The Principal Navigations, Voyages, Traffiques, and Discoveries of the English Nation — Volume 14: America, Part IIIHakluyt, Richard
History
The Principal Navigations, Voyages, Traffiques, and Discoveries of the English Nation — Volume 14: America, Part III
Hakluyt, Richard
Discoveries in geography -- English; Voyages and travels
Olde M. William Haukins of Plimmouth, a man for his wisedome, valure,
experience, and skill in sea causes much esteemed, and beloued of K.
Henry the 8, and being one of the principall Sea-captaines in the West
parts of England in his time, not contented with the short voyages
commonly then made onely to the knowne coasts of Europe, armed out a
tall and goodly shippe of his owne of the burthen of 250 tunnes called
the Paule of Plimmouth, wherewith he made three long and famous voyages
vnto the coast of Brasil, a thing in those dayes very rare, especially
to our Nation. In the course of which voyages he touched at the riuer of
Sestos vpon the coast of Guinea, where hee traffiqued with the Negros,
and tooke of them Elephants teeth, and other commodities which that
place yeeldeth: and so arriuing on the coast of Brasil, he vsed there
such discretion, and behaued himselfe so wisely with those sauage
people, that he grew into great familiarity and friendship with them.
[Sidenote: A king of Brasil brought into England.] Insomuch that in his
second voyage, one of the sauage kings of the countrey of Brasil, was
contented to take ship with him, and to be transported hither into
England: whereunto M. Haukins agreed, leauing behinde in the Countrey as
a pledge for his saftie and returne againe, one Martin Cockeram of
Plimmouth. This Brasilian king being arrived, was brought vp to London
and presented to K. Henry the 8, lying as then at White-hall: at the
sight of whom the King and all the Nobilitie did not a litle maruaile,
and not without cause: for in his cheekes were holes made according to
their sauage maner, and therein smalle bones were planted, standing an
inch out from the said holes, which in his owne Countrey was reputed for
a great brauerie. He had also another hole in his nether lip wherein was
set a precious stone about the bignes of a pease: All his apparel,
behauiour, and gesture, were very strange to the beholders.
Hauing remained here the space almost of a whole yeere, and the king
with his sight fully satisfied, M. Hawkins according to his promise and
appointment, purposed to conuey him againe into his countrey: but it
fell out in the way, that by change of aire and alteration of diet, the
said Sauage King died at sea, which was feared would turn to the losse
of the life of Martin Cockeram his pledge. Neuerthelesse, the Sauages
being fully perswaded of the honest dealing of our men with their
prince, restored againe the said pledge, without any harme to him, or
any man of the company: which pledge of theirs they brought home againe
into England, with their ship fraighted, and furnished with the
commodities of the countrey. Which Martin Cockeram, by the witnesse of
Sir Iohn Hawkins, being an officer in the towne of Plimmouth, was liuing
within these fewe yeeres.[22]
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