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A71305 Purchas his pilgrimes. part 3 In fiue bookes. The first, contayning the voyages and peregrinations made by ancient kings, patriarkes, apostles, philosophers, and others, to and thorow the remoter parts of the knowne world: enquiries also of languages and religions, especially of the moderne diuersified professions of Christianitie. The second, a description of all the circum-nauigations of the globe. The third, nauigations and voyages of English-men, alongst the coasts of Africa ... The fourth, English voyages beyond the East Indies, to the ilands of Iapan, China, Cauchinchina, the Philippinæ with others ... The fifth, nauigations, voyages, traffiques, discoueries, of the English nation in the easterne parts of the world ... The first part. Purchas, Samuel, 1577?-1626. 1625 (1625) STC 20509_pt3; ESTC S111862 2,393,864 1,207

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but were forced to lie still but not long after the Ice opened againe like to a sluce and we past through it and set sayle againe and so sayled along by the Land but were presently enclosed with Ice but being in hope of opening againe meane time wee eate somewhat for the Ice went not away as it did before after that wee vsed all the meanes wee could to breake it but all in vayne and yet a good while after the Ice opened againe and we got out and sayled along by the Land West and by South with a South vvind The three and twentieth wee sayled still forward West and by South till the Sunne was South-east and got to the Trust-point which is distant from the Ice-point fiue and twentie miles and then could goe no furtheer because the Ice lay so hard and so close together and yet it was faire weather the same day we tooke the height of the Sunne with the Astrolabium and also with our Astronomicall Ring and found his height to be 37. degrees and his Declination 23. degrees and 30. minutes which taken from the height aforesayd there rested 13. degrees and 30. minutes which substracted out of 90. degrees the height of the Pole was 76. degrees and 30. minutes and it was faire Sun-shine weather and yet it was not so strong as to melt the Snow that we might haue water to drinke so that wee set all our Tinne platters and other things full of Snow to melt and so molt it and put snow in our mouthes to melt it downe into our throates but all was not enough so that we were compelled to endure great thirst FRom the Low-land to the Streame Bay the course East and West foure miles From the Streame Bay to the Ice-hauen point the course East and by North foure miles From the Ice-hauen point to the Ilands point the course East North-east fiue miles From the Ilands point to the Flushingers point the course North-east and by East three miles From the Flushingers point to the Head point the course North east foure miles From the Head point to the point of Desire the course South and North sixe miles From the point of Desire to the Iland of Orange North-west eight miles From the Ilands of Orange to the Ice point the course West and West and by South fiue miles From the Ice point to the point of Trust the course West and by South fiue and twentie miles From the point of Trust to Nassawes point the course West and West and by North ten miles From the Nassaw point to the East end of the Crosse Iland the course West and by North eight miles From the East end of the Crosse Iland to Williams Iland the course West and by South three miles From Williams Iland to the Blacke point the course West south-South-west sixe miles From the Blacke point to the East end of the Admirable Iland the course West south-South-west seuen miles From the East to the West point of the Admirable Iland the course West south-South-west fiue miles From the West point of the Admirable Iland to Cape Planto the course South-west and by West ten miles From Cape de Planto to Lombs-bay the course West South-west eight miles From Lombs-bay to the Staues point the course West South-west ten miles From the Staues point to Langenesse the course South-west and by South fourteene miles From Langenesse to Cape de Cant the course South-west and by South sixe miles From Cape de Cant to the point with the Blacke clifts the course South and by West foure miles From the point with the Blacke clifts to the Blacke Hand the course South South-east three miles From the Blacke Iland to Constint-sarke the course East and West two miles From Constint-sarke to the Crosse point the course South South-east fiue miles From Crosse point to Saint Laurence Bay the course South South-east sixe miles From Saint Laurence Bay to Mel-hauen the course South-east sixe miles From Mel-hauen to the two Ilands the course South South-east sixe miles From the two Ilands where we crost ouer to the Russia Coast to the Ilands of Matfloe and Delgoy the course South-west thirtie miles From Matfloe and Delgoy to the Creeke where we sayled the compasse round about and came to the same place againe two and twentie miles From that Creeke to Colgoy the course West North-west eighteene miles From Colgoy to the East point of Camdenas the course West North-west twentie miles From the East point of Camdenas to the West side of the White Sea the course West North-west fortie miles From the West point of the White Sea to the seuen Ilands the course North-west foureteene miles From the seuen Ilands to the VVest end of Kilduin the course North-west twentie miles From the VVest end of Kilduin to the place where Iohn Cornelis came vnto vs the course North-west and by VVest seuen miles From thence to Cola the course VVest Southerly eighteene miles So that wee sayled in the two open Scutes sometimes in the Ice then ouer the Ice and through the Sea three hundred and eightie one miles Flemish which is one thousand one hundred fortie and three miles English The foure and twentieth of Iune the Sunne being Easterly we rowed heere and there in the Ice to see where we might best goe out but wee saw no opening but when the Sunne was South we got into the Sea for the which we thanked God most heartily that hee had sent vs an vnexpected opening and then we sayled with an East winde and went lustily forward so that we made our account to get aboue the point of Nassawes close by the land and wee could easily see the point of Nassawes and made our account to bee about three miles from it The sixe and twentieth it still blew hard out of the South and broke the Ice whereunto we were fast in pieces and we thereby draue into the Sea and could get no more to the fast Ice whereby we were in a thousand dangers to bee all cast away and driuing in that sort in the Sea wee rowed as much as we could but we could not get neere vnto the Land therefore we hoysed vp our Focke and so made vp with our sayle but our Fock-mast brake twice in peeces and then it was worse for vs then before and notwithstanding that there blew a great gale of Wind yet we were forced to hoyse vp our great Sayle but the winde blew so hard into it that if wee had not presently taken it in againe we had sunke in the Sea or else our Boate would haue been filled with water for the water began to leape ouer-boord and wee were a good way in the Sea at which time the waues went so hollow that it was most fearefull and wee thereby saw nothing but death before our eyes and euery twinckling of an eye looked when wee should sinke But God that had deliuered vs out of so many dangers of Death
minutes the distance of the Pole from my Zeneth was 11. degrees 17. minutes the complement thereof being 78. degrees and 43. minutes the Poles altitude All this day it was calme a●l the forenoone warme sunshine weather and whereas I named this place Cape-cold if I had f●lne with it this day or the like I should haue giuen it another name Here I tried to take fish but could perceiue none Item there is a point that beareth from Cape-cold North by West which I called Faire-forland this Forland and Cape-cold and black-Black-point are all one Iland At sixe of the clocke at night the winde came to the North North-west then I determined to view the Ice-sound better but comming neere it I perceiued it packt ful of Ice so that I could see no end thereof at the Top-mast-head neither could I see any open water in it At a North Sun the wind came to the North-east and by North then I stood to the Northwards as before The foure and twentieth day at a North-east Sunne the wind came to the south-South-west faire weather and warme At a North north-east Sun I tooke the Meridian Altitude which was eleuen degrees aboue the Horizon and by working accordingly I found the eleuation of the Pole aboue the Horizon to be 78. degrees 37. minutes The fiue and twentieth day at an East-south-east Sun I set the boat to the land neere Fayer-forland and it being calme I sounded fortie fiue fathoms where I proued for fish but could find none and within one league of the shoare I had fiue and thirtie and thirtie fathome streamy ground At a South-east Sunne the Boat came aboord laden with Wood and some Whales fins The men told mee there was great store of Morses in the Sea about the shoare side and about thirtie on Land Immediately I sent my Mate Nicholas Woodcock with the Boat on Land againe to see if they could kill any of the said Mohorses and also to search what other thing they should hap to find that might proue beneficiall Moreouer I was certified that all the Ponds and Lakes were vnfrozen they being Fresh-water which putteth mee in hope of a milde Summer here after so sharpe a beginning as I haue had and my opinion is such and I assure my selfe it is so that a passage may bee assoone attayned this way by the Pole as any vnknowne way whatsoeuer by reason the Sun doth giue a great heat in this climate and the Ice I meane that that freezeth here is nothing so huge as I haue seene in 73. degrees The sixe and twentieth day at a North-east Sunne the Boat came aboord againe hauing slaine but two Morses at twelue at midnight the wind came to the North and blew so hard that I was enforced to try with a Mayne-course cold frosty weather with snow The sayd wind and weather continued till a South Sun the seuen and twentieth day at eight of the clocke at night the wind came to the North-west and by West faire weather then I stood towards the Land again And at a South-east sun the eight twentieth day I was within three leagues of Fayer-forland and standing in I sounded diuers times and had these depths 15.17.19 and 18. fathoms within fiue sixe and seuen myles of the shoare and when Fayer-forland did beare South and by East by the Compasse It being two miles from me I saw the Land beare North-east and by North about nine leagues off the which because it was full of knottie Mountaines I called Knottie-point and betweene Knottie-point and Fayer-forland I saw a great Bay which because it was foggy on the sudden I could not discouer In the Sea about the Forland I saw great store of Mohorses and Sea-fowle I sounded in the Bay and had nintie fiue fathomes rockie ground I stood to Sea and had very foule weather with snow and fogs and frost which weather continued till the thirtieth day at foure of the clocke in the morning at which time I was within one mile of Fayer-forland in nine fathomes and then I sayled East North-east about two miles and had these dephs 18.17.16.14 and 12. fathomes all rockes Then I steered South with the like depths and grounds but when I had runne South South-east three miles further I had sandie ground then did Fayer-forland beare West and by North about three leagues of the next cast I had tenne fathomes foule ground and from thence I steered two leagues South and by East hauing these depths 10.9.8 and 7. fathomes then I saw the Bay couered ouer with Ice I turned out the wind at North. This Sound I named Fowle-sound for in this Bay are three Sounds this I spake last of which lyeth in South and goeth out at Black-point another lyeth in East South-east which I named Deere-sound another goeth in North which is called Closse-coue and being neere the point betweene Fowle-sound and Deere-sound it fell calme and I sent the Skiffe on Land and standing after with a little wind at West I found the sayd Point very shoale with a ridge of Rockes where I had these depths 4.5.6.7.9.10.18 and then 30. fathomes At a South Sun the Boat came aboord and brought Wood and some Whale-fins The last of May at an East North-east Sun I was within three leagues of Knotty-point at which time I saw Ice all the Sea ouer betwixt the West and the Land then I saw another Point foure leagues distant from Knotty-point the one bearing of the other North and by East and South and by West and it is smooth Land the which I named the Gurnerds-nose indifferent warme weather and finding the Ice to bee so thicke that I could not passe it and the wind comming to the West I stood to the Southwards againe determining to search the Sounds better for a Road and for commodities because I saw no good to bee gotten in keeping the Sea amongst the Ice and at a North Sun I was in the entrance of Close-coue where I had no ground at one hundred twenty fathomes and yet I was within two Cables length of a sunken ledge of Rockes that lyeth on the Larboord side of the Bay a mile from the shoare The first of Iune I found a good Road in Close-coue on the South-west side where I rid in seuen fathomes sand mingled with oze at an East Sun I sent a Skiffe to a low Point that lyeth on the North side of the Bay where they found some Whales fins and three pieces of Mohorse teeth and vpon a little rockie Iland they saw neere one hundred Mohorses which were there sleeping In this time I went towards the bottome of the Sound and slue a white Beare At a South-west Sun I went towards the rocke to see if I could kill any of the Morses that lay there and as wee went by the shoare side I espied Deere three of them I slue and one of my
second Admirall to pacifie it It hath two hundred and thirty leagues from the Cape of Saint Antonie vnto the Point of Mayzi going by Land although by the Sunne and by water there are not so many It hath in breadth from the Cape of Crosses to the Port of Manati fortie fiue leagues and then it beginneth to streighten and goeth to the last Cape or Occidentall Point where it is narrow of twelue leagues little more or lesse from Matamano to the Auana Her situation is within the Tropicke of Cancer from twentie to twentie one degrees the Countrey is almost all plaine with many Forrests and thicke Woods from the Easterne Point of Mayci for thirtie leagues it hath most high Mountaynes and likewise in the middest it hath some and there runne from them to the North and to the South very pleasant Riuers with great store of fish On the South side it hath the little Ilands which the first Admirall called the Queenes Garden and the other on the North side which Iames Velazquez called the Kings Garden the trees are of many differences and wild Vines as bigge as a man they gather no Wheate nor other Seedes of Spaine but great abundance of Cattle it hath great Copper Mynes and of Gold and is it found in the Riuers though it be base in the touch Iames Velazquez peopled first the Citie of Saint Iames in the South Coast fortie leagues from the Cape of Tiburon which is in Hispaniola and two leagues from the Sea neere to a Port one of the best in the World for securitie and greatnesse The Citie came to haue two thousand Inhabitants now it hath few with a Gouernours Deputie the Cathedrall Suffragane to Saint Domingo is resident in it and a Monastery of Franciscan Friers The Village of Baracoa is a Towne furthest East of the Iland of Cuba at the beginning of the North Coast 60. leagues from the Citie of S. Iames toward the East North-east which was also an inhabiting of the President Iames Velazquez The Village of Bayam● which Iames Velazquez also built is 20. leagues from S. Iames to the North-west it is the soundest Town of the Iland of a more open soyle and of a good disposition The Village and Port of the Prince in the Coast of the North is about fortie leagues from Saint Iames to the North-west The Village of Sancti Spiritus is a Port on the South side betweene the Trinidad and the Cayo de Basco Porcallo of Figueroa about fiftie leagues from Saint Iames a Colonie of Iames Velazquez The Village and Port of Saint Christopher of the Abana is in the North Coast almost opposite to Florida in twentie two degrees and an halfe in height of more then sixe hundred Housholds where the Gouernour resides and the Officers Royall The Port is maruellous in greatnesse and securitie especially since that King Philip the Second the prudent sent the Campe-master Iohn of Texeda and Baptista Antonelli to fortifie it in it all the Fleetes of the Indies doe meete for to come for Spaine in company It was first called the Port of Carennas and Iames Velazquez built this Village and all the rest of the Iland with the assistance of the Father Bartolome de las Casas which afterward became a Dominicke Frier and Bishop of Chiapa The Ports and Capes and point of the Coast of Cuba and the Ilands belonging to it besides those which are rehearsed are in the South Coast the Port of the Citie of Saint Iames in twentie degrees and twentie fiue leagues to the West the Port of Sancti Spiritus Cape of the Crosse twelue leagues forward and the Queenes Gardens which is a great shelfe of Ilands and shoales the Port of Trinitie in twentie one degrees about thirtie leagues from the Cape of the Crosse and ten more to the West the Gulfe of Xagua a great defence with some Ilands in the middest and forward the Two Sisters two Ilands at the beginning of the great shelfe and Ilands and shoales which they call Camarco betweene the Coast and the Ilands which is of ten leagues in length and seuen in breadth twelue leagues from the Cape of Correntes which is as many from the Cape of Saint Antonie the furthest West of this Iland In the North Coast standeth the Port of Abana and thirtie leagues to the East is the Port of Slaughters where was a Towne and was called de Matanças of the Slaughters because the Indians killed certaine Spaniards which they carried in their Can●ose vnder securitie to the other side only one escaping and two women whom they kept sometime with them From the Matanças to the Port of Yucanaca are fiftie leagues to the Kings Garden which is a great shelfe of little Illets and shoales and at the end of the Iland Obahaua eight leagues before the Port of the Prince foure or six from the Port of Fernando Alanso and six to the East of this Cubana which is a point The Port of Varocoa is about twentie leagues before the point of Maizi the farthest West of Cuba and the hidden Port and Gulfe neere to Cape Roio in the South-coast about twentie leagues from the Port of Pidgeons which is about ten leagues from the Port of Saint Iames. THe Iland of Iamayca was so abundant of victuals and breedings that it gaue great prouision of Cotton Horses Swine and Cozabi for the new Discoueries and the first Admirall called it Saint Iames when hee discouered it and the first that passed to inhabit it was the Captayne Iohn Esquiuell the yeere 1509. by order of the second Admirall Don Diego Colon. It stands in seuenteene degrees and an halfe of altitude in the middest of it and twentie leagues from Cuba to the South and as many from Hispaniola direct to the West It hath in compasse one hundred and fiftie leagues it hath East and West fiftie and twentie in breadth There are in it three Villages Siuill in which is the Seat of the Colledge toward the North Coast somewhat Westerly Iohn Squinell a Gentleman of Siuill peopled it Melilla which stands in the North Coast fourteene leagues from Siuill to the East Oristan in the South Coast towards the West fourteene leagues from Siuill and are Plantations of the President Francisco de Garay which gouerned in it But of the Towne de la Vega whence the Admirals Lords of this Iland tooke the Title of Dukes nor of other two Plantations painted in some Maps there is no notice There is in the Coast of this Iland the Point of Moranta the vttermost West of it by the North Coast ten leagues to the West the Port of Ianta and tenne leagues forward the Port of Melilla where they say the first Admirall arriued and called it Santa Gloria when hee returned lost from Veragua and heere happened to him the mutiny of the Porras of Siuill and it was the first Ciuill Warre of the Indies
great shelfe of fifteene leagues the middest of it in twentie degrees and among these Ilands are many little ones without name The Ilands that are from the Iland of Saint Iohn of Porte-Rico to the East of it toward the coast of Terra firm● were called the Canibals by the many Caribes eaters of humaine flesh that were in them and in their language Canibal is to say Valiant man for they were held for such of the other Indians All these Ilands are dangerous for shelues and the nearest to Saint Iohn are Sancta Cruz to the South-west from it in 16. degrees and a halfe of sixteene leagues and Saba las Virgines two little illets compassed with shelues and other eight or ten Ilands the greatest of ten leagues Virgen gorda and the Blancos or White Ilands Westward from Virgen gorda L● Ane gada of seuen leagues in length in 18. degrees and a halfe compassed with shelues as Sambrero is a little Iland neere vnto it and these Ilands which are called the Weather Ilands or Barlouento the first Admirall discouered and in particular the men of Sancta Cruz and others had a custome to goe and hunt for men to the Iland of Saint Iohn for to eate and at this day they of Dominica doe it They did eate no women but kept them for slaues Now they say that within this little while they of Dominica did eate a Fryer and that all they which did eate his flesh had such a fluxe that some dyed and that therefore they haue left eating humane flesh and it may be because instead of men with lesse danger they steale Kine and Mares for the great quantitie there is of them and with this they satisfie their raging appetite Anguilla hath ten leagues of length it standeth in 18. degrees Saint Martin in 17. degrees and a halfe it is of sixteene leagues compassed with little Illets and neere vnto it Saint Eustace Saint Bartholomew and Saint Christopher euery one of tenne leagues The Barbada in 17. degrees and a halfe compassed with shelues neere to the Redo●da and the Snowes or Nieues and of Monserrate of fiue leagues euery one in 15. degrees and a halfe The Antigua Guadalupe and Todos Santos from 14. to 15. degrees The Desseada to the East of Guadalupe about sixe leagues the first which the Admirall Don Christopher discouered in the second Voyage that he made to the Indies in 14. degrees and a halfe for which the fleete goe alwayes from the Canaries Marigalante the name of the Shippe the Admirall had fiue leagues to the South-west from the Desired and from the Dominica in 13. degrees twelue leagues in length where the Fleetes take in water and wood for it hath good roades although with danger of the Canibals Neere vnto Dominica to the South stands Matinino Sancta Lucie and the Barbudos the which because they fall on the left hand of the Fleetes when they goe they call them already of the Ilands of the Leeward de Sotauento which appertaine to the coast of Terra firme and of them the greatest the first and the most Orientall is the Trinidad neere two hundred leagues from Hispaniola North and South with the Dominica about sixtie leagues from it It hath fiftie leagues in leangth East and West and almost thirty in breadth The Admirall discouered it the yeare 1498. the third Voyage that he made to the Indies and called it the Trinitie because hauing great trouble in the Voyage he had promised to God to giue such a name to the first Land that he should finde and presently the Mariner that was in the top saw three points of Land whereby the name fitted euery way to his vowe then hee discouered also the mouthes of the Dragon and of the Serpent the gulfe of Paria and all the firme Land vnto Cumana which iniustly Americus Vesputio claimes to himselfe whose name vnworthily is giuen to the port which they call Peninsula Australis or Indies of the South This Iland of Trinidad is knowne that it is no good Countrie though it hath many Indians it hath thirtie fiue leagues of longitude and others say more and twentie fiue of latitude it stands in 8. degrees the most orientall part of it is a point on the North side which is called de la Galera and to the North of it a small Iland compassed with little Iles which they call Tabago and in the South coast a Cape which they call the Round Point at the East the point of Anguilla at the West in the gulfe of Paria which is that that is from the Iland to Terra firme which may be eight leagues of distance because the firme Land maketh an oblique semicircle as a Diadem and in the entrance of the East is the distance recited in the entrance of the West the straightnes is much and with great depth and two little Ilands at the end of the North coast by the West which is called the Dragons mouth and to the North S. Vincent and Granada other two little Ilands The Iland of Margarita so named by Christopher Colon the first Admirall as also all the rest a most sufficient proofe of the Finder to the confusion of those which depriued him of the glory of the discouerie of the firme Land attributing it to themselues although changing the times it is twentie leagues from Trinidad Westward and one hundred and seuenty from Hispaniola it hath sixteen leagues in length East and West and yet some say twenty and the halfe in breadth it hath no store of water although it is very plentifull of Pastures for Cattle There is in it two Townes one neare the Sea which reacheth to a fortresse where the Gouernour is resident and another two leagues within the Land which is called the Valley of Sancta Lucie there is in his coast a good port and a nooke and many beds of Pearles whither the fishing of them is remoued which before was in Cubagua and they say it went away from thence for the rumour of the ordnance of the many Shippes that resorted to this Iland to the trafficke of the Pearles which was very great Cubagua stands one league from Margarita to the East there is no water in it and yet the new Cadiz was built there and they carried their water seuen leagues from the Riuer of Cumana To the East of Cubagua are foure little Illets close by the shoare which the first Admirall called Los Frayles and to the East betweene them and Granada other foure or fiue which he called Los Testigos the Witnesses and to the West after Cubagua another little Iland which he named Tortuga the Tortoyse neere to the point of Araya and from hence the discouery being made from below Paria he went to Hispaniola with a purpose to finish the discouery of Terra firme and as here after shall be seene hee went after to discouer and found the Ilands of the Guanaios and from before Veragua
and presently at another casting of the Lead they had but six fathome and presently after that againe ten eleuen and twelue fathome the streame running hard against the Flats From the east-East-end of the Admirals Iland to Cape Negro that is the Blacke point they sayled about fiue or six miles East North-east and a mile without the Blacke point it i● seuenty fathome deepe the ground slimy as vpon Pamphius right East-ward of the Blacke point there are two sharpe pointed Hils in the Creeke that are easie to be knowne The sixt of Iuly the Sunne being North they come right before the Blacke point with faire weather this Blacke point lyeth vnder 75. degrees and 20. minutes From the Blacke point to Williams Iland they sayled seuen or eight miles East North-east and betweene them both about halfe a mile there lay a small Iland The seuenth of Iuly they sayled from Williams Iland and then William Barents tooke the height of the Sunne with his Crosse-staffe and found it to be eleuated aboue the Horizon in the South-west and by South 53. degrees and 6. minutes his declination being 22. degrees and 49. minutes which being added to 53. degrees and 6. minutes make 75. degrees and 55. minutes This is the right height of the Pole of the said Iland In this Iland they found great store of Driftwood and many Sea-horses being a kind of fish that keepeth in the Sea hauing very great teeth which at this day are vsed in stead of Iuory or Elephants Teeth there also is a good Road for ships at twelue and thirteene fathome deepe against all winds except it bee West South-west and West-winds and there they found a piece of a Russia ship and that day they had the wind East North-east mistie weather The ninth of Iuly they entred into Beeren-fort vpon the Road vnder Williams Iland and there they found a white Beare which they perceiuing presently entred into their Boat and shot her into the bodie with a Musket but the Beare shewed most wonderfull strength which almost is not to be found in any beast for no man euer heard the like to bee done by any Lion or cruell beast whatsoeuer for notwithstanding that she was shot into the bodie yet she leapt vp and swamme in the water the men that were in the Boat rowing after her cast a Rope about her necke and by that meanes drew her at the sterne of the Boat for that not hauing seene the like Beare before they thought to haue carryed her aliue in the ship and to haue shewed her for a strange wonder in Holland but she vsed such force that they were glad that they were rid of her and contented themselues with her skinne only for shee made such a noyse and stroue in such sort that it was admirable wherewith they let her rest and gaue her more scope with the Rope that they held her by and so drew her in that sort after them by that meanes to wearie her meane-time William Barents made neerer to her but the Beare swamme to the Boat and with her fore-feet got hold of the sterne thereof which William Barents perceiuing said she will there rest her selfe but she had another meaning for she vsed such force that at last she had gotten halfe her body into the Boat wherewith the men were so abashed that they ranne into the further end of the Boat and thought verily to haue beene spoyled by her but by a strange meanes they were deliuered from her for that the Rope that was about her necke caught hold vpon the hooke of the Ruther whereby the Beare could get no further but so was held backe and hanging in that manner one of the men boldly stept forth from the end of the Scute and thrust her into the bodie with a halfe-pike and therewith shee fell downe into the water and so they rowed forward with her to the shippe drawing her after them till shee was in a manner dead wherewith they killed her out-right and hauing slayed her brought the skin to Amsterdam The twentieth of Iuly they sayled out of Beeren-fort from Williams Iland and the same day in the morning got to the Iland of Crosses and there went on Land with their Pinnasse and found the Iland to be barren and full of Cliffes and Rocks in it there was a small Hauen whereinto they rowed with their Boat This Iland is about halfe a mile long and reacheth East and West on the West end it hath a banke about a third part of a mile long and at the East end also another banke vpon this Iland there standeth two great Crosses the Iland lyeth about two long miles from the firme Land and vnder the east-East-end thereof there is a good Road at sixe and twentie fathome soft ground and somewhat closer to the Iland on the Strand at nine fathome sandie ground From the Iland of Crosses to the point of Cape Nassaw they sayled East and East and by North about eight miles it is a long flat point which you must be carefull to shunne for thereabouts at seuen fathome there were flats or shoales very farre from the Land it lyeth almost vnder 76. degrees and a halfe From the West end of Williams Iland to the Iland with the Crosses is three miles the course North. From Nassaw point they sayled East and by South and East South-east fiue miles and then they thought that they saw Land in North-east and by East and sayled towards it fiue miles North-east to descrie it thinking it to bee another Land that lay Northward from Noua Zembla but it began to blow so hard out of the West that they were forced to take in their Marsaile and yet the wind rose in such manner that they were forced to take in all their Sayles and the Sea went so hollow that they were constrayned to driue sixteene houres together without sayle eight or nine miles East North-east The eleuenth of Iuly their Boat was by a great waue of the Sea sunke to the ground and by that meanes they lost it and after that they draue without sayles fiue miles East and by South at last the Sunne being almost South-east the wind came about to the North-west and then the weather began somewhat to cleere vp but yet it was very mistie Then they hoysed vp their sayles againe and sayled foure miles till night that the Sunne was North and by East and there they had sixtie fathome deepe muddie ground and then they saw certayne flakes of Ice at which time vpon the twelfth of Iuly they woond West and held North-west and sayled about a mile with mistie weather and a North-west wind and sayled vp and downe West South-west three or foure miles to see if they could find their Boat againe after that they woond againe with the wind and sayled foure miles South-east till the Sunne was South-west and then they were close by the Land of Noua Zembla that lay East and
a Beare that lay there and slept awaked and came towards vs to the ship so that wee were forced to leaue our Worke about turning of the ship and to defend our selues against the Beare and shot her into the bodie wherewith she ranne away to the other side of the Iland and swamme into the water and got vp vpon a piece of Ice where she lay still but we comming after her to the piece of Ice where she lay when she saw vs she leapt into the water and swamme to the Land but we got betweene her and the Land and strooke her on the head with a Hatchet but as often as wee strooke at her with the Hatchet she duckt vnder the water whereby wee had much to doe before we could kill her after she was dead we flayed her on the Land and tooke the skinne aboord with vs and after that turned our shippe to a great piece of Ice and made it fast thereunto The sixteenth ten of our men entring into one Boat rowed to the firme Land of Noua Zembla and drew the Boat vp vpon the Ice which done we went vp a high Hill to see the situation of the Land and found that it reached South-east and South South-east and then againe South which wee disliked for that it lay so much Southward but when wee saw open water South-east and East South-east we were much comforted againe thinking that we had wonne our Voyage and knew not how we should get soone enough aboord to certifie William Barents thereof The eighteenth we made preparation to set sayle but it was all in vaine for wee had almost lost our Sheat Anchor and two new Ropes and with much lost labour got to the place againe from whence wee came for the streame ranne with a mightie current and the Ice draue very strongly vpon the Cables along by the ship so that we were in feare that wee should lose all the Cable that was without the ship which was two hundred fathome at the least but God prouided well for vs so that in the end we got to the place againe from whence we put out The nineteenth it was indifferent good weather the Wind blowing south-South-west the Ice still driuing and wee set sayle with an indifferent gale of Wind and past by the point of Desire whereby we were once againe in good hope and when we had gotten aboue the point we sailed South-east into the Sea-ward foure miles but then againe wee entred into more Ice whereby wee were constrayned to turne backe againe and sayled North-west vntill we came to the Land againe which reacheth from the point of Desire to the head point South and by West six miles from the head point to Flushingers head it reacheth South-west which are three miles one from the other from the Flushingers head it reacheth into the Sea East South-east and from Flushingers head to the point of the Iland it reacheth South-west and by South and South-west three miles and from the Iland point to the point of the Ice Hauen the Land reacheth West South-west foure miles from the Ice Hauens point to the fal of Water or the streame Bay and the low Land it reacheth West and by South and East and by North seuen miles from thence the Land reacheth East and West The one and twentieth we sayled a great way into the Ice Hauen and that night anchored therein next day the streame going exreame hard Eastward wee haled out againe from thence and sayled againe to the Iland point but for that it was misty Weather comming to a piece of Ice wee made the ship fast thereunto because the Wind beganne to blow hard South-west and South South-west There we went vp vpon the Ice and wondred much thereat it was such manner of Ice For on the top it was full of Earth and there wee found aboue fortie Egges and it was not like other Ice for it was of a perfect Azure colour like to the Skies whereby there grew great contention in words amongst our men some saying that it was Ice others that it was frozen Land for it lay vnreasonable high aboue the Water it was at least eighteene fathom vnder the water close to the ground and ten fathome aboue the water there wee stayed all that storme the Wind being South-west and by West The three and twentieth wee sayled againe from the Ice South-eastward into the Sea but entred presently into it againe and woond about to the Ice Hauen The next day it blew hard North North-west and the Ice came mightily driuing in whereby we were in a manner compassed about therewith and withall the Wind beganne more and more to rise and the Ice still draue harder and harder so that the pinne of the Rother and the Rother were shorne in pieces and our Boat was shorne in pieces betweene the ship and the Ice we expecting nothing else but that the ship also would be prest and crusht in pieces with the Ice The fiue and twentieth the Weather began to be better and we tooke great paines and bestowed much labour to get the Ice wherewith we were so inclosed to goe from vs but what meanes soeuer we vsed it was all in vaine but when the Sunne was South-west the Ice began to driue out againe with the streame and we thought to saile Southward about Noua Zembla to the Streights of Mergates seeing we could there find no passage Wee hauing past Noua Zembla were of opinion that our labour was all in vaine and that we could not get through and so agreed to goe that way home againe but comming to the Streame Bay wee were forced to goe backe againe because of the Ice which lay so fast thereabouts and the same night also it froze that wee could hardly get through there with the little wind that we had the Wind then being North. The six and twentieth there blew a reasonable gale of Wind at which time wee determined to sayle backe to the point of Desire and so home againe seeing that wee could not get through the Wergats although we vsed all the meanes and industry wee could to get forward but when we had past by the Ice Hauen the Ice began to driue with such force that wee were inclosed round about therewith and yet we sought all the meanes we could to get out but it was all in vaine and at that time we had like to haue lost three men that were vpon the Ice to make way for the ship if the Ice had held the course it went but as we draue backe againe and that the Ice also whereon our men stood in like sort draue they being nimble as the ship draue by them one of them caught hold of the beak head another vpon the shrouds and the third vpon the great brase that hung out behind and so by great aduenture by the hold that they tooke they got safe into the ship againe for which they thanked God with all their
friends will kill three Deere to draw him in the new World and they will strangle a Slaue to tend on him The Deere they kill in this manner to serue the dead man they make a Stake sharpe which they thrust into the Beasts fundament with many howlings and cryings till they be dead The Master with the Slaue they burie the Deere they eate as well raw as boyled or roast although they vse all three If a young Child dye vnder foureteene of their yeeres which is seuen of ours they doe hang it by the necke on some Tree saying it must flie to Heauen If any Controuersie bee which cannot bee decided or the truth knowne then one of the two betwixt whom the Controuersie is must bee sworne which is in this manner they will make an Image of a Man of Snow bringing a Wolues nose deliuering a Sword to him that must sweare he rehearsing by name all his Friends desiring that they might all bee cut in peeces in that manner as hee doth cut that Image of Snow Then he himselfe doth cut the Image of Snow all to peeces with the Sword then after the Wolues nose being layd before him he desires that the Wolfe may destroy all his tame Deere and that hee may neuer more take or kill any wilde Deere after that if hee speake not the Truth so cutting the Wolues nose in peeces there is no more to bee sayd of that Controuersie The Samoit is stout and bold of Spirit not very tall but broad Brested broad Faces with hollow Eyes Their ordinary instruments for Warre are Bowes and Arrowes very dangerous they haue long Speares the heads bee made in Monganzey by another sort of Samoits and short Swords not much vnlike some that I haue seene brought from East India When they would know any thing to come they send for their Priest or Witch to conuerse with the Deuill sitting in one side of the Tent hauing before his face a peece of an old shirt of Mayle hung with Bels and peeces of Brasse in his right hand a great Tabor made with a Wolues skinne beating vpon the same with a Hares foot making a very dolefull sound with singing and calling for the Deuill to answer his demand which being ended they strangle a Deere for a Sacrifice making merrie with the Flesh. The Women be very hard of Nature for at their Child-bearing the Husband must play the Midwife and being deliuered the Child is washed with cold water or Snow and the next day the Woman able to conduct her Argish The Russes haue a yeerely Trade with the Merchants of Beghar at a place called Tumen in Tartarie whither they of Boghar come with Camels euery yeere From Tumen in Tobal in Siberia they come in foureteene dayes From Tobal they come to Beresoua in nine dayes all downe the Riuer Ob. From Beresoua partly by the Riuer Ob then ouer a necke of Land of halfe a mile ouer into the Riuer Ouse and downe the Riuer Ouse into the Riuer Pechora and so to Pustozera in three weekes At Pustozera the English haue Wintered three yeeres CHAP. XIII Diuers Voyages to Cherie Iland in the yeeres 1604. 1605. 1606. 1608. 1609. Written by IONAS POOLE WEe set sayle from London the fifteenth of Aprill 1604. in a Ship called the God Speed of sixtie Tunnes with thirteene Men and a Boy our Merchant was one Master Thomas Welden our Master was one Steuen Bonnit of Saint Catherins We arriued at Cola in Lapland the first of May where wee tarried till the last of the same Moneth at which time wee set sayle from Cola and went to an Harbour called Pechingo which lyeth betweene Cola and Ward-house In which Harbour of Pechingo we continued vntill the thirtieth of Iune At which time wee set sayle from thence and through contrarie windes and foule weather were put into Ward-house where we tooke in fresh water and stayed vntill the sixth of Iuly The same day the wind came Southerly and we steered away Northwest and by North about 56. leagues wee obserued the Sunne at twelue of the clocke at Noone and found our selues to be in 73. degrees 5. minutes of Northerly Latitude The seuenth of Iuly it was all day calme and wee sounded but had no ground in two hundred and fiftie fathoms The eight day we had little winde which was at South-east and foggie weather and at eight of the clocke at Night wee saw great flockes of Sea-fowles which we call Willockes some of these Fowles had each of them a small Fish in their bills and flew toward the North-west and by North. The other without Fish some of them flew contrarie to the former and some sate in the Sea very neere our Ship About twelue of the clocke at night we sounded and had ground at one hundred and twentie fathomes We steered away North-west and by North till foure of the clocke the eight day in the morning then it fell calme and as the ship lay still our Master spied a Morsse which came to our ship and swamme round about it While we were all gazing at this Monster I spied the Iland ten leagues off bearing North North-west halfe a point Westerly which shewed very high Land and much Snow vpon it The wind came to the North-east The ninth day wee came to an Anchor on the South South-east side in fiue and twentie fathomes streamie ground We ●oysed out our Boate and Master Welden went toward the Land but thinking to haue landed he could not because there went a great Sea and great store of Ice all along the shoares side Within one houre the Boate came aboard and they ●aid there were so many Fowles that they couered the Rockes and flew in such great flockes that they shewed like a Cloud While thus they were talking close by the Boate rose vp●n huge Morsse putting his head aboue the water looking earnestly at the Boate and made such an horrible noyse and roaring that they in the Boate thought he would haue sunke it The same day at eight of the clocke at night we weighed and stood away South-west and by South about foure miles where wee doubled the Southermost point of the Iland and found the Land to trend North North-west and all along the shoare some scattering Ice We sayled along the shoare finding seuenteene eighteene and sometimes twentie fathomes streamie ground with white shels We held this course till wee saw all the Northermost part of the Iland and being within three miles of it and about thirteene miles from the Point wee came round about it And some two miles from the Land we anchored in sixteene fathomes streamie ground We had not ridden one houre to an end but a great piece of Ice came directly with the tyde vpon vs and before wee could weigh it strooke the ship with such force that it hilded on the one side Assoone as it was past we went on shoare where wee found
Caske and other prouision and told mee that they had slaine fiue or sixe hundred Morses on the North side Hee tarried with mee till the seuen and twentieth of Iuly now seeing no beastes did come on Land because the Ice did hang about the Coue he went to the North side againe but the same day after he was gone they began to come on Land The next day following being the eight and twentieth wee slue about eightie and tooke their Blubber and Teeth Then they began to come on shoare againe the thirtieth day at what time Master Bonner was come into the Coue to seeke his Anchors Then his men came on shoare and we slue about one hundred and fiftie beast more But there rose a storme at South-east that brought in such a surge that it washed aboue sixtie beasts into the Sea so that most of them were lost The next day being the last of Iuly Master Welden and Master Iones came to the Coue with about twelue men being all very wearie For they had left the Shallop in a Coue on the North-west side of the Iland and came ouer Land Then to worke wee went on all hands and placed our Coppers And by the fift day of August we had ended our businesse and the ship came from the North side into the Coue. The sixt of August I tooke the Skiffe and seuen men to fetch the Shallop to the Coue that Master Welden had left in a Coue on the North-west side of the Iland the last of Iuly When I came to the place considering I was neere the North side where we commonly make our Voyage and also desired by Master Welden if I could goe to doe so I went thither and found about fiue and fortie as good headed beasts for Teeth as euer I saw Wee had no more Launces to kill th●m with all but two I tooke one and a lustie fellow that was our Cooper had the other we had not killed past ten but his Lance brake Then I slue all the rest in lesse then two houres and wee tooke their Teeth and the next day by a West Sunne wee came aboord the Paul with them The eight day wee got the Southermost Point of the Iland where wee rid all that day Their Skiffe from their long Boats sterne and we manned our Boat to fetch her againe but then rose such a fogge that we had like to haue lost both our Boats and men but they got to the ship againe with much adoe The ninth day it was calme but wee had such a fogge that wee could not see two Cables length from the ship And about eight of the Clocke at night wee lost our Skiffe altogether The tenth day we had a little Wind at North-west and by West Then seeing no amendment of the weather wee left the ship of Hull behind vs in the Iland and about sixe of the Clocke set sayle for England and arriued safely at London the last of August 1609. Blessed bee God A Voyage performed to the Northwards Anno 1603. in a ship of the burthen of fiftie tunnes called the Grace and set forth at the cost and charges of the Worshipfull FRANCIS CHERIE Written by WILLIAM GORDEN being the first Voyage to Cherie Iland which came to my hands since the former or rather later Voyages were in the Presse THe ship being readie the tenth of Aprill whereof was Master Stephen Bennet and for Factor and Ouer-seer William Gorden our Directions from the said Merchant were first to proceed to Cola and there to make sale of such goods as we had and to take in such other as the Countrey of Lappia did affoord and then to proceed vpon some Discouerie Wherefore omitting our Iourney to Cola as a matter of small importance being so well knowne before after our Affaires ended we were readie to proceed forward But our men not being hired thereunto would haue refused if there had not beene made an agreement by meanes of Iosias Logan who was to lye there as Factor for Master Cherie the Master and my selfe partly with promises partly with gifts And thus setting forward the sixt of August from the Riuer of Cola being determined to haue sayled into 80. degrees of latitude if nothing did hinder vs or if we did not light vpon some land our determination was hindered by meanes of meeting with an Iland and likewise the yeere being farre spent keeping our course from the West end of Kilden to the Ilands of Ward-house which wee passed the tenth of August with little wind then directing our course North North-west the wind at south-South-west easie wind so that the eleuenth day we did reckon our selues to haue sayled twentie leagues North-west The twelfth day it was most part calme and foggie The thirteenth day it was cleere and the wind at South and we had sayled twentie two leagues North North-west The fourteenth day the wind at East we kept our course and sayled ten leagues and the same day being thicke and foggie we had thought wee had seene Land about foure of the clocke in the after-noone bearing from vs West North-west and North-west by West but sayling towards it three houres keeping still his forme and not altering till the wind increasing caused it to fade away for it was no other then a banke of fogges after we had sayled three leagues changing our course we sayled then fifteene dayes twentie leagues North-west and by North still hauing close weather that we could not make any obseruation The sixteenth day in the morning at two of the clock we did see two great high Hils which did seeme to vs aboue the Clouds and did seeme very neere but we found it otherwise for sayling towards it we found it further then we did expect for it was sixe of the clocke at night before wee could come neere vnto the Land where wee anchored in thirtie fathomes In which time we could not sayle lesse then eighteene leagues North and by West That night our Master knowing better what did belong vnto those Affaires would not suffer the Boat to goe aland till the morning which was the seuenteenth day of August and before our going aland the Master caused a shanke of Lines to bee shot for to toy for fish and then he and my selfe with foure of our Company went aland First vpon a little Iland meere adjoyning where we had much adoe to get to our Boat againe by reason of the steepnes of the Rockes then we went on shoare vpon the Mayne where at our comming on Land wee did see two Foxes one White the other Blacke Thus spending most part of the day wee returned aboord our ship without any profit only one of our men tooke vp a piece of Lead and I found a piece of a Morses Tooth by which we perceiued that the Sea Morses did vse thither but the time for that yeere was past for we did see none After our comming aboord hauing haled the Line we found nothing but one
hot that it would scald a Fowle From hence the first of Iune we put to Sea for Groneland but to the West wee saw Land as we thought for which we beare the best part of a day but it proued but a foggie banke So wee gaue it ouer and made for Gronland which we raysed the fourth of Iune Vpon the Coast thereof hung good store of Ice so that our Master could not attayne to the shoare by any meanes The Land in this part is very Mountaynous and full of round Hils like to Sugar-loaues couered with snow We turned the Land on the South side as neere as the Ice would suffer vs. Our course for the most part was betweene the West and North-west till we raysed the Desolations which is a great Iland in the West part of Groneland On this Coast we saw store of Whales and at one time three of them came close by vs so as wee could hardly shunne them then two passing very neere and the third going vnder our ship wee receiued no harme by them praysed bee God From the Desolations our Master made his way North-west the wind being against him who else would haue gone more to the North but in this course we saw the first great Iland or Mountayne of Ice whereof after we saw store About the latter end of Iune we raysed Land to the North of vs which our Master tooke to bee that Iland which Master Dauis setteth downe in his Chart. On the West side of his Streight our Master would haue gone to the North of it but the wind would not suffer him so we fell to the South of it into a great Rippling or ouer-fall of current the which se●teth to the West Into the current we went and made our way to the North of the West till we met with Ice which hung on this Iland Wherefore our Master casting about cleered himselfe of this Ice and stood to the South and then to the West through store of floting Ice and vpon the Ice store of Seales We gained a cleere Sea and continued our course till wee meete Ice first with great Ilands and then with store of the smaller sort Betweene them we made our course North-west till we met with Ice againe But in this our going betweene the Ice we saw one of the great Ilands of Ice ouerturne which was a good warning to vs not to come nigh them nor within their reach Into the Ice wee put ahead as betweene two Lands The next day we had a storme and the wind brought the Ice so fast vpon vs that in the end we were driuen to put her into the chiefest of the Ice and there to let her lie Some of our men this day fell sicke I will not say it was for feare although I saw small signe of other griefe The storme ceasing we stood out of the Ice where wee saw any cleere Sea to goe to which was sometime more and sometime lesse Our course was as the Ice did lye sometime to the North then to the North-west and then to the West and to the South-west but still inclosed with Ice Which when our Master saw he made his course to the South thinking to cleere himselfe of the Ice that way but the more he stroue the worse he was and the more inclosed till we could goe no further Here our Master was in despaire and as he told me after he thought he should neuer haue got out of this Ice but there haue perished Therefore hee brought forth his Card and shewed all the company that hee was entred aboue an hundred leagues further then euer any English was and left it to their choice whether they would proceed any further yea or nay Whereupon some were of one minde and some of another some wishing themselues at home and some not caring where so they were out of the Ice but there were some who then spake words which were remembred a great while after There was one who told the Master that if he had an hundred pounds hee would giue fourescore and ten to be at home but the Carpenter made answere that if hee had an hundred hee would not giue ten vpon any such condition but would thinke it to be as good money as euer he had any and to bring it as well home by the leaue of God After many words to no purpose to worke we must on all hands to get our selues out and to cleere our ship After much labour and time spent we gained roome to turne our ship in and so by little and little to get cleere in the Sea a league or two off our course being North and North-west In the end we raysed Land to the south-South-west high Land and couered with Snow Our Master named this Land Desire prouokes Lying here wee heard the noyse of a great ouer-fall of a tyde that came out of the Land for now we might see well that wee had beene embayed before and time had made vs know being so well acquainted with the Ice that when night or foggie or foule weather tooke vs we would seeke out the broadest Iland of Ice and there come to anchor and runne and sport and fill water that stood on the Ice in Ponds both sweete and good But after we had brought this Land to beare South of vs we had the tyde and the current to open the Ice as being carried first one way and then another but in Bayes they lye as in a pond without mouing In this Bay where wee were thus troubled with Ice wee saw many of those Mountaynes of Ice aground in sixe or seuenscore fathome water In this our course we saw a Beare vpon a piece of Ice by it selfe to the which our men gaue chase with their Boat but before they came nigh her the tyde had carried the Ice and the Beare on it and ioyned it with the other Ice so they lost their labour and came aboord againe We continued our course to the North-west and raysed Land to the North of our course toward which we made and comming nigh it there hung on the Eastermost point many Ilands of floting Ice and a Beare on one of them which from one to another came towards vs till she was readie to come aboord But when she saw vs looke at her she cast her head betweene her hinder legges and then diued vnder the Ice and so from one piece to another till she was out of our reach We stood along by the Land on the Southside ahead of vs wee met with Ice that hung on a point of Land that lay to the South more then this that we came vp by which when our Master saw he stood in for the shoare At the West end of this Iland for so it is we found an Harbour and came in at a full Sea ouer a Rocke which had two fathome and an halfe on it and was so much bare at a low water But by
as was the Geographicall partition of the Iland it selfe mentioned before at the end of the first Chapter diuided into North East South and West quarter And againe they diuided the Fourths into Thirds except the North quarter For this as it was larger then the rest was parted into Fourths But these Thirds they subdiuided againe into their parts some Tenths and others somewhat otherwise For the which not finding a fit name I haue retayned the proper name of the Countrey that which with them is Hreppar wee may counterfeitly call Reppae vnto the which also we may imagine no vnapt Etymon from the word Repo For here was the first 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of them that executed any publike Office for equitie either of opinion and judgement and the equall ballancing of mindes to be preserued in the rest of the Magistrates worthily ought to begin there vnlesse any would rather thinke they had respect heere vnto Reeb that is to say Coards with the which the diuision was made after the most ancient manner of the Hebrewes themselues Euery Reppa regularly contayned twentie Inhabitants at the least for oftentimes it contayned more limited by a certayne increase of the wealth of their Family vnder which they might not be reckoned to the poorer Reppes to the richer they might Moreouer in euery Third as also in the Fourths of the North Tetrade which Iurisdictions in times past they called Pyng at this day also Syslu herad they appointed three more famous places consecrated to the Seat of Iustice and Iudgements besides also dedicated to Ethnicke Sacrifices which they call Hoff we call them Holy Places and Temples Euery Chappell after the manner of this Countrey was sumptuously built whereof wee reade of two of one hundred and twentie foot long One in the Iurisdiction of Washdall of North Island the other in Rialarnes of South Island and this surely sixtie foot broad Moreouer euery such holy place had a kind of Chappell adjoyning This place was most holy Heere stood the Idols and Gods made with hands vpon a low stoole or a certayne Altar about which the cattle which were to be sacrificed vnto them were orderly placed But the chiefe and middlemost of the Gods was Iupiter by them called Por from whom these Northerne Kingdomes yet call Thors day Thorsdagh The rest of the Gods were collateral vnto it whose certayne number and names I haue not heard Yet in the ancient forme of oath whereof mention shall be made hereafter three besides Thorus are specially noted by name Freyr Niordur and As whereof the third to wit As I thinke to be that famous Odinus not accounted the last among those Ethnicke Gods of whom I made mention before Synecdochically called As because hee was the chiefe of the people of Asia who came hither into the North for in the singular number they called him As which in the plurall they called Aesar or Aeser This Odinus as aforesaid for his notable knowledge in Deuillish Magicke whereby like another Mahomet hee affected a Diuinitie after his death was reckoned among the number of the Gods from whom at this day Wednesday is called Odens Dagur the day of Odinus whereupon peraduenture I shall not vnaptly call Odin Mercurie as Thor Iupiter Yet the ancients honoured Odin in the place of Mars and such as were slaine in the warres they say were sacrificed to Odin And the companions or Sonnes of Odin were Freyr and N●ordur who through the same artes which their Father or Prince Odinus practised obtayned an opinion of Diuinitie I haue before aduertised you that chiefly in the North Countrey Kings after their death are honoured for Gods But the worshipping of them hath not yet come vnto the Islanders wherefore we will speake nothing of them in this place Before that seate of the Gods placed in the foresaid Temples stood an Altar erected couered aboue with Iron that it might not be hurt with fire which must bee continually there A Caldron also or brasen vessell was set vpon the Altar to receiue the bloud of the sacrifices with an holy water sticke or sprinkle to bedew the standers by with the bloud of the sacrifices Besides on the Altar a siluer Ring was kept or of copper of twentie ounces which being anointed with the bloud of the sacrifices they who executed any office pertayning to Iustice being now readie to take their oath religiously handled while they were sworne Foure-footed beasts for the most part were appointed for sacrifices to bee conuerted to the food of the Sacrificers Although in the meane space I finde a lamentable matter that the blinde Ethnicks in the foresaid place of Rialarnes vsed also humane sacrifices where at the doore of the Temple was ● very deepe Pit wherein the humane sacrifices were drowned which Pit was called Blotkellda from the Sacrifice Also in West Island in the Prouince of Thornsthing in the middle of the Market place there was a round circle into the which men appointed to be sacrificed to the Gods were gathered who being violently smitten against an exceeding great stone set there were cruelly slaine The indignitie whereof that stone is reported to haue declared many ages after by the bloudy colour which no shower of raine or water could euer wash away An abominable crueltie surely yet not wanting examples deriued euen from the most ancient times I omit those of later time and found in the neare bordering Countries as the humane sacrifices of the French whereof Cicero pro Fonteio speaketh and also the custome of nearer bordering Countries I doe not mention the Roman sacrifices among which Luperca Valeria appointed to be sacrificed was deliuered from present death by an Eagle Let the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and sacrificing of noble Virgins of the Greekes not be rememb●ed with whom Helena was likewise freed from imminent perill of sacrificing by the benefit of an Eagle But who is it that can be ignorant of Benhennon or Gehennon of the Hebrewes and their crueltie farre greater then this exercised not vpon slaues or guiltie persons but euen vpon their dearest children Concerning which matter I thought good to set downe the wordes of Christoph. Adricomus Delphus Gehennon saith he was a place in the suburbs of Ierusalem ouer against the East vnder the Mountayne of Offence neare the Fish poole of the Fuller most pleasant like Tempe In this Valley stood a Pauilion and the brasen Idol of Moloch cunningly wrought in the shape of a King b●llow within whose head resembling a Calfe the other parts a man had armes stretched forth to sacrifice children who through the vehement heat of the Idol were burned amidst those cursed embracements For when by the fire put vnder in the concauity of the Idoll it became all fiery then the most wicked parents with incredible crueltie deliuered their dearest children to wit their Sonnes and Daughters to be burned within these detestable
Opinion of the Resurrection ibid. Their Kings Buriall place 281.20 Their theeueries in the Borders 314 60. Their Custome to cease vpon the Goods of Strangers deceased 313. 316.10 When They conquered China how long they held it and how expelled See 376.20 Tartars vide Crim Tartars Nagayan Tartars Mordwit Tartars Chicasce Tartars Cheremisse Tartars c. Tatami are Iaponian Mats 326 10 Taurica Chersonesus now Cassaria 53.30 Taurica Chersonesus described from pag. 632. Vnto 643. The length of the banke 636.1 The soyle 636.50 The Seasons Soyle Bounds Originall Princes c. 637. Part belongs to the Turke and part to the Tartars ibid. Taurinum the Citie where 49 40 Tauris in Persia the Merchandise of it 70.40 Taute and Manse Ilanders of Cathaya 34.10 Tayth City in Catay 800.50 Described ibid. Tebeth the Prouince now a Wildernesse 90.20 How Trauellers passe it ibid. They desire Strangers to take their Daughters Mayden-heads 90 40. They are great Negromancers 90.60 And 91 20 Tebet a Tartarian people that for pitty eate their Dead Parents 23.1 They make Cups of their Sculles 23.10 30. They haue much Gold 23.10 Teeth couered with Gold 92 20 Teeth the fume of Quick-siluer makes them fall out 950.1 Telegas or Waggons in the Russian 242.20 Temple of the Sun in the Indies 893.60 Conuerted into a Monastery 895.60 Temple and Statua erected to a Gouernour 328 Temple a most huge one 281 1. With gilded Steeples 265. 267.10 Temples of Peru 1032. Of Mexico described 1033. 1133 40 Temples of Mexico described 1133.30 Their Muniton kept in them 1134.1 Temples of the Mexicans haue Cloysters and Couents 1049 30 Tempests yearely in China and strange ones 198.1.39.60 Tempests cruell ones in the Mountaynes of Cathay 36.20 Layed ibid. Tempests extreme ones in Hispaniola 997.1 Tempests vsuall at the new Moone 256 Tempests raysed by the Deuill 974 60 Tenduch the Prouince of the Tartarian Presbyter Iohn 710.20 Tenerise in the West Indies the scite and distance from Santa Martha Villages about it Mynes c. 885.40 Riuers ibid. Tennis play of the Mexicans the fashion of it 1127.40.50 Tensa the Lords of it command all in Iapon 324.20 They are as Heires apparent 325.40 Tenth of the Spoyles due to the Prince of the Crim Tartars 641 40 Tenths of Wooll the great Cham hath 88.22 Tents the huge number and richnesse of the Tartarian Princes 86.20 Tenure in Capite in Russia 424.10 Tephelis or Tiflis the Georgians chiefe Citie 55.1 Terme for Law suites in Island 650.50 Terzas the Armenian Christians in Persia 400 Testimoniall in the Russes Coffin 218.1 Tezcalipuca the Mexican Idoll his great Festiuall the cause and manner 1047 Thaican or Thracian the Castle where 73.20 Thebeth Chesmir Sensim and Bachfi orders of Southsayers in Tartarie 81.1.20 Theeues their Thumbes cut off 264.50 Theeues how punished in China 204.10 Theeues all the way betwixt the Dominion of the Mogores and Cathay 311.312 c. Theeuerie ignominions to Posteritie 335.40 Theft dispensed withall vpon Confession before the Sacrament 37.20.30 Theodosia or Capha the Citie in Taurica 636.20 Christianitie de●ayed there ibid. How farre from Constantinople ibid. Theologie of the Chinois 397 Theodulus of Acon his foolish message to Mangu-Chan 29.10.20 c. Thistles with Stalkes foure inches square in the Indies 897.60 Tholoman the Prouince Gold plentifull there 94.30 Thomas Edge his Voyage 464.60 His returne 466.1 And second Voyage ibid. His second Voyage and Commission 709. His third Voyage 467.10 His Iland ibid. His fourth Voyage ibid. Another Voyage 468.30 Another 469.10 Thomas Perez Ambassadour to China how vsed 267.20 Sir Thomas Button confident to finde the Northwest Passage 848.40 Sir Thomas Smith Embassadour into Russia 747. His stately intertainment puts the Russes out of their Complement ibid. Denies to giue the Copie of his Embassage beforehand 748.10 His Audience ibid. His entertainement 749. His second audience 750.40 Take his leaue and returnes for England 751.20 A message sent to him from Demetrius 759.20 Sir Thomas Smiths Iland 730.10 A barren place ibid. Sir Thomas Smiths Inlet discouered to the furthest end 725.30 Sir Thomas Smiths Sound the Latitude 847 Saint Thomas buryed in Malepur 138.40 Saint Thomas his Tombe st●a●ge things concerning it 105.1.40.50 Thornsting Prouince in West Island 665.10 Thorro King of Go●land c. Made and a God 659.50 Thred made of Indian Nuts and how 71.50 Thred of Conies haire 1132.40 Thred gotten out of a Leafe 557.10 Threshold the Tartars touch not 84.20 Throne a most stately one 279.30 Throne of the King reuerenced in his absence 392.40 Thule whether it bee Island 643.50 Thule is not Island 655.10 But one of the Brittish Iles or Scandia or Tylemarke in Norway 655.50 marg Thunder in 70. Degrees 42. minutes North 580 Thunder worshipped by the Mexicans their odde opinion one 1027.30 Thunderbolts frequent in the West Indies where 885.1.890.40 Thunderbolt one Beast killed with it exempts the H●ard from tribute 87.50 Thursday the Etym●n 664.50 Tibaldo de Vesconti di Piacenza the Popes Legate at Acon 67.1 Chosen Pope and called Gregorie the tenth 67.10 Sendeth Preachers into Tartarie ibid. Tiburon the Cape on the West of Hispaniola 859.10 Tickes of the water troublesome in the West Indies their cure 975.10 Tien tautec what in Chinese 201.40 Tiflis the Metropolitan Citie of the Georgians 49.10 Tiger deuoures a man ● story of it 902.50 Tigres their battels with the Crocodile 931 Tigres of the West Indies can distinguish an Indian from a Spaniard 963.30 Tigres of India described how killed a Tigre tamed 991 Tigris the head of it 49.30 Timber how Island is supplyed with 662.40 Timochaim in Persia 70.50 72.20 Tingoesi the people described 527.30.551.40 Speake like Turkie-Cockes ibid. Nations beyond them 528.10 Their dexterity to take Fowle Fish and Venison ibid. See also 530.20 Neere to China 543.60 546 Tingui the Citie 96.40 Tinguigui the Citie Drunkennesse well ouertaken there 97.40 Tinna the chiefe Citie of the Russes in the Samoieds Countrey 526.10 Tinlau a Riuer 257.30 Tipany in Lapland 560.20 Tides in the Sea where none 518.30 Tides a discourse of them 930.1.10.20 c. Tids their Course come from the North 492 Tides the chiefe Argument of the Northwest passage 848.40 Tylemarke in Norway is Thule 655. marg Time of the day finely declared 409 30 Tyras the Riuer Nester in Moldauia 633.1 Tithes payed in Groneland 520.1 Tithes payed in the West Indies 908.50 Titicaca Lake the greatnesse thicknesse of the water sorts of the Fishes and Fowles and the taking of them 932.20 Title of the King of Sweden 771. Of the Emperour of Russia See Russian Emperour or Emperour of Russia of the King of Poland 783.1 Titles the Chinois Ambition of them 393.1 Titles a great Merchandize in Iapon 324.10 Titubul the Citie 291.30 Tlacaellec a valiant Mexican Generall his Acts 1011.1012.1013 c. Winnes a battell onely with Children 1014.10 Refuses the Kingdome 1015. His great Honour Death and Funerall 1016.10 Toade found aliue
Archdeacon of the rest and his friends sent for a certayne Saracen which was a Sooth-sayer Who said vnto them A certayne leane man who neyther eateth nor drinketh nor sleepes in a Bed is angry with him if hee can obtayne his blessing hee may recouer Then they vnderstood it was the Monke And about mid-night the Priests Wife his Sister and his Sonne came intreating that hee would come and blesse him They also raised vs vp to intreate the Monke Then he said vnto vs intreating him Let him alone because hee with three others who likewise tooke euill courses consulted to goe vnto the Court to procure Mangu Chan that I and you should bee expelled from these parts For there arose a contention among them because Mangu and his Wiues sent foure Iascots and certayne Silkes vpon Easter Eeuen to the Monke and Priests to distribute among them And the Monke had kept vnto himselfe one Iascot for his part and of the other three one was counterfeit for it was Copper Whereupon it seemed to the Priests that the Monke had kept too great a portion to himselfe Whence it might bee that they had some words among themselues which were reported to the Monke When day came I went vnto the Priest hauing an extreme griefe in his side and spitting bloud whereupon I thought it was an Impostume Then I counselled him if he had any thing that was an others to restore it He said hee had nothing I spoke vnto him also of the Sacrament of Extreme Vnction Who answered we haue no such custome neither doe our Priests know how to doe it I intreat you that you would doe it for mee as you know best to bee done I aduised him also concerning Confession which they frequent not hee spake shortly in the Eare of a certayne Priest one of his fellowes After this hee beganne to bee better and hee intreated mee to goe for the Monke So I went but the Monke would not come at the first yet when hee heard hee was some-what better hee went with his Crosse. And I also went and carryed in a Boxe of Master Williams the bodie of Christ which I had reserued vpon Easter Day at the intreatie of Master William Then the Monke beganne to kicke him with his feet and hee most humbly imbraced his feet Then I said vnto him It is the custome of the Church of Rome that the sicke should receiue the Bodie of Christ as it were prouision for their iourney and a defence against all the Deceits of the Enemie Behold the Bodie of Christ which I consecrated on Easter Day You must bee confessed and desire it Then said hee with a great Faith I desire it with all my heart Which when I had discouered hee with great affection said I beleeue that this is my Creatour and my Sauiour who gaue mee life and will restore it againe vnto mee after death in the generall Resurrection and so tooke the Bodie of Christ from my hand made after the manner of the Church of Rome Then the Monke abode with him and gaue him in my absence I know not what Potions On the morrow hee beganne to haue the pangs of death vpon him Then taking their Oyle which they said was holy I anointed him according to the manner of the Church of Rome as they intreated mee I had none of our Oyle because the Priests of Sartach kept all And when wee should sing a Dirge and I would haue beene present at his end the Monke sent vnto mee willing me to depart because if I should bee present I could not come into the house of Mangu Chan for one whole yeare Which when I had told his friends they said it was true and requested me to depart lest I might be hindered in that good which I might promote Assoone as hee was dead the Monke said vnto mee care not I haue killed him with my Prayers This fellow only was Learned and opposed himselfe against vs the rest know nothing Henceforth Mangu Chan himselfe and they all will crouch at our feete Then hee declared vnto me the foresaid Answere of the Sooth-sayer Which not beleeuing it I inquired of the Priests who were friends of the dead whether it were true or no. Who said it was But whether he were pre-instructed or not that they knew not Afterwards I found that the Monke called the foresaid Sooth-sayer and his Wife into his Chappell and caused dust to bee sifted and to diuine vnto him For hee had a certayne Rutenian Deacon who diuined to him Which when I vnderstood I was astonied at his foolishnesse and said vnto him Brother a man full of the Holy Ghost which teacheth all things should not demand Answeres or Counsell from Sooth-sayers seeing all such things are forbidden and they excommunicated who follow such things Then hee beganne to excuse himselfe that it was not true that hee sought after such things But I could not depart from him because I was placed there by the commandement of Chan himselfe nor could I remooue my selfe without his speciall command COncerning the Citie of Caracarum know this that excluding the Palace of Chan himselfe it is not so good as the Castle of Saint Denis and the Monasterie of Saint Denis is tenne times more worth then that Palace and more too There are two streets there one of the Saracens where the Faires are kept and many Merchants haue recourse thither by reason of the Court which is alwayes neere and for the multitude of Messengers There is another street of the Cataians who are all Artificers Without those streets there are great Palaces which are the Courts of the Secretaries There are there twelue kindes of Idolatries of diuers Nations Two Churches of Mahomet where the Law of Mahomet is proclaimed one Church of the Christians at the end of the Towne The Towne is inclosed with a mudde Wall and hath foure Gates On the East part Millet and other Graine is sold which yet is seldome brought thither On the West Sheepe and Goates On the South Oxen and Waggons are sold. At the North Horses are sold. Following the Court before the Ascension wee came thither the Sunday before the Ascension The next day after we were called before Bulgai who is a Iustice and chiefe Secretarie both the Monke and all his Family and wee and all the Messengers and Strangers which frequented the house of the Monke And wee were called before Bulgai seuerally first the Monke and after wee and they beganne diligently to inquire whence wee were and for what purpose wee came and what our errand was And this inquirie was made because it was told Mangu Chan that foure hundred Hassasines or secret Murtherers were gone forth in diuers Habits to kill him About that time the foresaid Ladie was restored to health and shee sent for the Monke and hee not willing to goe answered shee hath sent for Idolaters about her let them cure her if they can I will goe no more Vpon Ascension
to the dangerous Passage of twentie there were two which had Habergions And I demanded whence they had them They said they had gotten them of the Alani aforesaid who are good Worke-men for such things and excellent Smiths Whereupon I thinke they haue small store of Armour but Quiuers and Bowes and Leather Iackes I saw them presented with Iron Plates and Iron Sculls capillos out of Persia. And saw two also who presented themselues to Mangu armed with Coats made of Hogs skins bent inward of rough Leather which were very vnfit and vnwildy Before we came to Porta ferrea we found one Castle of the Alani which was Mangu Chans for hee had subdued that Countrey There we first found Vineyards and drunke Wine The day following wee came to Porta ferrea which Alexander the Macedonian King made And it is a Citie whose East end is vpon the Sea shoare and there is a little Plaine betweene the Sea and the Mountaines through which the Citie is stretched forth in length vnto the top of the Mountaine which bordereth vpon it on the West so that there is no way aboue for the roughnesse of the Mountaines nor below for the Sea but forth-right through the middest of the Citie ouerthwart where there is an Iron gate from whence the Citie hath the name And the Citie is more then a mile long and in the top of the Hill a strong Castle and it is as much in bredth as a great stones cast it hath very strong walls without Trenches and Turrets of great polished stones But the Tartars haue destroyed the tops of the Turrets and the Bulwarkes of the Walls laying the Turrets euen with the Wall Beneath that Citie the Countrey was wont to bee like a Paradise Two dayes iourney hence we found another Citie called Samaron wherein there were many Iewes And when we past it we saw walles descending from the Mountaines to the Sea And leauing the way by the Sea by those walles because it bent towards the East wee went vp into the high Countries towards the South On the morrow wee passed through a certaine Valley wherein the foundations of walles appeared from one mountaine to another and there was no way through the tops of the Mountaines These were sometimes the Inclosures or walles of Alexander restraining the fierce Nations to wit the Shepheards of the Wildernes that they could not inuade the inhabited Countries and Cities There are other walles or Inclosures where Iewes are The next day we came vnto a certaine great Citie called Samag And after this we entred into a great Plaine called Moan through which the Riuer Cur floweth of the which the Curgi haue their name whom we call Georgians And it runneth through the middle of Tiflis which is the Metropolis of the Curgines and in comes directly from the West running to the East to the foresaid Caspian Sea and it hath excellent Salmons In that plaine wee ●ound Tartars againe Also by that plaine comes the Riuer Araxes which commeth from the greater Armenia from betwixt the South and West of which it is called the Land Araxat which is Armenia it selfe Whereupon in the booke of the Kings it is said of the Sonnes of Sennacherib that hauing slaine their Father they fled into the Land of the Armenians And in Esay it is said that they fled into the Land of Ararat To the West then of that most beautifull Plaine is Curgia In that Plaine the Crosmini were wont to be And there is a great Citie in the entrance of the Mountaines called Ganges which was their Metropolis stopping the Georgians that they could not come downe into the Plaine Then wee came to the Bridge of Ships which were fastened together with a great Yron chaine stretched forth crosse the Riuer where Cur and Araxes meet together But Cur loseth his name there AFter that wee went alwayes vpward by Araxes whereof it is said Pontem dedignatur Araxis Araxes disdaines a Bridge Leauing Persia and the Caspian mountaines on the left hand towards the South on the right hand Curgia and the great Sea toward the West going Southwest betweene the South and the West We passed through the meadows of Bacchu who is Generall of that Armie which is there within Araxis And hee hath made the Curgi and Turkes and Persians subiect to him There is another Gouernour in Persia at Taurinum ouer the Tribute called Argon Both which Mangu Chan hath called home to giue place to his Brother comming into those Countries That Countrey which I haue described to you is not properly Persia but was sometimes called Hyrcania I was in Bacchues house and hee gaue vs Wine to drinke and he himselfe dranke Cosmos which I would willingly haue drunke if he had giuen it me yet it was the best new Wine but Cosmos is more wholsome for an hunger-staruen man Wee went vp therefore by the Riuer Araxes from the Feast of Saint Clement vnto the second Sunday in Lent till we came to the head of the Riuer And beyond that Mountaine where it riseth there is a goodly Citie called Arserum which belongeth to the Soldan of Turkie And neare thereabout Euphrates ariseth towards the North at the foot of the Mountaines of Curgia to whose Spring I had gone but the Snow was so great that no man could goe out of the trodden path on the other side of the Mountaines of Caucasus towards the South ariseth Tigris When we departed from Bacchu my Guide went to Taurinum to speake with Argon carrying my Interpreter with him But Bacchu caused me to bee brought to a certaine Citie called Naxnan which sometimes was the head of a certaine great Kingdome and the greatest and fairest Citie but the Tartars haue made it a Wildernes And there were sometimes Eight hundred Churches of the Armenians there now there are but two little ones for the Saracens haue destroyed them In one of the which I held the feast of Christmas as I could with our Clerke And the next day following the Priest of that Church dyed to whose buriall came a certaine Bishop with twelue Monkes of the high Countries For all the Bishops of the Armenians are Monkes and of the Greekes likewise for the greater part That Bishop told me that there was a Church neere that where Saint Bartholmew and likewise Saint Iudas Thaddaeus were martyred but there was no way open for Snow He told me also that they haue two Prophets The first or chiefe is Methodius the Martyr who was of their Country and plainely Prophesied of the Ismaelites Which Prophesie is fulfilled in the Saracens The other Prophet is called Acacron who when hee dyed Prophesied of a Nation of Archers that should come from the North saying That they should Conquer all the Countries of the East and should spare the Kingdome of the East that he might giue them the Kingdome of the West But he saith our Friers the Frankes being Catholikes beleeue them not
their head fastened with a siluer bodkin their grounds are plentifull of many and good waters it is a people that sayle very seldome being in the middest of the Sea They weare good shore Swords they were in times past subject to the Chinas with whom they had great conuersation therefore are very like the Chinas Now this Iland remayning to the Sea from China as we haue said the Coast of China runneth winding from the Prouince of Cantano and from her Coast vnto the Coast of the Prouince of Nanquin whether to the Portugals haue sayled the Coast making neuer a point as the Maps doe make the which may be seene well pointed in the Sea-cards and in the Maps made among the Portugals The Tartars are reckoned among the Scythians and runne so far along China with the which it hath continuall Warre that commonly they affirme to haue betweene the Chinas and the Tartarians a Wall of an hundred leagues in length And some will affirme to bee more then a hundred leagues the first Kingdome that doth confine with it on the Sea-side of India is one that is called Cauchin-china which hath about an hundred leagues little more or lesse a long the Sea-coast the Sea maketh a great entrance betweene it and the I le Daman which is of fiftie leagues in length and is already of the Chinas and in the end of this entrance this Kingdome abutteth with the Kingdome of China and is subiect to the King of China The people of this Kingdome in their Habit Policie and Gouernment doe vse themselues like the people of China The Countrey is much inhabited and of much people it is also a very plentifull Countrey They haue the same Writing that the Chinas haue although their speech be diuers Beyond this Kingdome of the Cauchin-chinas lyeth another very great Kingdome which runneth within the Land along China which some doe call Laos and others Siones Maons this by the otherside towards India doth confine with the Kingdome of Camboia and with the great Kingdome of Syam and with the rich Kingdome of Pegu with all the which Kingdomes it hath Traffique in sort that there remay●eth to this Kingdome towards the Sea of India all the Coast of Pegu vnto the ends of the Kingdome of Champaa which doth confine with Cauchin-china And so there remayne to these Laos toward the ●ide of the Indian Sea the great Kingdome of Pegu the Kingdome of Tanaçarin and that of Quedaa and that of Malaca and the Kingdomes of Pa● of Patane of Syam of Camboia and of Champaa which abutteth vpon the Cauchin-chinas This Kingdome of the Laos or Sions Maons was subdued by the Bramas of the which we will speake presently in the yeere of fiftie sixe and among some which they brought captiue to Pegu they brought some Chinas which the Laos held Captiues as one George Mello affirmed vnto mee which went for Captayne of the Voyage to Pegu. And though commonly there be no Warres betweene these Laos and the Chinas because of the great Mountaynes that are betweene them on the which the Chinas haue good forces on that side in the Prouince of Camsi which doth confine with these and with the Bramas and in the forces they haue continually men in Garrison for the defence of those parts there bee notwithstanding continually assaults on the one side and of the other whereby the Laos might haue some Chinas captiue Before that these Laos were subdued by the Bramas they carryed to Sion to Camboia and to Pegu some very good Muske and Gold whereof is aff●rmed to be great store in that Countrey and these people hauing Muske makes a conjecture the great store of Muske which the Chinas haue they get it from the many beasts tha● are in the Confines of this Kingdome in the Prouince of Camsi from whence they bring it The Muske is the flesh and bloud of certayne beasts which they say to be as bigge as Foxes the which beaten with strokes and killed they tye the skinne with the flesh together in lumps the which they cut after the flesh is rotten and so they sell it which the Portugals do call Muske Cods And when it commeth fresh presently it appeareth to be rotten flesh and bloud the rest they sell loose holding these Cods for the finer Muske Returning to the Laos whereof we were speaking these be the Wares which they brought to the aboue-said Kingdomes carrying in returne Cotton-clothes and other things they had need of This people is not very browne they weare their haire all cut round vnderneath and all the rest aboue ruffled raysing it many times vpward with their hands that it remayneth to them like a Cap and serueth in stead of one for they weare nothing on their heads they goe naked from the middle vpward and from the hips downward they weare certayne Cotton-clothes girt about them all white the women goe couered from the brests to the halfe legge they haue their faces some-what like the Chinas they haue the same Heathenish Ceremonies that the Pegus and Siones and the Camboias The Priests of their Idols doe weare yellow clothes girt about as the rest of the people and a certayne manner of yellow Copes with certayne folds and seames in which they hold their Superstitions Of this people I saw many in Camboia which remayned there the yeere before by the way of Traffique and that yeare that I was there they came not because of the Warres wherein as I said they said they were subdued by the Bramas These Laos came to Camboia downe a Riuer many daies Iournie which they say to haue his beginning in China as many others which runne into the Sea of India it hath eight fifteene and twentie fathome water as my selfe saw by experience in a great part of it it passeth through many vnknowne and desart Countries of great Woods and Forrests where there are innumerable Elephants and many Buffes of which I saw many wild in that Countrie and Merus which is like a good Mule and certayne beasts which in that Countrie they call Badas of the which the Male haue a pointlesse and blunt Horne in their fore-head and some of the Hornes are spotted with singular colours and others all blacke others of a waxe colour but they haue no vertue but only for the Hemorroides or Piles and after the Elephant there is no other greater beast the haire of it is browne and footed like an Elephant the head like a Cow and it hath a great lumpe of flesh that falleth vpon his head whereof I did eate trauelling in those parts There are also many other wilde Beastes There bee some Thorny Trees like Limons and Oranges and many wilde Grapes through the Woodes When these Laos doe returne to their Countrie going against the streame they goe in three moneths This Riuer causeth a wonder in the Land of Camboia worthy of reciting Comming neere to a place which they call Chudurmuch which is twelue
that vnto that time it remained dispeopled and full of wilde Swine of the brood that remained there at such time as they were slaine and carried away as you haue heard This Iland and the rest adjoyning thereunto which are very many haue very excellent and sure Ports and Hauens with great store of fish These Ilands endured vntill they came vnto a little Gulfe which is fiue and fortie leagues ouer and is sayled in one day and at the end thereof is the Port of Cabite which is neere vnto Manilla So when that winde and weather serued their turne they departed from the Iland of Ancon and sailed till they came vnto another Iland called Plon where they vnderstood by a ship that was there a fishing how that the Rouer Limahon was escaped in certaine Barkes which he caused to bee made very secretly within his Fort of such Timber and Boards as remained of his ships that were burnt the which was brought in by night by his Souldiers on that side of the Fort which was next vnto the Riuer and were not discouered by the Castillas which were put there with all care and diligence to keepe the mouth that come in to helpe them And towards the Land there whereas he might escape they were without all suspection they were so strong and did not mistrust that any such thing should be put in vre as afterwards did fall out the which was executed with so great policie and craft that when they came to vnderstand it the Rouer was cleane gone and in safeguard calking his Barkes at the Iland of Tocaotican the better for to escape and saue himselfe and they said that it was but eight dayes past that he fled With this newes they all receiued great alteration but in especiall Omoncon and Sinsay After they had remained three weeks in that Harbour detayned with a mighty North-wind that neuer calmed night nor day in all that time The eleuenth day of October two houres before day they set sayle and went to Sea Sixteene leagues from the Port sailing towards the South they discouered a mightie Iland very high Land which was called Tangarruan and was of three score leagues about all inhabited with people like vnto those of the Ilands Philippinas Vpon Sunday in the morning being the seuenteenth day of October they discouered the Iland of Manilla of them greatly desired they sayled towards the Iland that they so long desired to see and came thither the twentie eight day of October as aforesaid So that from the Port of Tansuso which is the first Port of China till they came vnto the Iland of Manilla they were fiue and fortie dayes and is not in all ful two hundred leagues which may be made with reasonable weather in ten dayes at the most I could haue here added two other Voyages of Franciscans to China the one by Peter de Alfaro and other three of his Order 1579. the other 1582. by Ignatio c. both written at large by Mendoza But I hasten to our Iesuites exacter Relations Only I will conclude this Storie with Alfaros returne from China to the Philippinas and his Relation of their Witch-crafts vsed in a Tempest then happening after that two Letters mentioning English ships on that Coast. But it so fell out as they were going alongst the Coast of the Iland for to enter into the Port of Manilla and being within fiue leagues of the entry thereof vpon a sudden there arose the North-wind with so great furie and caused so great a Sea that they found themselues in a great deale more danger then in the other storme past in such sort that they sponed before the winde with their fore-sayle halfe Mast high shaking it selfe all to pieces and in euery minute of an houre readie to be drowned The Chinois for that they are Superstitious and Witches beganne to inuocate and call vpon the Deuill for to bring them out of that trouble which is a thing commonly vsed amongst them at all times when they find themselues in the like perplexitie also they doe request of him to shew them what they should do to bring themselues out of trouble But when the Spaniards vnderstood their dealings they did disturbe them that they should not perseuer in their Lots and Inuocations and beganne to conjure the Deuils which was the occasion that they would not answere vnto the Inuocation of the Chinois who did call them after diuers manners yet they heard a Deuill say that they should not blame them because they did not answere vnto their demand for they could not doe it for that they were disturbed by the conjuration of those Spanish Fathers which they carried with them in their ship So presently when the night was come God was so pleased that the storme ceased and became in few houres very calme although it endured but a while for as they began to set sayle to nauigate towards the Port and almost at the point to enter into the same a new storme seized on them and with so great force that they were constrayned to returne vnto the Sea for feare to bee broken in pieces vpon the shoare The Chinos began anew to inuocate the Deuils by writing which is a way that they neuer let but doe answere them as they did at this instant and were not disturbed by the coniurations of the Fathers yet notwithstanding they lyed in their answer for that they said that within three dayes they should be within the Citie of Manilla and after it was more then foure dayes In conclusion hauing by the fauour of almightie God ouercome all their trauels by the Sea and the necessitie of the lacke of water and victuals they arriued at the desired Port the second day of February Anno 1580. whereas they were receiued by the Gouernour and of all the rest with great ioy c. Two Letters taken out of BARTOLOME LEONARDO DE ARGENSOLA his Treatise called Conquista de las Islas Malucas Printed at Madrid 1609. pagg. 336.337 mentioning the comming of two English ships to China which seeme to bee two ships of the fleet of BENIAMIN WOOD The former written by the Visitor of Chincheo in China vnto the Gouernor of the Philippinas Don PEDRO DE ACVNNA TO the grand Captaine of Luzon Because wee haue vnderstood that the Chineses which went to trade and trafficke into the Kingdome of Luzon haue beene slaine by the Spaniards wee haue made inquisition of the cause of these slaughters and haue besought the King to doe iustice on him that hath beene the cause of so great mischiefe to procure a remedie for the time to come and that the Merchants may liue in peace and safety In the yeeres past before I came hither to be Visitour a certaine Sangley called Tioneg with three Mandarines or Iudges hauing the Kings Passe came to Cabit in Luzon to seeke Gold and Siluer which was all lyes because he found neither Gold
at the least the three that went forward in that sort were Cornelius Iacobson Master of William Barents ship William Gysen Pylot of the Pinnasse and Hans van Nuflen William Barents Purser and after that the sayd Master and Pylot had shot three times and mist the Purser stepping somewhat further forward and seeing the Beare to be within the length of a shot presently leuelled his Piece and discharging it at the Beare shot her into the head betweene both the eyes and yet she held the man still fast by the necke and lifted vp her head with the man in her mouth but shee began somwhat to stagger wherewith the Purser and a Scottish-man drew out their Curtelaxes and strooke at her so hard that their Curtelaxes burst and yet she would not leaue the man at last William Geysen went to them and with all his might strooke the Beare vpon the snout with his Piece at which time the Beare fell to the ground making a great noyse and William Geysen leaping vpon her cut her throat The seuenth of September wee buried the dead bodies of our men in the States Iland and hauing stayed the Beare carryed her Skin to Amsterdam The ninth of September we set sayle from the States Iland but the Ice came in so thicke and with such force that we could not get through so that at Eeuening we came backe againe to the States Iland the winde being Westerly There the Admirall and the Pinnasse of Rotterdam fell on ground by certayne Rockes but got off againe without any hurt The tenth of September we sayled againe from the States Iland towards the Wey-gates and sent two Boates into the Sea to certifie vs what store of Ice was abroad and that Eeuening wee came all together into Wey-gates and Anchored by the Twist-point The eleuenth of September in the Morning we sayled againe into the Tartarian Sea but we fell into great store of Ice so that we sayled backe againe to the Wey-gates and Anchored by the Crosse-point and about midnight we saw a Russian Lodgie that sayled from the B●●lt-point towards the Samuters Land The thirteenth of September the Sunne being South there began a great storme to blow out of the South South-west the weather being mistie melancholy and snowie and the storme increasing more and more we draue through The fourteenth of September the weather began to bee somewhat clearer the winde being North-west and the storme blowing stiffe out of the Tartarian Sea but at Eeuening it was faire weather and then the wind blew North-east the same day our men went on the other side of Wey-gates on the firme land to take the depth of the Channell and entred into the Bough behind the Ilands where there stood a little House made of wood and a great fall of water into the land The same Morning we hoysed vp our Anchor thinking once againe to try what wee could doe to further our Voyage but our Admirall being of another minde lay still till the fifteenth of September The same day in the Morning the winde draue in from the East-end of the Wey-gates whereby we were forced presently to hoyse Anchors and the same day sayled out from the west-West-end of the Wey-gates with all our Fleet and made homewards againe and that day past by the Ilands called Matfloe and Delgoy and that night we sayled twelue miles North-west and by West till Saturday in the morning and then the winde fell North-east and it began to Snow We saw the point of Candy●aes lying South-east from vs and then wee had seuen and twentie fathom deepe red sand with blacke shels The nine and twentieth of September in the Eeuening entred into Ward-house and there we stayed till the tenth of October And that day we set sayle out of Ward-house and vpon the eighteenth of Nouember we arriued in the Maes CHAP. V. The third Voyage Northward to the Kingdomes of Cathaia and China in Anno 1596. Written by GERAT DE VEER §. I. What happened to them at Sea before they came to build their House AFter that the seuen Ships as I said before were returned backe againe from their North Voyage with lesse benefit then was expected the Generall States of the Vnited Prouinces consulted together to send certayne Ships thither againe a third time to see if they might bring the said Voyage to a good end if it were possible to bee done but after much Consultation had they could not agree thereon yet they were content to cause a Proclamation to be made that if any either Townes or Merchants were disposed to venture to make further search that way at their owne charges if the Voyage were accomplished and that thereby it might be made apparant that the sayd passage was to be sayled they were content to giue them a good reward in the Countries behalfe naming a certayne summe of money Whereupon in the beginning of this yeere there was two Ships rigged and set forth by the Towne of Amsterdam to sayle that Voyage the men therein being taken vp vpon two Conditions viz. What they should haue if the Voyage were not accomplished and what they should haue if they got through and brought the Voyage to an end promising them a good reward if they could effect it thereby to encourage the men taking vp as many vnmarried men as they could that they might not bee disswaded by meanes of their Wiues and Children to leaue off the Voyage Vpon these Conditions those two Ships were ready to set sayle in the beginning of May. In the one Iacob Heemskerke Hendrickson was Master and Factor for the Wares and Merchandizes and William Barents chiefe Pylot In the other Iohn Cornelison Rijp was both Master and Factor for the goods that the Merchants had laden in her The fifth of May all the men in both the Ships were Mustered and vpon the tenth of May they sayled from Amsterdam and the thirteenth of May got to the Vlie The thirtieth of May we had a good winde and sayled North-east and wee tooke the height of the Sunne with our Crosse-staffe and found that it was eleuated aboue the Horizon 47. degrees and 42. minutes his Declination was 21. degrees and 42. minutes so that the height of the Pole was 69. degrees and 24. minutes The first of Iune we had no night and the second of Iune we had the winde contrarie but vpon the fourth of Iune we had a good winde out of the West North-west and sayled North-east And when the Sunne was about South South-east wee saw a strange sight in the Element for on each side of the Sunne there was another Sunne and two Raine-bowes that past cleane thorow the three Sunnes and then two Raine-bowes more the one compassing round about the Sunnes and the other crosse thorow the great rundle the great rundle standing with the vttermost point eleuated aboue the Horizon 28. degrees at noone the Sunne being at the highest the height thereof was measured and
the decke thinking to finde a Foxe there we sought all the holes but we found none but when we entred into the Cabbin and had stricken fire to see in what case the ship was and whether the water rose higher in it there wee found a Foxe which we tooke and carryed it home and eate it and then we found that in eighteene dayes absence for it was so long since we had beene there the water was risen about a finger high but yet it was all Ice for it froze as fast as it came in and the vessels which wee had brought with vs full of fresh water out of Holland were frozen to the ground The nineteenth it was faire weather the winde being South then we put each other in good comfort that the Sunne was then almost halfe ouer and ready to come to vs againe which wee sore longed for it being a weary time for vs to bee without the Sunne and to want the greatest comfort that God sendeth vnto man heere vpon the earth and that which rejoyceth euery liuing thing The twentieth before noone it was faire cleere weather and then we had taken a Foxe but towards Eeuening there rose such a storme in the South-west with so great a snow that all the house was inclosed therewith The one and twentieth it was faire cleere weather with a North-east winde then we made our doore cleane againe and made a way to goe out and clensed our Traps for the Foxes which did vs great pleasure when we tooke them for they seemed as daintie as Venison vnto vs. The two and twentieth it was foule weather with great store of snow the winde South-west which stopt vp our doore againe and wee were forced to digge it open againe which was almost euery day to doe The three and twentieth it was foule weather the wind South-west with great store of snow but wee were in good comfort that the Sunne would come againe to vs for as we ghest that day hee was in Tropicus Capricorni which is the furthest Signe that the Sunne passeth on the South-side of the line and from thence it turneth Northward againe The foure and twentieth being Christmasse Eeuen it was faire weather then wee opened our doore againe and saw much open water in the Sea for we had heard the Ice cracke and driue although it was not day yet we could see so farre Towards Eeuening it blew hard out of the North-east with great store of Snow so that all the passage that wee had made open before was stopt vp againe The fiue and twentieth being Christmasse day it was foule weather with a North-west winde and yet though it was foule weather we heard the Foxes runne ouer our House wherewith some of our men sayd it was an ill signe and while we sate disputing why it should bee an ill signe some of our men made answer that it was an ill signe because wee could not take them to put them into the Pot or roast them for that had beene a very good signe for vs. The sixe and twentieth it was foule weather the winde North-west and it was so cold that we could not warme vs although wee vsed all the meanes we could with great fires good store of cloathes and with hot stones and billets layd vpon our feete and vpon our bodies as we lay in our Cabbins but notwithstanding all this in the morning our Cabbins were frozen which made vs behold one the other with sad countenance but yet wee comforted our selues againe as well as we could that the Sunne was then as low as it could goe and that it now began to come to vs againe and we found it to bee true for that the Dayes beginning to lengthen the Cold began to strengthen but hope put vs in good comfort and eased our paine The seuen and twentieth it was still foule weather with a North-west wind so that as then wee had not beene out in three dayes together nor durst not thrust our heads out of doores and within the house it was so extreame cold that as we sate before a great Fire and seemed to burne on the fore-side we froze behind at our backes and were all white as the Countrey-men vse to bee when they come in at the gates of the Towne in Holland with their Sleds and haue gone all night The eight and twentieth it was still foule weather with a West wind but about Eeuening it began to cleere vp at which time one of our men made a hole open at one of our doores and went out to see what newes abroad but found it so hard weather that hee stayed not long and told vs that it had snowed so much that the Snow lay higher then our house and that if he had stayed out longer his eares would vndoubtedly haue beene frozen off The nine and twentieth it was calme weather and a pleasant ayre the wind being Southward that day he whose turne it was opened the doore and digged a hole through the Snow where we went out of the house vpon steps as if it had beene out of a Celler at least seuen or eight steps high each step a foote from the other and then we made cleane our Springes for the Foxes whereof for certaine dayes we had not taken any and as we made them cleane one of our men found a dead Foxe in one of them that was frozen as hard as a stone which he brought into the house and thawed it before the fire and after flaying it some of our men eate it The thirtieth it was foule weather againe with a storme out of the West and great store of Snow so that all the labour and paine that we had taken the day before to make steps to goe out of our house and to clense our Springes was all in vaine for it was all couered ouer with Snow againe higher then it was before The one and thirtieth it was still foule weather with a storme out of the North-west whereby we were so fast shut vp into the house as if wee had beene prisoners and it was so extreame cold that the fire almost cast no heate for as we put our feet to the fire we burnt our hose before we could feele the heate so that we had worke enough to doe to patch our hose and which is more if we had not sooner smelt then felt them we should haue burnt them ere we had knowne it After that with great cold danger and disease wee had brought this yeere vnto an end we entred into the yeere of our Lord God 1597. the beginning whereof was in the same manner as the end of Anno 1596. had beene for the weather continued as cold foule and Snowie as it was before so that vpon the first of Ianuary wee were inclosed in the House the winde then being West at the same time wee agreed to share our Wine euery man a small measure full
long experience The last of August came into Pechorskoi Za●orot or the Hauen of Pechora sixe and twentie Lodias or Boats which was the Fleet set out from Oustiug Colmogro Pinega and Mezen all of them being bound for Mongosey but hauing been crossed with contrary winds the time of the yeere being spent they gaue ouer their intended Voyage purposing with the next faire wind to sayle to the Towne of Pechora there to lay vp their Lodias and commodities till the next Spring and themselues with their small Boats or Wherries to goe home passing from thence vp the Riuer of Peoza which they told me they could easily doe in a moneths time As soone as this Fleet of Lodias was come to an anchor many of them came aboord of our ship wondring to see a ship there They demanded of me how wee came thither and what the intent of our comming was and whither we purposed to sayle from thence Among these were some which seemed to be Merchants who asked to buy Lists remnants of Cloth Cap-clothes Aqua vitae especially they asked for small Pewter D●shes which I vnderstand to be a commoditie sold by them to the Samoyeds at a great rate I answered them that the goods which wee had brought were part already at Pechora and the rest was to be transported thither as soone as the Vessell came that was hired to carrie the same vp so that if any of them were minded to buy of our commodities they might haue it of one of our Countrey-men there After which two or three of them demanded of me whether I would buy any Sables or Squerrils which was but a brag At this time many of them being on boord together some of them were in priuate talke which was my chance to ouer-heare and was as followeth If these Neamchines or Strangers resort to these places it will be an occasion in short time to make vs to be without Bread The like speeches I heard a little before of two men of Pinega and of an old man remayning in Pechora that came downe to our ship with the Feathers Touching the goods left with William Pursgloue Marmaduke Wilson and the Russe in regard the same lay in no good place we were desirous to haue hired one of their Russe Boats to haue carried the same to the Towne at a reasonable rate the rather because it was on their way and their Boats were not ouerladen which they with two Boats might haue done with ease yet they would not vnlesse wee would giue them thirtie or fiue and twentie Rubbels at the least and that with Condition that they might distribute into each Boate somewhat thereof Therefore vnderstanding their vnreasonable demand hauing a Boate already hyred wee vtterly refused to talke with them any further thereof especially when they were minded to diuide the goods into all the sixe and twentie Lodias or Boates which had beene a tricke to haue lost all The first of August leauing Master Iosias Logan William Pursgloue and Marmaduke Wilson at Pechora wee sayled ouer the Barre of Pechorskoie Zauorot directing our course for Noua Zembla till that wee had runne so farre and were so inclosed in huge Ice that in a Day and a Night we could goe neither backward nor forward And finding no meanes to proceed on our intended Voyage for Noua Zembla wee cleared our selues out of that place Truth it is that this hath beene an hard Summer to all the Russes both to them which were bound for Mongozey and those that went to kill Morses and fishing of a certayne Fish called Omeli From the foresayd place wee set our course for Cherie Iland intending to meete with the I le of Colgoiene and Willoughbies Land With Colgoiene wee met but we missed of the other The seuenth of August William Gourdon and I with our Shallop went on shoare This Colgoiene is a very long and broad Iland with many Vallies in it On the same are many Geese which the Russes vse to take with Nets in the time of the yeere before they bee ouer fledge In this Iland seemeth to bee store of Hawkes Heere William Gourdon and our Cooper caught two Hawkes whereof one was spoyled in the taking the other remayneth aliue The thirteenth of August wee arriued at Cherie Iland standing in 74. degrees and odde minutes and Anchored in the South Coue finding the same very cleare of Ice And presently after our Ship was at an Anchor Iames Vadin the Master William Gourdon and I went on shoare on the Coue to looke for Morses Here we found a certayne Note which was left there by Thomas Edge the effect of which was That he arriued there with three Shalops from Greenland and that there he had found the Ship called the Elizabeth and that hee was gone in her to Greenland the foure and twentieth of Iuly hoping to finde the goods which hee had left there and that hee did purpose to returne againe to Cherie Iland with as much speed as could be made Subscribed Thomas Edge At our comming to the Iland wee had three or foure dayes together very fine weather in which time came in reasonable store of Morses both at the South Coue and at the North-side and wee were in good hope we should haue made a sauing Voyage Neuerthelesse though there were store of Beasts yet by no meanes would they goe on those beaches and places that formerly they haue beene killed on But fortie or fiftie of them together went into little holes within the Rocke which were so little steepe and slipperie that as soone as wee did approach towards them they would tumble all into the Sea The like whereof by the Masters and William Gourdons report was neuer done For lying as they did and being so shey as they were it was not possible to doe any good vpon them Moreouer to get them off these foresaid Rockes to make them come on shoare vpon their accustomed places the Master and our men on both sides of the Iland went to driue them away yet they would not But by often driuing of them out of their holes we killed as many as wee could In the end the weather growing stormie and cold there were few or none of them left Wherefore seeing all hope of good to be done of them to be past wee departed from thence the sixe and twentieth of August 1611. for England We did not perceiue any Ship of Hull to haue beene there this Summer Hauing touched the chiefest points of our Voyage I thinke it meete to set downe somewhat of the State Commodities and Trade of Pechora Oust Zilma and Parmia The Towne of Pechora is small hauing three Churches in it and the most part of the people are poore In the Spring and a great part of the Summer they liue by catching of Partridges Geese Duckes and Swannes of which they euery Summer take a great number The flesh of these Fowles
durst not without the Emperour of Russia his licence Whereupon I answered that the Emperours Maiestie when he was raigning was very gracious vnto our Nation aboue all other strangers and shewed what great priuiledges hee had bestowed on our people and how by the English-mens meanes at the first what a trade is now at Arkania and what profit came not onely into his Maiesties Treasurie but also into all parts of his Dominions which in time might be brought hither and withall shewed the Emperours priuiledge Wherefore then they began to put away feare and willed vs to stay fiue or sixe dayes vntill he had sent for the chiefest men of the Townes-men who were abroad and then they would giue vs an answer Then I desired that we might haue an house to be in and not to stay without doores So he gaue libertie to any that would to entertayne vs whereto there was one Callem that made answer that he would whereupon wee went with him and were in an Ambar of his vntill wee receiued answer from them In the meane time wee made much of them and feasted them with our Aqua vitae Biscuit and Figs that we might the better obtayne their loue The foure and twentieth the Customers came to giue vs our answere and told vs that they had concluded that we might stay if wee would but they must write vp to the Musko of our being here So we thanked them and gaue them such entertaynment as we could and sent presents to sixe of them of the chiefest which they tooke very thankfully and promised what fauour they could So this night I made ready my Letters to send for England The fourth of August fiue and twentie Lodyas arriued at the Towne laden with Meale and others which were bound for Molgomsey but by reason of contrary winds they were forced into Pechora and came vp to the Towne of Pustozer and vnladed to make sale The sixe and twentieth we remoued from the house where we were at the first vnto a Poles house who is christened Russe where we are to remayne all the Winter The nine and twentieth the frost was so strong that the Ozera was frozen ouer and the Ice driuing in the Riuer to and againe brake all the nets so that they got no Salmon no not so much as for their owne victuals The second of September the frost brake vp againe and it was open weather The eight of September there was a Soyma which the Towns-men bought that went downe the Riuer to haue gone for Iugoria and had a faire wind but they neglecting two dayes sayling that would haue carried them forth of the Riuer to the Sea the wind came contrary so that they were wind-bound and could not get any further and on the nineteenth gaue ouer their Voyage and came vp to the Towne The thirteenth of October the frost was so extreme that the Ozera stood in one night that men did walke on it the next day and so continued all the Winter after The twelfth of Nouember there went two men of Penega to Vst-zilma to buy Squerrils and Beauers and other commodities The thirteenth the Sunne arose at South and by East by the Compasse and set at South-west and by West The foure and twentieth there went diuers men with at the least three or fourescore Sleds drawne with Deere to a place called Slobodca where they hold a Mart from the beginning of December to the middle thereof and they carried fresh-water fish thither with whom William Pursgloue went into Russia The sixe and twentieth the Sunne arose at South and by West by the Compasse and set at South-west and by West The first of December the Sunne arose at South and by West Westerly by the Compasse and set South-west and by West Southerly The fourth the Towns-men of Pechora went ouer land into Iugoria to trade with the Inhabitants there and the Samoyeds The eleuenth Marmaduke Wilson said that he saw the Sunne but it was but the way of the Sunnes beames The thirteenth I saw the Sunnes beames my selfe but I could not see the Sun it selfe although I watched it very strictly The fourteenth it was snowie and stormie weather and continued so vntill the foure and twentieth day which was close weather also The fiue and twentieth being Christmas day I saw the Sunne and it rose at South and by West and set at South-west and by South it hauing the neathermost part of it all the way iust with the Horizon The sixe and twentieth it was stormy and snowy weather and so continued vntill the end of the moneth The second of Ianuarie the Sunne arose at South somewhat Westerly and set south-South-west a little Southerly it mounting a pretie height aboue the Horizon The fift William Pursgloue returned from Colmogro The eleuenth the Sunne arose at South by East by the Compasse and set at South-west and by West The twelfth there came a command from the Patriarch that there should bee a generall Fast both for young and old not exempting the sucking babes which began the thirteenth continuing three dayes space they neither eating nor drinking so much as water neither admitted they their sucking Babes saue those that fainted to whom they gaue a few Figs and a little water The nineteenth the Inhabitants of Pustozer that went into Iugoria returned from thence hauing had but an hard Voyage by reason of the Warres which the Samoyeds had amongst themselues so that they durst not goe into Molgomsey where they catch the most part of the Sables which come into Russia The three and twentieth came the Carratchey which is the chiefe of the Samoyeds but they had no commodities to speake of by reason of the Warres so that they neither durst trade with the Samoyeds of Molgomsey neither hunt for the Sables themselues which at other times they were wont to doe The thirtieth I had the chiefe Carratchey his sonne his sonnes sonne and his brothers sonne at Dinner and had some conference with him who told mee that they had seene ships in the Vaygats two yeeres one after another but they durst not bee seene of them but fled from them for the Russes told them that they would kill them or carrie them away prisoners Yet they seemed to be glad of our comming when they saw our behauiour and the entertaynment that they had of vs Neuerthelesse they are very timerous and vnreasonable couetous as by more acquaintance I perceiued by them The second of February the most part of the Samoyeds went to Slobodca with their commodities because in the Summer they had beene together by the eares with the Samoyeds of Callenose and had slayne one or two of them wherefore they went to agree with them and to pay ransome for some of their men that were taken afterwards The fifteenth the Sunne arose at South-east a little Southerly and set at West and by South Westerly The sixteenth the Sunne arose at
a terce full of salt there which wee left in that place the eleuenth of May. The fifteenth day when wee had ended our businesse and eaten some of our Beares flesh and set vp an Ensigne in token of our possession of the Iland wee prepared to be gone and about an East North-east Sunne the wind came Westerly which made me thinke as it proued that the Ship would be on the South-east side of the Iland and when wee were comming and almost at the North-east point we saw nine men presently I knew them to bee the men of Hull Along I came to the East side where we tooke in drift wood and a broad stone to make a fire vpon in our Boat While wee were there wee espied our ship vnder her Fore-topsayle and her Misen We made all the haste we could and came to the Coue where wee made our voyage the Summer last past There likewise I set vp a Pike with a white cloth vpon it and a letter signifying our possession for the right worshipfull Company trading to Moscouie When I had done I espied the Hull mans Boat rowing into the Coue and a Tent set vp in the bottom of the Bay I went thither and told him we had taken possession there the eight of May last He answered That if the beasts came on shoare he would kill them if he could and that there were as good men which ventured in that Ship as the Company I told him he durst not answer these words in England and so departed and got some Fowle About a South-west Sunne wee stood toward our Ship hauing the wind at West South-west and the Ship bearing from vs South-east about foure leagues I had not sailed ten miles but the Ice was so close and firme that I could not get aboord nor backe againe for it closed with such force that it made the Shallops sides cracke as though they would haue met together Wee laboured very sore to saue our Boat because it did concerne our liues and got her into a place where shee lay betweene two pieces of Ice After this sort we draue with the Ice till we had lost sight of our Ship which was about a North sun and still wee draue being not able otherwise to moue till we were aboue eight leagues from the Iland The sixteenth day at an East South-east Sun the Ice began to open Then although my Company were in despaire and said it was impossible to get out to worke wee went and by cutting off Ice and remouing of it one piece from another we made way through toward the Land The neerer to the Land wee got wee found the more open Sea and by a North Sunne wee got on shoare After wee had giuen God thankes for our deliuerance out of such extreame danger wee eate some Fowle and Beares flesh which wee sod vnder a Cliffe There wee found nine young Foxes and killed the old one There also we slept vpon the cold Sand which was not past three inches thicke and vnderneath Ice and staied here till a South-east Sunne the seuenteenth day The seuenteenth we went from this place to the Coue where we found the Hull mans Boat I made a tilt of the Shallops sayle and sod some Beares flesh and Fowle and stayed about the Coue all that day And vpon an Iland commonly called Gull-Iland I found three Mynes of Lead Vre but hauing no fit tooles to breake the Rocks and also because it was in the view of the Hull mans Tent I was forced to let it rest till the Ships could get into the Coue. The eighteenth day wee went to the North side of the Iland and in our way wee found good Sea-coales to burne some wee tooke with vs to try them and found them good And on the North side I slew two Beares Then wee shared the bread that was left and wee had but two cakes to a man for some of my Company while I was asleepe or killing of the Beares had broken open the chest wherein the bread was and had conueyed some away Our beere was spent before this time and we were faine to drinke snow water The nineteenth wee went to the Coue the wind being Westerly to see if wee could espy our Ship but wee could not neither could shee come neere the Iland for Ice for all the Sea as farre as I could see from the top of an high Hill was couered with Ice sauing that within a quarter of a mile off the shoare it was cleere round about once in a tyde The twentieth day I went to the North side againe and slew a Beare Thus wee spent the time sometimes on one side sometimes on the other neuer staying aboue one day in one place till the Ship came in vvhich vvas the seuen and twentieth of Iune on vvhich day I slew another Beare I slew seuen in all vvhose flesh vve eate full sauerly forgetting the oyly ranknesse of it for hunger is a sauourie sawce The seuen and twentieth our ship came to an anchor on the North side where we then were assoone as vve saw her we needed no bidding to go aboord When we were come to the ship side they bad vs vvelcome but vvhereas vve thought to haue releeued our selues vvee found it farre otherwise because the Ship had a knocke vvith a piece of Ice in the Sterne vvhich brake in the corner of a Planke vnder the vvater so that our bread-roome vvas full of vvater and all our bread spoyled sauing about one hundred vveight vvhich vvas but a small quantitie for three and forty men This day a Ship called the Matthew came to an anchor by vs. Then Master Welden and I vvent on shoare vvhere vve found one Iohn Skinner Masters mate of the Matthew vvith eleuen men by him We set vp our Tent and told him there vvas no voyage for him to make but our necessitie vvas such that vve vvere faine to take foure hundred of bread of them vpon some condition vvhich I vvill not speake of here The same day vvee thought to haue taken a Copper aboord vvhich I digged out of the snow but by negligence it vvas let fall into the Sea yet afterward taken vp againe and carried aboord The same day another Ship called the Mary Margarite came into the said Coue on the South side The eighteenth I vvent to the Coue vvith the Shallop and sixe men vvhere I found the Marie Margarite there passed no great kindnesse betweene them and me I slew three Morses there two vvere lost the others head I brought aboord The next day I came aboord our Ship and vve rid on that side looking still vvhen any beasts vvould come on shoare till the second of Iuly Then vve vveighed and stood to the East side of the Iland because the vvind vvas at West North-west and great store of Ice came from those parts We had not rid one houre to an end but vve saw a
our Voyage and to proceed on our Discouerie as soone as God should blesse vs with Winde And this I can assure at this present that betweene 78. degrees and ½ and 82. degrees by this way there is no passage but I thinke this Land may bee profitable to those that will aduenture it In this Bay before spoken of and about this coast we saw more abundance of Seales then we had seene any time before swimming in the water At noone this day hauing a stiffe gale of wind at North we were thwart of Collins Cape standing in 81. degrees and a halfe and at one of the clocke the Cape beare North-east off vs. From thence I set our course West South-west with purpose to keepe in the open Sea free from Ice and sayled in that course 16. leagues At ten this night we steered away South-west with the wind at North a hard gale vntill eight the next morning 18. leagues The seuenteenth in the morning a good gale at North at eight we altered our course and steered away South till eight in the Eeuening and ranne 12. leagues This day proued reasonable cleere and warme The eighteenth in the morning the wind encreased at South and by East with thicke fogge All this after-noone and night proued close weather little fogge and reasonable warme The nineteenth at eight in the morning the wind at South with thicke fogge we steered South-east 4. leagues till noone then the wind vered more large wee steered South-east and by East 4. leagues till foure then wee vered shete and steered East and by South Easterly 15. leagues till eight the next morning This day after the morning proued reasonable cleere and warme The twentieth in the morning little wind at eight this morning wee saw Land ahead of vs vnder our Lee and to weatherward of vs distant from vs 12. leagues being part of Newland It is very high mountainous Land the highest that we had seene vntill now As we sayled neere it we saw a Sound ahead of vs lying East and west The Land on the Norther side of this Sounds mouth trendeth neerest hand West North-west and East South-east 12. leagues in our sight being 10. leagues from vs. And the Land on the Souther side being 8. or 10. leagues in our sight at this time trendeth South South-east and North North-west from eight to noone was calme This day by obseruation we were in 77. degrees 26. minutes On the Norther side of the mouth of this Inlet lie three Ilands not farre the one from the other being very high mountainous Land The farthest of the three to the North-west hath foure very high Mounts like heapes of Corne. That Iland next the Inlets mouth hath one very high Mount on the Souther end Here one of our companie killed a red billed Bird. All this day after the morning and all night proued calme enclining rather to heare then cold This night wee had some warme rayne The one and twentieth all the fore-noone calme at foure in the after-noone we had a small gale of wind at South South-east with fog we steered away East to stand in with the Land and sayled 3. leagues vntill mid-night then the wind came at North-east we cast about and steered South 10. leagues till eight the next morning The two and twentieth at eight in the morning much wind at East and variable with short sayle wee steered 3. leagues South and by East then came downe very much wind wee strooke a hull All this after-noone and night proued very much wind with raine The three and twentieth all the fore-noone was very much wind at South with raine and fogge At foure this after-noone wee saw Land bearing North-east of vs 6. leagues from vs. Then we had the wind at South South-west wee steered away South-east and South-east and by East 4. leagues the Sea being very much growne We accounted we had hulled North-west and by North 22. leagues and North 3. leagues Then fearing with much wind to be set on a lee shoare we tackt about and made our way good West and by North halfe a point Northerly all this night with much wind The foure and twentieth in the morning much wind as afore and the Sea growne This morning wee strooke our mayne Top-mast to ease our ship and sayled from the last Eeuening eight to this noone 15. leagues West and by North halfe a point Northerly From twelue to eight 6. leagues as afore with the wind at South and by West at eight we tackt about with the winde at South South-west and lay South-east and by East with much winde and the Sea growne The fiue and twentieth was a cleere morning we set our mayne Top-mast we saw Land bearing North of vs and vnder our Lee we sayling South-east and by East Then the wind scanted we cast about and lay South-west and by West 2. leagues ½ till noone Then it began to ouer-cast and the wind to scant againe we cast about and lay South-east and by South the wind at South-west and by West and sayled in that course 3. leagues till foure in the after-noone Then the wind scanted againe and we sayled 3. leagues South Now seeing how contrarie the winde proued to doe the good which wee desired this way I thought to proue our fortunes by the West once againe and this Eeuening at eight wee being the latitude of 78. with the better and from Land 15. leagues which leagues part whereof beare from the North-east to the East off vs we steered away West with the wind at South-east and cleere weather The sixe and twentieth all this day proued rayne with thicke fog and an hard gale of wind at East and by North and East North-east From the last Eeuening at eight to this noone wee ranne 25. leagues from noone till mid-night 19. leagues the wind at East and by South from mid-night till two the next morning 2. leagues West The seuen and twentieth extreme thicke fog and little wind at East and by South Then it proued calme and the Sea very loftie Wee heard a great rutte or noise with the Ice and Sea which was the first Ice we heard or saw since we were at Collins Cape the Sea heauing vs West-ward toward the Ice Wee heaued out our Boat and rowed to towe out our ship farther from the danger which would haue beene to small purpose by meanes the Sea went so high but in this extremitie it pleased God to giue vs a small gale at North-west and by West we steered away South-east 4. leagues till noone Here we had finished our Discouerie if the wind had continued that brought vs hither or if it had continued calme but it pleased God to make this North-west and by West wind the meane of our deliuerance which wind wee had not found common in this Voyage God giue vs thankfull hearts for so great deliuerance Here we found the want of a good ship-boat as once we had done before at Whales
noone I found the height to bee 43. degrees 56. minutes This Eeuening being very faire weather wee obserued the variation of our Compasse at the Sunnes going downe and found it to bee 10. degrees from the North to the VVestward The seuen and twentieth faire sun-shining weather the winde shifting betweene the South-west and West and by North a stiffe gale we stood to the Southward all day and made our way South and by West seuen and twentie leagues At noone our height was 42. degrees 50. minuts At foure of the clocke in the after-noone wee cast about to the Northward At eight of the clocke we tooke in our top-sayles and our fore-bonnet and went with a short sayle all night The eight and twentieth very thicke and mystie and a stiffe gale of wind varying betweene South South-west and South-west and by VVest we made our way North-west and by VVest seuen and twentie leagues wee sounded many times and could get no ground At fiue of the clocke we cast about to the Southward the wind at South-west and by VVest At which time we sounded and had ground at seuentie fiue fathoms At eight wee had sixtie fiue fathoms At ten sixtie At twelue of the clocke at mid-night fiftie sixe fathoms gray sand The Compasse varyed 6. degrees the North point to the VVest The nine and twentieth faire weather we stood to the Southward and made our way South and by VVest a point South eighteene leagues At noone we found our height to bee 42. degrees 56. minutes wee sounded oft and had these 60.64.65.67.65.65.70 and 75. fathoms At night wee tryed the variation of our Compasse by the setting of the Sunne and found that it went downe 37. degrees to the North-ward of the VVest and should haue gone downe but 31. degrees The Compasse varyed 5. 1 ● degrees The thirtieth very hot all the fore-part of the day calme the wind at South South-east wee steered away VVest South-west and sounded many times and could find no ground at one hundred and seuentie fathomes VVe found a great current and many ouer-falls Our current had deceiued vs. For at noone we found our height to be 41. degrees 34. minutes And the current had heaued vs to the Southward fourteene leagues At eight of the clocke at night I sounded and had ground in fiftie two fathomes In the end of the mid-night watch wee had fiftie three fathomes This last obseruation is not to be trusted The one and thirtieth very thicke and mystie all day vntill tenne of the clocke At night the wind came to the South and south-South-west and South We made our way West North-west nineteene leagues Wee sounded many times and had difference of soundings sometimes little stones and sometimes grosse gray sand fiftie six fiftie foure fortie eight fortie seuen fortie foure fortie six fiftie fathomes and at eight of the clocke at night it fell calme and we had fiftie fathomes And at ten of the clocke we heard a great Rut like the Rut of the shoare Then I sounded and found the former Depths and mistrusting a current seeing it so still that the ship made no way I let the lead lie on the ground and found a tide set to the South-west and South-west by West so fast that I could hardly vere the Line so fast and presently came an hurling current or tyde with ouer-fals which cast our ship round and the Lead was so fast in the ground that I feared the Lines breaking and we had no more but that At mid-night I sounded againe and we had seuentie fiue fathomes and the strong streame had left vs. The first of August all the fore-part of the day was mystie and at noone it cleered vp We found that our height was 41. degrees 45. minutes and we had gone nineteene leagues The after-noon was reasonable cleere We found a rustling tide or current with many ouer-fals to continue still and our water to change colour and our sea to bee very deepe for wee found no ground in one hundred fathomes The night was cleere and the winde came to the North and North North-east we steered West The second very faire weather and hot from the morning till noone we had a gale of wind but in the after-noone little wind At noone I sounded and had one hundred and ten fathomes and our height was 41. degrees 56. minutes And wee had runne foure and twentie leagues and an halfe At the Sun-setting we obserued the variation of the Compasse and found that it was come to his true place At eight of the clocke the gale increased so wee ranne sixe leagues that watch and had a very faire and cleere night The third very hot weather In the morning we had sight of the Land and steered in with it thinking to goe to the North-ward of it So we sent our shallop with fiue men to found in by the shore and they found it deepe fiue fathomes within a Bow-shot of the shoare and they went on Land and found goodly Grapes and Rose trees and brought them aboord with them at fiue of the clocke in the Eeuening We had seuen and twentie fathomes within two miles of the shoare and we found a floud come from the South-east and an ebbe from the North-west with a very strong streame and a great hurling and noyses At eight of the clocke at night the wind began to blow a fresh gale and continued all night but variable Our sounding that wee had to the Land was one hundred eightie seuentie foure fiftie two fortie sixe twentie nine twentie seuen twentie foure nineteene seuenteene sometimes Oze and sometimes gray sand The fourth was very hot we stood to the North-west two watches and one South in for the Land and came to an Anchor at the Norther end of the Headland and heard the voyce of men call Then we sent our Boat on shoare thinking they had beene some Christians left on the Land but wee found them to bee Sauages which seemed very glad of our comming So wee brought one aboord with vs and gaue him meate and he did eate and drinke with vs. Our Master gaue him three or foure glasse Buttons and sent him on Land with our shallop againe And at our Boats comming from the shoare he leapt and danced and held vp his hands and pointed vs to a riuer on the other side for we had made signes that we came to fish there The bodie of this Headland lyeth in 41. degrees 45. minutes We set sayle againe after dinner thinking to haue got to the Westward of this Headland but could not so we beare vp to the Southward of it made a South-east way and the Souther point did beare West at eight of the clocke at night Our soundings about the Easter and Norther part of this Headland a league from the shoare are these at the Easterside thirtie twentie seuen twentie seuen twentie foure twentie fiue twentie The North-east point 17. degrees
the great mercie of God we came to an Anchor cleere of it and close by it our Master named them the Iles of Gods Mercie This is an Harbour for need but there must be care had how they come in Heere our Master sent me and others with me to discouer to the North and North-west and in going from one place to another we sprung a Couey of Partridges which were young at the which Thomas Woodhouse shot but killed only the old one This Iland is a most barren place hauing nothing on it but plashes of water and riuen Rockes as if it were subiect to Earthquakes To the North there is a great Bay or Sea for I know not what it will proue where I saw a great Iland of Ice aground betweene the two Lands which with the Spring-tide was set afloat and carried into this Bay or Sea to the North-westward but came not backe againe nor within sight Here wee tooke in some Drift wood that we found ashoare From hence we stood to the South-west to double the Land to the West of vs through much floting Ice In the end wee found a cleere Sea and continued therein till wee raysed Land to the North-west Then our Master made his course more to the South then before but it was not long ere we met with Ice which lay ahead of vs. Our Master would haue doubled this Ice to the North but could not and in the end put into it downe to the south-South-west through much Ice and then to the South where we were embayed againe Our Master stroue to get the shoare but could not for the great store of Ice that was on the coast From out of this Bay we stood to the North and were soone out of the Ice then downe to the South-west and so to the West where we were enclosed to our fight with Land and Ice For wee had Land from the South to the North-west on one side and from the East to the West on the other but the Land that was to the North of vs and lay by East and West was but an Iland On we went till we could goe no further for Ice so we made our ship fast to the Ice which the tide brought vpon vs but when the ebbe came the Ice did open and made way so as in seuen or eight houres we were cleere from the Ice till we came to weather but onely some of the great Ilands that were carried along with vs to the North-west Hauing a cleere Sea our Master stood to the West along by the South shoare and raysed three Capes or Head-lands lying one aboue another The middlemost is an Iland and maketh a Bay or Harbour which I take will proue a good one Our Master named them Prince Henries Cape or Fore-land When we had layd this we raised another which was the extreme point of the Land looking towards the North vpon it are two Hills but one aboue the rest like an Hay-cocke which our Master named King Iames his Cape To the North of this lie certaine Ilands which our Master named Queene Annes Cape or Fore-land Wee followed the North shoare still Beyond the Kings Cape there is a Sound or Bay that hath some Ilands in it and this is not to be forgotten if need be Beyond this lieth some broken Land close to the Mayne but what it is I know not because we passed by it in the night Wee stood to the North to double this Land and after to the West againe till wee fell with Land that stretched from the Mayne like a shewer from the South to the North and from the North to the West and then downe to the South againe Being short of this Land a storme tooke vs the wind at West we stood to the North and raised Land which when our Master saw he stood to the South againe for he was loath at any time that wee should see the North shoare The storme continuing and comming to the South shoare againe our Master found himselfe shot to the West a great way which made him muse considering his Leeward way To the South-west of this Land on the Mayne there is an high Hill which our Master named Mount Charles To the North and beyond this lieth an Iland that to the East hath a faire head and beyond it to the West other broken Land which maketh a Bay within and a good Road may be found there for ships Our Master named the first Cape Salsburie When we had left this to the North-east we fell into a Rippling or Ouer-fall of a Current which at the first we tooke to bee a Shoald but the Lead being cast wee had no ground On we passed still in sight of the South shoare till we raised Land lying from the Mayne some two leagues Our Master tooke this to bee a part of the Mayne of the North Land but it is an Iland the North side stretching out to the West more then the South This Iland hath a faire Head to the East and very high Land which our Master named Deepes Cape and the Land on the South side now falling away to the South makes another Cape or Head-land which our Master named Worsenhams Cape When wee were nigh the North or Iland Cape our Master sent the Boat ashoare with my selfe who had the charge and the Carpenter and diuers others to discouer to the West and North-west and to the South-west but we had further to it then we thought for the Land is very high and we were ouer-taken with a storme of Raine Thunder and Lightning But to it we came on the North-east side and vp we got from one Rocke to another till we came to the highest of that part Here we found some plaine ground and saw some Deere as first foure or fiue and after a dozen or sixteene in an Herd but could not come nigh them with a Musket shot Thus going from one place to another wee saw to the West of vs an high Hill aboue all the rest it being nigh vs but it proued further off then we made account for when wee came to it the Land was so steepe on the East and North-east parts that wee could not get vnto it To the South-west we saw that wee might and towards that part wee went along by the side of a great Pond of water which lieth vnder the East side of this Hill and there runneth out of it a streame of water as much as would driue an ouer-shot Mill which falleth downe from an high Cliffe into the Sea on the South side In this place great store of Fowle breed and there is the best Grasse that I had seene since we came from England Here wee found Sorell and that which wee call Scuruy-grasse in great abundance Passing along wee saw some round Hills of stone like to Grasse cockes which at the first I tooke to be the worke of some Christian. Wee
passed by them till we came to the South side of the Hill we went vnto them and there found more and being nigh them I turned off the vppermost stone and found them hollow within and full of Fowles hanged by their neckes Then Greene and I went to fetch the Boat to the South side while Robert Billet and hee got downe a Valley to the Sea side where wee tooke them in Our Master in this time came in betweene the two Lands and shot off some Peeces to call vs aboord for it was a fogge Wee came aboord and told him what we had seene and perswaded him to stay a day or two in this place telling him what refreshing might there bee had but by no meanes would he stay who was not pleased with the motion So we left the Fowle and lost our way downe to the South-west before they went in sight of the Land which now beares to the East from vs being the same mayne Land that wee had all this while followed Now we had lost the sight of it because it falleth away to the East after some fiue and twenty or thirty leagues Now we came to the shallow water wherewith wee were not acquainted since we came from Island now we came into broken ground and Rockes through which we passed downe to the South In this our course we had a storme and the water did shoald apace Our Master came to an anchor in fifteene fathoms water Wee weighed and stood to the South-east because the Land in this place did lie so When we came to the point of the West Land for we now had Land on both sides of vs we came to an anchor Our Master sent the Boat ashoare to see what that Land was and whether there were any way through They soone returned and shewed that beyond the point of Land to the South there was a large Sea This Land on the West side was a very narrow Point Wee weighed from hence and stood in for this Sea betweene the two Lands which in this place is not two leagues broad downe to the South for a great way in sight of the East shoare In the end we lost sight thereof and saw it not till we came to the bottome of the Bay into sixe or seuen fathomes water Hence we stood vp to the North by the West shoare till wee came to an Iland in 53. where we tooke in water and ballast From hence wee passed towards the North but some two or three dayes after reasoning concerning our comming into this Bay and going out our Master tooke occasion to reuiue old matters and to displace Robert Iuet from being his Mate and the Boat-swaine from his place for words spoken in the first great Bay of Ice Then hee made Robert Billet his Mate and William Wilson our Boat-swaine Vp to the North wee stood till we raised Land then downe to the South and vp to the North then downe againe to the South and on Michaelmasse day came in and went out of certaine Lands which our Master sets downe by the name of Michaelmasse Bay because we came in and went out on that day From hence wee stood to the North and came into shoald water and the weather being thicke and foule wee came to an anchor in seuen or eight fathome water and there lay eight dayes in all which time wee could not get one houre to weigh our anchor But the eight day the wind beginning to cease our Master would haue the anchor vp against the mind of all who knew what belonged thereunto Well to it we went and when we had brought it to a peake a Sea tooke her and cast vs all off from the Capstone and hurt diuers of vs. Here wee lost our Anchor and if the Carpenter had not beene we had lost our Cable too but he fearing such a matter was ready with his Axe and so cut it From hence we stood to the South and to the South-west through a cleere Sea of diuers sounding and came to a Sea of two colours one blacke and the other white sixteene or seuenteene fathome water betweene which we went foure or fiue leagues But the ●●ght comming we tooke in our Top-sayles and stood afore the wind with our Maine-sayle and Fore-sayle and came into fiue or sixe fathomes and saw no Land for it was darke Then we stood to the East and had deepe water againe then to the South and Southwest and so came to our Westermost Bay of all and came to an anchor neerest to the North shorae Out went our Boat to the Land that was next vs when they came neere it our Boat could not flote to the shoare it was so shallow yet ashoare they got Here our men saw the footing of a man and a Ducke in the snowy Rockes and Wood good store whereof they tooke some and returned aboord Being at anchor in this place we saw a ledge of Rockes to the South of vs some league of length It lay North and South couered at a full Sea for a strong tide setteth in here At mid-night wee weighed and stood to goe out as we came in and had not gone long but the Carpen●er came and told the Master that if he kept that course he would be vpon the Rockes the Master conceiued that he was past them when presently wee ranne on them and there stucke fast twelue houres but by the mercy of God we got off vnhurt though not vnscarred Wee stood vp to the East and raysed three Hills lying North and South wee went to the furthermost and left it to the North of vs and so into a Bay where wee came to an anchor Here our Master sent out our Boat with my selfe and the Carpenter to seeke a place to winter in and it was time for the nights were long and cold and the earth couered with Snow Hauing spent three moneths in a Labyrinth without end being now the last of October we went downe to the East to the bottome of the Bay but returned without speeding of that we went for The next day we went to the South and the south-South-west and found a place whereunto we brought our ship and haled her aground and this was the first of Nouember By the tenth thereof we were frozen in but now we were in it behooued vs to haue care of what we had for that we were sure of but what we had not was vncertaine Wee were victualled for sixe moneths in good proportion and of that which was good if our Master would haue had more he might haue had it at home and in other places Here we were now and therefore it behoued vs so to spend that wee might haue when time came to bring vs to the Capes where the Fowle bred for that was all the hope wee had to bring vs home Wherefore our Master tooke order first for the spending of that wee had and then to increase it by propounding
was heard after this followed flames of a greene colour which had almost killed me with their Sulphurie and filthy stinke so that I scarse escaped to my forsaken horses and companions Vpon that sudden astonishment I fell into a sicknesse and vehement cogitation seeing these horrible flames were alwayes present before mine eyes insomuch that my Island companions were compelled to carry me away vnto their house with whom I lay sicke two whole monethes while in the meane time the Dane returned to the Gouernour and to the Hamburgers and acquainted them with my state I liued miserably amongst the Barbarians sicke and vnknowne they had Bisket which I steeped in Milke and and so for that time I indured hunger while being stronger I might returne to the Gouernour The Hamburgers by reason of the time of the yeere least they should loose the opportunitie of sayling despairing now of my returne set sayle for they depart before the foure and twentieth of August lest being hindered after by the Ice they cannot get out yet with speciall care commended me to the Gouernour if at any time I did returne leauing Bisket Wine and Beere The Gouernour hath a dwelling fit enough for the manner and fashion of this Countrey on the South of this Iland not farre from the Hauen of Hafnefordt the place is called Bestede I was brought hither of the Islanders to the Gouernour who for our common studies entertayned me willingly and honorably But although wee were plentifully furnished with all necessaries yet being very wearie of that life in such darknesse I expected the ships out of Germany the next yeere with great desire There grew then warre betweene Ericus of Suetia and Fredericke the Second King of Denmarke which was continued with great courage for ten yeeres after The Lubekers were Consorts and Confederates of Warre vnto the Dane So most part of the Cities on the Sea-coast vpon the Balthicke Sea hindred or intangled with this Warre intermitted their sayling into Island this yeere therefore wayting in vaine I must stay The yeere following when I had wayted till the end of Iune all hope of returning into Germany that yeere was taken away and which was worse the yeerely ship came not from Denmarke and bread and Wine failed vs almost foure monethes There lay Portugals at anchor at that time in Island in a small ship who came thither to fowle they caried away excellent Falcons and white ones among them in great number I thought good rather to crosse ouer into Portugall with them then to wayte another yeere either for Danes or Germanes And when they gaue the Gouernour his Custome he dealt with them in my behalfe concerning the charge that I might passe with them and he liberally paid the charges and honorably sent me away with a worthy Present Not far from the Kings house there was a certayn Minister Ionas by name he familiarly saluted me before I departed for the time I was in Island I had some familiaritie with him to whom also I left my Bookes when I departed he for friendships sake knit three knots in a handkerchiefe and promised me a prosperous wind saying if by chance the winds at any time grow contrary at Sea open these knots and then remember me When therfore about the twentieth of September we had sayled and now Spaine was in our view there was so great a calme that we felt not a breath of wind and that for three whole dayes In this calme my friends promise came into my minde and I desired to proue it I loosed the first knot by and by after one houre there arose a very prosperous winde but blowing very gently I vntye the second and the third forthwith a Tempest beganne more and more to grow so truly that after two dayes we ridde in the Riuer Tagus which beateth vpon Lisbone CHAP. XXIII Extracts of ARN●RIM IONAS an Islander his Chrymogaea or Historie of Island published Anno Dom. 1609. §. I. Of Island the Situation Discouerie Plantation and Language ISland is an Iland of the North compassed about with the huge Ocean whose Gosmographicall latitude towards the North to wit at Hola the Episcopall Seat of North Island is 65. degrees and 44. minutes and the longitude 13. degrees and 30. minutes or thereabouts for I will not precisely affirme the same by reason of that scruple arising from the Paralaxis of the Moone in the obseruation of the Eclipses to be doubted which only way of finding out the longitude that most famous man Gudbrandus Thorlacius now Bishop of North Island hath hitherto shewed who hath imparted vnto vs this longitude and latitude of his Sea and was the first that I know among our Countreymen who hath deliuered any certaintie in Writing concerning this matter And surely that which at this day and so from the first entrance of Inhabitants beareth the name of Island while as yet it remayned barren and desolate had diuers names allotted or giuen vnto it from diuers Discouerers whereof three are mentioned For first of all it was called Snaelandia For a certaine Pyrate called Naddocus going towards the Fareusian Ilands commonly called Faerenar for the multitude of Egges was brought vnto the shoares of East Island through a Tempest not farre from the Mountayne Reidarfiall so called afterward to the Bay Reidarfiard who ascending the Mountayne and beholding the bordering Countrey farre and neere found it all Desert And departing from the Coast about Autumne he perceiued the higher tops of the Mountaynes to bee couered with exceeding much Snow and therefore as the present case required he called the Iland Snaelandia that is to say The Snowie Countrey Another following him one Gardarus the sonne of Suanarus a Suecian borne perswaded through the report which Naddocus had brought concerning Snaelande went to seeke it he found it who arriued also neere the Easterne shoare and from thence being carried about the Iland he abode in the Bay of North Island called Skialfanda and wintered there in the yeere of Christ 864. and called the name of the Hauen Husawich from the wintering places or houses built there But the Spring beginning Gardarus being about to depart into Norway the ship Boat was driuen away by a tempest into an Hauen neere vnto the former and in the same Boat there was a certayne Mariner called Natrare from whom also this hauen had the name of Narfarawicke Moreouer Gardarus returning to his friends called that new Countrey Gardarsholme as it were the Iland of Gardarus neglecting the name of Snaelandae Moreouer the desire also of visiting a Countrey newly discouered possessed many For the third also one Floco and he a most famous Pirate purposing to visit Gardarsholme set sayle out of an Hauen of Norway which lyeth neere the watch-towre or rather Pharus Flokawarda situate in the limits of the Prouinces of Hordaslandia and Rogaelandia and passing by Hietlandia misnamed by some Schetlandia called a certayne Hauen by the
carrie your selfe in the businesse for which you were so entertayned as God may be glorified our Countrey benefited your selfe credited and we in our desires satisfied And for your better instruction to proceed in this your Voyage we haue thought good to set downe our opinions what course wee thinke fit to be obserued in the same which is That forasmuch as by your owne report of the great store of Whales in those Seas wee are at an extraordinary charge this yeare of setting out a ship and men for that purpose which ship is called the Marie Margaret of London in burthen one hundred and fiftie tunnes or thereabout Our meaning is that you doe keepe company with the said ship and not to leaue her till God send you to the places where she may make her Voyage which by your report should be at a ●lace named by you the last yeare 1610. Whale Bay And God sending you to the said place we would haue you to stay there the killing of a Whale or two or three for your better experience hereafter to expedite that businesse if through extremitie of the Ice you should be put from your Discoueries And in the meane time while you are staying about killing of the Whale you may cause some of your people to bee searching the Coast with their Shallops for Whale finnes Morses teeth Ambergreese or any other commodities that may be found vpon that Coast. And hauing thus stayed a conuenient time with the said great ship for the purpose aboue specified wee would haue you then to proceed on your Discouerie for the satisfying of our expectations formerly mentioned which is to discouer further to the North Pole as farre as possibly you can and how the Land alreadie discouered doth trend and whether there be any inhabitants in the said Land and whether there be an open Sea to the Northward beyond the said land And in this your coasting the land we doubt not but you will endeauor with your Shallops to gather vp all the Whale finnes you can finde and to kill the Morses which you can come by on land and to reserue the teeth and blubber to the most aduantage that may bee the better to beare out the great charge which you know we are at in these Discoueries And to that end we haue laden in you eleuen Tunnes of emptie caske And hauing spent so much time in this your Discouerie and in gathering vp of such commodities as that Coast will affoord and as the season of the yeere will permit you then we would haue you returne for England and in your way homeward to touch at the place where you left the Mary Margaret to see if shee be not gone and finding her there and that the time of the yeere will permit wee would haue you melt your Blubber into Oile before your comming from thence to auoid the great trouble and inconuenience you know we fell into the last yeere 1610. by bringing the same hither in Blubber But if the said ship should chance to be full fished and so to be gone before your comming thither yet we would haue you stay there or at Cherie Iland some small time to melt your Blubber to which end we haue appointed Thomas Edge our seruant in that ship to leaue a Copper and such necessaries as shall serue your turne for the performing of that businesse behinde him and haue deliuered him likewise aduertisements at that place of their proceedings in the voyage and of their intent what course they purpose to take together with their opinions what course they would haue you take In these matters of Discoueries and vncertaine Voyages the varietie of occurrences and Sea dangers is such as we cannot directly prescribe a course certaine to be held yet we hold it fitting to set downe Our opinions of the needfull which are that at your first departure out of England you keepe counsell together and agree vpon your places of meetings if by tempast of weather you chance to bee separated still shaping your course directly for Chery Iland where we would haue you stay And if at your comming thither you finde the same cleere of Ice and that there be Morses on shoare then wee would haue you to worke vpon them as time and opportunitie will permit alway hauing respect to your intended voyage And hauing dispatched your businesse in that place wee would haue you depart in company together for The Whale Bay as aforesaid and to follow our instructions formerly set downe to be done in that place And hauing performed what may be done in the parts beyond Cherie Island and so returning backe againe for England we hold it fit you make your Rendezvous againe at the said Cherie Iland and there to stay the one for the other and to be killing of the Beasts there till the last of August if neede bee And if it happen that one ship doe arriue there before the other and no Morses come on shoare then wee would haue them spend the time in searching for the Lead Or● or any other Minerall matter that may be like to be of worth vpon the said Land And thus hauing stayed at Cherie Iland till the last of August the one for the other and not meeting together the ship so staying hauing made her Voyage wee would haue her to returne directly for England and to leaue a Note in writing of the day of her departure This is our opinion Notwithstanding if vpon better grounds you shall among your selues finde a conuenienter course to be held for the good of the Voyage and the benefit of vs the Aduenturers wee leaue it to your selues to agree vpon as time and opportunitie shall serue And for the auoyding of an Obiection heretofore vsed That the want of sufficient victuals hath beene the cause of the ouerthrow of the Voyages by speedier returne home then otherwise they would wee haue thought fit to set downe the quantitie of victuals deliuered aboord your ship in this our Commission to the intent to cleere our selues and our Agent of that imputation and to lay the blame on your selues if by default the same be euill husbanded The particulars are these Beefe 22. c 3. quarters 18li. Bisquit 30. c Beere 14. Tunnes Fish 200. of Haberdin and halfe an hundred Lings Cheese 300. c weight Butter three Firkins Oyle three Gallons Pease ten Bushels Oate-meale fiue Bushels Candels sixe dosen Aquavitae thirtie Gallons Vinegar one rundlet of twentie Gallons This proportion of victuals will last you seuen or eight moneths with good husbandry together with the h●lpes of Fish Fowle and Beasts that are to be had in abundance vpon those Coasts So that we hope you shall haue no cause to the contrary but cheerfully to goe forward in your businesse whereby not onely the small Barke you goe in but the great Ship may come home fully laden with one commoditie or other which we doubt not but by your diligence and good
wood But before the men had laid into her the little quantitie that she was able to carrie they came aboard againe for the wind began to blow hard and the Sea to goe loftie so that here was no place for vs to abide any longer otherwise I was purposed to haue searched further alongst the shoare but this gale of winde comming Northerly I stood from hence to the Westwards being desirous to see more Land or finde a more open Sea And hauing sayled about fifteene or sixteene leagues I met with Ice again in latitude 71. degrees and coasted it eight or nine leagues further Westward and South-westward as it lay but then the wind came to the South-west and we stood close by it a while to the Southwards but finding the gale to increase and considering that it was the most contrary winde which could blow against my further proceeding for the Ice as we found did ●●end neerest South-west and besides if there had beene any high Land within twentie leagues of vs wee might perfectly haue made it the weather was so faire and cleere In these respects and for the Reasons following I tooke the benefit of this wind to returne to the North-eastwards againe being now about two hundred leagues from King Iames his New Land in latitude 71. degrees First I purposed to sayle alongst the South-east side of the Land that I had discouered to bee better satisfied what Harbours there were and what likelihood of profit to ensue and from thence to proceed to the place where I first fell with Ice in latitude 73. degrees when I was driuen to the South-eastwards with a Westerly storme for I am yet verily perswaded that being there we were not farre from Land although wee could not see it by reason of thicke foggie weather Then my further intent was if I found no good occasion to spend my time there for to coast the Ice or try the open Sea to the Northwards betwixt 73. and 76. degrees where formerly I had not receiued desired satisfaction by reason of a storme that draue me off and then I purposed if time might seeme conuenient to proceed to the North Coast of King Iames his New Land to haue seene what hope was there to be had for passage Northward or for compassing of the Land which is most like to be an Iland I stood away East and by South and being neere the foresaid Iland the winde came to the West and blew a very hard gale wherewith I passed alongst the South-east side of the Iland vnder a paire of coarses but without that satisfaction which I expected for the winde blowing so stormie and the Sea growne very great I was forced to stand further from the shoare then willingly I would haue done and besides there was a thicke fogge vpon the Land whereby I could not be satisfied what Harbours or Roads were about it yet might we see three or foure Capes or Head-lands as if there went in Bayes betwixt them I sayled about it and then stood to the Northward againe and being now assured that it was an Iland I named it Sir Thomas Smiths Iland This Iland is about ten leagues in length and stretcheth North-east and South-west it is high Land and at the North end of it there is a Mountayne of a wonderfull height and bignesse all couered with Snow which I called Mount Hackluyt the base or foot of it on the East side is almost foure leagues long it hath three such sides at the base lying out to the Sea and from the fourth side doth the rest of the Iland extend it selfe towards the South-west which is also as it were a place fortified with Castles and Bulwarkes for on each side there bee three or foure high Rockes which stand out from the Land appearing like Towres and Forts It lyes in the parallel of 71. degrees where the Needle varieth from the true Meridian Westwards eight degrees The Land is generally so farre as I haue seene Rockie and very barren and worse then the Land that I haue seene in King Iames his New Land vnder eightie degrees for there is no grasse but mosse and where I first landed vpon low ground all the stones were like vnto a Smiths finders both in colour and forme the sand is generally mixed with a corne like Amber the Beaches are abundantly stored with drift wood and many stones light like Pumis which will swimme on the water I saw many traces of Foxes and the footing of Beares but not any signe of Deere or other liuing creatures and very small store of Fowle From hence I stood to the Northward according to my former purpose but was crossed with a contrarie storme from the North-west which put me off to the Eastward but as the wind shifted I made my way to the North-westwards all I could and came againe to the Ice in latitude 75. degrees from whence I proceeded towards King Iames his New Land and had sight of the Land the eighteenth of August being in latitude 77. degrees 30. minutes and hauing a hard gale of wind then at North-west I stood close by it vnder a paire of coarses but could not weather Prince Charles Iland and therefore I bore vp intending to goe into Nicks Coue which is on the North side of Ice-sound there to attend a faire winde and in the meane time to get ballast aboard the Pinnasse and all other things necessary But comming to enter into the Harbour I thought it not a place conuenient because I could hardly haue gotten out againe with a Southerly wind which would carrie me to the Northwards and therefore I stood ouer for Green-harbor where I anchored at one a clocke in the morning the nineteenth of August Here I caused my men to launch a shallop and to get ballast and water aboard the Pinnasse and before nine a clocke at night I was readie to proceed Northward with the first faire winde I stayed here fiue dayes during which time it blew hard for the most part at North and North-west and on the foure and twentieth of August the winde came to the East North-east as wee supposed till we were out of the Harbour so I set sayle to proceed Northward and had the wind Easterly out of Ice-sound wherewith I stood North-west towards Cape Cold but being cleere of the high Land we found the wind to bee at North North-east therefore I resolued of another course which was this Hauing perused Hudsons Iournall written by his owne hand in that Voyage wherein hee had sight of certayne Land which he named Hold-with-hope I found that by his owne reckoning it should not be more then one hundred leagues distant from King Iames his New Land and in the latitude of 72. degrees 30. minutes or thereabouts therefore seeing I could not proceed Northward I purposed to goe to the South-westwards to haue sight of this Land and discouer it if wind and weather would permit So I stood away
the Hauen of Saint Iohn the third day of August written in haste 1527. By your seruant Iohn Rut to his vttermost of his power I haue by me also Albert de Prato's originall Letter in Latin stile almost as harsh as the former English and bearing the same date and was indorsed Reuerend in Christo Patri Domino Domino Cardinali Domino Legat● Angliae and began Reuerendissime in Christo Pater salutem Reuerendissime Pater plaeceat Reuerendissima peternitati vestra scire Deo fauente post quam exiuimus à Plemut quae fuit x. Iunij c. the substance is the same with the former and therefore omitted Datum apud le Baya Saint Iohan in Terris Nouis die x. Augusti 1527. Reuer Patr. vest humilis seruus Albertus de Prato the name written in the lowest corner of the sheet The voyage of Captaine GEORGE WEYMOVTH intended for the discouerie of the North-west Passage toward China with two flye Boates. ON Sunday the second day of May 1602. in the afternoone I weighed anchor and set saile from Redcliffe with two Fly-boates the one called the Discouery of seuentie Tunnes and the other called the God speed of sixtie Tunnes to discouer the North-west passage hauing in my ships fiue and thirtie men and boyes throughly victualled and abundantly furnished with all necessaries for a yeere and an halfe by the right Worshipfull Merchants of the Moscouie and Turkie Companies who for the better successe of the voyage prouided mee of a great trauailer and learned Minister one Master Iohn Cartwright The Master vnder mee in the Discouerie was one William Cobreth a skilfull man in his profession and in the God speed one Iohn Drewe and Mate in the said ship one Iohn Lane The first of Iune we descried Buquhamnes in the Latitude of 57. degrees The second day we saw the Point of Buquhamnes North-west from vs being a very smooth land and the land by it to the Southward riseth with many Homocks There lyeth a ledge of Rockes hard by the Nesse in a sandie Bay faire by the shore When we came neer the land we met with a fisher Boat and I agreed with one of the fisher men to carry me betweene the Isles of Orkney because I was not acquainted with the coast The fourth day at ten of the clocke wee descried the Isles of Orkney Some of those Southerne Ilands are prettie high land but the Northerne Iland which is called the Start is very low land There is no danger giuing the shore a good birth vnlesse it be by the Norther point of the Start there doth a ledge of Rockes lye a mile from the shoare At noone I found my selfe to be in the latitude of 59. degrees and 30. minutes the point of the Start bearing West and at one of the clocke in the afternoone we saw a faire I le which bare North-east and by North from vs and at eight of the clocke at night wee were North of the Start Then I directed my course West and by North. The fifth day about ten of the clocke in the morning we ranne some tenne leagues and then we saw two small Ilands some two leagues off and at eight and nine of the clocke we saw foure or fiue Boats of Fisher-men and spake with one of them and they were Scottish-men The sixt in the morning fell much raine and lasted till nine of the clocke and at ten of the clocke it cleared vp and became very faire weather and very temperate and warme and our course was West The seauenth the winde was at East and by North faire weather and our course West The eight at noone I obserued the Sunne and found vs to be in 59. degrees and fortie seuen minutes and we ran West South-west The twelfth day we held our course West the winde at East North-east with fogge in the morning at noone I obserued the Sunne and found my selfe in 57. degrees and 55. minutes the variation here was nothing at all The thirteenth at noone our course was West and by North the winde at North-east with fogge some three or foure houres and then cleare againe the ayre very warme as in England in the moneth of May. The foureteenth was faire weather and the winde at East North-east and our course West and by North. The fifteenth much raine all the forenoone our course West the winde at East and by North. The sixteenth the winde was at North North-east with much raine winde and fogge In the forenoone being very cold and at noone I obserued the Sun and found vs to be in 57. degrees and 35. minutes we found the variation to be eleuen degrees Westward and by that meane I found my selfe to be one degree more to the Southward then we should haue bin by our course for we could not see the Sunne in 96. houres before this day at noone and at our last obseruation before this which was the twelfth day we could not finde any variation at all Then we stood close by a winde to the Westward the winde being at North North-east The seauenteenth wee ranne North and by West the winde at North North-east faire weather This day we saw many gray Gulles and some Pigions The eighteenth at noone I obserued the Sunne and found our selues to be in the latitude of 59. degrees and 51. minutes And then we first descried a great Iland of Ice which lay North from vs as farre as we could ken it from the head of our maine topmast and about two of the clocke in the afternoone we saw the South part of Groneland North from vs some ten leagues As we coasted this Ice to the Northward we found it to be a maine banke of Ice for we saw the other end of it to beare West North-west from vs the winde being at South South-west little winde Then we ranne West South-west to cleere vs of the Ice The nineteenth the winde was at East South-east with some small raine The twentieth our course was West North-west the winde being at North and by East little winde This day sometimes we came into blacke water as thicke as puddle and in sailing a little space the water would be cleare againe Seeing this change of water so often to be thick and cleare againe so suddenly we imagined it had beene shallow water then we founded and could fetch no ground in one hundred and twenty fathomes and the Sea was so smooth that we could discerne no current at all At this time I reckoned the Cape of desolation to beare North North-east twentie foure leagues from vs. The one and twentieth the winde was variable The two and twentieth we were in the latitude of 60. degrees and 37. minutes the winde being at West wee ranne North and by West The seauen and twentieth the winde was at West South-west then our course was North-west and by North the weather faire and warme as in England in
neerer the Land so that wee iudged our selues three leagues off Here we sounded againe and had but eightie fathoms The variation of the Compasse we found to be 22. degrees and 10. minutes Westward At fiue of the clocke there sprung vp a fine gale of winde at East South-east and being so neere night wee stood to the Southward thinking the next day to seeke some harbour But it pleased God the next day being the twelfth to send vs a storme of foule weather the winde being at East and by South with fogge so that we could by no meanes get the shoare Thus wee were forced to beate vp and downe at Sea vntill it should please God to send vs better weather The foureteenth I thought good to stand to the Westward to search an Inlet in the latitude of 56. degrees I haue good hope of a passage that way by many great and probable reasons The fifteenth the winde continued at the South with exceeding faire weather and our course was West We were this day at noone in the latitude of 55. degrees and 31. 〈…〉 I found the variation to be 17. degrees and 1● minutes to the Westward And about seuen of the clocke at night we descried the Land againe being tenne leagues to the Eastward of this Inlet This Land did beare from vs South-west some eight leagues off and about nine of the clocke the same night the winde came to the West which blew right against vs for our entring into this Inlet The sixteenth the winde was at West North-west and was very faire weather and our course South-west about nine of the clocke in the forenoone we came by a great Iland of Ice and by this Iland we found some peeces of Ice broken off from the said Iland And being in great want of fresh water wee hoysed out our Boates of both Shippes and loaded them twice with Ice which made vs very good fresh water This day at noone wee found our selues to be in the latitude of 55. degrees and twentie minutes when we had taken in our Ice and Boates the weather being very faire and cleare and the winde at West North-west we bent our course for the Land and about three of the clocke in the afternoone we were within three leagues of the shoare It is a very pleasant low Land but all Ilands and goodly sounds going betweene them toward the South-west This Land doth stand in the latitude of 55. degrees and I found the variation to be to the West ●8 degrees and 12. minutes This coast is voide of Ice vnlesse it be some great Ilands of Ice that come from the North and so by windes may be ●riuen vpon this chast Also we did finde the ayre in this place to be very temperite Truely there is in three seuerall places great hope of a passage betweene the latitude of 62. and 54. degrees if the fogge doe not hinder it which is all the feare I haue At sixe of the clocke wee being becalmed by the shoare there appeared vnto vs a great ledge of ro●kes betweene vs and the shoare as though the Sea did flye ouer it with a great height As we all beheld it within one houre vpon a sudden it vanished clean● away which seemed very strange vnto vs all And to the Eastward of vs some two leagues we saw a great Rocke lying some three leagues off the Land we then supposing it to be shoald water by this broken ground sounded but could get no ground in one hundred and sixtie fathoms About seuen of the clocke there sprung vp a gale of wind● by the South South-east which was a very good winde to coast this Land But the seuenteenth in the morning the winde being at the South it began to blow so extreamely that we durst not stay by the shoare for it was like to be a great storme then our course was East North-east to get vs Sea roome This storme still increasing our slye-boates did receiue in much water for they wanted a Sparre-decke which wee found very dangerous for the Sea About twelue of the clocke at noone this day there rose vp a great showre in the West and presently the winde came out of this quarter with a whirle and taking vp the Sea into the ayre and blew so extreamely that we were forced alwayes to runne before the Sea howsoeuer the winde did blow And within twelue houres after this storme beganne the Sea was so much growen that we thought our flye Boates would not haue beene able to haue endured it The eighteenth the winde was at North-west and the storme increased more extreame and lasted vntill eight of the clocke in the morning of the nineteenth day so furious that to my remembrance I neuer felt a greater yet when we were in our greatest extremities the Lord deliuered vs his vnworthy seruants And if the winde with so great a storme had bin either Northerly or Southerly or Easterly but one day we had all perished against the Rocks or the Ice for wee were entred thirty leagues within a Head-land of an Inlet in the latitude of 56. degrees But it pleased God to send vs the winde so faire as we could desire both to cleare our selues of the Land and Ice Which opportunitie caused vs for this time to take our leaues of the coast of America and to shape our course for England The fourth in the morning wee descried the Iland of Silly North-east and by East some foure leagues off vs. Then wee directed our course East and by North and at tenne of the clocke in the forenoone wee descried the Lands end and next day were forced to put into Dartmouth CHAP. XIV IAMES HALL his Voyage forth of Denmarke for the discouery of Greeneland in the yeare 1605. abbreuiated IN the name of God Amen we set sayle from Copeman-hauen in Denmarke the second day of May in the yeare of our redemption 1605. with two Shippes and a Pinnace The Admirall called the Fr●st a shippe of the burthen of thirty or fortie lasts wherein was Captaine and chiefe commander of the whole Fleet Captaine Iohn Cunningham a Scottish Gentleman seruant vnto the Kings Maiestie of Denmarke my selfe being principall Pilot. The Lyon Viceadmirall being about the foresaid burthen wherein was Captaine one Godsc●●● Lindenose a Danish Gentleman and Steereman of the same one Peter Kils●n of Copeman-hauen The Pinnace a Barke of the burthen of twelue Lasts or thereabouts wherein was Steereman or commander one Iohn Knight my Countrie-man So setting sayle from Copeman-hauen with a faire gale of winde Easterly wee came vnto Elsonure where we anchored to take in our water The third day we tooke in our water at which time the Captaines my selfe with the Lieutenants and the other Steeremen did thinke it conuenient to set downe certaine Articles for the better keeping of company one with another to which Articles or couenants wee were all seuerally sworne setting thereunto our
comp●st with Ice we hearing to the same the winde comming vp to the East South-east we 〈◊〉 South to the Ice were forced to loose for one Iland and to beare roome for another till about foure a clocke when by Gods helps 〈…〉 cleere off the same the winde comming vp to the South-east and by South wee lay South-west and by South off all this night The two and twentieth thicke weather the winde 〈◊〉 before This morning about seuen a clocke we saw a saile West and by South of vs we standing to him for it was our Vice admirall the Lion who had beene greatly troubled with the Ice wee being glad to meete one another againe The eight and twentieth about foure in the morning the storme ceased the winde comming vp to the West South-west About three a clocke wee set our sailes standing South-east away But being vnder saile we spyed great bankes and Ilands of Ice to leeward of vs lying off East and by South which Ice I did iudge to lye off Cape Desolation about eight leagues off the which by reason of the fogge we could not 〈◊〉 The nine and twentieth about sixe in the morning the winde came vp to the North-east and by North we making saile went South South-east away till noone with a stiffe gale wee seeing in the morning pieces of drift Ice to windward of vs hauing at noone a shrinke of the same I found vs in the latitude of 39. degrees 46. minutes hauing from noone to noone made a South-east and by South way eight leagues The one and thirtieth the winde continuing wee holding still our course with the winde still at North North-west with faire and cleere weather it blowing very much so that wee stood away vnder a couple of courses low set the Sea very 〈◊〉 growne being in the ●●titude of 59. degrees 10. minutes hauing made an East South-east way somewhat Easterly foure and thirtie leagues This afternoone after my obseruation wee saw some Ilands of Ice 〈◊〉 some drift Ice I something maruelling of the same knowing both by my account and my 〈◊〉 ●●seruation that we were shot too farre from 〈◊〉 part of Groinland that was described 〈…〉 Marine Chart. For the southermost part described therein is not in the latitude of 60. degrees and we being now in the latitude of 59. degrees ten minutes Cape Desolation bearing West North-west halfe Northerly about sixtie foure leagues and Cape Christian which was the next known part of Groenland North-west and by West westerly eight and thirtie leagues so holding our course East South-east away about foure a clocke we had sight of Land being very high Land it lying alongst East South-east about sixteene leagues the westermost part seemed either to fall away East North-east and the southermost point bearing East northerly fell away East and by North. This Land is very high hauing the Hills couered with snow the shoare being very thicke with Ice this place because I knew not whether it was of the Mayne or an Iland I named Frost Iland after the name of the ship The first of September at noone I made obseruation and found vs in the latitude of 58. degrees hauing made a South-east and by South way southerly sixe and twentie leagues This day at noone I directed my course East and by South This afternoone about sixe a clock it fell calme and so continued all the night following This euening I found the variation 10. degrees 50. minutes Northwesting The fourth day the winde at East and by South we lying South and by East hauing a shrinke of the sunne about noone I did suppose vs in the latitude of 57. degrees 20. minutes hauing made a South-east and by South way southerly about ten leagues all this day and the night following we lay as before The eight day faire weather the winde as before it being almost calme wee going away as before being at noone in the latitude of 58. degrees 36. minutes hauing made an East North-east way northerly twentie leagues by reason of the great southerly Sea All this afternoone and the night following it was for the most part calme This euening I found the Compasse varied about two degrees 45. minutes northwesting The ninth day also faire weather the winde southerly a fresh gale our course still East being at noone in the latitude of 58. degrees 40. minutes our way East and by North easterly twelue leagues This afternoone the winde came vp to the South or South and by East with raine This night about midnight thicke weather with raine the winde comming to the South-east we lying East North-east and North-east and by East with the stemme The tenth day about two in the morning the winde came vp to the South South-west wee steering our course East being at noone in the latitude of 59. degrees 10. minutes hauing made an East and by North way easterly foure and fortie leagues wee hauing a fresh gale westerly This day wee saw one of the Fowle the which are on the Iland of Bas in Scotland called Bas Geese This euening I found the Variation 1. degree 4. minutes northeasting The eighteenth this forenoone about nine a clocke wee espyed land rising somewhat ragged the Eastermost point of the same bearing South-east and by South and the Westermost part South and by West about eight leagues These Ilands by my account and obseruation I found to be the Ilands of Ferris being at noone in the obseruation of 62. degrees 5. minutes The nineteenth I set a little Rocke called the Monke which lyeth off to the South-east end it being about fiue a clocke East South-east of vs three leagues off This night about ten a clocke it fell calme The twentieth wee did see the streame had set vs to the Northwards This streame setteth vnder the Ilands of Farre next hand East and West So casting about wee stood to the westwards lying West South-west and sometimes West and by South and sometimes South-west it being very raynie weather about midnight it fell calme and so continued all night vnto the morning The first of October in the afternoone about foure of the clocke we had sight of The Holmes The second day wee steered away South-east and by South and South South-east for The Col. And about eight of the clocke this night wee came into Turco where wee rode all the day following The third day at night the winde came to the North-east so wee weighed and came into Elsenor Road. The fourth day by the prouidence of God we arriued in our desired Port of Copen Hauen 1606. The seuerall burthens and numbers of men employed in the ships of the Fleet aforesaid were as followeth THe Trust being Admirall was of sixtie tunnes had eight and fortie men The Lion Vice-admirall was of seuentie tunnes had eight and fortie men The Vrin or Eagle Reare-admirall of one hundred tunnes had fiftie men The Gilliflowre was of fortie tunnes had sixteene men
Licentiate Iohn of Obando Predecessor of your Lordship in whose time the Office of chiefe Chronicler of the Indies was instituted for writing with greater authoritie foundation and truth the Acts of the Castilians in the New World and to see and examine that which the other Chroniclers should write for I finde that almost to all that is written no credit could be giuen for ouer-much licence wherewith vntill then it was done hee vsed great diligence in gathering the most certaine Relations that were found as well in the Indies as in Spaine of that which happened in the Discoueries of those Regions the foundations of those Townes and Customes of the people And many yeers being past after his death without making any beginning of this History your Lordship being prouided for President of the Royall and Supreme Councell of the Indies knowing how much it behoued that deeds so worthy of memorie should no longer be buried and that they should be written by a Royall Chronicler seeing so much fr●● is gotten of Historie that it exceedeth so much the Picture as the soule the bodie against the opinion of a moderne Writer Prouiding all the meanes necessarie with liberalitie and diligence haue beene the meere and onely Instrument following the opinion of S. Augustine that this Historie and the Description that followeth hath come to the present estate And because it hath not beene of least importance to honour the Author animating him to goe forward with so great a labour conforming your selfe with the vniuersall opinion of the much that is due to the watchings and labours of the Writers placing this Office of Chiefe Chronicler in that point and reputation that so noble an Exercise deserueth as the most famous men of the World haue iudged it and it is esteemed and talked of among all Nations be they neuer so barbarous your Lordship shall be praysed eternally and thanked of all that are interessed in it by which is procured the making mention of their Fathers and Predecessors with their Names and Countrey all that hath beene possible against the barbarous and most vniust opinion of Iohn Baptista Ramusio in his Proeme in the third Volume of the Nauigations where hee saith to bee a vaine thing and ridiculous that the Spanish Authors should take paines in writing the names and Countrey of those which serued in the matters of the Indies Wherein he sheweth the venime of the enuie conceiued of the glorious deeds of these Catholike Kings and of the Castillian Nation seeing the Chronicles doe serue to honour the good and to reproch the euill for an example of those to come which could not be obtayned with the opinion of this Ramusius whom the saying of Cato against the Grecians doth fit But the opinion of your Lordship hath beene according to your prudence and valour of the which as it is iust there will be a perpetuall memorie and for that which this Nation is indebted vnto you for the same you shall bee reknowledged of it eternally God keepe your Lordship from Vallyadolyeede the fifteenth of October 1601. THe compasse of the Earth is 360. degrees which being reduced to leagues of Castile are 6300. and by the compasse of the Earth is vnderstood the Sea together with it which two Elements make the Globe whose vpper face in part is Earth and in part is Sea The Ancients diuided the Earth in three parts and gaue to euery one his name The first they called Europe more celebrated then any of the other The second Asia which is greater then the rest and contayneth the great Kingdome of China The third Africa And men being in a supposition that the World contayned no more then was rehearsed not contenting themselues with it entred in the Art of Nauigating and in the inuention of ships of high building fitting them in such order that they might abide the force of the waues of the Sea in this Art the Spaniards haue surpassed all the Nations of the World For whiles there reigned Ferdinand in Castile and in Lyon the famous Kings Catholike Ferdinando the Fift and Isabella a most wise prudent and most puissant Queene and Don Iohn the Second called the Pellican raigned in Portugall hee that euer will be worthy of memory Don Christopher Colo● first Admirall of the Indies hauing liued many yeeres married in Spaine with the counsell of Martin of Bohemia a Portugall borne in the Iland of Fayall a famous Astrologian and especially a Iudiciarie and of others with whom he communicated it gaue a beginning to the Discouery of that which at this day is counted the fourth part of the World and the greatest of them all and taking his course toward the Sunne setting going from Pallos a Village of the Earle of Miranda in the Coast of Andaluzia he sayled so much by the Ocean that hee found this great Land which the Equinoctiall Line cutteth in the middest and it goeth so farre toward the South that it reacheth to fiftie two degrees and an halfe and goeth so high to the North that it hides it selfe vnder the Pole Articke without knowing any end The greatnesse of this fourth part hath set the people in great admiration whose description shall here be handled vnder the name of Ilands and firme Land of the Ocean Sea because they are compassed with this Sea and placed to the West and are commonly called the West Indies and the New World and comprehended within the limits of the Kings of Castile and of Lyon Which is an Hemisphere and halfe of the World of 180. degrees beginning to reckon from a Meridian Circle which passeth by thirtie nine or by fortie degrees of longitude Occidentall from the Meridian of Toledo through the mouth of the Riuer Marany●● and to the Orientall through the Citie of Mallaca in sort that at twentie leagues sayling for a degree these bounds haue from the one part to the other 3900. Castillan leagues euery one of 3000. paces of fiue foot of a Castillan yard which men say are sixtie Italian miles from the Orient to the Occident which the Sea-men doe call East and West And this account of twentie leagues to a degree is according to Ptolomie and to the opinion of many curious men It hath seemed to others that the miles of euery degree are seuentie and that they make no more then seuenteene leagues and an halfe of Castile which is held for the truest account The degrees of longitude which are those that are reckoned by the Equinoctiall which goeth from East to West through the middest of the Orbe and Globe of the Earth haue not beene able to bee taken well because there is no fixed signe in the Heauen Degrees of altitude are those which are taken and reckoned from the Pole which fall out certayne because it is a fixed point which is the marke that is taken by the which it shall be shewed in this description There is discouered and nauigated from the North
and very close in his circuit Roderick Mexia of Trillo founded it The Village of Azua in Compostella in the coast of the South foure and twentie leagues from Saint Dominicke to the West in his borders are many sugar Mills it was peopled by the President Iames Vellazques it was called Compostella by a Gallizian Knight which held an Heritage in that situation and Azua is the name of the place which the Indians had there The first that carried sugar Canes to the Indies and began to make triall of them there was one Atiença and the Bachellor Velosa The Village of Yaguana which they call Santa Marie of the Port seated on the Westerne coast of the Iland is fiftie or sixtie leagues from Saint Dominicke as betweene the North and the West the chiefe Knight Nicholas of Ouando did people it The Citie of the Conception of the Valley is in the Kingdome of Guarin●ex which the first Admirall Don Christopher Collon built neere to the which he obtayned the victorie in the great battaile of the Valley Royall it is twentie leagues from Saint Dominicke to the North-east where is a Cathedrall Church although there is no Prelate for it is vnited to the Church of Saint Dominicke it hath one Monasterie of religious Franciscans where is the wood of the Crosse which the Indians could not burne cut nor ouerthrow which hath done many miracles Saint Iago de los Caualleros is ten leagues from the Citie de la Vega directly to the North-east it was first a Fortresse which the first Admirall made in the Countries of the Cacique Guanaco●el for the securitie of the Valley and the Fort Magdalene which was foure leagues off The chiefe Knight of Alcantara Nicholas of Ouando An. 1502. did people the Port of Plate in the North coasts fiue and thirtie or about fortie leagues from Saint Dominicke because the ships of Castile might more commodiously trafficke and because it was no more then ten leagues from the great Valley where in other ten leagues stood the Village of Saint Iames and the Conception within sixteen and within twelue the Mynes of Cibao and it was of the Bishoprick of the Valley the Port of Plate stands in little more then twentie degrees The Village of Monte-Christe is in the coast of the North fourteene leagues to the West of Port of Plate and fortie from Saint Dominicke is of the Bishoprick of the Valley it hath a good Hauen and certaine salt Pits in it Nicholas of Ouando did build it There was in old times in this Iland the Citie of Isabella now disinhabited which the first Admirall built the yeere 1493. the Village of Verapaz in Xaragua which Iames Velazques built in the yeere 1503. and the same yeere peopled also Saluatierra of the Zabana which signifieth Playnes and Pastures in the Indian language and that Prouince is plaine and faire Hee also peopled betweene the two mightie Riuers Neyba and Yaqui the Village of Saint Iohn of the Maguana in the middest of the Iland where the Church continueth yet and heere reigned Coanabo who tooke Alfonso de Oieda Hee also planted Villanueua de Yaquime vpon the Hauen where Oieda cast himselfe to swim being prisoner in a ship with two paire of fetters and it stands in the South coast which the Admirall did call the Coast and Hauen of Brasile The Village of Bonao is neere vnto Cotuy which the first Admirall also built where hee made a Fort for the securitie of the Mynes which were the first that were found in this Iland The Village of Bonauenture is eight leagues from Saint Dominicke to the North and Lares de Guahaba which Nicholas of Ouando peopled being Comendador Lares This Iland flourished so much that there were in it fourteene thousand Castillanes many of them Noble people and the Plantations of other parts which happened afterward caused it to be disinhabited for from it and from the Iland of Cuba went all the substance for the new Countreyes that were found The Ports Roades Capes and Points most famous and the Ilands pertayning to the Coast of this Iland are in the South Coast the Point of Nizao ten leagues from Saint Dominicke to the West The Port of Ocoa eighteene which is a Bay where the Fleets which goe for Noua Espania doe anchor and take refreshing when they doe not anchor in the nooke of Zepezepin which is neere vnto it or in another which they call the Faire Hauen two leagues before they come to Ocoa Azua a Port and Towne twentie foure leagues beyond Ocoa la Calongia a large Point thirtie leagues right against the Ilands of Boata and Altobelo fiue leagues from the Coast and the Beatados Yaquimo about thirtie foure more to the West and Abaque an Iland neere the Cape of Tiburon the furthest West of Hispaniola la Nabaza ten leagues to the Sea East and West from the Cape and Cape Rojo twelue leagues from it to the North the Rookes or Hermanos Trees Isle Oucillos neere the Coast that turneth to the East Caymito another little Iland betweene these and Guanabo another Iland of eight leagues in length in the nooke of Yaguana The Port and Cape of Saint Nicholas the furthest West on the North side of the Iland A little further the Port of Mosquitos in the North Coast and twentie league● forward the Port of Valparayso or of the Conception North and South with the Tortuga an Iland neere the Coast of fiue leagues in length Port Royall twelue leagues to the West from Monte-Christe which is as much or a little more before Isabela and this from the Port of Plate other twelue leagues Cabo Frances and Cabo del Cabron in the turning which the Coast maketh to the East before the Gulfe of Samana which entreth fiue or sixe leagues the Land inward vnto the place where the Towne of Sancta Cruz stood And in the Riuer of Samana was the first time that Armes were taken against the men of the Indies because they would haue done violence to the first Admirall The Cape of Deceit Cabo del Enganno is the furthest West of the Iland where the Coast returneth by the South to the West at the beginning of the which stands the Saona an Iland which the fleets doe reknowledge when they goe and somewhat more towards Saint Dominicke is another little Iland which is called Saint Katherine and all the names rehearsed were giuen by the first Admirall The Iland of Cuba which first was called Iuana or Ioane by the Father Don Iuan and after it was commanded to be called Fernandina by his Father The Captaine Sebastian of Ocampo made an end of compassing the yeere of our Lord 1508. by order of Nicholas of Ouando for vntill then it was not wholly belieued that it was Land and the yeere 1511. the President Iames Velazques went ouer with three hundred Spaniards by order of the
Other ten leagues thence standeth the Port of Siuill before the Point Negrillo from whence the Coast windeth vnto the Cabo de Falcon neere to Oristan and goeth by the South to the Port of Guayano And fiue leagues from this Coast are the Harmingas a dangerous shoale and seuen leagues further las Viuoras small Ilands compassed with shoales and to the South of them the Serrana and a little Iland compassed with shoales with other foure or fiue neere vnto it and to the North-west of it the Serranilla and to the West of it the Roncador another Rocke and to the South-west of it Saint Andrewes an Iland compassed with shoales North and South with Nombre de Dios about fortie leagues from it and neere from thence another called Sancta Catilina the Caymanes directly West from Iamayca twentie fiue leagues from the little Blackmoore which are two little Ilands sixe leagues the one from the other and the great Cayman another Iland of seuen leagues in length fifteene leagues from the Caymanes to the West and to the North Coast betweene Cuba and Hispaniola another shoale which is called Abre-oio The Iland of Saint Iohn of Port Rico which the Indians called Barriquen lyeth betwixt twelue and fifteene leagues from Hispaniola to the East of fortie fiue leagues in length East and West and from North to South betwixt twentie and thirtie very plentifull of all that Hispaniola hath and of Millet Yuca and of Mynes of Gold The temperature is good and almost one all the yeere except in December and Ianuary There is in it three Spanish Townes with a Gouernment and a Bishoppricke the President Iohn Ponce of Lion passed to discouer this Iland the yeere 1508. being Gouernour in the Prouince of Yguey for Nicholas of Ouando in Hispaniola and returned the yeere 1510. by order of the King to people it The Citie of Saint Iohn is in the beginning of the North Coast on the East side in eighteene degrees of height and they call it of Port Rico for the excellencie of the Hauen The Bishop and the Gouernour are resident in it and the Officers of the Kings Reuenues and it is Suffragane to Saint Domingo Arrecibo stands thirtie leagues to the West from Port Rico the Towne of Guadianilla or Saint German the New in the Westerne Coast three and thirtie leagues from Port Rico to the South-west There was in old time in this Iland another Towne which was called Guanica in the South Coast at the end of it where now is the Port of Mosquitos which is very good from whence it was remoued to another situation of the Westerne Coast which they call Aguada or the Watering with name of Soto-Mayor there is in this Iland a row of Mountaynes that diuide it in the middest East and West vnto the Sea and Borders of Saint German and heere is found the Tree called Tabernaculo which yeeldeth white Rozen like Gumme Anime and it serueth for Pitch for the ships and for fire or light and it is medicinable to take out the colde or numnesse and to cure wounds There are few Ports in this Iland for all the Coast of the North is very foule with shoales and Rockes those that are are to the East from the Port of Saint Iohn The Riuer of Luysa and that which they call Canoba and la Cabeça the farthest East point of the Iland neere to the Hill of the Loquillos and in it a Port which they call Saint Iames three leagues further is another called Yabucoa and three leagues from the Coast on this side of the passage is a little Illet and at the beginning of the South passage another which they call Boyqui and forward the Iland of Saint Anne Guayama a Port and afterward the Riuers Neabon and Xauia six leagues before the Port of Guadianilla two leagues to the East of the Riuer of Mosquitos in whose mouth is the Riuer called Guanica and six leagues from it the Cape Roio the furthest West of the South Coast and to the West of it toward Hispaniola is the Iland of Moua and to the North of it the Manico and Zecheo other two little Ilands the Port of Pines and the Port of Mayaguez and the Bay of Saint German the old and the mouth of the Riuer Guanabo or the Watering and that of Guabataca more forward and afterward in the North Coast that of Camay and of Cibuco and T●a neere to Port Rico and in the middest of the Coast of the South Sea leauing vnto it the Haberianas foure or fiue little Ilands There is also much Ginger gathered in this Iland which is a Root like vnto Madder or Saffron which the Portugals brought from the East to this Iland of Barlouento The Ilands which are to the North of Saint Iohn Hispaniola and Cuba of which none is inhabited with Spaniards are called the Lucayos One the most Septentrionall is aboue twentie seuen degrees of altitude which is called Lucayoneque or Yucayoneque which hath almost to the West Bahama another Iland in twentie sixe degrees and an halfe of thirteene leagues in length and eight in breadth from whence the Channell of Bahama betweene Florida and the shoales Delos Mimbres taketh the name whereby the Currents of the Sea doe goe so swi●t to the North that although the wind be prosperous the ships cannot enter it and although they be contrary they goe with the Currents The shelues of Bimini are so called of an Iland in the middest of them of fiue leagues in length which the first Admirall gaue the name the first time he came to Cuba and it is that which Iohn Paul of Lyon did agree to inhabit Abacoa is another in the middest of the said shelfe of twelue leagues in length Cigateo of twentie fiue Curateo another small Iland in twentie sixe degrees and Guamma fifteene leagues of length and ten in breadth and neere vnto it Guanahani the first Land of the Indies which the first Admirall discouered which he called Saint Sauiour Yuma of twentie leagues and eight in breadth in twentie foure degrees and an halfe which the Admirall named Isabella in honour of the famous Queene Donna Isabella his particular Protectresse and that gaue him this Discouerie Iumeto in twentie three degrees and an halfe fifteene leagues in length to the North of Hispaniola Samana seuen leagues ouer betweene Iumeto and Guanima three square of eight leagues in length in twentie foure degrees Yabaque of ten leagues in twentie two degrees and an halfe Mira-par-vos are three little Ilands in triangle compassed with shelues to the South of Iumeto Mayaguana twentie leagues in length and ten in breadth is twentie three degrees Ynagua of ten leagues in twentie degrees and an halfe The Cayco● an Iland of fiue leagues in twentie one degrees and to the North of it is another called Hamaua and another Conciua Maçarey stands in twentie degrees compassed with shelues Abreoi● is a
a temperate Countrie plentifull of Seedes Cattle and Fowle of Europe it hath Mines of Iron and Steele the Countrie men are strong valiant and for much labour those Ilands stand in thirtie fiue degrees of the Pole little more or lesse according to the distance of euery Iland The Iapones doe not vnderstand the Chinas but by writing because of the Characters or Letters being one for them all and though they signifie the same they haue not the same name for they are to declare things and not words a● the figures of Arithmeticke that if a 9. be set the French the Castillan and the English man doe vnderstand it that it signifieth 9. but euery one doe name it after their owne fashion By another side the Iapones doe confine with the Phillipines from whence there is commerce with them and a great incouragement is giuen to the Fathers of the Company for to labour in the conuersion of the people of those Kingdomes where notable fruite hath beene gotten for the which these Ilands are much celebrated in the world and by the comming of the Ambassadours of the new Christendome to the Pope and to the King Phillip the second the Prudent and so as nature placed them in a scituation separated from the rest of the Land the men of that Region are differing in customes from other people In the yeare 1592. Nobunanga which caused himselfe to be called Emperour of Iapan interprised with eightie Vessels and 20000. men certaine Prouinces tributarie vnto China and wan it From the Iland of Simo which is among them of Iapan the greatest is extended a row of small Ilands called the Lequios and doe prolong themselues toward the Coast of China the two greater which is euery one of fifteene or twentie leagues neere the Coast of Iapan are called the greater Lequio and other two also great though not so much which are at the end of the Rowe they call Lequio the lesser some are inhabited of well shapen people white politicke well apparelled warlike and of good reason they abound in Gold more then others of that Sea and not lesse in Victuals Fruits and good Waters Neere vnto the lesser Lequio stands Hermosa or the beautifull Iland which hath the same qualitie and say it is as big as Sicilie THe Coast of new Guiena beginneth one hundred leagues to the East of the Iland of Gilolo in little more then one degree altitude on the other side of the Equinoctiall from whence it is prolonged toward the East three hundred leagues till it come to fiue or six degrees It hath beene doubted vntill now whether it be an Iland or firme Land because it doth enlarge it selfe in so great a Voyage from being able to ioyne with the Countries of the Ilands of Salomon or Prouinces of the Straight of M●gellanes by the South side but this doubt is resolued with that which those do affirme that sailed on the South side of the Straight of Magelanes that that is not a continent but Ilands and that presently followeth a spacious Sea and among those that doe affirme i● is Sir Richard Hawkins an English Knight which was fiue and fortie dayes among the same Ilands From the Sea the Land of this coast of Guinea seemeth good and the men that haue been seene are cole black and in the coast are many Ilands with good roads and ports whereof is no particular notice for hauing sailed it few times those which are found in some cards are Aguada or the watering to the East thirty fiue leagues from the first Land is in one degree of Southern altitude and eighteene forward the port of Saint Iames and the Iland of the Crespos of sixteene leagues long neere the coast right against the Port of Saint Andrew and neere to it the Riuer of Saint Peter and Saint Paul before the Port of Saint Ierom and a small Iland neere the thrust out Point 40. leagues from S. Austin which they call of Good-pence and more forward from it the Shelter and Euill people two little Ilands and the Bay of Saint Nicholas fiftie leagues from Puntasalida and among other Ilands one of white men and the Mother of God before Good Baye and of the Natiuitie of our Lady the last of that which is discouered and as to the North from it the Caymana an Iland without in the Sea among others which haue no name The Meridionall coast is not yet known the first that discouered the new Guine was Aluaro of Saauedra being lost with many stormes from his course returning to new Spain when in the year 1527. the Marques of the Valley sent him that on that side he should seek the Ilands of the Spicerie The Ilands of Salomon are eight hundred leagues from Piru the opinion that is held of their riches gaue them this name the which properly are called of the West because they fal to the West from the Prouinces of Piru from the place that Aluaro of Mendoça made discouery of them by order of the Licentiate Lope Garcia de Castro his Vnckle Gouernor of the Kingdomes of Piru in the yeare 1567. the first that saw the Land of these Ilands was a yong man called Treio in the top of a Ship they are from seuen degrees of altitude on the other side of the Equinoctiall about 1500. leagues from the Citie of the Kings they are many in quantity greatnes and eighteen the most famous some of 300. leagues in compasse and two of 200. and of 100. and of 50. and thence downward besides many which are not yet made an end of coasting and they say that they might bea-continent with the coast of the new Guiney and the Countries to be discouered toward the West of the straight the Countrie of these Ilands seemeth of a good temper and habitable plentifull of victuals and Cattell there were found in them some fruits like those of Castile Swine Hens in great number the Countrie men some of a brown colour like Indians others white ruddie and some cole blacke which is an argument of continuance with the Countries of the new Guinie whereby there may so many differences of people be mingled of those which resort to the Ilands of the Spicery The greatest and most renowned are Sancta Ysabel from eight to nine degrees of altitude of more then 150. leagues in length and eighteene in breadth and one good port called of the Star Saint George or Borbi to the South of S. Isabel one league and a halfe of thirty leagues compasse Saint Marcos or Saint Nicholas of one hundred leagues compasse to the South-east of Saint Isabel the Iland of the Shelues as great as the former to the South of Saint Isabel and Saint Ierome to the West of 100. leagues compasse and Guadalcauall to the South-west greater then all and to the East of Saint Isabel the Iland of Buenauista and Saint Dimas and the Iland of Florida of
is the Realme of Chille which is without the generall rule of these other Prouinces being seated without the burning Zone and the Tropicke of Capricorne This Land of it selfe is coole and fertile and brings forth all kindes of fruits that bee in Spaine it yeelds great abundance of bread and wine and abounds in Pastures and Cattell The aire is wholsome and cleere temperate betwixt heat and cold Winter and Summer are very distinct and there they finde great store of very fine gold Yet this Land is poore and smally peopled by reason of their continuall warre with the Auricanos and their Associates being a rough people and friends to libertie There are great coniectures that in the temperate Zone at the Antartike Pole there are great and fertile Lands but to this day they are not discouered neither doe they know any other Land in this Zone but that of Chille and some part of that Land which runnes from Ethiopia to the Cape of Good Hope as hath beene said in the first Booke neither is it knowne if there bee any habitations in the other two Zones of the Poles and whether the Land continues and stretcheth to that which is towards the Antartike or South Pole Neither doe we know the Land that lyes beyond the Straight of Magellan for that the greatest height yet discouered is in fiftie sixe degrees as hath beene formerly said and toward the Artike or Northerne Pole it is not known how farre the Land extends which runnes beyond the Cape of Mendoçin and the Caliphornes nor the bounds and end of Florida neither yet how farre it extends to the West Of late they haue discouered a new Land which they call New Mexico where they say is much people that speake the Mexican tongue The Philippines and the following Ilands as some report that know it by experience ranne aboue nine hundred leagues But to intreat of China Cochinchina Siam and other Regions which are of the East Indies were contrarie to my purpose which is onely to discourse of the West nay they are ignorant of the greatest part of America which lyes betwixt Peru and Bresil although the bounds be knowne of all sides wherein there is diuersitie of opinions some say it is a drowned Land full of Lakes and waterie places others affirme there are great and flourishing Kingdomes imagining there be the Paytiti the Dorado and the Caesars where they say are wonderfull things I haue heard one of our companie say a man worthy of credit that he had seene great dwellings there and the wayes as much beaten as those betwixt Salamanca and Villadillit the which he did see when as Peter d'Orsua and after those that succeeded him made their entrie and discouerie by the great Riuer of Amazons who beleeuing that the Dorado which they sought was farther off cared not to inhabit there and after went both without the Dorado which they could not finde and this great Prouince which they left To speake the truth the habitations of America are to this day vnknowne except the extremities which are Peru Bresil and that part where the Land begins to straighten which is the Riuer of Siluer then Tucuman which makes the round to Chille and Charcas Of late we haue vnderstood by Letters from some of ours which goe to Saint Croix in the Sierre that they goe discouering of great Prouinces and dwellings betwixt Bresil and Peru. Time will reueile them for as at this day the care and courage of men is great to compasse the World from one part to another so we may beleeue that as they haue discouered that which is now knowne they may likewise lay open that which remaynes to the end the Gospell may bee preached to the whole World seeing the two Crownes of Portugal and Castile haue met by the East and West ioyning their discoueries together which in truth is a matter to be obserued that the one is come to China and Iapan by the East and the other to the Philippines which are neighbours and almost ioyning vnto China by the West for from the Ilands of Lusson which is the chiefe of the Philippines in the which is the Citie of Manille vnto Macaeo which is in the I le of Canton are but foure score or a hundred leagues and yet we finde it strange that notwithstanding this small distance from the one to the other yet according to their account there is a dayes difference betwixt them so as it is Sunday at Macao when as it is but Saturday at Manille and so of the rest Those of Macao and of China haue one day aduanced before the Philippines It happened to father Alonse Sanches of whom mention is made before that parting from the Philippines hee arriued at Macao the second day of May according to their computation and going to say the Masse of Saint Athanasim he found they did celebrate the feast of the Inuention of the holy Crosse for that they did then reckon the third of May. The like happened vnto him in another voyage beyond it Some haue found this alteration and diuersitie strange supposing that the fault proceedes from the one or the other the which is not so but it is a true and well obserued computation for according to the difference of wayes where they haue beene we must necessarily say that when they meet there must be difference of a day the reason is for that sayling from West to East they alwayes gaine of the day finding the Sunne rising sooner and contrariwise those that saile from East to West doe alwayes lose of the day for that the Sunne riseth later vnto them and as they approach neerer the East or the West they haue the day longer or shorter In Peru which is Westward in respect of Spaine they are aboue sixe houres behinde so as when it is noone in Spaine it is morning at Peru and when it is morning here it is mid-night there I haue made certaine proofe thereof by the computation of Eclipses of the Sunne and Moone Now that the Portugals haue made their nauigations from West to East and the Castillans from East to West when they came to ioyne and meet at the Philippines and Macao the one haue gayned twelue houres and the other hath lost as much so as at one instant and in one time they finde the difference of foure and twentie houres which is a whole day Although we finde vents of fire in other places as Mount Aetna and Vesunio which now they call Mount Soma yet is that notable which is found at the Indies Ordinarily these Volcans be Rocks or Pikes of most high Mountaines which raise themselues aboue the tops of all other Mountaines vpon their tops they haue a Playne and in the midst thereof a pit or great mouth which descends euen vnto the foote thereof a thing very terrible to behold Out of these mouthes there issues smoake and sometimes fire some cast little smoake and haue in a manner no force
into New Spaine and with the second Armie of Grigialua and with the third of Cortese and with the fourth of Pamphilo di Narbaez all by order of Lieutenant Velasco whereby Cuba was in manner dispeopled and by the former causes mentioned of Hispaniola and by the contagion of the small Pockes which was vniuersall in all these Ilands So that the Great God hath in manner wholly extinguished them for their not without others sinnes They haue much Gold and Brasse vse to fish much with the Rouerso before mentioned as also that Wild-goose chase There are innumerable Cranes such as are in Spaine the Boyes take infinite Egges and young ones There are Turtles greater then in Spaine Euery yeare there passe from the end of Cuba infinite numbers of diuers sorts of Birds which come from the North of the firme Land and crosse ouer the Alacrain Ilands and Cuba and flye ouer the Gulfe Southwards I haue seene them passe ouer Darien and Nombre de dios and Panama in diuers yeeres in the Firme Land so many that they couer the Skie and this passage or march continueth a moneth or more about the moneth of March I thinke they flie round about the World for they neuer are seene to returne toward the West or North and we see them not euery yeere one after another from morning to night the aire is couered and some flie so high that they cannot bee seene others lower yet higher then the Mountaines tops They come from the North-west and North to the Southwards and then turne South-west occupying in length more then the eye can discerne and a great space in breadth The lowest are Eaglets and Eagles and all seeme Birds of prey of many kinds and plumes The higher cannot bee discerned in their plumes but in manner of flying and q●ant●tie appeare of diuers sorts There haue beene Serpents killed in Cuba as bigge as a mans thigh and fiue and twentie or thirtie foot long and more They are tame and the Indians eate them and find sometimes in their bellies sixe or seuen creatures bigger then Conies which they swallow whole I am loth to lead you with this Author along with Grigialua in his long Expedition from hence to Iucatan and other parts Neere to Porto de termini he found two Trees seeming set by hand standing alone and fifteene paces off diuers Idols of Chalke They saw two Images made of the wood Copei in manner of Sodomiticall villenie ioyned together and another of Chalke with his circumcised member betwixt his hands Iamaica was in people vices creatures and other things like the former they were the Inuentors of the reuerso-fishing and Goose-catching with Gourds or Pompions aforesaid which sometimes they practised also with leaues and greene boughes on their heads and vsed that Garland as is before said of the Pompions Of Cubagua the Pearle Iland and of the Pearle-fishing is spoken before In Cubagua is a bituminous Fountayne hauing otherwise no water to drinke nor Hearbes nor Trees but a few of Guaiacan nor any liuing creatures though at first comming of the Christians there were a few Conies At the East point is the Fountayne running into the Sea with an Oily substance floating on it profitable for Medicine there called Deuils Dung They that liue there fetch their water seuen leagues off from Cumana on the firme Land and wood from Margarita The Kings fifth of the Pearle-fishing hath yeelded 15000. Duckets yeerly a thing not knowne that so many Pearles haue beene taken from so small a space the Iland of Cubagua not compassing aboue three leagues In the Gulfe of Or●tig●a and the Ilands therein in the Prouince of Nicaragua on the South Sea are many shel-fishes of a long forme some a Cubit long some lesse creased growing broader and broader to the end when they are opened they haue a fishie substance within them and shine within as the Pearle-oysters doe halfe their length thence by degrees loosing that shining toward the broader end The Pearles within them are not so fine as the other The Indians vse the shels to digge their loose ground fastning the shell to a handle of wood binding it fast and making a kind of Spade thereof In the yeare 1517. An Englishman vnder colour of Discouery came with a great ship towards Brasill on the Firme Land and thence trauersed to Hispaniola and came neere the Hauen of Saint Domingo and sent his Boat full of people on shoare and desired Trade But the Captaine of the Fort shot from the Castle at the Boate because shee came directly to the Port and thereupon they returned to their ship The English seeing this entertainment tooke their course towards the Iland of Saint Iohn and entred the Port of Saint German and there demanded victuals and prouisions for their ship complaining of the wrong done them at Saint Domingo comming thither for Trade to buy with their Mony and to barter Commodities There they got some victuals for which they paid in wrought pieces of Pewter and other things and so returned towards Europe where it is likely they came not for there was neuer any more heard of them The next yeare a French Pirat guided by a Spanish Pilot came to trade in the Iland of Pearles and a Portugall Carauell which he had taken on the Coast of Brasill and would haue landed his Boats full of men but was resisted and a Battel betwixt both parts followed in which thirteene Frenchmen were slaine and two of ours Three or foure Nauarrois and Biskainers fled from them and said the French were Theeues and came to take the Iland whereupon they went with all their strength and tooke her Boat and the ship fled out of sight c. Ouiedos twentieth Booke is of shipwrackes and disaduentures which haue happened to the Spaniards in those parts One which happened 1514. is admirable the ship sinking and fiue and twentie persons escaping in the Boat hast forbidding prouision of Card Compasse or victuall to saue their liues Thus liued they twelue dayes at Sea neither had they any thing to eate or drinke only a young man had saued two pounds of Bisket which beeing diuided amongst them he which had most had not aboue an ounce and halfe Vrine or the Sea was their drinke In this case they made Vowes to our L●die of Antica in Siuill and on the twelfth day hauing made a Saile of their shirts they came to Siluer-port in Hispaniola Their Pilot A●to Caluo told me the Storie The same yeare in the Pleet of Pedrarias de Auilla a Portugal youth being scoffed at and flouted by the Spaniards leaped into the Sea in a fresh gale and not without the wonder of all men was taken vp by another ship aliue whom after I saw vaunting of this folly and saying that no Castilian durst haue done it which I easily beleeue as hauing more wit then this Foole. Yet will I imitate a little this foolish
answered to our Nouember they prepared what was necessary for the Children that should bee made Nouices the moneth following the Children with the old men made a certayne shew with rounds and turnings and this Feast was called Ituraymi which commonly they make when it raines too much or too little or when there is a plague Among the extraordinary Feasts which were very many the most famous was that which they called Ytu This Feast Ytu hath no prefixed time nor season but in time of necessitie To prepare themselues thereunto all the people fasted two dayes during the which they did neither company with their wiues nor eate any meate with Salt or Garlicke nor drinke any Chica All did assemble together in one place where no stranger was admitted nor any beast they had Garments and Ornaments which serued onely for this Feast They marched very quietly in Procession their heads couered with their Ve●les sounding of Drummes without speaking one to another This continued a day and a night then the day following they danced and made good cheere for two dayes and two nights together saying that their Prayer was accepted And although that this Feast is not vsed at this day with all this ancient Ceremony yet commonly they make another which is very like which they call Ayma with Garments that serue onely to that end and they make this kinde of Procession with their Drummes hauing fasted before then after they make good cheere which they vsually doe in their vrgent necessities And although the Indians forbeare to sacrifice beasts or other things publikely which cannot be hidden from the Spaniards yet doe they still vse many Ceremonies that haue their beginnings from these Feasts and ancient Superstitions for at this day they doe couertly make this Feast of Ytu at the dances of the Feast of the Sacrament in making the dances of Lyamallama and of Guacon and of others according to their ancient Ceremonies THe Mexicans haue beene no lesse curious in their Feasts and Solemnities which were of small charge but of great effusion of mans bloud We haue before spoken of the principall Feast of Vitziliputzli after the which the Feast of Tezcalipuca was most solemnized This Feast fell in May and in their Kalender they called it Tozcolt it fell euery foure yeere with the feast of Penance where there was giuen full indulgence and remission of sinnes In this day they did sacrifice a Captiue which resembled the Idoll Tezcalipuca it was the nineteenth day of May vpon the Euen of this Feast the Noblemen came to the Temple bringing a new Garment like vnto that of the Idoll the which the Priest put vpon him hauing first taken off his other Garments which they kept with as much or more reuerence then wee doe our Ornaments There were in the Coffers of the Idoll many Ornaments Iewels Earerings and other Riches as Bracelets and precious Feathers which serued to no other vse but to be there and was worshipped as their God it selfe Besides the Garment wherewith they worshipped the Idoll that day they put vpon him certayne ensignes of Feathers with fannes shadowes and other things being thus attired and furnished they drew the Curtayn or Veile from before the doore to the end he might be seene of all men then came forth one of the chiefe of the Temple attyred like to the Idoll carrying flowres in his hand and a Flute of earth hauing a very sharpe sound and turning towards the East he sounded it and then looking to the West North and South he did the like And after he had thus sounded towards the foure parts of the World shewing that both they that were present and absent did heare him he put his finger into the Ai●e and then gathered vp earth which hee put in his mouth and did eate it in signe of adoration The like did all they that were present and weeping they fell flat to the ground inuocating the darknesse of the night and the winds intreating them not to leaue them nor to forget them or else to take away their liues and free them from the labours they endured therein Theeues Adulterers and Murtherers and all other offenders had great feare and heauinesse whilest this Flute sounded so as some could not dissemble nor hide their offences By this meanes they all demanded no other thing of their God but to haue their offences concealed powring forth many teares with great repentance and sorrow offering great store of Incense to appease their Gods The couragious and valiant men and all the old Souldiers that followed the art of Warre hearing this Flute demanded with great deuotion of God the Creator of the Lord for whom we liue of the Sun and of other their Gods that they would giue them victory against their enemies strength to take many Captiues there with to honour their Sacrifices This Ceremony was done ten dayes before the Feast During which ten dayes the Priest did sound this Flute to the end that all might doe this worship in eating of earth and demand of their Idoll what they pleased they euery day made their Prayers with their eyes lift vp to Heauen and with sighs and groanings as men that were grieued for their sinnes and offences Although this contrition was onely for feare of the corporall punishment that was giuen them and not for any feare of the eternall for they certainly beleeued there was no such seuere punishment in the other life And therefore they offered themselues voluntarily to death holding opinion that it is to all men an assured rest The first day of the Feast of this Idoll Tezcalipuca beeing come all they of the Citie assembled together in a Court to celebrate likewise the Feast of the Kalender whereof we haue already spoken which was called Toxcoalth which signifies A dry thing which Feast was not made to any other end but to demand raine in the same manner that wee solemnize the Rogations and this Feast was alwayes in May which is the time that they haue most need of raine in those Countreyes They beganne to celebrate it the ninth of May ending the nineteenth The last day of the Feast the Priests drew forth a Litter well furnished with Curtaynes and Pendants of diuers fashions This Litter had so many armes to hold by as there were Ministers to carrie it All which came forth besmeered with blacke and long haire halfe in tresses with white strings and attyred in the liuery of the Idoll Vpon this Litter they set the personage of the Idoll appointed for this Feast which they called the resemblance of their God Tezcalipuca and taking it vpon their shoulders they brought it openly to the foot of the staires then came forth the young men and Maydens of the Temple carrying a great coard wreathed of chaines of roasted Mays with the which they enuironed the Litter and putting a chaine of the same about the Idols necke and a Garland vpon his head They called the coard Toxcalt
Siluer Myne in Groneland 824 20. 520.40 Nothing worth 833.10 Siluer made in Brickes 801.50 The Chinois studie to make it 369.20 Siluer Images standing abroad vntoucht 411.1 Siluer why the second of Metals 943. Found in Mountaines in pieces or veines Manner of refinings with Aire Bellowes or Quickesiluer the chiefe Siluer Mynes of the Indies 944. How the richnesse of the Vre is discerned by the colour 947.20 Manner of refining it and working it into barres the triall and allay the Engines to doe it 951 Sindinfu the Countrey and Citie 90 10 Sindicin the City 80.30 Singhan the Mother City of Sciansi 316.1 Singui is the City of the Earth the hugenesse of it 97.50 Sio or Chio the Patriarcha●e of Constanstinople remooued thither 444.40 And from Sio to Mo●c●o 445.30 Siras i● Persia 70.50 Sirrope very sweet made of the sap of a tree 957.20 Synopolis a Prouince in the Sea of Pontus 1.60 Vnder the Turks ibid. The distance from Constantinople c. 2 Synopolis and Soldaia are 300. miles asunder 53.30 Syrian tongue vsed by the Nestorians in Cathaya 24.1 Syrnames few in China c. 394 10 Syrnames not aboue 300. in all China 367.40 All of one sillable ibid. None marries any of his owne Syrname 367.50 Skerlengers dispeople Groneland 520.30 Skialfanda a Bay in North Island 654.30 Skins of three men come off by eating the Liuer of a Beare 506 30 Skuls of the Indians extreme thicke and hard 993.1 994.10 Skuls sold in China and why 271 10 Skumme of the water eaten for meate in Mexico 1133.10 Skutsnesse in Norway 707.20 The Latitude Variation and Declination there 716.10 20. How the land lyeth about it c. 720 40 Slaues to the Tartars their miserie 641. The Tartars earnestnesse to redeeme his owne subiects 642 10 Slaues of Scythia rebelling terrified with the sight of their Masters Whips 419.10 Slaues the Indians are no longer to the Spaniards 914.60 Slaues of Peru pleased with their owne seruitudes 1056.50 Slauery in Russia to Creditors 434 30 Slauery in China how it comes 182 50. Those that are taken in Warre weare red Caps 183.10 194.40 Sleds much vsed in Russia 219.50 They carry Corne 1000. miles 214.10 They go post 220. Their speed 226.10 Their furniture ibid. Not vsed in Summer 230 30. Called Telegas 242.50 Sleds in Russia a great honour to be taken vp into a Noblemans 523.20 Some drawne by Dogs 524.1 Sleda an easie and commodious trauell 751.20 Slobatia a Towne in Mezen 547 40. The eleuation ibid. The trade there 548.30 Sliding vpon the Ice with bones like Spurres 33.50 Sluttery a Fast-breaker 516.20 Smiths Bay 465.10 Smolensko in Russia taken in by the Poles 780.10 Burnt to the ground 780.60 Snakes worshipped in Lithuania a story of that 629.46 Snaefelsnesse Promontory in East Island 654 Snaelandia a name of Island 654 30 Snow extreme 49.30 Snow higher then the House 498 10 Snowes fall in the end of Aprill in Tartary 27.10 Snow in August in Greenland 727.30 250.30 Snow hastens the Spring 415.10 Snow preserues from putrefaction 647.20 Snorting in their sleepe offensiue to the Tartars 82.60 Sodome in Russia 243.40 Sogomamber-Can the God of the Tartarian Idols 82.20 The first Idol-founder 106.1 Sog●r a beast in Tartary 6.10 So●●a the Riuer 525.40 Solanga a Tartarian people 23 20 Soldaia the Citie where 2. Greeke spoken there 9.50 It is Christian 15.40 Soldan of Aegypt ouerthrowne by Christians and Tartars 119 40 Soldan of Turkey his Countrey 50 40 Soldini Christians in Corasme of the Greeke Church 109.40 Solinas the Riuer in the West Indies the distance from the Equinoctiall 891.40 Soma a measure in China 98.50 Soncara in Persia 70.50 Sonne of the Sun the King of Chinaes stile 254.50 256.1 Sonne sacrificed for the Fathers health 1037.20 1042.20 Soothsayers in Tartary their Magicall trickes 81.1 Their Man-eating and Sacrifices to their Idols 81.10 Their Monasteries Shauings Abstinence Habits and other Customes 81.10 20 30 Sope of traine Oyle 417.10 Sorcery of foure Swords in Tartaria 33.10 Sorcery of the Iewes a story of it 630 Sorceries of the West Indians 1043.60 Things done farre off reuealed by them ibid. And things lost and to come 1044 Sorcerer of Mexico turnes himselfe into strange shapes the Story of him 1017.40 And so in Peru 1043.60 Saint Sor●is the greatest Armenian Saint 31.1 Sortassus a Tartarian Village 635 10 Souldiers all Gentlemen in Russia 435.20 And their Children also ibid. Lands allotted them The inconuenience of that ibid. How kept from Rebellion 436.1 Souldiers little respected in China 369.40 Souldiers of Mexico their Prayer ●047 1 South Pole hath no fixed Starre to marke it as the North hath 918 30 South Sea which 858.1 The seuerall courses of Nauigation in it ibid. How to bee nauigated 860.1 South Sea the ebbing and flowing there the distance from the North Sea 989.30 Soule the Chinois opinion of it 201 50. The Tartars opinion of it 88 50 Soules immortality the Chinois opinion of it 397 Soule of the World ibid. Soules immortality acknowledged by the Indians 1029.10 Soules immortality and transmigration 277.1 Soyles of the West Indies the varieties 935. Where the best are 936.1.937.10 Spaan in Persia 70.50 Spaniards kill 30000. Chinois 309 40. And makes Galley-slaues of the rest ibid. They offer a league to the Chinois 310.40 Spaniards hated in the Philippinaes 283 Spaniards bragges and their false Sea Cards 843.20.848 60 Spaniards in Peru esteemed as men sent from God called Viracochas 1061.50 Spaniards perfidiously cruell in Mexico 1023. They are admitted into the City they selfe on the King are besieged by the Indians in the Castle 1023. Driuen out and slaine 1024. Their foolish beliefe of being assisted by Miracles ibid. Their dealings with the Indians 1025.1 Their helpes and hinderances in winning and co●●erting the Indians 1025 1026.10 Diuers of them sacrificed in Mexico 1039.50 Of their conquest of Mexico see pag. 1121. 1126. c. Spanish Siluer carried to China 310.30 Spanish shippes trading to Greeneland forbidden by the English 466.40 Spanish plants thriue better in India and the Indian worse in Spaine 960.961 Spanish Chroniclers curiou● rather to set downe the Names of their owne Nation Aduenturers in the Indies then of the Beasts Birds c. of the Country 856 Spanish reports of a Vision 283 50 Spawnes of Fishes taken and bred in Cisternes in China 179.10 Speake a man did after his heart was out 1039.60 Spelling by Strings Knots and Colour in Peru as we do by Letters 1053.30 Sperma Ceti 710.20 Sperma Caeti or Permasitie where gotten 471. It lyes in the Whales head ibid. Sphere in China 346.20 Spices of China 382.40 Spice the sorts and store in the Moluccas and Philippina's 903 904.905 c. The best way to bring them from the Moluccas into Spaine 900.10 Spiders as bigge as a Sparrow full of their Cobweb Lawne 976.10 Spirits set ouer diuers things in China 340.50 Spitsbergen is Greenland 463 10 Spodio and Tutia
317.30 Canonized at Rome 316.60 B●asts to haue conuerted 300000. soules 317.30 His trauels 318.1 Goes to Cangoxima in Iapon there publishes the Decalogue 318 40 Opposed by the Iaponian Priests ibid. Returnes to India to fetch an Ambassadour gets himselfe made the Popes Nuntio opposed by Aluarus who falls into a Leprosie 318.60 Xauiers zeale and behauiour towards him 319.1 Gets himselfe carried into China where he is forsaken and dies 319.10 Xauxan a flower that makes bread in the Indies 954.10 Xyloba●samum what properly 95● 30 Xinaleygrau the Signiory 281.30 Y YAik a Riuer 241.50 Yamsu the Riuer the course of it 340.40 〈◊〉 by the two 〈◊〉 Cities in China ibid. Yara City in Catay 800.50 Described Yaskent a Citie 240.40 Yehuri the Mexican Priests that heard Confessions 1041.60 Yeare of the Tartars beginnes in February 84.30 This is 〈◊〉 solemnest day ibid. They f●●st th●● in white garments 84.50 Their New yeares gifts ibid. They reckon their yeares by Twelues and how 88.40 Yeare in Russia begins with September 447.20 And the September before ours 746.28 why 757.50 Yeare when it begins in China 392 40 〈…〉 how solemnized 394.1 Their Yeare 〈…〉 ●62 10 265 50. Gods of the Yeare ibid. It begins in March 196.50 Yeare begun in the middle of Ianuary in Norway of old 659.50 Yeare of the Samoieds is but halfe a Yeare 556 Yeares of the Mexicans 1135.30 1136.1 Their manner of reckoning them 1050. The beginning end and l●st dayes of it ibid. Yeare of the Peruians 1051.1 Yeare in Peru begins in December 1040.1 1045.1 Yedzo land the latitude 842.50 Yeilding the Ceremony of it in Mexco 1013.20 50 Yellow Mugals 799.20 Yellow Riuer in China the course 340. Sacrificed vnto ibid. 10000 ships in it Prouerbe of it ibid. Yellow the King of Chinois colour which none else may be of 392.50 Yellow hats a great honor 201.20 Yem the Riuer 235.20 Yemps a Towne 224.1 Yenis●e or Ienisse Riuer falleth into the Sea Naromzie 546.20 Not farre from China ibid. Yguanas a strange West Indian beast that both swimmes and climbes trees their shape 966.40 See Yuanas Yiu a Festiuall day in Peru the Ceremonies of it 1046.20 Yongs Cape 567.60 Yopes the Riuer in the West Indies 871.60 Youga Riuer in Catay falls into the Blacke Sea 800.40 Youth how educated in Mexico 1064 Yperpe●a ● C●i●e 10.20 Yea a great Feast in Peru the solemnitie 〈◊〉 1035. ●0 c. Yuana● West Indian Serpent described delicate meate 976.50 〈◊〉 for the French●oxe ●oxe 977.1 Y●c● the chiefe food of Brasile 903 10. How they make bread of it the Iuice is poyson and the substance bread where this bread is most vsed 954.10 Yucatan Prouince in the West Indies vnder the Gouernment of Mexico its bounds c. 870.30 A Peninsula the extent temperature no Riuer in it nor metall long liued people Townes their latitudes c. 87.10.20 c. Yun-lo the China King 389.30 Yuo de Narbona his Letter and Discourse about the Tartars 63 40 Z ZAcatecas the Prouince in the West Indies rich in Siluer Mynes three Townes of Spaniards in it distance from Guadalaiara 876. And from Mexico Other Mynes there Villages c. 877.1.10 Zacatula the Prouince and Village in the West Indies the latitude distance from Mexico Zamachie in Media a Staple for Silke 442.50 The Russe trades thither gaue 〈◊〉 to the English the Commodities ibid. Zamatia an Iland of the Moluccas i● Taprobana 904.30 Zar or Czar one of the Russian Emperours Titles 793.30 Zauorat in Russia the latitude 545 30 Zeilan the best Iland of the World 104.20 T is Traprobana 110.10 Zenam Iland 223.1 Zenam on the Coast of Finmarke ●61 10 581.40 Zeni two Brethren their Fortunes 610. c. Zeno● Chersonesus where 633 30 Zenu the 〈…〉 in the West Indies the distance from Car●agena Salt made there 88● 50 Zere the Iland 246.40 Zichmui Prince of Frisland his Story 610. c. Zielensa Ilands 543.30 In Russia Zikia the Citie 2.20 Zipangu the golden Iland 102.20 Taken by the Tartars ibid. The Ilanders call Mangi Chin or China 102.50 Zodiake as it is more streight or more oblique makes the daies or nights of diuers lengths 920.40 Zona Torrida why in some places vnder it the raine still falls in the afternoone 918.50 Why so much vnder it when the Sunne is hottest 919.20 30 40. Why in some places vnder it there falls no raine nor are any springs c. 919 60. Temperate in many places in others hote cold c. And the causes 920.10 20 30 c. Reasons of the diuersities of tempers 921. The heat though violent yet short the greatest heate in the morning and why 921.50 Westerne wind blowes seldome there 923.40 It is the greatest of the fiue Zo●●●s 923. Why men sayle vnder it from East to West and not backe againe 924.50 Se● Aequinoctiall The land-winds coole it by night and the Sea-winds by day 926.10 Cal●ses often vnder it ibid. Many Lakes vnder some parts of it 933.10 Most of the West Indies lye vnder it 9●5 10 The Countries vnder it are all hilly why 936.1 Torride Zo●● most inhabited of all the West Indies and by white Men and they most warlike it is of the temperature of Spaine few waters raine seldome vnder it 898.10 20 30 Zorzania 〈◊〉 Georgia 69.50 Zubu the Iland 282.10 FOr the vse of this 〈◊〉 the Reader may see the aduice giuen him ouer the head of the Letter A In the beginning of t●is 〈◊〉 This is so printed 〈◊〉 the end of the Index that it may be the better seene FINIS LONDON Printed by William Stansby for Henry F●therstone and are to be sold at his Shop in Pauls Church-yard at the signe of the Rose 1625. Gen. 28.12 Senc● Benef. l. 7. cap. 4.5 Gen. 28. 32.20 Aug. de C.D. li. 19. cap. 5. * Master Hak. had published part of this Author but the whole worke being found in Benet Colledge Library in Cambridg I thought fit to communicate it to the World it being neuer published as I thinke in any Language I begin with the Tartars as being ●●owne to thes● parts before the Chinois yea China or Mang● became knowne by them Ecclus 39. v. 3. Cassaria or Gasaria Gasaria Soldaia The Citie of Matriga * Matriga Zikia Frier Bartholomew de Cremona The necke of Tanrica Chersones●● The Tartars Chap. 2. Of the Tartars and of their houses The benefit of a Painter in strange Countries Chap. 3. Of their Bed● Puppets Images and drinking Pots Idols Chap. 4. Of their drinkes and how they prouoke one another to drinking They vse the like custome in Florida Chap. 5. Of their ●ood and victuals Drying of flesh in the wind Chap. 6. How they make their drinke called Cosmos Caracosmos Duke Baatu Store of Mares and Mares milke Chap. 7. Of ●he beasts which they eat of their garmen●s and of their manner of hunting Our Falconers vse the left fist Another strange custome which
brought to an end To the which end Cicero wisely saith God hath giuen vs some things and not all things that our Successors also might haue some-what to doe Therefore we must not leaue off nor stay our pretence in the middle of our proceedings as long as there is any commoditie to be hoped and in time to bee obtayned for that the greatest and richest Treasures are hardliest to be found I thought good to set downe in regard that I haue vndertaken to describe the three Voyages made into the North Seas in three yeeres one after the other behind Norwary and along and about Muscouia towards the Kingdome of Cathaia and China whereof the two last I my selfe holpe to effect and yet brought them not to the desired end that we well hoped First to shew our diligent and most toylesome labour and paines taken to find out the right course which we could not bring to passe as wee well hoped wished and desired and possible might haue found it by crossing the Seas if we had taken the right course if the Ice the shortnesse of time and bad crosses had not hindered vs. We haue assuredly found that the onely and most hinderance to our Voyage was the Ice that we found about Noua Zembla vnder 73.74.75 and 76. degrees and not so much vpon the Sea betweene both the Lands whereby it appeareth that not the neerenesse of the North-pole but the Ice that commeth in and out from the Tartarian Sea about Noua Zembla caused vs to feele the greatest cold Therefore in regard that the neerenesse of the Pole was not the cause of the great cold that wee felt if wee had had the meanes to haue held our appointed and intended course into the North-east we had peraduenture found some entrance which course wee could not hold from Noua Zembla because that there we entred amongst great store of Ice and how it was about Noua Zembla we could not tel before we had sought it and when we had sought it we could not then alter our course although also it is vncertayn what we should haue done if we had continued in our North-east course because it is not yet found out But it is true that in the Countrey lying vnder 80. degrees which we esteeme to be Greenland there is both Leaues and Grasse to be seene Wherein such Beasts as feed of Leaues and Grasse as Harts Hinds and such like beasts liue whereas to the contrary in Noua Zembla there groweth neyther Leaues nor Grasse and there are no beasts therein but such as eate flesh as Beares and Foxes c. Although Noua Zembla lyeth 4.5 and 6. degrees more Southerly from the Pole then the other Land aforesaid It is also manifest that vpon the South and North-side of the Line of the Sunne on both sides betweene both the Tropicks vnder 23. degrees and an halfe yet it is as hot as it is right vnder the Line What wonder then should it be that about the North-pole also and as many degrees on both sides it should not be colder then right vnder the Pole It was not the Sea nor the neerenesse vnto the Pole but the Ice about the Land that let and hindered vs as I said before for that assoone as we made from the Land and put more into the Sea although it was much further Northward presently we felt more warmth and in that opinion our Pilot William Barents dyed who notwithstanding the fearefull and intolerable cold that he indured yet he was not discouraged but offered to lay wagers with diuers of vs that by Gods helpe hee would bring that pretended Voyage to an end if he held his course North-east from the North Cape But I will leaue that and shew you of the three Voyages aforesaid begunne and set forth by the permission and furtherance of the Generall States of the vnited Prouinces and of Prince Maurice as Admirall of the Sea and the rich Towne of Amsterdam First you must vnderstand that in Anno 1594. there was foure ships set forth out of the vnited Prouinces whereof two were of Amsterdam one of Zelandt and one of Enckhuysen that were appointed to sayle into the North Seas to discouer the Kingdomes of Cathaia and China Northward from Norway Muscouia and about Tartaria whereof William Barents a notable skilfull and wise Pilot was Commander ouer the ships of Amsterdam and with them vpon Whit-sunday departed from Amsterdam and went to the Texell Vpon the fifth of Iune they sayled out of the Texel and hauing a good wind and faire weather vpon the three and twentieth of Iune they arriued at Rilduin in Muscouia which for that it is a place well knowne and a common Voyage I will make no further description thereof The nine and twentieth of Iune at foure of the clocke in the after-noone they set sayle out of Kilduin The fourth of Iuly they saw Noua Zembla lying South-east and by East six or seuen miles from them where they had blacke durtie ground at one hundred and fiue fathome William Barents tooke the height of the Sunne with his Crosse-staffe when it was at the lowest that is betweene North North-east and East and by North and found it to be eleuated aboue the Horizon six degrees and 1 ● part his declination being 12. degrees and 55. minutes from whence substracting the aforesaid height there resteth sixteenth degrees and 35. minutes which being substracted from 90. degrees there resteth 73. degrees and 25. minutes Then they woond East-ward and sayled fiue miles East and by South and East South-east and past by a long point of Land that lay out into the Sea which they named Langenes and hard by that point East-ward there was a great Bay where they went a Land with their Boat but found no people From Langenes to Cape Bapo East North-east it is foure miles From Cape Bapo to the West point of Lombsbay North-east and by North are fiue miles and betweene them both there are two Creeks Lombsbay is a great wide Bay on the West-side thereof hauing a faire Hauen six seuen or eight fathome deepe blacke sand there they went on shoare with their Boat and vpon the shoare placed a Beacon made of an old Mast which they found there calling the Bay Lombsbay because of a certayne kind of Beares so called which they found there in great abundance The East point of Lombsbay is a long narrow point and by it there lyeth an Iland and from that long point to Sea-ward in there is a great Creeke This Lombsbay lyeth vnder 74. degrees and 1 ● part From Lombsbay to the point of the Admirals Iland they sayled six or seuen miles North-east and by North. The Admirals Iland is not very faire on the East-side but a farre off very flat so that you must shunne it long before you come at it it is also very vneuen for at one casting of the Lead they had ten fathome deepe
did see in some battailes the Image of our Lady from whom the Christians haue receiued in those parts incomparable fauours and benefits c. And therefore we ought not to condemne all these things of the first Conquerors of the Indies as some religious and learned men haue done doubtlesse with a good zeale but too much affected For although for the most part they were couetous men cruell and very ignorant in the course that was to be obserued with the Infidels who had neuer offended the Christians yet can we not denie but on their part there was much malice against God and our Men which forced them to vse rigour and chastisement Euery one may vnderstand by the Relation and Discourse I haue written in these Bookes as well at Peru as in New Spaine when as the Christians first set footing that these Kingdomes and Monarchies were come to the height and period of their power The Inguas of Peru possessing from the Realme of Chille beyond Quitto which are a thousand leagues being most abundant in gold siluer sumptuous seruices and other things as also in Mexico Moteçuma commanded from the North Ocean Sea vnto the South being feared and worshipped not as a man but rather as a god Then was it that the most high Lord had determined that that stone of Daniel which dissolued the Realmes and Kingdomes of the World should also dissolue those of this new World And as the Law of Christ came when as the Roman Monarchie was at her greatnesse so did it happen at the West Indies wherein wee see the iust prouidence of our Lord For being then in the World I meane in Europe but one head and temporall Lord as the holy Doctors doe note whereby the Gospell might more easily bee imparted to so many People and Nations Euen so hath it happened at the Indies where hauing giuen the knowledge of Christ to the Monarchs of so many Kingdomes it was a meanes that afterwards the knowledge of the Gospell was imparted to all the people yea there is herein a speciall thing to be obserued that as the Lords of Cusco and Mexico conquered new Lands so they brought in their owne language for although there were as at this day great diuersitie of tongues yet the Courtly speech of Cusco did and doth at this day runne aboue a thousand leagues and that of Mexico did not extend farre lesse which hath not beene of small importance but hath much profited in making the preaching easie at such a time when as the Preachers had not the gift of many tongues as in old times He that would know what a helpe it hath beene for the conuersion of this people in these two great Empires and the great difficultie they haue found to reduce those Indians to Chris● which acknowledge no Soueraigne Lord let him goe to Florida Bresil the Andes and many other places where they haue not preuayled so much by their preaching in fiftie yeeres as they haue done in Peru and new Spaine in lesse then fiue If they will impute the cause to the riches of the Country I will not altogether denie it Yet were it impossible to haue so great wealth and to be able to preserue it if there had not beene a Monarchie This is also a worke of God in this age when as the Preachers of the Gospell are so cold and without zeale and Merchants with the heat of couetousnesse and desire of command search and discouer new people whither we passe with our commodities for as Saint Augus●●ne saith the prophesie of Esay is fulfilled in that the Church of Christ is extended not onely to the right hand but also to the left which is as hee declareth by humane and earthly meanes which they seeke more commonly then Iesus Christ. It was also a great prouidence of our Lord that when as the first Spaniards arriued there they found aide from the Indians themselues by reason of their partialities and great diuisions This is well knowne in Peru that the diuision betwixt the two brothers Atahualpa and Guasca the great King Guanacapa their father being newly dead gaue entrie to the Marquesse Don Francis Pizarre and to the Spaniards for that either of them desired his alliance being busied in warre one against the other The like experience hath beene in new Spaine that the aide of those of the Prouince of Tlascalla by reason of their continuall hatred against the Mexicans gaue the victorie and siegniorie of Mexico to the M●rquesse Fernando Cortes and his men and without them it had beene impossible to haue wonne it yea to haue maintayned themselues within the Country They are much deceiued that so little esteeme the Indians and iudge that by the aduantage the Spaniards haue ouer them in their Persons Horses and Armes both offensiue and defensiue they might easily conquer any Land or Nation of the Indies Chille stands yet or to say better Arauco and Tuecapel which are two Cities where our Spaniards could not yet win one foot of ground although they haue made warre there aboue fiue and twentie yeeres without sparing of any cost For this barbarous Nation hauing once lost the apprehension of horse and shot and knowing that the Spaniards fall as well as other men with the blow of a stone or of a dart they hazard themselues desperately entring the Pikes vpon any enterprise How many yeeres haue they leuied men in new Spaine to send against the Chychymequos which are a small number of naked Indians armed only with bowes and arrowes yet to this day they could not be v●●quished but contrariwise from day to day they grow more desperate and resolute But what shall we say of the Chucos of the Chiraguanas of the Piscocones and all the other people of the Andes Hath not all the flower of Peru beene there bringing with them so great prouision of Armes and Men as we haue seene What did they With what victories returned they Surely they returned very happy in sauing of their liues hauing lost their baggage and almost all their horses Let no man thinke speaking of the Indians that they are men of nothing but if they thinke so let them goe and make triall Wee must then attribute the glorie to whom it appertaynes that is principally to God and to his admirable disposition for if Moteçuma in Mexico and the Ingua in Peru had beene resolute to resist the Spaniards and to stop their entrie Cortes and Pizarre had preuayled little in their landing although they were excellent Captaines It hath also beene a great helpe to induce the Indians to receiue the Law of Christ the subiection they were in to their Kings and Lords and also the seruitude and slauerie they were held in by the Deuils tyrannies and insupportable yoke This was an excellent disposition of the diuine Wisedome the which drawes profit from ill to a good end and receiues his good from an others ill which it hath not sowen It is most certaine
that no people of the West Indies haue beene more apt to receiue the Gospell then those which were most subiect to their Lords and which haue beene charged with the heauiest burthens as well of Tributes and Seruices as of Customes and bloudie Practises All that which the Mexican Kings and those of Peru did possesse is at this day most planted with Christian Religion and where there is least difficultie in the Gouernment and Ecclesiasticall Discipline The Indians were so wearied with the heauy and insupportable yoke of Satans lawes his sacrifices and ceremonies whereof wee haue formerly spoken that they consulted among themselues to seeke out a new Law and an other God to serue And therefore the Law of Christ seemed vnto them and doth at this day seeme iust sweet cleane good and full of happinesse And that which is difficult in our Law to beleeue so high and soueraigne Mysteries hath beene easie among them for that the Deuill had made them comprehend things of greater difficultie and the selfe-same things which hee had stolen from our Euangelicall Law as their manner of Communion and Confession their adoration of Three in One and such other like the which against the will of the Enemie haue holpen for the easie receiuing of the Truth by those who before had embraced Lyes God is wise and admirable in all his workes vanquishing the Aduersarie euen with his owne weapon hee takes him in his owne snare and kills him with his owne sword Finally our God who had created this People and who seemed to haue thus long forgot them when the houre was come hee would haue the same Deuils enemies to mankinde whom they falsly held for gods should giue a testimonie against their will of the true Law the power of Christ and the triumph of the Crosse as it plainly appeares by the presages prophesies signes and prodigies here before mentioned with many others happened in diuers parts and that the same ministers of Satan Sorcerers Magicians and other Indians haue confessed it And wee cannot denie it being most euident and knowne to all the World that the Deuill dareth not hisse and that the Practises Oracles Answers and visible Apparitions which were so ordinarie throughout all this Infidelitie haue ceased whereas the Crosse of Christ hath beene planted where there are Churches and where the Name of Christ hath beene confessed And if there be at this day any cursed minister of his that doth participate thereof it is in Caues and on the tops of Mountaines and in secret places farre from the name and communion of Christians The Soueraigne Lord be blessed for his great mercies and for the glorie of his holy Name And in truth if they did gouerne this people temporally and spiritually in such sort as the Law of Iesus Christ hath set it downe with a milde yoke and light burthen and that they would impose no more vpon them then they can well beare as the Letters Patents of the good Emperour of happy memorie doe command and that they would imploy halfe the care they haue to make profit of these poore mens sweats and labours for the health of their soules it were the most peaceable and happy Christian part of all the World c. CHAP. V. Of the ancient superstitions of the Mexicans and Indians of America gathered out of the fifth Booke of IOSEPHVS ACOSTA FIrst although the darknesse of Infidelitie holdeth these Nations in blindnesse yet in many things the light of Truth and Reason workes somewhat in them And they commonly acknowledge a supreme Lord and Author of all things which they of Peru called Vnachocha and gaue him names of great excellence as Pachacamac or Pachayachachic which is the Creator of Heauen and Earth and Vsapu which is admirable and other like names Him they did worship as the chiefest of all whom they did honor in beholding the Heauen The like wee see amongst them of Mexico and China and all other Infidels Which accordeth well with that which is said of Saint Paul in the Acts of the Apostles where he did see the Inscription of an Altar Ignoto Deo to the vnknowne God Whereupon the Apostle tooke occasion to preach vnto them saying Hee whom you worship without knowing him doe I preach vnto you In like sort those which at this day doe preach the Gospell to the Indians finde no great difficultie to perswade them that there is a High God and Lord ouer all and that this is the Christians God and the true God And yet it hath caused great admiration in mee that although they had this knowledge yet had they no proper Name for God if wee shall seeke into the Indian tongue for a word to answere to this Name of God as in Latin De●s in Greeke Theos in Hebrew El in Arabike Alla but we shall not finde any in the 〈◊〉 or Mexican tongues So as such as preach or write to the Indians vse our Spanish name Dios fitting it to the accent or pronunciation of the Indian tongues the which differ much whereby appeares the small knowledge they had of God seeing they cannot so much as name him if it be not by our very name yet in truth they had some little knowledge and therefore in P●ru they made him a rich Temple which they called Pachacamac which was the principall Sanctuarie o● the Realme And as it hath beene said this word of Pachacamac is as much to say as the Creator yet in this Temple they vsed their Idolatries worshipping the Deuill and Figures They likewise made Sacrifices and Offerings to Viracocha which held the chiefe place amongst the worships which the Ki●g● Iugu●● made Hereof they called the Spaniards Vir●cochas for that they hold opinion they are the 〈◊〉 of H●auen and diui●e e●en as others did attribute a Deitie to Paul and 〈◊〉 calling the one Iupiter and the other Mercurie so would they offer sacrifices vnto them as vnto gods and as the Barbarians of M●lit● which is Maltè seeing that the Viper did not hu●● the Apostle they called him God NExt to Viracocha or their supreme God that which most commonly they haue and doe adore amongst the Infidels is the Sunne and after those things which are most remark●able in the celestiall or ●lementarie nature as the Mo●ne Starres Sea and Land The Gui●cas or Oratories which the I●guas Lords of Peru had in greatest reuerence next to Viracocha and the Sunne was the Thunder which they called by three diuers names Ch●●●●illa Catuill● and I●tiillapa supposing it to be a man in heauen with a Sling and a Mace and that it is in his power to cause Raine Haile Thunder and all the rest that appertaines to the Region of the Aire where the Cloudes engender It was a Guac● for so they called their Oratories generall to all the Indians of Peru offering vnto him many sacrifices and in C●sc● which is the Court and Metropolitan Citie they did sacrifice children vnto him