that land to the end you may winter there the first yeere if you be let by contrary winds and to the end that if we may in short time come vnto Cambalu and vnlade and set saile againe for returne without venturing there at Cambalu that you may on your way come as farre in returne as a port about Noua Zembla that the summer following you may the sooner be in England for the more speedy vent of your East commodities and for the speedier discharge of your Mariners if you cannot go forward and backe in one selfe same Summer And touching the tract of the land of Noua Zembla toward the East out of the circle Arcticke in the more temperate Zone you are to haue regard for if you finde the soyle planted with people it is like that in time an ample vent of our warme wollen clothes may be found And if there be no people at all there to be found then you shall specially note what plentie of whales and of other fish is to be found there to the ende we may turne our newe found land fishing or Island fishing or our whale fishing that way for the ayde and comfort of our newe trades to the Northeast to the coasts of Asia Respect of fish and certaine other things ANd if the aire may be found vpon that tract temperate and the soile yeelding wood water land and grasse and the seas fish then we may plant on that maine the offals of our people as the Portingals do in Brasill and so they may in our fishing in our passage and diuers wayes yeelde commoditie to England by harbouring and victualling vs. And it may be that the inland there may yeeld masts pitch tarre hempe and all things for the Nauie as plentifully as Eastland doth The Islands to be noted with their commodities and wants TO note the Islands whether they be hie land or low land mountaine or flat grauelly clay chalkie or of what soile woody or not woody with springs and riuers or not and what wilde beastes they haue in the same And whether there seeme to be in the same apt matter to build withall as stone free or rough and stone to make lime withall and wood or coale to burne the same withall To note the goodnesse or the badnesse of the hauens and harborowes in the Islands If a straight be found what is to be done and what great importance it may be of ANd if there be a straight in the passage into the Scithian seas the same is specially and with great regard to be noted especially if the same straight be narrow and to be kept I say it is to be noted as a thina that doeth much import for what prince soeuer shall be Lorde of the same and shall possesse the same as the king of Denmarke doeth possesse the straight of Denmarke he onely shall haue the trate out of these regions into the Northeast parts of the world for himselfe and for his priuate profit or for his subiects onely or to enioy wonderfull benefit of the toll of the same like as the king of Denmarke doth enioy of his straights by suffring the merchants of other Princes to passe that way If any such straight be found the eleuation the high or lowe land the hauens neere the length of the straights and all other such circumstances are to be set downe for many purposes and al the Mariners in the voyage are to be sworne to keepe close all such things that other Princes preuent vs not of the same after our returne vpon the disclosing of the Mariners if any such thing should hap Which way the Sauage may bee made able to purchase our cloth and other their wants IF you find any Island or maine land populous and that the same people hath need of cloth then are you to deuise what commodities they haue to purchase the same withall If they be poore then are you to consider of the soile and hâ—w by any possibilitie the same may be made to inrich them that hereafter they may haue something to purchase the cloth withall If you enter into any maine by portable riuer and shall find any great woods you are to note what kind of timber they be of that we may know whether they are for pitch tarre mastes deale-boord clapboord or for building of ships or houses for so if the people haue no vse of them they may be brought perhaps to vse Not to venture the losse of any one man YOu must haue great care to preserue your people since your number is so small and not to venture any one man in any wise To bring home besides merchandize certaine trifles BRing home with you if you may from Cambalu or other ciuil place one or other yong man although you leaue one for him Also the fruites of the Countreys if they will not of themselues dure drie them and so preserue them And bring with you the kernels of peares and apples and the stones of such stonefruits as you shall find there Also the seeds of all strange herbs flowers for such seeds of fruits and herbs comming from another part of the world and so far off will delight the fansie of many for the strangenesse and for that the same may grow and continue the delight long time If you arriue at Cambalu or Quinsay to bring thence the mappe of that countrey for so shall you haue the perfect description which is to great purpose To bring thence some old printed booke to see whether they haue had print there before it was deuised in Europe as some write To note their force by sea and by land If you arriue to Cambalu or Quinsay to take a speciall view of their Nauie and to note the force greatnesse maner of building of them the sailes the tackles the ankers the furniture of them with ordinance armour and munition Also to note the force of the wals and bulwarks of their cities their ordonance and whether they haue any calâ—uers and what powder and shot To note what armour they haue What swords What pikes halberds and bils What horses of force and what light horses they haue And so throughout to note the force of the Countrey both by sea and by land Things to be marked to make coniectures by TO take speciall note of their buildings and of the ornaments of their houses within Take a speciall note of their apparell and furniture and of the substance that the same is made of of which a Merchant may make a gesse as well of their commoditie as also of their wants To note their Shoppes and Warehouses and with what commodities they abound the price also To see their Shambles and to view all such things as are brought into the Markets for so you shall soone see the commodities and the maner of the people of the inland and so giue a gesse of many things To note their fields of graine and their trees of fruite and how they
the materials and substances that the Turkes vse in dying be they of Herbes simple or compound be they Plants Barkes Wood Berries Seedes Graines or Minerall matter or what els soeuer But before all other such things as yeeld those famous colours that carrie such speciall report of excellencie that our Merchaunts may bring them to this realme by ordinarie trade as a right meane for the better vent of our clothes 4 To know the vse of those and where the naturall place of them and of ech of them is I meane the place where ech of them groweth or is bred 5 And in any wise if Anile that coloureth blew be a naturall commodity of these parts and if it be compounded of an herbe to send the same into this realme by seed or by root in barrell of earth with all the whole order of sowing setting planting replanting and with the compounding of the same that it may become a naturall commodity in this realme as Wood is to this end that the high price of forreine Wood which deuoureth yeerely great treasure may be brought downe So shall the marchant buy his cloth lesse deare and so he shal be able to occupy with lesse stocke be able to afoord cloth cheaper make more ample vent and also become a greater gainer himselfe and all this to the benefit of this realme 6 To do the like with herbe plant or tree that in dying is of any excellent vse as to send the same by seed berry root c for by such meanes Saffron was brought first into this realme which hath set many poore on worke and brought great wealth into this realme Thus may Sumack the plane wherewith the most excellent blacks be died in Spaine be brought out of Spaine and out of the Ilands of the same if it will grow in this more colde climat For thus was Woad brought into this realme and came to good perfection to the great losse of the French our olde enemies And it doth maruellously import this realme to make naturall in this realme such things as be special in the dying of our clothes And to speake of such things as colour blew they are of greatest vse and are grounds of the most excellent colours and therefore of all other to be brought into this realme be it Anile or any other materiall of that quality 7 And because yellowes and greenes are colours of small prices in this realme by reason that Olde and Greenweed wherewith they be died be naturall here and in great plenty therefore to bring our clothes so died to common sale in Turkie were to the great benefit of the marchant and other poore subiects of this realme for in sale of such our owne naturall colours we consume not our treasure in forren colours and yet we sell our owne trifles dearely perhaps 8 The woolles being naturall and excellent colours for dying becomming by this meanes here also naturall in all the arte of Clothing then we want but one onely speciall thing For in this so temperate a climat our people may labor the yere thorowout whereas in some regions of the world they cannot worke for extreme heat as in some other regions they cannot worke for extreme colde a good part of the yere And the people of this realme by the great and blessâ—d abundance of victuall are cheaply fed and therefore may afoord their labour cheape And where the Clothiers in Flanders by the flatnesse of their riuers cannot make Walkmilles for their clothes but are forced to thicken and dresse all their clothes by the foot and by the labour of men whereby their clothes are raised to an higher price we of England haue in all Shires store of milles vpon falling riuers And these riuers being in temperate zones are not dried vp in Summer with drought and heat as the riuers be in Spaine and in hotter regions nor frozen vp in Winter as all the riuers be in all the North regions of the world so as our milles may go and worke at all times and dresse clothes cheaply Then we haue also for scowring our clothes earths and claies as Walkers clay and the clay of Oborne little inferior to Sope in scowring and in thicking Then also haue we some reasonable store of Alum and Copporas here made for dying and are like to haue increase of the same Then we haue many good waters apt for dying and people to spin and to doe the rest of all the labours we want not So as there wanteth if colours might be brought in and made naturall but onely Oile the want whereof if any man could deuise to supply at the full with any thing that might become naturall in this realme he whatsoeuer he were that could bring it about might deserue immortall fame in this our Common wealth and such a deuise was offered to the Parliament and refused becaused they denied to endow him with a certaine liberty some others hauing obtained the same before that practised to worke that effect by Radish seed which onely made a triall of small quantity and that went no further to make that Oile in plenty and now he that offered this deuise was a marchant and is â—ead and withall the deuise is dead with him It is written by one that wrote of Afrike that in Egyptin a city called Muhaisira there be many milles imployed in making of Oile of the seed of an herbe called Sesanium Pena and Lobell Physicians write in our time that this herbe is a codded herbe full of oily seed and that there is plenty of this seede brought out of Egypt to diuers Cities in Italy If this herbe will prosper in this realme our marchants may easily bring of it c. 9 Hauing heerein thus troubled you by raising to your minde the consideration of certaine things it shall not be impertinent to tell you that it shall not be amisse that you note all the order of the degrees of labour vsed in Turky in the arte of Clothing and to see if any way they excell in that profession our people of these parts and to bring notice of the same into this realme 10 And if you shall finde that they make any cloth of any kind not made in this realme that is there of great vse then to bring of the same into this realme some Mowsters that our people may fall into the trade and prepare the same for Turkie for the more kinds of cloth we can deuise to make the more ample vent of our commoditie we shall haue and the more sale of the labour of our poore subiects that els for lacke of labour become idle and burdenous to the common weale and hurtfull to many and in England we are in our clothing trade to frame our selues according to the desires of forren nations be it that they desire thicke or thinne broad or narowe long or short white or blacke 11 But with this prouiso alwayes that our cloth passe out with as much
de monte The 17 a darke drowsie day this was the first night that I tooke the North starre The 26 a temperate day with litle winde and we were in 12 degrees and 13 minutes of latitude The 30 we met a great sea out of the Northwest The 6 of Iune we found it as temperate as if we had beene in England yet we were within the height of the sunne for it was declined 23 degrees and 26 minuts to the Northward and we had 15 degrees of latitude The 8 faire and temperate as in England here we met with a counter sea out of the Southborde The 15 a faire temperate day the winde variable here we had 18 degrees and fiftie nine minutes The 12 of Iuly in 30 degrees of latitude we met with great store of rockweed which did stick together like clusters of grapes and this continued with vs vntill the 17 of the said moneth and then we saw no more at which 17 day we were in two and thirtie degrees sixe and fortie minutes of latitude The 25 at sixe of the clocke in the morning we had sight of the Isle of Pike it bare North and by East from vs we being 15 leagues off The 27 we spake with the poste of London and she told vs good newes of England The nine and twentieth we had sight of the Island of Cueruo and the 30 we saw the Island of Flores The 27 of August in 41 degrees of latitude we saw 9 saile of Britons and three of them followed vs vntill noone and then gaue vs ouer The 30 we had sight of Cape â—inisterre The eight of September at night wee put into Plimouth sound and road in Causon bay all night The 9 we put into Catwater and there stayed vntill the 28 of September by reason of want of men and sicknesse The nine and twentieth we set sayle from Plimouth and arriued at London the second of October 1589. The commodities that we caried in this voyage were cloth both linnen wollen yron worke of sundry sorts Manillios or bracelets of copper glasse beades and corrall The commodities that we brought home were pepper and Elephants teeth oyle of palme cloth made of Cotton wooll very curiously wouen and cloth made of the barke of palme trees Their money is pretie white shels for golde and siluer we saw none They haue also great store of cotton growing their bread is a kind of roots they call it Inamia and when it is well sodden I would leaue our bread to eat of it it is pleasant in eating and light of digestion the roote thereof is as bigge as a mans arme Our men vpon fish-dayes had rather eate the rootes with oyle and vineger then to eate good stockfish There are great store of palme trees out of the which they gather great store of wine which wine is white and very pleasant we should buy two gallons of it for 20 shels They haue good store of sope and it smelleth like beaten violets Also many pretie fine mats and baskets that they make and spoones of Elephants teeth very curiously wrought with diuers proportions of foules and beasts made vpon them There is vpon the coast wonderfull great lightning and thunder in so much as I neuer hard the like in no Countrey for it would make the decke or hatches tremble vnder our feete and before we were well acquainted with it we were fearefull but God be thanked we had no harme The people are very gentle and louing and they goe naked both men and women vntill they be married and then they goe couered from the middle downe to the knees They would bring our men earthen pottes of the quantitie of two gallons full of hony and hony combes for 100 shelles They would also bring great store of Oranges and Plantans which is a fruit that groweth vpon a tree and is very like vnto a Cucumber but very pleasant in eating It hath pleased God of his merceifull goodnesse to giue me the knowledge how to preserue fresh water with little cost which did serue vs sixe moneths at the sea when we came into Plimmouth it was much wondered at of the principal men of the towne who said that there was not sweeter water in any spring in Plimouth Thus both God prouide for his creatures vnto whom be praise now and for euermore Amen The voiage set forth by M. Iohn Newton and M. Iohn Bird marchants of London to the kindome and Citie of Benin in Africa with a ship called the Richard of Arundell and a pinnesse in the yere 1588. briefely set downe in this letter following written by the chiefe Factor in the voyage to the foresaid Marchants at the time of the ships first arriuall at Plimouth WOrshipful Sirs the discourse of our whole proceeding in this voyage wil aske more time and a person in better health then I am at this present so that I trust you will pardon me till my comming vp to you in the meane time let this suffice Whereas we departed in the moneth of December from the coast of England with your good ship the Richard of Arundell and the pinnesse we held on our direct course towards our appointed port and the 14 day of Februarie following we arriued in the hauen of Benin where we found not water enough to carry the ship ouer the barre so that we left her without in the road and with the pinnesse ship boat into which we had put the chiefest of our marchaÌ„dise we went vp the riuer to a place called Goto where we arriued the 20 of February the foresaid Goto being the neerest place that we could come to by water to go for Benin From thence we presently sent Negroes to the king to certifie him of our arriuall and of the cause of our comming thither who returned to vs againe the 22 day with a noble man in their company to bring vs vp to the Citie and with 200 Negroes to carrie out commodities hereupon the 23 day we deliuered our marchandize to the kings Factor the 25 day we came to the great Citie of Benin where we were well intertained The sixe twenty day we went to the Court to haue spoken with the king which by reason of a solemne feast then kept amongst them we could not doe but yet we spake with his Veadore or chiefe man that hath the dealing with the Christians and we conferred with him concerning our trading who answered vs that we should haue all things to our desire both in pepper and Elephants teeth The first of March we were admitted to the kings presence and he made vs the like courteous answere for our traffike the next day we went againe to the Court where the foresaid Veadore shewed vs one basket of greene pepper and another of dry in the stalkes wee desired to haue it plucked from the stalks and made cleane who answered that it would aske time but yet in
Angle of the Sunne beames heateth and what encrease the Sunnes continuance doeth adde thereunto it might expresly be set downe what force of heat and cold is in all regions Thus you partly see by comparing a Climate to vs well knowen and familiarly acquainted by like height of the Sunne in both places that vnder the Equinoctiall in Iune is no excessiue heat but a temperate aire rather tending to cold For as they haue there for the most part a continuall moderate heat so yet sometime they are a little pinched with colde and vse the benefite of fire as well as we especially in the euening when they goe to bed for as they lye in hanging beds tied fast in the vpper part of the house so will they haue fires made on both sides their bed of which two fires the one they deuise superstitiously to driue away spirits and the other to keepe away from them the coldnesse of the nights Also in many places of Torrida Zona especially in the higher landes somewhat mountainous the people a litle shrincke at the cold and are often forced to prouide themselues clothing so that the Spaniards haue found in the West Indies many people clothed especially in Winter whereby appeareth that with their heat there is colde intermingled else would they neuer prouide this remedy of clothing which to them is rather a griefe and trouble then otherwise For when they goe to warres they will put off all their apparell thinking it to be combersome and will alwayes goe naked that they thereby might be more nimble in their sight Some there be that thinke the middle zone extreme hot because the people of the countrey can and doe liue without clothing wherein they childishly are deceiued for our Clime rather tendeth to extremitie of colde because wee cannot liue without clothing for this our double lining furring and wearing so many clothes is a remedy against extremitie and argueth not the goodnesse of the habitation but inconuenience and iniury of colde and that is rather the moderate temperate and delectable habitation where none of these troublesome things are required but that we may liue naked and bare as nature bringeth vs foorth Others againe imagine the middle zone to be extreme hot because the people of Africa especially the Ethiopians are so cole blacke and their haire like wooll curled short which blacknesse and curled haire they suppose to come onely by the parching heat of the Sunne which how it should be possible I cannot see for euen vnder the Equinoctiall in America and in the East Indies and in the Ilands Moluccae the people are not blacke but tauney and white with long haire vncurled as wee haue so that if the Ethiopians blacknesse came by the heat of the Sunne why should not those Americans and Indians also be as blacke as they seeing the Sunne is equally distant from them both they abiding in one Parallel for the concaue and conuere Superficies of the Orbe of the Sunne is concentrike and equidistant to the earth except any man should imagine somewhat of Aux Solis and Oppositum which indifferently may be applied aswel to the one place as to the other But the Sunne is thought to giue no otherwise heat but by way of Angle in reflection and not by his neerenesse to the earth for throughout all Africa yea in the middest of the middle Zone and in all other places vpon the tops of mountaines there lyeth continuall snow which is neerer to the Orbe of the Sunne then the people are in the valley by so much as the height of these mountaines amount vnto and yet the Sunne notwithstanding his neerenesse can not melt the snow for want of conuenient place of reflections Also the middle region of the aire where all the haile frost and snow is engendred is neerer vnto the Sunne then the earth is and yet there continueth perpetuall cold because there is nothing that the Sunne beames may reflect against whereby appeareth that the neerenesse of the body of the Sunne worketh nothing Therefore to returne againe to the blacke Moores I my selfe haue seene an Ethiopian as blacke as a cole brought into England who taking a faire English woman to wife begat a sonne in all respects as blacke as the father was although England were his natiue countrey and an English woman his mother whereby it seemeth this blacknes procceedeth rather of some natural infection of that man which was so strong that neither the nature of the Clime neither the good complexion of the mother concurring coulde any thing alter and therefore wee cannot impute it to the nature of the Clime And for a more fresh example our people of Meta Incognita of whom and for whom this discourse is taken in hande that were brought this last yeere into England were all generally of the same colour that many nations be lying in the middest of the middle Zone And this their colour was not onely in the face which was subiect to Sunne and aire but also in their bodies which were stil couered with garments as ours are yea the very sucking childe of twelue moneths age had his skinne of the very same colour that most haue vnder the Equinoctiall which thing cannot proceed by reason of the Clime for that they are at least ten degrees more towardes the North then wee in England are No the Sunne neuer commeth neere their Zenith by fourtie degrees for in effect they are within three or foure degrees of that which they call the frosen Zone and as I saide fourtie degrees from the burning Zone whereby it followeth that there is some other cause then the Climate or the Sonnes perpendicular reflexion that should cause the Ethiopians great blacknesse And the most probable cause to my iudgement is that this blackenesse proceedeth of some naturall infection of the first inhabitants of that Countrey and so all the whole progenie of them descended are still polluted with the same blot of infection Therefore it shall not bee farre from our purpose to examine the first originall of these blacke men and howe by a lineall discent they haue hitherto continued thus blacke It manifestly and plainely appeareth by holy Scripture that after the generall inundation and ouerflowing of the earth there remained no moe men aliue but Noe and his three sonnes Sem Cham and Iaphet who onely were left to possesse and inhabite the whole face of the earth therefore all the sundry discents that vntil this present day haue inhabited the whole earth must needes come of the off-spring either of Sem Cham or Iaphet as the onely sonnes of Noe who all three being white and their wiues also by course of nature should haue begotten and brought foorth white children But the enuie of our great and continuall enemie the wicked Spirite is such that as hee coulde not suffer our olde father Adam to liue in the felicitie and Angelike state wherein hee
regions habitable I shal be very short because the same reasons serue for this purpose which were alleged before in the prouing the middle zone to be temperate especially seeing all heat and colde proceed from the Sunne by the meanes either of the Angle which his beames do make with the Horizon or els by the long or short continuance of the Suns presence aboue ground so that if the Sunnes beames do beat perpendicularly at right Angles then there is one cause of heat and if the Sunne do also long continue aboue the Horizon then the heat thereby is much increased by accesse of this other cause so groweth to a kinde of extremity And these two causes as I sayd before do most concurre vnder the two Tropicks and therefore there is the greatest heat of the world And likewise where both these causes are most absent there is greatest want of heat and increase of colde seeing that colde is nothing but the priuation and absence of heat and if one cause be wanting and the other present the effect will grow indifferent Therefore this is to be vnderstood that the neerer any region is to the Equinoctiall the higher the Sunne doth rise ouer their heads at noone and so maketh either right or neere right Angles but the Sunne carieth with them so much the shorter time and causeth shorter dayes with longer and colder nights to restore the domage of the day past by reason of the moisture conâ—umed by vapour But in such regions ouer the which the Sunne riseâ—h lower as in regions extended towards either pole it maketh there vnequall Angles but the Sunne continueth longer and maketh longer dayes and causeth so much shorter and warmer nights as retaining warme vapours of the day past For there are found by experience Summer nights in Scotland and Gothland very hot when vnder thâ— Equinoctiall they are found very cold This benefit of the Sunnes long continuance increase of the day doth augment so much the more in colde regions as they are nerer the poles and ceaseth not increasing vntill it come directly vnder the point of the pole Arcticke where the Sunne continueth aboue ground the space of sixe moneths or halfe a yere together and so the day is halfe a yere long that is the time of the Sunnes being in the North signes from the first degree of Aries vntill the last of Virgo that is aâ—l the time from our 10 day of March vntill the 14 of September The Sunne therfore during the timâ— of these sixe moneths without any offence or hindrance of the night giueth his influence vpon those lands with heat that neuer ceaseth during that time which maketh to the great increase of Summer by reason of the Sunnes continuance Therefore it followeth that though the Sunne be not there very high ouer their heads to cause right angle beames and to giue great heat yet the Sun being there sometime almost 24 degrees high doth cast a conuenient and meane heat which there continueth without hindrance of the night the space of sixe moneths as is before sayd during which time there followeth to be a conuenient moderate and temperate heat or els rather it is to be suspected the heat there to be very great both for continuance and also Quia virtus vnita crescit the vertue and strength of heat vnited in one increaseth If then there be such a moderate heat vnder the poles and the same to continue so long time what should moone the olde writers to say there cannot be place for habitation And that the certainty of this temperate heat vnder both the poles might more manifestly appeare let vs consider the position quality of the sphere the length of the day and so gather the height of the Sunne at all times and by consequent the quantity of his angle and so lastly the strength of his heat Those lands and regions lying vnder the pole and hauing the pole for their zenith must needs haue the Equinoctial circle for their Horizon therefore the Sun entring into the North signes and describing euery 24 houres a parallel to the Equinoctiall by the diurnall motion of Primum mobile the same parallels must needs be wholly aboue the Horizon and so looke how many degrees there are from the first of Aries to the last of Virgo so many whole reuolutions there are aboue their Horizon that dwell vnder the pole which amount to 182 and so many of our dayes the Sunne continueth with them During which time they haue there continuall day and light without any hindrance of moist nights Yet it is to be noted that the Sunne being in the first degree of Aries and last degree of Virgo maketh his reuolution in the very horizon so that in these 24 houres halfe the body of the Sunne is aboue the horizon and the other halfe is vnder his only center describing both the horizon and the equinoctiall circle And therefore seeing the greatest declination of the Sunne is almost 24 degrees it followeth his greatest height in those countreys to be almost 24 degrees And so high is the Sun at noone to vs in London about the 29 of October being in the 15 degree of Scorpio and likewise the 21 of Ianuary being in the 15 of Aquarius Therefore looke what force the Sun at noone hath in London the 29 of October the same force of heat it hath to them that dwell vnder the pole the space almost of two moneths during the time of the Summer solstitium and that without intermingling of any colde night so that if the heat of the Sunne at noone could be well measured in London which is very hard to do because of the long nights which ingender great moisture and cold then would manifestly appeare by expresse numbers the maner of the heat vnder the poles which certainly must needs be to the inhabitants very commodious and profitable if it incline not to ouermuch heat and if moisture do not want For as in October in England we finde temperate aire and haue in our gardens hearbs and floures notwithstanding our cold nights how much more should they haue the same good aire being continuall without night This heat of ours continueth but one houre while the Sun is in that meridian but theirs continueth a long time in one height This our heat is weake and by the coolenesse of the night vanisheth that heat is strong and by continuall accesse is still increased and strengthened And thus by a similitude of the equall height of the Sun in both places appeareth the commodious and moderate heat of the regions vnder the poles And surely I cannot thinke that the diuine prouidence hath made any thing vncommunicable but to haue giuen such order to all things that one way or other the same should be imployed and that euery thing and place should be tollerable to the next but especially all things in this lower world be giuen to man
behelde many constellations in the firmament and set downe certaine newe starres raised to the Southwards All day and night wee went South and South by East among The seuenteenth day in the afternoone wee shot off three peeces of ordinance in honour of our Queenes Maiestie This day after dinner came master Maddox and Captaine Drake with others to take their leaue of master Walker as I with all my company had done before supposing him past hope of recouerie At foure of the clocke finding our selues in nineteene degrees to the Southwards of the line and cleare of the shoalds called by vs Powles wee went hence Southsouthwest all night following The 18 day being Sunday after dinner the Generall M. Maddox Captaine Parker and many other came aboord and visited M. Walker which done they dranke and departed aboord againe All this day and night we went our course Southwest by South with a franke gale The 19 day about noone the Sun was in our Zenith being declined to the Southwards 2â— degrees and 33 minutes where wee found the aire fresh and temperate as in England in Iune when a fresh gale of winde doeth blow in the heate of the day but the euening the night and the morning are more fresh and colder here then it is in England either in Iune or Iulie The first of December about sixe of the clocke in the morning wee sawe lande on the coast of Brasil in the height of 28 degrees or there abouts which bare Northwest and was eight leagues from vs very high land Wee stood in with it being much winâ—e and comming neere sound diuers Islands and seeing the Francis would not come roome nor run ahead vs wee stood in with the shore and â—oundeâ— in 30 fathom oaze three leagues off the lande bearing from the Westnorthwest to the Northnorthwest of vs and so sâ—oode still till it shoalded orderly into seuen fathom within a mile of a headland then perceiuing a breach ouer our bowe and no hope of a good harbour in that place wee bare vp roome and our Admirall after vs whom wee haled then hee tolde vs hee would seeke harbour to â—eewards requiring me to go ahead Then seeing the barke was asterne I hoised out my skiffe and set her maste and saile taking her ging and Tobias one of my Masters mates with mee and ranne before the shippe sounding in 15 fathom faire sand leauing a ledge of rockes a sea-boord of vs so the ships and the barke looffed vp vnder a headland and ankered in eight fathom halfe a mile off the lande hauing brought the headland which lyeth in 27 degrees 50 minutes Southsoutheast off them and the North land Northeast off thâ—m I stoode on with the skiffe hoping to â—inde a better harbour to leeward three leagues but it prooued not so wherefore I returned and in my way aboord I met with a rocke in the seaâ— where we landed and killed good store of fowleâ— and after I went aboord the Admirall where I presented him with fowle and returned aboord to supper In this time our boates had beene aland and found water bassasâ—e and two decayed houses as they told me and our men aboord hooked fresh-fish This night wee rode quietly The second being Sunday our masters moared our ships further into the bay We brought the South point Southeast off vs and the North land Northeast and so rid After dinner captaine Parker with my boat and company went a land and there placed pipes and made three wels In the meane time I accompanied with M. Hawkins M. Maddox M. Cotton and diuers of mine owne people landed farther within the bay and found two riuers of fresh waterâ— and a good fishing place Presently I sent aboord for my net with which at one draught we drew 600 great mullets and 5 great basses the like draugâ—â— was neuer seene with so small a net with which we went aboord giuing to the admirall 240 to the Francis 80 and the rest our company spent and gaue almighty God thanks for his great goodnesse All this while was captaine Parker and others gone into the land and fired thâ— woods which burned extremely The third day in the morning our carpenter talked without boord and the master and others tooke vp all the merchandize in the stearne sheets to the keele and there put downe a boats loding of stone and seeing the merchandize well conditioned stowed the same againe In the meanâ— time my selfe and others in our boats scraped off the wormes and washed the rudder and part of one side of our ship After dinner the master pilot and I went ashore and obserued the Sunne at noone which being past with our net we drew plenty of diuers sorts of fishes and went from that bay to the watering place from thence aboord the generall which had taken physicke and gaue them and the Francis fish for their companiesâ— and so went aboord where our company had romaged aforemast so that this afternoone we tooke in two boats more lading of stones afore mast The sixt day iâ— the morning before sixe of the clocke we saw a saile which wâ—nt towards the Southwards the admirall not hauing knowledge thereof I went aboord and certified him who appointed me to goe and bring her in and to take captaine Parker and some of the gallions meâ— into the Francis and the admirals skiffe with vs so we gaue her chase and tooke her sixe leagues to the leewards of the place we rode in Then not being able to fetch the rode againe we ankered in the sea I intending to come away in the pinnesse and leaue the Francis and the prize together being ready to depart the winde blew at South a stout gaâ—e and raine so that about sixe of the clocke we ankered in the rode where our ships rid After we had taken them and that captaine Parker and I were aboord we had much talke with them before they came to the ships and being ankered there the chiefe men were caried abord the general which was a gentleman named Don Francisco de Torre Vedra nephew to the gouernour of the riuer of Plate named Don Iohn de Torre Vedra We found and Englishman named Richard Carter borne in Limehouse who had bene out oâ— England foure and twenty yeres and hath bene nere twelue yeres dwelling in the riuer of Plate at a towne named Ascension three hundred leagues vp in the riuer whither they were now determined to go inhabit hauing two women and two yonâ— children seuen friâ—rs the rest boyes and â—ailers to the number of one and twenty persons The olde frier was had in great reuerence among the reâ—â— insomuch that they called him the Holy father He was abiding in no place but as visitour he went visiting from monastery to monastery The substance of all the speeches was that the Spanish fleet was before the streights of Magellan as they thought for they were departed sixe
worke that euer I saw the eyes and mouthes of sundrie of them were bloodie they had the shape of men women and children very grosly wrought that which they had made for other parts was also sprinckled with blood Some of their idols were an olde sticke with two or three notches made with a knife in it I saw much of the footing of the sayd Samoeds and of the sleds that they ride in There was one of their sleds broken and lay by the heape of idols there I saw a deers skinne which the foules had spoyled and before certaine of their idols blocks were made as high as their mouthes being all bloody I thought that to be the table wheron they offered their sacrifice I saw also the instruments whereupon they had roasted flesh and as farre as I could perceiue they make their fire directly vnder the spit Loshak being there present tolde me that these Samoeds were not so hurtful as they of Ob are and that they haue no houses as indeede I saw none but onely tents made of Deers skins which they vnderproppe with stakes and poles their boates are made of Deers skins and when they come on shoare they cary their boates with them vpon their backes for their cariages they haue no other beastes to serue them but Deere only As for bread and corne they haue none except the Russes bring it to them their knowledge is very baâ—e for they know no letter Tuesday we turned for the harborough where Loshaks barke lay whereas before we road vnder an Island And there he came aboord of vs and said vnto me if God sende winde and weather to serue I will goe to the Ob with you because the Morses were scant at these Islands of Vaigats but if he could not get to the riuer of Ob then he sayd hee would goe to the riuer of Naramzay where the people were not altogether so sauage as the Samoyds of the Ob are hee shewed me that they will shoot at all men to the vttermost of their power that cannot speake their speech Wednesday we saw a terrible heape of ice approch neere vnto vs and therefore wee thought good with al speed possible to depart from thence and so I returned to the Westwards againe to the Island where we were the 31 of Iuly Thursday I went a shoare and tooke the latitude which was 70 degrees 25 minutes and the variation of the compasse was 8 degrees from the North to the West Loshak and the two small Lodias of Pechora departed from this Island while I was on shoare taking the latitude and went to the Southwards I maruailed why he departed so suddenly and went ouer the shoales amongst the Islands where it was impossible for vs to follow them But after I perceiued them to be weatherwise Friday we road still the winde being at Northnortheast with a cruell storme The ice came in so abundantly about vs at both ends of the Island that we road vnder that it was a feareful sight to behold the storme continued with snow raine and hayle plenty Saturday we road still also the storme being somewhat abated but it was altogether misty that we were not able to see a cables length about vs the winde being at Northeast and by East Sunday at foure of the clocke in the morning we departed from this Island the winde being at Southeast and as we were cleere a sea boord the small Islandes and shoales it came so thick with mistes that we could not see a base shotte from vs. Then we tooke in all our sailes to make little way At a Southeast sunne it waxed cleere and then we set our sayles and lay close by the wind to the Southwards alongst the Islands of Vaigats At a West sunne we tooke in our sayle againe because of the great mist and raine Wee sounded at this place and had fiue and twenty fadomes water and soft blacke oze being three leagues from the shoare the winde being at South and by East but still misty Munday at an East sunne we sounded and â—ad 40 fadomes and oze still misty at noone wee sounded againe and had 36 fadome still misty Tuesday at an Eastnortheast sunne we let fall our anker in three and twenty fadome the mist still continuing Wednesday at three of the clocke in the morning the mist brake vp the wind being at Northeast by East and then we saw part of the Islands of Vaigats which we bare withall and went Eastsoutheast close by the winde at a West sunne we were at an anker vnder the Southwest part of the said Vaigats and then I sent our skiffe to shoare with three men in her to see if they might speake with any of the Samoeds but could not all that day was rainie but not windie Thursday the wind came Westerly so that we were faine to seeke vs another place to ride in because the wind came a seaboord land and although it were misty yet wee followed the shoare by our lead and as we brought land in the winde of vs we let fall our anker At a West sunne the mist brake vp so that we might see about vs and then we might perceiue that we were entred into a sound This afternoone we tooke in two or three skiffes lading of stones to balast our shippe withall It hyeth here foure foot water and floweth by fits vncertaine to be iudged Friday we road still in the sound the wind at Southwest with very much raine and at the end of the raine it waxed againe mistie Saturday there was much winde at West and much raine and then againe mistie Sunday was very mistie and much winde Munday very mistie the winde at Westnorthwest Tuesday was also mistie except at noone then the sunne brake out through the mist so that we had the latitude in 70 degrees 10 minutes the afternoone was misty againe the wind being at Westnorthwest Wednesday at three of the clocke afternoone the mist brake vp the wind came at Eastnortheast and then we weyed and went South by East vntil seuen of the clocke eight leagues thinking to haue had sight of the sandie hilles that are to the Eastwards of the riuer Pechora At a Northwest sunne we took in our maine saile because the wind increased went with a foresaile Westnorthwest the wind being at Eastnortheast at night there grewe so terrible a storme that we saw not the like although we had indured many stormes since we came out of England It was wonderfull that our barke was able to brooke such monstrous terrible seas without the great helpe of God who neuer fayleth them at neede that put their sure trust in him Thursday at a Southsouthwest sunne thanks be to God the storme was at the highest then the winde began to slake and came Northerly withall then I reckoned the Westermost point of the riuer Pechora to be South of vs 15 leagues At a
Moneth we ranne along Island and had the South part of it at eight of the clocke East from vs ten leagues The seuenth day of this moneth we had a very terrible storme by force whereof one of our men was blowen into the sea out of our waste but he caught hold of the foresaile sheate and there held till the Captaine pluckt him againe into the ship The 25. day of this moneth we had sight of the Island of Orkney which was then East from vs. The first day of October we had sight of the Sheld and so sailed about the coast and ankered at Yarmouth and the next day we came into Harwich The language of the people of Meta incognita Argoteyt a hand Cangnawe a nose Arered an eye Keiotot a tooth Mutchatet the head Chewat an eare Comagaye a legge Atoniagay a foote Callagay a paire of breeches Attegay a coate Polleueragay a knife Accaskay a shippe Coblone a thumbe Teckkeâ—e the foremost finger Ketteckle the middle finger Mekellacane the fourth finger Yacketrone the litle finger The second voyage of Master Martin Frobisher made to the West and Northwest Regions in the yeere 1577. with a description of the Countrey and people Written by Master Dionise Settle ON Whitsunday being the sixe and twentieth of May in the yeere of our Lord God 1577. Captaine Frobisher departed from Blacke Wall with one of the Queenes Maiesties ships called The Aide of nine score tunnes or therabouts and two other little Borkes likewise the one called The Gabriel whereof Master Fenton a Gentleman of my Lord of Warwikes was Captaine and the other The Michael whereof Master Yorke a Gentleman of my Lord Admirals was Captaine accompanied with seuen score Gentlemen souldiers and sailers well furnished with victuals and other prouision necessarie for one halfe yeere on this his second voyage for the further discouering of the passage to Cathay and other Countreys thereunto adiacent by West and Northwest nauigations which passage or way is supposed to bee on the North and Northwest pars of America and the said America to be an Island inuironed with the sea where through our Merchants may haue course and recourse with their merchandize from these our Northernmost parts of Europe to those Orientall coasts of Asia in much shorter time and with greater benefite then any others to their no little commoditie and profite that do or shall frequent the same Our said Captaine and General of this present voyage and company hauing the yeere before with two little pinnesses to his great danger and no small commendations giuen a worthy attempt towards the performance thereof is also prest when occasion shall be ministred to the benefite of his Prince and natiue Countrey to aduenture himselfe further therein As for this second voyage it seemeth sufficient that he hath better explored and searched the commodities of those people and Countreys which in his first voyage the yeere before he had found out Upon which considerations the day and yeere before expressed we departed from Blacke Wall to Harwich where making an accomplishment of things necessary the last of May we hoised vp sailes and with a merrie wind the 7. of Iune we arriued at the Islands called Orcades or vulgarly Orkney being in number 30. subiect and adiacent to Scotland where we made prouision of fresh water in the doing whereof our Generall licensed the Gentlemen and souldiers for their recreation to goe on shore At our landing the people fled from their poore cottages with shrikes and alarms to warne their neighbours of enemies but by gentle perswasions we reclamed them to their houses It seemeth they are often frighted with Pirats or some other enemies that mooue them to such sudden feare Their houses are very simply builded with Pibble stone without any chimneis the fire being made in the middest thereof The good man wife children and other of their family eate and sleepe on the one side of the house and the cattell on the other very beastly and rudely in respect of civilitie They are destitute of wood their fire is â—urffes and Cowshards They haue corne bigge and oates with which they pay their Kings rent to the maintenance of his house They take great quantitie of fish which they dry in the wind and Sunne They dresse their meat very filthily and eate it without salt Their apparell is after the rudest sort of Scotland Their money is all base Their Church and religion is reformed according to the Scots The fisher men of England can better declare the dispositions of those people then I wherefore I remit other their vsages to their râ—ports as yeâ—rely repaiâ—ers thither in their course to and from Island for fish We departed herehence the 8. of Iune and followed our course betweene West and Northwest vntill the 4. of Iuly all which time we had no night but that easily and without any impediment we had when we were so disposed the fruition of our bookes and other pleasures to passe away the time a thing of no small moment to such as wander in vnknowen seas and long nauigations especially when both the winds and raging surges do passe their common and wonted course This benefite endureth in those parts not 6. weekes while the sunne is neere the Tropike of Cancer but where the pole is raised to 70. or 80. degrees it continueth much longer All along these seas after we were sixe dayes sailing from Orkney we met floting in the sea great Firre trees which as we iudged were with the furie of great floods rooted vp and so driuen into the sea Island hath almost no other wood nor fuell but such as they take vp vpon their coastes It seemeth that these trees are driuen from some part of the New found land with the current that setteth from the West to the East The 4. of Iuly we came within the making of Frisland From this shoare 10â— or 12. leagues we met great Islands of yce of halfe a mile some more some lesse in compasse shewing aboue the sea 30. or 40. fathoms and as we supposed fast on ground where with our lead we could scarse sound the bottome for depth Here in place of odoriferous and fragrant sinels of sweete gums pleasant notes of musicall birdes which other Countreys in more temperate Zones do yeeld wee tasted the most boisterous Boreal blasts mixt with snow and haile in the moneths of Iune and Iuly nothing inferior to our vntemperate winter a sudden alteration and especially in a place or Parallele where the Pole is not eleuate aboue 61. degrees at which height other Countreys more to the North yea vnto 70. degrees shew themselues more temperate then this doth All along this coast yce lieth as a continuall bulwarke so defendeth the Countrey that those that would land there incur great danger Our Generall 3. dayes together attempted with the ship boate to haue gone on shoare which for that without great
the Sunnes heat by comparing the Angles there with the Angles made here in England because this temperature is best knowen vnto vs. As for example the 11. day of March when vnder the Equinoctiall it is halfe houre past eight of the clocke in the morning the Sunne will be in the East about 38. degrees aboue the Horizon because there it riseth alwayes at sixe of the clocke and mooueth euery houre 15. degrees and so high very neere will it be with vs at London the said eleuenth day of March at noone And therefore looke what force the Sunne hath with vs at noone the eleuenth of March the same force it seemeth to haue vnder the Equinoctial at half an houre past eight in the morning or rather lesse force vnder the Equinoctiall For with vs the Sunne had bene already sixe houres aboue the Horizon and so had purified and clensed all the vapours and thereby his force encreased at noon◠but vnder the Equinoctiall the Sunne hauing bene vp but two houres and an halfe had sufficient to doe to purge and consume the cold and moyst vapours of the long night past and as yet had wrought no effect of heate And therefore I may boldly pronounce that there is much lesse heate at halfe an houre past eight vnder the Equinoctiall then is with vs at noone à fortiori But in March we are not onely contented to haue the Sunne shining but we greatly desire the same Likewise the 11 of Iune the Sunne in our Meridian is 62 degrees high at London and vnder the Equinoctiall it is so high after 10 of the clocke and seeing then it is beneficial with vs à fortiori it is beneficiall to them after 10 of the clocke And thus haue wee measured the force of the Sunnes greatest heate the hottest dayes in the yeere vnder the Equinoctiall that is in March and September from sixe till after tenne of the clocke in the morning and from two vntill Sunne set And this is concluded by respecting onely the first cause of heate which is the consideration of the Angle of the Sunne beames by a certaine similitude that whereas the Sunne shineth neuer aboue twelue houres more then eight of them would bee coole and pleasant euen to vs much more to them that are acquainted alwayes with such warme places So there remaineth lesse then foure houres of any excessiue heate and that onely in the two Sommer dayes of the yeere that is the eleuenth day of March and the foureteenth of September for vnder the Equinoctiall they haue two Sommers the one in March and the other in September which are our Spring and Autumne and likewise two Winters in Iune and December which are our Sommer and Winter as may well appeare to him that hath onely tasted the principles of the Sphere But if the Sunne bee in either Tropicke◠or approching neere thereunto then may wee more easily measure the force of his Meridian altitude that it striketh vpon the Equinoctiall As for example the twelfth of Iune the Sunne will be in the first degree of Cancer Then looke what force the heate of the Sunne hath vnder the Equinoctiall the same force and greater it hath in all that Parallel where the Pole is eleuated betweene fourtie and seuen and fourtie and eight degrees And therefore Paris in France the twelfth day of Iune sustaineth more heate of the Sunne then Saint Thomas Island lying neere the same Meridian doeth likewise at noone or the Ilands Taprobana Moluccae or the firme lande of Peru in America which all lye vnderneath the Equinoctiall For vpon the twelfth day of Iune aforesaide the Sunne beames at noone doe make an Isoscheles Triangle whose Vertex is the Center of the Sunne the Basis a line extended from Saint Thomas Iland vnder the Equinoctiall vnto Paris in France neere the same Meridian therefore the two Angles of the Base must needs be equal per 5. primi Ergo the force of the heat equal if there were no other cause then the reason of the Angle as the olde Philosophers haue appointed But because at Paris the Sunne riseth two houres before it riseth to them vnder the Equinoctiall and setteth likewise two houres after them by meanes of the obliquitie of the Horizon in which time of the Sunnes presence foure houres in one place more then the other it worketh some effect more in one place then in the other and being of equall height at noone it must then needs follow to be more hote in the Parallel of Paris then it is vnder the Equinoctiall Also this is an other reason that when the Sunne setteth to them vnder the Equinoctiall it goeth very deepe and lowe vnder their Horizon almost euen to their Antipodes whereby their twilights are very short and their nights are made very extreeme darke and long and so the moysture and coldnesse of the long nights wonderfully encreaseth so that at length the Sunne rising can hardly in many houres consume and driue away the colde humours and moyst vapours of the night past which is cleane contrary in the Parallel of Paris for the Sunne goeth vnder their Horizon but very little after a sloping sort whereby their nights are not very darke but lightsome as looking into the North in a cleare night without cloudes it doeth manifestly appeare their twilights are long for the Parallel of Cancer cutteth not the Horizon of Paris at right Angles but at Angles very vneuen and vnlike as it doeth the Horizon of the Equinoctiall Also the Sommer day at Paris is sixteene houres long and the night but eight where contrarywise vnder the Equinoctiall the day is but twelue houres long and so long is also the night in whatsoeuer Parallel the Sunne be and therefore looke what oddes and difference of proportion there is betweene the Sunnes abode aboue the Horizon in Paris and the abode it hath vnder the Equinoctiall it being in Cancer the same proportion would seeme to be betweene the heate of the one place and heate of the other for other things as the Angle of the whole arke of the Sunnes progresse that day in both places are equall But vnder the Equinoctiall the presence and abode of the Sunne aboue the Horizon is equall to his absence and abode vnder the Horizon eche being twelue houres And at Paris the continuance and abode of the Sunne is aboue the Horizon sixteene houres long and but eight houres absence which proportion is double from which if the proportion of the equalitie be subtracted to finde the difference there will remaine still a double proportion whereby it seemeth to follow that in Iune the heate at Paris were double to the heate vnder the Equinoctiall For as I haue said the Angles of the Sunne beames are in all points equall and the cause of difference is Mora Solis supra Horizontem the stay of the Sunne in the one Horizon more then in the other Therefore whosoeuer could finde out in what proportion the
to haue dominion and vse thereof Therefore we need no longer to doubt of the temperate and commodious habitation vnder the poles during the time of Summer But all the controuersie consisteth in the Winter for then the Sunne leaueth those regions and is â—o more seene for the space of other sixe moneths in the which time all the Sunnes course is vnder their horizon for the space of halfe a yere and then those regions say some must needs be deformed with horrible darknesse and continuall night which may be the cause that beasts can not seeke their food and that also the colde should then be intollerable By which double euils all liuing creatures should be constrained to die and were not able to indure the extremity and iniury of Winter and famine insuing thereof but that all things should perish before the Summer following when they should bring foorth their brood and yoong and that for these causes the sayd Clime about the pole should be desolate and not habitable To all which obiections may be answered in this maner First that though the Sunne be absent from them those six moneths yet it followeth not that there should be such extreme darknesse for as the Sunne is departed vnder their horizon so is it not farre from them and not so soone as the Sunne falleth so suddenly commeth the darke night but the euening doth substitute and prolong the day a good while after by twilight After which time the residue of the night receiueth light of the Moone and Starres vntill the breake of the day which giueth also a certaine light before the Sunnes rising so that by these meanes the nights are seldome darke which is verified in all parts of the world but least in the middle zone vnder the Equinoctiall where the twilights are short and the nights darker then in any other place because the Sunne goeth vnder their horizon so deepe euen to their antipodesâ— We see in England in the Summer nights when the Sunne goeth not farre vnder the horizon that by the light of the Moone Starres we may trauell all night and if occasion were do some other labour also And there is no man that doubteth whether our cattell can see to feed in the nights seeing we are so well certified therof by our experience and by reason of the sphere our nights should be darker then any time vnder the poles The Astronomers consent that the Sunne descending from our vpper hemisphere at the 18 parallel vnder the horizon maketh an end of twilight so that at length the darke night insueth and that afterward in the morning the Sun approching againe within as many parallels doth driue away the night by accesse of the twilight Againe by the position of the sphere vnder the pole the horizon and the equinoctiall are all one These reuolutions therefore that are parallel to the equinoctiall are also parallel to the horizon so that the Sunne descending vnder that horizon and there describing certaine parallels not farre distant doth not bring darke nights to those regions vntill it come to the parallels distant 18 degrees from the equinoctiall that is about the 21 degree of Scorpio which will be about the 4 day of our Nouember and after the Winter solstitium the Sunne returning backe againe to the 9 degree of Aquarius which will be about the 19 of Ianuary during which time onely that is from the 4 day of Nouember vntill the 19 day of Ianuary which is about six weeks space those regions do want the commodity of twilights therefore during the time of these sayd six moneths of darknesse vnder the poles the night is destitute of the benefit of the Sunne and the sayd twilights onely for the space of six weeks or thereabout And yet neither this time of six weeks is without remedy from heauen for the Moone with her increased light hath accesse at that time and illuminateth the moneâ—hs lacking light euery one of themselues seuerally halfe the course of that moneth by whose benefit it commeth to passe that the night named extreame darke possesseth those regions no longer then one moneth neither that continually or all at one time but this also diuided into two sorts of shorter nights of the which either of them indureth for the space of 15 dayes and are illuminate of the Moone accordingly And this reason is gathered out of the sphere whereby we may testifie that the Summers are warme and fruitfull and the Winters nights vnder the pole are tolerable to liuing creatures And if it be so that the Winter and time of darknesse there be very colde yet hath not nature left them vnprouided therefore for there the beasts are couered with haire so much the thicker in how much the vehemency of colde is greater by reason whereof the best and richest furres are brought out of the coldest regions Also the fowles of these colde countreys haue thicker skinnes thicker feathers and more stored of downe then in other hot places Our English men that trauell to S. Nicholas and go a fishing to Wardhouse enter farre within the circle Arctike and so are in the frozen zone and yet there as well as in Island and all along those Northerne Seas they finde the greatest store of the greatest fishes that are as Whales c. and also abundance of meane fishes as Herrings Cods Haddocks Brets c. which argueth that the sea as well as the land may be and is well frequented and inhabited in the colde countreys But some perhaps will maruell there should be such temperate places in the regions about the poles when at vnder 62 degrees in latitude our captaine Frobisher his company were troubled with so many and so great mountaines of fleeting ice with so great stormes of colde with such continuall snow on tops of mountaines and with such barren soile there being neither wood nor trees but low shrubs and such like To all which obiections may be answered thus First those infinite Islands of ice were ingendred and congealed in time of Winter and now by the great heat of Summer were thawed and then by ebs flouds winds and currents were driuen to and fro and troubled the fleet so that this is an argument to proue the heat in Summer there to be great that was able to thaw so monstrous mountaines of ice As for continuall snow on tops of mountaines it is there no otherwise then is in the hotest part of the middle zone where also lieth great snow all the Summer long vpon tops of mountaines because there is not sufficient space for the Sunnes reflection whereby the snow should be molten Touching the colde stormy winds and the barrennesse of the country it is there as it is in Cornwall and Deuonshire in England which parts though we know to be fruitfull and fertile yet on the North side thereof all alongst the coast within seuen or eight miles off the sea there can neither hedge nor tree grow
water but it is sodden with Ginger in it and blacke Sinamon and sometimes Sassaphras and diuers other wholesome and medicinable hearbes and trees We were entertained with all loue and kindnesse and with as much bountie after their maner as they could possibly deuise We found the people most gentle louing and faithfull voide of all guile and treason and such as liue after the maner of the golden age The people onely care howe to defend themselues from the cold in their short winter and to feed themselues with such meat as the soile affoordeth there meate is very well sodden and they make broâ—h very sweet and sauorie their vessels are earthen pots very large white and sweete their dishes are wooden platters of sweet timber within the place where they feede was their lodging and within that their Idoll which they worship of whome they speake incredible things While we were at meate there came in at the gates two or three men with their bowes and arrowes from hunting whom when wee espied we beganne to looke one towardes another and offered to reach our weapons but assoone as shee espied our mistrust shee was very much mooued and caused some of her men to runne out and take away their bowes and arrowes and breake thâ—m and withall beate the poore fellowes out of the gate againe When we departed in the euening and would not tary all night she was very sory and gaue vs into our boate our supper halfe dressed pottes and all and brought vs to our boate side in which wee lay all night remoouing the same a prettie distance from the shoare shee peceiuing our ielousie was much greiued and sent diuers men and thirtie women to sit all night on the banke side by vs and sent vs into our boates fine mattes to couer vs from the raine vsing very many wordes to intreate vs to rest in their houses but because wee were fewe men and if wee had miscaried the voyage had bene in very great danger wee durst not aduenture any thing although there was no cause of doubt for a more kinde and louing people there can not be found in the worlde as farre as we haue hitherto had triall Beyond this Island there is the maine lande and ouer against this Island falleth into this spacious water the great riuer called Occam by the inhabitants on which standeth a towne called Pomeiock sixe dayes iourney from the same is situate their greatest citie called Skicoak which this people affirme to be very great but the Sauages were neuer at it only they speake of it by the report of their fathers and other men whom they haue heard affirme it to bee aboue one houres iourney about In to this riuer falleth another great riuer called Cipo in which there is found great store of Muskles in which there are pearles likewise there descendeth into this Occam another riuer called Nomopana on the one side whereof standeth a great towne called Chawanook and the Lord of that towne and countrey is called Pooneno this Pooneno is not subiect to the king of Wingandacoa but is a free Lord beyond this country is there another king whom they cal Menatonon and these three kings are in league with each other Towards the Southwest foure dayes iourney is situate a towne called Sequotan which is the Southermost towne of Wingandacoa neere vnto which sixe and twentie yeres past there was a ship cast away whereof some of the people were saued and those were white people whom the countrey people preserued And after ten dayes remaining in an out Island vnhabited called Wocokon they with the help of some of the dwellers of Sequotan fastened two boates of the countrey together made mastes vnto them and sailes of their shirtes and hauing taken into them such victuals as the countrey yeelded they departed after they had remained in this out Island 3 weekes but shortly after it seemed they were cast away for the boates were found vpon the coast cast a land in another Island adioyning other then these there was neuer any people apparelled or white of colour either seene or heare of amongst these people and these aforesaid wâ—re seene onely of the inhabitances of Secotan which appeared to 〈◊〉 very true for they wondred maruelously when we were amongst them at the whitenes of our skiâ—s â—uer coueting to touch our breasts and to view the same Besides they had our ships in maruelous admiration all things els were so strange vnto them as it appeared that none of them had euer seene the like When we discharged any piece were it but an hargubuz they would trâ—mble thâ—reat for very feareâ— and for the straâ—genesse of the same for the weapons which themselules vse are bowes and arrowes the arrowes are but of small canes headed with a sharpe shell or tooth of a fish sufficient ynough to kill a naked man Their swordes be of wood hardened likewise they vse wooden breastplates for their defence They haue beside a kinde of club in the end whereof they fasten the sharpe hornes of a stagge or other beast When they goe to warres they cary about with them their idol of whom they aske counsel as the Romans were woont of the Oracle of Apollo They sing songs as they march towardes the battell in stead of drummes and trumpets their warres are very cruell and bloody by reason whereof and of their ciuill dissentions which haue happened of late yeeres amongst them the people are maruelously wasted and in some places the countrey left desolate Adioyning to this countrey aforesaid called Secotan beginâ—eth a countrey called Pomouik belonging to another king whom they call Piamacum and this king is in league with the next king adioyning towards the setting of the Sunne and the countrey Newsiok situate vpon a goodly riuer called Neus thâ—se kings haue mortall warre with Wingina king of Wingandacoa but about two yeeres past there was a peace made betweene the king Piemacum and the Lord of Secotan as these men which we haue brought with vs to England haue giuen vs to vnderstand but there remaineth a mortall malice in the Secotanes for many iniuries slaughters done vpon them by this Piemacum They inuited diuers men and thirtie women of the best of his countrey to their towne to a feast and when they were altogether merry praying before their Idol which is nothing els but a meer illusion of the deuil the captaine or Lord of the town came suddenly vpon theÌ„ and slewe them euery one reseruing the women and children and these two haue oftentimes since perswaded vs to surprize Piemacum his towne hauing promised and assured vs that there will be found in it great store of commodities But whether their perswasion be to the ende they may be reuenged of their enemies or for the loue they beare to vs we leaue that to the tryall hereafter Beyond this Island called Roanoak are maine Islands very plentifull of fruits and
departed from them to seeke the Edward Bonauenture which arriued at Trinidad the day before from the East Indies in whose absence Berreo sent a Canoa abord the pinnesse onely with Indians and dogs inuiting the company to goe with them into the woods to kill a deare who like wise men in the absence of their Captaine followed the Indians but were no sooner one harquebuze shot from the shore but Berreos souldiers lying in ambush had them al notwithstanding that he had giuen his word to Captaine Whiddon that they should take water and wood safely the other cause of my stay was for that by discourse with the Spaniards I dayly learned more and more of Guiana of the riuers and passages and of the enterprise of Berreo by what meanes or fault he failed and how he meant to prosecute the same While wee thus spent the time I was assured by another Casique of the North side of the yland that Berreo had sent to Margarita and Cumana for souldiers meaning to haue giuen mee a cassado at parting if it had bene possible For although he had giuen order through all the yland that no Indian should come abord to trade with me vpon paine of hanging quartering hauing executed two of them for the same which I afterwards founde yet euery night there came some with most lamentable complaints of his crueltie how he had deuided the yland and giuen to euery souldier a part that hee made the ancient Casiques which were Lords of the countrey to be their slaues that he kept them in chaines and dropped their naked bodies with burning bacon and such other torments which I found afterwards to be true for in the city after I entred the same there were 5. of y e lords or litle kings which they cal Casiques in the West Indies in one chaine almost dead of famine and wasted with torments these are called in their owne language Acarewana and now of late since English French and Spanish are come among them they call themselues Capitaines because they perceiue that the chiefest of euery ship is called by that name Those fiue Capitaines in the châ—ine were called Wannawanare Carroaori Maquarima Tarroopanama and Aterima So as both to be reuenged of the former wrong as also considering that to enter Guiana by small boats to depart 400. or 500. miles from my ships and to leaue a garison in my backe interrested in the same enterprize who also dayly expected supplies out of Spaine I should haue sauoured very much of the asse and therefore taking a time of most aduantage I set vpon the Corps du guard in the euening and hauing put them to the sword sent Captaine Calfield onwards with 60. souldiers and my selfe followed with 40. more and so tooke their new City which they called S. Ioseph by breake of day they abode not any fight after a fewe shot and all being dismissed but onely Berreo and his companion I brought them with me abord and at the instance of the Indians I set their new citie of S. Ioseph on fire The same day arriued captaine George Gifford with your Lordships ship and captaine Keymis whom I lost on the coast of Spaine with the Galego and in them diuers gentlemen and others which to our little armie was a great comfort and supply We then hasted away towards our purposed discouery and first I called all the Captaines of the yland together that were enemies to the Spaniards for there were some which Berreo had brought out of other countreys and planted there to eate out and wast those that were naturall of the place and by my Indian interpreter which I caried out of England I made them vnderstand that I was the seruant of a Queene who was the great Casique of the North and a virgine and had more Casiqui vnder her then there were trees in that yland that shee was an enemie to the Castellani in respect of their tyrannie and oppression and that the deliuered all such nations about her as were by them oppressed and hauing freed all the coast of the Northren world from their seruitude had sent mee to free them also and withall to defend the countrey of Guiana from their inuasion aâ—d conquest I shewed them her Maiesties picture which they so admired and honoured as it had bene easie to haue brought them idolatrous thereof The like and a more large discourse I made to the rest of the nations boâ—h in my passing to Guiana and to those of the borders so as in that part of the world her Maiestie is very famous and admirable whom they now call Ezrabeta Cassipuna Aquerewana which is as much as Elizabeth the great princesse or greatest commander This done we left Puerto de los Espannoles and returned to Curiapan and hauing Berreo my prisoner I gathered from him as much of Guiana as hee knew This Berreo is a gentleman wel descended and had long serued the Spanish king in Millain Naples the Low countreis and elsewhere very valiant and liberall and a gentleman of great assurednes and of a great heart I vsed him according to his estate and worth in all things I could according to the small meanes I had I sent Captaine Whiddon the yeere before to get what knowledge he could of Guiana and the end of my iourney at this time was to discouer and enter the same but my intelligence was farre from trueth for the countrey is situate aboue 600. English miles further from the Sea then I was made beleeue it had bin which afterward vnderstanding to be true by Berreo I kept it from the knowledge of my company who â—lse would neuer haue bene brought to attempt the same of which 600. miles I passed 400. leauing my ships so farre from mee at ancker in the Sea which was more of desire to performe that discouery then of reason especially hauing such poore and weake vessels to transport our selues in for in the bottom of an old Galego which I caused to be fashioned like a galley and in one barge two whirries and a shipboat of the Lions whelpe we caried 100. persons and their victuals for a moneth in the same being al driuen to lie in the raine and weather in the open aire in the burning Sunne and vpon the hard bords and to dresse our meat and to cary all maner of furniture in them wherewith they were so pestered and vnsauory that what with victuals being most fish with the wette clothes of so many men thrust together and the heat of the Sunne I wâ—ll vndertake there was neuer any prison in England that could bee found more vnsauorie and lothsome especially to my selfe who had for many yeeres before bene dicted and cared for in a sort farre more differing If Captaine Preston had not bene perswaded that he should haue come too late to Trinidad to haue â—ound vs there for the moneth was â—xpired which I promised to tary for him there ere hee coulde recouer the
wee departed this harbour the 22. of Ianuarie carying along with vs one of the Portugall Carauels which was bound to the Islands of Capeâ— Verde for salt whereof good store is made in one of those Islands The master or Pilot of that Carauel did aduertise our Generall that vpon one of those Islands called Mayo there was great store of dryed Cabritos which a few inhabitants there dwelling did yeerely make ready for such of the kings Ships as did there touch beeing bound for his countrey of Brasile or elsewhere Wee fell with this Island the 27. of Ianuary but the Inhabitants would in no case traffique with vs being thereof for bidden by the kings Edict yet the next day our Generall sent to view the Island and the likelihoodes that might be there of prouision of victuals about threescore and two men vnder the conduct and gouernment of Master Winter and Master Daughtie and marching towards the chiefe place of habitation in this Island as by the Portugall wee were informed hauing trauailed to the mountaines the space of three miles and arriuing there somewhat before the day breake we arrested our selues to see day before vs which appearing we found the inhabitants to be fled but the place by reason that it was manured wee found to be more fruitfull then the other part especially the valleys among the hils Here we gaue our selues a litle refreshing as by very ripe and sweete grapes which the fruitfulnesse of the earth at that season of the yeere yeelded vs and that season being with vs the depth of Winter it may seeme strange that those fruites were then there growing but the reason thereof is this because they being betweene the Tropike and the Equinoctiall the Sunnne passeth twise in the yeere through their Zenith ouer their heads by meanes whereof they haue two Summers being so neere the heate of the line they neuer lose the heate of the Sunne so mâ—ch but the fruites haue their increase and continuance in the midst of Winter The Island is wonderfully stored with goates and wilde hennes and it hath salt also without labour saue onely that the people gather it into heapes which continually in great quantitie is increased vpon the sands by the flowing of the sea and the receiuing heate of the Sunne kerning the same so that of the increase thereof they keepe a continuall traffique with their neighbours Amongst other things we found here a kind of fruit called Cocos which because it is not commonly knowen with vs in England I thought good to make some description of it The tree beareth no leaues nor branches but at the very top the fruit groweth in clusters hard at the top of the stemme of the tree as big euery seuerall fruite as a mans head but hauing taken off the vttermost barke which you shall find to bee very full of strings or sinowes as I may terme them you shall come to a hard shell which may holde of quantitie in liquor a pint commonly or some a quart and some lesse within that shell of the thicknesse of halfe an inch good you shall haue a kinde of hard substance and very white no lesse good and sweete then almonds within that againe a certaine cleare liquor which being drunke you shall not onely finde it very delicate and sweete but most comfortable and cordiall After wee had satisfied our selues with some of these fruites wee marched further into the Island and saw great store of Cabritos aliue which were so chased by the inhabitants that wee could doe no good towards our prouision but they had layde out as it were to stoppe our mouthes withall certaine olde dryed Cabritos which being but ill and small and few wee made no account of Being returned to our ships our Generall departed hence the 31. of this moneth and sayled by the Island of S. Iago but farre enough from the danger of the inhabitants who shot and discharcharged at vs three peeces but they all fell short of vs and did vs no harme The Island is fayre and large and as it seemeth rich and fruitfull and inhabited by the Portugals but the mountaines and high places of the Island are sayd to be possessed by the Moores who hauing bin slaues to the Portugals to ease themselues made escape to the desert places of the Island where they abide with great strength 〈…〉 two ships vnder sayle to the one of which wee gaue chase 〈…〉 without resistance which we found to be a good prize 〈…〉 wine which prize our General committed to the custodie of 〈…〉 the Pilâ—t sent the rest away with his Pinnesse giuing them a 〈…〉 and their wearing clothes and so they departed The sam◠〈◊〉 wâ—e came wâ—th 〈◊〉 Island called by the Portugals Ilha del fogo that is the bâ—â—â—â—ng 〈◊〉 iâ— the Norâ—hside whâ—reof is a consuming fire the matter is sayde to be of Sulpâ—ure but notwâ—thâ—tanding it is like to bee a commodious Island because the Portugals haue 〈◊〉 and â—â—e inhabâ—teâ— tâ—ere Upon the South side thereof lyeth a most pleasant and sweet Island the trees whereof are alwayes greene and faire to looke vpon in respect whereof they call it Ilha Braua that is the braue Island From the bankes thereof into the sea doe run in many places reasonable streames of frâ—â—â— waâ—â—â—s caâ—te to be come by but there was no conuenient roade for our ships for such was the depâ—h that no ground could bee had for anchoring and it is reported that ground was â—â—uer found in that place so thâ—t the tops of Fogo burne not so high in the ayre but the rootes of Braua are quenched as low in the sea Being departed from these Islands we drew towards the line where wee were becalmed the space of 3. weekes but â—eâ— subiect to diuers great stormes terrible lightnings and much thunder but with this miserie we had the commoditie of great store of fish as Dolphins Bonitos and flying fishes whereof some sâ—il into our â—â—ippes wherehence they could not rise againe for want of moisture for when their wings are drie they cannot flie From the first day of our departure from the Islands of Cape Verde wee sayled 54. dayes without sight of land and the first land that we fell with was the coast of Brasil which we saw the fift of April in y e height of 33. degrees towards the pole Antarâ—tike and being discouered at sea by the inhabitants of the counâ—â—ey they made vpon the coast great fires for a â—acrifice as we learned to the deuils about which they vse coniurations making heapes of sande and other ceremonies that when any ship shall goe about to stay vpon their coast not onely sands may be gathered together in shoalds in euery place but also that stormes and tempests may arise to the casting away of ships and men whereof as it is reported there haue bene diuers experiments The seuenth day in a mightie great storme both of lightning rayne
hils and craggy rocks do exalt themselues whose tops be all huary with snowe in the moneths of August September and October Notwithstanding the lower partes of the hilles are replenished and beautified with impenetrable thicke woods of strange and vnknown trees flourishing all the yere long Here we made prouision of fewel and fresh water and passed by Cape Deseado into the South sea the 6 of September And running along towards the North-west about 70 leagues the winde turned directly against vs with great extremitie of foule weather as raine haile snow and thicke fogs which continued so more theÌ„ 3 weeks that we could beare no saile at which time we were driuen â—7 degr to the south pole The 15 of September the moone was there ecclipsed began to be darkned preseâ—â—ly after the setting of the sunne about 6 of the clocke at night being then Equinoctial vernal in that countrey The said ecclipse happened the 16 day in the morning before one of the clocke in England which is about sixe houres difference agreeing to one quarter of the world from the Meridian of England towards the West The last of September being a very soule night and the seas sort growne we lost the Marigold the Generals shippe and the Elizabeth running to the East-ward to get the shore whereof we had sight the 7 of October falling into a very dangerous bay â—ull of â—ocks and there we lost company of M. Drake the same night The next day very hardly cleaping the danger of the rocks we put into the streights againe where we aâ—kâ—red in an open bay for the space of 2 dayes and made great fiers on the shore to the end that if M. Drake should come into the streights hee might finde vs. After wee went into a sound where we stayâ—d for the space of 3 weekes and named it The port of Health for the most part of our men being veâ—y sicke with long watchingâ— wet cold and euill diet did here God be thanked wonderfully recouer their health in short space Here we had very great muscles some being 20 inches long very pleasant meate and many of them full of seed-pearles We came out of this harbour the first of Nouember giuing ouer our voiage by M. Winters compulsion full sorâ— against the marineâ—s minds who alleged he stood in diâ—paire as well to haue winds to serue his turne for Peru as also of M. Drakes safetie So we came backe againe through the streights to S. Georges Island where we tooke of the foules beâ—ore named and after departed And thus wee passed by Cape Victorie out of the streights the 11 of Nouember directing our course to the North-â—ast till the last of this moneth What time wee arriuâ—d at an island which lyeth at the mouth of the riuer of Plate Upon this island there is such an infinite number of seales as may seeme incredible to any man that hath not bene there â—eme of thâ—m being 16 foote long not fearing the preâ—ence of men for the most of our men were vpon the island for the space of 15 dayes to set vp a Pinnesse during which time the seales would come and slepe by them and rather resist our men then giue placeâ— vnlesse morâ—alâ— blowes forced them to yeelde When our Pinnesse was built we wâ—nt to another island where wee did water and aftâ—rward departâ—d the first of Ianuarie 1579â— and ran towards the North till the 20 of the said moneth and then we arriued aâ— an island which lieth on the coast of Brasil neere to a towne called sant Vincent inhabited by the Portugals The sayd towne lyeth 24 degrees Southwarde almost vnder the Tropicke of Capricone Here by reason of fowle weather we lost our Pinnesse and 8 men in her and neuer saw them since Here also our ship was in great danger by the meanes of a strong current which had almost cast vs vpon the shore before wee were aware insomuch that we were constrained to anker in the open sea and brake our cable and lost an anker and preâ—ently let fal another anker in weighing whereof our men were sore spoiled For the capstan ranne about so violently with the rising of the shippe in the sea that it threwe the men from the barres and brake out the braines of one man one other had his legge broken and diuers others were sore hurt At last wee gote vp our anker and set sayle and ran into a place called Tanay where we roade vnder an island and tooke in wood and water And while we stayed here there came 3 Portugals aboord vs in a canoa to knowe what wee would haue or of what countrey we were To whom our Captaine made answere that we were Englishmen and had brought commodities for their countrey if they would trafficke with vs where at they greatly marueiled For they saide that they neuer heard of any English ship to haue bene in that countrey before and so they went to land againe hauing one of our men with them to speake with the Gouernour of the towne and we kept one of them for a pledge Shortly after there came another canoa aboord vs with one Portugal and al the rest naked men of the countrâ—y of whom wee had two small Oxen one yong Hogge with certaine hennes also Pome-cytrons limons oranges and other fruites of the countrey For the which our Captaine gaue to them linnen cloth combes kniues and other trifles In the meane time the Gouernour of â—he towne sent word that we should haue nothing vnlesse we would bring our shippe into the hauen Whereunto our Captaine would in no case consent for all their practise was to haue gotten vs within their danger neuertheles we came somewhat neere the towne with our ship as though wee would haue gone in but we neuer meant it Here we tooke in our man and set the Portugal pledge on land After that we went to an â—land called the isle of Sant Sebastian where wee tooke fish Here the Portugals had betrayed vs if a Brasillian one of their slaues had not bene For he stole from them shewed vnto vs by signes that the Portugals were comming with their canoas to take vs as it fell out in deed for the next morning they shewed themselues with 12 or 16 canoas some of them hauing 40 men in them The same night two of our men ran away with our boat to the Portugals And thus wee came away from thence toward our owne countrey the 17 of March and had sight of the Cape of sant Augustine lying in 8 degrees to the Southward of the line After that we had sight of an island lying within 3 degrees of the Equinoctial called the isle of Fernando de Loronha We crossed the Equinoctial the 13 of April and had sight of the North starre the 19 of the sayd moneth The 1 2 3,4 and 5 of May wee sayled through the sea of Weedes about the space
height of 28. degrees to the Southward of the Line The 4. day wee fell with the shoare high and bold being in 30. degrees and a terse little more or lesse All of it to the Northward was a high land but to the Southward it did presently faile and was a very low land and all sandie About sixe leagues from the shoare wee sounded and had about fifteene or sixteene fathome water and blacke sandie oze We thought to haue gone to the shoare and to haue watered but we could not discerne any good harbour and therefore we cast off to seaward againe The 12. day wee found our selues in 32. degrees and 27. minutes From the day of the Natiuitie of Christ till the 13. day of this moneth although the Sunne was very neere vnto vs yet we found no want of winds but variable as in England not so hot but that a mans shoulders might well disgest a frize gowne and his bellie the best Christmas cheere in England yet wee for our parts had no want but such as might content honest men The tenth day being about 8. leagues from the shoare and a little short of the Riuer of Plate it was my good happe to espie a saile which was a small Portugal bound for the Riuer to a towne called Santa Fee and from thence by horse and carts the marchants and part of their goods were to bee transported into Peru. This shippe being about the burthen of 45. or 50. tunnes wee tooke that day about three of the clocke wherein there was for Master of Pilote and Englishman called Abraham Cocke borne in Lee. We examined him and the rest concerning the state of the Riuer and they told vs that there were in the Riuer fiue townes some of 70. housholds and some of more The first towne was about 50. leagues vp the Riuer called Buenos Ayres the rest some 40. some 50. leagues one from another so that the vppermost towne called Tucaman is 230. leagues from the entrance of the Riuer In these townes is great store of corne cattell wine and sundry fruits but no money of gold or siluer they make a certaine kinde of slight cloth which they giue in trucke of sugar rice Marmalade and Sucket which were the commodities that this shippe had They had abord also 45. Negros whereof euery one in Peru yeeldeth 400. duckets a piece and besides these there were as passengers in her two Portugal women and a childe The 11. day wee espied another saile which was the consort of this Portugall and to him also we gaue chase and tooke him the same day Hee was of the burthen of the other and had in him good store of sugar Marmalade and Sucâ—ats with diuers other things which we noted downe our booke In this ship also we found about 35. Negro women and foure or fiue friers of which one was an Irish man of the age of three or foure and twentie yeeres and two Portugal women also which were borne in the riuer of Ienero Both these ships were bought in Brasil by a yong man which was Factor for the bishop of Tucaman and the friers were sent for by that bishop to possesse a new Monasterie which the bishop was then a building The bookes beads and pictures in her cost as one of the Portugals confessed aboue 1000. duckats Of these ships we learned that M. Iohn Drake who went in consort with M. Fenton had his Barke cast away a little short of the Riuer of Plate where they were taken captiues by the Sauages all sauing them which were slaine in the taking the Sauages kept them for a time and vsed them very hardly yet at the last Iohn Drake and Richard Faireweather and two or three more of their company with them got a Canoa and escaped and came to the first towne of the Spaniards Faireweather is maried in one of the townes but Iohn Drake was carried to Tucaman by the Pilot of this ship and was liuing and in good health the last yeere Concerning this voyage of the Portugals they tolde vs that it was the thirde voyage that was made into the Riuer of Plate these 30. yeeres The 12. of Ianuary wee came to Seale yland and the 14. day to the Greene yland where going in we found hard abord the maine 8. fathome 7. and 6. and neuer lesse then fiue fathome There lies a ledge of rocks in the faire way betwixt the yland and the maine so that you must bee sure to borrow hard abord the maine and leaue the ledge on the larbord side One of the Portugals which wee caried along with vs in our shippe seemed to bee a man of experience and I entred into speach with him concerning the state of the Riuer hee tolde mee that the towne of Buenos Ayres is from the Greene yland about seuentie leagues standing on the Southside of the Riuer and from thence to Santa Fee is 100. leagues standing on the same side also At which towne their shippes doe discharge all their goods into small Barkes which rowe and towe vp the Riuer to another towne called Ascension which is from Santa Fee 150 leagues where the boats discharge on shoare and so passe all the goods by carts and horses to Tucaman which is in Peru. The towne of Ascension stands in a very fertile place reaping corne twise in the yeere with abundance of wine cattell and fruits In the townes of Ascension and Tucaman a rapier of 20. rials of plate is worth 30. duckats a boxe of Marmalade 20. duckats a looking glasse a foote ouer is worth 30. li. pictures in tables of 14. inches 30. and 40. li. a piece The 16. day wee went from Greene yland to the watering place which is about a league to the Westward where wee tooke in about 18. tunnes of water and the 22. day came againe to Seale yland to make prouision of Seales where a storme arose which put vs in some danger by the breaking of our anckers and cables and the winde blew so colde that wee much marueiled at it considering the height of the place I must needes in this place finde fault with our selues and the whole company that riding in this Riuer 16. dayes the chanell was not sounded nor the way made perfect The 29. day wee tooke into our ship one Miles Philips which was left in the West Indies by M. Hawkins The first of February I tooke the Sunne in 38. degrees And the 3. day of I tooke it againe and found it to be in 41. degrees The 7. day of February our Captaine master Lister being in one of the prizes hoysed ouer bord his Gundelo and went abord the Admirall and being there they sent their Gundelo abord vs for our Master master Collins and my selfe at our comming we were called into the Captaines cabbin where were set in counsell for matters touching the state of our voyage these men whose names are vnder written
Currants The I le de Flores The I le of Coruo Where they lost the sight of the North starre How the compasse doâ—th varie The Primrose The towne of Samma Golde Gold foure hundreth â—â—â—â—gâ—â— Graines Elephants teeth The head of an Elephant Sir Andrew Iudde The contemplations of Gods worâ—s The description and pâ—â—â—â—â—â—ies of the Elephant Debate betweene the Elephant the Dragon Sanguis Draconis Cinnabaris Three kinds of Elephants Workes of Iuorie The people of Africa Libya interior â—â—tulâ—â— AEthiope Nigrite The riuer Nigritis or Senega â— strange thing Garamantes People of Libya Prester Iohn Regnum Orguene Gambra Guinea Cabo Verde The Portugals Nauigation to Brasile Aethiopia The 7 Bank of Meroe The Queene of Saba Prester Iohn Emperour of Aethiopia People of the Eastside of Africa People without heads Myrth Azania Regnum Melinde Aethiopia interior White Elephants Habasia Iâ—â—â—hiophagi Anthropophagi Monteâ— Lunae Gazatia Cap. bonç Spei Africa without colde The winter of Africa Flames of fire and noise in the aire The middle region of the aire 〈◊〉 cold The sâ—â—â—â—e of Elements Winde The heate of the Moone The nature of the starres Spoutes of water falling out of the aire Cataracts of heauen Uehement motions in the Sea A strange thing The power of nature They rase their skinnes Fiue iewels A bracelet Shackles Kings Dogs chaines of golde A muske cat Their houses Their feeding Flying fishes A strange thing Their bread Their wheat The Sunne Their drinke Graines â—â—els that â—leaue to ships Barnacles Bromas A secret The death of our men Fiue blacke Moues brought vnto England Colde may be better abiden then heate September October Nouember Porto Santo Madera Tenerif Palma Gomera Ferro Riuer del Oro. A Caruell taken Great store of fish vpon the coast of Barbary The Tropike of Cancer in 23. and a halfe Cape Blanke Cape Verde The coast of Guinea The Currant setting Eastward Riuer S. Vincent Cloth made of the barke of trees The Negroes race their skinnes Graines of Guinea Elephants teeth The description of their Townes and houses Diago the name of a Captaine The latitude of S. Vincent riuer is 4. degrees and a halfe Leaues of exceeding length Long pease stalkes Long womens breasts The language about the Riuer of S. Vincent The tides and nature of the shoare The point of Palmas * That was the yere 1554. The tides running Eastward A Towne Many Palme trees Cape Tres puntas Their maner of swearing by the water of the Sea Two townes Cape Tres puntas The towne of Don Iohn Their weapons 60. Portugales in the castle of Mina The English in anno 1554 tooke away 5 Negroes This language seemeth partly to be corrupt Sight of the castle of Mina Don Iohns towne described The Portugales of the castle of Mina inuaded our men The towne of Don Iohn de Viso Foure men taken away by the English A great towne The like they doe in the countrey of Prete lanni Master Roberâ— Gainshes voyage to Guâ—â—ea uâ— anno 1554. The English were offered to buâ—â—d a towne in Gâ—â—ne A Portugale Brigandine Februarie They returne for England Cape de Monte. March Cape Verde in latitude 14 degrâ—es a halfe Aprill May. Their arriual â—t Bristoll Nouember December Sierra Leona The riuer of Sestos They admit certaine Frenchmen into their companie An assault vpon elephants Rio de S. Andre Captaine Blundel the French Admirall Allow Dondoâ— a great towne The castle of Mina Cape de Tres puntas Bulle Hanâ—a Shamma The Negros brought â—ome by our men * Note Robert Gaynsh Hanta Fiue sailes of Portiugals descried The fight with the Portugals The French foâ—sake our men Februarie George our Negro Two Portugalâ— slaine by the Engliâ—h The Frenchmen bridled by the English Iâ—ing Abaan The offer of the king to the English to build a Fort. A towne in circuit as big as London A pretie deuise to descrit the enemie The kings friendly entertainment of oâ—r men Their ceremonies in drinking Mowâ—e Lagoua They returneâ— Ships of Portugall Cape Mensâ—rado Two small Ilands by Sierra Leona Note A Freâ—ch bâ—as uado It is to be vnderstood that at this time there was warre betwixt England and France The French mens goods seazed in the time of the warre vpoâ— the losse of Tales Two English Marcâ—ants Ligiers in the Grand Canary The Spanish West Indian fleet oâ— nineteene saile Rio del Oro. Francis Castelin Cape verde Foure Ilands A great trade of the Frenchmen at Cape â—erde A faire Iland where the French trade Elephants teeth muske and hides Cabo de Monte. The riuer de Sestos Rio de Potos They descrie fiâ—e saile of the Portugals The fight Lagua Periâ—nen Weamba Peâ—ecow Egâ—â—nd The English boord the Frenchmen Fifty pound of golde taken in the French prise Benin Our men die of sicknesse Sicknesse Mowre The great towne of Don Iohn Cormatin A fight with the Negros Note They put the Frenchmen with victuals into the pinnesse Shamma burnt by the English Their returne homeward The currant S. Thome Iland The description of the â—le of S. Thome The Iland of Salt The great inconuâ—nience by late sâ—aying vpon the coast of Guinie The Tyger giuen vp Extreame weaknesse of our men The English marchants intend to fortifie in Ghinea in the king of Habaans countrey The king of Haban Capo verde Rio de Sestos The Minion Rio de Potis Rio de S. Andre Cauo das palmas Cauo de tres puntas Anta Equi Two galies Mowre Cormantin Much hurt done in the Minion with firing a barrel of gunpouder They returne Rio de Barbos The blacke pinnasse Rio de Sesto The Minion of the Queene The firing and sâ—nking of the Merline bound for Guinea They meet their Admirall againe A good caueat Cape Verde The foolish rashnes of Wil. Bats perswading the company to land vnarmed Ciuet muske gold grains the commoditieâ— of Cape Verde The Negros trecherie A French interpreter for Cape Verde The danger of poisonâ—d arrowes The answere of the Negros Bona vista A good admonition Banished Portugals Great store of goates The I le of Maiyo S. Iago The treason of the Portugals in S. Iago to our men The Isle of Fuego Mill. Cotton in Fuego The Isle of Braua They returne March Aprill Woad May. A Portugall Galiasse of 400 tunnes A fight betweene one English ship and 7 Portugals The 7 Portugals depart with shame from one English ship Iune A Portugall ship notwithstanding all their vilanies defended by one men from Rouers M. Hogan his arriual at Azafi in Barbarie May. â—n Barbary theâ— haue no Innes but they lodge in open fieldes where they can find water The singular humaniâ—ie of the king to our Ambassadour The Spaniards and Poâ—â—â—gales were coÌ„mandeâ— by the king in paine of death to â—eete thâ— Enâ—lish Ambasâ—adour The king of Spaine sought to disgrace the Queene heâ— Ambassour The king of Barbarie sent into England for Musicians A rich gift bestowed vpon our Ambassadour Iune The
ex diametro spirantibus The words of the king of Portugall to Andro Vrdaneta a Frier touching the concealing of this Northwest passage from England to Cataia An obiection Aristotle lib. de mundo cap. 2. Berosus lib. 5. The Northwest passage assentâ—d vnto The first reason The answer or resolution Vlsus nonnunquam fallitur in suo obiecto The second reason or allegation The answer or resolution The third and last reason or assertion The answer or resolution Some doubt of this This discouery offered This discouery attempted This discouery performed The labour of this discouerie shortned by other mens trauell Why y e kings of Spaine and Portugal would not perseuer in this discouery Pereas qui vmbras times 1 By the Southeast 2 By the Southwest This is an errour 3 By the Northeast Ortel tab Asiae 3. 4 By the Northeast Ob. 1. In Theatro Ob. 2. Ob. 3. Ob. 4. Ob. 5. Ob. 6. Cic. 1. de orat Arist. pri Metaph. Lib. 1. Geog. Cap. 2. Sol. 1. Sol. 2. Ouid. â— Meta. Sol. 3. Sol. 4. Lib. Geog. Noâ—e Richard Eden Lib. 2. Meteor cap. 1. Plin. lib. â—â— capâ— 67. Sol. 5. Sol. 6â— Luc. lib. 1â— Phaâ—sal What the Easterne current is Lib. 1. Geog. Cap 2. Iune ‖ M. Matthew 〈◊〉 was Capâ—aine of the Michael Fairâ— Island Shotland * By eleuation he meaâ—eth the distance oâ— the sunne from the zâ—â—â—th S. Tronionsâ— Foâ—lay Island Latitude 59. deg 59. min. â—ere they begâ—â— to saile West and by North. Iuly the first The Compasse varying Westwards one point The Island of Friseland The variation of the needle two points and a halfe to the West A great drift of yce The latitude of 62. degrees 2. min. Sight of land supposed to haue bene Labrador August They enter the Streiâ— in the latitude of 63. deg and 8. min. Sight of the Countrey people The description of the people 5. of our men taken by the people They returne September The Sheld The Islands Orcades or Orkney The Orcadians vpon smal occasion fire their home No wood in Orkney Fisher men of â—ngland haue dailâ—â—raffike to Oâ—knâ—y In Iune and Iuly no night in those West and Northwest regions Great abundance of Firre trees floting in the sea Inquire further of this current Yce snow and haile in Iune and Iuly Friseland subiect to fogge Frobishers streight Islands of yce comparable to mountaines Captaine Frobisher his speciall care and diligence for the benefite of his Prince and Countreâ— The order of the people appearing on shoare Fierce and hold people One taken Richard Cox Master gunner Master Iackman Andrew Dier Iackmans sound Possession taken Yce needefull to be regarded of seafaring men Stones glister with sparkles like gold A common prouerbe The sea Unicorne The people fled at the sight of our men Master Philpot Master Beast A fierce assault of a few Faire meanes not able to allure them to familiarity Boates of skinneâ— Our deparâ—ure from the West shore The countrey people shew themselues vnto vs. Their vsage in traffique or exchange The people shew themselues the third time The people shew themselues againe on â—â—rme land Their â—â—râ—t meanes to allure vs to shore Their second meanes Their third and crafâ—iest allurâ—ment Compassion to cure a crafty lame man Dogges like vnto woluâ—â— They eate dogs flesh Hoods â—nd tailes to their apparâ—ll Their houses of Seale skins and Firre Their weapons of defence Three â—orts of heads to their arrowes Two sorts of darts Two sorts of boates made of leather They vse to foule fish and hunt It is to be supposed that their inhabiting is elsewhere Their vse of yron Anthropophagi Signes of gold eâ—â—e Signes of gold from other people Description of the Countreis â— signe of Earthquakeâ— or thunder No riuers but â—uch as the Sunne doth cause to come of snow A probability that there should be neither spring or riuers in the ground Springs nourish gold Our departurâ— from those Countreys How when we lost our 2. Barks which God neuerthelesse restored The conclusion Master Yorke Christopher Hall The Hopewel Captaine Carew Andrew Dierâ— Harwich Dursies Ireland Plimmouth Bristow Frizeland The curtesie of our Generall Master Kinderslie Bartholomew Bull. The Michael The Iudith M. Fenton Charles Iackman The Countesse of Wâ—rwicks sound Our entrance passage c. Barke Dionyse Narow shifts for safetie Gods prouidence A mountaine of yce appearing in sundry figures A fog of long continuance A current to the Northwest The Gabriel The people offer to traffike with vs. Warning pieces of fate passage discharged A faire sound betweene the Queenes foreland and Iackmans sound An horrible snowe fell in Iuly The time of our setting forward c. The Countesse of Sussex Iland Winters Fornace Dauids sound The policie of the people for safeâ—ie of themselues Their speedie flight at our Generals arriuall Gentlemen should haue inhaâ—ited the Countrey An house tricked and garnished with diuers trâ—â—kâ—â—s An outragious tempest Our entring the coastes dangerous The Island in length 25. leagues This Iland is in the latitude of 57. degrees and 1 second part Two harboroughs in this Island Experience to proue that Torrida Zona is habitable Marochus more hote then about the Equinoctiall Marueiloâ—s fruitfull soile vnder the Equinoctiall Great trees Commoditiâ—â— and pleasurâ—â— vnder the Equinoctiall Heat is caused by two means that is by his maner of Angle and by his continuanceâ— Note this reason Paris in France is as hote as vnder the Equinoctiall in Iune In Iune is greater heat at Paris then vnder the Equinoctial The twilights are shorter and the nights darker vnder the Equinoctial then at Paris In what proportion the Angle of the Sun beames heateth They vse and haue neede of fire vnder the Equinoctiall Colde intermingled with heate vndre the Equinoctial Ethiopâ—ans blacke with curled haire The Sunne heateth not by his neernesse but onely by reflection A black Mooreâ— sonne borne in England The colour of the people in Meta Incognita The complexion of the people of Meta incognita The cause of the Ethiopians blacknesse The Arke of Noe. Chus the sonne of Cham accursed Africa was called Chamesis Greatest temperature vnder the Equinoctial Vndre the Equinoctiall is greatest generation Greatest heate vnder the Tropicâ—â— Cuba Hispaniola 〈…〉 Under the Tropickes is moderate temperature Nine Climates A comparison betweene Marochus and England All the North regions are habitable Elephant Orange tree Two causes of heat Hote nights nere the pole Colde nights vnder the Equinoctiall One day of sixe moneths Moderate heat vnder y e poles The Sunne neuer setteth in 182 dayes Horizon aâ—d Equinoctiall all one vnder the pole London Commodious dwelling vnder the poles The nights vnder the pole The regions vnder the poles want twilights but sixe weeks Winter nights vnder the pole tolerable to liuing creatures An obiection of Meta incognita Meta incognita inhabited Captaine Frobisherâ— first voyage The Michael returned home Frobishers first entrance within â— streights Frobisherâ— strâ—igâ—tâ— Deere The first
degrees of Sagittarius the 12. of Nouember and in Aquarius the 9. of Ianuary hauing South latitude I am to prooue by experience and reason that all that distance included betweene these two Paralels last named conteyning 40. degrees in latitude going round about the earth according to longitude is not onely habitable but the same most fruitfull and delectable and that if any extremitie of heate bee the same not to be within the space of twenty degrees of the Equinoctiall on either side but onely vnder and about the two Tropickes and so proportionally the neerer you doe approch to eyther Tropicke the more you are subiect to extremitie of heate if any such be and so Marochus being situate but sixe or seuen degrees from the Tropicke of Cancer shall be more subiect to heate then any place vnder or neere the Equinoctiall line And first by the experience of sundry men yea thousands Trauailers and Merchants to the East and West Indies in many places both directly vnder and hard by the Equinoctiall they with one consent affirme that it aboundeth in the middest of Torrida Zona with all manner of Graine Hearbes grasse fruite wood and cattell that we haue heere and thousandes other sortes farre more wholesome delectable and precious then any wee haue in these Northerne climates as very well shall appeare to him that will reade the Histories and Nauigations of such as haue traueiled Arabia India intra extra Gangem the Islands Moluccae America c. which all lye about the middle of the burning zone where it is truely reported that the great hearbes as are Radish Lettuce Colewortes Borage and such like doe waxe ripe greater more sauourie and delectable in taste then ours within sixteene dayes after the seede is sowen Wheate being sowed the first of Februarie was found ripe the first of May and generally where it is lesse fruitfull the wheate will be ripe the fourth moneth after the seed is sowne and in some places will bring foorth an eare as bigge as the wrist of a mans arme containing 1000. graines Beanes peace c. are there ripe twice a yeere Also grasse being cut downe will grow vp in sixe dayes aboue one foote high If our cattell be transported thither within a small time their yong-ones become of bigger stature and more fat then euer they would haue bene in these countreys There are found in euery wood in great numbers such timber trees as twelue men holding handes together are not able to fathome And to be short all they that haue bene there with one consent affirme that there are the goodliest greene medowes and plaines the fairest mountaines couered with all sorts of trees and fruites the fairest valleys the goodliest pleasant fresh riuers stored with infinite kinde of fishes the thickest woods greene and bearing fruite all the whole yeere that are in all the world And as for gold siluer and all other kinde of Metals all kinde of spices and delectable fruites both for delicacie and health are there in such abundance as hitherto they haue bene thought to haue beene bred no where else but there And in conclusion it is nowe thought that no where else but vnder the Equinoctiall or not farre from thence is the earthly Paradise and the onely place of perfection in this worlde And that these things may seeme the lesse strange because it hath bene accompted of the olde Philosophers that there coulde nothing prosper for the extreme heat of the Sunne continually going ouer their heades in the zodiacke I thought good here to alleadge such naturall causes as to me seeme very substantiall and sure reasons First you are to vnderstand that the Sunne doeth worke his more or lesse heat in these lower parts by two meanes the one is by the kinde of Angle that the Sunne beames doe make with the earth as in all Torrida Zona it maketh perpendicularly right Angles in some place or other at noone and towards the two Poles very oblique and vneuen Angles And the other meane is the longer or shorter continuance of the Sunne aboue the Horizon So that wheresoeuer these two causes do most concurre there is most excesse of heat and when the one is wanting the rigor of the heat is lesse For though the Sunne beames do beat perpendicularly vpon any region subiect vnto it if it hath no continuance or abode aboue the Horizon to worke his operation in there can no hote effect proceed For nothing can be done in a moment And this second cause mora Solis supra Horizontem the time of the sunnes abiding aboue the Horizon the old Philosophers neuer remembred but regarded onely the maner of Angles that the Sunne beames made with the Horizon which if they were equall and right the heat was the greater as in Torrida Zona if they were vnequall and oblique the heat was the lesse as towards both Poles which reason is very good and substantiall for the perpendicular beames reflect and reuerberate in themselues so that the heat is doubled euery beame striking twice by vniting are multiplied and continue strong in forme of a Columne But in our Latitude of 50. and 60. degrees the Sunne beames descend oblique and slanting wise and so strike but once and depart and therefore our heat is the lesse for any effect that the Angle of the Sunne beames make Yet because wee haue a longer continuance of the Sunnes presence aboue our Horizon then they haue vnder the Equinoctial by this continuance the heat is increased for it shineth to vs 16. or 18. houres sometime when it continueth with them but twelue houres alwayes And againe our night is very short wherein cold vapours vse to abound being but sixe or eight houres long whereas theirs is alwayes twelue houres long by which two aduantages of long dayes and short nights though we want the equalitie of Angle it commeth to passe that in Sommer our heat here is as great as theirs is there as hath bene proued by experience and is nothing dissonant from good reason Therefore whosoeuer will rightly way the force of colde and heat in any region must not onely consider the Angle that the Sunne beames make but also the continuance of the same aboue the Horizon As first to them vnder the Equinoctiall the Sunne is twice a yeere at noone in their zenith perpendicular ouer their heads and therefore during the two houres of those two dayes the heat is very vrgent and so perhaps it will be in foure or fiue dayes more an houre euery day vntill the Sunne in his proper motion haue crossed the Equinoctiall so that this extreme heat caused by the perpendicular Angle of the Sunne beames enduâ—eth but two houres of two dayes in a yeere But if any man say the Sunne may sealde a good while before and after it come to the Meridian so farre foorth as reason leadeth I am content to allow it and therefore I will measure and proportion
the day is longer by an houre and a halfe then it is vnder the Equinoctiall wherefore the heate of the Sunne hauing a longer time of operation must needes be encreased especially seeing the night wherein colde and moysture doe abound vnder the Tropickes is lesse then it is vnder the Equinoctiall Therefore I gather that vnder the Tropickes is the hotest place not onely of Torrida Zona but of any other part of the world especially because there both causes of heate doe concurre that is the perpendicular falling of the Sunne beames two monethes together and the longer abode of the Sunnes presence aboue the Horison And by this meanes more at large is prooued that Marochus in Sommer is farre more hote then at any time vnder the Equinoctiall because it is situate so neere the Tropick of Cancer and also for the length of their dayes Neither yet do I thinke that the Regions situate vnder the Tropicks are not habitable for they are found to be very fruitfull also although Marochus and some other parts of Afrike neere the Tropike for the drinesse of the natiue sandie soile and some aâ—cidents may seeme to some to be intemperate for ouer much heat For Ferdinandâ—â— Ouieduâ— speaking of Cuba and Hispaniola Ilands of America lying hard vnder or by the Tropike of Câ—ncer saith that these Ilands haue as good pasture for cattell as any other countrey in the world Also they haue most holesome and cleare water and temperate aire by reason whereof the heatâ—s of beastes are much bigger fatter and of better taste then any in Spaine because of the â—anke pasture whose moysture is better dâ—gested in the hearbe or grasse by continuall and temperâ—tâ— heate of the Sunne whereby being made more fat and vnctious it is of better and more stedfast nourishment For continuall and temperate heate doeth not onely drawe much moysture out of the earth to the nourishment of such things as growe and are engendred in that Clime but doeth also by moderation preserue the same from putrifying digesting also and condensating or thickning the said moyst nourishment into a gamme and vnctious substance whereby appeareth also that vnder the Tropikes is both holesome fruitefull and pleasant habitation whereby lastly it followeth that all the middle zone which vntill of late dayes hath bene compted and called the burning broyling and parched zone is now found to be the most delicate tempâ—rate commodious pleasant and delectable part of the world and especially vnder the Equinoctiall Hauing now sufficiently at large declared the temperature of the middle zone it remaineth to speake somewhat also of the moderate and continuall heate in colde Regions as well in the night as in the day all the Sommer long and also how these Regions are habitable to the inhabitants of the same contrary to the opinion of the olde writers Of the temperature of colde Regions all the Sommer long and also how in Winter the same is habitable especially to the inhabitants thereof THe colde Regions of the world are those which tending toward the Poles Arctike and Antarctike are without the circuite or boundes of the seuen Climates which assertion agreeable to the opinion of the olde Writers is found and set out in our authour of the Sphere Iohannes de Sacrobosco where hee plainely saith that without the seuenth Climate which is bounded by a Parallel passing at fiftie degrees in Latitude all the habitation beyonde is discommodious and intollerable But Gemma â—â—isius a late writer finding England and Scotland to be without the compasse of those Climates wherein hee knewe to bee very temperate and good habitation added thereunto two other Climates the vttermost Parallel whereof passeth by 56. degrees in Latitude and therein comprehendeth ouer and aboue the first computation England Scotland Denmarke Moscouia c. which all are rich â—nd mightie kingdomes The olde writers perswaded by bare coniecâ—ure went about to determine of those places by comparing them to their owne complexions because they felt them to bee hardly tollerable to themselues and so took thereby an argument of the whole habitable earth as if a man borne in Marochus or some other part of Barbarie should at the latter end of Sommer vpon the suddeine either naked or with his thinne vesture bee brought into England hee would iudge this Region presently not to bee habitable because hee being brought vp in so warme a Countrey is not able here to liue for so suddeine an alteration of the colde aire but if the same man had come at the beginning of Sommer and so afterward by little and little by certaine degrees had felt and acquainted himselfe with the frost of Autumne it would haue seemed by degrees to harden him and so to make it farre more tollerable and by vse after one yeere or two the aire would seeme to him more temperate It was compted a great matter in the olde time that there was a brasse pot broken in sunder with frosen water in Pontus which after was brought and shewed in Delphis in token of a miraculous colde region and winter and therefore consecrated to the Temple of Apollo This effect being wrought in the Parallel of fouretie three degrees in Latitude it was presently counted a place very hardly and vneasily to be inhabited for the great colde And how then can such men define vpon other Regions very farre without that Parallel whether they were inhabited or not seeing that in so neere a place they so grossely mistooke the matter and others their followers being contented with the inuentions of the olde Authours haue persisted willingly in the same opinion with more confidence then consideration of the cause so lightly was that opinion receiued as touching the vnhabitable Clime neere and vnder the Poles Therefore I am at this present to proue that all the land lying betweene the last climat euen vnto the point directly vnder either poles is or may be inhabited especially of such creatures as are ingendred and bred therein For indeed it is to be confessed that some particular liuing creature cannot liue in euery particular place or region especially with the same ioy and felicite as it did where it was first bred for the certeine agreement of nature that is betweene the place and the thing bred in that place as appeareth by the Elephant which being translated and brought out of the second or third climat though they may liue yet will they neuer ingender or bring forth yong Also we see the like in many kinds of plants and herbs for example the Orange trees although in Naples they bring forth fruit abundantly in Rome and Florence they will beare onely faire greene leaues but not any fruit and translated into England they will hardly beare either flowers fruit or leaues but are the next Winter pinched and withered with colde yet it followeth not for this that England Rome and Florence should not be habitable In the prouing of these colde