SECTION II.

A Voyage from England to Guinea and Benin in 1553, by Captain Windham and Antonio Anes Pinteado[185].

PREVIOUS REMARKS.

This and the following voyage to Africa were first published by Richard Eden in a small collection, which was afterwards reprinted in 4to, by Richard Willes in 1577[186].  Hakluyt has inserted both these in his Collection, with Eden’s preamble as if it were his own; only that he ascribes the account of Africa to the right owner[187].

[Footnote 185:  Astley, I. 141.  Hakluyt, II. 464.—­The editor of Astley’s Collection says Thomas Windham; but we have no evidence in Hakluyt, copying from Eden, that such was his Christian name, or that he was the same person who had gone twice before to the coast of Morocco.  In Hakluyt, the Voyage is said to have been at the charge of certain merchant adventurers of London.—­E.]

[Footnote 186:  Hist. of Travayle in the West and East Indies, &c. by Eden and Willes, 4to, p. 336.—­Astl.  I. 141. b.]

[Footnote 187:  So far the editor of Astley’s Collection:  The remainder of these previous remarks contains the preamble by Eden, as reprinted by Hakluyt, II. 464.—­E.]

“I was desired by certain friends to make some mention of this voyage, that some memory of it might remain to posterity, being the first enterprised by the English to parts that may become of great consequence to our merchants, if not hindered by the ambition of such as conceive themselves lords of half the world, by having conquered some forty or fifty miles here and there, erecting certain fortresses, envying that others should enjoy the commodities which they themselves cannot wholly possess.  And, although such as have been at charges in the discovering and conquering of such lands, ought in good reason to have certain privileges, pre-eminences and tributes for the same; yet, under correction, it may seem somewhat rigorous and unreasonable, or rather contrary to the charity that ought to subsist among Christians, that such as invade the dominions of others, should not allow other friendly nations to trade in places nearer and seldom frequented by themselves, by which their own trade is not hindered in such other places as they have chosen for themselves as staples or marts of their trade[188].  But as I do not propose either to accuse or defend, I shall cease to speak any farther on this subject, and proceed to the account of the first voyage to those parts, as briefly and faithfully as I was advertised of the same, by information of such credible persons as made diligent inquiry respecting it, omitting many minute particulars, not greatly necessary to be known; but which, with the exact course of the navigation, shall be more fully related in the second voyage.  If some may think that certain persons have been rather sharply reflected on, I have this to say, that favour and friendship ought always to give way before truth, that honest men may receive the praise of well-doing, and bad men be justly reproved; that the good may be encouraged to proceed in honest enterprizes, and the bad deterred from following evil example.