Henry VIII., the unconquered King of England, a prince adorned with all
the virtues that become a great monarch, having some differences of no
small consequence with Charles the most serene Prince of Castile, sent
me into Flanders, as his ambassador, for treating and composing matters
between them. I was colleague and companion to that incomparable man
Cuthbert Tonstal, whom the King, with such universal applause, lately
made Master of the Rolls; but of whom I will say nothing; not because I
fear that the testimony of a friend will be suspected, but rather
because his learning and virtues are too great for me to do them
justice, and so well known, that they need not my commendations, unless
I would, according to the proverb, “Show the sun with a lantern.” Those
that were appointed by the Prince to treat with us, met us at Bruges,
according to agreement; they were all worthy men. The Margrave of
Bruges was their head, and the chief man among them; but he that was
esteemed the wisest, and that spoke for the rest, was George Temse, the
Provost of Casselsee: both art and nature had concurred to make him
eloquent: he was very learned in the law; and, as he had a great
capacity, so, by a long practice in affairs, he was very dexterous at
unravelling them. After we had several times met, without coming to an
agreement, they went to Brussels for some days, to know the Prince’s
pleasure; and, since our business would admit it, I went to Antwerp.
While I was there, among many that visited me, there was one that was
more acceptable to me than any other, Peter Giles, born at Antwerp, who
is a man of great honour, and of a good rank in his town, though less
than he deserves; for I do not know if there be anywhere to be found a
more learned and a better bred young man; for as he is both a very
worthy and a very knowing person, so he is so civil to all men, so
particularly kind to his friends, and so full of candour and affection,
that there is not, perhaps, above one or two anywhere to be found, that
is in all respects so perfect a friend: he is extraordinarily modest,
there is no artifice in him, and yet no man has more of a prudent
simplicity. His conversation was so pleasant and so innocently
cheerful, that his company in a great measure lessened any longings to
go back to my country, and to my wife and children, which an absence of
four months had quickened very much. One day, as I was returning home
from mass at St. Mary’s, which is the chief church, and the most
frequented of any in Antwerp, I saw him, by accident, talking with a
stranger, who seemed past the flower of his age; his face was tanned,
he had a long beard, and his cloak was hanging carelessly about him, so
that, by his looks and habit, I concluded he was a seaman. As soon as
Peter saw me, he came and saluted me, and as I was returning his
civility, he took me aside, and pointing to him with whom he had been
discoursing, he said, “Do you see that man? I was just thinking to
bring him to you.” I answered, “He should have been very welcome on
your account.” “And on his own too,” replied he, “if you knew the man,
for there is none alive that can give so copious an account of unknown
nations and countries as he can do, which I know you very much desire.”
“Then,” said I, “I did not guess amiss, for at first sight I took him
for a seaman.” “But you are much mistaken,” said he, “for he has not
sailed as a seaman, but as a traveller, or rather a philosopher. This
Raphael, who from his family carries the name of Hythloday, is not
ignorant of the Latin tongue, but is eminently learned in the Greek,
having applied himself more particularly to that than to the former,
because he had given himself much to philosophy, in which he knew that
the Romans have left us nothing that is valuable, except what is to be
found in Seneca and Cicero. He is a Portuguese by birth, and was so
desirous of seeing the world, that he divided his estate among his
brothers, ran the same hazard as Americus Vesputius, and bore a share
in three of his four voyages that are now published; only he did not
return with him in his last, but obtained leave of him, almost by
force, that he might be one of those twenty-four who were left at the
farthest place at which they touched in their last voyage to New
Castile. The leaving him thus did not a little gratify one that was
more fond of travelling than of returning home to be buried in his own
country; for he used often to say, that the way to heaven was the same
from all places, and he that had no grave had the heavens still over
him. Yet this disposition of mind had cost him dear, if God had not
been very gracious to him; for after he, with five Castalians, had
travelled over many countries, at last, by strange good fortune, he got
to Ceylon, and from thence to Calicut, where he, very happily, found
some Portuguese ships; and, beyond all men’s expectations, returned to
his native country.” When Peter had said this to me, I thanked him for
his kindness in intending to give me the acquaintance of a man whose
conversation he knew would be so acceptable; and upon that Raphael and
I embraced each other. After those civilities were past which are usual
with strangers upon their first meeting, we all went to my house, and
entering into the garden, sat down on a green bank and entertained one
another in discourse. He told us that when Vesputius had sailed away,
he, and his companions that stayed behind in New Castile, by degrees
insinuated themselves into the affections of the people of the country,
meeting often with them and treating them gently; and at last they not
only lived among them without danger, but conversed familiarly with
them, and got so far into the heart of a prince, whose name and country
I have forgot, that he both furnished them plentifully with all things
necessary, and also with the conveniences of travelling, both boats
when they went by water, and waggons when they travelled over land: he
sent with them a very faithful guide, who was to introduce and
recommend them to such other princes as they had a mind to see: and
after many days’ journey, they came to towns, and cities, and to
commonwealths, that were both happily governed and well peopled. Under
the equator, and as far on both sides of it as the sun moves, there lay
vast deserts that were parched with the perpetual heat of the sun; the
soil was withered, all things looked dismally, and all places were
either quite uninhabited, or abounded with wild beasts and serpents,
and some few men, that were neither less wild nor less cruel than the
beasts themselves. But, as they went farther, a new scene opened, all
things grew milder, the air less burning, the soil more verdant, and
even the beasts were less wild: and, at last, there were nations,
towns, and cities, that had not only mutual commerce among themselves
and with their neighbours, but traded, both by sea and land, to very
remote countries. There they found the conveniencies of seeing many
countries on all hands, for no ship went any voyage into which he and
his companions were not very welcome. The first vessels that they saw
were flat-bottomed, their sails were made of reeds and wicker, woven
close together, only some were of leather; but, afterwards, they found
ships made with round keels and canvas sails, and in all respects like
our ships, and the seamen understood both astronomy and navigation. He
got wonderfully into their favour by showing them the use of the
needle, of which till then they were utterly ignorant. They sailed
before with great caution, and only in summer time; but now they count
all seasons alike, trusting wholly to the loadstone, in which they are,
perhaps, more secure than safe; so that there is reason to fear that
this discovery, which was thought would prove so much to their
advantage, may, by their imprudence, become an occasion of much
mischief to them. But it were too long to dwell on all that he told us
he had observed in every place, it would be too great a digression from
our present purpose: whatever is necessary to be told concerning those
wise and prudent institutions which he observed among civilised
nations, may perhaps be related by us on a more proper occasion. We
asked him many questions concerning all these things, to which he
answered very willingly; we made no inquiries after monsters, than
which nothing is more common; for everywhere one may hear of ravenous
dogs and wolves, and cruel men-eaters, but it is not so easy to find
states that are well and wisely governed.