in the former passage as he tolde me the deeper alwayes he found the Sea Lay you now the summe hereof together The riuers runne where the chanels are most hollow the sea in taking his course waxeth deeper the Sea waters fall continually from the North Southward the Northeasterne current striketh downe into the straight we speake of and is there augmented with whole mountaines of yce and snowe falling downe furiously out from the land vnder the North pole Where store of water is there is it a thing impossible to want Sea where Sea not onely doeth not want but waxeth deeper there can be discouered no land Finally whence I pray you came the contrary tide that Mâ— Frobisher mette withall after that he had sailed no small way in that passage if there bee any Isthmos or straight of land betwixt the aforesayd Northwesterne gulfe and Mar del Zur to ioyne Asia and America together That conclusion frequented in scholes Quicquid preter c. was meant of the partes of the world then knowen and so is it of right to be vnderstood The fift obiection requireth for answere wisedome and policie in the trauailer to winne the Barbarians fauour by some good meanes and so to arme and strengthen himselfe that when he shal haue the repulse in one coast he may safely trauaile to an other commodiously taking his conuenient times and discreetely making choise of them with whom hee will throughly deale To force a violent entry would for vs Englishmen be very hard considering the strength and valour of so great a Nation farre distant from vs and the attempt thereof might be most perillous vnto the doers vnlesse their part were very good Touching their lawes against strangers you shall reade neuerthelesse in the same relations of Galeotto Perera that the Cathaian king is woont to graunt free accesse vnto all forreiners that trade into his Countrey for Marchandise and a place of libertie for them to remaine in as the Moores had vntill such time as they had brought the Loutea or Lieutenant of that coast to bee a circumcised Saracene wherefore some of them were put to the sword the rest were scattered abroad at Fuquien a great citie in China certaine of them are yet this day to be seene As for the Iapans they be most desirous to be acquainted with strangers The Portingals though they were straitly handled there at the first yet in the ende they found great fauour at the Prince his hands insomuch that the Loutea or president that misused them was therefore put to death The rude Indian Canoa halleth those seas the Portingals the Saracenes and Moores trauaile continually vp and downe that reach from Iapan to China from China to Malacca from Malacca to the Moluccaes and shall an Englishman better appointed then any of them all that I say no more of our Nauie feare to saile in that Ocean What seas at all doe want piracie What Nauigation is there voyde of perill To the last argument Our trauailers neede not to seeke their returne by the Northeast neither shall they be constrained except they list either to attempt Magellans straight at the Southwest or to be in danger of the Portingals for the Southeast they may returne by the Northwest that same way they doe goe foorth as experience hath shewed The reason alleadged for proofe of the contrary may be disproued after this maner And first it may be called in controuersie whether any current continually be forced by the motion of Primum mobile round about the world or no For learned men doe diuersly handle that queâ—tion The naturall course of all waters is downeward wherefore of congruence they fall that way where they finde the earth most lowe and deepe in respect whereof it was erst sayd the seas doe strike from the Northren landes Southerly Uiolently the seas are tossed and troubled diuers wayes with the windes encreased and diminished by the course of the Moone hoised vp downe through the sundry operations of the Sunne and the starres finally some be of opinion that the seas be caried in part violently about the world after the dayly motion of the highest moueable heauen in like maner as the elements of ayre and fire with the rest of the heauenly spheres are from the East vnto the West And this they doe call their Easterne current or leuant streame Some such current may not be denied to be of great force in the hot zone for the neerenesse thereof vnto the centre of the Sunne and blustring Easterne windes violently driuing the seas Westward howbeit in the temperate climes the Sunne being further off the windes more diuers blowing as much from the North the West and South as from the East this rule doeth not effectually withholde vs from trauailing Eastward neither be we kept euer backe by the aforesaid Leuant windes and streame But in Magellans streight wee are violently driuen backe Westward Ergo through the Northwesterne straight or Anian frette shall we not be able to returne Eastward It followeth not The first for that the northwesterne straight hath more searoome at the least by one hundreth English myles then Magellans frette hath the onely want whereof causeth all narrow passages generally to be most violent So would I say in the Anian gulfe if it were so narrow as Don Diego and Zalterius haue painted it out any returne that way to bee full of difficulties in respect of such streightnesse thereof not for the neerenesse of the Sunne or Easterne windes violently forcing that way any leuant streame But in that place there is more sea roome by many degrees if the Cardes of Cabota and Gemma Frisius and that which Tramezine imprinted be true And hitherto reason see I none at all but that I may as well giue credite vnto their doings as to any of the rest It must be Peregrinationis historia that is true reportes of skilfull trauailers as Ptolome writeth that in such controuersies of Geographie must put vs out of doubt Ortelius in his vniuersall tables in his particular Mappes of the West Indies of all Asia of the Northren kingdomes of the East Indies Mercator in some of his globes and generall Mappes of the world Moletius in his vniuersall table of the Globe diuided in his sea Carde and particuler tables of the East Indies Zalterius and Don Diego with Ferdinando Bertely and others doe so much differ from Gemma Frisius and Cabota among themselues and in diuers places from themselues concerning the diuers situation and sundry limits of America that one may not so rashly as truely surmise these men either to be ignorant in those points touching the aforesaid region or that the Mappes they haue giuen out vnto the world were collected onely by them and neuer of their owne drawing The first Voyage of M. Martine Frobisher to the Northwest for the search of the straight or passage to China written by Christopher Hall Master in the Gabriel
so called arising into the ayre according to Munster eight or nine Germaine miles in height and continually flaming like Aetna yet as Benzo an Italian and Historiographer of the West Indies witnesseth is it not able to melt the girdle of snowe embracing the middest thereof Which thing what reason haue we more to admire in the mountaine of Hecla And thus much briefly concerning firie mountaines Now that also is to be amended whereas they write that these mountaines are lifted vp euen vnto the skies For they haue no extraordinarie height beyond the other mountaines of Island but especially that third mountaine called by Munster Helga and by vs Helgafel that is the holy mount standing iust by a monastery of the same name being couered with snowe vpon no part thereof in Summer time neither deserueth it the name of an high mountaine but rather of an humble hillocke neuer yet as I sayd in the beginning of this section so much as once suspected of burning Neither yet ought perpetuall snowe to be ascribed to Hecla onely or to a few others for Island hath very many such snowy mountaines all which the Cosmographer who hath so extolled and admired these three should not easily finde out and reckon vp in a whole yere And that also is not to be omitted that mount Hecla standeth not towards the West as Munster and Ziegler haue noted but betweene the South and the East neither is it an headland but rather a mid-land hill Continueth alwayes burning c. whosoeuer they be that haue ascribed vnto Hecla perpetuall belching out of flames they are farre besides the marke insomuch that as often as it hath beâ—e enflamed our countreymen haue recorded it in their yerely Chronicles for a rare accident namely in the yeeres of Christ 1104 1157 1222 1300 1341 1362 and 1389 For from that yeere we neuer heard of the burning of this mountaine vntill the yeere 1558 which was the last breaking foorth of fire in that mountaine In the meane time I say not that is impossible but that the bottome of the hill may inwardly breed and nourish flames which at certaine seasons as hath bene heretofore obserued haue burst out and perhaps may do the like hereafter The seuenth section The flame of mount Hecla will not burne towe which is most apt for the wieke of a candle neither is it quenched with water and by the same force that bullets are discharged out of warlike engines with vs from thence are great stones cast foorth into the aire by reason of the mixture of colde and fire and brimstone This place is thought of some to be the prison of vncleane soules Item Zieglerus This place is the prison of vncleane soules VVIll not burne towe Where these writers should finde such matters it is not easie to coniecture For our people are altogether ignorant of them neither had they â—uer bene heard of heere among vs if they had not brought them to light For there is no man with vs so rashly and fondly curious that dareth for his life the hill being on fire trie any such conclusions or to our knowledge that euer durst which notwithstanding Munster affirmeth saying They that are desirous to contemplate the nature of so huge a fire for the same purpose approch vnto the mountaine are by some gulfe swallowed vp aliue c. which thing as I sayd is altogether vnknowen vnto our nation Yet there is a booke extant written in the ancient language of the Noruagians wherein you may finde some miracles of earthâ— water fire and aire c. coâ—fusedly written few of them true and the most part vaine and false Whereupon it easily appeareth that it was written long since by some that were imagined to be great wise men in the â—imâ— of Popery They called it a royall looking glasse howbeit in regard of the fond fables wherewith but for the most part vnder the shew of religion and piety whereby it is more difficult to finde out the cousinage it doeth all ouer swarme it deserueth not the name of a looking glasse royall but rather of a popular and olde wiues looking glasse In this glasse there are found certâ—ine figments of the burning of Hecla not much vnlike these which we now entreat of nor any whit more grounded vpon experience and for that cause to be reiected But that I may not seeme somewhat foolehardy for accusing this royall looking glasse of falshood not to mention any of those things which it râ—porteth as lesse credible loe heere a few things friendly reader which I suppose deserue no credit at all 1 Of a certaine Isle in Ireland hauing a church and a parish in it the inhabitants whereof deceasing are not buried in the earth but like liuing men do continually against some banke or wall in the Churchyard stand bolt-vpright neither are they suâ—iect to any corruption or downefall insomuch that any of the posteritie may there seeke for and beholde their ancestors 2 Of another Isle of Ireland where men are not mortall 3 Of all the earth and trees of Ireland being of force to resist all poisons and to kill serpents and other venimous things in any countrey whatsoeuer by the onely vertue and presence thereof yea euen without touching 4 Of a third Isle of Ireland that the one halfe thereof became an habitation of deuils but that the sayd deuils haue no iurisâ—iction ouer the other halfe by reason of a Church there built although as the whole Isle is without inhabitants so this part is continually destitute of a Pastor and of diuine seruice and that it is so by nature 5 Of a fourth Isle of Ireland floating vp and downe in an huge lake the grasse whereof is a most present remedy for all kinde of diseases and that the Iland at certeine seasons especially on Sundayes commeth to the banke of the lake so that any man may then easily enter into it as it were into a shippe which notwithstanding sayth he destiny will not suffer any more then one to enter at a time Furthermore he reporteth that this Iland euery seuenth yere groweth fast to the banke so that you cannot discerne it from firme land but that into the place thereof there succeedeth another altogether like the former in nature quantiâ—ie and vertue which from what place it commeth no man can tell and that all this happeneth with a kinde of thundering 6 Of the hunters of Norway who are so expert to tame wood for so he speaketh very improperly whereas vnto wood neither life nor taming can be ascribed that wooden pattens of eight elnes long being bound to the soles of their feet do cary them with so great celeritie euen vpon hie mountaines that they cannot be outrun either by the swiftnes of hounds and deere or yet by the flying of birds And that they will kill nine roes or more at one course with one stroke of a dart These and such like concerning Ireland Norway
the night Why not in the hill of Lipara opening with a wide and bottomlesse gulfe as Aristotle beareth record whereunto it is dangerous to approch in the night froÌ„ whence the sound of Cymbals and the noyse of rattles with vnwonted and vncouth laughters are heard Why not in the field of Naples neare vnto Puteoli Why not in the Pike of â—eneriffa before mentioned like Aetna continually burning and casting vp stones into the aier as Munster himselfe witnesseth Why not in that Aethiopian hill which Plinie affirmeth to burne more then all the former And to conclude why not in the mountaine of Vesuuius which to the great damage of al the countrey adioyning to the vtter destruction of Caius Plinius prying into y e causes of so strange a fire vomiting out flames as high as the clouds filling the aire with great abundance of pumistones and ashes with palpable darknesse intercepting the light of the sunne from al the region therabout I wil speake yet speake no more then the truth because in deede they foresaw that men would yeeld no credite to those things as being too well knowen though they should haue feined them to haue beene the flames of hell but they thought the burning of Hecla the rumor whereof came more slowly to their eares to be fitter for the establishing of this fond fable But get ye packing your fraud is found out leaue off for shame hereafter to perswade any simple man y t there is a hel in mount Helca For nature hath taught both vs others maugre your opinion to acknowledge her operations in these fireworkes not the fury of hell But now let vs examine a few more such fables of y e coÌ„moÌ„ people which haue so vnhappily misledd our historiographers cosmographers The eight section Neare vnto the mountaines the 3. fornamed Hecla c. there be three vaste holes the depth whereof especially at mount Hecla cannot be discerned by any man be he neuer so sharpe sighted but there appeare to the beholders thereof certaine men at that instant plunged in as yet drawing their breath who answere their friends exhorting them with deepe sighs to returne home that they must depart to mount Hecla and with that they suddenly vanish away TO confirme the formerlie of an earthly visible hell albeit I will easily grant that Frisius in writing these things did not entend to reproch any but only to blaze abroad new incredible matters certaine idle companions knowing neither hell nor heauen haue inuented this fable no lesse reprochfull then false and more vaine detestable then Sicilian scoffes Which fellowes these writers being otherwise men of excellent parts and to whom learning is much indebted haue followed with an ouer hastie iudgement But it were to be wished that none would write Histories with so great a desire of setting foorth nouelties strange things that they feare not in that regard to broch any fabulous oldmiues toyes so to defile pure gold with filthy mire But I pray you how might those drowned meÌ„ be swimming in the infernal lake yet for al that parleing with their acquaintance friends What Will you coniure raise vp vnto vs from death to life old Orpheus conferring with his wife Euridice drawen backe againe down to the Stigian flood in these parts of the world as it were by the bankes of snowey Tanais Hebrus descanting vpon his harpe But in very deed although others will not acknowledge the falshood vanity of these trifles yet Cardane being a diligent considerer of all things in his 18. booke de subâ—ilitate doth acknowledge find them out Whose words be these There is Hecla a mountaine in Island which burneth like vnte AEâ—na at certain seasons hereupon the coÌ„mon people haue conceiued an opinion this long time that soules are there purged some least they should seeme liars heape vp more vanities to this fable that it may appeare to be probable agreeable to reasoÌ„ But what be those vanities namely they feine certaine ghosts answering theÌ„ that they are going to mount Hecla as the same Cardane saith And further he addeth Neither in Island only but euery where albeit seldome such things come to passe And then he tels this storie following of a man-killing spright There was saith he solemnized this last yeare the funerall of a coÌ„mon citizen in the gate neare vnto the great Church by that marketplace which in regard of the abundaÌ„ce of herbs in our toong hath the name of the herbmarket There meets with me one of mine acquaintance I according to the custome of Phisiâ—ians presently aske of what disease the man died he giueth me answere that this man vsed to come home from his labour 3. houres within night one night amoÌ„g the rest he espied an hobgoblin pursuing him which to auoid he ran away with al speed but being caught by the spright he was throwne down vpon the ground He would faine haue made a shout was not able At length when the spright he had struggled together vpon the ground a good while he was found by certain passengers carried home halfe dead And when he was come to himselfe againe being asked what was the matter he vp and tolde this strange relation Hereupon being vtterly daunted discouraged when neither by his friends nor by Phisitians nor by Priests he could be perswaded that these things were but his owne conceits that there was no such matter 8. daies after he died I heard also afterward of others which were his neighbors that no man could more coÌ„stantly affirme himselfe to be wounded of his enemy then this man did that he was cast vpon the ground by a ghost And when some demanded what he did after he was tumbled on the earth The dead man quoth he laying his hands to my throat went about to straÌ„gle me neither was there any remedy but by defending my selfe with mine own hands When others doubted least he might suffer these things of a liuing man they asked him how he could discerne a dead man froÌ„ a liuing To this he rendered a very probable reason saying that he seemed in handling to be like Cottum that he had no weight but held him down by maine force And presently after he addeth In like manner as in Island so in the desert sands of AEgypt AEthiopia and India where the sunne is hoat the very same apparitions the same sprights are wont to delude wayfaring men Thus much Cardane Yet from hence I trow no man will conclude as our writers of Island do that in the places of AEgypt AEthiopia and India there is a prison of damned soules I thought good to write these things out of Cardane that I may bring euen the testimony of strangers on our sides against such monstrous fables This place of Cardane implieth these two things namely y e apparitions of sprights are not proper to Island alone which thing al meÌ„
toward the North are the kingdoms of Gambra and Budomel not farre from the riuer of Senega And from hence toward the inland regions and along by the sea coast are the regions of Ginoia or Guinea which we commonly call Ginnee On the Westside of these regions toward the Ocean is the cape or point called Cabo verde or Caput viride that is the greene cape to the which the Portugals first direct their course when they saile to America or the land of Brasile Then departing from hence they turne to the right hand toward the quarter of the winde called Garbino which is betweene the West and the South But to speake some what more of AEthiopia although there are many nations of people so named yet is Aethiopia chiefly diuided into two parts whereof the one is called Aethiopia vnder Aegypt a great rich region To this perteineth the Island Meroe imbraced round about with the stremes of the riuer Nilus In this Island women reigned in old time Iosephus writeth that it was sometime called Sabea and that the Queene of Saba came from thence to Ierusalem to heare the wisedom of Salomon FroÌ„ hence toward the East reigneth the said Christian Emperor Prester Iohn whom some cal Papa Iohannes other say that he is called Pean Iuan that is great Iohn whose Empire reacheth far beyond Nilus and is extended to the coasts of the Red sea Indian sea The middle of the region is almost in 66. degrees of longitude and 12. degrees of latitude About this region inhabite the people called Clodi Risophagi Babylonij Axiunitae Molili and Molibae After these is the region called Troglodytica whose inhabitantsâ— dwel in caues and dennes for these are their houses the flesh of serpents their meat as writeth Plinie and Diodorus Siculus They haue no speachâ— but rather a grinning and chattering There are also people without heads called Blemines hauing their eyes and mouth in their breast Likewise Strucophagi and naked Ganphasantes Satyrs also which haue nothing of men but onely shape Moreouer Oripei great hunters Mennones also and the region of Smyrnophora which bringeth foorth myrthe After these is the region of Azania in the which many Elephants are found A great part of the other regions of Africke that are beyond the Aequinoctiall line are now ascribed to the kingdome of Melinde whose inhabitants are accustomed to trafique with the nations of Arabia and their king is ioyned in friendship with the king of Portugal and payeth tribute to Prester Iohn The other Ethiope called AEthiopia interior that is the inner Ethiope is not yet knowne for the greatnesse thereof but onely by the sea coastes yet is it described in this maner First from the Aequinoctiall toward y e South is a great region of Aethiopians which bringeth forth white Elephants Tygers and the beastes called Rhinocerotes Also a region that bringeth foorth plenty of cynamoâ—e lying betweene the branches of Nilus Also the kingdome of Habech or Habasia a region of Christian men lying both on this side and beyond Nilus Here are also the Aethiopians called Ichthiophagi that is such as liue onely by fish and were sometimes subdued by the warres of great Alexander Furthermore the Aethiopians called Rhapsij Anthropophâ—gi y t are accustomed to eat mans flesh inhabite the regions neere vnto the mountains called Monteâ— Lunae that is the mountaines of the Moone Gazatia is vnder the Tropike of Capricorne After this followeth the front of Afrike the Cape of Buena Speranza or Caput Bonae Spei that is the Cape of good hope by the which they passe that saile from Lisbon to Calicut But by what names the Capes and gulfes are called forasmuch as the same are in euery globe and card it were here superfluous to rehearse them Some write that Africa was so named by the Grecians because it is without colde For the Greeke letter Alpha or A signifieth priuation voyd or without and Phrice signifieth colde For in deed although in the stead of Winter they haue a cloudy and tempestuous season yet is it not colde but rather smoothering hote with hote showres of raine also and somewhere such scorching windes that what by one meanes and other they seeme at certaine times to liue as it were iâ— fornaces and in maner already halfe way in Purgatorie or hell Gemma Phrisius writeth that iâ— certaine parts of Africa as in Atlas the greater the aire in the night season is seene shining with many strange fires and flames rising in maner as high as the Moone and that in the element are sometime heard as it were the sound of pipes trumpets and drummes which noises may perhaps be caused by the vehement and sundry motions of such firie exhalations in the aire as we see the like in many experiences wrought by fire aire and winde The hollownesse also and diuers reflexions and breaking of the cloudes may be great causes hereof beside the vehement colde of the middle region of the aire whereby the said fiery exhalations ascending thither are suddenly stricken backe with great force for euen common and dayly experience teacheth vs by the whissing of a burning torch what noise fire maketh in the aire and much more where it striueth when it is inclosed with aire as appeareth in gunnes and as the like is seene in onely aire inclosed as in Organ pipes and such other instruments that go by winde For winde as say the Philosophers is none other then aire vehemently moued as we see in a paire of bellowes and such other Some of our men of good credit that were in this last voiage to Guinea affirme earnestly that in the night season they felt a sensible heat to come from the beames of the moone The which thing although it be strange and insensible to vs that inhabite cold regions yet doeth it stand with good reason that it may so be forasmuch as the nature of starres and planets as writeth Plinie consisteth of fire and conteineth in it a spirit of life which cannot be without heat And that the Moone giueth heate vpon the earth the Prophet Dauid seemeth to confirme in his 121. Psalme where speaking of such men as are defended from euils by Gods protection hee saith thus Per diem Sol non exuret te nec Luna per noctem That is to say In the day the Sunne shall not burne thee nor the Moone by night They say furthermore that in certaine places of the sea they saw certaine streames of water which they call spouts falling out of the aire into the sea that some of these are as bigge as the great pillars of Churches insomuch that sometimes they fall into shippes and put them in great danger of drowning Some faine that these should be the Cataracts of heauen which were all opened at
them a while in this maner came vnto their lodgings where the Generall gaue a charge that no man should touch any thing of theirs commanding Francis Preciado to see that this order were obserued in not taking any thing froÌ„ them although in very deed there was little or nothing there because the women and Indians which were fled had carieâ— al away Here we found an old man in a caue so extreamly aged as it was wonderful which could neither see nor go because he was so lame and crooked The fatheâ— frier Raimund sayd it were good seeing he was so aged to make him a Christian whereupon we christened him The captaine gaue the Indians which we had taken two paire of eare-rings and certaine counterfeit diamonds and making much of them suffred them to depart at their pleasure and in this sort fairâ— and softly they returned to the rest of their fellowes in the mountaine We tooke the matter of that village which was but a small quantity and then the Generall commanded vs to returne to our ship because we had eaten nothing as yet and after our repast we sayled towards a bay which lay beyond that village where we saw a very great valley and those of the Trinitie sayd that they had seene there good store of water and sufficient for vs wherefore wee ankered neere vnto that valley And the Generall went on shore with both the boates and the men that went on land in the morning with the two fathers frier Raimund and frier Antony and passing vp that valley â— crosse bow-shot we found a very small brooke of water which neuertheles supplied our necessity for we filled two buâ—s thereof that euening leauing our vessels to take it with on shore vntill the next morning and we reioyced not a little that we had found this water for it was fresh and the water which we had taken vp before was somewhat brackish and did vs great hurt both in our bodies and in our taste Chap. 14. They take possession of the Isle of Cedars for the Emperours Maiestie and departing from thence they are greatly tossed with a tempest of the sea and returne to the Island as to a safe harbour THe next day being the two and twentieth of Ianuary very early the General commanded vs to go on shore and that we should haue our dinner brought vs and should take in the rest of our water which we did and filled 17 buts without seeing any Indian at al. The next day going out to fill 8 or 9 vessels which were not yet filled a great winde at Northwest tooke vs wherupon they made signes to vs from the ships that with all haste wee should come on boord againe for the wind grew still higher and higher and the Masters were affraid that our cables would break thus we were in the open sea Therefore being come aboord againe not without great trouble we returned backe ouer against the village of the Indians where we had slaine the Indian and because the wind grew more calme about midnight the Pilots did not cast ankerâ— but â—ulled vnder the shelter of this Island which as I haue said is called The Isle of Cedars and is one of the 3 Isles of S. Stephan the greatest chiefest of them where the General tooke possession While we hulled here about midnight the next Friday being the 23 of the moneth without our expectation we had a fresh gale of wind from the Southeast which was very fauourable for our voyage the longer it continued the more it increased so that betweene that night and the next day being Saturday the 24 of the said moneth we sailed 18 great leagues While wee were thus on our way the wind grew so contrary and so tempestuous that to our great griefe we were constrained to coast about with our shipe and returned twenty leagues backe againe taking for our succour the second time the point of the lodgings of the Indians where the foresayd Indian was slaine and here we stayed Munday Tewsday and Wednesday during which 〈◊〉 the Northwest and the North wind blew continually whereupon we determined not to stirre from thence vntill we saw good weather and well seâ—led for our voyage for in this climate these winds doe raigne so greatly that we feared they would stay vs longer there then we would and we were so weary of staying that euery day seemed a moneth vnto vs. Under this shelter we rode Thursday Friday and Saturday vntill noone which was the last of Ianuary in the yeere 1540. About noone the wind began to blow softly at Southwest whereupon the General told the Pilots that we should doe well to put ouer to the maine land where with some wind off the shore we might by the grace of God saile some what farther Thus we hoised our sailes and sailed vntil euening three or foure leagues for the wind scanted and wee remained becalmed The night being come there arose a contrary winde and we were inforced of necessitie to retire the third time to the same shelter of the Isle of Cedars where we stayed from the first of February vntil Shroue sunday in the which meane time we tooke in two buts of water which we had spent During the space of these eight dayes we sought to make sayle two or three times but as we went out a little beyond the point of this Isle we found the wind so boystrous and contrary and the sea so growen that of force we were constrained to returne vnder the succour of the Island and often times wee were in greaâ— feare that we should not be able to get in thither againe During this time that we could not proceed on our iourney we imployed our selues in catching a few fishes for the Lent From Shroue-sunday being the 8 of February on which day we set sayle we sayled with a very scant wind or rather a calme vntill Shrouctewsday on which we came within kenne of the firme land from whence we were put backe these twenty leagues for in these two dayes and a halfe wee sayled some 20 small leagues and we lay in sight of the sayd poynt of the firme land And on the Tewsday we were becalmed waiting till God of his mercy would helpe vs with a prosperous wind to proceed on our voyage On Shrouesunday at night to make good cheere withall wee had so great winde and raine that there was nothing in our ships which was not wet and a very colde ayre On Ashwednesday at sun-rising we strooke saile neere a point which we fel somewhat short withall in a great bay running into this firme land and this is the place where we saw fiue or sixe fires and at the â—ising of the sunne being so neere the shore that we might well deserie and viewe it at our pleasure we sawe it to bee very pleasant for wee descried as farre as wee could discerne with our eyes faire valleys and small hilles with
and to stay vpon the Isle for the killing and drying of those Penguins and promised after the ship was in harborough to send the rest not onely for expedition but also to saue the small store of victuals in the shippe But Parker Smith and the rest of their faction suspected that this was a deuise of the Captaine to leaue his men on shore that by these meanes there might bee victuals for the rest to recouer their countrey and when they remembred that this was the place where they would haue slaine their Captaine and Master surely thought they for reuenge hereof will they leaue vs on shore Which when our Captaine vnderstood hee vsed these speeches vnto them I vnderstand that you are doubtfull of your security through the peruersenesse of your owne guilty consciences it is an extreame griefe vnto me that you should iudge mee blood-thirstie in whome you haue seene nothing but kinde conuersation if you haue found otherwise speake boldly and accuse mee of the wrongs that I haue done if not why do you then measure me by your owne vncharitable consciences All the company knowâ—th indeed that in this place you practized to the vtmost of your powers to murther me and the master causeles as God knoweth which euil in this place we did remit you now I may conceiue without doing you wrong that you againe purpose some euill in bringing these matters to repetition but God hath so shortned your confederacie as that I nothing doubt you it is for your Masters sake that I haue for borne you in your vnchristian practizes and here I protest before God that for his sake alone I will yet indure this iniury and you shall in no sorte be preiudiced or in any thing be by me commanded but when we come into England if God so fauour vs your master shall knowe your honesties in the meane space be voide of these suspicions for God I call to witnes reuenge is no part of my thought They gaue him thanks desiring to go into the harborough with the ship which he granted So there were ten left vpon the Isle and the last of October we entred the harborough Our Master at our last being here hauing taken carefull notice of euery creeke in the riuer in a very conuenient place vpon sandy daze ran the ship on ground laying out ankor to seaward and with our running ropes mored her to stakes vpon the shore which hee haâ— fastened for that purpose where the ship remained till our departure The third of Nouember our boat with water wood and as many as shee could cary went for the Isle of Penguins but being deepe she durst not proceede but returned againe the same night Then Parker Smith Townelend Purper with fiue others desired that they might goe by land and that the boate might fetch them when they were against the Isle it being scarce a mile from the shore The captaine bade them doe what they thought best aduising them to take weapons with them for sayd hee although we haue not at any time seene people in this place yet in the countrey there may be Sauages They answered that here were great store of Deere and Ostriches but if there were Saluages they would deuoure them notwithstanding the captaine caused them to cary weapons calieuers sworoes and targets so the sixt of Nouember they departed by land and the bote by sea but from that day to this day wee neuer heard of our men The 11 while most of our men were at the Isle onely the Captaine and Master with sixe others being left in the ship there came a great multitude of Saluages to the ship throwing dust in the ayre leaping and running like brute beasts hauing vizards on their faces like dogs faces or else their faces are dogs faces indeed We greatly feared least they would set our ship on fire for they would suddenly make fire where at we much maruelled they came to windward of our ship and set the bushes on fire so that we were in a very stinking smoke but as soone as they came within our shoâ— we shot at them striking one of them in the thigh they all presently fled so that we neuer heard nor saw more of them Hereby we iudged that these Canibals had slaine our 9 men When we câ—nsidered what they were that thus were slaine and found that they were the principall men that would haue murâ—hâ—red our Captaine Master with the rest of their friends we saw the iust iudgâ—ment of God and made supplication to his diuine Maiesty to be merciful vnto vs. While we were in this harborough our Captaine and Master went with the boat to discouer how farre this riuer did run that if neede should enforce vs to leaue our ship we might know how farre we might go by water So they found that farther then 20 miles they could not go with the boat At their returne they sent the boate to the Isle of Penguins whereby wee vnderstood that the Penguins dryâ—d to our hearts content and that the multitude of them was infinite This Penguin hath the shape of a bird but hath no wings only two slumps in the place of wings by which he swimmeth vnder water with as great swifâ—nes as any fish They liue vpon smelts whereof there is great abundance vpon this coast in eating they be neither fish nor flesh they lay great egs and the bird is of a reasonable bignes very neere twise so big as a rucke All the time that wee were in this place we fared passing well with egs Penguins yong Seaâ—es yong Gulles besides other birds such as I know not of all which we had great abundance In this place we found an herbe called Scuruy grasse which wee fried with egs vsing traine oyle in stead of butter This herbe did so purge y e blood that it tooke away all kind of swellings of which many died restored vs to perfect health of body so that we were in as good case as wheÌ„ we came first out of England We stayed in this harbour vntil the 22 of December in which time we had dried 20000 Penguins the Captaine the Master and my selfe had made some salt by laying salt water vpon the rocks in holes which in 6 daies would be kerned Thus God did feed vs eueÌ„ as it were with Manna froÌ„ heauen The 22 of December we departed with our ship for the Isle where with great difficulty by the skilful industry of our Master we got 14000 of our birds and had almost lost our captaine in labouring to bring the birds aboord had not our Master bene very expert in the set of those wicked tides which run after many fashions we had also lost our ship in the same place but God of his goodnes hath in all our extremities bene our protector So the 22 at night we departed with 14000 dried Penguins not being able to fetch the rest and shaped our
at Vologda and to be out of bondage And thus may we continue three or foure yeeres and in this space we shall know the countrey and the marchants and which way to saue our selues best and where to plant our houses and where to seeke for wares for the Mosco is not best for any kind of wares for vs to buy saue onely ware which we cannot haue vnder seuen pence the Russe pound and it lackes two ounces of our pound neither will it be much better cheape for I haue bidden 6. pence for a pound And I haue bought more fiue hundred weight of yarne which stands mee in eight pence farthing the Russe pound one with another And if wee had receiued any store of money and were dispatched heere of that we tary for as I doubt not but we shal be shortly you know what I meane then as soone as we haue made sale I doe intend to goe to Nouogrode and to Plesco whence all the great number of the best tow flaxe commeth and such wares as are there I trust to buy part And feare you not but we will do that may be done if God send vs health desiring you to prepare fully for one ship to be ready in the beginning of April to depart off the coast of England Concerning all those things which we haue done in the wares you shal receiue a perfect note by the next bearer God willing for he that carieth these from vs is a marchant of Terwill and he was caused to cary these by the commandement of the Emperour his secretarie whose name is Iuan Mecallawich Weskawate whom we take to be our very friend And if it please you to send any letters to Dantiske to Robert Elson or to William Watsons seruant Dunstan Walton to be conueyed to vs it may please you to inclose ours in a letter sent from you to him written in Polish Dutch Latine or Italian so inclosed comming to the Mosco to his hands he wil conuey our letters to vs wheresoeuer we be And I haue written to Dantiske already to them for the conueyance of letters from thence And to certifie you of the weather here men say that these hundred yeres was neuer so warme weather in this countrey at this time of the yeere But as yesternight wee receiued a letter from Christopher Hudson from a citie called Yeraslaue who is comming hither with certaine of our wares but the winter did deceiue him so that he was faine to tarie by the way and he wrote that the Emperours present was deliuered to a gentleman at Vologda and the sled did ouerthrow and the butte of Hollocke was lost which made vs all very sory I pray you be not offended with these my rude letters for lacke of time but assoone as sales be made I will finde the meanes to conuey you a letter with speed for the way is made so doubtful that the right messenger is so much in doubt that he would not haue any letters of any effect sent by any man if he might for he knowes not of these and to say the truth the way is not for him to trauell in But I will make another shift beside which I trust shall serue the turne till he come if sales be made before he be readie which is and shall be as pleaseth God who euer preserue your worship and send vs good sales Written in haste By yours to commaund GEORGE KILLINGVVORTH Draper A copie of the first Priuileges graunted by the Emperour of Russia to the English Marchants in the yeere 1555. IOhn Vasiliuich by the grace of God Emperor of Russia great duke of Nouogrode Moscouia c. To all people that shal see reade heare or vnderstaÌ„d these presents greeting Forasmuch as God hath planted al realmes and dominions in the whole world with sundry coÌ„modities so as the one hath neede of the amity and commodities of the other and by means therof traffike is vsed from one to another and amity therby increased and for that as amongst men nothing is more to be desired then amity without the which no creature being of a naturall good disposition can liue inquietnes so that it is as troublesome to be vtterly wanting as it is perceiued to be grieuous to the body to lacke aire fire or any other necessaries most requisite for the conseruation and maintenance thereof in health considering also how needfull marchandize is which furnisheth men of all that which is conuenient for their liuing and nouriture for their clothing trimming the satisfying of their delights and all other things conuenient and profitable for them and that marchandize bringeth the same commodities from diuers quarters in so great abundance as by meanes thereof nothing is lacking in any part and that all things be in euery place where entercourse of marchandizes is receiued and imbraced generally in such sort as amity thereby is entred into and planted to continue and the inioyers thereof be as men liuing in a golden world Upon these respects and other weighty and good considerations vs hereunto mouing and chiefly vpon the contemplation of the gratious letters directed from the right high right excellent and right mighty Queene Mary by the grace of God Queene of England France c. in the fauour of her subiects merchants the gouernour consuls assistants and communaltie of merchants aduenturers for discouery of lands c. Know ye therefore that we of our grace speciall meere motion and certaine knowledge haue giuen and graunted and by these presents for vs our heires and successours do giue and grant as much as in vs is and lieth vnto Sebastian Cabota Gouernour Sir George Barneâ— knight c. Consuls Sir Iohn Gresham c. Assistants and to the communaltie of the aforenamed fellowship and to their successours for euer and to the successours of euerie of them these articles graunts immunities franchises liberties and priuileges and euery of them hereafter following expressed and declared Videlicet 1 First we for vs our heires and successors do by these presents giue and graunt free licence facultie authority and power vnto the said Gouernour Consuls Assistants and communalty of the said fellowship and to their successors for euer that all and singular the marchants of the same company their Agents factours doers of their businesse atturneys seruants and ministers and euery of them may at all times hereafter for euer more surely freely and safely with their shippes merchandizes goods and things whatsoeuer saile come and enter into all and singular our lands countries dominions cities townes villages castles portes iurisdictions and destraiâ—ts by sea land or fresh waters and there tary abide and soiourne and buy sell barter and change all kind of merchandizes with al maner of marchants and people of whatsoeuer nation rite condition state or degrees they be and with the same or other ships wares marchandizes goods things whatsoeuer they be vnto other empires kingdomes dukedomes parts and to any other place or
the yere of our Lord 1090 being bishop of Schalholten in Island caused all the husbandmen or countreymen of the Iland who in regard of their possessions were bound to pay tribute to the king to be numbred omitting the poorer sort with women and the meaner sort of the communalty and he found in the East part of Island 700â— in the South part 1000 in the West part 1100 in the North part 1200 to the number of 4000 inhabitants paying tribute Now if any man will trie he shall finde that more then halfe the Iland was at that time vnpeopled The fifth section The Iland most part thereof is mountainous and vntilled But that part which is plaine doth greatly abound with fodder which is so ranke that they are faine to driue their cattell from the pasture least they surfet or be choaked THat danger of surfetting or choaking was neuer heard tell of in our fathers grandfathers great-grandfathers or any of our predecessours dayes be they neuer so ancient The sixth section There be in this Iland mountaines lift vp to the skies whose tops being white with perpetuall snowe their roots boile with euerlasting fire The first is towards the West called Hecla the other the mountaine of the crosse and the third Helga Item Zieglerus The rocke or promontorie of Hecla boileth with continuall fire Item Saxo. There is in this Iland also a mountaine which resembling the starrie firmament with perpetuall flashings of fire continueth alwayes burning by vncessant belching out of flames MVnster and Frisius being about to report the woonders of Island doe presently sâ—umble as it were vpon the thresholde to the great inconuenience of them both For that which they heere affirme of mount Hecla although it hath some shew of trueth notwithstanding concerning the other two mountaines that they should burne with perpetuall fire it is a manifest errour For there are no such mountaines to be found in Island nor yet any thing els so farre foorth as wee can imagine which might minister occasion of so great an errour vnto writers Howbeit there was seene yet very lately in the yeere 1581 out of a certaine mountaine of South Island lying neere the Sea and couered ouer with continuall snow and frost a marueilous eruption of smoake and fire casting vp abundance of stones and ashes But this mountaine is farre from the other three which the sayd authours doe mention Howbeit suppose that these things be true which they report of firie mountaines is it possible thereâ—ore that they should seeme strange or monstrous whenas they proceed from naturall causes What Doe they any whit preuaile to establish that opinion concerning the hell of Island which followeth next after in Munster Ziegler and Frisius For my part I thinke it no way tollerable that men should abuse these and the like miracles of nature to auouch absurdities or that they should with a kinde of impietie woonder at them as at matters impossible As though in these kindes of inflammations there did not concurre causes of sufficient force for the same purpose There is in the rootes of these mountaines a matter most apt to be set on fire comming so neere as it doeth to the nature of brimstone and pitch There is ayer also which insinuating it selfe by passages and holes into the very bowels of the earth doeth puffe vp the nourishment of so huge a fire together with Salt-peter by which puffing as it were with certeine bellowes a most ardent flame is kindled For all these thus concurring fire hath those three things which necessarily make it burne that is to say matter motion and force of making passage matter which is fatâ—ie and moyst and therefore nourisheth lasting flames motion which the ayer doeth performe being admitted into the caues of the earth force of making passage and that the inuincible might of fire it selfe â—hich can not be without inspiration of ayre and can not but breake foorth with an incredible strength doeth bring to passe and so euen as in vndermining trenches and engines or great warrelike ordinance huge yron bullets are cast foorth with monstrous roaring and cracking by the force of kindled Brimstone and Salt-peeter whereof Gunne-powder is compounded chingle and great stones being skorched in that fiery gulfe as it were in a furnace together with abundance of sande and ashes are vomited vp and discharged and that for the most part not without an earthquake which if it commeth from the depth of the earth being called by Possidonius Succussio it must either be an opening or a quaking Opening causeth the earth in some places to gape and fall a sunder By quaking the earth is heaued vp and swelleth and sometimes as Plinie saith casteth out huge heaps such an earth-quake was the same which I euen now mentioned which in the yere 1581 did so sore trouble the South shore of Island And this kinde of earth-quake is most clearkely described by Pontanus in these verses The stirring breath runnes on with stealing steppes vrged now vp and now enforced downe For freedome eke tries all it skips it leaps to ridde it selfe from vncouth dungeon Then quakes the earth as it would burst anon The earth y quakes and walled cities quiuer Strong quarries cracke and stones from hilles doe shiuer I thought good to adde these things not that I suppose any man to be ignorant thereof but least other men should thinke that we are ignorant and therefore that we will runne after their fables which they do from hence establish But yet there is somewhat more in these three fained mountâ—ines of Island which causeth the sayd writers not a little to woonder namely whereas they say that their foundations are alwayes burning and yet for all that their â—oppes be neuer destitute of snowe Howbeit it be seemeth not the authority and learning of such great clearks to marueile at this who can not but well know the flames of mount Aetna which according to Plinie bâ—ing full of snowe all Winter notwithstanding as the same man witnesseth it doth alwayes burne Wherefore if we will giue credit vnto them euen this mountaine also sithens it is couered with snowe and yet burneth must be a prison of vncleane soules which thing they haue not doubted to ascribe vnto Hecla in regard of the frozen top and the firie bottome And it is no marueile that fire lurking so deepe in the roots of a mountaine and neuer breaking forth except it be very seldome should not be able continually to melt the snowe couering the toppe of the sayd mountaine For in Caira or Capira also the highest toppes of the mountaine are sayd continually to be white with snowe and those in Veragua likewise which are fiue miles high and neuer without snowe being distant notwithstanding but onely 10 degrees from the equinoctiall We haue heard that either of the forsayd Prouinces standeth neere vnto Paria What if in Tenerifta which is one of the Canarie or fortunate Ilands the Pike
maner of shooting is little vsed amongst christian men Howbeit by euident myracle thanked be God the sayd pieces did no great harme and slew not past 24. or 25. persons and the most part women and children and they began to shoot with the said pieces from the 19. day of the â—ame moneth vnto the end of August it was accounted that they shot 2000. times more or lesse Then the enemies were warned by the Iewe that wrote letters to them of all that was done and sayd in the towne that the sayd potgunnes did no harme wherefore they were angry for they thought that they had slaine the third part of our people and they were counselled by him to leaue that shooâ—ing for it was but time lost and pouder wasted and then they shot no more with them It is of a trueth that they shot with the sayd potgunnes 12. or 15. times with bullets of brasse or copper full of wild fire and when they were in the ayre they flamed foorth and in falling on the ground they brake and the fire came out and did some harme But at the last wee knew the malice thereof and the people was warie from comming neere to them and therefore they did hurt no more folke How the captaine Gabriel Martiningo came to the succor of Rhodes and all the slaues were in danger to be slaine THe 24. day of the same moneth a brigantine arriued that was sent afore into Candie wherein came a worthy captaine named Gabriel Martiningo with two other captains And there went to receiue him messieur prou Iohn prior of S. Giles and the prior of Nauarre Then after his honourable receiuing as to him well appertained they brought him before the lord great master that louingly receiued him and he was gladly seene and welcommed of the people as a man that was named very wise and ingenious in feats of warre Then came a Spaniard renâ—gado from the host that gaue vs warning of all that was done in the field and of the approching by the trenches that our enemies made And in likewise there arose a great noise in the towne that the slaues Turks that wrought for vs in the diches had slaine their keepers and would haue fled which was not so Neuerthelesse the rumour was great and they rang alarme wherefore the sayd slaues comming to prison as it was ordeined in al the alarmes were met of the people which in great anger put them to death so that there were slain an hundred moe the same day And if the lord great master had not commanded that none should hurt them they had bene all slaine and there were fifteene hundreth of them which slaues did great seruice in time of the siege for they laboured dayly to make our defences and to cast earth out of the ditches and in all works they were necessary at our needs How the great Turke arriued in person before Rhodes THe 25 day of the sayd moneth many of our men went out for to skinnish in the field and made great murder of Turks and in likewise did our artillery And it is to be noted that the 28 day of the same moneth the great Turke in person passed le Fisco a hauen in the maine land with a galley and a fust and arriued about noone where his army lay the which day may be called vnhappie for Rhodes For his comming his presence and continuall abiding in the fielde is and hath beene cause of the victorie that he hath had When the gallie that he came in was arriued all the other shippes of the hoste hanged banners aloft in their toppes and on their sayle yerdes Soone after that the Turke was arriued he went to land and mounted on his horse and râ—de to his pauilion which was in a high place called Megalandra foure or fiue miles fro the towne out of the danger of the gunne shot And on the morow as it was reported to vs hee came to a Church nigh the towne called Saint Steuen for to viewe the Towne and fortresses whereas they had set vp mantellets for to lay their ordinance THe last day of Iuly one of our brigandines went out with a good company of men arayed as Turkes and some of them could speake Turkish and went by night to lande through the Turkes hoste and demaunded if there were any that would passe ouer into Turkie that they should haste them to come The Turkes weening that they had beene of Turkie there entred a 12. persons the which were carried to Rhodes by whom we knew what they did in the campe The first day of August the Captaine Gabriel Martiningo was made knight of the order of the religion by the lord great Master and was made the first auncient of the Italian nation of the first baliage or priorie that should be vacant And in the meane season the religion should giue him twelue hundred ducates for pension euery yeere and the same day he was receiued to the Councell in the roome of a baylife The fift day of the sayd moneth our master gunner was slaine with a gunne which was great losse for vs at that time The 15. day of the sayd moneth was knowen and taken for a traitor Messire Iohn Baptista the physicion aforesayd which confessed his euill and diuelish doings and had his head striken of Of the marueilous mounts that the Turks made afore the towne and how the capitaines were ordered in the trenches AFter the comming of the great Turke the enemies began to shoote with ordinance of another sort then they did before and specially with harquebushes and handguns and also to make their trenches and approches And also they did more diligence then afore to bring y e earth nigh the towne with spades and pickares And it is to weet that they mooued the earth from halfe a mile off and there were shot out of the towne innumerable strokes with ordinance against the sayd earth and innumerable quantitie of people hid behind the sayd earth were slaine Neuerthelesse they neuer left â—â—rking till they had brought it to the brimmes of the ditches and when it was there they raiâ—eâ— it higher and higher in strengthning it behind And in conclusion the sayd earth was higher then the wals of the towne by 10. or 12. foote and it seemed a hill And it was agaynst the gate of Auuergne and Spaine and beat our men that were at the gates bulwarks in such wise that none durst be seene till certaine defelices and repaires were made of plankes and boards to couer our people and keepe them from the shot And at the gate of Italy was made such another heape and in none other part When the trenches were thus made to the ditches the enemies made holes in the wals of the ditch outward wherethorow they shot infinitely with handgunnes at our men aswell on the walles as on the bulwarks and slew many of them Then the basshas and captaines entred into the trenches ech to
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
downe and rising vp suddenly againe hee cryed thrise with a loude voyce Chiogh Chiogh Chiogh Thereupon nine or tenne of his fellowes running right vp ouer the bushes with great agilite and swiftnesse came towardes vs with white staues in their handes like halfe pikes and their dogges of colour blacke not so bigge as a greyhounde followed them at the heeles but wee retired vnto our boate without any hurt at all receiued Howbeit one of them brake an hogshead which wee had filled with fresh water with a great branche of a treâ— which lay on the ground Upon which occasion we bestowed halfe a dousâ—â— muskets shotte vpon them which they auoyded by falling flatte to the earth and afterwarde retired themselues to the woodes One of the Sauages which seemed to bee their Captaine ware a long mantle of beastes skinnes hanging on one of his shoulders The rest were all naked except their priuities which were couered with a skinne tyed behinde After they had escaped our shotte they made a great fire on the shore belike to giue their fellowes warning of vs. The kindes of trees that wee noted to bee here were goodly Okes Firre trees of a great height a kinde of tree called of vs Quickbeame and Cherie trees and diuerse other kindes to vs vnknowne because wee stayed not long with diligence to obserue them and there is great shewe of rosen pitch and tarre Wee found in both the places where wee went on land abundance of Raâ—peses Strawberies Hurtes and herbes of good smâ—ll and diuers good for the skuruie and grasse very ranke and of great length Wee sawe fiue or sixe boates sayling to the Southwestwardes of Cape Briton which wee iudged to bee Christians which had some trade that way Wee sawe also while wee were on shore the manner of their hanging vp of their fish and flesh with withes to dry in the ayre they also lay them vpon raâ—tes and hurdles and make a smoake vnder them or a softe fire and so drie them as the Sauages vse to doe in Virginia While wee lay foure leagues South of Cape Briton wee sounded and had sixtie fathomes blacke ozie ground And sayling thence Westwarde nine or ten leagues off the short we had twenty foure fathomes redde sande and small whitish stones Wee continued our course so farre to the Southwest that wee brought ourselues into the latitude of fourtie foure degrees and an half hauing sayled fiftie or sixtie leagues to the Southwest of Cape Briton We found the current betwene this Cape Briton and Cape Rey to set out toward the Eastsoutheast In our course to the West of Cape Briton we saw excâ—eding great store of seales and abundance of Porposes whereof we killed eleuen We sawe Whales also of all â—ortes aswell small as great and here our men tooke many berded Coddes with one teate vnderneath which are like to the Northeast Cods and better then those of Newfoundland From our arriuall at the hauen of Saint Francis in Newfoundland which was as is aforesayde the eleuenth of Iuly we continued beating vp and downe on the coast of Arambeâ— to the West and Southwest of Cape Briton vntill the twentie eight of September fully by the space of eleuen weekes and then by the perswasion of our Master and certaine others wee shaped our course homeward by the Isles of the Açores and came first to Coruo and Flores where beating vp and downe and missing of expected prayâ— we sayled by Tercera and from thence to Saint Michael where we sought to boorde a Portugall shippe which we found too well appointed for vâ— to bring along with vs and so being forced to leaue them behinde and hauing wasted all our victuals wee were constrained against our willes to hasten home vnto our narrowe Seas but it was the two and twentieth of December before wee could get into the Downes where for lacke of winde wee kept our Christmas with dry breade onely for dropping of our clothes One thing very strange hapened in this voyage to witte that a mightie great Whale followed our shippe by the space of many dayes as we passed by Cape Razo which by no meanes wee coulde chase from our ship vntill one of our men fell ouerboord and was drowned after which time shee immediatly forsooke vs and neuer afterward appeared vnto vs. A briefe note concerning the voyage of M. George Drake of Apsham to the Isle of Ramea in the aforesayd yere 1593. IN the beginning of the former relation written by Richard Fisher seruant to the worshipfull Master Hill of Redriffe is as you reade a briefe reporte of their loosing of their consort the shippe of Master George Drake of Apsham which though shee came directly to the Isle of Ramea yet because shee was not ready so soone by two moneths as she ought to haue bene she was not onely the hinderance of her consort the Marigolde lost the season of the yere for the making of her voyage of killing the Morses or Sea Oxen which are to be taken in Aprill May and Iune but also suffered the fit places and harboroughs in the Isle which are but two as farre as I can learne to be forestalled and taken vp by the Britons of Saint Malo and the Baskes of Saint Iohn de Luz by comming a day after the Fayre as wee say Which lingering improuidence of our men hath bene the ouerthrowe of many a worthy enterprize and of the vndertakers of the same The relation of this voyage at large I was promised by the Authour himselfe but the same not comming to my handes in tyme I am constrained to leaue it out The want whereof for the better vnderstanding of the state of the sayde Island the frequenting of that gainefull trade by the aforesayd nations of the of Britons and Baskes may in part be supplyed by the voyage of Master Charles Leigh to the sayde Island of Ramea which also comming much too late thither as Master George Drake had done was wholly preuented and shutte out to his and his friendes no small detriment and mischiefe and to the discouraging of others hereafter in the sayd gainefull and profitable trade Neuertherthelesse albeit hitherto the successe hath not answered our expectation through our â—wne default as is abouesaidâ— yet I was very willing to set downe in briefe and homely stile some mention of these three voyages of our owne men The first of M. George Drake the second of M. Siluester Wyet the third of M. Charles Leigh because they are the first for ought that hitherto is come to my knowledge of our owne Nation that haue conducted English ships so farre within this gulfe of S. Laurence and haue brought vs true relation of the manifold gaine which the French Britaynes Baskes and Biskaines do yerely returne from the sayd partes while wee this long time haue stood still and haue bene idle lookers on making courtisie who should giue the first aduenture or once being giuen who
sight of y e Sauages Salmon Fiue Englishmen intercepted and taken Taking of the first Sauage Frobishers returne The taking possession of Meta incognita How the ore was found by chance Many aduenturers In the second voâ—age commission was giuen onely â—or the bringing of ore They receiuâ— the communion The numbeâ— of men in thiâ— voyage The condemned men discharged The first arriâ—uall after one departing frâ— Englandâ— A Mine of sâ—lâ—er foâ—nâ— in Oâ—kney Kyrway the chiefe towne of Orkney S. Magnus sound why so called Great bodies of trees driuing in the seas Monstrous fish strangâ— foule liuing onely by the Sea Water being blacke and smooth signifieth land to be neere Ilands of yce The first sight of Frisland the 4. of Iuly Frisland described An easie kind of Fishing White Corrall got by sounding Monstroâ—s Isles of yce in taste fresh wherehence they are supposed to come The opinion of the frosen Seas is destroyed by experience The Stirrage of the Michaell broken vp tempest The first entrance of the straights Halles Iland The description of the straights No more gold Ore found in the first Iland Egs foules of Meta incognita Siâ—ares set to catch birds withall The building of a Columne called Mount Warwicke The first sight of the countrie people waâ—ting with a flagge The meeting a part of two Englishmen with two of that countrey The order of their traffique Another meeting of two of our men with two of theirs The Englishmen chased to their bâ—ates One of that Countreymen taken The Ayde set on fire The great danger of those rockes of yce Night without darknes in that countrey Our first comming on the Souâ—herland of the sayd straights A Mine of Blacke lead Iackmans sound Smiths Iland The finding of an Vnicornes horne Beares sound Lecesters IlaÌ„d A tombe with a dead mans bones in it Bridles kniues and other instruments found hid among the Rockes They vse great dogs to draw sleds and litle dogs for their meat Thirty leagues discouered within the straites A good president of a good Captain shewed by Captain Frobisher The maner of their houses in this countrey Whales bones vsed in stead of timber The sluttishnesse of these people A signe set vp by the sauage captiue the meaning therof The sauage capâ—iue amazed at his coâ—â—treimans picture Another shew of twenty persons of that countrey in one boate Yorkes sound The apparel found againe of our English men which the yere before were taken captiue A good deuise of Captaine Yorke The Sauages haue boats of sundry bignes The English men pursue those people of that countrey The swift rowing of those people The bloody point Yorkes sound A hot skirmish betweene the English and them of that countrey The desperate nature of those people The taking of the woman her child A prety kind of surgery which nature teacheth The narrowest place of the Straites is 9. leagues ouer The Queenes Cape The maner of the meeting of the two captiues and their entertainment The shame fastnes and chastity of those Sauage captiues Another appearance of the countrey people Thâ—sâ— people know the vse of writing A letter sent vnto the fiue English captiues Postscript The cause why M. Frobisher entred no further within the Streits this yere Bests bulwarke Their King called Catchoe How he is honoured A bladder changed for a looking glasse No newes of the English captiues To what end the bladder was deliuered Those people dancing vpon the hil toppeâ— A skirmish shewed to those people Their â—â—ags made of bladders Great offerâ— A hundreth Sauages They returne Snow halfe a foote deepe in August The Master of the Gabriel strooken ouer-boord The Rudder of the Aide torne in twain How the latitudes were alwayes taken in this voyage ratherwith the Staffe then â—â—â—rolabe The arriual of the Aide at Padstow in Cornewall Our comming to Milford Hauen The arriuall of the Gabriel aâ— Bristow The Michael arriued in the North parts Only one man died the voyage M. Frobisher coÌ„mended of her Maiestie The Gentlemen commended CoÌ„missioners appointed to examine the goodnesse of the Ore A name giuen to y e place new discouered The hope of the passage to Cataya A forte to be built in Meta Incognita A hundreth men appointed to iuhabitâ— there Fifteene sayle A chaine of gold giuen to M. Frobisher Cape Cleare the sixâ— of Iune A charitable deâ—â—e Marke this current West England Frisland supposed to be â—â—â—tâ—nent with Groenland The 23 of Iune Charing crosse A Whale strooke a ship Frobishers Streites choked vp with yce Salt water cannot freeze Barke Dennis sunâ—e Part of the house lost Another assault Fogge snow and mistes hinder the Mariners markes A swift current from the Northeast A current Iames Beaâ—e a good Mariner Christopher Hall chiefe Pylot Hard shifts to saâ—e mens â—â—es The coast along y â— South-side of Gronlâ—nd 60 leagues Mistaken straights which indeedâ— are no straights Frobisher could haue passed to Cataia Faire open way Reasons to prooue a passage here Great indrafts A current to the West Nine houres flood to three houres ebbe The sea moneth from East to West continually Authoritie Hard but yet possible turning backe againe Traffique Returne out of the mistaken straights Great dangers Anne Francis met with some of the fleete Francis The foure and twentieth of Iuly we met with the Francis of Foy of Foy. Bridgwater ship The Streits frozen ouer A valiant mind of M. Frobisher Snow in Iuly Extreme winter Great heat in Meta Incognita Unconstant wâ—ather The Generall recouereth his port Master Wolfall Preacher The aduentures of Captaine Fenton and his companie Extremitie causeth men to venise new arts aud remedies Yard shifts Strange wonders Consultation for inhabiting Meta incognita An hunderd men appointed to inhabite No habitation this yeere The Moone The Anne Francisâ— the Thomas of Ipswich and the Moone consult Captaine Bests resolution A Pinnisse for the inhabiters Bestes blessing Anne Francis in danger The Moone in harborough Hattons Hedland Pretie stoneâ— A mightie white Beare A Pinnesse there buâ—â— They aduenture by the streight in a weake Pinnesse 40. leagues within the streights Gabriels Ilands P 〈…〉 mibi Captain Yorke arriued None of the people will be taken A house builded and left there M. Wolfall a gâ—dly Preacher Consultation for a further discouery Broken Ilands in maner of an Archipelagus Returne homewâ—rd An vnknowen channell into the Northeast discouered by the Busse of Bridgewater A fruitful new Island discouered A Topographicall deâ—cription of Meta Incâ—gnita The people of Meta Incognita like vnto Samoeds Their naâ—iuâ— colour Their apparâ—l The accidentall cause of the cold ayre at Meta Incognita The Sauages delight in Musicke â—ard kind of liuing Their weaponâ— Their chastity Their boates Traffique with some other nation vnknowen Gold The â—â—ewell How they make fire Their kettleâ— aâ—d pannes The people eatâ— grasse and â—hâ—uâ—s A strange kind of gnat Inchanters The beasts and foules of the Countrey The length of their