Divers voyages touching the discouerie of America/Chapter 9
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Notes in writing besides more
priuie by mouth that were giuen by a Gentleman,
Anno. 1580 to M. Arthure Pette and to M. Charles Iackman,
sent by the marchants of the Muscouie companie for the
discouerie of the northeast strayte, not altogether unfit
for some other enterprises of discouerie,
hereafter to bee taken in hande.
What respect of Ilandes is to be had, and why.
Hereas the Portingales haue in their course to the Indies in the Southeast, certaine portes and fortificatiõs to thrust into the way, to diuers great purposes: So you are to see what Ilands, and what portes you had neede to haue by the way in your course to the Northeast. For which cause I wish you to enter into consideration of the matter, & to note all the Ilands, & to set them downe in plat, to two endes, that is to say, That wee may deuise to take the benefite to them. And also foresee how by thẽ the Sauages or ciuill Princes, may in any sort anoy us in our purpose to trade that way.
And for that the people to which wee purpose in this voyage to goe, be no Christians, it were good that the masse of our commodities were alwayes in our owne disposition, and not at the will of others. Therefore it were good that we did seeke out some small Iland in the Scithian Sea, where we might plant, Fortifie, & Staple safely, frõ whẽce (as time should serue) wee might feede those heathen nations with our commodities without cloying them, or without venturing our hole masse in the bowels of their countrey.
And to whiche Ilande if neede were (and if we shoulde thinke so good) we might allure the Northeast nauie, the nauie of Cambalu to resort with their commodities to vs there planted, and stapling there.
And if such an Iland might be found so standing as might shorten our course, and so standing, as that the Nauie of Cãbalu, or other those parties might cõueniently saile vnto wͭout their dislike in respect of distãce: thẽ would it fal out wel. For so, besides lesse daũger, and more safetie, our ships might there vnlade and lade againe, and returne the selfesame sommer to the ports of England or of Norway.
And if such an Iland may be found for the stabling of our commodities, to the which they of Cambalu would not saile, yet we might, hauing shippes there, imploy them in passing betweene Cambalu and that stapling place.
Respect of hauens and harbarowes.
ANd if no such Ilandes may be found in the Scithiã sea toward the firme of Asia, then are you to search out the ports that be about Noua Sembla all along the tract of that land, to the end you may winter there the first yeere, if you be let by contrarie winds, & to the ende that if wee may in short time come vnto Cãbalu, & vnlade and set saile againe for returne without ventering, there at Cãbalu, that you may on your way come as farre in returne as a port about Nouasẽbla: That the Sommer following, you may the sooner be in England for the more speedy vent of your East cõmodities, and for the speedier discharge of your Mariners: if you can not goe forward and backe in one selfe same sommer.
And touching the tract of the land of Noua sembla, toward the East out of the circle Artick in the more temperate zone, you are to haue regard, for if you finde the soyle planted with people, it is like yͭ in time an ample vẽt of our warm wollẽ clothes may be founde. And if there be no people at al there to be found, then you shall specially note what plentie of whales, & of other fish is to be found there, to the end wee may turne our newfoũd land fishing or Island fishing, or our whalefishing, yͭ way for the ayde & cõfort of our new trades to the Northeast, to the coasts of Asia.
Respect of fishe and certayne other thinges.
ANd of the ayre may be found vpon that tract temperate, & the soyle yeelding wood, water, land and grasse, and the seas fish, then we may plant on that mayne the offals of our people, as the Portingals doe in Brasil, & so they may in our fishing in our passage, & diuers wayes yeelde commoditie to England by harbouring and vitelling of vs.
And it may bee, that the inland there may yeelde mastes, pitch, tarre, hempe, and all thinges for the Nauie, as plentifully as Eastland doth.
The Ilandes to be noted with their commodities and wantes.
TO note the Ilands, whether they be hie lande or lowe land, moũtanie, or flat, sandy, grauelly, clay, chalchy, or of what soyle, wooddy or not wooddy, with springs & riuers or not, and what wyld beasts 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 goodnes or the badnes of the hauens, & harborowes in the Ilandes.
If a straite be founde what is to bee done and what greate importance it may bee of.
ANd if there be a strayte in the passage into the Scithian Seas, the same is specially and with great regard to bee noted, especially if the same straite be narrow and to be kept, I say it is to be noted as a thing that doeth much importe, for what Prince soeuer shall be Lorde of the same, and shall possesse the same, as the king of Denmarke doth possesse the straite of Denmarke, he onely shall haue the trade out of these regions into the Northeast partes of the world for himselfe, and for his priuate profit, or for his subiectes only, or to enioy wonderfull benefite of the toil of the same, like as the king of Dẽmarke doth enioy of his straites, by suffering the Merchantes of other Princes to passe that way, If any such straite be found, the eleuation, the hie or lowe lande, the hauens neere, the length of the straites, & all other such circũstaunces are to be set downe for many purposes: And all the Mariners in y͏ͤ voyage are to be sworne to keepe close al such thinges, that other Princes preuent vs not of the same, after our returne vpon the disclosing of the mariners, if any suche thing should happe.
Which way the Sauage may be made able to purchase our cloth and other their wantes.
IF you finde any Iland or mayne lande populous, and that the same people hath neede 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 soyle, and how by any possibilitie the same may be made to enrich thẽ, that hereafter they may haue somthing to purchase the cloth withall.
If you enter into any mayne by portable riuer and shall finde any great woods, you are to note what kynd of timber they be of: That we may know whether they are for pitche, tarre, mastes, deleborde, clapborde, or for buylding of ships or houses, for so if the people haue no vse of them they maye 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 marchandize certaine trifles.
BRing home with you (if you may) from Cambalu, or other ciuill place, one or other young man, although you leaue one for him.
Also the fruites of the countries, if they will not of thẽselues dure, drie them, and so preserue them.
And bring with you the Curnelles of peres, & apples, and the stones of such stone fruites as you shall finde there.
Also the seedes of all strange herbes and flowres, for such seedes of fruites and hearbes comming from another part of the world and so farre off, wil delite the fancie of many, for the strangenes and for that the same may growe and continue the delite long time.
If you arriue at Cambalu or Quinsay, to bring thence the Mappe of that Countrey, for so shall you haue the perfecte 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 lande.
| If you arriue in Cambalu or Quinsay, to take a speciall viewe of their Nauie, and to note the force, greatnesse, maner of building of them, the sayles, the tackels, the anckers, the furniture of them, with ordinaunce, armour, and munition. | |
| Also, to note the force of the walles and bulwarkes of their cities, their ordinaunce, and whether they haue any caliuers, and what powder and shot. | |
| To note what armour they haue. | |
| What swordes. | |
| What pikes, halbertes and billes. | |
| 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 lande. |
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, & of the substance that the same is made of, of which a marchant may make a gesse, as well of their commodities as also of their wantes.
To note their shoppes and warehouses and with what commodities they abounde, the price also.
To see their shambles, and to viewe all such thinges as are brought into the markets, for so you shall sone see the commodities, and the maner of the people of the inlande, and so giue a gesse of many things.
To note their fieldes of grayne, and their trees of fruite, and howe they abounde or not abounde in one and other, and what plentie or scarcetie of fishe they haue.
KErsies of all orient coulours, specially of stamel, brodecloth of orient colours also.
Frisadoes, motleys, bristowe frices, spanish blankettes, bayes of all collours, specially with stamell, wosteds, carels, sayes, wedmoles, flanelles, rashe, & c.
Feltes of diuers colours.
Taffeta hats.
Deepe cappes for mariners coloured in stamell, whereof if ample vent may be found, it woulde turne to an infinite commoditie of the common poore people by knitting.
Quilted Cappes of leuant Taffeta of diuers colours, for the night.
Knit stockes of silke of orient colours.
Knit stockes of Jersey yerne, of orient colours, whereof if ample vent might followe the poore multitude shoulde be set in worke.
Stocks of kersey of diuers colours for men and for women.
Garters of Silke of seuerall kindes, and of colours diuers.
Girdels of Buffe, and all other leather, with gilt and vngilt Buckles, specially wast girdels, wast girdels of veluet.
Gloues of all sortes, knit and of leather.
Gloues perfumed.
Poyntes of all sortes of silke, threed, and lether, of all maner of colours.
Shooes of spanishe leather, of diuers colours, of diuers lengthes, cut and vncut.
Shooes of other leather.
Veluet shooes, and pantoples.
These shooes and pantoples to be sent this time, rather for a showe then for any other cause.
Purses knit, and of leather.
Night cappes knit and other.
A garnishe of Pewter, for a showe of a vent of that englishe commoditie, Bottelles, flagons, spoones, & c. of that metall.
Glasses of englishe making.
Venice glasses.
Looking glasses for women, great and fayre.
Small dials a few for proofe, although there they wil not hold the order they do heere.
Spectacles of the commom sort.
Others of Cristall trymmed with siluer and otherwise.
Owre glasses.
Commes of Iuorie.
Commes of Bore.
Commes of Horne.
Linen of diuers sorts.
Handkerchewes with silke of seuerall colours wrought.
Glasen eyes to ride with against dust.
Kniues in sheathes, both single and double, of good edge.
Needles great and small of euery kinde.
Buttons greater and smaller, with mouldes of leather and not of wood, and such as be durable of double silke, and that of sundrie colours.
Bores with weightes of golde, and of euery kinde of the coyne of golde, good and badde, to shewe that the people here, vse weight and measure whiche is a certayne showe of wisedome, and of a certayne gouernment setled here.
All the seuerall siluer Coynes of our Englishe moneys, to bee caried with you to bee showed to the gouernours at Cambalu, which is a thing that shal in silence speake to wise men more then you imagine.
Lockes and keyes, hinges, boltes, haspes, & c. great and small of excellent workemanshippe, whereof if vent may bee hereafter, wee shall set our subiectes in worke, whiche you must haue in great regarde. For in finding ample vente of any thing that is to be wrought in this realme, is more worth to our people besides the game of the marchant, then Christchurch, Bridewel, the Sauoy, and all the Hospitals of Englande.
For banketing on Shipborde, persons of credite.
FIrst the sweetest perfumes to set vnder hatches to make the place sweete against their comming aborde, if you arriue at Cambalu, Quinsey, or in such great cities and not among sauages.
Marmelade.
Sucket.
Figges barelled.
Reysings of the sunne.
Comfets of diuers kindes made of purpose, that shall not dissolue by him that is most excellent.
Prunes damaske.
Dried peres.
Walnuttes.
Almondes.
Smalnuttes.
Oliues to make them taste their wine.
The Apple John that dureth two yeeres to make showe of our fruites.
Hullocke.
Sacke.
Vials of good sweet waters, & casting bottels of glasses to besprinckel the gests withall, after their comming aborde.
Suger, to vse with their wine, if they will.
The sweete oyle of Santie and excellent Frenche vineger, and a fine kinde of Bisket, stiped in the same doe make a banketting dishe, and a little Suger cast in it cooleth and comforteth, and refresheth the spirites of man.
| Synomome water | is to be had with you to make a shew of by taste, and also to comfort your sicke in the voyage. | |
| Imperiall water |
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 violles of sweete waters you may gratifie by way of gift, or you may make a merchandise of them.
The mappe of England and of London.
Take with you the mappe of Englande set out in faire colours, one of the biggest sort I meane, to make shewe of your Countrie whence you come.
And also the large mappe of London, to make shewe of your Citie. And let the riuer bee drawne full of shippes of all sortes, to make the more shewe of your greate trade and trafficke in trade of merchandise.
Ortelius booke of mappes
If you take Ortelius booke of mappes with you, to marke all these regions, it were not amisse, and if neede were to present the same to the great Cam, for it would bee to a Prince of merueilous account.
The booke of the attyre of all nations.
Such a booke carried with you and bestowed in gift, woulde be much esteemed, as I persuade my selfe.
Bookes.
If any man will lende you the newe Herball, and suche bookes as make shewe of Herbes, Plantes, Trees, Fishes, Foules and Beastes of these regions, it may much delight the great Cam, and the nobilitie, and also their merchants to haue the viewe of them: for all things in these parties so much differing from the thinges of those regions, since they may not be here to see thẽ, by meane of the distance, yet to see those things in a shadowe, by this meane will delight them.
The booke of Rates.
TAke with you the booke of Rates, to the ende you may pricke all those commodities there specified that you shall chaunce to find in Cambalu, in Quinsey, or in any part of the East, where you shall chaunce to bee.
Parchment.
Rowles of Parchment, for that we may vent much without hurt to the Realme, and it lyes in small roome.
Glewe.
To carrye Glewe, for that wee haue plentie, and want vent.
Red Oker for Painters.
To seeke vent because wee haue great mines of it, and haue no vent.
Sope of both kindes.
To trie what vent it may haue, for that we make of both kindes, and may perhaps make more.
Saffron.
To trie what vent you may haue of Saffron, because this Realme yeeldes the best of the worlde, and for the tillage and other labours, may set the poore greatly in work to their reliefe.
Aquauitæ.
By newe deuise wonderfull quantities may bee made heere, and therefore to seeke the vent.
Blacke Conie skinnes.
To trie the vent at Cambalue, for that it lyes towardes the North, and for that wee abounde with the commoditie, and may spare it.
Threade of all colours.
The vent thereof may set our people in worke.
Copper Spurres, and haukes belles.
To see the vent, for it may set our people in worke.
A note and a caueat for the merchant.
That before you offer your commodities to sale that you indeuour to learne what commodities the Countrie 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 woulde.
Seedes for sale.
Carrie with you for that purpose, all sortes of Garden seedes, as well of sweete strawing herbes and of flowers, as also of pot herbes, and all sorts for rootes, &c.
Leadde of the first melting.
Leadde of the second melting of the slagges.
To make triall of the vent of Leadde of all kindes.
English yron, and wyer of yron and copper.
To trye the sale of the same.
Brymstone.
To trie the vent of the same, because wee abounde of it made in the Realme.
Anthimoney a minerall.
To see whether they haue any ample use there for it, for that wee may lade whole nauies of it, and haue no vse of it vnlesse it bee for some small portion in founding of belles, or a lithel that the Alcumistes vse, of this you may haue two sortes at the Appoticaries.
Tinder boxes with Steele, flint, and matches, and tinder, the matches to bee made of Gineper, to auoide the offence of brimstone.
To trie and to 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 yron.
To trie the sale, for that it is a naturall commoditie of this Realme.
All maner of edge tooles.
To bee sold there or to the lesse ciuill people by the way where you shall twich.
What I woulde haue you there to remember.
To note specially what excellent dying they vse in these regions, and therefore to note their garments, & ornaments of houses: and to see their die houses and the materialles, and 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 own vse.
All maner of Engyns to take fishe and foule.
To take with you those thinges that bee in perfection of goodnesse.
For as the goodnesse nowe at the first may make your commodities in credit in time to come: So false and sophisticate commodities shall drawe you and all your commodities into contempt and ill opinion.