Purchas his pilgrimes. part 1 In fiue bookes. The first, contayning the voyages and peregrinations made by ancient kings, patriarkes, apostles, philosophers, and others, to and thorow the remoter parts of the knowne world: enquiries also of languages and religions, especially of the moderne diuersified professions of Christianitie. The second, a description of all the circum-nauigations of the globe. The third, nauigations and voyages of English-men, alongst the coasts of Africa ... The fourth, English voyages beyond the East Indies, to the ilands of Iapan, China, Cauchinchina, the Philippinæ with others ... The fifth, nauigations, voyages, traffiques, discoueries, of the English nation in the easterne parts of the world ... The first part.

A Letter of WILLIAM ADAMS to his Wife from Iapan.

[ 50] LOuing Wife, you shall vnderstand how all things haue passed with mee from the time of mine absence from you. We set saile with fiue ships from the Texel in Holland, the foure and twentieth of Iune, 1598. And departed from the Coast of England, the fift of Iuly. And the one and twentieth of August, we came to one of the Isles of Capo Verde, called Sant' Iago,* 1.1 where we abode foure and twentie dayes. In which time many of our men fell sicke through the vn∣wholsomenesse of the Aire, and our Generall among the rest. Now the reason that we abode so long at these Ilands was, That one of the Captaines of our Fleet made our Generall beleeue, that at these Ilands we should find great store of refreshing, as Goats and other things which was vntrue.

Here I and all the Pilots of the fleet were called to a Councell: in which wee all shewed our [ 60] iudgements of disliking the place: which were by all the Captaines taken so ill, that afterward it was agreed by them all, that the Pilots should be no more in the Councell, the which was ex∣ecuted. The fifteenth day of September we departed from the Isle of Sant' Iago, and passed the Equinoctiall Line. And in the latitude of three degrees to the South our Generall dyed:* 1.2 wherewith many contrarie windes and raine, the season of the yeare being very much past, wee

were forced vpon the Coast of Guiney, falling vpon an head-land called Cabo de Spiritu Sancto. The new Generall commanded to beare vp with Cape de Lopo Consalues,* 1.3 there to seeke refreshing for our men, the which we did. In which place we landed all our sicke men, where they did not much better, for wee could find no store of victuals. The nine and twentieth of December wee set saile to goe on our Voyage; and in our way we fell with an Island called Illha da Nobon, where we landed all our sicke men, taking the Island in by force. Their Towne contayned some eigh∣tie houses. Hauing refreshed our men, we set saile againe. At which time our Generall com∣manded, that a man for foure dayes should haue but one pound of bread, that was a quarter of a pound a day; with the like proportion of Wine and Water. Which scarcitie of Victuals brought such feeblenesse, that our men fell into so great weaknesse and sicknesse for hunger, that [ 10] they did eate the Calues skinnes,* 1.4 wherewith our Ropes were couered. The third of Aprill 1599. we fell with the Port of Saint Iulian: And the sixt of Aprill we came into the Straight of Ma∣gellan to the first narrow. And the eighth day we passed the second narrow with a good wind, where we came to an Anchor, and landed on Penguin Island: where we laded our Boate ful of Penguins, which are fowles greater than a D••cke: wherewith we were greatly refreshed. The tenth we weighed anchor hauing much wind, which was good for vs to goe thorow. But our Generall would water, and take in prouision of wood for all our fleet. In which Straight there is enough in euery place, with anchor ground in al•• places three or foure leagues one from another.

In the meane time, the wind changed, and came Southerly, so we sought a good harbour for our ship on the North-side,* 1.5 foure leagues off Elizabeths Bay. All Aprill being out wee had won∣derfull [ 20] much Snow and Ice, with great winds. For in April, May, Iune, Iuly, and August is the Win∣ter there, being in fiftie two degrees 1/••. by South the Equinoctiall. Many times in the Winter we had the wind good to goe through the Straights, but our Generall would not. We abode in the Straight till the foure and twentieth of August, 1599. On the which day wee came into the South Sea:* 1.6 where sixe or seuen dayes after in a greater storme we lost the whole fleet one from another. That storme being long we were driuen into the latitude of fiftie foure degrees▪ 1/••. by South the Equin••ctiall. The weather breaking vp and hauing good wind againe, the ninth of October we saw the Admirall, of which we were glad, eight or ten dayes after in the night ha∣uing very much wind, our fore-sayle flew way, and wee l••st companie of the Admirall. Then according to wind and weather, we directe•• our course for the Coast of Chili: where the nine and twentieth of October,* 1.7 we came to the place appointed of our Generall in fortie sixe de∣grees, [ 30] where wee set vp a pinnesse and stayed eight and twentie dayes: In this place wee found people, with whom wee had friendship fiue or sixe dayes: who brought vs sheep; for which we gaue them Bels and Kniues, and it seemed to vs they w••re contented. But shortly after they went all away from the place where our ship was and we saw them no more.* 1.8 Eight and twentie dayes being expired, we set sayle minding to goe for Baldiuia. So wee came to the mouth of the Bay of Baldiuia. And being very much wind our Captaines minde changed, so that we directed our course for the Isle of Mocha.

The first of Nouember we came to the Ile of Mocha, lying in the Latitude of eight and thirtie degrees. Hauing much wind we dur••t not anchor, but directed our course for Cape Sancta Maria, two leagues by Sou••h the Iland of Sancta Maria: where hauing no knowledge of the people, [ 40] The second of Nouember our men went on land, and the people of the Land fought with our men, and hurt eight of nine; but in the end, they made a false composition of friendship, which our men did beleeue.

The next day our Captaine, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 three and twentie of our chiefe men went on land, meaning for marchandize to get victualls, hauing wonderfull hunger. Two or three of the people came straight to our Boat in friendly manner, with a kind of Wine and Rootes, with making tokens to come on land▪ making signes that there were Sheep and Oxen. Our Captaine with our men, hauing great desire to get refreshing for our men,* 1.9 went on land. The people of the Countrey lay intrenched a thousand and aboue, and straight-way fell vpon our men, and slew them all; among which was my brother Thomas Adams. By this l••sse we had scarse so many men whole, as could [ 50] weigh our Anchor. So the third day in great distresse, we set our course for the Island of Santa Maria,* 1.10 where we found our Admirall: whom when we saw, our hearts were some-what com∣forted▪ we went aboord them, and found them in as great distresse as we; hauing lost their Ge∣nerall with seuen and twentie of their men slaine at the Island of Mocha: from whence they de∣parted the day before we came by. Here we tooke counsell what we should doe to get Victualls. To goe on land by force we had no men: for the most part were sicke. There came a Spaniard by composition to see our Shippe. And so the next day he came againe, and we let him depart qui∣etly. The third day came two Spaniards aboord vs without pawne, to see if they could betray vs. When they had seene our Shippe, they would haue gone on land againe: but we would not let them, shewing that they came without leaue, and we would not let them goe on land againe [ 60] without our leaue; whereat they we••e greatly offended. We shewed them that we had extreame neede of Victualls, and that if they would giue vs so many Sheepe, and so many Beeues, they should goe on land. So against their wils they made composition with vs, which within the time

appointed they did accomplish. Hauing so much refreshing as we could get, we made all things well againe, our men beeing for the most part recouered of their sickenesse. There was a young man, one Hudcopee, which knew nothing, but had serued the Admirall, who was made Generall: and the Master of our Shippe was made Vice-Admirall, whose name was Iacob Quaternak of Ro∣terdam. So the Generall and Vice-Admirall called me and the other Pilote, beeing an English∣man, called Timothy Shotten, (which had been with M. Thomas Candish in his Voyage about the World) to take counsell what we should doe to make our Voyage for the best profit of our Mar∣chants. At last it was resolued to goe for Iapan. For by report of one D••rrick Gerritson,* 1.11 which had been there with the Portugals, woollen cloth was in great estimation in that Iland. And we [ 10] gathered by reason that the Malucos, and the most part of the East Indies were hot Countreyes where woolen cloth would not be much accepted: wherefore we all agreed to goe for Iapan. So leauing the Coast of Chili from thirtie sixe degrees of South-latitude, the seuen and twentieth of Nouember, 1599. we tooke our course directly for Iapan,* 1.12 and passed the line Equinoctiall with a faire wind, which continued good for diuerse moneths. In our way we fell with certain Islands in sixeteene degrees of North-latitude, the Inhabitants whereof are men-eaters. Comming neere these Islands, and hauing a great Pinnesse with vs, eight of our men beeing in the Pinnesse, ranne from vs with the Pinnesse, and (as we suppose) were eaten of the wild men, of which people we tooke one: which afterward the Generall sent for to come into his Shippe. When wee came into the latitude of seuen and twentie and eight and twentie degrees, we found very variable [ 20] winds and stormy weather. The foure and twentieth of February we lost sight of our Admirall, which afterward we saw no more: Neuerthelesse we still did our best, directing our course for Ia∣pan. The foure and twentieth of March, we saw an Island called Vna Colonna: at which time many of our men were sicke againe, and diuers dead. Great was the miserie we vvere in, hauing no more but nine or tenne able men to goe or creepe vpon their knees: our Captaine, and all the rest, looking euery houre to die. The eleuenth of Aprill, 1600. vve savv the land of Iapan neere vnto Bungo: at vvhich time there vvere no more but fiue men of vs able to goe. The tvvelfth of Aprill, vve came hard to Bungo, vvhere may Barkes came aboord vs, the people vvhereof vvee vvillingly let come, hauing no force to resist them: at vvhich place vve came to an Anchor. The people offered vs no hurt, but stole all things that they could steale▪ for vvhich some paid deare [ 30] aftervvard. The next day, the King of that land sent souldiers aboord to see that none of the Mar∣chants goods vvere stolne. Tvvo or three dayes after, our Shippe vvas brought into a good Har∣bour, there to abide till the principall King of the vvhole Island had nevves of vs, and vntill it vvas knovvne vvhat his vvill vvas to doe vvith vs. In the meane time vve got fauour of the King of that place, to get our Captaine and sicke men on land, vvhich vvas granted. And vvee had an house appointed vs, in vvhich all our men vvere laid, and had refreshing giuen them. After vvee had beene there fiue or sixe dayes, came a Portugall Iesuite vvith other Portugals,* 1.13 vvho reported of vs, that vve vvere Pirats, and vvere not in the vvay of Marchandizing. Which report caused the Gouernours and common-peeple to thinke euill of vs: In such manner, that vve looked al∣vvayes vvhen vve should be set vpon Crosses; which is the execution in this land for the euery and [ 40] some other crimes. Thus daily more and more the Portugalls incensed the Iustices and people a∣ga••nst vs. And tvvo of our men, as traytors, gaue themselues in seruice to the King, beeing all in all vvith the Portugals, hauing by them their liues vvarranted. The one vvas called Gilbert de Conning, vvhose mother dvvelleth at Middleborough, vvho gaue himselfe out to be Marchant of all the goods in the Shippe. The other was called Iohn Abelson Van Owater. These traitours sought all manner of wayes to get the goods into their hand•• and made knowne vnto them all things that had passed in our Voyage. Nine dayes after our ••••••uall,* 1.14 the great King of the land sent for me to come vnto him. So taking one man with me, I went to him, taking my leaue of our Captaine, and all the others that were sicke, commending my selfe into his hands, that had preserued me from so many perils on the sea. I was carried in one of the Kings gallies to the Court [ 50] at Osaca, where the King lay, about eightie leagues from the place where the Shippe was. The twelfth of May, 1600. I came to the great Kings citie:* 1.15 who caused me to be brought into the Court, beeing a wonderfull costly house guilded with gold in abundance. Comming before the King, he viewed me well, and seemed to be wonderfull fauourable, He made many signes vnto me, some of which I vnderstood, and some I did not. In the end there came one that could speake Portuges. By him the King demanded of me, of what Land I was,* 1.16 and what mooued vs to come to his Land beeing so farre off. I shewed vnto him the name of our Countrey, and that our land had long sought out the East-Indies, and desired friendship with all Kings and Potentates in way of marchandize, hauing in our Land diuerse commodities, which these Lands had not: and also to buy such marchandizes in this Land, which our Countrey had not. Then he asked whe∣ther [ 60] our Countrey had warres? I answered him yea, with the Spaniards and Portugals▪ beeing in peace with all other Nations. Further, he asked me, in what I did beleeue? I said, in God that made Heauen a••d Earth. He asked me diue••se other questions of things of Religion, and many other things: As what way we came to the Count••y. Hauing a Chart of the whole world, I shewed him, through the Straight of Magellan. At which he wondred, and thought me to lie.

Thus from one thing to another I abode with him till mid-night. And hauing asked mee, what marchandize we had in our shippe, I shewed him all. In the end, he beeing ready to depart, I de∣sired that we might haue trade of marchandize, as the Portugals and the Spanyards had. To which he made me an answer:* 1.17 but what it was I did not vnderstand. So he commanded me to be carried to prison. But two dayes after he sent for me againe, and enquired of the qualities and conditions of our Countreys, of Warres and Peace, of Beasts and Cattell of all sorts, of the Hea∣uens. It seemed that he was well content with all mine answers vnto his demands. Neuerthe∣lesse I was commanded to prison againe: but my lodging was bettered in another place.

The rest of this letter (by the malice of the bearers was suppressed: but seemeth to bee in sub∣stance the same with the former. I haue added this also, as containing diuers things not mentio∣ned in the former. This William Adams lately died at Firando, in Iapan, as by * 1.18 the last Ship we [ 10] receiued intelligence.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The Iles of Cape Verde.
• * 1.2

  Their General dyeth.
• * 1.3

  Cabo de Spiritu Sancto in Gui∣ney.

  Capo de Lopo Consalues. Illha da Nobon taken by the Hollanders.
• * 1.4

  April 3. 1599. The Straight of Magellan.
• * 1.5

  A good Har∣borough.
• * 1.6

  The 24. of Au∣gust, 1599. they came into the South Sea.
• * 1.7

  They ariue on the Coast of Chili the 2••▪ of October.
• * 1.8

  They trade with the peo∣ple of the countrey in 46 degrees. Th•• Il•• of Mocha.
• * 1.9

  2•• Men slaine Thomas Adams slaine.
• * 1.10

  The Isle of S. Mar••a.

  Th••y meete with their Ad∣mirall.

  The Generall and 27. men slaine at Mocha.
• * 1.11

  Timothy Shotten an Eng••ishman Pilot in the Admirall. D••rrick Gerrit∣son.
• * 1.12

  They leaue the coast of Chili▪ and aile dire∣ctly for Iapan. They crode the Equinocti∣all l••ne.

  These Iles seeme to bee the Ladrones. 8. of their men ran away with their pinn••sse. They lost their Admirall the 24. of Febru∣ary, 1600. An Ile call••d Vna Colonna. The 12. of A∣prill, 16••0. they di••couered Iapan neere vnto Bungo. They came to an Anchor.
• * 1.13

  The Portugals accuse them for Pirates.
• * 1.14

  He war sent for to the great King.
• * 1.15

  He commeth to the Court.
• * 1.16

  The Kings questions.
• * 1.17

  He was sent to prison.

  He was sent for againe.

  He was sent to prison the se∣cond time.
• * 1.18

  The Iames re∣turning home this yeere. 1621.