East Indies: June 1582

Calendar of State Papers Colonial, East Indies, China and Japan, Volume 2, 1513-1616. Originally published by Her Majesty's Stationery Office, London, 1864.

This free content was digitised by double rekeying. All rights reserved.

'East Indies: June 1582', in Calendar of State Papers Colonial, East Indies, China and Japan, Volume 2, 1513-1616, (London, 1864) pp. 83. British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/cal-state-papers/colonial/east-indies-china-japan/vol2/p83 [accessed 18 March 2024]

June 1582

1582, June 2
to
1583, Feb.8.
207. Journal of the course of the [Edward Bonaventure?] Left Plymouth 2nd of June, leaving the Francis behind, Capt. Hawkyns, both our pilots, and forty of our best men.; 17th, passed the Grand Canaries and Teneriffe; July 20, fell in with the coast of Guinea; Aug. 10, came to Sierra Leone and tarried there all the rest of the month; Sept. 1, went to sea; 5th, came again to land and tarried there till 2nd Oct. and then went again to sea; Dec. 1, fell in with the coast of Brazil towards 28° and 29° and watered; 12th, departed from the Bay of ........; 20th, being in 33½° the General demanded our opinions for passing the straits, “he and our captain, with the consent of two or three more, said plainly that he would not go for the straits;” Jan. 20, came to St. Vincent, “were coming backwards” 31 days; 25th, were put .... the harbour and rode there at the mouth of .... till 27th, that night doubled the ....; Feb. 8th, fresh breeze, split mainsail .... brake cable ....; the next day could not see the island, “by these means we lost the company of the galleon.” [One page and a quarter. Mutilated by fire. Brit Mus., Otho, VIII., fol. 135.]
June 13.
At sea in the
latitude of 35 deg.
208. Myles Evans to Leicester. Left Plymouth .... with a very good wind. Debate whether “our General” [Fenton] would go through the straits of Magellan. Ail in good health and the ships in good order. Prays that the voyage may be prosperous. [Half a page. Mutilated by fire. Brit. Mus., Otho, VIII., fol. 131.]
June 14.
In the latitude
of 35 deg.
209. John Walker to Leicester. All the men in health, except eight or nine sick of fever in the galleon who are all like to recover. Great inconvenience like to have happened at Plymouth, the General having set sail without Capt. Hawkyns and divers others; by persuasion of Capt. Warde they were taken in at the Land's End in the Francis; this had like to have bred great mischief, but is now appeased. Our people wonderfully reformed. Morning and evening prayers in the Edward; preaches every Sunday, and after dinner they have conference in the Scriptures, “wherewith the mariners who never heard sermon in their lives are marvellously delighted.” Capt. Warde governs his charge with great wisdom and policy, and is well worthy to govern any great charge. Beseeches Leicester to continue his goodness towards him which shall be a sufficient recompense for his voyage. [One page. Mutilated by fire. Brit. Mus., Otho, VIII., fol. 133.]
June 15.
“From my
cabin.”
210. John Banester to Leicester. All in health. Was never so well himself on land. They have a wise General, .... master, careful pilots, and zealous and painful preachers, and live together in Christian love and brotherhood. Begs Leicester to look after his poor wife and family, but above all not to trust too much to these dissemblers, the papistical sort; it grieves him to see and hear how they make the Court a cloak to cover their wicked and dissembling practices. [Half a page. Mutilated by fire. Brit. Mus., Otho, VIII., fol. 132.]
June 24 211. [First consultation held on board the Leicester]. Matters considered; course to be taken from Cape de Verde Islands and the time to remain for watering, and to see the barks provided with all things necessary. [Two pages. The original with signatures, see ante, May 21, 1582. Mutilated by fire. Brit. Mus., Otho, VIII., fol. 142.]