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The Principal Navigations, Voyages, Traffiques, and Discoveries of The English Nation v. 4

R >> Richard Hakluyt >> The Principal Navigations, Voyages, Traffiques, and Discoveries of The English Nation v. 4





Respect of hauens and harborowes.

And if no such Islands may bee found in the Scithian sea toward the firme
of Asia, then are you to search out the ports that be about Noua Zembla,
all along the tract of that land, to the end you may winter there the first
yeere, if you be let by contrary winds, and to the end that if we may in
short time come vnto Cambalu, and vnlade and set saile againe for returne
without venturing there at Cambalu, that you may on your way come as farre
in returne as a port about Noua Zembla: that the summer following, you may
the sooner be in England for the more speedy vent of your East commodities,
and for the speedier discharge of your Mariners: if you cannot goe forward
and backe in one selfe same Summer.

And touching the tract of the land of Noua Zembla, toward the East out of
the circle Arcticke in the mote temperate Zone, you are to haue regard: for
if you finde the soyle planted with people, it is like that in time an
ample vent of our warme woollen clothes may be found. [Sidenote: A good
consideration.] And if there be no people at all there to be found, then
you shall specially note what plentie of whales, and of other fish is to he
found there, to the ende we may turne out newe found land fishing or Island
fishing, or our whalefishing that way, for the ayde and comfort of our newe
trades to the Northeast to the coasts of Asia.


Respect of fish and certaine other things.

And if the aire may be found vpon that tract temperate, and the soile
yeelding wood, water, land and grasse, and the seas fish, then we may plant
on that maine the offals of our people, as the Portingals do in Brasill,
and so they may in our fishing in our passage, and diuers wayes yeelde
commoditie to England by harbouring and victualling vs.

And it may be, that the inland there may yeeld masts, pitch, tarre, hempe,
and all things for the Nauie, as plentifully as Eastland doth.


The Islands to be noted with their commodities and wants.

To note the Islands, whether they be hie land or low land, mountaine, or
flat, grauelly, clay, chalkie, or of what sorte, woody or not woody, with
springs and riuers or not, and what wilde beastes they haue in the same.

And whether there seeme to be in the same apt matter to build
withall, as stone free or rough, and stone to make lime withall,
and wood or coale to burne the same withall.

To note the goodnesse or badnesse of the hauens and harborowes in the
Islands.


If a straight be found, what is to be done, and what great importance it
may be of.

And if there be a straight in the passage into the Scithian seas, the same
is specially and with great regard to be noted, especially if the same
straight be narrow and to be kept. I say it is to be noted as a thing that
doeth much import: for what prince soeuer shall be Lorde of the same; and
shall possesse the same, as the king of Denmarke doeth possesse the
straight of Denmarke, he onely shall haue the trade out of these regions
into the Northeast parts of the world for himselfe, and for his priuate
profit, or for his subiects onely, or to enioy wonderfull benefit of the
toll of the same, like as the king of Denmarke doth enioy of his straights
by suffring the merchants of other Princes to passe that way. If any such
straight be found, the eleuation, the high or lowe land, the hauens neere,
the length of the straights, and all other such circumstances are to be set
downe for many purposes: and al the Mariners in the voyage are to be sworne
to keepe close all such things, that other Princes preuent vs not of the
same, after our returns vpon the disclosing of the Mariners, if any such
thing should hap.


Which way the Sauage may bee made able to purchase our cloth and other
their wants.

If you find any Island or maine land populous, and that the same people
hath need of cloth, then are you to deuise what commodities they haue to
purchase the same withall.

If they be poore, then are you to consider of the soile, and how by any
possibilitie the same may be made to inrich them, that hereafter they may
haue something to purchase the cloth withall.

If you enter into any maine by portable riuer, and shall find any great
woods, you are to note what kind of timber they be of, that we may know
whether they are for pitch, tarre, mastes, dealeboord, clapboord, or for
building of ships or houses, for so, if the people haue no vse of them,
they may be brought perhaps to vse.


Not to venture the losse of any one man.

You must haue great care to preserue your people, since your number is so
small, and not to venture any one man in any wise.


To bring home besides merchandize certaine trifles.

Bring home with you (if you may) from Cambalu or other ciuil place, one or
other yong man, although you leaue one for him.

Also the fruites of the Countreys if they will not of themselues dure, drie
them and so preserue them.

And bring with you the kernels of peares and apples, and the stones of such
stonefruits as you shall find there.

Also the seeds of all strange herbs and flowers, for such seeds of fruits
and herbs comming from another part of the world, and so far off, will
delight the fansie of many for the strangenesse, and for that the same may
grow, and continue the delight long time.

If you arriue at Cambalu or Quinsay, to bring thence the mappe of that
countrey, for so shall you haue the perfect description, which is to great
purpose.

To bring thence some old printed booke, to see whether they haue had print
there before it was deuised in Europe as some write.


To note their force by sea and by land.

If you arriue in Cambalu or Quinsay, to take a speciall view of their
Nauie, and to note the force, greatnesse, maner of building of them, the
sailes, the tackles, the ankers, the furniture of them, with ordinance,
armour, and munition.

Also, to note the force of the wals and bulwarks of their cities, their
ordonance, and whether they haue any caliuers, and what powder and shot.

To note what armour they haue.

What swords.

What pikes, halberds and bils.

What horses of force, and what light horses they haue.

And so throughout to note the force of the Countrey both by sea and by
land.


Things to be marked to make coniectures by.

To take speciall note of their buildings, and of the ornaments of their
houses within.

Take a speciall note of their apparell and furniture, and of the substance
that the same is made of, of which a Merchant may make a gesse as well of
their commoditie, as also of their wants.

To note their Shoppes and Warehouses, and with what commodities they
abound, the price also.

To see their Shambles, and to view all such things as are brought into the
Markets, for so you shall soone see the commodities, and the maner of the
people of the inland, and so giue a gesse of many things.

To note their fields of graine, and their trees of fruite, and how they
abound or not abound in one and other, and what plenty or scarsitie of fish
they haue.


Things to be caried with you, whereof more or lesse is to bee caried for a
shew of our commodities to be made.

Karsies of all orient colours, specially of stamell, broadcloth of orient
colours also.

Frizadoes, Motlies, Bristow friezes, Spanish blankets, Baies of al colours,
specially with Stamel, Worsteds, Carels, Saies, Woadmols, Flanels, Rash,
&c.

Felts of diuers colours.

Taffeta hats.

Deepe caps for Mariners coloured in Stamel, whereof if ample bent may be
found, it would turne to an infinite commoditie of the common poore people
by knitting.

Quilted caps of Leuant taffeta of diuers colours, for the night.

Knit stocks of silke of orient colours.

Knit stocks of Iersie yarne of orient colours, whereof if ample vent might
folow the poore multitude should be set in worke.

Stocks of karsie of diuers colours for men and for women.

Garters of silke of seuerall kinds, and of colours diuers.

Girdles of Buffe and all other leather, with gilt and vngilt buckles,
specially waste girdles, waste girdles of veluet.

Gloues of all sorts knit, and of leather.

Gloues perfumed.

Points of all sorts of silke, threed, and leather, of all maner of colours.

Shooes of Spanish leather of diuers colours, of diuers length, cut and
vncut.

Shooes of other leather.

Veluet shooes and pantophles.

These shooes and pantophles to be sent this time, rather for a shew then
for any other cause.

Purses knit, and of leather.

Nightcaps knit, and other.

A garnish of pewter for a shew of a vent of that English commoditie,
bottles, flagons, spoones, &c. of that mettall.

Glasses of English making.

Venice glasses.

Looking glasses for women, great and faire.

Small dials, a few for proofe, although there they will not hold the order
they do here.

Spectacles of the common sort.

Others of Christall trimmed with siluer, and other wise.

Hower glasses.

Combes of Iuorie.

Combes of boxe.

Combes of horne.

Linnen of diuers sorts.

Handkerchiefs with silke of seuerall colours wrought.

Glazen eyes to ride with against dust.

Kniues in sheaths both single and double, of good edge.

Needles great and small of euery kind.

Buttons greater and smaller, with moulds of leather and not of wood, and
such as be durable of double silke, and that of sundry colours.

Boxes with weights for gold, and of euery kind of the coine of gold, good
and bad, to shew that the people here vse weight and measure, which is a
certaine shew of wisedom, and of certaine gouernment setled here.

All the seuerall siluer coynes of our English monies, to be caried with
you, to be shewed to the gouernours at Cambalu, which is a thing that shall
in silence speake to wise men more then you imagine.

Locks and keyes, hinges, bolts, haspes, &c. great and small of excellent
workemanship, whereof if vent may be, hereafter we shall set our subiects
in worke, which you must haue in great regard. For in finding ample vent of
any thing that is to be wrought in this realme, is more woorth to our
people besides the gaine of the merchant, then Christchurch, Bridewell, the
Sauoy, and all the Hospitals of England.


For banketting on shipboord persons of credite.

First, the sweetest perfumes to set vnder hatches to make the place sweet
against their comming aboord, if you arriue at Cambalu, Quinsey, or in any
such great citie, and not among Sauages.

Marmelade.

Figs barrelled.

Sucket

Raisins of the sunne.

Comfets of diuers kinds made of purpose by him that is most excellent, that
shal not dissolue.

Prunes damaske.

Dried Peares.

Smalnuts.

Walnuts.

Almonds.

Oliues to make them taste their wine.

The apple Iohn that dureth two yeres to make shew of our fruits.

Hullocke.

Sacke.

Vials of good sweet waters, and casting bottels of glasses to besprinkle
the ghests withall, after their comming aboord.

Suger to vse with their wine if they will.

The sweet oyle of Zante, and excellent French vineger, and a fine kind of
Bisket stieped in the same do make a banketting dish, and a little Sugar
cast in it cooleth and comforteth, and refresheth the spirits of man.

Cynamon water/Imperiall water: is to be had with you to make a shew of by
taste, and also to comfort your sicke in the voyage.

With these and such like, you may banket where you arriue the greater and
best persons.

Or with the gift of these Marmelades in small boxes, or small vials of
sweet waters you may gratifie by way of gift, or you may make a merchandize
of them.


The Mappe of England and of London.

Take with you the mappe of England set out in faire colours, one of the
biggest sort I meane, to make shew of your countrey from whence you come.

And also the large Mappe of London to make shew of your Citie. And let the
riuer be drawen full of Ships of all sorts, to make the more shew of your
great trade and traffike in trade of merchandize.


Ortelius booke of Mappes.

If you take Ortelius booke of Mappes with you to marke all these Regions,
it were not amisse: and if need were to present the same to the great Can,
for it would be to a Prince of marueilous account.


The booke of the attire of all Nations.

Such a booke caried with you and bestowed in gift would be much esteemed,
as I perswade my selfe.


Bookes.

If any man will lend you the new Herball and such Bookes as make shew of
herbes, plants, trees, fishes, foules and beasts of these regions, it may
much delight the great Can, and the nobilitie, and also their merchants to
haue the view of them: for all things in these partes so much differing
from the things of those regions, since they may not be here to see them,
by meane of the distance, yet to see those things in a shadow, by this
meane will delight them.


The booke of Rates.

Take with you the booke of Rates, to the end you may pricke all those
commodities there specified, that you shall chance to find in Cambalu, in
Quinsey, or in any part of the East, where you shall chance to be.


Parchment.

Rowles of Parchment, for that we may vent much without hurt to the Realme,
and it lieth in small roume.


Glew.

To carie Glew, for that we haue plenty and want vent.


Red Oker for Painters.

To seeke vent because we haue great mines of it, and haue no vent.


Sope of both kindes.

To try what vent it may haue, for that we make of both kinds, and may
perhaps make more.


Saffron.

To try what vent you may haue of Saffron, because this realme yeelds the
best of the world, and for the tillage and other labours may set the poore
greatly in worke to their reliefe.


Aquauitæ.

By new deuises wonderful quantities may be made here, and therefore to
seeke the vent.


Blacke Conies skins.

To try the vent at Cambalu, for that it lieth towards the North, and for
that we abound with the commoditie, and may spare it.


Threed of all colours.

The vent may set our people in worke.


Copper Spurres and Hawkes bels.

To see the vent for it may set our people in worke.


A note and Caueat for the Merchant.

That before you offer your commodities to sale, you indeuour to learne what
commodities the countrey there hath. For if you bring thither veluet,
taffeta, spice, or any such commoditie that you your selfe desire to lade
your selfe home with, you must not sell yours deare, least hereafter you
purchase theirs not so cheape as you would.


Seeds for sale.

Carie with you for that purpose all sorts of garden seeds, as wel of sweete
strawing herbs, and of flowers, as also of pot herbes and all sorts for
roots, &c.


Lead of the first melting.

Lead of the second melting of the slags.

To make triall of the vent of Lead of all kinds.


English iron, and wier of iron and copper.

To try the sale of the same.

Brimstone.

To try the vent of the same, because we abound with it made in the Realme.



Antimonie a Minerall.

To see whether they haue any ample vse there for it, for that we may lade
whole nauies of it, and haue no vse of it vnlesse it be for some small
portion in founding of bels, or a litle that the Alcumists vse: of this you
may haue two sortes at the Apothecaries.

Tinder boxes with Steele, Flint & Matches and Tinder, the Matches to be
made of Iuniper to auoid the offence of Brimstone.

To trie and make the better sale of Brimstone by shewing the vse.

Candles of Waxe to light.


A painted Bellowes.

For that perhaps they haue not the vse of them.


A pot of cast iron.

To try the sale, for that it is a naturall commoditie of this Realme.


All maner of edge tools.

To be sold there or to the lesse ciuil people by the way where you shall
touch.


What I would haue you there to remember.

To note specially what excellent dying they vse in these regions, and
therefore to note their garments and ornaments of houses: and to see their
Die houses and the Materials & Simples that they vse about the same, and to
bring musters and shewes of the colours and of the materials, for that it
may serue this clothing realme to great purpose.


To take with you for your owne vse.

All maner of engines to take fish and foule.


To take with you those things that be in perfection of goodnesse.

For as the goodnesse now at the first may make your commodities
in credite in time to come: so false and Sophisticate
commodities shall draw you and all your commodities into
contempt and ill opinion.

* * * * *

A letter of Gerardus Mercator, written to M. Richard Hakluyt of Oxford,
touching the intended discouery of the Northeast passage, An. 1580.

Literæ tuæ (vir humanissime) 19. Iunij demùm mihi redditæ fuerunt:
vehementer dolui visis illis tantam, non modo temporis, sed multò magis
tempestiuæ instructionis iacturam factam esse. Optassem Arthurum Pet de
quibusdam non leuibus ante suum discessum præmonitum fuisse. Expeditissima
sanè per Orientem in Cathaium est nauigatio: et sæpè miratus sum, eam
foeliciter inchoatam, desertam fuisse, velis in occidentem translatis,
postquam plus quàm dimidium itineris vestri iam notum haberent. [Sidenote:
Ingens sinus post Insulam Vaigats et Nouam Zemblam.] Nam post Insulam
Vaigats et Noua Zembla continuò ingens sequitur Sinus, quem ab ortu Tabin
immane promontorium complectitur. In hunc medium maxima illabuntur flumina,
quæ vniuersam Regionem Sericam perluentia vtque existimo in intima
continentis vsque magnis nauigijs peruia, facillimam rationem exhibent
quaslibet merces ex Cataio, Mangi, Mien, cæteríseque circumfusis regnis
contrahendi, atque in Angliam deportandi. Cæterùm cùm non temerè cam
nauigationem intermissam crederem, opinabar ab Imperatore Russorum et
Moscouiæ obstaculum aliquod interiectum fuisse. Quod si verò cum illius
gratia vlterior illac nauigatio detur, suaderem profecto non primùm Tabin
promontorium quærere, atque explorare, sed Sinum hunc atque flumina, in
ijsque portum aliquem commodissimum, stationémque Anglicis Mercatoribus
deligere, ex quo deinceps maiore opportunitate, minoribúsque periculis
Tabin promontorium, et totius Cathai circumnauigatio indagari posset.
[Sidenote: Tabin promontorium ingens.] Esse autem ingens in Septentrionem
excurrens promontorium Tabin, non ex Plinio tantùm, verùm et alijs
scriptoribus, et tabulis aliquot (licèt rudius depictis) certum habeo.
Polum etiam Magnetis haud longè vltra Tabin situm esse, certis Magnetis
obseruationibus didici: circa quem et Tabin plurimos esse scopulos,
difficilémque et periculosam nauigationibus existimo: difficiliorem tamen
ad Cathaium accessum fore opinor, ea pua nunc vía in Occidentem tentatur.
Propinquior enim fiet hæc nauigatio polo Magnetis quàm altera, ad quem
propiùs accedere non puto tutum esse. [Sidenote: Quo propius ad polum
acceditur, eò directorium Nauiticum magis a Septentrione deuiat.] Quia verò
Magnes alium quam Mundi polum habet, quo ex omni parte, respicit: quo
propiùs ad eum acceditur, eò directorium illud Nauticum magnetis virtute
imbutum, magis à Septentrione deuiat, nunc in Occidentem, nunc in Orientem,
prout quis vel orientalior, vel occidentalior est illo Meridiano qui per
vtrumque polum Magnetis, et Mundi ducitur, Mirabilis est hæc varietas, et
quæ nauigantem plurimùm fallere potest, nisi hanc Magnetis inconstantiam
nòrit, et ad poli, eleuationem per instrumenta subinde respiciat. In hac re
si non sit instructus D. Arthurus, aut ea sit dexteritate, vt deprehenso
errore eum inuenire et castigare possit timeo ne deuias faciat ambages,
tempus ilium fallat, et semiperacto negotio, à gelu præoccupetur: Aiunt
enim Sinum illum fortiùs quotannis congelari. Quod si contingat: hoc quod
consultius mihi visum fuit, proximum illi erit refugium, vt in eo sinu,
ijsque fluminibus quæ dixi, portum quærat et per Legatum aliquem, cum magno
Cham nomine Serenissimæ Reginæ, notitiam, amicitiámque contrahat: quam
opinor Maximo orbis Imperatori gratam, imo gratissimam fore propter
remotissima commercia. [Sidenote: Bautisus et Oechardus maxima flumina in
hunc Sinum illabuntur.] Opinor ab ostijs Bautisi et Oechardi fluminum
maximorum, vsque ad Cambalu Regiam summam Chami, non vltra 300. milliaria
Germanica esse, et iter sumendum per Ezinam vrbem regni Tangut, quæ 100.
tantùm milliarijs Germanicis ab ostijs distare videtur, et paret Magno
Cham.

[Sidenote: Postulata Mercatoris de quibus certior fieri cupit.] Valde
optarem cognoscere, quàm altè communiter exurgat æstus maris in eo Moscouiæ
portu quem vestri pro statione habent, et in alijs versùs orientem locis
vsque ad Tabin. Item, an mare in hoc districtu semper in vnam partem,
videlicet Orientem, aut Occidentem fluat, an verò pro ratione æstuum fluat
et refluat, in medio inquam canali, hoc est, an ibi, sex horis in occasum,
et iterum sex in ortum fluat, an verò semper hi eandem partem: aliæ enim
speculationes non parum vtiles hinc dependent. Idem optarem à D. Frobiscero
in occidentem obseruari. Quod ad sinum Merosro, et Canadam, ac Nouam
Franciam attinet, ea in meis tabulis desumpta sum ex quadam Tabula marina,
quæ à quodam sacerdote ex earum ditionum Naucleri peritissimi Galli
descriptione excerpta fuit, et illustrissimo Principi Georgio ab Austria
episcopo Leodiensi oblata. Non dubito, quin quantum ad littorum situm
attinet et poli eleuationem, ad veritatem ea quàm proximè accedant. Habebat
enim ea tabula præter scalam graduum latitudinis per medium sui extensam,
aliam præterea praticularem Nouæ Franciæ littoribus adiunctam, qua
deprauatæ latitudines, occasione, erroris Magnetis ibi commissæ,
castigarentur. Iacobi Cnoyen Buscoducensis itinerarium per omnem Asiam,
Affricam, et Septentrionem, olim mihi Amicus Antuerpiæ ab alio mutuò
acceptum communicauit, eo vsus sum, et reddidi: post multos annos eundem ab
amico repetij et reminisci ille non potuit à quo accepisset. Gulielmi
Tripolitani et Ioannis de plano Carpini scripta non vidi, tantùm excerpta
ex illis quædam in alijs scriptis libris inueni. Abilfadæ Epitome gaudeo
verti, vtinam citò habeamus.

Hæc (mi Domine) tuis repondenda putaui: si quid est aliud quod à me
desideres, libentissimè tibi communicabo: hoc vicissim amanter à tua
humanitate petens, vt quæ ex vtriusque nauigationis cursu obseruata
nancisci poteris, mihi communices, penes me pro tuo arbitrio manebunt
omnia, et quæcunque inde collegero, fideliter ad te perscribam, si forte ad
pulcherrimum, vtilissimúmque orbi Christiano hoc nauigationis institutum
aliquid opis et consilij adferre possint. Bene vale, vir doctissime.
Duisburgi in Cliuia. 28. Iulij 1580.

[Sidenote: Dulce mare inter Nouam Zemblam et Tabin suspicatur.] Redeunte
Arthuro, quæso discas ab illo quæ optaui, et num aticubi in suo itinere,
dulce mare, aut parum salsum inuenerit: suspicor enim mare inter Noua
Zembla, et Tabin dulce esse.

T.H. paratissimus quantus quantus sum,

Gerardus Mercator.


The same in English.

Sir I receiued your letters the 19. of Iune: it grieued me much that vpon
the sight of them the time being spent, I could not giue any conuenient
instructions: I wish Arthur Pet had bene informed before his departure of
some special points. The voyage to Cathaio by the East, is doutlesse very
easie and short, and I haue oftentimes marueiled, that being so happily
begun, it hath bene left of, and the course changed into the West, after
that more then halfe of your voiage was discouered. For beyond the Island
of Vaigats and Noua Zeembla, there foloweth presently a great Baie, which
on the left side is inclosed with the mightie promontorie Tabin. [Sidenote:
A great gulfe is beyond Vaigats, whereinto mighty riuers descend.] Into the
mids hereof there fall great riuers, which passing through the whole
countrey of Serica, and being as I thinke nauigable with great vessels into
the heart of the continent, may be an easie means whereby to traffique for
all maner of merchandize, and transport them out of Cathaio, Mangi, Mien,
and other kingdoms thereabouts into England. But considering with my selfe
that that nauigation was not intermitted, but vpon great occasion, I
thought that the Emperor of Russia and Moscouie had hindered the proceeding
thereof. [Sidenote: The best course to be taken in discoueries.] If so be
that with his grace and fauour a furthur nauigation may be made, I would
counsell them certainly not first to seeke out the promontorie Tabin, but
to search this baie and riuers aforesayd, and in them to picke and chuse
out some conuenient port and harborough for the English merchants, from
whence afterward with more opportunitie and lesse perill, the promontorie
Tabin and all the coast of Cathaio may bee discouered. And that there is
such a huge promontorie called Tabin, I am certainly perswaded not onely
out of Plinie, but also other writers, and some Maps (though somewhat
rudely drawen:) and that the Pole of the Loadstone is not farre beyond
Tabin, I haue learned by the certaine obseruations of the Loadstone: about
which pole and Tabin I thinke there are very many rockes, and very hard and
dangerous sailing: and yet a more hard and difficile passage I think it to
bee this way which is now attempted by the West, for it is neerer to the
pole of the Loadstone, to the which I thinke it not safe to approach. And
because the Loadstone hath another pole then that of the world, to the
which from all parts it hath a respect, the neerer you come vnto it, the
more the needle of the Compasse doeth varie from the North, sometimes to
the West, and sometimes to the East, according as a man is to the Eastward
or to the Westward of that Meridian, that passeth by both the poles of the
Magnes and the World.

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