ABSTRACT
Examination of Richard Hakluyt's materials on the Far East reveals that he published only those accounts written by observers who had actually travelled in Asia. Hakluyt also added new materials on the Far East to the modern sections of the second edition which were derived from both foreign and domestic sources. Hakluyt evidently tried, though not always successfully, to avoid reprinting accounts that had already appeared in earlier travel collections or in works previously published separately such as those prepared by John Frampton, Thomas Nichols, and Robert Parke. While undoubtedly aware of the high quality and comprehensive character of the Portuguese sources, Hakluyt selected for publication only Pereira's account of China from among the relatively large number of first-hand Portuguese materials that were available in his day. Of the writings of non-Iberian continental voyagers, Hakluyt included in his collection only the accounts by John of Piano Carpini, William of Rubruquis, Odoric of Pordenone, and Cesare Federici.
