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A GENERAL HISTORY AND COLLECTION OF VOYAGES AND TRAVELS,

ARRANGED IN SYSTEMATIC ORDER:

FORMING A COMPLETE HISTORY OF THE ORIGIN AND PROGRESS OF NAVIGATION,
DISCOVERY, AND COMMERCE, BY SEA AND LAND, FROM THE EARLIEST AGES TO THE
PRESENT TIME.


BY

ROBERT KERR, F.R.S. & F.A.S. EDIN.

ILLUSTRATED BY MAPS AND CHARTS.

VOL. II.


WILLIAM BLACKWOOD, EDINBURGH:

AND T. CADELL, LONDON.

MDCCCXXIV.





CONTENTS OF VOL. II.


PART. I.--(Continued.)

CHAP.
XX. Account of various early Pilgrimages from England to the Holy Land,
    between the years 1097, and 1107.

XXI. Discovery of Madeira

XXII. Account of the Discovery and Conquest of the Canary Islands



PART II.

General Voyages and Travels, chiefly of Discovery; from the era of Don
Henry Prince of Portugal, in 1412, to that of George III. in 1760.

BOOK I. History of the Discoveries of the Portuguese along the Coast of
    Africa, and of their Discovery of and Conquests in India, from 1412 to
    1505[A]

[A] This title was omitted to be inserted in its proper
    place, and may be supplied in writing on the blank page opposite to
    page 23 of this volume.


CHAP.
I. Summary of the Discoveries of the World, from their first original, to
    the year 1555, by Antonio Galvano

II. Journey of Ambrose Contarini, Ambassador from the Republic of Venice,
    to Uzun-Hassan King of Persia, in the years 1473, 4, 5, and 6; written
    by himself

III. Voyages of Discovery by the Portuguese along the Western Coast of
    Africa, during the life, and under the direction of Don Henry

IV. Original Journals of the Voyages of Cada Mosto, and Pedro de Cintra,
    to the Coast of Africa; the former in the years 1455 and 1406, and the
    latter soon afterwards

V. Continuation of the Portuguese Discoveries along the Coast of Africa,
    from the death of Don Henry in 1463, to the Discovery of the Cape of
    Good Hope in 1486

VI. History of the Discovery and Conquest of India by the Portuguese,
    between the years 1497 and 1505, from the original Portuguese of
    Hernan Lopez de Castaneda

VII. Letters from Lisbon in the beginning of the Sixteenth Century,
    respecting the then recent Discovery of the Route by Sea to India, and
    the Indian trade


_Note_. In p. 292 of this volume, 1, 2 and 18, the date of 1525
ought to have been 1505.






A GENERAL HISTORY AND COLLECTION OF VOYAGES AND TRAVELS.




PART I.

(CONTINUED.)




CHAP. XX.

_Account of Various early Pilgrimages from England to the Holy Land;
between the years 1097 and 1107_[1].

INTRODUCTION.

The subsequent account of several English pilgrimages to the Holy Land.


[1] Hakluyt, I. p. 44. et sequ.



SECTION I.

_The Voyage of Gutuere, or Godwera, an English Lady, towards the Holy
Land, about 1097._

While the Christian army, under Godfrey of Buillon, was marching through
Asia Minor from Iconium, in Lycaonia, by Heraclea, to Marasia, or
Maresch[1], Gutuere, or Godwera, the wife of Baldwin, the brother of the
Duke of Lorain, who had long laboured under heavy sickness, became so
extremely ill, that the army encamped on her account near Marash, for
three days, when she expired. This lady is said to have been of noble
English parentage, and was honourably interred at Antioch in Syria[2].


[1] Now Konieh, Erekli, and Marash; the two former in Karamania,
the latter in Syria or Room.--E.

[2] For this story, Hakluyt quotes Hist Bel. Sacr. lib. iii. c.
xvii. and Chron. Hierosol. lib. iii c. xxvii.



SECTION II.

_The Voyage of Edgar Aethling to Jerusalem, in 1102_[1].

Edgar, commonly called Aethling, was son of Edward, the son of Edmond
Ironside, who was the brother of Edward the Confessor, to whom
consequently Edgar was nephew; Edgar travelled to Jerusalem in 1102, in
company with Robert, the son of Godwin, most valiant knight. Being
present in Rama, when King Baldwin was there besieged by the Turks, and
not being able to endure the hardships of the siege, he was delivered
from that danger, and escaped through the midst of the hostile camp,
chiefly through the aid of Robert; who, going before him, made a lane
with his sword, slaying numbers of the Turks in his heroic progress.
Towards the close of this chivalric enterprize, and becoming more fierce
and eager as he advanced, Robert unfortunately dropt his sword; and while
stooping to recover his weapon, he was oppressed by the multitude, who
threw themselves upon him, and made him prisoner. From thence, as some
say, Robert was carried to Babylon in Egypt, or Cairo; and refusing to
renounce his faith in CHRIST, he was tied to a stake in the market-place,
and transpierced with arrows. Edgar, having thus lost his valiant knight,
returned towards Europe, and was much honoured with many gifts by the
emperors both of Greece and Germany, both of whom would gladly have
retained him at their courts, on account of his high lineage; but he
despised all things, from regard to his native England, into which he
returned: And, having been subjected to many changes of fortune, as we
have elsewhere related, he _now_ spends his extreme old age in private
obscurity.


[1] Hakluyt. I. 44. W. Malmsb. III. 58.



SECTION III.

_Some Circumstances respecting the Siege of Joppa, about the year_
1102[1].

In the second year of Baldwin, king of Jerusalem, Joppa was besieged by
the Turks of Cairo; and Baldwin embarked from the town of Assur, in a
vessel called a _buss_, commanded by one Goderic an English freebooter,
intending to proceed to the relief of the besieged. Fixing the royal
banner aloft on a spear, that it might be seen of the Christians, they
sailed boldly towards Joppa, with but a small company of armed men. The
king knew that the Christians in Joppa were almost hopeless of his life
and safety, and he feared they might shamefully abandon the defence of
the place, or be constrained to surrender, unless revived by his presence.
On perceiving the approach of the royal banner of King Baldwin, the naval
forces of the Turks, to the number of twenty gallies and thirteen ships,
usually called _Cazh_, endeavoured to surround and capture the single
vessel in which he was embarked. But, by the aid of GOD, the billows of
the sea raged against them, while the kings ship glided easily and
swiftly through the waves, eluding the enemy, and arrived in safety into
the haven of Joppa, to the great joy of the Christians, who had mourned
him as if dead.

While the Saracens continued the siege of Joppa, 200 sail of Christian
vessels arrived there, with pilgrims who wished to perform their
devotions at Jerusalem. Of these, the chief leaders were Bernard Witrazh
of Galatia, Hardin of England, Otho of Roges, Haderwerck, one of the
principal nobles of Westphalia, and others. This power, by the blessing
of God, arrived to succour the distressed Christians then besieged in
Joppa, on the 3d of July 1102, in the second year of Baldwin king of
Jerusalem. When the numerous army of the Saracens saw that the Christians,
thus reinforced, boldly faced them without the walls, they removed their
tents, during the night, above a mile from the town, that they might
consider whether to retreat to Ascalon, or to continue to harass the
citizens of Joppa with frequent assaults. But they confided in their
numbers, and continued to annoy the Christians by severe and repeated
attacks.

Having allowed three days rest and refreshment to this powerful
reinforcement, Baldwin issued out from Joppa early in the morning of the
sixth of July, to the martial sound of trumpets and cornets, with a
strong force, both of foot and horse, marching directly toward the
Saracens, with loud shouts, and attacked their army with great spirit.
The land attack was assisted by the Christian navy, which approached the
shore, making a horrible noise, and distracting the attention of the
Saracens, who feared to be attacked in flank and rear. After a sharp
encounter, the Saracens fled towards Ascalon, many being slain in the
battle and pursuit, and others drowned, by leaping into the sea to avoid
being slain. In this battle 3000 of the Saracens perished, with a very
small loss on the side of the Christians; and the city of Joppa was
delivered from its enemies.


[1] Hakluyt, I.45. Chron. Hierosol. IX. ix. xi. xii.



SECTION IV.

_Of the Transactions of certain English, Danish, and Flemish Pilgrims in
the Holy Land, in 1107_[1].

In the seventh year of King Baldwin, a large fleet from England,
containing above 7000 men, many of whom were soldiers, arrived at the
harbour of Joppa, along with whom came other warriors from Denmark,
Flanders, and Antwerp. Having received permission and safe conduct from
King Baldwin, together with a strong band of armed men as a safeguard,
they arrived in safety at Jerusalem and all the other places of devotion,
free from all assaults and ambushes of the Gentiles; and having paid
their vows unto the Lord in the church of the Holy Sepulchre, they
returned with great joy, and without molestation, to Joppa[2]. Finding
King Baldwin in that place, they made offer to assist him in any military
enterprize; for which offer he gave them great commendations, saying,
That he could not give an immediate answer, without consulting the
patriarch and barons, of his kingdom.

He therefore called together the Lord Patriarch, Hugh of Tabaria, Gunfrid
the governor of the Tower of David, and the other principal officers of
the kingdom of Jerusalem, to consult together in the city of Rames, how
best to employ this proferred assistance of so considerable a body of
volunteers.

In that assembly, it was agreed upon to lay siege to the city of Sagitta,
otherwise called Sidon; upon which, having directed every one of the
nobles to go home, that they might provide armour and all other
necessaries for the siege, he sent messengers to the English, requiring
them not to remove their fleet and army from Joppa, but to wait there for
his farther commands; informing them, that he and his nobles had resolved,
with their aid, to lay siege to the city of Sidon, but it would require
some time to provide the necessary engines and warlike instruments, for
assaulting the walls of that place. The pilgrims answered, that they
would attend his orders at Joppa, promising to be obedient to him in all
things, even unto death. The king went soon afterwards, with the
patriarch and all his attendants to the city of Acre; where, during forty
days, he was busily employed in the construction of engines, and many
different kinds of warlike instruments, and of every thing necessary for
the intended siege.

When this intended expedition came to the knowledge of the inhabitants of
Sidon, and they understood that a powerful army of pilgrims lay in
readiness at Joppa, to assist the king of Jerusalem, they were afraid of
being subdued and destroyed by the Christians, as Caesaria, Assur, Acre,
Cayphas, and Tabaria had already been; and they sent secret emissaries to
the king, offering a large sum of money in gold byzants, and a
considerable yearly tribute, on condition that he would spare their lives
and refrain from the intended siege. After a lengthened negotiation,
during which the inhabitants of Sidon rose considerably in their offers,
the king, being in great straits for means to discharge the pay of his
soldiers, hearkened willingly to the offers of the Sidonians; yet, afraid
of reproach from the Christians, he dared not openly to consent to their
proposals.

In the meantime, Hugh of Tabaria, who was a principal warrior among the
Christians of Palestine, and indefatigable in assaulting the pagans on
all occasions, having gathered together 200 horse and 400 infantry,
suddenly invaded the country of a great Saracen lord, named Suet, on the
frontiers of the territory of Damascus, where he took a rich booty of
gold and silver and many cattle, which would have proved of great
importance in assisting the army at the siege of Sidon. On his return
with this prey by the city of Belinas, otherwise called Caesaria Philippi,
the Turks of Damascus, with the Saracen inhabitants of the country,
gathered together in great numbers, and pursued the troops of Hugh, that
they might recover the booty. Coming up with them in the mountains, over
which the infantry belonging to Hugh of Tabaria were driving their prey,
the Turks prevailed over the Christians, and the plunder was recovered.
On receiving this intelligence, Hugh, who happened to be at some distance,
hastened with his cavalry to succour his footmen, and to recover the
spoil: But happening to fall in with the Turks in a strait and craggy
place, and rushing heedlessly among the enemy, unprovided with his armour,
he was shot in the back by an arrow, which pierced his liver, and he died
on the spot. His soldiers brought back the dead body of Hugh to the city
of Nazareth near Mount Thabor, where he was honourably interred. Gerard,
the brother of Hugh, lay at this time sick of a dangerous illness, and
died within eight days afterwards.

Taking advantage of the death of these two famous princes, King Baldwin
agreed to receive the money which had been offered to him by the city of
Sidon, yet kept his intentions of making peace private, and sent to Joppa,
desiring the chiefs of the English, Danes, and Flemings, to come with
their fleet and army to Acre, as if he had meant to prosecute the siege.
When they arrived, he represented to their chiefs the great loss he had
sustained by the death of two of his chief warriors, on which account, he
was constrained to defer the siege to a more convenient opportunity, and
must now dismiss his army. On this the strangers saluted the king very
respectfully, and, embarking in their ships, returned to their own
countries.


[1] Hakluyt, I. 47. Chron. Hierosol. lib. x.

[2] Though not mentioned in the text, it seems presumable that these
pilgrims deemed it necessary for them to proceed unarmed in execution of
their devotions, under an escort.--E.



SECTION V.

_The Expedition of William Longespee, or Long-sword, Earl of Salisbury,
in the year 1248, under the Banners of St Louis, King of France, against
the Saracens_[1].

When Louis, King of France, went against the Saracens in 1248, William
Earl of Salisbury, with the Bishop of Worcester, and other great men of
the realm of England, accompanied him in the holy warfare[2]. About the
beginning of October 1249, the French king assaulted and took the city of
Damietta, which was esteemed the principal strong-hold of the Saracens in
Egypt; and having provided the place with a sufficient garrison, under
the Duke of Burgundy, he removed his camp, to penetrate farther eastwards.
In this army William Earl of Salisbury served, with a chosen band of
Englishmen under his especial command; but the French entertained a great
dislike to him and his people, whom they flouted upon all occasions,
calling them English _tails_[3], and other opprobrious names, insomuch,
that the King of France had much ado to keep peace between them. This
quarrel originated from the following circumstance: Not far from
Alexandria there was a strong castle belonging to the Saracens[4], in
which they had placed some of their principal ladies, and much treasure;
which fortress the earl and his English followers had the good fortune to
take, more by dexterous policy than by open force of arms, through which
capture he and his people were much enriched; and when the French came to
the knowledge of this exploit, which had not been previously communicated
to them, they were much enraged against the English, and could never
speak well of them afterwards.

Not long after this, the earl got secret intelligence of a rich caravan
of merchants belonging to the Saracens, who were travelling to a certain
fair which was to be held near Alexandria, with a multitude of camels,
asses, and mules, and many carts, all richly laden with silks, precious
jewels, spices, gold, silver, and other commodities, besides provisions
and other matters of which the soldiers were then in great want. Without
giving notice of this to the rest of the Christian army, the earl
gathered all the English troops, and fell by night upon the caravan,
killing many of the people, and making himself master of the whole carts
and baggage cattle with their drivers, which he brought with him to the
Christian camp, losing only one soldier in the skirmish, and eight of his
servants, some of whom were only wounded and brought home to be cured.
When this was known in the camp, the French