The seventh Chapter sheweth that the planting there, is
not a matter of such charge or difficultie, as many
would make it seeme to be.
Now therefore for proofe, that the planting in these parts
is a thing that may be done without the ayde of the
Princes power and purse, contrary to the allegation of
many malicious persons, who wil neither be actors in
any good action themselves, nor so much as afoord a
good word to the setting forward thereof: and that worse
is, they will take upon them to make molehilles seeme
mountaines, and flies elephants, to the end they may
discourage others, that be very well or indifferently
affected to the matter, being like unto Esops dogge,
which neither would eate Hay himselfe, nor suffer the
poore hungry asse to feede thereon:
I say and affirme that God hath provided such meanes
for the furtherance of this enterprise, as doe stand us in
stead of great treasure: for first by reason that it hath
pleased God of his great goodnesse, of long time to hold
his merciful hand over this realme, in preserving the
people of the same, both from slaughter by the sword,
and great death by plague, pestilence, or otherwise, there
are at this day great numbers (God he knoweth) which
live in such penurie & want, as they could be contented
to hazard their lives, and to serve one yeere for meat,
drinke and apparell only, without wages, in hope thereby
to amend their estates: which is a matter in such like
journeyes, of no small charge to the prince. Moreover,
things in the like journyes of greatest price and cost as
victuall (whereof there is great plentie to be had in that
countrey without money) and powder, great artillery, or
corselets are not needefull in so plentifull and chargeable
maner, as the shew of such a journey may present: for
a small quantitie of all these, to furnish the Fort only,
will suffice untill such time as divers commodities may
be found out in those parts, which may be thought well
worthy a greater charge. Also the peculiar benefit of
archers which God hath blessed this land withall before
all other nations, will stand us in great stead amongst
those naked people.
Another helpe we have also, which in such like cases
is a matter of marvellous cost, and will be in this journey
procured very easily (that is to say) To transport yeerely
aswell our people, as all other necessaries needfull for
them into those parts by the fleet of merchants, that
yeerely venture for fish in
Newfound-land, being not farre
distant from the countrey meant to be inhabited, who
commonly goe with emptie vessels in effect, saving some
litle fraight with salt. And thus it appeareth that the
souldiers wages, and the transportation may be defrayed
for farre lesse summes of money then the detractors of
this enterprise have given out. Againe, this intended
voyage for conquest, hath in like maner many other
singular priviledges wherewith God hath, as it were,
with his holy hand blessed the same before all others.
For after once we are departed the coast of England
, wee
may passe straightway thither, without danger of being
driven into any the countries of our enemies, or doubtfull
friends: for commonly one winde serveth to bring us
thither, which seldome faileth from the middle of Januarie
to the middle of May, a benefite which the mariners make
great account of, for it is a pleasure that they have in
a few or none of other journeyes. Also the passage is
short, for we may goe thither in thirtie or fortie dayes
at the most, having but an indifferent winde, and returne
continually in twenty or foure and twentie dayes at the
most. And in the same our journey, by reason it is in
the Ocean, and quite out of the way from the intercourse
of other countreyes, we may safely trade and traffique
without peril of piracy: neither shall our ships, people,
or goods there, be subject to arrest or molestation of any
Pagan potentate, Turkish tyrant, yea, or Christian prince,
which heretofore sometimes upon slender occasion in
other parts have stayed our ships and merchandizes,
whereby great numbers of our countreymen have bene
utterly undone, divers put to ransome, yea, and some
lost their lives: a thing so fresh in memorie as it needeth
no proofe, and is well worthy of consideration.
Besides, in this voyage we doe not crosse the burnt
line, whereby commonly both beverage and victuall are
corrupted, and mens health very much impayred, neither
doe we passe the frozen seas, which yeelde sundry extreme
dangers: but have a temperate climate at all times of
the yeere, to serve our turnes. And lastly, there neede
no delayes by the way for taking in of fresh water and
fewell, (a thing usually done in long journies) because,
as I sayd above, the voyage is not long, and the fresh
waters taken in there, our men here in England
at their
returne home have found so wholsome and sweete, that
they have made choise to drinke it before our beere and
ale.
Behold heere, good countreymen, the manifold benefits,
commodities and pleasures heretofore unknowen, by Gods
especiall blessing not onely reveiled unto us, but also as
it were infused into our bosomes, who though hitherto
like dormice have slumbered in ignorance thereof, being
like the cats that are loth for their prey to wet their feet:
yet if now therefore at the last we would awake, and
with willing mindes (setting frivolous imaginations aside)
become industrious instruments to our selves, questionlesse we should not only hereby set forth the glory of
our heavenly father, but also easily attaine to the end
of all good purposes that may be wished or desired.
And may it not much encourage us to hope for good
successe in the countrey of these Savages, being a naked
kinde of people, voyde of the knowledge of the discipline
of warre, seeing that a noble man, being but a subject
in this realme (in the time of our king Henry the second)
by name Strangbow, then earle of Chepstow
in South
Wales, by himselfe and his allies and assistants, at their
owne proper charges passed over into Ireland
, and there
made conquest of the now countrey, and then kingdome
of Lynester, at which time it was very populous and
strong, which History our owne chronicles do witnesse?
And why should we be dismayed more then were the
Spanyards, who have bene able within these few yeeres
to conquer, possesse and enjoy so large a tract of the
earth, in the West Indies, as is betweene the two tropikes
of Cancer and Capricorne, not onely in the maine firme
land of America
, which is 47. degrees in latitude from
South to North, and doth containe 2820. English miles
at the least, that the king of Spaine hath there in actuall
possession, besides many goodly and rich Islands, as
Hispaniola, now called S. Domingo, Cuba
, Jamaica
, and
divers other, which are both beautifull and full of
treasure, not speaking any whit at all, how large the
said land is from East to West, which in some places
is accounted to be 1500. English miles at the least from
East to West, betweene the one Sea and the other.
Or why should our noble nation be dismaid, more then
was Vasques Nunnes de Valboa, a private gentleman of
Spaine, who with the number of 70. Spaniards at
Tichiri,
gave an overthrow unto that mighty king Chemaccus,
having an armie of an hundred Canoas and 5000. men,
and the said Vasques Nunnes not long after, with his
small number, did put to flight king Chiapes his whole
armie.
Likewise Hernando Cortes, being also but a private
gentleman of Spaine, after his departure from the
Islands
of Cuba and Acuzamil, and entring into the firme of
America
, had many most victorious & triumphant conquests, as that at
Cyntla, where being accompanied with
lesse then 500. Spanish footmen, thirteene horsemen and
sixe pieces of Ordinance only, he overthrew 40000.
Indians. The same Cortes
with his sayd number of
Spanyards, tooke prisoner that mighty Emperour Mutezuma in his most chiefe and famous citie of Mexico
,
which at that instant had in it above the number of
50000. Indians at the least, and in short time after
obteined not onely the quiet possession of the said citie,
but also of his whole Empire.
And in like maner in the
Countrey of Peru, which the
king of Spaine hath now in actuall possession, Francisco
Pysarro, with the onely ayd of Diego de Almagro, and
Hernando Luche, being all three but private gentlemen,
was the principall person that first attempted discoverie
and conquest of the large and rich
countrey of Peru,
which through the ayd of the almighty, he brought to
passe and atchieved in the Tambo of Caxamalca, (which
is a large place of ground, enclosed with walles) in which
place he tooke the great and mightie prince Atabalipa
prisoner, amidst the number of 60000. Indians his subjects, which were ever before that day accounted to bee
a warlike kind of people, which his great victorie it
pleased God to grant unto him in the yeere of our Lord
God 1533. he not having in his company above the
number of 210. Spanyards, wherof there were not past
threescore horsemen in all: after the taking of which
prince Atabalipa, he offered unto Pyzarro for his ransome,
to fill a great large hall full of gold and silver, and such
golde and silver vessels as they then used, even as high
as a man might reach with his arme. And the sayd
prince caused the same hall to be marked round about at
the sayd height, which ransome Pyzarro granted to
accept. And after, when as this mighty prince had sent
to his vassals & subjects to bring in gold and silver for
the filling of the hall, as aforesaid, as namely to the
cities or townes of Quito
, Paciacama and Cusco
, as also
to the Calao of Lima, in which towne, as their owne
writers doe affirme, they found a large and faire house,
all slated and covered with gold: and when as the said
hall was not yet a quarter ful, a mutinie arose amongst
the Spanyards, in which it was commonly given out, that
the said prince had politikely offered this great ransome
under pretence to raise a much more mightie power,
whereby the Spanyards should be taken, slaine and overthrowen: whereupon they grew to this resolution, to put
the sayd prince to death, and to make partition of the
golde and silver already brought in, which they presently
put in execution. And comming to make perfect Inventorie of the same, as wel for the Emperour then king of
Spaine, his fift part, as otherwise, there was found to
be already brought in into the sayd hall, the number of
132425. pound weight of silver, and in golde the number
of 1828125. pezos, which was a riches never before that
nor since seene of any man together, of which there did
appertaine to the Emperour for his fift part of golde
365625. pezos, and for his fift part of silver 26485. pound
waight, and to every horseman eight thousand pezos of
gold, and 67. pound waight of silver. Every souldiour
had 4550. pezos of gold and 280. pound waight of silver.
Every Captaine had some 30000. some 20000. pezos of
gold and silver, proportionally answerable to their degrees
and calling, according to the rate agreed upon amongst
them.
Francis Pizarro as their generall, according to his
decree and calling proportionally, had more then any of
the rest, over and besides the massie table of gold which
Atabalipa had in his Litter, which waighed 25000. pezos
of gold: never were there before that day souldiours so
rich in so small a time, and with so little danger. And
in this journey for want of yron, they did shooe their
horses, some with gold, and some with silver. This is
to bee seene in the generall historic of the West Indies,
where as the doings of Pizarro, and the conquest of Peru
is more at large set forth.
To this may I adde the great discoveries and conquests
which the princes of Portugall have made round about
the West, the South, and the East parts of Africa
, and
also at
Callicut, and in the East Indies, and in America
,
at Brasile
and elsewhere in sundry Islands, in fortifying,
peopling and planting all along the sayd coastes and
Islands, ever as they discovered: which being rightly
weyed and considered, doth minister just cause of incouragement to our Countreymen, not to account it so
hard and difficult a thing for the subjects of this noble
realme of England
, to discover, people, plant and possesse
the like goodly lands and rich countreys not farre from
us, but neere adjoyning & offring themselves unto us (as
is aforesayd) which have never yet heretofore bene in
the actuall possession of any other Christian prince, then
the princes of this Realme. All which (as I thinke)
should not a little animate and encourage us to looke
out and adventure abroad, understanding what large
Countreys and Islands the Portugals with their small
number have within these few yeeres discovered, peopled
and planted, some part whereof I have thought it not
amisse, briefly in particular to name both the Townes,
Countreys & Islands, so neere as I could upon the sudden
call them to remembrance: for the rest I doe referre the
Reader to the histories, where more at large the same
is to be seene. First, they did winne and conquere from
the princes of Barbary the
Island of Geisera & towne of
Arzila, not past an 140. mile distant from their Metropolitane & chiefe city of Fesse: and after that they wonne
also from the said princes the townes of Tanger
, Ceuta
,
Mazigam, Azamor, and Azaffi, all alongst the Sea coasts.
And in the yeere of our Lord, 1455. Alouis de Cadomosta
a Gentleman Venetian, was hee that first discovered for
their use
Cape Verd, with the Islands adjoyning, of
which he then peopled and planted those of Bonavista
and Sant Iago discovering also the river Senega, otherwise called Niger
, and
Cape Roxo & Sierra Leone, and
in a few yeeres after they did discover the coast of
Guinea, and there peopled and built the castle of Mina
:
then discovered they further to the countreys of Melegettes, Benin
, and Congo
, with the
Ilands of Principe,
da Nobon, S. Matthewe, and S. Thomas under the Equinoctiall line, which they peopled, and built in the said
Island of S. Thomas the haven towne or port of Pavosan.
After that, about the yeere of our Lord, 1494. one Bartholomew Dias was sent foorth, who was the first man
that discovered and doubled that great and large Cape
called de Bon Esperanze, & passing the currents that run
upon the said coast, on the Southeast part of Africa
,
between the said maine land & the
Island of S. Laurence,
otherwise called of the ancients, Madagascar
, he discovered to ye harbor named the River of ye Infant. After
that since the yeere of our Lord God, 1497. and before
the ful accomplishment of the yeere of Christ, 1510.
through the travailes and discoveries of Vasques de
Gama, Peter Alvares, Thomas Lopes, Andrew Corsale,
John de Empoli, Peter Sintra, Sancho de Toar, and that
noble and worthy gentleman Alonzo de Albuquerque, they
did discover, people, and plant at
Ceffala, being upon
the East side of Africa
, in the twenty degrees of latitude
of the south Pole, and direct West from the Iland of
S. Laurence (at which port of Ceffala, divers doe affirme
that king Salomon did fetch his gold) as also upon the
said East side of Africa
, they did afterward discover,
people, and plant at Mozambique
, Quiola, Monbaza, and
Melinde, two degrees of Southerly latitude, and so up
to the streight of Babel-Mandell at the entring of the
red sea, all upon the East coast of Africa
, from whence
they put off at the
Cape of Guarda Fu, and past the great
gulfe of Arabia
, and the
Indian Sea East to Sinus Persicus, and the
Island of Ormus, and so passing the large
and great river Indus
, where he hath his fall into the
maine Ocean, in 23. degrees and an halfe, under the
tropike of Cancer, of Septentrionall latitude, they made
their course againe directly towards the South, and began
to discover, people, and plant upon the West side of the
hither India
at Goa, Mangalor, Cananor, Calecut and
Cochin
, and the
Island of Zeilam.
And here I thinke good to remember to you, that after
their planting upon this coast, their forces grew so great
that they were able to compell all the Moores, the subjectes of the mightie Emperour of the Turkes to pay
tribute unto them, ever as they passed the gulfe of
Arabia
, from the port of Mecca
in Arabia Foelix, where
Mahomet lieth buried, or any of the other portes of the
sayd land, ever as they passed to and from the havens
of Cochin
, Calecut and Cananor, and by their martiall
maner of dicipline practised in those partes, the great
and mightie prince the Sophie Emperour of the Persians,
and professed enemie to the Turke, came to the knowledge and use of the Caliver shot, and to enterlace and
joyne footemen with his horsemen, sithence which time
the Persians have growen to that strength and force, that
they have given many mightie and great overthrowes to
the Turke, to the great quiet of all Christendome.
And from the
Island of Zeilam aforesayd, they also
discovered more East in passing the gulfe of Bengala,
and so passed the notable and famous river of Ganges,
where hee hath his fall into the maine Ocean, under the
tropike of Cancer, and to the
Cape of Malaca, and unto
the great and large
Islands of Sumatra, Java
major,
Java
minor, Mindanao, Palobane, Celebes
, Gilolo, Tidore,
Mathin, Borneo
, Machian, Terenate, and all other the
Islands of Molucques and Spiceries, and so East alongst
the coasts of Cathaia, to the portes of China
, Zaiton
and Quinsay, and to the
Island of Zipango and Japan
,
situate in the East, in 37. degrees of Septentrionall latitude and in 195. of longitude. These are their noble
and worthie discoveries. Here also is not to bee forgotten, that in the yere of our Lord, 1501. that famous
and worthy gentleman Americus Vespucius did discover,
people, and plant to their use the holdes and forts which
they have in
Brasill, of whom (he being but a private
gentleman) the whole countrey or firme land of the West
Indies, is commonly called and knowen by the name of
America
.
I doe greatly doubt least I seeme over tedious in the
recitall of the particular discoveries and conquests of the
East and West Indies, wherein I was the more bold to
urge the patience of the Reader, to the end it might most
manifestly and at large appeare, to all such as are not
acquainted with the histories, how the king of Portugall,
whose Countrey for popularity and number of people, is
scarce comparable to some three shires of England
, and
the king of Spaine likewise, whose natural Countrey doth
not greatly abound with people, both which princes by
means of their discoveries within lesse then 90. yeeres
past, have as it appeareth both mightily and marveilously
enlarged their territories and dominions through their
owne industrie by the assistance of the omnipotent, whose
aid we shall not need to doubt, seeing the cause and
quarell which we take in hand tendeth to his honour and
glory, by the enlargement of the Christian faith.
To conclude, since by Christian dutie we stand bound
chiefly to further all such acts as do tend to the encreasing
the true flock of Christ by reducing into the right way
those lost sheepe which are yet astray: And that we
shall therein follow the example of our right vertuous
predecessors of renowmed memorie, and leave unto our
posteritie a divine memoriall of so godly an enterprise:
Let us I say for the considerations alledged, enter into
judgement with our selves, whether this action may
belong to us or no, the rather for that this voyage
through the mighty assistance of the omnipotent God,
shall take our desired effect (whereof there is no just
cause of doubt.) Then shal her Majesties dominions be
enlarged, her highnesse ancient titles justly confirmed, all
odious idlenesse from this our Realme utterly banished,
divers decayed townes repaired, and many poore and
needy persons relieved, and estates of such as now live
in want shall be embettered, the ignorant and barbarous
idolaters taught to know Christ, the innocent defended
from their bloodie tyrannicall neighbours, the diabolicall
custome of sacrificing humane creatures abolished.
All which (no man doubteth) are things gratefull in
the sight of our Saviour Christ, and tending to the honour
and glory of the Trinitie. Bee of good cheere therefore,
for hee that cannot erre hath sayd: That before the ende
of the world, his word shall bee preached to all nations.
Which good worke I trust is reserved for our nation to
accomplish in these parts: Wherefore my deere countreymen, be not dismayed: for the power of God is nothing
diminished, nor the love that he hath to the preaching
and planting of the Gospell any whit abated. Shall wee
then doubt he will be lesse ready most mightily and
miraculously to assist our nation in this quarell, which
is chiefly and principally undertaken for the enlargement
of the Christian faith abroad, and the banishment of
idlenes at home, then he was to Columbus
, Vasques,
Nunnes, Hernando Cortes, and Francis Pizarro in the
West: and Vasques de Gama, Peter Alvares, & Alonso
de Albuquerque in the East? Let us therefore with
cheerefull minds and couragious hearts, give the attempt,
and leave the sequell to almightie God: for if he be on
our part, what forceth it who bee against us? Thus
leaving the correction and reformation unto the gentle
Reader, whatsoever is in this treatise too much or too
little, otherwise unperfect, I take leave, and so end.
