LAURENCE KEYMIS.
This text is part of:
Table of Contents:
The Historie
is somewhat otherwise recorded by
Froysard
and
Holenshed
in manner following, pag. 473.
The voyage of
M. Roger Bodenham
with the great
Barke
Aucher
to
Candia
and
Chio
, in the yeere
1550
.
The confession of
William Bends Masters Mate
in the
Edward Cotton
, the 21 of
October
,
Ann
.
1584
.
Orders agreed upon by the Captaines and Masters to be
observed by the fleet of Sir
Humfrey Gilbert
.
The voiage made by
Sir Richard Greenvile
, for
Sir Walter
Ralegh
, to
Virginia
, in the yeere
1585
.
An ancient voyage of
M. Robert Reniger
and
M. Thomas
Borey
to
Brasil
in the yeere of our Lord
1540
.

To the approved, Right Valorous, and worthy Knight, Sir
Walter Ralegh, Lord warden of the Stanneries, Captaine
of her Majesties Guard, and her Highnesse Lieutenant
generall of the Countie of Cornewall.
I HAVE here briefly set downe the effect of this your second
Discoverie without any enlargement of made wordes: for
in this argument, single speech best beseemeth a simple
trueth. Where the affinitie of the matter with your person,
leadeth mee to write of your selfe, unto your selfe, that
small libertie which I have therein used, shall, I doubt not,
without offence or sinister construction, be given to the
cause in hand: which, whether it suffer not detriment, by
attributing lesse then of right belongeth; the judgement
bee theirs, that uprightly and indifferently shall weigh the
consequents of their evill purpose, who in seeking to
detract from the Author of these Discoveries, doe so much
as in them lieth, wound, deface, & tread under foot the
thing it selfe. But this is no novelty, nor proper only to
these our dayes. For long since it hath bin said, Laudes
eo usque sunt tolerabiles, donec ea dicuntur, quae auditores se quoque facere posse existimant: simajora proferantur, invident, non credunt. The fervent zeale &
loyalty of your minde in labour with this birth of so
honorable expectation, as it hath deserved a recompence
farre different, so needeth it not my poore suffrage to
endeare the toyle, care, and danger that you have willingly
undergone for the good and advancement of our weale
publique. The praise-worthinesse thereof doeth approve it
selfe, and is better read in your living doings, then in my
dead unregarded papers. All that I can wish, is that my
life were a sufficient pledge, to justifie, how much more
easie, and more materiall, the course for Guiana
would
bee then others, which requiring greater charge, yeelde
not so large benefit, and are subject to more doubtfull
events. If unto their wisdomes who sit in place and
authority, it shall appeare otherwise, and that in following
of other attempts there is lesse difficultie, certainer profit,
and needfuller offence unto the enemie: the cost and
travaile which you have bestowed, shall not, I hope, be
altogether lost, if unto your Honour I can prove how, and
where the amends is to be had, maugre the force and
prevention of all Spaniards.
Your Lordships to be commanded in all service,
LAURENCE KEYMIS.
LAURENCE KEYMIS.
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