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.

§ V. Their departure for England, and occurrents in the way.

* 1.1THe twentieth day of Februarie, we went all aboord our ships, shot off our Ordnance, and set sayle to the Sea toward England, with thankes to God, and glad hearts, for his blessings towards vs. The two and twentieth and three and twentieth of the [ 30] same moneth, wee were in the Straights of Sunda, and the sixe and twentieth wee were cleere of all the iles that lye in those Straights, and cleere of all the land, holding our course South-west, so that the eight and twentieth, wee were in eight degrees and fortie minutes to the South of the Line. Vpon Sunday the thirteenth of March, wee were past the Tropicke of Capricorne,* 1.2 holding our course, for the most pare, South-west, with a stiffe gale of wind at South-east. The fourteenth day of Aprill, wee were in thirtie foure degrees, iudging the Land of Madagascar to be North of vs. The eight and twentieth day we had a very great and a fu∣rious storme, so that we were forced to take in all our Sayles. This storme continued a day and a night, with an exceeding great and raging Sea, so that, in the reason of man no shippe was able to liue in them: but God (in his mercie) ceased the violence thereof, and gaue vs time to [ 40] breath:* 1.3 and to repaire all the distresses and harmes we had receiued, but our ships were so shaken, that they were leakie all the Voyage after.

The third of May, wee had another very sore storme which continued all the night, and the Seas did so beate vpon the ships quarter, that it shooke all the Iron worke of her Rother: and the next day in the morning, our Rother brake cleane from the sterne of our shippe, and presently sunke into the Sea.* 1.4 This strooke a present feare into the hearts of all men, so that the best of vs, and most experienced, knew not what to doe. And specially, seeing our selues in such a tempe∣stuous Sea, and so stormie a place, so that, I thinke, there bee few worse in all the World. Now our ship draue vp and downe in the Sea like a wracke, which way soeuer the wind carried her: so that sometimes we were within three or foure leagues of the Cape Buena Esperanza, then [ 50] commeth a contrary wind,* 1.5 and driueth vs almost to fortie degrees to the Southward into the hayle and snow, and sleetie cold weather. And this was another great miserie vnto vs, that pin∣ched vs exceeding sore, so that our case was miserable and very desperate. Yet all this while the Hector kept by vs carefully, the company whereof was some comfort vnto vs: and many times the Master of the Hector came aboord our shippe, so at the the last, it was concluded to take our misen Mast, and put it forth at the sterne Port, to proue if wee could steere our shippe into some place where we might make another Rother to hang it, to serue our turnes home. But this de∣uice was to small purpose, for when we had fitted it, and put it forth (the Seas being somewhat growne with lifting vp the Mast) it did so shake the sterne, and put all in such danger, that it was needfull to make all conuenient haste, to get the Mast into the ship againe: which we were [ 60] very glad when we had brought it to passe. Now we were without all remedie, vnlesse we made a new Rother, and could bring it to passe to hang it in the Sea: which to performe let euery man iudge how easie a thing it was, our ship being of seuen or eight hundred t••nnes, and in so dange∣rous a Sea as this was: but necessitie compelleth to prooue all meanes. Then the Generall com∣manded

the Carpenter to make a Rother of the said misen Mast, to prooue what wee could doe: but this barre fell in our way; that, at such time as wee lost our Rother, wee lost also the most of our Rother irons, wherewith to fasten the Rother. But yet, wee went forward, and made all the haste we could, and one of our men diued, to search what Rother irons remayned, who found but two, and one that was broken, to helpe vs withall. Yet, by Gods helpe, finding a faire day, wee made fast the said Rother, and sailed on our course homewards: But, within three or foure houres, the Sea tooke it off againe, and wee had much adoe to saue it, and with the sauing of it, wee lost an other of our irons, so that now, we had but two to hang it by: and our men began to be desirous to leaue the Ship, and goe into the Hector to saue themselues. Nay, said [ 10] the Generall, wee will yet abide Gods leasure, to see what mercie he will shew vs: for I de∣spaire not to saue our selues, the Ship and the goods, by one meanes or other, as God shall ap∣point vs. And with that, he went into his Cabbin, and wrote a Letter for England, purposiing to send it by the Hector, commanding her to depart, and leaue him there: but, not one of the companie knew of this command. The Letter was very briefe, and the tenour litle more or lesse, as followeth.

RIght worshipfull, what hath passed in this Voyage, and what Trades I haue settled for this companie,* 2.1 and what other euents haue befallen vs, you shall vnderstand by the bearers hereof, to whom (as occa∣sion hath fallen) I must referre you. I will striue with all diligence to saue my ship, and her goods, as you [ 20] may perceiue, by the course I take in venturing mine owne life, and those that are with mee. I cannot tell where you should looke for mee, if you send out any Pinnace to seeke mee: because I liue at the deuotion of the wind▪ and seas. And thus fare you well, desiring God, to send vs a merrie meeting in this world, if it be his good will and pleasure.

The Passage to the East India lieth in 62.1/••. degrees, by the North-west on the America side.

Your very louing friend, IAMES LANCASTER.

[ 30] THis Letter being deliuered, the Generall thought they would haue beene gone in the night, according to their Commission: but, when he espied the ship in the morning, he said to me, these men regard no Commission. Now, the ship kept some two or three leagues from vs, and came no neerer: for the Master was an honest and a good man, and loued the Generall well, and was loth to leaue him in so great distresse. And now, it was time for vs, to seeke all meanes that could be to saue our selues and the ship. Then, the Carpenter mended the Rother we had saued, and within two or three dayes, the weather began to bee somewhat faire, and the seas smooth. So, we put out a signe to the Hector to come neere vs, out of which the Master, Master Sander Cole came, and brought the best swimmers, and diuers that he had in his ship,* 2.2 who hel∣ped vs not a little in the businesse wee had to doe. Thus, by Gods good blessing, wee hung our [ 40] Rother againe, vpon the two hookes that were left: so that, we had some good hope to obtaine one Port or other, to relieue our selues withall. Now, wee had beene beaten to and fro, in these mightie seas, and had many more stormes of weather, then are here expressed, somtimes for one whole moneth together, so that our men began to fall sicke and diseased: and the wind fell so short, that wee could fetch no part of the coast of Africa, which was neerest to vs. Commit∣ting our selues therefore to God, we set saile straight for the Iland of Saint Helena: for, we knew we had doubled the Cape of Buena Esperanza, by the height wee were in to the Northward. As we were in our course, the Maine-yard fell downe, and strooke one of our men into the sea, and he was drowned. This was the end (God be thanked) of all our hard fortunes.

The fift day of Iune, wee passed the Tropicke of Capricorne, and the sixteenth in the mor∣ning [ 50] wee had sight of the Iland of Saint Helena: at the sight whereof, there was no smale reioy∣cing among vs. Wee bare close along by the shoare, the better to get the best of the Road,* 2.3 in the Harbour, where wee came to an anchor, right against a small Chappell, which the Portugals had built there, long since. Our ships rode in twelue fatham water, which is the best of the Harbor. At our going a shoare, we found by many writings, that the Carrackes of Portugall had departed from thence, but eight dayes before our comming. In this Iland, there is very good refreshing of water, and wild Goats, but they are hard to come by, vnlesse good direction be giuen for the getting of them. And this course our Generall tooke, he appointed foure lusty men, and of the best shot he had, to goe into the Iland, and make their abode in the middest of it, and to euery shot, he appointed foure men to attend him, to carrie the Goats that hee killed, to the Rende∣uous: [ 60] thither went (euery day) twentie men, to fetch home to the ships, what was killed▪ So there was no hoyting or rumour in the Iland to feare the Goats withall. And by this meanes, the ships were plentifully relieued, and euery man contented. While wee stayed here, wee fit∣ted our shipping, and searched our Rother, which wee hoped, would last vs home. All our sicke men recouered their health, through the store of Goats and Hogs, wherewith wee had refreshed

our selues, hauing great need of good refreshing: For, in three moneths, wee had seene no land, but were continually beaten in the sea.

The fift day of Iuly, we set saile from this Iland, our course being Northwest. The thirteenth day,* 2.4 wee passed by an Iland called the Ascention, which standeth in eight degrees. No ships touc•• at this Iland, for it is altogether barraine, and without water: onely, it hath good store of Fish about it, but deepe water, and ill riding for ships. From hence wee held our course still North∣west,* 2.5 the wind being South and South-east, till the nineteenth day, and then, we passed the Aequi∣noctiall-Line. The foure and twentieth day wee were six degrees to the Northward, at which time, wee iudged our selues to be an hundred and fiftie leagues from the Coast of Ginney. Then wee steered away North and by West and North till the nine and twentieth, at which time, wee had sight of the Iland of Fogo.* 2.6 Here, wee were becalmed fiue dayes, striuing to passe to the East∣ward [ 10] of this Iland, but could not: for the wind changed, and came to the North-east, so we stood West North-west.

* 2.7The seuenth day of August, wee were in sixteene degrees, and the twelfth day wee passed the Tropicke of Cancer, that lieth in 23.1/••;. degrees, holding our course Northerly. But the three and twentieth, the wind came Westerly. The nine and twentieth, wee passed the Iland of Saint Marie, the wind faire.

The seuenth day of September, wee tooke sounding, iudging the Lands end of England to be fortie leagues from vs. The eleuenth day, wee came to the Downes, well and safe to an an∣chor: for the which, thanked be almightie God, who hath deliuered vs from infinite perils and dangers, in this long and tedious Nauigation. [ 20]

Notes

• * 1.1

  The twentieth of Februarie, they returne for England.
• * 1.2

  They double the Tropick of Capri••orne.
• * 1.3

  A terrible storme.
• * 1.4

  They lose their Rother in a storme.
• * 1.5

  Almost 40. de∣grees o•• South Latitude.
• * 2.1

  A Letter in a desperate case sent for Eng∣land.
• * 2.2

  Master Sander Cole Master of the Hector.
• * 2.3

  They arriue at Saint Helena.
• * 2.4

  The Ile of Ascention.
• * 2.5

  They passe the Aequinoctiall.
• * 2.6

  The Ile of Fogo.
• * 2.7

  The seuenth of August. 1603.