Chancellor, Richard, -1556; Europe -- Description and travel; Russia -- Description and travel; Willoughby, Hugh, Sir, -1554
And as for them which were with Master Chanceler in his ship, although
they had great cause of discomfort by the loss of their company (whom the
aforesaid tempest had separated from them), and were not a little
troubled with cogitations and perturbations of mind in respect of their
doubtful course, yet, notwithstanding, they were of such content and
agreement of mind with Master Chanceler, that they were resolute and
prepared under his direction and government to make proof and trial of
all adventures without all fear or mistrust of future dangers. Which
constancy of mind in all the company did exceedingly increase their
captain’s carefulness; for he being swallowed up with like goodwill and
love towards them, feared lest, through any error of his, the safety of
the company should be endangered. To conclude, when they saw their
desire and hope of the arrival of the rest of the ships to be every day
more and more frustrated, they provided to sea again, and Master
Chanceler held on his course towards that unknown part of the world, and
sailed so far that he came at last to the place where he found no night
at all, but a continual light and brightness of the sun shining clearly
upon the huge and mighty sea. And having the benefit of this perpetual
light for certain days, at length it pleased God to bring them into a
certain great bay, which was of one hundred miles or thereabout over.
Whereinto they entered and somewhat far within it cast anchor, and
looking every way about them, it happened that they espied afar off a
certain fisher boat, which Master Chanceler, accompanied with a few of
his men, went towards to commune with the fishermen that were in it, and
to know of them what country it was, and what people, and of what manner
of living they were. But they being amazed with the strange greatness of
his ship (for in those parts before that time they had never seen the
like), began presently to avoid and to flee. But he still following
them, at last overtook them, and being come to them, they (being in great
fear as men half dead) prostrated themselves before him, offering to kiss
his feet; but he (according to his great and singular courtesy) looked
pleasantly upon them, comforting them by signs and gestures, refusing
those duties and reverences of theirs, and taking them up in all loving
sort from the ground. And it is strange to consider how much they were
afterwards in that place this humanity of his did purchase to himself.
For they being dismissed, spread by-and-by a report abroad of the arrival
of a strange nation of a singular gentleness and courtesy, whereupon the
common people came together offering to those new-come guests victuals
freely, and not refusing to traffic with them, except they had been bound
by a certain religious use and custom not to buy any foreign commodities
without the knowledge and consent of the king.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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