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The Principal Navigations, Voyages, Traffiques and Discoveries

R >> Richard Hakluyt >> The Principal Navigations, Voyages, Traffiques and Discoveries




Next after the conclusion of the last mentioned discourse, the Reader may
in some sort take a vieu of our state of merchandise vnder K. Edward the
fourth, as likewise of the establishing of an English company in the
Netherlands, and of all the discreet prouisoes, iust ordinations, &
gratious priuileges conteined in the large Charter which was granted for
the same purpose.

Now besides our voyages and trades of late yeeres to the North and
Northeast regions of the world, and our ancient traffique also to those
parts; I haue not bene vnmindefull (so farre as the histories of England
and of other Countreys would giue me direction) to place in the fore-front
of this booke those forren conquests, exploits, and trauels of our English
nation, which haue bene atchieued of old. Where in the first place (as I am
credibly informed out of Galfridas Monumetensis, and out of M. Lambert his
[Greek: Archaionomia]) I haue published vnto the world the noble actes of
Arthur and Malgo two British Kings. Then followeth in the Saxons time K.
Edwin his conquest of Man and Anglesey, and the expedition of Bertus into
Ireland. Next succeedeth Octher making relation of his doings, and
describing the North Countreys, vnto his soueraigne Lord K. Ecfrid. After
whom Wolstans Nauigation within the Sound of Denmark is mentioned, the
voyage of the yong Princes Edmund and Edward into Sweden and Hungarie is
recorded, as likewise the mariage of Harald his daughter vnto the Russian
duke Ieruslaus. Neither is that Englishman forgotten, who was forced to
traueile with the cruel Tartars into their Countrey, and from thence to
beare them company into Hungary and Poland. And because those Northeasterne
Regions beyond Volga, by reason of the huge deserts, the colde climate, and
the barbarous inciuilitie of the people there inhabiting, were neuer yet
throughly traueiled by any of our Nation, nor sufficiently knowen vnto vs:
I haue here annexed vnto the said Englishmans traueile, the rare &
memorable iournals of 2. Friers, who were some of the first Christians that
trauailed farthest that way, and brought home most particular intelligence
& knowledge of all things which they had seene. These Friers were sent as
Ambassadours vnto the sauage Tartars (who had as then wasted and ouerrunne
a great part of Asia, and had pierced farre into Europe with fire and
sword) to mitigate their fury, and to offer the glad tidings of the Gospel
vnto them. The former, namely Iohannes de Plano Carpini (whose iourney,
because he road sixe moneths poste directly beyond Boristhenes, did, I
thinke, both for length and difficultie farre surpasse that of Alexander
the great, vnto the riuer of Indus) was in the yeere 1246. sent with the
authoritie and commission of a Legate from Pope Innocentius the fourth: who
passed through more garisons of the Tartars, and wandered ouer more vast,
barren, and cold deserts, then (I suppose) an army of an hundred thousand
good souldiers could haue done. The other, to wit, William de Rubricis, was
1253. by the way of Constantinople, of the Euxin sea, and of Taurica
Chersonesus imployed in an ambassage from Lewis the French King (waging
warre as then against the Saracens in the Holy land) vnto one Sartach a
great duke of the Tartars, which Sartach sent him forthwith vnto his father
Baatu, and from Baatu he was conducted ouer many large territories vnto the
Court of Mangu-Can their Emperour. Both of them haue so well played their
parts, in declaring what befell them before they came at the Tartars, what
a terrible and vnmanerly welcomming they had at their first arriuall, what
cold intertainment they felt in traueiling towards the great Can, and what
slender cheere they found at his Court, that they seeme no lesse worthy of
praise then of pitie. But in describing of the Tartars Countrey, and of the
Regions adiacent, in setting downe the base and sillie beginnings of that
huge and ouerspreading Empire, in registring their manifolde warres and
bloody conquests, in making relation of their herds and mooueable Townes,
as likewise of their food, apparell and armour, and in setting downe their
vnmercifull lawes, their fond superstitions, their bestiall liues their
vicious maners, their slauish subiection to their owne superiours, and
their disdainfull and brutish inhumanitie vnto strangers, they deserue most
exceeding and high commendation. Howbeit if any man shall obiect that they
haue certaine incredible relations; I answere, first that many true things
may to the ignorant seeme incredible. But suppose there be some particulars
which hardly will be credited; yet thus much I will boldly say for the
Friers, that those particulars are but few, and that they doe not auouch
them vnder their owne names, but from the report of others. Yet farther
imagine that they did auouch them, were they not to be pardoned as well as
Herodotus, Strabo, Plutarch, Plinie, Solinus, yea & a great many of our new
principall writers, whose names you may see about the end of this Preface;
euery one of which hath reported more strange things then the Friers
between the both? Nay, there is not any history in the world (the most Holy
writ excepted) whereof we are precisely bound to beleeue ech word and
syllable. Moreouer sithens these two iournals are so rare, that Mercator
and Ortelius (as their letters vnto me do testifie) were many yeeres very
inquisitiue, and could not for all that attaine vnto them; and sithens they
haue bene of so great accompt with those two famous Cosmographers, that
according to some fragments of them they haue described in their Mappes a
great part of those Northeastern Regions; sith also that these two
relations containe in some respect more exact history of those vnknowen
parts, then all the ancient and newe writers that euer I could set mine
eyes on; I thought it good if the translation should chance to swerue in
ought from the originals (both for the preseruation of the originals
themselues, and the satisfying of the Reader) to put them downe word for
word in that homely stile wherein they were first penned. And for these two
rare iewels, as likewise for many other extraordinary courtesies, I must
here acknowledge my selfe most deepely bounded vnto the right reuerend,
graue and learned Prelate, my very good lord the Bishop of Chichester, and
L. high Almner vnto her Maiestie; by whose friendship and meanes I had free
accesse vnto the right honor my L. Lumley his stately library, and was
permitted to copy out of ancient manuscripts, these two iournals and some
others also.

After these Friers (thought not in the next place) foloweth a testimonie of
Gerardus Mercator, and another of M. Dee, concerning one Nicholas de Linna
an English Franciscan Frier.

Then succeedeth the long iourney of Henry Earle of Derbie, and afterward
king of England into Prussia & Lithuania, with a briefe remembrance of his
valiant exploits against the Infidels there; as namely, that with the help
of certaine his Associates, he vanquished the king of Letto his armie, put
the sayd king to flight, tooke and slew diuers of his captains, aduanced
his English colours vpon the wall of Vilna, & made the citie it selfe to
yeeld. Then mention is made also of Tho. of Woodstock his trauel into
Pruis, and of his returne home. And lastly, our old English father Ennius,
I meane, the learned, wittie, and profound Geffrey Chaucer, vnder the
person of his knight, doeth full iudicially and like a cunning
Cosmographer, make report of the long voiages and woorthy exploits of our
English Nobles, Knights, & Gentlemen, to the Northren, and to other partes
of the world in his dayes.

Neither haue we comprehended in this Volume, onely our Trades and Voiages
both new and old; but also haue scattered here and there (as the
circumstance of times would giue vs leaue) certaine fragments concerning
the beginnings, antiquities, and grouth of the classical and warrelike
shipping of this Island: as namely, first of the great nauie of that
victorious Saxon prince king Edgar, mentioned by Florentius Wigorniensis,
Roger Houeden, Rainulph of Chester, Matthew of Westminster, Flores
historiarum, & in the libel of English policie, pag. 224. and 225. of this
present volume. [Footnote: _Original_ edition.] Of which Authors some
affirme the sayd fleet to haue consisted of 4800. others of 4000. some
others of 3600. ships: howbeit (if I may presume to gloze vpon the text) I
verily thinke that they were not comparable, either for burthen, strength,
building, or nimble stirrage vnto the ships of later times, and specially
of this age. But howsoeuer it be, they all agree in this, that by meanes of
the sayd huge Fleet he was a most puissant prince; yea, and some of them
affirme together with William of Malmesbury, that he was not onely
soueraigne lord of all the British seas, and of the whole Ile of Britanne
it selfe, but also that he brought vnder his yoke of subiection, most of
the Isles and some of the maine lands adiacent. And for that most of our
Nauigators at this time bee (for want of trade and practise that way)
either vtterly ignorant or but meanely skilfull, in the true state of the
Seas, Shoulds and Islands, lying between the North part of Ireland and of
Scotland, I haue for their better encouragement (if any weightie action
shall hereafter chance to drawe them into those quarters) translated into
English a briefe treatise called A Chronicle of the Kings of Man. Wherein
they may behold as well the tragical and dolefull historie of those parts
for the space almost of 300. yeeres, as also the most ordinarie and
accustomed nauigations through those very seas, and amidst those
Northwesterne Isles called the Hebrides, so many hundred yeeres agoe. For
they shall there read, that euen then (when men were but rude in sea causes
in regard of the great knowledge which we now haue) first Godredus Crouan
with a whole Fleet of ships throughly haunted some places in that sea;
secondly, that one Ingemundus setting saile out of Norway, arriued vpon the
Isle of Lewis; then, that Magnus the king of Norwau came into the same seas
with 160. sailes, and hauing subdued the Orkney Isles in his way, passed on
in like conquering maner, directing his course (as it should seeme) euen
through the very midst, and on all sides of the Hebrides, who sailing
thence to Man, conquered it also, proceeding afterward as farre as
Anglesey; and lastly crossing ouer from the Isle of Man to the East part of
Ireland. Yea, there they shall read of Godredus the sonne of Olauus his
voiage to the king of Norway, of his expedition with 80. ships against
Sumerledus, of Sumerled his expedition with 53. ships against him; of
Godred his flight and second iourney into Norway, of Sumerled his second
arriuall with 160. shippes at Rhinfrin vpon the coast of Man, and of many
other such combates, assaults, & voyages which were performed onely vpon
those seas & Islands. And for the bringing of this woorthy monument to
light, we doe owe great thanks vnto the iudiciall and famous Antiquarie M
Camden. But sithens we are entred into a discourse of the ancient warrehke
shipping of this land the reader shall giue me leaue to borow one
principall note out of this litle historie, before I quite take my leaue
thereof, and that is in few words, that K. Iohn passed into Ireland with a
Fleet of 500. sailes; so great were our sea-forces euen in his time.
Neither did our shipping for the warres first begin to flourish with king
Iohn, but long before his dayes in the reign of K. Edward the Confessor, of
William the Conquerour, of William Rufus and the rest, there were diuers
men of warre which did valiant seruice at sea, and for their paines were
roially rewarded. All this and more then this you may see recorded, pag.
19. [Footnote: Of original edition.] out of the learned Gentleman M.
Lambert his Perambulation of Kent; namely, the antiquitie of the Kentish
Cinque ports, which of the sea-townes they were, how they were
infranchised, what gracious priuileges and high prerogatiues were by diuers
kings vouchsafed vpon them, and what seruices they were tied vnto in regard
thereof; to wit, how many ships, how many souldiers mariners, Garsons, and
for how many dayes each of them, and all of them were to furnish for the
kings vse; and lastly what great exploits they performed vnder the conduct
of Hubert of Burrough, as likewise against the Welshmen, vpon 200. French
ships, and vnder the commaund of captaine Henry Pay. Then haue you, pag.
130, [Footnote: Of original edition.] the franke and bountifull Charter
granted by king Edward the first, vpon the foresayd Cinque portes: & next
thereunto a Roll of the mightie fleet of seuen hundred ships which K.
Edward the third had with him vnto the siege of Caleis: out of which Roll
(before I proceed any further) let me giue you a double obseruation. First
that these ships, according to the number of the mariners which were in all
14151. persons, seeme to haue bene of great burthen; and secondly, that
Yarmouth an hauen towne in Northfolke (which I much wonder at) set foorth
almost twise as many ships and mariners, as either the king did at his owne
costs and charges, or as any one citie or towne in England besides. Howbeit
Tho. Walsingham maketh plaine and euident mention of a farre greater Fleete
of the same king; namely, of 1100. shippes lying before Sandwich, being all
of them sufficiently well furnished. Moreouer the Reader may behold, pag.
205, [Footnote: Of original edition.] a notable testimonie of the mightie
ships of that valiant prince king Henry the 5. who (when after his great
victory at Agincourt the Frenchmen to recouer Harflew had hired certain
Spanish and Italian ships and forces, & had vnited their owne strength vnto
them) sent his brother Iohn Duke of Bedford to encounter them, who bidding
them battell got the victory, taking some of their ships and, sinking
others, and putting the residue to dishonorable flight. Likewise comming
the next yeere with stronger powers, and being then also ouercome, they
were glad to conclude a perpetuall league with K. Henry: & propter eorum
naues (saieth mine Author) that is for the resistance of their ships, the
sayd king caused such huge ships to be built, quales non erant in mundo, as
the like were not to be found in the whole world besides.

But to leaue our ancient shipping, and descend vnto later times, I thinke
that neuer was any nation blessed of IEHOVAH, with a more glorious and
wonderfull victory vpon the Seas, then our vanquishing of the dreadfull
Spanish Armada, 1588. But why should I presume to call it our vanquishing;
when as the greatest part of them escaped vs, and were onely by Gods
out-stretched arme ouerwhelmed in the Seas, dashed in pieces against the
Rockes, and made fearefull spectacles and examples of his iudgements vnto
all Christendome. An excellent discourse whereof, as likewise of the
honourable expedition vnder two of the most noble and valiant peeres of
this Realme, I meane the renoumed Erle of Essex, and the right honorable
the lord Charles Howard, lord high Admirall of England, made 1596. vnto the
strong citie of Cadiz, I haue set downe as a double epiphonema to conclude
this my first volume withall. Both of which, albeit they ought of right to
haue bene placed among the Southerne voyages of our nation, yet partly to
satisfie the importunitie of some of my special friends, and partly, not
longer to depriue the diligent Reader of two such woorthy and long expected
discourses, I haue made bold to straine a litle curtesie with that methode
which I first propounded vnto my selfe.

And here had I almost forgotten to put the Reader in mind of that learned
and Philosophical treatise of the true state of Iseland, and so
consequently of the Northren Seas & regions lying that way, wherein a great
number of none of the meanest Historiographers and Cosmographers of later
times, as namely, Munster, Gemma Frisius, Zieglerus, Krantzius, Saxo
Grammaticus, Olaus Magnus, Peucerus and others, are by euident arguments
conuinced of manifold errors, that is to say, as touching the true
situation and Northerly latitude of that Island, and of the distance
thereof from other places, touching the length of dayes in Sommer and of
nights in Winter, of the temperature of the land and sea, of the time and
maner of the congealing, continuance, and thawing of the Ice in those Seas,
of the first Discouerie and inhabiting of that Island, of the first
planting of Christianitie there, as likewise of the continuall flaming of
mountains, strange qualities of fountaines, of hel-mouth, and of purgatorie
which those authors haue fondly written and imagined to be there. All which
treatise ought to be the more acceptable, first in that it hath brought
sound trueth with it, and secondly, in that it commeth from that farre
Northren climate which most men would suppose could not affoord any one so
learned a Patrone for it selfe.

And thus (friendly Reader) thou seest the briefe summe and scope of all my
labours for the common-wealths sake, and thy sake, bestowed vpon this first
Volume: which if thou shall as thankefully accept, as I haue willingly and
freely imparted with thee, I shall bee the better encouraged speedily to
acquaint thee with those rare, delightfull and profitable histories, which
I purpose (God willing) to publish concerning the Southerne and Westerne
parts of the World.

* * * * *

[Greek: EIS APODAEMIAS BRETTANON PONAEMA RIKARDOU TOU HAKLYITOU,

Hygon ho Brochthonos.

Ossoi gaian echousi Brotoi henos ekpephyasi
hos allaela horan ethnesi charma physei.
Hos de thaliplagktos metekiathen ethnea pleista,
hoikoi mimnazous axiagastos ephy.
Exocha Brettanoi d', alloin schisthentes erantai,
idmenai allothroun phyla polysperea.
Indous hesperious kai eoous, Aithiopas te
kai Moschous, kai pant eschatounta genae.
Touton d' oia malista, klyta, klytos Haklyutos
graphen ariphradeos, mnaem aei essomenon.]

* * * * *

In nauales RICHARDI HAKLUYTI Commentarios.

Anglia magnarum foecunda puerpera rerum,
siue solum spectes nobile, siue salum;
Quæ quantum sumptis se nobilitauent armis,
siue domi gessit prælia, siue foris;
Multorum celebrant matura volumina: tantæ
Insula materiem paruula laudis alit.
At se in quot, qualésque, & quando effuderit oras,
qua fidit ignotum peruia classis iter,
Solius Hakluyti decus est, prædiuite penna
ostendisse suis ciuibus ausa mari
Quæcunque idcirco celeri gens Anglica naui,
Oceani tristes spernere docta minas,
A primi generísque & gentis origine gessit,
qua via per fluctus vlla pattre potest,
Siue decus laudémque secuta, vt & hostibus alas
demeret, atque suis læta pararet opes:
Hoc opus Hakluyti; cui debet patria multum,
cui multum, patriæ quisquis amicus erit
Qui re námque magis se nostra Britannta iactat,
quàm quod sit præter cætera classe potens?
Quam prius obsessam tenebris sic liberat, vt nunc
quisque sciat quàm sit nobile classis opus.
Quam si Dædalicè vtemur surgemus in altum,
sin autem Icaricè, quod voret, æquor habet.
RICH. MVLCASTER.

Eiusdem in eundem

Qui graui primus cecinit camoena
Aureum vellus, procerésque Græcos,
quos sibi adiunxit comites Ianson
Vectus in Argo
Naue, quàm primùm secuisse fluctus
prædicant salsos, sibi comparauit
Inde non vnquam moritura magnæ
præmia famæ
Tanta si merces calamum secuta
Vnicæ nauis referentis acta,
Quanta Rachardum manet Hakluytum
gloria? cuius
Penna descripsit freta mille, mille
Insulæ nostræ celeres carinas,
Quæ per immensi loca peruolarunt
omnia mundi
Senties gratam patriam, tuæque
Laudis æternùm memorem, & laboris:
Quæ tua cura, calamóque totum
ibit in orbem:
Quam doces omni studio fouere
Nauticum robur, validámque classem.
Hac luet quisquis violentus Anglo
vsserit hostis.

* * * * *

In eximium opus R. HAKLUYTI de Anglorum ad disiunctissimas regiones
nauigationibus GVLIELMI CAMDENI Hexastichon.

Anglia quæ penitùs toto discluditur orbe,
Angulus orbis erat, paruus & orbis erat.
Nunc cùm sepositos alios detexent orbes,
Maximus orbis honos, Orbis & orbis erit.
At quid Haklute tibi monstranti hæc debeat orbis?
Laus tua, crede mihi, non erit orbe minor.

* * * * *

Di Marc' Antonio Pigafeta Gentilhuomo Vicentino

Ignota mi starei, con poco honore
Sepolta nell' oscure, antiche carte,
S'alcun de figli miei con spesa & arte
Non hauesse hor scoperto il mio splendore

Ramusio pria pieno d' ardente amore
Manifesto le mie piu riche parte,
Che son lá doue il Maragnon diparte,
E doue il Negro allaga, e'l Gange scorre,
Hakluyto poi senza verun risguardo
Di fatica o di danno accolt' hà insieme,
Ciò c' hà potuto hauer da typhi Inglesi.
Onde vedrassie dove bella sguardo,
E la Dwina agghiaccia, e l' Obi freme,
Et altri membri miei non ben palesi.

EXTRACT FROM OLDYS'S LIBRARIAN, 1738.
(Article Hakluyt's Voyages.) p. 137.

Oldys (having given a list of the contents of the three volumes of Hakluyt)
concludes,

This summary may sufficiently intimate what a treasury of maritime
knowledge it is, wherefore we shall here take our leave of it, with
referring only to a needful observation or two:

And first, As it has been so useful to many of our authors, not only in
Cosmography, and Navigation, but in History, especially that of the
glorious reign in which so many brave exploits were atchievcd; As it has
been such a LEADING STAR TO THE NAVAL HISTORIES since compiled; and saved
from the wreck of oblivion many exemplary incidents in the lives of our
most renowned navigators; it has therefore been unworthily omitted in the
English historical library. And lastly, though the first volume of this
collection, does frequently appear, by the date, in the title page, to be
printed in 1599, the reader is not thence to conclude the said volume was
then reprinted, but only the title page, as upon collating the books we
have observed, and further, that in the said last printed title page, there
is no mention made of the Cadiz Voyage; to omit which, might be one reason
of reprinting that page; for it being one of the most prosperous and
honourable enterprizes that ever the Earl of Essex was ingaged in, and he
falling into the Queen's unpardonable displeasure at this time, our author,
Mr. Hakluyt, might probably receive command or direction, even from one of
the patrons to whom these Voyages are dedicated, who was of the contrary
faction not only to suppress all memorial of that action in the front of
this book, but even cancel the whole narrative thereof at the end of it, in
all the copies (far the greatest part of the impression) which remained
unpublished. And in that castrated manner the volume has descended to
posterity; not but if the castration was intended to have been concealed
from us, the last leaf of the preface would have been reprinted also, with
the like omission of what is there mentioned concerning the insertion of
this Voyage. But at last, about the middle of the late King's reign, an
uncastrated copy did arise, and the said Voyage was reprinted from it,
whereby many imperfect books have been made complete.

EXTRACT FROM ZOUCH'S LIFE OF SIR PHILIP SIDNEY, page 317.

Every reader conversant in the annals of oar Naval transactions will
cheerfully acknowledge the merit of Richard Hakluyt, who devoted his
studies to the investigation of those periods of the English history, which
regard the improvement of navigation and commerce. He had the advantage of
an academical education. He was elected Student of Christ-Church in Oxford
in 1570, and was therefore contemporary with Sidney at the University. To
him we are principally indebted for a clear and comprehensive description
of those noble discoveries of the English nation made by sea or over land
to the most distant quarter of the earth. His incomparable industry was
remunerated with every possible encouragement by Sir Francis Walsingham and
Sir Philip Sidney. To the latter, as to a most generous promoter of all
ingenious and useful knowledge, he inscribed his first collection of
voyages and discoveries, printed in 1582. Thus animated and encouraged, he
was enabled to leave to posterity the fruits of his unwearied labours--an
invaluable treasure of nautical information, preserved in volumes, which
even at this day, affix to his name a brilliancy of reputation, which a
series of ages can never efface or obscure.

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