The Hawkins' Voyages during the Reigns of Henry VIII, Queen Elizabeth, and James I

Clements R. Markham, Clements R. Markham

• Publisher: Hakluyt Society
• Year: 2017
• ISBN:
  9781317029250
• Edition: 1
• Topic: History
• Subtopic: Early Modern History
• Index: History

A revised edition of First Series1 above, edited, with an Introduction, along with narratives of the voyages of Sir Richard Hawkins' grandfather William, of his father Sir John, and of his cousin William Hawkins, from manuscripts and printed editions. The supplementary material consists of the 1878 annual report. This is a new print-on-demand hardback edition of the volume first published in 1878.

THE OBSERVATIONS OF SIR RICHARD HAWKINS KNIGHT, IN HIS VOIAGE INTO THE South Sea.

Anno Domini 1593

Per varios Casus, Artem Experientia fecit, Exemplo monstrante viam.—MANIL. li. I.

LONDON

Printed by I. D. for IOHN IAGGARD, and are to be sold at his shop at the Hand and Starre in Fleete-streete, neere the Temple Gate. 1622.

TO THE
MOST ILLUSTRIOUS AND MOST EXCELLENT

PRINCE CHARLES, PRINCE OF WALES,

DUKE OF CORN Ε WALL, EAELE OF CHESTER, ETC.

AMONGST other neglects prejudiciall to this state, I have observed, that many the worthy and heroyque acts of our nation, have been buried and forgotten : the actors themselves being desirous to shunne emulation in publishing them, and those which overlived them, fearefull to adde, or to diminish from the actors worth, judgement, and valour, have forborne to write them; by which succeeding ages have been deprived of the fruits which might have beene gathered out of their experience, had they beene committed to record. To avoyd this neglect, and for the good of my country, I have thought it my duty to publish the observations of my South Sea Voyage; and for that unto your highnesse, your heires, and successors, it is most likely to be advantageous (having brought on me nothing but losse and misery), I am bold to use your name, a protection unto it, and to offer it with all humblenes and duty to your highnesse approbation, which if it purchase, I have attained my desire, which shall ever ayme to performe dutie.

Your Highnesse humble

And devoted servant,

RICHARD HAWKINS.

TO THE READER.

H A D that worthie knight, the author, lived to have seen this his Treatise published, he would perhaps himselfe have given the account thereof: for by his owne directions it was put to the presse, though it pleased God to take him to his mercy during the time of the impression. His purpose was to have recommended both it and himselfe unto our most excellent Prince Charles, and himselfe wrote the Dedication, which being imparted unto me, I conceited that it stood not with my dutie to suppresse it.

Touching the discourse it selfe, as it is out of my element to judge, so it is out of my purpose to say much of it. This onely I may boldly promise, that you shall heere find an expert seaman, in his owne dialect, deliver a true relation of an unfortunat voyage; which howsoever it proved lamentable and fatall to the actors, may yet prove pleasing to the readers: it being an itch in our natures to delight in newnes and varietie, be the subject never so grievous. This (if there were no more) were yet worthy your perusall; and is as much as others have with good acceptance afforded in relations of this nature. Howbeit besides the bare series and context of the storie, you shall heere finde intenveaved, sundry exact descriptions of Countries, Townes, Capes, Pro montories, rivers,creeks, harbours, and the like, not unprofitable for navigator’s; besides many notable the fruites of a long experience, that may give light touching marine accidents, even to the best captaines and communders: who if they desire to learn by precepts shall here find store: but if examples prevaile more with them, here are also aliena pencula. If you believe mee not, reade and judge. Farewell.

THE OBSERVATIONS
OF
SIR RICHARD HAWKINS, KNIGHT,
IN HIS
VOYAGE INTO THE SOUTH SEA.

SECTION I.

WITH the counsels consent, and helpe of my father, Sir John Hawkins,¹ knight, I resolved a voyage to be made for the Hands of Japan, of the Phillippinas, and Molucas, the kingdomes of China, and East Indies, by the way of the Straites of Magelan, and the South Sea.

The principall end of our designements, was, to make a perfect discovery of all those parts where I should arrive, as well knowne as unknowne, with their longitudes and latitudes; the lying of their coasts; their head lands; their ports, and bayes; their cities, townes, and peoplings; their manner of government; with the commodities which the countries yielded, and of which they have want, and are in necessitie.

The necessary use of discoveries.

Of travaile

Of shipping

For this purpose, in the end of anno 1588, returning from the journey against the Spanish Armado, I caused a ship to be builded in the river of Thames, betwixt three and foure hundred tunnes, which was finished in that perfection as could be required; for she was pleasing to the eye, profitable for stowage, good of sayle, and well conditioned.

Sect. ι.

The day of her launching been appoynted, the Lady Hawkins (my mother-in-law¹) craved the naming of the ship, which was easily granted her: who knowing what voyage was pretended to be undertaken, named her the Repentance : what her thoughts were, was kept secret to her selfe; and although many times I expostulated with her, to declare the reason for giving her that uncouth name, I could never have any other satisfaction, than that repentance was the safest ship we could sayle in, to purchase the haven of Heaven. Well, I know, shee was no prophetess, though a religious and most vertuous lady, and of a very good understanding.

Yet too propheticall it fell out by Gods secrete judgements, which in his wisdome was pleased to reveale unto us by so unknowne a way, and was sufficient for the present, to cause me to desist from the enterprise, and to leave the ship to my father, who willingly took her, and paid the entire charge of the building and furnishing of her, which I had concorted or paid. And this I did not for any superstition I have in names, or for that I thinke them able to further or hinder any thing; for that all immediately dependeth upon the Providence of Almightie God, and is disposed by him alone.

Improper names for shipping.

Yet advise I all persons ever (as neere as they can) by all meanes, and in all occasions, to presage unto themselves the good they can, and in giving names to terestriall workes (especially to ships), not to give such as meerly represent the celestial character: for few have I knowne, or seen, come to a good end, which have had such attributes. As was plainely seene in the Reveiiye, which was ever the unfortunatist ship the late queenes majestie had during her raigne; for coming out of Ireland, with Sir John Parrot,¹ shee was like to be cast away upon the Kentish coast. After, in the voyage of Sir John Hawkins, my father, anno 1586, shee strucke aground coming into Plimouth, before her going to sea. Upon the coast of Spaine, shee left her fleete, readie to sinke with a great leake: at her returne into the harbour of Plimouth, shee beate upon Winter stone; and after, in the same voyage, going out at Portsmouth haven, shee ranne twice aground; and in the latter of them, lay twentie-two houres beating upon the shore : and at length, with eight foote of water in hold, shee was forced off, and presently ranne upon the Oose : and was cause that shee remained there (with other three ships of her majesties) six months, till the spring of the yeare; when coming about to bee decked,² entring the river of Thames, her old leake breaking upon her, had liked to have drowned all those which were in her. In anno 1591, with a storme of wind and weather, riding at her moorings in the river of Rochester, nothing but her bare masts over head, shee was turned topsie-turvie, her kele uppermost: and the cost and losse shee wrought, I have too good cause to remember, in her last voyage, in which shee was lost, when shee gave England and Spain just cause to remember her. For the Spaniards, themselves confesse, that three of their ships sunke by her side, and was the death of above 1500 of their men, with the losse

Sect. ι.

The Revenge.

See Master Hacluits Relations.

Sect. ι.

The Thunderbolt of London.

The like wee might behold in the Thunderbolt, of London, who, in one voyage (as I remember), had her mast cleft with a thunderbolt, upon the coast of Barbary. After in Dartmouth, going for admirall of the Whaftage,¹ and guard of the fleete for the river of Bourdieux, had also her poope blown up with fire sodainly, and unto this day, never could be knowne the cause, or manner how : and lastly, shee was burned with her whole companie in the river of Bourdieux, and Master Edward Wilson, generall in her, slaine by his enemies, having escaped the fire.

The Jesus of Lubeck.

The successe of the Jesus of Lubecke, in St. John de Vlua, in the Nova Spania, infamous to the Spaniardes,² with my Repentance, in the South Sea, taken by force, hath utterly impoverished, and overthrowne our house.

The Repentance.

The Journey of Spaine.

The Journey of Spaine, pretended for England, anno 1587, called the Journey of Revenge, left the principall of their men and ships on the rocks of Cape Einister, and the rest made a lamentable end, for the most part in the Groyne.³ No more for this poynt, but to our purpose.

SECTION II.

THE Repentance being put in perfection, and riding at Detford, the queens majestie passing by her, to her pallace at Greenwych, commanded her bargemen to row round about her, and viewing her from post to stemme, disliked nothing but her name, and said that shoe would christen her anew, and that henceforth shee should be called the Daintie; which name she brooked as well for her proportion and grace, as for the many happie voyages she made in her majesties service; having taken (for her majestie) a great Bysten,¹ of five hundred tunnes, loaden with iron and other commodities, under the conduct of Sir Martin Furbusher; a caracke bound for the East Indies, under my fathers charge, and the principall cause of taking the great caracke, brought to Dartmouth by Sir John Borrow, and the Earl of Cumberlands shippes, anno 1592, with others of moment in other voyages.² To us, shee never brought but cost, trouble, and care. Therefore my father resolved to sell her, though with some losse, which he imparted with me : and for that I had ever a particular love unto her, and a desire shee should continue ours, I offered to ease him of the charge and care of her, and to take her with all her furniture at the price he had before taken her of me; with resolution to put in execution the voyage for which shee was first builded; although it lay six months and more in suspence, partly, upon the pretended voyage for Nombre de Dios and Panama, which then was fresh a foote; and partly, upon the caracke at Dartmouth, in which I was imployed as a commissioner; but this businesse being ended, and the other pretence waxing colde, the fift of March I resolved, and beganne to goe forward with the journey, so often talked of, and so much desired.

Sect. II.

Considerations for pretended voyages.

Provisions better provided at Plimouth, then at London.

And having made an estimate of the charge of victualls, munition, imprests,¹ sea-shore, and necessaries for the sayd ship: consorting another of a hundred tunnes which I waited for daily from the Straites of Giberalter, with a pynace of sixtie tunes, all mine owne: and for a competent number of men for them; as also of all sorts of merchandises for trade and traffique in all places where wee should come; I began to wage men, to buy all manner of victualls and provisions, and to lade her with them, and with all sorts of commodities (which I could ca...