Certaine other reasons, or arguments to proove a
passage by the Northwest, learnedly written by M.
Richard Willes Gentleman.
FOURE famous wayes there be spoken of to those fruitfull
and wealthie Islands, which wee doe usually call Moluccaes, continually haunted for gaine, and dayly travelled
for riches therein growing. These Islands, although
they stand East from the Meridian, distant almost halfe
the length of the worlde, in extreame heate, under the
Equinoctiall line, possessed of Infidels and Barbarians:
yet by our neighbours great abundance of wealth there
is painefully sought in respect of the voyage deerely
bought, and from thence dangerously brought home unto
us. Our neighbours I call the Portugals in comparison
of the Molucchians for neerenesse unto us, for like
situation Westward as we have, for their usuall trade
with us, for that the farre Southeasterlings doe knowe
this part of Europe by no other name then Portugall,
not greatly acquainted as yet with the other Nations
thereof. Their voyage is very well understood of all men,
and the Southeasterne way round about Afrike by the
Cape of Good hope more spoken of, better knowen and
travelled, then that it may seeme needfull to discourse
thereof any further.
The second way lyeth Southwest, betweene the West
India or South America, and the South continent, through
that narrow straight where Magellan first of all men that
ever we doe read of, passed these latter yeeres, leaving
thereunto therefore his name. The way no doubt the
Spaniardes would commodiously take, for that it lyeth
neere unto their dominions there, could the Easterne
current and levant windes as easily suffer them to returne,
as speedily therwith they may be carried thither: for
the which difficultie, or rather impossibility of striving
against the force both of winde and streame, this passage
is litle or nothing used, although it be very well knowen.
The third way by the Northeast, beyond all Europe
and Asia, that worthy and renowmed knight sir Hugh
Willoughbie sought to his perill, enforced there to ende
his life for colde, congealed and frozen to death. And
truely this way consisteth rather in the imagination of
Geographers, then allowable either in reason, or approved
by experience, as well it may appeare by the dangerous
trending of the
Scythish Cape set by Ortelius under
the 80 degree North, by the unlikely sailing in that
Northerne sea alwayes clad with yce and snow, or at the
least continually pestred therewith, if happily it be at
any time dissolved: besides bayes and shelfes, the water
waxing more shallow toward the East, that we say
nothing of the foule mists and darke fogs in the cold
clime, of the litle power of the Sunne to cleare the aire,
of the uncomfortable nights, so neere the Pole, five
moneths long.
A fourth way to go unto these aforesaid happy Islands,
Moluccae sir Humphrey Gilbert a learned and valiant:
knight discourseth of at large in his new passage to
Cathayo. The enterprise of it selfe being vertuous, the
fact must doubtlesse deserve high praise, and whensoever
it shal be finished, the fruits thereof cannot be smal :
where vertue is guide, there is fame a follower, & fortune
a companion. But the way is dangerous, the passage
doubtfull, the voiage not throughly knowen, and therefore gainesaid by many, after this maner.
First, who can assure us of any passage rather by the
Northwest, then by the Northeast? doe not both wayes
lye in equall distance from the North Pole? Stand not
the North Capes of eyther continent under like elevation?
Is not the
Ocean sea beyond America
farther distant from
our Meridian by 30. or 40. degrees West, then the
extreame poyntes of Cathayo Eastward, if Ortelius
generall Carde of the world be true? In the Northeast
that noble Knight Syr Hugh Willoughbie perished for
colde: and can you then promise a passenger any better
happe by the Northwest? Who hath gone for triall sake
at any time this way out of Europe to Cathayo?
If you seeke the advise herein of such as make profession in
Cosmographie, Ptolome the father of Geographie,
and his eldest children, will answere by their mappes with
a negative, concluding most of the Sea within the land,
and making an ende of the world Northward, neere the
63. degree. The same opinion, when learning chiefly
florished, was received in the Romanes time, as by their
Poets writings it may appeare: tibi serviat ultima Thyle,
said Virgil, being of opinion, that Island was the extreme
part of the world habitable toward the North. Joseph
Moletius an Italian, and Mercator a Germaine, for knowledge men able to be compared with the best Geographers
of our time, the one in his halfe Spheres of the whole
world, the other in some of his great globes, have continued the West Indies land, even to the North Pole, and
consequently, cut off all passage by sea that way.
The same doctors, Mercator in other of his globes
and mappes, Moletius in his sea Carde, neverthelesse
doubting of so great continuance of the former continent,
have opened a gulfe betwixt the West Indies and the
extreame Northerne land: but such a one, that either is
not to be travelled for the causes in the first objection
alledged, or cleane shut up from us in Europe by Groenland
: the South ende whereof Moletius maketh firme land
with America
, the North part continent with Lappeland
and Norway
.
Thirdly, the greatest favourers of this voyage can not
denie, but that if any such passage be, it lieth subject
unto yce and snow for the most part of the yeere, whereas
it standeth in the edge of the frostie Zone. Before the
Sunne hath warmed the ayre, and dissolved the yce,
eche one well knoweth that there can be no sailing: the
yce once broken through the continuall abode the sunne
maketh a certaine season in those parts, how shall it
be possible for so weake a vessel as a shippe is, to holde
out amid whole Islands, as it were of yce continually
beating on eche side, and at the mouth of that gulfe,
issuing downe furiously from the north, and safely to
passe, when whole mountaines of yce and snow shall be
tumbled downe upon her?
Well, graunt the West Indies not to continue continent
unto the Pole, grant there be a passage betweene these
two lands, let the gulfe lie neerer us then commonly
in cardes we finde it set, namely, betweene the 61. and
64. degrees north, as Gemma Frisius in his mappes and
globes imagineth it, and so left by our countryman
Sebastian Cabot in his table which the Earle of Bedford
hath at
Cheinies: Let the way be voyde of all difficulties,
yet doeth it not follow that wee have free passage to
Cathayo. For examples sake: You may trend all
Norway
, Finmarke, and Lappeland, and then bowe
Southward to Saint Nicholas in Moscovia: you may
likewise in the
Mediterranean Sea fetch Constantinople,
and the mouth of Tanais
: yet is there no passage by Sea
through Moscovia into Pont Euxine, now called Mare
Maggiore. Againe, in the aforesaid
Mediterranean sea,
we saile to Alexandria in Egypt
, the Barbarians bring
their pearle and spices from the Moluccaes up the
Red
sea or Arabian gulph to Sues, scarcely three dayes journey
from the aforesayd haven: yet have wee no way by sea
from Alexandria to the Moluccaes, for that Isthmos or
litle straight of land betweene the two seas. In like
maner although the Northerne passage be free at 61
degrees of latitude, and the
West Ocean beyond America
,
usually called Mar del Zur, knowen to be open at 40.
degrees elevation from the
Island Japan, yea three
hundred leagues Northerly above Japan
: yet may there
be land to hinder the thorow passage that way by Sea,
as in the examples aforesaid it falleth out, Asia and
America
there being joyned together in one continent.
Ne can this opinion seeme altogether. frivolous unto any
one that diligently peruseth our Cosmographers doings.
Josephus Moletius is of that minde, not onely in his
plaine Hemispheres of the world, but also in his Sea
card. The French Geographers in like maner be of the
same opinion, as by their Mappe cut out in forme of a
Hart you may perceive: as though the West Indies were
part of Asia. Which sentence well agreeth with that old
conclusion in the Schooles : Quicquid praeter Africam &
Europam est, Asia est, Whatsoever land doeth neither
apperteine unto Afrike nor to Europe, is part of Asia.
Furthermore it were to small purpose to make so long,
so painefull, so doubtfull a voyage by such a new found
way, if in
Cathayo you should neither bee suffered to
land for silkes and silver, nor able to fetch the Molucca
spices and pearle for piracie in those Seas. Of a law
denying all Aliens to enter into China
, and forbidding
all the inhabiters under a great penaltie to let in any
stranger into those countryes, shall you reade in the
report of Galeotto Perera there imprisoned with other
Portugals: as also in the Japonish letters, how for that
cause the worthy traveller Xavierus bargained with a
Barbarian Merchant for a great summe of pepper to be
brought into Canton, a port in China
. The great and
dangerous piracie used in those Seas no man can be
ignorant of, that listeth to reade the Japonish and East
Indian historic.
Finally, all this great labour would be lost, all these
charges spent in vaine, if in the ende our travellers might
not be able to returne againe, and bring safely home
into their owne native countrey that wealth & riches,
which they in forrein regions with adventure of goods,
& danger of their lives have sought for. By the Northeast there is no way, the Southeast passage the Portugals
doe hold as the Lords of those Seas. At ye Southwest
Magellans experience hath partly taught us, and partly
we are persuaded by reason, how the Easterne current
striketh so furiously on that straight, and falleth with
such force into that narrow gulph, that hardly any ship
can returne that way into our
West Ocean out of Mar
del Zur. The which if it be true, as truely it is, then
wee may say that the aforesayd Easterne current or
levant course of waters continually following after the
heavenly motions, looseth not altogether his force, but is
doubled rather by an other current from out the Northeast, in the passage betweene America
and the North
land, whither it is of necessity caryed: having none other
way to maintaine it selfe in circular motion, & consequently the force and fury thereof to be no lesse in the
straight of Anian, where it striketh South into Mar del
Zur, beyond America
(if any such straight of Sea there
be) then in
Magellans fret, both straights being of like
bredth: as in Belognine Zalterius table of new France,
and in Don Diego Hermano de Toledo his Card for
navigation in that region we doe finde precisely set
downe.
Neverthelesse to approove that there lyeth a way to
Cathayo at the Northwest from out of Europe, we have
experience, namely of three brethren that went that
journey, as Gemma Frisius recordeth, and left a name
unto that straight, whereby now it is called Fretum
trium fratrum. We doe reade againe of a Portugall that
passed this straight, of whom Master Frobisher speaketh,
that was imprisoned therefore many yeeres in
Lisbone,
to verifie the olde Spanish proverbe, I suffer for doing
well. Likewise Andrew Urdaneta a Fryer of Mexico came
out of Mar del Zur this way into Germanie: his Carde
(for he was a great Discoverer) made by his owne experience and travell in that voyage, hath bene seene by
Gentlemen of good credite.
Now if the observation and remembrance of things
breedeth experience, and of experience proceedeth arte,
and the certaine knowledge we have in all faculties, as
the best Philosophers that ever were doe affirme: truely
the voyage of these aforesayd travellers that have gone
out of Europe into Mar del Zur, and returned thence
at the Northwest, do most evidently conclude that way
to be navigable, and that passage free. So much the
more we are so to thinke, for that the first principle
and chiefe ground in all Geographie, as Ptolome saith,
is the history of travell, that is, reports made by
travellers skilful in Geometrie and Astronomie, of all
such things in their journey as to Geographie doe
belong. It onely then remaineth, that we now answere
to those arguments that seemed to make against this
former conclusion.
The first objection is of no force, that generall table
of the world set forth by Ortelius or Mercator, for it
greatly skilleth not, being unskilfully drawen for that
point: as manifestly it may appeare unto any one that
conferreth the same with Gemma Frisius his universall
Mappe, with his round quartered carde, with his globe,
with Sebastian Cabota his table, and Ortelius his generall
mappe alone, worthily preferred in this case before all
Mercator & Ortelius other doings: for that Cabota was
not onely a skilful Sea man, but a long traveller, and
such a one as entred personally that straight, sent by
king Henry the seventh to make this aforesayd Discoverie, as in his owne discourse of navigation you may
reade in his carde drawen with his owne hand, that the
mouth of the Northwesterne straight lyeth neere the 318.
Meridian, betweene 61. and 64. degrees in the elevation,
continuing the same bredth about 10. degrees West,
where it openeth Southerly more and more, untill it come
under the tropicke of Cancer, and so runneth into Mar
del Zur, at the least 18. degrees more in bredth there,
then it was where it first began: otherwise I could as
well imagine this passage to be more unlikely then the
voyage to Moscovia, and more impossible then it for the
farre situation and continuance thereof in the frostie
clime: as now I can affirme it to be very possible and
most likely in comparison thereof, for that it neither
coasteth so farre North as the Moscovian passage doeth,
neither is this straight so long as that, before it bow
downe Southerly towardes the Sunne againe.
The second argument concludeth nothing. Ptolome
knew not what was above sixteene degrees South beyond
the Equinoctiall line, he was ignorant of all passages
Northward from the elevation of 63. degrees: he knewe
no
Ocean sea beyond Asia, yet have the Portugals trended
the
cape of Good hope at the South point of Afrike, and
travelled to Japan
an Island in the
East Ocean, betweene
Asia & America
: our merchants in the time of king
Edward the sixt discovered the Moscovian passage farther
North then Thyle, & shewed Groenland
not to be continent with Lappeland & Norway
: the like our Northwesterne travellers have done, declaring by their
navigation that way, the ignorance of all Cosmographers
that either doe joyne Groenland
with America
, or continue the West Indies with that frosty region under the
north pole. As for Virgil he sang according to the
knowledge of men in his time, as an other Poet did of
the hot Zone.
Quarum quae media est, non est habitabilis aestu.
Imagining, as most men then did, Zonam torridam, the
hot Zone to be altogether dishabited for heat, though
presently wee know many famous and woorthy kingdomes
and cities in that part of the earth, and the
Island of
S. Thomas neere Æthiopia, & the wealthy Islands for
the which chiefly all these voyages are taken in hand,
to be inhabited even under the equinoctiall line.
To answere the third objection, besides Cabota and
all other travellers navigations, the onely credit of M.
Frobisher may suffice, who lately through all these
Islands of ice, and mountaines of snow, passed that
way, even beyond the gulfe that tumbleth downe from
the North, and in some places though he drewe one inch
thicke ice, as he returning in August did, yet came he
home safely againe.
The fourth argument is altogether frivolous & vaine,
for neither is there any isthmos or strait of land betweene
America
and Asia, ne can these two landes joyntly be
one continent. The first part of my answere is manifestly
allowed of by Homer, whom that excellent Geographer
Strabo followeth, yeelding him in this facultie the price.
The authour of that booke likewise mrEpi Ko-0lOV to
Alexander, attributed unto Aristotle, is of the same
opinion that Homer and Strabo be of, in two or three
places. Dionisius in
OtKOVLEV?7S TrEptqyr-cL hath this verse
TWR? WKEaVOS TrEptL86pOfiLE yatav airaorav. So doth the
Ocean
Sea runne round about the worlde: speaking onely of
Europe, Afrike and Asia, as then Asia was travelled and
knowen. With these Doctours may you joyne Pomponius
Mela. cap. 2. lib. 1. Plinius lib. 2. cap. 67. and Pius
2. cap. 2. in his description of Asia. All the which
writers doe no lesse confirme the whole Easterne side
of Asia to be compassed about with the sea, then Plato
doeth affirme in
Timaeo, under the name Atlantis, the
West Indies to be an Island, as in a special discourse
thereof R. Eden writeth, agreeable unto the sentence of
Proclus, Marsilius Ficinus, and others. Out of Plato
it is gathered that America
is an Island. Homer, Strabo,
Aristotle, Dionysius, Mela, Plinie, Pius 2. affirme the
continent of Asia, Afrike, & Europe, to be environed
with the Ocean. I may therfore boldly say (though
later intelligences therof had we none at all) that Asia
& the West Indies be not tied together by any
Isthmos or straight of land, contrary to the opinion
of some new Cosmographers, by whom doubtfully this
matter hath bin brought in controversie. And thus
much for the first part of my answere unto the fourth
objection.
The second part, namely that America
and Asia cannot
be one continent, may thus be proved, Kara
7'7}v yM'5 ys9
KotAorrVTra pet KcaT rTv wor0aJowv ro 7rX^Oos. The most
Rivers take downe that way their course, where the
earth is most hollow and deepe, writeth Aristotle: and
the Sea (sayth he in the same place) as it goeth further,
so is it found deeper. Into what gulfe doe the Moscovian
rivers Onega, Duina, Ob, powre out their streames
Northward out of Moscovia into the sea? Which way
doeth that sea strike? The South
is maine land, the
Easterne coast waxeth more and more shalow: from the
North, either naturally, because that part of the earth
is higher Aristot. 2 Met. cap. 1. or of necessitie, for
that the forcible influence of some Northerne starres
causeth the earth there to shake off the Sea, as some
Philosophers doe thinke: or finally for the great store
of waters engendred in that frostie and colde climate,
that the bankes are not able to holde them. Alber. in
2. Meteor. cap. 6. From the North, I say, continually
falleth downe great abundance of water. So that this
Northeasterne currant must at the length abruptly bow
toward us South on the West side of Finmarke and
Norway
: or else strike downe Southwest above Groneland, or betwixt Groneland and Iseland, into the Northwest straight we speake of, as of congruence it doeth,
if you marke the situation of that Region, and by the
report of M. Frobisher experience teacheth us. And M.
Frobisher the further he travailed in the former passage,
as he tolde me, the deeper alwayes he found the Sea.
Lay you now the summe hereof together. The rivers
runne where the chanels are most hollow, the sea in
taking his course waxeth deeper, the Sea waters fall
continually from the North Southward, the Northeasterne
current striketh downe into the straight we speake of,
and is there augmented with whole mountaines of yce
and snowe falling downe furiously out from the land
under the North pole. Where store of water is, there
is it a thing impossible to want Sea, where Sea not
onely doeth not want, but waxeth deeper, there can be
discovered no land. Finally, whence I pray you came
the contrary tide, that M. Frobisher mette withall after
that he had sailed no small way in that passage, if there
bee any Isthmos or straight of land betwixt the aforesayd Northwesterne gulfe, and Mar del Zur, to joyne
Asia and America
together? That conclusion frequented
in scholes Quicquid praeter, &c. was meant of the partes
of the world then knowen, and so is it of right to be
understood.
The fift objection requireth for answere wisedome and
policie in the travailer, to winne the Barbarians favour
by some good meanes: and so to arme and strengthen
himselfe, that when he shal have the repulse in one coast,
he may safely travaile to an other, commodiously taking
his convenient times, and discreetely making choise of
them with whom hee will throughly deale. To force a
violent entry, would for us Englishmen be very hard,
considering the strength and valour of so great a Nation,
farre distant from us, and the attempt thereof might be
most perillous unto the doers, unlesse their part were
very good.
Touching their lawes against strangers, you shall reade
neverthelesse in the same relations of Galeotto Perera,
that the Cathaian king is woont to graunt free accesse
unto all forreiners that trade into his Countrey for Marchandise, and a place of libertie for them to remaine in:
as the Moores had, untill such time as they had brought
the Loutea or Lieutenant of that coast to bee a circumcised Saracene: wherefore some of them were put to the
sword, the rest were scattered abroad: at
Fuquien a
great citie in China
, certaine of them are yet this day
to be seene. As for the Japans they be most desirous
to be acquainted with strangers. The Portingals though
they were straitly handled there at the first, yet in the
ende they found great favour at the Prince his hands,
insomuch that the Loutea or president that misused them
was therefore put to death. The rude Indian Canoa
halleth those seas, the Portingals, the Saracenes, and
Moores travaile continually up and downe that reach from
Japan
to China
, from China
to Malacca, from Malacca
to the Moluccaes: and shall an Englishman, better
appointed then any of them all (that I say no more of
our Navie) feare to saile in that Ocean? What seas at
all doe want piracie? what Navigation is there voyde of
perill?
To the last argument. Our travailers neede not to
seeke their returne by the Northeast, neither shall they
be constrained, except they list, either to attempt
Magellans straight at the Southwest, or to be in danger
of the Portingals for the Southeast: they may returne
by the Northwest, that same way they doe goe foorth,
as experience hath shewed.
The reason alleadged for proofe of the contrary may
be disproved after this maner. And first it may be called
in controversie, whether any current continually be forced
by the motion of Primum mobile, round about the world,
or no? For learned men doe diversly handle that question. The naturall course of all waters is downeward,
wherefore of congruence they fall that way where they
finde the earth most lowe and deepe: in respect whereof,
it was erst sayd, the seas doe strike from the Northren
landes Southerly. Violently the seas are tossed and
troubled divers wayes with the windes, encreased and
diminished by the course of the Moone, hoised up &
downe through the sundry operations of the Sunne and
the starres: finally, some be of opinion, that the seas be
caried in part violently about the world, after the dayly
motion of the highest moveable heaven, in like maner
as the elements of ayre and fire, with the rest of the
heavenly spheres, are from the East unto the West.
And this they doe call their Easterne current, or levant
streame. Some such current may not be denied to be
of great force in the hot Zone, for the neerenesse thereof
unto the centre of the Sunne, and blustring Easterne
windes violently driving the seas Westward: howbeit,
in the temperate climes, the Sunne being further off,
& the windes more divers, blowing as much from the
North, the West and South, as from the East, this rule
doeth not effectually withholde us from travailing Eastward, neither be we kept ever backe by the aforesaid
Levant
windes and streame. But in
Magellans streight
wee are violently driven backe Westward: Ergo, through
the Northwesterne straight or Anian frette shall we not
be able to returne Eastward? It followeth not. The
first, for that the northwesterne straight hath more sea
roome at the least by one hundreth English myles, then
Magellans frette hath, the onely want whereof causeth
all narrow passages generally to be most violent. So
would I say in the Anian gulfe, if it were so narrow as
Don Diego and Zalterius have painted it out, any returne
that way to bee full of difficulties, in respect of such
streightnesse thereof, not for the neerenesse of the Sunne,
or Easterne windes, violently forcing that way any levant
streame: But in that place there is more sea roome by
many degrees, if the Cardes of Cabota, and Gemma
Frisius, and that which Tramezine imprinted, be true.
And hitherto reason see I none at all, but that I may
as well give credite unto their doings, as to any of the
rest. It must be Peregrinationis historia, that is, true
reportes of skilfull travailers, as Ptolome writeth, that
in such controversies of Geographie must put us out of
doubt. Ortelius in his universall tables, in his particular
Mappes of the West Indies, of all Asia, of the Northren
kingdomes, of the East Indies, Mercator in some of his
globes, and generall Mappes of the world, Moletius in
his universall table of the Globe divided, in his sea Carde,
and particuler tables of the East Indies, Zalterius, and
Don Diego, with Ferdinando Bertely, and others, doe
so much differ from Gemma Frisius and Cabota, among
themselves, and in divers places from themselves, concerning the divers situation and sundry limits of America
,
that one may not so rashly, as truely surmise, these men
either to be ignorant in those points touching the aforesaid region, or that the Mappes they have given out unto
the world, were collected onely by them, and never of
their owne drawing.
