Richard Hakluyt

Geographer, born in Hertfordshire, SE England, UK. He studied at Oxford, where he lectured in geography, and was ordained some time before 1580. He wrote widely on exploration and navigation, notably his Principal Navigations, Voyages, and Discoveries of the English Nation (1589; 3 vols, 1598–1600). He also introduced the use of globes into English schools. Made a prebendary of Westminster in 1602, he is buried in Westminster Abbey. The Hakluyt Society was instituted in 1846.

Richard Hakluyt (c.

The Hakluyts were of Welsh extraction, and appear to have settled in Herefordshire around the 13th century. Hakluyt was born in Hereford and educated at Westminster School, where he was a Queen's Scholar; while there he visited to his cousin and namesake, Richard Hakluyt of the Middle Temple, whose conversation, illustrated by "certain bookes of cosmographie, an universall mappe, and the Bible," made young Hakluyt resolve to "prosecute that knowledge, and kind of literature."

As a result of his research, he wrote and published, in 1582, his Divers Voyages Touching the Discoverie of America and the Ilands Adjacent unto the Same, Made First of all by our Englishmen and Afterward by the Frenchmen and Britons. He went on to produce The Principall Navigations, Voiages and Discoveries of the English Nation… in 1589, using eye-witness accounts as far as possible.

Hakluyt's first work brought him to the notice of Lord Howard of Effingham, and so to that of Sir Edward Stafford, Lord Howard's brother-in-law; at the age of thirty, being acquainted with " the chiefest captaines at sea, the greatest merchants, and the best mariners of our nation," he was selected, as chaplain to accompany Stafford, now English ambassador at the French court, to Paris (1583). In accordance with the instructions of Secretary Francis Walsingham, he occupied himself chiefly in collecting information of the Spanish and French movements, and "making diligent inquirie of such things as might yield any light unto our westerne discoverie in America."

The first-fruits of Hakluyt's labours in Paris are embodied in his important work entitled A particuler discourse concerning Wesierne discoveries written in the yere 1584, by Richarde Hackluyt of Oxforde, at the requeste and direction of the righte worshipfull Mr Walter Ragfly before the comynge home of his twoo barkes. Hakluyt's other works consist mainly of translations and compilations, relieved by his dedications and prefaces, which last, with a few letters, are the only material we possess out of which a biography of him can be framed. Hakluyt revisited England in 1584, laid before Queen Elizabeth a copy of the Discourse "along with one in Latin upon Aristotle's Politicks," and obtained, two days before his return to Paris, the grant of the next vacant prebend at Bristol, to which he was admitted in 1586 and held with his other preferments till his death.

While in Paris Hakluyt interested himself in the publication of the manuscript journal of Laudonnière, the Histoire notable de la Florida, edited by Bassanier (Paris, 1586, 8vo.). This was translated by Hakluyt and published in London under the title of A notable historie containing foure voyages made by certayne French captaynes into Florida (London, 1587, 4t0.). This work contains the exceedingly rare copperplate map dedicated to Hakluyt and signed F.

In 1588 Hakluyt finally returned to England with Lady Stafford, after a residence in France of nearly five years. In 1589 he published the first edition of his chief work, The Principall Navigations, Voiages and Discoveries of the English Nation (101., London, 1 vol.). In 1598-1600 appeared the final, reconstructed and greatly enlarged edition of The Principal Navigations, Voyages, Traffiques and Discoveries of the English Nation (fol., 3 vols.). Hakluyt's great collection, though but little read, has been truly called the "prose epic of the modern English nation." In 1601 Hakluyt edited a translation from the Portuguese of Antonio Galvano, The Discoveries of the World (4to., London).

In 1602, on May 4, he was installed as prebendary of Westminster, and in the following year was elected archdeacon of Westminster.

He was also a leading adventurer in the London or South Virginia Company. His last publication was a translation of Hernando de Soto's discoveries in Florida, entitled Virginia richly valued by the description of Florida her next neighbour (London, 1609, 4to). to Hakluyt, it has been said, "England is more indebted for its American possession than to any man of that age." One may notice that it was at Hakluyt's suggestion that Robert Parke translated Mendoza's History of China (London, 1588-1580) and John Pory made his version of Leo Africanus (A Geographical History of Africa, London, 1600).

Hakluyt died in 1616 and was buried in Westminster Abbey (November 26);

The Hakluyt Society was founded in 1846 for printing rare and unpublished voyages and travels, and continues to publish two or three volumes per year.