The Principal Navigations, Voyages, Traffiques and Discoveries of the English Nation Volume Iv Part 30

Right wors.h.i.+pfull, it may please you to vnderstand, that I was sent vnto you from the most mightie Prince Feodor Iuanowich, Lord, Emperour and great duke of Russia, &c. As also from the most excellent prince Boris Feodorowich, Lord Protector of Russia: to giue your wors.h.i.+p to vnderstand the great good will and heartie desire they beare vnto you; for that of long time they haue had a great good report of your learning and wisedom, as also of your good counsel vnto Princes: whereupon his Maiesties most earnest desire and request is vnto you; that you would take the paines to come vnto his Citie of Mosco, to visite his Maiesties Court: for that hee is desirous of your company, and also of your good counsell in diuers matters that his Maiestie shall thinke needfull. And for the great goodwill that his Maiestie beareth vnto you, he will giue you yeerely toward your mainteinance 2000. pound starling; and the Lord Protectour will giue you a thousand rubbles, as also your prouision for your table you shall haue free out of his Maiesties kitchin: And further whatsoeuer you shall thinke needefull or conuenient for you, in any part or parts of his dominion, it shall be at your wors.h.i.+ps commaundement. And this is the summe and effect of my message and commandement guien me by his Maiestie and the Lord Protectour.

In witnesse whereof I haue written this with my owne hand, the 17. of December 1586.

By me Edward Garland.

In Trebona Castell otherwise called, Wittingaw in Boemia to which place this M. Edward Garland, came to M. Dee with two Moscouites to serue him, &c. He had sixe more which by M. Dees counsell were sent backe.

Witnesse M. Edward Kelley, and M. Francis Garland, brother to foresaid Edward, and diuers others.

It seemeth that this princely offer of the Emperour Pheodor Iuanowich, and of the L. Boris Pheoilorowich Protectour to his Maiestie, was made vnto the learned and famous Mathemat.i.tian M. Iohn Dee, partly to vse his counsell and direction about certaine discoueries to the Northeast; and partly for some other, weighty occasions: but because their conquest to Siberia was not as then fully settled, and for diuers other secret reasons, it was for that time with al thankfulness refused.

A branch of a letter from M. Iohn Merick, Agent vnto the Moscouie company in Russia, closed vp in the Mosco the 14. of March, Anno 1597. touching the death of Pheodor Iuanowich late Emperour of all Russia, &c.

[Sidenote: Febr. 1597.] Hauing thus farre proceeded with this my answere vnto the chiefest points of your wors.h.i.+ps letters receiued, my desire was to haue sent one vnto you long since, as you may perceiue, by the first date: but by reason I could not get leaue, I haue deferred it of till this instant, for that there was none suffered to pa.s.se out of the land. The causes may be iudged, for that it pleased G.o.d to call out of this world, the Emperour his Maiestie, who departed about the 7. of Ianuary: and euer since hath bene a mourning time, and no suites for any matter could be heard. But it hath bene a very dead season. Yet (thankes be to G.o.d) through the wise gouernment of Lord Boris Pheodorowich the Lord Protector vnto the saide late Emperour, since his death all things haue bene very quiet without any dissention; as the like in such a great kingdome I haue not heard of. [Sidenote: Prince Boris Pheodorowich by generall consent chosen Emperour of Russia.] And now through the prouidence of Almighie G.o.d, and by surrender of the late Empresse Irenia Feodoruna, and the common consent of the Patriarch, n.o.bles, Bishops, and the whole Cleargie, with the whole Commons besides, choise is made of none other but of the said Lord Protector, L. Boris Pheodorowich to be Emperour, and great duke of all Russia, who was most vnwilling to receiue the kingdome, but the people would make no other choise, nor haue any other. So that with much adoe and entreatie, it hath pleased his Maiestie to take vpon him the kingdome, and he is absolute Emperor to him and his heires. And certainly G.o.d hath done much for this Countrey, and hath made the people greatly happy, in that he hath prouided and, appointed so famous and worthy a Prince: whose excellent gouernment and experience these foureteene yeeres hath bene manifest to all Russia. G.o.d graunt his highnesse a most prosperous and long raine, with his Lady the Empresse, the Prince his sonne, and the Princesse his daughter.

All men do reioyce both Russe and strangers for this most famous Emperour.

The Coronation is thought shalbe on the a.s.sension day next, til which time I cannot depart from Mosco: which is a litle before the time that ordinarily I doe take my iourney from hence. And touching his Maiesties fauour towards me on your behalfe, especially for her Maiesties sake, as in foretime it was extraordinary, and so specially shewed to mee, as to none the like: so hath his highnesse promised the continuance thereof, with, further fauour as shalbe desired. Whereof I haue no doubt: for dayly I do finde the same.

A learned Epistle written 1581. vnto the famous Cosmographer M. Gerardus Mercator concerning the riuer Pechora, Naramsay, Cara reca, the mighty riuer of Ob, the place of Yaks Olgush in Siberia, the great riuer Ardoh, the lake of Kittay called of the borderers Paraha, the Countrey of Carrah Colmak, giuing good light to the discouery of the Northeast pa.s.sage to Cathay, China and the Malucaes.

Inclyto et celebri Gerardo Mercatori, domino et amico singulari in ma.n.u.s proprias Duisburgi in Cliuia.

c.u.m meminissem, amice optime, quanta, c.u.m vnam ageremus, delectatione afficerere in legendis Geographicis scriptis Homeri, Strabonis, Aristotelis, Plinij, Dionis et reliquorum, laetatus sum eo quod incidissem in hunc nuncium, qui tibi has literas tradit, quem tibi commendatum esse valde cupio, quique dudum Arusburgi hic ad Ossellam fluuium appulit.

Hominis experientia, vt mihi quidem videtur, multum te adiuuerit in re vna, eaque summis a te votis expet.i.ta, et magnopere elaborata, de qua tam varie inter se dissentiunt Cosmographi recentiores; patefactione nimirum ingentis illius Promontorij Tabin, celebrisque illius et opulentae regionis sub Cathayorum rege per Oceanum ad Orientem brumalem. [Sidenote: Duae naues aedificatae in Duina fluuio ad patefactionem Orientalem.] Alferius is est natione Belga, qui captiuus aliquot annos vixit in Moscouitarum ditione, apud viros illic celeberrimos Yacouium et Vnekium; a quibus Antuerpiam missus est accersitum homines rei nauticae peritos, qui satis amplo proposito praemio ad illos viros se recipiant; qui Sueuo artifice duas ad eam patefactionem naues aedificarunt in Duina fluuio. Vt ille rem proponit, quamquam sine arte, apposite tamen, et vt satis intelligas, quod quaeso diligenter perpendas, aditus ad Cathayam per Orientem procul dubio breuissimus est et almodum expeditus. Adijt ipse fluuium Obam tum terra per Samoedorum et Sibericorum regionem, tum mari per littus Pechorae fluminis ad Orientem. Hac experientia confirmatus cert apud se statuit nauim mercibus onustam, cuius carinam non nimium profunde demissam esse vult, in Sinum S.

Nicolai conducere in regione Moscouitarum, instructam illam quidem rebus omnibus ad eam patefactionem necessarijs, atque illic redintegrato commeatu, Moscouitiae nationis notissimos iusta mercede asciscere: qui et Samoedicam linguam pulchre teneant, et fluuium Ob exploratum habeant, vt qui quotannis ea loca vent.i.tant. Vnde Maio exeunte const.i.tuit pergere ad Orientem per continentem Vgoriae ad Orientales partes Pechorae, Insulamque cui nomen est Dolgoia. [Sidenote: Dolgoia Insula.] Hic lat.i.tudines obseruare, terram describere, bolidem demittere, locorumque ac punctorum distantias annotare, vbi et quoties licebit. Et quoniam Pechorae Sinus vel euntibus vel redeuntibus commodissimus est tum subsidij tum diuersorij locus propter glaciem et tempestates, diem impendere decreuit cognoscendis vadis, facillimoque nauium aditu inueniendo: quo loco antehac aquarum alt.i.tudinem duntaxat ad quinque pedes inuenit, sed profundiores ca.n.a.les esse non dubitat: [Sidenote: Insula Vaigats.] deinde per eos fines pergere ad tria quatuorve milliaria nautica, relicta Insula quam Vaigats vocant, media fere via inter Vgoriam et Nouam Zemblam: [Sidenote: Sinus inter Vaigats et Obam vergens per meridiem.] tum Sinum quendam paeterire inter Vaigats atque Obam, qui per Meridiem vergens pertingit ad terram Vgoriae, in quem confluunt exigui duo amnes Marmesia atque Karah [Marginal note: Vel Naramsey et Cara reca.], ad quos amnes gens alia Samoedorum accolit immanis et efferata. Multa in eo tractu loca vadosa, multas cataractas inuenit; sed tamen per quas possit Nauigari. [Sidenote: Littus Obae incolitubar Ostijs trium dierum itinere.] Vbi ad fluuium Obam peruentum fuerit, qui quidem fluuius (vt referunt Samoedi) septuaginta habet ostia, quae propter ingentem lat.i.tudinem multas magnasque concludentem Insulas, quas varij incolunt populi, vix quisquam animaduertat, ne temporis nimium impendat, const.i.tuit ad summum tria quatuorve tentate ora, ea praesertim quae ex consilio Incolarum, quos in itinere aliquot habiturus est, commodissima videbuntur, triaque quatuorve eius regionis nauigiola tentandis Ostijs adhibere, quam fieri potest ad littus proxime, (quod quidem sub itinere trium dierum incolitur) vt quo loco tutissime nauigan possit, intelligat.

[Sidenote: Yaks Olgush locus super Obam fluuium duodecim dierum itinere a mari.] Quod si nauim per fluuium Obam aduerso amne possit impellere, prima si poterit cataracta, eaque, vt verisimile est, commodissima, ad eumque loc.u.m appellere, quem aliquando ipse c.u.m suis aliquot per Sibericorum regionem terra adijt, qui duodecim iuxta dierum itinere distat a Mari, qua influit in mare flumen Ob, qui locus est in continente, prope fluuium Ob cui nomen est Yaks Olgush, nomine mutuato ab illo magno Profluente flumini Ob illabente, tum certe speraret maximas se difficultates supera.s.se.

Referunt enim illic populares, qui trium duntaxat dierum nauigatione ab eo loco abfuerunt (qud illic rarum est, eo qud multi ad vnum duntaxat diem cymbas pelliceas a littore propellentes oborta tempestate perierunt, c.u.m neque a sole neque a syderibus rectionem scirent petere) per transuersum fluminis Ob, vnde s.p.a.ciosum esse illius lat.i.tudinem constat, grandes se carinas praeciosis onustas mercibus magno fluuio delatas vidisse per Nigros, puta aethiopes. [Sidenote: Ardoh flumen influens in lac.u.m Kitthaym: de quo in itinere ad Boghariam scribit Antonius Ienkinsonus.] Eum fluuium Ardoh illi vocant, qui influit in lac.u.m Kittayum, quem Paraha illi nominant, cui contermina est gens illa latissime fusa, quam Carrah Colmak appellant, non alia certe quam Cathaya. Illic, si necessitas postulabit, opportunum erit hybernare, se suosque reficere, resque omnes necessarias conquirere. Qud si acciderit, non dubitat interim plurimum se adiutum iri, plura illic quaerentem atque ediscentem. Veruntamen sperat aestate eadem ad Cathayorum fines se peruenturum, nisi ingenti glaciei mole ad os fluuij Obae impediatur, quae maior interdum, interdum minor est. Tum per Pechoram redire statuit, atque illic hybernare: vel si id non poterit, in flumen Duinae, quo mature satis pertinget, atque ita primo vere proximo in itinere progredi.

Vnum est qud suo loco oblitus sum. [Sidenote: Carrah Colmakest Cathaya.]

Qui loc.u.m illum Yaks Olgush incolunt, a maioribus suis olim praedicatum a.s.serunt, se in lacu Kitthayo dulcissimam campanarum harmoniam audiuisse, atque ampla aedificia conspexisse: Et c.u.m gentis Carrah Colmak mentionem faciunt (Cathaya illa est) ab imo pectore suspiria repetunt manibusque proiectis suspiciunt in coelum, velut insignem illius splendorem innuentes atque admirantes. Vtinam Alferius hic Cosmographiam melius saperet, multum ad illius vsum adiungeret, qui sane plurimus est. Multa praetereo, vir amicissime, ipsumque hominem te audire cupio, qui mihi spospondit se in itinere Duisburgi te visurum. Auet enim tec.u.m conferre sermones, et procul dubio hominem multum adiuueris. Satis instructus videtur pecunia et gratia, in quibus alijsque officijs amicitiae feci illi, si vellet, mei copiam. Deus Optimus maximus hominis votis atque alacritati faueat, initia secundet, successus fortunet, exitum foelicissimum concedat. Vale amice ac Domine singularis.

Arusburgi ad Ossellam fluuium 20. Februarij 1581.

Tuus quantus quantus sum Ioannes Balakus.

The same in English.

To the famous and renowned Gerardus Mercator, his Reuerend and singular friend at Duisburgh in Clieueland, these be deliuered.

Calling to remembrance (most deare Friend) what exceeding delight you tooke at our being together, in reading the Geographicall writings of Homer, Strabo, Aristotle, Plinie, Dion, and the rest, I reioyced not a little that I happened vpon such a messenger as the bearer of these presents, (whom I do especially recommend vnto you) who arriued lately here at Arusburg vpon the riuer of Osella. This mans experience (as I am of dpinion) will greatly auaile you to the knowledge of a certaine matter which hath bene by you so vehemently desired, and so curiously laboured for, and concerning the which the late Cosmographers do hold such varietie of opinions: namely, of the discouerie of the huge promontorie of Tabin, and of the famous and rich countreys subiect vnto the Emperor of Cathay and that by the Northeast Ocean sea. [Sidenote: Two s.h.i.+ps built vpon the riuer of Dwina for the Northeast discouerie.] The man is called Alferius [Marginal note: Or Oliuer.] being by birth a Netherlander, who for certaine yeeres liued captiue in the dominions of Russia vnder two famous men Yacouius and Vnekius, by whom he was sent to Antwerp to procure skilfull Pilots and Mariners, (by propounding liberall rewards) to go vnto the two famous personages aforesayd, which two had set a Sweden s.h.i.+pwright on worke to build two s.h.i.+ps for the same discouerie vpon the riuer of Dwina. The pa.s.sage vnto Cathay by the Northeast (as he declareth the matter, albeit without arte, yet very aptly, as you may well perceiue, which I request you diligently to consider) is without doubt very short and easie. This very man himselfe hath trauelled to the riuer of Ob, both by land, through the countreys of the Samoeds, and of Sibier, and also by Sea, along the coast of the riuer Pechora Eastward. Being encouraged by this his experience he is fully resolued with himselfe to conduct a Barke laden with merchandize (the keele whereof hee will not haue to drawe ouer much water) to the Baie of Saint Nicholas in Russia, being furnished with all things expedient for such a discouerie, and with a new supply of victuals at his arriuall there, and also to hire into his companie certaine Russes best knowen vnto himselfe, who can perfectly speake the Samoeds language, and are acquainted with the riuer of Ob, as hauing frequented those places yeere by yeere.

[Sidenote: The Island of Dolgoia.] Whereupon about the ende of May hee is determined to saile from the Baie of S. Nicholas Eastward, by the maine of Ioughoria, and so to the Easterly parts of Pechora, and to the Island which is called Dolgoia. And here also hee is purposed to obserue the lat.i.tudes, to suruey and describe the countrey, to sound the depth of the Sea, and to note the distances of places, where, and so oft as occasion shall be offered. And forasmuch as the Baie of Pechora is a most conuenient place both for harbour and victuall, as well in their going foorth as in their returne home in regard of Ice and tempest, he is determined to bestow a day in sounding the Flats, and in searching out the best entrance for s.h.i.+ps: in which place heretofore he found the water to be but fiue foote deepe, howbeit he doubteth not but that there are deeper chanels: [Sidenote: The Island of Vaigats. A Baie betweene Vaigats and Ob trending Southerly.] and then hee intendeth to proceed on along those coasts for the s.p.a.ce of three or foure leagues, leauing the Island called Vaigats almost in the middle way betweene Vgoria and Noua Zembla: then also to pa.s.se by a certaine Baie betweene Vaigats and Ob, trending Southerly into the land of Vgoria, whereinto fall two small riuers called Marmesia and Carah [Marginal note: Or, Naramsey and Cara Reca.], vpon the which riuers doe inhabite an other barbarous and sauage nation of the Samoeds. He found many Flats in that tract of land, and many cataracts or ouerfals of water, yet such as hee was able to saile by. When hee shall come to the riuer of Ob, which riuer (as the Samoeds report) hath seuentie mouthes, which by reason of the huge breadth thereof containing many and great Islands, which are inhabited with sundry sortes of people, no man scarcely can well disouer, because he will not spend too much time, he purposeth to search three or foure at the most of the mouthes thereof, those chiefly which shall be thought most commodious by the aduise of the inhabitants, of whom hee meaneth to haue certaine with him in his voyage, and meaneth to employ three or foure boates of that Countrey in search of these mouthes, as neere as possibly he can to the sh.o.r.e, which within three dayes iourney of the Sea is inhabited, that he may learne where the riuer is best nauigabie. [Sidenote: The place vpon the riuer Ob, where he was but 12. dayes iourney from the mouthes thereof and is called Yaks Olgush.] If it so fall out that he may sayle vp the riuer Ob against the stream, and mount vp to that place which heretofore accompanied with certaine of his friends, he pa.s.sed vnto by land through the countrey of Siberia which is about twelue dayes iourney from the Sea, where the riuer Ob falleth into the Sea, which place is in the Continent neere the riuer Ob, and is called Yaks Olgush, borowing his name from that mightie riuer which falleth into the riuer Ob, then doubtlesse hee would conceiue full hope that hee had pa.s.sed the greatest difficulties: for the people dwelling thereabout report, which were three dayes sayling onely from that place beyond the riuer Ob, whereby the bredth thereof may be gathered (which is a rare matter there, because that many rowing with their boates of leather one dayes iourney onely from the sh.o.r.e, haue bene cast away in tempest, hauing no skill to guide themselues neither by Sunne nor Starre) that they haue seene great vessels laden with rich and precious merchandize brought downe that great riuer by blacke or swart people.

[Sidenote: M. Ienkinson in his voyage to Boghar speaketh of the riuer Ardok.] They call that riuer Ardoh, which falleth into the lake of Kittay, which they call Paraha, whereupon bordereth that mighty and large nation which they call Carrah Colmak, which is none other then the nation of Cathay. There, if neede require, he may fitly Winter and refresh himselfe and his, and seeke all things which he shall stand in need of: which if it so fall out, he doubteth not but in the meane while he shall be much furthered in searching and learning out many things in that place. Howbeit, he hopeth that hee shall reach to Cathaya that very Sommer, vnlesse he be hindered by great abundance of Ice at the mouth of the riuer of Ob, which is sometimes more, and sometimes lesse. If it so fall out, he then purposeth to returne to Pechora, and there to Winter: or if he cannot doe so neither, then hee meaneth to returne to the riuer of Dwina, whither he will reach in good time enough, and so the next Spring following to proceed on his voyage. One thing in due place I forgate before.

The people which dwell at that place called Yaks Olgush, affirme that they haue heard their forefathers say, that they haue heard most sweete harmonie of bels in the lake of Kitthay, and that they haue seene therein stately and large buildings: and when they make mention of the people named Currah Colmak (this countrey is Cathay) they fetch deepe sighes, and holding vp their hands, they looke vp to heauen, signifying as it were, and declaring the notable glory and magnificence of that nation. I would this Oliuer were better seen in Cosmographie, it would greatly further his experience, which doubtlesse is very great. Most deare friend, I omit many things, and I wish you should heare the man himselfe which promised mee faithfully that he would visite you in this way at Duisburg, for he desireth to conferre with you, and doubtlesse you shall very much further, the man. He seemeth sufficiently furnished with money and friends, wherein and in other offices of curtesie I offered him my furtherance if it had pleased him to haue vsed me. The Lord prosper the mans desires and forwardnesse, blesse his good beginnings, further his proceedings, and grant vnto him most happy issue.

Fare you well good sir and my singular friend. From Arusburg vpon the riuer of Ossella, the 20. of February, 1581.

Yours wholly at commandement,

Iohn Balak

Master Anthonie Ienkinson in a disputation before her Maiestie with sir Humfrey Gilbert for proofe of a pa.s.sage by the Northeast to Cathaya, among other things alleageth this: videlicet, that there came a continuall streame or currant through Mare glaciale, of such swiftnesse as a Colmak told him, that if you cast any thing therein, it would presently be caried out of sight towards the West, &c.

A testimonie of the Northeasterne Discouerie made by the English, and of the profite that may arise by pursuing the same: taken out of the second volume of Nauigations and Voyages, fol. 17. of the notable Cosmographer M. Iohn Baptista Ramusius, Secretaire to the State of Venice: Written in Italian in the yeere, 1557.

D'alla parte poi di sotto la nostra Tramontana, che chiascuno scrittore et Cosmographo di questi et de pa.s.sati tempi fin'hora vi ha messo e mette mare congelato, et che la terra corra continuamente fino a 90. gradi verso il Polo: sopro questa mappa-mondo all' incontro si vede che la terra va solamente vn poco sopra la Noruega et Suetia, e voltando corre poi Greco e Leuante nel paese della Moscouta et Rossia, et va diritto al Cataio. Et che cio sia la verita, le nauigationi che hanno fatte gl' Inglesi con le loro naui, volendo andare a scoprire il Cataio al tempo del Re Odoardo Sesto d'Inghilterra, questi anni pa.s.sati, ne possono far vera testimonianza: perche nel mezzo del loro viaggio, capitate per fortuna a i liti di Moscouia doue trouarano all' hora regnare Giouanni Vasiliuich Imperatore della Rossia e gran Duca di Moscouia, il quale con molto piacere e marauiglia vedutogli, fece grandissime carezze, hanno trouato quel mare essere nauigabile, e non agghiacciato. La qual nauigatione (ancor che con l'esito fin hora non sia stata bene intesa) se col spesso frequentarla et col lungo vso et cognitione de que' mari si continuera, e per fare grandissima mutatione et riuolgimento nelle cose di questa nostra parte del mondo.

The same in English.

Moreouer (hauing before spoken of diuers particularities, in an excellent Map of Paulus Venetus) on that part subiect to our North pole, where euery writer and Cosmographer of these and of former times. .h.i.therto, haue, and doe place the frozen Sea, and that the land stretcheth continually to 90.

degress, towards the pole: contrarywise, in this mappe is to bee seene, that the land extendeth onely a litle aboue Norway and Swethland, and then turning it selfe trendeth afterwards towards the Southeast and by East, vnto the countrey of Moscouie and Russia, and stretcheth directly vnto Cathay. And that this is true, the nauigations which the English men haue of late made, intending to discouer Cathay, in the time of Edward the sixt, king of England, are very sufficient witnesses. For in the mids of their voiage, lighting by chance vpon the coast of Moscouie (where they found then reigning Iohn Vasiliwich Emperor of Russia, and great Duke of Moscouia, who after he had, to his great delight and admiration, seene the English men, entertained them with exceeding great curtesies) found this sea to be nauigable, and not frozen.

[Sidenote: The great hope of the Northeastern dicouerie.] Which nauigation to Cathay, although it be not as yet throughly knowen, yet if with often frequenting the same, and by long vse and knowledge of those seas it bee continued it is like to make a wonderfull change and reuolution in the state of this our port of the world.

The testimonie of Gerardus Mercator in his last large Mappe of Europe, touching the notable discoueries of the English, made of Moscouie by the Northeast.

Magnam occasionem certamque rationem emendandae Europae n.o.bis attulit celeberrima Angloram per Cronium mare nauigatio: quae littora Septentrionalia Finlappie Moscouiaeque iuxta coeli situm, mundique plagas digesta habet. Exacta etiam vrbis Moscuae lat.i.tudo ab Anglis obseruata, interiorum Regionum emendatius describendarum infallibilem legem praescripsit: Quibus oblatis adminiculis pulcherrimis, iniquum putaui tabulam hanc castigatiorem non reddere.

The same in English.

The most famous nauigation of the English men by the Northeast sea hath offered vnto me a great occasion, and certaine direction for the reformation of the mappe of Europe: which discouerie hath the Northerne parts of Finmarke, Lapland, and Moscouie, laied out according to the iust eleuation and the quarters of the world. And further, the true obseruation of the lat.i.tude of the city of Mosco, made by the foresaid Englishmen, hath yeelded me an infallible rule, for the correcting of the situation of the inland countries: which notable helps being ministred vnto me, I thought it my duetie to exhibite to the world this Mappe, more exact and perfect then hitherto it hath bene published.

Another testimonie of Ioannes Metellus Sequa.n.u.s concerning the same Nauigation and Discouerie in his preface prefixed before Osorius de rebus gestis Emanuelis Regis Portugalliae. written about the yeere, 1574.

At ne omnis, vnis Hispanis, Oceani maris gloria totaque concederetur, Britanni Septentriones noua in Moscouiam nauigatione, ab hinc annis viginti plus minus ill.u.s.trarunt. Nam bellis Sueticis a Moscouitarum, Naruaeque Liuoniae exclusi commercio, iter ad illos Oceano, hinc Noruegiae, Finmarchiae, Lappiae, Scricfinniae, Biarmiaeque; illinc Groenlandiae littora praeteruecti, vltra Septuagesimum lat.i.tudinis Aquilonaris gradum sibi patefaciunt. Quam nauigationem Belgae postea, non sine tamen c.u.m ijsdem Britannis velitatione, sunt secuti. E vehunt argenti veteris fragmenta, lineasque vestes prope detritas, omnisque generis minutiores merces, ad vsum, cultumque corporis hominum vtriusque s.e.xus, veluti lintea et byssea cingula, periscelides, crumenas, cultros, et id genus s.e.xcenta. A Moschis autem pelles omnis generis pretiosas adferunt, et salmones salitos, fumoque duratos.

The same in English.

But least all and the whole glory of discouering the Ocean sea should be ascribed to the Spaniards, the Englishmen about twentie yeeres past, by a new nauigation into Moscouie, discouered the Northeast partes. For they by reason of the warres of Swethland being hindered from the traffique of the Moscouites and of the Narue in Liefland, opened a pa.s.sage for themselues by the Ocean sea, beyond the Northerne lat.i.tude of 70. degrees: hauing in their course on the one side the coastes of Norway, Finmark, Lapland, Scrickfin and Biarmia: On the other side the coast of Gronland. Which voyage the Hollanders afterwarde entred into, but not without some conflict with the English. They cary thither old plate and course linnen cloth, and all kind of small Mercerie wares, seruing for the apparelling of men and women, as linnen, and silke girdles, garters, purses, kniues, and many such like things. And they bring away from the Moscouites, all kinde of precious Furres, and Salmons salted and dried in the smoke.