NAVIGATIONS AND TRAFFIQUES BOTH ANCIENT AND OF LATE, TO DIUERS
PLACES VPON THE COAST OF BRASIL: TOGETHER WITH A RUTTIER FOR ALL
THAT COAST, AND TWO INTERCEPTED LETTERS WHICH REUEALE MANY
SECRETS OF THE STATE OF THAT COUNTREY: THE REST OF OUR VOYAGES TO
BRASIL WHICH HAUE BENE EITHER INTENDED OR PERFORMED TO THE RIUER
OF PLATE, THE STREIGHT OF MAGELLAN, THE SOUTH SEA, OR FARTHER
THAT WAY, BEING RESERUED FOR THE GENERALL HEADES NEXT
INSUING.[21]
[21] The Voyages of circumnavigation by the Straits of Magellan will be
found in Vol. XV of this Edition.
A briefe relation of two sundry voyages made by the worshipful M.
William Haukins of Plimmouth, father to Sir Iohn Haukins knight,
late Treasurer of her Majesties Nauie, in the yeere 1530 and
1532.
Olde M. William Haukins of Plimmouth, a man for his wisedome, valure,
experience, and skill in sea causes much esteemed, and beloued of K.
Henry the 8, and being one of the principall Sea-captaines in the West
parts of England in his time, not contented with the short voyages
commonly then made onely to the knowne coasts of Europe, armed out a
tall and goodly shippe of his owne of the burthen of 250 tunnes called
the Paule of Plimmouth, wherewith he made three long and famous voyages
vnto the coast of Brasil, a thing in those dayes very rare, especially
to our Nation. In the course of which voyages he touched at the riuer of
Sestos vpon the coast of Guinea, where hee traffiqued with the Negros,
and tooke of them Elephants teeth, and other commodities which that
place yeeldeth: and so arriuing on the coast of Brasil, he vsed there
such discretion, and behaued himselfe so wisely with those sauage
people, that he grew into great familiarity and friendship with them.
[Sidenote: A king of Brasil brought into England.] Insomuch that in his
second voyage, one of the sauage kings of the countrey of Brasil, was
contented to take ship with him, and to be transported hither into
England: whereunto M. Haukins agreed, leauing behinde in the Countrey as
a pledge for his saftie and returne againe, one Martin Cockeram of
Plimmouth. This Brasilian king being arrived, was brought vp to London
and presented to K. Henry the 8, lying as then at White-hall: at the
sight of whom the King and all the Nobilitie did not a litle maruaile,
and not without cause: for in his cheekes were holes made according to
their sauage maner, and therein smalle bones were planted, standing an
inch out from the said holes, which in his owne Countrey was reputed for
a great brauerie. He had also another hole in his nether lip wherein was
set a precious stone about the bignes of a pease: All his apparel,
behauiour, and gesture, were very strange to the beholders.
Hauing remained here the space almost of a whole yeere, and the king
with his sight fully satisfied, M. Hawkins according to his promise and
appointment, purposed to conuey him againe into his countrey: but it
fell out in the way, that by change of aire and alteration of diet, the
said Sauage King died at sea, which was feared would turn to the losse
of the life of Martin Cockeram his pledge. Neuerthelesse, the Sauages
being fully perswaded of the honest dealing of our men with their
prince, restored againe the said pledge, without any harme to him, or
any man of the company: which pledge of theirs they brought home againe
into England, with their ship fraighted, and furnished with the
commodities of the countrey. Which Martin Cockeram, by the witnesse of
Sir Iohn Hawkins, being an officer in the towne of Plimmouth, was liuing
within these fewe yeeres.[22]
[22] This Martin Cockeram is introduced by Kingsley in Chapter XXX of
"Westward Ho!" Indeed the principal incidents of that novel are nothing
but extracts from Hakluyt's Collection; in many passages, the only
difference being the use of modern phraseology.
An ancient voyage of M. Robert Reniger and M. Thomas Borey to
Brasil in the yeere of our Lord 1540.
I Haue bene certainly informed by M. Anthony Garrard an ancient and
worshipfull marchant of the citie of London, that this commodious and
gainefull voyage to Brasil was ordinarily and vsually frequented by M.
Robert Reniger, M. Thomas Borey, and diuers other substantial and
wealthy merchants of Southampton, about 60. yeeres past, that is to say
in the yeere 1540.
A voyage of one Pudsey to Baya in Brasil anno 1542.
[Sidenote: A fort built in Brasil by the English.] Also the worshipfull
M. Edward Cotton of Southampton Esquire gaue mee more particularly to
vnderstand, how that one Pudsey of Southampton, a man of good skill and
resolution in marine causes, made a voyage in like maner 62. yeeres agoe
to Baya de todos los Santos the principall towne of all Brasil, and the
seate of the Portugal vice-roy and of the bishop, and that he built a
fort not farre distant from that place in the foresaid yeere 1542.[23]
[23] If the voyage of Pudsey took place 62 years before Hakluyt
published his third volume, the date of it must have been 1538, not
1542.
A letter written to M. Richard Staper by Iohn Whithal from Santos in
Brasil, the 26. of Iune 1578.
Worshipfull sir, and welbeloued friend M. Staper, I haue me most
heartily commended vnto you, wishing your health euen as mine owne.
These few words may bee to let you vnderstand, that whereas I wrote vnto
you not many dayes past by the way of Lisbon, howe that I determined to
bee with you very shortly, it is in this countrey offered mee to marry,
and to take my choice of three or foure: so that I am about three dayes
agoe consorted with an Italian gentleman to marry with his daughter
within these foure dayes. This my friend and father in law Signor Ioffo
Dore is borne in the citie of Geneua in Italy:[24] his kindred is well
knowen amongst the Italians in London: also hee hath but onely this
childe which is his daughter, which hee hath thought better bestowed
vpon mee then on any Portugal in all the countrey, and doeth giue with
her in marriage to me part of an Ingenio which he hath, that doeth make
euery yeere a thousand roues of sugar. This my mariage will be worth to
me two thousand duckets, little more or lesse. Also Signor Ioffo Dore my
father in law doeth intende to put into my handes the whole Ingenio with
sixtie or seuentie slaues, and thereof to make me factor for vs both. I
giue my liuing Lord thankes for placing me in such honour and
plentifulnesse of all things.
[24] Of course this it intended for Genoa.
Also certaine dayes past I talked with the Prouedor and the Captaine,
and they haue certified me, that they haue discouered certaine Mines of
siluer and gold, and looke euery day for Masters to come to open the
said Mines: which when they be opened will inrich this countrey very
much. [Sidenote: Mines of gold and siluer newly discouered at S.
Vincent.] This place is called S. Vincent, and is distant from you two
thousand leagues, and in 24. degrees of latitude on the South side of
the Equinoctial line, and almost vnder the Tropike of Capricorne. A
countrey it is very healthful without sicknesse.
Moreouer, I haue talked with the Captaine and Prouedor, and my father in
law, who rule all this countrey, for to haue a ship with goods to come
from London hither, which haue promised mee to giue mee licence, saying
that nowe I am free denizen of this countrey. To cause a ship to come
hither with such commodities as would serue this countrey, would come to
great gaines, God sending in safety the profite and gaines. In such
wares and commodities as you may ship hither from London is for euery
one commoditie deliuered here three for one, and then after the proceed
may be imployed in white sugar at foure hundred reis the roue.
[Sidenote: The voyage to S. Vincent worth three for one outward only.] I
meane also to haue a friend in London to send mee a ship of 60. or 70.
tunnes, little more or lesse, with such commodities as I shall giue
aduise for. This voyage is as good as any Peru-voyage. If you and Master
Osborne will deale here, I will deale with you before any other, because
of our old friendly friendship in time past. If you haue any stomacke
thereto, in the name of God do you espie out a fine barke of seuentie or
eightie tunnes, and send her hither with a Portugall Pilot to this port
of S. Vincent in Brasil, bordering vpon the borders of Peru.
Also I herewith write vnto you in what forme and maner you shall furnish
this voyage both in commodities and otherwise.
[Sidenote: In what maner a voyage to S. Vincent with a ship of 70. or
80. tunnes is to be made.] First you must lade in the said ship certaine
Hampshire and Deuonshire karsies: for the which you must let her depart
from London in October, and to touch in the Canaries, and there to make
sale of the saide karsies, and with the proceed thereof to lade fifteene
tunnes of wines that be perfect and good, and sixe dozen of Cordouan
skinnes of these colours, to wit, orenge, tawnie, yellow, red, and very
fine black. I thinke you shall not finde such colours there. Therefore
you must cause them that shall goe vpon this voyage, to take saffron
with them, to cause the same skinnes to bee put into the saide colours.
Also I thinke you shall finde oyles there. Three hogsheads of sweete
oyle for this voyage are very necessary, or a hundred and fiftie iarres
of oyle. Also in London you may lade in the said ship these parcels of
commodities or wares, as followeth:
In primis, Foure peeces of hollands of middle sort.
Item, One peece of fine holland.
Foure hundred elles of osenbriges very fine.
Foure dozen of sizzors of all sorts.
Sixteene kintals of pitch of the Canaries.
Twentie dozen of great kniues which be made in fardles, of a low price.
Foure dozen of a small sort.
Sixe peeces of bayes of the lowest sort.
One very fine peece of bayes.
Four hundred elles of Manchester-cottons, most blacke, greene, some
yellow.
Eight or tenne dozen of hats, the one halfe trimmed with taffata, the
other plaine with the bands of Cypresse.
Sixe dozen of course shirts.
Three dozen of doublets of canuas.
Three dozen of doublets of stiched canuas.
One piece of fine Millan fustian barred.
Sixe dozen of locks for doores and chests.