Purchas his pilgrimes. part 3 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.

Some additions for better knowledge of this Voyage, taken by CLEMENT ADAMS, Schoole-master to the Queenes Henshmen, from the mouth [ 30] of Captaine CHANCELOR.

RIchard Chancelor with his Ship and companie being thus left alone, and become very pensiue,* 1.1 heauie, and sorrowfull, by this dispersion of the Fleet, hee (according to the order before taken,) shapeth his course for Ward-house in Norway, there to expect and abide the arriuall of the rest of the Ships. And being come thither, and hauing stay∣ed there the space of seauen dayes, and looked in vaine for their comming, hee determined at length to proceed alone in the purposed voyage. And as hee was preparing himselfe to depart, it happened that hee fell in companie and speech with certaine Scottish-men: who hauing vn∣derstanding [ 40] of his intention, and wishing well to his actions, began earnestly to disswade him from the further prosecution of the discouerie, by amplifying the dangers which hee was to fall into, and omitted no reason that might serue to that purpose. But he holding nothing so igno∣minious and reproachfull, as inconstancie and leuitie of minde, and perswading himselfe that a man of valour could not commit a more dishonourable part, then for feare of danger to auoyd and shun great attempts, was nothing at all changed or discouraged with the speeches and words of the Scots, remayning stedfast and immutable in his first resolution: determining either to bring that to passe which was intended, or else to dye the death.

And as for them which were with Master Chancelor in his Ship, although they had great cause of discomfort by the losse of their companie (whom the foresaid tempest had separated [ 50] from them,) and were not a little troubled with cogitations and perturbations of minde, in re∣spect of their doubtfull course: yet notwithstanding, they were of such consent and agreement of minde with Master Chancelor, that they were resolute, and prepared vnder his direction and gouernment, to make proofe and tryall of all aduentures, without all feare or mistrust of future dangers. Which constancie of minde in all the companie did exceedingly increase their Cap∣taines carefulnesse: for hee being swallowed vp with like good will and loue towards them, feared left through any errour of his, the safetie of the companie should bee indangered. To con∣clude, when they saw their desire and hope of the arriuall of the rest of the Ships to bee euery day more and more frustrated, they prouided to Sea againe, and Master Chancelor held on his course towards that vnknowne part of the world, and sayled so farre, that hee came at last to the place where hee found no night at all, but a continuall light and brightnesse of the Sunne shi∣ning [ 60] cleerely vpon the huge and mightie Sea.* 1.2 And hauing the benefite of this perpetuall light for certaine dayes, at the length it pleased God to bring them into a certaine great Bay, which was of one hundreth miles or there about ouer. Whereinto they entred, and somewhat farre

within it cast anchor, and looking euery way about them, it hapned that they espyed a farre off a certaine Fisher-boate, which Master Chancelor, accompanied with a few of his men, went to∣wards to common with the Fishermen that were in it, and to know of them what Countrey it was, and what people, and of what manner of liuing they were: but they being amazed with the strange greatnesse of his ship, (for in those parts before that time, they had neuer seene the like) began presently to auoyd and to flee: but hee still following them, at last ouertooke them, and being come to them, they (being in great feare, as men halfe dead) prostrated themselues before him, offering to kisse his feete: but hee (according to his great and singular courtesie,) loo∣ked pleasantly vpon them, comforting them by signes and gestures, refusing those duties and reuerences of theirs, and taking them vp in all louing sort from the ground. And it is strange [ 10] to consider how much fauour afterwards in that place, this humanitie of his did purchase to himselfe. For they being dismissed, spread by and by a report abroad of the arriuall of a strange Nation, of a singular gentlenesse and courtesie: whereupon the common people came together, offering to these new-come ghests victuals freely, and not refusing to traff••que with them, ex∣cept they had beene bound by a certaine religious vse and custome, not to buy any forraine com∣modities, without the knowledge and consent of the King.

By this time our men had learned, that this Countrey was called Russia, or Muscouie, and that Iuan Vasiliwich (which was at that time their Kings name) ruled and gouerned farre and wide in those places. And the barbarous Russes asked likewise of our men whence they were,* 1.3 and what they came for: whereunto answer was made, that they were English-men sent into [ 20] those coasts, from the most excellent King Edward the sixt, hauing from him in commande∣ment certaine things to deliuer to their King, and seeking nothing else but his amitie and friend∣ship, and traff••que with his people, whereby they doubted not, but that great commoditie and profit would grow to the subiects of both Kingdomes.

The Barbarians heard these things very gladly, and promised their ayde and furtherance to acquaint their King out of hand, with so honest and a reasonable a request. In the meane time Master Chancelor intreated victuals for his money, of the Gouernour of that place (who toge∣ther with others came aboord him) and required hostages of them likewise, for the more assu∣rance of safetie to himselfe and his companie. To whom the Gouernours answered, that they [ 30] knew not in that case the will of their King, but yet were willing in such things as they might lawfully doe, to pleasure him: which was as then to affoord him the benefit of victuals.

Now, while these things were a doing, they secretly sent a messenger vnto the Emperour, to certifie him of the arriuall of a strange Nation,* 1.4 and withall to know his pleasure concerning them. Which message was very welcome vnto him, insomuch that voluntarily he inuited them to come to his Court. But if by reason of the tediousnesse of so long a iourney, they thought it not best so to doe, then hee granted libertie to his Subiects to bargaine, and to traffique with them: and further promised, that if it would please them to come to him, hee himselfe would beare the whole charges of poste Horses. In the meane time the Gouernours of the place, differred the matter from day to day, pretending diuers excuses, and saying one while, that the consent of all [ 40] the Gouernours, and another while, that the great and weightie affaires of the Kindome com∣pelled them to differ their answer: and this they did of purpose, so long to protract the time, vn∣till the messenger (sent before to the King) did returne with relation of his will and pleasure.

But Master Chancelor, (seeing himselfe held in this suspense with long and vaine expectation, and thinking that of intention to delude him, they posted the matter off so often,) was very in∣stant with them to performe their promise: Which if they would not doe, hee told them that he would depart and proceed in his voyage. So that the Muscouites (although as yet they knew not the minde of their King) yet fearing the departure indeed of our men, who had such wares and commodities as they greatly desired, they at last resolued to furnish our people with all things necessarie, and to conduct them by land to the presence of their King. And so Master Chancelor began his iourney, which was very long and most troublesome, wherein he had the vse [ 50] of certaine sleds, which in that Countrey are very common, for they are carried themselues vp∣on sleds, and all their carriages are in the same sort, the people almost not knowing any other manner of carriage, the cause whereof is, the exceeding hardnesse of the ground congealed in the Winter time by the force of the cold, which in those places is very extreame and horrible, whereof hereafter wee will say something.

But now they hauing passed the greater part of their iourney, met at last with the Sled-man (of whom I spake before) sent to the King secretly from the Iustices or Gouernours, who by some ill hap had lost his way, and had gone to the Sea-side, which is neere to the Countrey of the Tartars, thinking there to haue found our ship. But hauing long erred and wandered out of his way, at the last in his direct returne, hee met (as he was comming) our Captaine on the [ 60] way. To whom hee by and by deliuered the Emperours letters, which were written to him with all courtesie and in the most louing manner that could bee:* 1.5 wherein expresse commande∣ment was giuen, that post Horses should be gotten for him and the rest of his company without any money. Which thing was of all the Russes, in the rest of their iourney so willingly done,

that they began to quarrell, yea, and to fight also in striuing and contending which of them should put their poste horses to the Sled: so that after much adoe, and great paines taken in this long and wearie iourney, (for they had trauelled very neere fifteene hundred miles) Master Chancelor came at last to Mosco, the chiefe Citie of the Kingdome, and the seate of the King.

[illustration] map of Russia

HONDIVS his Map of Russia.

Russia cum Confinijs

* 1.6Touching the Riphean Mountaines, whereupon the Snow lyeth continually, and where hence in times past it was thought that Tanais the riuer did spring, and that the rest of the wonders of nature, which the Grecians fained and inuented of old, were there to bee seene: our men which lately came from thence, neither saw them, nor yet haue brought home any perfect relation of them, although they remayned there for the space of three moneths, and had gotten in that time some intelligence of the language of Moscouie. The whole Countrey is plaine and champion, [ 50] and few hils in it: and towards the North, it hath very large and spacious Woods, wherein is great store of Firre trees, a wood very necessarie, and fit for the building of houses: there are also wilde beasts bred in those woods, as Buffes, Beares, and blacke Wolues, and another kinde of beast vnknowen to vs,* 1.7 but called by them Rossomakka: and the nature of the same is very rare and wonderfull: for when it is great with young, and ready to bring foorth, it seeketh out some narrow place betweene two stakes, and so going through them, presseth it selfe, and by that meanes is eased of her burthen, which otherwise could not bee done. They hunt their Buffes for the most part a horse-backe, but their Beares a foot, with woodden forkes. The North parts of the Countrey are reported to bee so cold, that the very Ice or water which distilleth out of the moyst wood which they lay vpon the fire, is presently congealed and frozen: the diuersitie [ 60] growing sodainly to bee so great, that in one and the selfe-same fire-brand, a man shall see both fire and Ice. When the winter doth once begin there, it doth still more and more increase by a perpetuitie of cold:* 1.8 neither doth that cold slake, vntill the force of the Sunne beames doth dis∣solue the cold, and make glad the earth, returning to it againe. Our Mariners which wee left in

the ship in the meane time to keepe it, in their going vp onely from their cabbins to the hatches, had their breath oftentimes so suddenly taken away, that they eft-soones fell downe as men ve∣ry neere dead, so great is the sharpenesse of that cold Climate: but for the South parts of the Countrey, they are somewhat more * 1.9 temperate.

Notes

• * 1.1

  I haue this booke of Cle∣ment Adams, in Latine, writ∣ten in a very elegant hand and eloquent stile to King Philip; (as I thinke) the very originall.
• * 1.2

  They arriue in the Bay of Saint Nicholas.
• * 1.3

  The Discoue∣rie of Russia.
• * 1.4

  Messenger sent to the Empe∣rour.
• * 1.5

  The Emperor•• courteous let∣ters to Master Chancelor.
• * 1.6

  Riphean hils, a tale of Anti∣quitie.
• * 1.7

  Rossomakka, a strange beast.
• * 1.8

  The sharpnes of the winter in Moscouie.
• * 1.9

  The rest of M▪ Adams con∣tayning a de∣scription of the Country, &c. is here omitted.