Is not very deepe, so I thanke God I
am not vtterly without vnderstanding (although I be poore) and therefore
peraduenture holden out of reputation, yet God doth distribute his gifts as
it pleaseth him. I haue seen wise men poore in my time, & foolish men rich,
and some men haue more knowledge then they can vtter by speech, which,
fault was once obiected against me by a learned man of this realme: but
surely how weak soeuer my vtterance is, my meaning is faithful and true,
and I wish in my heart to your laudable company al the gaine that may be,
or els I pray God to confound me as a false dissembler. [Sidenote: 1183
barrels of oyle bough by others. Colt sold 27 barrels to a Hollander.] It
greeueth me to see how of late they haue bin brought to great charges,
beating the bush, as the old terme is, & other men taking the birds: this
last yere hauing in Lappia 2 ships, as I am partly informed, they both
brought not much aboue 300 barrels of traine oile, yet am I sure there was
bought besides them of the Russes, Corels, & Lappes, 1183 barrels, besides
27 barrels Colt sold to Iacob the Hollander, at two barrels for one
Northerne dozen. And yet there is a greater inconuenience springing, which
if it take a little deeper roote it will be (I feare) too hard to be pulled
up, which for loue & good will (God is my witnes) I write of, wishing as to
my deare friends that they should looke to it in time, if they meane to
keepe the trade of Russia or Lappia. And thus loue hath compelled me to
write this aduertisement, which I wish to be accepted in as good part, as I
with good will haue written it.
* * * * *
The request of an honest merchant to a friend of his, to be aduised and
directed in the course of killing the Whale, as followeth. An. 1575.
I pray you pleasure me in getting me perfect information of the matter
hereunder specified.
For the prouision and furniture for a shippe of 200 tunnes, to catch the
Whale fish in Russia, passing from England. How many men to furnish the
ship.
How many fishermen skilful to catch the Whale, & how many other officers
and Coopers.
How many boats, and what fashion, and how many men in each boate.
What wages of such skilful men and other officers, as we shall neede out of
Biskay.
How many harping irons, speares, cordes, axes, hatchets, kniues, and other
implements for the fishing, and what sort and greatnes of them.
How many kettles, the greatnesse and maner of them, and what mettall, and
whether they bee set on triuets or on furnaces for boiling of the traine
oyle, and others.
What quantitie of caske, and what sort of caske, and what number of hoopes
and twigges, and how much thereof to be staued for the traine.
What quantitie of victuals, and what kinde of victuals for the men in all
the ship for 4 moneths time.
For the common mariners and officers to gouerne the ship, we shall not need
any out of Biskaie, but onely men skilful in the catching of the Whale, and
ordering of the oile, and one Cooper skilful to set vp the staued caske.
Also what other matters are requisite to be knowen, and done for the said
voyage to catch the Whale, not here noted nor remembred.
These requests were thus answered, which may serue as directions for all
such as shall intend the same voyage, or the like for the Whale.
A proportion for the setting forth of a ship of 200 tunne, for the killing
of the Whale.
There must be 55 men who departing for Wardhouse in the moneth of April,
must bee furnished with 4 kintals and a halfe of bread for euery man.
250 hogsheds to put the bread in.
150 hogsheds of Cidar.
6 kintals of oile.
8 kintals of bacon.
6 hogsheds of beefe.
100 quarters of salt.
150 pound of candles.
8 quarters of beanes and pease.
Saltfish & herring, a quantitie conuenient.
4 tunnes of wines.
Half a quarter of mustard seed, and a querne.
A grindstone.
800 empty shaken hogsheds.
350 bundles of hoopes, and 6 quintalines.
800 paire of heds for the hogsheds.
10 Estachas called roxes for harping irons.
10 pieces of Arporieras.
3 pieces of Baibens for the Iauelines small.
2 tackles to turne the Whales.
A halser of 27 fadom long to turne the Whales.
15 great Iauelines.
18 small Iauelins.
50 harping irons.
9 machicos to cut the Whale withal.
2 doozen of machetos to minch the Whale.
2 great hookes to turne the Whale.
3 paire of Can hookes.
6 hookes for staues.
3 dozen of staues for the harping irons.
6 pullies to turne the Whale with.
10 great baskets.
10 lampes of iron to carie light.
5 kettles of 150 li. the piece, and 6 ladles.
1000 of nailes for the pinnases.
560 of nailes of Carabelie for the houses, and the Wharfe.
18 axes and hatchets to cleaue wood.
12 pieces of lines, and 6 dozen of hookes.
2 beetles of Rosemarie.
4 dozen of oares for the pinnases.
6 lanternes.
500 of Tesia.
Item, gunpouder & matches for harquebushes as shalbe needfull.
Item, there must be carried from hence 5 pinnases, fiue men to strike with
harping irons, two cutters of Whale, 5 coopers, & a purser or two.
A note of certaine other necessarie things belonging to the Whalefishing,
receiued of master W. Burrough.
A sufficient number of pullies for tackle for the Whale.
A dozen of great baskets.
4 furnaces to melt the Whale in.
6 ladles of copper.
A thousand of nailes to mend the pinnases.
