HAKLUYT, Richard.

The greatest historical source for England's interests abroad in the 16th century The principal navigations, voyages, traffiques and discoveries of the English nation, made by sea or overland, to the remote and farthest distant quarters of the earth, at any time within the compasse of these 1600 yeres.

      London, George Bishop, Ralph Newberie, Robert Barker, 1599-1600. 3 vols. Small folio (292 x 191 mm.). Modern brown morocco, spine in six compartments with raised bands, lettered in gold, decorative blind-stamped borders on sides, g.e. (BAGGULEY, NEWCASTLE-UNDER-LYME). Woodcut initials, and folding facsimile map. (24), 619, (1 blank); (16), 312, 204; (16), 868 pp. Much enlarged second edition of Hakluyt's collection of voyages, complete with the exceedingly rare voyage to Cadiz, supplied from the 1598 first issue of the first volume. This second edition is not just enlarged, but in fact it is an entirely new work, only the same methods for gathering and presenting information were used. The quantity of the text was enlarged more than three times. Hakluyt was proud to have discovered many ancient accounts, not only limiting himself to English voyages. The work was once called, by Mr. Froude "the prose epic of the modern English nation". It was Queen Elizabeth who ordered the suppression of the voyage to Cadiz, due to the disgrace of the Earl of Essex in 1599. The present first volume is here in second issue, with a slightly adapted title-page. The work is divided into three sections: voyages to the south and southeast, voyages to the north and northeast, and voyages to the west. The second volume contains reports on the Mediterranean trade, voyages and travels to that area and to the Cape of Good Hope, including the already mentioned account by Federici. The eastern Meditarrenean area was of great interest. It was not only interesting because of its trade opportunities and as an emporium for eastern goods, but it was a gateway to Persia, India, China and the islands of the East Indies. One of the travel accounts included is by Cesare Federici, who travelled with the merchant John Newbery through the Middle East and in the Persian Gulf. Federici's account includes thorough descriptions from a merchant's point of view of cities and islands of the East Indies. Except for Linschoten's Itinerario, the most current information on the East was published in this work. Besides serving as a merchant's guidebook, it also informed on the social and religious customs of various peoples. On the northeast passage Hakluyt wrote: "But now it is high time for us to weigh our ancre, to hoist up our sailes, to get clear of these boistrous, frosty and misty seas, and with all speed direct our course for the milde, lightsome, temperate, and warme Atlantic Ocean.". Even after having given this plea for travels to the south, he still devoted 590 pages to voyages to the north and east, describing travels to Britain, Iceland, Gotland, Orkney, Denmark, Norway, etc. Examples of travel accounts are: "The long and wonderfull voyage of Frier John de Plano Carpini, Anno 1246", "The voyage of sir Hugh Willoughby knight, werein he unfortuantely perished at Arzina Reca in Lapland, Anno 1553", "The voyage of Stephen Burrough toward the River of Ob, intending the discovery of the Norheast passage, Anno 1556", and "A voyage to Sibier and the River of Ob, by land, declared in a letter written to Gerardus Mercator". Also descriptions of ceremonies and festivities are included, such as "The marriage of the daughter of Harald unto Ieruslaus duke of Russia in his owne Countrey, Anno 1067". Hakluyt was also very interested in the New World. The voyages to the west were in comparison to the first volume expanded from 279000 words to 812000. Hakluyt brought his readers up to date on recent events as Raleigh's voyage to Guiana, and he also included non-English voyages, such as the expeditions of Verrazano, Ribaut, Laudonnière, and the Zeno brothers, as well as a large number of documents describing the West Indies from Spanish sources. The third volume is entirely devoted to America, and contains - as the other two volumes - many curious, rare and early voyages and histories of interesting discoveries to many parts in America: Virginia, the coast and inland of Florida, New Mexico, California, Nicaragua and Panama, Peru, Jamaica, and Cuba,