translate it into our own tongue and so deliuer both the letter and the translation thereof vnto our Lord the Pope Then departed they from vs and went vnto the Emperour And after the day of S. Martine we were called for againe Then Kadac principal agent for the whole empire and Chingay and Bala with diuers other Scribes came vnto vs and interpreted the letter word for word And hauing written it in Latine they caused vs to interprete vnto them eche sentence to wit if we had erred in any word And when both letters were written they made vs to reade them ouer twise more least we should haue mistaken ought For they said vnto vs Take heed that ye vnderstand all things throughly for if you should not vnderstand the whole matter aright it might breed some inconuenience They wrote the said letters also in the Saracen tongue that there might be some found in our dominions which could reade and interprete them if need should require How they were licensed to depart Chap. 32. ANd as our Tartars told vs the Emperour was purposed to send his ambassadors with vs. Howbeit he was desirous as we thought that we our selues should craue that fauour at his hands And when one of our Tartars being an ancient man exhorted vs to make the said petition we thought it not good for vs that the Emperor should send his ambassadours Wherfore we gaue him answere that it was not for vs to make any such petition but if it pleased the Emperour of his owne accord to send them we would diligently by Gods assistance see them conducted in safetie Howbeit we thought it expedient for vs that they should not goe and that for diuers causes First because we feared least they seeing the dissentions and warres which are among vs should be the more encouraged to make warre against vs. Secondly we feared that they would be insteade of spies and intelligencers in our dominions Thirdly we misdoubted that they would be slaine by the way For our nations be arrogant and proud For when as those seruants which at the request of the Cardinall attended vpon vs namely the legates of Almaine returned vnto him in the Tartars attire they were almost stoned in the way by the Dutch and were compelled to put off those garments And it is the Tartars custome neuer to bee reconciled vnto such as haue slaine their Ambassadours till they haue reuenged themselues Fourthly least they should bee taken from vs by mayne force Fiftly because there could come no good by their ambassade for they were to haue none other commission or authoritie but onely to deliuer their Emperours letter vnto the Pope and to the Princes of Christendome which very same letters wee our selues had and we knew right well that much harme might ensue thereoâ Wherefore the third day after this namely vpon the feast of Saint Brice they gaue vs our passe-port and a Letter sealed with the Emperours owne seale sending vs vnto the Emperours mother who gaue vnto eche of vs â gowne made of Foxe-skinnes with the furre on the outside and a piece of purple And our Tartars stole a yarde out of euery one of them And out of that which was giuen vnto our seruant they stole the better halfe Which false dealing of theirs we knew well inough but would make no words thereof How they returned homewards Chap. 33. THen taking our iourney to returne we trauailed all Winter long lying in the deserts oftentimes vpon the snow except with our feete wee made a piece of ground bare to lye vpon For there were no trees but the plaine champion field And oftentimes in the morning we found our selues all couered with snow driuen ouer vs by the winde And so trauailing till the feast of our Lordes Ascension we arriued at the court of Bathy Of whom when wee had enquired what answere he would send vnto our Lord the Pope he said that he had nothing to giue vs in charge but onely that we should diligently deliuer that which the Emperour had written And hauing receiued letters for our safe conduct the thirteenth day after Pentecost being Saterday wee were proceeded as farre as Montij with whome our foresaide associates and seruants remained which were withheld from vs and we caused them to be deliuered vnto vs.
languages For I caused them to be translated at Acon into the character dialect of both the saide tongues And there were certain Armenian priests which had skil in the Turkish Arabian languages The aforesaid knight also of the order of the Temple had knowledge in the Syriake Turkish Arabian tongues Then we departed forth and put off our vestiments and there came vnto vs certaine Scribes together with the foresaid Coiat caused our letters to be interpreted Which letters being heard he caused our bread wine and fruits to be receiued And he permitted vs also to carie our vestiments and bookes vnto our owne lodging This was done vpon the feast of S. Peter ad vincula How they were giuen in charge to goe vnto Baatu the Father of Sartach Chap. 18. THe next morning betimes came vnto vs a certaine Priest who was brother vnto Coiat requesting to haue our boxe of Chrisine because Sartach as he said was desirous to see it and so we gaue it him About euentide Coiat sent for vs saying My lord your king wrote good words vnto my lord and master Sartach Howbeit there are certaine matters of difficulty in them concerning which he dare not determine ought without the aduise and counâell of his father And therfore of necessitie you must depart vnto his father leauing behind you the two carts which you brought hither yesterday with vestiments and bookes in my custodie because my lorde is desirous to take more diligent view thereof I presently suspecting what mischiefe might ensue by his couetousnes said vnto him Sir we will not onely leaue those with you but the two other carts also which we haue in our possession will we commit vnto your custodie You shall not quoth he leaue those behinde you but for the other two carts first named we will satisfie your request I saide that this could not conueniently be done but needes we must leaue all with him Then he asked whether we meant to tarie in the land I answered If you throughly vnderstand the letters of my lorde the king you know that we are euen so determined Then he replied that we ought to bee patient and lowly and so we departed from him that euening On the morrowe after he sent a Nestorian Priest for the carts and we caused all the foure carts to be deliuered Then came the foresaid brother of Coiat to meet vs and separated all those things which we had brought the day before vnto the Court from the rest namely the bookes and vestiments and tooke them away with him Howbeit Coiat had commanded that we should carie those vestiments with vs which wee ware in the presence of Sartach that we might put them on before Baatu if neede should require but the said Priest tooke them from vs by violence saying thou hast brought them vnto Sartach and wouldest thou carie them vnto Baatu And when I would haue rendred a reason he answered be not too talkatiue but goe your wayes Then I sawe that there was no remedie but patience for wee could haue no accesse vnto Sartach himselfe neither was there any other that would doe vs iustice I was afraide also in regard of the interpreter least he had spoken other things then I saide vnto him for his will was good that we should haue giuen away all that wee had There was yet one comfort remaining vnto me for when I once perceiued their couetous intent I conueyed from among our bookes the Bible and the sentences and certaine other bookes which I made speciall account of Howbeit I durst not take away the Psalter of my soueraigne Lady the Queene because it was too wel known by reason of the golden pictures therein And so we returned with the two other carts vnto our lodging Then came he that was appointed to be our guide vnto the court of Baatu willing vs to take our iourney in all poste-haste vnto whom I said that I would in no case haue the carts to goe with me Which thing he declared vnto Coiat Then Coiat commaunded that we should leaue them and our seruant with him And we did as he commanded And so traueling directly Eastward towards Baatu the third day we came to Etilia or Volga the streams whereof when I beheld I wondered from what regions of the North such huge and mighty waters should descend Before we were departed from Sartach the foresaid Coiat with many other Scribes of the court said vnto vs doe not make report that our Lord is a Christian but a Moal Because the name of a Christian seemeth vnto them to be the name of some nation So great is their pride that albeit they beleeue perhaps some things concerniâg Christ yet will they not bee called Christians being desirous that their owne name that is to say Moal should be exalted aboue all other names Neither wil they be called by the name of Tartars For the Tartars were another nation as I was informed by them Howe Sartach and Mangu-Can and Ken-Can doe reuerence vnto Christians Chap. 19. AT the same time when the French-men tooke Antioch a certaine man named Con Can had dominion ouer the Northren regions lying thereabouts Con is a proper âame Can is a name of authority or dignitie which signifieth a diuiner or soothsayer All diuiners are called Can amongst them Whereupon their princes are called Can because that vntoâ them belongeth the gouernment of the people by diuination Wee doe reade also in the historie of Antiochia that the Turkes seât for aide against the French-men vnto the kingdome of Con Can. For out of those parts the whole nation of the Turkes first came The said Con was of the nation of Kara-Catayâ Kara signifieth blacke and Catay is the name of a countrey So that Kara-Catay signifieth the blacke Catay This name was giuen to make a difference between the foresaid people and the people of Catay inhabiting Eastward ouer against y e Ocean sea concerning whom your maiesty shall vnderstand more hereafter These Catayans dwelt vpon certaine Alpes by the which I trauailed And in a certain plaine countrey within those Alpes there inhabited a Nestorian shepheard being a mighty gouernour ouer the people called Yayman which were Christians following the sâct of Nestorius After the death of Con Can the said Nestorian exalted himselfe to the kingdome and they called him King Iohn reporting ten times more of him then was true For so the Nestorians which come out of those parts vse to doe For they blaze abroade great rumors and reports vpon iust nothing Whereupon they gaue out concerning Sartach that he was become a Christian and the like also they reported concerning Mangu Can and Ken Can namely because these Tartars make more account of Christians then they doe of other people and yet in very deede themselues are no Christians So likewise there went foorth a great report concerning the said king Iohnâ Howbeit when I trauailed along by his
and purposely described all the Northerne Islands with the indrawing seas and the record thereof at his returne he deliuered to the king of England The name of which booke is Inuentio Fortunata aliter fortunae qui liber incipit a gradu 54. vsque ad polum Which frier for sundry purposes after that did fiue times passe from England thither and home againe It is to be noted that from the hauen of Linne in Norfolke whereof the foresaid Francisan frier tooke his name to Island it is not aboue a fortnights sailing with an ordinarie winde and hath bene of many yeeres a very common and vsuall trade which further appeareth by the priuileges granted to the Fishermen of the towne of Blacknie in the said Countie of Norfolke by king Edward the third for their exemption and freedome from his ordinary seruice in respect of their trade to Island The voyage of Henry Earle of Derbie after Duke of Hereford and lastly king of England by the name of Henry the fourth An. Dom. 1390. into Prussia and Lettowe against the infidels recorded by Thomas of Walsingham DDominus Henricus Comes de Derbie per idem tempus profectus est in le Pruys vbi cum adjutorio marescalli dictae patriae cujusdam Regis vocati Wytot deuicit exercitum Regis de Lettowe captis quatuor ducibus tribus peremptis amplius quam trecentis de valentioribus exercitus supradicti pariter interemptis Ciuitas quoque vocatur Will in cujus castellum Rex de Lettowe nomine Skirgalle confugerat potenti virtute dicti Comitis maximè aâque suorum capta est Namque qui fuerunt de famâlia sâ primi murum ascenderant vexillum ejus super muros caeteris vel torpentibus vel ignorantibus posuerunt Captaque sunt ibi vel occisa quatuor millia plebanorum fratre Regis de Poleyn inter caeteros ibi perempto qui aduersarius nostri fuitâ Obsessumque fuit castrum dictae Ciuitatis per quinque hebdomadas Sed propter infirmitates quibus vexabatur exercitus magistri de Pruys de Lifland noluerunt diutius expectare Facti sunt Christiani de gente de Lettowe octo Et magister de Lifland duxit secum in suam patriam tria millia captiuorum The same in English ABout the same time L. Henry the Earle of Derbie trauailed into Prussia where with the helpe of the Marshall of the same Prouince and of a certaine king called Wytot hee vanquished the armie of the king of Lettowe with the captiuitie of foure Lithuanian Dukes and the slaughter of three besides more then three hundred of the principall common souldiers of the sayd armie which were slaine The Citie also which is called Wil or Vilna into the castle whereof the king of Lettow named Skirgalle fled for his sauegard was by the valour of the sayd Earle especially and of his followers surprised and taken For certaine of the chiefe men of his familie while others were slouthfull or at least ignorant of their intent skaling the walles aduanced his colours thereupon And there were taken and slaine foure thousand of the common souldiers and amongst others was slaine the king of Poland his brother who was our professed enemie And the castle of the foresaid Citie was besieged for the space of fiue weekes but by reason of the infirmities and inconueniences wherewith the whole armie was annoyed the great masters of Prussia and of Lifland would not stay any longer There were conuerted of the nation of Lettowe eight persons vnto the Christian faith And the master of Lifland carried home with him into his countrey three thousand captiues The voyage of Thomas of VVoodstocke Duke of Glocester into Prussia in the yeere 1391. written by Thomas Walsingham EOdem tempore dux Glouerniae Dominus Thomas de Woodstock multis moerentibus iter apparauit versùs le Pruys quem non Londinensium gemitus non communis vulgi moeror retinere poterant quiâ proficisci vellet Nam plebs communis tà m Vrbana quà m rustica metuebant quòd eo absente aliquod nouum detrimentum succresceret quo praesente nihil tale timebant Siquidèm in eo spes solatium totius patriae reposita videbantur Ipse verò mòx vt fines patriae suae transijt illicò aduersa agitatus fortuna nunc hà c nunc illà c turbinibus procellosis circumfertur in tantum destituitur vt de vita etiam desperaret Tandem post Daciam post Norwagiam post Scoticam barbariem non sine mortis pauore transcursam peruenit Northumbriam ad castellum se contulit de Tinnemutha velùt assylum antiquitùs notum sibi vbi per aliquot dies recreatus iter assumpsit versus manerium suum de Plashy magnum apportans gaudium toti regno tam de ejus euasione quà m de aduentu suo The same in English AT the same time the Duke of Glocester Lord Thomas of Woodstock the yongest sonne of Edward the third to the great griefe of many tooke his iourney towards Prussia whom neither the Londoners mones nor yet the lamentation of the communaltie could restraine from his intended expedition For the common people both of the Citie and of the countrey feared lest in his absence some newe calamitie might happen which they feared not while he was present For in him the whole nation seemed to repose their hope and comfort Howbeit hauing skarce passed as yet the bounds of his owne countrey he was immediatly by hard fortune tossed vp and downe with dangerous stormes and tempests and was brought into such distresse that he despaired euen of his owne life At length hauing not without danger of death sailed along the coastes of Denmarke Norway and Scotland he returned into Northumberland and went to the castle of Tinmouth as vnto a place of refuge knowen of olde vnto him where after hee had refreshed himselfe a fewe dayes hee tooke his iourney toward his Mannour of Plashy bringing great ioy vnto the whole kingdome aswell in regard of his safetie as of his returne The verâes of Geofrey Chaucer in the knights Prologue who liuing in the yeere 1402. as hee writeth himselfe in his Epistle of Cupide shewed that the English Knights after the losse of Acon were wont in his time to trauaile into Prussia and Lettowe and other heathen lands to aduance the Christian faith against Infidels and miscreants and to seeke honour by feats of armes The English Knights Prologue A Knight there was and that a worthie man that from the time that he first began to riden out he loued Cheualrie trouth honour freedome and Curtesie full worthy was he in his lords warre and thereto had hee ridden no man farre As well in Christendome as in Heathennesse and euer had honour for his worthinesse At Alisandre hee was when it was wonne full oft time hee had the bourd begon abouen all nations in Pruce In Lettowe had hee riden and in
vpon the saide Order receiuing maintenance and exhibition from the saide Order during the terme of his life It fortuned also vnder the gouernment of the foresayde Master Boppo that one Syr Martine a Golin beeing accompanied with another knight went into the countrey to see howe the Prussians were imployed And meeting with three Prussians they slew two and the thirde they reserued to guide them the directest way But this guide betrayed them into their enemies handes Which when they perceiued they slewe the Traytour Then fiue Prussian horsemen came riding and tooke them deliuering them bounde to the custodie of two And the other three pursued the horses of the two which broke loose in the time of tâe frâye And they tarying somewhat long the other two woulde haue beheaded the two Knightes in the meane season And as one of them was striking with his drawen sworde at the necke of Sir Martine hee saide vnto them Sirs you doe vnwisely in that you take not off my garment before it bee defiled with blood They therefore loosing the cordes wherewith hee was bounde to take off his garment set his armes more at libertie Which Syr Martine well perceiuing reached his keeper such a boxe that his sworde fell to the grounde Which hee with all speede taking vp slewe both the keepers and vnbâunde his fellowe Knight Moreouer seeing the other three Prussians comming furiously vpon them with staute couragious hearts they made towarde the saide Prussians and slew thâm and so escaped the danger of death The seuenth great Master was Hanno de Sangeâshusen who deceased in the yeere one thousand two hundreth seuentie fiue The eight was Hartmanous ab Heldringen who deceased in the yeere 1282. The ninth was Burckardus a Schuuenden beeing afterwarde made knight of the order of Saint Iohns The tenth was Conradus a Feuchtuuang vnder this man the Citie of Acon in Palestina was sacked by the Soldan and manie people were slayne The Tâmplars which were therein returned home out of Fraunce where they had great reuenewes The Knightes of Saint Iohn who also had an Hospitall at Acon changed their place and went into the Isle of Cyprus and fromâthence departing vnto Rhodes they subdued that Islande vnto themselues Nowe the Dutch Knights abounded with wealth and possessions throughout all Germanie beeing Lordes of a good part of Prussia Liuonia and Curland whose chiefe house was then at Marpurg till such time as it was remooued vnto Marieburg a Towne of Prussia The eleuenth great Master was Godfrey Earle of Hohenloc Under this man the knights sustained a great ouerthrowe in Liuonia but hauing strengthned their armie they slewe neere vnto Rye foure thousande of their enemies The twelfth Master was Sifridus a Feuchtuuang Under this man the principall house of the Order was translated from Martpurg to Marieburg which in the beginning was established at Acon and from thence was remooued vnto Venice and from Venice vnto Martpurg This Sifridus deceased in the yeere 1341. The thirteenth Master was called Charles Beffart of Triers This man built a fort vpon the riuer of Mimmel and it was named Christmimmel The foureteenth was Warnerus ab Orsele whome a certaine knight of the Order slewe with his sworde The 15. was Ludolphus Duke of Brunswick who built the Towne of Ylgenburg and deceased 1352. The sixteenth was Theodoricus Earle of Aldenborg and hee built the Towne of Bartenstein The seuenteenth was Ludolphus sirnamed King The eighteenth was Henrie a Tusimer The nineteenth Winricus a Knoppenrodt In this mans time the knights took the king of the Lithuanians named Kinstut captiue and kept him prisoner in Marieburg halfe a yeere but by the helpe of a seruaunt hauing broken out of the Castle hee escaped away by night But fearing that hee was layde waite for in all places hee left his horse and went on foote through vnknowen pathes In the day time hee hidde himselfe in secrete places and in the night hee continued his iourney vntill hee came vnto Massouia But all the Knightes ioye was turned into sorrowe after they had lost so great an enemie The twentieth grand Master was Conradus Zolner of Rotenstein The one and twentieth Conradus Walenrod The two and twentieth Conradus a Iungingen who deceased in the yeere one thousand foure hundreth and seuen The three and twentieth Vlricus a Iungingen This man dyed in battell in the yeere one thousand foure hundreth and tenne which battell was fought against Vladislaus Father of Casimire Both partes had leuied mightie and huge forces vnto the Polonians the Lithuanians and the Tartars had ioyned themselues ouer whome one Vitoldus was captaine the Dutch Knights had taken vp Souldiers out of all Germanie And when eache armie had encamped themselues one within twentie furlongs of another hoping for victorie and impatient of delay the great Master of the Prussians sent an Herault to denounce warre vnto the King and immediately alarme beeing giuen it is reported that there were in both armies fourtie thousand horsemen in a readinesse Vladislaus commaunded the Lithuanians and the Tartars to giue the first onsette and placed the Polonians in the rerewarde of the battell on the contrarie side the Prussians regarded least of all to reserue any strong troupes behinde which might rescue such as were wearie and renewe the fight if neede shoulde require but set forwarde the flower and chiualrie of all his Souldiers in the verie forefront of the battell The charge beeing giuen certaine vnarmed Tartars Lithuanians were slaine handsmooth howbeit the multitude pressed on neither durst the fearefull Polonians turne their backes and so a cruell battell was fought vpon the heapes of dead carkases The combate continued a long time terrible slaughters were committed and the Lithuanians and Tartars were slaine like sheepe But when newe and fresh enemies continually issued foorth the Dutch knights being wearied began to fight more faintly Which Vladislaus no sooner perceiued but in all haste hee sends forwarde his mightie and well armed hande of Polonians who suddenly breaking in renewed the skirmish The Dutch were not able to withstand the furie of the fresh troupes great oddes there is betweene the wearied Souldier and him that comes in a fresh insomuch that the knights with their people were constrained to flee The master of the Order seeing his souldiers giue way vnto the enemie gathered a companie together and withstoode him in the face howbeit himselfe was slaine for his labour the flight of his people proued greater and more dishonourable neither did the Dutch cease to flee so long as the Polonian continued the chase There fell on the Knights partie manie thousands of men and the Polonians gotte not the victorie without great spoile and damage This battell was foughten in regard of the bounds of regions in the yeere 1410. All Prussia following the happie successe of the Polonian king except Marieburg onely yeelded themselues vnto him being Conquerour Howbeit the Emperour Sigismund taking vp the quarell peace was ordained between
that morning and euening prayer with other common seruices appointed by the kings Maiestie and lawes of this Realme to be read and saide in euery ship daily by the minister in the Admirall and the marchant or some other person learned in other ships and the Bible or paraphrases to be read deuoutly and Christianly to Gods honour and for his grace to be obtained and had by humble and heartie praier of the Nauigants accordingly 14 Item that euery officer is to be charged by Inuentorie with the particulars of his charge and to render a perfect accompt of the diffraying of the same together with modest temperate dispending of powder shot and vse of all kinde of artillery which is not to be misused but diligently to be preserued for the necessary defence of the fleete and voyage together with due keeping of all instruments of your Nauigation and other requisites 15 Item no liquor to be spilt on the balast nor filthines to be left within boord the cook room and all other places to be kept cleane for the better health of the companie the gromals pages to bee brought vp according to the laudable order and vse of the Sea as well in learning of Nauigation as in exercising of that which to them appertaineth 16 Item the liueries in apparel giuen to the mariners be to be kept by the marchants and not to be worne but by the order of the captaine when he shall see cause to muster or shewe them in good aray for the aduancement and honour of the voyage and the liueries to bee redeliuered to the keeping of the marchants vntill it shal be thought conuenient for euery person to haue the ful vse of his garment 17 Item when any mariner or any other passenger shal haue neede of any necessarie furniture of apparell for his body and conseruation of his health the same shall bee deliuered him by the Marchant at the assignement of the captaine and Master of that shippe wherein such needie person shall be at such reasonable price as the same cost without any gaine to be exacted by the marchants the value therof to be entred by the marchant in his booke and the same to be discounted off the parties wages that so shal receiue and weare the same 18 Item the sicke diseased weake and visited person within boord to be tendred relieued comforted and holpen in the time of his infirmitie and euery maner of person without respect to beare anothers burden and no man to refuse such labour as shall be put to him for the most benefite and publike wealth of the voyage and enterprise to be atchieued exactly 19 Item if any person shal fortune to die or miscary in the voyage such apparell and other goods as he shall haue at the time of his death is to be kept by the order of the captaine and Master of the shippe and an inuentorie to be made of it and conserued to the vse of his wife and children or otherwise according to his mind and wil and the day of his death to be entred in the Marchants and Stewards bookes to the intent it may be knowen what wages he shall haue deserued to his death and what shall rest due to him 20 Item that the Marchants appointed for this present voyage shall not make any shew or sale of any kind of marchandizes or open their commodities to any forrein princes or any of their subiects without the consent priuitie or agreement of the Captaines the cape Marchants and the assistants or foure of them whereof the captaine generall the Pilot Maior and cape marchant to be three and euery of the pettie marchants to shewe his reckoning to the cape marchant when they or any of them shall be required and no commutation or trucke to be made by any of the petie marchants without the assent abouesaid and all wares and commodities trucked bought or giuen to the companie by way of marchandise trucke or any other respect to be booked by the marchants and to be wel ordred packed and conseââed in one masse entirely and not to be broken or altered vntil the shippes shall returne to the right discharges and inuentorie of al goods wares and marchandises so trucked bought or otherwise dispended to be presented to the Gouernor Consuls and Assistants in London in good order to the intent the Kings Maiestie may be truly answered of that which to his grace by his grant of corporation is limited according to our most bound dueties and the whole companie also to haue that which by right vnto them appertaineth and no embezelment shall be vsed but the truth of the whole voyage to bée opened to the common wealth and benefite of the whole companie and mysterie as appertaineth without guilt fraude or male engine 21 Item no particular person to hinder or preiudicate the common stocke of the company in sale of preferment of his own proper wares and things and no particular emergent or purchase to be employed to any seuerall profite vntill the common stocke of the companie shall be furnished and no person to hinder the common benefite in such purchases or contingents as shal fortune to any one of them by his owne proper policie industrie or chance nor no contention to rise in that behalfe by any occasion of iewel stone pearles precious mettals or other things of the region where it shall chance the same to rise or to be found bought trucked permuted or giuen but euery person to be bounden in such case and vpon such occasion by order and directionâ as the generall captaine and the Councell shall establish and determine to whose order and discretion the same is left for that of things vncertaine no certaine rules may or can be giuân 22 Item not to disclose to any nation the state of our religion but to passe it ouer in silence without any declaration of it seeming to beare with such lawes and rites as the place hath where you shall arriue 23 Item for as much as our people and shippes may appeare vnto them strange and wonderous and theirs also to ours it is to be considered how they may be vsed learning much of their natures and dispositions by some one such person as you may first either allure or take to be brought aboord your ships and there to learne as you may without violence or force and no woman to be tempted or intreated to incontinencie or dishonestie 24 Item the person so taken to be well entertained vsed and apparelled to be set on land to the intent that he or she may allure other to draw nigh to shewe the commodities and if the person taken may be made drunke with your beere or wine you shal know the secrets of his heart 25 Item our people may not passe further into a lande then that they may be able to recouer their pinnesses or ships not to credit the faire words of the strange people which be many times tried
happen to disperse and scatter them euery shippe should indeuour his best to goe to Wardhouse a hauen or castell of some name in the kingdome of Norway and that they that arriued there first in safetie should stay and expect the comming of the rest The very same day in the afternoone about foure of the clocke so great a tempest suddenly arose and the Seas were so outragious that the ships could not keepe their intended course but some were perforce driuen one way and some another way to their great perill and hazard The generall with his lowdest voyce cried out to Richard Chanceler and earnestly requested him not to goe farre from him but hâe neither would nor could keepe companie with him if he sailed still so fast for the Admirall was of better saile then his shippe But the said Admirall I knowe not by what meanes bearing all his sailes was caried away with so great force and swiftnesse that not long after hee was quite out of sight and the third ship also with the same storme and like rage was dispersed and lost vs. The shippe boate of the Admirall striking against the shippe was ouerwhelmed in the fight and viewe of the Mariners of the Bonauenture and as for them that are already returned and arriued they know nothing of the rest of the ships what was become of them But if it be so that any miserable mishap haue ouertaken them If the rage and furie of the Sea haue deuoured those good men or if as yet they liue and wander vp and downe in strange Countreys I must needs say they were men worthy of better fortune and if they beliuing let vs wish them safetie and a good returne but if the crueltie of death hath taken holde of them God send them a Christian graue and Sepulchre Nowe Richard Chanceler with his shippe and company being thus left alone and become very pensiue heauie and sorowfull by this dispersion of the Fleete hee according to the order before taken shapeth his course for Wardhouse in Norway there to expect and abide the arriuall of the rest of the shippes And being come thither and hauing stayed there the space of 7. dayes and looked in vaine for their comming hee determined at length to proceede alone in the purposed voyage And as hee was preparing himselfe to depart it happened that hee fell in company and speech with certaine Scottishmen who hauing vnderstanding of his intention and wishing well to his actions beganne earnestly to disswade him from the further prosecution of the discouerie by amplifying the dangers which hee was to fall into and omitted no reason that might serue to that purpose But hee holding nothing so ignominious and reprochfull as inconstancie and leuitie of minde and perswading himselfe that a man of valour coulde not commit a more dishonourable part then for feare of danger to auoyde and shunne great attempts was nothing at all changed or discouraged with the speeches and words of the Scots remaining stedfast and immutable in his first resolution determining either to bring that to passe which was intended or els to die the death And as for them which were with Master Chanceler in his shippe although they had great cause of discomfort by the losse of their companie whom the foresaid tempest had separated from them and were not a little troubled with cogitations and perturbations of minde in respect of their doubtfull course yet notwithstanding they were of such consent and agreement of minde with Master Chanceler that they were resolute and prepared vnder his direction and gouernment to make proofe and triall of all aduentures without all feare or mistrust of fuâure dangers Which constancie of minde in all the companie did exceedingly increase their Captaines carefulnesse for hee being swallowed vp with like good will and loue towards them feared lest through any errour of his the safetie of the companie should bee indangered To conclude when they sawe their desire and hope of the arriuall of the rest of the shippes to be euery day more and more frustrated they prouided to sea againe and Master Chanceler held on his course towards that vnknowen part of the world and sailed so farre that hee came at last to the place where hee found no night at all but a continuall light and brightnesse of the Sunne shining clearely vpon the huge and mightie Sea And hauing the benefite of this perpetuall light for certaine dayes at the length it pleased God to bring them into a certaine great Bay which was of one hundreth miles or thereabout ouer Whereinto they entred and somewhat farre within it cast ancre and looking euery way about them it happened that they espied a farre off a certaine fisher boate which Master Chanceler accompanied with a fewe of his men went towards to common with the fishermen that were in it and to knowe of them what Countrey it was and what people and of what maner of liuing they were but they being amazed with the strange greatnesse of his shippe for in those partes before that time they had neuer seene the like beganne presently to auoyde and to flee but hee still following them at last ouertooke them and being come to them they being in great feare as men halfe dead prostrated themselues before him offering to kisse his feete but hee according to his great and singular courtesie looked pleasantly vpon them comforting them by signes and gestures refusing those dueties and reuerences of theirs and taking them vp in all louing sort from the ground And it is strange to consider howe much fauour afterwards in that place this humanitie of his did purchase to himselfe For they being dismissed spread by and by a report abroad of the arriuall of a strange nation of a singular gentlenesse and courtesie whereupon the common people came together offering to these newe-come ghests victuals freely and not refusing to traffique with them except they had bene bound by a certaine religious vse and custome not to buy any forreine commodities without the knowledge and consent of the king By this time our men had learned that this Countrey was called Russia or Moscouie and that Iuan Vasiliwich which was at that time their Kings name ruled and gouerned farre and wide in those places And the barbarous Russes asked likewise of our men whence they were and what they came for whereunto answere was made that they were Englishmen sent into those coastes from the most excellent King Edward the sixt hauing from him in commândement certaine things to deliuer to their King and seeking nothing els but his amitie and friendship and traffique with his people whereby they doubted not but that great commoditie and profit would grow to the subiects of both kingdomes The Barbarians heard these things very gladly and promised their aide and furtherance to acquaint their king out of hand with so honest and a reasonable request In the meane time Master Chanceler intreated victuals for his money
thence into Persia and to haue seene the trade of that countrey although I had enformed my selfe sufficiently thereof as well at Astracan as at Boghar and perceiued well the trades not to be much vnlike the trades of Tartaria but when I should haue taken my iourney that way it was let by diuers occasions the one was the great wars that did newly begin betwixt the Sophie and the kings of Tartaria whereby the waies were destroyed and there was a Carauan destroied with rouers theeues which came out of India and Persia by safe conduct and about ten daies iourney from Boghar they were robbed and a great part slaine Also the Metropolitan of Boghar who is greater then the king tooke the Emperors letters of Russia from me without which I should haue bene taken slaue in euery place also all such wares as I had receiued in barter for cloth and as I tooke perforce of the king other his Nobles in paiment of money due vnto me were not vendible in Persia for which causes and diuers others I was constrained to come backe againe to Mare Caspium the same way I went so that the eight of March 1559 we departed out of the said Citie of Boghar being a Carauan of 600 Camels and if we had not departed when we did I and my company had bene in danger to haue lost life and goods For ten daies after our departure the king of Samarcand came with an armie besieged the said Citie of Bogâar the king being absent and gone to the wars against another prince his kinsman as the like chanceth in those Countries once in two or three yeres For it is maruell if a King reigne there aboue three or foure yeres to the great destruction of the Countrey and marchants The 25 of March we came to the foresayd towne of Vrgence and escaped the danger of 400 rouers which lay in waâte for vs backe againe being the most of them of kindred to that company of theeues which we met with going foorth as we perceiued by foure spies which were taken There were in my company and committed to my charge two ambassadors the one from the king of Boghar the other from the king of Balke and were sent vnto the Emperor of Russia And after hauing taried at Vrgence and the Castle of Sellysure eight daies for the assembling and making ready of our Carauan the second of Aprill we departed from thence hauing foure moe Ambassadors in our companie sent from the king of Vrgence and other Soltans his brethren vnto the Emperor of Russia with answere of such letters as I brought them and the same Ambassadors were also committed vnto my charge by the sayde Kings and princes to whome I promised most faithfully and swore by our law that they should be well vsed on Rusland and suffered to depart from thence againe in safetie according as the Emperor had written also in his letters for they somewhat doubted because there had none gone out of Tartaria into Russia of long time before The 23 of Aprill we arriued at the Mare Caspium againe where we found our barke which we came in but neither anker cable cocke nor saile neuerthelesse wee brought hempe with vs and spunne a cable our selues with the rest of our tackling and made vs a saile of cloth of cotton wooll and rigged our barke as well as we could but boate or anker we had none In the meane time being deuising to make an anker of wood of a cart wheele there arriued a barke which came from Astracan with Tartars and Russes which had 2 ankers with whom I agreed for the one and thus being in a readines we set saile and departed I and the two Iohnsons being Master and Mariners our selues hauing in our barke the said sixe ambassadors and 25 Russes which had bene ââaues a long time in âarâaria nor euer had before my comming libertie or meanes to get home and these slaues serued to rowe when neede was Thus sailing sometimes along the coast and sometimes out of sight of lande the 13. day of May hauing a contrary winde wee came to an anker being three leagues from the shoare there rose a sore storme which continued 44. houres and our cable being of our owne spinning brake and lost our anker and being off a lee shoare and hauing no boate to helpe vs we hoysed our saile and bare roomer with the said shoare looking for present death but as God prouided for vs we ranne into a creeke ful of oze and so saued our selues with our barke liued in great discomfort for a time For although we should haue escaped with our liues the danger of the sea yet if our barke had perished we knew we should haue bene either destroyed or taken slaues by the people of that Countrey who liue wildly in the field like beasts without house or habitation Thus when the storme was seased we went out of the creeke againe and hauing set the land with our Compasse and taken certaine markes of the same during the time of the tempest whilest we ridde at our anker we went directly to the place where we ridde with our barke againe and found our anker which wee lost whereat the Tartars much marueiled how we did it While we were in the creeke we made an anker of wood of cart wheeles which we had in our barke which we threw away when wee had found out yron anker againe Within two dayes after there arose another great storme at the Northeast and we lay a trie being driuen far into the sea and had much ado to keepe our barke from sinking the billowe was so great but at the last hauing faire weather we tooke the Sunne and knowing howe the land lay from vs we fel with the Riuer Yaik according to our desire wherof the Tartars were very glad fearing that wee should haue bene driuen to the coast of Persia whose people were vnto them great enemies Note that during the time of our Nauigation wee set vp the redde crosse of S. George in our flagges for honour of the Christians which I suppose was neuer seene in the Caspian sea before We passed in this voyage diuers fortunes notwithstanding the 28. of May we arriued in safetie at Astracan and there remained till the tenth of Iune following as well to prepare vs small boates to goe vp against the streame of Volga with our goods as also for the companie of the Ambassadours of Tartarie committed vnto me to bee brought to the presence of the Emperour of Russia This Caspian sea to say some thing of it is in length about two hundred leagues and in breadth 150. without any issue to other seas to the East part whereof ioyneth the great desert countrey of the Tartars called Turkemen to the West the countreyes of the Chyrcasses the mountaines of Caucasus and the Mare Euxinum which is from the said Caspian Sea a hundred leagues To the North is the riuer
who conquered them not many yeâres passed for their diuersity in religion and caused not onely all the nobility gentlemen of that countrey to be put to death but also ouer and besides rased the walles of the cities townes and castles of the said realme to the intent that there should be no rebellion and for their great terror caused a turret of free stone and flints to be erected in the sayd city called Shamaki and in a ranke of flints of the sayd turret did set the heads of the sayd nobility and gentlemen then executed This city is distant from the sea side with camels seuen dayes iourney but now the same being much decayed chiefly inhabited with Armenians another city called Arrash bordering vpon the Georgians is the chiefest and most opulent in the trade of merchandise thereabouts is nourished the most abundant growth of raw silke and thither the Turks Syrians and other strangers do resort and trafficke There be also diuers good and necessary commodities to be prouided had in this sayd realme viz. galles rough and smooth cotton wooll allome and raw silke of the naturall growth of that countrey besides nere all kinde of spices and drugges and some other commodities which are brought thither from out of East India but in the lesse quantity for that they be not assured to haue vent or vtterance of the same but the chiefest commodities be there raw silks of all sorts whereof there is great plenty Not farre from the sayd city of Shamaki there was an olde castle called Gullistone now beaten downe by this Sophy which was esteemed to be one of the strongest castles in the world and was besieged by Alexander the great long time before he could win it And not farre from the sayd castle was a Nunry of sumptuous building wherein was buried a kings daughter named Ameleck Channa who slew herselfe with a knife for that her father would haue forced her she professing chastity to haue married with a king of Tartarie vpon which occasion the maidens of that countrey do resort thither once euery yere to lament her death Also in the sayd countrey there is an high hill called Quiquifs vpon the toppe whereof as it is commonly reported did dwell a great Giant named Arneoste hauing vpon his head two great hornes and eares and eyes like a Horse and a taile like a Cow It is further sayd that this monster kept a passage thereby vntill there came an holy man termed Haucoir Hamshe a kinseman to one of the Sophies who mounted the sayd hill and combating with the sayd Giant did binde not onely him in chaines but also his woman called Lamisache with his sonne named After for which victory they of that countrey haue this holy man in great reputation and the hill at this day as it is bruited sauoureth so ill that no person may come nigh vnto it but whether it be true or not I referre it to further knowledge Now to returne to the discourse of the proceeding in my voyage towards the great Sophie The 6 of October in the yeere aforesayd I with my company departed from Shamachi aforesaid and hauing iourneyed threescore miles came to a towne called Yauate wherein the king hath a faire house with orchards and gardens well replenished with fruits of all sorts By this towne passeth a great riuer called Cor which springeth in the mountaines of the Georgians passing thorow the countrey of Hircania aforesayd falleth into the Caspian or Hircan sea at a place betweene two ancient townes called Shabran and Bachu situate within the realme of Hircane and from thence issueth further passing thorow a fruitfull countrey inhabited with pasturing people which dwâll in the Summer season vpon mountaines and in Winter they remooue into the valleyes without resorting to townes or any other habitation and when they remooue they doe iourney in carrauans or troops of people and cattell carrying all their wiues children and baggage vpon bullocks Now passing this wilde people ten dayes iourney comming into no towne or house the sixteenth day of October we arriued at a citie called Ardouill where we were lodged in an hospitall builded with faire stone and erected by this Sophies father named Ismael onely for the succour and lodging of strangers and other trauellers wherein all men haue victuals and feeding for man and horse for three dayes and no longer This foresayd late prince Ismael lieth buried in a faire Meskit with a sumptuous sepulchre in the same which he caused to be made in his life time This towne Ardouill is in the latitude of eight and thirtie degrees an ancient citie in the prouince of Aderraugan wherein the Princes of Persia are commonly buried and there Alexander the great did keepe his Court when he inuaded the Persians Foure dayes iourney to the Westward is the citie Tebris in olde time called Tauris the greatest citie in Persia but not of such trade of merchandise as it hath bene or as others be at this time by meane of the great inuasion of the Turke who hath conquered from the Sophie almost to the sayd citie of Tauris which the sayd Turke once sacked and thereby caused the Sophie to forsake the same and to keepe his court ten dayes iourney from thence at the sayd citie of Casbin The 21 day we departed from Ordowil aforesayd trauelling for the most part ouer mountaines all in the night season and resting in the day being destitute of wood and therefore were forced to vse for fewell the dung of horses camels which we bought deare of the pasturing people Thus passing ten dayes iourney the yere aforesayd the second day of Nouember we arriued at the foresayd citie of Casbin where the sayd Sophie keepeth his court and were appointed to a lodging not farre from the kings pallace and within two dayes after the Sophie commanded a prince called Shalli Murzey sonne to Obdolowcan king of Shiruan aforesayd to send for me to his house who asked me in the name of the said Sophy how I did and whether I were in health and after did welcome me and inuited me to dinner whereat I had great enterteinment and so from thence I returned to my lodging The next day after I sent my interpreter vnto the Sophies Secretarie declaring that I had letters directed from our most gracious Souereigne ladie the Queenes most excellent Maiestie of the Realme of England vnto the sayd Sophy and that the cause of my comming was expressed in the same letters desiring that at conuenient time I might come into his Maiesties presence who aduertising the Sophy thereof shortly after answered me that there were great affaires in hand which being finished I should come before his presence willing me in the meane time to make ready my present if I had any to deliuer At this time the great Turkes Ambassadour arriued foure dayes before my comming who was sent thither to conclude a
water at the most when it is laden I thinke it should be profitable For if your owne goods would not lade the same here be Marchants that would bee glad and faine to giue great fraight to lade their goods with vs whereby your charges would be much lessened And so it may happen the wages of your men hired here may be saued and your seruants and goods in farre greater assurance for their boates here are dangerous to saile with and to passe the Caspian sea There be Carpenters here that will doe well ynough hauing one to instruct them Your wares bought here and orders taken for those that goe for your voyage of Persia are yet vnknowen vnto me wherefore I cannot as I would at this present write to you thereof Yet as you do know it was the Gouernors mind I should be acquainted with greater affaires then these Howbeit I doubt not but I shall be informed of them that are appointed and all things shall be bought when they shall see time and haue more laisure Thus in hast as appearethâ I commit you aâd yours into the hands of almightie God who preserue you in perfect health with increase of worship From Ieraslaue the 15. of May 1565 By yours to command here or elsewhere during life Arthur Edwards Another letter of the said M. Arthur Edwards written the 26. of April 1566. in Shamaki in Media to the right worshipful Sir Thomas Lodge Knight and Alderman and in his absence to M. Thomas Nicols Secretarie to the right worshipfull companie trading into Russia Persia and other the North and East partes touching the successe of Richard Iohnson in the thirâ voiage into Persia. VVOrshipfull Sir my bounden duetie remembred with heartie prayer vnto God for the preseruation of you and yours in perfect health with increase of worship It may please you that my last letter I sent you was from Astracan the 26 of Iuly 1565. From whence Richard Iohnson my selfe and Alexander Kitchin departed as the 30 of the same And by meanes of contrary windes it was the 23 of August before we came to our desired port named Nazauoe There after we had gotten your goods on land with much labour and strength of men as also windlesses deuised and made we haled your barke ouer a barre of beach or peeble stones into a small Riuer sending your ships apparell with other things to an house hired in a village thereby And as soone as we might get camels being the fift of September we daparted thence and came to this towne of Shamaki the 11. of the same and the 17. day folowing we presented vnto Abdollocan the king of this countrey one timber of Sables one tunne or nest of siluer cups parsill gilt three Morses teeth 4. Arshiues of skarlet 3. pieces of karseis with 40. red foxes He receiued our presents with giuing vs thanks for our good wils demanding if M. Ienkinson were in good health and whether he would returne into these parts againe He willed vs also himselfe to sit downe before him the distance of a quoits cast from his tent where he saâe with diuers of his counsaile and nobilitie sending vs from his table such meate as was before him And after certaine talke had with vs he sayd if he might perceiue or know any maner of person to doe vs any wrong he would punish them in example of others whereby we should liue in quietnesse and haue no cause to complaine giuing vs a litle house for the time vntill a better might be prouided in such place as we should thinke most meete neuer willing vs to rise or depart vntill such time as we of our selues thought it conuenient At the taking of our leaue hee willed vs to put our whole minds and requests in writing that he might further vnderstand our desires But while we were about to doe so God tooke this good king our friend out of this present ââfe the 2. of October past The want of him hath bene the cause that as yet wee cannot receiue certaine debts Howbeit we doubt not but we shall recouer all such summes of money as are owing vs for this voyage As for Thomas Alcocks debts they are past hope of recouerie which had not bene lost if the king had liued We trust in the place of him God will send as friendly a king towards vs who by report and as we be credibly informed shall bee his sonne named the Mursay who since the death of his father at our being with him promised to shew vs more friendship then euer we found God grant the same Great troubles haue chanced in these parts Of those which were of the old kings counsell or bare any rule about him in these quarters some are in prison some are pinched by the purse and other sent for vnto the Shaugh These troubles haue partly bene the let that wares were not sold as they might to more profite Your Agent Richard Iohnson bought foure horses minding to haue sent to Casbin Alexander Kitchin whom God tooke to his mercy the 23. of October last and before him departed Richard Dauis one of your Mariners whose soules I trust the Lord hath receiued to his mercy We are now destitute of others to supply their roumes Foure Mariners were few enough to saile your barke whereof at this present we haue but one whose name is William Smith an honest yong man and one that doeth good seruice here For want and lacke of Mariners that should know their labours we all were like to be cast away in a storme For all the broad side of our barke lay in the water and we had much adoe to recouer it but God of his mercy deliuered vs. Mariners here may doe you good seruice all the winter other wayes and merchants here will be gladder to ship their goods in vs giuing good fraight One merchant at this present is content to pay 20. rubbles for twentie camels lading fraight to Astracan Such barkes as must passe these seas may not draw aboue fiue foote of water because that in many places are very shallow waters Wee mind hereafter to make the Russian boates more strong and they shall serue our turnes very well And whereas some in times past tooke great paines trauell and care and could not haue their desire in the getting of the Shaughs letters or priuiledge Now I trust with Gods helpe they may be obtained which being had will be beneficiall to the company and great quietnes to those that shal remaine here although heretofore things haue chanced ill as the like in other countries hath bene But I doubt not this priuiledge once gotten and obtained we shall liue in quietnesse and rest and shall shortly grow into a great trade for silkes both raw and wrought with all kind of spices and drugs and other commodities here as to M. Anthonie Ienkinson is well knowen who I doubt not hath long agoe throughly aduertised the Companie thereof
The trueth of the slaughter of Thomas Alcock your seruant is not certainly knowen Some thinke it was by the meanes of a noble man with whom your sayd seruant was earnest in demanding of your debts vpon whose words he was so offended that he procured his death But other doe thinke verily that in riding from the Court without companie false knaues lay in waite thinking he had much about him and so slew him I doubt not though this misfortune hath chanced that things shall come well to passe and that we shall be better beloued when we shall be more knowen Honest merchants are glad of our being here and seeke to grow in acquaintance with vs beiug glad to further vs in that they may haue spoken in our fauours to the chiefest of this Countrey one being a noble man with whom your Agent and I are entred into friendship who is at this time in great fauour with the Shaugh He hath here and in other places of these parts set a good slay in things since the kings death he is well knowen so M. Ienkinson his name is Cozamomet Also another Duke named Ameddin-beck is our great friend And his sister is the Shaughes wife These two haue promised your Agent by their lawe not onely to procure to get the Shaughes priuiledge but also that I shall haue the debts paied me of those that went from hence to Casbin if we would send one with them In consideration whereof I was vpon short warning for what of a better appointed by your Agent M. Richard Iohnson all excuses laied apart presently to put my selfe in readinesse and to depart in company with these noblemen with charge when God should send me to Casbin to vse my discretion with their aduise for the recouering of your debts and priuiledge I shall haue with mee one interpreter and two bought seruants one of which partly vnderstandeth this tongue and may be put in trust whatsoeuer should become of me I haue receiued 6. tumens in ready money 200. shaughs is a tumen reckoning euery shaugh for sixe pence Russe I haue further receiued two timbers of Sables one to be sold the other to bee giuen to Thomas the Shaugh and haue order further to giue as I shall see good to those that shall further my suite and as occasion serueth And forasmuch as I am commanded to go I shall willingly do my best putting my trust in God that he will send me well to speed in this iourney For all kind of wares bought or sold you shal throughly be aduertised by your Agent Richard Iohnson whose reckonings or accompts at no hands I might see or be priuie vnto Your karseis were good and well sorted they are and will be sold from 150. shaughs to 160. the piece Two hundred pieces were sold vnder that needed not one 100. pieces at 146. and 147. the piece but more would haue bene giuen if circumspection had bene vsed They were sold to those noble men aforesayd when as yet it was not knowen that I should haue gone with them They may stand vs much in stead as they haue promised vs their good wils in that they may doe Here is at this time bought for England 11. packes of rawe silke 25. and 26. batmans being in euery packe The batman being 7. pound which may be 6. pound and a halfe of English waight being bought here from 66. to 70. shaughes the batman It is fine and good litle course at this time was to be had And where course silke might be had being at Grosin we could not send thither for that time was neglected at the first When wee shall haue lidgers here to remaine in Sommer we may buy it at the first hand of the countrey people that bring it to sell hither and to other places I would to God the Companie could find the meanes to haue a vent to make sales for the one halfe that we may buy here The Companie may haue for 30. or 40. thousand pounds yeerely And as appeareth by your Agents wordes being at Varas he and others sawe there so great abundance that by report of diuers you may bestow if it were not for the Turkes for a two hundred thousand pounds besides silke of all colours died in graine bound vp in pound waights I thinke 15. of our ounces to their pound waight and here sold for 23. shaughs at 6. d. the shaugh may be 11. s. 6. pence From Astracan in 7. or 8. dayes wee may saile with our barke to a place named Gilan the which place in time to come I thinke shall serue our purpose best to gve vnto Alom is there good cheape being brought from thence hither to Shamaki and sold here for two bists their batman which may be 5. pence in our money and so I haue bought to bee sent home 223. batmans for example And at Gilan there is rawe silke enough for the companies stocke I beleeue if any great store of wares be sent from you that must be the place from thence a man may trauell in 4. dayes to Casbin and there make quicke and better sales at which place your commodities are to be sold. For there be the chiefe and best merchants and diuers other cities round about to wit Teueris Ardouil and Caishan being the heart of the countrey where there is more ciuilitie and merchants are better vsed Concerning this point I haue inquired of diuers merchants both Russes and others that haue bene in those parts and found them all agreeing in one tale and perceiue the same to be true and that all kind of wares come from thence into these parts And from Casbin to Ormus is about 30. daies trauelling with camels I haue written the prices of wares in my letter to the gouernour both for spices and some drugs which I do know Also you shall vnderstand here is plentie of yew for bowstaues I caused three horse loades to be bought vs for to know the trueth but they were cut out of season this moneth of April the sap being in them Three moneths I neuer left speaking to the Countrey men to bring some Your Agent will send some home for example This day being the 26. of Aprill I departed towards Casbin God giue me a good houre and well to speed with a mery heart in returning againe as my hope is I shall I haue written my mind to M. Glouer your Agent what Russian wares I thinke best to be bought for this Countrey and to send some one hither that hath the Russe tongue for we haue need And the companie shall do well hereafter in taking of seruants to be sent hither to see that they be such as haue discretion and be something broken in the world and seene in the trade of merchandise and one if they can get some such as can speake the Portingall tongue may do them as good seruice as those that shall be here two yeeres before him
sholcaues or foxes which were so busie with them that they tooke their meate and victuals out of their lodgings and deuoured to the bare bones in one night a mighty wilde Bore that was sent vnto them for a present from the gouernour of the countrey Hauing staied here some three or foure daies in prouiding of cariages and other necessaries for their iourney they departed thence and came to Shamaky which is foure dayes iourney from the aforesayd Shauaran In this towne of Shamaky their whole company spent out the Winter and from thence in April folowing they tooke their iourney towards Ardouil a place of great account and much esteemed by reason of the sepulchres of the Emperours of Persia which for the most partlie there buried and so is growen to bee a place of their superstitious deuotion In this towne of Ardouil they so iourned the space of 5. or 6. moneths finding some traffique and sales but to no purpose the towne being more inhabited and frequented with gentlemen and noblemen then merchants The difference of religion bred great broiles in this towne whiles they remained there for the brother sought the destruction of the brother and the neerest kinsmen rose vp one against another insomuch that one of their company Lionel Plumtree hath seene in one day sometimes 14. slaine in a garboile And he being further desirous to see their maner of fight or rather somewhat more curious to behold then mistrustful of their blowes was like to haue borne a share in their bloodie tragedie being twise wounded with their shot and arrowes although not to the death At this towne the Shaw Thamas sent a messenger for our men to come to his presence at Casbin to whom Thomas Banister failed not to goe although master Ducket lay very sicke at Ardouil and in such case that they almost despaired of his recouerie Hee being come to the Shaugh was receiued and entertained of him with great fauour and speciall countenance and had the most part of all his requests granted him this onely excepted that whereas he entreated a priuiledge or sufferance to transport and cary through his dominions certaine horses into India the Shaugh seemed loth to yeeld thereunto and yet did not altogether denie it but referred it to some further time As for the point of traffique he could not make that motioÌ or request that was not so soone granted as it was preferred and the Shaugh himselfe bought there of him many karsies and made him as good paiment as any man could wish and oftentimes would send his mony for the wares before the wares were deliuered that he might be the surer of this honourable intended deâling One thing somewhat strange I thought good in this place to remember that whereas hee purposed to send a great summe of money to Mecca in Arabia for an offering to Mahomet their prophet hee would not send any money or coyne of his owne but sent to the English merchants to exchange his coyne for theirs according to the value of it yeelding this reason for the same that the money of the merchants was gotten by good meanes and with good consciences and was therefore woorthie to be made for an oblation to their holy prophât but his owne money was rather gotten by fraud oppression and vnhonest meanes and therefore was not fit to serue for so holie a vse After sixe moneths spent in Casbin the sayde Thomas Banister departed towards the great citie of Tauris where being arriued he found M. Ducket well recouered of his sicknesse whom he had left ill at Ardouil At this Citie the foresayd Master Ducket made sales of the English commodities remaining there to that purpose the space of two yeeres and a halfe And besides other kindes of merchandises of that countrey he bought great store of gals which grow in great abundance at a place within one dayes iourney of the aforesayd Tauris After this Thomas Banister departed from Tauris and went to Shamaky to giue order for the transporting of those commodities which were bought for England And baning dispatched them away he went there hence to Arrash a towne foure dayes iourney with camels from Shamaky for the buying of rawe silke But there by reason of the vnwholesomnesse of the aire and corruption of the waters in the hote time of the yeere he with Lawrence Chapman and some other English men vnhappily died which being knowen of M. Ducket he immediatly came from Tauris to Arrash to take possession of the goods for otherwise by the custome of the countrey if there had bene no merchant or other friend of his to enter vpon that which he left all had fallen into the Shaughs hands which goods notwithstanding could not bee recouered from the officers which had seized and sealed vp the same vntill M. Ducket had bene in person with the Shaugh and had procured his order for the deliuerie thereof Lionel Plumtree in the meane time that M. Ducket was at Casbin in sute for goods vpon the perswasion of certaine Bogharians made prouision for a iourney to Cathaia with cariages and commodities and hauing all things ready departed secretly with a Carauan but being gone forwards on his way sixe dayes iourny some fifty horsemen by the procurement of Humfry Greensell who afterwards being at Ormus in the East Indies was there cruelly burnt in the Inquisition by the Portingals were sent after him in poste from Soltan Erasbec the Shaughs lieutenant to fetch him backe againe not suffering him to passe on so perillous and dangerous a iourney for feare of diuers inconueniences that might follow After this M. Ducket returned from Casbin to Shamaky againe and immediately made preparation for a iourney to Cassan being about foure dayes iourney from Shamaky and caried with him foure mules laden with mony In the way of his trauel he passed through Persepolis sometime the roiall seate of the Emperors of Persia but now altogether ruined and defaced whereof remaine to be seene at this day two gates onely that are distant one from the other the space of 12. miles and some few pinnacles in the mountains and conueiances for fresh water The foresaid Cassan is a towne that consisteth altogether of merchandise and the best trade of all the land is there being greatly frequented by the merchants of India Here our men bought great store of al maner of wrought silkes and sâme spices and good store of Turkie stones The towne is much to be commended for the ciuil and good gouernment that is there vsed An idle person is not suffred to liue amongst them The child that is but fiue yeeres old is set to some labour No ill rule disorder or riote by gaming or otherwise is there permitted Playing at Dice or Cards is by the law present death At this Cashan they remained about the space of tenne weekes and then came downe againe to Skamaky and after some time spent in diuers places of the countrey for buying of rawe silke and other
of your maiesties Countries according to the priuiledge giuen vnto vs we pray for your maiesties health with prosperous successe to the pleasure of God From Narue the 15. of Iuly Anno 1570. Your Maiesties most humble and obedient Christopher Hodsdon William Borough A letter of Richard Vscombe to M. Henrie Lane touching the burning of the Citie of Mosco by the Crimme Tartar written in Rose Island the 5. day of August 1571. MAster Lane I haue me commended vnto you The 27. of Iuly I arriued here with the Magdalene and the same day and houre did the Swalow and Harry arriue here also At our comming I found master Proctor here by whom wee vnderstand very heauie newesâ The Mosco is burnt euery sticke by the Crimme the 24. day of May last and an innumerable number of people and in the English house was smothered Thomas Southam Tofild Wauerley Greenes wife and children two children of Râââ more to the number of 25. persons were stifeled in our Beere seller and yet in the same seller was Rafe his wife Iohn Browne and Iohn Clarke preserued which was wonderfull And there went into that seller master Glouer and master Rowley also but because the heate was so great they came foorth againe with much perill so that a boy at their heeles was taken with the fire yet they escaped blindfold into another seller and there as Gods will was they were preserued The Emperour fled out of the field and many of his people were cariâd away by the Crimme Tartar to wit all the yong people the old they would not meddle with but let them alone and so with exceeding much spoile and infinite prisoners they returned home againe What with the Crimme on the one side and with his cruâltie on the other he hath but few people left Commend me to mistresse Lane your wife and to M. Locke and to all our friends Yours to command Richard Vscombe A note of the proceeding of M. Anthonie Ienkinson Ambassadour from the Queenes most excellent Maiestie to the Emperour of Russia from the time of his arriuall there being the 26. of Iuly 1571. vntill his departure from thence the 23. of Iuly 1572. THe said 26. day I arriued with the two good ships called the Swalow and the Harry in safetie at the Baie of S. Nicholas in Russia aforesayd and landed at Rose Island from whence immediately I sent away my interpreter Daniel Siluester in post towards the Court being then at the Mosco whereby his maiestie might as well bee aduertised of my arriuall in his Dominions as also to know his highnesse pleasure for my further accesse And remaining at the sayd Island two or three dayes to haue conference with your Agent about your affaires I did well perceiue by the wordes of the sayd Agent and others your seruants that I was entred into great perill and danger of my life for they reported to mee that they heard said at the Mosco that the princes displeasure was such against me that if euer I came into his countrey againe I should loose my head with other words of discouragement Whereat I was not a litle dismaid not knowing whether it were best for me to proceed forwards or to returne home againe with the ships for the safegard of my life But calling to mind mine innocencie and good meaning and knowing my selfe not to haue offended his Maiestie any maner of wayes either in word or deed or by making former promises not performed heretofore by mine enemies falsly surmised and being desirous to come to the triall thereof whereby to iustifie my true dealings and to reprooue my sayd enemies as well here as there who haue not ceased of late by vntrue reports to impute the cause of the sayd Emperors displeasure towards you to proceed of my dealings and promises made to him at my last being with him although by his letters to the Queenes Maiestie and by his owne words to me the contrary doeth appeare I determined with my selfe rather to put my life into his hands by the prouidence of God to prosecute the charge committed vnto me then to returne home in vaine discouraged with the words of such who had rather that I had taried at home then to be sent ouer with such credite whereby I might sift out their euil doings the onely cause of your losse Wherefore leauing the said ships the nine and twentieth day of the moneth I departed from the seaside and the first of August arriued at Colmogro where I remained attending the returne of my said messenger with order from his Maiestie But all the Countrey being sore visited by the hand of God with the plague passage in euery place was shut vp that none might passe in paine of death My messenger being eight hundreth miles vpon his way was stayed and kept at a towne called Shasko and might not bee suffered to goe any further neither yet to returne backe againe or sende vnto me by meanes whereof in the space of foure moneths I could neither heare nor know what was become of him in which time my said messenger found meanes to aduertise the Gouernour of the Citie of Vologda as well of his stay as of the cause of his comming thither who sent him word that it was not possible to passe any neerer the Prince without further order from his Maiestie who was gone to the warres against the Swethens and that he would aduertise his highnesse so soone as he might conueniently And so my said messenger was forced to remaine there still without answere During which time of his stay through the great death as aforesaid I found meanes to send another messenger with a guide by an vnknowen way through wildernesse a thousand miles about thinking that way he should passe without let but it prooued contrary for likewise hee being passed a great part of his iourney fell into the handes of a watch and escaped very hardly that hee and his guide with their horses had not bene burnt according to the lawe prouided for such as would seeke to passe by indirect wayes and many haue felt the smart thereof which had not wherewith to buy out the paine neither could that messenger returne backe vnto me And thus was I kept without answere or order from his Maiestie and remained at the saide Colmogro vntill the 18. of Ianuary following neither hauing a Gentleman to safegard me nor lodging appointed me nor allowance of victuals according to the Countrey fashion for Ambassadours which argued his grieuous displeasure towards our nation And the people of the Countrey perceiuing the same vsed towards mee and my company some discourtesies but about the 28. day aforesaid the plague ceased and the passages being opened there came order from his Maiestie that I should haue poste horses and bee suffered to depart from Colmogro to goe to a Citie called Peraslaue neere to the Court his Maiestie being newly returned from the said warres And I arriued at the
in vse in England which the ambassadour caused to be done accordingly and sent them vnto him who seemed so well to like them as he caused them with much good allowance to be publikely read before diuers of his councell and many others of his nobility Now he drew hotly againe in question to marry some kinsewoman of her Maiesties that he would send againe into England to haue some one of them to wife and if her Maiestie would not vpon his next ambassage send him such a one as he required himselfe would then goe into England and cary his treasure with him and marry one of them there Here you must vnderstand that the yeere before this ambassage he had sent to her Maiesty by his ambassador to haue had the lady Mary Hastings in marriage which intreaty by meanes of her inability of body by occasion of much sicknesse or perhaps of no great liking either of herselfe or friends or both âooke no place The ambassador was now so farre growen into the Emperors fauor his affection so great to England as those great counsellers that were the ambassadors great enemies before were now desirous of some publike courtesies at his hands for their aduantage to the Emperour neither durst they now any more interpose themselues twixt the Emperour and him for not long before this the Emperor for abusing the ambassador had to shew his fauor towards him beaten Shalkan the chanceller very grieuously and had sent him word that he would not leaue one of his race aliue Now whilest the ambassador was thus strongly possest of the Emperours fauor he imployed himselfe in all he might not onely for the speedy dispatch of the negotiation he had in hand but laboured also by all the good meanes he might further to benefit his countrey and countreymen and so not long after wanne at the Emperours hands not onely all those things he had in commission to treat for by his instructions but also some other of good and great importance for the benefit of the merchants Priuate sutes obteined of the Emperor by the ambassador LEaue for Richard Fransham an English man and apothecary to the Emperour his wife and children to come home into England and to bring with him all such goods as he had gotten there He obteiâed like leaue for Richard Elmes an Engliâhman one of the Emperours surgions He also got leaue for Iane Richards the widow of Doctor Bomelius a Dutchman and physician to the Emperour who for treason practised with the king of Pole against the sayd Emperour was rosted to death at the city of Mosco in the yere 1579. These following he obteined for the behoofe of the merchants HE procured for the merchants promise of recompense for certaine goods taken from their factors by robbery vpon the Volga He obtained likewise the payment of fiue hundred marks which was payd for ten yeeres before his going into Russia into the Emperours receit for a rent of a house that they had at Vologda He also got granted for them the repayment of fifteene hundred marks which had bene exacted of them the two last yeres before his comming thither He got also for them order for the repayment of an olde and desperate debt of three thousand marks a debt so desperate as foure yeeres left out of their accounts and by the opinion of them all not thought fit to be dealt with for too much offending the Emperor or impeaching his other businesse which was thought at least otherwise sufficient and was therefore left out of his instructions from her Maiesty He obteined that all strangers were forbidden to trade any more into Russia and that the passage and trade to all the Emperors Northren coasts and countries from the Wardhouse to the riuer of Ob should be onely free to the English nation Lastly of a great desire he had to do the merchants good without motion either of themselues here or their Agents there or any other of them he obteined of the Emperour the abatement of all their custome which they had long before payd and agreed still to continue which custome the Dutchmen and strangers being remooued as now it was agreed amounted to two thousand pounds yerely All thâse were granted some already payd before his comming from Mosco the olde priuilege ratified newly written signed and sealed and was to be deliuered to the ambassadour at his next comming to Court before when the Empeâor fell sicke of a surfet and so died After whose death the case was woondrously altered with the ambassador for whereas both in his owne conceit and in all mens opinion els he was in great forwardnes to haue growen a great man with the Emperor what for the loue he bare to her Maiesty and the particular liking he had of himselfe he now fell into the hands of his great enemies Mekita Romanouich and Andre Shalkan the chanceller who after the death of the Emperour tooke the speciall gouernment vpon themselues and so presently caused the ambassadour to be shut vp a close prisoner in his owne house for the space of nine weeks and was so straightly guarded and badly vsed by those that attended him as he dayly suspected some further mischiefe to haue followed for in this time there grew a great vprore in Mosco of nigh twenty thousand persons which remembring that his enemies reigned somewhat amazed the ambassadour but yet afterwards the matter fell out against that great counsellor Bodan Belskoy whom I noted before to be a special man in the old Emperors fauor who was now notwithstanding so outragiously assaulted as that he was forced to seeke the Emperors chamber for his safety and was afterwards sent away to Cazan a place he had in gouernment fiue hundred miles from Mosco where he hath remained euer since and neuer as yet called againe to court at which time the ambassador expected some such like measure and prepared himselfe aswell as he could for his defence yet happily after this was sent for to court to haue his dispatch and to take his leaue of the Emperor whither being conducted not after the woonted maner and brought to the councell chamber came to him onely Shalkan the chanceller and a brother of his who without more adoe tolde him for the summe of his dispatch that this Emperour would not treat of further amity with the Queene his mistresse then such as was betweene his late father and her before his comming thither and would not heare any reply to be made by the ambassadour but presently caused both himselfe and all his company to be disarmed of their weapons and go towards the Emperor In which passage there were such outrages offered him as had he not vsed more patience then his disposition afforded him or the occasion required he had not in likelihood escaped with life but yet at length was brought to the presence of the Emperour who sayd nothing to him but what the chanceller had already done but offered him a
prouince is 35. thousand markes sterling being not the 5. part of his yerely reuenue Further he and his house be of such authoritie and power that in 40. dayes warning they are able to bring into the fielde 100. thousand Souldiers well furnished The conclusion of the Emperors Coronation was a peale of ordinance called a peale royall two miles without the citie being 170. great pieces of brasse of all sorts as faire as any can be made these pieces were all discharged with shot against bulwarkes made of purpose 20. thousand hargubusers standing in 8. rankes two miles in length appareled all in veluet coloured silke stammels discharged their shot also twise ouer in good order and so the Emperor accompanied with all his princes and nobles at the least 50. thousand horse departed through the City to his pallace This royall coronation would aske much time and many leaues of paper to be described particularly as it was performed it shal suffice to vnderstand that the like magnificence was neuer seene in Russia The coronation and other triumphes ended al the nobilitie officers and merchants according to an accustomed order euery one in his place and degree brought rich presents vnto the Emperor wishing him long life and ioy in his kingdome The sametime also Master Ierom Horsey aforesaid remayning as seruant in Russia for the Queenes most excellent Maiestie was called for to the Emperor as he sate in his imperiall seat and then also a famous Merchant of Netherland being newly come to Mosco who gaue him selfe out to be the king of Spaines subiect called Iohn de Wale was in like sort called for Some of the nobilitie would haue preferred this subiect of the Spaniard before Master Horsey seruant to the Queene of England whereunto Master Horsey would in no case agree saying he would haue his legges cut off by the knees before he would yeeld to such an indignitie offered to his Soueraigne the Queenes Maiesty of England to bring the Emperor a present in course after the King of Spaines subiect or any other whatsoeuer The Emperor and the Prince Boris Pheodorowich perceiuing the controuersie sent the Lord Treasorer Peter Iuanowich Galauyn and Vasili Shalkan both of the Counsell to them who deliuered the Emperor backe Master Horseys speech whereupon he was first in order as good reason admitted and presented the Emperor in the behalfe of the English Merchants trading thither a present wishing him ioy and long to raigne intranquilitie and so kissed the Emperors hand he accepting the present with good liking and auouching that for his sisters sake Queene Elizabeth of England he would be a gracious Lord to her Merchants in as ample maner as euer his father had ben and being dismissed he had the same day sent him 70. dishes of sundry kinds of meats with 3. carts laden with al sorts of drinks very bountifully After him was the foresayd subiect of the Spanish king admitted with his present whom the Emperor willed to be no lesse faithfull and seruiceable vnto him then the Queene of Englands subiects were had bene and then the king of Spaines subiects should receiue fauour accordingly All these things thus in order performed praises were sung in all the churches The Emperor and Empresse very deuoutly resorted on foote to many principal Churches in the Citie and vpon Trinitie Sunday betooke themselues to a progresse in order of procession to a famous monasterie called Sergius and the Trinitie 60. miles distant from the Citie of Mosco accompanied with a huge armie of Noblemen Gentlemen and others mounted vpon goodly horses with furniture accordingly The Empresse of deuotion tooke this iourney on foot all the way accompanied with her princesses and ladies no small number her guard and gunners were in number 20000. her chiefe counseller or attendant was a noble man of the blood Roial her vncle of great authoritie called Demetri Iuanowich Godonoua All this progresse ended both the Emperor and Empresse returned to Mosco shortly after the Emperor by the direction of the prince Boris Pheodorowich sent a power into the land of Siberia where all the rich Sables Furres are gotten This power conquered in one yeere and a halfe 1000. miles In the performance of this warre there was taken prisoner the Emperor of the countrey called Chare Sibersky and with him many other dukes and noble men which were brought to Mosko with a guard of souldiers and gunners who were receiued into the citie in very honorable maner and do there remaine to this day Hereupon the corrupt officers Iudges Iustices captains and lieutenants through the whole kingdom were remooued and more honest men substituted in their places with expresse commandement vnder seuere punishment to surcease their old bribing extortion which they had vsed in the old Emperors time and now to execute true iustice without respect of persons and to the end that this might be the better done their lands and yeerly stipends were augmented the great taskes customes and duties which were before layd vpon the people in the old Emperors time were now abated and âome wholy remitted and no punishments commanded to be vsed without sufficient and due proofe although the crime were capitall deseruing death many Dukes and noble men of great houses that were vnder displeasure and imprisoned 20. yeeres by the old Emperor were now set at libertie and restored to their lands all prisoners were set at libertie and their trespasses forgiuen In summe a great alteration vniuersally in the gouernment folowed and yet all was done quietly ciuilly peaceably without trouble to the Prince or offence to the Subiect and this bred great assurance and honour to the kingdom and all was accomplished by the wisedom especially of Irenia the Empresse These things being reported and caried to the eares of the kings and princes that were borderers vpon Russia they grew so fearefull and terrible to them that the Monarch of all the Scythians called the Crimme Tartar or great Can himselfe named Sopheâ Keri Alli came out of his owne countrey to the Emperor of Russia accompanied with a great number of his nobilitie well horsed although to them that were Christians they seemed rude yet they were personable men and valiant their comming was gratefull to the Emperor and their entertainment was honourableâ the Tartar prince hauing brought with him his wiues also receiued of the Russe Emperor entertainment and princely welcome according to their estates Not long after 1200. Polish gentlemen valiant Souldiors and proper men came to Mosko offring their seruice to the Emperor who were all entertained and in like sort many Chirkasses and people of other natioâs came and offred seruice And assoone as the report of this new created Emperor was spred ouer other kingdoms of Europe there were sent to him sundry Ambassadors to wish him ioy and prosperitie in his kingdom thither came Ambassadors from the Turke from the Persian the Boghariaâ the Crimme the Georgian and many other Tartar
proofe cast lots who shall take his oath for the more ready triall of the cause And in no wise to take any fee or duetie of the aforesaid English merchants for the said iudgement in Lawe We wil and commaund all this to be obserued and kept in all parts of our dominions by all our subiects and authorised people by vertue of these our royal letters patents And the said letters not to be diminished in any part or parsell thereof by any persons howsoeuer they be named And whosoeuer shall withstand not regard these our gracious letters shal be in our high displeasure and shal incurre the losse of his life This our gracious letter was giuen in our kingdom and royal City of Mosco in the yere from the beginning of the world 7104. in the moneth of May. Subscribed by the Emperours Chancellour and Secretarie Vasili Shalcan The contents of M. Garlands Commission vnto Thomas Simkinson for the bringing of M. Iohn Dee to the Emperour of Russia his Court. FRiend Thomas Simkinson I pray you goe to Brounswik or Cassil and inquire if Master Iohn d ee be there or where he is and when you finde him certifie him howe that I haue sent you purposely to knowe where hee doeth remaine and at your returne I will come and speake with him my selfe Also you may certefie him that the Emperour of Russeland hauing certaine knowledge of his great learning and wisdome is marueilous desirous of him to come into his Countrey And hath giuen me his letter with his hand and golden seale at it for to bring him into the Countrey with mee if it be possible and for his liuing shewe him that he shall be sure of 2000. pound yeerely and also all prouision for his table out of the Emperours kitching free and if he thinke this too little I will assure him that if he aske asmuch more hee shall haue it and for his charges into the Countrey I haue sufficient of the Emperours allowance to bring him and all his royally into the Countrey And because hee may doubt of these proffers hee shall remaine at the borders vntill the Emperour be certified of him and of his requests which he would haue And I am sure he shall be conueyed through the land with fiue hundred horses and hee shal be accompted as one of the chiefest in the land next the Emperour Also shew him howe that my Lord Protectour at my comming away did take me in his armes and desired me as hee should be my friend to bring him with me and he would giue him of his owne purse yeerely 1000. rubbles besides the Emperours allowance All these foresaide grauntes and demaunds doe I Thomas Simkinson acknowledge to be spoken by Edward Garland to mee and to be sent to declare the same vnto Master Iohn Deeâ And in witnesse that this is of a trueth I haue written the same with my owne hand and thereunto set my name in Wittingaw otherwise called Trebona the 18. of September Anno 1586. By me Thomas Sinkinson of Hull A letter to the right worshipfull M. Iohn Dee Esquire conteyning the summe and effect of M. Edward Garland his message deliuered to Master Dee himselfe Letterwise for a more perfect memoriall thereof Anno 1586. RIght worshipfull it may please you to vnderstand that I was senâ vnto you from the most mightie Prince Feodor Iuanowich Lord Emperour and great duke of Russia c. As also from the most excellent prince Boris Feodorowich Lord Protector of Russia to giue your worship to vnderstand the great good will and heartie desire they beare vnto you for that of long time they haue had great good report of your learning wisedom as also of your good counsel vnto Princes whereupon his Maiesties most earnest desire and request is vnto you that you would take the paines to come vnto his citie of Mosco to visite his Maiesties Court for that hee is desirous of your company and also of your good counsell in diuers matters that his Maiestie shall thinke needfull And for the great goodwill that his Maiestie beareth vnto you he will giue you yeerely toward your mainteinance 2000. pound starling and the Lord Protectour will giue you a thousand rubbles as also your prouision for your table you shall haue free out of his Maiesties kitchin And further whatsoeuer you shall thinke needefull or conuenient for you in any part or parts of his dominion it shall be at your worships commaundement And this is the summe and effect of my message and commandement giuen me by his Maiestie and the Lord Protectour In witnesse whereof I haue written this with my owne hand the 17. of December 1586. By me Edward Garland In Trebona Castel otherwise called Wittingaw in Boëmia to which place this M. Edward Garland came to M. d ee with two Moscouites to serue him c. He had sixe more which by M. Dees counsell were sent backe Witnesse M. Edward Kelley and M. Francis Garland brother to foresaid Edward and diuers others IT seemeth that this princely offer of the Emperour Pheodor Iuanowich and of the L. Boris Pheodorowich Protectour to his Maiestie was made vnto the learned and famous Mathematitian M. Iohn Dee partly to vse his counsell direction about certaine discoueries to the Northeast and partly for some other weighty occasions but because their conquest to Siberia was not as then fully settled for diuers other secret reasons it was for y e time with al thankfulnes refused A branch of a letter from M. Iohn Merick Agent vnto the Moscouie company in Russia closed vp in the Mosco the 14. of March Anno 1597. touching the death of Pheodor Iuanowich late Emperour of all Russia c. HAuing thus farre proceeded with this my answere vnto the chiefest points of your worships letters receiued my desire was to haue sent one vnto you long since as you may perceiue by the first date but by reason I could not get leaue I haue deferred it of till this instant for that there was none suffered to passe out of the land The causes may be iudged for that it pleased God to call out of this world the Emperour his Maiestie who departed about the 7. of Ianuary and euer since hath bene a mourning time no suites for any matter could be heard But it hath bene a very dead season Yet thankes be to God through the wise gouernment of Lord Boris Pheodorowich the Lord Protector vnto the saide late Emperour since his death all things haue bene very quiet without any dissention as the like in such a great kingdome I haue not heard of And now through the prouidence of Almightie God and by surrender of the late Empresse Irenia Feodoruna and the common consent of the Patriarch Nobles Bishops and the whole Cleargie with the whole Commons besides choise is made of none other but of the said Lord Protector L. Boris Pheodorowich to be Emperour and great duke of all
see 1381. Dieth vpon the Assumption of the blessed Uirgin in the port of Bergen in Norway falling downe from a packe of wares into the botome of the ship He was buried at Bergen in the Church of our Sauiour  XVIII Michael a Dane 1385. Entreth his see 1388. Resigneth and saileth into Denmarke  XIX William a Dane 1394. Entereth the Bishopricke  Dieth  XX. Arnerus sirnamed Milldur that is to say Liberall He was at one time Lord President of all Island bishop of Schalholt and vicebishop of Holen 1420. He died 1432. XXI Ionas Gerickson Sueden either sirnamed or borne is made Bishop ouer the Church of Schalholt and afterward for certaine bolde attempts being taken by one Thorualdus de Modruuolium as it is reported and a great stone being bound to his necke hee was cast aliue into the riuer of Schalholt which taketh name of the bridge and was there strangled 1445. XXII Goswinus bishop of Schalholt 1472. XXIII Sueno called y e wise bishop of Schalholt 1489. XXIIII Magnus sonne of Eiolphus Bishop c.  XXV Stephen 1494. Entreth the see Then liuing at one time with Godschalchus bishop of Holen who seemed worthy to be sirnamed cruel he had the same commendations for mercy and iustice that Godschalchus had The Bishops of Holen In the yeere of CHRIST was sent backe vp thâm into Norway that the matter might bee set through by the iudgement of the king The king therefore fauouring his part he obteined the bishopricke of Holen  He dieth 1391. XV. Peter  Consecrated the same yere wherein his predecessour departed out of this present life  Entreth the see of Holen 1392. Dieth  XVI Ionas Wilhelmus English Either borne or sir-named  Entred the see 1432. XVII Godschalcus  Died. 1457. XVIII Olaus son of Rogwaldus nephew to the forenamed Godschalcus by the sisters side both of them being Norwayes  He was established 1458. He died 1497. XIX Godschalchus  The nephewe of Olaus deceased by the brothers side also hee being a Noruagian was elected the same yeere wherein his vncle deceased  He entreth the see And for the space of 20. whole yeres is reported cruelly to haue entreated many of the subiects In the yeere 1520. wheÌ he was in the midst of his cups and banqueting dishes heard that Ionas Sigismundus was departed out of this life whom with his wife and children he had for many yeres most cruelly oppressed he presently fell into a sudden disease and so not long after changed that violence for miserable death which in his whole life he had vsed against his distressed subiects 1500. XX. Ionas Araesonius  Entreth the see 1525. This man was the last most earnest mainteiner of Popish superstitions Who stoutely withstanding Gysserus and Martinus bishops of Schalholt was commanded by the  In the yeere of CHRIST The Bishops of Schalholt 1519. He died or thereabout  XXVI Augmundus 1522. Chosen in the yeere wherein Stephen deceased Entreth the see  While he was Bishop the kings Lieu-tenant with some of his followers being inuited to Schalholt in the time of the banquet was slaine by certaine conspirators because hee had in all places wickedly wasted the inhabitants and their goods But Augmundus as the authour of that murther although he purged himselfe with an othe being transported into Denmarke there ended his life  XXVII Gysserus 1540. Elected Augmundus yet liuing 1541. Entred the see 1544. He was the abolisher of Popish traditions about Priests marriages his owne mariage being solemnized at Schalholt  XXVIII Martinus 1547. Bishop c And the yeeres folowing  XXIX Gislaus Ionas 1556. 1587. This man presently in the time of bishop Augmund began in his youth to be enflamed with y e loue of true pietie of the pure doctrine of the Gospel being pastour of the Church of Selardal diligently to aduance the same by which meanes he did so procure vnto himselfe y t hatred of Papists as being coÌstreined to giue place vnto their craft crueltie he departed ouer to Hamâurg from whence coÌming to Copen Hagen in Denmarke painefully proceeding in his former study of diuinitie he liued in the familiaritie and fauour of many but specially of D. D. Peter Palladius who was at that time bishop there Afterward returning into his countrey Martine gaue place vnto him of his owne accord This man died also hauing for the space of 31. yeres or there abouts professed the Gospel of Iesus Christ neither did he helpe further the Church of God by the sound of his voice onely but by all other meanes to the vtmost of his abilitie by teaching preaching writing by his wealth his counsel  XXX Otto Enerus a graue godly and learned man 1588. Being chosen he departeth his country 1589. Hee is consecrated returneth and entreth the sea endeuouring himselfe in the labours of his function The Bishops of Holen In the yeere of CHRIST most religious king Christan the 3. vnder paine of banishment to come with all speed into Denmarke But neglecting the kings commaundement hee tooke Martine bishop oâ Schalholt and committed him toward At length he himselfe also being taken by a man of great name whom before that time it is saide he had prouoked and being brought to Schalholt was together with his two sonnes by the authoritie of the kings Lieutenant beheaded In reuenge whereof not long after the saide Lieu-tenant with some of his company was villanously slaine by certaine roysters which were once seruants to the parties beheaded 1551. XXI Olaus Hialterus  Departed his countrey 1552. Entreth the see 1553. This man being as yet in the life time of his predecessour fellow-labourer with him was the first that kindled the loue of sincere doctrine at Holen in the hearts of many and then being bishop did openly teache and defend the said doctrine He died 1568. XXII Gudbrandus Thorlacius  The ornament not onely of his age but of posteritie also who besides that by the direction of the holy spirit he hath most notably brought thâ worke begunne and left vnto him by his predecessour Olaus to that perfectioÌ which it hath pleased God to vouchsafe namely his labours and diligence in maintayning the trueth of the Gospel and in abolishing of Popish superstitions euen in this his countrey hee is the first that hath established a Printing house For which cause his countrey besides for many other books translated into our mother tongue shal be eternally bounden vnto him that the sacred Bible also by his meanes is fairely printed in the language of Island Hee I say being at this present Bishop when he was about to take his charge  Departed his countrey 1570. Returned and entred the see of Holen 1571. IN these times therefore light is restored vnto our soules from heauen and the gate of the kingdome of heauen is opened vnto vs by the sincere preaching of Christian doctrine For
was buried by his brother after Christian maner Chap. 6. AFter the lamentable burials of these so famous Princes the King taking occasion of the death of these principall men of his armic agreed making none priuie thereto to receiue the money which was offered him for his differring off the siege of the citie of Sagiâta yet dissembling to make peace with the Saracens but that he ment to go through with the worke that he had begunne Whereupon sending a message vnto Iaphet hee aduised the English souldiers to come downe to Acres with their fleete and to conferre and consult with him touching the besieging and assaulting of the citie of Sagitta which rising immediatly vpon the kings commaundement and foorthwith hoysing vp the sayles of their shippes aloft with pendants and stremers of purple and diuerse other glorious colours with their flagges of scarlet colour and silke came thither and casting their ancres rode hard by the citie The king the next day calling vnto him such as were priuie acquainted with his dealings opened his griefe vnto the chiefe Captaines of the English men and Danes touching the slaughter of Hugh and the death of his brother and what great confidence he reposed in them concerning these warres and that nowe therefore they being departed and dead he must of necessity differre the besieging of Sagitta for this time dismisse the armie assembled This resolution of the king being spred among the people the armie was dissolued and the Englishmen Danes and Flemings with sailes and oares going aboard their fleete saluted the king and returned home vnto their natiue countries The trauailes of one Athelard an Englishman recorded by master Bale Centur. 2. AThelardus Bathoniensis Coenobij monachus naturalium rerum mysteria causas omnes diligentâââ tam vndecun que exquisitá perserutatus est vt cum aliquibus veteris seculi philoâophis non indignè conferâi possit Hic olim spectatae indolis Adolescens vt virente adhuc aetate iuuenile ingenium foecundaret atque adres magnas pararet relicta dulci patria longin quas petijt regiones Cum verò AEgyptum Arabiam peragrans plura inuenisset quae eius desiderabat animus cum magno laborum ac literarum lucro in Angliam tum demùm reuertebatur Claruit anno virginei partus 1130. Henrico primo regnante The same in English AThelard a Monke of the Abbie of Bathe was so diligent a searcher of the secrets and causes of naturall things that he deserueth worthely to be compared with some of the auncient Philosophers This man although young yet being of a good wit and being desirous to increase and enrich the same with the best things and to prepare himselfe as it were for greater matters left his Countrey for a time and trauailed into forreine Regions He went through Egypt and Arabia and found out many things which he desired to his owne priuate contentment and the profite of good letters generally and so being satisfied returned againe into his Countrey he flourished in the yeere 1130. Henry the first being then king of England ¶ The life and trauailes of one VVilliam of Tyre an Englishman Centur. 13. GVlielmus Ecclesiae Dominici sepulchri Hierosolymae Regularium Canonicorum prior natione Anglicus vir vita moribus coÌmendabilis Anno Dom. 1128. postquam Tyrorum Ciuitas fidei Christianae restituta est a Guimundo Hierosolymorum patriarcha eidem vrbi primus Archiepiscopus praeficiebatur Est autem Tyrus ciuitas antiquissima Phoeniciae vniuersae Metropolis quae inter Syriae prouincias bonorum omnium penè commoditate incolarum frequentia primum semper obtinuit locum post conscripta quaedam opuscula Epistolas ad Domânum migrauit Anâ Christi 1130. quum duobus tantum sedisset annis in Tyrensi Ecclesia sepelitur The same in English VVIlliam the Prior of the Canons Regular in the Church of Ierusalem called the Lords Sepulchre was an Englishman borne and of a vertuous and good behauiour After that the Citie of Tyre was restored againe to the Christian faith Guimunde the Patriarke of Ierusalem made him the first Archbishop of Tyre in the yeere 1128. Which Tyre is a very ancient Citie the Metropolis of all Phoenicia and hath bene accompted the chiefest Prouince of Syria both for fruitful commodities and multitude of inhabitants This William hauing in his life written many Bookes and Epistles died at last in the yeere 1130. hauing bene Archbishop the space of two yeeres and was buried in the Church of Tyre The trauailes of Robertus Ketenensis RObertus Ketenensis natione cognomine Anglus degusâatis primum per Anglorum gymnasia humanarum artium elementis literarijs vltramarinas statim visitare prouincias in animo constituit Peragratis ergò Gallijs Italia Dalmatia Graecia tum demum peruenit in Asiam vbi non paruo labore ac vitae suae periculo inter Saracenos truculentissimum hominum genus Arabicam linguam ad amussim didicit In Hispaniam postea nauigio traductus circa fluuium Hibetum Astrologicae artis studio cum Hermanno quodam Dalmata magni sui itineris comite se totum dedit Claruit anno seruatoris nostri 1143 Stephano regnante Pampilonaâ sepelitur The same in English THis Robert Ketenensis was called an Englishman by surname as he was by birth who after some time spent in the foundations of humanitie and in the elements of good Artes in the Uniuersities of England determined to trauaile to the partes beyond sea and so trauailed through France Italie Dalmatia and Greece and came at last into Asia where he liued in great danger of his life among the cruell Saracens but yet learned perfectly the Arabian tongue Afterwardes he returned by sea into Spaine and there about the riuer Iberus gaue him selfe wholy to the studie of Astrologie with one Hermannus a Dalmatian who had accompanied him in his long voyage He flourished in the yeere 1143. Steuen being then King of England and was buried at Pampilona A voyage of certaine English men vnder the conduct of Lewes king of France vnto the Holy land TAntae expeditionis explicito apparatu vterque princeps iter arripuit exercitu separtito Imperator enim Conradus praecedebat itinere aliquot dierum cum Italorum Germanorum aliarúmque gentium amplissimis copijs Rex vero Lodouicus sequebatur Francorum Flandrensium Normannorum Britonum Anglorum Burgundionum Prouincialium Aquitanorum equestri simul pedestri agmine comitatus Gulielmus Neobrigensis fol. 371. The same in English BOth the princes prouision being made for so great an expedition they seuering their armies entered on their iourney For the Emperour Conradus went before certaine dayes iourney with very great power of Italians Germans and other countreys And king Lewes followed after accompanied with a band of horsemen and footmen of French men Flemmings Normans Britons English men Burgundions men of Prouence and Gascoins The voyage of Iohn Lacy to Ierusalem ANno
countrey dogs and therefore they are hunted with dogs because cats are not able to incounter them Moreouer in the same countrey euery man hath a bundle of great boughs standing in a water-pot before his doore which bundle is as great as a piller and it will not wither so long as water is applied thereunto with many other nouelties and strange things the relation whereof would breed great delight How peper is had and where it groweth MOreouer that it may be manifest how peper is had it is to be vnderstood that it groweth in a certaine kingdome whereat I my selfe arriued being called Minibar and it is not so plentifull in any other part of the worlde as it is there For the wood wherein it growes conceineth in circuit 18. dayes iourney And in the said wood or forrest there are two cities one called Flandrina and the other Cyncilim In Flandrina both Iewes and Christians doe inhabite betweene whom there is often contention and warre howbeit the Christians ouercome the Iewes at all times In the foresaid wood pepper is had after this maner first it groweth in leaues like vnto pot-hearbs which they plant neere vnto great trees as we do our vines and they bring forth pepper in clusters as our vines doe yeeld grapes but being ripe they are of a greene colour and are gathered as we gather grapes and then the graines are layed in the Sunne to be dried and being dried are put into earthen vessels and thus is pepper made and kept Now in the same wood there be many riuers wherein are great store of Crocodiles and of other serpents which the inhabitants thereabout do burne vp with straw and with other dry fewel and so they go to gather their pepper without danger At the South end of the said forrest stands the city of Polumbrum which aboundeth with marchandize of all kinds All the inhabitants of that countrey do worship a liuing ore as their god whom they put to labour for sixe yeres and in the seuenth yere they cause him to rest from al his worke placing him in a solemne and publique place and calling him an holy beast Moreouer they vse this foolish ceremonie Euery morning they take two basons either of siluer or of gold and with one they receiue the vrine of the ore and with the other his dung With the vrine they wash their face their eyes and all their fiue senses Of the dung they put into both their eyes then they annoint the bals of their checks therewith and thirdly their breast and then thây say that they are sanctified for all that day And as the people doe euen so doe their King and Queene This people worshippeth also a dead idole which from the nauel vpward resembleth a man and from the nauel downeward an oxe The very same Idol deliuers oracles vnto them and sometimes requireth the blood of fourtie virgins for his hire And therefore the men of that region do consecrate their daughters and their sonnes vnto their idols euen as Christians do their children vnto some Religion or Saint in heauen Likewise they sacrifice their sonnes and their daughters and so much people is put to death before the said Idol by reason of that accursed ceremony Also many other hainous and abominable villanies doeth that brutish beastly people commit and I sawe many moe strange things among them which I meane not here to insert Another most vile custome the foresaide nation doeth reâaine for when any man dieth they burne his dead corps to ashes and if his wife suruiueth him her they burne quicke because say they she shall accompany her husband in his tilthe and husbandry when he is come into a new world Howbeit the said wife hauing children by her husband may if she will remaine still aliue with them without shame or reproch notwithstanding for the most part they all of them make choice to be burnt w t their husbands Now albeit the wife dieth before her husband that law bindeth not the husband to any such incoÌuenience but he may mary another wife also Likewise y e said nation hath another strange custome in that their women drink wine but their men do not Also the women haue the lids brows of their eyes beards shauen but the men haue not with many other base filthy fashions which the said women do vse contrary to the nature of their âexe FroÌ that kingdom I traueiled 10. daies iourney vnto another kingdom called Mobar which containeth many cities Within a certaine church of the same countrây the body of S. Thomas the Apostle is interred the very same church being full of idols and in 15. houses round about the said Church there dwell certaine priests who are Nestorians that is to say false and bad Christians and schismatiques Of a strange and vncouth idole and of certaine customes and ceremonies IN the said kingdome of Mobar there is a wonderfull strang idole being made after the shape and resemblance of a man as big as the image of our Christopher consisting all of most pure and glittering gold And about the neck thereof hangeth a silke riband ful of most rich precious stones some one of which is of more value then a whole kingdome The house of this idol is all of beaten gold namely the roofe the pauement and the sieling of the wall within and wâthout Unto this idol the Indians go on pilgrimage as we do vnto S. Peter Some go with halters about their necks some with their hands bound behind them some other with kniues sticking on their armes or legs and if after their peregrination the flesh of their wounded arme festereth or corrupteth they esteeme that limme to be holy thinke that their God is wel pleased with them Neare vnto the temple of that idol is a lake made by the hands of men in an open common place whereinto the pilgrimes cast gold siluer precious stones for the honour of the idol and the repairing of his temple And therfore when any thing is to be adorned or mended they go vnto this lake taking vp the treasure which was cast in Moreouer at euery yerely feast of the making or repairing of the said idol the king and queene with the whole multitude of the people all the pilgrimes assemble themselues placing the said idol in a most stately rich chariot they cary him out of their temple with songs with all kind of musical harmonie a great company of virgins go procession-wise two and two in a rank singing before him Many pilgrims also put themselues vnder the chariot wheeles to the end that their false god may go ouer them and al they ouer whom the chariot runneth are crushed in pieces diuided asunder in the midst and slaine right out Yea in doing this they think themselues to die most holily securely in the seruice of their god And by this meanes euery yere there
of another city as I my selfe saw in diuers of them The breadth of the sayd prouince is fifty dayes iourney the length aboue sixty In it there is great plenty of all victuals and especially of chesnuts and it is one of the twelue prouinces of the great Can. Going on further I came vnto a certaine kingdome called Tebek which is in subiection vnto the great Can also wherein I thinke there is more plenty of bread wine then in any other part of the world besides The people of the sayd countrey do for the most part inhabit in tents made of blacke felt Their principall city is inuironed with faire and beautifull walles being built of most white and blacke stones which are disposed checkerwise one by another and curiously compiled together likewise all the high wayes in this countrey are exceâdingly well paued In the sayd countrey none dare shed the bloud of a man or of any beast for the reuerence of a certaine idole In the foresayd city their Abassi that is to say their Pope is resident being the head and prince of all idolaters vpon whom he bestoweth and distributeth gifts after his maner euen as our pope of Rome accounts himselfe to be the head of all Christians The women of this countrey weare aboue an hundreth tricks and trifles about them and they haue two teeth in their mouthes as long as the tushes of a boare When any mans father deceaseth among them his sonne assembleth together all the priests and musicians that he can get saying that he is determined to honour his father then causeth he him to be caried into the field all his kinssolks friends and neighbours accompanying him in the sayd action where the priests with great solemnity cut off the fathers head giuing it vnto his sonne which being done they diuide the whole body into morsels and so leaue it behinde them returning home with prayers in the company of the sayd sonne So soone as they are departed certaine vultures which are accustomed to such bankets come flying from the mountaines and cary away all the sayd morsels of flesh and from thenceforth a fame is spread abroad that the sayd party deceased was holy because the angels of God carried him into paradise And this is the greatest and highest honour that the sonne can deuise to performe vnto his deceased father Then the sayd sonne taketh his fathers head seething it and eating the flesh thereof but of the skull he makes a drinking cup wherein himselfe with all his family and kinred do drinke with great solemnity and mirth in the remembrance of his dead and deuoured father Many other vâle and abominable things doth the sayd nation commit which I meane not to write because men neither can nor will beleeue except they should haue the sighâ of them Of a certaine rich man who is fed and nourished by fiftie virgins VVHile I was in the prouince of Mancy I passed by the palace of a certaine famous man which hath fifty virgin damosels continually attending vpon him feeding him euery meale as a bird feeds her yoong ones Also he hath sundry kindes of meat serued in at his table and three dishes of ech kinde and when the sayd virgins feed him they sing most sweetly This man hath in yeerely reuenues thirty thuman of tagars of rise euery of which thuman yeeldeth tenne thousand tagars and one tagar is the burthen of an asse His palace is two miles in circuit the pauement whereof is one plate of golde and another of siluer Neere vnto the wall of the sayd palace there is a mount artificially wrought with golde and siluer whereupon stand turrets and steeples and other delectable things for the solace and recreation of the foresayd great man And it was tolde me that there were foure such men in the sayd kingdome It is accounted a great grace for the men of that countrey to haue long nailes vpon their fingers and especially vpon their thumbes which nailes they may folde about their hands but the grace and beauty of their women is to haue small and slender feet and therefore the mothers when their daughters are yoong do binde vp their feet that they may not grow great Trauelling on further towards the South I arriued at a certaine countrey called Melistorte which is a very pleasant and fertile place And in this countrey there was a certeine aged man called Senex de monte who round about two mountaines had built a wall to inclose the sayd mountaines Within this wall there were the fairest and most chrystall fountaines in the whole world and about the sayd fountaines there were most beautifull virgins in great number and goodly horses also and in a word euery thing that could be deuised for bodily solace and delight and therefore the inhabitants of the countrey call the same place by the name of Paradise The sayd olde Senex when he saw any proper and valiant yoong man he would admit him into his paradise Moreouer by certaine conducts he makes wine and milke to flow abundantly This Senex when he hath a minde to reuenge himselfe or to slay any king or baron commandeth him that is gouernor of the sayd paradise to bring thereunto some of the acquaintance of the sayd king or baron pârmitting him a while to take his pleasure therein and then to giue him a certaine potion being of force to cast him into such a slumber as should make him quite voide of all sense and so being in a profound sleepe to conuey him out of his paradise who being awaked seeing himselfe thrust out of the paradise would become so sorowfull that he could not in the world deuise what to do or whither to turne him Then would he go vnto the foresaid old man beseeching him that he might be admitted againe into his paradise who saith vnto him You cannot be admitted thither vnlesse you will slay such or such a man for my sake and if you will giue the attempt onely whether you kill him or no I wil place you againe in paradise that there you may remaine alwayes then would the party without faile put the same in execution indeuouring to murther all those against whom the sayd olde man had conceiued any hatred And therefore all the kings of the east stood in awe of the sayd olde man and gaue vnto him great tribute Of the death of Senex de monte ANd when the Tartars had subdued a great part of the world they came vnto the sayd olde man and tooke from him the custody of his paradise who being incensed thereat sent abroad diuers desperate and resolute persons out of his forenamed paradise and caused many of the Tartarian nobles to be slaine The Tartars seeing this went and besieged the city wherein the said olde man was tooke him and put him to a most cruell and ignominious death The friers in that place haue this speciall gift and prerogatiue namely that by the vertue
I was testifieth those things which I saw to be true Many other things I haue omitted because I beheld them not with mine owne eyes Howbeit from day to day I purpose with my selfe to trauell countreyes or lands in which action I dispose my selfe to die or to liue as it shall please my God Of the death of frier Odoricus IN the yeere therefore of our Lord 1331 the foresayd frier Odoricus preparing himselfe for the performance of his intended iourney that his trauell and labour might be to greater purpose he determined to present himselfe vnto pope Iohn the two and twentieth whose benediction and obedience being receiued he with a certaine number of friers willing to beare him company might conuey himselfe vnto all the countreyes of infidels And as he was trauelling towards the pope and not farre distant from the city of Pisa there meets him by the way a certaine olde man in the habit and attire of a pilgrime saluting him by name and saying All haile frier Odoricus And when the frier demaunded how he had knowledge of him he answered Whilest you were in India I knew you full well yea and I knew your holy purpose also but see that you returne immediatly vnto the couen from whence you came for tenne dayes hence you shall depart out of this present world Wherefore being astonished and amazed at these wordes especially the olde man vanishing out of his sight presently after he had spoken them he determined to returne And so he returned in perfect health feeling no crazednesse nor infirmity of body And being in his rouen at Vdene in the prouince of Padua the tenth day after the foresayd vision hauing receiued the Communion and preparing himselfe vnto God yea being strong and sound of body hee happily rested in the Lord whose sacred departure was signified vnto the Pope aforesaid vnder the hand of the publique notary in these words following In the yeere of our Lord 1331 the 14. day of Ianuarie Beatus Odoricus a Frier minorite deceased in Christ at whose prayers God shewed many and sundry miracles which I Guetelus publique notarie of Vtina sonne of M. Damianus de Porto Gruaro at the commandement and direction of the honorable Conradus of the Borough of Gastaldion and one of the Councell of Vtina haue written as faithfully as I could and haue deliuered a copie thereof vnto the Friers minorites howbeit not of all because they are innumerable and too difficult for me to write The voyage of Matthew Gourney a most valiant English Knight against the Moores of Algier in Barbarie and Spaine M. Camden pag. 159. NEctacendum Matthaeum Gourney in oppido quodam vulgarilingua Stoke vnder Hamden in comitatu Somersetensi appellato sepultum esâe virum bellico sissimum regnante Edwardo tertio qui 96. aetatis anno diem obiuit cum vt ex inscriptione videre licuit obsidioni d'Algizer contra Saracenos praelijs Benamazin Sclusensi Cressiaco Ingenos Pictauiensi Nazarano in Hispania dimicasset The same in English IT is by no meanes to be passed ouer in silence that Matthew Gourney being a most valiant warriour in the reigne of Edward the third lyeth buried at a certaine towne in the countie of Somerset commonly called Stoke vnder Hamden who deceased in the 96. yeare of his age and that as it is manifest by the inscription of his monument after he had valiantly behaued himselfe at the siege of Algizer against the Sarazens and at the battailes of Benamazin of Sluce of Cressie of Ingenos of Poictou and of Nazaran in Spaine The comming of Lyon King of Armenia into England in the yeere 1386 and in the ninth yeere of Richard the second in trust to finde some meanes of peace or good agreement betweene the King of England and the French king Iohn Froyssart lib. 3. cap. 56. THus in abiding for the Duke of Berrie and for the âââstable who were behind then king Lyon of Armenia who was in Franââ and had assigned him by the king sixe thousande frankes by the yeare to maintaine his estate tooke vpon him for a good intent to goe into England to speake with the king there and his Councell to see if he might finde any matter of peace to be had betweene the two Reaâmes England and France And so he departed from his lodging of Saint Albeyne beside Saint Denice alonely with his owne company and with no great apparell So he rode to Boloine and there he tooke a shippe and so sayled foorth till he came to Douer and there he found the Earle of Cambridge and the Earle of Buckingham and moe then a hundreth men of armes and a two thousand Archers who lay there to keepe that passage for the brute ran that the Frenchmen should lande there or at Sandwich and the king lay at London and part of his Councell with him and daily heard tydings from all the Portes of England When the king of Armenia was arriued at Douer he had there good cheere because he was a stranger and so he came to the kings Uncles there who sweetly receiued him and at a time conuenient they demaunded of him from whence he came and whither he would The king answered and sayd that in trust of goodnesse he was come thither to see the king of England and his Councell to treate of peace betweene England and France for he saide that he thought the warre was not meete for he sayd by reason of warre betweene these two Realmes which hath indured so long the Saracens Iewes Turkes are waxed proude for there is none that make them any warre and by occasion thereof I haue lost my land and Realme and am not like to recouer them againe without there were firme peace in all Christendome I would gladly shew the matter that toucheth all Christendome to the king of England and to his Councell as I haue done to the French king Then the kings Uncles demaunded of him if the French king sent him thither or no he answered and sayd no there is no man that sent mee but I am come hither by mine owne motion to see if the king of England his Councel would any thing leane to any treaty of peace then was he demaunded where the French king was he answered I beleeue he be at Sluce I sawe not him sithence I tooke my leaue of him at Senlize Then he was demaunded howe he could make any treatie of peace and had no charge so to doe and Sir if yee be conueyed to the King our Nephew and to his Counsell and the French king in the meane season enter with his puissance into England yee may happe thereby to receiue great blame and your person to be in great ieoperdy with them of the Countrey Then the King answered and said I am in suretie of the French king for I haue sent to him desiring him till I returne againe not to remoue from Sluce and I repute him so noble and so well aduised that he
redinesse his armie to the number of three hundreth sayles purposing for to send them against Rhodes if mortalitie had not happened in his hoât and he afterwarde by the will of our lorde was surprised and taken with death wherefore he being in the latter ende of his dayes as some Turkes and false christian men that were at this siege shewed me did charge by his testament or caused to charge his sonne now being great Turke that after his death hee should make his two first enterprises the one against Bellegrado in Hungarie and the other against Rhodes for to get him honour and to set his Countries and subiectes in rest and suretie The which fatherly motion easilie entered into him and was imprinted in the heart and yoong will of the sayde Solyman his sonne the which soone after the death of his father put in effect the first enterprise and raised an huge hoste both by water and by land and went himselfe in person against Bellegrado a right strong place in Hungarie And after that hee had besieged it the space of two moneths or thereabout for fault of ordinance and vitailes it was yeelded to him by composition the eight day of September in the yeere of our lord one thousand fiue hundred twentie and one The sayd Solyman hauing this victory being swollen and raised in pride and vaineglory turned his heart agaynst Rhodes Neuerthelesse he not ignorant of the strength of it and considering the qualities of the people that were within it of whom he should be well receiued as his predecessours had bene aforetimes doubted much and knew not how to furnish his enterprise For his capitaines and Bashas turned him from it as much as they might by many reasons they knowing the force of it saue onely Mustofa Basha his brother in lawe the which counselled and put him in minde to goe thither Finally hee purposed entirely to haue it by treason or by force And also for the same cause and purpose his father in his dayes had sent a Iewe physician into Rhodes as a spie to haue the better knowledge of it the sayd Solyman was informed that he was there yet wherfore he sent him worde that he should abide there still for the same cause And gaue in charge to one of the chiefe men in Sio to send vnto the sayd Iewe all things needefull to maintaine him And the same Iewe wrote to him of Sio vnder priuie wordes all that was done in Rhodes to giue knowledge thereof to the great Turke and the better to hide his treason the sayde Iewe made himselfe to bee baptised And to bee the more named to be expert in Physike he did some faire cures to such as were diseased whereby he began to bee well trusted and came in fauour with many substantiall folkes of the towne Among all other things whereof hee aduertised the great Turke one was of a wall that was taken downe for to be new builded at the bulwarke of Auuergne certifying him that if hee came hastely with his hoste hee might easilie and at vnawares surprise the towne in such estate as it was at that time Many other aduertisements and warnings hee shewed the Turke which shall bee declared hereafter But beside his aduertisement the sayd great Turke stirred and prouoked by a false traitour a Portingale knight of ours that time Chanceller of the sayd holy Religion a man of great authoritie dignitie and vnderstanding and one of the principall lordes of the counsell of the same named Sir Andrew de Merall by little and little was mooued and kindled to the sayd enterprise of treason whereof was no maruell for it was a great hope and comfort to haue such a person for him that knew all the estate and rule of the religion and of the towne And for to declare the occasions of the cursed and vnhappy will of the said traitor that had bene occasion of so great losse and damage and shall be more at the length if the diuine power set not to his hand And here it is manifestly to bee vnderstood of all men that after the death of the noble and right prudent lord Fabrice of Cacetto great master of Rhodes the sayd Sir Andrew enflamed with ambition and couetousnesse to bee great master and seeing himselfe deceiued of his hope by the election made the two and twentieth day of Ianuary of the right reuerend and illustrate lord Philip de Villiers Lisleadam before him from that time hee tooke so great enuie and desperation enmitie and euill will not onely against the sayde lord but against all the holy religion that hee set all his studie and purpose to betray and sell his religion and the citie of Rhodes to the cursed misbeleeuers forgetting the great honours and goodnesse that hee hath had of the religion and hoped to receiue with many other particuler pleasures that the sayd lord master had done to him But the deuill vnkindnesse and wickednesse had so blinded the eyes of his thought that hee in no wise could refraine him but at euery purpose that was spoken afore him hee was short and might not dissemble And one day among other hee sayde before many knights that hee would that his soule were at the deuill and that Rhodes and the religion were lost And many other foolish and dishonest purposes and wordes hee vttered whereat none tooke heed nor thought that hee had the courage to doe that thing that hee hath done Howbeit obstinate as Iudas hee put in execution his cursed will for soone after that the tidings of the election was sent Westward to the sayde noble lord the sayd de Merall did send a Turke prisoner of his to Constantinople vnder shadowe to fetch his ransome By whom hee aduertised the great Turke and his counsell of the maner and degree of Rhodes and in what state and condicion the towne was in of all maner of things at that time and what might happen of it prouoking and stirring him to come with a great hoste to besiege the towne And after the comming of the sayd reuerend lord great master he gaue other aduise to the great Turke shewing him that hee could neuer haue better time to come seeing that the great master was new come and part of the wall taken downe and that all Rhodes was in trouble by occasion of some Italian knights rebels agaynst the lord great master of the which rebellion he was causer the better to bring his cursed mind to passe and also gaue the sayde great Turke knowledge that all Christian princes were busie warring each vpon other and that he should not doubt but if the rebellion lasted among them the towne should be his without faile as it is seene by experience And for lacke of succours of euery part and especially of such as might easily haue holpen vs beyng our neighbours with their gallies and men of warre wherefore it is now in the handes of the enemies of the christian faith The which
maner of shooting is little vsed amongst christian men Howbeit by euident myracle thanked be God the sayd pieces did no great harme and slew not past 24. or 25. persons and the most part women and children and they began to shoot with the said pieces from the 19. day of the âame moneth vnto the end of August it was accounted that they shot 2000. times more or lesse Then the enemies were warned by the Iewe that wrote letters to them of all that was done and sayd in the towne that the sayd potgunnes did no harme wherefore they were angry for they thought that they had slaine the third part of our people and they were counselled by him to leaue that shooâing for it was but time lost and pouder wasted and then they shot no more with them It is of a trueth that they shot with the sayd potgunnes 12. or 15. times with bullets of brasse or copper full of wild fire and when they were in the ayre they flamed foorth and in falling on the ground they brake and the fire came out and did some harme But at the last wee knew the malice thereof and the people was warie from comming neere to them and therefore they did hurt no more folke How the captaine Gabriel Martiningo came to the succor of Rhodes and all the slaues were in danger to be slaine THe 24. day of the same moneth a brigantine arriued that was sent afore into Candie wherein came a worthy captaine named Gabriel Martiningo with two other captains And there went to receiue him messieur prou Iohn prior of S. Giles and the prior of Nauarre Then after his honourable receiuing as to him well appertained they brought him before the lord great master that louingly receiued him and he was gladly seene and welcommed of the people as a man that was named very wise and ingenious in feats of warre Then came a Spaniard renâgado from the host that gaue vs warning of all that was done in the field and of the approching by the trenches that our enemies made And in likewise there arose a great noise in the towne that the slaues Turks that wrought for vs in the diches had slaine their keepers and would haue fled which was not so Neuerthelesse the rumour was great and they rang alarme wherefore the sayd slaues comming to prison as it was ordeined in al the alarmes were met of the people which in great anger put them to death so that there were slain an hundred moe the same day And if the lord great master had not commanded that none should hurt them they had bene all slaine and there were fifteene hundreth of them which slaues did great seruice in time of the siege for they laboured dayly to make our defences and to cast earth out of the ditches and in all works they were necessary at our needs How the great Turke arriued in person before Rhodes THe 25 day of the sayd moneth many of our men went out for to skinnish in the field and made great murder of Turks and in likewise did our artillery And it is to be noted that the 28 day of the same moneth the great Turke in person passed le Fisco a hauen in the maine land with a galley and a fust and arriued about noone where his army lay the which day may be called vnhappie for Rhodes For his comming his presence and continuall abiding in the fielde is and hath beene cause of the victorie that he hath had When the gallie that he came in was arriued all the other shippes of the hoste hanged banners aloft in their toppes and on their sayle yerdes Soone after that the Turke was arriued he went to land and mounted on his horse and râde to his pauilion which was in a high place called Megalandra foure or fiue miles fro the towne out of the danger of the gunne shot And on the morow as it was reported to vs hee came to a Church nigh the towne called Saint Steuen for to viewe the Towne and fortresses whereas they had set vp mantellets for to lay their ordinance THe last day of Iuly one of our brigandines went out with a good company of men arayed as Turkes and some of them could speake Turkish and went by night to lande through the Turkes hoste and demaunded if there were any that would passe ouer into Turkie that they should haste them to come The Turkes weening that they had beene of Turkie there entred a 12. persons the which were carried to Rhodes by whom we knew what they did in the campe The first day of August the Captaine Gabriel Martiningo was made knight of the order of the religion by the lord great Master and was made the first auncient of the Italian nation of the first baliage or priorie that should be vacant And in the meane season the religion should giue him twelue hundred ducates for pension euery yeere and the same day he was receiued to the Councell in the roome of a baylife The fift day of the sayd moneth our master gunner was slaine with a gunne which was great losse for vs at that time The 15. day of the sayd moneth was knowen and taken for a traitor Messire Iohn Baptista the physicion aforesayd which confessed his euill and diuelish doings and had his head striken of Of the marueilous mounts that the Turks made afore the towne and how the capitaines were ordered in the trenches AFter the comming of the great Turke the enemies began to shoote with ordinance of another sort then they did before and specially with harquebushes and handguns and also to make their trenches and approches And also they did more diligence then afore to bring y e earth nigh the towne with spades and pickares And it is to weet that they mooued the earth from halfe a mile off and there were shot out of the towne innumerable strokes with ordinance against the sayd earth and innumerable quantitie of people hid behind the sayd earth were slaine Neuerthelesse they neuer left âârking till they had brought it to the brimmes of the ditches and when it was there they raiâeâ it higher and higher in strengthning it behind And in conclusion the sayd earth was higher then the wals of the towne by 10. or 12. foote and it seemed a hill And it was agaynst the gate of Auuergne and Spaine and beat our men that were at the gates bulwarks in such wise that none durst be seene till certaine defelices and repaires were made of plankes and boards to couer our people and keepe them from the shot And at the gate of Italy was made such another heape and in none other part When the trenches were thus made to the ditches the enemies made holes in the wals of the ditch outward wherethorow they shot infinitely with handgunnes at our men aswell on the walles as on the bulwarks and slew many of them Then the basshas and captaines entred into the trenches ech to
it is no maruell if the walles be and haue bene beaten downe and if there be breaches and clifts in many places Of the mines that the Turks made and how they ouerthrew part of the bulwarke of England ANd because as it is sayd before that the greatest hope that the enemies had to get the towne of Rhodes was by mining therefore now after that I haue spoken of the gunshot and beatings I shall shew of the mines that the Turks made the which were in so great quantity and in so many places that I beleeue the third part of the towne was mined and it is found by account made that there were about 60 mines howbeit thanked be God many of them came not to effect by occasion of the countermines that they within made and also trenches that the right prudent lord the great master caused to be made deepe within the ditches vnto two or three foot of water The which trenches and certaine pits that he had caused in the sayd ditches to be wrought or the host arriued serued right well since for night and day there were men in them to watch and hearken when the enemies mined for to meet them and cut their way as was done many times And for to speake of the mines that had effect and damaged vs it is to wit that the fourth day of September about foure houres after noone the enemies put fire in two mines one was betweene the posterne of Spaine and Auuergne which did no hurt but to the Barbican The other was at the bulwarke of England which was so fell and strong that it caused most part of the town to shake and cast down a great part of the sayd bulwarke at the spring of the day and by the earth and stones that fell into the ditches the enemies came vpon the bulwarke with their banners and fought sore and mightily with our men not with hands but with shot of handgunnes The lord great master that was come 15 dayes or more with his succours to the sayd bulwarke went with his company to helpe them that fought After that they had fought the space of two or three houres the enemies repelled and driuen backe by our men from the sayd bulwarke and beaten with ordinance on euery side withdrew them with their losse fhame and damage And this was the first victory that our lord gaue vs and there abode of our enemies a thousand and more When this assault was done they made another at the breach in the wall of Spaine and mounted vpon it but the ordinance of the trauerses of the walles and of the houses made so faire a riddance that they were very willing to withdraw themselues for at the retreat and also at their comming the sayd ordinance of the bulwarke did them great damage albeit that they had made some repaire of earth Of our men died that day 25 or thereabout aswell knights as other And the same day in the morning departed out of this world Gabriel de Pomerolles lieutenant to the lord master which on a certaine day before fell from the wall as he went to see the trenches in the ditches and hurt his breast and for fault of good attendance he fell into a feuer whereof he died How the Turks assailed the bulwarke of England and how they were driuen away THe ninth day of the sayd moneth at seuen in the morning the enemies put fire in two mines one at the posterne of Prouence which had none effect the other was at the bulwarke of England whâch felled another piece nigh to that that was cast downe atorr And the sayd mine was as fierce as the other or more for it seemed that all the bulwarke went downe and almost all they that were in it ranne away And when the sâanderd of the religion came into the sayd bulwarke the enemies were at the breach ready to haue entred but wheâ they saw the sayd standerd as people lost and ouercome they went downe againe Then the artillery of the bulwarke of Quosquino and of other places found them well enough and slew many of them Howbeit their captaines made them to returne with great strokes of swordes and other weapons and to remount vpon the earth fallen from the sayd bulwarke and pight seuen banners nigh to our repaire Then our men fought with morispikes and fired speares against them the space of three whole houres till at the last they being well beaten with great ordinance and small on euery side withdrew themselues And of their banners our men gate one for it was not possible to get any more for assâone as any of our men went vp on our repaires he was slaine with small gunnes of the trenches and holes made in the walles of our ditches And there was slaine of our enemies that day at the assault 2000 of meane men and three persons of estate which lay dead along in the ditch with faire and rich harnesse And it was reported to vs from the campe they were three saniacbeis that is to say great sencshalles or stuarde And of Christian men of our part abode about thirty persons And this was the second victory giuen to vs the grace diuine How Sir Iohn Bourgh Turcoplier of England was slaine at an assault of the English bulwarke THe 17 day of the same moneth about midday the enemy came againe to giue another assault to the sayd bulwarke at the same place aforesayd without setting of fire in mines and brought fiue banners with them nigh to the repaires Then was there strong figâââg on both parts and there were gotten two of their banners of the which sir Christopher Valdenare that time Castelaine of Rhodes gate one the other was in the hands of sir Iohn Bourgh Turcoplier of England chiefe captaine of the succours of the sayd posterne of England a valiant mân a hardy and in holding of it he was slaine with the stroke of a handgunne which was great damage The sayd banner was recouered by one of our men And after long fighting on both sides the enemies seeing that they go nothing but stripes returned into their trenches At the sayd fray the lord prior of S. Giles pre Iohn was hurt thorow the necke with a handgun and was in great danger of death but he escaped and was made whole The same day and the same houre of the sayd assault the enemies mounted to the breach in the wall of Spaine and came to the repaires to the handes of our men and fought a great while but the great quantity of artillery that was shot so busily and so sharply from our trauerses on ech side and out of the bulwarks of Auuergne and Spaine skirmished them so well that there abode as many at that assault as at the other of England well neere to the number of 5000. And they withdrew themselues with their great losse and confusion which was the third time that they were chased and ouercome thanked be our Lord which
gaue vs the force and power so to doe for they were by estimation a hundred against one Also the 22 day of the same moneth of September they fired a mine betweene Italy and Prouence which did no harme Of the terrible mine at the posterne of Auuergne ANd the 23 day of the same moneth they fired two mines one at the posterne of Spaine and the other by the bulwarke of Auuergne the which mine by Auuergne was so terrible that it made all the towne to shake and made the wall to open from aboue to beneath vnto the plaine ground howbeit it fell not for the mine had vent or breath in two places by one of the countermines and by a rocke vnder the Barbican the which did cleaue and by that cleft the sury and might of the mine had issue And if the sayd two vents had not bene the wall had bene turned vpside downe And for truth as it was reported to vs out of the campe the enemies had great hope in the sayd mine thinking that the wall should haue bene ouerthrowen and then they might haue entred into the towne at their pleasures but when they saw the contrary they were very ill pleased And the captaines determined to giue assault at foure places at once to make vs the more adoo and to haue an entrance into the towne by one of the foure And the sayd day and night they ceased not to shoot artillery and there came in hope of the mine threescore thousand men and moe into the trenches How the bulwarke of Spaine was lost and woonne againe THe 24 day of the same moneth a little before day they gaue assault at the breach of Spaine to the bulwarke of England to the posterne of Prouence and at the plaine ground of Italy all at one houre one time The first that mounted to the breach of Spaine was the Aga of the Ianissaries a valiant man and of great courage with his company and bare three score or three score and tenne banners and signes and pight them in the earth of the breach and then fought with our men and mounted on our repaires making other maner of fray and more rigorous then the other that were passed and the sayd skirmish lasted about sixe houres And forthwith as the assault was giuen a great sort of Turks entred into the bulwarke of Spaine and set vp eight or nine signes or banners vpon it and droue our men out I can not tell how vnwares or otherwise And they were lords of it three houres and more Howbeit there were of our men beneath in the mine of the sayd bulwarke the which bulwarke so lost gaue vs euill hope But incontinently the lord great master being at the defence of the posterne of England hauing knowledge of the sayd losse and that there was great fighting and resistance on both sides at the breach of Spaine marched thither with the banner of the crucifix leauing the charge of the sayd bulwarke in the hands of the bailife de la Moree messieur Mery Combant And the lord mounted on the wall of Spaine whereas then began a great skirmish and euery man layed his handâs to worke as well to put the enemies out of the breach as to recouer the bulwarke that was lost And the sayde lord sent a company of men into the bulwarke by the gate of the mine or by the Barbican the which entred at the sayd gate and went vp where they found but few Turkes For the artillery of the posterne of England right against the bulwarke of Spaine had so well met and scattered them that within a while our men had slaine all them that were left And thus the sayde bulwarke was gotten and recouered againe and with all diligence were made new repaires and strengths to the sayd place And in like sort the enemies were put from the breech and few of them escaped and all their banners and signes were left with vs. Surely it may be sayd that after the grace of God the trauerses of Spaine and Auuergne and the small artillery set on the houses right against the sayd breaches as it is sayd with the comming and presence of the lord great master hath giuen vs this dayes victory As touching the murder of the people done by the artillery of the bulwarkes of England and Spaine the quantity was such that a man could not perceiue nor see any ground of the ditches And the stench of the mastifs carions was so grienous that we might not suffer it seuen or eight dayes after And at the last they that might saue themselues did so and withdrew themselues to the trenches and the reuerend lord great master abode victorious of the sayd place and in like sort of the other three assaults the which were but little lesse then that of Spaine for they fought long But in conclusion the enemies beaten on all sides and in so many sorts with artillery were put backe and vanquished that there died that day at all the foure places fifteene or sixteene thousand And the slaughter was so great at the plaine Italy of the cursed enemies that the sea was made redde with their blood And on our side also died to the number of an hundred men or more And of men if dignity in the towne hauing charge died Sir Francis de Frenolz commander of Romania which Sir Francis was chiefe captaine of the great ship of Rhodes and he was slaine at the plaine of Italy wounded with two strokes of harquebushes it was great dammage of his death for he was a worthy man perfect and full of vertues There died also messieur Nastasy de sancta Camilla aforenamed hauing two hundred men vnder him of the lord great masters succours There died also diuers other worthy men that day and many were maimed Among all other that lost any member messieur Iohn de le Touz called Pradines being at the sayd bulwarke with a stroke of artillery had his arme smitten away in great danger to haue lost his life howbeit by the helpe of God he died not In like sort the same day was hurt Sir William Weston abouesayd captaine of the posterne of England and had one of his fingers stricken away with an harquebush which knight behaued himselfe right woorthily at all the assaults Of the Turkes part of great men were two principall captaines slaine vnder the Aga of the Ianissaries and another captaine that was come out of Surey to the campe certaine dayes before with sixe hundred Mamelukes and two or three thousand Moores And of them that were hurt of great men the Beglarby of Natolia had a stroke with an arrow as he was in the trench of Prouence And many other were wounded whose names be not rehearsed here because of shortnesse How the great Turke for anger that he could not get the towne would haue put his chiefe captaine to death and how they made â1 mines vnder the bulwarke of England DUring this assault the great
together nor writing of letter to the great master he knew nothing Howbeit sith the great master had sent to him for to know his will he bade say to them that the great master should yeeld him the towne And in so doing he promised by his faith for to let him goe with all his knights and all other that would goe with their goods without receiuing any displeasure of his people of the campe And if he accepted not the sayd treatie to certifie him that he would neuer depart from Rhodes till he had taken it and that all his might of Turkie should die there rather then hee would faile of it and that there should neither great nor litle escape but vnto the cats they should be all cut in pieces and sayd that within 3. dayes they should giue him an answere for hee would not that his people should loose time and that during the sayd truce they should make no repaires nor defences within the towne When the great Turke had ended his wordes our ambassadours tooke their leaue of him and returned to the towne and there was giuen to each of them a rich garment of branched veluet with cloth of gold of the Turkish fashion Then Acmek basha tooke sir Passin and led him to his pauillion and intreating him right well caused him to abide all that day and night and in eating and drinking they had many discourses of things done at the siege questioning each with other And among all other things our ambassadour demaunded of Acmek and prayed him to tell for trueth how many men died of the campe while the siege was laied The said Basha sware vpon his faith and certified that there were dead of the campe of violent death that is to say of gunshot and other wayes 64000. men or more beside them that died of sicknesse which were about 40. or 50. thousand How one of the ambassadours made answere of his message and how the Commons would not agree to yeeld the towne REturne we now to our purpose and to the answere that our ambassadours brought to the lord great master The sayd Robert Perruse made the answere and told what the great Turke had sayd certifying that he would haue an answere quickly either yea or nay The which answere after the demaund of the great Turke hath bene purposed and concluded by the whole counsel and his offer treatie accepted howbeit the sayd ambassadours had it not to do so soone nor the first time that they went for good reasons but yet they would not deferre it for feare least he should repent him And vpon these determinations that they would haue sent the sayd Peruse to beare the answere came some of the common people of the towne to the lord great master that was with the lordes of the counsell and sayd that they were aduertised of the appointment that he had made with the great Turke and that he would yeeld the towne with couenaunts by him taken which they supposed ought not to be done without calling of them And because they were not called to it they sayd that they would not agree thereto and that it were better for them to die for the great Turke by some way would put them all to death as was done in Bellegrado in Hungarie How the lord great master sent two ambassadors for the Commons to the great Turke WHen the reuerend lord great master had heard their wordes he sayd graciously to them that as touching the acceptation of the great Turks offer it was needful so to do in the degree that the towne was and the causes wherefore he had done it the counsell had seene and discussed and that it was a thing that might not nor ought not to be sayd nor published in common for reporting of it to the enemies by traitours but be kept still and secret And moreouer that it was concluded to make an answere shortly for to take the great Turke at his word least he repented him For if they had bene called or the answere had bene giuen it had bene ouerlong businesse and in the meane time the Turke might haue changed his mind and that that he had done and concluded with the great Turke the lordes of the counsell had well regarded and considered in all things and for their profite and aduantage as much or more as for that of the Religion And that they would send to the great Turke againe other ambassadours the better to know his will and to be surer of his promise Then the lord great master ordained two other ambassadours for to goe to the great Turke which were two Spaniardes the one named sir Raimon Market and the other messire Lopez at whose issuing entered Sir Passin the first ambassadour and the other two went to the tent of Acmek basha for to leade them to the great Turke And when they were within the Turkes pauillion and had done him reuerence as appertained our ambassadours sayd that the great master had heard and seen his demaund to yeeld the towne And for y t it is a thing of great weight and that he had to doe and say with many men of diuers nations and because the time of answere was so short hee might not doe that that hee demaunded so soone Howbeit hee would speake with his people and then hee would giue him an answere How the Turke began the assault and how the Commons agreed to yeeld the towne WHen the great Turke heard the answere of our ambassadours he sayd nothing but commaunded his Bashas that they should begin the battell againe to the towne the which was done and then the truce was broken and the shot of the enemies was sharper then it was afore And on the other side nothing or very litle for fault of pouder for that that there was left was kept for some great assault or neede Howbeit the sayd Amek Basha kept one of the ambassadours and messire Lopez onely entered The great master seeing the warre begun and the shot thicker then it was afore and the enemies entred hourely by their trenches further into the towne called them that before had sayde to him that they would not the towne should be yeelded but had rather for to die And therefore the sayd lord sayd that he was content for to die with them and that they should dispose them to defend themselues well or to doe their endeuour better then they had done in times past And to the ende that each one of them should haue knowledge of his will for as then he spake but to foure or fiue of them that gaine sayd him he made a cry through all the towne that all they that were holden to be at the posternes or gates should giue attendance and not to come away day nor night on payne of death for afore the Rhodians came but litle there And that the other that were not of the posternes or that were of his succours should goe to the breach of Spaine where the
loose townes and lordships and that hee should not take ouermuch thought for it and as for his promise he bade that he should not doubt in any thing and that he should not feare any displeasure to his person and that he should goe with his people without feare With these wordes the sayd lord thanked him and tooke his leaue and departed FINIS ¶ Lenuoy of the Translator GOe little booke and woefull Tragedie Of the Rhodian fearefull oppugnation To all estates complaining ruthfully Of thine estate and sudden transmutation Excusing me if in thy translation Ought be amisse in language or in werke I me submit with their supportation To be correct that am so small a clerke An ambassage from Don Ferdinando brother to the emperor Charles the 5. vnto king Henry the 8. in the yere 1527. desiring his aide against Solyman the great Turke Holinshed pag. 894. ON the 14. day of March 1527. were conueied from London to Greenwich by the earle of Rutland and others the lord Gabriel de Salamanca earle of Ottonburge Iohn Burgraue of Syluerberge and Iohn Faber a famous clerke after bishop of Vien as ambassadours from Don Ferdinando brother to Charles the emperor newly elect king of Hungarie and Beame after the death of his brother in law king Lewes which was slaine by Solyman the Turke the last Sommer This company was welcommed of the high officers and after brought into the kings presence all the nobilitie being present and there after great reuerence made M. Faber made a notable oration taking his ground out of the Gospell Exijt seminator seminare semen suum and of that hee declared how Christ and his disciples went foorth to sowe and how their seed was good that fel into the good ground and brought foorth good fruite which was the Christian faith And then he declared how contrary to that sowing Mahomet had sowen seed which brought foorth euillfruit He also shewed from the beginning how the Turkes haue increased in power what realmes they had conquered what people they had subdued euen to that day He declared further what actes the great Turke then liuing had done and in especiall he noted the getting of Belgrade and of the Rhodes and the slaying of the king of Hungarie to the great rebuke as he sayd of all the kings christened Hee set foorth also what power the Turke had what diuersities of companies what capitaines he had so that he thought that without a marueilous great number of people hee could not be ouerthrowen Wherefore be most humbly besought the king as S. Georges knight and defender of the faith to assist the king his master in that godly warre and vertuous purpose To this oration the king by the mouth of Sir Thomas Moore answered that much hee lamented the losse that happened in Hungarie and if it were not for the warres which were betweene the two great pruices he thought that the Turke would not haue enterprised that acte wherefore he with all his studie would take paine first to set an vnitie and peace throughout all Christendome and after that both with money and men he would be readie to helpe toward that glorious warre as much as any other prince in Christendome After this done the ambassadours were well cherished and diuers times resorted to the court and had great cheere and good rewards and so the third day of May next following they tooke their leaue departed homeward The antiquitie of the trade with English ships into the Leuant IN the yeeres of our Lord 1511. 1512. c. till the yeere 1534. diuers tall ships of London namely The Christopher Campion wherein was Factor onâ Râger Whitcome the Mary George wherein was Factor William Gresham the great Mary Grace the Owner whereof was William Gunson and the master one Iohn Hely the Trinitie Fitz-williams whereof was master Laurence Arkey the Mathew of London whereof was master William Capling with certaine other ships of Southampton and Bristow had an ordinarie and vsuall trade to Sicilia Candie Chio and some whiles to Cyprus as also to Tripolis and Barutti in Syria The commodities which they caried thither were fine Kersies of diuers colours course Kersies white Westerne dozens Cottons certaine clothes called Statutes and others called Cardinal-whites and Calueskins which were well sold in Sicilie c. The commodities which they returned backe were Silks Chamlets Rubarbe Malinesies Muskadels and other wines sweete oyles cotten wooll Turkie carpets Galles Pepper Cinamom and some other spices c. Besides the naturall inhabitants of the foresayd places they had euen in those dayes traffique with Iewes Turkes and other forreiners Neither did our merchants onely employ their owne English shipping before mentioned but sundry strangers also as namely Candiots Raguseans Sicilians Genouezes Venetian galliasses Spanish and Portugale ships All which particulars doe most euidently appeare out of certaine auncient Ligier bookes of the R. W. Sir William Locke Mercer of London of Sir William Bowyer Alderman of London of master Iohn Gresham and of others which I Richard Hakluyt haue diligently perused and copied out And here for authorities sake I doe annexe as a thing not impertinent to this purpose a letter of king Henry the eight vnto Don Iohn the third king of Portugale A letter of the king of England Henry the eight to Iohn king of Portugale for a Portingale ship with the goods of Iohn Gresham and Wil. Locke with others vnladen in Portugale from Chio. SErenissimo Principi domino Ioanni Dei gratia Regi Portugallieâ Algarbiorum citra vltra mare in Africa ac domino Guineae conquistae nauigationis commercij AEthiopiae Arabiae Persiae atque Indiae c. Fratri amico nostro charissimo Henricus Dei gratia Rex Angliae Franciae fidei desensor ac dominus Hiberniae Serenissimo Principi domino Ioanni eadem gratia Regi Portugallie AlgarbioruÌ citra vltra mare in Africa ac domino Guinee conquistae nauigationis coÌmercij AEthiopiae Arabiae Persiae atque Indiae c. Fratri amico nostro charissimo saluteÌ Tanto libentiùs promptiúsque iustas omnes causas vestre Serenitati commendandas suscipimus quanto apertiori indiès nostroruÌ qui in eiusdem vestre Serenitatis regno ac ditione negociantur subditorum testimonio cognoscimus ipsam ex optimi principis officio ita accuratè exactéque ius suum cuÃque praebere vt ad eaÌ nemo iustitiae consequendae gratia frustrà vnquam confugiar Cúm itaque dilectus ac fidelis subditus noster Ioannes Gresham mercator Londoniensis nuper nobis humiliter exposuerit quod quidaÌ Willielmus Heith ipsius Factor negotiorum gestor nauim quandam Portugallensem cui nomen erat Sancto Antonio praeerátque Diego Peres Portugallensis superioribus mensibus in Candia conduxerit cum nauisque praefecto conuenerit vtin insulam Chium ad quas dam diuersi generis merces onerandas primo nauigaret in Candiámque mox aliarum
lost of the Venetians the 15 of August last past 1571 the chiefe gouernors captaines of theÌ being hewen in sunder by the coÌmandement of that tyrant Mustafa Basha but all the whole Iland also to be conquered by those cruell Turks ancient professed enemies to all Christian religion In the which euill successe comming to vs as I take it for our offences as I lament the generall losse so I am surely pensiue to vnderstand by this too true a report of the vile death of two particular noble gentlemen of Venice Sig. M. Lorenzo Tiepolo and Sig. M. Giouanni Antonio Querint of both the which I in my trauaile was very courteously vsed the former of them being then as now also he was in this ouerthrow gouernour of Baffo in Cyprus the other captaine of one of the castels at Corcyra in Greece now called Corfu But things past are past amendment and they could neuer die more honourably then in the defence of their countrey Besides that the late blowes which the Turks haue receiued since this their fury in token of Gods wrath against them do much comfort euery Christian heart Moreouer this vniforme preparation which is certainly concluded and forthwith looked for by very many Christian Princes would God by all generally against these barbarous Mahometists whose cruelty and beastly behauiour I partly know and am able to iudge of hauing bene in Turky amongst them more then eight moneths together Whose vnfaithfulnesse also and breach of promise as the Venetians manly courage in defence of themselues and their fortresse your honour may easily reade in this short treatise and small handfull of leaues I hauing set downe also a short description of the Iland of Cyprus for the better vnderstanding of the whole matter The which I not onely most humbly beseech your honour now fauourably to accept as an earnest peny of more to come and of my present good will but with your accustomed goodnesse towards me to defend the same against such persons whose tongues too readily roule sometime against other mens painfull trauels perswading themselues to purchase the sooner some credit of learning with the ruder sort by controlling and ouerdaintie sifting of other mens laboured tasks For I know in all ages to be found as well Basilisks as Elephants Thus nothing doubting of your ready ayd heerein as I assuredly trust of your honours fauourable acceptation of this my poore present wishing long life with the increase of Gods holy spirit to your lordship and to all your most honourable familie vnto whom I haue wholly dedicated my selfe by mine owne choise and election for euer I crauing pardon for my former boldnesse most humbly thus take my leaue From Lambhith the 23 of March Ann. 1572. Your honours most humble and faithfull seruant for euer William Malim A briefe description of the Iland of Cyprus by the which not onely the Venetians title why they haue so long enioyed it but also the Turks whereby now he claimeth it may plainly appeare THe Iland of Cyprus is inuironed with diuers seas for Westward it is washed with the sea called Pamphilium Southward with the sea AEgyptium on the East part with the sea Syrium and Northward with the sea called Cilicium The which Iland in time past had diuers names called once Acamantis as Sabellicus witnesseth Philonides maketh mention that it was called sometime Cerasis Xenogoras writeth that is was named Aspelia Amathusa Macaria There were in times past fifteene cities or famous townes in it but now very few amongst the which Famagusta is the chiefest strongest situated by the sea side There is also Nicosia which was woont by the traffike of Marchants to be very wealthy besides the city of Baffo Arnica Saline Limisso Melipotamo Episcopia Timosthenes affirmeth that this Iland is in compasse 429 miles and Arthemidorus writeth the length of the same to be 162 miles measuring of it from the East to the West betwixt two promontories named Dinaretta and Acamanta This Iland is thought to be very rich abundant of Wine Oile Graine Pitch Rozin Allum Salt and of diuers precious stones pleasant profitable and necessary for mans vse and much frequented of Marchants of Syria vnto the which it lieth very nere It hath bene as Plinie writeth ioyned sometime with Syria as Sicilia hath beene also with Italy It was a long time subiect vnto the Romans after to the Persians and to the Soldan of AEgypt The selfesame Iland was sometime also English being conquered by king Richard the first in his voyage to Hierusalem in the yeere of our Lord 1192. Who as Polydore writeth in his fourteenth booke of our English historie being prohibited by the Cypriottes from arriuall there inuaded and conquered the same soone after by force and hauing left behinde him sufficient garrisons to keepe the same departed from thence to Ptolemayda who afterward exchanged the same with Guy of Lusignan that was the last christened king of Hierusalem for the same kingdome For the which cause the kings of England were long time after called kings of Hierusalem And last of all the Venetians haue enioyed it of late a long time in this order following In the yeere of our Lord 1470 Iohn king of the sayd Iland âonne to Ianus of Lusignan had by Helen his wife which was of the Emperiall house of Paleologus one daughter only called Charlotta and a bastard called Iames the which Iames was afterward consecrated Bishop of Nicosia This Charlotta was married first to the king of Portingall of whom he had no issue so that he being dead Lewes Duke of Sauoy to whom shee was the second time married sonne to Lewes the second of that name vnto whom the said Iland by the right of this his wife Charlotta did appertaine had the possession of the same Iames the bastard assoone as his father was dead of a Bishop became a souldiour and with an army wanne the Iland making it his owne by force This Duke of Sauoy hearing these newes with a number of well appointed souldiers arriued shortly after in Cyprus and recouering againe the Iland compelled the bastard to flie foorthwith ouer to the Soldan of AEgypt Who making himselfe his subiect in time so wrought and tempered the matter that the Soldan in person at his request passed ouer into Cyprus besieged Duke Lewes in the castle of Nicosia and at length compelled him to depart leauing his kingdome So that this Bishop became againe King of this Iland who shortly after cleauing to the Venetians hauing made a league of friendship with them married by their consent one Catherina the daughter of Marco Cornaro which Catherin the Senate of Venice adopted vnto them soone after as their daughter This Bishop not long after sickened and died leauing this his wife with child who liued not long after his fathers death By the which meanes the Venetians making themselues the next heires to Catherina by the law of adoption tooke vnto them the possession of
the better to encounter their enemies withall and hauing wind tide set from Portsmouth 1563. and bended her iourney toward Siuill a citie in Spaine intending there to trafique with them And falling neere the Streights they perceiued theÌselues to be beset round with eight gallies of the Turkes in such wise that there was no way for theÌ to flie or escape away but that either they must yeeld or els be sunke Which the owner perceiuing manfully encouraged his company exhorting them valiantly to shew their manhood shewing them that God was their God and not their enemies requesting them also not to faint in seeing such a heape of their enemies ready to deuour them putting them in mind also that if it were Gods pleasure to giue them into their enemies hands it was not they y t ought to shew one displeasant looke or countenance there against but to take it patiently not to prescribe a day and time for their deliuerance as the citizens of Bethulia did but to put themselues vnder his mercy And againe if it were his mind and good will to shew his mighty power by theÌ if their enemies were ten times so many they were not able to stand in their hands putting them likewise in mind of the old and ancient woorthinesse of their countreymen who in the hardest extremities haue alwayes most preuailed and gone away conquerors yea and where it hath bene almost impossible Such quoth he hath bene the valiantnesse of our countreymen and such hath bene the mightie power of our God With other like incouragements exhorting them to behaue themselues manfully they fell all on their knees making their prayers briefly vnto God who being all risen vp againe perceiued their enemies by their signes and defiances bent to the spoyle whose mercy was nothing els but crueltie whereupon euery man tooke him to his weapon Then stood vp one Groue the master being a comely man with his sword and target holding them vp in defiance agaynst his enemies So likewise stood vp the Owner the Masters mate Boateswaine Purser and euery man well appointed Nowe likewise sounded vp the drums trumpets and flutes which would haue encouraged any man had he neuer so litle heart or courage in him Then taketh him to his charge Iohn Foxe the gunner in the disposing of his pieces in order to the best effect and sending his bullets towards the Turkes who likewise bestowed their pieces thrise as fast toward the Christians But shortly they drew neere so that the bowmen fel to their charge in sending forth their arrowes so thicke amongst the Gallies also in doubling their shot so sore vpon the gallies that there were twise so many of the Turkes slaine as the number of the Christians were in all But the Turks discharged twise as fast against the Christians so long that the ship was very sore stricken bruised vnder water Which the Turkes perceiuing made the more haste to come aboord the Shippe which ere they could doe many a Turke bought it deerely with the losse of their liues Yet was all in vaine and boorded they were where they found so hote a skirmish that it had bene better they had not medled with the feast For the Englishmen shewed themselues men in deed in working manfully with their browne bils and halbardes where the owner master boateswaine and their company stoode to it so lustily that the Turkes were halfe dismaied But chiefly the boateswaine shewed himself valiant aboue the rest for he fared amongst the Turkes like a wood Lion for there was none of them that either could or durst stand in his face till at the last there came a shot from the Turkes which brake his whistle asunder and smote him on the brest so that he fell downe bidding them farewell to be of good comfort encouraging them likewise to winne praise by death rather then to liue captiues in misery and shame Which they hearing in deed intended to haue done as it appeared by their skirmish but the prease and store of the Turkes was so great that they were not able long to endure but were so ouerpressed that they could not wield their weapons by reason whereof they must needs be taken which none of them intended to haue bene but rather to haue died except onely the masters mate who shrunke from the skirmish like a notable coward esteeming neither the valure of his name nor accounting of the present example of his fellowes nor hauing respect to the miseries whereunto he should be put But in fine so it was that the Turks were victors whereof they had no great cause to reioyce or triumph Then would it haue grieued any hard heart to see these Infidels so violently intreating the Christians not hauing any respect of their manhood which they had tasted of nor yet respecting their owne state how they might haue met with such a bootie as might haue giuen them the ouerthrow but no remorse hereof or any thing els doth bridle their fierce and tiramious dealing but that the Christians must needs to the gallies to serue in new offices and they were no sooner in them but their garments were pulled ouer their eares and torne from their backes and they set to the oares I will make no mention of their miseries being now vnder their enemies raging stripes I thinke there is no man wil iudge their fare good or their bodies vnloden of stripes and not pestered with too much heate and also with too much cold but I will goe to my purpose which is to shew the ende of those being in meere miserie which continually doe call on God with a stedfast hope that he will deliuer them and with a sure faith that he can doe it Nigh to the citie of Alexandria being a hauen towne and vnder the dominion of the Turkes there is a roade being made very fensible with strong wals whereinto the Turkes doe customably bring their gallies on shoare euery yeere in the winter season and there doe trimme them and lay them vp against the spring time In which road there is a prison wherein the captiues such prisoners as serue in the gallies are put for all that time vntill the seas be calme and passable for the gallies euery prisoner being most grieuously laden with irons on their legges to their great paine and sore disabling of them to any labour taking Into which prison were these Christians put and fast warded all the Winter season But ere it was long the Master and the Owner by meanes of friends were redeemed the rest abiding still by the miserie while that they were all through reason of their ill vsage and worse fare miserably starued sauing one Iohn Fox who as some men can abide harder and more miserie then other some can so can some likewise make more shift and worke more deuises to helpe their state and liuing then other some can doe being somewhat skilfull in the craft of a Barbour by
round about the fornace throw after her into the caue great pieces of wood so by this meanes with the fire and with the blowes that she hath with the wood throwen after her she is quickly dead and after this there groweth such sorrow and such lamentation among the people that all their mirth is turned into howling and weeping in such wise that a man could scarse beare the hearing of it I haue seene many burnt in this maner because my house was neere to the gate where they goe out to the place of burning and when there dieth any great man his wife with all his slaues with whom hee hath had carnall copulation burne themselues together with him Also in this kingdome I haue seene amongst the base sort of people this vse and order that the man being dead hee is carried to the place where they will make his sepulchre and setting him as it were vpright then commeth his wife before him on her knees casting her armes about his necke with imbracing and clasping him vntill such time as the Masons haue made a wall round about them and when the wall is as high as their neckes there commeth a man behinde the woman and strangleth her then when she is dead the workemen finish the wall ouer their heads and so they lie buried both together Besides these there are an infinite number of beastly qualities amongst them of which I haue no desire to write I was desirous to know the cause why these women would so wilfully burne themselues against nature and law and it was tolde mee that this law was of an ancient time to make prouision against the slaughters which women made of their husbands For in those dayes before this law was made the women for euery little displeasure that their husbands had done vnto them would presently poison their husbands and take other men and now by reason of this law thây are more faithfull vnto their husbands and count their liues as deare as their owne because that after his death her owne followeth presently In the yeere of our Lord God 1567 for the ill successe that the people of Bezeneger had in that their City was sacked by the foure kings the king with his Court went to dwell in a castle eight dayes iourney vp in the land from Bezeneger called Penegonde Also sixe dayes iourney from Bezeneger is the place where they get Diamants I was not there but it was tolde me that it is a grâat place compassed with a wall and that they sâll the earth within the wall for so much a squadron and the limits are set how deepe or how low they shall digge Those Diamants that are of a certeine sise and bigger then that sise are all for the king it is many yeeres agone since they got any there for the troubles that haue beene in that kingdome The first cause of this trouble was because the sonne of this Temeragio had put to death the lawfull king which he had in prison for which cause the Barons and Noblemen in that kingdome would not acknowledge him to be their King and by this meanes there are many kings and great diuision in that kingdome and the city of Bezeneger is not altogether destroyed yet the houses stand still but empty and there is dwelling in them nothing as is reported but Tygers and other wilde beasts The circuit of this city is foure twentie miles about and within the walles are certeine mountaines The houses stand walled with earth and plaine all sauing the three palaces of the three tyrant brethren and the Pagodes which are idole houses these are made with lime and fine marble I haue seene many kings Courts and yet haue I seene none in greatnesse like to this of Bezeneger I say for the order of his palace for it hath nine gates or ports First when you goe into the place where the king did lodge there are fiue great ports or gates these are kept with Captaines and souldiers then within these there are foure lesser gates which are kept with Porters Without the first gate there is a little porch where there is a Captaine with fiue and twenty souldiers that keepeth watch and ward night and day and within that another with the like guard where thorow they come to a very faire Court and at the end of that Court there is another porch as the first with the like guard and within that another Court And in this wise are the first fiue gates guarded and kept with those Captaines and then the lesser gates within are kept with a guard of Porters which gates stand open the greatest part of the night because the custome of the Gentiles is to doe their businesse and make their feasts in the night rather then by day The city is very safe from theeues for the Portugall merchants sleepe in the streets or vnder porches for the great heat which is there and yet they neuer had any harme in the night At the end of two moneths I determined to go for Goa in the company of two other Portugall Marchants which were making ready to depart with two palanchines or little litters which are very commodious for the way with eight Falchines which are men hired to cary the palanchines eight for a palanchine foure at a time they carry them as we vse to carry barrowes And I bought me two bullocks one of them to ride on and the other to carry my victuals and prouision for in that countrey they ride on bullocks with pannels as we terme them girts and bridles and they haue a very good commodious pace From Bezeneger to Goa in Summer it is eight dayes iourney but we went in the midst of Winter in the moneth of Iuly and were fifteene dayes comming to Ancola on the sea coast so in eight dayes I had lost my two bullocks for he that carried my victuals was weake and could not goe the other when I came vnto a riuer where was a little bridge to passe ouer I put my bullocke to swimming and in the middest of the riuer there was a little Iland vnto the which my bullocke went and finding pasture there he remained still and in no wise we could come to him and so perforce I was forced to leaue him and at that time there was much raine and I was forced to go seuen dayes a foot with great paines and by great chance I met with Falchines by the way whom I hired to carry my clothes and victuals We had great trouble in our iourney for that euery day wee were taken prisoners by reason of the great dissension in that kingdome and euery morning at our departure we must pay rescat foure or fiue pagies a man And another trouble wee had as bad as this that when as wee came into a new gouernours countrey as euery day we did although they were al tributary to the king of Bezeneger yet euery one of them stamped a seueral
bow to offer meat vnto the diuell if they escape and when thây be recouered they make a banket with many pipes drummes and other instruments and dansing all the night and their friends come and bring gifts cocos figges arrecaes and other fruits and with great dauncing and reioycing they offer to the diuell and say they giue the diuel to eat and driue him out When they be dancing and playing they will cry hallow very loud and in this sort they say they driue him away And when they be sicke a Tallipoy or two euery night doth sit by them sing to please the diuell that he should not hurt them And if any die he is caried vpon a great frame made like a tower with a couering all gilded with golde made of canes caried with foureteene or sixteene men with drummes and pipes and other instruments playing before him to a place out of the towne and there is burned He is accompanied with all his friends and neighbours all men and they giue to the tallipoies or priests many mats and cloth and then they râturne to the house and there make a feast for two dayes and then the wife with all the neighbours wiues her friends go to the place where he was burned and there they sit a certaine time add cry and gather the pieces of bones which be left vnburned and bury them and then returne to their housâs and make an end of all mourning And the men and womân which be neere of kin do shaue their heads which they do not vse except it be for the death of a friend for they much esteeme of their haire Caplan is the place where they finde the rubies saphires and spinelles it standâth sixe dayes iourney from Aua in the kingdome of Pegu. There are many great high hilles out of which they digge them None may go to the pits but onely those which digge them In Pegu and in all the countreys of Aua Langeiannes Siam and the Bramas the men weare bunches or little round valles in their priuy members some of them weare two and sâme three They cut the skin and so put them in one into one side and another into the other side which they do when they be 25 or 30 yeeres olde and at their pleasure they take one or more of them out as they thinke good When they be maried the husband is for euery child which his wife hath to put in one vntill he come to three and then no more for they say the women doe desire them They were inuented because they should not abuse the male sexe For in times past all those countries were so giuen to that villany that they were very scarse of people It was also ordained that the women should not haue past three cubits of cloth in their nether clothes which they binde about thâm which are so strait that when they go in the streets they shew one side of the leg bare aboue the knee The bunches aforesayd be of diuers sorts the least be as big as a litle walnut and very round the greatest are as big as a litle hennes egge some are of brasse and some of siluer but those of siluer be for the kâng and his noble men These are gilded and made with great cunning and ring liâe a litle bell There are some made of leade which they call Selwy because they ring but litle and these be of lesser price for the poorer sort The king sometimes âaketh his out and giueth them to his noblemen as a great gift and because he hath vsed them they esteeme them greatly They will put one in and heale vp the place in seuen or eight dayes The Bramas which be of the kings countrey for the king is a Brama haue their legs or bellies or some part of their body as they thinke good themselues made black with certaine things which they haue they vse to pricke the skinne and to put on it a kinde of anile or blacking which doth continue alwayes And this is counted an honour among them but none may haue it but the Bramas which are of the kings kinred These people weare no beards they pull out the haire on their faces with little pinsons made for that purpose Some of them will let 16 or 20 haires grow together some in one place of his face and some in another and pulleth out all the rest for he carieth his pinsons alwayes with him to pull the haires out assoone as they appeare If they see a man with a beaâd they wonder at him They haue their teeth blacked both men and women for they say a dâgge hath his teeth white therefore they will blacke theirs The Pegues if they haue a sute in the law which is so doubtfull that they cannot well determine it put two long canes into the water where it is very deepe and both the parties go into the water by the poles and there sit men to iudge and they both do diue vnder the water and he which remaineth longest vnder the water doth winne the sute The 10 of Ianuary I went from Pegu to Malacca passing by many of the ports of Pegu as Martauan the Iland of Taui from whence commeth great store of tinne which serueth all India the Ilands of Tanaseri Iunsalaon and many others and so came to Malacca the 8 of February where the Portugals haue a castle which standeth nere the sea And the countrey fast without the towne belongeth to the Malayos which is a kinde of proud people They go naked with a cloth about their middle and a litle roll of cloth about their heads Hither come many ships from China from the Malucos Banda Timor and from many other Ilands of the Iauas which bring great store of spices and drugs and diamants and other iewels The voyages into many of these Ilands belong vnto the captaine of Malacca so that none may goe thither without his licence which yeeld him great summes of money euery yeere The Portugals heere haue often times warres with the king of Achem which standeth in the Iland of Sumatra from whence commeth great store of pepper and other spices euery yeere to Pegu and Mecca within the Red sea and other places When the Portugals go from Macao in China to Iapan they carry much white silke golde muske and porcelanes and they bring from thence nothing but siluer They haue a great caracke which goeth thither euery yere and she bringeth from thence euery yere aboue sixe hundred thousand crusadoes and all this siluer of Iapan and two hundred thousand crusadoes more in siluer which they bring yeerely out of India they imploy to their great aduantage in China and they bring from thence golde muske silke copper porcelanes and many other things very costly and gilded When the Portugals come to Canton in China to traffike they must remaine there but certaine dayes and when they come in at the gate
with them but themselues True it is that at their comming thither they doe finde in a readinesse all things necessary their âouse furniture seruants and all other things in such perfection and plentie that they want nothing Thus the king is well serued without all feare of treason In the principall Cities of the shires be foure chiefe Louteas before whom are brought all matters of the inferiour Townes throughout the whole Realme Diuers other Louteas haue the managing of iustice and receiuing of rents bound to yeelde an accompt thereof vnto the greater officers Other do see that there be no euil rule kept in the Citie ech one as it behoueth him Generally all these doe imprison malefactours cause them to be whipped and racked hoysing them vp and downe by the armes with a cord a thing very vsuall there and accompted no shame These Louteas do vse great diligence in the apprehending of theeues so that it is a wonder to see a theefe escape away in any City towne or village Upon the sea neere vnto the shoare many are taken and looke euen as they are taken so be they first whipped and afterward layde in prison where shortly after they all die for hunger and cold At that time when we were in prison there died of them aboue threescore and ten If happely any one hauing the meanes to get food do escape he is set with the condemned persons and prouided for as they be by the King in such wise as hereafter it shal be said Their whips be certaine pieces of canes cleft in the middle in such sort that they seeme rather plaine then sharpe He that is to be whipped lieth grouelong on the ground vpon his thighes the hangman layeth on blowes mightily with these canes that the standers by tremble at their crueltie Ten stripes draw a great deale of blood 20. or 30. spoile the flesh altogether 50. or 60. will require long time to bee healed and if they come to the number of one hundred then are they incurable The Louteas obserue moreouer this when any man is brought before them to be examined they aske him openly in the hearing of as many as be present be the offence neuer so great Thus did they also behaue themselues with vs For this cause amongst them can there be no false witnesse as dayly amongst vs it falleth out This good commeth thereof that many being alwayes about the Iudge to heare the euidence and beare witnesse the processe cannot be falsified as it happeneth sometimes with vs. The Moores Gentiles and Iewes haue all their sundry othes the Moores do sweare by their Mossafos the Brachmans by their Fili the rest likewise by the things they do worship The Chineans though they be wont to sweare by heauen by the Moone by the Sunne and by all their Idoles in iudgement neuerthelesse they sweare not at all If for some offence an othe be vsed of any one by and by with the least euidence he is tormented so be the witnesses he bringeth if they tell not the trueth or do in any point disagree except they be men of worship and credit who are beleeued without any further matter the rest are made to confesse the trueth by force of torments and whips Besides this order obserued of them in examinations they do feare so much their King and he where he maketh his abode keepeth them so lowe that that they dare not once stirre Againe these Louteas as great as they be notwithstanding the multitude of Notaries they haue not trusting any others do write all great processes and matters of importance themselues Moreouer one vertue they haue worthy of great praise and that is being men so wel regarded and accompted as though they were princes yet they be patient aboue measure in giuing audience We poore strangers brought before them might say what we would as all to be lyes and fallaces that they did write ne did we stand before them with the vsuall ceremonies of that Countrey yet did they beare with vs so patiently that they caused vs to wonder knowing specially how litle any aduocate or Iudge is wont in our Countrey to beare with vs. For wheresoeuer in any Towne of Christendome should be accused vnknowen men as we were I know not what end the very innocents cause would haue but we in a heathen Countrey hauing our great enemies two of the chiefest men in a whole Towne wanting an interpreter ignorant of that Countrey language did in the end see our great aduersaries cast into prison for our sake and depriued of their Offices and honour for not doing iustice yea not to escape death for as the rumour goeth they shal be beheaded Somewhat is now to be said of the lawes that I haue bene able to know in this Countrey and first no theft or murther is at any time pardoned adulterers are put in prison and the fact once proued are condemned to die the womans husband must accuse them this order is kept with men women found in that fault but theeues and murderers are imprisoned as I haue said where they shortly die for hunger and cold If any one happely escape by bribing the Gailer to giue him meate his processe goeth further and commeth to the Court where he is condemned to die Sentence being giuen the prisoner is brought in publique with a terrible band of men that lay him in Irons hand and foot with a boord at his necke one handfull broad in length reaching downe to his knees cleft in two parts and with a hole one handfull downeward in the table fit for his necke the which they incloâe vp therein nailing the boord faât together one handfull of the boord standeth vp behinde in the necke The sentence and cause wherefore the feston was condemned to die is written in that part of the table that standeth before This ceremony ended he is laid in a great prison in the company of some other condemned persons the which are found by the king as long as they do liue The bord aforesaid so made tormenteth the prisoners very much keeping them both from rest eke letting them to eat coÌmodiously their hands being manacled in irons vnder that boord so that in fine there is no remedy but death In the chiefe Cities of euery shire as we haue erst said there be foure principall houses in ech of them a prison but in one of them where the Taissu maketh his abode there is a greater and a more principal prison then in any of the rest and although in euery City there be many neuerthelesse in three of them remaine onely such as be condemned to die Their death is much prolonged for that ordinarily there is no execution done but once a yeere though many die for hunger and cold as we haue seene in this prison Execution is done in this maner The Chian to wit the high Commissioner or Lord chiefe Iustice at the yeres end goeth to the head City where he
heareth againe the causes of such as be condemned Many times he deliuereth some of them declaring y e boord to haue bene wronfully put about their necks the visitation ended he choseth out seuen or eight not many more or lesse of the greatest malefactors the which to feare and keepe in awe the people are brought into a great market place where all the great Louteas meete together and after many ceremonies and superstitions as the vse of the Countrey is are beheaded This is done once a yeere who so escapeth that day may be sure that he shall not be put to death all that yeere following and so remaineth at the kings charges in the greater prison In that prison where we lay were alwayes one hundred and mo of these condemned persons besides them that lay in other prisons These prisons wherein the condemned caytifes do remaine are so strong that it hath not bene heard that any prisoner in all China hath escaped out of prison for in deed it is a thing impossible The prisons are thus builded First all the place is mightily walled about the walles be very strong and high the gate of no lesse force within it three other gates before you come where the prisoners do lye there many great lodgings are to be seene of the Louteas Notaries Parthions that is such as do there keepe watch and ward day and night the court large and paued on the one side whereof standeth a prison with two mighty gates wherein are kept such prisoners as haue committed enormious offences This prison is so great that in it are streetes and Market places wherein all things necessary are sold. Yea some prisoners liue by that kinde of trade buying and selling and letting out beds to hire some are dayly sent to prison some dayly deliuered wherefore this place is neuer void of 7. or eight hundred men that go at libertie Into one other prison of condemned persons shall you go at three yron gates the court paued and vauted round about and open aboue as it were a cloister In this cloister be eight roomes with yron doores and in ech of them a large gallerie wherein euery night the prisoners do lie at length their feet in the stocks their bodies hampered in huge wooden grates that keep them from sitting so that they lye as it were in a cage sleepe if they can in the morning they are losed againe that they may go into the court Notwithstanding the strength of this prison it is kept with a garrison of men part whereof watch within the house part of them in the court some keepe about the prison with lanterns and watch-bels answering one another fiue times euery night and giuing warning so lowd that the Loutea resting in a chamber not neere thereunto may heare them In these prisons of condemned persons remaine some 15 other 20. yeres imprisoned not executed for the loue of their honorable friends that seeke to prolong their liues Many of these prisoners be shoomakers and haue from the king a certaine allowance of rise some of them worke for the keeper who suffreth them to go at libertie without fetters and boords the better to worke Howbeit when the Loutea calleth his checke roll with the keeper vieweth them they all weare their liueries that is boords at their necks yronned hand and foot When any of these prisoners dieth he is to be seene of the Loutea and Notaries brought out of a gate so narrow that there can but one be drawen out there at once The prisoner being brought forth one of the aforesaid Parthions striketh him thrise on the head with an yron sledge that done he is deliuered vnto his friends if he haue any otherwise the king hireth men to cary him to his buriall in the fields Thus adulterers and theeues are vsed Such as be imprisoned for debt once knowen lie there vntil it be paied The Taissu or Loutea calleth them many times before him by the vertue of his office who vnderstanding the cause wherefore they do not pay their debts appointeth them a certaine time to do it within the compasse whereof if they discharge not their debts being debters indeed then they be whipped and condemned to perpetuall imprisonment if the creditors be many and one is to be paied before another they do contrary to our maner pay him first of whom they last borrowed and so ordinarily the rest in such sort that the first lender be the last receiuer The same order is kept in paying legacies the last named receiueth his portion first They accompt it nothing to shew fauour to such a one as can do the like againe but to do good to them that haue litle or nothing that is worth thanks therefore pay they the last before the first for that their intent seemeth rather to be vertuous then gainefull When I said that such as be committed to prison for theft and murther were iudged by the Court I ment not them that were apprehended in the deed doing for they need no triall but are brought immediatly before the Tutan who out of hand giueth sentence Other not taken so openly which do need trial are the malefactors put to eâecution once a yere in the chiefe cities to keepe in awe the people or condemned do remaine in prison looking for their day Theeues being taken are caried to prison from one place to another in a chest vpon mens shoulders hired therfore by the king the chest is 6. handfuls high the prisoner sitteth therein vpon a bench the couer of the chest is two boords amid them both a pillery-like hole for the prisoners necke there sitteth he with his head without the chest and the rest of his body within not able to mooue or tuâne his head this way or that way nor to plucke it in the necessities of nature he voydeth at a hole in the bottome of the chest the meate he eateth is put into his mouth by others There abideth ââ day and night during his whole iourney if happily his porters stumble or the chest do iogge or be set downe carelesly it turneth to his great paines that sitteth therein al such motions being vnto him hanging as it were Thus were our companions caried froÌ Cinceo 7. âaies iourney neuer taking any rest as afterward they told vs their greatest griefe was to stay by the way as soone as they came being taken out of the chests they were not able to stand on their feet and two of them died shortly after When we lay in prison at Fuquieo we came many times abroad were brought to the pallaces of noble men to be seene of them their wiues for that they had neuer seene any Portugale before Many things they asked vs of our Country and our fashions did write euery thing for they be curious in nouelties aboue measure The gentlemen shew great courtesie vnto strangers and so did we finde at their hands and because that many times we
aforesaid great lodging as long as he liueth besides this they keepe in these places swine and hennes whereby the poore be relieued without going a begging I said before that China was full of riuers but now I minde to confirme the same anew for the farther we went into the Countrey the greater we found the riuers Sometimes we were so farre off from the sea that where we came no sea fish had bene seene and salt was there very deare of fresh water fish yet was there great abundance and that fish very good they keep it good after this maner Where the riuers do meete and so passe into the sea there lieth great store of boats specially where no salt-water commeth and that in March and April These boates are so many that it seemeth wonderfull ne serue they for other then to take small fish By the riuers sides they make leyres of fine and strong nettes that lye three handfuls vnder water and one aboue âo keepe and nourish their fish in vntill such time as other fishers do come with boates bringing for that purpose certaine great chests lined with paper able to holde water wherein they cary their fish vp and downe the riuer euery day renuing the chest with fresh water and selling their fish in euery City towne and village where they passe vnto the people as they neede it most of them haue net leyres to keepe fish in alwayes for their prouision Where the greater boates cannot passe any further forward they take lesser and because the whole Countrey is very well watered there is so great plenty of diuers sorts of fish that it is wonderfull to see assuredly we were amazed to behold the maner of their prouision Their fish is chiefly nourished with the ââng of Bufles and oxen that greatly fatteth it Although I said their fishing to be in March and April at what time we saw them do it neuerthelesse they told vs that they fished at all times for that vsually they do feed on fish wherefore it behoueth them to make their prouision continually When we had passed Fuquien we went into Quicin shire where the fine clay vessell is made as I said before and we came to a City the one side whereof is built vpon the foote of a hill whereby passeth a riuer nauigable there we tooke boat and went by water toward the Sea on ech side of the riuer we found many Cities Townes and villages wherein we saw great store of marchandize but specially of fine clay there did we land by the way to buy victuals and other necessaries Going downe this riuer Southward we were glad that wee drew neere vnto a warmer Countrey from whence we had bene farre distant this Countrey we passed through in eight dayes for our iourney lay downe the streame Before that I doe say any thing of that shire we came into I will first speake of the great City of Quicin wherein alwayes remaineth a Tutan that is a gouernour as you haue seene though some Tutans do gouerne two or three shires That Tutan that was condemned for our cause of whom I spake before was borne in this Countrey but he gouerned Foquien shire nothing it auailed him to be so great an officer This Countrey is so great that in many places where we went there had bene as yet no talke of his death although he were executed a whole yere before At the Citie Quanche whither we came the riuer was so great that it seemed a Sea though it were so litle where we tooke water that we needed small boats One day about 9. of the clocke beginning to row neere the walls with the streame we came at noone to a bridge made of many barges ouerlinked al together with two mightie cheines There stayed we vntill it was late but we saw not one go either vp thereon or downe except two Louteas that about the going downe of the Sunne came and set them downe there the one on one side the other on the other side Then was the bridge opened in many places and barges both great and small to the number of sixe hundred began to passe those that went vp the streame at one place such as came downe at an other When all had thus shât the bridge then was it shut vp againe We heare say that euery day they take this order in all principall places of marchandize for paying of the Custome vnto the king specially for salt whereof the greatest reuenues are made that the king hath in this Countrey The passages of the bridge where it is opened be so neere the shoare that nothing can passe without touching the same To stay the barges at their pleasure that they goe no further forward are vsed certaine iron instruments The bridge consisteth of 112. barges there stayed we vntill the euening that they were opened lothsomely oppressed by the multitude of people that came to see vs so many in number that we were enforced to go aside from the banke vntill such time as the bridge was opened howbeit we were neuerthelesse thronged about with many boates full of people And though in other Cities and places where we went the people came so importunate vpon vs that it was needfull to withdraw our selues yet were we here much more molested for the number of people this bridge is the principall way out of the Citie vnto another place so wel inhabited that were it walled aboutâ it might be compared to the Citie When we had shot the bridge we kept along the Citie vntil it was night and then met we with an other riuer that ioyned with this we rowed vp that by the walls vntill we came to another bridge gallantly made of barges but lesser a great deale then that other bridge ouer the greater streame here stayed we that night and other two dayes with more quiet being out of the preasse of the people These riuers do meet without at one corner point of the City In either of them were so many barges great and small that we all thought them at the least to be aboue three thousand the greater number thereof was in the lesser riuer where we were Amongst the rest here lay certaine greater vessels called in their language Parai that serue for the Tutan when he taketh his voyage by other riuers that ioyne with this towards Pachin where the king maketh his abode For as many times I haue erst said all this Countrey is full of riuers Desirous to see those Parai we got into some of them where we found some chambers set foorth with gildâd beds very richly other furnished with tables and seats and all other things so neat and in perfection that it was wonderfull Quiacim shire as farre as I can perceiue lieth vpon the South On that side we kept at our first entry thereinto trauayling not farre from the high mountaines we saw there Asking what people dwelleth beyond those mountaines it was told me that they
meat is rice and salets and neere the sea side fish They feast one another many times wherein they vse great diligence especially in drinking one to another insomuch that the better sort least they might rudely commit some fault therein doe vse to reade certaine bookes written of duties and ceremonies apperteyning vnto banquets To be delicate and fine they put their meate into their mouthes with litle forkes accounting it great rudenesse to touch it with their fingers winter sommer they drinke water as hot as they may possibly abide it Their houses are in danger of fire but finely made and cleane layde all ouer with strawe-pallets whereupon they doe both sit in stead of stooles and lie in their clothes with billets vnder their heads For feare of defiling these pallets they goe either barefoote within doores or weare strawe pantofles on their buskins when they come abroad the which they lay aside at their returne home againe Gentlemen for the most part do passe the night in banketting musicke vaine discourses they sleepe the day time In Meaco and Sacaio there is good store of beds but they be very litle and may be compared vnto our pues In bringing vp their children they vse words only to rebuke them admonishing as diligently and aduisedly boyes of sixe or seuen yeeres of age as though they were olde men They are giuen very much to intertaine strangers of whom most curiously they loue to aske euen in trifles what for raine nations doe and their fashions Such arguments and reasons as be manifest and are made plaine with examples doe greatly perswade them They detest all kinde of theft whosoeuer is taken in that fault may be slaine freely of any bodie No publike prisons no common gayles no ordinary Iusticers priuately each householder hath the hearing of matters at home in his owne house and the punishing of greater crimes that deserue death without delay Thus vsually the people is kept in awe and feare About foure hundred yeeres past as in their olde recordes we finde all Iapan was subiect vnto one Emperour whose royall seat was Meaco in the Iaponish language called Cubucama But the nobilitie rebelling against him by litle and litle haue taken away the greatest part of his dominion howbeit his title continually remayneth and the residue in some respect dor make great account of him still acknowledging him for their superior Thus the Empyre of Iapan in times past but one alone is now diuided into sixtie sixe kingdomes the onely cause of ciuill warres continually in that Iland to no small hinderance of the Gospell whilest the kings that dwell neare together inuade one another each oue coueting to make his kingdome greater Furthermore in the citie Meaco is the pallace of the high Priest whom that nation honoureth as a God he hath in his house 366 Idoles one whereof by course is euery night set by his side for a watchman He is thought of the common people so holy that it may not be lawfull for him to goe vpon the earth if happily he doe set one foote to the ground he looseth his office He is not serued very sumptuously he is maintained by almes The heads and beards of his ministers are shauen they haue name Cangues and their authoritie is great throughout all Iapan The Cubucama vseth them for Embassadors to decide controuersies betwixt princes and to end their waâtes whereof they were wont to make very great gaine It is now two yeres since or there about that one of them came to Bungo to intreate of peace betwixt the king thereof and the king of Amanguzzo This Agent fauouring the king of Bungo his cause more then the other brought to passe that the foresayd king of Bungo should keepe two kingdomes the which he had taken in warres from the king of Amanguzzo Wherefore he had for his reward of the king of Bungo aboue 30000 ducats And thus farre hereof I come now to other superstitions and ceremonies that you may see deare brethren that which I said in the beginning how subtilly the deuill hath deceiued the Iaponish nation and how diligent and readie they be to obey worship him And first al remembrance and knowledge not onely of Christ our Redeemer but also of that one God the maker of all things is cleane extinguished and vtterly abolished out of the Iapans hearts Moreouer their superstitious sects are many whereas it is lawfull for each one to follow that which liketh him best but the principall sects are two namely the Amidans and Xacaians Wherefore in this countrey shall you see many monasteries not onely of Bonzii men but also of Bonziae women diuersly attired for some doe we are white vnder and blacke vpper garments other goe apparelled in ash colour and their Idole hath to name Denichi from these the Amidanes differ very much Againe the men Bonzii for the most part dwell in sumptuous houses and haue great reuenues These fellowes are chaste by commaundement marry they may not vpon paine of death In the midst of their Temple is erected an altar whereon standeth a woodden Idole of Amida naked from the girdle vpward with holes in his eares after the manner of Italian gentlewomen sitting on a woodden rose goodly to behold They haue great libraries and halles for them all to dine and sup together and bels wherwith they are at certaine houres called to prayers In the euening the Superintendent giueth each one a theame for meditation After midnight before the altar in their Temple they do say Mattens as it were out of Xaca his last booke one quier one verse the other quier an other Early in the morning each one giueth himselfe to meditation one houre they shaue their heads and beards Their cloysters be very large and within the precinct therof Chappels of the Fotoquiens for by that name some of the Iapanish Saints are called their holy daies yeerely be very many Most of these Bonzii be gentlemen for that the Iapanish nobility charged with many children vse to make most of them Bonzii not being able to leaue for each one a partrimony good enough The Bonzii most couetousây bent know all the wayes how to come by money They sell vnto the people many scrolles of paper by the helpe whereof the common people thinketh it selfe warranted from all power of the deuils They borrow likewise money to be repayed with great vsury in an other worlde giuing by obligation vnto the lender an assurance thereof the which departing out of this life he may carry with him to hell There is another great company of such as are called Inambuxu with curled and staring haire They make profession to finde out againe things either lost or stolen after this sort They set before them a child whom the deuill inuadeth called vp thither by charmes of that child then doe they aske that which they are desirous to know These mens prayers both good and bad are thought greatly to preuaile insomuch
forme of a bruâe beast offring themselues vp to him Santianum is an I le neere vnto the hauen Cantan in the confines likewise of China famous for the death of that woorthy traueiler and godly professour and painfull doctor of the Indian nation in matters concerning religion Francis Xauier who after great labours many iniuries and calamities infinite suffred with much patience singular ioy and gladnesse of mind deparâed in a cabben made of bowes and rushes vpon a desert mountaine no lesse voyd of all worldly commodities then endued with all spirituall blessings out of this life the 2 day of December the yeere of our Lord 1552. after that many thousand of these Easterlings were brought by him to the knowledge of Christ. Of this holy man his particular vertues and specially trauell and wonderfull works in that region of other many litle Iles yet not so litle but they may right wel be written of at laisure all the latter histories of the Indian regions are full An excellent treatise of the kingdome of China and of the estate and gouernment thereof Printed in Latine at Macao a citie of the Portugals in China An. Dom. 1590. and written Dialogue-wise The speakers are Linus Leo and Michael Linus COncerning the kingdome of China Michael which is our next neighbour we haue heard and âaâly do heare so many reports that we are to request at your hands rather a true then a large discourse and narration thereof And if there be ought in your knowledge besides that which by continual rumours is waxen staâe among vs we will right gladly giue diligent eare vnto it Michael Because the report of this most famous kingdome is growen so common among vs reducing diuers and maniâolo particulars into order I will especially aime at the trueth of things receiued from the fathers of the societie which euen now at this present are conuersant in China First of all therefore it is not vnknowen that of all parts of the maine continent this kingdom of China is situate most Easterly albeit certaine Ilands as our natiue Iapon the I le of Manilia stand more Easterly then China it selfe As touching the limites bounds of this kingdom we may appoint the first towards y e West to be a certaine I le commonly called Hainan which standeth in 19 degrees of Northerly latitude For the continent next adioining vnto this I le trendeth towardes the East and that especially where the promontorie of the citie called Nimpo or Liampo doeth extend it selfe Howbeit from that place declâning Northward it stretcheth foorth an huge length insomuch that the farthest Chinian inhabitants that way doe behold the North pole eleuated at least 50 degrees and perhaps more also whereupon a man may easilie coniecture that I may speake like an Astronomer how large the latitude of this kingdom is when as it containeth about more then 540 leagues in direct extension towards the North. But as concerning the longitude which is accounted from East to West it is not so exactly found out that it may be distinguished into degrees Howbeit certaine it is that according to the Map wherein the people of China describe the forme of their kingdom the latitude thereof doeth not much exceed y e longitude This kingdom therfore is without all peraduenture of all earthly kingdoms the most large and spacious for albeit diuers other kings vnder their iurisdiction containing in dimensions more length breadth then all China do possesse very many kingdoms far distant asunder yet none of theÌ all enioieth any one kingdom so large and so ample as the most puissant king of China doeth Now if we shall make enquirie into his reuenues and tributes true it is that this king of all others is endued with the greatest and the richest both in regard of the fertilitie greatnes of his dominions also by reason of the seuere collection and exaction of his duties yea tributes are imposed vpon his subiects not onely for lands houses and impost of marchandise but also for euery person in each family It is likewise to be vnderstood that almost no lord or potentate in China hath authoritie to leuie vnto himselfe any peculiar reuenues or to collect any rents within the precincts of his seigniories al such power belonging onely vnto the king whereas in Europe the contrary is most commonly seen as we haue before signified In this most large kingdom are conteined 15 prouinces euery one of which were in it selfe sufficient to be made one great kingdom Six of these prouinces do border vpon the sea namely y t I may vse the names of the Chinians theÌselues Coantum Foquien Chequiam Nanquin Xantum Paquin the other 9 be in-land prouinces namely Quiansi Huquam Honan Xiensi Xansi Suchuon Queieheu Iânan Coansi Amongst all the foresayd prouinces two are allotted for the kings court and seat roial that is to say Paquin for his court in the North and Nanquin for his court in the South For the kings of China were woont to be resident altogether at the South court but afterward by reason of the manifold and cruell warres mooued by the Tartars they were constrained to defixe their princely seate and habitation in that exâreme prouince of the North. Whereupon it commeth to passe that those Northren confines of the kingdom doe abound with many moe fortresses martiall engines and garrisons of souldiers Leo. I haue heard amongst those munitions a certaine strange and admirable wall reported of wherewith the people of China doe represse and driue backe the Tartars attempting to inuade their territories Michael Certes that wall which you haue heard tell of is most woorthie of admiration for it runneth alongst the borders of three Northerlie prouinces Xiensi Xansi and Paquin and is sayd to containe almost three hundred leagues in length and in such sort to bee built that it hindereth not the courses and streames of any riuers their chanels being ouer-thwarted and fortified with wonderfull bridges and other defences Yet is it not vnlikely that the sayd wall is built in such sort that onely lowe and easie passages bee therewith stopped and enuironed but the mountaines running betweene those lowe passages are by their owne naturall strength and inaccessible heigth a sufficient fortification agaynst the enemie Linus Tell vs Michael whether the kingdome of China be so frequented with inhabitants as wee haue often bene informed or no Michael It is Linus in very deed a most populous kingdom as I haue bene certified from the fathers of the societie who hauing seene sundry prouinces of Europe renoumed for the multitude of their inhabitants doe notwithstanding greatly admiâe the infinite swarmes of people in China Howbeit these multitudes are not pel-mel and confusiuely dispersed ouer the land but most conueniently and orderly distributed in their townes and famous cities of which assemblies there are diuers kindes among the Chinians For they haue certaine principal cities called
they saw it was in vaine for them to stay and therefore set vp sayles and by Gods prouidence auoyded all danger brought home the rest of their goods and came thence with all expedition and God be thanked arriued safely in England neere London on Wednesday being the 8 day of Iune 1585. In which their returne to England the Spaniards that they brought with them offered fiue hundred crownes to be set on shore in any place which seeing the Maister would not doe they were coutent to be ruled by him and his companie and craued mercie at their hands And after Master Foster demaunded why they came in such sort to betray and destroy them the Corrigidor answered that it was not done onely of themselues but by the commandement of the king himselfe and calling for his hose which were wet did plucke foorth the kings Commission by which he was authorized to doe all that he did The Copie whereof followeth being translated out of Spanish The Spanish kings commission for the generall imbargment or arrest of the English c. LIcentiat de Escober my Corigidor of my Signorie of Biskay I haue caused a great fleete to be put in readinesse in the hauen of Lisbone and the riuer of Sâuill There is required for the Souldiers armour victuals and munition that are to bee imployed in the same great store of shipping of all sortes against the time of seruice and to the end there may be choise made of the best vpon knowledge of their burden and goodnesse I doe therefore require you that presently vpon the arriuall of this carrier and with as much dissimulation as may be that the matter may not be knowen vntill it be put in execution you take order for the staying and arresting with great foresight of all the shipping that may be found vpon the coast and in the portes of the sayd Signorie excepting none of Holand Zeland Easterland Germanie England and other Prouinces that are in rebellion against mee sauing those of France which being litle and of small burden and weake are thought vnfit to serue the turne And the stay being thus made you shall haue a speciall care that such marchandize as the sayd shippes or huâkes haue brought whether they be all or part vnladen may bee taken out and that the armour munition tackels sayles and victuals may be safely bestowed as also that it may be well foreseene that none of the shippes or men may escape away Which things being thus executed you shall aduertise me by an expresse messenger of your proceeding therein And send me a plaine and diâtinct declaration of the number of ships that you shall haue so stayed in that coast and partes whence euery one of them is which belong to my Rebels what burthen goods there are and what number of men is in euery of them and what quantitie they haue of armour ordinance munition victuals tacklings and other necessaries to the end that vpon sight hereof hauing made choise of such as shall be fit for the seruice we may further direct you what ye shall do In the meane time you shall presently see this my commandement put in execution and if there come thither any more ships you shall also cause them to be stayed and arrested after the same order vsing therein such care and diligence as may answere the trust that I repose in you wherein you shall doe me great seruice Dated at Barcelona the 29 of May. 1585. And thus haue you heard the trueth and manner thereof wherein is to be noted the great courage of the maister and the louing hearts of the seruants to saue their master from the daunger of death yea and the care which the master had to saue so much of the owners goods as hee might although by the same the greatest is his owne losse in that he may neuer trauell to those parts any more without the losse of his owne life nor yet any of his seruantes for if hereafter they should being knowen they are like to taste of the sharpe torments which are there accustomed in their Holy-house And as for their terming English shippes to be in rebellion against them it is sufficiently knowen by themselues and their owne consciences can not denie it but that with loue vnitie and concord our shippes haue euer beene fauourable vnto them and as willing to pleasure their King as his subiectes any way willing to pleasure English passengers The Letters patents or priuiledges granted by her Maiestie to certaine Noble men and Marchants of London for a trade to Barbarie in the yeere 1585. ELizabeth by the grace of God Queene of England France and Ireland defender of the faith c. to the Treasurer Barons of our Eschequer and to al Maiors shirifs constables customers collectors of our customes and subsidies controllers searchers and keepers of our hauens and creekes ports and passages within this our realme of England and the dominions of the same and to al our officers ministers and subiects and to all other whosoeuer to whom it shall or may appertaine and to euery of them greeting Whereas it is made euidently and apparantly knowen vnto vs that of late yeeres our right trustie and right welbeloued councellors Ambrose Erle of Warwike and Robert Erle of Leicester and also our louing and naturall subiects Thomas Starkie of our citie of London Alderman Ierard Gore the elder and all his sonnes Thomas Gore the elder Arthur Atie gentleman Alexander Auenon Richard Staper William Iennings Arthur Dawbeney William Sherington Thomas Bramlie Anthony Garrard Robert How Henry Colthirst Edward Holmden Iohn Swinnerton Robert Walkaden Simon Lawrence Nicholas Stile Oliuer Stile William Bond Henrie Farrington Iohn Tedcastle Walter Williams William Brune Iohn Suzan Iohn Newton Thomas Owen Roger Afield Robert Washborne Reinold Guy Thomas Hitchcocke George Lydiat Iohn Cartwright Henry Paiton Iohn Boldroe Robert Bowyer Anthonie Dassell Augustine Lane Robert Lion and Thomas Dod all of London Marchants now trading into the Countrey of Barbary in the parts of Africa vnder the gouernment of Muly Hammet Sheriffe Emperor of Marocco and king of Fesse and Sus haue sustained great and grieuous losses and are like to sustaine greater if it should not be preuented In tender coÌsideration whereof and for that diuers Marchandize of the same Countries are very necessary and conuenient for the vse and defence of this our Realme of England and for diuers other causes vs specially mouing minding the reliefe and benefite of our said subiects and the quiet trafique and good gouernment to be had and vsed among them in their said trade of our speciall grace certaine knowledge and meere motion haue giuen and granted and by these presents for vs our heires and successors doe giue and grant vnto the saide Earles of Warwike and Leicester Thomas Starkie Ierard Gore the elder Arthur Atie gentleman Alexander Auenon Richard Staper William Iennings Arthur Dawbenie William Sherington Thomas Bramlie Anthonie Gerrard Robert Howe Henry
respecting whoÌ we tooke so that we might haue enriched our selues which was the cause of this our trauaile and for that we would not bee knowen of what nation we were wee displayed a white silke ensigne in our maine toppe which they seeing made accompt that we had bene some of the king of Spaines Armadas lying in wait for English men of war but when we came within shot of her we tooke downe our white flagge and spread abroad the Crosse of S. George which when they saw it made them to flie as fast as they might but all their haste was in vaine for our shippes were swifter of saile then they which they fearing did presently cast their ordinance and small shot with many letters and the draft of the Straights of Magelan into the Sea and thereupon immediatly we tooke her wherein wee also tooke a gentleman of Spaine named Pedro Sarmiento gouernour of the Straights of Magelan which saide Pedro we brought into England with vs and presented him to our soueraigne Lady the Queene After this lying off and about the Islands wee descried another saile and bearing after her we spent the maine maste of our Admirall but yet in the night our Uiceadmirall tooke her being laden with fish from Cape Blanke the which shippe wee let goe againe for want of men to bring her home The next day we discried two other sailes the one a shippe and the other a Carauel to whom we gaue chase which they seeing with all speede made in vnder the Isle of Graciosa to a certaine Fort there for their succour where they came to an anker and hauing the winde of vs we could not hurt them with our ships but we hauing a small boate which we called a light horseman wherein my selfe was being a Musqueter and foure more with Caliuers and foure that rowed came neere vnto the shore against the winde which when they saw vs come towards them they caried a great part of their marchandise on land whither also the men of both vessels went and landed and as soone as we came within Musquee shot they began to shoote at vs with great ordinance and small shot and we likewise at them and in the ende we boorded one shippe wherein was no man left so we âât her cables hoysed her sailes and sent her away with two of our men and the other 7. of vs passed more neere vnto the shoare and boorded the Carauel which did ride within a stones cast from the shoare and so neere the land that the people did cast stones at vs but yet iâdespight of them all we tooke her and one onely Negro thereinâ and cutting her cables in the hawse we hoysed her sailes and being becalmed vnder âhe land we were constrained to rowe her out with our boate the Fort still shooting at vs and the people on land with Musquets and caliuers to the number of â 50. or thereabout and we answered them with the small force wee had In the time of which our shooting the shot of my Musquet being a crosse harre-shot happened to strike the gunner of the fort to death euen as he was giuing leuell to one of his great pieces and thus we parted from them without any losse or hurt on our side And now hauing taken these fiue saâles of shippes we did as before turne away the shippe with the fish without hurting them and from one of the other shippes wee tooke her maine Maste to serue our Admirals turne and so sent her away putting into her all the Spaniards and Portugals sauing that gentleman Pedro Sarmiento with three other of the principal men and two Negroes leauing them all within sight of land with bread and water sufficient for 10. dayes if neede were Thus setting our course for England being off the Islands in the height of 41. degrees or there about one of our men being in the toppe discried a saile then 10. saile then 15. whereupon it was concluded to sende home those prizes we had and so left in both our Pinasses not aboue 60. men Thus wee returned againe to the Fleete wee had discried where wee found 24. saile of shippes whereof two of them were Caracks the one of 1200. and the other of a 1000. tunnes and 10. Galions the rest were small shippes and Carauels all laden with Treasure spices and sugars with which 24. shippes we with two small Pinasses did fight and kept company the space of 32. houres continually fighting with them and they with vs but the two Caracks kept still betwixt the Fleete and vs that wee could not take any one of them so wanting powder wee were forced to giue them ouer against our willes for that wee were all wholly bent to the gaining of some of them but necessâie compelling vs and that onely for want of powder without losse of any of our men which was a thing to be wondered at considering the inequalitie of number at length we gaue them ouer Thus we againe set our course for England and so came to Plimouth within 6. houres after our prizes which we sent away 40. houres before vs where wee were receiued with triumphant ioy not onely with great Ordinance then shot off but with the willing hearts of all the people of the Towne and of the Countrey thereabout and we not sparing our Ordinance with the powder wee had left to requite and answere them againe And from thence wee brought our prizes to Southampton where sir Walter Ralegh being our owner rewarded vs with our shares Our prizes were laden with sugars Elephants teeth waxe hides rice brasill and Cuser as by the testimonie of Iohn Euesham himselfe Captaine Whiddon Thomas Rainford Beniamin Wood William Cooper Master William Cornish Master Thomas Drake Corporall Iohn Ladd gunner William Warefield gunner Richard Moone Iohn Drew Richard Cooper of Harwich William Beares of Ratcliffe Iohn Row of Saltash and many others may appeare A briefe relation of the notable seruice performed by Sir Francis Drake vpon the Spanish Fleete prepared in the Road of Cadiz and of his destroying of 100. saile of barks Passing from thence all along the coast to Cape Sacre where also hee tooke certaine Forts and so to the mouth of the Riuer of Lisbon and thence crossing ouer to the Isle of Sant Michael supprized a mighty Carack called the Sant Philip comming out of the East India which was the first of that kinde that euer was seene in England Performed in the yeere 1587. HEr Maiestie being informed of a mightie preparation by Sea begunne in Spaine for the inuasion of England by good aduise of her graue and prudent Counsell thought it expedient to preuent the same Whereupon she caused a Fleete of some 30. sailes to be rigged and furnished with all things necessary Ouer that Fleete she appointed Generall sir Francis Drake of whose manifold former good seruices she had sufficient proofe to whom the caused 4. ships of her Nauie royall to be
Pilgrim commaunded by Iacob Whiddon who houered all night to see the successe but in the morning bearing with the Reuenge was hunted like a hare amongst many rauenous houndes but escaped All the powder of the Reuenge to the last barrell was now spent all her pikes broken fortie of her best men slaine and the most part of the rest hurt In the beginning of the fight shee had but one hundreth free from sicknes and fourescore ten sicke laid in hold vpon the Ballast A small troup to man such a ship a weake garrison to resist so mighty an army By those hundred al was susteined the volâis boordings and entrings of fifteen ships of warre besides those which beat her at large On the contrary the Spanish were alwayes supplied with souldiers brought from euery squadron all maner of Armes and powder at will Unto ours there remained no comfort at all no hope no supply either of ships men or weapons the Mastes all beatân ouer boord all her tackle cut asunder her vpper worke altogether rased and in effect euened shee was with the water but the very foundation or bottome of a ship nothing being left ouer head âither for flight or defence Sir Richard finding himselfe in this distresse and vnable any longer to make resistance hauing endured in this fifteene houres fight the assault of fifteene seuerall Armadas all by turnes aboord him and by estimation eight hundred shotte of great Artillerie besides many assaults and entries and that himselfe and the shippe must needes be possessed by the enemy who were now all cast in a ring round about him The Reuenge not able to mooue one way or other but as she was moued with the waues and billow of the sea commaunded the Master gunner whom hee knew to be a most resolute man to split and sinke the shippe that thereby nothing might remaine of glory or victory to the Spaniards seeing in so many houres fight and with so great a Nauie they were not able to take her hauing had fifteene houres time aboue ten thousand men fiftie and three saile of men of warre to performe it withall and perswaded the company or as many as hee could induce to yeelde themselues vnto God and to the mercie of none else but as they had like valiant resolute men repulsed so many enemies they should not nowe shorten the honour of their Nation by prolonging their owne liues for a few houres or a fewe dayes The Master gunner readily condescended and diuers others but the Captaine and the Master were of another opinion and besought Sir Richard to haue care of them alleaging that the Spaniard would be as ready to entertaine a composition as they were willing to offer the same and that there being diuers sufficient and valiant men yet liuing and whose wounds were not mortal they might do their Countrey and prince acceptable seruice hereafter And whereas Sir Richard had alleaged that the Spaniards should neuer glory to haue taken one shippe of her Maiestie seeing they had so long and so notably defended themselues they answered that the shippe had sixe foote water in holde three shot vnder water which were so weakely stopped as with the first working of the sea she must needs sinke and was besides so crusht and brused as shee could neuer be remoued out of the place And as the matter was thus in dispute and Sir Ricard refusing to hearken to any of those reasons the Master of the Reuenge while the Captaine wanne vnto him the greater party was conuoyd aboord the Generall Don Alfonso Baçan Who finding none ouer hastie to enter the Reuenge againe doubting least Sir Richard would haue blowne them vp and himselfe and perceiuing by the report of the Master of the Reuenge his dangerous disposition yeelded that all their liues should be saued the company sent for England the better sort to pay such reasonable ransome as their estate would âeare and in the meane season to be free from Gally or imprisonment To this he so much the rather coÌdescended as wel as I haue said for feare of further losse and mischiefe to themselues as also for the desire he had to recouer Sir Richard Greenuil whom for his notable valure he seemed greatly to honour and admire When this answere was returned and that safetie of life was promised the common sort being now at the ende of their perill the most drew backe from Sir Richard and the Master gunner being no hard matter to disswade men from death to life The Master gunner finding himselfe and Sir Richard thus preuented and mastered by the greater number would haue slaine himselfe with a sword had he not bene by force with-held and locked into his Cabben Then the Generall sent many boates aboord the Reuenge and diuers of our men fearing Sir Richards disposition stole away aboord the Generall and other shippes Sir Richard thus ouermatched was sent vnto by Alfonso Baçan to remooue out of the Reuenge the shippe being marueilous vnsauorie filled with blood and bodies of dead and wounded men like a slaughter house Sir Richard answered that hee might doe with his body what he list for hee esteemed it not and as he was carried out of the shippe hee swounded and reuiuing againe desired the company to pray for him The Generall vsed Sir Richard with all humanitie and left nothing vnattempted that tended to his recouerie highly commending his valour and worthinesse and greatly bewailing the danger wherein he was being vnto them a rare spectacle and a resolution sildome approoued to see one shippe turne toward so many enemies to endure the charge and boording of so many huge Armadas and to resist and repell the assaults and entries of so many souldiers All which and more is confirmed by a Spanish Captaine of the same Armada and a present actor in the fight who being seuered from the rest in a storme was by the Lion of London a small ship taken and is now prisoner in London The generall commander of the Armada was Don Alphonso Baçan brother to the Marques of Santa Cruz. The admiral of the Biscaine squadron was Britandona Of the squadron of Siuil Marques of Arumburch The Hulkes and Flybotes were coÌmanded by Luis Coutinho There were slaine and drowned in this fight well neere one thousand of the enemies aâd two speciall commanders Don Luis de sant Iohn and Don George de Prunaria de Mallaga as the Spanish captaine confesseth besides diuers others of speciall account whereof as yet report is not made The Admirall of the Hulkes and the Ascension of Siuil were both sunke by the side of the Reuenge one other recouered the rode of Saint Michael and sunke also there a fourth ranne her selfe with the shore to saue her men Sir Richard died as it is sayd the second or third day aboord the Generall and was by them greatly bewailed What became of his body whether it were buried in the sea or on the land we know not
pieces before they could get to the wall The ship sailing in this maner as I sayd before towards the Iland and approching to the shore the master being an olde man and full of yeeres called his sonne that was in the ship with him and hauing imbraced one another and taken their last farewell the good olde father willed his sonne not to take care for him but seeke to saue himselfe for sayd he sonne thou art yong mayest haue some hope to saue thy life but as for me it is no great matter I am olde what become of me and therewith ech of these shedding many teares as euery louing father and kinde childe may well consider the ship fell vpon the cliffes and brake in pieces the father on the one side the sonne on the other side falling into the sea ech laying holde vpon that which came next to hand but to no purpose for the sea was so high and furious that they were all drowned and onely foureteene or fifteene saued themselues by swimming with their legs and armes halfe broken and out of ioynt among which was the Masters sonne and foure other Dutch boyes the rest of the Spaniards and Sailers with the Captaine and Masterâ were drowned Whose heart would not melt with teares to beholde so grieuous a sight specially considering with himselfe that the greatest cause thereof was the beastlines and insolency of the Spaniards as in this onely example may well be seene Whereby may be considered how the other shippes sped as we our selues did in part beholde and by the men that were saued did heare more at large as also some others of our countreymen that as then were in the like danger can well witnesse On the other Ilands the losse was no lesse then in Tercera for on the Iland of Saint George there were two ships cast away on the Iland of Pico two ships on the Iland of Gratiosa three ships and besides those there came euery where round about diuers pieces of broken ships and other things fleeting towards the Ilands wherewith the sea was all couered most pitifull to beholde On the Iland of S. Michael there were foure ships cast away and betweene Tercera and S. Michael three more were sunke which were seene and heard to cry out whereof not one man was saued The rest put into the sea without masts all torne and rent so that of the whole fleet and armada being 140 ships in all there were but 32 or 33 arriued in Spaine and Portugall yea and those few with so great misery paine and labour that not two of them arriued there together but this day one and to morrow another next day the third and so one after the other to the number aforesayd All the rest were cast away vpon the Ilands and ouerwhelmed in the Seaâ whereby may be considered what great losse and hindrance they receiued at that time for by many mens iudgements it was esteemed to be much more then was lost by their army that came for England and it may well be thought and presumed that it was no other but a iust plague purposely sent by God vpon the Spaniards and that it might truely be sayd the taking of the Reuenge was iustly reuenged vpon them and not by the might or force of man but by the power of God as some of them openly sayd in the I le of Tercera that they beleeued verily God would consume them and that he tooke part with the Lutherans and heretiks saying further that so soone as they had throwen the dead body of the Uiceadmirall Sir Richard Greenfield ouer-boord they verily thought that as he had a diuellish faith and religion and therefore the diuels loued him so he presently sunke into the bottome of the sea and downe into hell where he raised vp all the diuels to the reuenge of his death and that they brought so great stormes and torments vpon the Spaniards because they onely maintained the Catholike Romish religion Such and the like blasphemies against God they ceased not openly to vtter without being reprooued of any man therein nor for their false opinions but the most part of them rather sayd and affirmed that of trueth it must needs be so As one of those Indian fleets put out of Noua Spagna there were 35 of them by storme and tempest cast away and drowned in the Sea being 50 in all so that but 15 escaped Of the fleet that came from Santo Domingo there were 14 cast away comming out of the chanell of Hauana whereof the Admirall and Uiceadmirall were two of them and from Terra Firma in India there came two ships laden with golde and siluer that were taken by the Englishmen and before the Spanish army came to Coruo the Englishmen at times had taken at the least 20 ships that came from S. Domingo India Brasilia c. and were all sent into England A relation sent by Melchior Petoney to Nigil de Moura at Lisbon from the Iland and Castle of Arguin standing a little to the Southward of Cape Blanco in the Northerly latitude of 19 degrees concerning the rich and secret trade from the inland of Africa thither Anno 1â91 AS concerning the trade to this Castle and Iland of Arguin your worship is to vnderstand that if it would please the kings maiesty to send hither two or three carauels once in a yeere with Flanders and Spanish commodities as Bracelets of glasse Kniues Belles Linnen-cloth Looking-glasses with other kinds of small wares his highnesse might do great good here For 50 leagues vp into the land the Moores haue many exceeding rich golde mines insomuch that they bring downe their golde to this Castle to traffique with vs and for a small trifle they will giue vs a great wedge of gold And because here is no trade the sayd Moores cary their golde to Fez being 250 leagues distant from hence and there doe exchange the same for the foresayd kindes of commodities By this meanes also his maiesty might stop that passage and keepe the king of Fez from so huge a masse of golde Scarlet-clothes and fine Purples are greatly accepted of in these parts It is a most ferââle countrey within the land and yeeldeth great store of Wheat flesh of all kindes and abundance of fruits Therefore if it were possible you should do well to deale with his maiesty either himselfe to send a couple of carauels or to giue your worship leaue to traffique here for here is a very good harbour where ships may ride at ancre hard by the Castle The countrey where all the golde-mines are is called The kingdome of Darha In this kingdome are great store of cities and townes and in euery city and towne a Captaine with certaine souldiers which Captaines are lords and owners of the sayd townes One city there is called Couton another Xanigeton as also the cities of Tubguer Azegue Amader Quaherque and the towne of Faroo The which
on the surging seas sometime passing at pleasure with a wished Easterne wind sometime hindered of our course againe by the Westerne blasts vntill the 20. day of the foresayd moneth of Iune on which day in the morning we fell with Frizeland which is a very hie and cragged land and was almost cleane couered with snow so that we might see nought but craggie rockes ând the tops of high and huge hilles sometimes and for the most part all couered with foggie mists There might we also peceiue the great Isles of yce lying on the seas like mountaines some small some big of sundry kinds of shapes and such a number of thâm that wee could not come neere the shore for them Thus sailing alongst the coast at the last we saw a place somewhat voyd of yce where our Generall accompânied with certaine other went a shore where they sawe certaine tents made of beasts skinnes and boates much like vnto theirs of Meta Incognita The tents were furnished with flesh fish skins and other ârifles amongst the which was found a boxe of nailes whereby we did coniecture that they had either Artificers amongst them or els a traffike with some other nation The men ran away so that wee could haue no conference or communication with them Our Generall because hee would haue them no more to flee but rather incouraged to stay through his courteous dealing gaue commaundement that his men should tâke nothing away with them sauing onely a couple of white dogs for the which he left pinnes poynts kniues and other trifling things and departed without taking or hurting any thing and so came abord and hoysed sailes and passed forwards But being scarce out of the sight thereof there fâll such a fogge and hidious mist that we could not see one another whereupon we stroke our drums and sounded our trumpets to the ende we might keepe together and so continued all that day and night till the next day that the mist brake vp so that we might easily perceiue all the ships thus sailing together all that day vntil the next day being the 22. of the same on which day wee sawe an infinite number of yce from the which we cast about to shun the danger thereof But one of our small Barkes named the Michael whose Captaine was Master Kinderslie the Master Bartholomew Bull lost our company insomuch that we could not obteine the sight of her many dayes after of whom I meane to speake further anon when occasion shall be ministred and opportunitie serue Thus we continued in our course vntill the second of Iuly on which day we fell with the Queenes foreland where we saw so much yce that we thought it vnpossible to get into the Straights yet at the last we gaue the aduenture and entred the yce Being amongst it wee sawe the Michael of whom I spake before accompanied with the Iudith whose Captaine was Master Fenton the Master Charles Iackman bearing into the foresayd yce farre distant from vs who in a storme that fell that present night whereof I will at large God willing discourse hereafter were seuered from vs and being in wandred vp and downe the Straights amongst the yce many dayes in great perill till at the last by the prouidence of God they came safely to harbor in their wished Port in the Countesse of Warwicks sound the 20. of Iuly aforesayd tenne dayes before any of the other shippes who going on shore found where the people of the Countrey had bene and had hid their prouision in great heapes of stones being both of flesh and fish which they had killed whereof wee also found great store in other places after our arriual They found also diuers engins as bowes slings and darts They found likewise certaine pieces of the Pinnesse which our Generall left there the yeere before which Pinnesse he had sunke minding to haue it againe the next yeere Now seeing I haue entreated so much of the Iudith and the Michael I will returne to the rest of the other ships and will speake a little of the storme which fell with the mishaps that we had the night that we put into the yce whereof I made mention before At the first entring into the yce in the mouth of the Straights our passage was very narrow and difficult but being once gotten in we had a faire open place without any yce for the most part being a league in compasse the yce being round about vs and inclosing vs as it were within the pales of a parke In which place because it was almost night we minded to take in our sailes and lie a hull all that night But the storme so increased and the waues began to mount aloft which brought the yce so neere vs and comming on so fast vpon vs that we were faine to beare in and out where we might espie an open place Thus the yce comming on vs so fast we were in great danger looking euery houre for death And thus passed we on in that great danger seeing both our selues and the rest of our ships so troubled and tossed amongst the yce that it would make the strongest heart to relent At the last the Barke Dionyse being but a weakeship and bruised afore amongst the yce being so leake that no longer she could carry aboue the water sanke without sauing any of the goods which were within her which sight so abashed the whole Fleete that we thought verily we should haue tasted of the same sauce But neuerthelesse we seeing them in such danger manned our boates and saued all the men in such wise that not one perished God be thanked The storme still increased and the yce inclosed vs so that we were faine to take downe top and top mastes for the yce had so inuironed vs that we could see neither land nor sea as farre as we could kenne so that we were faine to cut our cables to hang ouer boord for fenders somewhat to ease the ships sides from the great and driry strokes of the the yce some with Capstan barres some fending off with oares some with plancks of two ynches thicke which were broken immediatly with the force of the yce some going out vpon the yce to beare it off with their shoulders from the ships But the rigorousnes of the tempest was such and the force of the yce so great that that not onely they burst and spoyled the foresaid prouision but likewise so rased the sides of the ships that it was pitifull to behold and caused the hearts of many to faint Thus we coutinued all that dismall and lamentable night plunged in this perplexitiy looking for instant death but our God who neuer leaueth them destitute which faithfully call vpon him although he often punisheth for amendements sake in the morning caused the winds to cease and the fogge which all that night lay on the face of the water to cleare so that we might
they many moe that they should but receiue this onely benefit of Christianity they were more then fully recompenced But heereunto it may bee obiected that the Gospel must bee freely preached âor such was the example of the Apostles vnto whom although the authorities and examples before alledged of Emperors Kings and Princes aswel before Christs time as since might sufficiently satisfie yet for further answere we may say with S. Paul If wee haue sowen vnto you heauenly things doe you thinke it much that we should reape your carnall things And withall The workman is worthy of his hire These heauenly tidings which those labourers our countreymen as messengers of Gods great goodnesse and mercy will voluntarily present vnto them doe farre exceed their earthly riches Moreouer if the other inferiour worldly and temporall things which they shall receiue from vs be weighed in equall ballance I assure my selfe that by equal iudgement of any indifferent person the benefits which they then receiue shall farre surmount those which they shall depart withall vnto vs. And admit that they had as they haue not the knowledge to put their land to some vse yet being brought from brutish ignorance to ciuilitie and knowledge and made then to vnderstand how the tenth part of their Land may be so manured and employed as it may yeeld more commodities to the necessary vse of mans life then the whole now doeth What iust cause of complaint may they haue And in my priuate opinion I do verily thinke that God did create land to the end that it should by culture and husbandry yeeld things necessary for mans life But this is not all the benefit which they shall receiue by the Christians for euer and beside the knowledge how to till and dresse their grounds they shal be reduced from vnseemely customes to honest maners from disordered riotous routs and companyes to a well gouerned common wealth and withall shal be taught mechanicall occupations arts and liberall sciences and which standeth them most vpon they shal be defended from the cruelty of their tyrannicall and blood sucking neighbors the Canibals whereby infinite number of their liues shal be preâerued And lastly by this meanes many of their poore innocent children shall be preserued from the bloody knife of the sacrificer a most horrible and detestable custome in the sight of God and man now and euer heretofore vsed amongst them Many other things could I heere alledge to this purpose were it not that I doe feare lest I haue already more then halfe tired the reader The seuenth Chapter sheweth that the planting there is not a matter of such charge or difficultie as many would make it seeme to be NOw therefore for proofe that the planting in these parts is a thing that may be done without the ayde of the Princes power and purse contrary to the allegation of many malicious persons who wâl neither be actors in any good action themselues nor so much as afoord a good word to the setting forward thereof and that worse is they will take vpon them to make moâe hilles seeme mountaines and flies elephants to the end they may discourage others that be very well or iudifferently affected to the matter being like vnto Esops dogge which neither would eate Hay himselfe nor suffer the poore hungry asse to feeds thereou I say and affirme that God hath prouided such meanes for the furtherance of this enterprise as doe stand vs in stead of great treasure for first by reason that it hath pleased God of his great goodnesse of long time to hold his merciful hand ouer this realme in preseruing the people of the same bath from slaughter by the sword and great death by plague pestilence or otherwise there are at this day great numbers God he knoweth which liue in such penurie want as they could be contented to hazard their liues and to serue one yeere for meat drinke aud apparell only without wages in hope thereby to amend their estates which is a matter in such like iourneyes of no small charge to the prince Moreouer things in the like iournyes of greatest price and cost as victuall whereof there is great plentie to be had in that countrey without money and powder great artillery or corselets are not needefull iu so plentifull and chargeable maner as the shew of such a iourney may present for a small quantitie of all these to furnish the Fort only will suffice vntill such time as diuers commodities may be found out in those parts which may be thought well worthy a greater charge Also the peculiar benefit of archers which God hath blessed this land withall before all other nations will stand vs in great stead amongst those naked people Another helpe we haue also which in such like cases is a matter of marueilous cost and will be in this iourney procured very easily that is to say To transport yeerely aswell our people as all other necessaries needfull for them into those parts by the fleet of merchants that yeerely venture for fish in Newfound land being not farre distant from the countrey meant to be inhabited who commonly goe with emptie vessels in effect sauing some litle fraight with salt And thus it appeareth that the souldiers wages and the transportation may be defrayed for farre lesse summes of money then the detractors of this enterprise haue giuen out Againe this intended voyage for conquest hath in like maner many other singular priuiledges wherewith God hath as it were with his holy hand blessed the same before all others For after once we are departed the coast of England wee may passe straightway thither without danger of being driuen into any the countries of our enemies or doubtfull friends for commonly one winde serueth to bring vs thither which seldome faileth from the middle of Ianuarie to the middle of May a benefite which the mariners make great account of for it is a pleasure that they haue in few or none of other iourneyes Also the passage is short for we may goe thither in thirtie or fortie dayes at the most hauing but au indifferent winde and returne continually in twenty or foure and twentie dayes at the most And in the same our iourney by reason it is in the Ocean and quite out of the way from the intercourse of other countreyes we may safely trade and traffique without peril of piracy neither shall one ships people or goods there be subiect to arrest or molestation of any Pagan potentateâ Turkish tyrant yea or Christian prince which heretofore sometimes vpon slender occasion in other parts haue stayed our ships and merchandizes whereby great numbers of our countreymen haue bene vtterly vndone diuers put to ransome yea and some lost their liues a thing so fresh in memorie as it needeth no proofe and is well worthy of consideration Besides in this voyage we doe not crosse the burnt line whereby commonly both beuerage and victuall are corrupted and mens health very much
order to our chyrurgion to dresse the wounded men one of which was wounded vnto death That done we had then time to view our prize which we found of great defence and a notable strong ship almost two hundred tun in burden very well appointed and in all things fitted for a man of warre They had also foureteene or fifteene men more which were then absent from the ship otherwise we should haue had the hoter fight The same day we got our sailes to the yard and our top masts on end and rigged the shippe what we could The 26 day we got some oile aboord and there we taried vntill the second of August fitting our selues for the sea and getting fish aboord as weather serued vs. During our ââode there we diuided our men and appointed to ech ship their company my selfe and my friends being resolued to take our passage in the prize wherein when we were shipped and the company there arose great enmity against vs by the other shippe which afterward was quieted The second day of August hauing taken in water and wood we put to sea from that harborow in company of the Hopewell with puâpose to go directly to Parlican which is an harborow in the North part of Newfoundland where we eâpected another prize But when we came to sea we found our sailes so olâe our ropes so rotten and our prouision of bread and drinke so short as that we were constrained to make our resolution directly for England whereupon we drew out our reasons the fourth day of August and sent them aboord the Hopewell to certifie them the cause of our resolution for England wherat they were generally offended thinking and saying that we in the prize went about to cousin and deceiue them To conclude they sent vs word that they would keepe vs company for England But I had giuen William Crafton commission before to go for the Islands of the Açores and there to spend his victuals for a man of warre The next day being the fift of August hauing a faire winde we put off from the coast of Newfoundland and kept our course directly for England the Hopewell keeping vs company vntill midâay whenas hauâng lost vs in a fogge she shot off two pieces of ordinance and we answered her with three afterwarde wâ spake not with her supposing that she went for the Islands The 27 of August drawing neere the coast of England we sounded and found ground at seuenty fadoms Some of the mariners thinking we were in Bristow channell and other in Silly channell so that through variety of iudgements ând euill marinership we were fame to dance the hay foure dayes together sometimes running to the Northeast sometimes to the Southeast then againe to the East and Eastnortheast Thus did we spend faire winds and lose our time vntill the last of August And then it pleased God that we fell with the Island of Lundy within the channell of Bristoll from whence we sâayed our course and aftâr diuers dangers the third of September we mât with the Tramontane of the Queene off of Dartmouth to the captaine whereof we gaue certaine things that he had need of The fift of Septeââer I landed on the outside of the Isle of Wight and within few dayes after it pleased God to bring the ship in safety to London where she was made prize as beloâging to the enemies of this land Certaine obseruations touching the countreys and places where we trauelled THe Newfoundland we found very subiect to fogs and mists The ground of it is very rocky and vpon it there is great store of firce trees and in some places red and abouâ the shore it hath great abundance of cod-fish We were on land in it in foure seuerall places 1 At Caplin bay and Farrillon 2 At Cape Rase 3 At the harborow of Lano which lieth foure leagues to the West beyond Cape Laurence 4 At S. Marie port The Island of Menego for the soile is much like Newfoundland but the fish about it as also thorowout the Grande Bay within Cape Briton is much larger and better then that of the Newfoundland This Island is scant two leagues long and very narrow In the midst of it a great way within the wood is a great poole Here we were thrise on shore once at the East side and twise at the West The three Islands of birds are sandy red but with the multitude of birds vpon them they looke white The birds sit there as thicke as stones lie in a paued street The greatest âf the Islands is about a mile in compasse The second is little lesse The third is a very little one like a small rocke At the second of these three lay on the shore in the Sunshine about thirty or forty sea-oxen or morses which when our boat came nere them presently made into the sea and swam after the boat Brions Island wee found to be very good and sandy ground It hath in it store of firre trees It is somewhat more then a league long and about three leagues in compasse Here we were on land once and went from the one side of it to the other The Island of Ramea we tooke to be like ground as Brions Island hauing also abundance of firre trees It seemeth to be in length about twelue or thirteene leagues at least We were there in harborow but not on shore which we much desired and hoped to haue bene but the conflict which we had there with the Basks and Britons mentioned before preuented vs. The Isle Blanche likewise seemeth in quality of the ground and bignesse of it to be much like Brions Island aforesayd but somewhat lesse We were not on shore vpon it but rode before it at anker The land of Cape Briton we found to be somewhat like the Newfoundland but rather better Here toward the West end of it we saw the clouds lie lower then the hils as we did also at Cape Laurence in Newfoundland The Easterly end of the land of Cape Briton is nothing so high land as the West We went on shore vpon it in fiue places 1 At the bay where the Chancewell was cast away 2 At Cibo 3 At a little Island betweene Cibo and the New port 4 At the New port And 5 at Port Ingles or the English port Concerning the nature and fruitfulnesse of Brions Island Isle Blanche and of Ramea they do by nature yeeld exceeding plenty of wood great store of wild corne like barley sârawberries gooseberries mulberies white roses and store of wilde peason Also about the sayd Islands the sea yeeldeth great abundance of fish of diuers sorts And the sayd Islands also seeme to proffer through the labour of man plenty of all kinde of our graine of roots of hempe and other necessary commodities Charles Leigh CERTAINE VOYAGES CONTAINING THE Discouerie of the Gulfe of Sainct Laurence to the West of Newfoundland and from thence vp the riuer of Canada to Hochelaga Saguenay and other places with a
and dauncing very merily sâill crying Agâiâze which in their tongue signifieth Miââh and Safetie How our Captaine with fiue Gentlemen and twentie armed men all well in order went to see the towne of Hochelaga and the situation of it Chap. 7. OUr Captaine the next day very earely in the morning hauing very gorgeously attired himselfe caused all his company to be set in order to go to see the towne and haâitacion of those people and a certaine mountaine that is somewhat neere the citie with whom went also fiue Gentlemen and twentie Mariners leauing the rest to keepe and loâke to our boates we tooke with vs three men of Hochelaga to bring vs to the place All along as we went we found the way as well beaten and frequented as can be the faireât and best countrey that possibly can be seene full of as goodly great Okes as are in any wood in Frââce vnder which the ground was all couered ouer with faire Aâornes After we had gone about foure or fiue miles we met by the way one of the chiefest Lords of the citie accompanied with many mââ who so soâne as he sawe vs beckned and made signes vpon vs that we must rest vs in that place where they had made a great fire and so we did After that we had rested our selues there a while the said Lord began to make a long discourse euen as we haue saide aboue they are accustomed to doe in signe of mirth and friendship shewing our Captaine and all his company a ioyfull countenance and good will who gaue him two hatâhets a paire of kniues and a crosse which he made him to kisse and then put it about his necke for which he gaue our Captaine heartie thankes This done we went along and about a mile and a halfe fartherâ we began to âââde goodly and large fieldes full of such corne as the countrie yeeldeth It is euen as the Millet of Bresil as great and somewhat bigger then small pâason wherewith they liue euen as we doe with ours In the midst of those fields is the citie of Hochelaga placeâ neere and as it were ioyned to a great mountaine that is âused round about very fertill on the top of which you may see very farreâ we named it Mount Roiall The câââe of Hochelaga is round compassed about with timber wiââ three course of Rampires one within another framed like a sharpe Spire but laide acrosse abouâ The middlemosâ of them is made and built as a direct line but perpendicular The Rampires are framed and fashioned wiâh peeces of timber lââd âlong on the ground very well and cunningly ioyned togither after their fashion This enclosure is in height about two rods It hath but one gâtâ or eâtrie thereat which is shut with piles stakes and barres Ouer it and also in many places of the wall there be places to runne along and ladders to get vp all full of stones for the defence of it There are in the towne about fiftie houses about fiftie paces long and twelue or fifteene âroad built all of wood couered ouer with the barke of the wood as broad as any boord very fiâely and cunningly ioyned togither Within the said houses there are many roomes lodgings and chambers In the middest of euery one there is a great Court in the middle whereof they make their fire They liue in common togither then doe the husbands wiues and children each one retire themselues to their chambers They haue also on the top of their houses certaine garreâs wherein they keepe their corne to make their bread withall they call it Carraconny which they make as hereafter shall follow They haue certaine peeces of wood made hollow like those whereon we beat our hempe and with certaine beetles of wood they beat their corne to powder then they make paste of it anâ of the paste cakes or wreathes then they lay them on a broad and hote stone and then couer it with hote stones and so they bake their bread in stead of Ouens They make also sundry sorts of pottage with the said corne and also of pease and of beanes whereof they haue great store as also with other fruits as Muske-Millions and very great Cowcumbers They haue also in their houses certaine vessels as bigge as any But or Tun wherein they preserue and keepe their fish causing the same in sommer to be dried in the sunne and liue therewith in winter whereof they make great prouision as we by experience haue seene All their viands and meates are without any tast or sauour of salt at all They sleepe vpon barkes of trees laide all along vpon the ground being ouer-spread with the skinnes of certaine wilde Beastes wherewith they also cloth and couer themselues The thing most precious that they haue in all the world they call Esurgny it is as white as any snow they take it in the said riuer of Cornibotz in the maner folowing When any one hath deserued death or that they take any of their enemies in Warres first they kill him then with certaine kniues they giue great slashes and strokes vpon their buttocks flankes thighs and shoulders then they cast the same bodie so mangled downe to the bottome of the riuer in a place where the said Esurgny is and there leaue it ten or 12 houres then they taken vp againe and in the cuts find the said Esurgny or Cornibotz Of them they make beads and weare them about thâiâ necks euen as we doe chaânes of gold and siluer accounting it the preciousest thing in the world They haue this vertue and propertie in them they will stop or stanch bleeding at the nose for we haue prooued it These people are giuen to no other exercise but onely to husâanârâe and fishing for their sustenance they haue no care of any other wealth or commoditie in this world for they haue no knowledge of it and that is because they neuer trauell and go out of their countrey as those of Canada and Saguenay doe albeit the Canadians with eight or nââe Uillages more alongât that riuer be subiects vnto them How we came to the Towne of Hochelaga and the entertainement which there we had and of certaine gifts which our Captaine gaue them with diuers other things Chap. 8. SO soone as we were come neere the Towne a great number of the inhabitants thereof came to present themselues before vs after their fashion making very much of vs we were by our guides brought into the middest of the towne They haue in the middlemost part of their houses a large square place being from side to side a good stones cast whither we were brought and there with signes were commanded to stay theâ suddenly all the women and maidens of the Towne gathered themselues together part of which had their armes full of young children and as many as could came to rubbe our faces our armes and what part of the bodie soeuer they could touch weâping
where we had nothing in the world to eate but pottage of Sassafras leaues the like whereof for a meate was neuer vsed before as I thinke The broad sound wee had to passe the next day all fresh and fasting that day the winde blew so strongly and the billow so great that there was no possibilitie of passage without sinking of our boates This was vpon Easter eue which was fasted very truely Upon Easter day in the morning the winde comming very calme we entred the sound and by foure of the clocke we were at Chipanum whence all the Sauages that we had left there were fled but their weares did yeelde vs some fish as God was pleased not vtterly to suffer vs to be lost for some of our company of the light horsemen were farre spent The next morning wee arriued at our home Roanoak I haue set downe this Uoyage somewhat particularly to the ende it may appeare vnto you as true it is that there wanted no great good will from the most to the least amongst vs to haue perfited this discouerie of the Mine for that the discouery of a good Mine by the goodnesse of God or a passage to the South-sea or some way to it and nothing else can bring this Countrey in request to be inhabited by our nation And with the discouery of either of the two aboue shewed it will bee the most sweete and healthfullest climate and therewithall the most fertile soyle being manured in the world and then will Sassafras and many other rootes and gummes there found make good marchandise and lading for shipping which otherwise of themselues will not be worth the fetching Prouided also that there be found out a better harborough then yet there is which must be to the Northward if any there bee which was mine intention to haue spent this Summer in the search of and of the Mine of Chawnis Temoatan the one I would haue done if the barkes that I should haue had of Sir Francis Drake by his honourable courtesie had not bene driuen away by storme the other if your supply of more men and some other necessaries had come to vs in any conuenient sufficiencie For this riuer of Moratico promiseth great things and by the opinion of of M. Hariots the head of it by the description of the Countrey either riseth from the bay of Mexico or els from very neere vnto the same that openeth out into the South sea And touching the Minerall thus doeth M. Youghan affirme that though it be but copper seeing the Sauages are able to melt it it is one of the richest Minerals in the world Wherefore a good harborough found to the Northward as before is saide and from thence foure dayes ouerland to the Riuer of Choanoak sconses being raised from whence againe ouer-land through the prouince of Choanoak one dayes voyage to the first towne of the Mangoaks vp the Riuer of Moratico by the way as also vpon the said Riuer for the defence of our boats like sconses being set in this course of proceeding you shall cleare your selfe from al those dangers and broad shallow sounds before mentioned and gaine within foure dayes trauell into the heart of the maine 200. miles at the least and so passe your discouery into that most notable countrey and to the likeliest parts of the maine with farre greater felicitie then otherwise can bee performed Thus Sir I haue though simply yet truely set downe vnto you what my labour with the rest of the gentlemen and poore men of our company not without both paine and perill which the Lord in his mercy many wayes deliuered vs from could yeeld vnto you which might haue bene performed in some more perfection if the Lord had bene pleased that onely that which you had prouided for vs had at the first bene left with vs or that hee had not in his eternall prouidence now at the last set some other course in these things then the wisedome of man coulde looke into which truely the carying away by a most strange vnlooked for storme of all our prouision with Barks Master Mariners and sundry also of mine owne company al hauing bene so courteously supplied by the generall Sir Francis Drake the same hauing bene most sufficient to haue performed the greatest part of the premisses must euer make me to thinke the hand of God onely for some his good purpose to my selfe yet vnknowen to haue bene in the matter The second part touching the conspiracie of Pemisapan the discouery of the same and at the last of our request to depart with Sir Francis Drake for England ENsenore a Sauage father to Pemisapan being the onely friend to our nation that we had amongst them and about the King died the 20. of April 1586. He alone had before opposed himselfe in their consultations against all matters proposed against vs which both the King and all the rest of them after Grangemoes death were very willing to haue preferred And he was not onely by the meere prouidence of God during his life a meane to saue vs from hurt as poysonings and such like but also to doe vs very great good and singularly in this The King was aduised and of himselfe disposed as a ready meane to haue assuredly brought vs to ruine in the moneth of March 1586. himselfe also with all his Sauages to haue runne away from vs and to haue left his ground in the Iland vnsowed which if hee had done there had bene no possibilitie in common reason but by the immediate hande of God that wee coulde haue bene preserued from staruing out of hande For at that time wee had no weares for fish neither coulde our men skill of the making of them neither had wee one graine of Corne for seede to put into the ground In mine absence on my voyage that I had made against the Chaonists and Mangoaks they had raised a brute among themselues that I and my company were part slaine and part starued by the Chaonists and Mangoaks One part of this tale was too true that I and mine were like to be starued but the other false Neuerthelesse vntill my returne iâ tooke such effect in Pernisapans breast and in those against vs that they grew not onely into contempt of vs but also contrary to their former reuerend opinion in shew of the Almightie God of heauen and Iesus Christ whom wee serue and worship whom before they would acknowledge and confesse the only God now they began to blaspheme and flatly to say that our Lorde God was not God since hee suffered vs to sustaine much hunger and also to be killed of the Renapoaks for so they call by that generall name all the inhabitants of the whole maine of what prouince soeuer Insomuch as olde Ensenore neither any of his fellowes could for his sake haue no more credite for vs and it came so farre that the king was resolued to haue presently gone away as is aforesaid But euen in the
of you to vnderstand that for the present and speedy supply of certaine our knowen and apparant lackes and needes most requisite and necessary for the good and happy planting of vs or any other in this land of Virginia wee all of one minde consent haue most earnestly intreated and vncessantly requested Iohn White Gouernour of the planters in Virginia to passe into England for the better and more assured help and setting forward of the foresayd supplies and knowing assuredly that he both can best and wil labour and take paines in that behalfe for vs all and he not onee but often refusing it for our sekes and for the honour maintenance of the action hath at last though much against his will through our importunacie yeelded to leaue his gouernement and all his goods among vs and himselfe in all our behalfes to passe into England of whose knowledge and fidelitie in handling this matter as all others we doe assure our selues by these presents and will you to giue all credite thereunto the 25 of August 1587. The Gouernour being at the last through their extreame intreating constrayned to returne into England hauing then but halfe a dayes respite to prepare himselfe for the same departed from Roanoak the seuen and twentieth of August in the morning and the same day about midnight came aboord the Flieboat who already had weyed anker and rode without the barre the Admirall riding by them who but the same morning was newly come thither againe The same day both the ships weyed anker and set saile for England at this weying their ankers twelue of the men which were in the Flyboate were throwen from the Capstone which by meanes of a barre that brake came so fast about vpon them that the other two barres thereof strooke and hurt most of them so sore that some of them neuer recouered it neuerthelesse they assayed presently againe to wey their anker but being so weakened with the first sling they were not able to weye it but were throwen downe and hurt the second time Wherefore hauing in all but fifteene men aboord and most of them by this vnfortunate beginning so bruised and hurt they were forced to cut their Cable and leese their anker Neuerthelesse they kept company with the Admirall vntil the seuenteenth of September at which time wee fell with Coruo and sawe Flores September THe eighteenth perceiuing of all our fifteene men in the Flyboate there remained but fiue which by meanes of the former mischance were able to stand to their labour and that the the Admirall meant not to make any haste for England but to linger about the Island of Tercera for purchase the Flyboate departed for England with letters where we hoped by the help of God to arriue shortly but by that time we had continued our course homeward about twenty dayes hauing had sometimes scarse and variable windes our fresh water also by leâking almost consumed there arose a storme at Northeast which for sixe dayes ceased not to blowe so exceeding that we were driuen further in those sixe then we could recouer in thirteene daies in which time others of our saylers began to fall very sicke and two of them dyed the weather also continued so close that our Mastâr sometimes in foure dayes together could see neither sunne nor starre and all the beuerage we could make with stinking water dregs of beere and lees of wine which remayned was but three gallons and therefore now we expected nothing but famine to perish at Sea October THe 16 of October we made land but we knowe not what land it was bearing in with the same land at that day about sunne set we put into a harbour where we found a Hulke of Dublin and a pinnesse of Hampton riding but we knew not as yet what place this was neither had we any boate to goe ashore vntill the pinnesse sent off their boate to vs with 6 or 8 men of whom we vnderstood wee were in Smerwick in the West parts of Ireland they also releeued vs presently with fresh water wine and other fresh meate The 18 the Gouernour and the Master ryd to Dingen a Cushe 5 miles distant to take order for the new victualing of our Flieboate for England and for reliefe of our sicke and hurt men but within foure daies after the Boatswain the Steward and the Boatswains mate died aboord the Flieboat and the 28 the Masters mate and two of our chiefe sailers were brought sicke to Dingen Nouember THe first the Gouernour shipped himselfe in a ship called the Monkie which at that time was ready to put to sea from Dingen for England leauing the Flyboat and all his companie in Ireland The same day we set sayle and on the third day we fell with the North side of the lands end and were shut vp the Seuerne but the next day we doubled the same for Mounts Bay The 5 the Gouernour landed in England at Martasew neere Saint Michaels mount in Cornewall The 8 we arriued at Hampton where we vnderstood that our consort the Admiral was come to Portsmouth and had bene there three weekes before and also that Ferdinando the Master with all his company were not onely come home without any purchase but also in such weaknesse by sicknesse and death of their chiefest men that they were scarse able to bring their ship into harbour but were forced to let fall anker without which they could not wey againeâ but might all haue perished there if a small barke by great hap had not come to them to helpe them The names of the chiefe men that died are these Roger Large Iohn Mathew Thomas Smith and some other saylers whose names I knew not at the writing hereof An. Dom. 1587. The names of all the men women and children which safely arriued in Virginia and remained to inhabite there 1587. Anno regni Reginae Elizabethâ 29. IOhn White Roger Baily Ananias Dare. Christopher Cooper Thomas Steuens Iohn Sampson Dyonis Haruie Roger Prat. George How Simon Fernando Nicholas Iohnson Thomas Warner Anthony Cage Iohn Iones William Willes Iohn Brooke Cutbert White Iohn Bright Clement Tayler William Sole Iohn Cotsmur Humfrey Newton Thomas Colman Thomas Gramme Marke Bennet Iohn Gibbes Iohn Stilman Robert Wilkinson Iohn Tydway Ambrose Viccars Edmond English Thomas Topan Henây Berry Richard Berry Iohn Spendloue Iohn Hemmington Thomas Butler Edward Powell Iohn Burden Iames Hynde Thomas Ellis William Browne Michael Myllet Thomas Smith Richard Kemme Thomas Harris Richard Tauerner Iohn Earnest Henry Iohnson Iohn Starte Richard Darige William Lucas Arnold Archard Iohn Wright William Dutton Mauris Allen. William Waters Richard Arthur Iohn Chapman William Clemenâ Robert Little Hugh Tayler Richard Wildye Lewes Wotton Michael Bishop Henry Browne Henry Rufoote Richard Tomkins Henry Dorrell Charles Florrie Henry Mylton Henry Paine Thomas Harris William Nichols Thomas Pheuens Iohn Borden Thomas Scot. Peter Little Iohn Wyles Brian Wyles George Martyn Hugh Pattenson Martin Sutton Iohn Farre
some blood vpon them for a token of their victories But seeing no signe thereof vpon it he was vpon the point to say vnto him that he had killed none of the men of Thimogoa when as Vasseur preuenting that which hee might obiect declared and shewed vnto him by signes the maner of his enterprise adding that by reason of the two Indians which he had slaine his sword was so bloudy that hee was inforced to wash and make it cleane a long while in the Riuer which the olde man beleeued to be like to be true and made no maner of replie thereunto Vasseur La Caille and their other companions went out of the hal to go into the roome whither they had carried the Indian there they found the Paracoussy sitting vpon tapistries made of small reedes which was at meate after the Indian fashion and the Indian that was smitten hard by him lying vpon the selfe same tapistry about whom stoode the wife of the Paracousây with all the young damsels which before bewailed him in the hall which did nothing else but warme a great deale of mosse in stead of napkins to rub the Indians side Hereupon our men asked the Paracousây againe for what occasion the Indian was so persecuted in his presence hee answered that this was nothing else but a kinde of ceremonie whereby they would call to minde the death and persecutions of the Paracoussies their ancestours executed by their enemie Thimogoa alleaging moreouer that as often as he himselfe or any of his friends and allies returned from the Countrey whithout they brought the heads of their enemies or without bringing home some prisoner hee vsed for apârpetuall memorie of all his predecessors to beate the best beloued of all his children with the selfe same weapons wherewith they had bene killed in times past to the ende that by renewing of the wound their death should be lamentâd afresh Now wheÌ they were thus informed of those ceremonies they thanked the Paracoussy for their good intertainement which they had receiued so setting saile came to me vnto the fort where they declared all vnto me as I haue recited it heretofore The eight and twentieth of Iuly our shippes departed to returne into France And within a while about two moneths after our arriuall in Florida the Paracoussy Satourioua sent certaine Indians vnto mee to knowe whether I would stande to my promise which I had made him at my first arriuall in that Countrey which was that I would shewe my selfe friend to his friendes and enemie vnto his enemies and also to accompany him with a good number of Harquebuzes when he should see it expedient and should finde a fit occasion to goe to warre Now seeing he rested vpon this promise he prayed mee not to deferre the same seeing also that making accompt thereof hee had taken such good order for the execution of his enterprise that he was ready and was furnished with all things that were necessary for the voyage I made him answere that for his amitie I would not purchase the enmitie of the other and that albeit I would yet notwithstanding I wanted meanes to doe it For it behoued mee at that present to make prouision of victuals and munition for the defence of my Fort. On the other side that my Barkes were nothing ready and that this enterprise would require time Moreouer that the Paracoussy Satourioua might holde himselfe ready to depart within two moneths and that then I would thinke of fulfilling my promise to him The Indians caried this answere to their Paracoussy which was litle pleased with it because hee could not deferre his execution or expedition aswell because all his victuals were ready as also because tenne other Paracoussies were assembled with him for the performance of this enterprise The ceremonie which this Sauage vsed before hee embarked his armie deserueth not to be forgotten For when hee was set downe by the Riuers side being compassed about with ten other Paracoussies hee commaunded water to be brought him speedily This done looking vp into heauen he fell to discourse of diuers things with gestures that shewed him to be in exceeding great choller which made him one while shake his head hither and thither and by and by with I wote not what furie to turne his face toward the Countrey of his enemies and to threaten to kill them Hee oftentimes looked vpon the Sunne praying him to graunt him a glorious victory of his enemies Which when hee had done by the space of halfe an houre hee sprinkled with his hand a little of the water which hee helde in a vessell vpon the heads of the Paracoussies and cast the rest as it were in a rage and despite into a fire which was there prepared for the purpose This done hee cried out thrise He Thimogoa and was followed with fiue hundreth Indians at the least which were there assembled which cried all with one voyce He Thimogoa This ceremonie as a certaine Indian tolde mee familiarly signified nothing else but that Satourioua besought the Sunne to graunt vnto him so happy a victory that hee might shed his enemies blood as he had shed that water at his pleasure Moreouer that the Paracoussies which were sprinckled with a part of that water might returne with the heads of their enemies which is the onely and chiefe triumph of their victories The Paracoussy Satourioua had no sooner ended his ceremonies and had taken a viewe of all his company but he embarked himselfe and vsed such diligence with his Almadies or boates that the next day two houres before the Sunnes set he arriued on the territories of his enemies about eight or tenne leagues from their villages Afterward causing them all to goe on land hee assembled his counsell wherein it was agreed that fiue of the Paracoussies should saile vp the Riuer with halfe of the troupes and by the breake of the day should approche vnto the dwelling of their enemie for his owne part that hee would take his iourney through the woods and forrests as secretly as hee coulde that when they were come thither as well they that went by water as hee which went by land should not faile by the breake of the day to enter into the village and cut them all in pieces except the women and little children These things which were thus agreed vpon were executed with as great fury as was possible which when they had done they tooke the heades of their enemies which they had slaine and cut off their haire round about with a piece of their skulles they tooke also foure and twentie prisoners which they led away and retired themselues immediatly vnto their Boates which wayted for them Being come thither they beganne to singe praises vnto the Sunne to whom they attributed their victorie And afterwards they put the skins of those heads on the end of their âauelings and went altogether toward the territories of Paracoussy Omoloa one
Wherupon our souldiers vtterly impatient were oftentimes ready to cut them in pieces and to make them pay the price of their foolish arrogancie Notwithstanding considering the importance hereof I tooke paines to appease the impatient souldier for I would not by any meanes enter into question with the Sauages it suffâsed me to delay the time Wherefore I deuised to send vnto Vtina to pray him to deale so farre foorth with his subiects as to succour me with mast and maiz which he did very sparingly sending me 12 or 15 baskets of mast and two of pinocks which are a kind of little greene fruits which grow among the weedes in the riuer and are as big as cheries yea this was not but by giuing of them in exchange twise as much marchandise and apparell as they were worth For the subiectes of Vtina perceiued euidently the necessitie wherein we were began to vse the like speech vnto vs as the others did as it is commonly seene that neede altereth mens affections While these things were in doing a certain breathing space presented it selfe for Vtina gaue me to vnderstand that there was a king his subiect whose name was Astina which he determined to take prisoner and to chastise him for his disobedience that for this cause if I would giue him aide with a certaine number of my souldiers he would bring them to the village of Astina where there was meanes to recouer mast and maiz In the meane season he excused himselfe vnto me because he had sent me no more maiz and sent me word that the little store that he had left was scarsely sufficient for his seede-corne Now being somewhat relieued as I thought by the hope which I had of this offer I would not faile to send him the men which he desired of me which neuerthelesse were very euill intreated for he deceiued them and in stead of leading them against Astina he caused them to march against his other enemies My Lieutenant which had the charge of this enterprise with Captaine Vasseur and my Sergeant was determined to be reuenged of Vtina and to cut him in pieces his people and had it not bene that they feared to do any thing against my wil without all doubt they would haue put their enterprise in execution Therfore they would not passe any further without aduertising me thereof Wherefore being come backe againe vnto the Fort angry pricked deepely to the quicke for being so mocked they made their coÌplaints vnto me declaring vnto me that they were almost dead for hunger They told the whole matter to the rest of the souldiers which were very glad that they had not entred into that action resolued assembling themselues againe together to let me vnderstand that they did persist in their first deliberation which was to punish the boldnesse and maliciousnes of the Sauages which they could no longer endure were determined to take one of their kings prisoner which thing I was enforced to grant vnto them to y e end to auoid a greater mischiefe and the sedition which I foresaw would ensue if I had made refusall thereof For sayd they what occasion haue you to deny vs considering the necessitie wherein we are and the small account that they make of vs. Shall it not be lawfull for vs to punish them for the wrongs which they doe vnto vs besides that we know apparantly how little they respect vs Is not this sufficient although there were no necessitie at all since they thus delude vs and haue broken promise with vs After I had therefore resolued with them to seaze on the person of Vtina which besides that he had giuen vs occasion hereof was also most able to help vs to recouer victuals I departed with fiftie of my best souldiers all embarked in two Barkes we arriued in the dominions of Vtina distant from our Fort about 40 or 50 leagues then going on shore we drew towards his village situated 6 great leagues from the riuer where we tooke him prisoner howbeit not without great cries and alarmes and led him away in our barkes hauing first signified vnto his Father in law and his chiefe subiects that in that I had taken him it was not for any desire that I had to doe him any harme but onely to relieue my necessitie and want of victuals which oppressed me and that in case they would helpe me to some I would find meanes to set him againe at libertie that in the meane space I would retire my selfe into my Barkes for I feared least they would there assemble themselues together and that some mischiefe might thereof insue where I would stay for him two dayes to receiue his answere notwithstanding that my meaning was not to haue any thing without exchange of marchandise This they promised they would doe And in very deede the very same euening his wife accompanied with all the women of the village came vnto the Riuers brinke and cryed vnto me to enter into the barke to see her husband and her sonne which I held both prisoners I discouered the next day fiue or siâe hundred Indian archers which drew neere vnto the riuer side and came to me to signifie vnto me how that during the absence of their king their enemie Potanou bâing thereof aduertised was entred into their village and had set all on fire They prayed me that I would succour them neuerthelesse in the meane while they had one part of their troope in ambush with intent to set vpon me if I had come on land which was easie for mee to discerne For seeing that I refused so to doe they greatly doubted that they were discouered and sought by all meanes to remooue out of my minde that euill opinion which I had conceiued of them They brought mee therefore fish in their little boates and of their meale of Mast they made also of their drinke which they call cassine which they sent to Vtina and me Now albeit I had gotten this point of them that I held their king prisoner yet neuerthelesse I could not get any great quantitie of victuals for the present the reason was because they thought that after I had drawen victuals from them I would put their king to death For they measured my will according to their custome whereby they put to death all the men prisoners that they take in warre And thus being out of all hope of his libertie they assembled themselues in the great house and hauing called all the people together they proposed the election of a new King at which time the Father in lawe of Vtina set one of the kings young sonnes vpon the Royall throne and tooke such paynes that euery man did him homage by the maior part of the voyces This election had like to haue bene the cause of great troubles among them For there was a kinsman of the kings neere adioyning which pretended a Title to the kingdome and in
word that since his departure from me hee neuer had found the Indians in any lye for euen vnto that very place he had found al in such maner as they had informed him hoped that he should find the like at his arriuall in the valley which he was going vnto as he had found in the villages before passed I set vp crosses and vsed those acts and ceremonies which were to be done according to my instructions The inhabitants requested me to stay here three or foure daies because that from this place there were foure dayes iourney vnto the desert and from the first entrance into the same desert vnto the citie of Ceuola are 15 great dayes iourney more also that they would prouide victuals for me and other necessaries for that voyage Likewise they told me that with Stephan the Negro were gone aboue 300 men to beare him company and to carry victuals after him and that in like sort many of them would go with me to serue me because they hoped to returne home rich I thanked them and willed them to set things in order with speede and so I rested there three dayes wherein I alwayes informed my selfe of Ceuola and of as many other things as I could learne and called many Indians vnto mee and examined them seuerally and all of them agreed in one tale and told me of the great multitude of people and of the order of the streetes of the greatnesse of the houses and of the strength of the gates agreeing altogether with that which the rest before had told me After three dayes many assembled themselues to go with me 30 of the principal of whom I tooke being very well apparelled and with chaines of turqueses which some of them weare fiue or sixe times double other people to cary things necessary for them and me and so set forward on my voyage Thus I entred into the second desert on the 9 of May and trauelled the first day by a very broad and beaten way we came to diner vnto a water where the Indians had made prouision for me and at night we came to another water where I found a house which they had fully made vp for me and another house stood made where Stephan lodged when he passed that way and many old cottages and many signes of fire which the people had made that trauelled to Ceuola by this way In this sort I trauelled 12 dayes iourney being alway well prouided of victuals of wild beasts Hares and Partridges of the same colour and tast with those of Spaine although they are not so big for they be somewhat lesse Here met vs an Indian the sonne of one of the chiefe men that accompanied mee which had gone before with Stephan who came in a great fâight hauing his face and body all couered with sweat and shewing exceeding sadnesse in his countenance and he told mee that a dayes iourney before Stephan came to Ceuola he sent his great Mace made of a gourd by his messengers as he was alwayes woont to send them before him that hee might knowe in what sort hee came vnto them which gourd had a string of belles vpon it and two feathers one white and another red in token that he demanded safe conduct and that he came peaceably And when they came to Ceuola before the Magistrate which the Lord of the citie had placed there for his Lieutenant they deliuered him the sayde great gourd who tooke the same in his hands and after he had spyed the belles in a great rage and fury hee cast it to the ground and willed the messengers to get them packing with speed for he knew well ynough what people they were and that they should will them in no case to enter into the citie for if they did hee would put them all to death The messengers returned and tolde Stephan how things had passed who answered them that it made no great matter and would needes proceed on his voyage till he came to the citie of Ceuola where he found men that would not let him enter into the towne but shut him into a great house which stoode without the citie and straight way tooke all things from him which hee caried to truck and barter with them and certaine turqueses and other things which he had receiued of the Indians by the way and they kept him there all that without giuing him meate or drinke and the next day in the morning this Indians was a thirst and went out of the house to drinke at a riuer that was neere at hand and within little while after he saw Stephan running away and the people followed him and slew certaine of the Indians which went in his company And when this Indian saw these things he hid himselfe on the banks of the riuer and afterward crossed the high way of the desert The Indians that went with me hearing these newes began incontinently to lament and I thought these heauie and bad newes would cost mee my life neither did I feare so much the losse of mine owne life as that I should not bee able to returne to giue information of the greatnesse of that Countrey where our Lord God might be glorified and streight way I cut the cords of my budgets which I carried with me ful of merchandise for traffique which I would not deceââââhân nor giue any thing to any mau and began to diuide all that I carried with mee aââ ãâã principall men willing them not to be afraid but to goe forward with me and so they ãâã And going on our way within a dayes iourney of Ceuola wee met two other Indians of these which went with Stephan which were bloody and wounded in many places and assoone as they came to vs they which were with mee began to make great lamentation These woundâd Indians I alââd âor Stephan and they agreeing in all poynts with the first Indian sayd that after they haâ put him into the foresayd great house without giuinâ him meat or drinke all that day and all that night they ââoke from Stephan all the things which hee carried with him The next day when the Sunne was a lancâ high Stephan went out of âhe house and some of the chââfe men with him and suddenly came ââore of people from the citie whom assoone as hee sawe he began to run away and we likewise and foorthwith they shot at vs and wounded vs and certaine dead men fell âpon vs and sowe ây till night and durst not âââre and we heard great rumours in the citie and saw many men and women keeping watch and ward vpon the walles thereof and after this we could not see Stephan any more and wee thinke they haue shot him to death as theâ haue done all the rest which went with him so that none are escaped but we onely Chap. 5. The situation and greatnesse of the Citie of Ceuola and how frier Marcus tooke posââsliââ thereof and of other prouinces calling
these townes they found a pie in a cage after the maner of Castile and certaine shadowes or canopies like vnto those which are brought from China wherein were painted the Sunne the Moone and many Starres Where hauing taken the height of the pole-starre they found themselues to be in 37 degrees and ½ of Northerly latitude They departed out of this prouince and keeping still the same NORTHERLY course foureteene leagues from thence they found another prouince called The Cunames where they saw other fiue townes the greatest whereof was called Cia being so large that it conteined eight market-places the houses whereof being plaistered and painted with diuers colours were better then any which they had seene in the prouinces before mentioned the people which they heere saw they esteemed to be aboue twenty thousand persons They presented to our men many curious mantles and victuals excellently well dressed so that our men deemed this nation to be more curious and of greater ciuility and better gouernment then any other that hitherto they had seene They shewed them rich metals and the mountaines also not farre off whereout they digged them Heere our people heard of another prouince standing toward the Northwest wherevnto they purposed to goe Hauing trauelled about sixe leagues they came to the sayd prouince the people whereof were called Ameies wherin were seven very great townes conteining to their iudgement aboue thirty thousand soules They reported that one of the seuen townes was very great and faire which our men would not go to see both because it stood behinde a mountaine and also for feare of some mishappe if in case they should be separated one from another This people are like vnto their neighbours of the former prouince being as well prouided of all necessaries as they and of as good gouernment About fifteene leagues from this prouince trauelling alwayes toward the West they found a great towne called Acoma conteining aboue sixe thousand persons and situate vpon an high rocke which was aboue fifty paces hie hauing no other entrance but by a ladder or paire of staires he wen into the same rocke whereat our people maruelled not a little all the water of this towne was kept in cisternes The chiefe men of this towne came peaceably to visit the Spanyards bringing them many mantles and chamois-skinnes excellently dressed and great plenty of victuals Their corne-fields are two leagues from thence and they fetch water out of a small riuer nere thereunto to water the same on the brinks whereof they saw many great banks of Roses like those of Castile Here are many mountaines that beare shewes of mettals but they went not to see them because the Indians dwelling vpon them are many in number and very warlike Our men remained in this place three dayes vpon one of the which the inhabitants made before them a very solemne dance comming foorth in the same with gallant apparell vsing very witty sports wherewith our men were exceedingly delighted Twenty foure leagues from hence toward the West they came to a certaine prouince called by the inhabitants themselues Zuny by the Spanyards Cibola containing great numbers of Indians in which prouince Francisco Vazquez de Coronado had bene and had erected many crosses and other tokens of Christianity which remained as yet standing Heere also they found three Indian Christians which had remained there euer since the said iourny whose names were Andrew de Culiacan Gaspar de Mexico and Antonio de Guadalajara who had almost forgotten their owne language but could speake that countrey speech very well howbeit after some small conference with our men they easily vnderstood one another By these three Indians they were informed that threescore dayes iourney from this place there was a very mighty lake vpon the bankes where of stood many great and good townes and that the inhabitants of the same had plenty of golde an euident argument wherof was their wearing of golden bracelets earrings and also that after the sayd Francis Vasquez de Coronado had perfect intelligence thereof hee departed out of this prouince of Cibola to goe thither and that hauing proceeded twelue dayes iourney he began to want water and thereupon determined to returne as he did indeed with intention to make a second voyage thither at his better opportunity which afterward he performed not being preuented of his determined iourney by death Upon the newes of these riches the sayd Captaine Antony de Espcio was desirous to go thither and though some of his companions were of his opinion yet the greater part and the frier were of the contrary saying that it was now high time to returne home vnto New Biscay from whence they came to giue account of that which they had seene which the sayd greater part within few dayes put in execution leauing the captaine with nine companions onely that willingly followed him who after hee had fully certified himselfe of the riches abouesayd and of the great quantity of excellent mettals that were about that lake departed out of this prouince of Cibola with his companions and trauelling directly toward the West after hee had passed 28 leagues he fouÌd another very great prouince which by estimation conteined aboue 50000 soules the inhabitants whereof assoone as they vnderstood of their approch sent them word vpon paine of death to come no neerer to their townes whereto the captaine answered that their comming was in no wise to hurt them as they should well perceiue and therefore requested them not to molest him in his intended voyage and withall gaue to the messenger are ward of such things as they brought with them who there upon made so good report of our people and so appeased the troubled minds of the Indians that they granted them free accesse vnto their townes and so they went thither with 15. Indians their friends of the prouince of Cibola aforesaid and the three Mexican Indians before mentioned When they were come within a league of the first towne there came forth to meete them aboue 2000. Indians laden with victuals whom the Captaine rewarded with some things of small value which they made great accompt of and esteemed more precious then gold As they approched neere vnto the towne which was named Zaguato a great multitude of Indians came forth to meete them and among the rest their Caçiques with so great demonstration of ioy and gladnes that they cast much meale of Maiz vpon the ground for the horses to tread vpon with this triumph they entred the towne where they were very wel lodged and much made of which the Captaine did in part requite giuing to the chiefest among them hats and beads of glasse with many such trifles which he caried with him for the like purpose The said Caçiques presently gaue notice to the whole prouince of the arriual of these new guests whom they reported to bee a courteous people and such as offered
come in that order did perswade vs to submit and yeelde our selues vnto them for being naked as we at this time were and without weapon we could not make any resistance whose bidding we obeied and vpon the yeelding of our selues they perceiued vs to be Christians and did call for more Canoas and caried vs ouer by foure and foure in a boaââ and being come on the other side they vnderstanding by our captaine how long we had bene without meate imparted between two and two a loafe of bread made of that countrey wheat which the Spaniards call Maiz of the bignesse of our halfepenie loaues which bread is named in the Indian tongue Clashacally This bread was very sweete and pleasant vnto vs for we had not eaten any in a long time before and what is it that hunger doth not make to haue a sauory and a delicate taste And hauing thus parted the bread amongst vs those which were men they sent afore to the towne hauing also many Indians inhabitants of that place to garde them they which were yong as boyes and some such also as were feeble they tooke vp vpon their horses behind thâm and so caried vs to the towne where they dwelt which was very neere distant a mile from the place where we came ouer This towne is well situated and well replenished with all kindes of fruits as Orenges Limons Pomegranates Apricoks and Peaches and sundry others and is inhabited with a great number of tame Indians or Mexicans and had in it also at that time about the number of two hundred Spaniards men women and children besides Negros Of their Salines which lie vpon the West side of the riuer more then a mile distant from thence they make a great profit for it is an excellent good merchandize there the Indians doe buy much thereof and carie it vp into the countrey and there sell it to their owne countrey people in doubling the price Also much of the Salt made in this place is transported from thence by sea to sundry other places as to Cuba S. Iohn de Vllua and the other ports of Tamiago and Tamachos which are two barred hauens West and by South aboue threescore leagues from S. Iohn de Vllua When we were all come to the towne the Gouernour there shewed himselfe very seuere vnto vs and threatned to hang vs all and then he demanded what money wee had which in trueth was very little for the Indians which we first met withall had in a maner taken all from vs and of that which they left the Spaniards which brought vs ouer tooke away a good part also howbeit from Anthony Godard the Gouernour here had a chaine of gold which was giuen vnto him at Carthagena by the Gouernour there and from others he had some small store of money so that wee accounted that amongst vs all he had the number of fiue hundred Pezos besides the chaine of gold And hauing thus satisfied himselfe when he had taken all that we had he caused vs to be put into a little house much like a hogstie where we were almost smoothered and before we were thus shut vp into that little coat they gaue vs some of the countrey wheate called Mayz sodden which they feede their hogs withall But many of our men which had bene hurt by the Indians at our first comming on land whose wounds were very sore and grieuous desired to haue the helpe of their Surgeons to cure their wounds The gouernour and most of them all answered that wee should haue none other Surgeon but the hangman which should sufficiently heale vs of all our griefes and thus reuiling vs and calling vs English dogs and Lutheran heretikes we remained the space of three dayes in this miserable state not knowing what should become of vs waiting every houre to be bereaued of our liues Chap. 4. Wherin is shewed how we were vsed in Panuco and in what feare of death we were there and how we were caried to Mexico to the Viceroy and of our imprisonment there and at Tescuco with the courtesies and cruelties wee receiued during that time and how in the end wee were by proclamation giuen to serue as slaues to sundry gentlemen Spaniards VPon the fourth day after our comming thither and there remaining in a perplexitie looking euery houre when we should suffer death there came a great number of Indians and Spaniards weaponed to fetch vs out of the house and amongst them wee espied one that brought a great many of new halters at the sight whereof we were greatly amazed and made no other account but that we should presently haue suffered death and so crying and calling to God for mercie and forgiuenesse of our sinnes we prepared our selues making vs ready to die yet in the end as the sequel shewed their meaning was not so for when wee were come out of the house with those halters they bound our armes behind vs and so coupling vs two and two together they commanded vs to march on through the towne and so along the countrey from place to place toward the citie of Mexico which is distant from Panuco West and by South the space of ninetie leagues hauing onely but two Spaniards to conduct vs they being accompanied with a great number of Indians warding on either side with bowes and arrowes lest we should escape from them And trauelling in this order vpon the second day at night we came vnto a towne which the Indians call Nohele and the Spaniards call it Santa Maria in which towne there is a house of white friers which did very courteously vse vs and gaue vs hote meat as mutton and broth and garments also to couer our selues withal made of white bayes we fed very greedily of the meat and of the Indian fruit called Nochole which fruit is long and small much like in fashion to a little cucumber Our greedy feeding caused vs to fall sicke of hote burning agues And here at this place one Thomas Baker one of our men died of a hurt for he had bene before shot with an arrow into the throat at the first incounter The next morrow about ten of the clocke we departed from thence bound two two together and garded as before and so trauailed on our way toward Mexico till we came to a towne within forty leagues of Mexico named Mestitlan where is a house of blacke friers and in this towne there are about the number of three hundred Spaniards both men women and children The friers sent vs meat from the house ready dressed and the friers and the men and women vsed vs very courteously and gaue vs some shirts and other such things as we lacked Here our men were very sicke of their agues and with eating of another fruit called in the Indian tongue Guiaccos which fruit did binde vs so sore that for the space of tenne or twelue dayes we could not ease our selues The next morning we departed from thence with our two
would performe it and thereupon pledges were giuen on both parts Our Generall bearing a godly and Christian minde voyde of fraude and deceit iudged the Spanyards to haue done the like deliuered to them sixe gentlemen not doubting to haue receiued the like from them but the faithlesse Spanyardes in costly apparell gaue of the basest of their company as afterwardes it was well knowen These things finished proclamation was made on both sides that on payne of death no occasion should be giuen whereby any quarel should grow to the breach of the league and then they peaceably entred the port with great triumph on both sides The Spaniards presently brought a great Hulke a ship of sixe hundred and mored her by the side of the Minion and they cut out ports in their other ships planting their ordinance towards vs in the night they filled the Hulke with men to lay the Minion aboord as the sequel did shew which made our General doubtful of their dealings wherefore for that he could speake the Spanish tongue he sent Robert Barret aboord the Vice-roy to knowe his meaning in those dealings who willed him with his company to come in to him whom he commanded presently to be set in the bilbowes and forthwith a Cornet for a watchword among the false Spaniards was sounded for the enterprising of their pretended treason against our Generall whom Augustine de villa noua sitting at dinner with him should then presently haue killed with apoynado which hee had priuily in his sleeue which was espyed and preuented by one Iohn Chamberlayne who tooke the poynado out of his sleeue Our General hastily rose vp and commanded him to be put prisoner in the Stewards roome to be kept with two men The faithlesse Spanyards thinking all things to their desire had bene finished suddenly sounded a Trumpet and therewith three hundred Spaniards entred the Minion whereat our General with a loude and fierce voyce called vnto vs saying God and Saint George vpon those traiterous villaines and rescue the Minion I trust in God the day shal be ours and with that the Mariners souldiers leapt out of the Iesus of Lubeck into the Minion and beat out the Spanyards and with a shot out of her fiered the Spaniards Uice admirall where the most part of 300. Spanyards were spoyled and blowen ouer boord with powder Their Admirall also was on fire halfe an houre we cut our cables wound off our ships and presently fought with them they came vpon vs on euery side and continued the fight from ten of the clocke vntil it was night they killed all our men that were on shore in the Iland sauing three which by swimming got aboord the Iesus of Lubeck ship called the Angel and tooke the Swallow the Spaniards Admirall had aboue threescore shot through her many of his men were spoyled foure other of their ships were sunke There were in that fleete and that came from the shore to rescue them fifteene hundred we sâew of them fiue hundred and fourtie as we were credibly informed by a note that came to Mexico In this fight the Iesus of Lubeck had fiue shotte through her mayne Mast her fore-mast was strooke in sunder vnder the hounds with a chayne shotte and her hull was wonderfully pearced with shorte therefore it was vnpossible to bring her away They set two of their owne Shippes on fire intending therewith to haue burnt the Iesus of Lubeck which we preuented by cutting our cables in the halfe and winding off by our sternefast The Minion was forced to set saile and stand off from vs and come to an anker without shot of the Island Our Generall couragiously cheered vp his souldiers and gunners and called to Samuel his page for a cup of Beere who brought it him in a siluer cup and hee drinking to all men willed the gunners to stand by their Ordinance lustily like men He had no sooner set the cup out of his hand but a demy Culuerin shot stroke away the cup and a Coopers plane that stoode by the maine mast and ranne out on the other side of the ship which nothing dismaid our Generall for he ceased not to incourage vs saying feare nothing for God who hath preserued me from this shot will also deliuer vs from these traitours and villaines Then Captaine Bland meaning to haue turned out of the port had his maine mast stroke ouer boord with a chaineshot that came from the shore wherefore he ankered fired his ship tooke his pinnesse with all his men and came aboord the Iesus of Lubek to our Generall who said vnto him that he thought he would not haue runne away from him he answered that he was not minded to haue run away from him but his intent was to haue turned vp and to haue laid the weathermost ship of the Spanish fleete aboord and fired his ship in hope there with to haue set on fire the Spanish fleete hee said if he had done so he had done well With this night came on Our Generall commanded the Minion for safegard of her masts to be brought vnder the Iesus of Lubecks lee he willed M. Francis Drake to come in with the Iudith and to lay the Minion aboord to take in men and other things needefull and to goe out and so he did At night when the wind came off the shore wee set sayle and went out in despite of the Spanyards and their shot where wee ankered with two ankers vnder the Island the wiâd being Northerly which was wonderfull dangerous and wee feared euery houre to be driuen with the lee shore In the end when the wind came larger we waied anker and set saile seeking the riuer of Panuco for water whereof we had very little and victuals were so scarce that we were driuen to eate hides cats rats parrâts munkies and dogges wherefore our Generall was forced to diuide his company into two parts for there was a mutinie among them for want of victuals and some said that they had rather be on the shore to shift for themselues amongst the enemies then to sterue on ship-boord He asked them who would go on shore and who would tarry on ship-boord those that would goe on shore he willed to goe on foremast and those that would tarrie on bafâ mast fourescore and sixteene of vs were willing to depart Our Generall gaue vnto euery one of vs sixe yards of Roane cloth and money to them that demanded it When we were landed he came vnto vs where friendly imbracing euery one of vs he was greatly grieued that he was forced to leaue vs behind him he counselled vs to serue God and to loue one another and thus courteouâly he gaue vs a sorowful farewell and promised if God sent him safe home he would do what he could that so many of vs as liued should by some means be brought into England so he did Since my returne into England I haue heard that many misliked that he
did so whereupon they returned to the viceroy and told him that we were good Christians and that they liked vs well and then they brought vs much reliefe with clothes our sicke men were sent to their Hospitals where many were cured and many died From the Tanners house we were led to a gentlemans place where vpon paine of death we were charged to abide and not to come into the citie thither we had all things necessary brought vs on Sundayes and holy dayes much people came and brought vs great reliefe The viceroy practised to hang vs and caused a paire of new gallowes to be set vp to haue executed vs wherunto the noblemen of that countrey would not consent but prayed him to stay vntil the ship of aduise brought newes from the king of Spaine what should be done with vs for they said they could not find any thing by vs whereby they might lawfully put vs to death The viceroy then commanded vs to be sent to an Island there by and he sent for the Bishop of Mexico who sent foure priests to the Island to examine and confesse vs who said that the viceroy would burne vs when wee were examined and confessed according to the lawes of the countrey They returned to the Bishop and told him that we were very good Christians The Bishop certified the viceroy of our examinations and confessions and said that wee were good Christians therefore he would not meddle with vs. Then the viceroy sent for our master R. Barret whom he kept prisoner in his pallace vntill the fleete was departed for Spayne The rest of vs he sent to a towne seuen leagues from Mexico called Tescuco to card wooll among the Indian slaues which drudgery we disdained and concluded to beat our masters and so wee did wherefore they sent to the viceroy desiring him for Gods sake and our Ladies to send for vs for they would not keepe vs any longer they said that we were deuils and no men The viceroy sent for vs and imprisoned vs in a house in Mexico from thence he sent Anthony Goddard some other of our company with him into Spaine with Luçon the General that tooke vs the rest of vs staied in Mexico two yeres after and then were sent prisoners into Spaine with Don Iuan de Velasco de Varre admirall and generall of the Spanish fleet who caried with him in his ship to be presented to the K. of Spaine the anatomie of a giant which was sert from China to Mexico to the viceroy Don Martin Henriquez to bee sent to the king of Spaine for a great wonder It did appeare by the anatomie that he was of a monstrous size the skull of his head was neere as bigge as halfe a bushel his necke-bones shoulder-plates arme-bones and all other lineaments of his other partes were huge and monstrous to behold the shanke of his legge from the ankle to the knee was as long as from any mans ankle vp to his wast and of bignesse accordingly At this time and in this ship were also sent to be presented to the king of Spaine two chesles full of earth with ginger growing in them which were also sent from China to be sent to the king of Spaine The ginger runneth in the ground like to liccoras the blades grow out of it in length and proportion like vnto the blades of wild garlicke which they cut euery fifteene dayes they vse to water them twise a day as we doe our herbes here in England they put the blades in their pottage and vse them in their other meates whose excellent sauour and tast is very delightfull and procureth a good appetite When we were shipped in the Port of S. Iohn de Vllua the Generall called our master Robert Barret and vs with him into his cabbin asked vs if wee would fight against Englishmen if we met them at the sea we said that we would not fight against our Crowne but if we met with any other we would do what we were able He said if we had said otherwise he would not haue beleeued vs and for that we should be the better vsed and haue allowance as other men had and he gaue a charge to euery one of vs according vnto our knowledge Robert Barret was placed with the pilote I was put in the gunners roome William Cawse with the boat-swaine Iohn Beare with the quarter-masters Edward Rider Geffrey Giles with the ordinary mariners Richard the masters boy attended on him and the pilote shortly after we departed from the port of S. Iohn de Vllua with all the fleete of Spaine for the port called Hauana wee were 26. dayes sayling thither There wee came in ankered tooke in fresh water and stayed 16. dayes for the fleete of Nombre de Dios which is the fleet that brings the treasure from Peru. The Generall of that fleet was called Diego Flores de Valdes After his comming when he had watred his ships both the fleetes ioyned in one and Don Iuan de Velasco de Varre was the first fifteen daies Generall of both the fleets who turning through the chanell of Bahama his pilote had like to haue cast away all the fleet vpon the Cape called Cannaueral which was preuented by me Iohn Hortop our master Robert Barret for I being in the second watch escried land and called to Robert Barret bidding him looke ouer boord for I saw land vnder the lee-bow of the ship he called to the boat-swaine bid him let flie the fore saile sheat and lay the helm vpon the lee and cast the ship about When we were cast about we were but in seuen fathome water we shot off a piece giuing aduice to the fleet to cast about and so they did For this we were beloued of the Generall and all the fleet The Generall was in a great rage and swore by the king that he would hang his pilote for he said that twise before he had almost cast away the Admirall When it was day he commanded a piece to be shot off to call to councill the other Admirall in his ship came vp to him and asked what the matter was he said that his pilote had cast away his ship and all the fleet had it not bene for two of the Englishmân and therefore he would hang him The other Admirall with many faire words perswaded him to the contrary When we came in the height of Bermuda we discouered a monster in the sea who shewed himselfe three times vnto vs from the middle vpwards in which parts hee was proportioned like a man of the complection of a Mulato or tawny Indian The Generall did commaund one of his clearks to put it in writing and hee certified the King and his Nobles thereof Presently after this for the space of sixteene dayes we had wonderful foule weather and then God sent vs a faire wind vntill such time as we discouered the Iland called Faial On S. Iames day we made
straight cutte his throate as hee afterwardes was found by his fellowes who came to the place for him and there found him naked The two and twentieth the Captaine went into the Riuer called Callowsa with the two Barkes and the Iohns Pinnesse and the Salomons boate leauing at anker in the Riuers mouth the two shippes the Riuer being twenty leagues in where the Portugals roade hee came thither the fiue and twentieth and dispatched his businesse and so returned with two Carauels loaden with Negros The 27. the Captaine was aduertised by the Portugals of a towne of the Negros called Bymbaâ being in the way as they returned where was not onely great quantitie of golde but also so that there were not aboue fortie men and an hundred women and children in the Towne so that if hee would giue the aduenture vpon the same hee might gette an hundreth slaues with the which tydings hee being gladde because the Portugals shoulde not thinke him to bee of so base a courage but that hee durst giue them that and greater attempts and being thereunto also the more prouoked with the prosperous successe hee had in other Islands adiacent where he had put them all to flight and taken in one boate twentie together determined to stay before the Towne three or foure houres to see what hee could doe and thereupon prepared his men in armour and weapon together to the number of fortie men well appointed hauing to their guides certaine Portugals in a boat who brought some of them to their death wee landing boat after boat and diuers of our men scattering themselues contrary to the Captaines will by one or two in a company for the hope that they had to finde golde in their houses ransacking the same in the meane time the Negros came vpon them and hurte many being thus scattered whereas if fiue or sixe had bene together they had bene able as their companions did to giue the ouerthrow to 40 of them and being driuen downe to take their boates were followed to hardly by a route of Negros who by that tooke courage to pursue them to their boates that not onely some of them but others standing on shore not looking for any such matter by meanes that the Negros did flee at the first and our companie remained in the towne were suddenly so set vpon that some with great hurt recouered their boates othersome not able to recouer the same tooke the water and perished by meanes of the oaze While this was doing the Captaine who with a dosen men went through the towne returned finding 200 Negros at the waters side shooting at them in the boates and cutting them in pieces which were drowned in the water at whole comming they ranne all away so he entred his boates and before he could put off from the shore they returned againe and shot very fiercely and hurt diuers of them Thus wee returned backe some what discomforted although the Captaine in a singular wise maner caried himselfe with countenance very cheerefull outwardly as though hee did litle weigh the death of his men nor yet the great hurt of the rest although his heart inwardly was broken in pieces for it done to this ende that the Portugals being with him should not presume to resist against him nor take occasion to put him to further displeasure or hinderance for the death of our men hauing gotten by our going ten Negros and lost seuen of our best men whereof M. Field Captaine of the Salomon was one and we had 27 of our men hurt In the same houre while this was doing there happened at the same instant a marueilous miracle to them in the shippes who road ten leagues to sea-ward by many sharkes or Tiburons who came about the ships among which one was taken by the Iesus and foure by the Salomon and one very sore hurâ escaped and so it fell out of our men whereof one of the Iesus men and foure of the Salomons were killed and the fift hauing twentie wounds was rescued and scaped with much adoe The 28 they came to their ships the Iesus and the Salomon and the 30 departed from thence to Taggarin The first of Ianuary the two barkes and both the boates forsooke the ships and went into a riuer called the Casterroes and the 6 hauing dispatched their businesse the two barkes returned and came to Taggarin where the two ships were at anker Not two dayes after the comming of the two ships thither they put their water caske a shore and filled it with water to season the same thinking to haue filled it with fresh water afterward and while their men were some on shore and some at their boates the Negros set vpon them in the boates and hurt diuers of them and came to the caskes and cut of the hoopes of twelue buts which lost vs 4 or 5 dayes tune besides great want we had of the same soiourning at Taggarinâ the Swallow went vp the riuer about her trafficke where they saw great townes of the Negros and Canoas that had threescore men in a piece there they vnderstood by the Portugals of a great battell betweene them of Sierra Leona side and them of Taggarin they of Sierra Leona had prepared three hundred Canoas to inuade the other The time was appointed not past sixe dayes after our departure from thence which we would haue seene to the intent we might haue taken some of them had it not bene for the death and sickenesse of our men which came by the contagiouânes of the place which made vs to make hast away The 18 of Ianuarie at night wee departed from Taggarin being bound for the West Indies before which departure certaine of the Salomons men went on shore to fill water in the night and as they came on shore with their boat being ready to leape on land one of them espied an Negro in a white coate standing vpon a rocke being ready to haue receiued theÌ when they came on shore hauing in sight of his fellowes also eight or nine some in one place leaping out and some in another but they hid themselues streight againe whereupon our men doubting they had bene a great companie and sought to haue taken them at more aduantage as God would departed to their ships not thinking there had bene such a mischiefe pretended toward them as then was in deede Which the next day we vnderstood of a Portugal that came downe to vs who had trafficked with the Negros by whom hee vnderstood that the king of Sierra Leona had made all the power hee could to take some of vs partly for the desire he had to see what kinde of people we were that had spoiled his people at the Idols whereof he had newes before our comming and as I iudge also vpon other occasions prouoked by the Tangomangos but sure we were that the armie was come downe by meanes that in the euening wee saw such a
onely one halfe houre the Minion was made readie to auoide and so leesing her hedfaâls and hayling away by the sterââfastes she was gotten out tâus with Gods helpâ she dâfendeâ the violence of the first brunt of these three hundred men The Minion being past out they came aboârd the Iesus which also with very much a doe and the losse of manie of our men were defended and kept out Then were there also two other ships that assaulted the Iesus at the same instant so that she had hard getting loose but yet with some time we had cut our head-fastes and gotten out by the sterne-fastes Nowe when the Iesus and the Minion were gottân about two shippes length from the Spanish fleete the fight beganne so hotte on all sides that within one houre the Admirall of the Spaniards was supposed to be sunke their Uiceadmirall burned and one other of their principall ships supposed to be sunke so that the shippes were little able to annoy vs. Then is it to be vnderstood that all the Ordinance vpon the Ilande was in the Spaniardes handes which did vs so great annoyance that it cut all the mastes and yardes of the Iesus in such sort that there was no hope to carrie her away also it sunke our small shippes wereupon we determined to place the Iesus on that side of the Minion that she might abide all the batterie from the land and so be a defence for the Minion till night and then to take such reliefe of victuall and other necessaries from the Iesus as the time would suffer vs and to leaue her As we were thus determining and had placed the Minion from the shot of the land suddenly the Spaniards had fired two great shippes which were comming directly with vs and hâuing no meanes to auoide the fire it bredde among our men a maruellous feare so that some sayd let vs depart with the Minion other said let vs see whither the winde will carrie the fire from vs. But to be short the Minions men which had alwayes theâr sayles in a readinesse thouâht to make sure worke and so without either consent of the Captâine or Master cut therâ saile so that very hardly I was receiued into the Minion The most part of the men that were left a liue in the Iesus made shift and followed the Minion in a small boat the rest which the little bâate was not able âo receiue were inforââd ââ abide the mercie of the Spaniards which I doubt was very little so with the Minion only and the âudith a small barke of 50 tunne we escaped which barke the same night forsooke vs in our great miserie we were now remooued with the Minion from the Spanish ships two bow-shâoâes and there rode all that night the next morning we recouered aâ Iland a mile from the Spaniardes where there tooke vs a North winde and being left onely with two ankers and two cables for in this conflict we lost three cables and two ankers we thought alwayes vpon death which euer was present but God preserued vs to a longer time The weather waxed reasonable and the Saturday we set saile and hauing a great number of men and little victuals our hope of life waxed lesse and lesse some desired to yeeld to the Spaniards some rather desired to obtaine a place where they might giue themselues to the Infidels and some had rather abide with a little pittance the mercie of God at Sea so thus with many sorowfull hearts we wandred in an vnknowen Sea by the space of 14 dayes till hunger inforced vs to seeke the land for hides were thought very good meat rats cats mice and dogs none escaped that might be gotten parrats and monkeyes that were had in great price were thought there very profitable if they serued the turne one dânner thus in the end the 8 day of October we came to the land in the boâome of the same bay of Mexico in 23 degrees and a halfe where we hoped to haue found inhabitants of the Spaniards reliefe of victuals and place for the repaire of our ship which was so sore beaten with shot from our enemies and brused with shooting off our owne ordinance that our wearie and weake armes were scarce able to defende and keâpe out water But all things happened to the contrary for we found neither people victuall nor hauen of reliefe but a place where hauing faire weather with some perill we might land a boat our people being forced with hunger desired to be set on land whereunto I consented And such as were willing to land I put them apart and such as were desirous to goe homewardes I put a part so that they were indifferently parted a hundred of one side and a hundred of the other side these hundred men we set a land with all diligence in this little place before said which being landed we determined there to take in fresh water and so with our little remaine of vâctuals to take the sea The next day hauing a land with me fiftie of our hundreth men that remained for the speedier preparing of our water aboord there arose an extreame storme so that in three dayes we could by no meanes repaire aboord our ship the ship also was in such perill that euery houre we looked for shipwracke But yet God againe had mercie on vs and sent faire weather we had aboord our water and departâd the siâteenth day of October after which day we had faire and prosperous weather till the siâteenth day of Nouâmber which day God be praysed we were cleere from the coast of the Indies and out of âhâ chanell and gulfe of Bahama which is betweene the Cape of Florida and the Ilandes of Iucayo After this growing neere to the colde countrey our men being oppressed with famine died continually and they that were left grew into such weaknesse that we were scantly able to manage our shippe and the winde being alwayes ill for vs to recouer England we determined to goe with Galicia in Spaine with intent there to relieue our companie and other extreame wantes And being arriued the last day of December in a place neere vnto Vigo called Ponce Vedra our men with excesse of fresh meate grew into miserable disseases and died a great part of them This matter was borne out as long as it might be but in the end although there were none of our men suffered to goe a land yet by accesse of the Spaniards our feeblenesse was knowen to them Whereupon they ceased not to seeke by all meanes to betray vs but with all speede possible we departed to Vigo where we had some helpe of certaine English ships and twelue fresh mân wherewith we repaired our wants as we might and departing the 20 day of Ianuary 1568 arriued in Mounts bay in Cornewall the 25 of the same moneth praised be God therefore If all the miseries and troublesome affâires of this sorowfull voyage
to land there were some that began to shew themselues and to bestow some few shot vpon vs but presently withdrew themselues And in their running thus away the Sergeant Maior finding one of their horses ready sadled and brideled tooke the same to follow the chase and so ouergoing all his company was by one layd behind a bush shotte through the head and falling downe therewith was by the same and two or three more stabbed in three or foure places of his body with swords and daggers before any could come neere to his rescue His death was much lamented being in very deede an honest wise Gentleman and a souldier of good experience and of as great courage as any man might be In this place called S. Augustin we vnderstood the king did keepe as is before said one hundred and fiftie souldiers and at another place some dozen leagues beyond to the Northwards called S. Helena he did there likewise keepe an hundred and fiftie more seruing there for no other purpose then to keepe all other nations from inhabiting any part of all that coast the gouernement whereof was committed to one Pedro Melendez Marquesse nephew to that Melendez the Admiral who had ouerthrowen Master Iohn Hawkins in the day of Mexico some seuenteen or eighteene yeeres agoe This Gouernour had charge of both places but was at this time in this place and one of the first that left the same Heere it was resolued in full assembly of Captaines to vndertake the enterprise of S. Helena and from thence to seeke out the inhabitation of our English countreymen in Virginia distant from thence some sixe degrees Northward When we came thwart of S Helena the sholds appearing dangerous and we hauing no Pilot to vndertake the enârie it was thought meetest to goe hence alongst For the Admirall had bene the same night in foure fadome and a halfe three leagues from the shore and yet wee vnderstood by the helpe of a knowen Pilot there may and doe goe in Ships of greater burthen and draught then any we had in our Fleete We passed thus alongst the coast hard aboord the shore which is shallow for a league or two from the shore and the same is lowe and broken land for the most part The ninth of Iune vpon sight of one speciall great fire which are very ordinarie all alongst this coast euen from the Cape of Florida hither the Generall sent his Skiffe to the shore where they found some of our English countreymen that had bene sent thither the yeere before by Sir Walter Ralegh and brought them aboord by whose direction wee proceeded along to the place which they make their Port. But some of our ships being of great draught vnable to enter anchored without the harbour in a wilde roade at sea about two miles from shore From whence the General wrote letters to master Ralfe Lane being gouernour of those English in Virginia and then at his Fort about sixe leagues from the Rode in an Island which they call Roanoac wherein especially he shewed how ready he was to supply his necessities and wants which he vnderstood of by those he had first talked withall The morow after Master Lane himselfe and some of his company comming vnto him with the consent of his captaines he gaue them the choice of two offers that is to say Either he would leaue a ship a pinnesse and certaine boates with sufficient Masters and Mariners together furnished with a moneths victuall to stay and make farther discouery of the countrey and coastesâ and so much victuall likewise as might be sufficient for the bringing of them all being an hundred and three persons into England if they thought good after such time with any other thing they would desireâ and that he might be able to spare Or els if they thought they had made sufficient discouerie already and did desire to returne into England he would giue them passage But they as it seemed being desirous to stay accepted very thankefully and with great gladnesse that which was offred first Whereupon the ship bring appointed and receiued into charge by some of their owne company sent into her by Master Lane before they had receiued from the rest of the Fleete the prouision appoynted them there arose a great storme which they sayd was extraordinary and very strange that lasted three dayes together and put all our Fleete in great danger to bee driuen from their anchoring vpon the coast For we brake many Cables and lost many Anchors and some of our Fleete which had lost all of which number was the ship appointed for Master Lane and his company was driuen to put to sea in great danger in auoyding the coast and could neuer see vs againe vntill we mette in England Many also of our small Pinnesses and boates were lost in this storme Notwithstanding after all this the Generall offred them with consent of his Captaines an other ship with some prouision although not such a one for their turnes as might haue bene spared them before this being vnable to be brought into their Harbour Or els if they would to giue them passage into England although he knew he should performe it with greater difficultie then he might haue done before But Master Lane with those of the chiefest of his company which hee had then with him considering what should be best for them to doe made request vnto the General vnder their hands that they might haue passage for England the which being graunted and the rest sent for out of the countrey and shipped we departed from that coast the 18. of Iune And so God bee thanked both they and wee in good safetie arriued at Portesmouth the 28. of Iuly 1586. to the great glory of God and to no small honour to our Prince our Countrey and our selues The totall value of that which was gotten in this voyage is esteemed at three score thousand pounds whereof the companies which haue trauelled in the voyage were to haue twentie thousand pounds the aduenturers the other fortie Of which twentie thousand pounds as I can iudge will redound some sixe pounds to the single share We lost some seuen hundred and fiftie men in the voyage aboue three parts of them onely by sicknesse The men of name that dyed and were slaine in this voyage which I can presently call to remembrance are these Captaine Powel Captaine Varney Captaine Moone Captaine Fortescue Captaine Bigges Captaine Cecill Captaine Hannam Captaine Greenefield Thomas Tucker a Lieutenant Alexander Starkey a Lieutenant Master Escot a Lieutenant Master Waterhouse a Lieutenant Master George Candish Master Nicholas Winter Master Alexander Carliell Master Robert Alexander Master Scroope Master Iames Dier Master Peter Duke With some other whom for haste I cannot suddenly thinke on The ordinance gotten of all sorts Brasse and Iron were about two hundred and forty peeces whereof the two hundred and some more were brasse and were thus found and gotten At S. Iago some two
the richest and most plentifull in all the world For here are great store of golde mynes siluer mynes and pearle great store of coâtân cloth for the countrey people weareth nothing else but fine cotten cloth which is more accepted then silkes For here is great store of silkes they are good châape Al kinde of victuals as bread slesh wines and hennes and all kindes of foules are very plentifull Here are great store of freâh riuers The pâople are very louing Here are very faire cities and townes with cosâly buildings better then those in Spaine And the countrey pâople go very richly apparelled both in sââkes and gold But here wâ haue order from the king of Spaine that a Spaniaâd may not dwell in China aboue 3 yeres and afterwaâds they must returne again into Nueua Espanna and other souldiers must come in their places The countrey is very vnwholesome for vs Spaniardes For within these 20 yeres of 14000 which haue gone to the Philippinas there are 13000 of them dead and not past 1000 of them left aliue There is a place in China which is an harbour called Macaran which the king hath giuen to the Spaniards freely which shall be the placâ where the ships shall come and trafficke For in this harbour there is a great riuer which goeth vp into the maine land vnto diuers townes and cities which are neere to this riuer And thus ârânbling you no farther I rest From Mexico the 20 of Iune 1590. Your obedient sonne SEBASTIAN BISCAINO A Letter of Bartholomew Cano to Peter de Tapia in Siuill from Mexico the 30 of May 1590 touching the state of Nueua Espanna and the Fleet of that yeere BEcause I haue answered your letters which I haue receiued in the last Fleet as touching that matter I haue no more to say The occasâon of my writing vnto you at this time is to giue you to vnderstand that those commodiâies which came in the last Fleet were sold at the fiâst good cheape and those that bought them got much by them For now at this instant âhite Roan cloth is solde for 8 or 9 reals a vare The cause of this was by reason âhere came a carauel of Aduise from Hauana which brought vs nâwes how the armie that his maiâstie did sând for England was all spoiled and cast away and therefore thây of Spaine did write that thârâ would come no Fleet from Spaine hither this yeâre And this is the cause that all linnen cloth is very deâre in these parts Wines also are very deere for they are sold âor 90 ând 100 deminas a pipe When the Frigats departed from hence in August last 1589. Cochinilla was sold at that instant for 50 pesâs the quintall and now it is sold for 55 pesoâs And since that nâwes came from Spaine in a carauâl of S. Lucar that it was solde there for 72 ducates the quintall there are laden in this Fleet 14000 Arouas of Cochinilla and 7000 Arouas more were laden in the Frigats which departed before the Fleet. There is laden in the Fleet great quantitie of treasure more then hath bene sent to Spaine these many yeres both for the Kings and the Uice-royes account And the marchants and gentlemen of all these prouinces doe send great quantitie to supply the Kings wants for that his maiestie hath written to the Uice-roy and to the gentlemen of these countreyes to ayde him with much money towardes the maintenance of his warres against France and other places therefore they haue sent good store God send it well to Spaine There are likâwise laden aboord the Fleet to the number of 100000â hides and great store of other kindes of this countrey commodities So that the the Fleet goeth very richly laden Quicke siluer is here very deere for here is almost none to bee had for any money to worke in the gold mynes for without Quicke siluer wee cannot refine our gold And no man vpon paine of death may bring any from Spaine hither but all must come for the Kings account and so the King doeth sell it here there is exceeding great gaine thârein And thus I rest From Mexico the 30 of May 1590. BARTHOLOMEVV CANO A letter of Frier Alonso new elected Bishop of Mechuacan to the king of Spaine written in Peru in the citie de los Reyes the first of March 1590 touching the state of Arica a chiefe Hauen in Peru. VPon Christmas euen the yere 1589 I receiued your maiesties commission in Potossi For which I am and shall be continually bound to pray for your maiesties long health for the great benefits which your maiestie hath bestowed vpon me in âending me to Mechuacan whereby my great trauell and paines may be recompenced which I haue taken with that vngrateful and despârate people of the riuer of Plate which they haue âene the occasion of in dealing so badly with me their Pastour which haue counselled thâm that they should haue a great care to serue God and be dutifull to your maiestie according as euery good and true subiect ought to do Now for this gift which your maiestie hath bestowed on me I most humbly kisse your maiesties handes a thousand times Thus presently I departed from Potossi somewhat sickely to accomplish that which your maiâstie hath commanded me So I arriued at Lima in safetie the first of February by the way of Arica which is an hauen towne where they imbarke all the barres of siluer And there I haue seenâ whaâ is done what they haue prouided against the Englishmân in that hauen which is That there is a litle fort made hard by the waters side with certaine small pieces of ordinance in the said fort to offend the enemie if occasion should serue that they should offer to come into the harbour and offer any violence But the principall thing of all that we want is to haue souldiârs foote men and horsemen For according as I am informed here want 100 men which should keepe the coast if they should offer to land and march vp into the countrey And likewise the people of this countrey haue told me that if vpon an high mount which is hâre in the harbour neere to the hauâns mouth on the Southside of the harbour where the sea doth beat ther were two or three great Canons planted on the top of the hill where very good watch is continually kept from that place they may reach to doe the enemie great hurt a league into the sea The new Uice-roy Don Garcia Vrtado de Mendoça worthy of that dignitie is in great fauour with al those of these realmes for that he is a great solliciter both by sea and land in all kinde of diligence not loosing one houre in your seruice and that which he hath in charge With as much speed as may be I will depart from hence to Mechuacan to serue that church and your maiesty and there I will remaine according to your maiesties commandement
fish to be taken with hookes and nets also we stayed on shore and fowled Here sir Iohn Hawkins was extreme sicke which his sicknes began vpon newes of the taking of the Francis The 18 day wee weyed and stoode North and by East into a letter sound which sir Francis in his barge discouered the night before and ankored in 13 fadoms hauing hie steepe hils on either side some league distant from our first âiding The 12 in the morning we weied and set sayle into the sea due South through a small sâreit but without danger and then stode West and by North for S. Iuan de Puerto rico and in the after noone left the 3 small Islands called The passages to the Southward of vs and that night came vp to the Eastermost end of S. Iohn where sir Iohn Hawkins departed this life âpon whose decease sir Thomas Baskcruil presently went into the Garland At 2 of the clocke we came to anker at the estermost side of the chiefe towne called Puerto rico in a sandie bay 2 miles off âhere we receiued from their forts and places where they planted Ordinance some 28 great shot the last of whiâh strake the admârall through the misân and the last but âne strake through her quarter into the sterage the Generall being there at supper and strake the stoole from vndâr him but hurt him not but hurt at the same table sir Nicholas Clifford M. Browne captaine Stratford with one or two more Sir Nicholas Clifford and master Browne died of their hurts Then wee set sayle and stood to the Eastward and at midnight tacked about to the West and in the morning came to an anker before the point without the towne a little to the Westwards by the 3 Islands The 13 we rode still vntill night when in the beginning with twenty fiue pinnesses boats and shallops manned and furnished with fire-workes and small shot wee went into the rode within the great castels and in despite of them fired the fiue Zabras or frigats all ships of two hundreth tunnes the piece or more quite burning the Rere admirall downe to the water which was the greatest shippe of them all and also mightily spoiled the admirall and viceadmirall notwithstanding the castles and ships gaue vs a hundreth eightie and fiue great shot besides small shot abundance They had also sunke a great shippe in the mouth of the chanell and rafted it ouer with hâr mastes almost to the very fortes and castles so as they thought it impregnable The frigats had in each of them twenty pieces of brasse and a hundreth barrels of powder Their chiefe lading that they brought thither was silke oyle and wine The treasure which they went to fetch which was brought thither in a ship called the Vigonia was conueyed into the strongest and surest castell of defence being as one of the prisoners cânfessed three millions of ducats or fiue and thirty tunnes of siluer Also they had sent all the women children and vnable persons into the woods and left none but souldiers and fighting men in the towne The fight on our side was resolute hote and dangerous wherein wee lost some forty or fifty men and sâ many were hurt There was also great death of the Spaniards aboord the frigats with burning drowning and killing and besides some taken prisoners The 14 we rode stil being within shot of the vttermost castell but they fearing the neât night we would come in againe began to warpe vp the other 4 frigats beginning first with the Admirall which whether by chance or their owne willes wee saw to sinke and as wee suppose so did they with all the rest or else by stealth got vp farther within their chiefest forces The 15 also we rode still and at afternoone wee espied a carauell comming from the castell point but before our pinnesses could fetch her vp she ranne on shore where our boates could noâ come at her because of the breach and also many of the Islandârs came downe to guard her with shot The beginning of this night we weyed and stoode one houre to the East and then tacked about to the West The 16 being Sunday and the 17 also we were becalmed The 18 we ankered a little to the Southward of the Southwest point of the Island giuing the point a birth because of a shoald of sand that lieth some two cables length off there we rode iâ foure fiue and siâe fadomes faire white sand where wee set vp more pinnesses washed our ships and refreshed our men on shore Here the Generall tooke a pinnesse of Hispaniola with diuers letters signifying that two Englishmen of warre had done great hurt along their Island The 20 the Generall rowed to the Pheniâ the Delighâ and the carâuell and caused them to wey and anker right against the mouth of a fresh riuer in two fâdomes water in ozie sând to the Southward of the other ships some league or more The Generall went into this riuer three or fouâe leagues vp and tooke horses in the countrey Sir Thomas Baskeruil rowed vp the riuer and stayed there all night and went vp into the land three or foure leagues The 23 wee discharged a barker called the Pulpit and burnt her and at three of âhe clocke that afternoone when we were ready to set saile there came aboord âhe Defiance our Admiral a Spaniard with his wife who feared some great torment for not hauing repaâred to the towne according to the Generals commandement of that Island who had commanded that all able men of the fleete should repaire to the towne to defend it against vs. Then we stood againe West and by North because of a ledge of rocks that lie sunke 4 or 5 leagues off the Southside of the Island The 25 we stood away Southwest and saw Mona being a lowe flat Island betweene Hispaniola and S. Iuan de Puerto rico That day the Exchange of captaine Winter spent her boulâsprite and in the beginning of the night the Phenix was sent backe to seeke âer which by Gods help that night met with her and kept her company vntil the neât morning then taking in a small table from her for a towe but by 9 that morning she spent her maine mast and split her foreyard breaking also her tow so as they were faine to saue some trifles out of her and the men and to sinke the hull Then we stood away South and South and by West aâter the fleete and the 26 in the morning had sight of the fleete againe The 29 we had sight of the Island called Curâçao within 8 leagues of the mâineâ and on the Northwest side came to an anker in very deepe water hard aboord the shore without any danger but the Generall weyed presently and stoode away Northwest by the West and Northnorthwest for the maine and that night saw Aruba being somewhat a lesse Island then the other we left it some three leagues to the Southward
la mucha priessa no se pudieron reparar tanbien los Galeones como suera necessario y con el tiempo se perdio uno y poâ desgracia se quemo vn Filibote y auâendo andado muchos dias en buâca del enemigo hasta que llegue a Cartagena dondo auiendo tomado el parecer de Don Pedro de Acunna Gouernador y capitan general de aquella ciudad porque tenia mucha necessidad de agua y reparar los Nauios por que venian faltos della me detuue en aquel puerto adonde tuve noticia por vn Auiso que Francisco Draque muâio en Nombre de Dios de pena de auer perdido tantos Baxeles y gente aunque despues se supo mas por estenso Y auiendo dado a vucstia Merced cuenta de lo que hasta alli a sucedido agora la doy de que sali de aquel puerto a dos de Março y tome la derrota de la Hauana donde entendi hallarlo y auiendo hecho la diligencia posible Lunes à onze del dâcho mes alas dos despues de medio dia al salir de la Ysla de Pinos en la ensenada de Guaniguanico tope con el que yua con catorze Nauios muy buenos fueme arrimando a el aunque tenia el viento por suyo y el Almiranta que yua mas al viento con otros dos Nauios commenço arâimarsele y aunque vino sobre ella con todos los suyos tres vezes no fue parte acercarsele para que quisiâsse enuestir los que âstauamos mas apartados fuymos dando bordos acercandonos hasta jugar la artilleria Mosqueteria y Arcabuzeria de los mas dellos en lo qual el recibio muy conocido danno el lo hizo con el artilleria como suele y particularmente el Almiranta y en reconociendo la volunâad con que âel nos arrimauamos con mas diligencia de lo que se puede creer se desembaraço de todos poniendose en huyda dando las velas dexando en la mar todas las Lanchas qâe traya Yo le segui con nueue Nauios toda la noche y con quatro mas todo el dia hasta hazeâle doblar el cabo de Sant Anton y tomar la derrota de la Canal de Bahama conforme a las instruciones de su Magestad siruio de poco el ver me con menos numero de Nauios ni todas las diligencias que âe hizieron para que se inclinase a esperar ni abordar ni tirar vn arcabuz âi vna pieça porque el se dio la diligencia que pudo porque sus Nauios los auia reduzido a la miâad y los mejores y estos acabaua de reparar en Puerto Bello donde se estauo mas de quarenta dias y ansi venian muy reparados y yo saque los mios desbaratados que no me dio el tiempo lugar para adereçarlos A que nauego dos meses y medio y traygo la capitana que desde que parti de Cartagena no an parado las bombas y el dia que salââe me Io aârimo vna Zabra con esta necessidad la Almitanta y los demas Nauios vienen con el mismo trabajo pero sin embargo por lo que yo vi en los enemigos era muy conocida la ventaja que nos hazia y mucha dicha seria apoderarse del sino âs hallarlo sobre el Ferro Con todo esso me an dexado vn Nauio muy bueno en las manos con muy buena gente la qual dize como murio el Draque en Nombre de Dios y que va por general de la dicha armada Yuglesa el Coronel Quebraran y por el poco lugar que se a dado no an podido âomar Agua lânna ni carne y van de manera que no se como an de llegar a Ynglatierra Entre la gente deuen de ser ciento y quarenta y quinze nobles capitanes de lo mejor de alli y algunos ricos segun se echa de ver en ellos No se ofrece otra cosa nuestro sennor guarde a vuestra Merced como puede y yo desseo De la Hauana 30 de Março de 1596. Annos Don Bernaldino Delgadillo de Auellaneda EL Licenciado Don Iuan Bermudes y Figueroa Teniente mayor de Assistente desta ciudad de Seuilla y su tierra que hago officio de Assistente della por ausencia de su Seââoria del Conde de Priego Doy licencia a Rodrigo de Cabrera para que puedâ imprimir âa Relacion de la muerte de Francisco Draque La qual haga por dos meses y por ââos no lo imprima otro alguno So pena de diez mil marauedis para la camara de su Magestad Fecha en Seuilla a quinze de Mayo de mil y quinientos y nouenta y seys annos El Licenciado Don Iuan Bermudez y Figueroa Por su mandado Gregorio Gutierez Escriuano The Spanish letter Englished The Copie of a letter which Don Bernaldino Delgadillo de Auellaneda Generall of the king of Spaine his armie sent vnto Doctor Peter Florez President of the contractation house for the Indies wherein he maketh mention of the successe of the English armie after they departed from Panama whereof was Generall Francis Drake and of his death FRom Cartagena I gaue relation vnto your Worship how I departed from the citie of Lisbone in the pursâite of the English armie although for the great haste the Galeons could not be so well repaired as was needfull and with foule weather one was lost and a Fly-boat was burnt And hauing sayled many dayes in pursuite of the enemie vntill I arriued at Cartagena and there taking the aduise of Don Pedro de Acunna Gouernour of the citie and Captaine generall for wee had great neede of water and to repaire our shippes we stayed in that port whereas I had intelligence by an Indian that Francis Drake died in Nombre de Dios for very griefe that he had lost so many Barkes and men as was afterwards more manâfestly knowen Thus hauing giuen you a relation of all that hâppened hitherto now I let you vnderstand that I leât this Port the second of March and tooke our course towardes Hauana where I thought to haue found the English fleete And hauing vsed all thâ diligence possible vpon Munday the eleuenth of the said moneth about two of the clocke in the afternoone at the ând of the I le of Pinos in the entrance of Guaniguanico I met with the English fleete being fourteene very good ships I drew towardes them although they had the winde of vs and our Admârall who bore vp towards the winde with other two shâps beganne to draw neere them and although we set thus vpon them three
times with all their ships yet would they not set againe vpon vs and those of our men which were farthest off cryâd to them âmaine being both within shot of artillerie muskets and caliuers whereby they receiued euident hurt by vs They plyed their great ordinance according to their manner and especially their Uâceadmirall and seeing our resolution how sharpe we were bent towards them they with all expedition and speedâ possible prepared to flieâ way hoysing sailes and leâuing their boates for haite in the sea but I followed them with nine ships all the night following and with foure more the next day till I made thâm double the Cape of S. Antonie and to take the course towards the Câanell of Bahama according to the instructions from his Maiestie It little auailed vs to be seene with lesse number of ships neither yet all the diligence we could vse could câuse them to stay or come neere vs nor to shoot off one harquebuze or peece of artillerie for they fled away as fast as they could and their shippes wâre halfe diminished and that the best part of them the cost they repaired in Puerto Bello whereas they were about fortie dayes and so by that meanes they were all wâll repayred and our shippes were very soule because the time would not peâmit vs to ârim them I haue sayled 2 moneths and a halfe in the Admirall since we departed from Cartagena we haue not repaired their pumpes nor clensed them and the same day I departed tâenâe there câme vnto me a small Pinnesse in the like distresse our Uiceadmirall and the rest of our ships haue the like impediment but no great hinderance vnto vs for ought I could perceiue by our enemies It is manifest what aduantage they had of vs and by no meanes was it possible for vs to take them vnlesseâ we could haue come to haue found them at an anker Neuerthelesse they left vs one good shippe behinde for our share well manned which tolde me that Drake died in Nombre de Dios and that they haue made for Generall of the English fleete the Colonel Quebraran and also by meanes of the small time being straightly followed by vs they had no opportunitie to take either water wood or flesh and they are also in such bad case that I know not how they will be able to arriue in England The number of men we haue taken are about an hundred and fortie and fifteene noble captaines of their best sort and some of them rich as well may appeare by their behauiour I haue no other thing to write at this time Our Lord keepe you who best can and as I desire From Hauaua the 30 of March 1596. DON BERNALDINO DELGADILLO DE AVELLANEDA THe Licenciat Don Iohn Bermudes of Figueroa Lieutenant of the Assistants of the citie of Siuill and the Prouince thereof who doth supply the office of the Assistant in the absence of the Right honourable the Earle of Priego giueth licence to Roderigo de Cabriera to imprint the Relation of the death of Francis Drake which onely he may do for two moneths and no other to imprint the same within the said terme vpon paine of tenne thousand Marauedis for his Maiesties chamber Giuen in Siuill the 15 of May 1596. The Licenciat Don Iohn Bermudes of Figueroa By his Assigne Gregorie Gutierez Notarie THis letter of the Generall Don Bernaldino sent into Spaine declaring the death of Sir Francis Drake and their supposed victorie was altogether receiued for an vndoubted trueth and so pleasing was this newes vnto the Spaniarde that there was present commandement giuen to publish the letter in print that all the people of Spaine might be pertakers of this common ioy the which letter printed in Siuill bearing date the 15 of May 1596 came to the hands of Henrie Sauile Esquire who being employed in that seruice for the West Indies and Captaine of her Maiesties good shippe the Aduenture vnder the conduct of sir Francis Drake and sir Iohn Hawkins hath caused the said printed letter to be translated into English And that the impudencie of the Spanish Generall may the more plainely appeare the sayde Henrie Sauile doth answere particularly to euery vntrueth in the same letter contayned as hereafter followeth The answere to the Spanish letter First the Generall doth say that Francis Drake died at Nombre de Dios as he had intelligence by an Indian THe Generall sent this newes into his countrey confirmed with his hand and seale of Armes It is the first newes in his letter and it was the best newes that he could send into Spaine For it did ease the stomackes of the timorous Spaniards greatly to heare of the death of him whose life was a scourge and continuall plague vnto them But it was a point of great simplicitie and scarcely befeeming a Generall to tie the credite of his report locally to any place vpon the report of a silly Indian slaue For it had bene sufficient to haue sayd that Francis Drake was certainly dead without publishing the lie in print by naming Nombre de Dios for it is most certaine sir Francis Drake died twixt the Iland of Escudo and Puerto Bello but the Generall being rauished with the suddaine ioy of this report as a man that hath escaped a great danger of the enemie doth breake out into an insolent kinde of bragging of his valour at Sea and heaping one lie vpon another doth not cease vntill he hath drawen them into sequences and so doth commende them vnto Peter the Doctor as censor of his learned worke Secondly The Generall doth write vnto the Doctor that Francis Drake died for very griefe that he had lost so many barkes and men A Thing very strange that the Generall or the Indian whom hee doth vouch for his lie should haue such speculation in the bodie of him whom they neuer saw as to deliuer for truth vnto his countrie the very cause or disease whereof hee died and this second report of his is more grosse then the first For admit the mistaking of the place might be tollerable notwithstanding this precise affirming the cause of his death doth manifestly prooue that the Generall doth make no conscience to lie And as concerning the losse of any Barkes or men in our Nauie by the valour of the Spaniard before Sir Francis Drake his death we had none one small Pinnesse excepted which we assuredly know was taken by chance falling single into a fleete of fiue Frigates of which was Generall Don Pedro Telio neere vnto the Iland of Dominica and not by the valour Don Bernaldino the which fiue Frigates of the kings afterwardes had but ill successe for one of them we burnt in the harbour of S. Iuan de Puerto rico and one other was sunke in the same harbour and the other three were burnt amongst many other shippes at the taking of Cadiz This I thinke in wise mens iudgements will seeme a silly cause to make
a man sorrowe to death For true it is sir Francis Drake died of the fluxe which hee had growen vpon him eight dayes before his death and yeelded vp his spirit like a Christian to his creatour quietly in his cabbin And when the Generall shall suruey his losse he shall finde it more then the losse of the English and the most of his destroyed by the bullet but the death of Sir Francis Drake was of so great comfort vnto the Spaniard that it was thought to be a sufficient amendes although their whole fleete had beene vtterly lost Thirdly the Generall doth say of his owne credite and not by intelligence from any Indian or other that on the eleuenth of March last he met the English fleete at the I le of Pinos being fourteene good shippes who although they had the winde of him yet he set vpon them three times with all their shippes but the English fleete fled and refused to fight shooting now and then a shot but especially the Viceadmirall THis third lie of the Generall Don Bernaldino Delgadillo de Auellaneda whose name for the proliritie thereof may be drawen somewhat neere the length of a cable hath no colour of protection but it hath a iust proportion in measure to the lies of olde Bernardino de Mendoça his countreyman concerning the ouerthrowe of hir Maiesties Nauie in the yeere one thousand fiue hundred eightie and eight For except Don Bernaldino the Generall did purpose to winne the wheâstone from Don Bernardino de Mendoça the olde Spanish lyer I cannot coâiecture why he should write to his countrey for a truth that he chased the English Nauie with nine shippes and did three seuerall times giue the onset to the English fleete who being fourteene good shippes as he saith did flie and refuse to fight considering that the Spanish Uiceadmirall if he be liuing and many other can witnesse the contrarie who fighting like a true valiant man departed from the fight with a torne and battered shippe to saue her from sinking Neither can I imagine that there is any one in the Spanish fleete Don Bernaldino excepted that will say they were lesse then twentie sayle of shippes when they met the English fleete and the Spanish Nauie can witnesse that they receiued such store of bullets from the English fleete that they were glad to depart and in despight of them the English nauie did holde their determined course And taking a viewe of the Spanish fleete the next day their number was not aboue thirteene ships which did argue that they were either sunke or fled to harbour to saue themselues Fourthly the General saith that the English fleete fled away and left their oares for haft behind them in the sea IT was strange that they should leaue behinde them oares in the sea suhence there was not in the English fleete either Galley or Galliasse which required the vse of oares as for the oares of their ship-boates and other such small vessels they had slowed them aboord their shippes and were no impediment vnto them but most necessarie for them to vse and therefore not likely they would cast them ouerboord But it is more likely that the Generall fell into some pleasant dreanie at Sea wherein he did see a false apparition of victorie against the English and for lacke of matter did set this downe in his letter for newes of his countrey It is sinne to belie the Deuill and therefore the Generall shall haue his right the letter is so well contriued and yet with no great eloquence but with such art that there are not many more lines then there are lies which shewed that there are wonderfull and extraordinarie gifts in the Generall but I am perswaded if Don Bernaldino had thought that his letter should haue beene printed he would haue omitted many things conteined in the letter for the Doctor did vse him somewhat hardly in the wing the letter openly and more in suffering it to bee printed for friendes may like good fellowes send lies one to the other for recreation and feed their friends with some small taste thereof so it be kept close without danger to incurre the title of a lying Generall But as the matter is now handled through the simplicitie of the Doctor I cannot see but the Generall Don Bernaldino is like to carrie the title equally twixt both his shoulders Fiftly the Generall doth say in his printed letter that notwithstanding all the diligence he could vse he could not cause the English fleete to stay nor come neere them nor discharge one harquebuze or peece of artillerie but fled away as fast as they could ANd this lie also he doth not receiue by intelligence from any other but himselfe was an eye-witnesse in the action which made him bold to sende this with the rest into his countrey for current newes but herein Don Bernaldino was more bolde then wise for the torne and battered sides of his Galeons being compared with her Maiesties shippes and others that serued in that fight doe declare that his ships receiued at least two bullets for one Neither can it be concealed but his owne countreymen if any do fauour truth may easily see the losse and late reparations done vnto the kings fleete sithence they did encounter with the English Nauie whensoeuer they that remaine shall arriue in Spaine But the Generall seemeth to be a very good proficient in his profession and wareth somewhat bold treading the true steps of olde Bernardino de Mendoça and yet Mendoça was somewhat more warie in his lies for he had sometime the colour of intelligence to shadowe them but the Generall growing from boldnesse to impudencie maketh no scruple to say that the English Nauie fled as fast as they could without discharging any harquebuze or peece of artillerie when as the battered sides of his ships doe returne the lie to his face For in this conflict Don Bernaldino did behaue himselfe so valiantly that he was alwayes farthest off in the fight and had so great care of his owne person that he stoode cleare from the danger of musket or any small shot and durst not approch whereas our Generall was the foremost and so helde his place vntill by order of fight other shippes were to haue their turnes according to his former direction who wisely and politikely had so ordered his vangarde and rereward that as the manner of it was altogether strange to the Spaniarde so might they haue bene without all hope of victorie if their Generall had bene a man of any iudgement in sea-fights I knowe no reason why the English Nauie should flie from him for the Spaniarde may put all the gaine in his eye that euer he did winne from the English Peraduenture some silly nouice of our countrey meeting the Generall in Spaine and hearing a repetition of so many sillables in one name as Don Bernaldino Delgadillo de Auellaneda might thinke them to be wordes of
vndertakers nor Berreo himselfe discouer the countrey till now latâly by conference with an ancient king called Carapana he got the true light thereof for Berreo came about 1500 miles yer he vnderstood ought or could finde any passage or entrance into any part thereof yet he had experience of al these forenamed and diuers others and was perswaded of their errors and mistakings Berreo sought it by the riuer Cassamar which falleth into a great riuer called Pato Pato falleth into Meta and Meta into Baraquan which is also called Orenoque He tooke his iourney from Nueuo reyno de Granada where he dwelt hauing the inheritance of Gonzales Ximenes in those parts he was followed with 700 horse he draue with him 1000 head of cattell he had also many women Indians and slaues How all these riuers crosse and encounter how the countrey lieth and is bordered the passage of Ximenes and Berreo mine owne discouery and the way that I entred with all the rest of the nations and riuers your lordship shall receiue in a large Chart or Map which I haue not yet finished and which I shall most humbly pray your lordship to secret and not to suffer it to passe your owne hands for by a draught thereof all may be preuented by other nations for I know it is this very yeere sought by the French although by the way that they now take I feare it not much It was also tolde me yer I departed England that Villiers the admirall was in preparation for the planting of Amazones to which riuer the French haue made diuers voyages and returned much golde and other rarities I spake with a captaine of a French ship that came from thence his ship riding in Falmouth the same yere that my ships came first from Virginia There was another this yeere in Helford that also came from thence and had bene foureteene moneths at an anker in Amazones which were both very rich Although as I am perswaded Guiana cannot be entred that way yet no doubt the trade of gold from thence passeth by branches of riuers into the riuer of Amazones and so it doth on euery hand far from the countrey it selfe for those Indians of Trinidad haue plates of golde from Guiana and those câmbals of Dominica which dwell in the Islands by which our ships passe yerely to the West Indies also the Indians of Paâia those Indians called Tucaris Chochi Apotomios Cââanagotos and all those other nations inhabiting nere about the mountaines that run from Paria thorow the prouince of Venesuela and in Maracapana and the cambals of Guanipa the Indians called Assawai Coaca Aiai and the rest all which shall be described in my description as they are situate haue plates of golde of Guiana And vpon the riuer of Amazones Theuet writeth that the people weare croissants of golde for of that forme the Guiânians most commonly make them so as from Dominica to Amazones which is aboue 250 leagues all the chiefe Indians in all paris weare of those plates of Guiana Undoubtâdly those that trade Amazones returne much golde which as is aforesayd commeth by trade from Guiana by some branch of a riuer that falleth from the countrey into Amazones and either it is by the riuer which passeth by the nations called Tisnados or by Caâepuna I made inquiry amongst the most ancient and best trauelled of the Orenoquepoâi and Iâ had knowledge of all the riuers betweene Orenoque Amazones and was very desirâus to vnderstand the tâuth of those warlike women because of some it is beleeued of others not And though I digresse from my purpose yet I will set downe that which hath bene deliuered me for trueth of those women I spake with a casique or lord of people that told me he had bene in the riuer and beyond it also The nations of these women are on the South side of the riuer in the prouinces of Topago and their chiefest strengths and retracts are in the Islands situate on the South side of the entrance some 60 leagues within the mouth of the sayd riuer The memories of the like women are very ancient as well in Africa as in Asia In Africa those that had Medusa for queene others in Seithia nere the riuers of Tanais and Thermadon we finde also that Lampedo Marthesia were queenes of the Amazones in many histories they are verified to haue bene and in diuers ages and prouinces but they which are not far from Guiana doe accompany with men but once in a yere and for the time of one moneth which I gather by their relation to be in April and that time all kings of the borders assemble and queenes of the Amazones and after the queenes haue chosen the rest cast lots for their Ualentines This one moneth they feast dance and drinke of their wines in abundance and the Moone being done they all depart to their owne prouinces If they conceiue and be deliuered of a sonne they returne him to the father if of a daughter they nourish it and reteine it and as many as haue daughters send vnto the begetters a present all being desirous to increase their owne ser and kind but that they cut off the right dug of the brest I doe not finde to be true It was farther tolde me that if in these warres they tooke any prisoners that they vsed to accompany with those also at what time soeuer but in the end for certeine they put them to death for they are sayd to be very cruell and bloodthirsty especially to such as offâr to inuade their territories These Amazones haue likewise great store of these plates of golde which they recouer by exchange chiefly for a kinde of greene stones which the Spanyards call Pâedrashijodas we vse spleene stones and for the disease of the stone we also esteeme them Of these I saw diuers in Guiana and commonly euery king or casique hath one which their wiues for the most part weare and they esteeme them as great iewels But to returne to the enterprise of Bereo who as I haue sayd departed from Nueuo reyno with 700 horse besides the prouisions aboue rehearsed he descended by the riuer called Cassanar which riseth in Nueuo reyno out of the mountaines by the city of Tuuia from which mountaine also springeth Paâo both which fall into the great riuer of Meta and Meta riseth from a mountaine ioyning to Pamplon in the same Nueuo reynode Granada These as also Guaiare which issueth out of the mountaines by Timana fall all into Baraquan and are but of his heads for aâ their comming together theâ lose their names and Baraquan farther downe is also rebaptized by the name of Orenoque On the other side of the city and hilles of Timana riseth Rio grande which falleth in the sea by Sancta Marta By Cassonar first and so into Meta Berreo passed keeping his horsemen on the banks where the countrey serued them for to march and where otherwise he was driuen to
The king of this land is called Carapana a man very wise subtill and of great experience being little lesse then an hundred yeeres olde in his youth he was sent by his father into the Island of Trinidad by reason of ciuill warre among themselues and was bred at a village in that island called Parico at that place in his youth hee had seene many Christians both French and Spanish and went diuers times with the Indians of Trinidad to Margarita and Cumaná in the West Indies for both those places haue euer beene relieued with victuall from Trinidad by reason whereof he grew of more vnderstanding and noted the difference of the nations comparing the strength and armes of his countrey with those of the Christians and euer after temporized so as whosoeuer els did amisse or was wasted by contention Carapana kept himselfe and his countrey in quiet plenty he also held peace with the Caribes or Canibals his neighbours and had free trade with all nations whosoeuer els had warre Berreo soiourned and rested his weake troupe in the towne of Carapana sixe weeks and from him learned the way and passage to Guiana and the riches and magnificence thereof but being then vtterly disable to proceed he determined to try his fortune another yere when he had renewed his prouisions and regathered more force which hee hoped for aswell out of Spaine as from Nueuo reyno where hee had left his sonne Don Antonio Ximenes to second him vpon the first notice giuen of his entrance and so for the present imbarked himselfe in canoas and by the branches of Orenoque arriued at Trinidad hauing from Carapana sufficient pilots to conduct him From Trinidad he coasted Paria and so recouered Margarita and hauing made relation to Don Iuan Sermiento the gouernour of his proceeding and perswaded him of the riches of Guiana he obteined from thence fifty souldiers promising presently to returne to Carapana and so into Guiana But Berreo meant nothing lesse at that time for he wanted many prouisions necessary for such an enterprise and therefore departed from Margarita seated himselfe in Trinidad and from thence sent his camp-master and his sergeant-maior backe to the borders to discouer the neerest passage into the empire as also to treat with the borderers and to draw them to his party and loue without which he knew he could neither passe safely nor in any sort be relieued with victuall or ought els Carapana directed his company to a king called Morequito assuring them that no man could deliuer so much of Guiana as Morequito could and that his dwelling was but fiue dayes iourney from Macureguarai the first ciuill towne of Guiana Now your lordship shall vnderstand that this Morequito one of the greatest lords or kings of the borders of Guiana had two or three yeeres before bene at Cumaná and at Margarita in the West Indies with great store of plates of golde which he caried to exchange for such other things as he wanted in his owne countrey and was dayly feasted presented by the gouernours of those places and held amongst them some two moneths in which time one Vides gouernour of Cumaná wanne him to be his conductour into Guiana being allured by those croissants and images of golde which hee brought with him to trade as also by the ancient fame and magnificence of El Dorado whereupon Vides sent into Spaine for a patent to discouer and conquer Guiana not knowing of the precedence of Berreos patent which as Berreo affirmeth was signed before that of Vides so as when Vides vnderstood of Berreo and that he had made entrance into that territory and foregone his desire and hope it was verily thought that Vides practised with Morequito to hinder and disturbe Berreo in all he could and not to suffer him to enter thorow his signorie nor any of his companies neither to victuall nor guide them in any sort for Vides gouernour of Cumaná and Berreo were become mortall enemies as well for that Berreo had gotten Trinidad into his patent with Guiana as also in that he was by Berreo preuented in the iourney of Guiana it selfe howsoeuer it was I know not but Morequito for a time dissembled his disposition suffered Spanyards and a frier which Berreo had sent to discouer Manoa to trauell thorow his countrey gaue them a guide for Macureguaray the first towne of ciuill and apparelled people from whence they had other guides to bring them to Manoa the great city of Inga and being furnished with those things which they had learned of Carapana were of most price in Guiana went onward and in eleuen dayes arriued at Manoa as Berreo affirmeth for certeine although could not be assured thereof by the lord which now gouerneth the prouince of Morequito for he tolde me that they got all the golde they had in other townes on this side Manoa there being many very great and rich and as he sayd built like the townes of Christians with many roomes When these ten Spaniards were returned and ready to put out of the border of Aromaia the people of Morequito set vpon them and slew them all but one that swam the riuer and tooke from them to the value of forty thousand pezos of golde and one of them onely liued to bring the newes to Berreo that both his nine souldiers and holy father were benighted in the said prouince I my selfe spake with the captaines of Morequito that slew them and was at the place where it was executed Berreo inraged heerewithall sent all the strength he could make into Aromaia to be reuenged of him his people and countrey But Morequito suspecting the same fled ouer Orenoque and thorow the territories of the Saima and Wikiri recouered Cumaná where hee thought himselfe very safe with Vides the gouernour But Berreo sending for him in the kings name and his messengers finding him in the house of one Fashardo on the sudden yer he was suspected so as he could not then be conueyed away Vides durst not deny him as well to auoid the suspition of the practise as also for that an holy father was slaine by him and his people Morequito offered Fashardo the weight of three quintals in golde to let him escape but the poore Guianian betrayed on all sides was deliuered to the campe-master of Berreo and was presently executed After the death of this Morequito the souldiers of Berreo spoiled his territorie and tooke diuers prisoners among others they tooke the vncle of Morequito called Topiawari who is now king of Aromaia whose sonne I brought with me into England and is a man of great vnderstanding and policy he is aboue an hundred yeeres olde and yet of a very able body The Spaniards ledâe him in a chaine seuenteene dayes and made him their guide from place to place betweene his countrey Emeria the prouince of Carapana aforesayd and he was at last redeemed for an hundred plates of
from Rochel It were good that your Maiestie would send into France to knowe the certainetie thereof The Frenchman likewise told me that all the Canibals of Petiguar haue ioyned themselues in companie with certaine Frenchmen which were cast away in two ships vpon this coast The one of these ships which were cast away was one Rifoles and the other ship was this mans And those Frenchmen which came vpon this coast did ioyne themselues with those Canibals which did âeââl and did diuide themselues into two squadrons So I sent presently to Manuel Mascarenhas that he should send me aide and munition But he sent me word againe that he had none to spare and that he did purpose with all speede to goe himselfe to Rio Grande and that he was not able to furnish himselfe so well as he could wish nor to bring his souldiers into the field for lacke of shot powder and other munition which he did want Hereupon once more the 29 of Iuly I with my souldiers marched to the enemies campe and there ioyning battell with the Indian rebels which were ioyned with the Frenchmen that ââce their leaders I did set vpon them and slew great store of them and tooke fourteene of them prisoners They doe report the very same newes which the other Frenchmen did tell me as touching the ships which were in the harbour of Rio Grande and how their pretence was to haue come and haue taken vs and spoyled the countrey But now being put to flight and hauing receiued the ouerthrow they can get no victuals to victuall their shippes which hath bene the cause that they are mightily hindered in their intent and dare not come any more to attempt vs. And the Indians are so dismayed that in haste they will haue no more helpe nor aide of the Frenchmen So by these meanes of necessitie the Indians must submit themselues vnto vs considering they are quite spoyled and ouerthrowen for a long time Likewise they haue enformed me touching the siluer mines which are found that it is most true For those french shippes which were in Rio Grande haue laden great store of the oare Wherefore I certified Manuel de Mascarenhas of the Frenchmens newes and howe euery thing did stand wishing him to make readie foure ships and three hundred souldiers and so to take the harbour of Rio Grande being now cleered and voyde of the enemie and to search out the situation of the place and where were best to fortifie and to build some fortes for the defence of this riuer where neede shall require Hereunto Mascarenhas sent me word that when he went himselfe and found it true which hath beene reported touching the siluer mines that then he would send both men and ships Therefore your Maiestie must giue order that the rest of the Gouernours shall ayde and assist me in these warres otherwise of my selfe I am not able to doe more then I haue alreadie done in defending of this countrey against our enemies which are many It may please your Maiestie to be aduertised that from time to time I haue written vnto Don Francisco de Sousa Gouernor general of this realme who is in Baia as concerning these Frenchmen of warre but he will not answere me to any purpose because I do write vnto him for such things as I doe want which are shot powder men and munition requisite for your Maiesties seruice safegard of this captaineship For here are neither shot powder nor any thing els to defend vs from our enemies nor any that wil put to their helping hands for the defence of this countrey the seruice of your Maiestie And therfore it were needfull that your Maiesty should commit the charge and gouernment into the hands of Diego Sierua with expresse charge that all the captaines commanders vpon paine of death obey him and be readie at all times to aide and assist him in your seruice Otherwise this countrey cannot be kept and maintained hauing so great warres continually as we haue and are troubled withall For this Diego Sierua is a very good souldier and hath good experience and is fit to gouerne this countrey Your Highnesse is also to send him Commission with expresse coÌmandement to follow these wars otherwise this countrey cannot be kept but daily they will rebell For here are none that will serue your Maiestie so iustly as he will do who wil haue a great care in any thing which shal coÌcerne your Maiestes seruice touching the estate of this countrey For the Gouernour Sousa doth spend your Maiesties treasure in building his owne Ingenios or sugar-milles And those Captaines which your Maiestie intendeth to send hither must bring with them shot powder and all kind of weapons furniture and munition for the defence and safegarde of this countrey and for the conquest of Rio Grande For there is no kind of munition in al this câuntrey to be had if occasion should serue It were also good that your Maiestie should send order for the building of a couple of Forts or Castles at Cabodelo for they be very needefull for the defence of the enemie which dayly doth warre against this Captaineship For that man which shall gouerne this countrey if he be no more fortunate then I haue bene hitherto shall not misse one time or another but he shall loose all the countrey If Don Francisco de Sousa had sent mee those two hundred and fiftie souldiers which I did send for which were in garison in the castle of Arâecife which doe nothing but spend your Maiesties victuals and treasure and had not sent them to Baiha where there was no neede these warres of Petiguar had bene ended long agone and had saued your Maiesty a great deale of charges which you had spent in folowing of this conquest of Rio Grande I haue chosen one Captaine Iohn de Matas Cardoso to be Gouernour of Cabodelo who is a very sufficient man Furthermore it may please your Maiestie to vnderstand that the chiefest Friers of this Monasterie of S. Antonie haue complained on me to the lord Gouernour generall and haue caused great strife and debate betweene him and me touching the gouernment and rule of these Indian townes For the Friers would command and gouerne both the Indians and their townes as well in Ecclesiasticall as Temperall causes as touching the punishment of the bodies of such as are offenders But I haue resisted them in your Maiesties name and haue alleaged that none but your Maiestie must rule and gouerne them and their countrey and that the townes appertaine to your Maiestie and not vnto the Friers But the Gouernour hath written a letter vnto me signifying that he hath pronounced a sentence against me in the Friers behalfe which is this The King our master hath sent a decree and certaine statutes touching the good gouernment and orders to be executed and kept in those Indian townes and that vpon sight hereof I shall presently
seueral steedes with fires and shooting off âheir pieces This island hath much plaine ground in it in many places and many fayre and straight trees do grow vpon it fit for to make excellent good mastes for all sorts of ships There are also mynes of very fine gold in it which are in the custodie of the Indians And to the South-ward of this place there is another very great island which is not subdued by the Spaniards nor any other nation The people which inhabite it are all Negros and the island is called the island of Negros and is almost as bigge as England standing in 9 degrees the most part of it seemeth to be very lowe land and by all likelihood is very fruitfull The 29 day of Ianuary aboute sixe of the clocke is the morning we set saile sending our boate before vntil it was two of the clock in the afternoone passing all this time as it were through a straight betwixt the said 2 islands of Panama and the island of Negros and about 16 leagues off we espied a fayre opening trendingâ Southwest and by South at which time our boate came aboord and our Generall sent commendations to the Spanish captaine which wee came froâ the euening before by the Spaniard which we tooke and willed him to prouide good store of gold for he meant for to see him with his company at Manilla within fewâ yeeres and that he did but want a bigger boate to haue landed his men or else hee would haue seene him then and so caused him to be set on shore The 8 day of February by 8 of the clocke in the morning we espied an island neere Gilolo called Batochina which standeth in one degree from the Equinoctial line Northward The 14 day of February we fell with 11 or 12 very small islands lying very low and flat full of treesâ and passed by some islands which be suncke and haue the dry sands lying in the maine sea These islands neere the Malucoes stand in 3 degrees and 10 min. to the South-ward of the lyne On the 17 day one Iohn Gameford a Cooper dyed which had bene sicke of an olde disease a long time The 20 day wee fell with certaine other islands which had many small islands among them standing 4 degrees to the South-ward of the lyne On the 21 day of Februarie being Ash wednesday Captaine Hauers dyed of a most feruent and pestilent ague which held him furiously some 7 or 8 dayes to the no small griefe of our Generall and of all the reât of the company who caused two Falcons and one Sacre to be shot oâf with all the small shotte in the ship who aftâr he was shrowded in a sheete and a prayer fayd was heued ouer bord with great lamenâation of vs all Moreouer presently after his death my selfe with diuers othârs in the ship fâll marueilously sicke and so continued in very great paine for the space of three weekes or a moneth by reason of the extreeme heat and vntemperatnesse of the Climate The first day of March hauing passed through the Straights of Iaua minor and Iaua maior wee came to an ancker vnder the Southwest parts of Iauâ maior where wee âspied certaine of the people which were fishing by the sea side in a bay which was vnder the yland Then our Generall taking into the ship-boat certaine of his company and a Negro which could speake the Morisco tongue which hee had taken out of the great S. Anna made toward those fishers which hauing espied our boat ranne on shoare into the wood for feare of our men but our Generall caused his Negro to call vnto them who no sooner heard him call but presently one of them came out to the shore side and made answere Our Generall by the Negro enquired of him for fresh water which they found and caused the fisher to goe to the King and to certifie him of a shippe that was come to haue trafique for victuals and for diamants pâarles or any other riche iewels that hee had for which hee should haue âither golde or other marchandise in exchange The fisher answered that we should haue all maner of victuals that wee would request Thus the boat came abord againe Within a while after wee went about to furnish out shippe througâly with wood and water About the eighth of March two or three Canoas came from the towne vnto vs with egges hennes fresh fish oranges and lymes and brought worde wee should hâue âad victuals more plentifully but that they were so farre to bee brought to vs where wee ridde Which when our Generall heard hee weighed ancker and stoode in neerer for the towne and as weâ were vnder saile wee mette with one of the kings canoas comming towarde vs whereupon wee sâoke the shippe in the winde and stayed for the canoa vntill it came abord of vs and stoode into the bay which was hard by and came to an ancker In this canoa was the Kings Secretarie who had on his head a piece of died linen cloth folded vp like vnto a Turkes Tuliban he was all naked sauing about his waste his breast was carued with the broade arrowe vpon it hee went bare-footed he had an interpretour with hâm which was a Mestizo that is halfe an Indian and halfe a Portugall who could speake very good Portugese This Secrâtarie signified vnto our Generall that he had brought him an hogge hennes egges fresh fish sugar-canes and wine which wine was as strong as any aquauitae and as cleare as any rocke water he tolde him farther that hee would bring victuals so sufficiently âor him as hee and his company would request and that within the space of foure dayes Our Generall vsed him singularly well banquetted him most royally with the choyce of many and sundry conserues wines both sweete and other and caused his Musiâians to make him musicke This done our Generall tolde him that hee and his company were Englishmen and that wee had bene at China and had had trafique there with them and that wee were come thither to discouer and purposed to goâ to Malaca The people of Iaua tolde our Generall that thâre were certaine Portugals in the yland which lay there as Factours continually to trafique with them to buy Negros cloues pepper sugar and many other commodities This Secretarie of the King with his interpretour lây one night abord our shippe The same night because they lay abord in the euening at the setting of the watch our Generall commanded euery man in the shippe to prouide his harquebuze and his shotte and so with shooting off 40. or 50. small shot and one Sacre himselfe set the watch with thâm Tâis was no small marueile vnto these heathen people who had not commonly seene any shippe so furnished with men and Ordinance The next morning wee dismissed the Secretarie and his interpretour with all humanitie The fourth day after which
was the 12. of March according to their appointment came the Kings canoas but the winde being somewhat sâant they could not get abord that night but put into a bay vnder the yland vntill the next day and presently after the breake of day there came to the number of 9. or 10. of the Kings canoas so deepely laden with victuals as they could swim with two great liue oâen halfe a skore of wonderfull great and fat hogges a number of hennes which were aliue drakes geese eggs plantans sugar canes sugar in plates cocos sweet oranges and sowre lymes great store of wine and aquauitae salt to season victuals withall and almost all maner of victuals else with diuers of the Kings officers which were there Among all the rest of the people in one of these canoas came two Portugales which were of middle stature and men of marueilous proper personage they were each of them in a loose ierkin and hose which came downe from the waste to the ancle because of the vse of the Countrey and partly because it was Lent and a time for doing of their penance for they accompt it as a thing of great dislike among these heathens to weare either hose or shoes on their feete they had on ech of them a very faire and a white lawne shirt with falling bands on the same very decently onely their bare legs excepted These Portugales were no small ioy vnto our Generall and all the rest of our company For we had not seene any Christian that was our friend of a yeere and an halfe before Our Generall vsed and intreated them singularly well with banquets and musicke They told vs that they were no lesse glad to see vs then wee to see them and enquired of the estate of their countrey and what was become of Don Antonio their King and wheâher hee were liuing or no for that they had not of long time bene in Portugall and that the Spaniards had alwayes brought them worde that hee was dead Then our Generall satisfied them in euery demaund Assuring them that their King was aliue and in England and had honourable allowance of our Queene and that there was warre betweene Spaine and England and that we were come vnder the King of Portugall into the South sea and had warred vpon the Spaniards there and had fired spoiled and sunke all the ships along the coast that we could meete withall to the number of eighteâne or twentie sailes With this report they were sufficiently satâsfied On the other side they declared vnto vs the state of the yland of Iaua First the pâentifulnes and great choise and store of victuals of all sorts of all maner of fruits as before is set downe Theâ the great and rich marchandize which are there to be had Then they described the properâies and nature of the people as followeth The name of the King of that part of the yland was Raia Bolamboam who was a man had in great maiestie and feare among them The common people may not bargaine sell or exchange any thing with any other nation without speciall licence from their king and if any so doe it is present death for him The King himselfe is a man of great yeeres and hath an hundred wiues his sonne hath fiftie The custome of the countrey is that whensoeuer the king doeth die they take the body so dead and burne it and preserue the ashes of him and within fiue dayes next after the wiues of the said king so dead according to the custome and vse of their countrey euery one of them goe together to a place appoinâed and the chiefe of the women which was neerâst vnto him in accompt hath a ball in her hand and throweth it from her and to the place where the ball râsteth thither they goe all and turne their faces to the Eastward and euery one with a dagger in their hand which dagger they call a Crise and is as sharpe as a rasor stab themselues to the heart and with their hands all to bee-bath themselues in their owne blood and falling groueling on their faces so ende their dayes This thing is as true as it seemeth to any hearer to be strang The men of themselues be very politique and subtile and singularly valiant being naked men in any action they vndertake and wonderfully at commandement and feare of their king For example if their king command them to vndertake any exploit be it neuer so dangerous or desperate they dare not nor will not refuse it though they die euery man in the execution of the same For hee will cut off the heads of euery onâ of them which returne aliue without bringing of their purpose to passe which is such a thing among them as it maketh them the most valiant people in all the Southeast parts of the worldâ for they neuer feare any death For being in fight with any nation if any of them feeleth himselfe hurt with launce or sword he will willingly runne himselfe vpon the weapon quite through his body to procure his death the more speedily and in this desperate sort ende his dayes or ouercome his enemie Moreouer although the âen âe tawny of colour and go continually naked yet their women be faire of complexion and go more apparelled After they had thus described the state of the yland and the orders and facions of the people they tolde vs faâther that if their king Don Antonio would come vnto them they would warrant him to haue all the Malucos at commandement besides China Sangles and the yles of the Philippinas and that hee might be assured to haue all the Indians on his side that are in the countrey After we had fully contented these Portugals and the people of Iaua which brought vs victuals in their Canoas they tooke their leaues of vs with promise of all good entertainâment at our returnes and our Generall gaue them three great pieces of Ordinance at their departing Thus the next day being the 16. of March we set saile towards the Cape of good hope called by the Portugals Cabo de buena Esperancça on the Southermost coast of Africa The rest of March and all the moneth of April wee spent in ârauersing that mightie and vastâ Sea betweene the yle of Iaua and the maine of Africa obseruing the heauens thâ Crosiers or South-pole the other starres the foules which are markes vnto the Sea men of faire weather foule weather approching of lands or ylands the winds the tempests the raines thunders with the alterations of tides and currents The 10. day of May we had a storme at the West and it blew so hard that it was as much as the ship could stirre close by vnder the wind and the storme continued al that day and al that night The next day being the 11. of May in the morning one of the company went into the top and espied land bearing Northâ and
for her neglecting his commandement suffered her miserably to be splitted with desire to eârich themselues by her wracke Within few dayes after this last mischance foure of vs being Englishmen departed from Cherbourgh and passed home for England in a barke of Weymouth leauing the two strangers there behinde vs. The names of vs sixe that returned of all our company were these 1 William Magoths of Bristol 2 Richard Bush. 3 Iohn Reade 4 Richard Hodgkins of Westburie neere Bristol The two strangers 5 Gabriel Valerosa a Portugal 6 Peter a Briton A petition made by certaine of the company of the Delight of Bristol vnto the Master of the said ship Robert Burnet one of the consorts of M. Chidley being in the Streights of Magellan the 12. of February 1589. WE haue thought good to shew vnto you being our Master our whole mindes and grieâes in writing that whereas our Captaine Matthew Hawlse and Walter Street doe beginne to take into the Captaines cabin this 12. of Febr. both bread and butter such as was put in for the prouision of the shippe and company only to feed themselues and a few others which are of their messe meaning thereby rather to sterue vs then to keepe vs strong and in health And likewise vpon the same hee hath taken into his cabin certaine furniture as swords caleeuers and musquets We therefore not well knowing their intents herein except by certaine wordes cast out at vnwares wee may coniecture that your death which God forbid by them hath bene determined doe all most humbly desire you being our Master and hauing charge of the shippe and vs thiâ present voyage committed vnto you to consider First that by Gods visitation wee haue lost 16. men and that so much the rather because they were not alotted such necessary prouision as was in the ship to be had Also to consider the great losse of 15. of our men with our boat at Penguin-yland within the Streights of Magellan and of 7. good and seruiceable men besides neere Port famine and of three anckers and our Carpenter Ouer and besides all these calamities to consider how you haue without all reason and conscience bene ouer-thwarted disgraced and outcountenanced by your mate Street and Matthew Hawlse Also what danger you now are subiect vnto your death hauing bene so often conspired and what danger we should be in if it were which God forbid effected Furthermore to weigh with your selfe the great want of many necessaries in our ship namely that we haue but 6. sailers besides yourselfe and your mate Street whom wee dare not trust Also that wee haue but one ancker likewise the lacke of our boate and a Carpenter of ropes of pitch treynailes bolts and plankes and the want of a skilfull Chirurgian And whereas a view being taken of our prouision there was found but fiue moneths victuals of bread meale greets and pease and also but three moneths victuals of beefe penguins and porke three hogsheads of wine ten gallons of aquauitae whereof the sicke men could not get any to relieue them foure hogsheads of syder and 18. flitches of bacon c. the company hath but three flitches Also the said Captaine Hawlse and Street haue taken and seased vpon 17. potts of butter with certaine cheese and an hogshead of bread at a time and haue bene thereof possessed to their owne priuate vses And haue not onely immoderately spent the companies prouision in butter cheese aquauitae c. but haue also consumed those sweete meates which were âayed vp in the shippe onely for the reliefe of sicke persons themselues being healthy and sound and withholding the said meates from others in their sickenesse and euen at this time also by reason of the small store of our prouision wee being enforced to come to a shorter allowance they the saide Captaine Hawlse and your mate Street doe finde themselues agrieued at the very same allowance wherewith other men are well contented And although besides our ordinary allowance and more then all the rest of the company they onely haue their breakefasts permitted vnto them yet they complaine that the company goeth about to famish them whereas indeed they doe what lyeth in them to famish the company by feeding themselues fat which doe no labour at all These things being well weighed you ought likewise to consider the long time that wee haue ââen here in these Streights of Magellan hauing bene at and seuen or eight times tenne leagues beyond Cape Froward we haue had but a small gale of winde with vs neither could wee come to an ancker the water being so deepe and you know the place is so dangerous that wee were once embayed and coulde scarce get out againe And likewise What fogges and mists are here already Much more here wil be the winter and darke nights being at hand we hauing not so much as a boate to seeke out any roade to ride in sauing a small weake boate made of mens chesles in which it is not conuenient to goe on shoare in a forreine countrey where wee must goe with force and hauing but one ancker left vs there is but little hope of life in vs as you may sufficiently iudge if wee should lose either the saide ancker or our boate and therefore wee dare not put the same in danger for feare of loosing them Also wee hauing lien here these sixe weekes and vpward the winde hath continued in the North-west directly against our course so that wee can no way hope to get through the Streights into the South sea this yeere and if we could yet our prouision is not sufficient hauing spent so much thereof in this our lingering aboade Nay wee haue scarcely victuals ynough to cary vs home into England if they bee not vsed sparingly and with very good gouernment Therefore wee doe againe most humbly desire you to consider and haue regard vnto the premisses as you tender your owne safetie and the safetie of vs which remaine aliue that wee may by Gods helpe returne backe into England rather then die here among wilde and sauage people for if wee make any longer abode in this place it will bee without all doubt to the vtter decay and losse both of our selues and of the shippe and in returning backe it may please God that we may finde our fifteene men and our boat at Penguin-yland although this bee contrary to the mindes of Matthew Hawlse and your mate Street and hauing found them wee doe not despaire in Gods mercie but that in our returne home-ward hee will send vs purchase sufficient if wee would ioyne our selues together in prayer and loue one another And thus doing as wee shal be bound euen so wee will also heartily pray for the continuance of your good estate and wel-fare and for the length of your dayes to the pleasure of Almightie God Lastly wee doe most humbly beseech you to consider that after the losse of so many men and all the casualties aforesaid
Corayans issuing foorth of the woods Many of the Corayans also haue retired themselues vnto the neighbour-islands from whence with numbers of great ships to the mighty losse of the Iaponians they assaile their small and weake ones and haue already sunke many of them Wherefore all the Iaponian lords which remaine in Coray haue written vnto Quabacondono that his army must for a certaine time in no wise remooue from the place where it is âor auoyding of such imminent dangers as in proceeding further it may incurre Upon these aduertisements Quabacondono being ready to take his iourney to Coray to diuide the whole kingdome was hindred from his purpose and sent most friândly letters to all his nobles willing them to be of good cheere for that he would not deale about altering of their estates till 3. yeres were expired whereupon they were cased of eâceeding great care and griefe For albeit there is no great trust to be giuen to his words yet we hope that this yere he wil not meddle what he wil doe afterward God knoweth In Coray at this present there are aboue 200000â Iaponian souldiers who at the commandement of Quabacondono are diuided throughout the whole kingdom Augustine lieth vpon the very extreame frontiers of China but because the Chinians are separated from the kingdome of Coray with a mighty riuer of 3. leagues broad and abound with great ships and haue planted innumerable troopes of men vpon the shore the successe of the warre remayneth most doubtfull and vncertaine Neither doe wee know whether the Iaponians will proceede any farther this yeere or no. The third testimony of Coray signifying amongst other notable and politicall obseruations the later successe of the warres of Iapan against Coray and to what end Quabacondono still mainteineth garisons in that kingdome Out of the Epistles of Father Organtino Brixiano bearing date from Iapan Anno 1594. THe whole Empire of Iapan is now in the handes of this king Quabacondono and which hath not bene knowen since the first creation thereof there is not the bredth of one foote throughâut all the whole Island which is not absolutely subiect vnto him And hee reigneth in so great peace and tranquilitie that if his successors follow the same course of gouernment there is no likelihood of future sedition or perturbaâion in any of the kingdoms And doubtles the meanes which he vseth to establish continuall peace and concord among the Iaponians are very great and effectuall One is that after he hath passed his publique promise he neuer putteth any of his aduersaries to death which his predecessour Nabunanga performed not for he hauing subdued any kingdom would put all the lords and gouernours to the sword But this king granteth vnto them not only life but also yerely reuenues whereby to maintaine themsâlues in an honest and meane estate in which regarde they all rest contented and willingly submit themselues Anoâher is in that he hath brought the husbandmen and pesants by whose assistance wealth all the pety-kingdoms were after a sort sustâined vnto such extreme pouerty that they haue scarce wherewithall to keepe life and soule together as likewise hee hath bereaued them of all kinde of weapons The third is because hee hath most streightly forbidden all contentions seditions frayes and skirmishes For whosoeuer be found culpable of this crime they dye euery mân of them on both parties If any escape by flightâ their kinsefolks are punished in their stead and for lacke of them their seruants and for defalt of both their next neighbours If many were guilty many are punished and suffer death but hence it commeth to passe that many innocent persons are constrained to die And this seueritie is the cause why there are at this present so seldome frayes and contentions in Iapan The fourth is that in administring of iustice hee is most vpright without all respect either to his owne kinred or to his ancient captaines or the blood royall or any of the Bonzij bee they neuer so famous and being once aduertized of a crime hee pardoneth no man And albeit himselfe is exceedingly addicted to womân yet will he permit none of his subiects to haue any concubines For which cause not many dayes agoe hee banished a Bonzio of great wealth being in alliance and dignitie most neere vnto himselfe And being informed that all the Bonzij of Miacó kept concubines hee would haue put them all to death had not the gouernour of Miacó promised that hee would vndertake to keepe them from offending any more in that kinde Wherefore hee caused all the Bonzij euery moneth to bee sworne that they should liue honestly vpon paine of death as also hee hath sworne the heads or superiors of all their religious houses vnder paine of death âo giue vp their names whom they most suspect of the foresayd crime Hence it is that all of them if you regard their outward estate liue in exâreme feare The fift is for that hee suffereth none of his souldiers nor his great lordes to liue in idlenesse If there be no warrâs for their imployment hee occupieth them in building of stately palaces and in raising new forârâsses or in repairing and strengthening of olde and also in performing other notable workes to the ornament of Iapan and to his owne lasting honour So that at this present neere vnto Miacó there are thirtiâ thousand men imployed about the building of one castle and in the citie of Bozacca aboue an hundred thousand which imployments afforde them neither place nor time to practise any rebellions The sixt is his altering of gouernments for hee remooueth his gouernours from one extreme part of Iapan to another The seuenth for that vnto his souldiers besides the ordinarie pay continually allotted vnto them for their seruice in time of warre hee alloweth victuals at his owne costes Wherof it commeth to passe that hee effecteth whatsoeuer hee thinkes good by their meanes Neither hath hee hitherto waged any warre wherein his enemie was not vanquished according to his owne desire this late warre of China onely excepted which farre surmounted all his forces Howbeit in the kingdome of Coray hee maintaineth as yet great garisoâs as well to keepe his honour as to constraine the Chinians to sue for peace The eighth is in that hee curbeth and restraineth persons of ambitious and aspiring mindes who as hee coniectureth after his death might worke some innouatioâs in the common wealth or disturbe the kingdomes The ninth is because hee hath on no side within foure or fiue dayes iourney of Miacó any mightie or industrious captaine or gouernour The tenth and last is for that hee hath brought his yeerely râuenues to two millions of gold By these courses and meanes wee are in good hope that firme peace will bee established in all these kingdomes and also that a fit way will be prepared for the conuersion of all the great lordes vnto Christian religion A briefe note concerning an extreme Northerne
Sedgewick at Noâogrode Masts of 30. yards An Arshine is 3. quarters of a yard or more A rope house ârâted at Colmogro A tarre house Robert Austen 1558 Lampas a great mate for the Samoeds in the North. What quantitie of âempe workmen will worke in a peere White hawks white beares prohibited without licence Master Grayes iourney to Lampas 1558 Doctor Standish the Emperours Phisition An attempt to hinder our trade to Moscouia by the Hans townes Easterlings 1559 Master Ienkensons voyage intended for Cathay The discouery of its Caspian sea Passage to and from Moscouia by Sweden This was a yong Tartar girle which he gaue to the Queene afterward Tallowe Waxe Traine oyles Sables Woluerings Luserns Lett es Ermines Squirels Flaxe Cables and ropes A proclamion against soârnâ Furres 3000. podes of Tallow a yere 500. Losh hides Note Hope of trade to be found by master Antonie Ienkinson Seale skinnes tawed Small cables best besidible Masts of all sorts to be prepared Astracan no great good marte Christopher Hodson and Thomas Glouer appointed Agents 1560. Stockholme Iohn Luck taken prisoner in Lieflando The Swallow The Philip and Marie The Iesus Nicholas Chancelour The salt of Russia is not so good as Bay salte Fore skinnes white blacke and russet vendible in England May 5. 1560. Triall by combat or loâ Iune Heilick IslaÌds in 66 degrees 40 minutes Rost Islands Malestrand a strange whirle poole Zenam Island Kettelwike Island Inger sound The North Cape Wardhouse Cattell fed with fish The Monastery of Pechinchow Arzina reca the riuer where sir Hugh Willoughbie was frozen The Lappians couered all sauing their eies The current at Cape Grace The entering of the Bay of S. Nicholas is seuen leagues broad at the least August Pinego riuer The towne of Yemps Vstiug The description of their Nassades Good counsell for trauellers December Presents vsed in Russia are all for the most part of victualâ The citie of Boghar They arriued at Mosco M. Standish doctor of Phisicke Long dinners Ordinance in Russia A yerely triumph The hallowing of the riuer of Mosco The Russes Lent The Emperor leadeth y e Metropolitanâ horse in procession Kissing vsed in the Greeke church With these letters M. Ienkinson tooke his voyage the same Apâil to Boghar The Emperours wardrobe â Or Basilius Note The hospitalitie of their monasteries Want of preachers cause of great ignoâaÌce and idolaâây Al their seruice to in their mother tonguâ The women of Russia paint their faces Bââad made of straw The vnmercifulnesse of the Russeâ toward the poore Stooues ãâã baths vsuall with the Mascouites Reported by Thomas Bulley Cazan The Island of marchants The riuer of Cama Nagay Tartars Hords The Crimme Tartars The riuer of Samar Licoris in great plentie Astracan Store of Sturgions The length of the Island of Astracan They enter into the Caspian sea Baughleata being 74. leagues from Volga Iaic riuer Serachick The Countrie of Colmack The port of Manguslaue They goe on land The countrey of Manguslaue 20. dayes trauaile in the wildernesse with scarcitie of water Another gulfe of the Caspian sea Will de Rubricis describeth this riuer of Ardok cap. 4. Sellizure or Shayzure Letters of safe-conduct Vrgence The countrey of Turkeman The riuer of Ardock falleth into the lake of Kitay The castle of Kait Diutuation by forcerie Handguns very profitable Bussarmans Caphar The riuer of Oxus A wildernes of sande Boghar a citie of Bactria A strange worme in mens legs The coyne of Boghar Marchandise of India Marchandise of Persia. Marchandise of Russia Marchandise of Cathay Taskent Cascar He returneth the eight of March 1552. Vrgence The king of Baâke oâ Balgâ The English flag in the Caspian sea A notable description of the Caspian sea His arriual at Mosco the 2. of September * ârâ Vrgeâââ Angrim Mandeuille speaketh hereof Oââitay Small people Pechora but six dayes iourney by land or water from Ob. Trauelling on dogs harts 1559 The trade to Narue forbidden by the ââ of Poland The ancient couenants of trafficke betweene England Prussia The olde libertie of trafficke The meanes of increase of the power of the Moscouite This letter was also written in Hebrew and Italian The passage of Noua Zembla Waights and drugs deliuered to M. Ienkinson The maine sea within thirtie dayes Eastward of Colmogro 1561 The Queânes letters to the Emperour of Russia Request to passe into Persia thorow Moscouie Osep Napea Ambassadour from the Emperor of Russia to Q. Mary An ambassador of Persia. Astracan M. Ienkinsons voyage to Boghar He passeth the Caspian sea The countreâ of Tumen The Island of Chatalet The land of Shiâuansha Derbent A mighty wall Or Tiphlis Fortie one degrees Shabran Alcan Murcy the gouernour King Obdolowcan The maiesty attire of king Obdolowcan The Queenes letters to the Sophy Casbin Multitude of concubines The description of Hircania Danger by diuersâtie in religion Barbarous crueltie The citie of Arrash or Erex The commodities of thiâ countreâ The strong castle of Gullistone defaced The towne of Yauate The city of Ardouil The city Tebâiâ or Tauris M. Ienkinsons arriuall at the Sophies court 2. Nouember 1562. The Turkes Ambassadour to the Sophy The Turkes merchauntâ withstand M. Ienkinson Shaw Thomas the Sophies name The Queeneâ letters deliuered The Sophies questions The curtesâe of Shally Murzey Warres intended against the Portingalsâ The king of Hircans sâcond letters in M. Ienkinsonâ behalfe Conference with Indian Merchants M. Ienkinsons returne Priuiledges obtained of Obdolowcan which are hereafter annexed An Armenian sent to M. Ienkinson from the king of Georgia Teneruk king of Chircassi The description of Persia. The chiefe Cities of Persia. The difference of religion The 30. of May 1563. New priuileges obtained hereafter following 28. Sâptemb 1564. A rubble is a marke English Casbin Leuuacta A Boserman to a Renegado Thomas Alcocke slaine in the way betweene Leuuacta and Shammaki Keselbash or Ieselbash Gillan in Persia 1565. Ieraslaue a towne vpon the riuer of Volga Richard Iohnson chiefe of the third voyage into Persia. A barke of 30. tunnes made at Ieraslaue 1564. to passe the Caspian seas 1566 They departed from Astracan the 30. of Iuly 1565. September Presents to the king Obdolowcan A hoâse giuen our men in Shamaki by the king The death of Abdollocan the 2. of October 1565. Mursay the new king of Media The death of Alexander Kitchin the 23. of October 1565. The Caspiaâ sea very shoald in diuers places The murthering of Thomas Alcock Cozamomet a noble man that fauoured our nation The value of a tumen What a batman is Varas a great mart for silke Gilan 7. dayes sailing from Astracanâ Alom Gilan 4. dayes iourney from Casbin From Casbin to Ormus a moneths trauel with camels The secret doings of the Moscouie company Orient reds of Venice die A shaugh is 6. d. English His arriual at Casbin the 25. of May. Conference demands of the Shaugh All sorts of cloth to be sent specially Westerne
that watereth al the gardens in the citie A Bizantin is 6. d. sterling S. Sophia is a Cathedral church of Nicosia Monte de la Croce Limisâo Carrobi Vulture Great plenty of very fat birds The Famagustans obserue the French statutes Cauo Bianco Another Cion A ship called el Bonna A great tempest Candia Goâi Antonie Gelber dâparteth this life Cauo Matapan Cauo Gallo Modon Sapientia Coron Napolis de Romanâa Prodeno Zânâe and Cephalonia Castle Torneste vnder the Turke Cauo S. Maria on the coast of Albania Corâu Island The description of the âorâe of Corâu The Island of Coââu is very plââtiââll Câssopo A daâgeroâs ãâã in the ship Saseno Valona Meleda Curzola a fruitfull Iland In the Iland of Lesina are taken store of Sardinas The gulfe of Queânâro Rouignio Parenzo S. Nicolo an Iland Caorle standing at the eââry of the marshes of Venice Our arriuall at Venice 1569. The Pâince Pedro Doââa is captâiâe of 40 gallies ââdâââhe Empâroâ Iuanâââe Doâiââ The Mauneses put out of the Iland of Chio ây the Turkâ The ââsâoâââhorowe ââ all Tuâkie is âen in eâery hââdreth English men do buy more commodities of Chio then any other nation Great store of sundry commodities to be had in Chio. Diuers places where we may haue sweete oiles for our clothing farre cheaper then on t of Spaine Gaspar Campion maried in Chio 24 yeeres Store of hoops laden at Castilla de la mare for Candia Master Malim at Constantinople 1564. Rhodes lost Scio lost Cyprus lost * In Italy and other places the date of the yere of y e Lord is alwayes changed the first of Ianuary or on New yeres day and from that day reckoned vpon although wee heere in England especially the temporall lawyers âor certaine caâses are not woont to alâer the same vntill the Annunciation of our Ladie Carumusalini he vessels like vnto y e French Gabards sailing dayly vpon the riuer of Bordeaux which saile w t a misen or triangle saile * Maone be vessels like vnto y e great hulks which come hither froÌ Denmarke some of the which cary 7 oâ 8 hundred tunnes a piece flat and broad which saile some of them with seuen misens a piece * Palandrie be great flat vessels made like Feriboats to transport horse Nicosia otherwise called Licosia Sig. Bragaâino was Proâeditore that is Gouernour and Sig. Baglione Generall of the Christian armie * Baffo of the ancient writers named Paphos in the which Citie there was a sumptuous Church dedicated to Venus * Arsenall in Constantinople and Venice is the place for munition and artillery to lie in Two Venetian sonses or Soldi amount but to one peny English * Albannis souldiers souldiers of Albania otherwise called Epiâus who coÌmonly serue the Venetians both on horsebacke and foot very skilfull painfull Of this noble painfull Venetian gentleman M. Gio. Antonio Querini who was afterwardes hewen in sunder by the coÌmandement of Mustafa I was entertained very courteouslâ in my trauell at Corcyra now called Corâu he being then tâeâe Mag. Castellano or Captaine of one of the castles In extremities meÌ haue no regard to spare trifles Prouident carââull gouernours or magistrates seldome sleepe all the night at anâ time much lâsse in dangerous seasons A small thing at the beginning or in due tiâe done helpeth much That certaine women inhabating this Iland be âiragos or maÌkind I saw âufficient triall at my last being there in a city called Saline It is accouÌted a good warlike shilt to leaue that to our enemies with hinderance which we can not any longer keepe and vse to our owne commodity The forwardnes of the captaine at dangerous times not only much comforteth the common souldier but also increaseth greatly his credit commendation w t all men Teglia in Latine called Teda is a certanie wood which burneth easily and sauoreth vnpleasantly of the which there is great store in Sicilia sometime it is vsed for a torch No necessarie thing to bee done was lest vnattempted on either part Mans courage oft abateth but hope seldome forsaketh Saguntina âames In Iuly the heat is so extreme in this Iland that the inhabitants thereof are not woont to trauell but by night onley A letter or supplication exhibited by the Cypriottes vnto Sig. Bragadino The answere of the former letter It standeth with reason in hope of sauing the greater to let the lesser go Necessitie oft times presseth vs in the ând to that which âur will continually spurneth against Giannezerâ âe the gard of the great Turke iâ that Aga de Giannizetâ is the captaine of the Turkes gard Iust Turkish dealing to speake and not to meane sodainly to promise and neuer to perform the same The propertie of true fortitude is not to be broken with sudden terrors Mustafa cosin germaine to y e thiefe which hong on the left side of our Sauiour at his Passion * Zechini be certaine pieces of fine gold coined in Venice euery one of the which is in value sixe shillings eight pence of our mony somewhat better equal altogether to a Turkish Byâaltom His death answerable to his former life * A Foist is as it were a Brigandine being somewhat larger then halfe a galley much vsed of the Turkish Cursaros or as we call them Pirates of Rouers * The gate of the great Tuâke is as much to say as Constantinople the which they call in the Turkish language Sâanbâll Gli Venturierida spada are a kind of venturing souldiers who commonly are wont to âolow the army in hope of the spoile Aleppo a âamous riueâââ neere vnto Antiochia otherwise called in Greeke ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the city of the Sunne * Bey in y e Turkish language signifieth knight with vs. * Begliarbei signifieth lord Admirall * Sangiaccho is that person w t the Turkes that gouerneth a prouince or countrey God suffereth much to be done to his seruants but neuer forsaketh them Necessitie oft times sharpeneth mens wits causeth boldnes The nature of euery commoditie is sooner vnderstood by lacking then by continuall enioying of the same * Candia of the old writers called Creta in latin ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã in Greek because it had once a 100. Cities in it now there remaining but onely 4. thus commonly named Candia la Cania Reâima and Scythia Iohn Foxe taken 1563. The valour death of their Boatswaine The Englishmen caried prisoners vnto an Hauen nere Alexandria The last of December Ianuariâ Extremity of famine Iohn Fox his sword kept as a monument in Gallipoli The voyage of Iohn Wight and Ioseph Clements to Constantinople The first voyage of M. William Harborne to Constantinople â These two were Sir Edward Osborne And M. Richard Staper â Ye calleth the Germaine emperor but king of Germanie The Turke demandeth like priuileges for his subiects in the Queenes dominions â With vs the yeere 1579. Foedus Turciâ Imperatoris cum Regina âaitum Artâculi âuiuâ priuilegij
Currants The I le de Flores The I le of Coruo Where they lost the sight of the North starre How the compasse doâth varie The Primrose The towne of Samma Golde Gold foure hundreth ââââgââ Graines Elephants teeth The head of an Elephant Sir Andrew Iudde The contemplations of Gods worâs The description and pââââââies of the Elephant Debate betweene the Elephant the Dragon Sanguis Draconis Cinnabaris Three kinds of Elephants Workes of Iuorie The people of Africa Libya interior ââtulââ AEthiope Nigrite The riuer Nigritis or Senega â strange thing Garamantes People of Libya Prester Iohn Regnum Orguene Gambra Guinea Cabo Verde The Portugals Nauigation to Brasile Aethiopia The 7 Bank of Meroe The Queene of Saba Prester Iohn Emperour of Aethiopia People of the Eastside of Africa People without heads Myrth Azania Regnum Melinde Aethiopia interior White Elephants Habasia Iâââhiophagi Anthropophagi Monteâ Lunae Gazatia Cap. bonç Spei Africa without colde The winter of Africa Flames of fire and noise in the aire The middle region of the aire ãâã cold The sââââe of Elements Winde The heate of the Moone The nature of the starres Spoutes of water falling out of the aire Cataracts of heauen Uehement motions in the Sea A strange thing The power of nature They rase their skinnes Fiue iewels A bracelet Shackles Kings Dogs chaines of golde A muske cat Their houses Their feeding Flying fishes A strange thing Their bread Their wheat The Sunne Their drinke Graines ââels that âleaue to ships Barnacles Bromas A secret The death of our men Fiue blacke Moues brought vnto England Colde may be better abiden then heate September October Nouember Porto Santo Madera Tenerif Palma Gomera Ferro Riuer del Oro. A Caruell taken Great store of fish vpon the coast of Barbary The Tropike of Cancer in 23. and a halfe Cape Blanke Cape Verde The coast of Guinea The Currant setting Eastward Riuer S. Vincent Cloth made of the barke of trees The Negroes race their skinnes Graines of Guinea Elephants teeth The description of their Townes and houses Diago the name of a Captaine The latitude of S. Vincent riuer is 4. degrees and a halfe Leaues of exceeding length Long pease stalkes Long womens breasts The language about the Riuer of S. Vincent The tides and nature of the shoare The point of Palmas * That was the yere 1554. The tides running Eastward A Towne Many Palme trees Cape Tres puntas Their maner of swearing by the water of the Sea Two townes Cape Tres puntas The towne of Don Iohn Their weapons 60. Portugales in the castle of Mina The English in anno 1554 tooke away 5 Negroes This language seemeth partly to be corrupt Sight of the castle of Mina Don Iohns towne described The Portugales of the castle of Mina inuaded our men The towne of Don Iohn de Viso Foure men taken away by the English A great towne The like they doe in the countrey of Prete lanni Master Roberâ Gainshes voyage to Guââea uâ anno 1554. The English were offered to buââd a towne in Gââne A Portugale Brigandine Februarie They returne for England Cape de Monte. March Cape Verde in latitude 14 degrâes a halfe Aprill May. Their arriual ât Bristoll Nouember December Sierra Leona The riuer of Sestos They admit certaine Frenchmen into their companie An assault vpon elephants Rio de S. Andre Captaine Blundel the French Admirall Allow Dondoâ a great towne The castle of Mina Cape de Tres puntas Bulle Hanâa Shamma The Negros brought âome by our men * Note Robert Gaynsh Hanta Fiue sailes of Portiugals descried The fight with the Portugals The French foâsake our men Februarie George our Negro Two Portugalâ slaine by the Engliâh The Frenchmen bridled by the English Iâing Abaan The offer of the king to the English to build a Fort. A towne in circuit as big as London A pretie deuise to descrit the enemie The kings friendly entertainment of oâr men Their ceremonies in drinking Mowâe Lagoua They returneâ Ships of Portugall Cape Mensârado Two small Ilands by Sierra Leona Note A Freâch bâas uado It is to be vnderstood that at this time there was warre betwixt England and France The French mens goods seazed in the time of the warre vpoâ the losse of Tales Two English Marcâants Ligiers in the Grand Canary The Spanish West Indian fleet oâ nineteene saile Rio del Oro. Francis Castelin Cape verde Foure Ilands A great trade of the Frenchmen at Cape âerde A faire Iland where the French trade Elephants teeth muske and hides Cabo de Monte. The riuer de Sestos Rio de Potos They descrie fiâe saile of the Portugals The fight Lagua Periânen Weamba Peâecow Egâând The English boord the Frenchmen Fifty pound of golde taken in the French prise Benin Our men die of sicknesse Sicknesse Mowre The great towne of Don Iohn Cormatin A fight with the Negros Note They put the Frenchmen with victuals into the pinnesse Shamma burnt by the English Their returne homeward The currant S. Thome Iland The description of the âle of S. Thome The Iland of Salt The great inconuânience by late sâaying vpon the coast of Guinie The Tyger giuen vp Extreame weaknesse of our men The English marchants intend to fortifie in Ghinea in the king of Habaans countrey The king of Haban Capo verde Rio de Sestos The Minion Rio de Potis Rio de S. Andre Cauo das palmas Cauo de tres puntas Anta Equi Two galies Mowre Cormantin Much hurt done in the Minion with firing a barrel of gunpouder They returne Rio de Barbos The blacke pinnasse Rio de Sesto The Minion of the Queene The firing and sânking of the Merline bound for Guinea They meet their Admirall againe A good caueat Cape Verde The foolish rashnes of Wil. Bats perswading the company to land vnarmed Ciuet muske gold grains the commoditieâ of Cape Verde The Negros trecherie A French interpreter for Cape Verde The danger of poisonâd arrowes The answere of the Negros Bona vista A good admonition Banished Portugals Great store of goates The I le of Maiyo S. Iago The treason of the Portugals in S. Iago to our men The Isle of Fuego Mill. Cotton in Fuego The Isle of Braua They returne March Aprill Woad May. A Portugall Galiasse of 400 tunnes A fight betweene one English ship and 7 Portugals The 7 Portugals depart with shame from one English ship Iune A Portugall ship notwithstanding all their vilanies defended by one men from Rouers M. Hogan his arriual at Azafi in Barbarie May. ân Barbary theâ haue no Innes but they lodge in open fieldes where they can find water The singular humaniâie of the king to our Ambassadour The Spaniards and Poâââgales were coÌmandeâ by the king in paine of death to âeete thâ Enâlish Ambasâadour The king of Spaine sought to disgrace the Queene heâ Ambassour The king of Barbarie sent into England for Musicians A rich gift bestowed vpon our Ambassadour Iune The
and released againe One of the ships taken and sent away with 2. persons The Carauel is taken The prises sent home Two Caracks 10. Gallions 12. small ships The 2. pinasses returne for England The Carack called the Sanct Philip taken A former voyage to Gambra Rio del oro is in 22. degrees and 47. min. Cauo de las Barbas Crosiers Cauo Verde in 14 degr 43. m. Cauo de Monte. Cauo Mensurado Rio de Sestos Cauo dos Baixos Tabanoo A French ship at Ratire Crua A currant to the South-eastward Cape de tres puntas The Castle of Mina Two white watch-housesâ Monte Redondo Villa longa Rio de Lagoa Very shallow water Rio de Iaya Rio Benin A currant Westward Ten foote water vpon the barre of Rio de Benin Sicknesse among our men The death of the Captaine Pepper Elephants teeth A deceityfull currant Rockweed or Saragasso all along the sea Inamia a kind of bread in Benin Wine of palm trees Abundance of hony Goto in Benin The great citie of Benin A token of a Northerly winde Great currants Two rocks A French ship of Hunfleur Cauo de las Palmas Rio de los Barbos Rio de Boilas Papuas Arda Ianuarie Villa longa Rio de Lagoa The riuer of Iaya The riuer of Benin Goto The Carauell bringeth teeth aboord 298. sacks of pepper Three spouts They returned homeward Braua We departed in company of a prise Coruo It is more temperate vnder the equinoctiall then on the coâst of Guinie Benin Paulo Dias Gouernour of Angola The king of Matamba 114 Portugals slain in Angola Amasanguano the Portugalâ abode in Angolâ The onely way to reduce a rebellious kingdom vnto obedience An vsuall trick of lewd goueâânours Answere to thâ firât Answere to thâ second Answere to the third Answere to the fourth Answere to the fift Our men land within a mile of the Groine the 20 of April The notable ouerthrow giueÌ to the Spaniards at Puente de Burgos Peniche taken Vigo taken Vigo burned Their returne to Plimmouth A worthy question dilated 3 ships forcibly towed out of harbour An escape of 8. Englishmen from Tercera The taking of the towne and platforme of Fayal A description of the towne of Faial Mines in Irelând Captaine Lister drowned February 1590. A fight of sixe houres long A faint-heaââed Fleming The Spanish 53. saile A violent storme A Portugall Prize taken A rich West-India Prize taken Great haâock of Spaniards The wracke of the Reuenge Aboue â00 Spanish and Portugall ships drowned Commodities fit for Arguin Wedges of golde giuen for small trifles Scarlet fine Purple cloth greatly accepted A good harbor before the Castle of Arguin Concerning this kingdome reade Leo Africanus a little after the beginning of his 6 booâe * The names of the chiefâ places of traffike betweene Senega Gambra Our trade hither beganne 1587. Gambra a riuer of secret rich trade concealed The second voyage Forty EnglishmeÌ traiterously slaine and captiued Cape Verde Besegueache Besegueache Refisca Porto Dally The Comand a ship of Richard Kelley The moÌstrous lies of a Portugall Port Dally the chiefe place of trade Ioala The Cherubin of Lime at Ioala Note San Domingo Rio grande Note this trade A rich trade for golde in Rio grande Commodities for Gago Tombuto taken Gago taken Marke this oââe The Santa Clara a Biscain ship of 600 tunnes taken Sir Iohn Burrough in great danger of the Spanish fleet The I le of S. Michael Diuers small ships taken Santa Cruz a village in the I le of Flores Newes of the East Indian caraks A carak called The Santa Cruz set on fire An hundred of our men land Angola a new watering place for the caraks The Madre de Dios taken Exceeding humanity shewed to the enemy A briefe catalogue of y e sundry rich commodities of y e Madre de Dios. The capacity and dimensions of the Madre de Dios. Besides these 3 ships there was a pinnas called the Violet of the Why not I. Commodities fit for Angola * Or Villa Villaâââ Madoc the âon of Owen Guyneth Humf. Lloyd The second voyage of Madoc the sonne of Owen Guyneth Gomara lib. 2. cap. 16. M. Powels addition Gutyn Owen These verses I receiued of my learned friend M. William Camden The occasion why the West Indies were not discouered for England King Henry the seuenth his acceptation of Columbus offer Ann. Dom. 1495. Bristol thought y e meetest port for Westerne discoueries Freedome froÌ custome A record of the rolls touching the voyage of Iohn Caâot and Sebastian his sonne This discourse is taken out of the second volume of y e voyages of Baptistâ Ramusius Sebaâtian Cabota Pilot mayor of Spaine The second voyage of Cabot to the land of Brasil and Rio de plata The office of Pilote maior The great probabilitie of this Northwest passage A current toward the West The people of Island say the Sea and yce setteth also West Ionaâ Amgrimus Copper found in many places by Cabote Cabots voyage from Bristol wherein he discouered New-found land the Northerne parts of that land and from thence as farre almost as Florida Anno D. 1549. Proclus pag. 24. Iustine Libâ 4. Plinâe A minore ad mâiuâ Strabo lib. 15. Vâlerius Anselmus in Catalogo ânnoâum pâincipum fol. 6. Gen. 9.10 We ought by reasons âight to haue a reâerent opinion of worthy men A Nauigation of one Ochther made in king Alfreds time A perfect description of our Moscouia voyage By Sir Hugh Willoughbie knight Chancellor and Borough Experimented by our English fishers Neede makes the old wife to trotte The Sea hath three motions 1 Motum ab oriente in occideâtem 2 Motum fluxus refluxus 3 Motum circularem Ad coeli motum elementa omnia excepta âeââa mouentur Positâ cauâa poniâur effeââuâ Conterenâââ An obiection answered The sea doth euermore performe this circular motion either in Suprema or concaua superficie aquae The yce set westward euery yeere from Island Auth. Iona Aââgâimo The flowing is occasioned by reason that the heate of the moone boyleth and maketh the water thinne by way of rarefaction An experience to prooue the falling of this current into Mar del Sur. Alcatrarzi be Pellicaâes Baros lib. 9. Of his first Decas cap. 1. Written in the discourses of Nauigation Quinqâe sensuâ 1 Viââs 2 Audiâus 3 Olâaâius 4 Gustus 5 Tactus Singulaâia sensu vniâârâalia veâò mente peâcipiuntur Lib. 2. cap. 66. Pag. 590. Auouched by Franciscus Lopes de Gomara in his historie of India lib. 1. cap. 10. This fift reason by later experieÌce is proued vtterly vntrue That the Indians could not be natiues either of Africa or of America Quicquid naturali loco priuatur quam ââtissimè corrumpitur Qualis causa talis effectus Similium similis âst ratio Quicquid corrumpitur à contraâio corrumpitur Omne âimile gignit sui simile True both in ventis obliquè flanâibus as also in ventis
Floridians measure their moneths by the reuolutions of the Moone The arriual of Captaine Iohn Ribault at the Fort the 28 of August 1565. Note False reâoâts of laâd ãâã to the Admiral of Fâance The danger of bâckbiting Alcibiades banâshed by backbiters Laudonâere receiuing of Captaine Ribault Letters of the Lord Admiâall vnto Laudonnieâe Accusations against him Laudonniereâ answere thereunto Fiue Indian kings The mouÌtans of Apalatcy wherein Aâe mines or perfect gold Sicroa Pira red mettall Perfect gold Good meanes to auoid the danger of fire September 4. The Spaniards vndermining and surprizing of the French The riuer Seloy or the riuer of Dolphins but 8 or 10 leagues ouer land from the fort but it is thirty doubling the Cape by sea Dangerous flawes of wind on the coast of Florida in September King Emola A village and riuer both of that caâe An aduertisment of my Lord Admiral to Captaine Ribault Captaine Ribault âmbarkment Sept. 8. The tenth of September A mighty tempest the tenth of Sept. Lauâonnierâ hardly vsed by Ribault ãâ¦ã and âis company begin ãâã fortifie themselueâ A muster of the men left in the fort by Ribault Fourescore and fiue left in the fort with Laudonnieâe The Spanyards discepâd the 20 of September The Spaniards enter the fort Francis Iean a traitour to his nation Don Pedro Melendes captaine of the Spaniards Laudonnierâ escape Iohn du Chemin a faithfull seruant The diligence of the Chaâneâs to saue them that escaped out of the fort Among these was Iaques Morâues painter sometime liuing in the Black fâyers in London Francis Iean cause of thiâ enterprise The bad dealing of Iames Ribault Our returne into France thâ 25. of September 1565. October 28. Nouember 10 The chanel of Saint George ãâã aâriuall in Sâansey Baâ in Glamorgan shire in South-Wales The courtesie of oââ Master Morgan Bâisâoll London Monsieur de Foix Ambassadour for the French king in England The conclusion The causes why the French lost Florida The French Fleete cast away on the coast of Florida The chanell of Bahama betweene Florida and the Isles of Lucayos The Frenchmens landing at the Riuer Tacatacouru Eight sauagâ kings The kings seate Complaints of thâ Sauages against the Spanyards Two chainâs of siluer giuen to Gourgues Peter de Bré had liued aboue two yeeres with Satourieua Three pledges deliuered to Gourgues by Satourioua The riuer of Salinacani called Somme by the French The riuer of Sarauâhi The estate oâ the Spanyards in Florida The riuer of Saracary or Sarauaââ The assault and taking of the first Fort. The valure of Olotocara The assault and taking of the second fort The Sauages great swimmers The Spaniards of the second Fort all sâaâie Note A notable Spanish subtiltâe The cause why the Floridian bury their goods with them Notâ The slaughteâ of the Spaniards of the third Forâ The taking of the third Fort. The ãâã hanged ouââ the French and Spaniards slame Flââââ The three Forts rââed Great honour done by the Sauages to ãâã Kniues in great estimation The third of May. The arriuall of Gourgues at Rochel the sixt of Iune Che-de Bois The birth life and death of captaine Gourgues Wateri which is able to receiue any Fleete of ships of great burden a goodly riuer La grand Copaâ a rich citie Oâân Store of golde siluer and precious stones in Topira Topâra Another greater Prouince Those man seeme to be the Piniâââ euer one ââârier Marcus de Niâa in his 2. Chap. This was the Port of Santa Cruz in the Isle of California Valle de los Corazones mentioned by Vasquez de Coronado cap. 1. Petatlan a towne The Island of ãâ¦ã A great island and 30. small islands which serue to be the new islands of California rich in pearles A desert foure dayes iourney This was the ãâ¦ã Vacupa a towne 4â leaguâs from ãâã Baâ of ãâã From Vacupa to Ceuola are 37 dayes iourney Great pearles and ãâã golde in the Isle of California which he is in number Another village This graduation is mistaken by 6. or â degrees at the ãâã Marata lieth toward the Southeast âotânteac lyeth âest A mightie beast with one horne Fifteene Dââââ iourney from the end of the desert to Ceuola or Ciuâlâ The second desert entred the 9 of May. Twelue dayes iourney âost rich ãâã of gold and siluer in the ãâã ãâã ce the ãâã Totonteac the greatest ââd most populââârouince A desert A second desert Compostella in 21 degrees of latitude This was but 2â0 leagues ârom Mexico Frier Maâââââf Nââ The riuer of Lachimi The valley of the pâople called Caracones Vâlle del Seânor The valley de loâ Caâaâones distant fiuâ dâyes iourney from the Westââne ââa Sââân or eighâ Isles which are the Isles of California A ship seene oâ the seâ cââât Chichilticâââ ââ dayes iouâney from the seâ This Câiââiââicale is indeed but in 28 deâ The â3 oâ Iune Don Garcia Lâpeâ de Caâdenas A godly and fruitfull countrây found Riâ dâl Linâ A wise forecast The treason of the Indians Great âorecâst and diligeâce of the Campe-maââer They arriue at the citie ââ of âibola The arrâgancie of the pâople of Cibola Commandement to vse gentlenesse to the Sauages There were 800 men within the towne Gomaâa Hist. gen cap. 213. They defend the wals with stones like those of Hochelaga Eâââllânt houses âoure or fiue âoftes high Cibola is a ârouince conâââning sâuân towâââ Fiue hundâed housâs in Graâadâ A painte necâssariâ in a nâw discouery Painted maâtles Store of Turquââes Emralds Granatâs Crhâââall Eââelâent and very ââeat cocks Gâmara hist. gen Cap 213. saâth that the coldâ is by reaâon of the âigâ mountaines A wood of Cedars Excellent grasse Deere hares and couies âery good salte The Westernâ sea within 150. leagues from Cibola Beares Tigers Lions Porkespicks mightie sheep wilde goates Wilde Bores Deere Ounces Stagges Theâârauaile 8. daâes iourney toward the North sea Oxe hides dressed and painted very cunningly Totonteac is an hotte lake Tadouac seemeth because it is a lake and endeth in it to haue some affinitie herewith Other townes neere a riuer Turqââses Manâlâs The Indians flee to the hiâ with their wiues châââdren and goods A citie greatâ then Granada Twâ tableâ painted by thâ Indianâ one of bâastâ ânother oâ birdes and fishes An old pâophecie that âhose parts should be suâdued by Châââââans They worship the water Seuen cities farre from Granada Tucââo The Spaniards virtualling in discouerie A garment excellently imbroidered with needle worke An orelude âertaine Turquââes The death of Stephan the Negro Acucu Gold and siluer found in Cibola Acuco The Westerne sea discouered Tiguââ Aâa and Quiuiray A townâ burne Another town assaulted Maâtles Turqueses Feathers Precious things Melons Cotton Large mantles Cicuic fourâ dayes iourney from Tiguââ Quââira ââeapes of ãâã dâââ made for markes to know the way The Spaniards râturne to ãâã and so to Mexico 154â Tâe Spaniards wouâd haue inhabited the countrey Ships seâne on tâe sea coast
The sonnes of Vulodimir were Vuiseslaus Isoslaus Iaroslaus Suatopolcus Borissus Glebus Stoslaus Vulzeuolodus Stanislaus Sudislaus and Podius who died in his childhood Amongst the residue all Russia was diuided by their father who not being contented with their portions but inuading each other were most of them slaine by their mutuall contentions Borissus and Glebus in regard of their holy conuersation were registred for Saints whose feasts are euery yeere celebrated with great solemnitie vpon the twelfth of Nouember At length Iaroslaus only got the Souereigne authoritie into his owne hands and left behind him foure sonnes Vvlodimir Isoslauus Weceslauus and Vuszeuolodus The foresaid Vulodimir sonne of Iaroslaus kept his residence at the ancient citie of Kiow standing vpon the riuer of Boristhenes and after diuers conflicts with his kinsmen hauing subdued all the prouinces vnto himselfe was called Monomachos that is the onely champoin This man for I thinke it not amisse to report those things which their owne Manuscript Chronicles make mention of waged warre against Constantine the Emperour of Constantinople and when he had wasted ouerrun Thracia being returned home with great and rich spoyles and making preparation for new wars Constantine sent Neophytus the Metropolitane of Ephesus and two Bishops with the gouernour of Antiochia and Eustaphius the Abbat of Ierusalem to present rich and magnificent gifts vnto him as namely part of the crosse of our Sauiour Christ a crowne of gold a drinking cup curiously made of Sardonyx stone a cloake set all ouer with precious stones and a golden chaine commaunded them to salute him by the name of Czar which name as it may be prooued by many arguments signifieth a king and not an Emperour and concluded a most inuiolable league of amity and friend ship with him The foresayd Vulodimir begate Vuszeuolodus the second This Vuszeuolodus lefte eight sonnes behind him Miscislaus Isoslaus Stoslaus Teropolcus Weceslaus Romanus Georgius and Andrew The sonnes of George were Roseslaus Andrew Basilius and Demetrius Demetrius begat George who in the yere 1237. was slaine by one Bathy a Tartarian duke which Bathy wasted Moscouia and subdued the same vnto himselfe Since which time the Russians were tributary to the Tartars and were gouerned by such dukes as they pleased to set ouer them Howbeit the Tartars so greatly abused that authoritie that when they sent their ambassadours vnto the prince of Moscouie he was constrained to goe forth and meete with them and as Herbortus Fulstinius in his Polonian historie reporteth to offer them a bason full of mares milk and if they had spilt any whit thereof vpon their horses maines to licke it off with his toung and hauing conducted them into his princely court to stand bareheaded before them while they sate downe and with all reuerence to giue eare and attendance vnto them But by what meanes they shooke off at the length this yoake of seruitude I will forth with declare About the same time almost all Polonia and the dukedome of Silesia were ouerrun by the Tartars with fire and sword Who hauing burnt Presâa the chiefe citie of Silesia being come before the citie of Legnitz they fought there a most cruel and bloody field wherin was slain duke Henrie himselfe being sonne vnto the most holy and deuout lady Heduice with many others whose monuments and graues be as yet extant in sundry places and with an infinite multitude of common souldiers insomuch that the Tartars filled nine great sackes with the eares of them which they had slaine The Tartars to the end they might obtaine the victorie presented vnto the view of our souldiers the portrature of a mans head placed by arte magique vpon a banner wherein the letter X. was painted which being shaken and mooued vp and downe breathed foorth a most loathsome stench strooke such a terrour into the hearts of our men that being as it were astonished with the snaky visage of Medusa they were vtterly daunted and dismayed From thence Bathy and his company with the same bloodthirstie intent marched into Hungarie and had almost slaine king Bela the fourth who together with his sonne escaping by slight did scarcely ridde themselues out of the enemies hand And when the whole world almost was exceedingly terrified at the cruell inuasions of this most barbarous nation at length Pope Innocentius the fourth sending ambassadours vnto Bathy obtained peace for fiue yeeres but to forsake his heathenish superstitions and to become a Christian hee would by no meanes bee perswaded For he was by the instigation of the Saracens infected with deuilish opinions of Mahomet as being more agreeable vnto his barbarous rudenes which euen vnto this day the Tartars do maintaine like as the prophane Turkes also This Bathy had a sonne called Tamerlan whome the Moscouites call Temirkutla who likewise as it is recorded in histories attained vnto great renoume For he caried about with him in a cage Baiazet the Turkish Emperour being fettered in golden chaines and made him a laughing stocke vnto all men Let vs now returne vnto the Russians George being slaine Iaroslaus his brother succeeded in his roome and left behinde him three sonnes Theodorus Alexander and Andreas Daniel the sonne of Alexander first established his royall seate in the citie of Mosco and magnificently building the castle which before time had bene obscure he tooke vpon him the title of the great Duke of Russia He had fiue sonnes namely George Alexander Borissus Ophonias and Iohn This Iohn succeeded his father and because he continually caried a scrippe about with him to bestow almes he was sirnamed Kaleta which word signifieth a scrippe His sonnes were Simeon Iohn and Andrew He gaue vnto his sonne Simeon the prouinces of Vvlodimiria and Moscouia which Simeon deceasing without issue his brother Iohn succeeded who begate a sonne called Demetrius This Demerius had seuen sonnes namely Daniel Basilius George Andrew Peter Iohn Constantine Basilius reigned after his fathers death This maÌ dishinheriting his sonne which was called after his owne name because he suspected his mother of adulterie at his death surrendred his Dukedome vnto his brother George who kept his nephewe a long time in prison Howbeit at his death though himselfe had two sonnes namely Andrew and Demetrius yet being stricken perhaps with remorse of conscience he bestowed the Dukedome vpon his nephew Basilius Against whom his two cousins bearing a grudge waged warre and at length hauing taken him by a wyly stratageme they put out his eyes Notwithstanding the Boiarens for so the Moscouites call their nobles continued their duetifull alleageance vnto this their blinde Duke whom for his blindnes they called Cziemnox that is to say darke or darkened He left a sonne behinde him called Iuan Vasilowich who brought the Russian common wealth being before his time but obscure vnto great excellencie and renowme Who that he might the better get all the superiority into his owne hands put to death so many
sonnes and nephewes of the former Dukes as he could lay hold on and began to take vpon him the title of the great Duke of Vvlodimiria Moscouia and Nouogardia and to call himselfe the Monarch or Czar of all Russia He brought vnder his subiection two principall cities namely Plesco being the only walled citie in all Moscouie and Mouogrod both of them being in regard of traffike most riche and flourishing cities and hauing bin subiect vnto the Lithuanians for the space of 50. yeeres before The treasure of Nouogrod was so exceeding that the great Duke is reported to haue carried home from thence 300. carts laden with gold and siluer He also was the first man that waged warre against the Polonians and the Liuonians against Polonia he pretended a quarell alleaging that his daughter Helena whome hee had married vnto Alexander the great Duke of Lithuania which was afterward king of Polonia was euil intreated and was withdrawen from the Greekish religion vnto the ceremonies of the Church of Rome But against the Liuonians for none other cause but onely for an incredible desire of enlarging his dominions Howbeit what impulsiue causes of litle or no moment happened in the mean season we will in another place more plainely declare Notwithstanding he was very often and in diuers battels vanguished by Plettebergius the great master of the Dutch knights but it is not to the purpose to stand any longer vpon this discourse He was married first vnto Marie the Duke of Tyuersky his daughter and of her hee begate Iohn vnto whom in his life time he surrendred his Dukedome and married him vnto the daughter of Stephan the Palatine of Moldauia which Iohn after he had begotten his sonne Demetrius deceased before his father Afterward Iuan Vasilowich aforesaide married a wife called Sophia being daughter vnto Thomas Palaelogus which is reported to haue had her dowry out of the Popes treasury because the Moscouite had promised to conforme himselfe vnto the Romish Church This Sophia being a woman of a princely and aspiring minde and often complaining that she was married vnto the Tartars vassal at length by her instant intreatie and continual perswasions and by a notable stratageme she cast off that slauish yoke very much vnbeseeming so mighty a prince For whereas the Tartarian Duke had his procuratours and agents in the Moscouites court who dwelt iu their owne houses built within the very castle of Mosco and were eye witnesses of all affaires which were there performed Sophia said she was admonished from heauen to builde a Temple in the selfe same place where the Tartars house stoode and to consecrate it vnto Saint Nicholas Being therfore deliuered of a sonne she inuited the Tartarian Duke vnto the solemne baptizing of him and beeing come shee requested him to giue her his house and obtained it at his hands Which house being razed and those Tartarian espials beeing excluded the Tartars at length were quite bereaued and vtterly dispossessed of their authoritie which they had exercised ouer the Russians for many yeres and could neuer yet recouer it albeit they haue giuen sundry attempts Of his wife Sophia he begate sixe children namely a daughter called Helena fiue sonnes that is to say Gabriel Demetrius George Simeon and Andrew The Dukedome of right appertayned vnto Demetrius the sonne of Iohn which was the sonne of Vasilowich by his first marriage Howbeit Sophia preuailed so with her husband that neglecting his graund-childe Demetrius hee bestowed his Dukedome vpon Gabriel his sonne Andrew the younger had a sonne called Vvlodimir of whom Mary was borne which in the yeere of Christ 1573. was maried vnto Magnus the Duke of Holst Gabriel hauing obtained the great dukedome of Russia changed his name calling himselfe Basilius and applied his minde to the atchieuing of high and great enterprises For hee reduced a great part of the dukedome of Moscouie which Vitoldus the great Duke of Lithuania helde in possession vnder his owne iurisdiction and wonne vpon the riuer of Boristhenes which the Russians call Neiper many cities and especially Smolensco in the yeere of our Lord 1514. Hauing diuorced his first wife hee begate of Helena daughter vnto Duke Glinskie Iuan Vasilowich which now this present 1580. reigneth as great Duke Hee was borne in the yeere of our Lorde 1528. the 25. of August sixe houres after the rising of the sonne The great dukedome of Russia fell vnto the said Iuan Vasilowich in the fifth yeere of his age hauing his vncle George for his great protector being 25. yeeres of age and being of a strong body and of a couragious mind he subdued the Tartars of Cazan and Astracan vpon the riuer of Volgha carrying their Dukes and chieftaines into captiuitie But by what wayes and meanes after the league which by the inâerecession of the most sacred Roman Emperour continued from the yeere 1503. for the space of fifty yeeres was expired hauing renewed warres against Liuonia hee brought that most flourishing prouince into extreame miserie vsing for the same purpose a new pretense and alleadging that it belonged vnto him by right of inheritance I tremble to recount and it requireth a large historie which perhaps in time and place conuenient some more learned then my selfe will take vpon them to addresse He is exceedingly addicted vnto piety and deuotion and doth oftentimes obserue very strict fastings and abstinence with his monks and wheras the Russes in doing reuerence adoration vnto God doe beate their foreheads against the ground this Iuan Vasilowich with performing of the same ceremonie causeth his forehead to be ful of boines and swellings and sometimes to be black and blew and very often to bleed He is much delighted with building of Churches spareth no cost for that purpose Whether therfore by nature or which hee pretendeth to be the cause by reason of his subiects malice treacherie he be so addicted vnto all rigour and cruelty I dare not determine especially sithens he hath not an illiberal or mishapen countenance as Attila is reported to haue had Of his first wife which was sister vnto Mikita Romanowich beeing nowe great steward of his houshold he begate two sonnes namely Iuan and Theodore And albeit he was fiue times married yet had he not one childe more Whereas this Iuan Vasilowich vpon certaine friuolous reasons calleth himselfe the naturall lord of Liuonia I thought it not amisse to adde an Epistle hereunto which was written by a certaine honourable man concerning the same matter S. All wee which inhabite this Prouince with all seemely reuerence and submission of mind do offer most humble thanks vnto the Emperors most sacred and peerelesse maiesty our most gracious lord in that according to his fatherly affection which he beareth towards all Christendome and for the good commodity of this our distressed and afflicted countrey which these many yeres hath bin in stead of a bulwarke against the inuasion of barbarous nations he hath
this kingdome and haue kept and enioyed the same almost this hundred yeeres Now this great Turke called Sultan Selim in the right of the Soldan of AEgypt whom his grandfather called also Sultan Selim conquered pretendeth a right title vnto it and now as you may vnderstand by reading of this short Treatise hath by conquest obtained the same Whom I pray the euerliuing God if it be his holy will shortly to root out from thence To the Reader I Am not ignorant gentle Reader how hard a matter it is for any one man to write that which should please and satisfie all persons we being commonly of so diuers opinions and contrary iudgements againe Tully affirmeth it to be a very difficult thing to finde out any matter which in his owne kinde may be in all respects perfect Wherefore I trust by your owne iudgement I ought of reason to be the sooner pardoned my translation being precisely tied to mine authours meaning if any thing heerein besides be thought to be wanting I haue learned by the way how comberous a thing it is to turne the selfesame matter out of the Italian language into our countrey speech But who so doeth what he possiâly can is bound to no more And I now at the request of others who put me in minde that I was not onely borne vnto my selfe haue accomplished that in the ende which I promised and was required With what paine and diligence I referre me to them which are skilfull in the Italian tongue or may the better iudge if it please them to trie the same casting aside this exampler I speake it not arrogantly I take God to witnesse but mens painefull trauels ought not lightly to be condemned nor surely at any time are woont to be of the learned or discreet By whose gentle acceptation if these my present doings be now supported I will perswade my selfe that I haue reaped sufficient fruit of my trauell Vnto whome with all my heart I wish prosperous successe in all their affaires Ann. Dom. 1572. W. M. In Turchas precatio SVmme Deus succurre tuis miseresce tuorum Et subeat gentis te noua cura tuae Quem das tantorum fiâem Rex magne laborum In nos vibrabit tela quoúsque Sathan Antè Rhodum mox inde Chium nunc denique Cyprian Turcharum cepit sanguinolenta manus Mustafa foedifragus partes grassatur in omnes Et Veneta Cypriam strage cruentat humum Nec finem imponit sceleri mollitùe furorem Nec nisi potato sanguine pastus abit Qualis quae nunquam nisi plena tuménsque cruore Sanguisuga obsessam mittit hirudo cutem Torturam sequitur tortura cruorque cruorem Et caedem admissam caedis alîus amor Saeuit inops animi nec vel se temperat ipse Vel manus indomitum nostra domare potest At tu magne Pater tumidum disperde Tyrannum Nec sine mactare semper ouile tuum Exulet hoc monstrum ne sanguine terra redundet Excutiántque nouum Cypria regna iugum Et quòd Christicolae foedus pepigere Monarchae Id faustum nobis omnibus esse velis Tupugna illorum pugnas bella secundes Captiuósque tibi subde per arma Scythas Sic tua per totum fundetur gloria mundum Vnus sic Christus fiet vna fides Gulielmus Malim The true report of all the successe of Famagusta made by the Earle Nestor Martiningo vnto the renowmed Prince the Duke of Venice THe sixteenth day of February 1571 the fleet which had brought the ayde vnto Famagusta departed from thence whereas were found in all the army but foure thousand footmen eight hundred of them chosen souldiers and three thousand accounting the Citizens and other of the Uillages the rest two hundred in number were souldiers of Albania Aâter the arriuall of the which succour the fortification of the City went more diligently forward of all hands then it did before the whole garison the Grecian Citizens inhabiting the Towne the Gouernours and Captaines not withdrawing themselues from any kinde of labour for the better incouragement and good example of others both night and day searching the watch to the intent with more carefull heed taking they might beware of their enemies against whom they made no sally out of the City to skirmish but very seldome especially to vnderstand when they might learne the intent of the enemies Whilest we made this diligent prouision within the Citie the Turks without made no lesse preparation of all things necessary fit to batter the fortresse withall as in bringing out of Caramania and Syria with all speed by the Sea many woollpacks a grâat ââantitie of wood and timber diuers pieces of artillery engins and other things expedient for their purpose At the beginning of April Halli Basha landed there with fourscore gallies or thereabout in his company who brought thither that which of our enemies was desired who soone aâter departing from thence and leauing behinde him thirty gallies which continually transported souldiours munition fresh victuals and other necessaries besides a great number of Caramusalins or Brigandines great Hulkes called Maones and large broad vessels termed of them Palandrie which continually passed to and fro betweene Cyprus and Syria and other places thereabout which they did with great speed standing in feare of the Christan army And about the middest of the same moneth the Turkes caused to be brought out of the Citie of Nicosia which they had woone a little before fifteene pieces of artillery and raising their army from whence they were before making ditches and trenches necessary incamped themselues in gardens and toward the West part of Famagusta neere a place called Precipola The fiue and twentieth day of the same moneth they raised vp mounts to plant their artillery vpon and caused trenches to be made for harquebuzers one very nigh another approching still very neere the Citie in such order as was almost impossible to stay the same fortie thousand of their Pioners continually labouring there the most part of all the night The intent of the enemie being then knowen and in what part of the Citie he minded most to plant his battery we tooke diligent heed on the other part to repaire and fortifie all places necessary within For the which cause wee placed a great watch in that way which was couered with a counterscharfe and in the sallies of their priuy Posterâes for the defence of the said counterscharfe there were new flanckerâ made also Trauerses called Butterisses made vpon the Cortaine with one trench of Turâes two foot high and broad the which was made on that side of the wall of the Citie which was already battered with the shot of the Turkes with certaine loope holes for our Harquebuzers by the which they defended the counterscharfe Two noble personages Bragadino and Baglione personally tooke this charge on them by the which meanes the Christian affaires passed in very good order All the bread for our