To try the sale of the same.
Brimstone.
To try the vent of the same, because we abound with it made in the Realme.
Antimonie a Minerall.
To see whether they haue any ample vse there for it, for that we may lade
whole nauies of it, and haue no vse of it vnlesse it be for some small
portion in founding of bels, or a litle that the Alcumists vse: of this you
may haue two sortes at the Apothecaries.
Tinder boxes with Steele, Flint & Matches and Tinder, the Matches to be
made of Iuniper to auoid the offence of Brimstone.
To trie and make the better sale of Brimstone by shewing the vse.
Candles of Waxe to light.
A painted Bellowes.
For that perhaps they haue not the vse of them.
A pot of cast iron.
To try the sale, for that it is a naturall commoditie of this Realme.
All maner of edge tools.
To be sold there or to the lesse ciuil people by the way where you shall
touch.
What I would haue you there to remember.
To note specially what excellent dying they vse in these regions, and
therefore to note their garments and ornaments of houses: and to see their
Die houses and the Materials & Simples that they vse about the same, and to
bring musters and shewes of the colours and of the materials, for that it
may serue this clothing realme to great purpose.
To take with you for your owne vse.
All maner of engines to take fish and foule.
To take with you those things that be in perfection of goodnesse.
For as the goodnesse now at the first may make your commodities
in credite in time to come: so false and Sophisticate
commodities shall draw you and all your commodities into
contempt and ill opinion.
* * * * *
A letter of Gerardus Mercator, written to M. Richard Hakluyt of Oxford,
touching the intended discouery of the Northeast passage, An. 1580.
Literae tuae (vir humanissime) 19. Iunij demum mihi redditae fuerunt:
vehementer dolui visis illis tantam, non modo temporis, sed multo magis
tempestiuae instructionis iacturam factam esse. Optassem Arthurum Pet de
quibusdam non leuibus ante suum discessum praemonitum fuisse. Expeditissima
sane per Orientem in Cathaium est nauigatio: et saepe miratus sum, eam
foeliciter inchoatam, desertam fuisse, velis in occidentem translatis,
postquam plus quam dimidium itineris vestri iam notum haberent. [Sidenote:
Ingens sinus post Insulam Vaigats et Nouam Zemblam.] Nam post Insulam
Vaigats et Noua Zembla continuo ingens sequitur Sinus, quem ab ortu Tabin
immane promontorium complectitur. In hunc medium maxima illabuntur flumina,
quae vniuersam Regionem Sericam perluentia vtque existimo in intima
continentis vsque magnis nauigijs peruia, facillimam rationem exhibent
quaslibet merces ex Cataio, Mangi, Mien, caeteriseque circumfusis regnis
contrahendi, atque in Angliam deportandi. Caeterum cum non temere cam
nauigationem intermissam crederem, opinabar ab Imperatore Russorum et
Moscouiae obstaculum aliquod interiectum fuisse. Quod si vero cum illius
gratia vlterior illac nauigatio detur, suaderem profecto non primum Tabin
promontorium quaerere, atque explorare, sed Sinum hunc atque flumina, in
ijsque portum aliquem commodissimum, stationemque Anglicis Mercatoribus
deligere, ex quo deinceps maiore opportunitate, minoribusque periculis
Tabin promontorium, et totius Cathai circumnauigatio indagari posset.
[Sidenote:
