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
veneas that is I will haue thée to ouercome which being read by the Cardinall and other Gentlemen that to honour him brought him abord his shippe it was thought to be a point of exceeding folly but it is no strange matter among the Portingalles for they aboue all others must of force let the foole peepe out of their sleeues specially when they are in authoritie for that I knew the said Mathiâ—s d' Alburkeâ—k in India being a soldier and a Captaine where he was esteemed and accounted for one of the best of them and much honoured and beloued of all men as behauing himselfe courteously to euery man whereby they all desired that he might be Viceroy But when he once had receyued his Patent with full power and authority from the king to be Viceroy he changed so much froÌ„ his former behauior that by reason of his pride they al began to feare curse him that before he departed out of Lâ—sbâ—ne as it is often seene in many men that are aduanced vnto state dignity The 20. of Ianuarie Anno 1591. there was newes brought out of Portingall into Tercera that the Englishmen had taken a shippe that the king had sent into the Pâ—rtingall-Indie with aduise to the Viceroy for the returning again of the foure ships that should haue gone to India because the ships were come backe againe that ship was stuffed and laded as full of goods as possible it might bee hauing likewise in ready money 500. thousand duckets in Rials of 8. besides other wares It departed from Lisbone in the month of Nouember 1590. met with y e EnglishmeÌ„ with whom for a time it fought but in y e end it was takeÌ„ caried into England with men all yet wheÌ„ they came there the men were set at libertie returned into Lisbone where the Captaine was committed prisoner but he excused himselfe was released w t whom I spake my selfe he made this report vnto mee At the same time also they tooke a ship that came from the Mine laden w t gold 2. ships laden with Pepper and spices that were to saile into Italie the pepper onely that was in them being worth 170. thousand duckets all these ships were caried into England and made good prise In the month of Iuly an 1591. there happened an earthquake in the Iland of S. Michael which continued from the 26. of Iuly to the 12. of August in which time no man durst stay within his house but fled into the fields fasting praying w t great sorrow for y e many of their houses fel down a towne called Villa Franca was almost cleane razed to y e ground all the cloisters and houses shaken to the earth therein some people slain The land in some places rose vp and the cliffes remoued from on place to another some hils were defaced and made eueÌ„ with the ground The earthquake was so strong that the ships which lay in the road on the sea shaked as if the world would haue turned round there sprang also a fountaine out of the earth from whence for the space of 4. daies there flowed a most cleare water after that it ceased At the same time they heard such thunder noise vnder the earth as if all the Deuils in hel had been assembled together in that place wherewith many dyed for fear The Iland of Tercera shooke 4. times together so that it seemed to turne about but there happened no misfortune vnto it Earthquakes are common in those Ilandes for about 20. yeares past there happened another earthquake wherein a high hill that lyeth by y e same towne of Villa Franca fell halfe downe and couered all the towne with earth and killed many men The 25. of August y e kings Armada coÌ„ming out of Farâ—â— ariued in Tercera being in all 30. ships Biskaâ—es Portingals Spaniards 10. Dutch â—lieboats y t were arested in Lisbone to serue y e king besides other smal ships Pataros y t came to serue as messengers froÌ„ place to place to discouer the seas This nauie came to stay for conuoy the ships that shold come froÌ„ the Spanish Indies the â—lieboates were apointed in their returne home to take in the goodes y t were saued in y e lost ship y t came froÌ„ Malacca to câ—Ì„uoy it to Lisbon The 13. of September the saide Armado ariued at the Iland of Coruo where the Englishmen with about sixtéene shippes as then lay staying for the Spanish Fleete whereof some or the most parte were come and there the English were in good hope to haue taken them But when they perceyued the kings Army to be strong the Admirall being the Lorde Thomas Howard commaunded his Fléete not to fall vpon them nor any of them once to seperate their shippes from him vnlesse he gaue commission so to doe notwithstanding the Vice Admirall Sir Rychard Greenfield being in the ship called the Reuenge went into the Spanish fléete and shot among them doing them great hurte and thinking the rest of the company would haue followed which they did not but left him there and sayled away the cause why could not be knowne which the Spaniardes perceiuing with seuen or eight shippes they borded her but she withstood them all fighting with them at the least 12. houres together and sunke two of them one being a newe double Flie boat of 1200. tunnes and Admirall of the Flie boates the other a Biscaine But in the ende by reason of the number that came vppon her she was taken but to their great losse for they had lost in fighting and by drowning aboue 4â—â— men and of the English were slaine about a hundred Sir Rychard Greenfield himselfe being wounded in his braine whereof afterwardes hee dyed He was borne into the ship called the Saint Paule wherein was the Admirall of the fléet Don Alonso de Barsan there his woundes were drest by the Spanish Surgeons but Don Alonso himselfe would neither see him nor speake with him all the rest of the Captaines and Gentlemen went to visite him and to comfort him in his hard fortune wondring at his courage and stout heart for that he shewed not any signe of faintnes nor changing of colour But feeling the hower of death to approch hee spake these wordes in Spanish said Here die I Richard Grâ—enfield with a ioyfull and quiet mind for that I haue ended my life as a true soldier ought to do y t hath fought for his countrey Queene religion and honor whereby my soule most ioyfull departeth out of this bodie and shall alwaies leaue behinde it an euerlasting fame of a valiant and true soldier that hath done his dutie as he was bound to doe When he had finished these or such other like words hee gaue vp the Ghost with great and stout courage and no man could perceiue any true signe of heauinesse in him This Sir Richard Greenfield was a great and a
a great number of whale fishes and other fish by the Spaniards Atun whereof many are found in the coast of Gibraltar in Spaigne as also Albacoras and Bonitos which are all Fishes which commonly kéepe in Channels straights and running waters there to disperse their séed when they bréed which maketh me more assuredly beléeue that thereabouts is a Channell or Straight to passe through Being by the same course vpon y e coast of new Spaigne vnder seuen and thirty degrées and ½ wee passed by a very high and faire land with many Trées wholy without Snow and foure miles from the land you find thereabouts many drifts of roots leaues of Trées Réedes and other leaues like Figge leaues the like whereof wee found in great abundance in the countrey of Iapon which they eat and some of those that wée found I caused to be sodden with flesh and being sodden they eat like Colewortes there likewise wee found great store of Sea wolues which wee call Sea dogges whereby it is to bée presumed and certainly to bee beléeued that there are manye Riuers Bayes and Hauens along by those coasts to the Hauen of Acapulco From thence wee ranne South-east Southeast and by South and South-east and by East as we found the wind to the point called El Cabo de Saint Lucas which is the beginning of the land of Califfornia on the Northwest side lying vnder two and twenty degrées being fiue hundred myles distant from the Cape De mendosino In this way of the aforesaied fiue hundred myles along by the coast are manye Islands and although they bee but small yet without doubt there are in them some good Hauens as also in the Firme Land where you haue these Hauens following nowe lately found out as that of the Island of Saint Augustine lying vnder thirtye degrées and ¾ and the Island called Ilha de Sedros scarce vnder eight and twentie degrées and ¼ and the Island lying beneath the Saint Martyn vnder thrée and twentie degrées and ½ all this coast and Country as I thinke is inhabited and sheweth to bee a verye good Countrey for there by night wee sawe fire and by day smoake which is a most sure token that they are inhabited From the Point or hooke of Saint Lucas to the South-east side of Calliffornia wee helde our course East Southeast for the space of eightye myles to the point called El cabo de las corrientes that is the point of the streames lying vnder ninteene degrées â…” and running this course Northward about a mile from vs we sawe thrée Islands called las tres Marias that is the thrée Maries running the same course About foure miles from the other Islandes there are other Islands reaching about 2. or thrée miles All this way from the mouth or Créeke of California aforesaid for the space of the said 80. miles there are great streames that runne Westward From the point or Cape de las Corrientes wée ranne Southeast and sometimes Southeast and by East for the space of an hundred and thirtie miles to the hauen of Acapulco In this way of an hundred and thirty miles being 20. miles on the way we had the Hauen of the Naâ—iuidade that is the birth of the Virgine Mary and other eight miles further the Hauen of Saint Iago or Saint Iames and sixe miles further the sea Strand called la Playa de Culyma that is the Strand of Culyma All this coast from California to the Hauen of Acapulco is inhabited by people that haue peace and traffique with the Spaniards and are of condition and qualities like the people of the other places of new Spaine The Conclusion of the Author of this last Voyage ALl this Description and Nauigation haue I my selfe séene prooued and well noted in my Voiage made and ended in the yéere of our Lord 1584. from great China out of the Hauen and riuer of Canton as I will more at large set it downe vnto your honour with the Paralell and Meridian thereof as God shall permit me time and leysour whome I beséech to send you long and happy daies and the same haue I truly translated out of Spanish into low Dutch verbatim out of the Originall coppie that was sent vnto the Viceroy of the Portingall Indies The 55. Chapter The Description of a Voyage made by a Pilot called Nuno da Silua for the Viceroy of new Spaine the 20. of May in the yeere of our Lorde 1579. to the towne of Mexico from whence it was sent to the Viceroy of the Portingall Indies wherein is set downe the course and actions passed in the Voyage of Sir Francis Drake that tooke the aforesaid Nuno da Silua by the Islands of Cabo Verde and carried him along with him thorough the Straightes of Magellanes to the Hauen of Guatulco in newe Spaine where he let him goe againe NVno da Silua borne in Porto a Citizen and inhabitant of Guaia saith that hée departed out of his house in the beginning of Nouember in the yéere of our Lorde 1577. taking his course to Cabo Verde or the gréene point where hée ankered with his shippe close by the Hauen of the Island of Saint Iames one of the Islands of Cabo Verde aforesaid béeing the nintéenth of Ianuarie in the yéere of our Lorde 1578. and lying there there came sixe shippes which seemed to be English men whereof the Admirall boorded his shippe and by force with his men hée tooke him out of his shippe bringing him in the boat aboord the Admirals shippe leauing some of his best men aboord his shippe and although the fortresse of the Island shot foure or fiue times at them yet they hurt not the English men who hauing done seâ— saile from thence to the Island of Braua that is the wild Island taking with them the shippe of the saide Nuno da Silua béeing there they filled certaine vessels with fresh water from thence holding their course inwarde to Sea hauing first with a boat set the men of Nuno da Siluas shippe on lande onley kéeping Nuno da Silua in his shippe as also his shippe with the wines that were therein and Nuno da Silua saith the cause why they kept him on boorde was because they knewe him to be a Pilot for the coast of Brasilia that hée might bring them to such places in those countries as had fresh water Béeing put off from the Island of Braua they helde their course to the lande of Brasilia which they descried vpon the first of Aprill vnder the height of 30. degrées and without landing or taking in fresh water they held on their course to the riuer Rio de la Plata that is the riuer of Siluer lying vnder fiue and thirtie degrées little more or lesse where they went on lande and prouided themselues of fresh water From thence they helde on their course till they came vnder nine and thirtie degrées where they ankered and béeing there they left two of their sixe shippes
as well imploy their forces there as in the holie land to increase the faith of Christ and ouerthrow the enemies of the same whome if it pleased God to prosper as he doubted not but by their helpes to haue the victorie they might as then fulfill their pretended voiage both to the glory of God their owne honors which in the ende they agréed vnto in the which seruice they so well imployed themselues that they not only holp him to winne Lisbone but many other places thereby placing the king in his kingly seat for which their good seruice the king acknowledging himselfe much bound and beholding vnto them in recompence thereof he indowed them with many priuiledges and fréedomes more than his natural subiects â—nioyed which hee bound both him and his successors kinges of that countrie to kéepe obserue one whereof was that all Dutchmen that would dwell within his Countrie or traffique with in the same should bee free of all impostes and excises for all things that they should vse and haue in their owne houses and for themselues and their familie that they might weare what sort of apparrell and Iewels they would and of what stuffe soeuer with their wiues and families although they were Portingale women which is forbidden to the naturall Portingales for that they haue a law concerning apparrell what kinde of stuffe euerie man according to his estate and qualitie shall weare also to goe by night and at vnaccustomed houres when occasion serued them in all places with fiue or sixe seruants with light or without and with what armes or weapons they would which is not permitted to the inhabitantes themselues that no Iustice should haue power to atach or arest any man in their house or execute any Iustice vpon them for what cause soeuer it were treasoÌ„ only excepted but onlie by their owne law by the king himselfe ordained appointed called Iuis dos-Alemaines or the Dutch law also that their houses might not be taken whether they were hired or their owne fée simples for the kinges seruice or any of his Court as all other his subiects houses are as néed requireth that they might not bee compelled to vse or serue any office in the countrie or for the king as the Portingales doe neyther yet rated to pay any contribution for the common profit of the countrie trauelling through the Countrie should for their monie be serued before any other man with many other such like priueledges which for breuitie I omit onely I haue set downe the principallest of them thereby to shew as their owne Chronicles declare through whome and by whose help the Portingales at this day doe possesse and enioy that which they hold in the said Countrie of Portingale which priuiledges are yet as they haue alwaies béene without anie deniall firmely holden and maintained and by all the kinges successiuely confirmed from time to time with dayly increasing of the same by meanes of the continuall pleasures done vnto the said kings of Portingale by the said Nation as it is well knowne Don Sancho Sonne of the aforesaid king was the second king of Portingale hee was borne in Anno 1154. and crowned king at the age of 31. yeares hee had issue 15. children Sonnes and Daughters and raigned twenty seuen yeares he died in the towne of Coymbra in the yeare of our Lord 1212. being 58. yeares of age and lieth buried in the Cloyster of Santa Crus by his Father Don Afonso the second of that name the third king of Portingale was crowned at the age of 25. yeares he had issue two sonnes in his time liued Saint Dominick Saint Francis and Saint Anthonie he died in anno 1223. lieth buried in the Cloyster of Alcobassa Don Sancho Capello his son fourth king of Portingale was crowned at the age of 16. yeres and died in the towne of Toledo in the yeare of our Lord 1247 and is buried in the great Church of Toledo After his death was chose King his brother the Earle of Bolonhien and was the fifth king of Portingale hee raigned 31. yeres and died in Lisbone in the yeare of our Lord 1279. and is buried in the Cloister of Alcobassa Don Deniis his sonne was Crowned in Lisbone the sixt king of Portingale being of the age of 18. yeares he raigned 46. yeres and died in the towne of Saint Arein in the yeare of our Lord 1325. the 20. of Ianuary being 64. yeares of age and lyeth buried in the Cloyster of Oliuellas which is about 2. miles from Lisbone which he in his life time had erected he maried with Donna Isabella daughter to Don Pedro king of ArragoÌ„ she was cannonised for a Saint her Sepulcher is in the towne of Coymbra which shee builded where her body doth many miracles After him raigned his sonne Don Afonso o Brauo which is the valiant hee was crowned in the towne of Arem at the age of 35. yeares and was the seuenth king of Portingale hee died in Lisbone in the month of May Anno 1356. he lieth buried in the high quire of the great Church hee ouercame the Mores in Salado fighting in aide of the king of Castille His Son Don Pedro was the eight king of Portingale and ruled the land with great Iustice temperante and peace died in the yeare of our Lord 1366. and lieth buried in the Cloyster of Alcobassa hee had issue one sonne called Don Ferdinand and before hee maried he had two bastard sonnes by Dona Ines or Agnes de Castro called Don Ioan and Don Denniis After the death of the aforesaid king Don Ferdinand his son was crowned king and was the ninth king of Portingale he maried Dona Lianor Gonsalues Telles whom he tooke by force from her husband called Larenca Vaaz da Cunha to whome shee was maried and banished him the land neuerthelesse he was verie louing to his subiectes and punished all offenders and vagabondes hée raigned 17. yeares and died without issue in the yeare of our Lord 1383. being of the age of 43 yeares and lieth buried in the quier of S. Francis Church in the towne of S. Arein After this kings death Don Ioan king of Castillia with his wife Dona Beatrix came into Portingale by force to possesse the Crowne of Portingale but Don Ioan bastard son of the aforesaid king Don Pedro bastard brother to Don Ferdinand the last king withstood him and fought with the said king of Castille whome he ouercame in the field called S. Ioris where for a perpetuall memorie of his victorie he erected a great rich Cloyster which hee called the Cloyster of the battaile or victorie because he won the field in the same place against the Castilians This bastard Don Ioan was Crowned king of Portingale being of the age of 31. yeares was the tenth king he liued 76 yeres and died in Anno 1433. the 14. of August and lieth buried in the same Cloyster of