living in 16th century england

Chapter 23 The world's first accurate map
When was England's royal power emptied by capitalists?
A constitutional monarchy should be the hallmark.Matthew couldn't remember the exact time, but it was probably 200 years later.

How did the Stuart Dynasty disappear?Matthew thought about it... It seems that he is also extinct.

Why are they all extinct?This is so interesting.

Henry VIII's son Edward VI died too young to have a son.Only then did his sister Bloody Mary have a chance. After Mary died, another sister, Elizabeth I, had the last laugh.

Matthew touched his chin, do you want to change history?Henry VIII had quite a few sons, at least five or six. The current queen alone gave birth to three, but unfortunately they all died young.On the contrary, the illegitimate child lived well.

The probability of premature death is too high, and Matthew's suspicious character immediately flares up. Is there something tricky about it?
In the past two years, there were also pregnant women in Matthew's manor.But there was only one case of infant death, and there was no such thing as puerperal fever.As long as Matthew gives Xiaoyao Palace all the hygiene requirements he made in the manor.That should change everything.

Then Matthew answered himself in his heart: None of your business?
But this time, Henry VIII's face appeared in front of his eyes, his eyes full of disappointment.

Uh... isn't it too unreasonable?
Then Matthew saw the circles on the parchment.

Who told you to give me a piece of bad land,
Matthew took a deep puff of cigarette, the queen is obviously not pregnant yet, let's talk about it at that time.

Then he looked at the smoke pot in his hand and was stunned for five seconds.Then he called out, "Robert, are you there?"

The door opened, and Robert was wearing a brand new breastplate and stood upright in full armor: "My baron, what are your orders."

Matthew: "I will give you 100 pounds, no matter what method you use, no time limit... go to Spain and find me tobacco seeds, potatoes, corn and other New World specialties. If you succeed, I will reward you A real fief. If there is any loss...it will be compensated according to the situation."

"Would you like to run for me?"

"Special seeds from the New World?" Robert was surprised and delighted, and bowed: "My Baron, I am happy to serve you."

What he valued was not the fiefdom, but his status. Last time, Matthew ruthlessly rejected him.Don't miss this opportunity!

Matthew lit a bit with a cigarette stick: "That's right... Remember, the quantity must be enough. One or two is not enough, and each kind must cost at least a dozen pounds."

More than ten years have passed since the so-called discovery of the New World.There are more and more rumors about the New World.Although tobacco has appeared, it is actually a niche hobby, and no one grows it in Europe.Corn and potatoes are just rumors, and I have never seen the real thing.

Don't think that Europeans can quickly accept new things in this era. It will take 200 years for potatoes and corn to be widely recognized and planted.

Matthew believes that it is still possible to grow one species on a small scale.It can be quickly scaled up when necessary.This is a magic weapon for fullness. Even if it is not durable for storage, it is better than nothing. It can be used as feed if you can't finish it.

Most valuable, it is used to make wine.

As for tobacco, needless to say, the future gold-absorbing artifact.

The Isles of Scilly were a good fit, easy to keep safe from prying eyes.Low latitude is more suitable for crop growth.In Matthew's view, these are all strategic crops.

What if wine could be made on an island?

Matthew's original intention was to let Robert go to the Spaniards to buy.In this era, Spain was the forerunner of the New World.Not even in Spain.Find those Spanish captains, pay some gold coins to let them pass by, and wait for a year and a half at most.

Unfortunately, he underestimated Robert's brain circuit and mobility.He said that there will be compensation for the loss, but he actually pointed out that there is an accident on business... In case you die outside, your family will be compensated.After all, Spain is quite far away, and shipwreck accidents are common these years, and there are even five people who go out together and come back with one.

Robert didn't think so, he couldn't wait.After leaving, he went home directly to collect some savings, and then ran to the port and bought a 90-ton second-hand Caravel brig for 70 gold coins.He went to recruit a few acquaintances and friends to serve as sailors, and retained a few skilled sailors.

He's going across the Atlantic.

The supplies on board are enough to feed fifteen people for three months.The rest are two tons of various cheap iron farm tools and even iron plows scraped from the blacksmith shop.It's no secret that everyone knows that iron products in the New World are more valuable.Seriously dissatisfied with the warehouse, because it is so fast.

Matthew got the news the next day on the ship, when some pirate... no, some militiaman told him.

Matthew: "How do you know?"

Jack had a strange expression: "It's okay to tell my nephew~ I will always have my eyeliner on the pier. They ate and drank at the tavern and then set off."

Matthew was speechless immediately. Is he always ready to eat grass by the side of the nest?He immediately stopped: "...you can't rob England's ships in the future."

Then he threw out a delicious big cake: "Maybe one day, we can meet the king together... It is best not to leave any stains."

This pie is big enough.Jack was overjoyed, and quacked with a smile: "It must be...but it's better to grab someone."

Matthew smiled: "Anyone who can't get along with England will be robbed."

Jack: "French?"

Matthew ignored him.

Jack immediately changed the subject: "Speaking of Robert, I think he was slaughtered, and the boat has 70 gold coins at most. I won't ask for a shilling more."

Matthew: "Well, I hope he won't die outside...and was slaughtered by the natives of the New World, so he can return safely."

Jack said: "The aborigines in the New World... I heard that they are very kind. There are many locals who cooperate with the Spaniards. There are quite a lot of shipwreck accidents."

Matthew was silent for a moment: "Really?"

In the history books, the Native American national tribes died of colonists and germs, but the details are... died of the leading party.

Matthew doesn't want to play colonization, it's not in line with his principles.England was incapable of colonizing America at this time.That's another 100 years to go.

The Tudors never colonized.

Elizabeth I died in 1603, and five years later, England established its first colony.

Suddenly a gust of sea wind blows, and the hats of Matthew and Jack are blown away in the blink of an eye.Matthew reacted quickly, and with a hand, he saved the thing on top.Jack's flew out directly, and then fell far into the sea.

"Oh, Shet!" Jack's messy hair, which was a little bald in the middle, was revealed.In this era, there is usually no such thing as a hairstyle, and only those nobles who are idle are thinking about getting one.So hats are a must.Even a poor man who doesn't have a penny can get something to wear on his head.Even if it's made of parchment.

What Matthew showed was short hair, and Jack couldn't help but look at it curiously.

Matthew put the hat back on and fastened the strap.Suddenly a thought occurred to him: "Are there frequent storms in the Isles of Scilly?"

Jack: "There are always a few times a year, but it's not a storm, it's just windy."

Britain's high latitude and being surrounded by the sea is an extremely huge advantage.There are no earthquakes, no hurricanes, and at most some cyclones.The colder the sea, the less exciting the storm.

Matthew was satisfied: "Tell me, how about I build more warehouses on those islands?"

Jack wondered: "Build a warehouse? What kind of warehouse?"

Matthew smiled: "Of course valuable things should be put in the warehouse."

Jack was at a loss, only feeling that this nephew was getting more and more mysterious.

In the afternoon, three ships entered a port near the tip of the peninsula.

In this day and age, Falmouth was just a small port.All the "militiamen" are going to rest for one night, and then arrive at the Isles of Scilly the next day.

Matthew got off the boat and came back after turning around. He was ready to draw a map, which he was very good at.

There may have been maps in this day and age, but Matthew had never seen one, and no one in Plymouth seemed to have them.Of course, it may be necessary to discuss whether Jack's "circle" is a map or not.

It's just a rough outline drawn from memory, which is still very fast.Matthew looked at it and felt dissatisfied. He threw it aside and picked up a piece of leather paper to draw another one.

Paper is expensive, but much cheaper than sheepskin.Without relatively cheap paper, there would be no Bible in everyone's hands, and there would be no Protestantism.If someone tells you that someone wrote millions of words in sheepskin, then it must be made up.

There was no printing for the time being. In England at this time, printing was an "emerging high-tech industry".So handwriting is still the mainstream.

After a few consecutive shots, Matthew was finally satisfied.So the most accurate world map of this era was born-no one.

But Matthew didn't realize it, so he just threw the "garbage" aside.

Someone knocked on the door, and a voice said loudly: "Dear Baron, Captain Mike please see me."

Matthew put the quill back into the ink bottle: "Come in."

Mike bent in and took off his hat: "Sir, I have some thoughts about the Isles of Scilly. Would you like to listen?"

Matthew motioned for him to continue.

Mike: "I suggest you build lighthouses and castles in the Isles of Scilly."

Matthew thought in his heart, okay, he will treat me as a millionaire.

At the beginning of the 16th century, the captains and sailors at sea had no concept of latitude and longitude.There is no sextant, and this thing will have to wait another 200 years.

The modern Prime Meridian appeared at the end of the 19th century.

Therefore, the lighthouse is very important.

On the sea, there is often no reference object, and the ship will pass by without paying attention.So not many people dare to walk in a straight line, and they try to sail along the coastline as much as possible.

But not in the ocean, nor in the Isles of Scilly, where the land of Cornwall is invisible.

In other words, once the angle is wrong, the ship may go all the way to the depths of the Atlantic Ocean.Maybe I won't be able to come back.It's annoying enough.

Matthew: "I understand the lighthouse, but what about the castle?"

Mike: "The Isles of Scilly is about 200 kilometers to the north, Ireland and Wales, and 200 kilometers to the southeast is France. The location is still very important."

Does Matthew think this is not nonsense?He didn't know the map he just drew?Well, I really don't know the exact distance.But now that I know it, I marked it up.

But Mike is really not here to talk nonsense. People in this era have no concept of geography, let alone spatial awareness.There is also a castle complex.For Mike, Matthew, who became an aristocrat in a blink of an eye, is already the object he relies on wholeheartedly.

He felt that Matthew might not be very clear about this aspect.As a captain, this kind of knowledge must be much better than Matthew.So I want to come...to fulfill my responsibility.

You can think of the nobles in the Middle Ages as "eating, sleeping, and building houses" as their hobbies.It was hard for Mike to imagine a baron without a castle.

Matthew quickly understood the guy's intentions.In fact, I just want to come to "loyalty".

So he smiled and said, "Can you build castles?"

Mike opened his mouth, wanting to say yes, but in fact he didn't know much about it, and he didn't want to disappoint Matthew, but he was the one who proposed building the castle. What would the baron think if he said he couldn't?He hesitated like that.

Seeing this man who was concerned about gains and losses, Matthew said, "Everyone has their own strengths. Don't force it. Someone in Plymouth has built a castle. If necessary, I will arrange it. Is there anything else?"

Mike finally said: "...I am good at sailing. I think I am the most suitable person to go to the New World. That Robert has only been a boatswain. I think... this is too risky."

Matthew scratched his scalp, these guys are annoying enough, what do they all want to do!

(End of this chapter)