onely over-grown with most beautiful Fennel called in Portugueze Funchal upon this Place afterwards was founded a Town to which was given the name of Funchal heretofore the Metropolis of the Eastern Islands as to Spiritualities and still so as to temporalities The Portugueze more modest than other Nations who vain-gloriously give great Names to their Plantations and discoveries have alwayes been contented either to continue the old names of their Colonies or if they gave them new appellations to bestow such on them as were most agreeable to the nature of the Place as for instance this famous City is called Funchal from the abundance of Fennel there found growing before ever the Town was built Three large Rivers having their Randevouze in this Valley just at disembouging themselves into the Sea make two small Islands which do in a manner land lock the Haven and secure the Port from the Wind and Sea as if it were a Mole Notwithstanding the great peace and tranquillity Gonsalve found yet would he not permit his people to be idle but alway busied them in some employment or other he himself still coasting the Country came to a large Rock which he called Praya Fermosa or the Fair Rock because of its greatness and the delicate water issuing thence which gently breaking its waves against the stones made a sweet melody Passing still on they found between two points a furious Torrent the waters whereof were so clear that it oblidged the curiosity of them all to look thereon In the company were two souldiers of Lagos for whom the General had a great esteem these being very skilful in swimming resolved to pass the Torrent but they were no sooner in but in spight of all their resistance they found themselves carried down the stream by the strength and swiftness of the current and had undoubtedly there been drowned had not their Companions succoured them This adventure gave the Torrent the name of Soccorides more happily than that of Agravados was given to the Arabian Sea of which our Historians make mention Being now come again to Cape St. Lawrence by which ran a River making the appearance of a Port into it Gonsalve with his Shallop entred imagining he might there find somewhat more of moment than hitherto he had seen because on the sand he thought he saw the traces of certain Animals which searching for of a sudden a great number Sea-wolves came rushing out of a hollow place which they found at the bottom of a great Mountain close by the Sea This concavity served these Creatures as a den to which they retired themselves when they left the Sea This being the most remarkable thing they found in the Island or their Voyage Gonsalve afterwards took the name and Title of Comerados Lobos as Scipio and Germanicus assumed theirs from the Provinces they conquered to the Roman Empire this name and Title Gonsalve's 〈◊〉 own and are called by to this day The Night after they had come into this place the Wind came so strong as it forced the very rivers back again and made so hideous a tempest as they were afraid they should have lost their Vessels and thereby all the good success they had had in their new discovery but it clearing up towards day the General for fear of such an after-clap and having now seen all that he could desire retired with his Vessels close to the aforesaid small Isles or place of safety and there he made provision of wood water birds plants and the Earth it self not only for Sea accommodation but also to present the King and Infant which having done he embarqued all his people and set sail for Portugal where he safely arrived in the end of the month of August in the same year one Thousand four Hundred and Twenty he made no anchorage at Algarues but directly entered the River and Port of Lisbon where he found his Master the Infant expecting him having not lost one man in this Voyage but having added to his Majesties Dominions the best Island in the Oriental Ocean The King and Infant received Gonsalve with a great deal of Joy and made him a welcome proportionable to the service he had rendred them for the which having given publick thanks to God for his mercies in giving them leave to discover new Seas and Lands wherein to glorifie his most holy Name they thought it convenient that the relation of the Voyage of Jean Gonsalve Zarco should be made in a publick Audience and therefore invited all the Embassadors and Ministers of forreign Princes to hear the relation of what he did so highly esteem Which day of audience being come the King Royal Family Grandees of the Kingdome Ambassadors and forreign Ministers being present Gonsalve was introduced into the Hall accompanied with the most considerable persons that were with him in his Voyage when having kissed his Majesties Hand and paid the Infant what respects were due unto him the King commanded Gonsalve to speak he then made an exact accompt of his Navigation and what befel him at Porto Santo of the great fear had possessed his men on sight of the dark Cloud notwithstanding which and their Mutiny how he perswaded them to go on their Voyage by informing them how much it imported the service of his most sacred Majesty and how much detriment it would prove to the whole Nation should they abandon it In what manner afterwards they discovered the Island he informed the King of the bigness fertility and situation thereof he also told the King the History of the English of the solitude and plenty of the place to which the King without any meditation gave the name of MADERA by reason of the great quantity of Wood Gonsalve had told him was growing thereon He then presented the King and Infant the Trunks of the Trees the Birds Water and Earth he had brought from thence It was soon after resolved by his Majesty and Councel that the Spring following Gonsalve should return with a plantation to Madera as Governour of the place which together with Title of Count the Eldest of that Family hitherto enjoy This Voyage was began in the Month of May Anno one thousand four hundred twenty and one the King gave Gonsalve leave to take all the criminals and condemned persons throughout the whole Kingdome but he would not accept of them but took all manner of care to provide necessaries for his Voyage which having done he parted from Lisbon with his Wife Constance Roderiquez de Sa who was descended from the antient Family of Almeyda Jean Gonsalve his Heir and Hellen and Beatrix his two Daughters In few days he arrived at Madera and having moored his Anchors in the place from whence the English first and after he landed in honour of Lionel Machin who was the first discoverer he called that Harbor Porto Machico or Machino which Name to this day it retains Gonsalve immediately began to lay the foundation of a Church resolving that the first Edifice should be Dedicated to our Saviour Jesus Christ as Lionel in his Epitaph had desired of the future Inhabitants of the Isle and to be more just to his memory raised the structure over the grave where he and his Mistriss lay buried and cutting down the great Tree he built there an Altar Our unhappy Lovers bones having at length this honourable repository But the Town he thought more convenient to build in the aforesaid Valley of Funchal because near it were the two small Isles with made so convenient a Harbor for shipping and also allured thereunto by the beauty of the place most proper for situation such a small original had the Town of Funchal which soon after became so illustrious and in which the first Altar was erected in a Church dedicated by Gonsalve to God our Saviour and the second commended to the Patronage of Saint Catherine by Consiance his Lady contrary to what Jean de Borros hath written who supposeth the founding of two other Churches This mistake makes me not credit what h e writes that Gonsalve should set fire to the Woods which lasted for seven years and could not be quenched so long as any trees were left to feed it which hath since made fewel excessive scarce in the Island for it appears plainly a fable since there is Wood and Trees still there in abundance enough to boil Sugars to set awork one hundred and fifty Mills for so many are now in the Isle wherefore his relations seem fabulous and incredible After the death of Don John his Son and Successor Don Duart considering what great expences his Brother the Infant Don Henry had been at to discover and people the Isle of Madera gave him the issues and profits thereof during life This donation was made at Cintra the six and twentieth day of September one thousand four hundred thirty and two And also for the same Reasons the King gave in perpetuity the Spiritual Jurisdiction thereof to the Order of Christ which was afterwards confirmed by King Don Alphonso in the year one thousand four hundred thirty and nine As also to encourage such other of his Subjects as should endeavour to deserve it He gave Jean Gonsalve Zarco and his descendants a Title of honor and new Coat of Arms now let it not seem strange that the Gentleman should alter his blazon since the Kings of Portugal themselves have changed their Royal and ancient Arms which were a Cross Argent in a Field Azure to those which they now bear The Escutcheon therefore his Sacred Majesty bestowed on him was a Castle Argent in a Field Sinople supported with two Sea-Wolves And his Title of Honour Marquess de Camara dos Lobos from the Sea-Wolves we formerly mentioned which Coat of Arms and Title still belong to the Posterity of this our worthy Discoverer FINIS
AN HISTORICAL RELATION Of the First DISCOVERY OF THE ISLE OF MADERA Written Originally in Portugueze by Don Francisco Alcafarado gentleman of the Bed-Chamber to the Infanta Don Henry younger Son of John the first King of PORTUGAL Who was one of the First Discoverers thence translated into French and now made English Barbaras bas Segetes Imposuit Tartar LONDON Printed for William Cademan at the sign of the of the Popes-Head at the Entrance into the New Exchange in the Strand 1675. AN HISTORICAL RELATION OF THE DISCOVERY Of the ISLE of MADERA AFter a tedious War England enjoying a profound Peace under the reign of her victorious Monarch Edward the third London her Metropolis where then resided the King surfeiting in Riches and Plenty did allure the young Gentle men to participate of her pleasures These having now no imployment for their swords did betake themselves to such Recreations as best suited with their natures Amongst whom Lionel Machin a younger Brother of a good but a decayed Family impoverisht in the former wars slighting the Vanities and Feastings to which his Companions who were thereunto addicted might by their examples invite him did deport himself with a more reserved behaviour His Beauty and Courage together with the good Fortune which usually attended his generous undertakings rendered him more considerable than was usual for Persons of his Age and Estate Thus generously demeaning himself Love insensibly crept into his heart for Arabella Darcy a most fair and beautiful youn g Lady the non-paril not onely of the Court but Kingdome famous for such wonders he publickly made his addresses of love unto which Passion he unadvisedly cherished without considering that his Mistress being in the prime of yourh and Beauty Heir to a great Estate and allied to a most honourable Family had by these motives attracted many Lords and Noble-men to be her Servants Notwithstanding Lionels merit made him more kindly be received by Arabella than any of his other Rivals who had submitted themselves under the Empire of so fair and charming a Sovereign But I intend not to write the particular History of their Loves and therefore shall omit by what means he at length arrived to so much happiness Let it suffice to know none of the Lords addresses were acceptable to Arabella she desiring nothing more than to make Lionel her Husband This was not well rellished by her Relations by whom her Father and Mother coming to understand the reciprocal kindness of our Lovers which they in vain saught to obstruct they immediately made their complaints to the King representing what a detriment such a marriage would prove to their Family they having before concluded a very advantagious match for their Daughter which she now refused to embrace and therefore they most humbly besaught his Majesty to use his Royal Authority to hinder it The King thought the best means was that Lionel by his Order should be arrested and that during his imprisonment Arabella should be compelled to marry the Nobleman her Parents had before designed her At the same time both the one and the other was executed Lionel being sent to Prison and Arabella in spight of all her repugnance forced to take the Lord for her husband Who presently after the wedding retlred with his Wife from London to his house at Bristol a Sea-port Town scituate on the River Avon which joyning with another River called the Severn coming from the Province of Gloucester both together disemboug themselves into the Irish Ocean Lionel hears the news of this Marriage with a great deal of Sorrow and being assured that Arabella's affection toward him was not diminished he lost all patience to be detained in Prison and therefore imployed his Friends to supplicate the King for his liberty which was not very difficult to obtain his Majesty having no farther end in the business than to content the Ladies Parents whose marriage being now solemnized and she removed a great way off he at small entreaty granted Lionel his liberty But as the violence which others use to hinder our desires doth rather augment than diminish their force So Lionells passion by his imprisonment grew stronger revolving in his mind during his restraint divers wayes how to be revenged of those he thought had done him wrong and resolved being now at liberty to execute them For this purpose secretly gathering together such of his Friends and Kinsmen in whom he put the most considence judging it necessary with some reasons to perswade them to be assistant to him in his designs he thus expressed himself You cannot but think that the resentment I have for the late affront put upon me is the cause of your present convention And I am perswaded if I were so base a Fellow to forget it yet you have so much honour as not to let me neglect a revenge The apparent injustice done me in forcing the Lady Arabella contrary to her inclinations to espouse him who it at present her Husband is no doubt a great affliction to her but more to me who was and still am her Lover Revenge and love hurry me on strange undertakings for I am resolved to take her from him and free my Mistress out of the hands of a man she hates The action I confess is both bold and dangerous but I should think my self unworthy of such Friends if I had not courage to attempt it with your assistance I would willingly undertake this concern alone and not expose you my Friends to the dangers that attend this enterprise but I should be unjust to you my worthy Kinsmen not to let you participate in the revenge for though the injury is only done me yet the affront is put upon our whole Family I were therefore much too blame if I went singly to retort abuses done us all Were the enterprise solely on my account I would not doubt your aid since enemies who openly offend us are more pardonable than those complemental Friends who in time of necessity refuse us their help should therefore any of you abandon me I have more reason to complain of him than of a professed Enemy But since I doubt not thereof let us Dear Friends consider how we may make our affronters sensible of the Injustice they have done us This Harangue of Lionell produced all the desired effects in the minds of them who heard it they unanimously promising not to leave him but resolving to run his Fortune Whereupon it was thought necessary they should then part and take several Roads to Bristol there to watch all means and take necessary measures to relieve Arabella The vicinity and commodity of the Sea did seem greatly to facilitate their enterprise France being pitched upon as a commodious retreat the great antipathy between that Crown and England promising them all the security they could desire They did not question good success it depending on their courages which were highly excited by divers heroique actions which had been gloriously atchieved when Love
at the end of which Epitaph they requested that if ever any Christians came to inhabit that solitary place they would over his grave erect a Church and dedicate it to our Saviour Jesus to worship and adore his holy name and pray for the Souls of our unhappy Lovers Lionel and Arabella dead the other gentlemen resolved not to stay any longer in that place but imployed themselves some to fit up their Shallop others to prepare water and the rest to kill birds and make provision for their Voyage they thinking it a great deal better to commit themselves to the mercy of the Sea in their small Shallop than spin out a lazy and idle life in that to them unpleasant place They soon had left the Land but by misfortune steering the same course the storm beforementioned obliged their freinds in the Ship to take they consequently fell in with the Coast of Africa which they looked upon as a Land of comfort But they had only escaped the danger of the deep to be slaves to the Barbarians and passing through divers hands they at length came to be bought by the King of Morrocco where they found their companions whom before they thought ship wrackt and this was their only consolation to find them in the same Captivity with themselves The Prison for Slaves in Morocco was like that which is this day used at Algiers in it were alwayes many Christian Slaves of divers Nations and amongst others there was a Spaniard born at Sevile by name Jean de Morales a man very skilful in Navigation having been for many years a Pilot. His curiosity was mightily pleased with the Narrative our captive English made him of their adventures the many years they were together gave him the larger means to know what he so much desired for he not only learned the marks to find but the situation of this new Land and also all the miraculous passages had happened to the English in their unhappy Voyage of which Relation he hoped to make good use for a discovery so soon as the time of his Slavery should be at an end But the better to apprehend those things which are necessary to be known in our History I must make a small digression and let me not be thought tedious if I spend some time on so profitable a subject The King Dom John the first of happy memory having made an end of his Wars with Castile and not judging it convenient to abandon his Subjects to idleness which peace might very much prompt them unto he resolved to imploy his arms against the avowed enemies of our Religion Pursuing this generous resolution he set a foot a good Army with which he invaded Africa and conquered the Town of Centa situate precisely in the Streight of the Gibralter which he made himself Master of in the year of our Lord one thousand four hundred and fifteen In which Expedition his Subjects served him as if his Children and his Children as if they had been his meanest Subjects The Prince of Portugal and all his Brethren were in this Expedition amongst whom Dom Henry the youngest Grand Master of the Order of Christ did signalize himself by many glorious undertakings among which none redounded more to his honour than the furtherance of this action we are now about to relate This Infant was alwayes much addicted to the Mathematical Sciences and more particularly to Cosmography which made him when at Centa in the African Expedition often converse with divers Moors and Jews who had Cognizance of remote places by them he understood their Coasts and Seas and upon such information did conceive an extream desire to discover and conquer them not so much out of Ambition to enlarge his own Dominions as to encrease the Kingdom of God With this resolution after the Conquest of Centa he retired to the Algarves and built on a convenient place of Cape Saint Vincent a Town to serve him as an Arsenal for his Shipping which he named Terca Nabal and it was also called The Town of the Infant Hence he began his new discoveries and Conquests setting out his Fleets from thence for the Atlantick and Occidental Oceans which were then held innavigable and had it not been for him might have so continued Albeit the Greeks to elevate their own actions say by Herodote with more Ostentation than truth that the Inhabitants of the Euxine Sea held for certain that the Atlantick had communication with the Red or Arabian Sea and they also affirm that it is writ in the Annals of Egypt that one of their Kings named Necus caused certain Phoenicians to set out upon a coasting Voyage who sailing from the Red Sea ran through the Ocean passing by the Pillars of Hercules and so come back to Egypt which Voyage he saith they made in two years The same Greeks likewise report that in the time of Xerxes a certain Captain named Sataspes doubled the Cape of Good Hope and so returned into Egypt by the Straight of Cadize And Strabo writes upon the Faith of the Grammarian Aristonicus that Menelaus did sail from Cadiz to the Indies Pomponius Mela also affirmes that Eudoxus flying from Jatythius King of Alexandria sailed from the Arabian Gulph till he came to Cadiz This is the same Pliny Solin Makian Artimedore Zenophon Lampsacene and others write But this is certain that at the time of our first Conquest and discoveries there was not any cognizance either in Europe or Africa of any such dangerous navigations and the Portugals affirm that the People of Asia whom they have likewise lately discovered know no more thereof than the other which doth not at all strengthen the Relations of the abovesaid Authors but rather diminish them if we believe the credit of what we have now alledged Jean Gonsalve Zaxoe Gentleman of the Bed-chamber to Don Henry was the principal Person served the Infant in his discoveries about which he did employ the Revenues of the Order of Christ This Gentleman was the first that King John made Knight at the taking of Centa he served the Infant with very good success in all his African expeditions and 't is held he was the first man which introduced the use of Artillery aboard Ships Having the command of the Princes navy he passed the straights in search of some parts of Africa in the Year One Thousand Four Hundred and Twenty he had before in the Year One Thousand Four Hundred and eighteen discovered the Island of Porto Santo upon which he was cast as he went in search of Cape Bajador The fifteenth of March in the Year One Thousand Four Hundred and Sixteen Don Sancho the youngest Son of Don Fredinando King of Arragon and great Master of the Order of Calatrava died in Castile and left by his Testament considerable sums of Money to redeem Christian Spanish slaves in Morocco with which Money a Foist was sent to Africa and and was returning thence for Tariff with some number of redeemed Christians
amongst which was our Jean de Morales At that time was Gonsalve cruising in the Straights with his Masters Fleet and whereas the Differences betwixt the two Crowns of Portugal and Castile were not yet so fully reconciled but that there remained some misunderstandings between them This made the Subjects of each King as they found themselves stronger to plunder the weaker as they met one another at Sea and Gonsalve discovering the Foist wherein were the redeemed Captives sent after her some light Vessels who after a small Chase came up with her boarded and without resistance took her Gonsalve seeing the misery of those whom he had now made Prisoners and knowing the Clemency of his Prince gave them all their liberty except Jean de Morales because it had been told him he was a man of great experience in Martime affairs thinking him a fit present for Don Henry and that he would be very useful in the Discoveries the Prince was then a making Jean de Morales being informed of his new imprisonment and the cause for which he was detained did not grieve but on the contrary freely offered to serve the Infant and promised to endeavour to answer the Hopes they had done him the honour to conceive of him and to render himself more gracious with Gonsalve communicated unto him some part of the secret of the New Island he intended to discover and to gain the more Credit to his relation told him the History of Lionel and Arabella Gonsalve no sooner understood this narrative but he returned to Tarca Nalbal more rich in Hope than in the prizes during his Voyage he had taken being there arrived he told the Infant what a lucky rancounter he had met presenting him Jean de Morales giving to him an account of his profession and secrets Don Henry received him with a great deal of kindness and having heard what he could say conceived an extream impatience to execute an enterprise so agreeable to his nature To his effect he resolved Gonsalve should go to Lisbon where the King his Father was to communicate to his Majesty what he knew in the premises and the better to content the King and satisfie his Ministers he sent with him Jean de Morales to the end he might answer all Objections which might be made by those who having neither mind nor courage to undertake such Actions are accustomed to thwart them who are the propounders by alledging the difficulties and impossibilities such discoveries bring along with them thereb y endeavouring to perswade others that things of this nature will never be attained unless they appear extream feasible Whilst Gonfalve was on his journey to Court accompanied with the Captains Jean Laurence Frances Carvalail Ruy Paes Alvare Alfons and Francis de Alcafarano who writ this History and also with two other Gentlemen very skilful in Navigation called Antony Gags and Laurence Gomoz Don Henry gave order to equipy a Fleet to follow this discovery which he resolved in case the King denyed him assistance himself to prosecute The favourable reception which the King made Gonsalue and the Pilot occasioned by the great advantage and the smallness of the risque and charge which the Infant propounded as sufficient for the enterprise were not sufficient motives to some Statesmen to forward the business but on the contrary envying the grandeur of the Infant did what lay in their power to obstruct the design Though Gonsalve was received with a great deal of honour at Lisbon yet the King making no haste in the affair he gave the Infant notice of the great impediments his pretensions met with and what pains he was at to perswade those Ministers to receive the treasures he freely offered the King and that the difficulty was made greater because it was apprehended he would convert them to his particular advantage On this advice the Prince being resolute not to leave the discovery came himself to Court where he was no sooner arrived but he removed all obstructions which hindred the Expedition so that in the beginning of June in the year 1420 Gonsalve was set to set to Sea with one Ship very well equippied and another Vessel which rowed with Oars with which on such occasions they used to serve themselves So inconsiderable was the Fleet which parted from Lisbon for a discovery of so great importance There ran a rumour among the Portugals that off the Island Porto Santo to which place Gonsalve intended first to steer towards the North-east there usually appeared a perpetual obscurity which alwayes extended it self from the Sea to the Sky and never diminished but alwayes did appear in the very same manner this every one knew to be true that lived in Porto Santo and because in that infancy of Navigation they wanted the use of the Astrolabe and other instruments since invented it was judged miraculous if not impossible to go and return from that black place or Cloud but that they who should venture must of necessity for their boldness lose their lives This ignorance of the Sea and its secrets was the cause that this obscurity was generally called an Abyss Some said it was the mouth of Hell and were upheld in their opinions by Divines as simple as themselves who offered to prove both by Argument and Authorities that it might very well be so The Historian who pretend to be more knowing than the others did esteem it to be the Island anciently called Cipango which God had wonderfully hidden in the Clouds to protect the Spanish and Portugueze Bishops and Christians who had retired themselves thither out of the persecution of the Moors and Saracens And that it was directly contrary to God's pleasure to endeavour a clearer discovery for if he had pleased to have it performed he would have manifested his approbation by such miracles as usually precede his allowance and that besides divers such ancient Prophecies under severe penalties forbid the further search into this Mistery Gonsalve sailed towards the Isle of Porto Santo in very fair weather and proper for his voyage but fearing in the dark he might pass something worthy of note he made them every night lower their Sails and lie at Hull proceeding onely in the day that he might the better see any land they should accidently discover This was no such hindrance unto him but that in a little time he arrived at Porto Santo where he and the rest of his company were shewed the black Cloud beforementioned which Jean de Morales judged to be the beginning of that Land they saught after Here they held a Counsel and resolved to stay in the Isle that quarter of the Moon to see if that cloud of Darkness did either vary its shape or diminish its bigness but it alwayes continuing in the same form and magnitude gave them a great deal more cause to dispair than hope for a good effect The Pilot Jean de Morales was of opinion by the information he had received from the English and the course