into the
East Indies, set forth by diuers rich Marchantes: The first called
Mauritius, of the burthen of 400. tunnes, hauing in her sixe demie canon,
fourteene Culuerins, and other peeces, and 4. peeces to shoot stones, and
84. men: the Mayster Iohn Moleuate, the Factor Cornelius Houtman: The
second named Hollandia, of the burthen of 400. tunnes, having 85. men,
seuen brasse peeces, twelue peeces for stones, and 13. iron peeces, the
Mayster Iohn Dignums, the Factor Gerrit van Buiningen, the thirde called
Amsterdam, of the burthen of 200. tuns, wherein were 59. men, sixe brasse
peeces, ten iron peeces, and sixe peeces for stones, the Mayster Iohn
Iacobson Schellinger, the Factor Reginer van Hel: The fourth being a
Pinnace called the Doue, of the burthen of 50. tunnes, with twenty men, the
Mayster Simon Lambertson: [Sidenote: When and how the ships set saile.]
Which 4. ships vpon the 21. of the same moneth came vnto the Tassel, where
they stayed for the space of 12. daies to take in their lading, and the
seconde of Aprill following, they set saile with a North east winde and
following on their course the fourth of the same moneth they ['the' in
source text--KTH] passed the heades; The sixt they saw Heyssant, the 10. of
April they passed by the Barles of Lisbon: With an East and North East
wind, the 17. of Aprill they discouered two of the Islands of Canaries: The
19. Palm, and Pic, Los Romeros, and Fero: The 25. of Aprill they saw Bona
visita, the 16. they ankered vnder Isole de May: The 27. they set sayle
againe and held their course South Southeast. The 4. of May, we espied two
of the King of Spaines ships, that came from Lisbone, and went for the East
Indies, about 1000. or 1200. tunnes each ship, with whom we spake, and told
them that we were bound for the straights of Magellanes, but being better
of sayle then they wee got presently out of their sight. The 12. of May
being vnder fiue degrees on this side the Equinoctiall line, we espyed fiue
ships laden with Sugar, comming from the Island of S. Thomas, and sayled
for Lisbone, to whome we gaue certaine letters, which were safely deliuered
in Holland. [Sidenote: Their victuailes stunke and spoyled.] Departing from
them and keeping on our course, vpon the fourth of Iune we passed the
Equinoctial line, where the extreame heat of the ayre spoyled all our
victuailes: Our flesh and fishe stunke, our Bisket molded, our Beere
sowred, our water stunke, and our Butter became as t