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
.
MOST EXCELLENT PRINCE,
EXPERIENCE prooveth that naturally all princes bee
desirous to extend and enlarge their dominions and
kingdomes. Wherefore it is not to be marveiled, to see
them every day procure the same, not regarding any cost,
perill, and labour, that may thereby chance, but rather it
is to be marvelled, if there be any prince content to live
quiet with his owne dominions. For surely the people
would thinke he lacketh the noble courage and spirit of
all other.
The world knoweth that the desires of Princes have
bene so fervent to obtaine their purpose, that they have
adventured and prooved things to mans conjecture impossible, the which they have made possible, and also things
difficult have made facill: and thus to obtaine their
purpose, have in maner turned up and downe the whole
world so many times, that the people inhabiting in the
farthest regions of the Occident have pursued with great
distresse, labours and perils, to penetrate and enter into
the farthest regions of the Orient: and in likewise those
people of the said parts of the Orient have had no lesse
labour and desire to enter and penetrate into the farthest
land of the Occident, and so following their purchase have
not ceased untill they could passe no farther by reason of
the great seas.
This naturall inclination is cause, that scarsely it may
be said, there is any kingdome stable, nor king quiet, but
that his owne imagination, or other princes his neighbours
doe trouble him. God and nature hath provided to your
Grace, and to your gracious progenitors, this Realme of
England, and set it in so fruitfull a place, and within such
limites, that it should seeme to be a place quiet and
aparted from all the foresayd desire. One speciall cause
is, for that it is compassed with the Sea: by reason
therof it seemes, this notwithstanding, their desires and
noble courages have beene most commonly like unto
others: and with marvellous great labours, costes and
perils, they have travelled and passed the Seas, making
warre, not onely with Kings and dominions nigh neighbours, but also with them of farre countries, and so have
woonne and conquered many rich and fayre dominions,
and amplified this your Graces Realme with great victory
and glory. And also now of late your Grace having like
courage and desire, and not without just cause, to enlarge
this your kingdome, and demaund your limits and tribute
of the French king, which at that present he restrained,
your Grace in person passed with a great power into
France, putting your Graces person to great paine and
labour, and without doubt victoriously you had conquered
the sayd Realme of France, as ye began, if your adversary
had not reconciled himselfe, and knowledged your Graces
right and title: and so promised truely to pay tribute
then due, & fulfill your request in all things, and also
desired your Grace for peace, the which of your clemencie
you could not refuse.
Now I considering this your noble courage and desire,
and also perceiving that your Grace may at your pleasure,
to your greater glory, by a godly meane, with little cost,
perill, or labour to your Grace or any of your subjects,
amplifie and inrich this your sayd Realme, I know it is
my bounden duety to manifest this secret unto your Grace,
which hitherto, as I suppose, hath beene hid: which is,
that with a small number of ships there may bee discovered divers New lands and kingdomes, in the which
without doubt your Grace shall winne perpetuall glory,
and your subjectes infinite profite. To which places there
is left one way to discover, which is into the North: for
that of the foure partes of the worlde, it seemeth three
parts are discovered by other Princes. For out of Spaine
they have discovered all the Indies and Seas Occidentall,
and out of Portingall all the Indies and Seas Orientall:
so that by this part of the Orient & Occident, they have
compassed the world. For the one of them departing
toward the Orient, and the other toward the Occident,
met againe in the course or way of the middest of the
day, and so then was discovered a great part of the same
Seas and coastes by the Spaniards. So that now rest
to be discovered the sayd North parts, the which it
seemeth to mee, is onely your charge and duety. Because
the situation of this your Realme is thereunto neerest
and aptest of all other: and also for that you have already
taken it in hand. And in mine opinion it will not seeme
well to leave so great and profitable an enterprise, seeing
it may so easily and with so little cost, labour, and
danger, be followed and obtayned: though heretofore
your Grace hath made thereof a proofe, & found not the
commodity thereby as you trusted, at this time it shall
be no impediment. For there may be now provided
remedies for things, then lacked, and the inconveniences
and lets remooved, that then were cause that your Graces
desire tooke no full effect, which is, the courses to be
changed, & followed the foresaid new courses. And concerning the mariners, shippes, and provision, an order
may be devised and taken meete and convenient, much
better then hitherto. By reason wherof, and by Gods
grace, no doubt your purpose shall take effect. Surely
the cost herein will be nothing, in comparison to the
great profit. The labour is much lesse, yea nothing at
all, where so great honour and glory is hoped for: and
considering well the courses, truely the danger & way
is shorter to us, then to Spaine or Portingall, as by
evident reasons appereth.
And now to declare something of the commodity and
utilitie of this Navigation and discoverie: it is very cleere
and certaine, that the Seas that commonly men say,
without great danger, difficulty and perill, yea rather it
is impossible to passe, that those same Seas be navigable
and without anie such danger, but that shippes may
passe and have in them perpetuall clerenesse of the day
without any darkenesse of the night: which thing is a
great commoditie for the navigants, to see at all times
round about them, as well the safegards as dangers, and
how great difference it is betweene the commoditie and
perils of other which leese the most part of every foure
and twentie houres the said light, and goe in darkenesse
groping their way, I thinke there is none so ignorant but
perceiveth this more plainely, then it can be expressed.
Yea what a vantage shal your Graces subjects have also
by this light to discover the strange lands, countries,
and coastes? For if they that be discovered, to saile
by them in darkenesse is with great danger, much more
then the coastes not discovered be daungerous to travell
by night or in darkenesse. Yet these dangers or darkenesse hath not letted the Spanyards and Portingals and
other, to discover many unknowen Realmes to their great
perill. Which considered (and that your Graces subjects
may have the same light) it will seeme your Graces
subjects to be without activity or courage, in leaving
to doe this glorious and noble enterprise. For they being
past this litle way which they named so dangerous, (which
may be two or three leagues before they come to the
Pole, and as much more after they passe the Pole) it
is cleere, that from thence foorth the seas and landes
are as temperate as in these partes, and that then it may
be at the will and pleasure of the mariners, to choose
whether they will sayle by the coastes, that be colde,
temperate or hote. For they being past the Pole, it is
plaine, they may decline to what part they list.
If they will goe toward the Orient, they shall injoy
the regions of all the Tartarians that extend toward the
midday, and from thence they may goe and proceede to
the land of the Chinas, and from thence to the land of
Cathaio Orientall, which is of all the maine land most
Orientall that can be reckoned from our habitation. And
if from thence they doe continue their navigation, following the coasts that returne toward the Occident, they
shall fall in with Malaca, and so with all the Indies which
we call Orientall, and following the way, may returne
hither by the Cape of Buona Speransa: and thus they
shall compasse the whole worlde. And if they will take
their course after they be past the Pole, toward the
Occident, they shall goe in the backe side of the new
found land, which of late was discovered by your Graces
subjects, untill they come to the backe side and South
Seas of the Indies Occidentall. And so continuing their
voyage they may returne thorow the streight of Magellan
to this countrey, and so they compasse also the world
by that way: and if they goe this third way, and after
they be past the Pole, goe right toward the Pole
Antarctike, and then decline toward the lands and Islands
situated between the Tropikes, and under the Equinoctiall,
without doubt they shall finde there the richest landes
and Islands of the world of golde, precious stones, balmes,
spices, and other thinges that we here esteeme most:
which come out of strange countries, and may returne
the same way.
By this it appeareth, your Grace hath not onely a
great advantage of the riches, but also your subjects
shall not travell halfe of the way that other doe, which
goe round about as aforesayd.
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