A Relation of a Voyage to Guiana by Robert Harcourt 1613 / With Purchas’ Transcript of a Report made at Harcourt’s Instance on the Marrawini District
Author: Robert Harcourt (1574?–1631) edited by C. Alexander Harris
Year: 1928
Publisher: Hakluyt Society
Place: London
Description:
xii+191 pages with frontispiece, 3 maps, illustration, appendices and index. Octavo (9" x 6") bound in original publisher's blue cloth with gilt lettering to spine and gilt pictorial representation of the ship Victoria on the cover and edge ruled decorative blind stamp to covers in original jacket. Edited with Introduction and Notes by Sir C. Alexander Harris, Second Series, Volume 60. First published in 1613.
Robert Harcourt was an English explorer, projector of a South American colony, in what was later Guiana. On 23 March 1609, accompanied by his brother Michael and a company of adventurers, Robert Harcourt sailed for Guiana. On 11 May, he arrived at the Oyapock River. Local people came on board, and were disappointed at the absence of Sir Walter Raleigh after he had famously visited during his exploration of the area in 1595. Harcourt gave them aqua vitae. He took possession in the king's name of a tract of land lying between the River Amazon and River Essequibo on 14 August, left his brother and most of his company to colonise it, and four days later embarked for England.
He obtained letters patent empowering him to plant and inhabit the land at Guiana, but was prevented by circumstances from visiting it again. King James I renewed the grant on 28 August 1613 in favor of Harcourt and his heirs, Sir Thomas Challoner and John Rovenson. To promote the success of the scheme, Harcourt wrote an account of his adventures. A corporation of "lords and gentlemen" was formed and entrusted the conduct of the enterprise to Roger North. North, despite the opposition of Gondomar, the Spanish ambassador, transported a hundred English settlers to Guiana (Oyapoc). He then obtained on 30 January 1626 a grant for incorporating his own and Harcourt's company with all customary privileges. The following April, Harcourt issued a Proposal for the formation of a Company of Adventurers to the river Amazon, and an enlarged edition of his book, with the conditions laid down by him for settlers in Guiana.
Condition:
Unread with the pages still to be separated. Jacket with edge wear, spine ends and corners chipped, spine toned and stained else better than very good in a very good jacket.
