On The 24th There Arose A Heavy Storm, During Which We Parted
Our Cable, So That We Were Under The Necessity Of Taking Shelter In The
Nearest Creek.
The 5th February, five homeward-bound ships belonging to Holland put
into the same road where we lay.
Captain Warwick, who was general of
these ships, invited our general to dine with him, which he accepted. He
told us, that our English merchants at Bantam were in great peril, and
looked for nothing else but that the King of Java would assault them,
because we had taken the China ship, by which he was deprived of his
customs. For which reason Captain Warwick requested our general to
desist from his courses, and to go home along with him. But our general
answered, that he had not yet made out his voyage, and would not return
till it should please God to send him somewhat to make up his charges.
Seeing that he could not persuade our general to give up his purpose,
Captain Warwick and the Hollanders departed from us on the 3d February.
Our general now considered, if he were to continue his voyage, that it
might bring the English merchants who were resident in those parts into
danger; and besides, as he had only two anchors and two cables
remaining, he thought it best to repair his ships and return home with
the poor voyage he had made. Our ships being ready, and having taken in
a supply of wood and water, we set sail on the 5th February, on our
return to England. The 7th April, after encountering a violent storm, we
had sight of the Cape of Good Hope. The 17th of the same month we came
to the island of St Helena, where we watered and found refreshments, as
swine and goats, which we ourselves killed, as there are many of these
animals wild in that island. There are also abundance of partridges,
turkies, and guinea fowls, though the island is not inhabited. Leaving
St Helena on the 3d May, we crossed the line on the 14th of that month,
and came to Milford Haven in Wales on the 27th June. The 9th of July,
1606, we came to anchor in the roads of Portsmouth, where all our
company was dismissed, and here ended our voyage, having occupied us for
full nineteen months.
CHAPTER X.
EARLY VOYAGES OF THE ENGLISH TO INDIA, AFTER THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE
EAST INDIA COMPANY.
INTRODUCTION.
We have now to record the early voyages, fitted out from England, for
trading to file East Indies, by THE GOVERNOR AND COMPANY OF MERCHANTS OF
LONDON, TRADING INTO THE EAST INDIES.[75] By which stile, or legal
denomination, George Earl of Cumberland, Sir John Hart, Sir John
Spencer, and Sir Edward Mitchelburne, knights, with 212 others, whose
names are all inserted in the patent, were erected into a body corporate
and politic, for trading to and from all parts of the East Indies, with
all Asia, Africa, and America, and all the islands, ports, havens,
cities, creeks, towns, and places of the same, or any of them, beyond
the Cape of Good Hope to the Straits of Magellan, for fifteen years,
from and after Christmas 1600; prohibiting all other subjects of
England, not free of this company, from trading to these parts without
licence from the company, under forfeiture of their goods and ships,
half to the crown and half to the company, together with imprisonment
during the loyal pleasure, and until they respectively grant bond in the
sum of L1000 at the least, not again to sail or traffic into any part of
the said East Indies, &c. during the continuance of this grant. With
this proviso, "That, if the exclusive privilege thus granted be found
unprofitable for the realm, it may be voided on two years notice: But,
if found beneficial, the privilege was then to be renewed, with such
alterations and modifications as might be found expedient" This
exclusive grant, in the nature of a patent, was dated at Westminster on
the 31st December, 1600, being the 43d year of the reign of Queen
Elizabeth, signed by herself, and sealed with her privy seal.
[Footnote 75: So denominated in the copy of the charter in the Pilgrims
of Purchas, vol. I. p. 139 - 147, which we have not deemed it necessary
to insert. - E.]
It is by no means intended to attempt giving in this place any history
of our East India Company, the early Annals of which, from its
establishment in 1600, to the union of the London and English Companies
in 1708, have been lately given to the public, in three quarto volumes,
by John Bruce, Esq. M.P. and F.R.S. Historiographer to the Honourable
East India Company, &c. &c. &c. to which we must refer such of our
readers as are desirous of investigating that vast portion of the
history of our commerce. All that we propose on the present occasion, is
to give a short introduction to the series of voyages contained in this
chapter, all of which have been preserved by Samuel Purchas, in his
curious work, which he quaintly denominated PURCHAS HIS PILGRIMS,
published in five volumes folio at London in 1625.
In the first extension of English commerce, in the sixteenth century,
consequent upon the discoveries of Western Africa, America, and the
maritime route to India, it seems to have been conceived that exclusive
chartered companies were best fitted for its effectual prosecution. "The
spirit of enterprise in distant trade, which had for a century brought
large resources to Spain and Portugal, began to diffuse itself as a new
principle, in the rising commerce of England, during the long and able
administration of Queen Elizabeth. Hence associations were beginning to
be formed, the joint credit of which was to support experiments for
extending the trade of the realm."[76]
[Footnote 76: Ann. of the Honb. East India Co, I. 206.]
In the reign of Edward VI.
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