Researching North America: Sir Humphrey Gilbert's 1583
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University of Nebraska - Lincoln DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln Dissertations, Theses, & Student Research, Department of History History, Department of 5-2013 Researching North America: Sir Humphrey Gilbert’s 1583 Expedition and a Reexamination of Early Modern English Colonization in the North Atlantic World Nathan Probasco University of Nebraska-Lincoln Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/historydiss Part of the European History Commons, History of Science, Technology, and Medicine Commons, and the United States History Commons Probasco, Nathan, "Researching North America: Sir Humphrey Gilbert’s 1583 Expedition and a Reexamination of Early Modern English Colonization in the North Atlantic World" (2013). Dissertations, Theses, & Student Research, Department of History. 56. https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/historydiss/56 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the History, Department of at DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. It has been accepted for inclusion in Dissertations, Theses, & Student Research, Department of History by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. Researching North America: Sir Humphrey Gilbert’s 1583 Expedition and a Reexamination of Early Modern English Colonization in the North Atlantic World by Nathan J. Probasco A DISSERTATION Presented to the Faculty of The Graduate College at the University of Nebraska In Partial Fulfillment of Requirements For the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Major: History Under the Supervision of Professor Carole B. Levin Lincoln, Nebraska May, 2013 Researching North America: Sir Humphrey Gilbert’s 1583 Expedition and a Reexamination of Early Modern English Colonization in the North Atlantic World Nathan J. Probasco, Ph.D. University of Nebraska, 2013 Advisor: Carole B. Levin Sir Humphrey Gilbert’s 1583 expedition to North America was the first attempt by an Englishman to colonize beyond the British Isles, and yet it has not been subject to thorough scholarly analysis for more than seventy years. Although it is often overlooked or misinterpreted by scholars, an exhaustive examination of the voyage reveals the complexity and preparedness of this and similar early modern English expeditions. Gilbert recruited several specialists who expended considerable time and resources while researching and otherwise working in support of the voyage. Their efforts secured much needed capital, a necessary component of expensive private voyages, and they ensured that Gilbert had a reasonably clear picture of North American geography, flora, and fauna before leaving England’s shores. Focusing specifically on the cartography, nautical science, and promotional literature of the expedition, my dissertation clarifies their role in Elizabethan colonization and elucidates the preparation stages of early modern English colonizing voyages. By enlisting promoters like Richard Hakluyt, Stephen Parmenius, and Christopher Carleill, whose skills and experience varied considerably but who nonetheless wrote compelling, well researched texts spanning multiple genres, Gilbert maximized his chances of gaining subscribers. He also recruited various skilled practitioners like John Dee to create manuscript and printed maps that helped him to gain permission for the voyage, to advertise it, to guide it, and to stake his claim to North America. Much of Gilbert’s intelligence came from reading printed and manuscript texts, which allowed him to establish England’s legal claim to North America. He and his supporters also interviewed Englishmen and foreigners who had been to Norumbega. Based upon their navigational research, Gilbert’s circle intended to implement several seafaring advances during their transatlantic crossing, even if the crew was unable to execute all of their plans. Scholars typically depict England’s earliest colonizing voyages as being haphazard and experimental in nature, but a close examination of the preparations for Gilbert’s voyage shows that he and his supporters worked diligently for several years to ready themselves for their expedition to North America. i Table of Contents List of Figures iii Author’s Acknowledgements v Introduction: “Sir Humfrey Gilbart … is gone. But vvhether, no man knovves” 1 I. “the crowne of England hath most right to … America”: Establishing Gilbert’s claim to North America 1. Introduction 31 2. Gilbert’s Colonial Jurisdiction and the Limits of the Spanish Empire 35 3. Gilbert’s Manuscripts and England’s Claim to North America 50 4. Giovanni da Verrazano’s Refugio and Gilbert’s Plans for a Colony 65 5. Conclusion 83 II. “For you, Sir Humphrey, wanted this literary offspring of mine”: The Promotional Literature of Gilbert’s Expedition 1. Introduction 87 2. John Florio’s shorte narration: Announcing the Expedition and 93 Introducing English Readers to Norumbega 3. Richard Hakluyt’s Divers Voyages: Gaining Investments by 103 Establishing England’s claim to Norumbega 4. Stephen Parmenius’s De Navigatione…Humfredi Gilberti: An 117 Appeal to other Humanists 5. David Ingram’s adventures & travailes: The First Account of 126 Norumbega by an Englishman 6. Christopher Carleill’s breef and sommarie discourse: Appeals to the 138 Muscovy Company and to London’s Merchants 7. Sir George Peckham’s true report: Seeking a Follow-up to the 152 Expedition 8. Conclusion 161 ii III. “he shewed us the card of the whole cuntry”: The Cartography of Gilbert’s Expedition 1. Introduction 165 2. John Dee’s Manuscript Maps: Envisioning an Anglo-North America 168 3. Richard Hakluyt’s Printed Maps: Promoting the Colonization of 198 North America 4. Thomas Bavin’s Mapmaking: Claiming North America for England 206 5. Conclusion 218 IV. “a man noted of not good happ by sea”: The Nautical Science of Gilbert’s Expedition 1. Introduction 223 2. The Navigational Literature of Gilbert’s Circle 227 3. Robert Norman’s newe Attractiue and William Borough’s Discovrs 233 of the Cumpas: New Navigational Texts and Instruments 4. Navigating to the Minute: England’s first attempt to determine 254 Longitude at Sea 5. Navigation in Theory: To Africa, the Caribbean, and Norumbega 267 6. Navigation in Practice: To Newfoundland, Sable Island, and 278 Norumbega 7. Conclusion 289 Conclusion: “And nevermore, on sea or shore, Should Sir Humphrey see 292 the light” Bibliography: Manuscripts 301 Primary Sources 307 Secondary Sources 318 iii List of Figures Figure 1. Page 2. Unknown artist, Syr Hvmfrye Gilbert Knight Drowned in the Discovery of Virginia Anno 1584, ca. 1584. Compton Castle, Compton, UK. Google Images. Figure 2. Page 171. John Dee, “Ioannis Dee, Anno 1580,” 1580. London, British Library, Cotton MS Augustus, I.i.1. From David B. Quinn, ed., The Voyages and Colonising Enterprises of Sir Humphrey Gilbert, vol. 2 (London: Hakluyt Society, 1940), insert in back cover. Figure 3. Page 179. Simão Fernandes, “The Cownterfet of Mr. Fernando Simon his Sea carte which he lent unto my Master at Mortlake. Ao. 1580. Novemb. 20. The same Fernando Simon is a Portugale, and borne in Tercera being one of the Iles called AZORES,” 1580. London, British Library, Cotton Roll, XIII, 48. From David B. Quinn, Alison M. Quinn, and Susan Hillier, eds. New American World: A Documentary History of North America to 1612, vol. 3 (New York: Arno Press, 1979), plate no. 89. Figure 4. Page 184. John Dee, “Sr Humfray Gylbert Knight his charte,” 1583. Free Library of Philadelphia, Rare Book Division, Elkins Americana, no. 42. From David B. Quinn, ed., The Voyages and Colonising Enterprises of Sir Humphrey Gilbert, vol. 2 (London: Hakluyt Society, 1940), insert facing 374. Figure 5. Page 185. Robert Boissard, Sr Humphry Gilbert knight, ca. 1590-1603. London, National Portrait Gallery, D20541. From http://www.npg.org.uk. Figure 6. Page 193. Hieronimo da Verrazano, untitled map, 1529. In Giovanni Batista Ramusio, Terze volume della navigationi e viaggi nel qualsi contengono le navigationi al mondonuovo (Venice: Tommaso Giunti, 1556), 353-354. From Google Images. Figure 7. Page 199. Humphrey Gilbert, “A General Map made onelye for the Particvler Declaration of this Discovery.” In Humphrey Gilbert, A Discovrse Of a Discouerie for a new Passage to Cataia (London: Henry Middleton, 1576). From Google Images. Figure 8. Page 203. Michael Lok, “Illvstri viro, Domino Philippo Sidnæo Michael Lok Civis Londinensis Hanc Chartam Dedicabat: .1582.” In Richard Hakluyt, Divers Voyages touching the Discoverie of America, and the Ilands adjacent (London: Thomas Dawson, 1582). From Google Images. Figure 9. Page 216. Unknown author, “Instructions for an expedition,” 1582. London, British Library, Additional MS 38823, f. 2r. From David B. Quinn, Alison M. Quinn, and Susan Hillier, eds. New American World: A Documentary History of North America to 1612, vol. 3 (New York: Arno Press, 1979), plate no. 111a. Figure 10. Page 219. John White and Thomas Hariot, “La Virgenia Pars,” 1587. London, British Museum, Department of Prints and Drawings, 1906, 0509.1.3. From David B. iv Quinn, Alison M. Quinn, and Susan Hillier, eds. New American World: A Documentary History of North America to 1612, vol. 3 (New York: Arno Press, 1979), plate no. 94. Figure 11. Page 242. Robert Norman’s “Dip Circle.” In Norman, The newe Attractiue, Containyng a short discourse of the Magnes or Lodestone, and amongest other his vertues, of a newe discouered secret and subtill propertie, concernyng the Declinyng of the Needle, touched therewith under the plaine of the Horizon. Now first