Produced by Karl Hagen <kthagen@polysyllabic.com>
** Transcriber's Notes **
The printed edition from which this e-text has been produced retains the
spelling and abbreviations of Hakluyt's 16th-century original. In this
version, the spelling has been retained, but the following manuscript
abbreviations have been silently expanded:
- vowels with macrons = vowel + 'n' or 'm'
- q; = -que (in the Latin)
- y[e] = the; y[t] = that; w[t] = with
And the following substitutions have been made:
- I + reversed 'C' (for the number 500) = D
- CI + reversed 'C' (for 1000) = M
This edition contains footnotes and two types of sidenotes. Most footnotes
are added by the editor. They follow modern (19th-century) spelling
conventions. Those that don't are Hakluyt's (and are not always
systematically marked as such by the editor). The sidenotes are Hakluyt's
own. Summarizing sidenotes are labelled [Sidenote: ] and placed before the
sentence to which they apply. Sidenotes that are keyed with a symbol are
labeled [Marginal note: ] and placed at the point of the symbol, except in
poetry, where they are placed at a convenient point.
** End Transcriber's Notes **
THE PRINCIPAL
NAVIGATIONS, VOYAGES, TRAFFIQUES
AND
DISCOVERIES
OF
THE ENGLISH NATION.
Collected by
RICHARD HAKLUYT, PREACHER.
AND
Edited by
EDMUND GOLDSMID, F.R.H.S.
VOL. VI
MADEIRA AND THE CANARIES; ANCIENT ASIA, AFRICA, ETC.
[Title Page to volume 2 of the original edition.]
THE SECOND VOLVME
OF THE PRINCIPAL
NAVIGATIONS, VOYAGES, TRAFFIQVES,
AND
DISCOUERIES
OF THE
ENGLISH NATION,
MADE BY SEA OR OUER-LAND,
TO THE SOUTH & SOUTH-EAST PARTS OF THE WORLD.
AT ANY TIME WITHIN THE COMPASSE OF THESE 1600. YERES:
DIUIDED INTO TWO SEUERALL PARTS:
WHEREOF THE FIRST CONTAINETH
THE PERSONALL TRAUELS, &c. OF THE ENGLISH, THROUGH AND WITHIN THE STREIGHT
OF GIBRALTAR,
TO
Alger, Tunis, and Tripolis in Barbary, to Alexandria and Cairo in Aegypt,
to the Isles of Sicilia, Zante, Candia, Rhodes, Cyprus, and Chio, to the
Citie of Constantinople, to diuers parts of Asia Minor, to Syria and
Armenia, to Ierusalem, and other Places in Iudea;
AS ALSO TO:
Arabia, downe the Riuer of Euphrates, to Babylon and Balsara, and so
through the Persian Gulph to Ormuts, Chaul, Goa, and to many Islands
adioyning vpon the South Parts of Asia;
AND LIKEWISE FROM
Goa to Cambaia, and to all the Dominions of Zelabdim Echebar The Great
Mogor, to the Mighty Riuer of Ganges, to Bengala, Aracan, Bacola, and
Chonderi, to Pegu, to Iamahai in the Kingdome of Siam, and almost to the
very Frontiers of China.
THE SECOND COMPREHENDETH
THE VOYAGES, TRAFFICKS, &c. OF THE ENGLISH NATION, MADE WITHOUT THE
STREIGHT OF GIBRALTAR,
TO THE ISLANDS OF THE ACORES, OF PORTO SANTO, MADERA, AND THE CANARIES, TO
THE KINGDOMES OF BARBARY, TO THE ISLES OF CAPO VERDE,
To the Riuers of Senega, Gambra, Madrabumba, and Sierra Leona, to the Coast
of Guinea and Benin, to the Isles of S. Thome and Santa Helena, to the
Parts about the Cape of Buona Esperanza, to Quitangone, neere Mozambique,
to the Isles of Comoro and Zanzibar, To the Citie of Goa, Beyond Cape
Comori, to the Isles of Nicubar, Gomes Polo, and Pulo Pinaom, to the maine
Land of Malacca, and to the Kingdome of Iunsalaon.
BY RICHARD HAKLVYT PREACHER,
AND SOMETIME STUDENT OF CHRIST CHVRCH IN OXFORD.
IMPRINTED AT LONDON BY GEORGE BISHOP, RALPH NEWBERY,
AND ROBERT BARKER.
ANNO 1599.
DEDICATION TO THE FIRST EDITION.
TO THE
RIGHT HONOURABLE
SIR ROBERT CECIL KNIGHT,
PRINCIPALL SECRETARIE TO HER MAIESTIE, MASTER OF THE COURT OF WARDES AND
LIUERIES, AND ONE OF HER MAIESTIES MOST HONOURABLE PRIUIE COUNSELL.
Right Honorable, hauing newly finished a Treatise of the long Voyages of
our Nation made into the Leuant within the Streight of Gibraltar, and from
thence ouer-land to the South and Southeast parts of the world, all
circumstances considered, I found none to whom I thought it fitter to bee
presented then to your selfe: wherein hauing begun at the highest
Antiquities of this realme vnder the gouerment of the Romans; next vnder
the Saxons; and thirdly since the conquest vnder the Normans, I haue
continued the histories vnto these our dayes. The time of the Romans
affoordeth small matter. But after that they were called hence by forren
inuasions of their Empire, and the Saxons by degrees became lords in this
Iland, and shortly after receiued the Christian faith, they did not onely
trauell to Rome, but passed farther vnto Ierusalem, and therewith not
contented, Sigelmus bishop of Shireburne in Dorsetshire caried the almes of
king Alfred euen to the Sepulcher of S. Thomas in India, (which place at
this day is called Maliapor) and brought from thence most fragrant spices,
and rich iewels into England: Which iewels, as William of Malmesburie in
two sundry treatises writeth, were remaining in the aforsayd Cathedrall
Church to be seene euen in his time. And this most memorable voyage into
India is not onely mentioned by the aforesayd Malmesburie, but also by
Florentius Wigorniensis, a graue and woorthy Author which liued before him,
and by many others since, and euen by M. Foxe in his first volume of his
acts and Monuments in the life of king Alfred. To omit diuers other of the
Saxon nation, the trauels of Alured bishop of Worcester through Hungarie to
Constantinople, and so by Asia the lesse into Phoenicia and Syria, and the
like course of Ingulphus, not long afterward Abbot of Croiland, set downe
particularly by himselfe, are things in mine opinion right worthy of
memorie. After the comming in of the Normans, in the yeere 1096, in the
reigne of William Rufus, and so downward for the space of aboue 300 yeeres,
such was the ardent desire of our nation to visite the Holy land, and to
expell the Saracens and Mahumetans, that not only great numbers of Erles,
Bishops, Barons, and Knights, but euen Kings, Princes, and Peeres of the
blood Roiall, with incredible deuotion, courage and alacritie intruded
themselues into this glorious expedition. A sufficient proofe hereof are
the voiages of prince Edgar the nephew of Edmund Ironside, of Robert
Curtois brother of William Rufus, the great beneuolence of king Henry the
2. and his vowe to haue gone in person to the succour of Ierusalem, the
personall going into Palestina of his sonne king Richard the first, with
the chiualrie, wealth, and shipping of this realme; the large contribution
of king Iohn, and the trauels of Oliuer Fitz-Roy his sonne, as is supposed,
with Ranulph Glanuile Erle of Chester to the siege of Damiata in Egypt: the
prosperous voyage of Richard Erle of Cornwall, elected afterward king of
the Romans, and brother to Henry the 3, the famous expedition of Prince
Edward, the first king of the Norman race of that name; the iourney of
Henry Erle of Derbie, duke of Hereford, and afterward King of this realme,
by the name of Henry the 4 against the citie of Tunis in Africa, and his
preparation of ships and gallies to go himselfe into the Holy land, if he
had not on the sudden bene preuented by death; the trauel of Iohn of
Holland brother by the mothers side to king Richard the 2 into those parts.
All these, either Kings, Kings sonnes, or Kings brothers, exposed
themselues with inuincible courages to the manifest hazard of their
persons, liues, and liuings, leauing their ease, their countries, wiues and
children; induced with a Zelous deuotion and ardent desire to protect and
dilate the Christian faith. These memorable enterprises in part concealed,
in part scattered, and for the most part vnlooked after, I haue brought
together in the best Method and breuitie that I could deuise. Whereunto I
haue annexed the losse of Rhodes, which although it were originally written
in French, yet maketh it as honourable and often mention of the English
nation, as of any other Christians that serued in that most violent siege.
After which ensueth the princely promise of the bountiful aide of king
Henry the 8 to Ferdinando newly elected king of Hungarie, against Solyman
the mortall enemie of Christendome. These and the like Heroicall intents
and attempts of our Princes, our Nobilitie, our Clergie, and our Chiualry,
I haue in the first place exposed and set foorth to the view of this age,
with the same intention that the old Romans set vp in wax in their palaces
the Statuas or images of their worthy ancestors; whereof Salust in his
treatise of the warre of Iugurtha, writeth in this maner: Sæpe audiui ego
Quintum maximum, Publium Scipionem, præterea ciuitatis nostræ præclaros
viros solitos ita dicere, cum maiorum imagines intuerentur, vehementissimè
animum sibi ad virtutem accendi. Scilicet non ceram illam, neque figuram,
tantam vim in sese habere, sed memoria rerum gestarum flammam eam egregijs
viris in pectore crescere, neque prius sedari, quàm virtus eorum famam et
gloriam adæquauerit. I haue often heard (quoth he) how Quintus maximus,
Publius Scipio, and many other worthy men of our citie were woont to say,
when they beheld the images and portraitures of their ancestors, that they
were most vehemently inflamed vnto vertue. Not that the sayd wax or
portraiture had any such force at all in it selfe, but that by the
remembring of their woorthy actes, that flame was kindled in their noble
breasts, and could neuer be quenched, vntill such time as their owne valure
had equalled the fame and glory of their progenitors. So, though not in
wax, yet in record of writing haue I presented to the noble courages of
this English Monarchie, the like images of their famous predecessors, with
hope of like effect in their posteritie. And here by the way if any man
shall think, that an vniuersall peace with our Christian neighbours will
cut off the emploiment of the couragious increasing youth of this realme,
he is much deceiued. For there are other most conuenient emploiments for
all the superfluitie of euery profession in this realme. For, not to meddle
with the state of Ireland, nor that of Guiana, there is vnder our noses the
great and ample countrey of Virginia; the In-land whereof is found of late
to bee so sweete, and holesome a climate, so rich and abundant in siluer
mines, so apt and capable of all commodities, which Italy, Spaine, and
France can affoord, that the Spaniards themselues in their owne writings
printed in Madrid 1586, and within few moneths afterward reprinted by me in
Paris, [Footnote: This no doubt refers to the "History of the West Indies,"
which appears further on in this edition.] and in a secret mappe of those
partes made in Mexico the yeere before; for the king of Spaine, (which
originall with many others is in the custodie of the excellent
Mathematician M. Thomas Hariot) as also in their intercepted letters come
vnto my hand, bearing date 1595, they acknowledge the In-land to be a
better and richer countrey then Mexico and Nueua Spania itselfe. And on the
other side their chiefest writers, as Peter Martyr ab Angleria, and Francis
Lopez de Gomara, the most learned Venetian Iohn Baptista Ramusius, and the
French Geographers, as namely, Popiliniere and the rest, acknowledge with
one consent, that all that mightie tract of land from 67., degrees
Northward to the latitude almost of Florida was first discouered out of
England, by the commaundement of king Henry the seuenth, and the South part
thereof before any other Christian people of late hath bene planted with
diuers English colonies by the royal consent of her sacred Maiestie vnder
the broad seale of England, whereof one as yet remaineth, for ought we
know, aliue in the countrey. Which action, if vpon a good and godly peace
obtained, it shal please the Almighty to stirre vp her Maiesties heart to
continue with her fauourable countenance (as vpon the ceasing of the warres
of Granada, hee stirred vp the spirite of Isabella Queene of Castile, to
aduance the enterprise of Columbus) with transporting of one or two
thousand of her people, and such others as vpon mine owne knowledge will
most willingly at their owne charges become Aduenturers in good numbers
with their bodies and goods; she shall by Gods assistance, in short space,
worke many great and vnlooked for effects, increase her dominions, enrich
her cofers, and reduce many Pagans to the faith of Christ. The neglecting
hitherto of which last point our aduersaries daily in many of their bookes
full bitterly lay vnto the charge of the professors of the Gospell. No
sooner should we set footing in that pleasant and good land, and erect one
or two conuenient Fortes in the Continent, or in some Iland neere the
maine, but euery step we tread would yeeld vs new occasion of action, which
I wish the Gentrie of our nation rather to regard, then to follow those
soft vnprofitable pleasures wherein they now too much consume their time
and patrimonie, and hereafter will doe much more, when as our neighbour
warres being appeased, they are like to haue lesse emploiment then nowe
they haue, vnlesse they bee occupied in this or some other the like
expedition. And to this ende and purpose giue me leaue (I beseech you) to
impart this occurrent to your honourable and prouident consideration: that
in the yere one thousand fiue hundred eighty and seuen, when I had caused
the foure voyages of Ribault, Laudonniere, and Gourges to Florida, at mine
owne charges to bee printed in Paris, which by the malice of some too much
affectioned to the Spanish faction, had bene aboue twentie yeeres
suppressed, as soone as that booke came to the view of that reuerend and
prudent Counseller Monsieur Harlac the lord chiefe Iustice of France, and
certaine other of the wisest Iudges, in great choler they asked, who had
done such intolerable wrong to their whole kingdome, as to haue concealed
that woorthie worke so long? Protesting further, that if their Kings and
the Estate had throughly followed that action, France had bene freed of
their long ciuill warres, and the variable humours of all sortes of people
might haue had very ample and manifold occasions of good and honest
emploiment abroad in that large and fruitfull Continent of the West Indies.
The application of which sentence vnto our selues I here omit, hastening
vnto the summarie recapitulation of other matters contained in this worke.
It may please your Honour therefore to vnderstand, that the second part of
this first Treatise containeth our auncient trade and traffique with
English shipping to the Ilands of Sicilie, Candie, and Sio, which, by good
warrant herein alleaged, I find to haue bene begun in the yeere 1511. and
to haue continued vntill the yeere 1552. and somewhat longer. But shortly
after (as it seemeth) it was intermitted, or rather giuen ouer (as is noted
in master Gaspar Campions discreet letters to Master Michael Lock and
Master William Winter inserted in this booke) first by occasion of the
Turkes expelling of the foure and twentie Mauneses or gouernours of the
Genouois out of the Ile of Sio, and by taking of the sayd Iland wholie into
his owne hand in Aprill, 1566. sending thither Piali Basha with fourescore
gallies for that purpose; and afterward by his growing ouer mightie and
troublesome in those Seas, by the cruell inuasion of Nicosia and Famagusta,
and the whole Ile of Cyprus by his lieutenant Generall Mustapha Basha.
Which lamentable Tragedie I haue here againe reuiued, that the posteritie
may neuer forget what trust may bee giuen to the oath of a Mahometan, when
hee hath aduauntage and is in his choler.
Lastly, I haue here put downe at large the happie renuing and much
increasing of our interrupted trade in all the Leuant, accomplished by the
great charges and speciall Industrie of the worshipfull and worthy
Citizens, Sir Edward Osborne Knight, M. Richard Staper, and M. William
Hareborne, together with the league for traffike onely betweene her
Maiestie and the Grand Signior, with the great priuileges, immunities, and
fauours obteyned of his imperiall Highnesse in that behalfe, the admissions
and residencies of our Ambassadours in his stately Porch, and the great
good and Christian offices which her Sacred Maiestie by her extraordinary
fauour in that Court hath done for the king and kingdome of Poland, and
other Christian Princes: the traffike of our Nation in all the chiefe
Hauens of Africa and Egypt: the searching and haunting the very bottome of
the Mediterran Sea to the ports of Tripoli and Alexandretta, of the
Archipelagus, by the Turkes now called The white sea, euen to the walles of
Constantinople: the voyages ouer land, and by riuer through Aleppo, Birrha,
Babylon and Balsara, and downe the Persian gulfe to Ormuz, and thence by
the Ocean sea to Goa, and againe ouer-land to Bisnagar, Cambaia, Orixa,
Bengala, Aracan, Pegu, Malacca, Siam, the Iangomes, Quicheu, and euen to
the Frontiers of the Empire of China: the former performed diuerse times by
sundry of our nation, and the last great voyage by M. Ralph Fitch, who with
M. Iohn Newbery and two other consorts departed from London with her
Maiesties letters written effectually in their fauour to the kings of
Cambaia and China in the yere 1583, who in the yeere 1591. like another
Paulus Venetus returned home to the place of his departure, with ample
relation of his wonderfull trauailes, which he presented in writing to my
Lord your father of honourable memorie.
Now here if any man shall take exception against this our new trade with
Turkes and misbeleeuers, he shall shew himselfe a man of small experience
in old and new Histories, or wilfully lead with partialitie, or some worse
humour. [Marginal note: 1. King. cap. 5., 2. Chron. cap. 2.] For who
knoweth not, that king Solomon of old, entred into league vpon necessitie
with Hiram the king of Tyrus, a gentile? Or who is ignorant that the
French, the Genouois, Florentines, Raguseans, Venetians, and Polonians are
at this day in league with the Grand Signior, and haue beene these many
yeeres, and haue vsed trade and traffike in his dominions? Who can deny
that the Emperor of Christendome hath had league with the Turke, and payd
him a long while a pension for a part of Hungarie? And who doth not
acknowledge, that either hath traueiled the remote parts of the world, or
read the Histories of this latter age, that the Spaniards and Portugales in
Barbarie, in the Indies, and elsewhere, haue ordinarie confederacie and
traffike with the Moores, and many kindes of Gentiles and Pagans, and that
which is more, doe pay them pensions, and vse them in their seruice and
warres? Why then should that be blamed in vs, which is vsuall and common to
the most part of other Christian nations? Therefore let our neighbours,
which haue found most fault with this new league and traffike, thanke
themselues and their owne foolish pride, whereby we were vrged to seeke
further to prouide vent for our naturall commodities. And herein the old
Greeke prouerbe was most truely verified, That euill counsaille prooueth
worst to the author and deuiser of the same.
Hauing thus farre intreated of the chiefe contents of the first part of
this second Volume, it remayneth that I briefly acquaint your Honor with
the chiefe contents of the second part. It may therefore please you to
vnderstand, that herein I haue likewise preserued, disposed, and set in
order such Voyages, Nauigations, Traffikes, and Discoueries, as our Nation,
and especially the worthy inhabitants of this citie of London, haue
painefully performed to the South and Southeast parts of the world, without
the Streight of Gibraltar, vpon the coasts of Africa, about the Cape of
Buona Sperança, to and beyonde the East India. To come more neere vnto
particulars, I haue here set downe the very originals and infancie of our
trades to the Canarian Ilands, to the kingdomes of Barbarie, to the mightie
riuers of Senega and Gambia, to those of Madrabumba, and Sierra Leona, and
the Isles of Cape Verde, with twelue sundry voyages to the sultry kingdomes
of Guinea and Benin, to the Ile of San Thomé, with a late and true report
of the weake estate of the Portugales in Angola, as also the whole course
of the Portugale Caracks from Lisbon to the barre of Goa in India, with the
disposition and qualitie of the climate neere and vnder the Equinoctiall
line, the sundry infallible markes and tokens of approaching vnto, and
doubling of The Cape of good Hope, the great variation of the compasse for
three or foure pointes towards the East between the Meridian of S. Michael
one of the Islands of the Azores, and the aforesaid Cape, with the returne
of the needle againe due North at the Cape Das Agulias, and that place
being passed outward bound, the swaruing backe againe thereof towards the
West, proportionally as it did before, the two wayes, the one within and
the other without the Isle of S. Laurence, the dangers of priuie rockes and
quicksands, the running seas, and the perils thereof, with the certaine and
vndoubted signes of land. All these and other particularities are plainly
and truely here deliuered by one Thomas Steuens a learned Englishman, who
in the yeere 1579 going as a passenger in the Portugale Fleete from Lisbon
into India, wrote the same from Goa to his father in England: Whereunto I
haue added the memorable voyage of M. Iames Lancaster, who doth not onely
recount and confirme most of the things aboue mentioned, but also doth
acquaint vs with the state of the voyage beyond Cape Comori, and the Isle
of Ceilon, with the Isles of Nicubar and Gomes Polo lying within two
leagues of the rich Island Sumatra, and those of Pulo Pinaom, with the
maine land of Iunçalaon and the streight of Malacca. I haue likewise added
a late intercepted letter of a Portugall reuealing the secret and most
gainefull trade of Pegu, which is also confirmed by Cesar Fredericke a
Venetian, and M. Ralph Fitch now liuing here in London.
And because our chiefe desire is to find out ample vent of our wollen
cloth, the naturall commoditie of this our Realme, the fittest places,
which in al my readings and obseruations I find for that purpose, are the
manifold Islands of Iapan, and the Northern parts of China, and the regions
of the Tartars next adioyning (whereof I read, that the countrey in winter
is Assi fria como Flandes, that is to say, as cold as Flanders, and that
the riuers be strongly ouer frozen) and therefore I haue here inserted two
speciall Treatises of the sayd Countries, the last discourse I hold to be
the most exact of those parts that is yet come to light, which was printed
in Lantine in Macao a citie of China, in China paper, in the yeere a
thousand fiue hundred and ninetie, and was intercepted in the great Carack
called Madre de Dios two yeeres after, inclosed in a case of sweete Cedar
wood, and lapped vp almost an hundred fold in fine Calicut cloth, as though
it had bene some incomparable iewel.
But leauing abruptly this discourse, I thinke it not impertinent, before I
make an end, to deliuer some of the reasons, that moued me to present this
part of my trauailes vnto your Honour. The reuerend antiquitie in the
dedication of their workes made choyse of such patrons, as eyther with
their reputation and credits were able to countenance the same, or by their
wisedome and vnderstanding were able to censure and approue them, or with
their abilitie were likely to stand them or theirs in steade in the
ordinarie necessities and accidents of their life. Touching the first, your
descent from a father, that was accounted Pater patriæ, your owne place and
credite in execution of her Maiesties inward counsailes and publike
seruices, added to your well discharging your forren imployment (when the
greatest cause in Christendome was handled) haue not onely drawen mens eyes
vpon you, but also forcibly haue moued many, and my selfe among the rest to
haue our labours protected by your authoritie. For the second point, when
it pleased your Honour in sommer was two yeeres to haue some conference
with me, and to demaund mine opinion touching the state of the Country of
Guiana, and whether it were fit to be planted by the English: I then (to my
no small ioy) did admire the exact knowledge which you had gotten of those
matters of Indian Nauigations: and how carefull you were, not to be
ouertaken with any partiall affection to the Action, appeared also, by the
sound arguments which you made pro and contra, of the likelihood and reason
of good or ill successe of the same, before the State and common wealth
(wherein you haue an extraordinarie voyce) should be farther engaged. In
consideration whereof I thinke myselfe thrise happie to haue these my
trauailes censured by your Honours so well approued iudgement, Touching the
third and last motiue I cannot but acknowledge my selfe much indebted for
your fauourable letters heretofore written in my behalfe in mine, honest
causes. Whereunto I may adde, that when this worke was to passe vnto the
presse, your Honour did not onely intreate a worthy knight, a person of
speciall experience, as in many others so in marine causes, to ouersee and
peruse the same, but also vpon his good report with your most fauourable
letters did warrant, and with extraordinarie commendation did approue and
allow my labours, and desire to publish the same. Wherefore to conclude,
seeing they take their life and light from the most cheerefull and benigne
aspect of your fauour, I thinke it my bounden dutie in all humilitie and
with much bashfulnesse to recommend my selfe and them vnto your right
Honorable and fauourable protection, and your Honour to the merciful
tuition of the most High. From London this 24. of October. 1599.
Your Honours most humble to be commanded,
Richard Hakluyt preacher.
Nauigations, Voyages, Traffiques, and
Discoueries
OF THE
ENGLISH NATION,
MADE TO
THE ILANDS OF MADERA AND OF THE CANARIES.
The voyage of Macham an English man, wherein he first of any man discouered
the Iland of Madera, recorded verbatim in the Portugall history, written
by Antonio Galuano.
[Sidenote: Madera first discouered by one Macham an Englishman.] In the
yeere 1344, King Peter the fourth of that name reigning in Aragon, the
Chronicles of his age write that about this time the Iland of Madera,
standing in 32 degrees, was discouered by an English man, which was named
Macham, who sailing out of England into Spaine, with a woman that he had
stollen, arriued by tempest in that Iland, and did cast anker in that hauen
or bay, which now is called Machico after the name of Macham. And because
his louer was sea sicke, he went on land with some of his company, and the
shippe with a good winde made saile away, and the woman died for thought.
[Sidenote: Macham made there a chapel, naming it Iesus chapell.] Macham,
which loued her dearely built a chapell, or hermitage, to bury her in,
calling it by the name of Iesus, and caused his name and hers to be written
or grauen vpon the stone of her tombe, and the occasion of their arriuall
there. And afterward he ordeined a boat made of one tree (for there be
trees of a great compasse about) and went to sea in it, with those men that
he had, and were left behinde with him, and came vpon the coast of Afrike,
without saile or oare. And the Moores which saw it tooke it to be a
maruellous thing, and presented him vnto the king of that countrey for a
woonder, and that king also sent him and his companions for a miracle vnto
the king of Castile.
In the yeere 1395. King Henry the third of that name reigning in Castile,
the information which Macham gaue of this Iland, and also the ship of his
company, mooued many of France and Castile to go and discouer it, and also
the great Canaria, &c.
In the yeere 1417, King Iohn the second reigning in Castile, and his mother
Lady Katherine being Regent, one Monsieur Ruben of Bracamont, which was
Admirall of France, demanding the conquest of the Ilands of the Canaries,
with the title of King, for a kinsman of his named Monsieur Iohn
Betancourt, after that the Queene hath giuen him them, and holpen him, he
departed from Siuil with a good army. And they affirme also, that the
principall cause which moued him to this, was to discouer the Iland of
Madera, which Macham had found, &c. ibidem pag. 2. of Anthonio Galuano.
[Footnote: The romantic story of Machin or Macham has been recently
confirmed by authentic documents discovered in Lisbon. The lady eloped with
him from near Bristol. The name of Madeira is derived from its thick woods,
the word being the same as the Latin Materies.]
* * * * *
A briefe note concerning an ancient trade of the English Marchants to the
Canarie-ilands, gathered out of an olde ligier booke of M. Nicolas Thorne
the elder a worshipfull marchant of the city of Bristoll.
[Sidenote: The English had an ordinary trade to the Canaries 1526.] It
appeareth euidently out of a certaine note or letter of remembrance, in the
custody of me Richard Hakluyt, written by M. Nicolas Thorne the elder a
principall marchant of Bristoll, to his friend and factour Thomas Midnall
and his owne seruant William Ballard at that time resident at S. Lucar in
Andaluzia; that in the yeere of our Lord 1526 (and by all circumstances and
probabilities long before) certaine English marchants, and among the rest
himselfe with one Thomas Spacheford exercised vsuall and ordinary trade of
marchandise vnto the Canarie Ilands. For by the sayd letter notice was
giuen to Thomas Midnall and William Ballard aforesayd, that a certaine ship
called The Christopher of Cadiz bound for the West Indies had taken in
certaine fardels of cloth both course and fine, broad and narrow of diuers
sorts and colours, some arouas [Transcriber's note: sic.] of packthreed,
sixe cerons or bagges of sope with other goods of M. Nicolas Thorne, to be
deliuered at Santa Cruz the chiefe towne in Tenerifa one of the seuen
Canary-ilands. All which commodities the sayd Thomas and William were
authorised by the owner in the letter before mentioned to barter and sell
away at Santa Cruz. And in lieu of such mony as should arise of the sale of
those goods they were appointed to returne backe into England good store of
Orchell (which is a certaine kinde of mosse growing vpon high rocks, in
those dayes much vsed to die withall) some quantity of sugar, and certaine
hundreds, of kid skinnes. For the procuring of which and of other
commodities at the best and first hand the sayd Thomas and William were to
make their abode at Santa Cruz, and to remaine there as factours for the
abouesayd M. Nicolas Thorne.
And here also I thought good to signifie, that in the sayd letters mention
is made of one Thomas Tison an English man, who before the foresayd yere
1526 had found the way to the West Indies, and was there resident, vnto
whom the sayd M. Nicolas Thorne sent certaine armour and other commodities
specified in the letter aforesayd.
* * * * *
A description of the fortunate Ilands, otherwise called the Ilands of
Canaria, with their strange fruits and commodities: composed by Thomas
Nicols English man, who remained there the space of seuen yeeres
together.
Mine intent is particularly to speake of the Canaria Ilands, which are
seuen in number, wherein I dwelt the space of seuen yeres and more, because
I finde such variety in sundry writers, and especially great vntruths, in a
booke called The New found world Antarctike, set out by a French man called
Andrew Thenet, the which his booke he dedicated to the Cardinall of Sens,
keeper of the great seale of France.
It appeareth by the sayd booke that he had read the works of sundry
Phylosophers, Astronomers, and Cosmographers, whose opinions he gathered
together. But touching his owne trauell, which he affirmeth, I refer to the
iudgement of the expert in our dayes, and therefore for mine owne part I
write of these Canaria Ilands, as time hath taught me in many yeres.
The Iland of Canaria.
The Iland of Canaria is almost equal in length and bredth, containing 12
leagues in length, touching the which as principall and the residue, the
Spanyards holde opinion, that they discouered the same in their nauigation
toward America, but the Portugals say, that their nation first found the
sayd Ilands in their nauigation toward Aethiopia and the East Indies.
[Sidenote: English men at the first conquest of the Canaries.] But truth it
is that the Spanyards first conquered these Ilands, with diuers English
gentlemen in their company, whose posterity this present day inioyeth them.
Some write that this Iland was named Canaria by meane of the number of dogs
which there were found: as for example, Andrew Theuet sayth, that one Iuba
carried two dogs from thence: but that opinion could I neuer learne by any
of the naturall people of the countrey, although I haue talked with many in
my time and with many of their children. For trueth it is, that there were
dogs, but such as are in all the Northwest lands, and some part of the West
India, which serued the people in stead of sheepe for victual. But of some
of the conquerors of those Ilands I haue heard say that the reason why they
were called the Canaria Islands is, because there grow generally in them
all fouresquare canes in great multitude together, which being touched will
cast out a liquor as white as milke, which liquor is ranke poison, and at
the first entry into these Ilands some of the discouerers were therewith
poisoned: for many yeeres after that conquest the inhabitants began to
plant both wine and sugar, so that Canaria was not so called by sugar
canes.
The people which first inhabited this land were called Canaries by the
conquerors, they were clothed in goat skinnes made like vnto a loose
cassocke, they dwelt in caues in the rocks, [Footnote: Many thousand
persons, including a colony of free negroes, still reside in cave dwellings
in the hill side.] in great amity and brotherly loue. They spake all one
language: their chiefe feeding was gelt dogges, goates, and goates milke,
their bread was made of barley meale and goates milke, called Gofia, which
they vse at this day, and thereof I haue eaten diuers times, for it is
accounted exceeding holesome.
Touching the originall of these people some holde opinion, that the Romans
which dwelt in Africa exiled them thither, as well men as women, their
tongues being cut out of their heads, for blasphemy against the Romane
gods. But howsoeuer it were, their language was speciall, and not mixed
with Romane speech or Arabian.
This Iland is now the principallest of all the rest, not in fertility, but
by reason it is the seat of iustice and gouernment of all the residue. This
Iland hath a speciall Gouernour for the Iland onely, yet notwithstanding
there are three Iudges called Auditours, who are superiour Iudges, and all
in one ioyntly proceed as the Lord Chanceller of any realme.
To this city from all the other Ilands come all such by appeale, as haue
sustained any wrong, and these good Iudges do remedy the same. [Sidenote:
Ciuitas Palmarum.] The city is called Ciuitas Palmarum, it hath a
beautifull Cathedrall church, with all dignities thereunto pertaining. For
the publike weale of the Iland there are sundry Aldermen of great
authority, who haue a councell house by themselues. The city is not onely
beautifull, but the citizens curious and gallant in apparell. And after any
raine or foule weather a man may goe cleane in Veluet slippers, because the
ground is sandy, the aire very temperate, without extreame heat or colde.
They reape wheat in February, and againe in May, which is excellent good,
and maketh bread as white as snow. This Iland hath in it other three
townes, the one called Telde, the second Galder, and the third Guia. It
hath also twelue sugar houses called Ingenios, in which they make great
quantity of good sugar. [Sidenote: The planting and growth of sugar canes.]
The maner of the growth of sugar is in this sort, a good ground giueth
foorth fruit nine times in 18 yere: that is to say, the first is called
Planta which is layd along in a furrow, so that the water of a sluce may
come ouer euery roote being couered with earth: this root bringeth foorth
sundry canes, and so consequently all the rest. It groweth two yeeres
before the yeelding of profit, and not sixe moneths, as Andrew Theuet the
French man writeth.
[Sidenote: The making of sugar.] Then are they cut euen with the ground,
and the tops and leaues called Coholia cut off, and the canes bound into
bundels like faggots, and so are caried to the sugar house called Ingenio,
where they are ground in a mill, and the iuyce thereof conueyed by a
conduct to a great vessell made for the purpose, where it is boiled till it
waxe thicke, and then is it put into a fornace of earthen pots of the molde
of a sugar loafe, and then is it carried to another house, called a purging
house where it is placed to purge the blacknesse with a certaine clay that
is layd thereon. Of the remainder in the cauldron is made a second sort
called Escumas, and of the purging liquor that droppeth from the white
sugar is made a third sort, and the remainder is called Panela or Netas,
the refuse of all the purging is called Remiel or Malasses: and thereof is
made another sort called Refinado.
When this first fruit is in this sort gathered, called Planta, then the
Cane field where it grew is burned ouer with sugar straw to the stumps of
the first canes, and being husbanded, watred and trimmed, at the end of
other two yeeres it yeeldeth the second fruit called Zoca. The third fruit
is called Tertia Zoca, the fourth Quarta Zoca, and so orderly the rest, til
age causeth the olde Canes to be planted againe.
[Sidenote: Wine.] This Iland hath singular good wine, especially in the
towne of Telde, and sundry sorts of good fruits, as Batatas, Mellons,
Peares, Apples, Oranges, Limons, Pomgranats, Figs Peaches of diuers sorts,
and many other fruits; [Sidenote: Plantano.] but especially the Plantano
which groweth neere brooke sides, it is a tree that hath no timber in it,
but groweth directly vpward with the body, hauing maruelous thicke leaues,
and euery leafe at the toppe of two yards long and almost halfe a yard
broad. The tree neuer yeeldeth fruit but once, and then is cut downe; in
whose place springeth another, and so still continueth. The fruit groweth
on a branch, and euery tree yeeldeth two or three of those branches, which
beare some more and some lesse, as some forty and some thirty, the fruit is
like a Cucumber, and when it is ripe it is blacke, and in eating more
delicate then any conserue.
This Iland is sufficiently prouided of Oxen, Kine, Camels, Goats, Sheepe,
Capons, Hens, Ducks, and Pidgeons, and great Partridges. Wood is the thing
that most wanteth: and because I haue particularly to intreat of the other
sixe Ilands, I leaue further inlarging of Canaria, which standeth in 27
degrees distant from the Equator.
The Ile of Tenerif.
The Iland of Tenerif standeth in 27 degrees and a halfe from the equator,
and is distant from Canaria 12 leagues Northward. This Iland containeth 17
leagues in length, and the land lieth high in forme of a ridge of sowen
lande in some part of England, and in the midst of the sayd place standeth
a round hill called Pico Deteithe, situated in this sort. The top of this
pike conteineth of heigth directly vpward 15 leagues and more, which is 45
English miles, out of the which often times proceedeth fire and brimstone,
and it may be about halfe a mile in compasse: the sayd top is in forme or
likenesse of a caldron. [Footnote: The Peak of Teneriffe is 12,182 feet
high.] But within two miles of the top is nothing but ashes and pumish
stones: yet beneath that two miles is the colde region couered all the yere
with snow, and somewhat lower are mighty huge trees growing called
Vinatico, which are exceeding heauy and will not rot in any water although
they lie a thousand yeeres therein. Also there is a wood called Barbusano,
of like vertue, with many Sauine trees and Pine trees. And beneath these
sorts of trees are woods of Bay trees of ten and 12 miles long, which is a
pleasant thing to trauell thorow, among the which are great numbers of
small birds, which sing exceeding sweet, but especially one sort that are
very litle, and of colour in all respects like a Swallow, sauing that he
hath a little blacke spot on his breast as broad as a peny. He singeth more
sweetly than all the rest, but if he be taken and imprisoned in a cage, he
liueth but a small while. [Sidenote: Lime.] This Iland bringeth foorth all
sorts of fruits, as Canaria doth: and also all the other Ilands in generall
bring foorth shrubs or bushes, out of the which issueth a iuice as white as
milke, which after a while that it hath come out waxeth thicke, and is
exceeding good birdlime, the bush is called Taybayba. This Iland also
bringeth foorth another tree called Drago, which groweth on high among
rocks, and by incision at the foot of the tree issueth out a liquor like
blood, which is a common drug among Apothecaries. Of the wood of this tree
are made targets greatly esteemed, because if any sword or dagger hit
thereon, they sticke so fast that it is hard plucking them out.
This is the most fruitfull Iland of all the rest for corne, and in that
respect is a mother or nurse to all the others in time of need. [Sidenote:
Orchel good for dying.] There groweth also a certaine mosse vpon the high
rocks called Orchel, which is bought for Diars to die withall. There are 12
sugar houses called Ingenios, which make great quantity of sugar. There is
also one league of ground which standeth between two townes, the one called
Larotaua, and the other Rialeio, and it is thought that the like plot of
ground is not in all the world. The reason is, that this one league of
ground produceth sweet water out of the cliffes or rocky mountaines, come
of all sortes, fruites of all sortes, and excellent good silke, flaxe,
waxe, and hony, and very good wines in abundance, with great store of sugar
and fire wood. Out of this Iland is laden great quantities of wines for the
West India, and other countreys. The best groweth on a hill side called the
Ramble.
There is in that Iland a faire citie, standing three leagues from the sea,
nere vnto a lake called Laguna, wherein are two faire parish churches,
there dwelleth the gouernour who ruleth all that Iland, with iustice. There
are also aldermen for the publike weale, who buy their offices of the king:
the most of the whole inhabitants of this city are gentlemen, merchants,
and husband men.
[Sidenote: Santa Cruz.] There are foure other townes called Santa Cruz,
Larotaua, Rialeio, and Garachico. In this Iland before the conquest dwelt
seuen kings, who with all their people dwelt in caues, and were clothed in
goat skinnes, as the Canaria people were, and vsed such like order of diet
as they had. Their order of buriall was, that when any died, he was carried
naked to a great caue, where he was propped vp against the wall standing on
his feet. But if he were of any authority among them, then had he a staffe
in his hand, and a vessell of milke standing by him. I haue seene caues of
300 of these corpses together, the flesh being dried vp, the body remained
as light as parchment. These people were called Guanches, naturally they
spake another language cleane contrary to the Canarians, and so
consequently euery Iland spake a seuerall language.
Note (gentle reader) that the Iland of Canaria, the Ile of Tenerif, and the
Ile of Palma appertaine to the king of Spaine, vnto whom they pay fifty
thousand duckats yeerely for custome and other profits. All these Ilands
ioyntly are one bishopricke, which pay to the bishop twelue thousand
duckats yeerely. And thus I conclude of the Ile of Tenerif, which standeth
in 27 degrees and a halfe, as I haue before declared.
Gomera.
The Iland of Gomera standeth Westward from Tenerif in distance sixe
leagues: this is but a small Iland conteining eight leagues in length. It
is an Earledome, and the Lord thereof is called the earle of Gomera. But in
case of any controuersie the vassals may appeale to the kings superior
Iudges which reside in Canaria.
This Iland hath one proper towne called Gomera, which hath an excellent
good port or harbour for ships, where often times the Indian fleet takes
refreshing for their voyage.
There is also sufficient graine and fruit for the maintenance of
themselues.
There is one Ingenio or Sugar-house, with great plenty of wine and other
sorts of fruits, as Canaria and Tenerif hath.
This Iland yeeldeth no other commodity but onely orchell; it standeth in 27
degrees distant from the Equator toward the pole Arcticke.
The Ile of Palma.
The Ile of Palma standeth twelue leagues distant from the Ile of Gomera
Northwestward. This Iland is fruitfull of wine and sugar: it hath a proper
city called the city of Palma, where is great contraction for vines, which
are laden for the West India and other places. This city hath one faire
church, and a gouernour, and aldermen to maintaine and execute iustice. It
hath also another prety towne, called S. Andrewes. It hath also foure
Ingenios which make excellent sugar, two of the which are called Zauzes,
and the other two, Tassacort.
This Iland yeeldeth but little bread-corne; but rather is thereof prouided
from Tenerif and other places.
Their best wines grow in a soile called the Brenia, where yeerely is
gathered twelue thousand buts of wine like vnto Malmsies. This Iland
standeth round, and containeth in circuit neere fiue and twenty leagues. It
hath plenty of all sorts of fruits, as Canaria and Tenerif haue, it
standeth in twenty seuen degrees and a halfe.
The Iland of Yron, called Hierro.
This Iland standeth ten leagues distant from the Iland of Palma Westward:
it is but a little Iland, which containeth sixe leagues in circuit, and
hath but small extension. It appertaineth to the earle of Gomera. The
chiefest commodity of this Iland is goats flesh and orchell. [Sidenote: The
onely vineyard in Hierro planted by Ioh. Hill of Taunton.] There is no wine
in all that Iland, but onely one vineyard that an English man of Taunton in
the West countrey planted among rocks, his name was Iohn Hill.
This Iland hath no kind of fresh water, but onely in the middle of the
Iland groweth a great tree with leaues like an Oliue tree which hath a
great cisterne at the foot of the sayd tree. This tree continually is
couered with clouds, and by meanes thereof the leaues of the said tree
continually drop water, very sweet, into the sayd cisterne, which commeth
to the sayd tree from the clouds by attraction. And this water sufficeth
the Iland for all necessities, as well for the cattell, as for the
inhabitants. [Footnote: In connection with this fable, it is interesting to
see what is said by Le Maire, who visited these Islands in 1682. "As I had
been told of a wonderful tree in Ferro, whose long and narrow leaves were
always green, and furnished all the inhabitants with water, I wished to
find out if it were true. I asked if, as I had heard, such a heavy dew fell
on this tree that it dropped clear water into stone basins placed expressly
to receive it. There was enough of it for the islanders and their cattle,
Nature repairing by this miracle the defect of not providing pure water for
this isle. The inhabitants confirmed my belief that this was a pure fable.
There were some, however, who said that there might have been such a tree,
but it could never have furnished the quantity attributed to it." [See
VOYAGE TO THE CANARIES, etc, page 21, reprinted In _Bibliotheca Curiosa_.]]
It standeth in 27 degrees.
The Iland of Lanzarota
The Iland of Lanzarota standeth eighteene leagues distant from grand
Canaria Southeastward. The onely commodity of this Iland is goats flesh and
orchell. It is an earldome, and doth, appertaine to Don Augustine de
Herrerra, with title of earle of Fortauentura and Lanzarota. But the
vassals of these earledomes may in any cause of wrong appeale to the Kings
Iudges, which reside in Canaria, as I haue sayd before: because although
the king hath reserued to himselfe but onely the three fruitful Ilands,
called Canaria, Teneriff and Palma, yet he also reserued the rod of Iustice
to himselfe, because otherwise the vassals might be euil intreated of their
Lords.
From this Iland do weekly resort to Canaria, Tenerif, and Palma, boats
laden with dried goats flesh, called Tussmetta, which serueth in stead of
bacon, and is very good meat. This Iland standeth in 26 degrees, and is in
length twelue leagues.
The Ile of Forteuentura.