A dedicatorie Epistle unto the Queenes most excellent
Majestie, written by Master William Burrough late
Comptroller of her Highnesse navie, and annexed unto
his exact and notable mappe of Russia
, briefly containing (amongst other matters) his great travailes,
observations, and experiments both by sea and land,
especially in those Northeastern parts.
To the most high and renowmed Princesse ELIZABETH by
the grace of God Queene of England, France and
Ireland
, &c.
MY minde earnestly bent to the knowledge of navigation
and Hydrographie from my youth (most excellent my
dread Soveraigne) hath eftsoones beene moved by diligent
studie to search out the chiefest points to them belonging:
and not therewith sufficed hath also sought by experience
in divers discoveries and other voyages and travailes to
practise the same. I was in the first voyage for discoverie
of the partes of Russia
, which begun in anno 1553. (being
then sixteene yeeres of age) also in the yeere 1556. in the
voyage when the coastes of Samoed and Nova Zembla,
with the straightes of Vaigatz were found out: and in
the yeere 1557, when the coast of Lappia, and the bay of
S. Nicholas were more perfectly discovered. Since which
time, by my continuall practise in the voyages made
yeerely to S. Nicholas in Russia
, or to the Narve, and to
some other countreys also by Sea: as likewise in passing
from S. Nicholas to Mosco, and from Mosco to Narve,
and from thence backe againe to S. Nicholas by land, in
the yeeres 1574. and 1575. (being then Agent in those
countreis for the companie of English merchants for discoveries of new trades) setting downe alwayes with great
care and diligence, true observations & notes of al those
countreys, Islands, coasts of the sea, and other things
requisite to the artes of Navigation and Hydrographie:
and with like diligence gathering exact notes and
descriptions of the wayes, rivers, cities, townes, &c. as I
passed by land: I finde my selfe sufficiently furnished to
give report unto your Majesty, and to make description of
those North parts of the world in forme and maner of
every leagues distance that I have passed & seene in all
those my travels. The places herein described, which I
have not seene and tried my selfe, I have set downe by the
best authorities that I could finde, and therein may erre
with the learned Gerardus Mercator, Abraham Ortelius,
and the rest: but for the maine part which is from
Rochel in France hither to London, and from hence Eastward to Narve by sea, and from thence to Mosco and to
S. Nicholas by land: also from hence Northwards and
Northeastwards by Sea to Saint Nicholas, and to the
straight of Vaigatz (first craving humbly your highnesse
pardon) I dare boldly affirme (and that I trust without
suspect of arrogancie, since truely I may say it) I have
here set it open to the view, with such exactnesse and
trueth, and so placed every thing aright in true latitude
and longitude, (accompting the longitudes from the
meridian of London, which I place in 21. degrees) as till
this time no man hath done the like: neither is any man
able by learning onely, except he travaileth, as I have
done. For as it may be truely saide of navigation and
Hydrographie, that no man can be cunning in the one
which wanteth convenient knowledge in the other: and
as neither of them can be had without the helpes of
Astronomie and Cosmographie, much lesse without these
two grounds of all artes, Arithmetike and Geometrie: so
none of the best learned in those sciences Mathematicall,
without convenient practise at the sea can make just
proofe of the profite in them: so necessarily dependeth
art and reason upon practise and experience. Albeit
there are divers both learned and unlearned, litle or
nothing experienced, which in talke of navigation will
enter deeply and speake much of and against errours used
therein, when they cannot reforme them. Such also have
written therof, pretending singular great knowledge
therein, and would so be accompted of, though in very
deede not worthy the name of good and sufficient pilots.
To whom I thinke it shall not be amisse in defence of
rules builded upon reason, and in practise allowed, thus
much to say for answere. It is so, that there are rules
used in navigation which are not perfectly true: among
which the streight lines in sea-cardes, representing the
32. points of the compasse or windes, are not holden to
be the least, but noted of such talkers for principall, to
condemne the occupiers thereof for ignorant: yet hath
the famous and learned Gerardus Mercator used them in
his universal mappe. But such as condemne them for
false, and speake most against their use cannot give other
that should serve for navigation to better purpose and
effect. Experience (one of the keyes of knowledge) hath
taught mee to say it. Wherein with my abilitie, together
with some part of my studie, I am the rather moved (in
this my plot) to make some triall unto your majestie: for
that I perceive that such attempts of newe discoveries
(whereunto this noble Island is most aptly situated) are
by your royall maintenance so willingly furthered:
beseeching your highnesse so to accept of these my
travailes, as a pledge of my well willing to my countrey,
and of my loyall service to your majestie, whose healthfull happie life and reigne God continue which is
Almightie. Amen.
Your Majesties most humble subject
William Burrough.
