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In 1632, 45 years before the publication of Detcheverry's sailing directions, a Basque Captain called Antonio de Yturribalçaga wrote a Will for a dying fisherman from Ea in Vizcaya - who was buried here at Ferrol. The will was written several days before Joan de Ea died, while Yturribalzaga's ship, the SAN PEDRO, was just off the "Isla de San Jorge", now Red Island. (see below)
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The Will: (Translated into English)
The Will of Joan de Ea who was buried at Old Ferrole about ten to twelve days after his Will was written. This is the Memorial [The Will] that Juan de Ea, burgess of the village of Ea made on the 7th of June, 1632, with Pedro de Ligardas, the barber [as witness] before me, Antonio de Yturribalçaga ... in command of the ship SAN PEDRO off the coast of the Island of San Jorge [Red Island] which is in the Channel of Grand Bay at 48 ½ degrees north of the equator,
Firstly, he said that he entrusted himself to God, our Lord and his Blessed Mother, and he was already contrite and in good faith ready to die, and had firm hope that God would give him the salvation of his soul; and for that he asked that his clothes should be sold so that the last rites and memorial masses should be said for him in accordance with his status..... and if that was not sufficient then more [money] should be taken from the sale of his belongings.
Then he said: I declare that I do not owe anything in this world to anybody that is not known to my wife – and for that reason I leave ten ducats and two pieces of eight – because I owe Captain Domingo de Huribe certain rental fees, and I ask my wife to communicate with her father and ask him to pay the debt and collect a receipt.
Item, My said wife knows the way I have acquired the shallop [that I am using] for this voyage. I ask that the owner be paid in accordance with the contract drawn up with the said owner.
Item, I ask that a sung Mass be said on all the anniversaries of St. John the Baptist in the church dedicated to St. John in our village, which falls on the 24th of June, and it is my wish that it shall be said by Abbot Mathias while he lives and after his death the son of John de Hurzaa and that they should be paid their usual stipend.
Item, That the dowry that my wife brought to the marriage (in accordance with the legal papers to which I refer) must be repaid to her by my heir before she is asked to leave the house or be disturbed in any way.
As to the family inheritance as commanded by the ordinances of Vizcaya, I ask that it shall go to Pedro de Garaya on condition that until what is owed to my wife is paid that she shall not be disturbed in the house as I have said above.
Item, I ask that my nephew, San Joan, be given twelve ducats.....
Item, I declare that a silver plate that I left at home which cost me fifty reales, should be made into a special ciborium for carrying the holy sacrament.
Item, I ask that my wife should be given from my belongings that which corresponds to what she donates to me in her Will as well as her dowry and no more.
Item, I ask that the nurse who breast-fed the little baby should be given a bed sheet. I ask that the boy who served me in my house and is at present in my company on this voyage be given a set of used clothes according to the opinion of the Captain.
And because all of this is true according to my conscience, I sign with my name with the said Pedro de Ligardas as witness.
Antonio de Yturribalçaga
Witness: Pedro de Ligardas
Joan de Ea
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A copy of the will can be seen in the Anglican Church of the Advent in Plum Point. Above you can view the Memorial Service for Joan de Ea in the Basque Garden at Old Ferrole - with Matthias Osborne reading the service.
