Page:The principal navigations, voyages, traffiques and discoveries of the English nation 16.djvu/249

 and also kinsmen, agreed immediately to part the whole world betweene them, in such wise as I for my part could neuer vnderstand the certaintie thereof.

The world being thus diuided, a Portugal-gentleman called Fernando Magellanes borne in a place of Portugall called Punta de la barte, being of a good house, and very wel seene in cosmographie, and an excellent Pilot, as also being offended with Don Emanuel his Souereigne, departed out of Portugall into Spaine, and affirmed to the Councell of Spaine, that the Isles of the Malucos were in that part of the worlde which was allotted to the king of Spaine, and that he would finde a shorter way thither then the Portugales tooke, and layed before them such infallible reasons, that the Councell giuing credite vnto his wordes sent him to sea with fiue ships and 400 men all very well appointed. With these fiue ships setting saile from S. Lucar, he came to the coast of Brasill, where at that time two places were inhabited by Portugales, and so sayling on along that coast he passed by the riuer of Plate, which riuer was discouered a little before by Solis. And notwithstanding many stormes, and great mutinies among his companie, he came at length vnto 48 degrees, to the Southwards of the riuer of Plate:

where he found an harbour, which he named Puerto de Sant Iulian, and wintered there: and there also he hanged 5 men, and put on shore a Priest, because they would haue made the company to stand against their captaine, and so to haue returned backe againe.

But in the end hauing pacified his men, he put to sea, and within 5 dayes after he found the streights, which by him were so much desired: but before he entered the said streights there befell such a mutinie in one of his ships, that the same ship returned backe againe. And so himselfe with the other foure ships entering the streights, one of the said foure with all the men therein was cast away at the very entrance: which losse notwithstanding he proceeded on with the other three ships, and passing many troubles and dangers in this long discouery, ceased not to prosecute his intended voyage. This discouery was at the first thought very profitable vnto the Spaniards, but of late it hath prooued very hurtfull vnto them by means of certaine coasters which haue sayled the selfe same course. These streights stand