honie and waxe which the Antes did make being somewhat bitter Vpon the sea coast also they found certaine fishes which commonly went vpright in the water hauing the faces and natures of women which the fishermen of those places were acquainted with In the yéere 355. before Christ it is said that the Spanyards sailed through the maine sea till they came vnto the flats of India Arabia and those coasts adioyning whereunto they caried diuers marchandises which trade they vsed in great ships And sailing to the northwest they came vnto certaine flats which with the flowing of the sea were couered and with the ebbe were discouered finding there many Tunnies of great bignes where they commonly vsed to fish them to their great profit because they were the first vntill that time that they had séene and were greatly esteemed The time of Alexander Magnus as appiereth by the ages of the world was before the comming of Christ 324. yéeres we all know that he was borne in Europe but he trauailed into Asia Africa and passed through Armenia Assyria Persia Bactria standing northerly in 44. degrées of latitude which is the farthest countrey in longitude wherein he was in all his iourneyes From thence he descended into India by the mountaines of Imaus and the valleyes of Paropanisus and prepared a nauie in the riuer Indus and therewith passed into the Ocean sea where he turned by the lands of Gedrosia Caramania Persia vnto the great citie of Babylon leauing Onesicritus and Nearcus captaines of his fléete which afterwards came vnto him by the straight of the Persian sea and vp the riuer of Euphrates leauing that countrey and coast discouered After this Ptolemey raigned king of Egypt who by some is reputed to haue béen bastard sonne vnto Philip father of the foresaid Alexander the great This Ptolemey imitating the forenamed kings Sesostris aud Darius made a trench or ditch of an hundred foote broad and of thirty foote déepe and ten or twelue leagues in length till he came to The bitter Welles pretending to haue his worke run into the sea from a mouth of the riuer Nilus called Pelusium passing now by the citie Damiata But this thing tooke none effect for that the Red sea was thought to be higher by thrée cubits then the land of Egypt which would haue ouerflowed all the countrey to the ruine and losse thereof In the yéere 277. before the incarnation succéeded in the gouernment of the kingdome one Philadelphus who brought to passe that the marchandises should come out of Europe to the citie of Alexandria vpwards by the riuer Nilus vnto a city named Coptus and from thence to be conueyed by land to a hauen standing vpon the Red sea called Myos-Hormos which way was trauailed in the night the pilots directing themselues by the stars which were expert in that practise And because water was scant that way they vsed to carrie it with them for all the companie till at the last to auoide that trouble they digged very déepe wels and made large cisterns for the receipt of raine water by which the way furnished with that commoditie which at the first it wanted grewe in continuance of time to be the more frequented But whereas the straight way was dangerons by reason of flats and islands the aforesaid king Philadelphus with his armies went on the side of Troglodytica and in an hauen called Berenice caused the ships to arriue which came out of India being a place of more suretie and lesse perill from whence they might easily carrie the wares to the citie of Coptus and so to Alexandria And by this meane Alexandria grew so famous and rich that in those daies there was no citie of the world comparable to it And to speake briefly and particularly of the abundance of trafficke there vsed it is left written for an assured truth that in the time of king Ptolemey Auletes father vnto Cleopatra it yéelded in customes vnto him yéerly seuen millions and an halfe of gold although the trafficke was not then scant twenty yéeres old by way of that citie But after that this prouince and countrey became subiect to the Emperours of Rome as they were greater in power and néerer in couetousnes so they enhansed the customes so that within a little time the citie yéelded double the foresaide summe For the traffike grew so excéeding great that they sent euery yéere into India 120. ships laden with wares which began to set saile from Myos-Hormos about the middle of Iuly and returned backe againe within one yéere The marchandise which they did carrie amounted vnto one million two hundred thousand crownes and there was made in returne of euery crowne an hundred In so much that by reason of this increase of wealth the matrones or noble women of that time and place spent infinitely in decking themselues with precious stones purple pearles muske amber and the like whereof the writers and historians of that age speake very greatly Cornelius Nepos alleaged by Plinie maketh report of a king of Egypt that raigned in his time called Ptolemaeus Lathyrus from whom one Eudoxus fled vpon occasion and the better to auoid and escape his hands he passed through the Arabicke gulfe and the sea all along the coast of Africa and the Cape of Bona Sperança till he came vnto the Island of Cadiz and this nauigation by that course was in those daies as often vsed as now it is if we may giue credit to the histories Which appiereth the more manifest by this that Caius Caesar the sonne of Augustus going into Arabia did finde in the Red sea certaine péeces of those ships which came thither out of Spaine It was a vse also long after those daies to passe to India by land For so did the kings of the Soldans and the princes of Bactria and other famous captaines who trauailing thither and into Scythia by land had the view of those prouinces and countreyes so farre till they came that way vnto the * West and to the seas thereof on the north part whereunto many marchants then did trauaile Marcus Paulus Venetus writeth much hereof And although at the first his booke was taken for a fabulous thing yet now there is better credit giuen vnto it for that by the late experiences of the trauailers and marchants of these daies into those parts the names of the countreyes cities and townes with their situations latitudes and commodities are now found true as he and other historiographers of that time haue reported In the 200. yéere before the incarnation it is written that the Romanes sent an armie by sea into India against the great Can of Cathaia which passing through the straight of Gibraltar and running to the northwest found right ouer against the Cape Finisterre ten Islands wherein was much tinne And they may be those which were called the Cassiterides being come to 50. degrées of
light if my selfe had not vndertaken that heauie burden being neuer therein entertained to any purpose vntill I had recourse vnto your selfe by whose speciall fauour and bountifull patronage I haue been often much encouraged and as it were reuiued Which trauailes of our men because as yet they be not come to ripenes and haue been made for the most part to places first discouered by others when they shall come to more perfection and become more profitable to the aduenturers will then be more fit to be reduced into briefe epitomes by my selfe or some other endued with an honest zeale of the honour of our countrey In the meane season nothing doubting of your fauourable acceptation of this my labour I humbly beseech the authour of all goodnes to replenish and enrich you with his best blessings long to protect and preserue your Honour to the profitable seruice of her Maiestie and to the common benefit and good of the Realme From London this 29. of October 1061. Your Honors Chaplein in all dutie most readie to be commanded RICHARD HAKLVYT Francis de Sousa Tauares vnto the high and mightie Prince Don IOHN Duke of Aueiro ANtonie Galuano vpon his death bed left vnto me in his testament among his papers this booke And because I am certaine he ordained it to bee presented vnto your Grace I haue thought good herein to fulfill his wil testament though in other things I haue done nothing the fault remaining not in me And by all reason this treatie ought to be set foorth by a Portugall seeing it intreateth of the variable waies from whence the pepper and spices came in times past into our partes and also of all the nauigations and discoueries in the old time In both of which things the Portugals haue most trauailed In this treatie and in nine or ten bookes of things touching Maluco and India which the Cardinall willed me to giue to Damian de Goes saying that he should content me for otherwise I could not deliuer them this true Portugall occupied himselfe against the vnfortunate and sorrowâ—ull times which he had been in which were all ended before all our daies and times for when he receiued the captainship and fortresses of Maluco all the kings and gouernours of all the Ilands about being agreed to make war against the Portugals vntill such time as they might driue them all out of the countrey he fought against them all with onely 130. Portugals when they were all together and strong in Tidore and he gaue them the ouerthrow and killed their king and one â—ernate the principal author of that war and he tooke from them their fortresse so vpon this victorie they submitted themselues and came vnder the obeisance and seruice of our king of Portugall Herein two things happened of great admiration The first that all the kings and gouernours of Maluco agreed togither against vs a thing that neuer fell out nor yet credible to be like to happen for they are euer at variance among themselues The second that the captaine of Maluco with onely his ordinarie soldiers should haue the victorie against so many being all together For sometimes it happeneth that some of the captaines of Maluco with many extraordinarie soldiers besides their ordinarie yea and with the aide of al the Kings and Lords of Maluco in their fauour and aide went against one King onely of them and came backe againe with losse So there may be reckoned three notable things done in India I say of qualitie but of more quantitie and importance there haue been others which were the taking of Muar by Emmanuel Falcon and the winning of Bitam by Peter Mascarenas and this whereof we presently treate For all these three deedes seemed to be impossible to be atchieued considering the small quantitie of soldiers which the captaines had in giuing the enterprise against so many with the order and maner by them ordained how and which waies to obtaine their purpose as well by their enimies as by themselues And they could not be atchieued otherwise but by vsing a meane and order not thought of at the first by the Portugals nor yet euer suspected by their enimies And besides this his father and fower of his brethren were all slaine in the kings seruice And he now being the last of his linage caried with him into Maluco woorth ten thousand crusadoes which he spent not in idlenes nor yet in play but onely in bringing of many kings and innumerable townes vnto our holy faith and in the preseruing of Maluco employing all his power and strength that all the cloues might come vnto the hands of the kings highnes which with Maluco yeelded vnto him euery yeere fiue hundred thousand crusadoes being all to his great preiudice let and hinderance For if he had gathered cloues for himselfe as the captaines of Maluco haue done and doe then he had come home very rich But when he came home into Portugall in great hope such is the simplicitie of the best natures to be rewarded for his good seruice and to be more fauoured and honored then if he had brought home with him an hundred thousand crusadoes he was greatly deceiued For he found neither fauour nor yet honor but onely among the poore and miserable to wit in an hospitall where he was kept seuenteene yeeres vntill the hower of his death and there he had allowed vnto him his winding sheete to burie him in and the brotherhood of the Couent prepared for his buriall as for a poore courtier cast off by all men leauing himselfe indebted in two thousand crusadoes whereof part came out of India and part thereof many of his friends had lent him to maintaine him in the hospitall for in all these seuenteene yeeres he had not of his highnes for to helpe himselfe with so much as one riall of plate nor yet I of the bookes which I deliuered receiued any thing to discharge his will with Yet for all this euen as vpon the prosperitie of his victories he neuer made any boast so likewise in his aduersities his great stomacke did nothing abate his hart As there are good proofes that with so many and so continuall disgraces as he suffered he neuer vnto the hower of his death left off to raise and to augment the yeerely rent vnto a Counto which some made strange and would not giue eare vnto So that euen as he was extreme painfull in the performance of his seruice so he was the like in the things sounding vnto the perfecting of the same which was the cause that he was brought vnto the state that he died in For he could not see the qualitie of the time but onely those of his great seruice by reason of the great charges that it stood him in And his saying was That he was borne not for to say that his constellation was in the wars victorious but in the ouercomming of kings by the arte of warfare readines in resoluing prudence
may touch with their hand the boughs of the trées on the one and on the other side also And to come néerer to the matter it is not long since that in the east the Islands of Banda were diuers of them ouerflowen and drowned by the sea And so likewise in China about nine score miles of firme ground is now become a lake as it is reported Which is not to be thought maruellous considering that which Ptolemey and others haue written in such cases which here I omit to returne to my purpose After the flood 800. yéeres we reade that the citie of Troy was builded by the Dardans and that before that time they brought out of the Indies into Europe by the Red sea spices drugs and many other kindes of marchandises which were there more abundant then now they be Whereunto if credit may be giuen we may conceaue that the sea was of old haunted and frequented séeing that then they of the East had so much and so great trafficke with them of the West that they brought their marchandise vnto an hauen which was named Arsinoe being that which at this day is called Suez standing in 30. degrées on the north part of the Arabian Gulfe It is also by authors farther written that from this hauen of Arsinoe or Suez these marchandises were carried by Carauans or great companies of carriers vpon camels asses and mules vnto the Leuant sea vnto a city called Cassou standing on the coast in 32. degrées of latitude yeelding vnto euery degrée 17. leagues and an halfe as the maner is And there are by account from the one sea to the other 35. leagues or 105. miles These carriers by reason of the heate of the countrey trauailed in the night onely directing themselues by stars and by marks of postes and canes which they vsed to sticke in the ground as they went But after that because this course and iourney had many inconueniences they changed and altered the same twise to finde out the most commodious way 900. yéeres or there about after the flood and before the destruction of Troy there was a king in Egypt called Sesostris who perceiuing that the former courses and passages for the carrying of marchandises by men beasts were chargeable to the one most painfull to the other prouided to haue a way or streame cut out of the land from the Red sea vnto an arme of the riuer Nilus which rūneth vnto the Citie Heroum that by the meanes thereof ships might passe and repasse with their marchandises from India into Europe and not be discharged till they came into Italie So that this Sesostris was the first king which built great caracks to trauaile this way But this enterprise for all that tooke little effect For if it had Africa had then béen made as an Island all compassed with water being no more ground betweene sea and sea then the space of 20. leagues or 60. miles About this time the Graecians gathered together an army or fléete which now is called Argonautica whereof Iason and Alceus were captains general Some say they went from the Isle of Creta others from Graecia But whence soeuer they departed they sailed through the Proponticke sea and Saint Georges Sleeue vnto the Euxine sea where some perished and Iason thereupon returned backe into Greece Alceus reported that he was driuen with a tempest to the lake Maeotis where he was forsaken of al his company and they which escaped with great trauaile passed through by land vnto the Ocean sea of Almaine where they tooke shipping passing the coasts of Saxonie Frisland Holland Flanders France Spaine Italie and so returned vnto Peloponesus and Greece discouering the most part of the coast of Europe Strabo alleaging Aristonicus the Grammarian sheweth that after the destruction of Troy Menelaus the king came out of the straights of the Leuant seas into the sea Atlanticke and coasted Africa and Guinea and doubled the Cape of Bona Sperança and so in time arriued in India Of which voyage of his there may be many more particulars gathered out of the histories This Mediterrane sea was also sometimes called The Adriaticke The Aegaean and the Herculean sea with other names according to the lands coasts Islands which it passeth by running into the great sea Atlanticke along the coast of Africa In the yéere 1300. after the flood Solomon caused a nauie to be prepared on the Red sea at an hauen called Ezeon Geber to saile to the East India where by opinion stande the Islands called Tharsis and Ophir This nauie was thrée yéeres on this voyage and then returned and brought with them gold siluer cypres c. Whereby it séemeth that those places and Islands were those which now be called the Luçones Lequeos and Chinaes For we know few other parts from whence some of those things are brought or wherein nauigation was so long since vsed It is left vs also in histories that a king of Egypt called Neco desiring greatly to ioyne the Red sea with the riuer Nilus commanded the Phoenicians to saile from the straight of Mecca to the farther end of the Mediterrane sea to sée if it did make any turne backe againe vnto Egypt Which commandement they obeied sailing towards the south all along the coast and countrey of Melinde Quiloa Sofala till they came to the Cape of Bona Esperança finding the sea continually on the left hand But when they had doubled the Cape and found the coast continually on the right hand they maruailed much at it Notwithstanding they continued their course forward toward the north al along the coast of Guiney and the Mediterrane sea till they came backe againe into Egypt whence they first went out In which discouerie they remained two yéeres And these are thought to be the first that compassed by sea all the coast of Afrike and sailed round about it In the yéere 590. before the incarnation of Christ there went out of Spaine a fléete of Carthaginian marchants vpon their owne proper costs and charges which sailed toward the west through the high seas to sée if they could finde any land and they sailed so farre that they found at last the Islands which we now call the Antiles and Noua Spagna which Gonzalo Fernandes de Quiedo saith were then discouered although Christopher Columbus afterwards by his trauaile got more exact knowledge of them and hath left vs an euident notice where they be But all these historians which wrote of these Antiles before as of doubtfull and vncertaine things and of places vndiscouered doe now plainly confesse the same to be the countrey of Noua Spagna In the yéere 520. before the incarnation and after the setting out of the aforesaid army Cambyses king of Persia tooke Egypt after whom succéeded Darius the sonne of Histaspis and he determined to make an end of the enterprise which king Sesostris had begun
The Island that they inhabited was Lancerota where they built in it a castle of stone for their better defence and securitie In the yéere 1418. one Iohn Gonzales Zarco and Tristam Vaz Teixera housholde gentlemen vnto Don Henry the kings third sonne perceiuing the desire that their master had to discouer new countreyes and willing in that course to doe him some seruice craued of him a barke and licence to vndertake the action which they obtained and sailed to the coast of Africa where they were ouertaken with a terrible tempest but they were succoured by falling with the land and entring into an hauen called Santo where they landed and remained two yéeres In the yéere 1420. they discouered the Island of Madera where they founde the chappell and the stone and tombe whereupon the foresaide Macham had grauen his name There are others that write that a certaine Castillian perceiuing the desire and fauour to nauigation which Don Henry had told him that they had found the Island of Porto Santo which being but a small thing they made no reckoning of it Don Henry sent Bartholomew Perestrello Iohn Conzales Zarco Tristam Vaz Teixera and by the signes and likelyhoods that they had receiued they went to Porto Santo and there remained two yéeres and after that namely in the yéere 1420. they sailed also to the Island of Madera where they found the memoriall and monument of the aforesaide Macham the English man As for Monsieur Betancourt who entred into the conquest of the Canaries as is aboue mentioned he was slaine in the middest of the action and left behind him for his heire a kinseman of his called Monsieur Menante who after that sold the said Islands of the Canaries vnto one Peter Barba of Siuill There are other which speake otherwise and say that Monsieur Iohn Betancourt went into France to prepare a new armie about this conquest and left there a nephew of his who because he heard no more of his vncle and sawe that he could not maintaine the warres any longer he solde the Canaries to Don Henry the king of Portugals third sonne for a certaine thing that he gaue him in the Island of Madera In the yéere 1424. they write that the saide Don Henry prepared a nauie and armie to conquer these Islands wherein there went as captaine generall one Don Fernando de Castro and by reason of the valiantnes and warlike behauiour of the people they had the repulse whereupon Don Ferdinando considering the great charge and little or no good successe he gaue ouer the action and returned backe againe After this Don Henry resigned ouer these Islandes to the crowne of Castile in consideration of the aides which Betancouâ—t had receiued But the Castillians agrée not vnto this report For they say that neither the kings of Portugall nor Don Henry would render the Islands till they came in question before Pope Eugenius the fourth who fully vnderstanding the matter gaue the conquest of the Islands by order of iudgement vnto the king of Castile in the yéere 1431. whereupon this contention ceased touching the title of the Canaries betwéenâ— the kings of Portugall and of Castile These Islands being in number seuen were called by the name of Fortunatae standing in 28. degrées to the north where the longest day is but 13. howers and the longest night as much lying distant from Spaine 200. leagues and from the coast of Africa 18. leagues The people were idolaters and did eate their flesh raw for want of fire they had no iron and sowed without any toole they tilled and raised the ground with oxe hornes and goats hornes Euery Island did speake a seuerall language They tooke many wiues and knew them not carnally vntill they had deliuered them to the superiours They had diuers other Paganish customes but now the Christian faith is planted among them The commodities of these Islands are wheate barley sugar wine and certaine birdes called Canarie birdes much esteemed in Spaine and other places In the Island of Ferro they haue none other water but that which procéedeth in the night from a trée compassed with a cloud whence water issueth seruing the whole Island both men and cattell a thing notorious and knowne to very many In the yéere 1428. it is written that Don Peter the king of Portugals eldest sonne was a great traueller He went into England France Almaine and from thence into the Holy land and to other places and came home by Italie taking Rome Venice in his way from whence he brought a map of the world which had all the parts of the world and earth described The streight of Magelan was called in it The Dragons taile The Cape of Bona Sperança The forefront of Afrike and so foorth of other places by which map Don Henry the kings third sonne was much helped and furthered in his discoueries It was tolde me by Francis de Sosa Tauares that in the yéere 1528. Don Fernando the kings sonne and heire did shew him a map which was found in the studie of Alcobaza which had béene made 120. yéeres before which map did set foorth all the nauigation of the East Indies with the Cape of Bona Sperança according as our later maps haue described it Whereby it appéereth that in ancient time there was as much or more discouered then now there is Notwithstanding all the trauaile paines and expences in this action of Don Henry yet he was neuer wearie of his purposed discoueries At length there was a seruant of his called Gilianes that first passed the Cape Bojador a place before terrible to all men and he brought word that it was not so dangerous as it was reported for on the other side of it he went on land and in maner of taking possession set in the ground a crosse of wood to be as a marke and token afterwards of his discouery so farre In the yéere 1433. in the moneth of August Don Iohn died and his sonne Don Duarte or Edward succéeded him in the kingdome In the yéere 1434. Don Henry set out one Alfonso Gonsales Baldaia and Gilianes aforesaid and they went to another Cape which was beyond the former and going on land perceiued the countrey to be inhabited and because they were desirous to satisfie Don Henry with as much relation and knowledge as they could get they continued their voiage and went forward till they came to a certaine point of land from whence they turned backe againe In the yéere 1438. king Edward whom the Portugals call Don Duarte died and Don Alphonso the prince being yoong Don Peter his vncle gouerned the kingdome In the yéere 1441. Don Henry sent out two ships and the captaines were in the one Tristan and Antonie Gonsales in the other Being put to sea they tooke a prise vpon the coast and sailed on to Cape Blanco that is the White Cape standing
that made this discouerie was a seruant of the kings and his name was Sequeira Many suppose that than also there were those places countreyes and Islands discouered which before were neuer knowne to vs since the flood In the yéere 1480. the valiant king Don Alphonso died and left many things woorthy of memorie behinde him and his sonne Don Iohn the second succéeded him Who in the yéere 1481. gaue direction for the building of the castle De Mina to one Diego d'Azambuxa who did so and was made captaine of it In the yéere 1484. the foresaid king Iohn sent out one Diego Caon a knight of his Court to discouer and he went to the Riuer of Congo standing on the south side in 7. or 8. degrées of latitude where he erected a pillar of stone with the royall armes and letters of Portugall wherein he wrote the commandement that he had receiued from the king with the time and day of his being there From thence he went vnto a riuer néere the Tropicke of Capricorne setting still vp pillars of stone where he thought it conuenient and so came backe againe vnto Congo and to the king of that countrey who thereupon sent an ambassadour and men of credite into Portugall In the next yéere or the second following one Iohn Alonso d'Aueiro came from the kingdome of Benin and brought home pepper with a taile which was the first of that kinde séene in Portugall In the yéere 1487. king Iohn sent to discouer India ouer land In which iourney went one Pedro de Couillan a seruant of the kings and Alfonso de Payua because they could speake the Arabian toong They went out in the moneth of May and the same yeere they tooke shipping at Naples and arriued in the Isle of Rhodes and lodged in the house that was prouided for the Portugall knights of that order from thence they went to Alexandria and so to Cayro and thence to the hauen of Toro in the companie of the Carauans or carriers which were Moores There they tooke shipping and being on the Red sea they arriued at the citie of Aden and there they separated themselues for Alfonso de Payua went towards Aethiopia and Pedro de Couillan into India Who came vnto the cities of Cananor and Calicut and came backe vnto Goa where he tooke shipping vnto Sofala being on the coast of Africa in the southerne latitude of 20. degrées to sée the mines that were of so great name From Sofala he turned backe to Mosambique and vnto the cities of Quiloa Mombaza and Melinde till he came backe againe vnto the citie of Aden where he and Alfonso de Payua deuided themselues and thence he sailed againe through the Red sea vnto the citie of Cayro where he thought to haue met with his companion but there he heard that he was dead by the letters that he receiued from king Iohn his master in which letters he was farther commanded to trauaile into the countrey and dominions of Presbyter Iohn Vpon this commandement he prouided for his farther iourney and from Cairo went backe againe to the hauen of Toro and from thence to Aden where he had béen twise before and there hearing of the fame of the citie of Ormuz he determined to goe thither and therefore went along the coast of Arabia vnto the Cape Razalgate standing vnder the Tropicke of Cancer and from thence he went to Ormuz standing in 27. degrées on that side There he learned and vnderstood of the streigth of Persia and of that countrey and entred there into the Red sea and passed ouer to the realme of the Abassini which commonly is called Presbyter Iohns countrey or Aethiopia and there he was detained till the yéere 1520. when there came thither the ambassadour Don Roderigo de Lima This Pedro de Couillan was the first Portugall that euer knew and saw the Indias and those seas and other places adioyning thereunto In the yéere 1490. the king sent vnto Congo one Gonzalo de Sosa a gentleman with thrée ships and in them sent home the ambassadour of Congo which was sent into Portugall whom Diego Caon had brought from thence who at his being in Portugall was baptised both himselfe and others of his companie The aforesaid Gonzalo de Sosa died in that iourney by the way and in his roome they chose his nephew Ruy de Sosa for their captaine and so being come vnto Congo the king was very glad of their comming and yéelded himselfe and the greater part of his realme to be baptized whereof the Portugals had good cause to reioice séeing by them so many Infidels were conuerted from gentilitie and paganisme to Christianitie The first beginning of the Discoueries of the Spanyards with the continuation of the Discoueries of the Portugals IN the yéere 1492. in the time of Don Ferdinando king of Castile he being at the siege of Granada dispatched one Christopher Columbus a Genoway with three ships to goe and discouer Noua Spagna who first had offered his seruice for a westerne discouerie vnto king Iohn of Portugall but he would not entertaine him He being sufficiently furnished for this enterprise departed from the towne of Palos the third day of August hauing with him as captaines and pilots Martin Alfonso Pinzon Francis Martinez Pinzon Vincent Yannes Pinzon and Bartholomew Columbus his brother with 120. persons more in his companie and some affirme that they were the first that sailed by latitudes They tooke the Canaries in their way and there refreshed themselues taking their course thence towards Cipango but finding the sea by the way full of wéeds they were amazed and with great feare arriued at the Antiles the tenth day of October and the first Island that they descried was called Guanahany where they went on land and tooke possession of it and named it San Saluador This Island standeth in 25. degrées of northerly latitude And after that they found many Islands which they called the Princes because they were the first that they had discouered The Sauages of those parts call these Islands by the name of Lucaios hauing in déede seuerall names for them And they doe stand on the north side almost vnder the Tropicke of Cancer As for the Island of S. Iames or Iamaica it standeth betwéene 16. and 17. degrées Thence they went to the Island which the naturals of the countrey call Cuba and the Spanyards call it Ferdinandina bicause their kings name was Ferdinando standing in 22. degrées from whence the Indians conducted them vnto another Island which they call Hayti and the Spanyards called it Isabella in the memorie of the Quéene of Castile which was so called and they named it also Hispaniola In that Island the Admirall ship of Columbus was cast away of the timber and planks whereof they made a forte wherein they
in the time of Fredericke Barbarossa it is written that there came to Lubec a citie of Germanie one Canoa with certaine Indians like vnto a long barge which seemed to haue come from the coast of Baccalaos which standeth in the same latitude that Germanie doth The Germaines greatly woondered to sée such a barge and such people not knowing from whence they came nor vnderstanding their spéech especially because there was then no knowledge of that countrey as now there is it may be credible that though the boate was small in respect of those huge seas yet the winde and water might bring them thither as we sée in these our daies that the Almadie which is but a small boate commeth notwithstanding from Quiloa Mosambique and Sofala to the Island of S. Helena being a small spot of land standing in the maine Ocean off the coast of Bona Sperança so farre separated In the yéere 1300. after the comming of Christ the great Soldan of Cayro commanded that the spiceries and drugs and marchandises of India should be carried through the Red sea as it was vsed before at which time they vnladed on the Arabian side at the hauen of Iuda and carried them vnto the house at Mecca and the carriers of it were the pilgrims So that each Prince vsed a custome to augment the honour and increase the profite of his countrey And these Soldans had speciall regarde to Cayro from whence the wares were carried vnto the countreyes of Egypt Lybia Africa the kingdomes of Tunez Tremessen Fez Marocco Suz and some of it was carried beyond the mountaines of Atlas vnto the citie of Tombuto and the kingdome of the Ialophos vntill afterwards that the Portugals did bring it about the Cape of Bona Sperança vnto the citie of Lisbone as in place conuenient we purpose to shew more at large In the yéere 1344. king Peter the fourth of that name reigning in Arragon the Chronicles of his time report that one Don Luis of Cerda sonne vnto the sonne of Don Iohn of Cerda craued aide of him to goe and to conquers the Isles of the Canaries standing in 28. degrées of latitude to the north because they were giuen vnto him by Pope Clement the sixt which was a French man Whereby in those daies there grew a knowledge of those Islands in all Europe and specially in Spaine for such great Princes would not begin nor enterprise things of such moment without great certaintie About this time also the Island of Madera was discouered by an English man called Macham who sailing out of England into Spaine with a woman of his was driuen out of his direct course by a tempest and arriued in that Island and cast his anker in that hauen which now is called Machico after the name of Macham And bicause his louer was then sea-sicke he there went on land with some of his companie and in the meane time his ship weyed and put to sea leauing him there whereupon his louer for thought died Macham which greatly loued her built in the Island a chappell or hermitage to burie her in calling it by the name of Iesus Chappell and wrote or graued vpon the stone of her tombe his name and hers and the occasion whereupon they arriued there After this he made himselfe a boate all of a trée the trées being there of a great compasse about and went to sea in it with those men of his companie that were left with him and fell with the coast of Africke without saile or oare and the Moores among whom he came tooke it for a miracle and presented him vnto the king of that countrey and that king also admiring the accident sent him and his companie vnto the king of Castile In the yéere 1395. king Henrie the third of that name reigning in Castile the information which Macham gaue of this Island and also the ship wherein he went thither mooued many of France and of Castile to goe and discouer it and the great Canarie And they which went were principally the Andaluzes the Biscaines and the Guepusâ—oes carrying with them many people and horses But I know not whether the charge of that voiage was theirs or the kings But by whom soeuer it was set out they seeme to be the first that discouered the Canaries and landed in them where also they tooke 150 of the Islanders prisoners Concerning the time of this discouerie there is some difference among the writers for some affirme this to be done in the yeere 1405. The first beginning of the Portugall Discoueries THe Chronicles of Portugall haue this record That after the incarnation of Christ 1415. king Iohn the first of that name king of Portugall departed from the citie of Lisbon with the Prince Don Duarte or Edward and Don Peter and Don Henry his sonnes with other Lords and nobles of his realme and sailed into Africa where he tooke the great citie of Ceuta standing on the north side thereof betwéene 35. and 36. degrees in latitude which was one of the principall causes of the enlarging of the dominions of Portugall When they were come from thence Henry the kings third sonne desirous to enlarge the kingdome to discouer strange vnknowne countreyes being then in Algarbe gaue direction for the discouery of the coast of Mauritania For in those daies none of the Portugals had euer passed the Cape de Non standing in 29. degrées of latitude And for the better accomplishing of this discouerie the aforesaid Don Henry prepared a fléete gaue commandement to the chiefe captaines to procéede in discouerie from the aforesaide Cape forward Which they did But when they came to another Cape named Bojador there was not one of them that durst goe farther or beyond it at which fearefull and cowardly faintnes of theirs the Prince was excéedingly displeased In the yéere 1417. king Iohn the second reigning in Castile and his mother Ladie Katharine then vsing the gouernment one Monsieur Ruben of Bracamonte which was then Admirall of France craued the conquest of the Islands of the Canaries with the title to be king of them for a kinsman of his called Monsieur Iohn Betancourt which being granted him by the Quéene and farther also partly furnished out he departed from Siuill with a good armie But the chiefe or principall cause that mooued him to enter into this action was to discouer and perfectly to take a view of the Island of Madera whereof Macham before had giuen so much information But for all that he went vnto the Canaries and carried with him a Friar called Mendo to be as Bishop thereof admitted by Pope Martine the fift When they were landed they wonne Lancerota Forteuentura Gomera and Ferro from whence they sent into Spaine many slaues honie waxe Camfora or Camfire hides Orchall figs Sanguis Draconis and other marchandises whereof they made good profit And this armie also as they report discouered Porto Santo
the mouth which they name Bocca de Dragone or the Dragons mouth and they tooke their course hard by the coast where they found thrée small Islands which they named Los Testigos that is to say The Witnesses beyond which standeth the Island of Cubagua where is great fishing of muscle pearles where also as they say there springeth a Well of aile and beyond that Island they came to the Isles of Frailes Roques Aruba and Curaçao with other small ones all along the Bay and they came to the point of Cabo de Vela and discouered along the coast almost 200. leagues from whence they crossed ouer to Hispaniola hauing had also sight of the Island called Beata In this same yéere 1497. on the 20. day of the moneth of Iune one Vasques de Gama sailed from Lisbon by the king Emmanuels commandement to India with 3. ships wherein there went for captaines Vasques de Gama Paulus de Gama his brother and Nicolas Coello with 120. men with whom also there went one ship laden only with vittailes and in 14. daies they came vnto Cape Verde vnto the Island of Saint Iago where they refreshed themselues and from thence they went along the coast beyond the Cape of Bona Sperança whereupon they erected certaine pillers of stone and so came vnto Mosambique standing in 15. degrées to the south of the line where they staied not long but went from thence to Mombaza and vnto Melinde where the king of that place gaue them pilots which conducted them into India in which discouerie they found out Los Baxos do Padua that is to say the flats of Padua In the yéere 1498. in the moneth of May they came to an anker before the citie of Calicut and Panana where they remained all the winter and the first day of September they set saile towards the north discouering the coast all along till they came to the Island of Angediua which standeth on that side in 15. degrées of latitude where they came to an anker in the beginning of October and so they departed from Angediua in Februarie in the yéere 1499. and came in sight of the coast of Africa about Melinde towards the north 3. or 4. degrées from thence they sailed vnto the said citie and so vnto Mosambique againe and to the Cape of Bona Sperança sailing along by the coast and then they came to the Islands of Cape Verde and last of al to the citie of Lisbon in the moneth of September hauing béene in the voiage 26. monethes In the yéere 1499 on the 13. day of the moneth of Nouember there departed frō Palos one Vincent Yannez Pinson and his nephew Aries Pinson with fower ships well appointed at their owne coast and charges to discouer the new world vnder the licence of the king of Castile and with commandement not to touch there where the Admirall Columbus had béene And so they went to the Islands of Cape Verde and passed the line to the southward and discouered the Cape of Saint Augustine standing on that side in 8. degrées of latitude and there they wrote on the rindes of pine trées the names of the king and of the Quéene also the yéere and day when they arriued there They fought with the people of Brasil but got nothing they tooke their course all along the coast towards the west vnto the riuer Maria Tambal and at that time they had taken thirty and odde prisoners The chiefe places where they touched were the Cape of S. Augustine and the angle or point of S. Luke and Tierra de los Humos the Riuers of Marannon and of the Amazones and Rio dolce or the Swéete riuer and other places along the coast and they came to ten degrées of latitude on the north side where they lost two ships and their companie and remained in that voiage of discouery ten moneths and 15. daies In the yéere 1500. and in the moneth of March one Pedro Aluarez Cabral sailed out of Lisbon with 13. ships with commandement not to come néere the coast of Africa to shorten his way and he losing the sight of one of his ships went to séeke her and in séeking of her lost his course and sailed till he came within sight of the land The Generall was so long in séeking his ship that the companie were wearie of it and entreated him to leaue his enterprise The next day they fell in sight of the coast of Brasil whereupon the Generall commanded a barke to goe to land and séeke an hauen which they did and found a good and safe hauen and they named it Puerto Seguro that is to say The Safe hauen standing on the south side in 17. degrées of latitude From thence they sailed towardes the Cape of Bona Sperança and Melinde and crossed ouer to the riuer of Cochin which before was not knowne where they laded themselues with pepper and at their returne Sancho de Thouar discouered the citie of Sofala vpon the coast of Africa In this same yéere 1500. it is reported that Gaspar Cortereal craued a generall licence of the king Emmanuel to discouer the New found land He went from the Island Terçera with two ships well appointed at his owne cost and he sailed vnto that climate which standeth vnder the north in 50. degrées of latitude which is a land nowe called after his name and he came home in safetie vnto the citie of Lisbon And making another time this voiage the ship was lost wherein he went and the other came backe into Portugall Wherefore his brother Michael Cortereal went to séeke him with thrée ships well appointed at his owne cost and when they came vnto that coast and found so many entrances of riuers and hauens euery ship went into her seuerall riuer with this rule and order that they all thrée should meete againe the 20. day of August The two other ships did so and they séeing that Michael Cortereal was not come at the day appointed nor yet afterwards in a certaine time returned backe into the realme of Portugall and neuer heard any more newes of him nor yet any other memorie But that countrey is called The land of Cortereall vnto this day In the yéere 1501. in the moneth of March Iohn de Noua departed from the citie of Lisbon with fower ships and passed the line on the south side into 8. degrees of latitude and he discouered an Island which he called the Isle de Ascension And he went vnto Mosambique and to Melinde and from thence he crossed ouer vnto the other side where they tooke lading and so came back and doubled the Cape and found an Island called Santa Helena being but a small thing but yet of great importance in respect of the situation thereof In this same yéere 1501. and in the moneth of May there departed out of Lisbon thrée