Chap. L 
and hh wintering in Charlton Ifland. 
my Readers, induced me to tliink of giving Place to 
the Voyage of Captain Thomas Jaynes^ undertaken for 
the Satisfadtion of King Charles L at the Expence of 
the Merchant Adventurers of BrifioL And this for va- 
rious Reafons ; Firft, Becaufe the original Edition of 
163^, publifhed by the Author Ihmfelf, from whence 
this, with the Omiflions only of fome obfolete Phrafes, 
and fome Verfes, not much to the Purpofe, is literally 
taken, is become exceeding fcarce, and, indeed, hardly 
to be met with. Secondly, Becaufe it is very jullly 
looked upon as the very bell Work of its kind that 
ever was publifhed, and this in every refpedl ; the Au- 
thor being a knowing, careful, and experienced Seaman, 
one who wrote every thing as it occurred, and framed, 
the Hiftory of his Voyage while it was making, and not 
after his return Home, from loofe Papers, or a bare 
Sea Journal. Thirdly, Becaufe the giving this Voyage 
will fatisfy the Reader in all the Points of Enquiry that 
lie can poffibly frame, and this upon the Authority of fo 
judicious and candid a Writer, tliat the famous Mr. Ro- 
bert Boyle chiefly depended upon the Extradts he made 
from his Work, in framing one of the _mofl: valuable 
Pieces that he publiflied, I mean his Plifbory of Cold. 
Fourthly, Becaufe it will free us from the IsVceflity of 
inferting any more Voyages intothefe Northern Parts, as 
containing every thing that is worth reading in the reft 
of them ; digefted clearly and plainly, fo as to carry 
Convidlion throughout, and leave us no room to queftion 
either the Abilities or the Sincerity of its Author. And 
Fifthly, Becaufe it affords us an Opportunity of exhibit- 
ing, at once, the Reafons from which it was for many 
Years after this believed, that the finding fuch a Paffage 
was impradlicable, and adding thereto the Motives that 
have induced able and experienced Perfons in later Times 
to conceive, that how formidable foever thefe Objections 
may at firft Sight appear, they are not abfolutely conclu- 
five, but that fuch a Paffage may be ftill fought for 
with rational Hopes of Succefs. 
After having given this Account of the Caufes of in- 
ferting this long Voyage, I fliall next prefent the Reader 
with an Account from Captain James’’ s. Preface, which is 
to be found only in his original Edition ; of the Man- 
ner ■ in which this Voyage was undertaken, containing 
many Particulars that are very well worth Notice, and 
wEich will not tail to convince the Reader that never any 
Enterprize of this kind was better concerted, or more 
Deliberation ufed in providing for its Succefs, Captain 
James had been employed, as he tells us, in fome 
Northern Voyages before, whence die came to be thought 
the fitteft Perfon in the Kingdom, for attempting this fo 
long wiflied for Difeovery j which, however, he was 
not determined to undertake, till it was fignified to him 
on the Part of the King, that it would be highly fatis- 
fa.Cl'ory to his Majefty. After he was once come to a 
Refolution, he fignified to the Merchants of Brifiol^ in 
whofe Service probably he had been formerly employed, 
both his own Inclination to venture on this Voyage, and 
. the Encouragement he received from his Majefty j upon 
which they very readily raifed fuch a Sum of Money as 
was requifite, and depofited it in the Hands of a Trea- 
furer, for carrying it on with the utmoft Facility and 
lixpedition. 
Captain James defired only a fingle Ship, and that a 
iinall one, of the Burden only of feventy Tons. She was 
built for this Voyage ; and it will appear from what fol- 
lows, that file was as well and ftrongly built as- ever any 
ydfel ot her Size was. The Number of Perfons that he de- 
fired for the Execution of fo difficult and fo dangerous a 
, Defign, was no more than twenty-two ; and the Provi- 
fions and other Neceffaries that he required, was for 18 
Months ; and he acknowledges that they were provided for 
him in the full Proportions he demanded, and that in their 
feveral kinds they were as wholefome and as good as he 
could willi. He had the free Choice of the Men that were 
tolerve under him, but he abfolutely refilled all Volunteers 
that had never been at Sea, in which there is nothing 
ft range *, but it mu ft be allowed that it was fomewhat 
furprizing, that he fliould rejeft alfo fuch as had failed in 
. thofe Seas . before > for wlftcft he fays he wanted not good 
Reafons, though it feems they v/ere fuch as he did not 
think fit to difclofe. The Qualities he required were., 
that they fliould be unmarried, approved, able, and 
healthy Seamen *, he likewife took care that they fliould 
not have the leaft Knowledge or Acquaintance with each 
other i and, inftead of entering them all at once, he firft 
fixed upon a Boatfwain and his Crew for rigging the 
, Ship, and put them aboard before the reft of the Seamen 5, 
then he fliipped the common Men, and laftly his Offi- 
cers j fo that all things were ready at once ; the Expence 
kept as much within Bounds as it was pofiible, and the 
wifeft Precautions taken to prevent Faciicns, and Muti- 
nies, with which, as we fliall fee, he was never troubled, 
notwithftanding all the Miferles and Misfortunes that he 
and his People endured. 
When all things were ready he made a fliort Journey 
to London^ to receive his Majeily’s laft Commands, and 
fuch Letters and Commiffions as he judged mig-ht be 
of Service to him j and, upon his Return to Brificl^ he 
went direcftly aboard his Ship, with a Refolution of fail- 
ing the firft fair Wind. After his Return he drew up 
the following Hiftory of his Voyage, for his MafterE 
Satisfadlion ; and prefixed to it the following Dedication, 
which is alfo not to be met with, entire and corredl, in 
any but the original Edition. 
M?/ gracious Sovereign : That my unlkilful felf v/as 
“ made Choice of for this Employment, and my Un- 
dertaking in it encouraged by your gracious Com- 
“ mandment, I muft ever account of, as the greateft 
“ Honour ever yet befel ?me. Many a Storm, and 
“ Rock, and Mift, and Wind, and Tide, and Sea, and 
Mount of Ice, have I in this Difeovery encountered 
“ withal ; many a Defpair and Death had almoft over- 
“ whelmed me ; but ftill, the Remembrance of the Ac- 
“ count I was to give of it, to fo gracious a Mpqefty, put 
“ me in Heart again, made me not to give V>/ay to my 
“ owm Fears, or the Infirmities of Humanity. Your 
“ Majefty, in my Employment (like a true Father of 
“ your Country) intended the Good of your Subjedls, 
“ and who is not bound to blefs God for your royaf 
“ Care in it, had it now been my Fortune to have done . 
‘‘ my Country this Service, as to have brought home the 
“ Nev/s of this fuppofed and long-fought for Paffage ; 
“ then fliould the Merchant have enjoyed the Sweetnefs 
“ of the hoped Profit, and die Subjedls have been fen- 
“ fible of the Benefit of your Majefty’s Royal Intention 
‘‘ in it. I have done my Good-will in it, and though 
“ I have not brought home the News, yet fliall I here di- 
“ vulge thefe Obfervations, which may (I hope) become 
“ fome Way beneficial unto my Country. The Account of 
“ them I here in all Humility offer unto your moft judi- 
“ cious Majefty ; your gracious Acceptance of what I 
“ had done, though I had not done what was expeded 
“ emboldneth me to do fo ; and fince your Majefty was 
“ pleafed to fignify your Defires of having a brief Ac- 
“ count of my Voyage prefented unto you, that Word 
“ became a Command unto me, to draw this rude Ab- 
“ ftrad of iL Your Majefty will pleafe to confider, that 
“ they were rough Elements which I had to do withal, 
“ and will, with Favour, vouchflife to pardon, if a Sea- 
“ man’s Stile be like what he moft converfeth with. In 
“ the Plainnefs therefore of well meaning, fince your 
Majefty hath been fo gracious to me, as to appoint me 
“ your Servant, I am now bound to vov/ you my Ser- 
vice, and it fliall be my Flonour to be commanded 
“ it ; and I fliall account no Danger too great- in the 
“ going through it. Thefe are the Relblutions of 
“ your Majefty’s liumbleft Subjedl and Servant Thomas 
“ James T 
But it is now Time to proceed to the Captain’s Nar- 
rative, which is delivered moftly in his own-AVords, 
becaufe it was found impoffible to exprefs his Senfe in 
AVords better chofen, or that could bring the Fads he 
relates into a narrower Gompafs. 
2. The 2d of May I took my 'Leave of the Merchant- 
Adventurers in this A dion, in the Ci'ty of Brijlol and 
being accompanied by the Reverend “Mr. and 
fevci'al of the Merchants I repaired aboard ; where Mr. 
Palmer made a Sermon, exhorting us to continue bro- 
therly 
