Cuius si quantitatem requitis non nisi machinis instrumentorum genere adminiculo leuari poterat si qualitatem nec maâ—eria nec opere ipsum putem aliquando ab aliquo huiusce apparatu superatum iri Literas quoque mellito sermone plenas pariter direxerat quarum hic tenor fuit Praecordiali amico suo Frederico Dei gratia Romanorum imperatori inuictissimo Henricus Rex Angliae dux Normanniae Aquitaniae Comes Andegauensis salutem verae dilectionis concordiam Excellentiae vestrae quantas possumus referimus grates dominantium optime quod nos nuncijs vestris visitare salutare literis muneribus praeuenire quod his charius amplectimur pacis amoris inuicem dignatus estis foedera inchoare Exultauimus quodammodo animum nobis crescere in maius sensimus euehi dum vestra promissio in qua nobis spem dedistis in disponendis Regni nostri negocijs alacriores nos reddidit promptiores Exultauimus in quam tota mente magnificentiae vestrae assurreximus id vobis in sincero cordis affectu respondentes quod quicquid ad honorem vestrum spectare nouerimus pro posse nostro effectui mancipare parati sumus Regnum nostrum quicquid vbique nostrae subijcitur ditioni vobis exponimus vestre committimus potestari vt ad vestrum nutum omnia disponantur in omnibus vestri fiat voluntas imperij Sit igitur inter nos populos nostros dilectionis pacis vnitas indiuisa commercia tuta Ita tamen vt vobis qui dignitate praeminetis imperandi cedat authoritas nobis non deerit voluntas obsequendi Et sicut vestrae Serenitatis memoriam vestrorum excitat in nobis munerum largitio sic vos nostri quoque reminisci praeoptamus mittentes quae pulchriora penes nos erant vobis magis placitura Attendite itaque dantis affectum non data eo animo quo dantur accipite De manu beati Iacobi super qua nobis scripsistis in ore magistri Hereberti Guilielmi Clerici nostri verbuÌ„ posuimus Teste Thoma Cancellario apud Northanton The same in English THere were present also the same time the messengers of Henry king of England presenting diuers rich and precious gifts and that with great learning eloquence of speech Amongst the which we saw a pauilion most large in quantity most excellent in quality For if you desire to know the quantitie therof it could not be erected without engines and a kinde of instruments and maine force if the qualitie I thinke there was neuer any furniture of the same kinde that surpassed the same either in stuffe or workemanship The said king directed his letters also full of sugred speeches the tenour whereof was this that followeth To his entirely beloued friend Frederick by the grace of God Emperour of the Romanes most inuincible Henry king of England duke of Normandie and Aquitaine Earle of Anjou wisheth health and concord of sincere amitie We doe render vnto your highnes most renowmed and peerelesse Prince exceeding great thanks for that you haue so graciously vouchsafed by your messengers to visite vs in your letters to salute vs with your gifts to preuent vs and which wee doe more highly esteeme of then all the rest to beginne a league of peace and friendship betweene vs. We reioyced and in a maner sensibly felt our selues to bee greatly emboldened and our courage to encrease whilest your promise whereby you put vs in good comfort did make vs more cheerefull and resolute in managing the affaires of our kingdome We reioyced I say in our secret cogitations did humble obeisance vnto your Maiestie giuing you at this time to vnderstand froÌ„ the sincere vnfained affection of our heart that whatsoeuer we shal know to tend vnto your honour we are to our power most ready to put in practise Our kingdome and whatsoeuer is vnder our iurisdiction we doe offer vnto you and commit the same vnto your highnesse that all matters may be disposed according to your direction and that your pleasure may in all things be fulfilled Let there be therefore betweene our selues and our subiects an indiuisible vnitie of friendship and peace and safe trade of Marchandize yet so as that vnto you who excell in dignitie authoritie in commanding may bee ascribed and diligence in obeying shall not want in vs. And as the liberalitie of your rewards doeth often put vs in remembrance of your Maiestie euen so in like maner sending vnto your Highnesse the most rare things in our custodâ—e and which we thought should be most acceptable vnto you wee doe most heartily with that your selfe also would not altogether bee vnmindefull of vs. Haue respect therefore not vnto the gifts but vnto the affection of the giuer and accept of them with that minde wherewith they are offered vnto you Concerning the hand of S. Iames about which you wrote vnto vs we haue sent you word by M. Herbert and by William the Clerke Witnes Thomas our Chancelour at Northanton A generall safe conduct graunted to all forreine Marchants by king Iohn in the first yeere of his reigne as appeareth in the Records of the Tower Anno 1. Regis Ioannis IOannes Dei gratia c. Maiori Communitati Londinensi salutem Sciatis voluntatem esse nostram quod omnes Mercatores de quacunque fuerint terra saluum habeant conductum ire redire cum mercibus suis in Angliam Volumus etiam quod ean dem habeant pacem in Anglia quam Mercatores de Anglia habent in terris illis vnde fuerunt egressi Et ideo vobis praecipimus quod hoc faciatis denunciati in Balliua vestra firmiter teneri permittentes eos ire redire sine impedimento per debitas rectas solitas consuetudines in Balliua vestra Teste Galfredo silio Perri comite Essexiae apud Kinefard 5. die Aprilis In eadem forma scribitur vicecomiti Sudsex Maiori communitati Ciuitatis Winton Balliuo de Southampton Balliuo de Lenne Balliuo Kent Vicecomiti Norffolciae Suffolciae Vicecomiti dorset Sommerset Baronibus de quinque portubus Vicecomiti de Southampton sire Vicecomiti de Herteford Essex Vicecomiti Cornubiae Deuon The same in English IOhn by the grace of God c. to the Maior and communaltie of London greeting You are to vnderstand that it is our pleasure that all Marchants of what nation soeuer shall haue safe conduct to passe and repasse with their Marchandize into England It is our will also that they be vouchsafed the same fauour in England which is granted vnto the English Marchants in those places from whence they come And therefore we giue you in charge that you cause this to be published and proclaimed in your bailiwicke firmely to be obserued permitting them to goe come without impediment according to the due right and ancient customes vsed
Kingdome and buy and sell in the Citie of London Wherefore we will and firmely command for vs and our heires that the forenamed Marchants of Colen may enioy the liberties and free priuiledges aboue-mentioned throughout our whole kingdome of England as is aforesaid Witnesses the reuerend father Walter Bishop of Carlil William de Ferarijs Gilbert Basset Walter de Beau-champ Hugh Disspenser Walter Marescal Geofrie Disspensser Bartholomew Peach Bartholomew de Saukeuill and others Giuen by the hand of the reuerend father Ralph Bishop of Chichester and our Chauncellour at Dauintre the eight day of Nouember in the twentieth yeere of our reigne Carta Lubecensibus ad septennium concessa Anno 41. Henrici 3. HEnricus dei gracia Rex Angliae dominus Hiberniae dux Normanniae Aquitaniae Comes Andegauiae omnibus Balliuis suis salutem Sciatis nos ad instantiam dilecti fidelis fratris nostri Ricardi Comitis Cornubiae in Regem Romanorum electi suscepisse in protectionem defensionem nostram saluum securum conductum nostrum Burgenses de Lubek in Alemania cum omnibus rebus mercandisis quas in Regnum nostrum deferent vel facient deferri Et eis concessimus quod de omnibus rebus mercandisis suis nihil capiatur ad opus nostrum vel alterius contra voluntatem corundem sed libere vendant negocientur inde in Regno praedicto prout sibi viderint expedite Et ideo vobis mandamus quod dictis Burgensibus vel eorum nuncijs in veniendo in terram nostram cum rebus mercandisis suis ibidem morando inde recedendo nullum inseratis aut ab alijs inferri permittatis impedimentum aut grauamen Nec eos contra quietantiam praedictam vexetis aut ab alijs vexari permittatis In cuius rei testimonium has literas nostras fieri fecimus patentes per septennium durantes Dum tamen ijdem Burgenses interim bene fideliter se habuerint erga praefatum electum fratrem nostrum Teste meipso apud Westmonasterium vndecimo die Maij Anno Regni nostri quadragesimo primo Haec litera duplicata est pro Burgensibus mercatoribus Dacis Brunswig Lubek The same in English The charter of Lubek granted for seuen yeeres obtained in the one and fortieth yeere of Henry the third HEnry by the grace of God King of England Lord of Ireland Duke of Normandie and Aquitaine and Earle of Anjou to all his Bailifs sendeth greeting Know ye that at the instant request of our welbeloued and trusty brother Richard Earle of Cornewal being of late elected king of the Romanes we haue receiued vnder our protection and defence and vnder our safe and secure conduct the citizens of Lubek in Alemain with all their goods and wares which they shall bring or cause to be brought into our kingdome We haue also granted vnto them that of all their goods and merchandize nothing shal be seized vnto the vse of our selues or of any other without their owne consent but that they may freely sell and exercise traffike therewith according as they shall thinke expedient And therefore we straightly command you that neither your selues do offer nor that you permit any other to offer any impediment or molestation vnto the said Burgers or vnto their messengers either at their comming into our land with their goods and marchandize in the time of their abode there or at their departure from thence and that yee neither molest them your selues nor yet suffer them by others to be molested contrary to the aforesaid Charter In testimonie whereof we haue caused these our Letters to be made Patents during the space of seuen yeeres next following Prouided that the sayd Burghers doe in the meane time behaue themselues well and faithfully towards our foresaid elected brother Witnesse our selues at Westminster the eleuenth day of March in the one and fortieth yeere of our reigne This Letter was doubled namely for the Burghers and the Marchants of Denmarke of Brunswig and of Lubecke Carta pro Mercatoribus Alemanniae qui habent domum in London quae Gildhalla Teutonicorum vulgariter nuncupatur Anno 44. Henriciterty Anno primo 29. Edwardi primi renouata confirmata AD instantiam Serenissimi principis Richardi Romanorum Regis charissimi fratris nostri concedimus mercatoribus Alemanniae illis videlicet qui habent domum in Ciuitate nostra London quae Gildhalla Teutonicorum vulgariter nuncupatur quod eos vniuersos manutenebimus per totum RegnuÌ„ nostrum in omnibus ijsdem libertatibus liberis consuetudinibus quibus ipsi nostris progenitorum nostrorum temporibus vsi sunt gauisi Ipsosque extra huiâ—sinodi libertates liberas consuetudines non trahemus nec trahi aliquatenus permittemus In cuius rei testimonium has literas nostras fieri fecimus patentes The same in English A charter for the Marchants of Almaine who haue an house at London commonly called the Guildhall of the Dutch graunted in the 44. yeere of Henry the third renued and confirmed in the 1. 29. yeere of Edward the first AT the instant request of the most gracious Prince Richard king of the Romanes our most deare brother wee doe graunt vnto the Marchants of Alemain namely vnto those that haue an house in our citie of London commonly called the Guildhall of the Dutch Merchants that we will throughout our whole Realme maintaine all and euery of them in all those liberties and free customes which both in our times and in the times of our progenitors they haue vsed and enioyed Neither will we inforce them beyond these liberties and free customes nor in any wife permit them to be inforced In witnesse whereof wee haue caused these our letters to be made patents Mandatum regis Edwardi primi de mercatoribus alienigenis MErcatores extranei vendant mercimonia sua in ciuitate London c. infra quadraginta dies post ingressum suum anno 3. Edwardi primi The same in English A mandate of king Edward the first concerning outlandish marchants VVE will and command that outlandish marchants doe sel their wares in the citie of London c. within forty dayes of their arriuall The great Charter granted vnto forreine marchants by king Edward the first in the 31 yeare of his reigne commonly called Carta mercatoria Anno Domini 1303. EDwardus Dei gratia Rex Angliae Dominus Hiberniae dux Aquitaniae Archiepiscopis Episcopis Abbatibus Prioribus Comitibus Baronibus Iustitiarijs Vicecomitibus praepositis ministris omnibus balliuis fidelibus suis salutem Circa bonum statum omnium mercatorum subscriptorum regnorum terrarum prouinciatum videlicet Alemanniae Franciae Hispaniae Protugalliae Nauarrae Lombardiae Thusciae Prouincie Cataloniae ducatus nostri Aquitaniae Tholosanie Caturluni Flandriae Brabantie omnium aliarum terrarum locorum extraneorum quocunque nomine censeantur venientium in regnum nostrum Anglie ibidem
And yet not containing themselues within all that maine circumference they haue aduentured their persons shippes and goods homewards and outwards foureteene times ouer the vnknowen and dangerous Caspian sea that valiant wise and personable gentleman M. Anthonie Ienkinson being their first ring-leader who in Anno 1558. sailing from Astracan towards the East shore of the Caspian sea and there arriuing at the port of Mangusla trauelled thence by Vrgence and Shelisur and by the riuers of Oxus and Ardok 40. dayes iourney ouer desert and wast countreys to Boghar a principall citie of Bactria being there by the way friendly entertained dismissed and safely conducted by certaine Tartarian kings and Murses Then haue you a second Nauigation of his performance to the South shore of the foresayd Caspian sea together with his landing at Derbent his arriuall at Shabran his proceeding vnto Shamaky the great curtesie vouchsafed on him by Obdolowcan king of Hircan his iourney after of 30. dayes Southward by Yauate Ardouil and other townâ—s and cities to Casben being as then the seate imperiall of Shaugh Thamas the great Sophy of Persia with diuers other notable accidents in his going foorth in his abode there and in his returne home Immediately after you haue set downe in fiue seuerall voiages the successe of M. Ienkinsons laudable and well-begun enterprise vnder the foresayd Shaugh Thamas vnder Shally Murzey the new king of Hircan and lastly our traffique with Osman Basha the great Turkes lieutenant at Derbent Moreouer as in M. Ienkinsons trauel to Boghar the Tartars with their territories habitations maner of liuing apparell food armour c. are most liuely represented vnto you so likewise in the sixe Persian Iournals you may here and there obserue the state of that countrey of the great Shaugh and of his subiects together with their religion lawes customes maner of gouernment their coines weights and measures the distances of places the temperature of the climate and region and the natural commodities and discommodities of the same Furthermore in this first Volume all the Ambassages and Negotiations from her Maiestie to the Russian Emperor or from him vnto her Maiestie seemed by good right to chalenge their due places of Record As namely first that of M. Randolph 1568. then the emploiment of M. Ienkinson 1571. thirdly Sir Ierome Bowes his honorable commission and ambassage 1582. and last of all the Ambassage of M. Doct. Fletcher 1588. Neither do we forget the Emperours first Ambassador Osep Napea his arriuall in Scotland his most honourable entertainment and abode in England and his dismission into Russeland In the second place we doe make mention of Stephen Tuerdico and Pheodata Pogoâ—ella thirdly of Andrea Sauin and lastly of Pheodor Andrewich Phisemski And to be briefe I haue not omitted the Commissions Letters Priuileges Instructions Obseruations or any other Particulars which might serue both in this age and with all posteritie either for presidents in such like princely and weightie actions to bee imitated or as woorthy monuments in no wise to bee buried in silence Finally that nothing should be wanting which might adde any grace or shew of perfection vnto this discourse of Russia I haue prefixed before the beginning thereof the petigree and genealogie of the Russian Emperors and Dukes gathered out of their owne Chronicles by a Polonian containing in briefe many notable antiquities and much knowledge of those partes as likewise about the conclusion I haue signified in the branch of a letter the last Emperour Pheodor Iuanowich his death and the inauguration of Boris Pheodorowich vnto the Empire But that no man should imagine that our forren trades of merchandise haue bene comprised within some few yeeres or at least wise haue not bene of any long continuance let vs now withdraw our selues from our affaires in Russia and ascending somewhat higher let vs take a sleight suruey of our traffiques and negotiations in former ages First therefore the Reader may haue recourse vnto the 124 page of this Volume there with great delight and admiration consider out of the iudicial Historiographer Cornelius Tacitus that the Citie of London fifteene hundred yeeres agoe in the time of Nero the Emperour was most famous for multitude of merchants and concourse of people In the pages folowing he may learne out of Venerable Beda that almost 900. yeeres past in the time of the Saxons the said citie of London was multorum emporium populorum a Mart-towne for many nations There he may behold out of William of Malmesburie a league concluded betweene the most renoumed and victorious Germane Emperour Carolus Magnus and the Saxon king Offa together with the sayd Charles his patronage and protection granted vnto all English merchants which in those dayes frequented his dominions There may bee plainly see in an auncient testimonie translated out of the Saxon tongue how our merchants were often woont for traffiques sake so many hundred yeeres since to crosse the wide Seas and how their industry in so doing was recompensed Yea there mayest thou obserue friendly Reader what priuileges the Danish king Canutus obtained at Rome of Pope Iohn of Conradus the Emperour and of king Rudolphus for our English merchants Aduenturers of those times Then if you shall thinke good to descend vnto the times and ages succeeding the conquest there may you partly see what our state of merchandise was in the time of king Stephen and of his predecessor and how the Citie of Bristol which may seeme somewhat strange was then greatly resorted vnto with ships from Norway and from Ireland There may you see the friendly league betweene king Henry the second and the famous Germane Emperour Friderick Barbarossa and the gracious authorizing of both their merchaÌ„ts to traffique in either of their dominions And what need I to put you in mind of king Iohn his fauourable safe-conduct whereby all forren merchants were to haue the same priuileges here in England which our English merchants enioied abroad in their seuerall countreys Or what should I signifie vnto you the entercourse of league and of other curtesies betweene king Henry the third and Haquinus king of Norway and likewise of the free trade of merchandise between their subiects or tell you what fauours the citizens of Colen of Lubek and of all the Hanse-townes obtained of king Edward the first or to what high endes and purposes the generall large and stately Charter concerning all outlandish merchants whatsoeuer was by the same prince most graciously published You are of your owne industry sufficiently able to conceiue of the letters negotiatioÌ„s which passed between K. Edward the 2. Haquinus the Noruagian king of our English merchants and their goods detained vpon arrest at Bergen in Norway and also of the first ordination of a Staple or of one onely setled Mart-towne for the vttering of English woolls woollen fells instituted by the sayd K. Edward last before named All which Reader being throughly considered I referre you then
then I suppose an army of an hundred thousand good souldiers could haue done The other to wit William de Rubricis was 1253 by the way of Constantinople of the Euxin sea and of Taurica Chersonesus imployed in an ambassage from Lewis the French King waging warre as then against the Saracens in the Holy land vnto one Sartach a great duke of the Tartars which Sartach sent him forthwith vnto his father Baatu and from Baatu he was conducted ouer many large territories vnto the Court of Mangu-Can their Emperour Both of them haue so well played their parts in declaring what befell them before they came at the Tartars what a terrible and vnmanerly welcomming they had at their first arriuall what cold intertainment they felt in traueiling towards the great Can and what slender cheere they found at his Court that they seeme no lesse worthy of praise then of pitie But in describing of the Tartars Countrey and of the Regions adiacent in setting downe the base and sillie beginnings of that huge and ouerspreading Empire in registring their manifolde warres and bloody conquests in making relation of their hords and mooueable Townes as likewise of their food apparell and armour and in setting downe their vnmercifull lawes their fond superstitions their bestiall liues their vicious maners their slauish subiection to their owne superiours and their disdainfull and brutish inhumanitie vnto strangers they deserue most exceeding and high commendation Howbeit if any man shall obiect that they haue certaine incredible relations I answere first that many true things may to the ignorant seeme incredible But suppose there be some particulars which hardly will be credited yet thus much I will boldly say for the Friers that those particulars are but few and that they doe not auouch them vnder their owne names but from the report of others Yet farther imagine that they did auouch them were they not to be pardoned as well as Herodotus Strabo Plutarch Plinie Solinus yea a great many of our new principall writers whose names you may see about the end of this Preface euery one of which hath reported more strange things then the Friers between theÌ„ both Nay there is not any history in the world the most Holy writ excepted whereof we are precisely bound to beleeue ech word and syllable Moreouer sithens these two iournals are so rare that Mercator and Ortelius as their letters vnto me do testifie were many yeeres very inquisitiue and could not for all that attaine vnto them and sithens they haue bene of so great accompt with those two famous Cosmographers that according to some fragments of them they haue described in their Mappes a great part of those Northeastern Regions sith also that these two relations containe in some respect more exact history of those vnknowen parts then all the ancient and newe writers that euer I could set mine eyes on I thought it good if the translation should chance to swerue in ought from the originals both for the preseruation of the originals themselues and the satisfying of the Reader to put them downe word for word in that homely stile wherein they were first penned And for these two rare iewels as likewise for many other extraordinary courtesies I must here acknowledge my selfe most deepely bounden vnto the right reuerend graue and learned Prelate my very good lord the Bishop of Chichester and L. high Almner vnto her Maiestie by whose friendship and meanes I had free accesse vnto the right honorâ— my L. Lumley his stately library and was permitted to copy out of ancient manuscripts these two iournals and some others also After these Friers though not in the next place foloweth a testimonie of Geraâ—dus Mercator and another of M. Dee concerning one Nicholas de Linna an English Franciscan Frier Then succeedeth the long iourney of Henry Earle of Derbie and afterward king of England into Prussia Lithuania with a briefe remembrance of his valiant exploits against the Infidels there as namely that with the help of certaine his Associates he vanquished the king of Letto his armie put the sayd king to flight tooke and slew diuers of his captains aduanced his English colours vpon the wall of Vilna made the citie it selfe to yeeld Then mention is made also of Tho. of Woodstock his trauel into Pruis and of his returne home And lastly our old English father Ennius I meane the learned wittie and profound Geffrey Chaucer vnder the person of his knight doeth full iudicially and like a cunning Cosmographer make report of the long voiages and woorthy exploits of our English Nobles Knights Gentlemen to the Northren and to other partes of the world in his dayes Neither haue we comprehended in this Volume onely our Trades and Voiages both new and old but also haue scattered here and there as the circumstance of times would giue vs leaue certaine fragments concerning the beginnings antiquities and grouth of the classical and warrelike shipping of this Island as namely first of the great nauie of that victorious Saxon prince king Edgar mentioned by Florentius Wigorniensis Roger Houeden Rainulph of Chester Matthew of Westminster Flores historiarum in the libel of English policie pag. 202. and 203. of this present volume Of which Authors some affirme the sayd Fleet to haue consisted of 4800. others of 4000. some others of 3600. ships howbeit if I may presume to gloze vpon the text I verily thinke that they were not comparable either for burthen strength building or nimble stirrage vnto the ships of later times and specially of this age But howsoeuer it be they all agree in this that by meanes of the sayd huge Fleet he was a most puissant prince yea and some of them affirme together with William of Malmesbury that he was not onely soueraigne lord of all the British seas and of the whole Isle of Britaine it selfe but also that he brought vnder his yoke of subiection most of the Isles and some of the maine lands adiacent And for that most of our Nauigators at this time bee for want of trade and practise that way either vtterly ignorant or but meanely skilfull in the true state of the Seas Shoulds and Islands lying between the North part of Ireland and of Scotland I haue for their better encouragement if any weightie action shall hereafter chance to drawe them into those quarters translated into English a briefe treatise called A Chronicle of the Kings of Man Wherein they may behold as well the tragical and dolefull historie of those parts for the space almost of 300. yeeres as also the most ordinarie and accustomed nauigations through those very seas and amidst those Northwesterne Isles called the Hebrides so many hundred yeeres agoe For they shall there read that euen then when men were but rude in sea-causes in regard of the great knowledge which we now haue first Godredus Crouan with a whole Fleet of ships throughly haunted some places in that sea secondly that one Ingemundus setting
thy sake bestowed vpon this first Volume which if thou shalt as thankefully accept as I haue willingly and freely imparted with thee I shall bee the better encouraged speedily to acquaint thee with those rare delightfull and profitable histories which I purpose God willing to publish concerning the Southerne and Westerne partes of the World ¶ Postscriptum Not knowing any other place so conuenient I am here to aduertise the friendly Reader of certaine faultes escaped in the printing of this booke and to request him that in the Page 54. and in the last line saue two hee would in stead of Kine read Swine and he shall thereby auoid a great contradiction likewise pag. 187. that hee would vnto the ende of the second verse of the Prologue to the English Policy make supply of the word Rest which is there wanting also pag. 221. lin 29. for woorthinesse read woorthies c. Other faults if there bee any are I doubt not easily corrigible ΕἸΣ ᾈΠΟΔΗΜΙΑΣ ΒΡΕΤΤΑÎΩΠΠΌÎΗΜΑ ΡΙΧî¿Î¡Î‘ΡΔΟΥ ΤΟΥ á¾ÎšÎ”ΥΙΥΟΥ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In nauales RICHARDI HAKLVYTI Commentarios ANglia magnarum foecunda puerpera rerum siue solum spectes nobile siue salum Quae quantum sumptis se nobilitauerit armis siue domi gessit praelia siue foris Multorum celebrant matura volumina tantae Insula materiem paruula landis alit At se in quot qualésque quando effuderit orâ—s qua fidit ignotum peruia classis iter Solius Hakluyti decus est praediuite penna ostendisse suis ciuibus ausa mari Quaecunque idcirco celeri gens Anglica naui Oceani tristes spernere doctaminas A prima generisque gentis origine gessit qua via per fluctus vlla patere potest Siue decus laudémque secuta vt hostibus alas demeret atque suis laeta pararet opes Hoc opus Hakluyti cui debet patria multum cui multum patriae quisquis amicus erit Qua re námque magis se nostra Britannia iactat quà m quòd sit praeter caetera classe potens Quam prius obsessam tenebris sic liberaâ— vt nunc quisque sciat quà m sit nobile classis opus Quaâ— si Daedalicè vtemur surgemus in altum sin autem â—earicè quod voret aequor habet RICH. MVLCASTER Eiusdem in eundem QVi graui primus cecinit camoena Aureum vellus procerésque Graecos quos sibi adiunxit comites IaÌ„son Vectus in Argo Naue quam primùm secuisse fluctus praedicant salsos sibi comparauit Inde non vnquam moritura magnae praemia famae Tanta si merces calamum secuta Vnicae nauis referentis acta Quanta Richardum manet Hakluytum gloria cuius Penna descripsit freta mille mille Insulae nostrae celeres carinas Quae per immensi loca peruolarunt omnia mundi Senties gratam patriam tuaeque Laudis aeternùm memorem laboris Quae tua cura calamóque totum ibit in orbem Quam doces omni studio fouere Naâ—ticum robur validámque classem Hac luet quisquis violentus Anglos vsserit hostis In eximium opus R. HAKLVYTI de Anglorum ad disiunctissimas regiones nauigationibus GVLIELMI CAMDâ—NI Hexastichon ANglia quae penitùs toto discluditur orbe Angulus orbis erat paruus orbis erat Nunc cùm sepositos alios detexerit orbes Maximus orbis honos Orbis orbis erit At quid Haklute tibi monstranti haec debeat orbis Laus tua crede mihi non erit orbe minor DI MARC ' ANTONIO PIGAfeta Gentilhuomo Vicentino IGnota mi starei con poto honore Sepolta nell ' oscure antiche carte S'alcun de figli mieicon spesa arte Non hauesse hor scoperto il mio splendore Ramusio pria pieno d'ardente amore Manifesto le mie piu riche parte Che son lá doue il Maragnon diparte E doue il Negro allaga e'l Gange scorre Hakluyto poi senza verunrisguardo Di fatica o di danno accolt ' hà insieme Ciò c'hà potuto hauer dâ— typhi Inglesi Onde veâ—rassie doue bella sguardo E la Dwina agghiaccia el'Obi freme Et altri membri mici non ben palesi ¶ A Catalogue of the Voyages of this first volume made to the North and Northeast quarters 1 THe voyage of Arthur K. of Britaine to Island and the most Northeaâ—tern parts of Europe Anno 517. pag. 1. 2 The voyage of Malgo king of Britaine to Island Gotland Orkney Denmark and Norway Anno 580. pag. 3. 3 The conquest of the Isles of Anglesey and Man by Edwin the Saxon king of Northumberland Anno 624. 3. 4 The voyage of Bertus into Ireland Anno 684. 4. 5 The voyage of Octher to the North parts beyond Norway about the yeere 890. 4. 6 The second voyage of Octher into the Sound of Denmarke 5. 7 Wolstans Nauigation into the East sea or the Sound of Denmarke 6. 8 The voyage of King Edgar with 4000. shippes round about his large Monarchie Anno 973. 6. 9 The voyage of Edmund and Edward the sonnes of King Edmund Ironside into Hungary Anno 1017. 9. 10 The mariage of the daughter of Harald vnto Ieruslaus duke of Russia in his owne Countrey Anno 1067. 16. 11 The voyage of a certaine Englishman into Tartaria and from thence into Poland and Hungary Anno 1243. â—0 12 The long and wonderfull voyage of Frier Iohn de Plano Carpini Anno 1246. 21,37,53 13 The iournall of Frier William de Rubricis Anno 1253. 71,93 14 The voyage of Nicolaus de Linna a Franciscan Frier and an excellent Mathematician of Oxford to all the Regions situate vnder the North-pole Anno 1360. 121. 15 The voyage of Henry Earle of Derby afterward King of England into Prussia and Letto Anno 1390. 122. 16 The voyage of Thomas of Woodstock duke of Glocester into Prussia Anno 1391. 123. 17 The voyage of sir Hugh Willoughby knight wherein he vnfortunately perished at Arzina Reca in Lapland Anno 1553. 232. 18 The voyage of Richard Chanceller Pilote maior the first discouerer by sea of the kingdome of Moscouia Anno 1553. 237,243 19 The voyage of Stephen Burrough toward the Riuer of Ob intending the discouery of the Northeast passage Anno 1556. 274. 20 The landing of Richard Iohnson among the Samoeds Anno 1556. 283. 21 The voyage of the aforesaide Stephen Burrough from Colmogro in Russia to Wardhouse in search of certaine English ships not heard-of the yeere before Anno 1557. 290. 22 The voyage of M. Anthony Ienkinson into Russia wherein Osep Napea first Ambassadour from the Emperour of Moscouia to Queene Mary was transported into his Countrey Anno 1557. 310,314 23 The voyage of M. Anthony Ienkinson from the Citie of Mosco in
Russia to Boghar in Bactria Anno 1558. 324. 24 The voyage of M. Anthony Ienkinson through Russia and ouer the Caspian sea into Persia Anno 1561. 343. 25 The voyage of Thomas Alcock George Wrenne and Richard Cheyney seruants vnto the Company of Moscouy Merchants in London into Persia Anno 1563. 353. 26 The voyage of Richard Iohnson Alexander Kitchin and Arthur Edwards seruants to the foresaid company into Persia Anno 1565. 354. 27 The voyage of Thomas Southam and Iohn Sparke by land and riuer from Colmogro to Nouogrod in Russia Anno 1566. 365. 28 The voyage of M. Anthony Ienkinson into Russia the third time Anno 1566. 372. 29 The voyage of Arthur Edwards Agent for the Moscouy company Iohn Sparke Laurence Chapman Christopher Faucet and Richard Pingle seruants into Persia An. 1568. 389. 30 The voyage of Thomas Banister and Geffrey Ducket Agents for the Moscouy Company into Persia the fift time Anno 1569. 394. 31 The voyage of William Burrough Captaine of 13. English ships to the Narue in Liefland Anno 1570. 401. 32 The voyage of M. Anthony Ienkinson into Russia the fourth time Anno 1571. 402. 33 The voyage of Christopher Burrough into Persia the sixt time Anno 1579. 419. 34 The voyage of Arthur Pet and Charles Iackman sent to discouer the Northeast seas beyond the Iland of Vaigats Anno 1580. 445. 35 The voyage of Master Ierome Horsey ouer land from Mosco in Russia to England Anno 1584. 469,470 36 A voyage to the Northeast performed by certaine Russes and translated out of Sigismundus ab Herberstein 492. 37 A voyage to Sibier and the Riuer of Ob by land declared in a letter written to Gerardus Mercator 510,511 512. 38 The vanquishing of the Spanish Armada Anno 1588. 591. 39 The honourable voyage to Cadiz Anno 1596. 607. ¶ The Ambassages Treatises Priuiledges Letters and other obseruations depending vpon the Voyages of this first Volume 1 TWo testimonies of Galfridus Monumetensis in his history of the Kings of Brittaine concerning the conquests of King Arthur pagina 1. 2 A testimony of M. Lambard in his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 touching the right and appendances of the Crowne of the kingdome of Britaine pag. 2. 3 A Chronicle of the Kings of Man taken out of M. Camdens Chorographie 10. 4 The ancient state of the shipping of the Cinque Ports 17. 5 Libellus historicus Iohannis de Plano Carpini 21. 6 Part of the great Charter graunted by King Edward the first to the Barons of the Cinque Ports 117. 7 The rolle of the huge Fleete of Edward the thirde before Caleis 118. 8 The summe of expences layde out in the siege of Caleis 121. 9 A note of Thomas Walsingham touching King Edward the thirde his huge Fleete of 1100. ships wherewith he passed ouer vnto Caleis Anno 1359. 121. 10 Certaine verses of Geffrey Chaucer concerning the long Voyages and valiant exploits of the English knights in his dayes 124. 11 A testimonie out of Cornelius Tacitus prouing London to haue bene a famous Mart-towne in the raigne of Nero the Emperour 124. 12 A testimony out of venerable Beda proouing London to haue bene a Citie of great traffique in his time 125. 13 The league betweene Carolus Magnus and Offa King of Mercia concerning the safe trade of English Merchants 125. 14 An ancient testimony translated out of the olde Saxon Lawes conteyning the aduancement of Merchants for their thrice crossing the wide seas 120. 15 A testimony of certaine Priuileges obteined for the English and Danish Merchants by Canutus the King of England 126. 16 The flourâ—shing state of Merchandise in the City of London in the dayes of Wilhelmus Malmesburiensis 227. 17 A testimony of the said Wil. of Malmesbury concerning traffique to Bristow in his time 127. 18 The league betweene Henry the second and Frederick Barbarossa Emperour of Germany partly touching trade of Merchandise 128. 19 A generall safe conduct granted by King Iohn to all forreine Merchants 129. 20 The letters of King Henry the thirdâ— vnto Haquinus king of Norwey 129,130 21 A mandate for the king of Norway his ship called The Cog. 130. 22 A Charter granted for the behalfe of the Merchants of Colen in the 20. yeere of Henry the thirde 131. 23 The Charter of Lubeck granted for seuen yeeres in the time of Henry the third 131,132 24 A Charter of the Merchants of Almaine or the Stilyard-merchants 132. 25 A mandate of King Edward the first concerning outlandish Merchants 133. 26 King Edw. the first his great Charter granted to forreine Merchants Anno Dom. 1303. 133. 27 The letters of Edward the second vnto Haquinus King of Norway concerning certain English Merchants arrested in Norway 138. 28 Another letter of Edw. the second vnto the said Haquinus for the merchants aforesaid 139. 29 A third letter of King Edward the second to the said Haquinus in the behalfe of our English merchants 140. 30 An Ordinance for the Staple to be holden at one certaine place 142,143 31 A Catalogue of the great Masters of Prussia 144. 32 The Oration or speach of the Ambassadours sent from Conradus de Zolner Master generall of the land of Prussia vnto Richard the second king of England 148. 33 An agreement made by the Ambassadours of England and Prussia confirmed by king Richard the second 150. 34 The letters of Conradus de Iungingen Master generall of Prussia vnto Rich. the second 153. 35 A briefe relation of William Esturmy and Iohn Kington concerning their Ambassages into Prussia and to the Hans-townes 154. 36 Certaine Articles of complaint exhibited by the Liuonians 156. 37 Other complaints exhibited by the Cities of the Hans 156. 38 Compositions and Ordinances concluded betweene the Ambassadours of Prussia and the Chanceller and Treasurer of England Anno 1403. 157. 39 The letters of the Chanceller and Treasurer of England vnto Conradus de Iungingen master generall of Prussia 158. 40 The letters of king Henry the fourth vnto Conradus de Iungingen the master generall of Prussia for entercourse of traffique 159. 41 The letters of Conradus de Iungingen vnto king Henry the fourth 160. 42 An agreement made betweene king Henry the fourth and Conradus de Iungingen 161. 43 An agreement betweene king Henry the fourth and the Hans-townes 164. 44 A testimonie out of Albertus Krantzius concerning the surprise of Bergen in Norway wherein 21. houses of the English merchants were burnt 169. 45 The grieuances and offences whereat the merchants of the Hans found themselues agrieued 171. 46 A letter of Henry the fourth king of England vnto Conradus de Iungingen Master generall of Prussia 175. 47 A letter of Werneherus de Tettingen commander in Elbing vnto sir William Sturmy Ambassadour vnto king Henry the fourth Together with an other letter of king Henry the fourth vnto Vlricus de Iungingen master of Prussia 176. 48 The letters of Vlricus de Iungingen master generall of Prussia signifying vnto king Henry the 4. that he was contented
wit or industrie can be contriued to al purposes sufficient but only by our seaforces preuailing and so by our inuincible enioying al within the sea limites of our British royaltie contained To which incredible political mysterie attaining no easier readier or perfecter plat and introduction is as yet come to my imagination then is the present and continuall seruice of threescore good and tall warlike ships with twentie smaller barkes and those 80. ships great and smal with 6660. apt men furnished and all singularly well appointed for seruice both on sea and land faithfully and diligently to be done in such circumspect and discreet order as partly I haue in other places declared and further vpon good occasion offered may declare This grand nauie of peaceable king Edgar of so many thousand ships and they furnished with an hundred thousand men at the least with all the finall intents of those sea forces so inuincible continually mainteined the order of the execution of their seruice the godly and Imperial successe thereof are in a maner kingly lessons and prophetical incouragements to vs left euen now to bee as prouident for publique securitie as he was to be as skilful of our sea right and royal limits and wisely to finde our selues as able to recouer and enioy the same as he was who could not chuse but with the passing and yeerely sayling about this Brittish Albion with all the lesser Isles next adiacent round about it he could not chuse I say but by such ful and peaceable possession find himselfe according to right and his hearts desire the true and soueraigne Monarch of all the British Ocean enuironing any way his empire of Albion and Ireland with the lesser Islands next adiacent with memorial whereof as with one very precious iewel Imperial hee adorned the title and crowne of his regalitie as with the testimonie annexed of the states and nobles of his Empire to commit to perpetuall memorie the stile of his chiefe worldly dignitie in this very tenor of words before also remembred Ego AEdgarus Anglorum Basileus omniúmque Regum Insularum Oceanique Britanniam circumiacentis cunctarúmque nationum quae infra eam includuntur Imperator Domiâ—us The voyage of Edmund and Edward the sonnes of King Edmund Ironside into Hungarie Anno D. 1017. Recorded by Florentius Wigâ—rniensis pag. 391. DEdit consilium Edricus Canuto regi vt clitunculos Eadwardum Eadmundum regis Eadmundifilios necaret Sed quia magnum dedecus sibi videbatur vtin Anglia perimerentur paruo elapso tempore ad regem Suauorum occidendos misit Qui licèt foedus esset inter cos precibus illius nullatenùs voluit acquiescere sedillos ad regem Hungarorum Salomonem nomine misit nutriendos vitae que reseruandos Quorum vnus scilicet Eadmundus processu temporis ibidem vitam finiuit Eadwardus verò Agatham filiam Germani Imperatoris Henriciin matrimonium accepit ex qua Margaretam Scotorum reginam Christinam Sanctimonialem Clitonem Eadgarum suscepit The same in English EDric counselled king Kanutus to murther the yong princes Edward and Edmund the sonnes of King Edmund But because it seemed a thing very dishonourable vnto him to haue them put to death in England hee sent them after a short space vnto the king of Sweden to be slaine Who albeit there was a league betweene them would in no case condescend vnto Canutus his bloody request but sent them vnto Salomon the king of Hungarie to be nourished and preserued aliue The one whereof namely Edmund in processe of time there deceased But Edward receiued to wife Agatha daughter vnto the Germane Emperour Henry of whom he begot Margaret the Queene of the Scots and Christina a Nunne and Clito Edgar A Chronicle of the Kings of Man taken out of M. Camdens Chorographie IN the yeere of our Lord 1066. Edward King of England of famous memory deceased whom Harald sonne of Godwin succeeded in his kingdome against which Harald the king of Norwaie called Harald Harfager fought a battel at Stainford bridge where the English winning the fielde put all the Noruegians to flight out of which flight one Godredus sirnamed Crouan the sonne of Harald the blacke who had before time fled out of Island repaired vnto Godred sonne of Syrric who then reigned in Man and was right friendly and honourably enterteined by him In the very same yeere William the Conquerour subdued England and Godred the sonne of Syrric king of Man deceased after whom succeeded his sonne Fingal In the yeere 1066. Godredus Crouan gathered a fleete of ships and sailed vnto Man and giuing battell vnto the people of the countrey was vanquished and put to flight The second time also hauing gathered his armie and ships together hee came vnto Man fought with the inhabitants lost the victorie and was chaced away Yea the third time he assembled a great multitude and comming by night vnto the port which is called Ramsa hid 300. of his men in a wood standing vpon the side of the hill called Scacasel The Sunne was no sooner vp but the Mannians arranged themselues and with great furie set vpon Godred And in the midst of the skirmish the foresaid 300. men rising out of their ambush and comming vpon the backes of the Mannians molested them so sore that they were enforced to flie But when they saw y t they were ouercome and had no place of refuge to retire vnto for the tide of the sea had filled the chanel of the riuer of Ramsa and seeing the enemie so fiercely pursuing them on the other side they which remained with lamentable outcries beseeched Godred to spare their liues Then hee being mooued with compassion and pitying their extreme calamitie because hee had bene of late sustained and nourished among them sounded a retreat and forâ—ad his souldiers to make any longer pursuit The day following Godred put his souldiers to their choice whether they would diuide Man among themselues and inhabite it or whether they would take the wealth of the countrey and so returne vnto their owne home Howbeit it pleased them better to waste the whole Island and to enrich themselues with the commodities thereof and so to returne from whence they came Nowe Godred himselfe with a fewe Islanders which had remained with him tooke possession of the South part of the Island and vnto the remnant of the Manâ—ians he granted the North part thereof vpon condition that none of them should at any time afterward dare once to chalenge any parcell of the said ground by title of inheritance Whereupon it commeth to passe that vnto this day the whole Island is the kings owne Fee-simple and that all the reuenues thereof pertaine vnto him Also Godredus subdued Dublin vnto himselfe a great part of Lainestir And he so tamed the Scots that none of them durst build a ship or a boate with aboue three yron nailes in it Hee reigned 16. yeeres and died in the Island called
Yle He left behinde him three sonnes Lagman Harald and Olauus Lagman being the eldest chalenged the kingdome and reigned seuen yeeres Howbeit Harald his brother rebelled against him a long time but being at length taken by Lagman hee was gelt and had his eyes put out Afterward Lagman repenting him that he had put out the eyes of his brother did of his owne accord relinquish his kingdome and taking vpon him the badge of the crosse he went on pilgrimage to Ierusalem in which iourney also he died In the yeere 1075. all the principall men of the Islands hauing intelligence of the death of Lagman sent messengers vnto Murecardus O-Brien King of Irland requesting him that hee would send some wel-disposed person of his owne kinred and blood royall vntill Olauus sonne of Godred were come to full age The king most willingly condescended vnto their request and sent vnto them one Dopnald the sonne of Tade charging and commaunding him that with all meekenesse and modestie hee should gouerne that kingdome which of right belonged not vnto him Howbeit he after he had once attained vnto the kingdome neglecting the commaundement of his lord vsurped the gouernment with great tyrannie committing many heinous crimes and so he reigned very disorderly for the space of three yeeres Then all the princes of the Islands making a generall conspiracie banded themselues against him and expelled him out of their dominions And he flying into Irland returned no more vnto them In the yeere 1077. one Ingemundus was sent from the king of Norway to take possession of the kingdome of the Islands And being come vnto the Island of Leodus hee sent messengers vnto all the princes of the Islands to come vnto him commaunding them to assemble themselues and to appoint him to be their King In the meane season he and his companions spent their time in robbing and rioting rauished women and virgines and addicted themselues to filthy pleasures and to the lustes of the flesh And when these things were reported vnto the princes of the Islands who had assembled themselues to chuse him king being mightely incensed thereat they made haste towards him and comming vpon him in the night they burnt the house wherein hee was and slue both him and the rest of his company partly with sword and partly with fire In the yeere 1098. the abbey of S. Maries at Cistertium was founded In the same yeere also Antiochia was taken by the Christians and a Comet appeared Moreouer the same yeere there was a battel fought betweene the inhabitants of Manâ— at Santwat and they of the North obtained the victory In which battell were slaine Earle Othor and Mac-Maras chieftaines of both parts The same yeere Magnus king of Norway sonne of Olauus sonne of Harald Harfagre being desirous to view the corps of S. Olauus king and Martyr gaue commaundement that his monument should be opened But the Bishop and the Clergie withstanding this his attempt the king went very boldly and by his kingly authoritie caused the cophin to be opened And when hee had seene with his eyes and handled with his hands the incorrupt body of the foresaid King and Martyr a sudden feare came vpon him and he departed with great haste The night following Olauus king and Martyr appeared vnto him in a vision saying Chuse I say vnto your selfe one of these two either within 30. dayes to lose your life with your kingdome or else to depart from Norway and neuer to see it againe The King so soone as he was awaked out of sleepe called his Princes and Senatours and expounded the foresaide vision vnto them And they also being astonished thereat gaue him this counsell that with all speed he should depart out of Norway Then he without any further delay caused a Nauie of 160. ships to be prouided and so sailed vnto the Islands of Orkney which hee presently subdued and passing along through all the Islands and conquering them at length he came vnto the Isle of Man where he was no sooner arriued but hee went vnto the Isle of S. Patric to see the place of battell where the inhabitants of Man had of late fought because many of the dead bodies were as yet vnburied And seeing that it was a most beautifull Island it pleased him exceeding well and therefore hee made choice to inhabite therein his owne selfe and built forts there which are at this day called by his owne name He had the people of Galway in such awe that he constrained them to cut downe their owne timber and to bring it vnto his shore for the building of his fortes Hee sailed on further vnto the Isle of Anglesey neere vnto Wales and finding two Earles therein either of them being called by the name of Hugo he slue the one and the other hee put to flight and so subdued the Island But the Welshmen presented many gifts vnto him and so bidding them farewell he returned vnto Man Unto Murecard king of Irland he sent his shooes commaunding him that he should cary them on his shoulders vpon the birth-day of our Lord through the midst of his Palace in the sight of his Embassadours that thereby it might appeare vnto them that he was subiect vnto king Magnus Which when the Irishmen heard they tooke it grieuously and disdeined much thereat But the King being better aduised I had rather said he not only beare his shooes but eate his shooes then that king Magnus should destroy any one prouince in Irland Wherefore he fulfilled his commaundement and honourably enterteined his Embassadours Many gifts also he sent vnto king Magnus by them and concluded a league But the messengers returning vnto their lord tolde him of the situation of Irland of the beautie thereof of the fruitfulnesse of the soile and of the holesonmesse of the aire Magnus hearing these things was fully resolued to conquer all Irland vnto himselfe And for the same purpose he commaunded that a Fleet should be made ready But he taking his voyage with sixteene ships being desirous to view the land when he had vndiscreetly departed from his Nauie he was suddenly inuironed by the Irish and was himselfe slaine together with all that were with him almost Hee was interred neere vnto the Church of S. Patric in Armagh Hee reigned sixe yeeres After his death the Princes of the Islands sent for Olauus the sonne of Godredus Crouan who liued in the Court of Henry King of England son vnto William the Conquerour In the yeere 1102. Olauus sonne of Godredus Crouan beganne his reigne and reigned fourtie yeeres he was a peaceable man being in league with all the Kings of Scotland and Irland in his time He tooke to wife Affrica the daughter of Fergusius of Galway of whom he begat Godredus Of his concubines he begat Regnaldus Lagmannus and Haraldus and many daughters whereof one married vnto Sumerledus king of Herergaidel which afterward occasioned the ouerthrow of the whole kingdome of the Islands He begat
would withholde from him all other gold within the earth I sawe some of those people being very deformed creatures In Tangut I saw lusly tall men but browne and smart in colour The Iugures are of a middle stature like vnto our French men Amongst the Iugures is the originall and roote of the Turkish and Comanian languages Next vnto Tebet are the people of Langa and Solanga whose messengers I saw in the Tartars court And they had brought more then ten great cartes with them euery one of which was drawen with sixe oxen They be little browne men like vnto Spaniards Also they haue iackets like vnto the vpper vestment of a deacon sauing that the sleeues are somewhat streighter And they haue miters vpon their heads like bishops But the fore part of their miter is not so hollow within as the hinder part neither is it sharpe pointed or cornered at the toppe but there hang downe certaine square flappes compacted of a kinde of strawe which is made rough and rugged with extreme heat and is so trimmed that it glittereth in the sunne beames like vnto a glasse or an helmet well burnished And about their temples they haue long bands of the foresayd matter fastened vnto their miters which houer in the wind as if two long hornes grewe out of their heads And when the winde tosseth them vp and downe too much they tie them ouer the midst of their miter from one temple to another and so they lie circle wise ouerthwart their heads Moreouer their principal messenger comming vnto the Tartars court had a table of elephants tooth about him of a cubite in length and a handfull in breadth being very smoothe And whensoeuer hee spake vnto the Emperor himselfe or vnto any other great personage hee alwayes beheld that table as if hee had found therein those things which hee spake neither did he cast his eyes to the right hand nor to the lefte nor vpon his face with whom he talked Yea going too and fro before his lord he looketh no where but only vpon his table Beyond theÌ„ as I vnderstand of a certainty there are other people called Muc hauing villages but no one particular man of them appropriating any cattell vnto himselfe Notwithstanding there are many flockes and droâ—es of cattell in their countrey no man appointed to keepe them But when any one of them standeth in neede of any beast hee ascendeth vp vnto an hill and there maketh a shout and all the cattell which are within hearing of the noyse come flocking about him and suffer themselues to be handled and taken as if they were tame And when any messenger or stranger commeth into their countrie they shut him vp into an house ministring there things necessary vnto him vntill his businesse he dispatched For if anie stranger should trauell through that countrie the cattell would flee away at the very sent of him and so would become wilde Beyond Muc is great Cathâ—ya the inhabitants whereof as I suppose were of olde time called Seres For from them are brought most excellent stuffes of silke And this people is called Seres of a certain towne in the same countrey I was crediblie informedâ— that in the said countrey there is one towne hauing walles of siluer and bulwarkes or towers of golde There be many prouinces in that land the greater part whereof are not as yet subdued vnto the Tartars And amongst * Somewhat is wanting Part of the great Charter granted by king Edward the first to the Barons of the Cinque portes in the sixt yeere of his reigne 1278. for their good seruices done vnto him by sea wherein is mention of their former ancient Charters from Edward the Confessor William the Conqueror William Rufus Henry the second king Richard the first king Iohn and Henry the third continued vnto them EDward by the grace of God king of England lord of Ireland duke of Gascoigne to all Archbishops Bishops Abbots Priors Earles Barons Iustices Shirifs Prouosts Officers to all Bayliffes and true subiects greeting You shall knowe that for the faithfull seruice that our Barons of the fiue Ports hitherto to our predecessors kings of England vnto vs lately in our armie of Wales haue done and for their good seruice to vs and our heires kings of England truly to be continued in time to come we haue granted by this our Charter confirmed for vs and our heires to the same our Barons and to their heires all their liberties and freedomes So that they shall be free from all toll and from all custome that is to say from all lastage tollage passage cariage riuage asponsage and from all wrecke and from all their sale carying and recarying through all our realme and dominion with socke and souke toll and theme And that they shall haue Infangthefe and that they shall be wreckefree lastagefree and louecopfree And that they shall haue Denne and Strande at great Yarmouth according as it is contayned in the ordinance by vs thereof made perpetually to bee obserued And also that they are free from all shires and hundreds so that if any person will plead against them they shall not aunswere nor pleade otherwise then they were wont to plead in the time of the lord king Henrie our great grandfather And that they shall haue their findeâ—â—es in the sea and in the land And that they be free of all their goods and of all their marchandises as our freemen And that they haue their honours in our court and their liberties throughout all the land wheresoeuer they shall come And that they shall be free for euer of all their lands which in the time of Lord Henrie the king our father they possessed that is to say in the 44. yere of his reign from all maner of summonces before our Iustices to any maner of pleadings iourneying in what shire soeuer their lands are So that they shall not be bound to come before the Iustices aforesaid except any of the same Barons doe implead any man or if any man be impleaded And that they shall not pleade in any other place except where they ought and where they were wont that is to say aâ— Shepeway And that they haue their liberties and freedomes from hencefoorth as they and their predecessors haue had them at any time better more fully and honourably in the time of the kings of England Edward William the first William the second Henrie the king our great grandfatherâ— and in the times of king Richard and king Iohn our grandfathers and lord king Henrie our father by their Charters as the same Charters which the same our Barons thereof haue and which we haue seene doe reasonably testifie And we forbid that no man vniustly trouble them nor their marchandise vpon our forfeyture of ten pounds So neuerthelesse that when the same Barons shall fayle in doing of Iustice or in receiuing of Iustice our Warden and the
and purposely described all the Northerne Islands with the indrawing seas and the record thereof at his returne he deliuered to the king of England The name of which booke is Inuentio Fortunata aliter fortunae qui liber incipit a gradu 54. vsque ad polum Which frier for sundry purposes after that did fiue times passe from England thither and home againe It is to be noted that from the hauen of Linne in Norfolke whereof the foresaid Francisan frier tooke his name to Island it is not aboue a fortnights sailing with an ordinarie winde and hath bene of many yeeres a very common and vsuall trade which further appeareth by the priuileges granted to the Fishermen of the towne of Blacknie in the said Countie of Norfolke by king Edward the third for their exemption and freedome from his ordinary seruice in respect of their trade to Island The voyage of Henry Earle of Derbie after Duke of Hereford and lastly king of England by the name of Henry the fourth An. Dom. 1390. into Prussia and Lettowe against the infidels recorded by Thomas of Walsingham DDominus Henricus Comes de Derbie per idem tempus profectus est in le Pruys vbi cum adjutorio marescalli dictae patriae cujusdam Regis vocati Wytot deuicit exercitum Regis de Lettowe captis quatuor ducibus tribus peremptis amplius quam trecentis de valentioribus exercitus supradicti pariter interemptis Ciuitas quoque vocatur Will in cujus castellum Rex de Lettowe nomine Skirgalle confugerat potenti virtute dicti Comitis maximè aâ—que suorum capta est Namque qui fuerunt de famâ—lia sâ— primi murum ascenderant vexillum ejus super muros caeteris vel torpentibus vel ignorantibus posuerunt Captaque sunt ibi vel occisa quatuor millia plebanorum fratre Regis de Poleyn inter caeteros ibi perempto qui aduersarius nostri fuitâ— Obsessumque fuit castrum dictae Ciuitatis per quinque hebdomadas Sed propter infirmitates quibus vexabatur exercitus magistri de Pruys de Lifland noluerunt diutius expectare Facti sunt Christiani de gente de Lettowe octo Et magister de Lifland duxit secum in suam patriam tria millia captiuorum The same in English ABout the same time L. Henry the Earle of Derbie trauailed into Prussia where with the helpe of the Marshall of the same Prouince and of a certaine king called Wytot hee vanquished the armie of the king of Lettowe with the captiuitie of foure Lithuanian Dukes and the slaughter of three besides more then three hundred of the principall common souldiers of the sayd armie which were slaine The Citie also which is called Wil or Vilna into the castle whereof the king of Lettow named Skirgalle fled for his sauegard was by the valour of the sayd Earle especially and of his followers surprised and taken For certaine of the chiefe men of his familie while others were slouthfull or at least ignorant of their intent skaling the walles aduanced his colours thereupon And there were taken and slaine foure thousand of the common souldiers and amongst others was slaine the king of Poland his brother who was our professed enemie And the castle of the foresaid Citie was besieged for the space of fiue weekes but by reason of the infirmities and inconueniences wherewith the whole armie was annoyed the great masters of Prussia and of Lifland would not stay any longer There were conuerted of the nation of Lettowe eight persons vnto the Christian faith And the master of Lifland carried home with him into his countrey three thousand captiues The voyage of Thomas of VVoodstocke Duke of Glocester into Prussia in the yeere 1391. written by Thomas Walsingham EOdem tempore dux Glouerniae Dominus Thomas de Woodstock multis moerentibus iter apparauit versùs le Pruys quem non Londinensium gemitus non communis vulgi moeror retinere poterant quiâ— proficisci vellet Nam plebs communis tà m Vrbana quà m rustica metuebant quòd eo absente aliquod nouum detrimentum succresceret quo praesente nihil tale timebant Siquidèm in eo spes solatium totius patriae reposita videbantur Ipse verò mòx vt fines patriae suae transijt illicò aduersa agitatus fortuna nunc hà c nunc illà c turbinibus procellosis circumfertur in tantum destituitur vt de vita etiam desperaret Tandem post Daciam post Norwagiam post Scoticam barbariem non sine mortis pauore transcursam peruenit Northumbriam ad castellum se contulit de Tinnemutha velùt assylum antiquitùs notum sibi vbi per aliquot dies recreatus iter assumpsit versus manerium suum de Plashy magnum apportans gaudium toti regno tam de ejus euasione quà m de aduentu suo The same in English AT the same time the Duke of Glocester Lord Thomas of Woodstock the yongest sonne of Edward the third to the great griefe of many tooke his iourney towards Prussia whom neither the Londoners mones nor yet the lamentation of the communaltie could restraine from his intended expedition For the common people both of the Citie and of the countrey feared lest in his absence some newe calamitie might happen which they feared not while he was present For in him the whole nation seemed to repose their hope and comfort Howbeit hauing skarce passed as yet the bounds of his owne countrey he was immediatly by hard fortune tossed vp and downe with dangerous stormes and tempests and was brought into such distresse that he despaired euen of his owne life At length hauing not without danger of death sailed along the coastes of Denmarke Norway and Scotland he returned into Northumberland and went to the castle of Tinmouth as vnto a place of refuge knowen of olde vnto him where after hee had refreshed himselfe a fewe dayes hee tooke his iourney toward his Mannour of Plashy bringing great ioy vnto the whole kingdome aswell in regard of his safetie as of his returne The verâ—es of Geofrey Chaucer in the knights Prologue who liuing in the yeere 1402. as hee writeth himselfe in his Epistle of Cupide shewed that the English Knights after the losse of Acon were wont in his time to trauaile into Prussia and Lettowe and other heathen lands to aduance the Christian faith against Infidels and miscreants and to seeke honour by feats of armes The English Knights Prologue A Knight there was and that a worthie man that from the time that he first began to riden out he loued Cheualrie trouth honour freedome and Curtesie full worthy was he in his lords warre and thereto had hee ridden no man farre As well in Christendome as in Heathennesse and euer had honour for his worthinesse At Alisandre hee was when it was wonne full oft time hee had the bourd begon abouen all nations in Pruce In Lettowe had hee riden and in
Giuen in our castle of Marienburg in the yeare of our Lord 1398 and vpon the 22. day of February Frater Conradus de Iungingen master generall of the Order of the Dutch knights of S. Maries hospital at Ierusalem A briefe relation of VVilliam Esturmy and Iohn Kington concerning their ambassages into Prussia and the Hans-townes IN primis that in the moueth of Iuly and in the yeare of our Lord 1403 and the fift yeare of the reigne of our souereigne Lord the king that nowe is there came into England the ambassadours of the mighty lord Fr Conradus de lungingen being then Master general of Prussia with his letters directed vnto our foresayd souereigne lord the king requiring amends and recompense for certaine iniuries vniustly offered by English men vnto the subiects of the sayd Master generall written in 20. articles which amounted vnto the summe of 19120. nobles and a halfe c. Item that the third day of the moneth of October in the yeare of our Lord aboue written and in the fift yere of the reigne of our soueraigne lord the king between the reuerend father in God Henrie then bishop of Lincolne lord chancelor and William lord de Roos high treasurer of England on the one party and the sayd ambassadours on the other party it was according to their petition amongst other things ordayned namely that the liege people of our soueraigne lord the king should freely he permitted vntill the feast of Easter then next after ensuing to remaine in the land of Prussia and from thence with their goods marchandises to returne vnto their own home and also that the subiects of the sayd Master generall in the kingdome of England should haue licence and liberty to doe the like Prouided alwayes that after the time aboue limitted neither the English marchants in the land of Prussia nor the Prussian marchaÌ„ts in the realme of England should vse any traffique of marchandise at all vnlesse in the meane space it were otherwise agreed and concluded by the sayd king and the sayd Master general Item immediately after our sayd soueraigne lord the king sent his letters by Iohn Browne marchant of Lin vnto the foresayd Master generall for to haue mutuall conuersation and intercourse of dealing to continue some certain space betweene the marchants of England and of Prussia promising in the same letters that he would in the meane season send vnto the foresayd Master his ambassadors to intreat about the pretended iniuries aforesaid which letters the foresayd Master for diuers causes refused to yeelde vnto as in his letters sent vnto our lord the king bearing date the 16. day of the moneth of Iuly in the yeare of our lord 1404. more plainely appeareth Item that after the receit of the letters of the Master aforesaid which are next aboue mentioned our sayd king according to his promise sent William Esturmy knight M. Iohn Kington câ—erke and William Brampton citizen of London from his court of parliament holden at Couentrie very slightly informed as his ambassadours into Prussia Item before the arriuall of the sayd ambassadours in Prussia all intercourse of traffique betweene the English and the Prussians in the realme of England and in the land of Prussia was altogether restrained and prohibited and in the same land it was ordayned and put in practise that in whatsoeuer porte of the land of Prussia any English marchant had arriued with his goods he was not permitted to conueigh the sayd goods out of that porte vnto any other place of the land of Prussia either by water or by lande vnder the payne of the forfeiting of the same but was enioyned to sell them in the very same porte vnto the Prussians onely and to none other to the great preiudice of our English marchants Item that after the arriuall of the sayd English ambassadours in the land of Prussia it was ordayned that from the eight day of the moneth of October in the yeare of our lord 1405 all English marchants whatsoeuer should haue free liberty to arriue with all kindes of their marchandise in whatsoeuer port of the land of Prussia and to make sale of them in the said land as hath heretofore from auncient times bene accustomed Also sundry other commodious priuiledges vnto the realme of England were then ordayned and established as in the indentures made for this purpose it doth more manifestly appeare Item the said English ambassadours being arriued in the land of Prussia demanded of the â—aid Master generall a reformation and amends for the damages and iniuries offered by the Prussians vnto the liege people of our souereigne lord and king written in fifteene articles which losses amounted vnto the summe of 4535. nobles Item the said Master generall besides the articles exhibited vnto our soueraigne lord the king as it is aboue mentioned deliuered vnto the sayd ambassadours diuers other articles of certaine iniuries offered as he â—ayth vniustly by English men vnto his subiects which amounted vnto the summe of 5100. nobles Item it was afterward concluded that vpon the first of May next then insuing namely in the yeere of our Lord 1406 or within the space of one yeare immediatly following there should bee made a conuenâ—ent iust and reasonable satisfaction for all molestatious vniustly ofâ—â—red on both partes as well on the behalfe of our soueraigne lord the king as of the foresayd Master general Which satisfaction not being performed the Prussians with their goods marchandises within three moneths after the end of the sayd yere next following were without molestation or impediment enioined to depart out of the realme of England with their ships and goods and the English men likewise out of the territories and dominions of the said Master general both of them without any further admonition to abstaine separate themselues from both the countreis aforesayd For the performance of which premisses the ambassadors on both parts being sufficiently instructed were appointed to meete the first day of May at the towne of Dordract in Holland Item that the sayd William Esturmy and Iohn Kington in their returne homewards from Prussia towards England passed through the chiefe cities of the Hans and treated in such sorte with the Burgomasters of them that there were sent messengers and agents in the behalfe of the common society of the Hans marchants vnto the towne of Dordract to conferre with the ambassadors of England about the redressing of iniuries attempted on both parts where diuers agreements were set downe betweene the sayd ambassadors and messengers as in the indentures made for the same purpose it doth more manifestly appeare Item that the meeting appointed at the towne of Dordract vpon the first of May was by the letters of the foresayd ambassadors proroged vnto the first of August then next ensuing and afterward by vertue of the kings letters vnto the first day of March next following and there was another day of prorogation also Item that after the prorogations aforesayd
Liuonia doe demaund restitution namely waxe and furres redounded vnto the vse and commoditie of our soueraigne lord the king And also our said soueraigne lord the king gaue commandement by his letters that some of the sayd goods should be deliuered vnto others And a great part of them is as yet reserued in the towne of Newcastle One Benteld also hath the best of the sayd three ships in possession Also it is reported and thought to be true that certaine Furriers of London which will be detected in the end haue had a great part of the sayd goods namely of the Furres Now as concerning the cities of the Hans IN primis the Hamburgers exhibited nine articles wherein they demaunded restitution for certaine damages offered as they sayd by the English men the value of which losses amounted vnto the summe of 9117. nobles 20. pence For the which after due examination there was promised restitution to the summe of 416. nobles 5. shillings Besides the two articles propounded against theÌ„ of Scardeburg the summe wherof was 231. pounds 15. s. 8. d. coÌ„cerning the which there was sentence giuen in England by the coÌ„missioners of our lord the king the execution wherof was promised vnto the said Hamburgers by the ambassadors of England leaue and licence being reserued vnto the sayd Hamburgers of declaring or explaning certaine obscure articles by them exhibited which declaration was to be made at the feast of Easter then next to come or within one yeare next ensuing the said feast vnto the chancelor of England for the time being and of proouing the sayd articles and others also which haue not as yet sufficiently bene proued Which being done they are to haue full complement and execution of iustice Also by the Hamburgers there are demaunded 445. nobles from certaine of the inhabitants of Linne in England Which summe if it shal be prooued to be due vnto any English men the Hamburgers are to rest contented with those goods which they haue already in their possessions Item they of Breme propounded â—â—xe articles wherein the summe conteined amounteth vnto 4414. nobles And there was no satisfaction promised vnto them But the same libertie and licence was reserued vnto them in like maner as before vnto the Hamburgers Item they of Stralessund propounded 23. articles wherof the summe amounted vnto 7415. nobles 20. d. for the which there was promised satisfaction of 253. nobles 3. q. Also here is a caueat to be obserued that they of Stralessund had of English mens goods a great summe particularly to be declared which will peraduenture suffice for a recompense And some of their articles are concerning iniuries offered before 20,22,23,24 yeres past Also their articles are so obscure that they will neuer or very hardly be able to declare or proue them Howbeit there is reserued the very same liberty vnto them that was before vnto the Hamburgers Item they of Lubec propounded 23. articles the summe whereof extended vnto 8690. nobles and an halfe whereupon it was agreed that they should haue paied vnto them 550. nobles There was reserued the same libertie vnto them which was vnto the men of Stralessund Item they of Gripeswold exhibited 5. articles the summe whereof amounted vnto 2092. nobles and an halfe For the which there was promised satisfaction of 153. nobles and an half And the said men of Gripeswold haue of the goods of English men in possession to the value of 22015. nobles 18. s as it is reported by them of Linne And the same libertie is reserued vnto them that was vnto the Hamburgers Item they of Campen propounded ten articles the summe whereof extended vnto 1405. nobles There is no satisfaction promised vnto them but the same liberty is reserued vnto them which was vnto the other abouementioned Item the ambassadors of England demanded of the citizens of Rostok Wismer for damages iniuries by them committed against the subiects of the foresayd souereigne king 32407. nobles 2. s. 10. d. And albeit euery of the foresayd cities sent one of their burgomasters vnto the towne of Hage in Holland to treat with the English ambassadours it was in the end found out that they had not any authority of negotiating or concluding ought at al. And therfore they made their faithfull promises that euery of the said cities should send vnto our soueraigne Lord the king one or two procurator or procurators sufficiently instructed to treat conclude with our said souereigne lord the king about the damages and iniuries aforesaid at the feast of the nauitie of Saint Iohn the Baptist. Compositions and ordinances concluded between the messengers of Frater Conradus de Iungingen master generall of Prussia and the chancelor and treasurer of the realme of England 1403. IN the yere of our Lord 1403 vpon the feast of S. Michael the Archangel the right hono Henrie bishop of Lincoln chancelor of England and the lord de Roos high treasurer of England the ambassadors of Prussia Iohn Godek of Dantzik Henry Monek of Elbing masters of the same cities haue at Westminster treated in maner of composition about the articles vnderwritten between the most souereigne lord the king of England and the right reuerend honorable Conradus de Iungingen Master general of Prussia as concerning the iniuries offered vnto the people of Prussia and Liuonia vpon the sea by the English First that all ships with their appurtenances the commodities of the mariners according vnto the condition of the things and all other goods taken away by the English which are actually vndiuided whole are incontinently with al speed to bee restored And if there bee any defect in ought the value of the said defect is to be accounted with other losses of goods to be restored at the terme of the restitution to be made and deliuered Item that all ships damages and goods as they are conteined in our bill of accusation which are not now immediately restored are to be restored and payd in the land of Prussia between this and the terme appointed with full execution and complement of iustice Item concerning the persons throwen ouer boord or slaine in the sea it shall remayne to bee determined at the will and pleasure of the most mighty prince the king of England and of the right reuerend the Master of Prussia Item betwene this and the terme appointed for the restoring of the goods taken away vntill there be due payment restitution of the said goods performed the marchants of England and of Prussia are in no wise to exercise any traffique of marchandise at all in the foresaid lands Memorandum that the third day of the moneth of October in the yere of our Lord 1403. and in the fift yere of the reigne of the most mighty prince and lord king Henrie the fourth by the grace of God king of England and France c. betweene the reuerend father Henrie bishop of Lincolâ— chancelor and the
right honorable William lord de Roos high treasurer of England both of them counsellers vnto the sayd soueraigne king on the one party and the right worshipfull Iohn Godeke and Henrie Moneke sent as messengers by the right reuerend and religious personage Frater Conradus de Iungingen Master generall of the Dutch knights of the Order of S. Mary on the other party it was at the request and instancie of the sayd messengers appoynted and mutually agreed vpon that all the liege people and subiects of the sayd soueraigne lord and king shall haue free licence and liberty vntill the feast of Easter next ensuing safely to trauel vnto the land of Prussia aforesayd there to remaine and thence with their ships marchandises other their goods whatsoeuer to returne vnto their owne home which on the other side all the subiects of the sayd Master general may within the terme prefixed likewise doe in the foresaid realme of England Prouided alwaies that after the time aboue limited neither the sayd marchants of the realme of England may in the land of Prussia nor the marchants of that land in the realme of England exercise any traffique at al vnles it be otherwise ordained by some composition betweene the foresaid king of England the said Master general in the meane time concluded In witnesse wherof one part of this present Indenture is to remaine in the custodie of the foresaid messengers Giuen in the Chapter-house of the Church of S. Paul at London the day and yere aboue written The letters of the chancelor and treasurer of England vnto Frater Conradus de Iungingen master generall of Prussia 1403. RIght reuerend and mighty lord your honorable messengers Iohn Godeke and Henry Moneke the bearers hereof comming of late before the presence of our most souereigne lord the king of England and of France and being welcomed by our said lord with a chearefull and fauourable countenance they presented certaine letters on your behalfe vnto the kings Maiestie with that reuerence which be seemed them expounding vnto his highnes sundry piracies molestations offered of late vpon the sea by his liege people subiects vnto yours contrary to the leagues of peace and amitie which hitherto by Gods grace haue bene maintained and continued on both parts In consideration of which piracies and molestations your messengers demanded full restitution and recompeâ—se to be made either vnto the damnified parties or vnto their procurators We therefore at that time especially being in the presence of our soueraigne who with his puissant army tooke his progresse towards the remote part of Wales being subiect vnto his dominion to see iustice executed vpon his people of those parts who very rashly haue presumed to rebell against him their souereigne contrary to their allegeance right well perceiued that it was his hignesse intention that euery one should haue due iustice faithfully administred vnto him especially your subiects and that with all fauour whom he hath alwayes in times past right graciously intreated as if they had bene his owne liege subiects and natiue countrey men whome also hee purposeth hereafter friendly to protect insomuch that betweene him and his subiects on the one party and betweene you and yours on the other party great abundance and perfection of mutuall amity may increase And therefore we offered vnto your foresayd messengers after they had particularly declared vnto vs such piracies and wrongs to sende the kings letters vnto them of whom complaint was made firmely inioyning them vnder grieuous penalties that without delay they restore or cause to bee restored vnto the parties damnified or vnto their procuratours all ships marchandises wares and goods by them taken or violently stolne from your subiects And that your said messengers may partly attaine their desire we haue commaunded certaine ships marchandises wares and goods found in certaine hauens to be deliuered vnto them Howbeit as touching other goods which are perhaps perished or wanting by infortunate dissipation or destruction and for the which the said messengers of yours demand satisfaction to be made vnto them within a certain time by vs limited may it please your honor to vnderstand that in the absence of our sayd souereigne lord the king being as yet farre distant from vs wee can in no wise limit or set downe any such terme of time Notwithstanding at the prosperous returne of our soueraigne we are determined to commune with him about this matter Of whose answere so soone as we be certified we purpose to signifie his intention vnto you by our letters Sithens also right reuerend and mighty lord your sayd messengers are contented for the present to accept of our offer aforesayde as indeede by all reason they ought thereat to rest content especially whereas by this meanes they shall the more speedily attaine vnto the effect of their purposes to the shorte and wished execution and performance of which offer we will by Gods helpe endeuour to the vtmost of our ability may it be your will and pleasure that as in the kingdome of England your marchants and subiects are courteously intreated euen so the marchants and liege people of our soueraigne lord the king and of his kingdomes peaceably frequenting your parts either in regard of traffique or of any other iust occasion may there in like manner friendly bee vsed and with your marchants and subiects suffered to communicate and to haue intercourse of traffique inioying the commodities of the ancient league By this also the feruent zeale and affection which you beare vnto the royall crowne of England shall vndoubtedly appeare albeit betweene the famous houses of England and of Prussia the bandes of vnfained loue and friendship haue bin successiuely confirmed and kept inuiolable in times past And thus right reuerend and mighty lord wishing vnto you increase of honour and prosperity wee take our leaues Written at London the fift of October in the yeare of our lord 1403 By the chancelor the treasurer and other lords of the hono counsell of the king of England and France being personally present at London The letters of king Henry the 4. vnto Conradus de Iungingen the master general of Prussia for mutual conuersation and intercourse of traffique to continue between the marchants of England and of Prussia for a certaine terme of time HEnry by the grace of God king of England France and lord of Ireland to the noble and mighty personage of sacred religion Frater Conradus de Iungingen Master generall of the Order of the Dutch knights of S. Marie c. our most deare and welbeloued friend greeting and continuall increase of our auncient and sincere amity By the grieuous complaynts of our liege subiects concerning traffique as it were circular wise too fro both our dominions we haue often bene aduertised that in regard of diuers iniuries and damages which as well our as your marchants who by their dealings in marchandise were woont peaceably to vse mutual conuersation together
whereupon very many commodities are knowen to haue proceeded haue by occasion of pirates rouing vp and downe the sea sometimes heretofore sustayned both the sayd marchants of our of your dominions do abstaine themselues froÌ„ their wonted mutual coÌ„uersation traffique as they haue likewise carefully abstained at sometimes heretofore and especially from that time wherein at the instant request of your messengers being of late before our presence the free accesse of our marchants vnto your territories and dominions of your marchants vnto our realmes hath bene forbidden Sithens therefore our most deare friend such iniuries if any as haue bene attempted against your subiects were neuer committed by our will and consent as we thinke that your selfe on the other side haue done the like sithens also so much as in vs lieth wee are ready to exhibit full iustice with fauour vnto any of your people being desirous to make complaint so that accordingly iustice may equally be done vnto our marchants by you your subiects which marchants haue in like sort bene iniuried wishing with all our heart that the ancient friendship loue which hath continued a long time between our realme and your territories and dominions may perseuere in time to come and that sweet and acceptable peace which is to be embraced of al Christians may according to the good pleasure of the author of peace be nourished mayntained we do most heartily require the sayd friendship exhorting you in the Lord that you would on your behalf consent ordain euen as if you shall so do we for our part wil consent likewise that from this present vntil the feast of Easter next insuing al molestatioÌ„s iniuries which may be offred ceasing on both parts our subiects by your territories dominions your subiects by our realms may peaceably securely trauel that according to their wonted maner they may friendly coÌ„uerse exercise mutual traffick together because we are determined to send vnto you your counsel in the mean time some of our ambassadors friendly to intreat about the foresaid preteÌ„ded iniuries so far forth as they shal coÌ„cerne our subiects At whose ariual we stand in good hope that by the due administration of iustice on both parts such order by Gods assistance shal be taken that mutual peace and tranquillity may be established between vs in times to come Also our desire is in particular that our marchants liege subiects may haue more free passage granted them vnto the parts of Sconia for the prouiding of herrings and of other fishes there that they may there remayne and from thence also may more securely returne vnto their owne home and we beseech you in consideration of our owne selues that you would haue our marchants and liege subiects especially recommended vnto you safely protecting them if need shall require vnder the shadow of your defence euen as you would haue vs to deale in the like case with your own subiects Moreouer whatsoeuer you shall thinke good to put in practise in this behalfe may it please you of your friendship by our faythfull subiect Iohn Browne the bearer herâ—of to giue vs to vnderstand In the sonne of the glorious virgine fare ye well with continuall prosperity and felicity according to your owne hearts desire Giuen vnder our priuie seale at our palace of Westminster the fift day of Iune and in the fift yere of our reigne Postscriptum RIght reuerend and our most deare friend albeit our welbeloued Arnold de Dassele the procurator of your foresaid messengers being desirous at this time to make his final returne vnto your parts by reason of the affayres for which he hath remained in our realme of England cannot as yet obtaine his wished expedition notwithstanding you of your sincere affection ought not to maruel or any whit to be grieued thereat because troubles of wars arising which in some sort concerned our selues and especially in regard of the continuall assaults of the French men Britons against vs and our kingdome for the offence of whom and our owne defence our liege subiects especially they of whom your subiects damnified haue made their complaints haue armed themselues to combate vpon the sea we could not grant vnto the foresayd Arnold such and so speedy an expedition as he earnestly desired to haue Unto the which Arnold your procurator we haue offered in as short time as may be to administer complete iustice with fauour to y e end that for this cause he might dispose himselfe to remaine in our realme of England yet notwithstanding wee would do the very same euen in the absence of the sayd procurator Giuen as aboue To the most renowmed prince and mighty Lord Henrie king of England c. our gracious Lord. OUr humble recommendations with our most instant and continuall prayers for you being graciously by your Maiestie taken in good part c. Most soueraigne king mighty prince gratious lord and vnto vs most vnfaynedly beloued we receiued of late your gracious letters by your Maiesties liege subiect Iohn Brown the contents whereof seemed to be these following first that of long time heretofore there haue bene between the marchants of your realm of our lands not only quiet peaceable accesse one vnto another but also mutual participation common traffique of their wares being right coÌ„modious auaileable for them both howbeit that now the foresaid profitable conuersation by reason of certain notorious robberies committed vpon the sea by pyrates against both parts the wonted accesse also of your subiects vnto our dominions were altogether forbidden Moreouer you call to remembrance the ancient amity friendship betweene both our lands with the inualuable commodity of sweet amiable peace which are by al faithful Christians to the vtmost of their endeuour to be imbraced Wherupon you of your exceeding clemency do offer your Maiesties ful consent that the foresaid prohibition being released vntil the feast of Easter next ensuing the said marchants of your dominions may in our territories and our marchants likewise may in your realms al molestations ceasing exercise their woonted traffique especially sithens in the mean season your royall wisdome hath determined to direct vnto vs your hono ambassadors in friendly sort to treat and parle with vs as touching the pretended iniuries so far forth as they may concerne your subiects Adding moreouer in particular that when your people shall repayre vnto the parts of Sconia to fish for herrings hauing consideration regard vnto your maiestie we would haue them especially recommended vnto our protection c. Most soueraigne lord king gracious prince wee doe with vnfained and hearty affection embrace the oracles of your maiesties most courteous acceptable offer wherein you haue vsed most diligent effectuall perswasions that coÌ„plement of iustice should be done vnto the parties iniuried that peace friendship should take place making no doubt of your own royall person nor of
our selues or of any appertayning vnto vs but that our inclinations and desires in this regarde are all one and the same neither would we lightly transgresse the limits of your perswasions without some iust weighty reasonable cause forasmuch as the matters perswaded are in very deede most happy preseruatiues of a common weale yea of nature it selfe Moreouer whereas your highnes hath farther requested vs that the prohibition of your subiects accesse vnto our dominions might vntill the feast of Easter next ensuing be released we answere vnder correction of your maiesties more deliberate counsell that it is farre more expedient for both parts to haue the sayd prohibition continued then released vntil such time as satisfaction be performed on both sides vnto the parties endamaged not in words only but actually really in deeds or by some course of law or friendly composition For there is no equall nor indifferent kinde of consort or trade between the impouerished party and him that is inriched betweene the partie which hath obtayned iustice and him that hath obtayned none between the offender and the party offended because they are not mooued with like affections For the remeÌ„brance of iniuries easily stirreth vp inconsiderate motions of anger Also such a kind of temperature or permixtion as it were by way of contrariety breedeth more bitternes then sweetnes more hate then loue whereupon more grieuous complaints aswel vnto your highnes as vnto our selues might be occasioned The lord knoweth that euen now we are too much wearied and disquieted with the importunate and instant complaints of our subiects insomuch that wee cannot at this present by any conuenient meanes release or dissolue the sayd prohibition before wee be sufficiently informed by your maiesties ambassadors of the satisfaction of our endamaged subiects Furthermore whereas your maiesties request concerning your subiects that shal come vnto the parts of Sconia is that we would defend them vnder our protection be it knowen vnto your highnes that for diuers considerations vs reasonably mouing being prouoked by the queene of Denmarke and her people being also vrged thereunto full sore against our wils for the repelling and auoiding of iniuries we haue sent forth our armie against them Howbeit for a certaine time a â—ruce is concluded on both parts so that our people are actually returned home Farre be it from vs also that our subiects being occupied in warres should in any sort willingly molest or reproch any strangers of what landes or nations soeuer not being our professed enemies For this should be to oppresse the innocent in stead of the guilty to condemne the iust for the vniust then which nothing can be more cruel nor a reuenge of greater impietie In very deede most gracious prince and lorde we are mouâ—d with right hearty sympathy and compassion for any inconuenience which might happen in your regiment wishing from the bottome of our hearts that all affayres may right prosperously and happily succeede about the royall person and regiment of your most excellent Maiestie and that continually The like whereof wee hope from you most humbly commending our selues and our whole Order vnto your highnes Giuen at our castle of Marienburgh the 16. day the moneth of Iuly in the yere of our Lord 1404. An agreement made betweene king Henry the fourth and Conradus de Iungingen Master generall of the land of Prussia THis Indentnre made between Sir William Esturmy knight Iohn Kington clerke and William Brampton citizen of London the ambassadors commissioners messengers of the most mighty prince and lord our souereigne lord Henrie by the grace of God king of England and France and lorde of Ireland for the repayring reformaâ—ion and amâ—nds of whatsoeuer damages grieuances excesses violences and iniuries in any sort vniustly attempted done or offered by our sayd soueraigne lord the king and his liege people and subiects vnto the great and mighty lord Conradus de Iungingen Master general of the order of the Dutch knights of S. Maries hospitall of Ierusalem or his subiects and for the requiring demanding and receiuing of such like reparations reformations amends by the foresayd lord the Master generall for the behalfe of himselfe or any of his subiects whatsoeuer from in the name of our soueraign lord the king his subiects vnto the sayd Master general into his land of Prussia by our souereigne lord the king appointed as ambassadors on the one party And betweene the hono Lords and religious personages Conradus de Lichtenstein great commander Warnherus de Tetâ—ingen chiefe hospitalary commaÌ„der in Elbing Arnold de Hacken treasurer the procurators commissioners of the great mighty lord the Master general being in like equal sort and in all respects as the ambassadours of England are authorized on the contrary side by the authoritie and power of the sayd Master general on the other part witnesseth That diuers treaties conferences being holden between the said ambassadors messengers procurators or coÌ„missioners of concerning the reparations reformations amends of certaine damages grieuances excesses violences iniuries offered and attempted aswel by the Prussians against the English as by the English against the Prussians and of other actes vniustly committed on both parts in conclusion after the sayd treatise the foresayd ambassadours procurators and commissioners by vertue of the authority committed vnto them appoynted and with one consent agreed vnto the articles vnder written Inprimis that for the consideration of mutuall loue and woonted friendship and of peace and tranquillity hereafter to be continued and maintained and also that the articles vnderwritten may more prosperously be brought vnto a wished effect between our said soueraign lord the king his liege people subiects the subiects people inhabitants of the territories and dominions of the foresayd lord the Master generall it is agreed and concluded that all liege marchants of England whatsoeuer shall haue free licence and libertie to arriue with their shippes goods and marchandises whatsoeuer at any Porte of the land of Prussia and also the sayd goods and marchandises farther vnto any place of the sayd land of Prussia to transport and there with any person or persons freely to contract and bargaine euen as heretofore and from auncient times it hath bene accustomed Which liberty in all respects is granted vnto the Prussians in England Item it is farther agreed betweene the sayd ambassadours procurators and commissioners that whereas of late namely in the yeare of our lord 1403 the sayd Master general by his discreet subiects Iohn Godek of Dantzik and Henry Monek of Elbing his ambassadors messengers for this purpose hath caused certain articles namely 20 in number containing in them matters of damages molestations violences and iniuries committed and offered against the said Master generall his subiects by our sayd soueraigne lord the king his subiects liege people to be exhibited giuen vp and deliuered vnto our lord the king
statutes ordinations and prohibitions al English marchants whatsoeuer resorting vnto the land of Prussia must be firmely bounden and subiect Also it is ordained that whatsoeuer sale-clothes are already transported or at any time hereafter to bee transported out of England into Prussia by the English marchants and shall there be offered to bee solde whether they be whole cloathes or halfe cloathes they must containe both their endes Lastly that the matters aboue-mentioned fall not short and voyde of their wished effect the treaty and conference about all and singular damages and grieuances whereof there is not as yet done but there must be by the vertue of these presents performed a reformation and amendment must be continued and proroged vntill the first of May next ensuing as by these presents they are continued and proroged with the continuation of the dayes then immediately following at the towne of Dordract aforesaide at the which time and place or at other times and places in the meane space as occasion shall serue by both parties to be limited and assigned or else within oue yeere after the said first day of the moneth of May next ensuing bee expired the hurt and damaged parties generally before-mentioned shall haue performed vuto them a conuenient iust and reasonable reformation on both partes Prouided alwayes if within the terme of the saide yeere some conuenient iust and reasonable reformation bee not performed vnto the parties iniuried and endamaged which are generally aboue mentioned that then within three whole moneths after the foresaid yere shall expired the Prussians shall depart out of the realmes and dominions of the saide Soueraigne Lorde the king of England together with their marchandize and with other goods which they shal haue gotten or bought within the space of the foresaide three moneths and that the English men also are likewise in all respects bounden to auoid and no lawfull impediment hindering them to withdrawe themselues and to depart out of the territories and dominions of the saide Master generall without all molestation◠perturbation and impediment whatsoeuer none other intimation or admonition being necessarie in this regard Howbeit least that by the robberies and piracies of some insolent and peruerse people matter should be ministred vnto the said lord the Master generall of swaruing from the faithfull obseruation of the foresaide agreements or which God forbid any occasion bee giuen him of not obseruing them it is also decreed by the often aboue mentioned Ambassadours and messengers that if the goods and marchandize of any of the saide lorde Master generall his subiectes whatsoeuer shall be from hencefoorth vniustly taken vpon the Sea by any English Pirates and shal be caried into the realme of England and there receiued that the Gouernours and keepers of portes and of other places with whatsoeuer names they be called at the which portes and places such marchandises and goods shall chaunce to arriue beeing onely informed of the saide goods and marchandises by sole report or other proofes wanting by probable suspition are bound to arrest and to keep them in safe custodie fauourably to be restored vnto the owners therof whensoeuer they shall be lawfully demaunded which if they shall omit or deny to performe from thenceforth the saide gouernours and keepers are bound to make vnto the parties endamaged a recompease of their losses And for fault of iustice to be executed by the said gouernours and keepers our soueraign lord the king aboue named after he shall conueniently be requested by the parties damnified is bound within three moneths next ensuing all lawfull impediments being excepted to make correspondent iust and reasonable satisfaction vnto the saide parties endamaged Otherwise that it shal be right lawfull for the saide lorde the Master generall to arrest and after the arrest to keepe in safe custodie the goods of the English marchants being in the land of Prussia to the condigne satisfaction of such iniuries as haue bene offered vnto his subiects vntill his said subiects be iustly and reasonably contented Likewise also in all respects the same iustice is to be done vnto the English by the said Lord the Master generall and his subiects in Prussia euen as it hath bene enacted and decreed in the aboue written clause beginning Caeterum ne per c. In English Howbeit least that c. for the said Master general and his subiects by the foresaide ambassadors of England and the commissioners of the said lord the Master generall that in like cases iustice ought to be administred on the behalfe of himselfe and of his subiects in the realme of England And that all and singular the couenants aboue written may in time to come by the parties whom they concerne firmly and inuiolably be obserued the forenamed ambassadors messengers and commissioners all and euery of them for the full credite probation and testimonie of all the premisses haue vnto these present Indentures made for the same purpose caused euerie one of their seales with their owne hands to be put One part of the which indentures remaineth in the custodie of the English ambassadors and the other part in the hands of the commissioners of Prussia Giuen at the castle of Marienburgh in Prussia in the yeere of our Lorde 1405. vpon the 8. day of the moneth of October An agreement made betweene King Henrie the fourth and the common societie of the Marchants of the Hans THis Indenture made betweene the honourable Sir William Esturmy knight and Iohn Kington clearke procurators messengers and commissioners sufficiently deputed and authorized by the most mighty Prince Lord Henry by the grace of God king of England France and lord of Ireland for the performation of y e things vnder written on the one part the hon personages M. Henry Vredeland M. Riman Salum chief notaries Thederic Knesuolt secretary M. Simō Clouesten chief notary and Iohn Zotebotter citizen being sufficiently made and ordained procurators and messengers on the behalfe of the cities of Lubec Bremen Hamburg Sund and Gripeswold for the demanding obtaining seuerally of due reformation and recompense at the hands of our saide souereigne lord the king and of his messengers and commissioners aforesayde for all iniuries damages grieuances and manslaughters any wayes vniustly done and offred seuerally by the liege people and subiects of our soueraigne lord the king vnto the common societie of the marchants of the Hans and vnto any of the Citizens people and inhabitants of the cities aforesaide whatsoeuer on the other part Witnesseth That betweene all and euery of the saide Procurators messengers and Commissioners by vertue of the authoritie committed vnto them it hath bene and is appointed concluded and decreed that the liege marchants and subiects of our said soueraigne lord the king and the marchants of the common societie of the Dutch Hans aforesaide from hencefoorth for one whole yeere and seuen moneths immediately next ensuing and following shal be permitted and licenced friendly freely and securely to exercise mutual traffike
and messengers haue put to their seales Giuen in the towne of Dordract the 15. day of December in the yere of our Lord 1405. William Esturmy knight and Iohn Kington canon of Lincolne being in this behalfe sufficiently authorized and deputed as Ambassadours procurators messengers and commissioners by our said soueraigne lord the king namely in regard of the molestations iniuries and damages vniustly done and committed against the liege people and subiectes of the foresaide most excellent Prince and lord Lord Henry by the grace of God king of England France and Lord of Ireland by the commumalties of the cities of Wismer and Rostok vnderwritten their common couÌ„sel being assembled for the same purpose authorized also and as well closely as expresly maintained and ratified by the whole companie of the common society of the marchants of the Dutch Hans doe in this present diet at the towne of Hage situate in the countrey of Holland being appointed for the very same occasion demaund of you Syr Iohn de Aa knight and Hermannus Meyer deputies for the cities of Wismer and Rostok and sufficiently ordeined by authority requisite in this behalfe to be the procurators and messengers of the said cities that conuenient iust and reasonable satisfaction and recompense may certainely and effectually be done vnto the iniuried and endamaged parties who are specified in the articles vnder written Imprimis that about the feast of Easter in the yeere of our Lord 1394. Henry van Pomeren Godekin Michael Clays Sheld Hans Howfoote Peter Hawfoote Clays Boniface Rainbek and many others with them of Wismer and of Rostok being of the societie of the Hans tooke by maine force a ship of Newcastle vpon Tine called Godezere sailing vpon the Sea towards Prussia being of the burthen of two hundred tunnes and belonging vnto Roger de Thorneton Robert Gabiford Iohn Paulin and Thomas de Chester which ship together with the furnâ—ture thereof amounteth vnto the value of foure hundred pounds also the woollen cloth the red wine the golde and the summes of money contained in the said ship amounted vnto the value of 200. marks of English money moreouer they vniustly slew Iohn Patanson and Iohn Russell in the surprising of the shippe and goods aforesaide and there they imprisoned the sayde parties taken and to their vtter vndoing detayned them in prison for the space of three whole yeeres Item that in the yeere of our Lorde 1394. certaine persons of Wismer and Rostok with others of the Hans their confederates robbed one Richard Horuse of Hull of diuers goods anyâ— marchandizes in a ship called the Shipper Berline of Prussia beeing then valued at 160. nobles Item that in the yeere of our Lorde 1395. Hans van Wethemonkule Clays Scheld Godekin Mighel and one called Strotbeker by force of armes and by the assistance of the men of Wismer and Rostok and others of the Hans did vpon the Sea neere vnto Norway wickedly and vniustly take from Iohn Tutteburie fiue pieces of ware foure hundred of werke and halfe a last of osmundes and other goods to the value of foure hundred seuentie sixe nobles Item in the yeere of our Lorde 1396. one Iohn van Derlowe Hans van Gelder and other their complices of the Hans villainously and vniustly tooke a shippe of William Terry of Hul called the Cogge with thirtie wollen broad clothes and a thousand narrow clothes to the value of 200. pounds Item in the yeere of our Lorde 1398. one Iohn van Derlowe Wilmer Hans van Gelder Clays Scheld Euerade Pilgrimson and diuers others of the Hans did vpon the Sea neere vnto Norway villainously and vniustly take a shippe of Iohn Wisedome of Hull called the Trinitie with diuers goods and marchandizes namely oyle waxe and werke to the value of 300. pounds Item in the yeere of our Lord 1399. one Clays Scheld and others aboue written of Wismer and Rostok with certaine others of the Hans their confederates wickedly and vniustly took from one William Pound marâ—hant of Hull two cakes of waxe to the value of 18. poundes out of the ship called the Hawkin Derlin of Dantzik Item in the yeere of our Lord 1394. one Goddekin Mighel Clays Scheld Storbiker and diuers others of Wismer and Rostok and of the Hans wickedly and vniustly tooke out of a ship of Elbing the master whereof was called Henry Puys of the goods and marchandizes of Henrie Wyman Iohn Topeliffe aud Henry Lakenswither of Yorke namely in werke waxe osmunds and bowstaues to the value of 1060. nobles Item in the yeere of our Lorde 1394. certaine malefactors of Wismer and Rostok with others of the Hans their confederats wickedly vniustly took out of a ship of Holland the master whereof was called Hinkensman 140. woollen clothes the price of one of the which clothes was eight nobles from Thomas Thester of Yorke and a chest with armour siluer and golde of the foresaid Thomas to the value of 9. pounds Item in the yere of our Lord 1393. certaine malefactors of Wismer and Rostok and others their complices of the Hans wickedly and vniustly tooke from one Richard Abel of London woollen cloth greene cloth meale and fishes to the value of 133. li.6.s. Item in the yeere of our Lorde 1405. about the feast of S. Michael one Nicholas Femeer of Wismer marchant of the Hans with the assistance of other his complices of the Hans aforesaide wickedly and vniustly tooke from one Richard Morley citizen of London fiue lasts of herrings besides 32. pounds in the sea called Northsound Item in the yeere of our Lord 1398. about the moneth of September one Godekin Wisle and Gerard Sleyre of Wismer and Rostok with others of the Hans their confederats wickedly and vniustly took out of a ship of Prussia wherof the master was named Rorebek from Iohn Seburgh marchant of Colchester two packs of woollen cloth to the value of an 100. markes from Stephan Flispe and Iohn Plumer marchants of the same town two packs of woollen cloth to the value of 60. pounds from Robert Wight marchant of the same towne two packes of woollen cloth to the value of an 100. marks from William Munde marchant of the same town two fardels of woollen cloth worth 40 li from Iohn Dawe and Thomas Cornwaile marchants of the same towne three packs of woollen cloth worth 200. marks Moreouer they tooke and imprisoned certaine English men which were in the said ship namely William Fubborne seruant vnto Iohn Diere Thomas Mersh seruant vnto Robert Wight which Thomas paid for this ransome 20. nobles of English money William Munde marchant of the towne aforesaide which William by reason of the extremity of that imprisonment lost the sight of his eyes and Thomas Cornwaile marchant of the foresaide Towne which Thomas paide for his raunsome twentie nobles Item in the yeere of our Lorde 1394. certaine malefactors of Wismer and Rostok vpon the coastes of Denmarke and Norway
the terme prefired sel them imposing grieuous pecuniary mulets besides the forfeiture of the clothes so bought or sold vpon them that would attempt the contrary Item that after the said statute and ordinance the foresaide societie decreed that all marchants of the said companie hauing among their wares and marchandise any woollen clothes made in England should either sell the saide clothes or within a short space then limited should vnderpenaltie of forfeiting the said clothes vtterly renounce the vse and commoditie thereof NotwithstaÌ„ding a grieuous penaltie of money being imposed vpon the violaters of the same statute Item that the statutes and ordinances aforesaid might with more speed and celerity be put in execution the said authors and publishers thereof imagining according to their desire that by this meanes an vtter extirpation and ouerthrow of English marchants mightâ— yea of necessity must ensue vpon their serious long premeditated deliberation straitely commanded inioyned vnder pain of losing the benefit of all priuileges wheresoeuer or by the princes of what lands or the Magistrates of what Cities or townes soeuer vouchsafed vnto the said common societie that not only the aldermen of that society in al places throughout the realme of England but also al other marchants of the said company after the maner of marchants conuersing in the saide Realme should without exception of persons vtterly abstein from all intercourse of traffike with the marchants of the realme aforesaid yea and that they shoulde depart out of the said kingdome within a very short space limited For the dispatching of al which premisses without delay it was according to their commandement effectually prouided Item that the society aforesaid hath approued diuers very vnreasonable statutes ordinances made published by the marchants of the same society residing in the kingdoms of Norway and Swedland to the great preiudice of the kingdome of England and the marchants thereof and as yet both couertly and expresly do approue the same vniustly putting them in daily execution Item wheras in the priuileges indulgences granted by y e renoumed princes somtimes kings of EnglaÌ„d y e worthy progenitors of our souereign lord the king y t now is vnto the society aforesaid it is prouided y t the said marchants shal not auow any man which is â—ot of their company nor shal not colour his goods and marchandize vnder their company whereas also in the confirmation of the sayd priuiledges made by our soueraigne lord that nowe is it is manifestly prouided that the marchants of the Hans towns vnder the colour of their priuiledges in England shall not vpon paine of the perpetuall frustration and reuocation of the foresayd priuiledges receiue any stranger of any other towne in their liberties by whom the kings custome may in any sort be withholden or diminished yet the contrary vnto al these prouisoes hath bin euery yerâ— for these 20. yeres or thereabout notoriously practised and committed as well ioyntly by the generall counsell and â—oleration of the foresayd society as also seuerally by the aduise and permission of diuers particular cities of the foresayd Hans company to the great diminution of his maiesties custome the estimation whereof the foresayd ambassadors are not able at this present fully to declare But that all occasions of the last aboue mentioned diminution may bâ—e preuented for the time to come the sayd ambassadors doe demand to haue from the foresayd societie a declaration in writing what and what maner of territories cities townes villages or companies they be for which the sayd society challengeth and pretendeth that they ought to enioy the priuiledges granted vnto their marchants as is aboue mentioned Moreouer it is required by the foresaid ambassadors if the societie aforesayd hath not decreed nor ordayned the things aboue written that the names of the cities and places decreeing and ordaining such statutes ordinances may by the sayd common society either now or at some other times and places conuenient for the same purpose be expressed and set downe in writing A letter of Henry the fourth king of England c. vnto Frater Conradus de Iungingen the master generall of Prussia HEnrie c. to the most noble and mighty personage of sacred religion Fr Conradus de Iungingen Master general of the order of the Dutch knights of S. Marie our most deare friend greeting and continual perfection of amity When as your messengers and ambassadors were of late personally present in Holland and there expected the arriual of our ambassadors vntill the first day of the moneth of Nouember last expired that there might bee by way of friendly conference a remedie prouided in regard of certaine iniuries pretended to be offâ—â—ed by both our subiects one against anotherâ— for the publique commoditie of both parts we were determined to haue sent vnto Dordract at the foresaid daye our welbeloued and faithfull knight William Sturmy and our welbeloued clerke Iohn Kington vpon our ambassage-affayres hauing as yet in our desires for a peaceable ending of the matter which our foresayd ambassadors by reason of the shortnes of time or the finding out of some other remedie and happy conclusion of all and singular the foresaid attempts concerning the principall busines could by no meanes at that instant attaine vnto that vpon some other more conuenient day to the end your ambassadors might not returne home altogether frustrate of their expectation there might be after the wonted friendly maner a confereÌ„ce agreement with your foresayd ambassadors euen as by other letters of ours directed vnto your sayd ambassadors the second day of the moneth of Nouember aforesayd wee haue deliuered our mind vnto them But it fortuned not long before the departure of your ambassadors into their owne countrey that no sufficient shipping could be found wherein our sayd ambassadors might haue secure and safe passage vnto Dordract or Middleburgh neither was it thought that they should get any passage at all till the ships at Middleborough were returned into our kingdome by the force whereof they might be the more strongly wafted ouer And so by reason of the departure of your ambassadours all matters remaine in suspense till such time as the sayd ambassadors shall againe meete with ours to adde perfection vnto the busines as yet imperfect Wherefore our friend vnfainedly beloued desiring from the bottome of our heart that the integritie of loue which hath from auncient times taken place betweene our your subiects may in time to come also be kept inuiolable we haue thought good once again to send one of our foresaid ambassadors namely William Esturmy knight to Dordract giuing him charge thither to make haste and there to stay till some of your messengers at your commandement doe in time conuenient repayre vnto that place there by Gods assistance to bring the matter vnto an happy conclusion May it please you therefore of your vnfayâ—ed friendship without all inconuenience of delay to returne
not vnto vs but vnto our forenamed knight an answere in writing what your will and determination is Neither let it seeme strange vnto you that we haue not at this present sent our forenamed Iohn Kington clerke together with the sayd William for the cause of his abode with vs is that he may in the meane season employ his care and diligence about those matters which must be preparatiues for the finall conclusion of the foresayd busines Honorable sir and most deare friend we doe most heartily with increase of prosperity and ioy vnto your person Giuen in our palace of Westminster the 14. day of Feb. in the yeare of our Lord 1407. To the right noble and valiant knight Sir VVilliam Sturmy sent at this present by the most souereigne King of England c as his ambassadour vnto Dordract his most sincere friend HOnorable sir our most entier friend wee receiued the royall letters of the most mighty prince and lord our lord the king of England and France and lord of Ireland sent vnto vs vnder the date of the 14. day of February which we receiued at our castle of Marienburgh the 11. of April containing amongst other matters that his Maiesties purpose was once againe to sende one of his ambassadors namely your selfe our very sincere friend vnto Dordract giuing you in charge that you would make haste thither there slay vntill some of our subiects might at our commandemeÌ„t in conuenient time repaire vnto the same place there by Gods assistance to bring our matters vnto a happy conclusion And then he requested that wee should without delay write our determination vnto you as the conclusion of the said letter importeth Howbeit our most deare friend the treaties conferences about the redresse or reformation of vniust attempts committed by the subiects of our sayd lord the king our subiects one against another are both on our behalfe and on the behalfe of the common societie of the Hans marchants hitherto had made and continued common And so our commissioners vpon our full and absolute commandement shal for the managing of these and of other affaires of the foresaid societie many waies vrgent and difficult vpon the feast of our Lords Ascension next to come meet with the said societie at Lubec there to giue notice what they haue determined to conclude in this present busines in others for their owne behalfe For we wil giue our ambassadours which are there to appeare streightly in charge that according to the kings request aforesayde they doe without delay procure an answere to be written vnto your honour concerning the determination of the foresayd societie Giuen at the place and vpon the day aboue named in the yeare of our Lord 1407 Fr. Wernherus de Tettingen commander in Elbingâ— general vice-master and lieutenant in the roome of the Master generall of the Dutch knights of the Order of S. Marie c. of late deceased The letters of Henry the 4. king of England c vnto Vlricus de Iungingen Master generall of Prussia 1408. wherein he doth ratifie and accept the last agreement made at Hage in Holland HEnry c. vnto the honourable and religious personage Fr. Vlricus de Iungingen Master generall of the Dutch knights of S. Marie c. our most deare friend greeting and dayly increase of our accustomed amity and friendship We doe by these presents giue your houour to vnderstand that our faithfull welbeloued William Esturmy knight and Master Iohn Kington clerke our ambassadors and messengers sent of late on our behalfe vnto the presence of your predecessour for the redressing of certaine grieuances and damages being contrary to iustice offered against vs and our liege subiects by the people subiects of your predecessors against them also by our subiects as it is aforesayd in friendly maner to be procured of late returning out of the parts of Alemain made relation vnto vs and to our counsell that hauing conferred with your forenamed predecessour about the foresayd affayres the particulars following were at length concluded namely first of all that at a certaine day and place they should meete in Holland with his ambassadors and messengers to hold a friendly conference between them about the redressing and reformation of the grieuances and damages aforesayd and that they should by the equall waight of diligent examination ponder in the balance of iustice discusse define al singular the foresaid grieuances damages inflicted on both parts Howbeit at length after sundry prorogations then made continued on this behalfe our ambassadors messengers aforesaid vpon the 28. of August last past assembling themselues for our part at the towne of Hage in Holland the hon discreete personages Arnold Heket burgomaster of the towne of Dantzik Iohn Crolowe for the behalf of your subiects of Prussia and Tidman de Meule Iohn Epenscheid for the behalfe of Liuonia being assembled as messengers and commissioners about the redresse and reformation aforesayd did then and there demaund in certaine articles of our ambassadours and messengers abouenamed 25034. nobles half a noble for the grieuances damages offered as it was theÌ„â—aid to your subiects of Prussia and 24082. nobles 12 s.8.d in recompense of the damages offered vnto those your subiects of Liuonia And when the substance of those articles about the grieuances losses aforesayd was by the sayd ambassadours and messengers througâ—ly examined and discussed by their generall consent it was finally agreed that your subiects in consideration of all and singular the foresayd grieuances and damages offered vnto them by our people should within three yeares after the feast of Easter next ensuing at three equall payments receiue from vs namely they of Prussia 8957. nobles and they of Liuonia 22496. nobles sixe pence halfe peny farthing and no more so that we our selues thought good to condescend thereunto Howbeit forasmuch as certaine other articles of your subiects of Prussia and also certaine articles in the behalfe of our subiects containing grieuous complaints in them being propounded before the ambassadors messengers aforesaid for the attaining of reformation in regard of the damages grieuances offered on both parts could not as theÌ„ for the great obscurity of diuers of the sayd articles and also for want of sufficieÌ„t proofe at the last meeting appointed and held by the foresayd ambassadors at the towne of Hage in Holland sufficiently to be examined discussed and defined it was agreed vpon by the ambassadors and messengers of both partes that from the 15. day of October then last expired vnto the feast of Easter now next ensuing and from thenceforth within one whole yere immediatly following the plaintifes of both parts should throughly declare before our chancelour of England for the time being the foresayd obscurities coÌ„cerning the substance of their articles and that they should for the obtaining of execution and complement of iustice at our sayd chancelours hands peremptorily minister necessary
probations vnder paine of perpetuall exclusion from the petition of those things which are contayned in the articles aboue mentioned Prouided alwayes that if at the last it shall be by lawfull proofes made manifest concerning the summes aboue written or any part or parcell thereof that due satisfaction hath beene made to him or them vnto whom it was due or that those goods of and for the which complaint hath bene made on the behalfe of your subiects haue pertained or doe appertaine vnto others or any other iust true and reasonable cause may lawfully bee alleaged why the payment of all the foresayd summes or any of them ought not to be performed that then so much only is to be cut off or deducted from the sayd summes as shall be found to be already payd or to pertaine vnto others or else vpon some true iust and reasonable cause as is aforesayd not to be due We therefore considering that the sayd friendly conference and the finall agreement ensuing thereupon are agreeable vnto reason and equitie doe for our part ratiâ—ie and willingly accept the very same conference and agreement And forasmuch as it hath bene alwayes our desire and is as yet our intention that the league of amity and the integritie of loue which hath of olde time bene obserued betweene our and your subiects may in times to come perpetually remaine inuiolable and that your and our people may hereafter not onely for the good of our common weale but also for the commodity and peace of both parts according to their woonted maner assemble themselues and enioy the faithfull and mutuall conuersation one of another we will cause in our citie of London with the summe of 8957. nobles satisfaction to bee made vnto the Prussians and with the summe of 22496. nobles sixe pence halfe peny farthing recompense to be performed vnto the Liuonians in regard of the damages and iniuries which in very deede proceeded not of our consent by our subiects offered vnto them as it is aforesayd and within three yeares after the feast of Easter next ensuing the sayd summes of money to bee payed at three payments and by three equall portions Conditionally that vnto our subiects which be endamaged correspondent satisfaction be likewise on your part within the terme of the foresayd three yeeres performed with paying the summes of 766. nobles and of 4535. nobles demaunded on our behalfe and also with the payment of such summes as within one yeere immediately ensuing the feast of Easter aforesayd shal be found by sufficient delarations and proofes to be made on the behalfe of our subiects as is aforesayd to be due Euen as we in like maner will make satisfaction vnto your subiects within our citie aforesayd Now as touching the request of your ambassadors and of the Liuonians whereby we were required to procure some holesome remedy for the soules of certaine drowned persons as conscience and religion seemeth to chalenge in regard of whom we are moued with compassion and do for their sakes heartily condole their mishaps you are our entier friend of a certaintie to vnderstand that after we shall be by your letters aduertized of the number state and condition of the sayd parties drowned we will cause suffrages of prayers and diuers other holesome remedies profitable for the soules of the deceased and acceptable to God and men religiously to be ordained and prouided vpon condition that for the soules of our drowned countrey men there be the like remedie prouided by you The almighty grant vnto your selfe and vnto your whole Order that you may prosperously triumph ouer the enemies of Christ his crosse Giuen vnder our priuie seale at our palace of Westminster the 26. of March in the yere of our Lord 1408. and in the ninth yere of our reigne The letters of Fr Vlricus Master of Prussia directed vnto the king of England signifying that he is contented with the agreements concluded by his messengers at Hage To the most renowmed prince and mighty lord L Henrie king of England and France and lord of Ireland our most gracious lord VNto your highnes pleasure at all assaies humbly recommending my voluntarie seruice c. Most reuowmed king mighty prince and gracious lord we receiued of late with great reuerence as it be commeth vs by our welbeloued Arnold de Dassel the bearer of of these presents your Maiesties letters of late directed vnto vs making mention amongst other matters of certaine appointments first made and concluded between the noble and worthy personages William Esturmy knight Iohn Kington clerke and William Brampton citizen of London your ambassadours and messengers on the one parâ—e and our houorable and religious brethren namely Conradus Lichtensten great coÌ„mander Warnherus de Tettingen chiefe hospitalary commander in Elbing and Arnold de Hacken treasurer being the procuratours and commissioners of Fra. Conradus de Iungingen our last predecessour of famous memory on the other parte concerning the redressing reformation and amendement of vniust attempts committed on both sides at our castle of Marienburgh and also very lately at the towne of Hage in Holland namely the twenty eight of the moneth August in the yeare immediately past betweene your foresayde ambassadours William Esturmy knight and Iohn Kington clerke for your part and our trusty and welbeloued commissioners and procurators namely Arnold Hecht burgomaster of our citie of Dantzik and Iohn Crolow citizen of the same citie for our parte And for our more perfect knowlege in this behalfe our sayd commissioners made relation vnto vs and vnto our whole counsell that associating vnto themselues our messengers of Liuonia namely Tidman Myeul and Iohn Epenshâ—id together with your foresaid ambassadours and messengers they there finally appoynted and concluded of and about the aboue mentioned summes of money due on both partes of the which mention is made in your letters aforesayd With this speciall prouiso that in like manner satisfaction be made in all points both vnto other of our damnisâ—ed subiects of Prussia namely such whose goods or the true value thereof haue bene finally adiudged by the iudges or professors of our lawes and vnto such who hauing brought their articles of complaints vnto the audience of the most dread and mighty prince and lorde our lord Rupertus king of the Romans alwayes most soueraigne were in conclusion to haue the estimations of their goods to be adiudged by the sentence of the sayd lord with the aduise of two of his counsellers and also vnto other of our subiects who haue brought in sufficient proofe of damages vniustly inflicted vpon them by your subiects ouer and besides the premisses So that in like maner satisfaction be made vnto the common societie of the Hans marchants and by the arbitrament set downe in the conferences had at Marienburgh of the which it was aboue prouided and enacted on their behalfe namely if they will rest contented with our subiects in the courses and meanes then concluded If not we intend not
at all to adhere vnto them in this behalfe Afterward our messengers aforesayd both they of Prussia and of Liuonia demanded conuenient iust and speedy satisfaction with the payment of all and singular the summes aboue mentioned due vnto both parts so farre foorth as equity and reason would yeeld vnto for the recompense of the parties iniuried and endamaged on both sides to be made within one whole yere accompting from the feast of Easter now last expired vnto the very same feast next to come in the yere immediatly following that in three seueral termes of payment by three portions of the said summes equally to be diuided at the towne of Bruges in Flanders as being a place indifferent for all parties in maner and forme as it was before at Marienburgh required and stoode vpon namely that reformaâ—ion reparation and amendement of all vniust attempts committed on both parts ought to bee performed within one yere Howbeit contrariwise your ambassadors aforesayd decreed that the sayd satisfaction should be performed vnto the parties iniuried of both parts within three yeeres beginning to accompt from the feast of Easter last past And when your ambassadours were not contented with the maner of satisfaction set downe by our men nor our commissioners were willing in any sort to consent vnto that course which was thought conuenient by your ambassadors the honorable messengers of the sea-townes of the Hans being there at that time present made a motion that the foresayd satisfaction might be performed within two yeeres and an halfe accompting from the feast of Easter last past often before mentioned yet vnder a certaine proâ—staâ—oâ— namely it both parties should agree vnto that forme of satisfaction and if they should thinke good finally and conclusiuely to yeeld their consent vnto it Which kind of satisfaction also conceiued by the messengers your sayd ambassadours without giuing notice therof vnto your royall Maiestie refused finally to approue being rather desirous to make a true faithfull report of the sayd forme of satisfaction last aboue mentioned vnto your kingly highnesse and that in such sorte that as they hoped effectuall satisfaction and payment of all and singuler the summes due and to bee due on both partes should more conueniently and speedily bee performed Whereupon we might be put in good hope that more speedy and conuenient appointments of termes for the sayd satisfaction friendly on both parts to be performed in would haue proceeded from your bountifull and gracious clemencie And in very deâ—de most mighty prince albeit it was neuer the meaning of our foresayd predecessor so far foorth as these affayres concerned him to protract and delay the execution of the sayd busines so many and such long distances of time and that for diuers respects both because restitution vnto the parties robbed consisted herein and also because the sayd restitutions and satisfactions are to be made vnto poore people widowes orphanes and other miserable creatures diuersly and miserably slaine and oppressed notwithstanding we being moued with hearty feruent zeale and speciall affection vnto your royall crowne of England and hauing due regard and consideration of your most excellent Maiestie vpon the aduise of our honourable brethren our counsellers doe thankfully receiue by the tenour of these presents totally ratifie and approue such satisfactions of the foresayd summes howsoeuer due vnto our subiects both Prussians and Liuonians in friendly sorte to be performed at such times and seasons limited and prefixed by your highnes as are expressed in your maiesties letters and also of other summes which within one yeare immediately ensuing after the feast of Easter last past by sufficient proofes to be made on their part before your chancelour at your citie of London shall be found due vnto them Conditionally that without inconuenience of delay and impediment they be performed as they ought to be according to the premisses In like maner also we our selues within the termes of payment aboue mentioned will procure satisfaction to be without fayle perfourmed vnto your subiects endamaged with the summe of 766. nobles being in regard of their losses of the which they haue giuen vp sufficient informations due vnto themâ— and with other like summes also which are by sufficient proofes within the yeare aforesayd and in maner and forme prescribed to be exhibited before our treasurer at our citie of Dantzik The almighty vouchsafe prosperously and long time to preserue your maiesties royal person Giuen at our castle of Marienburgh the 27. of September in the yeare of our Lord 1408 Fr. Vlricus de Iungingen master generall of the order of the Dutch knights of S. Maries hospital of Ierusalem The letters of king Henry the 4. sent vnto Fr. Vlricus master general of Prussia wherein he doth absolutely approue the foresaid conference holden at Hage and treateth about a perpetual league and amitie to be concluded betweene England and Prussia HEnry by the grace of God king of England and France and lord of Ireland vnto the noble mighty personage of sacred religion Vlricus de Iungingen master generall of the order of the Dutch knights of S. Maries hospitall of Ierusalem our entirely beloued friend greeting and increase of vnfained friendship After diuers conferences had in sundry places beyond the seas betweene the ambassadours and messengers of your late predecessor and of your selfe also on the one parte and betweene our especiall ambassadors and messengers on the other parte concerning reformations reparations restitutions in certaine maner forme to be performed vnto our subiects of both parts in regard of manifold iniuries practised against them both and after that in the last conference holden by the ambassadours of vs both at the towne of Hage in Holland there was a motion made concerning a certaine forme of satisfaction by way of finall conclusion in that behalfe but not being as then by our ambassadours condescended vnto because they durst not proceede vnto the same conclusion without our priuitie relation thereof at length being by them made before vs and our counsel we returned vnto your honour an answere in writing by our letters vnder our priuie seale of our full purpose and intention vnto the which letters we doe at this present referre our selues as if they were here againe expresly written what we thought good to haue done in this behalfe so that wee also might by your friendly letters be certaynly informed of your will and expresse consent being likewise conformable vnto your foresayd intention Nowe whereas since that time we haue of late receiued the certaintie of the matter by your letters written vnto vs from your castle of Marienburgh bearing date the 27. of September last past contayning in effect amongst other matters that you being mooued with a feruent zeale and speciall affection as you write vnto the royall crowne of our realme and hauing due regard and consideratâ—on of our royall maiestie vpon the aduise of your honourable brethren your counsellers doe with a
thankfull mind accept and by the tenour of the said letters of yours totally approue the concord of a certaine satisfaction to be performed with the payment of certaine summes of money howsoeuer due vnto your subiects as well of Prussia as of Liuonia expressed in our former letters within the termes prefixed by our consent and limited in our said letters aud also of other summes which within one whole yeare immediatly following the feast of Easter last past by sufficient proofes on their part to bee made before our chauncelour at our citie of London shall be found due vnto them conditionally that without inconuenience of delay and impediments the premisses be performed as they ought to be And that your selfe also will without fayle vpon the termes appoynted for the said payments procure satisfaction â—o be made accordingly vnto our endamaged subiects with the summes due vnto them by reason of their losses whereof they haue sufficient information Wherefore in regard of those your friendly letters and your courteous auswere returned by them vnto vs as is aforesaid wee doe yeelde vnto you right vnfained thanks But because it will vndoubtedly be most acceptable and pleasing both vnto vs and vnto our people and vnto you and your subiects that the zeale and ferueâ—cie of loue which hath from auncient times growen and increased betweene our progenitours for them and their subiects and your predecessors and their subiects and which by the insolencie of of certayne lewde persons without any consent of the principall lords hath often bene violated betweene vs and you and mutually betweene the subiects of vs both may be put in perpetuall vre and obtaine full strength in time to come sithens hereupon by Gods assistance it is to be hoped that vnspeakeable commodity and quiet will redound vnto both parts may it seeme good vnto your discretion as it seemeth expedient vnto vs that some messengers of yours sufficiently authorised to parle agree and conclude with our deputy about the mutuall contraction of a perpetuall league and confirmation of friendship may with all conuenient speede be sent vnto our presence At whose arriuall not onely in this busines so profitable and behoouefull but also in certaine other affaires concerning the former treaties and conclusions they may yea and of necessitie must greatly auayle Wherefore our entirely beloued friend euen as vpon confidence of the premisses we haue thought good to grant vnto the marchants and subiects of our realme full authority to resort vnto your dominions so we doe in like maner graunt vnto your marchants and subiects free licence and liberty with their marchandises and goods securely to come into our realmes and dominions there to stay and at their pleasures thence to returne home Moreouer if Arnold Dassel who last of all presented your foresayd letters vnto vs shal thinke good in the meane season to make his abode here in our dominions as in very deede it is expedient he may both by serious consideration and deliberate consulting with our commissioners more conueniently and prosperously finde out wayes and meanes for the more speedy expedition of all the premisses Fare ye well in Christ. Giuen vnder our priuie seale at our palace of Westminster the seuenth of March in the yere of our lord 1408 according to the computation of the Church of England and in the tenth yere of our reigne A new concord concluded between king Henry the 4. and Vlricus de Iungingen Master generall of Prussia in the yeare of our Lord 1409. BY this indenture or letters indented be it euidently knowen for the perpetual memory of the matter vnto all faithfull Christians that the noble honourable personages Richard Merlowe Maior and citizen of London Master Iohn Kington clerke and William Askham citizen and Alderman of the same citie the commissioners of the most soueraigne prince and lord L. Henrie by the grace of God king of England and France and lord of Ireland and Tidericus de Longenthorpe knight Lefardus de Hereford burgomaster of Elbing and Iohn Crolowe citizen of the citie of Dantzik the procurators commissioners deputies and messengers of the right noble and religious personage Fr. Vlricus de Iungingen Master general of the order of the Dutch knights of S. Maries hospital of Ierusalem hauing in the names of the sayd king and Master by vertue of the power on both parts committed vnto them sufficient authority haue appointed and with one consent agreed vpon all and singular the things vnder written Imprimis for the conseruation of mutuall loue and wonted amiâ—ie and for the tranquilitie of sweete amiable peace it is decreed and ordained that all and singular the liege people subiects of the Realme of England and the Marchants of the territories dominions of the said Realme and all other persons of what state or condition soeuer shall and may safely and securely as well by land as by water enter into the parts of Prussia and there mutually conuerse and freely after the maner of Marchants exercise traffique aswell with the Prussians as with others of what nation or qualitie soeuer there also make their abode and thence vnto their owne homes and dwelling places returne and depart vnto any place whither and so often as they shall thinke good as well by land as by water with their goods marchandize and wares whatsoeuer faithfully paying in the meane time all rights customes due in regard of their said wares and marchandize Reserued alwaies vnto the said Master and his successours all right and remedie ordained granted and vouchsafed in certaine obligations by our Lord the king whereof mention shall be made in the articles following Item it is ordained that all and singular the subiects of the said Master generall and of his order of what state and condition soeuer shall and may as well by water as by land enter into the kingdome of England and into the territories and dominions thereof and there mutually conuerse and freely after the maner of Marchants exercise traffique as well with all English people as with others of what nation or qualitie soeuer and there also make their abode and thence returne vnto their owne habitations and dwelling places and to depart whither they will and as oft as they shall thinke good as well by land as by water with their goods marchandize and wares whatsoeuer truely paying in the meane time all rights and customes due in regard of their said wares and Marchandize Reserued alwayes vnto the said soueraigne king his heires and successours all rights and remedies ordained and graunted vnto them in certaine obligations by the commissioners and procurators of the said Master generall aboue-named and in the name of the said Master generall Item it is with one consent agreed vpon promised and graunted that for all and singular damages grieuances and robberies howsoeuer done and committed before the date of these presents against the foresaid soueraigne Prince and his subiects whatsoeuer and all others which at the time
Dante 's vlterius concedentes huiusmodi gubernatoribus per praedictos Mercatores sic eligendis quantum in nobis est potestatem authoritatem speciales omnes singulos mercatores Anglicos ad partes praedictas de caetero venientes declinantes per se vel sufficientes loca sua tenentes regendi gubernandi ac eis eorum cuilibet in suis causis querelis quibuscunque inter eos in partibus praedictis motis vel mouendis plenam celerem iusticiam faciendi quascunque quaestiones contentiones discordias debatas inter ipsos mercatores Anglicos partium praedictarum motas seu mouendas reformandi reformationemque petendi redigendi sedandi pacificandi quascunque transgressiones damna mesprisiones excessus vio lencias iniurias mercatoribus partium praedictarum per praedictos mercatores Anglicos factas seu faciendas redigendi reparandi restaurandi emendandi consimilesque restitutiones reparationes restaurationes emendationes de ipsis mercatoribus partium praedictarum seu deputatis suis requirendi petendi recipiendi Ac de communi assensu mercatorum Anglicorum praedictorum statuta ordinationes consuetudines prout pro meliori gubernatione status eorundem mercatorum Anglicorum in hac parte videbitur expedire faciendi stabiliendi omnes singulos mercatores Anglicos praefatis gubernatoribus sic eligendis vel eorum loca tenentibus seu eorum alicui aut alicui statutorum ordinationum consuetudinum praedictarum contrarios rebelles vel inobedientes iuxta quantitatem delicti sui in hac parte rationabiliter puniendi Volentes insuper omnia iusta rationabilia statuta ordinationes consuetudines per dictos gubernatores sic eligendos in forma praedicta facienda stabilienda nec non omnes iustas rationabiles ordinationes per nuper gubernatores praedictorum mercatorum Anglicorum de communi assensu eorundem mercatorum pro huiusmodi gubernatione sua in partibus praedictis iuxta priuilegia authoritates sibi per magistrum Pruciae seu alios dominos partium praedictarum concessa factas stabilitas seu per praedictos gubernatores nunc vt praemittitur eligendos iuxta priuilegia praedicta seu alia priuilegia eisdem mercatoribus Anglicis per praedictos magistrum dominos in posterum concedenda facienda stabilienda rata firma accepta haberi pro ratis firmis acceptis ibidem firmiter inuiolabiliter obseruari Damus autem vniuersis singulis mercatoribus Anglicis praedictis tenore praesentium firmiter in mandatis quod eisdem gubernatoribus sic eligendis eorum loca tenentibus in praemissis omnibus singulis acâ—alijs gubernationem regimen in hac parte qualitercunque concernentibus intendentes sint consulentes obedientes auxiliantes prout decet Data in palatio nostro Westmonasterij sub magni sigilli nostri testimonio sexto die Iunij Anno regni nostri quinto A Charter of King Henry the fourth graunted in the fift yeere of his reigne to the English Marchants resident in the partes of Prussia Denmarke Norway Sweden and Germanie for the chusing of Gouernours among themselues HEnry by the grace of God king of England and of France and Lord of Ireland to all to whom these present letters shall come sendeth greeting Know ye that whereas according as we are informed through want of good and discreete rule and gouernement sundry damages strifes oppressions and wrongs oftentimes heretofore haue bene moued and committed among the Marchants of our kingdome of England remaining in the parties of Prussia Denmarke Norway the Hans steeds and Sweden and greater hereafter which God forbid are feared to be like to fall out vnlesse we put to our helping hands for the procuring of better gouernement to be maintained among the said Marchants wee heartily desiring to preuent the perrils and dangers which are like to fall out in this case and that the sayde Marchants and others which shall trauaile out of our said Realme into the partes aforesaid may iustly and faithfully be ruled and intreated we will and graunt by the tenour of these presents to the said Marchants that they may freely and without danger assemble and meete together as often and whensoeuer they please in some conuenient and honest place where they shall thinke good and that they may choose among themselues certaine sufficient and fit persons for their gouernours in those parts at their good liking And furthermore we giue and graunt to the said Gouernours which are in such sort to be chosen by the aforesaid Marchants as much as in vs lieth speciall power and authoritie to rule and gouerne all and singular the English Marchants which hereafter shall come or repayre to the parts aforesaid by themselues or their sufficient Deputies and to minister vnto them and euery of them in their causes and quarels whatsoeuer which are sprung vp or shall hereafter fall out among them in the parts aforesaid full and speedie iustice and to reforme all maner of questions contentâ—ous discords and debates moued or to be moued betweene the English Marchants remayning in those parts and to seeke reformation to redresse appease and compound the same And further to redresse restore repayre and satisfie all transgressions damages misprisions outrages violences and iniuries done or to be done by the aforesaid English Marchants against the Marchants of those parts And to require demaund and receiue the like restitutions reparations satisfactions and amends of the Marchants of those parts or of their deputies And by the common consent of the aforesaid English Marchants to make and establish statutes ordinances and customes as shall seeme expedient in that behalfe for the better gouernement of the state of the said English Marchants and to punish with reason according to the quantitie of their fault in that behalfe all and singular the English Marchants which shall withstand resist or disobey the aforesaid gouernours so to be chosen or their deputiâ—s or any of them or any of the aforesaid statutes ordinances or customes Moreouer we doe ratifie confirme and approoue and as ratified confirmed and approoued wee command firmely and inuiolably there to be obserued all iust and reasonable statutes ordinances and customes which shal be made and established by the said gouernors so to be chosen in forme aforesaid and also all iust and reasonable ordinances made established by the late gouernours of the aforesaid English Marchants with the common consent of the sayd Marchants for this their gouernement in the parts aforesayd according to the priuileges and authorities now granted vnto them by the Master of Prussia or other Lords of the partes aforesayd or which shall be made and established by the aforesayd gouernours now as is mentioned to be chosen according to the aforesaid priuileges heretofore graunted or other priuileges hereafter to bee granted to the sayde English Marchants by the aforesayde Master and lords of the Countrey And furthermore
by the tenor of these presents wee straitely commaund all and singular the aforesaid English Marchants that they attend aduise obey and assist as it becommeth them the sayde gouernours so to bee chosen and their deputies in all and singular the premisses and other things which any way may concerne in this behalfe their rule and gouernement Giuen in our Palace at Westminster vnder the testimonie of our great Seale the sixt day of Iune in the fift yeere of our reigne A note touching the mighty ships of King Henry the fift mentioned hereafter in the treatie of keeping the Sea taken out of a Chronicle in the Trinitie Church of Winchester EOdem Anno quo victoria potitus est videlicet Anno Domini 14â—5 regni sui Annotertio post bellum de Agencourt conducti a Francis venerunt cum multis Nauibus recuperaturâ— Harfletum Sed Rex Angliae misit fratrem suum Iohannem Ducem Bedfordiae Andegauiae qui pugnauit cum eis vicit Naues cepit quasdam submersit caeteri fugerunt cum Hispanis nauibus qui venerant cum eis Anno gratiae 1416. Sequenti vero Anno redierunt potentiores iterum deuicti perpetuam pacem â—cum Rege composuerunt propter eorum naues fecit Rex fieri naues quales non erant in mundo De his sic conductis a Francis ita metricè scribitur Regum belligero trito celeberrimus aruo Gallos Hispanos Ianos deuicit Vrget Vastat turbantur caetera regna metu Nauali bello bis deuicti quoque Iani. A branch of a Statute made in the eight yeere of Henry the sixt for the trade to Norwey Sweueland Denmarke and Fynmarke ITem because that the kings most deare Uncle the king of Denmarke Norway Sweueland as the same our soueraigne Lord the king of his intimation hath vnderstood considering the manifold great losses perils hurts and damage which haue late happened aswell to him and his as to other foraines and strangers and also friends and speciall subiects of our said soueraigne Lord the king of his Realme of England by y e going in entring passage of such forain strange persons into his realme of Norwey other dominions streits territories iurisdictions places subdued and subiect to him specially into his Iles of Fynmarke and elswhere aswell in their persons as their things and goods for eschuing of such losses perils hurts damages and that such like which God forbid should not hereafter happen our said soueraigne Lord the king hath ordeined and statuted that all and singular strangers aswell Englishmen and others willing to apply by Ship and come into his Realme of Norwey and other dominions streits territories iurisdictions Isles places aforesaid with their ships to the intent to get or haue fish or any other Marchandises or goods shall apply and come to his Towne of Northberne where the said king of Denmarke hath specially ordained and stablished his staple for the concourses of strangers and specially of Englishmen to the exercise of such Marchandises granting to the said Englishmen that they shall there inioy in and by all thingsâ— the same fauour priuileges and prerogatiues which they of the Hans did enioy Therefore our said soueraigne Lord the king willing the loue affinitie and amities to be firmely obserued which betwixt his said Uncle and his noble progenitors of good memory their Realmes lands dominions streites territories iurisdictions and their said places and the same our soueraigne Lord the king his noble progenitours of famous memory his great men subiects Realmes lands dominions hath bene of old times hitherto continued nor nothing by our said soueraigne Lord the king or his people to be attempted or done whereby such amities by reason of any dissensions enemities or discords might be broken by the aduise of the Lords spirituall temporall of the coÌ„mons of his said Realme of England assembled in this present Parliament hath ordained prohibiting that none of his liege people nor subiects of his Realme of England by audacitie of their follie presume to enter the Realmes lands dominions straits territories iurisdictions places of the said king of Denmarke against y â— ordinance prohibition interdictioÌ„ of y e same his Uncle aboue remembred in contempt of the same vpoÌ„ paine of forfeiture of all their moueable goods imprisonment of their persons at the kings will Another branch of a statute made in the tenth yeere of the reigne of Henry the sixt concerning the state of the English Marchants in the dominions of the king of Denmarke ITem because that our soueraigne Lord the king at the grieuous complaint to him made in this Parliament by the commons of his realme of England being in this Parliament is informed that many of his faithfull liege people be greatly impouerished vndone in point to be destroyed by the king of Denmarke his lieges which be of the amitie of the king our soueraigne Lord because that they do daily take of his said faithful subiects their goods so that they haue taken of marchants of York and Kingston vpon Hul goods marchandises to the valour of v. M.li. within a yeere and of other lieges marchants of y e Realme of England goods cattals to the valour of xx M.li. wherof they haue no remedie of the said king of Denmarke nor of none other forasmuch as none of them coÌ„meth within the Realme of England nor nothing haue in the same Realme of England that y e goods be taken out of the same Realme The king willing to prouide remedy for his said liege people hath ordeined established that if y e goods of any of y e said his lieges be or shal be taken by the said king of Denmarke or any of his said lieges the keeper of the priuie seale for y e time being shall haue power to make to y e partie grieued letters of request vnder the priuie seale wtout any other pursuite to be made to any for restitutiâ—n to be had of y e goods so taken to be taken And if restitution be not made by such letters the king our soueraigne lord by the aduise of his counsel shal prouide to the partie grieued his couenable remedy according as y e case requireth Here beginneth the Prologue of the processe of the Libel of English policie exhorting all England to keepe the sea and namely the narrowe sea shewing what profite commeth thereof and also what worship and saluation to England and to all English-men THe true processe of English policie Of vtterward to keepe this regne in Of our England that no man may deny Ner say of sooth but it is one of the best Is this that who seeth South North East and Wesâ—â— Cherish Marchandise keepe the admiraltie That we bee Masâ—ers of the narrowe see For Sigismond the great Emperour With yet reigneth when he was in this land With king Henry the fift
part of Scotland vpon a rocke was also lost and Master Chanceller with diuers other drowned The sayd Russe ambassadour hardly escaping with other his men mariners some goods sauer were sent for into Scotland from the King Queene and Merchants the messenger being M. Doctor Laurence Hussie and others And then as in the chronicles appeareth honorably enterteined and receiued at London This yeere also the company furnished and sent out a pinnesse named the Serchthrift to discouer the harborowes in the North coast from Norway to Wardhouse and so to the Bay of S. Nicholas There was in her Master and Pilot Stephen Burrough with his brother William and eight other Their discouery was beyond the Bay towarde the Samoeds people dwelling neare the riuer of Ob and found a sound or sea with an Island called Vaigats first by them put into the Carde or Mappe In that place they threw snowe out of their said pinnesse with shouels in August by which extremitie and lacke of time they came backe to Russia and wintred at Colmogro Anno 1557. The company with foure good ships sent backe the said Russe ambassadour and in company with him sent as an Agent for further discouery Master Anthony Ienkinson who afterward anno 1558 with great fauour of the prince of Moscouia and his letters passed the riuer Volga to Cazan and meaning to seeke Cathay by land was by many troupes and companies of vnciuil Tartarians encountred and in danger but keeping company with merchants of Bactria or Boghar and Vrgeme trauelling with camels he with his company went to Boghar and no further whose entertainment of the king is to be had of master Ienkinson which returned anno 1559. to Moscouie And in anno 1560. he with Henry Lane came home into England which yeere was the first safe returne without losse or shipwracke or dead fraight burnings And at this time was the first traffike to the Narue in Liuonia which confines with Lituania all the dominions of Russia and the markets faires commodities great townes riuers were sent vnto by diuers seruants the reports were taken by Henry Lane Agent and deliuered to the companie 1561. The trade to Rie and Reuel of old time hath bene long since frequented by our English nation but this trade to the Narue was hitherto concealed from vs by the Danskers and Lubeckers Anno 1561. the said Master Anthony Ienkinson went Agent into Russia who the next yeere after passing all the riuer of Volga to Astracan and ouer the Caspian sea arriued in Persia and opened the trade thither Also betweene the yeeres of 1568. and 1573. sundry voyages after Master Ienkinsons were made by Thomas Alcock Arthur Edwards Master Thomas Bannister and Master Geffrey Ducket whose returne if spoyle neere Volga had not preuented by rouing theeues had altogether salued and recouered the companies called the olde companies great losse charges and damages but the saying is trueâ— By vnitie small things grow great by contention great things become small This may be vnderstood best by the company The frowardnesse of some few and euill doing of some vniust factors was cause of much of the euill successe Arthur Edwards was sent againe 1579. and died in the voyage at Astracan About which matters are to be remembred the voyages of Master Thomas Randolph Esquire Ambassador anno 1567. And late of Sir Ierome Bowes anno 1583. both tending and treating for further discoueries freedomes and priuileges wherewith I meddle not But in conclusion for their paines and aduentures this way as diuers do now adayes other wayes as worthy Gentlemen sent from princes to doe their countrey good I put them in your memorie with my hearty farewell From S. Magarets neere Dartforth in Kent Yours Henry Lane The most solemne and magnificent coronation of Pheodor Iuanowich Emperour of Russia c. the tenth of Iune in the yeere 1584. seene and obserued by Master Ierom Horsey gentleman and seruant to her Maiesty a man of great trauell and long experience in those parts wherwith is also ioyned the course of his iourney ouer land from Mosco to Emden WHen the old Emperour Iuan Vasiliwich died being about the eighteenth of Aprill 1584. after our computation in the citie of Mosco hauing raigned 54. yeeres there was some tumult annd vprore among some of the nobilitie and cominaltie which notwithstanding was quickly pacified Immediately the same night the Prince Boris Pheodorowich Godonoua Knez Iuan Pheodorowich Mesthis Slafsky Knez Iuan Petrowich Susky Mekita Romanowich Bodan Iacoulewich Belskoy being all noble men and chiefest in the Emperors Will especially the Lord Boris whom he adopted as his third sonne was brother to the Empresse who was a maÌ„ very wel liked of al estates as no lesse worthy for his valure wisedome all these were appointed to dispose settle his sonne Pheodor Iuanowich hauing one sworne another and all the nobilitie and officers whosoeuer In the morning y e dead Emperor was layd into the Church of Michael the Archangel into a hewen sepulcre very richly decked with vestures fit for such a purpose and present Proclamation was made Emperor Pheodor Iuanowich of all Ruâ—sia c. Throughout all the citie of Mosco was great watch and ward with souldiers and gunners good orders established and officers placed to subdue the tumulters and mainteine quietnes to see what speede and policie was in this case vsed was a thing worth the beholding This being done in Mosco great men of birth and accompt were also presently sent to the bordering Townes as Smolensko Vobsko Kasan Nouogorod c. with fresh garrison and the old sent vp As vpon the 4. of May a parliament was held wherein were assembled the Metropolitane Archbishops Bishops Priors and chiefe clergie men and all the nobility whatsoeuer where many matters were determined not pertinent to my purpose yet all tended to a new reformation in the gouernmentâ— but especially the terme and time was agreed vpon for the solemnizing of the new Emperors coronation In the meane time y e Empresse wife to the old Emperor was with her child the Emperors sonne Charlewich Demetrie Iuanowich of one yeres age or there abouts sent with her father Pheodor Pheodorowich Nagay that kindred being 5. Brothers to a towne called Ouglets which was giuen vnto her and the young Prince her sonne with all the lands belonging to it in the shire with officers of all sortes appointed hauing allowance of apparell iewels diet horse c. in ample maner belonging to the estate of a princesse The time of mourning after their vse being expired called Sorachyn or fortie orderlie dayes the day of the solemnizing of this coronation with great preparations was come being vpon the 10. day of Iune 1584. and that day then Sunday he being of the age of 25. yeeres at which time Master Ierom Horsey was orderly sent for and placed in a fit roome to
that an vniuersall peace with our Christian neighbours will cut off the emploiment of the couragious increasing youth of this realme he is much deceiued For there are other most conuenient emploiments for all the superfluitie of euery profession in this realme For not to meddle with the state of Ireland nor that of Guiana there is vnder our noses the great ample countrey of Virginia the In-land whereof is found of late to bee so sweete and holesome a climate so rich and abundant in siluer mines so apt and capable of all commodities which Italy Spaine and France can affoord that the Spaniards themselues in their owne writings printed in Madrid 1586 and within few moneths afterward reprinted by me in Paris and in a secret mappe of those partes made in Mexico the yeere before for the king of Spaine which originall with many others is in the custodie of the excellent Mathematician M. Thomas Hariot as also in their intercepted letters come vnto my hand bearing date 1595. they acknowledge the In-land to be a better and richer countrey then Mexico and Nueua Spania it selfe And on the other side their chiefest writers as Peter Martyr ab Angleria and Francis Lopez de Gomara the most learned Venetian Iohn Baptista Ramusius and the French Geographers as namely Popiliniere and the rest acknowledge with one consent that all that mightie tract of land from 67. degrees Northward to the latitude almost of Florida was first discouered out of England by the commaundement of king Henry the seuenth and the South part thereof before any other Christian people of late hath bene planted with diuers English Colonies by the royal consent of her sacred Maiestie vnder the broad seale of England whereof one as yet remaineth for ought we know aliue in the countrey Which action if vpon a good godly peace obtained it shal please the Almighty to stirre vp her Maiesties heart to continue with her fauourable countenance as vpon the ceasing of the warres of Granada hee stirred vp the spirite of Isabella Queene of Castile to aduaunce the enterprise of Columbus with transporting of one or two thousand of her people and such others as vpon mine owne knowledge will most willingly at their owne charges become Aduenturers in good numbers with their bodies and goods she shall by Gods assistance in short space worke many great and vnlooked for effects increase her dominions enrich her cofers and reduce many Pagans to the faith of Christ. The neglecting hitherto of which last point our aduersaries daily in many of their bookes full bitterly lay vnto the charge of the professors of the Gospell No sooner should we set footing in that pleasant and good land and erect one or two conuenient Fortes in the Continent or in some Iland neere the maine but euery step we tread would yeeld vs new occasion of action which I wish the Gentrie of our nation rather to regard then to follow those soft vnprofitable pleasures wherein they now too much consume their time and patrimonie and hereafter will doe much more when as our neighbour warres being appeased they are like to haue lesse emploiment then nowe they haue vnlesse they bee occupied in this or some other the like expedition And to this ende and purpose giue me leaue I beseech you to impart this occurrent to your honourable and prouident cōsideration that in the yere one thousand fiue hundred eighty and seuen when I had caused the foure voyages of Ribault Laudonniere and Gourges to Florida at mine owne charges to bee printed in Paris which by the malice of some too much affectioned to the Spanish faction had bene aboue twentie yeeres suppressed assoone as that booke came to the view of that reuerend and prudent Counseller Monsieur Harlac the lord chiefe Iustice of France and certaine other of the wisest Iudges in great choler they asked who had done such intollerable wrong to their whole kingdome as to haue concealed that woorthie worke so long Protesting further that if their Kings and the Estate had throughly followed that action France had bene freed of their long ciuill warres and the variable humours of all sortes of people might haue had very ample and manifold occasions of good and honest emploiment abroad in that large and fruitfull Continent of the West Indies The application of which sentence vnto our selues I here omit hastening vnto the summarie recapitulation of other matters contained in this worke It may please your Honour therefore to vnderstand that the second part of this first Treatise containeth our auncient trade and traffique with English shipping to the Ilands of Sicilie Candie and Sio which by good warrant herein alleaged I find to haue bene begun in the yeere 1511. and to haue continued vntill the yeere 1552. and somewhat longer But shortly after as it seemeth it was intermitted or rather giuen ouer as is noted in master Gaspar Campions discreet letters to master Michael Lock and master William Winter inserted in this booke first by occasiō of the Turkes expelling of the foure and twentie Mauneses or gouernours of the Genouois out of the I le of Sio and by taking of the sayd Iland wholie into his owne hand in Aprill 1566. sending thither Piali Basha with fourescore gallies for that purpose and afterward by his growing ouer mightie and troublesome in those Seas by the cruell inuasion of Nicosia and Famagusta and the whole I le of Cyprus by his lieutenant Generall Mustapha Basha Which lamentable Tragedie I haue here againe reuiued that the posteritie may neuer forget what trust may bee giuen to the oath of a Mahumetan when hee hath aduauntage and is in his choler Lastly I haue here put downe at large the happie renuing and much increasing of our interrupted trade in all the Leuant accomplished by the great charges and speciall industrie of the worshipfull and worthy Citizens Sir Edward Osborne Knight M. Richard Staper and M. William Hareborne together with the league for traffike onely betweene her Maiestie and the Grand Signior with the great priuileges immunities and fauours obteyned of his imperiall Highnesse in that behalfe the admissions and residencies of our Ambassadours in his stately Porch and the great good and Christian offices which her Sacred Maiestie by her extraordinary fauour in that Court hath done for the king and kingdome of Poland and other Christian Princes the traffike of our Nation in all the chiefe Hauens of Africa and Egypt the searching and haunting the very bottome of the Mediterran Sea to the ports of Tripoli and Alexandretta of the Archipelagus by the Turkes now called The white sea euen to the walles of Constantinople the voyages ouer land and by riuer through Aleppo Birrha Babylon and Balsara and downe the Persian gulfe to Ormuz and thence by the Ocean sea to Goa and againe ouer-land to Bisnagar Cambaia Orixa Bengala Aracan Pegu Malacca Siam the Iangomes Quicheu and euen to the Frontiers of the Empire of China the former performed
authoritie For the second point when it pleased your Honour in sommer was two yeeres to haue some conference with me and to demaund mine opinion touching the state of the Country of Guiana and whether it were fit to be planted by the English I then to my no small ioy did admire the exact knowledge which you had gotten of those matters of Indian Nauigations and how carefull you were not to be ouertaken with any partiall affection to the Action appeared also by the sound arguments which you made pro contra of the likelihood and reason of good or ill successe of the same before the State and common wealth wherein you haue an extraordinarie voyce should be farther engaged In consideration whereof I thinke my selfe thrise happie to haue these my trauailes censured by your Honours so well approued iudgement Touching the third and last motiue I cannot but acknowledge my selfe much indebted for your fauourable letters heretofore written in my behalfe in mine honest causes Whereunto I may adde that when this worke was to passe vnto the presse your Honour did not onely intreate a worthy knight a person of speciall experience as in many others so in marine causes to ouersee and peruse the same but also vpon his good report with your most fauourable letters did warrant and with extraordinarie commendation did approue and allow my labours and desire to publish the same Wherefore to conclude seeing they take their life and light from the most cheerefull and benigne aspect of your fauour I thinke it my bounden dutie in all humilitie and with much bashfulnesse to recommend my selfe and them vnto your right Honorable and fauourable protection and your Honour to the mercifull tuition of the most High From London this 24. of October 1599. Your Honors most humble to be commanded Richard Hakluyt preacher ¶ A Catalogue of the English Voyages made by and within the Streight of Gibraltar to the South and Southeast quarters of the world conteined in the first part of this second volume Voyages before the Conquest 1 THe voyage of Helena the Empresse daughter of Coelus king of Britain and mother of Constantine the Great to Ierusalem An. 337. pag. 1.2 2 The voyage of Constantine the Great Emperour and king of Britaine to Greece AEgypt Persia and Asia Anno 339. pag. 2.3 3 The voyage of Pelagius Cambrensis vnder Maximus king of the Britaines into AEgypt and Syria Anno 390. pag. 4 4 The voyage of certaine Englishmen sent by the French king to Constantinople vnto Iustinian the Emperour about the yeere of our Lord 500. pag. 4 5 The memorable voyage of Sighelmus bishop of Shirburne sent by king Alphred vnto S. Thomas of India An. 883. confirmed by two testimonies pag. 5 6 The voyage of Iohn Erigen vnder king Alphred to Athens in the yeere of our Lorde 885. pag. 5.6 7 The voyage of Andrew Whiteman aliâs Leucander vnder Canutus the Dane to Palastina Anno 1020. pag. 6 8 The voyage of Swanus one of the sonnes of Earle Godwin vnto Ierusalem Anno 1052. pag. 6 9 A voyage of three Ambassadours sent in the time of king Edward the Confessor vnto Constantinople and from thence vnto Ephesus Anno 1056. pag. 7 10 The voyage of Alured bishop of Worcester vnto Ierusalem Anno 1058. pag. 8 11 The voyage of Ingulphus afterward Abbat of Croiland vnto Ierusalem An. 1064. pag. 8.9 Voyages since the Conquest 12 A Voyage made by diuerse of the honourable family of the Beauchamps with Robert Curtois the sonne of William the Conquerour to Ierusalem Anno 1096. pag. 10 13 The voyage of Gutuere an English Lady married vnto Baldwine brother of Godfrey duke of Bouillon toward Ierusalem An. 1097. 10.11 14 The voyage of Edgar the sonne of Edward which was the sonne of Edmund surnamed Ironside brother vnto king Edward the Confessor being accompanied with valiant Robert the sonne of Godwine to Ierusalem Anno 1102. 11 15 The voyage of Godericus a valiant Englishman who trauailed with his ships in an expedition vnto the holy land Anno 3. Hen. 1. 12 16 The voyage of Hardine an Englishman and one of the principall commaunders of 200 sayles of Christians ships which arriued at Ioppa Anno 1102 12. 13 17 A voyage by sea of Englishmen Danes and Flemings who arriued at Ioppa in the holy land the seuenth yeere of Baldwine the second king of Ierusalem and in the 8. yeere of Henry the first king of England pag. 13,14 15 18 The voyage of Athelard of Bathe to AEgypt and Arabia in the yeere of our Lord 1130 pag. 15. 16 19 The voyage of William Archbishop of Tyre to Ierusalem and to the citie of Tyre in Phoenicia Anno 1130. 16 20 The voyage of Robert Ketenensis vnder king Stephen to Dalmatia Greece and Asia Anno 1143. 16 21 A voyage of certaine Englishmen vnder the conduct of Lewis the French king vnto the holy land Anno 1147. 17 22 The voyage of Iohn Lacy to Ierusalem Anno 1173 17 23 The voyage of William Mandeuile Erle of Essex to Ierusalem Anno 1177. 17 24 The famous voyage of Richard the first king of England into Asia for the recouering of Ierusalem out of the hands of the Saracens Anno 1190. 20 25 The voyage of Baldwine Archbishop of Canterbury vnto Syria and Palaestina in the yeere 1190. 28 26 The voyage of Richard Surnamed Canonicus vnder king Richard the first into Syria and Palaestina Anno 1190. 30 27 The voyage of Gulielmus Peregrinus vnder king Richard the first to Palaestina Anno 1190. 30 28 The voyage of Hubert Walter bishop of Salisbury vnder king Richard also vnto Syria Anno 1190. 31 29 The voyage of Robert Curson a nobleman of England and a Cardinall vnder Hen. the third to Damiata in AEgypt Anno 1218. 31. 32 30 The voyage of Rainulph Earle of Chester of Saer Quincy Earle of Winchester of William de Albanie Earle of Arundel c. to the holy land Anno 1218. 32 31 The voyage of Henry Bohun and Saer Quincy to the holy land in the yeere of our Lord 1222. 32 32 The voyage of Rainulph Glanuile Earle of Chester to the holy land and to Damiata in AEgypt 32 33 The voyage of Petrus de Rupibus bishop of Winchester to Ierusalem Anno 1231. 33 34 The honourable voyage of Richard Earle of Cornwall brother to king Hen. the third accompanied with William Long-espee Earle of Salisburie and diuerse other noblemen into Syria Anno 1240. 33 35 The voyage of William Long-espee or Long-sword Erle of Salisburie into AEgypt with Lewis the French king Anno 1248. 33 36 The voyage of prince Edward the sonne of king Henry the third into Syria An. 1270. 36 37 The voyage of Robert Turneham vnder the said prince Edward into Syria in the yeere of our Lord 1270 38.39 38 The voyage of Frier Beatus Odoricus to Asia minor Armenia Chaldaea Persia India China and other remote parts c. 39.53 39 The voyage of Matthew Gurney an
English knight against the Moores of Alger to Barbary and to Spaine 67 40 The voyage of Henrie Earle of Derby after Duke of Hereford and lastly Henry the fourth king of England with an army of Englishmen to Tunis in Barbary 69 41 The trauailes and memorable victories of Iohn Hawkwood Englishman in diuerse places of Italy in the reigne of Richard the second 70 42 The voyage of Lord Iohn of Holland Earle of Huntington brother by the mother to K. Richard the second to Ierusalem and S. Katherins mount Anno 1394. 70 43 The voyage of Thomas Lord Mowbrey duke of Norfolke to Ierusalem in the yeere of our Lord 1399. 70 44 The voyage of the bishop of Winchester to Ierusalem Anno 1417. 71 45 A voyage intended by king Henry the fourth to the holy land against the Saracens and Infidels Anno 1413. 71. 72 46 A voyage made with two ships called The holy Crosse and The Matthew Gunson to the Isles of Candia and Chio about the yeere 1534. 98 47 Another voyage vnto Candia and Chio made by the foresayd ship called The Matthewâ— Gunson Anno 1535. 98 48 The voyage of the valiant Esquire M. Peter Read to Tunis in Barbarie 1538 recorded in his Epitaph 99 49 The voyage of Sir Thomas Chaloner to Alger with the Emperour Charles the fift Anno 1541. 99 50 The voyage of M. Roger Bodenâ—am with the great barke Aucher to Candia and Chio Anno 1550. 99 51 The voyage of M. Iohn Lok to Ierusalem Anno 1553. 101 52 The voyage of Iohn Foxe to the Streit of Gibraltar in a ship called The three halfe-moones Anno 1563. And his worthy enterprize in deliuering 266 Christians from the captiuitie of the Turkes at Alexandria Anno 1577. 131.132 53 The voyage of M. Laurence Aldersey to the cities of Ierusalem and Tripolis in the yeere 1581. 150 54 The voyage of The Susan of London to Constantinople wherein M. William Hareborne was sent first Ambassadour vnto Zuldan Murad Can the great Turke Anno 1582. 165 55 The voyage of a ship called The Iesus to Tripolis in Barbary Anno 1583. 184 56 The voyage of M. Henry Austel by Venice to Ragusa and thence ouer-land to Constantinople and from thence through Moldauia Polonia Silesia and Germany into England Anno 1586. 194 57 The voyage of Master Cesar Frederick into the east India and beyonde the Indies Anno 1563. 213 58 The long dangerous and memorable voyage of M. Ralph Fitch marchant of London by the way of Tripolis in Syria to Ormuz to Goa in the East India to Cambaia to the riuer of Ganges to Bengala to Bacola to Chonderi to Pegu to Siam c. begunne in the yeere 1583 and ended in the yeere 1591. 250 59 The voyage of M. Iohn Eldred to Tripolis in Syria by sea and from thence by land and riuer to Babylon and Balsara Anno 1583. 268 60 The voyage of M. Iohn Euesham by sea into AEgypt Anno 1586. 281 61 The voyage of M. Laurence Aldersey to the cities of Alexandria and Cairo in Aegypt Anno 1586. 282 62 The voyage of fiue marchants ships of London into Turkie and their valiant fight in their returne with 11 gallies and two frigats of the king of Spaine at Pantalarea within the Streits of Gibraltar Anno 1586. 285 63 The voyage of Master William Hareborne ouer-land from Constantinople to London Anno 1588. 289 64 A description of a voyage to Constantinople and Syria begun the 21 of March 1593 and ended the ninth of August 1595 wherein is shewed the manner of deliuering the second present by M. Edward Barton her Maiesties ambassadour which was sent from her Maiestie to Sultan Murad Can the Emperour of Turkie 33 The Ambassages Letters Priuileges Discourses Aduertisements and other obseruations depending vpon the Voyages contayned in the first part of this second Volume 1 A Testimony that the Britons were in Italy and Greece with the Cimbrians and Gauls before the incarnation of Christ. pag. 1 2 A testimony that certain Englishmen were of the guard of the Emperour of Constantinople in the time of Iohn the sonne of Alexius Comnenus 17 3 A great supply of money sent to the Holy land by King Henry the second 18 4 A letter written from Manuel the Emperour of Constantinople vnto Henry the second King of England Ann. 1177 wherein mention is made that certaine of king Henries noblemen and subiects were present with the sayd Emperour in a battel against the Soldan of Iconium 18 5 A note drawen out of a very auncient booke in the custodie of the right Wor. M. Thomas Tilney Esquire touching Sir Fredericke Tilney his ancester knighted for his valour at Acon in the Holyland by king Richard the first 29 6 A large contribution to the succour of the holy land made by king Iohn king of England Anno 1201. 30 7 The comming of Baldwin the Emperour of Constantinople into England An. 1247. 31 8 A testimony concerning Anthony Beck bishop of Duresme that he was elected Patriarke of Ierusalem and confirmed by Clement the 5 bishop of Rome Anno 1305. 39 9 The comming of Lyon king of Armenia into England Anno 1â—86 to make a treaty of peace betweene Richard the second king of England and the French king 67 10 The comming of the Emperour of Constantinople into England to desire the ayde of king Henry the fourth against the Turkes Anno 1400. 70 11 A relation of the siege and taking of the citie of Rhodes by Sultan Soliman the great Turke Wherein honorable mention is made of diuers valiant English knights Anno 1522. 72 12 An ambassage from Don Ferdinando brother to the Emperour Charles the fift vnto King Henry the eight crauing his ayde against Soliman the great Turke An. 1527. 95 13 The antiquitie of the trade of English marchants vnto the remote parts of the Leuant seas Anno 1511 1512 c. 96 14 A letter of Henry the eight king of England to Iohn the third king of Portugale for a Portugale ship fraighted at Chio with the goods of Iohn Gresham William Lok and others and wrongfully vnladen in Portugale Anno 1531. 96 15 The maner of the entring of Soliman the great Turke with his army into Alepo in Syria as hee was marching toward Persia agaiâ—st the great Sophi Anno 1553. 112 16 A note of the presents that were giuen at the same time in Alepo to the Grand Signor and the names of the presenters 113 17 The safe conduct granted by Sultan Soliman the great Turke to M. Anthony Ienkinson at Alepo in Syria Anno 1553. 114 18 A discourse of the trade to Chio written by Gaspar Campion in the yeere 1569. 114 19 A letter of the sayd Gaspar Campion to M. William Winter in the yeare 1569. 116 20 A briefe description of the Isle of Cyprus 119 21 A report of the siege and taking of Famagusta the strongest citie in al Cyprus by Mustafa Bassa Generall of the great Turkes army Anno 1571. 121 22 The
Archbishop of Tyre lib. 3. cap. 17. hist. belli sacri The same author in the 10. booke first chapter of the same historie concerning the same English Lady writeth further as followeth Baldwine hauing folowed the warres for a time gaue his minde to marriage so that being in England he fell in loue with a very honourable and noble Lady named Gutuere whom he married and caried with him in that first happy expedition wherin he accompanied his brethren the Lords duke Godfrey and Eustace persons very commendable in all vertues and of immortall memorie But he had hard fortune in his iourney because his foresaid wife being wearied with a long sicknes finished her life with a happie end neere the citie of Marasia before the Christian armie came vnto Antioch where she was honourably buried as we haue declarâ—d before ¶ Chronicon Hierosolymitanum in lib. 3. cap. 27. maketh also mention of this English Lady which he calleth Godwera in this maner HAc in regione Maresch vxor Baldewini nobilissima quam de regno Angele eduxit diutina corporis molestia aggrauata duci Godefrido commendata vitam exâ—alauit sepulta Catholicis obsequijs cuius nomen erat Godwera The same in English IN this prouince of Maresch the most noble wife of Baldwine which he caried with him out of England being visited with dayly sicknesses and infirmities of body and commended to the custody of duke Godfrey departed out of this life and was buried after the Christian maner Her name was Godwera ¶ The voyage of Edgar the sonne of Edward which was the sonne of Edmund surnamed Ironside brother vnto K. Edward the confessor being accompanied with valiant Robert the sonne of Godwin vnto Ierusalem in the yeere of our Lord 1102. Recorded by William of Malmesburie lib. 3. histo fol. 58. SVbsequenti tempore cum Roberto filio Godwini milite audacissimo Edgarus Hierosolymam pertendit Illud fuit tempus quo Turci Baldwinum regem apud Ramas obsederunt qui cum obsidionis iniuriam ferre nequiret per medias hostium acies effugit solius Roberti opera liberatus praeeuntis euaginato gladio dexâ—ra leuaque Turcos caedentis Sed cum successu ipso truculentior alacritate nimia procutreret ensis manu excidit Ad quem recolligendum cum se inclinasset omnium incursu oppressus vinculis palmas dedit Inde Babyloniam vt aiunt ductus cum Christum abnegare nollet in medio foro ad signum positus sagittis terebratus martyrium consecrauit Edgarus amisso milite regressus multaque beneficia ab Imperatoribus Graecorum Alemannorum adeptus quippè qui etiam cum retinere pro generis amplitudine tentassent omnia pro natalis soli desiderio spreuit Quosdam enim profectò fallie amor patriae vt nihil eis videatur iucundum nisi consuetum hauserint coelum Vndè Edgarus fatua cupidine illusus Angliam redijt vbi vt superius dixi diuerso fortunae ludicro rotatus nunc remotus tacitus canos suos in agro consumit The same in English AFterward Edgar being sonne vnto the nephewe of Edward the confessour traueiled with Robert the sonne of Godwin a most valiant knight vnto Ierusalem And it was at the same time when the Turkes besieged king Baldwin at Rama who not being able to endure the straight siege was by the helpe of Robert especially going before him and with his drawen sword making a lane and slaying the Turkes on his right hande and on his left deliuered out of that danger and escaped through the midst of his enemies campe But vpon his happie successe being more eager and fierce as hee went forward somewhat too hastily his sworde fell out of his hand Which as he stouped to take vp being oppressed with the whole multitude hee was there taken and bound From whence as some say being carried vnto Babylon or Alcair in Egypt when he would not renounce Christ he was tyed vnto a stake in the midst of the market place and being shot through with arrowes died a martyr Edgar hauing lost his knight returned and being honoured with many rewards both by the Greekish and by the Germaine Emperour who both of them would right gladly haue entertained him stil for his great nobilitie contemned all things in respect of his natiue soile For in very deede some are so inueagled with the loue of their countrey that nothing can seeme pleasant vnto them vnlesse they breath in the same aire where they were bred Wherefore Edgar being misledde with a fond affection returned into England and afterward being subiect vnto diuers changes of fortune as we haue aboue signified he spendeth now his extreeme olde age in an obscure and priuate place of the countrey ¶ Mention made of one Godericus a valiant Englishman who was with his ships in the voyage vnto the Holy land in the second yeere of Baldwine King of Ierusalem in the third yere of Henry the first of England CHronicon Hierosolymitanum lib. 9. cap. 9. Verùm dehinc septem diebus euolutis rex ab Assur exiens nauem quae dicitur Buza ascendit cum eo Godericus pirata de regno Angliae ac vexillo hastae praefixo elato in aëre ad radios solis vsque Iaphet cum paucis nauigauit vt hoc eius signo ciues Christiani recognito fiduciam vitae regis haberent non facile hostiuÌ„ minis pauefacti turpiter diffugium facerent aut vrbem reddere cogerentur Sciebat enim eos multum de vita salute eius desperare Saraceni auteÌ„ viso eius signo recognito ea parte que vrbem nauigio cingebat illi in galeis viginti Carinis tredecim quas vulgo appellant Câ—zh occurrerunt volentes Buzam regis coronare Sed Dei auxilio vndis maris illis exaduerso tumescentibus ac reluctantibus Buza autem regis facili agili cursu inter procellas labente ac volitante in portu Ioppae delusis hostibus subitò affuit sex ex Saracenis in arcu suo in nauicula percussis ac vulneratis Intrans itaque ciuitatem dum incolumis omnium pateret oculis reuixit spiritus cunctorum gementium de eius morte hactenus dolentium eo quòd caput rex Christianorum princeps Hierusalem adhuc viuus incolumis receptus sit The same in English BUt seuen dayes afterward the King comming out of the towne of Assur entred into a shippe called a Busse and one Godericke a pirate of the kingdome of England with him and fastening his banner on the toppe of a speare and holding it vp aloft in the aire against the beames of the Sunne sailed vnto Iâ—phet with a small company That the Christian Citizens there seeing this his banner might conceiue hope that the King was yet liuing and being not easâ—ily terrified with the threates of the enemies might shamefully runne away or be constrained to yeeld vp the citie For hee knew that they were very much out
of hope of his life and safetie The Saracens seeing and knowing this his banner that part of them which enuironed the Citie by water made towards him with twentie Gallies and thirteene shippes which they commonly cal Cazh seeking to inclose the Kings shippe But by Gods helpe the billowes of the Sea swelling and raging against them and the Kings shippe gliding and passing through the waues with an easie and nimble course arriued suddenly in the hatten of Ioppa the enemies frustrated of their purpose and sixe of the Saracens were hurt and wounded by shot out of the Kings shippe So that the King entering into the Citie and nowe appearing in safetie in all their sightes the spirits of all them that mourned for him and vntil then lamented as though hee had bene dead reuiued because that the head and King of the Christians and prince of Ierusalem was yet aliue and come againe vnto them in perfect health ¶ Mention made of one Hardine of England one of the chiefest personages and a leader among other of two hundred saile of ships of Christians that landed at Ioppa in the yeere of our Lord God 1102. CHronicon Hierosolymitanum libro 9. cap. 11. Interea dum haec obsidio ageretur 200. naues Christianorum nauigio Ioppen appulsae sunt vt adorarent in Hierusalem Horum Bernardus Witrazh de terra Galatiae Hardinus de Anglia Otho de Roges Hadewerck vnus de praepotentibus Wesifalorum primi ductores fuisse referuntur c. Erat autem tertia feria Iulij mensis quando hae Christianorum copiae Deo protegente huc nauigio angustiatis obsessis ad opem collatae sunt Sarracenorum autem turmae videntes quia Christianorum virtus audacter facie ad faciem vicino sibi hospitio proximè iungebatur media nocte oâ—biincumbente amotis tentorijs amplius milliari subtractae consederunt dum luce exorta consilium inirent vtrum Ascalonem redirent aut ciues Iaphet crebris assultibus vexarent The same in English VVHile the Sarazens continued their siege against Ioppa two hundred saile of Christian ships arriued at Ioppa that they might performe their deuotions at Hierusalem The chiefe men and leaders of these Christians are reported to haue bene Bernard Witrazh of the land of Galatia Hardine of England Otho of Roges Haderwerck one of the chiefe noble men of Westphalia c. This Christian power through Gods speciall prouision arriued here for the succour and reliefe of the distressed besieged Christians in Ioppa the third day of Iuly 1102. and in the second yeere of Baldwine king of Ierusalem Whereupon the multitude of the Sarazens seeing that the Christian power ioyned themselues boldly close by them euen face to face in a lodging hard by them the very next night at midnight remooued their tents and pitched them more then a mile off that they might the next morning bee aduised whether they should returne to Ascalon or by often assaults vexe the citizens of Iaphet Chronicon Hierosolymitanum eodem libro 9. cap. 12. continueth this historie of these two hundreth saile of ships and sheweth how by their prowesse chiefly the multitude of the Sarazens were in short space vanquished and ouerthrowen The words are these Ab ipso verò die terriae feriae dum sic in superbia elatione suae multitudinis immobiles Saraceni persisterent multis armorum terroribus Christianum populum vexarent sexta feria appropinquance Rex Baldwinus in tubis cornibus a Iaphet egrediens in manu robusta equitum peditum virtutem illorum crudeli bello est aggressus magnis hinc hinc clamoribus intonantes Christiani quoque qui nauigio appulsi sunt horribili pariter clamore cum Rege Baldwino graui strepitu vociferantes Babylonios vehementi pugna sunt aggressi saeuissimis atque mortiferis plagis eos affligentes donec bello fatigati vltra vim non sustinentes fugam versus Ascalonem inierunt Alij verò ab insecutoribus eripi existimantes marâ— se credentes intolerabili procellarum fluctuatione absorpti sunt Et sic ciuitas Ioppe cum habitatoribus suis liberata est Ceciderunt hac die tria millia Sarracenorum Christianorum verò pauci perijsse inuenti sunt The same in English YEt notwithstanding after the said third day of Iuly the Sarazens persisted high minded and insolent by reason of their great multitude and much annoied the Christian people with their many forceable and terrible weapons whereupon on the sixt day of Iuly early in the morning king Baldwine issued out of Iaphet his trumpets and cornets yeelding a great and lowd sound and with a very strong armie as well of horsemen as footemen who on euery side making great shoutes and outcries with fierce and sharpe battell set on the maine power of their enemies The Christians also who arriued in the nauie rearing great clamours and noyses with loud voices and shoutings in horrible wise together with king Baldwine assaulted likewise with strong battell the Babylonians and afflicted them with most sore and deadly wounds vntill the Sarazens being wearied with fighting nor able longer to endure and hold out against the valure of the Christians fled towards Ascalon And other of them hoping to escape from them that pursued them lept into the sea and were swalowed vp in the waues thereof And so the citie of Ioppa with the inhabitants thereof were freed of their enemies There were slaine this day three thousand Sarazens and but a few of the Christians perished ¶ A Fleete of Englishmen Danes and Flemmings arriued at Ioppa in the Holy land the seuenth yeere of Baldwine the second king of Hierusalem Written in the beginning of the tenth booke of the Chronicle of Hierusalem in the 8. yeere of Henry the first of England Cap. 1. AT the same time also in the seuenth yeere of the raigne of Baldwine the Catholike king of Hierusalem a very great warrelike Fleete of the Catholike nation of England to the number of about seueÌ„ thousand hauing with them more men of warre of the kingdom of Denmarke of Flanders and of Antwerpe arriued with ships which they call Busses at the hauen of the citie of Iaphet determining there to make their abode vntill they hauing obtained the kings licence and safe conduct might safely worship at Hierusalem Of which nauie the chiefest and best spoken repairing to the king spake to him in this maner Christ preserue the Kings life and prosper his kingdome from day to day Wee being men and souldiours of Christian profession haue through the helpe of God sayled hither through mightie and large seas from the farre countreys of England Flanders and Denmarke to worship at Ierusalem and to visit the sepulchre of our Lord. And therefore we are assembled to intreat your clemency touching the matter that by your fauour and safe conduct we may peaceably goe vp to Ierusalem and worship there and so returne Chap. 2. THe king fauourably hearing their whole
was buried by his brother after Christian maner Chap. 6. AFter the lamentable burials of these so famous Princes the King taking occasion of the death of these principall men of his armic agreed making none priuie thereto to receiue the money which was offered him for his differring off the siege of the citie of Sagiâ—ta yet dissembling to make peace with the Saracens but that he ment to go through with the worke that he had begunne Whereupon sending a message vnto Iaphet hee aduised the English souldiers to come downe to Acres with their fleete and to conferre and consult with him touching the besieging and assaulting of the citie of Sagitta which rising immediatly vpon the kings commaundement and foorthwith hoysing vp the sayles of their shippes aloft with pendants and stremers of purple and diuerse other glorious colours with their flagges of scarlet colour and silke came thither and casting their ancres rode hard by the citie The king the next day calling vnto him such as were priuie acquainted with his dealings opened his griefe vnto the chiefe Captaines of the English men and Danes touching the slaughter of Hugh and the death of his brother and what great confidence he reposed in them concerning these warres and that nowe therefore they being departed and dead he must of necessity differre the besieging of Sagitta for this time dismisse the armie assembled This resolution of the king being spred among the people the armie was dissolued and the Englishmen Danes and Flemings with sailes and oares going aboard their fleete saluted the king and returned home vnto their natiue countries The trauailes of one Athelard an Englishman recorded by master Bale Centur. 2. AThelardus Bathoniensis Coenobij monachus naturalium rerum mysteria causas omnes diligentâ—â—â tam vndecun que exquisitá perserutatus est vt cum aliquibus veteris seculi philoâ—ophis non indignè conferâ—i possit Hic olim spectatae indolis Adolescens vt virente adhuc aetate iuuenile ingenium foecundaret atque adres magnas pararet relicta dulci patria longin quas petijt regiones Cum verò AEgyptum Arabiam peragrans plura inuenisset quae eius desiderabat animus cum magno laborum ac literarum lucro in Angliam tum demùm reuertebatur Claruit anno virginei partus 1130. Henrico primo regnante The same in English AThelard a Monke of the Abbie of Bathe was so diligent a searcher of the secrets and causes of naturall things that he deserueth worthely to be compared with some of the auncient Philosophers This man although young yet being of a good wit and being desirous to increase and enrich the same with the best things and to prepare himselfe as it were for greater matters left his Countrey for a time and trauailed into forreine Regions He went through Egypt and Arabia and found out many things which he desired to his owne priuate contentment and the profite of good letters generally and so being satisfied returned againe into his Countrey he flourished in the yeere 1130. Henry the first being then king of England ¶ The life and trauailes of one VVilliam of Tyre an Englishman Centur. 13. GVlielmus Ecclesiae Dominici sepulchri Hierosolymae Regularium Canonicorum prior natione Anglicus vir vita moribus coÌ„mendabilis Anno Dom. 1128. postquam Tyrorum Ciuitas fidei Christianae restituta est a Guimundo Hierosolymorum patriarcha eidem vrbi primus Archiepiscopus praeficiebatur Est autem Tyrus ciuitas antiquissima Phoeniciae vniuersae Metropolis quae inter Syriae prouincias bonorum omnium penè commoditate incolarum frequentia primum semper obtinuit locum post conscripta quaedam opuscula Epistolas ad Domâ—num migrauit Anâ— Christi 1130. quum duobus tantum sedisset annis in Tyrensi Ecclesia sepelitur The same in English VVIlliam the Prior of the Canons Regular in the Church of Ierusalem called the Lords Sepulchre was an Englishman borne and of a vertuous and good behauiour After that the Citie of Tyre was restored againe to the Christian faith Guimunde the Patriarke of Ierusalem made him the first Archbishop of Tyre in the yeere 1128. Which Tyre is a very ancient Citie the Metropolis of all Phoenicia and hath bene accompted the chiefest Prouince of Syria both for fruitful commodities and multitude of inhabitants This William hauing in his life written many Bookes and Epistles died at last in the yeere 1130. hauing bene Archbishop the space of two yeeres and was buried in the Church of Tyre The trauailes of Robertus Ketenensis RObertus Ketenensis natione cognomine Anglus degusâ—atis primum per Anglorum gymnasia humanarum artium elementis literarijs vltramarinas statim visitare prouincias in animo constituit Peragratis ergò Gallijs Italia Dalmatia Graecia tum demum peruenit in Asiam vbi non paruo labore ac vitae suae periculo inter Saracenos truculentissimum hominum genus Arabicam linguam ad amussim didicit In Hispaniam postea nauigio traductus circa fluuium Hibetum Astrologicae artis studio cum Hermanno quodam Dalmata magni sui itineris comite se totum dedit Claruit anno seruatoris nostri 1143 Stephano regnante Pampilonaâ— sepelitur The same in English THis Robert Ketenensis was called an Englishman by surname as he was by birth who after some time spent in the foundations of humanitie and in the elements of good Artes in the Uniuersities of England determined to trauaile to the partes beyond sea and so trauailed through France Italie Dalmatia and Greece and came at last into Asia where he liued in great danger of his life among the cruell Saracens but yet learned perfectly the Arabian tongue Afterwardes he returned by sea into Spaine and there about the riuer Iberus gaue him selfe wholy to the studie of Astrologie with one Hermannus a Dalmatian who had accompanied him in his long voyage He flourished in the yeere 1143. Steuen being then King of England and was buried at Pampilona A voyage of certaine English men vnder the conduct of Lewes king of France vnto the Holy land TAntae expeditionis explicito apparatu vterque princeps iter arripuit exercitu separtito Imperator enim Conradus praecedebat itinere aliquot dierum cum Italorum Germanorum aliarúmque gentium amplissimis copijs Rex vero Lodouicus sequebatur Francorum Flandrensium Normannorum Britonum Anglorum Burgundionum Prouincialium Aquitanorum equestri simul pedestri agmine comitatus Gulielmus Neobrigensis fol. 371. The same in English BOth the princes prouision being made for so great an expedition they seuering their armies entered on their iourney For the Emperour Conradus went before certaine dayes iourney with very great power of Italians Germans and other countreys And king Lewes followed after accompanied with a band of horsemen and footmen of French men Flemmings Normans Britons English men Burgundions men of Prouence and Gascoins The voyage of Iohn Lacy to Ierusalem ANno
Domini 1172 fundata fuit abbatia de Stanlaw per dominum Iohannem Lacy Constabularium Cestriae dominum de Halton qui obijt in Terra sancta anno sequenti qui fuit vicessimus annus regni regis Henrici secundi ¶ The same in English IN the yere of our Lord 1172 was founded the abbey of Stanlaw by the lord Iohn Lacy Constable of Chester lord of Halton who deceased in the Holy land the yere following which was in the twentieth yere of king Henry the second The voyage of VVilliam Mandeuile to Ierusalem VVIlliam Mandeuile earle of Essex with diuers English lords and knights went to the Holy land in the 24 yere of Henry the second Holinshed pag. 101. English men were the guard of the Emperours of Constantinople in the reigne of Iohn the sonne of Alexius Comnenus Malmesburiensis Curopolata and Camden pag. 96. IAminde Anglia non minus belli gloria quà m humanitatis cultu inter Florentissimas orbis Christiani gentes inprimis floruit Adeo vt ad custodiam corporis Constantinopolitanorum Imperatorum euocati fuerint Angli Ioannes enim Alexij Comneni filius vt refert noster Malmesburiensis eorum fidem suspiciens praecipue familiaritati suae applicabat amorem eorum filio transcribens Adeo vt iam inde longo tempore fuerint imperatorum illorum satellites Inglini Bipenniferi Nicetae Choniatae Barangi Curopolatae dicti Qui vbique Imperatorem prosequebantur ferentes humetis secures quas tollebant cum Imperator ex oratorio spectandum se exhibebat Anglicè vitam diuturnam secures suas collidentes vt sonitum ederent comprecabantur The same in English FRom this time forward the kingdome of England was reputed amongst the most flourishing estates of Christendome no lesse in chiualrie then humanitie So farforth that the English men were sent for to be the guarders of the persons of the Emperours of Constantinople For Iohn the sonne of Alexius Comnenus as our countreyman William of Malmesburie reporteth highly esteeming their fidelity vsed them very nere about him recommending them ouer to his sonne so that long time afterwards the guard of those Emperours were English halberâ—iers called by Nicetas Choniata Inglini Bipenniseri and by Europolata Barangi which alwayes accompanied the Emperour with their halberds on their shoulders which they held vp when the Emperour comming from his Oratorie shewed himselfe to the people and clafhing their halberds together to make a terrible sound they in the English tongue wished vnto him long life A great supply of money to the Holy land by Henry the 2. THe same yeere King Henry the second being at Waltham assigned an aide to the maintenance of the Christian souldiers in the Holy lande That is to wit two and fortie thousand markes of siluer and fiue hundred markes of golde Matth. Paris and Holens pag. 105. A letter written from Manuel the Emperour of Constantinople vnto Henrie the second King of England Anno Dom. 1177. wherein mention is made that certaine of king Henries Noble men and subiects were present with the sayd Emperour in a battell of his against the Soldan of Iconium Recorded by Roger Houeden in Annalium parte posteriore in regno Hen. 2. fol. 316 317. EOdem anno Manuel Constantinopolitanus imperator habito praelio campestri cum Soltano Iconij illo devicto in hac forma scripsit Domino regi Angliae Manuel in Christo deo Porphyrogenitus diuinitùs coronatus sublimis potens excelsus semper Augustus moderator Romanorum Comnenus Henrico nobilissimo regi Angliae charissimo amico suo salutem omne bonum Cum imperium nostrum necessarium reputet notificare tibi vt dilecto amico suo de omnibus quae sibi obueniunt ideò de his quae nunc acciderunt ei opportunum iudicauit declatare tuae voluntati Igitur a principio coronationis nostrae imperium nostrum aduersus dei inimicos Persas nostrum odium in corde nutriuit dum cernetet illos in Christianos gloriari eleuarique in nomen dei Christianorum dominari regionibus Quocirca alio quidem tempore in differentèr inuasit eos prout deus ei concessit sic fecit Et quae ab ipso frequenter patrata sunt ad contritionem ipsorum perditionem imperium nostrum credit nobilitatem tuam non latere Quoniam autem nunc maximum exercitum contra eos ducere proposuit bellum contra omnem Persidem mouere quia res cogebat Et non vt voluit multum aliquem apparatum fecit sicut ei visum est Veruntamen prout tempus dabat rerum status potentèr eos inuasit Collegit ergo circa se imperium nostrum potentias suas sed quia carpenta ducebat armorum machinarum aliorum instrumentorum conserentium ciuitatum expugnationibus pondera portantia idcircò nequa quam cum festinatione iter suum agere poterat Ampliùs autem dum adhuc propriam regionem peragraret antequam barbarorum aliquis aduersus nos militaret in bellis aduersarius aegritudo dissicillima fluxus ventris invasit nos qui diffâ—sus per agmina imperij nostri pertransibat depopulando inteâ—imendo multos omni pugnatore grauior Et hoc maluÌ„ inuslescens maximè nos contriuit Ex quo verò fines Turcorum inuasimus bella quidem primum frequentia concrepabant agmina Turcorum cum exercitibus imperij nostri vndique dimicabant Sed Dei gratia ex toto à nostris in fugam vertebantur barbari Post verò vbi eâ— qui illic adjaceâ— angustiae loci quae à Persis nominatur Cibrilcimam propinquâ—uimus tot Persarum turmae peditum equitum quorum pleraeque ab interioribus partibus Persidis occurrerant in adiutorium contribulium suorum exercitui nostro superuenerunt quot penè nostrorum excederent numerum Exercitu ita que imperij nostri propter viae omnino angustiam difficultatem vsque ad decem milliaria extenso cum neque qui praeibant possent postremos defendere neque versa vice rursus postremi possent praeeuntes iuuare non mediocritèr ab inuicem hos distare accidit Sanè primae cohortes permultùm ab acie imperij nostri diuide bantur postremarum oblitae illas non praestolantes Quoniam igitur Turcorum agmina ex iam factis praelijs cognouerant non conferre sibi à fronte nobis repugnare loci angustiam bonum subuentorem cum inuenissent posteriora statuerunt inuadere agmina quod fecerunt Arctissimo igitur vbique loco existente instabant barbari vndique à dextris â sinistris aliundè dimicantes tela super nos quasi imbres descendentia interimebant viros equos complures Ad haec itaque imperium nostruÌ„ vbi malum superabundabat reputans secum oportunuÌ„ iudicabat retrò expectare atque illos qui illic erant adiuuare expectando vtiquè contra infinita illa Persarum agmina bellum sustinuit Quanta quidem
dum ab his circundaretur patrauerit non opus est ad tempus sermonibus pertexere ab illis autem qui interfuerunt forâ—itan discet de his tua nobilitas Inter haec autem existente imperio nostro omne belli grauamen in tantum sustinente postremae cohortes vniuersae Graecorum Latinorum reliquorum omnium generum conglobatae quae iaciebantur ab inimicis tela non sustinentes impactione vtuntur ita violentèr ferebantur dùm ad adiacentem ibi collem quasi ad propugnaculum fâ—stinarent â—ed precedeâ—tes impellunt nolentes Multo autem eleuato puluere ac perturbante oculos neminem permittente videre quae circa pedes erant in praecipitium quod aderat profundissimae vallis alius super alium homines equi sic incontinentèr portaâ—i corruerunt quòd alij alios conculcantes ab inuicem interemerunt non ex gregarijs tantum sed ex clarissimis intimis nostris consanguineis Quis enim inhibere poterat tantae multitudinis importabilem impulsum At verò imperium nostrum tot tantis confertum barbaris saucians sauciatúmque adeò vt non modicamin eos moueret perturbationem obstupentes perseuerantiam ipsius non remittebatur benè iuuante deo campum obtinuit Neque locum illum scandere aduersarios permisit in quo dimicauit cum barbaris Nec quidem e quum suum illorum timore incitauit celerius aliquando ponere vestigia Sed congregando omnia agmina sua de morte eripiendo ea collocauit circa se sic primos artigit ordinatìm proficiscens ad exercitus suos accessit Ex tunc igitur videns Soltanus quod post tanta quae acciderâ—nt exercitibus nostris imperium nostrum sicut oportunumerat rem huiusmodi dispensauit vt ipsum rursùm inuaderet mittens supplicauit imperio nostro deprecatorijs vsus est sermonibus requisiuit pacem illius promittens omnem imperij nostri adimplere voluntatem seruitium suum contra omnem hominem dare omnes qui in regno suo tenebantur captiuos absoluere esse ex toto voluntatis nostrae Ibidem ergo per duos dies integros in omni potestate morati sumus cognito quòd nihil poterat fieri contra ciuitatem Iconij perditis testudinibus machinis bellicis eo quòd boues cecidissent a telis in modo pluuiae iactis qui eas trahebant Simul autem eo quòd vniuersa animalia nostra irruente in illa difficillima aegritudine laborabant suscepit Soltani depraecationem foedera iuramenta peracta sub vexillis nostris pacem suam ei dedit Inde ingressum imperium nostrum in regionem suam regreditur tribulationem habens non mediocrem super his quos perdidit consanguineis maximas tamen Deo gratias agens qui per suam bonitatem nunc ipsum honorauit Gratum autem habuimus quòd quosdam nobilitatis tuae principes accidit interesse nobiscum qui narrabuÌ„t de omnibus quae acciderant tuae voluntati seriem Caeterùm autem licèt contristati simus propter illos qui ceciderunt oportunum tamen duximus de omnibus quae acciderant declarare tibi vt dilecto amico nostro vt permultùm coniuncto imperio nostro per puerorum nostrorum intimam consanguinitatem Vale. Data mense Nouembris indictione tertia The same in English IN the yeere 1177 Manuel the emperour of Constantinople hauing fought a field with the Soldan of Iconium and vanquished him wrote vnto Henry the second king of England in maner following Manuel Comnenus in Christ the euerliuing God a faithful emperour descended of the linage of Porphyrie crowned by Gods grace high puissant mighty alwayes most souereigne and gouernour of the Romans vnto Henry the most famous king of England his most deare friend greeting and all good successe Whereas our imperiall highnesse thinketh it expedient to aduertise you our welbeloued friend of all our affaires We thought it not amisse to signifie vnto your royall Maiestie certaine exploits at this present atchieued by vs. From the beginning therefore of our inauguration our imperiall highnes hath mainteined most deadly feod and hostility against Gods enemies the Persians seeing them so to triumph ouer Christians to exalt theÌ„selues against the name of God and to vsurpe ouer Christian kingdomes For which cause our imperiall highnesse hath in some sort encountered them heretofore and did as it pleased God to giue vs grace And we suppose that your Maiestie is not ignorant what our imperiall highnesse hath often performed for their ruine and subuersion For euen now being vrged thereunto we haue determined to leade a mighty army against them and to wage warre against all Persia. And albeit our forces be not so great as we could wish they were yet haue we according to the time and the present state of things strongly inuaded them Wherefore our Maiestie imperiall hath gathered our armies together but because we had in our army sundry carts laden with armour engines other instruments for the assault of cities to an exceeding weight we could not make any great speed in our iourney Moreouer while our imperiall highnesse was yet marching in our owne dominions before any barbarous enemy had fought against vs our people were visited with the most grieuous disease of the fluxe which being dispersed in our troups destroyed and slew great numbers more then the sword of the enemy would haue done Which mischiefe so preuailing did woonderfully abate our forces But after we had inuaded the Turkish frontiers we had at the first very often and hot skirmishes and the Turks came swarming to fight against our imperiall troups Howbeit by Gods assistance those miscreants were altogether scattered and put to flight by our souldiers But as we approched vnto that straight passage which is called by the Persians Cibrilcimam so many bands of Persian footemen and horsemen most whereof came from the innermost parts of Persia to succour their Allies encountred our army as were almost superiour vnto vs in number Wherefore the army of our Imperiall highnesse by reason of the straightnesse and difficultie of the way being stretched ten miles in length and the first not being able to helpe the last nor yet contrarywise the last to rescue the first it came to passe that they were very farre distant asunder And in very deed the foremost troupes were much separated from the guard of our imperiall person who forgetting their fellowes behind would not stay any whit for them Because therefore the Turkish bands knew full well by their former conflicts that it was bootlesse for them to assaile the forefront of our battell and perceiuing the narownesse of the place to be a great aduantage they determined to set vpon our rereward and did so Wherefore our passage being very straight and the infidels assayling vs vpon the right hand and vpon the left and on all sides and discharging
English HVbert Walter bishop of Sarisburie a vertuous man and famous for his good wit and piety was one of the chiefest of them that followed king Richard into Syria going against the Saracens As he returned from Palaestina and came in his iourney into Sicilia he there heard of the ill fortune of the king being fallen into his enemies handes and thereupon leauing his iourney homewards he went presently and in all haste to the place where the king was captiued whom the king immediatly vpon his comming sent into England that by the authority of the councell a tribute might be collected for his redemption which this Hubert performed with great diligâ—nce and deliuered the king After this he was made Archbishop of Canterburie and after the death of king Richard he shewed the like dueties of fidelitie and trust to his brother Iohn that succeeded him For by a long oration he perswaded the whole nation of the English men that he was a very circumspect man vertuous valiant borne of noble parentage and most woorthy of the crowne Whereupon he was so receiued of all the people and crowned king He wrote certaine books and died at the last with very great griefe of minde in the yeere 1205 hauing beene archbishop the space of 11 yeres 8 moneths and sixe dayes by reason of the ciuil discords abroad whereby all things went topsie turuy and in the reigne of king Iohn The trauailes of Robert Curson RObertus Curson ex nobili quodam Anglorum ortus genere disciplinis tum prophanis tum sacris studiosus incubuit idque quantum ex coniecturis colligo in celebratissima Oxonij Academia Praestantissimis illic institutoribus vsus ex summa circa ingenuas artes industria assiduo literarum labore famam sibi inter suos celeberrimam comparauit Ampliora deinde meditatus Parisiorum Lutetiam aâ—que Romam ipsam perijt illic Theologus Doctor hic verò Cardinalis effectus Vnde vterque Matthaeus Parisius ae Westmonasterius hoc de ipso testimonium adferunt hic libro 2. ille 8. suoâ—um Chronicorum Anno Domini 1218 inquiunt in captione Damiatae AEgypti vrbis sub Ioanne Brenno Hierosolymorum rege fuit cum Pelagio Albanensi Magister Robertus de Curson Anglus Clericus celebertimus genere nobilis ac Romanae Ecclesiae Cardinalis c Bostonus Buriensis in suo Catalogo Cursonum aliquos libros composuisle narrat Claruit anno superius numerato per praedictos testes in Anglia regnante Henrico tertio Ioannis regis filio fuÃtque hic diebus Honorij tertij Romani pontificis in Angliam Bostono teste legatus The same in English RObert Curson descended of a noble family of England vsed great diligence aswell in prophane as in diuine studies in the famous Uniuersity of Oxford as I coniecture He had there the best scholemasters that were to be gotten and was most industrious in the arts and continual exercises of learning by meanes whereof he grew to be of great renowne where he liued Afterward thinking of greater matters he went to Paris and thence to Rome it selfe and at Paris he proceeded doctor of Diuinity at Rome he was made cardinall whereupon both Matthew Paris Matthew of Westminster produce this testimony of him the one in his second booke the other in his eight booke of Chronicles In the yere of our Lord say they 1218 at the taking of Damiata a city of Egypt vnder Iohn Brenne king of Ierusalem M. Robert Curson an English man a most famous clearke of noble parentage and cardinall of the church of Rome was there with Pelagius Albanensis c. Boston of Burie in Suffolke in his catalogue reporteth that he wrote diuers books He flourished in the yeere aforesayd by the witnesses aforesayd Henry the third sonne of king Iohn being then king of England and by the further testimony of Boston this Curson was legate into England in the dayes of Honorius the third bishop of Rome The voyage of Ranulph earle of Chester of Saer Quincy earle of VVinchester William de Albanie earle of Arundel with diuers other noble men to the Holy land in the second yere of K. Henry the third Matth. Paris Holensh pag. 202. IN the yeere 1218 Ranulph earle of Chester was sent into the Holy land by king Henry the third with a goodly company of souldiers and men of warre to ayde the Christians there against the Infidels which at the same time had besieged the city of Damiata in Egypt In which enterprise the valiancy of the same earle after his comming thither was to his great praise most apparant There went with him in that iourney Saer de Quincy earle of Winchester William de Albanie earle of Arundel besides diuers barons as the lord Robert fitz Walter Iohn constable of Chester William de Harecourt and Oliuer fitz Roy sonne to the king of England and diuers others The voyage of Henry Bohun and Saer Quincy to the Holy land THis yere being the sixt yere of Henry the third deceased Henry de Bohun earle of Hereford and Saer de Quincy earle of Winchester in their iourney which they made to the Holy land Matth. Paris Holensh pag. 202. colâ— 2. The trauailes of Ranulph Glanuile earle of Chester RAnulphus Glanuile Cestriae Comes vir nobilissimi generis vâ—roque iure eruditus in albo illustâ—ium virorum à me meritò ponendus venit Ita probè omnes adolescentiae suae annos legibus tum humanis tum diuinis consecrauit vt non prius in hominem per aetatem euaserit quà m nomen decúsque ab insigni eruditione sibi comparauerit Cum profecti essent Francorum Heroes Ptolemaidem inito cum Ioanne Brenâ—o Hierosolymorum rege concilio Damiatam AEgypti vrbem obsidendam constituebant aâ—no salutis humanae 1218. Misitillùe Henricus rex ab Honorio 3 Rom. Pontifice rogatus cum magna armatorum manu Ranulphum ad rem Christian am iuuandam Cuius viâ—tus Polydoro teste in eo bello mitis omnium laudibus celebrata â—uit Quo confecto negotio Ranulphus in patriam reuersus scripfit De legibus Angliae librum vnum Fertur praeterea alia quaedam scripsisse sed tempus edax rerum ea nobis abstulit Claruit anno à Seruatoris nostri natiuitate 1230 confectus senio dum Henricus terâ—ius sub Antichristi tyrannide in Anglia regnaret The same in English RAnulph Glanuile earle of Chester a man of a very noble house and learned in both the Lawes deserues of duetie to be here placed by me in the catalogue of woorthy and notable men He applied so well all the yeeres of his youth to the study of humane and diuine Lawes that he came not so soone to the age of a man as he had purchased to himselfe by reason of his singular learning renowme and honour When the noble men of France went to Ptolomais vpon the counsell of Iohn Brenne king of Ierusalem they resolued to besiege Damiata a city
of Egypt in the yeere 1218. And then Henry the king vpon the motion of Honorius the third bishop of Rome sent thither this earle Ranulph with a great power of armed souldiers to further the enterprise of the Christians whose valure in that warre by the testimonie of Polidor Virgil was marueilously commended of all men After the end of which businesse he being returned into his countrey wrote a booke of the lawes of England It is also reported that he wrote other books but time the destroyer of many memorials hath taken them from vs. He flourished in the yeere after the natiuity of Christ 1230 being very aged and in the reigne of K. Henry the third The voyage of Petrus de Rupibus bishop of VVinchester to Ierusalem in the yere of grace 1231 and in the 15 of Henry the third ANno gratiae 1231 mense verò Iulio Petrus Wintoniensis episcopus completo in terra sancta iam sere per quinquennium magnificè peregrinationis voto reuersus est in Angliam Kalendis Augusti Wintoniam veniens susceptus est cum processione solenni in sua ecclesia cathedrali The same in English IN the yere of grace 1231 and in the moneth of Iuly Peter bishop of Winchester hauing spent almost fiue whole yeres in fulfilling his vow of pilgrimage in the Holy land with great pompe returned into England about the Kalends of August and comming vnto Winchester was receiued with solemne procession into his cathedrall church The honourable and prosperous voyage of Richard earle of Cornewall brother to king Henry the third accompanied with William Longespee earle of Sarisburie and many other noble men into Syria IN the 24 yeere of king Henry the third Richard earle of Cornwall the kings brother with a nauy of ships sailed into Syria where in the warres against the Saracens he greatly aduanced the part of the Christians There went ouer with him the earle of Sarisburie William Longspee and William Basset Iohn Beauchampe Geoffrey de Lucie Iohn Neuel Geoffrey Beauchampe Peter de Brense and William Furniuall Simon Montfort earle of Leicester went ouer also the same time but whereas the earle of Cornwall tooke the sea at Marseils the earle of Leicester passed thorow Italy and tooke shipping at Brindize in Apulia and with him went these persons of name Thomas de Furniual with his brother Gerard de Furniuall Hugh Wake Almerike de S. Aumond Wiscard Ledet Punchard de Dewin and William de Dewin that were brethren Gerard Pesmes Fouke de Baugie and Peter de Chauntenay Shortly after also Iohn earle of Albemarle William Fortis and Peter de Mallow a Poictouin men for their valiancy greatly renowmed went thither leading with them a great number of Christian souldiers Matth. Paris Matth. West Holensh pag. 225. col 2. The comming of the Emperour of Constantinople called Baldwine into England in the yere 1247 out of Matthâ— Paris Holensh pag. 239. vol. 2. ABout the same time Baldwine naming himselfe emperour of Constantinople came againe into England to procure some new ayd of the king towards the recouery of his empire out of the which he was expelled by the Greeks The voyage of VVilliam Longespee Earle of Sarisburie into Asia in the yeere 1248 and in the 32 yeere of the reigne of Henry the third king of England LEwis the French king being recouered of his sickenesse which he fell into in the yere 1234 vowed thereupon for a free will sacriâ—ice to God that he if the Councell of his realme would suffer him would in his owne person visit the Holy land which matter was opened and debated in the Parliament of France held in the yeere 1247. Where at length it was concluded that the king according to his vow should take his iourney into Asia and the time thereof was also prefixed which should be after the feast of S. Iohn Baptist the next yeere ensuing At which time William Longespee a worthie warrior with the bishop of Worcester and certaine other great men in the Realme of England mooued with the example of the Frenchmen prepared themselues likewise to the same iourney It fell out in this enterprise that about the beginning of October the French king assaulted and tooke Damiata being the principall fort or hold of the Saracens in all Egypt Anno 1249. and hauing fortified the Citie with an able garrison left with the Duke of Burgundie he remooued his tents from thence to goe Eastward In whose armie followed William Longespee accompanied with a piked number of English warriors retaining vnto him But such was the disdaine of the Frenchmen against this William Longespee and the Englishmen that they could not abide them but flouted them after an opprobrious maner with English tailes insomuch that the French king himselfe had much adoe to keepe peace betweene them The originall cause of this grudge betweene them began thus There was not farre from Alexandria in Egypt a strong fort or castle replenished with great Ladies and rich treasure of the Saracens which hold it chanced the sayd William Longespee with his company of English soldiers to get more by politique dexteritie then by open force of armes wherwith he his retinue were greatly enriched When the â—renchmen had knowledge hereof they not being made priuie hereto began to conceiue an heart burning against the English souldiers could not speake well of them after that It hapned againe not long after that the sayd William had intelligence of a company of rich merchants among the Saracens going to a certaine Faire about the parts of Alexandria hauing their camels asses and mules richly loden with silkes precious iewels spices gold siluer with cart loades of other wares beside victuall and other furniture whereof the souldiers then stood in great need he hauing secret knowledge hereof gathered all the power of Englishmen vnto him that he could and so by night falling vpon the merchants some he slew with their guides and conducters some hee tooke some hee put to flight the carts with the driuers and with the oxen camels asses and mules with the whole cariage and victuals he tooke brought with him loosing in all the skirmish but one souldier and eight of his seruitors of whom notwithstanding some he brought home wounded to be cured This being knowen in the Campe foorth came the Frenchmen which all this while loytered in their pauillions and meeting this cariage by the way tooke all the foresayd praie whole to themselues rating the said William and the Englishmen for aduenturing and issuing out of the Campe without leaue or knowledge of their Generall contrary to the discipline of warre William said againe he had done nothing but he would answere to it whose purpose was to haue the spoyle deuided to the behoofe of the whole armie When this would not serue hee being sore grieued in his minde so cowardly to be spoyled of that which he so aduenturously had trauailed for went to the
French armie as afterwards it appeared ¶ The Voyage of Prince Edward the sonne of king Henry the third into Asia in the yeere 1270. ABout the yeere of our Lord 1267. Octobonus the Popes Legate being in England prince Edward the sonne of king Henry and diuers other Noble men of England tooke vpon them the crosse vpon S. Iohn Baptists day by the sayd Legates hands at Northhampton to the reliefe of the Holy land and the subuersion of the enemies of the crosse of Christ. For which purpose and for the better furnishing of the prince towards the iourney there was granted him a subsidie throughout all the realme and in the moneth of May in the yeere of our Lord 1270. he began to set forward At Michaelmas following he with his company came to Eguemortes which is from Marsilia eight leagues Westward and there taking ship againe hauing a mery and prosperous wind within ten dayes arriued at Tunez where he was with great ioy welcommed and entertained of the Christian princes that there were to this purpose assembleâ— as of Philip the French King whose father Lodouicus died a litle before of Carolus the king of Sicilia and the two kings of Nauarre and Arragon and as this lord Edward came thither for his father the king of England thâ—ther came also Henry the sonne of the king of Almaine for his father who at his returne from the voyage was slaine in a chappell at Viterbium When prince Edward demanded of these kings and princes what was to be done they answered him againe and sayd the prince of this citie and the prouince adioyning to the same hath bene accustomed to pay tribute vnto the king of Sicily euery yere and now for that the same hath bene for the space of seuen yeeres vnpaied and more therefore we thought good to make inuasion vpon him But the king knowing the same tribute to be but iustly demaunded hath now according â—o our owne desire satisfied for the time past and also paied his tribute before hand Then sayd â—e My Lords what is this to the purpose are we not here all assâ—mbled haue taken vpon vs the Lords Character to fight against the infidels enemies of Christ What meane you then to conclude a peace with them God forbid we should do so for now the land is plaine and hard so that we may approch to y e holy city IerusaleÌ„ Then said they now haue we made a league with them neither is it lawful for vs to breake the same But let vs returne againe to Sicilia and when the winter is past we may well take shipping to Acra But this counsel nothing at all liked him neither did he shew himselfe wel pleased there with but after hee had made them a princely banket he went into his closet or priuy chamber from amongst them neither would be partaker of any of that wicked money which they had taken They notwithstanding continuing their purpose at the next mery wind tooke shipping and for want of ships left 200. of their men a shore crying out and pitioufly lamenting for the peril and hazard of death that they were in wherewith prince Edward being somewhat mooued to compassion came backe againe to the land and receiued and stowed them in his owne ships being the last that went aboord Within seuen dayes after they arriued in the kingdom of Sicilia ouer agaynst the Citie Trapes casting their ankers a league from thence within the sea for that their shippes were of great burden and throughly fraught and from the hauen of the citie they sent out barges and boates to receiue and bring such of the Nobilitie to land as would but their horses for the most part and all their armour they kept still within boord At length towards the euening the sea began to be rough increased to a great tempest and a mightie insomuch that their ships were beaten one against anothers sides and drowned there was of them at that tempest lying at anker more then 120. with all their armour and munition with innumerable soules besides and that wicked money also which they had taken before likewise perished and was lost But the tempest hurt not so much as one ship of prince Edwards who had in number 13. nor yet had one man lost thereby for that as it may be presupposed he consented not to the wicked counsell of the rest When in the morning the princes and kings came to the sea side and saw all their ships drowned and saw their men and horses in great number cast vpon the land drowned they had full heauie hearts as well they might for of all their ships and mariners which were in number 1500. besides the common souldiers there was no more saued then the mariners of one onely ship and they in this wise There was in that ship a good wise Matrone a Countesse or an Erles wife who perceiuing the tempest to grow fearing her selfe called to her the M. of the ship asked him whether in attempting to the shoare it were not possible to saue theÌ„selues he answered that to saue the ship it was impossible howbeit the men that were therein by Gods helpe he doubted not Then sayd the countesse for the ship force no whit saue the soules therein and haue to thee double the value of the shippe who immediatly hoising the sailes with all force ran the shippe aground so nere the shore as was possible so that with the vehemency of the weather force he came withall he brast the ship and saued all that was within the same as he had shewed and sayd before Then the kings and princes altering their purpose after this so great a shipwracke returned home againe euery one vnto their owne lands onely Edward the sonne of the king of England remained behinde with his men and ships which the Lord had saued and preserued Then prince Edward renouating his purpose tooke shipping againe and within fifâ—eene daies after Easter arriued he at Acra and went aland taking with him a thousand of the best souldiers and most expert and taried there a whole moneth refreshing both his men and horses and that in this space he might learne and know the secrets of the land After this he tooke with him sixe or seuen thousand souldiers and marched forward twenty miles from Acra and tooke Nazareth and those that he found there he slew and afterward returned againe to Acra But their enemies following after them thinking to haue set vpon them at some streit or other aduantage were espied by the prince and returning againe vpon them gaue a charge and slew many of them and the rest they put â—o flight After this about Midsummer when the prince had vnderstanding that the Saracens began to gather at Cakow which was forty miles from Acra he marching thither set vpon them very earely in the morning and slew of them more then a thousand the rest he put to flight and tooke rich spoiles
will graunt my desire and that hee will not enter into the sea till I come againe to him Wherefore sirs I pray you in the instance of loue and peace to conuey me to speake with the King for I desire greatly to see him or else yee that be his Uncles if ye haue authoritie to giue me answere to all my demaunds Then the Earle of Buckingham sayd syr king of Armenia we be ordayned here to keepe and defend this passage and the frontiers of England by the King and his Counsell and wee haue no charge to meddle any further with the businesse of the Realme without we be otherwise commanded by the King But sith ye be come for a good inâ—ent into this Countrey ye be right welcome but sir as for any firme answere ye can haue none of vs for as now we be noâ— of the Councell but we shall conuey you to the king without perill or danger The king thanked them and said I desire nothing else but to see the king and to speake with him How the King of Armenia returned out of England and of the answere that was made to him WHen the king of Armenia was refreshed at Douer a day and had spoken with the kings Uncles at good leasure then he departed towards London with a good conduct that the Lords appointed to him for feare of any recounters so long he rode that he came to London and in his ryding through London he was well regarded because he was a stranger and he had good cheare made him and so was brought to the king who lay at the Royall at the Queenes wardrobe and his Councell were in London at their lodgings The Londoners were sore fortefying of their citie When the comming of the king of Armenia was knowen the kings Councell drew to the King to heare what tydings the King brought in that troublous season When the king of Armenia was come into the kings presence he made his salutation and then beganne his processe to the states how he was come out of France principally to see the king of England whoÌ„ he had neuer seene before said how he was right ioyous to be in his presence trusting that some goodnesse might come thereby And there he shewed by his words that to withstande the great pestilence that was likely to be in England therefore he was come of his owne goodwill to doe good therein if he might not sent from the French king willing to set some accorde and peace betweene the two Realmes England and France Many faire pleasant words the king of Armenia spake to the king of England and to his Counsell then he was shortly answered thus Syr king ye be welcome into this Realme for the king our Soueraigne lord and all we are glad to see you here but sir we say that the king hath not here all his Councell but shortly they shall be here and then ye shall be answered The king of Armenia was content therewith and so returned to his lodging Within foure dayes after the king was counselled and I thinke he had sent to his Uncles to know their intents but they were not present at the answere giuing to goe to the pallace at Westminster and his Councell with him such as were about him and to send for the king of Armenia to come thither And when he was come into the presence of the king of England and his Councell the king sate downe and the king of Armenia by him and then the Prelates and other of his Councell There the king of Armenia rehearsed againe his requestes that he made and also shewed wisely how all Christendome was sore decayed and feeblished by occasion of the warres betweene England and France And how that all the knights and Squires of both Realmes entended nothing else but alwayes to be on the one part or of the other whereby the Empire of Constantinople leeseth and is like to leese for before this warre the Knights and Squires were wont to aduenture themselues And also the king of Armenia shewed that by occasion of this warre he had lost his Realme of Armenia therefore he desired for Gods sake that there might be some treaty of peace had betweene the two Realmes England and France To these wordes answered the Archbishop of Canterburie for he had charge so to doe And he sayd Sir king of Armenia it is not the manner nor neuer was seene betweene two such enemies as the king of England and the French king that the king my Souereigne lorde should be required of peace and he to enter his land with a puissant army wherefore sir we say to you that if it please you ye may returne to the French king and cause him and all his puissance to returne backe into their owne countreys And when euery man be at home then if it please you ye may returne againe hither and then we shall gladly intende to your treatie This was all the answere the king of Armenia could get there and so he dined with the king of England and had as great honour as could bee deuised and the king offered him many great gifts of golde and siluer but he would take none though he had neede thereof but alonely a ring to the value of a hundreth Frankes After dinner he tooke his leaue and returned vnto his lodging and the next day departed and was two dayes at Douer and there he tooke his leaue of such lords as were there and so tooke the sea in a passager and arriued at Calais and from thence went to Sluce and there he spake with the French king and with his Uncles and shewed them how he had bene in England and what answere he had the French king and his Uncles tooke no regard of his saying but sent him backe againe into France for their full intention was to enter into England as soone as they might haue winde and weather and the Duke of Berrie and the Constable came to them The winde was sore contrary to them for therewith they could neuer enter into England but the winde was good to goe into Scotland The voyage of Henrie Earle of Derbie after Duke of Hereford and lastly Henry the fourth king of England to Tunis in Barbarie with an army of Englishmen written by Polidore Virgill pag. 1389. FRranci interim per inducias nacti ocium ac simul Genuensium precibus defatigari bellum in Afros qui omnem oram insulasque Italiae latrocinijs infestas reddebant suscipiunt Richardus quoque rex Angliae rogatus auxilium mittit Henricum comitem Derbiensem cum electa Anglicae pubis manu ad id bellum faciendum Igitur Franci Anglique viribus animis consociatis in AfricaÌ„ traijciunt qui vbi littus attigere eatenùs à Barbaris desceÌ„sione prohibiti sunt quoad Anglorum sagittariorum virtute factum est vt aditus pateret in terram egressi recta Tunetam vrbem regiam petunt ac obsident Barbari timore affecti
de pace ad eos legatos mitâ—unt quam nostris dare placuit vt soluta certa pecuniae summa ab omni deinceps Italiae Galliaeque ora manus abstinerent Ita peractis rebus post paucos menses quà m eo itum erat domum repediaâ—um est The same in English THe French in the meane season hauing gotten some leasure by meanes of their truce and being sollicited and vrged by the intreaties of the Genuois vndertooke to wage warre against the Moores who robbed and spoyled all the coasts of Italy and of the Ilandes adiacent Likewise Richard the second king of England being sued vnto for ayde sent Henry the Earle of Derbie with a choice armie of English souldiers vnto the same warfare Wherefore the English and French with forces and mindes vnited sayled ouer into Africa who when they approched vnto the shore were repelled by the Barbarians from landing vntill such time as they had passage made them by the valour of the English archers Thus hauing landed their forces they foorthwith marched vnto the royall citie of Tunis and besieged it Whereat the Barbarians being dismayed sent Ambassadours vnto our Christian Chieftaines to treat of peace which our men graunted vnto them vpon condition that they should pay a certaine summe of money and that they should from thencefoorth abstaine from piracies vpon all the coasts of Italy and France And so hauing dispatched their businesse within a fewe moneths after their departure they returned home This Historie is somewhat otherwise recorded by Froysard and Holenshed in manner following pag. 473. IN the thirteenth yeere of the reigne of king Richard the second the Christians tooke in hand a iourney against the Saracens of Barbarie through sute of the Genouois so that there went a great number of Lords Knights and Gentlemen of France and England the Duke of Burbon being their Generall Out of England there went Iohn de Beaufort bastarde sonne to the Duke of Lancaster as Froysard hath noted also Sir Iohn Russell Sir Iohn Butler Sir Iohn Harecourt and others They set forwarde in the latter ende of the thirteenth yeere of the Kings reigne and came to Genoa where they remayned not verie long but that the gallies and other vessels of the Genouois were ready to passe them ouer into Barbarie And so about midsomer in the begining of the foureteenth yere of this kings reigne the whole army being embarked sailed forth to the coast of Barbary where neere to the city of Africa they landed at which instant the English archers as the Chronicles of Genoa write stood all the company in good stead with their long bowes beating backe the enemies from the shore which came downe to resist their landing After they had got to land they inuironed the city of Africa called by the Moores Mahdia with a strong siege but at length constrained with the intemperancy of the scalding ayre in that hot countrey breeding in the army sundry diseases they fell to a composition vpon certaine articles to be performed in the behalfe of the Saracens and so 61 dayes after their arriuall there they tooke the seas againe and returned home as in the histories of France and Genoa is likewise expressed Where by Polydore Virgil it may seeme that the lord Henry of Lancaster earle of Derby should be generall of the English men that as before you heard went into Barbary with the French men and Genouois The memorable victories in diuers parts of Italie of Iohn Hawkwood English man in the reigne of Richard the second briefly recorded by M. Camden pag. 339. AD alteram ripam fluuij Colne oppositus est Sibble Heningham locus natalis vt accepi Ioannis Hawkwoodi Itali Aucuthum cortupâ—èvocant quem illi tantopere ob virtutem militarem suspexerunt vt Senatus Florentinus propter insignia merita equâ—stri statua tumuli honore in eximiae fortitudinis fideique testimonium ornauit Res â—ius gestas Itali pleno ore praedicant Paulus Iouius in elogijs celebrat sat mihi sit Iulij Feroldi tetrastichon adijcere Hawkwoode Anglorum decus decus addite genti Italicae Italico praesidiúmque solo Vt tumuli quondam Fâ—orentia sic simulachri Virtutem Iouius donat honore tuam William Thomas in his Historie of the common wealthes of Italy maketh honorable mention of him twise to wit in the common wealth of Florentia and Ferrâ—ra The voyage of the Lord Iohn of Holland Earle of Huntington brother by the mothers side to King Richard the second to Ierusalem and Saint Katherins mount THe Lord Iohn of Holland Earle of Huntington was as then on his way to Ierusalem and to Saint Katherins mount and purposed to returne by the Realme of Hungarie For as he passed through France where he had great cheere of the king and of his brother and vncles hee heard how the king of Hungary and the great Turke should haue battell together therefore he thought surely to be at that iourney The voiage of Thomas lord Moubray duke of Norfolke to Ierusalem in the yeere of our Lord 1399. written by Holinshed pag. 1233. THomas lord Moubray second sonne of Elizabeth Segraue and Iohn lord Moubray her husband was aduanced to the dukedome of Norfolke in the 21. yeere of y e reigne of Richard the 2. Shortly after which hee was appealed by Henry earle of Bullingbroke of treason and caried to the castle of Windsore where he was strongly safely garded hauing a time of combate granted to determine the cause betweene the two dukes the 16. day of September in the 22. of the sayd king being the yeere of our redemption 1398. But in the end the matter was so ordred that this duke of Norfolke was banished for euer whereupon taking his iourney to Ierusalem he died at Venice in his returne from the said citie of Ierusalem in the first yeere of king Henry the 4. about the yeere of our redemption 1399. The comming of the Emperor of Constantinople into England to desire the aide of Henry the 4. against the Turkes 1400. SVb eodem tempore Imperator Constantinopolitanus venit in Angliam postulaturus subsidium contra Turcas Cui occurrit rex cum apparatu nobili ad le Blackheath die sancti Thomae Apostoli suscepÃtque prout decuit tantum Heroem duxÃâ—que Londonias per multos dies exhibuit gloriose pro expenâ—iâ— hospiâ—ij suâ—â—oluens eum respiciens tanto falligio donariuis Et paulò post His auditis rumoribus Imperator laetior recessit ab Anglis honoratus à rege donarijs preciosis The same in English ABout the same time the emperor of Constantinople came into England to seeke ayde against the Turkes whom y e king accompanied with his nobilitie met withall vpon Black-heath vpon the day of saint Thomas the Apostle and receiued him as beseemed so great a prince and brought him to London and roially entertained him for a long season defraying the charges of his diet and giuing him many
loose townes and lordships and that hee should not take ouermuch thought for it and as for his promise he bade that he should not doubt in any thing and that he should not feare any displeasure to his person and that he should goe with his people without feare With these wordes the sayd lord thanked him and tooke his leaue and departed FINIS ¶ Lenuoy of the Translator GOe little booke and woefull Tragedie Of the Rhodian fearefull oppugnation To all estates complaining ruthfully Of thine estate and sudden transmutation Excusing me if in thy translation Ought be amisse in language or in werke I me submit with their supportation To be correct that am so small a clerke An ambassage from Don Ferdinando brother to the emperor Charles the 5. vnto king Henry the 8. in the yere 1527. desiring his aide against Solyman the great Turke Holinshed pag. 894. ON the 14. day of March 1527. were conueied from London to Greenwich by the earle of Rutland and others the lord Gabriel de Salamanca earle of Ottonburge Iohn Burgraue of Syluerberge and Iohn Faber a famous clerke after bishop of Vien as ambassadours from Don Ferdinando brother to Charles the emperor newly elect king of Hungarie and Beame after the death of his brother in law king Lewes which was slaine by Solyman the Turke the last Sommer This company was welcommed of the high officers and after brought into the kings presence all the nobilitie being present and there after great reuerence made M. Faber made a notable oration taking his ground out of the Gospell Exijt seminator seminare semen suum and of that hee declared how Christ and his disciples went foorth to sowe and how their seed was good that fel into the good ground and brought foorth good fruite which was the Christian faith And then he declared how contrary to that sowing Mahomet had sowen seed which brought foorth euillfruit He also shewed from the beginning how the Turkes haue increased in power what realmes they had conquered what people they had subdued euen to that day He declared further what actes the great Turke then liuing had done and in especiall he noted the getting of Belgrade and of the Rhodes and the slaying of the king of Hungarie to the great rebuke as he sayd of all the kings christened Hee set foorth also what power the Turke had what diuersities of companies what capitaines he had so that he thought that without a marueilous great number of people hee could not be ouerthrowen Wherefore be most humbly besought the king as S. Georges knight and defender of the faith to assist the king his master in that godly warre and vertuous purpose To this oration the king by the mouth of Sir Thomas Moore answered that much hee lamented the losse that happened in Hungarie and if it were not for the warres which were betweene the two great pruices he thought that the Turke would not haue enterprised that acte wherefore he with all his studie would take paine first to set an vnitie and peace throughout all Christendome and after that both with money and men he would be readie to helpe toward that glorious warre as much as any other prince in Christendome After this done the ambassadours were well cherished and diuers times resorted to the court and had great cheere and good rewards and so the third day of May next following they tooke their leaue departed homeward The antiquitie of the trade with English ships into the Leuant IN the yeeres of our Lord 1511. 1512. c. till the yeere 1534. diuers tall ships of London namely The Christopher Campion wherein was Factor onâ— Râ—ger Whitcome the Mary George wherein was Factor William Gresham the great Mary Grace the Owner whereof was William Gunson and the master one Iohn Hely the Trinitie Fitz-williams whereof was master Laurence Arkey the Mathew of London whereof was master William Capling with certaine other ships of Southampton and Bristow had an ordinarie and vsuall trade to Sicilia Candie Chio and some whiles to Cyprus as also to Tripolis and Barutti in Syria The commodities which they caried thither were fine Kersies of diuers colours course Kersies white Westerne dozens Cottons certaine clothes called Statutes and others called Cardinal-whites and Calueskins which were well sold in Sicilie c. The commodities which they returned backe were Silks Chamlets Rubarbe Malinesies Muskadels and other wines sweete oyles cotten wooll Turkie carpets Galles Pepper Cinamom and some other spices c. Besides the naturall inhabitants of the foresayd places they had euen in those dayes traffique with Iewes Turkes and other forreiners Neither did our merchants onely employ their owne English shipping before mentioned but sundry strangers also as namely Candiots Raguseans Sicilians Genouezes Venetian galliasses Spanish and Portugale ships All which particulars doe most euidently appeare out of certaine auncient Ligier bookes of the R. W. Sir William Locke Mercer of London of Sir William Bowyer Alderman of London of master Iohn Gresham and of others which I Richard Hakluyt haue diligently perused and copied out And here for authorities sake I doe annexe as a thing not impertinent to this purpose a letter of king Henry the eight vnto Don Iohn the third king of Portugale A letter of the king of England Henry the eight to Iohn king of Portugale for a Portingale ship with the goods of Iohn Gresham and Wil. Locke with others vnladen in Portugale from Chio. SErenissimo Principi domino Ioanni Dei gratia Regi Portugallieâ— Algarbiorum citra vltra mare in Africa ac domino Guineae conquistae nauigationis commercij AEthiopiae Arabiae Persiae atque Indiae c. Fratri amico nostro charissimo Henricus Dei gratia Rex Angliae Franciae fidei desensor ac dominus Hiberniae Serenissimo Principi domino Ioanni eadem gratia Regi Portugallie AlgarbioruÌ„ citra vltra mare in Africa ac domino Guinee conquistae nauigationis coÌ„mercij AEthiopiae Arabiae Persiae atque Indiae c. Fratri amico nostro charissimo saluteÌ„ Tanto libentiùs promptiúsque iustas omnes causas vestre Serenitati commendandas suscipimus quanto apertiori indiès nostroruÌ„ qui in eiusdem vestre Serenitatis regno ac ditione negociantur subditorum testimonio cognoscimus ipsam ex optimi principis officio ita accuratè exactéque ius suum cuÃque praebere vt ad eaÌ„ nemo iustitiae consequendae gratia frustrà vnquam confugiar Cúm itaque dilectus ac fidelis subditus noster Ioannes Gresham mercator Londoniensis nuper nobis humiliter exposuerit quod quidaÌ„ Willielmus Heith ipsius Factor negotiorum gestor nauim quandam Portugallensem cui nomen erat Sancto Antonio praeerátque Diego Peres Portugallensis superioribus mensibus in Candia conduxerit cum nauisque praefecto conuenerit vtin insulam Chium ad quas dam diuersi generis merces onerandas primo nauigaret in Candiámque mox aliarum
mescium osserandarum gratia rediret omnes quidein in hoc nostrum regnum postmodùm aduecturus ad valorem circiter duodecim millium ducatorum quemadmodum expactionis conuentionis que instrumento apertius constat accidit vt praefatus Diego vestrae Serenitatis subditus dictis susceptis mercibus iam in itinere parùm fidelitèr longè praeter initas conuentiones grauissimo certe nostrorum subditorum detrimento vbi in Portugalliae portum diuertisset sententia huc nauigandi mutata in eodem portu commoretur nostrorúmque etiam subditorum merces detineat quam iniuriam quum subditis nostris in vestrae Serenitatis regno ab eius subdito illata sit exaequitate ac iustitia ab ipsa corrigi emendarÃque confidimus nostro quoque potissimùm intuitu qui vestrae Serenitaris ipsiúsque subditorum causas mercésque si quando in hoc nostrum regnum appulerint semper commendatissimas habemus id quod superiori anno testatisumus proin de ipsam vehementerrogamus vt Iohannem Ratliffe praesentium latorem dicti Iohannis Gresham nouum constiturum procuratorem huius rei causa istuc venientem velit in suis agendis in dictisque bonis recuperandis impunéque asportandis remittendisque vectigalibus quod nos in vestros subditos fecimus quum per nauis prefectum fraude ac dolo istuc merces fuerint aduectae nisi istic vendantur ac toto denique exaequitate conficiendo negotio sic commendatum suscipere sicque ad suos quos opus fore intellexerit magistratus missis literis rem omnem iuuare expedire vt perspiciamus ex hac nostra commendatione fuisse nostrorum subditotum iuri indemnitati quà m maximè consultum Quod nobis gratissimum est futurum in re consimili aut grauiori vestra Serenitas nos sibi gratificandi cupidissimos experietur que foeliciter valeat Ex Regia nostra de Waltham Die 15. Octobr. 1531. The same in English TO the high and mighty prince Iohn by the grace of God king of Portugale and of Algarue on this side and beyond the sea in Africa lord of Ghinea and of the conquest nauigation and traffique of AEthiopia Arabia Persia India c. our mostdeere and welbeloued brother Henry by the grace of God king of England and of France defender of the faith and lord of Ireland to Iohn by the same grace king of Portugale and Algarue on this side and beyond the sea in Africa and lord of Ghinea and of the conquest nauigation and traffique of Aethiopia Arabia Persia India c. our most deare and welbeloued brother sendeth greeting So much y e more willingly and readily we vndertake the recommending of all iust causes vnto your highnesse because by the daily testimonie of our subiects which traffike in your kingdoms and dominions we are informed that according to the dutie of a most worthy prince so carefully and exactly you minister iustice vnto euery man that all men most willingly repaire vnto your highnesse with full trust to obtaine the same Whereas therefore our welbeloued and trustie subiect Iohn Gresham merchant of London of late in humble maner hath signified vnto vs that one William Heith his Factor and Agent certaine moneths agoe had hired in Candie a certaine Portugale ship called Santo Antonio the patrone whereof is Diego Perez and couenaunted with the patrone of the sayd ship that he should first saile to the Isle of Sio to take in merchandize of sundry sortes then eftsoones returne to Candie to be fraighted with other goods all which he was to bring into our kingdome of England to the value of 12000 ducats as by their billes of couenant agreement more plainly appeareth it so fel out that y e aforesaid Diego your highnes subiect hauing receiued the said goods very trecherously much coÌ„trary to his couenant to the exceeding great losse of our subiects putting in by the way into an hauen of Portugale altering his purpose of coÌ„ming into England he remaineth still in that hauen likewise detaineth our subiects goods Which iniury seeing it is done in your Highnes kingdome we hope your Highnes will see reformed according to equity right the rather at our request which alwayes haue had a speciall care of the causes goods of your Highnes of your subiects whensoeuer they come into our kingdome whereof we made proofe the last yeere Wherefore we instantly request your Highnes y t you would so receiue Iohn Ratcliffe the bearer of these present letters the new appointed agent of Iohn Gresham which cuÌ„nteth into your dominions about this busines being thus coÌ„mended vnto you in this busines recouering freely bringing home of the said goods in remitting of the customs vnlesse they were sold there the like whereof we did towards your subiects seeing by the fraud deceit of the patron of the ship the wares were brought thither finally in dispatching y e whole matter according to iustice so further the same by directing your highnes letters to your officers whoÌ„ it may concerne that we may perceiue that our subiects right and liberty hath especially beene maintained vpon this our commendation Which we will take in most thankfull part and your highnes shal find vs in the like or a greater matter most ready to gratifie you whom we wish most heartily well to fare From out Court at Waltham the 15. of October 1531. A voyage made with the shippes called the Holy Crosse and the Mathew Gonson to the Iles of Candia and Chio about the yeere 1534 according to a relation made to Master Richard Hackluit by Iohn Williamson Cooper and citizen of London who liued in the yere 1592 and went as cooper in the Mathew Gonson the next voyage after THe shippes called the Holy Crosse and the Mathew Gonson made a voyage to the Ilandes of Candia and Chio in Turkie about the yeere 1534. And in the Mathew went as Captaine M. Richard Gonson sonne of old Master William Gonson paymaster of the kings nauie In this first voyage went William Holstocke who afterwards was Controuller of her Maiesties Nauie lately deceased as page to M. Richard Gonson aforesaid which M. Gonson died in Chio in this his first voyage The ship called the Holy Crosse was a short shippe and of burden 160 tunnes And hauing beene a full yeere at the sea in performance of this voyage with great danger she returned home where vpon her arriuall at Blackwall in the riuer of Thames her wine and oyle caske was found so weake that they were not able to hoyse them out of the ship but were constrayned to draw them as they lay and put their wine and oyle into new vessels and so to vnlade the shippe Their chiefe fraight was very excellent Muscatels and red Malmesie the like whereof were seeldome seene before in England They brought home also good quantitie of sweete oyles cotton woolles Turkie Carpeâ—s Galles Cynamon
haue bene brought in that were not here before as the Damaske rose by Doctour Linaker king Henry the seuenth and king Henrie the eights Physician the Turky cocks and hennes about fifty yeres past the Artichowe in time of king Henry the eight and of later time was procured out of Italy the Muske rose plant the plumme called the Perdigwena and two kindes more by the Lord Cromwell after his crauell and the Abricot by a French Priest one Wolfe Gardiner to king Henry the eight and now within these foure yeeres there haue bene brought into England from Vienna in Austria diuers kinds of flowers called Tulipas and those and other procured thither a little before from Constantinople by an excellent man called M. Carolus Clusius And it is sayd that since we traded to Zante that the plant that beareth the Coren is also brought into this realme from thence and although it bring not fruit to perfection yet it may serue for pleasure and for some vse like as our vines doe which we cannot well spare although the climat so colde will not permit vs to haue good wines of them And many other things haue bene brought in that haue degenerated by reason of the colde climat some other things brought in haue by negligence bene lost The Archboshop of Canterburie Edmund Grindall after he returned out of Germany brought into this realme the plant of Tamariske from thence and this plant he hath so increased that there be here thousands of them and many people haue receiued great health by this plant and if of things brought in such care were had then could not the first labour be lost The seed of Tabacco hath bene brought hither out of the West Indies it groweth heere and with the herbe many haue bene eased of the remnes c. Each one of a great number of things were woorthy of a iourney to be made into Spaine Italy Barbarie Egypt Zante Constantinople the West Indies and to diuers other places neerer and further off then any of these yet forasmuch as the poore are not able and for that the rich setled at home in quiet will not therefore we are to make sute to such as repaire to forren kingdomes for other businesses to haue some care heerein and to set before their eyes the examples of these good men and to endeuour to do for their parts the like as their speciall businesses may permit the same Thus giuing you occasion by way of a little rememembrance to haue a desire to do your countrey good you shall if you haue any inclination to such good do more good to the poore ready to starue for reliefe then euer any subiect did in this realme by building of Almeshouses and by giuing of lands and goods to the reliefe of the poore Thus may you helpe to driue idlenesse the mother of most mischiefs out of the realme and winne you perpetuall fame and the prayer of the poore which is more woorth then all the golde of Peru and of all the West Indies The voyage of the Susan of London to Constantinople wherein the worshipfull M. William Harborne was sent first Ambassadour vnto Sultan Murad Can the great Turke with whom he continued as her Maiesties Ligier almost sixe yeeres THe 14 of Nouember 1582 we departed from Blackewall bound for the Citie of Constantinople in the tall shippe called the Susan of London the Master whereof was Richard Parsons a very excellent and skilfull man in his facultie But by occasion of contrary weather we spent two moneths before we could recouer the Rowes in the Isle of Wight Where the 14 of Ianuary following we tooke in the worshipfull M. William Hareborne her Maiesties Ambassadour to the Turke and his company and sailed thence to Yarmouth in the foresayd Isle of Wight The 19 we put from Wight The 26 we did see Cauo de Sant Vincente The same day we were thwart of Cauo Santa Maria. The 27 we passed by Tariffa and Gibraltar The 28 in the morning we passed by Velez Malaga and that night were thwart of Cauo de Gates The 29â— at night we had sight of Cauo de Palos The 30 in the morning we did see the high land of Denia in the kingdome of Valentia and that night we had sight of the Iland Formentera The 31 in the morning appeared the Iland of Cabrera The first of February we put into a Port in Mallorca called Porto de Sant Pedro where they would haue euill intreated vs for comming into the Harbour we thought we might haue bene as bolde there as in other places of Christendome but it proued farre otherwise The first man we met on land was a simple Shepheard of whom we demanded whether we might haue a sheepe or such like to refresh our selues who tolde vs yea And by such conference had with him at the last he came aboord once or twise and had the best cheare that we could make him and our Ambassadour himselfe talked with him and still he made vs faire promises but nothing at all meant to performe the same as the end shewed In the meane time came in a shippe of Marseils the Master whereof did know our Ambassadour very well with whom our Ambassadour had conference and with his Marchants also They came from Alger in Barbarie which is vnder the gouernement of the Great Turke They did present our Ambassadour with an Ape wherefore he made very much of them and had them often aboord By them I suppose he was bewrayed of his purpose as touching his message but yet still we had faire words of the Shepheard aforesayd and others So that vpon their words our Purser and another man went to a Towne which was three or foure miles from the port and there were well entertained and had of the people very faire speeches and such small things as could be gotten vpon the sudden and so returned to the shippe that day Then wee were emboldened and thought all had bene well according to their talke The next day being the sixth day of Februarie two of our Gentlemen with one of our Marchants and the Purser and one of the Ambassadours men went to the Towne aforesayd thinking to doe as the Purser and the other had done before but it prooued contrary for at their comming thither they had faire wordes a while and had bread and wine and such necessaries for their money vntill such time as they were beset with men and the Maiorcans neuer shewed in their countenance any such matter but as the maner of all the people in the dominions of Spaine is for the most part to be trecherous to vs if they thinke they haue any aduantage For vpon the sudden they layed handes on them and put them in holde as sure as might be in such a simple Towne Then were they well guarded with men both day and night and still deluded with faire words
the Patents Discourses and Aduertisements thereto belonging The Letters patents of King Henry the seuenth granted vnto Iohn Cabot and his three sonnes Lewis Sebastian and Sancius for the discouerie of new and vnknowen lands HEnricus Dei gratia rex Angliae Franciae Dominus Hiberniae omnibus ad quos praesentes literae nostrae peruenerint salutem Notum sit manifestum quod dedimus concessimus ac per praesentes damus concedimus pro nobis haeredibus nostris dilectis nobis Ioanni Caboto ciui Veneâ—iarum Lodouico Sebastiano Sancio filijs dicti Ioannis eorum ac cuiusâ— bet eorum haeredibus deputatis plenam ac liberam authoritatem facultatem potestatem nauigandi ad omnes partes regiones sinus maris orientalis occidentalis septentrionalis sub banneris vexillis insignijs nostris cum quinque nauibus siue nauigijs cuiuscúnque portiturae qualitatis existant cum tot tantis nautis hominibus quot quantos in dictis nauibus secum ducere voluetint suis eorum proprijs sumptibus expensis ad inueniendum discooperiendum inuestigandum quascun que insulas patrias regiones siue prouincias gentilium infidelium quorumcúnque in quacunque parte mundi positas quae Christianis omnibus ante haec tempora fuerint incognitae Concessimus etiam eisdem eorum cuilibet eorúmque cuiuslibet eorum haeredibus deputatis ac licentiam dedimus ad affigendum praedictas banneras nostras insignia in quacunque villa oppido castro insula seu terra firma à se nouiter inuentis Et quòd praenominatus Ioannes filij eiusdem seu haeredes eorum deputati quascunque huiusmodi villas castra oppida insulas à se inuentas quae fubiugari occupari possideri possint subiugare occupare possidere valeant tanquam vasalli nostri gubernatores locatenentes deputati eorundem dominium titulum iurisdictionem earundem villarum castrorum oppidorum insularum ac terrae firmae sic inuentorum nobis ac quirendo Ita tamen vt ex omnibus fructibus proficuis emolumentis commodis lucris obuentionibus ex huiusmodi nauigatione prouenientibus praeâ—atus Iohannes filij ac haeredes eorum deputati teneantur sint obligati nobis pro omni viagio suo toties quoties ad portum nostrum Bristolliae applicuerint ad quem omnino applicare teneantur sint astricti deductis omnibus sumptibus impensis necessarijs per eosdem factis quintam partem capitalis lucri facti siue in mercibus siue in pecunijs persoluere Dante 's nos concedentes eisdem suisque haeredibus deputatis vt ab omni solutione custumarum omnium singulorum bonorum mercium quas secum reportarint ab illis locis sic nouiter inuentis liberi sint immunes Et insuper dedimus concessimus eisdem ac suis haeredibus deputatis quòd terrae omnes firmae insulae villae oppida castra loca quaecunque a se inuenta quotquot ab eis inueniri contigem â—on possint ab alijs quibusuis nostris subditis frequentari seu visitari absque licentia praedictorum Ioannis eius filiorum suorúmque deputatorum sub poena amissioâ—s tam nauium quà m bonerum omnium quorumcun que ad ea locasic inuenta nauigare praesumentium Volentes strictissimè mandantes omnibus singulis nostris subditis tam in terra quà m in mari constitutis vâ— praesato Ioanni eius filijs ac deputatis bonam assistentiam faciant tam in armandis nauibus seâ— nauigijs quà m in prouisione commeatus victualium pro sua pecunia emendorum atque aliaâ—um omnium rerum sibi prouidendarum pro dicta nauigatione sumenda suos omnes fauores auxilia impertiant In ouius rei â—estimonium has literas nostras fieri fecimus patentes Teste meipso apud Westmonasterium quinto die Martij anno regni nostri vndecimo The same in English HEnry by the grace of God king of England and France and lord of Ireland to all to whom these presents shall come Greeting Be it knowen that we haue giuen and granted and by these presents do giue and grant for vs and our heires to our wel beloued Iohn Cabot citizen of Venice to Lewis Sebastian and Santius sonnes of the sayd Iohn and to the heires of them and euery of them and their deputies full and free authority leaue and power to saile to all parts countreys and seas of the East of the West and of the North vnder our banners and ensignes with fiue ships of what burthen or quantity soeuer they be and as many mariners or men as they will haue with them in the sayd ships vpon their owne proper costs and charges to seeke out discouer and finde whatsoeuer isâ—es countreys regions or prouinces of the heathen and infidels whatsoeuer they be and in what part of the world soeuer they beâ— which before this time haue bene vnknowen to all Christians we haue granted to them and also to euery of them the heires of them and euery of them and their deputies and haue giuen them licence to set vp our banners and ensignes in euery village towne castle isle or maineland of them newly found And that the aforesayd Iohn and his sonnes or their heires and assignes may subdue occupy and possesse all such townes cities castles and isles of them found which they can subdue occupy and possesse as our vassals and lieutenants getting vnto vs the rule title and iurisdiction of the same villages townes castles firme land so found Yet so that the aforesayd Iohn and his sonnes and heires and their deputies be holden and bounden of all the fruits profits gaines and commodities growing of such nauigation for euery their voyage as often as they shall arriue at our port of Bristoll at the which port they shall be bound and holden onely to arriue all maner of necessary costs and charges by them made being deducted to pay vnto vs in wares or money the fift part of the capitall gaine so gotten We giuing and granting vnto them and to their heires and deputies that they shall be free from all paying of customes of all and singular such merchandize as they shall bring with them from those places so newly found And moreouer we haue giuen and granted to them their heires and deputies that all the firme lands isles villages townes castles and places whatsoeuer they be that they shall chance to finde may not of any other of our subiects be frequented or visited without the licence of the foresayd Iohn and his sonnes and their deputies vnder paine of forfeiture aswell of their shippes as of all and singuler goods of all them that shall presume to saile to those places so found Willing aud most straightly commanding all and singuler our subiects aswell on land as on sea to giue good
with all things appertayning to the voyage which was as farre as I remember in the yeere 1496. in the beginning of Sommer I began therefore to saile toward the Northwest not thinking to finde any other land then that of Cathay from thence to turne toward India but after certaine dayes I found that the land ranne towards the North which was to mee a great displeasure Neuerthelesse sayling along by the coast to see if I could finde any gulfe that turned I found the lande still continent to the 56. degree vnder our Pole And seeing that there the coast turned toward the East despairing to finde the passage I turned backe againe and sailed downe by the coast of that land toward the Equinoctiall euer with intent to finde the saide passage to India and came to that part of this firme lande which is nowe called Florida where my victuals failing I departed from thence and returned into England where I found great tumults among the people and preparation for warres in Scotland by reason whereof there was no more consideration had to this voyage Whereupon I went into Spaine to the Catholique king and Queene Elizabeth which being aduertised what I had done intertained me and at their charges furnished certaine ships wherewith they caused me to saile to discouer the coastes of Brasile where I found an exceeding great and large riuer named at this present Rio de la plata that is the riuer of siluer into the which I sailed and followed it into the firme land more then sixe score leagues finding it euery where very faire and inhabited with infinite people which with admiration came running dayly to our ships Into this Riuer runne so many other riuers that it is in maner incredible After this I made many other voyages which I nowe pretermit and waxing olde I giue my selfe to rest from such trauels because there are nowe many yong and lustie Pilots and Mariners of good experience by whose forwardnesse I doe reioyce in the fruit of my labours and rest with the charge of this office as you see The foresaide Baptista Ramusius in his preface to the thirde volume of the Nauigations writeth thus of Sebastian Cabot IN the latter part of this volume are put certaine relations of Iohn de Vararzana Florentine and of a great captaine a Frenchman and the two voyages of Iaques Cartier a Briton who sailed vnto the land situate in 50. degrees of Latitude to the North which is called New France which landes hitherto are not throughly knowen whether they doe ioyne with the firme land of Florida and Noua Hispania or whether they bee separated and deuided all by the Sea as Ilands and whether that by that way one may goe by Sea vnto the countrey of Cathaia As many yeeres past it was written vnto mee by Sebastian Cabota our Countrey man a Uenetian a man of great experience and very rare in the art of Nauigation and the knowledge of Cosmographie who sailed along and beyond this lande of New France at the charges of King Henry the seuenth king of England and he aduertised mee that hauing sailed a long time West and by North beyond those Ilands vnto the Latitude of 67. degrees and an halfe vnder the North pole and at the 11. day of Iune finding still the open Sea without any maner of impediment he thought verily by that way to haue passed on still the way to Cathaia which is in the East and would haue done it if the mutinie of the shipmaster and Mariners had not hindered him and made him to returne homewards from that place But it seemeth that God doeth yet still reserue this great enterprise for some great prince to discouer this voyage of Cathala by this way which for the bringing of the Spiceries from India into Europe were the most easie and shortest of all other wayes hitherto found out And surely this enterprise would be the most glorious and of most importance of all other that can be imagined to make his name great and fame immortall to all ages to come farre more then can be done by any of all these great troubles and warres which dayly are vsed in Europe among the miserable Christian people Another testimonie of the voyage of Sebastian Cabot to the West and Northwest taken out of the sixt Chapter of the third Decade of Peter Martyr of Angleria SCrutatus est oras glaciales Sebastianus quidam Cabotus genere Venetus sed à parentibus in Britanniam insulam tendentibus vti moris est Venetorum qui commercij causa terrarum omnium sunt hospites transportatus penè infans Duo is sibi nauigia propria pecunia in Britannia ipsa instruxit primò tendens cum hominibus tercentum ad Septentrionem donecetiam Iulio mensâ— vastas repererit glaciales moles pelago natantes lucem ferè perpetuam tellure tamen libera gelu liquefacto quare coactus fuit vti ait vela vertere occidentem sequi tetendÃtque tantum ad meridiem littore sese incuruante vt Herculei freti latitudinis fere gradus equarit ad occidentémque profectus tantum est vt Cubam Insulam à laeua longitudine graduum penè parem habuerit Is ea littora percurrens quae Baccalaos appellauit eosdem se reperisse aquarum sed lenes delapsus ad Occidentem ait quos Castellani meridionales suas regiones adnauigantes inueniunt Ergò non modò verisimilius sed necessatio concludendum est vastos inter vtrámque ignotam hactenus tellurem iacere hiatus qui viam praebeant aquis ab oriente cadentibus in Occidentem Quas arbitror impulsu coelorum circulariter agi in gyrum circa terre globum non autem Demogorgone anhelante vomi absorberique vt nonnulli senserunt quod influxu refluxu forsan assentire daretur Baccalaos Cabotus ipse terras illas appellauit eò quod in earuÌ„ pelago tantam reperierit magnorum quorundam piscium tynnos aemulantium sic vocatorum ab indigenis multitudinem vt etiam illi interdum nauigia detardarent Earum Regionum homines pellibus tantum coopertos reperiebat rationis haud quaquam expertes Vrsorum inesse regionibus copiam ingentem refere qui ipsi piscibus vescantur Inter densa namque piscium illorum agmina sese immergunt vrsi singulos singuli complexos vnguibúsque inter squammas immissis in terram raptant comedunt Proptereà minimè noxios hominibus visos esse ait Orichalcum in plerisque locis se vidisse apud incolas praedicat Familiarem habeo domi Cabotum ipsum contubernalem interdum Vocatus namque ex Britannia à Rege nostro Catholico post Henrici Maioris Britanniae Regis mortem concurialis noster est expectátque indies vt nauigia sibi parentur quibus arcanum hoc naturae latens iam tandem detegatur The same in English THese North Seas haue bene searched by one Sebastian Cabot a Venetian borne whom being yet but
in maner an infant his parents caried with them into England hauing occasion to resort thither for trade of marchandise as is the maner of the Venetians to leaue no part of the world vnsearched to obtaine riches Hee therefore furnished two ships in England at his owne charges and first with 300 men directed his course so farre towards the North pole that euen in the moneth of Iuly he found monstrous heapes of ice swimming on the sea and in maner continuall day light yet saw he the land in that tract free from ice which had bene molten by the heat of the Sunne Thus seeing such heapes of yce before him hee was enforced to turne his sailes and follow the West so coasting still by the shore that he was thereby brought so farre into the South by reason of the land bending so much Southwards that it was there almost equall in latitude with the sea Fretum Herculeum hauing the Northpole eleuate in maner in the same degree He sailed likewise in this tract so farre towards the West that hee had the Island of Cuba on his left hand in maner in the same degree of longitude As hee trauelled by the coastes of this great land which he named Baccalaos he saith that hee found the like course of the waters toward the West but the same to runne more softly and gently then the swift waters which the Spaniards found in their Nauigations Southward Wherfore it is not onely more like to be true but ought also of necessitie to be concluded that betweene both the lands hitherto vnknowen there should be certaine great open places whereby the waters should thus continually passe from the East vnto the West which waters I suppose to be driuen about the globe of the earth by the vncessant mouing and impulsion of the heauens and not to bee swallowed vp and cast vp againe by the breathing of Demogorgon as some haue imagined because they see the seas by increase and decrease to ebbe and flowe Sebastian Cabot himselfe named those lands Baccalaos because that in the Seas thereabout hee found so great multitudes of certaine bigge fishes much like vnto Tunies which the inhabitants call Baccalaos that they sometime stayed his shippes He found also the people of those regions couered with beastes skinnes yet not without the vse of reason He also saith there is great plentie of Beares in those regions which vse to eate fish for plunging themselues into y e water where they perceiue a multitude of these fishes to lie they fasten their clawes in their scales and so draw them to land and eate them so as he saith the Beares being thus satisfied with fish are not noisome to men Hee declareth further that in many places of these Regions he saw great plentie of Copper among the inhabitants Cabot is my very friend whom I vse familiarly and delight to haue him sometimes keepe mee company in mine owne house For being called out of England by the commandement of the Catholique King of Castile after the death of King Henry the seuenth of that name King of England he was made one of our councill and Assistants as touching the affaires of the new Indies looking for ships dayly to be furnished for him to discouer this his secret of Nature The testimonie of Francis Lopez de Gomara a Spaniard in the fourth Chapter of the second Booke of his generall history of the West Indies concerning the first discouerie of a great part of the West Indies to wit from 58. to 38. degrees of latitude by Sebastian Cabota out of England HE which brought most certaine newes of the countrey people of Baccalaos saith Gomara was Sebastian Cabote a Uenetian which rigged vp two ships at the cost of K. Henry the 7. of England hauing great desire to traffique for the spices as the Portingals did He caried with him 300. men and tooke the way towards Island from beyond the Cape of Labrador vntill he found himselfe in 58. degrees and better He made relation that in the moneth of Iuly it was so cold and the ice so great that hee durst not passe any further that the dayes were very long in a maner without any night and for that short nâ—ght that they had it was very cleare Cabot feeling the cold turned towards the West refreshing himselfe at Baccalaos and afterwards he sailed along the coast vnto 38. degrees and from â—hence he shaped his course to returne into England A note of Sebastian Cabots first discouerie of part of the Indies taken out of the latter part of Robert Fabians Chronicle not hitherto printed which is in the custodie of M. Iohn Stow a diligent preseruer of Antiquities IN the 13. yeere of K. Henry the 7. by meanes of one Iohn Cabot a Venetian which made himselfe very expert and cunning in knowledge of the circuit of the world and Ilands of the same as by a Sea card and other demonstrations reasonable he shewed the king caused to man and victuall a ship at Bristow to search for an Island which he said hee knew well was rich and replenished with great commodities Which shippe thus manned and victualled at the kings cost diuers Marchants of London ventured in her small stocks being in her as chiefe patron the said Venetian And in the company of the said ship sailed also out of Bristow three or foure small ships fraught with sleight and grosse marchandizes as course cloth caps laces points other trifles And so departed from Bristow in the beginning of May of whom in this Maiors time returned no tidings Of three Sauages which Cabot brought home and presented vnto the King in the foureteenth yere of his raigne mentioned by the foresaid Robert Fabian THis yeere also were brought vnto the king three men taken in the Newfound Island that before I spake of in William Purchastime being Maior These were clothed in beasts skins did eate raw flesh and spake such speach that no man could vnderstand them and in their demeanour like to bruite beastes whom the King kept a time after Of the which vpon two yeeres after I saw two apparelled after â—he maner of Englishmen in Westminster pallace which that time I could not discerne from Englishmen til I was learned what they were but as for speach I heard none of them vtter one word A briefe extract concerning the discouerie of Newfound-land taken out of the booke of M. Robert Thorne to doctor Leigh c. I Reason that as some sickenesses are hereditarie so this inclination or desire of this discouery I inherited from my father which with another marchant of Bristol named Hugh Eliot were the discouerers of the Newfound-lands of the which there is no doubt as nowe plainely appeareth if the Mariners would then haue bene ruled and followed their Pilots minde but the lands of the West Indies from whence all the golde commeth had bene ours for all is one coast as by the Card appeareth and is
the continent of the hither part of America betweene the degrees of 30. and â—0 of septentrionall latitude Within which degrees by computation Astronomicall and Cosmographicall are doubtlesse to bee found all things that be necessarie profitableâ— or delectâ—ble for mans life The clymate milde and temperate neyther too hote nor too colde so that vnder the cope of heauen there is not any where to be found a more conuenient place to plant and inhabite in which many notable Gentlemen both of our owne nation and strangers who haue bene trauailers can testifie and that those Countries are at this day inhabited with Sauages who haue no knowledge of God Is it not therefore I say to be lamented that these poore Pagans so long liuing in ignorance and idolatry and in sort thirsting after Christianitie as may appeare by the relation of such as haue trauailed in thâ—se partes that our hearts are so hardened that fewe or none can be found which will put to their helping hands and apply themselues to the relieuing of the miserable and wretched estate of these sillie soules Whose Countrey doeth as it were with armes aduanced aboue the climates both of Spaine and France stretch out it selfe towards Engâ—and only In maner praying our ayde and helpe as it is not onely set forth in Mercators generall Mappe but it is also found to be true by the discouerie of our nation and other strangers who haue oftentimes trauailed vpon the same coasts Christopher Columbus of famous memorie the first instrument to manifest the great glory and mercy of Almightie God in planting the Christian faith in those so long vnknowen regions hauing in purpose to acquiant as he did that renoumed Prince the Queenes Maiesties grandfather King Henry the seuenth with his intended voyage for the Westerne discoueries was not onely derided and mocked generally euen here in England â—ut afterward became a laughing stocke to the Spaniards themselues who at this day of all other people are most bounden to lande and prayse God who first stirred vp the man to that enterprise And while he was attending there to acâ—uaint the King of Castile that then was with his intended purpose by how many wayes and meanes was he derided Some scorned the pildnesse of his garments some toâ—ke occasion to iest at his sample and silly lookes others asked if this were he that lowâ—s â—o lowe which did take vpon him to bring men into a Countrey that aboundeth with Golde Pearle and Precious stonesâ— If hee were any such man sayd they he would carry another maner of countenance with him and looke somewhat loftier Thus some iudged him by his garments and others by his looke and countenance but none entred into the consideration of the inward man In the ende what successe his Uoyage had who list to reade the Decades the Historie of the West Indies the conquest of Hernando Cortes about Mexico and those of Francisco Pizarâ—o in Peru about Casamalcha and Cusco may know more particularly All which their discoueries trauailes and conquests are extant to be had in the English tongue This deuise was then accounted a fantasticall imagination and a drowsie dreame But the sequele thereof hath since awaked out of dreames thousands of soules to knowe their Creator being thereof before that time altogether ignorant And hath since made sufficient proofe neither to be fantasticke nor vainely imagined Withall how mightily it hath inlarged the dominions of the Crowne of Spaine and greatly inriched the subiects of the same let all men consider Besides it is well knowen that sithence the time of Columbus his first dicouerie through the planting possessing and inhabiting those partes there hath bene transported and brought home into Europe greater store of Golde Siluer Pearle and Precious stones then heretofore hath bene in all ages since the creation of the worlde I doe therefore heartily wish that seeing it hath pleased almightie God of his infinite mercy at the length to awake some of our worthy Countrey men out of that drowsie dreame wherein we haue so long slumbered That wee may now not suffer that to quaile for want of maintenance which by these valiant Gentlemen our Countreymen is so nobly begun enterprised For which purpose I haue taken vpon me to write this simple short Treatise hoping that it shall be able to perswade such as hâ—â—e bene and yet doe continue detractors and hinderers of this iourney by reason perhaps that they haue not deliberately and aduisedly entred into the iudgâ—ment of the matter that yeâ— now vpon better consideration they will become fauourable furtherers of the same And that such as are already well affected thereunto will continue their good disposition And withall I most humbly pray all such as are no â—igards of their purses in buying of costly and rich apparel and liberall Contributors in setting forth of games pastunes feastings and banquets whereof the charge being past there is no hope of publique profite or commoditie that hence forth they will bestowe and employ their liberality heretofore that way expended to the furtherance of these so commendable purposed proceedings And to this ende haue I taken pen in hand as in conscience thereunto mooued desiring much rather that of the great multitude which this Realme doeth nourish farre better able to handle this matter then I my selfe am it would haue pleased some one of them to haue vndertaken the same But seeing they are silent and that it falleth to my lotte to put pen to the paper I will endeuour my selfe and doe stand in good hope though my skill and knowledge â—ee simple yet through the assistance of almightie God to prooue that the Uoyage lately enterprised for trade traffique and planting in America is an action tending to the lawfull enlargement of her Maiesties Dominions commodious to the whole Realme in generall profitable to the aduenturers in particular beneficiall to the Sauages and a matter to be atteined without any great danger or difficultie And lastly which is most of all A thing likewise tending to the honour and glory of Almightie God And for that the lawfulnesse to plant in those Countreyes in some mens iudgements seemeth very doubtfull I will beginne the proofe of the lawfulnesse of trade traffique and planting The second Chapter sheweth that it is lawfull and necessarie to trade and traffique with the Sauages And to plant in their Countries And diuideth planting into two sorts ANd first for traffique I say that the Christians may lawfully trauell into those Countries and abide there whom the Sauages may not iustly impugne and forbidde in respect of the mutuall societie and fellowshippe betweene man and man prescrided by the Law of Nations For from the first beginning of the creation of the world and from the renewing of the same after Noes flood all men haue agreed that no violence should be offered to Ambassadours That the Sea with his Hauens should be common That such as should fortune to
Lord God 1170. arriued and there planted himselfe and his Colonies and afterward returned himselfe into England leauing certaine of his people there as appeareth in an ancient Welsh Chronicle where he then gaue to certaine Ilands beastes and foules sundry Welsh names as the Iland of Pengwin which yet to this day beareth the same There is likewise a foule in the saide countreys called by the same name at this day and is as much to say in English as Whitehead and in trueth the said foules haue white heads There is also in those countreis a fruit called Gwynethes which is likewise a Welsh word Moreouer there are diuers other Welsh wordes at this day in vse as Dauid Ingram aforesaid reporteth in his relations All which most strongly argueth the sayd prince with his people to haue inhabiteâ— there And the same in effect is confirmed by Mutezuma that mightie Emperour of Mexico who in an Oration vnto his subiects the better pacifying of them made in the presence of Hernando Cortes vsed these speeches following MY kinsmen friends and seruants you doe well know that eighteene yeres I haue bene your King as my fathers and grandfathers were and alwayes I haue bene vnto you a louing Prince and you vnto me good and obedient subiects and so I hope you will remaine vnto mee all the dayes of my life You ought to haue in remembrance that either you haue heard of your fathers or else our diuines haue instructed you that wee are not naturally of this countrey nor yet our kingdome is durable because our sorefathers came from a farre countrey and their King and Captaine who brought them hither returned againe to his naturall Countrey saying that he would send such as should rule and gouerne vs if by chance he himselfe returned not câ— These be the very wordes of Mutezuma set downe in the Spanish Chronicles the which being throughly considered because they haue relation to some strange noble person who long before had possessed those countreys doe all sufficiently argue the vndoubted title of her Maiestie forasmuch as no other Nation can truely by any Chronicles they can finde make prescription of time for themselues before the time of this Prince Madoc Besides all this for further proofe of her highnesse title sithence the arriuall of this noble Briton into those parts that is to say in the time of the Queenes grandfather of worthy memory King Henry the seuenth Letters patents were by his Maiestie granted to Ioha Cabota an Italiau to Lewis Sebastian and Sancius his three sonnes to discouer remote barbarous and heathen Countreys which discouery was afterwardes executed to the vse of the Crowne of England in the sayde Kings time by Sebastian and Sancius his sonnes who were borne here in England in true testimony whereof there is a faire hauen in Newfoundland knowen and called vntill this day by the name of Sancius hauen which proueth that they first discouered vpon that coast from the height of 63 vnto the cape of Florida as appeareth in the Decades And this may stand for another title to her Maiesty but any of the foresayd titles is as much or more then any other Christian Prince can pretend to the Indies before such time as they had actuall possession thereof obtained by the discouery of Christopher Columbus and the conquest of Vasques Nunnes de Balboa Hernando Cortes Francisco Pizarro and others And therefore I thinke it needlesse to write any more touching the lawfulnesse of her Maiesties title The fourth chapter sheweth how that the trade traffike and planting in those countreys is likely to proue very profitable to the whole realme in generall NOw to shew how the same is likely to prooue very profitable and beneficiall generally to the whole realme it is very certaine that the greatest iewell of this realme and the chiefest strength and force of the same for defence or offence in marshall matter and maner is the multitude of ships masters and mariners ready to assist the most stately and royall nauy of her Maiesty which by reason of this voyage shall haue both increase and maintenance And it is well knowen that in sundry places of this realme ships haue beene built and set forth of late dayes for the trade of fishing onely yet notwâ—thstanding the fish which is taken and brought into England by the English nauy of fishermen will not suffice for the expense of this realme foure moneths if there were none els brought of strangers And the chiefest cause why our English men doe not goe so farre Westerly as the especiall fishing places doe lie both for plenty and greatnesse of fish is for that they haue no succour and knowen safe harbour in those parts But if our nation were once planted there or neere there abouts whereas they now fish but for two moneths in the yeere they might then fish so long as pleased themselues or rather at their comming finde such plenty of fish ready taken salted and dried as might be sufficient to fraught them home without long delay God granting that salt may be found there whereof Dauid Ingram who trauelled in those countreys as aforesayd sayth that there is great plenty and withall the climate doth giue great hope that though there were none naturally growing yet it might as well be made there by art as it is both at Rochel and Bayon or elsewhere Which being brought to passe shall increase the number of our shippes and mariners were it but in respect of fishing onely but much more in regard of the sundry merchandizes and commodities which are there found and had in great abundance Moreouer it is well knowen that all Sauages as well chose that dwell in the South as those that dwell in the North so soone as they shall begin but a little to taste of ciuility will take maruelous delight in any garment be it neuer so simple as a shirt a blew yellow red or greene cotten cassocke a cap or such like and will take incredible paines for such a trifle For I my selfe haue heard this report made sundry times by diuers of our countreymen who haue dwelt in the Southerly parts of the West Indies some twelue yeeres together and some of lesse time that the people in those parts are easily reduced to ciuility both in maners and garments Which being so what vent for our English clothes will thereby ensue and how great benefit to all such persons and artificers whose names are quoted in the margent I do leaue to the iudgement of such as are discreet And questionlesse heereby it will also come to passe that all such townes and villages as both haue beene and now are vtterly decayed and ruinated the poore people there of being not set on worke by reason of the transportation of raw wooll of late dayes more excessiuely then in times past shal by this meanes be restored to their pristinate wealth and estate all which doe likewise tend to the inlargement
lesse to the glorie of God then that action of the Spanyardes For as you may read in the very last wordes of the relation of Newe Mezico extant nowe in English the maine land where your last Colonie meane to seate themselues is replenished with many thousands of Indians Which are of better wittes then those of Mexico and Peru as hath bene found by those that haue had some triall of them whereby it may bee gathered that they will easily embrace the Gospell forsaking their idolatrie wherein as this present for the most part they are wrapped and intangled A wise Philosopher noting the sundry desires of diuers men writeth that if an oxe bee put into a medowe hee will seeke to fill his bellie with grasse if a Storke bee cast in shee will seeke for Snakes if you turne in a Hound he will seeke to start an Hare So sundry men entring into these discoueries propose vnto themselues seuerall endes Some seeke authoritie and places of commandement others experience by seeing of the worlde the most part worldly and transitorie gaine and that often times by dishonest and vnlawfull meanes the fewest number the glorie of God and the sauing of the soules of the poore and blinded infidels Yet because diuers honest and well disposed persons are entred already into this your businesse and that I know you meane hereafter to sende some such good Churchmen thither as may truely say with the Apostle to the Sauages Wee seeke not yours but you I conceiue great comfort of the successe of this your action hoping that the Lorde whose power is wont to bee perfected in weakenesse will blesse the feeble foundations of your building Onely bee you of a valiant courage and faint not as the Lorde sayd vnto Iosue exhorting him to proceede on forward in the conquest of the land of promise and remember that priuate men haue happily wielded and waded through as great enterprises as this with lesser meanes then those which God in his mercie hath bountifully bestowed vpon you to the singuler good as I assure my selfe of this our Common wealth wherein you liue Hereof we haue examples domesticall and forreine Remember I pray you what you find in the beginning of the Chronicle of the conquest of Ireland newly dedicated vnto your selfe Read you not that Richard Strangbow the decayed earle of Chepstow in Monmuthshire being in no great fauour of his soueraigne passed ouer into that Island in the yere 1171. and accompanied only with certain of his priuate friends had in short space such prosperous successe that he opened the way for king Henry the second to the speedy subiection of all that warlike nation to this crowne of England The like conquest of Brasilia and annexing the same to the kingdome of Portugall was first begun by meane and priuate men as Don Antonio de Castillio Ambassadour here for that realme and by office keeper of all the records and monuments of their discoueries assured me in this city in the yere 1581. Now if the greatnes of the maine of Virginia and the large extension therof especially to the West should make you thinke that the subduing of it were a matter of more difficulty then the conquest of Ireland first I answere that as the late experience of that skilfull pilote and Captaine M. Iohn Dauis to the Northwest toward which his discouery your selfe haue thrise contributed with the forwardest hath shewed a great part to be maine sea where before was thought to be maine land so for my part I am fully perswaded by Ortelius late reformation of Culuacan and the gulfe of California that the land on the backe part of Virginia extendeth nothing so far westward as is put downe in the Maps of those parts Moreouer it is not to be denied but that one hundred men will do more now among the naked and vnarmed people in Virginia then one thousand were able then to do in Ireland against that armed and warlike nation in those daies I say further that these two yeres last experience hath plainly shewed that we may spare 10000. able men without any misse And these are as many as the kingdome of Portugal had euer in all their garrisons of the Açores Madera Arguin Cape verde Guinea Brasill Mozambique Melinde Zocotora Ormus Diu Goa Malaca the Malucos and Macao vpon the coast of China Yea this I say by the cōfession of singuler expert men of their own nation whose names I suppresse for certain causes which haue bene personally in the East Indies haue assured me that their kings had neuer aboue ten thousand natural borne Portugals their slaues excepted out of their kingdome remaining in all the aforesaid territories Which also this present yeere I saw confirmed in a secrete extract of the particular estate of that kingdome and of euery gouernement and office subiect to the same with the seueral pensions thereunto belonging Seeing therefore we are so farre from want of people that retyring daily home out of the Lowe Countreys they go idle vp and down in swarms for lack of honest intertainment I see no fitter place to employ some part of the better sort of them trained vp thus long in seruice then in the inward partes of the firme of Virginia against such stubborne Sauages as shal refuse obedience to her Maiestie And doubtlesse many of our men will bee glad and faine to accept this condition when as by the reading of this present treatie they shal vnderstand the fertilitie and riches of the regions confining so neere vpon yours the great commodities and goodnesse wherof you haue bin contented to suffer to come to light In the meane season I humbly commend my selfe and this my translation vnto you and your selfe and all those which vnder you haue taken this enterprise in hand to the grace and good blessing of the Almighty which is able to build farther and to finish the good worke which in these our dayes he hath begun by your most Christian and charitable endeuour From London the 1. of May 1587. Your L. humble at commandement R. HAKLVYT The Preface of M. Rene Laudonniere THere are two things which according to mine opinion haue bene the principall causes in consideration whereof aswell they of ancient times as those of our age haue bene induced to trauell into farre and remote regions The first hath beene the naturall desire which wee haue to search out the commodities to liue happily plentifully and at ease be it whither one abandon his naturall Countrey altogether to dwell in a better or bee it that men make voyages thither there to search out and bring from thence such things as are there to be found and are in greatest estistimation and in most request in our Countreys The second cause hath bene the multitude of people too fruitefull in generation which being no longer able to dwell in their natiue soyles haue entred vpon their neighbours limites and oftentimes passing further
English lawes that the people and the lawes were in reputation and then were the wisest of the people worship-worthy euery one after his degree Earle and Churle Thein and vnder-Thein And if a churle thriued so that hee had fully five hides of his owne land a Church and a Kitchin a Belhouse and a gate a seate and a seuerall office in the Kings hall then was he thenceforth the Theins right worthy And if a Thein so thriued that he serued the king and on his message rid in his houshold if he then had a Thein that followed him the which to the kings iourney fiue hides had and in the kings seate his Lord serued and thrise with his errand had gone to the king he might afterward with his forâ—oth his lords part play at any great neede And if a Thein did thriue so that he became an Earle then was he afterward an Earles right worthie And if a Marchant so thriued that he passed thrise ouer the wide seas of his owne craft he was thencefoorth a Theins right worthie And if a scholar so prospered thorow learning that he degree had and serued Christ he was then afterward of dignitie and peace so much worthie as thereunto belonged vnlesse he forfaited so that he the vse of his degree vse ne might A testimonie of certaine priuiledges obtained for the English and Danish Marchants of Conradus the Emperour and Iohn the Bishop of Rome by Canutus the King of England in his iourney to Rome extracted out of a letter of his written vnto the Cleargie of England SIt vobis notum quia magna congregatio nobilum in ipsa solemnitate Pascali Romae cum Domino Papa Ioanne imperatore Conrado erat scilicet omnes principes gentium a monte Gargano vsque ad iâ—tum proximum Marâ—â— qui omnes me honorifice suscepere magnificis donis honorauere Maxime autem ab imperatore donis varijs muneribus pretiosis honoratus sum tam in vasis aureis argenteis quam in pallijs vestibus valde pretiosis Locutus sum igitur cum ipso imperatore Domino Papa principibus qui ibi erant de necessitatibus totius populi mei tam Angli quam Dani vt eis concederetur lex aequior pax securior in via RomaÌ„ adeundi ne tot clausuris per viam arcerentur propter iniustum teloneuÌ„ fatigarentur Annuitque postulatis Imperator Rodulphus Rex qui maxime ipsarum clausurarum dominatur cunctique principes edictis firmarunt vt homines mei tam Mercatores quà m alij orandi gratia viatores absque omni anguria clausurarum teloneaâ—iorum cum firma pace Romam eant redeant The same in English YOu are to vnderstand that at the feast of Easter there was a great company of Nobles with Pope Iohn and Conradus the Emperour assembled at Rome namely all the princes of the nations from mount Garganus vnto the West Ocean sea Who all of them honourably interteined me and welcomed mee with rich and magnificent gifts but especially the Emperour bestowed diuers costly presents and rewards vpon mee both in vessels of golde and siluer and also in cloakes and garments of great value Wherefore I conferred with the Emperour himselfe and the Pope and with the other Princes who were there present concerning the necessities of all my subiects both Englishmen and Danes that a more fauourable law secure peace in their way to Rome might bee graunted vnto them and that they might not bee hindered by so many stops impediments in their iourney and wearied by reason of iniust exactions And the Emperour condescended vnto my request and king Rodulphus also who hath greatest authoritie ouer the foresaid stops and streights and all the other princes confirmed by their Edicts that my subiects as well Marchants as others who trauailed for deuotions sake should without all hinderance and restraint of the foresaid stops and customers goe vnto Rome in peace and returne from thence in safetie The flourishing state of Marchandise in the Citie of London in the dayes of Willielmus Malmesburiensis which died in the yeere 1142. in the reigne of K. Stephen HAud longe a Rofa quasi viginti quinque milliarijs est Londonia Ciuitas nobilis opima ciuium diuitijs constipata negociatorum ex omni terra maxime ex Germania venientium commercijs Vnde fit vt cum vbique in Anglia caritas victualium pro sterili prouentu messium sit ibi necessaria distrahantur emantur minore quà m alibi vel vendentium compendio vel ementium dispendio Peregrinas inuehit merces Ciuitatis sinibus Tamesis fluuius famosus qui citra vrbem ad ' 80. milliaria fonticulo fusus vltra plus 70. nomen profert The same in English NOt farre from Rochester about the distance of fiue and twenty miles standeth the Noble Citie of London abounding with the riches of the inhabitants and being frequented with the traffique of Marchants resorting thither out of all nations and especially out of Germanie Whereupon it commeth to passe that when any generall dearth of victuals falleth out in England by reason of the scarcitie of corne things necessary may there be prouided and bought with lesse gaine vnto the sellers and with lesse hinderance and losse vnto the buyers then in any other place of the Realme Outlandish wares are conueighed into the same Citie by the famous riuer of Thames which riuer springing out of a fountaine 80. miles beyond the Citie is called by one and the selfe same name .70 miles beneath it The aforesaid William of Malmesburie writeth of traffike in his time to Bristowe in his fourth booke degestis pontificum Anglorum after this maner IN eadem valle est vicus celeberrimus Bristow nomine in quo est nauium portus ab Hibernia Norwegia caeteris transinarinis terris venientium receptaculum ne scilicet genitalibus diuitijs tam fortunata regio peregrinarum opum frauderetur commercio The same in English IN the same valley stands the famous Towne of Bristow with an Hauen belonging thereunto which is a commodious and safe receptacle for all ships directing their course for the same from Ireland Norway and other outlandish and foren countreys namely that a region so fortunate and blessed with the riches that nature hath vouchsafed thereupon should not bee destitute of the wealth and commodities of other lands The league betweene Henry the second and Fredericke Barbarossa Emperour of Germanie wherein is mention of friendly traffike betweene the Marchants of the Empire and England confirmed in the yeere of our Lord 1157. recorded in the first Booke and seuenteenth Chapter of Radeuicus Canonicus Frisingensis being an appendix to Otto Frisingensis IBidem tunc affuere etiam Henrici Regis Angliae missi varia preciosa donaria multo lepore verborum adornata praestantes Inter quae papilionem vnum quantitate maximum qualitate optimum perspeximus
these goods and marchandises shall be brought into our realme and dominion and shall be there vnladen and solde And likewise three pence vpon euery pound of siluer in the carying out of any such goods and marchandises which are bought in our realme and dominion aforesayd aboue the customes beforetime payd vnto vs or any of our progenitors And touching the value and estimation of these goods and marchandises whereof three pence of euery pound of siluer as is aforesayd is to be payd credite shal be giuen vnto them vpon the letters which they are able to shewe from their masters or parteners And if they haue no letters in this behalfe we will stand to the othe of the foresayd marchants if they bee present or in their absence to the othes of their seruants Moreouer it shall be lawfull for such as be of the company of the aforesayd marchants within our realme and dominion aforesayd to sell woolles to other of their company and likewise to buy of them without paying of custome Yet so that the said wools come not to such hands that wee be defrauded of the custome due vnto vs. And furthermore it is to be vnderstood that after that the aforesaid marchants haue once payed in one place within our realme and dominion the custome aboue granted vnto vs in forme aforesayd for their marchandises haue their warrant therof whether these marchandises remayne within our kingdome or be caried out excepting wines which in no wise shal be caried forth of our realme and dominion aforesayd without our fauour licence as is aforesayd we wil and we grant for vs and our heires that no execution attachment or loane or any other burthen be layd vpon the persons of the aforesayd marchants vpon their marchandises or goods in any case contrary to the forme before mentioned and granted The faithfull principall witnesses of these presents are these Robert Archbishop of Canterbury Primate of all England Walter bishop of CoueÌ„trey and Lichfield Henry Lacie of Lincolne Humfrey de Bohume Earle of Herford and Essex high Constable of England Adomare of Valentia Geofrey of Gaymal Hugh Spenser Walter Beauchampe Seneschall of our house Robert of Bures and others Giuen by our owne hand at Windesore the first day of February in the yere of our reigne xxxi De mercatoribus Angliae in Norwegia arestatis eorum mercimonijs dearrestandis literae Edwardi secundi anno sexto regni sui Haquino regi Norwegie MAgnifico principi domino Haquino Dei gratia regi Norwegie illustri amico suo charissimo Edwardus eadeÌ„ Dei gratia rex Anglie Dom. Hibernie dux Aquitanie saluteÌ„ cuÌ„ dilectione sincera Miramur noÌ„ modicuÌ„ in intimis conturbamur de grauaminibus oppressionibus quae subditis nostris infra regnum vestrum causa negociandi venienâ—â—bus his diebus plus solito absque causa rationabili sicut ex graui querela didicimus inferuntur Nuâ—er siquidem Willihelmus filius Laurentij de Waynfleete Simon filius Alani de eadâ—m Guido filius Mathei eorum socij mercatores nostri nobis conquerendo monstrarunt quod cum ipsi quosdam homines seruientes suos cum tribus nauibus suis ad partes regni vestri ad negotiandum ibidem transmisissent naues illae in portu villae vestrae de Tonnesbergh halece alijs bonis diuersis vsque ad magnam summam oneratae fuissent Et licet nautis nauiuÌ„ praedictarum hominibusque seruientibus praedictis à regno vestro liberè cum nauibus bonis praedictis ad partes Anglie redeundi vestras fieri feceritis de coÌ„ductu postmodum ramen antequaÌ„ naues illae propter venti contrarietateÌ„ portum praedictum exire potuerunt quidam balliui vestri naues praedictas cum hominibus bonis omnibus tunâ— existentibus in eisdem occasione mortis cuiusdam militis nuper balliui vestri in Vikia per malefactores piratas dum naues praedictae in portu supradicto sicut praemittitur remanserunt supra mare vt dicitur interfecti de mandato vestro vt dicebant artestarunt diu sub aresto huiuâ—modi detinebant quousque videlicet homines marinarij praedicti de quadraginta libris sterlingoruÌ„ certo die statuto ad opus vestrum pro qualibetnaui predictarum soluendis inuiti coacti securitatem inuenissent Et similiter de eisdem nauibus cum hominibus praedictis infra portum praedictum citra sestuÌ„ natiuitatis Sancti Ioannis Baptistae proximo futuro ad standum runc ibidem de personis nauibus suis vestre gratie seu voluntatis arbitrio reducendis tres obsides vlterius liberassent quod ipsis valde graue censetur auditu mirabile auribus audientium non immerito reputatur Et quia contra rationem equitatem omnemque iustitiam fore dinoscitur atque legem quòd delinquentium culpe seu demerita in personis vel rebus illorum qui criminis rei conscijvel participes seu de huiusmodi delinquentium societate non fuerunt aliqualiter vlciscantur vestram amicitiam affectuose requirimus rogamus quatenus praemissa diligenti meditatione zelo iustitiae ponderantes obsides predictos iubere velitis ab hostagiamento huiusmodi liberari dictamque securitatem relaxari penitus resolui Scientes pro certo quod si malefactores predicti qui dictum militem vestrum vt dicitur occiderunt alicubi infra regnum seu potestatem nostâ—am poterunt inueniri de ipsis iustitiam iudicium secundum legem consuetudinem eiusdem regni fieri faciemus Non enim possumus his diebus aequanimiter tolerare quod naues predicte seu aliae de regno nostro quae semper prompte ad nostrum seruitium esse debent extra idem regnum ad partes remotas se diuertant sine nostra licentia speciali Quid autem ad hanc nostram instantiam faciendum decreueritis in premissis nobis si placeat reseribatis per presentium portatorem Datae apud Windesore decimo sexto die Aprilis The same in English The letters of Edward the second vnto Haquinus king of Norway concerning the English marchants arrested in Norway and their goods to be freed from arrest TO the mighty Prince lord Haquinus by the grace of God the famous king of Norway his most deare friend Edward by the same grace of God king of England lord of Ireland duke of Aquitaine greeting and sincere loue We maruell not a little and are much disquieted in our cogitations considering the greeuances and oppressions which as wee haue beene informed by pitifull complaints are at this present more then in times past without any reasonable cause inflicted vpon our subiects which doe vsually resort vnto your kingdome for traffiques sake For of late one William the sonne of Laurence of Wainfleete and one Simon the sonne of Alan of the same towne and Guido the sonne of Mathew and their associates our marchants in complayning wise declared vnto vs that
goods be customed By meanes of the which sealing the foresaide parties doe compell the marchants aboue-named vpon an vse and custome whereof themselues haue bene the authors to paye a certaine summe of money to the great hinderance of the sayde marchants and coâ—trarie to iustice and to their charter Moreouer the saide customers haue ordained betweene themselues that the saide marchants shall put or make vp no cloâ—h iâ—to fardels to transport out of the realme vnlesse certaine mâ—n appointed by them for the same purpose bee there present to see what maner of clothes they bee vnder paine of the forfâ—iture of the saide goods Also of late when the sayde marchants would haue made vp such fardels the foresayde parties assigned to be ouerseers refused to come vnlesse they might haue for their comming some certaine summe of money delaying and procrastinating from day to day so long as themselues listed to the great losse and vndoing of the foresaide marchants and contrarie to their liberties because the foresaide customers are bound by their office to doe this without any contribution therefore to bee paide vnto them by the saide marchants for that they doe enioy from our soueraigne Lorde the King their fees and commodities to the ende that they may serue him and euery marchant iustly and faithfully without any contribution by them to be imposed anewe vpon the sayde marchants of custome Item the said marchants doe alleage that the customers bailifs of the town of Southhampton do compel them to pay for euery last of herrings pitch sope ashes brought thither by theÌ„ 2 s more then the kings custome and for ech hundreth of bowstaues boords called Waghenscot 2. d. for euery hundreth of boords called Richolt 4.d for al other marchandize brought by the foresaid marchants vnto the same towne which contributions they neuer paid at any time heeretofore being greatly to their hinderance and contrary to the tâ—nour of their Charter Item the foresaid marchants do alleage that one of their company called Albert Redewish of Prussia bringing diuers goods marchandizes vnto Newcastle vpon Tine there paying the vsual custom of 3.d in the pound for al his wares the bailifs of the saide towne against all reason exacted 7. pound sterling at his hands more then the custome whereupon the foresaide marchant got a briefe from the kings maiesty for the recouery of the said 7 li according to equity reason howbeit that at the comming of the said briefe the foresaid bailifes would do nothing on his behalfe but would haue slaine their foresaid associate contrary to their charter and priuiledges William Esturmy knight Iohn Kington canon of Lincolne being by y e most mighty prince lord L. Henry by Gods grace â— of England France lord of Ireland sufficiently deputed and appointed to parle treate agree w t the common society of y e marchants of the Hans of Dutchland or Almain concerning about the redressing reformation of vniust atteÌ„pts happening between our said soueraign L. the king his liege people subiects on the one part between the coÌ„mon society aforesaid the cities towns particular persons therof on the other part do for the behalf of our said souraign L. the king with a mind intention to haue al singular y e things vnderwritten to come to the knowledge of the said common society intimate declare make known vnto you hono sirs Henr. Westhoff citizen deputy of the city of Lubec Henry Fredelaw Ioh. van Berk citizen of Colen Mainard Buxtehude citizen deputy of the city of Hamburgh M. SimoÌ„ Clawsten clerk sir Iohn de Aa knight deputie of the citie of Rostok Herman Meyer deputy of the citie of Wismar being as the procuratorsâ— messengers commissioners of the foresaid cities assembled together at the town of Hage in Holland with y e forenamed Willâ— Iohn in regard of the foresaid redres reformation that euen as our said soueraign L. the king his meaning is not to disturb or hinder such priuiledges as haue bin heretofore granted vouchsafed vnto the coÌ„mon society of the marchaÌ„ts aforesaid by the renoumed kings of England the worthy progenitors of our L. the K. that now is by himself also vnder a certain form confirmed euen so he is determined without y e preiudice of forren lawes vpon iust mature and sober deliberation by his royall authoritie to withstand such priuiledges as by reason of the abuse thereofâ— haue bene infinitely preâ—â—diciall vnto himselfe and his subiects Inprimis the said ambassadours doe affirme as afore that whereas all and euery the Marchants of the said company as often as they would were both in the Realme of England and in other territories dominions subiect vnto our soueraigne lord the king admitted and suffered according to the tenor of the forenamed priuiledges granted vnto them freely friendly and securely to traffique and conuerse with any of his Maiesties liege people and subiects whatsoeuer or with other people of whatsoeuer nation liuing in the realme of England or in the dominions aforesaid the said common society of marchants by their publike deliberate common counsel did appoint ordain y t no society in any cities townes or places neither yet any particular man of any such society there being no lawfull or reasonable cause why shoulde in any wise admit any marchants of the realm of England resorting vnto their cities or other places for marchandise to enioy intercourse of traffike but that the saide English marchants should bee altogether excluded from all traffike and mutuall conuersation among them by denouncing and inflicting grieuous penalties of money as well vpon cities as other places and vpon particular marchants also of the foresaid societie practising the contrary Item that immediatly after the foresaid parties enacting and ordaining published their sayde statute and ordinance in all kingdomes prouinces partes cities and townes wherin any marchants of the said societie were conuersant Item that after that publication the statute and ordinance aforesaid by euery of the marchants of the forenamed society were inuiolably obserued Item that the said statute and ordinance hath bene so rigorously put in execution that whereas immediatly after certaine English marchants with their ships mariners and marchandize beeing in a cerâ—aine part of one of the principall cities of the foresaide societie vtterly destitute of meate drinke and money publikely offred to sell their wollen clothes of England onely to prouide themselues of necessary victuals yet the marchants of the saide citie sâ—outely persisting in their statute and ordinance aforesaid straightly prohibited the buying of such clothes vnchristianly denying meate and drinke vnto the said English marchants Item the foresaid society decreed and ordained that no marchant of the saide company should in any place or countrey whatsoeuer buy any woollen clothes of the realme or dominion of England albeit offered by others and not by English men or hauing bought any should after
forsooth in deed Out of Bristowe and costes many one Men haue practised by nedle and by stone Thider wardes within a litle while Within twelue yere and without perill Gon and come as men were wont of old Oâ— Scarborough vnto the costes cold And nowe so fele shippes this yeere there ware That moch losse for vnfreyght they bare Island might not make hem to bee fraught Unto the Hawys thus much harme they caught Then here I ende of the commoditees For which neede is well to kepe the seas Este and Weste South and North they bee And chiefly kepe the sharpe narrow see Betweene Douer and Caleis and as thus that foes passe none without good will of vs And they abide our danger in the length What for our costis and Caleis in our strength An exhortation for the sure keeping of Caleis ANd for the loue of God and of his blisse Cherish yee Caleis better then it is See well thereto and heare the grete complaint That true men tellen that woll no lies paint And as yee know that wriâ—ing commeth from thence Doe nâ—t to England for slought so great offence But that redressed it bee for any thing Leste a song of sorrow that wee sing For litle weaâ—th the foole who so might these What harme it were good Caleis for to lese What wo it were for all this English ground Which wel câ—nceiued the Emperour Sigismound Thaâ— of all â—oyes made it one of the moste That Caleis was subiect vnto English coste Hun thought it was a iewel most of all Aâ—d so the same in Latine did it call And if yee wol more of Caleis heare and knowe I cast to write within a litle scrowe Like as I haue done before by and by In other parteis of our policie Loke how hard it was at the first to get And by my counsell lightly doe not it let For if wee lese it with shame of face Wilfully it is for lacke of grace Howe was Harflew tried vpon and Rone That they were likely for shought to be gone Howe was it warned and cried on in England I make record with this pen in my hand It was warened plainely in Normandie And in England and I thereon did crie The world was defrauded it betyde right so Farewell Harflew Iewdly it was a go Nowe ware Caleis I can say no better My soule discharge I by this present letter After the Chapitles of commodities of diuers lands sheweth the conclusion of keeping of the sea enuiron by a storie of King Edgar and two incidentâ— of King Edward the third and King Henrie the fifth Chap. 11. NOwe see we well then that this round see To our Noble by pariformitee Under the ship shewed there the sayle And our king with royal apparayle With swerd drawen bright and extent For to chastise enimies violent Should be lord of the sea about To keepe enimies from within and without To behold through Christianitee Mastâ—r and lord enuiron of the see All liuing men such a prince to dreed Of such a a râ—gne to bee aferd indeed Thus prâ—ue I well that it was thus of old Which by a Chronicle anon shal be told Right curious but I will interprete It into English as I did it gete Of king Edgar O most marueilous Prince liuing wittie and cheualerous So good that none of his predecessours Was to him liche in prudence and honours Hee was fortunate and more gracâ—ous Then other before and more glorious He was beneth no man in holines Hee passed all in vertuous sweetnes Of English kings was none so commendable To English men no lesse memorable Then Cyrus was to Perse by puissance And as great Charles was to them of France And as to the Romanes was great Romulus So was to England this worthy Edgarus I may not write more of his worthines For lacke of time ne of his holines But to my matter I him exemplifie Of conditions tweyne and of his policie Within his land was one this is no doubt And another in the see without That in time of Winter and of werre When boystrous windes put see men into fere Within his land about by all prouinces Hee passed through perceiuing his princes Lords aud others of the commontee Who was oppressour and who to pouertee Was drawen and brought and who was clene in life And was by mischiefe and by strife With ouer leding and extortion And good and badde of eche condition Hee aspied and his ministers al 's Who did trought and which of hem was fals Howe the right and lawes of the land Were execute and who durst take in hand To disobey his statutes and decrees If they were well kept in all countrees Of these he made subtile inuestigation Of his owne espie and other mens relation Among other was his great busines Well to ben ware that great men of riches And men of might in citie nor in towne Should to the poore doe non oppression Thus was hee wont in this Winter tide On such enforchise busily to abide This was his labour for the publike thing Thus was hee occupied a passing holy King Nowe to purpose in the Soonner faire Of lusty season whan clered was the aire He had redie shippes made before Great and huge not fewe but many a store Full three thousand and sixe hundred also Stately inough on our sea to goe The Chronicles say these shippes were full boysteous Such things long to kings victorious In Sommer tide would hee haue in wonne And in custome to be ful redie soone With multitude of men of good array And instruments of werre of best assay Who could hem well in any wise descriue It were not light for eny man aliue Thus he and his would enter shippes great Habtliments hauing and the fleete Of See werres that ioy full was to see Such a nauie and Lord of Maiestee There present in person hem among To saile and rowe enuiron all along So regal liche about the English isle To all strangers terrours and perile Whose fame went about in all the world stout Unto great fere of all that be without And exercise to Knights and his meynee To him longing of his natall cuntree For courage of nede must haue exercise Thus occupied for esshewin of vice This knew the king that policie espied Winter and Somer he was thus occnpied Thus conclude I by authoritee Of Chronike that enuiron the see Should bene our subiects vnto the King And hee bee Lord thereof for eny thing For great worship and for prostie also To defend his land fro euery foo That worthy king I leue Edgar by name And all the Chronike of his worthy fame Saffe onely this I may not passe away A worde of mightie strength till that I say That graunted him God such worship here For his merites hee was without pere That sometime at his great festiuitee Kings and Erles of many a countree And princes fele were there present And many
whatsoeuer hee or they bee that then and in such case wee will doe all that in vs is to cause restitution reparation and satisfaction to bee duely made to the said English marchants by our letters and otherwise as shall stand with our honour and be consonant to equitie and iustice 10 Item for vs our heires and successours wee doe promise and graunt to performe mainteine corroborate autenticate and obserue all and singular the aforesaide liberties franchises and priuiledges like as presently we firmely doe intend and will corroborate autentike and performe the same by all meane and way that we can as much as may be to the commoditie and profite of the said English Marchants and their successours for euer And to the intent that all and singuler the saide giftes graunts and promises may bee inuiolably obserued and performed we the said Iohn Vasiliuich by the grace of God Emperor of Russia great Duke of Nouogrode Mosco c. for vs our heires and successors by our Imperiall and lordly word in stead of an othe haue and doe promise by these presents inuiolably to mainteyne and obserue and cause to be inuiolably obserued and mainteined all and singuler the aforesayde giftes graunts and promises from time to time and at all and euery time and times heereafter And for the more corroboration hereof haue caused our Signet hereunto to be put Dated in our Castle of Mosco the 20. day of in the yeere The Charter of the Marchants of Russia graunted vpon the discouerie of the saide Countrey by King Philip and Queene Marie PHilip and Marie by the grace of God King and Queene c. To all manner of officers true Iurie men ministers aud subiects and to all other people as well within this our Realme or elsewhere vnder our obeysance iurisdiction and rule or otherwise vnto whome these our letters shall bee shewed séene or read greeting Whereas wee be credibly informed that our right trusâ—ie right faithfull and welbeloued Counsailors William Marques of Winchester Lord high Treasurer of this our Realme of England Henrie Earle of Arundel Lord Steward of our housholde Iohn Earle of Bedford Lord keeper of our priuie Seale William Earle of Pembroke William Lorde Howard of Esfingham Lorde high Admirall of our saide Realme of England c. Haue at their owne aduenture costs and charges prouided rigged and tackled certaine ships pinnesses and other meete vessels and the same furnished with all things necessary haue aduanced and set forward for to discouer descrie and finde Iles landes territories Dominions and Seigniories vnknowen and by our subiects before this not commonly by sea frequented which by the sufferance and grace of Almightie God it shall chaunce them sailing Northwards Northeastwards and Northwestwards or any partes thereof in that race or course which other Christian Monarches being with vs in league and amitie haue not heeretofore by Seas traffiqued haunted or frequented to finde and attaine by their said aduenture as well for the glorie of God as for the illustrating of our honour and dignitie royall in the increase of the reuenues of our Crowne and generall wealth of this and other our Realmes and Dominions and of our subiects of the same And to this intent our subiects aboue specified and named haue most humbly beseeched vs that our abundant grace fauour and clemencie may be gratiously extended vnto them in this behalfe Whereupon wee inclined to the petition of the foresaide our Counsailours subiects and marchants and willing to animate aduance further and nourish them in their said godlie honest and good purpose and as we hope profitable aduenture and that they may the more willingly and readily atchieue the same Of our especiall grace certaine knowledge and meere motion haue graunted and by these presents doe graunt for vs our heires and successours vnto our said right trustie and right faithfull and right welbeloued Counsailours and the other before named persons that they by the name of marchants aduenturers of England for the discouery of lands â—erritories Iles Dominions and Seigniories vnknowen and not before that late aduenture or enterprise by sea or Nauigation commonly frequented as aforesaid shal be from hâ—nceforth one bodie and perpetuall fellowship and communaltie of themselues both in deede and in name and them by the names of Marchants aduenturers for the discouerie of lands territories Iles sâ—igniories vnknowen and not by the seas and Nauigations before their saide late aduenture or enterprise by sea or Nauigation commonly frequented We doe incorporate name and declare by these presents and that the same fellowship or communalty from henceforth shal be and may haue one Gouernour of the saide fellowship and communaltie of Marchants aduenturers And in consideration that one Sebastian Cabota hath bin the chiefest setter forth of this iourney or voyage therefore we make ordeine and constitute him the said Sebastian to be the first and present gouernour of the same fellowship and communaltie by these presents To haue and enioy the said office of Gouernour to him the said Sebastian Cabota during his naturall life without amouing or dimissing from the same roome And furthermore we graunt vnto the saine fellowship and communaltie and their successors that they the saide fellowship and communaltie and their successors afâ—er the decease of the saide Sebastian Cabota shall and may freely and lawfully in places conuenient and honest assemble themselues together or so many of them as will or can assemble together as well within our citie of London or elsewhere as it shall please them in such sort and maner as other worshipfull corporations of our saide citie haue vsed to assemble and there yeerely name elect and choose one Gouernour or two of themselues and their liberties and also as well yeerely during the natural life of the said Sebastian Cabota now Gouernour as also at the election of such saide Gouernour or gouernours before his decease to choose name and appoint eight and twenty of the most sad discreete and honest persons of the saide fellowship and communaltie of Marchant aduenturers as is aboue specified and 4. of the most expert and skilfull persons of the same 28. to be named and called Consuls and 24. of the residue to be named and called Assistants to the saide Gouernour or gouernours and Consuls for the time being which shal remaine and stand in their authorities for one whole yeere then nâ—â—t following And if it shall fortune the saide Gouernour Consuls and assistants or any of them so to be elected and chosen as is aforesaid to die within the yeere after his or their election that then and so often it shall and may be lawfull to and for the said fellowship and communalty to elect and choose of themselues other Gouernour or gouernours Consuls and assistants in the place and sleade of such as so shall happen to die to serue out the same yeere And further we do make ordeine and constitute George Barnes knight and Alderman of our
they thought it best to leaue them vnto those boisterous and vncouth Northren seas and not there to hunt after them The Spaniards seeing now that they wanted foure or fiue thousand of their people and hauing diuers maimed and sicke persons and likewise hauing lost 10 or 12 of their principall ships they consulted among themselues what they were best to doe being now escaped out of the hands of the English because their victuals failed them in like sort and they began also to want cables cordage ankers masts sailes and other naual furniture and vtterly despaired of the Duke of Parma his assistance who verily hoping and vndoubtedly expecting the returne of the Spanish Fleet was continually occupied about his great preparation commanding abundance of ankers to be made other necessary furniture for a Nauy to be prouided they thought it good at length so soone as the winde should serue them to fetch a compasse about Scotland and Ireland and so to returne for Spaine For they well vnderstood that commandement was giuen thorowout all Scotland that they should not haue any succour or assistance there Neither yet could they in Norway supply their wants Wherefore hauing taken certaine Scotish and other fisherboats they brought the men on boord their owne ships to the end they might be their guides and Pilots Fearing also least their fresh water should faile them they cast all their horses and mules ouer-boord and so touching no where vpon the coast of Scotland but being carried with a fresh gale betweene the Orcades and Faar-Isles they proceeded farre North euen vnto 61 degrees of latitude being distant from any land at the least 40 leagues Heere the Duke of Medina generall of the Fleet commanded all his followers to shape their course for Biscay and he himselfe with twenty or fiue and twenty of his ships which were best prouided of fresh water and other necessaries holding on his course ouer the maine Ocean returned safely home The residue of his ships being about forty in number and committed vnto his Uice-admirall fell neerer with the coast of Ireland intending their course for Cape Clare because they hoped there to get fresh water and to refresh themselues on land But after they were driuen with many contrary windes at length vpon the second of September they were cast by a tempest arising from the Southwest vpon diuers parts of Ireland where many of their ships perished And amongst others the shippe of Michael de Oquendo which was one of the great Galliasses and two great ships of Venice also namely la Ratta and Belanzara with other 36 or 38 ships more which perished in sundry tempests together with most of the persons contained in them Likewise some of the Spanish ships were the second time carried with a strong West winde into the chanell of England where of some were taken by the English vpon their coast and others by the men of Rochel vpon the coast of France Moreouer there arriued at Newhauen in Normandy being by tempest inforced so to doe one of the foure great Galliasses where they found the ships with the Spanish women which followed the Fleet at their setting forth Two ships also were cast away vpon the coast of Norway one of them being of a great burthen howbeit all the persons in the sayd great ship were saued insomuch that of 134 ships which set saile out of Portugall there returned home 53 onely small and great namely of the foure galliasses but one and but one of the foure gallies Of the 91 great galleons and hulks there were missing 58 and 33 returned of the pataches and zabraes 17 were missing and 18 returned home In briefe there were missing 81 ships in which number were galliasses gallies galeons and other vessels both great and small And amongst the 53 ships remaining those also are reckoned which returned home before they came into the English chanell Two galeons of those which were returned were by misfortune burnt as they rode in the hauen and such like mishaps did many others vndergo Of 30000 persons which went in this expedition there perished according to the number and proportion of the ships the greater and better part and many of them which came home by reason of the toiles and inconueniences which they sustained in this voyage died not long after their arriuall The Duke of Medina immediatly vpon his returne was deposed from his authority commanded to his priuate house and forbidden to repaire vnto the Court where he could hardly satisfie or yeeld a reason vnto his malicious enemies and backbiters Many honourable personages and men of great renowme deceased soone after their returne as namely Iohn Martines de Ricalde with diuers others A great part also of the Spanish Nobility and Gentry employed in this expedition perished either by fight diseases or drowning before their arriual among the rest Thomas Perenot of Granduell a Dutchman being earle of Cantebroi and sonne vnto Cardinall Granduell his brother Upon the coast of Zeland Don Diego de Pimentell brother vnto the Marques de Tamnares and kinseman vnto the earle of Beneuentum Calua and Colonell ouer 32 bands with many other in the same ship was taken and detained as prisoner in Zeland Into England as we sayd before Don Pedro de Valdez a man of singular experience and greatly honoured in his countrey was led captiue being accompanied with Don Vasquez de Siluaâ— Don Alonzo de Sayas and others Likewise vpon the Scotish Westerne Isles of Lewis and Ila and about Cape Cantyre vpon the maine land there were cast away certaine Spanish shippes out of which were saued diuers Captaines and Gentlemen and almost foure hundred souldiers who for the most part after their shipwracke were brought vnto Edenborough in Scotland and being miserably needy and naked were there clothed at the liberality of the King and the Marchants and afterward were secretly shipped for Spaine but the Scotish fleet wherein they passed touching at Yarmouth on the coast of Norfolke were there stayed for a time vntill the Councels pleasure was knowen who in regard of their manifolde miseries though they were enemies wincked at their passage Upon the Irish coast many of their Noblemen and Gentlemen were drowned and diuers slaine by the barbarous and wilde Irish. Howbeit there was brought prisoner out of Ireland Don Alonzo de Luçon Colonell of two and thirtie bandes commonly called a terza of Naples together with Rodorigo de Lasso and two others of the family of Cordoua who were committed vnto the custodie of Sir Horatio Palauicini that Monsieur de Teligny the sonne of Monsiâ—ur de la Noüe who being taken in sight neere Antwerpe was detained prisoner in the Castle of Turney might be raunsomed for them by way of exchange To conclude there was no famous nor woorthy family in all Spaine which in this expedition lost not a sonne a brother or a kinseman For the perpetuall memorie of this matter the Zelanders caused newe
granted vnto Iohn Cabot and his 3. sonnes Lewis Sebastian and Sancius for the discouery of new and vnknowen lands Anno 1495. pag. 4 The signed bill of K. Henry the 7. on the behalfe of Iohn Cabot pag. 5â— 6 A briefe extract concerning the discouery of Newfoundland pag. 10 The large pension granted by K. Edward the 6. to Sebastian Cabota constituting him Grand pilote of England Anno 1549. pag. 10 A discourse written by sir Humfrey Gilbert knight to proue a passage by the Northwest to Cataya and the East Indies pag. 11 Experiences and reasons of the Sphere to prooue all parts of the worlde habitable and thereby to â—onfute the position of the fiue Zones pag. 48 A letter of M. Martin Frobisher to certaine Englishmen which were trecherously taken by the Saluages of Meta incognita in his first voyage pag. 70 Articles and orders prescribed by M. Martin Frobisher to the Captaines and company of euery ship which accompanied him in his last Northwestern voyage pag. 75 A generall and briefe description of the country and condition of the people which are founde in Meta incognita pag. 93 The letters patents of her Maiesty graunted to M. Adrian Gilbert and others for the search and discouery of a Northwest passage to China pag. 96 A letter of M. I. Dauis to M. Wil. Sanderson of London concerning his second voyage p. 108 A letter of M. Iohn Dauis to M. Wil. Sanderson of London concerning his 3. voyage p. 114 A trauerse-booke of M. Iohn Dauis contayning all the principall notes and obseruations taken in his third and last voyage to the Northwest pag. 115 A report of M. Iohn Dauis concerning his three voyages made for the discouery of the Northwest passage taken out of a treatise of his intituled The worlds hydrographical description pag. 119 A testimony of Ortelius for the credit of the history of M. Nicolas M. Antonio Zeni p. 128. A catalogue of sundry voyages made to Newfoundland to the isles of Ramea and the isle of Assumption otherwise called Natiscotec as also to the coasts of Cape Briton and Arambec THe voyage of two ships whereof the one was called The Dominus vobiscum set out the 20 of May 1527 for the discouery of the North parts pag. 129 The voyage of M. Hore and diuers other gentlemen to Newfoundland and Cape Briton in the yere 1536. pag. 129 The voyage of Sir Humfrey Gilbert to Newfoundland An. 1583. pag. 143,165 The first discouery of the isle of Ramea made by for Monsieur de la court pre Rauillon grandpre with the ship called The Bonauenture to kill and make trane-oile of the beasts called The Morses with great teeth Anno 1591. pag. 189 The voyage of the ship called The Marigolde of M. Hill of Redriffe vnto Cape Briton and beyond to the latitude of 44 degrees and a halfe Anno 1593. pag. 191 The voyage of M. George Drake of Apsham to the isle of Ramea in the yere 1593. pag. 193 The voyage of The Grace of Bristoll vp into the gulfe of S. Laurence to the Northwest of Newfoundland as far as the isle of Assumption or Natiscotec Anno 1594. pag. 194 The voyage of M. Charles Leigh and diuers others to Cape Briton and the isle of Ramea 1597. pag. 195 The patents discourses letters aduertisements and other obseruations incident to the voyages vnto Newfoundland next before rehearsed An act against the exaction of money or any other thing by any officer for licence to traffique into Newfoundland and Iseland made Anno 2. Edwardi sexti pag. 131 A letter written to M. Richard Hakluyt of the Midle Temple contayning a report of the true state and commodities of Newfoundland by M. Antony Parkhurt 1578. pag. 133 The letters patents granted by her Maiestie to sir Humfrey Gilbert knight for inhabiting some part of America 1578. pag. 135 A learned and stately Poeme written in Latine Hexamiters by Stephanus Parmenius Budeius concerning the voyage of sir Humfrey Gilbert to Newfound-landâ— for the planting of an English colonie there containing also a briefe remembrance of certaine of our principal English captâ—ines by sea pag. 138 Orders agreed vpon by the Captaines and Masters to bee obserued by the fleete of sir Humfrey Gilbert pag. 147 A briefe relation of Newfound-land and the commodities thereof pag. 152 Reckonings of the Master and Masters mate of the Admirall of sir Humfrey Gilbert in their course from cape Rase to cape Briton and to the Isle of Sablon pag. 155 The maner how the sayd Admirall was lost pag. 156 A letter of the learned Hungarian Stephanus Parmenius Budeius to master Richard Hakluyt the collectour of these voyages pag. 161. 16â— A relation of Richard Clarke of Weymouth master of the ship called The Delight which went as Admirall of sir Humfrey Gilberts fleete for the discouerie of Norumbega 1583 written in excuse of the casting away the sayd ship and the men imputed to his ouersight pag. 163 A discourse of the necessitie and commoditie of planting English colonies vpon the North paâ—tes of America pag. 165 A letter of the right honourable sir Francis Walsingham to master Richard Hakluyt then of Christ-church in Oxford incouraging him in the studie of Cosmography and furthering of new discoueries 1582. pag. 181 A letter of the right honourable sir Francis Walsingham to master Thomas Aldworth marchant and at that time Mayor of the citie of Bristol concerning their aduenture in the Westerne discouerie 1582. pag. 182 A letter written from master Aldworth marchant and mayor of the citie of Bristol to the right honourable sir Francis Walsingham concerning a voyage intended for the discouerie of the coast of America lying to the Southwest of cape Briton 1583. pag. 182 A briefe and summarie discourse vpon a voyage intended to the hithermost parts of America written by master Christopher Carlile 1583. pag. 182 Articles set downe by the committies appointed on the behalfe of the company of the Moscouian marchants to conferre with master Carlile vpon his intended discouery of the hithermost partes of America pag. 188 A letter sent to the right honourable sir William Cecil Lord Burghley Lord high Treasurer of England c. from master Thomas Iames of Bristol concerning the discouerie of the Isle of Ramea 1591. pag. 19â— A briefe note of the Morse and of the vse thereof pag. 191 Certaine obseruations touching the countries and places where master Charles Leigh touched in his voyage to cape Briton and to the Isle of Ramea anno 1597. pag. 200 A catalogue of certaine voyages made for the discouery of the gulfe of Saint Laurence to the West of Newfound-land and from thence vp the riuer of Canada to Hochelaga Saguenay and other places THe first voyage of Iaques Cartier of Saint Malo to Newfound-land the gulfe of Saint Laurence and the Grand Bay Anno 1534. pag. 201 The second voyage of Iaques Cartier by the Grand bay vp the riuer of Canada to Hochelaga Anno 1535. pag. 212
and from those mountaines they brought it when they would hâ—uâ— it but they made no great account of it for they neither buy nor sell and amongst them is nothing but change In this countery they eate bread of rootes and Maiz and they eate certaine rootes which they call Aies and Batatas but the Batatas bee better then the other rootes and being rawe they haue a smell of Chestnuts they are to be eaten rosted These Indians doe make wine of the fruit of Date-trees which fruit is yellow in colour and is as great as a little Doues egge and being in season is good to be eaten and of it proceedeth good wine and is preserued for a long time These kinde of people do make their houses with vpper roomes and they sleepe in them as also al their habitation is in the vpper roomes and that which is belowe they leaue open and also they vse certaine mantels of cotten wooll and these they tie at the endes with ropesâ— and the one ende of of the rope they make fast to one part of the house and the other ende to the other part of the house and in these they lye which bee their beddes and these kinde of beds bee vsed in all India and there is not in any part of India any chambers that the people do vse to lodge in aloft fâ—om the ground nor they make any hie roomes but only in this part of India in al other places they make their houses without any loftes or chambers and they couer their houses with the leaues of date trees and of grasse And from this fresh water-sea vnto Paria the coast lyeth West Northwest and is so ful of sholds that the ships cannot come neer to the land There are froÌ„ this riuer to Paria 250 leagues In this fresh water sea the tydes do ebbe flow as much as they do in Britayne and it standeth in 6 degrees and a halfe Paria standeth on the other side of the Equinoctial toward the North in seuen degrees In Paria the sea floweth but little and from Paria towards the West the sea doth not flow From the entry of the gulfe of Paria vnto the Cape that lyeth towards the West are 35 leagues and froÌ„ thence the coast turneth towardes the Northeast other 35 leagues from thence the coast turneth toward the West Before this gulfe standeth the Island of Trinidad and towards the West doeth appeare the gulfe of Paria like to halfe a round circle after the fashion of a Diameter and at the end of this circle is the entery in of Paria at this entery there is betweene the land and the Island 8 leagues and on the other side there is but litle space betweene the Iland and the land but it is deepe and hath a good entry this Iland of Trinidad hath in length 25 leagues and as many in bredth and standeth in eight degrees and is inhabited of many people and as yet not vnder subiection Here the Indians do vse to shoote with bowes and arrowes which are of a fathome in length made of reeds which grow in that Countrey and at the ende of them is artificially ioyned a piece of wood very strong vnto the which piece of wood at the end of it they put a bone of a fish in place of an arrow head these kinde of bones bee harder then Diamonds and euery one of them be three or foure fingers long they are taken out of a fish that hath three of these bones one vpon the backe another vnder euery wing but that which groweth vpon the backe is the strongest and the greatest In this Island the people saith that there groweth golde and in this Island and in Paria growe reedes so great that they make staues of them and cary of them into Spaine Likewise there bee Popiniayes very great and gentle and some of them haue their foreheads yellow and this sort do quickly learne to speak and speak much There be likewise in the gulfe of Paria pearles although not many but very good and great CERTAINE VOYAGES NAVIGATIONS AND Traffiques both ancient and of late to diuers places vpon the coast of Brasil together with a Ruttier for all that coast and two intercepted letters which reueale many secrets of the state of that Countery the rest of our Voyages to Brasil which haue bene either intended or performed to the Riuer of Plate the streight of Magellan the South sea or farther that way being reserued for the geuerall heades next insuing A briefe relatioÌ„ of two sundry voyages made by the worshipful M. William Haukins of Plimmouth father to Sir Iohn Haukins knight late Treasurer of her Maiesties Nauie in the yeere 1530 and 1532. OLde M. William Haukins of Plimmouth a man for his wisedome valure experience and skill in sea causes much esteemed and beloued of K. Henry the 8 and being one of the principall Sea-captaines in the West parts of England in his time not contented with the short voyages commonly then made onely to the knowne coasts of Europe armed out a tall and goodly shippe of his owne of the burthen of 250 tunnes called the Paule of Plimmouth wherwith he made three long and famous voyages vnto the coast of Brasil a thing in those dayes very rare especially to our Nation In the course of which voyages he touched at the riuer of Sestos vpon the coast of Guinea where hee traffiqued with the Negros and tooke of them Elephants teeth and other commodities which that place yeeldeth and so arriuing on the coast of Brasil he vsed there such discretion and behaued himself so wisely with those sauage people that he grew into great familiarity and friendship with them Insomuch that in his second voyage one of the sauage kings of the countrey of Brasil was contented to take ship with him and to be transporâ—ed hither into England whereunto M. Haukins agreed leauing behinde in the Countâ—ry as a pledge for his safetie and returne againe one Martin Cockeram of Plimmouth This Brasilian king being arriued was brought vp to London and presented to K. Henry the 8. lying as then at White-hall at the sight of whom the King and all the Nobilitie did not a litle maruaile and not without cause for in his cheekes were holes made according to their sauage maner and therein small bones were planted standing an inch out from the said holes which in his owne Countrey was reputed for a great brauerie He had also another hole in his nether lip wherein was set a precious stone about the bignes of a pease All his apparel behauiour and gesture were very strange to the beholders Hauing remained here the space almost of a whole yeere and the king with his sight fully satisfied M. Hawkins according to his promise and appointment purposed to conuey him againe into his countrey but it fell out in the way that by change of aire and alteration of diet the said Sauage king did