living in 16th century england

Chapter 46 The Collaborating Baron

A pound of fresh fish salted into dry salted fish, how many taels are left?

Matthew once thought... at least half a catty, right?As a result, he was ridiculed as a layman by an old fisherman.

"Everyone, after weighing and accounting, we got a total of 312 tons of salted fish this time. It is slightly lower than expected. But I am satisfied that all the reasons have reasonable explanations."

The captains were a little silent, this number is indeed lower than everyone's prediction.The total tonnage is over a thousand, so there is only so much salted fish?

"First of all, it hit the rocks and sank a Kirk with the largest tonnage, which directly lost 150 tons of cod. It also caused casualties. This is a huge loss."

"Secondly, Captain Anthony's voluntary abandonment of the ship. Several sailors confirmed it. It was confirmed that the hull of the ship had been damaged by shipworms at that time. Due to the timely discovery and the concerted efforts of all captains, the loss was minimized. Not even the sails and anchors are lost..."

"Very commendable..."

So-called shipworms are not maggots.This thing is a kind of sea...seafood, with a thin body...extremely long, some can be as long as one meter, and there is a "drill" made of shellfish on the head.It feeds on wood and is a wooden boat nemesis.

It is said to be delicious, far superior to oyster clams, and a Southeast Asian islander even likes to eat it raw with some seasoning.

In the 16th century, water seepage from the bottom of ships was a common occurrence.One of the most important tasks of a sailor every day is to clean the water in the bilge.If it rains heavily for a few days, it's over. If you don't clean it up, it might be filled.No matter how well the deck is designed, it will leak, and the sealing technology at this time is in a mess.Robert and the others lowered their sails and stopped the boat during a storm, and drifted with the current. Just cleaning up the accumulated water was exhausting.

The loss of hitting the rocks was a bit big. Not only was the whole boat lost, but a newcomer was drowned, and an unlucky guy scratched his leg by the rocks while hopping, and died of infection as a result.

In addition, two others died of illness.Because it was suspected to be an infectious disease, it was a miserable experience.This is also a tragedy unique to this era.

~ Waiting for you to die before throwing it into the sea is already a serious matter.

As for Anthony who voluntarily abandoned the ship.Not a pound of fish was lost.This is the characteristic of salted fish, the volume and weight will gradually decrease due to dehydration.If you continue to bask in the sun, there will be only three or two five pounds left.One point for other ships, all live together.

This alone is enough for Matthew to make up his mind to build a fishing village near Newfoundland.

If it is dried fish or salted fish that has been pickled and dried, it will be nearly a thousand tons this time.Or, as long as two or three ocean-going ships can make the same profit.

～For profit, they will do anything～

Is this normal?Any modern person would probably find this normal.But historically the colonial era may have been driven that way.

Although the Tudors did not colonize, they claimed Newfoundland as their own territory.It's a pity that no one pays attention to the small country, the Indians don't buy it, and the countries along the Atlantic Ocean still come to fish.

Matthew didn't want to colonize either, and he didn't realize that this purely profit consideration would change many things.

In order to protect the fishing ground and his fishing village, he had to fight in the end.

As a normal person, he is going to negotiate with the Indian tribes in Newfoundland and buy a small island from them.

Many people should have heard the story of Europeans buying Manhattan with glass balls.So many people say that the Indians do not yet have the concept of national territory.

But that's not quite right.The Vikings arrived in Newfoundland as early as 500 years ago, and were finally driven away in conflict with the locals.

The so-called discovery of a new continent is actually nothing but boasting in the age of information occlusion.For example, the Aztecs had seen white people sailing here many years ago.For example, there are many traces and writings of Asians on the west coast of America.Even Indians themselves are an Asian-style face.

Even if the evidence is solid, in modern schools, it is still taught that Columbus discovered the New World.It seems to be using the "discovery" theory to justify European colonization.

It's like someone running to your house and saying buy it, I "discovered" a house so I have the right to claim it as mine.

Human ancestors swept the world with spears and pierced the blue star about 7 years ago, and it has spread all over the world 5000 years ago.Therefore, in the 16th century, almost all decent places were inhabited by humans, and they had been multiplying there for more than 1 years from generation to generation.

So, is your cognition really normal?
For Anthony, Matthew was not impressed.He used to be Jack's man.Except for a chat once when he took the initiative to go to Spain, there was really not much communication.

But this time Matthew still gave Anthony double bonus.This is a good boss~ Only look at the results and talk.The losses that Anthony recovered were enough to give everyone bonuses.So everyone, including Matthew, felt that they had made a profit.

The bad news was brought by Jack. There were already fishing boats from other countries in Newfoundland, and one of them surrendered. It turned out to be an Irishman. Many people on Jack’s boat could speak a few words of Irish and had a good conversation, so they let it go.

Another escaped.Without a little donkey, it is not easy to catch up with other boats with a boat full of fish.

Matthew: "Jack, wait for another two months, and the new donkeys will be launched one after another. Everything will be different."

In August 1510, the Baron of the Isles of Scilly distributed salted fish to each household in his hometown of Plymouth.

Some people say how big is a salted fish?In fact, it is really not small, Atlantic cod, usually 5-12 kg.It's not the kind of waste material that weighs more than a catty.

A sailor said that he had seen a cod that was at least tens of pounds larger, but unfortunately he couldn't catch it too heavy and ran away.

The ocean in this era is very different from the modern one. There are so many giants in the sea. A lookout said he saw a 300-foot-long monster, and he wet the mast on the spot because it was passing through the bottom of the boat he was in.

The generosity of the Baron of the Isles of Scilly impressed the people of Plymouth, and his popularity was second to none.

After the meeting, Matthew met two sailors in the tavern, yes, they were the two "honest men" brought back by Robert.

He was so honest that they didn't dare to sit down, and they still held their hats in their hands.

Matthew asked with a smile, "Can you make glass?"

The two were stunned and quickly denied it.

Matthew: "No, it doesn't matter. I heard that you have seen how to burn glass, which is not bad. I can give you a salary of one gold coin a month, and you will not go to sea in the future. Just study how to make glass for me in Plymouth. Glassware. How?"

To Matthew's disappointment, one agreed, while the other said that he would go home after the agreed work was completed.

If it was Jack, he would definitely have taken care of this hidden danger, but it's a pity that Matthew didn't want to do this.This is against the principle.

Matthew: "Well, where is your home? I can bring your family, and Plymouth will be your home in the future. And I guarantee that they will be safe and sound in Plymouth."

These two are Italian.

The Mediterranean coast is a high-producing region for olive oil, from Spain to Italy.At the beginning of the 16th century, glassware was only the most developed in Italy.Of course, there are also other places such as the areas along the Rhine River. In fact, there are even people in the UK who are doing it. This thing is currently a luxury.

Matthew just needs a name - two guys who seem to be able to make glass.Glass is considered a high-tech thing now. Although he doesn't know much, it is enough to make it out.

At the end of August, Matthew was finally ready to go to Greenwich again.There is no way, Henry VIII wrote to him again, and scolded him, not to go.

Because he gave priority to purchasing and selling materials in the British Isles, including Ireland and Scotland, of course.Someone accused him of collaborating with the enemy, and Henry VIII claimed that if he didn't come, he would be arrested.

Drawing on the experience from last time, the little donkey set off as soon as the sun came out.The captain's team changed one, that is Anthony, who now belongs to the captain without a ship, and was dragged out of the tavern by Matthew to pull the young man.

The man who hit the rocks was now the first mate, on board Robert's ship.That's right, 5 first officers.The sailors are easy to arrange, new and old are matched, and some big bags are even recruited ~ now there are 20 sailors on each boat.

This time it was not fully loaded, only a few tons of cargo, almost empty.With the wind all the way, the maximum speed reached 15 knots. Anthony claimed that this should be the maximum speed of the little donkey when it is empty.

However, it still did not reach London in a day, and the ship stopped at the port of Dover at dusk.

Matthew disembarked, turned around, and went back.Half the sailors would rather pay for a hotel than sleep in a deck cabin.Aiden and Anthony and the two first mates were also on board, and several sailors were on watch for the night.

remember?Here is a castle where Henry VIII once worked.This kind of place, of course, has a garrison.

Dover was heavily guarded because it had clearly sided with Spain.

But after all, he is a baron. After the officers here got the news, they still came to visit (to find out the truth).

After confirming his identity, the officers enthusiastically asked Matthew to live in the castle, but Matthew refused.He also saw off the guests on the grounds of being tired.

This is just a small episode, but it has made him realize his fame in England.It seems that as long as the name is reported, everyone will know.

However, what an officer said made Matthew a little wary.His fleet actually provided the main rations of the Dover garrison?

Typically, accountants will report what is bought and sold in a certain place and the price.This kind of information is plentiful.

But it is rarely explained, and there is no way to explain who bought these things in the end.

The problem is that the military supplies of the European army in this era are collected by the army itself, and the soldiers will also purchase various materials by themselves when they get the military salary.In addition to food, there are weapons and equipment.Mercenaries with their own weapons are very popular.

Reminiscent of the crime of collaborating with the enemy mentioned in Henry VIII's letter.Matthew faintly felt that he might really be collaborating with the enemy.

Are soldiers from all over Ireland and Scotland also buying his grain beer?Did France also buy his grain?Even swords?
If so, can London still go?

　The Theory of Discovery is not mine, let alone private goods.Everyone who doubts, can you read more books?

　　
　
(End of this chapter)