Cuius
Penna descripsit freta mille, mille
Insula nostra celeres carinas,
Qua per immensi loca peruolarunt
omnia mundi
Senties gratam patriam, tuaque
Laudis aternum memorem, & laboris:
Qua tua cura, calamoque totum
ibit in orbem:
Quam doces omni studio fouere
Nauticum robur, validamque classem.
Hac luet quisquis violentus Anglo
vsserit hostis.
* * * * *
In eximium opus R. HAKLUYTI de Anglorum ad disiunctissimas regiones
nauigationibus GVLIELMI CAMDENI Hexastichon.
Anglia qua penitus toto discluditur orbe,
Angulus orbis erat, paruus & orbis erat.
Nunc cum sepositos alios detexent orbes,
Maximus orbis honos, Orbis & orbis erit.
At quid Haklute tibi monstranti hac debeat orbis?
Laus tua, crede mihi, non erit orbe minor.
* * * * *
Di Marc' Antonio Pigafeta Gentilhuomo Vicentino
Ignota mi starei, con poco honore
Sepolta nell' oscure, antiche carte,
S'alcun de figli miei con spesa & arte
Non hauesse hor scoperto il mio splendore
Ramusio pria pieno d' ardente amore
Manifesto le mie piu riche parte,
Che son la doue il Maragnon diparte,
E doue il Negro allaga, e'l Gange scorre,
Hakluyto poi senza verun risguardo
Di fatica o di danno accolt' ha insieme,
Cio c' ha potuto hauer da typhi Inglesi.
Onde vedrassie dove bella sguardo,
E la Dwina agghiaccia, e l' Obi freme,
Et altri membri miei non ben palesi.
EXTRACT FROM OLDYS'S LIBRARIAN, 1738.
(Article Hakluyt's Voyages.) p. 137.
Oldys (having given a list of the contents of the three volumes of Hakluyt)
concludes,
This summary may sufficiently intimate what a treasury of maritime
knowledge it is, wherefore we shall here take our leave of it, with
referring only to a needful observation or two:
And first, As it has been so useful to many of our authors, not only in
Cosmography, and Navigation, but in History, especially that of the
glorious reign in which so many brave exploits were atchievcd; As it has
been such a LEADING STAR TO THE NAVAL HISTORIES since compiled; and saved
from the wreck of oblivion many exemplary incidents in the lives of our
most renowned navigators; it has therefore been unworthily omitted in the
English historical library. And lastly, though the first volume of this
collection, does frequently appear, by the date, in the title page, to be
printed in 1599, the reader is not thence to conclude the said volume was
then reprinted, but only the title page, as upon collating the books we
have observed, and further, that in the said last printed title page, there
is no mention made of the Cadiz Voyage; to omit which, might be one reason
of reprinting that page; for it being one of the most prosperous and
honourable enterprizes that ever the Earl of Essex was ingaged in, and he
falling into the Queen's unpardonable displeasure at this time, our author,
Mr. Hakluyt, might probably receive command or direction, even from one of
the patrons to whom these Voyages are dedicated, who was of the contrary
faction not only to suppress all memorial of that action in the front of
this book, but even cancel the whole narrative thereof at the end of it, in
all the copies (far the greatest part of the impression) which remained
unpublished. And in that castrated manner the volume has descended to
posterity; not but if the castration was intended to have been concealed
from us, the last leaf of the preface would have been reprinted also, with
the like omission of what is there mentioned concerning the insertion of
this Voyage. But at last, about the middle of the late King's reign, an
uncastrated copy did arise, and the said Voyage was reprinted from it,
whereby many imperfect books have been made complete.
EXTRACT FROM ZOUCH'S LIFE OF SIR PHILIP SIDNEY, page 317.
Every reader conversant in the annals of oar Naval transactions will
cheerfully acknowledge the merit of Richard Hakluyt, who devoted his
studies to the investigation of those periods of the English history, which
regard the improvement of navigation and commerce. He had the advantage of
an academical education. He was elected Student of Christ-Church in Oxford
in 1570, and was therefore contemporary with Sidney at the University. To
him we are principally indebted for a clear and comprehensive description
of those noble discoveries of the English nation made by sea or over land
to the most distant quarter of the earth. His incomparable industry was
remunerated with every possible encouragement by Sir Francis Walsingham and
Sir Philip Sidney. To the latter, as to a most generous promoter of all
ingenious and useful knowledge, he inscribed his first collection of
voyages and discoveries, printed in 1582. Thus animated and encouraged, he
was enabled to leave to posterity the fruits of his unwearied labours - an
invaluable treasure of nautical information, preserved in volumes, which
even at this day, affix to his name a brilliancy of reputation, which a
series of ages can never efface or obscure.
CERTEINE TESTIMONIES CONCERNING
K. ARTHUR AND HIS CONQUESTS OF THE NORTH REGIONS,
TAKEN OUT OF
THE HISTORIE OF THE KINGS OF BRITAINE.
WRITTEN BY GALFRIDUS MONUMETENSIS, AND NEWLY PRINTED
AT HEIDELBERGE, ANNO 1587.
Lib 9. cap. 10.
Anno Christi, 517. Arthurus, secundo regni sui anno subiugatis totius
Hybernia partibus, classem suam direxit in Islandiam, eamque debellato
populo subiugauit. Exin diuulgato per cateraa insulas rumore, quod ei nulla
Prouincia resistere poterat, Doldauius rex Gotlandia, & Gunfacius rex
Orcadum vltro venerunt, promissoque vectigali subiectionem fecerunt. Emensa
deinde hyeme, reuersus est in Britanniam, statumque regni in firmam pacem
renouans, moram duodecim annis ibidem fecit.
The same in English.
In the yere Of Christ, 517. king Arthur in the second yeere of his reigne,
hauing subdued all parts of Ireland, sailed with his fleet into Island, and
brought it and the people thereof vnder his subiection. The rumour
afterwards being spread thorowout all the other Islands, that no countrey
was able to withstand him, Doldamus the king of Gotland, and Gunfacius the
king of Orkney, came voluntarily vnto him, and yeelded him their obedience
promising to pay him tribute.
