16世紀後半期イングランドのギニア交易 : W.タワソンの「航海日誌」からみる航海・交易・貿易商人社会

W. Towerson who was an apprentice of M. Mording in the Skinner's company, participated in the Guinea trade, three times (1555-56,1556-57,1558) as a captain and factor. In the voyages, he wrote his logbooks which were rather business reports than voyage records to submit the promoters of this project. They reveal the real situation of Guineas trade and business type. In addition, they were ego-documents of Towerson in which his growing process was drawn as a merchant by his own narrative.
By using his fortune and connection he built up in these voyages, his status had risen economically and socially in the merchant society of London. Particularly, he became members of the new Companies(Spanish Company, Muscovy Company, Levant Company and so on) and traded with non-European countries and areas. He was one of the pioneers who traded with non-European countries in the late 16th century.