Church and keepe the rest for themselues and you must vnderstand that all the offerings must be wrought with golde and siluer and of such forme and fashion as the thing is which they desire to haue of their Guaca They offer also liuing men and all kindes of beastes looking in the hearts and intrailes of the men or beastes which they did offer for certaine secret tokens which if they founde not vpon the offerings they still offered newe men or beasts vntil they founde the tokens thinking the Idoll not to be pleased with such offrings as had them not When the priests should offer sacrifices then they abstaine from the company of their wiues and ceased not all night to doo nothing but crie out and pray to the diuell running into the fieldes and to the places where the Guacas stande whereof there were so many that euerie man hadde one before his dore and the day before they should speake with the diuell they fasted some binding a thing before their eies and some thrust them cleane out and it hath often bene seene that some of them haue done it of meere deuotion The kinges and noble menne enterprise not any thing before they haue consulted with the Priestes and the Priests with the Idoles in their sacrifices they vse not onely beastes but menne and children but they eate not mans flesh as the Caniballes do When the Spaniardes spoyled their Temples they founde therein many pottes full of the dried bones and flesh of dead children that had bin offered to their Idolles they offer likewise birdes and other beastes and with the bloud of their offerings they annoint the mouthes of their Idolles and the dores of their churches There was likewise among the golde that lay by their idolles certaine staues and myters for Bishops such as our Bishops vse when they are in their robes or as the Painters vse to set foorth Saint Nicholas with his Crosse and Myter and being asked what those things meant they knew not what to answere neyther from whence they came Besides those great temples of the Sunne and Guacas there were in all places of the countrey of Peru many other Churches and Cloysters for yong maides wherein some had one hundred some two hundred and some more al obseruing chastitie or at the least vowing to keepe it and to honour the Sunne like the Vastal virgins in Rome or our Nuns Those they called Mamacomas and were bound to stay in the cloyster during their liues and neuer to depart from thence dooing nothing but spinne weaue and sowe very fine cloth of cotten and wooll apparell and furnitures for their Idolles or as others affirme the clothes by them made were burnt with the bones of white sheepe the ashes whereof as a signe and token of godly honour they threw into the ayre against the Sunne Those maides were verye narrowely looked vnto by certaine Priestes and other men appoynted for the purpose wherof some were gelded because they should not seeke to defile them which if the maides once committed they were eyther put to death or buried quicke but if the maide with childe would take her othe that it was begotten by the Sunne then the childe was free from death and euerye yeere in the moneth of August when they had gathered in their corne or maiz the Perâ—uians that dwelt in the hilles made a great feast they set vp in the middle of their Market place two great hie trees like our Maie-poles and in the top of them they placed certaine Images made like men compassed about with flowers and so in roundes yet in good order comming thither they strike vp drummes throwing and showting one after the other with stones and arrowes at those Images making great noyse with whooping and hallowing and euery man hauing shott and thrown The Priests brought an other Image which was set belowe on the neather part of the trees whereunto they offered either a man or a sheepe annoynting the Image with the bloud thereof and after they perceiued the tokens in the heart or intrailes they certified it vnto the people and the tokens being found the feast was ended eyther with ioy or sadnes most part in drinking wherunto they are much addicted and so daunced turning and passing vnder each others armes each man hauing either a bill clubbe or some other weapon in his hand such as are desirous to know more of their ceremonies and false worshippings of Idoles let them reade the histories of the Spanish Indies The countrey of Peru was first ruled by Iudges which are Kings or Rulers that come from the great lake called Titicara or as some write Titicaca lying in Charcas being foure score miles in compasse which runneth westward through a great riuer which in some places is halfe a mile broad and then runneth into an other small lake fortie miles distant and it is to be wondered at how the abundaunce of water that runneth out of the great lake is comprehended in so small a place where it is not once perceiued to increase The lake beeing so small and the water so great but it is reported that in that lake there is no botome or ground and that the water runneth vnder the ground thorow the earth into another sea or riuer as it is saide of the riuer Alpheus that it runneth from Peioponces or Moica to Cicilia vnder the ground and from this lake or thereabouts the kings of Peru had their originall the petegree of which kings is by Iacob Fernando a Spaniard declared in this manner Frst Mango Capa who according to the Indians report was not borne of a woman but sprang out of a stone which vntill this day is yet shewne by them about the towne of Cusco hee by his wife Mama Guaco had issue one sonne called Sicheroca that ruled after his father and was the second Ingen or king you must vnderstand that the inheritance of the kingdome continueth in the issue sons successiuely and not vnto the children of the sonnes before all the brothers haue raigned one after another but first the eldest sonne is King then after his death his second brother succeedeth in the kingdome and not the eldest brothers sonnes and the second brother dying there being no more brethren the crowne falleth vnto the eldest brothers sonnes without alteration or change this Sicheroca was a valiant souldier like his father and broght many of his neighbours to subiection and by Mama Cura he had issue a sonne called Locuco Pangue the third king who studied rather to holde those landes he had vnder his subiection then to win or increase more vnto them and being aged he married a wife Mama Anauerque by whom he had a sonne called Maita Capa that augmented his kingdome and thervnto ioyned the prouince of Cusco and by his wife Mama Iacchi Dela he had issue a sonne called Capa Cyupangu of whom there is nothing worthy memory onely that he left a sonne by his wife Mama Cagna called Inga
was called Coccolucio because such as were troubled therewith were no otherwise troubled then in the throat like vnto Hennes which haue the pip after the which followed many pestilent feuers with diuers strange fits which continued not aboue foure dayes Not long before the plague was so great in Portingale that in two yeres space there died in Lisbone to the number of 80. thousand people after the which plague the saide disease ensued which wrought great destruction throughout the whole Countrie of Spaine The fift day of August in the same yeare hauing some vnderstanding in the Spanish tongue I placed my selfe with a Dutch gentleman who determined to trauaile into Portingal to sée the countrie and with him stayed to take a more conuenient time for my pretended voyage Vppon the first of September following we departed from Siuill passing through diuers Townes and Villages within eight dayes after we ariued at Badaios where I found my other Brother following the Court. At the same time died Anne de Austria Quéene of Spaine Sister to the Emperour Rodulphus and Daughter to the Emperour Maximilian the Kings fourth and last wife for whom great sorrow was made through all Spaine her body was conuaied from Badaios to the Cloyster of Saint Laurence in Escuriall where with great solemnitie it was buried We hauing stayed certaine dayes in Badaios departed from thence and passed through a Towne called Eluas about two or thrée miles off being the first towne in the kingdome of Portingale for that betwéene it and Badaios the borders of Spaine and Portingale are limited from thence we trauailed into diuers other places of Portingale and at the last ariued at Lisbone about the twenty of September following where at that time wee found the Duke of Alua beeing Gouernour there for the King of Spaine the whole Cittie making great preparation for the Coronation of the King according to the custome of their countrie Wee beeing in Lisbone through the change of aire and corruption of the countrie I fell sicke and during my sicknes was seauen times let blood yet by Gods help I escaped and being recouered not hauing much preferment vnder the gentleman I left his seruice and placed my selfe with a Marchant vntill I might attaine to better meanes About the same time the plague not long before newly begunne began againe to cease for the which cause the King till then had deferred his enterance into Lisbone which wholly ceased vppon the first day of May Anno 1581 hee entred with great triumph and magnificence into the cittie of Lisbone where aboue all others the Dutchmen had the best and greatest commendation for beautiful shews which was a Gate a Bridge that stood vppon the riuer side where the King must first passe as hee went out of his Gallie to enter into the cittie being beutified and adorned with many costly and excellent thinges most pleasant to behold euery stréet and place within the cittie being hanged with rich clothes of Tapistrie and Arras where they made great triumphes as the manner is at all Princes Coronations The same yere the twelfth of December the Duke of Alua died in Lisbone in the kings pallace being high steward of Spaine who during his sicknes for the space of fourtéene dayes receaued no sustenance but only womens milke his body beeing seared and spicen was conuaied into his countrie of Alua The same month the King beeing yet at Lisbone died Don Diego Prince of Spaine and Portingale the kings eldest son his body béeing inbalmed was conuaied to Madril after whose death the king had but one Sonne named Don Phillip and two Daughters liuing About the same time there ariued at Lisbone the kings sister widdow to the deceased Emperour Maximilian and with her one of her daughters who beeing lame was after placed in a Monasterie of Nuns they with great triumph were likewise receaued into the cittie After the death of Don Diego the kings eldest sonne all the Lordes and States of Spaine and Portingale as well spirituall as temporal assembled at Lisbone and there in the kings presence according to the ancient custome and manner of the countrie tooke their oathes of faith and allegiance vnto Don Phillip the young Prince of Spaine and next heire and lawfull successor of the lung his Father in his dominions of Spaine Portingale and other landes and countries The next yeare Anno 1582. a great nauie of ships was prepared in Lisbone whose generall was the Marquesse de sancta Cruce accompanied with the principall gentlemen and captaines both of Spaine and Portingal who at their own costs and charges therein to shew the great affection and desire they had to serue their Prince sayled with the said Nauie to the Flemmish Ilandes to fight with Don Antonio that lay about those Iles with a Fléet of frenchmen whose Generall was one Phillip Strozzi These two Fléets méeting together fought most cruelly to the great losse of both parts yet in the ende Don Antonio with his French men was ouerthrowne and many of them taken prisoners among the which were diuers gentlemen of great account in France who by the Marquis commandement were all beheaded in the Island of Saint Michaels The rest being brought into Spaine were put into the Gallies Don Antonio himselfe escaped in a small ship and the General Strozzi also who béeing hurt in y e battail died of the same wound By this victory the Spaniards were so proud that in Lisbone great triumph was holden for the same and the Marquis de Sancta Crus receiued therin with great ioy which done and all thinges being pacified in Portingale the King left his Sisters sonne Don Albertus Cardinall of Austria Gouernour of Lisbone and the whole Countrie and with the saide Cardinals mother returned and kept Court at Madrill in Spaine The 2. Chapter The beginning of my voyage into the East or Portingale Indies STaying at Lisbone the trade of Marchandize there not beeing great by reason of the newe fresh disagréeing of the Spaniards and Portingales occasion being offered to accomplish my desire there was at the same time in Lisbone a Monke of S. Dominicks order named Don frey Vincente de Fonseca of a noble house who by reason of his great learning had of long time béene Chaplen vnto Sebastian King of Portingale who beeing with him in the battaile of Barbari◠where King Sebastian was slain was taken prisoner and from thence ransomed whose learning and good behauiour beeing knowne to the King of Spaine hee made great account of him placing him in his own Chappel and desiring to prefer him the Archbishopricke of all the Indies beeing voide with confirmation of the Pope he inuested him therewith although he refused to accept it fearing the long and tedious trauaile hee had to make thether but in the end through the Kings perswasion hee tooke it vpon him with promise within foure or fiue yeares at the furthest to recall him home againe and to giue him
which is very little their noses broad flat and thicke at the end great bigge lippes some haue holes both aboue vnder in their lippes and some times besides their mouthes through their cheekes wherein they thrust small bones which they esteeme a bewtifying there are some among them that haue their faces and all their bodies ouer rased and seared with irons and al figured like rased Sattin or Damaske wherein they take great pride thinking there are no fairer people then they in all the world so that when they see any white people that weare apparell on their bodies they laugh and mocke at them thinking vs to be monsters and vgly people and when they will make any deuelish forme and picture then they inuent one atfer the forme of a white man in his apparell so that to conclude they thinke and verily perswade themselues that they are the right colour of men and that we haue a false and counterfait colour There are among them that file their téeth as sharp as nedles which they likewise estéeme for a great ornament Many of them hold the law of Mahomet that is to say such as dwell on the coast of Abex or Melinde and round about those places as also in Mosambique by reason the red sea is so néere vnto them together with the Arabian Mahometans with whome they dayly traffique as they also did in al places IlaÌ„ds throughout the Orientall countries before the Portingales discouery and conquest of India whereby all the Orientall countrie where they trafficked was infected with their deuelish law and their poyson spread and throwne abroad in all places which is one of the principall occasions that the Gospell taketh no better effect in those countries their pestiserous law beeing as it were rooted and ingrafted in their mindes There are some of them that are become Christians since the Portingales came thether but there is no great paines taken about it in those couÌ„tries because there is no profite to be had as also that it is an infectious and vnholesome countrie and therefore the Iesuites are wary inough not to make any houses or habitations therein for they sée no great profite to be reaped there for them as they doe in India the Ilands of Iapan in other places where they find great quantities of riches with the sap whereof they increase much and fill their beehyues therewith to satisfy their thirsty insatiable desires most part of the Caffares liue like beastes or wild men yet they haue their houses in troups or heaps like couÌ„try vilages wher they asseÌ„ble dwel together and in euery Village they haue a Lord or King to whome they are subiect and obedient they are commonly in warres one with an other and one place or Village against an other and haue law and Iustice among them with some small Policie concerning their worldly affaires and gouernment but as concerning Religion and faith they know not what it meaneth but liue like beastes without any knowledge of God or any likelyhoode or shadow thereof they maintaine themselues by hunting which they doe in the woods where they take all that they finde they eate Elephants flesh and all other kind of wild beastes and of the Elephants téeth they make their weapons instéede of Iron and Stéele they doe commonly make warre one against the other and some of them eate mens flesh and some there are also that eate it not but such as deale with the Portingals When they take any man prisoner in the warres they sell him to the Portingales or exchaunge and barter him for Cotton linnen and other Indian wares They haue a custome among them that when they goe to warre against their enemies if they win the battaile or ouerthrow each other he that taketh or killeth most men is holden and accounted for the best and brauest man among them and much respected and to witnesse the same before their Kings of as many as they haue slaine or taken prisoners they cut off their priuâ—e members that if they bee let goe againe they may no more beget children which in processe of time might mischiefe them and then they drie them well because they should not rot which being so dried they come before their Kings with great reuerence in the presence of the principall men in the Village and there take these members so dried one by one in their mouthes and spit them on the ground at the Kings feete which the King with great thankes accepteth and the more to reward and to recompence their valour causeth them all to bee taken vp and giuen to them againe for a signe and token of honour whereby euer after from that time forwards they are accounted as Knights and they take all those members wherewith the King hath thus honoured them and tie them all vpon a string like a Bracelet or Chaine and when they marrie or go to any wedding or feasts the Bride or wiues of those knights doe weare that Chaine of mens members about their neckes which among them is as great an honour as it is with vs to weare the golden Fléece or the Garter of England and the Brides of such Knightes are therewith as proude as if they were the mightiest Queenes in all the world From Mosambique great numbers of these Caffares are caried into India and many times they sell a man or woman that is growne to their full strength for two or three Ducats When the Portingales ships put in there for fresh water and other necessaries then they are dearer by reason of the great numbers of buyers the cause why so many slaues and Captaines of all nations are brought to sell in India is because that euerie ten or twelue miles or rather in euery Village and towne there is a seuerall King and ruler of the people one of them not like an other neither in law spéech nor manners whereby most part of them are in warres one against the other and those that on both sides are taken prisoners they kéepe for slaues and so fell each other like beastes hee whose euill fortune is such that hee is one of the captiues must be patient wherein they shew not much dislike for when they are asked how they can content themselues with that yoke of bondage they answere that they can beare it well enough séeing their Planet will haue it so and for that their friends and neighbours shall reuenge their cause against those that haue done it Also in time of pouertie or dearth the fathers may sell their children as it happened in my time that there was such a dearth and scarsitie of victualls in the firme lande and countries bordering vppon Goa that the men of India came to Goa and other places where the Portingales are resident to sell their children in great numbers and for small prices to buy them victuals I haue séene Boyes of eight or ten yeares giuen in exchange for fiue or sixe measures of Rice and some
Speranza or das Agulhas and marke it well for you shall finde it to be true and when you set your course to saile within the Island of saint Laurence you shall find some small white birdes in companies together they flie about twentie miles from the land towardes the droughtes of India and comming vnder twenty degrees you shall most certainely find the birdes called Garagiaus and Alcatrases that are like Sea-mewes then you hold a good course and if you sée not any of those tokens looke well to your selfe for thē you are hard by the Island of S. Laurence or vpon the banks of the coast of Soffala and séeing many birdes you are but 10 miles from the droughtes of India then take your course North East and North East by North and so hold on till you come vnder 19. degrees and ¼ and from thence Sayle North East till you bee in eightéene degrées from thence you shall runne North and North and by East till you come to sixteene degrées and ¾ beeing vnder those degrees and séeing many birdes called Alcatrases in companies of 6.7.8 or 10. then you are but ten or fifteene miles from the Island of Ioan de Noua therefore vse all diligence both by day and night not to come néere it specially when it is with a new moone and saile North westward and then you will come by the Islandes named dos Angoxes and the more northward you run you shall keepe the better course towardes Mosambique being carefull not to come neerer the land then twentie fiue fadomes déepe for the coast is altogether droughtes shallowes where on Don Iohn Periera was cast away and yet is thirteene fadome déepe round about The 3. Chapter The Nauigation from Cauo das Correntes to the droughts called os Baixos de India from thence to Mosambique AND if you chance to sée the cape das Correntes being 6. or 7. miles from you and minding to saile to Mosambique then saile East Northeast hauing a sharpe wind and comming vnder 22. degrées vnder the which height the droughtes of India lie You shall sée many of the birdes called Garagiaus flying in companies and if you haue a full wind then saile Northeast to the height aforesaide to know if you be néere vnto the droughts you shall sée many of the birdes called Garagiaus and Alcatrases flying together and if you sée many Alcatrases then you are néere the droughts but séeing the Garagiaus alone without Alcatrases then you are twentie fiue miles from thence Frō thence you must saile Northeast and Northeast by North to 19. degrées and 1 ◠and then saile Northeast to 18. degrees and from thence north north and by East to 16. degrées and 1 ◠and beeing vnder this height you shall sée many of the birdes called Alcatrases and so assure your selfe to be hard by the Island of Ioan de Noua and if you see Alcatrases by 6. or 7. together then you are but 10. or 15. miles from thence because there they vse to fetch their foode therefore vse all diligence to get your selues out of that height of the Island which is 16 degrées and 1 ◠and to bee out of danger sayle Northwest whereby you come to the Islands of Angoxas which are close by the coasts towards Mosambique and the more Northerly you kéepe the nearer you come to Mosambique but as you sayle from the Islands of Angoxas to Mosambique beware you come not nearer then 25. fadome to y e Corals where Don Ioan Perreira was cast away and yet round about it is thirtéene fadomes water beeing past the Islandes of Angoxas Northeast then saile Northeast by East which is a good course alwaies kéeping at twenty fiue fadome as I said before The courses aforesaid from Cabo das Correntes forwards may bee done nearer and shorter if you haue the wind Southeast for then you may sayle along by the Islands lying vpon the bankes of Solfala the sooner to Mosambique and with an east wind vnder the degrées and with the signes aforesaide you must likewise shun the drought of India and the bankes of the Island of S. Laurence that lye towardes the drougths of India betwéen those two droughts it is 95. fadome deepe and if you desire to enter into the road of Mosambique in the entrance you must passe by the two Islands of S. George S. Iames and leaue them on the southwest side keepe aloofe from S. George about six or seuen fadome déepe and so running forward til you be in hauing care to keepe off from the bankes where you sée the water breake till you come close before the Island and fortresse of Mosambique The 4. Chapter The Nauigation from Mosambique to India WHEN you depart from Mosambique towardes India then saile Northeast whereby you shall discouer the Islande Alha da Comoro which is distant from Mosambique 94. miles or 11 degrées and ½ whereof the furthest point Northward is a verie high land 15. miles from thence you shall sée certaine birdes called Rabo◠de Iuncos that is tayles of stalkes of berries for that they haue a long narrow taile stretching out like the stalke of a berrie and by night you shall heare the birdes called Garagiaus sing or make a noyse following your course from this Iland or towards India you must vnderstand as soone as you discouer the vttermost point of the Iland of Saint Laurence towardes the North that the water and streames run North and Northwest toward the Cape of Guardafu and to the mouth or entrie of the straightes of Mecco or the redde sea and you must marke that if it chance that you sayle with a halfe winde and shoot full or sayle before the winde yet therefore you must not recken according to the course you hold but alwaies take a strike for abatement or cutting off and being by the winde two strikes because the water and streame driue you continually to the Northwest and looke wel before you that if you find many heights it is by reason y e water driues you as I said before to be assured to fal vpon the coast of India you must take héede to the needle of your compasse that yéeldeth a strike and more to the Northeast and if you recken your course according to the way the shippe maketh then you lose all that which the néedle or compasse yéeldeth towards the Northeast and that which the water driueth you towards the Northwest whereby you come too short and cannot get the coast of India The streame or drawing of the water towards the redde sea is from 4. to 7. degrées wherefore you must alwaies haue great care to be forward and not to come to short In those countries you shall alwayes sée many of the birds called Rabos de Iuncos and when you are néere vnto the coast and droughtes of Pandua then you see them no more but onely about 5◠miles in the sea you shal perceiue diuers
HONI SOIT QVI MAL Y PENSE SEMPER EADEM IOHN HVIGHEN VAN LINSCHOTEN his Discours of Voyages into y e Easte West Indies Diuided into Foure Bookes Printed at London by IOHN WOLFE Printer to y e Honorable Cittie of LONDON Willms Rogers ciuis Londinensis Inventor et sculptor IW To the Right VVorshipfull IVLIVS CAESAR Doctor of the Lawes Iudge of the High Court of Admiralty Master of Requests to the Queenes Maiesty and Master of Saint Katherines RIGHT VVORSHIPFVLL The manyfolde Curtesies which it hath pleased you from time to time to multiply vpon mee haue made me so greatly beholden vnto you that they can neuer dye but remaine fresh in my remembrance during my Life So that I must enforce my selfe with all my best Endeuours openly to acknowledge the same and by all the meanes that possibly I can to bee thankefull for them otherwise I might iustly be noted with the blacke spotte of Ingratitude the most odious vice that can raigne amongst men which vice to auoyde I haue studied earnestly to finde out some way wherby I might make knowne vnto your Worship that duetifull reuerence and affection which I owe vnto you in that respect But hauing hitherto had no fit oportunitie or good occasion to declare the same I haue beene constrayned to remaine in this debt vntill now at last it hath pleased God to offer me a meane which I hope will not be displeasing vnto you About a Tweluemonth agoe a learned Gentleman brought vnto mee the Voyages and Nauigation of John Huyghen van Linschoten into the Indies written in the Dutche Tongue which he wished might be translated into our Language because hee thought it would be not onely delightfull but also very commodious for our English Nation Vpon this commendation and opinion I procured the Translation thereof accordingly and so thought good to publish the same in Print to the ende it might bee made common and knowen to euery body And calling to minde the vsuall custome of Writers and Printers in these daies who do commonly shelter and shrowde their works vnder the credit of some such as are able to Patronize the same your Worship represented it selfe before mee and did as it were of right challenge the Patronage hereof as being a Matter that appertaineth to your Iurisdiction For this Dutchman arriuing here in England after his long trauell and Nauigation and bringing rare Intelligences with him from Forreyne parts good reason it is that hee should bee examined by such as are in place and Authority appointed for such purposes And to whome can hee be directed better then to your selfe whome it hath pleased her most excellent Maiestie to authorize for Iudge in Sea matters and Admirall causes And therefore I haue brought him vnto you with earnest request that you will be pleased to examine him accordingly and if you shall finde him any way beneficiall to our Countrey and Countrey men vouchsafe him your good countenance and giue him such intertainment as he shall deserue Thus am I bold with your worship to acknowledge my dutie after this homely manner hauing none other meane to shew my selfe thankefull but by presenting you with this slender fruite of my abilitie facultie which I beseech you to accept in good part and I shall not cease to pray to God that hee will blesse you with long life and prosperous health to the great comfort of many her Maiesties Subiects and Suppliants that are daylie to bee relieued by your good meanes Your Worships euer most bounden IOHN VVOLFE TO THE READER LVcian in one of his Dialogues intituled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Surueyers writeth of Charon the old Ferrie-Man of Hell that vpon a great desire which he had conceiued to view this world and the Actions of men therein hee begged leaue of Pluto that hee might haue a playing day and bee absent from his boat to the end he might satisfie his thirsty humor that troubled him so eagerly Meeting with Mercurie his fellow Boatswayne for he also conducteth Soules in Charons Barge they two concluded together like the two Sonnes of Alcëus to clap the Mountaine Pelius vpon Mount Ossa and when they found that they were not high inough to take the surueigh they added Mount O Eta vnto them and Parnâ—us ouer them all Vpon the toppe wherof hauing setled themselues they did at leysure and pleasure take a view not onely of the Seas and Mountaines and Cities of the world but also of the Inhabitants therof together with their Speeches Actions and Manners The same Author in another Dialogue called Icaro-Menippus discourseth of the Cinike Menippus who being troubled with the same humor tooke vnto him the right wing of an Eagle and the left wing of a Vulture and hauing fastened them to his body with strong and sturdie thongs mounted vp first to the Acropolis or Capitol of Athens and then from Hymettus by the Gerania to Acro-Corinthus and so to Pholoë and Erymanthus Taygetus and at last to Olympus where he grew somewhat more bragg and audacious then before he was and soared higher vpwards till he had reached the Moone and then the Sunne and from thence the Habitation of Iupiter and the rest of the Gods a sufficient flight as he saith for a well trussed Eagle to performe in a day There he rested himselfe and discouered all the world and euery particularity thereof to the end he might the more freely like a Scoggan taunt scoffe at the Actions of men in their seuerall kinds But to leaue these Poeticall Fictions and vaine Fables which doo but declare the Nature of Man to bee desirous of Nouelties and curious to know those things whereof he is ignorant let vs come to those that being neither coniured out of hell nor rapt into the heauens but of their owne honourable disposition and instinct of Nature haue not onely compassed Sea and Land in their own persons to learne and beholde Nations Realmes Peoples Countries vnknowne for the augmentation of their owne priuate skill and cunning but also haue committed their knowledge and labours to writing for the propagation of the seruice and glorie of God in Pagan and Heathen places and the great pleasure profit commodity of their Countrymen Of this kinde and sort of famous men there hath beene great store in al ages but specially at the first Homer Anaximander Hecataeus Democritus Eudoxus Timaeus Eratosthenes Polybius Possidonius Dionysius Strabo Solinus Pomponius Mela Maximus Tyrius Ptolomée an infinite number of other ancient Authors that haue imployed their wits industries in this behalf to the singular benefit of our later times wherein there haue beene most excellent and exquisite followers of them as Munsters Mercators Theuets Belonies Ortelies Villamonts many moe that by the light and good meanes of those their Predecessors haue run beyonde them many degrees and discouered such New worlds as were neuer knowne to our Fathers Forefathers and therefore doo deserue the
greater commendation No doubt it is very troublesome and laborious to iourney by land for the attaining to this knowledge but to trauell by Sea is not onely most dangerous but also in a maner almost a desperate estate considering especially the great perils wherevnto it is hourely subiect as namely Rockes Flats Sandes Gulphes Stormes Tempests besides the continuall Watching and care in obseruing the Poles Arctike and Antarctike the Aequinoctiall Line the Altitude and Degrees of the Meridian the Circle of the Zodiake the Horizon the Tropikes the Longitude and Latitude of Heauen and earth the Paralleles the Hemisphere the Zenith the Centre and a Rablement of such curiosities that are able to breake the braines of the soundest man aliue To these if you will add the intollerable paines and infinite diseases that doo spend their bodies you must needs say that they are the most miserable Creatures of the worlde So that you cannot choose but bee of the opinion of Anacharsis that Noble Philosopher who beeing demaunded whether Number was the greater that of the dead or that of the Liuing did redemaund againe In which Number do you recken those that trauell on the Sea Signifiyng thereby that such as trauell vpon the Sea are in so great danger of death that they doo continually dye liuing and liue dying And therefore well sayd Bias one of the seuen Sages that Saylers vppon the Sea were alwayes within two ynches of their death true it is which the Latyn Lyrike Poet writeth That Man had a Hart of Oke and was fenced with a triple Corslet of Brasse that first aduentured to commit a slender Boat to the raging Sea A Type and Patterne of all which miseries together with the cunning and skilfull Art of Nauigation is comprised in this Volume which wee haue in hand being a most perfect description of the East and West Indies or as they are commonly called the Portugall and Spanish Indies A Worke assuredly very profitable and commodious for all such as are desirous curious louers of Nouelties Of these Indies though not in distinguished tearmes of East and West sundry Historiographers and Authors of the old World haue made an honourable Mention left an exceeding commendation thereof for the wonderfull and rare matters that were discouered by the seuerall Trauels Nauigation of diuers famous Captains as namely Alexander the great Seleucus Antiochus Patrocles and Onesicritus who had been all in the saide Indies insomuch as one of them held them to be the Third part of all the Land that is inhabited in regard of the great Prouinces puissant Cities and vnmeasurable Ilands that are found therein all very fruitfull and yeelding such treasure and rich Merchandize as none other place of the whole world can afford And althogh the curiosity and labour of these auncients was very great yet greater hath beene the trauell and industry of those which of late time and in our age hath beene imployed therein For the auncient Trauellers had in deede a certain kind of knowledge of this Countrey and People but it was very vncertaine and vnperfect Whereas we in our times are thoroughly learned and instructed by our owne experience in the Prouinces Cities Riuers Hauens and Trafficks of them all So that nowe it is become knowne to the whole world First the Portingalls being great Merchants by reason of their skil in Nauigation which in our dayes is growne to a more full perfection then euer it hath beene in times past they I say first discouered the Wast and Desert Part of the Indies caused their King to be entertayned honoured among the People encreased and enhaunsed their credit and Name exceedingly and the sundry commodities of their seuerall fruits and spices haue dispersed communicated not onely to their owne Countrymen but also to all Nations vnder the Sunne But here the Matter stayed not For then came the English a People that in the Art of Nauigation giueth place to none other and they were incited to take this Indian Voyage in hande and to make it generally knowne vnto their Island therevpon Syr Francis Drake Master Thomas Candish did not only sayle into the sayde Indies but also trauelled round about the world with a most happy and famous successe Whose examples diuers honourable Gentlemen and valiant Captaines of England haue followed to their vnspeakeable praise and commendation the exceeding glory of their Country as namely the Right Honourable Earle of Cumberland the Lord Thomas Howard Syr Francis Drake Syr Martin Frobisher Syr Richard Greenefield Syr Iohn Hawkins and Syr Walter Raleigh with diuers others named and mentioned in this Booke And last of all the People of the Lowe-Countreys beeing instructed by the diligent search and trauell of the English Nation fell to the like trafficke into â—he Indies and haue performed many Honourable and profitable Voyages Among whom the Author of this Bâ—oke Iohn-Hugh Linschote of Harlem was one that continued in India for the most part of nine yeares and had good oportunity of sure and certaine intelligences by reason of his seruice vnder Vincentius da Fonseca a Fryer Dominican by K. Philip created Archbishop of all India This Man Hugh Linschote behaued himselfe so honestly and warily during the time of his abode there that he was not onely in high fauour of his Lord and Maister but he was also singularly and generally beloued of all the Inhabitants of the places where hee was most resiant He did most diligently and considerately obserue and collect together all occurrents and accidents that happened in his memory knowledge and the same hath committed to writing in the Dutch Tongue with all faithfulnes to his owne euerlasting praise and to the benefit of his Countrey together with the seuerall Mappes and descriptions of the Countreys Cities and Townes all the commodities therevnto belonging Which Booke being commended by Maister Richard Hackluyt a man that laboureth greatly to aduance our English Name and Nation the Printer thought good to cause the same to bee translated into the English Tongue The Volume conteyneth in it foure seuerall Treatises The First is The Voyage or Iourney by Sea of the sayde Hugh Linschote the Author into the East or Portingall Indies together with all the Sea-Coasts Hauens Riuers and Creâ—kes of the same their Customes and Religion their Policie and Gouernement their Marchandises Drugges Spyces Hearbs Plants the vertues whereof are explaned by the Annotations of Doctor Paludanus the learned Phisitian of Enâ—khuysen And last of all a Memoriall of such Accidents as fell out during the Authors aboade in India The Second Treatise is The Description of Guinea Manicongo Angola Monomotapa c. with a discouery of the great Island of Madagascar and all the Shallowes Cliffes and Islands of the Indian Seas The most part whereof was collected before by one Pigafetta from the mouth of Edward Lopez and published in English the last yeare The Third Treatise is The Nauigation