The Principal Navigations, Voyages, Traffiques and Discoveries of the English Nation — Volume 04Hakluyt, Richard
History
The Principal Navigations, Voyages, Traffiques and Discoveries of the English Nation — Volume 04
Hakluyt, Richard
Discoveries in geography -- English; Voyages and travels
And now for your good direction, in this voyage, we would haue you with the
next good winde and weather, that God shall send thereunto meete and
conuenient, after the 22. day of this present moneth of May, saile from
this riuer of Thames, to the coast of Finmarke, to the North Cape there, or
to the Wardhouse, and from thence direct your course to haue sight of
Willoughbies land, and from it passe alongst to the Noua Zembla, keeping
the same landes alwayes in your sight on your larboordsides (if
conueniently you may) to the ende you may discouer, whether the same
Willoughbies land be continent and firme land with Noua Zembla, or not:
notwithstanding we would not haue you to entangle your selues in any Bay,
or otherwise, so that it might hinder your speedy proceeding to the Island
Vaigats.
[Sidenote: The land of Samoeda.] And when you come to Vaigats, we would
haue you to get sight of the maine land of Samoeda, which is ouer against
the South part of the same Island, and from thence with Gods permission, to
passe Eastwards alongst the same coast, keeping it alwayes in your sight
(if conueniently you may) vntill you come to the mouth of the riuer Ob, and
when you come vnto it, passe ouer the said riuers mouth vnto the border
land, on the Eastside of the same (without any stay to bee made for
searching inwardly in the same riuer) and being in sight of the same
Easterly land, doe you in Gods name proceed alongst by it, from thence
Eastwards, keeping the same alwayes on your starboord side in sight, if you
may, and follow the tract of it, whether it incline Southerly or Northerly
(as at times it may do both) vntill you come to, the Countrey of Cathay, or
the dominion of that mightie Emperour.
And if God prosper your voyage with such good successe, that you may
attaine to the same, doe you seeke by all meanes you can to arriue to the
Cities Cambalu, and Quinsay, or to the one of them. But if it happen that
you cannot conueniently come to either of those places, or shalbe driuen to
remaine and winter in some other port or place of his dominion, do you
seeke by all meanes possible to winne fauour and liking of the people, by
gifts and friendly demeanes towards them, and not to offer violence, or do
wrong to any people or nation whatsoeuer, but therein to be innocent as
doues, yet wilie as serpents, to auoid mischiefe, and defend you from hurt.
[Sidenote: The Queenes letters.] And when you shall haue gotten friendship
through your discreete ordering of your selues, towards the people, doe you
learne of them what you can of their Prince, and shewe them one of the
Queenes Maiesties, letters, which she sendeth with you (by either of you
one, made of one substance and effect, for ech of you particularly) written
in Latine, whereunto her Maiestie hath subscribed, and caused her signet
seale to be set, the effect of the same letters you haue also written in
English, for your own vnderstanding thereof.
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