stranger called Anselm Saluago, and because the time was then very
dangerous, and on going into Leuant, especially to Chio, without a safe
conduct from the Turke, the said Anselm promised the owner Sir Anthony
Aucher, that we should receiue the same at Messina. But I was posted from
thence to Candia, and there I was answered that I should send to Chio, and
there I should haue my safe conduct. I was forced to send one, and hee had
his answere that the Turke would giue none, willing me to looke what was
best for me to doe, which was no small trouble to me, considering I was
bound to deliuer the goods that were in the ship at Chio, or send them at
mine aduenture. [Sidenote: The Turke prepareth an army to besiege Malta]
The marchants without care of the losse of the ship would haue compelled me
to goe, or send their goods at mine aduenture, the which I denied, and sayd
plainely I would not goe, because the Turkes gallies were come foorth to go
against Malta, but by the French kings means, he was perswaded to leaue
Malta, and to goe to Tripoly in Barbary, which by the French he wan. In
this time there were in Candia certaine Turkes vessels called Skyrasas,
which had brought wheat thither to sell, and were ready to depart for
Turkie. And they departed in the morning be times, carying newes that I
would not goe foorth: the same night I prepared beforehande what I thought
good, without making any man priuie, vntill I sawe time. Then I had no
small businesse to cause my mariners to venture with the ship in such a
manifest danger. Neuerthelesse I wan them to goe all with me, except three
which I set on land, and with all diligence I was readie to set foorth
about eight of the clocke at night, being a faire moone shine night, and
went out. Then my 3 marriners made such requests vnto the rest of my men to
come aborde, as I was constrained to take them in. [Sidenote: The Barke
Ancher at Milcone.] And so with good wind we put into the Archipelago, and
being among the Ilands the winde scanted, and I was forced to anker at an
Iland called Micone, where I taried 10 or 12 daies, hauing a Greeke Pilot
to carrie the ship to Chio. In this meane season, there came many small
botes with mysson sayles to go for Chio, with diuerse goods to sell, and
the Pilot requested me that I would let them goe in my company, to which I
yeelded. After the sayd dayes expired, I wayed and set saile for the Iland
of Chio, with which place I fel in the after noone, whereupon I cast to
seaward againe to come with the Iland in the morning betimes. The foresaid
smal vessels which came in my company, departed from me to win the shore,
to get in the night, but vpon a sudden they espied 3 foystes of Turkes
comming vpon them to spoyle them. My Pilot, hauing a sonne in one of those
small vessels, entreted me to cast about towards them, which at his request
I did, and being something farre from them, I caused my Gunner to shoot a
demycoluering at a foyst that was readie to enter one of the botes. That
was so happy a shot, that it made the Turke to fall a sterne of the bote
and to leaue him, by the which meanes hee escaped. Then they all came to
me, and requested that they might hang at my sterne vntill day light, by
which time I came before the Mole of Chio, and sent my bote on land to the
marchants of that place to send for their goods out of hand, or else I
would returne back with all to Candia, and they should fetch their goods
there. [Sidenote: The towne of Chio is bound in 12000 ducats for the
safegard of Barke Aucher.] But in fine, what by perswasion of my merchant
English men, and those of Chio, I was entreated to come into the harbour,
and had a safe assurance for 20 dayes against the Turkes army, with a bond
of the citie in the summe of 12000 ducats. So I made hast and solde such
goods as I had to Turkes that came thither, and put all in order, with as
much speede as I could, fearing the comming of the Turkes nauie, of the
which, the chiefe of the citie knew right wel. So vpon the sudden they
called me of great friendship, and in secret told me, I had no way to saue
my selfe but to be gone, for said they, we be not able to defend you, that
are not able to help our selues, for the Turke where he commeth, taketh
what he will, and leaueth what he list, but the chiefe of the Turkes set
order that none shal do any harme to the people or to their goods. This was
such news to me, that indeed I was at my wits end, and was brought into
many imaginations how to do, for that the winde was contrarie. In fine, I
determined to goe foorth. [Sidenote: The companie do murmure against their
Captaine.] But the marchants English men and other regarding more their
gaines then the ship, hindred me very much in my purpose of going foorth,
and made the marriners to come to me to demaund their wages to be payed
them out of hande, and to haue a time to employ the same there. But God
prouided so for me, that I paied them their money that night, and then
charged them, that if they would not set the ship foorth, I would make them
to answere the same in England, with danger of their heads. Many were
married in England, and had somewhat to loose, those did sticke to me. I
had twelue gunners: the Master gunner who was a madde brayned fellow, and
the owners seruant had a parlament betweene themselues, and he vpon the
same came vp to me with his sword drawen, swearing that hee had promised
the owner Sir Anthony Aucher, to liue and die in the sayde shippe against
all that should offer any harme to the shippe, and that he would fight with
the whole armie of the Turkes, and neuer yeelde: with this fellow I had
much to doe, but at the last I made him confesse his fault and followe mine
aduise. Thus with much labour I gat out of the Mole of Chio, into the sea
by warping foorth, with the helpe of Genoueses botes, and a French bote
that was in the Mole, and being out God sent mee a speciall gale of winde
to goe my way. [Sidenote: The Turkes Gallies come to seeke the Barke
Aucher.] Then I caused a peece to be shotte off for some of my men that
were yet in the towne, and with much a doe they came aboord, and then I set
sayle a little before one of the clocke, and I made all the sayle I could,
and about halfe an houre past two of the clocke there came seuen gallies
into Chio to stay the shippe: and the admirall of them was in a great rage
because she was gone. Whereupon they put some of the best in prison, and
tooke all the men of the three ships which I left in the port, and put them
into the Gallies. They would haue followed after mee, but that the townes
men found meanes they did not The next day came thither a hundred more of
Gallies, and there taried for their whole companie, which being together
were about two hundred and 50 sayle, taking their voyage for to surprise
the Iland of Malta. The next day after I departed, I had the sight of
Candia, but I was two dayes after or euer I could get in, where I thought
my selfe out of their daunger. There I continued vntill the Turkes armie
was past, who came within the sight of the towne. There was preparation
made as though the Turks had come thither. [Sidenote: Fiue thousand
banished men in Candia.] There be, in that Iland of Candia many banished
men, that liue continually in the mountaines, they came down to serue, to
the number of foure or fiue thousand, they are good archers, euery one with
his bowe and arrowes, a sword and a dagger, with long haire, and bootes
that reach vp to their grine, and a shirt of male, hanging the one halfe
before, and the other halfe behinde, these were sent away againe assoon as
the armie was past. They would drinke wine out of all measure. Then the
armie being past, I laded my shippe with wines and other things; and so
after I had that which I left in Chio, I departed for Messina. In the way I
found about Zante, certaine Galliots of Turkes, laying abord of certaine
vessels of Venice laden with Muscatels: I rescued them, and had but a
barrell of wine for my powder and shot: and within a few dayes after I came
to Messina. I had in my shippe a Spanish pilot called Noblezia, which I
tooke in at Cades at my comming foorth: he went with me all this voyage
into the Leuant without wages, of good will that he bare me and the shippe,
he stoode me in good steede vntill I came backe againe to Cades, and then I
needed no Pilot. And so from thence I came to London with the shippe and
goods in safetie, God be praysed. And all those Mariners that were in my
sayd shippe, which were, besides boyes, three score and tenne, for the most
part were within fiue or sixe yeeres after able to take charge, and did.
[Sidenote: Master Richard Chancellour. Master Mathew Baker.] Richard
Chanceller, who first discouered Russia, was with me in that voyage, and
Mathew Baker, who afterward became the Queenes Maiesties chiefe
ship-wright.
* * * * *
Another discourse of the trade to Chio in the yeere 1569, made by Gaspar
Campion, vnto master M. William Winter.
It may please your worship to vnderstand, that as concerning the voyage to
Chio, what great profit would be gotten, both for marchants, and also for
owners of shippes (as it was well knowen in those dayes when the Matthew
Gonson, the Trinitie Fitzwilliams, and the Sauiour of Bristow, with diuers
other ships which traded thither yerely, and made their voyage in ten or
twelue moneths, and the longest in a yeere) M. Francis Lambert, M. Iohn
Brooke, and M. Drauer can truely informe you heereof at large. And by
reason that wee haue not traded into those parts these many yeeres, and the
Turke is growen mighty, whereby our ships doe not trade as they were woont,
I finde that the Venetians doe bring those commodities hither, and doe sell
them for double the value that we our selues were accustomed to fetch them.
Wherefore, as I am informed by the aboue named men, that there is none so
fit to furnish this voyage as your selfe: my request is that there may be a
shippe of conuenient burthen prepared for this voyage, and then I will
satisfie you at large what is to be done therein. And because the Turke, as
I sayd before, is waxen strong, and hath put out the Christian rulers, and
placed his owne subiects, we may doubt whether we may so peaceably trade
thither as we were woont: therefore I dare vndertake to obtaine a
safeconduct, if my charges may be borne to goe and come. Of the way how
this may be done, M. Locke can satisfie you at large. [Sidenote: Gaspar
Campion maried in Chio 24 yeeres.] Moreouer, I can informe you more of the
trade of that countrey, then any other, for that I haue bene in those parts
these thirty yeeres, and haue bene married in the very towne of Chio full
foure and twenty yeres. Furthermore, when one of our ships commeth thither,
they bring at the least sixe or eight thousand carsies, so that the customs
thereof is profitable for the prince, and the returne of them is profitable
to the common people: for in barter of our wares, we tooke the commodities
which the poore of that towne made in their houses: so that one of our
shippes brought the prince and countrey more gaines than sixe ships of
other nations. The want of this our trade thither was the onely cause why
the Christian rulers were displaced: for when they payd not their yerely
tribute, they were put out by force. Touching the ship that must go, she
must obserue this order, she must be a ship of countenance, and she must
not touch in any part of Spaine, for the times are dangerous, nor take in
any lading there: but she must lade in England, either goods of our owne,
or els of strangers, and go to Genoa or Legorno, where we may be wel
intreated, and from thence she must make her money to buy wines, by
exchange to Candia, for there both custom and exchange are reasonable: and
not do as the Math. Gonson and other ships did in time past, who made sale
of their wares at Messina for the lading of their wines, and payed for
turning their white money into guide after foure and fiue in the hundredth,
and also did hazzard the losse of shippe and goods by carrying away their
money. Thus by the aforesayd course we shall trade quietly, and not be
subiect to these dangers. [Sidenote: Store of hoops laden at Castilla de la
mare for Candia.] Also from Legorno to Castilla de la mar, which is but 16
milesfrom Naples, and the ready way to Candia, you may lade hoopes, which
will cost carolins of Naples 27 and a halfe the thousand, which is ducats
two and a halfe of Spaine. And in Candia for euery thousand of hoops you
shall haue a but of Malmesey cleare of all charges. Insomuch that a ship of
the burden of the Mathew Gonson will cary foure hundredth thousand hoops,
so that one thousand ducats will lade her, and this is an vsual trade to
Candia, as M. Michael Locke can testifie. Furthermore, it is not vnknowen
to you, that the oiles which we do spend in England for our cloth, are
brought out of Spaine, and that very deare, and in England we cannot sell
them vnder 28 pound and 30 pound the tunne: I say we may haue good oile,
and better cheape in diuers places within the streights. Wherefore if you
thinke good to take this voyage in hand, I will informe you more
particularly when you please. In the meane time I rest your worships to
command.
Yours at your pleasure Iasper Campion.
* * * * *
The true report of the siege and taking of Famagusta, of the antique
writers called Tamassus, a city in Cyprus 1571. In the which the whole
order of all the skirmishes, batteries, mines, and assaults giuen to the
sayd fortresse, may plainly appear. Englished out of Italian by William
Malim.
To the right honourable and his singular good Lord, and onely Patron the
Earle of Leicester, Baron of Denbigh, Knight of the honourable order of
the Garter, one of the Queenes Maiesties most honourable priuy Councell
&c. William Malim wisheth long health with increase of honour.
It hath bene a naturall instinct (right honourable and mine especiall good
lord) ingraffed in noble personages hearts, much approued and confirmed
also by custome, for them to seeke from time to time, by some meanes in
their life, by the which they after their death might deliuer ouer their
name to their posteritie: least otherwise with their body, their fame also
altogether might perchance be buried. Vpon the which consideration we reade
many notable and famous things to haue bene erected in time past of noble
personages (hauing had wealth at will) in such sort, that not onely
certaine ruines of the same sumptuous works, builded so many hundred yeres
past, do still remaine, but also the most part of those princes, the
authours of them, do continually by them dwell in our memories. As the
Pyramides made at Memphis, or neere the famous riuer of Nilus, by the great
expenses of the kings of Egypt: the tower called Pharia, made in the Iland
of Pharos by king Ptolomee: the walles of Babylon, made or at least
reedified by queene Semiramis; Dianas church at Ephesus builded by all the
noble persons of Asia; Mausolus toome or sepulchre, made by his wife queene
of Caria: Colossus Solis placed at Rhodes, I remember not by what Princes
charge, but made by the hands of Cares Lindius scholar to Lysippus: and the
image of Iupiter, made of Yuory by the hands of the skilful workman
Phydias. The which monuments made of barbarous and heathen Princes to
redeeme themselues from obliuion deserued both for the magnificence, and
perfect workmanship of the same, to be accounted in those dayes as the
seuen woonders of the world. Since the which time, an easier, readier, and
lighter way, being also of more continuance then the former, hath bene
found out, namely, Letters, which were first inuented by the Caldies and
Egyptians, as we reade, and augmented since by others, to our great
benefit, and now last of all (no long time past) the same to haue bene
committed to Printers presses, to the greatest perfection of the same; men
being first inforced to write their actes and monuments in beasts skinnes
dried, in barkes of trees, or otherwise perchance as vnreadily. By the
which benefit of letters (now reduced into print) we see how easie a thing
it is and hath bene for noble persons, to liue for euer by the helpe of
learned men. For the memory of those two woorthy and valiant captaines
Scipio and Hannibal had bene long before this present quite forgotten,
except Titus Liuius, or some such learned Historiographer had written of
them in time. And Alexander Magnus himselfe that great conquerour had
nothing beene spoken of, had not Q. Curtius, or some other like by his
learned stile reuiued the remembrance of him, and called backe his doings
to his posteritie. For the which cause we see commonly, in all ages learned
men to be much made of by noble personages, as that rare paterne of
learning Aristotle to haue bene greatly honoured of that former renowmed
Monarch Alexander: who affirmed openly, that he was more bound to his
Master Aristotle, then to king Philip his father, because the one had well
framed his minde, the other onely his body. Many other like examples I
could alledge at this present, if I knew not vnto whom I now wrote, or in
what: for your honour being skilfull in histories, and so familiarly
acquainted with the matter it selfe, that is in still entertaining learned
men with all curtesie, I should seeme to light a candle at noone tide, to
put you in remembrance of the one, or to exhort you to doe the other, dayly
being accustomed to performe the same. Crassus sayth in Tullies first
booke, De Oratore: that a Lawyer's house is the oracle of the whole citie.
But I can iustly witnesse, that for these fiue yeeres last past, since my
returne from my trauell beyond the seas, that your lodging in the Court
(where I through your vndeserued goodnesse to my great comfort do dayly
frequent) hath bene a continuall receptacle or harbour for all learned men
comming from both the eyes of the realme, Cambridge, and Oxford (of the
which Vniuersity your lordship is Chanceller) to their great satisfaction
of minde, and ready dispatch of their sutes. Especially for Preachers and
Ministers of true religion: of the which you haue beene from time to time
not onely a great fauourer, but an earnest furtherer, and protectour: so
that these two nurseries of learning (in one of the which I haue before
this spent part of my time, that I may speake boldly what I thinke) should
wrong your honour greatly, and much forget themselues, if by all meanes
possible they should not heerafter (as at this present to their smal powers
many well learned gentlemen of them do) labour and trauell in shewing of
themselues thankefull, to reuerence and honour your lordship, and honest
their owne names: whose studies certeinly would suddenly decay and fall
flat, if they were not held vp by such noble proppes, and had not some sure
ankerholds in their distresse to leane vnto. How ready dayly your trauell
is, and hath long beene besides to benefit all other persons, in whom any
sparke of vertue or honesty remaineth, I need not labour to expresse, the
world knowing already the same. But whosoeuer they be, that in all their
life time haue an especiall care by all meanes to profit as many as they be
able, and hurt none, do not onely a laudable act, but leade a perfect and
very godly life. Whereupon Strabo affirmeth this most truely to be spoken
of them: Mortales tum demum Deum imitari, cum benefici fuerint. That is,
Mortall men then specially to follow the nature of God, when they are
beneficiall and bountifull to others. Great commendation vndoubtedly it
bringeth to any noble personage, that as the Moone, that light and
brightness which she receiueth of the Sun, is wont presently to spread
abroad upon the face of the earth, to the refreshing and comforting all
inferiour and naturall things bearing life: so for him, to bestow all that
fauour and credit, which he hath gotten at the princes handes, to the helpe
and reliefe of the woorthy and needy. Great is the force (my right
honourable lord) of true vertue, which causeth men, as Tully writeth in his
booke De Amicitia, to be loued and honoured oft of those persons, which
neuer saw them. [Sidenote: Master Malim at Constantinople 1564.] Whereof I
neuer had better proofe (I take God and mine one conscience to witnesse,
the which I declared also to certaine of my friends assone as I returned)
then at my last being at Constantinople, in the yere of our Lord 1564,
whereas I oft resorting (as occasion serued) to the right honorable
Christian ambassadors, while I made my abode there (namely vnto Monsieur
Antonio Petrimol, lieger there for the French king, Sig. M. Victor
Bragadino, for the segniory of Venice, Sig. Lorenzo Giustiniano, for the
state of Scio, or Chios, and Sig. Albertacio delli Alberti, for the duke of
Florence) heard them often report and speake very honourably of your
lordship, partly for your other good inclinations of nature, but especially
for your liberality, and courteous intreating of diuers of their friends
and countrymen, which vpon sundry occasions had bene here in this our
realme. So that to conclude, all men iustly fauour your honourable dealings
and deserts: and I for my part haue reuerenced and honoured the same
euermore both here at home, and elswhere abroad, wishing often to haue had
some iust occasion to pay part of that in good will, which my slender
abilitie will neuer suffer me fully to discharge. For vnto whom should I
sooner present any thing any way, especially concerning matters done
abroad, then vnto your lordship, by whom I was much cherished abroad in my
trauell, and mainteined since my returne here at home? For the which cause
I haue enterprised (hoping greatly of your lordships fauour herein) to
clothe and set forth a few Italian newes in our English attire, being first
mooued thereunto by the right worshipfull M. D. Wilson Master of her
Maiesties Requests, your honours assured trusty friend, a great and
painfull furtherer of learning, whom I, and many other for diuers respects
ought to reuerence: who remembring that I had bene at Cyprus, was willing
that my pen should trauell about the Christian and Turkish affaires, which
there lately haue happened: perswading himselfe, that somewhat thereby I
might benefit this our natiue countrey. Against whose reasonable motion I
could not greatly wrestle, hazzarding rather my slender skill in attempting
and performing this his requested taske, then he through my refusall should
seeme to want any iot of my good will. In offering vp the which newes,
although I shall present no new thing to your honour, because you are so
well acquainted with the Italian copy, as I know: yet I trust your lordship
will not mislike, that the same which is both pleasant to reade, and so
necessary to be knowen for diuers of our captaines and other our
countreymen, which are ignorant in the Italian tongue, may thus now shew it
selfe abroad, couered vnder the wing of your lordships protection.
Certeinly it mooueth me much to remember the losse of those three notable
Ilands, to the great discomfort of all Christendome, to those hellish
Turkes, horseleeches of Christian blood: [Sidenote: Rhodes lost.] namely
Rhodes besieged on S. Iohn Baptists day, and taken on Iohns day the
Euangelist, being the 27 of December 1522. [Sidenote: Scio lost.] Scio or
Chios being lost since my being there, taken of Piali Basha with 80
gallies, the 17 of April 1566. [Sidenote: Cyprus lost.] And now last or all
not only Famagusta the chiefe holde and fortresse in Cyprus to haue bene
lost of the Venetians the 15 of August last past 1571 (the chiefe gouernors
and captaines of them being hewen in sunder by the commandement of that
tyrant Mustafa Basha) but all the whole Iland also to be conquered by those
cruell Turks, ancient professed enemies to all Christian religion. In the
which euill successe (comming to vs as I take it for our offences) as I
lament the generall losse: so I am surely pensiue to vnderstand by this too
true a report of the vile death of two particular noble gentlemen of
Venice, Sig. M. Lorenzo Tiepolo, and Sig. M. Giouanni Antonio Querini: of
both the which I in my trauaile was very courteously vsed, the former of
them being then (as now also he was in this ouerthrow) gouernour of Baffo
in Cyprus, the other captaine of one of the castels at Corcyra in Greece,
now called Corfu. But things past are past amendment, and they could neuer
die more honourably, then in the defence of their countrey. Besides that
the late blowes, which the Turks haue receiued since this their fury, in
token of Gods wrath against them, do much comfort euery Christian heart.
Moreouer this uniforme preparation which is certainly concluded, and
forthwith looked for, by very many Christian Princes (would God by all
generally) against these barbarous Mahometists: whose cruelty and beastly
behauiour I partly know, and am able to iudge of, hauing bene in Turky
amongst them more than eight moneths together. Whose vnfaithfulnesse also
and breach of promise, as the Venetians manly courage in defence of
themselues, and their fortresse, your honour may easily reade in this short
treatise and small handfull of leaues, I hauing set downe also a short
description of the Iland of Cyprus, for the better vnderstanding of the
whole matter. The which I not onely must humbly beseech your honour now
fauourably to accept as an earnest peny of more to come, and of my present
good will: but with your accustomed goodnesse toward me, to defend the same
against such persons, whose tongues too readily roule sometime against
other mens painfull trauells, perswading themselues to purchase the sooner
some credit of learning with the ruder sort, by controlling and ouerdaintie
sifting of other mens laboured tasks, for I know in all ages to be found as
well Basilisks as Elephants. Thus nothing doubting of your ready ayd
herein, as I assuredly trust of your honours fauourable acceptation of this
my poore present, wishing long life with the increase of Gods holy spirit
to your lordship and to all your most honourable familie (vnto whom I haue
wholly dedicated my selfe by mine owne choise and election for euer) I,
crauing pardon for my former boldnesse, most humbly thus take my leaue.
From Lambhith the 23 of March. Ann. 1572.
Your honours most humble and faithfull seruant for euer, William Malim.
A briefe description of the Iland of Cyprus: by the which not onely the
Venetians title why they haue so long enioyed it, but also the Turks,
whereby now he claimeth it, may plainly appeare.