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.

CHAP. II. A Commission for IONAS POOLE our Seruant, appointed Master of a small Barke called the Elizabeth, of fiftie tunnes burthen, for Discouerie to the Northward of Greenland, giuen [ 50] the last day of March 1610.

IN as much as it hath pleased Almightie God, through the industry of your selfe and others, to discouer vnto our Nation a Land lying in eightie degrees toward the North∣pole:* 1.1 We are desirous not only to discouer farther to the Northward along the said Land, to find whether the same be an Iland or a Mayne, and which way the same doth trend, either to the Eastward or to the Westward of the Pole, as also whether the same be inhabited by any people, or whether there be an open Sea farther Northward then hath beene al∣readie discouered. For accomplishing of all which our desires, we haue made choice of you, and to that end haue entertayned you into our seruice for certayne yeares vpon a stipend certayne: not doubting, but [ 60] you will so carrie your selfe in the businesse, for which you were so entertayned, as God may be glorified, our Countrey benefited, your selfe credited, and we in our desires satisfied. And for your better instru∣ction to proceed in this your Voyage, we haue thought good to set downe our opinions what course wee thinke fit to be obserued in the same: which is, That forasmuch as by your owne report of the great

store of Whales in those Seas, wee are at an extraordinary charge this yeare, of setting out a ship and men for that purpose, which ship is called the Marie Margaret of London, in burthen one hundred and fiftie tunnes or thereabout: Our meaning is, that you doe keepe company with the said ship, and not to leaue her, till God send you to the places, where she may make her Voyage: which by your report should be at a ••lace named by you the last yeare 1610. Whale Bay.

And God sending you to the said place, we would haue you to stay there the killing of a Whale, or two or three, for your better experience hereafter to expedite that businesse, if through extremitie of the Ice you should be put from your Discoueries. And in the meane time while you are staying about killing of the Whale, you may cause some of your people to bee searching the Coast with their Shallops for Whale finnes, Morses teeth, Ambergreese, or any other commodities, that may be found vpon that Coast. And hauing thus stayed a conuenient time with the said great ship for the purpose aboue specified, wee would haue you [ 10] then to proceed on your Discouerie for the satisfying of our expectations formerly mentioned, which is, to discouer further to the North Pole as farre as possibly you can, and how the Land alreadie discouered doth trend,* 1.2 and whether there be any inhabitants in the said Land, and whether there be an open Sea to the Northward beyond the said land. And in this your coasting the land, we doubt not but you will endeauor with your Shallops to gather vp all the Whale finnes you can finde, and to kill the Morses which you can come by on land, and to reserue the teeth and blubber to the most aduantage that may bee, the better to beare out the great charge which you know we are at in these Discoueries. And to that end we haue la∣den in you eleuen Tunnes of emptie caske.

And hauing spent so much time in this your Discouerie, and in gathering vp of such commodities as [ 20] that Coast will affoord, and as the season of the yeere will permit you, then we would haue you returne for England▪ and in your way homeward to touch at the place where you left the Mary Margaret, to see if shee be not gone; and finding her there, and that the time of the yeere will permit, wee would haue you melt your Blubber into Oile before your comming from thence, to auoid the great trouble and inconue∣nience you know we fell into the last yeere 1610. by bringing the same hither in Blubber. But if the said ship should chance to be full fished, and so to be gone before your comming thither, yet we would haue you stay there, or at Cherie Iland some small time to melt your Blubber: to which end we haue appointed Thomas Edge our seruant in that ship to leaue a Copper, and such necessaries as shall serue your turne, for the performing of that businesse,* 1.3 behinde him; and haue deliuered him likewise aduertisements at that place of their proceedings in the voyage, and of their intent, what course they purpose to take, together [ 30] with their opinions, what course they would haue you take.

In these matters of Discoueries and vncertaine Voyages, the varietie of occurrences and Sea dangers is such, as we cannot directly prescribe a course certaine to be held: yet we hold it fitting to set downe Our opinions of the needfull: which are, that at your first departure out of England you keepe counsell toge∣ther, and agree vpon your places of meetings, if by tempast of weather you chance to bee separated; still shaping your course directly for Chery Iland, where we would haue you stay. And if at your comming thither, you finde the same cleere of Ice, and that there be Morses on shoare, then wee would haue you to worke vpon them, as time and opportunitie will permit, alway hauing respect to your intended voyage. And hauing dispatched your businesse in that place, wee would haue you depart in company together for The Whale Bay, as aforesaid, and to follow our instructions formerly set downe to be done in that place. [ 40] And hauing performed what may be done in the parts beyond Cherie Island,* 1.4 and so returning backe a∣gaine for England, we hold it fit you make your Rendezvous againe at the said Cherie Iland, and there to stay the one for the other, and to be killing of the Beasts there till the last of August, if neede bee. And if it happen that one ship doe arriue there before the other, and no Morses come on shoare, then wee would haue them spend the time in searching for the Lead Or••, or any other Minerall matter that may be like to be of worth vpon the said Land. And thus hauing stayed at Cherie Iland till the last of Au∣gust the one for the other, and not meeting together, the ship so staying hauing made her Voyage, wee would haue her to returne directly for England, and to leaue a Note in writing of the day of her depar∣ture. This is our opinion. Notwithstanding, if vpon better grounds you shall among your selues finde a conuenienter course to be held for the good of the Voyage, and the benefit of vs the Aduenturers, wee leaue it to your selues to agree vpon, as time and opportunitie shall serue. [ 50]

And for the auoyding of an Obiection heretofore vsed, That the want of sufficient victuals hath beene the cause of the ouerthrow of the Voyages by speedier returne home, then otherwise they would; wee haue thought fit to set downe the quantitie of victuals deliuered aboord your ship in this our Commission, to the intent to cleere our selues and our Agent of that imputation, and to lay the blame on your selues, if by default the same be euill husbanded. The particulars are these. Beefe, 22.^c 3. quarters, 18^li. Bisquit 30.^c Beere 14. Tunnes. Fish, 200. of Haberdin, and halfe an hundred Lings. Cheese 300.^c weight. Butter three Firkins. Oyle three Gallons. Pease ten Bushels. Oate-meale fiue Bushels. Candels, sixe dosen. Aquavitae, thirtie Gallons. Vinegar one rundlet of twentie Gallons. This proportion of victuals will last you seuen or eight moneths with good husbandry, together with the h••lpes of Fish, Fowle, and Beasts that are to be had in abundance vpon those Coasts. So that we hope [ 60] you shall haue no cause to the contrary, but cheerfully to goe forward in your businesse, whereby not onely the small Barke you goe in, but the great Ship may come home fully laden with one commoditie or other, which we doubt not but by your diligence and good endeuours you may attayne vnto.

But if you shall chance by extremitie of Ice, or otherwise to be put backe from your discouerie, or from obtayning commodities vpon the coast of Greenland, whereby to lade both ships; then we would haue you stay at Cherie Iland, or other Ilands thereabout, so long time as possibly you can, and as the season of the yeere will permit you, to finish the rest of your voyage. And if there bee sufficiens lading betweene you both to lade the bigger ship, wee would haue her to bee dispatched from thence with all speede, and you to stay there as long as you may conueniently for the good of the Voyage: which the more beneficiall it proo∣ueth, the more it will be for your credit, and we will not be vnthankefull at your returne.

We would haue you at euery place of meeting with the Mary Margaret, to deliuer to Thomas Edge our seruant a particular Note of what goods you haue taken into your ship. And at your last lading place we would haue you make a generall inuoyce of the whole Cargason of goods laden in your ship, and hauing [ 10] signed the same, to seale it vp, and direct the same to our Agent resident in London. And if you doe c••ance to meete with the Mary Margaret at or after your last Port of lading, we would haue you deliuer a Copy of the said inuoyce to our seruant Thomas Edge for our better satisfaction, what casualtie soeuer might happen by the way, and at any hand to haue such an inuoyce euer readie sealed, and for mortalities sake put vp in some sure place of custodie.

We h••ld it fit, that you Ionas Poole should be as grand Pilot in this voyage to the Northward. And therefore we would haue you to accompany the great ship, and to bring her to the places of fishing for the Whale; or to any other place, which you out of your experience shall thinke fit to bring her for the good of the Voyage and benefit of the Aduenturers. And our will is, That Steuen Bennet Master of the said great ship together with the rest of the company in that ship, doe follow the said Ionas Pooles dire∣ctions, [ 20] as they will answer the contrarie vpon their perils at their comming home.

And for that heretofore the Company haue beene abused by lewd and bad people, who haue imbeseled part of that which by our great charges and aduentures hath beene obtayned: Our minde and will is, That you Ionas Poole doe make search in your owne ship, that none of our Whale finnes, Morses teeth, Oyle, or any other commodities gathered at our charge, be imbeseled or carried away by any of the Ma∣riners, who will looke to haue the vttermost of their wages paid them, and to bee fed with meate and drinke sufficient. And God sending you into England, we would haue you suffer none of your people to goe on shoare vnsearched: neither would we haue you to leaue the ship till your comming into the Riuer of Thames, that we giue you order to the contrarie. And if you chance to be winde bound vpon the coast, you may send vp one of your people with your Letter, but not to come your selfe on shoare till our farther [ 30] order, as aforesaid.

The like order we would haue Steuen Bennet to vse in his ship, by vertue of this our Commission, which we haue ordered to Thomas Edge our seruant to see performed accordingly.

And in as much as we haue agreed here with a Tanner for all the Morses hides which wee kill and bring into England, and haue sent men of purpose for the flaying, salting, and ord••••ing of the same,* 1.5 whereof we haue appointed one to goe in your ship: We would haue you reserue the said hides, and floore your ship therewith in stead of ballast. And if you obtayne a greater quantitie then you can bring away with you, hauing alwayes regard to commodities of more value, which are Oyle, Teeth, and Whales finnes, that none of them be left behind; We would haue you leaue the said ouerplus of hides in some conue∣nient [ 40] place, till the next yeere, that we send more store of shipping.

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,* 1.6 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,* 1.7 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 * 1.8 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,* 1.9 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,* 1.10 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,* 1.11 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:* 1.12 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

  Poole enter∣tayned by a certaine sti∣pend. He was as I haue heard, misera∣bly and basely murthered be∣twixt Ratcl••ffe and London, af∣ter his returne from this Voyage.
• * 1.2

  Further disco∣uerie to the North.
• * 1.3

  Thomas Edge, See sup. l. 3 c. 2.
• * 1.4

  Cherie Iland.
• * 1.5

  Agreement with a Tanner for Morses hides.
• * 1.6

  Aduentures and losses in first Discoue∣ries.
• * 1.7

  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.
• * 1.8

  This was a conceit, as if all places had choi••e of all kindes, which experience hath since taught other∣wise.
• * 1.9

  See of the kinds of Whales sup· 471. I haue ad∣ded this to be compared with that, for fur∣ther light.
• * 1.10

  Spermaceti or Permaciti as the vulgar call it.
• * 1.11

  Ambergreese.
• * 1.12

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