The principal navigations, voyages, traffiques and discoveries of the English nation, made by Sea or ouer-land,

to the remote and farthest distant quarters of the Earth, at any time within the compasse of these 1600 yeres, diuided into three seuerall Volumes, according to the positions of the Regions, whereunto they were directed. The first Volume containeth the worthy Discoueries, &c. of the English toward the North and Northeast by Sea … together with many notable monuments and testimonies of the ancient forren trades, and of the warrelike and other shipping of this Realme of England in former ages. Whereunto is annexed a briefe Commentary of the true state of Island, and of the Northern Seas and lands situate that way. as also the memorable defeat of the Spanish huge Armada, anno 1588. The second Volume comprehendeth the principal Navigations … to the South and South-east parts of the world … Imprinted at London : by George Bishop, Ralph Newberie and Robert Barker, 1599. [WITH] The third and last volvme of the voyages … of the English nation, and in some few places, where they haue not been, of strangers, performed within and before the time of these hundred yeeres, to all parts of the Newfound world of America, or the West Indies, from 73 degrees of Northerly to 57 of Southerly latitude … Together with the two … voyages of Sir Francis Drake and M. Thomas Candish round about the circumference of the whole earth, and diuers other voyages intended and set forth for that course … Imprinted at London : by George Bishop, Ralph Newberie and Robert Barker, 1600. Three volumes bound in two (the standard arrangement), folio, panelled calf, spines in compartments with ornamental gilt tooling and contrasting leather title labels lettered in gilt; pp. [24], 619; [16], 312, 204; [16], 868; woodcut initials and ornaments throughout; lacking the world map, which is only known in a few copies; the first volume with two early ownership signatures dated 1655 and 1700 to the main title-page, which is the second state title (with the date 1599, and without the mention of the victorie atchieued at the citie of Cadiz, 1596); however, the first volume does include the account (pp. 607-619) A briefe and true report of the honourable voyage vnto Cadiz, 1596 (the so-called “Cadiz leaves”), which was suppressed by order of Queen Elizabeth after the disgrace of Essex – this account of his voyage to Cadiz was excised from most copies; light foxing to preliminaries and last few leaves of the first volume, otherwise contents crisp and clean, a fine set.

The desirable second edition of Hakluyt’s Voyages.

Hakluyt had published the first edition of The principal navigations in 1589, but it is the monumental second edition of this work, greatly revised and expanded and published in three volumes between 1598 and 1600, which is the definitive version. Estimated to contain more than 1.7 million words, Hakluyt’s work is a vast and comprehensive history of English maritime ventures and colonial enterprise, an epic account whose eloquence places it at the forefront of Elizabethan letters.

A patentee and director of the Virginia Company, Hakluyt was a promoter of English colonization in the New World, and the third volume treats almost exclusively English exploration, colonization and commercial activity in the Americas. The principal navigations, voiages, traffiqves and discoueries of the English nation is among the earliest works printed in English that deals with American subject matter in significant depth. The third volume also contains accounts of the first English voyagers to round Cape Horn and enter the Pacific, including Drake and Cavendish (1586, as well as the failed voyage of 1591).

“An invaluable treasure of nautical information which has affixed to Hakluyt’s name a brilliancy of reputation which time can never efface or obscure.” (Church)

Printing and the Mind of Man, 105; Sabin, 29595, 29597, 29598; Hill, 743; Church, 322.