A Dutch Manuscript Rutter: a Unique
Portrait of the European Coasts in the
Late Sixteenth Century
by GUNTER SCHILDER
Introduction
The present writer's heart pounded with anticipation when during an investigation trip to Madrid in
the Biblioteca Nacional he held a thin volume in oblong format entitled: RECVEIL. ET.
POVRTRAICT.DAVLCVNES.VILLES.MARITIMES.ET. PLVS MEMORABLES. PORTS. ET. LEVRS.
ADVENVES.ET.MARCQVES.SERVANTES.A.LA. NAVIGATION.EN. LA MER. OCEANE. Despite the
French title it concerned a work by a Dutchman from the eighties of the sixteenth century,
encompassing 24 beautiful charts and coastal views (258 X 566 cm each) in pen and ink, some
accompanied by nautical sailing instructions. As far as its style of drawing is concerned as well as the
way it is reproduced, this work is unequalled compared with all other sixteenth century Dutch
sailor's guides known so far. The drawings recovered in Madrid provide a unique picture of the
European mainland between the Gulf of Finland and the Bay of Biscay.
Dutch Rutters before 1580
In order to show the work in Madrid to its full advantage, it has to be placed in its historical context.
The Dutch sailor who, in the course of the sixteenth century, developed into 'the pre-eminently
European sea carrier' was vitally interested in fixed reproductions of the course of the coasts of the
North Sea, the Baltic and the English Channel. This region with its dangerous shallows and sandbanks
and its ever-changing channels necessitated such knowledge.
Besides lead and compass, sailing instructions and coastal descriptions were the major nautical aids
used by the Dutch sailor. Initially these rutters of busy waters were drawn on paper by navigating
officers who were skillful with pen and drawing lead by marking the courses and distances between
the various ports and headlands. These notes were often illustrated with simple sketches of the
headlands and coasts that were passed. Thus these map sketches could be used as orientating aids
during subsequent voyages. The rutters can be regarded as precursors of the real chart.
Already during the first half of the sixteenth century rutters were printed. Amsterdam publishers,
such as Jan Zeverszoon and Jan Jacobsz anticipated the favourable climate of commercial activities
and the increasing need for means of navigation by publishing printed rutters; this way other sailors
too, could benefit. These printed rutters predominantly involve small booklets in duodecimo format,
covering the vast sea area of the eastern and western navigations. In the course of the century the
rutters were republished, mostly in a hardly altered form, also in translations.
When in 1543 Cornelis Anthonisz published his famous chart Caerte van Oostlant, he also issued a
detailed description of the navigation to the Baltic region in oblong format: Hier beghint die Caerte
van die Oosterse See. Compared with the older rutters important improvements can be established.
As the title states, the rutter by Cornelis Anthonisz is restricted to the urgent need of describing texts
about the coastal waters and sailing routes from Amsterdam to the Baltic region. They allowed
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especially for the strong expansion of the Dutch grain and salt trade. The simple clarity of the
numerous coastal profiles in woodblock print in the text of this booklet added greatly to a sure
course determination. Since then landfalls have remained in use as navigation aids, printed on charts
or in sailor's guides. During the second part of the sixteenth century too, the rutters were dominant
in the navigation along Europe's coasts. Apart from printed rutters there were also extensive
manuscript rutters, provided with various sketch maps and coastal profiles.
In this connection we must first of all mention the two preserved manuscripts in Antwerp and
Brussels. The great accordance of sketch maps, coastal views and texts, investigation by Denuc6 and
Gernez proved that the two rutters are copies of a lost manuscript by the Dutch sailor Dirck Zael.
The rutters mainly contain sketches of ports, or small coastal areas for the channel between the
Baltic and Portugal. The coastlines of these cartografic sketches were drawn very roughly, while the
coasts along the coastlines, drawn in elevation, were also very schematically represented. Numerous
texts alongside the sketches complete required by the sailor to a considerable degree.
There is a great similarity in charts and texts occurring in the work of Govaert Willemsen van
Hollesloot, which was published from 1587 onward: Die Caerte vander Oostende West Zee. This
work, published posthumously, is also based on the nautical data originally gathered by Dirck Zael.
From this period stems another manuscript rutter. A rutter dated 1579 has been preserved in the
collection of Hatfield Houses, containing several elements: notes about nautical science (astronomy,
declinations schedules), nautical instructions, coastal views and sketch maps (provided with
numerous detailed nautical texts). In the charts we can clearly distinguish two different old series. In
an evaluating comparison the first series in Hatfield House is marked by a clear progress (Fig. 1) in
relation to the above-mentioned manuscripts.
A new development
Sixteenth century trade consisted mainly of the exchange of commodities in which the Dutch ship
owner played a leading part as buyer, seller, middleman and shipper. The broadening of the horizons
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of Dutch shipping required better means of navigation. Pioneer work was done by Lucas Jansz
Waghenaer (1533/34-1606) and Aelbert Haeyen (c. 1550-c.1613).
Waghenaer became the major pioneer in the development of a better and safer navigation route
along the West-European coasts. His Spieghel der Zeevaerdt (1584/85) effected a revolutionary
change in the field of maritime cartography. The publishing of the first printed pilot-guide in folio
size was one of the most fundamental turning points in the development of chart manufacturing. The
Spieghel started off a new tradition in pilot-guides.
Waghenaer drew his data from different written and printed sources, after which he completed them
with his own observations, gained during many a voyage. The first volume of the Spieghel, containing
an outline map of Western Europe and 22 charts concerning the so-called 'Western navigation' with
the coasts between Texel and Cadiz, appeared in 1584 and was followed by a second volume in the
next year, containing 23 charts of the so-called 'Eastern navigation' with the waters situated east of
the Zuiderzee as far as Norway and Finland. An introduction to the art of navigation is followed by
the charts in copper engraving. Each chart is a unity of four pages: the first page contains the
description of and the sailing instructions about the coastal strip depicted on the chart; the second
and third pages show the chart (33 x 52 cm), the fourth page is blank. The charts have no graduation,
they were drawn on a scale of c. 1: 400 000, but it is remarkable that the river mouths and the ports
were depicted on a bigger scale. Here is also an accumulation of depth figures: the charts were
mainly meant for the entering and leaving of ports and rivers. Characteristic is the combined
drawing of coastline and coastal profile (Fig. 2). This enabled the sailor to see at a glance with what
kind of coast he was dealing. Waghenaer's Spieghel appeared in many successive editions in Dutch,
French, German and Latin. An English edition, printed without the author's consent, was published in
England in 1588, entitled “The Mariners Mirror.''
Apart from the much more complete and also better known cartographical work by Waghenaer, the
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Amstelredamsche Zee-Caerten by Aelbert Haeyen had some success. In a time when shipping
increased strongly, the sailor's need of means of navigation was very great. Particularly the North Sea
coasts with their treacherous waters were not sufficiently described and the city council of
Amsterdam itself embarked upon providing a good sailor's guide. The work was consigned to Aelbert
Haeyen, who, after having sailed these waters intensively, published his Amstelredamsche ZeeCaertenin 1585, 'in which in writing and with charts were clearly indicated the difficulties regarding
the grounds, channels, and sands a sailor could encounter between the Heads and Schaghen'. This
was the short description Aelbert Haeyen used to indicate his work, which was well received by the
sailors, both because of its small size and the extensive mentioning of entrances to the sea and ports
in a restricted area. Although the title page states 'between the Heads and Schaghen' [the Straits of
Dover and Skagen in Jylland], the five charts in this pilot-guide refer only to the coastal area between
Nieuwpoort and Holms. The charts stand out by a very clear depiction, in which, compared to the
work of Waghenaer, the bearing-lines are especially remarkable. Contrary to Waghenaer's work, in
Haeyen's the main point is the description of the coast and the coastal waters. In his view the text
was more important than the charts. Haeyen's work saw five revised editions.
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The manuscript Rutter in Madrid [c. 1586] - General description
Class-mark Ms. Res 237 of the Biblioteca Nacional in Madrid is an anonymous volume of 27,5 X 29,5
cm. The title in black Indian ink on the spine of the forrel cover reads: Costas del Afar del Nortte M.
The work begins with a beautifully drawn title cartouche in Renaissance style (Fig. 3). Above a
rectangularly sculptured plinth is a richly decorated frame with in its centre a drawing of Neptune
riding a whale. The front of the plinth reveals the following title: RECVEIL.ET.
POVRTRAICT.DAVLCVNES. VILLES.:MARITIMES.ET. PL VS.MEMORABLES. PORTS. ET:
LEVRS.ADVENVES.ET MARCQVES. SERVANTES.A: LA NAVIGATION.EN. LA. MER. OCEANE. Running
into this are 24 drawings in pen and ink, sized 25, 8 X 56,6 cm. The illustrated sheets have been
folded in two and, at the place of this fold, were stuck on to a strip of paper, after which they were
bound into a book. The drawings are numbered 1 to 24, the number is placed in the right-hand
corner of the back of each left half of an illustrated sheet. As the drawings on the sheets are restricted
to one side only, this means that after turning a page there is a blank page, turning once more shows
the next drawing. The various pages contain at least five different watermarks, indicating a period
before 1580.'5
The chart series starts in the Baltic with the Gulf of Finland, then continues by way of the Gulf of Riga,
the Gulf of Danzig and the Pommersche Bucht to the Sound, Kattegat and Skagerrak, then it shows
5
the Danish, German, Dutch and Flemish coasts in the North Sea, continues along the English Channel
with the coasts of Normandy and Brittany, and finally ends at the mouth of the Charente.
The index sheet (Fig. 4) shows the very consistent coverage of this area: nine charts (a-i) cover the
east coast and the south coast of the Baltic, eight charts (j-q) the coasts of the North Sea along the
European mainland, four charts (r-u) the southern coast along the British Channel, and three charts
(v-x) part of the Bay of Biscay. The lay out chosen by the draughtsman largely deviating from the one
in Waghenaer's Spieghelder Zeevaerd (1584/85). It is remarkable that the sailing instructions
occurring on eight charts only relate to the so-called Eastern Navigation, the sailing from the
Zuiderzee to the Baltic. The sheets were designed without graduation. However, each chart has a
scale which depending on the significance of the depicted water can vary from 1: 185 000 to 1: 640
000. Unlike in Waghenaer's Spieghel, no compass roses with their prolonged rhumbs were drawn in.
On the other hand, the charts often included bearing lines, aids Waghenaer did not use until 1592,
when his Thresoor was published. These bearing lines indicate among other things the position of
buoys and beacons, the boundaries of shallows, outstanding headlands and buildings. The charts
were orientated differently in order to make an optimum use of the oblong size of the paper. Until
now it was mistakenly supposed that Waghenaer was the first to use such a big oblong size for his
Thresoor der Zeevaertin 1592. As a result of the horizontal shading of the sea, the stretch of water
clearly deviates from the coastlines, which are moreover emphasized by a shadowed line. Shallows
are indicated by dotted lines, sometimes completed by crosses, while figures show the depth of the
sounding in Amsterdam fathoms. A concentration of these specifications can mostly be seen in
6
difficult waterways, in channels and near islands and shallows.
The coasts are represented from a bird's-eye view, often in combination with a side-view, the way
the coast appears from the sea. The smaller islands are often drawn by way of a coastal profile,
turned towards the sea. In depicting the coasts the draughtsman accounted for both outstanding
natural characteristics, such as striking dunes, rocks and clumps of trees, and man-made
characteristics such as church towers, castles, mills, beacons. All these characteristics were meant to
facilitate the determining of the ship's position. The miniature illustrations of villages and towns,
where the draughtsman shows the outstanding buildings such as churches and towers true to life,
are remarkable. Special attention should also be paid to the beautifully drawn sea-going vessels,
which reveal that not only did the draughtsman possess an artistic talent, but he was also well up in
sailing circles.
According to the aid of this pilot-guide, artificial sea signs like beacons and buoys are of course taken
into account. Anchors indicate good roadsteads.
The contents
We shall now take a closer look at the manuscript's contents. Of course only a first general
acquaintance can be provided, a more detailed assessment has to be given later on by regional
experts.
[Chart a] Gulf of Finland between Reval [= Tallin] and Hapsal [= Haapsalu]
Scale Mill: Germanicorvm 4 = 159 mm [c. 1: 185 000]
7
The left hand part of the sheet shows a view of the Bay of 'Revel' (Reval) [ Tallin] 6 with two wooded
islands near the entrance: 'Wolfsont' (Wulfd) [= Aegna saar] and 'Narven' (Narg6) [= Naissaar].
Anchorages near these islands were drawn in and they are recommended in a sailing instruction. The
island of Gr. Rogo [Suur-Pakri] does not occur in the right-hand part of the illustration, yet a village
named 'Groete Rogge', is mentioned at the end of an inlet [Paldiski Laht?]. Close by, behind a reef,
good anchorage is described.
The sheet is bordered by 'Hapsell' (Hapsal) [= Haapsalu] and the island of 'Oedes Hollem'
(Odensholm) [Osmusaar].
[Chart b] Coast of Hapsal [-Haapsalu] as far as the island of Oesel [= Saaremaa]
Scala Mill: Germanicorvm 5 = 145mm [c. 1: 255 000].
The chart shows especially the complicated figuration of the Bay of 'Der Parnov' (Bucht von Pernau)
[= P6rnu Laht] with its two dominating islands of 'Dagerort' (Dag6) [= Hiiuma] and 'Osel' (Oesel) [=
Saaremaa]. The island of Worms [Vormsi] is apparently part of the mainland, while the isle of Mohn
[Muhu] is merged with the island of Oesel. Extensive sailing instructions are supplied for the
navigation in these waters.
[Chart c] The Gulf of Riga
Scala Milli. Germanicorvm 5 = 103mm [c. 1: 360 000]
A view of the Gulf of Riga. In the West it is largely closed off by the island of Oesel [Saaremaa]. The
latter's peninsula, which stretches to the South, can be seen as far as 'Swalverort' (Swalfer Ort), and
also its reefs stretching into the sea. Across the straits, on the mainland, is 'Domines' (Domesnds) [=
Kolka]. Only a narrow channel leads to the mouth of the Duna [Daugava], upriver of which is Riga.
The shipping from 'Lviserort'(Lyser Ort) to Riga is described.
[Chart d] Kurland between 'Der Winda' (Windau) [= Ventspils] and Seven Bergen Scala Millia.
Germanicorvm 7 = 123mm [c. 1: 420 000]
The only significant inlet along this coastal strip is the roadstead of 'Der Winda'.
[Chart e] Kurland between 'Seven Bergen' and Memel [Klaipeda] Scala Millia. Germanicorvm 10=
164mm [c. 1: 450 000]
Three inlets were drawn in along this coast: the northernmost one includes 'Saserwick', the middle
inlet is the harbour of 'Der Liba' (Libau) [= Liepaja], the southernmost inlet includes the roadstead of
'Der Memel' (Memel) [= Klaipeda].
[Chart f] Coast between Memel [Klaipeda] and Danzig [Gdansk]
Scala Milli. Germanicorvm 8 = 125mm [c. 1: 475 000]
This chart is dominated by the two lagoons with 'Coningsberge' (Kdnigsberg) [= Kaliningrad] in the
centre. In the left-hand part, in the nameless front is the Kurland buttress [Kurskaya Kosa] with a
narrow entrance from Memel to the Kurland Haf [Kurskiy Zaliv]. The passage to the Frisches Haff
[Vislinskiy Zaliv] in the direction of Konigsberg, no longer exists; the island and the mainland have
grown together.
The right hand part is dominated by 'Die Nervnge nae Dantzick' [Mierzeja Wislana] with the Frisches
Haff [Vislinskiy Zaliv] behind it. In the background the town profile of 'Melwin' (Elbing) [= Elblag] can
be seen. At the end of the Vislinskiy Zaliv a broad estuary (Weichsel) [= Wisla] leads to Danzig.
8
9
[Chart g] Coast between Danzig [Gdansk] and Stralsund Scala Milli. Germanicorvm 10=125mm [c.
1:590 000]
The left-hand part is taken up by the 'Puiscker Wick' (Putziger Wiek) [= Zatoka Pucka] and the
estuary of the Wisla with in the background the town profile of 'Dantzick' [Gdansk] (Fig. 5). The
sailing from 'Heijl' (Hela peninsula) [= Polwysep Hel] to Gdansk is described in the added sailing
instruction. The right-hand part of the page shows the coast with the entrances to 'Kolberge'
(Kolberg) [= Kolobrzeg] and 'Straelsont' [Stralsund].
[Chart h] Coast of Wolgast to Lubeck
Scala Milli Germanicorvm 10= 116mm [c. 1:640 000]
The left-hand part of the drawing shows the complicated figuration around the island of Riigen. A
sailing instruction is added to explain the situation. The right-hand part of the drawing shows very
summarily the coast as far as Lubeck. However, without mentioning the ports of Rostock and
Wismar.
[Chart i] Sound -Kattegat–Skagerrak (Fig. 6)
Scala Milli Germanicorvm 10 = 1 6 mm [ 1: 640 000]
This sheet shows the major shipping route through Sound and Kattegat as far as Skagen. Along the
east coast of Seeland were drawn among other things 'Steden' [Stevens Klint], 'Drakere' [Dragor on
10
the isle of Amager], 'Copehaven' [Cobenhavn], the island of 'Weden' [Hven] and 'Elseneuer'
[Helsingor]. Across, along the Swedish coast, we can see among other things 'Walsterbon' [Falsterbo],
'Malmvien' [Malmo], 'Landskroon' [Landskrona] and 'Elsenburch' [Helsingborg]. A sailing route
along the buoyage in the Bay of Kogge and the Sound, accompanied by several depth figures should
facilitate shipping in these difficult waters. The sailing instruction reads as follows: From Moenen
[Moen] to Steden [Stevens Klint] the course is NNW; and from Steden to the Drakeren [Dragor] tons
NE; and from the Drakeren tons to the Northern tons or the second tons drawn NE; And from the
Northern ton to Elseneuer [Helsingor] NW.
A is the village of Elseneur [Helsingor]; B is the tollhouse; C is the castle; D is the castle of Elsenborch
[Helsingborg]; and from Elseneuer to Kol [Kullen] the course is NW.
The course continues in the Kattegat along the islands of'Anout' [Anholt] and 'Lesu' [Laso] and the
'Schage Rif [Kap Skagen].
[Chart j] Northern coast of Jylland between Schagen and Bovbjerg
Scala Milli. Germanicorvm 10 = 182 mm [c. 1: 405 000]
[Chart k] Western coast of Jylland and Holstein
Scala Milli. Germanicorvm 10= 147 mm [c. 1: 500 000]
11
12
This sheet shows the North Frisian islands: 'Nuimen' [Nyminde has in the meantime grown together
with the mainland], 'Langelech' [Langlid], 'Fanou' [Fano], 'Manou' [Man6], 'Ryn' [R6m], 'Schilt' [Sylt],
'Ameren' [Amryn]. The island of 'Heylichge Lant' [Helgoland] makes up the southern border. On the
mainland 'Rinkoppen' [Ringk6bing], 'Ripen' [Ribe] and 'Husen' [Husum] can be seen among other
things.
[Chart l] Coast between the mouth of the Elbe and the Groningerdiep
Scala Millia. Germanicorvm 8= 139mm [c. 1: 425 000]
Depiction of the Elbe, the Weser and the Ems with the Dollart (Fig. 7). The channels to Hamburg,
Bremen and Emden are marked by tons and numerous depth figures. In the Elbe mouth bearing lines
are directed to 'dat Nive Werck' [Neuwerck], in the Weser mouth they are directed to the church of
Minsen (Fig. 8), while the beginning of the buoyage of the Ems channel starts with bearing lines to
Rottumeroog and Rottumerplaat.
Along the coast the East Frisian islands were drawn in. They are marked by characters, which are
explained in a cartouche dated 1586.
[Chart m] West Frisian islands with part of the Zuiderzee
This sheet shows a depiction of the islands of 'Schirmvnckooch' [Schiermonnikoog], 'Amelandt'
[Ameland], 'Terschellenck' [Terschelling], 'Flielant' [Vlieland] and 'Texsel' [Texel] and gives an
insight into the very complicatedfigurationof the channels to the Zuiderzee (Fig. 9).
On the mainland we can see among other things town profiles of Leeuwarden, Dokkum, Harlingen
and Makkum. On the islands, too, the main buildings were depicted.
[Chart n] Zuiderzee from Huisduinen to West-Terschelling Milliaria. Holland.
Mediocria 5 = 103 mm [c. 1:270.00]
Here the difficult navigation in the Waddenzee between Huisduinen and West-Terschelling is
charted. Special attention is paid to the sailing route from the Marsdiep to Enkhuizen, where apart
13
from the buoyage, the compass points are indicated. A number of bearing lines as well are indicated,
while a sailing instruction is added to facilitate the entrance to the Marsdiep from the sea. The
channel between 'Eier Lant' and Vlieland and the channels between Vlieland and Terschelling are
also included.
[Chart o] Dutch coast from Huisduinen to the mouth of the Meuse
Milliaria Holland Mediocria 5=113mm [c. 1: 245 00]
The Dutch coast, about which the draughtsman remarks: 'This land of Holland stretches 10 miles
N.N.E. and S.S.W. from Texel to the river Meuse'. A central place is taken by the mouth of the river
Meuse with its buoyage, beaconing, bearing lines and depth figures. Upriver on the island of Voorne
'Den Briele' [Brielle] was drawn in and on the right-hand bank Schiedam.
[Chart p] Coast from Oostvoorne to Lissewegen Milliaria
Zelandica Mediocria 6 = 168 mm [c. 1: 200 000]
Drawing of the 'Goeregat' [Slijkgat] between OostVoorne and Goeree, the 'Brouwershavn Gat'
[Brouwershavensche Gat] between Goeree and Schouwen, the 'Fergat' [Veergat = Roompot] between
Schouwen and Walcheren, the channels of the Western Scheldt: 'Die Botkil' [Oostgat], 'Doerloy'
[Deurloo] and 'Wielinge' [Wielingen], and the 'Svien' [Zwin].
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[Chart q] Coast from Lissewegen to Calais
Milliaria Flandrica Mediocria 8 = 194mm [c. 1:185 000]
Flemish coast between Wielingen and Calais with channel drawn in (Fig. 10); a.o. bearing lines to
'Nieuport' [Nieuwport], 'Duynkercke' [Dunkerque], 'Grevelinge' [Gravalines] and the Calais Reef.
[Chart r] Coast from Calais to Dieppe
Milliaria Gallica. Communia 8 = 168mm [c. 1: 215 000]
Sequel to the former chart with the characteristic cape of 'Swarte Nes' [C. Gris Nez] and the ports of
'Boulongne' [Boulogne], 'Estaples' [Etaples] and Dieppe (Fig. 8b).
[Chart s] Coast from C. de la Hague to St. Michel
Milliaria. Gallica. Commvnia 3 = 78 mm; Milliaria. Germanica. Commvnia 2 = 79 mm [c. 1: 185000]
Drawing of the coast between C. de la Hague and the Baie du Mont St. Michel. Very likely the port
drawn in on the chart as St. Michel is Havre de St. Germain, while the very characteristicdrawing of
the real St. Michel is wrongly indicated as S. Malo. The Channel Islands are also wrongly mentioned:
'Dat eilant Ornay' must be Guernsey, and 'Eilant Garnsee' must be Jersey.
[Chart t] Coast of Basse-Bretagne between Morlaix and Pte. du Four Milliaria. Gallica. Commvnica 6 =
98 mm; Milliaria. Germanica. Commvnia 4 = 96 mm [c. 1:310 000]
Along this coastal strip a broad belt of reefs was drawn. The island of 'Roscov' is Roscoff.
[Chart u] Coast of Basse-Bretagne from Pte. du Four to Pte du Raz. Milliaria. Gallica. Commvnia 3 = 79
mm; Milliaria Germanica. Commvnia. 2 = 79mm [c. 1: 185000]
Depiction of the winding coast from Pte. du Four to Pte du Raz. In front of the coast are situated the
islands of 'Heysant' [Quessant], 'Heilman' [La Helle] and Les Platresses. On the mainland coast we can
see among other things the anchorage of 'Blanchaven' [Anse des Blancs Sablons], 'Conqvest'
[Conquet], behind the cape of 'S. Mateus' [Pte de St. Mathieu] opens the wide Rade de Brest, and after
rounding C. de la Chevre the 'Boldawits Bai' [Baie de Douarnenez]. The sheet ends at 'Dat Ras van
Fontenau' [Pte. du Raz].
[Chart v] Coast of Basse Bretagne between Pte du Raz and Pte. de Penmarch
Milliaria Gallica Comvnia 7 = 158mm; Milliaria Germanica Communia 7 = 242 mm [c. 1:215 000]
The sheet begins with 'Dat Ras van Fontenay' [Pte. du Raz] and the island of 'De Sems' [I. de Sein] and
shows in continuation the Baie d'Aidierne with the roadstead of 'Odeverren' [Audierne], the 'Wester
Penmarch' [Pte de Penmarch], the island of 'Gloeilant' [Isles de Gleans] and the 'Oster Pleinmarck'
[Roches de Penmarch].
[Chart w] Coast of Haute Bretagne between Blavet and Noirmoutier
Milliaria. Gallica. Commvnia. 3 = 45 mm [c. 1:330 000]
The coast begins with the drowned mouth of the Blavet river, it continues in a number of bays
without names, and finally opens into the wide mouth of the river Loire with the towns of 'Le Croisil'
[Le Croisic] and 'S. Nasare' [St. Nazaire] and further upstream Nantes. After rounding Pte. de St.
Gildas, we can recognize the broad Baie de Bourgneuf with the islands of 'Pieter Main Clip' [PierreMoine] and 'Piculier' [Ile du Pilier]. The extreme border is formed by 'Armostiers' [Noirmoutier].
Infrontofthecoastaretheislandsof'Craie'[Ilede Groix], and 'Dat eilant Bellisle' [Belle Ile].
[Chart x] Coast between Noirmoutier and the mouth of the river Charente
Milliaria Gallica Cmmvnia 6 = 80 mm; Milliaria Germanica Commvnia 4 = 80 mm [c. 1:370 000]
15
The coast runs first along the 'Lant van Armoistier' [Noirmoutier] and 'Lant van Poytou' [Poitou],
then withdraws at 'Oloene' [Les Sables d'Olone] to the Pertuis Breton where, after rounding a cape, is
La Rochelle (Fig. 11). Across is 'S. Martens eilant' [Ile de Re]. In the Pertuis d'Antioche the 'Rieviere
de Seranten' [La Charente] discharges. In the bay are drawn 'Brande eilant' [Ile d'Aix] and 'Olleron' [I.
de Oleron]. The sheet ends with the Pertuis de Naumusson.
Who made the manuscript?
We can only guess who the Dutch author of this beautiful manuscript was. A first hold in dating is
provided by the date 1586, which occurs on chart '1'. Another lead is the drawing in of the bearing
lines, which in the author's view clearly points in the direction of Aelbert Haeyen. The fact that the
sailing instructions included in the chart cover only the Eastern Navigation and are lacking in the
Western Navigation, supports this suggestion: especially Haeyen's work in the Eastern navigation is
known.
As was already mentioned in point III, Aelbert Haeyen compiled a pilot-guide by order of the
Amsterdam city council, which was published in 1585 as AmstelredamscZhee-Caerteannd which
described the waters between Calais and Schagen in detail, illustrated with five charts.
From his dedication to the city council it appears that Aelbert Haeyen wanted to include all coasts of
the Eastern and Western navigations in his charting activities. In this dedication he expresses the
hope that the lords will continue 'to persevere with the same ardour, patronage and generosity, in
order to publish in due course the other four, already contemplated books concerning the entire
sailing, particularly from East to West, effectively and accurately'.
However, Haeyen's wish did not come true. Apparently the city council considered the publication of
Waghenaer's Spieghel(1584/85) too great a competition to put more money into Haeyen's charting
activities. They confined themselves to pay 150 guilders for 'his work, cost and the trouble he has
taken in making certain charts. Haeyen had to be satisfied with the reissue of his Amstelredams
Zhee-Caerten.
As a result of Waghenaer's success there was no possibility for Haeyen in the Northern Provinces to
publish a new pilot-guide. Moreover he probably lacked the financial means to finish the work he had
begun. Would it not be possible for Haeyen to look for another source of income, to make a fair copy
of his collected sketches concerning the Eastern and Western Navigations and to offer this beautiful
work directly or indirectly to the King of Spain? Could this course of action perhaps explain why the
manuscript is now in Madrid? We keep guessing.
Conclusion
The manuscript recovered in Madrid provides a very interesting visual testimony of the West
European coasts at the end of the sixteenth century. In this manuscript the development takes shape
of the part played by the Dutch shipowner as European 'carrier'. The vast waters between the Gulf of
Finland and the Bay of Biscay are portrayed in a very impressive way. A configuration of difficult
waters is shown in an extraordinary style of drawing, surprisingly factual for those days, which must
be based on a very keen perceptivity and which reveals the trained eye of a sailor. A result was
established which could only be obtained by years of laborious charting activities on the spot. In
some cases the drawn coastlines and profiles surpass Waghenaer's famous Spieghedler Zeevaerdt of
1584/85 inaccuracy and precision. The representations are some times characterized by a staggering
knowledge of details, sketched with a steady hand. The style chosen in reproducing topographic
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details, such as villages, towns and detached buildings, partly breaks the existing traditions and is
unparalleled in Dutch sea charting. In this sense, too, the manuscript occupies a prominent place in
the series of pilot-guides.
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