Hakluyt, Richard

The Principall Navigations, Voiages and Discoveries of the English nation, made by Sea or over Land, to the most remote and farthest distant Quarters of the earth at any time within the compasse of these 1500 yeeres. London: George Bishop and Ralph Newberie [col.: by the Deputies of Christopher Barker], 1589



Folio (10 5/8 x 7 3/8 in.; 270 x 188 mm). Black letter, woodcut historiated and ornamental initials and head- and tail-pieces, woodcut devices on title and colophon page, contemporary pen-and-ink drawing of an ornate barge on verso of leaf Yy6; lacking the map "which is often not present" (STC) supplied in photographic facsimile, the account of Bowes' voyage to Moscow signed Xx5-6, Yy1-6 supplied soiled and stained, title soiled with mended tears in gutter margin, occasional marginal stains or spotting, a few rust marks. Antique blind-tooled morocco.

Alden-Landis 589/31; Sabin 29594; STC 12625; Streeter I:28

First edition of the first English collection of voyages, including the account of Bowes' voyage to Moscovy in the original setting (paginated 491-505) and the account of Drake's circumnavigation, Mmm4-9 (unpaginated, being three sheets inserted in the middle of original Mmm6, between pages 643 and 644).

A monumental record of early English travel, at the same time celebrating and stimulating the spread of the British Empire in North America; the third part relates entirely to that region.

The drawing depicts an elaborate barge with locks for eight oars on the facing side, a zoomorphic figurehead with three nude female figures in front (another at the rear), and the helmsman blowing a trumpet for the oarsmen (not shown) to keep time. Contemporary drawings of Tudor barges are extremely rare.