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.

A Commission for Thomas Edge our seruant, appointed to goe as our Factor in the Ship called the Mary Margaret, of the burthen of one hundred and fiftie Tunnes, for the killing of the Whale and Morses vpon the coast of Greenland, or any other place in the North Ocean: Giuen the 31. of March, 1611.

YOu are not ignorant of our imploying you heretofore in two seuerall Voyages to Cherie Iland. The [ 50] first whereof, by reason of one Duppers going thither, together with certaine men of Hull, glutting the said place, prooued to vs a thousand pound losse of our principall. As also in the second Voyage,* 1.1 be∣cause you could not come to set footing vpon the said Iland, by reason of the abundance of Ice lying round about the same sixteene leagues compasse till the twentie eight of Iuly, by which occasion our whole charge of setting out that yeeres aduenture had beene lost, if the refuge to lade our ship backe againe from Saint Michael the Archangel in Russia had not holpen vs: yet notwithstanding that helpe, wee lost by that voyage aboue fiue hundred pounds. We entring into due consideration of the premisses, doe not impute the cause of these our losses vnto you; but to the accidents then happening contrarie to our expectation: yet these losses growing vpon vs in the times of your imployment, we can doe no lesse then put you in minde [ 60] thereof, to the intent to incourage and stirre vp your minde to doe your vttermost indeuour to further the businesse in this your third imployment, that we may recouer our selues of the losses formerly sustained. And for that end we haue made choice of you againe to goe as our Factor in the Ship Mary Margaret, of one hundred and fiftie Tunnees, the Master being Steuen Bennet, for the killing of the Whale: And to that end, as you well know, haue bin at charge of procuring of sixe me•• of Saint Iohn de Luz, accusto∣med

to that function: whose names are as followeth: videlicet, Iuan de Bacoyne, Iuan de Agerre, Mar∣tin de Karre,* 1.2 Marsene de Horisada, Domingo de Sarria, and Adam de Bellocke: which men wee would haue to be vsed very kindely and friendly during this their voyage, whereby being strangers and leauing their owne Countrie to doe vs seruice, they may haue no iust cause of complaint, but rather to be incouraged to doe vs seruice hereafter, if there be cause. And although it be our meaning they should be encouraged by all good and curteous vsage to be readie to doe vs seruice, yet we will haue you together with our owne people and Mariners imployed in this Voyage, to obserue and diligently put in practise the executing of that businesse of striking the Whale, as well as they: And likewise to know the better sorts of Whales from the worser, whereby in their striking * 1.3 they may choose the good, and leaue the bad. And to that end we doe set you downe here vnder, the seuerall sorts of Whales, together with the differences of good∣nesse betweene the one and the other, as we haue gathered the same by information from men of excellencie in that businesse: who make knowne vnto vs, that there are eight seuerall kindes of Whales, all differing the one from the other in quantitie and qualitie. Which for your better instruction, we haue thought good to set downe in this our Commission.

The first sort of Whales, is called the Bearded Whale, which is black in colour, with a smooth skinne, and white vnder the chops; which Whales is the best of all the rest: and the elder it is, the more it doth yeelde. This sort of Whale doth yeelde vsually foure hundred, and sometimes fiue hundred finnes, and betweene one hundred and one hundred and twentie Hogsheads of Oyle. The second sort of Whale is called Sarda, of the same colour and fashion as the former,* 1.4 but somewhat lesse, and the finnes not aboue one fathom long, and yeeldeth in Oyle, according to his bignesse, sometimes eightie, sometimes a hundred Hogsheads. The [ 20] third sort of Whale is called Trumpa, being as long as the first, but not so thicke, of colour Grey, hauing but one Trunke in his head, whereas the former haue two. He hath in his mouth teeth of a span long, and as thicke as a mans wrist, but no sins: whose head is bigger then either of the two former, and in proportion farre bigger then his body▪ In the head of this Whale is the Spermaceti, which you are to keepe in Caske apart from your other Oyle: you may put the Oyle you finde in the head and the Spermaceti altoge∣ther,* 1.5 and marke it from the other Oyle, and at your comming home, we will separate the Oyle from the Spermeceti. The like is to be done with the Oyle of this sort of Whale, which is to be kept apart from the Oyle of the other Whales. The reason is, that the Oyle of this sort of Whale being boyled, will be as hard and white as Tallow, which to be mingled with the other Oyle being liquid, would make the same to shew as footie Oyle, and so consequently spoyle both, and be of little value: you are therefore to be ve∣ry [ 30] carefull to keepe the Oyle of this sort of Whale apart, as well of the head as of the body, for the reasons before mentioned. In this sort of Whale is likewise found the Ambergreese, lying in the entrals and guts of the same,* 1.6 being of shape and colour like vnto Kowes dung. We would haue you therefore your selfe to be present at the opening of this sort of Whale, and cause the residue of the said entrals to be put into small Caske, and bring them with you into England. We would haue the Master also to be by at the opening of this Whale, and to be made priuie of the packing of those Barils. And although it be said, that the Ambergreese is onely in this Whale and in none other, yet we would not haue you be absent at the opening of any other: but if you see cause to make a reseruation of the entrals of euery Whale, that you shall perceiue to be cause of the least suspect to haue any of the said Ambergreese, being a matter, as you know, of good worth, and therefore not slightly to be regarded. The Teeth likewise of this sort of [ 40] Whale we would haue you cause to be reserued for a triall; as also any other matter extraordinarie that you shall obserue in the same. This Whale is said to yeelde in Oyle fortie Hogsheads, besides the Sperma∣ceti. The fourth sort, &c. as sup. 471.472.

And in as much as industrie and diligence are two principall steps to atchieue great enterprises, and negligence and idlenesse are enemies to the same; we would haue you in this charge committed vnto you, to imbrace the one, and to auoide the other: and to shew that example of paines taking to the rest of the company of your Ship in your owne person, as well in setting them on worke, as in putting your owne hand to the businesse when neede requireth, as that there be no idle time spent, but that euery one be imployed in some businesse or other in helping to kill the Whale, or in searching the Bayes along the coast for Whales, Ambergreese, Morses teeth, or any other strange thing, that may be found vpon that coast, or in killing the [ 50] Morses, Beares, or any thing that may make profit toward our great charges.

Touching directions for your keeping company together with the Elizabeth, and of the course we thinke fitting for the Master of that Ship to obserue, we haue set the same downe at large in our Commission de∣liuered to Ionas Poole, a Copie whereof we deliuer you herewith, for your better instructions, to obserue what is to be done on both your behalfes for the good of the Voyage: which our Commission, we would haue you strictly obserue, vnlesse vpon some speciall occasion to vs vnknowne, and by the consent of the principall Officers in both the Ships, you shall see iust cause to the contrary,

You haue with you an order set downe by the Lords of his Maiesties priuie Counsell, for the maintai∣ning of our Charter:* 1.7 which we would haue you make knowne to any of our Nation, that you may chance to meete withall either at Cherie Iland, or vpon any of those coasts. And if any stranger doe offer you vio∣lence, or doe disturbe you in your trade, you may both defend your selues, and maintaine your trade to the [ 60] vttermost of your powers, &c.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Aduentures and losses in first Discoue∣ries.
• * 1.2

  Sixe Biscainers procured for killing of the Whale (as I haue heard) by Woodcocks ad∣uise, who had liued and been imployed with them in Grand Bay, &c.
• * 1.3

  This was a conceit, as if all places had choi••e of all kindes, which experience hath since taught other∣wise.
• * 1.4

  See of the kinds of Whales sup· 471. I haue ad∣ded this to be compared with that, for fur∣ther light.
• * 1.5

  Spermaceti or Permaciti as the vulgar call it.
• * 1.6

  Ambergreese.
• * 1.7

  The rest as not so necessary to the publike is omitted.